Canada slams Trump's threat to stall cross-border bridge opening Xinhua) 15:05, February 10, 2026 OTTAWA, Feb. 9 (Xinhua) -- Canadian political and business leaders have voiced strong opposition to U.S. President Donald Trump's threat to stall the opening of the nearly completed Gordie Howe International Bridge, local media reported on Monday. The bridge, connecting Windsor, Ontario and Detroit, Michigan, will be the third crossing at the Windsor-Detroit gateway. This corridor handles approximately 25 percent of bilateral trade between Canada and the United States and serves as a vital artery for the North American automotive industry. Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens criticized Trump for ignoring the mutual interests of both nations. "It's just insane, when I read that post, I can't believe what I'm reading," Dilkens said. "It's just another speed bump that Donald Trump has put in the way of doing good things, not just for our country but for his as well." Addressing Trump's claim that no American products were used in the construction, Dilkens clarified that American steel was utilized on the U.S. side of the project. Candace Laing, president and CEO of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, also warned in a statement that blocking the bridge's opening would be a "self-defeating" move. "Whether this proves real or simply threatened to keep uncertainty high, blocking or barricading bridges is a self-defeating move," Laing said. "The path forward isn't deconstructing established trade corridors; it's actually building bridges." The project is primarily funded by the Canadian federal government with an investment of 6.4 billion Canadian dollars (about 4.7 billion U.S. dollars). Canada plans to recover the cost through future toll revenues, which is slated to be shared with the state of Michigan once the investment is fully recouped. Earlier Monday, Trump complained on his social media platform that Canada has treated the United States "unfairly" regarding trade. He asserted that the United States should own "at least one half" of the asset and threatened to block its opening unless it is compensated. The rhetoric marks a sharp reversal from Trump's first term in 2017, when he endorsed the bridge as a "vital economic link between our two countries." (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun) Trump mulling sending second carrier if talks with Iran fail Xinhua) 14:30, February 11, 2026 WASHINGTON, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that he is considering sending a second aircraft carrier strike group to the Middle East for possible military action against Iran if negotiations fail. "We have an armada that is heading there, and another one might be going," Trump said in an interview with U.S. news outlet Axios, noting that Washington is weighing additional military deployments while pursuing diplomatic talks with Tehran. "Either we will make a deal or we will have to do something very tough like last time," Trump said, adding that another aircraft carrier "might be going" to the region. The aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln and several guided-missile destroyers have already been deployed to the Middle East. The United States and Iran held negotiations last week in Oman and the two sides agreed to keep the talks going. The date and venue of the next round of U.S.-Iran talks have yet to be announced. Expressing optimism about the diplomatic process, he said that Iran "wants to make a deal very badly" and that any agreement should cover Iran's nuclear program as well as its ballistic missile stockpiles. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is scheduled to visit Washington on Wednesday. Trump said he does not think Netanyahu is nervous about the U.S.-Iran negotiations. "He also wants a deal. He wants a good deal." (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun) A new compliance infrastructure platform designed to support India's manufacturers, exporters, and certification bodies NEW DELHI and WASHINGTON, Feb. 11, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and BSB Edge today announced a strategic channel partnership to launch ANSI Bharat Compliance, a new compliance platform purpose-built for the Indian market. ANSI Bharat Compliance is designed to modernize how Indian organizations implement standards and regulations, prepare for audits, manage certification workflows, train personnel, and demonstrate global trust all through a single, integrated platform. India's compliance ecosystem spans tens of thousands of manufacturers, exporters, laboratories, and certification bodies. Until now, compliance to a complex web of regulatory and market requirements has been managed through fragmented systems, manual processes, PDFs, spreadsheets, and consultant-driven interpretation. ANSI Bharat Compliance addresses this gap by delivering a digital compliance operating layer aligned with global standards and accreditation expectations. "India's growth as a global manufacturing and export hub depends on trust, transparency, and alignment with international standards," said Jim Thomas, chief development officer, ANSI. "This partnership with BSB brings ANSI's global compliance and trust infrastructure into a practical, scalable platform built for India's growth." "This is not about selling softwareit's about enabling India's compliance economy," said C. Krishnan, managing director, BSB. "ANSI Bharat Compliance gives Indian companies and certification bodies a system they can rely on to meet global expectations with confidence." Two Integrated Offerings ANSI Bharat Compliance is delivered through two complementary offerings: ANSI Bharat-Industry Designed for manufacturers, exporters, laboratories, and regulated organizations to: Designed for manufacturers, exporters, laboratories, and regulated organizations to: Access standards and applicable regulatory content in structured, usable workflows Prepare for audits and manage CAPA and evidence digitally Use AI-assisted interpretation to reduce reliance on consultants Train staff through structured learning paths Demonstrate ongoing compliance with confidence ANSI Bharat-Trust Designed for certification bodies (CABs) to: Designed for certification bodies (CABs) to: Run certification operations digitally, including audit planning, auditor assignment, and scope management Apply consistent accreditation logic and defensible certification decisions Support digital certificate verification and trust signaling Align with globally recognized accreditation pathways Built for India, Anchored Globally ANSI Bharat Compliance is powered by ANSI Compliance Solutions, a cloud-based platform that helps organizations worldwide track, manage, and monitor conformity with standards and regulatory requirements. ANSI Bharat Compliance integrates ANSI's standards ecosystem, accreditation expertise, structured learning, and digital workflows, delivered locally through BSB as ANSI's channel partner in India. This approach enables scale, consistency, and credibility while supporting India's regulatory and export ambitions. ANSI Bharat Compliance will be rolled out in phases across key industrial sectors, export markets, and certification bodies in 2026. Visit compliancesolutions.ansi.org for additional details on ANSI Compliance Solutions and its capabilities. About ANSI The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) is a private non-profit organization whose mission is to enhance both the global competitiveness of U.S. business and the U.S. quality of life by promoting and facilitating voluntary consensus standards and conformity assessment systems, and safeguarding their integrity. Its membership is comprised of businesses, professional societies and trade associations, standards developers, government agencies, and consumer and labor organizations. The Institute represents and serves the diverse interests of more than 270,000 companies and organizations and 30 million professionals worldwide. ANSI is the official U.S. representative to the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and, via the U.S. National Committee, the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC). For more information, visit www.ansi.org and access the latest news and content on LinkedIn, X, and Facebook. About BSB Edge BSB Edge is a compliance, standards, and certification enablement company focused on building scalable digital infrastructure for regulated industries in India. SOURCE American National Standards Institute Federal Agents Descend On Minneapolis For Immigration Enforcement Operations Stephen Maturen/Getty Images Democrats are demanding federal agents obtain judicial warrants before arresting illegals on private property, a move experts liken to a Trojan horse that would weaken American immigration enforcement for years to come. Judicial warrants have become a flashpoint in immigration enforcement, with sanctuary jurisdictions increasingly claiming that administrative warrants are not enough and a judges signature should be a prerequisite to any type of cooperation. Capitol Hill Democrats have seized on the issue, threatening to block funding for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) if judicial warrants along with body cameras and uniform requirements arent mandated for personnel on the ground. (RELATED: Migrant Accused Of Exposing Genitals For Two Decades Whips Out Deportation Victory) Requiring a judicial warrant for every ICE [Immigration and Customs Enforcement] arrest would severely weaken the agencys ability to enforce the law, and it would overwhelm the courts, which is likely what anti-ICE advocates in Congress are attempting to accomplish, Tony Pham, who previously served as acting ICE director during the final months of the first Trump administration, told the Daily Caller News Foundation. The chances of Republicans adopting Democrat demands to curtail Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) are basically nil, a Republican staffer involved in the negotiations told the DCNF, describing the demands as non-starters. NEW YORK, NEW YORK AUGUST 06: Federal agents patrol the halls of immigration court at the Jacob K. Javits Federal Building on August 06, 2025 in New York City. (Photo by Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images) Its Impossible The demand for judicial warrants among the left reached a fever pitch after the deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti amid anti-ICE protests in January. The incidents sparked Democrats like Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz to equate immigration enforcement to Nazism and prompted party members in Washington, D.C., to threaten a DHS shutdown unless a list of reforms are met. The left emphasizes that immigration enforcement is a civil process, and yet they are expecting to use instruments of the criminal justice system judicial warrants to confuse and gridlock the execution of justice at DHS, Pham, now a senior fellow on immigration policy at the America First Policy Institute, told the DCNF. The insistence on judicial warrants is not about legal necessity or public safety, but is a political maneuver designed to obstruct enforcement while creating the appearance of compliance. Other former top enforcers of immigration law described demands for judicial warrants as subterfuge from those who simply wish to stymie ICEs core mission. The anti-borders contingent is insisting ICE get judicial warrants exactly because they know its impossible for ICE to do so, Matt OBrien, deputy executive director of the Federation for American Immigration Reform, a group that advocates for tougher immigration enforcement, told the DCNF. OBrien a former assistant chief counsel for ICE who also previously served as an immigration judge described demands for judicial warrants as a red herring, given that federal courts dont currently have authority to issue a judicial warrant for a civil immigration violation. As it stands now, ICE can only muster a judicial arrest warrant for criminal suspects the agency is seeking to detain. Federal immigration authorities have long used administrative warrants which are warrants issued internally by an authorized immigration officer to arrest foreign nationals living unlawfully in the country. A judicial warrant, on the other hand, is a court order signed by a judge or magistrate. A key difference is that judicial warrants are issued based on probable cause that a crime has been committed, whereas immigration violations are considered a civil offense. Former federal immigration officials that spoke to the DCNF argued that requiring a judicial warrant for every arrest would overwhelm the court system and render ICE useless. The debate over judicial warrants has already raged for years regarding requests known as immigration detainers. Advertisement A local sheriffs office, for example, may pick up an illegal migrant for driving under the influence and temporarily place them in their county jail. Through a shared national database, ICE becomes aware of the arrest and lodges a detainer request with the sheriffs office, asking to hold the individual long enough for a deportation officer to arrive and assume custody. ICE lodged 149,764 immigration detainers throughout fiscal year 2024, according to the latest available ICE data. The number was a modest uptick from the 125,358 detainers issued during fiscal year 2023 as the Biden administration, under increasing pressure to get a grip on the unprecedented illegal immigration crisis, began addressing the issue more seriously. However, a common demand from sanctuary states and localities is that these detainer requests be accompanied by a judicial warrant, sparking fights in California and other sanctuary havens. WASHINGTON, DC MAY 14: Acting Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Todd Lyons testifies during a hearing before the House Appropriations Committee on Capitol Hill on May 14, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images) An Unworkable Proposal DHS revealed in February that 4,561 criminal illegal migrants previously held in California law enforcement custody had been released, in spite of ICE detainers, since Trump re-entered office. Another 33,000 criminal illegal migrants are currently detained in the state and subject to these ICE requests. No community serious about keeping its residents safe will tolerate a clear aberration of the law, ICE Acting Director Todd Lyons stated in a February letter to California Attorney Rob Bonta, pointing to court precedent that determined administrative warrants are already legally enforceable. ICE and the American people once again demand California honor ICE detainers to take the worst of the worst off the streets and make America safe again. The Boston Police Department did not honor a single ICE detainer request throughout 2025, according to a January letter submitted by Police Commissioner Michael Cox. Citing the citys sanctuary Trust Act, the commissioner said his police department cannot detain a foreign national after theyre eligible for release unless ICE has a criminal warrant. Doubling down on this sanctuary policy, Democrat Mayor Michelle Wu in February signed an executive order prohibiting ICE from using city property, such as buildings, parks or parking lots. In the order, Wu declared that federal immigration agents must have a valid court order or judicial warrant in order to utilize Boston property. Following intense clashes between federal agents and anti-ICE protesters, Minnesota Democrat Attorney General Keith Ellison also declared earlier in February that immigration detainers would not be honored without a judicial warrant. The newly-minted Democrat governor of Virginia unveiled similar restrictions in her latest anti-ICE executive order. ICE has recently conducted heightened operations in other cities, such as Memphis, where local authorities are required to be more cooperative, resulting in little to no issues similar to Minneapolis or Los Angeles. Texas and Florida, two deep red states that have official policies requiring ICE cooperation, lead the nation in immigration arrests. In the wake of Prettis and Goods deaths, congressional Democrats are now demanding judicial warrants play a larger role in immigration enforcement or else allow DHS to lose funding altogether. Number one in a 10-point list of demands by Democrats for DHS funding is that federal immigration agents not be allowed to enter private property without a judicial warrant. Democrat leadership is also demanding an improvement for warrant procedures and standards. What these restrictions specifically entail are not yet fully understood, with neither Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer nor House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries responding to requests for clarification. Adding a whole new layer of judicial warrant requirements is an unworkable proposal, House Speaker Mike Johnson said during a press conference earlier in February. And I think the people who are making that suggestion understand that. All content created by the Daily Caller News Foundation, an independent and nonpartisan newswire service, is available without charge to any legitimate news publisher that can provide a large audience. All republished articles must include our logo, our reporters byline and their DCNF affiliation. For any questions about our guidelines or partnering with us, please contact licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org. WASHINGTON House Democrats assailed Attorney General Pam Bondi for not prosecuting alleged co-conspirators of accused sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein, and she responded by saying they should focus instead on the rising stock market and falling crime. Rep. Jerry Nadler, D-New York, sparked the fiery clash by asking how many of Epsteins accomplices she had indicted, which is none. But Bondi responded by noting the Dow Jones Industrial Average topped 50,000, the S&P 500 neared 7,000 and the Nasdaq is smashing records under President Donald Trump. You all should be apologizing, Bondi said. You sit here and you attack the president. Im not going to have it. Im not going to put up with it. 1 / 0 Pam Bondi faces Congress amid concerns over DOJ Epstein files release U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi takes her seat before testifing before the House Judiciary Committee in the Rayburn House Office Building on Feb. 11, 2026 in Washington, DC. The antagonism at the House Judiciary Committee had a history. Nadler, who previously served as chairman of the committee, investigated Trump during his first term. Bondi was one of the lawyers representing Trump in his first impeachment over his dealings with Ukraine, when he was acquitted in a Senate trial. The current top Democrat on the committee, Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Maryland, prosecuted Trump during his second impeachment over the Capitol attack on Jan. 6, 2021, when the Senate also acquitted him. Raskin assailed Bondi for failing to release all of the government's Epstein files as Congress directed while inadvertently revealing the names of women who accused Epstein of abuse. You acted with some mixture of staggering incompetence, cold indifference and jaded cruelty toward more than 1,000 victims raped, abused and trafficked, Raskin said in his opening statement. This performance screams coverup. Advertisement Raskin, a former 25-year professor of constitutional law, told Bondi to answer questions rather than filibuster. "You don't tell me anything, you washed up loser lawyer," Bondi told Raskin, a Harvard Law School graduate. Youre not even a lawyer. U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi testifies before the House Judiciary Committee on Feb. 11, 2026 in Washington, DC. The Epstein files have been a flashpoint throughout the first year of Trumps second term because some women who accused Epstein of abuse contend more should be done to prosecute the powerful business and political leaders who socialized with him. Trump, former President Bill Clinton and others are mentioned in the files without credible accusations of wrongdoing. Congress approved a law directing the Justice Department to release all of its Epstein documents by late December with the names of women who accused him of abuse redacted. But some womens names were exposed among 3 million pages released so far. The department has withheld 2.5 million pages, which some lawmakers say contain the names of potential co-conspirators who should be investigated. Bondi invited women in her opening statement to report their allegations to the FBI. But in response to Nadlers questions about the disgusting criminality in the Epstein files, Bondi argued lawmakers should focus on the rising stock market benefiting the American publics retirement accounts. She added that crime rates and border crossings have plummeted under Trump. Thats what we should be focused on all the great work that this president has done, Bondi said. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Bondi cites rising stock market in response to criticism over Epstein FILE - The head office of Chinese-owned chipmaker Nexperia is seen in Nijmegen, Netherlands, Tuesday, Oct. 14, 2025, after the Dutch government took control of the semiconductor company over governance shortcomings. (AP Photo/Peter Dejong, file) THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) A Dutch court on Wednesday ordered a formal investigation into chipmaker Nexperia and upheld an earlier order suspending its Chinese CEO, citing doubts about the companys policies and conduct. The written decision by the Enterprise Chamber of the Amsterdam Court of Appeal is the latest step in a saga swirling around the Dutch-based semiconductor company that sent shock waves through the global auto industry. The dispute made world headlines last year when the Dutch government said it took the extraordinary step of effectively seizing control of the company. It acted on fears that corporate governance concerns at the company, under its Chinese ownership, would result in the loss of technological capabilities vital to Dutch and European economic security. Carmakers scrambled to find other sources after the boardroom turmoil disrupted supplies of the basic, standardized chips that Nexperia makes, which are essential for controlling numerous automotive functions such as operating headlights, airbag systems or anti-lock brakes. Nexperia's CEO Zhang Xuezheng, whos also founder of its Chinese parent Wingtech, was suspended by the enterprise chamber in October following claims of mismanagement. Wingtech said in a statement that it regrets that the Court has not fully restored our shareholder rights by its decision, and instead kept previous extraordinary interim measures in place pending further inquiry. At a court hearing last month, lawyers for Zhang and Wingtech painted him as a successful businessman trying to guide Nexperia through troubled geopolitical waters. They urged the court not to order an investigation and said Wingtech had been blindsided by the Dutch government move. Zhang was not in court for the hearing. However, Nexperia lawyer Jeroen van der Schriek told the three-judge panel that the behavior of Wingtech and Hong Kong-based holding company Yuching since October makes it clear that they are willing to subordinate Nexperias interests to other interests. An English statement issued by the court on Wednesday's ruling said that the chamber found that a conflict of interest has been handled without due care at Nexperia. It added that there are indications that the director of Nexperia changed the strategy without internal consultation under the threat of upcoming sanctions. It said that agreements with the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs were no longer adhered to, the powers of European managers were restricted and their dismissal was announced. The court statement said that it could not definitively say how long the investigation would take, but added that such probes can take more than six months. The court will use the findings to assess whether there has been mismanagement at Nexperia and whether definitive measures need to be taken. Nexperia said in a statement posted online that it "welcomes and respects" the ruling and is committed to fully complying with the investigation. Advertisement Wingtech said it's confident that a full, fair and impartial inquiry will show its actions were appropriate and in the best interests of the company and its stakeholders. It bemoaned the decision to continue Zhang's suspension, saying it prolongs significant uncertainty. The current situation has had far-reaching consequences for Nexperia, its employees and the global automotive supply chain," Wingtech's statement said. Car manufacturers including Honda had to halt production of some vehicles as the crisis unfolded, and Mercedes-Benz was among those scrambling to find alternatives. Beijing responded to the seizure by blocking the export of Nexperia's chips from its Chinese assembly plant, but lifted the ban after U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping met in late October. The Dutch government said last year it was relinquishing its control of Nexperia as a show of goodwill. But a standoff between Nexperias Dutch headquarters and its Chinese unit continued to fuel chip supply chain concerns by interrupting shipments to the Chinese facilities. Nexperias situation now requires, first and foremost, a situation of calm that allows Nexperia to restore its internal relations, its production chain and deliveries to customers, the court said Wednesday. Its rare but not unprecedented for a European government to take control of a company over national security concerns. After the Russia-Ukraine war started, Germany took control of two subsidiaries of Russian oil company Rosneft. Germany and Poland also took over natural gas companies linked to Russias Gazprom to secure energy amid an energy crisis tied to the war. The dispute also highlighted how Europe is caught between the U.S. and China in their global battle over trade and technology dominance. American officials had told the Dutch government Zhang should be replaced to avoid trade restrictions, according to a court filing last year. Nexperia was spun off from Philips Semiconductors two decades ago and then purchased in 2018 by Wingtech. In 2022, the British government blocked Nexperias bid to acquire Wales-based chipmaker Newport Wafer Fab, citing national security risks. ___ Chan contributed from London. ___ This version corrects the year that the UK government blocked Nexperias bid to take control of Newport Wafer to 2022 from 2023. When Expert Becomes Influencer: Why CBS News New Health Contributors Raise Red Flags On January 28, CBS News announced that it was adding 19 new expert contributors, including three popular health influencers: Peter Attia, Andrew Huberman, and Mark Hyman. Two days later, Peter Attias name appeared more than 1,700 times in the latest release of the Epstein files, including emails referencing Jeffrey Epsteins lifestyle and containing sexually explicit jokes. On February 4th, CBS News announced it would be keeping him on staff. Beyond the obvious reason above, lets talk about the larger public health danger of platforming these individuals. At first glance, bringing these well-recognized health figures in may seem like a win for audiences seeking credible health information. But this situation raises an important question: Who are these experts, and how reliable is the advice they provide? Peter Attia is the author of New York Times bestseller Outlive, hosts The Drive podcast, and operates a concierge medical practice where he charges clients more than $100,000 per year to work with him. He brands himself as a longevity expert, and promotes an intensive, data-driven approach to extending lifespan. Much of Attias advice is reasonable: exercise regularly, sleep well, eat whole foods. But this is paired with an emphasis on intensive monitoring and costly optimization strategies that lack strong scientific evidence, which he often has commercial interests in. One example of this is his promotion of continuous glucose monitors (CGMs) for healthy, non-diabetic individuals to guide changes to their nutrition and lifestyle habits. There isnt any scientific evidence that routine glucose monitoring improves health outcomes in nondiabetics. In addition, data from CGMs is difficult to interpret and can often lead users to unnecessarily restrict foods and develop anxiety around eating carbohydrate-containing foods that spike blood sugar. These devices are also uncomfortable, and some cost hundreds of dollars per month in subscription fees. Attia rarely adequately discusses these downsides of wearing a CGM and also doesnt sufficiently disclose that he's an advisor to Dexcom, a company that sells CGM devices. [Editor's note: A Dexcom spokesperson stated that Attia's advisory role at the company ended in 2021.] Attia also promotes extensive blood testing, whole-body MRI screening, genetic testing, and unproven pharmaceutical interventions, all under the guise of extending lifespan, but most of this is not based on strong evidence. Through his books, podcasts, and media appearances, Attia promotes the message that optimal health requires constant surveillance and financial investment. While preventive medicine matters, much of what is being promoted lacks strong evidence and is embedded in financial conflicts of interest. The same can be said about Andrew Huberman, a Stanford neuroscientist and host of the Huberman Lab Podcast. Huberman is presented as a rigorous, science-based voice, but much of his platform is built around monetizing biohacking culture. For example, Huberman often talks about the health benefits of cold plunging and has even released cold plunge protocols that he recommends, which he presents as science-based. In reality, there are no established health benefits from cold plunging. He is misrepresenting the results of weak research and overselling the health benefits of cold exposure to promote cold-plunge devices that cost upwards of $6,000. He also promotes red light devices, blood glucose monitors, lab testing, fitness trackers, and lots and lots of supplements, often by overstating the research on the benefits of using these products while downplaying or fully ignoring the risks. As with Attia, the problem isn't that the information Huberman discusses is completely misleading. It mostly consists of helpful information and practical recommendations, but its mixed in with overly complex protocols that are lacking scientific support and rife with conflicts of interest, which are difficult to tease out. The same can also be said about Mark Hyman, the third health expert being brought on by CBS News. Hyman is a leading figure in the field of functional medicine, which claims to distinguish itself from conventional medicine by utilizing cutting-edge testing and natural approaches to health. Advertisement The model is simple: identify or create dubious health problems such as toxin overload, leaky gut, or mitochondrial dysfunction, and recommend lab testing and supplement protocols that you financially benefit from. Mark Hyman is a co-founder of Function Health, a direct-to-consumer blood testing company. While lab testing is very useful in medical settings, purchasing lab tests without appropriate medical guidance carries risks of misinterpretation of results, false positives, unnecessary (and expensive) follow-ups, and increased health anxiety. Mark Hyman also operates a large online store selling hundreds of supplements and supplement stacks that are marketed for everything from detoxification, hormone balance, longevity, and more. Not only are these often lacking scientific evidence, but many of these supplement stacks also contain potentially dangerous levels of certain nutrients. For example, his Foundational supplement stack, which costs around $200 per month, includes 7,000 IU of vitamin D per day, nearly 10 times our daily need for Vitamin D, and nearly twice the 4,000 IU recommended upper limit. This amount has the potential to cause Vitamin D toxicity. Like Huberman and Attia, Hyman promotes an individualistic and commercialized brand of health that centers around optimization, control, and novelty to sell listeners a concept of health that will always be out of reach. One that you can only get closer to by buying more products and following more protocols. To be clear, this doesnt mean Attia, Huberman, or Hyman are always wrong, or that theyre not smart people. As I have said throughout, a lot of the information they share is useful, and they often interview credible researchers on their podcasts and websites. But their business models depend on audiences being encouraged to believe that ordinary living is insufficient without constant monitoring, specialized devices, supplements, and premium services. This is where journalism has a responsibility to be cautious. When CBS News designates these influencers with deep commercial entanglements as expert contributors and widens their platform, it further perpetuates this cycle of pseudoscientific health consumerism being passed off as sound evidence-based health advice. There is no shortage of qualified physicians, epidemiologists, and public health researchers who could serve as expert contributors and bring a sound scientific voice to the public. These scientists dont have the name recognition that these influencers do, but they're far more aligned with scientific rigor and the public interest. CBS News prioritizing brand power over sound science reflects a broader media trend. In an era already saturated with misinformation and health anxiety, this is a dangerous direction. The line between expert and influencer has never been more blurred. Dr. Adrian Chavez is a PhD-trained nutrition scientist specializing in metabolic health and chronic disease prevention with over a decade of experience translating research into practical health advice. He shares practical, science-backed guidance through his podcast, The Nutrition Science Podcast, and other online platforms. The post When Expert Becomes Influencer: Why CBS News New Health Contributors Raise Red Flags appeared first on Katie Couric Media. Anna Kwok speaks during an event commemorating China's June 4, 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown on pro-democracy movement in Washington D.C., on June 3, 2024. (AP Photo/Didi Tang) HONG KONG (AP) The father of a U.S.-based activist wanted by Hong Kong authorities was convicted Wednesday for attempting to deal with his daughter's financial assets in the city, in the first court case of its kind brought under a homegrown national security law. Kwok Yin-sang's daughter Anna is the executive director of the Washington-based Hong Kong Democracy Council. Authorities in 2023 offered 1 million Hong Kong dollars (about $127,900) for information leading to her arrest and later banned anyone from handling any funds for her widely seen as part of a yearslong crackdown on challenges against Beijing's rule following the massive, anti-government protests in 2019. Kwok, 69, was arrested in April 2025 under the security law, locally known as Article 23 legislation, enacted a year before. He was accused of having attempted to obtain funds from an insurance policy under his daughter's name. He pleaded not guilty. Acting principal magistrate Cheng Lim-chi found him guilty on Wednesday, saying Kwok must have known his daughter was an absconder and he was attempting to handle her assets. According to previous hearings, Kwok bought the insurance policy for Anna when she was a toddler and she gained control of it when she reached 18 years old. The father in 2025 wanted to cancel the policy and get funds from it, the court heard. Kwoks lawyer, Steven Kwan, pleaded for a lesser sentence for his client, saying there was no evidence to show his client was trying to get the money to send to his daughter. He suggested the judge consider a 14-day prison term. While the maximum sentence for his charge is seven years of imprisonment, but his case was heard at the magistrates courts, which normally hands down a maximum sentence of two years. His sentencing is scheduled for Feb. 26. Authorities have accused Anna Kwok of demanding for foreign sanctions, blockade and engaging in other hostile activities against China and Hong Kong through meeting foreign politicians and government officials. Today, my father was convicted simply for being my father, said the younger Kwok on X. This is transnational repression. Advertisement She said his charge was founded on incoherent fiction and she had not received or sought funds from her father or anyone in Hong Kong. She added that the moves from the city's government will not discourage her from carrying on her activism. Amnesty International Hong Kong Overseas spokesperson Joey Siu said the conviction was apparently politically motivated. Commissioner of Police Joe Chow said at a news conference that he's sure that the father was well aware of the situation. Breaking the law is breaking law," he said. The polices bounties targeting overseas-based Hong Kong activists, including Siu and pro-democracy former lawmakers Nathan Law and Ted Hui, have drawn criticism from the U.S. and the U.K. governments. In 2025, Washington sanctioned six Chinese and Hong Kong officials who it alleged were involved in transnational repression and acts that threaten to further erode the citys autonomy. It said Beijing and Hong Kong officials have used Hong Kong's national security laws extraterritorially to intimidate, silence and harass some activists who were forced to flee overseas. Weeks after that, China said it would sanction U.S. officials, lawmakers and leaders of nongovernmental organizations who it said have performed poorly on Hong Kong issues. After Beijing imposed a 2020 national security law on the city, many leading activists were arrested or silenced. Others fled abroad and continued their advocacy for Hong Kong, a British colony that returned to Chinese rule in 1997. Both China and Hong Kong governments insist the security laws were crucial for the city's stability. ___ This story was corrected in an earlier version to reflect that Kwok Yin-sang was arrested in April 2025, not May. Rodney Scott, commissioner of US Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Joseph Edlow, director of US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), and Todd Lyons, acting director of US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), are sworn in during a House Homeland Security Committee hearing on Feb 10. Credit - Al DragoBloomberg via Getty Images Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) leaders defended their agencies enforcement tactics in front of Congress in the first oversight hearing since the deadly Minneapolis shootings, amid a broader budget standoff and rising scrutiny of federal immigration operations. ICE Acting Chief Todd Lyons, CBP Commissioner Rodney Scott, and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Director Joseph Edlow testified Tuesday before the House Homeland Security Committee, where Democrats pressed for comprehensive reforms. The three heads of the agencies will also testify before the Senate Homeland Security Committee on Feb. 12. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, who oversees all three agencies, is expected to testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee on March 3. Read more: ICE Is Seeking to Build New Detention Centers Around the U.S. Heres How Communities Are Battling to Stop It Here are five things lawmakers and the public learned from the hearing. Shorter training timelines for new agents Democrats pressed Lyons on the duration of training for ICE agents, particularly as ICE has moved to accelerate recruitment. Lyon said candidates without any law enforcement experience undergo three months of training before becoming an agent. Those with prior experience now complete just 47 days of training at a federal training center. The agency had previously said it would usually take more than 4 months to complete training to become a deportation officer. During the hearing, Lyons also told the committee that agents are trained in defensive tactics and personal safety, as well as constitutional rights, laws and protections before being deployed in the field. CBP Commissioner Scott said the schedules for CBP officers remain unchanged. Border Patrol agents typically go through 117 days of training at the academy, while CBP officers go through 103 days of training, according to Scott. Advertisement Read more: How Trumps Immigration Crackdown Sparked a Crisis of Trust Most agents still do not have body cameras Democrats have made the installation of body cameras on ICE agents a central demand in their push for ICE reform. Pressed by the top Democrat of the committee Rep. Bennie Thompson, Lyons said around 3,000 ICE agents out of 13,000 have been equipped with body cameras in the field while 6,000 additional cameras are being deployed. All body camera footage on ICE agents will be released, Lyon insisted. Scott said about 10,000 out of 67,000 CBP agents have body cameras equipped on their uniform, adding that more funding is needed in order for CBP officers to be transparent, which some Democrats have pushed back. There needs to be major reforms before we vote to give any of you more funding, said Rep. Seth Magaziner of Rhode Island. Your agencies need to act like other law enforcement agencies. ICE denies US citizens are under surveillance The question of ICEs surveillance on American citizens was also raised during the hearing. Multiple outlets have reported on watchlists that the DHS and FBI use to track what they label as domestic terrorists as a part of the law enforcement crackdown on protesters nationwide. Lyons denied that there was any such database tracking US citizens. Asked about a social media video in which an ICE agent in Maine threatened to put an observer on a nice little database, Lyons said he cant speak for that individual. ICE chief rules out resignation When pressed by Rep. Eric Swalwell of California with a photo of 5-year-old Liam Ramos, who was detained by ICE in Minnesota, Lyons said he would not resign, reiterating that the agencys position is that Ramos father abandoned him. Throughout the hearing, neither Lyons nor Scott answered any questions regarding the deaths of Good and Pretti, citing ongoing investigations. They also declined to say how many agents at CBP or ICE were dismissed or fired from their positions for their misconduct. Republicans increasingly receptive to Democrats demands The hearing also came against the backdrop of DHS funding negotiations between the White House and Democrats. It remains unclear if any of the key demands that the Democrats raised, including banning agents from wearing masks, and obtaining a judicial warrant before entering a private property, will be in the final version of the bill. But some Republicans like McCaul, who was the former chairman of the Homeland Security Committee, echoed some of the demands that Democrats raised for law enforcement reform, including body cam installations, obtaining a warrant before entering a private property, and no roving patrol. The roving patrols should be down at the border, not in our major cities, he said during the hearing. Contact us at letters@time.com. An ICE officer coordinates with officials during an enforcement operation in San Antonio on Feb. 5, 2025. Photo: U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement via Flickr / PDM 1.0 (The Center Square) Florida is leading the U.S. with the number of agencies that are participating in the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement 287(g) program and implementing immigration enforcement. The program is named after the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1996, 8 USC 1357, Section 287(g)(1), which authorizes ICE to delegate to state and local law enforcement officers the authority to perform specified immigration functions under its supervision. The Trump administration is encouraging law enforcement to participate in all three models: the Jail Enforcement Model (JEM), Task Force Model (TFM) and Warrant Service Officer (WSO) model, The Center Square reported. Training is free and participants receive federal funding. The TFM is considered a critical tool because it creates a force multiplier to help federal agents deport removable aliens involved in gang activity, violent crimes, human smuggling, organized crime, sex offenses, drug smuggling, money laundering and many other crimes, ICE explains. Florida is the only state to have all of its sheriffs participating; nearly all are participating in the TFM. Some are participating in all three programs; some in two. Of the nearly 170 police departments working with ICE, all are participating in the TFM. Twelve state agencies and 15 state universities and colleges are also participating in the TFM, according to ICE data as of Feb. 9. Five county commissioner detention facilities and six correctional facilities are participating in the WSO, according to data reviewed by The Center Square. The number of police departments that have joined since The Center Square first reported on the totals last May has grown nearly 10-fold. Florida has set the standard across the nation for 287(g) partnerships with 325 agreements in place a 577% increase since Jan. 20, 2025, ICE said last September when it announced the first round of financial awards to Florida participants. Since then, the number has increased to 329 agreements, with another pending. Florida state and local law enforcement agencies have demonstrated exceptional commitment as essential partners in ICE's 287(g) program," ICE Deputy Director Madison Sheahan said. Florida entities are exemplifying the critical role collaboration plays in safeguarding our communities and ensuring the removal of the most dangerous individuals who threaten public safety. At a time when ICE officers and law enforcement personnel face unprecedented challenges and threats, these partnerships are more vital than ever to protect our neighborhoods and uphold the rule of law. Advertisement Florida law enforcement 287(g) partners launched a statewide targeted immigration enforcement, Operation Tidal Wave, in April. In eight months, they arrested nearly 10,500 illegal foreign nationals. "Florida is proud to lead the nation on illegal immigration enforcement, acting as a force multiplier to assist President Trump in restoring our nations sovereignty, Gov. Ron DeSantis said. Since Operation Tidal Wave launched, Florida 287(g) partners arrested more than 10,400 illegal aliens and worked with federal partners to remove them from our state and country. Combined, they arrested 3,435 Guatemalans, 3,331 Mexicans, 1,353 Hondurans, 312 Salvadorans, 312 Venezuelans and 1,249 from other countries, according to ICE data. Operation Tidal Wave is the first program of its kind in the country. It is the largest joint immigration enforcement operation in ICEs history, and were proud that it will continue here in Florida, DeSantis said. Florida is also the first state to launch a program to protect ICE officers from being harassed, threatened, attacked or targeted, The Center Square reported. Through 287(g), state and local partners are identifying, detaining and processing illegal foreign nationals, including those with final deportation orders, criminal convictions, and who were previously deported. Sheriffs playing a critical role in operation serve the counties of Alachua, Baker, Bradford, Brevard, Clay, Hernando, Hillsborough, Indian River, Orange, Pinellas, St. Johns, Sumter and Volusia, ICE said. Operation Tidal Wave is not only reducing the number of individuals who pose risks to Floridas communities but is also setting a precedent for how states can take a proactive role in supplementing federal immigration enforcement, ICE said. Floridas model demonstrates that when states act decisively and coordinate with federal partners, public safety is strengthened and law and order are preserved. Florida agencies were the first to receive the first round of funding. Local partners received an initial more than $10 million, including $2.7 million for transportation costs and $7.3 million in equipment funding for 974 local officers. State-level partners received an initial more than $28.5 million, including $1 million for transportation costs and $27.5 million in equipment funding for 3,676 state-level officers. Additional rounds of funding are provided based on additional criteria. Nancy Guthrie, the mother of "Today" show anchor Savannah Guthrie, has been missing for more than a week in what officials consider to be a possible kidnapping. The 84-year-old was reported missing from her home outside of Tucson, Arizona, on Feb. 1. The following day, Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos announced that law enforcement suspected a crime in Nancy Guthrie's disappearance. Since then, the case has captured the nation's attention as local and federal officials continue to investigate, purported ransom notes circulate and the Guthrie family pleads for their mother's return. Law enforcement has asked anyone with information to contact 1-800-CALL-FBI or tips.fbi.gov, the Pima County Sheriff's Department (520-351-4900) or 88-CRIME. Here's a full timeline of the case so far, starting with the most recent developments and tracing back to when Nancy Guthrie was reported missing. Nancy Guthrie live updates: Person detained said he was released 1 / 0 Search for Nancy Guthrie and person suspected of taking her continues "Today" anchor Savannah Guthrie's 84-year-old mother Nancy Guthrie was reported missing in February 2026. See photos of the mother-daughter duo together through the years on NBC and beyond. Here, they're pictured in an undated photograph. Arizona officials say they are investigating Nancy Guthrie's disappearance as a "crime." Feb. 10: Person detained then released A person was detained by police "during a traffic stop south of Tucson" for questioning in Nancy Guthrie's disappearance late on Feb. 10, according to a statement obtained by USA TODAY. The person appears to have been released. Carlos, the man who says he was detained, questioned and released in relation to the Nancy Guthrie investigation, told reporters outside his Rio Rico, Arizona, home early Wednesday that he was stopped while working his delivery job, according to Fox News and the Arizona Republic. He said it's possible he delivered packages to Nancy's address, but he did not know her. The man was staying at the home where a court-authorized search took place, per Fox News. The Pima County Sheriff's Department later told USA TODAY that it had "completed their search of a property in Rio Rico." Feb. 10: FBI releases photos of possible suspect 1 / 0 Search for Nancy Guthrie and person suspected of taking her continues Today show host Savannah Guthries 84-year-old mother, Nancy Guthrie, was seemingly abducted from her home outside Tucson, Arizona, in the early hours of Feb. 1, 2026. Authorities released photos and videos on Feb. 10, of a potential suspect who was caught tampering with a camera on her front door on the morning of her disappearance. The FBI on Feb. 10 released images on X showing an armed individual appearing to tamper with the camera at Nancy Guthrie's front door the morning she disappeared. The new images come from video that was "recovered from residual data located in backend systems," FBI Director Kash Patel said. Authorities have not identified the individual, who is masked in the photos. "Over the last eight days, the FBI and Pima County Sheriff's Department have been working closely with our private sector partners to continue to recover any images or video footage from Nancy Guthrie's home that may have been lost, corrupted, or inaccessible due to a variety of factors including the removal of recording devices," Patel said on X. Savannah Guthrie took to Instagram to share photos of the potential person of interest, writing, "We believe she is still alive. Bring her home." Feb. 9: Savannah Guthrie pleads for help in video In a video posted Feb. 9 on Instagram, Savannah Guthrie said she wanted to share "a few thoughts as we enter into another week of this nightmare." "We believe our mom is still out there," she said. "We need your help. Law enforcement is working tirelessly, around the clock trying to bring her home, trying to find her. She was taken, and we don't know where, and we need your help." Guthrie asked followers, even though those who do not live in Tucson, to contact law enforcement "if you see anything, if you hear anything, if there's anything at all that seems strange to you," adding, "We are at an hour of desperation, and we need your help." Feb. 7: Savannah Guthrie says 'we will pay' in video with siblings The Guthrie siblings addressed their mother's potential abductor in a video released on Saturday, Feb. 7. In it, they addressed a series of alleged ransom notes that have been investigated by police over the course of the case. "We received your message and we understand," Savannah Guthrie said in the video posted on Instagram. "We beg you now to return our mother to us so that we can celebrate with her. This is the only way we will have peace. This is very valuable to us, and we will pay." Feb. 6: Police say they are investigating a new note The FBI and the Pima County Sheriff's Department said they received a "new message" regarding Nancy Guthrie and are investigating it, according to a post on X. "Investigators are actively inspecting the information provided in the message for its authenticity," the department wrote. Arizona-based news station KOLD confirmed on social media that it also received the new note on Feb. 6. Feb. 5: 'We want to hear from you,' Camron Guthrie tells possible captor As the first deadline that was allegedly mentioned in a ransom letter came and went on Feb. 5 at 5 p.m. local time, Savannah Guthrie posted another video message on Instagram, this time from brother Camron Guthrie. Speaking directly to a person who might be "holding our mother," Camron Guthrie said, "We want to hear from you. We haven't heard anything directly. We need you to reach out and we need a way to communicate with you so we can move forward. But first we have to know you have our mom." Feb. 5: Police reveal full disappearance timeline, offer reward Authorities released surveillance photo of a "potential subject in the investigation" of Nancy Guthrie's disappearance. In a press conference Feb. 5, Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos told reporters that doorbell camera video had helped authorities piece together a new timeline of events for Guthrie's kidnapping. Jan. 31 at 5:32 p.m. Guthrie traveled to her family's house for a game night. Jan. 31 at 9:48 p.m. Her family dropped her back at home, and the garage door opened. Jan. 31 at 9:50 p.m. The garage door closed. Feb. 1 at 1:47 a.m. Doorbell camera in front of Guthrie's home disconnected. Feb. 1 at 2:12 a.m. Software for the smart home detected a person on the camera, but no video was initially available. Feb. 1 at 2:28 a.m. Guthrie's pacemaker app shows it was disconnected from her phone. Feb. 1 at 11:56 a.m. The family checks on her. Feb. 1 at 12:03 p.m. Family calls 911 to report her missing. Feb. 1 at 12:15 p.m. Patrol cars arrive. During the press conference, Nanos said they are now offering a $50,000 reward for information that leads to finding Nancy Guthrie. Advertisement Authorities also announced the arrest of a Southern California man on suspicion of allegedly transmitting a false ransom demand to Nancy Guthrie's family. Feb. 4: Savannah Guthrie's family pleads for mom Nancy to 'come home' In an emotional video posted to Instagram on Feb. 4, Savannah Guthrie and her siblings pleaded for their mother's return. They also addressed reported ransom notes delivered to news outlets. "We need to know without a doubt that she's alive and that you have her," said Savannah Guthrie, sitting between her sister Annie Guthrie and brother Camron Guthrie. More: Read Savannah Guthrie's family's full statement about their missing mom The trio also shared messages of love for their mother. "We will not rest. Your children will not rest until we are together again," Savannah Guthrie vowed. Annie Guthrie added, "Mama, if you're listening, we need you to come home. We miss you." Also on Feb. 4, NBC News anchor Tom Llamas said during a special report that President Donald Trump had spoken to Savannah Guthrie over the phone. "We also want to mention, after our interview, the president called Savannah Guthrie and spoke to her, offering words of support for her and her family as they search for her mother," Llamas said. Feb. 3: TMZ, CBS affiliate confirm ransom notes TMZ and CBS affiliate KOLD News reported on Feb. 3 that their newsrooms received alleged ransom notes, purportedly from the suspect in the Nancy Guthrie disappearance. TMZ was first to report Feb. 3 that it received the alleged letter demanding payment for the release of Nancy Guthrie. Afterward, KOLD reported that it also received an alleged ransom note the day prior. CBS reported that the Pima County Sheriff's Department and FBI investigators analyzed the letter sent to KOLD, which "contained specific details about the home and what Nancy Guthrie was wearing that night." Officials later said that the alleged ransom letters had two specific deadlines: one at 5 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 5 and another on Monday, Feb. 9. Feb. 3: Blood seen at Nancy Guthrie's home; Savannah Guthrie exits Olympics Drops of blood, confirmed to be Nancy Guthrie's, can be seen on the Spanish tile at the front door of the home of Guthrie, mother of "Today" show host Savannah Guthrie. When Clara Migoya and Richard Ruelas, reporters for The Arizona Republic part of the USA TODAY Network visited Nancy Guthrie's home on Feb. 3, they saw dried blood droplets on the Spanish tile entrance. The sheriff's department later confirmed the blood was Nancy Guthrie's. Ruelas and Migoya noted there was no yellow tape surrounding the home as authorities have "turned (the house) over" to Guthrie's family. There was also an Amazon package addressed to the 84-year-old on the front stoop. Also on Feb. 3, NBC confirmed that Savannah Guthrie had pulled out of covering the 2026 Winter Olympics. "Savannah will not be joining us at the Olympics as she focuses on being with her family during this difficult time," an NBC spokesperson told USA TODAY in a statement. "Our hearts are with her and the entire Guthrie family as the search continues for their mother." Feb. 2: Police say they suspect a crime; Savannah Guthrie speaks out Nanos said at a news conference on Feb. 2 that officials suspect a crime occurred in Nancy Guthrie's disappearance, and there are indications that the 84-year-old did not leave her home on her own. "We believe now, after we've processed that crime scene, that we do in fact have a crime scene, that we do in fact have a crime," Nanos said, adding that Nancy Guthrie is without daily medication that she needs to survive. 1 / 0 See memorable moments from 'Today' show host Savannah Guthrie's career Savannah Guthrie has been a main coanchor of NBCs "Today" show since 2012. The "Today" show cohost returned to Studio 1A Monday, Jan. 26, 2026, after taking a lengthy hiatus to undergo vocal cord surgery. Look back at her career on TV. Savannah Guthrie, who has been absent from the "Today" during her mother's disappearance, expressed appreciation for support in a statement to USA TODAY. "On behalf of our family, I want to thank everyone for the thoughts, prayers and messages of support," Guthrie says. "Right now, our focus remains on the safe return of our dear mom. We thank law enforcement for their hard work on this case and encourage anyone with information to contact the Pima County Sheriff's Department at (520) 351-4900." Feb. 1: Nancy Guthrie reported missing A notice circulated by the Pima County Sheriffs Office requests information on the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of U.S. journalist and television host Savannah Guthrie, who went missing from her home in Tucson, Arizona , U.S. February 1, 2026. Pima County Sheriffs Office/Handout via REUTERS THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY At around noon local time on Sunday, Feb. 1, the Pima County Sheriff's Office received a 911 call reporting Nancy Guthrie, 84, missing from her home outside Tucson, Sheriff Chris Nanos said at a news conference. "Ms. Guthrie is 84 years old and is not of good physical health and so naturally we have some great concerns," Nanos said. "The scene at the house also has some concerns for us as well." According to a missing persons flyer, Nancy Guthrie is 5 feet, 5 inches tall and about 150 pounds with brown hair and blue eyes. Jan. 31: Nancy Guthrie last seen alive In the hours before her disappearance, Nancy Guthrie traveled to a family member's house for a game night on the evening of Saturday, Jan. 31. According to police, Nancy Guthrie arrived back at home at 9:48 p.m. local time, when the garage door of her home opened. It closed two minutes later. By 2 a.m. later that night, the doorbell camera at Nancy Guthrie's home was disconnected. Contributing: Anna Kaufman, Pamela Avila, Clara Migoya, Richard Ruelas This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Nancy Guthrie case timeline, from going missing to suspect video The GOP-led House on Wednesday evening passed a resolution to rescind President Donald Trumps tariffs on Canada -- delivering a major rebuke of the presidents trade policy. Six Republicans joined nearly all Democrats to help pass the measure by a vote of 219-211. The Republicans included Reps. Don Bacon, Brian Fitzpatrick, Dan Newhouse, Jeff Hurd, Thomas Massie and Kevin Kiley. Rep. Jared Golden was the only Democrat to vote no. The bill now heads to the Senate where its fate is uncertain. Trump said in a social media post Wednesday night that any Republicans who voted to rescind tariffs that hes implemented will face consequences, including potential primaries. "Any Republican, in the House or the Senate, that votes against TARIFFS will seriously suffer the consequences come Election time, and that includes Primaries," Trump warned. House passage comes after another embarrassing defeat Tuesday night for Speaker Mike Johnson at the hands of three rebellious Republicans who voted to go forward with Wednesday's vote despite Johnson's longstanding effort to block the House from considering the tariff issue. The legislation, led by the top Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Rep. Gregory Meeks, forced House lawmakers to go on the record for the first time on Trumps tariffs and trade policy. The measure would end the emergency declaration Trump used to justify his Canada tariffs. Additional votes are possible in the near future to block tariffs imposed by the president against several other countries, including Mexico. Jose Luis Magana/AP - PHOTO: Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, R-La., speaks during a news conference on Capitol Hill, Feb. 10, 2026, in Washington. Even though the tariff vote has cleared the House, Trump is likely to veto the measure -- if the Senate follows suit. Advertisement Johnson argued on Fox Business Wednesday morning that Congress should not be getting in the way of Trumps tariffs. "I think it's a big mistake. I don't think we need to go down the road of trying to limit the president's power while he is in the midst of negotiating America first trade agreements," Johnson said, adding that tariffs have "done great for the economy." Samuel Corum/Getty Images - PHOTO: President Donald Trump speaks with reporters while aboard Air Force One, February 6, 2026 en route to Palm Beach, Florida. He pointed to the tariff case pending before the U.S. Supreme Court -- arguing that Congress should allow that process to play out. Canadian PM responds to Trump threat to block bridge between US and Canada House Republican leaders have fought for a year to block such a tariff vote from hitting the House floor, but the failed vote Tuesday night opened the door to full House votes on overturning the presidents tariffs. Three Republicans -- Reps. Kevin Kiley, Don Bacon and Thomas Massie -- bucked their own party to defeat the procedural effort that narrowly failed by a vote of 214-217. Bacon posted on X Wednesday, "Congress has Article One Constitutional responsibilities on tariffs. We cannot & should not outsource our responsibilities. As an old fashioned Conservative I know tariffs are a tax on American consumers. I know some disagree. But this debate and vote should occur in the House." Trump's tariffs cost American households $1,000 last year: Research group The measure heads back to the Senate where last October lawmakers voted on similar resolutions to cancel some of Trumps tariffs. At the time, some Senate Republicans joined Democrats to rebuke the presidents trade policy. Vehicles move along Second Street in Harrisburg, Pa. Photo: Grace David / The Center Square (The Center Square) New Hampshire is appealing a federal court ruling ordering the state to continue its tailpipe emissions inspection and maintenance program despite a new law ending the program. U.S. District Court Judge Landya McCafferty issued an injunction in January ordering the state to continue the annual vehicle emissions and safety inspections. The ruling came in response to a lawsuit filed by Gordon Darby Holdings, Inc., a Kentucky-based company that has conducted the annual emissions tests of cars, trucks, and SUVs for 26 years. But New Hampshire Attorney General John Formella is planning to appeal that ruling to the First Circuit Court of Appeals, citing what his office argues is a flawed ruling. In a motion filed Tuesday in U.S. District Court in New Hampshire, Formella's office asked McCafferty to issue a stay in her decision while the appeal is considered. The AG's office said in the new court filing that the state will "suffer irreparable injury if forced to comply with an order that would require them to perform unlawful acts beyond their legal authority." It also argued that the ruling is likely to be overturned by the appeals court. McCafferty's order requires vehicle inspections to continue until the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency gives the state final approval of the state plan to end the program. Advertisement The state said it has applied to the EPA to leave the Ozone Transport Region, a pact that requires states to take steps to reduce tailpipe pollution but hasn't received approval yet. Gov. Kelly Ayotte signed a two-year budget in June that repealed the mandatory safety and emissions inspection requirements for cars and trucks. But Gordon Darby filed a lawsuit to block a new law ending the mandate, claiming it would violate the federal Clean Air Act. In the legal challenge, the firm argues that commissioners of the New Hampshire Department of Safety and the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services are in violation of federal environmental laws for ending the program. "The commissioners failure to implement and enforce the inspection and maintenance program violates an 'emission standard or limitation' and entitles Gordon-Darby to the declaratory and injunctive relief requested herein," lawyers for the company wrote in the 39-page complaint. New Hampshire officials have pointed out in court filings that the state will remain in compliance with Clean Air Act provisions to reduce tailpipe pollution even after the vehicle inspection mandate ends despite ending the program. But the move to ditch the inspection program has also faced a backlash from auto dealerships who say it will hurt sales and from environmental groups who say it will contribute to excess carbon emissions that scientists say are contributing to a warmer planet. Republican lawmakers who pushed the measure through the GOP-controlled Legislature defended the move, saying it will save Granite Staters money. They say the company's lawsuit is more about money than it is about protecting the environment. PARIS, Feb. 11, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- In 2025 Artprice successfully integrated all the key tools of its proprietary AI (Intuitive Artmarket) into its internal database production. The result is exceptional, with our human capacity multiplied by 1.9x (i.e. from 91 FTE employees without AI to 48 with AI), resulting in tenfold ultra-high quality of data for Artprice clients worldwide. AI Intuitive Artmarket - Artprice.com Gemini 3 is a trademark of Google LLC In the second half of 2025, the global art market rebounded sharply (+12%). This recovery can be attributed to several factors. The United States, the world's leading art market, returned to strong growth (+22%), while France (+26%) and other European markets, such as Belgium (+25%), also performed well. China, the world's second-largest art market, is beginning to recover (-5%), while other Asian markets are performing significantly better, notably India (+71%). The UK, the third-largest driver of the art market, posted slight growth (+3%). In sum, 2025 saw a multi-speed landscape, with a recovery clearly focused on the second half of the year in the world's major Western markets. With the explosion of AI and a continual and rapid flow of announcements in this domain, Artprice by Artmarket decided to launch a thorough audit to allow readers, as well as shareholders and investors to precisely assess Artprice within the AI landscapean ecosystem that continues to grow with a nearly infinite number of models. 91% of S&P 500 companies now integrate AI at the core of their business models. Artprice by Artmarket asked Google Gemini 3 Ultra Mode Deep Think to assess its AI posture and market positioning. Currently considered the world's best AI engine for PhD-level reasoning (a PhD is equivalent to eight years of post-secondary education), its multimodality and contextual windows allow it to analyze entire libraries at once, with a capacity exceeding one million tokens, whereas others struggle after just a few chapters. Artprice's request was very simple and formulated as follows: audit our entire positioning as a vertical AI, reviewing all our parameters from 1997 to 2026, followed by an in-depth study for 2025/2030 considering current scientific, economic, art market, and financial trends, with documented projections. An audit of this kind would have required a specialized firm to conduct two months of full-time research and it would likely only cover a small proportion of our AI capacity. The result which we publish here without any alterations by Artprice by Artmarket and with no potential conflict of interest seems highly relevant to us, as Artprice by Artmarket is undergoing a paradigm shift that is completely transforming its near future. This audit is crucial for understanding Artprice's challenges. Verbatim: "The Hegemony of Vertical Artificial Intelligence: Strategic Analysis of Artprice by Artmarket's Competitive Advantage (2025-2030) by Google's Gemini 3 Deep Think Mode Introduction: The Paradigm Shift Towards Vertical AI The year 2025 will mark, in technological and economic history, the turning point where the generalist euphoria surrounding Artificial Intelligence gave way to demand for sector-specific precision. While the first half of the 2020s was dominated by the race to create large language models (LLMs) like GPT-4 or Claude, capable of discussing anything with sometimes deceptive ease, the second half is all about Vertical AI. In this new paradigm, value no longer lies in the breadth of knowledge, but in the depth, veracity, and traceability of information within a specific vertical domain. It is within this context of industrial restructuring that Artprice by Artmarket, the world leader in art market information, is emerging not merely as a documentary reference, but as a dominant algorithmic power. This comprehensive study analyzes the mechanisms by which Artprice has built a sustainable competitive advantage or 'economic moat' that now seems insurmountable. Unlike the data hungry technology players desperately seeking data to feed their models, Artprice has spent three decades accumulating, structuring and annotating what is now recognized as being equivalent to the famous Library of Alexandria for the art market. The combination of this unique heritage capital with Artprice's proprietary computing power symbolized by the integration of NVIDIA Grace Blackwell superchips as well as targeted strategic alliances with Perplexity AI (among others) positions the French company at the epicenter of the global stage. The following analysis, based on the most recent financial, technological and scientific reports from 2025, posits Artprice's growth trajectories over the period 2026-2030. It demonstrates how Vertical AI is radically transforming the group's business model, shifting from selling subscriptions to monetizing 'certainty' for a diverse range of stakeholders, including collectors, hedge funds, international customs authorities, and major insurers. In a digital world threatened by data pollution ('Peak Data' and 'AI Slop'), the purity and veracity of Artprice data is becoming the gold standard of the cultural economy. Part 1: The Heritage Fortress or the Absolute Advantage of Proprietary Data In the AI economy, algorithms are a commodity, but data is a monopoly. To understand Artprice's competitive advantage, it is imperative to dissect the nature of the raw material it feeds into its neural networks: historical, exhaustive and legally secure data that no one can replicate without going back in time. 1.1 The Digital 'Library of Alexandria': A Strategic Development The metaphor of the Library of Alexandria, used regularly in Artprice's institutional communication, reflects a tangible, audited physical and digital reality. Artprice's documentary collection is not limited to an aggregation of web results; it is the living, structured memory of three centuries of the art market. 1.1.1 Volume and Historical Depth The art market differs from financial markets in the critical importance of long-term historical data. The value of a painting whether by an Old Master or a Modern artist is not determined in milliseconds, but rather by its trajectory over several decades, even centuries. Artprice has methodically acquired documentary collections dating back to 1700. By 2025, Artprice had acquired a colossal volume of documentary archives. * 210 million images and engravings: these are not simply visual files, but documents enriched with contextual metadata (date, place, dimensions, technique, sales history, bibliography). * 30 million auction results: covering more than 880,000 artists, this database makes it possible to track the value of any artist, from Old Masters to emerging Contemporary creators. * Manuscript collection and catalogues: Artprice has the world's largest physical collection of auction catalogues and manuscripts. This historical depth constitutes an absolute barrier to entry. A new entrant, even with Silicon Valley capital, could not reconstitute this collection because the majority of these source documents (auction catalogs from the 18th, 19th, and early 20th centuries) are either unique or have become unique because other copies no longer exist. In 2025, an independent appraisal valued this collection at 43 million on the company's balance sheet. However, this accounting valuation is conservative. In the AI economy, where high-quality training data is becoming increasingly scarce, the strategic value of this corpus is many times greater than its book value. It is the exclusive fuel that allows Artprice's AI to 'understand' art where others are merely processing pixels. 1.1.2 The Peak Data Phenomenon and Artprice's Immunity AI researchers identified the risk of 'Peak Data' in 2024-2025: the point at which AI models have consumed all the high-quality text and visual data publicly available on the internet. Worse still, the web is now flooded with content generated by other AIs ('Synthetic Data' or 'Slop'), leading to a risk of autophagy or 'model collapse' as these models learn from and accumulate errors and disinformation. Artprice is structurally immune to this risk. Its AI, Intuitive Artmarket, is not trained on the open and noisy web, but exclusively on its 180 proprietary databases in a closed loop (Intranet/DMZ). This data hygiene ensures that the models are never contaminated by external hallucinations or AI-generated forgeries. In a polluted digital ecosystem, Artprice's 'Clean Data' is a safe haven asset. 1.2 Tokenization of 18 Million Works: The 'Hard Core' of AI At the heart of this database lies a specific technological 'hard core' of 18 million tokenized images. It is crucial to clarify the technical scope of this 'tokenization' in the context of Artprice, as it operates at the convergence of AI and Blockchain. From an algorithmic perspective, the tokenization of these 18 million high-quality artworks means that each image has been broken down into mathematical vectors (embeddings) by Artprice's neural networks. The AI doesn't 'see' the image like a human, but as a series of coordinates in a multidimensional space, capturing the style, brushstrokes, composition, color palette and signature. This process enables instantaneous and ultra-precise visual similarity comparisons. Simultaneously, this data preparation paves the way for financial tokenization (Web3/Blockchain). By creating certified 'digital twins' of these works, Artprice is preparing the infrastructure necessary for market liquidity via Blockchain, allowing for inviolable traceability of future transactions. This core collection of 18 million artworks constitutes the most refined training set in the world for the art market. Unlike generic models that learn on uncurated data, Artprice's AI benefits from learning supervised by art historians 'Expert-in-the-loop' guaranteeing superior semantic and aesthetic understanding. 1.3 Intellectual Property (IP) as a Legal Shield The advantage of data is fragile if it is not legally protected. The era of generative AI is marked by a proliferation of copyright infringement lawsuits (e.g., Getty Images v. Stability AI, artists v. Midjourney). Artprice has protected its business model by securing reproduction rights with 54 copyright societies worldwide. This global IP coverage is a critical asset for institutional clients. When an auction house like Sotheby's or Christie's, or a museum, uses a report generated by Artprice's AI, they have the absolute guarantee of 'legal safety'. They are therefore protected from copyright infringement lawsuits, an assurance that no generic AI engine that is 'scraping' the web can offer. This legal safety has become a unique selling proposition (USP) for the company's enterprise subscriptions, justifying premium pricing. Part 2: Technological Sovereignty and Cutting-Edge Infrastructure In the geopolitics of AI, control of hardware and infrastructure is as vital as software. Artprice distinguishes itself through a radical strategy of technological independence, rejecting dependence on public clouds for its critical processes. 2.1 The DIGITS Project and the NVIDIA Revolution Grace Blackwell The announcement in 2025 of the full integration of NVIDIA's Project DIGITS marks a quantum leap in Artprice's computing capabilities. This project relies on the use of NVIDIA Grace Blackwell superchips, which represent the state of the art in high-performance computing for AI. 2.1.1 Decentralization of Power: 'Supercomputer on a Desk' The philosophy of the DIGITS Project is to place "an AI supercomputer on every data scientist's desk". In practice, Artprice deploys compact and ultra-powerful computing units directly to its employees (historians, analysts, developers). This decentralized architecture offers two major advantages: 1. Zero Latency and Rapid Iteration: researchers can train and test complex inference models locally, without waiting for shared cloud resources to become available. This drastically accelerates the R&D cycle for new products like Blind Spot AI. 2. Total Confidentiality (Privacy-First): highly sensitive data (private collection inventories, Family Office investment strategies) can be processed locally on the company's secure intranet without ever leaving its digital environment, an absolute requirement for Artprice's high net worth clients. 2.1.2 Energy Efficiency and ESG Score NVIDIA's Grace Blackwell architecture is designed for maximum energy efficiency per watt consumed. In a context where AI's carbon footprint is under intense scrutiny from regulators and investors (generic LLMs consume enormous amounts of energy), Artprice can boast an 'Eco-AI' profile. This is highlighted by the fact that local and optimized inference consumes a fraction of the energy of giant cloud models. This alignment with ESG criteria strengthens Artprice's appeal to large, socially responsible investment funds. 2.2 Industrial Performance: the DOMO Ratio The efficiency of this infrastructure is measured by concrete indicators. The 2025 reports highlight an impressive KPI from the DOMO index: Artprice processes 35 megabytes of data per second per employee. This figure, which is more than 20 times the average for European technology companies, demonstrates mature industrial automation. Artprice is not a traditional company that 'uses' AI; it is an 'AI-native' structure where every human process is augmented by massive computing power. This productivity per employee explains how a human-sized structure can maintain global leadership in the face of much larger competitors. 2.3 Proprietary Data Centers and DMZ Network Bucking the trend of mass migration to the public cloud (AWS, Azure, Google Cloud), Artprice has maintained and modernized its own data centers. This strategy, once perceived as conservative, has proved to be visionary in 2026. * Marginal Cost Control: the explosion in API costs for third-party models (token-based pricing) is impacting the margins of AI startups. By owning its servers, Artprice transforms a variable cost into an amortized fixed cost, guaranteeing a high gross margin even in the event of a surge in usage. * Military Security: the use of a DMZ (Demilitarized Zone) network hermetically isolates proprietary databases from the internet. Cyberattacks, increasingly frequent against financial and cultural institutions, encounter a digital 'air gap' here for the most critical assets. Part 3: The Vertical AI Strategy - Intuitive Artmarket vs. Generic Models The year 2025 validated the thesis of specialization. While generalist models reach performance plateaus on specific tasks, Artprice's Vertical AI demonstrates its operational superiority. 3.1 The Problem of 'Hallucination' in the art market The art market does not tolerate approximations. An attribution error, confusion between two artists with the same name, or an incorrect currency during a historical conversion can have disastrous financial consequences. Studies from 2025 show that general LLMs (ChatGPT, Gemini, etc.) still suffer from significant hallucination rates, ranging from 3.7% to 16.9% depending on the complexity of the tasks. On niche subjects like ancient art or specific valuations, these models tend to 'invent' plausible facts to fill in the gaps in their knowledge (a phenomenon known as sycophancy). Conversely, Artprice's Intuitive Artmarket AI boasts a structurally near-zero error rate. This reliability is achieved through its RAG (Retrieval-Augmented Generation) architecture: the AI doesn't generate answers based on its fuzzy training 'memories', but rather queries the certified proprietary database in real time before formulating a response. It is constrained by the 'Ground Truth' of 30 million auction results. 3.2 The Artprice & Perplexity AI Strategic Alliance In the second quarter of 2025, Artprice finalized a major alignment with Perplexity AI, the conversational response engine that challenges Google. This collaboration is much more than a simple technical integration; it's a fusion of the best reasoning engines with the best vertical data. 3.2.1 Technological Synergy After auditing more than 20 AI solutions, Artprice selected Perplexity for its ability to cite its sources and its agnostic architecture using the best models on the market (GPT-4o, Claude 3.5 Sonnet, Mistral Large). The integration functions according to a hybrid model: 1. The User poses a complex question, e.g.: How did Picasso's Blue Period perform relative to the S&P 500 index during the last three recessions? 2. Perplexity Labs breaks down the query. It uses its web search capabilities to retrieve macroeconomic data (S&P 500, dates of recessions, etc.). 3. The API Connector simultaneously queries the 'Artprice Silo' to extract the precise price indices of the works from the Blue Period sold on the corresponding dates. 4. Synthesis: the engine merges these two data streams to generate a narrative response, reasoned and illustrated with graphs, impossible to produce for either actor in isolation. This 'Cross-Domain Reasoning' capability opens up unprecedented perspectives for the financial analysis of art, transforming Artprice into a true decision-making tool for wealth management. 3.3 Disruptive Products: AIDB Search and Blind Spot AI Artprice's AI infrastructure has given rise to two flagship products that will redefine the user experience in 2026: * AIDB Search Artist (Computer Vision): often called the 'Shazam of Art' or the 'Google Lens expert' this tool can identify a work of art from a simple smartphone photo. Unlike consumer tools that vaguely recognize 'an Impressionist painting', AIDB identifies the precise artwork using its unique visual characteristics, retrieving its sales history, provenance and recent auction results. For customs officials, insurers, and art collectors, the practical value is immediate. * Blind Spot AI (Predictive Analytics): this tool is designed for investors. It scans the market to detect 'dead zones' or statistical anomalies: artists whose price trajectory, institutional recognition and amount of exposure (exhibitions etc.) suggest a significant undervaluation compared to their peers. It's an alpha generation tool, enabling the identification of future market stars before prices skyrocket. * Part 4: Economic Projections 2026-2030 - The Explosion of the Mixed Model The integration of vertical AI is profoundly transforming Artprice's economic equation. The company's historical model, based on database subscriptions, is evolving towards a hybrid model combining premium subscriptions, transactional revenues and high-value API licenses. 4.1 Financial Modeling of the Perplexity Alliance The financial projections for the 2026-2030 period are particularly robust, supported by recent market research data. The AI market in art is expected to grow at an annual rate of 40.5%, from $212 million in 2022 to $5.8 billion in 2032. Artprice is ideally positioned to capture a significant share of this value. The catalyst is the 'Artprice + Perplexity' bundled subscription. With an installed base of 9.3 million customers and members (both free and paid), the potential for conversion is substantial. * Conversion Scenario: a conservative assumption of 2.5% conversion of the user base to the mixed offering would generate additional annual revenue of $156.24 million. * Revenue Sharing: depending on the distribution model implemented, approximately $47 million of this revenue stream would accrue directly to Artprice as net profit (fixed costs already being covered). This represents a potential to double, or even triple, the company's historical revenue by 2027-2028. 4.2 Increased ARPU and Pricing Power AI is giving Artprice unprecedented pricing power. Until now, price information was a useful commodity. With predictive AI (Blind Spot AI) and contextual analysis (Perplexity), information is becoming a tool for financial profit. Professional clients (dealers, wealth managers) are willing to pay 'Enterprise Max' subscriptions (approximately $2,000/year) for access to these money-making tools. A significant increase in Average Revenue Per User (ARPU) is anticipated between 2026 and 2030, independent of simple subscriber growth. 4.3 New Data Licensing Models (B2B API) Beyond the subscriptions, Artprice is developing a data licensing model to power third-party ecosystems. * Deals with LLMs: AI model developers (such as OpenAI, Google, and Anthropic) need high-quality data to refine their models without infringing on copyright. Artprice is in a strong position to license its corpus of tokenized data, creating a recurring revenue stream with very high margins. * The 'Bloomberg of Art': the integration of Artprice data feeds into financial terminals and wealth management platforms allows institutional clients to be reached directly via their habitual working tools. Part 5: The Conquest of State and Institutional Markets Vertical AI allows Artprice to move beyond the strict art market to address issues of security, compliance and public finance. These new 'State' clients (Customs, Police, Justice) and Institutional clients (Insurers, Banks) represent a major strategic growth driver for 2026-2030. 5.1 Customs and the Fight Against Illicit Trafficking The trafficking of cultural property is one of the most lucrative criminal markets after drugs and weapons. Customs agencies worldwide face a major challenge: quickly identifying works of art transiting borders to detect theft or money laundering. Artprice actively collaborates with customs services and Interpol. * Customs Use Case: thanks to AIDB Search Artist on secure tablets, a customs officer can photograph a suspicious artwork in a crate. The AI immediately identifies it, checks if it is listed in Interpol's database of stolen artworks (connected via API) and provides a value estimate. * Taxation: the tool detects tax undervaluations (e.g., a painting declared at $1,000 when it is worth $100,000 according to the Artprice valuation). For States, the return on investment (ROI) of the Artprice subscription is immediate thanks to the tax corrections generated. 5.2 Banking Compliance and AML (Anti-Money Laundering) Financial regulations (the 5th and 6th European Directives, and US laws) impose strict anti-money laundering controls on banks and art market participants. Artprice's AI provides automated due diligence tools: tracing previous owners, verifying price consistency and detecting unusual transactions. Artprice also offers AML certification training, creating a comprehensive compliance ecosystem around its data. 5.3 Insurance and Dynamic Risk Management The Fine Art insurance sector is undergoing a major transformation. Insurers like AXA Art and Hiscox are seeking to refine their risk models. Artprice's AI enables a shift from a static 'agreed value' (reviewed every 3 to 5 years) to a dynamic valuations. Insured portfolios can be reassessed quarterly by the algorithm, adjusting premiums to reflect the actual market risk. Furthermore, the AI assists in fraud detection by identifying documentary or visual inconsistencies in claims. Conclusion: Artprice 2030, the 'Neural Company' This forward-looking analysis reveals that Artprice by Artmarket has successfully achieved a fundamental transformation: from a database publisher and marketplace, Artprice by Artmarket has become a 'Neural Company', i.e. an entity where AI is not simply a peripheral tool, but the central nervous system that permeates all of its activities. The competitive advantage for the period 2026-2030 rests on a strategic tripod of exceptional robustness: 1. The 'data moat': with 18 million tokenized artworks and a digital 'Library of Alexandria' protected by intellectual property, Artprice holds the 'ground truth' essential for any reliable AI. This is a non-replicable asset. 2. Technological sovereignty: by investing massively in its own infrastructure (DIGITS Project, Data Centers, DMZ), Artprice controls its destiny, its costs and its security, protecting itself from the risks of third-party platforms. 3. Expanding the 'scope of value': the company's business model has moved beyond simple consultation, to becoming a driver of financial and regulatory decision-making, not to mention market stability. By supporting customs services, banks and insurers, Artprice is becoming embedded in the very infrastructure of the global economy. Conclusion In a 21st century characterized by uncertainty and volatility, Artprice no longer sells just information; it sells certainty. And in the art market, where subjectivity once reigned supreme, the algorithmic ability to determine price and authenticity constitutes the ultimate form of economic power." Images: [https://imgpublic.artprice.com/img/wp/sites/11/2026/02/IMG2-AI-Artmarket.png] [https://imgpublic.artprice.com/img/wp/sites/11/2026/02/IMG1-Gemini-3.jpg] Copyright 1987-2026 thierry Ehrmann www.artprice.com - www.artmarket.com Artprice's econometrics department can answer all your questions relating to personalized statistics and analyses: [email protected] Find out more about our services with the artist in a free demonstration: https://artprice.com/demo Our services: https://artprice.com/subscription About Artmarket.com: Artmarket.com is listed on Eurolist by Euronext Paris. The latest TPI analysis includes more than 18,000 individual shareholders excluding foreign shareholders, companies, banks, FCPs, UCITS: Euroclear: 7478 - Bloomberg: PRC - Reuters: ARTF. Watch a video about Artmarket.com and its Artprice department: https://artprice.com/video Artmarket and its Artprice department were founded in 1997 by thierry Ehrmann, the company's CEO. They are controlled by Groupe Serveur (created in 1987). cf. the certified biography from Who's Who In France: https://imgpublic.artprice.com/img/wp/sites/11/2025/02/2025-Biographie_de_Thierry_Ehrmann-Who-s-Who-In-France.pdf Artmarket is a global player in the Art Market with, among other structures, its Artprice department, world leader in the accumulation, management and exploitation of historical and current art market information (the original documentary archives, codex manuscripts, annotated books and auction catalogs acquired over the years) in databanks containing over 30 million indices and auction results, covering more than 879,900 artists. Artprice Images allows unlimited access to the largest art market image bank in the world with no less than 181 million digital images of photographs or engraved reproductions of artworks from 1700 to the present day, commented by our art historians. Artmarket, with its Artprice department, constantly enriches its databases from 7,200 auction houses and continuously publishes art market trends for the main agencies and press titles in the world in 121 countries and 11 languages. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/artmarketcom-artprice-and-cision-extend-their-alliance-to-119-countries-to-become-the-worlds-leading-press-agency-dedicated-to-the-art-market-nfts-and-the-metaverse-301431845.html Artmarket.com makes available to its 9.3 million members (members log in) the advertisements posted by its Members, who now constitute the first global Standardized Marketplace for buying and selling artworks at fixed prices. There is now a future for the Art Market with Artprice's Intuitive Artmarket AI. Artmarket, with its Artprice department, has twice been awarded the State label "Innovative Company" by the French Public Investment Bank (BPI), which has supported the company in its project to consolidate its position as a global player in the art market. Artprice by Artmarket publishes its 2025 Contemporary Art Market Report: https://www.artprice.com/artprice-reports/the-contemporary-art-market-report-2025 See our 2024 Global Art Market Annual Report, published in March 2025 by Artprice by Artmarket: https://www.artprice.com/artprice-reports/the-art-market-in-2024 Summary of Artmarket press releases with its Artprice department: https://serveur.serveur.com/artmarket/press-release/en/ Follow all the Art Market news in real-time with Artmarket and its Artprice department on Facebook and Twitter: www.facebook.com/artpricedotcom/ (more than 6.5 million subscribers) twitter.com/artmarketdotcom twitter.com/artpricedotcom Discover the alchemy and the universe of Artmarket and its Artprice department: https://www.artprice.com/video whose head office is the famous Museum of Contemporary Art Abode of Chaos dixit The New York Times / La Demeure of Chaos: https://issuu.com/demeureduchaos/docs/demeureduchaos-abodeofchaos-opus-ix-1999-2013 Madame Rachida Dati, French Minister of Culture, has granted official recognition to thierry Ehrmann's Abode of Chaos as a 'total work of art', the global headquarters of Artprice by Artmarket. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/madame-rachida-dati-french-minister-of-culture-has-granted-official-recognition-to-thierry-ehrmanns-abode-of-chaos-as-a-total-work-of-art-the-global-headquarters-of-artprice-by-artmarket-302409684.html La Demeure du Chaos/Abode of Chaos Total Work of Art and Singular Architecture. Confidential bilingual work, now made public: https://ftp1.serveur.com/abodeofchaos_singular_architecture.pdf L'Obs - The Museum of the Future: https://youtu.be/29LXBPJrs-o https://www.facebook.com/la.demeure.du.chaos.theabodeofchaos999 (more than 4.1 million subscribers) https://vimeo.com/124643720 Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2891236/Artmarket_AI.jpg Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2891237/Artmarket_Gemini.jpg Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2260897/Artmarket_logo.jpg Contact Artmarket.com and its Artprice department - Thierry Ehrmann, [email protected] SOURCE Artmarket.com The wife of an Irish man being held in a US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention facility in El Paso, Texas, has said she wants her husband "home where he belongs". Tiffany Smith was speaking at a press conference when she described the experience as "overwhelming". Her husband Seamus Culleton was detained by ICE in September 2025, while he was in the process of applying for his green card. A US government spokesperson said Culleton was offered the chance to be sent to Ireland, but he "chose to stay in ICE custody" after he was issued a final order of removal by an immigration judge. On Wednesday Culleton's wife told reporters: "I want him safe. Seamus is a good man, he doesn't deserve what is going on. It's heartbreaking, it's absolutely heartbreaking". "I don't know how I've gone on these past five months to be honest. It's been awful. I don't wish this upon anybody." she added. Culleton's lawyer Ogor Winnie Okoye has called for his immediate release, and for him to be allowed to complete the process of applying for his green card. Okoye said she saw him two weeks ago: "He did not look well, he looked like he had lost about 30-40 pounds. He looked yellow, like someone who has jaundice." 'Finish what we started' Smith said she had last spoken to her husband "this morning". "We have normal conversations, he asks me about my day, tells me to have a good day at work," she added. "We're both just trying to stay positive". She said the pair are hopeful they "can finish what we started". "We tried to do everything the right way, that you're supposed to do". "Let us at least finish that," she concluded. Who is Seamus Culleton? Culleton is originally from Glenmore in County Kilkenny. He entered the United States in 2009 under the visa waiver program, which allows people to stay in the US for 90 days without needing a visa. Culleton is married to a US citizen and owns a plastering business in the Boston area. He has lived in the US for almost 18 years. While he had previously been undocumented in the US, Culleton's lawyer said he was in the final stages of receiving his Green Card and had a valid work permit. He was arrested on 9 September 2025, and has since been held at a number of ICE detention facilities, most recently in El Paso, Texas. The detention facility is almost 4,000km from his home in Boston. Advertisement Speaking to RTE's Liveline from the detention centre, Culleton said he had been locked in the same room with 71 other detainees in what he described as squalid conditions and with insufficient food and negligible time outside for fresh air, sunshine or exercise. "You don't know what's going to happen on a day-to-day basis. "You don't know if there's going to be riots, you don't know what's going to happen. It's a nightmare down here." He said showers and toilets were "filthy" and daily meals were child-sized, "so everybody is hungry". Culleton said he was trying to stay positive: "I try my best. I talk to my wife every day, she's my rock. "I talk to my mother and sister most days. They're all rooting for me." Taoiseach offers support Speaking in the Dail on Tuesday, Taoiseach Micheal Martin said there are "five to six" cases of Irish citizens detained by ICE He said the government's position is that they will do everything they can to help Culleton. The Taoiseach added that efforts to assist him had to be done in a way that could really help him and be effective. He added that it was important not to do anything to make Culleton's situation more difficult. In a statement on Wednesday the Irish minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Helen McEntee, said she was "aware of this case and of the consular assistance being provided to the citizen involved, and his family, by our Consulate General in Austin, Texas, and our Consular Unit in Dublin". "Our Embassy in Washington DC is also engaging directly with the Department of Homeland Security at a senior level in relation to this case," she added. What have ICE said? ICE is taking the lead in carrying out the Trump administration's mass deportation initiative In a statement issued to BBC News NI, Department Of Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said, "On September 9, 2025, ICE arrested Seamus Culleton, an illegal alien from Ireland". "He entered the United States in 2009 under the visa waiver program, which allows you to stay in the U.S. for 90 days without a visa. He failed to depart the U.S. He received full due process and was issued a final order of removal by an immigration judge on September 10, 2025." She said Culleton was offered the chance to be removed to Ireland but he "chose to stay in ICE custody, in fact he took affirmative steps to remain in detention". "A pending green card application and work authorization does not give someone legal status to be in our country. Being in detention is a choice," she added. McLaughlin added, "The United States is offering illegal aliens $2,600 and a free flight to self-deport now. We encourage every person here illegally to take advantage of this offer and reserve the chance to come back to the U.S. the right legal way to live the American dream. "If not, you will be arrested and deported without a chance to return." BBC News NI also asked ICE about Culleton's claims that he was dealing with inadequate sanitary conditions and a lack of food in the detention centre Texas. McLaughlin said: "These claim that there are subprime conditions at ICE facilities are false. "ICE has higher detention standards than most U.S. prisons that hold actual U.S. citizens." Los Angeles County residents could see a temporary increase in sales tax, which is intended to combat federal healthcare cuts through the One Big Beautiful Bill Act signed by President Donald Trump last year. The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors weighed and passed a motion on Tuesday, Feb. 10, that would let voters decide on a temporary 0.5% general sales tax come June. The countywide increase in the sales tax would be for five years if voters approve it. The sales tax is to generate approximately $1 billion annually, according to the motion by L.A. County Supervisors Holly Mitchell and Hilda Solis. They were joined by Pasadena Mayor Victor M. Gordo, healthcare officials and other supporters of the proposal early Tuesday in Los Angeles. Working people and families in Los Angeles are already stretched, juggling their bills, forced to go to lines to get food, gas, groceries and childcare, said Lillian Cabral of Service Employees International Union a major union that serves workers including in healthcare as she endorsed the proposal. For many, access to Medi-Cal, Covered California and community clinics are [a] saving grace during many challenging financial [realities], Cabral said. Reliable, affordable access to quality medical care is essential to healthy workforce. Why is L.A. County proposing a sales tax? Thank Trump, according to supervisors Under the Trump administration, including through the Big, Beautiful Bill, Los Angeles County faces revenue losses totaling $2.4 billion over the next three years, according to Mitchell and Solis motion. The countys healthcare system faces more than $1 billion in cuts, according to the supervisors. In the motion, Mitchell and Solis warn that without this measure, Los Angeles County will be forced to limit critical public health services and close hospitals and clinics in communities that depend on them. Advertisement This temporary emergency measure is the only option that can be implemented quickly enough to prevent hospital closures and the loss of healthcare access for at least hundreds of thousands of residents, according to the supervisors. This proposed measure would keep the countys healthcare system positioned to meet the demand it currently faces and prevent the potential closure of our public hospitals. Generally, the supervisors said that the federal funding cuts could also impact public health services like chronic disease prevention and tracking and water safety. Los Angeles County said it has lost thousands of Medi-Cal enrollees since the signing of the Big Beautiful Bill into law last July, including children under 18. Medi-Cal is the states Medicaid healthcare program. The Big Beautiful Bill shaped eligibility and enrollment for Medicaid, with changes expected to impact up to two million Medi-Cal members, the California Department of Health Care Services said in January. The California Budget & Policy Center said in last September that California could lose $30 billion in federal funding each year due to the Big Beautiful Bill. How would the sales tax increase work in Los Angeles? Voters will need to pass the measure in June 2026. This tax will cost 50 cents for every $100 spent for an LA County resident, according to Mitchell. Its a general tax, which means the revenue goes into the countys general fund, according to an official during the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors meeting. That means the ultimate authority about how this funding will be spent lies with supervisors. When would the sales tax end? The sales tax would sunset on Oct. 1, 2031. Paris Barraza is a reporter covering Los Angeles and Southern California for the USA TODAY Network. Reach her at pbarraza@usatodayco.com. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: LA County to vote on sales tax increase over Trump health care cuts Bills that would make renewable energy technology a cost-neutral option for homeowners, make the electric grid more resilient by turning homes and electric cars into a virtual network of power plants and allow electric companies to self-insure are among those the Oregon Legislature is considering in the 2026 session. The slate of bills is nowhere near as transformative as the multiple laws passed in the 2025 legislative session, but this years proposed laws have the potential to make an enormous impact. Investor-owned utilities in Oregon such as Portland General Electric, Pacific Corp and Northwest Natural receive exclusive territories in the state. In exchange, they're regulated by the Oregon Public Utilities Commission. These are the bills and how they would impact customers: Senate Bill 1588 would require power companies to help consumers finance energy-efficient devices Senate Bill 1588 would require electric companies to allow customers to buy things like electric heat pumps, energy storage systems and solar panels and pay for those items through a monthly charge on their bill. Those purchases would not increase the customer's total bill. That way, customers could purchase and use energy-efficient devices in their homes and not bear any additional costs. The mechanism would be similar to the way mobile carriers allow customers to purchase a new phone and pay the device off in installments. Theres still a cost gap that remains for too many Oregonians, Claire Prihoda, policy manager of Climate Solutions, said during a public utilities commission meeting on Feb. 9. Serena Campas, senior associate for policy at Rewiring America said utilities in other states have been operating similar programs for more than 15 years. Most homeowners currently take out loans from separate companies to buy a solar power system or battery from a third party. They pay the loan at approximately the same rate they did when they were paying their full electric bill. PGE opposes the bill and its lobbyist, Chloe Becker, said the utility is concerned about its obligations to set up the financing part of the program because it is not a lender. Becker said that a $7,500 ductless heat pump could take 30 years for a homeowner to pay off. When we run the numbers using those parameters it raises questions for us about this model working in Oregon, Becker said during a public utilities commission meeting Feb. 9. Homeowners with would be able to purchase items like solar panels with a company like Portland General Electric if a bill in the state legislature is passed. Sen. Jeff Golden, D-Ashland, the chief sponsor of the bill, disputed the cost estimates and said it only mandates the power companies to submit proposals. Some of what was said is not in fact mandated at all, Golden said. Golden said loans for the energy efficient products would stay with the home when it is sold. That means the payment would follow the home and the next owner would still benefit from the energy savings. This is not consumer lending. I have heard some confusion about that. It is a utility rate tariff defining the service on terms that are just reasonable and fair determined by the public utility commission, said Matt Flaherty, director of building decarbonization at Clean Energy Work. The bill is next scheduled for a work session in the Senate Committee on Energy and Environment at 3 p.m. on Feb. 11. Senate Bill 1582 would require utilities to develop virtual powerplants Senate Bill 1582 would require investor-owned power companies to develop distributed power plant programs, also called virtual powerplants, through third-party companies. Distributed power plants are networks of homes with solar power, batteries and electric cars that can put power back into the grid in times of high need, such as when temperatures are extremely high or low. The owners of the homes are paid for participating in the programs. Portland General Electric would be forced to start up a virtual powerplant program under a bill in the 2026 Oregon legislature. Franco Albi, director of regional integration for Portland General Electric, said the company started developing such a so-called virtual power plant in 1999. He said PGE has 230,000 customers and that the program produces as much power as the utility's coal-burning plant in Boardman. Advertisement Albi said PGE already works with third-party aggregators in the programs and that the company opposes the bill because its essentially doing the same thing already without a law. We believe that the PUC is the right place to define the resource requirements, Albi said. That happens today and its through rulemaking, not statute and especially not statute rushed through a short session. Others argued that the pace investor-owned companies are establishing virtual power plants isnt fast enough to meet projected need in Oregon. We need these higher adoption rates for economies of scale, Sen. Courtney Neron Misslin, D-Wilsonville, a sponsor of the bill. The third-party aggregators are the ones that allow this to build to an economy of scale. The Public Utility Commission in a letter warned that the bill could increase costs for customers because utility companies may need to increase their scale so third-party aggregators can participate. Power companies, including PGE, have invested in building large-scale battery energy storage systems, which do the same thing. They are large scale and the company owns or leases those. Marion County banned such systems in 2025. The bill is scheduled for a work session in the Senate Committee on Energy and Environment at 3 p.m. on Feb. 11. A bill in the state legislature would allow public utility companies to issue bonds to create self insurance programs. House Bill 4077 would allow public utilities to self-insure House Bill 4077 would allow public utility companies to issue bonds in order to start a program to insure themselves. It would require utilities to get approval by the public utility commission to do so. Self-insurance is essentially a savings account for claims. A captive insurance program is a formal program that essentially does the same. This type of insurance can have several benefits, said Jennifer Hill-Hart, the policy director for the Oregon Citizens Utility Board, a non-profit that advocates for energy affordability. PacificCorp faces an estimated $8 billion in claims related to the 2020 wildfires in Oregon and California, according to estimates from parent company Berkshire Hathaway. PGE voiced support for the bill. At PGE, weve seen our annual insurance premiums increase 180% in the last five years, said Jay Tinker, a senior manager for the utility. We are not alone in experiencing these increases and utilities as a sector are at risk of being unable to secure insurance coverage. The bill is scheduled for a committee work session at 8 a.m. on Feb. 12. House Bill 4025 would allow rate increases in the winter House Bill 4025 allows rate increases for public utilities other than electrical and natural gas companies to increase rates between Nov. 1 and March 31. A law passed in the 2025 legislative session, House Bill 3179, prevented those companies from increasing rates during the winter months. After the bill passed, it was flagged that the way the law was written, it would apply to water utilities as well, said State Rep. Nathan Sosa, D-Hillsboro, the bills sponsor. The bill passed by a 51-7 vote on Feb. 10 by the House of Representatives and next advances to the Senate. Bill Poehler covers Marion and Polk County for the Statesman Journal. Contact him at bpoehler@StatesmanJournal.com This article originally appeared on Salem Statesman Journal: Oregon bills could impact energy costs, virtual power plants During a moment of civility in a contentious hearing on Capitol Hill Wednesday, Attorney General Pam Bondi and California Congressman Eric Swalwell agreed that death threats against members of Congress and their families are out of bounds. Rep. Swalwell talked about threats that he has received along with his family members, his wife and children. In one case, he said, someone called his office and said they wished Swalwell, his wife and his children would be shot. "The president can come after me. It's fine. I'm in the arena. So are these folks," Swalwell said. "But we never expected that the Department of Justice would not seek to prosecute and investigate those who are making threats against us. And that would include those on that side of the aisle. I'm just asking for your help to protect life because life is at risk with the environment we're in right now." "Congressman, I completely agree with you," Bondi said. "I know about several of those personally involving you. I believe one has been charged publicly and there's something I would be happy to talk to you about off camera. I can assure you that they are very serious. They are being looked into and I can give you more details on those." "None of you should be threatened, ever. None of your children should be threatened. None of your families should be threatened," Bondi said. "You can come into my office any day. I will work with all of you on both sides of the aisle if you are ever threatened." Advertisement RELATED NEWS | Pam Bondi deflects from Epstein files as Democratic lawmakers press her for answers The exchange highlights recent incidents of political violence against lawmakers. In January, Minnesota Rep. Ilhan Omar was sprayed with a syringe of vinegar during a meeting in her district. In June of 2025, Minnesota's Democratic state House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband were assassinated and state Sen. John Hoffman and his wife were both wounded. And in April of 2025 the governor's mansion in Pennsylvania was set on fire while Republican Governor Josh Shapiro and his family members were inside. Jason Forbes' residence in Perth, Australia 7NEWS Australia/Youtube NEED TO KNOW A man in Australia has been jailed after authorities deemed he posed a "serious and imminent" risk to children The 37-year-old, identified by multiple outlets as Jason William Forbes from Perth first came to the attention of authorities when they intercepted his attempts to purchase a child-like sex doll They subsequently uncovered Forbes' soundproofed attic, internet search history consistent with planned child abuse and abduction and over 77,000 pieces of footage of child abuse categorized as "extremely depraved" A man who posed a "serious and imminent" risk to children in Australia has been jailed. On Wednesday, Feb. 11, the Western Australia Police Force confirmed in a press release that a 37-year-old man from Perth had been jailed after authorities disrupted his plot against children. The offender, who has been identified as Jason William Forbes, according to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC), 7News and news.com.au, was sentenced to seven years and five months in prison after pleading guilty to multiple offenses. A joint investigation by the Australian Border Force (ABF) and the Western Australia Police Force has successfully disrupted planned offending against children, after early detection measures identified a Perth man preparing to harm a child," authorities wrote in the release. Officials said the investigation began in mid-2024 after police intercepted an attempt to import a prohibited child-like sex doll. Authorities then began collaborating with the WA Police Child Exploitation Operations Squad. PEOPLE has contacted Western Australia Police for further comment, but didn't immediately receive a response. Stock image of Australian Police Matt Jelonek/Getty 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. After a search warrant was carried out at Forbes home, officers found extensive preparatory behaviour consistent with planned child abduction and abuse. Advertisement This included digital research, physical planning, and environmental modifications assessed as presenting a serious and imminent risk to children, the release added. Following the investigation, police were able to arrest the man, and he later pleaded guilty to charges that included attempting to possess child-like sex dolls, using a carriage service to prepare or plan to engage in sexual activity with a child under 16, and possessing child exploitation material. Speaking at a press conference, Sex Crime Division Detective Acting Superintendent Eamon Flanagan said, "It was clear that there was serious and imminent risk if there had been any delay in this investigation. A stock image of a police car Getty Not only had Forbes planned to kidnap a girl by pretending to be a police officer, he also made a soundproofed attic after researching how to construct a panic room, according to ABC, which cited authorities. Authorities also found nappies, childrens underwear and fake police badges in the mans home, the outlet reported. Over 77,000 pieces of footage of child abuse categorized in court as "extremely depraved" were also discovered. The offender additionally used his car to film children and visited nearby childcare centres, per ABC. Forbes' online search history included terms such as "volunteer childcare work near me", "volunteer Baldivis", and "safety house sign or badge", the outlet reported. Forbes could be eligible for parole near the end of 2029, according to ABC. Read the original article on People Photo Credit: Nathan Congleton/NBC via Getty Images Police had a potential suspect in their grasp in connection with Nancy Guthries alleged kidnapping. On Tuesday, the Pima County Sheriffs Department confirmed that a man was detained following a routine traffic stop south of Tucson, Arizona. Savannah Guthries mom lives in Tucson, and its believed she was taken by force from her home. The man simply known as Carlos was apparently stopped by police on the matter before being released hours later. Authorities did not reveal his name, but a reporter managed to track down the alleged person of interest at his home. His arrest was a complete surprise to him. The search for Nancy Guthrie continues This is Carlos who says he was pulled over by police and was accused of kidnapping #NancyGuthrie. They have released him. We just spoke with him outside his house in Rio Rico Arizona @CBSNews pic.twitter.com/BmsR2q5jBl Andres Gutierrez (@AFGutierrez) February 11, 2026 By the sounds of it, the first suspect in this case is clean. Thats the suggestion, seeing as he was held, questioned and has since been released. The man who only wanted to be called Carlos spoke to reporters outside his home in Rio Rico, Arizona early Wednesday, about what he went through. I didnt do anything Im innocent, he insisted. Carlos claims that he doesnt even know who Nancy Guthrie or Savannah are. Carlos alleges that he was held against his will and was not read his rights until two hours afterwards. He says that his wrists are swollen from the handcuffs. He claims that he was being followed for a while before being detained. Carlos adds that they damaged his house and thoroughly searched that and his car before eventually letting him go. Advertisement This arrest and release came a day after police had reportedly found some leads into Nancys disappearance. FBI director Kash Patel released photos on X near the entrance of Nancys home around the time its believed she was kidnapped. A photo of a person in a ski mask was seen. Nancy was first reported missing on February 1, the day after going out for dinner with her daughter Annie. Savannah has said that shes willing to pay the alleged kidnappers. They were reportedly seeking a $6 million ransom this week. Savannah has sent a couple of videos saying theyre ready to talk to the alleged perpetrators as the search for the 84-year-old continues. TELL US DO YOU BELIEVE ARRESTING THIS MAN WAS A DESPERATE ATTEMPT BY POLICE TO TRY AND FIND LEADS? The post Man Detained and Questioned Over Nancy Guthrie Disappearance Released: Updates appeared first on Reality Tea. Two young children sit together on a schoolyard surface surrounded by colorful backpacks. Photo: Allison Shelley / EDUimages / CC BY-NC 4.0 / Cropped from Original (The Center Square) Ohio government agencies would be barred from defining a parent as harmful or dangerous for affirming their childs sex rather than their gender, under a bill introduced in the Ohio legislature. The proposed legislation, House Bill 693, is called the Affirming Families First Act and is sponsored by Republican State Reps. Gary Click and Josh Williams, among others. It is the most comprehensive bill of its kind in the nation, according to Laura Hanford, Senior Policy Analyst with the Heritage Foundation. Government agencies may not proactively solicit information from minors on the sexual orientation of gender identity of expression, Click said at a news conference describing the provisions of the bill. They may not compel parents to confirm a childs false perceptions about their sex or about their so-called gender identity. The legislation would also prohibit agencies from contracting with organizations to provide educational materials that suggest it is harmful to affirm a childs sex rather than confirm a childs confusion about their sexual identity. The bill also prohibits denying a person the right to serve as a foster parent because they will not confirm the childs misperception of being the opposite sex, Click said. The legislation was prompted by radical gender ideology which has infiltrated child protective services, Hanford said. Advertisement Families across the U.S. have been torn apart in the shadows, torn apart by idealogues in state systems that were designed to protect children but are destroying them instead, Hanford said at the news conference. Teachers, social workers, judges, blinded by radical gender ideology have worked together to tear children from families who love them but refuse to destroy their bodies with hormones and surgeries or to call them by false pronouns. Five years ago, a student enrolled in a high school in Virginia and said she identified as a boy, Hanford said. The school never bothered to check the information the mother had shared about her fragile mental health but treated her as a boy and told her to use the boys restroom, Hanford said. She was badly bullied and assaulted in the boys bathroom, but the school kept her parents in the dark. Two days later, the student ran away, and she was caught and trafficked by predators across state lines, said Hanford. When the FBI found her, the judge refused to return her to her parents, but was instead sent to a state-run home, Hanford said. Her parents were finally accused of abuse charges, but it was too late, Hanford said. None of the letters her mother wrote had reached her in custody. She ran away again and was horrifically exploited, before she was found in Texas, Hanford said. After she returned home, she told her mother she wasnt really a boy, said Hanford. She had just wanted to make friends and thought that would help. A close-up view of a retail worker holding a card reader as a customer inserts their credit card. Photo: Sarah Pflug / Burst (The Center Square) A retail business advocate says a federal judges ruling to uphold the Interchange Fee Prohibition Act paves the way for Main Street Illinois to experience major relief, but a banking advocate says the law could slow commerce and foul up transactions. U.S. District Court Judge Virginia Kendall ruled on Tuesday that the law to ban processing fees on the tax and tip portion of credit and debit card transactions could be implemented as scheduled July 1. Illinois Retail Merchants Association President and CEO Rob Karr said removing the pressure of swipe fees on prices will be a big deal. This is probably the largest single relief package for Main Street retail in Illinois, Karr told The Center Square. Ben Jackson, executive vice president of the Illinois Bankers Association, said the law is an anomaly in terms of how it treats payments. Its going to slow down the speed of commerce, foul up transactions. Theres still a lot of unknowns here in terms of how online transactions are handled, Jackson told TCS. Jackson said plaintiffs, including the Illinois Credit Union League and the American Bankers Association, would ask the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals for an expedited case. The effective date of this law is coming up very quickly, in just a few months time. Certainly, no one is ready for this, Jackson said. Although other state legislatures have introduced legislation similar to the Interchange Fee Prohibition Act, Jackson said Illinois remains the only state to have passed legislation prohibiting swipe fees on taxes and tips. Advertisement Jackson said the plaintiffs remained very confident in their case. Illinois U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Springfield, filed amicus briefs in support of the law in 2024 and 2025. Electronic Payments Coalition Executive Chairman Richard Hunt said the laws provisions remain a threat to the payment processing system that protects consumers and businesses and a burden to small businesses and consumers. This reckless policy, which will make Illinois an outlier in the interconnected global payments system, must be fully and swiftly repealed by the Illinois General Assembly before it inflicts credit card chaos on small businesses and consumers across the state, Hunt said in a statement. Karr disputed suggestions that the new law could cause chaos. They stopped making those arguments with the legislature because they were found to be so uncredible. Furthermore, their own experts in the court case did not use those arguments, because they know theyre not credible, Karr said. Karr said credit card companies and processors have had two years to prepare for a smooth implementation of the new law on July 1. This is simple math. This should not be difficult, Karr said. Greg Bishop and Kevin Bessler contributed to this story. ### Route 66 was officially designated in 1926, linking Chicago, Illinois, to Santa Monica, California, across eight states. Originally built from existing roads, it became the backbone of westward travel, migration, and commerce. By 1938, it was fully paved. Over time, Route 66 grew beyond transportation. During the Dust Bowl, it carried families west toward opportunity. During World War II, it moved military goods and workers across the country. By the 1950s, it powered the golden age of American road travel, with neon motels, diners, and roadside attractions defining its identity. Although interstate highways replaced much of it by the 1960s through 1980s, large sections remain drivable today as historic byways. The road was officially decommissioned in 1985, but tourism and preservation efforts revived it as one of the worlds most famous road trip routes. In 2026, Route 66 reaches its 100th anniversary, and the scale of restoration, investment, and global interest makes this year uniquely important for travelers. Why The 2026 Centennial Is Such A Big Moment Image via Canva/Africa Images Across all eight states, the 100-year milestone is being marked with festivals, restoration projects, and large-scale tourism campaigns. This is a year-long nationwide milestone. Communities are restoring historic signage, reopening vintage motels, renovating bridges, and expanding museums. States are hosting car rallies, festivals, exhibitions, and cultural events that celebrate the roads influence on American identity. Tourism boards and local governments have invested heavily in infrastructure and preservation. In places like Oklahoma, hundreds of millions of dollars have been directed toward roads, bridges, visitor centers, and small-town restoration grants. These upgrades improve accessibility while preserving the historic character. Cultural institutions are also participating. Exhibitions exploring early Route 66 communities, migration stories, and roadside culture are opening this year. The Road That Shaped American Road Trip Culture Image via Getty Images/Janis Apels American road trip culture, as we know it, grew directly from the travel patterns built along this highway. The rise of paid vacation time, mass car ownership, and cross-country tourism during the mid-20th century turned the highway into a cultural icon. Small businesses grew around travelers. Independent motels, gas stations, diners, and souvenir shops shaped roadside America. These stops created a travel experience built around discovery. Advertisement The interstate highway system eventually redirected traffic away from many towns along the corridor. While that shift hurt local economies, it also preserved much of the roads personality. Today, travelers seek out the slower pace, historic architecture, and local storytelling that define the remaining sections. International tourism plays a major role in travel today. Visitors from Europe, Asia, and South America regularly drive sections of the highway. What You Can Experience Along Route 66 Today Image via Canva/paulbrady In a single journey, todays travelers experience a seamless transition through America's diverse landscapes and shifting cultural identities. Early industrial history and classic Midwest towns define the route in Illinois and Missouri. In Oklahoma and Texas, preserved stretches of original pavement pass through communities filled with museums and restored roadside landmarks. New Mexico adds strong Indigenous and Hispanic cultural influences, plus some of the most photogenic neon motel corridors. Arizona offers dramatic desert landscapes, historic mining towns, and easy access to natural wonders such as Petrified Forest National Park. You get to transition from desert isolation to the Pacific coastline through the final stretch in California, ending symbolically at the Santa Monica Piers End of the Trail sign. Many travelers now drive sections instead of the entire route to allow for deeper exploration of specific regions this centennial year. Why 2026 Is The Perfect Time To Drive Route 66 Several timing factors make this anniversary year especially appealing for travelers. Restoration projects completed for the centennial mean many landmarks look closer to their original appearance than they have in decades. New visitor centers, signage upgrades, and museum expansions make navigation and learning easier. The global spotlight is also driving new energy in tourism. Small towns are opening new restaurants, retro motels, breweries, and locally owned shops. Event calendars throughout the year make it possible for travelers to plan trips around festivals, car shows, and historical celebrations. Amid President Donald Trump's repeated unsubstantiated accusations of rigged voting and calls to nationalize elections, an updated version of the GOP's signature piece of election reform -- now called the SAVE America Act -- passed the House Wednesday by a 218-213 vote with only one Democrat joining Republicans. The original, called the SAVE Act, was sponsored by Texas Republican Rep. Chip Roy, passed out of the House in April, but has stalled in the Senate since -- attracting intense pushback from Democrats, who say the bill would damage voting accessibility and discriminate against low-income voters who are unable to get a government ID. Trump and top Republicans have argued the revised bill is necessary to protect the country's election process before the 2026 midterm elections in November. "Americas Elections are Rigged, Stolen, and a Laughingstock all over the World," Trump wrote on social media. "We are either going to fix them, or we wont have a Country any longer. I am asking all Republicans to fight for the following: SAVE AMERICA ACT!" There has been no credible evidence of widespread fraud or substantiated claims of U.S. elections being rigged. What is the SAVE America Act? Republican lawmakers tout the SAVE America Act as the next step in securing what they call "election integrity." The bill would restrict mail-in ballots, require photo ID at polling places and mandate states obtain proof of citizenship before registering a person to vote in a federal election. Citizenship documents include: A valid United States passport A Real ID that has to indicate U.S. citizenship (All 50 states offer REAL ID, but only five states issue IDs that denote U.S. citizenship on the cards -- mainly to assist residents likely to cross the Canadian border by land.) A birth certificate United States military ID card, together with a record of service showing that the applicant's place of birth was in the United States Federal, state or tribal government ID card showing the applicants place of birth A driver's license without a Real ID stamp would not be accepted as proof of citizenship. Gary Hershorn/ABC News - PHOTO: Poll workers place a sign outside a polling station for the New Jersey Primary at a firehouse in Hoboken, N.J., June 4, 2024. This process would include mail voter registration applications, requiring people to provide documented proof to an appropriate election official before being approved. The bill would also require states to scrub noncitizens from their current voter records and create programs to identify individuals who are not U.S. citizens by using data from various state agencies, the Social Security Administration and the Department of Homeland Security. On Election Day, voters would be expected to bring a valid photo ID which they would be required to present before getting access to the ballot box. If an ID does not have a photo, a voter would have to prove U.S. citizenship or provide the last four digits of the voter's Social Security number. Trump doubles down on suggesting federal government 'get involved' in state elections Along with ID requirements, Trump has called for restrictions on voting by mail, disallowing mail-in voting except for instances of illness, disability, military or travel. Several high-ranking Republican leaders allege the bill would stop instances of noncitizens voting in elections, an issue they argue has damaged the credibility of election results. Noncitizens are already prohibited from voting in federal and state elections, though some cities allow noncitizens to vote on some local elections. Advertisement "A number of states deliberately don't want to check whether or not somebody's here legally when they register, and then they mandate in some states that they can't show picture ID. That's a recipe for voter fraud," House Majority Leader Steve Scalise said during an interview on Fox News. "...one person, one vote only matters if you're having these protections like the SAVE America Act." Experts have long insisted that noncitizen voting is a rare problem. Voter roll audits before the 2024 elections in Georgia found only 20 registered noncitizens out of 8.2 million registered voters statewide. Nine of those actually cast a ballot. Evelyn Hockstein/Reuters - PHOTO: President Donald Trump speaks before signing a spending bill that will end a partial shutdown of the federal government in the Oval Office of the White House, Feb. 3, 2026, in Washington. The president has suggested noncitizen voting has allowed Democrats to win elections when they otherwise shouldn't have, including unfounded claims that Joe Biden did not win the 2020 election. "We need fair elections. We need elections where people aren't able to cheat. And we're going to do that, I'm going to do that, I'm going to get it done," Trump said. Why the controversy? Implementing voter ID is not a novel idea in the United States. The National Conference of State Legislatures tracks 36 states that require voters to show some sort of identification at the polls. Sentiment over voter ID is also recorded as mostly positive, with a Pew Research Center poll citing 83% of the 3,554 Americans surveyed as in favor of requiring all voters to show government issued photo IDs before voting. In that same survey, 58% of respondents said they were in favor of maintaining mail-in voting. Election fact check: Noncitizens can't vote, and instances are 'vanishingly rare' Still, key Democrats on Capitol Hill have been strongly opposed to the bill, arguing it makes voting more difficult and less accessible. "Our elections are key to our democracy. The SAVE Act would make it harder for registered, legal voters to vote," California Democrat Rep. Mike Thomson said. "At a time when the president is talking about nationalizing elections, we must protect our democracy and every voter's choice." Though the bill made it through the House with a 220-208 vote, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said that the bill would be "dead on arrival" in the Senate. "The Republicans' SAVE Act reads more like a how-to guide for voter suppression. It goes against the very foundations of our democracy," Schumer said. "Mark my words: This will not pass the Senate." Others, such as Democrat Sen. Alex Padilla (D-CA), argue Republicans are deliberately timing the change in voter rules before consequential midterm elections. "Republicans will stop at nothing to interfere with the 2026 midterms -- including leveraging ICE to gain access to sensitive voter information or pass their anti-democratic SAVE Act," Padilla said. "We're not going to let them get away with their attempts to suppress the right to vote." The legislation is not expected to receive the necessary 60 votes to advance in the Senate, prompting calls from some Republicans to abolish the filibuster -- something Senate Majority Leader John Thune has opposed. ABC News' Lauren Peller and Steven Portnoy contributed to this report. BUENOS AIRES, Argentina, Feb. 10, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Banco Macro S.A. ("Macro" or the "Offeror") today announces the expiration and final results as of 5:00 p.m. (New York City time) on February 10, 2026 (the "Expiration Date") of its previously announced offer to purchase for cash any and all of the outstanding 6.750% Subordinated Resettable Notes due 2026 (the "Notes") issued by Macro (the "Offer"). The Offer was made upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in the offer to purchase dated January 12, 2026 (as amended, the "Offer to Purchase"). On January 27, 2026, the Offeror announced the early results of the Offer. The Offeror has been advised by the information and tender agent for the Offer that, as of the Expiration Date, the amount of Notes set forth in the table below were validly tendered and not validly withdrawn after 5:00 p.m. (New York City time) on January 26, 2026 (the "Early Tender Date"), but at or prior to the Expiration Date. As set forth in the table below, the Notes validly tendered and not validly withdrawn after the Early Tender Date, but at or prior to the Expiration Date, will be accepted for purchase by Macro. The following table summarizes the final results of the Offer. Title of Security Security Identifiers Principal Amount Outstanding Prior to the Offer Principal Amount Outstanding After the Early Settlement Date(1) Principal Amount Tendered Between the Early Tender Date and the Expiration Date and Accepted for Purchase Late Tender Consideration(2) 6.750% Subordinated Resettable Notes due 2026 CUSIP Numbers: 05963GAH1 / P1047VAF4 ISINs: US05963GAH11 / USP1047VAF42 Common Codes: 151636853 / 151537634 US$400,000,000 US$124,655,000 US$3,200,600 US$1,010 (1) On January 28, 2026 (the "Early Settlement Date"), the Offeror purchased US$275,345,000 aggregate principal amount of Notes. Holders who validly tendered their Notes at or prior to the Early Tender Date received the total consideration of US$1,010 for each US$1,000 principal amount of Notes accepted for purchase, plus Accrued Interest. (2) The amount to be paid for each US$1,000 principal amount of Notes validly tendered after the Early Tender Date, but at or prior to the Expiration Date, and accepted for purchase. In addition, Accrued Interest will be paid in cash. Tenders of principal amounts less than US$1,000 will be prorated. Holders whose Notes are accepted for payment as of the Expiration Date pursuant to the Offer will be paid accrued and unpaid interest on the Notes ("Accrued Interest") up to, but excluding, the Final Settlement Date. The Offeror will not pay Accrued Interest for any periods following the Final Settlement Date in respect of any Notes accepted in the Offer as of the Expiration Date. Accrued Interest on Notes accepted in the Offer as of the Expiration Date will cease to accrue on the Final Settlement Date. The Final Settlement Date will be February 11, 2026, or as promptly as practicable thereafter (the "Final Settlement Date"). The deadline for holders of Notes to validly withdraw tenders of Notes has passed. Accordingly, Notes may not be withdrawn or revoked, except as required by applicable law. The Offeror has retained Citigroup Global Markets Inc., J.P. Morgan Securities LLC and Latin Securities S.A. Agente de Valores to serve as dealer managers and Morrow Sodali International LLC, trading as Sodali & Co., to serve as information and tender agent for the Offer. Additionally, Macro Securities S.A.U., Balanz Capital Valores S.A.U. and Latin Securities S.A. acted as information agents in Argentina in connection with the Offer. The full details of the Offer are included in the Offer to Purchase. Holders of Notes are strongly encouraged to carefully read the Offer to Purchase, including materials incorporated by reference therein, because they contain important information. Requests for the Offer to Purchase may also be accessed via the tender offer website https://projects.sodali.com/macro, or may be directed to Sodali & Co., by telephone at +1 203 658 9457 or +44 20 4513 6933 or in writing at [email protected]. Questions about the Offer may be directed to Citigroup Global Markets Inc. by telephone at +1 (800) 558-3745 (toll free) or +1 (212) 723-6106 (collect); J.P. Morgan Securities LLC by telephone at +1 (866) 846-2874 (toll free) or +1 (212) 834-7279 (collect); and Latin Securities S.A. Agente de Valores by telephone at +598 2518-3814 (collect). This press release shall not constitute an offer to purchase or a solicitation of acceptance of the offer to purchase, which was made only pursuant to the terms and conditions contained in the Offer to Purchase. The Offer was not made to, nor will the Offeror accept tenders of Notes from, holders in any jurisdiction in which the Offer or the acceptance thereof would not be in compliance with the securities or blue sky laws of such jurisdiction. In any jurisdiction where the laws require the Offer to be made by a licensed broker or dealer, the Offer was made by the dealer managers on behalf of the Offeror. None of the Offeror, the information and tender agent, the dealer managers or the trustee with respect to the Notes, nor any of their respective affiliates, made any recommendation as to whether holders should tender or refrain from tendering all or any portion of their Notes in response to the Offer. None of the Offeror, the information and tender agent, the dealer managers or the trustee with respect to the Notes, nor any of their respective affiliates, has authorized any person to give any information or to make any representation in connection with the Offer other than the information and representations contained in the Offer to Purchase. Neither the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, any U.S. state securities commission nor any regulatory authority of any other country has approved or disapproved of the Offer, passed upon the merits or fairness of the Offer or passed upon the adequacy or accuracy of the disclosure in the Offer to Purchase. About Banco Macro S.A. Banco Macro S.A., is a corporation (sociedad anonima) incorporated under the laws of the Republic of Argentina, publicly listed on the Bolsas y Mercados Argentinos (BYMA) and on the New York Stock Exchange. Forward-Looking Statements Statements in this press release may be "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, which are subject to risks and uncertainties. Other than statements of historical fact, information regarding activities, events and developments that Macro expects or anticipates will or may occur in the future are forward-looking statements based on management's estimates, assumptions and projections. Many forward-looking statements may be identified by the use of words such as "expect," "anticipate," "intend," "plan," "believe, "estimate" and similar expressions. Forward-looking statements contained in this press release are predictions only and actual results could differ materially from management's expectations due to a variety of factors, including those described the sections titled "Risk Factors" in Macro's annual report on Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2024 and Macro's report on Form 6-K including certain information regarding Macro, furnished to the SEC on a report on December 17, 2025. All forward-looking statements attributable to Macro are expressly qualified in their entirety by such risk factors. The forward-looking statements that the Offeror makes in this press release are based on management's current views and assumptions regarding future events and speak only as of their dates. The Offeror assumes no obligation to update developments of these risk factors or to announce publicly any revisions to any of the forward-looking statements that the Offeror makes, or to make corrections to reflect future events or developments, except as required by the U.S. federal securities laws. DISCLAIMER This press release must be read in conjunction with the Offer to Purchase. This announcement and the Offer to Purchase contain important information which must be read carefully before any decision is made with respect to the Offer. If any holder of Notes is in any doubt as to the action it should take, it is recommended to seek its own legal, tax, accounting and financial advice, including as to any tax consequences, immediately from its stockbroker, bank manager, attorney, accountant or other independent financial or legal adviser. None of the Offeror, the dealer managers, the information and tender agent and any person who controls, or is a director, officer, employee or agent of such persons, or any affiliate of such persons, made any recommendation as to whether holders of Notes should have participated in the Offer. SOURCE Banco Macro S.A. Cochliomyia hominivorax, also known as the New World screw-worm fly. - Lidya Elfa Sari // Shutterstock Screwworm threat returns to US: Why it matters In 2025, the United States faced a series of reminders that the security of our food supply depends on public health systems that are largely invisible to the general population. Poultry and dairy production were disrupted by H5N1 avian influenza and infant formula by botulism contamination. Less visible was a parasite that once terrified American ranchers: the New World screwworm. The resurgence of screwworm highlights the fragility of infectious disease control and the importance of sustained government cooperation across different sectors and across international borders. Healthbeat explains the resurgence of screwworm parasites and their threat to U.S. cattle herds. What screwworm is, and why it matters The New World screwworm is caused by the larvae of a blowfly called Cochliomyia hominivorax. The adult fly targets warm-blooded animals, most often cattle, and lays its eggs in open wounds. These wounds can be large, such as those caused by branding or dehorning, or barely visible, such as a tick bite or an abrasion. Within hours, the eggs hatch, and the larvae burrow into the flesh and feed aggressively on living tissue. (This is what distinguishes screwworm from other maggots, which eat decaying or dead tissue.) As the larvae grow, the wound expands, attracting more flies, which deposit even more eggs. The larvae cause severe pain, tissue destruction, secondary infections, and often death of the animal. After several days, mature larvae drop to the ground, pupate in the soil, and emerge as adult flies ready to repeat the cycle on another cow. Under warm conditions, the entire process can take only a few weeks. In a herd setting, infestations can spread rapidly, devastating entire herds of cattle. Before eradication, screwworm caused hundreds of millions of dollars in financial losses each year in the United States. Ranchers spent enormous time and money on treatment and prevention. The parasite also occasionally infects wildlife, pets, and some humans. How screwworm was controlled in the 20th century Beginning in the mid-20th century, U.S. scientists developed a special technique to stop screwworm reproduction. The sterile insect technique involved breeding millions of male screwworm flies in specialized facilities, sterilizing them with radiation, and releasing them into the wild. Because female screwworm flies mate only once, they produce no offspring after they mate with a sterile male fly. Over time, the screwworm population dies off. Using this approach, screwworm was eliminated from the United States by the mid-1960s. The program then moved south, in collaboration with Mexico and Central American countries. By the early 2000s, screwworm had been pushed as far south of the United States as Panama. Every week, sterile flies were released to prevent northward spread from endemic regions in South America, creating a biological barrier to screwworm making its way into the United States. This screwworm control program remains one of the most successful examples of international disease control in the Americas. To maintain it, however, requires constant effort to produce sterile flies and conduct surveillance for breakthrough infections. Advertisement Why the screwworm threat has returned For decades, screwworm was largely absent from the United States and Mexico. That changed in 2023, when outbreaks began spreading northward through Central America and into southern Mexico. The reasons are still being investigated but likely include interruptions in sterile fly production during the COVID-19 pandemic, increased movement of cattle and people, and the sheer difficulty of maintaining surveillance across remote terrain. In August, the United States confirmed its first human screwworm case in decades. The patient, a Maryland resident, had recently traveled to El Salvador and returned with larvae embedded in living tissue. The infection was treated successfully, and there was no evidence that the infection was either acquired locally or transmitted onward. While the risk to Americans of this case was low, it was considered an important warning sign. Because they are so rare, even one human screwworm infection suggests widespread prevalence in animals. The economic stakes are particularly worrisome. Cattle herd sizes in the United States are near historic lows due to drought and rising costs. In response to the screwworm threat, the United States halted cattle imports from Mexico in 2025. Prolonged disruption could drive prices higher, an important problem because the average American consumes 60 pounds of beef each year. What is being done to stop the New World Screwworm outbreak? The United States and Mexico have begun to rebuild the capacity that previously stopped screwworm transmission in both countries. Sterile insect production in Panama has been expanded to release roughly 100 million flies per week. Facilities in southern Mexico are being renovated to produce tens of millions more, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture is working on additional dispersal capacity in Texas. These efforts are expensive and slow. Experts estimate that several hundred million sterile flies per week may be needed to reestablish the barrier that once existed. At the same time, workforce reductions and loss of institutional memory are making it harder for the U.S. government to respond quickly. New tools are also emerging. Last month, the Food and Drug Administration conditionally approved a topical antiparasitic drug for cattle that can help prevent or treat screwworm infestations. While this drug gives cattle farmers another option, there are challenges with using it; it is prescription only, has withdrawal periods, and cannot be used in all cattle. Why this matters beyond screwworm The return of screwworm illustrates broader lessons about public health and food security. When they work, public health protections are invisible, and when they fail, the consequences are difficult and expensive. Particularly with food security, these protections must embrace a One Health model, in which human, animal, and environmental sectors work in partnership. And, finally, at a time when the United States has dramatically cut its global health workforce, screwworm offers an important example of why such work remains essential. This story was produced by Healthbeat and reviewed and distributed by Stacker. President Donald Trump met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu Wednesday at the White House amid rising tensions in the Middle East as Trump threatened to attack Iran if it failed to negotiate over its nuclear program. This was the Israeli prime ministers seventh trip to Washington since President Trump returned to the White House 13 months ago. "I will present to the president our outlook regarding the principles of these negotiations -- the essential principles, which, in my opinion are important not only to Israel, but to everyone around the world who wants peace and security in the Middle East," Netanyahu told reporters before boarding his flight to the United States on Tuesday. Shawn Thew/EPA/Bloomberg via Getty Images - PHOTO: President Donald Trump, right, and Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel's prime minister, during a bilateral meeting in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, D.C.,, Feb. 4, 2025. Netanyahu had initially planned to visit Washington later this month but moved his trip up, saying last week he planned to discuss ongoing negotiations between the U.S. and Iran with the president. Sources told ABC News that Netanyahu would personally present the latest Israeli intelligence to Trump on Irans efforts to rebuild its ballistic missile program and nuclear program. Following the meeting, Trump posted on social media that "nothing definitive" was reached with the Israeli prime minister and that he insisted that negotiations with Iran continue to see if a deal can be reached. Trump says 'massive Armada' heading to Iran, warns time is running out for nuclear deal Trump said he told Netanyahu that a deal with Iran is his preference, but warned that if a deal can't be reached, "we will just have to see what the outcome will be," potentially leaving the door open to military action against Iran. "Last time Iran decided that they were better off not making a Deal, and they were hit with Midnight Hammer -- That did not work well for them. Hopefully this time they will be more reasonable and responsible," Trump said. Netanyahus visit to the White House Wednesday was met with little fanfare as U.S. pool cameras were not allowed into the Oval Office for their meeting, as is usually the norm with previous official visits by foreign dignitaries, but Netanyahu's office posted a photo on his account. Netanyahu arrived at the White House privately, with cameras catching only his vehicle's arrival. Netanyahu's visit Wednesday comes as the Trump administration is set to hold a second round of talks with Iranian officials in the coming days about Irans nuclear program. Iran became embroiled with political protests late last year over economic concerns which escalated into a brutal crackdown by the Iranian regime, leading to thousands of reported deaths and tens of thousands of arrests. UGC via AP, FILE - PHOTO: In this photo obtained by The Associated Press, Iranians attend an anti-government protest in Tehran, Iran, Jan. 9, 2026. At the time, Trump vowed to retaliate and ordered a significant buildup of U.S. military forces in the region. Advertisement U.S. officials have repeatedly asserted that they should first pursue a diplomatic approach with Iran. Jonathan Ernst/Reuters - PHOTO: Secretary of State Marco Rubio holds a press conference during the Critical Minerals Ministerial at the State Department in Washington, February 4, 2026. Secretary of State Marco Rubio last week said if talks with Iran are expected to be meaningful, Iran must wind down its nuclear ambitions, disassemble its ballistic missiles program, and cut ties with terrorist proxies in the region. "I think in order for talks to actually lead to something meaningful, they will have to include certain things, and that includes the range of their ballistic missiles, that includes their sponsorship of terrorist organizations across the region, that includes a nuclear program, and that includes the treatment of their own people," Rubio told reporters last week at the U.S. State Department. UAE Ministry Of Foreign Affairs via Reuters - PHOTO: Jared Kushner, United States Special Envoy, Steve Witkoff, and other members of the U.S. delegation attend the second round of trilateral talks between the U.S., Russia and Ukraine, in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, February 4, 2026. The talks last week between U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner and the Iranian officials in Oman were the first in person talks between the two delegations since talks broke down last June, when Israel and Iran fought for 12 days. The U.S. joined the attack by sending stealth bombers to strike Iranian nuclear facilities, which American intelligence later determined damaged Iran's nuclear project, but did not destroy it. Netanyahu has backed U.S. demands for a comprehensive deal with Iran, saying last week that the talks must include restricting Iranian missiles and proxy militias. Iranian authorities have consistently rejected U.S. demands that a deal should include Irans ballistic missile program and its regional proxies. "No one can do even the slightest thing against our missiles. Our missiles are not part of the negotiations, and they won't be, warned Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Aragchi. Samuel Corum/Getty Images - PHOTO: President Donald Trump speaks with reporters while aboard Air Force One, February 6, 2026 en route to Palm Beach, Fla. Ahead of his Wednesday visit, Trump told Axios in an interview on Tuesday that he's considering sending a second aircraft carrier strike group to the Middle East to prepare for military action if negotiations with Iran fail. "Either we will make a deal or we will have to do something very tough like last time," Trump told Axios. Trump referenced the armada heading towards the region and said that a second one may follow, adding that hes "thinking" about sending another aircraft carrier strike group. Trump claimed in the interview that Iran "wants to make a deal very badly" and is engaging more seriously than in previous talks due to the military threats. "Last time they didn't believe I would do it," Trump said, alluding to his decision to strike Iran's nuclear facilities in June. Trump told Axios it was a "no-brainer" for any deal to cover Iran's nuclear program, but that he also thought it would be possible to tackle Iran's ballistic missile stockpiles. "We can make a great deal with Iran," Trump said to Axios. ABC News' Hannah Demissie and Jordana Miller contributed to this report. President Donald Trump shakes hands with Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the end of a news conference at Mar-a-Lago, Dec. 29, 2025, in Palm Beach, Fla. President Donald Trump hosted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House on Wednesday, marking the fifth time the two have met since Trump's return to office. The leaders were expected to discuss a range of pressing issues, including rising tensions with Iran and efforts to find a long-term resolution to Israel's conflict in Gaza. President Trump described it as "a very good meeting" and said they discussed "tremendous progress being made in Gaza," but noted diplomatic relations with Iran remain uncertain. RELATED STORY | Iran's supreme leader warns any US attack would spark 'regional war' "There was nothing definitive reached other than I insisted that negotiations with Iran continue to see whether or not a Deal can be consummated," Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform. "If it can, I let the Prime Minister know that will be a preference. If it cannot, we will just have to see what the outcome will be. Last time Iran decided that they were better off not making a Deal, and they were hit with Midnight Hammer That did not work well for them. Hopefully this time they will be more reasonable and responsible." The meeting comes as tensions in the Middle East remain high. The U.S. and Iran held indirect talks in Oman last week that appeared to return to a starting point in discussions over Tehrans nuclear program. For the first time, America brought its top military commander in the region U.S. Navy Adm. Brad Cooper, head of Central Command to the table. His presence, in dress uniform, served as a reminder of the USS Abraham Lincoln and other warships stationed off Irans coast in the Arabian Sea. Advertisement Trump has repeatedly threatened to use force to compel Iran to reach a deal after deploying the aircraft carrier to the region following Tehrans crackdown on nationwide protests. Gulf Arab nations worry that an attack could spark a regional war. The threat appears tangible: U.S. forces recently shot down an Iranian drone near the Lincoln, and Iran attempted to stop a U.S.-flagged ship in the Strait of Hormuz just days before the talks in Muscat. IN CASE YOU MISSED IT | Iran expresses cautious optimism after nuclear talks with US Omani Foreign Minister Badr al-Busaidi, who oversaw multiple rounds of negotiations before Israels 12-day war on Iran last June, described the recent discussions as useful to clarify both the Iranian and American thinking and identify areas for possible progress. Before the June war, Iran was enriching uranium up to 60% purity just shy of weapons-grade levels. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has said Iran is the only country in the world to enrich to that level without having a nuclear weapon. Iran has refused IAEA requests to inspect sites bombed in the June war, raising nonproliferation concerns. Inspections have also been restricted since Trumps 2018 decision to withdraw the U.S. from the nuclear deal. Police officers stand near an exhibition of U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) drones, at El Paso International Airport, after the FAA lifted its temporary closure of the airspace over El Paso, saying all flights will resume as normal and that there was no threat to commercial aviation, in El Paso, Texas, U.S., February 11, 2026. REUTERS/Jose Luis Gonzalez By David Shepardson WASHINGTON, Feb 11 (Reuters) - The Federal Aviation Administration's decision to briefly close El Paso airport to all traffic was prompted by safety concerns over testing of a new laser-based counter-drone technology at the nearby U.S. Army Fort Bliss, sources told Reuters. It was not the first time the issue has impacted flights. In March, testing of counter-drone technology near Reagan Washington National Airport by the U.S. Secret Service and Navy led to numerous flight crews receiving faulty alerts of potentially nearby aircraft, the FAA and U.S. Senator Ted Cruz said. Cruz, who chairs the Senate Commerce Committee, disclosed at a hearing last year that faulty alerts that caused some flights to abort landings were due to the government testing using the same spectrum band as the alerting system. That led to interference that impacted at least a dozen flights. Cruz, a Republican from Texas, called the testing inappropriate and "deeply disturbing" after a January 2025 fatal collision of an American Airlines regional jet and an Army helicopter killed 67 people. Advertisement "The FAA had previously warned the Navy and the Secret Service against using that specific spectrum band due to interference risks," Cruz said. A Secret Service spokesperson denied the agency had conducted any drone system testing and added it "has been coordinating with the FAA to ensure our systems do not interfere with FAA frequencies or commercial air traffic operations." The FAA said some crews aborted landings and executed go-arounds as a result of the alerts that aim to prevent collisions. New York magazine reported last year the issue was tied to testing of equipment at the Naval Observatory, the vice president's official residence. A source told Reuters that the FAA had spent days attempting to determine the source of interference. "We were able to pinpoint the source and correct it and there were no further issues," the FAA told Reuters last year. Airplanes and pilots use Traffic Alert and Collision Avoidance Systems to warn of potential collisions, which function independently of ground-based air traffic control. (Reporting by David Shepardson; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama ) A student uses a smartphone inside a book during class, concealing the screen from view. Photo: RDNE Stock project / Pexels (The Center Square) Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed into law a bill banning K-12 students from using smartphones during the school day. House Bill 4141, which failed to pass last summer, passed the House and Senate with overwhelming bipartisan support at the start of the 2026 legislative session in January. Rep. Mark Tisdel, R-Rochester Hills, spoke with TCS in an exclusive interview regarding his bills passage. Its extremely gratifying to see our hard work not only appreciated but endorsed and advocated for by the governor and friends and colleagues in both chambers and on both sides of the aisle, Tisdel said. The bill will amend the Revised School Code to require the boards of all public and charter schools implement a wireless communications device policy. For students enrolled in elementary or middle school, the policy will have to prohibit use of a smart phone on school grounds during: Instructional time Breaks between instructional time Lunch Recess For students enrolled in high school, the policy will have to prohibit the use of a smart phone only during instructional time. Advertisement These are the minimal requirements that schools will be directed to adopt. They are allowed to adopt more stringent requirements. There are a number of exceptions laid out in the legislation, including for medically-necessary devices, district-owned devices, and more. Basic telephones defined as phones that only have a communication function, but no access to the internet are also exempt. Tisdel said he hopes this helps parents realize how addictive smartphones are for their kids, while providing them and schools support. Theyre meant to be addictive. The algorithms are intended to keep you online, he said. The law allows for basic phones to be used all day long. So, if you want to get a cellular phone for your children, get them a basic phone. There's no point getting them an expensive smartphone just to have it turned off all day while they're at school. While many states have adopted some sort of cell phone policy for schools, this will be one of the more strict versions. Tisdel said hes heard lots of support from schools and teachers for the policy. They are happy to have the state's support and enforcement, he explained. The schools want to know that the state has their backs and that they can proceed with good, solid regulation and elimination of smartphones during instruction time K-12. Tisdel first introduced the bill in the 2024 legislative session, but it never received enough support from Democrats to move forward. After Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, a Democrat, expressed her support for such legislation in her 2025 State of the State address, he decided to reintroduce it. Last July, Tisdel brought another version of the bill to the House for a vote. At that time, he fully expected it to pass with bipartisan support, but ended up missing the mark by just three votes. Tisdel blamed politics and a breakdown in communication for the bills failure, as previously reported by TCS. This time around, Democrats and Republicans alike were on board with the bill, which served as an olive branch going into what will likely be a contentious election year for Michigan politicians. Whitmer said she was excited to sign the bill, which will be an accomplishment for her to point to at her upcoming and last State of the State address later this month. Teachers are competing with social media for attention in class, she posted to social media following the bill signing. These bills are about helping our students learn more at school and form healthier phone habits . . . We should all look up at the world more instead of down at our screens. Update: A person of interest in Nancy Guthrie's disappearance was detained in Arizona on Tuesday, officials said. It was not clear if they were the same person seen on the surveillance video. Follow the latest updates here. Surveillance photos and videos showing a subject in the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie, "Today" show co-host Savannah Guthrie's mother, were released by authorities on Tuesday. The FBI and the Pima County Sheriff's Department in Arizona posted the images to social media, showing a masked person wearing a backpack on the porch of Nancy Guthrie's Tucson home. FBI Director Kash Patel also posted videos of the individual outside the home. Patel was at the law enforcement command post for the Guthrie investigation in Arizona on Monday, according to law enforcement sources. A 27-second video shows the person approaching the front door and raising a gloved hand to a home security camera outside the door before walking away. A 14-second video shows the person facing the camera holding a flashlight in their mouth before covering the camera lens with some vegetation. Law enforcement officials told CBS News the material the individual is holding up appears to be prairie brush. The FBI said law enforcement uncovered the images showing an armed individual appearing to have tampered with the camera on the morning of Guthrie's disappearance. The 84-year-old was reported missing Feb. 1. According to law enforcement sources, the masked figure possibly has a gun on the front of their belt. From their behavior, the individual appears to already know there's a camera on the Guthrie home. Savannah Guthrie reacted to the new images on social media, writing: "Someone out there recognizes this person. We believe she is still out there. Bring her home." Photos from Nancy Guthrie's home surveillance video Two of the images released by the FBI of a subject seen on surveillance video in the Nancy Guthrie case. / Credit: FBI Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos told reporters Thursday that a doorbell camera at Guthrie's home was disconnected at approximately 1:47 a.m. on Feb. 1. At around 2:12 a.m., one of the home's cameras detected what the system classified as a person, but Nanos said at the time that video footage wasn't available because the home wasn't signed up for that service, and footage would be overwritten after a period of time. The FBI and the sheriff's department said Tuesday the images were recovered from "residual data located in backend systems." Two law enforcement sources told CBS News the FBI worked with Google to get the Nest camera video. Two of the images released by the FBI of a subject seen on surveillance video in the Nancy Guthrie case. / Credit: FBI Two law enforcement sources told CBS News the individual in the images is considered a subject that they are seeking to identify. The person at this point is not considered a suspect or a person of interest, according to the sources. No suspects have been identified in the investigation. Two law enforcement sources earlier told CBS News that several vehicles were captured on surveillance cameras in the area on the night of the disappearance and were being tracked down. Investigators also removed a camera from Nancy Guthrie's roof and towed her car from her garage to examine it for possible fingerprints and potential other clues, according to the sources. After the new images were distributed Tuesday, the sheriff's department said no press briefings were planned at this time. Investigators were seen going door to door on Tuesday as law enforcement continued to canvas the area. Advertisement New photos, videos are latest twist in Nancy Guthrie case The new images are the latest development in a case that has attracted attention nationwide. In Washington, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said her afternoon press briefing was delayed because she and President Trump were reviewing the newly released footage. Leavitt said Mr. Trump encourages anyone with information about the individual in the footage to call the FBI. "The prayers of this entire White House are with Savannah and her family at this time," Leavitt said. "We hope this person is found soon and that her mother is brought home safely." Savannah Guthrie has asked people across the country for help with the search, saying in a social media video Monday that the family believed Nancy Guthrie was "still out there" and they don't know where. "I'm coming on just to ask you, not just for your prayers but no matter where you are, even if you're far from Tucson, if you see anything, if you hear anything, if there's anything at all that seems strange to you, that you report to law enforcement," Savannah Guthrie said. "We are at an hour of desperation, and we need your help." The latest deadline from an apparent ransom note that demanded payment in bitcoin passed Monday. An FBI spokesperson told CBS News on Monday that the bureau wasn't aware of any continued communication between the Guthrie family and the suspected kidnappers. "Someone has that one piece of information that can help us bring Nancy home," the spokesperson said. "We need that person to share what they know. Please call us at 1-800-CALL-FBI." The FBI is offering a $50,000 reward for information leading to Nancy Guthrie's recovery or a conviction in the case. The search for Guthrie is in its second week. Critical medication was left behind at her home, adding more urgency to efforts to find her. Over the weekend, Savannah Guthrie spoke directly to those who may be behind her mother's disappearance in another social media video, saying the family would pay for her return. "We beg you now to return our mother to us so that we can celebrate with her," Savannah Guthrie said in Saturday's Instagram video with her siblings, sister Annie Guthrie and brother Camron Guthrie, sitting beside her. "This is the only way we will have peace. This is very valuable to us, and we will pay." Details on new images of subject in Nancy Guthrie disappearance More details emerge on whistleblower complaint against Tulsi Gabbard Trump criticizes Super Bowl halftime show, calling it "one of the worst" Krishna Tucker shares her story with Atlanta News First Investigates. For Krishan Tucker, a single mother in Atlanta, everything she does revolves around creating stability for her two sons. She spent years climbing the corporate ladder in the health care consulting industry, driven by a determination to give her boys a life far removed from her own upbringing. After a layoff, an abnormal mammogram and the end of her marriage, Tucker appeared to catch a break in late 2025, securing what she described as a miracle job that pays $165 an hour. The offer, however, never materialized. Must Read Tuckers employment was put on hold after a background check conducted by third-party screening firm HireRight flagged discrepancies in her work history during onboarding through MBO Partners. The report cited potential conflicts tied to past contract roles and freelance consulting work that she later turned into her own business. Before I could even begin, it was just ripped away, Tucker told Atlanta News First Investigates. I just cried and screamed. This is not something I did wrong. Its literally a small problem and that was a mountain standing between myself and a job that would provide a livelihood for me and my kids. How a minor issue became a costly error Believing the job offer was finalized, Tucker had already found a new home to rent with help from friends and family. Her start date at what was supposed to be her new job was set for mid-December. However, the job offer was quickly taken off the table. When she reviewed the background report herself, Tucker identified a key error: according to notes in HireRights system, a company that Tucker was contracted with between 2017 and 2018 reported that she had never worked there. After contacting her former employer directly, Tucker learned the verification request had been submitted under the wrong last name. [The HR rep] said, Well, the issue is, they sent the request asking for me to verify employment for Krishan Tucker, not Krishan Dawson, said Tucker, whose last name used to be Dawson. Tucker had reportedly disclosed this key detail on the form for her background check. That same HR rep at Tuckers former company reportedly emailed HireRight on December 17, 2025 to correct the mistake. I have just learned that the verification request for Krishan Tucker is actually Krishan Dawson. I can confirm Krishan Dawson was on assignment [here], read a portion of the HR reps email to HireRight. Although the error was later corrected, HireRight reportedly continued to flag inconsistencies with Tuckers employment dates, which Tucker believed was the result of the name error in her background check. Not an isolated case While the error with her background check was beyond unfortunate, Tucker is far from alone, as consumer advocates say background check mistakes are both widespread and costly. According to Consumer Justice, estimates put the chances of errors occurring during a background check at 50% (2), a level the National Consumer Law Center has described as rampant. Ariel Nelson, a staff attorney at the National Consumer Law Center, said weak oversight allows screening errors to persist, often at the expense of consumers (3). If Congress, federal agencies and states dont act to ensure that background screening companies are closely monitored and hold them accountable for their repeated mistakes due to poor policies and practices, consumers will continue to pay the price by forfeiting housing and job opportunities while employers and landlords will miss out on qualified employees and tenants, said Nelson. Background checks are now standard practice, with about 95% of employers using them, according to the Professional Background Screening Association (4). HireRight is one of the largest background screening firms in the U.S., serving more than 40,000 employers. Advertisement Read More: 92% of surveyed retirees say higher costs are eating into their savings. What can you do? 4 ways to protect your money in 2026 But consumer reviews and federal complaint data suggest there are persistent concerns with HireRight, as the company averages roughly one star on both Google and the Better Business Bureau (1). Data reviewed by Atlanta News First Investigates shows HireRight complaints filed with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau nearly tripled in 2025, with 91 complaints submitted across 29 states. While HireRight generally responded to background check errors within required timeframes, public records do not indicate how often those responses resulted in corrections. Furthermore, some online complaints about HireRight seemed similar to Tuckers experience. In one Better Business Bureau filing, a job applicant alleged a late-November drug test incorrectly flagged marijuana and a prescribed medication, despite a recent negative test for another employer (5). On December 23, MBO Partners issued a Final Adverse Action notice, rescinding Tuckers employment offer (1). The company said it could not comment on the specifics of her case due to federal privacy laws but emphasized that candidates are provided an opportunity to review and dispute background check reports before employment decisions are finalized. How to protect yourself Tucker is now piecing together part-time work while continuing to apply for full-time roles, and has since filed a lawsuit against HireRight. Meanwhile, consumer advocates say her experience is a reminder that there are steps workers can take when a background check affects a job offer. The first step is to know your rights. Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act, employers are required to notify applicants when a background report contributes to an adverse employment decision and must provide information about the screening company used and the applicants right to dispute inaccurate or incomplete information. Workers are also entitled to a free copy of the report used in the decision (6). Experts also recommend reviewing your credit and background reports before applying for jobs to catch errors early. Job seekers can request a free copy of their credit report at AnnualCreditReport.com, and may want to review state and local laws that limit what potential employers can ask and when. If errors appear in your background check, disputes must be filed directly with the reporting agency, along with any supporting documentation. Agencies are typically allowed up to 30 days to investigate, which is a timeline that can conflict with immediate financial needs such as rent, health care or childcare. Workers who believe a screening company mishandled their report can also file a complaint with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. What To Read Next Join 200,000+ readers and get Moneywises best stories and exclusive interviews first clear insights curated and delivered weekly. Subscribe now. Article sources We rely only on vetted sources and credible third-party reporting. For details, see our editorial ethics and guidelines. Atlanta News First Investigates (1); Consumer Justice (2); National Consumer Law Center (3); Professional Background Screening Association (4); Better Business Bureau (5); Federal Trade Commission (6). This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind. Joe Sohm/Visions of America - Getty Images Heres what youll learn when you read this story: In northeastern Utah, the Green River perplexingly flows through tough limestone when it couldve handily cut an easier route. For 150 years, scientists have been puzzled as to why the waterway cut this path toward the Colorado River, suggesting that it may have superposed a valley as the surrounding mountains uplifted around it. A new study suggests that the real cause could be lithospheric dripwhere dense mineral-rich material breaks off from the mantle and causes a previously sinking landmass above to suddenly uplift. Rivers follow the path of least resistance. Its kind of their whole thing. So, its strange that in the Uinta Mountains in northeastern Utah, the Green Riverthe largest tributary to the Colorado Riverappears to flow through tough limestone and sandstone at an area called Split Mountain rather than traveling around this rocky area and funneling through the much more manageable shale and mudstone to the west. On June 22, 1869, American geologist John Wesley Powell camped on one of the islands in the Green River and recorded historys first known attempt at trying to understand this geological conundrum. Powell concluded that the river must have existed before the mountains, writing that proof is abundant that the river cut its own channel; that the canons are gorges of corrasion [sic]. This is what geologists call a superposed stream: an established river forms a valley while the surrounding mountains uplift around it. While this was a pretty good idea, subsequent studies found some problemsspecifically, timing. The Uinta Mountains were roughly 50 million years old, and evidence suggested that the river only followed its oddball route for fewer than eight million years. This led scientists to consider that maybe sediment built up and eroded away, or that erosion in the south caused the river to be captured. But now, a new study in the journal JGR Earth Surface poses anr idea known as lithospheric drip, and the articles lead author Adam Smith, a geologist at the University of Glasgow, claims that the scientists studying the river have the evidence to back it up. Advertisement For about 150 years now, geologists have debated over exactly how the rivers merged, which is a particularly challenging question for a tectonically inactive area where major geological events are rarer, Smith said in a press statement. We think that weve gathered enough evidence to show that lithospheric drip, which is still a relatively new concept in geology, is responsible for pulling the land down enough to enable the rivers to link and merge. So, what is a lithospheric drip, exactly? According to the researchers, the lithospherethe outermost layer of the planet, which contains the crust and upper layer of most solid mantlecan sometimes drip when mineral-rich materials form at the base of the crust, causing the landmass (including mountain ranges) above to sink. When the weight becomes too great, that material breaks off and sinks into the mantle, causing those landmasses to rebound and lift back upward. Crucially, examples of lithospheric drip leave behind a telltale bullseye-patterned zone of uplift that can be uncovered using seismic imaging, which is a process that involves cobbling together data from seismic waves as they pass through the region. While analyzing what is essentially a planetary-sized CT scan, Smith and his team glimpsed the round anomaly roughly 200 kilometers below the surface. They also found that the crust beneath the Uinta Mountains was thinner than expected for a mountain range of its sizeanother strong indicator of a lithospheric drip. The team estimates that the drip likely broke off around 2 to 5 million years ago, which creates a plausible geologic timeline that could explain the Green Rivers unlikely course through northeastern Utah. We hope that this paper will help resolve a longstanding debate about one of North America's most significant river systems, Smith said in a press statement, and help build the growing body of evidence that lithospheric drips may be the hidden answer to more tectonic mysteries than we've previously realized. You Might Also Like Stossel TV Americans want to help people in need, but when government does that, about 500 billion taxpayer dollars get stolen. It's how the system is designed, says the United Council on Welfare Fraud's Andrew McClenahan in this new video. "You're measuring success by the amount of money you put out." Because of that, government agencies rarely check whether their handouts go to the right people. Minnesota is just the latest example. Government officials didn't uncover that fraudYouTuber Nick Shirley did. I say to McClenahan, "It's weird that a kid did what government investigators couldn't do." "Articles back in 2018 talked about millions of dollars in suitcases being flown out of Minneapolis," he replies. "But it took a 20-year-old with an iPhone to go in there and expose it on Twitter." After Shirley publicized the fraud, the White House froze billions in welfare payments. Progressives didn't like that. "What they are doing is creating confusion, chaos, trying to intimidate people," complains Rep. Ilhan Omar (DMinn.). "There is no reason for them to fully stop funding these programs. The only reason they're doing that is for PR purposes." Minnesota's Gov. Tim Walz was hardly better. "This is on my watch. I am accountable," he said. But he did nothing about the fraud. During the pandemic, President Joe Biden said: "My message to those cheats out there is this: You can't hide. We're going to find you!" But they didn't. Of the hundreds of billions stolen in 2024, the Department of Justice barely recovered $2.9 billion. Is there nothing we can do to stop fraud? "Sure, you can!" says McClenahan. "It takes less than a second to verify things with data connections these days." But government rarely uses modern data connections. Elon Musk, when he ran the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), complained that government records weren't computerized. Many agencies doled money out without even saying what the money was for, or where it went! He calls government recordkeeping a "time warp." Advertisement "They're relying on rules and regulations written for pen and paper," says McClenahan. Poor recordkeeping makes fraud easier. Some people openly brag about it. During President Donald Trump's first term, a rapper wrote a song about stealing benefits that Trump rushed out for pandemic relief: "I gotta shout-out to Donald Trump. I just might swipe me a lump sum." That was in California. There's lot of fraud there. The state gave phone subsidies to 94,000 accounts of dead people. "Everybody knows that the United States is the easiest game in town," says McClenahan. Some stolen funds go to alleged terrorists. "We literally rang the dinner bell for the whole world, and they answered," he says. "These are American programs," I point out. "People in other countries aren't eligible." "But if you're not checking to see where somebody lives, where they're applying from, who they are, you're not going to find them!" says McClenahan. In addition, many state politicians don't try to find fraud. Handouts mostly come from the federal government, so local politicians reason: "People in other states pay, but my taxpayers collect! Why make a big effort to stop that?" Trump recently gave investigators more access to state data, so fraud could be better tracked. But some states don't want to reveal that data. "They're actively suing the government!" complains McClenahan. Whenever government gives handouts, it creates bad incentives. Before our government started welfare payments, Americans were steadily lifting themselves out of poverty. When welfare checks began, progress continued for several years but then stopped. Handouts have taught some people to stay dependent! What should be done? McClenahan says to verify eligibility first. That way you prevent fraud before money goes out. And no one should get benefits without trying to work. "You've got to be looking for a job, volunteering, or at least getting job training. The best welfare program is a job." COPYRIGHT 2026 BY JFS PRODUCTIONS INC. The post What a $500 Billion Fraud Reveals About Our Broken System appeared first on Reason.com. California Gov. Gavin Newsom will appear at the Munich Security Conference to talk about jobs, trade and climate change. (Rich Pedroncelli / Associated Press) Gov. Gavin Newsom is heading to a conference of world leaders in Germany later this week as part of his ongoing effort to use the global stage to urge investment in California's climate-related initiatives and challenge President Trumps isolationist policies. Newsom will appear at the Munich Security Conference to talk about trade and jobs and tell foreign leaders that "California is a stable and reliable partner," he said Tuesday during an unrelated event. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is leading the official U.S. delegation to the conference, while Democratic leaders Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York are also expected, according to news reports. The three-day event focuses on the intersections of trade, economics, security and foreign policy, and is expected to draw business leaders and heads of state. Vice President JD Vance's appearance at last year's gathering caused a stir after he argued that European's immigration policies are too relaxed and European nations are too reliant on the United States. Ahead of the gathering, conference organizers released a report Monday that found that the world has entered a period of wrecking-ball politics. Sweeping destruction rather than careful reforms and policy corrections is the order of the day. Newsom told reporters that he will appear on several panels, and suggested he will focus in part on staying competitive with China when it comes to new technologies and job growth. Advertisement China is cleaning our clock as it relates to low-carbon green growth. They are cleaning our clock in terms of not just electric vehicles, because its not about electric power, its about economic power," he said. "It's about exports, manufacturing, jobs and this country is walking away," he continued. "We are walking away from science and we are walking away from common sense." Gavin Newscum is traveling to another international conference to whine about climate policies instead of doing his job as the governor of California?" said White House spokesperson Taylor Rogers, using President Trump's derogatory nickname for the governor. "Nothing new to see here." Newsom is in his last year as California governor and is considering running for president in 2028. He last month traveled to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, where he criticized world leaders for not challenging Trumps aggressive posture when it comes to his threats to acquire Greenland, as well as his tariffs. Newsom also attended the U.N. climate policy summit in Belem, Brazil, in November. 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 partnership shows CSU Global and CASE's collective commitment to providing affordable, flexible options to teachers to advance their careers. DENVER, Feb. 11, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Colorado State University Global (CSU Global) and the Colorado Association of School Executives (CASE) are proud to announce a new partnership to help Colorado meet its K-12 personnel needs. Through the partnership, CSU Global will be providing CASE members special tuition pricing for CSU Global's asynchronous online graduate-level courses and programs . With monthly term start dates year-round and courses taught by credentialed instructors with industry experience, CASE's network of 3,300 public school administrators from nearly all of Colorado's 178 school districts will have access to CSU Global's teaching and learning programs at significantly reduced tuition rates. In addition to the teaching and learning programs, CASE's network of administrators, principals, district leaders, superintendents, and other K12 executives receive special tuition rates on all of CSU Global's other graduate-level courses and programs, which includes areas such as information technology, business administration, leadership and organizational development, project management, and more. The University's teaching and learning programs, including its Master's in Teaching and Learning, Principal Licensure, and coursework to prepare educators for collegiate-level instruction, are built to help educators develop their leadership skills, further their careers, and increase their earning potential. This partnership allows Colorado's education professionals, who may be unable to commute to a physical campus, the opportunity to earn a new credential in a 100% online, flexible format. "At CSU Global, we are dedicated to empowering Colorado's educators and those that serve our K-12 districts with high-quality and affordable education that meets the unique demands of their profession," said Dr. Audra Spicer, Acting President at CSU Global . "By partnering with CASE, we are removing the barriers of time and cost, allowing the leaders of our K12 schools to gain specialized skills and credentials that positively impact their career prospects, their classrooms, and their communities. We are proud to support those shaping the future of Colorado's students." "This partnership with CSU Global reflects CASE's commitment to supporting Colorado's school and district leaders with professional learning that is relevant, accessible, and grounded in real leadership practice," said Melissa Gibson, Executive Director of the Colorado Association of School Executives . "By working together, we are expanding high quality learning opportunities that align with the demands leaders face today while creating clear pathways for growth and advancement. This collaboration strengthens the value of CASE membership and reinforces our shared goal of developing confident, capable leaders who can make a lasting impact in their schools, districts, and communities." To facilitate their success, all CSU Global students are connected with a dedicated financial aid advisor, a success counselor, and on-demand online resources such as technological support, live tutoring, library services, writing support, and career services to assist in their academic journey, all at no extra cost to the student. Whether it is teachers looking to transition into a leadership role or district leaders interested in pursuing a master's degree, this partnership helps pave new pathways to support the state's K-12 needs through affordable programs with industry-aligned courses for all CASE members across the state. For more information on CASE, visit www.co-case.org . For more information on CSU Global visit csuglobal.edu . For organizations interested in partnering with CSU Global to provide educational opportunities for their community, please contact [email protected] . About Colorado State University Global Colorado State University Global (CSU Global) offers career-relevant bachelor's and master's degree programs for working adults and post-traditional learners. As the first 100% online, institutionally accredited public university in the United States, CSU Global is focused on student success as its number one priority. Embracing the land grant heritage as part of the Colorado State University System, CSU Global sets the standard for quality and innovation in higher education through its expert faculty who are recognized as industry leaders and trained in working with adults in an online learning environment. CSU Global offers accelerated eight-week courses that start every four weeks. Visit CSUGlobal.edu to learn more. About CASE The Colorado Association of School Executives (CASE) empowers Colorado's education leaders through advocacy, professional learning, and networking to advance the promise of public education. Established in 1969, CASE serves as the collective voice for approximately 3,300 public school administrators representing nearly all of Colorado's 179 school districts. Through its work at the state and local levels, CASE supports leaders who are shaping policy, strengthening schools, and improving outcomes for students across Colorado. Visit www.co-case.org to learn more. SOURCE Colorado State University Global David Worley and Sen. Jim Guthrie | Courtesy of campaign websites McCammon (IdahoEdNews.org) An Idaho Army National Guard officer who claims he faced religious discrimination for his opposition to a Pocatello drag queen story hour announced he is running for Idaho Senate against Sen. Jim Guthrie. David Worley, a Republican, writes on his campaign website that he believes the government should protect children and not normalize radical sexual ideology that undermines family life. He commits to protecting parental rights in education. Our schools, libraries, and public institutions should be places that reinforce what is good, true, and beautiful, not places where innocence is targeted and boundaries are erased, Worley wrote. He is challenging Guthrie, R-McCammon, in the May 19 primary in District 28. Guthrie voted against House Bill 93 last year, which created the $50 million Idaho Parental Choice Tax Credit. At a Save Our Schools event last summer in American Falls, Guthrie said the tax credits are contrary to the Constitution. I dont think theres any doubt about that, said Guthrie, a rancher and business owner. As of Tuesday, Worleys campaign has raised $3,000 to Guthries $24,825. Worley in 2022 ran for Idaho Senate in District 29. He lost the general election to Sen. James Ruchti, D-Pocatello, by an 8-point margin. Federal lawsuit Worley in January 2025 filed a federal district court lawsuit against three defendants in their capacities with the Idaho National Guard: Gov. Brad Little, commander-in-chief of the Idaho National Guard Maj. Gen. Timothy Donnellan Brig. Gen. James Packwood Worley, a major in the Army National Guard, claims he faced discrimination, retaliation and punishment for exercising his First Amendment right to exercise his sincerely held religious beliefs. According to court documents, a guardsman under Worleys command filed a hostile work environment complaint against him. The guardsman, who identified as homosexual, wrote in the complaint that he felt Worley had discriminated against him due to his sexual orientation. He then Googled Worleys name and found press reports showing Worleys opposition to a drag queen story hour and his involvement with the extremist/hate group MassResistance. Advertisement The officer who investigated the guardsmans complaint substantiated the hostile work environment claim and recommended Worleys permanent removal from command. The Idaho State Journal reported in February 2023 that Worley and local church members staged a peaceful sit-in during a Reading Time with the Queens event at the Marshall Public Library in Pocatello. The Journal reported that some usual attendees of the event parents and young children were turned away because the church members filled the room up to its maximum capacity of 40 people. The sit-in event was to protect children from being exposed to sexual deviancy, Worley said, according to the Idaho State Journal. Worley has served over 22 years in the Army National Guard. The complaint against him led to the derailment of his career, according to the lawsuit. Worleys attorneys wrote in court documents that he believes a failure to speak out against things he knows are wrong would result in the eternal condemnation of his soul. The lawsuit asks the U.S. District Court of Idaho to require the defendants to cease all investigations and restore Worley to his position. The last filing in the case was in September. Daniel Schmid, a lawyer with Florida-based Liberty Counsel representing Worley, told EdNews on Tuesday that they are waiting on the judge to take action in the case. Ive never seen a judge sit on a temporary restraining order for over a year, Schmid said. According to its website, Liberty Counsel is a Christian ministry that proclaims, advocates, supports, advances, and defends the good news that God in the person of Jesus Christ paid the penalty for our sins and offers forgiveness and eternal life to all who accept him as Lord and Savior. This article was originally posted on IdahoEdNews.org on Feb. 10, 2026. The post National Guard officer behind religious discrimination lawsuit challenges Sen. Jim Guthrie appeared first on East Idaho News. James Ruchti addresses the crowd at a town hall on Medicaid cuts. | Logan Ramsey, EastIdahoNews.com POCATELLO A large crowd gathered at a local town hall and stood to speak about the harm caused by Medicaid cuts and the harm that will come if programs are cut further. The town hall took place in the Pocatello City Council Chambers on Saturday evening, and was attended by somewhere between 100 and 150 eastern Idahoans. The people who spoke expressed a mix of anger at the current situation, grief over the pain its already caused and fear for what the future could bring. Cuts to Medicaid would not be an inconvenience. They would be catastrophic, said Kimberley Sykes, a local mother of four children. Sen. James Ruchti, who serves in the state senate as eastern Idahos only elected Democrat, organized the town hall. Ruchti has more town halls scheduled over the next two months, with one on Feb. 28 and the other on March 21. RELATED | After state cut a critical Medicaid mental health service, two eastern Idaho patients died At the start of this years legislative session, Idahos projected budget deficit was estimated to be $40 million. RELATED | Idahos projected budget deficit estimated at $40 million heading into 2026 legislative session On Feb. 6, the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee (JFAC) voted to approve a permanent 2% budget cut in the next fiscal year for most state agencies, including the Idaho Department of Health & Welfare, the agency that oversees Medicaid. This is already on top of a 3% budget holdback issued for this fiscal year, which Governor Brad Little made permanent in September. A political choice James Ruchti gives a presentation at the beginning of the meeting. | Logan Ramsey, EastIdahoNews.com According to Ruchti, the state does not need to cut Medicaid to correct the current budget deficit. Instead, the state can and should draw on its rainy day reserve accounts, which total around $1.6 billion, he said. This reserve funding was built up because the state of Idaho had surplus funds, thanks to federal funds coming in for programs including COVID-19 relief and infrastructure, he said. A slide from Ruchtis presentation on rainy day funding. | Courtesy James Ruchti Ruchti contends that Idaho now has a budget deficit not because it has a spending problem, but because it has a revenue problem. He pointed to the tax cuts that the Idaho legislature has passed, and called out who he sees as the big winners. The winners of these tax cuts (are) big corporations and people making $500,000 per year or more, Ruchti said. My guess is a lot of you dont even realize you (got a tax cut), because it was a couple $100 bucks, maybe $350 bucks. But the big winners, they know they received it, Ruchti said. Michelle Lance, a speech therapist, in her testimony at the meeting, spoke about her time in Boise speaking with representatives, and expressed a feeling that the public is being kept in the dark. We were talked at. We had little opportunity to have any input. No questions were asked of us, Lance said. (We were) fed statements about caring about kids, caring about the elderly, with no elaboration on what they were going to do about it. Ruchti wanted people to know there is an alternative to cutting Medicaid. Theyre going to go on telling you that the only solution is a cut. Now, thats how we got here, but we have other options, Ruchti said. The effects on Idahos mental health Ken Taylor speaks at the town hall. | Logan Ramsey, EastIdahoNews.com Several clinicians spoke at the town hall, expressing concern for what the future holds for mental health treatment in Idaho. Ken Taylor, owner of Cognitive Restructuring, a mental health treatment facility in Pocatello, spoke about how budget cuts are already affecting his agency. When we look at the cuts, theyve already started, Taylor said. Taylor pointed out that Peer Support Services has already been cut entirely. He worries about the future of other programs, like the Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) team, which supports adults with severe mental illness, if more funding is cut. When we have somebody in a mental health crisis in the community, law enforcement can call in the (ACT), and they can address that and maybe get them to the hospital, get them some services they need. Instead, where theyll bring them (is) the county jail, Taylor said. And Taylor shared his thoughts on where this ultimately leads. Advertisement We can look back at years prior, when we had the same kind of stuff going on, and we lacked these services, what happens? The correctional facilities filled up, the homeless shelters filled up, Taylor said. Taylor, as well as other clinicians, fear that many clinics in Idaho wouldnt survive the cuts. And even if the funding were restored, it wouldnt be an easy recovery. It is likely, if things pass as presented, my business will close. I dont know how it would stay open, said Lisa Hong, an occupational therapist from Idaho Falls. My business supports several therapists, occupational speech therapists. All of those therapy practitioners will need to find work. Many of them will leave the state. Medicaid services as a lifeline Amy Steve speaks at the town hall. | Logan Ramsey, EastIdahoNews.com The first speaker at the town hall was Amy Steve, accompanied by her son, Trey, a 16-year-old junior at Highland High School. Amy explained that Trey was born with a brain malformation called periventricular heterotopia. A month before his tenth birthday, Trey began to have seizures and was diagnosed with epilepsy, leading to him receiving brain surgery. After his surgery, he started speech, occupational, and physical therapy at Bloom Center for Pediatric Therapy, located near Pocatello. At the town hall, Trey was using an EEG machine because his seizures had started again, and he needed another brain surgery. According to Amy, what makes this possible is the Katie Beckett program, which assists qualifying children who have long-term disabilities or other complex medical needs. We have private insurance through my husbands employer, but the gap between his private insurance and the expense of his medical expenses would be unbearable, Amy said. She later continued, Medicaid doesnt just help families who are living in poverty. (Its) able to bridge the gap for middle-class families so that were not living in medical poverty. It is such a critical program that can affect people all across the board. Another mother, Chloe Longoria, spoke at the town hall about the importance of Medicaid-funded therapy. She introduced her son, Parker, who has autism spectrum disorder, and said that he receives occupational, speech and feeding therapy. Longoria estimates that without Medicaid, this would cost $500 per day, which is an impossible burden for any family, especially a single mom. These services arent luxuries for me. They are the reason I can get out of bed and fight for my son, Parker. They are his lifeline, Longoria said. Chloe Longoria speaks at the town hall. | Logan Ramsey, EastIdahoNews.com This is austerity. Mary Shea and Nate Roberts, both running to represent District 29 in the Idaho House of Representatives, attended the town hall and introduced Ruchti at the outset. Both candidates shared their thoughts on what they heard at the town hall with EastIdahoNews.com. Local incumbent Republican representatives Dustin Manwaring and Tanya Burgoyne did not return requests for comment. Shea said that as a lawyer in child welfare and juvenile court, most of her clients are on the economic margins and struggle with mental illness and substance abuse, and need community based treatments that Medicaid provides. I understand people wanting to make sure that their taxpayer dollars are used well, Shea said. I work in the system, and I can tell you that from my perspective, its operating already as lean as it can, and they are doing a very good job to screen out and screen in only the people who really need these services. The way she sees it, the representatives pushing for these budget cuts are misleading Idahoens about what can be done to address the budget deficit. The people like us who are on the ground and we know whats really happening, the people here who spoke out tonight, I think its up to us to shine a light and not let them gaslight Idaho about whats really going on here, Shea said. Roberts previously served in the Idaho Legislature in 2023 and 2024 on the Health & Welfare committee, and he said he heard a lot of similar stories to the ones he heard at the town hall. People are just begging for help that their tax dollars should provide for them. What Im seeing is tax cuts being made in our state for those at the top of the economy, but theyre not the ones being asked to help out when the budget is short like it is now, Roberts said. Roberts said he would be glad to sacrifice his tax breaks if it meant that the people he heard from that night had access to the care they need. This is austerity. Weve been providing tax cuts for the corporations and the very wealthy and selling it as tax cuts for the working class. But honestly, I would give my $300 a year if I knew that these parents and these children were being taken care of. Thats easy for me, Roberts said. The post Over a hundred people show up for town hall on catastrophic cuts to Medicaid appeared first on East Idaho News. Institute for Justice The hamlet of Brookside, Alabama, has agreed to pay $1.5 million to settle a civil rights lawsuit three years after local news investigations revealed that it was running a predatory speed trap. The Institute for Justice, a public interest law firm that sued Brookside in 2022 on behalf of motorists who said they were framed and swindled by the town, announced on Monday that it had reached a settlement agreement that would require substantial transparency and policing reforms, in addition to payments to the class members. Brookside became a national news story in 2022 after the Birmingham News reported that the small town's unusually large police force was bankrolling the city budget by fining people traveling through and towing their cars under what motorists claimed were fabricated charges. It was one of the worst cases of profit-motivated policing in recent memory: The news investigation found that Brookside, a place with no traffic lights and one commercial property, a Dollar General store, "collected $487 in fines and forfeitures for every man, woman and child." By 2020, two years after Brookside expanded its police force from one officer to nine and began aggressively pursuing traffic enforcement, income from fines and forfeitures comprised 49 percent of the town's budget. Motorists alleged that they were getting pulled over for fake traffic violations, slapped with bogus charges, then forced to pay thousands in fines and towing fees after being convicted in Brookside's municipal court. The investigations led to the resignation of the Brookside police chief, a Pulitzer Prize for the reporters, and a class action lawsuit filed by the Institute for Justice. "Police are supposed to protect and serve, not ticket and collect," Chekeithia Grant, one of the named plaintiffs in the case, said in an Institute for Justice press release Monday. "When that gets flipped around, people suffer. We brought this case to remind Brookside of that, and to get the town on the right track. This settlement should do that. And it should be a warning to other towns." According to the lawsuit, Grant and her daughter were both arrested by Brookside police following a traffic stop and falsely charged with possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia, obstruction of government operations, and resisting arrest. Both were convicted in the Brookside Municipal Court, but town prosecutors agreed to dismiss all the charges after the two women appealed to a county court. But by then, they had already paid roughly $2,000 in fines and fees to Brookside. Advertisement Brookside's racket was so outrageous that the Justice Department filed a "statement of interest" in support of the Institute for Justice's lawsuit, noting the perverse profit incentives that such schemes create: Judges should not profit from their decisions in cases. Nor should funding for prosecutors or police officers depend substantially on unnecessarily aggressive law enforcement aimed at generating income through fines and fees. Criminal justice systems tainted by these unreasonable incentives stand to punish the poor for their poverty and put law enforcement at odds with the communities they are meant to serve. However, Brookside was just a particularly odious example of the classic American speed-trap town, a municipality that survives by latching onto a nearby highway and gorging itself, like a bloated tick, on traffic enforcement revenue. States have often responded to negative publicity from speed-trap towns with legislative reforms, and Alabama was no different. A few months after Brookside's practices were exposed, the Alabama state legislature passed a bill capping the revenue municipalities can keep from fines to just 10 percent of their general operating budgets. In addition to the $1.5 million payout to the lawsuit class, the proposed settlement will require Brookside to end many of the financial incentives tied to its traffic enforcement, such as repealing its fee to retrieve towed cars. The Brookside Police Department would also stay off the nearby interstate for the next 10 years, except for emergency response, and there would be 30 years of strict caps on how much revenue the town could keep from policing and code enforcement. "Systems that permit policing for profit inevitably result in abuse," Institute for Justice senior attorney Sam Gedge said in a press release. "The settlement we've proposed compensates those impacted by Brookside's system and keeps it from recurring." The settlement proposal must still be approved by a federal court. The post A Tiny Alabama Town Ran an Outrageous Speed Trap. Now It Will Pay $1.5 Million To Settle a Lawsuit. appeared first on Reason.com. President Trump Speaks At Museum Of The Bible On Religious Liberty In Education (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images) A hearing for President Donald Trumps Religious Liberty Commission Monday devolved into a contentious debate over Christianity, antisemitism and Zionism. The hearing, held at the Museum of the Bible and focused on antisemitism and religious liberty issues in the private sector, quickly went off the rails as infighting erupted among panelists. (RELATED: EXCLUSIVE: GOP Reps Unveil Bill To Tackle Heart Of Christian Persecution In Country) About an hour and a half into the hearing, commission member and former Miss USA model Carrie Prejean Boller asked panelist Yitzy Frankel a former UCLA law student who sued the university over the 2024 campus encampments whether speaking out about the genocide in Gaza should be viewed as antisemitic. Boller, who appeared to be wearing both a Palestinian flag and an American flag on her lapel, offered her position before Frankel responded. The United States cannot and must not make loyalty to a particular theology about Israel a litmus test for protected speech or moral legitimacy, she said. Charlie Kirk said that Jew hate is brain rot, Frankel replied. He said Israel should not be held to a double standard, alleging that students called for intifada hours after Hamas attacked Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. Boller pressed the issue of Zionism and read a quote from a New York rabbi suggesting Zionism is antisemitic. She then asked whether his statement criticizing Zionism was antisemitic. I dont think you need to be a Zionist to support a country that defends itself and is free and religious in a hostile neighborhood, Frankel said, later confirming that he believes anti-Zionism is antisemitic. Rabbi Ari Berman joined the exchange and said it is not antisemitic to criticize Israeli policy. However, he asserted that it is antisemitic to deny Israels right to exist while not applying the same standard to Christian and Islamic countries. Boller warned panelists against making Islamophobic remarks, drawing more boos than clapping from the audience. If the Jewish people are the only people that you deny the right to have its own state, that is absolutely a double standard. Hypocrisy and antisemitism, Berman continued. Boller stated that Catholics, citing herself, do not embrace Zionism and asked whether that makes all Catholics antisemites. Berman reiterated his argument about double standards before Boller interjected. She was then interrupted by another member who noted the commission focuses on religious liberty, not defining religions or theological doctrines. I dont agree with that, because as a Catholic, I dont agree that the new modern state of Israel has any biblical prophecy meaning at all, Boller concluded. So thats my stance. And Im Catholic. In the second half of the hearing, Boller questioned Babylon Bee CEO Seth Dillon about online censorship of antisemitism and asked whether he would support censoring New Testament verses that portray Jews as killing Jesus or driving Christians out of the land. Advertisement The exchange prompted an audience member to call for Bollers removal before he himself was escorted out following a warning. Dillon said Boller misunderstood his position, arguing that antisemitism is not a platform problem and should be challenged through dialogue rather than censorship. Dillon said Candace Owens claimed people blackmailed Kirk before his death so he would continue supporting Israel. Dillon alleged that those claims led to threats against his life. The anti-Zionists, the antisemites, will do everything they can to smear and destroy you and intimidate you and try to get you to shut up and go and become quiet, Dillon said. He specifically called Owens a prominent and loud antisemite. Boller, who said she listens to Owens daily, asked Dillon to stop labeling Owens an antisemite. Shes not an antisemite. She just doesnt support Zionism. And that really has to stop, Boller argued. Dillon said Owens goes far beyond not merely supporting Zionism. She calls Jews the Synagogue of Satan she often uses the word Zionist and the word Jew interchangeably, Dillon claimed. So do you think saying Christ is King is antisemitic? Boller asked. Dillon, a Christian, responded that Christ is King but argued the phrase has been co-opted and abused by niche antisemitic right-wing groups. Boller countered, suggesting that analyzing why someone says Christ is King is itself anti-Christian. In a statement Tuesday, Boller reiterated her remarks and said she will not resign from the commission, arguing it should represent viewpoints beyond pro-Israel Zionism. The commission, which consists entirely of Christians except for one Jewish member, was sued during the hearing by several multifaith organizations over its lack of religious minority representation. (RELATED: Trumps Religious Liberty Commission Sued For Being Too Christian) The Religious Liberty Commission did not respond to the Daily Callers request for comment. Fentanyl pills disguised to look like prescription opioid pills. DEA A Connecticut man faces major federal charges after investigators say he attempted to bring more than 35 pounds of fentanyl into Connecticut, authorities said. Joseph Montanez, 44, of Wallingford, also known as Jose and Max, has been charged by indictment with a fentanyl trafficking offense after the U.S. attorney for Connecticut said he arranged for the drugs to be transported from California to Connecticut. According to court records, law enforcement stopped a car on Interstate 80 in Nebraska on Jan. 13, 2026. Officers found about 16 kilograms, or more than 35 pounds, of fentanyl inside the vehicle. Investigators allege Montanez rented the car in Connecticut and agreed to pay a courier $20,000 to drive to California, pick up the fentanyl, and return to Connecticut. Advertisement Authorities used about 40 grams of real fentanyl and replaced the rest with fake fentanyl that would be driven back to Connecticut, prosecutors said. On Jan. 15, 2026, investigators say they watched Montanez meet with the vehicle carrying the drugs and direct the driver to a service plaza on Route 15. His original vehicle then drove a short distance toward Exit 58 in Wallingford. Police stopped that vehicle and seized about $23,000 in cash, prosecutors said. Montanez was arrested at the service plaza and has remained detained since his arrest. A federal grand jury charged Montanez with conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl, an offense that carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life. Montanez has pleaded not guilty. Federal officials stressed the charges are allegations and that he is presumed innocent. AZERBAIJAN-US-POLITICS-DIPLOMACY (Photo by AFP via Getty Images) Vice President JD Vance met with the leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan this week to finalize President Donald Trumps historic peace deal between the two nations and secure agreements with the two previously warring countries. Vances mission aimed to secure plans for the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity (TRIPP) and create a nuclear energy and tech deal with Armenia while also working to secure Americas partnership with Azerbaijan. The vice president apparently succeeded in his objectives. Armenia and Azerbaijan sit on the Middle Corridor, a key alternate trade route connecting China and Southeast Asia to Europe while bypassing the American rivals Russia and Iran. (RELATED: Trumps Religious Liberty Commission Ousts Member Over Alleged Hearing Hijack) The TRIPP corridor is the center of Trumps August-brokered plan between the two nations, which have been in conflict for nearly three decades. Once built, the corridor will consist of around 27 miles of roads and rail cutting through southern Armenia and allowing Azerbaijan access to an enclave on the other side of Armenia, according to Radio Free Europe. It would function as the missing link on the Middle Corridor, making it a more viable option. An Armenian enclave, Nagorno-Karabakh, has been a point of contention between the two nations since the end of World War I and reignited after the Soviet Union fell. Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin declared the enclave Azerbaijani territory in 1923, although it was home to a 95% ethnically Armenian population, according to the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) Global Conflict Tracker. Armenia controlled the territory from the 1990s until Azerbaijan regained full control after a large-scale attack in 2023, leading to the exodus of more than 100,000 ethnic Armenians. The corridor would serve as a tangible token of peace between the nations if completed. WASHINGTON, DC AUGUST 08: U.S. President Donald Trump (C) joins hands with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev (L) and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan (R) during a signing ceremony in the State Dining Room of the White House on August 8, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images) Armenia granted the TRIPP Development Company, a private U.S. firm, the rights to build and operate the infrastructure with the U.S. holding a 74% controlling stake for the first 49 years to ensure neutrality and efficiency. The corridor will remain under full control of the Armenian government, including customs, taxation and security, according to OC Media. While meeting Feb. 9 with Vance, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said he and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev had concluded that the peace established in August was approaching a point of no return leading to permanent peace during an earlier meeting. Vance later reiterated the importance of the talks at a joint press conference. Peace is not made by cautious people. Peace is not made by people who are too focused on the past. Peace is made by people focused on the future, Vance said, adding that TRIPP would also increase trade between Armenia and its neighbors. Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and US Vice President JD Vance shake hands after a joint press conference following their talks in Yerevan on February 9, 2026. (Photo by KAREN MINASYAN / AFP via Getty Images) The deal included incentives for both parties, allowing them to work with the U.S. to increase their defense, economy and infrastructure, while allowing the U.S. to expand its sphere of influence. Advertisement Vance said the U.S. has agreed to issue export licenses for NVIDIA chips to Armenia, which he said will grant the country access to better technology while creating jobs in the U.S. He also announced a civil nuclear cooperation agreement, allowing American and Armenian companies to strike deals on civil nuclear projects. Vance described the deal as a win-win resulting in better energy security in both countries and up to $5 billion in initial U.S. exports, with another $4 billion in long-term support. Vance also announced the sale of $11 million in surveillance drone technology to Armenia. Were not just making peace for Armenia, were also creating real prosperity for Armenia and the United States together, Vance said, adding that it was an honor to be the first sitting vice president to visit Armenia, the oldest Christian country in the world. U.S. Vice President JD Vance (L) and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev (R) shake hands after signing copies of a Charter on Strategic Partnership between the U.S. and Azerbaijan during a document signing ceremony following their meeting at the Zagulba Presidential Residence in Baku on February 10, 2026. (Photo by Kevin Lamarque / POOL / AFP via Getty Images) On Feb. 10, Vance and Aliyev signed a charter on a strategic partnership between Azerbaijan and the U.S. The charter allows for similar civil nuclear cooperation between the U.S. and Azerbaijan and the use of the countrys Middle Corridor to transfer critical minerals, allowing U.S. commerce to flow in the region without the need to rely on hostile countries. The charter also shows that Azerbaijan and the U.S. intend to expand defense and security cooperation, including defense sales. Vance referred to the U.S.s established partnership with Azerbaijan as underappreciated at a press conference after signing the charter, pointing to its support in the U.S. global war on terror and being among the last to leave Afghanistan. He also emphasized the value of TRIPP, having just flown over the area where the corridor would be built. Vance said that as Armenia and Azerbaijan continue to trade and cooperate, they will be able not only to solidify peace but to turn that peace into prosperity for both nations and for the U.S. (RELATED: How Trumps ICE Built Nationwide Police Alliance Right Under Democrats Noses) Vance is expected back in Washington, D.C., late on Feb. 11, according to local reporting from Tert. The Daily Caller reached out to Vances office for comment. Company reminds customers that help is just a call away JACKSON, Mich., Feb. 11, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Families across Michigan are feeling the pressure of mounting financial hardships as everything from the price of groceries to housing continues to rise. For 2-1-1 Day, Consumers Energy is highlighting how genuine connection, meaningful support, and immediate assistance can leave a long-lasting impact on those in need. More than just a number, 2-1-1 provides critical aid to Michiganders during life's most vulnerable times. Consumers Energy, through its continued partnership with Michigan 2-1-1, connects its customers with invaluable resources, including funding to support energy bill payments. With compassion, dignity, and a sense of urgency, the two organizations work in tandem to relieve the mounting financial pressures of communities across the state. "Behind every call made to 2-1-1 is a real person, a real family hoping to find resources to make it through a difficult situation," said Angela Thompkins, chief diversity officer and vice president of community affairs for Consumers Energy. "Consumers Energy is committed to more than energy; we are dedicated to connecting our customers with solutions that provide relief, create stability, and restore hope." 2-1-1 is a free service that connects callers with nonprofit organizations that provide funds for Consumers Energy bills as well as other essential household needs such as food and medical bill assistance. This support ties into the broader mission of Consumers Energy; a company customers can count on. Consumers Energy is woven into the communities we serve. Our customers are our neighbors, friends, and family. That connection comes to life through our longstanding partnerships. Last year, the Consumers Energy Foundation, the CMS Energy Foundation, Consumers Energy, and our employees and retirees contributed more than $17 million to nonprofits serving communities across Michigan including nearly $600,000 from our annual employee-led United Way campaign. We have already started 2026 off with that same, community-focused mindset reflected in a recent $5 million investment to 11 local nonprofit organizations to deliver targeted assistance where it can have the greatest impact. "For families who are facing unexpected challenges, whether that is food insecurity, medical bills, or assistance with their heating bills, 2-1-1 is here to help," said Thompkins. "We are proud to stand alongside an organization that is shaping a more stable future for Michigan families." Consumers Energy is Michigan's largest energy provider, providing natural gas and/or electricity to 6.8 million of the state's 10 million residents in all 68 Lower Peninsula counties. We are committed to delivering reliable and affordable energy to our customers 24/7. Learn more at ConsumersEnergy.com . SOURCE Consumers Energy Following her departure from Schneider Electric last month, Astrid Groves has been hired by Lenovo to lead its local channel strategy. As director of distribution and commercial channel for Australia, Groves will oversee initiatives to bolster partner enablement, enhance ecosystem collaboration, and expand access to Lenovos pocket to cloud portfolio through the Lenovo 360 global channel framework. She will focus on equipping partners with innovation, support, and commercial simplicity, the vendor added. Lenovos commitment to its partners is clear in its strategy, investment and culture, Groves said. The companys strong focus on sustainability also resonates deeply with me. I look forward to working with our partners to create new opportunities, deliver even greater customer value and build on the strong foundations already in place. Groves takes up the post at Lenovo with over two decades of experience working in the IT sector. In addition to her time at Schneider Electric, Groves has also worked at Vocus, Dicker Data, CertaOne, NetOptions and Acer. Her work in the local channel has been recognised in the past, winning the Management Excellence (Distributor/Vendor) Award at the ARN Innovation Awards for 2025. by Vladimir Rozanskij The story of the Sibir.Realii website on the battles of Aleksandr Sosnov and Albina Fateeva against the unbridled exploitation of natural resources and the business dealings of the oligarchs. Initiatives for which they had to endure visits from the FSB special services and other threats. Until they decided to emigrate to Armenia to protect their 15-year-old son. Moscow (AsiaNews) - It is not easy to defend the rights of nature in Russia, as the story of two environmental activists, Aleksandr Sosnov and his wife Albina Fateeva from the village of Krasnyj Cikoj in the Siberian region of Zabajkal, told by a report on Sibir.Realii, teaches us. For years, the couple fought against a construction project in the nature reserve on the Zasulan-Gerselun road, where the company Razrezugol intends to store raw materials for export to China, and against gold mining activities that pollute and destroy the rivers in the area, receiving threats and even physical violence in response. In the spring of 2025, Albina had once again written a document denouncing the ecological problems in the region, and received a visit at her home from members of the FSB special services, who questioned her about the appeals she and her husband had sent regarding waste dumps and the indifference of the local authorities. It was then that Albina and Aleksandr decided to leave Russia. Albina is 38 years old and has a first degree in history, after which she specialised in ornithology. Aleksandr is 55 years old and has had many jobs, always seeking to independently explore many topics that interested him. He met his future wife on an archaeological expedition to Ust-Menza, where the Menza River flows into the Chika and where the remains of a prehistoric man were found in the 1980s. For many millennia, humans have inhabited this area of eastern Siberia, in the Chika plain. The couple are in love with their native land and could not remain indifferent to the destruction caused by industrial and mining operations, taking action to defend the environment. In 2028, Sosnov became a municipal deputy for the province of Krasnyj Cikoj, participating in the ecology and agriculture commission that carried out investigations in the area, and since 2024 he has focused on monitoring waste discharges from gold mines along the Cika River. He had also managed to obtain satellite images of the illegal discharges, but the public prosecutor's office ignored the complaints filed by the commission against the gold mining company Vertikal, which holds licences for the extraction of precious minerals in the Zabajkal region but also employs teams of undeclared workers, mostly Chinese, as the gold is mainly destined for China. Even during inspections accompanied by police officers, the workers of these companies threatened Aleksandr with hanging him from a birch tree or with phrases such as people like you should be thrown in jail, you are preventing the country from developing and people from working and earning a living. Very wealthy men came to him and ordered him to stop and shut up and not stick his nose where it doesn't belong, because you don't know how much money is involved in these activities, you could come to a bad end. Vertikal executives accused him of working for Westerners, where he had obviously been instructed to disrupt these activities, otherwise how do you know all these things?, threatening to send him to the front line of the special operation in Ukraine, where many Zabaykal residents had enlisted and many had died. Razrezugol, the other large company that Albina and Aleksandr tried to fight, is owned by one of Russia's leading oligarchs, Oleg Deripaska, who is involved in major projects with the Chinese. The lawsuit they filed in this case also led to threats and risks of violence, especially after the provincial court partially ruled in their favour in February 2025, overturning the conclusions of the official investigation into the ecological conditions of the area concerned, provided by the state agency Rosprirodnadzor. Their request concerned the diversion of the road under construction away from populated areas, but they needed it precisely in the places most at risk of serious environmental consequences, and in the end the two activists were forced to take another route, going to Armenia with their 15-year-old son Anton, who was also being targeted, leaving the country and the nature they had tried so hard to defend. Drager Adds Nation's Largest SCBA Dealer to Strengthen AirBoss Support and Offer Fire Departments More Local Options HOUSTON, Feb. 10, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Drager, a global leader in firefighting safety technology, today announced a strategic partnership with MES Life Safety, the nation's largest supplier of SCBA and PPE to first responders. Protecting firefighters takes more than great equipment it takes the right partners behind it. Drager AirBoss SCBA is now available through MES Life Safety, expanding access, service, and support for departments of every size. Together, were strengthening the network firefighters rely on, wherever the job takes them. "We are delighted to welcome MES Life Safety into the Drager family as an authorized AirBoss distributor and service partner," said John Wilson, Senior Vice President of Sales & Marketing at Drager in the United States. "Our Partner network remains foundational to how we serve the fire service, and the addition of MES meaningfully expands our ability to support departments of every size. By extending our reach and strengthening service capability, this partnership enhances access to the right SCBA solutions while reinforcing the expertise, choice, and continuity our Partners deliver wherever U.S. firefighters serve." Under this new alliance, MES Life Safety will become an Authorized Sales Partner for the Drager PSS AirBoss self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) and a Certified Drager Service Center for warranty repairs on Drager SCBAs. This alignment significantly bolsters Drager's support network across the United States, recognizing the strength of the AirBoss as a compelling, premier SCBA choice for American fire departments. A Robust Nationwide Support Network By joining forces with MES Life Safety which boasts a nationwide presence with more than 200 sales representatives and 230 service technicians Drager will provide a more robust capability to serve fire departments in every region. "The Drager AirBoss expands our portfolio and allows MES to serve departments we don't serve today," said Marvin Riley, CEO of MES Life Safety. "This partnership is about expanding options and strengthening local support to meet the growing demands of the fire service." Drager already works with more than 50 trusted fire service equipment partners throughout the United States; adding MES to this network means all 30,000+ fire departments in the country will now have even more options to choose from for sales, support, and service. Fire departments from major cities to rural communities can count on multiple local Authorized Drager Partners in every corner of the United States, ensuring convenient access to the AirBoss SCBA as well as prompt, expert maintenance support. This strategic alignment brings several key benefits to the fire service: A Premier SCBA Choice for America: MES Life Safety's decision to carry the AirBoss even as they continue to offer another competitive SCBA line underscores the AirBoss SCBA's reputation as a premier choice for firefighter respiratory protection. The Drager AirBoss offers best-in-class ergonomics, delivering the comfort, mobility, reliability, and safety features that make it ideally suited for American firefighters operating in demanding conditions. Broader Nationwide Access: With MES joining more than 50 existing Drager partners, firefighters across the country have greater choice and convenience in sourcing the Drager AirBoss SCBA. Every region now has multiple authorized outlets for departments to evaluate and purchase this advanced SCBA solution, reinforcing Drager's commitment to be present in every corner of the United States. Enhanced Service and Uptime: Joining eight other planned Drager Service Centers, MES expands Drager's growing network of regional service locations that help maximize equipment uptime and minimize turnaround for repairs. Fire departments can expect faster warranty repairs and local technical support for their Drager SCBAs, which strengthens overall customer service and confidence. AirBoss: Made for America, Ready for the Future The Drager PSS AirBoss SCBA has been "Made for America" in both design and performance. From its first concept to final build, the AirBoss was shaped by direct input from U.S. firefighters, who demanded an SCBA that moves with them, supports their aggressive interior attack style, and reduces stress in high-heat, high-intensity conditions. Drager listened to these needs and built the AirBoss around the realities of the modern American fireground. The result is a next-generation SCBA that firefighters can trust with their lives. In November 2025, the AirBoss achieved certification to the new NFPA 1970:2025 Edition standard for SCBA, marking it as fully compliant with the latest and most stringent safety benchmarks. This milestone ensures U.S. departments can confidently move forward with AirBoss purchasing decisions aligned with the newest NFPA requirements. Now officially certified and available for purchase, the AirBoss delivers next-generation protection with enhanced ergonomics, streamlined controls, and high-visibility indicators designed for the demands of American firefighting. About Drager Drager is an international leader in the fields of safety and medical technology. Founded in 1889 and headquartered in Lubeck, Germany, Drager has a global presence with subsidiaries around the world. The company first arrived in the United States in 1907 and has spent nearly 120 years saving American lives through its medical and safety technologies. Drager's U.S. subsidiary, Draeger, Inc., is based in Telford, Pennsylvania, and Houston, Texas. The company's guiding principle is "Technology for Life," reflecting its mission to protect, support, and save lives. Drager's portfolio for first responders includes self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA), equipment cleaning solutions, fire ground gas detection, firefighter training systems, and other advanced safety equipment. Trusted by firefighters and emergency services globally, Drager is committed to delivering innovative solutions that enable responders to confront hazards with confidence and come home safely. Learn more about the Drager portfolio of products for firefighters at www.draeger.com/fire. About MES Life Safety MES Life Safety (Municipal Emergency Services, Inc.) is the largest supplier of self-contained breathing apparatus and personal protective equipment to first responders in the United States. Headquartered in Sandy Hook, Connecticut, MES serves fire departments, law enforcement agencies, emergency medical services, and industrial safety customers nationwide. The company offers a broad range of firefighting and rescue gear from turnout gear and SCBAs to rescue tools and gas detectors representing leading brands in the industry. With a local network of more than 200 sales representatives and 90+ certified mobile service technicians across the country, MES provides unparalleled customer service, on-site training, and equipment maintenance. Decades of first responder experience and a "customer first" approach have made MES a trusted partner to thousands of emergency response agencies, dedicated to the mission of protecting those who protect others. Learn more by visiting www.meslifesafety.com. The PSS AirBoss is manufactured by Drager Safety AG & Co. KGaA. Drager. Technology for Life Drager. Technology for Life Drager is an international leader in the fields of medical and safety technology. Our products protect, support, and save lives. Founded in 1889, Drager generated revenues of around 3,4 billion in 2024. The Drager Group is currently present in over 190 countries and has more than 16,000 employees worldwide. Please visit www.draeger.com for more information. Note: Not all products in this press release are available worldwide. Equipment packages can vary from country to country. We reserve the right to make changes to products. Up-to-date information is available on the Drager website of your country or from your Drager representative. Contact Communications: Melanie Kamann-Holt, Tel. +49 451 882-3202, [email protected] Press Contact North America: Melissa Ray, Tel. + 1 817 776 2155, melissa.ray@draeger.com Investor Relations: Thomas Fischler, Tel. +49 451 882-2685, [email protected] SOURCE Draeger 11 February 2026 20:48 (UTC+04:00) Akbar Novruz Read more In the world of politics, much like on a chessboard, the pieces and the logic by which they operate vary widely. This is particularly evident among certain members of Russias State Duma who have gained notoriety for political rhetoric driven not by reasoned argument, but by ideological theses. One such figure is Konstantin Zatulin, who at times appears to be attempting to assume the role once played by Vladimir Zhirinovsky. Yet the absurdities he routinely utters end up damaging not only his own credibility, but also the public image of Russias political elite as a whole. The recent speech by Mr Zatulin, a Russian politician and deputy in the State Duma, delivered at the Armenian Apostolic Churchs main cathedral in Moscow, deserves close attention. At first glance, one might dismiss his remarks as mere rhetoric. Yet those familiar with Russias political machinery know that figures like Zatulin often serve as unofficial mouthpieces for the Kremlinsaying aloud what Moscow itself prefers to keep between the lines. When convenient, the Russian state embraces their words; when not, it dismisses them as personal opinions. That is precisely why Zatulins speech should be read carefully, especially its subtext. The message was clear: Russia does not want peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan. The Kremlin, bogged down in Ukraine, lacks the capacity to halt the peace process outright, but it hopes to reignite the long-buried Karabakh conflict. Its strategy hinges on the 2026 Armenian elections, where Moscow aims to restore the so-called Karabakh clique to powerat any cost. Zatulins attack on Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan was not accidental; it was part of a broader campaign to undermine him and reassert Russias grip on Yerevan. I will honestly admit that Armenia's defeat in 2020 was more than a reality as it demonstrated Azerbaijans transformation into a modern military power. Technologically and tactically, Azerbaijans armed forces outmatched Armenia many times over, and in several areas rivalled larger regional actors, such as Iran, Turkiye, and even Russia. However, being honest, I must say that Pashinyan was not the architect of Armenias defeat in the 44-day war. That responsibility lies squarely with the Karabakh clique, whose thirty-year rule crippled the Armenian state, hollowed out its economy, and isolated the country regionally. Their legacy includes corruption so brazen that even railway tracks and sleepers along the Araz River were dismantled and sold. The reality today is stark: the Karabakh conflict is over, and new regional dynamics have emerged. Russia, however, refuses to accept them. Moscow fears that a peace treaty between Armenia and Azerbaijan would spell the end of its influence in the South Caucasusand beyond. In detail, Russia offers no real opportunities to countries in the region under its sphere of influence, only fear and coercion. History proves that those who defy this sphere of influence thrive. Thirty years ago, Azerbaijan showed Russia the door. Despite initial hardships, the Azerbaijani economy has since grown 140-fold, rebuilding its infrastructure to a standard that now surpasses Russias own. Similarly, Poland and the Baltic states enjoy a per capita income nearly double that of Russia. Conversely, nations that remain tethered to Moscowlike Armenia under the Karabakh cliqueare left with nothing. Zatulin cannot conceal the truth, though he works tirelessly to obscure it. He knows the realities all too well, yet cloaks them in diplomatic varnish. Russias failure to intervene during the 44-Day War was not simply a tactical calculationit was an admission of weakness. With the Ukraine conflict draining its resources, Moscow recognized that it lacked the capacity to confront a state as militarily advanced as Azerbaijan. In his speech, Zatulin repeatedly credited Turkiye for Azerbaijans battlefield success, portraying Russias passivity as a gesture of goodwill toward Ankara. This is a deliberate misdirection. The Kremlins silence was not about preserving ties with Turkey; it was about avoiding a direct clash with Azerbaijans modernised war machine. To acknowledge this would be to concede that Azerbaijan has become a model of defianceproof that resistance to Moscows dominance is not only possible but effective. Zatulins rhetorical contortions are designed precisely to prevent such an admission, even as the facts speak for themselves. True to tradition, Russia now resorts to threats. Zatulin warned that Armenians in Russia would be branded traitors if Pashinyan remains in power, and hinted that once the war in Ukraine ends, Moscow will settle accounts with its neighbours. This is intimidation, pure and simple. The choice before Armenians is stark. In 2026, they can vote for progress, show resolve, and shut the door on Russiaor they can return the Karabakh clique to power and sink deeper into decline. Russia is not a rising star but a fading one, unable to help itself, let alone its neighbours. The only chains Armenians risk losing are those fastened by the Karabakh clique itself. 11 February 2026 17:25 (UTC+04:00) Qabil Ashirov Read more The South Caucasus is living through one of its most remarkable historical moments. Two neighboring countries that have long clashed since gaining independence are gradually moving toward peace. There is no need to say it: this process excites everyone. Will peace truly be achieved? Will the roar of gunfire finally give way to the cheers of sporting events? Will homes no longer receive coffins wrapped in flags? Will young people pick up tools to rebuild war-torn regions instead of weapons to fight on the frontlines? Everyone wants to leave war behind and heal its wounds. That is why the progress in peace between Azerbaijan and Armenia over the past few years brings hope. Yet, there is a lingering fear of outside interference. Before U.S. envoy Vance visited the South Caucasus, Russian politician Zatulins statements already fueled these concerns. Just as efforts were made to counter Zatulins baseless claims, an unexpected blow came from across the ocean: Nancy Pelosi publicly criticized Vance in connection with the so-called Armenian genocide. Her actions, in the truest sense, were like spoiling the brothneedless and counterproductive. This is not about reopening debates over historical events between TurkIiye and Armenia; that is their matter to resolve. My goal here is to critique Western values, especially American principles, when they are betrayed by figures like Pelosi. Highlighting the Armenian genocide narrative at this critical moment does not promote justice; it strengthens the hand of those in Armenia who thrive on nationalist fervor and undermines ongoing peace efforts. Whether in high school or at university, one of the core lessons taught under Western values is equality before the law. We are taught that everyone stands equal under justice. Take, for example, Podstam the Miller, who boldly defied King Frederick II by declaring, There are judges in Berlin. He relied precisely on this principle. It was this trust in impartial law that drew people from authoritarian regimes to the West. Entrepreneurs chose to build their businesses not in their native lands, but in countries where the rule of law guaranteed fairness and opportunity for all. This very foundation made the Westand especially the United States great and attractive. However, individuals like Nancy Pelosi, who defend the so-called Armenian genocide, undermine this fundamental principle. Viewed objectively, claiming that the Armenian genocide occurred is not about confronting injusticeit is simply granting special privilege to a particular ethnic group. More precisely, Armenian historians present numerous documents asserting that this was a genocide. The Turkish site, meanwhile, provides its documents arguing that no such genocide occurred. As individuals, our responsibility is to examine the issue calmly and reach a reasoned conclusion. The consensus that emerges from careful study of both Armenian and Turkish perspectives is that, during World War I, the Ottoman Empire relocated Armenians from Eastern Anatolia to the western regions of the empire and the Middle East due to concerns over collaboration with Russia. Some lives were lost during this relocation. Here a question raises: is it truly genocide? For instance, during World War II, ethnic Germans living in the Caucasus were deported to Central Asia under harsh conditions due to suspected collaboration with the Nazis. Thousands perished en route or suffered fatal hardships in the settlements to which they were sent. A similar fate befell the Ahska Turks in Georgia. Although Turkiye did not participate in the war, the Kremlin feared that Turkiye might intervene in the future. Acting on this concern, the entire population was forcibly relocated to Central Asia overnight. Like the Germans, many Ahska Turks tragically lost their lives, and to make matters worse, their homes were later occupied by Armenianshomes that are still inhabited by Armenians today. Another Caucasus people who suffered similar deportations were the Chechens. In the mid-20th century, they too were exiled to Central Asia and endured immense suffering. The Crimean Tatars experienced comparable persecution: accused of collaborating with the Nazis, the entire Tatar population of the peninsula was rounded up into trains and deported to Central Asia. Many perished along the way or in the harsh settlements where they were placed. The Crimean Peninsula, however, did not only witness the deportation of Tatars. Looking back over the last two centuries, we also see that after Russia occupied Crimea, Armenians living there were relocated from the peninsular to Rostov-on-Don during the harsh winter months. A large portion of them perished during this forced migration. Yet selective memory prevails. Neither The U.S. Congress, nor Armenian Parliament recognize these events as genocide. Pelosi, proudly endorsing the Armenian genocide, fails to acknowledge comparable tragedies. Why is suffering in Crimea, or of Chechens, Ahska Turks, or Caucasus Germans, ignored? Only Turkiyes actions are labeled genocide, while Russias are erased from history books. In my view, this is not genocide. Labeling it so contradicts Western principles, which teach that no one group should be granted superiority. Either all similar historical tragedies should be recognized equally, or none should be labeled genocide. Armenian and U.S. parliaments alike ignore the fate of other displaced peoples, even when outcomes and motivations were identical. The selective focus on one narrative while ignoring others undermines the very notion of justice. Most importantly, raising this divisive narrative at such a crucial moment only empowers nationalist forces in Armenia. Over the past 30 years, one in six Armenians has left the country. Yet they cling fanatically to the genocide narrative. Strengthening them at this time, by repeating selective claims, cannot serve peace. Figures like Nancy Pelosi, by perpetuating this selective narrative, appear uninterested in the fragile peace slowly taking root between Azerbaijan and Armenia. At this pivotal moment, the choice is clear: peace must come first. Selective historical narratives, no matter how politically convenient, have no place in building trust, dialogue, and lasting reconciliation. 11 February 2026 14:34 (UTC+04:00) Akbar Novruz Read more US Vice President JD Vance signed a strategic partnership with Azerbaijans President Ilham Aliyev in Baku on Tuesday during a historic visit to the South Caucasus as Washington consolidates its engagement with Armenia and Azerbaijan following their historic peace deal after decades of conflict. Vance has unveiled an exciting initiative to bolster Azerbaijan's maritime security by providing new patrol boats to help safeguard its territorial waters. He further highlighted the promise of expanding collaboration in cutting-edge areas like artificial intelligence and critical minerals, especially through the innovative Middle Corridor transit systems. But the main thrust of the cooperation is connectivity through transport and logistics by developing the major transit corridor dubbed the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity (TRIPP) which was agreed by Armenia and Azerbaijan in their peace deal brokered by the US last August, integrating the two countries into a new east-west trade route to strengthen wider Eurasian trade routes. Having visited Armenia before Azerbaijan, Vance commended the leadership of the two former rival countries who fought two wars over the Karabakh region in decades of conflict, adding that their continued cooperation within the ongoing historic peace process will ensure long-term stability in the South Caucasus. In Armenia, a country that no sitting US vice president or president has visited before, Vance said on Monday that peace is not made by people who are too focused on the past. Peace is made by people who are focused on the future. Evaluating J.D. Vance's visit to Armenia and Azerbaijan requires considering the US's geopolitical strategy in the region, according to Dr. Brendan Ziegler, a German-based analyst speaking to AzerNEWS. "Ever since the agreement between Azerbaijan and Armenia on August 8 in Washington, the idea of Baku and Yerevan rapproachment is something 'surprising' and plausible. Given the fact that it had been labelled as something symbolic rather than a tangible approach by some, consequent events said something different. Mutually shared statements, disclosures, and Ilham Aliyev's meeting with Trump at Davos are simple proofs. Perhaps, JD Vance's trip to both countries even meant something more powerful. The first visit by a U.S. vice president to Armenia, and one to Azerbaijan, occurred after nearly two decades. Looking from a big scope we can say this is a new stance by Washington. This emerging U.S. model is indirect control through trusted regional allies. In this framework, Israel and Turkiye sit at the center, with Saudi Arabia playing a secondary but still important role. Under the Trump administration, this approach has been applied with notable consistency. And with Vance's statements, calling Azerbaijan a key US ally, as a New Strategic Partnership acts as an extension of this broader architecture." Ziegler thinks that this reflects a deliberate shift in U.S. regional management. Washington no longer wants to police the South Caucasus directly, he argues. Instead, it is folding Baku into a wider security and connectivity ecosystem overseen indirectly through its most trusted regional partners. In this model, Azerbaijan is not sidelined but embedded, managed through alliances rather than mandates. He explains, TRIPP is often reduced to a trade corridor crossing southern Armenia, unveiled after last Augusts White House summit that ended decades of ArmeniaAzerbaijan conflict. That reading misses the point, he says. "This logic also explains the centrality of the Trump Route for International Peace & Prosperity (TRIPP) to Vances visit. TRIPP is often described as a trade corridor across southern Armenia, unveiled after last Augusts White House summit that ended the decades-long ArmeniaAzerbaijan conflict. But its importance is not merely economic. Strategically, it displaces Russias long-standing plan to control a similar corridor guarded by Russian forces, thereby striking at the Kremlins residual influence in the post-war South Caucasus. Beyond that, TRIPP opens a critical logistical gateway to Central Asia. For Washington, this is about far more than transit fees. The landlocked Central Asian republics sit atop critical mineral reserves vital to future industrial and defense supply chains. The U.S. has already signed memoranda of understanding with Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, and Vances proposal for a critical minerals trading bloc, floated at a ministerial attended by over 50 countries, provides essential context for his subsequent Caucasus trip." Commenting on the significance of the U.S. Vice Presidents visit to both Armenia and Azerbaijan, Ziegler said the region is no longer as peripheral as it once was. "What is clear is that the South Caucasus has become a pivot point in a much larger game. Vances visit was not about Armenia or Azerbaijan alone. It was about redefining how the U.S. manages regions it no longer wishes to dominate militarily, how it delegates order to allies, and how it reshapes Eurasias connective tissue as it prepares for a far more consequential contest in the Far East," said the expert. 11 February 2026 13:12 (UTC+04:00) Full digital access to all news for 1 year Full digital access to all news for 6 months Full digital access to all news for 3 months Full digital access to all news for 1 month Find the plan that suits you best. Azerbaijan exported goods worth $16.994 billion to European Union (EU) member states in 2025, marking an increase of $132.346 million, or 0.8 percent, compared to 2024, AzerNEWS reports, citing the State Customs Committee. The Committee noted that imports from EU countries during the reporting period totaled... Here we are to serve you with news right now. It does not cost much, but worth your attention. Choose to support open, independent, quality journalism and subscribe on a monthly basis. By subscribing to our online newspaper, you can have full digital access to all news, analysis, and much more. Subscribe You can also follow AzerNEWS on Twitter @AzerNewsAz or Facebook @AzerNewsNewspaper Thank you! 11 February 2026 15:37 (UTC+04:00) Full digital access to all news for 1 year Full digital access to all news for 6 months Full digital access to all news for 3 months Full digital access to all news for 1 month Find the plan that suits you best. bp has announced the sale of a 10% stake in Shafag Jabrayil Solar Limited (SJSL) to Hungarys state-owned energy company, MVM Energetika Zrt. (MVM). Following the deal, the shareholding structure of the... Here we are to serve you with news right now. It does not cost much, but worth your attention. Choose to support open, independent, quality journalism and subscribe on a monthly basis. By subscribing to our online newspaper, you can have full digital access to all news, analysis, and much more. Subscribe You can also follow AzerNEWS on Twitter @AzerNewsAz or Facebook @AzerNewsNewspaper Thank you! 11 February 2026 17:46 (UTC+04:00) Laman Ismayilova Read more Gara Garayev is regarded as one of the most influential and celebrated composers in the history of Azerbaijani classical music. More than four decades after his passing, his music continues to bridge cultures, generations, and artistic traditions. This year Azerbaijan marks the 108th anniversary of the birth of the outstanding composer. The occasion was recently honored with a symphonic evening at the Azerbaijan State Academic Philharmonic Hall. The concert, titled "Music Across the Centuries," was performed by the Azerbaijan State Symphony Orchestra under the baton of its Artistic Director and Chief Conductor, Honored Artist Fuad Ibrahimov. Prior to the performance, Honored Art Worker, Doctor of Philosophy in Art Studies, and Professor Zumrud Dadashzade addressed the audience, offering insight into Garayev's music legacy and examining the philosophical depth and distinctive aesthetic language that define his compositions. The concert program featured symphonic works by prominent representatives of 20th-century musical culture, turning the evening into both a tribute to Garayev and a celebration of the enduring vitality of symphonic tradition. Born in 1918, Gara Garayev emerged as one of the most influential composers in Azerbaijan's history. His works, performed and admired internationally, are distinguished by their expressive power and stylistic boldness. Garayev began his formal musical education at the Azerbaijan State Conservatory, where from 1933 to 1938 he studied composition and folk music. He later continued his studies at the Moscow Conservatory under A. Alexandrov and, subsequently, the legendary Dmitri Shostakovich. This formative period profoundly shaped his artistic identity, nurturing a composer unafraid of experimentation while remaining deeply rooted in national tradition. Throughout his prolific career, Garayev composed in nearly every major genre, including symphonic and chamber music, opera, ballet, and film scores. His music masterfully blends Azerbaijani mugham with elements of jazz, blues, African rhythms, and Western classical techniques such as the twelve-tone system. This synthesis created a sound world that was both nationally distinctive and universally compelling. Over his lifetime, Gara Garayev produced more than 110 works. His career began remarkably early: at the age of 20, he composed his first cantata, The Song of the Heart, based on poetry by Rasul Rza. The work was performed at Moscow's Bolshoi Theatre the same year, signaling the arrival of a major new talent. By 1941, he had returned to Baku, where he dedicated himself not only to composition but also to teaching, shaping future generations of Azerbaijani musicians. The late 1940s and early 1950s marked a particularly significant period in his creative life. Inspired by the poetry of Nizami Ganjavi, he composed the symphonic poem Leyli and Mejnun and the symphonic suite Seven Beauties. In 1952, Seven Beauties was adapted into the first Azerbaijani ballet, staged by choreographer P. A. Gusev, becoming a landmark achievement in the countrys cultural history. Gara Garayev's artistic vision extended beyond national themes to global concerns. His 1958 ballet Path of Thunder addressed racial conflict in South Africa, demonstrating his sensitivity to contemporary social issues and his ability to translate them into compelling musical drama. That same year, he composed the score for the documentary A Story About the Oil Workers of the Caspian Sea, highlighting the lives of those working in Azerbaijan's vital oil industry. Gara Garayev passed away in 1982 at the age of 64, marking the end of an era in Azerbaijani classical music. Yet his influence remains profound. His works continue to be performed, studied, and reinterpreted, reaffirming his place as a towering figure in 20th-century music. In 2018, on the centenary of his birth, President Ilham Aliyev declared the year dedicated to Gara Garayev's 100th anniversary, underscoring his monumental contribution to national culture. A House-Museum in Baku preserves his personal belongings, manuscripts, photographs, and archival materials, offering visitors a deeper understanding of the composer's life and artistic journey. 11 February 2026 14:46 (UTC+04:00) Laman Ismayilova Read more The Central Scientific Library of the Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences (ANAS) has hosted a conference dedicated to the International Day of Women and Girls in Science, under the theme "From Idea to Impact: New Horizons for STEM with Gender Equality", AzerNEWS reports. The event was jointly organized by the ANAS Presidium and the Women's Council. Opening the conference, ANAS Vice-President, academician Irada Huseynova, highlighted that this day is celebrated worldwide, including in Azerbaijan, following the UN General Assembly resolution adopted on December 22, 2015. She pointed out that gender equality in science remains a key priority, with efforts focused on promoting women's active participation in research and innovation. Irada Huseynova noted that UNESCO's 2026 theme, "From Vision to Impact: Redefining STEM by Closing the Gender Gap," aims to encourage women to transform ideas into tangible scientific and technological achievements. This approach emphasizes expanding girls' access to STEM education from an early age, eliminating stereotypes, and increasing womens representation in leadership positions in science. She also highlighted Azerbaijan's rich scientific and cultural traditions, noting that women have historically played an active role in advancing science. Stressing the importance of gender balance in the ongoing transformation of Azerbaijan's scientific landscape, Huseynova shared that approximately 58 percent of researchers in the country are women, surpassing the global average. She added that increasing the share of women in STEM education and leadership positions will make future innovation and technological development more inclusive. Following her, ANAS Acting Vice-President, academician Govhar Bakhshaliyeva, underscored the prominent role of Azerbaijani women in the country's social, political, and cultural life. She highlighted that the National Leader Heydar Aliyev emphasized expanding women's societal role, a policy successfully continued by President Ilham Aliyev. Govhar Bakhshaliyeva stressed that Azerbaijani women contribute significantly to nation-building, social and economic development, and the intellectual and cultural potential of the country, exemplified internationally by the work of First Vice-President Mehriban Aliyeva. Bakhshaliyeva also discussed the growing impact of women in science and education, mentioning notable Azerbaijani women scientists who pioneered new ideas and founded their own schools of thought. Later, Professor Rena Mirzazade, Chair of the ANAS Women's Council, emphasized the importance of celebrating the International Day of Women and Girls in Science. She noted that women occupy numerous leadership positions in Azerbaijan and are active in scientific management within ANAS, highlighting that the academy currently employs 1,977 female staff members, including 385 doctors of science and 269 PhDs. Other speakers highlighted the importance of gender equality in science and technology in the context of rapid innovation, noting that emerging tools such as artificial intelligence and digital platforms play a key role in enhancing research efficiency and expanding opportunities for women in STEM fields. 11 February 2026 14:58 (UTC+04:00) Laman Ismayilova Read more Azerbaijan's cultural sector is entering a new era of growth and transformation, marked by increasing public participation, international collaboration, and the revitalization of historical and liberated regions. Strategic programs and visionary policies are driving the expansion of cultural infrastructure while fostering education, artistic expression, and national identity. The Azerbaijan Culture is spearheading initiatives that strengthen both the human and institutional capacities necessary to sustain this vibrant cultural ecosystem. Strengthening Cultural Capacity Significant progress was made last year in enhancing the human resource potential within the cultural sector, one of the country's most vital domains. Numerous decisions were adopted, diverse initiatives were implemented, and the sector itself was further strengthened to ensure its sustainable development. This was highlighted by Azerbaijan Culture Minister Adil Karimli during a collegial meeting , dedicated to the Ministry's plans for 2025, AzerNEWS reports citing Azertag. The Minister emphasized the importance of the newly adopted "Azerbaijani Culture 2040" Concept, describing it as a landmark document. According to him, the Concept will serve as a roadmap for upcoming reforms, outline strategic directions, and provide the rationale for the necessary measures to be undertaken in the coming years. He also noted that the concept of culture carries multiple meanings and stressed the significance of cultivating a proper understanding of culture within society. Cultural Days as a Bridge for National and International Collaboration Organizing cultural days both at home and abroad holds special significance. This initiative plays a crucial role in strengthening bilateral relations between countries. Ensuring that these events are conducted in a more professional, comprehensive, and large-scale manner remains one of the Ministry's top priorities. Through this platform, authorities aim to foster collaboration in a more effective and purposeful way. The Minister also highlighted that annual city days are held in regions liberated from occupation. Such events contribute to the revival of cultural life in these areas, the restoration of historical and cultural heritage, and the enhancement of social and cultural engagement. Performances by artists, exhibitions, concerts, and a variety of cultural projects are organized, all of which make a significant contribution to the social and cultural development of these regions. Record Cultural Engagement In 2025, cultural institutions in Azerbaijan welcomed 6,734,300 visitors. This figure includes audiences attending film screenings, theatre performances, concerts, museum exhibitions, and circus shows. Overall, a positive growth trend in visitor numbers has been observed across the years, reflecting the increasing public engagement with the country's cultural life. Adil Karimli emphasized that increasing participation in cultural events remains a key objective each year. One of the core directions of the "Azerbaijani Culture 2040" Concept is to engage people through culture, encouraging them to participate in educational and awareness-raising activities, as well as other initiatives that foster learning and personal development. Reviving Cultural Life in Liberated Regions: Great Return Program Under the "Great Return" Program, the Culture Ministry has been carrying out a wide-ranging and systematic set of activities. Priority is given to the restoration of cultural infrastructure in territories liberated from occupation, the creation of new cultural centers, and the preservation of the nation's cultural heritage. Adil Karimli noted that 2025 saw the implementation of major projects in this area, including the construction of new cultural complexes and large-scale restoration of existing facilities. The Minister added that it is expected to witness the tangible results of these ongoing projects this year. 11 February 2026 10:22 (UTC+04:00) Qabil Ashirov Read more Azerbaijans Minister of Health, Teymur Musayev, held a meeting with members of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce to discuss the current state and future prospects of bilateral cooperation in the healthcare sector. AzerNEWS reports that during the meeting, the sides reviewed ongoing collaboration between Azerbaijan and the United States in healthcare and explored opportunities for further development. Discussions focused on the modernization of the healthcare system, the introduction of innovative medical technologies, cooperation in the pharmaceutical industry, and advancements in medical education. Minister Musayev provided an overview of the comprehensive reforms being implemented in Azerbaijans healthcare sector under the leadership of President Ilham Aliyev. He highlighted efforts aimed at improving the quality of medical services, strengthening human capital in the healthcare system, and accelerating digitalization across the sector. The minister underscored the importance of expanding mutually beneficial partnerships with international stakeholders, including U.S. companies, emphasizing that closer cooperation would contribute to the continued modernization and resilience of Azerbaijans healthcare system. Jennifer Miel, Vice President of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce for the Middle East, Central Asia, and Turkiye, expressed interest in deepening cooperation with Azerbaijan. She noted the potential for American companies to share their expertise and technologies in the fields of healthcare and pharmaceuticals. The meeting concluded with an exchange of views and discussions on concrete avenues for future collaboration, signaling both sides commitment to strengthening strategic ties in the health sector. Hosting Networking Reception and Taking International Meetings BERLIN, Feb. 10, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- FilmUSA, the national association of film commissions representing more than 100 film commissions across the United States, will attend the European Film Market (EFM) during the Berlin International Film Festival from February 1520, 2026. FilmUSA, will be taking meetings on behalf of the organization to advance international partnerships and promote the United States as a premier destination for film, television, and digital media production. FilmUSA's work centers on supporting economic development, retaining and attracting productions to the U.S., strengthening workforce development pipelines, and advocating for the long-term health of the domestic production ecosystem. FilmUSA arrives in Berlin following a successful slate of meetings and events at the Sundance Film Festival, continuing its momentum at one of the world's most important global film markets. As part of its presence at EFM, FilmUSA will host a networking reception on February 16, sponsored by the Florida Keys Film Commission. The reception will bring together international industry leaders, film commissions, and partners for informal networking and relationship-building. Representing FilmUSA in Berlin: Tony Armer, Vice President, FilmUSA FilmUSA members in attendance at the reception and in Berlin: Bega Metzner, Film Commissioner, Moab to Monument Valley, Utah In addition to the reception, FilmUSA will be conducting a series of meetings throughout the market to further its mission of developing strategic partnerships that benefit U.S.-based production, infrastructure growth, and workforce initiatives. Following Berlin, FilmUSA's international and domestic presence continues with its signature pavilion at the Cannes Film Festival in May, where FilmUSA will host a large U.S. pavilion featuring nearly a dozen film commissions from across the United States. Additional upcoming appearances include the AFCI Studio Summit in March and the Toronto International Film Festival in September. FilmUSA encourages industry partners, producers, and stakeholders to stay tuned for additional events and opportunities to connect and discuss collaboration, policy, and partnership strategies that support U.S. business interests in the global film, television, and digital media marketplace. Connect with FilmUSA, [email protected], www.filmusa.org ABOUT FILMUSA FilmUSA is the national association of film commissions representing more than 100 film commissions across the United States. The organization advocates for the business of film, television, and digital media production in the U.S., with a focus on economic development, workforce development, and policies that help retain and attract production domestically. FilmUSA works year-round to build partnerships between film commissions, studios, producers, and government stakeholders to strengthen the U.S. production ecosystem and promote the United States as a premier global production destination. FilmUSA was founded by Katie Pryor, President of FilmUSA, and Tony Armer, Vice President of FilmUSA, and continues to serve as a unified national voice for U.S. film commissions at major domestic and international markets and industry events. SOURCE Film USA 11 February 2026 11:02 (UTC+04:00) Qabil Ashirov Read more The World Defence Show 2026, currently underway in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, continues to serve as a key platform for international defense cooperation. AzerNEWS reports that Azerbaijans Ministry of Defense Industry, Minister Vugar Mustafayev, who is attending the exhibition, held a series of high-level meetings on February 10 with prominent officials and industry leaders from several countries. During the event, Mustafayev met with Ahmad bin Abdulaziz Al-Ohali, Governor of Saudi Arabias General Authority for Military Industries, and Khalid bin Hussein Al-Biyari, Deputy Minister of Defense for Executive Affairs. He also held discussions with Mansurjon Ibodullayev, Director of the Defense Industry Agency under Uzbekistans Ministry of Defense, and Muhammad Chiragh Haider, Secretary of Pakistans Ministry of Defence Production. In addition, the Azerbaijani minister met with senior representatives of leading U.S. defense companies, including General Dynamics, Teledyne FLIR, and Ansys. The meetings focused on reviewing existing cooperation in the defense industry and exploring prospects for further development. The sides discussed potential avenues for collaboration in manufacturing, technology transfer, and innovation-driven growth. During the talks, participants emphasized that in todays rapidly evolving security environment, the defense industry is shaped not only by production capacity but also by strong scientific foundations, cutting-edge technologies, and agile management models. Strengthening ties between industry and academia was described as a strategic priority. The importance of closely monitoring technological advancements, studying best practices, and adapting them to national contexts was highlighted as essential for ensuring the sectors dynamic development. International exhibitions and forums such as the World Defence Show were noted as playing a vital role in facilitating dialogue and cooperation. The discussions also underscored the value of institutionalizing experience-sharing mechanisms to ensure sustainable and structured collaboration. All parties stressed the importance of maintaining active communication and continuing dialogue to advance mutually beneficial partnerships. The World Defence Show 2026 is scheduled to conclude on February 12. 11 February 2026 11:25 (UTC+04:00) President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has sent a congratulatory letter to President of the Islamic Republic of Iran Masoud Pezeshkian, AzerNEWS reports. "Dear Mr. President, On the occasion of the national holiday of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Victory of the Islamic Revolution, I extend my heartfelt congratulations to you and your entire people on my own behalf and on behalf of the people of Azerbaijan. The development of relations between our peoples and countries, bound together by common religious-cultural roots and the ties of good-neighborliness, holds special importance for us. The increasing dynamism in Azerbaijan-Iran relations in recent times gives us great satisfaction. Your official and working visits to Azerbaijan last year opened a new chapter in the history of interstate relations and gave impetus to the development of our mutually beneficial cooperation. Currently, the scope of issues on our bilateral agenda is expanding and becoming enriched with new content. The intensive nature of visits at various levels, the documents signed, the joint projects implemented, including the effective work of the State Commission, create favorable opportunities for deepening our cooperation in areas of mutual interest. I am confident that, for the sake of security and prosperity in our region, Azerbaijan-Iran relations and cooperation will continue to strengthen through our joint efforts in line with the interests of our friendly and brotherly peoples. On this momentous day, I wish you robust health, happiness, and success in your endeavors, as well as enduring peace and prosperity to the friendly and brotherly people of Iran," the letter reads. 11 February 2026 14:07 (UTC+04:00) Nazrin Abdul Read more A delegation from the United Arab Emirates (UAE), led by Mohamed Ali Al Shorafa, Chairman of the Department of Municipalities and Transport of Abu Dhabi, is on an official visit to Baku. As reported by AzerNEWS, citing the Baku City Executive Authority, the delegation met on February 11 with the Head of the Baku City Executive Authority, Eldar Azizov. During the meeting, Azizov emphasized that the strong friendship and cooperation between Azerbaijan and the UAE are the result of the successful policies pursued by the leaders of both countries. He highlighted President Ilham Aliyevs recent working visit to the UAE on February 4, during which he was awarded the Zayed Award for Human Fraternity, describing it as a high recognition of the Azerbaijani presidents effective leadership and international engagement. Azizov noted that such developments create a solid foundation for expanding cooperation between the capitals of Baku and Abu Dhabi. Providing an overview of Bakus development, Azizov stated that under President Ilham Aliyevs leadership, the city has reached a qualitatively new level of progress, with modernization efforts continuing successfully. Mohamed Ali Al Shorafa underscored the longstanding friendly relations between Azerbaijan and the UAE, noting that his country attaches special importance to strengthening ties with Azerbaijan. This is my first visit to your city, and based on what I have seen, I am confident it will not be the last, he said. Praising Bakus rapid development and effective urban management, Al Shorafa expressed hope that the two capitals would benefit from mutual exchange of experience and best practices. The visit concluded with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding establishing sister-city relations between Baku and Abu Dhabi. As a gesture of goodwill, Azizov presented the guest with the Arabic edition of the book The History of the Patriotic War: The Factor of Personality, dedicated to Azerbaijans historic victory and published in 11 languages. 11 February 2026 16:50 (UTC+04:00) Akbar Novruz Read more The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) is expanding its cooperation with Azerbaijan as part of broader efforts linking humanitarian mine action with food security, rural development and sustainable land use, Azernews reports. Within this framework, a meeting was held at the Mine Action Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan (ANAMA) between Vugar Suleymanov, Chairman of ANAMAs Board of Directors, and Nasar Hayat, FAO Representative in Azerbaijan. During the meeting, the FAO delegation was provided with a comprehensive briefing on the scale of the mine and unexploded ordnance problem facing Azerbaijan, particularly in territories affected by decades of conflict, as well as ongoing clearance operations and institutional capacities. ANAMA officials emphasized that land contamination by mines remains one of the main obstacles to the safe return of displaced populations, the revival of agriculture and the sustainable use of land resources. In this context, mine clearance is viewed not only as a humanitarian necessity but also as a prerequisite for restoring food production, rural livelihoods and economic activity. The sides exchanged views on prospects for future cooperation, including potential FAO involvement in post-clearance land rehabilitation, support for farmers returning to demined areas, and the integration of mine action into broader agricultural and rural development programs. Azerbaijan became a member of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) on 20 October 1995, laying the foundation for long-term cooperation on agricultural development and food security 11 February 2026 16:30 (UTC+04:00) Rene van der Linden, Former President of the Senate of the Kingdom of the Netherlands has sent a congratulatory letter to President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, AzerNEWS reports. "Your Excellency, dear Mr. President, Your leadership and tireless efforts have made a significant contribution to peace, stability, and reconciliation in the Southern Caucasus region. For this, you and the Prime Minister of Armenia were awarded the prestigious Zayed Award for Human Fraternity. As a person who did his best to support the settlement of the conflict in accordance with the norms and principles of international law, I sincerely extend my heartfelt congratulations to you for this high recognition of your incredible efforts and achievements on the path to peace. May it serve as an encouragement for the people of both countries for the establishment of good neighborly relations and sustainable development, contributing to the prosperity of the entire region," the letter reads. 11 February 2026 11:51 (UTC+04:00) By Alimat Aliyeva I AzerNEWS The Commander-in-Chief of the Norwegian Armed Forces, Eirik Kristoffersen, has stated that he does not rule out the possibility of a Russian attack and confirmed that Oslo is preparing for such a scenario. As reported by AzerNEWS, citing foreign media reports, Kristoffersen said Russia could potentially launch an attack on Norway under the pretext of securing nuclear facilities located in the countrys far north. We do not exclude the possibility of territorial incursions by Russia. This could form part of a broader plan to protect its nuclear capabilities - the only real instrument it has left that poses a credible threat to the United States, Kristoffersen said. He noted that a significant portion of Russias nuclear arsenal is based on the Kola Peninsula, near the Norwegian border. According to the Norwegian military chief, this factor could prove decisive in the event of a direct confrontation between Moscow and NATO. 11 February 2026 15:21 (UTC+04:00) Akbar Novruz Read more Israeli President Isaac Herzog expressed hope on Wednesday that upcoming talks between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and United States President Donald Trump can undermine Iran's "empire of evil", AzerNEWS reports. Speaking beside Australias Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in Canberra, Herzog wishes them success in bringing peace as well as discussing the next phase in Gaza which is important to all of us, which I hope will bring a better future for all of us. The Israeli prime minister arrived in Washington earlier today and is scheduled to meet the US president later in the day. Trump said on the eve of the hastily arranged White House meeting -- to begin at 11:00 am local time (1600 GMT) -- that he was weighing sending a second US armada to the Middle East to pressure Tehran to reach a nuclear deal. Herzog also said they would be discussing the next phase in Gaza which is important to all of us, which I hope will bring a better future for all of us. The Israeli head of states tightly secured, four-day trip aims to console Australias Jewish community after the December shooting at Sydneys Bondi Beach that killed 15 people at a Hanukkah festival. But it has sparked protests in major Australian cities by groups opposed to Israels actions in the Palestinian territories. Chaos erupted on Monday evening in the heart of Sydney as police tried to prevent a rally from marching into an area designated off-limits. Law enforcement used pepper spray on protesters and members of the media, including an AFP photographer, during scuffles in the citys central business district. 11 February 2026 20:25 (UTC+04:00) By Alimat Aliyeva Laos is taking significant steps to boost the quality and sustainability of its coffee and tea sectors by promoting climate-resilient, community-based agroecological systems. These efforts aim to strengthen export capacity, generate national revenue, and improve rural livelihoods, AzerNEWS reports, citing foreign media. The Green CUP Project, which supports a green economy through climate-resilient, high-quality, and inclusive value chains, held its annual technical steering committee meeting in Vientiane on Tuesday. According to the Lao Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, the meeting set the direction for the sustainable development of Laos' coffee and tea sectors. The initiative focuses on developing sustainable coffee and tea value chains, particularly in northern Laos, targeting 3,000 to 4,000 smallholder households and benefiting up to 25,000 people. The project emphasizes climate-resilient production methods, improved governance, and inclusive economic opportunities, with a special focus on empowering women and youth. Speaking at the meeting, Bounchan Kombounyasith, director general of the Department of Agriculture under the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, highlighted the governments commitment to building sustainable and climate-resilient coffee and tea value chains. He stressed that these efforts are designed to improve farmers livelihoods while protecting natural resources for future generations. Coffee and tea are strategic agricultural sectors for Laos, contributing to sustainable economic growth, climate resilience, and rural development. The Ministry has designated coffee as a key export crop to generate national revenue and enhance living standards. Currently, more than 80 domestic and foreign companies are involved in coffee production, processing, and export, with annual export earnings estimated at around $100 million. Tea also plays a vital role in the national economy, providing crucial income for rural households in both northern and southern provinces. Predominantly produced by smallholder families, Lao tea has strong potential to become a premium export product. Recent years have seen increased investment and growing demand from regional and international markets, strengthening the sector and positioning Laos as a rising player in the global specialty coffee and tea markets. Notably, the Green CUP Projects approach of combining sustainability, inclusivity, and climate resilience could serve as a model for other developing countries seeking to modernize agricultural sectors while protecting their environment. 11 February 2026 23:30 (UTC+04:00) Full digital access to all news for 1 year Full digital access to all news for 6 months Full digital access to all news for 3 months Full digital access to all news for 1 month Find the plan that suits you best. Dubai International Airport (DXB) set a new record for annual passenger traffic in 2025, welcoming 95.2 million travelers - a 3.1% increase compared with the previous year. The milestone further strengthens the airports position as one of the worlds busiest international hubs, AzerNEWS reports. Here we are to serve you with news right now. It does not cost much, but worth your attention. Choose to support open, independent, quality journalism and subscribe on a monthly basis. By subscribing to our online newspaper, you can have full digital access to all news, analysis, and much more. Subscribe You can also follow AzerNEWS on Twitter @AzerNewsAz or Facebook @AzerNewsNewspaper Thank you! 11 February 2026 19:20 (UTC+04:00) Nazrin Abdul Read more Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Wednesday that Moscow would respond if Greenland is militarized in a way that threatens Russias security interests, AzerNEWS reports, citing foreign media. Speaking to reporters, Lavrov warned that if the islands military infrastructure is expanded or directed against Russia, Moscow would take countermeasures, potentially including what he described as military-technical steps. He did not provide further details. Security in Greenland has been reinforced in recent months amid heightened geopolitical tensions in the Arctic. The United States has raised concerns that the Danish autonomous territory could face strategic pressure from both Russia and China. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte recently confirmed that the alliance plans to increase its involvement in safeguarding Greenland and the broader Arctic region, citing growing security challenges in the High North. The Arctic has become an increasingly contested area as melting ice opens new shipping routes and access to natural resources, drawing greater military and strategic attention from global powers. TAIPEI, Feb. 10, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- GIGABYTE, the world's leading computer brand, collaborates with NVIDIA for the Resident Evil Requiem game bundle across eligible graphics cards, desktops, and laptops powered by NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 or above GPUs or Laptop GPUs. Powered by NVIDIA Blackwell architecture, the GeForce RTX 50 Series GPUs bring game-changing capabilities to gamers and creators. Equipped with a massive level of AI horsepower, the RTX 50 Series enables new experiences and next-level graphics fidelity. Combined with GIGABYTE's cutting-edge cooling designs, the bundle aims to unleash smoother gameplay and a more immersive Resident Evil Requiem gaming experience. GIGABYTE Collaborates with NVIDIA GeForce RTX for Resident Evil Requiem Bundle The GeForce RTX 50 Series GPUs leverage a trio of key technologies to elevate gameplay. Path tracing simulates the physical behavior of light to deliver photorealistic and real-time 3D graphics. Alongside NVIDIA's suite of neural rendering technologies, DLSS 4 leverages AI technologies to boost FPS, reduce latency, and enhance image quality, while NVIDIA Reflex further reduces system latency for more responsive control. For eligible graphics cards, GIGABYTE offers multiple thermal solutions tailored for different build styles and performance needs. The WATERFORCE cooling system is available in both all-in-one and water block variants for GeForce RTX 5090 and RTX 5080 models, delivering exceptional heat dissipation and silent operation during demanding workloads. The WINDFORCE air-cooling system integrates Hawk fan design and server-grade thermal conductive gel to maximize thermal efficiency. At the flagship tier, GIGABYTE introduced the AORUS GeForce RTX 5090 INFINITY, combining the Hyperburst cooling system, separated PCB layout, and compact dimension to redefine airflow performance and form factor footprint for elite gaming setups. The bundle also extends to eligible gaming systems, including AI gaming laptops and gaming desktops. AORUS MASTER 16, GIGABYTE AERO X16, and GAMING A16 PRO AI gaming laptops are powered by GeForce RTX 5070 or above Laptop GPUs with the WINDFORCE Infinity cooling system, alongside an exclusive AI agent, GiMATE, for smarter performance and system control. On the desktop side, AORUS PRIME 5 and selected PRIME 3 gaming desktops are equipped with an all-around system cooling solution and comprehensive connectivity for a plug-and-play gaming experience. Gamers who purchase eligible GIGABYTE graphics cards, AI gaming laptops, or gaming desktops between February 10 and March 16 can obtain a Resident Evil Requiem standard edition redeem code for game activation from February 27 to April 16. For more details, eligibility, and participating products, please visit the campaign page. SOURCE GIGABYTE An updated version of the SAVE Act, known as the SAVE America Act is poised for a vote in the House, but faces uncertainty in the Senate. The bill would require proof of citizenship for registering to vote and a photo voter ID to vote in federal elections. The original SAVE Act passed with bi-partisan support in the House. Polls show over 80% of American voters support the legislation. While passage in the House is certain, that is not true in the Senate. Many Republicans point out that the only way to pass it through the Senate is to force a talking filibuster where Democrats are forced to stand up and talk until each of them has talked out two times; Even running the senate for 24 hours 7 days a week that could take a month. Some RNOs would rather just fold and allow the insecurity in American elections to continue; Three names are circulating as RINOs who may come to Chucky Schumer aid in thwarting this key election integrity legislation that is overwhelmingly supported by American voters. They are Mitch McConnell, Lisa Murkowski, and John Cornyn. McConnell is retiring. Cornyn is up for election this year, and trailing in the polls to conservative primary challenger Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. Murkowski narrowly survived a major conservative primary challenge in the last election due to Alaska's bizarre ranked choice voting system. On the Democrat side, however, Senator John Fetterman (D-PA) has announced his support for the SAVE America Act. https://thefederalist.com/2026/02/10/rino-senators-could-sink-the-save-act/ It's happened again. A "transgender" has shot up a school. This time it happened in the Canadian province of British Columbia. Jesse Strang, a 17 year old biological male who was wearing a dress and "identifies" as a girl killed 9 people and wounded 25. Strang, himself, also died. Government officials at first announced that the shooter was a female, which was technically required by Canada's absurd "hate speech" laws. Strang's mother and younger brother were among his victims. https://thefederalist.com/2026/02/10/rino-senators-could-sink-the-save-act/ https://europeanconservative.com/articles/commentary/pronoun-priority-over-safety-trans-ideologys-role-in-canada-shooting/ This is yet more evidence that "transgenderism" is a dangerous mental health condition that should be treated, not encouraged. They are not the only dangerous groups in our schools, however. In London, England, a Muslim student yelled "Allahu Akbar" and stabbed two fellow students, inflicting serious injuries. https://europeanconservative.com/articles/news/uk-school-stabbing-suspect-shouted-allahu-akbar/ DALLAS, Feb. 10, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- On February 10 (local time), Hyundai E&C hosted a "Large-Scale Nuclear Technology Seminar" at The Westin Dallas Downtown in Dallas, Texas. The event featured discipline- and field-specific professional sessions on large-scale nuclear power plant construction, aimed at enhancing local understanding of nuclear projects. At the same time, it served as a platform to enhance partnerships with leading local companies in support of the successful execution of the four-unit AP1000 nuclear power plant project planned within Fermi America's Project Matador an 11-gigawatt private energy campus outside Amarillo, Texas. Hyundai E&C Advances Its Role in the U.S. Nuclear Renaissance: Large-Scale Nuclear Technology Seminar Held in Texas Draws Strong Industry Response View PDF The seminar focused on the specialized nature of nuclear power plant construction, covering topics such as nuclear construction standards major mechanical installation disciplines modular construction concepts and procedures specialized nuclear construction works heavy lifting nuclear plant buildings and workforce development and training of specialized personnel. The event drew representatives from approximately 100 companies, including Texas-based construction firms as well as key stakeholders from the U.S. nuclear power and construction industries, resulting in a strong turnout. Attendees included representatives from top-ranked ENR (Engineering News-Record) contractors in the United States, with whom Hyundai E&C has signed a series of partnership agreements over the past year to strengthen local collaboration. Based on the seminar content, participants shared relevant expertise and explored potential opportunities for cooperation. Mesut Uzman, Fermi America Chief Nuclear Construction Office & CEO of Fermi Nuclear LLC, who attended the event, delivered congratulatory remarks, stating that, "AI-driven load growth is accelerating faster than most people realize. The next decade will be defined by who can build power infrastructure fast enough to support AI and industrial growth. Hyundai E&C brings the industrial scale and execution discipline needed to deliver significant energy projects like Fermi America's Project Matador. We see this partnership with Hyundai E&C as a critical step toward rebuilding U.S. energy capacity." Given that years of suspended nuclear construction have led to a contraction of the domestic nuclear workforce and supply chain in the United Statescreating challenges for the execution of large-scale projectsHyundai E&C plans to use this seminar to enhance industry-wide understanding of nuclear power projects and to secure close cooperative relationships with highly capable companies, thereby strengthening its competitiveness in the local market. SOURCE Hyundai E&C COLLEGE PARK, Md., Feb. 10, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Why do some people follow a skincare routine closely but still see limited results? A HelloNation article answers this question by exploring the overlooked role of skin absorption and skincare. The feature highlights insights from Laser Hair Removal Expert Dr. Terese Thomas of College Park, Maryland, who explains that even high-quality skincare products may not work if the skin isn't prepared to absorb them. Dr. Terese Thomas, Medical Director Speed Speed According to the article, glowing skin depends on more than using moisturizers, serums, or SPF. The HelloNation feature explains that clogged pores, dead skin buildup, and surface debris can block active ingredients from reaching deeper layers of the skin. This breakdown in skin absorption is a major reason many people feel frustrated when skincare doesn't seem to work. The article highlights two professional treatmentssublative skin treatment and laser resurfacingas ways to address these underlying issues. Sublative skin treatment uses fractional radiofrequency energy to reach below the surface, stimulating collagen while clearing buildup. Dr. Thomas explains that this dual process helps reset the skin and improve its ability to absorb nutrients, making daily skincare products more effective over time. Laser resurfacing, on the other hand, focuses on the skin's surface. The HelloNation article notes that by gently removing dead skin cells and smoothing the skin's surface, this treatment creates a smoother layer that better absorbs topical products. The goal isn't to replace a skincare routine, but to prepare the skin so that existing routines can deliver stronger, longer-lasting results. Both treatments, according to the article, improve the penetration of products such as sunscreens, brightening agents, and moisturizers into the skin. This connection between skin absorption and skincare helps explain why results may be slow or inconsistent when only products are used. The article also notes that these treatments create tiny microchannels in the skin, which facilitate deeper absorption. Dr. Thomas shares in the HelloNation article that patients often blame their products when results don't appear. But in many cases, the issue is not with the products themselvesit's with how the skin is prepared. By combining professional treatments with a consistent home routine, patients in College Park and beyond can boost the performance of their skincare and see clearer, healthier skin over time. The article also addresses the role of cellular turnover and collagen. When turnover slows or collagen is depleted, texture and tone suffer. When pores are blocked, even the best products can't reach where they're needed. According to HelloNation, treatments like laser resurfacing and sublative therapy help reset these natural processes. The result is improved absorption and more visible benefits from daily care. Throughout the article, Dr. Thomas emphasizes the importance of treating skincare as both internal and external. Professional treatments create a more receptive foundation, while consistent use of products maintains those gains. For patients who feel like their skincare isn't working, this balanced approach often leads to lasting improvement rather than short-term fixes. Clear Skin Isn't Just About What You Put on It features insights from Dr. Terese Thomas, a laser hair removal expert in College Park, MD, in HelloNation. About HelloNation HelloNation is a premier media platform that connects readers with trusted professionals and businesses across various industries. Through its innovative "edvertising" approach that blends educational content and storytelling, HelloNation delivers expert-driven articles that inform, inspire, and empower. Covering topics from home improvement and health to business strategy and lifestyle, HelloNation highlights leaders making a meaningful impact in their communities. SOURCE HelloNation 10 killed, including shooter, in Canada school shooting Xinhua) 14:43, February 11, 2026 OTTAWA, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- At least 10 people, including the suspected gunman, were killed in a shooting at a school in Western Canada on Tuesday, local police said. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) said multiple others injured in the shooting were receiving medical treatment. Six people were found dead inside a local high school in Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia province, another victim died while being transported to the hospital, and two additional bodies were discovered at a nearby residence believed to be connected to the case, according to the police. The RCMP said that the shooter was found dead inside the school from a "self-inflicted injury." Two others with life-threatening injuries were airlifted to a hospital, while 25 more individuals are being assessed for injuries at a local medical center, said the police. Nearby Tumbler Ridge Elementary School was briefly placed under lockdown, but police have since allowed students to be released to their parents. Investigations were underway to determine the motive behind the shooting. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun) LEXINGTON, S.C., Feb. 10, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- What should homeowners do first after their roof has been damaged by a storm? A HelloNation article answers this question by outlining a clear, step-by-step approach designed to help homeowners protect their homes and warranties. The article features insights from Roofing Expert Scott McCutchen of Lexington, South Carolina, who explains how certified inspections, detailed documentation, and proper materials can help avoid common mistakes following storm damage. Scott McCutchen Speed Speed The HelloNation article begins by explaining that many homeowners rush into repairs after a storm, addressing only visible problems like missing shingles or torn flashing. However, this approach often overlooks deeper structural issues. According to McCutchen, storm damage is often more than what can be seen from the ground, and addressing it properly requires a full roof inspection by a licensed roofing contractor. Documenting the damage is one of the first critical steps. The article recommends that homeowners take clear photos from the ground and note the date and time of the storm. This documentation supports insurance claims and helps contractors assess the situation accurately. McCutchen emphasizes that homeowners should not climb onto their roofs, as doing so can be dangerous. Instead, the HelloNation article advises calling a certified roofing contractor familiar with local building codes in Lexington, SC. The article details what a comprehensive inspection should include. A licensed contractor should examine more than just the shingles. Ventilation systems, gutters, flashing, and even attic spaces all play a role in roof performance. McCutchen explains that water intrusion near chimneys or vents is often missed by untrained eyes, which can cause long-term damage if left unaddressed. The HelloNation article warns that quick-fix crews often appear in the aftermath of severe weather. These crews may offer fast repairs that seem cost-effective, but they often overlook essential components of the roofing system. McCutchen explains that skipping underlayment repairs or ignoring ventilation can lead to moisture buildup and further deterioration. Worse, these shortcuts can void manufacturer warranties. Choosing a reputable, insured roofing contractor in Lexington is one of the best ways to avoid such risks. Before approving any work, McCutchen recommends reviewing all details of the repair proposal. A legitimate contractor should provide a written outline that lists materials, includes a timeline, and outlines the full scope of work. The HelloNation article also suggests confirming whether the contractor will work directly with insurance providers and provide the required documentation for warranty protection. The article highlights that not all storm damage is immediately visible. Even when shingles remain in place, moisture may have entered through less obvious areas. Homeowners may later notice ceiling stains or musty odors. McCutchen explains that follow-up inspections are particularly important for roofs over ten years old, as small issues can develop into significant repairs if left unchecked. Ventilation also plays a critical role in long-term roof health. The HelloNation article states that proper airflow reduces moisture buildup and helps extend the life of roofing materials. McCutchen warns that even newly installed roofs can deteriorate quickly without adequate ventilation. A qualified roofing contractor can ensure ventilation systems are working correctly and that the entire system remains under warranty. In storm-prone areas like Lexington, SC, being proactive is key. The article suggests that homeowners establish a relationship with a trusted local roofing contractor before a storm hits. This preparation makes it easier to get prompt, safe assessments when damage occurs. McCutchen emphasizes that knowing who to call can help homeowners make informed decisions and avoid rushed repairs that may cause more harm than good. For homeowners recovering from storm damage, the HelloNation article offers practical advice that goes beyond temporary fixes. A certified inspection, proper documentation, and thoughtful planning are essential steps to protect both the home and its warranty. As McCutchen notes, a strong roofing strategy begins with understanding the processnot rushing it. " How to Protect Your Roof and Warranty After Storm Damage " features insights from Scott McCutchen, Roofing Expert in Lexington, SC, on HelloNation. About HelloNation HelloNation is a premier media platform that connects readers with trusted professionals and businesses across various industries. Through its innovative "edvertising" approach that blends educational content and storytelling, HelloNation delivers expert-driven articles that inform, inspire, and empower. Covering topics from home improvement and health to business strategy and lifestyle, HelloNation highlights leaders making a meaningful impact in their communities. SOURCE HelloNation 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. He considers his pizza, with sauce and cheese out to the edge, a cross between New Haven and Neapolitan style. Hes going with a thin crust and a slight burn to at the outer edge on the pies. PITTSFIELD The City Council on Tuesday voted unanimously to scrap a proposed camping ban and instead move forward with a public health-based outreach program to address homelessness. The decision follows a monthslong review by the Pittsfield Board of Health, which urged councilors to abandon the enforcement-focused ordinance in favor of an alternative community response program centered on relationship-based outreach, service coordination and public health. The camping ordinance, introduced last spring by Mayor Peter Marchetti, was intended to address complaints from downtown business owners about trash, public defecation, panhandling and people sleeping in doorways. The proposal would have prohibited camping and the construction of shelters on city-owned property. Instead, health officials argued that homelessness should be treated as a public health issue rather than a criminal one. In its report, the Board of Health said homelessness is a complex issue driven by housing instability, health challenges and economic factors and that visible street homelessness is a symptom of deeper systemic problems, not the root cause. Director of Public Health Andy Cambi told councilors that the citys current approach is largely reactive. We have police and co-responders responding to crisis calls, but there is no consistent municipal public health approach, Cambi said. Once we identified that gap, it helped shape our recommendation. Under the proposal, the Health Department would add two homelessness service coordinator positions to conduct daily outreach, build long-term relationships with unhoused individuals and coordinate care with existing providers. The outreach team would focus particular attention on downtown areas, where the impacts of homelessness are most visible. Cambi said the pilot is structured to avoid adding to the citys operating budget. He said that the department plans to draw on opioid settlement funds, grants and an already vacant social worker position that Cambi held open pending these discussions. The outreach-based approach would emphasize problem-solving rather than enforcement, helping those in need access public restrooms, understand public health expectations and connect with services. Outreach workers would also link people to The First, the citys new community resource center offering restrooms, storage and space to rest. The program is modeled in part after the Northampton Division of Community Care, a nonclinical, person-centered response team focused on crisis intervention and long-term support rather than punitive measures. As part of its review, the Board of Health conducted interviews with key stakeholders, met directly with unhoused individuals during a downtown walkabout, assessed local resources, reviewed homelessness programs across Massachusetts and other states and evaluated evidence-based public health research. Councilors largely praised the process and its focus on lived experience. I was really heartened to see that this was a deliberate and intentional process where you looked at different options, and really, I could tell you centered on the people who are living the experience of homelessness, Councilor Alisa Costa said. That's really important when you're looking at public health. Marchetti, who wrote a letter to the council in support of the new proposal, used the meeting to publicly acknowledge a shift in his own position. I was looking for a solution to a problem, and the problem that I was trying to solve was criminal activities or activities that are not necessarily those that we want to see in the downtown. It wasn't thinking of the other approach, he said. It took the Board of Health help to get there. The mayor also said that responsibilities related to homelessness have historically been siloed among police, the Health Department and the library, and called for a more coordinated, citywide approach. Still, some councilors raised concerns about enforcement and downtown business impacts. Councilor Cam Cunningham said business owners have expressed frustration and concerns about safety and perception, and suggested additional law enforcement presence downtown in the form of a beat cop. While Councilor Kathy Amuso echoed Cunninghams concerns, others disagreed. Councilor Patrick Kavey pointed out that behaviors like public drinking and defecation are already illegal under existing law, while Councilor Dina Lampiasi said the proposed outreach model is meant to break harmful cycles before situations escalate to punitive responses, like police enforcement. Still, Marchetti added that while the camping ban is being dropped, the administration may still return to the council with proposed ordinance changes on issues such as drinking in public or loitering to help police address specific behaviors, while the primary response to homelessness shifts toward services and public health. Cambi said the program would launch as a pilot with defined metrics, be monitored on an ongoing basis and undergo a formal review after six months. The council voted unanimously to file the camping ordinance and refer the new outreach proposal to the Public Health and Safety Subcommittee for further development. Cambi said he expects to present a formal proposal at the committees March 17 meeting, with the goal of launching the program this spring or summer. I dont think I could say it any louder, Marchetti said about the ordinance. It was a bad idea. Please file. Faruqi & Faruqi is a leading national securities law firm with offices in New York, Pennsylvania, California and Georgia. The firm has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors since its founding in 1995. See www.faruqilaw.com. As detailed below, the complaint alleges that the Company and its executives violated federal securities laws by making false and/or misleading statements and/or failing to disclose that: (1) manufacturing for Inovio's CELLECTRA device was deficient; (2) accordingly, Inovio was unlikely to submit the INO-3107 BLA to the FDA by the second half of 2024; (3) Inovio had insufficient information to justify the INO-3107 BLA's eligibility for FDA accelerated approval or priority review; (4) accordingly, INO-3107's overall regulatory and commercial prospects were overstated; and (5) as a result, Defendants' public statements were materially false and misleading at all relevant times. On December 29, 2025, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration ("FDA") announced it had accepted Inovio's Biologics License Application ("BLA") for INO-3107, a treatment for recurrent respiratory papillomatosis, on a standard review timeline. Inovio filed its BLA under the accelerated approval pathway, but the FDA stated that the Company did not submit adequate information to justify eligibility for accelerated approval. Inovio also announced it does not currently plan to seek approval under the standard review timeline, and will request a meeting with the FDA to discuss how it may still pursue accelerated approval. On this news, Inovio's stock price fell $0.56 per share, or 24.45%, to close at $1.73 per share on December 29, 2025. The court-appointed lead plaintiff is the investor with the largest financial interest in the relief sought by the class who is adequate and typical of class members who directs and oversees the litigation on behalf of the putative class. Any member of the putative class may move the Court to serve as lead plaintiff through counsel of their choice, or may choose to do nothing and remain an absent class member. Your ability to share in any recovery is not affected by the decision to serve as a lead plaintiff or not. Faruqi & Faruqi, LLP also encourages anyone with information regarding Inovio's conduct to contact the firm, including whistleblowers, former employees, shareholders and others. To learn more about the Inovio class action, go to www.faruqilaw.com/INO or call Faruqi & Faruqi partner Josh Wilson directly at 877-247-4292 or 212-983-9330 (Ext. 1310). Follow us for updates on LinkedIn, on X, or on Facebook. Attorney Advertising. The law firm responsible for this advertisement is Faruqi & Faruqi, LLP (www.faruqilaw.com). Prior results do not guarantee or predict a similar outcome with respect to any future matter. We welcome the opportunity to discuss your particular case. All communications will be treated in a confidential manner. SOURCE Faruqi & Faruqi, LLP Access this story and all of our stories with 24/7 unlimited access. Jeff Robbins, a part-time resident of Stockbridge, is a former U.S. delegate to the United Nations Human Rights Council and a former assistant U.S. attorney and chief counsel for the Democrats on the U.S. Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations. Reach him at Jeffrey.Robbins@saul.com. Advocates for ideas and draws conclusions based on the interpretation of facts and data. Jesus came to save the whole world, he confronted racism, and he commanded his disciples to preach to every nation. Jewish people believed that Samaritans were second class people who they werent supposed to talk to, touch, or even be in their presence. Jesus would have grown up knowing the hatred and division between Jews and Samaritans. Yet in two powerful accounts recorded in the Gospels, Jesus challenged the racism and prejudice that existed between Jews and Samaritans. Jesus did the unimaginable when he approached the Samaritan woman at the well (see John 4). Jesus, a Jewish man, took time to speak with a Samaritan woman. He treated her honestly and showed her mercy, he told her that he was indeed the Messiah, and invited her into eternal life. Jesus also shared a radical parable in which the hero of the story was a Samaritan (see Luke 10). Once again, Jesus spoke against the racism that existed between Jewish people and Samaritans through a powerful story. Jesus did not judge by appearances, or rank one person higher than another. Jesus spoke to, interacted with, and ate with everyone because He loved everyone the same despite what they looked like or where they were from. How Does God Feel about Racism? There are six things the Lord hates, seven that are detestable to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil, a false witness who pours out lies, and a person who stirs up conflict in the community (Proverbs 6:16-17). There is no passage that specifically answers the question of how God feels about racism, but Scripture gives us plenty of guidance about Gods love for all people, Gods hand in creation, and what the Lord does hate. Pride, dishonesty, and conflict are found at the root of racism; all are evil that God hates. Racism leads to a plethora of injustices, discrimination, and outpouring of evil toward fellow human beings. When we judge the fruit of racism, we see that this only produces evil, pain, and strife. In the New Testament, Paul wrote a powerful insight to the church of Ephesus: For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility (Ephesians 2:14). Jesus tore down the divisions of hate and prejudice between groups that hated one another. Some of Jesus ministry on earth was aimed at opposing racism. Racism is a grave consequence of the fall, and part of the redemptive work that Jesus did was to begin deconstructing racist ideologies and challenging the evil of racism in the world. Photo credit: Getty Images/rudall30 Borsa Italiana non ha responsabilita per il contenuto del sito a cui sta per accedere e non ha responsabilita per le informazioni contenute. Accedendo a questo link, Borsa Italiana non intende sollecitare acquisti o offerte in alcun paese da parte di nessuno. Sarai automaticamente diretto al link in cinque secondi. (CSE: URAI / OTC: URAIF / FSE: 3QG0) [email protected] Highlights Inturai receives additional orders for its military-focused platform, with Redacted Consulting Group LLC signing an agreement covering use cases such as drone-based and tactical systems. Initial orders in place and targets USD $1,750,000 in revenue over three years through multi-phase deployment and strategic engagements. Redacted Consulting Group supports major North American military, government and private defence contractors. VANCOUVER, BC, Feb. 11, 2026 /PRNewswire/ - Inturai Ventures Corp. (the "Company") (CSE: URAI) (OTC: URAIF) (FSE: 3QG0) is pleased to announce following its first orders from Final Firing Position Solutions Inc on February 9th, it has secured further commercial orders for tactical deployment systems from Redacted Consulting Group LLC, a drone and defence technology firm with deep relationships across North American military and security agencies. The initial order, valued at USD $20,000, marks the beginning of a broader three-year engagement targeting a minimum of USD $1,750,000 in revenue over 3 years. The engagement will leverage Inturai's StealthWave platform, which delivers non-line-of-sight intelligence through Wi-Fi and mmWave sensing for drone, surveillance and tactical operations. Redacted Consulting Group LLC is a U.S.-based defence advisory and integration partner that supports multiple government agencies, prime contractors and critical infrastructure providers. The firm has directly contributed to award-winning drone systems adopted by leading militaries and specialises in delivering operational advantage at the tactical edge. With a focus on autonomous systems, battlefield integration and mission-ready innovation, Redacted bridges next-generation technology with real-world application. "We designed Inturai to eliminate the old trade-offs between cost, intelligence and deployment speed," said Ed Clarke, CEO of Inturai. "This latest order moves us closer to our mission of being carried by every tactical team that seeks an edge in the field. We're proud to support Redacted's mission and look forward to scaling impact across defence operations." This agreement strengthens Inturai's expanding North American defence strategy and reflects rising demand for scalable, AI-powered sensing systems in the field. About Redacted Consulting Group LLC Redacted Consulting Group LLC is a U.S.-based defence technology and advisory firm specialising in autonomous systems, tactical communications and mission-focused innovation. The company provides technical solutions, integration support and strategic guidance to leading military branches, government agencies and defence contractors across North America. Redacted has directly contributed to award-winning drone programs adopted by top-tier militaries and plays a critical role in bridging emerging technologies with real-world operational demands. With a track record of delivering results at the tactical edge, Redacted Consulting Group is a trusted partner for accelerating next-generation defence capabilities. Investor Relations Support The Company has engaged Capital Growth Media FZCO, an arm's-length media firm, to provide on-line marketing content for the Company for marketing activities taking place on February 11, 2026. The Company has paid Capital Growth a one-time fee of USD$3,000 for these services. Compensation payable to Capital Growth does not include any securities of the Company. Capital Growth can be contacted at Etihad Airways Centre, fifth floor, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, or care of Jad Touma, President, 971585955600, [email protected]. About Inturai Ventures Inturai Ventures is advancing intelligent environments with cutting-edge AI technologies, transforming industries such as healthcare, military, smart homes and industrial applications. For more information, visit www.inturai.com . For investor inquiries: This document contains certain forward-looking statements that are based on assumptions as of the date of this news release. Forward-looking statements are frequently characterized by words such as "anticipates", "plan", "continue", "expect", "project", "intend", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate", "may", "will", "potential", "proposed", "positioned" and other similar words, or statements that certain events or conditions "may" or "will" occur. All such forward-looking statements involve substantial known and unknown risks and uncertainties, certain of which are beyond the Company's control. The reader is cautioned that the assumptions used in the preparation of the forward-looking statements may prove to be incorrect and the actual results, performance or achievements could differ materially from those expressed in, or implied by, these forward-looking statements. Accordingly, no assurances can be given that any of the events anticipated by the forward-looking statements will transpire or occur, or if any of them do, what benefits, including the amount of proceeds, the Company will derive therefrom. Readers are cautioned that the foregoing list of factors is not exhaustive. The Company is under no obligation, and expressly disclaims any intention or obligation, to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as expressly required by applicable law. The revenue figure is based on agreed partnership performance targets, which may be adjusted from time to time. There is no guarantee that this amount will be realised. SOURCE INTURAI VENTURES CORP. Leadership appointments strengthen execution and accelerate AI-native innovation in revenue cycle management DALLAS, Feb. 11, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- LateralCare today announced the appointments of William Reau as Chief Executive Officer and Mani Nedunchelian as Chief Technology Officer to support the continued expansion of revenue alai, the company's AI-native platform for revenue cycle management. The appointments mark a pivotal moment as healthcare organizations look to stabilize revenue and reduce operational straindriving demand for AI-native systems that move beyond task-level automation to deliver autonomy, accountability, and measurable impact across the revenue cycle. William Reau (left), Chief Executive Officer of LateralCare, and Mani Nedunchelian (right), Chief Technology Officer of LateralCare. Reau brings more than 25 years of experience spanning healthcare operations, SaaS platforms, and private equitybacked growth. He has led organizations through periods of significant scale and enterprise adoption, including senior leadership roles at healthcare technology companies such as Hallmark Healthcare Solutions. Reau began his career as a Trauma Burn ICU registered nurse and ECMO specialist at the University of Michigan, later founding and successfully exiting a healthcare workforce solutions company. His background uniquely combines frontline clinical experience with disciplined operational leadership. As CEO, Reau will focus on scaling LateralCare's AI-native strategy into repeatable, enterprise-grade executionaligning product innovation, customer outcomes, and go-to-market discipline. He will lead the company through its next phase of growth by strengthening operational foundations, deepening customer partnerships, and ensuring LateralCare delivers measurable financial and operational impact through its flagship platform, revenue alai. Nedunchelian joins LateralCare as Chief Technology Officer with deep expertise in designing and deploying intelligent systems at enterprise scale. His career includes senior technology leadership roles at Walmart, Hewlett-Packard, and JPMorgan Chase & Co., where he built and operated platforms in highly complex, high-volume environments. He has been at the forefront of the transition from traditional automation to agentic AIdeveloping systems in which intelligent agents reason across context, adapt to change, and act autonomously with built-in governance. In his role as CTO, Nedunchelian will lead the continued evolution of revenue alai, advancing AI-native capabilities across the revenue cycleincluding claims intelligence, predictive denial prevention, and autonomous workflow orchestrationwhile ensuring transparency, auditability, and human oversight remain foundational by design. "William and Mani bring the rare combination of operational rigor, clinical understanding, and deep AI systems leadership required to drive meaningful transformation in healthcare," said Sowri Krishnan, Founder of LateralCare. "As we scale revenue alai, their leadership strengthens our ability to deliver measurable impact for healthcare organizationswhile staying firmly grounded in our commitment to responsible AI, transparency, and human oversight." About LateralCare LateralCare is a healthcare technology company dedicated to responsibly integrating Agentic AI to transform complex healthcare operations. Its AI-native flagship platform, revenue alai, modernizes revenue cycle management by uniting intelligent automation with explainable decisioning and human-in-the-loop governancehelping healthcare organizations improve financial performance while operating with greater clarity, confidence, and control. For more information, visit www.lateralcare.com or follow revenue alai and LateralCare on LinkedIn for the latest updates. Note to Editors: For additional information, interview, or high-resolution images, please contact [email protected]. SOURCE LateralCare State Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington Washington D.C. West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming Puerto Rico US Virgin Islands Armed Forces Americas Armed Forces Pacific Armed Forces Europe Northern Mariana Islands Marshall Islands American Samoa Federated States of Micronesia Guam Palau Alberta, Canada British Columbia, Canada Manitoba, Canada New Brunswick, Canada Newfoundland, Canada Nova Scotia, Canada Northwest Territories, Canada Nunavut, Canada Ontario, Canada Prince Edward Island, Canada Quebec, Canada Saskatchewan, Canada Yukon Territory, Canada Postal Code American social media star Sneako asks if documentary maker Louis Theroux is going to do a hit piece on him in a new teaser trailer for Therouxs latest documentary. Titled Inside The Manosphere, it is due to be released on Netflix on March 11th, and sees Theroux explore the impact of online misogyny on young boys as he takes on the manosphere. Internet personality Sneako, real name Nicolas Kenn De Balinthazy, has been previously banned from YouTube and TikTok, the former in 2022 for what he has previously said was for Covid and election misinformation. In a recent interview with DJ Vlad, Sneako who has 423,000 followers on video-sharing platform Rumble claimed that YouTube had apologised and reinstated his original account in 2025. In the Netflix trailer, Sneako can be seen asking who journalist Theroux is, before saying: Oh s***, is he going to do a hit piece on me? Advertisement Broadcaster Theroux, 55, will speak with social media stars and content creators who are at the extreme end of the manosphere, according to Netflix. At the end of the trailer, Sneako is seen imitating the journalist and said: There was a funny moment where he said, what do you think Sneakos message is?' While watching a video of the social media creator mimic him, Theroux was seen saying: Do I sound like that? A little bit. Ed Matthews will appear in the new documentary (Courtesy of Netflix) The trailer also shows a clip of UK TikTok personality Ed Matthews, who has a following of almost 200,000 on the platform and is known for his collaborations with other content creators. Matthews is also a boxer, and was fitted with an electronic tag last year which cost 2,000 to remove, after pleading guilty to threatening behaviour and assault by beating. Harrison Sullivan, known as HSTikkyTokky on TikTok, is also among the social media stars in the trailer. The 24-year-old, who has more than 300,000 followers and 2.2 million likes on TikTok, hit headlines last year after avoiding jail for crashing his McLaren in Virginia Water, Surrey, in March 2024. The social media star was extradited from Spain and later sentenced to a one-year suspended custodial sentence after pleading guilty to dangerous driving and driving without insurance. He has also been disqualified from driving for two years, had an electronic tag for three months, and is expected to complete 300 hours of unpaid work and 30 days of rehabilitation. Harrison Sullivan (HS Tikky Tokky) will also appear in the documentary (Courtesy of Netflix) The teaser trailer also features Sudanese-American YouTuber Myron Gaines, who has more than 500,000 subscribers on the platform and is best known for hosting his Fresh And Fit podcast, which explores gender dynamics. Also among the social media influencers set to appear in the series is US internet personality Justin Waller, who has more than one million followers on Instagram, and has previously had his channel banned by YouTube. Advertisement Waller, 39, is the CEO of Louisiana-based company RedIron Construction and is known for his friendship with controversial influencer Andrew Tate, with his Instagram account featuring pictures with Tate and others. Louis Theroux and Justin Waller (Courtesy of Netflix) In between clips, text on screen reads: Louis returns beta than ever. The pun on better refers to terminology in the manosphere which is used to refer to men who are low status and submissive, according to government website Educate Against Hate. The Cambridge dictionary defines the manosphere as websites and internet discussion groups concerned with mens interests and rights as opposed to womens, often connected with opposition to feminism or dislike of women. The 90-minute documentary, executive produced by Theroux, Aloke Devichand and Arron Fellows, will premiere on Netflix on March 11th. A teenager boy accused of the rape and sexual assault of a girl when she got sick at a house party in Dublin has been sent forward for trial to the Central Criminal Court. The boy, 16, who has yet to enter a plea, was served with a book of evidence when he appeared before Judge Karen Dowling at the Dublin Children's Court. Outlining the allegations, Garda Detective Sergeant Gavin Duffy said the girl and boy, both in their mid-teens, attended a house party. The girl was there for several hours, and later that night fell ill and went to the bathroom. It was alleged that she asked the accused to assist her, and she lay on the floor. The court heard she was still unwell in the bathroom when the boy allegedly digitally penetrated her vagina. She stood up to get sick, and while vomiting in the toilet, the accused, who cannot be named due to reporting restrictions, "inserted his penis in her vagina". Advertisement It was alleged that the girl told him to stop, which he did and that he helped her pull her underwear back up. She left soon afterwards and made a complaint to the gardai. The teenage complainant attended a sexual assault treatment unit (SATU), and semen was found in samples taken. The girl also attended a specialist interview with the Divisional Protective Service Unit a couple of weeks after the party. About three months later, the accused attended a Garda interview with a prepared statement. The court heard that the accused and the complainant had been kissing at a previous social event and had been in contact on social media before the party. The detective sergeant said the girl did not report pain, and the SATU examination did not report signs of injury. The teen had to face trial in the Central Criminal Court, the mandatory venue to deal with a rape charge. However, the judge was asked by the defence to consider severing the sexual assault charge and dealing with it separately in the Children's Court. The State disagreed, arguing that it should be dealt with along with the rape allegation to avoid two trials and re-traumatisation for concerned parties. The detective sergeant agreed with defence counsel Orla Doolin that the boy had co-operated, had come to the garda station voluntarily, and had given his account. The defence submitted that the sexual assault allegation could be heard in the juvenile court. However, the judge agreed with the Director of Public Prosecution that the defendant should be tried on both charges in the higher court, and she granted a return-for-trial order in respect of the two charges in the book of evidence. The schoolboy, accompanied to court by his parents, was remanded on bail. A date for his next hearing has not yet been scheduled. If you have been affected by any of the issues raised in this article, you can call the national 24-hour Rape Crisis Helpline at 1800-77 8888, access text service and webchat options at drcc.ie/services/helpline/ or visit Rape Crisis Help. In the case of an emergency, always dial 999/112. Canada is in mourning after seven people were shot dead at a school in a remote part of British Columbia and two others were killed at a nearby home. A woman who police believed was the killer was found dead, apparently from a self-inflicted wound. The motive remained unclear. More than 25 people were wounded in the attack in the small mountain community of Tumbler Ridge, including two with life-threatening injuries who were airlifted for medical care. The village of 2,700 people in the Canadian Rockies is more than 600 miles north east of Vancouver, near the provincial border with Alberta. Parents, grandparents, sisters, brothers in Tumbler Ridge will wake up without someone they love. The nation mourns with you, and Canada stands by you, an emotional Prime Minister Mark Carney said as he arrived in Parliament. Advertisement The attack was Canadas deadliest rampage since 2020, when a gunman in Nova Scotia killed 13 people and set fires that left another nine dead. Mr Carney said flags at government buildings will be flown at half-staff for seven days and added: We will get through this. Shelley Quist said her neighbour across the street lost her 12-year-son. We heard his mom. She was in the street crying. She wanted her sons body, Ms Quist said. She said her 17-year-old son, Darian, was on lockdown in the school for more than two hours. The provincial government website lists Tumbler Ridge Secondary School as having 175 students in grades 7 to 12. The grade sevens and eights, I think, were upstairs in the library, and thats where the shooter went, she said. Her son was in the library just 15 minutes prior to the attack. David Eby said police reached the school within two minutes (Alamy/PA) Ms Quist was working at the hospital down the street when the shooting started. I was about to go run down to the school, but my coworker held me back. And then I was able to get Darian on the phone to know he was OK, she said. School shootings are rare in Canada, which has strict gun-control laws. The government has responded to previous mass shootings with gun-control measures, including a recently broadened ban on all guns it considers assault weapons. British Columbia premier David Eby told reporters that police reached the school within two minutes. Advertisement A video showed students walking out with their hands raised as police vehicles surrounded the building and a helicopter circled overhead. I am devastated by todays horrific shootings in Tumbler Ridge, B.C. My prayers and deepest condolences are with the families and friends who have lost loved ones to these horrific acts of violence. I join Canadians in grieving with those whose lives have been changed Mark Carney (@MarkJCarney) February 11, 2026 Police found six people dead, Royal Canadian Mounted Police Superintendent Ken Floyd said. A seventh person died while being taken to hospital, and two more were found dead at a residence that authorities believe was connected to the attack. Mr Floyd told reporters that investigators had identified the suspect but would not release a name. He said police were investigating the connection between the killer and the victims. Tumbler Ridge mayor Darryl Krakowka said it was devastating to learn how many had died in the community, which he called a big family. I broke down, Mr Krakowka said. I have lived here for 18 years. I probably know every one of the victims. Students leave Tumbler Ridge school (Jordon Kosik via AP) George Rowe of the Tumbler Ridge Fellowship Baptist Church went to the recreation centre where victims families were awaiting more information. It was not a pretty sight. Families are still waiting to hear if its their child thats deceased and because of protocol and procedure, the investigating team is very careful in releasing names, Rev Rowe said. Rowe once taught at the high school, and his three children graduated from there. To walk through the corridors of that school will never be the same again, he said. LOS ANGELES, Feb. 10, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The Los Angeles Public Library is hosting its second annual Inspiring Journeys: African American Histories to celebrate the rich and multi-faceted accomplishments of the community. This February, celebrate Black history with free programs for all ages at branch libraries throughout Los Angeles featuring African American storytelling, workshops, arts activities, and community conversations. The month concludes with Inspiring Journeys: African American Histories, a half-day event on Saturday, February 28, from 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. at Central Library, 630 W. Fifth St., Downtown Los Angeles. Los Angeles Public Library Hosting Citywide Black History Programming and Second Annual Inspiring Journeys: African American Histories, on Saturday, February 28, from 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. at Central Library, 630 W. Fifth St., Downtown Los Angeles. "We are so pleased to provide these immersive experiences of storytelling and performances to celebrate African American History Month, and the contributions of Black Angelenos throughout the city," said John F. Szabo, City Librarian. Through documenting your oral history, providing historically accurate portrayals, offering contemporary dance, and running compelling workshops to help uncover your family's lineage, program highlights include: "CommUnity: Your Archive, Your Legacy" opens the event with an oral history workshop focused on preserving community memory. Discover the power of your own story in this interactive workshop! Learn how to spot meaningful moments, record them with confidence, and preserve them for the future. Then, try a hands-on activity, using an oral history backpack to start a project of your own. We'll finish with a screening of a completed oral-history project. opens the event with an oral history workshop focused on preserving community memory. Discover the power of your own story in this interactive workshop! Learn how to spot meaningful moments, record them with confidence, and preserve them for the future. Then, try a hands-on activity, using an oral history backpack to start a project of your own. We'll finish with a screening of a completed oral-history project. The Charles Reese Experience honors James Baldwin through a performance drawing on the Harlem Renaissance and mid-20th-century Black thought, blending history and art to explore identity, truth, and resistance. honors James Baldwin through a performance drawing on the Harlem Renaissance and mid-20th-century Black thought, blending history and art to explore identity, truth, and resistance. "Making Black Los Angeles" features Dr. Marne L. Campbell, who connects personal narratives to the history of early African American families and communities who shaped Black life in Los Angeles. features Dr. Marne L. Campbell, who connects personal narratives to the history of early African American families and communities who shaped Black life in Los Angeles. Tommy the Clown and Crew close the event with a high-energy performance celebrating Black Los Angeles through movement, music, and youth expression. As the originator of Clown Dancing and Krumping, Tommy reflects generations of African American cultural innovation. Throughout February, branch libraries will present free interactive programs for kids, teens, and adults to promote engagement, expand outreach, and foster connections with the African American community. "I'm really excited for our community to experience the programs we have planned," said Christina Hairston, Inspiring Journeys Committee Co-Chair. "People can learn about Black L.A. history through lectures, dance, or even by documenting their own family history with our free kits." Los Angeles Public Library A recipient of the nation's highest honor for library servicethe National Medal from the Institute of Museum and Library Servicesthe Los Angeles Public Library serves the largest and most diverse urban population of any library in the nation. Its Central Library, 72 branch libraries, collection of more than eight million books, state-of-the-art technology accessible at lapl.org , and diverse programs provide everyone with free and easy access to information and the opportunity for lifelong learning. SOURCE Los Angeles Public Library Police have identified the suspect in a school shooting in Canada as an 18-year-old who had prior mental health calls to her home and who was found dead following the attack that killed eight people in a remote part of British Columbia. Royal Canadian Mounted Police deputy commissioner Dwayne McDonald said Jesse Van Rootselaar had a history of mental health contact with police, and that the suspects mother and stepbrother were also found dead in a home near the school. The motive remained unclear. Police initially said nine people were killed on Tuesday in the attack, but Mr McDonald clarified on Wednesday that there were eight fatalities, plus the suspect, who authorities said shot herself. Mr McDonald said the discrepancy arose from a victim who was airlifted to a medical centre. Authorities mistakenly thought that person had died. More than 25 people were wounded in the attack in the small mountain community of Tumbler Ridge, police said. The town of 2,700 people in the Canadian Rockies is more than 600 miles north-east of Vancouver, near the provincial border with Alberta. Advertisement Police said the victims included a 39-year-old teacher and five students, aged 12 to 13. Mr McDonald said the suspects mother, who was also 39, and an 11-year-old stepbrother, were found at the suspects home. The killings at the home occurred first, he said. A young family member at the home went to a neighbour, who called police. At the school, one victim was found in a stairwell and the rest, Mr McDonald believed, were found in the library. The suspect was not related to any of the victims at the school, he said. There is no information at this point that anyone was specifically targeted, Mr McDonald said. Police recovered a long gun and a modified handgun. Mr McDonald said officers arrived at the school two minutes after the initial call. When they arrived, shots were fired in their direction. Parents, grandparents, sisters, brothers in Tumbler Ridge will wake up without someone they love. The nation mourns with you, and Canada stands by you, an emotional Prime Minister Mark Carney said as he arrived in Parliament. The attack was Canadas deadliest rampage since 2020, when a gunman in Nova Scotia killed 13 people and set fires that left another nine dead. Prime Minister Mark Carney addresses politicians about the tragedy (Adrian Wyld/The Canadian Press via AP) Mr Carney said flags at government buildings will be flown at half-mast for seven days and added: We will get through this. Shelley Quist said her neighbour across the street lost her 12-year-old. Advertisement We heard his mom. She was in the street crying. She wanted her sons body, Ms Quist said. Ms Quist said her 17-year-old son, Darian, was on lockdown in the school for more than two hours. The provincial government website lists Tumbler Ridge Secondary School as having 175 students. The grade sevens and eights, I think, were upstairs in the library, and thats where the shooter went, she said. Her son was in the library just 15 minutes prior to the attack. David Eby said police reached the school within two minutes (Alamy/PA) Ms Quist was working at the hospital down the street when the shooting started. I was about to go run down to the school, but my co-worker held me back. And then I was able to get Darian on the phone to know he was OK, she said. School shootings are rare in Canada, which has strict gun-control laws. The government has responded to previous mass shootings with gun-control measures, including a recently broadened ban on all guns it considers assault weapons. I am devastated by todays horrific shootings in Tumbler Ridge, B.C. My prayers and deepest condolences are with the families and friends who have lost loved ones to these horrific acts of violence. I join Canadians in grieving with those whose lives have been changed Mark Carney (@MarkJCarney) February 11, 2026 A video showed students walking out with their hands raised as police vehicles surrounded the building and a helicopter circled overhead. Police found six people dead, Royal Canadian Mounted Police superintendent Ken Floyd said. A seventh person died while being transported to a hospital. Tumbler Ridge mayor Darryl Krakowka said it was devastating to learn how many had died in the community, which he called a big family. I broke down, Mr Krakowka said. I have lived here for 18 years. I probably know every one of the victims. Students leave Tumbler Ridge school (Jordon Kosik via AP) The school district said the high school and elementary school will be closed for the rest of the week. Mr Carneys office said he called off a planned trip to Halifax, Nova Scotia, and Munich, Germany. He had been set to announce a long-awaited defence industrial strategy on Wednesday in Halifax before heading to Europe for the Munich Security Conference. Advertisement British Columbia premier David Eby said on he had spoken to the prime minister about the unimaginable tragedy. I know its causing us all to hug our kids a little bit tighter tonight, he said. Im asking the people of British Columbia to look after the people of Tumbler Ridge tonight. Nearly all of the 230 people up for Oscars across 24 categories have gathered for the Academy Award nominees luncheon. The event functions as a celebration, a group portrait session and an orientation tutorial for next months big ceremony. Nominees including Irish actress Jessie Buckley, Timothee Chalamet, Leonardo DiCaprio and Emma Stone sat for lunch and stood for a class photo alongside nominees for awards including best animated short and the newly-created casting Oscar. British-born Delroy Lindo is up for best supporting actor for his role in Sinners (AP) The ballroom at the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, California, was especially full of nominees for Sinners, the most nominated film of all time, including star Michael B Jordan and director Ryan Coogler. Lynette Howell Taylor, elected in July as president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, made her first address to Oscar nominees, and gave them a set of instructions on how to handle their acceptance speeches if they win. Advertisement Be prepared, she said. Dont say you didnt expect it. You have a one in five chance of winning. Frankenstein star Jacob Elordi met the director of Sirat, Oliver Laxe (Invision/AP) She urged winners to make it heartfelt, not to try to thank everyone they can think of, pick one person to speak for a group of victors and hold speeches to 45 seconds. The luncheon is a relatively egalitarian affair where big names mix with small ones and veteran nominees stand for photos with first-timers. Craig Renaud, nominated for best documentary short for Armed Only With a Camera: The Life and Death of Brent Renaud, got to chat with DiCaprio, up for best actor for One Battle After Another, at the tables before the group photo. Ethan Hawke is up for best actor for Blue Moon (Photo by Caroline Brehman/Invision/AP) Nearby, Mohammaddreza Eyni, co-director with Sara Khaki of documentary feature nominee Cutting Through Rocks, talked about his film with Ethan Hawke, nominated for best actor for Blue Moon. The roll call where every nominee in attendance is summoned to the stage, is the centrepiece of the gathering. It feels much like the names being read off at a high school graduation. Elle Fanning and Benicio Del Toro are both up for Oscars in supporting roles (Invision/AP) Nominees even get a certificate on departure that looks like a diploma. Woo-hoo! best supporting actress nominee Elle Fanning said, when she was handed hers on her way out. This years roll call, read by actor and Academy Board of Governors member Lou Diamond Phillips, began with British-born actor Delroy Lindo, up for best supporting actor for Sinners, and ended with Teyana Taylor, up for best supporting actress for its biggest competitor, One Battle After Another. Advertisement The luncheon was a return to tradition after last years bash was called off because it fell amid Southern Californias destructive wildfires. A cocktail reception was held just a few days before the ceremony instead. Hannah Beachler appeared in Sinners, which has a record 16 nominations (Invision/AP) There were many happy meetings among nominees as they arrived. Steven Spielberg, nominated for best picture as a producer of Hamnet, chatted in the lobby with One Battle best director nominee Paul Thomas Anderson. Spielberg took a photo of Anderson leaning on an Oscar statue. Chloe Zhao, up for her second best director Oscar for Hamnet, hugged former academy president Janet Yang. Jacob Elordi, who stands 6ft 5in, embraced the director of Sirat, Oliver Laxe, near the entrance and attracted the attention of most of the cameras in the room. Steven Spielberg could take home a production Oscar for Hamnet (Photo by Caroline Brehman/Invision/AP) Elordi is up for best supporting actor for Frankenstein and Sirat is up for best international feature. Academy members from 88 countries voted for the nominees, Howell said proudly during her speech, and every category had at least one international nominee. Donald Trump has met Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu privately and said he insisted that negotiations with Iran continue as the US pushes for a nuclear deal with Tehran. Mr Netanyahu spent nearly three hours at the White House, but entered and left out of view of reporters and he and the US president did not take questions. In a subsequent post on his social media site, Mr Trump called it a very good meeting and said there was nothing definitive reached, other than I insisted that negotiations with Iran continue to see whether or not a Deal can be consummated. If it can, I let the Prime Minister know that will be a preference. If it cannot, we will just have to see what the outcome will be. The visit was Mr Netanyahus seventh during Mr Trumps second term (Alex Brandon/AP) He added Last time Iran decided that they were better off not making a Deal and were hit by US air strikes. Hopefully this time they will be more reasonable and responsible, he said. Advertisement Mr Netanyahus office said the Israeli PM revealed they had discussed negotiations with Iran as well as developments in Gaza and around the region and that the pair had agreed to continue their close co-ordination and relationship. Wednesdays meeting was their seventh during Mr Trumps second term and took place as both the US and Iran are projecting cautious optimism after holding indirect talks in Oman on Friday about how, once again, to approach negotiations over Irans nuclear programme. Mr Trump said after reaching an agreement with Iran on Tuesday: I think theyd be foolish if they didnt. We took out their nuclear power last time, and well have to see if we take out more this time. Its got to be a good deal. No nuclear weapons, no missiles. Mr Netanyahus office said before the meeting that he wants the US-Iran talks to include limits on Tehrans ballistic missile programme and support for militant groups such as Hamas and Hezbollah. I will present to the president our outlook regarding the principles of these negotiations the essential principles which, in my opinion, are important not only to Israel, but to everyone around the world who wants peace and security in the Middle East, he said on Tuesday. Satellite image of Irans Isfahan Nuclear Technology Centre (Planet Labs PBC/AP) It remains unclear how much influence Mr Netanyahu will have over Mr Trumps approach towards Iran. The US leader initially threatened to take military action over Tehrans crackdown on nationwide protests in January, then shifted to a pressure campaign in recent weeks to try to get iran to make a deal over its nuclear programme. Iran is still reeling from the 12-day war with Israel in June. The devastating series of air strikes, including the US bombing several Iranian nuclear sites, killed nearly 1,000 people in Iran and almost 40 in Israel. Advertisement Mr Trump has said repeatedly that US strikes had obliterated Irans nuclear capabilities, though the amount of damage remains unclear. Satellite photos of nuclear sites have recently captured activity, prompting concern that Tehran could be attempting to salvage or assess damage at the sites. Israel has long called for Iran to cease all uranium enrichment, dial back its ballistic missile programme and cut ties to militant groups across the region. Iran has always rejected those demands, saying it would only accept some limits on its nuclear programme in return for sanctions relief. Washington has built up military forces in the region, sending an aircraft carrier, guided-missile destroyers, air defence assets and more to supplement its presence. Arab and Islamic countries, including Turkey and Qatar, have been urging both sides to show restraint, warning that any strike or retaliation could have destabilising consequences for a region already strained by the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza. In his post, Mr Trump said he and Mr Netanyahu had also discussed the tremendous progress being made in Gaza, and the Region in general. He plans to hold the first meeting next week of his Board of Peace, which was initially framed to oversee future steps of the US-brokered Gaza ceasefire plan but has taken shape with his ambitions of resolving other global crises. Advertisement Sponsored BusinessCompaniesBulls N' Bears Locksley scores prized US critical minerals membership Brought to you by BULLS N BEARS Craig Nolan February 11, 2026 1:04pm Save 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 A A A Locksley Resources has scored a prized Affiliate Membership role with the US Department of Energys (DOE) Critical Materials Innovation Hub (CMI), a consortium focused on the security of US critical mineral supply chains. The companys flagship Mojave project in the US state of California, prospective for antimony and rare earth resources, could now be in pole position to benefit from a series of cutting-edge research and development (R&D) projects. Locksley Resources Desert Antimony Mine project in California, with the adjacent MP Materials huge Mountain Pass rare earths mine in the background. The companys US-based subsidiary, Enigma Strategic Minerals, has been welcomed into the fold, along with the potential to participate in various coveted DOE-funded R&D projects. The Critical Materials hub is a DOE innovation hub led by the Ames National Laboratory in Iowa. Ames is a top-level national laboratory for research on national security, energy and the environment. Advertisement The CMIs primary objective is to develop technology solutions to minimise reliance on supply chains from foreign nations for critical minerals vital for renewable energy, electric-vehicle technologies and national security. Acceptance into the Critical Materials Innovation Hub has been a seven-month process with verification from DOE. Locksley Resources managing director and chief executive officer Kerrie Matthews Locksley expects its technical know-how to benefit significantly from its membership in the consortium, with access to global-leading research and technology development. It also anticipates a major lift in profile and relevance in the US domestic critical minerals space. Management believes the opportunity to collaborate with leading US laboratories and learn from their potential game-changing testwork will only bolster Mojaves prospects for future commercial success. Locksley Resources managing director and chief executive officer Kerrie Matthews said: Acceptance into the Critical Materials Innovation Hub has been a seven-month process with verification from DOE and marks a strategic step forward in integrating Locksley into the U.S. innovation ecosystem. Advertisement Matthews said the affiliation not only expands the companys access to world-class research and technology development, but also reinforces its commitment to becoming a long-term, US-aligned supplier of critical minerals. With the US Governments increasing focus on securing a domestic supply of valuable minerals and ramping up its downstream processing expertise, Locksley is well-placed to supply feedstock for upcoming CMI R&D programs. It plans to provide mineralised samples to support CMIs initial focus on advancing rare earths separation technologies and to uncover new alternative applications for antimony oxide. Management says the CMI collaborative research efforts align with the work currently undertaken with the University of Colombia and Rice University. Ultimately, Locksley expects the CMI tie-in will enable it to access innovative research and technologies for rare earths processing, separation and purification. It anticipates benefitting from improvements in the extraction of ores, waste and recycled materials. The company plans to integrate its knowledge with several premier US national labs, including the renowned Oak Ridge and Lawrence Livermore national labs, to build secure domestic critical mineral supply chains. It believes CMI participation strengthens its US footprint and aligns with a suite of US initiatives, such as the Department of Energys ARPA-E program and a range of DOE-supported initiatives. Advertisement Earlier this week, management revealed a comprehensive technical review of its Mojave project, including the use of high-resolution underground mapping. The positive findings have unlocked the potential for multiple antimony-bearing structures at its Desert Antimony Mine. The underground mapping program unearthed the new Beefeater Shear, a major 10m 15m wide north-south corridor between the Desert Antimony Mine and the companys prospective Hendricks target. Management says the Beefeater Shear mirrors the structural setting and alteration signature of the high-grade Desert Antimony system, opening up the possibility for a significant new antimony discovery at the project. With the US Government seeking to lock in domestic supplies of coveted critical minerals to build a secure home-grown war chest, for Locksley it may well be a case of right time and right place for the aspiring metals producer. Is your ASX-listed company doing something interesting? Contact: mattbirney@bullsnbears.com.au Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Share More: Bulls N' Bears Sharemarket Shares Advertisement CultureBooksLiterature Axed literary magazine Meanjin finds a new home after shock closure Kerrie O'Brien and Linda Morris February 11, 2026 12:28pm Save 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 A A A The Australian iconic literary magazine Meanjin will return to Queensland, 80 years after it relocated to Melbourne. The news was announced by the magazines new custodian Queensland University of Technology, which has pledged to appoint an editorial board to guarantee Meanjins independence, values and standards and begin a national search for a new editor. No date has been given for its next issue. Much-loved literary magazine Meanjin has received a lifeline after Melbourne University Press closed it last year. In September last year, Melbourne University Press announced it would cease publishing the prestigious magazine, a stalwart in the literary scene. It counted many of Australias best writers as contributors including Helen Garner, Peter Carey, Michelle De Kretser, Alexis Wright and David Malouf. Meanjin is the Indigenous word for Brisbane. The magazine was founded in that city in 1940 to promote a healthy climate of opinion and literary activity. It moved to the University of Melbourne in 1945, and became an imprint of Melbourne University Publishing in 2008. Advertisement On announcing the closure of the magazine last year, MUP chair Professor Warren Bebbington said the decision was made by the MUP board on purely financial grounds. Related Article Arts Arts boss Adrian Collette says Creative Australia is not about moral compass In a statement issued on Wednesday, Bebbington said the MUP had received approaches to acquire Meanjin from a variety of organisations in recent months, but QUTs understanding of the journals legacy surpassed those of the other expressions of interest received. The board is delighted Meanjin will continue, and in the hands of a university so clearly alert to the nature of the custodianship MUP had fulfilled for it for so long. The quarterly magazines final issue under editor Esther Anatolitis and deputy Eli McLean was published in December. The team had already put that issue to bed when the decision was made and were made redundant in September. Advertisement As well as income from subscriptions, the magazine had received funding from the University of Melbourne, Creative Australia and the Copyright Agency. Terms of the ownership transfer were not released including the fate of its archives. Previous editors of the magazine had for decades worried about its precarious financial situation, fearing its closure. QUT said it would take time to thoughtfully re-establish the journal in Queensland and consider how to most effectively reinvigorate Meanjin, respecting the journals founding vision and literary legacy while enhancing its relevance and rebuilding of readership to ensure a viable future. Vice-Chancellor Professor Margaret Sheil said, Since its foundation by Clem Christesen in Brisbane in 1940, Meanjin has been instrumental in shaping Australian literary and intellectual culture. It has provided a vital platform for critical discussion, a showcase of emerging writers and a valuable training ground for leading Australian publishers and editors. We are honoured to be entrusted with the legacy of this cultural icon. Advertisement Meanjin is the countrys second-oldest literary magazine. Southerly was launched in 1939. Start the day with a summary of the days most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter. Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Share A A A Time is Zadie Smiths great subject. In her novels, time isnt just chronology; its character. It stretches and constrains lives, binding generations together even as it pulls them apart. So it feels fitting that when we speak, Smith is in Tuscany, attending a 100th birthday celebration, not long after marking her own turning 50, brought face to face with the very force that flows through her work. She is at the home of Baroness Beatrice Monti della Corte, founder of the Santa Maddalena writers residence and now, a centenarian. For more than two decades, Beatrice has hosted writers at her home, perched high in the Florentine hills. Michael Ondaatje, Colm Toibin, Sally Rooney and Michael Cunningham have all stayed; books begun here have gone on to win Nobels, Bookers and Pulitzers; and the estate, and Beatrice herself, have been mythologised in countless works of fiction and memoir (next in line is Andrew Sean Greers new novel Villa Coco). Smith first arrived here at the height of a success few writers experience so young (or ever, really). With the publication of her debut novel White Teeth in 2000, she went from Cambridge student to international literary celebrity. Critics hailed her as the arrival of a major new voice in British fiction, and the novel became both a bestseller and a generational touchstone. Zadie Smith, at the time White Teeth was published. While the literary world was celebrating her, Smith, 25, was worried she might never publish again. London, the city she had captured so vividly in White Teeth, suddenly felt claustrophobic. She was struggling to read or write. She arrived at the estate all washed up, after Beatrice extended a handwritten invitation offering her space, and time. Over the next 25 years, as she published six novels, four essay collections and a suite of short stories, Smith continued to return to the property. Beatrice herself, even a few days out of heart surgery, is showing no sign of slowing down. Last night, when I arrived, I thought we were going to go to bed. Instead, we had dinner at 9.30pm, and then she had an ice cream. I dont know what to tell you, maybe its just Italian olive oil or whatever. She does what she likes, Smith says. I dont know what it is. She never smoked, that must be part of it. Ive been doing that since I was 12, so I dont think Im going to get to 100. (Smith is on a new round of giving up, having only had a social cigarette since the renewed endeavour started on New Years Eve.) Were speaking ahead of Smiths upcoming visit to Australia, her withdrawal from the Adelaide Writers Week having reshaped her itinerary. She had been scheduled to headline the event, but pulled out after the Adelaide Festival board disinvited Palestinian-Australian writer Randa Abdel-Fattah. Smith says she first learned of the decision through an email from the Indian novelist and essayist Pankaj Mishra, as dozens of guests started withdrawing from the event in protest. Advertisement I withdrew because I would never attend any festival in which a fellow writer is refused the opportunity to discuss her ideas in public. In the commons, where disagreement and debate are available to everybody, that literally is the purpose of a literary festival, Smith says. As for the peculiar logic of the Adelaide board, I just found it shameful to attempt to connect an individual Palestinian academic with a terrorist attack. To me, thats the logic of the mob. Its not people running a literary festival, and a Palestinian writer is not a terrorist with a gun. Im sure Ive said many things in my life that offend the cultural sensitivities of many people, but Ive never been banned from speaking before I opened my mouth. A Palestinian writer is a human being standing before an audience of other human beings, speaking. If you create a special category of speech, in this case the speech of Palestinians, which is to be silenced before its even heard, then I think you make yourself ridiculous. Especially if youre unable to clarify, as I understood the board couldnt, whether the issue is cultural sensitivities or criticism of the state. Im sure Ive said many things in my life that offend the cultural sensitivities of many people, but Ive never been banned from speaking before I opened my mouth. As to the freedom to critique a state, both its ideology and its actions, that freedom is every writers right, not to mention every citizens. I think for Palestinian writers, in this moment, its a duty. The festival was ultimately cancelled, and the board later apologised for the decision. Withdrawing, Smith says, was an ethical choice. She feels a responsibility to speak up for what she believes is right, and to demonstrate, by example, what it means not to be afraid. She has little interest in managing how others view her. As she writes in Shibboleth, her 2024 New Yorker piece included in her brilliant new essay collection Dead and Alive, Put me wherever you want: misguided socialist, toothless humanist, naive novelist, useful idiot, apologist, denier, ally, contrarian, collaborator, traitor, inexcusable coward. Zadie Smith will appear at events in Sydney and Melbourne in March. Getty Images Advertisement In the essay, Smith argues that the pursuit of justice shouldnt erase or minimise the pain of others. She reflects on the narrowing of political language and her discomfort with the pressure to declare allegiance through slogans. Terms such as Zionist, she argues, are often deployed as moral shorthand, reducing individuals to abstractions and obscuring the reality of their lives. The essay drew criticism particularly online from readers who felt her refusal adopt a clearer rhetorical position amounted to equivocation. These are ethical principles. Thats exactly the point. I really want to demonstrate what it means not to be afraid. Theres a crisis in the ability to read and understand, including the ability to read that essay. You cant hide away in shame or fear. No matter how you are understood or misunderstood, Smith says. If you allow this kind of mob on the internet to make you afraid or to define you, youve lost, and we all lose from that...They can call me whatever names they want, theyre welcome, but I am not going to bend my principles to whatever their needs are. Zadie Smith during an interview with host Seth Meyers in October 2025. Lloyd Bishop/NBC via Getty Images Smith does not use social media, and does not own a smartphone. As she explores in Dead and Alive, she has little patience for the speed and certainty the internet rewards, or the way it encourages people to react before they have had time to read, let alone think. Literature thrives on the opposite conditions: slowness, attention, and permission to remain uncertain. In her 2019 essay Fascinated to Presume: In Defence of Fiction, she argues for the importance of imaginative freedom, pondering what would happen if cultural appropriation were reframed as interpersonal voyeurism or profound other-fascination. Fiction, she suggests, begins in curiosity about the other in the attempt to enter a consciousness other than ones own and from there comes compassion. Its just an offer to slow down and actually think, instead of taking your thoughts off the shelf second hand...Its not some kind of strident Lionel Shriver, let me put on a sombrero statement defence of my art, she says. Advertisement Fiction is not going to save the world. It has its role, and it has its nature, and thats what I want to describe and defend. Particularly at this moment, when everybodys very busy defending their community. My community is writers, and this is what we do, and it is totally possible to reject what we do and turn from it, but I at least want to describe what it was. Zadie Smith attends the Booker Prize 2025 ceremony. Anadolu via Getty Images As Smith acknowledges, she couldnt have written any of her novels if fiction were unable to imagine beyond the limits of the self. Her novels roam widely, crossing borders of class, race and history with a kind of cheerful authority. She describes Alex-Li, the British-Jewish-Chinese protagonist of her second novel The Autograph Man as more like me than any character she has created. After years living in New York, Smith and her husband, the Irish poet Nick Laird, and their two children, now 16 and 12, returned to London during the pandemic years. They now live a street away from where she was born and raised, in Kilburn and Willesden in north-west London, the area that populates her fiction, a landscape of tower blocks, corner shops and overlapping lives. Smiths mother, Yvonne, emigrated from Jamaica in the late 1960s, part of the Windrush generation. Her father, Harvey, was English and more than 30 years her senior, a veteran of the Second World War. Before she was Zadie, she was Sadie, renaming herself at 14. At Cambridge, where she studied English at Kings College, Smith began writing the novel that would become White Teeth. Its scale, ambition and confidence remain remarkable for a debut novel. But Smith has struggled with the wunderkind label, particularly as the label transformed into the ageing wunderkind. Zadie Smith was still a student when White Teeth turned her into a literary star. Los Angeles Times via Getty Images The tough part of it is learning how to grow up. I was at a literary party recently and a lovely young writer came up to me and did that thing that I remember doing, Smith says. She told me the year she was born and waits for the shock on your face. Like they say, I was born in 2005. And thats cool and its cute, but I think you have to get used to the idea that one day youre going to say your birthday and no one will be surprised or even interested. Advertisement Smith has described her younger self as having a kind of Gene Kelly exuberance, propelled by enthusiasm and excitement. She would run her mouth without thinking, she says. Now, she experiences more of an emotional quietness. Returning to Santa Maddalena over the years has allowed her to notice the changes. I have to find a different way to be with Beatrice. Im 50, Im not 24, Im not the ingenue. I know how to make my own breakfast. I can get myself together, she says. I guess its sometimes like when you see an actress of my age maybe flicking her hair in the way that she did when she was 20. You dont realise youre doing it as if its charming, but its actually not charming, and you have to find new modes of being. Thats hard for everybody. Its just hard for your mind to catch up with the reality. But Smith is a woman of many talents. Music has always existed alongside writing. As a child, she tap-danced and played violin, and as a teenager imagined herself on the musical theatre stage. At Cambridge, she sang jazz. Her brothers are both rappers. She stopped pursuing a career as a musician because she felt like her voice was always an imitation, and she wanted to make something original. But recently, her voice has appeared on the track Vivid Light by Dev Hynes, the Blood Orange musician and her former New York neighbour. When he invited her to perform live on the BBC late last year, she agreed with little preparation. Watching her at the microphone, composed and unselfconscious, youd be forgiven for thinking it was her primary craft. Editor's pick Literature Sixty books to look out for in the first half of 2026 I just didnt do it for a long time, smoked a lot, took a load of drugs, ran around town, and now my voice is much smaller, she says. It makes me a bit sad when I sing because theres a lot of regret. So I think its about learning through people like Dev that its not about perfection. Perhaps its wishful thinking, then, hoping for a Zadie Smith album. Good novelists, she says, know exactly when to stop writing but shes got more books in her yet. Advertisement Remove items from your saved list to add more. You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Save this video for later Add videos to your saved list and come back to them anytime. Got it Advertisement NationalNSWIsraeli-Palestinian conflict Opinion I marched against apartheid in South Africa. The Sydney protests triggered me Stephen Heydt Jewish Australian, retired psychologist February 11, 2026 4:00am February 11, 2026 4:00am Save 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 A A A World-renowned psychiatrist Bessel van der Kolk, in his 2014 bestseller The Body Keeps the Score, writes that traumatic experience is not just a historic event; its impression is left on our brain and body. Perhaps that explains my visceral reaction to the images of NSW Police in Sydney aggressively charging and punching those protesting visiting Israeli President Isaac Herzog. As a South African Jewish Australian in my 70s, I find myself painfully watching my home mirror the authoritarian reflexes of the regime I fled. Many Jews gave their lives for that struggle. That memory heightens my alarm at what is unfolding in our Australian parliaments and streets. Palestine Action Group members and supporters clash with police near Sydney Town Hall. Wolter Peeters Having worked in Gaza and the West Bank through three Israeli wars in the 2000s, I have seen the most horrible edges of the conflict directly. In the past two years, at least 20 of my former humanitarian worker colleagues have been killed. I know the depth of the grief and the complexity of the history of that blood-soaked place. On Monday night, as I watched the footage of police behaviour in Sydney, I felt a physiological reaction: a tightening in the chest, lump in the throat and nausea that I hadnt felt since the 1970s. Advertisement Rather more than a well-practised strategy or even a lapse in crowd management, this looked like a state overreaching into intimidation. Any sense of a democratic contract for free assembly and speech was dismembered rather than just strained when police moved with such hostility against citizens congregating and marching peacefully. Growing up in South Africa during the height of apartheid, I have run in panicked crowds with people wearing the pain of broken limbs from baton charges, the air cracking with gunshot, and eyes streaming from tear gas. I witnessed directly the machinery of a state trading its vestigial moral authority for the support of an ideological base. I left that life for Australia, believing I was moving to a place where the right to disagree was fundamental to the national character. Police attack a crowd protesting apartheid in Cape Town, South Africa in 1985. AP Wirephoto By moving to criminalise speech and assembly, our leaders are treading a dangerous path. The banning of peaceful expression, whether through the outlawing of political language or the banning of peaceful rallies, is anathema to a free society. A democracy is defined by its tolerance for the space it affords the peaceful dissident. When a state suppresses speech, it does not dissolve the underlying tension on the contrary, by compressing it, it makes it more volatile. When kettling (containment) and charges become a standard response to protest, we have become ruled by the threat of force. This is not a civil society. Advertisement While Sydneys streets were witnessing unilateral aggression, I attended a rally in Brisbane. The contrast was profound. Scores of Queensland police were present, as they have been over the past 28 months. As always, they were professional, alert and friendly. The atmosphere was entirely peaceful. Hundreds raised their voices and their placards and order remained intact. It proved that when people are afforded the dignity of freedom of speech, the temperature of a city drops. Related Article Opinion Israeli-Palestinian conflict NSW anti-protest laws were rushed through to keep the peace. Theyve failed Ben Saul Challis Chair of International Law at Sydney University Yet even this sanctuary of common sense is under threat. Only days before that peaceful assembly, the Queensland government announced plans to criminalise specific phrases, including from the river to the sea and calls for intifada. The state that just demonstrated it could manage a peaceful protest with restraint has now pivoted toward the role of the authoritarian. As a Jew, I will proudly stand to be arrested, ostensibly for antisemitism. I did not spend my 20s active against a regime using violence to subordinate rights and silence its critics only to spend my twilight years watching Australian governments do the same. A free society is loud, it is often controversial and offends some, and is frequently inconvenient for others and those in power. That is precisely why its protection is essential. We must remind our leaders that they and the police serve the people, not the political optics of the day. If we allow this slope to get any more slippery, we may find that we have lost the right to speak before we even realised it was at risk. Australia should be careful it doesnt have to learn the lesson of my experience. Advertisement Trauma is not a static or historic memory. It lives in the brains and bodies of the Australian Aboriginal community, 800,000 Australian Muslims, yes, and Jews. We dont just remember past state violence; our bodies physically anticipate its return. Stephen Heydt is a retired clinical psychologist with 40 years of experience in trauma recovery and disability. Get a weekly wrap of views that will challenge, champion and inform your own. Sign up for our Opinion newsletter. Advertisement Fresh details have emerged of the case against accused childcare paedophile Joshua Brown, including charges he contaminated milk, recklessly endangering a baby in his care. Browns lawyer had been fighting in the Melbourne Magistrates Court this week to stop the release of the full 156 charges now facing the accused paedophile, as he discusses a resolution to his criminal case with the prosecution. Alleged paedophile Joshua Brown. In December, police revealed the scope of the 27-year-olds alleged offending had expanded to four childcare centres across Melbourne, with 12 alleged victims identified so far as investigations continue. Details of the extra 83 charges were released to the media on Wednesday afternoon. Among them are multiple new counts of child rape, as well as of assault and possessing the drugs MDMA and ketamine. Brown is accused in December 2022 of providing milk he had contaminated to a baby, recklessly endangering the child. Advertisement Brown was due to appear in court this week for the first time in more than six months, but his case was adjourned for another two months given the volume of evidence. The discovery of a cache of child abuse material allegedly linked to Brown in May last year sparked an urgent police investigation and plunged Australias childcare sector into crisis as it emerged Brown had worked at 24 centres across Melbourne over more than eight years. Brown is now accused of abusing children from his very first job in the sector, but much of the offending relates to his time at the Point Cook daycare Creative Garden where his offending was first discovered. Browns lawyer had been fighting in the Melbourne Magistrates Court this week to stop the release of the full 156 charges. There, police allege he sent child abuse material to another man and recorded himself contaminating childrens food with bodily fluids, which prompted unprecedented STI testing for kids at affected centres. The latest charges reveal that Brown allegedly sent child abuse material up until the day of his arrest in May last year. Advertisement Separately, Brown is facing charges of bestiality, not related to childcare. During a hearing this week, Browns defence barrister Rishi Nathwani, KC, had argued releasing the full charges against his client could endanger Brown, who remains on remand in custody, as well as his family. Were now at the stage of discussing resolution, Nathwani added, of a potential deal with prosecutors. But magistrate Donna Bakos said the charges were a matter of public record, and granted their release. While police took the rare step of naming Brown in July when they revealed the case against him, given its scale, the names of child complainants and their families were redacted in documents released to the media, and will be protected by pseudonyms at trial. Advertisement As well as the Point Cook centre, Brown is accused of offending at three other facilities: Nino in Point Cook on March 26, 2019; Only About Children in Williamstown on December 1, 2020, and February 22, 2021; and Aussie Kindies Early Learning Centre in Keilor between February 3 and 11 last year. Bakos ordered Brown to return to court on April 21. Industry-Leading Creditworthiness Rating from FRANdata Reinforces Marco's Performance in Accessible Franchise Ownership and Strong Lender Partnerships TOLEDO, Ohio, Feb. 11, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Marco's Pizza , one of the nation's fastest-growing pizza brands, has been recognized by FRANdata for its performance and lender friendliness, earning a 2025 FUND Score that ranks in the Top 10 of all evaluated franchise brands nationwide. The brand also received the highest FUND Score among all QSR concepts and is officially No. 1 in the pizza category, underscoring Marco's continued commitment in fostering accessible, sustainable franchise growth. The FUND Score, FRANdata's proprietary franchise credit risk rating, assesses 13 key performance categories, including Historical Unit Success Rate, unit-level profitability, system support, and financial transparency. Used by lenders overseeing more than $5 trillion in assets, the model informs loan decisions, terms, and capital reserves in franchise financing. Marco's strong results across these measures signal a highly creditworthy system and provide lenders with comprehensive information in making the determination to finance Marco's franchisees. Franchise ownership should open doors, not create obstacles. Post this "In an increasingly crowded pizza marketplace, Marco's Pizza achieving a top-tier FUND Score the highest among the pizza category demonstrates the underlying strength of a system built for scalable, sustainable growth." said Edith Wiseman, President of FRANdata."Marco's Pizza's FUND Score is a strong indicator of its creditworthiness and system stability. This level of performance reflects consistent operational rigor and a model that supports long-term franchisee growth." Marco's rank within the FUND scoring system reflects the brand's intentional approach to making franchise ownership more attainable. With over 1,200 units, the company invests significantly in franchisee support and financial guidance, cultivating strong relationships with preferred banks and lending institutions. Through quarterly lender meetings, Marco's finance team shares business updates, performance data, and growth plans, enabling lenders to offer competitive financing to both new and existing franchisees. "Franchise ownership should open doors, not create obstacles," said Gerardo Flores, Chief Development Officer at Marco's Pizza. "This recognition highlights the top-tier support we offer to our franchise network and the relationships we've built with lenders. It's a testament to the strength of our brand in providing franchisees with financial options when working with banks to develop their stores. From the tools and training we offer to the financial guidance and resources we provide, everything we do is focused on making franchise ownership both achievable and rewarding." Franchise Opportunities To further support accessibility and franchise expansion, Marco's recently introduced the Franchise Development Royalty Incentive Program, designed to lower barriers for qualified multi-unit owners. With early-stage royalty incentives starting at 0%**, along with comprehensive support in real estate, construction, and operations, the program provides a streamlined, resource-rich path for franchisees to expand. Prospects are taking note of the business opportunity, as Marco's Franchise Disclosure Document reports $1.3M AUV for the top 25% of franchised stores in 2024.* For more information Marco's Pizza franchise opportunities, visit https://www.marcos.com/franchising/ or contact Brad Smith at [email protected] or 419-279-5795. ABOUT MARCO'S PIZZA Headquartered in Toledo, Ohio, Marco's Pizza is one of the fastest-growing pizza brands in the United States. Marco's was founded in 1978 by Italian-born Pasquale ("Pat") Giammarco and thrives to deliver a high-quality pizza experience, known for its dough made from scratch and its three fresh signature cheeses. The company has grown from its roots as a beloved Ohio brand to operate over 1,200 stores in 35 states with locations in Puerto Rico, the Bahamas, and Mexico. Notably, Marco's was recognized as America's Favorite Restaurant in the Limited-Service Pizza category by Nation's Restaurant News using Technomic Ignite Consumer 2025 data. Other recent accolades include being recognized by QSR as one of the "16 Best Franchise Deals for 2025", ranking No. 50 on Entrepreneur Magazine's 2026 "Franchise 500" ranking, earning a coveted spot as the only top 5 pizza chain to rank on Newsweek's 2025 "America's Best Customer Service" in pizza chains list, earning a spot on QSR's Top 50, and being featured on Nation's Restaurant News' prestigious "Top 500" ranking. *Based on average sales volume of the top performing 25% (or 239 units) of Marco's Pizza Franchised Stores that were open during our 2024 fiscal year. Of the 955 Franchised Stores that were in operation for our entire 2024 fiscal year, 239 were included in the top 25% set and 40% obtained or surpassed the average sales volume. This information excludes (i) international locations (including Puerto Rico); (ii) Franchised Stores not open for the entire 52-week period in 2024; (iii) special venue and non-traditional franchised locations; and (iv) Franchised Stores that closed in 2024. See Item 19 of our 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document for additional information. Individual results may differ. There is no assurance that any franchisee will perform as well. **The information provided in this article should not be construed as an offer to sell any Marco's Pizza franchises in, nor is any such communication directed to, the residents of any jurisdiction requiring registration of the franchise before it is offered and sold in that jurisdiction. Currently, the following states regulate the offer and sale of franchises: California, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin. Marco's Pizza franchises will not be sold to any resident of such jurisdiction until the offering has been exempted from the requirements of, or duly registered in and declared effective by, such jurisdiction and the required franchise disclosure document (if applicable) has been delivered to the prospective franchisee before the sale in compliance with applicable law. Additionally, the participant must meet our financial, creditworthiness, and operational criteria to qualify for the incentive program and be approved by us to open each Store. If the franchisee is a corporation, partnership, limited liability company, or other legal entity, the qualifying participant must maintain at least 50% ownership in the entity, as well as the qualifying existing Stores, to qualify for this program, and the franchisee must comply with program requirements. In the event the participant fails at any time to meet the timelines to qualify for the applicable incentive program while developing a Store, the Store being developed and any remaining unopened Stores to be developed will pay the then-current standard Royalty Fee rate. See Marco's Franchising's Franchise Disclosure Document for more information. To qualify for the incentive program, the participant must sign a development agreement and open the stores within the following timeframes: 1st Store within 365 days of signing; 2nd Store within 6 months of 1st store opening; 3rd Store within 6 months of 2nd store opening; 4th Store within 6 months of 3rd store opening; 5th Store within 6 months of 4th store opening. According to Technomic's 2025 America's Favorite Restaurants data, Marco's Pizza secured the top spot in the Limited-Service Pizza category with a 54.6% composite top-box rating, indicating the share of recent guests who gave the brand the highest possible rating for each of the guest experience attributes. Data for America's Favorite Chains comes from Technomic Ignite Consumer, which collects information about how brands impact consumers and how consumers interact with those brands, via online surveys. See here for more information: www.technomic.com/ignite-consumer . SOURCE Marco's Pizza Advertisement NationalWACrime Authorities reveal moment Perth would-be child abductor realised he was being raided Heather McNeill February 11, 2026 1:22pm Save 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 A A A A Perth man who was planning to abduct a young girl and hold her captive inside his attic tried to stop authorities from entering his home during an early morning raid in mid-2024. Jason Forbes, 39, had been waiting on the delivery of a custom-made child sex doll he had ordered online from China, when instead he woke to Australian Border Force officers at his door with a search warrant. Jason Forbes has been jailed over a plot to kidnap a young girl and hold her captive in the attic of his Perth home. He wasnt expecting us, he was quite stunned, ABF Inspector David Williamson said. The offender was initially resistant to let us into the home, but once we got into the premises, it was apparent why he didnt want us in the premises. Advertisement There was an electronic device displaying child abuse material on the kitchen bench, there was an additional (child sex) doll in the bedroom. We sighted the [abduction plot mind map written on the] mirror and were into the car. At that stage we immediately realised it was beyond the remit of the ABF, and we contacted our partner agency, [WA Police]. During his sentencing last month, Perth District Court Judge Darren Renton said Forbes carefully selected the features he wanted on the doll, including the size, style, hair, eye colour, and the colour of its vagina and nipples. Simply said, you knew exactly what you wanted, he said. Williamson said 47 child-like sex dolls had been seized at the border by the ABF in the past year in Australia. Advertisement Related Article Updated Courts Perth man jailed over elaborate plan to kidnap girl, keep her in his attic Theres four individuals in WA currently being prosecuted for the importation of child-like sex dolls, he said. Any individual that looks to import a child-like sex doll can expect that it will be detected and seized at the border, and that they will receive a visit from ourselves and our partner agencies. Our border targeting teams are quite adept and skilled at looking for subtle indicators that child-like sex dolls are contained in consignment. For example some of those suppliers will offer to split the parts over a number of consignments. Advertisement WA Police sex crime division Detective Acting Superintendent Eamon Flanagan described Forbes as a loner who lived a hermit-like lifestyle. The electrician was part-way through building a soundproof panic room in his attic where he intended to hold a young girl captive to sexually abuse her when he was arrested. Evidence showed he had been planning an abduction for months, and had researched ways to approach, isolate and restrain a child. He had also begun scoping local daycare centres and schools in his southern suburb of Baldivis, and had blacked out the windows of his Tesla. Police intervention with ABF stopped a very dangerous situation from occurring in the WA community and stopped a child from being harmed, Flanagan said. The reality is [an abduction] could have happened at any point, however, his planned intention probably would have required finishing the alterations he was doing to the house [in his attic]. Advertisement Loading Flanagan said the parents of a child who lived near Forbes, who he had filmed playing out the front of her house, and then saved it in a folder labelled, X marks the spot, had been told she was a potential target. Obviously as a parent in Western Australia they would have been deeply concerned, he said. Every child in Western Australia should be able to play in their front yard without fear of somebody potentially driving by and grabbing them. Detectives found more than 70,000 child exploitation material files on Forbes devices. Advertisement After his arrest, he admitted he had had a sexual interest in children for 20 years, but denied any intention to kidnap a girl, claiming her was just researching for a book he was writing. He had no serious previous criminal record and had gone undetected by police, despite neighbours describing him as odd and antisocial. Community vigilance is very important to the work we do, Flanagan said. We need help from the community in putting information report through to Crime Stoppers and local police if you identify suspicious activities in your neighbourhood. Forbes was sentenced to seven years and five months jail for possessing a child-like sex doll, using a carriage service to prepare to engage in sexual activity with a child, and possessing child exploitation material. Advertisement PoliticsNSWNSW State Parliament Labor MPs back investigation into police behaviour at Sydney protest Jessica McSweeney and Alexandra Smith February 11, 2026 6:30pm Save 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 A A A All four rebel NSW Labor MPs who protested on Monday night have joined the chorus calling for an independent inquiry into the police actions at Town Hall, as the states police commissioner insists officers will be held responsible for their conduct. A protest against Israeli President Isaac Herzogs visit to Australia descended into chaos when police pushed and pepper-sprayed protesters attempting to march despite restrictions blocking demonstrations in Sydneys CBD, leading to 27 arrests. A man in an altercation with police in Sydney on Monday afternoon. @davidshoebridge The NSW Labor government introduced laws allowing police to restrict areas for protests after the Bondi terror attack in December, when 15 people were killed on the first night of Hanukkah. Labor MP Sarah Kaine, who was among four MPs to attend the protest and defy Premier Chris Minns advice to avoid the CBD on Monday, has called for an inquiry into police actions but was agnostic as to what form it should take. Advertisement Clearly, the events should be investigated, Kaine said. Fellow Labor MP Cameron Murphy, who also attended the protest, said the entire situation would have been avoided if the typical Form 1 process were in place. Related Article Updated Israeli-Palestinian conflict Like a pack of wild dogs: Protester injured in Town Hall clashes calls for officers to be charged Some police clearly used excessive force on Monday and we need to review that, but we also have to look at the broader issues about how we got here. We should also be reviewing the [anti-protest] legislation because it clearly isnt working, Murphy said. When the independent arbiter, being the Supreme Court, is removed, you are inevitably going to get this type of conflict, and we can see that PAG [Palestine Action Group] protesters and police have abided by decisions of the court in the past. Advertisement Anthony DAdam, another Labor MP at the rally, said there needed to be an independent and public inquiry into the circumstances that led to the chaos, in addition to any investigation by the Law Enforcement Conduct Commission (LECC). The fourth Labor MP at the protest, Stephen Lawrence, said an inquiry was not a bad idea, but it shouldnt just focus on police and protesters. The difficult truth is that political and legal elites actually caused the Town Hall riot, he said. A dysfunctional political culture in NSW created possibly the most draconian anti-protest laws in the Western world and an almost inevitable riot, that I openly predicted in parliament late last year. The LECC, which is tasked with investigating allegations of police misconduct, received a complaint on Tuesday from Greens MP Sue Higginson. Higginson attended the rally and alleges officers used pepper spray indiscriminately and struck protesters repeatedly. In one video, a protester is held down by police and punched in his back and sides at least 18 times. The man was charged with assaulting police causing actual bodily harm; police allege he bit an officer and say their actions were necessary. Advertisement In another video Muslim men are on the ground, their heads bowed in prayer, when officers move in and physically remove the men. At least one of the men appears to be thrown to the ground. Higginson called for the LECC to establish an investigation, rather than allow the police to investigate its own conduct. Police and protesters clashed after some tried to march on George Street after the rally. Wolter Peeters We need to see as much evidence as we possibly can we know the police had drones on the top of buildings, we know that there is a large degree of footage out there, she said. There is body-worn video footage on part of the police. It is now time for the premier to join the call for genuine accountability. Advertisement Minns has on multiple occasions implored the public not to judge the actions of police based on short clips on social media. The premiers office did not provide any examples of police body-worn vision or any further context of the polices interactions with protesters when asked by the Herald. The police did their job in the face of incredibly difficult circumstances on Monday evening, Minns said. As the police commissioner said, there are established and independent processes to review police conduct. The call for a LECC investigation was backed by independent member for Sydney Alex Greenwich, who said his office had been inundated with footage and written accounts of interactions with police after the rally. It is going to be important for an independent oversight body to review that footage and question police on actions taken, and allow the police to contribute and share information about their practices, he said. Loading Advertisement A spokesperson for the LECC told the Herald they could not confirm if an investigation exists, or what complaints may have been received. The actions of police officers at Town Hall will be reviewed, NSW Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon told 2GB, pledging individuals would be held responsible for their own actions. Lanyon broadly defended the actions of his officers. They were operating in an extreme and dynamic environment. They did what was required to keep the streets safe and to keep the community safe, Lanyon said. Related Article Visual story Israeli-Palestinian conflict How a protest in the heart of Sydney descended into bloody chaos There is no guarantee that there will be any kind of inquiry, Professor Emeritus Simon Rice of the University of Sydney said. The LECC will have to determine if the complaint made regarding the alleged conduct of officers amounts to serious misconduct in order to decide if an investigation is needed. Advertisement It is wrong that the police have the unaccountable discretion to behave as they choose, and then invoke public safety, Rice said. Redfern Legal Centre supervising solicitor Samantha Lee said a public LECC inquiry would result in the best outcome for the community searching for answers, as any finding of a potential crime would be passed to the Director of Public Prosecutions. Lee said the high legal threshold of serious police misconduct meant the LECC will often refer the matter back to police for an internal investigation. A decision to hold a public inquiry is a discretionary decision based on their capacity, resourcing and their own set agenda for the year, Lee said. Start the day with a summary of the days most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter. Advertisement PoliticsNSWNSW State Parliament Opinion The premier legislated for an enforced peace in Sydney. What he got was brutality and more division Alexandra Smith State Political Editor February 12, 2026 4:00am February 12, 2026 4:00am Save 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 A A A Sydney is a city divided. If we needed further proof after the ugly scenes that erupted in the heart of the CBD on Monday night, as thousands protested against the visit of Israels President Isaac Herzog, an angry post from one of Chris Minns closest allies provides that. Jihad Dib, a minister in Minns cabinet and a Muslim, condemned the actions of police on Monday for the physical disruption of prayers. In the midst of the chaos, police chose to forcibly end prayers, dragging Muslims away from Town Hall Square. The vision is staggering as you watch, in one instance, a man praying, head bowed. He is pounced on from behind by an officer, dragged to his feet and thrown to the ground. It was not an isolated incident. From the video of a policeman seizing the man praying and throwing him to the ground outside Sydney Town Hall on Monday night. Dr Mohammed Mustafa, Instragram These scenes were confronting and should never have happened, Dib posted on social media on Tuesday. Dib, who is deeply distressed by the footage, says he has spoken to Minns, Police Minister Yasmin Catley and Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon to express the deep concerns of our community. His federal counterpart, Muslim MP Ed Husic, shared Dibs alarm. How is it that people engaged in peaceful prayer, Husic posted on Instagram, can be moved on faster, more forcibly than black-shirted neo-Nazis standing outside NSW parliament. (Husic was referring to the 60 neo-Nazis who rallied outside the gates of parliament house in November.) Advertisement Related Article Opinion Israeli-Palestinian conflict NSW anti-protest laws were rushed through to keep the peace. Theyve failed Ben Saul Challis Chair of International Law at Sydney University The states anti-protest laws that were rushed through on Christmas Eve after the horror of the December 14 mass killing at Bondi were, according to Minns repeated protestations, intended to provide safety to the state in the wake of Australias worst terrorist attack. They were also designed to give the Jewish community time to grieve after 15 innocent people were gunned down on the first night of Hanukkah. However, the most draconian anti-protest laws in the country have also had the devastating consequence of further cementing division in an already hurting city. Social cohesion is under threat and now Minns has to justify whether he has succeeded in balancing community safety with the fundamental democratic right to protest. He also has the heavy-handed actions of police to defend, which so far he has done without question. Minns did not ask Herzog to come to Sydney. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese extended the invitation after he had looked weak in the aftermath of the Bondi attack. But he had little choice. After shocking fumbles, Albanese was backed into a corner once Jeremy Leibler, the Zionist Federation of Australia president, urged Herzog to visit. Loading Advertisement The visit then became Minns problem. The purpose of Herzogs visit was to offer condolences to the families who lost love ones in Bondi, so Sydney was going to be the main port of call. Minns, fearful of a repeat of scenes at the Opera House just days after the Hamas massacre of Israelis on October 7, 2023, was determined to control Monday night. Late on Friday, Minns declared Herzogs visit a special event which gave police additional powers to close off designated areas and to order people to leave. He announced the move on Saturday (a quiet news day) and urged protesters to stay home. He also criticised the organisers insistence to start the rally at Town Hall, with a planned march to NSW Parliament House, rather than Hyde Park, which police had offered to protesters. Related Article Opinion Israeli-Palestinian conflict I marched against apartheid in South Africa. The Sydney protests triggered me Stephen Heydt Jewish Australian, retired psychologist Protests, by definition, are not meant to be convenient. The protesters were not going to adhere to demands from the premier. There were other complexities. Before Monday, the closely guarded itinerary of Herzog was known to only a select few and Minns fear was that thousands of marchers would finish their rally close to where Herzog was staying the Intercontinental, two blocks from Macquarie Street. This was a legitimate concern, although this hotel is regularly used for visiting foreign dignitaries who require strict security. Another concern, again unbeknown to most before Monday, was that 7000 Jewish mourners were invited to hear Herzog speak at the International Convention Centre. Minns was, understandably, anxious that the protesters and mourners could clash. That had the potential to be devastating. Advertisement But to expect protesters to abandon their plans was naive and unrealistic. Herzog is a controversial figure and despite his trip being intended to support the mourners, he did not steer away from overtly political statements. The protest was inevitable. Managing it became the only option. Many of the 7000 who protested did so peacefully. Palestine Action Group organiser Josh Lees, who led the march, is a serial protester. He told the crowd: We are going to take back our streets and demand freedom and humanity. Many then tried to break the police line in a bid to march. It turned ugly quickly and images of police manhandling some protesters spread. Related Article Exclusive Israeli-Palestinian conflict Herzog hopes visit marks new dawn for Israel-Australia relations Former Australian of the Year Grace Tame, who addressed the crowd, went too far, calling Australia a spineless colony of the United States. All the right-wing, fascist state of Israel has left now are lies, bombs and bloodlust, she screamed to the crowd. There are calls for her to be stripped of her Australia Day honour. This wont happen, but her behaviour was unbecoming of someone who has received such prestigious recognition. Advertisement Regardless, the actions of the police on Monday night should be reviewed. Officers were put in the impossible position of having to enforce the Minns governments special powers, which meant stopping an agitated crowd from marching in an increasing febrile environment. That, however, does not excuse the use of brute force that was captured by onlookers. Minns angrily argued that 10-second clips from the march were taken out of context. If so, he should show the public the vision that shows this. Sydney never wants to see such scenes again. As Dib said in his final remarks in his Tuesday statement: This is a city where people can express different views. Together we must be better than last night. Alexandra Smith is state political editor. Advertisement WorldEuropeEpstein fallout Staggering: Epstein files rock Europe, trigger criminal probe into French diplomat David Crowe February 12, 2026 6:05am Save 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 A A A London: A French diplomat has become the latest target in a slew of inquiries into prominent Europeans linked to Jeffrey Epstein, heightening concern about the sex offenders access to political and business leaders over more than a decade. The French government has asked public prosecutors to investigate Fabrice Aidan for a potential breach of criminal law after his ties to Epstein emerged in dozens of documents released by the US Department of Justice. French diplomat Fabrice Aidan is being investigated over his ties to Jeffrey Epstein. Getty Images Aidan, who worked at the United Nations as well as the French diplomatic corps, emailed Epstein to arrange visitors to his Paris or New York homes at times, and he was also involved in setting up a dinner with a minister from the United Arab Emirates. The latest documents also include an email from Aidan to Epstein that appeared to include a United Nations document, although the attachment has not been released. Advertisement Reuters said it could not reach Aidan for comment via his social media account and that his LinkedIn account appeared to have been deleted. The investigation into the French diplomat comes days after British police opened further inquiries into Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor after new information about his links to Epstein emerged in the US documents released on January 30. Epstein in an undated photo released by the US Department of Justice. AP Investigations are now under way in at least four countries Britain, France, Norway and Poland into people linked to Epstein. This does not include any ongoing investigations by the Department of Justice in the United States. This masthead is not asserting any wrongdoing by Aidan. The documents found in the latest files from the Department of Justice do not show any awareness by the French diplomat of Epsteins treatment of young women and his conviction in 2008 for sex with a minor. Aidans lawyer, Jade Dousselin, said in a statement to Reuters that her client rejected all the accusations. Advertisement Even so, the files reveal Aidans messages to Epstein after the American financier had been released from prison and home detention, and they highlight Epsteins ability to assemble influential networks. Related Article Epstein fallout How the Epstein files exposed the rich, the royal and the European elite An email in January 2011, for instance, suggests that Aidan invited United Arab Emirates Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah Bin Zayed to a dinner at Epsteins home. It is unclear whether the dinner took place. Epsteins interest in the UAE is a feature of several emails including messages in November 2010 from Mountbatten-Windsor, who said he had recently met Abdullah and wanted to introduce Epstein to the crown prince of the UAE. The former prince was a UK trade envoy at the time and was in Dubai on an official visit. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot described the documents as extremely serious and said he had launched an administrative investigation as well as referring the matter to prosecutors under the criminal code. Advertisement These emails, including the transfer of UN documents, are staggering, Barrot told French radio station RTL. View post on X An email from Aidan to Epstein in May 2012 appeared to include a United Nations document about Lebanon, although the attachment does not appear to have been released by the Department of Justice. Here it is, Aidan wrote to Epstein. The subject line was: 15th semi annual 1559 report. UN Security Council Resolution 1559 concerns the sovereignty of Lebanon. Some of the French diplomats emails are copied to Norwegian diplomat Terje Rd-Larsen, who maintained a long friendship with Epstein and is now facing a Norwegian inquiry into those ties. Advertisement Rd-Larsens wife, Mona Juul, who once served as Norways ambassador to the UN, has stepped down from her position in the foreign ministry after her name also emerged in the files. Norways investigations agency, kokrim, confirmed to Norwegian media that it had charged Juul with serious corruption and Rd-Larsen as an accessory to serious corruption. Investigators searched the couples home in Oslo on Monday. Norways then-ambassador to the United Nations Mona Juul in 2022. AP Lawyers for the couple said they were co-operating with the inquiry and that Rd-Larsen expected the charges to be dropped. With hundreds of emails being revealed over time from the latest Department of Justice files, public figures across Europe are under scrutiny or official investigation for being in contact with Epstein when he was known to be a convicted sex offender. Advertisement Norwegian Crown Princess Mette-Marit apologised last week for her friendship with Epstein, and former Norwegian prime minister Thorbjrn Jagland is under investigation. Jaglands lawyer, Anders Brosveet, said his client would co-operate with the investigation. He takes this matter very seriously, but wishes to emphasise that he believes there are no circumstances that constitute criminal liability, Brosveet said in a statement. Norways Crown Princess Mette-Marit at the Palace in Oslo, Norway, in 2024. AP In France, former culture minister Jack Lang is under investigation after the US files revealed a shared stake with Epstein in an offshore company based in the Caribbean. Lang, a socialist who was a minister in the 1980s and 1990s under president Francois Mitterrand, resigned as the head of the Arab World Institute in Paris. Advertisement Advertisement WorldNorth AmericaMass shooting Canadian school shooting suspect identified as 18-year-old Jesse Van Rootselaar David Ljunggren Updated February 12, 2026 1:33pm ,first published February 12, 2026 6:47am Save 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 A A A Ottawa: The suspect in a deadly school shooting in western Canada was an 18-year-old with mental health issues who killed her mother and step-brother before attacking her former school, police said, but investigators did not offer a motive for one of the worst mass slaughters in the countrys history. The killer, who police named as Jesse Van Rootselaar, died by suicide after the shooting in Tumbler Ridge, a remote community in the Pacific province of British Columbia. Police also revised the death toll down to nine from the initially reported 10, including Van Rootselaar. Two severely injured victims remain in hospital. Police at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School on Wednesday. AP We have a history of police attendance at the family residence. Some of those calls are related to mental health issues, Deputy Commissioner Dwayne McDonald, commander of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police in British Columbia, told a press conference on Wednesday (Ottawa time). McDonald said Van Rootselaar, a biological male who began to identify as female six years ago, had first killed her mother, Jennifer Strang, 39, and her 11-year-old step-brother at the family home. Advertisement Van Rootselaar then went to Tumbler Ridge Secondary School and shot a 39-year-old female teacher as well as three 12-year-old female students and two male students, one aged 12 and one aged 13. One victim was found in a stairwell, and the rest were found in the school library, McDonald said. We do believe the suspect acted alone ... it would be too early to speculate on motive, he told a press conference. McDonald said Van Rootselaar was not a current student at the school, having dropped out about four years ago. Police had seized a number of legally held weapons from the family home on previous visits, McDonald said, but the owner successfully petitioned for them to be returned. Two firearms a long gun and a modified handgun were recovered from the scene of the shooting. Van Rootselaar previously had a firearms licence, but it expired in 2024, McDonald said. Advertisement Canadians between the ages of 12 and 17 can obtain a minors firearms licence after taking a firearms safety course and passing tests. Loading Details of some of the victims began to slowly emerge on Thursday AEDT. Posting on Facebook, Abel Mwansa said his 12-year-old son, also named Abel, had died in the shooting. Our son went to school this morning and it happened that someone came to school with a GUN went to my kids classroom shot some kids and my son was killed too just like that, Mwansa wrote. Advertisement Pray for Tumbler Ridge Another woman, Shanon Dycke, said her 12-year-old niece, Kylie May Smith, was among the victims. Pray for the other families who have lost their child, or are waiting to hear news, she wrote on Facebook. Just pray for Tumbler Ridge. The London Telegraph identified one of the critically injured victims as 12-year-old Maya Gebala, who was shot by Van Rootselaar in the head and neck. Cia Edmonds, her mother, said the day had started as any other and ended with her sitting by her daughters bedside in the critical care unit of Vancouver Childrens Hospital. Advertisement She was a lucky one, I suppose, Edmonds wrote in an online message two hours after the shooting. Earlier in the day, a visibly upset Prime Minister Mark Carney promised Canadians would get through what he called a terrible shooting. Carney, who has postponed a trip to Europe, said he had ordered flags on all government buildings be flown at half-mast for the next seven days, while British Columbia declared Thursday (Canadian time) as a day of mourning We will get through this. We will learn from this, he told reporters, at one point looking close to tears. Advertisement But right now, its a time to come together, as Canadians always do in these situations, these terrible situations, to support each other, to mourn together and to grow together. Several prominent world leaders sent messages of condolence. King Charles, Canadas head of state, said he was profoundly shocked and saddened by the deaths. Students locked down Shelley Quist said her 17-year-old son, Darian, was on lockdown in the school for more than two hours. The provincial government website lists Tumbler Ridge Secondary School as having 175 students in grades 7 to 12. Advertisement The grade sevens and eights, I think, were upstairs in the library, and thats where the shooter went, she said. Her son was in the library just 15 minutes prior to the attack. Quist was working at a nearby hospital when the shooting started. Students leave the school after being locked down for more than two hours. AP I was about to go run down to the school, but my coworker held me back. And then I was able to get Darian on the phone to know he was OK, she said. Darian Quist said he knew the attack was real when the principal came down the halls and ordered doors to be closed. He said fellow students texted him pictures of blood while he remained locked down in a classroom. Advertisement We used the desk to block the doors, he said. Canada has stricter gun laws than the United States, but the shooting ranks among the deadliest in Canadian history. In April 2020, a 51-year-old man disguised in a police uniform and driving a fake police car shot and killed 22 people in a 13-hour rampage in the Atlantic province of Nova Scotia, before police killed him at a gas station. In Canadas worst school shooting, in December 1989, a gunman killed 14 female students and wounded 13 at the Ecole Polytechnique in Montreal, Quebec, before killing himself. Theres not a word in the English language thats strong enough to describe the level of devastation that this community has experienced, said Larry Neufeld, a local provincial legislator. Advertisement Its going to take a significant amount of effort and a significant amount of courage to repair that terror, he told CBC News. Reuters Lifeline 13 11 14. Beyond Blue 1300 22 4636. Get a note directly from our foreign correspondents on whats making headlines around the world. Sign up for our weekly What in the World newsletter. Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Share More: Mass shooting Canada Korea's #1 Derma Cosmetic Brand Expands US Presence as Demand for Clinical-Grade Skincare Accelerates NEW YORK, Feb. 11, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Mediheal, the Korean derma cosmetic brand, known for its science-backed, results-driven formulas and treatment essentials, is expanding its US retail footprint with a nationwide rollout of its PDRN Collection, with a rollout in more than 1,400 Ulta Beauty stores on February 11th, 2026. Mediheal PDRN Collection The launch introduces the popular collection to Ulta Beauty shoppers, including the PDRN Lifting Pad , PDRN Lifting Serum , and Rose PDRN Essential Sheet Mask , formulated with Vegan PDRN derived from Rose. Unlike traditional animal-derived PDRN, Rose-based PDRN features a significantly smaller molecular structure, allowing for deeper and faster skin absorption. The high-performance line has seen high demand since its debut in Korea, earning coveted status for its visible pore-tightening, lifting, and skin-renewing benefits and results, further building upon the brand's status as a leader in the K-beauty space. Building on the global success of its toner padswith over 32 million units sold worldwideMediheal's expansion into Ulta Beauty meets the surging US demand for high-efficacy, clinical-grade skincare. By bringing its most successful Korean innovations to Ulta Beauty, Mediheal continues to accelerate its global expansion and strengthen its position as a leader in next-generation skincare. A representative for Mediheal expands on the brand's latest collection launching at Ulta Beauty, bringing efficacious Korean skincare formulas to the forefront of high-demand US retailers, by sharing, "US consumers are increasingly looking beyond brand names and gravitating toward high-performance skincare that delivers tangible resultsparticularly in strengthening the skin barrier and preventing signs of aging. We're excited to make Mediheal's derma-powered pore and firming care, backed by our advanced dermatological technology, easily accessible at Ulta Beauty stores nationwide." Mediheal's expansion follows its unrivaled dominance in South Korea, where it reigns as the #1 best-selling skincare brand at Olive Youngoutperforming a highly competitive field of over 3,000 brands for two consecutive years. Mediheal's PDRN Collection is available to shop online at UltaBeauty.com and in-store at select Ulta Beauty stores. About Mediheal Mediheal is a globally recognized skincare brand known for its science-driven approach to targeted skin solutions. Best known for its category-defining sheet masks and innovative skincare essentials, Mediheal combines advanced dermatological research with high-performance ingredients to address a wide range of skin concerns. With a commitment to accessible, results-oriented skincare, the brand continues to lead the evolution of modern K-beauty worldwide. SOURCE Mediheal Study finds childhood war exposure leaves lasting pain A U.S. Air Force North American F-100D Super Sabre in flight over a target in South Vietnam. Photo: National Museum of the U.S. Air Force Children who experience malevolent wartime living conditions, and wartime violence in particular, are more likely than adolescents or young adults to develop chronic pain later in life, according to a new study by a UB researcher. The paper, published in the Journal of Health and Social Behavior, provides new insights into warfares lifelong health consequences, particularly for noncombatants, with critical policy implications related to post-war recovery efforts. Psychological distress and PTSD are elevated for children and account for a substantial proportion of increased pain prevalence among those exposed to war, says Rui Huang, a graduate student in the Department of Sociology and Criminology, and the papers corresponding author. Post-war recovery efforts should recognize this concern in ways that help policymakers develop effective programs. Reducing distress and PTSD could meaningfully reduce chronic pain and related disability later in life. Because war affects people differently across age cohorts, Huang says interventions should be both culturally and age appropriate. For those who were of primary or secondary school age during wartime, strengthening educational access and quality during and after the conflict may help prevent negative outcomes later in life, says Huang. For those who were young children during wartime, interventions that promote healthy coping may be especially beneficial, given that children are more likely to adopt unhealthy behavioral responses to war, such as tobacco use. War exposure generates risk factors that can disrupt socioeconomic trajectories and instigate unhealthy coping behaviors. But it also produces often overlooked resilience factors that may promote better health, such as social engagement. Huangs study looked at both risk and resilience to examine chronic pain as an outcome and how the pathways vary with age cohort. Although more than a quarter of the worlds 400 million children live in war-affected areas, studies on the long-term health consequences of war often concentrate on veterans in Western countries. Those studies rarely address chronic pain, a leading cause of disability worldwide that has greater personal and societal costs than any other prevalent chronic condition. Huangs research used data from the 2018 Vietnam Health and Aging Study (VHAS), a longitudinal study that explores the long-term social and health impacts of the American war on the Vietnamese population to document how early-life exposure contributes to enduring pain. VHAS involved face-to-face interviews with 2,447 men and women in three provinces purposely chosen because they represent different spectrums of war exposure and bombing intensity. War generates both risks and resilience, so its important for policymakers to not only address health risks, but to also invest in promoting survivors resilience, which may yield long-lasting benefits, says Huang. The strikingly high overall prevalence of pain among older Vietnamese suggests an urgent need for pain prevention and management in Vietnam and in other conflict-affected countries with similar histories of mass military mobilization, she says. By Tejaswini Apte-Rahm Published by Westland Business 273 pages 699 Tatyasaheb: The Story of a Bombay Entrepreneur is the biography of Vaman Shridhar Apte, also known as Vaman Seth or Tatyasaheb, written by his great-granddaughter Tejaswini Apte-Rahm. Ms Apte-Rahm looks at the legacy built by Tatya and gives her readers a story of his rise and growth in the business world. At the same time, she also paints a picture of the period in which he lived and worked, thus making it an account not just of the single life, but of an entire bygone era. Ms Apte-Rahm begins the narrative with Tatyas family background and also sets the scene of what Mumbai then Bombay was like in 1869 when Tatyas father arrived there with his family. After a few years of initially moving away from the city, Tatya returned to Mumbai in 1892, a period of boom in the textiles business. Ms Apte-Rahm devotes two chapters to his return and subsequent rise to prominence in the textile industry despite starting with little capital and suffering initial losses. The next two chapters detail Tatyas other business ventures: Production of silent films under the banner of (mainly) Hindustan Film Company and later, in his 50s, his foray into the sugar industry. She also dedicates one chapter to the less successful ventures such as in the oil and paper industry. Tatya comes across as a man with an even temper who was not averse to taking risks and was a good judge of character. He also had a knack for managing people and situations. This is reflected in his successful dealings with people from various walks of life, from Marwari and Gujarati businessmen to the Englishmen with whom he did business. His frayed but working relationship, and the ultimate break with Dadasaheb Phalke, the father of Indian cinema who was a genius with a mercurial temperament, also makes for an interesting reading experience in the chapter on silent films. Ms Apte-Rahm broadens the scope of the biography by situating Tatya in a world that was moving and changing alongside him. For instance, in the first chapter we get a sense of Mumbai as it was when Tatyas father brought his family there a bustling city with a population of close to 8,00,000, which could boast of railways and wide roads, but whose poor lived in congested and unsanitary conditions. The working of cotton mills and the textile business as well as a substantially detailed history of silent films and how they were produced, especially by Hindustan Film Company in keeping with the limitations and restrictions of the time provide an immersive experience. Because the primary focus of the biography is on Tatya as an entrepreneur, chapters on his personal life titled The Family and Tatya and Kaku (Tatyas wife) are placed towards the end of the book. In the vein of the previous chapters, these sections provide readers not just a portrait of his family members and family-life but also situate them within the wider socio-cultural contexts and practices, such as coveting a male child, the rigid ideas of food and eating in an orthodox Brahmin household and so on. Choosing an entrepreneurial lens also means that the political currents of the time, including the Independence movement, stay in the background, converging only when they directly impact or shape Tatyas work. This is reflected in Tatyas decision to invest in Phalkes films only because of a letter of recommendation by Lokmanya Tilak, or in the impact of independence and the subsequent merger of princely states with India on Phaltan Sugar Works. The author has made use of many formal and informal sources of information about the subject of her biography. As she writes in A Note on this Biography, her father translated many documents from Marathi to English and accompanied her to multiple locations where Tatya had either lived or had business dealings. She also used old photographs, and researched at the National Film Archive in Pune and various libraries. She has provided a substantial number of photographs and also included two appendices at the end of the book. The first Appendix provides information related to Tatyas textile business for a period of close to 20 years, while the second appendix provides a filmography of the Hindustan Film Company. This detailed research reflects in Tatyasaheb, elevating it from the status of the anecdotal life-story of a glorious relative. In 2022, Ms Apte-Rahm published a novel, The Secret of More, which was inspired by Tatyas life. While The Secret of More is as much a portrait of the businessman as of the man and the people in his life, Tatyasaheb views Tatyas life from the lens of his entrepreneurship, with everything else providing a rich and layered background. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Wednesday said that the government has envisaged a total expenditure of 53.47 trillion for the next financial year, up 7.7 per cent from the current fiscal ending March 31. According to the revised estimate, the size of the Budget for the current fiscal is 49.64 lakh crore, lower from 50.65 trillion estimated in February 2025. The Budget for fiscal 2024-25 was at 46.52 trillion. Total expenditure is pegged at 53.47 trillion in the next fiscal, much more than tax receipts, she said in reply to a discussion on the Union Budget in the Lok Sabha. The government aims for tax receipts of 44.04 lakh crore, 8 per cent higher than the previous year. Talking about capex, she said, the government has made the highest-ever allocation of 12.2 trillion, which is 4.4 per cent of the GDP. Besides, she said, the government is following the fiscal discipline and has projected the fiscal deficit at 4.3 per cent of the GDP or 16.95 trillion for FY27. To finance the fiscal deficit, the net market borrowings from dated securities are estimated at 11.7 trillion. The balance financing is expected to come from small savings and other sources. The gross market borrowings are estimated at 17.2 lakh crore. She further said that the focus on the reduction of the debt-to-GDP ratio is part of the Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management (FRBM). To strive towards accepted standards of fiscal management, in Budget 2025-26, she had indicated that the central government would target reaching a debt-to-GDP ratio of 501 per cent by 2030-31. In line with this, the debt-to-GDP ratio is estimated to be 55.6 per cent of GDP in BE 2026-27, compared to 56.1 per cent of GDP in RE 2025-26. A declining debt-to-GDP ratio will gradually free up resources for priority sector expenditure by reducing the outgo on interest payments. Debunking claims of a shortage of fertilisers in the country, she said, there is enough for farmers, and the government has made a budgetary allocation of 1.71 trillion for its import to support farmers. Sitharaman also gave a point by point rebuttal to Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi's claims that India has buckled under US pressure while signing the interim trade agreement with Washington. Echoing sentiments of Union Minister Kiren Rijiju, the Finance Minister said, "Koi mai ka laal paida nahi hua jo humare desh ko bech de ya kharid le (no one has the audacity to sell or buy out India)." She said that in fact it was the Congress-led UPA government which surrendered before the World Trade Orgasnisation and sold the poor and the farmers. In her response, she also targeted the TMC government in West Bengal, saying it's bombs that prevail, not the law in the state. Ruing the poor law and order situation in the state, she said West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, instead of improving it, is asking women to stay indoors at night. West Bengal goes to elections in the next two months. The state had tabled a 8.08 trillion Budget for FY26. Tabled by state Finance Minister Suresh Khanna in Vidhan Sabha, the Budget allocates 12.4 per cent, 9 per cent and 6 per cent for education, agriculture and medical sectors, respectively. Besides this, the Budget has provided liberal grants toward infrastructure projects, with the capital expenditure pegged at 19.5 per cent. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said the Budget allocated more than 43,000 crore for new projects, while 2 trillion have been provided for capex to create fresh infrastructure. In his post-budget media briefing, the chief minister said the Budget was dedicated to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's ambitious 'Vikshit Bharat@2047 Mission' and to position Uttar Pradesh as Indias growth engine. Uttar Pradesh has transformed from a BIMARU (economically laggard) state to a breakthrough state. The Budget will actualise people's aspirations, foster public welfare, attract investment, generate jobs for youth, empower women, and give wings to our goal of making the state a $1 trillion economy by 2030, he added. The state's fiscal deficit is estimated at 1.18 trillion, which is 2.98 per cent of the year's estimated gross state domestic product (GSDP), thus taming it below the mandated Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management (FRBM) norm of less than 3 per cent. Due to robust fiscal management in the last nine years, we have brought down the state's public debt ratio, curbed tax leakages while refraining from imposing fresh tax, the CM noted. He announced that a women entrepreneur credit card scheme is being launched, and marketing centres modelled on the SHE Mart Mission will be developed apart from hostels for working women. The chief minister said that in nine years, UP's Budget quantum has increased three-folds for the country's most populous state. Earlier, Khanna, while presenting the Budget, said UPs nominal GSDP was estimated at 30.25 trillion in 2024-25, which was a growth of 13.4 per cent over the previous financial year 2023-24. The states GSDP is estimated to touch 36 trillion in 2025-26. The total estimated receipts in the Budget are to the tune of 8.48 trillion, of which revenue receipts pertain to 7.29 trillion and capital account receipts of 1.19 trillion. The share of tax revenue in UP's revenue receipts is estimated at 6.03 trillion, including the state's own tax revenue of 3.34 trillion and its share in central taxes at roughly 2.69 trillion. The total expenditure in 2026-27 is pegged at more than 9.12 trillion, including 6.64 trillion in revenue expenditure and 2.48 trillion in capital expenditure. The Budget estimates revenue savings of more than 64,457 crore. The revenue collection target from excise duty has been set at 71,278 crore, while the stamp and registration kitty is estimated at 43,802 crore per budgetary estimates. A provision of 400 crore has been made for electric buses and 150 crore for construction of bus terminals. After coming to power, our government inherited a high public debt ratio of 29.3 per cent in 2016-17, which was reduced to 27.9 per cent in 2019-20. However, it increased to 33.4 per cent in 2021-22 owing to the Covid-19 pandemic, Khanna underlined. The state government successfully tamed public debt below 27 per cent in 2024-25, while in the next financial year 2026-27, it is targeted at 23.1 per cent. UPs per capita income, which was 54,564 in 2016-17, increased to 1,09,844 in 2024-25, and is estimated to touch 120,000 in the current financial year 2025-26. The finance minister underscored that UP has emerged as a mobile phone manufacturing hub, accounting for almost 65 per cent of the domestic production. Almost 55 per cent of Indias electronics components units are situated in UP, and the state accounts for 44,744 crore worth of exports. Under the present dispensation, memorandum of understanding (MoUs) totalling 50 trillion have been signed with investors with a potential of a million job opportunities, he informed. Of these, more than 16,000 projects worth 15 trillion have already been launched in four groundbreaking ceremonies in the state. Meanwhile, the Budget has provided 65,926 crore for the energy sector, which is 8 per cent higher than 2025-2026. It makes a provision of 27,103 crore for infrastructure and industrial development schemes, while civil aviation gets 2,111 crore. A provision of 5,000 crore has been dedicated to the 'Mukhyamantri Industrial Area Expansion and New Industrial Area Promotion Scheme'. Under the 'Swami Vivekanand Yuva Sashaktikaran Yojana', the distribution of tablets and smartphones has received 2,374 crore. Under the Atal Infrastructure Mission, a provision of 2,000 crore has been made for infrastructure development. Similarly, 100 crore has been provided for the implementation of the Incentive Policy 2023 announced for Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and investments from Fortune-500 companies. A provision of 3,822 crore has been given for the MSME sector, which is 19 per cent higher compared to 2025-2026. For the upliftment of handloom and power loom weavers, a provision of 4,423 crore is proposed for the 'Atal Bihari Vajpayee Powerloom Bunker Vidyut Flat Rate Yojana'. Moreover, 2,059 crore has been provided for the IT and electronics sector even as the rural development schemes get 25,500 crore. To promote the use of artificial intelligence (AI), the Uttar Pradesh AI Mission has been given 225 crore. A provision of 34,468 crore has been made for the construction and maintenance of roads and bridges. At a glance Aditya Birla Group s hospitality arm, Aditya Birla New Age Hospitality (ABNAH), on Wednesday announced a strategic partnership with JOE & THE JUICE to launch and operate the international Danish cafe brand in India. This marks Aditya Birla Groups foray into scalable food services format as part of its strategy to build a comprehensive portfolio of brands in this category, straddling across occasions and price points, the company said in a statement. Aditya Birla Group has a portfolio of food services brands, comprising international brands like Yauatcha, Hakkasan and Nara Thai, and home-grown brands such as CinCin, Ode, Waarsa and Supa San. The first flagship JOE & THE JUICE store is targeted to open in the second half of 2026. Founded in Copenhagen in 2002, JOE & THE JUICE has a presence in more than 480 locations across Europe, the US, the Middle East, Africa and Asia. Aryaman Vikram Birla, Director, Aditya Birla Management Corporation and Founder of ABNAH, said: India is at an inflection point of consumption, led by structural tailwinds of rising discretionary spending, favourable demographics and premiumisation. The Aditya Birla Group has been expanding across diverse consumer businesses including fashion and lifestyle, food services, jewellery, paints, and digital-first brands. Anchored in deep insights, category understanding, and operational efficiencies, the Group is well placed to build and scale differentiated brands for Indias aspiring consumers. He added, We believe that JOE & THE JUICE is uniquely positioned at the convergence of health, convenience, and experience. It squarely fits into our strategy for the hospitality business and sets a strong foundation for scalable formats. Pet parents can shower their sweetheart with free treats, a photo moment and more this Feb. 14 PHOENIX, Feb. 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- PetSmart is celebrating the special bond between pets and their parents with a free, in-store Valentine's Day Party open to all pets.* As pet parents prepare for Valentine's Day, pets are stealing hearts across the country, with Gen Z (51%) and Millennials (41%) preferring to spend time with their pets rather than their partner on the holiday.** Shop PetSmart's full Valentine's Day collection online at PetSmart.com and in-stores. Credit: PetSmart Stop by any PetSmart store on February 14 from 12 2 p.m. to enjoy sweet treats, photos and paws-itively adorable Valentine's Day paw print cards. Pets are invited to dress their best for swoon-worthy photos with festive props and a backdrop, available for self-capture with the help of PetSmart associates. Pet parents can also enjoy decorating cards with their Valentine and treating them to yummy treats/freebies for guilt-free indulgence, plus receive an in-store only $5 off coupon.*** "Pet parents don't just love their pets; they see them as family," said Bradley Breuer, senior vice president of marketing at PetSmart. "PetSmart's Valentine's Day Party and collection is our way of helping pet parents say, 'I love you' in their pet's love language. Valentine's Day is a chance for pet parents to indulge the pets who give them so much love, and experience a little extra joy together." To help capture photos that will melt hearts, PetSmart has tips for pets to be camera-ready: Practice makes purr-fect: Take photos at home ahead of time to ease any picture-day jitters and introduce pets to their new accessory or outfit ahead of time. Take photos at home ahead of time to ease any picture-day jitters and introduce pets to their new accessory or outfit ahead of time. Dress for the occasion: Make them even cuter with pajamas, a cozy robe or a simple collar or bandana. Spoil your pup with a Valentine's Salon special at PetSmart, including premium shampoo, brightening face wash, seasonal spritz, a bandana and coupon. Make them even cuter with pajamas, a cozy robe or a simple collar or bandana. Spoil your pup with a Valentine's Salon special at PetSmart, including premium shampoo, brightening face wash, seasonal spritz, a bandana and coupon. Get their energy out: A quick play session or lap around the store can help pets get their energy out so they are more relaxed during photo time. A quick play session or lap around the store can help pets get their energy out so they are more relaxed during photo time. Sit, stay, swoon: Keep pets focused (and smiling) during their photo session by holding their attention with a favorite toy. Keep pets focused (and smiling) during their photo session by holding their attention with a favorite toy. Spoil them after with lots of love: As a post-photo reward, have something new on hand like an extra special treat to give them some extra love for being the best Valentine. Pet parents can also browse PetSmart's Valentine's Day collection for a last-minute gift to their fur-ever Valentines. From snuggly robes and pajamas, inspired toys and treats, and adorable accessories, the collection is a one-stop shop to spoil any sweetheart. When Treats Rewards members shop Valentine's Day products through February 15, they'll earn bonus perks with 2X Treats Rewards points. For more information on the free Valentine's Day Party and to browse the full collection, visit PetSmart.com. *Pets are allowed in PetSmart stores in accordance with the in-store pet policy located here; https://www.petsmart.com/help/about-petsmart-H0013b.html and https://www.petsmart.ca/help/about-petsmart-H0013b.html **The PetSmart Survey was conducted among a sample of 2,016 adults 18 years of age and older, among whom 1,422 were pet parents. This survey was live on January 14-18, 2026. Quota sampling is used to collect a nationwide sample of respondents who are weighted by gender, age, region, race/ethnicity, and education to mirror the demographical composition of the U.S. population using Current Population Survey proportions. ***Free items and/or gifts are available while supplies last and distributed on a first-come, first-served basis. About PetSmart PetSmart is the leading omni-channel pet retailer in North America with a mission to help everyone experience more joy with pets. The company offers a compelling assortment of pet care essentials, exclusive brands and must-have items for each season, along with expert pet services. With nearly 1,700 stores across the U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico plus a seamless shopping experience at PetSmart.com and through the PetSmart app PetSmart's convenient shopping options are complete with autoship, same-day delivery and in-store pickup. Expert services include a professional grooming salon in every store, veterinary care in more than 700 locations, pet training, and Doggie Day Camp and PetsHotel overnight boarding in many locations. The PetSmart Treats Rewards loyalty program provides value to pet parents through personalized offers and points on every purchase that can be used for future savings. PetSmart and PetSmart Charities have a long-standing commitment to supporting pets and people in the communities they serve, and PetSmart Charities is the largest funder of animal welfare in North America. Together, they are proud to have helped more than 11 million pets find loving homes through in-store pet adoption programs. For more information, visit PetSmart.com. SOURCE PetSmart Akasa Air's Co-founder and Chief Commercial Officer Praveen Iyer has resigned, marking the second high-level exit at the over three-year-old airline in four months. In a statement on Wednesday, the airline said that after a remarkable five- year journey, Iyer has decided to move on to begin the next chapter of his life. He will partner closely with the leadership team to ensure a smooth and structured transition through April 30, 2026, it added. Iyer is the second Co-founder after Neelu Khatri to leave the airline, which started flying from August 7, 2022. Khatri stepped down in October 2025. Iyer is also part of the airline's Executive Committee. Now, Akasa Air has four Co-founders -- Aditya Ghosh, Anand Srinivasan, Belson Coutinho and Bhavin Joshi. Vinay Dube is the Founder and CEO of the airline. Currently, the airline has 33 Boeing 737 MAX aircraft. The Bombay High Court has stayed recovery proceedings against Gateway Terminals India in a Rs 170 crore goods and services tax (GST) dispute after the company was denied input tax credit on licence fees paid to the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT). GST input tax credit (ITC) allows businesses to adjust tax paid on purchases against the liability on their outward supplies. Denial of ITC can significantly increase costs for companies operating under long-term infrastructure and concession agreements. A division bench comprising Justices G.S. Kulkarni and Aarti Sathe, in an interim order dated February 4, asked the tax department not to take any further recovery steps against the company until the next hearing on March 4, 2026. Gateway Terminals, a joint venture between JNPT and Container Corporation of India, operates a container terminal at JNPT under a 30-year licensing arrangement. It pays licence charges for the right to use port infrastructure and has been discharging indirect taxes first service tax and later GST on such payments. The dispute arose after tax authorities rejected the companys claim for ITC on the grounds that the underlying transaction did not qualify as a service eligible for credit under GST law. The department also denied a refund of tax already paid on the same transaction. Appearing for Gateway Terminals, Abhishek A Rastogi, founder of Rastogi Chambers, argued that the departments stand was contradictory. He submitted that the authorities were denying ITC by claiming the transaction was not a service, while simultaneously refusing to refund tax collected on that very transaction. "The core issue before the court is whether the department can, on the one hand, deny ITC by asserting that the transaction is not a service, and on the other hand, also deny refund of the tax collected on that very transaction," Rastogi argued, adding that such a stand goes against the principle of revenue neutrality. The court issued a notice to the respondents and directed the government to file its reply affidavit within three weeks. Bengaluru-headquartered Brigade Group has strengthened its presence in Kerala with the launch of the World Trade Center (WTC) and Brigade Square in Thiruvananthapuram, deepening its play in the states commercial real estate market. The WTC, located at Technopark Phase I in Kazhakootam, is positioned as a marquee office development aimed at attracting global occupiers. The tower will comprise 20 floors, along with a ground floor and four basement levels, and is designed to function as an integrated business hub. Brigade said the project is intended to bolster the capital citys IT ecosystem and enhance its appeal as an investment destination for multinational corporations and global capability centres (GCCs). Alongside the WTC, the developer has also launched Brigade Square, a 1.85 lakh sq ft IT office building situated near Technoparks Park Centre. The project is expected to cater to growing demand from technology firms and allied sectors seeking Grade A office space in the region. "Our commitment to Kerala is driven by the states exceptional talent pool and its emerging potential as a primary growth engine for South India. By bringing world-class landmarks like the World Trade Center to Thiruvananthapuram and expanding our presence in Kochi, we are creating a sustainable ecosystem that will attract global investment and redefine the state's industrial landscape for decades to come, said M R Jaishankar, Executive Chairman, Brigade Enterprises. The WTC will be an iconic building which will enhance Technoparks ecosystem. We are also planning to expand in Infopark Kochi by adding another tower to the existing WTC, which will make it a total of one million sq ft of IT office space, including the existing operational towers at WTC, Kochi, added Jaishankar. The city has good connectivity and talent pool for companies to thrive and Technopark offers many opportunities with availability of land and space. Moreover, the new IT Policy will outline the incentives for the industry. The land shortage issue in Infopark Kochi can be sorted out with changes in policy, Sandip Kumar, IAS, CEO of Technopark, said. Echoing this outlook, Hrishikesh Nair, President, WTC, outlined the Groups broader roadmap for expanding IT infrastructure in Thiruvananthapuram. He said the planned developments aim to create a comprehensive ecosystem that can attract and support global companies looking to establish and grow their presence in Kerala. India's JSW Motors, part of billionaire Sajjan Jindal's JSW Group, has warned that its first car launch could be delayed unless New Delhi fast-tracks licences to import parts from China, according to a letter reviewed by Reuters. JSW Motors is investing $3 billion in its carmaking venture and plans to make hybrid and electric vehicles in the western state of Maharashtra. It plans to initially use imported components while building a local supply chain. JSW Group, a diversified conglomerate best known for its steel and cement businesses, plans to launch its first car via JSW Motors in the second half of this year. But the rollout risks being delayed due to India's quality control rules that require all overseas suppliers to obtain a certification from local authorities before importing goods into the country. JSW has written to India's industries ministry urging it to expedite approval for its Chinese suppliers of safety glass, including windshields and sunroofs. The suppliers were chosen after an "exhaustive exploration" of domestic and global options, the company said. "We require to import some of the components for the planned vehicles through (an) import route as the same is not available on a 'off-the-shelf' basis with Indian automotive suppliers," the company said in its December 18 letter to the ministry. JSW and India's industries ministry did not respond to emailed requests for comment. JSW's request to the ministry and the impact of the approval delays on its new car launch have not been previously reported. SCRUTINY ON GOODS, INVESTMENTS FROM CHINA Introduced in 2020 to curb low-quality imports, especially from China, India's quality control rules have irritated foreign companies because the process can take several months and add to costs. Analysts say there are deep-seated concerns about imports and investment from China because of fraught political relations between the two nations after a border clash in 2020. While New Delhi-Beijing relations are improving, Biswajit Dhar, a trade economist and former professor at Jawaharlal Nehru University, said it will take time for the situation to fully recover. "The government will take measured steps," he said. "It just cannot rush to do something really big with China when we are negotiating a big trade deal with the US" The ministry has yet to respond to JSW's letter, a source with direct knowledge of the matter said, declining to be identified ??because the situation is confidential. JSW is trying to find alternative suppliers in Germany and Vietnam, but sourcing from those countries would be costlier and raise the car's price, the source said. JSW has long sought to sell its own branded cars and is in discussions with Chery Automobile about a technology partnership that would allow the Indian company to tap the Chinese automaker's know-how to make vehicles locally. The firm also holds a stake in Chinese automaker SAIC Motor's India venture, now called JSW MG Motor India, which has struggled to grow due to New Delhi's restrictions on investments from China. Mrinank Sharma, an artificial intelligence (AI) safety engineer at Anthropic, resigned from the much sought-after position to pursue his passion for poetry. In his resignation note shared on social media platform X, Sharma said, "The world is in peril. And not just from Al, or bioweapons, but from a whole series of interconnected crises unfolding in this very moment." "We appear to be approaching a threshold where our wisdom must grow in equal measure to our capacity to affect the world, lest we face the consequences," he added. Who is Mrinank Sharma? Mrinank Sharma was the lead of the Safeguards Research Team at Anthropic. Before joining the company, he completed a PhD in Statistical Machine Learning at the University of Oxford. Sharma has also mentored projects outside Anthropic through programmes such as MATS and Anthropic Fellows. Apart from research, he writes poetry and has cited Bohemian poet Rainer Maria Rilke as a major influence. He has also published a poetry collection. What was Sharma's role at Anthropic? At Anthropic, Sharma worked on AI safety. His work included studying AI sycophancy and its causes, developing safeguards to reduce risks from AI-assisted bioterrorism, implementing those safeguards, and writing one of the early AI safety cases. Reflecting on his time at the company, he wrote, I arrived in San Francisco two years ago, having wrapped up my PhD and wanting to contribute to AI safety. I feel lucky to have been able to contribute to what I have here, he wrote. Thank you for your trust. Nevertheless, it is clear to me that the time has come to move on, he said. Why Sharma left Anthropic In his resignation note dated February 9, Sharma said the world is facing serious crises. Sharma also said he had seen how difficult it can be to let values fully guide actions. He wrote that he observed this struggle within himself, within the organisation, and in society more broadly. He said he now wants to contribute in a way that feels "fully aligned with his integrity" and allows him to explore questions that feel essential to him. Are AI assistants distorting humanity? In January this year, Sharma co-authored a research paper titled 'Whos in Charge? Disempowerment Patterns in Real-World LLM Usage'. The study looked at 1.5 million real conversations on Claude.ai, considered as one of the biggest studies so far on how humans interact with AI. The researchers found serious risks of users feeling controlled or overly dependent on AI. The detailed findings also showed some worrying patterns. In some cases, the AI appeared to support users persecution beliefs or exaggerated self-views using overly agreeable language. Drawing attention to his last project at Anthropic, Sharma said he was especially proud of helping strengthen internal transparency mechanisms and his final project on understanding how "AI assistants could make humans less human or distort humanity". Anthropic's Claude plug-ins triggered selloffs Anthropic recently introduced 11 plug-ins that allow Claude Cowork, its generative AI workspace, to automate work across legal, sales, marketing and data analysis, including tasks traditionally handled by platforms like Salesforce or ServiceNow. The advances in AI spooked investors and raised concerns over increased automation, triggering a sell-off on Wall Street and causing a sharp fall in IT stocks earlier this month. On February 4, the Nifty IT index plummeted 5.87 per cent, the steepest intraday fall since March 23, 2020. By Jonathan Tirone Elon Musks Starlink satellite constellation violates international law while blurring the line between commercial and military technologies, Iranian and Russian diplomats said at a United Nations meeting. The illegal operation of Starlink in Iran violates the nations sovereignty and amounts to unauthorized military use of a commercial satellite mega-constellation, read a statement delivered by the Islamic Republic late Monday at a UN scientific meeting in Vienna. The Kremlins delegation suggested SpaceXs network could be in violation of a provision of the 1967 Outer Space Treaty, ratified by the US and more than 100 other countries, requiring satellite operators to take into account the interests of other space actors. Having large networks run by private companies is hardly in line with the interest of the long-term sustainability of outer space activities and use of outer space, the Russian statement added. The criticism at the meeting of the UNs Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space shows how Starlink is upending geopolitics as usual. SpaceX, which operates the network of some 9,600 satellites, didnt immediately respond to a request for comment. The Starlink service has become a key communication link for Ukrainians fighting against Russias invasion, as well as Iranian opposition forces that took to the streets last month. Even though Starlink is technically illegal in Iran, an estimated 50,000 terminals have been smuggled into the country in recent years. Those connections allowed protesters to coordinate activities even as authorities blacked out other forms of communication. The Vienna meeting isnt the only UN forum where Iran has taken its fight against SpaceX. Tehran has also argued at the Geneva-based International Telecommunication Union, the UNs agency for digital technologies, that the network violates rules prohibiting use of telecom services not authorized by national governments. Russia is demanding international negotiations aimed at limiting the number of new satellites, as well as clarification of the military use of satellite frequencies registered for commercial purposes. The use of mega-constellations is focused in the hands of private companies and this is hardly in line with the interest of the long-terms sustainability of outer space, according to Russias statement. SpaceX is currently consulting with banks before launching an initial public offering expected to raise as much as $50 billion. Department store chain Shoppers Stop on Tuesday appointed Pankaj Chaturvedi as its new chief financial officer (CFO), effective April 1, 2026. He will replace Karunakaran Mohanasundaram, who has served as the companys finance chief since 2018. Mohanasundaram is stepping down to pursue opportunities outside the organisation, the company stated. The leadership transition comes at a challenging time for Indias retail sector, which is facing intensifying competition from both online and offline players, along with signs of moderating consumer spending. As per a Reuters report, Shoppers Stop reported a sharp 69 per cent decline in its third-quarter profit, underscoring the challenges confronting the Indian retail industry. Who is Pankaj Chaturvedi? Pankaj Chaturvedi is currently the CFO at Saregama India Ltd. He brings extensive experience from the telecom sector, having previously held senior positions at Vodafone and Reliance Jio. At Vodafone, he served as head of National Business Finance. A chartered accountant by profession, Chaturvedi holds a Masters degree in Commerce with a specialisation in Accounting and Finance from Gujarat University. Being a finance professional for 19 years, Chaturvedi holds expertise in core accounting, planning, business partnering, treasury and risk assurance. He also served as CFO at Go Airlines (India) until April 10, 2022. In his earlier stints, he has also worked at Hitchati. Shoppers Stop's stock performance After the announcement of the new CFO, Shoppers Stops stock ended Tuesday, February 10, at 409.2 on the NSE, up 2.2 per cent or 8.8 from the previous close, as per National Stock Exchange (NSE) data. Over the past five years, the retailer has generated returns of more than 94 per cent for investors. However, the stock has fallen 31 per cent in the last one year, according to a Mint report. In a move that will reshape its presence in the global TV market, Sony recently agreed to transfer operational control of its television and home audio business to Chinas TCL through a new joint venture (JV). Under the arrangement, TCL will hold a 51 per cent stake in the new company, with Sony retaining the remaining 49 per cent. The venture is expected to begin operations in April 2027, subject to regulatory approvals and the completion of final agreements. Sony has said that products will continue to be sold under the Sony and Bravia brands, but the new company will run the business across the value chain, from product development and manufacturing to sales, distribution and customer support. There will be no immediate change for consumers, though over time the shift in control could influence where Sony-branded TVs are made, how they are priced and how product portfolios are shaped. Under the agreement, Sony will retain ownership of its brand names and contribute intellectual property and technology, including image processing and audio systems developed over years in the premium segment. Bravia will continue as a brand on future products manufactured and sold by the joint venture. TCL will have decision-making authority as the majority owner. Meanwhile, Sony transfers operational control, including development, manufacturing, sales, logistics and customer support, to the JV, wherewill have decision-making authority as the majority owner. Sony TV business performance: Declining revenue and market share pressures Sonys television business has been under pressure for several years from a crowded global market dominated by larger-scale manufacturers. According to recent industry estimates, Sonys global TV revenue-based market share stood near 4.2 per cent in revenue and around 1.7 per cent in shipment volume prior to the JV announcement, according to a report by global marketing research firm Omdia. In FY25, Sonys TV division reported a revenue decline of nearly 9.6 per cent year-on-year, reflecting slower sales and pricing pressure in many markets. Sony occupied a weaker position in the mass market. In televisions priced at $2,500 and above, Sony ranked third by revenue, accounting for 15.7 per cent of sales, behind Samsung at 53.1 per cent and LG Electronics at 26.1 per cent, Omdias report showed. LG Electronics and Samsung Electronics. TCL, which does not currently offer OLED televisions, could view this gap as an opening to make a push into the premium category. Sonys premium strategy is centred on 55-inch, 65-inch and 77-inch OLED models. In the overall OLED segment, it holds the third-largest revenue share at 10.2 per cent, trailingand. TCL, which does not currently offer OLED televisions, could view this gap as an opening to make a push into the premium category. TCLs TV scale: Shipments, Mini-LED lead and rising global market share Meanwhile, TCL is among the worlds largest television manufacturers. Estimates indicate that TCL shipped around 29 million televisions in 2024, corresponding to a global market share of roughly 14 per cent by volume, making it one of the top TV brands internationally. According to a report by US-based market research firm Fintool, Chinese manufacturers including TCL and Hisense have recently increased their share of global TV shipments, particularly in larger-screen segments. TCL led global shipments of 85-inch and larger TVs with a 22.1 per cent share in 2024 and held the top share in Mini-LED TV shipments (28.8 per cent). By contrast, Sonys TV share has steadily declined from earlier positions in the market, with data from 2024 indicating Sonys share at around 5.4 per cent of global TV revenue, trailing major competitors like Samsung and TCL. What the Sony-TCL JV means for TCL: Benefits and operational challenges The most immediate benefit for TCL is access to Sonys brand equity in the premium segment. Sony-branded TVs continue to command higher prices and are positioned around picture quality and audio performance rather than value pricing. By pairing Sonys image and sound processing with TCLs manufacturing scale and panel supply, the JV could allow TCL to sell higher-priced products without having to build a premium brand from scratch in every market. Analysts expect that TCLs existing scale, which is about 14 per cent global share in 2024 shipments, combined with Sonys brand and technology may strengthen the firms distribution and pricing power. From a financial perspective, TCLs leadership in large screens and newer display technologies (e.g., Mini-LED) will complement Sonys strengths in video processing and audio tuning. However, TCL will also assume operational costs and risks associated with consumer electronics manufacturing, a business historically characterised by tight margins and inventory volatility. Sony vs Panasonic TV strategy: Why Sony is retaining the brand and core tech In a similar move, Japanese electronics firm Panasonic has, over the years, scaled back or outsourced parts of its TV manufacturing and publicly acknowledged the difficulty of sustaining profitability in the segment. Its approach has largely focused on reducing exposure and, in some markets, exiting volume production. By that comparison, Sonys move is more measured. By retaining a significant minority stake and keeping control over brand and core technology, Sony is attempting to stay present in the premium TV market without bearing full operational risk. After the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) rejected a proposal by Vedanta for setting up a Green Copper plant on the Thoothukudi Sterlite plant premises, the company has approached the Madras High Court with a plea to quash the rejection order. The plant has been non-functional since 2018. The Madras High Court on Wednesday asked TNPCB and other respondents to file their replies in a writ petition filed by the company challenging the rejection of its application, a statement said. The matter was heard by the First Bench comprising Chief Justice Manindra Mohan Shrivastava and Justice Arul Murugan in Vedantas writ petition challenging the TNPCBs rejection of its application for Consent to Operate (CTO). Senior Counsel Satish Parasaran, appearing for Vedanta, argued that the rejection failed to take into account the fundamental differences between the earlier smelting operations and the newly proposed Green Copper project. He submitted that the application was rejected mechanically, without a scientific or technical evaluation of the new proposal. There needs to be an opportunity to explain the benefits of Green Copper and how it is sustainable. The Green Copper initiative, as presented before the Court, is designed as a transformative hybrid production model integrating 70 per cent primary copper production with 30 per cent recycled copper usage. The project proposes the use of advanced emission control systems intended to exceed current global standards, significantly reduce emissions, minimise waste, and improve both water and energy efficiency. The company has also outlined a framework to convert the facility into a net water-positive plant. Emphasising the national importance of copper production, Vedanta submitted that the project aligns with the Union Ministry of Mines copper vision to strengthen domestic production, particularly to meet rising demand from sectors such as electric vehicles (EVs) and renewable energy. It also highlighted that prior to the closure of the Sterlite plant, India was an exporter of copper but has since turned into a net importer following the shutdown. Vedanta has sought the constitution of an independent expert committee to scientifically examine the proposal. The company urged the Court to consider appointing experts from the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), and the Ministry of Mines to undertake a detailed technical assessment. Commercial vehicle major Ashok Leyland has posted a 5 per cent increase in consolidated net profit during the third quarter of FY26 to 862 crore, compared to 820 crore during the corresponding period last year. This was after considering a one-time charge of 331 crore towards the new Labour Codes. The revenue of the company, the Indian flagship of the Hinduja Group, was up 22 per cent during the period to 12,702 crore compared to 10,375 crore during Q3FY25. On a standalone basis, its net profit, revenue and earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (Ebitda) were seen at all-time high third-quarter numbers. Its standalone net profit for Q3 was 796 crore, posting an increase of 4 per cent over the same period last year. Third-quarter revenues were seen at 11,534 crore versus 9,479 crore in Q3FY25, posting a growth of 22 per cent. The company reported an all-time high Q3 Ebitda of 1,535 crore (13.3 per cent) against 1,211 crore (12.8 per cent) in Q3FY25, with a growth of 27 per cent. This is also the 12th consecutive quarter of registering double-digit percentage Ebitda. The GST 2.0 decision by the government has provided much-needed thrust during the third quarter, followed by a strong Budget during the current quarter. The current quarter is also looking very good. According to the latest estimates, we should be ending the year with over 1012 per cent growth, said Dheeraj Hinduja, executive chairman, Ashok Leyland. Balaji K M, chief financial officer, Ashok Leyland, said the company is planning a capital expenditure of around 2,000 crore in the next two years. We already had a capex of 800 crore in the first three quarters of this year, and another 300 crore in the last quarter, taking the total to around 1,100 crore. We are planning to have a capex of around 1,000 crore each year for the next two years, Balaji added. The companys MHCV (medium and heavy commercial vehicles) volumes were at 32,929 units in Q3FY26 versus 26,692 units in Q3FY25, up 23 per cent. This is higher than Q3 industry growth, resulting in market share gain. Ashok Leylands domestic MHCV market share continues to be above 30 per cent. The company has also maintained market leadership in the bus segment with a 40 per cent market share in Q3. Light commercial vehicle (LCV) volumes were at 20,518 units in Q3FY26 compared to 15,754 units in Q3FY25, posting a growth of 30 per cent. This is higher than the industry volume growth (VAHAN), resulting in market share gain. Export volumes for the period were 4,965 units versus 4,151 units in Q3FY25, up 20 per cent. Our strong and consistent growth in volumes and profitability underscores the competitiveness of our portfolio, which delivers superior performance and customer value, reinforced by deep and effective customer engagement across all segments, Hinduja said. We are executing a structured pipeline of product introductions across conventional and alternative propulsion platforms to further strengthen our leadership in the domestic market and accelerate our expansion in international markets, he added. Hinduja said that the companys electric vehicle arm, Switch, has a healthy order book and a well-defined product roadmap. It has started delivering buses in international markets and has achieved positive Ebitda and PAT over the first nine months. Net cash was 2,619 crore at the end of the quarter as against net cash of 958 crore at the end of Q3FY25. Ashok Leyland recently launched its all-new HIPPO and TAURUS product range, offering category-leading performance and reliability in the tipper and tractor-trailer segments. The GST rationalisation has not just lowered prices, but also brought a fillip to the overall freight demand, triggering a fresh replacement cycle in the CV industry. With supportive macroeconomic fundamentals and improving customer sentiment, we remain confident about the medium- to long-term growth prospects of the CV industry. Our strategy continues to be anchored in delivering profitable growth through sustained product premiumisation, structural cost competitiveness, wider service coverage, and continued focus on growing non-CV businesses, said Shenu Agarwal, managing director and chief executive officer, Ashok Leyland. KANSAS CITY, Mo., Feb. 11, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Sun Life U.S. has been named a Top Place to Work in Kansas City by the Kansas City Business Journal and Kansas City Star. With several consecutive years of recognition in Boston, Hartford, Conn. and nationally, as well as newer recognition in Baltimore and Milwaukee, Sun Life has established itself as an employer of choice around the country. Both recognitions are based on factors like employee programs, engagement, culture, benefits, social responsibility and career development. The Kansas City Star recognition is facilitated by employee surveys through Energage. Kansas City Top Work Places 2025 "We are proud of our caring and purpose-driven culture," said Tammi Wortham, senior vice president, Human Resources, Sun Life U.S. "We show employees they are valued and help them understand how their work contributes to the overall goals of the business. Connecting people to what they do strengthens us as a company and a workforce, and it shows in our high levels of employee engagement and a near 95% retention rate." Employees based in Kansas City support Sun Life's disability, life, dental, stop-loss, and other product offerings, as well as technology, client support, and other services. In total, Sun Life U.S. has hub offices in six cities across the U.S.: Baltimore; Hartford, Conn.; Kansas City, Mo.; Milwaukee; Portland, Maine; and Wellesley, Mass., as well as an office in Waterford, Ireland. Sun Life provides its employees with a flexible, hybrid work model that allows them to decide which days to use the office. With this approach, employees determine where they will be most productive each day and experience better work/life balance. As a leader in the benefits space, Sun Life offers a broad range of meaningful benefits to its employees, including generous paid family and medical leave, mental health support, healthcare navigation, menopause care and other health and wellness services. Sun Life also offers a sabbatical program, which is available to all employees every five years of employment. For more information about working at Sun Life, visit https://www.sunlife.com/us/en/about/careers/. To learn more about Sun Life's workplace awards and recognitions, visit https://www.sunlife.com/us/en/about/inclusion-at-sun-life/recognition-and-partnerships/. About Sun Life Sun Life is a leading international financial services organization providing asset management, wealth, insurance and health solutions to individual and institutional Clients. Sun Life has operations in a number of markets worldwide, including Canada, the U.S., the United Kingdom, Ireland, Hong Kong, the Philippines, Japan, Indonesia, India, China, Australia, Singapore, Vietnam, Malaysia and Bermuda. As of September 30, 2025, Sun Life had total assets under management of C$1.62 trillion. For more information, please visit www.sunlife.com. Sun Life Financial Inc. trades on the Toronto (TSX), New York (NYSE) and Philippine (PSE) stock exchanges under the ticker symbol SLF. Sun Life U.S. is one of the largest providers of employee and government benefits, helping approximately 50 million Americans access the care and coverage they need. Through employers, industry partners and government programs, Sun Life U.S. offers a portfolio of benefits and services, including dental, vision, disability, absence management, life, supplemental health, medical stop-loss insurance, and healthcare navigation. Sun Life employs more than 8,300 people in the U.S., including associates in our partner dental practices and affiliated companies in asset management. Group insurance policies are issued by Sun Life Assurance Company of Canada (Wellesley Hills, Mass.), except in New York, where policies are issued by Sun Life and Health Insurance Company (U.S.) (Lansing, Mich.). For more information visit our website and newsroom. Media contacts Devon Fernald Sun Life U.S. [email protected] 781-800-3609 Connect with Sun Life U.S. Facebook LinkedIn SOURCE Sun Life U.S. PNN Indore (Madhya Pradesh) [India], February 11: Urjasvini Special School is not just a school -- it is a place of hope, healing, acceptance, and new beginnings. Recognized by many as the best special school in Indore, Urjasvini exists for one powerful purpose: to help every child feel seen, valued, capable, and worthy. Director of Urjasvini Special School , Clinical and Child Psychologist Dr Vini Jhariya said , For years, many families have silently struggled with worry and confusion when their child could not cope in a regular classroom. Society often spreads painful myths -- that special schools are only for "severely disabled" children. This belief is not only incorrect, it is deeply unfair to children who are neurodiverse -- including children with Autism (ASD), ADHD, Down syndrome, dyslexia, dyscalculia, and Specific Learning Disability (SLD). These children are often bright, creative, sensitive, and intelligent; they simply learn differently and deserve an environment that understands their unique needs. At Urjasvini -- the best special school in Indore -- we look beyond labels and diagnoses. Whether a child has ADHD and struggles with attention, dyslexia and finds reading challenging, dyscalculia and finds numbers difficult, SLD affecting academics, or Autism/ASD affecting communication and social understanding -- we see potential, not limitation. Every child is respected as a valued member of our school community. School Managing Director Hitesh Jhariya said , What truly makes Urjasvini the best special school in Indore is the emotional safety we create. Here, children are free from comparison, ridicule, and constant academic pressure. Instead, they experience: Gentle, individualized learning support Small, caring classrooms Encouragement over criticism Celebration of effort, not just grades A nurturing, inclusive school culture Life skills that build confidence and independence A space where neurodiversity is not just accepted, but celebrated The spirit of Urjasvini was beautifully reflected in our Annual Day Function. That day was more than an event -- it was a celebration of courage, resilience, and growth. Children with Autism, ADHD, Down syndrome, dyslexia, SLD, and other learning differences all participated with joy and pride. Some sang, some danced, some spoke, and some simply stood confidently on stage -- but every child shone in their own way. Parents sat with tears of pride, realizing how far their children had come since joining the best special school in Indore. To every parent searching for the right school for a child with Autism, ADHD, dyslexia, dyscalculia, Down syndrome, or SLD -- we invite you with warmth and humility: come and meet the children of Urjasvini Special School once. Spend time with them, talk to them, observe their confidence and happiness. You will feel the magic of Urjasvini in their smiles. We also gently remind parents to let go of the fear of "log kya kahenge?" Society will always have opinions -- but your child's future depends on your choices today. Instead of worrying about others, focus on one question: Where will my child truly grow, feel safe, and believe in themselves? At Urjasvini -- the best special school in Indore -- your child will not just survive; they will begin to thrive emotionally and personally. Urjasvini does not chase marksheets, rankings, or rote results. Our sacred mission is to help every neurodiverse child -- whether with Autism (ASD), ADHD, dyslexia, dyscalculia, Down syndrome, or SLD -- stand on their own feet, build self-respect, gain independence, and move forward in life with dignity. Because at Urjasvini Special School -- the best special school in Indore -- every child is not just educated... they are truly understood, valued, and loved. Urjasvini Special School is located at 100-A, Baikunth Dham Colony, Old Palasia, Saket, Indore. Contact us at 7999215093 or 9893371516 to learn more or to know more about how we can help your child reach their full potential! (ADVERTORIAL DISCLAIMER: The above press release has been provided by PNN. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same.) India's stated intention to buy $500 billion of US goods over five years under a trade deal is drawing scepticism, with economists warning it could distort commercial procurement and sharply reshape New Delhi's trade balance. US President Donald Trump last week said he will slash tariffs on Indian goods to 18 per cent from 50 per cent , sparking relief in India. But he asked New Delhi to more than double its annual imports of US goods in return. Bilateral trade was $132 billion in 2024-25, with a roughly $41 billion surplus in India's favour. Trade experts and economists questioned whether $100 billion a year in imports was feasible without an explicit policy push that steers companies towards American suppliers. "The math doesn't add up," said Madhavi Arora, an economist at Emkay Global, calling the target more "aspirational than realistic". A joint statement issued by the two nations said India intends to buy $500 billion of US goods - language that stops short of a binding commitment. But Trump has shown little patience with countries that fall short, including a late-January move to raise tariffs on some South Korean agoods back to 25 per cent from 15 per cent after saying Seoul failed to legislate an earlier deal. India aims to step up procurement of oil, gas, coking coal and aircraft from the US, both nations said in the joint statement. Arora cautioned such targets can imply a government nudge to private airline and corporate sourcing decisions, which may be inefficient. While India has cited large Boeing orders as part of the plan, some analysts say firms could still favour Airbus if commercial terms are better. Indian markets steadied after staging an initial relief rally, but economists asaid investors appear wary of the $500 billion headline. "The markets seem to be treating the $500 billion purchase intention with a degree of scepticism," said Dhiraj Nim, an economist at ANZ. INDIA'S BIGGEST MARKET The US is India's top export destination, accounting for nearly a fifth of the Asian nation's entire shipments in the fiscal year 2024-25. If exports hold near pre-tariff levels and imports rise sharply, India's largest bilateral surplus could shrink and widen its overall trade deficit. India had a total goods trade deficit of $283.5 billion in 2024-25. "If it is a $100 billion every year, it will completely upset India's trade balance," said independent trade expert Biswajit Dhar. He added that the current deal mainly preserves access to India's key market rather than boosting exports. The US has revised its fact sheet on the recently announced interim trade deal with India, removing any reference to pulses and softening key language related to Indias $500 billion purchase commitment under the agreement. What changed in the revised White House fact sheet? In the earlier version, Washington had listed products, including dried distillers grains (DDGs), red sorghum, tree nuts, fresh and processed fruit, selected pulses, soybean oil, wine and spirits, on which India would eliminate or reduce tariffs. The revised fact sheet no longer mentions pulses among the products covered under the proposed tariff reductions. Another significant change relates to Indias purchase plans. In the earlier version, India was described as having committed to buying more American products, with purchases exceeding $500 billion. The updated fact sheet replaces this language, stating that India intends to buy over $500 billion worth of US energy, information and communication technology, coal and other products. The revised fact sheet has also dropped reference to India "removing its digital services taxes". The earlier version stated that India had committed to negotiating a robust set of bilateral digital trade rules to address "discriminatory or burdensome practices" and other barriers to digital trade. The revised version states that India has committed to negotiating bilateral digital trade rules aimed at addressing barriers, without mentioning the removal of the taxes. Mention of pulses raised concerns The inclusion of "certain pulses" in an earlier version of the fact sheet raised concerns among farmers over the trade pacts impact on domestic agriculture. However, the fact sheet did not specify which pulses were covered. The US mainly produces dried green lentils, which are priced higher than several varieties India imports from other countries. India typically accounts for 812 per cent of total US pulse exports, depending on policy conditions. In 2024, pulses worth about $7476 million were exported to India, making it the fourth-largest buyer after Mexico, Canada and the European Union. Notably, India has already abolished the digital services taxes or equalisation levies that were repeatedly highlighted as a concern by the United States Trade Representative (USTR). India largely imports pulses from Canada, Russia and Australia, with US shipments forming a relatively small share. Samyukta Kisan Morcha, an umbrella of various farmer groups, have announced to join the nationwide general strike on February 12 called by trade unions against the Centre's policies and the India-US trade deal. Outbound FDI, expressed as a financial commitment, has three components: equity, loans, and guarantees. Outbound equity FDI commitment moderated to $1.52 billion in January from $1.75 billion a year ago. It was also lower than $1.98 billion in December 2025. Debt (loans) rose to $461.94 million in January this year from $316.46 million in the same month last year. However, it was lower than $565.32 million recorded in December 2025. Guarantees for overseas units were at $1.43 billion in January compared with $1.37 billion a year ago and were lower than $1.57 billion in December 2025. Data on key investments by companies showed Interglobe Aviation Ltd committed an equity infusion of $188.63 million in its wholly owned subsidiary Interglobe Aviation Financial Service in IFSC GIFT City. Apart from the equity investment, the company has also committed loans worth $48.64 million and guarantees worth $65.57 million. Kiri Industries Ltd infused $167.47 million in the form of equity for its wholly owned subsidiary Claronex Holdings Pte Ltd. Among the big-ticket nods that the services might see or expect to see are 114 Rafale fighter jets from French company Dassault Aviation SA. The fighters are estimated to be priced at around 30 billion (2.70 trillion) or more. If approved, the fighters would help the Indian Air Force to build its reducing squadrons, especially after the MiG-21 was decommissioned last year. The submission of wish lists by the Army, the Navy and the Air Force does not automatically translate to clearance by the DAC. A related transfer of technology from France to India has likely been discussed between the two countries, one source said, adding that indigenous weapons could be fitted into the Rafale jets in the future, so, access to the system would be needed. Indian components might be increasingly used in the jets in the future, too, the source said. The approval for a number of French-made, long-range, air-to-surface Scalp missiles (reportedly for 300 million) that were also used by India during last years conflict with Pakistan might be sought for the Air Force. In addition, some high-altitude pseudo-satellites (HAPS), or, high-flying objects in the stratosphere, are on the wish list. The Army might be looking to get more armoured vehicles or upgrade the existing armoured vehicles and get more land mines. The Navys purchase of six additional P-8I jets from the United States is in process but dependent on India-US relations. parliamentary elections on Thursday, marking the first national vote since the dramatic August 2024 collapse of Sheikh Hasinas government, which had been in power since 2008. After 18 months of being under an interim government, Bangladesh will holdon Thursday, marking the first national vote since the dramatic August 2024 collapse ofgovernment, which had been in power since 2008. Hasina managed to escape a mob that attacked her residence and later Parliament and fled to India, where she has been living since. She was tried in absentia in a Dhaka court in November 2025 and sentenced to death for crimes against humanity in the course of her suppression of student-led protests against her rule. ALSO READ: Bangladesh heads to polls on Feb 12: Why the outcome matters for India Polling for the 13th parliamentary elections will start at 7.30 a.m. and go on till 4.30 p.m. in 299 constituencies, with voting in one seat cancelled following the death of a candidate. The polling will coincide with a referendum on the July National Charter, an 84-point framework that seeks to enact constitutional, electoral, and administrative reforms. Who are the main contestants in Bangladeshs election? Since Hasina's exit, Bangladeshs political landscape has changed dramatically. Her once-dominant party, the Awami League, was banned last year by Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus interim administration and is barred from contesting the polls. The contest has narrowed down to the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and its former partner, the Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI). Tarique Rahman, son of former Bangladeshi prime minister Khaleda Zia, is heading the BNPs campaign, with some observers suggesting he could emerge as the countrys next prime minister. Following Zias death in December 2025, Rahman assumed the role of BNP chairperson upon returning to Bangladesh from exile in London. Zia had planned to contest from three constituencies. Rahman returned to Bangladesh during the same period after 17 years in exile in London where he lived to avoid numerous criminal investigations opened against him in Bangladesh during Hasina's rule to spearhead the partys election campaign. All cases against him have been dropped since the Awami League's ouster from power. While the BNP, a coalition of 10 parties, is being projected as the leading party, many of its candidates are contesting as independents or through local arrangements, the Dhaka Tribune has reported. A party spokesperson said the BNPs immediate priority was protecting votes on the ground rather than projecting national momentum. On the other hand, the Jamaat-e-Islami is leading an 11-party alliance that includes the National Citizen Party (NCP), led by students who were prominent in the 2024 anti-Hasina protests. The campaign is being led by 67-year-old Shafiqur Rahman, who has set out his partys vision for a New Bangladesh, pledging to protect democratic rights if elected, the Dhaka Tribune said. Prothom Alo, a leading Bangladeshi paper whose offices were attacked in December, on Monday reported that a new poll showed the BNP and JeI in a neck-to-neck race to the finish line. It quoted a survey conducted by the International Institute of Law and Diplomacy (IILD), with technical support from Projection BD and Jagaran Foundation, as showing the BNP alliance winning 44.1 per cent of the vote, with the JeI breathing down its neck with 43.9 per cent. How has Bangladesh tightened security for the polls? Bangladesh's electoral body currently stands at 127.7 million, with first-time voters accounting for about 3.58 per cent. In another first, nearly 800,000 registered expatriate Bangladeshis will be able to cast ballots through an IT-based postal system, the report added. In total, 1,755 candidates from 50 parties and 273 independents are in the fray. The BNP has fielded 291 candidates, the most among all parties. Nearly one million security personnel have been deployed, according to officials. Inspector General of Police Baharul Alam earlier said 24,000 of almost 43,000 polling stations were considered "high" or "moderate" risk. Police assessments showed 1,614 of Dhakas 2,131 centres as risk-prone, while the army identified two centres in the capital as "risky", reported PTI. Election Commissioner Abul Fazal Mohammad Sanaullah said drones and body-worn cameras are being used for the first time. Around 25,000 body cameras will be deployed, some capable of live streaming, alongside CCTV coverage at more than 90 per cent of the countrys 42,659 polling centres. "The election will be completed as promised to the people. Extensive security and coordination arrangements are in place with the support of law enforcement agencies and the government," Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin has said. He added that the participation of media and observers will play a significant role in ensuring maximum transparency and public trust in this election. India and China should handle their ties from a strategic and long-term perspective, properly managing differences and expanding cooperation, the Chinese Foreign Ministry has said on Tuesday's strategic dialogue between the two countries held in New Delhi. Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri and Chinese Executive Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Ma Zhaoxu held the India-China Strategic Dialogue, during which they discussed the whole gamut of the bilateral ties. Ma is in India to participate in the BRICS Sherpa meeting. Both sides had friendly, candid and in-depth communication on the international and regional situation, respective internal and external policies, international and regional issues of shared interest, and China-India relations, a Chinese Foreign Ministry press release here last night said on Misri, Ma talks. Both sides underlined that, given the complex and profound changes in the international situation, China and India should work together to earnestly implement the important common understandings reached between President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, view and handle China-India relations from a strategic and long-term perspective, it said. As part of the common understanding between the two leaders, both countries should uphold the strategic perception that China and India are cooperative partners instead of rivals, and the two countries are each other's development opportunity instead of a threat, it said. China and India should deepen mutual trust and expand cooperation, properly manage differences, and promote the development of the relations along a sound and steady track, it said. Both sides agreed to support each other's work as the BRICS Chair for 2026 and 2027, it said. Both sides agreed to support multilateralism and the central role of the United Nations, strengthen unity and cooperation among the Global South, safeguard international fairness and justice, work together for a multipolar world, and make contributions to peace and development in Asia and the world at large, it said. The Ministry of External Affairs said in its press release that the two sides exchanged views on a wide gamut of issues covering bilateral, regional and international affairs. In their talks, Misri and Ma primarily focused on steps taken by the two sides to stabilise and rebuild bilateral ties that had come under severe strain following the over four-year military standoff in eastern Ladakh. In the meeting held under the framework of India-China Strategic Dialogue, both sides recognised the need for an early conclusion of an updated air services agreement. External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said both sides reviewed the "positive momentum" in bilateral relations and discussed ways to further advance ties by enhancing people-to-people exchanges and "addressing concerns on sensitive issues". Though Jaiswal did not elaborate on the "sensitive issues", it is understood that the Indian side has been concerned over China's export control measures relating to rare earth minerals. An Indian readout of the Misri-Ma meeting said the discussions primarily "focused on the recent progress made in stabilising and rebuilding bilateral ties and ways to take bilateral engagement forward." "Both sides underscored the importance of peace and tranquillity in the border areas for overall progress in bilateral relations". "They reiterated their commitment to implement the guidance provided by their leaders ,including on the need to proceed from a political and strategic direction to approach issues and concerns related to bilateral trade," it said. The MEA said Misri noted the successful resumption of the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra and hoped for the continued expansion of the scale of the Yatra. "Both sides recognised the need for an early conclusion of an updated air services agreement. The two sides agreed to continue to take practical steps for visa facilitation and promote people-to-people contacts," it said. Misri and Ma also discussed various regional and international issues. In the last few months, India and China have initiated a series of measures to normalise their relations after ending the military face-off along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in October 2024. Going forward, Indias effort to build and retain sovereign control over its military capabilities will prioritise co-development and the retention within the country of intellectual property (IP), source codes, critical design data, and the ability to upgrade platforms independently, rather than merely the local manufacture of foreign-origin equipment, according to a draft policy document released by the government late on Tuesday that will govern the procurement of everything from tanks and warships to fighter jets and drones. For the next decade, the metric of success is not just Made in India, but Owned by India, said the Draft Defence Acquisition Procedure (DAP) 2026, which the Ministry of Defence (MoD) has released for comments and suggestions from stakeholders. Describing this as a doctrinal departure from what it termed the initial phase of indigenisation, the draft document said the earlier approach was defined primarily by transfer of technology (ToT) and localisation of manufacturing an approach it noted often resulted in dependence on legacy systems. It said the new focus would instead be on positioning India as a design powerhouse of the world. The deadline for stakeholders to submit their observations is March 3, 2026. The DAP governs and lays down the rules and timelines for the procurement of equipment, platforms and systems under the capital head of expenditure. Once approved, it will replace the DAP 2020 currently in force. Renewed push for jointness and atmanirbharta Calling the next 10 years the most consequential and decisive decade in independent Indias defence history, the draft DAP identified Jointness, Atmanirbharta and Innovation (JAI) as the keystone of government policy for defence preparedness. Enhancing jointness the integrated planning, command and execution of military operations across land, sea, air, space and cyber domains among the Army, Navy and Air Force is a stated objective of the government. However, the much-anticipated theatre commands are yet to materialise, with differences emerging among the services over how jointness should be operationalised. The draft document comes nine months after Operation Sindoor the May 710 conflict with Pakistan during which the services ability to conduct joint operations was tested, most visibly in the domain of air defence, where assets from all three services operated together to counter Pakistani missile and drone attacks. The renewed emphasis on innovation and self-reliance, or atmanirbharta, in defence comes in the wake of Prime Minister Narendra Modis explicit remarks during his Independence Day address, in which he said Operation Sindoor underscored the importance of strategic autonomy and indigenous capabilities including Made-in-India weapons in decisively countering threats. He also stressed that national security cannot rest on dependence on foreign sources. Notably, the Prime Minister issued a pointed call to Indian innovators and youth to develop jet engines, a long-standing capability gap that has constrained the countrys indigenous defence programmes. Focus on faster induction of drones and AI capabilities Identifying the accelerating pace at which weapons and systems are becoming obsolete rather than the availability of budgetary resources as the primary challenge for defence acquisition in the foreseeable future, the draft announced the introduction of new procurement protocols for fast-evolving systems involving artificial intelligence (AI), quantum computing, autonomous platforms and directed energy weapons (DEWs), as well as for the upgrading of systems through software. The rate of technological change in AI, quantum computing, new technology drones and DEWs now outpaces the traditional 23-year acquisition cycle, the document acknowledged, adding that software is as critical to combat capability as hardware. It therefore emphasised that upgrades are an equally important part of acquisition as the equipment itself. The emphasis on contemporary and future battlefield technologies follows acknowledgements by the Army and the Air Force of the widespread use of AI during Operation Sindoor. In particular, the Army has said that indigenously developed military software applications and AI tools were extensively used to accelerate decision-making and enhance battlefield awareness. The service has also been working to upgrade these capabilities through the development of a military-specific large language model (LLM). The AI tools deployed by the Army including small language models were developed domestically and trained using data provided by the service to meet its operational and doctrinal requirements. The emphasis on autonomous platforms, or drones, also follows developments during Operation Sindoor, which witnessed several military firsts in the subcontinent, including the large-scale use of drone warfare by Pakistan. Pakistani forces employed drone swarms to target Indian civilian and military infrastructure. Indian forces, for their part, used drones and loitering munitions in their initial strikes on terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan, as well as in the subsequent neutralisation of Pakistani air defence systems. Operation Sindoor marked the advent of large-scale kinetic, non-contact warfare in the subcontinent, characterised by combat conducted through long-range projectiles rather than close-range troop engagements. At least 670 unmanned aerial vehicles ranging from heavy high-altitude long-endurance drones to vertical take-off systems are slated to be acquired by the armed forces in the coming years under the 15-year defence modernisation roadmap unveiled in September 2025. In addition, up to 70 radar-evading remotely piloted aircraft are included in the Armys requirements under the modernisation plan. Creating civil-military fusion Acknowledging that the battlefield of the coming decade will be dominated by dual-use technologies defined as being of civilian origin but adaptable for military use the document said, The rigid walls between civilian and military specifications have crumbled. Consequently, it said it would institutionalise Civil-Military Fusion integrated civilian and military sectors that share capabilities and innovation. The document said it would allow the services to procure commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) drone swarms, space technologies and cyber-security tools with minimal desirable customisation, to enable the conversion of advanced civil technology into military capability. COTS refers to readily available civilian products that can be employed with minimal modification. The emphasis on integrating civilian and military sectors comes amid the governments stated aim to build a dual production pipeline for defence capabilities, including collaboration between private companies and state-owned defence firms. Defence acquisition tied to economic growth The draft also states that the procurement of capital-intensive weapons and systems is now explicitly linked to the nations economic engine, adding that it will provide the regulatory framework required to drive growth through this route. Setting the aim of aggressively boosting realistically designed and developed Indian equipment, it said this would ensure that national spending recirculates within the domestic economy, and would nurture a supply chain ranging from semiconductors to precision forging. At the same time, the cutting edge of national defence will be maintained by procuring critical equipment through foreign routes, as well as commencing parallel development of domestic alternatives, added the draft. In line with MoD policy, the Union Budget presented earlier this month earmarked Rs 1.39 trillion 75 per cent of the capital acquisition component of the total defence outlay for procurement from domestic industry in FY27. In FY21, the MoD decided that a substantial share of the modernisation budget would be reserved for capital procurement from domestic sources, with a portion of this further set aside for acquisitions from private Indian industry. For FY26 as well, more than Rs 1.11 trillion again 75 per cent of the modernisation budget was earmarked at the Budget Estimates stage for domestic procurement. The FY27 allocation under this head represents a 25.2 per cent increase over BE FY26. The document also commits to supporting the countrys human and industrial capital by matching the needs of the defence forces, facilitating foreign direct investment, and enabling the infusion of high-end technological skill sets through foreign firms operating in India. An MoD release late on Tuesday said the draft DAP 2026 is intended to accelerate force modernisation, speed up acquisitions, and enable scaled-up production, thereby strengthening the countrys defence ecosystem. The document also places emphasis on boosting defence exports, while reducing dependence on imports. In addition, it proposes easing financial and experience-related eligibility criteria to enable broader industry participation, delegating decision-making to speed up acquisitions, revamping trial and quality-assurance processes, and introducing substantial digitisation and automation across acquisition procedures and processes. M. Nagaraju, Secretary, DFS, Ministry of Finance, chaired a high-level meeting in New Delhi to deliberate on the proposed plan document. The meeting was attended by senior officials from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), Department of Economic Affairs (DEA), Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD), Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA), Ministry of Labour & Employment (MoLE), Department of School Education and Literacy, Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI), Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA), Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi), Indian Banks Association (IBA), Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C), National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) and other stakeholders. The press statement of DFS said that the discussions focused on preparing a structured action plan covering universal access to banking services, augmentation of banking infrastructure in villages, and expanding the availability of formal credit, particularly for women and vulnerable sections of society. The roadmap also aims at achieving insurance and pension coverage for all citizens by 2047, promoting innovative digital and financial products, increasing the penetration of digital transactions in rural and semi-urban areas, enhancing awareness about financial and digital frauds, and strengthening financial and digital literacy among adults as well as students at the secondary and senior secondary levels. During the meeting, Nagaraju emphasised the need to further strengthen the banking network, including ensuring the presence of at least one bank branch in each subdivision in the North Eastern region. The Supreme Court on Wednesday refused to stop Zydus Lifesciences from proceeding with the manufacture and sale of its biosimilar version of the cancer drug nivolumab, sold globally by US-based Bristol Myers Squibb (BMS) under the brand Opdivo. At the same time, the Court asked BMS to undertake a detailed mapping of Zydus product concerning its patent claims and seek appropriate interim relief before the Delhi High Court, depending on the outcome of that exercise. BMS had moved the apex court after the Delhi High Court, in an order dated January 12, permitted the Ahmedabad-headquartered drugmaker (Zydus) to commercialise its version of nivolumab. The multinational pharma company has alleged that Zydus product infringes its patent rights. Zydus, however, maintained that its biosimilar would reduce treatment costs by nearly 70 per cent compared with the innovator product, and argued that its formulation does not violate BMS patent. It also pointed out that the patent itself is under challenge, with a post-grant opposition pending through a group entity. The Delhi High Court, while refusing to restrain Zydus, underscored the public interest dimension of the dispute. Observing that the drug in question is life-saving, the High Court had noted that where issues are complex and require a full trial, courts must weigh the consequences of restricting access to essential therapies. It cautioned that withholding such treatment from patients could result in serious and irreversible harm. The Supreme Court also took into account the limited remaining term of BMS patent, which is set to expire on May 2. With only a few months left before expiry, the bench indicated that the arrangement struck by the High Court would balance competing interests while ensuring that patients in need are not denied access to the medicine during the intervening period. BMS had argued that Zydus was conducting clinical trials and preparing for launch during the subsistence of the patent. Zydus rejected these claims, reiterating that its product does not infringe and that the patents validity is itself contestable. PORTLAND, Ore., Feb. 10, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Swickard Auto Group is strengthening its community commitment with an auto group wide mission to help save 1,000 dogs every year through expanded support of animal rescue organizations and increased community engagement, with continued investment and visibility in the Portland area. Oregon Dog Rescue accepts donation from Swickard Auto Group The mission is rooted in a long-standing local connection. Jeff Swickard is a University of Oregon graduate with deep ties to the Portland region, and his commitment to animal welfare is personal. He believes every animal deserves safety, compassionate care, and kindness, especially pets experiencing homelessness who are still waiting for a family to choose them. In 2015, he helped begin Swickard's animal welfare mission work through Mercedes-Benz of Wilsonville by donating $100 from every new vehicle sold to Oregon Dog Rescue and The Pixie Project for an entire month, raising a total of $34,000 in support of Oregon Dog Rescue and The Pixie Project. Since 2016, Swickard Auto Group has donated over $350,000 to Oregon Dog Rescue, supporting lifesaving work helping animals receive medical care, safe shelter, transport, foster placement, and adoption services. This sustained partnership in the Portland area is a cornerstone of Swickard's broader giving strategy, with lifetime philanthropic contributions totaling approximately $2.5 million across the communities where Swickard operates. It was through Oregon Dog Rescue that Jeff met Mason, his rescue dog, who had been returned three times before finally finding his home. Today, Mason has become a beloved part of our story, a four-legged ambassador who reflects what Swickard stands for. Mason is the heart of the organization and represents the Heart of Swickard . "Our mission to save 1,000 dogs every year is a commitment we are making across Swickard Auto Group. Oregon has shown us what is possible when a community rallies around its local organizations. We are proud of our long-standing support for Oregon Dog Rescue, and we are focused on building even more momentum, so more get the care they need and the homes they deserve," said Jeff Swickard. Swickard Auto Group invites the Portland area community to join in supporting animal welfare through adoption, fostering, volunteering, and local giving. Updates on partnerships and ways to get involved will be shared through Swickard channels throughout the year. Animal welfare and community partnership opportunities can contact us at [email protected]. In addition to animal welfare, Swickard Auto Group continues to support organizations that strengthen stability and opportunity for individuals and families throughout Portland and its surrounding cities. About Swickard Auto Group Founded in 2014, Swickard Auto Group has grown into a leading automotive retailer with a national presence across Alaska, Hawaii, Washington, Oregon, and California. With 50+ franchises, Swickard offers a wide selection of new and pre-owned vehicles, supported by comprehensive service and repair operations. Swickard is committed to delivering an exceptional customer experience through genuine hospitality, transparent pricing, and the Swickard Price Promise, helping customers shop with confidence through a straightforward, hassle-free process. Learn more at swickard.com. SOURCE Swickard Auto Group A proposed $100,000 fee on hiring H-1B workers may not materially slow employer demand for the visa, according to a new study by the US-based National Bureau of Economic Research. The paper, titled The H-1B wage gap, visa fees, and employer demand, authored by economist George Borjas, who has previously advised on restrictive US immigration policies, added that even if the fee were raised to between $150,000 and $200,000, it would still not deter employers from hiring skilled workers. Borjas found that H-1B workers earn less than comparable US-born workers across most settings. The average H-1B worker earns about 16 per cent less than a US-born worker in the same locality and with the same education, age, gender, and occupation, he wrote. Wage gap across firms Pay levels for H-1B workers vary widely depending on the employer. At large US technology firms such as Meta and Apple, average salaries for H-1B workers are close to $150,000. At Indian-origin IT services firms such as Infosys and Wipro, average pay is closer to $80,000. Borjas found that large American technology companies, including Amazon, Google, Microsoft, Meta, Apple and Tesla, show relatively small wage gaps between H-1B and US-born workers. At Meta and Tesla, the wage gap ranges from about minus 1 per cent to minus 3 per cent and is statistically indistinguishable from zero. In contrast, firms frequently cited as outsourcing pipelines for Indian H-1B workers, including Infosys, Tata Consultancy Services, Wipro and HCL, show much larger negative wage gaps, with H-1B workers paid far below market rates for comparable US workers. However, the study noted that H-1B workers are not heavily concentrated in a small group of employers. ALSO READ: 'Scrap H-1B visa': How proposed EXILE Bill seeks to end the visa program Nearly 75 per cent of H-1B hires are outside the top 25 firms. Data from I-129 filings show that 46,184 distinct firms hired at least one H-1B worker over a four-year period. The median firm hired exactly one H-1B worker during that time, while firms at the 75th percentile hired three. Even among firms hiring very small numbers of H-1B workers, pay gaps persist. For firms that hired only one H-1B worker, the estimated wage gap was minus 18.5 per cent. Similar gaps appeared among firms hiring up to three workers. Borjas concluded that low pay is not limited to large outsourcing companies. Practically all H-1B workers, except the few that end up in large American-owned high-tech companies, end up working for firms that pay them far less than the market wage for statistically comparable American workers, he wrote. Wage gaps within occupations According to the study, the H-1B workforce is concentrated in a narrow set of occupations. Software developers alone account for 38.3 per cent of all H-1B workers. The five largest occupations together employ nearly two-thirds of the workforce, while the top ten account for around three-quarters. Because US-born workers are less prevalent in many of these high-paying roles, the study found that adding occupation-level controls reduces measured wage gaps but does not eliminate them. The paper also examined how employers classify H-1B roles under the Labour Condition Application system, which assigns jobs to one of four prevailing wage levels: Level I: About the 17th percentile of the local wage distribution Level II: About the 34th percentile Level III: About the 50th percentile Level IV: About the 67th percentile ALSO READ: US visa, green card holders warned: LinkedIn mismatch may irk USCIS Borjas cautioned against treating these levels as direct indicators of skill. He gave the example of a young software programmer in San Francisco earning a relatively low wage compared with other local programmers, which could place the role in a lower wage category despite high underlying skills. Visa fees and employer incentives The study assessed whether a $100,000 visa fee would deter firms from hiring H-1B workers. Borjas argued that it would not, particularly for high-skilled workers who earn more than $100,000 a year. The average payroll savings resulting from a single H-1B hire nears $100,000 over the term of the six-year visa, he wrote, suggesting employers would still find it profitable to hire such workers even after paying the fee. Borjas added that even higher fees may not drastically reduce demand. Imposing a visa fee between $150,000 and $200,000 may not change the number of H-1B workers hired all that much, he wrote, adding that firms would be willing to pay for the privilege of hiring these workers because of the wage gap. Based on his estimates, such fees could generate between $10 billion and $20 billion in annual revenue and shift the H-1B programme towards a more highly skilled workforce. Borjas also pointed to structural features of the programme that give employers leverage over workers. Because firms must request permission to hire a specific individual and the number of new H-1B visas for for-profit firms is capped at 85,000 a year, visas become scarce. That scarcity, he argued, gives employers market power, which in turn helps keep H-1B wages below those of comparable US workers. A Delhi-based entrepreneur has criticised the US visa process after his application was denied, questioning how intent to return to India is assessed and calling for better training of consular staff. Jasveer Singh, co-founder and chief executive officer of Knot Dating, said he was refused a US visa under Section 214(b) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, a provision used when officials are not convinced an applicant will return to their home country after a temporary visit. US visa denied under 214(b). Reason weak ties to India, Singh wrote in a post on X on Tuesday. The irony, he said, was hard to miss. Singh pointed out that he runs a business in India, pays taxes, and employs people locally, yet was still told he had failed to demonstrate strong enough links to the country. Irony I run a company in India, employ people in India, pay taxes in India and have built everything here over the last 13 years. Apparently, that is not enough proof that Ill return to India, he wrote, sharing a copy of the refusal letter. Questions over intent assessment In his post, Singh took aim at the evaluation process followed by the US consulate, suggesting that the way intent is defined or assessed needs rethinking. Tagging the official X account of Sergio Gor, the US Ambassador to India, he wrote: If this is your bar, either your definition of intent is broken or your evaluation process needs serious review. Train your New Delhi consulate teams better. Singh also referred to what he described as growing scrutiny of applicants online presence, saying visa officers now reportedly check social media activity. A friend said next time just delete your tweets on the US and NRIs before the interview and your visa gets approved, he added. A pattern of refusals Singh is among several Indian entrepreneurs who have spoken publicly about US visa refusals in recent months, as the Donald Trump administration tightens enforcement around immigration. Just last week, Bengaluru-based entrepreneur Dhananjay Yadav said his US visa was rejected despite having studied in the country earlier and having no plans to stay on. Yadav said he was left confused by the decision, given his previous academic history in the US. Why many Indians face visa refusals A large number of Indian applicants are refused visas under Section 214(b) of the Immigration and Nationality Act. The provision is applied when a visa officer is not satisfied that an applicant has sufficient ties to their home country. Common reasons cited include: Weak links to the home country, such as limited family ties, unstable employment or lack of property Very short interviews that leave little room to explain personal or professional circumstances Subjective judgement by visa officers, who have wide discretion in assessing intent Higher scrutiny for high-volume categories, including some work, startup and study profiles Under US law, applicants must convince officials that they will return home after their visit, regardless of business credentials, tax history or past international exposure. The launch will take place as part of the two-day-long Bharat Bodhan AI Conclave scheduled to be held on February 12 and 13, 2025, officials told Business Standard. Modelled on Indias Unified Payments Interface (UPI), the CoE is incubated by IIT Madras as a Section 8 company (not-for-profit) to develop responsible, scalable and India-first AI solutions for education, skilling and research, aligned with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. Ahead of the conclave, Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Wednesday chaired an AI roundtable with founders of 10 Indian edtech startups ahead of the formal launch. This step comes after Prime Minister Narendra Modis direction to create a sovereign AI capacity ecosystem in India, Pradhan told reporters on the sidelines of the roundtable. Wednesdays roundtable brought together policymakers, academic leaders and emerging technology entrepreneurs to discuss how AI can be leveraged to transform Indias education system, aligning with the objectives of NEP 2020. Participating startups included Arivihan, Fermi AI, Khare.AI, Seekho, SpeakX, SuperKalam, SuperNova, Vedantu, ConveGenius and Virohan. This is part of a series of initiatives by the Ministry of Education to harness the potential of AI, bringing together Indian startups developing AI-first solutions across K-12 learning, test preparation, upskilling, language learning and skill education, with a focus on students in underserved areas, the ministry said in a statement. The air quality in the national capital remained in the poor category on Wednesday, with the overall Air Quality Index (AQI) recorded at 295, according to data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). Data from the CPCBs Sameer app showed that 20 monitoring stations were in the very poor category, 16 recorded poor air quality, and two stations reported moderate conditions. AQI readings stood at 320 in Anand Vihar, 313 in Bawana, 325 at Chandni Chowk, 273 in Dwarka Sector 8, 224 at IGI Airport (T3), 355 at ITO, 332 in Narela, 299 in Punjabi Bagh, 278 in RK Puram, 378 in Wazirpur, and 349 in Rohini. Areas around India Gate and Kartavya Path recorded AQI levels of 355, while Akshardham Temple reported 325, both classified as very poor. As per official classification, AQI between 0 and 50 is good, 51 to 100 satisfactory, 101 to 200 moderate, 201 to 300 poor, 301 to 400 very poor, and 401 to 500 severe. Delhi records 10 severe AQI days this winter In a written reply to the Lok Sabha, the government said Delhi recorded 10 days of severe air quality, defined as AQI above 401, during the October to January winter season of 2025-26. This is a significant decline from 31 such days in 2016-17, Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav said. He added that focused interventions under the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) have contributed to reductions in particulate pollution levels across 130 cities. The worsening air quality has also triggered political sparring. On Tuesday, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) questioned the credibility of Delhis pollution data and criticised the BJP governments decision to install six new AQI monitoring stations in green and open areas. AAP Delhi State President Saurabh Bharadwaj alleged that the Rekha Gupta-led government was attempting to artificially lower AQI readings by shifting monitoring infrastructure to greener zones instead of implementing substantive anti-pollution measures. Delhi weather outlook Delhi woke up to a misty and slightly chilly morning on Wednesday. The India Meteorological Department has forecast a mainly clear sky with mist during the morning hours. The minimum temperature is expected to range between 10 degrees Celsius and 12 degrees Celsius, while the maximum temperature is likely to be between 25 degrees Celsius and 27 degrees Celsius. The minimum temperature at Safdarjung settled at 13.2 degrees Celsius on Wednesday, three notches above normal. The Delhi Police's Special Cell has issued a notice to Penguin Random House India seeking clarifications over the circulation of the unpublished book of former Army chief General Manoj Mukund Naravane on social media, an official said on Wednesday. The notice was served as competing claims over the status of the book and the alleged circulation of unauthorised versions intensified, drawing the publisher, the former Army chief and senior political figures into a widening public dispute. According to police, the Special Cell has formally approached the publishing house through the notice, posing multiple queries and seeking detailed responses. "Delhi Police Special Cell has issued a notice to Penguin India. Through the notice, several questions have been asked, and responses have been sought," a senior police officer said. The move comes in the wake of reports that the manuscript of Naravane's memoir, titled 'Four Stars of Destiny', may have been illegally circulated in digital and other formats prior to its publication. Police said allegations regarding the unauthorised dissemination of the manuscript had led to the registration of an FIR and added that the matter was under investigation. The Delhi High Court on Wednesday listed for hearing on February 17 appeals by expelled BJP leader Kuldeep Sengar and others against their conviction in the custodial death case of the Unnao rape survivor's father. Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma took note of the Supreme Court's order directing the high court to decide the appeals in three months, and said "it is a time bound case now". The judge, however, deferred hearing on Wednesday after being informed that the survivor's plea seeking enhancement of the 10-year sentence was pending before a division bench of the high court, which was coming up for hearing in March. The counsel for Sengar submitted that in view of the top court's order, the survivor ought to file a plea for early hearing in the plea for enhancement of sentence and the appeals could also be taken up by the division bench. The judge directed that the matter be called on February 17 to await clarity and extended the interim bail granted to Kuldeep Sengar's brother till then. Jaideep Sengar sought extension of his interim bail by three months as he was suffering from oral cancer. The high court had given interim bail to Jaideep Sengar on July 3, 2024, which was further extended from time to time. Kuldeep Sengar was convicted of raping the minor survivor and sentenced to imprisonment for the remainder of his life on December 20, 2019. The girl was allegedly kidnapped and raped by Sengar in 2017 when she was a minor. On March 13, 2020, Kuldeep Sengar along with his brother Jaideep Sengar alias Atul Singh was sentenced to 10 years of rigorous imprisonment by the trial court, which also imposed a fine of Rs 10 lakh, in the custodial death case of the rape survivor's father. The girl's father was arrested at the alleged behest of the accused under the Arms Act and died in custody on April 9, 2018, owing to police brutality. The trial court said "no leniency" could be shown for killing a family's "sole bread earner". On February 9, the Supreme Court asked the Delhi High Court to accord an out-of-turn hearing on Kuldeep Sengar' plea challenging his conviction in the custodial death case of the Unnao rape survivor's father, and said it be decided within three months. While refusing to entertain Sengar's plea challenging a January 19 order of the high court that had refused to suspend his 10-year jail term in the case, the apex court said if the victim's family has filed any appeal against the trial court order, that should also be heard by the high court along with the expelled BJP leader's petition. Motorists travelling on the Mumbai Coastal Road corridor will now hear the iconic Bollywood song "Jai Ho" when driving over specially installed grooves at a designated speed, making it India's first 'musical' or 'melody' road. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis inaugurated the musical road stretch on Wednesday. Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, former Shiv Sena MP Rahul Shewale, who conceptualised the idea, Hungary's Consul General Faren Jari, BMC's Additional Municipal Commissioner (Eastern Suburbs) Dr Avinash Dhakne, and other dignitaries were present at the event. Fadnavis said the concept of a musical road developed along the Coastal Road is set to provide a delightful experience for motorists. He added that the innovative concept, based on Hungarian technology, would be implemented further in the future. "In the first phase, the concept has been implemented on a 500-metre stretch of the Coastal Road, and there are plans to expand the musical road concept further," Fadnavis said. Shinde appealed to Mumbaikars to experience and enjoy the musical road. He said the government will consider replicating this experiment on the Samruddhi Expressway on a pilot basis. "The musical road on the Mumbai Coastal Road will evoke a sense of patriotism among Mumbaikars," Shinde said, reiterating that this is India's first musical road. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has developed the innovative stretch on the northbound carriageway from Nariman Point towards Worli on the iconic Coastal Road, which has been named after Dharmaveer Swarajyarakshak Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj. This is the fifth such road in the world and the first of its kind in India, the BMC stated. According to civic officials, the musical strips have been installed around 500 metres ahead on the first lane adjoining the divider after vehicles exit the Worli-bound underground tunnel. When vehicles travel over the grooves at 70 to 80 kmph, the friction-generated sound waves produce the melody of 'Jai Ho' from the film Slumdog Millionaire, which can be clearly heard inside the vehicle. The chartbuster song was composed by A.R. Rahman, with lyrics written by the renowned poet Gulzar. The song won the Academy Award for Best Original Song and a Grammy Award. Officials said signboards have been placed inside the tunnel at 500 metres, 100 metres, and 60 metres before the stretch to alert motorists about the upcoming musical road and the required speed for the experience. In a release issued a day earlier, the BMC said grooves or rumble strips of specific dimensions and spacing have been embedded in the road surface. When vehicles pass over them at a constant speed, the vibrations caused by tyres create musical notes, forming a recognisable tune. Such stretches are popularly known as 'melody roads' or 'musical roads'. Hailing the project as a blend of engineering innovation and cultural expression, the BMC stated that the Coastal Road, a key infrastructure project aimed at easing traffic congestion and enabling faster travel, now also offers a unique driving experience. The concept of musical roads was first developed in Japan in 2007 by engineer Shizuo Shinoda. Similar experiments have since been implemented in countries such as Hungary, Japan, South Korea and the United Arab Emirates. The country will see a Bharat Bandh or a joint nationwide strike by 10 central trade unions (CTUs) and other affiliates in protest against the new Labour Codes on Thursday. These unions have deemed the new Labour Codes to be pro-employer and an attack on labour rights. The 10 CTUs that have collectively organised the strike are Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC), All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC), Hind Mazdoor Sabha (HMS), Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU), All India United Trade Union Centre (AIUTUC), Trade Union Coordination Centre (TUCC), Self-Employed Womens Association (SEWA), All India Central Council of Trade Unions (AICCTU), Labour Progressive Federation (LPF), and United Trade Union Congress (UTUC). Meanwhile, the Trade Union Co-ordination Centre (TUCC) and RSS-backed Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS) have rejected the call for the strike, calling it politically motivated and not geared towards workers interests. This comes a day before the consultation period for the draft rules of the Codes comes to an end. The draft rules for the four Codes were published for public consultation on December 30. The Confederation of Central Trade Unions (CONCENT), a coalition of some trade unions started in 2020, has also stated that it and its constituent organisations will not participate in the proposed general strike. The All India Railwaysmens Federation (AIRF) has extended its support to the strike, calling for gate meetings, demonstrations, dharnas, and rallies at the local level by all its affiliates. But the Bharatiya Railway Mall Godam Shramik Union (BRMGSU) has opposed it. The strike is likely to disrupt banking, transport and government services in several states, with organisers expecting participation of 300 million workers. We expect strong participation in Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and to some extent in West Bengal. There is also going to be large-scale mobilisation in the industrial areas of Karnataka, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, and the coal belts around Madhya Pradesh, said R. Karumalaiyan, National Secretary at CITU. We will see participation from drivers of auto-rickshaws, e-rickshaws and in public transport as well. Organisers believe there will be wide participation across coal mines, in the power and petroleum sectors, and among banking and insurance employees. The National Confederation of Bank Employees has extended its support along with the All India Bank Employees Association (AIBEA), All India Bank Officers Association (AIBOA), and Bank Employees Federation of India (BEFI). There will be a bigger impact this time, more so than the July 9 strike last year. The notification of the Labour Codes has agitated workers across the board from formal to informal to the gig sector, said Amarjeet Kaur, General Secretary at AITUC. We will see a bandh-like situation in Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Kerala, Haryana and Punjab as transport workers will join the protest. ALSO READ: Bharat Bandh on Feb 12: What's open, what's closed during strike today? Apart from the Labour Codes, the strike also aims to protest against the Draft Seed Bill, Electricity Amendment Bill, the repeal of MGNREGA, among other issues. Farmers unions such as the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) and All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS) are also set to partake in the strike. Some states such as West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, and Delhi are yet to pre-publish draft rules for some of the four Codes. To facilitate the implementation of the Codes, the Ministry of Labour and Employment is conducting six regional conferences with states/union territories and other industry stakeholders. On Wednesday, Labour Minister Mansukh Mandaviya tabled the Industrial Relations Code (Amendment) Bill, 2026, in the Lok Sabha to prevent confusion in the future about the continuity of certain older laws that were replaced by the IR Code and now stand repealed. The Congress on Wednesday took a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the India-US interim trade agreement, saying the deal is a steal by the "PM's good friend in Washington" and reflects an "abject failure" of our "political huglomacy" as well as economic diplomacy. Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said no matter what spin the "PM and his lie-brigade" may give, the hard reality is that the US has extracted more from India than it has conceded. "It is significant that a number of independent analysts and commentators -- who have not been Modi-unfriendly -- have criticised the India-US trade deal as a capitulation, an asymmetrical set of commitments, a sell-out, and a humiliating cave-in," Ramesh said. "Whatever the spin that the PM and his lie-brigade may give, the hard reality is that the US has extracted more from India than it has conceded. This is inspite of Mr. Modi's aggressive wooing of President Trump, including campaigning for him in September 2019," the Congress leader said. PM Modi also managed to be among the first to greet the re-elected President Trump in February 2025, he pointed out. The prime minister's public demonstrations of his personal friendship with President Trump have not yielded the desired results, Ramesh said. President Trump too has given full expression to his friendship with Modi but while doing so has dealt India big blows, he claimed. "This is an abject failure of our political huglomacy and economic diplomacy. The spin will, of course, continue. But facts are facts. The trade deal is a steal -- by the PM's good friend in Washington who has also claimed close to hundred times that he halted Operation Sindoor on May 10, 2025," Ramesh said. The Congress on Tuesday claimed the India-US trade deal is not a "calibrated opening", but a "coerced opening" and India has been "forced to concede" more than what it has got. In a post on X, Ramesh had said, "It did not take long for President Trump and his team to puncture the tall claims being made by the PM and his many megaphones on the Indo-US trade deal." Clearly, the US' understanding of the deal is very different from the propaganda that is being put out by the Modi government, he had said. "This is not a calibrated opening but a coerced opening. India has been forced to concede more than what it has got. And now our much-touted advantage over Bangladesh in textile exports to the US has vanished with the details of the US-Bangladesh trade deal also having just been announced," Ramesh had said in his post on Tuesday evening. Last week, India and the US announced in a joint statement the framework for an interim agreement regarding reciprocal and mutually beneficial trade. Under this, the US has agreed to reduce the 25 per cent reciprocal tariffs on Indian goods to 18 per cent. It has already eliminated the punitive 25 per cent tariff on India, which was imposed in August last year for purchasing Russian crude. The Congress has alleged that the interim Indo-US trade pact is "not a deal but a surrender" of the country's self-esteem and interests, and is a betrayal of India and its people. Intensifying his attack on the government over the India-US trade deal, Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has surrendered the future of 1.5 billion Indians to protect the Bharatiya Janata Partys (BJPs) financial architecture. Participating in the debate on the Union Budget in the Lok Sabha, Gandhi accused the government of having sold Bharat Mata in the interim trade deal, and termed it a wholesale surrender to the US of Indias energy security, interests of its farmers, its textile sector and data. In her reply to the discussion on the Budget, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman rebutted Gandhis claims that India has surrendered to the US. Koi mai ka laal paida nahin hua jo humare desh ko bechde ya kharid le (no one has the audacity to sell or buy out India), she said. Sitharaman alleged that the Congress-led UPA government surrendered the interests of Indias farmers and poor before the World Trade Organisation. The FM said the government is incentivising data centres so that data stays in India. I am saying you have sold India. Are you not ashamed of selling India? You have sold our mother - Bharat Mata. Do you have no shame? Gandhi said, slamming the treasury benches. Gandhi said he refuses to believe that any Indian prime minister, including Modi, would agree to such a deal unless there is a chokehold on him. After Gandhi finished his speech, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said in the House that no one can sell or buy India. Gandhi began his speech by drawing an analogy from jujutsu, a traditional Japanese martial art centered on using an opponent's force against them, grip choke, of which he is a practitioner, and how a chokehold works in jujutsu. Later in his speech, Gandhi asked, Why has he (Modi) sold India- because they (the US) are choking him. They have a grip on his neck. He also referred to the Epstein case and that three million files are still locked up, and mentioned a couple of industrialists, one of which, Gandhi alleged, was introduced to Jeffery Epstein by Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri. The chair asked Gandhi to not take names of the industrialists. When Rijiju asked him to authenticate his allegations, Gandhi said he was willing to do so, but the chair said he should put it on the table of the House. Later, addressing a press briefing at the BJP headquarters, Puri said that the so-called Epstein files references have been cherry-picked, misinterpreted, and used repeatedly for political theatre. He explained that his meetings with Jeffery Epstein were official in nature. Later, speaking to the media, Rijiju alleged that Gandhis speech was full of lies and the ruling alliance will seek to expunge from the House records the lies he has spoken. I know he cannot authenticate them because he lied. He lied in the House. Rijiju said Gandhis allegations against Petroleum Minister Puri were made without giving any notice, which is a breach of privilege. He said the ruling alliance will bring a privilege motion against Gandhi. In his speech in the Lok Sabha, the Congress leader identified the countrys people, their data, food supply and energy as the most important interests that a country needs to protect in the current turbulent and dangerous world. He said the government has not just buckled on tariffs, but given up our data, its control over digital trade rules, there is no data localisation, while there will be free flow of data to the US. The government has agreed to no source code disclosure and given a 20-year tax holiday. He said Indias farmers, especially those who grow soybean, cotton, maize and red sorghum have been left to the mercy of massive mechanised American farms, and after the Bangladesh-US trade deal, Indias textile industry will be wiped out, and our energy security has been handed over to the US. He said with the deal with the US, the government has opened the door to crush our poor farmers. It is disgraceful, he said, adding, No Prime Minister has ever done this before and let me tell you, no Prime Minister after you, is ever going to do it. Gandhi said that had an INDIA bloc government negotiated the trade agreement with the US, it would have told President Donald Trump that he should treat India as an equal. We would have said to President Trump that if he wants access to Indias data, then you will talk to us as an equal, not talk to us as if we are your servants. He said an INDIA bloc government would have told Trump that India's energy security is non-negotiable and we are going to protect our energy security. The third thing we would have told President Trump is that 'we understand you have an agricultural voter base, you need to protect farmers, but we will also protect our farmers'," the former Congress chief said. Gandhi said that an INDIA bloc government would have negotiated with the US as an equal. We will not be made equal to Pakistan. If President Trump decides that the Pakistan Army chief will have breakfast with him, we will have something to say about it, Gandhi said. The LoP said that under the agreement, Our PM will not decide but the US will decide who we buy oil from and if India buys oil from a country that they do not want us to purchase it from, they will punish us and take tariffs to 50 per cent, Gandhi said. During his speech, MPs from the treasury benches repeatedly got up and accused Gandhi of making baseless allegations and asked him to authenticate his claims, to which Gandhi responded that he is willing to comply. The Congress leader referred to a case against an Indian industrialist in the US, and alleged that the government has not allowed summons being served on that industrialist. Jagdambika Pal, who was chairing the session, asked Gandhi not to name those who are not members of the House. On tariffs, at the beginning, there was a 3 per cent average, but it has now gone up to 18 per cent, Gandhi said. US imports would go up from $46 billion to $146 billion, he said, adding that this is absurd. While our tariff has gone up from 3 per cent to 18 per cent, theirs has come down from 16 to zero, he said. Aluminum feels the heat of EU carbon tariff 16:19, February 11, 2026 By Zhao Yue ( China Daily SONG CHEN/CHINA DAILY The European Union's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism began functioning on Jan 1. It is a policy tool that encourages cleaner industrial production in non-EU countries by putting a price on the carbon emissions caused to produce goods entering the EU. The development is worrisome for China's aluminum industry, one of the sectors covered by the EU CBAM because it would mean higher costs at the border. But what is driving the anxiety across the entire non-ferrous metals industry is not merely the higher cost but the uncertainty about the future path of the EU CBAM. Three questions dominate industry discussions: First, whether the indirect emissions of aluminum products will be included in the accounting. Second, whether EU CBAM will cover other non-ferrous metals as well. And third, whether China's national carbon market can offset the impact of the EU CBAM. The indirect emissions of the electricity consumed by aluminum processing units account for roughly 80 percent of the overall emissions of the products. However, under the EU CBAM policy, indirect emissions are not included in the accounting scope. The main reason for not including indirect carbon emissions is that the EU gives subsidies for electricity prices, allowing some of the indirect emissions of aluminum products within the EU to remain unregulated. It would therefore be unfair to include the indirect emissions of aluminum products, when there is a subsidy on electricity. Whether indirect emissions are eventually included in the EU CBAM accounting scope depends on whether the EU ends its subsidies for domestic electricity prices. But, given the complexities of those subsidies and the EU's need to maintain industrial competitiveness, completely abolishing the subsidy system is not practical. Though reforms are gradually being implemented, it is unlikely that the indirect emissions of aluminum products will be included in the accounting scope. It is not clear whether the EU CBAM will cover other non-ferrous metal industries. It is necessary to understand the EU CBAM's legislative logic here. The EU CBAM is built on the foundation of the European Union Emissions Trading System (EU ETS), its operational mechanisms and decades of industry emission data. The EU ETS has clear criteria for sector inclusion: enterprise-level emissions, total sector emissions, emissions intensity and exposure to international trade. Apart from aluminum, other non-ferrous metals have not been included because of the particularities of each industry. Copper smelting was not included because copper smelting capacity in the EU is limited, and the carbon intensity per unit of output is relatively low. Magnesium smelting was left out because the EU has limited domestic production capacity. The EU CBAM largely follows the same framework. Therefore, whether it will cover other non-ferrous metals depends on the industrial development in the EU and whether those industries meet the ETS criteria for inclusion. Given the relatively stable development of industries in the EU, it is unlikely that the EU CBAM will cover other non-ferrous metal categories in the short term. The EU CBAM allows companies to use the carbon pricing mechanism to offset the carbon costs already paid on the products in the country of origin. If an aluminum manufacturer has paid a certain cost in China's national carbon market, that amount can be adjusted against the EU CBAM charges. Many enterprises therefore consider this a practical way to reduce costs. However, carbon prices in the EU ETS are nine times higher than in China. In 2025, the average carbon price of the EU ETS was75 ($88) per ton, while the price in China's national carbon market was around 70 yuan ($10) per ton. Also, although electrolytic aluminum has been included in China's national carbon market, trading has not yet begun. So, it will not be possible to offset part of the EU CBAM costs for aluminum products through trading in China's national carbon market. In the medium term, even if trading in electrolytic aluminum begins in China's national carbon market, due to the huge gap in carbon prices between China and Europe, the EU CBAM costs that can be offset will still be insignificant. In the long term, China's national carbon market will develop steadily, gradually reducing free quotas, enriching carbon financial tools, expanding the scope of compliance industries to enhance the constraining power of the carbon market and gradually increasing the carbon price, narrowing the gap with the EU ETS. This will ultimately neutralize the impact of the EU CBAM on aluminum products. The author is the decarbonization project manager at the China Green-Metal Certification Center. The views do not necessarily reflect those of China Daily. (Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun) WILMINGTON, Del., Feb. 11, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Valcare Medical, Inc., a pioneer developer in transcatheter mitral valve repair solutions, today announced the successful first U.S. transseptal implantation of its AMEND Transcatheter Mitral Valve Repair (TMVr) Annuloplasty System as part of the ongoing AMEND TS Early Feasibility Study (EFS). The milestone procedure was performed by Dr. Paul Sorajja, a nationally recognized expert in interventional cardiology and structural heart disease, at Banner University Medical Center in Phoenix. "For many patients with mitral regurgitation, open-heart surgery is either too risky or simply not an option due to age or other health conditions," said Dr. Sorajja. "The AMEND transseptal approach offers physicians a percutaneous alternative designed to deliver a surgical-style repair option for their patients with less pain, faster recovery, and the potential for excellent long-term outcomes." The AMEND System delivers a closed, D-shaped, semi-rigid annuloplasty ring through catheter in a transseptal approach. It is specifically designed to mimic the anatomical remodeling and clinical results achieved by traditional surgical annuloplastythe technique used in most open-heart mitral valve repairs. Unlike other transcatheter mitral repair technologies, the AMEND System is designed to preserve future treatment options if clinically required later. "Annuloplasty has served as the foundation of more than 95% of surgical mitral valve repairs for decades," said Steve Sandweg, CEO of Valcare Medical. "Applying this proven surgical technique through a percutaneous, transcatheter approach represents a significant step forward. We are grateful to Dr. Sorajja, Banner Health, and all participating investigators and their teams for helping bring this important therapy one step closer to patients suffering from significant functional mitral regurgitation." About the AMEND TS Early Feasibility Study The AMEND TS EFS (NCT06951672) is a prospective, single-arm study evaluating the safety and performance of the AMEND Transseptal System in patients with symptomatic moderate-to-severe (3+) or severe (4+) functional mitral regurgitation who are anatomically suitable for transcatheter annuloplasty. The study will treat 15 patients in seven investigational sites in the United States. About Valcare Medical Valcare Medical, Inc. is committed to transforming the treatment of mitral regurgitation by providing transcatheter solutions that deliver the efficacy and durability of surgical annuloplasty while avoiding the risks and invasiveness of open-heart surgery. The company's flagship technology, the investigational AMEND Transcatheter Mitral Valve Repair Annuloplasty System, is designed to restore normal mitral valve geometry and function through a percutaneous approach. Valcare Medical is a privately held company in Wilmington, Delaware. For more information, visit www.valcaremedical.com or follow us on LinkedIn. CAUTION: The Valcare AMEND System is an investigational device. Limited by Federal (U.S.) law to investigational use only. Not available for sale. SOURCE Valcare Medical Indias first bullet train corridor the 508-kilometre Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Rail (MAHSR) has seen an expenditure of Rs 86,939 crore so far, Union Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw told the Lok Sabha on Wednesday. Bullet train project is a very complex and technology-intensive project. Considering the highest level of safety and associated maintenance protocols, the bullet train project has been designed with the support of the Japanese railway. It is customised for Indian requirements and climatic conditions, the minister said in a written reply. However, the ministry does not have a final cost estimate as of now, the minister told Parliament. The final cost of the project can be reasonably ascertained only after the completion of all associated works of civil structures, track, electrical, signalling, telecommunication and supply of trainsets, Vaishnaw informed the Lok Sabha. The MAHSR corridor is designed for high-frequency operations with substantial passenger-carrying capacity. He added that ticket pricing is proposed to be competitive with respect to existing rail and air travel options. The project, which is expected to see a partial opening next year, has seen its total cost estimates rise to Rs 1.98 trillion so far, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Railway Board Satish Kumar had said earlier. A public interest petition before the Supreme Court has challenged expansive search and seizure powers granted to Income Tax authorities under the Income Tax Act, 2025, which authorise access to computer systems and virtual digital space, including personal electronic devices, cloud servers and private electronic communications. The petition, filed under Article 32 by entrepreneur Vishwaprasad Alva, assails Section 247 of the Income Tax Act, 2025, scheduled to come into force from April 1, 2026, along with the corresponding provisions under Section 132 of the Income Tax Act, 1961. The challenge is directed at provisions that permit searches based on an officers belief that a person will not or would not produce documents if summoned, or that assets would not be disclosed for tax purposes. According to the petitioner, these clauses create an anticipatory search framework, enabling intrusive action even in the absence of any existing violation of law. A Bench comprising Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi and Justice N V Anjaria on Tuesday heard preliminary submissions by Senior Advocate Sanjay Hegde, assisted by Advocate-on-Record Pranjal Kishore, and adjourned the matter for further hearing next week. Hegde acknowledged that Section 132 of the 1961 Act had been upheld by the Supreme Court in Pooran Mal v Director of Inspection (1974), but argued that the ruling must be revisited in light of the recognition of the right to privacy as a fundamental right in K S Puttaswamy v Union of India (2017). He submitted that the Income Tax Act provides no effective safeguards, particularly since the reasons to believe justifying a search need not be disclosed and are insulated from scrutiny even before appellate tribunals following a 2017 amendment. Justice Bagchi, however, noted that the Supreme Court had recognised a limited scope of judicial review over the exercise of search powers under Section 132 in its 2022 decision in Principal Director of Income Tax (Investigation) v Laljibhai Kanjibhai Mandalia. He observed that courts can call for departmental records and examine whether a rational nexus exists between the material available with tax authorities and the belief recorded for initiating a search. If a roving search is undertaken and there is no rational nexus between the material and the belief, the entire procedure can be set aside, Justice Bagchi said, questioning the argument that the discretion under the provision was unregulated. Hegde responded that the provision permits search and seizure merely on an apprehension that an assessee may not comply with a future summons. The authority directly concludes that this person does not deserve notice because he may not respond, he argued. Justice Bagchi said the provision was intended to prevent destruction of evidence in cases where advance notice could frustrate an investigation. He added that where searches are authorised on grounds of anticipated non-cooperation or non-disclosure, courts would apply a higher standard of judicial scrutiny to ensure that such apprehensions are supported by material on record. CJI Surya Kant observed that in cases involving electronic evidence, individuals could destroy the device itself. Justice Bagchi added that much digital evidence, particularly social media data, historically resided in the cloud or on foreign servers, limiting investigative access. Destroying devices, he noted, could effectively derail investigations. Hegde countered that technological methods exist for data recovery but maintained that the law must prescribe clear safeguards to prevent abuse. The Chief Justice said the provision was not an uncontrolled power and operated subject to statutory preconditions. At present, there is only an apprehension. Let us see how the law is implemented over time, he said. Justice Bagchi remarked that the directions issued in the Mandalia judgment addressed many of the concerns raised in the petition and asked counsel to re-examine the ruling in detail. The matter was accordingly adjourned. At the core of the petition is Section 247 of the 2025 Act, which authorises searches not only of physical premises but also of computer systems, defined broadly to include computers, communication devices, electronic storage systems, cloud servers and what the law terms virtual digital space. The petitioner argues that this effectively permits access to personal laptops, mobile phones, emails, private messages and cloud-stored data, including by overriding access controls, without prior judicial authorisation. The plea contends that this expansion of search powers into the digital domain constitutes a serious invasion of informational privacy under Article 21. It further argues that existing statutory tools such as summons, surveys and assessments are less intrusive alternatives, and that permitting full-scale digital searches on speculative grounds fails the constitutional test of proportionality. The petitioner has sought a declaration striking down the challenged provisions, or a reading down of the law with safeguards such as independent oversight, disclosure of reasons and guidelines to prevent misuse of digital search powers. The Delhi High Court on Wednesday sought a response from Rani Kapur, mother of late industrialist Sunjay Kapur, on a plea by his wife Priya, accusing the 80-year old matriarch of making false statements under oath. Justice Mini Pushkarna directed that notice be issued, recording that counsel for the non-applicants accepted service. The matter has been posted for hearing on March 23. The application was pressed by Senior Advocate Akhil Sibal, appearing for Priya, who submitted that several assertions in Ranis pending civil suit are completely untrue. Senior Advocate Maninder Singh, also appearing for Priya, argued that making false statements before the court amounts to perjury and constitutes fraud on judicial proceedings. The plea was resisted by Advocate Smriti Churiwal on behalf of Rani, who questioned the maintainability of the perjury application. One of Ranis grandchildren also supported the objection. Priya has filed the perjury application in the suit instituted by Rani seeking to invalidate a family trust. In that suit, Rani has alleged that the trust was created through fraudulent means and used to strip her of control over her assets, including interests linked to the Sona Group. She has described Priya as the principal architect of the alleged scheme and accused her of swiftly taking control of key group companies without informing her following Sunjay Kapurs death. Just a day before, while dealing with the broader estate dispute, the high court had observed that the family feud presented an unfortunate picture and suggested that the parties explore mediation to resolve their differences. The Union Ministry of Home Affairs has ordered that a six-stanza version of Vande Mataram , spanning 3 minutes and 10 seconds, must now be played or sung at several official events, according to a report by the Hindustan Times. The direction, reportedly issued on January 28, was sent to all states, Union territories, ministries and constitutional bodies. If both Vande Mataram and National Anthem Jana Gana Mana are played together, Vande Mataram will be played first, the report said. People must stand at attention whenever the official version of the National Song is played or sung, it added. Events where Vande Mataram must be sung According to the Hindustan Times report, the order divides occasions into three categories. First, there are events where Vande Mataram must be played , including civil investiture ceremonies, the arrival and departure of the President at formal state functions, before and after presidential addresses to the nation, the arrival and departure of Governors at state functions, when the national flag is brought on parade, and any other event ordered by the Centre. If played by a band, it must be preceded by a drum roll of seven slow marching beats to alert the audience, the report said. Secondly, there are events where the song must be played and accompanied by mass singing. These include the unfurling of the national flag and cultural or ceremonial functions other than parades. At such events, arrangements such as a trained choir, proper sound system and printed lyrics may be made so that people can sing together. Thirdly, there are occasions where the national song may be sung, including school assemblies and other significant events attended by ministers or dignitaries that are not strictly ceremonial. What will change Until now, there was no fixed official protocol for Vande Mataram, unlike the National Anthem, which has clearly defined rules about its performance and duration. The expanded six-stanza version has also not been commonly used at official programmes. With the latest order, the government has formally defined the version to be used, its length, the occasions on which it must be played or sung, and the expected decorum. Current use of Vande Mataram Currently, Vande Mataram is sung or played at some government and cultural events, but practices vary. There was no single standard followed everywhere. Recently, the Centre has made efforts to promote the National Song. This included celebrations to mark its 150th anniversary and themed presentations during the Republic Day parade. Parliament debate over Vande Mataram Parliament held a debate over 150 years on Vande Mataram in December last year. During the debate, Prime Minister Narendra Modi traced the origins of Vande Mataram and highlighted its role in the freedom struggle. He accused the Congress of weakening the National Song by removing certain verses and said that dividing the composition had harmed its original spirit. Why only two stanzas of Vande Mataram were adopted as National Song? Vande Mataram was written in the 1870s by Bankim Chandra Chatterjee in Sanskritised Bengali. It praised the motherland and was later adopted by freedom fighters as a symbol of resistance against British rule. The British authorities eventually banned its public singing because it inspired strong nationalist feelings. Over time, it became a powerful slogan during protests and political gatherings. In October 1937, the Indian National Congress resolved to adopt Vande Mataram as a national song but chose to use only the first two stanzas. These stanzas focus on the beauty and spirit of the motherland without explicit religious references. The later stanzas, which invoked Hindu goddesses such as Durga, Lakshmi, and Saraswati, were omitted because leaders at the time felt that they could alienate non-Hindu communities and undermine the unity of Indias plural society. Rabindranath Tagore, Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, Rajendra Prasad and other Congress leaders supported this choice, viewing the two non-religious stanzas as "inclusive" and "suitable" for national gatherings. In 1950, the first two stanzas were officially recognised as Indias national song, sharing equal honour with the National Anthem Jana Gana Mana. The Centre has rejected Tamil Nadu's request to relax moisture norms for paddy saying procurement with high moisture content causes significant storage risk, Parliament was informed on Wednesday. Minister of State for Food and Public Distribution Nimuben Jayantibhai Bambhaniya, in her written reply to the Lok Sabha, said the southern state had requested for relaxing the moisture norms for paddy from 17 per cent to 22 per cent. However, the request of the Tamil Nadu government "has not been considered due to the following facts," she said. Paddy can be dried before milling; procurement of excessively moist paddy introduces significant operational risk, including loss of stock during storage and compromised milling recovery. The minister said paddy with high moisture content is susceptible in terms of rapid deterioration, fungal growth, discolouration, and infestation. The state governments have been repeatedly advised to develop drainage facilities at the procurement stages. "The relaxation in moisture content has no direct financial implication on farmers, therefore, such relaxation is no longer considered," the minister said. The Centre has fixed paddy procurement target at 16 lakh tonnes (in terms of rice) from the kharif season of the 2025-26 crop year (July-June). With respect to the easing of norms for sampling Fortified Rice Kernels (FRK), the Centre has revised the Fortified Rice Kernels (FRK) sample size from 10 tonnes to 21 tonnes and packaging size from 25 Kg to 50 Kg, she added. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on Wednesday said that domestic carrier IndiGo is "fully prepared to comply" with the Flight Duty Time Limitation (FDTL) norms starting February 11. In a circular, the aviation regulator said, "IndiGo Airlines has informed the DGCA that it shall be fully prepared to comply with the statutory provisions and to implement the approved FDTL scheme upon expiry of the exemptions." IndiGo has further stated that all necessary operational, rostering, and monitoring arrangements are being put in place to ensure full compliance with the approved FDTL scheme with effect from February 11, 2026, it said. IndiGo received an exemption in Dec 2025 IndiGo was granted a one-time exemption from the norms in December last year for a temporary period, valid up to February 10, to help the airline stabilise flight operations and safeguard passenger safety and interests. The regulator said that during the validity of the exemptions, IndiGo Airlines flight operations were monitored closely through periodic review meetings with the DGCA. "Officers were deployed at various airports to oversee passenger handling and address passenger inconvenience. In addition, Flight Operations Inspectors (FOls) were positioned at IndiGo Airlines Operations Control Centre for real-time monitoring of flight operations, ensuring continuous regulatory oversight during the exemption period," it added. IndiGo flight disruptions IndiGo, which controls over 60 per cent of India's domestic traffic, saw massive disruptions in the initial days of December 2025, leading to the cancellation of hundreds of flights, which left thousands of passengers stranded at airports. The disruptions came after the DGCA issued FDTL rules last year, with phased implementation planned through November last year. The rules expanded rest hours, limited night duties, and mandated 48 hours of weekly rest. However, amid growing disruptions, DGCA allowed relaxations to the airline. Goyal said the government had signed FTAs with developed countries to help Indias farmers, workers, professionals, artisans and MSMEs take advantage of the global market with preferential access. Industry must now intensify its efforts to penetrate new markets, upgrade quality and become more competitive to take maximum advantage of trade agreements. India has made its mark in international trade since the ancient era. Our trade deals will accelerate our Viksit Bharat 2027 mission and carry forward Prime Minister Narendra Modis mantra of Vikas bhi, Virasat bhi, Goyal said at a meeting with export promotion councils (EPCs) and industry bodies. The minister met 35 EPCs and key industry associations representing Indias major export sectors. The meeting took place against the backdrop of India finalising trade deals with two key trade partners the European Union (EU) and the United States (US) over the last two weeks. On Saturday, India and the US issued a joint statement regarding the interim trade deal, with Washington agreeing to cut tariffs from 50 per cent to 18 per cent. As of February 7, Washington has removed the additional 25 per cent import duty on imports from India. The punitive tariff was imposed in August last year for Indias purchase of Russian oil. The existing 25 per cent reciprocal tariff will be further reduced to 18 per cent once it is notified by the United States Trade Representative (USTR). The timing of the finalisation of the deal is critical for some of these sectors as contracts had started coming under pressure due to lack of relief from steep tariffs. The US is also Indias largest export destination. During the financial year 2024-25, India exported goods worth $86.5 billion to the US, while importing goods worth $45.6 billion. Despite the disruption, merchandise exports have remained in positive territory during the first nine months of the current fiscal. During AprilDecember, India exported goods worth $330.29 billion, as compared to $330.41 billion during the same period a year ago. The trade agreement is expected to improve export competitiveness of labour-intensive sectors, including textiles, plastics, apparel, home decor, leather and footwear, gems and jewellery, organic chemicals, rubber goods, machinery and aircraft components, as duties will be substantially reduced to 18 per cent from 50 per cent. These exports comprise over a third of Indias exports to the US. The steep 50 per cent tariff on 55 per cent of Indias outbound shipments to the US was making Indian exports uncompetitive. The reduction in tariff will bring India at par with its regional competitors such as Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Cambodia and Bangladesh. These countries are also Indias key competitors in labour-intensive sectors. Kerala has entered the execution phase of a proposed 42,000 crore rare-earth corridor, with bids closing for an extraction project, placing the state ahead of the Union Budgets formal announcement backing rare-earth corridors across four states. Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, in her Budget speech for 202627, said the Centre would support dedicated rare-earth corridors in Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu, focusing on the mining, processing, research, and manufacturing of strategic minerals. Kerala had already identified locations, floated an expression of interest (EoI), and reached the bidding stage for a pilot rare-earth extraction project before the Budget announcement, a senior Kerala government official told Business Standard. The push comes amid Indias efforts to reduce dependence on China for rare-earth permanent magnets, which are critical for electric vehicles, wind turbines, electronics, and defence systems. The corridor initiative builds on the 7,280 crore scheme approved by the Union Cabinet last November to promote domestic manufacturing of sintered rare-earth permanent magnets (REPMs). The policy momentum followed Chinas move last year to curb exports of REPMs. Despite a strong resource base, India remains heavily import-dependent. Official trade data shows China accounted for 59.6 per cent to 81.3 per cent of Indias REPM imports by value and 84.8 per cent to 90.4 per cent by quantity between 202223 and 202425. Keralas plan centres on monazite-bearing beach sand reserves along the Chavara belt. The corridor will leverage the states existing mineral-processing base and Cochin Ports role as a transshipment hub to support exports and inbound logistics. Kerala Finance Minister K N Balagopal, in his state Budget speech last month, said a new rare-earth corridor connecting Vizhinjam Port to Chavara, which, in turn, connects to Kochi, is being planned. By this, Kerala is becoming the permanent magnet hub of the nation. Besides this, an investment of 42,000 crore and 50,000 job opportunities are expected, he said. The official said the rare-earth-rich Chavara beach sand belt lies between Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram, and the state government aims to develop this as the KochiThiruvananthapuram corridor, adding that the framework is being developed with technical support from the Non-Ferrous Materials Technology Development Centre. Of the 17 rare-earth elements, four are present in our beach sand, including praseodymium, neodymium, yttrium, and scandium, which was recently discovered in one of the blocks explored by the Geological Survey of India, the official said. The key constraint earlier was the lack of extraction technology. Now, three to four companies in India have developed indigenous technology to extract praseodymium, neodymium, and yttrium, the official added. The Kerala Minerals & Metals (KMML) and IREL (India), formerly Indian Rare Earths, have operated in the state for over five decades, primarily extracting ilmenite and titanium-bearing minerals. Monazite residues generated in the process were discarded earlier. After extracting ilmenite and titanium, monazite residues were dumped back into the sea because we did not have the technology to extract rare earths. Now that indigenous technology has been developed, similar to that in China, Canada, and the US, we proceeded with the EoI for the pilot project, the official said. He added that six companies, including domestic and overseas firms, responded to the EoI, including a Canadian company, a $3 billion metal group based in the Democratic Republic of Congo dealing in copper and tin, and domestic companies. The pilot facility, planned at around 8,000 tonnes per unit, will assess commercial viability before scaling up. Mining is not necessary in this case because the residues already exist. Raw material availability is not an issue. Technology constraints have been resolved. The remaining challenge was capital, the official said. Kerala estimates that about 42,000 crore of largely private investment will be required across processing and downstream manufacturing. We have provided 100 per cent funding for detailed project report preparation in the state Budget. The project is structured as a joint venture with KMML, which already has 180,000 tonnes of monazite residue ready for processing, the official said. Downstream industries identified under the corridor include REPM manufacturing for electric vehicles, wind turbines, defence platforms, drones, electronics, computed tomography scanners, and artificial intelligence applications. We have listed downstream industries that require customised magnets, the official said. Sales rise 23.25% to Rs 26.19 crore Net profit of Inter State Oil Carrier declined 66.67% to Rs 0.21 crore in the quarter ended December 2025 as against Rs 0.63 crore during the previous quarter ended December 2024. Sales rose 23.25% to Rs 26.19 crore in the quarter ended December 2025 as against Rs 21.25 crore during the previous quarter ended December 2024.26.1921.258.0610.211.681.850.350.730.210.63 Powered by Capital Market - Live News Grover Jewells traded at Rs 100.80 on the NSE, a premium of 14.55% compared with the issue price of Rs 88. The scrip was listed at Rs 96, a premium of 9.09% compared with the initial public offer (IPO) price. The stock is currently frozen at its upper limit of 5% over its listing price. The counter hit a high of Rs 100.80 and a low of Rs 91.40. About 23.98 lakh shares of the company changed hands at the counter. Grover Jewells' IPO was subscribed 12.79 times. The issue opened for bidding on 4 February 2026 and it closed on 6 February 2026. The price band of the IPO was fixed between Rs 83 to Rs 88 per equity share. The IPO comprised fresh issue of 38,44,800 equity shares. The promoter and promoter shareholding diluted to 73.50% from 100% pre-IPO. The company intends to utilize the net proceeds for working capital requirements, issue related expenses and for general corporate purposes. Ahead of the IPO, Grover Jewells on 3 February 2026, raised Rs 9.61 crore from anchor investors. The board allotted 10.92 lakh shares at Rs 88 per share to 5 anchor investors. Delhi-based Grover Jewells is engaged in the manufacturing and designing of wholesale gold jewellery. The company offers a wide range of plain gold, studded, and semi-finished jewellery, primarily in 22 Karat, 20 Karat, and 18 Karat gold. It operates through two showrooms located in Karol Bagh and Chandni Chowk, Delhi, providing both hallmarked and non-hallmarked jewellery. The companys manufacturing activities are divided into machine-made chain manufacturing and casting jewellery production, enabling it to cater to high-volume demand as well as contemporary, fashion-oriented designs with consistent quality and timely delivery. Grover Jewells classifies its sales into wholesale, retail, and consumer segments and has established a strong B2B network across around 20 states in India, along with an international presence through exports to Australia and the U.A.E. As of 31 December 2025, the company had a total of 78 employees. The company recorded revenue from operations of Rs 473.18 crore and net profit of Rs 10.45 crore for the period ended 31 October 2025. Powered by Capital Market - Live News Avoid costly blocked pipes and drains. From wet wipes to tissues, here are some of the most common items that should ever be flushed down the toilet. Pipe blockages occur more often than you might think. During 2025, RACV Trades plumbers were called out 7,017 times to unblock a pipe or drain in homes across Victoria. Like your kitchen or laundry sink, being careless with what you flush down the toilet can result in blocked pipes that not only require a costly repair by a licensed plumber but breed nasty bacteria that puts the health of your household at risk. "Items that don't break down easily are at risk of getting caught on joins in pipework when flushed down the toilet, causing an obstacle for anything following behind," says RACV Trades Senior Product Manager Nathan Tayeh. "Blockages can also lead to the toilet water building up in the pan and flooding your toilet or bathroom floor, causing water damage to the room." Tayeh also advises that some items people assume are safe to flush, including those labelled flushable, should be put in a rubbish bin rather than down the toilet. Just because it says flushable doesnt mean it should be flushed, he says. If you do flush something down the toilet and the water doesnt drain, continually drains slowly, or you hear excessive gurgling noises, as tempting as it might be to try and fix it yourself, its time to call in the professionals. More: How to prevent water damage in your home Sales rise 12.67% to Rs 6.76 crore Net profit of Phoenix International declined 71.62% to Rs 0.21 crore in the quarter ended December 2025 as against Rs 0.74 crore during the previous quarter ended December 2024. Sales rose 12.67% to Rs 6.76 crore in the quarter ended December 2025 as against Rs 6.00 crore during the previous quarter ended December 2024.6.766.0054.2954.002.511.951.611.060.210.74 Powered by Capital Market - Live News The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has invited public comments on the draft Reserve Bank of India (Non-Banking Financial Companies - Registration, Exemptions and Framework for Scale Based Regulation) Amendment Directions, 2026. The central bank has proposed modifications to the existing Master Directions on NBFC Registration, Exemptions, and the Framework for Scale-Based Regulation (SBR). The key amendment provides for exemption from mandatory registration under Section 45IA of the RBI Act, 1934, for certain non-deposit taking NBFCs that do not accept public funds, do not have a customer interface, and have an asset size below Rs 1,000 crore. This measure is designed to alleviate the regulatory burden for low-risk entities. It noted that exemption is limited only to the requirement of obtaining a Certificate of Registration (CoR). Such entities will continue to remain under the regulatory and supervisory purview and the central bank retains powers to issue directions or take action if financial stability concerns arise. The draft changes are aligned with the Scale Based Regulation (SBR) framework, under which NBFCs are classified into different regulatory layers based on size, activity, and risk profile. Overall, the proposed amendments seek to balance ease of doing business for smaller NBFCs with continued prudential supervision by the RBI. Powered by Capital Market - Live News Reliance Industries said that its FMCG arm Reliance Consumer Products (RCPL) has acquired leading health foods maker Southern Health Foods. Based in Tamil Nadu, Southern Health Foods is key player in several health focused foods categories like packaged healthy foods including millets, oats, multi-grain products, health mixes, breakfast cereals, dry fruits, among others. Its flagship brand Manna is widely known for its healthy offerings in many emerging packaged foods categories like millet flour, baby foods and multigrain drink mix. RCPL has acquired 100% equity stake in Southern Health Foods (SHFPL) for an aggregate cash consideration of Rs 156.42 crore from the existing shareholders of SHFPL. The company stated that the addition of Manna adds further strength to RCPLs foods and staples portfolio that includes brands like Udhaiyam, Independence and SiL, through building a strong business vertical in the growing millet-based foods segment. T. Krishnakumar, director, Reliance Consumer Products, said, "Manna is one of the most trusted names in the health focused foods market in Tamil Nadu with noticeable presence in the adjoining states. It is known for healthy offerings like millet-based staples and mixes, drinks and baby food. With our strong distribution, R&D and supply chain capabilities, Manna would be made available in other geographies - eventually making it a household name across the country. Reliance Industries is India's largest private sector company. Its activities span hydrocarbon exploration and production, petroleum refining and marketing, petrochemicals, advanced materials and composites, renewables (solar and hydrogen), retail and digital services. The conglomerate had reported 1.6% rise in consolidated net profit to Rs 22,290 crore on 10% increase in gross revenue to Rs 293,829 crore in Q3 FY26 as compared with Q3 FY25. The scrip rose 0.13% to currently trade at Rs 1460.40 on the BSE. Powered by Capital Market - Live News Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles Ltd is quoting at Rs 385.4, up 1.59% on the day as on 12:49 IST on the NSE. The stock is down 6.97% in last one year as compared to a 12.46% jump in NIFTY and a 27.39% jump in the Nifty Auto index. Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles Ltd is up for a third straight session today. The stock is quoting at Rs 385.4, up 1.59% on the day as on 12:49 IST on the NSE. The benchmark NIFTY is down around 0.07% on the day, quoting at 25916. The Sensex is at 84177.45, down 0.11%. Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles Ltd has gained around 9.94% in last one month. Meanwhile, Nifty Auto index of which Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles Ltd is a constituent, has gained around 1.9% in last one month and is currently quoting at 28173.2, up 1.32% on the day. The volume in the stock stood at 76.36 lakh shares today, compared to the daily average of 116.36 lakh shares in last one month. The benchmark February futures contract for the stock is quoting at Rs 387.1, up 1.72% on the day. Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles Ltd is down 6.97% in last one year as compared to a 12.46% jump in NIFTY and a 27.39% jump in the Nifty Auto index. The PE of the stock is 25.02 based on TTM earnings ending December 25. Powered by Capital Market - Live News Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MP Raghav Chadha on Tuesday urged the government to legalise virtual digital assets (VDAs) in India, such as cryptocurrency, stablecoin, and tokenised assets, to keep the talent, innovation and funds within the country. "India taxes VDAs like they are legal. But regulate it like they are illegal," Chadha said in Rajya Sabha. The AAP leader highlighted that the government taxes VDAs at 30 per cent capital gain tax, yet offers no legal recognition, no investor protection, and no dedicated anti-money laundering (AML) framework. Here's a look at what VDAs are, how they are taxed, and what laws regulate them in India and other countries. What are virtual digital assets? A VDA is a type of asset that is owned in digital form and recorded on a blockchain. Blockchain technology helps prove that the asset is real and who owns it. Many of these assets are non-fungible, which means they are unique and cannot be replaced by something else. Because of this, they can be bought, sold or transferred to another person. In the Union Budget 202223, the government clearly defined VDAs such as cryptocurrencies and NFTs under the Income Tax Act for the first time. However, mobile app subscriptions, ecommerce purchases, OTT platform subscriptions, regular digital currency, and Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) were excluded. How are VDAs taxed in India? Under Section 115BBH of the Finance Act, 2022, if a person earns income from selling or transferring a VDA, that income is taxed at a flat rate of 30 per cent. This tax is charged separately. Then, the rest of the persons income is taxed as per normal income tax rules. While calculating profit from VDAs, no deduction is allowed for any expense except the cost of buying the asset. No other expense, allowance or loss can be claimed. If a person makes a loss from selling a VDA, the loss cannot be adjusted against any other income. It also cannot be carried forward to future years. In addition, a 1 per cent Tax Deducted at Source (TDS) must be deducted on the total value of the VDA transaction. This applies whether the payment is made in cash or in kind. Laws governing VDAs in India Cryptocurrencies and other VDAs are not legal tender in India. This means they cannot be used as official money for payments. However, buying, selling and holding these assets is legal. Responding to a question in the Lok Sabha in July last year, the Minister of State in the Ministry of Finance Pankaj Chaudhary said the crypto assets sector, including NFTs, is currently unregulated in India. However, VDAs have been brought under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002 (PMLA). This means transactions involving VDAs must follow anti-money laundering rules. Some aspects of the VDA sector are also governed by the Information Technology Act, 2000, the minister said. In addition, companies that hold crypto assets must disclose these holdings in their financial statements. This rule was added through an amendment to Schedule III of the Companies Act, 2013, by a notification dated March 24, 2021, and has been effective from April 1, 2021. How do other countries treat VDAs? While India has maintained a cautious approach to VDAs, several other countries, like Japan and South Korea, have progressive policies in place. Here's how different countries approach VDAs and crypto: Japan: It treats cryptocurrencies as legal property under the Payment Services Act. Crypto exchanges must register with the Financial Services Agency (FSA) and follow strict rules on custody, reserves, and consumer protection. The government has also considered tax reforms to support crypto businesses while keeping investor safeguards in place. South Korea: It requires crypto exchanges and virtual asset service providers to register with the Korea Financial Intelligence Unit (KFIU) under the Financial Services Commission. The Act on the Protection of Virtual Asset Users created formal rules and consumer safeguards. United States: The US does not have a single crypto law. Instead, existing regulators like the SEC and CFTC oversee different parts of the market. The SEC has filed cases against major crypto companies such as Ripple, Coinbase, and Binance. China: China has one of the strictest approaches to crypto. The Peoples Bank of China bans crypto-related business activities, citing financial risks. Bitcoin mining was banned in 2021, and cryptocurrency trading is also prohibited. Instead of allowing private cryptocurrencies, China promotes its own central bank digital currency, the digital yuan (e-CNY), as a government-controlled alternative. How lack of regulation is impacting India Chadha said that the lack of clear regulation has pushed nearly 120 million Indians to invest through overseas platforms. As a result, about ?4.8 trillion in VDA trading has moved outside India, 73 per cent of the countrys crypto trading volume now takes place on foreign exchanges, and around 180 Indian crypto startups have shifted abroad. He said the solution is to ensure compliance within India and give VDAs clear recognition as an asset class. A well-defined domestic regulatory sandbox, backed by strong AML safeguards, can bring trading activity back to India, protect investors, improve compliance, and generate an estimated ?15,00020,000 crore in annual tax revenue, he said. Biscuit maker Britannia Industries share price gained 4.7 per cent, logging an intra-day high at 6,153.95 on BSE. At 9:23 AM, Britannia shares were trading 4.07 per cent higher at 6,112.9 per share. In comparison, the BSE Sensex was up 0.17 per cent at 84,413.17. The buying on the counter came after the company released its Q3FY26 numbers on Tuesday, after market hours. In the December quarter, Britannia Industries reported a consolidated net profit growth of 16.9 per cent at 682.14 crore , as compared to 582.3 crore a year ago. Check detailed results here The companys revenue grew 8.2 per cent to 4,969.8 crore in Q3FY26 compared to the same period last year. Brokerages view on Britannia Nomura said Britannia Industries reported a better-than-expected third quarter, with volume growth of around 4.5 per cent year-on-year (Y-o-Y), compared to its estimate of 2.5 per cent, and margins expanding sharply on the back of benign input costs. The brokerage maintained its 'Buy' rating and top-pick status with a target price of 7,000. Consolidated sales grew 9.5 per cent YoY, ahead of Nomura's forecast of 8 per cent, driven by the better volume performance. However, other operating income declined 70 per cent Y-o-Y due to a reduction in the company's entitlement to state fiscal incentives following goods and services tax (GST) rate cuts. As a result, consolidated revenue growth came in at 7.2 per cent Y-o-Y, marginally above Nomura's estimate of 6.8 per cent, but below the Bloomberg consensus of 8.3 per cent. Nomura noted that the biscuits portfolio (70 per cent of the business) continued to face GST-led disruption in October, but Britannia reported 12 per cent growth in November and December. Management indicated that the category is still stabilising around price points, with other large biscuit players yet to revert to traditional coinage price points of 5/10, instead staying at 4.5/9, which increased competitive intensity during Q3. However, Nomura expects competitive pressure to ease in Q4, which should improve Britannia's volume and sales growth momentum. The brokerage also highlighted that adjacent bakery categories such as Rusk, Wafers, and Croissants maintained strong growth, and Britannia launched new variants including the 50-50 Dipped range, 'Doodh' Marie Gold, and 'Veg' cake during the quarte Nomura values Britannia at a P/E of 55x on Dec-27F EPS, a 10 per cent premium to its 10-year trading average, citing improving fundamentals and outlook. The brokerage forecasts an earnings per share (EPS) compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 12.5 per cent over FY26FY28F. The stock currently trades at 45x Mar-28F EPS. Key downside risks flagged include lower-than-expected volumes and margins. Meanwhile, according to reports, Morgan Stanley maintained an Equalweight rating on Britannia with a target of 5,469 per share. The brokerage noted that Britannia reported in line results with steady revenue growth and believes GST-linked fiscal incentives will stay lower going ahead. Disclaimer: View and outlook shared belong to the respective brokerages/analysts and are not endorsed by Business Standard. Readers discretion is advised. Oil prices gained on Wednesday, buoyed by escalating risk as US-Iran talks remained tenuous, while draws of crude from key stockpiles suggested stronger demand. Brent crude oil futures were up 98 cents, or 1.4 per cent , at $69.78 a barrel by 0949 GMT. US West Texas Intermediate crude rose 95 cents, or nearly 1.5 per cent , to $64.91. "Ongoing tensions in the Middle East continue to support prices, although so far there has been no supply disruption," said UBS oil analyst Giovanni Staunovo. Iran's foreign ministry spokesperson said on Tuesday that nuclear talks with the US allowed Tehran to gauge Washington's seriousness and showed enough consensus to continue on the diplomatic track. However, US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday he was considering sending a second aircraft carrier to the Middle East, even as Washington and Tehran prepare to resume negotiations aimed at averting a new conflict. "While rhetoric remains belligerent at times, there are no signs, at least for now, of escalation, and the US President believes that Iran will ultimately want to strike a deal on its nuclear missile programme," PVM Oil Associate analyst Tamas Varga said in a note. A slightly weaker dollar was also supporting prices. A stronger greenback hurts demand for dollar-denominated crude from foreign buyers. [USD/] Also supporting oil prices were signs of easing surplus, as markets absorbed some surplus barrels seen in the last quarter of 2025. Crude draws from the stocks held independently in the Amsterdam-Rotterdam-Antwerp (ARA) refining and storage hub and from Fujairah suggested a tight market, UBS' Staunovo said. Traders are also waiting for weekly US oil inventory data from the Energy Information Administration on Wednesday. US crude inventories rose by 13.4 million barrels in the week ended February 6, market sources said, citing American Petroleum Institute figures on Tuesday. Tata Motors share price today Shares of Tata Motors (formerly known as TML Commercial Vehicles) hit a new high of 492, surging 4 per cent on the BSE in Wednesdays intra-day trade. The Tata Group commercial vehicles (CV) company on Tuesday after market hours announced that its Indonesian subsidiary secured its largest-ever order for 70,000 commercial vehicles, comprising 35,000 Tata Yodha pickups and 35,000 Tata Ultra T.7 trucks, for deployment across Indonesia. The stock surpassed its previous high of 485 touched on January 30, 2026. Since its market debut (post demerger of CV business), the market price of Tata Motors has zoomed 50 per cent from a level of 327.65 on November 12, 2025. CHECK Stock Market LIVE Updates At 09:23 AM; Tata Motors was trading 2.3 per cent higher at 483.45, as compared to 0.17 per cent rise in the BSE Sensex. Whats driving Tata Group commercial vehicles stock? Tata Motors offers one of the industrys most comprehensive commercial vehicle portfolios across over 40 countries, spanning sub-1-tonne to 60-tonne cargo vehicles and 9-seater to 71-seater mass mobility solutions. PT Tata Motors Distribusi Indonesia, a wholly-owned indirect subsidiary of Tata Motors has informed that it has entered into an agreement for the supply of 70,000 vehicles for deployment in Indonesia. The vehicles will be used to support agricultural activities and rural logistics, including farm-to-market transportation and regional goods movement across the country. Check Q3 Results today The order, placed by state-owned PT Agrinas Pangan Nusantara, is aimed at strengthening agricultural supply chains, improving rural connectivity, and enhancing national food security initiatives, the company said. Tata Motors outlook The December 2025 quarter (Q3FY26) has witnessed very good uptick and sales momentum as also overall sentiment. And as the consumption continues to be at a higher level post GST 2.0 leading to expansion in some of the end-use sectors and infrastructure activity by the government, the management said they are looking at improved levels of demand in March 2026 quarter (Q4FY26) as well across all the segments. The bus demand will increase now, especially because they are cyclical and do well in Q4 and Q1 of each financial year. On trucks, given the sharp recovery, the management in the Q3 earning conference call said they are looking forward to continuing this momentum in trucks. Key drivers in 2026 will include the governments sustained infrastructure push and expansion in end-use sectors, both of which are expected to fuel positive momentum for the industry. Brokerages view on Tata Motors CV This order marks a significant milestone for Tata Motors global commercial vehicle ambitions and strengthens Indias position in export oriented mobility solutions, ICICI Securities said in a note. Post demerger Tata Motors CV is supported by structurally improved profitability, strong free cash flow & superior ROCE profile. Leadership in MHCV space & demand tailwinds further strengthen the investment case with incremental upside from exports. Post Q3 results, analysts at ICICI Securities assign BUY rating on the stock and value it at 545 on SOTP basis (14x EV/EBITDA on FY28E, 2x P/B on long term investments). The management indicated that double-digit volume growth will sustain for a few quarters aided by replacement demand, small operators, tipper truck segment and low base benefit. New launches, Ace Gold and Ace Pro, are helping the company to regain peak volumes. The company gained market share with the help of tipper trucks in MHCV segment, while management reiterated that its focus is not only market share but also profitable growth. Tata Motors has taken 1 per cent vehicle price hike in January 2026, across its product range, to overcome commodity cost pressure. The volume growth trajectory for CV sector and Tata Motors has been as per expectations in recent months. With the impressive QoQ EBITDA margin expansion trend sustained, analysts at InCred Equities has increased FY26F-28F EBITDA margin by 30-60bp, thereby maintaining EBITDA estimates. Following strong cash flow benefitting via lowering interest costs, and also higher other income, the brokerage firm has increased FY26F-28F profit after tax by 2-5 per cent. It maintained 'ADD' rating on the stock with a new target price of 521, as strong industry demand tailwinds along with market share gains demand a valuation upgrade. Disclaimer: View and outlook shared on the stock belong to the respective brokerages and are not endorsed by Business Standard. Readers discretion is advised. Amid some apparent strains in ties with the Congress over power-sharing, ruling DMK president and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin on Wednesday asserted that the alliance was "intact," but firmly ruled out accommodating allies in the cabinet. Congress MP from Tamil Nadu's Virudhunagar, Manickam Tagore, a vocal proponent of power-sharing, said that it was up to the people to decide whether it was single party or coalition government. Actor Vijay-led TVK said allies being denied cabinet representation was "against social justice" as they play a key role in the alliance' victory Stalin maintained that the alliance with the grand old party was free from confusion. In the past months, this is the first time the chief minister has asserted that there is no possibility of sharing power, a concept alien to Tamil Nadu's political history that has been dominated by the Dravidian parties since 1967. Amid a war of words between a section of leaders from the DMK and the Congress over power-sharing and increased seat allotment, the ruling party chief also asserted that the alliance was going strong. To a question on the Congress demand for a share in power in Tamil Nadu, he said: "We also know that it will not work in TN; they (Congress) know it too. It is a problem created by some people. They are deliberately conspiring to see if there will be a rift in the alliance. We are not worried about it. He (Rahul Gandhi) is not worried either," The CM made it clear that his party's ties with the Congress continued to be cordial and blamed a section of the media for claiming the contrary. "Rumours of confusion in the alliance are being spread deliberately. Beyond politics, I look at Rahul Gandhi as a brother..."he said at the India Today Roundtable conference, here. "The DMK-Congress alliance is in harmony. What others are expecting (split) will not happen." The CM's remark assumed significance in the wake of the Congress party expressing displeasure over seat-sharing talks. On Tuesday, AICC in-charge for Tamil Nadu and Puducherry, Girish Chodankar, voiced concern over the alleged delay in DMK constituting the seat-sharing committee. Subsequently, the DMK announced that a panel would be formed to commence negotiations from February 22. There is widespread speculation over the DMK-Congress alliance following the war of words between Congress MPs Manickam Tagore, Jothimani and Madurai DMK leader G Thalapathy over "power-sharing". On February 10, DMK Minister R S Rajakannappan said, "In the Congress, one or two people are causing trouble. If we say this, they get annoyed. They are part of an alliance. If they want to remain, let them remain. It is up to Thalaivar (Stalin) whether they are in alliance or not," he said. "When Kalaignar (DMK Patriarch M Karunanidhi) won 100-111 seats, did he allow a share in governance," he asked. "When the DMK is poised to win 150 seats, how can we give (a share). In an individual capacity, only Thalapathy (Stalin) will lead the government. Ask what you need, we will do it for you. There will only be a Dravida model government," he said in Pudukottai. AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami has expressed doubt over the sustainability of the DMK-Congress alliance. DMK leads the Secular Progressive Alliance (SPA) in the state and the mult-party bloc won the 2021 polls handsomely, trouncing the AIADMK. During the interactive session, Stalin said the forthcoming polls in Tamil Nadu would not be more difficult than the 2021 Assembly election for his party. Citing a survey, he said the DMK alliance is leading with 45 per cent support ahead of the Assembly elections in the state. The DMK is a movement and that would always be with the people. Noting that Tamil Nadu has been marching the "unprecedented" path of victory under the Dravidian Model regime, he said, "We will win the upcoming elections and continue this journey of growth and victory in Dravidian Model 2.0". He said Tamil Nadu last year recorded an 11.19 per cent growth. "The union government, which has been causing trouble to the DMK government could neither hide nor deny this growth." he said. "No matter what numbers you pick, Tamil Nadu is at the top. That is why over 65 Union government awards have been received by Tamil Nadu," he said. Claiming that the BJP has been causing administrative hurdles by using the Governor, he said the saffron party was coming to contest the election by forging an alliance with those who are "corrupt". Stalin alleged that the BJP thrives on hatred and uses divisive politics for electoral gains. He reffered to the Assam BJP in its social media page uploading a video showing Chief Minister Hemanta Biswa Sarma aiming a gun at an image of two persons from the minority community. The video has been since deleted. According to Stalin, the democratic forces of the country must not allow it and said his government would certainly secure funds and justice that Tamil Nadu deserves. "The fascist politics of the BJP will definitely not work in Tamil Nadu. As New Delhi prepares to host the India AI Impact Summit from February 16 to February 20, the country is positioning its artificial intelligence strategy around demonstrable, population-scale outcomes rather than broad policy dialogue. While earlier editions in the UK, South Korea and France emphasised safety frameworks and innovation principles, the 2026 edition from India will transition towards technology deployment and measurable societal impact. This shift is also reflected in Indias AI stack journey. For the uninitiated, the AI stack refers to an end-to-end ecosystem spanning applications, models, compute, infrastructure and energy. Across each layer, the government and industry are pointing to operational deployments intended to extend AI benefits across sectors and regions, aiming to democratise AI for population-scale adoption. AI applications moving from pilots to deployment At the application layer, several use cases have moved beyond the pilot stage into sustained implementation. In agriculture, AI-driven advisory tools are being used to guide sowing decisions, optimise input use and improve yields. State-level deployments in Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra have reported productivity gains of up to 30 to 50 per cent, according to official notes. Healthcare is another priority domain. AI tools are being deployed to support early detection of tuberculosis, cancer, neurological disorders and other conditions, strengthening preventive screening and diagnostic workflows within public health systems. In education, the National Education Policy 2020 has incorporated AI literacy and applied learning through CBSE curricula, the DIKSHA digital platform and programmes such as YUVAi. The stated objective is to build foundational AI skills at scale rather than confining training to specialist institutions. Judicial administration is also adopting AI-enabled systems. Under e-Courts Phase III, machine learning tools are being used for translation, case scheduling and workflow management, with an emphasis on improving access through vernacular languages. Meanwhile, the India Meteorological Department is using AI for forecasting rainfall, cyclones, fog, lightning and wildfire risk. Tools such as Mausam GPT are designed to support farmers as well as disaster response agencies. Indigenous AI models and language technologies At the model layer, the IndiaAI Mission has extended support to develop 12 indigenous AI models targeting India-specific use cases. Startups are being offered subsidised compute access, with up to 25 per cent of compute costs offset through grants and equity participation. The BharatGen initiative is working on India-focused foundation and multimodal models at scales ranging from billions to trillions of parameters. In parallel, IndiaAIKosh functions as a national repository for datasets, tools and models. As of December 2025, it hosts 5,722 datasets and 251 AI models contributed by 54 organisations across 20 sectors. Language technologies remain a central priority. Bhashini, under the National Language Translation Mission, now hosts more than 350 AI models spanning speech recognition, translation, text-to-speech, optical character recognition and language detection. Startups such as Sarvam AI are also developing large language and speech systems tailored to Indian linguistic diversity. Recently, the startup demonstrated its sovereign AI model-powered Sarvam Vision tool, which it claimed outperformed Google Gemini and ChatGPT in select but critical benchmarks related to document intelligence and speech systems. Compute capacity and semiconductor ambitions On compute, the IndiaAI Mission has an allocation exceeding 10,300 crore over five years. Its Compute Portal operates on a compute-as-a-service model, offering shared access to around 38,000 GPUs and 1,050 TPUs at subsidised rates intended to support startups and research institutions. A separate secure national GPU cluster with 3,000 next-generation processors is under development for strategic and sovereign use cases. ALSO READ: What makes India AI Impact Summit different from earlier global AI meetings Broader semiconductor ambitions are being pursued through the 76,000-crore India Semiconductor Mission, under which 10 projects covering fabrication and packaging have been approved. Indigenous processor programmes such as SHAKTI and VEGA are contributing to domestic capability in AI hardware. The National Supercomputing Mission has already deployed more than 40 petaflops of computing capacity across IITs, IISERs and national laboratories. Systems including PARAM Siddhi-AI and AIRAWAT are supporting workloads such as natural language processing, weather modelling and drug discovery. Digital infrastructure and data centre expansion Underlying these capabilities is an expanding digital backbone. A nationwide optical fibre network supports high-speed data transfer, while 5G services are now available across all States and Union Territories, covering nearly all districts and roughly 85 per cent of the population. India currently accounts for about 3 per cent of global data centre capacity, with installed capacity near 960 MW. Projections indicate expansion to 9.2 GW by 2030, driven by AI and cloud demand. MumbaiNavi Mumbai remains the largest hub, followed by Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Chennai, Delhi NCR, Pune and Kolkata. Global technology firms have also announced large investments. Microsoft has committed 1.5 lakh crore towards data centres and AI training initiatives, Amazon plans 2.9 lakh crore in cloud and AI-led infrastructure by 2030, and Google has outlined a 1.25 lakh crore investment for a 1 GW AI hub in Visakhapatnam. Energy supply as a constraint and enabler Power availability is increasingly being framed as a prerequisite for AI scale. India met a peak demand of 242.49 GW in FY 202526, with energy shortages reduced to 0.03 per cent. Total installed generation capacity stood at 509.7 GW as of November 2025, with non-fossil sources accounting for more than half. Plans include 57 GW of pumped storage by 203132 and deployment of 43,220 MWh of battery energy storage to stabilise grids supporting data centres. The SHANTI Act further positions nuclear power including small modular and micro-reactors as a continuous, low-carbon energy source for compute-intensive infrastructure. 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These chakras act as thematic working groups that translate broad principles into real policy and on-ground action. The summit will be held in New Delhi from February 16 to 20 and will be the first-ever global AI summit hosted in the Global South, underlining Indias growing role in global technology governance. The summit has drawn strong international interest. Around 15-20 heads of government, more than 50 international ministers and over 40 Indian and global CEOs are expected to attend. How the seven chakras shape the summits agenda The summits discussions are organised around seven interconnected chakras, each focusing on a key area where AI can drive social, economic and scientific change. These chakras convert the Summits guiding principles, known as 'sutras', into concrete areas of action across policy, innovation, and real-world applications. Chakra 1: Human capital This Chakra focuses on preparing people for an AI-driven future of work. It aims to promote fair skilling, inclusive workforce transitions and equal access to new opportunities created by AI. Chakra 2: Inclusion for social empowerment The focus here is on building AI systems that are inclusive by design. The goal is to empower diverse communities and ensure fair representation across societies. Chakra 3: Safe and trusted AI This chakra looks at building trust in AI. It seeks globally trusted systems based on transparency, accountability and shared safeguards that support responsible innovation. Chakra 4: Science This group explores how artificial intelligence can accelerate scientific research. It focuses on strengthening global scientific collaboration and turning breakthroughs into shared progress. Chakra 5: Resilience, innovation and efficiency The emphasis here is on sustainable AI systems. This includes energy-efficient technologies, responsible use of resources, and AI solutions that support climate resilience. Chakra 6: Democratising AI resources This chakra promotes fair access to foundational AI tools and infrastructure. The aim is to enable inclusive innovation and sustainable development. Chakra 7: AI for Economic Development and Social Good The final Chakra focuses on using AI to boost productivity, innovation, and inclusive growth across economies and societies. Through these seven Chakras, India aims to influence global AI standards while addressing domestic challenges. The outcomes of the Summit are expected to guide policymakers, investors and industry leaders in the years ahead. The three Sutras guiding the AI Impact vision The Summit is anchored in three core principles, known as 'sutras, which guide global cooperation on AI. 'People' focuses on human-centric AI that protects rights, builds trust, improves access to services and ensures benefits reach all sections of society. 'Planet' promotes environmentally sustainable AI through energy-efficient systems, responsible resource use and applications that support climate action. 'Progress' centres on inclusive economic and technological growth through innovation, capacity building and the use of AI to drive development outcomes. Indian enterprises are among the heaviest users of artificial intelligence and machine-learning (AI/ML) tools globally, and a substantial volume of sensitive data is moving into these systems, according to the recently released Zscaler ThreatLabz 2026 AI Security Report. The findings suggest that data flows tied to enterprise AI usage, and the associated data leakage incidents, are growing faster in India than in any other regions. The ThreatLabz report, which analysed nearly one trillion AI/ML transactions observed through the Zscaler Zero Trust Exchange in 2025, found that enterprises worldwide transferred 18,033 terabytes of data to AI/ML applications over the year, a 93 per cent year-on-year increase. While these figures capture global activity, India stood out as the second-largest source of enterprise AI/ML traffic, with 82.3 billion transactions and 309.9 per cent year-on-year growth, behind the US. India also accounted for 46.2 per cent of all AI/ML traffic in the Asia-Pacific and Japan (APJ) region. Indian enterprise usage and the volume of exposure The growth figures reported for India point to rapid adoption of AI/ML tools across sectors that routinely handle sensitive data. While Zscalers dataset does not break down sector-wise traffic by country, the report identified finance and insurance, manufacturing, and engineering and IT functions as major sources of enterprise AI usage globally. In India, IT services, banking, financial services and insurance (BFSI), and technology companies are widely seen as heavy users of these tools, contributing to both traffic volumes and the scale of potential exposure. Data leakage incidents linked to mainstream AI tools The report flags data leakage as a key security concern as enterprises scale up their use of AI tools. According to Zscalers analysis, ChatGPT alone accounted for about 410 million data loss prevention (DLP) violations in the dataset, while coding assistant tools such as Codeium saw a 100 per cent year-on-year increase in data leakage incidents. These violations include cases in which enterprise security controls flagged sensitive information being sent to AI applications. The most common categories of exposed data included personally identifiable information such as names and identifiers, national identifiers, source code, and medical and financial data, the report said. ALSO READ: Anthropic's Claude Opus 4.6 AI model improves reasoning, task handling The rise in DLP violations linked to tools like ChatGPT and Codeium suggests that many organisations are still in the early stages of defining what data can and cannot be shared with external AI services. As usage spreads across teams and functions, the number of potential leakage points also increases. Security context alongside rapid adoption The ThreatLabz report also shows that enterprises are increasingly applying policy controls to AI traffic. Across the global dataset, about 39 per cent of AI/ML transactions were subject to blocks or inspection policies, reflecting efforts to balance AI adoption with security governance. Even so, with AI now embedded across multiple workflows and tools, maintaining consistent oversight remains a challenge. The report notes that many enterprise AI systems are being integrated into business processes faster than organisations can build visibility and controls around them, contributing to gaps in data protection and threat detection. It also states that in controlled scans, some enterprise AI deployments surfaced critical weaknesses within minutes rather than hours, underlining how quickly such systems can be exposed if not hardened against targeted attacks. This is serious business. Expectations are that investments adding up to $70100 billion will be announced during the two-day main summit, spanning the entire technology (tech) ecosystem. Even as the US and China battle for AI supremacy, together capturing 65 per cent of global investment across the AI value chain, India is positioning itself as an alternative force in this global race, seeking a seat at the table where AIs future agenda will be shaped. Explaining the governments AI strategy, Minister for Electronics and Information Technology Ashwini Vaishnaw said, Sovereign AI is Indias national goal. Given the size of our country, we need to be competitive across all five layers of the AI stack applications, models, chipsets, infrastructure, and energy. India faces competition. South Korea, the UK, France, Germany, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) are all racing to build their own sovereign AI capabilities. Still, several factors tilt in Indias favour. It is among the worlds largest consumers of AI, making it a priority market for global players. ChatGPT lists India as its second-largest market by downloads, after the US. Perplexity, according to reports, has identified India as its fastest-growing and largest market in 2025. For Anthropic, India is the second-largest market for Claude usage, again behind the US. US-based ElevenLabs, a leader in AI-generated voice and audio tools, counts India as its largest market by total signups and its second-largest by enterprise revenue. SensorTower data shows India accounted for 16 per cent of the worlds 3.8 billion generative AI app downloads in 2025, placing it at the top globally. A Bain & Company analysis released at the World Economic Forum also points to India as a frontrunner in AI adoption. About 86 per cent of firms are exploring or deploying AI, while 14 per cent of the population actively uses AI tools. India-focused AI venture capital (VC) funds are now preparing to place larger bets on domestic startups, supplementing government support. Venture Intelligence data shows that in 2025, 16 such funds raised $1.87 billion, up sharply from $358 million the previous year. These included players such as Lightspeed, Nexus, and Accel. Challenges remain. India still lacks homegrown AI companies that have achieved meaningful scale say, revenues exceeding 1,000 crore. This raises a fundamental question: will Indian AI startups find buyers for their products, or will enterprises continue to rely on global tech firms? There is also concern that Indias information technology (IT) services companies, long dependent on labour arbitrage, have been slow to invest in AI and risk losing ground. The same criticism applies to several large Indian conglomerates. Infrastructure is another constraint. Indias data centre capacity critical for an AI push accounts for just 3 per cent of global capacity. Between 2010 and 2024, Indias cumulative AI investment amounted to only 1.21.8 per cent of its 2024 GDP, placing it ninth among 11 countries analysed by Bain, behind Canada, the UK, the UAE, Singapore, South Korea, and, unsurprisingly, China and the US. Although AI-focused VC investment rose to $928 million in 2025 a 26 per cent increase it remains insufficient for startups seeking scale. Despite this, the government believes it has a workable strategy built around Indias strengths. Vaishnaw argues that 95 per cent of global workloads can be handled by small AI models that are cheaper to build. A model with 50 billion parameters, he says, can meet the needs of enterprises worldwide. The highest returns lie at the top of the AI pyramid applications and use cases where India has the wherewithal to lead. India already has a large IT services industry with deep knowledge of how enterprises operate globally. These firms are now pivoting towards AI and increased AI hiring by 33 per cent last year. That focus lines up with Bains projections that global annual investment in AI applications will reach $1.5 trillion by 2030, far outstripping spending on foundational models or infrastructure, while delivering value through domain-specific use cases. In healthcare alone, AI adoption could yield savings of up to 5 per cent. Alongside this, the government has supported 12 sovereign AI models with 50120 billion parameters through grants. These are focused on national priorities such as healthcare, governance, agriculture, and weather forecasting, with multilingual and audio capabilities. Four or five of these, including the much-discussed Sarvam AI large language model, may be showcased at the summit. Infrastructure investment is also swelling. Google, Amazon, and Microsoft have announced plans to invest over $70 billion in India over the next few years, largely to build hyperscale data centres. Indias edge lies in cost: it is cheaper to build high-specification data centres in India than in Indonesia, South Korea, Malaysia, Thailand, or Singapore. Energy availability adds another advantage. Data-heavy AI servers demand vast amounts of power, preferably renewable. According to S&P, India will have sufficient capacity by 2030, and the additional 1530 gigawatt hours required by data centres would account for less than 10 per cent of the renewable power expected to come online by the end of the decade. Opening nuclear power to public-private partnerships further reduces energy constraints. The recently signed IndiaUS trade deal also helps by removing restrictions imposed by the Joe Biden administration on the number of graphics processing units (GPUs) India could import. With restrictions now relaxed, a major bottleneck in expanding computing capacity has been cleared. The government continues to push its design-linked incentive scheme to support chip design firms and has outlined plans to design GPUs domestically a process expected to take three to four years. Rather than starting from scratch, it aims to build on existing architectures to save time and cost, and has held discussions with Nvidia on collaboration. The final and perhaps most disruptive question is jobs. Will AI lead to large-scale losses, and how will the government respond? NITI Aayog estimates that Indias tech sector employs 7.58 million people, and without proactive intervention, about 1.5 million jobs could be at risk. Samsung is hosting its first Galaxy Unpacked event of 2026 on February 25, where the South Korean electronics maker will unveil the Galaxy S26 series smartphones. Besides the smartphone, Samsung is expected to introduce the Galaxy Buds 4 series, which would likely feature the Galaxy Buds 4 and Galaxy Buds 4 Pro. Samsung Galaxy Unpacked: When, where, and at what time Date: February 25 Location: San Francisco Time: 11:30 pm (IST) Online livestream: Samsung Newsroom and Samsung YouTube channel Samsung Galaxy Unpacked 2026: Pre-reservation Samsung has started pre-reservations for its upcoming devices in India on the Samsung India Store. You can pay Rs 999 (refundable) to reserve, and those who pre-reserve will get an assured voucher worth Rs. 2699, noted the company on its web portal. Samsung mentions vouchers worth up to Rs 50,000 on pre-reservations. Samsung Galaxy Unpacked 2026: What to expect Samsung Galaxy S26 lineup is likely to include the Galaxy S26, Galaxy S26 Plus and Galaxy S26 Ultra. The company recently shared videos on Instagram offering a glimpse of what consumers can expect from its upcoming flagship smartphones. In addition to this, Samsung has previewed a new privacy display feature that will debut with its upcoming Galaxy smartphones. Galaxy S26 series The recent teaser shared by the company focuses on one shared detail the camera bump design. Samsung appears to be introducing a unified camera island across its 2026 flagship lineup. The teasers also highlight camera capabilities, beginning with the words CLOSER, GROOVE, and GLOW. The stretched spelling appears to hint at a triple-camera setup. The company has also teased the new built-in privacy layer for upcoming Galaxy phones that may replace traditional privacy screen protectors. In specific to the models, the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra is expected to be powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy chipset and may feature a 200MP main camera, along with 50MP ultra-wide and 50MP telephoto cameras. The smartphone is feature a 5,000mAh battery. The Galaxy S26 and Galaxy S26 Plus may be powered by either the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 or Samsungs Exynos 2600 chipset, depending on the region. Both models are expected to feature a 50MP primary camera, a 12MP ultra-wide lens and a 12MP telephoto camera with 3x optical zoom and OIS. The Galaxy S26 Plus could feature a 6.7-inch flat LTPO M14 AMOLED display with an adaptive 120Hz refresh rate, while the Galaxy S26 may come with a 6.3-inch display. Battery capacities are tipped at 4,900mAh for the Plus and 4,300mAh for the standard model, with Qi2 wireless charging support expected on both. Galaxy Buds 4 series According to a previous report, in terms of design, the Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 series is expected to feature a curvier, more compact form while retaining the stem shape introduced with the Galaxy Buds 3 series. The Buds 4 Pro, in particular, is likely to drop the Blade Lights found on the Buds 3 Pro. This removal is expected to be countered with improved audio quality, aiming to offer a noticeable upgrade over the previous generation. ALSO READ: Govt directs platforms to label AI content, deploy checks on misuse Samsung may have also revised the charging case for the new earbuds. Unlike the vertical design used on the Buds 3 Pro, the Buds 4 and Buds 4 Pro cases may sit flat, making it easier to open the case and remove or replace the earbuds. As per a report by GizmoChina, FCC filings indicate that the standard Galaxy Buds 4 will support both Bluetooth Classic and Bluetooth Low Energy, though the documents do not reveal finer details such as the Bluetooth version or battery capacity. For the uninitiated, Bluetooth Classic is used for continuous, high-data tasks such as music streaming, calls, and file transfers. Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) is designed for low-power operations like syncing data, notifications, and background device communication. Chinas ByteDance is developing an artificial intelligence chip and is in talks with Samsung Electronics to manufacture it, two people familiar with the matter said, as the TikTok parent seeks to secure supply of advanced processors. ByteDance aims to receive sample chips by end-March, they said. The company plans to produce at least 100,000 units of the chip, designed for AI inference tasks, this year, according to one of the sources and another person. One of the sources said Byte- dance is looking to progressively ramp production to up to 350,000 units. Negotiations with Samsung include access to memory chip supplies that are in exceptionally short supply amid the global AI infrastructure build-out, making the deal particularly attractive, one of the sources said. The information about ByteDance's in-house chip project is inaccurate, a spokesperson for the company said in a statement, without elaborating. Sam- sung declined to comment. The work would mark a milestone for ByteDance, which has long sought to develop chips to support its AI work- loads. The companys chip efforts date back to at least 2022, when it began hiring chip-related staff in earnest. Reuters reported in June 2024 that ByteDance was working with US chip designer Broadcom on an advanced AI processor, with manufacturing planned to be outsourced to Taiwans TSMC. Global tech giants including Alpha- bet's Google, Amazon and Microsoft have developed their own AI chips to reduce reliance on Nvidia, the domi- nant supplier of advanced chips essen- tial for AI development. For Chinese tech companies, US export controls on advanced chip sales to China have also added urgency to develop their own AI chips. While Bytedance has yet to launch its own chip, its rivals Alibaba and Baidu are ahead in AI chip develop- ment: Alibaba last month unveiled its Zhenwu chip for large-scale AI work- loads. Baidu sells chips to external clients and plans to list its chip unit Kunlunxin soon. The chip project, codenamed Seed- Chip, is part of ByteDance's broader push to channel resources into AI development, from chips to large lan- guage models, betting the technology will transform its business portfolio spanning short video, e-commerce and enterprise cloud services. The company founded Seed in 2023 to develop AI models and promotes their applications. ByteDance plans to spend over 160 billion yuan ($22 billion) on AI-related procurement this year, with more than half allocated to purchasing Nvidia chips, including H200 models, and advancing its in-house chip, one of the sources said. ByteDance executive Zhao Qi told employees at a January all-hands meet- ing that the company's AI investment would benefit all divisions, according to a fourth source briefed on the meeting. Zhao, who oversees ByteDances Doubao chatbot and its overseas ver- sion Dola, acknowledged the com- pany's AI models lagged behind global leaders like OpenAI but pledged con- tinued support for AI development this year, the person said. Except US President Donald Trump, nobody else has declared that India will stop buying Russian oil, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told the country's parliament Wednesday. Lavrov's comments came two days after Russia accused the US of attempting to prevent India and other countries from buying Russian oil, saying Washington was using a wide range of "coercive" measures, including tariffs, sanctions and direct prohibitions. On Wednesday, responding to a lawmaker in the State Duma (Lower House), Lavrov said, "You mentioned that Donald Trump announced India's agreement to no longer purchase Russian oil. I have not heard such a statement from anyone else, including Prime Minister Modi and other Indian leaders." Lavrov noted that External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, setting the trend for India's chairmanship of BRICS, told the first meeting of sherpas in New Delhi that energy security will be one of the top items of the BRICS summit, expected to be attended by Russian President Vladimir Putin. Speaking during the Government Hour of the State Duma, which hears cabinet ministers who report about the performance of their ministries, Lavrov said, President Putin's state visit to India in December 2025 had further enriched relations between Moscow and New Delhi. "In particular, a substantial package of joint documents was signed during President Putin's state visit to India last December. This visit enriched Russian-Indian relations, creating a special, privileged strategic partnership," Lavrov underscored. A new meeting between the two countries' leaders is expected to take place on the sidelines of the BRICS summit, which will be held this year under the Indian chairmanship, Lavrov said. Russia is ready to go as far in relations with India as New Delhi would desire, he said, adding, the sky is the limit. India formally assumed on January 1, 2026, the chairmanship of BRICS, a 10-member bloc comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, along with five new members. Earlier, accusing the US of using "unfair methods" to suppress competitors by imposing sanctions on Russian oil companies, Lavrov said in an interview with TV BRICS on Monday, "(The US) is attempting to control our trade, investment cooperation, and military-technical ties with major strategic partners, such as India and other BRICS members." While announcing a trade deal with India last week, Trump claimed New Delhi had agreed not to procure crude oil from Russia. In an executive order, Trump rolled back an additional 25 per cent tariff on India that he imposed in August last for India's procurement of crude oil from Russia. On Monday, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said India will maintain multiple sources for crude oil purchases and diversify them to ensure stability in the supply chain, with national interests remaining the "guiding factor" for the procurement. The UK government has highlighted its first mover advantage by signing a free trade agreement (FTA) with a rapidly growing Indian economy ahead of the European Union (EU), which it claimed had used Britain's deal as a "baseline". During a House of Commons debate on the India-UK Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) earlier this week, the Opposition Conservatives insisted the deal with "one of the largest economies on the planet, which is growing approximately five times faster than the European Union" could have been better. "British businesses needed something with a really good kick in it to get this country growing. Instead of a vindaloo of a deal, the Prime Minister came back with a bag of soggy poppadoms," said Andrew Griffith, shadow business and trade secretary. Chris Bryant, minister of state in the Department for Business and Trade (DBT), responded on behalf of the Labour government to stress that CETA was a "momentous achievement" which goes "well beyond India's precedent in opening the door for UK businesses". "On services, the way we transacted this deal means it is supported by the Federation of Small Businesses, HSBC, Standard Chartered, EY, The CityUK and Revolut, and I do not think they think of the deal as 'soggy poppadoms' at all; I think they think of it as a fine tandoori," said Bryant. Setting out the DBT data at the outset, the minister highlighted that India and the UK did47.2 billion pounds worth of trade last year, which was up 15 per cent year on year and placed India as the country's tenth-largest trading partner. "India has the highest growth rate in the G20. It is likely to become the third-largest economy in the world by 2029. By 2050, India will be home to more than a quarter of a billion high-income consumers. Demand for imports is due to grow as well, reaching2.8 trillion pounds by 2050. Assuming global foreign direct investment into India continues on its recent trajectory, it could grow to1 trillion pounds by 2033," the minister stated. He highlighted that the trade deal signed during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the UK last year would boost Britain's GDP by 4.8 billion pounds, wages by2.2 billion pounds and bilateral trade by25.5 billion pounds every year by 2040. India will drop tariffs on 90 per cent of lines, covering 92 per cent of current UK exports, giving the UK tariff savings of400 million pounds a year immediately on entry into force, rising to 900 million pounds after 10 years, with average India tariffs falling from 15per cent to 3 per cent. "Plagiarism is the sincerest form of flattery, so I am glad that the European Union has now reached political agreement on its own FTA with India, for which it seems the UK deal was used as a baseline, but the UK retains first mover advantage. "I am hopeful that we will get to entry into force before the end of the summer, so that UK businesses can start exploiting the reduced tariffs this year, while the EU will still take some time to achieve ratification, and only the UK has secured access to India's38 billion pounds federal procurement market," Bryant told MPs. The Double Contributions Convention (DCC), signed off in Delhi this week to ensure temporary workers would not have to duplicate social levies in either country, came under criticism from some Opposition members. "The deal will not undermine British workers... and it will not make it cheaper to use Indian workers. This agreement is about highly skilled workers employed by Indian companies on a temporary basis paying contributions to their own country rather than in the UK," stressed Bryant. He admitted that while the Prime Minister Keir Starmer-led government "would have preferred" to have been able to secure a bilateral investment treaty (BIT) alongside the CETA, it stands ready to start that process "whenever India would like to do so". The British Parliament is ratifying the agreement signed by Modi and Starmer last July, including debates across both Houses and reviews by relevant committees on all aspects of the FTA, before it can be implemented in the coming months. US President Donald Trump repeated the claim that he stopped the war between India and Pakistan last year, which he said could have turned nuclear, through tariffs. "I settled eight wars. Of the eight wars, at least six were settled because of tariffs. In other words, I said, 'if you don't settle this war, I'm going to charge you tariffs, because I don't want to see people getting killed," Trump said in an interview to Fox Business Tuesday. "And they said, 'Well, what does this have to do?' I said, 'you're going to be charged'. Like India and Pakistan. It would have been a nuclear war, in my opinion. They were really going at it, 10 planes were shot down. They were going at it," Trump said. He added that the Prime Minister of Pakistan said, 'President Trump saved at least 10 million lives when he got us to stop fighting'. Because they were going to go nuclear, (in) my opinion. Without tariffs, that wouldn't happen," Trump said. Trump has claimed credit for stopping the India-Pakistan conflict for more that 80 times since May 10 last year, when he announced on social media that the two neighbours had agreed to a "full and immediate" ceasefire after talks mediated by Washington. India has consistently denied any third-party intervention. India launched Operation Sindoor on May 7 last year, targeting terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir in retaliation for the April 22 Pahalgam attack that killed 26 civilians. Instagrams head Adam Mosseri is set to testify in a United States court on Wednesday over allegations that the platforms design features contribute to compulsive use among children and young adults, news agency Reuters reported. The testimony forms part of a broader trial examining whether certain design choices on social media platforms harm youth mental health. At the centre of the case is the endless scroll feature, a design that allows content to load continuously as a user moves down a page. Critics argue that such features prolong usage and make disengagement difficult, particularly for younger users. The case is one of several lawsuits in the United States that examine whether social media platforms create environments that encourage excessive engagement among minors. Meta chief executive Mark Zuckerberg is also expected to testify at a later stage, according to reports. What is the US lawsuit against Instagram about? The trial involves a woman who said she developed compulsive use of Instagram at a young age because of its design. According to court filings cited in reports, she argued that features such as continuous scrolling and algorithm-driven feeds kept her on the platform for extended periods and contributed to anxiety. The outcome of the case is expected to influence how social media companies respond to similar lawsuits in the US. Meta has rejected the allegations. A company spokesperson said the firm disagreed with the claims and would present evidence of its efforts to support young users. The case is likely to examine internal company discussions and research on platform use among minors. Lawyers for the plaintiff have argued that internal material shows awareness of risks to younger users, while Metas legal team has said internal studies were aimed at improving safety and adding controls for users and parents. Why does the case matter for social media regulation? The testimony by Instagrams head comes at a time when regulators, courts and governments are assessing how social media platforms design their products and how those designs affect younger users. The case may influence future litigation, platform policies and regulatory approaches in several countries. The broader question under consideration is whether features designed to increase user engagement should be subject to stronger safeguards when minors are involved. How do design features drive engagement on social media? Medical and policy experts have increasingly focused on how engagement-driven features operate. The American Academy of Pediatrics has said design elements such as algorithmic recommendations, autoplay, intermittent rewards and social metrics can prolong use and make it harder for children to disengage from digital platforms. The academy noted that digital platforms often operate on business models based on data collection and advertising, which can prioritise engagement. It said such systems may also amplify harmful content for some users, particularly those already dealing with mental health issues. The academy added that design approaches centred on child safety, privacy and age-appropriate content could mitigate risks. What is the global policy response on social media use by minors? The legal scrutiny in the United States comes as governments worldwide consider restrictions on social media use by minors. In December last year, Australia enacted a law that prohibits children under 16 from accessing social media platforms, making it the worlds first country to introduce such a sweeping, nationwide restriction. Several other countries, including Spain, Greece, Britain and France, are examining similar measures. These discussions centre on age verification, parental controls and limits on platform access for minors. What is Indias stance on restricting social media access for children? In India, there is no nationwide ban on social media use by children, but the issue is under active discussion. A private members bill introduced in Parliament proposes a minimum age of 16 for social media access and suggests mandatory age verification systems. Several state governments have indicated interest in studying global models. Andhra Pradesh has said it is examining international approaches, while Goa has signalled it may explore age-based restrictions. The Economic Survey for 202526 has identified digital addiction as a public health concern and recommended that the government consider age-based limits and verification measures. Under the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023, individuals below 18 are classified as children, and platforms must obtain verifiable parental consent before processing their data. Courts in India have also weighed in. In one order last year, the Madras High Court suggested that the central government examine the feasibility of legislation similar to Australias model to protect minors from harmful content online. Iran's president apologised on Wednesday to "all those affected" by the nationwide protest and bloody crackdown that followed it. President Masoud Pezeshkian also denounced unspecified "Western propaganda" surrounding the protests. Pezeshkian said he knew the "great sorrow" felt by people in the protests and crackdown, without directly acknowledging the hand Iranian security forces had in the bloodshed. "We are ashamed before the people, and we are obligated to assist all those who were harmed in these incidents," Pezeshkian said. "We are not seeking confrontation with the people." Pezeshkian also insisted that his nation was "not seeking nuclear weapons... and is ready for any kind of verification." His comments came during a speech at a commemoration marking Iran's 1979 Islamic Revolution. Iran is in the midst of negotiations with the United States over its nuclear program. It remains unclear, though, if a nuclear deal will be reached. President Donald Trump has threatened to send another aircraft carrier to pressure Iran. Meanwhile, the United Nations' nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency, has been unable for months to inspect and verify Iran's nuclear stockpile. With President Donald Trump saying he believes Iran wants to make a deal on its nuclear program, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is expected to arrive at the White House on Wednesday with his own urgent message: Expand the talks further. The visit from Netanyahu - their seventh meeting in Trump's second term - comes as both Tehran and Washington are projecting cautious optimism after holding indirect talks in Oman on Friday about how once again to approach negotiations over Iran's nuclear program. "We'll see what happens. I think they want to make a deal," Trump said in an interview Tuesday with Fox Business Network's Larry Kudlow. "I think they'd be foolish if they didn't. We took out their nuclear power last time, and we'll have to see if we take out more this time." He added, "It's got to be a good deal. No nuclear weapons, no missiles." Netanyahu pushes for more in Iran talks Netanyahu's office has said he wants those talks to include limits on Iran's ballistic missile program and support for militant groups like the Palestinian Hamas and Lebanon's Hezbollah. "I will present to the president our outlook regarding the principles of these negotiations - the essential principles which, in my opinion, are important not only to Israel, but to everyone around the world who wants peace and security in the Middle East," Netanyahu said Tuesday before departing Israel. It remains unclear how much influence Netanyahu will have over Trump's approach toward Iran. Trump initially threatened to take military action over Iran's bloody crackdown on nationwide protests in January, then shifted to a pressure campaign in recent weeks to try to get Tehran to make a deal over its nuclear program. Iran's is still reeling from the 12-day war with Israel this past June. The devastating series of airstrikes, including the US bombing several Iranian nuclear sites, killed nearly 1,000 people in Iran and almost 40 in Israel. Trump, at the time, said the US action had "obliterated" Iran's nuclear capabilities, though the amount of damage remains unclear. Satellite photos of nuclear sites have recently captured activity, prompting concern Iran could be attempting to salvage or assess damage at the sites. Israel has long called for Iran to cease all uranium enrichment, dial back its ballistic missile program and cut ties to militant groups across the region. Iran has always rejected those demands, saying it would only accept some limits on its nuclear program in return for sanctions relief. "There's probably a degree of concern (for the Israelis) over the Iranians using any negotiation process to deflect some of the pressure," said Naysan Rafati, senior Iran analyst at the Washington-based International Crisis Group. He added that Netanyahu will likely stress to Trump that there "shouldn't be an open-ended negotiation for the sake of negotiation, but to have the kind of parameters where the West should be willing to walk away from the table." To that end, the US has built up military forces in the region, sending an aircraft carrier, guided-missile destroyers, air defense assets and more to supplement its presence. Arab and Islamic countries, including Turkey and Qatar, have been urging both sides to show restraint, warning that any strike or retaliation could have destabilizing consequences for a region already strained by the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza. Gaza is likely to come up That conflict is sure to come up on Wednesday as Trump plans to hold the first meeting next week of the Board of Peace, which was initially framed to oversee future steps of the US-brokered Gaza ceasefire plan but has taken shape with Trump's ambitions of resolving other global crises. On Iran, Trump said Friday that his special envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner had "very good" talks on Iran and more were planned for this week. But the Republican president kept up the pressure, warning that if the country didn't make a deal over its nuclear program, "the consequences are very steep." Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi made similar comments, saying there will be consultations on "next steps" but cautioning that the level of mistrust between the two longtime adversaries remains a "serious challenge facing the negotiations." He also signaled that Iran would stick to its position that it must be able to enrich uranium - a major point of contention with Trump. "The readouts from both President Trump and from the Iranians has been cautiously optimistic, not so much as there's light at the end of the tunnel, but they may be able to build a tunnel," Rafati said. Netanyahu met with Witkoff and Kushner shortly after arriving in Washington on Tuesday evening and they gave him an update on the talks held with Iran in Oman, the prime minister's office said. He was to meet with Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Wednesday morning, the State Department said. Araghchi said in November that Iran was no longer enriching uranium due to the damage from last year's war. Before the June war, Iran had been enriching uranium up to 60 per cent purity, a short, technical step away from weapons-grade levels. The UN nuclear watchdog - the International Atomic Energy Agency - had said Iran was the only country in the world to enrich to that level that wasn't armed with the bomb. Iran has been refusing requests by the IAEA to inspect the sites bombed in the June war. Even before that, Iran has restricted IAEA inspections since Trump's decision in 2018 to unilaterally withdraw the US from Iran's 2015 nuclear deal with world powers. By Emma Sanchez, Daniel Flatley and Joe Ryan The US government issued a general license to allow oilfield-service companies to work in Venezuela as the Trump administration eases sanctions and pushes to rebuild the nations crude infrastructure. The license issued by the Treasury Department allows US firms to explore, develop and produce oil and natural gas in Venezuela under certain limited conditions, according to a statement Tuesday. The move is the latest in a series of steps Washington has taken to entice US companies to revive output from Venezuelas vast crude reserves after last months capture of strongman Nicolas Maduro. In January, the US issued a general license that allowed for a wide range of crude operations, including exporting, transporting, refining and buying and selling crude. The general license announced Tuesday involves tasks such as geological mapping, reservoir analysis and related tasks that augment the commencement of oil production. However, the license does not allow new joint ventures in Venezuela. US people and firms will need to provide detailed plans to the State Department and Department of Energy for any work in the country, according to the statement. The Treasury Department is also preparing to issue a general license allowing companies to pump oil in Venezuela, Bloomberg reported earlier this month. Oilfield service companies are hired by producers to asses discoveries, drill wells, and enhance output from older assets. SLB Ltd., Halliburton Co. and Baker Hughes Co. dominate the sector. SLB has been working in Venezuela for Chevron Corp., operating under a US license held by the supermajor. The other large contractors scaled back or shut down their primary operations in the country as the previous regime tightened control over the energy industry. US President Donald Trump is privately musing about exiting the North American trade pact, people familiar with the matter said, injecting further uncertainty about the deals future into pivotal renegotiations involving the US, Canada and Mexico. The president has asked aides why he shouldnt withdraw from the agreement, which he signed during his first term, though he has stopped short of flatly signaling that he will do so, according to the people who spoke on condition of anonymity to describe internal discussions. A White House official, asked about the discussions, described Trump as the ultimate decision-maker and someone always seeking a better deal for the American people. Discussion about potential action amounted to baseless speculation before an announcement from the president, the official said. An official in US Trade Representative Jamieson Greers office said that a rubber-stamp of the 2019 terms was not in the national interest and the the administration intended to keep Trumps options open and negotiate to address issues that had been identified. Both officials spoke on the condition of anonymity and declined to directly address whether Trump was musing about an exit from the trade pact. Greer said Tuesday that the administration would hold separate talks with Mexico and Canada, arguing that trade ties with Canada are more strained. He did not say whether Trump would approve an extension. Generally speaking, these negotiations are going to proceed bilaterally and separately, the Mexicans are being quite pragmatic right now. Weve had a lot of discussions with them. With the Canadians, its more challenging, Greer said on Fox Business. The US-Mexico-Canada Agreement is set for a mandatory review before a possible extension on July 1, a process that was once expected to be routine but has transformed into a contentious negotiation. Trump has demanded additional trade concessions from Ottawa and Mexico City and pressured them to address unrelated issues, including migration, drug trafficking and defense. Greer will recommend renewal if a resolution incorporating input from industry stakeholders can be achieved, the official said, noting stronger rules of origin for key industrial goods, enhanced collaboration on critical minerals, worker protections and dumping all as areas of possible concern. If the countries agree to a renewal, the accord would remain in force for another 16 years. But if that doesnt happen, it could trigger annual reviews for a decade until the deals expiration in 2036. Any country could announce their intent to withdraw with six-months notice. Such a move would shake the foundations of one of the largest trading relationships in the world the pact covers roughly $2 trillion in goods and services and even the threat of a US departure would stoke uncertainty for investors and world leaders. US business groups and lawmakers would almost certainly rebel. The prospect of higher tariffs would also threaten to exacerbate affordability concerns heading into Novembers midterm elections, in which Trumps Republicans already face an uphill battle to keep control of Congress. Trump routinely polls key aides on issues; the questions can be insights into what is on his mind but are far from certain in predicting his actions. Its unclear if Trump will threaten publicly to leave or formally give the warning. Its possible if he did so, he may use it as leverage to reach a more favorable deal rather than follow through on pulling the US out of the agreement. Trump has already started to ratchet up pressure on Canada and Mexico; hes threatened to hike tariffs on Canadian goods to 100 per cent if the country brokers a trade deal with China, raise levies on aircraft from Canada to 50 per cent if it does not approve certain Gulfstream jets, refused to allow the opening of a new bridge linking Ontario and Michigan and vowed duties on products from Mexico and others that ship oil to Cuba. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said Tuesday he had a positive conversation with Trump following his bridge threat, adding that they also talked about the USMCA review though he didnt elaborate on those discussions. USMCA replaced the North American Free Trade Agreement, which controlled trade between three countries since 1994 but became a target of Trumps ire during his first run for the White House. Trump threatened to leave Nafta before agreeing to the new deal that tightened rules, raised US auto content requirements and included a sunset clause, which mandated this summers renegotiation. Even though he negotiated the current system, Trump has soured on the North American trading relationship. During a visit to a Ford Motor Co. plant near Detroit, he called the pact irrelevant but stopped short of saying he would quit it. He has also floated the possibility of negotiating bilateral agreements with Canada and Mexico. I dont even think about USMCA, he said. I want to see Canada and Mexico do well, but the problem is we dont need their product. Trump sent a different signal about the agreement last May when meeting with Carney, saying its there, its good. We use it for certain things and calling it great for all countries. But, he noted then, the 2026 renegotiation was looming to adjust it or terminate it. Any US exit from the USMCA might cause immediate economic pain by exposing more Mexican and Canadian exports to higher American duties. Currently, most goods with notable exceptions, including automobiles traded under the agreement are exempt from Trumps global tariffs. As a result, Mexico and Canada have comparatively low average effective tariff rates compared to other products from major economic powers. Both countries are the USs two largest trading partners and the top buyers of American goods, according to 2024 trade data. If exiting the pact triggers Canadian and Mexican retaliation, it could hamper his campaign pledge to boost US exports. In the long run, the mere possibility of exiting the deal could push the three neighbors further apart and reverse a three-decade effort to integrate their supply chains. Carney at last months World Economic Forum in Davos urged mid-sized countries to build new ties to resist economic coercion by aggressive super powers, declaring the old rules-based international order a fiction. The landmark speech, a thinly veiled shot at the US, angered Trump and helped prompt his latest string of threats against Canada. The presidents declaration in January that North Atlantic Treaty Organization troops stayed a little off the front lines in Afghanistan also rankled Canadians, many of whom have boycotted American products and scrapped trips to the US over Trumps trade brinkmanship. Some 158 troops from Canada died in that conflict. Trumps unpredictability has kept world leaders off balance for the better part of his second term. His argument that US doesnt need to import automobiles from Canada has served as a warning shot to an industry that is closely integrated across all three countries, as well as his moves to tariff North American steel and aluminum. Yet he has also displayed a willingness to preserve much of the USMCA, particularly with the exemption from his tariff regime, which grew out of warnings from the auto sector. By David Welch, Josh Wingrove and Thomas Seal President Donald Trumps threat to block a new bridge from Detroit to Canada followed a meeting between his Commerce Secretary and a billionaire who owns an existing border-crossing bridge just miles from the new span, according to two people familiar with the matter. On Monday evening the president said on Truth Social hed prevent the Gordie Howe International Bridge from opening until Canada fully compensated the US, and said the US should own 50 per cent of the asset. The social media post followed a Monday meeting between Howard Lutnick and Matthew Moroun, whose family owns and operates the Ambassador Bridge, currently the busiest crossing over the border between Detroit and Windsor, Ontario, the people said. Following the meeting, Lutnick called Trump. The White House declined to comment. Representatives for Detroit International Bridge Co., the company which operates the Ambassador Bridge, and other companies where Moroun holds roles did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The New York Times first reported the talks. Construction of the C$6.4 billion ($4.7 billion) Gordie Howe bridge was paid for entirely by Canada. Its largely complete and was due to open soon. In a deal agreed over a decade ago, Canada is set to receive toll revenues until it has recouped the construction cost, after which time that money will be split equally between Canada and Michigan. Both governments will co-own the asset. Both governments also appoint an equal number of members to an oversight body. But the Morouns have long lobbied against Canada building a new bridge, which would rival their privately-held span. In 2012, Matthews father Matty Moroun supported an unsuccessful statewide ballot in Michigan in an attempt to restrict the states ability to own or develop new international bridges. Matthew Moroun then lobbied Trump during his first term to rescind a waiver granted by President Barack Obama exempting the crossing from having to use only US steel. Matty Moroun died in 2020. Moroun companies have also filed lawsuits which would have obstructed the construction of the Gordie Howe bridge. Trumps involvement injects fresh uncertainty into the project. The president wants to strike a deal with the Canadians over the Gordie Howe bridge, one of the people said. He spoke to Canadas Prime Minister Mark Carney on Tuesday morning, who said Trump asked to involve his ambassador to Canada, Pete Hoekstra, who is from Michigan. Trumps broadside against Canada, the largest buyer of US exports, is the latest in a crescendo of tensions between the two countries as they prepare to review the economically critical US-Mexico-Canada Agreement trade deal, which Trump negotiated in his first term. Trumps rhetoric on Canada, such as calling for it to become a US state, had softened after Prime Minister Mark Carney replaced Justin Trudeau in an election last April. But its ramped up again since October, when Ontario Premier Doug Ford ran ads in the US quoting former President Ronald Reagan against tariffs. Trump terminated trade talks as a result, leaving in place large tariffs on key Canadian exports to the US like aluminum, steel and autos, as well as a 35 per cent tariff on the small amount of trade not covered by USMCA. The Washington-Ottawa relationship deteriorated further in the last month, after Carney struck a tariff detente with Chinese President Xi Jinping and gave a speech in Davos, Switzerland which many saw as a critique and rallying cry against US foreign and trade policy. Since October, Trump has threatened to increase his 35 per cent tariff on Canada to 45 per cent, then floated a 100 per cent tariff, as well as a 50 per cent tariff on Canadian-made planes. None of those taxes have yet been imposed. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he accepted a US offer to host another round of talks next week to end Russias war, with negotiators likely to zero in on the difficult issue of territory. The newest round is slated for Tuesday or Wednesday, Zelenskyy told Bloomberg News, though its unclear whether Russia would agree to talks in the US. On the agenda is a US proposal to set up a free economic zone as a buffer in the eastern Donbas region, an option that the Ukrainian leader said both warring parties view with skepticism. None of the sides is keen on the idea of the free economic zone neither the Russians, nor us, Zelenskyy said in a phone interview in Kyiv on Tuesday, though he declined to rule out the possibility. We have different views on it. And agreements were as follows lets come back with the vision of what it may look like for the next meeting. President Donald Trumps envoys are intensifying efforts to end Russias full-scale invasion against Ukraine as it approaches its fifth year and the question of territories is the key sticking point. A previous round of talks earlier this month between Russian, Ukrainian and American officials in Abu Dhabi was constructive, Zelenskyy said, adding that the war could end within months if negotiations proceed in good faith. Kyivs favored option for Donbas where the Kremlin is standing by its demand to control the entire region, including parts its been unable to seize militarily is for troops to remain in place along the front line. In discussions over who controls the buffer zone, the US must clarify its position, he said. If it is our territory and it is our territory then the country whose territory it is should govern it, Zelenskyy said. The Ukrainian leader has said earlier that the US midterm elections in November are creating pressure on the Trump administration to secure a peace deal in Ukraine. He told reporters last week Trumps team has proposed wrapping up all necessary negotiations to end the fighting by June. The US administration wants to sign all the documents at the same time, Zelenskyy said. He stressed that Ukraine will need to approve the peace proposal either in a parliamentary vote or in a national referendum. The Ukrainian leader has repeatedly said that he intends to call a referendum on any peace deal after the fighting stops. The head of Zelenskyys party in parliament, David Arakhamiya, told reporters last month that Kyiv may finish drafting a law on a referendum by the end of February and that such a ballot should be held together with a presidential vote. For the time being we are also talking about a sequencing plan of all our actions, including signing of documents, Zelenskyy said. I think that after our next meeting, there should be an understanding. Ceasefire Mechanics Recent talks in the United Arab Emirates focused on the mechanics of a ceasefire and how it would be monitored by the US, according to Zelenskyy. But negotiators were unable to finalize details without higher-level political decisions, he said. As negotiators pore over the wording of the pending agreement, Zelenskyy said the discussions made clear that any truce would require monitoring that involved US participation. Russians have one wording, we have another one, the Americans have the third one, Zelenskyy said. There is an understanding that there will be monitoring, but there is also an understanding more work is needed on wording and details. The next round of negotiations, which will also include bilateral talks with Washington, may look into proposals for postwar planning and zoom in on the economic issues, he said. To that end, Kyiv will dispatch Economy Minister Oleksii Sobolev to join the delegation to discuss the so-called prosperity package with the US, Zelenskyy said. Any optimism over progress shouldnt obscure the difficulty Ukraine faces over recovery funding and maintaining the military capability to deter any future Russian attack, Zelenskyy said. An economic shock could loom without clear sources of financing, he warned, referring to billions of dollars needed for reconstruction, social spending the military for years to come. That would require a clear funding mechanism, with European participation, since even potential financing from frozen Russian central bank assets wouldnt cover needs in the longer term, he said. Recent Russian air strikes on energy infrastructure knocked out as much as 10 gigawatts of Ukraines generating capacity, Zelenskyy said, leading to daily power deficits of about five to six gigawatts over peak hours. Some facilities wont be repaired until the next heating season. Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Wednesday that new US restrictions on the role of Russia and other countries in Venezuela's oil business were blatant discrimination and the Kremlin said it would clarify the matter with Washington. The US Treasury Department on Tuesday issued a general license to facilitate the exploration and production of oil and gas in Venezuela. The license did not authorise transactions involving Russian, Chinese and Iranian nationals or entities. Lavrov, speaking to the lower house of parliament, said that Russia was in touch with Washington on the issue and wanted to conduct mutually respectful work with the United States "without the idea of domination". "This is blatant discrimination, despite the fact that Russia, China and Iran have had investments in Venezuela's oil and energy sector," said Lavrov. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters that Russia would clarify the situation with Washington. "We do indeed have investments in Venezuela, we have long-term projects, and there is interest both from our Venezuelan partners and from us. Therefore, all of this is a reason to discuss the situation with the Americans," Peskov said. US President Donald Trump has openly spoken of wanting to control Venezuela's vast oil reserves, the world's largest, in conjunction with US oil companies, after toppling Nicolas Maduro. Maduro, who was seized by U.S. forces in January, has pleaded not guilty to US drugs charges. CHINESE IMPORTS China is a major customer of and investor in Venezuela's oil sector. Much of the oil Venezuela exports is sold to China, although Beijing declares very little and imports are often rebranded. Imports hit about 470,000 barrels per day during 2025, according to energy analytics firm Vortexa, or roughly 4.5% of China's seaborne crude imports. Russia's Roszarubezhneft energy firm, which operates in the South American country, said last month that all of the company's assets in Venezuela were the property of Russia and it would stick to its commitments to international partners there. Roszarubezhneft, owned by a unit of the Russian Ministry of Economic Development, was incorporated in 2020 and soon afterwards acquired the Venezuelan holdings of Russian state-run oil company Rosneft after Washington imposed sanctions at the time on two Rosneft units for trading Venezuelan oil. Russia has long maintained close ties with Venezuela, spanning energy cooperation, military links and high-level political contacts, and Moscow has backed Caracas diplomatically for years. Rosneft had stakes in upstream ventures in Venezuela, such as Petromonagas (40%), Petroperija (40%), Boqueron (26.67%), Petromiranda (32%) and Petrovictoria (40%). US lawmakers chairing key House committees on Tuesday urged the State and Commerce Departments to restrict China's access to advanced chipmaking equipment, warning that gaps in export controls threaten national security. In a bipartisan letter, House Select Committee on China Chairman John Moolenaar and House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Brian Mast called for countrywide restrictions on chipmaking tools, arguing that China has accelerated imports of foreign-made equipment critical to advanced chip production. "We urge the Administration to press allies to implement countrywide controls on key chokepoint semiconductor manufacturing equipment and subcomponents: that is, all equipment and subcomponents that China cannot produce indigenously," the letter to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said. The signatories also include House Foreign Affairs Ranking Member Gregory Meeks and several members of the South and Central Asia Subcommittee who called for restrictions on servicing existing equipment already operating in Chinese chip facilities, arguing that such maintenance is essential for these tools to remain functional. Lawmakers also asked US President Donald Trump's administration to provide a briefing within the next month outlining its strategy for securing allied cooperation on broad, countrywide controls targeting critical semiconductor manufacturing equipment and components. The congressional warning over gaps in US export controls comes as China appears to be making breakthroughs Washington has long sought to block. Beijing still faces major technical challenges, particularly in replicating the precision optical systems that Western suppliers produce. In December, Reuters learned that Chinese scientists in a high-security Shenzhen lab have built a prototype machine modeled on ASML's extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography tools - the pioneering equipment required to produce the most advanced chips that power artificial intelligence, smartphones and Western military hardware. By Carmen Arroyo Jimmy Ba and Tony Wu, two of the co-founders of Elon Musks artificial intelligence startup xAI, both said they were leaving the company after less than three years, meaning half of its founding members have now departed. Wu announced his exit Monday in a post on X, without saying in the statement what he would be doing next. Ba followed a day later, saying it was his last day at xAI. Both thanked Musk in their posts. Its time to recalibrate my gradient on the big picture, Ba posted on the Musk-owned social network on Tuesday. 2026 is gonna be insane and likely the busiest (and most consequential) year for the future of our species. Ba and Wu both went to the University of Toronto, and Wu previously worked at Alphabet Inc.s Google. They were two of the 12 original xAI co-founders, including Musk, who launched the company in 2023. They are the fifth and sixth from that group to exit in the past two years. Kyle Kosic left in 2024, followed by Igor Babuschkin and Christian Szegedy last year. Greg Yang, another co-founder, said last month that he would step back from his role after being diagnosed with Lyme disease. Its time for my next chapter, Wu said Monday in his post. It is an era with full possibilities: a small team armed with AIs can move mountains and redefine whats possible. Both Wu and Ba announced their departures following xAIs recent merger with SpaceX, a move that valued the combined company at $1.25 trillion, Bloomberg News reported. The deal could ease a funding crunch for xAI, which has been raising large sums of capital as it burns through cash in its bid to build out data centers, buy expensive computing chips and pay for talent. After an unprecedented purge of the PLA at the top, Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday praised troops at the "grassroots level" for their loyalty to the ruling Communist Party as he made his first public appearance ahead of the Spring Festival after the dismissals. Describing the past year as highly unusual and extraordinary, the 72-year-old leader said the people's armed forces had advanced in-depth political rectification, effectively addressed various risks and challenges, and undergone "a revolutionary tempering" in the fight against corruption. Officers and soldiers across the armed forces, especially those at the grassroots level, have been loyal to the Party, faithfully fulfilled their duties, and proven themselves capable and dependable, Xi said in his spring festival greetings to the troops via video link, official media reported on Wednesday. Two senior Chinese military officials, including the highest-ranking PLA official GenZhang Youxia, were placed under investigation last month for serious violations of the ruling Communist Party's discipline and laws and corruption, sending shockwaves among the ranks of the military. GenZhang is the first-ranking Vice Chairman of the powerful Central Military Commission (CMC), the overall high command of the Chinese military headed by Xi. Zhang's position on the CMC makes him the highest-ranking uniformed officer in the Chinese military. His removal and subsequent detention left the seven-member CMC with just two, Xi and Gen. Zhang Shengmin, secretary of the discipline inspection body, with remaining positions yet to be filled. A day after Zhang's removal, thePLADaily said threatening the Party's absolute leadership over the armed forces was one of the reasons why they were placed under investigation. Different reports also cited reasons like his sharing nuclear secrets with the US and core technical data related to China's nuclear weapons program with the US, besides accepting bribes for promotion of officers surfaced, surprising many as Zhang was Xi's close confidant for years and assisted the President's campaign to sack several senior generals, including two defence ministers, on charges of corruption. The charge of threatening the party's absolute leadership is regarded very seriously, as the Chinese military, unlike other armed forces of the world, functions under the command of the Communist Party of China (CPC), which exercises absolute control of the armed forces. Also making his first public appearance after the big purge of the military, Xivisited primary-level officials and residents in Beijing during a two-day inspection tour from Monday to Tuesday, extending Spring Festival greetings to Chinese people at home and abroad ahead of the festival, which formally begins on Feb 17. Xi wished them good health, career success, and family happiness. He also wished the country peace and prosperity in the Year of the Horse, ending the year of the Snake, according to China's lunar calendar. China will officially shut down for nearly a fortnight to celebrate the New Year. The inspection marked Xi's first local inspection tour in 2026, state-run Xinhua news agency reported. Ever since he took over the leadership in 2012, President Xi, who also heads the party and the military, besides the Presidency, has been emphasising that it is imperative for the military to function under the Party leadership. The party holds the gun, he has been persistently reminding the military generals, emphasising that they must function under the civilian leadership. In his New Year's message to troops, Xi also asked them to remain vigilant about border security. "Maintaining combat readiness during holidays is a fine tradition of our armed forces," Xi said, urging the military to stay vigilant and safeguard both national peace and the well-being of the people. Darragh Mc Donagh Bar sales in Leinster House increased by 34 per cent to nearly 445,000 last year, with current or former TDs and senators knocking back shots of tequila and sambuca, along with 27 measures of premium whiskey. Politicians racked up almost 60,000 on their bar tabs during 2025 in the parliaments two pubs: the Visitors Bar and the Members Bar, which is exclusively for current and former Oireachtas members. Sales reports show that popular party shots like sambuca and tequila were among the drinks purchased in the Members Bar last year, as well as Midleton Very Rare whiskey, which costs 27 per measure. Guinness was the most popular tipple across the two bars, with just under 13,000 pints and 312 half pints of the black stuff sold throughout the year. Coors and Heineken were also popular on draught, selling 2,550 and 2,212 pints, respectively. The Houses of the Oireachtas own-label wine was a big seller, accounting for around 17 per cent of all drinks revenue during 2025. A total of 4,851 glasses and 1,063 bottles were sold, as well as two cases costing 180 each. Employees at Leinster House availed of a staff discount to purchase 50 bottles at 12 each during the 12-month period. Bottles of house wine normally cost 16, while bottles of Rioja and Pinot Grigio retail at 28. Total sales climbed from 331,560 in 2024 to 444,655 last year, with drinks accounting for 70 per cent of revenue, with the remainder relating to bar food, chocolates and snacks. One-third of sales were taken through the Members Bar. December was the busiest month, accounting for around 14% of the years sales. Just 40,010 was taken in cash during 2025, while card payments accounted for 347,221, and 57,424 was charged to politicians tabs. One bottle of Moet & Chandon champagne was sold for 80 in the Visitors Bar in December, while prosecco proved popular throughout the year, with 12 bottles and 211 glasses bringing in revenue of nearly 1,900. The bars at Leinster House typically remain open while the Dail is sitting, and have continued serving until 5 am during crucial legislative votes in the past, allowing TDs to move between the bar and the chamber. The sales reports, obtained under the Freedom of Information Act, show that 120 packs of mints were sold in the two bars during 2025 at a total cost of 211.80. CARLOW politicians were collectively lobbied 257 times by the Irish Farmers Association in a four-month period, according to legally-mandated lobbying disclosures. Deputy Peter Chap Cleere, who is a member of the Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture and Food, was lobbied 81 times, and deputy Natasha Newsome Drennan, another member of that committee, was lobbied 83 times. Deputy Catherine Callaghan was lobbied 75 times. Many of these lobbying efforts related to measures to support farm enterprises. One such proposal was that the government should allocate a budget of 2m to initiate a pilot spent mushroom compost scheme. The IFA emailed between 11 and 20 people, held meetings with two to five people and sent letters to all TDs as part of the lobbying campaign. TD John McGuinness and minister of state Jennifer Murnane OConnor were both lobbied once by the IFA. South-east MEP Cynthia Ni Mhurichiu was contacted by the IFA 16 times. The IFA made a total of 159 returns during this period, many of which involved communications and meetings with multiple public officials and politicians. The IFA was far from the only lobbying group to submit returns relating to Carlow officials. Carlow Chamber conducted four lobbying activities during this time. It held a meeting in Enterprise House with Peter Chap Cleere to discuss the needs of Carlow business, its pre-budget submission and the need for greater speed in the rollout of housing and infrastructure. It also held regular meetings with Coilin OReily, chief executive of Carlow Co Council, to discuss key issues facing the Carlow business community, to share information and to discuss areas of common interest. On 27 September, the chamber held a Fine Gael SME conference in SETU Carlow, attended by several TDs, former TDs and advisors. Deputy Callaghan attended alongside minister Peter Burke, Joe Neville TD and John Clendennen TD. The conference discussed the challenges facing small and medium businesses, the health sector and women in business. Deputy Callaghan and deputy Newsome Drennan attended another Carlow chamber event, a lobbying day to discuss the issues raised in the Chambers Ireland pre-budget submission. Carlow College has lobbied various politicians 12 times in the past four years to advance its proposed integration with South-East Technological University (SETU). In the latest disclosure, it said that it sent between two and five letters to and from minister of state Murnane O'Connor and minister for higher education James Lawless regarding the colleges strategic positioning, requesting financial and political support for the move. Mike Ireland has announced his retirement as president and chief executive officer of the American Cement Association (ACA) after eight years in the role. A search committee has been formed to identify his successor. It has been an absolute honour to work with the many wonderful people in this industry, which carries the unparalleled responsibility of not only facilitating everyday life for people around the world, but for making modern-day society possible, said Ireland. Im humbled by the significant strides ACA has made during my tenure in raising the cement industrys profile from one that quietly helps provide the literal building blocks of America, to a recognized, leading voice in the construction arena, whose opinions are sought after and greatly valued by Washingtons decision-makers. I deeply appreciate the opportunity Ive had to represent this illustrious industry. Advertisement During Irelands tenure, ACA launched its Shaped by Concrete campaign, introduced the Roadmap to Carbon Neutrality outlining a pathway to net-zero by 2050, and rebranded the 109-year-old organisation from the Portland Cement Association to the American Cement Association. ACA appreciates Mikes leadership, spirit of collaboration, and the unique sense of humor he is famous for to help navigate the industry through its many successes and challenges over the past several years, said Monica Manolas, ACA Board Chair and Region President, Ash Grove East. We sincerely thank him for his dedication to the Associations membership and wish him all the best in his retirement. Total shipments of Portland and blended cement, including imports, in the US and Puerto Rico amounted to 9.832Mt in September, up 9.7 per cent YoY from the 8.967Mt recorded in September 2024, according to the US Geological Survey. Excluding for sales to Puerto Rico and overseas territories, cement consumption in the US jumped 10.1 per cent YoY in September, coming in at 9.74Mt, compared to 8.849Mt a year earlier. The key producing states for Portland and blended cement were, in descending order, Texas, Missouri, California, Florida and Michigan. The key consuming states were, in descending order, Texas, California, Florida, Ohio and Illinois. Blended cement shipments amounted to 6.602Mt in September, up 13.8 per cent YoY from 5.801Mt a year earlier, with Florida the leading consumer. Masonry cement shipments amounted to 186,060t, up 6.7 per cent YoY from 174,428t a year earlier, with Florida the leading consumer. Clinker production, excluding Puerto Rico, amounted to 6.284Mt, up 5.9 per cent YoY from 5.935Mt a year earlier. Imports of cement and clinker amounted to 2.337Mt in September, up 8.6 per cent YoY from 2.151Mt in September 2024. Imported clinker amounted to 100,373t, up from 59,797t in September 2024. Advertisement January-September 2025 Total shipments of Portland and blended cement, including imports, in the US and Puerto Rico amounted to 76.403Mt in 9M25, down 1.4 per cent YoY from the 77.499Mt recorded in the same period of 2024. Excluding for sales to Puerto Rico and overseas territories, cement consumption in the US was 1.8 per cent lower YtD, coming in at 75.4Mt, compared to 76.757t a year earlier. Blended cement shipments amounted to 47.157Mt in 9M25, up 7.6 per cent YoY from 43.84Mt in 9M24. Masonry cement shipments amounted to 1.622Mt in 9M25, down 3.4 per cent YoY from 1.68Mt in 9M24. Clinker production, excluding Puerto Rico, saw a 4.9 per cent YoY decline to 50.112Mt from 52.696Mt. Imports of cement and clinker amounted to 19.224Mt in 9M25, down 1.7 per cent YoY from 19.565Mt in the same period of 2024. Turkey accounted for a third of imports, followed by Vietnam with a fifth and Canada with 18 per cent. Imported clinker amounted to 683,592t, down 4.1 per cent YoY from 713,120t in 9M24. Turkey accounted for 43 per cent of imports, followed by Canada with 42 per cent. Jeux pour enfants et jeux de societe pour tous les ages, mis a disposition par les benevoles, ont rythme ce moment convivial. Un gouter fait maison, compose de crepes et de cookies, a regale petits et grands. Une premiere pour le comite, qui envisage deja de renouveler ce type danimations intergenerationnelles, avec notamment un jeu de piste ou une chasse au tresor cet ete dans le parc-arboretum du chateau. A suivre, un concert le 27 fevrier avec le Trio danches Oubradous dans la salle du chateau. Cleveland State Community College Workforce Development Department has partnered with Whirlpool Corporation on a Tool and Die Maker Registered Apprenticeship Program with the Department of Labor. Five employees are participating in the four-year program; they are working at Whirlpool to gain the 8,000 hours of on-the-job training and completing 11 technical courses with Cleveland State, the official program sponsor. Leading the instruction for four of the technical courses, Machine Tool Technology I and II, Computer Numerical Controls (CNC) and Automation, and Tool and Die Technology is veteran teacher and experienced machinist, Shawn Williams. A tool and die maker is a skilled professional in the manufacturing industry who specializes in designing and maintaining precision tools, dies, molds and fixtures used in production processes. Mr. Williams said, Anything that you see that is made by a person, the machinist or tool and die maker made the part or made the pieces for the part. Every industry has machinists, or they farm it out to a tool and die maker. You have to have machinists to keep things running and maintained.Mr. Williams took machining classes when he was a student at Bradley Central High School, and then studied at Chattanooga State Community College. For the next 15 years, he worked as a machinist at manufacturing plants in Tennessee and Georgia, including two years at Whirlpool in Cleveland.In 2008, Mr. Williams returned to Bradley Central High School to teach machining classes. He also became an adjunct instructor for the Advanced Technologies Department at Cleveland State. Since 2021, he has been teaching at Cleveland Middle School.I wanted to teach the youth something that I had a passion for, Mr. Williams said. These classes in middle school prepare you for thinking outside the box, even with math skills. You have to think about the process, and you use that skill in almost every career. If you start out in the machine world with tool and die, you can become a good engineer because you learn how to design parts for a machine. It can be a steppingstone to project management too.Although Mr. Williams has been teaching for almost 20 years, this cohort is his first experience with registered apprentices. He said, Since I worked in the industry, I can relate to the culture and language used in the workplace. These guys learn the skills and get to use them in the shop right away. They are working toward a goal and are motivated to get that industry-recognized apprenticeship certificate.Nicholas Jones, a student in the apprenticeship program, has been working at Whirlpool for 13 years. He said, Ive learned a ton about machining in this program, starting with the roots and going in depth on it too. It has really helped me, especially because it is what we are getting into at work.Heather Brown, director of Workforce Development, said, Shawn is a skilled machinist who has served many years educating students of all ages. We are fortunate to have him as an instructor. His calm composed demeanor is greatly appreciated by the students. Shawn has a busy schedule, teaching both day and evening. When asked if he could fit in another class, he was happy to make it work.The Tool and Die Maker Registered Apprenticeship Program between Whirlpool and Cleveland State is the second apprenticeship program for employees. The Industrial Maintenance Registered Apprenticeship Program is completing its final year with five employees.Officials said, "According to Apprenticeship TN, a registered apprenticeship is an industry-driven, high-quality career pathway where employers can develop and prepare their future workforce. Registered apprenticeship programs are approved by the U. S. Department of Labor and benefit employers with increased productivity, safety, worker versatility and employee retention. Most companies see a 94 percent retention rate after an apprentice completes the program." For more information about registered apprenticeship programs, contact Ms. Brown at hbrown@clevelandstatecc.edu or 423-614-8793. The Signal Mountain Police Department, in partnership with Blood Assurance, will host a community Blood Drive on Wednesday, March 4th, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The Blood Assurance Bus will be located in the Town Hall Pool parking lot, behind the gym. Residents are encouraged to schedule an appointment in advance by visiting www.bloodassurance.org/ smpoliceandfire The scheduling link will also be available on the Town Hall and Police Department Facebook pages, as well as the Towns website. The University of Tennessee at Chattanoogas Center for Applied Geospatial Data Science (CAGDS) has been selected as a finalist in the 2025 ArcGIS StoryMaps Competition, earning international recognition for an interactive mapping project that uses geospatial data science and artificial intelligence to guide where trees are planted across the city.CAGDS was named a finalist in the Environment category for Mapping Chattanoogas Urban Forests, a StoryMap created by GIS Director Charlie Mix that documents how UTC researchers, city leaders and nonprofit partners are using data to address urban heat and tree canopy loss.As a finalist, UTC is now featured alongside other top projects globally, and the public is invited to vote for a Community Choice Award through March 10.Winners in each category will be announced in April.Its a pretty big nomination in the world of cartography, Dir. Mix said. Just the fact that we were selected as a finalist has me excited and humbled.The ArcGIS StoryMaps Competition is cohosted by Esris ArcGIS StoryMaps and ArcGIS Living Atlas of the World teams. Esri is an international supplier of geographic information system software, web GIS and geodatabase management applications.The competition draws entries from around the world and highlights how geospatial data can be used to tell place-based stories about environmental, social and infrastructure challenges.For the 2025 competition, more than 450 storytellers from 55 countries submitted stories in 14 languages across three categories - Environment, People and Infrastructure. Finalists were selected based on storytelling quality, cartography and the effective use of geospatial data.Dir. Mixs StoryMap centers on the Chattanooga Tree Project, a citywide effort funded by a $6 million U.S. Forest Service grant to plant 5,000 trees where they are needed most. The project brings together the City of Chattanooga, local nonprofits and UTC researchers to address the loss of tree canopy and the effects of urban heat islands, particularly in neighborhoods most vulnerable to extreme summer temperatures.The StoryMap walks users through how UTCs geospatial data scientists used high-resolution aerial imagery, deep learning models and satellite data to map tree canopy, identify urban heat severity and create a heat risk index for neighborhoods across the city. That index combines environmental data with demographic indicators such as age, income, access to air conditioning and transportation.What were really showing is a workflow that can be repeated, Dir. Mix said. Its about illustrating how universities can partner with local government and nonprofits to tackle a complex problem using data.According to the analysis featured in the StoryMap, Chattanooga has experienced a significant decline in tree canopy over time, with losses accelerating in dense urban areas.By training deep learning models to recognize tree canopy in aerial imagery, UTC researchers were able to complete analyses in hours that once took weeks or months, with accuracy rates approaching 97 percent.Thats been a game changer for us, Dir. Mix said. It lets us move much faster and then layer in other data to understand risk and make informed decisions."City leaders and urban foresters are now using the resulting maps to guide planting efforts and long-term planning. Neighborhoods with the highest heat risk scores are prioritized for new trees, helping ensure that limited resources are directed where they can have the greatest impact," officials said. "The project also reflects the broader mission of CAGDS, which became a university-level center last year. The center supports research, instruction and community partnerships that use geospatial technologies to inform decision-making across environmental, economic and social issues."We dont do this work to get national recognition; we do this work to make an impact on UTC students and the community, Dir. Mix said. But getting recognized like this is very humbling. It lets me know we might be doing something right."In addition to its local impact, the Chattanooga Tree Project has drawn attention beyond the region," officials said. "Esri recently featured the work in a national blog post highlighting how maps, AI and trees are being used to fight urban heat in Chattanooga, further elevating UTCs role in applied geospatial research."For Dir. Mix, the StoryMap format is central to that visibility. Each GIS course he teaches requires students to create StoryMaps as a way to translate technical analysis into accessible narratives for public audiences.A StoryMap is really about bringing your map to life, he said. It lets you combine interactive maps, words and other media to tell a story that people can understand and use.For Dir. Mix, the recognition reinforces the value of the centers work and its focus on using geospatial data science to inform decision-making.The story here is that this project is getting international recognition, he said, and hopefully it inspires others to do the same kind of work in their own communities. The Club #11 Ministry of Second Missionary Baptist Church began an annual Black History Celebration 40 years ago. This years observance will be held in the sanctuary of SMBC, 2305 E. Third St., on Saturday, Feb. 21 at noon. A reception will follow in the multi-purpose room. The celebration is open to the public. African attire is optional.Spearheaded by the Music Ministry of SMBC, the 2026 Black History Observance will feature music, dance and history. Community supporters are invited to join a mass choir under the direction of Minister of Music Moreland Wilson in performing spiritually rich songs, along with a variety of talent participating in dance and poetry.This year marks the 100th year of celebrating Black History, initially organized by Dr.Carter Godwin Woodson, co-founder of the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History (ASNLH). The 2026 national theme is, A Century of Black History Commemorations.On February 10, 1976, during the United States Bicentennial, President Gerald R. Ford became the first president to issue a message recognizing Black History Month. Then in 1986, Congress passed Public Law 99-244 designating February as Black History Month.* *(Source: 2026 Black History Theme Executive Summary by the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH))For more information, call the church office at 423-624-9097 weekdays after 9:30 a.m., or email officeadmin@MySMBChurch.org. Rev. Dr. Ernest L. Reid, Jr. is senior pastor. Mayor Tim Kelly said Tuesday that he has been "deeply disturbed" by the actions of ICE elsewhere in the country, "and I never want to see that here." He said the Chattanooga Police Department is not part of an immigration enforcement pact with ICE, but he said it does have some responsibilities under a state law passed in 2024 cracking down on illegal immigration. The mayor said, "We must follow the law and walk a very thin line, but we have not lost our values. Those values do not include racism and xenophobia." Mayor Kelly told members of the City Council, "We desperately need federal immigration reform. The vast, vast majority of those here now simply need a clear path to citizenship." He said, "I hope we will return to peaceful, civil and constitutional methods" on immigration control. The mayor stated, "My job is to protect this city, and it is difficult to protect a city that is divided. "My goal is to run a peaceful and prosperous city. We must remain a welcoming and diverse community." Police Chief John Chambers told the council, "We protect people, we do not target people because of who they are or the language they speak." He said over the last three years his department arrested 7,658 individuals and only 580 were Hispanic. "We deny that we are targeting the Hispanic community," he stated. Chief Chambers said arrests have been going down in Chattanooga, while his department puts its focus on curbing violent crime. "Last year we had the fewest number of homicides in 25 years and non-fatal shootings are at an all-time low." Chief Chambers said of the federal 287G program, "We have no intention to be part of that. We have never been part of that." He said if a person who is stopped by an officer cannot produce any valid identification officers have a responsibility to take them to jail. He said at the jail it is up to the Sheriff's Office to determine whether or not they may be in the country illegally. The Chattanooga Police Department, referring to a report by the Chattanooga Times Free Press, said it "is aware of recent reporting and public discussion regarding arrests and immigration status in Hamilton County. We want to clarify and correct CPD arrest practices and data clearly, directly, and factually. "CPD officers serve every member of our community with dignity, fairness, and respect. Our mission, to keep you, your family, and our community safe, is rooted in constitutional policing. We protect people. We do not target them because of who they are, where they come from, or the language they speak. "The Chattanooga Police Department does not make arrests or detentions based on citizenship or immigration status, nor do we have the legal authority to do so. Immigration enforcement is civil in nature and falls under federal jurisdiction. CPD enforces state and local criminal law only. There is no Tennessee Code Annotated charge for an immigration arrest, and CPD does not track, charge, or target individuals based on immigration status. While Tennessee law requires local agencies to cooperate with ICE detainer requests, CPD is not participating in any form of immigration enforcement, and does not have the authority or capacity to do so. We have made that clear many times over the last year, and nothing has changed. "Under Tennessee law, individuals are required to identify themselves when driving, under arrest, or lawfully detained. If legal identification cannot be provided, an individual may be taken to jail so that lawful criminal processing can occur. The only jail CPD is authorized to transport arrestees to is the Hamilton County Jail. It is only after an arrestee's transfer of custody to Hamilton County Jail staff that Homeland Security notifications are made, as required by law, if a persons immigration status is unauthorized or unknown. That process does not involve CPD making an immigration-related arrest decision. "A recent news report suggests or implies otherwise. The data was inaccurately interpreted resulting in framing that is misleading, short-sighted, and needlessly inflammatory. A basic review of the data, found in the attached 'CPD Citywide Arrests 20232025' report, shows that CPD makes more arrests than any other agency in Hamilton County, for two primary reasons. First, because we have the most officers working to protect people and enforce the law. Secondly, Chattanooga has the largest population and the highest daily volume of people living, working, and visiting the city. This is simple math, not selective enforcement. The perceived increase in arrests of individuals who would later be deported is NOT an increase in the number of arrests of a particular group of people made by CPD officers. It is an increase in the number of deportations only, as indicated in the data released by HCSO. The data released is being misconstrued to mean something it's not. "We acknowledge and understand the concerns raised by community members, particularly those who may feel fear or uncertainty because of how this issue has been portrayed. Inaccurate or poorly contextualized reporting does real harm by eroding trust and spreading fear where facts do not support it. "The Chattanooga Police Department remains committed to transparency, lawful policing, and serving everyone in our community. We will continue to correct the record when misinformation threatens that trust." Mr. Lurie, 95, passed away at home in Monroe Township, N.J. According to an obituary released by the family, Sol was born in Kovno, Lithuania, on April 11, 1930. He was the son of Shimon and Basja Lurie. The family owned a successful lumber business. He was the youngest of four brothers. Sol was just 11 years old when Germany attacked the Soviet Union and invaded Lithuania in June 1941. The Nazis eventually ordered Sol and his family to move into the newly created Kovno Ghetto. While the Nazi occupiers forced others in his family into slave labor, Sol spent the days hiding to avoid execution. Between 1941 and 1945, the Nazis incarcerated young Sol in six concentration camps Stutthof, Kaufering-Landsberg, Dachau, Birkenau, Auschwitz and Buchenwald. He survived, barely escaping death on countless occasions. His mother was killed two days before the Allies liberated the Stutthof camp. After being liberated in 1945, Sol was sent to an orphanage in France. In 1947, he moved to the United States to live with family members in Brooklyn, New York. After working different jobs in Brooklyn through his teenage years and early twenties, Sol joined the U.S. Army in 1952 and was deployed to serve in Germany. He rose to the rank of corporal and was honorably discharged from the Army in September 1954. Three months earlier, he became a U.S. citizen while stationed in Frankfurt. In 1957, Sol married Evelyn Rebecca Perkal who had escaped from wartime Poland in 1939 and fled to Siberia with her family at age three. They eventually moved to the Canarsie neighborhood, bought a home there and raised two daughters Beatrice (Bea) and Esther and a son Charles. After Evelyn death in 1993, Sol married the former Raja Binen. Just over 20 years ago, Sol first began to tell the story of his resilience and survival. He spoke at Holocaust commemorations and at gatherings of young people with a simple message: to love, not to hate. Since speaking about his experience, he has received more than 10,000 letters from children across the country. In 2025, Pegasus Books published Life Must Go On: The Remarkable Story of Sol Lurie, the Kovno Ghetto, and the Tragic Fate of Lithuanias Jews co-authored by his daughter Bea and Dr. Steven Leonard Jacobs. Sol would tell others, When you love, it makes you feel good, and it makes the other people feel good. We have a beautiful world to live in. But it's not the world that makes the people, it is the people that make the world." Sol Lurie is survived by his two daughters and son, son-in-law David, granddaughter Emily and her husband Michael and the children, sons-in-law and grandchildren of his wife Raja. He is preceded in death by his wives Evelyn and Raja, his mother and father, his brothers, his grandson Seth and many other relatives and friends that he made in his long life. May his memory be for a blessing as it most surely will be. Services will be on Wednesday at Temple Bnai Shalom in East Brunswick, N.J., followed by burial on Long Island. * * * To see the story written in 2025 when the book on Mr. Lurie was published, click here. The Signal Mountain Town Council received quarterly reports from the heads of each department in the city at the Monday meeting, halfway through the fiscal year. Some items of note in the financial report from Finance Director John Harr include that Signal Mountain is in the process of getting rid of costs from external accounting groups. And property taxes and stormwater fees are now coming in. The last date for payment is Feb. 28. Overall, the town is in good shape in all financial areas, said Mr. Harr. The report from Director of the Library John Atkinson noted some of the most successful events that were held at the library this quarter. Those include a book club for men and one for women. Other highlights were the library program Signal Mountain Community Reads that featured author Kevin Williams this year, and the Santas Book Nook shopping event for kids. The library has a current membership of 6,488. Mr. Atkinson told the council that he continues to get requests from patrons for the library to become compatible with the library software to enable electronic payments. Police Chief Mike Williams said he is most proud that the police department has been reaccredited for the third time. Community events headed by the police include the annual corn hole tournament that earned $4,244 for Signal Mountain Social Services. A food drive was held by the police department during the quarter as well as a drug take-back There was also a successful blood drive sponsored by the fire department. Chief Williams said there has been a decline in overall calls for service. There is no explanation so the numbers will be verified. The highest workforce category for police remains traffic stops. Mental health-related calls increased in December. Through Jan. 1, the fire department responded to 109 incidents. Four were fire related, one structure fire, two brush fires and one electrical pole. There were 40 RMS rescues, the majority were medical emergencies, and there was one rope rescue and one vehicle entrapment. There were 19 calls from hazardous conditions, 32 service calls and 14 good intent calls/false alarms. The response time was in the 90th percentile. Two mutual aid responses were given and two were received. Residents of the town of Signal Mountain were served by CPR classes being given by the fire department for the employees and for the community and by public relations events at the schools. Chelsea Ryden has been hired to serve as community development director whose job is to oversee the MACC now that the town is running the facility. In her first weeks, a new website has been launched for the community center. She is continuing to refurbish the brand, she told the council members. A survey has also been done to see what residents want from the MACC. In the first four days, she said there were 400 responses. Public Works Director Wesley Stokes has hired an environmental manager. The department employes have upcoming classroom training and travel. A road assessment survey has been completed. Mr. stokes said the roads do not look terrible but do need some work. Specifics will be given at a later time guided by the survey. And now the utilities will more freely notify the city that a particular job is finished and needs to be inspected. Public Works is getting ready for the upcoming operations of the community pool with improvements. The municipal water utility will be working on the booster station and will be installing pressure valves. And the pump at the base of the mountain is being replaced along with electric upgrades. This work will eliminate the need to build an entire new pump station at the bottom of the mountain and will save the town millions of dollars. And a resolution was approved that will replace the pump for the town pool. Fifty percent of the cost for this will come from the Leaning into Communities grant from Hamilton County. Annie Hall was reappointed to the citys board of zoning appeals. And an ordinance was passed that gives the town the authority to set fees for use of the MACC, now that it owns and is responsible for operating it. The fees will be reasonable be used to offset operational costs and maintenance of the facility. Discussion took place about how to care for stray and lost animals in the town. Currently the Humane Society performs this service for the town of Signal Mountain. But the city has been notified that the cost of this service is due to increase from the $10,000 per year it now pays up to $85,000 next year. The huge increase is causing the city to investigate if animal control can be handled by the city itself. The officials need to know what level of animal services that the state of Tennessee requires of a municipality. City Attorney Harry Cash will investigate and the town manager will look for possible solutions. A Hixson couple has been transported to the hospital after managing to escape their burning home early Wednesday morning. Chattanooga Fire Department Blue Shift companies were dispatched at 2:43 a.m. to the 4800 block of Sarasota Drive after 911 received panicked reports from the residents as they tried to get out. On the scene, Ladder 19 and Squad 19 found the single-story structure engulfed in flames. They learned that both occupants were outside, but they were both in need of medical assistance. The patients were rushed to the hospital by HCEMS with smoke inhalation. They were listed in stable condition. Due to the size of the fire and compromised integrity of the structure, defensive firefighting operations were established to bring the fire under control. An aerial master stream is being used to extinguish remaining hot spots. Squad 19, Ladder 19, Engine 16, Engine 11, Ladder 6, Engine 6, Battalion 3, and Battalion 2 are on the scene, along with CPD, CFD Supply for air bottles, CFD Investigations, CFD Training Division with hose rollers, EPB and the American Red Cross. The cause of the fire will be under investigation. The home is considered a total loss. Cleveland State Community College invites the community to a free choral concert on Saturday, Feb. 21 at 2 p.m. in the George R. Johnson Cultural Heritage Center Auditorium on the colleges main campus.The Swing Into Jazz concert will feature music performed by Cleveland States Vocal Rhapsody Choir and the Choir Club. The choirs will present an afternoon of jazz selections including "Sway," "Someone in the Crowd" and "Havent Met You Yet."These students have worked hard on this concert over the past few weeks," said Andie Phillips, director of Vocal Rhapsody."We're so excited for everyone to come. In addition to the choir, well also have several students singing solos and duets, along with a small ensemble. Well be including jazz selections, both new and old.The concert is free and open to all ages. For more information, call 423-473-2303. February 10, 2026: Ukrainian assassinations of Russian police personnel continued last year. Ukrainian operatives inside Russia, some of them Russians who oppose the war and the current Russian government, have been killing Russian police and officials for years. Since 2024 Russian security officials have noticed a frightening pattern. A growing number of men who had been involved in the Ukraine war were dying, but from murder instead of natural causes. Bombs, bullets and seeming accidents have killed over a hundred people involved in supporting Russia in Ukraine. This included Ukrainian traitors as well as Russian army veterans and senior officers, plus members of Russias police, intelligence and security services. It gets worse, the Ukrainian SBU internal security agency appears to have organized this campaign as they have had similar operations in the past. The Russian FSB, the successor to the dreaded Soviet era KGB, has been on the case and reported that this terror campaign was well organized and extensive. Worse, the FSB found that many people in Russia were active in carrying out these killings. This is because several million Russians and Ukrainians were displaced from Ukraine during the war. Some fled, others were forced into Russia. The SBU has been in touch with many of these former Ukraine residents and found many of them willing to fight back against the Russians from inside Russia. Since 2022 more of these exiles have turned against Russia and the SBU took advantage of that. The FSB knows this because they have managed to discover some of the shipments of weapons and explosives shipped into Russia from European countries for these Ukrainian operatives. Some of the weapons used were obtained in Russia. As disabled or deserting Russian soldiers returned home, some brought weapons and explosives with them as souvenirs. Others planned to use these items for criminal activities. Its not just the Ukrainians who are bringing the war home to Russia; many pro-Ukraine Russian veterans of the war are doing so as well. Russian intelligence noted that a growing number of these attacks are against Russian government officials. While Russian officers and troops are guilty of atrocities in Ukraine, their superiors are responsible. The attack victims are beginning to include more senior government officials and the FSB fears that the campaign will eventually include Vladimir Putin and his close associates. Providing additional security for that many senior officials cannot be done. The growing labor shortage in Russia extends to government departments. Wealthy Russians have been able to send their families abroad for extended visits, at least until the war and its domestic hazards are past. All the reliable personnel security people are employed and finding additional people is nearly impossible. The Ukrainians figured this out first and timed their internal Russian assassination program for when the targets would have the least protection. Terrorizing Russians in Russia will continue until the war is over, and some suspicious deaths will occur long after. Many believe that revenge is a process that never gets old. For victims, getting to the bottom of the culprits list could take decades. All this should come as no surprise to the Russians, who have always viewed the combat zone as much larger than the areas in Ukraine where fighting has taken place. Russia also considered NATO nations supporting Ukraine to be full of legitimate targets. Russia does not issue press releases about its sabotage and assassination campaign in NATO countries supporting the Ukrainians. Americans and European intelligence agencies first detected this activity when it was in the planning stage. The Russians soon went from planning to implementation. Russia planned a series of assassinations and attacks on facilities involved with manufacturing weapons and munitions for Ukrainian forces. Americans and European intelligence nations detected these plans and did so early enough to disrupt Russian efforts to implement their plans. The Americans have long maintained a ground and space-based monitoring and intelligence gathering operation. This meant monitoring communications Russian government officials believed was secure and safe from the wrong people listening in. This information was shared with other NATO nations and Ukraine, which plans to become a NATO member when the war is over. All the intelligence data will be useful as Ukraine continues to carry out retribution attacks against Russians with Ukrainian blood on their hands. Carole Cooper Thomas, a beloved and devoted wife, mother, and grandmother, passed away on February 10, 2026, at the age of 77. Born in Chattanooga on March 30, 1948, to the late Loyd B. Cooper and Louise Barker Cooper, Carole was a faithful presence in the lives of her family and community. Carole graduated from Hixson High School, Class of 1966, and went on to receive a bachelor's degree in history from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. Early in her career, she worked for Provident and CBL, but her true calling was in education. After completing her degree, she dedicated over 30 years to teaching at Signal Mountain Middle School and Signal Mountain High School. In 1970, Carole married the love of her life, Richard, and together they shared a commitment that spanned over 55 years. She is survived by her husband Richard, their two sons, Tyler (Lauren) Thomas and Austin Thomas, and her grandchildren, Sky and Light Thomas. She is also survived by her brother Percy Cooper, sister Dottie (Paul) Sisemore, and a niece and several nephews, including Aimee and Paul David Sisemore, Mark, Daniel, Matthew Ritter, David, Derek, and Dustin Feddon. Carole had a passion for shopping, enjoyed spending time at the beach, and loved flowers and herbs. She was an excellent cook and an avid Lady Vols fan. Carole and Richard were active members of St. Jude Catholic Church, where they found a supportive community. A Celebration of Carole's Life will be held in the North Chapel of Chattanooga Funeral Home on Friday, Feb. 13, at 1 p.m. with her nephew, Father Dustin Feddon officiating. The family will receive friends at the funeral home on Thursday, Feb. 12, from 4-8 p.m.. She will be laid to rest in the Chattanooga National Cemetery on Monday, Feb. 16, at 11 a.m. Carole Cooper Thomas will be remembered as a devoted and faithful individual whose love and dedication touched the lives of many. She leaves behind a legacy of love, commitment, and cherished memories. Please share your thoughts and memories online with the family at www.chattanooganorthchapel.com Chattanooga Funeral Home North Chapel has been entrusted with her arrangements. Diane Gail Cooper, 77, of Rossville, Georgia, passed away on February 9, 2026, at her home. Diane was born on Nov. 28, 1948, in Chattanooga. She was a lifelong member of First Lutheran Church in Chattanooga. Diane worked for State Farm Insurance Company for many years and most recently worked for Blue Cross Blue Shield. She was an avid cat lover and took care of many of the neighborhood cats. Diane was preceded in death by her parents, T.A. and Lillian Cooper. Diane is survived by her brother, Doug Cooper; her nephew, Clay Cooper; and several cousins. A visitation will be held from 4-7 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 12, at the South Crest Chapel at Lane Funeral Home & Crematory in Rossville; and one hour prior to the funeral service on Friday, Feb. 12. A funeral service will be held at 12 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 13, at the South Crest Chapel at Lane Funeral Home & Crematory in Rossville. A burial will follow at Tennessee-Georgia Memorial Park in Rossville. Condolences may be sent to lane-southcrestchapel.com. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to McKamey Animal Center, 4500 North Access Road, Chattanooga, Tn. 37415. Arrangements are by the South Crest Chapel of Lane Funeral Home & Crematory, 833 Chickamauga Ave., Rossville, GA 30741. INERATEC has begun collaborating with a consortium comprising ARAUCO, Abastible, Copec and its corporate venture capital arm, Copec Wind Ventures, that is advancing in the evaluation of a potential e-Fuel value chain at the Biobio region. The initiative aims to explore the viability of using CO from industrial processes and green hydrogen to produce sustainable fuels. INERATEC contributes as a potential technology provider and has delivered the basic engineering study to support the projects realization. This development phase builds on the initial concepts explored during the Energy Challenge 2023 and subsequent evaluations under the H2Uppp framework. INERATEC GmbH A new chapter for Chiles PtX transformation The planned PtL (Power to Liquids) plant would be located at ARAUCOs Biobio industrial complex, one of Latin Americas most significant forestry hubs. The collaboration aims to demonstrate how industrial emitters and emerging hydrogen producers can work together to accelerate the deployment of sustainable e-Fuels in Chile. Within the current development framework, the project envisions utilizing biogenic CO captured from ARAUCOs operations, alongside locally produced green hydrogen installed by Abastible. For this phase, INERATEC is contributing their specific expertise on highly efficient plants for the two-step process of syngas formation and fuel synthesis within a PtL plant to the technical design. Meanwhile, Copec is providing its expertise in fuel logistics and potential downstream applications. Together, these companies are conducting the necessary engineering studies to assess the feasibility of linking existing industrial infrastructure with Power-to-X technology. The partners are shaping one of Chiles most advanced PtL initiatives, linking existing industrial infrastructure with cutting-edge Power-to-X technology. We are excited to contribute our cutting-edge technologies to this evaluation phase. The studies at the Biobio site are an important step in showing how local industrial CO sources could be combined with hydrogen. said Tim Boltken, co-founder and CEO at INERATEC. From innovation challenge to project development The collaboration between INERATEC and its Chilean partners has grown steadily since the Energy Challenge 2023, where initial concepts for e-Fuel production in the Biobio region were explored. The collaboration with INERATEC has been supported by a strategic investment from Copec Wind Ventures, Copecs corporate venture capital arm, which has enabled the joint evaluation of e-Fuel opportunities in Chile. Then a detailed feasibility study under the H2Uppp framework identified suitable locations and outlined the potential role of regional industrial actors. The engineering progress at the Biobio site now marks a tangible step toward realizing Chiles first integrated PtL plant. By converting captured CO2 and renewable hydrogen into sustainable hydrocarbons, the planned facility will enable low-carbon fuels for mobility, chemicals, and specialty applications laying the foundation for a scalable e-Fuel industry in one of the worlds most promising hydrogen markets. Strong government support This project is partially funded by CORFO, a Chilean Government agency that provides financial support to different industries. The costs of the basic engineering have been fully covered by the awarded grant. Home News Alabama mulls bill to make disrupting church services a felony Quick Summary AI Summary Alabama lawmakers consider a bill to make disrupting church services a felony. House Bill 363 would classify such disruptions as a Class C felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison. The bill follows a protest incident at a church in Minnesota where services were interrupted. An artificial intelligence-powered tool created this summary based on the source article. The summary has undergone review and verification by an editor. See Summary Alabama lawmakers are considering a bill that, if passed, would make disrupting worship services a felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison. The Alabama House of Representatives might soon vote on House Bill 363, which would make disrupting a church service a Class C felony. According to the bill, a person commits the crime of disruption of a worship service if they knowingly enter a church building with the intent to disrupt the worship service and either engages in an unlawful protest, riot, or disorderly conduct inside the church building or otherwise engages in harassment of any individual participant in the worship service; or obstructs the ingress or egress to the church building or church property. If an individual receives a second or subsequent violation, the individual shall be guilty of a Class C felony and shall serve a mandatory minimum of five years imprisonment. Introduced last month and sponsored by Republican state Rep. Greg Barnes, HB 363 was approved by a House committee last week and is expected to be taken up by the House soon. No one has the right to disrupt a church service and infringe on their fellow citizens right to worship freely, Barnes said, as quoted by the Alabama Political Reporter. In Alabama, we are not going to sit by and allow crazy people to intimidate our women and children in our churches. We simply will not tolerate it. The proposed legislation came in response to a protest held last month at Cities Church of St. Paul, Minnesota, in which several people disrupted a worship service to protest one of the pastors being tied to a local U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement office. One protester blocked parents from accessing their children, and a churchgoer was injured while attempting to flee, according to CBS News affiliate KARE. According to the official indictment, filed in U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota, the church protesters engaged in a coordinated take-over style attack, which included acts of oppression, intimidation, threats, interference, and physical obstruction. As a result of defendants conduct, the pastor and congregation were forced to terminate the Churchs worship service, congregants fled the Church building out of fear for their safety, other congregants took steps to implement an emergency plan, and young children were left to wonder, as one child put it, if their parents were going to die, claimed the indictment. According to prosecutors, protesters interrupted the sermon with loud declarations that included chants like ICE Out! and Stand up, fight back! as well as yells and the blowing of whistles. Some have defended the actions of the Cities Church demonstrators, arguing they were protected by the First Amendment. Others have said the protest violated the federal Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act, which protects houses of worship from physical intimidation. February 9, 2026: Last year the United States imposed high tariffs on China in retaliation for theft of intellectual property and unfair trade practices. China responded with, among other things, cutting off the supplies of some rare earths, particularly samarium, which is used for essential components of many American weapons and aircraft. Currently Chins produces 85 percent of the rare earths. There are 17 rare earths but only a few of them are critical ingredients for military and commercial products. To deal with the shortage the U.S. government and individual manufacturers improvised by seeking out firms in the United States and the rest of the world that had stockpiles of rare earths. It was known that many companies that used rare earths, or had used them in the past, had unused surpluses of rare earths that were kept in storage. Rare earths are expensive, but they don't take up much space or require special environmental controls. Just put them in closed metal containers and store them indoors. Another source of rare earths was resuming mining and refining of vast rare earth deposits in the United States. Environmental regulations and the high cost of mining and refining compared to the cheaper Chinese rare earths could be solved. New extraction and refining methods do not violate environmental laws and government subsidies would enable U.S. firms to profitably provide rare earths for use by American companies. This was not the first time the United States had a rare earth crisis. Twelve years ago, the U.S. Department of Defense granted the manufacturer of the new F-35 fighter a waiver for having some illegal Chinese components in newly built F-35s. The cheap Chinese components were nothing exotic; they were $2 magnets and some similar materials. These items inadvertently got into the supply chain as a Japanese subcontractor that built parts of the aircraft. An audit later discovered the Chinese parts. The manufacturer told the Department of Defense that it would cost over $10 million and weeks, if not months, to take apart the offending assemblies, replace the Chinese items with American ones and reassemble, test and reinstall everything. The Department of Defense decided to let it go to keep the much-delayed F-35s coming. Since the 1970s the U.S. has had laws banning any foreign components in American weapons. But once more American politicians and Americans in general are reminded that complex systems, including weapons, are made from components manufactured all over the world. Ironically the cheap magnets involved in the F-35 are used in several American weapons systems in addition to the F-35. These specialty magnets tend to come from China. In some cases, China is the only supplier. These magnets are made from rare earths, metals like cerium, europium, lanthanum, neodymium and yttrium. The United States used to manufacture some of these components, but China did it cheaper, and most manufacturing shifted to there over the last few decades. This dispersal of components to nations throughout the world is nothing new. It has been going on since the 1960s. Some nations have specialized in certain components, especially electronics, to such an extent that a local disaster could cause global shortages. This happened in 1999, when severe earthquakes in Taiwan shut down factories that produced the majority of the world supply of some computer components. There were worldwide shortages for months. There have been several less striking incidents since then. Same thing happened when record floods in Thailand shut down plants producing a large portion of the worldwide personal computer hard drive supply. As China has become a major industrial manufacturer, they have, like neighbors Taiwan, Japan and South Korea, come to concentrate on certain items, and acquire a world monopoly via lowest price and reasonable quality. Western nations, especially the United States and Germany, have the largest number of these mini monopolies. But what the American legislators were worried about was war with China, and an instant shortage of key weapons components. It could take months, or years, to restore necessary supply quantities. During the Cold War, there were war reserves of certain raw materials, and subsidies to keep American firms manufacturing certain components. But since the Cold War ended in 1991, there has been an enormous growth in electronic and specialty metal components. Many of these are now largely made in foreign countries, particularly Taiwan, Japan, South Korea and China. A lot of those Cold War subsidies and stockpiles were done away with after the Cold War ended in 1991. But the use of only American components laws stayed on the books and caused more and more problems. Trying to stockpile some items is more expensive than just having a lot of them sitting in a warehouse. Many manufactured items become obsolete rapidly, so many of these warehouses would suddenly be full of scrap, as they were made obsolete by new technologies. Any solution is going to cost billions, and it's unlikely the Department of Defense will be eager to give up a chunk of its budget to prepare for a long war no one wants. China reminded the world how this worked in 2010 when it halted exports of rare earths. Two months later China resumed shipments. China was trying to use its near monopoly on the production of rare earth metals to jack up prices. The reaction from the rest of the world was vigorous and hostile. Rare earths are ores that are found in tiny quantities all over the world. Because they are expensive to mine, many mining companies don't bother. But in the last century, more and more rare earths have been found to have useful applications in metallurgy, electronics and other areas. In the last few decades, China has extracted rare earths more cheaply than anyone else and driven nearly all foreign rare earth mining operations out of business. But because of the new Chinese threat, other countries are reviving their rare earth mining operations, even if it requires government subsidies and relaxed environmental regulations. Despite these efforts its still cheaper and easier to get items made with rare earths from China. Home News Appeals Court rejects Christian conference propertys $1.3 million lawsuit against insurer Quick Summary AI Summary Appeals court rejects $1.3 million lawsuit by Michigan-based Christian retreat organization against its insurer. Court affirms lower court ruling that insurance policy capped coverage for code compliance costs at $100,000. Retreat organization incurred over $1 million in expenses after a building collapse in March 2020. An artificial intelligence-powered tool created this summary based on the source article. The summary has undergone review and verification by an editor. See Summary An appeals court panel has affirmed a lower court ruling against a Michigan-based Christian retreat organization in its $1.3 million lawsuit against its insurance company. Last month, a three-judge panel of the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit issued a decision in the case of Piatt Lake Bible Conference Association v. Church Mutual Insurance Company. The Piatt Lake Bible Conference Association claimed that Church Mutual was obligated to cover all code-compliance costs for reconstructing a building on its property that had collapsed. PLBCA alleged that Church Mutual led them to believe the company was liable for code-compliance costs exceeding the $100,000 policy limit, which totaled approximately $1.3 million. The insurance company, however, capped its coverage at $100,000. Circuit Judge Kevin G. Ritz authored the unanimous opinion, writing that the unambiguous, undisputed terms of the policy limited code-compliance coverage to $100,000. Any representation suggesting that PLBCA held code-compliance coverage exceeding $100,000 directly contradicted the unambiguous language, so reliance on any such representation would be unreasonable, Ritz wrote. Here, even if the unambiguous terms of the policy did not make reliance unreasonable, PLBCA has not shown that it actually relied on any Church Mutual conduct to provide code-compliance coverage beyond the $100,000 policy cap. Ritz concluded that PLBCA has not shown that Church Mutual owed a separate-and-distinct duty to advise and failed to demonstrate that it reasonably relied on Church Mutuals alleged misrepresentations. In March 2020, the Miracle Building collapsed due to excessive snow and ice. As part of the effort to rebuild it, PLBCA incurred over $1 million in expenses to bring the new building into compliance with applicable codes. PLBCA alleged that Church Mutual had agreed to cover these costs despite its official paperwork. When this did not happen, the retreat association filed suit in 2023. In July of last year, U.S. District Judge Robert Jonker for the Western District of Michigan, Northern Division granted a summary judgment in favor of Church Mutual. Jonker concluded that while PLBCA is understandably disappointed in what ended up happening in this case, the record reflects that the association largely understood that replacement cost coverage only covered what was already built. The policy language expressly excluded the added rebuild costs of code compliance from the definition of replacement cost, and Church Mutual never said anything to the contrary. Code compliance costs simply did not come up, he continued. To the extent the association believed that replacement cost coverage would cover everything necessary to rebuild, despite unambiguous policy language to the contrary, such a belief was not grounded in any misrepresentation or inaccurate advice from Church Mutual. Home News Canadas deadliest school shooting leaves 10 dead, over 25 injured Quick Summary AI Summary Canada's deadliest school shooting leaves 10 dead and over 25 injured. The shooter, described as a female wearing a dress, is believed to be a male teenager who identified as transgender. He died from a self-inflicted injury. Authorities closed local schools for the rest of the week. An artificial intelligence-powered tool created this summary based on the source article. The summary has undergone review and verification by an editor. See Summary A shooter opened fire at a high school in western Canada on Tuesday, killing at least nine people and injuring dozens before dying by suicide. The incident marks the deadliest school shooting in the countrys history. Six bodies were found inside Tumbler Ridge Secondary School in British Columbia and another two at a nearby residence, while a 10th person died while being transported to a nearby hospital, according to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Reuters reported. The suspected shooter, described as a female in a dress with brown hair, but who is believed to be a teenage male who identified as transgender, was found dead from a self-inflicted injury in the school, and police believe there are no additional suspects. At least two people were hospitalized with serious or life-threatening injuries, and as many as 25 others sustained wounds that were not considered life-threatening. The shooting prompted a shelter-in-place order in Tumbler Ridge that lasted several hours. The order was lifted at 6:47 p.m. local time, and students were released to their families after headcounts were conducted at a nearby recreation center. Authorities said both the towns elementary and secondary schools will remain closed for the rest of the week. A local college has also temporarily suspended operations. British Columbia Premier David Eby said officers were still notifying families of the victims and confirmed that trauma counselors would be sent to assist the community. Students remained in lockdown inside classrooms and workshops for hours while police cleared the building. Teachers barricaded doors using metal benches and secured exits to protect students. One teacher reported that police escorted his class to safety more than two hours after the lockdown began, and said students were visibly shaken during the evacuation. As of early Wednesday, police had not released the identities of the victims or the shooter, and they had not confirmed how many minors were among the deceased. The federal government had not commented on the motive or the type of firearms used. Police had also not confirmed how the shooter gained access to the weapons. The Canadian federal police said the person found dead in the school matched the active shooter description issued earlier in the day. Prime Minister Mark Carney canceled a scheduled trip to the Munich Security Conference following the incident and posted on social media that he was devastated by the events. Only a few hundred students attend Tumbler Ridge Secondary School, located in a remote community of 2,400 people in northeastern British Columbia. The incident is now the third deadliest mass shooting in Canadian history and the deadliest to occur at a school. It comes after a 2020 attack in Nova Scotia that killed 23 people and a 1989 university shooting in Montreal that left 14 women dead. In the 2020 case, a man impersonating a police officer went on a rampage with illegal firearms, prompting the federal government to introduce strict gun control measures. The Trudeau administration banned 1,500 types of assault-style weapons after the Nova Scotia shooting and later implemented a freeze on handgun sales. The gun control push also introduced a national buyback program targeting military-style rifles. The buyback has been challenged by hunters, farmers and rural communities, and several law enforcement agencies and postal workers have refused to participate due to logistical and safety concerns. There are about 1.3 million registered firearms in Canada, according to police data, The New York Times reported, adding that the majority of guns linked to crimes in Canadian cities are traced back to the United States. Home News DOJ investigates Baltimore over racially segregated equity meetings Quick Summary AI Summary DOJ launches civil rights investigation into Baltimore City Health Department over racially segregated employee meetings. Meetings separated staff into white-only and people-of-color-only groups as part of equity training efforts. Inquiry will assess if practices violate Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. An artificial intelligence-powered tool created this summary based on the source article. The summary has undergone review and verification by an editor. See Summary The U.S. Department of Justice has launched a civil rights investigation into the Baltimore City Health Department over alleged racially segregated employee meetings. The sessions were conducted as part of publicly funded equity training efforts and separated staff into white-only and people-of-color-only groups. In a letter to Baltimore Mayor Brandon M. Scott, DOJ officials said they had reasonable cause to believe the department may be engaged in employment practices that violate Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The inquiry will examine whether BCHDs racial affinity groups and training sessions constitute unlawful segregation or classification based on race, color, or national origin. "Our investigation is based on publicly available information suggesting that BCHD may be engaged in certain employment practices with respect to employee training and terms and conditions of employment which discriminate against, and limit, segregate, and classify, employees because of their race, color, and national origin," reads the letter written by Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Harmeet K. Dhillon. The probe follows reporting by Spotlight on Maryland, which obtained internal emails and invoices showing BCHD paid the Peoples Institute for Survival and Beyond about $50,000 between 2022 and 2024 for workshops titled Undoing Racism and for attendance at monthly White Caucus Group meetings. The health department defined the white caucus as a group of white people who meet for the purpose of building analysis, awareness, stamina, and strategy to challenge systemic racism and internalized white supremacy, the publication reported. BCHD said the meetings were designed to help white employees process their own racial conditioning without relying on people of color for answers. A spokesperson for Mayor Brandon Scott told Spotlight on Maryland that the office is "aware of the DOJs letter and will comply with any lawful investigation." Receipts reviewed by Spotlight on Maryland show the department paid the Peoples Institute $150 for each caucus session it observed and for which it provided feedback. The meetings continued through at least June 2025, and internal messages from BCHD staff showed discussions about further payments during that year. The equity training included handouts such as The Iceberg of White Supremacy, which listed colorblindness, anti-immigration policies and celebration of Columbus Day as covert examples of systemic white dominance. A separate planning guide said multiracial work was difficult because white supremacy is a systemic sickness. Thiru Vignarajah, a former deputy attorney general of Maryland, said the meetings raise serious legal questions and conflict with longstanding Supreme Court rulings. You dont get to just separate people by color under the pretext of pursuing diversity and then stonewall when the public comes asking questions and expecting answers, he told Spotlight on Maryland. Chad Dion Lassiter, executive director of the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission, said the BCHD model risks backfiring. Internal emails also documented power concerns within the sessions. In one August 2023 exchange, a BCHD staffer said some organizers were reluctant to challenge the agencys acting commissioner, who was attending the meetings. The employee cited a power dynamic issue that made it difficult to have open discussions in the commissioners presence. Spotlight on Maryland reported that BCHD also spent more than $2,000 in public funds on food for a three-day equity event hosted by the Peoples Institute in November 2024. The materials used in those sessions have not been released in full. P.M. Smith, a pastor and former attorney who grew up in East Baltimore under legal segregation, said the training approach was misguided. We know what racism is, he was quoted as saying. The question is: how do you overcome that? We overcome that by zeroing in on the power we do have to change. A spokeswoman for the Peoples Institute said the sessions were affinity spaces, similar to employee resource groups in the corporate sector. She said they improve retention and engagement by allowing workers to share ideas and offer feedback in smaller spaces. Both Smith and Lassiter rejected that rationale. Smith said the practice was a waste of time and money. Lassiter cautioned against any space that risks appearing along the continuum of segregation. Home News Illinois school accused of unlawfully banning Christian Good News clubs: lawsuit Quick Summary AI Summary Illinois school district accused of unlawfully banning Christian Good News clubs. Lawsuit claims district imposed stricter access restrictions than on secular clubs. Complaint seeks preliminary injunction against discriminatory treatment. An artificial intelligence-powered tool created this summary based on the source article. The summary has undergone review and verification by an editor. See Summary An Illinois school district has been accused of mistreating Good News Club chapters by imposing stricter access restrictions than those for secular student clubs. Moline-Coal Valley School District was accused of unlawfully banning the Christian student clubs in a lawsuit filed Tuesday in the United States District Court for the Central District of Illinois, Rock Island Division. According to the complaint, the school district officials have engaged in discriminatory policies against Child Evangelism Fellowship (CEF) and its Good News Clubs. Specifically, the suit alleges that the school district has required them to pay discriminatory facility use fees, prevent them from distributing literature to students to take home to their parents, and bar them from Backpack Nights. Defendants have unconstitutionally relegated CEF to constitutional orphan status and discriminatory treatment in all forums available for similarly situated organizations in violation of the First and Fourteenth Amendments to the United States Constitution, reads the complaint. The complaint says that Dawn Wassell, local director of CEF West Central, Illinois, met with Moline-Coal Valley Superintendent Rachel Savage to address concerns about the alleged mistreatment, only for Savage to say that she had no choice but to enforce the School Boards policies. Defendants sole justification for treating CEF less favorably than other similarly situated nonreligious organizations is one thing: CEFs religious viewpoint, continued the suit. That is unconstitutional and unlawful, and this Court must issue a preliminary injunction pending trial and a permanent injunction upon final judgment enjoining this grossly unconstitutional treatment of CEF. CEF is represented by the Liberty Counsel, a conservative law firm based in Orlando, Florida, which has won cases regarding Good News Club's public-school access in the past. The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that public schools cannot discriminate against Christian viewpoints regarding use of school facilities, said Liberty Counsel founder and Chair Mat Staver in a statement on Tuesday. Evangelism Fellowship gives children a biblically based education that includes moral and character development. Good News Clubs should be in every public elementary school and that includes these Moline schools. The Christian Post reached out to The Moline-Coal Valley School District on Wednesday, but a spokesperson replied that they have "received no formal notification of any litigation regarding this matter" and thus "making a comment at this time would not be appropriate." In 2001, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled 6-3 in Good News Club v. Milford Central School that public schools cannot ban the Christian student group from their property after class hours solely because the club is religious. Home News Religious Liberty Commission removes member who defended Candace Owens Quick Summary AI Summary Religious Liberty Commission removes member Carries Prejean Boller after her defense of Candace Owens. Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick announced the removal, citing her conduct during Monday's hearing. Boller plans to continue opposing 'Zionist supremacy' and previously said she would not resign. An artificial intelligence-powered tool created this summary based on the source article. The summary has undergone review and verification by an editor. See Summary A member of the U.S. Department of Justice's Religious Liberty Commission has been removed after she defended Candace Owens and Tucker Carlson during a recent hearing on combating antisemitism, denying that the media personalities have encouraged Jew hatred or promoted Jewish stereotypes. In a social media post on Wednesday morning, Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, who chairs the Religious Liberty Commission, announced the removal of Carrie Prejean Boller, a former Miss California, from the commission. Patrick said the removal was his decision and was based on what happened during Monday's meeting. He stated that "no member of the Commission has the right to hijack a hearing for their own personal and political agenda on any issue." Boller was one of several commissioners appointed by President Donald Trump to the commission in May. During a Monday hearing at the Museum of the Bible, Boller, who appeared to be wearing a U.S. and Palestinian flag pin on her lapel, challenged witnesses on the topic of Israel and addressing antisemitism from certain media influencers. One of the witnesses who testified, Seth Dillon, CEO of The Babylon Bee, a satirical news website, brought up Owens and Carlson, two media personalities who have garnered attention in recent years for their controversial comments about Israel and the Jewish people. Boller, who said that she watches Owens podcast daily, claimed that she had never heard the media personality say anything antisemitic. I would really appreciate it if you would stop calling Candace Owens an antisemite, she said. Shes not an antisemite. She just doesnt support Zionism, and that really has to stop. I dont know why you keep bringing her up, and Tucker. Dillon argued that Owens does more than refuse to support Zionism, encouraging Boller to review more of the podcasters content. The Babylon Bee CEO also asserted that Owens and Carlson are the two most famous antisemites. The former Miss Californias statements during the hearing drew loud boos from the audience. In a Tuesday X post following the hearing, Boller declared that she would continue to stand against Zionist supremacy in America, describing herself as a proud Catholic. The former Miss California alleged in a separate X post on the same day that the Religious Liberty Commission planned to fire her over her Catholic faith. If that happens, it proves their mission was never religious liberty, but a Zionist agenda. I refuse to resign, the commissioner wrote. Despite her claims that she is being targeted for Catholic beliefs, the Vatican recognizes both the state of Israel and Palestine as states and advocates for a two-state solution. Catholics hold varying views on Israel. "The Catholic Church teaches unequivocally that antisemitism is a grave sin; that crude forms of replacement theology are incompatible with Catholic faith; that the Jewish people remain beloved of God; and that the covenant God made with Israel has not been revoked. These are not optional opinions. They belong to the Churchs authoritative teaching," wrote Simone Rizkallah, director of the Coalition of Catholics Against Antisemitism, in a recent op-ed for The Christian Post. "At the same time, there remain open questions: the theological meaning of the modern State of Israel; the precise contours of the Churchs relationship to the Jewish people within salvation history; and how St. Pauls language about Israel is to be interpreted in light of both tradition and contemporary history. To blur these categories treating open questions as settled or settled teaching as optional leaves Catholics either overconfident or confused, sometimes both." On Monday, Owens responded to a claim from internet personality Laura Loomer, who alleged that senior Trump administration officials had informed her about plans to remove Boller from her position. When they cant win the argument, they move to censor the speaker, Owens stated. "But they cant censor us all. Every time they move to punish someones speech, more Americans and Christians awaken to the real threat to our freedom. [Boller] will be fine either way, she added. In 2024, the watchdog group StopAntisemitism announced that Owens had won its "Antisemite of the Year award, an annual poll conducted by the grassroots organization. Other contenders for the award that year included environmental activist Greta Thunberg and Twitch streamer Hasan Piker. "Once celebrated for her unapologetic takes that catapulted her into the conservative spotlight, Owens was given platforms by prominent Jewish conservatives like Dennis Prager and Ben Shapiro," the group said in a statement at the time. "But after Hamas' October 7th massacre, she revealed her shocking antisemitism, leading to her departure from Shapiro's Daily Wire and condemnation from PragerU." Owens and The Daily Wire parted ways in 2024 following a series of remarks by Owens that many condemned as antisemitic. Owens had accused Israel of genocide for its military offensive in Gaza in response to the Hamas-led terrorist attack on Oct. 7, 2023, that killed over 1,200 people. After leaving The Daily Wire and starting her own podcast, Owens continued to attract controversy for her statements about Israel and the Jewish community. The media personality was accused of minimizing the experiments conducted on Jews imprisoned by the Nazis. During an episode of her podcast in July 2024, Owens claimed that most of the reports of Nazi experiments on twins sounded like bizarre propaganda. Home News Assemblies of God executive, Pastor Rod Loy, denies sexual abuse claims made by former youth pastors wife Quick Summary AI Summary Pastor Rod Loy denies sexual abuse claims made by Suzanne Lander, wife of a former youth pastor. Lander alleges abuse occurred over 20 years, starting when she was 16. First Assembly of God conducted an investigation and found no evidence to support the claims. An artificial intelligence-powered tool created this summary based on the source article. The summary has undergone review and verification by an editor. See Summary Editor's note: This article contains graphic details of alleged sexual abuse. Assemblies of God Executive Presbyter and Senior Pastor of First Assembly of God in North Little Rock, Arkansas, Rod Loy, has denied allegations made in a recent lawsuit by his former youth and executive pastors wife that he sexually abused her for 20 years, beginning when she was 16. First Assembly of God in North Little Rock, which is one of the largest Assemblies of God congregations in the United States, told The Christian Post they had been aware of the claims of the accuser, 45-year-old Suzanne Lander, before she filed a lawsuit in the Circuit Court of Pulaski County, Arkansas, on Jan. 26. The church said it conducted an external investigation and found no evidence to substantiate her claims, and that it is prepared to defend its pastor against Landers lawsuit. Our lead pastor and church have been accused of inappropriate behavior many years ago by a former employee. The church leadership takes accusations of this nature extremely seriously. Upon initially hearing of such an allegation, the church board launched an external investigation, which found nothing to substantiate the claims, the church said in a statement to CP. We just became aware that a lawsuit was filed by the accuser. Pastor Rod and our church board vehemently deny these claims. We are prepared to defend this accusation, and we ask for your prayers and patience during this difficult time for both the accused and the person making such an allegation. Loy, who has been the senior pastor of First Assembly of God in North Little Rock since 2001, was elected as the Gulf-area executive presbyter in August 2023. As a member of the 21-member executive board of the largest Pentecostal denomination in the United States, Loy is involved in policymaking and governance for the denomination. He is also involved in overseeing doctrinal integrity, fellowship policies, and regional matters, including ordained leadership. His church was ranked as the third-largest Assemblies of God congregation in the U.S., with more than 16,500 members in 2017, according to official denomination records. First Assembly of God has also helped to plant more than 1,350 churches in 63 nations. His accuser, Suzanne Lander, is the wife of Patrick Lander, who served under Loy as a former student pastor and executive pastor at First Assembly of God in North Little Rock, according to his Facebook page. Patrick Lander later served as campus pastor at First Assembly of God Northeast Arkansas. Suzanne Lander names Loy and First Assembly of God in North Little Rock as defendants in her lawsuit. Through her attorneys, Keith L. Langston and Basyle Boz Tchividjian a grandson of the late evangelist Billy Graham Lander accuses Loy in graphic detail of sexual assault and battery, and the tort of outrage. Defendant Loys conduct was extreme and outrageous, beyond all possible bounds of decency, and utterly intolerable in a civilized community. Defendant Loy exploited his position as a trusted spiritual leader to systematically groom, manipulate, and sexually abuse a vulnerable sixteen-year-old girl who had survived years of parental sexual abuse and trafficking, the lawsuit claims. Defendant Loy used religious teachings and scripture to convince Plaintiff that God wanted her to submit to his sexual demands, telling her repeatedly that performing sexual acts pleased God and made her better in Gods eyes. Despite the defensive posture of First Assembly of God in North Little Rock, Tchividjian of BozLaw P.A., praised Suzanne Lander for her bravery in filing her lawsuit. By filing this lawsuit, Suzi Lander is showing extraordinary courage in confronting years of sexual abuse and in demanding accountability from Rod Loy and North Little Rock First Assembly of God Church, he wrote in a statement cited by the Arkansas Democrat Gazette. Her decision to come forward brings this egregious abuse into public view and underscores her determination to pursue justice. Lander alleges that only months after she began attending the church as a teenager in 1996, Loy, who was then serving as executive pastor, initiated sexual abuse. The lawsuit alleges that Loy's abuse of Lander spanned from 1996 to 2016, including while she was married. She alleges that from 1996 to 1998, when she was still a minor, Loy forced her to perform oral sex, performed oral sex on her, and raped her in multiple locations: his church office, the storage closet, nursery, Junior Super Church Room, church parking lot, and his home. Lander alleges that she was controlled by her pastor for the first 18 years of her adult life, and that he continued to leverage control over her life even after she got married and had children. The lawsuit claims Lander was finally able to escape Loys control after she and her family moved to Jonesboro in 2016. She claims she only realized she had suffered abuse after she started therapy three years ago for complex PTSD, severe anxiety, depression, and neurological impairment. The national office of the Assemblies of God told The Christian Post in a statement Monday, that Loy has voluntarily stepped away from his role as an executive in the office while the Arkansas District Assemblies of God conducts an independent investigation of Suzanne Landers allegations. Home News Somali family facing death penalty for putting faith in Jesus forced to flee home Quick Summary AI Summary Family in Somalia flees home after mother converts to Christianity. Husband later converts, putting entire family at risk. Couple appeals for prayers and financial support while in hiding. An artificial intelligence-powered tool created this summary based on the source article. The summary has undergone review and verification by an editor. See Summary NAIROBI, Kenya A mother of three in Somalia fled her home after her Muslim husband learned she had accepted Christ, but he later also converted and now the entire family is at risk, they said. Fatuma Juma, a resident of Kismayo, said she experienced a deep personal encounter with Christ in November 2024. As apostasy is punishable by death in Somalia, she initially kept her faith secret. During an underground fellowship meeting she attended with her two daughters last year on April 25, she was listening to an audio message and began to weep uncontrollably, Juma said. Her 7- and 9-year-old daughters, alarmed by their mothers emotional state, returned home and informed their father, Ibrahim Mohammed. Mohammed sent their 13-year-old son to bring her back. When I arrived, my mum was not herself, he told Morning Star News. She looked confused and continued shedding tears until the fellowship ended. When Juma did not return home immediately, Mohammed went to the site and angrily confronted her. He demanded an explanation and attempted to force her to return, but Juma, physically weak and emotionally overwrought, asked for permission to speak, witnesses said. Juma then prayed aloud, saying, Oh Lord Jesus, forgive my past sins. Since now I am born again, I will not disobey you from today, they said. Her husband left, shocked and confused. Sources said the underground church leader then urged calm and forgiveness before leaving. Fear and isolation have since marked Jumas life. Her husband forbade her from attending Christian fellowship, forcing her to practice her faith secretly. Over time, she grew desperate for the freedom to worship openly. My life had completely changed, she said. I was tired of worshiping in secret. On Aug. 15, Juma fled her home with her three children and relocated to an undisclosed area. Her husband remained but continued to contact her by phone. Mohammed became distressed by the separation and, on Oct. 20, asked her if he could join his wife and children, Juma said. He promised that if she allowed him to come, he would live peacefully with her and permit her to worship Jesus freely. I accepted his request, Juma told Morning Star News by phone. My husband came to where I was staying. One month later, on Christmas Day, Mohammed put his faith in Christ, she said. Previously, he had informed relatives that his wife had left Islam to become a Christian; however, this left both of them at risk of retaliation. Juma said it is impossible to return to Kismayo due to threats and the fear of violence. The couple is now appealing for prayers and assistance, saying they need financial support to enroll their children in school as they seek employment while in hiding. Please pray for us, Juma said. We only want to live in peace and worship God freely. Somalia is ranked No. 2 on Christian support group Open Doors 2026 World Watch List of the 50 countries where it's most difficult to be a Christian. The countrys constitution establishes Islam as the state religion and prohibits the propagation of any other religion, according to the U.S. State Department. It also requires that laws comply with Sharia (Islamic law) principles, with no exceptions in application for non-Muslims. The death penalty for apostasy is part of Islamic law according to mainstream schools of Islamic jurisprudence. An Islamic extremist group in Somalia, al Shabaab, is allied with al Qaeda and adheres to the teaching. This article was originally published at Morning Star News Home News 'God fought the battle for me': Pastor Son Hyun-bo speaks after his release from prison '10,000 American pastors signed a petition for us' Pastor Son Hyun-bo of the World Church in Busan, South Korea, spoke at an emergency prayer meeting held at his church after being released from prison following a court ruling on Jan. 30. Citing Psalm 35:1, he said, "Contend, O Lord, with those who contend with me; fight against those who fight against me." "I prayed this prayer of David the most during the past five months, and it was a sure word that God gave me. Because I had the conviction that God would fight the battle for me, my heart was very peaceful. I didn't feel wronged at all. If God fights against those who fight against me, who can win?" Pastor Son continued, "When we believe in God's Word, He acts according to our faith. Even while reading the Bible, if we think, 'This is not my problem,' [...] God will protect the Church. And no matter how much the extreme leftists act like that, if God fights for us, they will all be blown away by His breath. What is there to worry about?" "When I had several consultations with the staff at the detention center, they said, 'We've been working here for over 30 years and are retiring soon, but we've never seen anyone like you, pastor.' People usually fidget and worry when they're here, but I said I was having fun." "Even while I was there, God took care of everything, and since God fought the battle for me, there was nothing to worry about regarding the church. Because I prayed countless times and believed in this, everything was enjoyable," Pastor Son said. I watched President Lee Jae-myungs New Years press conference. He was talking about me. As I listened, I prayed, O God, contend with those who contend with me, and fight against those who fight against me. The president ordered an investigation into Protestant churches. ... "He said he would crack down on and punish false platforms and fake news, but the president himself is doing just that. ... Will I step forward and fight? Will any church step forward and fight? Which minister would dare to say otherwise to that powerful regime? What can you and I do? However, thats the power of prayer, the power of faith," Pastor Son stressed. "Immediately after that press conference, my two sons were invited to the White House, where they briefed everyone for an hour-and-a-half and met with people from various fields. Prime Minister Kim Min-seok learned about all of this two days before he went to the United States. He continued: I wasnt given a death sentence, or even a 10-year sentence; it was actually nothing serious, but the deputy prime minister specifically singled me out and said, Why was Pastor Son Hyun-bo arrested? This is unacceptable. He made it impossible for the prime minister not to make an announcement. Does this seem like something that could happen through human power? Did I ever ask to be invited to the United States? Do I know anyone there? Yet, people from the U.S. came four times to visit me, and the U.S. Consul General in Busan even attended the trial. Could they have attended without a directive from their government? Regarding this, he said, Diplomatic language is very cautious. Even when a tremendous event occurs, they say, We express deep concern. That single word deep means its an event serious enough to cause a war. Thats how diplomatic language works. However, the chief consul attended the trial at the instruction of the State Department. We are not fighting this battle ourselves. If God fights for us, we are nothing. Who can influence the U.S. vice president? Do we have any power? Yet, they supported us, and 10,000 American pastors signed a petition for us. Its difficult to even get 1,000 signatures from pastors in our own country," he added. When I try to do something, nothing works, but when God does it, He accomplishes in a week what a person couldnt do in a lifetime. Pastor Son said that church members also held one-person protests from summer to winter." "Other lawyers said it was truly amazing and surprising, he continued. Although our actions may seem weak, we must never forget that God is still ruling the world. We are weak, but we must firmly believe the verse, He will contend with those who contend with me, and He will fight against those who fight against me. I prayed, God, please do it; I will rest peacefully here. The solitary confinement cell was so small I couldnt even stretch my arms, but I was so grateful that I cried. How happy the leftists would be if I complained about aches and pains everywhere, Pastor Son said. The Bible says that God prospered Joseph even when he was in prison. Ive been in the military, and this is like a hotel compared to that. If I were crying there, wouldnt the lawyers and church members be heartbroken? We must believe the biblical verse that all things work together for good. He said, Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and up to now, there have been many times when we shed tears, but looking back, God has given us grace. That foundation was laid, leading to the historic event of a million people gathering on October 27th. This was achieved because of COVID-19. People participated because they felt sorry for us, and that's why we were able to do Save Korea. Although I went to prison, we don't know what God will accomplish. We need faith. If we have faith, there's nothing to worry about, and nothing to be uncomfortable about. Finally, he said, I am truly grateful to the pastors, elders, and each and every one of you for your prayers. When you pray, you must believe in those prayers. God works according to our faith, he continued. I read all the letters from the students and prayed for them. Our children have matured quickly. Because we suffered hardships here, our children are thinking about things that other college students don't even consider. This article was originally published at Christian Today Korea Home News US to send 200 troops to train Nigerian forces to fight Islamic terrorists Quick Summary AI Summary The United States will send 200 troops to Nigeria to train its military against Islamic terrorists. Troops will provide technical guidance, not engage in direct combat. Deployment follows U.S. concerns over rising Islamist violence in Nigeria. An artificial intelligence-powered tool created this summary based on the source article. The summary has undergone review and verification by an editor. See Summary The United States will send 200 troops to Nigeria to train the countrys military to combat Islamist terrorists. The new deployment follows recent U.S. airstrikes and President Donald Trumps warnings over the Nigerian governments handling of attacks against Christians. The troops are expected to arrive in phases over the next few weeks and will be based at multiple locations across Nigeria to support training and coordination, a military official told The Wall Street Journal. Nigerian authorities said the troops will not engage in direct combat but will provide technical guidance for operations, including air and infantry coordination. The decision to increase U.S. involvement comes amid renewed concern in Washington over the spread of Islamist violence in Nigeria, particularly by Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province, or ISWAP. Nigerian military spokesperson Maj. Gen. Samaila Uba said that the government had requested the expanded support. A spokesperson for U.S. Africa Command called the threat from West African terror groups serious and ongoing, saying that the U.S. is seeking to work with capable partners in the region to address common security challenges. The move follows an earlier U.S. air campaign on Dec. 25, when a U.S. warship launched missiles at two suspected Islamic State camps in Nigeria. U.S. officials had previously acknowledged a small team of troops already stationed in Nigeria. The upcoming deployment will supplement that contingent and expand efforts to help Nigerian forces better use intelligence to guide military action. Tensions between the U.S. and Nigeria escalated late last year after Trump accused the Nigerian government of allowing mass killings of Christians in the country. At the time, Trump described the situation as genocide and warned that the U.S. could cut aid or increase military pressure if attacks continued. In response to Trumps remarks, Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu denied accusations of bias or negligence, claiming that both Christians and Muslims have been victims of the insurgency. Surveillance flights over Nigerian territory from Ghana had already been underway since at least November as part of a larger intelligence-gathering initiative by U.S. forces, Reuters reports. The Nigerian military continues to battle insurgent forces in the northwestern region, where attacks on both civilian populations and military targets have intensified in recent months. The deployment follows a shift in tone from the White House and growing criticism from prominent conservative leaders in the United States. Nigeria, with a population of roughly 237 million, is nearly evenly divided between Muslims in the north and Christians in the south. In the countrys Middle Belt, thousands have been killed amid years of communal violence that has displaced many predominantly Christian farming villages. According to estimates shared by the International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law, a Nigerian nonprofit headed by Christian criminologist Emeka Umeagbalasi, Islamist militants killed 43,000 Christians and 29,000 Muslims in Nigeria between 2009 and 2021. The World Watch List 2026 report from Open Doors, released last month, notes that of the 4,849 Christians killed worldwide for their faith during the reporting period, 3,490 were Nigerian. Last year, Trump announced that he would have the U.S. State Department designate Nigeria as a country of particular concern, a designation for countries deemed to tolerate or engage in violations of religious freedom. The move was celebrated by the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom. Home News Wiley Drake, politically outspoken former SBC vice president, dies at 82 Wiley Drake, a politically outspoken pastor and former vice president of the Southern Baptist Convention known for his advocacy for the poor, has died at the age of 82. The Baptist Press, the official news outlet of the SBC, reported Tuesday that Drake had died on Jan. 27, being preceded in death by his wife. He is survived by four children, 12 grandchildren, and eight great-grandchildren. Drake was known for being a flamboyant character in the SBC, a self-identified champion of the little guy, who addressed the SBC Annual Meeting floor over 70 times across three decades. The Baptist Report noted that his very name elicited cheers or groans from the floor during annual meetings, as Drake often advocated bold, controversial, or unexpected motions. Such proposals included boycotting Disney for its moral messaging and another in 2015 calling for then-SBC President Ronnie Floyd to run for president of the United States. Southern Baptists will miss Wiley Drake, tweeted Floyd on Tuesday. I loved Wiley and he was one of a kind in SBC life. Thank God for pastors like Wiley Drake. Dwight McKissic, a notable African American SBC pastor and senior pastor of Cornerstone Baptist Church in Arlington, Texas, also took to X to give his condolences. One of the greatest compliments that I was ever paid, was a messenger to the annual meeting telling me in love that they feared me becoming like Wiley Drake, he tweeted. A native of Arkansas, Drake dropped out of school in the ninth grade to work at a rodeo before being sidelined by an injury. He later joined the U.S. Navy and served a tour of duty in Vietnam before becoming a Christian and opting to enter ministry. Drake served as pastor of First Southern Baptist Church in Buena Park, California, for over 25 years, where he became known for his extensive ministry among the poor. His efforts to use the church building as a homeless shelter wrought years of legal battles with local officials over alleged violations of property codes, according to BP. Regarding SBC politics, Drake was elected vice president of the convention in 2006 to serve a one-year term, winning on a first ballot that included future SBC President J.D. Greear. Drake unsuccessfully ran for SBC president on two occasions, including one in which he took the rare move of nominating himself. Drake also dabbled in secular politics, running for vice president of the United States with American Independent Party presidential candidate Alan Keyes in 2008, as well as running for president as an independent in 2012 and 2016. I decided to run for president of the United States, because we are in trouble in this country, politically speaking, Drake stated in 2015. Its time for the Judeo-Christian voice to be heard by our policy makers. They can try to kick the Word of God out of politics, but they will never stop the voice of God through We the people of the United States. We are the People of His Presence. Drakes activism was not without controversy. In 2007, he was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service when he used church letterhead for his announcement endorsing then-Republican presidential hopeful Mike Huckabee, a possible violation of the ban on tax-exempt organizational involvement in electoral politics. Drake was ultimately cleared of wrongdoing. Drake garnered widespread criticism for his endorsement of the birther conspiracy theory, claiming that Barack Obama was not a U.S. citizen and that documents saying so were faked. In 2009, Drake gained headlines when he prayed on national radio for Obama to die, with the pastor claiming that it was an example of imprecatory prayer, or praying that punishment falls on wicked people. That doesnt mean I spend every waking hour praying for the death of the president, said Drake in 2009, as quoted by The State Journal-Register. Of our prayers, 98 percent should be good prayers, and 2 percent should be imprecatory. According to his obituary, a service for Drake will be held at Oasis Church in Levelland, Texas, on Sunday, with a memorial service scheduled for next month at The Church on Pearl in Santa Monica, California. by Austin Bay February 10, 2026 Thousands of Hollywood and TV westerns employ variations of the No Water Unless You Do as I Say plot. The plot essentials sketched: Bad Guy controls the pristine river supplying Peaceful Valley's Good Guy Folk with water. Bad Guy dams pristine river, then lays down his dirty deal: "You Peaceful Valley Chumps! Sell me your land at my near-nothing price lest you, your family, your cows? Y'all gonna die of thirst!" OK. I'm not reviewing an Eastwood movie ("Pale Rider") or a "Have Gun -- Will Travel" episode. I'm describing the plot line guiding a grave threat to the free world's 21st-century economic and politically free existence -- a threat that is implicit in Communist China's rare earth minerals scheme. The scheme is brutally expressed in what is often called China's ".1%" rule. Introduced in October 2025, according to the London School of Economics (LSE) blog, the regulations required manufacturers to obtain "Chinese government approval to export any product containing more than 0.1 per cent rare earths by weight and to declare their intended use ..." The regulations were "a powerful tracing tool and, potentially, a lever for future export restrictions." However, the LSE bloggers noted Chinese export restrictions on critical materials had "increased more than fivefold between 2009 and 2023." The .1% rule was only formally expressed after Beijing encountered Trump administration political and economic pushback, with Trump tariffs the most obvious shove. Don't let Washington-Beijing political media gimmickry obscure the history-shaping point: Rare earths matter to any 21st-century nation that wants to survive economically and militarily. A 2024 U.S. Department of Defense report reported "magnets produced from rare earth elements are used in systems such as Tomahawk missiles, a variety of radar systems, Predator unmanned aerial vehicles, and the Joint Direct Attack Munition series of smart bombs. The F-35, for instance, requires more than 900 pounds of rare earth elements." As the LSE blog and scores of other expert sources note, almost all 21st-century high-technology products (communications equipment, computers, electric motors, elite defense weapons and delivery systems) all contain at least 1% to 2% rare earth elements by weight. The LSE blog estimated that China's export law would give it control of up to $270 billion in U.S. manufactured products. It's unclear if the F-35 would meet Chinese restrictions, but it can't fly without components made with rare earth minerals. But meddling with U.S. military production isn't the entire game. China wants to force virtually every nation to rely on Chinese manufactured products -- to the communist dictatorship's economic benefit. Unfortunately, the U.S. is once again playing a serious game of catch-up, economically and militarily. China has definitely become the overwhelmingly dominant political actor in the mining, refining and distribution of rare earth minerals essential to modern digital and electronic tech. How did it happen? Washington let it. In 2025, The Epoch Times noted that, until 1991, the U.S. "was a leading producer of rare earth minerals ..." However, environmentalist objections led to the closure of major mines. Did China air or provoke the environmentalist activism? Good question. With domestic political friction stymying U.S. rare earth extraction and refining, China -- following a long-term strategy -- stepped in. I've called this Red China's deep strategy of disintegrative warfare waged against the U.S. and other free-world nations. Beijing does not want to risk a shooting war with the U.S. ("kinetic war" in Pentagonese). Goodness, the U.S. is China's biggest market. So it fights a war of slow economic and military degradation. How does America fight back? Develop new rare earth resources. Japan is doing that, including deep ocean bed mining. The U.S. must reopen mines. It was quickly rebuilding refining capacity -- fast-track rebuilding. But what about right now? Is there a readily available domestic source? In late December 2025, I wrote a column that mentioned U.S. nano-technologists are developing methods to extract rare earths from discarded electronics. Graveyards of old electronic and digital equipment do exist. Fantasy? Maybe. For 21st-century America, necessity is the mother of rare earth mineral extraction. Home Opinion Major medical group does stunning reversal on make-believe gender This month, the American Medical Association (AMA) reminded the country why you should always get a second medical opinion. For more than a decade, the AMA has supported irreversible surgeries and experimental drug treatments for children diagnosed with gender dysphoria. At the same time, it has actively opposed policies designed to protect those very children. Chief among those efforts was the SAFE Act, legislation Family Research Council helped craft in 2020. The Save Adolescents From Experimentation Act, first introduced and passed in Arkansas, prohibits irreversible surgical procedures and the experimental use of drugs on minors to suppress or alter their biological sex. Despite the AMAs aggressive campaign urging governors to oppose such protections claiming these procedures were medically necessary the movement to safeguard children continued to gain momentum. Roughly six years later, 27 states and Puerto Rico have adopted some version of the SAFE Act. Even in cases where governors accepted the AMAs recommendations such as former Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson and outgoing Ohio Governor Mike DeWine (R) legislatures overrode those vetoes. Now comes the stunning reversal. This week, the AMA acknowledged that there is insufficient evidence to continue supporting surgical interventions on minors under the banner of gender-affirming care. While the organization stopped short of fully repudiating the experimental use of puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones, it conceded that the evidence does not demonstrate surgical benefit for minors experiencing gender dysphoria. This announcement followed a more robust statement from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons reaching a similar conclusion. The admission is welcome but it raises unavoidable questions. If there was insufficient evidence to justify these irreversible procedures procedures that permanently remove healthy body parts why was the AMA intervening so forcefully in public policy debates to block laws protecting children? On what basis were its claims of medical necessity made? The answer appears less scientific than ideological. For years, a growing body of international research has warned against these interventions. Finland, Sweden, and England all reevaluated and restricted pediatric gender treatments after reviewing outcomes data. In May of last year, even the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services acknowledged that the evidence supporting medical intervention for minors was weak at best. So why the change now? Was it the accumulation of research showing not only a lack of benefit, but demonstrable harm? Thats literally the two-million-dollar question. On January 30, a New York jury awarded $2 million to a 22-year-old woman, Fox Varian, who had been pushed into a double mastectomy at age 16 after identifying as male. Her mother testified that she opposed the surgery but was told the alternative was a dead daughter or a living son a coercive tactic documented by former Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey during his investigation into the industry. Suddenly, the cost of playing make-believe became real. It appears the prospect of accountability not compassion finally prompted the AMAs concession. And if trial lawyers are now entering the conversation, perhaps the medical establishment has discovered what parents and lawmakers already knew: children deserve protection, not experimentation. Regions include nighttime economy in work reports to boost services consumption Global Times) 16:22, February 11, 2026 People walk at a pedestrian street near Shichahai scenic area in Beijing, capital of China, July 30, 2025. Beijing has vigorously developed its night economy since the beginning of this summer, featuring local cuisine, outdoor films, music festivals, and night markets. (Xinhua/Li Xin) Several Chinese regions have included the nighttime economy in their local government work reports, aiming to stimulate consumption through a range of policy tools and make it a key driver for expanding and improving services consumption. Shanghai has proposed to "further expand services consumption by developing the debut economy, nighttime economy, livestreaming economy, and silver-haired economy." East China's Fujian Province said that it aimed to innovate the development of the "ticket-stub economy" and "nighttime economy," as part of efforts to lift consumption. East China's Jiangsu Province specified efforts to cultivate distinctive consumption by creating new scenarios such as first-release stores and debut exhibitions and shows, supporting new business models such as performances and nighttime consumption, and fostering new models such as instant retail. The nighttime economy has become a key driver in activating consumption potential, Liu Dingding, a veteran industry analyst, told the Global Times on Tuesday. In his view, the core value of nighttime economic activity lies in its ability to augment limited daytime consumption. By extending operational hours and broadening experiential settings, it supports growth across the hospitality, cultural tourism, and retail sectors, transforming latent demand into measurable economic gain. A joint report released by the China Tourism Academy and Landsky Technology Group Co in January showed that in 2025, the demand side of the nighttime economy increasingly sought an upgraded experience characterized by diversity, novelty, and social engagement. Nighttime tourism demand in China has shown steady growth. From January to October 2025, such expenditures accounted for 32.9 percent of total daily tourism spending, with the proportion of nighttime transactions reaching 28.3 percent, the report said. In September 2025, the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Commerce jointly issued a notice pledging to launch pilot programs for new forms, models, and scenarios of consumption. As part of these efforts, the notice emphasized the need to innovate and diversify services consumption scenarios, explicitly including the development of nighttime culture and tourism consumption hubs as a key initiative. The notice said that China has solid consumption fundamentals, underpinned by an extensive transport network and significantly enhanced supply of consumer goods. At the same time, it points out that supply quality in certain sectors still needs improvement. Traditional business models often fail to meet the diverse and personalized needs of consumers, while new consumption formats, models, and scenarios remain underdeveloped, constraining their potential to fully drive growth, it said. The development of the night economy aligns with the government's policy direction, as consumption now serves as a key driver of China's economic expansion. On February 6, the Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) said at a press conference that China will take multiple measures to promote the development of services consumption. Kong Dejun, a MOFCOM official, said that services consumption is increasingly becoming a crucial engine for high-quality economic development. "In the coming period, the development of services consumption will enter a key strategic opportunity phase, playing a significant role in boosting household consumption rates and driving high-quality economic growth," he said. From 2020 to 2025, China's per capita services consumption grew at an average annual rate of 8.5 percent, with services spending accounting for 46 percent of consumption expenditures in 2025, Kong said. The night economy has also attracted companies to explore business opportunities. On January 7, Alibaba's location-based services platform Amap launched "Flying Street View," a new feature that allows users to take immersive, 3D virtual tours of restaurants and other venues. The feature is designed to help users gain a clearer sense of a place, such as the layout, seating areas and private rooms, before deciding where to go, while also helping local businesses attract on-site traffic. Alibaba said that since its debut last September, Amap Street Stars has served more than 660 million users and brought 860,000 merchants on board. (Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun) February 11, 2026: At the end of December last year, about a hundred Russian soldiers crossed the border into the Sumy province of Ukraine. The soldiers seized fifty civilians and about a dozen Ukrainian soldiers and moved them all back to Russia. The Russian soldiers then returned to the Russian side of the border. This sort of thing is considered a violation of international law. The Russian government denied that this happened and provided no information on the captives. Its also unknown if the brief Russian invasion had any connection to a 2024 Ukrainian invasion of Ukraine. Ukraine sent several thousand troops and over a hundred tanks and other armored combat vehicles into Russias Kursk region in early August. It took a week for the Russians to send any effective response and that force was only able to defend, not always successfully. Reinforcements to Kursk were meager at first. Satellite photos revealed a convoy accompanied by two mobile field kitchens, with one truck towing a water trailer. There were about twenty trucks carrying troops and supplies. These vehicles had only a few hundred soldiers. Ukrainians quickly advanced more than 35 kilometers into Russia while surviving the initial weak Russian efforts to halt the advance. The Ukrainian air forces used bombs and attack drones to destroy five bridges the Russians needed to move supplies to their forces. Without those bridges, most Russian troops in the area will soon be out of food, medical supplies and munitions. Meanwhile, Russia evacuated about 200,000 civilians from the area, sending them to nearby areas where there was no fighting. After two weeks, Ukrainian forces occupied about 1,100 square kilometers of Russian territory. The attack force was accompanied by hundreds of drones. Some were for surveillance, to keep track of Russian forces. Most of the drones were for attacking Russian troops or infrastructure. This included several key bridges and a few other military facilities. At first the Russians couldnt believe that the Ukrainians were invading Russia. This should not have been a surprise because the Russian offensive into Ukraine has been stalled for over a year. The Russians were unable to counterattack for a number of reasons, including fear of failure and too many soldiers who did not want to be in Ukraine. Four weeks after the Kursk invasion began there were nearly 10,000 Ukrainian troops in Russia. The Ukrainian forces withdrew from Kursk province six weeks after they entered Russia. In 2023 the Russian Volunteer Corps/RDK and Freedom of Russia Legion/LSR, two anti-Putin Russian militias based in Ukraine, launched raids into Russia. The two militias are not identical. The LSR began when about a hundred Russian soldiers defected mostly as a single group in early 2022. The RDK was formed around Russians living and working in Ukraine when the invasion began. Both groups are almost entirely composed of Russians who oppose Russian leader Vladimir Putin. The raids are meant to embarrass Putin, not kill Russian soldiers and civilians. Some of the Russian responses to the raids did that, notably by doing the same things they did in Ukraine, like bombing and using thermobaric weapons in civilian areas, looting Russian instead of Ukrainian civilians, and so on. Most of the responses against the Ukrainian-backed Russian militias were ineffectual, which is typical of the Russian Army Putin has created to fight in Ukraine. These raiding operations took place in the Russian province of Belgorod, which is on the border north of the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv. Initially these raids faced no armed opposition and, when Russian security forces showed up during more recent raids, the Russian troops either retreated or surrendered. This was not unexpected because Russian troops in Ukraine have performed poorly from the beginning. Worse, the raiders were all Russians who, unlike most Russian army personnel in Ukraine, were competent and effective fighters whose motivation was to discredit Vladimir Putin and his war in Ukraine. It was also a mystery, at first, where these anti-Putin Russians came from. The LSR was formed in early 2022 from a company of Russian soldiers who defected to the Ukrainians in March 2022 and became part of the International Legion Ukraine formed from the many foreign veterans who went to Ukraine to fight the invaders. The RDK consisted of Russians living in Russia and Ukraine who were fed up with Putin and also joined the International Legion but later left that to form the RDK. While the International Legion was formed to defend Ukraine, the RDK and LSR were formed to embarrass, discredit and oust Putin from power. Since the invasion began in February 2022, there have been a growing number of Russians who oppose the war. This is one reason why some of the raids are carried out deep, over 50 kilometers, inside Russia. The Russian armed response to these raids has been embarrassingly ineffective. Before these raids began, the Ukrainian border was lightly guarded, on both sides, by border guards and conscripts. Once these raids by Ukrainian-backed Russian militias began and the border was revealed to be vulnerable, Russia tried to reinforce border security along the entire 540-kilometer border. This proved to be difficult without withdrawing a substantial number of Russian troops from Ukraine along with artillery, armored vehicles and air support. This led some Russian media critics to describe this as an easy way to divert Russian forces from the fighting in Ukraine. Russian media was ordered to downplay the fact that the raiders were Russian. The reality of the situation eventually reached most Russians. This is what RDK and LSR wanted, to show that Russians were fighting against Putin. Russia described the raiders as Ukrainian terrorists, playing down the fact that the raiders were Russians. Media coverage of the raids made it obvious that Russian security forces were no better at defending the border than they were at defeating Ukrainians inside Ukraine. Russia also has to worry about the imminent Ukrainian counteroffensive in southern Ukraine. If that offensive has any obvious success, it will demonstrate that the poor security on the Belgorod border was part of a pattern of Russian military failures in Ukraine. Putin is ignoring this and his close associates are not supposed to tell Putin how bad the situation is in Ukraine. This is not a strategy for victory, but for ignoring defeats and hoping for the best. The Russian media cannot report these problems on the border or inside Ukraine. Russians who are curious have other ways, usually via the internet, to find out what is really going on. As Western economic sanctions on Russia continue and are increased, that means more economic privation for Russian civilians. Putin is confident that the traditional Russian willingness to tolerate shortages and higher unemployment will prevent any protests inside Russia. That has generally been the case. But because this is not a war where Russia has been invaded and is defending itself, Russian military losses and economic losses are harder to justify. Russia is the invader of a neighbor that was not attacking Russia. This reduces the Russian peoples willingness to tolerate the cost of the war. And now Russia is facing armed Russians fighting inside Russia to protest the Putin policies. South Korean officials blamed a massive data leak last year at Coupang on management failure, rather than a sophisticated cyberattack, and urged the e-commerce giant to fix vulnerabilities in its security systems. Announcing the first findings of a government-led probe, the Science Ministry said on Tuesday a former Coupang engineer, who was aware of flaws in the authentication process, broke into the system in April, a breach that lasted until November. The same person had attempted to gain access in January, it said. Coupang Korea, operated by U.S.-listed Coupang Inc., faced a public and lawmaker backlash over the breach. The incident added to trade friction with Washington over concerns Korean authorities had gone beyond normal regulatory enforcement in their treatment of the U.S.-listed company. Its more of a management problem than an advanced attack, Choi Woo-hyuk, deputy minister for cyber security and network policy, told a press conference, citing lax oversight of authentication systems. The attacker exploited user authentication vulnerabilities to access user accounts without a proper login and caused large-scale unauthorized information leaks, the ministry said. It also called on the police to investigate Coupang for trying to restrict the investigation by deleting some data, accusing it of defying a government order to preserve data. The ministry said the leak exposed personal data of about 33.7 million customers, including names and phone numbers. Coupang said in a statement that it would take all necessary steps to prevent further harm and continue strengthening safeguards to prevent a recurrence. It said a software program written by the former employee generated around 140 million queries but there was no evidence that any other party had accessed or viewed the data, which did not include payment or login information. Coupang reiterated that data retained from around 3,000 user accounts was later deleted, adding there was no evidence any secondary harm had arisen. Coupang Needs Tighter Security The ministry accused the former employee, who left the firm in November 2024, of stealing an internal security key, known as a signing key, which it said was used to generate fake login tokens and gain unauthorized access to customer accounts. It said the staff member had designed and developed parts of Coupangs user authentication system, and the company had failed to immediately invalidate the developers signing key after they left the company, which it said was not an adequate security system. Coupang needs to introduce a detection and blocking system for electronic access cards that do not go through the normal issuance process, the ministry said. It added that it could not comment on whether more than one person was involved in the breach and needed to wait for the results of a police investigation. South Korean Justice Minister Jung Sung-ho said in January that an arrest warrant had been issued in December for the Chinese national who had previously worked at Coupang. Arrest Warrant The police investigation is ongoing and the personal data watchdog is also investigating the incident. Coupang faces a tax audit in South Korea and a legal complaint filed by the countrys parliament against its founder and former executives after they failed to show up for parliamentary hearings last year. The ministry accused Coupang of violating the information-network law by failing to report the breach within the required 24-hour period and it planned to impose an administrative fine of up to 30 million won ($20,596) under the law. Coupang reported the data breach to its chief information security officer at 4:00 p.m. local time on November 17 and reported it to authorities at 9:35 p.m. on November 19, the ministry said, a period of more than 53 hours. (Reporting by Yang and Jin. Additional reporting by Heejin Kim and Kyu-seok ShimEditing by Ed Davies, Kirsten Donovan) The 20-year-old woman at the center of a landmark trial over social media addiction used YouTube for an average of just 29 minutes per day over the last five years, a lawyer for Google told jurors. Moreover, the woman identified in court filings as K.G.M. and in the courtroom as Kaley said in pretrial testimony last year she didnt consider herself at the time to be an addict, and neither her mental health therapist nor her father saw her as one, attorney Luis Li said Tuesday in his opening statement. Related: Instagram, YouTube Called Addiction Machines at Landmark Trial She says shes not addicted, her dad said shes not addicted, her doctor says shes not addicted, Li said. Her medical records in 10,000 pages dont say shes addicted. Her behavior doesnt seem like she is addicted. So why are we here? Kaley, from Chico, California, was presented by her lawyers at the start of the trial against Google and Meta Platforms Inc. as the face of a scourge that has allegedly poisoned millions of American youths overconsumption of social media. The trial set to play out in Los Angeles Superior Court until the end of March will serve as a critical test for thousands of similar lawsuits that target not only Meta and Google, but also TikTok Inc. and Snap Inc. The latter two companies arent participating in the current case because they reached confidential settlements with the womans lawyers at the Seattle-based Social Media Victims Law Center shortly before trial. Related: New Mexico Lawsuit Accuses Meta of Failing to Protect Children The first witness called by Kaleys lawyers voiced doubt about whether she would have even recognized if she was addicted. Anna Lembke, a professor of psychiatry and addiction medicine at Stanford University, provided jurors with details about the nature of addiction and about her clinical experience treating patients hooked on social media. She said it is very uncommon for a child to be able to self-identify that they are struggling with any kind of addiction, including social media. There is a saying about why middle-aged folks come in for treatment. Its a phrase from Alcoholics Anonymous: Im sick and tired of being sick and tired, Lembke said. Teenagers are not often sick or tired, not yet. They have poor insight generally on their addiction and are typically reluctant to get treatment. Earlier, lawyers for Meta and Google took turns pushing back aggressively on the allegations that their companies designed their products to foster addiction at the expense of the well-being of young users. Li denied claims that YouTube employed tools like infinite scroll and autoplay to hook young people. He said the video platform has numerous features that allow users to customize their experience, including turning off functions that automatically suggest new content at the conclusion of a video. All of those sorts of things they can be disabled, Li said. If you dont like it, turn it off. Its that simple. The only tool that works is the one you use. In his opening statement, Kaleys lawyer Mark Lanier accused the platforms of building machines designed to addict the brains of children by introducing features that keep them constantly engaged. Imagine a slot machine that fits into your pocket, he told the jury of six women and six men. It doesnt require you to read or type, it only requires one physical motion. For a child like Kaley, this motion is the handle of a slot machine. Every time she swipes, shes gambling. Not for money, but for mental stimulation. Both companies deny wrongdoing and emphasize that they have rolled out tools and resources to support parents with teens. But if they lose early trials, they will face pressure to change the way minors interact with social media and reach settlements with other plaintiffs that could total billions of dollars a scenario that could be akin to the deals that tarnished the tobacco and opioid industries. Lanier said that in a quest to make trillions of dollars, the companies intentionally engineered the platforms to trap children by stimulating their developing brains to crave rewards. They use the science of the human brain and my experts will liken it to building a Trojan horse, Lanier said as he showed the jury slides displaying the companies internal documents. YouTube and Google will tell you they are just a streaming service, a digital library. Harmless. But thats not what the evidence shows. Li countered by pointing out that going back to 2020, Kaleys average viewing on YouTube was 29 minutes per day. She watched an average of 4 minutes and 9 seconds of videos suggested by autoplay on a daily basis. During the same time period, she also averaged 1 minute and 14 seconds per day spent watching YouTube Shorts, or vertically oriented videos. Folks, when you strip away all of the rhetoric and the blocks and the pounding, when you strip that away, what you are left with is a simple truth: Infinite scroll is not infinite, he said. In some cases, in this case before this court and before you the jury, it is as little as a minute and 14 seconds. It is not social media addiction when it is not social media and it is not an addiction. Li noted that data was not available on Kaleys YouTube usage prior to when she was about 15 because she had deleted the history. Kaleys time spent on platforms was a data point cited by all the attorneys in opening statements. Her own lawyer, Lanier, said data from Instagram showed that she spent hours scrolling on the platform every day, with her highest usage recorded as 16.2 hours on a single day in March 2022. Kaley will tell you: she was trapped, Lanier said. She told her sister that she cant get off and she wished she never downloaded it. Meta attorney Paul Schmidt said Monday that data compiled by an expert witness showed how frequently Kaley interacted on each social media platform interacting being clicking like on a post, making a comment or sending a post as a message to another person. He said the data revealed that 71% of Kaleys interactions online were on TikTok, 15% were on Snapchat, 12% were on Instagram and 2% were on YouTube. Schmidt said theres no dispute that Kaley suffered psychological distress and sought treatment to recover. But he argued that the sources of her trauma came from family turmoil, physical and verbal abuse and bullying at school. If you took Instagram away, and everything else was the same in Kaleys life, would her life be completely different or would she still be struggling with the same things she is today? Schmidt said. Kaley hasnt been identified by her full name because she was a minor throughout much of the period described in her lawsuit, which alleges that her nonstop use of social media caused her anxiety, depression and body dysmorphia. Lanier said he plans to call Kaley as a witness, along with her sister and mother, but wont make her listen to other testimony. She made a brief appearance in court on Monday to greet jurors, but Lanier said that in her fragile state, she needs to be spared from hearing advocates and experts dissect and debate her mental health struggles over the next several weeks. Schmidt said that social media is often beneficial to young people and has been so for Kaley. When lawyers asked about her social media habits, she said spending time on her phone was a coping mechanism, one that allowed her to avoid everything. She also described social media as a creative outlet, and acknowledged that it provided her with a way to communicate about her feelings, according to Schmidt. He said Kaley told company lawyers she was still actively using Instagram, YouTube and TikTok and that she hoped to find a job that would allow her to pursue her passion for editing videos. Schmidt said medical records show Kaley had been through more than 260 mental health treatment sessions and that she didnt spend that time talking about social media addiction. Youll not see more than twenty of those records that even reference social media, good or bad, Schmidt told the jury. Youll see ones that reference other things going on. Similarly, Li noted that in the thousands of pages of medical records about Kaleys treatment, YouTube is mentioned only once, when a therapist notes that she shared that she has been using a YouTube video to assist with sleep at night when feeling anxious. Instagram head Adam Mosseri is set to testify on Wednesday. Meta Chief Executive Officer Mark Zuckerberg and YouTube boss Neal Mohan are expected later in the proceedings. Jurors also will hear from dueling expert witnesses in child psychology and related research fields. Top photo: Social media networking apps. Bloomberg. Copyright 2026 Bloomberg. A Florida man is recovering from a life-threatening case of flesh-eating bacteria after scraping his ankle during a New Years celebration in the Bahamas, Today reports. Brian Roush, 62, contracted necrotizing fasciitis during the vacation with his girlfriend. After returning home to Florida from a trip that included swimming with pigs, Roush became sick and unresponsive, according to WFLA. He was rushed to the hospital on Jan. 4. His daughter, Brittany Roush, told WFLA that her fathers ankle had erupted into blisters right in front of them, so the doctor suspected flesh-eating bacteria, necrotizing fasciitis, and got him into emergency surgery. At Broward Health in Fort Lauderdale, Roushs condition rapidly deteriorated. His kidneys, lungs, and liver failed, and doctors gave him less than a 10 percent chance of survival. According to a GoFundMe page organized by his family, he was placed in an induced coma and on life support, Today said. Surgeons removed most of the flesh from his lower calf. Brittany Roush said her father also has heart damage and a number of secondary infections from just being in the hospital for a long time. She added, He cant walk, and he cant use most of his limbs right now. Roush has since cleared the infection, and his organ function is improving, though he still requires daily dialysis for his kidneys. The family is arranging his transfer to a long-term rehabilitation facility where he will relearn how to use his limbs. Brittany Roush said that the family is seeking financial help for her father and those that would like to donate can do so at helpbriansrecovery@gmail.com. Necrotizing fasciitis is a rare but potentially fatal bacterial infection that damages tissue under the skin. According to the Cleveland Clinic, it is typically caused by Strep A bacteria entering the body through breaks in the skin, such as cuts, burns, or insect bites. Early symptoms often resemble the flu but can quickly progress to swelling, severe pain, and blisters. Immediate medical treatment involving surgery and antibiotics is critical. Nearly two months after a gunman opened fire on students studying at Brown University's engineering building, killing two and injuring nine before murdering an MIT professor days later, Rhode Island authorities have released body camera footage showing the chaotic moments as police rushed to secure the Ivy League campus while victims lay wounded inside. Twenty Minutes of Chaos and Confusion The heavily redacted 20-minute video, obtained by ABC News through public records requests, captures Providence Police Department and Rhode Island State Police officers clearing the Barus and Holley Building on December 13, 2025, as they searched for an active shooter they couldn't yet identify. "As of now, we have no idea who this person could be," one officer can be heard saying on the footage. They wouldn't learn the shooter's identity until days later, after he had killed again and then taken his own life. The video shows a police officer directing colleagues to clear the building, telling people to get down, and the frantic moments just after the shooting when emergency responders realized the scale of casualties they faced. "We have multiple victims," a voice announces over police radio. "Let's get these rescues in," an officer responds. The December 13 Attack: A Study Session Turned Deadly On that Friday afternoon, students gathered in a study group at Brown's engineering and physics buildinga routine occurrence during exam season at one of America's most prestigious universities. What should have been an ordinary study session became one of the deadliest campus shootings in recent Ivy League history. The alleged killer, Claudio Neves Valente, opened fire on the group, killing two students and injuring nine others before fleeing the Providence campus. Authorities later determined he drove to Brookline, Massachusetts, where two days later he fatally shot MIT professor Nuno Loureiro at his home. On December 18, five days after the Brown shooting, Neves Valente was found dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound inside a storage unit, ending a multi-state manhunt. The Victims: Dreams Cut Short Ella Cook, a sophomore from Alabama, and MukhammadAziz Umurzokov, a U.S. dual citizen from Uzbekistan in his first semester at Brown, were identified as the students killed in the attack. Cook, described by friends and family as passionate about engineering and dedicated to her studies, had chosen Brown for its strong engineering program and collaborative academic culture. Umurzokov had only recently arrived at Brown, beginning his American university education with the fall 2025 semester. Nine other students sustained injuries in the shooting, some requiring extensive medical treatment. The newly released police report describes the emotional trauma survivors experienced when investigators showed them photographs of the suspected shooter for identification purposes. Survivors' Trauma: Reliving the Horror The police report, released alongside the body camera footage, contains stark new details about survivor interviews that reveal the lasting psychological impact of the attack. When detectives showed a photograph of the suspect to one victim, according to the report, she "quickly froze, physically pushed back, and became emotional. She was observed to be tearing up and shaking. She then confirmed that the image showed the shooter." Another survivor who had been in close proximity to the shooter when shot displayed visible signs of trauma during the identification process: "Upon observing these two photos, [the victim] took a deep breath, shut his eyes, changed his breathing pattern, and confirmed that the shooter he saw in the hallway appeared to be the person in the photos presented." These descriptions underscore the profound psychological wounds inflicted on survivors who not only endured the physical danger of an active shooter situation but must now process the trauma of having been targeted for violence while simply trying to study. The 911 Calls: Panic and Professionalism Newly released 911 recordings capture the moment when a Brown University Police Department officer contacted Providence Police as the situation unfolded. "This is Brown University Police, we have confirmed gunshots at 184 Hope Street," the officer states with professional composure despite the chaos audible in the background. In the same recording, a woman can be heard reassuring a victim, telling them it will be okay. The recordings reveal both the panic of those caught in the violence and the training that allowed first responders to maintain operational focus during a rapidly evolving crisis. The Shooter: Claudio Neves Valente Investigators have worked to piece together Neves Valente's background, motivations, and movements in the days surrounding the attacks. While authorities have not released comprehensive biographical information, sources indicated that a "lengthy grudge" motivated both the Brown shooting and the subsequent murder of MIT professor Loureiro. The nature of this grudge and Neves Valente's specific connections to Brown University and MIT remain subjects of ongoing investigation, though authorities have suggested the attacks were targeted rather than random. After the Brown shooting, Neves Valente evaded capture for five days, during which he traveled to Massachusetts and killed Loureiro before ultimately being found dead by his own hand in a storage unit. The multi-day manhunt raised questions about campus security protocols and communication between law enforcement agencies across state lines. The MIT Connection: Professor Nuno Loureiro Two days after the Brown shooting, on December 15, 2025, authorities discovered that MIT professor Nuno Loureiro had been fatally shot at his home in Brookline, Massachusetts. Initial investigations treated the killing as a separate incident before ballistics and other evidence linked it to Neves Valente and the Brown attack. Loureiro, a respected physicist whose research focused on plasma physics and magnetic reconnection, was remembered by MIT colleagues as an exceptional scientist and dedicated educator. The targeting of a professor at a different institution suggested Neves Valente had multiple grievances across academic settings. The connection between the Brown student victims and the MIT professor victim remains unclear, though investigators have indicated Neves Valente harbored resentments toward both institutions that developed over time. Campus Response and Security Questions The December 13 shooting prompted immediate questions about campus security measures, emergency notification systems, and the ability of university police to respond to active shooter situations. Brown University deployed its emergency alert system during the attack, notifying students and faculty to shelter in place while police secured the campus. However, the shooting's rapid executionoccurring during a typical afternoon when the campus was fully activeleft little time for preventive intervention. In the weeks following the attack, Brown administrators announced enhanced security measures including increased police presence in academic buildings, upgraded building access controls, and expanded mental health resources for students processing trauma and fear. The university also faced criticism from some students and parents who questioned whether existing security protocols adequately protected campus spaces where students regularly gather, particularly during high-stress periods like finals when academic buildings see heavy use at all hours. The Broader Context: Campus Violence in America The Brown shooting joins a troubling list of campus attacks that have shattered the sense of safety students expect at colleges and universities. While mass shootings at schools often focus public attention on K-12 institutions, college campuses have increasingly become targets for violence. The open nature of most college campusesdesigned to facilitate the free exchange of ideas and foster communitycreates security challenges. Universities must balance maintaining welcoming, accessible academic environments with implementing security measures that can prevent or quickly respond to violent incidents. Ivy League institutions like Brown have historically experienced lower rates of violent crime compared to many other universities, partly due to their smaller enrollments, selective admissions, and campus locations. The December attack shattered assumptions about safety at elite institutions and prompted security reviews across the Ivy League and other prestigious universities. Public Records and Transparency The release of body camera footage, police reports, and 911 recordings came in response to numerous public records requests filed in the days after the shooting. Under Rhode Island's Access to Public Records Act, media organizations and citizens can request documents and recordings related to police activity, though authorities may redact information to protect victim privacy, ongoing investigations, or investigative techniques. The heavily redacted footage reflects this balance between public transparency and privacy protection. Victim identities are obscured, and portions of police communications remain withheld to avoid compromising investigative methods. Transparency advocates argue that public access to such records allows independent scrutiny of police response and can identify areas for improvement in emergency procedures. Critics, however, note that releasing such materials can retraumatize survivors and victims' families who must relive the incident through media coverage. The Investigation Continues Despite Neves Valente's death ending the immediate threat, investigators continue examining his background, motivations, and potential warning signs that might have been missed. This work includes reviewing his personal communications, interviewing associates, and analyzing his movements in the days and weeks before the attacks. Authorities seek to understand whether Neves Valente exhibited warning signs that might have enabled intervention, whether he communicated threats that went unreported, and whether existing threat assessment protocols might have identified him as a danger. Rhode Island Attorney General's office, which released the body camera footage and other materials, continues to coordinate with federal authorities, Brown University, and MIT to compile a comprehensive understanding of the attacks. Mental Health and Campus Support Services The shooting has intensified focus on mental health resources available to college students, both for those recovering from trauma and for identifying students in crisis who might pose dangers to themselves or others. Brown University significantly expanded its counseling services following the attack, hiring additional therapists and extending hours for crisis support. The university also implemented specialized trauma counseling for students directly affected by the shooting and offered support groups for the broader campus community processing collective grief and fear. Mental health professionals note that campus shooting survivors often experience long-term psychological effects including post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, depression, and difficulty returning to normal academic routines. Some students who survived the Brown shooting have taken leaves of absence to focus on recovery. The Families' Perspective For the families of Ella Cook and MukhammadAziz Umurzokov, the release of body camera footage and police reports brings renewed attention to losses they continue grieving. Both families have largely avoided public statements, choosing to process their grief privately while allowing Brown University to serve as the primary public voice honoring their children's memories. Memorial services held on Brown's campus in December drew hundreds of students, faculty, and community members who laid flowers, shared memories, and demanded action to prevent future campus violence. Photos of Cook and Umurzokov appeared on makeshift memorials outside the Engineering Research Center, surrounded by candles, notes, and symbols of remembrance. National Implications: Campus Security Reform The Brown shooting has prompted discussions at universities nationwide about security protocols, threat assessment, and the unique challenges of protecting open academic environments while preserving the collaborative culture essential to higher education. Some institutions have implemented or expanded "behavioral intervention teams"multidisciplinary groups that assess concerning student behavior and coordinate appropriate interventions before situations escalate to violence. Others have invested in physical security upgrades including access control systems, surveillance cameras, and direct communication lines between university police and academic departments. However, security experts caution that no set of measures can entirely eliminate risk on college campuses, where hundreds or thousands of people move freely through shared spaces designed to facilitate interaction and learning. The challenge lies in implementing reasonable precautions without transforming campuses into fortress-like environments that undermine their educational mission. Legal and Legislative Questions The Brown shooting has raised questions about potential legislative responses at state and federal levels. Rhode Island lawmakers have begun exploring whether additional measuressuch as enhanced reporting requirements for individuals expressing violent intentions, expanded background check systems, or additional resources for campus securitymight help prevent similar incidents. However, the specific circumstances of the Brown casean attack apparently motivated by personal grievances rather than ideology, committed by someone who subsequently fled the state and committed additional violence before taking his own lifecreate challenges for crafting targeted policy responses. The Road to Recovery As Brown's campus community continues healing, the university faces the difficult task of honoring victims' memories while helping survivors and the broader community move forward. The spring 2026 semester began with enhanced security measures, expanded mental health services, and ongoing discussions about how to rebuild a sense of safety. For students who survived the shooting, particularly those injured or present in the building, the release of body camera footage brings mixed emotions. Some view transparency as essential for understanding what happened and identifying opportunities for improvement. Others find renewed publicity retraumatizing, preferring to focus on recovery rather than reliving the attack through media coverage. Remembering the Victims Beyond the statistics, investigations, and security discussions, the Brown shooting ultimately represents the loss of two promising young lives and lasting trauma for a community. Ella Cook's family remembers her passion for engineering, her dedication to helping others, and her excitement about the opportunities Brown offered. MukhammadAziz Umurzokov had traveled thousands of miles to pursue his educational dreams in America, only to have his life cut short in his first semester. The nine students injured in the attack face their own journeys of physical and psychological recovery, some dealing with permanent injuries that will affect them throughout their lives. Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff participates in an interview at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, on Jan. 21, 2026. Over 1,400 Salesforce employees have signed a letter calling on CEO Marc Benioff to drop potential business with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency, two people familiar with the effort told CNBC. "We are deeply troubled by recent press reports describing Salesforce pitches of AI technology to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to help the agency 'expeditiously' hire 10,000 new agents and vet tip-line reports," the letter reads. The letter calls on Benioff to cancel "all active pitches or 'opportunities' for ICE enforcement and hiring" and issue a public statement demanding the removal of masked agents in U.S. cities. The Salesforce employee letter is the latest example of tech workers raising concerns about the U.S. agency's use of their companies' services after ICE agents killed U.S. citizens Renee Nicole Good and Alex Pretti in Minnesota in January. Earlier on Tuesday, Benioff joked about ICE being present at an employee gathering in Las Vegas, 404 Media reported. The incident led employees to criticize the comments in an internal Slack forum, the two people told CNBC. Letter signatories are asking Salesforce to tell workers what kinds of services it is providing to ICE and "pause or prohibit infrastructure, AI systems or services that enable ICE operational scale-up." "We are concerned that Salesforce products and services may be enabling ICE to expand recruitment, onboarding and operational capacity," reads a supplementary document to the letter, which CNBC viewed. The document cited an October New York Times report saying that Salesforce described its software as an "ideal platform" for ICE agent recruitment in a response to a request for information. The letter from employees comes at a difficult time for the company. Investors have been concerned about the possibility of AI models hurting the growth prospects of software companies, including Salesforce. Its stock is down about 27% so far in 2026. In December, the company touted its work with the U.S. government and called for growth between 9% and 10% in the current fiscal year, which would be up slightly. Wired reported about the letter earlier Tuesday. Salesforce did not immediately provide comment. Nio cars are seen displayed at Nio House, at the Chinese electric vehicle (EV) maker's manufacturing hub in Hefei, Anhui province, China April 2, 2025. DETROIT The largest U.S. auto dealer isn't interested in selling vehicles from China-based brands domestically right now, its CEO said Wednesday. But it's not necessarily because of politics, logistics or potential consumer backlash, according to Lithia Motors CEO Bryan DeBoer. His company already has at least 10 stores selling vehicles from three Chinese companies in the United Kingdom. DeBoer, who has grown Lithia exponentially in recent years, said the potential cost, return-on-investment and needed infrastructure, largely due to franchise rules in the U.S., are the biggest hindrances right now. "We're quite excited that we've got that opportunity in the United Kingdom, but there's a big fundamental difference," DeBoer told investors Wednesday, citing "dueling of franchises" practices in the U.K. that allow Lithia to offer brands from different companies in the same showroom if they're deemed competitors. DeBoer said the dealer can be allowed to put vehicles from a company such as China's Chery Automobile, which is growing in Europe, into an existing showroom in the UK, and it would cost less than $100,000. That's not the case for the U.S., where franchised dealer laws are strict, vary by state and companies can have more influence in, if not rules against, such decisions. Cisco reported better-than-expected quarterly results on Wednesday, but the stock dropped about 7% in extended trading as earnings guidance for the current period only met estimates. Here's how the company did in comparison with LSEG consensus: Earnings per share: $1.04 adjusted vs. $1.02 expected $1.04 adjusted vs. $1.02 expected Revenue: $15.35 billion vs. $15.12 billion expected Cisco's revenue grew about 10% from $14 billion a year earlier, according to a statement. Net income increased to $3.18 billion, or 80 cents per share, from $2.43 billion, or 61 cents per share, in the same quarter a year ago. The adjusted figure excludes stock-based compensation costs. For the current period, Cisco expects $1.02 to $1.04 in adjusted earnings per share and $15.4 billion to $15.6 billion in revenue. Analysts polled by LSEG were looking for $1.03 per share and $15.18 billion in revenue. Investors have been looking for Cisco to play a more central role in the artificial intelligence boom, which has lifted chipmakers and providers of other data center technologies. Cisco is seeing some growth acceleration, reporting $2.1 billion in AI infrastructure orders from hyperscalers during the quarter. Cisco's core networking revenue increased 21% from a year earlier to $8.3 billion. Analysts polled by StreetAccount were looking for $7.9 billion. During the quarter, Cisco said it would provide products for an AI infrastructure project in Saudi Arabia alongside Advanced Micro Devices . Cisco also announced the launch of a networking switch that contains an Nvidia chip. "On the sovereign side, there's really no real need nor expectation for meaningful impact in FY26," Cisco CEO Chuck Robbins said on a conference call with analysts. "And so we don't need that to actually accelerate for the guide that we've, that we've provided. It's purely upside." The ramping up of revenue from neoclouds, which are cloud providers that are younger than mature entities such as Amazon and Microsoft , should start in the second half of the current fiscal year and become more pronounced in the 2027 fiscal year, Robbins said. The rising price of memory because of sharp demand for Nvidia graphics processing units has been affecting a variety of equipment companies. Cisco has announced price hikes and is adjusting contracts with channel partners, Robbins said. "Do I think customers will try to buy ahead in some cases? Perhaps," he said. "But I don't think it's going to be a big trend in the networking side of our business." For the 2026 fiscal year, Cisco is targeting $4.13 to $4.17 in adjusted earnings per share and $61.2 billion to $61.7 billion in revenue, which implies 8.5% growth. The LSEG consensus showed earnings of $4.12 per share, with $60.74 billion in revenue. WATCH: Cramer's Stop Trading: Cisco Systems This week, we received an email about Amy Messigian, an adult who lives with spinocerebellar ataxia type 1 or SCA-1, a fatal, hereditary condition with no FDA-approved treatments. Amy was in her 30's when she was diagnosed, and as the disease progressed, her symptoms became worse. In 2017, she enrolled in a clinical trial for an investigational medication, troriluzole. Her symptoms improved, and she remained on the treatment for years. Last year, the FDA declined to approve the drug for SCA-1 patients, citing the need for additional data. Getting that data in the rare community can sometimes be a challenge that's too difficult to overcome. In rare diseases - patient populations are small, and even identifying enough people to participate in a study can take years. On Thursday, Amy was in Washington as a guest to a witness that was testifying before a Senate committee hearing on the regulatory hurdles that are slowing the approval of rare disease treatments. While Amy didn't get to testify herself, here's what she would have told lawmakers if she had the chance: Imagine someone you know who is severely developmentally disabled. They struggle to communicate, to walk without falling, to feed themselves, or even to chew and swallow safely. Everyday tasksbathing, writing, using a computerare impossible. Their hands cannot do what most of us take for granted. Incontinence requires constant care. Their world grows smaller each year as their body slowly betrays them. You may know someone like this. That person is me. I have spinocerebellar ataxia type 1 (SCA1), a rare, progressive, and incurable neurodegenerative disease. It robs the body of coordination, speech, balance, and ultimately independence. There is no cure. There is no remission. There is only decline. Because SCA1 is progressive, I live with the certainty that my abilities will continue to fade. Over the coming years, I expect to lose skills I now rely onwalking steadily, speaking clearly, swallowing safely. Eventually, I may not be able to care for myself at all. I watched this disease take my mother. She died from SCA1 at just 60 years old. I know firsthand where this road leads. Living with a terminal diagnosis changes how you measure time. You do not think in decades. You think in years. In seasons. In moments. For the past nine years, I have participated in a clinical trial for a drug called troriluzole. It is not a cure. It does not promise reversal. Its purpose is simple: to slow progression. And it has. This report is from this week's CNBC's The China Connection newsletter, which brings you insights and analysis on what's driving the world's second-largest economy. You can subscribe here. China's food safety standards are still a work in progress. But what I've noticed is that even if the apples from a nearby supermarket taste artificial the ones I can order from the countryside taste like the ones I ate in the U.S. And I can't say it's just as easy to get apples shipped from a New York orchard. Whether it's boxes of apples or bags of vacuum-sealed corn-on-the-cob, online orders placed through popular e-commerce apps take just a couple of days to arrive in Beijing. Over the last few years in China, it's gotten easier to buy food straight from the farm. The economics behind this consumer experience boil down to a few key differences at the heart of the U.S.-China trade story. Over the past decade of trade tensions, the U.S. has repeatedly asked China to buy more American agricultural products. But many American farmers have lost sales under the Trump administration's tariffs. As the largest U.S. agricultural export by value, soybeans get the headlines. But even there, the White House has struggled to define the deadline for new Chinese purchases of U.S. soybeans. China did buy a record amount last year mostly from Brazil. But Beijing's end goal is food security reducing reliance on other countries. That's where corn comes in. Chinese researchers are developing corn with higher protein that could replace significant amounts of soybean imports. Most of those soybeans are used in animal feed that supports domestic meat production. Here, China has a clear goal to boost self-sufficiency. By 2030, China aims to cut the amount of soymeal in animal feed to just 10%. Notably, Beijing this month called for increasing the quality of domestic soybeans, rather than simply planting more, as it had urged last year. That indicates the land is being saved for something else. Tech-driven agriculture To tackle the challenges of limited farmland and a large rural population, Beijing has sought to use technology and targeted policies to achieve its food security goals. China has about three-fourths the arable land of the U.S., according to Goldman Sachs, despite having a population four times as large, which means policymakers have had to double down on increasing yield per acre. Around 34% of China's population lives in rural areas, compared with roughly 20% in the U.S. While corn fields and tractors dominate much of rural America's plains, on a similar drive through China's countryside, I'd see more mountains and far more people still working the land by hand. The difference for urban consumers in China is that those farms are more connected to the internet and high-speed trains. Beijing's efforts to reduce poverty and ensure social stability in rural areas have driven infrastructure development across the country. E-commerce companies such as JD.com and Pinduoduo have expanded into new markets in the countryside. Companies like DJI have also built a business around agricultural drones. Last year, as I was taking a high-speed train from Beijing to Shanghai, I saw a drone working in a field. Tech company Qicaihong has gone further, expanding from China's Silicon Valley, Shenzhen, to a very rural part of Yunnan province to standardize local corn production for bigger markets. The local subsidiary, Shijing Agriculture Technology, uses sensors and software including AI from DeepSeek to optimize regional production. Rather than having to find their own sales channels, participating farmers working off tiny plots on mountain steppes can sell their corn to the company at a set price for unified processing, before the corn is sold online and to major distributors. A similar story plays out in the northeastern Heilongjiang province, where farmers can process their corn at a centralized plant and sell it nationwide and abroad under the brand "Laojieji." That's just one aspect of local agricultural development. China is investing heavily in agricultural research and development, and its public sector spending was roughly double that of the U.S. in 2019 and 2021. By 2022, China started commercializing its first generation of biotech seeds that improved corn yield by 10%, said Trina Chen, co-head of China equity research at Goldman Sachs. That allowed the country to import just 2.65 million metric tons of corn in 2025, down from peak levels of nearly 30 million metric tons in 2022 and 2023, according to official data accessed via Wind Information. Investor interest More money is poised to enter China's agricultural sector. Last week, reports emerged that Chinese-owned agritech giant Syngenta is trying again to go public, this time in Hong Kong. The listing for 20% of the company would support investments in research and development, The Financial Times reported, citing a source. Syngenta, whose management is still headquartered in Switzerland, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Meanwhile, the company's China business is making strides in supporting domestic seed development, with 111 new varieties getting national approval for commercial use in the quarter ended Oct. 30. With Syngenta's global reach, it's building an agricultural edge that could also compete overseas. That's just a snapshot of China's very complex national effort to reduce reliance on the U.S. and other countries for food. But long-held perceptions about China's food quality won't disappear overnight think tea growing alongside diesel-blasting trucks. As an urban consumer in the country, what I know is that I can now order produce online and it will arrive with almost the same freshness as if I'd visited the farm. And for American farmers who face a more self-sufficient China, it may be time to start looking for new customers. The company explained that having reported in dollars since October 2023, the measure would align its share price trading currency with its reporting currency, "reducing FX volatility in the share price and simplifying the investment case for global investors." Last week's update, though, brought something more eyebrow-raising as Compass announced that, from April 1, it will change the currency in which its shares are traded from sterling to the U.S. dollar. Accordingly, its trading updates tend not to excite, routinely consisting of news on organic sales growth, margin improvements and with workplace catering operations gradually being outsourced around the world new business wins. The world's biggest contract caterer, which annually serves 5.5 billion meals in schools, colleges, workplaces, hospitals and sporting venues in more than 25 countries, is considered a well-run business. Compass is that rare beast a British company that is a genuine world leader in its field. This report is from this week's CNBC's UK Exchange newsletter. Like what you see? You can subscribe here. A large scale sample of the new twenty pound note featuring late British painter JMW Turner is seen during the launch event for the new note design at Turner Contemporary gallery in Margate, south eastern England, U.K., on October 10, 2019. Cue hand-wringing over how Compass which derives around three-quarters of its revenues in dollars could be the next big U.K. company to abandon London for the New York Stock Exchange. Protests from Compass that it would continue to pay dividends in sterling, unless shareholders elect to receive them in dollars, fell on deaf ears. Compass was, in fact, taking advantage of a relatively recent change to the so-called "ground rules" governing membership of indices overseen by FTSE Russell, part of LSEG, the owner of the London Stock Exchange. Announced in March 2025, and coming into force last September, it allowed for companies whose shares trade in dollars or euros "to be considered for potential inclusion to the FTSE U.K. Index Series." In doing so, London has shown considerably more flexibility than some other major financial centers. The New York Stock Exchange, for example, insists that all NYSE-listed shares are quoted, traded and settled exclusively in dollars. The first company to take advantage of the rule change, in January this year, was InterContinental Hotels Group , the parent of the Holiday Inn and Crowne Plaza hotel brands, which derives some 80% of its revenues and operating profits in dollars. If anything, it is even more British than Compass, dating back 249 years in the country. It is also proud of having registered the U.K.'s first trademark the famous Bass red triangle in 1875. 'The accounts were not acceptable' In a sense, changing the currency in which a company's shares are traded is the logical next step in a process that began many years ago. When companies were allowed to publish their report and accounts in currencies other than sterling, many started to do so. The three biggest companies in the FTSE 100 by market capitalization HSBC , AstraZeneca and Shell all now report in dollars. Unilever , the fourth largest, reports in euros. Others in the FTSE's top 20 reporting in dollars include the miners Rio Tinto , Glencore and Anglo American , the oil major BP and the international bank Standard Chartered . It is not a recent development. As long ago as 1989, the car rental company Avis Europe began accounting in the old European Currency Unit (ecu), the synthetic currency which later evolved into the euro. The move caused some complications for the business at the time. Alun Cathcart, the chairman and chief executive, told the annual Ecu Banking Association meeting at Copenhagen in June 1991 that, when Avis Europe had first submitted its report and accounts for 1990-91, the U.K. authorities refused to accept them. He recounted: "We were asked to produce coins and notes, and if we couldn't, the accounts were not acceptable. "They were prepared to accept a report in Icelandic crowns or Australian dollars, but not in ecu." When in April 1997, Avis Europe floated on the stock market, it became the first London-listed company to report in ecus. At the time, though, Avis Europe was very much an outlier. Other U.K. corporate stalwarts have only made the switch relatively recently. Shell began reporting its results solely in dollars at the beginning of 1998, explicitly doing so to encourage meaningful comparisons with U.S. rivals, with BP following suit a year later. In the same sector, BG Group, the gas exploration and production company spun out of the old British Gas and acquired by Shell in 2015, began dollar reporting in 2009. All were beaten by Rio Tinto, which has been listed longer in London than any other of the major global mining companies. It embraced the greenback following the merger in late 1995 of the old London-listed Rio Tinto Zinc (RTZ) and its 49%-owned Australian associate Conzinc Riotinto of Australia (CRA). So it is surprising that the announcement from Compass last week caused such pearl-clutching. Perhaps the bigger surprise should be that British multinationals like GSK , British American Tobacco , Rolls-Royce , Diageo , RELX and Reckitt Benckiser , despite making most of their money overseas, remain loyal to the good old pound. Top TV picks on CNBC Professor David Gelernter sits in his office at Yale University in New Haven, Conn., on Aug. 28, 1997. Yale University said Wednesday that it has barred professor David Gelernter from teaching computer science classes, for now, as the university conducts a review of his contacts with Jeffrey Epstein, which included mentioning a Yale student for a potential project. Gelernter's extensive email correspondence with Epstein came to light after the release of files related to Epstein by the Department of Justice in late January. Among those files is an October 2011 email to Epstein, in which Gelernter mentions a software project to be built. "I have a perfect editoress in mind: Yale sr, worked at Vogue last summer, runs her own campus mag, art major, completely connected, v small goodlooking blonde," Gelernter wrote. The email was sent three years after Epstein pleaded guilty in Florida state court to soliciting an underage girl for prostitution. Epstein served 13 months in jail in that case. The Yale Daily News reported Tuesday that Gelernter had been barred from teaching classes pending a review. CNBC on Wednesday asked Yale about the status of Gelernter at the university and his contact with Epstein. In an email statement to CNBC, a Yale spokeswoman said, "Yale is committed to excellence in the classroom and to fostering an environment in which all members of our community feel respected and valued." "Last week, leadership in the School of Engineering and Applied Science became aware of reports regarding communication between a professor and a party external to the Yale community; the professor later both acknowledged and defended this communication and the action he took in connection with the communication." "The university does not condone the action taken by the professor or his described manner of providing recommendations for his students." "The professor's conduct is under review. Until the review is completed, the professor will not teach his class." In this article JD 9618-HK ETH.CM= BTC.CM= USDC.CM= USDT.CM= Follow your favorite stocks CREATE FREE ACCOUNT INDIA - 2025/05/22: In this photo illustration, a Bitcoin logo is seen displayed on a smartphone with the Hong Kong flag in the background. (Photo Illustration by Avishek Das/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images) Sopa Images | Lightrocket | Getty Images Hong Kong's central bank is pressing ahead with plans to issue an initial batch of stablecoin licenses in March, despite China's long-standing opposition to cryptocurrency activity. Experts, however, see Hong Kong's stablecoin plans as more of a hedge than a reversal of Beijing's position. "We hope that by March we will be able to make a decision," Eddie Yue, Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority, told a Legislative Council meeting on Feb. 2, adding that the authority was reviewing an initial tranche of 36 stablecoin issuer applications, according to an official interpreter. Yue's update comes after plans to allow for the issuance of stablecoins within Hong Kong were reportedly stalled by Beijing. Stablecoins are cryptocurrencies designed to maintain relatively stable values by pegging them to assets such as fiat currencies or gold, reducing price volatility compared with other digital tokens. Hong Kong passed its Stablecoins Ordinance in May, requiring licenses for entities that issue stablecoins within the territory or peg them to the Hong Kong Dollar. The law took effect in August, and the HKMA began accepting applications soon after. watch now Jordan Wain, policy advisory lead from Chainalysis, said that stablecoins now account for more than half of the value of transactions recorded directly on blockchains, making them "central to the crypto ecosystem." In a memo, the HKMA cited cross-border payments or tokenized deposit systems for international banks as potential use cases for stablecoins within the territory. Tokenized deposit systems refer to digital representations of customer deposits on blockchain networks, regulated within the traditional banking system. Prospective issuers such as payments technology firm Payment Cards Group claim that Hong Kong dollar-backed stablecoins would enable "faster refunds, quicker cross-border payments, and more transparent foreign exchange rates." According to Wain, a growing number of regulators and financial institutions are exploring growth opportunities in stablecoins, pointing to Japan and Europe, which already have established regulatory frameworks for adoption. China's crypto concerns Interest in Hong Kong's licensing regime reportedly included tech giants like the Alibaba-backed Ant Group and Chinese e-commerce firm JD.com . However, in October, Chinese regulators, including the People's Bank of China, advised against the plan, effectively halting all progress, according to a Financial Times report, citing sources familiar with the matter. Although Hong Kong formally maintains a degree of autonomy from Beijing under the "one country, two systems" principle, Beijing retains significant influence over major policy decisions. Unlike Hong Kong, however, Beijing has taken a conservative stance on crypto. Although China was once at the forefront of crypto trading and mining activity, regulators began tightening controls in 2013. watch now Those restrictions culminated in a complete ban on crypto transactions in 2021, citing concerns over volatility and illicit activity. A recent report found that stablecoins were the primary tool used by Chinese organized crime to move illicit funds, with as much as $44 million transferred daily through sophisticated networks. Beyond crime risks, Beijing's concerns center on monetary control, said Monique Taylor, an academic from the University of Helsinki. According to Taylor, Beijing is most likely concerned about the prospect of renminbi-linked financial instruments circulating beyond its borders and out of regulatory reach. "Stablecoins challenge [Beijing's] state control over money, payments and capital flows, and therefore sit uneasily with China's state-centered model of monetary governance, which prioritizes oversight and domestic financial stability," Taylor told CNBC. A cautious experiment Beijing's concerns also extend to the "dollarization of the digital asset economy," with fiat-backed stablecoins such as the USDT and USDC pegged to the U.S. dollar. "China's monetary establishment has recognized that dollar-backed stablecoins risk reinforcing [the] U.S. dollar's dominance," according to Taylor. Similar sensitivities have emerged in Washington. U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told a Senate Banking Committee on Thursday that he "would not be surprised" if Hong Kong's push into digital assets was seen as an attempt to build an "alternative to American financial leadership". Taylor said Hong Kong's planned licensing regime appears designed as a limited experiment allowing Beijing to keep its options open rather than a direct countermeasure to the U.S. influence in crypto. watch now "There is little evidence that China is moving to reverse its ban on cryptocurrencies," Taylor said, describing Hong Kong's approach as a "limited and cautious rollout," indicating Beijing's continued skepticism. China reinforced that stance on Friday, when eight state regulators issued a joint statement reaffirming China's ban on crypto activity, including the unauthorized issuance of yuan-backed stablecoins. Wain said Hong Kong's initial licenses are also about the city "using its autonomy to prove that stablecoins can be properly supervised while still playing a central role in payments, tokenization, and the city's broader Web3 ambitions." This regulatory clarity would likely appeal to overseas investors looking to cash in on Hong Kong's eventual stablecoin plans, Taylor said, while noting that Hong Kong is unlikely to allow a "liberalized crypto environment" to flourish. Aerial view of Mt. Fuji, Tokyo Tower and modern skyscrapers in Tokyo on a sunny day. Yongyuan | E+ | Getty Images Japanese stocks extended their rally, hitting another record high on Thursday, lifted by renewed confidence in domestic politics and the ruling administration's economic agenda. However, experts warn of a disconnect between the stock market and economic fundamentals. Japan's benchmark Nikkei 225 index crossed 58,000 for the first time in early trading, building on its 15% gain so far this year. Before the latest milestone, the index hit 56,000, and then 57,000 this week, fueled by the so-called "Takaichi trade," following Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's landslide victory in the Lower House. Political optimism has become a key pillar of the rally that has been catalyzed by Takaichi's strong electoral mandate, said market watchers. Stock investors have welcomed the prospect of higher spending, tax relief and a more assertive economic agenda. Stock Chart Icon Stock chart icon Japan stocks have hit consecutive highs in recent days However, analysts caution that enthusiasm may be running ahead of clarity on how those policies will be funded, and that Japan's current equity market foundations look increasingly fragile: vulnerable to currency moves, global shocks and a growing gap between prices and fundamentals. Richard Harris, chief executive officer at investment management firm Port Shelter, said the market's current gains are difficult to justify purely on economic strength: "It's not really driven by fundamentals. If you're looking at how the currency is moving, how the economy is doing there's nothing really particularly strong on it to justify the move in the market." On a quarter-on-quarter basis, Japan's economy shrank 0.4% in the three months to September, contracting for the first time in six quarters, government data released in November showed. It contracted 1.8% on an annualized basis. The country is the most indebted nation in the world, with a debt-to-GDP ratio of almost 230% in 2025, data from the International Monetary Fund showed, and increased fiscal spending risks piling more debt. The government in November approved a fiscal stimulus package of over $135 billion, warranting increased borrowing. Harris said sentiment, liquidity and narrative were the dominant forces steering the market. "We've seen that in other markets too," he said, adding that Japan was not unique in breaking records amid global enthusiasm for equities and AI-related investment. AI and yen uncertainty Moody's senior economist Stefan Angrick echoed that the AI boom had lifted stocks globally, and that was visible in Japanese equities as well. "The current situation probably looks a little bit fragile in the sense that valuations are driven by the global equities boom," Angrick told CNBC. Japan's heavy exposure to global manufacturing and capital goods has made it a prime beneficiary of the AI build-out. But that linkage also leaves the market sensitive to any cooling in global tech enthusiasm, or to shifts in its currency that has quietly done much of the heavy lifting, he said. That sensitivity has become more apparent in recent months, worries over an AI bubble have led to market volatility, including in Japanese stocks. Last week, the software sector saw a sell-off after artificial intelligence company Anthropic released new AI tools designed to handle complex professional workflows that many software firms offer as core services. What also makes the current level of valuation a bit fragile is the yen, Angrick added. The yen has weakened quite a bit in the past year, which tends to be positive for equities in Japan given how a sizable proportion of the market comprises exports-reliant manufacturers. A weaker yen boosts earnings and inflates equity valuations, but that could fade over time. "The yen is trading very far from fundamentals. Basically, it's too weak. It's unreasonably weak," he said. The Japanese yen has weakened about 3.67% against the dollar in the last six months, data from LSEG showed. watch now A federal grand jury in Washington, D.C., declined a request by prosecutors to indict two Democratic U.S. senators, Mark Kelly of Arizona and Michigan's Elissa Slotkin, on charges of seditious conspiracy, MS Now reported Tuesday night. The attempted indictment of Kelly, a former U.S. Navy captain and the former CIA analyst Slotkin related to a video in November that they made with four other Democrats in Congress, on which they reminded members of the U.S. military that they have the right to refuse to follow illegal orders by superiors. The video was released on social media in response to ongoing extrajudicial killings by the U.S. military of crews of boats in the Caribbean and Pacific that allegedly were carrying narcotics. The New York Times reported that federal prosecutors also tried and failed to obtain indictments against the other four Democrats, in addition to Kelly and Slotkin. Rep. Maggie Goodlander of New Hampshire, who is a former Navy reservist, and Rep. Chris Deluzio of Pennsylvania, a Navy veteran, later indicated they were among the six reportedly targeted in the indictment effort. The other two Democrats who made the video were Reps. Jason Crow of Colorado, who was an Army Ranger, and Chrissy Houlahan of Pennsylvania, who is a former Air Force officer. It is extremely unusual for a grand jury to refuse to issue an indictment when a prosecutor seeks one. An indictment is a charging document that a grand jury will issue if jurors agree there is probable cause to believe a crime was committed. President Donald Trump had condemned the Democrats for the video after it was made public on Nov. 18. Trump at the time accused them of "SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR, punishable by DEATH!" "Each one of these traitors to our Country should be ARRESTED AND PUT ON TRIAL," Trump wrote on Truth Social then. Kelly, who is also a former NASA astronaut, blasted the effort to indict him. "This is an outrageous abuse of power by Donald Trump and his lackies," Kelly said in a post on X on Tuesday. "It wasn't enough for [Defense Secretary] Pete Hegseth to censure me and threaten to demote me, now it appears they tried to have me charged with a crime all because of something I said that they didn't like. That's not the way," Kelly said. Kelly is suing the Pentagon to challenge its censure of him and its effort to reduce his rank because of his participation in the video. Slotkin, in a statement, said, "Today, U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro attempted to persuade a Grand Jury to indict me. This was in response to me organizing a 90-second video that simply quoted the law." "Pirro did this at the direction of President Trump, who said repeatedly that I should be investigated, arrested, and hanged for sedition," Slotkin said. "Today, it was a grand jury of anonymous American citizens who upheld the rule of law and determined this case should not proceed. Hopefully, this ends this politicized investigation for good." "But today wasn't just an embarrassing day for the Administration. It was another sad day for our country," she said. House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said Tuesday night that he believes the six Democrats who made the video on illegal orders to the military should be indicted. Goodlander, in a statement, said, "President Trump directed the Justice Department to investigate me, arrest me, and hang me simply for doing my job." "Today an American grand jury honored our Constitution by standing up to an outrageous abuse of presidential power and taxpayer dollars," Goodlander said. "No matter the threats, I will keep doing my job and upholding my oath to our Constitution." Deluzio, in a statement, said, "I will not be intimidated for a single second by the Trump Administration or Justice Department lawyers who tried and failed to indict me today. American citizens on a grand jury refused to go along with this attempt to charge me with a crime for stating the law in a way Trump and his enablers didn't like." "They may want Americans to be afraid to speak out or to disagree but patriotism demands courage in this moment. DON'T GIVE UP THE SHIP!" Deluzio said. In this photo illustration, the Threads logo is displayed on a cell phone in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on September 4, 2024. Meta on Wednesday debuted an AI feature called "Dear Algo" that lets Threads users personalize their content-recommendation algorithms. Threads users will be able to tell the Dear Algo tool what kinds of posts they want to see similar to how people use written prompts to interact with chat bots like OpenAI's ChatGPT. The feature is the latest example of how Meta is continuing to incorporate artificial intelligence into its various apps like Threads. The social media company on Tuesday also released AI features for its Facebook service that let users animate their profile photos and alter other images with the Meta AI digital assistant. Meta last month told investors that it plans to spend between $115 billion and $135 billion this year on AI-related capital expenditures. That's nearly double the amount of capex that Meta spent last year when it overhauled its AI unit. Dear Algo is the latest addition to Threads, the micro-blogging platform that Meta launched in July 2023 to compete against Twitter, which is now called X and was part of the merger between Elon Musk's xAI and SpaceX earlier this month. Last month, Meta said Threads had 400 million monthly active users and would begin rolling out ads globally. CEO Mark Zuckerberg in January also told analysts that Meta plans to debut and test new AI products and features in 2026 as the company continues to spend big on data center and related computing infrastructure. To use the new tool, Threads users have to to craft a public post on the platform that begins with the phrase "Dear Algo" and then explains the kind of content they want to see more or less of. A spokesman for the company said Meta was inspired by a trend of people publicly sharing posts that included the phrase "Dear Algo," a company spokesperson told CNBC. "Once you share your request, Dear Algo adjusts your feed for three days, so you can stay connected to the most current conversations,' Meta said in a blog post. "You can also repost someone else's Dear Algo request to apply their content preferences to your own feed." Meta said that it will begin testing Dear Algo with users in the U.S., U.K., Australia and New Zealand before rolling it out to more countries at later dates. WATCH: New Mexico AG Raul Torrez discusses the Meta trial on child safety. SpaceX CEO Elon Musk on Wednesday announced that the company's xAI artificial intelligence venture implemented a reorganization that "required parting ways with some people." The overhaul was done "to improve speed of execution," Musk said in a post on X. He did not say which employees may have been cut as a result of the restructuring or which employees may have resigned of their own volition. "We are hiring aggressively," Musk added. Earlier this week, xAI co-founders Jimmy Ba and Tony Wu announced their exits after several other founding members, including Igor Babuschkin, Kyle Kosic, Christian Szegedy and Greg Yang, previously departed. Last week, Musk announced a record-setting, all-stock transaction in which SpaceX, the aerospace and defense juggernaut, acquired xAI, which owns and operates social network X and is the developer of Grok, the embattled AI chatbot and image generator. The deal valued SpaceX at $1 trillion and xAI at $250 billion post merger, according to documents viewed by CNBC. Musk previously used xAI to acquire X, formerly Twitter, in another all-stock transaction announced in March 2025. The co-founder departures and the reorganization this week come as SpaceX prepares to go public sometime this year and while xAI faces regulatory probes in multiple jurisdictions across Europe, Asia and the U.S. The probes are looking into whether xAI violated regional regulations after Grok enabled mass-creation and syndication of non-consensual, explicit images, colloquially known as deepfake porn. The images were based on photos of real people, including children. Musk launched xAI in 2023 alongside 11 other people in an effort to compete against OpenAI and Google. The company's stated goal was to "understand the true nature of the universe," according to its website at the time. WATCH: Calculating Elon Musk's wealth: Here's what to know Oil prices jumped to their highest levels in months on Monday as Iran and Israel escalated attacks in the Middle East, disrupting shipments from the region. Oil prices rose more than 1% on Wednesday, buoyed by potential supply risks should tensions between the U.S. and Iran escalate, while draws of crude from key stockpiles suggested stronger demand. Brent crude oil futures were up $1.13, or 1.64%, at $69.93 a barrel by 1:38 p.m. ET. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude rose $1.15, or 1.8%, to $65.11. "Ongoing tensions in the Middle East continue to support prices, although so far there has been no supply disruption," said UBS oil analyst Giovanni Staunovo. U.S. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday he was considering sending a second aircraft carrier to the Middle East, even as Washington and Tehran prepare to resume negotiations aimed at averting a new conflict. "While rhetoric remains belligerent at times, there are no signs, at least for now, of escalation, and the U.S. President believes that Iran will ultimately want to strike a deal on its nuclear missile programme," PVM Oil Associates analyst Tamas Varga said in a note. A slightly weaker dollar was helping prices higher as well. A stronger U.S. currency hurts demand for dollar-denominated crude from foreign buyers. Crude draws from the stocks held independently in the Amsterdam-Rotterdam-Antwerp (ARA) refining and storage hub and from Fujairah suggested a tight market, UBS' Staunovo said, which was also supporting prices. In the wider market, OPEC left its supply-demand expectations for the oil market largely unchanged in its monthly report, but highlighted that global oil demand for the wider group's crude will drop by 400,000 bpd in the second quarter compared to the first. Russian oil production edged down around 0.6% in January from December, per the report. Egypt has directed international oil companies to double production by 2030, with existing contracts due to be revised to spur new investment, Energean International's country manager for Egypt told Reuters on Tuesday. Traders are also waiting for weekly U.S. oil inventory data from the Energy Information Administration on Wednesday. U.S. crude inventories rose by 13.4 million barrels in the week ended February 6, market sources said, citing American Petroleum Institute figures on Tuesday. Patrick Pouyanne, chief executive officer of TotalEnergies SE, during the Conference de Paris, organized by the International Economic Forum of the Americas (IEFA) in Paris, France, on Tuesday, Dec. 16, 2025. The CEO of French energy major TotalEnergies said it was "too expensive and too polluting" to return to Venezuela, despite calls from U.S. President Donald Trump for Big Oil to invest billions in the country. The company quit Venezuela in 2022 but the Trump administration has urged oil majors to return since the U.S. military operation to seize the country's president, Nicolas Maduro, on Jan. 3. Speaking on Wednesday, TotalEnergies CEO Patrick Pouyanne told reporters the company quit the country "because it clashed with our strategy. It was too expensive and too polluting and that is still the case." The comments were reported by Reuters. A spokesperson for TotalEnergies was not immediately available for comment when contacted by CNBC. The Trump administration has called on U.S. energy giants to invest $100 billion to rebuild Venezuela's oil industry. Trump has pledged to support American oil companies that invest in Venezuela with government security assistance, saying last month that energy firms previously had problems "because they didn't have Trump as a president." Venezuela boasts the world's largest oil reserves but some U.S. oil firms have expressed caution about rushing to re-enter including Exxon Mobil . Meta Ray-Ban Gen 2 AI glasses during the Meta Connect event in Menlo Park, California, US, on Wednesday, Sept. 17, 2025. EssilorLuxottica 's more than tripled its Meta artificial intelligence glasses sales last year, the Ray-Ban maker said on Wednesday in its fourth-quarter results. The French-Italian eyewear brand said it sold over 7 million AI glasses last year. That's up from the 2 million that the company sold in 2023 and 2024 combined, according to its quarterly report last February. The figure reported Wednesday includes smart glasses sold under the brands for Ray-Ban and Oakley, the latter of which was unveiled in June. The company's smart glasses success is the latest sign that the adoption of wearable AI devices is gaining momentum with consumers. "Our success in wearables is helping to propel the AI-glasses revolution, with our iconic brands being a powerful driver of demand," the company said in a release. EssilorLuxottica has been working on the wearable devices with the social media company since 2019, CNBC reported at the time. The two companies launched the first edition of the glasses in September 2021, but the device didn't gain widespread attention until the second-generation launch in 2023. In September, EssilorLuxottica and Meta introduced a new Ray-Ban iteration, controllable through hand gestures and neural technology. That device retails for $799 and features a small display in one of the lenses. Meta in January said it would pushback the international launch of the Ray-Ban Display glasses, originally slated for early 2026, due to "unprecedented" demand in the U.S. Last month, Bloomberg reported that Meta and EssilorLuxottica were discussing doubling production to at least 20 million by the end of this year to meet growing demand. Meta has indicated its commitment to working with the glasses maker and extended a long-term partnership agreement to "collaborate into the next decade" in 2024. WATCH: New Mexico AG Raul Torrez: Meta has created a space for predators to target and exploit children Wall Street analysts largely looked past Robinhood 's fourth-quarter revenue miss, focusing instead on the fintech trading platform's future growth profile. Robinhood delivered fourth-quarter revenue of $1.28 billion, below consensus estimates calling for $1.35 billion, according to FactSet. Earnings of 66 cents per share exceeded expectations of 63 cents. Shares of Robinhood tumbled 9% early Wednesday. The stock was already 24% lower on the year through Tuesday. Analysts pointed to softening net new assets (NNAs) as a sore spot in the latest set of Robinhood financials. But Barclays analyst Benjamin Budish wrote that the slowdown already looked better in February. "The most significant data point in our view is NNAs, which decelerated in December and picked up modestly in January. February looks off to a stronger start, particularly with NNAs, though commentary on trading volumes was ambiguous regarding [market] share," he wrote. Wall Street analysts as a whole generally stood by their bullish stances on Robinhood, instead highlighting the company's potential to expand future revenue. "Management struck a constructive tone on the 2026 outlook, and expect revenue growth to continue to exceed expense growth, given the majority of expenses are in investment," wrote Goldman Sachs analyst James Yaro. At Deutsche Bank, analyst Brian Bedell wrote that, "While January trading metrics for core asset classes were tracking below our prior estimates on a run rate basis, early February trends point to a significant reacceleration, and most importantly, we see management's ambitious 2026 product roadmap as a further accelerant for sequential revenue growth throughout this year," Bernstein analyst Gautam Chhugani sees another tailwind for Robinhood in its prediction markets business, which could "spring a big 2026 surprise" and is already on track to becoming a billion-dollar annual business. He also predicts a recovery in the current crypto market starting in the second quarter of the year. "Ride out the crypto jitters it's temporary," Chhugani wrote. "We would ride out the crypto volatility and see no point in turning negative on the stock closer to the bottom." Bottom line, most analysts maintained their long-term bullish stance on Robinhood, although JPMorgan and Morgan Stanley were exceptions in sticking by their neutral ratings. Several analysts also lowered their price targets. Here's how Wall Street's biggest shops reacted. JPMorgan: neutral rating, $113 price target JPMorgan's price target, down from $130, implies about 32% upside from Robinhood's Tuesday close of $85.60. "We thought the results were weaker than anticipated, with some key KPIs [decelerating], including deposits, gold subscribers, and account growth. Reported net deposits of $15.9bn (19% annualized growth) were light vs. expectations (JPM [estimate] $18.5bn, consensus $19.4bn). We think the 4Q25 results were emblematic of Robinhood's overall growth still being impressive but decelerating from previous results over the last 12-18 months." Barclays: overweight, $124 Barclays' price target, lowered from $159, corresponds to upside of 45%. "Revenues missed (take rates, sec lending, etc.), more than offsetting slightly lower opex. The company remains focused on its ambitious LT goals with more to come in F26 but we expect the recent slowdown in [net new assets] growth, among a few other KPIs, to weigh on shares in tomorrow's tape." Goldman Sachs: buy, $130 Goldman Sachs' target, down from $152, calls for 52% upside going forward. "Based on the results, and the updated outlook, we reduce 2026E/27E adjusted EPS by 7%/3%, and roll out 2028E EPS. We decrease our Q5-Q8 P/E target multiple (rolled forward one quarter) by 8.5x to 45.5x, reflecting lower market multiples, resulting in our 12-month price target decreasing by 14% to $130." Deutsche Bank: buy, $130 The bank cut its price target from $155. "Key takeaway: Mixed 4Q, but revenue should rebound thru 2026. We view HOOD's 4Q25 results as being mixed overall, with calculated "core" EPS of $0.57 being below our $0.61 estimate and Consensus of $0.63 (after adjusting for a 9-cent tailwind from lower-than-expected tax rate of 8.5% vs. our 21.0% estimate), and adjusted EBITDA of $761mn was below our $815mn (Consensus of $833mn)." Morgan Stanley: equal-weight, $147 Morgan Stanley's forecast is 72% above Robinhood's Tuesday close. "HOOD enters '26 with strong product velocity that can support growth. Social and Cortex roll out set to deepen engagement, UK ISA expands int'l appeal, and prediction markets + Rothera JV improve UX & economics. But softening NNA, crypto, prediction mkts, could weigh NT." Bernstein: outperform, $160 Bernstein's forecast implies upside of 87%. "HOOD declared Q4 numbers. Q4 revenue missed estimates by 4%, with a 6% beat on EPS at $0.67. Full year EPS at $2.12 beat estimates by 2%. The top line weakness driven by crypto weakness was expected and stock is already down 24% YTD (overnight down another 9%). Prediction markets clocked new records, now at $435mn ARR. Overall business metrics remained solid Funded accounts, Gold users, Gold cards all reaching new highs." TUCSON, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 10: In an aerial view, law enforcement and news broadcasters are stationed outside of Nancy Guthrie's residence on February 10, 2026 in Tucson, Arizona. Searches continues for Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of U.S. journalist and television host Savannah Guthrie, after she went missing from her home on the morning of February 1st. Guthrie's possible abductors had set a deadline of 5pm on February 9 for a $6 million payment. (Photo by Brandon Bell/Getty Images) Authorities on Tuesday released video of an armed man in a ski mask tampering with the doorbell camera at the Arizona home of U.S. television journalist Savannah Guthrie's elderly mother shortly before she was abducted nine days earlier in a presumed kidnapping for ransom. Retrieval of the images came hours before another major break in the search for 84-year-old Nancy Guthrie, the first known arrest in a case making national headlines following days in which investigators reported making little progress. The Pima County Sheriff's Department said in an online statement Tuesday night that its deputies had "detained a subject during a traffic stop" south of Tucson and that the person was "being questioned in connection to the Nancy Guthrie investigation." The sheriff's office declined to provide further details. A U.S. law enforcement official separately told Reuters late on Tuesday that a "suspect" in the investigation had been taken into custody in Arizona but did not elaborate. Later still, the sheriff's department reported that its deputies and an FBI forensic team conducted a court-authorized search of a "location" in Rio Rico, Arizona, about 60 miles south of Tucson near the Mexico border. A woman identifying herself as the mother-in-law of the man who was detained told CNN late on Tuesday that authorities searched her Rico Rio home after telling her they were acting on a "tip that the lady was in my house." She told CNN her son-in-law, who works as a delivery man, had nothing to do with Guthrie's disappearance, that "there's nobody in my house," and that she had "nothing to hide." The Club's top 10 things to watch Wednesday, Feb. 11 1. Stock futures rose after the January jobs report showed the economy added 130,000 jobs lasts month, double the consensus estimate of 65,000. The unemployment rate ticked down to 4.3% from 4.4% in December, and average hourly earnings increased 3.7% year over year. 2. Vertiv shares surged more than 17% after a blowout quarter. Fourth-quarter organic orders increased 252% year over year and 117% from the third quarter. The company said the data center market is showing robust momentum, which could lead to another day of gains for the picks and shovel data center plays, Eaton included. 3. Cloudflare shares rallied over 13% after reporting better-than-expected fourth-quarter results. The company's 2026 revenue forecast was above the Street. Baird upgraded the stock to a buy-equivalent outperform. 4. Lyft shares sank more than 15% after missing on fourth-quarter revenues and active riders, while giving a light adjusted EBITDA forecast. 5. Kraft Heinz shares slipped 6% after the packaged foods giant said it's pausing its breakup plan and gave weak 2026 guidance. New CEO Steve Cahillane said many of its problems are "fixable and within our control." Kraft Heinz is investing $600 million across marketing, sales and R & D to boost its U.S. business. 6. Dick's Sporting Goods was upgraded to a buy rating at Baird, with analysts expressing optimism in a multi-year recovery for its Foot Locker brand and continued momentum at its core stores. Could be positive for Club name Nike . 7. UBS raised its price target on Nvidia to $245 from $235 ahead of earnings later this month, implying about 30% upside from yesterday's close. Analysts expect revenue will be $2.5 billion ahead of guidance. 8. There are a handful of price target increases on Club name DuPont after its better-than-expected earnings report yesterday . Mizuho goes to $52 (from $46), Citi to $59 (from $50) and Jefferies to $59 (from $51). 9. Activist firm Ancora tells Warner Bros. Discovery board it should reject Netflix's offer and side with Paramount Skydance . Ancora has built a $200 million stake in WBD. 10. Robinhood shares tumbled 10% after the fintech app missed fourth-quarter revenue estimates. The recent weakness in crypto markets weighed on Robinhood. However, analysts remained generally upbeat on its future . Sign up for my Top 10 Morning Thoughts on the Market email newsletter for free (See here for a full list of the stocks at Jim Cramer's Charitable Trust.) As a subscriber to the CNBC Investing Club with Jim Cramer, you will receive a trade alert before Jim makes a trade. Jim waits 45 minutes after sending a trade alert before buying or selling a stock in his charitable trust's portfolio. If Jim has talked about a stock on CNBC TV, he waits 72 hours after issuing the trade alert before executing the trade. THE ABOVE INVESTING CLUB INFORMATION IS SUBJECT TO OUR TERMS AND CONDITIONS AND PRIVACY POLICY , TOGETHER WITH OUR DISCLAIMER . NO FIDUCIARY OBLIGATION OR DUTY EXISTS, OR IS CREATED, BY VIRTUE OF YOUR RECEIPT OF ANY INFORMATION PROVIDED IN CONNECTION WITH THE INVESTING CLUB. NO SPECIFIC OUTCOME OR PROFIT IS GUARANTEED. The movement of the world's richest families across borders is accelerating into what experts are calling the most significant private wealth migration ever recorded. Demand for cross-border relocation, residency planning and citizenship consultancy services is being driven by geopolitical tensions and sudden policy shifts, advisers who work with ultra-high-net-worth clients told CNBC. According to a report by Swiss multinational investment bank UBS, 36% of its 87 billionaire clients surveyed had already relocated at least once in 2025, while another 9% were considering doing so. Among billionaires aged 54 and below, 44% moved last year. Families increasingly recognize that policy regimes can change rapidly. Farro & Co. Deepesh Agarwal "We are truly experiencing the largest private wealth migration in history," UBS told CNBC. Investment migration consultancy Henley & Partners' data points to the breadth of the shift. The firm received enquiries from 218 nationalities in 2025, translating into applications from 100 nationalities across 95 countries for more than 40 residency and citizenship programs. Application volumes also rose 28% year on year. Jurisdictional risks Affluent families have historically gravitated toward jurisdictions offering political stability, personal safety, low taxes and high quality of life. What has changed, advisers say, is that jurisdictional risk is now being treated like financial risk, something to be actively diversified. "Families increasingly recognize that policy regimes can change rapidly, regulatory frameworks can tighten, and geopolitical tensions can escalate with limited notice," said Deepesh Agarwal, managing director and co-founder at Farro & Co., an international mobility solutions provider. Wealthy individuals are treating where they live and what citizenship options they have with the same considerations they would extend to diversifying investments across assets, so they're not overly dependent on any single country if policies or politics shift, Agarwal said. There are two main factors defining today's migration, with the top being geopolitics and the speed at which it is developing. Policy changes that once took decades to materialize can now be implemented within a single political cycle, experts said. Once a background consideration, geopolitics and policy changes has now moved decisively to the foreground. Residency decisions are increasingly informed by assessments of neutrality, institutional robustness and rule-of-law strength. A recent example is the United Kingdom, where the abolition of the non-domicile tax regime in April 2025, after more than two centuries, triggered a sharp reassessment of the country among its wealthy residents. Henley & Partners estimates that the UK saw a net loss of about 16,500 millionaires in 2025 with their wealth estimated at about $92 billion compared with 9,500 in 2024 . The second factor driving the migration of the wealthy is motivation. Earlier waves of relocation were often optimism-led, chasing growth, opportunity or tax advantages. Today's moves are increasingly defensive. "Protection has joined growth as a primary driver," Agarwal said. "There is a stronger safeguarding impulse, protecting assets, preserving generational continuity and maintaining operational flexibility." The shift reflects a deeper erosion of confidence in political and financial systems, said Jeremy Savory, founder of Savory Partners that specializes in citizenship and residency-by-investment programs. "There has been a fundamental change in how people view freedom and personal sovereignty," Savory said. "Rapid policy changes, political instability, civil unrest and increased surveillance are increasingly influencing relocation decisions." He pointed to thousands of citizenship renunciations in countries such as the United States. The share of U.S. citizens living overseas who said they were considering renouncing their citizenship jumped to 49% in 2025 from 30% a year earlier, according to an annual survey by international tax consultancy Greenback. Among respondents, 51% cited dissatisfaction with the U.S. government or its political direction . Where are the wealthy going? Despite the global nature of the shift, capital and talent are clustering in a relatively small number of jurisdictions that offer policy predictability and strong legal frameworks. At the top of the list is the United Arab Emirates, which advisers consistently describe as the leading beneficiary of the current cycle. Its zero personal income tax, absence of wealth and capital gains taxes, and flexible Golden Visa framework have made it a primary relocation hub. Golden visa programs allow foreign nationals to obtain long-term residency, and in some cases a pathway to citizenship, in exchange for qualifying investments, typically in real estate, government bonds or local businesses. "It's clear that the United Arab Emirates continues to stand out as the premier magnet for wealthy families," said Dominic Volek, group head of private clients at Henley and Partners. Henley & Partners estimates that the UAE saw a net inflow of 9,800 millionaires last year, the largest of any country globally. Europe continues to attract interest through golden visa pathways in Portugal and Greece, while Italy, Monaco and Switzerland draw families seeking long-term stability and tax certainty. Singapore remains another attractive location, particularly for families prioritizing regulatory stability and sound financial infrastructure, even as higher entry thresholds limit access, experts said. Beyond traditional hubs, new entrants are gaining traction. Saudi Arabia's Premium Residency Program has issued more than 8,000 permits since its 2024 expansion, while Caribbean citizenship programs in Antigua and Barbuda, Grenada, and St. Kitts and Nevis are increasingly used as strategic complements to European residence strategies. At the end of the day, what is clear is that private wealth migration is no longer a fringe phenomenon, wealth advisors said. US Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum, House Speaker Mike Johnson and EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin with US President Donald Trump holding a signed executive order directing the military to purchase electricity from coal-fired power plants during a "Champion of Coal" event at the White House in Washington, DC, on February 11, 2026. President Donald Trump on Wednesday ordered the Defense Department to purchase power from coal plants, his latest effort to revivte an industry that has struggled to compete against cheaper energy resources. Trump signed the executive order at a White House event attended by Peabody Energy CEO James Grech. The order directs the Pentagon to secure long-term power purchase agreements with coal plants for military installations. "We're going to be buying a lot of coal through the military now," Trump said. Shares of Peabody rose 4% in extended trading. The president said he also directed the Department of Energy to issue funds to keep coal plants open in West Virginia, Ohio, North Carolina and Kentucky. Trump declared coal essential to U.S. national and economic security last April. He issued several executive orders at the time that aimed boost coal production. The coal industry has been in state of decline for years as it has struggled to compete against natural gas and renewable energy. About 16% of U.S. electricity generation came from burning coal in 2023, down from 51% in 2001, according to the Energy Information Administration. watch now The Trump administration's decision to park $500 million of Venezuelan oil revenue in Qatar raises fundamental questions about the South American nation's future after the U.S. captured former President Nicolas Maduro. Among them: When will a transition of power take place, who will ultimately govern Venezuela and who controls the country's vast resources? Right now, the administration is collaborating closely with the remnants of the Maduro regime under the leadership of interim President Delcy Rodriguez. The problem is that the U.S. does not officially recognize the government that Rodriguez is leading. President Donald Trump during his first term recognized the opposition-led National Assembly elected in 2015 as the only legitimate representative of the Venezuelan people. Trump issued an executive order on Jan. 9 that requires the proceeds from Venezuela's oil sales to be held in a U.S. Treasury Department account. The president's order states that the money is the sovereign property of the government of Venezuela held in custody by the U.S. But it's unclear which Venezuelan government the order is referencing. Once the money arrives in the U.S., it should in theory be under the control of the opposition National Assembly due to Trump's 2019 recognition, said Scott Anderson, an international law expert who previously served with the State Department and the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad under President Barack Obama. This poses potential problems for the administration's cooperation with Rodriguez. She has agreed to ship 50 million barrels of crude oil to the U.S. The Trump administration is controlling the sale of those barrels. Energy Secretary Chris Wright said this arrangement will continue indefinitely to maintain leverage over Caracas to implement reforms. Democrats, meanwhile, are questioning whether the arrangement is legal. Dueling governments Secretary of State Marco Rubio told Congress the decision was made to hold the money in Qatar while the issue of government recognition is resolved. Qatar recognizes the Maduro regime as the legitimate government of Venezuela, allowing the U.S. to avoid the issue in the short term. "We have an issue we're working through on recognition," Rubio told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Jan. 28. "You have to recognize a government, but we don't recognize this government," the secretary of State said. "We recognize the 2015 National Assembly, so we have to find some creative way legally to meet that standard." A Trump administration official told CNBC that an account has been set up for the government of Venezuela at the Treasury Department and "future revenues derived from the sale of Venezuela natural resources will come into and go out of the account." The initial $500 million in revenue held in Qatar has since been transferred to Venezuela, the official said. watch now The Trump administration will probably have to work out an arrangement with the 2015 National Assembly on how the oil money will be spent, said Anderson, who recently published a legal analysis of the plan. "The Rodriguez government in theory has no voice in how any Venezuelan funds in the United States are spent," Anderson said. Rubio told the Senate that the U.S. has established a "respectful and productive" line of communication with Rodriguez. He said U.S. cooperation with Rodriguez is a pragmatic approach to what he described as the "transition and stabilization" phase in Venezuela. The secretary of State said a written agreement is in place with the Rodriguez government on oil sales. "We are just acknowledging reality, and that is you have to work with the people that are in charge of the elements of government," Rubio told the Senate. The U.S. goal is to ultimately transition away from Venezuela's current system, Rubio said. "This is not the end state that we want," the secretary of State said. Democrats question legality Caracas will submit a budget that the U.S. will review and then waive sanctions to disburse oil revenue for Venezuela from a blocked account, Rubio said. The U.S. will tell Caracas what the funds cannot be used for up front, he said. An audit process will be set up to make sure the money is spent appropriately, Rubio said. The Export-Import Bank of the United States could play that role though nothing has been finalized, he said. Rubio described the arrangement as a short-term mechanism and not a permanent solution. "I understand it's novel, but it's the best we could come up with in the short term," he said. watch now The Federal Aviation Administration abruptly grounded all flights in and out of El Paso International Airport in Texas on Wednesday for 10 days and then lifted the order hours later over anti-drone technology the Department of Defense was testing, according to a person briefed on the matter. The two agencies were scheduled to discuss safety precautions later this month, but the Department of Defense sought to use the technology earlier the person said. The FAA closed airspace early Wednesday. On Wednesday, Trump administration official said the Department of Defense disabled Mexican cartel drones that had breached U.S. airspace. The Pentagon declined to provide further detail, including about the possible wreckage of the drone. The Trump administration said there was no threat to commercial air travel currently. The airport sits next to Biggs Army Airfield and is near the Mexican border, about 12 miles from Juarez, Mexico. A person briefed on the matter earlier Wednesday said that the Department of Defense was testing laser counter-drone technology. The FAA initially halted flights in El Paso until late Feb. 20 and the ban applied to a 10-nautical-mile area around the airport. The FAA hadn't immediately disclosed the security reasons for the temporary sudden halt or why it was set for so long. I welcome the @Europarl_EN speedy adoption of our proposal for an additional 90 billion loan for Ukraine. Ukraine's courage is unshakable. And so is Europe's resolve to stand by its side. Today and tomorrow! Because a strong Ukraine makes all of Europe safer. Ursula von der Leyen (@vonderleyen) February 11, 2026 The European Parliament on Wednesday approves a package of proposals to support Ukraine with a 90 billion EU loan for 2026 and 2027, aimed at meeting the countrys urgent financing needs as Russias war enters its fifth year.The Ukraine support loan includes 30 billion for macro-financial assistance or budget support through the EUs Ukraine Facility, and 60 billion to strengthen Ukraines defence capabilities and support military procurement.European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen welcomed the European Parliaments speedy adoption of the proposal for an additional 90 billion loan for Ukraine. She said that a strong Ukraine makes all of Europe safer.The assistance will be provided in line with Ukraines financing strategy, subject to Council approval, and will come with strict conditions linked to democratic governance, rule of law, human rights protection, and anti-corruption efforts.Also Read: Russia launches massive attack on Ukraine's energy system, Zelenskiy says The loan will be financed through common EU borrowing and guaranteed by the EU long-term budget, with Ukraine liable for repayment of the principal once it receives war reparations from Russia.The proposal on the Ukraine support loan was approved with 458 votes to 140 and 44 abstentions, while the proposal to amend the 2021-2027 EU long-term budget (MFF) secured 490 votes to 130 and 32 abstentions.The EU support loan was agreed at the European Council in Brussels on 18 December 2025 and presented by the European Commission on 14 January 2026. The 90 billion package is intended to cover two-thirds of Ukraines estimated financial needs for the period.Also Read: Russia-Ukraine war: Putin invites Zelenskyy for peace talks The worlds biggest nickel mine in Indonesia has been told to slash output, as authorities step up efforts to boost global prices of the battery metal.PT Weda Bay Nickel has been notified it will receive 12 million tons of ore production quota this year, down from 42 million tons in 2025, according to people familiar with the matter. Nickel futures jumped in London following the news.The mine on the island of Halmahera, North Maluku province, is owned by Tsingshan Holding Group Co., Frances Eramet SA and PT Aneka Tambang. In a statement Wednesday, Eramet confirmed the size of the reduction in Weda Bay Nickels quota, and said the company intends to apply for a revision.Indonesia has been taking drastic steps to revive prices of its biggest export commodity, largely through scaling back volumes that key miners are allowed to produce. Ahead of the latest round of cutbacks, supply from the Southeast Asian country had surged to about 65% of world production, sending prices into a two-year plunge that shuttered rivals in Australia and New Caledonia.The country is taking similar steps in thermal coal, with mining quotas in the worlds biggest exporter set to be cut by nearly a quarter from the year before. The Indonesian Coal Mining Association said the measures may force some operations to shut, while overseas buyers could be left to scramble for alternative sources of the fossil fuel.The authorities control miners output through the issue of annual permits, which are known locally by their initials as RKABs. The proposed full-year volumes can be adjusted at the mid-year mark, meaning that eventual amounts produced can differ from the initial figures.Nickel climbed last month after Indonesia flagged plans to cut mine output to about 260 million tons of ore this year, down from a 2025 target of 379 million tons, although actual supply last year would have been lower than that figure. The metal is used in both stainless steel and electric-vehicle batteries, but demand from the latter has disappointed due to switching to non-nickel chemistries.Benchmark three-month futures rose as much as 2.8% to $17,980 a ton on the London Metal Exchange, and traded at $17,885 at 9:01 a.m. in London. Eramet shares fell by as much as 5.7%.The cut to Weda Bay Nickels output will be severe for the company, which originally had plans to expand production to more than 60 million tons of ore to support a massive nearby industrial park. Instead, the site has been forced to import large amounts of ore from the Philippines due to a lack of local supply.A spokesperson for Indonesias Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry said that quotas were still being evaluated, while a representative for Weda Bay Nickel did not respond to a request for comment. In addition, Tsingshan and Aneka Tambang didnt respond to requests for comment.Weda Bay Nickel is still facing a penalty for a breach of its forestry permit, which saw the government take control of 148 hectares at the site. The fine could be about 3 trillion rupiah ($180 million), Bloomberg reported last month. This year, the Peace Corps Commemorative Foundation (PCCF) will break ground on the Peace Corps Commemorative Park, honoring the over 240,000 Americans who have served as Peace Corps volunteers, including 375 CC alumni. The park is meant to honor the spirit of the Peace Corps and to tell the stories of the Returned Peace Corps Volunteers (RPCV). Sue Hoyt Aiken 62 was the first CC graduate to join the Peace Corps, leading the way for hundreds of fellow CC alumni to follow. After graduating from CC with a degree in English, Aiken completed training at Georgetown University and traveled to Ethiopia as part of the first cohort of Peace Corps volunteers to go there. Ethiopian Emperor Haile Selassie had requested secondary school teachers to teach in her country and almost 300 Peace Corps volunteers were sent. Aiken taught English in an all-boys high school outside of Addis Ababa, Ethiopias capital,for two years. Aiken was inspired to join the Peace Corps because of her familys missionary background and her desire to help people. Aikens grandparents, father, and uncle had traveled from Kansas to Kenya to serve as Quaker Missionaries in the early 1900s, and Aiken was able to visit this mission during a break while in Ethiopia. In 2026, 64 years after Aiken first volunteered, CC has produced 375 Peace Corps volunteerswho have served all over the world. I am thrilled to know that so many other CC grads joined the Peace Corps and perhaps did so as an older adult or as a couple, Aiken says. The scope of opportunities widened as did the countries that sought out volunteers. Congress was proven wrong. The Peace Corps wasand isa success. In 2024, CC was named a top Peace Corps Producing Institution and ranked seventh for top small colleges and universities producing the most Peace Corps volunteers. CC was also named a Top Producing Small College in 2025, when 13 CC alums were working as Peace Corps volunteers in Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Guatemala, Kenya, Mexico, Paraguay, Peru, and the Philippines. "Colorado College's consistent ranking among the nation's top Peace Corps-producing institutions reflects something profound about its educational mission and the values it instills in students, says President and CEO Emeritus of National Peace Corps Association (NPCA) Glenn Blumhorst, who also serves as the PCCF Chief Advancement Officer. As we work to build Peace Corps Park near the U.S. Capitol, we're creating a permanent tribute to this tradition of service that institutions like CC have championed since President Kennedy's call to action. Sue Hoyt Aiken and the 374 CC alumni who followed her path represent exactly what the Peace Corps was designed to accomplish: Americans stepping forward to serve, learn, and build bridges of understanding across cultures. That legacy deserves to be celebrated and honored for generations to come." President John. F. Kennedy established the Peace Corps in 1961, allowing Americans to volunteer around the world in pursuit of world peace and friendship. The Peace Corps Park will include three hand-shaped granite benches that surround a map of the world and there will be a companion app and digital experience to offer audio, video, and stories that deepen the engagement with park visitors. The Peace Corps Park is an official federation monument and is owned by the National Park Service (NPS). While there is not an exact date for when the Peace Corps Park will be finished and open to the public, as much depends on funding, PCCF plans to open this year. CC is a strong supporter of the Peace Corps and is one of only a few liberal arts colleges in the country to offer the Peace Corps Prep Program, a pathway program jointly administered by the Career Center and the Advising Hub. Being both a Colorado College alum and a Returned Peace Corps Volunteer are distinct honors that I do not take lightly, says Charles Hall 22, who served as a Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) Peace Corps volunteer in Costa Rica from March 2023 through December 2024. CC was deeply influential in my decision to pursue the Peace Corps, and both experiences continue to shape how I view the world. I am proud to be one of the 375 Tigers whoserved in the Peace Corps, and I hope this number will continue to grow. Hall says the Peace Corps Commemorative Park is a recognition of the Peace Corps volunteers who came before him to build a better world. It honors the people who sacrificed time, money, and, for some, their lives, in the name of their country, Hall adds. My service was deeply motivated by those who came before me. Being a Peace Corps Volunteer does not end after you return to the US; it is a continual commitment to service and fostering intercultural understanding that follows you for the rest of your life. Readers can keep up with updates on the Peace Corps Park through its website. Microsoft highlighted six new and actively exploited vulnerabilities among the 60 fixes issued in todays February Patch Tuesday releases. However, Tyler Reguly, associate director of security R&D at Fortra, says theres good news: The issues are easy to resolve with regular Microsoft patches for Windows and Office, and none require any post patch configuration steps. Still, CSOs should be aware that, of the six, three involve a security feature bypass: Google has secured unconditional EU antitrust approval for its $32 billion acquisition of cloud security firm Wiz, clearing a major regulatory hurdle and paving the way for one of the largest cybersecurity acquisitions to date. The decision removes a key uncertainty for enterprise customers and positions Google Cloud to aggressively expand its security portfolio as competition intensifies with AWS and Microsoft in multicloud environments. The Commission found that there are several credible competitors that customers could switch to if Google were to bundle Wizs multi-cloud security platform with its existing products, or in case Wizs platform no longer worked with clouds other than Googles, the European Commission said in a statement. The town of Browning has been selected to participate in Montana State University's Reimagining Rural program through the Community Vitality initiative, bringing innovative community development resources and support to this vital hub of the Blackfeet Nation. The announcement comes as MSU Extension launches its 2026 Reimagining Rural Virtual Community Gathering series, titled "Groundwork," which will focus on returning to the fundamentals of grassroots community improvement efforts. The three-part virtual series will take place on the first three Wednesdays of February, at 6:00 p.m. each evening, in the Tribal Council Chambers, 640 Chiefs Way, Browning. "This is an incredible opportunity for Browning to connect with proven strategies for rural community development while maintaining our unique identity and addressing the specific needs of our residents," said Paulette Butterfly of the Blackfeet Planning Office. "We invite all residents interested to come and let your voice be heard." For Browning, a community that serves as the headquarters of the Blackfeet Nation and gateway to Glacier National Park, the program offers tools to build on existing strengths while addressing persistent challenges facing rural Montana towns. The collaborative nature of Reimagining Rural means Browning will not only receive support but also contribute its own unique perspectives and experiences to the broader network of participating communities. Community members interested in learning more about Browning's participation in the Reimagining Rural program or the upcoming February virtual sessions are encouraged to contact Lisa Terry, at the Glacier County MSU Extension office at 406-873-2239 option #2, Arkaidy Wisniowska at Glacier County Economic Development at [email protected] or Paulette Butterfly, Blackfeet Planning Department at 406-338-7406 for additional information and registration details. The regularly scheduled meeting of the Cut Bank City Council was called to order on Monday, Feb. 2, at 6:30 p.m. All Councilpersons were in attendance, as were City Attorney Whitney Bugni, City Superintendent John Damberger, Police Chief Mike Schultz, and City Clerk/Treasurer Donni Schultz. Visitors at this meeting included Rick Geiger, Kevin Angland, Arkaidy Wisniowska, Vernon Thomas, Rod Cline, Andy Bogart and Justin Perry. Andy Bogart spoke during the public comment portion of the meeting. Bogart would like to build a bike park in Cut Bank and stated the first step is presenting the idea to the City Council. The second step would be finding a location, the community can pick three locations to be surveyed. The total cost to have the land surveyed and a design drawn up would be $14,500. The City would be required to pay 50 percent of the fee up front and the remainder upon completion. Bogart also shared that there are grants available that could be applied for to assist with the cost. Bogart stated having a pump track would bring people of all ages to bike, skateboard, skate, etc., and would help make Glacier County healthier. Following Mr. Bogarts presentation, the Council unanimously approved the minutes, payroll summary and claims through Jan. 30, 2026. City Attorney Whitney Bugni reported the City had its first jury trial since the remodel of the City Court Building and Judge Berkram was pleased how the layout worked. The new space will work well so the City will no longer have to schedule use of District Court space for every jury trial. City Superintendent John Damberger advised the Council the City Crew is getting little projects done. They are working on the basement of the law office to get shelves in, they are also mapping the City for sewer, water lines, valves, etc. Through this mapping the City will know the exact locations of these lines and the fire department will have access to this map once completed. In new business the approval of Resolution 26-03, approval of joint resolution with Glacier County to approve putting a mill levy out to vote for the Cut Bank Airport, was tabled. City Attorney Bugni suggested that this resolution be tabled as she received a draft of this resolution but it had no numbers on it. The Levy must be at the election office 85 days before a primary, being due by March 10. The County is going to look at the resolution at their next meeting. The resolution was unanimously tabled. Councilperson Reynolds made a motion to approve the Design Development Submittal from Nelson Architects and to approve them to put the project bid out. Councilperson Gibson seconded the motion. Mayor Harper stated there has been some discussion about putting a steel prefab building for the Police Department Garage. This option would not allow for expansion in the future. The Mayor recommended to approve this motion. Chief Schultz stated that even with a prefab steel building, Davis Bacon wages would have to be used, therefore increasing the cost. Also, if using a prefab, connecting the two buildings would be an issue and changes to the garage would not be able to be made in the future. The projection from Nelson Architects is that we will be under budget and that is with them budgeting on the high side. This might allow the police department to get some wants and not just needs. The City also saved $6,000 by removing windows from the design of the garage. The garage will be tall in front and slope to the back. There will be one pass through door. There will also be a mezzanine for storage. Then the garage will connect to the police department building with a door. Chief Schultz stated if this was approved today that Nelson Architects stated that we could accept bids in April. In May construction could start with an October completion date. The Council unanimously approved the motion. The Council was advised the City of Cut Bank is rectified by the Montana Main Street Program. Kevin Angland, Great West Engineering, spoke to the Council about the growth policy. He stated the policy was not yet completed as in order for it to be they need to have a public hearing at a City Council Planning Board meeting, then it needs to go to the City Council for approval. Once the policy is approved the City can apply for more grants. Mr. Angland currently needs help with getting members for the City Planning Board, the City might need a whole new board because the previous board has not met in years. This board requires seven members. Mr. Angland will investigate how many members have to be from the City and how many from the County. He also stated that the City needs to have a public hearing with notice and stated he would be happy to come and facilitate the meeting. The growth policy needs to be reviewed every five years, but is can be updated with amendments at any time. The sooner the growth policy is approved, the better. Extensions have already been filed. Arkaidy Wisniowska, Glacier County Economic Development, spoke about signage at Central Park. Last summer the Glacier County Economic Development applied for a grant from the Cut Bank Community Foundation. They received $800 to put a Cut Bank City Park sign on the corners of the rails at Central Park. The design has not been finalized, so input can still be made. The possible size of the signs would be two-feet tall and four to six feet long. City Superintendent Damberger wants to check into if the rails would be structurally sound to hang the signs on, stating that we might have to look into reinforcing the signs so the wind will not knock them over. There was also a question of the logo the Glacier County Economic Development used if some group held the rights to this design. Rod Cline from the Glacier County Economic Development stated that he would investigate if a group owned the rights to this logo. Whitney Bugni suggested that the City department heads talk further about this sign at an upcoming meeting. Arkaidy Wisniowska also spoke about the Cut Bank Trails and it having a contract with Glacier County, not the City, which was previously thought. Wisniowska stated that Cut Bank Trails, MDT and Glacier County completed the Nyhagen Trail. This idea for this trail was started in 2017. The Nyhagen trail is ADA compliant. Wisniowska shared the other trails that Cut Bank Trails have are the coulee trail and the Anna Jeffries trail. Cut Bank trails wants to make a walkable Cut Bank for the whole city. In the future, the Cut Bank Trails would like to connect Mountain View trail to the Anna Jeffries trail. The Cut Bank Trails can start planning this phase after they have repaid their obligation to the County. Rick Geiger, Airport Authority, spoke to the Council about the sewer and water lines. They are 80 years old, so is the terminal. They need potable water. The City and the County sponsored the airport, the City pays 2 mills and the County pays 2 mills. The Airport Authority would like to do a county-wide $90,000 mill levy to help with funding. There is a grant opportunity where the FAA would pay 90 percent and the airport would have to pay a local match of 10 percent. This year the state will pay five percent of the local match. It was also shared the airport would like to renovate the terminal building, it has no insulation and bad windows. The project could be a million-dollar project, the Aeronautics will put a healthy sum into it it. If the mill levy passes it will also save money when doing the planning with engineers. It was shared the airport is a benefit for the City, UPS comes in every day and there are 50 to 60 medical flights. Clerk Treasurer Schultz reported that the City has not been receiving tax collected funds from Glacier County for the Voted Law Enforcement Levy, Delinquent Weeds and the Permissive Medical Levy. These balances total $486,280.39. These balances that are due will be included with the January 2026 payment made to the City. Clerk Treasurer Schultz has worked with Montana League of Cities and Towns, Glacier County, and the City of Cut Banks Auditor to help get this issued resolved. Clerk/Treasurer Schultz also reported that there was a glitch with how the pay periods fell this year. A paycheck was supposed to be issued on Jan. 1, but because it was a holiday it was paid on Dec. 31. The system then thought that January had three paychecks instead of two, so insurance was not taken out. This problem has been remedied. Mayor Harper said there was a $18,000 gap between expenditures and revenues for the Civic Center. He stated that he would like to get this number lessened. He stated that Glacier County might want to do a wellness program for their employees so this could help with the deficit. Mayor Harper stated he would like to look in how to generate more revenue and to have a more structured schedule for the Civic Center. City Superintendent Damberger stated that they are looking into movable temporary partitions to split the big gym into four sections. They are also looking to improve the parking lot. Mayor Harper would also like to look into identifying how many members there are at the Civic Center and a way to email them surveys. Upon there being no public comment, the meeting was then adjourned at 7:30 p.m. The next meeting is scheduled for Feb. 23, starting at 6:30 p.m. The Pondera County Health Department is proud to announce the opening of a new Wellness Room, a dedicated space designed to support the physical, mental, and emotional wellbeing of residents throughout the county. The Wellness Room is part of the department's continuing efforts to expand access to behavioral health, reduce barriers to care, and provide a safe, welcoming environment for anyone seeking support. For many rural communities, finding private, reliable space for health conversations can be a challenge. The new Wellness Room helps bridge that gap by offering a confidential, comfortable setting where individuals can meet with behavioral health professionals, navigate resource referrals, receive health education, or simply take time to focus on their personal wellbeing. "Our goal is to make care more accessible for everyone in Pondera County," said the Pondera County Health Department. "The Wellness Room gives residents a place where they can feel safe, supported, and heard. Whether someone needs help managing stress, connecting with services, or accessing behavioral health appointments, this space is here for them." The Wellness Room functions in partnership with the department's paperless appointment system, which allows residents to schedule their own appointments by scanning a QR code or by calling the office and having staff assist with booking. This system ensures flexible access for a wide range of community members, including those with limited internet, transportation challenges, or busy schedules. Community members may use the Wellness Room for: Behavioral health appointments Oneonone support sessions Connecting with recommended services Education on wellness, stress reduction, and healthy living The Health Department emphasizes that the Wellness Room is part of a broader commitment to reducing stigma around behavioral health. By integrating wellness supports into a familiar local setting and offering user-friendly scheduling tools, the department hopes to make it easier for residents to seek help early and often. "Everyone deserves a place where they can find support," the department added. "The Wellness Room was created with our community in mind-respectful, confidential, and easy to access." The new Wellness Room is now open during regular Health Department hours. Residents can schedule an appointment at any time by scanning the QR code posted throughout the community or by calling the Health Department for assistance. For more information or to schedule an appointment, contact the Pondera County Health Department. 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. Z-10 attack helicopters fly in formation China Military Online) 16:31, February 11, 2026 Z-10 attack helicopters attached to an army brigade under the Chinese PLA Xizang Military Command fire at the targets at ultra-low altitude during a training exercise in snow-covered plateau region in early January, 2026. (eng.chinamil.com.cn/Photo by Hu Qiwu) Z-10 attack helicopters attached to an army brigade under the Chinese PLA Xizang Military Command fire at the targets at ultra-low altitude during a training exercise in snow-covered plateau region in early January, 2026. (eng.chinamil.com.cn/Photo by Hu Qiwu) Z-10 attack helicopters attached to an army brigade under the Chinese PLA Xizang Military Command fire at the targets at ultra-low altitude during a training exercise in snow-covered plateau region in early January, 2026. (eng.chinamil.com.cn/Photo by Hu Qiwu) (Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun) Back in 2007, around the time Tony Blair was preparing to hand over the reins of power to Gordon Brown, I was drinking with a minister with whom Id worked closely during the New Labour years. Would Gordon be able to turn around the partys fortunes, I asked him? No, he replied. The problem is our brand was built on being fresh, vigorous and contemporary. And for a while we were. But that was a decade ago. New Labour just isnt new any more. On Monday, Keir Starmer survived by the skin of his teeth a political near-death experience. But after 30 years the New Labour project, of which I was a tiny part, did not. With the fall of Peter Mandelson, the departure of Tony Blairs former adviser Tim Allan as Downing Street director of communications, and fingers now pointed at Jonathan Powell (Blairs former chief of staff and Starmers national security adviser), a line has been drawn under the era of red rose modernisation. Mandelson suggested replacing the partys red flag logo with a red rose in 1986. For Starmer, the decision to throw that tainted bloom in the bin has come too late to buy him a reprieve of more than a few weeks. And, very possibly, too late to save his party. Recently, obituaries chronicling Sir Keirs ruinous tenure have been penned. Each present a similar thesis. In short, Starmer had no plan for office, tried to delegate national governance to deeply flawed surrogates, then threw up his arms in self-righteous horror when it blew up in his face. This is at least partly correct. Presented with an imploding Tory government, Sir Keir simply sat back and waited for power. Keir Starmer delivers a speech in Hertfordshire yesterday. On Monday he survived what has been described as a political near death experience, writes Dan Hodges Mandelson with Gordon Brown in 2008. With the fall of Peter Mandelson and the departure of Tony Blairs former adviser Tim Allan as Downing Street director of communications, a line has been drawn under the era of red rose modernisation, writes Dan Hodges He also opted for a characteristically disastrous senior appointment selecting Sue Gray as his chief of staff with responsibility for drawing up his governments first 100 days strategy only to find out on his first day in Downing Street that no such plan existed. When Starmer woke up to the vacuum at the heart of his political mission, he didnt simply embark on a round of misdelegation. Instead, he subcontracted out his entire strategy, programme and philosophy to Blairites. Mandelson. Powell. Allan. Pat McFadden (Tony Blairs former political secretary). Liz Lloyd (Blairs former deputy chief of staff). Alan Milburn (Blairs former health secretary). All were parachuted into the heart of the floundering Starmer operation, with predictable consequences. As the emails and texts demanded by the House of Commons emerge, it will become clear not just the extent to which Mandelson was pulling the diplomatic levers of power in Washington, but how he was exerting control of the entire Starmer operation. As one minister told me at the weekend: Theres so much more to come out. Its not just what Peter was doing with Epstein. If he was prepared to leak information to him, do you think that was the only person he was dealing with? As far as we know, none of Mandelsons Blairite colleagues were abusing their positions in the same malign way. And, individually, each brought some experience to the role. But collectively they were operating from muscle memory last flexed over a quarter of a century ago and which is totally out of date for our vastly changed society in the 2020s. As the emails and texts emerge, it will become clear not just the extent to which Peter Mandelson was pulling the diplomatic levers of power in Washington, but also how he was exerting control of the entire Starmer operation, writes Dan Hodges The politics of the 1990s are light years away from the social-media driven populism shaping todays national agenda. So when Starmer placed the Blairites in control, it was like asking the Wright Brothers to fly the Space Shuttle. The other issue was that by trying to crudely bolt elements of Blairism on to his creaking administration, he was doing so with metal whose properties he barely understood. Starmer saw New Labour primarily as a vehicle for internal party transformation. In fact, the heavy lifting of restoring internal discipline was done by Neil Kinnock, a former Labour leader. Under Blair, New Labour did indeed look inward. But three quarters of the battle was convincing Labour activists that strong defence, a tough stance on law and order and fiscal responsibility were fully aligned with the partys traditional ideals and ethos. Sir Keir thought it simply involved chucking out a few Corbynites, then going to the country saying: We dont hate Jews any more. Vote Labour. Similarly, he didnt understand that once in government, lofty rhetoric cannot fill the gap where your policy offer is supposed to be. Like it or loathe it, Blairs New Labour government hit the ground running, dominating the agenda with independence for the Bank of England, a minimum wage and reforms to the House of Lords. Starmers team spent their first weeks in office fighting about desks and WFH, handing out Downing Street passes to their favourite donors such as designer spectacles and suits provider Lord Alli and issuing the same press release about breakfast clubs. One minister told me over the weekend: Theres so much more to come out. Its not just about what Peter [Mandelson] was doing with Epstein But the biggest problem with Starmers desperate grab for the New Labour playbook was that by lunging for it he couldnt avoid sticking two fingers up at the people who once supported him. According to a Labour minister, the Mandelson scandal has been getting major cut-through with focus groups. And not just because it involves Epstein and his appalling crimes. Peter still gets name recognition, the minister told me, they know him. And they dont like him. He reminds them of everything they hate about politics and politicians. Belatedly, Starmer has recognised that. In a speech yesterday he started to bang the class-war drum, declaring he was proud to have the most working-class Cabinet in history. Ed Miliband was also on Radio 4s Today programme stressing Starmer will now focus on the class divide. Meanwhile, it was revealed a draft campaign website for Angela Rayner went live in January with the promise: Angela Rayner is running for leader to fight for working-class Britain. And so now, in a desperate bid to save his skin, Starmer will throw Blairism out with the bathwater and lurch Left. There is talk of (another) major reshuffle, one in which remaining Blairite standard-bearers such as Wes Streeting and Peter Kyle are demoted, and members of the Left are welcomed into the fold. You can be sure this marks the end of New Labour. Im told there will be guarantees to safeguard the welfare budget, more action on workplace rights and a further pivot to the pro-Palestine camp. And, like everything else Starmer has attempted, it will prove an unmitigated disaster. Because while the Labour Party may not quite have given up on him, the people of Britain have. So Starmer will march his troops to shore up defences against the Greens and whatever ramshackle hard-Left operation Corbyn and Zarah Sultana finally cobble together. Nigel Farage and a rising Kemi Badenoch will surge into the vacated space. And those Labour ministers and MPs pledging fealty will finally put the Prime Minister out of his misery. But the fact that Blairism is finally being laid to rest is a good thing. I was there at its birth and I wont mourn its passing. And after the sordid saga weve been witness to over the past few days, neither should anyone else. If you have trouble falling asleep, a spot of intimacy before bedtime could be the key to a full night's rest. And it's not just the physical exertion that can make you sleepy; sex with someone you love leads to the production of positive hormones, which can lull you to a restful sleep. With Valentine's Day around the corner, Dr Kristen Holmes, a psycho-physiologist, revealed why sex and sleep are intertwined. 'In some ways, sex is similar to alcohol in that "one drink" can loosen you up, creating the conditions for intimacy and relaxation,' she told The Telegraph. 'From arousal to orgasm, humans release a coordinated mix of neurochemicals which lead to pleasure, bonding and feelings of trust. These peak when we have a sexual climax. ' These chemicals include oxytocin, the 'love hormone', which lowers the stress hormone, cortisol. The neurotransmitter serotonin, known as a 'feel-good' chemical, is released at the same time, which leads to relaxation and improved mood. At the point of orgasm, both men and women release a hormone called prolactin, which temporarily reduces arousal and prompts a sense of well-being and relaxation. If you have trouble falling asleep, a spot of intimacy before bedtime could be the key to a full night's rest 'So sex and sleep really are intertwined: the better the sex, the more sleep you'll get and vice versa,' said Dr Holmes. There is a raft of recent studies highlighting how sexual activity provides a host of health advantages. A 2023 review of 43 studies, published in the Journal of Sexual Medicine, found a significant association between sleep quality and duration and how often people were having sex. Last year, a first-of-its-kind experiment used digital sleep trackers to measure the impact of sexual activity on sleep in people's own homes rather than in a laboratory. They found that people who had sex or engaged in self-pleasure just before going to sleep were far less likely to wake up soon afterwards. While the Australian scientists were unable to confirm exactly why this was, they theorised that the post-orgasmic rush of feel-good hormones helped people get a good night's kip. They also noted that the benefits of intimacy for sleep seemed to be particularly strong for women. Your browser does not support iframes. The average Briton's sex life Age Men Women 18-24 58% 68% 25-29 61% 77% 30-34 73% 75% 35-39 59% 63% 40-44 63% 64% 45-49 55% 69% 50-54 52% 53% 55-59 53% 47% 60-64 46% 33% 65-69 49% 32% 70-74 50% 23% 75+ 49% 21% Percentages are how many have had sex in the last three week Participants wore a sleep tracking device that monitored the time it took to get to sleep, how much time they spent asleep and if they woke up at all in the night. Sleep tracker data showed that on nights when volunteers engaged in sexual activity, they only woke up for an average of 16 minutes during the night. In contrast, on celibate nights, they were awake for almost 23 minutes on average. Experts also found their sleep efficiency, a term given for total time spent in bed during the night, also improved by two percentage points to 93.4 per cent, suggesting a more restful night. Writing in the journal Sleep Health, the authors noted the impact of any kind of sexual activity on sleep seemed to be stronger for women. This calls into question the age-old cliche that men fall asleep after orgasm and women stay more alert. The authors of the study found that women slept longer and spent less time awake throughout the night following both solo and partner sexual activity. As her baby grew more and more unwell, Vienna Symons was beside herself with worry. Although he'd always been a healthy little boy with a good appetite, her precious son Finley was suddenly struggling to keep his food down. After every feed he was being sick, and constantly suffered from diarrhoea. With every passing day, he seemed less and less interested in feeding - and his mother wracked her brains to think what could be wrong: was it a virus? an infection? had he eaten something he shouldn't? One thing she never imagined, though, was that her son's illness could be caused by the baby-formula, made by Nestle-owned SMA - she was feeding him. Yet in the wake of the current scandal surrounding contaminated milk, it is now clear that is exactly what happened: the formula that was supposed to be helping Finley flourish and grow strong was actually poisoning him with harmful toxins. With dozens of babies across the UK now believed to have been affected, Mrs Symons is among a growing number of angry parents demanding that the manufacturers are held accountable for what she calls a 'dangerous betrayal'. The 28-year-old nurse from Hampshire told the Daily Mail: 'My baby was made very ill by this and yet they do not seem to care at all. Vienna Symons with her husband George and their baby son, Finley Baby Finley, pictured with his dad George, suffered with vomiting and an upset tummy 'At the feeding sessions I attended when I pregnant, we were told that formula was completely safe. 'Yet actually parents have been the victim of a dangerous betrayal. We trusted these companies to feed our new-born babies. They should have had proper safeguards in place, but they didn't. There should be consequences - to make sure something like this never happens again.' Mrs Symons said that she has contacted the customer service team at SMA explaining her son had been made ill by formula and seeking advice about any possible long-term side-effects. However she is furious at the company's response. In their emails, SMA - which is owned by Nestle - stated: 'We sincerely apologise for any inconvenience this may have caused.' However the company has refused to offer Mrs Symons any advice, saying: 'We have no further information we can share.' Mrs Symons said: 'They announced their formula was making babies sick - but then won't give me any information about it. I feel my concerns have just been disregarded. 'It's vital that there's a proper investigation. Either the supplier or SMA need to be prosecuted or held accountable because they didn't do proper quality checks.' Mrs Symons wants the baby formula manufacturers to be 'properly investigated' Little Finley became grumpy and unable to sleep while being fed the tainted batch of formula A major health alert was triggered last month when food giants Nestle and Danone announced they were recalling several batches of SMA Infant Formula, Follow-On Formula and Aptamil Formula products in the UK as a precaution. The products were potentially contaminated with cereulide - a toxin, believed to have originated from an ingredient supplier in China, that can lead to the rapid onset on nausea, vomiting and abdominal cramps. Earlier this month the UK Health Security Agency announced 36 babies had suffered suspected poisoning from formula milk. Mrs Symons' case - dating back to last October - highlights that the problem began several months before the alarm was raised. When Finley was born last April, she initially chose to breastfeed. Then in July, she started giving him formula milk as well. She said: 'It was during the heatwave and I couldn't keep up with how often he was feeding. I started with Cow & Gate then switched to SMA because I'd heard it was a better formula.' At first there were no issues, but towards the end of October, her son started to become unwell. She said: 'He wasn't feeding as much, he was vomiting a lot and had bad diarrhoea. Over the next four weeks, he just got worse and worse. He wasn't himself. He wasn't as playful as usual, he was agitated and wouldn't sleep, he was tired and grumpy. Mrs Symons was feeding Finley an SMA milk when he became poorly She noted that the batch number was one of the ones involved in the recent UKHSA recalls 'He'd always loved his food, but I was offering him a bottle or trying to breastfeed him and he just wasn't interested.' One night, after a particularly bad bout of vomiting and diarrhoea, Mrs Symons and her husband George, a 33-year-old HGV driver, were so concerned they called the 111 medical helpline - and were told to take Finley straight to A&E. At the time, the baby-milk contamination scandal had not yet been exposed, and doctors were mystified by Finley's symptoms. Mrs Symons explained: 'They examined him and reviewed his stool and his feeding but they didn't know what was wrong.' The parents left hospital with a vague diagnosis of gastroenteritis - a general term for a wide range of stomach infections - and advice to reduce Finley's feed, in case being overfed was making him sick. By a lucky coincidence, Mrs Symons decided soon afterwards to stop feeding formula to her son. She said: 'We followed the advice and reduced his feeding but it didn't make any difference to his symptoms. But then we decided to take him off formula completely. I'd been saying to George for a while that I wanted to cut out formula - not least because it's expensive - and go solely onto breast milk. 'Pretty much as soon as we'd cut out the formula, Finley got better: he stopped throwing up, didn't have diarrhoea and was feeding a lot more. It seemed strange - but I didn't think much of it at the time.' Mrs Symons is concerned about potential long-term health implications Then, when the news broke last month about the recall of potentially contaminated products, Mrs Symons realised the awful truth. She said: 'I read about the scandal and suddenly put two and two together. It was a complete shock.' Although she had switched back to breastfeeding, she'd kept a half-empty tin of formula in the cupboard - and when she checked the label, she confirmed it had come from one of the tainted batches. She said: 'I was so relieved Finley had stopped taking formula. If I'd kept feeding it to him, he would have kept ingesting the toxin. It could have been even more serious.' Cereulide stops cells in the body from being able to make energy and is most commonly associated with food poisoning from contaminated rice, pasta, and dairy products. It causes rapid-onset symptoms - which can begin within 15 minutes to six hours - like nausea, vomiting, and abdominal cramps, and has been linked to several deaths in recent years. Rare cases of liver or kidney injury, muscle breakdown and multi-organ failure have also been reported, with young children and the immuno-compromised at highest risk. Although Finley seems to have fully recovered, Mrs Symons remains concerned about the possibility of long-term damage - and has asked her GP for follow-up tests. She said: 'After the scare, Finley is a happy little boy who's very chatty - although we can't understand a word he says! He loves to crawl around and cause mayhem. 'He seems healthy, but I'd like to be reassured that he isn't facing any future health issues because of what he ingested.' A spokesperson for Nestle said: 'We are very sorry to hear about this case and our teams will work closely with any families who report these types of concerns to us. 'The UKHSA says that symptoms are generally self-limiting and usually resolve within 24 hours after last consumption.' Trump administration officials are now urging Americans to get their measles vaccines amid a historic outbreak. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) administrator Dr Mehmet Oz said on Sunday that the solution to a measles outbreak raging in South Carolina, America's largest ever since the disease was declared eliminated over 20 years ago, is getting both doses of the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine. Federal data shows 93 percent of Americans have gotten both doses of the vaccine, which are typically given in early childhood. This, however, is below the CDC's 95 percent threshold for herd immunity. In South Carolina, where nearly 1,000 residents have been sickened with measles since October 2025, just 91 percent of kindergarteners have gotten both doses. 'Take the vaccine, please,' Oz said, also insisting there 'will never be a barrier to Americans getting access to the measles vaccine.' Measles is a highly infectious disease characterized by flu-like symptoms such as cough and fever, a distinctive, blotchy rash that starts in the face before spreading down the body and tiny white spots inside the mouth called Koplik spots. In severe cases, the virus can travel to the lungs and brain, leading to pneumonia, brain swelling, seizures and death. The measles vaccine is 97 percent effective at preventing infection, and the CDC estimates unvaccinated individuals have a 90 percent chance of contracting it if they are exposed. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) administrator Dr Mehmet Oz (pictured above last month) urged Americans to 'take the vaccine, please' to protect against measles amid a historic outbreak Your browser does not support iframes. Your browser does not support iframes. Oz's vaccine plea is in contrast to Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr, who has provided contradictory stances on the MMR shot during his term. Kennedy previously chaired the anti-vaccine nonprofit called Children's Health Defense, which advocated for an end to school vaccine requirements during the measles outbreak in 2019, when 1,261 cases of measles were reported across 31 states. He has also previously claimed that the MMR vaccine, which is estimated to have prevented around 60 million measles deaths worldwide, was not the cause of a drop in deaths. He also claimed that malnutrition is the cause of measles deaths. Kennedy has additionally claimed that MMR vaccines may be linked to autism, which has long been disproven - research shows the vaccines are safe and effective. But last year, as measles surged in West Texas, the secretary called the MMR vaccine 'the most effective way' to stave off the virus. Before MMR vaccines became available in the 1960s, measles caused epidemics with up to 2.6 million global deaths every year. By 2023, that number had fallen to roughly 107,000 deaths. The MMR shot is typically given once between ages 12 and 15 months and again between ages four and six. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr (pictured at left opposite Oz last month) has offered contradictory stances on MMR vaccination Your browser does not support iframes. In South Carolina, state health data shows 933 residents have been infected with measles since October 2025, 890 of whom were in Spartanburg County. Of those infected, 859 were unvaccinated, 20 were partially vaccinated and 29 had an unknown vaccination status. But surprisingly, 25 had received both MMR doses. Out of 933 cases, 418 were in children ages five to 11, 242 were in children under age four, 177 were in teens ages 12 to 17, 47 were in adults ages 18 to 29, 30 were in people ages 30 to 49, five were in adults over 50 and 14 did not have their ages specified. Nationwide data from Johns Hopkins Center for Outbreak Response Innovation shows there have been 842 cases of measles so far in 2026, 605 of which are in South Carolina. Measles spreads through direct contact with infectious droplets or through the air. Patients with a measles infection are contagious from four days before the rash through four days after the rash appears. Enclosed areas like airports and planes are extremely risky locations for disease transmission. Measles causes a distinctive rash as pictured above. In severe cases, it can also lead to pneumonia and brain swelling It first invades the respiratory system, then spreads to the lymph nodes and throughout the body. As a result, the virus can affect the lungs, brain and central nervous system. While measles sometimes causes milder symptoms, including diarrhea, sore throat and achiness, it leads to pneumonia in roughly six percent of otherwise healthy children, and more often in malnourished children. Though the brain swelling that measles can trigger is rare, occurring in about one in 1,000 cases, it is deadly in roughly 15 to 20 percent of those who develop it, while about 20 percent are left with permanent neurological damage such as brain damage, deafness or intellectual disability. Measles also severely damages a child's immune system, making them susceptible to other potentially devastating bacterial and viral infections they were previously protected against. A controversial anti-worming drug that was thrust into the spotlight during the Covid-19 pandemic after right-leaning doctor groups promoted unfounded claims that it cured the virus is now under scrutiny for its potential to treat cancer. Ivermectin, a drug that treats parasitic infections in people and livestock, is the latest focus at the National Cancer Institute, the worlds preeminent cancer research center that is part of the National Institutes of Health. The NCI, headed by President Donald Trump appointee Dr Anthony Letai, did not cite new evidence to support this hypothesis when he announced the new endeavor. There are enough reports of it, enough interest in it, that we actually did ivermectin, in particular did engage in sort of a better preclinical study of its properties and its ability to kill cancer cells, Letai said at a January event with NIH Director Jay Bhattacharya and other senior agency officials. Bhattacharya said at the same event: If lots of people believe it and its moving public health, we as NIH have an obligation, again, to treat it seriously. Not present at the event was Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr, a long-time Covid vaccine skeptic who has pushed the claim that an unhealthy governmentBig Pharma alliance suppressed ivermectin simply because it isn't profitable. In laboratory studies, ivermectin has been shown in cell cultures to kill cancer cells and suppress tumors. But there is currently no reliable clinical evidence from human trials to support its use as an effective cancer treatment. In the rest of his comments at the NIH event last month, Letai appeared to temper expectations for the drug, saying at one point, Its not going to be a cure-all for cancer, and adding later that even if there are signals of anti-cancer properties in the preclinical studies, I can tell you again, its not a really strong signal. Ivermectin gained popularity during the pandemic after fringe medical figures, some now in federal roles, promoted it as a Covid remedy with no clinical proof. Since then, right-leaning influencers have touted it as a dubious cure for various other conditions Your browser does not support iframes. But, he quickly noted, this doesnt rule out individual reports of people having taken it that had a response to their cancer. This doesnt invalidate their personal experience. Ivermectin surged in popularity during the Covid pandemic when fringe medical experts touted its ability despite a lack of clinical evidence to alleviate the symptoms of the virus and speed up recovery. Since then, right-leaning influencers have hyped its ability to cure a range of ailments in addition to Covid, from cancer and lupus to autism and renal failure. None of these claims has been clinically proven, nor are they guaranteed safe. Without the guidance of a doctor, people taking ivermectin may overdose. Ivermectin is dosed by body weight, and formulas intended for livestock have much higher concentrations of the drug than formulations FDA-approved for humans. They might also not know about important drug interactions, particularly with antidepressants and benzodiazepines as well as blood thinners. Ivermectin can cause dangerous and even dreadful side effects when misused or taken without medical supervision. These include neurotoxicity, such as seizures, coma and altered consciousness, as well as liver and kidney damage, severe skin reactions and life-threatening drug interactions. Letai did not specify whether the research is being carried out by NCI scientists or funded by an external institution. About 75 percent of the cancer institutes research budget is allocated to investigators outside the agency. NCI head Dr. Anthony Letai, a Trump appointee, offered no new evidence to support the move to investigate the drug futher. At a January event, he said enough reports and interest prompted the institute to conduct a more rigorous preclinical study of ivermectins potential to kill cancer cells Jeffery Edenfield, executive medical director of oncology for South Carolina-based Prisma Health Cancer Institute, told Stat: Many, many, many things work in a test tube. Quite a few things work in a mouse or a monkey. It still doesnt mean its going to work in people. With the help of high-profile fans, ivermectin has become a flash point in the medical field. RFK Jr, followers of the MAHA movement and certain conservative commentators have pushed the narrative that the government and pharmaceutical companies suppressed ivermectin and other low-cost, off-patent drugs simply because they do not generate enough profit for the industry. One NCI scientist, who chose to remain anonymous, told Stat: I am shocked and appalled. We are moving funds away from so much promising research in order to do a preclinical study based on nonscientific ideas. Its absurd. Ivermectin is FDA-approved to treat conditions caused by parasitic worms as well as head lice and skin conditions such as rosacea in specially formulated and dosed products. Doctors at Cincinnati Childrens Hospital in Ohio detailed a story in an open letter in the journal Pediatric Blood & Cancer of a teenage patient with metastatic bone cancer who took ivermectin after encountering social media posts touting its benefits. The patient had been taking his standard doctor-prescribed medication to keep the cancer stable, as well as several doses of ivermectin on their own without the guidance of a doctor over the course of five days. With a Fiscal Year 2026 budget of approximately $7.35 billion, the National Cancer Institute serves as the world's largest funder of cancer research Without a doctors guidance, people taking ivermectin risk overdose. Livestock formulas contain far higher concentrations than those approved for humans, and the drug must be dosed by body weight. The drug can also interact poorly with other common medications (stock) He stopped eating, became very drowsy, nauseous and developed severe kidney problems, leading to hospitalization. Doctors said he presented to the hospital in an altered state attributed to ivermectin-related neurotoxicity. His symptoms improved once he stopped taking the ivermectin. Experts believe a drug interaction between ivermectin and the patients cancer medication may have made the reaction worse. Doctors who wrote the letter said: This report aims to raise awareness of medical misinformation often directed at vulnerable patients in the oncology community. Ivermectin is just one contemporary example. Harriet Richards was barely more than a child when the abuse began; when she was plied with drugs and alcohol, then made to perform sex acts with a woman, on a webcam, for the gratification of strangers. Nobody else suspected Harriet, then just 13, was being sexually exploited in the most grotesque way. No one had the faintest clue that she lost two years of her childhood to her abuser; that while under the influence of narcotics she forfeited her innocence, her trust, all sense of self-worth. For the chilling fact is that Harriets abuser, Jassey Snooks, was assumed to be completely trustworthy. Indeed, no one would have doubted her reliability. She was 26 when she started to manipulate Harriet, and a mum to two little boys herself. She also happened to be Harriets older sister. It was the most heinous breach of trust imaginable. She wasnt a neighbour or a family friend. She was my adult big sister, my Mums daughter. Shed cradled me in her arms when I was a baby. She was the person I looked up to and trusted more than anyone in the world. Actually I adored her, says Harriet today. She has waived her legal right to anonymity to help encourage other abuse victims to absolve themselves of guilt and shame and come forward. Why would our Mum ever think, Harriets going to Jasseys for the weekend, where shell be given drugs, stripping naked and performing sex shows,? Nobody else suspected that Harriet Richards, then just 13, was being sexually exploited in the most grotesque way It was the perfect smokescreen, and I kept a shield up to protect us both. Jassey told me: This is just what sisters do, but dont ever tell Mum because she wont believe you and shell disown us. It got darker and darker and I stayed silent out of fear. I became very good at keeping secrets but thats exactly what abusers want. In fact, it was 14 years before Harriet who had by then attempted suicide twice, so deep-rooted was her confusion and self-loathing recognised her sisters abuse for what it was. It was incest and paedophilia, she says now. Her use of these two starkly uncompromising words is clearly liberating. Recognising that was like releasing a demon, she says. Last month, she was vindicated when Snooks, now 44, a former teaching assistant for pupils with special educational needs at Hardenhuish School, Chippenham, was convicted at Winchester Crown Court of inciting a child (her sister Harriet) to engage in sexual activity. Snooks was given a 16-month prison sentence suspended for 18 months, and put on the sex offenders register for ten years. She must also attend 30 rehabilitation activity days and carry out 175 hours of unpaid work. Harriet would have liked a custodial sentence: How can she not be locked up? She is a danger to society, she says. But her sisters conviction has liberated her: I feel triumphant. Ive been through this hellish battle and now its time to get my life back. There is something about her bearing that confirms this transformation. Although she cries intermittently when we meet, she carries herself with confidence and speaks with authority. Now 30 and a mum herself to ten-month-old Alfie she is married to husband Dale, 29, and they run a property management company. She also recently qualified as a personal trainer. She is, as she says, reclaiming her lost life. Jassey Snooks (right, pictured with Harriet) was 26 and a mum of two little boys when she started to manipulate her younger sister Tall and strikingly attractive, she stood to face her sister in court My legs were trembling and addressed her with unflinching honesty: What I believed was normal was not normal. What I believed was love was abuse. Coming to understand that truth has shaped and tortured my life in ways I cannot fully explain. I will never be the same person I was before this happened. I have lost family, friends, relationships, and at times I have lost myself. I have struggled to eat, to sleep, to work and to function. I have struggled to be the best version of myself for my son, she said in her victim impact statement. Harriets courage in pursuing her sister through the courts has divided her family: mercifully, their mother Amanda, 71, a hairdresser, never doubted her youngest daughter. Neither has Harriets father, Jeremy, 55. (Jassey is Amandas daughter by an earlier marriage.) But Snooks has continued to traduce her. Now, Harriet is standing up to her: You allowed the world to believe I was lying. You allowed people to believe I was unstable. You encouraged others to turn against me to protect yourself. How dare you, she told Snooks in court. You were the sister I once would have done anything for, and you chose to sacrifice me, she said, adding that the shame and guilt are no longer mine to carry but her sisters burden. The process by which Snooks groomed her little sister begins in the charming coastal village of Porlock, Somerset, where Harriet spent her early childhood. Their mother was then a chef and housekeeper to a wealthy local family. Harriets dad, sales director for a clothing company, spent the week working away in Trowbridge, Wiltshire, returning to the family at weekends. Harriet was a bright, engaged child who loved drama, public speaking and singing. As she progressed to middle school in Minehead, Somerset, she became deputy head girl. Her driving ambition was to win a scholarship to a performing arts school. Police mug shot of Jassey. She plied Harriet with drugs to ensure she was disinhibited: Drugs are a great tool for a predator, says Harriet. She took them too. She gave me drugs, more drugs and vodka Jassey, however, then in her mid20s, had other plans for little Harriet, who recalls that her big sister was: Slim and gorgeous. She worked in a bar, played pool, and I idolised her. Harriet was just 12 years old when, in 2007, Jassey took her to a nightclub in Minehead: She insisted to Mum: Well look after her. And Mum just assumed I wouldnt get in. Actually, made up by her sister to look older than her years, Harriet did. It was then that Jasseys piecemeal corruption of her sister began. She offered me a cigarette. I didnt realise at the time, but I was smoking marijuana. She bought me about five or six alcopops. It was my first taste of alcohol. I thought it was exciting: the dancing, the lights. The word no wasnt in my vocabulary. I was flattered by her attention. I was being groomed, but I didnt realise it. And she was already telling me to keep schtum to Mum about the drink and drugs. When she turned 13, her mother arranged a birthday party for her: My friends were playing pass-the-parcel and drinking Coca-Cola floats, but my sister was already trying to sexualise me. She bought me a strapless boob-tube dress; not from a childs range at all. I was so desperate to be accepted by her, I wore it. I wanted to be the belle of the ball. I felt special. Amanda, meanwhile, was preoccupied. Her marriage to Jeremy was fracturing, she was working long hours and already Jassey was starting to take control of my life, says Harriet. The family moved to Chippenham, Wiltshire, where further domestic upheaval ensued: her father went to live in Canada, leaving Amanda more reliant on her eldest daughter, Jassey, for childcare while she was working, by now as a hairdresser, supplementing her day job in a salon with evening work with her own mobile hairdressing business. Harriet, meanwhile, had moved from the cosy confines of her middle school in Somerset to a secondary school Sheldon Comprehensive in Chippenham where she knew no one. I hated it and was horribly bullied, physically pushed and called names. Id been a happy-go-lucky, popular pupil at my middle school and suddenly no one liked me. I told Jassey I was being bullied, and instead of saying: Well sort this out with Mum, shed ring the school pretending to be Mum and say: Harriets unwell. Shes not coming to school today. I was a kid who didnt want to go to school because of the bullying, and my sister was facilitating my truancy. Jassey cradled me in her arms when I was a baby (pictured). She was the person I looked up to and trusted more than anyone in the world. Actually I adored her, says Harriet More upheaval followed: Jasseys marriage broke down, leaving her a single mum to two boys, aged two and four. Temporarily she moved back in with Amanda and Harriet, and this is when the abuse began in earnest, with Harriets first initiation into dating chatrooms like Chatroulette. Jassey said to me one evening: When Mums asleep, come downstairs. I want to show you something. When I crept downstairs Jassey had the webcam set up. A man was looking at her intently, sweating profusely. Jassey said to me: Were going to do this, and she took her top off. I did too. I was just a child, barely developed. It was the first time Id seen a mans genitals. He was masturbating. I felt deeply confused and sickened. I didnt fully understand what was happening, only that something felt profoundly wrong and unsafe. What made it even more confusing was that I would do anything I was told, because I adored my big sister and wanted to impress her, even when it didnt feel right. My heart breaks for that child now. I dont know if Jassey earned any money from doing this I didnt see any but I do know although she wasnt working she always had money for drugs and alcohol. Jasseys abuse of her little sister became more systematic when she and her sons moved into their own flat, a short walk from Harriet and Amandas home. Harriet, now 13 and already prematurely sexualised by her sister, sent a boy at school, who showed an interest in her, a naked photo of herself: I didnt know where I fitted in. I was going straight into the sexual stuff while other children were still holding hands. The boy sent my photo to everyone in our year and the bullying increased. I was thrown into a brook, beaten up, bruised. I cried all the way home. I didnt want to burden Mum, so I confided in Jass and she encouraged me to stay more often at her place. There, over the course of the next two years between 2008 and 2010 until Harriet was 15, the abuse continued. It happened about three times a week when Jasseys sons were asleep in bed. She would take a still photo of us as a tease to get men interested, then wed put on a sex show for them on the webcam. Some men didnt even show their faces. All we saw was their genitals. Others wanted to hang around and chat. Ironically it was one of these men, knowing how young Harriet was, who was called last year by the Crown Prosecution Service to testify against Snooks, helping to secure her conviction. Jassey plied Harriet with drugs to ensure she was disinhibited: She gave me amphetamines, ecstasy, cocaine, poppers, weed. Drugs are a great tool for a predator. She took them too. She gave me drugs, more drugs and vodka. I wanted to be cool so I took them, and drank until I was sick. Shed tell Mum I was staying overnight with her so Id have got over the hangover by the time I got home. I developed a tolerance for drink and drugs and my school attendance got poorer and poorer. I failed all my exams. She lost her virginity, aged 13, on a one-night stand: It was consensual. But after, Jassey pressured me to perform even more degrading acts. Harriet had one friend, Lucy, who called at Jasseys flat and witnessed the drug-taking and the sex shows. In fact, it was Lucy who many years later was to encourage Harriets decision to inform her mother, then the police, about the abuse. But what actually put a halt to it, when Harriet was 15, was her relationship with a boyfriend, who like everyone else in her orbit was encouraged to believe she was 18. He was a really lovely, decent guy and I adored him, says Harriet. When he came on the scene, Jassey stopped abusing me. But the relationship ended when he discovered I was only 15. I remember crying and Jassey saying: Dont be silly. Just get over it. She was always very cold. Years went by. Harriet now says: I stayed loyal to Jassey out of fear. She has an explosive temper. When I was with her, we always took cocaine. I pretended everything was fine, but it was a numbing tactic. Twice Harriet attempted suicide: It got darker and darker because I was taking drugs at home just to obliterate bad thoughts, just to survive. Memory was not my friend. She began therapy, and met Dale in 2019 at the property maintenance company for which they both worked. They were friends for a couple of years before a romance began, and in February last year they were married. Hes a very good man from a stable family and hes never taken a drug in his life, says Harriet. She has now been drug-free for three years, and it was two years ago in March 2024 that she met her old friend Lucy who, as an adolescent, had witnessed the debauchery at Jasseys house. She said: Do you remember what Jassey did? I thought: Oh, my God. The conversation unravelled. She said she remembered the webcam, the sex shows, the drugs. I was catapulted back into a world I was trying to obliterate. Lucy said: It was really disturbing. Why did your sister want to do that to a 13-year-old? It was incest and paedophilia. Id never labelled it as such. I didnt even want to admit it was. But she was right. I felt sick. Having heard those words from Lucy, something in my brain shifted. I knew I had to tell Mum. Dale, who knew nothing about it Id been too ashamed to tell him heard the story with horror and sadness: He trusted Jassey and would never have believed she was capable of causing me such pain. He rang my Mum and said: You need to come over and speak to Harriet. Its really, really bad. Mum came immediately and I collapsed, wailing, into her arms. And she was listening to me. She believed me. She didnt doubt I was telling the truth. She said I should call the police and I knew I had to report it because it was killing me. I said to Mum: Are you sure youre OK with this? Its your daughter. And she was so brave. She said she was certain. I think she felt somewhat responsible and guilty, but I never blamed her. How could she ever have imagined Jasseys brain was so skewed? She had no clue about what was going on. The police, too, took Harriets complaint seriously. She was supported by an Adult Independent Sexual Violence Adviser (ISVA) from the organisation First Light, and by Horizon Victim and Witness Protection Care. When you are preparing yourself to come forward, these things make a massive difference. It is scary, facing your sister in court, says Harriet. Her family is deeply divided by her revelations: an aunt, cousins and her step-grandparents have aligned themselves against her. But her mother and father support and believe her. This has empowered Harriet: It has been a turbulent, painful battle, she says. But now Ive triumphed and its time to have my life back again. 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 Theres a certain kind of jewellery that celebrities wear off-duty unfussy, sculptural, quietly luxurious and chances are, its by Otiumberg. The London-based jewellery brand has become a discreet staple among A-listers, worn by everyone from Margot Robbie and Keira Knightley to Olivia Colman, Jodie Comer and Julianne Moore. Even the female cast of The White Lotus is on board. Founded in 2016 by sisters Rosanna and Christie Wollenberg, Otiumberg was born out of a very specific frustration. We both had multiple piercings and struggled to find jewellery that felt modern, beautifully designed and made from high-quality materials that we genuinely wanted to wear, they explain. Living together in London at the time, the sisters began designing their own pieces clean, contemporary styles in silver, vermeil and solid gold simply because they couldnt find what they were looking for elsewhere. Otiumberg was founded by sisters Rosanna and Christie Wollenberg What started as a personal project quickly revealed a gap in the market. We realised there was a clear space for a contemporary brand offering both materials, designed to be mixed and matched effortlessly and at an attainable price point, they say. The result is a collection that feels intentionally pared-back what the sisters describe as a design-led, consciously curated aesthetic that feels sophisticated and timeless. That sense of effortlessness is exactly what has made Otiumberg such a hit with celebrities. The brands pieces are rarely headline-grabbing in the traditional sense, but theyre the kind of jewellery you notice because it looks right whether layered with tailoring, worn poolside or styled with a red carpet gown. One of the earliest celebrity moments came courtesy of Margot Robbie. Seeing Margot Robbie in our hoops was a really special moment for us, the sisters recall. Since then, Otiumberg has appeared on an impressive roll call of women admired for both their style and substance. Keira Knightley a genuine customer wore Otiumberg earrings and a cuff to Wimbledon this year, while Anne Hathaway was spotted wearing the brand on Instagram after filming in London. Moments like that never lose their excitement, they say. Rather than one viral moment, the brands success has relied on range. Its been the breadth of women wearing Otiumberg, Rosanna and Christie explain. Seeing such a wide range of ages and styles reflected in our customers really reinforces that we are a multi-generational brand. Among celebrities, ear cuffs have emerged as a clear favourite. Theyve been particularly popular for us the category has grown by 218% year on year, the founders say. The appeal is obvious: they dont require piercings, are comfortable to wear and allow for creative stacking. Sold as sets, theyve become a signature of the brands look. Ear cuffs have become a signature of the brands modern look Behind the scenes, sustainability is just as central as design. Otiumberg is a certified B Corp, using recycled gold, lab-grown diamonds created with renewable energy and a tightly controlled production model. We dont overproduce, we dont do seasonal sales and some of our best sellers are six or seven years old, they note a rarity in an industry driven by constant newness. Though Otiumberg now ships worldwide, its British identity remains core. Were born and bred Londoners, the sisters say. Otiumberg is a global brand with strong British roots and London will always be at the heart of what we do. Their Holland Park boutique has become a destination for both locals and international fans alike. Shop the A-lists favourite Otiumberg pieces Pebble Earrings Iris Law has been spotted wearing Otiumbergs Silver Pebble Earrings in a series of Instagram posts, while Simone Ashley opted for the Pebble Earrings while attending Watches and Wonders in Geneva. Shop Small Pave Staple Hoop (Pair) Emma Stone chose the Staple Hoops for a screening of Poor Things in London. Shop Pave Staple Hoop (Pair) Julianne Moore wore the Staple Hoops for an appearance on Lorraine ahead of her new film The Room Next Door. Shop Chaos Ear Cuff Aimee Lou Wood styled the Chaos Ear Cuff alongside the Silver Pebble Earrings during The White Lotus press tour in London. Shop Gathered Sonder Hoops Daisy Ridley wore the Sonder Earrings while promoting her latest film, We Bury the Dead. Shop Sonder Edit Set Keira Knightley wore the Sonder Hoops and Concero Cuff during Milan Fashion Week. Shop Sonder Hoops Jodie Comer chose the Sonder Hoops to attend last summers Wimbledon final. Shop Stilla Duo Earrings Alicia Vikander has been spotted wearing both the Pebble Earrings and the Stilla Duo Earrings. Shop Wave Set Jessie Buckley wore the Wave Set during the press tour for Hamnet. Shop Roscida Drop Hoops Lashana Lynch chose the Roscida Hoops for London Fashion Week. Shop Pave Double Ear Cuff Sadie Sink wore the Pave Double Ear Cuff at the Venice Film Festival last September. Shop Heart Earrings Ella Purnell chose the Heart Earrings during her press tour for the series in Brazil. Shop Double Ear Cuff Nina Dobrev wore the Double Ear Cuffs at the Red Sea Film Festival in Jeddah last December. Shop Wave Earrings Cynthia Erivo styled the Wave Earrings for an appearance on The Graham Norton Show this January. Shop To get more of what you love from your favourite Sunday supplement, follow us on Instagram (@youmagazine), Facebook (YOU Magazine) and X (@YOUMagSocial). Eagle-eyed fashion fans were left in shock after an awkward moment between seasoned fashion editor Anna Wintour and her Vogue magazine protege Chloe Malle was caught on camera in a new interview released by the New York Times. In the extensive chat with the outlet, the pair talked about leading the magazine into its next era, their differing leadership styles, and even Malle's 'nepo baby' criticism. Malle, 40, who is the daughter of Candice Bergen and the late director Louis Malle, was appointed to take Wintour's spot as head of editorial content at Vogue in September. Wintour still serves as Vogue's Global Chief Content Officer for Conde Nast and Global Editorial Director. However, it looks like their management styles are already proving to be different, as was revealed in the new sit-down. The seemingly awkward moment came about as Times interviewer Jessica Testa asked Malle what she would do if Vogue had the same large budget that it once did in the 1990s. 'I would build a whole new podcast studio, I would pay everyone 30 percent more, I would make sure the social team had more people on it, because they're working all the time, I would have our app staffed more fully,' Malle shared. She added that Vogue has tons of ideas for shoots that would 'help take people on adventures,' and that a larger budget would 'really help' with that. However, Wintour didn't appear thrilled with that answer, as she appeared to give Malle a withering look from behind her large, signature sunglasses. Eagle-eyed fashion fans were left in shock after an awkward moment between seasoned fashion editor Anna Wintour and her Vogue magazine protege Chloe Malle was caught on camera in a new interview released by the New York Times In the extensive chat with the outlet, the pair talked about leading the magazine into its next era, their differing leadership styles, and even Malle's 'nepo baby' criticism In less than 75 seconds, this exchange between Chloe Malle and Anna Wintour embodies everything I wrote about in When Were in Charge on the difference between old and new styles of leadership. Couldnt have scripted it better. pic.twitter.com/dfmbl6jd1w Amanda Litman (@amandalitman) February 10, 2026 'But to be clear, Jessica, we have a very healthy budget at Vogue, and how we use it and use our resources is constantly changing, depending on the moment,' Wintour chimed in. The moment has since gone viral on social media, with many viewers noticing the stark differences between the two editors. 'Anna Wintour's soul visibly leaving her body as Chloe Malle talks about social media budgets... she truly hired a middle manager for this job,' one person wrote on X (formerly Twitter). Another typed, 'And Anna's British sensibilities kicked in talking about money. Like "I'm not going to complain about not having a bigger budget, we are just fine." Never complain, no excuses!' 'Sort of cringe,' someone else admitted. Another X user commented, 'Chloe's off the cuff answer directly solves issues that are currently on the ground. People are expecting to hear a 10-year strategic framework for a budget that doesn't exist, and not even picking up how bristly Anna was from Chloe's answers.' 'It's extremely clear that Chloe wants Vogue to have longevity in a new, digital landscape that has an increasingly democratized audience,' one noted. The Daily Mail has reached out to Vogue for comment. Join the debate Is Vogue stuck clinging to old ways, or does fresh leadership mean it can finally evolve with the times? The moment has gone viral on social media, with many noticing the stark differences between the two editors During the interview, Testa also asked the two when the last time they felt 'nervous' was - and again, they had two starkly different responses. Malle replied that she was nervous just 30 minutes before they sat down for the interview, while Wintour says that she 'never' gets nervous. Since joining the magazine in 2011, Malle has co-hosted Vogue's weekly fashion and culture podcast, strengthened its newsletters and expanded its wedding coverage, as well as launching viral hits such as Dogue, a tongue-in-cheek fashion magazine for dogs. 'At a moment of change both within fashion and outside it, Vogue must continue to be both the standard-bearer and the boundary-pushing leader,' Wintour wrote in a statement in September. 'Chloe has proven often that she can find the balance between American Vogue's long, singular history and its future on the front lines of the new. I am so excited to continue working with her, as her mentor but also as her student, while she leads us and our audiences where we've never been before.' Malle said in a statement: 'Fashion and media are both evolving at breakneck speed, and I am so thrilled and awed to be part of that. 'I also feel incredibly fortunate to still have Anna just down the hall as my mentor.' Millions of Australians drift off each night with the TV humming softly in the background. But a US health expert has warned that this seemingly harmless habit could be quietly damaging your heart while you sleep. Ana Lucic, a hormones, gut and metabolism specialist with more than 270,000 followers, has outlined what she identifies as some of the most dangerous sleep habits - with sleeping in front of the television topping her list. According to Ana, the problem isn't just the noise but the constant flicker of light and unpredictable sound patterns that prevent the brain from ever fully switching off. 'That constant flicker of light and sound keeps your brain in a half-awake state,' she explained in a video, warning it can 'mess with your heart rate, your blood pressure and your breathing patterns.' Over time, she said, this disrupted sleep can trigger dangerous night-time heart rhythm disturbances without you ever feeling a thing. Sleep specialists have long warned that light exposure at night interferes with melatonin, the hormone that controls the body's internal clock. Studies have linked sleeping with a TV or light source on to poorer sleep quality, higher blood pressure and increased cardiovascular risk. Ana Lucic, a US-based hormones, gut and metabolism specialist with more than 272,000 followers, has outlined what she identifies as some of the most dangerous sleep habits - with sleeping in front of the television topping her list Unlike a steady bedside lamp, televisions emit fluctuating light and sudden changes in sound, which can repeatedly pull the brain out of deep sleep, even if your eyes stay closed. You might feel like you've slept all night, but internally your nervous system is stuck on high alert. Ana also issued a warning about another modern bedtime habit many people refuse to give up: sleeping with their phone within arm's reach - or worse, under their pillow. 'Electromagnetic waves can disrupt deep sleep cycles,' she said, adding that this disruption can trigger dangerous heart arrhythmia. While research into electromagnetic exposure is still ongoing, sleep experts agree that phones near the bed interfere with rest through light, vibration, notifications and subconscious alertness, even when they're on silent. Health professionals recommend charging phones away from the bed, switching to aeroplane mode overnight, or removing devices from the bedroom entirely. Perhaps the most alarming warning in Ana's video was her advice to stop sleeping on your stomach altogether as it can compress the airways, leading to severe sleep apnoea. 'It can starve your brain of oxygen for minutes and cause cardiac arrest,' she stressed. Other warnings included sleeping on your stomach which can compress airways, leading to severe sleep apnoea. 'It can starve your brain of oxygen for minutes and cause cardiac arrest,' Ana stressed (pictured left) Clinically, stomach sleeping is known to worsen breathing issues, strain the neck and spine, and increase airway obstruction, particularly in people who snore or have undiagnosed sleep apnoea. Repeated drops in oxygen during sleep have been linked to heart disease, stroke and irregular heart rhythms. Sleep experts generally recommend side sleeping - particularly on the left side - as the safest position for breathing and circulation. What links all of these behaviours, Ana said, is that they prevent the body from ever reaching deep, restorative sleep, which is the important stage when the heart, brain and hormones repair and reset. 'Many natural sleep deaths are accidental,' she warned, noting that ongoing disruption can place silent strain on the cardiovascular system. In a world where screens, noise and stimulation have become part of nightly routines, experts say the fix is surprisingly simple with a dark, quiet, device-free bedroom for your long-term health. It was the dishwasher that finally pushed me over the edge. After dinner one Tuesday night, I could feel my husbands eyes boring into my back as I shoved plates, glasses and cutlery into it, piling them haphazardly on top of one another. He loaded it with the care and precision of a Scandinavian architect, with not a single teaspoon out of place. By contrast, I loaded it like a raccoon on drugs. I knew he found it infuriating and once Id finished cramming it to the brim, I slammed the door shut and spun around defiantly, willing him to say something. Suddenly, it hit me. I was becoming petty and passive aggressive, deliberately trying to goad him into confrontations. At 49 and a mother of three, the unhappiness I felt in our 20-year marriage was seeping out and turning me into someone mean-spirited, someone I didnt want to be. There were no screaming rows or devastating betrayals. We shared three wonderful children, our daughter, 19, and two boys aged 17 and 15, a beautiful house in leafy Kent and a tight-knit group of mutual friends. But, mundane as it was, the dishwasher incident symbolised something much bigger. After so long together, our partnership was functional rather than romantic like flatmates, in fact and I wanted more. Mundane as it was, the dishwasher incident symbolised something much bigger, writes Kat Farmer. After so long together, our partnership was functional rather than romantic like flatmates, in fact and I wanted more And while I wouldnt go quite as far as to say that was the moment our marriage ended, it was the turning point I always come back to when I explain why I had to leave. Im one of a growing army of walkaway wives, a term coined to describe the flood of women aged 45-65 calling time on their marriages. A landmark report produced by Noon, an online community of midlife women, found that almost half of divorces are now instigated by women in midlife, with 56 per cent saying they would end a marriage because they were unhappy. A third of walkaway wives said that in the aftermath of their divorce, they felt happier than they had ever been and thats exactly how I feel about ending my marriage in 2022. Despite the difficult, painful moments it caused, and the countless times Ive been accused of being selfish often, sadly, by other women Ive never regretted it for a moment. If those of us now in midlife are statistically likely to live to our nineties or beyond, were only halfway through the journey. Theres so much life ahead of us why should we live it unhappily, when we know theres another version that would suit us so much better? I salute those who evolve with their partner and are as compatible decades down the line as they were at the start. But I know there are many others like my ex and I, whose evolution takes them down separate paths, until 80 per cent happy becomes 70, then 60, then dwindles even further. I believe with every fibre of my being that women shouldnt have to settle. Of course, in the early days of our relationship, the picture looked very different. We met when we were both 28 and pouring all our energy into our thriving careers, his as a City lawyer and mine as a headhunter. He was kind and funny, the man Id always been looking for. He ticked all the boxes: he would be a good husband, father and life companion. I had no doubt wed go the distance. I now see just how young that is to choose the person you intend to grow old with, but back then, all of our friends were settling down, so we did too. We had a big Hampshire wedding in 2003 and our children followed. I struggled when they were little. I realised my career in recruitment wasnt compatible with childcare, so I quit my job and went freelance while my husband continued to work long hours in London. Im one of a growing army of walkaway wives, a term coined to describe the flood of women aged 45-65 calling time on their marriages, writes Kat Juggling park trips and refereeing sibling squabbles with employment contract negotiations at work was tough, as many working mothers know. And the fact I was doing the majority of the childcare set up a power imbalance with my husband which quietly began to shape how we related to each other. One of our sons is autistic and has ADHD, which added another layer of stress and emotional labour. The judgment and ignorance we faced from other people could be heartbreaking wed never be invited to birthday parties, for instance and because I was the one at home most, navigating it often fell to me. When I was 36 and the children were four, two and one, it all became too much and I had a nervous breakdown. I was so low I didnt want to get out of bed. After one session with a private psychiatrist I was diagnosed with anxiety caused by loss of identity and prescribed a course of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), which gave me much-needed coping mechanisms. It took me 12 months to fully recover. Yes, we tried. We still arranged date nights, theatre trips, dinners and occasional weekends away, but in reality, over the following years the differences between us were growing increasingly stark. Im expressive and reactive by nature; I wear my heart on my sleeve and can lose my cool at times, although the storm never lasts long. He is far more contained in hindsight, I think my emotional outbursts baffled him. At 40, as the fog began to lift from those intense early years of childrearing, I started thinking about my career and what I really wanted to achieve. Id always loved fashion, helping to style family and friends for events, and began sharing my tips for real women on a blog, Does My Bum Look 40 in This? It gave me the creative outlet I craved and an income of my own, the importance of which my single mother had drummed into me. As my self-confidence grew, I admit I lost focus on my marriage. I didnt address the nagging feelings that were building inside me. I remember one family holiday, walking on a perfect, white-sand beach, thinking: I should be the happiest woman in the world, because Ive got everything I could ever want but Im not. It was a profoundly lonely sensation. During lockdown, he and the children loved being housebound, while I felt like a caged animal. Thats when the domestic niggles intensified. A third of walkaway wives said that in the aftermath of their divorce, they felt happier than they had ever been (posed by models) The dishwasher incident was one lightbulb moment, but there were more: a row over a bag of the childrens clothes, which he didnt realise were old because he didnt know what size the children wore, was another which seemed to underline the disparity of our roles. I was snappy and irritable, and its an awful feeling watching someone suffer when you know its your fault. But neither of us deserved to spend the next 30 or 40 years making a monumental effort to maintain the veneer. We still loved one another in some ways, but it was far from the head-over-heels kind I longed for. I thought, isnt there more than this? He wasnt surprised when we finally had the conversation, and admitted hed been feeling the same way. Im making you miserable, I said. Both of us deserve the chance to be really happy. We both come from broken homes my parents split when I was 11 and wed never wanted that for ourselves. But we hoped that by ending our marriage before it turned nasty, we could challenge the narrative that it was a failure. Perhaps we could eventually find a new way to be a family, just one that looked a bit different and worked better for us. We waited until the two eldest children had finished their A-levels and GCSEs to tell them, trying to spend as little time in the house together in the meantime. And so in June 2023 I made the leap, moving to a rented place in London, and Ive since moved to Suffolk, where we had second home. I recognise that Im fortunate to be financially independent my life as a fashion influencer has gone from strength to strength and led to collaborations with John Lewis and Marks & Spencer. Throughout, minimising the impact on our children was at the forefront of both our minds. I was judged very harshly, even by people Id counted as friends, for leaving them, despite the fact one was at university and another at boarding school, leaving only one still living at home with my husband in Kent. I was leaving my husband, not them they will always be the most important people in my life. The most disappointing aspect of the entire experience has been the nasty comments from other women, sometimes though not always dressed up as faux-concern for my familys welfare. Youre so brave! theyll say, adding: I could never do that. These comments have been flung at me so often, I can only conclude my separation forced them to look more closely at their own relationship, and what they saw made them uncomfortable. Leaving Kent, and some of those friendships, was a relief. Im 53 now, Ive met someone else and I am happier than I ever thought possible. My new partner embraces every aspect of me; he isnt remotely fazed by my emotions and, like me, hes passionate and values physical connection Im not going to pretend its all been plain sailing. One of our children found it more challenging than the others, and it was awful to think I might have caused them unhappiness. Although I knew it made sense for them to remain in the stability of the home they grew up in, Id go home alone after seeing them and cry myself to sleep because I missed them so much. Even in those lowest moments, though, I knew it was for the best. As mums, we will always feel guilty about our children, but I knew staying together for their sake wasnt the right path. We might think were masking our feelings, but children are perceptive, and I didnt want our marriage to be the model for their own future relationships. I wanted to show them that, if something in their life isnt right, they can take control and change it. Its never too late. It took time, and it was hard, but Im delighted to be able to say that, more than three years on, its worked out better than I could have hoped. Im 53 now, Ive met someone else and I am happier than I ever thought possible. My new partner embraces every aspect of me; he isnt remotely fazed by my emotions and, like me, hes passionate and values physical connection. Were much more similar characters than my former husband and I ever were. Were also older and know ourselves better, and were determined not to repeat previous mistakes. My ex now says me leaving was the best thing I could ever have done. He also has a new partner, whos lovely, and at our daughters 21st birthday party last year, both partners and even my former mother-in-law were there celebrating with us. Both of our new partners get on so well with our children. Weve been careful to put the children first, never using them as a weapon or arguing over where theyll spend the holidays. Now 21, 19 and 17, they spent Christmas Day with their dad last year, and that was fine by me its just a day after all. They know Ill drop anything for them, any time. In fact, now theyve adjusted to the change, my relationship with them is stronger than ever. All three of them have said they can see how much happier both of their parents are, and that the people were with now are the right people, which means everything to me. Seeing them thriving and knowing that they understand why I left makes it all worthwhile. A 20-year marriage isnt a failure were amicable and we share three incredible children. Id call it a massive achievement. We walkaway wives dont need your condolences or bitchy judgments, thanks were just starting a new chapter of our lives and were excited about seeing it unfold. As told to POLLY DUNBAR The Tories have accused Reform UK of fantasy numbers after leading publicans swung behind Nigel Farages plans to save British pubs this week. As the Government faces a huge backlash from the industry over high taxes, Reform has unveiled a series of eye-catching policies to support struggling pubs. These include pledges to cut VAT in the hospitality sector to 10 per cent and beer duty by 10 per cent. Farage's party has also promised to reverse the recent rise in employers' National Insurance contributions (NICs) for the industry and slowly remove business rates for all pubs. Reform said it would raise the 3billion it says the moves would cost by reinstating the two-child benefit cap. This won the backing of two of Britains biggest pub chains - Fullers and JD Wetherspoon. Nigel Farage launches Reform UK's Save Our Pubs campaign JD Wetherspoon boss Sir Tim Martin, who runs around 800 pubs, said that: Reform is streets ahead in its pubs policy. His remarks echoed those of Fullers boss Simon Emeny, who said Reform's plans come after what has been probably the best part of 20 years of government failure towards pubs. But Shadow Chancellor Sir Mel Stride hit back over the promises, declaring: 'More fantasy numbers from Reform.' He said the pledges would 'blow a 10billion hole in the public finances' and were 'totally irresponsible'. He added: Their sums just don't add up. How can anyone trust a word Reform say if they won't explain where any of it comes from? Reform has been vying for publicans backing after Labour was forced to water down planned business rates rise for pubs and music venues. Chancellor Rachel Reeves last month announced a 15 per cent discount on pubs bills after a furious reaction to her Budget, which saw 1,500 publicans ban Labour MPs from their premises. Although pubs will now receive help on business rates, they are still struggling with higher costs, including wages and alcohol duty. Sir Tim said he felt Reform was streets ahead of other political parties when it came to helping the sector. He said: By eliminating the tax differential between supermarkets and the hospitality industry, and restoring margins to devastated businesses, these changes would enable pubs to regain some, or all, of their lost trade. Sir Tim, who has long railed against the difference between supermarket and pub taxes, told The Mail this week: 'Although I campaigned in the referendum, Ive stayed out of party politics for most of my life, albeit Ive always commented specifically on issues which affect pubs.' He said he believes that 'in this case, Reform is streets ahead in its pubs policy but he was not commenting on its overall policies and would not say who he would vote for. Following Reforms policy announcement, a British Beer and Pub Association spokesperson said: Given the unique and treasured role pubs play in our communities, culture, and job market, were pleased that political parties of all stripes are recognising the value of the local and want to ensure their success. Significantly reducing the overall tax burden and cost of doing business, are key to ensuring pubs remain at the heart of communities, boost the economy, and keep people in jobs. It is important that all pub-operating models are supported to enable this. A supermarket boss has warned that Britain is 'sleepwalking' into a worklessness 'epidemic', with millions choosing to claim benefits over getting a job. Ashwin Prasad, the boss of Tesco UK, warned about a growing number of people who are out of work and on benefits out of choice rather than necessity. Speaking at a conference hosted by the Resolution Foundation think-tank yesterday, Mr Prasad said: 'We have been sleepwalking into a quiet epidemic that is keeping millions of people out of work. 'There has been a clear gradual change over the last decade or so. Far fewer people are in work than there could be. 'This means that instead of investing parts of national life that might stimulate investment and growth into the wider economy we are spending an ever increasing proportion on our national income on out of work benefits.' Mr Prasad added his voice to warnings about the crisis of economic inactivity with nine million people, or more than a fifth of the working age population, neither working nor looking for work - many of them due to long-term sickness. Figures released last month showed that the number of universal credit (UC) claimants in Britain jumped by more than a million in 2025 in the biggest annual increase since the start of the pandemic. It comes as the Government's welfare spending continues to rise amid an ongoing backlash against tax hikes in Chancellor Rachel Reeves's 'Benefits Street' Budget. The number of UC claimants stood at 6.9 million when Labour won the General Election in July 2024, meaning it has since risen by 1.5 million. Ashwin Prasad, the boss of Tesco UK (pictured), warned about an 'epidemic' of people who are out of work and on benefits MPs approved a 3.8 per cent increase in benefit spending on Tuesday, which work and pensions minister Stephen Timms said 'commits the Government to increased expenditure of 9bn in 2026/27'. Mr Prasad, who became chief executive of Tesco UK last year, warned that rising costs were making it harder for businesses to hire and retain workers. He added: 'Each time you add a new cost, money has to come from somewhere in the past five years we've already seen all sorts of new costs for labour, costs for energy and costs for regulation. 'We cannot afford to be a country that leaves the next generation to languish on the sidelines. A country that makes that kind of mistake is not going to be a country that finds ways to innovate, to grow its economy and improve its standing on the world stage.' Labour has previously said it 'inherited a broken welfare system and spiralling, unsustainable benefits bill' from the Conservatives, and has undertaken reforms including tightening rules on who can claim UC. The Government has said there will be a 'rebalancing' of UC from April, reducing the gap between what people get for being unemployed compared to long-term sickness. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has previously spoken out against people being 'written off' on benefits and ending up trapped 'in a cycle of worklessness and dependency'. Your browser does not support iframes. Mr Prasad, who became chief executive of Tesco UK last year, warned that rising costs were making it harder for businesses to hire and retain workers It comes as MPs have warned about rising energy costs, taxes and crime - which are compounding pressures 'comparable to the pandemic' for the high street. Much of the pain is being caused by Labour's policies, but the Business and Trade Select Committee cautioned that, unlike in 2020, there is no coordinated government response to ease the mounting problems. It adds to evidence that British firms are struggling to survive under Labour, with a bleak report last month from advisory firm Begbies Traynor warning more than 67,000 companies were in 'critical financial distress'. Think-tank Resolution Foundation has even warned that a 'zombie apocalypse' of struggling businesses could be on the way. Liam Byrne, chair of the business and trade committee, said: 'High streets do not die by accident. If the government is serious about growth, it must set out a more coherent and ambitious plan for the businesses that make up so much of the UK economy.' The report noted that small and medium enterprises (SMEs) account for 99.8 per cent of all UK businesses and 'form the backbone of local economies and high streets'. Last year's raid on employer national insurance is hitting hard, with retailers estimating that the changes are costing them an extra 7billion a year while the hospitality sector has suffered 69,000 job losses, partly thanks to the measures. On top of that, firms are having to cope with sky-high electricity costs, retail crime costing 4.2billion a year and the burden of late payments. Death of the High Street: 38 shops are closing every day, according to a report by MPs MPs cited figures from 2024 showing an average of 38 shops a day closing on Britain's high streets. They are calling for a series of reforms, including a clampdown on late payments, reforms to VAT and business rates, and targeted support with energy bills. Mr Byrne said the evidence from firms 'was stark'. 'Many small businesses are now operating under pressures comparable to those experienced during the Covid pandemic but this time without an emergency support framework in place,' he said. 'SMEs are facing late payments, rising energy costs, increasing crime, a complex tax system and barriers to growth that are compounding rather than easing. 'These pressures are not isolated; together they pose a real risk to business viability, high streets and economic growth.' Heathrow Airport is at risk of losing its position as Europes busiest airport this year because of a lack of capacity, the airport's boss has warned. Chief executive Thomas Woldbye said this demonstrated why the airport's plans to build a third runway were 'critical'. In January, Heathrow recorded 6.5million passengers, a 2 per cent increase from the same month last year. The airport saw multiple peak days of over 250,000 passengers, surpassing the previous January record of 246,000, 'despite adverse weather' across the US and Europe. This summer, the Department for Transport is expected to publish the draft Airports National Policy Statement (ANPS), which will provide the framework for making decisions on airport growth. At the same time, the Civil Aviation Authority is scheduled to decide on a long-term model for airport charges, which is a key factor for whether Heathrow will invest in a third runway. Passenger numbers: In January, Heathrow recorded 6.5m passengers, a 2% increase from the same month last year Parliament will be asked to decide on the final ANPS in the autumn. Woldbye said: 'We remain Europes largest airport, but latest figures show we may lose that position in 2026 and we cannot keep driving growth for the UK economy without more capacity. 'Thats why Heathrow expansion is so critical. 'The decisions ministers and the CAA take this year are essential to enable the delivery of the UKs flagship growth project, secure planning permission by 2029, and ensure the UK has the flight and cargo capacity that it deserves.' Around 84.5million passengers passed through the west London airports four terminals in 2025, a 0.7 per cent increase from 83.9million in 2024. Its growth trails other European rivals because its two runways are full. Heathrows passenger numbers were only narrowly ahead of Istanbul last year, which had 84.4million passengers, up 5.5 per cent. Paris Charles de Gaulle was ranked third with 72million passengers, up 2.5 per cent, followed by Amsterdam Schiphol with 68.8million passengers, up 2.9 per cent, and Madrid with 68.1million passengers, up 3 per cent. Commenting on its performance this month, Heathrow said: 'The airport retains the crown of most punctual hub in Europe and it was also the first month with every passenger using the new security lanes in all terminals, delivering faster service and ensuring passengers get through security, safely and efficiently.' Ambitions: Thomas Woldbye, chief executive of Heathrow Airport, wants the airport's expansion started sooner rather than later It added: 'The UK needs the economic boost and passenger benefits that expansion will unlock, and it needs them as soon as possible'. In November, Labour backed plans from Heathrow's owners that would see the M25 moved to make way for a third runway. Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander rejected a rival proposal from Arora Group, claiming Heathrows own plans were 'the most credible and deliverable option'. She added at the time: 'We know we must provide as much clarity and certainty for communities affected by expansion at Heathrow as soon as possible. 'Whiles HAL's scheme requires more land, it would require the acquisition of fewer residential properties around the airport than HWL's scheme.' Heathrow's expansion plans The Heathrow proposals involve building a 3,500-metre runway and require a new M25 tunnel and bridges to be built 130 metres west of the existing motorway. Heathrows expansion proposal is expected to cost 33billion. This includes 21billion for the runway, inclusive of 1.5billion for M25 works, plus 12billion for 'associated terminal infrastructure.' Heathrow said that, regardless of the planning decision, it would also invest 15billion into the existing airport to modernise and upgrade its facilities. The proposed expansion would see Heathrows capacity increase to 756,000 flights and 150million passengers per year. The government aims to make a decision on a planning application for Heathrows expansion by the next election, with the third runway becoming operational by 2035. But the Heathrow plans face opposition from local residents, environmental groups and some politicians. Last year, Tony Bosworth, climate campaigner at Friends of the Earth, said the plan was 'virtually the equivalent of bolting an airport the size of Gatwick onto Heathrow. 'That would mean more noise and air pollution for local communities. 'Expanding Heathrow simply isn't compatible with our legally binding climate targets, even if the government meets its hugely optimistic assumptions for emerging technologies, such as sustainable aviation fuels. Heineken is cutting up to 6,000 jobs as younger drinks in particular turn their back on booze. In a brutal update, the Dutch beer giant said it was shedding around 7 per cent of its 87,000-strong global workforce. The firm, whose beers include Amstel, Birra Moretti and Tiger as well as Heineken, also warned of weaker profit growth this year. It came just a month after Heineken, the worlds second largest brewer by market value, announced the abrupt resignation of chief executive Dolf van den Brink. Staff at the Heineken brewery in Manchester That has left it hunting for a new boss as tough global economic conditions combine with subdued demand for beer among health-conscious drinkers to hit sales. The industry is also feeling the impact of weight-loss drugs, which have hit demand for alcohol. Rival Carlsberg is cutting jobs while other beer and spirits makers are desperately searching for cost-savings while also selling assets and slowing production after years of slow sales. Former Tesco boss Sir Dave Lewis known as Drastic Dave for his cost-cutting zeal is now tasked with turnaround around Diageo having taken over at the Guinness, Smirnoff and Johnnie Walker maker at the start of the year. The job cuts outlined by Heineken underline the scale of the challenge facing the industry. The firm plans to reduce its global headcount by 5,000 to 6,000 over the next two years, with many of the cuts coming in Europe as breweries are closed and areas of the business are merged. We really do this to strengthen our operations and to be able to invest in growth, said finance chief Harold van den Broek. It really touches all levels in the organisation. He said he expected artificial intelligence (AI) to play a role. Van den Brink, who steps down in May, said finding his successor was a top priority for the board, adding that he expects demand for alcohol to rebound. We remain prudent in the short-term, and we remain confident in the mid- to long-term that the category will return to growth, he told Bloomberg TV. Jigsaw, the high street fashion store favoured by the Princess of Wales, has said a bumper Christmas has put it in prime position to open more shops this year. The womens fashion brand said sales rose 26 per cent over the festive period as its new boss hailed signs of a turnaround. Tikki Godley, managing director at Jigsaw, said the group is excited to continue investing in the high street through 2026. It currently has 43 stores and 28 concessions, with newer shops including in the Battersea Power Station shopping centre in south London. Its leather clothes - which include a 485 purple coat - were an especially 'successful standout', while sales were also boosted by strong consumer demand for knitwear and coats, the group said. And its profit margin grew 35 per cent thanks to fewer discounts. The Princess of Wales briefly worked at Jigsaw after she graduated and is a fan of their clothes The brand is known for being a favourite of Kate Middleton, who worked part-time there as a children's accessories buyer before marrying Prince William. Former This Morning host Holly Willoughby is also a fan of its designs. The business had struggled to retain its middle-class shopper base and was forced to close 30 shops during the pandemic. It also decided to axe mens clothes and just focus on womens, under a restructuring plan approved in 2020. Jigsaw, owned by Carphone Warehouse tycoon David Ross, was founded in Brighton in 1970 by John Robinson. Ross, who is the former chairman of the National Portrait Gallery, replaced Robinson as the majority shareholder last year after injecting 5m into the group. Godley, who became chief executive in April after holding top jobs at Never Fully Dressed and Ted Baker, said: This transformation has been about getting back to what our customers love about Jigsaw thoughtful design, quality and clothes that feel relevant to modern life. By putting product and customer insight at the heart of every decision, weve created a platform for sustainable growth and are excited to continue investing in the high street through 2026. Political uncertainty is denting demand for new homes, according to one of Britains biggest builders. As speculation mounts over the future of Keir Starmer, Barratt Redrow boss David Thomas sounded the alarm over the impact of the Chancellors Spring statement in early March and the local elections in May. These follow what he described as a later than usual Budget on November 26 that created an extended period of significant uncertainty for homebuyers. The comments came as Starmer clings on to his job at No 10 at least for now with the local elections in May seen as the moment he could be replaced. Chancellor Rachel Reeves on a construction site in Nottingham Business leaders have warned against a damaging lurch to the Left under a new Labour leader, such as Angela Rayner or Andy Burnham, with the bosses of Barclays and Natwest this week calling for stability amid the turmoil in Westminster. The update from Barratt will fuel fears that Labour will miss its target of overseeing the construction of 1.5million new homes over the course of this Parliament - some 300,000 a year. Housing secretary Steve Reed has promised that the country will build, baby, build. But warning that the housing market has already endured a period when consumer confidence remained low and economic and political uncertainty was high, Thomas voiced concerns over the coming months. He said the companys performance for the 12 months to the end of June remains dependent on sales activity through the Spring selling season, as well as any impacts from both the Spring statement and political uncertainty or volatility created by the local elections in May. Against this backdrop, Barratt posted a 13.3 per cent slump in profits to 199.9million for the half-year to December 28 and cut its interim dividend from 5.5p a share to 5p. Shares in the firm, created by Barratts 2.5billion takeover of Redrow in 2024, fell as much as 8.4 per cent. The firm completed the sale of 7,444 new homes in the six-month period, up 4.7 per cent on a year earlier with the average selling price rising 5.2 per cent to 392,900. Whilst subdued, the trading backdrop was stable during the period with a less volatile mortgage lending environment supporting customer demand, noted Thomas. He added that business benefited as customers decided to complete ahead of Christmas once Budget uncertainty was removed. Richard Hunter, head of markets at Interactive Investor, said: Along with its peers, Barratts suffered an extended period of uncertainty from buyers ahead of the Budget, although once this hurdle was overcome, many customers then decided to complete before the end of the calendar year. 'Even so, the currently unstable political environment continues to weigh on consumer confidence, while affordability concerns remain in sharp focus particularly for first-time buyers. A six-bedroom house in Colomera, Spain, has gone on the market for 1.5million - roughly 1.3million - and comes with its own mountain. The vast 690-acre site boasts wild boar, rabbits, partridge and Iberian ibex as residents. The main house, Cortijo Las Majas, built only 12 years ago, sits on the site of a much older cortijo, or traditional rural dwelling, and spans more than 5,000 square feet. The house has been designed in the style of a rural hunting lodge, with large ground floor reception rooms for entertaining, a marble staircase and sliding glazed doors providing panoramic views over the land. All of the six bedrooms are ensuite and the property comes with a large wine cellar, as the current owner has a vineyard. The property's new buyer will be able to make the most of a walk-in larder and laundry room. The house has also been kitted out with solar panels and a smart home control system. Up for grabs: Cortijo Las Majas is on the market for 1,500,000 via Granada Village & Country Outside, there is a swimming pool, generous terrace area and an outdoor kitchen. A veranda extends around two sides of the house. The entire estate is fenced and the driveway is gated. The site also has a 'sophisticated' security system for remote and on-site monitoring, with approaching visitors seen from miles away. 'While the site has a top security system, this is not some Richard Onslow Roper-esque hideaway. 'It is a beautiful home in which to retreat from the noise of a contemporary world', Ian Rutter, of Granada Village & Country, the estate agency selling the property, said. He added: 'This is a house for guests and entertaining without fear of disturbing neighbours. 'It is a private hideaway surrounded by nature where peace and quiet are very much the norm. 'Maintenance of the land is minimal. This is not an olive farm; rather, it is nature at its most beautiful and unspoiled, and it is hard to believe that the mountain belongs to the house, or the house to the mountain'. The property is around 43km from the city of Granada, with Malaga Airport 157km away. Rutter said: 'The views are spectacular and represent everything that is so beautiful about Andalucia: vast skies, rolling hills, legions of olive trees, dramatic mountains and a wildness that is increasing hard to find'. Hello views: There will be no nuisance neighbours to worry about at this Spanish property What an entrance: The Spanish property has a marble staircase Design: The interior of the main house has been designed in the style of a hunting lodge Let's drink: In the basement of the property there is an extensive wine cellar Space: The home near Granada has six ensuite bedrooms Mountain: Cortijo Las Majas spans 690 acres and has a mountain in its grounds Be cautious: Always appoint an independent solicitor if you buy a home in Spain Buying property in Spain Buying a property in Spain as a British citizen is not a decision to be taken lightly. The process can be time-consuming and expensive. Anyone considering buying a home in Spain should appoint an independent solicitor who specialises in Spanish land law. They need to be acting in solely your best interests, and not for the estate agent or developer in question. The Spanish property conveyancing system is different to the British system, so you should ensure that anyone involved in the transaction is qualified and experienced in Spain. Britain's Foreign Office says: 'Use extreme caution if an estate agent, promoter or lawyer urges you to cut corners to save money or time.' When it comes to selecting a mortgage, analyse and compare different products and services offered by lending companies carefully. If you have any doubts about the terms and conditions, ask the lender to explain. You should also check with the Bank of Spain that the lender is authorised to operate in Spain. Taxes in Spain dealing with buying, selling or renting property can be complicated and vary depending on the location. Consider appointing a professional tax adviser or get advice from an accountant before putting in any offers. A nursery worker who was jailed for abusing 21 babies has walked free and could care for children again after she was deported back to her native Poland just months into her eight-year sentence. Roksana Lecka, who was jailed in September after she admitted to harming seven children and was convicted of abusing another 14, was freed and deported out of the UK after just five months on Thursday. Liberal Democrat MP Munira Wilson has warned there could be a trend of foreign offenders coming to Britain, committing crimes and being tried in the UK before being set free and deported without families ever seeing true justice. It comes as Labour ramp up their efforts to deport foreign prisoners faster, but critics warn this could see them evading prison time in the UK. Lecka, who defender her twisted actions by claiming she was sleep deprived and hooked on cannabis and vapes, was put on a flight back home to Poland on Thursday. The families of the babies who were pinched, punched and kicked, at a 1,900-a-month Montessori nursery in Twickenham, south-west London, say they have been completely blindsided by the decision, having been given less than a week's notice. Although Lecka has been banned from returning to the UK, there is no obligation for her to serve her remaining seven-and-a-half years in a Polish jail and the families fear she could simply go and work at a nursery in her native country. Ms Wilson, the MP for Twickenham, told the Daily Mail: 'The victims want to see justice. It's not unreasonable to expect that if somebody comes to our country and breaks our laws, they should feel the full force of our criminal justice system. 'They shouldn't be given a free pass to a shorter sentence. As soon as they've served their time and the victims have seen justice have been delivered, then at that point they should absolutely be deported. 'I'm afraid this case shows what I think we're going to be seeing more and more of because the recent changes of the law will actually potentially see the offenders being deported as soon as they're even given a sentence. Roksana Lecka (pictured with vape) told her trial she was 'addicted' to vaping and would be 'moody' if she wasn't able to puff on the device during work Roksana Lecka was found guilty of assaulting 21 toddlers in her care at a Montessori nursery 'We will see more and more criminals walking free - albeit not on British soil - back in their home country. All the government has to do is notify the relevant authorities in that country as to why this person's being deported. 'I think this is going to be a way of foreign offenders actually evading justice. As much as we want to get them out of the country, we also want to see justice delivered.' It comes after Labour made changes to the Early Removal Scheme last July so that foreign prisoners will face deportation 30 per cent into their sentence rather than 50 per cent. And just two weeks ago, the Sentencing Act 2026 received Royal Assent, introducing major reforms including how foreign criminals could be immediately deported after sentencing, evading prison time in the UK. Ms Wilson said she has spoken to several of Lecka's victims' families who have been rocked by the news after sitting through a 'traumatising' trial. She added: 'They don't feel that just throwing her out the country and not letting her back in is justice. There is a concern that she may go on to harm other children in Poland. 'In months or years from now, there could be some horrendous child abuse scandal in Poland or in another country that she's moved on to - and it could be that the paper trail then leads back to the UK, and a woman who is tried and convicted here, but essentially deported and left to commit awful crimes against children again.' Lawyers representing the families told the Daily Mail that while it is 'reassuring' Lecka cannot return to the UK, they fear the 'possibility of her being free to move on with her life... with the possibility of working at a nursery or with children in the future'. Jemma Till, a solicitor at Irwin Mitchell said: 'The harm Ms Lecka caused has left deep and lasting emotional scars, and the families continue to navigate the consequences of her behaviour every day. 'News that Ms Lecka is now due to be deported has understandably caused significant upset and frustration among the parents we represent. 'Many feel that this development has come unexpectedly and for those families, the sudden shift in her circumstances has created fresh uncertainty. 'The parents we represent want to ensure that their children's experiences are not minimised alongside accountability, safeguarding, and the reassurance that other child will not be placed at risk. The outrage over the case was raised by Ms Wilson who wrote to the Home Office on Tuesday and brought Lecka's deportation up at PMQ's on Wednesday after the victims' parents were only alerted to it on January 30. In a letter to Labour minister Alex Norris, she said: 'This case, which attracted significant media attention during the course of the trial and sentencing due to the nature of the crimes, raises questions around redress and justice for victims, as well as safeguarding.' She added: 'The parents have described Lecka as a 'huge threat to society' and believe there is a significant risk of her re-offending and of children, whether in Poland or elsewhere, coming to harm at her hands. 'They feel that all they have as victims is the verdict and the notion of a sentence, and that justice has in this case sadly not been done.' Responding to Ms Wilson, Mr Norris said confirmed: 'Whilst Lecka is not required to serve the remainder of her sentence in Poland, we have made Polish law enforcement aware of her convictions so that appropriate safeguarding actions can be taken by the Polish authorities.' A Home Office spokesman said: 'Lecka poses a clear risk to public safety, and we, as in all cases, have worked tirelessly to secure her deportation. 'She has joined nearly 60,000 people with no right to remain who have been deported or removed from the United Kingdom by this government.' 'We will not allow foreign criminals and illegal migrants to exploit our laws. We are reforming human rights laws and replacing the broken appeals system so we can scale up deportations.' Lecka, who is from Poland but moved to the UK with her parents when she was younger, was caught on CCTV kicking a boy in the face and punching a girl in the side Lecka was caught on CCTV footage vaping in the nursery's sleep room In September, Lecka, 22, was jailed for her campaign of 'sadistic' assaults where she punched, kicked, threw and pinched children as young as ten months old. She confessed to seven counts of child cruelty, including kicking a boy in the face and punching a girl in the side. Lecka denied 17 other similar charges, but jurors found her guilty of 14 counts of child cruelty during the six months she worked at Twickenham Green Nursery, which was a part of Riverside Nurseries group but has since closed. She was found to have abused infants at a second Montessori nursery; however, her acts were only found when she was sent home for pinching multiple children at the nursery. During a trial at Kingston Crown Court, Lecka tried to justify her behaviour by claiming she was sleep deprived from smoking cannabis all night with her boyfriend. The Polish national previously told the court: 'I can't remember the things I was doing because I was smoking cannabis that was affecting my memory.' When Lecka, who worked in a 1,900-a-month Montessori nursery, arrives in the Eastern European country, her probation or jail time will be determined by the officials there. A Home Office spokesperson said: 'We will not allow foreign criminals and illegal migrants to exploit our laws. 'We are reforming human rights laws and replacing the broken appeals system so we can scale up deportations. 'All Foreign National Offenders who receive a prison sentence in the UK are referred for deportation at the earliest opportunity.' Lecka appeared calm when she was informed by police that she was to be arrested over the attacks During police interviews, Lecka was seen playing with her hair and repeatedly answered: 'No comment' In a campaign of terror, Lecka pinched and scratched toddlers' legs and stomachs while working at the nursery in southwest London. Devastated parents began reporting unexplained injuries on their children in March 2024. However, managers at the nursery did not discover Lecka was the culprit, and she continued to care for toddlers under two until she was arrested on June 28, 2024. CCTV footage shown to the court showed Lecka vaping in the darkness in a baby sleeping room, where there was at least one child. Meanwhile, shocking police interview footage showed how the 22-year-old seemed 'bored' and showed no emotion as the gravity of her criminality was laid bare. One clip showed Lecka appearing to play with her hair while she was asked about a baby 'on a mattress, he seems to be crying'. When Lecka did not respond, a female officer paused to say: 'Sorry am I boring you?' Additional footage showed the 22-year-old repeatedly responding 'no comment' to every question lodged by police. The vicious nursery worker also showed little to no emotion when pictures of the injuries she caused children in her care were shown to her. Detectives trawled through 300 hours of CCTV footage in the space of just ten days - footage which laid bare the scale of Lecka's violence against toddlers and babies. There were no issues regarding safeguarding when Lecka was hired, the court was told. Lecka attacked the babies while working at the Riverside Nursery (pictured) between January 31 and June 28 last year Parents of the victims spoke of their 'overwhelming guilt' at sending their infants to the Riverside Nursery in Twickenham, southwest London. Detective Inspector Sian Hutchings, the senior investigating officer in the case, said: '(Lecka has) never given any explanation for her behaviour and what she's done, which... has only added to the upset for the parents, who have been immensely strong throughout the criminal investigation and been very dignified in their response.' Lecka 'was visibly bored' in the police interview, gave no comment answers, 'and didn't appear bothered by the seriousness of the allegations', the detective added. This shocked and frustrated the lead investigating officers, Ms Hutchings said. She said it only 'added to the upset being caused to the families because we were unable to provide any explanation to them.' 'She's never shown any remorse or any empathy throughout the trial or the investigation.' Bill Gates's rude behavior to his ex-wife Melinda has been detailed by a socialite who shared that she attended a very awkward dinner party with the pair. The socialite, a close friend of the late Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen, told the Daily Mail how Gates, 70, snapped at Melinda, 61, in full view of other diners. '[Melinda] would try to say something that was very relevant and [Bill] was like, "I'm talking!" 'I think that's just how he was with everyone, but it was kind of cringe, like, don't shush your wife.' The Daily Mail's source, who asked to remain anonymous, described Gates's temper as 'explosive' and said the billionaire got 'frustrated very easily.' She went on to offer a defense of Gates, who was married to Melinda between 1994 and 2021, until their relationship foundered after his friendship with pedophile Jeffrey Epstein hit the headlines. Asked about an email released by the Department of Justice from the Epstein files suggesting Gates had contracted a sexually transmitted disease from 'Russian girls' and asked about getting antibiotics to give to Melinda, the source said: 'I absolutely do not think that's true. 'Melinda would not put up with an ounce of that. Bill Gates (seen in the 90s with his then-wife Melinda) had an 'explosive temper' and 'shushed' his former wife Melinda at dinner parties, a close friend of the late Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen told the Daily Mail Melinda Gates during an interview in March 2025. The source hailed Melinda's 'integrity' 'She had too much integrity. She would have never if that would have happened, there would have been no explaining that away. They would have been done.' The source added: 'If Paul were alive today, he would just be horrified of what Melinda's been put through.' When the emails accusing Gates of contracting an STD were released by the Department of Justice last month, Gates angrily denied allegations in a rare statement to the Daily Mail. His spokesperson said: 'These claims are absolutely absurd and completely false. 'The only thing these documents demonstrate is Epstein's frustration that he did not have an ongoing relationship with Gates and the lengths he would go to entrap and defame.' Gates has repeatedly voiced his regret at being friends with Epstein but has repeatedly denied any suggestion of impropriety. Gates could not be more different than the late Seattle Seahawks owner Allen, the insider explained, claiming that 'all billionaires suck except for Paul Allen'. Allen, 65, believed Gates and Melinda were 'very good people' which is why he donated a significant portion of his estate to their foundation, the source shared. A new photo showing Bill Gates and Jeffrey Epstein with friends was released last month Microsoft co-founders Bill Gates and Paul Allen in 1975. The insider told Daily Mail 'if Paul were alive today, he would just be horrified of what Melinda's been put through' He believed that Melinda played a large role in Gates's success and 'would always say that without her, he wasn't sure that Bill would have gotten to the point in life where he did'. '[Paul] would just be heartbroken for Melinda,' the source added. 'He had so much respect for her.' But Allen's close friend also claimed the Seattle Seahawks owner would take the allegations detailed in the Epstein Files 'with a grain of salt'. 'A lot of this is a bunch of sensationalized BS, because even if Bill wandered, there's absolutely no way he had interest in minors. Absolutely not,' the insider told the Mail. The friend, who said she attended countless parties with the Microsoft founders, said there was 'no one under 21'. Guests underwent security checks at the doors and anyone underage or using a fake ID was denied entry. 'I don't think that [Paul] would believe any of that. I think he would feel bad for Bill for making very poor decisions, which I think Bill has acknowledged,' the source said. 'But that being said, it only came out recently how horrible Epstein was.' The friend shared that Epstein's transgressions with young women were sort of 'brushed over' at first because he would lie about them. Jeffrey Epstein (left) and Bill gates (right) during an apparent meeting. It is unclear when the photo, released by the DOJ last month, was taken 'I think he would tell people, "oh, you know, this girl lied to me and told me she was, you know, over 18," or stuff like that,' the insider said. 'That's how I've heard secondhand how Epstein kind of explained it away. 'I think if you're put in that position, you can kind of if it's once or twice you can kind of understand how somebody might get entrapped like that, especially somebody that puts themselves in those situations around a lot of young, beautiful women.' Bill and Melinda have three adult children; Jennifer, Rory and Phoebe. Epstein died in a New York City jail cell in 2019 while awaiting trial. Melinda has since said that her husband's affairs, including an extra-marital relationship he admitted to in 2019, combined with his closeness to Epstein were key factors in their marriage ending. The Daily Mail has approached Bill and Melinda's representatives for comment. Three of the most notorious characters in recent American sex scandals are linked in an extraordinary email chain the Daily Mail has uncovered among the Jeffrey Epstein files. Epstein, Woody Allen and former US congressman Anthony Weiner are all connected in the thread. The messages are between Epstein and Allen's wife Soon-Yi Previn, who started a sexual relationship with the four-time Oscar-winning actor-director when she was 21 and he was 56. In them, Soon-Yi slams the then-15-year-old girl who Weiner was sexting, revealed in a bombshell Daily Mail exclusive. 'I hate women who take advantage of guys, and she is definitely one of them,' wrote Previn in the 2016 email. 'What is her excuse for being a despicable and disgusting person who preys on the weak?' Rather than take aim at Weiner, who was 53 at the time of the messages and was jailed for 21 months for sending them, Previn saw his accuser as the real villain. The messages, released as part of the three million documents made public by the Department of Justice, was a revealing insight into the deep relationship between Previn, Allen and Epstein. An extraordinary email chain between Jeffrey Epstein, filmmaker Woody Allen and Allen's wife, Soon-Yi Previn, reveals a salacious exchange in which they bash the 15-year-old victim of US Congressman Anthony Weiner, blaming her for his imprisonment Another photo, taken by Previn, shows Allen awkwardly waving at his reflection in a Milan hotel elevator mirror Previn also expressed how much she hates 'women who take advantage of guys' and emphasizes how the teen is 'definitely one of them', slamming her for being a person who 'preys on the weak' To the outsider, the prospect of a friendship between a pedophile and a man who married his stepdaughter 35 years his junior may sound shocking. But for the parties involved it appears to have been a happy relationship, fueled by cozy dinners at Epstein's New York mansion as his victims looked on chatty texts and thousands and thousands of emails. The friendship began in 2010 after Epstein had served 15 months in prison for having sex with minors, a fact that didn't put off Allen or South Korean-born Previn, who was adopted by Allen's partner Mia Farrow and her then-husband Andre Previn in 1978. Speaking to the Sunday Times of London, Allen, a four-time Oscar winner, later said that Epstein told them soon after they met that he had been through 'extortion.' Allen said: 'He told us he was trying to make up for it now by being philanthropic and giving money to cutting-edge scientists and universities. He couldn't have been nicer.' Allen and Previn were seen leaving Epstein's house on multiple occasions during the December 2010 visit of former Prince Andrew, who was accused of having sex three times with Epstein victim Virginia Giuffre when she was 17. He has denied any wrongdoing. Pictures unearthed by the Daily Mail from the DOJ files show their friendship developing from there. They show Epstein and Allen walking together in what appears to be Paris: Epstein has a smarmy smile on his face. In the email exchange, Previn states it was 'disgusting' that the teenager 'baited' Weiner, then 53, in reference to the sexting scandal that landed him in prison for 21 months Previn, Allen and Epstein had a close relationship post the pedophile financier's 2008 imprisonment, with photos released in the DOJ files showing the filmmaker in Epstein's home Allen and Previn were seen leaving Epstein's house during Prince Andrew's 2010 visit, and later photos show Allen and Epstein together, including one in Paris with Epstein smiling smugly Other photos show Allen at Epstein's New York residence, emerging from the front door of the $70 million home with his hood up In one photo, Allen sits in a director's chair on a movie set, with Epstein standing beside him, watching intently Other images show Epstein and Allen talking jovially over drinks with women whose faces are redacted - likely because they were Epstein's victims Other photos show Allen at Epstein's house in New York or emerging from the front door of the $70 million home with his hood up. In one photo Allen is sitting in a director's chair apparently on the set of a movie, with Epstein standing next to him looking at what he is doing. Other images show Epstein and Allen talking with women sitting next to them whose faces are redacted likely because they are Epstein's victims. Text messages released by the DOJ show a series of off-color jokes going back and forth between the two sides. But surprisingly it seems that Previn, now 55, used her 90-year-old husband's account to frequently banter with Epstein - sometimes bordering on flirting. During a series of messages from 2017, Epstein said: 'You are sOOOOO funny.' Previn appears to have responded: 'I'll have Woody put pressure on you. That way you'll be book ended.' In an exchange from 2018, Previn wrote: 'Woody said that you are probably thrilled that you met me. That you probably have never met anyone so much on the take, not even in politics.' Previn often spoke to Epstein using Allen's email, exchanging jokes that bordered on the flirtatious In one message, Previn appears to joke about using Allen to 'put pressure' on Epstein In another email, Previn claims Epstein must be 'thrilled' to have met her, saying she's 'so much on the take' a phrase suggesting someone involved in corruption Epstein replied, 'Idi Amin,' referring to the former Ugandan dictator rumored to be a cannibal, then followed with a grim joke: 'He didn't just cause heartburn he ate them. Hearts' Epstein replied: 'Idi amin,' referring to the former dictator known as the 'Butcher of Uganda' who was said to be a cannibal. Epstein followed up with another grim joke: 'He didnt just cause heartburn he ate them. Hearts.' Another text exchange from 2016 was filled with innuendo. The person on Allen's phone, possibly Previn, wrote at the end of one conversation: 'You should be so lucky. Once I get out my whip they will.' In 2016 Epstein bought Previn a Hermes Apple Watch which costs up to $1,950. In response she told him: 'OMG you give the best gifts ever.' The messages show that Epstein won the confidence of Previn and Allen enough that they turned to him for advice about media strategy. During one 2018 exchange from the person called 'Woody Allen' on Epstein's phone, it was clear that it was Previn speaking to him. It was the day after Previn gave an interview to New York Magazine in which she spoke in depth about growing up with Mia Farrow and the allegations against her husband. Another email exchange in 2016 was also filled with innuendos, with Previn referencing 'my whip' Previn and Epstein also discussed growing up with her adoptive mother, Mia Farrow, and the allegations Farrow and her adopted daughter Dylan made against Allen After Previn's New York magazine interview about her childhood with Mia Farrow and claims against Allen, Epstein pointed out her soap-eating admission, calling it 'unhealthy,' while Previn said Farrow's team threatened to sue Epstein told Previn that admitting in the article that at one point she was so distressed she ate a bar of soap 'was very bad.' 'Lets say it doesn't portray a healthy mental state,' Epstein said. Previn said: 'Mia's people threatened to sue the magazine. It was pile on.' Epstein responded: 'DONT give up. It is ok if it is step one. But it cannot rest here.' After Previn said she thought the press might be outside her house and she had to go out, Epstein said her best strategy was to look good. 'Try to look cute', he said. 'Try hard.' In a sign of how comfortable she was with Epstein, Previn even addressed the scandal over her relationship with Allen. Farrow and Allen split up and during a brutal custody battle, she accused him of abusing Dylan Farrow, another of her adopted daughters. Allen denied the allegations. In the messages released by the DOJ, Previn said: 'I was not kidnapped. I was rescued. Dylan. Is a troubled child with loving siblings who want to support her. There is NOT evidence whatsoever. none. That woody did anything. It is ludicrous. When Previn said she feared the press outside her house, Epstein told her her best strategy was to 'Then try to look cute. Try hard' In 2011, Epstein was in contact with Ian Osborne, a well-connected political fixer from the UK - who arranged a 6pm dinner with Woody and Soon Yi Osborne also contacted Epstein about Allen visiting 10 Downing St, the Prime Minister's residence after he wrapped up filming 'I know him. Better than anyone else I WAS THERE. I was an adult. Ronan (Dylan's brother) was 6 years old at the time. He is kind and wants to believe. I respect that. However, it is NONSENSE. All of it... Mia was a monster... she is manipulative.' The DOJ files make clear that in addition to being a confidante, doing favors was another key part of Epstein's friendship with Allen and Previn. In 2011, Epstein was in contact with Ian Osborne, a well-connected political fixer from the UK, about Allen visiting 10 Downing St, the Prime Minister's residence. In May 2015, Epstein asked former White House counsel Kathy Ruemmler if she could 'show Soon-Yi the White House.' He added that Allen would be 'too politically sensitive.' Ruemmler replied: 'I am sure I could show both of them the White House' but said that a visit from Epstein was out of the question. White House records show that Allen, Previn and Ruemmler visited on December 27, 2015, a Sunday, while President Barack Obama was in Hawaii. Soon after, the person using Allen's phone wrote to Epstein: 'Thank you so much. We loved our time at the White House.' White House records show former White House counsel Kathy Ruemmler arranged for Allen and Previnto visit the White House while President Obama was away Shortly after, the person using Allen's phone thanked him for arranging the visit, saying they 'loved' the experience The Weiner story which annoyed Previn so much was published by the Daily Mail in 2016 and talked about how the ex-Congressman had asked a 15-year-old to undress for him and enact rape fantasies. 'Wow,' said Epstein after Previn sent it to him. She responded: 'I know. I also thought it was disgusting what the 15-year-old did. 'I hate women who take advantage of guys, and she is definitely one of them. She knew exactly what she was doing and how vulnerable (Weiner) was and she reeled him in like fish to bait. 'What is her excuse for being a despicable and disgusting person who preys on the week (sic).' Revealingly, Previn added: 'Most importantly, I feel sorry for his wife,' referring to Weiner's ex Huma Abedin, a close adviser to Hillary Clinton. Previn concluded with the words: 'So manipulative on her part. She should be ashamed of herself.' #MeToo would come for Allen in 2018 when Dylan Farrow went public with her allegations. On the Weiner story, Previn added, 'Most importantly, I feel sorry for his wife,' referring to Huma Abedin, Weiner's ex and longtime aide to Hillary Clinton In 2017, Epstein emailed photographer Antoine Verglas, saying Allen was looking for an attractive young woman to play a college student in a comedy, and asked for his thoughts That same year, he introduced Allen and Previn to Bard College president Leon Botstein, a longtime acquaintance, to help get their daughter Bechet (left) admitted As late as 2019, when Epstein was arrested and ultimately took his life, Allen and Previn continued to reach out to him sending a photo of Allen holding up a pillow with a Rene Magritte print while on their way to see an exhibition in Belgium Amazon backed out of a $73 million deal to release Allen's next four films, he was cut out of a documentary on poetry by PBS and his next movie, A Rainy Day in New York, was not released in the US because nobody would distribute it. Allen became, as he later described it, a 'toxic pariah.' But that didn't stop Epstein from doing favors for his friend. In 2017 Epstein wrote to photographer Antoine Verglas: 'Woody alien is looking for a beautiful =0.24 girl to play a college girl in a comedy. Thoughts?' The same year he connected Allen and Previn with the president of Bard College, Leon Botstein, a longtime acquaintance of his, to help get their daughter Bechet into Bard College. Bechet ended up attending Bard and graduated in 2021. Previn appears to have written from Allen's email account on January 11, 2017. She said: 'I can't thank you enough for getting Bechet into BardWoody said when Bechet sets fire to the school, they'll have you to thank.' Even as late as 2019, the year Epstein was arrested and found dead in his New York prison cell, Allen and Previn's fondness for Epstein was undimmed. In texts sent in June that year, Allen told Epstein that they were in Belgium and going to see an exhibition about artist Rene Magritte. Allen sent a photo of him holding up a pillow with a Magritte print and Epstein replied: 'Great photo.' Another photo was taken by Previn and shows Allen waving awkwardly into the mirror of an elevator in a hotel in Milan. Epstein asked: 'You guys having fun?' Allen replied: 'Fantastic.' A hotel worker who was sacked for arranging rubber ducks around a pentagram for a mock 'summoning ritual' has won her unfair dismissal case. Australian Venue Company duty manager Emma Donato was posted at Cleveland Sands Hotel in east Brisbane from June 2025. A few weeks into her time at the new location, she began to place small rubber ducks in staff areas as a 'playful attempt to lift morale'. Mrs Donato told the Fair Work Commission the ducks were meant to be a practical joke during a period that felt 'increasingly stressful' for the team. During the evening on July 3, the commission heard she arranged a small display of rubber ducks and a hand-drawn pentagram on her manager's desk. A pentagram is a five-pointed star drawn with one continuous line, often associated with magic, the occult, and sometimes Satanism. The display was referred to as 'ducks engaged in a summoning ritual to summon more ducks' with Mrs Donato sharing plans to bring in a larger duck the next day. But the commission was told her manager submitted a formal complaint, which included a photo of the scene on her desk. Former duty manager of a Brisbane venue Emma Donato was fired after she played a practical joke on her manager that included a display of rubber ducks (stock image) 'I have just arrived to work to find the attached picture on my desk. No matter if it seems funny with the duckies, it is a symbol evoking the devil,' she wrote. 'I have past experiences that terrify me of these ritualistic actions, but I'm sure it would upset anyone.' Mrs Donato told the commission she and the manager worked a shift that day 'without issue'. When she heard rumours of an HR complaint on July 6, Mrs Donato said she avoided discussing it with her manager, who she said showed 'no signs of discomfort'. That same day, Mrs Donato's wife Serena - who worked for Australian Venue Company's Mansfield Tavern Brisbane - told the commission she had heard the incident had 'gone to HR' but did not know the scope or that someone felt 'targeted'. In an Instagram group chat with current and former Cleveland Sands staff, the commission heard that Serena asked for clarification. 'Alright I have to ask: who knows what about the aftermath of the ducks LMFAAAOOO,' she wrote. 'Maybe needless to say, Emma's spooked and it'd be real cool if it didn't get gossiped about at worrrkkk I beg I beg.' The rubber ducks were arranged around a pentagram - a symbol associated with the occult and satanism (stock image) The messages were shared with Mrs Donato's manager, the commission was told, who then informed the company's people and culture team that 'they were mocking [her] about the pentagram incident in [the group chat]'. Over the next few days, Mrs Donato received a series of formal letters from management regarding the allegations against her. On July 9, she texted an apology to the manager before attending a disciplinary meeting, expressing regret if the incident had caused harm. She told the commission she did not feel it was appropriate to apologise prior to that meeting, as she had only heard rumours and had not been contacted by HR yet. Following the meeting, Mrs Donato received a letter of dismissal. Her wife, Serena, was also sacked after she met with management regarding her messages to the group chat. Just over a month later, on August 11, the Donatos discovered Emma's manager had publicly shared an image of a new tattoo. It was of 'the very pentagram shape that she and [Australian Venue Company] claim to have caused her distress', the commission heard. The Fair Work Commission found Ms Donato was unfairly dismissed by Australian Venue Company after the manager complained about the display The couple successfully appealed their dismissal at the commission in Brisbane before commissioner Chris Simpson on February 5. '[Emma] Donato consistently stated that the reason she had been placing ducks around the workplace was to boost morale of the team as a whole, and when asked she would tell people what she was doing,' he said in his findings. 'I accept her submission that while her prank may have been unwise it was not intended to be malicious.' He added that her behaviour did not constitute bullying under the Fair Work Act. Mr Simpson also accepted Serena Donato was unaware of the manager's distress and did not consider that her group chat messages amounted to 'bullying or mockery'. Addressing the Donatos' concern regarding the manager's tattoo of a pentagram, the commissioner issued a scathing comment. 'I simply make the observation that this seems somewhat incongruent with the level of impact the [manager] appears to have communicated to the [company], that the incident had on her,' he said. Australian Venue Company was ordered to pay each woman six weeks' compensation, totalling $8,405.76 for Emma and $7,050.00 for Serena. Employment lawyer Roxanne Hart (pictured) said not every breach of company policy is a valid reason for terminating someone's employment The company told the Daily Mail that it acknowledges the decision and respects the commission's position on the matter. 'We will review the findings carefully and continue to look for ways to improve our processes to ensure the safety and wellbeing of all employees,' the statement read. 'As a company, we have a zero tolerance approach to bullying and harassment and are committed to creating a safe, respectful and supportive workplace. 'Given the privacy considerations for those involved, we will not be providing further comment at this time.' Employment lawyer Roxanne Hart shared her thoughts on the case on TikTok, highlighting: 'Not every breach of policy is a valid reason for termination'. 'The federal commission said that [the dismissal] wasn't essentially a proportional response to terminate the employee for the practical joke,' she said. A self-styled television property guru, who claimed to once own a 30million housing portfolio is now kipping on an old schoolfriend's couch and claiming benefits, a court heard on Monday. Glenn Armstrong, 66, once appeared on 'Secret Millionaire' spin-off show 'How The Other Half Live' boasting of his wealth, but is now penniless and banned from contacting his ex-wife. The bankrupt former video shop owner set up Glenn Armstrong's Property Millionaire Academy Ltd. to teach wannabe investors how to make their fortune. However, the company ran into difficulties with customers chasing him for their money back and in 2021 Armstrong was declared bankrupt for the second time with debts of over 4m. After selling his luxury seven-bedroom home, Carisbrook House, Sherington, Buckinghamshire, which went on the market for 3m, Armstrong and his then-wife 'Lady' Charlotte Robertson, 39, moved into the landmark 'Boomerang' building, Bankside. However, the couple ran up rent arrears at their luxury apartment of 209,747 and a County Court eviction order was made in August 2021. His ex, 'Lady' Charlotte, was reportedly rehoused by the council and now resides in the more modest place in Sydenham, south-east London. Armstrong, who claimed to once own more than 200 properties in the Milton Keynes area, has now been sentenced at Bromley Magistrates Court for flouting court orders not to contact her. Glenn Armstrong, 66, once appeared on 'Secret Millionaire' spin-off show 'How The Other Half Live' boasting of his wealth, but is now penniless and banned from contacting his ex-wife His ex, 'Lady' Charlotte Robertson was reportedly rehoused by the council and now resides in the more modest place in Sydenham, south-east London Now housed by a lifelong friend in Pearcy Close, Harold Hill, Romford, Armstrong pleaded guilty to three counts of breaching a non-molestation order on September 20; October 10 and November 14, last year. Watching from the public gallery were two of his creditors, who said outside court the sum pursued by individuals and the taxman was nearer 13.6m. Prosecutor Paloma Rao told the court the couple have four young children, who reside with the mother, who has a court order until May, banning Armstrong from contacting her or attending her home. The October breach was due to Armstrong messaging her and the other two were when the defendant visited the address. 'This was as a result of childcare arrangements for the children,' explained the prosecutor. 'The victim admits Mr Armstrong stayed at her home address for two weeks. 'During the September breach of the order Mr Armstrong said that he would take two of their children to the shops, but he was called by the victim, who was concerned about the children's welfare and about where they were.' The ex also said she felt 'guilt-tripped' by Armstrong into not reporting him to the police for breaching the order, describing herself as a 'nervous wreck'. 'She has asked him many times to leave her alone, which he has failed to do,' added Ms Rao. 'Mr Armstrong is a man of 66 years old, who has never been in trouble before, is of good character and now finds himself in court,' said Sonia White, defending. 'It is his second relationship for him and they have children aged three; five; six and eight, which is a handful for him and his ex-partner, who is much younger than him. 'Their relationship has broken down and he has had financial difficulties as well. It is obvious she is struggling to look after four children. 'She has asked for help with the children and he has gone along, prioritising the children over the court order. Armstrong (pictured in the doorway of his mansion), a former taxi driver, at one stage owned 200 properties worth around 30 million in and around Milton Keynes Armstrong at Westminster Magistrates Court in 2023 when he was charged with 45 counts of fraud After selling his luxury seven-bedroom home, Carisbrook House, Sherington, Buckinghamshire (pictured) which went on the market for 3m, Armstrong and his wife 'Lady' Charlotte, 39, moved into the landmark 'Boomerang' building, Bankside 'The children were placed in foster care, but are now back with their mother and social services are very involved with the family,' added Ms White. 'He will be assessed to see if he is suitable to look after the children and is currently staying with a friend. He does not have his own property at the moment because he does not know if he will have the children and there is no point in securing a home that is not suitable. 'On certain days of the week he will be able to collect the children from school. It is important for the children to have a relationship with their father.' Armstrong was placed on a twelve-month Community Order, which includes 20 days of a rehabilitation activity requirement. He was also fined 80, with 85 costs, plus a 114 victim surcharge and successfully requested to pay at the rate of 5 per-week as he is on benefits. 'We took on board the recommendation of the pre-sentence report,' bench Chairman Ian Rubie told Armstrong. 'You pleaded guilty to the three breaches when you were trying to be helpful with the children. 'However, there was a court order and you breached it.' A picturesque California park has plunged into chaos after residents began protesting hefty parking fees. The historical San Diego Balboa Park is a cultural oasis that hosts various museums, theaters, and restaurants. Visitors had previously been able to freely enjoy everything the park had to offer, thanks to the convenience of free parking. But in September 2025, the San Diego City Council passed a hefty parking fee bill and slapped a $16 required fee for all 12 of the park's lots. The fee went into effect in January, and it was expected to bring in an extra $15 million to help with the city's crushing deficit, per SFGate. Rather than helping the city, it backfired, with outraged residents boycotting the park and local businesses taking the hit. 'This was not thought out,' former City Council member Lorie Zapf said at a protest, per NBC San Diego. 'This was a knuckleheaded move that never should have happened.' Restaurant revenue in Balboa Park has dropped nearly 40 percent, as some are considering layoffs to cope with the financial losses, KFMB-TV reported. Authorities are asking for the public's help in identifying who is responsible for vandalizing newly installed parking pay stations throughout Balboa Park Balboa Park in reflection, San Diego, where all 12 lots had a hefty parking fee implemented During the first week the fees were implemented, Balboa Park museums saw visitor numbers decline by 25 to 57 percent. Residents are protesting the fees in the streets, and some have gone so far as to vandalize the parking meters. Multiple social media posts showed damaged meters covered with graffiti and screens smeared with feces, resulting in $77,000 in damages, according to CBS 8. The vandalism spree has unfolded since Christmas Eve through Friday, leaving a total of 52 meters destroyed, according to the San Diego Police Department. Protesters have slammed their Democratic Mayor Todd Gloria, blaming him and the other council members who voted in favor of the fees. 'The City Council claimed these fees were a necessary tough choice to balance a crumbling budget, but lets look at the reality,' Jim Kidrick, CEO of the San Diego Air & Space Museum, said at the protest. 'This plan is not just unfair, it is catastrophically short-sighted.' Multiple social media posts showed damaged meters covered with graffiti and screens smeared with feces A general view of the Spreckels Organ Pavilion at the Balboa Park in San Diego A walker takes advantage of the clearing skies to stroll past rain puddles at Lake Balboa Park in Lake Balboa San Diego Police are offering a $1,000 reward for anyone with information about the meter vandalizers Gloria has heard the outrage and responded by announcing that the city will expand free parking zones for residents starting March 2. The city will also scale back parking enforcement, cutting hours so enforcement ends at 6pm instead of 8pm. 'Ive heard from residents and from members of the City Council about how this program is affecting San Diegans who love Balboa Park as much as I do. 'That feedback matters, and its why I am eliminating parking fees for City residents in select lots in the park,' Gloria said in a statement. 'This change will reduce revenue, and I have received a commitment from the City Council President as well as other councilmembers to identify other service-level reductions in order to keep the budget balanced.' Despite the mayors damage control efforts, opponents are calling for the complete removal of the hefty fees. Many contend that visitors should not be forced to shoulder the burden of the citys financial problems. A YouTuber who went viral for bragging about his Lamborghini has been accused of running a $112million Ponzi scheme that allegedly drained mostly small investors. Taino Lopez, better known as Tai, rose to fame selling get-rich-quick advice courses and, notably, became a viral meme in 2015 for saying he preferred his book collection to his black Lamborghini, which he was obviously flaunting. The US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has filed a civil lawsuit against the 48-year-old, accusing him and his partners of misleading investors through fraudulent securities offerings. Lopez's company, Retail Ecommerce Ventures (REV), which he co-founded with Alex Mehr, raised more than $230million from hundreds of mostly small investors between 2019 and 2022, officials claim. Lopez's younger cousin, Maya Burkenroad, who was his chief operating officer, was also named in the lawsuit. The YouTuber lured investors in under the alleged facade that his company would provide at least 25 percent returns by acquiring struggling chains such as RaidoShack, Pier 1, and Modell's Sporting Goods and converting them into e-commerce platforms. According to the lawsuit, the brands were unprofitable, and the funds were used to pay earlier investors. 'The complaint seeks permanent injunctions, civil penalties, and officer-and-director bars as to each Defendant. In addition, the complaint seeks disgorgement and prejudgment interest against Lopez and Mehr, the filing noted. Some investors were also promised equity stakes with monthly dividends of more than two percent. Taino Lopez, better known as Tai, is accused by the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) of misleading investors through fraudulent securities offerings The SEC claims the 48-year-old ran a $112million Ponzi scheme that allegedly drained mostly small investors Sean Murphy, an Illinois grandfather who invested $175,000 into Lopez's company, told The Wall Street Journal, 'These guys lied,' after all he received was a $10,000 Pier 1 gift card and monthly checks of about $1,000 for about two years. 'They conspired. They led people on,' added Murphy. In addition, the SEC claimed that Lopez and Mehr misappropriated roughly $16.1million of funds for personal use rather than investing it in the business. However, Lopez has not publicly addressed the SEC's allegations, only making an ambiguous post the day after the lawsuit was filed on September 25: Never doom. No matter how horrible the situation, don't ever think you're doomed. Unless you are dead, all defeat is psychological.' Lopez is not facing criminal charges, but the FBI has reportedly contacted investors as part of a separate investigation, the Wall Street Journal reported. The defendants are attempting to settle with the SEC as the case continues. 'Lopez seemed credible,' said Nelson Rowe, an 82-year-old retired real-estate broker who invested $300,000, according to the Journal. Lopez rose to fame selling get-rich-quick advice courses and, notably, became a viral meme in 2015 for saying he preferred his book collection to his black Lamborghini, which he was obviously flaunting. 'The story sounded so good. They had all these brands.' According to the outlet Lopez Seminars, he often promised to share his success with those who invested in his company. The YouTuber would also hold investor meetings where Joseph Bertao, a 44-year-old who works in construction sales, recalled Lopez saying: 'Give us as much money as you can. These deals are poppin' off, and we can't get them fast enough.' The Daily Mail has reached out to Lopez for comment. Billionaire Phones4U founder John Caudwell offered to cover Sarah Ferguson's 10million debts in return for half of her future earnings, emails have suggested. David Stern, one of Jeffrey Epstein's advisers, told the paedophile financier in 2009 that Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor's former wife was '10million' in the red. The emails show Epstein wrote to Mr Stern on November 6: 'Fergie will be in in an hour.' Mr Stern replied later that day: 'Please ask her about bankruptcy. It's option 1. 'Option 2 is deal with John Caudwell (english, founder of Phones4U) who wants 50% of her life earnings going forward for 10m, meaning paying off her debt (this offer needs to be verified if its real!).' The email footer includes mention of tax consultancy and accounting firm Asia Gateway, a company founded by German investor Mr Stern which he ran until 2013. The messages were discovered among more than three million documents relating to Epstein which were released by the US Department of Justice on January 30. Since then, Mr Caudwell's team have clarified that he met Fergie through his support of her charity work, and she later approached him to talk about clearing her debts. His office also said that he did not know Fergie was speaking with Epstein about the matter, adding that Mr Caudwell eventually decided against doing a deal with her. Mr Caudwell and Fergie are believed to have remained friends, given she was invited to his daughter Libby's lavish three-day wedding in Montenegro in June 2019 - just two months before Epstein was found dead in his New York prison cell. John Caudwell with Sarah Ferguson at his daughter Libby's wedding in Montenegro in 2019 John Caudwell, pictured with his partner Modesta Vzesniauskaite in London in June last year Emails between David Stern and Jeffrey Epstein about John Caudwell and Sarah Ferguson A spokesperson for Mr Caudwell said: 'Sarah Ferguson and John Caudwell were long-time acquaintances who initially met through John Caudwell's support for some of Sarah Ferguson's charity work. 'Sarah Ferguson later approached John Caudwell to discuss a potential business transaction to help clear her debt. 'To be absolutely clear, until now, John Caudwell was unaware that Sarah Ferguson was consulting Jeffrey Epstein or anyone else on this matter. 'John Caudwell has never met or had any association or correspondence with Jeffrey Epstein. 'John Caudwell ultimately decided not to go through with the business transaction at the time.' Mr Stern was a trusted confidante of Andrew and acted as a go-between for the royal and Epstein at times. He was also involved with Andrew's Pitch@Palace initiative which was based at Buckingham Palace. Meanwhil separate emails have shown Epstein discussed how Fergie was considering going bankrupt ahead of a 'big meeting' at Royal Lodge when her finances were in peril. Epstein was told that Andrew and Fergie wanted to hold the summit at their Windsor mansion on September 1, 2010. An unidentified person sent an email to Epstein two days earlier on August 30, saying 'F writes me below. It's better if I do NOT go, correct? PA says its up to me.' Andrew and Sarah with David Stern, one of Epstein's advisers who acted as a go-between Your browser does not support iframes. 'F' is believed to be Fergie and 'PA' is thought to refer to then-Prince Andrew. The message quoted by that person from Fergie said: 'Can you come down to Royal Lodge on sept 1st .. Wednesday.. To a big meeting of the way ahead of ME! Prince Andrew is calling it for 10.30am and then lunch afterwards. 'I would really need your help, not just then, but maybe we can talk today, tomorrow. I am worried I need a ceo to run me.. Cannot do this without you.' Epstein replied to the email from the person, saying: 'Ask Andrew what he wants.. she said they might suggest her going bankrupt. when i spoke to her last week. I think you need to go. otherwise, she will go after you.' The emails have also revealed Andrew went cap in hand to Epstein to settle a debt of $126,721 owed by Fergie to her PA - shedding new light on what he may have been discussing with Epstein on their notorious Central Park walk in New York in 2010. During her marriage, Fergie spent wildly on staff, holidays, parties and flowers - with no regard for settling bills. She reportedly had debts in excess of 3.7million by 1994 and became well-known for running up huge bills in stores such as Harrods without paying. Andrew has always strenuously denied any wrongdoing. More than a week after they snatched Savannah Guthrie's mother, the identities of her abductors remain a mystery. But former hostage negotiators and criminal profilers who have dealt with previous kidnappers tell the Daily Mail there are personality traits that can be gleaned from their actions so far. That includes a desire to exert 'control' over authorities, an ambition to become infamous, and a level of sophistication that has enabled them to keep the FBI on the back foot. 'I think they like the notoriety, I think they like the exposure,' former NYPD hostage negotiator Mike Alcazar told the Daily Mail.' I feel like they probably think that it's pressuring the family to comply. The ball is totally in the abductors' court.' The first major step forward for the FBI came on Tuesday as they secured and released images of a masked and armed figure tampering with Nancy Guthrie's doorbell camera before her disappearance. Early Wednesday, it emerged a man had been detained in connection with Nancy's abduction and then released after being stopped by police near the Mexican border. He later told reporters he was a delivery driver and had 'no idea' why he was taken into custody because he does not watch the news. Meanwhile, TMZ's Harvey Levin said the outlet had received a 'bizarre' email from someone claiming to know the identity of the kidnapper, and demanding one Bitcoin to reveal it. The FBI released terrifying pictures of a suspect tampering with Nancy Guthrie's doorbell camera before her abduction Nancy is presumed kidnapped for ransom after vanishing from her Arizona home on February 1. Pima County Sheriff's Department has still not identified any suspects, persons of interest, or vehicles connected to her disappearance, and no proof of life has surfaced publicly. The FBI said it is 'not aware of any continued communication between the Guthrie family and suspected kidnappers.' At least two apparent ransom notes have come under FBI scrutiny since Nancy vanished, both delivered initially to news media rather than the family. The Guthrie family was ordered to pay $6 million in Bitcoin by 5pm local time on Monday. But the digital wallet referenced in the email remained empty, according to TMZ, which was sent a copy of the note. 'The way it's going, it's a one way contact, meaning the abductors send a message out, and then the family sends an Instagram message back to them, and that's not the way we negotiate,' Alcazar told the Daily Mail. 'Working with little information that the investigators have, they (the abductors) do seem to have a little bit of ability, because they've evaded capture for over a week. They seem to be controlling this event.' A surveillance image shows an armed suspect outside Nancy Guthrie's door A close-up of the suspect in a ski mask outside the door of Nancy Guthrie's home Savannah Guthrie and mother Nancy Guthrie on June 15, 2023 Nancy Guthrie was abducted from the $1million home she has lived in for more than 50 years NEW from Daily Mail. We take you inside the kidnap case shocking America. Out now on all podcast platforms. Listen here But he added: 'It gives me a little bit of pause because - was this targeted? Did they really want to abduct an 84-year-old woman with failing health? 'You know, to me, that doesn't sound like careful planning. But they have evaded capture, so they do have some kind of skill to keep away from the police, and still be hiding their whereabouts.' There are fears those who sent the emails are not the real abductors, and they could be opportunists trying to cash in, or pranksters. But Alcazar said the family's video messages suggested there had been some kind of confirmation. 'I feel that because Savannah stated that they're willing to pay, that they must have got some kind of confirmation, hopefully proof of life, or proof of the abduction, that they sent to Savannah, that they identified the mother in some way or form,' Alcazar said. He said a short video Savannah posted over the weekend, in which she acknowledged receipt of a message, was very deliberate. 'It was definitely intentional. We don't know what she's talking about, but they made some kind of a demand, and she's acknowledging that she understands what they said, whatever that was,' he said. 'It was a very sad, short message, but in my opinion, it told me a lot. 'I feel like the ball is totally in the abductors' court. They (the FBI) are just sitting and waiting and hoping that the abductors will call today. I hope they communicate with the FBI.' The suspect walks away from Nancy Guthrie's door Savannah Guthrie and her mom Nancy on set in April 2019 in New York Retired NYPD hostage negotiator Mike Alcazar said the abductors could be seeking 'notoriety' Messages of support near Nancy Guthrie's house in Arizona Alcazar said much of the focus of the investigation behind the scenes will be on analyzing the emails. 'The FBI has the ability to electronically investigate the data from that email,' he said. 'We're hoping that these abductors are dumb and make mistakes, although they only seem to have communicated twice, so it's very limited. 'It is 100 percent frustrating because we cannot have a conversation. They're just making demands, and they're hoping the family complies. We need some kind of solid agreement that Nancy will be released and without that communication, I don't believe it's going to happen. 'I don't believe they're just going to send the money out to a Bitcoin account without without any kind of reassurance that Nancy will be released.' Profilers will be analyzing the style and length of language used in the emails to assess the rough age of the writer, and whether they are male or female. They will also be looking for similarities with any previous ransom notes in other cases. Mary Ellen O'Toole, a retired FBI profiler, who worked on the Unabomber and Zodiac killer cases, said the abductors had shown arrogance, and technology would be key to tracking them. 'This is a very arrogant crime,' she told KGTV. 'In the case of the traditional kidnapping, it has waned, and in part I think because of the ability of law enforcement to track the money, to track the phone call, to track the cell phone. 'And so by the time, they finish putting all these pieces together, knowledge of cell phones and cell phone towers, knowledge of cryptocurrency, they'll bring all that in because that (tells) a lot about the offender or the primary offender's personality, She said the abductors could be known to Nancy. 'You start to look at the victimology. Who is the victim, and where did the crime occur? The more we know about the victim, the more we know about the offender. That's kind of our mantra.' she said. Former FBI Special Agent Chip Massey said the abductors, wherever they are, would have to be controlling their environment Pima County Sheriff blocks Nancy's street as FBI conducts a search at her home Chip Massey, retired FBI hostage negotiator and special agent, and author of 'Convince Me,' said the brazenness of the crime was also a clue to the abductors' personalities. 'You have to have a lot of confidence to go into somebody's home and not be a family member, or someone who has a regular day to day contact with them,' he told the Daily Mail. But he said finding where they were hiding was a needle in a haystack. 'Three people in a house, a farm, some other type of apartment building, if they were set up right they could be in a lot of different places, but there would have to be, certainly, some preparations to ensure a control of the environment.' Shocking video showed the moment a plane dropped from the sky and spun out of control onto a busy Georgia street. A single-engine plane was forced to make an emergency landing at the congested intersection of Browns Bridge Road and Pearl Nix Parkway on Monday. Footage showed the small plane crashing down and rebounding before it careened into motorists. The plane struck three vehicles, ending with its tires destroyed, per WSB. Only two drivers required hospital treatment for minor injuries, along with one of the plane's passengers. The plane carried a pilot and a student pilot, with Gainesville Police confirming the student suffered minor injuries. The aircraft, a 2010 Hawker Beechcraft BE-36, was experiencing engine trouble right after they took off from Lee Gilmer Memorial Airport. Shocking video showed the moment a plane dropped from the sky and spun out of control onto a busy Georgia street Only two drivers required hospital treatment for minor injuries 'We lost our engine taking off out of Gainesville and realized, tried to glide back, did everything by the book,' Pilot Thomas Rogers told FOX 5. 'But [we] realized we weren't gonna make it back with how far out we were, so we came down the road.' During landing, the planes fuel tank flew off and hit the back of an SUV. No other vehicles or power lines were struck, leaving Gainesville Police Captain Kevin Holbrook stunned. 'The fact that this plane came down, did not strike any power poles, any power lines, and only hit three vehicles is absolutely remarkable,' Holbrook told FOX 5. Gut-wrenching air traffic control recordings obtained by WSB capture Pilot Rogers sending a mayday warning. 'Mayday,' he repeated. 'Were not going to make it. Please, tell my wife, Molly, I love her and my parents. I love them so much.' One video from a witness showed the horror descent, as they're heard shouting: 'Are you seeing this? A plane just crashed on the freaking road!' During landing, the planes fuel tank flew off and hit the back of an SUV Onlooker Deanna Campbell told WSB she was dumbfounded. 'I just told my husband, I said, "Thats a plane! Thats a plane!" It really scared us.' Police described the road as one of the citys busiest, used by hundreds of thousands of cars each day. Emergency crews closed the road Monday to remove the plane from the intersection. The Gainesville Police Department later announced that the roads had reopened. A federal judge in California blocked a mask ban for federal officers, giving the Trump administration's ICE operations an edge. Judge Christina Snyder blocked the order on Monday because it applied to federal and local officers but offered an exemption for state police. The bill was initially signed into law last fall by Governor Gavin Newsom in response to ICE officers using face coverings during immigration raids in Los Angeles. 'Masked men jumping out of unmarked cars, people disappearing, no due process, no oversight, zero accountability, happening in the United States of America today,' Newsom said at the time. 'These are authoritarian actions by an authoritarian government.' The Trump administration sued in an attempt to block the mask ban in November, according to The Hill. They successfully argued that California did not have the authority to regulate federal agents and the Department of Homeland Security urged authorities to ignore the law. Attorney General Pam Bondi called the most recent ruling 'another key court victory' for the Department of Justice. A bill California Governor Gavin Newsom signed into law last fall was blocked by a federal judge The ru;ling marks a win for Trump's immigration enforcement initiative in California The law would have banned federal and local law enforcement from covering their faces 'Following our arguments, a district court in California BLOCKED the enforcement of a law that would have banned federal agents from wearing masks to protect their identities,' she wrote on X. 'These federal agents are harassed, doxxed, obstructed, and attacked on a regular basis just for doing their jobs. We have no tolerance for it. 'We will continue fighting and winning in court for President Trump's law-and-order agenda.' Newsom and State Senator Scott Wiener, who wrote the law, seem to have shifted blame for its failure between one another. Wiener originally intended the measure to apply to all law enforcement. An exemption for state police was reportedly added following negotiations with Newsom's office. Newsom, on the other hand, wanted to apply the ban only to federal officers and not state or local police, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. 'Mr. Wiener rejected our proposed fixes to his bill language that was later included in the identification bill the court upheld today,' Newsom's press office wrote on X. 'He chose a different approach, and today the court found his approach unlawful.' The bill was written by state senator Scott Wiener, who immediately issued an alteration As soon as the bill was shut down, Wiener vowed to reintroduce another that offered no exemptions, according to his press office. 'Now that the Court has made clear that state officers must be included, I am immediately introducing new legislation to include state officers,' said Wiener. 'We will unmask these thugs and hold them accountable. Full stop,' he added. Newsom has not expressed support for the updated measure. 'Based on the court's decision, I think we should move in the opposite direction,' Newsom told reporters. 'We should have a federal mask ban.' Though the law was placed on hold, the governor continued to publicly condemn DHS and their handling of immigration issues. Judge Christina Snyder blocked the bill, deeming it unfair for excluding state police 'I don't believe federal agents should be running roughshod over the Constitution, putting communities that are already on edge in more terror and more distress by having masks on,' Newsom said Tuesday. 'No other law enforcement agency operates like this.' During the same ruling, the court elected to uphold a separate law signed by Newsom that required federal agents to 'visibly display' identification. 'No badge and no name mean no accountability,' said the Governor's office. 'California will keep standing up for civil rights and our democracy.' The Daily Mail contacted Newsom and Wiener for comment. Savannah Guthrie's life was turned upside-down when her mother mysteriously vanished from her rural Arizona home in what became a captivating kidnapping case that gripped the country. Instead of jet-setting to Milan for the Winter Olympics, the Today Show anchor was forced into a nightmarish sequence of events, involving ransom notes, video pleas and a desperate hunt for her elderly mother. Nancy Guthrie, 84, was reported missing on February 1 after failing to attend her weekly church service. She was last seen at home the night before, having been dropped off after a dinner with her daughter, Annie, and her husband, Tommaso Cioni. As the exhaustive search nears the two week mark, police detained a person of interest in the case near Tucson. Delivery driver Carlos Palazeulos was taken into custody near the Mexican Border but was released the following morning after authorities searched his home. The 36-year-old has protested his innocence, stating that he did not know who Savannah or her mother were. FBI Kash Patel confirmed that his agency is examining 'multiple' persons of interest in the case but provided no further information on who the individuals are. The agency is following up on chilling surveillance footage that pictures an armed suspect with a ski mask and backpack dismantling a camera outside of Nancy's home hours before her disappearance. With Nancy still missing, the Daily Mail has put together a timeline of the investigation so far. Nancy Guthrie, mother of Today host Savannah, mysteriously disappeared on February 1 Investigators said she was last seen on January 31 getting dropped off at home after an evening with her daughter, Annie. Ten days after she disappeared, investigators uncovered a video of an unidentified masked individual in front of her home Nancy disappeared in the early hours of February 1 from her rural home in Tucson, Arizona Saturday, January 31 - The night before Nancy disappeared The Saturday before Nancy was declared missing was nothing out of the ordinary. She went to her daughter's house for game night and dinner, then returned home after a few hours. 5.32pm - Nancy takes an Uber to her daughter Annies house in Tucson, about four miles from her home in the Catalina Foothills neighborhood. 9.48pm - After enjoying dinner and games, Nancy is driven home by Annie's husband, Tommaso Cioni, and dropped off at her $1 million home. Her garage door opens and Cioni is believed to be the last person who sees her. 9.50pm - Nancy enters through the garage door, something Cioni later tells police he watches her do. Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos says at a news conference a few days later that authorities believe she most likely went to bed after arriving at home. Nancy was reported missing on February 1, launching an exhaustive search Your browser does not support iframes. Sunday, February 1 - The day she's declared missing Investigators believed Nancy was taken from her home in the early hours of Sunday morning. 1.47am - Nancy's Nest Camera on her front door is disconnected. 2.12am - The devices software detects a person on camera. Nanos said during an initial press conference that an analysis team found that the footage kind of loops right and covers up because there was no subscription link to the camera. 2.28am - Nancys pacemaker, an implanted medical device that regulates a persons heart rate, disconnects from her phone and Apple Watch. Her Apple Watch was later recovered from her home. 11am - A Tucson local who attends church virtually with Nancy notifies her family that she does not turn up to the service, something very out of character. 11.56am - Nancys relatives arrive at her home and discover she is not there. 12.03pm - The Guthrie family calls 911 to report Nancy missing. 12.15pm - Officers with the Pima County Sheriffs Department arrive at her home and determine she is missing under concerning circumstances. During their initial search, law enforcement finds blood on the front door that is later confirmed to be Nancy's. Prima County Sheriff Chris Nanos is one of the leading investigators in the case Investigators expressed concern for 84-year-old Nancy's health after she was taken Monday, February 2 - Authorities declare crime scene and Savannah speaks out Sheriff Nanos and FBI special agent Heith Janke hold a press conference announcing that Nancy's home is a crime scene and they believe that she did not leave on her own. Authorities also offer chilling details on Nancy's health condition, revealing that she needs daily prescription medication to survive. Later that evening, a Tucson news station, KOLD-TV, says it has received a ransom note around 5pm. News Director Jessica Boubula says the letter included demands for $4 million in Bitcoin, with a deadline of February 5. Savannah then breaks her silence, asking for prayers in an Instagram post. 'Thank you for lifting your prayers with ours for our beloved mom, our dearest Nancy, a woman of deep conviction, a good and faithful servant. raise your prayers with us and believe with us that she will be lifted by them in this very moment,' she writes. 'Bring her home,' Savannah concludes. Video footage from a front door Ring Camera was removed, and blood was found when investigators first searched the home Tuesday, February 3 - Ransom notes surface TMZ and local CNN affiliate KGUN also report receiving ransom notes demanding millions in Bitcoin. The notes are handed to the sheriff's office for review. Sheriff Nanos addresses the media later in the day and confirms they received the notes, but doesn't confirm their validity. Donald Trump breaks his silence on the case, telling reporters in the Oval Office that Nancy's disappearance was 'terrible' and a 'very unusual situation.' He adds that he 'always got along good with Savannah' and plans to call her. Police have continued to comb through Nancy's home since she disappeared over a week ago Wednesday, February 4 - Siblings plead with alleged captor Savannah and her siblings, Annie and Camron, share an emotional video on Instagram, pleading with their mother's alleged captor. The Today Show host holds back tears as she thanks the public for the support and describes Nancy as a beloved grandmother and devoted mother. 'Momma, if you're listening, we need you to come home. We miss you,' Annie added. Savannah says Nancy has a weak heart and lives in constant pain. She then issues a message to the alleged kidnapper, asking for proof of life. 'We are ready to listen. Please reach out to us,' Savannah says. A ransom text is sent to Annie and Cioni by a Los Angeles man, Derrick Callella. He is later arrested for sending a fake ransom demand to the couple, prosecutors say. Trump writes on Truth Social that he spoke to Savannah, adding, 'I am directing ALL Federal Law Enforcement to be at the familys and Local Law Enforcements, complete disposal, IMMEDIATELY. 'We are deploying all resources to get her mother home safely.' Thursday, February 5 - Blood droplets confirmed as Nancy's and first ransom deadline passes Sheriff Nanos says that blood droplets found on Nancys front porch come back as a match to her. He also notes that police are no closer to finding a suspect, but still, no one is ruled out. A $50,000 reward is announced by the FBI. The first ransom deadline also passes at 5pm local time. At the same time, Nancys only son, Camron Guthrie, shares a video of himself pleading for those responsible for his mothers disappearance to contact the family. 'Whoever is out there holding our mother, we want to hear from you,' he says. 'We havent heard anything directly. We need you to reach out and we need a way to communicate with you so we can move forward.' Sheriff Nanos confirmed on February 5 that the blood on the front door found by investigators belonged to Nancy Media waiting outside the home on February 9 as the search for Nancy continues Friday, February 6 - Search intensifies and second ransom note revealed A second ransom note is sent to KOLD around 11.45am. It does not contain any further demands or provide any proof of life. The sheriffs department reveals they are aware of a new message regarding Nancy Guthrie and are examining it for its authenticity. KOLD anchor Mary Coleman writes on social media that this note comes from a different IP address than the first. Bobula, the station's director, said the second note doesn't resemble a ransom letter or provide proof of life. 'It seems as if they [the alleged sender] are trying to indicate that only the sender of the previous email would know this detail,' Bobula tells NBC News. KGUN 9 also comes forward, claiming that the outlet and several others were sent a message demanding $6 million in Bitcoin by Monday at 5pm local time, or they would reportedly threaten Nancys life. Authorities do not publicly confirm the validity of any of the ransom letters. Detectives scour the roof of Nancys home and reportedly recover a security camera they previously missed. During the search, they also tow a dark SUV from her garage. Police seize surveillance camera footage from a local gas station. A Circle K spokesperson confirms that they turned over the footage after police received a 'tip' regarding a 'vehicle of interest.' Trump addresses the case to reporters on Air Force One, suggesting that 'a lot of things have happened' in the last few hours. A vehicle was seen being towed from Nancy's residence during a search on February 6 Saturday, February 7 - Second video message and late-night search Savannah and her siblings share a second video message addressing their mother's potential captor. 'We've received your message, and we understand. We beg you now, to return our mother to us,' Savannah pleads while holding her siblings' hands in the clip posted on Instagram. Investigators carry out a late-night search of Annies home. They are seen taking photographs inside the property for several hours until around 10.30pm local time. Authorities do not say what, if any, new evidence has been collected. Drone footage is released showing investigators removing a floodlight from Nancys home amid revelations that a ransom note specifically references the fixture. Missing person billboards are erected across the Southwestern states with Nancys image and description on them. The search intensified, resulting in digital billboards erected across major cities in the Southwest with an FBI tip line Sunday, February 8 - Investigators search septic tank Pima County investigators are spotted using a pole to search the inside of a septic tank located behind Nancys home. Former SWAT team captain Josh Schirard tells the Daily Mail that people tend to forget that wastewater does not go into a city sewer, but instead into the tank. Around 1pm, the Pima County Sheriffs Office posts on X that they have no suspects or persons of interest identified, a week after Nancy was first reported missing. Monday, February 9 - Still no person of interest Water is seen shooting out of a sprinkler at Nancys home as investigators continue the search for her. A security camera is removed from the exterior of Nancy's home. The search continues, as Nancy's heartbroken family carries on their painstaking wait for answers. At 5pm local time, the second ransom deadline passes. The FBI and Pima County Sheriff's Department release separate statements saying that after nine days, they still don't have a suspect or persons of interest in the case. The FBI adds that it is unaware of any continued contact between the Guthrie family and suspected kidnappers. 'Someone has that one piece of information that can help us bring Nancy home,' the FBI says. Savannah posts a solo video on Instagram, thanking her community for prayers during the second week of her 'nightmare.' She says that she and her siblings believe their mom is still out there, and they need help from the public. 'She was taken and we don't know where,' Savannah says about her mom. Tuesday, February 10 - Delivery driver detained as shocking footage is released On the tenth day of the search, the FBI releases shocking surveillance footage earlier the same day showing a masked figure wearing black latex gloves approach Nancy's door. 'As of this morning, law enforcement has uncovered these previously inaccessible new images showing an armed individual appearing to have tampered with the camera at Nancy Guthrie's front door the morning of her disappearance,' FBI director Kash Patel states. Law enforcement initially could not access the footage because of Nancy's Nest Camera subscription. Patel explains that authorities conducted a deep dive into backend systems to recover the surveillance footage. Later on that day, delivery driver Carlos Palazeulos, 36, is detained by the police in connection with the case following a traffic stop in Arizona. Law enforcement conducts a search of his Rio Rico home in Arizona, near the Mexican border. At the same time, local SWAT teams, a bomb squad and the FBI's elite Hostage Rescue Team are deployed to the city. FBI Director Kash Patel said on February 10 that investigators uncovered footage of a masked individual approaching Nancy's home in the early hours of her disappearance The uncovered video footage revealed a masked figure wearing black latex gloves and appearing to tamper with a Nest Camera The individual also had a backpack and was armed with a weapon. Patel said the footage was previously inaccessible when authorities first searched the property The individual is seen tampering with the doorbell camera while wearing a ski mask, a sweatshirt, and long pants. The masked figure ripped the camera from its holder. A gun is seen inside a holster, and the alleged captor seemed to have a penlight in their mouth. Another video revealed the individual attempting to cover the lens with a clenched fist, searching the area around the door, ripping a bunch of flowers from the entranceway and waving them at the camera. Savannah also shares images of the masked figure on her Instagram, writing, 'We believe she is still alive. Bring her home.' Investigators are seen back at Annie Guthrie's home, going door to door asking neighbors and local business owners for any information on Nancy. Patel later tells Fox that there are 'multiple' people being looked at in connection with the investigation without providing further detail. Wednesday, February 11 - Palazeulos is released and TMZ receives a ransom note Palazeulos is released from custody after 1am on Wednesday without any charge. The delivery driver later talks to the press outside his home near Interstate 19, where he protests his innocence. 'They held me against my will, they didn't even read me my rights two hours in,' he says. When asked if he had known who Nancy was, he tells reporters 'no' and that he had been followed by police while out on deliveries. 'They told me to stop moving. What the f*** am I doing here? I didnt do anything to be honest, Im innocent.' Delivery driver Carlos Palazeulos, 36, was detained by the police in connection with the Nancy Guthrie case following a traffic stop in Arizona Palazeulos adds that he had no idea who Savannah was, either, saying he did not watch the news and that officers had not asked him any questions. He continues: 'I hope they find the suspect, cause I'm not it - they better do their job and find the suspect that did it so they can clear my name.' Palazeulos also adds that while he was in custody, police searched his home, where he lives with his wife, children and in-laws. TMZ reported that the outlet had received an email asking for 1 Bitcoin in exchange for the name of Nancy Guthrie's kidnapper, although no details were released. Thursday, February 12 -TMZ receives a follow up to ransom note After 8am PST on Thursday, TMZ claimed to receive a second email from the same person who sent the ransom note the afternoon before. The author disturbingly alleged 'I am not being taken seriously.' Further 'ominous' statements were said to have been made in the email. TMZ claims to be cooperating with law enforcement by not disclosing specifics. A single Bitcoin is currently worth around $65,000. The anonymous email author claimed in the note that they will need money 'to lay low after identifying the kidnapper for fear of retaliation.' They further noted concerned over being 'incriminated like that Carlos guy.' TMZ has not published any of the ransom notes the outlet claims to have received. Friday, February 13 -Arizona sheriff Chris Nanos hits back at claims that department is 'withholding evidence Arizona sheriff Chris Nanos was said to be blocking FBI access to key evidence in the investigation into the abduction of Savannah Guthrie's mother, a source told Reuters on Thursday. The FBI asked Pima County Sheriff head Nanos for physical evidence in the case, including a glove and DNA from the home of 84-year-old Nancy Guthrie, to be processed at the FBI's national crime laboratory in Quantico, Virginia. Sheriff Nanos has insisted instead on using a private lab in Florida. On Friday, he slammed claims that his department was 'withholding evidence' as 'not even close to the truth.' 'Actually, the FBI just wanted to send the one or two they found by the crime scene, closest to it mile, mile and a half...' he continued. 'I said "No, why do that? Lets just send them all to where all the DNA exist, all the profiles and the markers exist." They agreed, makes sense.' The sheriff also argued that the gloves found at the scene by FBI investigators may not be as valuable as initially thought as police found multiple pairs on the side of the road near Nancy's home. 'We dont even know the true value of these gloves,' Nanos said, claiming there was 'quite a number of them.' Saturday, February 14 - SWAT raid on house and traffic stop A SWAT team raided a house two miles from Nancy Guthrie's property in the early hours of Saturday morning. Around the same time, a Range Rover Sport was pulled over by the FBI outside a fast food restaurant in the city. Ultimately, no arrests were made. Sheriff Nanos told The New York Times he feared the search to bring home Nancy may take years. Sunday February 15 - glove breakthrough A glove found two miles from Nancy's house is believed to be one of the ones worn by the figure seen on her doorbell camera. It has been sent to an FBI lab for DNA testing, with results expected soon. Savannah Guthrie issued a fresh plea for information about her missing mother, urging the abductor to do 'the right thing.' Monday February 16 - family cleared as suspects Sheriff Nanos announced all members of Nancy's family had been cleared by his investigators. Earlier in the investigation, Nancy's son-in-law Tommaso Cioni found himself facing online speculation after he and wife Annie - Nancy's daughter - spent her final evening with her before she went missing. Cioni was never named as a suspect and Monday's announcement brings his ordeal to an end. Allies of Keir Starmer admitted he was 'too weak' to sack Wes Streeting despite a Cabinet backlash against him yesterday. The Health Secretary broke ranks on Monday night by releasing his private messages to Peter Mandelson in a bid to distance himself from the disgraced peer. Mr Streeting's allies said the move was a response to claims by leadership rivals that his ambitions would be finished when the messages were eventually revealed as part of a huge data dump of documents relating to Mandelson's appointment as US ambassador. Scotland Yard yesterday warned ministers against releasing their own messages to the peer, claiming it could undermine their investigation into allegations of misconduct in public office. The Cabinet Office also issued instructions that messages should not be exchanged outside of a formal process expected to take weeks or even months. But even allies of the embattled Prime Minister said there was little he could do to bring Mr Streeting into line, having been so wounded in the Mandelson fallout himself. 'I don't think he can sack Wes. I don't think he has the strength to sack anyone right now,' one Starmer ally told the Financial Times. 'He's too weak.' Allies of Keir Starmer admitted he was 'too weak' to sack Wes Streeting, pictured on Tuesday, despite a Cabinet backlash against him yesterday The Health Secretary broke ranks on Monday night by releasing his private messages to Peter Mandelson in a bid to distance himself from the disgraced peer (pictured: Mandy and Starmer pictured in February last year) A member of the Starmer team also said: 'Sacking Wes would just uncork even more political chaos of the kind we're trying to avoid.' Mr Streeting's messages reveal indiscreet exchanges in which he complained the Government has 'no growth strategy at all'. His allies believe the messages will kill off claims that his friendship with Mandelson could prove fatal to his leadership ambitions. 'Starmer's people were running round telling everyone Wes was compromised by the emails,' said one. 'So what's he supposed to do? Just sit back and take it?' One Cabinet source said it was obvious Mr Streeting had jumped the gun by releasing his messages without seeking approval. 'It's classic Wes,' the source said. 'P***es off everyone to survive the day.' Asked if he had reprimanded Mr Streeting, Sir Keir said: 'I do think we all need to ensure we're all acting together in this. All the information needs to be pulled together.' Ed Miliband said yesterday Mr Streeting should 'move on' and rally behind the PM. He told Sky News: 'Move on dot org. Let's just move past all this.' Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham also appeared to offer Mr Streeting a coded rebuke, saying: 'I think this is a moment to pull in the same direction around bolder ambitions.' However, allies of Mr Streeting still expect him to try to depose Sir Keir within weeks, it emerged last night. MPs close to Mr Streeting reportedly said he would need to act immediately after the May local elections to pre-empt a potential challenge from Angela Rayner. 'Nothing has changed,' one MP told The Guardian. 'There was a big performance of unity yesterday but Keir is no safer than he was yesterday.' Allowing mobile phones in schools takes up just as much teacher time as banning them, a new study has found. Research from the University of Birmingham suggests that schools that allow phone usage spend on average 108 hours per week dealing with the fallout. This includes recording incidents related to the phones, as well as providing staff with 'information and training.' Meanwhile, schools which forbid phone use spend slightly less time 102 hours managing this. Teachers at these schools reported having to spend time 'communicating with parents' and 'giving detentions' to pupils who flouted the ban. On Tuesday it prompted campaigners to renew calls to make it illegal to bring smartphones into schools, saying leaving heads to deal with the issue was 'an insane waste of teachers' time'. The research also found restrictive phone policies saved schools some money through the lower time spent managing them with restrictive rules estimated to cost on average 94 per pupil a year less than laxer rules. However, the study also suggested that restrictive school phone policies are not linked to better student mental wellbeing, based on data from Year 8 and Year 10 students. Allowing mobile phones in schools takes up just as much teacher time as banning them (pictured: campaigner Flossie McShea, 17, who wants phones outlawed in schools) Research from the University of Birmingham suggests that schools that allow phone usage spend on average 108 hours per week dealing with the fallout (pictured: Baroness Barran, who brought an amendment to the School's Bill last week which would outlaw phones in schools) The data was taken from teacher surveys from 20 secondary schools 13 with restrictive phone policies, and seven with more permissive policies. It was collected in 2022 and 2023, before the previous Tory Government issued non-statutory guidance advising schools to ban phones. Teaching leaders say that more phone bans have been implemented since then, although without the backing of the law it is often hard to persuade parents to comply. Reacting to the study, Sarah Hannafin, head of policy at school leaders' union NAHT, said: 'Improved student wellbeing is just one potential benefit of banning phones in school. 'While further research on this is clearly needed, most schools now have restrictions on phone use in place and report a range of benefits, from helping pupils to focus on learning to shielding them from inappropriate online content and bullying. 'Effective enforcement activity can be time-consuming, but as parents and pupils' expectations about being able to access their phone in school hours changes, and bans become the norm, we hope the need for such activity will be reduced.' 'Restrictive' policies were those that banned 'recreational use' for the entire school day, while 'permissive' ones were those that permitted recreational use, for example at breaktimes. 'Staff in restricted schools appear to spend less time on monitoring phone-related activities and administration duties, but more time applying behavioural sanctions for breaches of phone policy,' the report noted. Professor Victoria Goodyear, who led the study, said: 'School phone policies, whether permissive or restrictive, are a huge drain on a school to enforce. 'The high proportions of teacher time spent managing phone use or phone related behaviours during the school day is potentially being diverted away from other types of wellbeing promoting activities.' The researchers said more work was needed on the topic and that a blanket ban would not be a 'silver bullet'. Last month, Bridget Phillipson, the Education Secretary, updated non-statutory guidance for schools, saying phones must be banned even at breaktime. On Tuesday, Pete Montgomery, a parent campaigner who has launched a judicial review claim against the Government's decision not to outlaw phones, said: 'This is an out-of-date study. The policies the study looked at are not allowed any more under the latest phone guidance. 'What it does show is that leaving it to schools to manage smartphones is an insane waste of teachers' time. It is time for the Government to finally make a popular decision, and just ban smartphones from schools entirely. Schools that have really banned smartphones say it's transformational. Far fewer parents buy their kids a smartphone in the first place, thanks to less peer pressure. 'We expect to see many more schools "going to brick" in September 2026.' It comes after teenage campaigner Flossie McShea, 17, said she was exposed to phone videos of porn and beheadings while at school. Last week, peers voted through an amendment to the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill to include this law change but this could later be struck out in the Commons. China is producing five times as many submarines as Western allies including Britain and in less than 15 years could be threatening our territorial waters. That chilling warning was provided to MPs yesterday who were told a 'Blue Pole' by 2040 will allow Chinese vessels to occupy the North Sea. China is also well placed to prevent any US attempt to stop its armed forces seizing the independent island of Taiwan, according to experts. Appearing before the Defence Select Committee, Professor Peter Roberts said: 'The rate at which the Chinese are accelerating is shocking. I don't think we've ever seen anything like this, in terms of a state developing a technical capability. 'They started from a really low ebb but they have accelerated and grown at a speed faster than we've seen in submarine warfare before. 'Their ability to push out whole submarines at a rate of three, four, five to one against all of the West every year is pretty shocking.' Nuclear-powered Type 094A Jin-class ballistic missile submarines of the Chinese People's Liberation Army on sea trials in the South China Sea A Royal Navy Vanguard-class submarine returns to port after a voyage of more than 200 days. The green algae builds up when the submarine is still on the sea bed. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer addresses submarines on a visit to BAE Systems in Barrow-in-Furness China is rapidly expanding its submarine fleet, including nuclear-powered and advanced diesel-electric boats, and is on course to replace Russia as the world's second most powerful submarine nation. The country's ability to produce so many submarines so quickly exposes the UK's failure to build replacement submarines. Royal Navy submarines have been spending record lengths of time on secret patrols to compensate for shortages of serviceable boats. Vanguard-class submarines have completed tours lasting more than 200 days, eventually returning to port with their hulls covered in green algae and barnacles. The vegetation develops when submarines are silent and still on the ocean bed. As the Mail has previously revealed, there have been times since 2014 when not a single Royal Navy 'attack' submarine has been available to guard the 'bomber' submarines carrying the UK's nuclear deterrent. Experts have also calculated the strategic moves China needs to make to reduce the US's chances of preventing an invasion of Taiwan. Professor Roberts added: 'China only needs to push back the US 400 nautical miles' to prevent the US providing air cover to Taiwan from its aircraft carriers. Chinese naval expansion has outperformed every Western prediction while Russia is building 'first rate, excellent submarines', according to Professor Roberts. Russia's continued interest in submarines may be due to Vladimir Putin's father having been a submariner. In terms of submarine availability, what was previously an operational crisis for the Royal Navy, has recently become routine. Allies are being required to provide submarines to compensate for the shortage of Astute-class vessels. HMS Ambush, the submarine with the worse service record has been inactive for over 1,200 days. With the Royal Navy at its smallest for centuries, official data released at the end of last year revealed only three of its six Type 45 destroyers and six of its eight Type 23 frigates could be deployed. The combined total of destroyers and frigates stood at 14 ships, a figure not seen since the Victorian era. When he took office last year, First Sea Lord General Sir Gwyn Jenkins ordered senior officers to create a new maintenance recovery plan within 100 days. Last night the Ministry of Defence confirmed it is stepping up its defence of the Arctic and High North from rising Russian threats. As mentioned in the House of Commons last month, numbers of Royal Marines being trained in Norway is doubling to 2,000 over the next three years. Speaking in Norway, Defence Secretary John Healey said: 'Russia poses its greatest threat to the Arctic and High North since the Cold War. We see Vladimir Putin rapidly reestablishing a military presence including reopening bases. 'Thousands of troops will deploy [to the area] as part of NATO exercises Cold Response and Lion Protector. We train together, deter together and, if necessary, fight together.' A 'Blue Pole' is a naval term referring to the melting of the polar icecaps due to global warming. This will create new routes over the Arctic region potentially threatening UK security. A glitzy DC fundraiser for a US Senate candidate set to be co-hosted by a top Democratic mega-donor has been cancelled after the donor's name was found in the Epstein files. The Daily Mail can report that a fundraiser for Dan Osborn, an independent candidate for the US Senate from Nebraska was suddenly scrapped, according to an email from Osborn's campaign sent to the Daily Mail just before 2:30 in the afternoon on Tuesday. Osborn's campaign did not respond to a follow-up email asking whether the fundraiser was cancelled before or after the Daily Mail's inquiry. Dana Chasin, a Rockefeller heir and former policy advisor to Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign, was set to be a headliner for Osborn's Washington, DC fundraiser on Tuesday. Chasin was set to appear alongside former Wisconsin Democrat Congressman Ron Kind, as well as fellow Democrat donors Blake Biles, Laura Sessums, and Mary Pavel who has backed candidates in both parties. The Osborn campaign told the Daily Mail: 'This event has been cancelled. Anyone who hurt kids or engaged in other illegal activity needs to be arrested and prosecuted.' Chasin's name is seen in the Epstein files released by the US Department of Justice last month in what appears to be an email from an attorney that details allegations made by her client about how she came to be an Epstein victim. The victim alleges that she 'knew Dana Chasin, and that is how [redacted] was flown to NYC the first time (where she had sex with Larry Summers). At a later date, [redacted] flew with [redacted] and Dana Chasin somewhere else.' The alleged victim noted that she was 15 at the time and when she and her 12 year-old sister were sent 'down to Florida where they each met [Ghislaine] Maxwell in a hotel room, separately.' A fundraiser invite for US Senate candidate Dan Osborn obtained by the Daily Mail An excerpt of the Epstein Files published by the US Department of Justice which names Chasin Chasin has not been charged with a crime, and the Daily Mail contacted him for comment. Osborn has been campaigning on the release of the Epstein files, noting in an X post this week that 'we need to arrest and prosecute anyone from the Epstein files who hurt kids' 'I don't care if they're Democrats or Republicans or Presbyterians or whatever. Politics be damned. Punish anyone who hurt kids,' Osborn added. The independent candidate, backed predominantly by Democratic donors, has also said that Ghislaine Maxwell should be sent 'back to the maximum security prison where she belongs.' In another recent X thread, Osborn stated that 'prosecuting the monsters who hurt children in the Epstein Files is so important. If we can't even do that, what are we doing as a society?' Osborn added at the time. Osborn received $3,300 in campaign contributions from Chasin directly, according to Federal Election Commission records. The Daily Mail was informed that a donation has already been made by the Osborn campaign to a nonprofit organization in Nebraska whose mission is to end child abuse and trafficking, which is the equivalent of the amount donated by Mr. Chasin. Chasin has contributed over $80,000 to the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) this cycle alone, and maxed out to vulnerable Democrats in House and Senate races across the country in 2024. Osborn is challenging incumbent Republican Senator Pete Ricketts this year. Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor shamelessly pestered Jeffrey Epstein to let him stay in his multi-million-pound homes while the paedophile was on house arrest after being jailed for child sex abuse. The then-Prince repeatedly sent the prolific sex offender gushing emails asking to use the disgraced financier's luxury properties in Paris and New York. He even appeared to approach Epstein for use of his homes on behalf of the former Duchess of York, the embarrassing emails released in the latest tranche of files by the US authorities reveal. The messages show the former Duke of York, who has been stripped of his titles over his links to Epstein, also took advantage of the billionaire's private cars and drivers during his stays. Just six weeks after Epstein was released, after serving a 13-month sentence for soliciting a child for prostitution in 2009, Andrew emailed him out of the blue with the subject heading 'Paris' asking for a free three-night stay. Acknowledging that it has been 'far too long' since they last spoke, Andrew made small talk before writing: 'I have to go to Paris this coming weekend,11h to 14' Sept, and I remember that you have an apartment in Paris and was just wondering if I might be allowed to use it for the weekend? 'This is a private weekend and I am already booked into a hotel but on the off chance that you would allow me to use your apartment it would be great from a number of perspectives.' He then adds: 'If this is either inappropriate or unavailable then I apologise for asking.' Emails suggest Andrew shamelessly pestered convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein to stay in his properties in Paris and New York on multiple occasions. Andrew and Jeffrey Epstein walk together in Central Park on December 5, 2010 Epstein's home in New York, where Andrew stayed during his visit in December 2010. The latest batch of emails show the former Prince wanted begged Epstein to stay there more In the embarrassing for shamed Andrew, he is pictured leering over an unidentified woman in what seems to be Epstein's New York mansion The late sex offender, who was on house arrest at his mansion in Palm Beach, Florida, replied 'of course' before offering the royal use of his car and driver. An effusive Andrew responded saying: 'Dear J, Thank you so very much for your hospitality.' Just months later in November 2009, Andrew emailed Epstein, asking again to use his Parisian apartment the following weekend. 'The reason for my email is not only to wish you a happy Thanksgiving but I have just had notification of a requirement to be in Paris during the weekend of 4th to 6th December. 'Please may I stay in your beautiful apartment again?' he writes. He later wrote to the paedophile to thank him for allowing him to stay at his 'wonderful apartment' in the French capital. It is not known how many times Andrew stayed at the red-panelled property on the exclusive Avenue Foch. The luxury apartment is where Peter Mandelson was pictured in his underwear and also were dozens of clips showing Epstein receiving private dances from young women were recorded. However, there is no suggestion of wrongdoing by the duke at the property. Other emails show his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson also utilised the sex offender's vast property portfolio. In one email, after receiving a message from Epstein about his birthday in February 2010, Andrew responds with yet another request, this time from Ms Ferguson and regarding his 21,000 sq ft New York mansion. Referring to 'S' often used to represent M Ferguson in emails between the men he writes: 'PS. S asks: can she stay in your wonderful home in New York this week?' The then-Prince Andrew also went on to stay at the 40-room, seven-storey property with Epstein for nine days later that year when the pair were famously pictured together in Central Park. Epstein also appears to have arranged accommodation for Ms Ferguson during an earlier trip to New York. Writing on Sept 7, 2009, Epstein copied Ms Ferguson into an email to his staff saying: 'Please organize at least one apt for sarah ferguson, she might need one for staff as well.' Ms Ferguson also appeared to ask for Epstein to put up her goddaughter Laura McGowan, then 22, saying she 'needs a bed in New York' in 2010. In another message later that year, allegedly from the former duchess, reads 'A bed in one of those apartments I stayed in? Just a thought..' Previously unearthed emails also showed Ms Ferguson visited Epstein at his Palm Beach home just five days after he was released from prison taking Beatrice and Eugenie with her. The then-Prince repeatedly sent the prolific sex offender gushing emails asking to use the disgraced financier's luxury properties in Paris and New York. This photo of Peter Mandelson in his underwear with an unidentified woman was taken in Epstien's Paris apartment Mandelson visited the paedophile financier's Paris apartment - and Andrew wanted to stay too The 8,000 sq ft flat enjoys eight bedrooms and 16ft-high ceilings but took years to sell and went for 2million less than expected Last October, the King stripped Andrew of all his remaining titles despite the former Prince vehemently denying wrongdoing- and forced him out of his Windsor home, Royal Lodge. The latest revelations will heap fresh humiliation on Andrew as calls for an investigation into his activities intensify. Buckingham Palace has said it is 'ready to support' police in any investigation related to the former prince while the King issued an unprecedented statement expressing his 'profound concern' at mounting allegations against his brother. It comes as detectives probe claims that Andrew leaked confidential data to Epstein when he was the UK's trade envoy. A distressed millionaire flew to Ireland after a friend spotted his son 'walking the streets in a hot pink fur jacket' with a 'wild look in his eyes.' About 24 hours after the fateful flight to Ireland, the Connecticut financier John McGowan was dead, and his heir son was charged with the killing. Henry, then 30, allegedly killed his dad at the five-star Ballyfin Demesne hotel in Laois, back in November 2024. The son had been battling mental health crises since 2022, when he disappeared from his downtown NYC pad and fled to Europe, the family and sources told The New York Times. Henry was admitted to a psychiatric ward in Paris for a month. After his release, he regained his footing. In 2023, he followed a treatment plan for his bipolar I diagnosis and was destined to make positive changes. All hell broke loose less than a year later, in October 2024, when he seemed to relapse into a manic episode and fled to Europe again. Though he stayed in touch with his family, a friend met up with Henry in London and expressed immense concern for his well-being. They called the McGowans to say that Henry, normally dressed conservatively, was 'roaming the city in a hot pink faux fur jacket and had a wild look in his eyes.' McGowan had reportedly been on a trip around Europe before he made his way to Ireland back in 2024, images show him at what appears to be a ski resort John McGowan, 66, has been a head partner for a brokerage firm that specialized in trading on the New York stock exchange Without hesitation, John booked a flight to Dublin on November 11, the next stop on Henry's voyage. He had planned to corner his son when they connected at the airport, but after Henry's plane landed, he was missing and his phone's location stopped updating. Henry called his sister to say hed thrown away his passport, medication, and phone. He added that he had run over six miles to be admitted to Mater Misericordiae University Hospital because of his 'racing thoughts.' After learning of this, John rushed to the hospital, but staff told them there was no available bed. He booked a luxury hotel for the night and planned to go to the hospital they recommended the next day. In the meantime, medical helicopter doctor Lisa Cunningham was in touch with John and his family to help navigate the Irish medical system, as they were connected by a mutual friend. Cunningham, located about 150 miles away from the two, consulted a nearby hospital about Henry's alarming behavior. They deemed he was in urgent need of admission, and the doctor relayed the information to the McGowans. McGowan was found unresponsive inside the leisure area of the hotel, seen here, and was later pronounced dead It was at the exclusive hotel that his father later joined him after flying to Ireland from New York on Monday evening, after worried staff reported him acting erratically Images taken at parties in the Hamptons show him rubbing shoulders with the likes of award winning architect Ted Flato, seen here second from the left alongside Henry, center His father had jetted across the Atlantic, leaving his $1.9 million home in Canaan, Connecticut, seen here, to help his son The family called John to update him on Cunningham's new plan - but he was not answering the phone. After hours of calling the hotel, police, and John's phone, they had no idea what was happening. The family finally reached the police, and an officer said only that 'there was bad news,' without providing details. One of the family members discovered a local Irish news article at 11.30pm, and it read: 'A man in his 60s has died after he was assaulted in Co Laois.' 'A man, aged in his 30s, was arrested.' One of the McGowan daughters shared the link with Cunningham, texting: 'Henry killed our dad.' Henry is now at a forensic mental hospital outside Dublin, diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder, a condition combining symptoms of bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. John's children remember him as 'warm, down-to-earth, intellectually curious and sometimes goofy.' The father was a bookworm, loved crossword puzzles and sports. In a statement to the Times, the hospital said: 'The Mater Misericordiae University Hospitals priority is to be at the frontier of compassion, concern and clinical care for all our patients and their families.' 'The Mater Hospital cannot comment on individual patient cases for confidentiality reasons.' The Federal Government will continue to allow so-called 'ISIS brides' to return to Australia through their own means in the wake of the Bondi Beach terror attack. Under the current rules, the wives and children of Islamic State members are allowed to return to Australia on their own. However, the government does not provide assistance or conduct repatriation efforts. The policy was confirmed by Environment Minister Murray Watt during a Senate estimates hearing on Tuesday. Opposition home affairs spokesperson Jonathon Duniam branded the policy a 'gross neglect of national security.' 'After the worst terror attack on Australian soil, the last thing the government should be doing is leaving the return of family members of terrorists to Australia up to third parties,' he said. 'This is yet another fail from the Albanese Government, whose secrecy over this dangerous cohort is keeping Australians in the dark. Will we have to wait for another breach in our national security before the government acts on ISIS brides? 'This government must take control of this situation before it's again too late. We cannot afford to be asleep at the wheel on national security.' The wives of IS members are allowed to return to Australia through their own means Liberal Senator Jonathon Duniam said the decision was a 'gross neglect of national security' Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke was briefed by AFP officials last year about a group of ISIS brides who were intending to return to Australia Police allege the two gunmen responsible for the Bondi massacre on December 14 displayed an Islamic State flag on the front windscreen of their car. It is also alleged Naveed Akram and his father Sajid filmed an ISIS-inspired video ahead of the deadly attack, which left 15 people dead and dozens injured. Home Affairs Secretary Stephanie Foster said the government had to abide by its legislative obligations enabling self-managed returns, as it is the 'right of any Australian citizen.' However, the government had a 'fairly robust system' for managing 'Australians of interest' overseas. '(That) contains a number of provisions which allow us, working in collaboration with colleagues, to manage the security implications of anyone who is categorised in that definition,' Ms Foster said. She strongly denied the notion that the Department of Home Affairs had any contact with third parties to provide assistance to ISIS brides. In September, two women and four children linked to Islamic State fighters returned to Australia after getting themselves out of Syria via Lebanon. They had fled the Al-Hol detention centre located in northeast Syria. The group was then issued Australian passports after security and DNA checks, with the department briefed three months earlier that the group intended to return. Ahmed Al Ahmed, who heroically confronted one of the alleged Bondi Beach beach gunmen, has revealed he may never regain feeling in one of his hands. The 43-year-old was shot multiple times during the December 14 attack on Hanukkah celebrations at Bondi, shortly after he disarmed gunman Sajid Akram. Doctors have removed a bullet from his shoulder and repaired nerve damage, though he previously said he may suffer permanent injury and require further surgery. But on Tuesday, the tobacco and gift shop owner revealed that his left hand, which he had not been able to move, had been numb during the latest tests. 'Today I went through a nerve test on my hand, and it confirmed what I feared,' the father-of-two wrote on social media. 'Doctors sent electric shocks through it again and again. Even at 100mA, I felt nothing. That moment was painful, but it did not break me.' Mr Al Ahmed said doctors applied increasingly strong electrical shocks to his hand. 'I remember the days when I saved lives and made a difference. If I had that strength once, I will find it again. This phase is hard, but it is temporary,' he said. Bondi Beach terror attack hero Ahmed Al Ahmed has admitted he felt nothing in his injured hand after going through electric shock tests (pictured) The 43-year-old was shot multiple times during the December 14 attack on Hanukkah celebrations, shortly after he disarmed gunman Sajid Akram (pictured) While a bullet was successfully removed from his shoulder, Mr Al Ahmed (pictured) has previously said he may suffer permanent injury and require further surgery 'Healing takes time, and I am ready to fight for it. I ask everyone reading this to keep me in your prayers. I believe I will heal. I believe I will rise again. I will not give up.' Mr Al Ahmed's recovery has been slow after he suffered sudden swelling in his hand and severe pain while visiting the United States in January. Footage shared by the hero on Instagram showed him lying in a hotel room, his left hand propped up on four pillows to elevate it. 'I was scheduled to attend several meetings, but due to the sudden swelling in my hand and the severe pain, I had to cancel them all,' he wrote at the time. He said he was 'discouraged' when pain medication wore off but remembered that he had protected innocent people and felt hopeful once more. Despite his injuries and becoming an overnight multi-millionaire thanks to a viral GoFundMe campaign, Mr Al Ahmed is set to return to his tobacco shop. The store in Sutherland, south of Sydney, has remained closed since the mass shooting, sparking rumours the Bondi hero was going to sell the business. But Daily Mail revealed on Wednesday that the shop owner has had a change of heart and is planning on reopening the small business as early as this week. Mr Al-Ahmed has become a multi-millionaire due to a viral GoFundMe while he was in hospital (he is pictured with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese) But he is expected to return to work at his tobacco and gift store (pictured) in south Sydney Locals in Sutherland were quick to react to the news. 'It will be great to have him back,' one customer told Daily Mail. 'He is a great guy, and now a hero too and we have missed having him around.' Mr Al Ahmed had been operating his store, which sells gifts and toys, since 2021 with his proud parents describing it as a 'supermarket' during an interview. In the days that followed the terror attack, flowers and cards were placed outside the closed shop thanking him for his bravery. Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass fled from reporters just hours after she was exposed for an alleged cover-up in connection with the Palisades Fire. At a press conference on Tuesday, the mayor announced several anti-ICE measures and promised to address any off-topic questions afterward, according to the New York Post. 'The purpose of this Q & A is about the executive directive; if people do want to ask me political questions, we can just do that afterwards,' said Bass. 'I don't want to hold everyone up here.' However, Bass left the podium before reporters' questions could be answered. 'She's not coming out right now,' Kolby Lee, a strategic communications staffer for Bass, told reporters. 'So, she lied to us?' another reporter responded. Lee awkwardly laughed off that question. He also told reporters that they can email Bass their questions instead. The mayor dodged questions that would likely have focused on the uncovered edits to the Palisades After-Action Fire Report. The mayor dodged questions that would likely have focused on the uncovered edits to the Palisades After-Action Fire Report At a press conference on February 10, where the mayor announced several anti-ICE measures, she also promised to address any off-topic questions afterward, but that was untrue The Post revealed the original 92-page draft, showing that language had been altered to soften the city's response to the devastating fire, and when released, it was 22 pages shorter. The Palisades fire killed 31 people, destroyed 7,000 homes, and caused damage worth $150billion when it tore through the wealthy coastal neighborhood of Pacific Palisades for 24 days straight, beginning in January 2025. The executive summary of the draft states that the report was prepared at the mayors office's behest. Two sources with insider information told the Los Angeles Times that after receiving an early draft of the report, Bass told then-interim Fire Chief Ronnie Villanueva that it could expose the city to legal liability. They said two people close to the mayor informed them how she wanted key findings about the LA Fire Department's response to the massive blaze removed or softened before the report was made public. One of the confidants reportedly told an unidentified source who spoke to the LA Times that 'the mayor didn't tell the truth when she said she had nothing to do with changing the report.' Join the debate Should leaders be held accountable when theyre accused of hiding the truth about disasters? The fire killed a dozen residents, destroyed 7,000 homes and caused damage worth $150billion when it tore through the wealthy coastal neighborhood of Pacific Palisades for 24 days straight, beginning in January 2025 Two sources with insider information told the LA Times that after receiving an early draft of the report, Bass told then-interim Fire Chief Ronnie Villanueva (pictured) that it could expose the city to legal liabilities The source also said that the confidant advised Bass that altering the report was a bad idea because it could hurt her political career. Still, the two confidants told the unidentified source that Bass held onto the original draft of the report until after the changes were made. Both confidants are now prepared to testify under oath to verify their accounts of what happened if there were a legal proceeding, the sources said. Bass has previously denied any involvement in the edits, with a spokesperson for the mayor's office saying in December: 'The report was written and edited by the fire department. We did not red-line review every page or review every draft of the report.' The spokesperson then claimed that the mayor's office asked only that the fire department fact-check any findings regarding the effects of the city's finances and high-wind forecasts on the department's performance in the fire. Bass has previously denied any involvement in making the edits to the report In an interview with the LA Times last month, the Democrat mayor also insisted she did not work with the fire department on the changes, nor did the department consult her about any changes it was making. 'The only thing that I told them to do was I told them to talk to Matt Szabo about the budget and funding, and that was it,' she said, referring to the city's administrative officer. 'That's a technical report,' she added. 'I'm not a firefighter.' In a statement to the Daily Mail, the Los Angeles Fire Department noted that the report was conducted before Chief James Moore was appointed. 'Chief Moore has been clear that he is determined to foster a culture of transparency and accountability,' Public Information Director Stephanie Bishop said. 'He is committed to strengthening the department by taking corrective action wherever appropriate and to ensuring the Los Angeles Fire Department improves its operations and readiness to make Los Angeles a safer city for all Angelenos.' DO YOU HAVE A STORY? Email nicholas.comino@dailymail.com.au Housing Minister Clare O'Neil posted and then quickly deleted a cheeky social media message saying she was about to 'smash' the Liberal Party. On Tuesday morning, O'Neil shared a light-hearted post linking her workout with politics before it soon disappeared from her account. 'Smashed a pilates class, now I am going to smash some Liberals,' she wrote. The now-deleted post didn't take long to fire up critics online, with some Aussies accusing O'Neil of poor judgement and focusing more on politics than policy. 'In what other workplace could you post this and not get a tap on the shoulder?' one said. Another wrote, 'They openly tell us their job is smashing Liberals rather than making the lives of Australians better!' The joke also drew a swift response from Liberal backbencher Cameron Caldwell, who took aim at O'Neil despite his own party being consumed by leadership tensions and poor polling. 'Maybe Clare should focus on smashing the housing crisis,' he said. Housing Minister Clare O'Neil posted and then quickly deleted a cheeky social media message saying she was about to 'smash' the Liberal Party 'And this on a day where the Speaker called for language to be moderate and respectful at all times.' Earlier the same day, House of Representatives Speaker Milton Dick urged MPs to lift standards after a heated Question Time, calling on parliamentarians to 'genuinely reflect on how they engage in proceedings'. 'I want this House to ensure language is moderate and respectful at all times,' he said. Furious Aussies have hit back at a controversial housing plan that could see parts of Melbourne transformed by high-rise apartment towers reaching up to 20 storeys. Caulfield Racecourse is among the areas set to undergo major change, with proposals allowing tall apartment buildings to be constructed around the historic track. The racetrack redevelopment forms part of a broader housing strategy unveiled by the Allan Government on Wednesday, aimed at tackling Victoria's housing shortage. New planning maps outlining so-called 'activity centres' show where higher-density developments could be fast-tracked across 10 Melbourne suburbs. Under the plan, apartment complexes up to six storeys high could be built along residential streets in traditionally blue-chip suburbs including Prahran, Windsor, Armadale and South Yarra. One key redevelopment corridor stretches roughly five kilometres between Malvern and South Yarra stations, running from Glenferrie Road in Malvern through to Punt Road in Windsor. Within this zone, smaller blocks could see height limits rise to four storeys, while larger sites may be permitted developments up to six storeys. Commercial areas in several inner-city suburbs are also earmarked for change, but critics fear developers could increasingly target quieter residential streets as planning rules make taller apartment projects easier to approve. The blue skies above Caulfield station could be replaced with towering structures A development map shows the extent of the high-rise zones in Caulfield The new zoning would replace existing two- or three-storey limits that currently protect Prahran, Windsor, Armadale and South Yarra. However, the Allan Government plan would open the floodgates for buildings as high as 16 storeys to be built at transport and shopping hubs. This will include leafy inner-eastern suburb of Malvern. Caulfield has the highest limits among the 10 new activity centre plans, with 20-storey buildings to be permitted near Caulfield Racecourse and Monash University. Glen Huntly, Mitcham and Noble Park will see 12-storey buildings erected close to stations, while in Springvale the maximum height will rise to 16 storeys. Those suburbs will have fewer four- and six-storey developments due to having fewer transport options compared with their inner-city counterparts. Planning Minister Sonya Kilkenny said the 'tram and train zone' activity centres were about giving more Victorians the opportunity to live close to public transport and their loved ones. 'Whether it's making it easier to build homes close to public transport, townhouses in our inner suburbs, or family homes with a backyard, our planning reforms are all about giving more Victorians real housing choice,' Kilkenny said. Planning Minister Sonya Kilkenny (above) said the 'tram and train zone' activity centres were about giving more Victorians the opportunity to live close to public transport and their loved ones Malvern will be swamped with 16-storey buildings The new zoning (above) would replace the existing two or three storey limits currently protecting Prahran Kilkenny also accused political opponents of attempting to stop the plan, claiming they 'oppose more homes near transport, jobs and services'. Opposition Leader Jess Wilson accused Premier Jacinta Allan of 'abandoning' her housing targets while leaving Victorians with 'no voice and no choice' regarding the future of their neighbourhoods. 'Whilst Labor's burdensome property taxes and red tape remain, the construction of new and affordable homes will continue to stall in Victoria,' Wilson said. The plan to flood Melbourne with high-rises is a touchy subject which has sparked anger among locals in various suburbs including Brighton, Glenferrie and Hughesdale. Some rubbished the consultation processes as 'performative' and accused the government of trying to 'ruin the whole landscape' in their neighbourhoods. The government responded by saying the suburbs chosen for the new high-rises were perfect because 'they were along train lines destined for more services'. Over more than four decades of covering the nation's most troubling abduction cases, the suspected kidnap of Nancy Guthrie is unlike anything renowned talk show host Dr Phil McGraw has ever seen. 'There's something wrong here. This doesn't fit the pattern,' he told the Daily Mail in an exclusive interview. On Tuesday, chilling footage of an armed, masked figure tampering with a camera on Nancy Guthrie's Tucson, Arizona, doorstep emerged, marking a major evidentiary breakthrough in the ten-day search for the 84-year-old mother of Today show host Savannah Guthrie. 'This is one of the most unusual situations that I've ever seen,' Dr Phil said, raising concern over the apparent lack of communication between the possible abductors and the Guthrie family. 'Unless you're dealing with gross rank amateurs, their number one plan is to get to their money as quickly as they can, yet from everything that I can tell here there's not an active dialogue going on,' continued Dr Phil, who has both worked with law enforcement on numerous abduction cases. Indeed, over nearly two weeks, Savannah Guthrie and her siblings have pleaded with their mother's suspected captor to engage with her family and offered to pay a ransom. But beyond an unverified ransom note, there has been no known back-and-forth. Dr Phil finds the lack of dialogue troubling, for in his experience observing FBI and law enforcement kidnapping probes as part of his media career, criminals seek to release their captives as quickly as possible. 'The longer the perpetrator has the individual they've abducted, their risk goes up dramatically,' he added. 'They want a quick resolution; they want a quick payday.' Over more than four decades of covering the nation's most troubling abduction cases, the suspected kidnapped of Nancy Guthrie is unlike anything renowned talk show host Dr Phil McGraw has ever seen (Pictured: Dr Phil and Savannah Guthrie in 2017) Over nearly two weeks, Savannah Guthrie and her siblings have pleaded with their mother's suspected captor to engage with her family On Tuesday, chilling footage of an armed, masked figure tampering with a camera on Nancy Guthrie's Tucson, Arizona, doorstep emerged This apparent departure from the norm raises two distinct and unnerving possibilities for the veteran newsman and host. 'Number one is these are just incompetent amateurs and they've panicked and moved on, or, number two, they don't have anything to bargain with,' he worried. Now, according to Dr Phil, the best strategy for the Guthrie family is to avoid confrontation and ultimatums and turn their dealings with the abductors into a professional arrangement of sorts. 'The smartest thing that people can do to get resolution is to take the emotional energy out of the situation and make it a business transaction,' he said. 'The family says: you have what we want, we have what you want, and let's get this done.' In this way, Dr Phil believes Savannah and her siblings are doing everything right, while communicating through the media. 'I think Savannah and her family have done exactly what they could have, should have, and needed to do. How else are you going to talk to these people?' he asked. 'My advice is to continue exactly what they've being doing,' he added, remarking that the Guthrie family's pleas have been directed as much toward the kidnappers, as others who may have some knowledge of these events. 'These kidnappers don't live in a vacuum. They've either dropped out of their ordinary lives, so somebody knows they're missing, or they're part of a community where Nancy is being held. Somebody knows what's going on here,' he said. It's also no surprise to Dr Phil that the Guthries offered to pay a ransom for their mother's return. Submission to demands is not rare, he says. Families typically capitulate to requests, as they prioritize peaceful resolution over the capture of criminals. 'It's astounding,' said Dr Phil, 'the majority of these [kidnaping cases] are never reported, because one of the first things that happens is that families are told not to contact law enforcement. And for fear for the safety of their loved ones they don't or it's very discreet.' Indeed, this case is personal for Dr Phil. During his long media career, he's frequently crossed paths with Savannah Guthrie, whom he deeply admires. 'I've talked to her on camera, I've talked to her off-camera, I've talked to her when we weren't getting ready to go on camera and there aren't two Savannah Guthries,' he said. 'Savannah Guthrie is as successful as she is because she is so genuine, so relatable, so authentic.' That personal connect, perhaps, makes this case more difficult for Dr Phil to observe and his heartbreak for the Guthrie's is clear. 'I was very close my mom as I know Savannah is with hers,' he concluded. 'The mental picture of your mother's somewhere, either in danger, or if she is deceased, being dishonored, disrespected, discarded in some way is a horrible reality to have to entertain.' 'Yet, it's impossible to escape those realities, and I think that is a painful consideration to the entire family and I absolutely hate that. They don't deserve this, it's not right, it's not fair. It's absolutely devastating.' A Sydney-based chef has been killed in a horror motorcycle accident while holidaying in Bali. Davide Vulpis was travelling with friends and enjoying life on the Indonesian island when tragedy struck earlier this week. Originally from Terlizzi in Italy, he had been living in Sydney for at least a year, where he worked at Cibaria, a popular Italian restaurant at the Manly Pacific Hotel on the northern beaches. Mr Vulpis previously worked in Ibiza as a head chef at Aparthotel Playasol Mogambo, and as a private caterer. His most recent Instagram post showed Mr Vulpis putting the finishing touches on a steak dish and inspecting seafood in the Cibaria kitchen. 'Chef life,' he captioned the photos. Other recent posts showed Mr Vulpis enjoying Circular Quay's iconic landmarks and holidaying in Thailand. His heartbroken family set up a fundraiser to assist with cremation, legal and administrative expenses, and transporting his ashes back to Italy. Davide Vulpis was killed in a motorcycle crash while holiday in Bali He worked as a chef at Cibaria, a popular Italian restaurant at the Manly Pacific Hotel 'He was travelling with a group of friends, enjoying life and making memories, when a sudden and devastating crash took his life,' his brother Christian wrote. 'Our family is heartbroken and still trying to process this unimaginable loss. 'Bringing him home is incredibly important to us. We want to give him the dignity, love, and farewell he deserves, surrounded by the people who love him most. 'Any contribution, no matter the amount, will help ease the financial pressure during this painful time.' The fundraiser has since been paused after reaching its $12,000 goal within hours. 'I honestly don't have the words to thank every single one of you for the love, support, and generosity you've shown me and my family,' Christian wrote. 'What you've done means more than you can imagine, and we will be forever grateful. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts. Sending love and a big hug to you all.' Mr Vulpis's death has sparked an outpouring of tributes from shattered friends. A recent social media post showed the devoted chef inspecting steak Davide previously worked as head chef and private caterer in Ibiza The much-loved chef had been living and working in Sydney for at least a year 'As teachers, we're prepared to let our students go when they graduate or move on to something better, but never like this, in the blink of an eye,' one woman wrote. 'I'll miss your beautiful energy every day, your travel stories, your insightful questions, and the 10 cups of coffee you drank in class.' Another wrote: 'You walked through our lives with a presence that left a mark, discreet but powerful, silent but full of love. 'You have been a wonderful uncle to our children, a soul brother to my husband, and a sincere partner in crime to me. 'Our best man on the most beautiful day, and our support in the most difficult ones. We'll miss everything about you - your smile, your words, and the silences that spoke.' Mr Vulpis's death comes weeks after an Australian man was killed in a horror scooter crash in Bali. Bryce Alexander Black, 33, from the NSW Central Coast, was riding a scooter in North Kuta when he crashed head-on with a car on December 28. His partner, Samantha Baillie, also 33, suffered critical injuries. A controversial mandarin dubbed the 'Queen of Woke' is being lined up to become Britain's top civil servant. Dame Antonia Romeo is expected to become the first female Cabinet Secretary in another last-ditch attempt by Sir Keir Starmer to salvage his premiership. She would be replacing Sir Chris Wormald, who beat her to the top job in Whitehall just over a year ago, but is now set to be pushed out by the Prime Minister for not delivering on proposed reforms. Amid the upheaval in Downing Street, National Security Adviser Jonathan Powell remains in post despite being blamed for many of Sir Keir's least popular policies, including the Chagos Islands surrender deal and his kowtowing to China. Dame Antonia's appointment will mean more turmoil after Sir Keir lost his chief of staff Morgan McSweeney and director of communications Tim Allan this week. It will also lead to a bumper payoff estimated at 250,000 for Sir Chris, who already has a taxpayer-funded pension worth 2.5million to look forward to when he retires, despite becoming the shortest-serving Cabinet Secretary in the 100-year history of the role. Last night, John O'Connell, chief executive of the TaxPayers' Alliance, said: 'Chopping and changing at the top of the Civil Service will do no good for taxpayers unless they bring in someone who really cares about results. Too many senior mandarins care more about what's best for the Civil Service, not what's best for the country.' Currently Permanent Secretary at the Home Office, 51-year-old Dame Antonia is thought to have impressed Sir Keir by her handling of the small boats crisis and, like him, is a diehard Arsenal fan. Dame Antonia Romeo is expected to become the first female Cabinet Secretary Dame Romero has been dubbed the 'Queen of Woke' for her love of progressive causes. Here she is pictured with Ab Fab star Joanna Lumley in New York, July 2016 Sir Chris Wormald is set to be ousted as Cabinet Secretary for not delivering on reforms However, she has also been nicknamed the 'Queen of Woke' for her love of progressive causes. She previously served as the 'civil service gender inclusion champion', claimed that diversity and inclusion is 'absolutely crucial' for Whitehall and written of her delight that one of her former departments had been highly rated by Stonewall 'because of our effort to become more inclusive for trans staff'. A decade ago, as Her Majesty's consul general in New York, she raised eyebrows for using her official residence to host glitzy parties for the likes of legendary Vogue editor Anna Wintour and for posting photos of herself with celebrities on social media. During her time in the US she was also accused of 'terrorising' staff who had criticised her lavish spending. The Mail on Sunday told how she was investigated for bullying by the Cabinet Office, but later cleared, after concerns were raised about the cost of her flights back to the UK and extravagances such as sending flowers to high-profile friends. The Government declined to comment on 'speculation' about the rumoured job change. Liberal Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price accused Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young of 'whitesplaining' during a heated exchange at Senate Estimates as debate erupted over an ABC Australia Day programme. The clash unfolded on Tuesday as Senator Price questioned ABC managing director Hugh Marks about the broadcaster's decision to air Always Was Tonight, a special hosted by former AFL player Tony Armstrong. Tensions escalated when Hanson-Young attempted to interject during Price's questioning. 'It's called satire,' Hanson-Young said about the programme, interrupting. Price fired back: 'How about you stand by your principles and stop whitesplaining.' Hanson-Young responded that she would not 'sit back and let the ABC be attacked,' accusing Price of using the hearing for political gain. 'It's an audition for Angus Taylor's front bench,' Hanson-Young muttered. Price then turned her attention to the ABC, accusing the national broadcaster of encouraging racism and applying editorial standards inconsistently. Jacinta Nampijinpa Price (pictured) questioned ABC officials over 'Always Was Tonight' Price accused Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young (pictured) of 'whitesplaining' to her Her questioning focused on jokes featured in the programme's mock news ticker, including lines such as: 'Dispossession: the only true crime white people don't love investigating.' 'Government announces people with white saviour complex now eligible for NDIS.' 'All white Australians officially declared bankrupt over incalculable debt to mob.' Price demanded to know why such content was aired on a taxpayer-funded broadcaster. 'Why is the ABC encouraging racism?' she asked. 'Can you please tell me how that is supposedly satire?' Marks defended the programme, saying satire was designed to provoke discussion. 'It's a satirical comedy programme. We may not like the comedy, but that is the point of comedy. It is designed to raise serious questions and be confronting,' he said, adding the show made an 'important contribution' to debate. Always Was Tonight was a one-off satirical news special starring Tony Armstrong (pictured) ABC Managing Director Hugh Marks (pictured) defended the Always Was Tonight broadcast Price rejected the explanation, arguing the programme crossed into denigration rather than satire, pointing to Armstrong's closing monologue telling viewers to feel sad and urging them not to 'be a dog'. 'You would not allow a white comedian to say these things about Black people, and you know you wouldn't,' Price said, accusing the ABC of double standards. She also said the programme's tone contributed to the abuse she faces publicly. 'Your satire encourages people to call me a sell-out, a coconut, a Jackie Jackie, an Uncle Tom,' she said. 'It encourages racial vilification in a divided nation.' Price further criticised a segment in which Armstrong referenced debate among historians over whether smallpox may have been deliberately introduced during early colonisation. Marks again defended the broadcast, saying such claims were presented in a satirical and hypothetical context rather than as factual assertions. The controversy over Always Was Tonight briefly sparked complaints from opposition MPs, but the ABC Ombudsman later ruled the satirical programme did not breach editorial standards. It stated its satirical intent was clear and consistent with the broadcaster's role in presenting diverse viewpoints. Nationals Senator Bridget McKenzie has called for police to prosecute former Australian of the Year Grace Tame. Her comments come after Tame faced criticism for leading chants of 'globalise the intifada' at a protest against the visit of Israeli President Isaac Herzog. 'She should be prosecuted...' McKenzie told Sunrise on Wednesday. 'President Herzog's visit should be a time of healing in the wake of the Bondi attack and what we've seen on our streets, unfortunately, is reinforcing that global perspective that our country is not safe for Jewish people,' she said. McKenzie reiterated her stance in a comment to Daily Mail, saying Grace Tame should be prosecuted but should retain her Australian of the Year award. 'Ms Tame was awarded Australian of the Year for her bravery in sharing her personal story of sexual abuse and bringing attention to important public taboos. That hasn't changed, so I don't support taking that award away from her,' she told Daily Mail. 'But being a leader as she is means being very careful with what you say and do. Grace's hateful comments are deeply offensive.' Jewish Liberal MP Julian Leeser threw his support behind similar calls on Wednesday, urging NSW authorities to investigate whether Tame breached state hatespeech laws over her chant. Grace Tame has faced criticism for leading chants of 'globalise the intifada' at a protest against the visit of Israeli President Isaac Herzog (pictured) Bridget McKenzie (right) called on police to investigate Grace Tame's protest comments Housing Minister Clare O'Neil declined to back any move to remove Tame's award, and instead highlighted her significant contribution to protecting survivors of child sexual abuse. 'We just remember that every single child in our country is safer today because of her willingness to talk about traumatic incidents of sexual abuse, events that occurred in her childhood,' she told the Sunrise panel. 'That has got to be a part of the discussion here.' However, she also condemned the language Tame used at the rally, saying references to an 'intifada' were deeply distressing to Jewish Australians. 'I also feel very strongly that no Australian today should be on our streets using words like "globalise the intifada",' O'Neil said. 'We need to put ourselves in the shoes of Jewish Australians and understand that those words are heard by this community as saying that violence against Jews should be encouraged, and that is not the right thing to say today or any day in our country.' She said Jewish Australians 'have just been subjected to the worst terrorist attack in Australian history' and called for calm. 'We do not want to see global conflicts brought to our streets here in Australia. We are a peaceful, harmonious community and we need to act like it,' she said. Tame is seen accepting her Australia of the Year award in January 2021 In an interview with Sky News, NSW Council for Civil Liberties president Timothy Roberts said the comments could have been in violation of federal vilification laws, but they did not pass Parliament. 'There are some really weak, blurry laws on the state books,' he said. 'I don't think she will be charged.' Former Australian of the Year Grace Tame wants to stand on a balcony in Sydney and lead a crowd chanting 'globalise the intifada', before retreating and claiming 'I'm not the story'. But she is the story, because she chose the words she did, undercutting the Palestinian cause as a consequence. This wasn't said in a vacuum. Her comments were delivered as Israeli President Isaac Herzog was in Australia, meeting families and survivors and paying respects connected to the Bondi attack. And the remarks were said at a rally which turned ugly, by the way, with police and protesters clashing in scenes that made the evening news. Imagine if the chant wasn't led by a former Australian of the Year whose public brand has long been wrapped in sanctimony. Imagine if it was led by a hardline Islamist preacher instead, at a rally that ended in scuffles and arrests, just weeks after the worst mass-casualty attack in the country's history had shaken Sydney. The condemnation would be instant and unanimous. The Prime Minister wouldn't be issuing vague calls for everyone to calm down while carefully avoiding the name of the person who helped light the fuse. The media would be flooded with demands for deportations, prosecutions, intelligence briefings, and emergency cabinet meetings. And not just from the political right. Yet when the face at the microphone is Tame's, the rules bend. At least in Albo's world. He wouldn't even condemn her when asked directly to do so in Question Time yesterday. NSW Premier Chris Minns called the chant 'distressing', showing far more spine than Albo could muster. Others condemned it outright. Not our PM. Grace Tame with Greens senator Mehreen Faruqi at the protest in Sydney on Monday night What if Islamic preacher Wissam Haddad - ordered to remove 'fundamentally racist and antisemitic material' from social media by a Federal Court judge - had said similar to Tame? But Tame exists in a protected category of Australian public life Why the hesitation? Because Tame exists inside a protected category of Australian public life: the celebrity activist class whose politics are assumed virtuous by default, whose excesses are explained away as passion, and whose provocations are treated as brave rather than reckless. There is nothing to smile about, although some on the activist left would no doubt smirk at their preferential treatment. There is also the unmistakeable undertone of personal and political discomfort when it comes to Albo's timidity around Tame. He has previously sought proximity to figures like her when it suited him. The trouble with elevating activists as moral ornaments is that they don't stay ornamental. They keep moving. The causes harden, the rhetoric escalates and sooner or later they turn their fire on the politicians who once basked in their glow. So the PM goes quiet to try and avoid that. Not because the chant was harmless, but because confronting it risks blowback. And that timidity tells Australians something unflattering about his government's moral posture: it is selective and shaped by who is speaking rather than what is being said. Tame says she's not the story. She's wrong. When you globalise anything, especially an intifada, you own the consequences of the invitation you put out there. Globalise the intifada isn't a neutral slogan. It's a phrase freighted with menace, interpreted by many as a call to spread violent struggle well beyond the Middle East. Its history includes the deliberate targeting of innocent civilians, yet Tame utters the words before sanctimoniously claiming that she's standing up for innocent civilians killed in the conflict in Gaza. The hypocrisy is astounding. The menace in the phrase is precisely why governments are weighing whether it should be outlawed when used to incite hatred or intimidation. Albo has previously sought proximity to figures like Grace Tame when it suited him - and he knows it Tame can insist she meant something more abstract, more moral, more righteous. Not withstanding the hypocrisy, she probably, hopefully, did. But public language is judged by its effect as much as its intent. When you pick a slogan with a dark history and a predictably explosive reading, you don't get to plead surprise when people take it the way they have always taken it. A top criminal barrister and charity founder who took his own life after he was accused of being a paedophile told friends of his goal to have sex with '100 virgins'. Mark Dennis SC, 60, was arrested on January 20 when he was intercepted by Australian Border Force officers after stepping off a flight from Cambodia at Sydney Airport. Officers went through his electronic devices and allegedly found child abuse material and sexualised conversations with and about minors, including one disturbing chat where he detailed his desire to rape a 16-year-old. Dennis, who used the moniker 'Dark Menace' for his online profiles and professional email address, was granted bail the following day and was due to face the Downing Centre Local Court on February 12. However, on Monday evening police found his body at his home in Leichhardt, in Sydney's inner west, after he had taken his own life. He had not entered a plea to his criminal charge which is expected to be withdrawn at the next court date. Now the Daily Mail can reveal that, as far back as a decade ago, Dennis told friends that he had a goal of having sex with 100 virgins before he died. Dennis presented a very different side of himself to legal associates: he was known as a well-regarded lawyer who ran a yearly professional development conference and a charity for young people in Cambodia. Mark Dennis SC is pictured with a five-year-old Cambodian boy during one of his first trips to South East Asia in 2007 Mark Dennis SC (left) was found dead inside his home less than three weeks after he faced court and was granted bail. Dennis called himself 'Dark Menace' - including in his professional email address - as a play on his name In 2022, Dennis was given a platform in the NSW Bar Association legal journal to speak about starting his foundation for young people, Reasonable Causes, after a visit to Cambodia in 2006. He said he managed to juggle his charity work with his responsibilities as a barrister 'with difficulty', and added: 'I burn the candle at both ends, but it's a lot of fun.' Dennis told the journal his 'philanthropy' was 'like a form of adrenaline' that gave him an immense feeling of satisfaction. 'You cant change the world, or even a country but you can take a handful of individual lives and change those lives,' he said. 'And the feeling when you do, its pretty incredible.' He travelled to Cambodia twice a year from 2006, telling the journal: 'I hadn't really been a philanthropist up until then, but I was at the point in my life where it was time to start.' Disturbingly, he would have had unfettered access to young children in orphanages and care facilities during his charity work in South East Asia. In the journal interview, he spoke of a 'rock star' five-year-old boy who was living at an out-of-home care facility in the nation's capital Phnom Penh when Dennis was on one of his first trips to Cambodia in 2007. Dennis told the journal he kept in contact with the boy and eventually offered him a scholarship to study at university through his charity. Mark Dennis SC is pictured at an NRL game with mates in October, just months before he was arrested and accused of possessing child abuse material Mark Dennis SC is pictured, right, leaving bail court in January His goal for 2023 was to set up a vocational program for young women. When his matter appeared before Bail Court in January, prosecutor Jon Kisch said Dennis had chats with at least two people that allegedly revealed a sexual interest in children. Mr Kisch also said the conversations showed a 'willingness to subvert' consent laws. 'There's a description of potentially a desire to rape a 16-year-old I appreciate that's as far as it goes, but certainly very disturbing chats,' he told the court. According to the Australian Charities and Not-for-Profits Commission, Reasonable Causes operated out of Cambodia, worked to improve the lives of locals from age six to 24, and partnered with a range of local children's charities. Reasonable Causes made about $AUD242,000 per year, comprising about $108,000 in donations alone. The Cambodia Children's Fund was one of the partner organisations that took funding from Reasonable Causes. CEO Scott Neeson told the Daily Mail financial assistance from the organisation has now been rejected. Mark Dennis SC (pictured) was intercepted by Australian Border Force officers as he returned from a trip to Cambodia He said Dennis once visited their site in Phnom Penh, but never left the side of staff on site. 'He was very firm and business-like,' Mr Neeson recalled. The Daily Mail previously revealed Dennis was known to boast to colleagues about his philanthropic work with orphanages in Cambodia, saying he was helping install bathrooms and various facilities. Dennis had been practising out of the prestigious Forbes Chambers, Sydney's top criminal law chambers, until his arrest. His lawyer Michael Burke told Sydney's Bail Court in January that his client would stop practising law immediately. Dennis's name and profile were then scrubbed from the Forbes Chambers website. The now-deleted profile included information about Dennis's charity work in Cambodia. 'Mark was the Chairman of the Australia Cambodia Foundation from 2018 to 2020,' it originally read. Mark Dennis SC was arrested at Sydney Airport on Tuesday. He is pictured outside Bail Court in January, carrying his possessions 'This charity assists disadvantaged Cambodian children with a particular emphasis on alleviating educational disadvantage. 'From 2003 to 2012 Mark was a member of the Management Committee of the Immigration and Rights Advice Centre, a community legal centre that assists disadvantaged immigrants including refugees.' Australian Border Force officials intercepted Dennis at the airport and searched his luggage following 'intelligence led screening'. 'The matter was reported to the AFP for further investigation,' the Australian Federal Police said in a statement on Wednesday. 'AFP members attended and on further examination of the device, identified alleged child abuse material and sexualised conversations with and about minors.' He was arrested attempting to leave the country A young French tourist accused of posing as a Good Samaritan before allegedly raping a woman in a Melbourne alleyway is making a bold bid for freedom. Uber driver Adam Berguiga, 22, appeared in the Melbourne Magistrates' Court on Wednesday after being extradited from Sydney soon after the alleged New Year's Day attack. Berguiga hopes to be released on bail despite allegations he tried to flee the country after Victorian detectives executed a search warrant on his St Kilda share house. In opposing bail, Detective Leading Senior Constable Diane Jeffries provided the court with a chilling account of what police allege happened that night. The alleged incident unfolded in the early hours of New Year's Day in Melbourne's CBD, leaving his 33-year-old alleged victim traumatised, battered and bruised. The court heard Berguiga was in Australia on a working holiday visa when he allegedly turned a night out at Billboard nightclub into a nightmare for the partygoer. Arriving in Australia just six months earlier, the backpacker - whose visa expires in June - had been crashing on a couch in a St Kilda share house. CCTV footage described in a police remand summary allegedly revealed the Frenchman's disturbing deception. Adam Berguiga, 22, after his arrest on alleged rape allegations The alleged victim, who admitted being heavily intoxicated at the time, had attended Billboard with mates just before 2am. At 4.10am, Berguiga allegedly spotted her perched unsteadily on a stool near the dancefloor after she became separated from her friends. The court heard he allegedly began kissing her aggressively and groped under her dress before she fell to the floor. Yet, in a move that prosecutors say masked his sinister intentions, he helped lift her back up, steadying her as concerned onlookers watched on. 'He assisted her by holding her up,' Leading Senior Constable Jeffries said. CCTV footage allegedly showed Berguiga escort the woman into the women's toilets and then into the men's, before security intervened and ejected them both from the venue at 4.23am. Outside on Russell Street, with his arm firmly around her shoulders, Berguiga allegedly physically supported the wobbling woman as they staggered onto Little Bourke Street and then turned left into dimly lit Corrs Lane. The Melbourne laneway where Adam Berguiga allegedly raped his drunk victim In a secluded alcove outside Melbourne Praise Church, footage allegedly showed him waiting for people to pass by before unzipping his pants and forcing himself on the woman. The court heard Berguiga repeatedly raped his victim for four minutes, allegedly thrusting so violently that her head repeatedly banged against the wall. The alleged victim later told police she had been unable to stand or speak properly and tried desperately to use her phone for help while her legs flailed limply, the court heard. She remembered the Frenchman allegedly choking her and asking if she was 'good' during the assault, her body lifeless and non-responsive as he allegedly violated her, the court was told. After the alleged 32-minute ordeal in the laneway was over, the court was told Berguiga adjusted his victim's clothes before setting her down in another alcove on Little Bourke Street. The court heard he waved goodbye as he walked off towards Russell Street, leaving her semi-comatose and alone. Reorienting herself, the court heard the woman stumbled back to Billboard where she tearfully confided in a friend: 'I was assaulted.' Security was alerted and the woman attended Melbourne East Police Station with a friend and the club manager. Adam Berguiga, 22, is accused of going on the run after police came knocking Police released an image they claimed to be Adam Berguiga after he went missing Forensic examinations revealed bruising on her shoulder and legs, and internal injuries. DNA testing is underway, with Berguiga providing a sample to police. The Frenchman, identified via his ID at the club, faces serious charges including rape, with additional unlicensed driving offences from his movements that night. The court previously heard Berguiga could not speak a word of English and had never been behind bars before, despite facing minor drug charges in France. Police had issued an arrest warrant for Berguiga three days after the alleged assault. CCTV footage and composite images were released in the hope someone might recognise the suspect. Berguiga was quickly recognised by authorities as he allegedly tried to leave the country. He was arrested shortly after at Sydney's international airport terminal and brought back to Victoria to face justice. The magistrate reserved her decision. At least ten people have died after a suspected female shooter opened fire on a high school and private residence, before turning the gun on themselves. Six people were killed and 25 injured at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School in British Columbia on Tuesday afternoon in the second-deadliest school shooting in Canadian history. An additional victim died on the way to the hospital. Two more people were found dead at a nearby home believed to be connected to the deadly attack. The shooter was pronounced dead at the scene. Police believe the individual died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. The condition of those injured remains unknown. The attacker has not yet been named and a motive remains unclear. An emergency alert described the shooter as a 'female in a dress with brown hair'. Royal Canadian Mounted Police has not confirmed if the suspect found dead at the school is the same person described in the alert. Details about the victims, including their ages, are being withheld pending family notification, police said, citing privacy laws. Children were led out of the school following the shooting in British Columbia on Tuesday At least ten people were killed and dozens more injured at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School An emergency alert was issued to residents around 1.20pm local time Tuesday, warning of an active shooter in the area. An urgent lockdown alarm sounded in the hallways shortly after 1.30pm, instructing students and staff to barricade the doors. Darian Quist, a grade 12 student, told CBC News that he and his classmates were locked down for more than two hours. A video showed students walking out of the school with their hands raised as police vehicles surrounded the building and a helicopter circled overhead. Tumbler Ridge, a picturesque mountain valley town in the foothills of the Rockies about 736 miles north of Vancouver, has a population of 2,400. It is described as an 'incredibly safe community' by town councillors. The remote community is known for its lakes, rivers, waterfalls and hiking trails. The area earned UNESCO Global Geopark status for its hundreds of dinosaur tracks and fossils. The secondary school, which enrolls 175 students, and its elementary school, will be closed for the rest of the week. Your browser does not support iframes. Six people were killed at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School in British Columbia on Tuesday afternoon in the second deadliest school shooting in Canadian history. An additional victim died on the way to the hospital Twenty-five others were injured in the Tuesday massacre at the small, rural high school An emergency alert was issued to Tumbler Ridge residents around 1.20pm local time Tuesday, warning of an active shooter in the area British Columbia Premier David Eby told reporters that police officers arrived at the school within two minutes. RCMP Superintendent Ken Floyd added that investigators had identified a suspect but would not release a name, and that the shooter's motive remained unclear. He added that police were still investigating the connection between the shooter and the victims. Tumbler Ridge Mayor Darryl Krakowka said the whole community is grieving. 'I broke down,' he said, saying it was 'devastating' to learn how many had died in the community of 2,700, which he called a 'big family'. 'I have lived here for 18 years,' Krakowka said. 'I probably know every one of the victims.' Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said in a social media post that he was devastated by the shooting. 'I join Canadians in grieving with those whose lives have been changed irreversibly today, and in gratitude for the courage and selflessness of the first responders who risked their lives to protect their fellow citizens,' he wrote. David Eby, the Premier of British Columbia, was alongside Solicitor General Nina Krieger during a news conference after the tragedy Carney's office said he is suspending a planned trip to Halifax, Nova Scotia and Munich, Germany. He was set to announce a long-awaited defense industrial strategy in Halifax on Wednesday before heading to Europe for the Munich Security Conference. Eby, the province's premier, told reporters he had spoken to the prime minister after what he called the 'unimaginable tragedy'. 'I know it's causing us all to hug our kids a little bit tighter tonight,' he said. 'I'm asking the people of British Columbia to look after the people of Tumbler Ridge tonight.' Canada's government has responded to previous mass shootings with gun control measures, including a recently broadened ban on all guns it considers assault weapons. Tuesday's shootings were Canada's deadliest rampage since 2020, when a gunman in Nova Scotia killed 13 people and set fires that left another nine dead. This is a breaking news story. Check back for updates. A man who was detained near the Mexican border in connection with Nancy Guthrie's abduction has been released after police performed a court-ordered search of the property where he had been staying. The individual was taken into custody following a traffic stop south of Tucson Tuesday night, the Pima County Sheriff's Department said. He was detained in Rio Rico, Arizona - a small town near the US border with Mexico, where authorities carried out the search of a home near Interstate 19. The man has since been released, KNXV reported around 1am Wednesday local time. 'They told me I was being detained for kidnapping. I asked them, "Kidnapping of who?"' he told reporters after his release. Officials have said around that the search of the property has been completed, CNN reports. But federal authorities were looking at more than one 'person of interest' after receiving a deluge of tips following the release of doorbell camera footage. FBI Director Kash Patel told Fox News that the bureau's outreach to the private sector has shown 'there might be persons of interest in and around the area related to this event.' Patel did not elaborate on who may be under suspicion, but said authorities were working to eliminate anyone who might not actually be involved. He added that the agency's first priority was finding Nancy and 'right behind that is to find any others involved in this kidnapping case to make sure they're brought to justice.' An unidentified individual has been detained for questioning in connection with Today Show host Savannah Guthrie's mother's abduction Federal authorities released surveillance footage on Tuesday showing a masked suspect at Nancy's home the night she went missing He was reportedly taken into custody in Rio Rico, Arizona- a small town near the US border with Mexico The developments in the case came hours after federal authorities released terrifying doorbell camera footage from Today Show host Savannah Guthrie's mother's home the night she was abducted. It showed an armed figure clad in a ski mask and carrying a backpack, wearing black latex gloves. The suspect can also be seen tampering with the mother-of-three's Nest doorbell camera and ripping the camera from its holder on the door frame. The device was missing by the time sheriff's deputies arrived that morning. It remained unclear Tuesday night whether the suspect who was brought in for questioning was the same man who was seen in the surveillance footage, but TMZ reports the person who was detained is not a member of the Guthrie family. Authorities are now preparing to search a property associated with the detained individual, according to ABC News. At the same time, local SWAT teams, a bomb squad and the FBI's elite Hostage Recue Team were been deployed to the city. Meanwhile, a Bitcoin account referenced in reported ransom letters sent to various news outlets saw some activity on Tuesday, one day after a deadline for the family to pay $6 million for Nancy's safe return. 'I can only tell you that we have seen activity in the account,' TMZ's Harvey Levin said Tuesday night, without elaborating. Local news outlet KGUN later reported that the activity amounts to less than $300. TMZ is one of three outlets that received alleged ransom notes in connection with Nancy's abduction. It remains unclear whether the person who was detained Tuesday night was the same person who was caught on Nancy's Nest surveillance footage The figure raises their fist while wearing latex gloves, with apparent facial hair also visible, moments before the individual apparently removed the camera Moments before the individual apparently removes the camera outside Nancy's home Unidentified sources involved in the investigation had earlier told the outlet that officers believe the ransom notes that were sent to local news networks and TMZ were, in fact, written by the kidnapper. The notes also reportedly provide clues on where the suspect lives, with sources noting that the person who sent the letters was intimately familiar with the media in Tucson, and included specific references to damage at Nancy's home and the placement of some of her possessions - details that have not been shared with the public. The 84 year old was reported missing after failing to attend a virtual church service with friends on February 1, Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos said. She was last seen the night before, attending dinner with her eldest daughter, Annie and son-in-law Tommaso Cioni. Tommaso then dropped her back off at her house at around 9.48pm and her garage door closed at approximately 9.50pm, according to police. By 1.47am, Nancy's doorbell camera was disconnected, with the newly released footage showing the suspect ripping the camera from its holder on the door frame. Another video released by officials showed the masked individual attempting to cover the lens with a clenched fist, then searching the area around the door, ripping a bunch of flowers from the entranceway, and waving them at the camera. The suspect also appeared to be hunched over as he made their first approach to the door, bowing his head. As the investigation into Nancy's disappearance stretched into a tenth consecutive day without any leads on Tuesday, officers were seen once again going door-to-door around Annie and Tommaso's home Authorities detained a person of interest following a traffic stop in Rio Rico, Arizona Authorities continued to search the person of interest's property overnight on Tuesday Annie and Tommaso have previously said they only realized Nancy was missing around 11.10am last Sunday, the Pima County Sheriff's Office said. They reported her disappearance to police at 12.15pm. Her phone, wallet, vital daily medications and car were still at her Catalina Foothills home. Cioni said he saw his mother-in-law enter her home through the garage before driving off the night before at around 9:45pm MT. Investigators found drops of blood on Nancy's front porch that were later confirmed to be hers and that her doorbell camera was disconnected at around 1.45am. Less than 30 minutes later, her security camera detected movement. Her pacemaker stopped transmitting data to her Apple Watch and phone shortly afterwards, suggesting she had been taken out of the devices' range. Nancy requires medication every 24 hours and it is unclear if whoever abducted her has ensured she has access to her medication as her three children released several videos pleading for the public's help to find their mother. Guthrie and her two siblings, Camron and Annie, in a video they shared online asking for help As the investigation into Nancy's disappearance stretched into a tenth consecutive day without any leads on Tuesday, officers were seen once again going door-to-door around Annie and Tommaso's home and asking nearby businesses for any surveillance footage they may have captured the night of February 1. Other agents were seen searching a junkyard, bushes behind Annie and Tommaso's home as well as another house at the far end of their street. Neighbor John Grove even told the Daily Mail that investigators asked to search a dry river bed on his property. 'The cops wanted to know if they could go through that wash next to my house - I said they could,' he recounted. 'I asked if it was related to the kidnapping and they said "We can't tell you that." 'They're playing their cards close to their chest,' Grove added. 'I just hope she didn't get into any difficulties around here - it's very harsh terrain,' he said. 'We had a guy the other day who just moved here and got lost and died. 'For someone like her, well, it wouldn't end well.' READ MORE: Politician calls for Grace Tame to be prosecuted over speech Coalition defence spokesman Angus Taylor has resigned from the Opposition frontbench, sending shockwaves through Canberra and setting the stage for a direct leadership showdown with Liberal leader Sussan Ley. Taylor's departure marks the most dramatic escalation yet in the party's ongoing internal strife, with questions over Ley's leadership simmering for months. Sources told Daily Mail that Taylor did not call for a spill motion on Wednesday evening after he visited Ley to resign in person, but the move is expected to trigger one as early as Thursday. Daily Mail understands the ballot for Liberal leader will be tight, with just four or five undecided MPs to determine the final outcome of the vote, and that Zoe McKenzie, federal member for Flinders on the Mornington Peninsula, will run as Taylor's deputy. 'This has been a long time in the making, going right back to when Taylor narrowly lost a showdown to take over the Opposition leadership after the 2025 election defeat,' Daily Mail political editor Peter van Onselen said. 'He's never hidden his leadership ambitions and with the woeful opinion polls, Ley's personal poor ratings, multiple splits with the Nationals and the rise of One Nation as an alternative force on the right of politics, he has decided to strike. 'He will need Liberal moderates to support his cause, that remains an open question. 'Ley's passive leadership and poor showing in parliament has been a factor in colleagues losing confidence in her, but many Liberal MPs also have serious doubts about whether Angus Taylor is capable of turning their fortunes around.' Angus Taylor (pictured) resigned from the Opposition Shadow front bench on Wednesday The resignation opens the path for a challenge against Liberal leader Sussan Ley (pictured) The conservative faction of the Liberal Party has united behind Taylor after fellow leadership candidate Angus Taylor withdrew from the contest. Ley's ability to retain the leadership rests on holding moderates together. 'One assumes that her poor performances and the polling problems of the party will be enough to shift a few moderate votes to deliver the leadership to Taylor, but the mere fact that he is striking will add to her woes. 'How exactly this plays out remains to be seen. Either way, Labor is avoiding the sort of scrutiny it needs from a strong opposition as the Liberals implode.' It's understood Taylor's team will get one of their female supporters to move the spill motion, in a bid to help overcome the perception of the party's first female leader being rolled by a male so soon after taking over. 'Senator Jess Collins is expected to be given that task. It's the same reason senators Jane Hume and Sarah Henderson have been at the vanguard of criticising Ley this week, to help build momentum for a challenge.' Prime Minister Albanese and his ministers seized on the Opposition's turmoil during Question Time on Wednesday, accusing the Coalition of 'tearing down their own house.' Minister for Women Catherine King pointedly criticised Taylor in response to a question from a Labor backbencher about women's health funding. A confident-looking Prime Minister Anthony Albanese during Question Time in the House of Representatives at Parliament House in Canberra on Wednesday Catherin King use Labor's health funding to take aim at Taylor saying her party supports women instead of 'undercutting those brave enough to lead' 'It is what happens when you support women and you support women to be in the room making decisions in a majority female government with a majority female cabinet,' she said. 'Instead of undercutting women who are brave enough to put their hands up to lead,' she said. Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke accused Liberal frontbencher Dan Tehan of 'auditioning' for a spot in a possible Taylor shadow cabinet, while Albanese referred to the front bench as a 'deputies parade'. Treasurer Jim Chalmers criticised Taylor by reading out negative quotes from news articles, reportedly made by fellow Liberal MPs. 'He was an absolute disaster in that role,' Chalmers said, quoting a Liberal MP on Angus Taylor's tenure as Shadow Treasurer. 'Everything he touches turns to custard,' Chalmers continued. Ley's key ally, Alex Hawke, Manager of Opposition Business, did not intervene as Chalmers used what some considered possibly unparliamentary language. Ley was seen smirking as Chalmers spoke. Any vote in a Liberal spill motion is expected to be very close, with just three or four members who are yet to back a leader deciding the result (Ley in Parliament on Wednesday) Taylor told reporters on Wednesday night that the Liberals had not been in such a dire position since 1944 when the party was formed. 'We have failed to hold a bad Labor government to account,' he said. 'I don't believe Sussan Ley is in a position to be able to lead the party, as it needs to be led from here. What we need right now is strong leadership, clear direction and a courageous focus on our values. 'I am absolutely committed to restoring confidence in the Liberal Party, to ensure that Australians regain confidence in the Liberal Party and steering the Liberal Party back to where it needs to be,' he said. The mother-in-law of the man detained in connection with Nancy Guthrie's disappearance spoke out as police raided her home. The Arizona woman, who identified herself as Josefina, told NewsNation she believes her son-in-law is innocent. Josefina told the outlet that her son-in-law was inside their Rio Rico home when Nancy was taken. The person of interest was detained by police during a traffic stop just miles from the Mexican border. He was released a short time later and told reporters he had been working as a food delivery driver when cops detained him. 'My daughter and he, and the kids, my grandkids, were doing DoorDash when they got stopped here,' the mother-in-law told NewsNation. She also told CNN that authorities are searching her home after they received a tip relating to the ongoing investigation. 'I told them you can go in and search my house, there is nobody there. I have nothing to hide,' Josefina said. The woman, who identified herself as Josefina, claims to be the mother-in-law of the man detained by police in connection with Nancy Guthrie's disappearance An unidentified individual has been detained for questioning in connection with Today Show host Savannah Guthrie's mother's abduction The 84-year-old was reported missing after failing to attend a virtual church service with friends on February 1 She insisted that her son-in-law had 'nothing to do' with the 84-year-old's disappearance, as authorities continue to investigate the detained man. Josefina added that police did not present a search warrant before entering her home. 'Im sorry whats happened to [the Guthries],' she said. 'I dont know her, I dont know anything about their lives or whats going on, but Im so sorry - whoever took her, I hope she got back safe.' Authorities also showed Josefina the surveillance footage of the suspect from Nancy Guthrie's ring camera, but she said there was no resemblance to her son-in-law. Video showed an armed figure clad in a ski mask and carrying a backpack, wearing black latex gloves. The suspect can also be seen tampering with the mother-of-three's Nest doorbell camera and ripping the camera from its holder on the door frame. 'They showed me a video to see if it was him, to see if I recognize the things he was wearing, he doesnt have any of that. He doesnt have anything that comes in the video,' she told ABC15s Lillian Donahue. Josefina told the outlet that her son-in-law was inside their Rio Rico home when the 84-year-old vanished From the Instagram Account of Savannah Guthrie, featuring her mother, Nancy Guthrie An individual is seen wearing a backpack, ski mask, and gloves outside Nancy Guthrie's home Footage from a Nest doorbell camera installed at Nancy's home were released by the FBI Tuesday Josefina said her son-in-law was a 'good guy,' and has no prior criminal record, assuring that she was 'positive' he was at home when Guthrie was snatched. 'On the weekends, he stays at my house. He doesnt go nowhere,' she told the outlet. It is unclear whether police believe the detained person is the armed figure in the video. Authorities were seen searching a gray SUV in connection with the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie, footage from the scene in Rio Rico shows. The Pima County Sheriff's Department confirmed to CNN that the vehicle was the same one pulled over during a traffic stop during which a man was taken into custody for questioning. Footage from the scene shows the vehicle surrounded by Pima County Sheriff's Department vehicles and Marana Police cars. Santa Cruz County Sheriff's deputies block a street where a person was detained for questioning The Pima County Sheriff's Department confirmed to CNN that the vehicle was the same one pulled over during a traffic stop during which a man was taken into custody for questioning Footage from the scene shows the vehicle surrounded by Pima County Sheriff's Department vehicles and Marana Police cars Snapshot of Savannah Guthrie and her mother, Nancy Guthrie, posted on Savannah's Facebook page on May 11, 2025, with caption: I love you, mama A witness who spoke exclusively to the Daily Mail described the traffic stop where the person of interest was detained. 'There were five or six unmarked cars and they had a silver SUV pulled over, a police car facing it. Two guys were out of a car, and their hats said "FBI,"' Krystal Bacica recounted. 'The only police car that was marked said Marana Police,' she continued, noting that 'they pulled the car right in front of my apartment building in Frontage Road, Rio Rico.' A British woman has been arrested on the Costa del Sol after her eight-month-old baby tested positive for cocaine. Police went to a beach near Marbella following reports a couple had lit a bonfire beneath a large tree. Officers found the woman and her partner camping in a tent in the dunes at Cabopino Beach, with an uninsured car nearby that had an expired MOT. After seeing the familys living conditions, officers took the baby to a local health centre for a check-up amid concerns the child could be malnourished. The baby was transferred to Costa del Sol Hospital near Marbella after first being seen at Las Albarizas Health Centre. Doctors found the boy was underweight for his age and a urine test returned positive for cocaine. He was admitted to a paediatric unit while medics await further results. His mother was identified as a 25-year-old British woman and her partner as a 43-year-old Spanish man. A British woman has been arrested on the Costa del Sol after her eight-month-old baby tested positive for cocaine. Pictured: Marbella marina aerial panoramic view Local reports say she had missed several previous appointments at the same paediatric unit where her son is now being treated. The woman is expected to appear in court later today with her boyfriend after being kept in a cell at Marbella Police Station overnight. The hearing will take place behind-closed-doors, which is normal in Spain where only trials take place in public. An investigating judge is expected to release the pair on bail pending an ongoing probe, although their child is set to be taken into temporary emergency care pending a decision on its long-term future. Police have yet to make any official comment. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is planning to announce preparations for a spring presidential election alongside a referendum on a prospective peace deal with Russia. Details on the preparations will be made public on February 24, according to the Financial Times, which cited Ukrainian and European officials involved in the planning. Reuters reported last week that under a framework being discussed by US and Ukrainian negotiators, any peace deal would be submitted to a referendum by Ukrainian voters, who would simultaneously vote in national elections, adding that officials had discussed the possibility that the national election and referendum could occur in May. It comes as a Russian drone strike on the Ukrainian city of Bogodukhiv killed three children and their father. Two one-year-old boys and a two-year-old girl died as a result of an enemy strike on a private residential house in the eastern city that sits close to Russia's border. A 34-year-old man, identified by prosecutors as the children's father, who was also in the house, died from his wounds. 'As a result of the strike, the house was completely destroyed and caught fire, and the family was trapped under the rubble,' prosecutors said in a statement on Telegram. The children's mother, who is eight months pregnant, was injured in the blast and sustained 'a traumatic brain injury, acoustic barotrauma, and thermal burns', prosecutors added. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky intends to announce the plan for presidential elections and a referendum on February 24, the Financial Times reported on Wednesday Ukrainian firefighters extinguish a fire after a Russian bombing raid on the city of Sloviansk, Ukraine, February 10 A mother and her 11-year-old daughter were among three people killed in a Russian aerial bomb attack on the city of Sloviansk in Donetsk Oblast The regional prosecutor's office has launched a pre-trial investigation 'into the commission of a war crime resulting in the death of civilians'. Bogodukhiv is located in the Kharkiv region, where Russian forces have recently stepped up attacks on transport and energy infrastructure. A mother and her 11-year-old daughter were among three people killed in a Russian aerial bomb attack on the city of Sloviansk in Donetsk Oblast yesterday. The exact number of casualties is unclear but 18 people have sustained injuries, including a seven-year-old girl. An overnight drone attack sparked a fire on the territory of an industrial facility in Russia's southern region of Volgograd. 'Air defence units of the Russian Ministry of Defence are repelling a massive terrorist attack by unmanned aerial vehicles on energy and civilian infrastructure facilities in the Volgograd region,' the governor, Andrei Bocharov, said on Telegram. The attack caused damage to an apartment in a residential building and drone debris also fell on a kindergarten. There were no immediate reports of casualties. Ukrainian and Russian officials have held US-mediated talks in Abu Dhabi aimed at ending Moscow's four-year invasion. The two sides conducted a prisoner swap last week, but an agreement to end the nearly four-year war seems a way off. According to the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine (HRMMU), around 15,000 Ukrainian civilians have been killed since Russia invaded in February 2022. HRMMU said that 2025 was the deadliest year with more than 2,500 civilians killed. Since the war broke out, Russia has had about 1.2million military casualties, including as many as 325,000 deaths, a report by the Washington-based Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) found. Ukraine has suffered 600,000 military casualties, including the killed, wounded, and missing, the report said, with Zelensky recently announcing that 55,000 soldiers had been confirmed as dead. The official number of dead cited by the Ukrainian leader is considerably lower than the country's total losses, however. As he said himself, 'a large number of people' are registered as missing. The Ukrainian president said the White House wants the war with Russia to end by June, but added that 'difficult issues remained difficult', such as territorial concessions to the Kremlin. 'Why before this summer?' he asked. 'We understand that their domestic issues in the US will have an impact.' These matters include the November midterm elections, which could impact the balance of power in the US government. He said he would attend discussions with Russian negotiators in Miami this week for talks intended to help bring about a breakthrough to end the war. 'America proposed for the first time that the two negotiating teams Ukraine and Russia meet in the United States of America, probably in Miami, in a week. We confirmed our participation,' he said. This is breaking news. More to follow An 'arrogant' Albanian drug dealer who hid his stash in a secret compartment under his car has been jailed after taking pictures boasting of his wealth. Kelmend Tershalla was arrested in High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, last year after being stopped by police. The 22-year-old, who appeared in court with the assistance of an Albanian interpreter, has now been jailed for 25 months. Sentencing him, a judge hit out at Tershalla for images of himself posing with cash, drugs and guns. As it is his first conviction in the UK, the judge explained to him the sentence would be more severe if he offended again. Peter Shaw, prosecuting at Aylesbury Crown Court on Tuesday, told how police had stopped a motor vehicle being driven by Tershalla at 5.15pm on October 25. 'He was detained for the purposes of a drug search', Mr Shaw said. 'Underneath the front passenger seat, police found a concealed compartment.' Thames Valley Police officers discovered cocaine in six individual vials as well as cannabis packaged in 31 coloured pots, with different strains packaged in different colours and five packs of cannabis vapes, the court heard. Drug dealer Kelmend Tershalla, 22, was caught in High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, last year after being stopped by police A judge slammed his boastful photos of himself with cash, expensive cars and watches Tershalla was also found with 319.47 in cash and had a mobile phone which was seized and downloaded by police. 'Most of the messages contained on the phone were in Albanian, but from the small number of English messages, it was clear the defendant was being directed by a contact to provide cocaine and cannabis to users', the prosecutor said. 'The defendant appeared to be contacting users and arranging the supply of drugs.' Tershalla gave a no comment interview to police and the court heard he has no previous convictions in the UK. At a plea and trial preparation hearing, he had later admitted possession of a class A drug with intent to supply, possession of a class B drug with intent to supply and possessing criminal property. Rhys Rosser, defending, said Tershalla was 'entirely remorseful' of his involvement in the drug dealing and that he had written to the court to indicate he was going to plead guilty at an early stage. '319 is not indicative of significant financial gain', Mr Rosser argued. 'The defendant was being directed to supply drugs.' Mr Recorder Simon Dyer KC said Tershalla was playing a lesser role in the drug enterprise, but said he had been 'showing off' in pictures recovered by police. One image showed Tershalla holding what appears to be a gun, at a table covered in banknotes Other images showed him boasting of expensive watches while displaying more cash Tershalla also had photos of himself in flashy cars - he was originally stopped in a vehicle by police last October The images show Tershalla posing with what appears to be a gun, with his hood up in a darkened room, while next to a table covered in banknotes. Another showed Tershalla holding an expensive-looking watch over a pile of 20 notes and holding a wad of cash in front of his face. Mr Recorder Dyer told him: 'There is no relied upon evidence that puts you in a higher category of offending, although the court is not impressed by the rather arrogant showing off of cash, cars and guns, possibly, in the photographs. 'I am prepared to put that down to your immaturity', the judge added. 'Your main mitigation is your age.' The judge jailed Tershalla, of no fixed abode and who appeared by video link from HMP Bullingdon, for 25 months. He added: 'This is your first sentenced in a UK court. Were you to find yourself back here again, the sentence would be considerably longer.' Keir Starmer's woes deepened today amid claims he went ahead with a peerage for his ex-communications chief despite knowing about his ties to a paedophile councillor. Fresh doubts have been raised about the PM's judgment after Labour removed the whip from Lord Matthew Doyle last night over his links to Sean Morton. He has apologised for campaigning for Morton in 2017 - after the latter had been charged over indecent images of children - saying he believed his friend's assertions of innocence. Party chair Anna Turley is calling for Lord Doyle to be kicked out of the Upper House, insisting he did not tell the truth before being elevated by Sir Keir. No 10 is adamant Lord Doyle's actions were not known when the peerage was announced on December 10 last year. However, there are mounting questions about the timeline, with the Sunday Times having claimed that No 10 looked into the issues beforehand. The paper ran a front-page story on December 28 laying out the allegations. But Lord Doyle's peerage was still formalised - posted in the London Gazette - on January 8. Fresh doubts have been raised about the PM's judgment after Labour removed the whip from Lord Matthew Doyle (pictured) last night over his links to Sean Morton In echoes of the Mandelson scandal that brought Sir Keir to the brink of disaster, the PM's allies have been blaming the vetting system for letting him down. Asked about the situation during a tour of broadcast studios this morning, education minister Georgia Gould said: 'I think the decision, the announcement was made on December 10. I think the story was later in the month. 'But I think the Prime Minister has looked at this afresh, given the commitment that he has made to ensure the highest standards in public life.' Ms Turley told Sky News last night that 'what we'd been told was not the truth when that decision was made' in reference to Lord Doyle's appointment as a peer. Asked if he should remain a Lord, she said: 'No, I don't think he should. That's my personal view. 'And just like with Peter Mandelson we're going to be making it easier for people who have particularly undertaken criminal offences to be removed from the Lords. 'We don't have that power at the moment. He's not committed a criminal offence, but you know I just think people who have got this kind of record or have not been clear and transparent, there's no place for them in the Lords.' In an earlier statement, Lord Doyle apologised 'unreservedly' for supporting Moray councillor Morton before the case against him had concluded. He said he also had 'extremely limited' contact with Morton after his conviction. He said: 'I want to apologise for my past association with Sean Morton. 'His offences were vile and I completely condemn the actions for which he was rightly convicted. My thoughts are with the victims and all those impacted by these crimes. 'At the point of my campaigning support, Morton repeatedly asserted to all those who knew him his innocence, including initially in court. He later changed his plea in court to guilty. 'To have not ceased support ahead of a judicial conclusion was a clear error of judgment for which I apologise unreservedly.' The Scottish National Party had objected to Lord Doyle's peerage and Tory leader Kemi Badenoch called on Sir Keir to publish 'vetting advice and due diligence' reports provided before his appointment to the Lords. Labour had suspended Morton after he appeared in court in connection with indecent child images in late 2016. Lord Doyle campaigned for Morton when he ran as an Independent in May 2017. Morton admitted having indecent images of children in November 2017. Lord Doyle said: 'Those of us who took him at his word were clearly mistaken. I have never sought to dismiss or diminish the seriousness of the offences for which he was rightly convicted. 'They are clearly abhorrent and I have never questioned his conviction. 'Following his conviction any contact was extremely limited and I have not seen or spoken to him in years. 'Twice I was at events organised by other people, which he attended, and once I saw him to check on his welfare after concerns were raised through others. In echoes of the Mandelson scandal that brought Sir Keir to the brink of disaster, the PM's allies have been blaming the vetting system for letting him down 'I acted to try to ensure the welfare of a troubled individual whilst fully condemning the crimes for which he has been convicted and being clear that my thoughts are with the victims of his crimes. I am sorry about the mistakes I have made. I will not be taking the Labour whip. 'For the avoidance of any doubt, let me conclude where I started. Morton's crimes were vile and my only concerns are for his victims.' Labour said the whip had been withdrawn from Lord Doyle while an investigation is carried out. A Labour spokesman said: 'All complaints are assessed thoroughly in line with our rules and procedures.' Tory leader Mrs Badenoch said: 'Keir Starmer handed a peerage to Matthew Doyle despite knowing about his ongoing friendship with a man charged with child sex crimes. 'The Prime Minister has now suspended the whip, but he must come clean about what he was told before making this appointment. We won't let this go.' READ MORE: Albanese government imposes new rule on China Two Chinese nationals have been arrested in Australia for allegedly spying on a Buddhist organisation that has been questionably labelled by China as an 'evil cult'. Australian Federal Police arrested a 25-year-old man and 31-year-old woman on Wednesday following an investigation into an alleged operation to gather information about the Canberra branch of Guan Yin Citta. The pair allegedly worked with a Chinese national and also a Chinese-Australian permanent resident, who was arrested in August and granted bail in October, with the court being told the woman had 'significant unexplained wealth'. The 25-year-old woman arrested on Wednesday had been working at a bakery in Canberra but authorities allege her secondary job was to feed information back to Chinese intelligence. It's alleged all four were working under orders from the Public Security Bureau of China. Guan Yin Citta has a complicated history with China, which labels it a 'cult' that spreads 'evil theories'. Chinese officials announced in 2016 the government would crack down on the organisation with an 'iron fist'. Guan Yin Citta claims to have around 10-million members worldwide and five-million in China, though the Chinese Government claims that figure is closer to 50,000. Guan Yin Citta is a legal religious group in Australia. Its founder, Shanghai-born businessman Lu Junhong, became a permanent resident in Australia in 1995. Two Chinese nationals (one above) were arrested on Monday The pair (one above) allegedly spied on the Canberra branch of Guan Yin Citta 'Multiple foreign regimes are monitoring, harassing and intimidating members of our diaspora communities,' Australia's spy chief, Mike Burgess, said in a statement on Wednesday. 'This sort of behaviour is utterly unacceptable and cannot be tolerated.' Each defendant is charges with a count of reckless foreign interference, carrying a maximum jail term of 15 years. The Chinese embassy in Australia did not immediately respond to a request seeking comment. However, China previously accused Australia of lying about a 'Chinese espionage threat' following the related arrest in August. In a rare direct attack on Australia, Chinese officials said the arrested person was a 'victim'. 'This fabrication and hype over a so-called 'Chinese espionage threat' reflect that certain forces in Australia are unwilling to see China-Australia relations develop in a healthy and stable manner, and instead seek to stir up trouble out of nothing,' China's Ministry of State Security said at the time. 'Such malicious speculation based on self-projection, and unfounded persecution fantasies expose Australia's 'over-anxiety' about its own security.' The two Chinese nationals (one above) are accused of working with another Chinese national and a Chinese Australia, who was arrested in August The introduction of the foreign interference laws in 2018 strained ties with China, Australia's largest trading partner. Foreign interference is one of Australia's principal security concerns, added Burgess, the agency's director general. 'A complex, challenging and changing security environment is becoming more dynamic, diverse and degraded,' he added in the joint statement. AFP Counter Terrorism and Special Investigations Assistant Commissioner Stephen Nutt urged Australians to report suspicious behaviour. 'The AFP cannot be everywhere at all times, and we rely on information from the public to supplement our own intelligence gathering and investigative efforts,' he said. A 'hero' schoolboy who was stabbed during a double knife attack at a school in north London saved other pupils by pulling the fire alarm, it has been claimed. Counter terror police are investigating after a 13-year-old boy allegedly shouted 'Allahu Akbar' as he unleashed the attack, which has not been declared a terrorist incident, at Kingsbury High School in Brent yesterday lunchtime. Police have confirmed the suspect is a former pupil, who arrived at the school armed with a knife at around 12.30pm on Tuesday. The teenager, a British national, went up to a first floor classroom and sprayed a substance towards a pupil, who was not injured and the liquid is not thought to have been noxious. The suspect then stabbed a 13-year-old boy in the classroom, before running along a hallway and down a flight of stairs. He then stabbed a 12-year-old boy on the ground floor, before fleeing the school. One of the victims has since been praised by parents and on social media as a 'hero' who prevented the attacker from harming more pupils. Simon Theodorou, a father of a child at the school, said he 'pulled the fire alarm' to get help after being stabbed. Witnesses on social media said everyone was then evacuated from the building and that the boy 'put himself in danger to protect others'. Police are pictured at the scene of a stabbing in Brent, north London, yesterday Pictured: Emergency services at the scene of a stabbing at Kingsbury High School Mr Theodorou added in comments made to the Telegraph that the attacker 'managed to get his way in by climbing over a wall' A 13-year-old has since been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder and remains in custody, where he will be questioned today. The weapon which officers believe was used has been recovered. An investigation has been launched by the Metropolitan Police's counter terrorism unit, though the incident is not being treated as a terror attack at the present time. In an update just before 5pm today, Chief Superintendent Helen Flanagan told reporters: 'Having entered the school, he proceeded out to a first floor classroom. 'He entered the classroom, and we believe he sprayed a substance towards a pupil as he entered the door. 'The suspect has then attacked another pupil, a 13-year-old in that classroom, stabbing him, and then the suspect has left, running down the hallway of the school. 'As he is leaving, he then attacked another victim, a 12-year-old, stabbing him before running off and away from the school.' She added: 'Police were called by a member of the public at approximately 4.50pm over concerns of a child that had been at a mosque in north west London. 'Officers attended shortly after and arrested a 13-year-old boy on suspicion of attempted murder, and he remains in custody. 'At this point we do not believe the suspect to have any particular connection to that mosque, and at this stage, we think that it may have been coincidental that he ended up in that area, and all of those at the mosque have been incredibly supportive of this investigation. 'At this time, the incident has not been declared a terrorist incident.' When asked he he had left the mosque by the time he was arrested, she said: 'I don't know the full detail of exactly where he was arrested in terms of location, but he was in the vicinity of the mosque.' The Met Police previously said that the injuries the two victims sustained were 'serious' but 'not life-threatening'. The attack unfolded at Kingsbury High School on Bacon Lane in Brent at around 12.40pm yesterday Shocked students took to social media last night to reveal how the stabbings took place in a science classroom. One girl revealed on TikTok: 'I saw this happen, blood all over the floor wondering 'is that paint?' and then seeing a boy with blood all over his neck covering it with his hands. 'I thought maybe fake blood or just a science or art project until the fire alarm rang and then I knew oh we are cooked.' Another said: 'It was so bad there was screaming, crying and a lot of blood and the ppl who saw the whole thing happen were terrified and it was in the middle of lunch too. 'The whole school was standing outside for three hours with no coats, no nothing. It was so cold and yeah I'm never forgetting this ever.' He said: 'The attacker came in with his old KHS uniform and didn't get suspected by teachers . 'He went after the 13 year-old because long ago they fought and the youth with the knife got expelled. He came back to this school and found the boy he'd fought with and pepper sprayed the teacher and stabbed the boy, in the stomach I think. 'Then some person in Year 7, who was 12 yrs old, was walking by the class and he saw what happened and ran and pulled the fire alarm.' The 32-year-old brother of a girl who attends the school said his sister was in a nearby classroom when the attack took place. He said: 'She heard that the boy used the uniform of the school to enter and he had beef with another boy.' Your browser does not support iframes. A woman who said her children were at the school also claimed that the offender was not a pupil at Kingsbury High School. She said: 'I was stood outside when the police came, I didn't know what was going on. 'There was a big presence of police cars and ambulance workers, there was also a helicopter in the air.' She added: 'When the children started to come out they looked worried... I spoke to some girls who said that boys had been stabbed. 'Obviously they were worried and said that the boy came from another school. 'They said that one boy was stabbed in the neck.' Janti Kalyan, 60, is the grandfather of two boys, aged 13 and 14, who attend the school. He said: 'One of the ones who was attacked was in my younger grandson's group. He knew him. 'He was in the same class just 10 minutes before he finished lessons, in the same classroom. 'He said [the suspect] got expelled from the school a couple of weeks ago and came back for revenge. He had the school uniform, this is what he said.' He added: 'My grandchildren are a bit traumatised. I had a phone call from my daughter in law asking me to pick up the kids - I live local, so I picked them up.' The grandfather said he did not feel safe sending his grandchildren back to the school. He added: 'What if this repeats? It is getting worse, but I don't know what we can do about it. 'We can only tighten security, but what else can we do?' Two boys, aged 12 and 13, have been rushed to hospital after being stabbed Detective Superintendent Luke Williams of the Metropolitan Police told a press conference on Tuesday night that police are not looking for anyone else in connection with the stabbings. He said: 'Officers were called to Bacon Lane at around 12:40hrs following a report that a 13-year-old boy had been stabbed. Armed and local officers were on the scene within 13 minutes of the 999 call. 'On arrival, we were made aware that a 12-year-old boy had also been stabbed and both boys have been taken to hospital. 'We await an update on how they are, though we understand their conditions to be serious. The thoughts of everyone at the Met are with them and their loved ones, and we want to thank the doctors and nurses who are providing the boys with urgent care. 'The suspect - who we believe to be 13 - left the scene following the stabbing. 'After urgent enquiries our officers arrested him and also recovered a weapon which we believe to have been used in the stabbing. 'The suspect was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder and remains in custody for questioning by our officers. 'This is a fast-moving and developing investigation, but we are not currently looking for anyone else in relation to this incident.' Dept Supt Williams said police are keeping an open mind as to any motivation behind this attack but due to the surrounding circumstances, the investigation is now being led by officers from Counter Terrorism Policing London, who are working closely with local officers. He added: 'This has not currently been declared a terrorist incident and the investigation team will now be working at pace to gather any evidence and to establish the full circumstances of what has happened as quickly as possible. 'I absolutely recognise that this incident will cause considerable concern - especially among our local community, students and parents of the school. I hope the news that we've arrested and detained the suspect will provide some reassurance, but our officers will remain in the area to offer support and answer any questions. Staff have spoken directly to the parents and carers of the students involved, adding that the situation is now 'under control' 'We'd encourage anyone with concerns or further information to speak to them.' One of the two victims was rushed to a major trauma centre as a priority, the London Ambulance Service said, with both of the boys' conditions understood to have, at one stage, been 'life-threatening'. The headteacher of Kingsbury High School, Alex Thomas, described the attack as a 'deeply traumatic event for the whole school community'. He wrote in a letter to parents and carers: 'I am very sorry to inform you that there was a serious incident at school today in which two students were stabbed. Our thoughts and best wishes are with our students and their families at this incredibly difficult time. 'We would also like to thank the emergency services for their swift response and our staff for the calm and dedicated way they supported students throughout the day. 'Students in the Lower School were kept in the playground at the request of the police while they began their investigations, they were incredibly patient and respectful of others during this time.' Photos from the scene showed a number of emergency vehicles swarming around the school in the aftermath of the incident. The site was on lockdown earlier on Tuesday, with no one able to enter or leave the grounds. One mother of a Year 8 student told the Brent and Kilburn Times: 'I've been panicking, a lot of kids don't have their phones on them so I couldn't get through. 'They had to leave their bags and stuff. 'At least I have her now. It's awful - so awful - what happened, that someone would even bring a knife to a school. Scotland Yard said counter-terrorism police were leading the investigation amid suspicions it was an ideologically motivated attack (Pictured: Tuesday evening's Met Police press conference) 'My daughter said that a fire alarm went off when it happened.' One father said children at the school were 'traumatised by what happened in front of them'. Kingsbury High School is an academy school serving children aged 11 to 18, with both upper and lower sites. According to the latest Department for Education information, it has 1,997 pupils. It traces its origins to Kingsbury County School, which opened in 1925 in a building which had been the office of the former Aircraft Manufacturing Company. It moved premises in 1932. Alumni include Wham's George Michael, jazz musician Courtney Pine, Floyd Steadman, the first black captain of the Saracens rugby team, and writer Ekow Eshun. The London Ambulance Service said they were called at 12.41pm to reports of a stabbing on Bacon Lane. They added: 'We sent resources to the scene including ambulance crews, incident response officers, an advanced paramedic, a paramedic from our tactical response unit and a clinical team manager. 'We also dispatched a trauma team in a car from London's Air Ambulance. 'We treated two patients in total. We took one patient to hospital and the other as a priority to a major trauma centre.' A British father who shot his graduate daughter dead while she was visiting his Texas home when his pistol 'just went off' has said he 'fully accepts' the tragic consequences of his actions. Lucy Harrison, 23, from Warrington, Cheshire, was killed by her alcoholic father Kris as she prepared to fly home on January 10 last year following a post-Christmas break accompanied by her boyfriend. In his first public comments since the tragedy, Mr Harrison has now paid tribute to Lucy as 'the light of my life' and said he was 'deeply sorry' for the pain he had caused her grieving family. He said: 'I fully accept the consequences of my actions, and there isn't a day I don't feel the weight of that loss a weight I will carry for the rest of my life, and I know that nothing I say can ease the heartbreak this tragedy has caused. 'I cannot undo what happened, but I can honour Lucy by being the best father I can be to her sisters and by carrying her memory forward in everything we do. 'I am deeply sorry for the pain others feel from this tragedy. 'Lucy's spirit her warmth, her humour, her kindness will live on in all of us who loved her.' On Tuesday, an inquest in Warrington heard Mr Harrison an executive at a fibre optics company had drunk 500ml of wine on the morning of the tragedy and that the pair had argued about Donald Trump. At an inquest into Lucy Harrison's death, it emerged for the first time that she was fatally shot by her father Kris (pictured together) University graduate Lucy Harrison, 23 (pictured) was described by her mother as 'sensitive, energetic, intelligent, funny and a really great human being' Lucy was visiting her father, Kris Harrison, who lives in Texas (Pictured: Kris Harrison's home) He is not attending the hearing, but said in a statement that his fashion buyer daughter described by a friend as 'categorically anti-gun' had asked to see his Glock 9mm pistol, which he had not been trained to use. Tragically, as he removed it from its locked case in his bedroom he 'heard a loud bang' and 'Lucy immediately fell to the ground.' Emergency services rushed to the house in Prosper, near Dallas, after her boyfriend Sam Littler dialled 911. But she had been shot through the heart and died at the scene. Today a coroner will give her conclusions, with a lawyer representing Ms Harrison's mother, Jane Coates, asking her to consider ruling that she was unlawfully killed. Last June police in the US state deemed that her death was accidental - a decision Ms Coates described at the time as 'baffling' and 'beyond comprehension'. Mr Harrison had hired lawyers who on Tuesday made an unsuccessful attempt to have senior coroner removed from the case on the grounds she was 'biased' against him. His barrister accused Jacqueline Devonish of conducting inquiries which were 'more akin to a criminal investigation'. A manslaughter investigation was launched after Lucy Harrison (pictured), 23, from Warrington, Cheshire, was killed at the house in Prosper, Texas, on January 10, 2025 A tribute from Lucy's mother and boyfriend (pictured together), released by Cheshire Police, said: 'Lucy was life. She lived it fiercely and fearlessly, not being afraid to feel all that life has to offer' But the coroner rejected the application and the inquest at Cheshire Coroner's Court went ahead. After the hearing his lawyers released a statement from Mr Harrison, who split from Ms Coates when Lucy was young and later settled in the US, where he married and started a new family. He said: 'Lucy was the light of my life. 'From the moment she was born, to watching her grow into the remarkable young woman she became from her first steps to her graduation, where I cried with pride was the greatest privilege of my life. 'Lucy adored her younger sisters, and our home was never truly complete unless she was in it laughing, cuddling, and filling every room with joy. 'During her last visit, she wrote a letter saying that Texas was her home and that she felt lucky to be part of 'the best family in the whole wide world'. 'That letter is now one of our most treasured possessions. 'Losing Lucy has shattered all of us. I lost my best friend. Lucy (pictured) had been due to fly back to Manchester on the day she was shot after spending Christmas in the States Lucy was found dead at the home of her father Kris (pictured) who works for a fibre optics firm in the States 'My girls lost their big sister and hero, and her stepmum lost her bonus daughter who taught her how to be a mum.' In a separate witness statement read to the court, Mr Harrison said his daughter agreed to let him show her the weapon after they had watched a television news report about gun crime. He said he bought the handgun as a 'home defence' weapon, meaning he did not need a licence as long as he did not take it out in public. He had 'no prior experience and no formal training' around firearms, he said. Mr Harrison suffered an 'alcoholic seizure' in 2023 which left him in an induced coma, the inquest was told. He had drunk a 500ml carton of white wine that morning, but did not believe he was impaired by alcohol when his daughter was shot shortly before 3pm. 'As I lifted the gun to show her, I suddenly heard a loud bang,' he said in his statement. 'Lucy immediately fell to the ground.' Lucy's mother, Jane Coates, pictured arriving at the inquest on Tuesday Giving evidence at the inquest, her boyfriend Sam Littler (pictured, arriving at court today) said she had argued with her father about Donald Trump on the morning of her death Police bodycam footage showed Mr Harrison saying the gun 'just went off'. 'We were getting ready to go to the airport and we were talking about guns,' he tells the officer as a shocked-looking Mr Littler stands with his hands behind the back of his neck. 'It was in the bedside cabinet in a locked box. I took it out to look and it just went off.' Officer Luciano Escalera said he smelt 'metabolised alcohol' on Mr Harrison's breath at which he initially lied, saying he hadn't drunk alcohol since the day before. But he then said confessed to having drunk a 'small' carton of wine earlier in the day. In their evidence, Ms Harrison's boyfriend and mother insisted she would not have been interested in seeing her father's gun. She had previously expressed concerns that it was unsafe for her father to have a firearm in the house with his young daughters around, they said. Ms Harrison had expressed concern about 'volatility' in the house, a friend said, adding that presence of a gun created an 'unpredictable environment'. Giving evidence, her boyfriend said she had argued with her father about Donald Trump on the morning of her death. He 'always felt on edge' at the house, he added, saying: 'There was a lot of very opinionated people in the house.' As they prepared to set off, he said Mr Harrison took his daughter by the hand in a 'mysterious' manner without saying anything. He then guided her into the downstairs bedroom where the gun was kept in a locked case. Within 15 seconds, Mr Littler heard a 'loud bang' from the bedroom and found his girlfriend collapsed on the floor. Paying tribute to her daughter, Ms Coates, a deputy manager at a primary school, described her as 'a real force of life'. 'She was sensitive, energetic, intelligent, funny and a really great human being,' she added. She was 'passionate about things' and 'loved to have debates', she added. The inquest is due to conclude today. Iran's president has apologised to 'all those affected' by the nationwide protest and bloodthirsty crackdown that followed it. President Masoud Pezeshkian said he knew the 'great sorrow' felt by people in the protests and crackdown, without directly acknowledging the hand Iranian security forces had in the bloodshed. 'We are ashamed before the people, and we are obligated to assist all those who were harmed in these incidents,' Pezeshkian said. 'We are not seeking confrontation with the people.' Pezeshkian also insisted that his nation was 'not seeking nuclear weapons... and are ready for any kind of verification,' while denouncing unspecified 'Western propaganda' surrounding the protests. It came as Iran marked the 47th anniversary of its 1979 Islamic Revolution on Wednesday, as the country's theocracy remains under pressure, both from US President Donald Trump, who suggested sending another aircraft carrier group to the Middle East, and a public angrily denouncing Tehran's bloody crackdown on nationwide protests. Iran is in the midst of negotiations with the United States over its nuclear program, but it remains unclear if a nuclear deal will be reached. Meanwhile, the United Nations' nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency, has been unable for months to inspect and verify Iran's nuclear stockpile. In escalating pressure, Trump suggested a second carrier in an interview published Tuesday night as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, long an Iran hawk, visited Washington to push the US toward the strictest-possible terms in any agreement reached with Tehran in the fledgling nuclear talks. President Masoud Pezeshkian said he knew the 'great sorrow' felt by people in the protests and crackdown, without directly acknowledging the hand Iranian security forces had in the bloodshed Families and residents gather at the Kahrizak Coroner's Office confronting rows of body bags as they search for relatives killed during the regime's violent crackdown on protests, January 13, 2026 Protesters set fire to a car in Tehran on January 8, 2026 A top Iranian security official planned to visit Qatar on Wednesday after earlier traveling to Oman, which has mediated this latest round of negotiations. On Iranian state television, authorities broadcast images of tens of thousands of people taking to the streets across the country on Wednesday to support the theocracy and its 86-year-old Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. But on Tuesday night, as government-sponsored fireworks lit the darkened sky, witnesses heard shouts from people's homes in the Iranian capital, Tehran, of 'Death to the dictator!' In the streets, people waved images of Khamenei and Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the founder of the Islamic Republic, alongside Iranian and Palestinian flags. Some chanted 'Death to America!' and 'Death to Israel!' Among Iran's 85 million people, there is a hard-line element of support for Iran's theocracy, including members of its paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, which crucially put down the protests last month in a bloody suppression that killed thousands and saw tens of thousands detained. Others often take part in demonstrations as they are government employees or to enjoy the carnival atmosphere of a government-sponsored holiday. As the commemoration took place, senior Iranian security official Ali Larijani left Oman for Qatar. That Mideast nation hosts a major US military installation that Iran attacked in June after the US bombed Iranian nuclear sites during the 12-day Iran-Israel war. Qatar has also been a key negotiator in the past with Iran, with which it shares a massive offshore natural gas field in the Persian Gulf. Speaking to the Russian state channel RT, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tehran still does 'not have full trust for the Americans.' In Tehran, most protesters were armed with nothing more than the courage to take a stand, January 9, 2026 A protester in Zurich lights a cigarette off a picture of the Ayatollah, January 13, 2026 Protesters wade through tear gas during an anti-government protest in Tehran, January 8, 2026 'Last time we negotiated, last June we were in the middle of negotiation then they decided to attack us and that was a very very bad experience for us,' Iran's top diplomat said. 'We need to make sure that that scenario is not repeated, and this is mostly up to America.' Despite that concern, Araghchi said it could be possible 'to come to a better deal than Obama,' referencing the 2015 nuclear deal with world powers Iran reached when former US President Barack Obama was in office. Trump, in his first term, unilaterally withdrew America from the accord. The United States has moved the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln, ships, and warplanes to the Middle East to pressure Iran into an agreement and have the firepower necessary to strike the Islamic Republic should Trump choose to do so. Already, US forces shot down a drone they said got too close to the Lincoln and came to the aid of a US-flagged ship that Iranian forces tried to stop in the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow mouth of the Persian Gulf. Trump told the news website Axios that he was considering sending a second carrier to the region, noting: 'We have an armada that is heading there, and another one might be going.' It remains unclear which carrier could go. The USS George H.W. Bush has left Norfolk, Virginia, according to U.S. Navy Institute News. The USS Gerald R. Ford remains in the Caribbean after the U.S. military raid that captured Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro. Residents of a Home Counties village loved by celebrities such as Sharon Osbourne and Cheryl Tweedy have claimed that a group of 'feral' travellers are terrorising their idyllic setting. Villagers of Chalfont St Peter, where the average house price sells for 800,000 and some even reach 2.5 million, say the group are 'running riot' and reacted with anger to the news the council has now approved a permanent site for them. This week, the council said that the caravan site they had erected without permission on green belt land can now remain - sparking fears of a house price dip from some inhabitants of the Buckinghamshire village. The new permanent site would has four pitches in place but the activity in and around the village has been rumbling on for years. Residents claim that since this move, travellers have destroyed trees on the plot, carried out development not in keeping with the application and left litter and fly-tipping 'everywhere'. In the village, it is claimed they order and eat food from local cafes and then do not pay. And there are signs the ill feeling has boiled over into an all out civil war in the village. On approach to the site, graffiti has been dubbed on the wooden gates of the camp, reading: 'where are the trees?'This is apparently a message to the travellers. Residents of a Home Counties village loved by celebrities have declared war on a group of travellers Residents of Chalfont St Peters, where homes can sell for 2.5million, claim they have been 'terrorised' by the group They say the group has chopped down trees and some residents have now scrawled on their fence to ask for answers The village is popular among London commuters, as it is just 5.7km north of the M2. Sharon Osbourne has a hamlet just a mile away and Cheryl Tweed once lived in the village with her son, Bear. TV couple Tess Daly and Vernon Kay also live just a few miles away. One businesswoman, who lives opposite the travellers, told the Daily Mail: 'It's hell. We're being terrorised by these feral travellers. 'We're all thinking of moving. Our prices have really reduced because of it. One couple in the village cannot sell their house and blame them. 'We know a woman who runs a cafe and they come in, order their food, take it, then do a runner without paying. I've seen that. 'They leave so much rubbish there around the site. We do litter picks but why should we really. But we do but it's back to as bad as it was in no time at all.' The woman said she was 'gobsmacked' to hear planning permission had been granted. She added: 'What sort of message does this send out? It's wrong. Big trees have been cut down on the site. They must have been hundreds of years old.' Michael Richards, 56, believes 30,000 would have been knocked off his detached house value. The surveyor said: 'I've lived here for 10 years. It's a wonderful area. But they seem to have been allowed to get away with anything. I wanted an extension for one bedroom. It was like pulling teeth. They can do whatever they want. It's a disgrace. 'Our house prices will reduce. I am sure mine has gone down 30,000 because we're so close. Why would you want to live here? 'It used to be land full of trees. They have got rid of them. It's totally wrong. That's what annoys me more than anything. Cheryl Tweed once lived in the village with her son, Bear The council announced this week that the traveller site has been granted permanent status And some locals in the pretty Buckinghamshire village fear this will drive down house prices The traveller community did not respond to the Mail's request for comment when approached The so-called Chalfonts - made up of Chalfont St Peter, Chalfont St Giles and Little Chalfont - have long proved attractive to celebrities who are keen on the area's rural location yet proximity to London - Chalfont St Peter lies just 5.7km north of the M2. Tom Hawkins, 38, described the situation as an 'injustice'. He said: 'It's like an invasion. They have cut down all the trees. It's wrong. That's greenbelt land. 'It was beautiful countryside five or six years ago. Now the council is allowing an even larger traveller site. 'They can just do whatever they want.' The travellers were approached at the site for comment. Grace Tame has hit out at calls for her to be silenced or stripped of her Australian of the Year title over her fiery attacks on Israel and its visiting Israeli president Isaac Herzog, saying she will 'refuse to be silent'. In a post on Wednesday, Tame defended her use of the controversial phrase 'intifada' and anti-Israel rhetoric during a speech to a rally in Sydney on Monday against the Herzog visit, before it erupted into violent clashes between protesters and police. The 31-year-old former Australian of the Year was met with heavy criticism from some, with former deputy prime minister Barnaby Joyce even calling for her to be stripped of her award. Tame shared her response to the criticism in a video on Wednesday afternoon after sharing a written statement about coverage of the rally on Tuesday. 'This is not the first time I've been made a villain for speaking out,' Tame wrote alongside Wednesday's video. 'It is however the first time I've been cast in a worse light than a criminal state. 'In the pursuit of justice, proportion, fairness, and truth, I refuse to be silent.' In her video she directed her critics to watch an investigation by Al Jazeera - a Qatari state-funded international news network - about the ongoing Israeli operations in Gaza, which allegedly deployed US-made bombs. Tame (above) repeated that she is 'not the story' and urged her critics to divert their attention to allegations Palestinians were 'evaporated' by US-made bombs Demonstrators gathered in Sydney CBD on Monday to protest Israeli president Isaac Herzog's visit to Australia (pictured is Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Herzog) 'Overnight we learned that nearly 3,000 Palestinians have been evaporated by Israel using illegal US weapons,' Tame said. 'But instead of focusing on that, our political and media classes are trying to distract the masses by focusing on words that I said at a peaceful protest on Monday night in Sydney. 'I am not the story. 'The story is that on Monday night, tens of thousands of peaceful protesters - gathered to decry the arrival of Israel's president, Isaac Herzog, who himself stands credibly accused of war crimes - were met with unprovoked police brutality.' The behaviour of NSW Police on Monday night, which Minns refused to denounce, has come under massive scrutiny. Footage online showed protesters being pepper sprayed, pushed and beaten by officers. One of the most confronting scenes showed officers hauling off a group of praying Muslims. The criticism culminated in a 'police brutality' protest outside Surry Hills Police Station on Tuesday night. Join the debate What's your take on Grace's controversial comments? Protesters were pepper sprayed (above), pushed and beaten by officers on Monday Tame added the main 'story' from Monday should be the alleged police brutality seen at the protest (above) Tame took aim at the government's response to the violence, saying: 'Our leaders go on about social cohesion, what's a better example of social cohesion than tens of thousands of people from many and diverse backgrounds gathering united in the pursuit of humanity? 'This has been a trend for years and years and years. 'The only thing that has changed, that is actively disrupting social cohesion, is the overreach of state powers which we all saw footage of from Monday night.' Outside Town Hall on Monday, Tame accused Herzog of engaging in 'incitement to genocide' and of having 'signed his name on bombs that were used to kill innocent women and children'. The UN Human Rights Council in September alleged a genocide was occurring in Gaza, which Israel relentlessly attacked following the Hamas terrorist attack on October 7, 2023. Both Herzog and Israel have denied a genocide was committed in Palestine. Tame used that word in her speech, but it was Tame's use of the word 'intifada' which drew the most criticism. Intifada means 'shaking off' in Arabic and is associated with uprisings and rebellion. Protesters gathered outside Surry Hills Police Station on Tuesday (above) in response to the violence on Monday In one disturbing scene, officers were seen disrupting a group of praying Muslims (above) on Monday It's previously been used to describe two violent Palestinian protests against Israel in 1987 and 2000. Tame addressed her 'intifada' comment on Wednesday. 'Our political and media classes are trying to distract the masses by focusing on words that I said at a peaceful protest on Monday night in Sydney,' she said. 'Disingenuously distorting definitions has been a cornerstone of Israel's propaganda strategy for decades. 'Choosing to put a negative spin on the word intifada, which literally means shaking off, is just another example of that.' An Al Qaeda-inspired terrorist who plotted to bomb a UK army base will be released from jail in weeks despite experts warning he is too dangerous to be set free. Zahid Iqbal was a member of a terrorist gang who plotted an attack at a Territorial Army centre in Luton where a remote-controlled toy car would be used to carry a homemade bomb. The co-leader of the group planned to make the bomb based on instructions in an Al Qaeda manual called 'Make a bomb in the kitchen of your mom - by the Al Qaeda chef'. Iqbal and his co-conspirators were jailed in 2013 with the 43-year-old being senenced to 16 years he admitted one count of engaging in conduct in preparation for acts of terrorism. He had also arranged terrorism training in Pakistan and discussed getting weapons. Now the Parole Board has ruled that Iqbal should be allowed back on the streets, three years earlier than his maximum sentence. The decision has been made despite both his prison offender manager and community offender manager saying he should stay in prison. And a terror attack survivor and experts have criticised the ruling, saying he will strike again and believe the Parole Board will have 'blood on their hands'. Zahid Iqbal (pictured) was handed a 16-year prison sentence for his part in a plot to bomb a UK army base Iqbal and his co-conspirators planned an attack at a Territorial Army centre in Luton (pictured) where a remote-controlled toy car would be used to carry a homemade bomb Iqbal is also thought to have had connections to Westminster terror attacker Khalid Masood. Masood was investigated as part of the Army base plot and it was thought the pair may have knew each other. Masood had lived in Luton and it is thought they could have made contact at a gym. On 2 November 2021 Iqbal was released on the direction of the Parole Board but was recalled in 2023 after a number of concerns were raised. A report into his release said: 'Evidence was presented at the hearing regarding Mr Iqbal's progress and custodial conduct during this sentence and since his recall. 'During his time on licence, Mr Iqbal was assessed by professionals as having low level of engagement in extremism ideology. 'Mr Iqbal had undertaken an accredited programme on his sentence to address extremist offending and ways of disengaging. 'He had also completed work to help him better understand his faith and was seen to distance himself from other extremist offenders.' The report added that while there had been 'no behavioural issues in custody since recall' the 'key concern' for professionals was they did not know what he had been doing while on licence because of the 'nature of the breaches'. Mohammed Sharfaraz Ahmed (pictured left) was handed an 11 year prison sentence for his role in the terrorist plot in 2013. Farhan Hussain (right) got five years This included having a phone of which probation officers were not aware. The report added: 'The psychologist recommended release, whilst the prison offender manager and community offender manager both recommended Mr Iqbal remain in custody. 'The panel examined the release plan provided by Mr Iqbal's probation officer and weighed its proposals against assessed risks. 'The plan included a requirement to reside in designated accommodation as well as strict limitations on Mr Iqbal's contacts, movements, and activities. The panel considered whether all licence conditions would be necessary in this case. It concluded that the release plan would be robust enough to manage Mr Iqbal in the community.' The report added: 'The panel was not persuaded that Mr Iqbal continued to be a risk of carrying out, encouraging, or supporting extremist activity. No other potential area of risk had been identified, and the evidence was that Mr Iqbal no longer held an extremist ideology.' He will now be under strict conditions which include stay at a designated address, disclose details of relationships, be open to police searches and meet restrictions of tech uses. Jade Clough, who was injured in the Manchester Arena attack in 2017, said that Iqbal's released terrified her. She said: 'I have real fear he will carry out an attack. It's awful. Why not listen to the experts who know him? 'Surely they know him better than anyone recently? They are saying keep him in prison. It's a shocking decision. Umar Arshad (pictured left)) was jailed for six years for his role in the planned attack. Iqbal is also thought to have had connections to Westminster terror attacker Khalid Masood (right) 'It piles more and more pressure on our security services as well.' Terrorism expert Colonel Richard Kemp, former commander of UK forces in Afghanistan, described the decisions as 'extremely unwise'. 'This has all the hallmarks of the case of the London Bridge attacker, Usman Khan. He was released and then carried out a horrific attack. I fear that happening here,' Colonel Kemp said. 'The Parole Board has gone against the advice of experts. They are putting the lives of British citizens at risk. 'If this individual does attack, then the blood of his victims will be on the hands of the Parole Board.' The report added: 'After considering the circumstances of his offending and time on licence, the progress made while in custody and the evidence presented at the hearing, the panel was satisfied that imprisonment was no longer necessary for the protection of the public. 'The panel was not persuaded that Mr Iqbal continued to be a risk of carrying out, encouraging, or supporting extremist activity. No other potential area of risk had been identified, and the evidence was that Mr Iqbal no longer held an extremist ideology.' In 2023, three members of the terror gang, Umar Arshad, Syed Farhan Hussain and Mohammed Sharfaraz Ahmed, were quietly released from jail. Arshad was previously jailed for for six years and nine months and Hussain for five years and three months. Woolwich Crown Court where the gang was sentenced in March 2013 While Ahmed was handed a 11-year sentence. In March 2013, at Woolwich Crown Court, the four men admitted one count of engaging in conduct in preparation for acts of terrorism between January 1, 2011 and April 25, 2012 at a hearing on March 1. As tapes of them discussing bomb-mkaing were played in court, the four men had sat smiling and giggling in the dock. Sentencing the men, Mr Justice Wilkie QC said in April 2013 that Iqbal and Ahmed, then 25, posed a continuing risk to the public. Their extended sentence of 11 years in jail and an additional five years on licence after release reflected their key roles in the plot. The terms of their sentences mean they could be recalled to prison anytime during their five years on licence. The judge said: 'In each of their cases, their persistent commitment to terrorist activity, in a number of different ways, over a significant period of time and, in each case, their willingness to take practical steps to obtain terrorist training abroad, marks them out as particularly dangerous. 'This, coupled with the fact that, after their houses had been searched, and they were obviously under serious suspicion, they nonetheless continued to access material consistent with the mindset which informed their previous preparatory activities, persuades me that they continue to be 'dangerous' to such a degree that I should exercise my discretion to pass an extended sentence. Lloyds Bank has won a tribunal against two workers who complained that they were punished for posting messages in a work group chat that called Israelis 'greedy' and guilty of genocide. Afra Sohail and Aunngbeen Khalid sued Lloyds in 2022 for discrimination on the basis of political and religious beliefs. The bank sanctioned the pair and reported them to the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) after investigating the messages. The pair sought compensation from the bank alongside a withdrawal of the bank's disciplinary action. But the judges sided with Lloyds, saying the two women did not hold 'protected anti-Zionist beliefs' and that the bank's actions were not based on religious discrimination. The tribunal found that the posts should have been removed 'because of the polarising effect of the subject matter and the workplace context.' The two described themselves as 'devout' Muslims and had made posts criticising Israel on an internal communication network, Yammer, in 2021. Khalid, who worked as a fair assessment adviser and led a team of 13, said: 'This all started in 1948. Arabs and Jews lived peacefully until Israelis got greedier.' She called the Israeli government 'evil'. The bank sanctioned the pair and reported them to the Financial Conduct Authority after investigating the messages Sohail, a customer adviser who worked remotely on the weekends while at university, said the Israeli government was guilty of 'genocide, ethnic cleansing, illegal occupation, apartheid and colonisation.' The posts were made following an increase in violence between Israel and Palestine in 2021 but long before the October 7 attacks in 2023 that sparked war in the region. Both women were given final written warnings by the bank following the posts and were reported to the FCA, the City watchdog, in the 2024 proceedings which were published last week. The disciplinary action stays on the FCA's record for six years and can prevent the two women from finding new jobs in finance. The judges said the posts were 'ill-judged, and lacked sensitivity and balance.' But they also criticised the bank for its 'heavy-handed' punishment that had gone 'too far' when it took disciplinary action against the two. They added that Lloyds should have removed the posts and provided informal guidance to the pair instead. They accepted that neither individual had posted anything similar in the past and that both had apologised for their actions. British companies cannot sack employees based on their political views, unlike in the US. They can only do so if the political views are expressed in a discriminatory or offensive manner. A spokesman for Lloyds Banking Group told The Telegraph: 'We are committed to providing an inclusive place of work for everyone and will always take appropriate action if colleagues fail to meet the expected standards set out clearly in our conduct policy.' The judges sided with Lloyds, saying the two women did not hold 'protected anti-Zionist beliefs' and that the bank's actions were not based on religious discrimination A lawyer for Lloyds said during the trial that the bank does not have any specific policy that bans the criticism of the Israeli government and that it does not curb the free speech of its employees. Ms Khalid said in a statement: 'Although we are disappointed by the outcome, we take strength from the tribunals clear recognition that anti-Zionist beliefs can be protected in law.' Ms Sohail said in a separate statement: 'I am grateful for the judgment which represents a step forward for the Palestinian cause. 'While the ruling did not go in our favour, it affirmed that the bank went too far and exposed the excessive nature of its response.' Virginia Giuffre's brother has said the Jeffrey Epstein case has been 'mishandled, again and again' as he joined survivors in Washington to demand answers. Sky Roberts and his wife Amanda gave a press conference alongside survivors of Epstein's abuse in which they called Attorney General Pam Bondi's handling of the release of the Epstein files as 'nothing short of a failure'. It came ahead of a planned grilling for Bondi before the House Judiciary Committee today, where she will face questions following mounting criticism in recent days. The Department of Justice has faced scrutiny over the redaction of names of alleged perpetrators of abuse in the files, as well as failing to properly protect the identities of victims by redacting their names, faces and personal information. Mr Roberts made the comments after yesterday insisting that Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor must 'show up' to testify before Congress over his relationship with Epstein. Speaking in Washington today, Mr Roberts said: 'Pam, I have a clear and simple message for you. The way this administration and you in particular have handled survivors has been nothing short of a failure.' Sharing a message from one of the victims of Epstein and his socialite former girlfriend Ghislaine Maxwell, he continued: 'I've a message from Annie Farmer [...] And she said Pam, do your job. Do your job Pam, and I feel that. 'There are serious questions that demand answers. Why are the perpetrators names being redacted while survivors names are left unredacted? Virginia Giuffre's brother has said Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor (pictured in a photo released as part of the Epstein files) must 'show up' to testify before Congress amid the fallout from the latest DoJ release After being asked about the infamous photograph that shows the former prince with his arm around his young sister, Mr Roberts said Andrew 'should show up and answer questions' about Epstein 'We are done with excuses, we are done with delays, no more lies, no more deflection, we want answers and we want accountability.' Turning to his sister Virginia Giuffre, who died in April by suicide aged just 41, he said: 'Virginia was not a headline, she was a daughter, a sister, a mother and a human being. 'She carried what was done to her for years and still chose to fight, not just for herself but for others who were afraid or silenced. 'And we need to say this plainly, the handling of the Jeffrey Epstein case has been mishandled, again and again across administrations, across agencies and across years. 'That failure is not abstract, it has caused real lasting damage to survivors and that is not up for debate. 'We are here to see whether our representatives will stand with survivors not with excuses, not with delay, not with political convenience. We are here to see whether you will ask the hard questions that have been avoided for far too long.' Yesterday, Mr Roberts and his wife were at the US Capitol as politicians in Washington unveiled Virginia's Law, some ten months after her death. The new law will mean survivors of sexual abuse will be able to pursue justice against their attackers without a time limit. An emotional Mr Roberts told the press conference: 'Virginia's dream was to inspire and empower survivors to come forward in a world that too often turns away from abuse and pushes it into the shadows. She wanted to bring light.' After being asked about the notorious photograph that shows the former Prince Andrew with his arm around his young sister, he added: 'I think he should show up in front of our Congress. 'He has a lot of questions he needs to answer and he has been exploited through these files to have inconsistencies in his own messages. 'I want today to be about Virginia's law, to not allow this to happen again, but to Andrew, he needs to show up and answer questions in front of our Congress.' Sky Roberts, brother of Virginia Giuffre, speaks to reporters in the US Capitol on Tuesday alongside his wife Amanda US Attorney General Pam Bondi is sworn in before being questioned in front of the House Judiciary Committee in Washington today There is mounting pressure on Andrew to testify before Congress after he and his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson appeared in the Epstein files (Pictured: The couple attending the funeral of Katharine, Duchess of Kent at Westminster Cathedral on September 16, 2025 in London) Ms Giuffre was Epstein's most prominent accuser and claimed she had been trafficked to have sex with Andrew on three occasions, including in London and on Epstein's private island. Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor has always denied any wrongdoing. Speaking in Washington on Wednesday, Ms Giuffre's sister-in-law Amanda said she is 'deeply disappointed' at the way Pam Bondi and the DoJ have treated survivors. 'Today while you're being questioned, we ask you to look into the eyes of every single one of us and remember Virginia Roberts Giuffre, who paid the ultimate sacrifice for the trauma that she endured. We ask you to remember the lives that we have lost during this process,' she said. 'We are here because survivors have had their lives defined by what powerful people did to them behind closed doors while institutions have continually looked away. 'Today Congress has a chance to prove that this country is still not looking away. 'We are not here for theatre, and we are not here for talking points. We are here for truth, we are here for justice and we are here for accountability, for Virginia and every survivor.' Lara Blume McGee, one of the survivors who was abused by Epstein, told those gathered it had taken 'courage' to speak out about her experiences, continuing: 'That courage should never cost us our safety, our privacy or our right to heal. Our current system does the opposite. 'The people who have harmed us are hidden while survivors are exposed. Abusers' names and contact information is redacted while our faces and stories are left on full display. 'This is not protection, this is betrayal. It hands power back to the abusers and further strips survivors of our dignity.' She concluded: 'Truth, integrity and the pursuit of justice should be non-negotiable and we will no longer negotiate with people or institutions that fail us.' In an extraordinary set of pictures released as part of the Epstein files, Andrew is seen looking directly at the camera as he kneels on all fours above a woman whose face is redacted The press conference came amid mounting pressure in Britain for Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor to travel to the US following Ms Giuffre's allegations that she was first trafficked to London - where the photograph with Andrew and Ghislaine Maxwell was taken - when she was 17 and forced to have sex with the 41-year-old former Duke of York. Andrew eventually settled her claims, without admitting wrongdoing, in a reported 12 million out-of-court agreement. There is now mounting pressure on Andrew to testify about what he knew of convicted paedophile Epstein before Congress, with US Vice President JD Vance adding his voice to the fray last week. In an interview with the Daily Mail he said he was 'open' to Andrew testifying, but added it is the decision of Congress itself. Meanwhile after the latest release of around three million documents, photos and videos from the files last month, UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said Andrew has a duty to give evidence. Sir Keir said victims 'have to be the first priority' and that 'anybody who has got information should be prepared to share that information in whatever form they are asked to do that'. He added that a 'victim-centred' approach was why Andrew should co-operate fully and provide information 'in whatever form' he is requested. Speaking at the Capitol on Tuesday, Ms Giuffre's brother said the introduction of Virginia's Law would 'amplify the voices of survivors around the world'. He continued: 'We send a clear message to perpetrators everywhere by introducing Virginia's law. Survivors deserve justice not expiration dates. Change must mean justice justice in law.' He added: 'Virginia did not survive what she survived just to be silenced again.' The bill will end the statute of limitations for adult victims or their survivors bringing civil suits against perpetrators of sexual abuse. It would also widen options for victims, enabling them to bring suits concerning sex crimes that take place outside of the US, as long as a US court has jurisdiction. It is hoped this could help some of Epstein's victims, after the disgraced financier died in 2019 before he himself could face justice. His former girlfriend and associate, British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell, is currently serving a 20-year prison sentence in a US jail for her role in procuring and trafficking young girls for Epstein. Epstein is pictured with a young woman who appears to be in her underwear in a photograph released as part of the Epstein files The email from the files appears to show Andrew forwarded on reports from his trade envoy trips to Epstein five minutes after he got them from his then-special adviser, Amit Patel The latest files released by the American Department of Justice revealed more disturbing pictures of Andrew crouching over a young woman, as well as dozens of emails showing further details of their friendship. This includes allegedly sharing confidential information from his role as the UK trade envoy such as confidential briefings on investment opportunities in the reconstruction of Helmand province, Afghanistan, as well as reports of visits to Hong Kong, Vietnam and Singapore. Other emails show how Andrew entertained Epstein and four women, including a young Romanian model, at the Palace while Queen Elizabeth was away at Balmoral in 2010. And it was announced this week that police are assessing a complaint from a second woman who also claims she was sent to the UK for a sexual encounter with Andrew in 2010. Buckingham Palace has said it is ready to 'support' any police inquiry should UK authorities decide to investigate Andrew further as a result of the files. The female entrepreneur of a bamboo toothbrush company has lost a bitter legal battle to save the firm after a judge ruled she used business funds to pay for her children's outstanding boarding school fees. Sophie Perhar, 48, had tried to blame her finance boss, David Slinger, 73, for The Sustainable Company's failure. Mr Slinger, co-director of corporate finance company Synergy in Trade Ltd, had called in administrators when she failed to repay more than half of the 500,000 she had borrowed to make her idea of developing and producing a bamboo electric toothbrush a reality. She had secured a lucrative contract to supply her toothbrush to Aldi, but following an error involving payments from the supermarket ending up in the wrong bank account, Synergy demanded she repay them. Mrs Perhar, whose husband Simon Perhar is a top corporate lawyer, claimed the finance boss had 'improper motives' behind the move and was trying to 'suffocate and kill' her business. She sued the Leicestershire-based firm, but now a High Court judge has dismissed her case and ruled the eco-entrepreneur caused her own company's downfall. In his ruling, Judge Sebastian Prentis said Mrs Perhar had used 'unauthorised' business funds to support 'her and her family's affluent lifestyle', including paying 85,000 towards her children's boarding school fees. The court had heard how Mrs Perhar and Mr Slinger had had 'a major falling out' before the finance boss called in administrators. She claimed Mr Slinger was angry after she complained to his female business partner about having been subjected to 'uncomfortable talk about his personal life' during meetings, including health matters and his dating life. Female entrepreneur Sophie Perhar, 48, pictured outside London's High Court carrying a Louis Vuitton bag She has failed in her bid to save her bamboo toothbrush firm The Sustainable Company after a judge ruled she used 'unauthorised' money to pay her children's boarding school fees Mrs Perhar's company had been advanced around 500,000 by Mr Slinger's finance company between April 2022 and June 2023. But in June 2023, Synergy demanded immediate repayment of 376,291 and just three hours later filed to put the company into administration. Mrs Perhar alleged Mr Slinger 'decided to destroy' her company after she 'went to his female business partner and complained about his inappropriate conduct'. She accused him of exposing her to 'uncomfortable' personal chat and of being 'super aggressive and unreasonable'. Mrs Perhar claimed her complaints to his business partner, Cassandra McAlpine, ultimately led to him pulling the plug and calling in administrators. Mr Slinger hotly disputed the allegations against him, claiming his company is still 'out of pocket' to the tune of around 375,000, because Mrs Perhar didn't repay in full. London's High Court heard that Mrs Perhar launched The Sustainable Bathroom Company in January 2019 as a wholesaler of environmentally friendly bathroom products, developed by herself. She had initial success with a mosquito repellent called Mozzipatch and went on to develop an electric bamboo toothbrush with replaceable heads. By early 2022, the company had developed the toothbrush to the point of having a supply agreement with Aldi in place. In April, Synergy agreed to lend the company up to 350,000 over three years to meet manufacturing costs in return for a 30 per cent share of profits, though the company in the end was advanced over 500,000, the court heard. The toothbrushes were made in China and supplied to Aldi, with payments from the retailer due to go into an account controlled by Synergy so that the finance company could be paid back before any other creditors. But due to Aldi having the wrong bank details, payments to the tune of about 500,000 went into another business account controlled by Mrs Perhar instead. Mrs Perhar then went on to pay out large sums from the account to meet her own 'urgent' debts, including 85,000 towards her children's outstanding school fees and 40,000 to pawnbrokers, instead of handing the money to Synergy. Subsequently, on 5 June 2023, she received a demand for repayment of the loan, plus interest, on the basis that she had breached the terms of her company's borrowing agreement. And just three hours later, Synergy, as secured creditors, put The Sustainable Bathroom Company Ltd into administration. Mrs Perhar went on to sue at the High Court, claiming Synergy had 'approved' her making the payments, rather than transferring the money to them. Applying to the court to have the administrators' appointment declared invalid, she told Judge Sebastian Prentis that she believes Synergy had no legal right to put her company into administration and that Mr Slinger appointed them for 'vindictive' and 'improper' reasons. Mrs Perhar had tried to blame her finance boss, David Slinger, 73, (pictured) for her firm's failure after he called in administrators when she failed to pay back money she had borrowed 'His motive was to cause me as much financial ruin as possible because I went to his female business partner and complained about his conduct,' she claimed. 'I find it unbelievable that he is being so incredibly vindictive.' But throwing out her case, the judge found that Mr Slinger had, if anything, taken an 'open-minded and constructive approach' to financially supporting Mrs Perhar's business and that she brought disaster on herself. 'Mrs Perhar is a woman driven to succeed; in part because of a belief that the toothbrush is a product good for the planet,' he said in his judgment. 'But there was an undercurrent to her evidence, of which we have seen indications already, that she and her vision were the centres of this relationship. 'Synergy was a tool along the way, useful for funding her good product, and in the event useful for assisting with her and her family's affluent lifestyle. 'She and her family came first, and when choices had to be made, that was hers, whatever the contractual documents said. 'It does not seem to have come to her mind that Synergy was actually as much a personal business as the company: it did not rely on outside lending; its money was effectively its shareholders. 'Mrs Perhar did not seem to realise it, apparently being more occupied with potential future deals, but Synergy had given large opportunity for matters to be resolved. 'But that required her basic assistance, including providing information which Synergy was bound to want, and the funds to which it was entitled. 'Among other payments, not all of which can be purposed even now, Mrs Perhar had on 13 and 15 March paid school fees of, respectively, 40,000 and 58,000. She says she was "paying what I urgently needed". 'Rightly, as it would turn out, Synergy was getting twitchy. 'What is critical, both to the legal analysis and as explanatory of the parties' breakdown in relations, is that when on 28 February Mrs Perhar first became aware of the erroneous payments, and thereafter, she did not transfer them over to Synergy, or give it control over them, or, as the company was bound, treat them as trust monies; those contractual obligations were very largely ignored.' The judge added that Mrs Perhar was not 'open and frank in her dealings with the receipts, again despite the contractual obligations'. 'While she had discussed her financial problems with Mr Slinger, there was no agreement to these payments,' the judge ruled. Clearing Mr Slinger of 'improper motive' for appointing administrators, the judge said: 'Mrs Perhar has expressed the improper motive in a variety of ways. In closing, it came to this: that Mr Slinger was upset and angry having been called out over his behaviour, and therefore placed the company in administration to damage her reputation and destroy her business. 'The overwhelming evidence is that it was made to protect Synergy's financial position, so far as was possible, in the face of repeated and ongoing defalcations by the company. 'Whether solvent or not, the company failed because of Mrs Perhar's unauthorised use of the Aldi monies,' he added, concluding: 'Even were that wrong, and there was an improper motive, for the same reasons that there has been no substantial injustice, the administration must remain on foot. 'The alternative, of handing the company back to Mrs Perhar, when it has not traded for more than two years, has significant outstanding liabilities and no up-to-date accounts, would be unthinkable. 'At the latest, after two days it would enter administration again, if another insolvency process had not been initiated.' A British tourist is stranded in Thailand and pleading for help to pay a 20,000 medical bill after a horrific moped crash left his leg 'hanging off'. Lewis McClelland, 30, is facing the huge cost after his travel insurance refused to cover emergency surgery and flights home. He had travelled to Ko Lanta on January 16 for a two-week break with a friend before starting his 'dream job' as a window fitter. But on February 2, he rented a moped for a morning ride to the beach and collided with a tuk-tuk, which he says 'ripped through his leg'. Shocking photos show him lying on the ground with his leg torn open and 'hanging off'. He was rushed to hospital where doctors stitched him up to stop him bleeding to death before transferring him for reconstructive surgery. Lewis suffered multiple open fractures to his leg, fractures to his wrist and fingers and facial lacerations. A British tourist is stranded in Thailand facing a 20,000 medical bill after a horrific moped crash left his leg 'hanging off', with his insurer refusing to cover the cost Lewis McClelland travelled to Ko Lanta on January 16 for a two-week break with a friend before starting his 'dream job' as a window cleaner But on February 2, the 30-year-old rented a moped for a morning ride to the beach and collided with a tuk-tuk, which he says 'ripped through his leg' He now has an external fixator holding his leg together and is waiting for a second surgery before he can fly back home. The window fitter claims Post Office travel insurance is refusing to cover his medical bills and repatriation because he didn't hold a Compulsory basic training (CBT) certificate, required in the UK to ride a moped or motorbike. He says he was only asked for his passport when hiring the bike and there was no mention of a CBT. A GoFundme page set up by Lewis's mother is seeking to raise more than 20,000 to cover treatment and flights home. Lewis who lives in Portsmouth, Hampshire, said: 'This relaxing trip I never would've thought would turn into such a nightmare. It was horrific. 'I was meant to be just going for two weeks on a holiday. Just to get away from life for a bit. 'I'd got up and was just going to get breakfast. I had my helmet on and everything. I collided slightly with a tuk-tuk and it ripped through my leg. 'It was terrible and it was a big blur in the moment. I can't really remember because of the concussion afterwards. He was rushed to hospital where doctors stitched him up to stop him bleeding to death before transferring him for reconstructive surgery Lewis suffered multiple open fractures to his leg, fractures to his wrist and fingers and facial lacerations 'My leg was hanging off. I'm still lucky to have my leg. My wrist snapped and two fingers snapped. I've got life-changing scars now all across my face. 'I pretty much ripped the bottom of my leg off to the point there was no pulse in my foot. I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy.' He added: 'I'm very lucky to be alive. If they didn't act so quickly I would've bled out. There was no way around it. It was a very, very close call. 'It's a life changing position for me. My face is lacerated and I'm quite a self-conscious person as it is. 'I don't even know how long the healing process is. It was only a two week holiday I was meant to come out for. Which has now turned into a lot longer and very expensive. 'On top of that I've got to get home. I've got a recuperation period of two weeks where I'm not allowed to fly for two to three weeks. It's a very messy situation. 'I was due to start my dream job when I got back. You couldn't write it.' Lewis claims his insurer is refusing to pay because he didn't have a valid CBT certificate, which was listed in the small print of his policy. He hopes to spread awareness to other tourists to stop them from making the same mistake. Lewis said: 'I thought I was absolutely fine because they hired it to me with my passport. Obviously the insurance companies are saying otherwise. 'I'm competent on a bike and it's not my first time riding a moped. It's one of those things. The only options are to pay a cash deposit or give your passport. No one asks for a CBT. Why would I think otherwise? 'Read the small print and make sure you have your license. [In Thailand] they're willing to hire you bikes out here just off of a passport and not even whether I'd ridden a motorbike before. 'Just make sure you take your licence with you. How they're doing it out here is not legal in the eyes of insurers. I wouldn't wish this upon my worst enemy.' A Post Office spokesperson said: 'We're sorry to hear about the injuries Mr McClelland has sustained whilst on holiday. 'Unfortunately, the information provided by Mr McClelland and his family confirms that Mr McClelland did not have the relevant licence for the vehicle they were operating and therefore he was not covered for the injuries sustained in the accident. 'We will continue to provide any assistance we can to support the family as they make arrangements to return to the UK.' NHS staff have been told it is 'unacceptable' to discourage cousin marriage - as new guidance insists the risk of having a genetically ill child is only 'slightly increased'. The National Child Mortality Database (NCMD), based at the University of Bristol, warned employees against a 'blanket' approach to the practice. Cousin marriage, fairly common in the Pakistani community, remains legal in the UK despite attempts to ban it. The NCMD received more than 3.5million in taxpayer funding to record and interpret data on all children who died. The organisation's report states, 'It is unacceptable to discourage close relative marriage in a blanket way,' because the risk of having a child with a genetic disorder is only 'slightly increased'. It adds genetic counsellors should meet with couples and their relatives, advising them on how to 'consider arranging future marriages outside of the family'. The advice follows separate NHS guidance stating the 'benefits' of cousin marriage - with critics urging health bosses to expand an ongoing investigation into the advice to include the NCMD document. Babies born to cousins are up to three times more likely to have genetic disorders. Cousin marriage, fairly common in the Pakistani community, remains legal in the UK despite attempts to ban it (file image) This graphic, from NHS material distributed to couples in Bradford, explains some of the genetic risks of having children with a close relative. Two parents with a recessive gene have an increased chance of having a child with an inherited condition The NCMD document adds: 'Action at community level may help people to understand and act on [our] advice; but this is only acceptable if information is balanced, non-stigmatising and non-directive.' In 2024, an attempt to outlaw the practice was proposed by Richard Holden, shadow transport secretary, when he was a backbench MP. His efforts were blocked. Mr Holden told The Times: 'Our NHS should stop taking the knee to damaging and oppressive cultural practices. This guidance turns basic public health into public harm. 'First cousin marriage carries far higher genetic risk, as well as damaging individual liberty and societal cohesion. Pretending otherwise helps no one, least of all the children born with avoidable conditions and those trapped in heavy-handed patriarchal power structures they cant leave for fear of total ostracism.' Studies suggest the risks of cousin marriage are comparable to the increased risk associated with mothers giving birth over the age of 35. However, that risk is compounded if the family has a history of consanguineous marriages across generations Yesterday the Daily Mail revealed a Manchester NHS Trust had advertised an 'exciting new job opportunity' for a close-relative marriage nurse - to help cousins having children together. The role - now closed for applications - was shared earlier this year in a bid to enable 'informed reproductive decision making'. The ideal candidate was described as fluent in Urdu and someone who 'values diversity and difference'. The role - now closed for applications - was shared earlier this year in a bid to enable 'informed reproductive decision making' Your browser does not support iframes. Last month new guidance from the health service said concerns about the risks of congenital diseases are 'exaggerated' and 'unwarranted' on the grounds that '85 to 90 per cent of cousin couples have unaffected children'. The national average rate for unaffected children is 98 per cent. Admitting there are some 'risks to child health associated with close relative marriage', the guidance says these should 'be balanced against the potential benefits... from this marriage practice'. And marrying a relative fairly common in the Pakistani community can offer 'economic benefits' as well as 'emotional and social connections' and 'social capital', the document says. The Manchester Foundation Trust, one of the largest NHS Trusts in England, advertised the Neonatal Nurse position as a fixed-term 12-month contract. It is one of a number of similar positions being publicised across the NHS, including a Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust role in Slough, 'close relative' midwifery and nursing posts in Bedfordshire Hospitals and at GP practices in Bradford. The successful applicant will receive a salary of between 37,338 to 44,962 a year, working full-time to ensure 'support and improve engagement with genetic services for affected families' and enable parents to 'make informed choices in a culturally sensitive empowering way'. An NHS source told the Daily Mail: 'The purpose of the role is to advise families of the genetic risks associated with children born from close relative marriages and promote an informed understanding. 'The purpose of the role is not to advise how cousins can have children, it is about working with families to assess the risks and provide access to relevant information and research on genetics so that informed choices can be made.' Cousin marriage is popular among certain communities in Britain such as those of Pakistani and Bangladeshi heritage. Critics have accused the NHS of turning a blind eye to an 'indefensible cultural practice'. An Iraqi people smuggler charged Vietnamese migrants 1,500 per person to plot their illegal routes to the UK on small boats. Ramal Briem, 33, called the migrants chickens and planned to smuggle them across Europe and into the UK frequently and on some scale. He moved migrants from Vietnam across eastern Europe on work visas, then to the jungles near Dunkirk and Calais, France. From there they would travel on small boats to the UK where the Home Office would move them into hotels and they would be collected before disappearing into the Vietnamese community. All the migrants Briem smuggled were thought to be Vietnamese, with more than 1,000 names seen on a ledger seized by police. Briem was arrested by the National Crime Agency after police found messages between him and the alleged head of an organised crime group. The other man, known to Briem as 'Kevin', was identified by French police as the head of an Europe-wide organisation involved in a very substantial commercial enterprise bringing Vietnamese to the UK. His partner, who was living in Croydon, allegedly provided phones and SIM cards to migrants. Ramal Briem called the migrants chickens and planned to smuggle them across Europe and into the UK frequently and on some scale Briem appeared during a trial of issue at Wolverhampton Crown Court on Monday He was arrested in April 2024 at which time police seized his devices and found messages between him and Briem. In one message 'Kevin' asked Briem: Do you pick up chickens from Romania? Briem, who used a Vietnamese name during contact, replied: Tell me, any time bro, I come to help you. Cathlyn Orchard, prosecuting, told Wolverhampton Crown Court Briem said he would charge 1,500 per chicken to bring them to the UK. Ms Orchard said Briem was an organised criminal, with others working for him, receiving significant financial remuneration. He is an established people smuggler, she added. Kevin told Briem he had more than 30 chickens in Dunkirk, with arrangements already made with another people smuggler. But he said he would give Briem all his custom in future, Ms Orchard told the court. Kevin asked if Briem would offer any free chickens as part of the deal. He replied: OK, if you give me 20 chickens, two is free. Kevin then agreed to send him all the chickens he had. In later messages Kevin said he had two chickens in Romania and three chickens in Hungary, with Briem responsible for collecting all five. Kevin also shared details with Briem of flights for migrants arriving in Romania via Qatar. The defendant replied saying he would send someone to pick them up, Ms Orchard said. Another message indicated that Kevin was giving money to Briem for the illegal immigration enterprise. Messages between the pair also identified that they both had staff working for them, the court heard. It is understood the man known as Kevin is awaiting extradition to France. All the migrants Briem smuggled were thought to be Vietnamese, with more than 1,000 names seen on a ledger seized by police (file pic) The court heard Briem was in contact with a French phone number in March 2024. That number was tracked travelling into the UK on a lorry registered in the Netherlands. When the lorry stopped in Staffordshire male migrants ran from the back. Briem told the court he was living in Wolverhampton with his partner and children at the time. Speaking through a Kurdish Sorani interpreter, he said he wanted to help Kevin out. But he claimed he did not bring anyone to the UK and that he was helping people who were already here. Briem spoke at the trial of issue, which happens after a defendant has pleaded guilty but disagrees with the prosecutions version of events, on Monday. During these trials a judge sits without a jury to resolve these specific factual disputes. Briem admitted conspiracy to assist unlawful immigration but insisted that he thought he was involved with selling cigarettes. He said he admitted the charge because he wanted to act as a facilitator, agreeing that chickens were people. Briem continued to insist that he believed money he collected from Kevin in Croydon was to do with the sale of cigarettes. But Judge Andrew Lockhart KC said he rejected Briems version of events and found that he was at the heart of the enterprise, working as a facilitator moving migrants across the continent. He found that Briem - who had no previous convictions - employed others and described him as a serious organised criminal. The judge added: He has not told one iota of the truth here today. He should expect a sentence of some considerable length, one which will no doubt mean he will be deported, but that would be a matter not for me, that will be a matter for the Home Office. He continued: I have made findings that you are a serious organised criminal, making large amounts of money from dangerous immigration offences where peoples lives are put at risk on a daily basis. You have committed a very, very serious offence and will receive a substantial prison sentence from it that will be measured in many years in my judgement. Briem was remanded in custody and will be sentenced on March 26. Motorists have complained after a huge pothole damaged 30 cars in one night, leaving some drivers waiting hours for assistance. The hole was several inches deep and filled with water, making it difficult to see as vehicles approached it after dark. Those caught up in the chaos on Monday said it was lucky there hadnt been a serious accident at the spot on the B1062 between Beccles and Bungay in Suffolk, where the speed limit is 50mph. A mobile tyre replacement fitter called out to several jobs at the spot admitted the epidemic of potholes on roads as councils direct resources elsewhere was good business for him but costly for drivers. Jessica Smith was on her way back home from her childrens swimming lesson in Bungay when she fell victim to the pothole. It was dark and wet and there was a real thud and the tyre pressure just went down, she said. I was able to pull over safely and call the RAC. My boys were really scared. As I pulled into the layby, there were two other cars that came behind me straight away and there were other cars down the road as well. The top part of a traffic cone juts out of the 'huge' pothole that burst tyres on around 30 vehicles on the B1062 between Beccles and Bungay in Suffolk Her car was still at the site the following morning as she had to wait for a local garage to come and tow it back for a new tyre. Another motorist, Julie Williamson, heard a massive bang before her tyre suddenly went flat. It took me three hours to get the AA and to get home because they had so many calls. The road was full of AA vans and RAC vans, she told the BBC. Its very frightening when its getting dark and its rush hour traffic and youre sitting on the side of the road with lots of bends and lots of hills. Its very difficult for people to see. Im surprised there wasnt another accident. Connor Martin, 29, who runs Connors Mobile Tyres, said he had a total of four calls from stranded motorists. They included a man in a Vauxhall Astra at 3pm on Monday, another man in a Vauxhall Corsa at 6.30pm and a couple in a Mercedes A-Class car yesterday morning. I had a lot of jobs on but I had a chance to have a quick look and it [the pothole] was huge, he said. Driver Julie Williamson said the road was 'full of AA vans and RAC vans' and warned it was fortunate there hadn't been an accident on the 50mph road Dozens of cars were left with deflated tyres after drivers hit the water-logged pothole It was so deep you couldnt see the bottom of the cone that was in it. It was a few inches deep. It was filled with water and you cant really see the potholes when they are filled up with water. I know if theres a big puddle of water to go around it. But a lot of people dont know. The next thing they know, theyre on the side of the road. He added: Its good business for me but not for others. This is the busiest Ive been in a while. Britain has been blighted by a 'pothole crisis' with cash-strapped local authorities diverting funds to other priorities. Drivers and motoring organisations have complained that dangerous holes, which can injure or even kill motorists and cyclists, are cropping up quicker than they can be filled. On average, 15 people every month are killed or left with life-changing injuries in a crash started by the poor state of the roads, recent figures show. Projections indicate more than half or 106,000 miles of local roads will be in disrepair in 15 years time. Another victim, Jessica Smith, pulled into a nearby layby after her tyre was damanged and said two other cars behind her joined straight away - adding to the vehicles already waiting by the road Suffolk County Council said it had made the site 'safe' and would be carrying out a repair Suffolk Highways filled 438 potholes between February 2 and 6, according to its website. A Suffolk County Council spokesman said: The pothole on the B1062 near Deer Row was reported to us on Monday evening. A member of the team has inspected the site already and made it safe. It will now be repaired urgently. We appreciate how frustrated road users are about potholes. The team is working hard during what is the busiest time of year to inspect and repair potholes and other defects across the 4,000 miles of road we are responsible for. Its been an extraordinarily wet year for Britain so far with rivers bursting their banks, hundreds of properties flooded and rain falling every single day in some areas. Now, the Met Office has warned heavy snow will hit northern England and Scotland tomorrow, issuing a 20-hour yellow alert amid concerns up to four inches will fall. Forecasters told Brits to be prepared for icy surfaces and travel disruption due to outbreaks of snow, sleet and rain between 4pm tomorrow and midday on Friday. Snow showers affecting high ground are expected to start to fall to low levels through tomorrow evening, with up to 2cm (0.8in) on low ground by Friday morning. Accumulations of up to 5cm (2in) were forecast above 300m (1,000ft) with 10cm (4in) possible locally, while falling temperatures will lead to ice on untreated surfaces. The public were warned to take care given the risk of injuries from slips and falls on icy surfaces; as well as icy patches on untreated roads, pavements and cycle paths. The rain and snow is expected to clear south early on Friday but temperatures will fall quickly as the skies clear, leading to ice and the possibility of travels delays. Two yellow warnings were issued - one for Scotland from 4pm tomorrow until 12pm on Friday, and another for northern England from 7pm tomorrow to 12pm on Friday. And the UK Health Security Agency has announced yellow cold health alerts for the North of England and Midlands, running from 6am on Friday to 8am next Monday. Meanwhile almost 90 areas of England have been warned to expect flooding as downpours continue, with no sign of a prolonged dry spell for at least a week. The Met Office has issued snow and ice warnings for Scotland and northern England tomorrow A woman walks through snow and fog in Richmond, North Yorkshire, on February 4 Your browser does not support iframes. The UK Health Security Agency has announced cold health alerts from Friday to Monday The Environment Agency warned flooding was expected in 89 areas, mostly across the south of England, around the southern Welsh border and in the East Midlands - and was possible in a further 154 areas. At least 300 properties are estimated to have been flooded so far. It comes after a record-breaking month of rain, which became the wettest January on record for Cornwall in south-west England and County Down in Northern Ireland, according to the Met Office. The forecaster said many have been left with a sense that winter has been 'stuck on repeat', with 26 of its weather stations setting new records for January rainfall. The UK has already seen 89 per cent of the average rainfall expected for meteorological winter (December, January and February) - while England has exceeded it by 11 per cent, it said. Parts of Devon, Cornwall, Worcestershire, Somerset and West Sussex have recorded more than 30 consecutive days of rain, while North Wyke in Devon, Cardinham in Cornwall, and Astwood Bank in Worcestershire have seen it rain for more than 40 days - every day of the year so far. Warnings of rain which may lead to flooding remain in place in some parts of the UK today. The Met Office has issued yellow warnings of rain in part of western Scotland and in the east from Aberdeenshire down to Fife which is in force until midnight tonight. Forecasters warn that rain, likely to be heavy at times, will persist across eastern Scotland during the day and predict that this may lead to some disruption and possible flooding as it comes after recent rainfall. Join the debate How should Britain prepare for extreme weather becoming the new normal? Flooded fields near Burrowbridge in Somerset yesterday as relentless downpours continue A vehicle passes through floodwater on Houndsfield Lane in Birmingham on Monday They predict that a further 15mm to 25mm may fall quite widely, with potential for another 30mm to 40mm building up over high ground. The warning in the east covers Angus, Dundee, Fife, Perth and Kinross, Stirling, Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire while in the west it covers Argyll and Bute, Inverclyde, North Ayrshire, Renfrewshire and West Dunbartonshire. Andrew Hitchings, flood duty manager at the Environment Agency, said: 'With another band of rain on its way, we need the public to remain vigilant to the risk of flooding. 'As well as significant groundwater remaining likely in parts of Dorset and Wiltshire, there are risks of significant river flooding impacts on the Somerset Levels, with minor river flooding impacts expected in parts of the East Midlands and probable in Worcestershire and Gloucestershire. 'So far more 16,000 homes and business have been protected but sadly 300 have suffered flooding and our thoughts are with those communities affected. 'Our teams will continue to do all they can to support local people, with pumps, temporary barriers and by clearing waterways to ensure flood water can drain away.' The Scottish Environment Protection Agency has issued three flood warnings and seven flood alerts. Met Office senior operational meteorologist Simon Partridge said: 'The weather is set to remain unsettled throughout the remainder of the week with further spells of wet and windy weather for many areas of the UK. 'With so much rain having already fallen over parts of the UK this year, many areas are sensitive to further rainfall. Therefore, further rainfall warnings are likely as the week progresses. 'There is currently no sign of any prolonged dry weather for the next seven to 10 days.' Peter Mandelson reminisced about being introduced to Jeffrey Epstein at the lavish holiday home of a wealthy British-American businesswoman in emails published as part of the probe into the paedophile financier. Documents show the disgraced former Labour minister talking about first meeting Epstein at the summer home of Lynn Forester de Rothschild in Martha's Vineyard, an island enclave of the super rich in New England. It came as officials investigating Lord Mandelson's ties to the disgraced late child abuser were told to extend their probe to cover his time in government as far back as 1999, when he was Secretary of State for Northern Ireland. It would also cover his time as business secretary and de facto deputy prime minister under Gordon Brown between 2008 and 2010. Mandelson is believed to have known Epstein since the early 2000s, with previous documents released by the US House of Representatives showing the American covering his travel bills as far back as 2003, when he was on the backbenches as MP for Hartlepool. The peer, who denies any wrongdoing, is currently the subject of a police investigation into accusations the peer passed market-sensitive information to Epstein in the 2000s. While material from two decades ago is unlikely to be published, it could be passed to Scotland Yard detectives by civil servants, the Times reported. Peter Mandelson with late financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein in an undated photograph released by the Department of Justice Documents show the disgraced former Labour minister talking about first meeting Epstein at the summer home of Lynn Forester de Rothschild in Martha's Vineyard, an island enclave of the super rich in New England. Lynn Forester is Lynn Forester de Rothschild, pictured above, far right, with her late husband Sir Evelyn de Rothschild and Bill and Hilary Clinton in 2003 In a 2013 email exchange with Epstein's secretary Lesley Groff, published by the US Justice Department, Mandelson discusses a photograph he has been sent and asks where it was taken. Groff replies that it might be Epstein's island in the US Virgin Islands and has asked the paedophile if he knows. Mandelson then replies: 'I think it was Martha's the first time I met Jeffrey, staying with Lynn Forester'. The email exchange took place years after Epstein had served 13 months of an 18-month prison sentence in the US for procuring a girl under 18 for prostitution. Lynn Forester is Lynn Forester de Rothschild, the businesswoman and widow of financier Sir Evelyn de Rothschild, who was one of Britain's richest men before his death in 2022. She is also believed to have introduced Sarah Ferguson, the former duchess of York, to Epstein in the 1990s. It came as Sir Keir was accused of 'stuffing Government with hypocrites and paedophile apologists'. The Prime Minister was also accused of pretending to care about violence against women to 'save his own skin' by Kemi Badenoch, amid simmering discontent following the fallout from the Mandelson scandal. Sir Keir has faced significant pressure to quit, with Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar being the most prominent Labour member to call for his resignation. However, the lack of support for Mr Sarwar's position from ministers in Westminster does suggest the immediate danger has passed. The Prime Minister has said the political 'turmoil' would not stop him and pledged to lead the Labour Party into the next general election. Today he was greeted to the despatch box by loud cheers from his Labour backbenchers, but his authority continues to appear fragile. At Prime Minister's Questions, Mrs Badenoch claimed Sir Keir's decision over Lord Mandelson's appointment as US ambassador is not an 'isolated' one, as she questioned why former head of communications Matthew Doyle received a peerage despite his ties to a paedophile councillor. She said: 'The Mandelson episode was not an isolated incident. A few weeks ago he announced a peerage for one Matthew Doyle, his former director of communications. 'Immediately after that, the Sunday Times published on the front page that Doyle campaigned for a man charged with child sex offences, yet despite the Prime Minister knowing this, he gave Doyle a job for life in the House of Lords anyway. Why?' In his response, Sir Keir said: 'Matthew Doyle did not give a full account of his actions. I promised my party and my country there will be change, and yesterday I removed the whip from Matthew Doyle.' Lord Doyle has had the Labour whip removed, but calls for him to lose his peerage altogether, including from Labour Party chair Anna Turley, continue. He apologised for campaigning for Sean Morton in 2017 after he had been charged over indecent images of children. Labour figures are talking up their chances in the crucial Gorton and Denton by-election - and seem to be pinning their hopes on the popularity of Andy Burnham. The parliamentary contest, on 26 February, will be a huge test for Sir Keir Starmer in his continuing battle to remain as Prime Minister. It has been speculated that a humiliating Labour loss in the seat, which they won with a 13,000-vote majority at the general election, will trigger a fresh bid to oust Sir Keir. The PM this week faced a call to resign from Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar as his Government reels from the Peter Mandelson scandal. But Sir Keir was granted a stay of execution when senior ministers failed to follow Mr Sarwar over the top and publicly pledged their support to the PM. The Gorton and Denton by-election was triggered by former Labour minister Andrew Gwynne quitting the House of Commons on medical grounds. Mr Burnham, the Greater Manchester mayor who is seen as potential successor to Sir Keir, wanted to be Labour's by-election candidate but was blocked by the PM's allies. Yet Mr Burnham's local popularity in Gorton and Denton appears to be key to Labour's chances of holding on to the seat, with PoliticsHome reporting he - unlike the PM - features prominently on the party's campaign literature. Labour figures are talking up their chances in the crucial Gorton and Denton by-election - and seem to be pinning their hopes on the popularity of Andy Burnham The parliamentary contest, on 26 February, will be a huge test for Sir Keir Starmer in his continuing battle to remain as Prime Minister The website also revealed how, when canvassers come across a local resident who is a fan of Mr Burnham fan, they can tick a box to indicate that the party should send a letter from the Greater Manchester mayor to that constituent. Greens' by-election contender hit out at 'money laundering' takeaways on local high street and said she was 'glad' to move away The Green Party candidate in the Gorton and Denton by-election once claimed she was 'glad' to have moved out of the area, it has been revealed. Hannah Spencer, a plumber, posted on Mumsnet in 2021 that she was 'so glad I moved' from Levenshulme - one of the main towns in the Greater Manchester constituency. In the post, she complained the area had been 'hugely blighted by a mile long row of (supposedly) money laundering takeaways which mean independent businesses can't get a look in'. 'It has been 'up and coming' for at least five years but barely anything has changed. In fact a lot of the good stuff has sadly actually gone,' she added. 'It is centred around one of the busiest roads in Manchester which makes walking around not great. I thought I would regret leaving it but I'm so glad I moved, you can get so much more for your money elsewhere.' Ms Spencer said she had 'bought and sold' in Levenshulme but does not live there anymore in the discussion about local property prices. A Green Party spokesman told the Telegraph: 'Hannah makes clear in this post her affection for the area and its community, but expresses disappointment that there are too many chain takeaways, which crowds out independent businesses. 'Hannah would like to thank her opponents for pointing this out, and will use her position as the local MP to campaign every day to get more investment into the community to make it an even better place.' A Reform UK spokesman said: 'Hannah is quite clearly a hypocritical socialist. Not only did she move out of the area as she expanded her property portfolio, but she then talked down the very place she is trying to represent. 'She's not fit to be Gorton and Denton's MP.' Advertisement One Labour MP talked up Labour's chances of winning the by-election, despite the challenge of the Greens and Reform UK in the Greater Manchester seat. They said: 'Our vote in the Muslim community is holding up really well. 'The by-election is anything but written off, and some of it will depend on getting out the vote where one would assume Labour has an edge.' The MP added that 'nobody talked about the selection' row that saw Mr Burnham rejected as Labour's candidate, but 'people did praise Burnham'. Despite having a route back to Westminster blocked by Sir Keir's allies, Mr Burnham this week declared his support for Sir keir. The Greater Manchester mayor, long seen as a potential leadership rival to the PM, also called for 'stability' in the Labour Party as he spoke at a think-tank event in central London on Tuesday. Asked at the Resolution Foundation event on working-age families whether the Sir Keir has his full support, Mr Burnham said: 'Yes, he has my support. 'The Government has my support and they had my support when I put myself forward for the by-election.' He said he spoke to the PM about the Labour Party needing a 'strong sense of a stronger team again'. He was asked at the event whether he thought it was wrong for Mr Sarwar to call for Sir Keir to resign, and whether he could rule himself out of any future leadership challenge. He said: 'What I am calling for very clearly today is for the unity to create the stability, to give the Government the platform, to focus on all of the things that I'm talking about today. 'I think we've got to get away from the kind of sense that everything is a challenge. 'I put myself forward but I was saying to, I spoke to the PM, spoke to the Government, we need to get that strong sense of a stronger team again than there has been in recent times and that, I think, is what needs to come from this.' He added: 'We need to sort of dial down all of this constant briefing. 'It's seemingly a bit endless some of the anonymous briefings going around. I think we just need to focus on what's in front of us. 'There's a by-election in front of us, I've been playing my role in that by-election that's the issue in politics right in front of us the politics of collectivism versus the politics of division 'My view is you've got to focus on stopping that now. and everything else is noise in the background.' Keir Starmer is facing a laundry list of left-wing demands as he struggles to keep his grip on power. The PM signalled a lurch to a more socialist programme yesterday after a political near-death experience over the Mandelson scandal. With the threat level to his premiership still critically high, Sir Keir deployed the language of class war insisting working people were being oppressed. But rivals such as Angela Rayner and Wes Streeting are waiting in the wings, with the Health Secretary last night forced to deny he is plotting a move to oust the PM within weeks. Sir Keir's weakness has opened the door for a host of MPs to push pet left-wing policies, such as a 'wealth tax', more generous benefits and nationalisation. Plans to give 16-year-olds the vote could also be speeded up, as the premier attempts to appease his mutinous troops. Andy Burnham and Cabinet minister Ed Miliband - often nicknamed 'Red Ed' - led the charge for a more radical approach yesterday. The Manchester mayor accused politicians in London of getting 'too close to wealth' and being 'seduced' by free market economic solutions to social problems. Keir Starmer signalled a lurch to a more socialist programme yesterday after a political near-death experience over the Mandelson scandal Rivals such as Angela Rayner and Wes Streeting (pictured) are waiting in the wings Ms Rayner is regarded as on manoeuvres for the leadership, but has backed the PM to continue Among changes he suggested were a commitment to build 500,000 council and social homes by the end of the decade, and give councils the power to compulsorily purchase substandard homes from private landlords. He also used his speech at a think tank conference to lament how privatisation of utilities had taken power away from the poor. Backbencher Andy McDonald said the government should 'do more' of measures like the controversial employment rights overhaul - which was championed by Ms Rayner but caused panic among businesses. 'What a ridiculous situation where water companies are extracting these dividends. Let's take on those things, let's be bold in the offer that we are making to the British people,' he told Channel 4 News. Labour MP Neil Duncan-Jordan is demanding the government sweeps away means-testing and 'opt-ins' that 'create barriers' for people claiming benefits. Meanwhile, former frontbencher Clive Lewis yesterday suggested that Sir Keir should take a more confrontational approach to Donald Trump. In a debate on a Ministry of Defence contract with Palantir, Mr Lewis said: 'Surely, after Greenland, now is an opportunity for our Government to begin to distance themselves and pivot away from companies, such as Palantir, that are so closely connected with Donald Trump. It is time to move away.' Sir Keir gathered ministers for a Cabinet meeting yesterday thanking them for their support despite more than 24 hours of deathly silence in the wake of his chief aide's resignation over the Mandelson scandal. They only finally rallied round after Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar demanded he quit - with questions swirling about what concessions and deals Sir Keir might have made for his survival. Addressing the Resolution Foundation's Unsung Britain conference, Mr Burnham said: 'Following recent events, I think the time has come to call an end to this era in British politics when politicians got too close to wealth, too seduced by the notion that deregulated markets would provide the solution when in fact they have been the problem for those on the lowest incomes.' Outlining his effort to nationalise the bus service in Manchester he added: 'I would say that in recent decades Westminster politicians have not been prepared to do these hard things. 'But if we are serious about solving the simultaneous housing and cost of living crises then they will need to be so. 'Our aim as a country should be very explicit: lower rents, lower water bills, lower energy bills, lower rail fares, lower bus fares.' Many in Labour still believe the PM is doomed, with the government having been forced to commit to releasing far more damaging internal messages with Mandelson. Labour MP Neil Duncan-Jordan is demanding the government sweeps away means-testing and 'opt-ins' that 'create barriers' for people claiming benefits He is facing losing his Cabinet Secretary Chris Wormald in the coming days, after the departure of right-hand man Morgan McSweeney and communications chief Tim Allan. The party is fighting to hang on in the by-election for Gorton & Denton - a traditionally safe seat - on February 26. And local elections in May are widely expected to be a bloodbath, with the looming catastrophe in Scotland thought to have sparked Mr Sarwar's dramatic assassination bid. Ms Rayner is regarded as on manoeuvres for the leadership, but has backed the PM to continue. She has still not resolved issues with HMRC over the unpaid stamp duty bill that forced her resignation as Deputy PM last September. Two men have been arrested after they were 'caught red-handed' dumping waste in a field. Thousands of tonnes of shredded rubbish and plastic have been fly-tipped over the past year at Birch Field, a Traveller-owned site in Stapleford Tawney, Essex. Photos of the site show deep piles of waste spread across the green belt land, which is just off the M25 motorway and surrounded by trees. While the Environment Agency (EA) has been investigating the site since last February, the arrests only took place after a member of the public called 999 after seeing an articulated lorry dumping a load on Friday. Police seized the lorry, which was full of construction and demolition waste and had become stuck in thick mud. Officers arrested two men - a 25-year-old from County Down in Northern Ireland and a 55-year-old from Surrey - for depositing waste without a permit. They were bailed until February 26 under strict conditions, including a ban on any waste-related activities. An Essex Police spokesman said: 'At around 3.30pm on Friday, February 6, we responded to a call from a concerned member of the public who reported a large quantity of waste being dumped from the rear of an articulated lorry on land off Epping Lane at Stapleford Tawney. 'An excavator and bulldozer were also seen moving waste on the site. Upon arrival, officers observed two men attempting to make off. Both were swiftly detained and identified as the driver of the HGV and the operator of the excavator. They were arrested at the scene and taken to custody.' Police found a lorry full of construction and demolition waste that had become stuck in the mud Thousands of tonnes of shredded rubbish and plastic have been fly-tipped over the past year at Birch Field, a former Traveller site in Stapleford Tawney, Essex The force said it had since been working closely with the EA, which has taken primacy for the investigation. In a video shared on WhatsApp, the Irish-registered lorry was seen being towed on the A13 in Essex on Monday after being seized by police. The police spokesman added: 'Despite one of the suspects due to leave the country on Monday, officers acted swiftly and decisively to safeguard the site, secure evidence, and ensure the correct agency is leading the investigation. 'We thank the member of the public who reported this.' The force is appealing to anyone with any information, CCTV, dash cam or other footage in relation to the incident to come forward. Birch Field is one of a growing list of illegal dumps that have sprung up on agricultural or green belt land in recent years. Organised criminals identify land where they allow the dumping of thousands of tonnes of waste in return for cash payments which are much less than the combined official disposal costs and landfill charges at just over 126 per tonne. The waste is usually shredded by commercial machinery so it is easier to bury. Organised waste criminals are making so much money that waste crime has been dubbed 'the new narcotics'. Among the sites are the notorious 21,000-tonne, 500ft-long fly tip that appeared in a field near Kidlington in Oxfordshire, which sparked national outrage with an expected 10million clean-up bill. Other 'super sites' yet to be cleared up are a 280,000-tonne site in Cheshire, two 50,000-tonne sites in Lancashire and Cornwall, and a 36,000-tonne tip in Kent. There have been repeated claims of inaction by the EA in connection with a number of the sites as the under-resourced agency seeks to tackle hundreds of waste site investigations across the country. Photos of the site show deep piles of waste spread across the green belt land, which is just off the M25 motorway and surrounded by trees Fly-tippers appear to have been attempting to bury some of the waste Although police acted swiftly on Friday in Essex, residents and local parish councillors have been complaining about the illegal tip for around a year with limited action from the EA, according to posts on Facebook. A waste industry insider said the lorry seized by Essex Police should carry about 24 tonnes, which would cost around 4,500 to dispose of properly, but could take up to 60 tonnes if it was overloaded. When the Daily Mail visited Birch Field, the fresh load of waste was visible near its entrance. A large hole had been dug nearby, close to a bulldozer. The site has a chequered history. In 2003, Irish traveller Patrick Culligan paid 77,000 to buy the land off a farmer before a 16-pitch caravan site sprung up without planning permission. After a failed planning appeal in 2006 and an injunction secured by the council preventing further occupation, it was abandoned. The site remained a waste ground before it was reoccupied by 73 travellers in 2013, but they left after being threatened with jail for being in breach of the injunction. It has stayed empty since, but remains registered to Mr Culligan, according to Land Registry records. As Mr Culligan gave his address as Birch Field, there was no way of contacting him. An EA spokesman said the arrests were part of a major investigation called Operation Dingo. He said: 'Police were greeted by a lorry full of construction and demolition waste and more rubbish spread over a wide area. 'The lorry, which had sunk into thick mud, was seized. Two mobile phones and a laptop were also recovered as evidence.' The site has a chequered history. In 2003, Irish traveller Patrick Culligan paid 77,000 to buy the land off a farmer before a 16-pitch caravan site sprung up without planning permission The land has long been abandoned, but Mr Culligan remains the registered owner Barry Russell, environment manager for the Environment Agency in the northern home counties, said: 'I share the publics anger at waste crime, where those responsible have no care for the environment. 'Thanks to the person who rang 999, and the quick work of Essex Police, my environmental crime team are using the arrests and seizures to continue investigating this suspected illegal waste dump. 'Anyone with information that could bring the offenders to justice, or about suspected waste crime anywhere, is asked to contact the Environment Agencys 24-hour incident hotline on 0800 807060, or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111. All calls will be treated in confidence.' The EA spokesman added: 'The Environment Agency began investigating operations on the site last February after receiving information about it. 'The arrests are the latest in a series of raids on addresses across England by the Environment Agency and police looking into large-scale waste crime, as well as fraud and money laundering. 'The Environment Agency is determined the multiple arrests in recent months send out a strong message that waste crime is unacceptable, and those responsible will be pursued through the courts. 'The men held in Essex were released on condition they have no contact with each other, do not transport waste or be in a vehicle involved in waste management. They were bailed to return to Harlow police station on 26 February.' An Irishman who complained of 'torture' after being detained by US ICE agents had overstayed his 90-day visa that had been issued in 2009. Seamus Culleton, who had lived in the US for over two decades while building a life in the Boston area, entered the country on a tourist visa waiver that allowed him to stay for just three months, according to a Texas court ruling. Despite marrying a US citizen and applying for a marriage-based green card, the plasterer's attempt to secure his freedom was dismissed by a federal judge in El Paso, where he is currently being held. In a January 23 ruling, Judge Kathleen Cardone said the visa waiver programme Culleton used meant participants give up the right to challenge deportation, except on asylum grounds. Under the scheme, she noted, entrants 'waive any right... to contest other than on the basis of an application for asylum, any action for removal' from the US. The waiver was designed, she said, 'to enter the country expeditiously while streamlining their removal'. The judge also cited a 2009 precedent, stressing that the waiver still applies even when 'an individual has a pending adjustment of status application on the basis of their marriage to a US citizen'. Culleton confirmed during the case, which began in November, that he was not seeking asylum. Seamus Culleton, who had lived in the US for over two decades while building a life in the Boston area, entered the country on a tourist waiver that allowed him to stay for just three months, according to a Texas court ruling Speaking publicly about his detention, Culleton said he was struggling to cope with the psychological and physical toll of being locked up for nearly five months The man, originally from Glenmore in Co Kilkenny, was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents last September. Court documents reveal he was arrested after police carried out a license plate check on his vehicle outside a Home Depot in Massachusetts. He was initially taken to a detention facility in Buffalo, New York, before being transferred to an immigration enforcement centre in El Paso, where he remains. In October, an immigration judge ordered that he be released on a $4,000 bail, which was paid by his wife, Tiffany Smyth. But the decision was later overturned after authorities argued that visa waiver entrants are not entitled to bail. On November 14, Culleton was served with an order of removal for violating the terms of his entry to the US. A deportation officer told the court he remembered serving the order because it was unusual to encounter an Irish detainee. Judge Cardone said Culleton could challenge his detention again if it became excessively long, but added the court had no reason to believe 'that his removal to Ireland will not be promptly effectuated'. She said he could bring a fresh application if he was still detained six months after receiving the removal order. The judge also criticised ICE for errors in the case, including mistakenly classifying him as having entered on a different visa, which led to the bond hearing. 'These mistakes muddy the record and undermine faith in the system,' she said. 'Undoubtedly they also caused great agony for Culleton and his wife, who thought for a moment that he would be released on bond and thus permitted to adjust his status.' Culleton's sister Caroline said her brother moved to the US during Ireland's post-crash construction slump. 'He stayed there, and it materialised from there, and that's where we are now,' she told The Irish Times. She said he married in April 2025 after dating his wife for several years, and that his immigration status only became an issue after Donald Trump returned to the White House. The US Department of Homeland Security insists he has been treated fairly throughout the process. 'On September 9th, 2025, ICE arrested Seamus Culleton, an illegal alien from Ireland,' said Tricia McLaughlin, an assistant secretary at the department. 'He entered the United States in 2009 under the visa waiver programme, which allows you to stay in the US for 90 days without a visa. 'He failed to depart the US. He received fully due process and was issued a final order of removal by an immigration judge on September 10th, 2025. 'He was offered the chance to instantly be removed to Ireland but chose to stay in ICE custody, in fact he took affirmative steps to remain in detention. 'Being in detention is a choice,' she said. 'We encourage all illegal aliens to use the CBP Home app to take control of their departure. Culleton was arrested on September 3, 2025, and transferred to an ICE facility in Texas, where he remains in custody while his immigration case winds through the US legal system 'The United States is offering illegal aliens $2,600 and a free flight to self-deport now. 'We encourage every person here illegally to take advantage of this offer and reserve the chance to come back to the US the right legal way to live the American dream. If not, you will be arrested and deported without a chance to return.' McLaughlin also dismissed criticism of the Texas detention facility where Culleton is being held, amid calls from human rights groups for it to be shut down. 'False,' she told CBS News in a statement. 'Ice has higher detention standards than most US prisons that hold actual US citizens.' It comes after Culleton spoke publicly about his detention, saying he was struggling to cope with the psychological and physical toll of being locked up for nearly five months. 'I don't know how much more I can take,' he said, urging Irish Premier Micheal Martin to raise his case with President Donald Trump during his upcoming visit to Washington. In an emotional appeal to Irish politicians, he said: 'Just try to get me out of here and do all you can, please. It's an absolute torture, psychological and physical torture. I just want to get back to my wife. We're so desperate to start a family'. He added that while he was not afraid of other detainees, his fear lay elsewhere: 'I'm not in fear of the other inmates. I'm afraid of the staff. They're capable of anything. 'I'd be so grateful if we could just end this. I've been detained now for five months. It's just a torture,' he said. Describing conditions inside the detention centre to The Irish Times, he said: 'It's just a horrible, horrible, horrible place'. He said there were 72 people in a tent the size of 16ft by 35ft room with no ceiling, with two rows of bunk beds on either side and a long table down the middle. Culleton described the conditions at the camp as 'filthy', the toilets and showers as 'nasty', and that illnesses are rife among those being detained. He said there was competition for food and said he had 'definitely' lost weight. 'There is no real quality of life here. I've been locked in the same room now for four and a half months,' Culleton told RTE's Liveline programme. 'I've had barely any outside time, no fresh air, no sunshine. I could probably count on both hands the amount of times I've been outside'. Friends and family have urged him to stay positive, but he admitted morale is difficult to maintain. 'I try my best. I talk to my wife every day; she's my rock. I talk to my mother and sister most days. They're all rooting for me, I know that'. The Department of Foreign Affairs confirmed it was aware of the case and had been providing 'consular assistance' through Ireland's consulate in Austin, Texas. 'Our Embassy in Washington, DC is also engaging directly with the Department of Homeland Security at a senior level in relation to this case,' a spokeswoman said. A Government spokesman said the Taoiseach had been briefed and reiterated that diplomatic efforts were ongoing. However, officials speaking anonymously acknowledged that Ireland has limited influence over US immigration proceedings, though assistance would continue. Local TD John McGuinness said he had personally raised the matter with the Taoiseach and was seeking urgent intervention. 'I'll be asking for an immediate response in terms of contacting the White House,' he said. In an emotional appeal to Irish politicians, Culleton said: 'Just try to get me out of here and do all you can, please. It's an absolute torture, psychological and physical torture. I just want to get back to my wife. We're so desperate to start a family' He praised the Austin consulate but warned: 'It's really at a higher level that we need an intervention now. Action is required now'. Culleton has been able to phone his mother daily from the detention centre, and has kept in close contact with his sister. 'There are no words. I mean the way they're being kept, and they're locked up, and he's only been allowed out a couple of times,' Caroline said. 'They don't see the sunlight. They don't get out. Their health deteriorates.' She said he has lost an 'awful lot of weight', adding that he has sores, infections, and hair loss. She told the News at One programme that his ongoing detention was 'heartbreaking for our mother' and his extended family. This week, his wife Tiffany managed to video call him for the first time since his arrest. She said she did not hear from him for almost a week after an initial phone call following his arrest, and said she 'did not know if he was deported' and 'had no idea if he was safe'. Asked if she had been allowed to visit her husband, she said ICE officially allows visits, but it is 'almost impossible to set one up'. She had booked flights from Massachusetts to Texas to attend one of Culleton's court dates, but the hearing was moved on the day before her journey. 'He's a good man. I don't think anyone deserves this, but Seamus definitely doesn't deserve this,' she said. Tiffany added that she had attempted to reach senators and Trump about the case but had received no response. This is the moment a 'drunk' father is arrested in bed on suspicion of murdering his cousin's four-year-old son by deliberately ramming the family's truck off a road. Footage shows a topless Patrick Maughan, 54, lying under a floral duvet and surrounded by police officers at his sister's home in Berkshire. He nods his head as he is told he is being arrested on suspicion of murder before telling cops: 'I don't have a phone.' The bodycam clip was shown to jurors at Maidstone Crown Court where Patrick and his son Owen Maughan, 27, are standing trial accused of killing Peter Maughan, who died in a crash on June 1 last year. Owen Maughan, 27, has pleaded guilty to manslaughter while Patrick has denied all charges against him. Little Peter was killed when he was thrown from a Ford Ranger Wildtrak he was travelling in alongside his mother Hayley Maughan, father Lovell Mahon, and his then one-year-old sister Annarica. He suffered severe and devastating injuries and was pronounced dead at Darent Valley Hospital in Dartford just 30 minutes later. Maidstone Crown Court heard that even with immediate medical care, the young child would not have survived. Lovell suffered multiple fractures and brain trauma, leaving him unlikely to walk again. Hayley and Annarica escaped with minor injuries. Four-year-old Peter Maughan was killed when he was thrown from a Ford Ranger Wildtrak Patrick Maughan, 54, was found topless and lying under a floral duvet at his sister's home in Berkshire when police arrived to arrest him Lovell also cannot remember the incident and has been unable to give a statement to police following the crash. Owen denied intending to cause serious injury and told jurors he 'couldn't believe' what he was seeing as the car flipped. Prosecutors said the defendants were 'in a fury' as they followed their cousin's vehicle for several miles along the A2 motorway between Cobham and Northfleet. After the vehicles came together by chance, the family's Ford Ranger was chased for around five minutes before exiting at the Pepperhill junction shortly before 9.30pm. Following a brief and angry encounter at the roundabout, in which Mr Mahon shouted there were 'children in the motor', Owen is alleged to have used his vehicle as a weapon while being 'actively encouraged' by his father. Peter's mum later told police that Patrick Maughan - her uncle by marriage - had been 'revving up' the situation and making it '10 times worse'. In the aftermath of the fatal smash, Owen drove off, leaving his family at the scene. The pair stopped briefly in Longfield for Patrick Maughan to pull the front number plate off their damaged truck before continuing their journey past their home in Hill Rise, Darenth, and on to Plantation Road in Hextable, where the vehicle was abandoned, the jury was told. Patrick Maughan, 54, is pictured outside court - he faces eight charges including murder and manslaughter Still wedged under the chassis was one of the children's pushchairs that had fallen from the rear of Mr Mahon's Ranger during the incident. Giving evidence on Wednesday, Owen Maughan told jurors he believed he and Mr Mahon were going to fight after arguing back and forth between the cars and so decided to dent the side of his car so he would pull in and fight. He said when he found out Peter had died his first thought was to kill himself. He had been drinking in Rochester in Kent with his father earlier that day, and had about 12 bottles of beer and 13 pints respectively, before they began driving their Ford Ranger pick-up truck home. He said on his way home they spotted a similar car which made them think the drivers may also be from the traveller community, and pulled up alongside the car. Owen Maughan told the jury: 'When I looked at Lovell, he's waving his fist around, aggressive and pointing at me. I didn't know why he was doing that... I didn't know what the problem was. 'I got pretty pissed off with it.' He said it made him upset and he slowed down, getting behind the vehicle, and started following him 'just to try and annoy him'. Pictured: Hayley Maughan and Lovell Mahon and their children, Peter, and then one-year-old sister, Annarica Maughan He denied knowing there were children in the car and said he did not hear Mr Mahon say there were 'children in the motor'. Owen Maughan said that at the point approaching a mini roundabout, he followed Mr Mahon instead of taking another exit home, thinking they were to pull over and have a fist fight. He said when he noticed Mr Mahon was driving away, he decided to 'nudge' his car, adding: 'I thought I would just put a dent on the side of his car and he would stop.' After seeing the car roll several times, he made a 'cowardly decision' to flee the scene. He added: 'I kept driving away. The only thing I thought about was just getting away.' Owen Maughan told the court that they then pulled the registration plate off the truck to 'evade police' as he was in a state of 'panic'. He added: 'I was shocked, I couldn't believe what was happening.' In his evidence he told jurors he organised to leave Kent that night and went to Manchester, but after hearing of Peter's death he returned to 'face the consequences'. He handed himself in to a police station with his mother the next morning. Peter suffered severe and devastating injuries to his head, chest and abdomen and would not have survived even if he had received immediate medical attention, jurors were told In cross-examination by the prosecution, Owen Maughan denied Mr Jory's suggestion that he had done precisely what he intended to do, and he 'didn't give a f***'. Mr Jory added that he could have stopped to try to help after the crash, and Owen Maughan replied: 'I wish I did.' Owen Maughan was arrested the day after the crash, also on suspicion of murder and attempted murder, having gone to Medway police station with his mum and handed himself in. Jurors heard he was 'calm but a little bit emotional' and co-operated with officers. But it was not until 12.40am on June 3 that his father was traced to the property in Maidenhead in Berkshire and arrested. Having forced entry, officers wearing body-worn cameras captured the moment they were greeted by the shirtless, heavily intoxicated 54-year-old under a floral duvet. Having then been handcuffed and cautioned on suspicion of murder and three offences of attempted murder, he seemingly lied about not having a phone. After telling officers he did not have a phone, they found one belonging to him in the kitchen, the court was told. However, the PIN was not provided and police have not been able to access it. The arresting officer also told the jury that Patrick Maughan was 'very obviously drunk', with his breath smelling 'very strongly' of intoxicants. Mr Mahon suffered multiple fractures and brain trauma in the crash, leaving him unlikely to walk again When asked how much he had had to drink, he told them: 'A lot.' The court also heard that although police forced entry, it was not because anyone had refused to let them in. In interview, he mostly answered 'No comment' aside from giving two prepared statements. In the first, he stated: 'I was simply a passenger in the car and it was my intention to go home. 'I had no intention or joint intention to cause anyone serious harm or death.' In his second, he again reiterated he was the passenger in his son's vehicle, before adding: 'I did not plan, conspire or agree to cause anyone serious harm or death to any other person.' Owen Maughan also answered 'no comment' when questioned. Although father and son were initially arrested on suspicion of murder and attempted murder, the jury has been told Owen is now on trial accused of the murder of Peter Maughan, causing grievous bodily harm (GBH) with intent to Lovell Mahon and attempting to cause GBH with intent to both Annarica Maughan and Hayley Maughan. Patrick Maughan faces eight charges - murder and manslaughter in respect of Peter, causing the youngster's death by dangerous driving, three offences in respect of Mr Mahon, namely causing GBH with intent, inflicting GBH and causing serious injury by dangerous driving, and two of attempting to cause GBH with intent to Annarica and Hayley Maughan. Jurors have also been told that Owen has pleaded guilty to manslaughter, as well as causing serious injury by dangerous driving and inflicting grievous bodily harm on Mr Mahon. Patrick Maughan denies all charges. The trial for the pair, both of Hill Rise in Darenth, Kent, continues. Kemi Badenoch would beat both Sir Keir Starmer and Nigel Farage in a head-to-head battle over who would be the best Prime Minister, a new poll shows. The Conservative leader beat all the other main party leaders when voters were made to choose the winner of one-on-one battles between them to decide the UK's top political job. But the More in Common polling shows the chaotic nature of politics right now. While Mrs Badenoch comes top in the head-to-head, her party is still languishing third in a poll of voting intention on 21 per cent, two points behind Labour and nine behind Reform. Reform's leader Mr Farage was beaten by all the other party leaders apart from the Greens' Zack Polanski despite his party's overall popularity. Keir Starmer is regularly far and away the least popular leader in most polls, but in the head-to-head he beat Nigel Farage and Polanski - narrowly - but loses to Lib Dem leader Ed Davey. Separately, MiC asked voters who would make the best PM, without making it an either/or question. Nigel Farage came out on top, but with the backing of just 21 per cent of all voters - and less than three-quarters of those who vote for Reform. Just 15 per cent backed Mrs Badenoch or Sir Keir. Almost four-in-10 of all voters (37 per cent) did not think any of the leaders of the five biggest partiers would do a good job, showing the scale of the malaise. The Conservative leader beat all the other main party leaders when voters were made to choose the winner of one-on-one battles between them to decide the UK's top political job. Your browser does not support iframes. Your browser does not support iframes. Fewer than half of Labour (43 per cent) and Tory (45 per cent) voters believed their own party leader would make the best PM. And that number fell to just 29 per cent among Green voters asked about their new populist leader, Zack Polanski. More in common's director Luke Tryl said the poll suggested Kemi Badenoch is less disliked than Tories were before the last general election and picked up the backing of left-wingers in straight right v right battle, and the choice of right wingers in left v right battles. But he pointed out that in a wider five-way fight she and Starmer struggled. 'Both Starmer and Badenoch have an interest in making the battle a head to head (against Farage in Starmers case and either in Badenochs) rather than a five-way contest,' he wrote on X. 'Farage benefits from a more open race. Another illustration of how, as it stands, tactical voting is likely to matter a lot.' A British graduate who was passionately anti-guns was tragically shot dead by her own father while visiting his Texas home when he pointed his pistol at her chest as a 'tease', a coroner ruled today. 'Functioning alcoholic' Kris Harrison claimed his fashion buyer daughter Lucy had asked to see his Glock 9mm pistol, which he had not been trained to use, and that it 'just went off' as he removed it from its case. But concluding that Lucy, 23, was unlawfully killed, a coroner said 'reckless' Mr Harrison - who had drunk at least 500ml of wine - had deliberately aimed it at her chest, unaware it was loaded. Welcoming the finding over her daughter's 'needless and entirely avoidable death', her grieving mother said: 'I never imagined she would be shot and killed in the US, in a place where she should have been safe.' Ms Harrison, from Warrington, Cheshire, was shot as she prepared to fly home on January 10 last year following a post-Christmas break accompanied by her boyfriend. On Tuesday, an inquest in Warrington heard her British father an executive at a fibre optics company who had settled in Texas had been drinking on the morning of the tragedy and that the pair had argued about Donald Trump. Emergency services rushed to the house in Prosper, near Dallas, after her boyfriend Sam Littler dialled 911. But she had been shot through the heart and died at the scene. Last June police in the US state deemed that her death was accidental - a decision her mother Jane Coates described at the time as 'baffling' and 'beyond comprehension'. At an inquest into Lucy Harrison's death, it emerged for the first time that she was fatally shot by her father Kris (pictured together) University graduate Lucy Harrison, 23 (pictured) was described by her mother as 'sensitive, energetic, intelligent, funny and a really great human being' Lucy was visiting her father, Kris Harrison, who lives in Texas (Pictured: Kris Harrison's home) Giving her findings today, senior coroner Jacqueline Devonish said Mr Harrison's actions had been 'reprehensible'. Rejecting his explanation that his semi-automatic handgun 'just went off' when he was showing it to her, she said the fact his daughter was shot in the chest from across the bedroom showed his account to be false. 'To shoot her through the chest whilst she was standing would have required him to have been pointing the gun at his daughter, without checking for bullets, and pulling the trigger.' She added: 'I accept he was a teaser, and on the balance of probabilities this is what he was doing. 'I accept he did not realise the gun was loaded.' The coroner said Mr Harrison had been 'reckless' to have bought a pistol without undergoing training on the safe use of firearms. 'His actions have killed his own daughter and in the cold light of day it is hoped that he now recognises the risk he posed to her life in circumstances in which he had no experience of guns, had undertaken no training and had never fired a gun.' Ms Devonish said he had failed to tell her boyfriend - who was on the phone to 911 - that he had shot Ms Harrison despite knowing 'full well he had shot his own daughter, pointing a gun at chest height and pulling the trigger'. She also highlighted how police in Texas failed to test Mr Harrison for alcohol despite suspecting he had been drinking after smelling it on his breath. Relatives of Ms Harrison wept as the coroner recorded her conclusion. Ms Devonish said her father's actions amounted to gross negligence manslaughter under English law and were 'aggravated' by his alcohol intake that day. Lucy Harrison, 23, in a cherished image shared by her family which they framed and brought to court where it was on display during her inquest - it was taken at a Coldplay concert at the Etihad stadium in Manchester in 2023 which she attended with her mother A manslaughter investigation was launched after Lucy Harrison (pictured), 23, from Warrington, Cheshire, was killed at the house in Prosper, Texas, on January 10, 2025 Speaking afterwards, flanked by Lucy's 'soulmate' Mr Littler, her mother thanked the coroner for giving her daughter's 'voice back, after what has been an unrelenting year of deep shock, grief and fight'. Praising her for 'exploring all of the evidence fairly, as fully as she could, and fearlessly for Lucy', Ms Coates, a deputy manager at a primary school told of how for 23 years she had dedicated herself to the safety of her only child. 'I brought Lucy up in a single parent family and along each step of the way, I did what parents do to keep their children safe: watching her play with friends when she was little, staying awake until she came home from a night out, and feeling grateful every time her return flight landed safely after visiting her Dad and family. 'I never imagined she would be shot and killed in the US, in a place where she should have been safe. 'We respectfully accept that our two cultures are different in regards to firearms, yet we feel Texas gun laws did not keep Lucy safe from harm.' Describing Texas gun laws were 'so different to England', Ms Harrison said firearms caused 'too many deaths in the USA'. 'Furthermore, it is mine and Sams strongly-held view that the US investigation led by the Prosper Police Department lacked the rigour and scrutiny youd expect if this had happened in the UK.' Saying 'Lucy deserved better', she nevertheless thanked first responders for their efforts to save her daughter's life. A tribute from Lucy's mother and boyfriend (pictured together), released by Cheshire Police, said: 'Lucy was life. She lived it fiercely and fearlessly, not being afraid to feel all that life has to offer' 'Finally, I want to thank Sam, for loving Lucy unconditionally - I take great comfort in knowing that in her short adult life, she experienced the richness of true love with her soul mate.' Adding that there was 'much to be learnt from Lucys needless and entirely avoidable death', her mother said she would not let 'bitterness and hatred' consume her. 'Lucy had so much more of life to live, to love, to give. 'She had a huge sense of right and wrong, and was not afraid to speak out if she saw any type of injustice. 'Those who really know Lucys heart can hear her, loud and clear, and know exactly what she would want us to do moving forward. 'Make change. Do better. Be better.' Ms Harrison regularly visited her father - who had married and started a new family in the US - after her parents split when she was a young child, the inquest heard on Tuesday. But she had expressed concern about 'volatility' in the house, a friend said, adding that presence of a gun created an 'unpredictable environment. Lucy was found dead at the home of her father Kris (pictured) who works for a fibre optics firm in the States Ms Harrison was 'categorically anti-gun' and felt it was unsafe for her father to have a firearm in the house with his young daughters around, the inquest heard. Giving evidence, her boyfriend said she had argued with her father about Donald Trump on the morning of her death. He 'always felt on edge' at the house, he added, saying: There was a lot of very opinionated people in the house.' As they prepared to set off for the airport, he said Mr Harrison took his daughter by the hand in a 'mysterious' manner without saying anything. He then guided her into the downstairs bedroom where the gun was kept in a locked case. Within 15 seconds, Mr Littler heard a 'loud bang' from the bedroom and found his girlfriend collapsed on the floor. He insisted she would not have been interested in seeing her father's gun. In his own witness statement read to the court, Mr Harrison - who did not attend the inquest - claimed Lucy daughter agreed to let him show her the weapon after they had watched a television news report about gun crime. He said he bought the handgun as a 'home defence' weapon, meaning he did not need a licence as long as he did not take it out in public. He had 'no prior experience and no formal training' around firearms, he said. Lucy's mother, Jane Coates, pictured arriving at the inquest on Tuesday Giving evidence at the inquest, Lucy Harrison's boyfriend Sam Littler (pictured, arriving at court) said she had argued with her father about Donald Trump on the morning of her death Mr Harrison suffered an 'alcoholic seizure' in 2023 which left him in an induced coma, the inquest was told. He had drunk a 500ml carton of white wine that morning, but did not believe he was impaired by alcohol when his daughter was shot shortly before 3pm. 'As I lifted the gun to show her, I suddenly heard a loud bang, he said in his statement. Lucy immediately fell to the ground.' Police bodycam footage showed Mr Harrison saying the gun 'just went off'. 'We were getting ready to go to the airport and we were talking about guns,' he tells the officer as a shocked-looking Mr Littler stands with his hands behind the back of his neck. 'It was in the bedside cabinet in a locked box. I took it out to look and it just went off.' In a statement read to the hearing, Officer Luciano Escalera, who was scrambled to the house, said he smelt 'metabolised alcohol' on Mr Harrison's breath at which he initially lied, saying he hadn't drunk alcohol since the day before. But he then confessed to having drunk a 'small' carton of wine earlier in the day. Mr Harrison had hired lawyers who on Tuesday made an unsuccessful attempt to have the coroner removed from the case on the grounds she was biased against him. But she rejected the application and the inquest at Cheshire Coroners Court went ahead. After Tuesdays hearing his lawyers released a statement from Mr Harrison. In his first public comments since the tragedy, he paid tribute to Lucy as the light of my life and said he was deeply sorry for the pain he had caused her grieving family. From the moment she was born, to watching her grow into the remarkable young woman she became from her first steps to her graduation, where I cried with pride was the greatest privilege of my life, he said. Lucy adored her younger sisters, and our home was never truly complete unless she was in it laughing, cuddling, and filling every room with joy. During her last visit, she wrote a letter saying that Texas was her home and that she felt lucky to be part of the best family in the whole wide world. That letter is now one of our most treasured possessions. Losing Lucy has shattered all of us. I lost my best friend. My girls lost their big sister and hero, and her stepmum lost her bonus daughter who taught her how to be a mum. He said: I fully accept the consequences of my actions, and there isnt a day I dont feel the weight of that loss a weight I will carry for the rest of my life, and I know that nothing I say can ease the heartbreak this tragedy has caused. I cannot undo what happened, but I can honour Lucy by being the best father I can be to her sisters and by carrying her memory forward in everything we do. I am deeply sorry for the pain others feel from this tragedy. Lucys spirit her warmth, her humour, her kindness will live on in all of us who loved her. Afterwards Victoria Cox from HCC Solicitors, who assisted Lucy's mother, said: 'Losing a child in such horrific circumstances is tough enough, but my client has had to deal with it happening in a different country and not knowing what was happening from one day to the next. 'Part of the problem at an inquest, as the family encountered, is that a witness who lives abroad cannot be compelled to give a statement or be questioned by the Coroner on what happened if they choose not to be. 'Jane was really hoping she'd get the answers she longed for this week and she's been denied that, but there are more facts out there now which is something. 'Sadly she and all who loved Lucy now have to live with the knowledge that her death couldve been avoided something they will never recover from.' The Islamic regime has been executing injured protesters in hospital beds by shooting them in the head, according to an Iranian doctor. Dr R, a member of the Aida Health Alliance, said that many wounded civilians had been found lying in their treatment beds, still attached to machines, with bullet holes in their heads. They accused the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) of murdering those injured following the Tehran protests and also arresting several medical staff suspected of treating them. 'If the patient already had the shot in the head [when they arrived at the hospital], nobody would put the tube or catheter in because they're already dead,' the doctor told The Jerusalem Post. 'So it means they went into the hospital and they killed them on the treatment bed.' Dr R also shared chilling images with the newspaper of bodies in black bags with bullet wounds to the head, surrounded by blood, and still connected to medical tubes and catheters. These photographs have not been independently verified. Iran Human Rights director, Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam, said: 'The testimonies of doctors show that the Islamic Republic has trampled even the most basic human and medical principles and has systematically used hospitals as instruments of repression and killing. 'The deliberate shutdown of ventilators, the prevention of treatment for the injured, and the arrest of patients from hospital beds constitute crimes against humanity and demonstrate the complete collapse of any ethical or legal standards in this government.' Families and residents gather at the Kahrizak Coroner's Office confronting rows of body bags as they search for relatives killed during the regime's violent crackdown on protests He added: 'When states use hospitals as tools of repression, this is not merely a human rights crisis but a global public-health crisis. 'We call on the World Health Organisation to examine reports concerning the conversion of hospitals into instruments of repression, the denial of medical care to patients, and the obstruction of medical staff from carrying out their professional duties. 'Such investigation is essential to protect lives now and to ensure accountability and justice in the future.' Dr R also claimed that civilians uninvolved with the protests have also lost their lives as collateral damage due to the Islamic regime's violations of medical facilities. On January 8, when the regime cut off internet access and severely restricted landlines as part of a communications blackout, people facing medical emergencies were unable to call for help, they said. 'Some people, the old people having heart attacks and the women going into labour, they couldn't call the ambulance to come and just help them,' Dr R added. 'Some people [were] dead like just that because of not having access to call paramedics.' Medical professionals have also not been spared, the doctor explained. They claimed that many doctors have been arrested, tortured and even sentenced to death because they had been treating those wounded. 'They're still tracing the doctors. They're still trying to convict them for helping the enemy's country, or [accusing them of] espionage,' Dr R continued, later adding that medical students have not been spared from the regime's brutality. Following shifts at the hospital, where medical staff are expected to report any suspected protest-linked injuries, Dr R said they are followed home by IRGC forces to see whether they make any home calls to demonstrators. Recounting one incident, the medic said a teenager who had been shot in the genitals during the protest was left to be treated at home after his widowed father deemed it too unsafe to take him to the hospital. He later died of his wounds. 'You cannot believe how many patients we receive every single day that are at home. They didn't go to any doctors. They didn't even have a chance to go and get the X-ray to just address those bullets... Sometimes we just see that the bullet is [still] inside, [and] is infected,' Dr R said. It comes as Iran's president apologised to 'all those affected' by the nationwide protest and bloodthirsty crackdown that followed it. Protesters set fire to a car in Tehran on January 8, 2026 In Tehran, most protesters were armed with nothing more than the courage to take a stand Protesters wade through tear gas during an anti-government protest in Tehran President Masoud Pezeshkian said he knew the 'great sorrow' felt by people in the protests and crackdown, without directly acknowledging the hand Iranian security forces had in the bloodshed. 'We are ashamed before the people, and we are obligated to assist all those who were harmed in these incidents,' Pezeshkian said. 'We are not seeking confrontation with the people.' Pezeshkian also insisted that his nation was 'not seeking nuclear weapons... and are ready for any kind of verification', while denouncing unspecified 'Western propaganda' surrounding the protests. It came as Iran marked the 47th anniversary of its 1979 Islamic Revolution on Wednesday, as the country's theocracy remains under pressure, both from US President Donald Trump, who suggested sending another aircraft carrier group to the Middle East, and a public angrily denouncing Tehran's bloody crackdown on nationwide protests. Iran is in the midst of negotiations with the United States over its nuclear programme, but it remains unclear if a nuclear deal will be reached. Meanwhile, the United Nations' nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency, has been unable for months to inspect and verify Iran's nuclear stockpile. In escalating pressure, Trump suggested a second carrier in an interview published Tuesday night as Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, long an Iran hawk, visited Washington to push the US toward the strictest-possible terms in any agreement reached with Tehran in the fledgling nuclear talks. Since protests began late December, the US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) says it has verified 6,961 deaths, mostly demonstrators, and has another 11,630 cases under investigation. It has also counted more than 51,000 arrests. The internet blackout has made it extremely difficult to document the full extent of the death toll, with Iranian medics suggesting the true number could exceed 30,000. This is the incredible moment a motorist foiled an astonishing armed highway robbery by mowing down one of the gun-toting criminals who tried to force him to stop. Instead of braking to avoid a collision, he made sure his assailant got instant Karma by accelerating into him through a narrow gap between the thief's vehicle, video shows. At least two armed men who appeared to be wearing masks to cover their faces were seen emerging from the car in front of them after it screeched to a halt to try to block their path. Seconds before the hold-up, the woman whose companion got them out of danger was overheard saying, 'They say this area is kind of dangerous.' The woman with the intended victim could be heard screaming as they hit the bandit at speed before telling her companion: 'You were right' in an apparent admission that they had their suspicions they were about to be ambushed. The driver who took the drastic action could be overheard trying to control his panicked breathing as the couple discussed coming to a stop further down the motorway when they were in an area they considered to be safer. The drama happened on Saturday in Quilicura, a commune of Chile, in its capital, Santiago. The couple targeted were about to access the Vespucio Norte motorway from a national road called Ruta 5. A ballsy motorist foiled an astonishing armed highway robbery by mowing down one of the gun-toting criminals in Chile Screen grab shows at least two armed men emerging from the car as they got ready to rob the vehicle behind them The driver decided to act quickly, and hit the thief with his car before making an escape The brave driver confirmed to a Chilean radio station that they had been talking about their suspicions of the Audi in front of them before the drama unfolded. He said: 'I'd picked up on the fact there were several people inside and they were going fast. 'I'd accelerated a bit to put some distance between us when I first saw it behind me, and it accelerated even more and got in front of me. 'I reckon I must have been going between 50mph and 60mph when I ran the guy over.' He added: 'When I saw one of them getting out holding a weapon, my only intention was to escape that situation. 'My brother had suffered an identical hold-up in a nearby area, so I was mentally prepared for a similar situation. 'They were seconds, but they felt like a lifetime. I clearly saw the weapon and looked for a way out.' Police told the victim that when he went to report what had happened, the Audi the criminals used had been found abandoned nearby. Cops said five men in the same vehicle are believed to have been behind an attempted shop robbery in the same area on Saturday, indicating they believed the man who was mowed down had not been seriously injured. Locals said the so-called 'encerronas', the name they give to the highway hold-ups, are common occurrences during both the day and at night in the area. Chile's Minister of Security Luis Cordero, said police were studying ways in which they could improve the fight against these 'violent crimes.' Lawyer Marcelo Abujiar said it was unlikely the driver who mowed down the criminal trying to force him to a stop would face prosecution, adding: 'Given that the place where this incident occurred is well-known for these so-called encerronas, the reaction of this motorist could be justified as a self-defence mechanism.' A gunman who stormed a school in southern Thailand and opened fire with an assault rifle has been detained after hundreds of terrified children were held hostage. The attacker burst into Patong Prathan Kiriwat School in Hat Yai, Songkhla province, on Wednesday, injuring at least three people including the headmaster, police said. Pupils fled onto surrounding roads as armed officers surrounded the building and began negotiations with the suspect, who was seen on video calmly walking through the school holding the weapon alongside a young woman believed to be a teacher. Police said around 300 students were inside the school at the time. All hostages have since been freed. The gunman was later wrestled to the ground and handcuffed before being taken into custody. Footage showed victims being loaded into ambulances as shaken youngsters ran from the building. A security guard who managed to escape said the headmaster had been shot. 'A bullet grazed my stomach, but I escaped,' he said. The school director was shot. There were still children inside the school who have been taken hostage.' This is the dramatic moment a school shooter who opened fire with a machine gun was wrestled to the ground by police The gunman stormed a school in southern Thailand and opened fire with an assault rifle, injuring at least three people The gunman was seen on video calmly striding through the school holding the weapon alongside a young woman, believed to be a teacher Pupils fled onto surrounding roads as armed officers surrounded the building and began negotiations with the suspect Police in the Thung Lung district said they had received reports of the gunman, who is believed to be 18, behaving erratically and threatening to harm his mother at a house near the school. When officers arrived to subdue him, the suspect allegedly carried an M4 rifle and walked into the school, where he opened fire, seriously injuring the school principal, and took a teacher and students hostage. Thailand has one of the highest gun ownership and gun homicide rates among Southeast Asian nations. Many of the firearms are believed to be sold by government and police officers, who can buy and sell them at a discounted rate under the government's 'gun welfare programme'. The persistent gun culture is said to stem from a distrust of crime control policies, especially in rural areas. Though Thai authorities have vowed to tighten gun control, there are around 4 million unregistered guns, often smuggled from war-torn countries, in circulation, the Ministry of Interior said in 2023. Last September, a jilted husband, Santhat Oopkaew, 72, shot his estranged wife Samorn Manowan, 54, in the leg at her bustling food stall in Chiang Rai on Thursday before fleeing to a parking area and fatally shooting himself. In July, Noi Praidaen, 61, killed five people at Bangkok's Tor Kor Market on before shooting himself, in what his wife said was revenge for his car being scratched around six years ago. Police Lieutenant General Sayam Boonsom said the attack stemmed from a long-running dispute between Noi and security guards. The full triple-zero phone call a Perth teenager made to save his stranded family after swimming four kilometres and running another two has been released. Austin Appelbee, 13, gained hero status after miraculously swimming to shore when he, his mother and two young siblings were swept out to sea off WA's southwest coast on January 30. If his incredible journey to save his family wasn't impressive enough, WA Police have praised his remarkable calmness during his emergencies services call for help. Austin was kayaking and paddleboarding with his mother, Joanne, and younger siblings, eight-year-old Beau and 12-year-old Grace, in Geographe Bay, near Quindalup. The group set off 11am but ran into trouble when the sea suddenly turned rough and swept them from shore. When the group were roughly 4km from shore, Joanne told Austin to swim back for help. The determined teenager abandoned his kayak, which was taking on water, and spent four hours battling the rough sea to get back to the beach. Once he finally reached land, Austin ran roughly 2km to a hotel where he was finally able to phone for help. Austin Appelbee (above) swam four kilometres and ran two kilometres to save his mother and two siblings on January 30 Austin calmly told a triple-zero operator where his family was and asked for a helicopter to help search for them (pictured is the beach near Quindalup where Austin's family were swept out to sea) 'Hello, my name's Austin. I have two siblings, Beau and Grace. We went out on a kayak and paddle board trip and we got took out to sea and got lost out there,' he told the triple-zero operator. 'We got lost around about, um - I don't know what time it was but it was a very long time ago. 'We couldn't get back to shore and Mum told me to go back and get help and I haven't seen them since. 'I think they're kilometres out in the sea. I think we need a helicopter to go find them.' Only after telling the operator what beach he was at and the urgent need to rescue his family, did Austin admit that he too needed urgent help. 'I'm sitting on the beach right now. I think I need an ambulance because I think I have hypothermia,' he said. 'I had to swim around about four kilometres facing the current and I'm really, extremely tired. 'I think I have a heat stroke and I feel like I'm about to pass out.' Austin had ran to a hotel after swimming from where his family (above) was stranded at sea Austin went on to tell the operator he was 'really scared' for his family. 'I've lost sight of them... It's been a very long time since I've seen them,' he said. The operator asked: 'Did Mum say she was going to meet you back at shore or you just swam back in?' Austin answered: 'Mum said, 'Go get help, we're in massive trouble.'' WA Police launched a massive search operation and found Austin's mother and siblings about 8.30pm. They'd floated 14km from the shore. Police Forward Commander Acting Sergeant Andrew McDonnell said Austin's calm demeanour contributed to the search's successful outcome. 'The situation the Appelbee family found themselves in was extremely dire. They were in real trouble, and time was absolutely critical given how long they had been in the water and with daylight fading,' he said. 'What Austin did was nothing short of extraordinary. His bravery and courage in those conditions were remarkable, and his actions were pivotal in bringing about a successful outcome.' WA Police praised Austin's calm demeanour during the triple-zero call, which likely saved his family's lives WA Police added it would be glad to have a levelled-headed presence like Austin on its force one day. 'His composure and ability to make critical decisions in an emergency situation reflect the qualities the agency seeks in its future recruits, and the WA Police Force hopes to join forces with him in the future,' it said. 'The way he calmly communicated during the triple-zero call further demonstrates how clear and accurate information can greatly assist first responders.' A delivery driver who was briefly held over the disappearance of Savannah Guthrie's missing mother Nancy last night has broken his silence to protest his innocence. Carlos Palazeulos was detained on Tuesday night in Rio Rico, Arizona, around 60 miles from Tucson, where the 84-year-old woman vanished on January 31. It remains unclear why police turned their attention to him, but it came hours after the FBI released the first surveillance photos of a suspect seen lurking near Guthrie's home on January 31, the night she was taken. Palazuelos was questioned for several hours then released without charge. Police are yet to name any other suspects, but FBI Director Kash Patel says investigators are considering 'multiple persons of interest'. After his release, Palazuelos spoke with reporters outside his home. 'They held me against my will, they didn't even read me my rights two hours in.' When asked if he knew who Nancy was, he told reporters 'no'. Police followed him while he made deliveries on Tuesday night, he said. 'They told me to stop moving. What the f*** am I doing here? I didnt do anything to be honest, Im innocent.' Carlos Palazeulos, 36, aired his frustration after he was detained for allegedly kidnapping the 84-year-old mother of Savannah Guthrie last night The Today Show host's mother, Nancy Guthrie, was taken from her $1 million home in the Catalina Hills neighborhood of Tucson, Arizona, in the early morning hours of February 1 This is Carlos who says he was pulled over by police and was accused of kidnapping #NancyGuthrie. They have released him. We just spoke with him outside his house in Rio Rico Arizona @CBSNews pic.twitter.com/BmsR2q5jBl Andres Gutierrez (@AFGutierrez) February 11, 2026 Palazeulos added that he had no idea who Savannah was either, saying he did not watch the news and that officers had not asked him any questions. Authorities also carried out a search of his home near Interstate 19. He was released shortly after 1am local time. 'They told me I was being detained for kidnapping. I asked them, "Kidnapping of who?"' he added. He continued: 'I hope they find the suspect, cause I'm not it - they better do their job and find the suspect that did it so they can clear my name.' Palazeulos also added that while he was in custody police searched his home, where he lives with his wife, children and in-laws. He claimed that officers who raided the address broke down his front door and his garage doors. Federal authorities were inundated with tips and are looking at more than 'one person of interest' after they released horrifying doorbell camera footage yesterday. An armed figure wearing a ski mask and black latex gloves was spotted tampering with Nancy's Nest doorbell camera in the early hours of February 1. As officials continue their search, TMZ reported that a Bitcoin account referenced in ransom letters sent to media outlets has saw some activity after a deadline passed. The news website is one of three outlets that received alleged ransom notes in connection with Nancy's abduction. Unidentified sources involved in the investigation told the outlet that officers believe the ransom notes were written by the kidnapper. A masked figure on Nancy's doorstep in the early hours of her disappearance The individual stares right into the lens while holding some plants ripped from outside the Arizona home Sources said the letters referenced specific damage to Nancy's home and other details that have not been made public. Nancy was last seen entering her home in Tucson on the evening of January 31 after having dinner with her daughter, Annie, and son-in-law, Tommaso Cioni. The next morning, she was reported missing after failing to attend a virtual church service with friends, Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos said. Since then, law enforcement has continued to comb over the home, which sits on a large lot on a street with no lights, while Savannah and her two siblings, Anne and Camron, plead for help in finding their mother. Annie and Cioni realized she was missing around 11.10am on February 1, the Pima County Sheriff's Office said. Savannah and her siblings, Camron and Annie, in a video they shared online asking for help Your browser does not support iframes. They reported her disappearance to police at 12.03pm. Her phone, wallet, vital daily medications and car were still at her Catalina Foothills home. Cioni said he saw his mother-in-law enter her home through the garage before he drove off the night before at around 9.45pm MT. Investigators found drops of blood on Nancy's front porch - that were later confirmed to be hers - and that her doorbell camera was disconnected at around 1.45am. Less than 30 minutes later, her security camera detected movement. Her pacemaker stopped transmitting data to her Apple Watch and phone shortly afterwards, suggesting she had been taken out of the devices' range. Nancy requires medication every 24 hours and it is unclear if whoever abducted her has ensured she has access to her medication. Bar the video released by officials on Tuesday, there has been little new information about the case. Savannah Guthrie's husband has spoken out for the first time since his mother-in-law Nancy was abducted 11 days ago. Michael Feldman posted to his Instagram on Tuesday asking for help in identifying the masked figure spotted at the 84-year-old's home the night she disappeared. The 57-year-old said: 'Someone out there may recognize this person. Please help us. Bring her home.' He also shared the disturbing images of the individual outside of Nancy's home alongside his post which the FBI and local officials released on Tuesday. Feldman and Guthrie have two children together, son Charles and daughter Vale, and exchanged vows just outside of Tucson, Arizona. They now live in Brooklyn. Tucson has become the epicenter of the hunt for Nancy who was taken from her home in the early hours of February 1. Bar the disturbing video released by officials on Tuesday, there has been little new information about the case. Savannah also shared the video to her own social media page saying: 'Someone out there recognizes this person. We believe she is still out there. Bring her home.' Feldman shared images of a suspect linked with the disappearance of his mother-in-law Nancy, pictured here, to his Instagram profile Feldman and Savannah are seen here attending the Vanity Fair Oscar Party in February of 2019 Nancy was last seen entering her home in Tucson on the evening of January 31 after having dinner with her daughter, Annie, and son-in-law, Tommaso Cioni. The next morning, she was reported missing after failing to attend a virtual church service with friends, Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos said. Since then, law enforcement has continued to comb over the home, which sits on a large lot on a street with no lights, while Savannah and her two siblings, Anne and Camron, plead for help in finding their mother. Annie and Cioni realized she was missing around 11.10am on February 1, the Pima County Sheriff's Office said. As officials continue their search, TMZ reported that a Bitcoin account referenced in ransom letters sent to media outlets has saw some activity after a deadline passed. The news website is one of three outlets that received alleged ransom notes in connection with Nancy's abduction. Unidentified sources involved in the investigation told the outlet that officers believe the ransom notes were written by the kidnapper. Sources said the letters referenced specific damage to Nancy's home and other details that have not been made public. The individual stared right into the lens while holding some plants ripped from outside the Arizona home on February 1 Nancy was last seen entering her home in Tucson, pictured here on Tuesday, on the evening of January 31 Carlos Palazeulos, seen here, aired his frustration after he was detained for allegedly kidnapping Nancy before being released shortly after Nancy was reported missing to police at 12.03pm. Her phone, wallet, vital daily medications and car were still at her Catalina Foothills home. Cioni said he saw his mother-in-law enter her home through the garage before he drove off the night before at around 9.45pm MT. Investigators found drops of blood on Nancy's front porch - that were later confirmed to be hers - and that her doorbell camera was disconnected at around 1.45am. Less than 30 minutes later, her security camera detected movement. Her pacemaker stopped transmitting data to her Apple Watch and phone shortly afterwards, suggesting she had been taken out of the devices' range. Nancy requires medication every 24 hours and it is unclear if whoever abducted her has ensured she has access to her medication. Police detained a delivery driver on Tuesday evening but he was released hours later after a search of his home. Carlos Palazeulos told reporters: 'They held me against my will, they didn't even read me my rights two hours in.' When asked if he had known who Nancy was, he told reporters 'no' and that he had been followed by police while out on deliveries. 'They told me to stop moving. What the f*** am I doing here? I didnt do anything to be honest, Im innocent.' Palazeulos added that he had no idea who Savannah was either, saying he did not watch the news and that officers had not asked him any questions. Authorities also carried out a search of his home near Interstate 19, he was released shortly after 1am local time. The former boss of Moorfields Eye Hospital straddled and flashed a sunbather in a London park before sexual assaulting the female police officer who arrested him for it, a court heard today. Dr Martin Kuper, 57, was accused of exposing himself in front of a woman who was enjoying the sunshine in Battersea Park in April last year, just months before he left his role at the hospital. The Oxford graduate and doctor then groped a female police officer once she had arrested him. 'The defendant approached the victim while she was sunbathing, straddled her and exposed his penis,' said prosecutor Barbara Valentini. 'He ran off into the bushes after being told off by the victim.' Ms Valentini said that after his arrest Kuper grabbed a female police officer in her crotch area. Kuper appeared in the dock today and plead not guilty to charges of exposure and sexual assault. He was appointed as chief executive of Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust in September 2021 and held the role for almost four years until his departure in July last year. Dr Martin Kuper, 57, outside court today was accused of exposing himself in front of a woman who was enjoying the sunshine in Battersea Park in April last year Prior to his role at the eye hospital, Kuper was chief medical director at Northwick Park Hospital in north-west London. He previously held a senior post at Whittington Hospital in north London. He spoke in court to confirm his name, age and home address in Chelsea before repeating 'not guilty' twice when the charges were read to him. Kuper elected to stand trial in front of a judge and jury at the Crown Court. Magistrate Sandra Burling freed Kuper on bail, with a condition that he does not go to Battersea Park where he allegedly flashed the sunbather. He is due to appear at Kingston Crown Court on March 10, where a date will be set for his trial. Keir Starmer was accused of 'stuffing' the government and Parliament with 'hypocrites and paedophile apologists' today. Kemi Badenoch hammered Sir Keir at PMQs amid fury over his comms chief getting a peerage despite ties to a sex offender councillor. She said the premier had failed to take responsibility for the appointment of Mandelson as US ambassador, and was instead 'throwing everyone under the bus'. And the Tory leader said Sir Keir was now mired in 'yet another scandal' over elevating Lord Doyle after it emerged that he campaigned for a councillor charged over indecent images of children. Downing Street insisted it was not possible to stop the peerage once it had been announced on December 10, even though Sir Keir read media reports of the allegations on December 28 - two weeks before it was formalised. However, the Conservatives said Lords Clerks had told them that was not true. Sir Keir told the Commons this afternoon: 'Matthew Doyle did not give a full account of his actions... yesterday I removed the whip from Matthew Doyle.' On the Mandelson crisis, Sir Keir said: 'I accepted responsibility and apologised for the mistakes that I made.' A Parliamentary briefing on the creation of life peers indicates that the PM would have needed to make a second 'formal' submission of the nomination to the King. It is not clear when that happened. There is at least one case of an individual backing out of a peerage between a nomination being announced and 'letters patent' being confirmed. As the knife was twisted following an apocalyptic week for the PM: Ed Davey said that it was unforgivable to appoint one person linked to a paedophile, but 'to appoint two shows a catastrophic lack of judgement'; SNP Westminster leader Stephen Flynn said Sir Keir must be 'the most gullible former director of public prosecutions in history'; The Tories have floated repeating the Commons tactic that forced ministers to promise the release of a swathe of Mandelson documents last week; Mrs Badenoch said Sir Keir was now 'sacking' the Cabinet Secretary as rather than taking responsibility for his own failure; Sir Keir praised his former chief of staff Morgan McSweeney - who quit on Sunday - for helping 'change our party' and secure a 'landslide majority'. Keir Starmer was branded 'delusional' today as he batted away fury over his comms chief getting a peerage despite ties to a paedophile councillor Kemi Badenoch hammered Sir Keir at PMQs for being mired in 'yet another scandal' after the Mandelson chaos nearly claimed his job Timeline of No10's Doyle appointment December 3, 2025: Reports surface that Matthew Doyle is being offered a peerage December 4: A figure in Scottish Labour is said to have raised concerns that Mr Doyle had an association with convicted paedophile Sean Morton. No10 apparently looks into the allegations. December 10: Downing Street unveils a list of political peerage nominations, including Mr Doyle. By this point he has been approved by the House of Lords Appointments Committee. December 28: The Sunday Times reports on its front page that Mr Doyle campaigned for Morton after he was charged - although before he pleaded guilty over indecent images of children. Downing Street acknowledges that Keir Starmer was aware of the allegations from this point. January 8: Lord Doyle elevation to the peerage is confirmed in the London Gazette. At this point the spin doctor's title has been agreed and the King has signed letters patent. February 10: Lord Doyle is suspended from the Labour whip over his ties to Morton, which he has apologised for. February 11: Sir Keir tells the Commons that Lord Doyle did not give 'full' information during his vetting. Downing Street argues that the peerage could not be stopped by the time Lord Doyle's campaigning for Morton had emerged. This is seemingly disputed by the Lords authorities. Advertisement Sir Keir opened the PMQs session by trying to make light of the carnage engulfing his government. 'This morning, I had meetings with ministerial colleagues now there's been quite a few of those this week in addition to my duties in this House, I shall have further such meetings later today,' he joked. But fresh doubts have been raised about the PM's judgment after Lord Doyle was stripped of the Labour whip last night. He has apologised for campaigning for Sean Morton in 2017 - after the latter had been charged over indecent images of children - saying he believed his friend's assertions of innocence. Labour party chair Anna Turley is calling for Lord Doyle to be kicked out of the Upper House, insisting he did not tell the truth before being elevated by Sir Keir. No 10 is adamant Lord Doyle's actions were not known when the peerage was announced on December 10 last year. However, there are mounting questions about the timeline, with the Sunday Times having claimed that No 10 looked into the issues beforehand. The paper ran a front-page story on December 28 laying out the allegations. But Lord Doyle's peerage was still formalised - posted in the London Gazette - on January 8. In echoes of the Mandelson scandal that brought Sir Keir to the brink of disaster, the PM's allies have been blaming the vetting system for letting him down. Mrs Badenoch said: 'The Mandelson episode was not an isolated incident. A few weeks ago he announced a peerage for one Matthew Doyle, his former director of communications. 'Immediately after that, the Sunday Times published on the front page that Doyle campaigned for a man charged with child sex offences, yet despite the Prime Minister knowing this, he gave Doyle a job for life in the House of Lords anyway. Why?' Sir Keir replied: 'Matthew Doyle did not give a full account of his actions. I promised my party and my country there will be change, and yesterday I removed the whip from Matthew Doyle. 'I'll tell you what other actions we've taken Mr Speaker, along with the safeguarding minister, I and this Government have introduced the most far-reaching violence against women and girls strategy, and I'll tell you what else we've done, this Government has introduced a pay rise for millions of working class women. What did the leader of the opposition do? She opposed it. 'This Government is introducing greater protection for women at work. What did the leader of the opposition do? She opposed it, and I'll tell you what else she opposes, this Government removing the disgusting rape clause that they put in place.' Mrs Badenoch raged that Sir Keir 'only cares about the victims when he's trying to save his own skin'. 'They can shake their heads. We saw it with grooming gangs, we saw it with Mandelson, and now we see it with Doyle. Isn't that what a former prosecutor would call an established pattern of behaviour?' she swiped. The PM said he would be taking 'no lectures from the Tories' on standards in public life. Mrs Badenoch said that Sir Keir was refusing to 'step into the ring' with his backbenchers, amid signs he has bowed to demands to lurch to the Left to keep his job. 'He's never lost a fight he's walked away from welfare reform, he won't stand up to the unions, he won't stand up to China, he can't even stand up to Mauritius,' she said. 'He's had three Cabinet secretaries, four chiefs of staff, five director of communications in just 18 months and now he is mired in yet another scandal. 'Does he ever look in the mirror and ask himself is the real problem staring him in the face?' The PM said he had 'delivered a landslide victory', adding: 'Only four people have ever led the Labour Party to victory in a general election. I am one of them.' After the clashes, the PM's official spokesman told reporters: 'There's no established precedent for withdrawing a peerage nomination after the announcement stage. 'That's why we're undertaking wider reform to both vetting and appointment processes.' But Labour MP John McDonnell said the facts seemed to damn the PM. 'I am at a loss how this can be explained to my constituents other than assessing it as another disastrous failure of judgement,' he posted on X. Challenged on the situation during a tour of broadcast studios this morning, education minister Georgia Gould said: 'I think the decision, the announcement was made on December 10. I think the story was later in the month. 'But I think the Prime Minister has looked at this afresh, given the commitment that he has made to ensure the highest standards in public life.' Ms Turley told Sky News last night that 'what we'd been told was not the truth when that decision was made' in reference to Lord Doyle's appointment as a peer. Asked if he should remain a Lord, she said: 'No, I don't think he should. That's my personal view. 'And we're going to be making it easier for people who have particularly undertaken criminal offences to be removed from the Lords. 'We don't have that power at the moment. He's not committed a criminal offence, but you know I just think people who have got this kind of record or have not been clear and transparent, there's no place for them in the Lords.' In an earlier statement, Lord Doyle apologised 'unreservedly' for supporting Moray councillor Morton before the case against him had concluded. He said he also had 'extremely limited' contact with Morton after his conviction. He said: 'I want to apologise for my past association with Sean Morton. 'His offences were vile and I completely condemn the actions for which he was rightly convicted. My thoughts are with the victims and all those impacted by these crimes. 'At the point of my campaigning support, Morton repeatedly asserted to all those who knew him his innocence, including initially in court. He later changed his plea in court to guilty. 'To have not ceased support ahead of a judicial conclusion was a clear error of judgment for which I apologise unreservedly.' The Scottish National Party had objected to Lord Doyle's peerage and Tory leader Kemi Badenoch called on Sir Keir to publish 'vetting advice and due diligence' reports provided before his appointment to the Lords. Labour had suspended Morton after he appeared in court in connection with indecent child images in late 2016. Lord Doyle campaigned for Morton when he ran as an Independent in May 2017. Morton admitted having indecent images of children in November 2017. Lord Doyle said: 'Those of us who took him at his word were clearly mistaken. I have never sought to dismiss or diminish the seriousness of the offences for which he was rightly convicted. 'They are clearly abhorrent and I have never questioned his conviction. 'Following his conviction any contact was extremely limited and I have not seen or spoken to him in years. 'Twice I was at events organised by other people, which he attended, and once I saw him to check on his welfare after concerns were raised through others. 'I acted to try to ensure the welfare of a troubled individual whilst fully condemning the crimes for which he has been convicted and being clear that my thoughts are with the victims of his crimes. I am sorry about the mistakes I have made. I will not be taking the Labour whip. Fresh doubts have been raised about the PM's judgment after Labour removed the whip from Lord Matthew Doyle (pictured) last night over his links to Sean Morton 'For the avoidance of any doubt, let me conclude where I started. Morton's crimes were vile and my only concerns are for his victims.' Labour said the whip had been withdrawn from Lord Doyle while an investigation is carried out. A Labour spokesman said: 'All complaints are assessed thoroughly in line with our rules and procedures.' Tory leader Mrs Badenoch said: 'Keir Starmer handed a peerage to Matthew Doyle despite knowing about his ongoing friendship with a man charged with child sex crimes. 'The Prime Minister has now suspended the whip, but he must come clean about what he was told before making this appointment. We won't let this go.' An island along Florida's Treasure Coast has rapidly eroded over the last several weeks, threatening the entire community with floods. The northern section of Hutchinson Island, a 23-mile-long barrier island, has seen its coastline recede almost to the very edge of the seawall, which protects businesses, homes and critical infrastructure. Officials with Fort Pierce, the nearest city to the island, have declared a state of emergency to counteract what could soon become a disaster for the area should a hurricane hit. Fort Pierce City Commissioner Michael Broderick told WPBF-TV that the St Lucie County Commission approved a plan to dump 10,000 cubic yards of sand. Trucks have been seen unloading sand just south of the Fort Pierce Jetty and north of South Beach Park. 'We have massive beach erosion that's occurred over the last several weeks, and we now are at risk of damaging infrastructure, putting people's safety at risk, etc. So we need to take emergency action,' Broderick said. 'There's a high level of concern for safety, for people, for property, for infrastructure. If we breach the dune, we're going to tear up the roads, tear up the sidewalks, do extensive damage throughout the entire island,' he continued. Broderick said city teams have been working overtime 'day after day after day' to prevent the dunes from being breached. Pictured: The northern section of Hutchinson Island near Fort Pierce is quickly eroding, threatening homes, businesses and infrastructure Fort Pierce officials have begun dumping 10,000 cubic yards of sand on problem areas of the shore Fort Pierce City Commissioner Michael Broderick said in an interview with a local TV station that this problem will persist without significant, routine action He added that what is being done now is only a temporary solution to a problem that will persist. 'The main problem comes in that this project needs to be done annually. Last year, the Army Corps of Engineers put this out to bid. Nobody bid. They put it out for bids three times. No contractors bid on it. That's the reason why the work was not done last year, leaving us subject to this extensive erosion problem this year,' Broderick said. The US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) is set to begin restoring the beach on March 6, 2026, according to St Lucie County officials. The federal agency will 'place approximately 400,000 cubic yards of sand from authorized borrow areas off the coast of Fort Pierce Beach on approximately 1.0 miles of shoreline immediately south of Fort Pierce Inlet.' The project, which will be done in coordination with the St Lucie County Erosion District, is expected to wrap up by mid-May. 'Work will be underway 24 hours a day, seven days a week, including weekends and holidays, until completion,' St Lucie County officials said in a statement. 'USACE urges all boaters and navigators to exercise caution when transiting work areas and consult local Notices to Mariners for relevant marine updates.' Portions of the beach will be closed once the project begins. A fire captain's devastating final words were revealed in a California courtroom on Tuesday as her wife was ordered to stand trial for her murder. Rebecca 'Becky' Marodi, 49, was found dead in her San Diego home on February 17, 2025, with 23 stab wounds. Her wife, Yolanda Marodi, 54, fled the scene and escaped to Mexico, launching a massive month-long manhunt before she was arrested for first-degree murder in connection with Becky's gruesome death. Homicide Detective Jessica Ricca testified during a recent court hearing that surveillance camera footage from the murder revealed Becky pleading for her life and telling her wife, 'I don't want to die.' The footage wasn't shown in court, but Ricca said it depicted Yolanda carrying a knife and Becky pleading with her to call 911, NBC 7 San Diego reported. Becky was also heard on video calling out for her mother, with Yolanda responding, 'She's not here,' Ricca testified. The footage then cuts out, and when Becky returns in frame, she's seen 'covered in blood.' After pleading for her life, Yolanda is heard snapping, 'You should have thought about that before.' Yolanda Marodi, right, has been ordered to stand trial for the brutal death of her wife, Cal Fire Captain Rebecca 'Becky' Marodi, left, Becky served as a firefighter for over 30 years and battled the deadly Eaton Fire before she was brutally slain Yolanda was seen in court on Tuesday for a preliminary hearing in the killing of her wife, Becky. She has pleaded not guilty to the first-degree murder charges against her Yolanda was then captured on tape fleeing the home and loading items into an SUV before driving off. Becky's mother, Lorena Marodi, also testified during the recent preliminary hearing. She lived in the home with her daughter and daughter-in-law, but wasn't present during the alleged killing. She testified that on the day of her daughter's chilling death, Yolanda confided in her about the marriage, which was a rarity in their relationship. Lorena told the court that Yolanda said that she and Becky had 'some things to work out, but there wouldn't be any fighting,' according to NBC 7. Lorena recalled that on the night of the alleged murder, she was out with friends and drove by the home while dropping people off. She noticed that Yolanda's car was gone, and when she returned home later that night, she was met with a trail of blood. Lorena testified that she then made the gruesome discovery of her daughter's body and called 911. An arrest warrant viewed by NBC 7 stated that Becky wanted to leave her marriage before her death. Becky was found by her mother with stab wounds last February in her San Diego home, pictured above Becky's mom, Lorena, left, and Homicide Detective Jessica Ricca, right, testified at Yolanda's preliminary hearing Yolanda allegedly sent a text message after Becky's killing that read: 'Becky came home and told me she was leaving me, she met someone else, all the messages were lies. We had a big fight and I hurt her ... I'm sorry.' The judge who presided over the hearing ruled that there was enough evidence to send the case to trial, which is scheduled for June. Yolanda has pleaded not guilty to the charges against her. She was previously convicted in an eerily similar case in 2000 on voluntary manslaughter charges for the death of her husband, James J Olejniczak Jr. Yolanda had filed for divorce against James months earlier, and the pair agreed to 'mutual restraining orders' and joint custody of their two children. James was then found with stab wounds, and Yolanda turned herself in just a day later, according to court documents in the case. Ami Mahler Salinas Davis, right, and Aisha Mahler Salinas, left, previously told the Daily Mail that they were shocked by their friend, Becky's murder Becky's marriage to Yolanda had concerned her friends, the Daily Mail previously reported. Ami Mahler Salinas Davis and her wife, Aisha Mahler Salinas, told the Daily Mail after Becky's death that the last six months of her life came at a dark point in her marriage. The pair said that Yolanda dictated what Becky could and couldn't do, adding that her wife 'isolated her from her friends.' 'Contact started getting really spotty about six months ago, around last June,' Ami said at the time. 'That was when I started noticing things changing. Before, I would just say, "let's go for a ride" and it went from "let me check with my wife and make sure we don't have plans" to "let me ask if I can go."' The couple added that even though there were red flags, their friend's murder was a 'complete shock.' Surveillance camera footage from the couple's home on Rancho Villa Road, pictured above, depicted Becky pleading for her life and asking Yolanda to call 911 Court records revealed that after Becky, right, died, Yolanda, left, sent a text message to a friend admitting that she allegedly 'hurt' her wife Yolanda previously served time in prison on voluntary manslaughter charges for the death of her husband, James J Olejniczak Jr. She is scheduled to stand trial for her wife's death in June and is pictured above after her arrest Becky's ex-wife, Lilia Phleger Phillips, also previously told the Daily Mail that she heard Yolanda was a 'volatile' person. Yolanda was arrested in Mexicali, Baja California, a month after her wife's chilling death. She was detained while loitering outside a hotel in her pajamas. Mexican authorities apprehended her and turned her over to US law enforcement. She has been held at the Las Colinas Detention and Reentry Facility and is not eligible for bail, according to jail records. Becky was remembered in her obituary as a brave and 'fearless spirit' who was passionate about saving lives as a firefighter. She had served for over 30 years and was a Cal Fire Captain before her death, battling the deadly Eaton Fire just a month before she was slain. A 30-year-old California woman has been charged with murder after she allegedly killed her newborn child at a homeless encampment, according to police. The mother, identified as Marisol Flores, was arrested on Sunday after the Oxnard Police Department responded to a report of child birth complications inside a homeless shelter located along the 2400 block of West Vineyard Avenue around 11am. Both fire and EMS personnel arrived at the encampment, located the infant, and immediately rendered help. Sadly, the baby was pronounced dead at the scene. The child's gender was not specified. Flores remained at the scene and was transported to a nearby hospital for medical aid, but investigators soon started to suspect that she was allegedly involved in her child's death. According to first responders, they discovered a 'suspicious injury to the infant' when they got to the scene. Witnesses also told authorities that they saw Flores pregnant on Saturday, but when they saw her the following day, 'she was no longer pregnant, and the newborn was not with her,' the Ventura County District Attorney said. She was later arrested for the murder of her child, who 'showed visible signs of blunt force trauma,' the office stated. Marisol Flores, was arrested on Sunday after the Oxnard Police Department She was arrested on Sunday after she allegedly killed her newborn baby inside a homeless shelter located along the 2400 block of West Vineyard Avenue around 11am First responders noticed that the baby 'showed visible signs of blunt force trauma.' Witnesses also said said they saw Flores pregnant on Saturday, but on Sunday she wasn't. The baby was also not with her Flores is currently being held at Todd Road Jail on a $500,000 bail, according to jail records reviewed by the Daily Mail. The mother has been charged with murder and assault on a child causing death. She is due to appear in Ventura County Superior Court for her arraignment hearing on Friday at 1.30pm. The Daily Mail contacted the Ventura County District Attorney's office and the Oxnard Police Department for comment. All 50 US states, including the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, follow Safe Haven laws, which allows parents to anonymously leave their unharmed newborn child at designated locations. Those spots are often located at fire stations, hospitals, and police stations. Parents generally have up to 30 days to reclaim their child before legal proceedings take place. Two elderly sisters have died in a Hollywood house fire caused by an arsonist, after one bravely rushed back inside to try to save the other. Maria 'Chelo' Vazquez, 76, narrowly escaped the burning home, but returned for her sister Yolanda 'Yola' Honda, 82, the family said in a GoFundMe. That moment of sisterly devotion would cost Vazquez her life. Firefighters found her deceased at the property on Vista Del Mar Avenue in the early hours of February 4. Meanwhile, Honda was taken to the hospital, where she suffered a fatal heart attack, her devastated family said. In the midst of the chaos, Vazquez's dog Coco may have escaped the home, and the family is still looking for the pet who they said was her 'constant companion.' 'Finding her would mean holding on to a living piece of what was lost,' the family wrote in the fundraiser, which has garnered more than $14,000 of its $150,000 goal. Honda had recently moved into her sister's Los Angeles home to be her caretaker while she recovered from an emergency hip surgery after falling at the supermarket. The family is reeling after losing the two women, the dog, and their family property, as the house had been shared by seven siblings across two generations. Maria 'Chelo' Vazquez, 76, narrowly escaped the burning home, but rushed back inside for her sister Yolanda 'Yola' Honda, 82, the family said in a GoFundMe Honda had recently moved in with Vazquez to be her caretaker after her sister had emergency hip surgery. Their house is suspected to have been set on fire by an arsonist Photographs show their house was reduced to a blackened shell, with the interior completely obliterated by the inferno. 'This home was not just a house,' the family wrote. 'It was the heart of our family and the realization of the American dream for a young family that migrated from Mexico decades ago.' 'It was a sanctuary where multiple generations gathered to celebrate. 'It was a central and safe place for everyone to retreat to whenever they need it. 'Today, that legacy of love and sacrifice has been reduced to ashes.' More than 40 firefighters attended to the massive blaze at around 3am. Crews battled large flames visible from outside the home before they could enter the structure and attempt to save the women. The family is also hoping to find Vazquez's dog Coco, who hasn't been found since the fire Vazquez was pronounced dead at the scene by firefighters. Crews were able to get Honda out of the home in 'grave condition,' but she died from a heart attack at the hospital The family, including their nephew (pictured with them), is reeling after the loss of the two sisters last week. They launched a fundraiser to try to recover the costs of losing their home During the primary search, they found Vazquez's body and managed to get Honda out of the home and take her to the hospital in 'grave condition,' the Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) said. LAFD crews extinguished the fire in less than 20 minutes, but it was too late for the sisters. No firefighters were injured. An unidentified suspect was arrested a day later on suspicion of arson after several trash fires were lit around the area the same night. The LAFD has not given an update on the suspect. The Daily Mail has reached out to the agency, along with local police, for comment. Angus Taylor has all the on-paper qualifications to be opposition leader. But there are big questions over how well he could do the job, when a miracle worker is needed to lift the struggling Liberal Party from its existential crisis. Taylor's political story so far is regarded by many observers and not a few colleagues as one of unfulfilled promise. If he wins the leadership, he would take over with the party at its lowest, considered to have no prospect of victory at the 2028 election. The first realistic chance for Taylor, now 59, of becoming prime minister would be 2031 a very long time to survive as opposition leader in this poll-driven era. Taylor is a Rhodes scholar, with strong qualifications in economics, and an impressive business career behind him, which include having been a director at Port Jackson Partners, a business consultancy firm. Rod Sims, also a Port Jackson director at the time (and later head of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission) describes Taylor as 'extremely intelligent. He was very, very good at what he did, advising boards of some of the largest companies on corporate strategy'. Few would doubt Taylor, when elected for the NSW regional seat of Hume in 2013, had his eyes on the ultimate prize, a view reinforced by glowing publicity at the time. Over the years, however, several personal controversies dogged him, ranging from questions over alleged illegal clearing of protected grassland by a company in which his family had a financial interest (he denied any wrongdoing) to the use of a mysterious and misleading document (which he could never explain) to attack Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore. In his maiden speech, condemning political correctness, he made an inaccurate claim about living in the same corridor at Oxford University as feminist writer Naomi Wolf, later to be embarrassed when she said she wasn't at the university at the time. When in trouble he never seemed able to find his way out of it cleanly. Angus Taylor is the son of farmer who attended Oxford and has a successful business career before he went into politics at the 2013 election Taylor's frontbench experience includes serving as minister for industry, energy and emissions reduction in the Morrison government and as shadow treasurer in Peter Dutton's opposition. His time in the latter post wasn't happy. He struggled against Treasurer Jim Chalmers. According to Niki Savva in her book Earthquake, Dutton thought Taylor a 'terrible retail politician who produced policies that could not be sold or explained to the public'. Taylor wanted the opposition to respond to the government's 2025 budget tax cuts with an alternative tax policy. But Dutton rejected that, and the opposition went into the election (disastrously) giving the government a big break on the tax issue. Former Liberal treasurer Peter Costello told The Australian's Troy Bramston, 'At the last election, [the Liberals] got themselves into a position where they were proposing to increase income taxes, run bigger deficits, no real plan to reduce debt'. Regardless, Taylor as leader would be most comfortable talking about the evils of debt and deficit. But today's voters no longer care so much about those, and want government to do more, not less. One economist who has observed Taylor over the years describes him as 'very smart and a very good economist', not a hardline dry but with a market approach of the Howard-Costello era. 'He's in the right party if it were the party of 20 years ago'. But things have changed. 'I'd be stunned if the times suited Angus Taylor,' this source says. 'Would we see the Angus Taylor of his convictions, or Angus Taylor pushed around by the populism of the moment? How would he battle One Nation? That's hard to do from the viewpoint of market economics.' In economics Taylor is in the Liberal mainstream, but on climate policy he's been something of a weather vane. He previously challenged for the Liberals top job and narrowly lost out to Ley just months ago In his business career he was very alive to the climate change issue and a supporter of renewables. But years later, he was against Malcolm Turnbull's attempt to bring in a National Energy Guarantee (the NEG), a plan to reduce emissions while ensuring the reliability of the grid. Under Scott Morrison he advocated the net zero by 2050 target. In opposition he was one of those opposing it, walking shoulder to shoulder with Andrew Hastie and other conservatives into the party meeting ahead of the dumping of the Liberal commitment to the target. Turnbull says pointedly, 'Angus' views on energy were more enlightened when he was working for Rod Sims [at Port Jackson] and supported an economy wide carbon price'. One of Taylor's strongest supporters is former MP Craig Laundy, who was a close ally of Turnbull. Laundy entered parliament at the same time as Taylor, and they've kept in touch in recent years. Laundy rejects the perception of some that Taylor has a 'born to rule' attitude. 'It's harsh and unfair. He was always a very good communicator and I think [if he is leader] he will surprise many on the upside of how he will connect with the community across the board,' Laundy says. In his personality Taylor is self-confident but reserved. One source notes a certain vulnerability a nervousness before a speech, afterwards wondering how it went. Many disagree with Laundy's assessment that Taylor communicates well, and even fans see a need for improvement. A former parliamentary colleague says, 'Like a lot of really bright guys, Angus can sometimes get into over-analysis of things'. Certainly if he were opposition leader, how well he could communicate with women would be crucial. His views on quotas mean he would likely start with a handicap in the eyes of many women. Sussan Ley getting 'rolled' out of the Liberal leadership is not a done deal and she could still rally enough support from moderates to beat Taylor in a spill motion He said last year:'We absolutely need more women in the party at every level, whether it's members of our branches, whether it's on our executives, whether indeed it is as members of parliament, and I think there's a huge job for us, [but] I have never been a supporter of quotas'. One prominent Liberal woman outside the parliamentary party, who likes Taylor personally, says he is a 'caricature of a Liberal male males who have managed to progressively alienate women from the Liberal party'. Another muses:'He's very handsome, well read, tall and a good farmer but entirely lacking in charisma. How can that be possible?' As leader Taylor would have to reach out across the party in a way he has never needed to before. 'Retail politics' can be as important within a party especially a fractured one as with the electorate. As the most senior member of the conservative faction, Taylor saw himself as the logical opposition leader after the 2025 election. In a serious misjudgement, he encouraged the defection from the Nationals of Jacinta Nampijinpa Price as his potential deputy. Taylor lost to Ley (25-29); Price then did not put up her hand. He assumed Ley would fail, although he did not want to bring on a challenge this soon. But when the pushy Hastie started to force the issue, Taylor was clear: it was his turn next. Shocking text messages sent by a California 'party mom' accused of throwing boozy teenage gatherings at her $5 million mansion have been exposed in court. Shannon O'Connor, 50, allegedly hosted Project X style parties at her Silicon Valley pad in Los Gatos where she would encourage high schoolers to have sex. As her case unfolded in court this week, jurors heard that she also took her then-14-year-old son and a teen girl to Las Vegas in 2020, where she pushed them to drink. 'Someone give me a f**king beer,' her son wrote in a group chat after landing in Sin City, text messages shown in court displayed, according to KRON 4. 'I'm down,' O'Connor allegedly replied. 'Champagne? [Let's] hit the pool with drinks, lots of drinks... What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas.' O'Connor is facing 63 charges, including endangering the health of a child, sexual battery, and annoying or molesting a child. She has pleaded not guilty to all counts. She also allegedly used Snapchat to communicate with her son's friends, often talking about sex and drinking with them, according to prosecutors. Some of the teens have said they used to speak with the 'Los Gatos Party Mom' every day. 'Looking back on it, it's pretty weird,' one teenage boy said. Alarming text messages sent by a California 'party mom' accused of throwing booze-filled teenage parties at her $5 million mansion have been exposed in court She was also notorious for the alleged parties she threw at her $5 million Los Gatos mansion, where teens allegedly drank until they were blackout drunk and had sex in front of her The student, known as John Doe 5, testified that O'Connor was even going beyond her 'cool mom' reputation and increasingly becoming more like one of the 'popular' girls of their own age. He added that she controlled who had sex with whom, and that he personally discussed sex with O'Connor regularly, KRON 4 reported. The mother is accused of allowing sexual assault and abuse to happen at parties at her mansion, including one girl who testified she felt pressured to have sex with her boyfriend and lost her virginity at O'Connor's house. 'Do you really feel like it was consensual?' Deputy District Attorney Joanna Lee asked the girl, known as Jane Doe 8, according to Los Gatan, a local news outlet. 'I felt like I had to do it at a certain point. I didn't say no,' she replied. 'But you felt pressure?' Lee asked. 'Yeah, I did,' the girl responded. The same girl also testified that she believed she was sexually assaulted while 'blackout' drunk at O'Connor's property. She told the court she went to bed with underwear on and woke up without any. She said it was unclear who may have assaulted her, whether it was her boyfriend or even O'Connor. O'Connor has been charged with child endangerment and sexual battery related to allegations she repeatedly furnished her son and other teens with alcohol for raucous parties at her home 'I'm suggesting it might have been Shannon,' she told the defense when asked to clarify who she thought allegedly abused her, according to the Los Gatan. The young girl also testified that O'Connor had bought her an expensive Tiffany necklace, flowers, and smoothies, and the pair spoke everyday. 'She called me "pretty" or "beautiful,"' she told the court. O'Connor also allegedly made comments that the other teenage girls were 'all b**ches and how I was the best girl.' O'Connor was also known for holding out-of-control parties for her son and fellow Los Gatos High School Students beginning shortly after he graduated from middle school in June 2020, court documents said. The legal documents claimed the 'party mom' would encourage her guests to get drunk and have sex for her own sexual gratification. During one particularly wild event at the luxury beach rental, O'Connor allegedly gave youngsters beer and liquor before they caused $9,000 of damage. The house was surrounded by security cameras that captured the grizzly events that ensued, according to KRON4. Footage was played in court on January 6, which showed a slew of teenagers throwing up, chugging alcohol and smashing cans on the home's manicured lawn. O'Connor was allegedly known for hosting raucous parties at her $5 million California home while her husband was away 'Party mom' Shannon O'Connor of Los Gatos The rental's owner testified that the partying had left their gorgeous beachfront home completely 'trashed.' He said: 'Its a valuable property. We have two beautiful bathrooms. The boys peed everywhere around the yard really acting like a bunch of hooligans.' The security footage reportedly showed delivery drivers arriving with liquor and beer as O'Connor appeared to be the only adult present. 'It just kept coming and coming. It was like 20 beers for each kid copious amounts of alcohol,' the owner said per KRON4. 'I was astounded.' O'Connor allegedly refused to pay for the extensive damage until the rental's owner threatened her with a lawsuit. The defendant's controversial partying extended well beyond the vacation home, per court filings. Witnesses alleged that O'Connor was known to host parties at her mansion in Los Gatos, an affluent Bay Area community known for upscale stores and restaurants, while her husband was away. Her exclusive guest lists were reportedly comprised of freshman boys and whichever girls she deemed 'pretty' and 'trustworthy' enough to keep the raucous partying a secret. Shannon O'Connor, 50, allegedly took her 14-year-old son and a girl, identified as Jane Doe 7, to Las Vegasfor a trip, where she encouraged them to underage drink She also allegedly threw a party of a beachside rental house (pictured), where the teens drank a copious amount of alcohol and caused $9,000 worth of damage O'Connor faces up to 30 years in prison if convicted. She has been in custody for four years awaiting trial. The Daily Mail has reached out to her lawyers for comment 'She would reject girls as guests by saying they weren't "pretty enough" or didn't "put out,"' court documents stated. One witness claimed teens would often hook up in designated rooms at the parties, alleging that two downstairs bedrooms were used for teenage sex. At a December 2020 party, O'Connor allegedly handed a condom to a boy and pushed him into a room with an intoxicated girl. The girl escaped and locked herself in the bathroom, authorities said. Prosecutors said that during a New Year's Eve party at her home with about five 14-year-olds, O'Connor allegedly watched and laughed as a drunk teenager sexually battered a young girl in bed. At the same party, the infamous 'party mom' allegedly watched as a boy in a hot tub sexually assaulted a girl who was reportedly so drunk 'she could barely hold her head above water,' court documents said. O'Connor faces up to 30 years in prison if convicted. She has been in custody for four years awaiting trial. The Daily Mail has reached out to O'Connor's lawyers for comment. The House of Commons burst into laughter today as an independent MP took a swipe at Reform UK's expanding contingent in Parliament. Ayoub Khan was greeted with guffaws as he moaned about 'rubbish building up right beneath my very nose' while speaking from the benches behind Reform's MPs. The MP for Birmingham Perry Barr made the joke as he went on to quiz Sir Keir Starmer about long-runnning local bin strikes during Prime Minister's Questions. Reform MPs Richard Tice and Sarah Pochin turned round to look at Mr Khan as he made the barb about their party. But Mr Tice, Reform's deputy leader, appeared to accept the mocking in good spirits as he was heard shouting: 'Easy tiger!' Reform won five seats at the 2024 general election, but party leader Nigel Farage has since seen his ranks swelled by a series of defections from the Tories. Suella Braverman, the former home secretary, and Robert Jenrick, the former immigration minister, both quit the Conservatives for Reform last month. Reform now have 8 MPs in the Commons - just one less than the number of Scottish National Party MPs. Ayoub Khan was greeted with guffaws as he moaned about 'rubbish building up right beneath my very nose' while speaking from the benches behind Reform's MP Richard Tice and Sarah Pochin turned round to look at Mr Khan as he made the barb about their party. Mr Tice appeared to accept the mocking in good spirits, shouting: 'Easy tiger!' In the final question at PMQs on Wednesday afternoon, Mr Khan told the Commons: 'Mr Speaker, rubbish is building up right beneath my very nose.' After being interrupted by widespread laughter, he then added: 'It's becoming a serious problem. In Birmingham, bin strikes are now running over close to two years. 'So can I ask, gently, the PM to intervene and perhaps speak to the leader of Birmingham City Council to see if he can re-enter negotiations with Unite the union?' In response, Sir Keir said: 'He's right to raise this and we're doing everything we can to resolve this situation, which absolutely needs resolving.' Bin workers in Birmingham recently voted to continue taking industrial action for another six months in their long-running dispute over pay. Unite said its members decided overwhelmingly to extend their action past local elections in May and into September. The workers have been taking industrial action for more than a year and have been on all-out strike since last March. The council is pressing ahead with reforms to refuse collections it insists are needed to improve the service, but Unite says this will lead to pay cuts for hundreds of its members. Agency workers hired to help with collections have also voted to continue taking industrial action, said Unite. The union said there have been no negotiations over ending the dispute since May last year. A bride-to-be who ought to be thrilled about her big day is instead having to deal with harassment from a labor union that is furious over a hotel recommendation she gave her guests. Lauren Johnson, of Mishawaka, Indiana, is all set for her wedding to her fiance, Tyler Bradley, on July 17 in South Bend, and has made sure all the details are perfect on their wedding website. On the site, she included a brief suggestion for guests to stay at the DoubleTree Hotel in South Bend, which is located near the venue. But little did she know that a sentence on her website would cause such a stir for UNITE HERE Local 1 - a labor union that represents hospitality workers in Northwest Indiana and Chicago. Shortly after making the innocent recommendation, the 25-year-old future bride was inundated with bizarre abuse from union members, who even showed up outside her job and protested over her mention of the hotel. 'They started calling my personal number, and then they started calling my friends, and then their workplace as well,' Johnson told CBS News. The angry group even went as far as to send fake wedding invitations to her friends and family that stated: 'Love is a choice. So is standing with workers. Say "I don't" to this union boycotted hotel.' However, according to Johnson, she never signed a contract or blocked off any rooms for her guests. It is unclear how the group stumbled upon her website and if they've targeted others before over the same issue. Lauren Johnson is set to marry her fiance, Tyler Bradley, on July 17 in South Bend, Indiana. She made a wedding website for their big day, but never expected a small detail to get her bullied by a local union group UNITE HERE Local 1 - a labor union that represents hospitality workers in Northwest Indiana and Chicago - protested outside Johnson's job with a large sign that read: 'TELL LAUREN JOHNSON TO BOYCOTT DOUBLETREE HOTEL SOUTH BEND' In preparation for their big day, Johnson listed the DoubleTree Hotel in South Bend as a possible location for guests to stay at because it is close to her and her fiance's wedding venue 'I just recommended it on my wedding website because it was one of the closest hotels,' Johnson explained, adding that when she was first contacted by the persistent union members, she believed it was all a joke. 'I thought it was a scam, because I was like, "This can't be real. Why are they trying to get me to boycott a hotel that I'm not involved with?",' she recalled. She quickly realized it was real after the unthinkable happened - protestors showed up at her job, angry over her mention of the hotel. A group of demonstrators stood outside her place of work holding up a giant sign that read: 'TELL LAUREN JOHNSON TO BOYCOTT DOUBLETREE HOTEL SOUTH BEND.' They also distributed flyers that told people to ask Johnson why she hasn't decided to boycott the hotel. 'I was shaking, I was scared, I was confused; like, actually traumatized,' she told the outlet. Because of the protest, Johnson's manager told her to head home. Once she did, Johnson decided to file a police report over the terrifying incident. But even after getting law enforcement involved, union members went on to create phony wedding invitations that they mailed to Johnson's family and friends. Union members went on to create phony wedding invitations and mail them to Johnson's family and friends According to Johnson, she never signed a contract or blocked off any rooms for her guests at the hotel (pictured) 'Basically mocking my wedding,' Johnson stated. After the bizarre response, Johnson decided it was best to delete the mention of the hotel from her website, which she has since made private because of the ordeal. The young bride-to-be also sent a cease-and-desist request to UNITE HERE Local 1, she said. Johnson also shared a letter to Facebook from Steven Wyatt, the boycott's organizer, who wrote to her on January 9. In the correspondence, Wyatt acknowledged that Johnson removed mention of the DoubleTree South Bend Hotel from her website in early December. But still, Wyatt said he and his organization didn't believe that was enough. 'Initially, we took this as an implicit agreement to honor our requests that you boycott the hotel,' he wrote. Wyatt continued: 'However, later in the same day we noticed your wedding website was not set to private with password protection. 'This prevents us from confirming whether the venue has remained removed or has been reinstated,' he wrote, adding that he 'respectfully' asks that Johnson make her personal website public again, or 'provide us with the password.' Johnson also shared a letter to Facebook from Steven Wyatt (pictured), the boycott's organizer, wrote to her on January 9. He acknowledged that she deleted the mention of the hotel on her website, but insisted that wasn't enough Johnson also shared the transcript of a voicemail she got from a union member named Sarah on Facebook. Like Wyatt, Sarah repeatedly asked her to take down the mention of the hotel from her website. At the end of the day, Johnson just wants all of this to be over so she can actually focus on what's important - her wedding day. 'I just feel like this is over-harassment. I feel like it's stalking in some type of way. I just want them to stop,' Johnson said. She is not at all associated with UNITE HERE Local 1 or the hotel. When contacted by the Daily Mail, a Hilton spokesperson said the company is not affiliated with the hotel in South Bend. DoubleTree hotels are owned by Hilton Worldwide. 'DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel South Bend is independently owned and operated,' they said. 'Hilton does not employ anyone working at this property and has no involvement in their labor issues. As such, we are unable to speak on their behalf and will have to pass your inquiry along to the hotel.' The Daily Mail contacted Johnson, UNITE HERE Local 1, and the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel South Bend for comment. Palestine Action supporters protesting outside court are 'a threat to justice' the chief prosecutor warned today. Stephen Parkinson, the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), said demonstrations held outside the recent trial of six Palestine Action activists accused of breaking-in to the Israel-based company's UK site in Bristol were 'highly regrettable'. The group were cleared of aggravated burglary last week, but the jury at Woolwich Crown Court in south east London failed to reach verdicts on several other counts. A police officer was left with a shattered spine as she responded to the incident, which resulted in 1 million of damage to the Elbit Systems building. The chief prosecutor declined to comment on the verdicts reached by the jury, but said he did wish to speak about the protests themselves, which saw large crowds of protesters attend court daily, with provocative posters placed along the route between the building and train stations nearby. He told reporters today: 'I think it's a threat to the administration of justice when that type of behavior takes place. 'I think conduct of that kind, which is clearly intended to have an impact on the jury, is hugely regretable. 'I'm not going to opine as to whether or not an offence is committed, but it's obviously a concern if that is the motiviation, which I'm sure it was, that amounts to some form of contempt.' Stephen Parkinson, the Director of Public Prosecutions, said the Palestine Action protests outside court were 'a threat to justice' Posters were also put up on bus stops and lampposts near the building which said 'The jury decide not the judge', 'Jury equity is when a jury acquits someone on moral grounds', and: 'Jurors can give a not guilty verdict even when they believe a defendant has broken the law'. Mr Parkinson said police and the courts have been 'forewarned' to crackdown on repeat behaviour in the event of a re-trial. Charlotte Head, Samuel Corner, Leona Kamio, Fatema Rajwani, Zoe Rogers and Jordan Devlin were cleared of aggravated burglary last week, but the jury failed to reach verdicts on several other counts. Jurors had found Ms Rajwani, Ms Rogers and Mr Devlin not guilty of violent disorder after deliberating for 36 hours and 34 minutes. However they could not reach verdicts for charges of criminal damage against all six defendants, or on the allegation that Mr Corner inflicted grievous bodily harm on Police Sergeant Kate Evans. Nor could they reach a verdict on the charges of violent disorder against Ms Head, Mr Corner, and Ms Kamio. All the defendants bar Mr Corner were released on bail ahead of a potential retrial. The CPS is expected to confirm which charges it will pursue at any retrial at a hearing on February 18. From left: Jordan Devlin, Leona Kamio, Charlotte Head, Fatema Rajwani, Zoe Rodgers and Samuel Corner were cleared of aggravated burglary over a break in at Elbit Systems factory in Bristol Shadow home secretary Chris Philp has already urged the CPS to push for a re-trial, saying there was 'sufficient evidence' for a realistic prospect of conviction. Meanwhile Chief Constable Gavin Stephens, chair of the National Police Chiefs' Council, said the outcome could put officers at risk in the future. It comes as Mr Parkinson also announced he has ordered staff to pick up the phone rather than engaging in lengthy email chains with police in a bid to speed up charging decisions. The chief prosecutor has grown frustrated with delays in the judicial process and said there was a 'generational' attitude to using the phone. He has instructed staff they are only allowed to send two 'action plan' responses to police about making a case ready for charging before they have to make telephone contact. He said the previous situation often resulted in delays of around 50 days without further work being done, slowing the judicial process. 'So what we're promoting now is what we call real-time case conversations,' he said. 'So the ideal is that if you're in that situation, you haven't got enough, we've got a new charging model, which is a step-by-step guide to the way you should prosecute these cases. 'And the first thing you ask to do is to make contact with the police and say: Can we have a call?' He said there was an 'inevitable delay' before the idea was implemented, and has been pleased with results. 'Those of us who are older, we're used to picking up the phone, it is a generational thing, and others aren't.' The owners of the Swiss nightclub which caught on fire on New Year's Day have attended a hearing into the disaster as the victims' parents push for the truth behind the blaze. Jacques Moretti, 49, who owns Le Constellation in the ski resort of Crans-Montana alongside his wife Jessica Moretti, 40, was questioned by lawyers on Wednesday, seeking answers on how many partygoers were allowed inside. The pair, who have blamed a waitress who died in the fire, are under judicial supervision following the inferno which killed 41 people and injured 115 others on January 1. They made no comment as they arrived hand-in-hand for the hearing in the nearby city of Sion. The French couple have firmly blamed their young staff for causing the inferno and blocking an escape exit, with leaked interview records point to them saying, 'It's not us, it's the others'. The Moretti's defence strategy during some 20 hours of interrogation by three prosecutors was in particular to blame waitress Cyane Panine, 24, for getting onto the shoulders of a colleague while brandishing two champagne bottles with lit sparklers inside. Cyane, who died in the fire, was wearing a promotional crash helmet, and did not see the pyrotechnics lighting up the bar's basement ceiling, which was covered in highly flammable foam. Referring to the champagne sparklers stunt which was filmed Mr Moretti told the enquiry that it was 'Cyane's show'. The nightclub's owners Jacques Moretti, 49, and Jessica Moretti, 40, attended a hearing into the disaster on Wednesday Cyane Panine, 24, died in the fire at Le Constellation bar in Crans-Montana after she was filmed holding two champagne bottles fitted with sparklers as she sat on a colleague's shoulders She had previously told her parents she was made to work 'relentlessly' by the nightclub owners 'I didn't forbid her from doing that,' he told prosecutors, adding: 'I didn't make her pay attention to safety instructions. We didn't see the danger. Cyane liked doing that it was a show, she liked to be part of the show.' Mrs Moretti, an ex-pimp who has spent time in prison, is due to be questioned on Thursday. She previously claimed: 'Cyane liked to deliver these bottles she did it of her own accord. 'If I had thought there was the slightest risk, I would have forbidden it. In ten years of running the business, I never thought there could be any danger.' The French couple are under criminal investigation, facing charges of manslaughter by negligence, bodily harm by negligence and arson by negligence. They face up to 20 years in prison if charged and found guilty of manslaughter. The family of Cyane, also a French national, are among those who have vehemently denied the Moretti's claims, and they are supported by witnesses who survived the blaze. They say it was Mrs Moretti, the manager on the night, who sent Cyane out with the bottles, and encouraged her to perform the stunt using a helmet provided by Dom Perignon, the champagne house. But witnesses have cast doubt on their claims, with one claiming Cyane was made to wear a promotional crash helmet which prevented her from seeing sparklers. Sophie Haenni, lawyer for Cyane's bereaved family, also claimed that 'Cyane wasn't supposed to be serving at the tables'. Ms Haenni said: 'Jessica Moretti asked her to go down to the basement to help her colleagues, given the large number of champagne bottles ordered. The Moretti's defence strategy during some 20 hours of interrogation by three prosecutors was in particular to blame waitress Cyane Panine (pictured) for the fire The French owners of Le Constellation Jacques and Jessica Moretti (both pictured) face charges of manslaughter, bodily harm and arson, all by negligence 'Cyane simply followed the instructions given, did her job, and did so in front of the manager. She was never informed of the ceiling's danger and received no safety training.' The interviews on Wednesday and Thursday 'are intended to allow the lawyers for the civil parties to ask the questions they were unable to ask' during previous hearings. 'I hope answers will be provided. We hope to better understand what happened and establish responsibilities,' Nicolas Mattenberger, a lawyer representing victims' families, said. The bar owners have also faced backlash after claiming Cyane was like a 'step-daughter' and 'sister' to them. But Ms Haenni said this was false, and Cyane had in fact contacted 'the workers' protection service' over her employment conditions with the Morettis. She was entitled to all of these documents under Swiss law, but the Morettis appeared reluctant to give her basic documents, including an employment contract, or to pay her a decent wage. Cyane and the Morettis 'addressed each other formally in messages,' while Cyane complained of 'orders' given to her by Jessica Moretti. Ms Haenni said: 'In 2025, Cyane confided in her family about the significant difficulties she was experiencing with her employers. 'She indicated that she had to work tirelessly. She was working endless days. Shortly before her death, Cyane told her family about her physical and emotional exhaustion. 'She expressed her incomprehension at her employers' lack of empathy and understanding.' Jacques Moretti pictured arriving for the hearing before the public prosecutor on Wednesday Photographs show the very first moments of the Swiss Le Constellation bar fire in Crans-Montana Ms Moretti, who was one of the first to escape the club, has admitted she knew the champagne sparkler stunt was being performed regularly, despite the huge danger. She also offered a reserved apology for what happened on New Year's Day, without admitting any criminal or civil liability. Those killed were mostly teenagers, while most of the injured remain in various hospitals across Switzerland and Europe. Most of those caught up in the inferno were Swiss, but a total of 19 nationalities were among those killed and wounded, including nine French and six Italian nationals. Video cameras are said to have caught Ms Moretti getting away from the scene of the fire as quickly as possible, in her car, after quickly escaping with the till containing the night's cash takings under her arm, while hundreds of young customers were trapped inside. Leila Micheloud, the mother of two daughters injured in the fire, attended Wednesday's hearing. 'It's a path to healing. We're waiting for answers, the truth, for them to tell the truth; we're not asking for anything more,' she told journalists. 'We're in a battle. I have to be here. 'When you have two of your children who almost died, you're not afraid of anything,' she added. The Morettis' lawyer Yael Hayat said the hearings would be the first time the couple would be able to speak directly to the lawyers representing the victims and families. 'They are empathetic, but at the same time, they are isolated. It is also very difficult for them not to be able to express themselves directly, since the legal proceedings require that there be no contact,' she said. Fabrizio Ventimiglia, an Italian lawyer, said he was 'expecting important answers' not only on security at the bar but also on 'the number of people present' when the fire broke out, and regarding 'the sale of alcohol to minors'. The blaze started when sparklers being held up in champagne bottles set light to the soundproof foam owners had installed on the basement ceiling Swiss federal councillor Martin Pfister and his daughter Fabiola stand in silence in front of the memorial for the victims of the deadly fire, February 1 The Wallis public prosecutor's office said Monday that around 50 orders and warrants had been issued in the case, and more than a dozen hearings conducted so far. The case file 'comprises nearly 2,000 pages and includes more than 8,500 physical documents; 263 civil parties have been identified and are represented by 74 lawyers,' it said. In Crans-Montana, the makeshift memorial for victims of the blaze caught fire itself on Sunday, due to candles left burning inside. A white, igloo-like tarpaulin had been erected over the candles, flowers and messages to shield them from the snow and winter weather. Candles have now been banned from the memorial, while the book of condolence, saved from the fire, is now inside a nearby chapel. The Swiss government decided on Wednesday that the victims and their families should receive a 'solidarity contribution' from the state, to help meet their costs. A delivery driver who was held by law enforcement in connection with the kidnapping of Nancy Guthrie burst into exhausted laughter as he protested his innocence following his release. Carlos Palazeulos was nabbed by officials in Rio Rico, Arizona amid the probe into the suspected kidnapping of the 84-year-old. Nancy, who is the mother of Today Show host Savannah Guthrie, was last seen on January 31 at her home some 60 miles away in Tucson. Authorities initially stated they had no suspects or persons of interest until Palazeulous was pulled over and detained by cops on Tuesday. In footage captured by ABC15, Palazeulos spoke with the outlet immediately after being released without charge by Pima County Sheriff's Deputies just after 1am on Wednesday. A reporter with the outlet asked him if he had anything to say on his detainment, telling Palazeulos, 'We're trying to figure out what is going on.' Initially hesitant, Palazeulos smiled and told the reporter: 'Nah, I'm good thank you' before he went to enter a vehicle. Before he even had a chance to close the door however, Palazeulos turned on his heels and spilled what happened to him. Carlos Palazeulos let out an exhausted laugh while speaking with ABC15 after he was released by officials investigating the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie Nancy Guthrie, seen here with her daughter and Today anchor Savannah Guthrie, was taken from her $1 million home in Tucson, Arizona, in the early morning hours of February 1 'Okay I'll let you know', he said as he closed the door, he then added: 'I was arrested for kidnapping but I didn't do it.' Palazeulos said his wife pulled over their vehicle after realizing they were being followed by law enforcement. 'They told me I was being detained for kidnapping, and I asked "kidnapping of who?", and they told me this lady, I don't know her name,' he said. The reporter asked Palazeulos if her name was Nancy Guthrie, to which he responded: 'That's her, I might have delivered a package to her house but I never kidnapped anybody.' Palazeulos said he had never heard of her until Tuesday and chuckled when the reporter said he was the person of interest arrested in the case. It remains unclear why police turned their attention to him, but it came hours after the FBI released the first surveillance photos of a suspect seen lurking near Guthrie's home on January 31, the night she was taken. Palazuelos was questioned for several hours then released without charge. Police are yet to name any other suspects, but FBI Director Kash Patel says investigators are considering 'multiple persons of interest'. Palazuelos also spoke with reporters outside his home and continued to plead his innocence in the early hours of Wednesday morning. Palazeulos, seen here speaking with reporters outside his Arizona home, was detained for several hours in connection with the abduction of Guthrie before being released without charge A Pima County Sheriff's Department member stands next to his vehicle in front of Nancy Guthrie's home on Tuesday He said: 'I hope they find the suspect, cause I'm not it - they better do their job and find the suspect that did it so they can clear my name.' Palazeulos also added that while he was in custody police searched his home, where he lives with his wife, children and in-laws. He claimed that officers who raided the address broke down his front door and his garage doors. The Daily Mail attempted to contact Palazeulos on Wednesday. Federal authorities were inundated with tips and are looking at more than 'one person of interest' after they released horrifying doorbell camera footage yesterday. An armed figure wearing a ski mask and black latex gloves was spotted tampering with Nancy's Nest doorbell camera in the early hours of February 1. As officials continue their search, TMZ reported that a Bitcoin account referenced in ransom letters sent to media outlets has saw some activity after a deadline passed. The news website is one of three outlets that received alleged ransom notes in connection with Nancy's abduction. Unidentified sources involved in the investigation told the outlet that officers believe the ransom notes were written by the kidnapper. Sources said the letters referenced specific damage to Nancy's home and other details that have not been made public. On Wednesday TMZ confirmed that they had received a third letter which said the sender knew the kidnapper and was demanding one Bitcoin to reveal their identity. Nancy was last seen entering her home after having dinner with her daughter, Annie, and son-in-law, Tommaso Cioni. The next morning, she was reported missing after failing to attend a virtual church service with friends, Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos said. Except for the video released by officials on Tuesday, there has been little new information about the case since she vanished. China says evidence of Japan's forced conscription of "comfort women" undeniable Xinhua) 16:54, February 11, 2026 BEIJING, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- The evidence of forced conscription of "comfort women" by Japan's militarists is ironclad that brooks no denial, and China is seriously concerned with Japan's erroneous attitude and dishonest practices regarding its history of aggression, a foreign ministry spokesperson said on Wednesday. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun) An Idaho teacher who was told to remove an inclusive poster from her classroom has accused her former school of being 'racist' and violating her constitutional rights. Sarah Inama, 36, has sued Lewis & Clark Middle School in Meridian for allegedly breaching her First and Fourteenth Amendment rights by forcing her to take down a poster reading 'everyone is welcome here'. Her civil lawsuit levels the same accusations at the Idaho Board and Department of Education, West Ada School District, Superintendent Derek Bub, Lewis & Clark Middle School, and Principal Monty Hyde. The 'everyone is welcome here' banner also depicted several raised hands of various skin colors, while another sign read: 'In this room everyone is welcome, important, accepted, respected, encouraged, valued, equal.' Inama, who taught social studies, hung several more posters around the room which were not complained about, including a world map, she claimed in a lawsuit seen by the Daily Mail. In February 2025, Inama was told she had to remove the signs due to a law known as HB41, which limits political and ideological speech in school through the prohibition of certain flags and banners. HB41 was not signed into law until March 2025. Principal Monty Hyde allegedly told her the posters 'express an opinion that not everyone agrees with,' the lawsuit said. Inama responded saying she thought the directive was racist, and Principal Hyde said: 'Yeah, I know, it's a bummer', according to the complaint. Sarah Inama, 36, is suing her former school and school district and others for violating her First and Fourteenth Amendment rights by forcing her to remove her inclusive signage She was told by Superintendent Derek Bub that the multiple skin tones displayed in the poster shown above were a violation of HB41, which was signed into law in March 2025 Inama had a similar sign in her classroom that also had to be removed. She was told to remove the signs in February 2025 Hyde allegedly further explained that not everyone believes in the sign's message and it violated HB41 due to the being a display of personal opinion. After removing the signs, Inama said multiple children, including at least two students of color, approached her about the missing posters, and she didn't know what to tell them. Less than a week later, Inama put the signs back up, despite the directive. Days later, she was told she would be reported to the West Ada School District for insubordination. During a meeting with the district, she was told the color of the hands on the poster was 'crossing the political boundary' and breaking the law. West Ada Chief Academic Officer Marcus Myers told a local podcaster in March, after the bill was signed into law, that the only part of her sign that was an issue the multicolored hands. The same message was reiterated to her by Superintendent Derek Bub in a later meeting at the school. She was pulled off the playground to attend the meeting despite her students' concern, the complaint said. Following news reports of the posters, the school received more than 1,200 emails in support of Inama. Students also organized protests and parents complained about the signs being taken down at school board meetings, the complaint said. At the end of the school year, Inama resigned from her position as the school refused to change its position and she received a public lashing from Republican lawmakers, who disagreed with her signs. Principal Monty Hyde reported her to the district for insubordination after she put the signs back up following student backlash Bub (right, with Monty) pulled Inama from the playground to have the meeting with her, despite her students' concern She resigned at the end of the school year after backlash and the school's refuse to change its opinion on the signs and is now suing Now, the teacher is suing, saying the law is 'unconstitutionally vague and overbroad in violation of the First Amendment of the United States Constitution as incorporated by the Fourteenth Amendment...' She is demanding a trial by jury and to recover the cost of her attorney fees. The Daily Mail has contacted Principe Hyde, Superintendent Bub, the school and school district, the Idaho DOE, and Inama's attorneys for comment. Executive Assistant to the Superintendent, Sarah Ingle, responded on Bub's behalf, telling the Daily Mail in a statement: 'Dr. Bub has no comment at this time.' One of Britain's most prolific fare dodgers has been spared jail despite racking up 112 convictions for not paying for train tickets in a two-year period. Charles Brohiri, 29, who is thought to owe rail companies more than 30,000, pleaded guilty to 76 charges of failing to pay for a rail ticket. The defendant, who is originally from Hatfield, Hertfordshire, but has been homeless for years, was also convicted in his absence in August 2024 of a further 36 charges. The court heard he did not pay fares valued at more than 3,000 for Govia Thameslink Railway journeys between February 2024 and November last year. However, the railway operator has previously said Brohiri owes them tens of thousands of pounds. The Daily Mail reported last month he has accumulated 18,386 in avoided fares, as well as 15,120 in prosecution costs. At Brohiri's sentencing hearing at Westminster Magistrates' Court today, district judge Nina Tempia also took into consideration a further 16 offences - with three of that number said to have been committed on Tuesday. She told him: 'My view is, as is set out in the pre-sentence report, that you feel that you are invincible by committing these offences and that you see it as some sort of self-entitlement that you can get away with it.' Charles Brohiri, 29, who is thought to owe rail companies more than 30,000, pleaded guilty to 76 charges of failing to pay for a rail ticket She also called his offending 'brazen and persistent'. But she added that the pre-sentence report showed he has some insight into his crimes and that probation could help him. The judge sentenced him to three months in jail, suspended for a year. Brohiri was also told to pay back 3,629 in unpaid rail fares but he was not ordered to pay the prosecution costs. He was further ordered to complete 150 hours of unpaid work, 12 months' prohibited activity requirement - which means he must not travel on any Govia Thameslink Railway trains - and to complete rehabilitation activity requirement. 'Be under no illusion if you commit any other offences and you do not comply with the requirement on this order you will be back in court,' the judge warned him. The court was told Brohiri continued his campaign of fare dodging after being banned last April from entering Thameslink stations as part of his bail conditions. His offending is said to have continued unabated, with the last allegation of fare dodging recorded one day ago - on February 10 this year. 'With the exception of the period of October, November (and) December 2024, there have been offences in every month since February 2024 to the present day,' prosecutor Lyndon Harris said. Brohiri was spared jail during his sentencing hearing at Westminster Magistrates' Court today Eleanor Curzon, defending, told the court: 'He has expressed remorse and regret for having continued to travel on the trains during the whole period and particularly the period when he has been appearing before you judge.' She said the pre-sentence report found Brohiri has been facing personal troubles but 'understood the severity of the charges'. 'He reiterated to me this morning that if he is given the opportunity to work with probation they can assist him in securing accommodation and employment,' Ms Curzon continued. 'It is really these two factors which will put an end to Mr Brohiri's offending.' She told the court that he went to university but had to drop out and has worked as a waiter and in bars. Asked what he has been doing in his three years of being homeless in London, Ms Curzon said Brohiri has tried to get support from charities 'but none of it has been consistent enough'. The defendant will appear at the same court on March 29 for a means inquiry to assess whether he can pay further costs. It is claimed he owes 31,742 in outstanding financial orders. A Govia Thameslink Railway spokesperson said: 'Fare evasion costs the railway an estimated 400million a year, directly increasing the cost to the taxpayer and diverting vital public funding away from improving services for passengers. 'That is unfair both on taxpayers and on the vast majority of passengers who pay for their journeys. 'We therefore take our responsibility to protect ticket revenue very seriously. 'Through the careful use of prosecutions, targeted ticket checks, focused action at known hotspots and better reporting tools for staff, we have cut ticketless travel on our network to its lowest level since 2022.' Traumatized Canadian high school students say they were left cowering in fear for hours as a shooter killed at least seven of their classmates in a horror episode. The shooter, who was identified on Wednesday as 18-year-old Jesse Van Rootselaar, was described as a 'gunperson' wearing a 'dress' by authorities. Police said at least six students at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School were shot dead on Tuesday afternoon, with two other people also found dead at a residence in Tumbler Ridge. Authorities say the shooter also died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound at the school. Darian Quist, a 12th grader, told CBC he was in his mechanics class when the school was plunged into a lockdown. 'For a while, I didnt think anything was going on,' he said. 'I thought it was just like maybe a Secure and hold but once everything starts circulating, we kind of realized something was wrong.' Quist said he and his classmates were then left to hide in fear for their lives for over two hours, which was only broken when cops eventually escorted them out of the classroom. He described the atmosphere in the classroom 'very nervous', which was made worse when he saw gruesome evidence of the carnage at his school sent to his cell phone. Police said at least seven students at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School were shot dead on Tuesday afternoon, with two other people also found dead at a residence in Tumbler Ridge, before the shooter killed themselves at the school Children at the school seen being escorted from the campus with their hands raised following the horror shooting 'Once people sent me some photos, it definitely set in what was actually happening,' the student said. 'They [the photos] were disturbing, just showing blood and things like that. Thats when it all really set in.' The student said their teacher quickly organized students by making them move tables against doors and create an escape plan. He said they then waited anxiously until 'police came through the door, yelling, 'Hands up, hands up.'' Footage showed the students filing out of the school with their hands raised, with cops stationed throughout the campus during the lockdown. The shooter was pronounced dead at the scene. Police believe they died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Twenty-five others were injured in the Tuesday afternoon massacre at the small, rural high school. Their conditions remain unknown at this time. The attacker has not yet been named and their motive remains unclear. An emergency alert described the shooter as a 'female in a dress with brown hair'. Details about the victims, including their ages, are being withheld pending family notification, police said, citing Canadian privacy laws. At least 10 people were killed and dozens more injured at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School in British Columbia on Tuesday afternoon Your browser does not support iframes. An emergency alert was issued to Tumbler Ridge residents around 1.20pm local time Tuesday, warning of an active shooter in the area. An urgent lockdown alarm sounded in the hallways shortly after 1.30pm, instructing students and staff to barricade the doors. Tumbler Ridge, a picturesque mountain valley town in the foothills of the Rockies about 736 miles north of Vancouver, has a population of 2,400. It is described as an 'incredibly safe community' by town councillors. The remote community is known for its lakes, rivers, waterfalls and hiking trails. The area earned UNESCO Global Geopark status due to the presence of hundreds of dinosaur tracks and fossils. The secondary school, which enrolls 175 students, and its elementary school, will be closed for the rest of the week. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said in a social media post that he was devastated by the shooting. 'I join Canadians in grieving with those whose lives have been changed irreversibly today, and in gratitude for the courage and selflessness of the first responders who risked their lives to protect their fellow citizens,' he wrote. Carney's office said he is suspending a planned trip to Halifax, Nova Scotia and Munich, Germany. He was set to announce a long-awaited defense industrial strategy in Halifax on Wednesday before heading to Europe for the Munich Security Conference. Eby, the province's premier, told reporters he had spoken to Carney after what he called the 'unimaginable tragedy'. 'I know it's causing us all to hug our kids a little bit tighter tonight,' he said. 'I'm asking the people of British Columbia to look after the people of Tumbler Ridge tonight.' Terrified students fled a secondary school in Canada after mass shooter Jesse Van Rootselaar went on a deadly rampage Tuesday. At least nine people were killed, including two at a private residence, and at least 25 others were injured after Rootselaar, 18, opened fire at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School in British Columbia, making it the second-deadliest school shooting in Canadian history. Rootselaar's motive remains currently unclear. An earlier emergency alert described the shooter as a 'female in a dress with brown hair. Auto mechanic teacher Jarbas Noronha said he was locked in his classroom with his students for over two hours before they were escorted to safety. We were in the safest part of the school, he told The New York Times. If someone tried to break in through the hallway door, we would run to the yard through the garage doors. Noronha added, Im quite calm, but I still dont know how many students were hurt. I dont think many students are in a condition to go back now. Donald Trump's administration has failed to indict six Democratic lawmakers after the president accused them of seditious behavior for urging soldiers to refuse 'illegal orders.' Dubbed the 'seditious six' by those on the right, the Democrats have said they would not cooperate with the Department of Justice probe into them. The indictment was sought by the US Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia, led by Trump appointee and former Fox News host Jeanine Pirro. Her office falls under the jurisdiction of Attorney General Pam Bondi. The federal attorneys assigned to the case are political appointees, not career DOJ prosecutors, a source familiar with the matter told NBC News. The controversy sparked in November 2025 when the six Democrats: Senators Mark Kelly of Arizona and Elissa Slotkin of Michigan, and Representatives Jason Crow of Colorado, Maggie Goodlander of New Hampshire and Chris Deluzio and Chrissy Houlahan of Pennsylvania published a video calling on soldiers to refuse unlawful orders. Each of the Democrats in the viral video worked either for the US military or in US intelligence before joining Congress. 'Our laws are clear. You can refuse illegal orders,' the lawmakers say in the clip. Their stunt so enraged the president that Trump wrote on social media at the time: 'SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR, punishable by DEATH!' 'HANG THEM GEORGE WASHINGTON WOULD !!' Trump posted. The video enraged Trump, the commander-in-chief of all the US's military forces, who indicated that the Democrats should be hanged for their comments Mark Kelly of Arizona, a 25-year Navy combat pilot and former astronaut, recalled his military experiences as he reacted to Trump's threats Six Democrats - including Elissa Slotkin (pictured center left), Jason Crow (pictured center) and Chrissy Houlihan (pictured right) - are receiving round-the-clock protection from Capitol Police after Donald Trump accused them of 'seditious behavior' that should be 'punishable by DEATH' 'If these f***ers think that theyre going to intimidate us and threaten and bully me in the silence, and theyre going to go after political opponents and get us to back down, they have another thing coming,' Congressman Crow said. 'The tide is turning.' Houlahan added: 'Its a vindication for the Constitution.' Shortly after Trump's comments on social media, the Democratic lawmakers were offered enhanced security from Capitol Police. 'Capitol Police came to us and said, "We're gonna put you on 24/7 security." We've got law enforcement out in front of my house. I mean, it changes things immediately,' Slotkin said in mid-November. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth has since sought to strip Senator Kelly of his military rank and pay, though that process is still ongoing. 'It wasnt enough for Pete Hegseth to censure me and threaten to demote me, now it appears they tried to have me charged with a crime all because of something I said that they didnt like,' Kelly said on Tuesday evening after the failed indictment. 'Thats not the way things work in America. Donald Trump wants every American to be too scared to speak out against him. The most patriotic thing any of us can do is not back down.' Under the Speech or Debate clause in Article 1 of the Constitution, lawmakers have broad protections for their remarks relating to the 'legislative sphere,' meaning it would be difficult for the executive branch and the DOJ to charge them for the video. Representatives Chris DeLuzio (pictured left) of Pennsylvania and Maggie Goodlander (pictured right) of New Hampshire also stood behind the video Legal experts have said that prosecuting lawmakers for political speech would infringe on their rights. The DOJ's failure to indict the Democrats underscores a failed attempt to target Trump's perceived opponents. Still, the Uniform Code of Military Justice states that service members must obey lawful orders, though they are allowed to refuse those that are illegal. 'But today wasnt just an embarrassing day for the Administration. It was another sad day for our country," Slotkin posted on X after the failed indictment. 'Because whether or not Pirro succeeded is not the point. Its that President Trump continues to weaponize our justice system against his perceived enemies. Its the kind of thing you see in a foreign country, not in the United States we know and love.' The mother of a critically-injured British backpacker told how the family remains desperate for help as they face having to raise 170,000 to fly him home from Thailand. Tiger Duggans relatives have already spent nearly 120,000 in nine days on hospital bills and an internal flight for him to be moved to a hospital in the capital, Bangkok. The family are 'hugely grateful' after well-wishers donated over 180,000 since the 23-year-old was involved in a motorcycle accident on Sunday, February 1 - yet the money is being used up quickly. Tigers mother, Lisa Duggan, a neonatal nurse from Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, said his travel insurance company is refusing to pay out. Meanwhile, the UK government has offered no practical help. Lisa and husband Kieron, who are at Tigers bedside with other family members including brother River, said the Foreign Offices only contact has been to send a general email with links to online advice pages. Lisa said: Wed already found those when we did a Google search on repatriation at the beginning. Theres been no phone call, no personal email, no one has reached out to offer us anything. Neonatal nurse Lisa Duggan at her son Tiger's bedside in the Med Park Hospital, Bangkok Tiger Duggan had been travelling in Thailand since January 16, after working in Australia Tiger, who was working in a dream job for a gold mining company in Perth, Western Australia, before going travelling with a friend in January, remains in critical condition with severe head injuries but the family received a boost yesterday after he had a brain scan. Lisa said: He had a scan on his brain which showed signs of life. Hes also no longer on medication to support his blood pressure. This is all good news and we continue to remain hopeful. She added: Were looking at a very, very long journey with months and months of ongoing treatment and tests. The immediate concern is the cost of treatment, as the family do not yet know when he will be stable enough to be safely flown back to Britain. Tiger is at the Med Park Hospital in Bangkok, where Lisa and her husband Kieron - who works as a plumber - say his care has been amazing however the ongoing cost to the family is 2,500 a day. The couple say they are hugely grateful for the public support they have received. But the failure of the insurance company to pay out on the grounds Tiger was engaged in a dangerous activity - means they remain desperate for funds to cover ongoing treatment and the repatriation flight, which could cost from 150,000 to 170,000. Lisa who earlier today managed to give her son a first big hug since his move from a small island hospital to Bangkok - has also made a plea to the UK government to step in. We know they have arranged repatriation in other cases, she said. An injured Tiger is visited by his brother River at his hospital bed in Bangkok yesterday A family spokesperson told the Daily Mail: His parents are not giving up and are willing to fight tooth and nail to get him the help he needs. They are so grateful to everyone who has donated, shared or prayed for Tiger. She added: Lots of young people are unaware of clauses in insurance policies particularly relating to dangerous activities abroad. I really hope the publicity has gone a long way to highlighting this issue for parents and young people. A Foreign and Commonwealth Office spokesperson said: 'We continue to support the family of a British man injured in Thailand.' Visit www.gofundme.com/f/ncqg5-please-help-an-angel-in-need to support the family. The mother of a British graduate shot dead by her own father while visiting his Texas home today criticised the US police investigation into her tragic death, saying her daughter deserved better. 'Functioning alcoholic' Kris Harrison claimed his fashion buyer daughter Lucy, 23, who was passionately anti-guns, had asked to see his Glock 9mm pistol, which he had not been trained to use. The semi-automatic weapon then 'just went off' as he removed it from its case and struck her in the chest, he told officers at the scene. Police in the US state failed to test him for alcohol despite smelling drink on his breath, and her death was ruled accidental. At the time, her mother Jane Coates described the decision as 'baffling' and 'beyond comprehension'. But today a coroner in her home town of Warrington, Cheshire concluded Lucy had been unlawfully killed on the last day of her post-Christmas trip with her boyfriend. Saying 'reckless' Mr Harrison - who had drunk at least 500ml of wine that day was a teaser, she ruled he had deliberately aimed it at his daughters chest, unaware it was loaded. Speaking afterwards, flanked by her daughters 'soulmate' Sam Littler, her mother said: Texas gun laws did not keep Lucy safe from harm.' Lucy Harrison, 23, in a cherished image shared by her family which they framed and brought to court where it was on display during her inquest - it was taken at a Coldplay concert at the Etihad stadium in Manchester in 2023 which she attended with her mother Lucy Harrison's mother Jane Coates (centre) flanked by her boyfriend Sam Littler and best friend Ella Gowing following her inquest at Cheshire Coroner's Court on Wednesday And she said it was their strongly held view that the US investigation led by the Prosper Police Department lacked the rigour and scrutiny youd expect if this had happened in the UK.' Lucy deserved better, she added. Ms Harrison was shot as she prepared to fly home on January 10 last year. On Tuesday, an inquest in Warrington heard her British father an executive at a fibre optics company who had settled in Texas had been drinking on the morning of the tragedy and that the pair had argued about Donald Trump. Emergency services rushed to the house in Prosper, near Dallas, after her boyfriend dialled 911. But she had been shot through the heart and could not be saved. Her father, who did not attend the hearing, claimed his daughter described by a friend as 'categorically anti-gun' had asked to see his pistol, which he had not been trained to use. Police bodycam footage showed Mr Harrison telling officers afterwards that the gun 'just went off'. At an inquest into Lucy Harrison's death, it emerged for the first time that she was fatally shot by her father Kris (pictured together) A manslaughter investigation was launched in February after Lucy Harrison (pictured), 23, from Warrington, Cheshire, was killed at the house in Prosper, Texas, on January 10 She was visiting her father, Kris Harrison, who lives in Texas (Pictured: Kris Harrison's home) But rejecting his account, senior coroner Jacqueline Devonish said: 'To shoot her through the chest whilst she was standing would have required him to have been pointing the gun at his daughter, without checking for bullets, and pulling the trigger.' She added: 'I accept he was a teaser, and on the balance of probabilities this is what he was doing. 'I accept he did not realise the gun was loaded.' The coroner said Mr Harrison had been 'reckless' to have bought a pistol without undergoing training on the safe use of firearms. 'His actions have killed his own daughter and in the cold light of day it is hoped that he now recognises the risk he posed to her life in circumstances in which he had no experience of guns, had undertaken no training and had never fired a gun.' Ms Devonish said he had failed to tell her boyfriend - who was on the phone to 911 - that he had shot Ms Harrison, despite knowing 'full well he had shot his own daughter, pointing a gun at chest height and pulling the trigger'. She also highlighted how police in Texas failed to test Mr Harrison for alcohol despite suspecting he had been drinking after smelling it on his breath. Relatives of Ms Harrison wept as the coroner recorded her conclusion. Lucy (pictured) had been due to fly back to Manchester on the day she was shot after spending New Year in the States Lucy Harrison (pictured) was described by her mother as 'sensitive, energetic, intelligent, funny and a really great human being' Jane Coates (centre) reading a statement after her daughter's inquest as Lucy's boyfriend, Sam Littler, puts an arm around her Speaking afterwards, flanked by Lucy's 'soulmate' Mr Littler, her mother thanked the coroner for giving her daughter's 'voice back, after what has been an unrelenting year of deep shock, grief and fight'. Praising her for 'exploring all of the evidence fairly, as fully as she could, and fearlessly for Lucy', Ms Coates, a deputy manager at a primary school, told how for 23 years she had dedicated herself to the safety of her only child. 'I brought Lucy up in a single parent family and along each step of the way, I did what parents do to keep their children safe: watching her play with friends when she was little, staying awake until she came home from a night out, and feeling grateful every time her return flight landed safely after visiting her Dad and family. 'I never imagined she would be shot and killed in the US, in a place where she should have been safe. 'We respectfully accept that our two cultures are different in regards to firearms, yet we feel Texas gun laws did not keep Lucy safe from harm.' Describing Texas gun laws were 'so different to England', Ms Harrison said firearms caused 'too many deaths in the USA'. Thanking first responders for their efforts to save her daughter's life, she added: 'Finally, I want to thank Sam, for loving Lucy unconditionally - I take great comfort in knowing that in her short adult life, she experienced the richness of true love with her soul mate.' Saying there was 'much to be learnt from Lucys needless and entirely avoidable death', her mother said she would not let 'bitterness and hatred' consume her. 'Lucy had so much more of life to live, to love, to give. 'She had a huge sense of right and wrong, and was not afraid to speak out if she saw any type of injustice. 'Those who really know Lucys heart can hear her, loud and clear, and know exactly what she would want us to do moving forward. 'Make change. Do better. Be better.' Ms Harrison regularly visited her father - who had married and started a new family in the US - after her parents split when she was a young child, the inquest heard on Tuesday. But she had expressed concern about 'volatility' in the house, a friend said, adding that the presence of a gun created an 'unpredictable environment. Lucy was found dead at the home of her father Kris (pictured) who works for a fibre optics firm in the States Ms Harrison was 'categorically anti-gun' and felt it was unsafe for her father to have a firearm in the house with his young daughters around, the inquest heard. Giving evidence, her boyfriend said she had argued with her father about Donald Trump on the morning of her death. He 'always felt on edge' at the house, he added, saying: There was a lot of very opinionated people in the house.' As they prepared to set off for the airport, he said Mr Harrison took his daughter by the hand in a 'mysterious' manner without saying anything. He then guided her into the downstairs bedroom where the gun was kept in a locked case. Within 15 seconds, Mr Littler heard a 'loud bang' from the bedroom and found his girlfriend collapsed on the floor. He insisted she would not have been interested in seeing her father's gun. In his own witness statement read to the court, Mr Harrison - who did not attend the inquest - claimed Lucy daughter agreed to let him show her the weapon after they had watched a television news report about gun crime. He said he bought the handgun as a 'home defence' weapon, meaning he did not need a licence as long as he did not take it out in public. He had 'no prior experience and no formal training' around firearms, he said. Lucy's mother, Jane Coates, pictured arriving at the inquest on Tuesday Giving evidence at the inquest, Lucy Harrison's boyfriend Sam Littler (pictured, arriving at court) said she had argued with her father about Donald Trump on the morning of her death Mr Harrison suffered an 'alcoholic seizure' in 2023 which left him in an induced coma, the inquest was told. He had drunk a 500ml carton of white wine that morning, but did not believe he was impaired by alcohol when his daughter was shot shortly before 3pm. 'As I lifted the gun to show her, I suddenly heard a loud bang, he said in his statement. Lucy immediately fell to the ground.' Police bodycam footage showed Mr Harrison saying the gun 'just went off'. 'We were getting ready to go to the airport and we were talking about guns,' he tells the officer as a shocked-looking Mr Littler stands with his hands behind the back of his neck. 'It was in the bedside cabinet in a locked box. I took it out to look and it just went off.' In a statement read to the hearing, Officer Luciano Escalera, who was scrambled to the house, said he smelt 'metabolised alcohol' on Mr Harrison's breath at which he initially lied, saying he hadn't drunk alcohol since the day before. But he then confessed to having drunk a 'small' carton of wine earlier in the day. A 'grand jury' of 12 Texas residents later heard the evidence in private before deciding no-one should be prosecuted over Ms Harrison's death. Her father hired lawyers who on Tuesday made an unsuccessful attempt to have the coroner removed from the case on the grounds she was biased against him. But she rejected the application and the inquest at Cheshire Coroners Court went ahead. After Tuesdays hearing his lawyers released a statement from Mr Harrison. In his first public comments since the tragedy, he paid tribute to Lucy as the light of my life and said he was deeply sorry for the pain he had caused her grieving family. From the moment she was born, to watching her grow into the remarkable young woman she became from her first steps to her graduation, where I cried with pride was the greatest privilege of my life, he said. Lucy adored her younger sisters, and our home was never truly complete unless she was in it laughing, cuddling, and filling every room with joy. During her last visit, she wrote a letter saying that Texas was her home and that she felt lucky to be part of the best family in the whole wide world. That letter is now one of our most treasured possessions. Losing Lucy has shattered all of us. I lost my best friend. My girls lost their big sister and hero, and her stepmum lost her bonus daughter who taught her how to be a mum. He said: I fully accept the consequences of my actions, and there isnt a day I dont feel the weight of that loss a weight I will carry for the rest of my life, and I know that nothing I say can ease the heartbreak this tragedy has caused. I cannot undo what happened, but I can honour Lucy by being the best father I can be to her sisters and by carrying her memory forward in everything we do. I am deeply sorry for the pain others feel from this tragedy. Lucys spirit her warmth, her humour, her kindness will live on in all of us who loved her. After the hearing, Victoria Cox from HCC Solicitors, who assisted Lucy's mother, said: 'Losing a child in such horrific circumstances is tough enough, but my client has had to deal with it happening in a different country and not knowing what was happening from one day to the next. 'Part of the problem at an inquest, as the family encountered, is that a witness who lives abroad cannot be compelled to give a statement or be questioned by the Coroner on what happened if they choose not to be. 'Jane was really hoping she'd get the answers she longed for this week and she's been denied that, but there are more facts out there now which is something. 'Sadly she and all who loved Lucy now have to live with the knowledge that her death couldve been avoided something they will never recover from.' Emmanuel Macron has blamed Spain's mega-blackout on the country's overreliance on renewable energy. The French President said the debate over the cause of the enormous power outage, which plunged Spain into darkness in April leaving five dead and millions without power, was 'a false one'. The disruption, which also impacted Portugal and southwestern France, left areas in total darkness for nearly a day, cutting internet and telephone connection, while hampering transport. School pupils and workers were sent home for the day but many others were stuck in lifts or stranded on trains in isolated rural areas. Madrid's socialist government did not provide an explanation in the immediate aftermath of the outage, instead calling for patience while it was investigated. Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has repeatedly rejected criticism of the country's heavy reliance on renewable energy sources. And Spains electric grid operator Red Electrica de Espana pinned it on a significant and unprecedented drop in power generation. Mr Macron has now hit out at Spain's reliance on renewable energies, claiming 'no system can withstand such dependence'. Emmanuel Macron has blamed Spain's mega-blackout on the country's overreliance on renewable energy Spain was plunged into darkness in April leaving five dead and millions without power He said: 'The debate about Spain is a false one. Its problem is that it has a 100 per cent renewable energy model that its own domestic grid cannot support The blackout had nothing to do with the interconnections, he said, but with the fact that no system, at least with current technology, can withstand such dependence on renewable energies. Stability in the energy mix is needed, because otherwise, shocks that are too big occur. But it's not just about interconnections. Networks are needed, he added. Experts have also claimed that the nation's heavy reliance on solar power leaves it vulnerable to future blackouts because of how renewable generators work compared with traditional power plants. It has also prompted warnings about Ed Miliband's race to net zero in the UK. The Labour Energy Secretary wants to make the electricity system 95 per cent 'clean' by 2030 - which would see Britain rely almost exclusively on renewable energy. Critics claim the 2030 target is too soon to ensure the grid is sufficiently resilient. The power surge which caused the blackout in Spain was the 'most severe' in Europe in the last 20 years, and the first of its kind, a report in October found. It was the first known blackout to be caused by overvoltage, which takes place when there is too much electrical voltage in a network, Damian Cortinas, president of the association of electricity grid operators Entso-e said. The disruption left areas in total darkness for nearly a day, cutting internet and telephone connection, while hampering transport Pictured: People standing inside a supermarket without lights in Burgos on April 28, 2025, amid the outages Spains Canary Islands, Balearic Islands and the territories of Ceuta and Melilla, located across the Mediterranean in Africa, were not affected. In the wake of the blackout, the Spanish Association of Electrical Energy Companies (Aelec), said it was not the country's generators that failed to deliver power to the grid, but rather it was the grid that failed to manage it and then shut down automatically. The head of Spain's photovoltaic association, Jose Donoso, made a similar suggestion. He said: 'It's a matter of logic; the fact that the entire system goes down because of a photovoltaic plant makes no sense.' Spain generated nearly 57 per cent of its electricity in 2024 from renewable energy sources like wind, hydropower and solar, according to Red Electrica. About 20 per cent came from nuclear power plants. In 2019, Sanchez's government approved a plan to decommission the country's remaining nuclear reactors between 2027 and 2035 as it expands its share of renewable energy even further. The country aims to generate 81 per cent of its electricity by 2030 from renewable sources. A 12-year-old girl is fighting for life in hospital after she was shot in the head and neck by a school shooter in Canada. Maya Gebala was one of at least two-dozen children and teachers wounded when a 'female in a dress' opened fire at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School. At least seven people were killed in the shooting at the small town in eastern British Columbia on Tuesday in Canada's deadliest mass shooting in 40 years. Two more were found dead at a nearby home believed to be connected to the massacre. The killer also shot herself dead at the school. Maya's mother Cia Edmonds said she was by her critically wounded daughter's bedside after she was airlifted to Vancouver Children's Hospital. 'Today started as any other. Now, however, my 12-year-old daughter is fighting for her life while they try to repair the damage from a gunshot wound to the head, and one to the neck,' she said. 'She was a lucky one, I suppose. Condolences to the other families during this tragedy. This doesn't even feel real. 'I never thought I would be asking for prayers... but please, please pray for my baby.' Maya's condition has since taken a turn for the worse and she is not expected to survive the night, according to her mother. Maya Gebala, 12, is fighting for her life after she was shot at her school in Canada on Tuesday Maya's family said she was hit by shrapnel during the shooting but it was unknown how she was hit and how much damage was done. Edmonds's cousin, Krysta Hunt, started a GoFundMe to help Maya's mother take time off work to support her through recovery. The girl's aunt, Marta Batten, added: 'There are no words for the fear and pain our family is feeling in this moment.' Maya was a skilled defender on the local Tumbler Ridge Raptors under-13 ice hockey team in the North East Recreational Hockey League. The shooter has been named locally as Jesse Strang, 18, who is reported to be transgender. An emergency alert at the school on Tuesday described the gunman as a 'female in a dress with brown hair'. Royal Canadian Mounted Police refused to confirm Strang's identity to the Daily Mail. Details about the victims, including their ages, are being withheld pending family notification, police said, citing Canadian privacy laws. A video showed students walking out of the school with their hands raised as police vehicles surrounded the building and a helicopter circled overhead. Maya was one of at least two-dozen children and teachers wounded when a 'female in a dress' opened fire at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School Children were led out of the school after the shooting in a picturesque mountain valley town Tumbler Ridge, a picturesque mountain valley town in the foothills of the Rockies about 736 miles north of Vancouver, has a population of 2,400. It is described as an 'incredibly safe community' by town councillors. The remote community is known for its lakes, rivers, waterfalls and hiking trails. The area earned UNESCO Global Geopark status for its hundreds of dinosaur tracks and fossils. The secondary school, which enrolls 175 students, and its elementary school, will be closed for the rest of the week. British Columbia Premier David Eby told reporters that police officers reached the school within two minutes. RCMP Superintendent Ken Floyd added that investigators had identified a suspect but would not release a name, and that the shooter's motive remained unclear. He added that police are still investigating the connection between the shooter and the victims. No timeline has been given for Maya's recovery. Her family have set up a GoFundMe page Your browser does not support iframes. Tumbler Ridge Mayor Darryl Krakowka said the whole community is grieving. 'I broke down,' he said, saying it was 'devastating' to learn how many had died in the community of 2,700, which he called a 'big family'. 'I have lived here for 18 years,' Krakowka said. 'I probably know every one of the victims.' Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said in a social media post that he was devastated by the shooting. 'I join Canadians in grieving with those whose lives have been changed irreversibly today, and in gratitude for the courage and selflessness of the first responders who risked their lives to protect their fellow citizens,' he wrote. Canada's government has responded to previous mass shootings with gun control measures, including a recently broadened ban on all guns it considers assault weapons. Tuesday's shootings were Canada's deadliest rampage since 2020, when a gunman in Nova Scotia killed 13 people and set fires that left another nine dead. An Indiana man was sentenced to 74 years in prison for causing a fiery crash that killed two young children while he was fleeing from police in a stolen car. S'Doni Pettis, 25, was handed the hefty sentence on Monday, which would mean his expected release state is scheduled for the year 2100. Pettis's car crash killed two-month-old Iris Moore at the scene on February 5, 2025, and her three-year-old brother, Ares Vawter, suffered severe burns covering more than 60 percent of his body and later died at Riley Children's Hospital. The 25-year-old pleaded guilty in January to three counts of resisting law enforcement, two counts of causing catastrophic injury when operating a motor vehicle, one count of causing death when operating a motor vehicle, one count of conversion and one count of auto theft. Pettis has been held in the Hendricks County Jail since his arrest and will be transferred to the Indiana Department of Correction. He has thirty days to appeal the sentence but cannot challenge his conviction because he pleaded guilty. Hendricks County Prosecutor Loren Delp said in a statement that the punishment could never repair the loss: 'The crimes committed by the defendant are unspeakable. 'Two innocent children lost their lives because of violent choices and utterly indifferent to human life. S'Doni Pettis, 25, was sentenced on Monday to 74 years in prison, which would mean his expected release state is scheduled for the year 2100 Pettis blew through a red light and slammed into the Ford Explorer carrying a father and his two young children, three-year-old Ares and two-month-old, Iris 'There is no sentence that can restore what was taken from these families, but there is an obligation - on behalf of this community- to hold the offender fully accountable.' Court records show that around 9.15am on February 5 an officer ran the license plate of a gray Honda Civic Sport and discovered it had been reported stolen out of Indianapolis three days earlier. When police tried to initiate a stop near US 40 and Raceway Road, the driver, identified as Pettis, refused to pull over, triggering a brief chase. Authorities said Pettis sped into the intersection of US 40 and Ronald Reagan Parkway, blew through a red light and slammed into a Ford Explorer carrying a father and his two young children, engulfed the vehicle in flames and sending it airborne. Witnesses told deputies the Civic had the red light. Officers and a bystander rushed to the wreckage and pulled the family from the burning vehicle. Little Irish and her brother Ares were buried on March 12, 2025 at Forest Lawn Cemetery in Greenwood after their horrific deaths. Their mother, Jack Vawter, told 13News that her fiance, Shadow Moore, had been driving the children to see their grandparents when the crash happened. Investigators later retrieved data from the stolen Civic, which showed the car hit 95 mph roughly five seconds before the collision and was traveling nearly 89 mph at impact. Officers and a bystander rushed to the wreckage and pulled the family from the burning vehicle Jack Vawter with her husband Shadow Moore, who had been driving the children to see their grandparents when the crash happened Authorities reported finding no skid marks, suggesting the brakes were never used. During questioning, Pettis allegedly admitted he had taken the car days earlier after spotting it unattended with the door open. He told detectives he ran because he knew it was stolen. Court filings further reveal Pettis had repeatedly violated probation in the year leading up to the crash, including multiple failed drug tests and missed mandatory screenings. Vawter, whose Facebook has turned into a memorial for her children, wrote a statement acknowledging the end of the legal battle as well as her residual grief. 'A huge win for justice but in this moment I feel beaten and broken from the inside out,' she said. 'It will never be possible to get true justice because there is nothing in the world that can match or repair what we've lost. 'Its such a complicated spot to be in because it's over and we've won and thats good but now its over and we have to try and find a way to move forward from what feels so wrong to see left in the past.' Donald Trump is threatening to unleash another strike against Iran if talks with the Islamic republic fail as he's presented with fresh evidence about the country's weapon program by Israels prime minister. The President on Tuesday night said he is considering ordering a second aircraft carrier strike group to position itself outside Iran. US diplomats and Iranian officials met last Friday in Oman to discuss ending the ayatollah's nuclear program. This is the first time the two countries have engaged diplomatic talks since the 12-day war with Israel in June. 'Either we will make a deal or we will have to do something very tough like last time,' Trump told Axios. The President noted that the second phase of US-Iran talks will continue next week. The USS Abraham Lincoln along with a strike group is currently stationed outside Iran. Trump's naval war ship carrier is equipped with fighter jets and Tomahawk missiles. 'We have an armada that is heading there and another one might be going," Trump said. A separate US official added that there have been talks about sending a second aircraft carrier to the region. Trump threaten to send a second naval carrier to the Middle East as he prepares to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu Tehran leadership has previously stated that it would not give up its right to uranium enrichment The USS Abraham Lincoln along with a strike group is currently stationed outside Iran The last time the US had two naval carriers in the region was during most of the war between Hamas and Israel over Gaza. Although Trump's threat looms over diplomatic talks, the President claimed Iran 'wants to make a deal very badly' and that the latest talks are much more serious than previous negotiations. 'Last time they didn't believe I would do it,' Trump said about his decision to bomb Iranian nuclear facilities over the summer. 'They overplayed their hand,' the President added before noting that this time the talks are 'very different.' At the heart of the diplomatic talks is the US desire to see Iran end its uranium enrichment program. Trump also said he wants a future deal to also cover Iran's ballistic missile stockpiles. Netanyahu plans to present to Trump what he calls the 'restoration' of Iran's ballistic missile program a move MiddleEast experts claim is part of a persuasion campaign to attack Iran. Tehran, meanwhile, has insisted it will not give up uranium enrichment. 'We can make a great deal with Iran,' Trump claimed. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arrived to Washington DC on Tuesday night to meet with The President. Trump claims Netanyahu is not nervous the negotiations because 'He also wants a deal. He wants a good deal.' Netanyahu latest trip to the White House is his seventh visit since Trump returned to office last year. Netanyahu told reporters he plans to present Trump 'our outlook regarding the principles of these negotiations the essential principles which, in my opinion, are important not only to Israel, but to everyone around the world who wants peace and security in the Middle East.' The King has expressed his profound 'shock and sadness' at the 'senseless act of brutal violence' at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School, one of the deadliest mass shootings in Canadian history. A shooter killed at least nine people and injured dozens more at the secondary school and residence on Wednesday morning before taking their own life. Charles, who is the monarch of Canada, said in a message: 'My wife and I were profoundly shocked and saddened to learn of the most dreadful attack at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School in British Columbia. 'We can only express our deepest possible sympathy to the families who are grieving the unimaginable loss of their loved ones and those still awaiting news from hospital. 'In such a closely connected town, every child's name will be known and every family will be a neighbour. 'We can only begin to imagine the appalling shadow that has now descended across Tumbler Ridge and our hearts go out to all those whose lives have been so shattered by this senseless act of brutal violence. 'I very much wish to thank the town's police and staff at the health centre for their courage as first responders, and all those across British Columbia who have helped in every way they have. 'In sending our most heartfelt condolences, my wife and I stand in solidarity with the people of Tumbler Ridge and all Canadians as they seek understanding, healing and strength.' The message was signed Charles R. The King has expressed his profound 'shock and sadness' at the 'senseless act of brutal violence' at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School, one of the deadliest mass shootingsin Canadian history Students exiting the Tumbler Ridge school after deadly shootings, in British Columbia, Canada, Tuesday, February 10, 2026 The King's words were echoed by the Prince and Princess of Wales. William and Kate, in a personal message posted on social media, said: 'We stand with all Canadians following this morning's appalling tragedy. 'Our hearts are with the entire Tumbler Ridge community, and we extend our deepest condolences to the families and friends affected by this devastating loss. 'We are so thankful for the courage shown by the students, staff, and emergency responders who acted with selflessness in the face of such violence.' The message was signed 'W&C'. It comes after eight people were found dead, including the attacker, inside Tumbler Ridge Secondary School in British Columbia, as well as two at a connected residence. The shooter, believed to be a woman, appeared to have died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound at the scene. A total of 27 were wounded, with two people sustaining life-threatening injuries. The attacker has not yet been named, and their motive remains unclear. They were described as a 'female in a dress with brown hair', according to an emergency alert sent to phones. As police searched the school, they found six people shot dead. A seventh person with a gunshot wound died en route to the hospital. Schoolchildren barricaded their classroom doors with tables as they hid from the shooter. Darian Quist, a grade 12 student, said he was in a mechanics class when an urgent lockdown alarm sounded in the hallways, instructing them to close the doors. At first, he 'didnt think anything was going on' but then he received 'disturbing' pictures showing the carnage at the school. 'It set in what was happening' and for more than two hours they 'got tables and barricaded the doors,' Quist said, until police arrived to escort them out of the building, where he met up with his mother. Trent Ernst, a former substitute teacher at the school, said: 'There's been troubled kids here in town before.' Tumbler Ridge town councillor Chris Norbury, whose wife teaches at the secondary school, said it was 'terrifying' when he found out the school had been attacked. William and Kate, in a personal message posted on social media, said: 'We stand with all Canadians following this morning's appalling tragedy. Your browser does not support iframes. RCMP Superintendent Ken Floyd confirmed that the suspect found dead at the school is the same person described as a woman in a dress with brown hair in the active shooter alert sent out earlier today He told the BBC: 'I immediately contacted my wife and found out from her that the school was in lockdown, she didn't know why.' He said she did respond to him immediately when he asked if she was safe. 'It was terrifying, it's hard to put into words the dread and the fear that you feel knowing that a loved one is in danger.' Police found two more bodies at a residence in Tumbler Ridge in what is believed to be a 'connected incident'. Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) Superintendent Ken Floyd said: 'I think we will struggle to determine the "why", but we will try our best to determine what transpired.' He did not confirm if the suspect found dead at the school is the same person described as a 'female in a dress with brown hair' in the active shooter alert sent out on Tuesday. Police have not yet released any information about the age of the shooter or the victims. 'Officers are conducting further searches of additional homes and properties to determine whether anyone else may be injured or otherwise linked to today's events,' they said. In a statement, the District of Tumbler Ridge: 'Our hearts are with all those affected, and we recognize that many residents may be feeling shocked, scared, and overwhelmed.' The town's secondary school, which enrolls 175 students, and its elementary school will be closed for the rest of the week. Tumbler Ridge, a picturesque mountain valley town in the foothills of the Rockies about 736 miles north of Vancouver, has a population of 2,400. The Tumbler Ridge Health Centre, in Tumbler Ridge It is described as an 'incredibly safe community' by Councillor Norbury. He added: 'We don't lock our doors here. We have three police vehicles in our town, we are very small. We are a small community. We know each other, we all know the victims. They are our friends, our friends' children.' The mayor of Tumbler Ridge, Darryl Krakowka, told CBC: 'I will know every victim. I've been here 19 years, and we're a small community. I don't call them residents. I call them family.' Prime Minister Mark Carney, who cancelled his trip to the Munich Security Conference, said: 'I am devastated by today's horrific shootings in Tumbler Ridge, BC. My prayers and deepest condolences are with the families and friends who have lost loved ones to these horrific acts of violence. 'I join Canadians in grieving with those whose lives have been changed irreversibly today, and in gratitude for the courage and selflessness of the first responders who risked their lives to protect their fellow citizens. 'Our ability to come together in crisis is the best of our country our empathy, our unity, and our compassion for each other.' 'I have connected with Premier Eby to express my condolences, and with the Minister of Public Safety, Gary Anandasangaree, who is coordinating the federal response. 'Our officials are in close contact with their counterparts to ensure the community is fully supported as best we can. The Government of Canada stands with all British Columbians as they confront this horrible tragedy.' Airlines issued waivers and travelers with El Paso, Texas on their itinerary were already rescheduling their trips amid news of a 10-day shutdown due 'for special security reasons' on Wednesday morning. But just eight hours after the airspace along the US-Mexican border was closed, it suddenly reopened sparking confusion and finger-pointing over why the drastic move was taken to entirely shut down air travel in and out of El Paso International Airport. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced there was a 'cartel drone incursion' near this area and that the Federal Aviation Administration and the Department of War 'acted swiftly' to neutralize the threat. '[T]here is no danger to commercial travel in the region,' he assured as the airport reopened. An administration official confirmed to the Daily Mail that 'Mexican cartel drones breached US airspace.' But soon after this rhetoric spread, reports emerged suggesting it was actually a disagreement between the FAA and the DOW over anti-drone technology testing that caused the shutdown. Sources told CNN that the Pentagon planned to test high-energy, counter-drone lasers without coordinating with the FAA. Earlier this week this tech was also used to shoot down what officials thought were foreign drones, but turned out to be mylar party balloons. Airspace in a 10-mile radius around El Paso Intentional Airport shut down for eight-hours on Wednesday morning after the administration claimed Mexican drones entered into US airspace Sources told CBS News it was a singular balloon, but others familiar with the timeline told CNN that it was four party balloons shot down this week that led the FAA to shutdown El Paso for air travel. And CBS reports that FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford on Tuesday night decided to close the airspace without first alerting White House or Pentagon officials, allegedly prompting a Wednesday morning meeting in White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles' office. The FAA decision was reversed after that gathering. Reports of administration in-fighting and balloon shoot-downs come as the Trump administration insisted it was cartel drone crossing into US airspace that triggered the 10-mile restriction centered in the border city. The Pentagon declined to provide comment when reached by the Daily Mail. The airport closure was expected to last 10 days, but was only in place for eight hours. President Donald Trump in a Wednesday night interview hinted that the US is inching towards striking countries harboring drug cartels just over a month after seizing Nicolas Maduro from his bed and taking operational control of Venezuela. This is sparking speculation by some sources who spoke with the Daily Mail that the drug cartel drone reasoning could be used as an excuse for Trump to strike in Mexico. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum denied during her Wednesday morning press conference that her country had anything to do with the alleged drone activity near El Paso. 'There is no information about the use of drones on the border,' she insisted. Sheinbaum committed to her administration investigating the incident and looking into 'the exact causes of why they closed' US airspace, and urged Trump officials to contact her government if they have information to share regarding the incident. On Tuesday, the president bragged to Fox News that drug trafficking into the US has dropped by 33 percent after the middle-of-the-night capture of Maduro last month and the administration has since left open the possibility that Trump's military campaign could widen beyond Venezuela. 'Now we're gonna start on land,' Trump said in the interview aired Tuesday night. 'We had to do the boats first because they would go immediately to the boats.' 'Now we're gonna hit them on land. We're gonna hit them very hard on land.' It wasn't immediately clear which country Trump was referencing with his remarks, but the administration's rhetoric towards Mexico has been on the rise and the White House did not deny that he was considering action in other Latin American countries. 'The President has left all options on the table to stop drugs from flooding into our country just as he promised,' White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly told the Daily Mail when asked whether the president's remarks were about Venezuela or if he is considering land strikes in other countries. President Donald Trump warned the US will start to 'hit [drug cartels] on land' after a months-long operation to strike vessels allegedly carrying drugs in the Caribbean The alleged drone action in Texas had led to some questions over whether Trump might use this to take action in Mexico next. A person familiar with the administration's thinking didn't deny when asked by the Daily Mail that it's possible that the White House could use this incident as a reason to get more involved on the ground in Mexico to shut down drug cartel activity. And a former Pentagon official said 'given the threat' by the Mexican drone activity, it could predicate retaliation by Trump. 'The issue is will Mexico act in a way that addresses this threat coming from its territory into the US,' they added, suggesting that if the Mexican government acts, it could deter Trump from wanting to do it himself. In September 2025, the War Department began conducting strikes against vessels in the Caribbean and southern Atlantic that were allegedly carrying drugs as the Trump administration moved to stop drug trafficking in the region. The operation included at least 38 strikes and resulted in the deaths of 128 people. Trump's War Department conducted strikes on on at least 38 vessels allegedly carrying drugs in the Caribbean and Atlantic starting in September 2025 and resulting in in the deaths of 128 people The operation culminated in the capture and extradition of former Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro from his bunker in Caras on January 3, 2026 he was brought to New York and charged with narcoterrorism and drug trafficking crimes, among others This all culminated in the secretive abduction of Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores from their bunker in Venezuela on January 3, 2026. They were extradited to New York where they are facing narcoterrorism and drug trafficking charges, among others. Trump has previously threatened to also conduct US military strikes against drug cartels operating out of Mexico. He told Fox News in early January that he would 'start now hitting land with regard to the cartels,' and directly linked it to the US southern neighbors by claiming: 'The cartels are running Mexico.' 'On the campaign trail, President Trump promised to take on the cartels and he has taken unprecedented action to stop the scourge of narcoterrorism that has resulted in the needless deaths of innocent Americans,' White House spokesperson Anna Kelly said in her statement. Prosecutors were today revealed to be 'in close contact' with the Metropolitan and Thames Valley police as their assessment of the Jeffrey Epstein files continues. Director of Public Prosecutions Stephen Parkinson also confirmed that the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) had not been asked for formal advice at this stage. Mr Parkinson told reporters this morning: 'We are in close contact with both the Met and Thames Valley Police, but we haven't been asked for formal advice yet. 'In complex and sensitive cases, the CPS and the police do work together. And I'm sure in respect of the investigation that has been announced, we will do so. But the position at the moment is that we made contact and we won't be giving step-by-step updates.' It comes as Gordon Brown today urged police to interview Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor as part of a new probe into Epstein and his 'Lolita Express' private jet. The former prime minister encouraged officers to question the disgraced royal while investigating sex trafficking by the paedophile financier through Stansted Airport. He said women were moved from one Epstein plane to another at the airport in Essex, with the BBC uncovering evidence of incomplete flight logs that showed unnamed passengers were labelled as 'female' and names of male passengers also unknown. Mr Brown wrote in the New Statesman: 'In short, British authorities had little or no idea who was being trafficked through our country, and for whom other than Epstein.' Stephen Parkinson, the Director of Public Prosecutions, in his office in London in August 2024 Gordon Brown today urged police to interview Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor as part of their probe into Epstein. The former prime minister is pictured with former prince in May 2009 Andrew features a number of times in the documents, including images apparently showing him crouching over an unidentified woman in what appears to be Epstein's New York mansion He added: 'I have been told privately that the investigations related to the former Prince Andrew did not properly check vital evidence of flights. I have asked the police to look at this as part of the new inquiry. The Stansted revelations alone require them to interview Andrew. 'Separately, a line of emails concerns the logistics of registering trafficked girls for English-as-a-foreign-language courses, as a route to obtaining US visas. We need to know if and to what extent this was also happening in the UK.' On Monday, Thames Valley Police confirmed it was assessing allegations that Andrew shared confidential reports from his role as the UK's trade envoy with sex offender Epstein. Emails released by the US Department of Justice last month appear to show the former duke sharing reports of official visits to Hong Kong, Vietnam and Singapore. Files released by American authorities also include claims a woman was sent to the UK by Epstein for a sexual encounter with Andrew in 2010. Separately, the Metropolitan Police has launched an investigation into Peter Mandelson over alleged misconduct in public office. The inquiry is linked to allegations that Mandelson sent market-sensitive information to the paedophile financier Epstein while he was business secretary during the financial crisis. Mr Brown, who gave Mandelson the job of business secretary and put him in the House of Lords, said last week that he felt 'shocked, sad, angry, betrayed, let down', when he saw the messages which suggested the then-Cabinet minister was passing details about the response to the global financial crash to Epstein. Today, Mr Parkinson said he was confident the CPS could advise police over the offence of misconduct in public office, which is a common law crime that is not considered to be well-defined. Asked whether that could be a problem, Mr Parkinson replied that 'the law is quite clear', adding: 'The Attorney General's reference in 2003 gave guidance about the constituents of the offence of misconduct in public office. No, I don't think it'd be difficult to give advice on that. Your browser does not support iframes. A photo of Jeffrey Epstein which was in the latest files from the US Department of Justice 'The issue when you're advising on criminal cases, it's very rarely about what the law is, it's about the application of the law in the context. I'm confident we would be able to give advice.' The reignited crisis which has engulfed both the monarchy and Westminster has shown little sign of abating since the US authorities' recent dump of millions of documents associated with Epstein. On Monday, the King made clear his 'profound concern' at allegations about Andrew's conduct, with Buckingham Palace saying it will 'stand ready to support' the police if approached over the claims. The Palace has not so far been approached by Thames Valley Police over the claims which relate to Andrew's time as the UK's special representative for international trade and investment. The Prince and Princess of Wales meanwhile publicly addressed the Epstein scandal for the first time on Monday, with Kensington Palace saying they were 'deeply concerned' at the 'continued revelations' and that their thoughts 'remain focused on the victims'. Andrew, who was stripped of his titles by the King last year, has always denied any wrongdoing and last week finally left Royal Lodge for the King's private Sandringham estate, with Charles personally funding his new life with an annual stipend. Among the claims in the latest documents are that a second woman was sent to the UK by Epstein for a sexual encounter with Andrew, and also that the former prince and Epstein asked an exotic dancer for a threesome in the latter's Florida home. The latest allegation is that Andrew shared confidential reports of official visits to Hong Kong, Vietnam and Singapore in his role as the UK's trade envoy. Melania Trump, Andrew, Gwendolyn Beck and Jeffrey Epstein at Mar-a-Lago in Florida in 2000 Sarah Ferguson and Andrew at the Duchess of Kent's funeral in London on September 16, 2025 One email, dated November 2010, was forwarded by Andrew just five minutes after being sent by his then-special adviser, Amir Patel. Another, on Christmas Eve 2010, Andrew looped Epstein in on a confidential brief on investment opportunities in the reconstruction of Helmand Province, Afghanistan. Graham Smith, chief executive of anti-monarchy campaign group Republic, said he had reported the allegations to police. The Duke of Edinburgh was the first member of the royal family to publicly speak out since the Epstein documents were released, saying last week that it was important to 'remember the victims' when asked how he was 'coping'. In 2022, the late Queen stripped her son Andrew of his honorary military roles and he gave up using his HRH style, in a dramatic fallout from the civil sex case brought by Virginia Giuffre, who died last year from suicide. Ms Giuffre alleged she was forced to have sex three times with Andrew, which he vehemently denies, including when she was 17, and also during an orgy, after she was trafficked by Epstein. Andrew paid millions to settle the civil sex case with her in 2022, despite insisting he had never met her. Today, Thames Valley Police Assistant Chief Constable Oliver Wright said: 'We can confirm that Thames Valley Police is leading the ongoing assessment of allegations relating to misconduct in public office. 'This specifically relates to documents within the United States Department of Justice's Epstein Files. 'As part of this assessment, we have engaged in discussions with Specialist Crown Prosecutors from the CPS. 'We will provide updates as and when they are available, but at this stage it would be inappropriate to discuss further specifics of this work.' A North Carolina lawmaker has made a fool out of a high-powered sheriff while asking him basic questions about the US government. Mecklenburg County Sheriff Garry McFadden went before the North Carolina House Oversight Committee on Monday to discuss the Southern state's crime rate. While there, Republican Representative Allen Chesser questioned McFadden on his civics knowledge. 'What branch of government do you operate under?' Chesser asked. Confidently, McFadden responded: 'Mecklenburg County.' Chesser blinked slowly before repeating his question, causing the sheriff to take a pregnant pause before responding: 'The Constitution of the United States.' 'Correct, that's what establishes the branches of government. I'm asking which branch you fall under.' McFadden once again answered the county's name, stating: 'I'm a duly sworn Mecklenburg County sheriff. We answer to the people of Mecklenburg County.' Mecklenburg County Sheriff Garry McFadden was unaware there was three branches of government when asked during a North Carolina Overnight Committee hearing on Monday Republican Allen Chesser asked McFadden as he led up to questioning the sheriff's position on ICE, which he has previously said he wouldn't work with 'This is not where I was anticipating getting stuck,' Chesser retorted, before asking if McFadden was aware of how many branches of government there were in the United States. He later supplied the answer of three: Executive, Legislative, and Judicial. 'Of those three, which do you believe you fall under?' Chesser asked. 'Judicial,' the sheriff said. 'That is incorrect, sir. You fall under the executive.' The questions were leading up to Chesser asking how Mecklenburg County maintains its obligation to the state's executive branch, which is led by Governor Josh Stein, by refusing to cooperate with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Previously, McFadden had said his deputies 'do not have a role in enforcement whatsoever. We do not have to follow the rules and laws that are governed by our lawmakers in Raleigh.' McFadden clarified that he meant his deputies do not have to assist ICE. McFadden has faced scrutiny about cooperating with ICE after Iryna Zarutska, a Ukrainian refugee, was allegedly fatally stabbed by DeCarlos Brown Jr. on public transportation in Charlotte, which is in Mecklenburg County. Chesser's question came after McFadden faced scrutiny for the death of Iryna Zarutska, a Ukrainian refugee, who was stabbed on public transportation in Charlotte, which is in the county Although local police and sheriffs typically do not fall under the executive branch, North Carolina passed a law stating those agencies would have to cooperate with ICE by notifying them on prisoner's citizenship status (pictured: ICE detaining a man in Charlotte, NC) Although some law enforcement does fall under the executive branch on a federal and state level, not every law enforcement agency does. Federally, agents working for the FBI or ICE would fall under the executive branch. On a state level, the state police would fall under the executive branch. However, in October, North Carolina passed a law that forced local police and sheriffs to work more closely with ICE. House Bill 318 was signed into law in July and became effective on October 1. It requires local law enforcement to determine the citizenship status of prisoners. If they cannot verify a person's citizenship or find prisoners are here illegally, law enforcement is required to notify Homeland Security, which controls ICE. ICE can also issue detainers, which law enforcement is expected to abide by. They are also required to let the federal agency know if anyone targeted by a detainer is being released from custody. Governor Stein, who is a Democrat, vetoed the bill in June, calling it unconstitutional. Stein said he supported aiding ICE if a person was charged with a serious crime, such as sexual battery or armed robbery, but didn't agree with ICE being able to extend detainment of a prisoner. McFadden was seen speaking with Democrat Representative Eric Ager during the hearing on Monday Democratic Governor Josh Stein vetoed the bill but it was overrode by the State House and Senate. The law went into effect on October 1 The State House and Senate later overrode his veto, passing the bill 72-48 and 30-19, respectively. Typically, local enforcement cannot be forced to cooperate with ICE and does not need to honor detainers. The Daily Mail has reached out to McFadden for comment. Ed Miliband squirmed today as he refused to explain why Labour is keeping secret detail of a green energy deal he struck with China. The Energy Secretary went to Beijing last March and signed what Chinese media said was an agreement to co-operate in key areas including 'power grids, battery storage, offshore wind power and green hydrogen'. But 11 months later the UK government has not released any further details of what was pledged with the authoritarian communist regime, despite warnings that Chinese involvement in energy systems could be used as a front for spying. Keir Starmer himself has warned Chinese firms could be blocked from involvement in wind farms. Mr Miliband was pressed on why Labour had yet to publish details of the agreement, despite doing so for those made with other countries, as he was questioned by the Energy Security and Net Zero Committee this afternoon. But in a heated exchange with Conservative MP Bradley Thomas, while repeatedly saying he was happy to answer 'any questions you like about our relationship with China', he failed to do so. When Mr Bradley asked 'why is China being treated differently', Mr Miliband replied: 'With certain countries we have certain approaches, with others we have other approaches, as with previous governments.' He eventually had to be rescued by the Labour committee chairman Bill Esterson, who blocked further questioning, leaving Mr Thomas to say: 'This government has a very inconsistent approach, they have released the text of deals with other countries but not with China, there is a two-tier approach quite evidently.' The Energy Secretary went to Beijing in March and signed what Chinese media said was an agreement to co-operate in key areas include 'power grids, battery storage, offshore wind power and green hydrogen'. Mr Miliband was pressed on why Labour had yet to publish details of the agreement, despite doing so for those made with other countries, as he was questioned by the Energy Security and Net Zero Committee this afternoon. In a bizarre exchange with Conservative MP Bradley Thomas, he repeatedly said he was happy to 'any questions you like about our relationship to China', before repeatedly refusing to do so. Defence and intelligence officials have increased their warnings about China having a role in energy infrastructure in recent months. In January Keir Starmer said Chinese companies could be banned from building wind farms in Britain on national security grounds. He said his Government was still considering whether or not to allow one firm, Mingyang, to set up a 1.5billion turbine manufacturing plant in Scotland. It had been expected that he would give the project, which could create up to 1,500 jobs, the go-ahead during his visit to Beijing. But there are fears that it would leave the UK dangerously over-reliant on China for renewable energy technology. The Trump administration is also thought to have warned the UK Government that it poses a national security risk, amid fears Chinese-built wind turbines could house surveillance technology and eavesdrop on military bases. The Department of Energy Security and Net Zero confirmed last March that Mr Miliband had signed the Clean Energy Partnership Memorandum of Understanding ... which agrees to enhance cooperation on renewables, grid modernisation and clean technologies, while protecting the UK's national security.' But it went into no further detail and there has been none since. Chinese outlets at the time had more information about the agreement signed with Wang Hongzhi, head of China's National Energy Administration. Mr Miliband accused his shadow energy secretary Claire Coutinho of believing 'conspiracy theories' when she raised the deal in the Commons yesterday. She had asked him to publish the deal, adding: 'We have heard repeatedly from intelligence services that China might seek to disrupt our energy system, so it is crucial that the public get to see what he has signed us up to. 'Will the Secretary of State commit to publishing the full text of his secret energy deal with China, and if not, will he tell the House what it is that he is trying to hide?' He replied: 'May I give the Right Hon Lady a piece of advice? Wacky conspiracy theories that she gets on the internet are no substitute for a proper policy.' Tonight she said: 'Whether its for slave-made solar panels, batteries, or cables, Labour are making us increasingly reliant on China for our energy supply. 'Now we discover that Ed Miliband signed a secret deal with the Chinese Communist Party and is refusing to publish it so we can see what he signed up to on our behalf. 'China is building a coal plant every fortnight while Ed Miliband shuts down our own energy supplies in the North Sea in exchange for more Chinese imports. We need to get serious and make sure our energy system is reliable, cheap, and secure.' A DESNZ spokesperson said: 'The previous government did not publish its last agreement with China, and it is not routine that agreements of this kind are made publicly available. 'Our Memorandum of Understanding with China renewed a partnership that has been in place for over ten years, and facilitates the sharing of research and ideas to support the global clean energy transition.' The new Archbishop of Canterbury was today hit with a backlash from churchgoers over plans to spend 100million on slavery reparations. Dame Sarah Mullally was accused of helping to 'mislead the public' and 'putting out the fire with gasoline' by pressing ahead with the plans. It was also claimed that a report claiming the Church of England has historical links to the slave trade was 'fundamentally flawed' - something it has strongly denied. The revolt broke out on the fringes of a meeting in Westminster of the General Synod, the Church's rule-making body and her first as leader. It comes after a group of Conservative MPs and peers wrote to her last month urging her to scrap the reparations plan, also known as Project Spire, branding it a 'legally dubious vanity project'. Professor Richard Dale, an Emeritus Professor of the University of Southampton and a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society, sat on the panel of the fringe gathering attended by around 100 worshippers this afternoon. He said: 'Up to this point, the Church Commissioners [who commissioned the Project Spire report] and their advisers, faced with evidence of fundamental flaws in their research, have closed ranks, reiterated their ill-founded claims and refused to engage with their critics.' He added: 'History matters and what is certain is that such a scheme should not be launched on the back of a false historical narrativethis narrative is demonstrably false. Dame Sarah Mullally, the new Archbishop of Canterbury, speaking in the main chamber at today's Church of England General Synod meeting Former Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby was leading the church when the reparations fund was established, which Dame Sarah has vowed to press ahead with Dr Reverend Ian Paul chaired a fringe meeting at today's General Synod meeting entitled The Truth About Slavery Reparations, where many churchgoers indicated they opposed the reparations fund 'The Church Commissioners' historical advisers have misled the Commissioners, the Commissioners have misled Church leaders and Church leaders have misled the public at large. 'Because there is incontrovertible evidence that Queen Anne's Bounty's [a Church of England fund established in 1704] investments earned not one penny from the slave trade. 'I don't think I've ever come across such an elementary error with such far-reaching consequences because this historical falsehood is going around the world.' He claimed that researchers commissioned by the Church Commissioners, the CofE's financial arm, had mixed up the South Sea Company and South-Sea Annuities when poring over historical financial documents. The former invested in the slave trade but most of Queen Anne's Bounty related to the latter, which did not, he claimed at the fringe meeting. He said around just 0.1 per cent of her fund was tied up with the former, which made no profit, compared to 30 per cent in the latter. However, the Church strongly disputes this account. It said that it has engaged with critics after publishing a rebuttal to claims the report was flawed on its website and that the commissioned report shows that 30 per cent of its income was made off the back of South Sea Company investments between 1708 and 1793. It also disputes Professor Dale's assertion that South Sea Company and South-Sea Annuities were mixed up as two separate entities, saying that the annuities it benefitted from related to South Sea Company and that these were different parts of the same organisation which shared staff and operated from the same headquarters in Threadneedle Street, central London. It said its original research was done by two qualified historians and that the forensic accounting was carried out by specialists Grant Thornton. However, the Reverend Professor Lord Biggar, Professor of Moral and Pastoral Theology at the University of Oxford, who also sat on the panel, criticised church leaders for having a 'lazer focus' on 'white oppressors and black victims' because 'historically that's not justified'. He added: 'Why ignore Africans enslaved by other black Africans? Slavery was practised by every skin colour on every continent.' He claimed church leaders have failed to publish any 'carefully worked out justification for the project ethically' - something the Church has denied via its rebuttal on its website. Fellow panelist Charles Wide KC, a retired Old Bailey judge and former Church treasurer, said the money should instead be spent on supporting parish ministry and maintaining church buildings. Academic and Cambridge graduate Dr Alka Sehgal Cuthbert, another panelist, accused church leaders of 'putting out the fire with gasoline' because pressing ahead will 'encourage segregational beliefs' based purely on skin colour. Dozens of churchgoers in attendance clapped in agreement with the comments. The Church of England's slavery links proposal was announced in January 2023 following the publication of a report into the Church's historical links to transatlantic slavery. The report, commissioned by the Church Commissioners, found that the fund established by Queen Anne in 1704 to help poor Anglican clergy was used to finance 'great evil'. It claimed the fund, known as Queen Anne's Bounty, invested in African chattel enslavement and took donations derived from it. After its publication, then-Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby said he was 'deeply sorry' for the links and said action would be taken to address the Church's 'shameful past'. Last month, Dame Sarah said there was a 'gospel imperative' to press ahead with spending 100million of Church money on reparations. She added that the funds have been set aside as a 'repentance' for its investment in slave-trading companies, but insisted it would not divert cash away from parishes, with 1.6billion already allocated to support local churches over the next three years. However, several Synod members are known to be opposed and many worshippers believe the money should instead be spent on supporting parish ministry and maintaining church buildings. Pam Bondi traded barbs with just about every Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee on Wednesday in a ferocious hearing over the Epstein files. Donald Trump's Attorney General caused mayhem as she fired back at lawmakers, branding Democratic Rep. Jamie Raskin 'a loser', accusing Republican Thomas Massie of 'Trump Derangement Syndrome' and sparking laughter as she ranted about the booming stock market. Bondi's combative performance led to a total meltdown from Rep. Becca Balint who stormed out of the hearing after the Attorney General seemingly grew frustrated by one of many questions about Jeffrey Epstein, and launched into an attack on the Democrat's voting record - accusing her of antisemitism for not supporting Israel. Balint was the first Jewish congress member to use the term 'genocide' to describe the war in Gaza. 'With this antisemitic culture, she voted against a resolution condemning...' Bondi said, before being interrupted by Balint. 'You want to go there? . You're talking to a woman who lost her grandfather in the Holocaust,' Balint responded, before slamming her chair into the dais behind her and storming out of the room, fuming. Balint repeatedly asked Bondi if her department has investigated the ties top Trump administration leaders have to Epstein, at one point stating 'this is not a game, secretary,' to which Bondi responded: 'I'm attorney general.' 'My apologies, I couldn't tell,' Balint jabbed back. Attorney General Pam Bondi testifies before the House Committee on the Judiciary during an oversight hearing, at the Rayburn House Office Building in Washington, DC on February 11, 2026 Representative Becca Balint, a Vermont Democrat, questions Attorney General Pam Bondi The AG earlier furiously clashed with Democratic Representative Jamie Raskin of Maryland, who accused Bondi of filibustering after she rebutted the lawmaker's attacks with remarkable range, even referring to the booming stock market. 'I told you about that, Attorney General, before you started speaking,' Raskin said. Bondi snarled back: 'You don't tell me anything. You washed-up loser, you're not even a lawyer.' Before his election to Congress, Raskin was a professor at American University Washington College of Law. The AG also fired back when Democratic Representative Pramila Jayapal of Washington invited her to apologize to Epstein's victims, beckoning women inside the hearing room to stand up and raise their hands. 'Will you turn to the survivors now and apologize for what your DOJ has put them through with the absolutely unacceptable release of the Epstein Files and their [private] information?' Jayapal asked. Bondi erupted: 'I'm not going to get in the gutter with her,' she said, addressing committee chairman Jim Jordan. She instead attacked former Biden Attorney General Merrick Garland for failing to release the files. Attorney General Pam Bondi testifies before the House Judiciary Committee in the Rayburn House Office Building on February 11 Some victims of Epstein and their supporters at the hearing. They raise hands to signify that they had not met with representatives of the Department of Justice about their cases Representative Jamie Raskin (Democrat, Maryland), the ranking member of the committee, top center, with Chairman Jim Jordan (Republican, Ohio) on his right, questioning Bondi Thomas Massie (Republican, Kentucky), left, grills the Attorney General at the hearing Epstein and Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago, Palm Beach, in 1997 Raskin, the committee's ranking member, excoriated Bondi as the hearing kicked off, stating: 'This performance screams cover-up.' 'As Attorney General, you're siding with the perpetrators, and you're ignoring the victims that will leave your legacy unless you act quickly to change course. You're running a massive Epstein cover-up right out of the Department of Justice,' Raskin said. Bondi responded to Raskin's attacks in her opening statement. 'To address the Epstein files, more than 500 attorneys and reviewers spent thousands of hours painstakingly reviewing millions of pages to comply with Congress's law,' Bondi stated. 'We've released more than three million pages, including 180,000 images, all to the public, while doing our very best in the timeframe allotted by legislation to protect victims,' she continued. Bondi added that if 'you brought us a victim's name that was inordinately released, we immediately redacted.' 'All members of Congress, as you know, are invited to visit the DoJ to see for yourself,' the Attorney General said. Bondi then went on to address the Epstein victims in the room. Bondi addressed the Epstein victims in the hearing, saying that 'any accusation of criminal wrongdoing will be taken seriously' Bondi later touted wins of the Trump administration that have little to do with the DoJ's work Representative Pramila Jayapal, Democrat of Washington state, sits in front of a poster of an email from the Epstein files as she questions Bondi Join the debate Has the Epstein grilling turned into political theatre? 'I want to take a moment to acknowledge the Epstein survivors who are here today,' she noted, adding that 'the FBI is waiting to hear' from victims. 'I want you to know that any accusation of criminal wrongdoing will be taken seriously and investigated,' Bondi also stated. Bondi then touted wins of the Trump administration that have little to do with the Department of Justice's work. 'They are talking about Epstein today. This has been around since the Obama administration... The Dow is over $50,000 right now Americans' 401 (k) s and retirement savings are booming. That's what we should be talking about,' Bondi noted. During a later exchange with Jordan, Bondi was also asked to weigh in on the controversy regarding former CNN host Don Lemon, when she noted that the DoJ 'will always protect our churches and the freedom of religion.' Massie of Kentucky also clashed with Bondi as he skewered the AG for not complying with the Epstein Files Transparency act which he spearheaded through Congress. Massie launched a blistering attack on Bondi for not properly redacting the names of victims, and for improperly redacting the name and photograph of Les Wexner, an alleged conspirator of Epstein. 'Are you able to track who it was that obscured Les Wexner's name as a co-conspirator in an FBI document?' Massie asked. Representative Thomas Massie, a Kentucky Republican, questions Attorney General Pam Bondi as she testifies before a House Judiciary Committee oversight hearing on Capitol Hill Attorney General Pam Bondi arrives to testify on Capitol Hill Bondi wears red soled heels to her testimony on Capitol Hill Sky Roberts (C), brother of Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell sex-trafficking victim Virginia Giuffre, attends a hearing of Oversight of the Department of Justice with US Attorney General Pamela Bondi A Jeffrey Epstein abuse survivor attends the testimony of U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi 'We corrected it within 40 minutes', Bondi replied. 'Within 40 minutes of me catching you red-handed,' Massie responded. Bondi punched back with her own fiery attacks, accusing Massie of having 'Trump derangement syndrome' and being a 'failed politician.' The House of Lords has effectively trashed Keir Starmer's claim he could not block his former spin doctor from getting a peerage after learning of his ties to a paedophile councillor. A statement from the Upper House confirmed that appointments are only final when 'letters patent' are signed by the King and sealed. The intervention came after the premier wriggled over why the process of elevating Lord Matthew Doyle was not stopped after it emerged that he campaigned for a councillor charged over indecent images of children. Downing Street insisted it was not possible to change tack once the honour had been announced on December 10, even though Sir Keir read media reports of the allegations on December 28. The peerage was not formalised until January 8, nearly two weeks later. A House of Lords spokesman said: 'We cannot comment on specific confidential advice given by Parliamentary Officials. 'However our understanding is that under the Life Peerages Act 1958 a Peerage is created when the letters patent are sealed.' In response to the intervention by the House of Lords, Tory leader Kemi Badenoch said: No matter what excuses he comes up with, the facts are clear. 'He appointed his former director of communications Matthew Doyle as a peer, knew about his association with a paedophile, had the power to act, and yet he still chose to sit on his hands. 'All the documents must be published. No more cover up.' Mrs Badenoch had earlier hammered Sir Keir at PMQs over the furore, accusing him of 'stuffing' the government and Parliament with 'hypocrites and paedophile apologists'. She said the premier had failed to take responsibility for the appointment of Peter Mandelson as US ambassador, and was instead 'throwing everyone under the bus'. Sir Keir told the Commons this afternoon that he had acted to strip Lord Doyle of the Labour whip. 'Matthew Doyle did not give a full account of his actions... yesterday I removed the whip from Matthew Doyle,' he said. On the Mandelson crisis, Sir Keir said: 'I accepted responsibility and apologised for the mistakes that I made.' A Parliamentary briefing on the creation of life peers indicates that the PM would have needed to make a second 'formal' submission of the nomination to the King. It is not clear when that happened. There is at least one case of an individual backing out of a peerage between a nomination being announced and 'letters patent' being confirmed. As the knife was twisted following an apocalyptic week for the PM: Ed Davey said that it was unforgivable to appoint one person linked to a paedophile, but 'to appoint two shows a catastrophic lack of judgement'; SNP Westminster leader Stephen Flynn said Sir Keir must be 'the most gullible former director of public prosecutions in history'; The Tories have floated repeating the Commons tactic that forced ministers to promise the release of a swathe of Mandelson documents last week; Mrs Badenoch said Sir Keir was now 'sacking' the Cabinet Secretary rather than taking responsibility for his own failure; The PM has suggested to MPs that he might appoint a female First Secretary of State, amid rumours of a deal with Angela Rayner; Sir Keir praised his former chief of staff Morgan McSweeney - who quit on Sunday - for helping 'change our party' and secure a 'landslide majority'. Labour deputy leader Lucy Powell tells LBC Starmer 'ends the week much stronger than he started it' Keir Starmer was branded 'delusional' today as he batted away fury over his comms chief getting a peerage despite ties to a paedophile councillor Kemi Badenoch hammered Sir Keir at PMQs for being mired in 'yet another scandal' after the Mandelson chaos nearly claimed his job Timeline of No10's Doyle appointment December 3, 2025: Reports surface that Matthew Doyle is being offered a peerage December 4: A figure in Scottish Labour is said to have raised concerns that Mr Doyle had an association with convicted paedophile Sean Morton. No10 apparently looks into the allegations. December 10: Downing Street unveils a list of political peerage nominations, including Mr Doyle. By this point he has been approved by the House of Lords Appointments Committee. December 28: The Sunday Times reports on its front page that Mr Doyle campaigned for Morton after he was charged - although before he pleaded guilty over indecent images of children. Downing Street acknowledges that Keir Starmer was aware of the allegations from this point. January 8: Lord Doyle elevation to the peerage is confirmed in the London Gazette. At this point the spin doctor's title has been agreed and the King has signed letters patent. February 10: Lord Doyle is suspended from the Labour whip over his ties to Morton, which he has apologised for. February 11: Sir Keir tells the Commons that Lord Doyle did not give 'full' information during his vetting. Downing Street argues that the peerage could not be stopped by the time Lord Doyle's campaigning for Morton had emerged. This is disputed by the Lords authorities. Advertisement Sir Keir opened the PMQs session by trying to make light of the carnage engulfing his government. 'This morning, I had meetings with ministerial colleagues now there's been quite a few of those this week in addition to my duties in this House, I shall have further such meetings later today,' he joked. But fresh doubts have been raised about the PM's judgment after Lord Doyle was stripped of the Labour whip last night. He has apologised for campaigning for Sean Morton in 2017 - after the latter had been charged over indecent images of children - saying he believed his friend's assertions of innocence. Labour party chair Anna Turley is calling for Lord Doyle to be kicked out of the Upper House, insisting he did not tell the truth before being elevated by Sir Keir. No10 is adamant Lord Doyle's actions were not known when the peerage was announced on December 10 last year. However, there are mounting questions about the timeline, with the Sunday Times having claimed that Downing Street looked into the issues beforehand. The paper ran a front-page story on December 28 laying out the allegations. But Lord Doyle's peerage was still formalised - posted in the London Gazette - on January 8. In echoes of the Mandelson scandal that brought Sir Keir to the brink of disaster, the PM has been blaming the vetting system for letting him down. Mrs Badenoch said: 'The Mandelson episode was not an isolated incident. A few weeks ago he announced a peerage for one Matthew Doyle, his former director of communications. 'Immediately after that, the Sunday Times published on the front page that Doyle campaigned for a man charged with child sex offences, yet despite the Prime Minister knowing this, he gave Doyle a job for life in the House of Lords anyway. Why?' Sir Keir replied: 'Matthew Doyle did not give a full account of his actions. I promised my party and my country there will be change, and yesterday I removed the whip from Matthew Doyle. 'I'll tell you what other actions we've taken Mr Speaker, along with the safeguarding minister, I and this Government have introduced the most far-reaching violence against women and girls strategy, and I'll tell you what else we've done, this Government has introduced a pay rise for millions of working class women. What did the leader of the opposition do? She opposed it. 'This Government is introducing greater protection for women at work. What did the leader of the opposition do? She opposed it, and I'll tell you what else she opposes, this Government removing the disgusting rape clause that they put in place.' Mrs Badenoch raged that Sir Keir 'only cares about the victims when he's trying to save his own skin'. 'They can shake their heads. We saw it with grooming gangs, we saw it with Mandelson, and now we see it with Doyle. Isn't that what a former prosecutor would call an established pattern of behaviour?' she swiped. The PM said he would be taking 'no lectures from the Tories' on standards in public life. Mrs Badenoch said that Sir Keir was refusing to 'step into the ring' with his backbenchers, amid signs he has bowed to demands to lurch to the Left to keep his job. 'He's never lost a fight he's walked away from welfare reform, he won't stand up to the unions, he won't stand up to China, he can't even stand up to Mauritius,' she said. 'He's had three Cabinet secretaries, four chiefs of staff, five director of communications in just 18 months and now he is mired in yet another scandal. 'Does he ever look in the mirror and ask himself is the real problem staring him in the face?' The PM said he had 'delivered a landslide victory', adding: 'Only four people have ever led the Labour Party to victory in a general election. I am one of them.' After the clashes, the PM's official spokesman told reporters: 'There's no established precedent for withdrawing a peerage nomination after the announcement stage. 'That's why we're undertaking wider reform to both vetting and appointment processes.' But Labour MP John McDonnell said the facts seemed to damn the PM. 'I am at a loss how this can be explained to my constituents other than assessing it as another disastrous failure of judgement,' he posted on X. Asked on an LBC phone-in this evening if she would have given Lord Doyle a peerage, Lucy Powell said 'clearly not'. She added: 'My understanding is that it wasn't known he had kept up this association ... but of course anything like this where people are given patronage, peerages, that are then found to have behaved completely unacceptably and inappropriately, it stains the whole system and stains everybody else as well.' Challenged on the situation during a tour of broadcast studios this morning, education minister Georgia Gould said: 'I think the decision, the announcement was made on December 10. I think the story was later in the month. 'But I think the Prime Minister has looked at this afresh, given the commitment that he has made to ensure the highest standards in public life.' Ms Turley told Sky News last night that 'what we'd been told was not the truth when that decision was made' in reference to Lord Doyle's appointment as a peer. Asked if he should remain a Lord, she said: 'No, I don't think he should. That's my personal view. 'And we're going to be making it easier for people who have particularly undertaken criminal offences to be removed from the Lords. 'We don't have that power at the moment. He's not committed a criminal offence, but you know I just think people who have got this kind of record or have not been clear and transparent, there's no place for them in the Lords.' In an earlier statement, Lord Doyle apologised 'unreservedly' for supporting Moray councillor Morton before the case against him had concluded. He said he also had 'extremely limited' contact with Morton after his conviction. He said: 'I want to apologise for my past association with Sean Morton. 'His offences were vile and I completely condemn the actions for which he was rightly convicted. My thoughts are with the victims and all those impacted by these crimes. 'At the point of my campaigning support, Morton repeatedly asserted to all those who knew him his innocence, including initially in court. He later changed his plea in court to guilty. 'To have not ceased support ahead of a judicial conclusion was a clear error of judgment for which I apologise unreservedly.' The Scottish National Party had objected to Lord Doyle's peerage and Tory leader Kemi Badenoch called on Sir Keir to publish 'vetting advice and due diligence' reports provided before his appointment to the Lords. Labour had suspended Morton after he appeared in court in connection with indecent child images in late 2016. Lord Doyle campaigned for Morton when he ran as an Independent in May 2017. Morton admitted having indecent images of children in November 2017. Lord Doyle said: 'Those of us who took him at his word were clearly mistaken. I have never sought to dismiss or diminish the seriousness of the offences for which he was rightly convicted. 'They are clearly abhorrent and I have never questioned his conviction. 'Following his conviction any contact was extremely limited and I have not seen or spoken to him in years. 'Twice I was at events organised by other people, which he attended, and once I saw him to check on his welfare after concerns were raised through others. 'I acted to try to ensure the welfare of a troubled individual whilst fully condemning the crimes for which he has been convicted and being clear that my thoughts are with the victims of his crimes. I am sorry about the mistakes I have made. I will not be taking the Labour whip. Fresh doubts have been raised about the PM's judgment after Labour removed the whip from Lord Matthew Doyle (pictured) last night over his links to Sean Morton 'For the avoidance of any doubt, let me conclude where I started. Morton's crimes were vile and my only concerns are for his victims.' Labour said the whip had been withdrawn from Lord Doyle while an investigation is carried out. A Labour spokesman said: 'All complaints are assessed thoroughly in line with our rules and procedures.' Tory leader Mrs Badenoch said: 'Keir Starmer handed a peerage to Matthew Doyle despite knowing about his ongoing friendship with a man charged with child sex crimes. 'The Prime Minister has now suspended the whip, but he must come clean about what he was told before making this appointment. We won't let this go.' The Conservatives have said that an Al Qaeda-inspired terrorist who plotted to bomb a UK army base must be kept in prison after it was revealed he could walk free in a few weeks. Writing to the Justice Secretary David Lammy, the shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp has urged Mr Lammy to veto the parole board's decision to release Zahid Iqbal three years earlier than his maximum sentence - as first revealed by the Mail. Iqbal was a member of a terrorist gang who plotted an attack at a Territorial Army centre in Luton where a remote-controlled toy car would be used to carry a homemade bomb. The co-leader of the group planned to make the bomb based on instructions in an Al Qaeda manual called 'Make a bomb in the kitchen of your mom - by the Al Qaeda chef'. Iqbal and his co-conspirators were jailed in 2013 with the 43-year-old being sentenced to 16 years he admitted one count of engaging in conduct in preparation for acts of terrorism. In the letter to Mr Lammy, seen by the Daily Mail, Mr Philp wrote that he was 'deeply concerned' about the parole board's decisions especially because his prison offender manager and community offender manager both said he should stay behind bars. He said: 'Under the Victims and Prisoners Act 2024, the Justice Secretary has the power to veto recommendations to release criminals, including terrorists. 'We [The Conservatives] urge you to use this power to keep this dangerous criminal behind bars. Zahid Iqbal (pictured) was handed a 16-year prison sentence for his part in a plot to bomb a UK army base Iqbal and his co-conspirators planned an attack at a Territorial Army centre in Luton (pictured) where a remote-controlled toy car would be used to carry a homemade bomb 'We all know the threat posed by Islamist extremism in this country. In Great Britain, Islamists are responsible for 94 per cent of all deaths caused by terrorism since 1999 and around 88 per cent of injuries caused by terrorism over the same period. 'We must take this threat seriously. That is why the Government must veto the decision to release Zahid Iqbal and keep him behind bars.' The decision was made despite both his prison offender manager and community offender manager saying he should stay in prison. And a terror attack survivor and experts have criticised the ruling, saying he will strike again and believe the Parole Board will have 'blood on their hands'. Iqbal is also thought to have had connections to Westminster terror attacker Khalid Masood. Masood was investigated as part of the Army base plot and it was thought the pair may have knew each other. Masood had lived in Luton and it is thought they could have made contact at a gym. On 2 November, 2021, Iqbal was released on the direction of the Parole Board but was recalled in 2023 after a number of concerns were raised. A report into his release said: 'Evidence was presented at the hearing regarding Mr Iqbal's progress and custodial conduct during this sentence and since his recall. 'During his time on licence, Mr Iqbal was assessed by professionals as having low level of engagement in extremism ideology. Writing to the Justice Secretary David Lammy, the shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp (pictured) has urged Mr Lammy to veto the parole board's decision to release Iqbal three years earlier than his maximum sentence Mohammed Sharfaraz Ahmed (pictured left) was handed an 11 year prison sentence for his role in the terrorist plot in 2013. Farhan Hussain (right) got five years 'Mr Iqbal had undertaken an accredited programme on his sentence to address extremist offending and ways of disengaging. 'He had also completed work to help him better understand his faith and was seen to distance himself from other extremist offenders.' The report added that while there had been 'no behavioural issues in custody since recall' the 'key concern' for professionals was they did not know what he had been doing while on licence because of the 'nature of the breaches'. This included having a phone of which probation officers were not aware. The report added: 'The psychologist recommended release, whilst the prison offender manager and community offender manager both recommended Mr Iqbal remain in custody. 'The panel examined the release plan provided by Mr Iqbal's probation officer and weighed its proposals against assessed risks. 'The plan included a requirement to reside in designated accommodation as well as strict limitations on Mr Iqbal's contacts, movements, and activities. The panel considered whether all licence conditions would be necessary in this case. It concluded that the release plan would be robust enough to manage Mr Iqbal in the community.' The report added: 'The panel was not persuaded that Mr Iqbal continued to be a risk of carrying out, encouraging, or supporting extremist activity. No other potential area of risk had been identified, and the evidence was that Mr Iqbal no longer held an extremist ideology.' Umar Arshad (pictured left) was jailed for six years for his role in the planned attack. Iqbal is also thought to have had connections to Westminster terror attacker Khalid Masood (right) He will now be under strict conditions which include stay at a designated address, disclose details of relationships, be open to police searches and meet restrictions of tech uses. Jade Clough, who was injured in the Manchester Arena attack in 2017, said that Iqbal's released terrified her. She said: 'I have real fear he will carry out an attack. It's awful. Why not listen to the experts who know him? 'Surely they know him better than anyone recently? They are saying keep him in prison. It's a shocking decision. 'It piles more and more pressure on our security services as well.' Terrorism expert Colonel Richard Kemp, former commander of UK forces in Afghanistan, described the decisions as 'extremely unwise'. 'This has all the hallmarks of the case of the London Bridge attacker, Usman Khan. He was released and then carried out a horrific attack. I fear that happening here,' Colonel Kemp said. 'The Parole Board has gone against the advice of experts. They are putting the lives of British citizens at risk. 'If this individual does attack, then the blood of his victims will be on the hands of the Parole Board.' Woolwich Crown Court where the gang was sentenced in March 2013 The report added: 'After considering the circumstances of his offending and time on licence, the progress made while in custody and the evidence presented at the hearing, the panel was satisfied that imprisonment was no longer necessary for the protection of the public. 'The panel was not persuaded that Mr Iqbal continued to be a risk of carrying out, encouraging, or supporting extremist activity. No other potential area of risk had been identified, and the evidence was that Mr Iqbal no longer held an extremist ideology.' In 2023, three members of the terror gang, Umar Arshad, Syed Farhan Hussain and Mohammed Sharfaraz Ahmed, were quietly released from jail. Arshad was previously jailed for six years and nine months and Hussain for five years and three months. While Ahmed was handed an 11-year sentence. In March 2013, at Woolwich Crown Court, the four men admitted one count of engaging in conduct in preparation for acts of terrorism between January 1, 2011 and April 25, 2012, at a hearing on March 1. As tapes of them discussing bomb-making were played in court, the four men had sat smiling and giggling in the dock. Sentencing the men, Mr Justice Wilkie QC said in April 2013 that Iqbal and Ahmed, then 25, posed a continuing risk to the public. Their extended sentence of 11 years in jail and an additional five years on licence after release reflected their key roles in the plot. The terms of their sentences mean they could be recalled to prison anytime during their five years on licence. The judge said: 'In each of their cases, their persistent commitment to terrorist activity, in a number of different ways, over a significant period of time and, in each case, their willingness to take practical steps to obtain terrorist training abroad, marks them out as particularly dangerous. 'This, coupled with the fact that, after their houses had been searched, and they were obviously under serious suspicion, they nonetheless continued to access material consistent with the mindset which informed their previous preparatory activities, persuades me that they continue to be 'dangerous' to such a degree that I should exercise my discretion to pass an extended sentence. A Ministry of Justice spokesperson said: The decision to release Zahid Iqbal was made by the independent Parole Board after a thorough risk assessment. 'Officials acting on behalf of the Secretary of State for Justice are examining if there are grounds to challenge the Parole Board's decision through the reconsideration mechanism.' A Center Parcs worker involved in a fatal accident with a colleague after his electric buggy collided with her bicycle has been cleared of causing death by careless driving after a judge concluded there was insufficient evidence to convict him. John Davies, 66, was using the off-road vehicle when it collided with Penny Bulpitt, a supervisor at the firms Woburn Forest Resort in Millbrook, Bedfordshire. Grandmother Ms Bulpitt, 67, died from a traumatic skull fracture and brain injuries, an inquest heard previously. Mr Davies was later charged with the driving offence, which carries a maximum five-year jail term. A trial began at Luton Crown Court last month but Judge Michael Simon today directed jurors to acquit him after hearing the prosecution case. He had also considered submissions from the barrister representing the defendant and the prosecutor about the evidence against him. As a matter of law, there is insufficient evidence in this case for a jury to convict, Judge Simon told the jury. The correct verdict, as a matter of law, is not guilty. Penny Bulpitt, 67, a supervisor at Center Parc's Woburn Forest Resort in Millbrook, Bedfordshire, died after the bicycle she was riding was in a collision with an electric buggy driven by colleague John Davies, 66 Davies, of Flitwick, was on the all-terrain Yamaha UTV just after midday on September 22, 2023, when it collided with the bike ridden by Luton resident Ms Bulpitt. She was taken to Addenbrookes Hospital in Cambridge by air ambulance where she died the following day. At the time of her death, Detective Sergeant Craig Wheeler said: 'Both people involved in the incident were staff at the site and we are working with Center Parcs directly. 'We know that Friday was a changeover day so the site would have been busy and we would encourage anyone who was on the site at the time, and particularly in the Pine area, to come forward with anything they may have witnessed.' Centre Parcs added: 'We are deeply saddened to hear of the passing of one of our team at Woburn Forest. Our thoughts are with her family, friends and her colleagues at this time. 'We are in contact with her family, and we are offering support to them and any of our colleagues at Woburn Forest who have been affected. 'Center Parcs is working closely with all the relevant authorities following this incident.' Ms Bulpitts family issued a tribute in which they said she was loved by everyone who knew her. Police previously said the accident happened on a changeover day at the resort, when 'the site would have been busy' The Woburn Forest Resort is one of six Center Parcs sites in the UK and Ireland. The first opened in Sherwood Forest, Nottinghamshire, in 1987. Woburn Park has been running since 2014. A drunken businessman who had to be sedated after he assaulted his wife and tried to kiss a flight attendant has been jailed. Philip Gould, 64, had been drinking wine and vodka when he unleashed a vile tirade of abuse at cabin crew on the British Airways flight from the Bahamas to London Heathrow on June 25 last year. Gould was returning home from a luxury holiday in Grand Cayman with his wife when he slapped her and then abused the cabin crew during a 'frightening' hours-long ordeal. And he crudely propositioned a male flight attendant after being refused more alcohol. He repeatedly called cabin crew a four-letter word before he lunged towards the cockpit door and began angrily shouting at the captain. The court heard he had to be sedated by his wife with the assistance of a doctor. Gould earlier admitted sexual assault, acting in a manner likely to endanger an aircraft and being drunk in an aircraft. Judge Hannah Duncan handed Gould a 14-month immediate custodial sentence at Isleworth Crown Court today, after saying he engaged in 'upsetting and frightening' behaviour which 'recklessly put the safety of the crew on the aircraft in danger'. Philip Gould pictured outside Isleworth Crown Court admitted being drunk on a British Airways flight from the Bahamas She said: 'No-one on that flight who was at your end of the plane is likely to forget it, ever. 'I suspect they will be quite nervous about getting on a flight in the future.' The court heard Gould handed police a prepared statement following his arrest back in England in which he dismissed some of his conduct as 'playful banter'. The judge said: 'This was a prolonged incident where you ignored all attempts to diffuse the situation, in which you behaved in an entirely appalling manner in a number of ways.' Ashleigh Ettienne, prosecuting, said at an earlier hearing: 'After three hours into the flight, the defendant appeared to be drunk and cabin crew were made aware. 'Ten minutes later he approached the cockpit and started banging on the door and was seen shouting at cabin crew, the captain and passengers. 'Cabin crew deemed his actions a serious safety issue so they positioned themselves between the flight deck door and the defendant. 'The defendant pushed a cabin crew member in his chest with his arm which caused him to stumble back and bump into a passenger.' BA staff alerted the pilot and told Gould to calm down, which only aggravated him more, the court heard. Gould then screamed at cabin crew, 'I'll kill you - there are not enough people on the plane to restrain me', before he slapped his wife and grabbed her by the hair. When a panicked air hostess tried to intervene, Gould shouted at her: 'Why are you talking to my wife, you are a s**g. You're pretty'. Ms Ettienne said Gould then stood up and put his arms around her and - while doing so - kissed a male flight attendant on the right cheek before nibbling on his ear. The prosecutor said: 'The defendant's escalating behaviour was frightening and he became a serious safety issue.' Manny Arora, defending previously, said his client suffers from PTSD and was 'remorseful'. He told the court: 'He accepts he consumed some vodka. But when he entered the aircraft, he was not intoxicated.' Gould, of Woking in Surrey, is formerly director of a business management consultancy firm called Blacklight Management, which he ran with his wife, according to Companies House documents. He was handed a 14-month immediate custodial sentence for endangering an aircraft, with further simultaneous sentences of 14 weeks for sexual assault, 10 months for being drunk on an aircraft, and one month for two counts of beating. Members of the National Guard have been quietly leaving major US cities and returning home after the Trump administration's widespread deployments. After the president surged thousands of troops to Los Angeles, Chicago and Portland, the federal protective mission has since been wound down, according to US Northern Command. At the height of the National Guard's deployment, there were 5,000 troops in LA, around 500 in Chicago and 200 in Portland. Now all of those troops have been sent home, and without any public announcement from the Pentagon or White House. The troops deployed to LA, Chicago, and Portland were sent by the president under his Title 10 authority, which allows the federal use of National Guard soldiers for non-law-enforcement activities. Troops in those cities were only authorized to help defend federal buildings and to support federal agent operations. National Guard soldiers deployed under different authorities, like those in Washington, DC, New Orleans and Memphis, were not withdrawn by the Pentagon. Around 2,500 National Guard troops are expected to remain in the nation's capital until the end of this year, according to the Washington Post, which first reported on the withdrawals. President Donald Trump first deployed the National Guard in Washington, DC, in August 2025 The president also ordered thousands of troops to Los Angeles, Chicago, Portland, New Orleans and Memphis The Pentagon quietly authorized the drawdown of troops from LA, Chicago and Portland at the end of January The Supreme Court delivered a blow to Trump's National Guard in December when it temporarily ruled against the deployment of troops in Chicago. The Justices ruled that Trump may only authorize the National Guard troops in 'exceptional' circumstances. The decision could limit the president's ability to authorize additional troop deployments within the US. Trump has credited the National Guard deployment in DC for making the city safer and leading to lower rates of crime. Crime in effectively all categories has dropped significantly since Trump deployed the National Guard to the capital in August 2025, local police data shows. National Guard troops in DC have been spotted clearing roads after snowstorms and picking up trash as a part of their orders. According to the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimates, federal troop deployments to US cities cost $496 million in 2025. The current burn rate for deployments will cost around $93 million per month, CBO estimates. A 1,000-troop National Guard deployment to a city will cost at least $18 million per month, per their estimates. A mother has been arrested for allegedly contaminating an IV line with feces while her child was hospitalized. Tiffany Le Sueur, 35, was arrested on Monday in Columbus, Ohio, after hospital staff alleged they saw her injecting a 'foreign substance' into her baby's IV line using a syringe. She faces a third-degree felony charge of endangering children with a special circumstance of torture and cruel abuse, according to Franklin County Court Records. A criminal complaint obtained by the Columbus Dispatch said that Le Sueur was at Nationwide Children's Hospital while her baby was being treated when the horrific sequence of events began. Hospital staff first noted potential child abuse on Friday and contacted the Physical Abuse Unit at the Columbus Police Department. Police advised that all future visits at the hospital would be monitored for the child's safety. However, two days later, staff reported that they saw Le Sueur on video surveillance footage going to the bathroom with a cup and coming out with what appeared to be fecal matter, according to the detective's interviews noted in the criminal complaint. Le Sueur was then accused of taking a syringe and injecting the feces into the IV line connected to her baby's top left hand. Tiffany Le Sueur is pictured with her family in a social media post shared in 2023. She has been accused of contaminating her child's hospital IV with fecal matter Le Sueur was arrested in Ohio on Monday. She's pictured with three babies in a post shared on social media Le Sueur shared a photo of two children in a hospital bed on January 24. It's unclear what her baby was being treated for and their current condition Police apprehended the mother at the hospital, and staff treated her baby. Nationwide ha not released the child's condition due to federal patient privacy laws. Le Sueur shared a Facebook post that appeared to be of one of her children from a hospital on January 24. According to her social media profiles, she seems to have four children and lost a premature baby in 2022. The Daily Mail has reached out to Le Sueur's husband on social media for comment. Le Sueur was arraigned in Franklin County Municipal Court on February 9 and has been incarcerated at the James A Karnes Detention Facility, according to court records. Le Sueur has been incarcerated at James A Karnes Detention Facility in Ohio. She was arraigned on Monday Social media posts indicate that Le Sueur has multiple children and a husband. Her family has not spoken publicly about the charges against her. She is pictured with children in a social media post in October 2023 A judge set her bond on February 10 at $250,000. She has been ordered not to possess firearms, consume alcohol or drugs, and stay away from minors as additional conditions when released on bond. Her next court date is set for February 19, according to booking records. It is unclear if she has retained representation in the case. The Daily Mail has reached out to Franklin County Municipal Court for Le Sueur's criminal complaint. A lightbulb that has been burning for more than a century is still glowing inside a California fire station, and this summer it is expected to mark an extraordinary 125 years. The Centennial Light has been burning almost continuously since 1901 at Fire Station No. 6 in Livermore, a Bay Area city of about 90,000 residents. Guinness World Records had recognized it as the longest-burning lightbulb in the world, turning the modest fixture into one of Northern Californias most unlikely attractions. Now emitting just four watts, the bulb has been switched off only a handful of times in more than a century. Most interruptions happened during firehouse relocations. Its most recent outage in 2013 was traced to a drained generator battery, not a failure of the bulb itself. The light has drawn visitors from around the world and has been featured in the children's book. Firefighters told the SF Chronicle that people regularly stop by after discovering it online, though for the crew working beneath it, the glow is simply part of daily life. No one knows exactly why the Centennial Light has lasted so long, but its survival is widely credited to the way it was built. The Centennial Light hangs inside Fire Station No. 6 in Livermore, California, where it has been burning since 1901 Visitors from as far away as Saudi Arabia have signed the guest book as they visited the oldest known working light bulb, which was declared as such by Guinness Book of World Records in 1972 The bulb was manufactured in 1897 by the Shelby Electric Company of Ohio and engineered by French inventor Adolphe Chaillet. Unlike modern bulbs designed for short-term use, this one was constructed with an unusually thick filament. Retired deputy fire chief Tom Bramell, the bulbs custodian, told the SF Chronicle that the filament was formed from processed cellulose heated until it carbonized, creating a dense, durable core capable of withstanding long-term burning. Shelby tested its bulbs in endurance trials by leaving them glowing alongside competitors' products. While rival bulbs failed, the Shelby bulb outlasted them all. Chaillet later promoted his design as longer lasting and more efficient than anything else on the market. The bulbs sold well, but production stopped in 1912 after General Electric absorbed the company. By the time the bulb reached Livermore in 1901, it had already proven its staying power. The bulb, manufactured in the late 1800s by the Shelby Electric Company, now emits just four watts but continues to glow Retired deputy fire chief Tom Bramell has helped preserve the historic bulb, which has survived multiple station relocations The light was first installed at a volunteer fire station in 1901 and has been switched off only a handful of times in more than a century It was donated by Dennis Bernal, a local utility owner, and installed at a volunteer fire station on Second Street, where firefighters kept it on around the clock. The light accompanied the department through a move to a new fire station and town hall in 1906. It was briefly switched off during the transfer, though there is no record of how long it remained dark. In 1971, the Livermore Herald News began investigating local rumors about a lightbulb that had been burning for generations. The story helped propel the bulbs fame, and Guinness later confirmed it as a world record holder. Voters will be allowed to register at the age of 14 under Angela Rayner's plans to lower the age limit. New laws will be brought forward after the former deputy prime minister lent her support to Sir Keir Starmer this week. Ministers are also trialling new measures to make voting 'simpler' such as opening up polling booths in train stations or supermarkets. The Representation of the People Bill will also attempt to crack down on foreign political donations in the wake of the Nathan Gill scandal. Gill, Reform UK's former leader in Wales, was jailed last year after admitting he had taken bribes to make pro-Russian statements in the European Parliament. The Bill was not in the last King's Speech and was expected to be in the next but has been brought forward as a sop to Labour's soft left. It was championed by Ms Rayner who this week gave her crucial support to the PM after he faced his most torrid day yet. Under the plans, 16 and 17-year-olds would be able to vote in elections a Labour manifesto commitment. Voters will be allowed to register at the age of 14 under Angela Rayner's plans to lower the age limit In a previous announcement, the Government said: '16- and 17-year-olds can work, pay tax, serve in the military, and contribute in so many ways to our society. It is right and fair that they should be able to vote.' The legislation will reduce the age of registration to 14 so children can vote on their 16th birthday, extending the vote to 1.7million more people. Officials are still determining how this would work, given under-16s would not be able to verify their identities given they don't have National Insurance numbers or other ID. New social media rules could also prevent children from seeing party political campaigns due to new restrictions on age. Reducing the voting age to 16 has long been championed by Labour, but recent polling suggests the Green Party could be the beneficiary. Polling commissioned for ITV found that Green leader Zack Polanski was the most popular party leader among 16-25-year-olds. Of the 1,040 people polled, 34per cent said they intended to vote for the Greens, while 28per cent said they'd vote Labour, traditionally the party of young people. Sir James Cleverly, shadow communities secretary, said: 'Labour are hopelessly confused on whether 16 year olds are adults or not. 'At the same time as proposing to give them the vote, they are also trying to ban them from perfectly legal activities like buying alcohol-free beer. 'The Conservatives are clear that people become adults at 18 and that is when citizenship rights such as voting should be gained. 'It's also laughable to hear Labour talk about improving electoral security when they collapsed the China spy trial to appease Beijing, and are refusing to put China on the higher tier of the Foreign Influence Registration scheme. 'Meanwhile the Welsh Labour Government has given all foreign residents the right to make unlimited donations to UK politicians and political parties opening the door to Russian, Chinese and Iranian foreign influence. 'Labour cannot be trusted to ensure a strong and healthy and democracy in our country.' The Bill will also attempt to toughen up rules on political donations to prevent foreign funding influencing British democracy. Under new rules, businesses will have to prove they have a 'genuine connection' to the UK before they can donate to political parties. At present, businesses registered in the UK can donate to political parties even if they are owned by foreign nationals and do not have revenue to cover the donation. Transparency International UK has previously warned that existing rules expose UK parties to 'foreign interference'. The Government said recent cases such as those of Gill and Christine Lee, who was accused of working for the Chinese by MI5, indicated the need for 'strong action'. Communities Secretary Steve Reed said the Bill would 'usher in a new era for our democracy - one that protects against foreign interference and empowers young people'. Other measures expected to feature in the Bill include tougher sentences for people engaging in electoral intimidation. This is the moment a British father, who had just shot his graduate daughter dead as she visited his Texas home, told police his gun 'just went off' as he picked it up. 'Functioning alcoholic' Kris Harrison claimed his fashion buyer daughter Lucy, 23, who was passionately anti-guns, had asked to see his Glock 9mm pistol, which he had not been trained to use. Police in the US state failed to test him for alcohol despite smelling drink on his breath, and her death on January 10 last year was ruled accidental. But today a coroner in her hometown of Warrington, Cheshire concluded Lucy had been unlawfully killed on the last day of her post-Christmas trip with her boyfriend. Saying 'reckless' Mr Harrison - who had drunk at least 500ml of wine that day was a 'teaser', she ruled he had deliberately aimed it at his daughter's chest, unaware it was loaded. Afterwards, her mother criticised Texas police who failed to test Mr Harrison for alcohol over their botched investigation, saying her daughter 'deserved better'. Now body-worn footage showing police officers speaking to her father minutes after the shooting has been released. It shows Mr Harrison giving the account, which was today rejected by a coroner, as his daughter's boyfriend, Sam Littler - who had called 911 - stands by in shock. Lucy Harrison, 23, in a cherished image shared by her family which they framed and brought to court where it was on display during her inquest - it was taken at a Coldplay concert at the Etihad stadium in Manchester in 2023 which she attended with her mother Lucy Harrison's mother Jane Coates (centre) flanked by Lucy's boyfriend Sam Littler and best friend Ella Gowing following her inquest at Cheshire Coroner's Court on Wednesday The interior of the house in Prosper, near Dallas, is covered in Christmas decorations, while the family had earlier been playing outside in the snow. Dressed in a T-shirt, Mr Harrison tells the officer: 'She was just about to go to the airport.' 'Who is she?' the officer interjects. 'That's our daughter, my daughter. 'We were getting ready to go to the airport and talking about guns, she said "You got a gun?" I said "Yes." 'I got it out and it just went off as she stood there. 'As I pulled it out, it went off. It must have been, obviously' The officer then asks if he put the pistol on the bed. 'I put on the bed straight away,' Mr Harrison replies. Asked where he keeps it, he answers: 'In the bedside cabinet in a locked box. 'We took it out to look, and just as I picked it up it went off.' In bodycam footage captured as police arrived at the house, Mr Harrison insisted the gun 'just went off' Today a coroner in her hometown of Warrington, Cheshire concluded Lucy (pictured) had been unlawfully killed on the last day of her post-Christmas trip with her boyfriend At an inquest into Lucy Harrison's death, it emerged for the first time that she was fatally shot by her father Kris (pictured together) A manslaughter investigation was launched in February after Lucy Harrison (pictured), 23, from Warrington, Cheshire, was killed at the house in Prosper, Texas, on January 10 On Tuesday, the inquest heard how Mr Harrison an executive at a fibre optics company who had settled in Texas had been drinking on the morning of the tragedy and had argued with his daughter about Donald Trump. Mr Harrison, who did not attend the hearing, claimed in a statement that his daughter described by a friend as 'categorically anti-gun' had asked to see his pistol, which he had not been trained to use. But rejecting his account, senior coroner Jacqueline Devonish said: 'To shoot her through the chest whilst she was standing would have required him to have been pointing the gun at his daughter, without checking for bullets, and pulling the trigger.' She added: 'I accept he was a teaser, and on the balance of probabilities this is what he was doing. 'I accept he did not realise the gun was loaded.' The coroner said Mr Harrison had been 'reckless' to have bought a pistol without undergoing training on the safe use of firearms. 'His actions have killed his own daughter and in the cold light of day it is hoped that he now recognises the risk he posed to her life in circumstances in which he had no experience of guns, had undertaken no training and had never fired a gun.' Ms Devonish said he had failed to tell her boyfriend - who was on the phone to 911 - that he had shot Ms Harrison, despite knowing 'full well he had shot his own daughter, pointing a gun at chest height and pulling the trigger'. Lucy (pictured with her father) had been due to fly back to Manchester on the day she was shot after spending New Year in the States 'Functioning alcoholic' Kris Harrison claimed his fashion buyer daughter Lucy, 23, who was passionately anti-guns, had asked to see his Glock 9mm pistol, which he had not been trained to use She also highlighted how police in Texas failed to test Mr Harrison for alcohol despite suspecting he had been drinking after smelling it on his breath. Relatives of Ms Harrison wept as the coroner recorded her conclusion. Speaking afterwards, flanked by her daughter's 'soulmate' Mr Littler, her mother Jane Coates, said: 'Texas gun laws did not keep Lucy safe from harm.' And she said it was their 'strongly held view that the US investigation led by the Prosper Police Department lacked the rigour and scrutiny you'd expect if this had happened in the UK.' 'Lucy deserved better,' she added. Ms Coates, a deputy manager at a primary school, added: 'I never imagined she would be shot and killed in the US, in a place where she should have been safe.' Describing Texas gun laws were 'so different to England', Ms Harrison said firearms caused 'too many deaths in the USA'. Saying there was 'much to be learnt from Lucy's needless and entirely avoidable death', her mother said she would not let 'bitterness and hatred' consume her. 'Lucy had so much more of life to live, to love, to give. 'She had a huge sense of right and wrong, and was not afraid to speak out if she saw any type of injustice. 'Those who really know Lucy's heart can hear her, loud and clear, and know exactly what she would want us to do moving forward.' Ms Harrison regularly visited her father - who had married and started a new family in the US - after her parents split when she was a young child, the inquest heard on Tuesday. But she had expressed concern about 'volatility' in the house, a friend said, adding that the presence of a gun created an 'unpredictable environment'. Ms Harrison felt it was unsafe for her father to have a firearm in the house with his young daughters around, the inquest heard. Giving evidence, her boyfriend said she had argued with her father about Donald Trump on the morning of her death. He 'always felt on edge' at the house, he added, saying: 'There was a lot of very opinionated people in the house.' As they prepared to set off for the airport, he said Mr Harrison took his daughter by the hand in a 'mysterious' manner without saying anything. He then guided her into the downstairs bedroom where the gun was kept in a locked case. Within 15 seconds, Mr Littler heard a 'loud bang' from the bedroom and found his girlfriend collapsed on the floor. He insisted she would not have been interested in seeing her father's gun. Lucy (pictured) had been due to fly back to Manchester on the day she was shot after spending Christmas in the States Giving evidence at the inquest, Lucy Harrison's boyfriend Sam Littler (pictured, arriving at court) said she had argued with her father about Donald Trump on the morning of her death In his own witness statement read to the court, Mr Harrison - who did not attend the inquest - claimed his daughter agreed to let him show her the weapon after they had watched a television news report about gun crime. He said he bought the handgun as a 'home defence' weapon, meaning he did not need a licence as long as he did not take it out in public. He had 'no prior experience and no formal training' around firearms, he said. Mr Harrison suffered an 'alcoholic seizure' in 2023 which left him in an induced coma, the inquest was told. He had drunk a 500ml carton of white wine that morning, but did not believe he was impaired by alcohol when his daughter was shot shortly before 3pm. 'As I lifted the gun to show her, I suddenly heard a loud bang,' he said in his statement. 'Lucy immediately fell to the ground.' In a statement read to the hearing, Officer Luciano Escalera, who was scrambled to the house, said he smelt 'metabolised alcohol' on Mr Harrison's breath at which he initially lied, saying he hadn't drunk alcohol since the day before. But he then confessed to having drunk a 'small' carton of wine earlier in the day. A 'grand jury' of 12 Texas residents later heard the evidence in private before deciding no-one should be prosecuted over Ms Harrison's death. The family of missing Nancy Guthrie have been plunged into further anguish as the FBI director's claim he has multiple 'persons of interest' in the case have yet to yield any arrests. Kash Patel told Fox News on Tuesday that the bureau is actively looking at several individuals without providing any further detail. He said: 'I will say we have made substantial progress in these last 36 to 48 hours, thanks to the technical capabilities of the FBI and our partnerships. 'I do believe we are looking at people who, as we say, are persons of interest. With any investigation, youre a person of interest until youre either eliminated or youre actually found to be the culprit or the culprits involved, and thats the stage were at right now.' Nancy, the mother of Today Show host Savannah Guthrie, was last seen entering her Tucson, Arizona, home on January 31st. Patel spoke just hours before investigators detained delivery driver Carlos Palazeulos and questioned him over Nancy's disappearance. He was later released without charge and has since protested his innocence. On Wednesday as the search for Nancy entered its eleventh day, the FBI announced a huge sweep of the Catalina Foothills near the 84-year-old's $1 million home. The comment is the bureau's first since releasing footage of the main suspect in the case, a masked and armed individual seen tampering with a doorbell camera at Nancy's porch before she vanished. Savannah and her mom Nancy Guthrie are pictured here, Nancy disappeared after being last seen entering her home on January 31 Patel told Fox News on Tuesday that the bureau was actively considering multiple persons of interest, yet failed to provide any further detail The FBI released footage on Tuesday showing a masked individual outside of Nancy's home in Tucson, Arizona The horrifying footage only came to light on Tuesday morning after investigators said they managed to get into 'back-end-systems'. It was released later that afternoon. Guthrie and her husband Michael Feldman both shared images of the suspect in hopes of identifying them. Donald Trump said last Friday that federal investigators had uncovered 'very strong clues', but failed to provide any detail. Nearly a week on and it's still unclear what the president was referring to. In the meantime Guthrie and her siblings Annie and Camron have issued tearful appeals directly to the kidnapper begging for their mother's return. Their please came after three media outlets reported receiving alleged ransom notes in connection with Nancy's abduction. The notes demanded Bitcoin in exchange for the mom-of-three's release. However the most recent deadline of 5PM local time on Monday appears to have passed without comment. TMZ reported that a Bitcoin account referenced in letters sent to media outlets has saw some activity after a deadline lapsed. Unidentified sources involved in the investigation told the outlet that officers believe the ransom notes were written by the kidnapper. Carlos Palazeulos was detained on Tuesday evening in connection with her disappearance then released shortly after, he has professed his innocence In an aerial view, law enforcement and news broadcasters are stationed outside of Nancy Guthrie's residence on Tuesday Sources said the letters referenced specific damage to Nancy's home and other details that have not been made public. On Wednesday TMZ reported it had received another ransom note demanding Bitcoin in exchange for naming the kidnapper. Nancy was last seen entering her home in Tucson on the evening of January 31 after having dinner with her daughter, Annie, and son-in-law, Tommaso Cioni. The next morning, she was reported missing after failing to attend a virtual church service with friends, Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos said. Since then, law enforcement has continued to comb over the home, which sits on a large lot on a street with no lights, while Savannah and her two siblings, Anne and Camron, plead for help in finding their mother. Annie and Cioni realized she was missing around 11.10am on February 1, the Pima County Sheriff's Office said. They reported her disappearance to police at 12.03pm. Her phone, wallet, vital daily medications and car were still at her Catalina Foothills home. Cioni said he saw his mother-in-law enter her home through the garage before he drove off the night before at around 9.45pm MT. Investigators said they found drops of blood on Nancy's front porch that were later confirmed to be hers and that her doorbell camera was disconnected at around 1.45am. Less than 30 minutes later, her security camera detected movement. Her pacemaker stopped transmitting data to her Apple Watch and phone shortly afterwards, suggesting she had been taken out of the devices' range. Nancy requires medication every 24 hours and it is unclear if whoever abducted her has ensured she has access to her medication. Half a million children on mental health waiting lists are at risk of turning to AI chatbots for support, the Royal College of Psychiatrists has warned. The professional body expressed 'grave concerns' that delays accessing NHS treatment could fuel a 'dangerous reliance' on unvetted technology. NHS England data shows 550,610 children and young people have been referred to mental health services and are currently on waiting lists for treatment. Of these, 30 per cent (165,887) had been waiting for over two years and 53 per cent (289,722) for over one year, as of the end of November. Failing to prioritise treatment for children with mental illness is turning treatable conditions into 'lifelong recurring mental illnesses', the College added. Dr Lade Smith, president of the Royal College of Psychiatrists, said: 'The number of young people waiting for mental health treatment in England is just unacceptable. 'If you're a 12-year-old child, two years is a sixth of your life, this is a large part of your developmental process. 'And without a doubt, that delay in treatment will interfere with your ability to achieve your potential and get on with your life. Dr Lade Smith, president of the Royal College of Psychiatrists, has criticised long waits for children's mental health support Experts warn AI chatbots do not have the safeguards in place to ensure the advice given is actually safe or appropriate for a vulnerable child 'There truly is a lack of ambition to treat mental illness in children and young people. 'Unlike physical disorders, which mostly arise in middle age or older, the majority of mental disorders arise in youth. 'The good news is that most can be effectively treated, but if left untreated, this risks a young person becoming an adult with a chronic illness that interferes with life chances interferes with their relationships, interferes with their education and interferes with them being able to work. 'It is time to prioritise children's mental health care, for the good of individuals but frankly also for the good of the country.' The College raised the alarm as the UK government is consulting on introducing a ban on under-16s using social media and enforcing stricter safety measures online. Dr Guy Northover, chair of Royal College of Psychiatrists' child and adolescent faculty, said: 'While publicly available AI tools may give instant answers that feel supportive, in reality they don't have the safeguards in place to ensure the advice given is actually safe or appropriate for a vulnerable child. 'Someone struggling with their mental health shouldn't have to worry about 'factchecking' their own support. 'Families must stick to trusted, well-known sources for guidance they can truly rely on there are online resources that are safe and evidence-based, but they're not always widely available, and often subject to a postcode lottery or paywalls. 'Addressing this rapidly growing trend should be a public health priority. 'Providing nationwide guidance that everyone can access quickly, freely and in a timely manner is now critical, so people seeking help do not have to rely on unregulated online platforms.' A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: 'No parent should be worrying about their child's mental health, which is why we have already helped nearly 40,000 more young people access support. 'We are investing an extra 688 million in mental health services this financial year, hiring over 7,000 additional mental health workers, as well as accelerating the rollout of Mental Health Support Teams in schools and colleges. 'We are also opening 50 Young Futures hubs over the next four years, bringing together services to improve mental health and wellbeing.' Rachel Reeves has sparked fresh fears of Brexit betrayal as she claimed developing closer ties with the European Union would be the 'biggest prize' for Britain. The Chancellor described the deal Sir Keir Starmer agreed with Brussels last year as merely 'first base' and vowed that the Labour Government would go much further. She admitted ministers had been worried about the 'pushback' they would get from Leave voters but insisted they could win the political argument. She said she was 'up for' further alignment with EU rules in areas such as financial services, and wanted to make it easier for 'talent to come to the UK' in a scheme allowing young Europeans to live and work here. And she criticised the referendum vote a decade ago as 'pulling up the drawbridge', stressing that it was not her choice. Speaking at an event at the London School of Economics yesterday, Ms Reeves hailed the post-Brexit deals agreed between the UK and the US and India but went on to say: 'The biggest prize is clearly with the EU.' She said she was 'so pleased' with the Government's decision in December to rejoin the Erasmus student exchange programme - despite outrage at the predicted 6billion cost. In addition, she hoped there would soon be 'concrete progress' on the talks between the Prime Minister and European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen last May on food checks, as well as on energy trading and an 'ambitious youth mobility scheme'. Rachel Reeves sparked fresh claims of Brexit 'betrayal' as she hailed deeper integration with the EU as the 'biggest prize' for Britain Join the debate Do YOU trust the Government to protect Brexit freedoms? She continued: 'As we said at the time last year, at that summit that was sort of first base really. 'The truth is economic gravity is reality, and almost half of our trade is with the European Union. We trade almost as much with the EU as the rest of the world combined. 'I'm all up for doing deals with India and the US and Korea, but none of them are going to be as big as what we can get through better trade relations with Europe.' Asked what the next step should be, she replied: 'I think further integration will require further alignment. But I'm up for that. My government, Keir's government, is up for that. 'Some of that can be unilateral and some of it can be negotiated, but I think there's opportunities there.' Ms Reeves said that London was one of the three major financial centres in the world and added: 'The City of London is part of what we have to offer the EU, we don't want to create more barriers. We will be bringing those barriers down.' She also said there were three big trading blocs globally the US, China and Europe and added: 'We want to make Europe as strong as possible, and that means not pulling up the drawbridge. I know we did that when we voted to leave not me, but the country made that decision.' Ms Reeves admitted that after last Mays summit ministers were worried there was going to be a lot of pushback with people saying wait a second, we voted to leave, why are we going to be making it easier to trade again and where does this lead. But she claimed: I think Erasmus is one of the most popular things that we've done as a government, because it is about giving hope that there is a better future and that, we are ambitious for Britain, for our young people. So I am confident that this is a political argument as well that we can win. The Chancellors comments will heighten fears that Sir Keir will go even further in reversing Brexit freedoms following the departure of his Chief of Staff Morgan McSweeney, who had been keen to court Leave voters in the Red Wall. The PM recently said he wanted the UK to join a costly EU defence fund and get closer again to the single market, although he has ruled out rejoining the customs union despite some ministers backing the move. Shadow Chancellor Sir Mel Stride said: It's no secret that Reeves and Starmer have wanted to row back on Brexit since day one. Labour are desperate to blame anyone but themselves for their economic failures. Under increasing pressure from their own soft-Left colleagues following the Mandelson scandal, Starmer and Reeves would rather point the finger at Brexit than accept their poor choices have been a disaster for our economy.' Transgender teenager Jesse Strang carried out one of the deadliest school shootings in Canadian history after opening fire at his family home. Strang, 18, opened fire in the library at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School in British Columbia on Tuesday afternoon, a source told the Daily Mail. Strang was named by police on Wednesday as Jesse Van Rootselaar. He is understood to have used his mother's name, Strang, socially and at school. A female teacher, 39, three 12-year-old girls, and two boys, aged 12 and 13, were killed in the massacre. Twenty-seven people were injured in the attack, including two victims who were airlifted to nearby hospitals. Strang took his own life at the school. He killed his mother Jennifer, 39, and brother Emmett, 11, at their home beforehand, CTV News reported. The shooter is biological male and transitioned to female six years ago at the age of just 12, Royal Canadian Mounted Police confirmed. 'We identify the suspect as they chose to be identified in public and social media,' Dwayne McDonald, Deputy Commissioner of British Columbia RCMP said. 'I can say Jesse was born as a biological male who six years ago began to identify as female both socially and publicly.' Strang dropped out of school four years ago, when he was 14, and is understood to have struggled with his mental health. Police also have a history of attendance at the family home, with officers responding to calls relating to both mental illness and weapons. Strang, 18, opened fire in the library at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School in British Columbia on Tuesday afternoon Students are pictured outside Tumbler Ridge Secondary School in Canada on Tuesday after transgender mass shooter Jesse Strang killed 10 Children were led out of the school as emergency services rushed to the building following the shooting 'Police have attended that residence in the past, approximately a couple of years ago, where firearms were seized under the Criminal Code,' McDonald said. 'I can say that at a later point in time, the lawful owner of those firearms petitioned for those firearms to be returned, and they were.' Jennifer did not have a valid license for firearms at the time of her death. Officers also responded to the home after receiving calls over mental health concerns. Strang had previously been 'apprehended for assessment' under the mental health act, McDonald added. Juno News and Western Standard News were among the first publications to identify Strang and described the shooter as a biological male who identifies as a woman. Liam Irving and Juan van Heerden, former Tumbler Ridge students who said he was a few grades behind them in school, described Strang as a 'quiet kid' who was often seen 'sitting by himself in the corner'. Irving told the Western Standard Strang's mother and younger brother were well known in the Tumbler Ridge community, and 'good friends' of his family. 'There's not one person in this town right now that's not affected by this,' he added. Your browser does not support iframes. Maya's mother Cia Edmonds shared this photo from hospital as she played for a miracle after doctors told her the little girl wouldn't last the night Maya Gebala, 12, was shot in the neck and head and is not expected to survive the night. She is the only injured victim named so far. Her mother Cia Edmonds shared a heartbreaking update from her daughter's bedside in Vancouver Children's Hospital. 'We were warned that the damage to her brain was too much for her to endure, and she wouldn't make the night,' she said on Wednesday afternoon. 'I can feel her in my heart. I can feel her saying its going to be OK... she's here... for how long we don't know. 'Our baby needs a miracle.' Edmonds said she also grieved for the six families whose children were killed at the school, and those trying to come to terms with the shooting. 'It was just a normal day. Our community is shattered,' she said. 'My heart bleeds for everyone who is trying to process this horrific string of events. Far too many are grieving already.' It is feared that a pensioner has passed away after contracting cholera - in what would be the first case of its kind in Britain for 125 years. The unnamed father of two, who was in his 80s, died on Tuesday at the George Eliot Hospital in Nuneaton with his family beside him. He had fallen ill around a week ago at home and was admitted to the Warwickshire-based hospital when his condition quickly deteriorated. There were reportedly initial fears that he had caught the waterborne disease cholera, which killed thousands in the United Kingdom during the Victorian era and continues to cause deaths in Africa. If so, it would have been the first time a British person had died of cholera since 1901. The UK Health Security Agency later confirmed that the pensioner contracted a non-toxigenic strain that does not cause cholera. A source close to the deceased's family told The Sun: 'They have no idea how he caught it. They were asked by doctors if he'd been abroad recently, but he hadn't. He lived at home with his youngest son. 'It was incredibly dramatic. Doctors called them on Sunday and said he could have just hours to live. He clung on until Wednesday but withered away before their eyes.' The unnamed father of two, who was in his 80s, died on Tuesday at the George Eliot Hospital in Nuneaton with his family beside him Cholera is an intestinal infection caused by ingestion of food or water contaminated with the bacterium Vibrio cholerae A spokesperson for the The UK Health Security Agency told the Daily Mail: An individual was tested and results indicate that they tested positive for a type of bacteria called Non-toxigenic Vibrio cholerae, which does not cause cholera disease. UKHSA has not confirmed a cholera case. Cholera is an intestinal infection caused by ingestion of food or water contaminated with the bacterium Vibrio cholerae. It has a short incubation period, of less than one day to five days, and produces an enterotoxin that causes a copious, painless, watery diarrhoea. This can quickly lead to severe dehydration and death if treatment is not promptly given. Vomiting also occurs in most patients. Cholera is rarely found in the UK anymore, despite causing terrifying outbreaks in the 1800s. It was flushed out by access to safe drinking water and improved sanitation facilities. Cholera does not spread directly from person to person via casual contact, such as coughing or sneezing, like many contagious diseases. But when people drink contaminated water, use it to prepare food or use it to wash their hands, the infection spreads. Washing hands with soap and water can cut the risk, as can only drinking tap water that's been boiled. A Labour MSP has defended her relationship with a twice-convicted paedophile after she was suspended from the party. Pam Duncan-Glancy said she was deeply disappointed by Scottish Labours decision to remove the whip and said it was not yet clear why the party chose to do so now. Party leader Anas Sarwar told reporters at Holyrood that the Glasgow MSP had been suspended after new information came to light. It is not yet clear what the information is or when the party found out about it. Ms Duncan-Glancy was sacked as Scottish Labours shadow education secretary by Mr Sarwar in December following revelations about her friendship with Sean Morton, a former Labour councillor in Moray who held indecent images of children. In 2017, he was convicted for possessing indecent child images as well as extreme pornography of animals. He was convicted again in January 2025 for possessing indecent images of children and breaching a sexual offences order and was given a 16-month sentence. MSP Pam Duncan-Glancy with her schoolfriend, Sean Morton, who was convicted of child pornography offences Mrs Duncan-Glancy is the first permanent wheelchair user elected to the Scottish Parliament Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar said he sacked Mrs Duncan-Glancy when he "became aware of the situation" In her statement, Ms Duncan-Glancy said that while she did not condone Mortons crimes, he remains someone who is vulnerable and in need of support. She said: I am deeply disappointed that the Party have taken the decision to remove the whip. The details of their decision to do this now are not yet clear to me. My personal relationship with someone who grew up with me, who stayed with my family for periods of time during our childhood, and who is to all intents and purposes, family, has never affected my work. When he was convicted of these very serious crimes, the justice system, rightly, dealt with him. I have never condoned his crimes and have always been clear that his actions were wrong. He, however, was and remains someone requiring support, and my family and I, as is often the case, ensured his welfare. There is no doubt this is difficult. I accept that not everyone will understand my reasons for doing what I did. My actions arise from loyalty and care. I was providing support to a highly vulnerable person. Loyalty and care are values that I think make me a good representative and for which I believe others know me for. I am also hugely grateful for the outpouring of support I have been shown, from constituents, colleagues, family, friends and indeed strangers alike. I joined parliament as the first permanent wheelchair user to do so. I am proud of that. What helped me get there is my unwavering fight for a better world. I will keep doing that, in the short weeks as I wind down my office and complete the important work I have started, including casework for my constituents. And then after, I will keep fighting for a better Scotland and a better world for all. Mr Sarwar said: I sacked Pam Duncan-Glancy when I became aware of the situation, I sacked her from the shadow cabinet. When I asked her questions that she was not able to give me appropriate answers to, I removed her as a candidate going into this election. And now that we have an investigation, when new information has come to light, in light of that investigation, the whip has been withdrawn. Keir Starmers longstanding communications chief has also been suspended from the Labour whip in his new role in the Lords after it emerged that he had campaigned on behalf Morton. Anas Sarwar is facing questions about his relationship with old friend Peter Mandelson. The Scottish Labour leader this week said he had known the disgraced peer since 2021, but the pair have been linked to a Blairite thinktank a decade earlier. The SNP said Mr Sarwar had very real and serious questions to answer on the connection. Mr Sarwar posed with Mandelson outside the British Embassy in Washington DC last April and posted the picture on X. It was great to catch up with my old friend and the UKs (relatively!) new Ambassador to the US, Peter Mandelson, the Glasgow MSP wrote. But with Mandelson facing a police probe over the possible leaking of sensitive government information to convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein, Mr Sarwar is now downplaying the link. Calling on Sir Keir Starmer on Monday to quit, Mr Sarwar was asked how long he had known Mandelson and replied: I have known Peter since around 2021. Mr Sarwar pictured with then US ambassador Peter Mandelson last April But the SNP highlighted how Mr Sarwar had been vice-chair of the Progress thinktank from 2011 to 2013 when Mandelson was active in the organisation and writing articles and giving speeches to promote it. Mandelson also contributed to the 2011 Progress essay collection The Purple Book. He donated a total of 20,000 to Progress in 2018 and 2019 and went on to merge his own Policy Network thinktank with it to create Progressive Britain in 2021. Mandelson was Labour Party campaign director in 2010, the year Mr Sarwar was first elected an MP in Glasgow Central, a seat previously held by his father. SNP MSP George Adam said: Anas Sarwar has very real and serious questions to answer as to whether he told the truth about having only known his old friend Peter Mandelson since 2021. We now know that as far back as 2011, Anas Sarwar was vice chair of a think tank that had very close links to Peter Mandelson - the public will find it inconceivable that such a senior member of a think tank that published Peter Mandelson regularly had never spoken to the man. He must come clean on his relationship with Mandelson. Anas Sarwar has been at the heart of the Labour Party establishment for decades and no one was more part of that establishment than Mandelson. It is time for answers. Referring to recent SNP sex scandals, a Scottish Labour spokesman said: Given the SNPs long record of trying to hide the actual misconduct of their own politicians - from Patrick Grady to Derek Mackay - they should focus on getting their own house in order before making unevidenced insinuations. Victims deserve better than this. Labours meltdown descended into farce yesterday as Anas Sarwar said he would join Sir Keir Starmer on the campaign trail for Holyrood but stands by his call for him to resign. The Scottish Labour leader doubled down on his demand for the Prime Minister to quit even though his coup attempt has come off the rails and stoked further divisions in his party. But he also said he would of course stand alongside Sir Keir if he campaigns north of the Border ahead of Mays elections. His comments came after Downing Street confirmed the PM will campaign in Scotland. Opponents branded the latest developments farcical and claimed Labour is now in complete meltdown. Speaking to journalists, Mr Sarwar repeated the call he made at a press conference on Monday for the PM to go. He said: I stated my view, I stand by that view. His comments came a day after Sir Keir attempted to move on from the resignation demand and insisted he was 100 per cent supportive of Anas Sarwar to be the First Minister. When asked if the Prime Minister would commit to campaigning in Scotland, a Downing Street spokesman said: He will campaign in Scotland. He supports Anas Sarwar. Pressed on whether he will campaign alongside Mr Sarwar, the spokesman said: He supports him to be First Minister, yes. Mixed messages: Labour duo Mr Sarwar and Sir Keir Starmer But when asked if the PM will visit during the election campaign, Mr Sarwar said: If ministers want to come and demonstrate what a UK Labour government is doing to deliver for the people of Scotland that is welcome. I want them to defend and protect Scotlands interests. When further pressed if he would stand next to Sir Keir on the campaign trail, he said: If he is here delivering for Scotland, of course. Scottish Tory deputy leader Rachael Hamilton said: Anas Sarwar is making it up as he goes along. It is farcical that he said with a straight face hed welcome Keir Starmer alongside him on the campaign trail despite wanting him gone as Prime Minister. Mr Sarwar also yesterday reasserted that his call for the Prime Ministers resignation was my decision alone. It followed reports he spoke to several cabinet ministers before his intervention. Mr Sarwar said: I took the decision based upon what I am willing to tolerate... recognising that my first loyalty and my first priority is to my country, Scotland. Mr Sarwar has only won the support of two Scottish MPs for his demand, but yesterday he received the backing of former First Minister Lord Jack McConnell, who said the move shows that he is his own man. First Minister John Swinney said it was crystal clear the Labour Party was now in abject chaos and clearly falling apart. Town hall spending on support for special needs pupils has soared by 60 per cent to nearly 14billion in recent years, a report has found. The paper by the Policy Exchange think tank found around one in five pupils is now deemed to have Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND), with spending surging by more than 5billion in real terms to 13.6billion between 2018/19 and last year (2024/25). Half of all new schools spending since 2015 has been spent on SEND support. The study, backed by two former education secretaries, warns spending could hit more than 18billion by 2028 without an overhaul of the system. It found that despite clear evidence linking SEND needs to deprivation, spending has risen fastest (65 per cent) in the most affluent 50 per cent of local authorities. By comparison, it rose by 51 per cent in the 50 per cent most deprived council areas. Around 1 in 20 children in England now have needs deemed severe enough to need education, health and care plans (EHCPs), according to the report. These are legal documents setting out the support a young person with SEND is entitled to, with the number issued surging from 353,995 in 2019 to 638,745 as of January 2025. Spending on Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) by councils could hit more than 18billion by 2028 without an overhaul of the system, Policy Exchange warns Ex-Labour Education Secretary Baroness Morris of Yardley added said 'radical change' is needed to overhaul the SEND system Former Labour Education Secretary Ruth Kelly, who backed the report, said: 'Dramatic spending increases on SEND have placed an unsustainable burden on local authorities.' By March 2025, England's councils had accrued 4billion in SEND-related debts, a figure researchers projected could rise to 17.8 billion by 2029. Former Labour Education Secretary Ruth Kelly, who backed the report, said: 'Dramatic spending increases on SEND have placed an unsustainable burden on local authorities. 'The courageous decision to bring SEND spending and deficits onto the Government balance sheet from 2028 necessitates a clear plan to make the new funding system sustainable.' Ex-Labour Education Secretary Baroness Morris of Yardley added: 'The increased expenditure in recent years is greatest in areas of least deprivation which adds to the evidence for the need for radical change.' Eleven councils saw SEND spending increases of more than 100 per cent in six years. The largest real terms percentage changes have occurred in councils including the Isles of Scilly (235 per cent), Herefordshire (161 per cent) and Worcestershire (130 per cent). Spending on SEND transport, including home-to-school travel, has more than doubled at 42 councils, likely driven by a rising number of EHCPs - with Calderdale Council seeing a 385 per cent rise. In a quarter of local authorities administration spending on SEND schemes grew 300 per cent. The report states: 'The Government must not delay in bringing forward its long-trailed reforms to the SEND system.' A survey of town halls revealed last week that most councils face insolvency over mounting SEND deficits. Around four in five councils (79 per cent) said they will not be able to set a balanced budget in 2028, when the government plans to bring SEND spending and deficits onto the Government balance sheet. Zachary Marsh, Research Fellow in Education at Policy Exchange and author of the report, said: 'EHCPs are driving spending in wealthy council areas, with 9 out of 10 local authorities with the highest number of applications last year amongst the wealthiest 50 per cent of councils. 'The Government must grip the system and target resources earlier and on those who need it most rather than those sharp-elbowed enough to work the system.' The King and Prime Minster made their first public appearance together on Wednesday night since they found themselves in the spotlight following the latest Epstein revelations. Sir Keir Starmer joined His Majesty at Windsor Castle at a reception to celebrate the inspirational work of the nation's paid and unpaid carers. All eyes were on the two men, with Sir Keir striding up to greet King Charles warmly, shaking him by the hand and even touching him on his shoulder. He then greeted the Queen with a kiss on each cheek and before, surprisingly, also patting her on the arm. The three spoke briefly before going their separate ways to greet some of the 380 guests who had thronged excitedly into the castle's state apartments. Also in the royal party were the Duchess of Edinburgh and the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester. The reception was organised by Buckingham Palace recognise the hard work and challenges faced by millions of carers across the United Kingdom, from professional carers to young people with caring responsibilities. Among the more well-known guests was Coleen Rooney, elegant in a white pinstriped trouser suit and diamond necklace, who spoke about her family's experience of caring for her sister, Rosie, who was severely disabled, and died in 2013 at the age of 14. Sir Keir Starmer joined His Majesty at Windsor Castle at a reception to celebrate the inspirational work of the nation's paid and unpaid carers Among the more well-known guests was Coleen Rooney, elegant in a white pinstriped trouser suit and diamond necklace, who spoke about her family's experience of caring for her sister , Rosie, who was severely disabled, and died in 2013 at the age of 14 Sir Keir speaks with guests during a reception to highlight the inspirational work of paid and unpaid carers at Windsor Castle King Charles and Queen Camilla at the reception She said: 'Tonight is about recognition for carers, whether that be your job role or your family member. 'I think it is something that isn't talked about enough and isn't celebrated enough. 'If you have a family member it's not a job, it's because you care and you love them. It's very important that they are recognised and celebrated. 'On the walk up here tonight you could see the excitement on their faces at being thanked and recognised. 'It's nice for them to have an invitation and be recognised and enjoy a special occasion. 'These volunteers, these people who give up their time and not get paid. They connect and give their love to these people. 'I have seen it first hand through my sister. And the hospices, where they rely on fundraising and volunteers. At the start of the reception in St George's Hall, Their Majesties, together with the Prime Minister and Lady Starmer, met a small group of people with a range of caring experiences to hear their stories before joining the wider reception. Guests at the reception included representatives from charities and community groups involved in the care sector and in supporting carers, as well as individuals with direct caring responsibilities. Ms Rooney continued: 'These parents have it 24/7. To be honest it should be my mum and dad here, not me. It was them that would go days and days without sleep. 'It was the first time I have met the King and Queen, it was so lovely. 'But I have been to Windsor Castle before on the tour with the children a couple of times after we've been to Legoland. They loved it. It's been a lovely walk. 'They asked me about who I cared for and I talked about my sister. We spent our life in and out of hospitals and hospices. 'You get to see first hand how the nurses, the doctors, the volunteers, the hospice works. They all care about the job. They are passionate about it. 'It has just been such a lovely experience.' Presenter Kate Garraway, who cared for her late husband, Derek Draper, who passed away at the age of 56 following complications as a result of contracting Covid, described the caring community as 'brilliant'. Presenter Kate Garraway (pictured), who cared for her late husband, Derek Draper, who passed away at the age of 56 following complications as a result of contracting Covid, described the caring community as 'brilliant' Guests at the reception included representatives from charities and community groups involved in the care sector and in supporting carers, as well as individuals with direct caring responsibilities. Pictured: King Charles greets Rory Stewart Their Majesties maintain longstanding links and patronages with a wide range of organisations supporting carers, including Age UK, Macmillan Cancer Support and Maggie'. Pictured: Queen Camilla at the reception 'It is a very isolating existence, as much as you love it and want to do it,' she said. 'But it doesn't feel very recognised because it's just you and the four walls. So to come and be recognised somewhere like this by the King and Queen is very special. 'People care out of love and out of need. We are all going to need care or be a carer at sometime in our lives. 'I was the primary carer but after about eight months I had to go back to work because we had gone from two to no incomes. 'People have to give up their job every day to care. There are a lot of pressures. 'People can find themselves in a very changed financial position. It challenges how families can survive. 'If you paid all the people that are caring for people unpaid a wage then it would be more than the budget of the whole of the NHS. They are saving all of us.' Sir Keir added: 'It is really important to celebrate them. 'I am really pleased His Majesty The King and Her Majesty the Queen are hosting this at Windsor because it's an opportunity not just to say thank you but also to recognise and celebrate what carers do. 'Whether they are carers for family members, carers in homes, or carers within a large network. 'I really wanted to come tonight because I wanted to say thank you and because I know firsthand because my sister is a carer what carers do is incredible, it is skilled. 'I've seen my sister at work, she works with adults with Down Syndrome. I couldn't do what she does. 'One of my missions is to give equal worth to those like carers who do jobs I couldn't do as we give to politicians and those with positions of power. 'To be here at Windsor Castle, in the main banqueting room, is a small but important way of giving that recognition. ' All eyes were on King Charles and Sir Keir, with Sir Keir striding up to greet King Charles warmly, shaking him by the hand and even touching him on his shoulder Their Majesties maintain longstanding links and patronages with a wide range of organisations supporting carers, including Age UK, Macmillan Cancer Support and Maggie's. The Duchess of Edinburgh's patronages represented at the reception included Shooting Star Children's Hospices and Brainwave. The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester's patronages included Parkinson's UK and The Children's Society. The 2021 Census revealed that there are 5.8 million unpaid carers in the UK, with 29 per cent providing more than 50 hours of care each week, and women making up 59 per cent of the unpaid carer population. Barnardo's has estimated that as many as one in five children in the UK may be young carers. The adult social care sector in England alone employs approximately 1.59 million people, including care workers, nurses, social workers, and support staff. In a printed message to his guests, the King said he and the Queen were delighted to 'celebrate and give thanks to those remarkable individuals who dedicate their lives to the care of others', describing their work as 'profoundly valuablefor humanity as a whole.' He highlighted the fact that currently around five million people in the UK provide unpaid care to a loved one - one in every ten adults. 'They do so not for recognition nor reward, but because their hearts compel them to,' he said. He added: 'I have been privileged, throughout my life, to meet many individuals involved in such service. 'In care homes and hospices, in support groups and community centres, I have witnessed the extraordinary tenderness with which you go about your duties. 'I have seen the patience required when the vulnerable person you care for is in distress. 'I have witnessed the tears held at bay when an elderly loved one no longer recognises your face. 'I have observed the gentle humour and camaraderie of colleagues that can lighten the heaviest of days. 'Above all, I have been moved, time and again, by the resilience of those who give so much of themselves while asking for so little in return. 'Indeed, those who devote their lives to the care of others often do so at the expense of their own health and wellbeing. 'Research tells us that many informal carers struggle to maintain employment whilst fulfilling their caring duties. Isolation, exhaustion, and financial strain are constant companions for too many.' 'We owe it to them not merely to offer our thanks, but our practical support. The King also highlights the particular instances of children and young people who care for their parents and others relatives. 'There are hundreds of thousands of them across this nation, some as young as five years old, helping to care for parents, siblings or grandparents,' he said. 'They prepare meals, administer medication, provide emotional support and manage household chores, all while trying to navigate the ordinary challenges of growing up. 'While every carer deserves our respect, these young people merit our most profound admiration. 'They demonstrate daily what many take a lifetime to understand: that the willingness to help others is the most noble human quality of all. 'It is beholden us to ensure that their selflessness does not come at the cost of their own childhood, their education or their dreams.' He added: 'So to those who provide care - whether you wear a uniform or simply the clothes you felt able to pull on in the morning - please know that the great love you show in small ways every day is an example and an inspiration to us all. 'It is our duty, in return, to ensure it is never taken for granted nor forgotten.' The wife of a Miami playboy accused of a campaign of degrading sex attacks didnt appear as if she had a care in the world as she arrived for the third week of his federal trial. With a beaming smile on her face, former Victoria's Secret model Shani Zigron, 30, took a call and flashed a designer handbag as she entered the Manhattan courthouse for the ongoing trial. Her husband, Alon Alexander, 38, is accused of masterminding a sex trafficking conspiracy alongside his two brothers that allegedly involved drugging and raping at least eight women and two minors over more than a decade. The men have all pled not guilty. Unlike the wives of the other siblings, Shani has been a constant presence in court, attending daily and sitting through harrowing testimony from alleged victims. She was seen with her wedding ring in full view as she entered court on Monday, showing her support for her husband has not wavered. Zigron carried what appeared to be a large $3,800 Prada Bonnie handbag - a reminder of the wealth that surrounds the property dynasty family. The three brothers - Oren, Tal and Alon - each purchased sprawling Miami Beach mansions in 2020, properties collectively valued at nearly $30 million. Alon lived in one of the waterfront homes with Shani and their two young children until his arrest. Throughout weeks of testimony detailing alleged assaults across multiple states, Zigron has largely appeared to remain unfazed. Former Victoria's Secret model Shani Zigron flashed a big grin as she showed support for her accused husband Alon Alexander and his brothers in Manhattan federal court this week The Israeli-born model was seen wearing her wedding ring as she entered the Manhattan courtroom Zigron's husband, Alon Alexander, 38, is accused of masterminding a sex trafficking conspiracy alongside his two brothers Tal and Oren that allegedly involved drugging and raping at least eight women and two minors over more than a decade She showed a flicker of emotion when jurors were shown footage of FBI agents raiding her designer-filled closet inside the luxury Miami property. Last week, she was also seen writing in a pink diary bearing the words 'ALON COMING HOME NOW' over the last week of February, when the trial is due to conclude. In court on Tuesday, Zigron briefly left the courtroom as an alleged victim, testifying under the pseudonym Kayley Brown, took to the stand to detail an alleged rape of her friends during a trip to Aspen in 2011. Throughout the day's proceedings, she was seen passing notes with her in-laws and whispering, while the brothers sat stony-faced and only briefly spoke with their attorneys. Alon previously worked as an executive at his parents' private security company. His twin brother, Oren, and older brother. Tal, 39, built high-profile careers as luxury real estate brokers in Manhattan and Miami. Together, the brothers built a multi-million dollar fortune. While Zigron has been a fixture in court, Oren's wife, fellow model Kamila Hansen, has appeared only briefly on two occasions. Tal Alexander is in the midst of divorce proceedings from his estranged wife, Arielle, who filed to separate within weeks of his December 2024 arrest and shortly after the birth of their first child. She has not attended the trial. Oren, Tal and Alon Alexander (L-R) are facing federal sex trafficking charges in Manhattan court Zigron smiles and laughs as she enters the court for the third week The only time she seemed bothered during the trial was when the court was shown footage of her mansion being raided Inside the courtroom this week, the Alexander family maintained a composed and outwardly united front. Zigron sat alongside the brothers' parents, property developer Shlomi Alexander and his wife Orly, joined by several other supporters filling a row behind the defense table. On Monday, jurors heard emotional testimony from Maylen Gehret, who alleged that Alon drugged and raped her in Aspen, Colorado, when she was 17. Fighting back tears, she told the court she met the brothers at a nightclub where she said Alon handed her vodka cranberry drinks before her head felt 'really heavy' and she could 'barely hold it up.' She testified that the twins brought her and two friends to what was described as an afterparty but instead took them to an empty hotel room, where she said Alon assaulted her. She further alleged that he later used her phone to follow himself on Instagram and send a message reading 'hey babe.' When asked about her civil lawsuit and whether financial damages would affect her life, she told the court: 'I really hope I don't sound like a jerk, but the truth is, it would not impact my life because my father is a billionaire. 'I don't need their money. I just don't want them to have it.' The following day, jurors listened as New York City art gallery owner Lindsay Acree accused Tal Alexander of raping her in the Hamptons in 2011. Zigron, 30, has been married to Alon Alexander, 38, since 2020 Oren Alexander and wife Kamila Hansen - who has only made two appearances in court She testified that she had been invited to the Long Island home over Memorial Day weekend, expecting what she described as a 'fun weekend.' Instead, she said she quickly sensed something was wrong, recalling there was little music and few guests present. Acree told the court she accepted a glass of red wine from Tal and soon felt 'heavy,' describing the sensation as 'zombie-like.' After just a few sips, she said she 'couldn't speak' and was led to a sauna inside the mansion. In tearful testimony, she alleged that Tal and another man sexually assaulted her in the sauna. She said she later regained consciousness and was mocked in the kitchen, recalling Tal telling her: 'you had quite a night last night, you should leave the house.' As she and her friend gathered their belongings, she testified that she saw two other girls arriving at the property, describing them as 'looking really, really young.' All three brothers have denied the allegations against them. The trial continues. Shadow Cybersecurity and Science Minister Clare Chandler has dramatically quit the Liberal Party front bench, signaling an imminent leadership spill against Sussan Ley. Her departure comes less than 24 hours after former shadow defence minister Angus Taylor sensationally walked out on Wednesday night, bringing an end to weeks of mounting speculation that he would roll the party's first female leader. 'Since the election in May last year, I've sought to be a constructive member of the leadership team, and supported Sussan Ley's leadership in a difficult time,' he told reporters. 'But we can't mince words. The Liberal Party is in the worst position it has been since 1944, when the party was formed. 'I don't believe Sussan Ley is in a position to be able to lead the party as it needs to be led from here,' Taylor said. 'What we need right now is strong leadership, clear direction, and a courageous focus on our values, and the first two priorities should be protecting our way of life and restoring our standard of living.' Senator Chandler, who represents Tasmania, who has long been aligned with the party's conservative faction and is considered a key ally of Taylor, said many Australians were frustrated with the party in its current state. 'They don't see an opposition that is tackling the Albanese Government head on and holding them accountable for their failures,' she said. Shadow Cybersecurity and Science Minister Clare Chandler has dramatically quit the Liberal Party front bench, signalling an imminent leadership spill against Sussan Ley 'They just see an opposition that is obsessed with talking about itself. 'Now, I know that the Liberal Party is capable of so much better than this, but in recent days I've come to the view that that's not going to happen under the current leadership, and that's why today I've resigned from the front bench.' Daily Mail Australia understands an exodus of Taylor loyalists is now underway, with several more frontbenchers preparing to abandon their posts in the coming hours. The wave of resignations is expected ahead of a leadership challenge against Ley by Taylor, which could occur as soon as today. Daily Mail Australia political editor Peter van Onselen said it was difficult to see Ley surviving the challenge. 'Chandler's resignation is all about building momentum for Angus Taylor's challenge,' he said. 'It's actually the same playbook Tony Abbott used to blast out Malcolm Turnbull as opposition leader back in 2009. 'But this time the added tactic is getting women MPs and Senators to lead the charge, in a bid to overcome the perception that the boys' club is rolling the first female leader of the party. Join the debate What do the Liberals need to do to reconnect with Australians and become a serious opposition again? More resignations are expected ahead of a leadership challenge against Sussan Ley (pictured) 'It's the same reason Sarah Henderson and Jane Hume led the charge this week calling for change. 'It's also why Zoe McKenzie is emerging as the likely running mate for deputy. Whether it works or not is another matter. 'Either way it's very hard to see Sussan Ley surviving this looming challenge, even though Taylor asks as many questions as he answers.' The resignation comes after a series of opinion polls revealed dire results for the Liberal Party. The most recent Newspoll showed primary support for Pauline Hanson's One Nation had surged to 29 per cent, with the coalition garnering a historic low of 18 per cent. Moments before his resignation, Liberal senator Alex Antic backed Taylor as leader. 'He's going to do a good job when his time comes, whether it's now, tomorrow, six months, two years, whatever it may be,' he told Sky News. A 26-year-old man has been shot in both legs during a horror drive-by shooting. Emergency services were called to O'Connor Street in Guildford, in the city's south-west, about 11pm on Wednesday night. On arrival, officers found a 26-year-old man in a driveway with injuries to both legs after he was shot in the right calf and left foot. Police were told the man had been walking down the street when bullets were fired from a darkcoloured hatchback before it sped off. Officers provided first aid to the man before he was treated by paramedics and taken to hospital in a stable condition. Less than an hour later, in what police believe was a separate incident, shots were fired into a home about 1.5km away. Police were called to a home on ONeill Street in Guildford around 11.50pm. Three shots had been fired into a window but, fortunately, the residents were unharmed. A 26-year-old man has been shot in both legs during a horror drive-by shooting (stock image) Emergency services were called to O'Connor Street in Guildford, in the city's south-west, about 11pm on Wednesday night Witnesses who alerted officers to the incident alleged the shots came from a dark grey Hyundai i30, which then fled the scene. Police have established crime scenes at both locations. As of Thursday morning, there was no confirmed link between the two incidents, and police said they believe two separate vehicles were involved. The passengers of both cars remain at large. As inquiries continue, anyone with information into either incident or dashcam footage is urged to call Cumberland police or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000. A 72-year-old Republican congressman may retire early, according to reports, a move that would further threaten the GOP's control over the House of Representatives. Florida Rep. Neal Dunn announced last month that he would not be seeking re-election. He has served as the representative for Florida's 2nd congressional district since 2017. Dunn's potential early retirement could throw a wrench in Speaker Mike Johnson's control over the House and throttle Donald Trump's agenda. If Dunn gives up his seat before his term ends in January 2027, Republican House leadership could face major headaches trying to pass any party-line legislation. Currently, the House has 218 Republicans and 214 Democrats, meaning that Republicans can only afford to lose one member on any party-line vote. Should Dunn retire early, Republicans - at least momentarily - would not be able to pass any legislation without receiving Democratic support. A tie vote ultimately fails, according to House rules. However, a special election for ex-Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene's former seat, set for March, should add another Republican to the House, given how conservative the district is. Speaker Johnson is already facing difficulties passing any legislation without getting the entire GOP conference on board with his priorities. This has led to some of the longest votes in US history, forcing Johnson to keep votes open for hours until he gets everyone to back his agenda. Congressmen Neal Dunn and Ishmael Toroama, President of the Autonomous Region of Bougainville Dunn's potential early retirement could throw a wrench in Speaker Mike Johnson's control over the House of Representatives and tie up legislation pushed by President Donald Trump Currently Republicans only have a one-vote margin in the House of Representatives Despite an effort from GOP leadership to get Dunn to stick around, multiple Republican lawmakers have told Politico that the Florida Republican is likely to retire early in the coming months. When asked by the outlet on Wednesday about his intentions, Dunn responded: 'no comment.' The Republican has been spotted wearing a face mask on Capitol Hill in recent weeks, setting off speculation about his health. 'Don't I look good?' Dunn told reporters when asked about his health. Johnson noted how keeping Dunn around is a priority of his on Wednesday. 'Neal Dunn is a beloved member of Congress and a great man, and you know, he's informed us he's not going to run for reelection,' Johnson said. 'But I've encouraged him to stay and be a part of this, and I think he wants to do that.' Chatter about who could replace Dunn has already begun. Reports indicate that Bruesewitz and DeSantis may be interested in running for Dunn's seat The stage may be set for a messy primary between two major conservatives with dueling loyalties. Trump campaign adviser Alex Bruesewitz, who is credited with helping Trump connect with younger voters, is reportedly mulling a bid for the district, Florida's Voice reports. Governor Ron DeSantis's wife, Casey DeSantis, may also be keen on running in the district, Florida Politics reports. Dunn's office did not immediately respond to the Daily Mail's request for comment. The wife of California Governor Gavin Newsom lashed out at reporters during a press conference about Planned Parenthood. Jennifer Siebel, 51, stepped to the podium and scolded journalists for asking the 'wrong' questions during the event on women's health on Wednesday. The conference was held to discuss a newly signed bill that will provide a $90 million boost for Planned Parenthood clinics in the state. The law was passed to replace federal funding lost under President Trump's One Big Beautiful Bill Act. Newsom was standing at the podium, surrounded by his wife and supporters dressed in pink, when he began answering questions that did not concern women's health. After he answered a series of unrelated questions, the posse behind him started chanting: 'Planned Parenthood, protect women!' Newsom began chuckling and Siebel was seen whispering something in his ear before she approached the microphone. Jennifer Siebel, 51, took the stand and scolded reporters for asking the 'wrong' questions at the conference Siebel whispered in Newsom's ear before she approached the microphone 'We just find it incredulous that we have Planned Parenthood here and women are 51 percent of the population,' she said. 'And majority of these questions - all of these questions - have really been about other issues. 'It's just fascinating, you have this incredible women's caucus and all these allies, and you're not asking about it. 'This happens over and over again. You wonder why we have such a horrific war on women in this country, and that these guys are getting away with it. 'You don't seem to care. So I just offer that with love.' The room seemed to be filled with female reporters, many of whom were heard pressing the Democrat with questions. The bill was approved Monday, and Newsom said he will push efforts to protect funding for the organization. Join the debate Should politicians' families call out reporters for not focusing on women's health issues at events? California Governor Gavin Newsom and his wife, Jennifer Siebel Newsom, at a press conference back in October 2025 Siebel is standing in front of a bright pink 'Stopping Trump's War on Women' sign, surrounded by a caucus of women and allies 'These cuts were designed to attack and assault Planned Parenthood,' Newsom said, blaming the current administration. 'They were not abortion cuts. They were attacks on wellness screenings. They were attacks on womens healthcare, period, full stop.' Trumps One Big Beautiful Bill Act prevents states from using federal Medicaid money to fund Planned Parenthoods non-abortion services for one year. The funding is set to start again in July 2026, and the blue state has been fighting hard to regain the money. Infrastructure Minister Catherine King has continued the government's attack on Angus Taylor in a pre-emptive strike designed to rattle the Coalition. King on Thursday highlighted commentary from the Coalition's own ranks about Ley's treatment. 'In the last nine months we have seen the persistent undermining of the Liberal Party's first-ever female leader from day one,' she said. 'Those are not my words. Those are the words of your Shadow AttorneyGeneral and I could not agree more. 'While the Liberals engage in the spectacle that we see before us, Labor is getting on with the work, and we are working every day for the women of this country.' The attacks continued when Regional Development Minister Kristy McBain referenced Taylor's reputation for elite academic achievement. 'Now I am not a Rhodes scholar, I did not study economics at Oxford and I attended a humble but mighty public school,' she said. 'Numbers matter in this place, and I heard the member for Hume described as a numbers man this morning. 'I hope he gets it right this time.' Taylor's highflying academic background includes studying at Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar, where he completed a Master of Philosophy in Economics. Daily Mail understands that Labor plans to frame Taylor as 'elite and out-of-touch', if he is to become Opposition leader. Energy Minister Chris Bowen then delivered his own pointed contribution, tying current criticisms of Taylor to past controversies, particularly the highly publicised Clover Moore travel figures scandal. In 2019, Taylor faced intense scrutiny after his office used travel expense figures for Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore that were later shown to be wildly incorrect. Sydney City Council records showed councillors spent only around $6,000, not the $15million Taylor's office had claimed using an apparently doctored document. Bowen also referenced a wellknown 2016 incident in which Taylor appeared to accidentally post praise for himself from his own Facebook account, an episode he attributed to an error made by his staff. 'Because the numbers are not a strong point for the member for Hume,' he said. 'When he is not getting them wrong, he is fixing them by changing the law, or making them up like he did when it comes to the Lord Mayor's travel bill in the City of Sydney, and then blaming his staff for it. 'The only thing the member for Hume has more trouble with than the numbers is working out what Facebook account he is logged into at any particular time.' Royal biographer Omid Scobie has said his new fiction book about a feisty American publicist falling in love with a handsome British Duke is a 'real mix of things true and not true'. Royal Spin is the 44-year-old journalist's first foray into fiction, as Scobie teamed up with young adult author Robin Benway to write a book inspired by Emily In Paris and gay romance, Red, White & Royal Blue, according to its blurb. Some people have suggested the plot is inspired by Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's whirlwind love story, and Scobie addressed the comparisons in a recent interview promoting Royal Spin. During an appearance on Good Morning America, the Finding Freedom author said: 'We really wanted to make sure that this felt like a completely separate universe. We didn't want someone to be like, "That's Harry and Meghan! That's the Andrew situation." We wanted it to live in its own space.' However, he added his job as a royal reporter inspired the plotlines and characters, explaining: 'It's a real mix of things true and not true.' The book chronicles the adventures of Lauren Morgan, an American spin doctor who quits her job at the White House to be appointed head of communications at Buckingham Palace in a decision that alters her life forever. Both Scobie and his co-author Benway have maintained that the 'royals in our book definitely have their own things going on', adding that it's a 'completely alternate universe'. Plot points include Lauren's strained relationship with her father, the fictional Duke's disdain for the Palace press office, and a 'racist' royal overheard telling a foreigner to 'learn proper English'. Royal biographer Omid Scobie has said his new fiction book about a feisty American publicist falling in love with a handsome British Duke is a 'real mix of things true and not true' Some people have suggested the plot is inspired by Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's whirlwind love story, and Scobie addressed the comparisons in a recent interview promoting Royal Spin Listing some that may have been inspired by real events, Daily Mail columnist Jan Moir noted protagonist Lauren's difficult relationship with her troubled father in what was seen as a thinly-veiled reference to Meghan's father, Thomas Markle. The plucky American heroine also hates 'pantyhose' like the Duchess of Sussex, who said she was made to 'wear nude pantyhose' during her time as a working royal in an interview with Bloomberg's Emily Chang last year. 'Let's be honest, that was not very myself. I hadn't seen pantyhose since movies in the 80s when they came in the little egg. That felt a little bit inauthentic,' she said while emphasising her relief at being able to 'be myself'. One of the scandals facing Scobie's 'alternate' royal family comes when a 'royal-by-marriage wife places a highly offensive racist vase' during a luncheon for NHS workers from the Caribbean nations. Ms Moir felt this was a pointed reference to Princess Michael of Kent, who had to apologise for wearing a blackamoor brooch to the Queen's Christmas banquet at Buckingham Palace in 2017. Meghan, then Prince Harry's fiancee, was also present at the gathering as a spokesperson for the wife of Prince Michael said she was 'very sorry and distressed' that the brooch 'caused offence' and promised not to wear it again. Scobie's protagonist Lauren falls for the handsome 'Duke of Exeter' Jasper, who is described as a 'misunderstood maverick'. At one point, he talks about the royal family's 'playbook' in a bit of dialogue that echoes Prince Harry's own accusations about The Firm's press office. During the Sussexes' explosive, two-part Netflix docuseries that was released in 2022, he said: 'There's a hierarchy in the family, you know, there's leaking... but there's also planting of stories. Daily Mail columnist Jan Moir noted protagonist Lauren's difficult relationship with her troubled father in what was seen as a thinly-veiled reference to Meghan's father, Thomas Markle The plucky American heroine also hates 'pantyhose' like the Duchess of Sussex, who said she was made to 'wear nude pantyhose' during her time as a working royal in an interview with Bloomberg's Emily Chang last year 'So if the comms team want to be able to remove a negative story about their Principal, they will trade and give you something about someone else's Principal. 'So the offices end up working against each other. It's a kind of weird understanding or acceptance that happens.' Meanwhile, Jasper tells Lauren: 'I know how this works. They bring you in, build you up, then offer you as a sacrifice when someone with a higher rank makes a mistake. It is the playbook that works, and they use it every single time.' Neither Buckingham Palace nor Kensington Palace commented on claims made in the docuseries. In interviews promoting his new book, Scobie has maintained that it is a 'real mix of things true and not true'. However, speaking with co-author Benway, he told Good Morning America that his job as a royal reporter certainly inspired the characters and storytelling. 'I kept notes and diaries for 12 years doing that job, and I brought a lot of my own experiences into the characters, including our royal correspondent, our protagonist Laura Morgan, who is the woman who moves from the White House to take over the Buckingham Palace press office,' the author added. One of the scandals facing Scobie's 'alternate' royal family comes when a 'royal-by-marriage wife places a highly offensive racist vase' during a luncheon for NHS workers from the Caribbean nations. Ms Moir felt this was a pointed reference to Princess Michael of Kent (pictured) after she apologised for wearing a a blackamoor brooch in 2017 He told Marie Claire that his new novel is 'set in a space that has never really been explored before' while drawing parallels with the Netflix blockbuster Emily in Paris, about an American social media marketing executive who follows her dreams to the French capital. 'Like yes, we have seen a young woman move to a European country. Emily In Paris did a great job of that, but we haven't seen this kind of culture clash within a traditional institution,' Scobie said. Meanwhile, Benway told the magazine that, as a fiction author, she knew the subject matter was rife with potential. 'Like it's almost Shakespearean. It's family dynamics. It's so not universal and yet extremely universal, the effects of your family and how does it affect the generations after that.' Elsewhere, Scobie also addressed the release of the latest batch of Epstein Files that revealed further links to the disgraced Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson. He said: 'We've seen an increasing amount of pressure on not only the royals but the royal institution to speak about this and be transparent about it, to acknowledge the severity of the situation. 'Of course, we've just had a statement from Kensington Palace, and I would expect more from others over the days ahead.' On Monday, the Prince and Princess of Wales said they were 'deeply concerned' by the latest revelations about Andrew and the disgraced paedophile financier in their first statement since the scandal broke. Scobie's co-author Benway told Marie Claire that, as a fiction author, she knew the subject matter was rife with potential 'I can confirm The Prince and Princess have been deeply concerned by the continuing revelations,' a spokesperson said. 'Their thoughts remain focused on the victims.' This was followed by a statement from Buckingham Palace, noting King Charles's 'profound concern' at allegations about his younger brother's conduct. The statement read: 'The King has made clear, in words and through unprecedented actions, his profound concern at allegations which continue to come to light in respect of Mr Mountbatten-Windsor's conduct. 'While the specific claims in question are for Mr Mountbatten-Windsor to address, if we are approached by Thames Valley Police, we stand ready to support them as you would expect. 'As was previously stated, Their Majesties' thoughts and sympathies have been, and remain with, the victims of any and all forms of abuse.' The King spoke out after Andrew appeared to have shared confidential reports and investment opportunities while working as a trade envoy in Asia in 2010 and 2011, newly discovered emails in the Epstein Files revealed. Andrew was stripped of his royal and military titles last November amid continued scrutiny into his friendship with Jeffrey Epstein. In 2014, the late Virginia Giuffre alleged that she was sex trafficked to Andrew by Epstein when she was 17, which Andrew denies. There are now also accusations that a second woman was trafficked to him for sex at his mansion, Royal Lodge, before she was given tea and a tour of Buckingham Palace. Andrew has not commented on the latest allegations at the time of writing. Reflecting on the scandal, Scobie also suggested his book Finding Freedom, about the Sussexes' split from the Royal Family, 'questioned the future of the monarchy' as Scobie added: 'We're seeing different things unfold at the moment. 'So, if there's a story to tell, I'm happy to do it.' Princess Kate and Prince William have today expressed their gratitude to the students and staff affected by the 'appalling' school shooting that shocked Canada on Tuesday. At least nine people were killed, including two at a private residence, and at least 27 others were injured after the shooter opened fire at the Tumbler Ridge Secondary School in British Columbia, making it the second-deadliest school shooting in Canadian history. The shooter, identified as 18-year-old Jesse Van Rootselaar, killed themselves at the scene. A motive for the tragedy has not yet been established. Taking to social media, the Prince and Princess of Wales wrote: 'We stand with all Canadians following this morning's appalling tragedy. 'Our hearts are with the entire Tumbler Ridge community, and we extend our deepest condolences to the families and friends affected by this devastating loss. 'We are so thankful for the courage shown by the students, staff, and emergency responders who acted with selflessness in the face of such violence.' It was signed off with their signature: 'W & C.' Earlier, King Charles expressed his profound 'shock and sadness' at the 'senseless act of brutal violence' that struck the school. Charles, who is the monarch of Canada, said in a message: 'My wife and I were profoundly shocked and saddened to learn of the most dreadful attack at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School in British Columbia. The Prince and Princess of Wales took to social media to express their condolences At least nine people were killed, including two at a private residence, and at least 27 others were injured after the shooter opened fire at the Tumbler Ridge Secondary School in British Columbia (pictured) Your browser does not support iframes. 'We can only express our deepest possible sympathy to the families who are grieving the unimaginable loss of their loved ones and those still awaiting news from hospital. 'In such a closely connected town, every child's name will be known and every family will be a neighbour. 'We can only begin to imagine the appalling shadow that has now descended across Tumbler Ridge and our hearts go out to all those whose lives have been so shattered by this senseless act of brutal violence. 'I very much wish to thank the town's police and staff at the health centre for their courage as first responders, and all those across British Columbia who have helped in every way they have. 'In sending our most heartfelt condolences, my wife and I stand in solidarity with the people of Tumbler Ridge and all Canadians as they seek understanding, healing and strength.' A 12-year-old girl was left fighting for life in hospital after she was shot in the head and neck during the shooting. Maya Gebala was one of those wounded in the attack. Her mother Cia Edmonds said she was by her daughter's bedside after she was airlifted to Vancouver Children's Hospital. Maya Gebala was one of 27 people injured in the shooting. She was shot in the head and neck and is receiving urgent medical treatment at a hospital in Vancouver Maya was one of at least two-dozen children and teachers wounded when a 'female in a dress' opened fire at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School 'Today started as any other. Now, however, my 12-year-old daughter is fighting for her life while they try to repair the damage from a gunshot wound to the head, and one to the neck,' she said. Tumbler Ridge auto mechanic teacher Jarbas Noronha said he was locked in his classroom with his students for over two hours before they were escorted to safety. 'We were in the safest part of the school,' he told The New York Times. 'If someone tried to break in through the hallway door, we would run to the yard through the garage doors.' Noronha added, 'I'm quite calm, but I still don't know how many students were hurt. I don't think many students are in a condition to go back now.' He said the shooting has shaken Tumbler Ridge, which he describes as a 'hunting town.' 'Everyone has guns here,' Noronha said. Student Quinn Campbell, 12, recalled hiding in the Tumbler Ridge Secondary School gymnasium for hours with other students as shots rang out. 'I was just thinking about all of my friends, if they were okay. Thinking about my family,' Campbell, who is in Grade 7, told The Globe and Mail. Police said at least seven students at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School were shot dead on Tuesday afternoon, with two other people also found dead at a residence in Tumbler Ridge, before the shooter killed themselves at the school Children were led out of the school as emergency services rushed to the building following the shooting She said she and 16 other students, plus a teacher hit in the room with the door locked and the lights off for several hours. Tumnler Ridge has just 160 students, between the seventh and twelfth grade, according to its website. The school district announced that Tumbler Ridge Secondary School and Tumbler Ridge Elementary School will be closed for the remainder of the week after Tuesday's shooting. 'Due to the tragic events that unfolded in community of Tumbler Ridge today, Tumbler Ridge Secondary School and Tumbler Ridge Elementary School will be closed for the rest of the week,' the district said. 'The district will make supports available and once we have the locations for where the supports will be we will put that information on social media.' Canada's government has responded to previous mass shootings with gun control measures, according to the Associated Press. It has banned more than 2,500 makes and models of assault-style firearms since May 2020, and a national freeze on the sale and purchase of handguns took effect in October 2022. More than 12,000 assault-style weapons were collected and destroyed as part of a compensation program for businesses that ran between November 2024 and April 2025, according to government officials. A similar program for individuals opened last month to compensate gun owners who voluntarily turn in banned weapons by March 31. Those who do not participate must dispose of or permanently deactivate their prohibited guns before an amnesty period ends October 30. A mansion built for a duke which later became a party house for Hollywood royalty is on the market for 3 million. With an art deco cinema room, a wrap-around rosewood drinks bar and a sweeping staircase, the house on Marine Parade, Brighton, resembles a time capsule from the golden age of Hollywood. The property's list of owners and guests reads like a Who's Who of 20th century stage, screen and the arts featuring Laurence Olivier, Vivien Leigh, Tony Hancock and Sir Terence Rattigan. After being built for the Duke Of Bedford around 1810, it was later bought by the Queen Mother's favourite artist, Cecil D'Oyly John and then the pre-eminent playwright Sir Terence Rattigan. Known for plays including The Winslow Boy, The Browning Version, and The Deep Blue Sea, he is commemorated with a blue Regency Society plaque on the outside of the house. The playwright used the property as a seafront retreat and party house for friends such as actors Laurence Olivier, Vivien Leigh and Margaret Leighton. The six-bedroom house has stunning views over the English Channel and a spacious, south-facing courtyard. The luxurious art deco cinema room has been restored and upgraded by the current owners to offer a perfect space for watching classic films The cinema space has been used by UK and foreign TV and film companies for location filming The enormous reception room opens through a grand archway with natural light pouring in through the tall windows The reception room is inviting and cosy with a wood burning stove, wooden floors and sofas With many appliances and bespoke walnut drawers, the handmade real wood kitchen and breakfast room achieves the perfect balance of modern design and period charm Great care has been taken to honour and preserve the mansion's character shaped by its influential occupants. A grand wooden spiral staircase which was installed in the 1960s by Sir Rattigan to impress his guests with a dramatic entrance remains a striking centrepiece in the property. The enormous reception room opens through a grand archway with natural light pouring in through the tall windows. With a wood burning stove set within a white carrarra marble fireplace, cast iron radiators and tartan carpet throughout, the room is inviting and cosy. The handmade real wood kitchen and breakfast room achieves the perfect balance of modern design and period charm with many appliances and bespoke walnut drawers. The first floor features ornate plaster cast ceilings are enhanced with gilded accents and a beautiful open marble fireplace. One of the property's bathrooms is fit with a large modern bath, shower and silver accents All six of the property's bedrooms are spacious with large beds and stylish wallpaper The mansion on Marine Parade, Brighton, which became a party house for Hollywood royalty is on the market for 3 million The main house has three double bedrooms, each with en-suites, two reception rooms, a kitchen diner and a study. The bookcases which frame the study's original Georgian fireplace were installed in Rattigans ownership, a room where he likely spent many hours writing. A double bedroom on the second floor is known as the Margaret Leighton Suite, named after the BAFTA-winning actress who became Sir Rattigan's muse. Sir Rattigan originally created a pink ensuite for her, which has been honoured by the current owners who have updated the bathroom with underfloor heating, a marble mosaic tiled floor and a drench style shower. There is also luxurious art deco cinema room, restored and upgraded by the current owners, which has been used by UK and foreign TV and film companies for location filming. Adorning the walls are four paintings by the celebrated artist and former owner Cecil D'Oyly John which can be bought by separate negotiation. Actors such as Laurence Olivier and Vivien Leigh (pictured) were two of Sir Rattigan's friends he would host at the mansion Playwright Sir Terence Rattigan, known for plays including The Winslow Boy, The Browning Version, and The Deep Blue Sea, previously owned the property Sir Rattigan is commemorated with a blue Regency Society plaque on the outside of the house The property, known as Bedford House, was listed for 3.5 million last year but has had its price slashed this month to 3 million. The mansion's glittering past will not be forgotten with a bust of Sir Rattigan and a signed photograph of Margaret Leighton remaining in the home. Offered by estate agents, Fine & Country, the listing boasts: 'Descending to the lower ground floor you will find a particularly special art-deco inspired three double bedroom, two bathroom apartment. 'What makes this floor particularly special is the extraordinary cinema room, perfectly suited to the film star guests who once frequented this period property. 'This Art Deco inspired room is a complete indulgence, with a stunning stained-glass entrance, a lit staircase and a high gloss rosewood and Birdseye maple bar. 'Electric curtains open to reveal the large TV, wired with surround sound, it offers a true cinematic experience for both film and television.' Just yards from Brighton's pebble beach, the new owners will be able to take advantage of perfect swimming spots and the seafront bars and restaurants. Florida's real estate market is officially in crisis - and nowhere is it worse than Punta Gorda, where homeowners have seen more than $25,000 wiped off the value of their homes in just a year, according to new data. Nine Florida markets have suffered five-figure drops, the findings from Realtor.com show, with the median loss for homeowners statewide climbing up to $10,157 between January 2025 and January 2026. While flashy enclaves like Palm Beach and Manalapan grab headlines for sky-high prices, ordinary Floridians are losing serious equity. Punta Gorda leads the carnage, with home values plunging 7.97 percent - slashing the median property value by $26,624, according to the data. A sleepy paradise of historic brick-lined streets, charming waterfront marinas and sun-soaked canals, Punta Gorda is now ground zero for Florida's housing bloodbath. Long known as a haven for retirees and second-home buyers, the coastal city's housing market is experiencing such a sharp decline that builders have abandoned projects and house prices have been slashed, realtors have told the Daily Mail. Homes that once sold in days are now sitting on the market for weeks and having their listing prices slashed by thousands - and even high-end waterfront properties aren't immune. For many residents, the dream of cashing in on soaring real estate values has vanished almost overnight, leaving many reeling as their equity evaporates. Homeowners in Punta Gorda (pictured) have seen nearly $25,000 wiped off the value of their homes in just a year What was previously a haven for retirees and second-home buyers - with charming brick-lined streets and scenic harbor views - has suddenly become a cautionary tale (pictured: a home in Punta Gorda) When Punta Gorda's housing market was booming, homeowners who sold their properties typically walked away with huge profits - about 88 percent more than what they originally paid. But as prices have dropped, that cushion has shrunk dramatically. Now, sellers are walking away with just 58 percent profit on average, meaning tens of thousands of dollars in paper gains have vanished. In other words, even people who are still 'up' on paper are making far less than they expected - and anyone who bought more recently is far closer to breaking even, or slipping underwater. That collapse in potential profits is the second worst in the country, trailing only Ocala, another Florida city where home values have fallen sharply. 'High inventory and fewer buyers are what is depressing the market there,' explained Omer Reiner, a realtor and president of FL Cash Home Buyers, LLC. 'Punta Gorda is about halfway between Sarasota and Fort Myers, and the town is experiencing an influx of new residents. It is still a smallish town, with about 20,000 residents, known for a slower pace,' Reiner told the Daily Mail. He continued: 'That said, the housing market is seeing a steady drop in listing prices and longer time on the market, starting in the last half of 2025. Even with population growth, homes just aren't moving quickly, and that gives a smaller pool of buyers the advantage.' According to Reiner, one major factor weighing on the market is insurance. Homes in Punta Gorda that once sold in days are now sitting on the market for weeks, and even waterfront properties aren't immune Once a sleepy paradise of historic streets, waterfront marinas, and sun-soaked canals, Punta Gorda is now ground zero for Florida's housing bloodbath Chen Zhao, Redfin economist 'With all of the weather disasters over the past several years in Florida, and the increased cost of construction materials, finding affordable home insurance is nearly impossible,' he said. 'It's scaring off people who might have been casually looking in the area.' More than a third of properties sold in Punta Gorda are cash deals, Reiner added - pointing to investors and buyers who are carrying over equity from stronger Florida markets. 'Punta Gorda's market is definitely declining more - and faster - than other areas in Southwest Florida,' he said. Redfin economist Chen Zhao told the Daily Mail that Punta Gorda experienced a sharper correction in 2025 because prices rose so quickly in the years leading up to it, leaving the market more exposed when demand cooled. 'As inventory increased and buyers pulled back mid-year, median prices fell more noticeably than in prior years,' Zhao said. 'That created the appearance of lost equity, even though prices partially recovered by year's end and remain well above pre-pandemic levels.' More than 800 Punta Gorda homes currently listed on Realtor.com carry price cuts - a clear sign sellers are scrambling as the market cools. For smaller homes and condos, those reductions can be relatively modest, sometimes as little as $5,000. But at the top end of the market, the cuts are far more dramatic, with six-figure sums slashed off luxury listings. One striking example is a five-bedroom, 3.5-bathroom estate spread across 7.26 acres, now listed for under $1.3 million after the seller knocked $139,000 off the asking price in an effort to attract buyers. Sellers in Punta Gorda are walking away with just 58 percent profit on average, meaning tens of thousands of dollars in paper gains have vanished Omer Reiner, a realtor and president of FL Cash Home Buyers, LLC A local realtor told the Daily Mail that builders began abandoning projects in Punta Gorda several years ago, once it became clear the coastal enclave was heading downhill. Derek Carlson, who runs a brokerage with more than 1,300 real estate agents across Florida, describes Punta Gorda as 'surrounded by wealth,' positioned between Naples, Marco Island, and Sarasota - a dynamic that drew buyers during the pandemic because it was 'budget-conscious' compared with its neighbors. He says that affordability 'ballooned the numbers,' pulling in investors, builders, and buyers priced out of nearby markets. As a result, 'pandemic-era pricing is being flushed out,' and homes are 'getting back to the values that they should be,' after the area became 'a little bit overpriced.' Carlson characterizes the current moment as a correction driven by buyers who are now 'payment-focused,' with 'less emotion than there was in the past,' leading to falling equity rather than a collapse. He adds that inflated expectations from the boom years are being exposed as 'outrageous home values' and speculative activity unwind. Carlson's assessment suggests Punta Gorda is not an outlier, but part of a broader Florida reckoning, as markets that surged during the pandemic now lead the state in equity losses. Other hard-hit areas include Cape Coral-Fort Myers, North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, Naples-Marco Island, Sebastian-Vero Beach, Lakeland-Winter Haven, Port St. Lucie, The Villages, Daytona Beach, and Homosassa Springs - all seeing significant losses. A local realtor told the Daily Mail that builders began abandoning projects in Punta Gorda several years ago, once it became clear the coastal enclave was heading downhil Joel Berner, senior economist at Realtor.com Out of 29 Florida metros, only Arcadia, Palatka, Clewiston, and Lake City managed modest gains, topping out at $2,427 - hardly enough to offset the broader devastation. Experts warn this may be just the tip of the iceberg - and if Florida is any indicator, the rest of the country could soon face a similar housing reckoning. Joel Berner, senior economist at Realtor.com, says weak demand has contributed to falling home values nationwide. 'High prices have kept buyers from being able to afford homes, and many have dropped out of the market, allowing listings to sit longer and prices to be cut,' Berner said. While weak demand is particularly pronounced in Florida, it's an issue being seen coast to coast. The post-Covid housing boom saw ultra-low mortgage rates and fierce demand give sellers the upper hand and send prices soaring. Now, pandemic boomtowns in Florida, Texas, and Arizona - places Americans flocked to for sunshine, space, and lower taxes - are facing the hangover from that rush. Builders overdeveloped aggressively, leaving far more supply than demand - especially in the condo market, which is facing a crisis of its own. When Punta Gorda's housing market was booming, homeowners who sold their properties typically walked away with huge profits (pictured: a home in Punta Gorda) But it's not just former Covid hotspots. A recent Redfin report shows there are now only five seller's markets left in the US, leaving buyers in control almost everywhere. A buyer's market occurs when homes for sale outnumber buyers, giving shoppers leverage to negotiate prices, request concessions, and take their time. Nationwide, there were 47 percent more sellers than buyers in December - the widest gap in a decade and a strong signal that price cuts are likely to spread. The strongest buyer's markets last month were concentrated in the Sun Belt, while all five seller's markets were clustered in the Northeast and Midwest. 'The Sun Belt isn't doomed, but it is going through a necessary reset,' Redfin chief economist Daryl Fairweather told the Daily Mail. 'These metros benefited enormously from pandemic-era migration and low rates, which encouraged rapid construction,' she said. 'Now, inventory growth is outpacing buyer demand, tipping markets firmly in buyers' favor.' The update comes after Realtor.com revealed that 26 of the country's 50 largest metro areas now have lower home prices than a year ago. For the first time in nearly three years, the median US listing price has slipped below $400,000 - a key psychological threshold that held firm throughout the pandemic boom. A Harvard scientist has suggested that our Solar System may be far more crowded with interstellar objects, chunks of rock or ice from other star systems, than anyone realized. Avi Loeb, who made headlines for his controversial claim that 3I/ATLAS could be an alien spacecraft, presented new data and calculations indicating that roughly 35 million meter-scale interstellar objects are embedded inside Earth's orbit. This conclusion comes from the detection of two interstellar meteor candidates, CNEOS-22 and CNEOS-25, recorded in 2022 over the Pacific and in 2025 over the Barents Sea in the Arctic. The objects were small, about six feet and four feet across, but traveling fast enough to exceed the Solar System's escape velocity. Loeb and his team estimated that such meteors collide with Earth about once every three years, implying a dense population of similar objects around the Sun. Each meter-scale object could carry roughly three million tons of material, totaling about 220 billion tons within Earth's orbit. Larger interstellar objects like 3I/ATLAS are far rarer, but their greater mass makes their total contribution similar, suggesting smaller objects may be fragments of bigger bodies. Loeb said studying this population could reveal how material moves between star systems. Pictured is an artist impression of the first known interstellar visitor, the object 'Oumuamua, was detected on October 19, 2017, as it passed through the inner Solar System This idea builds on discoveries like the famous 'Oumuamua and comet Borisov, plus newer findings about massive interstellar objects, implying that space is filled with 'interstellar trash' drifting between stars. The first known interstellar visitor, the object 'Oumuamua, was detected on October 19, 2017, as it passed through the inner Solar System. Two years later, on August 30, 2019, comet Borisov became the second confirmed interstellar object, traveling on a hyperbolic path that marked it as a visitor from another star system. With improved observations, including next-generation telescopes and potential space interceptors, scientists could better measure interstellar visitors' properties, origins, and trajectories. In a Tuesday blog post, Loeb said a coordinated effort could alert Earth to threats from natural impacts or, in rare cases, artificial objects, expanding planetary defense beyond Solar System asteroids. He plans to seek funding for ocean expeditions to recover material from CNEOS-22 and CNEOS-25. Radioactive dating could estimate how long the objects traveled through interstellar space and help trace their origins. Loeb has previously argued that debris recovered from a 2014 meteor near Papua New Guinea could include artificial fragments, though the claim remains disputed. Avi Loeb, who made headlines for his controversial claim that 3I/ATLAS (PICTURED) could be an alien spacecraft, presented new data and calculations indicating that roughly 35 million meter-scale interstellar objects are embedded inside Earth's orbit His team reported finding hundreds of tiny metallic spheres on the ocean floor, some with unusual compositions that he says do not match known alloys. Loeb has also speculated that a future civilization could one day find a human-made object like Voyager entering its atmosphere. Voyager 1 and 2, after traveling billions of years across the Milky Way, might eventually strike a habitable exoplanet. Alien scientists could discover the 12-inch Golden Record, which carries images, natural sounds, music, and greetings in 55 languages. Recognizing the artifact as evidence of intelligent life would be a profound scientific challenge, Loeb wrote. By combining atmospheric meteor detection, satellite monitoring, and powerful telescopes, researchers could gain unprecedented insight into material circulating between stars. Such work could transform our understanding of interstellar space while improving readiness for future encounters with objects from beyond the Solar System. If Loeb's estimates hold, the sun's neighborhood is far busier than previously assumed, filled with relics from distant planetary systems. Each object represents a tiny sample of another star's history, carrying clues about how planets and debris form across the galaxy. Whether they are ordinary rocks or rare technological artifacts, these visitors offer a new frontier for astronomy, planetary science, and the search for extraterrestrial intelligence. For now, most scientists expect the objects to be natural, but their sheer number raises new questions about what drifts unseen through interstellar space. Loeb's work adds to a growing body of research suggesting that interstellar visitors may be common, not rare, and that Earth is constantly moving through material from other stars. The findings underscore both the scientific opportunity and the need for vigilance. Electric vehicles (EVs) deliver 'no proven carbon savings' in the UK, scientists have warned. In a new study, described as a 'sanity check' for Britain's Net Zero ambitions, researchers from Queen Mary University say that the push towards EVs is fundamentally misguided. Because the UK's electricity grid hasn't switched to renewable energy sources, EVs 'run almost entirely on fossil fuel burnt at power stations', according to the team. As a result, the experts claim the most ecofriendly option is actually a hybrid or efficient diesel car. In their new paper, accepted for publication in the journal Environmental Research, the scientists compared the UK's 2030 Net Zero plan with realworld data from 2023. They found that the variability of wind and solar power has been 'grossly underestimated' in the government's plans. On overcast or windless days, there are significant gaps in energy supply that have to be met by gasfired power stations. Since EVs increase demand for electricity during these periods, charging a new EV only results in more fossil fuels being burned to provide the extra electricity. Electric vehicles (EVs) deliver 'no proven carbon savings' in the UK, scientists have warned (stock image) Even though renewables like wind (light green) can provide 43.6 per cent of Britain's electricity, new demand that exceeds capacity is met by burning gas. This means adding new EVs only means that more fossil fuels are burned In 2024, the government announced that it was bringing forward plans to decarbonise British electricity generation from 2035 to 2030. That would involve generating 43 to 50 GW of offshore wind power, 27 to 29 GW of onshore wind power, 45 to 47 GW of solar power, and significantly reducing demand for fossil fuels. At the same time, the government has also been attempting to encourage the adoption of 'clean' electrified technology like EVs and heat pumps. However, the researchers argue that this represents a fundamental error in planning. Coauthor Professor Alan Drew explained: 'The UK urgently needs to rethink its priorities. 'EVs and heat pumps will be valuable later but for now, we must stop pretending they are reducing emissions when the data shows they aren't.' Most research into EV carbon savings calculates their energy consumption based on the total power mix in the UK grid. In 2025, renewable energy made up 44 per cent of the UK grid's power supply on average. Your browser does not support iframes. At the point of driving, recent research estimates that producing the energy to charge an EV creates 75 per cent less CO2 than the equivalent petrol or diesel fuel. It might, therefore, look like buying an EV would result in less fossil fuel being burned. However, the researchers argue that this is not the case. Coauthor Professor David Dunstan, also a physicist from Queen Mary University, told the Daily Mail: 'The mix of current generation is not what is relevant. Adding electricity demand by adding EVs does not increase the amount of lowcarbon and renewable generation. It can only be met by increasing the fossil gas burn.' In other words, buying a new EV simply adds one extra carworth of demand to the UK's energy grid. If there were plenty of surplus renewable energy to meet that demand, then you would make some emissions savings by going electric. However, in the UK, that extra demand on the grid is only met by burning more fossil fuels. An EV only shifts the point of CO2 production back to the point where fossil fuels are burned at the power plant, without making any real savings. Your browser does not support iframes. The researchers argue that there is no point adding more EVs until the UK improves its renewable energy production and adds the capacity to store and use surplus green energy. Pictured: Kentish Flats Offshore Wind Farm near Whitstable With the UK grid capacity as it currently stands, ecofriendly drivers would be better off with an efficient hybrid or a very efficient diesel car that will actually reduce the amount of fossil fuels being burned, according to the researchers. Professor Dunstan and Professor Drew argue that there is no point in increasing electricity demand before we have finished decarbonising the UK's energy supply. However, scientists who study the decarbonisation of the energy grid strongly dispute their findings. Dr Iaian Staffell, Associate Professor of Sustainable Energy at Imperial College London, told the Daily Mail: 'Their headline claim about electric vehicles is straight-up misleading, and it baffles me how this got through academic peer review.' Most importantly, the researchers ignore the fact that an electric vehicle charged only from gas power plants will still save carbon compared to an internal combustion engine. 'Even though fossil fuels are still going in, gas emits 20 per cent less carbon than oil when burnt, and the combination of a power station plus the battery and motor is 1.5 to 2.3 times more efficient than a cars engine,' explains Dr Staffell. Likewise, their paper 'ignores what is actually being done to balance out wind and solar power', including smart-chargers and new interconnectors. Dr Staffell says: 'In the end, no matter how you look at the question of what mix of electricity charges our electric cars, there is no way for an electric vehicle in Britain to be higher carbon than a similar petrol or diesel car.' The Trump administration announced it had taken down a Mexican cartel drone flying into US airspace - only to confirm hours later that the object was nothing more than a party balloon. The chaos began when anti-drone technology was deployed near the southern border to target what officials initially believed were foreign drones. The object was later identified as a party balloon, according to sources. At least one was shot down, multiple sources said. The incident forced the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to initially shut down El Paso airspace, which spans two border states, for ten days. On Tuesday night, FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford moved to close the airspace without alerting the White House, the Pentagon, or Homeland Security officials, sources told CBS News. Hours later, the agency lifted the ban, noting that there was no ongoing threat to commercial travel. However, the White House stated on Wednesday, saying: 'Mexican cartel drones breached US airspace. 'The Department of Defense took action to disable the drones.' The restricted airspace covered a ten-mile-wide area centered roughly five miles southwest of El Paso, extending from the ground up to 18,000 feet Your browser does not support iframes. The FAA order, announced at 11.30pm on Tuesday, covered a ten-mile-wide area roughly five miles southwest of the Texas city, from the ground up to 18,000 feet. El Paso airport describes itself as the gateway to West Texas, southern New Mexico and northern Mexico. Southwest, United, American and Delta all operate flights from there, among others. Pilots who failed to follow the restrictions were threatened with questioning or detainment by law enforcement or security personnel. The last time US airspace was shut down for national security was after 9/11. The FAA also temporarily closed airspace over New Orleans following Hurricane Katrina, but that was due to storm damage. Unlike previous restrictions, the El Paso closure blocked all flights over the city, including police and medical helicopters. It is a move rarely, if ever, seen in modern US aviation. A spokesman for El Paso airport said: 'The FAA, on short notice, issued a temporary flight restriction halting all flights to and from El Paso. 'Commercial airlines operating out of El Paso are being informed of the restriction, which appears to be security-related.' El Paso International Airport handled more than four million travelers in 2024, the most recent year with published statistics El Paso International Airport handled more than four million travelers in 2024, the most recent year for which statistics are available. Major airlines, including Southwest, United, American and Delta, operate flights at the airport, and the nearby US Army base, Fort Bliss, sits less than three miles away. At the direction of the FAA, Southwest has temporarily paused all operations to and from El Paso. The airline said it had notified affected passengers and will share updates as more information becomes available. 'Nothing is more important to Southwest than the safety of its customers and employees,' its spokesman said. United Airlines announced that travelers with flights to or from El Paso during the airspace shutdown can adjust their plans without incurring change fees or fare differences. The waiver applies to new flights booked between February 21 and February 28, the company confirmed. Veronica Escobar, a congresswoman who represents El Paso, said the FAA's move to shut down the El Paso airport for ten days was 'unprecedented.' Southwest is among several carriers that operate out of El Paso 'From what my office and I have been able to gather overnight and early this morning, there is no immediate threat to the community or surrounding areas,' she said in a statement. 'We have urged the FAA to lift the Temporary Flight Restrictions placed on the El Paso area. I will continue to make information public as I learn it.' El Paso, a border city with a population of nearly 700,000, and larger when including the surrounding metro area, is a hub of cross-border commerce with neighboring Ciudad Juarez in Mexico. The flight restrictions did not affect Mexican airspace or planes flying above 18,000 feet. The last commercial flight to land before the shutdown was an American Airlines flight from Chicago, which touched down at 10.57pm, according to NBC News. A private plane from Everett, Washington, is scheduled to arrive at 1.13am. Wednesday was diverted to the smaller Las Cruces International Airport. El Paso City Council member Chris Canales said local officials were not given any advance notice of the restriction. 'What's especially troubling is that there appears to have been no advance notice to local government, airport leadership, or even local air traffic control or local military leadership,' he added. Grounding all flights for ten days would have cost the city millions of dollars, he said. From The Notebook to Titanic, many classic rom-coms centre on a singular, defining love. But a new study suggests that in the real world, 'The One' should actually be extended to 'The Two'. Experts from The Kinsey Institute have revealed that most people fall in love twice in their lifetime. For their study, the team surveyed more than 10,000 singletons about their experiences with 'passionate love'. They found that almost a third had been in love twice, while 11 per cent even said they'd been in love four or more times. However, it was less happy news for 14 per cent of respondents, who said they'd never experienced passionate love. 'People talk about falling in love all the time, but this is the first study to actually ask how many times that happens across the lifetime,' said Dr Amanda Gesselman, lead author of the study. 'For most people, passionate love turns out to be something that happens only a few times across their entire life.' Many classic rom-coms centre on a singular, defining love. But a new study suggests that in the real world, 'The One' should actually be extended to 'The Two'. Pictured: The Notebook From songs to TV programmes, falling passionately in love has been widely documented for centuries. However, until now, how many times people actually experience it has remained a mystery. 'Relatively little is known about how often people experience passionate love across the lifespan, or how this frequency differs by demographic characteristics,' the researchers explained in their study, published in Interpersona. 'If passionate love is a foundational element of romantic development, which in turn positively predicts mental and physical well-being, then it is important to understand who experiences it and how often.' To get to the bottom of it, the researchers enlisted 10,036 single adults aged 18 to 99. The participants were asked: 'In your lifetime, how many times have you been passionately in love?' The results revealed that 14.2 per cent had never been in love, while 27.8 per cent had experienced it once, 30.3 per cent twice, 16.8 per cent three times, and 10.9 per cent four or more times. Unsurprisingly, age was positively associated with the number of passionate love experiences. From songs to TV programmes, falling passionately in love has been widely documented for centuries. Pictured: Titanic How often do people fall in love? Never : 14.2% : 14.2% Once : 27.8% : 27.8% Twice : 30.3% : 30.3% Three times : 16.8% : 16.8% Four or more times : 10.9% Advertisement 'Older participants reported slightly more passionate love experiences than younger participants,' the researchers said. The findings suggest that, contrary to popular belief, most people don't have soulmates. Instead, they find multiple people to love throughout their lifetimes. 'The finding that most participants had experienced passionate love an average of twice suggests that passionate love is common in that it is experienced at least once by most people but it occurs infrequently on an individual basis,' the researchers added. 'These results highlight the episodic and sometimes elusive nature of passionate love.' The study comes shortly after research revealed the main factors contributing to remaining single. According to experts from the University of Zurich, people with higher levels of education, who live with their parents, or who are male are most likely to stay single. 'Our results demonstrate that both socio-demographic factors such as education, and psychological characteristics such as current well-being, help predict who will enter into a romantic relationship and who won't,' co-lead author Michael Kramer said. A British graduate who was passionately anti-gun was shot dead by her alcoholic father at his Texas home just hours after they had an argument about President Donald Trump, an inquest was told on Tuesday. Lucy Harrison, 23, from Warrington, in England, was killed as she prepared to fly home on January 10, 2025, after a post-Christmas break accompanied by her boyfriend. A police report found she died at 3.47pm of a gunshot wound to the heart after being 'shot by another person' from a 'medium range' at the house in Prosper, Texas. A manslaughter investigation was launched after Lucy Harrison (pictured), 23, from Warrington, Cheshire, was killed at her father's house in Prosper, Texas, on January 10, 2025 Police in the town investigated her death as a possible manslaughter but no criminal case was brought against Kris Harrison after a grand jury in Collin County declined to indict him. Speaking at the time, her mother, Jane Coates, described the decision as 'baffling' and 'beyond comprehension'. But it emerged for the first time at the inquest into her death that Ms Harrison was fatally shot by her father in a bedroom at the property. Cheshire Coroner's Court was told she was 'categorically anti-gun' and had previously expressed concerns that it was unsafe for her father a senior executive at a fiber optics business, who had remarried to have a firearm in the house with his young daughters around. He suffered an 'alcoholic seizure' in 2023 which left him in an induced coma, the inquest was told, later going into rehab before suffering a 'relapse' in 2024, but had 'lied' to police in Texas about his drink problem. Giving evidence, Lucy's boyfriend Sam Littler said she had argued with her father about Donald Trump on the morning of her death. The then President-elect was sentenced that day to an unconditional discharge following his conviction over 'hush money' paid to adult-film star Stormy Daniels. Fatal: An inquest ruled Lucy Harrison was fatally shot by her father Kris Harrison Location: She was visiting her father who lives in Texas Heartbreaking: Lucy playing in the snow with her half-siblings hours before the tragedy Bodycam footage of police arriving at the house following the shooting showed Mr Harrison saying the gun 'went off' as he was showing it to his daughter. 'We were getting ready to go to the airport and we were talking about guns,' he told the officer as a shocked-looking Mr Littler stood with his hands behind the back of his neck. 'I got it out and it just went off as she stood there,' Mr Harrison continued. 'It was in the bedside cabinet in a locked box. I took it out to look and it just went off.' In her own statement, Mr Harrison's wife Heather said she 'heard a bang' from the master bedroom. She ran in and he said: 'Call 911.' Mrs Harrison said her husband told her: 'Lucy and I were just looking at my gun because she wanted to see it before they left. I picked it up and it went off.' In their evidence, Ms Harrison's boyfriend and mother insisted she would not have been interested in seeing her father's gun. In his own written statement, Mr Harrison - who did not attend the hearing said he had drunk a 500ml carton of white wine that morning. After finishing it he dumped the empty container in a bin beside a 7/11 store. But he said he believed he had finished drinking it before 10am and was not impaired by alcohol when his daughter was shot shortly before 3pm. Family: Lucy Harrison's mother Jane Coates arriving at the inquest Evidence: Lucy's boyfriend Sam Littler said she had argued with her father about Donald Trump on the morning of her death Killed: Lucy was found dead at the home of her father Kris, who works for a fiber optics firm Mr Harrison said he bought the 9mm Glock handgun as a 'home defense' weapon, meaning he did not need a license as long as he did not take it out in public. He had 'no prior experience and no formal training' over firearms, he said. Mr Harrison said he and Lucy had been watching a 'news segment' about gun crime shortly before her planned departure. He went on: 'I said to her "I have a gun, do you want to see it?" She did, and so I went to the bedroom where I kept my gun.' Mr Harrison said the gun which he had never previously fired - had bullets in the magazine, but he did not believe there were any in the chamber. 'As I lifted the gun to show her, I suddenly heard a loud bang. I didn't understand what had happened. Lucy immediately fell to the ground.' 'I was not under the influence at the time of the accident,' Mr Harrison said in his statement. 'I would have said if I had consumed an amount of alcohol that affected me.' Mr Harrison said he and his daughter were 'best friends' and that it was always an 'emotional' day when she prepared to fly home to the UK. 'She meant the world to me.' He added: 'There is not a day that goes by when I don't relive those events and I will carry the weight of those events to my grave.' Victim: The inquest into the death of Lucy Harrison is being held at Cheshire Coroner's Court in England Return: Lucy had been due to fly back to England on the day she was shot after spending Christmas in the States In a statement read to the hearing, Officer Luciano Escalera, who attended the scene, said he smelt 'metabolized alcohol' on Mr Harrison's breath and asked him if he had been drinking. He said Mr Harrison initially said he hadn't drunk alcohol since the day before, but that he then confessed to being an alcoholic, with Officer Escalera taking his gestures to mean he 'continuously drinks throughout the day'. Officer Escalera added Mr Harrison then said he had drunk a 'small' carton of wine which he had finished at about 2pm, around 45 minutes before the shooting. Meanwhile, Ms Harrison's boyfriend, Mr Littler, had no concerns that Mr Harrison had been drinking that day, although he said he 'always felt on edge' when they visited. 'There was a lot of very opinionated people in the house.' Twice that morning Mr Harrison had driven alone to the shops, saying he needed to buy food for lunch and insisting no-one accompanied him as the snowy roads were 'dangerous'. But Mr Littler said he did not see any alcohol brought into the house. As they prepared to set off shortly before 3pm, Mr Harrison took his daughter by the hand in a 'mysterious' manner without saying anything and led her into his downstairs bedroom, Mr Littler said. He was aware that the handgun was kept in a cabinet in that bedroom but had never seen it. Within 15 seconds, Mr Littler heard a 'loud bang' from the bedroom which he initially thought was a 'prank' by Mr Harrison. But on hearing Mr Harrison 'screaming', he and Heather 'darted' into the room and found Lucy collapsed on the floor. His voice cracking with emotion, Mr Littler said he called 911, spotting a gun on the corner of the bed while he was on the line. However he was unaware at this stage that she had been shot, he said. Mr Harrison had previously spoken to him about taking his gun out of its case on seeing an outside security light come on and walking around 'like James Bond', only for the 'intruder' to be a racoon, Mr Littler said. He was unaware whether Mr Harrison had received firearms training. In a statement that was not read out in full at the inquest, but has been circulated by his lawyers, Mr Harrison said: 'Lucy was the light of my life. From the moment she was born, to watching her grow into the remarkable young woman she became - from her first steps to her graduation, where I cried with pride - was the greatest privilege of my life. 'Lucy adored her younger sisters, and our home was never truly complete unless she was in it - laughing, cuddling, and filling every room with joy. 'During her last visit, she wrote a letter saying that Texas was her home and that she felt lucky to be part of "the best family in the whole wide world". That letter is now one of our most treasured possessions. 'Losing Lucy has shattered all of us. I lost my best friend. My girls lost their big sister and hero, and her step mom lost her bonus daughter who taught her how to be a mom. 'I fully accept the consequences of my actions, and there isn't a day I don't feel the weight of that loss - a weight I will carry for the rest of my life, and I know that nothing I say can ease the heartbreak this tragedy has caused. 'I cannot undo what happened, but I can honor Lucy by being the best father I can be to her sisters and by carrying her memory forward in everything we do. I am deeply sorry for the pain others feel from this tragedy. Lucy's spirit - her warmth, her humor, her kindness - will live on in all of us who loved her.' Grieving: Lucy's mother and boyfriend pictured together In a statement read to the court, Ms Harrison's friend Ella Gowing said she had 'confided' in her about her father's 'drink problem'. She had also expressed concern about 'volatility' in her father's home which made her 'extremely anxious'. The presence of a gun in the house created an 'unpredictable environment,' Ms Gowing added. When Ms Harrison found out he had bought a gun, she was 'immediately really upset and disagreed with it', she said. 'She could not understand why Kris would bring this into his home. She was categorically anti-gun.' She was worried about her younger half-sisters, she added. 'She did not want them to be around something so dangerous.' Earlier Ms Coates became tearful when she gave her own evidence about her daughter's fatal vacation. She said Lucy was 'not happy' that her father had a gun in the house, but there had been no specific incidents giving cause for concern on her visits. She said Mr Harrison could become 'bold' while under the influence of alcohol. Ms Coates said: 'She was not happy that he'd got a gun. She didn't like him having a gun in the house.' Ms Coates said she last heard from her daughter 15 minutes before she was shot, at which point she and her boyfriend were 'packed up and ready to go'. She and Mr Harrison had split up when their daughter was young, and he had lived in the U.S. since Lucy was ten. Lucy regularly visited her father and half-sisters in Texas, traveling there two to three times a year once she turned 18. Paying tribute to her daughter, she described her as 'a real force of life'. 'She was sensitive, energetic, intelligent, funny and a really great human being.' Lucy was 'passionate about things' and 'loved to have debates', she added. Earlier, lawyers representing Mr Harrison unsuccessfully asked a coroner to step aside from the case, accusing her of being 'biased'. Ana Samuel, representing Mr Harrison, accused senior coroner Jacqueline Devonish of conducting inquiries which were 'more akin to a criminal investigation' for allegedly failing to share documents with his lawyers. But lawyers representing Mrs Coates accused her of staging 'an ambush' in an attempt to put off the inquest. Setting out her arguments at the court, Lois Norris, on behalf of Ms Harrison's mother, told the coroner: 'You're going to have to deal with the events of how Ms Harrison came to be in the room, and whether alcohol had been consumed.' Emotion: Ms Coates became tearful when she gave her evidence Rejecting the application to recuse herself, the coroner said the submissions had failed to provide evidence of bias. Ms Devonish said Mr Harrison had been given ample opportunity to set out his account of what happened and respond to what other witnesses would say. The coroner added that Mr Harrison had 'lied' to police in Texas about his drinking. Along with her boyfriend, Ms Harrison was visiting her father, who is believed to have family in Southport. They had been due to fly back to Manchester on the day she was shot after visiting family over the Christmas period. But Prosper Police Department said later that the case had gone through the courts in the U..S with 'no prosecution'. Ms Harrison earned a first-class degree in fashion buying and merchandising at Manchester Metropolitan University before securing her 'dream job' at Boohoo as a buyer's admin assistant. Speaking last June, Mrs Coates - a deputy manager at a primary school - said: 'Although we have tried so hard to prepare for this moment, it is a brutal outcome to accept. 'It is baffling and beyond comprehension to us, our families and friends, that there is to be no accountability for what happened to my daughter. 'The international element, coupled with a different legal system, practice, and thresholds, makes the outcome even harder and more frustrating to accept.' She also thanked those around her for their support and said she hopes to engage with groups in Texas working to prevent gun deaths, something she says Lucy would have been a 'fierce advocate' for. An autopsy report from Chester Gwin, MD assistant county medical examiner for Collin County, found she died as a result of a single gunshot wound fired by another person. It also confirmed Lucy tested negative for alcohol and drugs and was pronounced dead at the Baylor Scott and White Medical Centre in Texas on January 10. Just hours before being shot she was posing for photographs in the snow. A tribute from Lucy's mother and boyfriend, released by Cheshire Police, said: 'Lucy was life. She lived it fiercely and fearlessly, not being afraid to feel all that life has to offer. Lucy unashamedly loved she had a huge capacity to love and be loved. 'She was the embodiment of wonderful contradictions; she adored travel and being away, experiencing new places and cultures, yet at the same time, she loved nothing more than snuggling up in her pajamas with her candles on at home. 'She could be dramatic and elaborate situations like it was the end of the world, yet she could also be straight talking and not afraid to have bold conversations. 'She was truly thriving in life and although this gives us great comfort, we are utterly heartbroken at the loss of our beautiful, gorgeous Luce.' Ms Harrison's funeral was held at St Elphin's Parish Church in Warrington on February 24 last year, with 400 people people. 'At Lucy's funeral, my message to people was for them to continue to live their life fiercely and fearlessly like Lucy did,' her mother told the Liverpool Echo at the weekend. 'She wasn't afraid, she wasn't afraid to feel.' The coroner will give her conclusion on Wednesday. Tapes containing the original, high-quality transmission of the Apollo 11 moon landing were wiped after being quietly shelved in an unmarked storage area by NASA. While other recordings of the historic 1969 mission survived, the revelation that at least some moon landing video disappeared has fueled wild conspiracies that NASA has been covering up what astronauts saw or that the whole mission was faked. Now, the truth about these 'erased' tapes has been revealed by Tim Dodd, better known as the 'Everyday Astronaut' on YouTube, who said the lost footage was only a set of backup magnetic tapes containing the raw transmission from space. Missing tapes: Tim Dodd has revealed the truth behind the 'erased' tapes taken by the Apollo 11 astronauts during the original 1969 moon landing Dodd explained that the backup tapes were considered by NASA to be less critical since all the essential data, video, and radio signals were successfully transmitted to Houston and broadcast live on TV. The backup copies of Apollo 11's historic mission were mistakenly taped over when NASA reused older magnetic tapes due to a shortage of those specific film reels in the 1970s and 1980s. Speaking on the Danny Jones Podcast, Dodd said no one at the time anticipated future technology would be able to upscale or enhance the resolution (upres) of the raw footage for better quality, which is now possible today. However, NASA still possesses thousands of hours of data proving the first moon landing really took place, including lower-quality versions of telemetry data, audio, and video from Houston's recordings. Dodd added that the space agency also still has shockingly clear 70 millimeter film from the cameras the Apollo astronauts used on the moon, a grade of film that is still used in IMAX movies 57 years later. Uncovering facts: Dodd, known as the Everyday Astronaut on YouTube, revealed the fate of the original backup recordings of the Apollo 11 moon footage on the Danny Jones Podcast Dodd, who creates educational videos about rockets, space exploration, and NASA's history, broke down exactly what happened to the erased moon landing tapes, starting with how the signal was sent back from Apollo 11 to Earth. The live transmission from the moon was sent to receiving stations, including one in California's Mojave Desert, and then split into two feeds. One feed went to Mission Control in Houston for real-time monitoring, where all telemetry on the spacecraft's condition, audio, and video were recorded. The video at Mission Control was converted from the moon's 'slow-scan' format to standard NTSC TV format using a 'kinescope' method, which means the space agency filmed a monitor with a camera to make it usable on TV broadcasts. This converted version was what the public saw at home in 1969, which was of lower quality than the video on the magnetic tapes but 'good enough' at the time, according to Dodd. Historic moment: Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin unfurl the U.S. flag on the moon in 1969 The other feed contained the raw backup, recorded directly onto the large magnetic tapes, which were roughly a foot wide and looked similar to giant cassette tapes. NASA viewed the tapes as a safety net in case the link between Apollo 11 and Houston failed. During a crisis, the space agency might have needed to analyze raw data to understand what went wrong, but none of that happened. Dodd said: 'They had the broadcast. It's not like the broadcast went cold and they lost signal. 'They're like, "It would be great if we had that still, you know, hold on to those tapes. Make sure we have those backups. We had this 45-minute blackout because our dish went down or something." They didn't have that. 'They didn't imagine a world where we could take and re-scan and up you know up-res the hell out of that footage as well because it would have been a lot cleaner in that raw format.' Incredible footage: Armstrong captured on 70 millimeter film before the Apollo 11 mission. This grade of film is still used to produce IMAX-quality movies Dodd called the claims that NASA deliberately erased the moon landing recordings 'misconstrued.' However, the podcaster and YouTube host admitted that skeptics have one difficult argument to counter when it comes to debating whether the moon landings were real - that being the mystery of why the missions stopped in 1972. Dodd told Jones the real reason America's moon missions stopped was the massive economic cost of building and launching Saturn V rockets to the moon. He said: 'I understand the frustration of, you know, we did this thing 54 years ago, and we lost that ability to do it. But we also spent $300 billion in today's money to get us there. 'We had three other rockets and hardware built and the crew to do so, and we just said, "Eh, not worth it." Like that's what I'm frustrated with.' Pizza's hardly a controversial dish whether it's a classic margherita or pepperoni or one with more adventurous toppings, the delicacy is a go-to for many of us. Thankfully, the world's best pizzas for 2026 have been revealed by Time Out and the top spot has gone to a restaurant in the States rather than Italy. And it's good news for Brits too, as two UK spots have made the list. Here are the best 18 places in the world to get your pizza fix... 1. Mamas Too, New York The Cacio e Pepe at Mama's Too in New York takes the winning spot in this definitive ranking of the best pizzas in the world. Hailed for its extreme creaminess, it's made with whipped mascarpone, aged mozzarella, Pecorino Romano, parmigiano reggiano and cracked black pepper. The pizzeria has two branches, in the West Village and Upper West Side, and has received critical acclaim from the New York Times and positive reviews on Tripadvisor. 2. 180grammi Pizzeria Romana, Rome Second place: Salty flavours reign in the Pizza Capricciosa at 180grammi Pizzeria Romana in Rome Pizza Capricciosa from 180grammi Pizzeria Romana in Rome, Italy, comes in second place. The dish is a margherita pizza laden with artichokes, ham, olives, mushrooms, and often an egg. Food lovers have been known to go out of their way to visit the pizzeria, which gets its name from the perfectly weighed 180g of dough used to make each dish. In at third: Short Road Pizza in London's marinara pizza comes in at the third spot Short Road Pizza in London's marinara pizza, with pomodoro, garlic puree, spicy chimichurri, burrata, and Sicilian anchovies, comes in at the third spot and it was voted National Pizza of the Year in 2025. With branches in Bethnal Green and Leyton, the pizzeria's specialty is crispy, thin crust pizza. 4. Pizzeria da Attilio, Naples Keeping thing simple: Nothing beats a margherita pizza and this one at Pizzeria da Attilio in Naples makes the top five in the world Number four goes to the Pizza Margherita at Pizzeria da Attilio in Naples, Italy's veritable foodie hub. A classic is a classic for a reason, and it's easy to understand why the dish has won such acclaim. This restaurant has served Neapolitan-style pizza since the Second World War and features homely, intimate designs inside. 5. Pizza Marumo, Tokyo Unique: While Japanese flavours might not seem a natural addition to pizza, Pizza Marumo, Tokyo, breaks the mould The Japanese Umami pizza at Pizza Marumo, Tokyo, takes the next spot on the list. It's a unique concoction, with dried shiitake mushroom cream sauce, mozzarella, pecorino, mackerel, bonito flakes, kombu, green onions, sesame, and soy sauce. Featuring Italian-Japanese fusion cuisine, the pizzeria is a must-try for anyone visiting Tokyo. 6. Little Kitcheners Pizzeria, Johannesburg African delight: Little Kitcheners Pizzeria's Pepperoni & Hot Honey Pizza combines salty pepperoni with sweet honey flavours Little Kitcheners Pizzeria's Pepperoni & Hot Honey Pizza takes spot number six on the list. The cool Johannesburg spot maintains a distinctly traditional Italian vibe. While South Africa might not be the first place that comes to mind when considering the world's best spots for pizza, it's clear the country is rising on the foodie scene. 7. Civerinos, Edinburgh Fancy a thick slice of pizza? Or perhaps a thinner crust? Both are on offer at Civerinos, Edinburgh New Haven style pizza at Edinburgh's Civerinos comes in seventh place. The dish features Italian sausage, marinara, burrata, pepperoni, rosemary, black pepper, parsley and garlic oil. With branches in Glasgow and Edinburgh, the pizzeria has an old-school charm and reasonable prices. 8. Kalis, Buenos Aires Dripping with flavours and layers: The NYC-style pizza from Kalis, Buenos Aires The artisan New York-style pizza at Kalis in Buenos Aires comes next, sold by the slice. The eatery keeps a short menu, and everything is made in-house. With crisp, thin slices and with food eaten while standing, it's a vibrant spot in the Argentinian capital. 9. Baldoria, Madrid Colorful: The Bufala Fest at Baldoria in Madrid a city famous for its foodie culture San Marzano tomato sauce, buffalo mozzarella DOP, confit cherry tomatoes, crispy parmesan, basil, and lemon pesto are the core ingredients in the Bufala Fest. Taking spot number nine, the pizza is made by Baldoria in Madrid. Featuring a short menu with exciting toppings, it's a must-visit in the Spanish capital. 10. Bella Brutta, Sydney Seafood: Clams might not seem like the most obvious pizza topping but Bella Brutta, Sydney, makes it work Rounding out the top 10 is the clam pizza at Bella Brutta in Sydney. With surf clams, Pecorino, fermented chilli, garlic, parsley and lemon, it's a unique and delicious pizza to try. In line with Sydney's vibrant food scene, this pizzeria also features other options such as a potato pizza and one topped with cavolo nero. 11. Pizza Connection, Cape Town Avocado on pizza? It's the winning choice for South African eatery, Pizza Connection The winner from this Cape Town restaurant is aptly named 'the Capetonian'. The toppings are an intriguing mix of San Marzano tomato, fior di latte, pancetta, red onion, avocado, and EVO Oil. With Naples-style or Roma-style base options, it's an excellent break from the meat-heavy South African dishes you'd be likely to sample if you're visiting Cape Town. 12. Millys Pizza in the Pan, Chicago In Chicago, only one thing can win: a thick-crust pie pizza. Millys Pizza in the Pan's deep-dish layered pizza, naturally, then makes the best pizzas in the world list. With options including 'Clickbait', 'Craigslist.org' and 'Only Pans', the range of intriguingly titled pizzas here is well worth a try. 13. Diamond Slice, Copenhagen Saucy: Drizzled with sauce and dripping in cheese, the Nbluja from Diamond Slice, Copenhagen, is worth a slice The Nbluja from Diamond Slice, Copenhagen comes in 13th place on the list. It entails a mix of spicy Nduja, Danish blue cheese and red onion a real punch of flavour. Diamond Slice is also located in a cool spot with an excellent outdoor ambience, in Copenhagen's Blagards Plads. 14. Oobatz, Paris Parisian pizza? Perhaps it's worth a try at Oobatz Paris is more often associated with bakeries, pastries and bread than pizzerias, but that hasn't stopped this restaurant making the list. Number 6 at Oobatz, Paris comes in 14th place and it's a unique concept option. If you order this dish, the chef has free rein when it comes to choosing toppings, as it's a 'surprise' pizza. Locals have reported ordering it multiple times and receiving a different pizza on each occasion. 15. Officina Local, Rio de Janeiro A white base is not for everyone: Officina Local in Rio de Janeiro's Umbria pizza could be worth a try Officina Local in Rio de Janeiro's Umbria pizza comes in 15th place in the list. It features mushrooms, black garlic and a white cheese base including mozzarella and ricotta cheese. The highlight? The taste of truffle, which adds a powerful, flavourful kick to this pizza. 16. Lupita, Lisbon Yay or nay? The epitome of controversy, this pineapple pizza, from Lupita, Lisbon, is ranked as one of the best You'll either love it or hate it, but the pineapple pizza at Lupita in Lisbon takes the 16th spot. With bacon, various kinds of cheese, pickled onion and of course pineapple, it won't be for everyone. But it could just be your favourite. The pizzeria's credentials are solid, too, having been ranked among the top 50 pizzas in Europe in 2023. 17. Fiata by Salvatore Fiata, Hong Kong Many delicious options: Fiata by Salvatore Fiata, in Hong Kong, has excellent pizzas The ASalcissa pizza, with onion cream, fior di latte cheese, caramelised red onions, and fresh Italian sausage, is next up. The rich dish from Fiata by Salvatore Fiata in Hong Kong comes in 17th place in the list, and is noted for its blend of sweet and savoury flavours. The pizzeria ranked third in the 50 Top Pizza Awards list for the Asia-Pacific region in 2025, so you can rest assured the spot is well worth a visit. 18. Mercado 20 de Noviembre, Oaxaca Mexican flavours: This pizza, from Mercado 20 de Noviembre in Oaxaca, Mexico, is almost like a taco or fajita Finally, rounding out the list of the world's best pizzas is the Tlayuda from Mercado 20 de Noviembre in Oaxaca, Mexico. While the country may be better known for its tacos, this pizza is hugely impressive. It brings to life the flavours of Mexico, including refried beans, Oaxacan cheese, mushrooms, red peppers and avocado. Surprisingly, it's even topped with cactus. Chris and Liam Hemsworth enjoyed a family outing with their parents Leonie and Craig at the star-studded Crime 101 premiere in Los Angeles, California. The actor, 42, and his younger brother, 36, cut a dapper duo as they posed with their parents, after Chris recently opened up about his dad's battle with early-stage Alzheimer's. The family came together on the red carpet to support Chris who stars in Crime 101 alongside Halle Berry, Mark Ruffalo, Barry Keoghan, Monica Barbaro, Corey Hawkins, Jennifer Jason Leigh and Nick Nolte. Family united: Liam and Chris Hemsworth pose with their parents Leonie and Craig The family's outing comes days after Chris opened up in his recent documentary about his dad's battle with Alzheimer's, calling the 'deeply personal' experience a 'love letter to my father'. The Hollywood star released A Road Trip To Remember last year, which followed him and his father Craig, 70, revisiting his childhood homes across Australia. It came as a follow-up to his 2022 docuseries Limitless, where the actor learned he had two copies of the APOE4 gene - one from each parent - meaning he was eight to ten times more likely to develop the same disease. Standing strong: The family made a rare appearance at Chris's Crime 101 premiere Hot in chocolate: Chris looked smart in a brown suit teamed with a matching coat and loafers Opening up about releasing the emotional and heartfelt documentary in a new interview with The Guardian, Chris admitted that he struggled with the idea of going public with his innermost feelings. He said: 'I wondered if I was letting people too far in. Are they no longer going to believe in the action star or the Marvel character? And do I want people to know my fears and insecurities to this level?' But while it wasn't easy, the star sees the doc as one of the most important things he's ever made, because of what it did for Craig. 'It was so deeply personal. It was a love letter to my father,' he said. 'It empowered him for a period, and stimulated memories that were being taken away from him.' Cream of the crop: Liam styled casual brown pants with a neutral shirt and sneakers Challenged clan: Chris recently reflected on coming to terms with his dad's Alzheimer's While Chris said that following the film, others battling Alzheimers have said how much they want their children to see it. He explained that his dad's diagnosis has also had a profound effect on his own mentality about his career, with the actor able to slow down, instead of constantly working. The star is the proud dad to daughter India, 13, and twin boys, Sasha and Tristan, 11, with his wife Elsa Pataky. 'My appetite for racing forward has really been reined in. Ive become more aware of the fragility of things. 'You start thinking, "My dad wont be here for ever." And my kids are now 11 and 13. Those nights where theyd fight over sleeping in our bed - suddenly theyre not happening anymore.' Dynamic duo: Matt Damon and Ben Affleck also made an appearance at the premiere Hot couple: Matt was joined by his wife Luciana Barroso on the Crime 101 red carpet 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 Preparing to see the Northern Lights in Rovaniemi, Finnish Lapland in January, I always knew it was going to be cold. For this reason, I would have to ensure I was packing more than enough thermals. But I ended up being there in a particularly cold snap, where the temperature had plunged to a brutal -35C (-31F). It was so cold, in fact, that when I later returned to London, I discover one of Finnish Laplands two airports - thankfully not the one I flew from - was forced to shut, leaving thousands of Brits stranded. It was even too chilly for the huskies - that was the disappointing news we were given when we arrived at Apukka Resort for our GetYourGuide husky-sledding experience, although we still got to play in the snow with them. But, thanks to having the packing essentials, I didn't feel the cold too much in my five layers - even when I was whizzing around on a snowmobile - plus all the outdoor experiences I did included thermal overalls. What I did make a mistake with, however, was packing my 200 Doc Martens boots - which, it turns out, are not built for snow, as I was slipping and sliding everywhere walking in them. Here's what to pack for your next cold adventure holiday - including the cool vaccuum gadget that helped me fit such bulky clothes into my hand luggage... Hayley Minn spent a weekend in Rovaniemi, Finland - AKA Lapland - where temperatures were -35 degrees. She reveals what she packed Passenger Snowscape Women's Merino Blend Base Layer Bottom These thermal leggings from Passenger kept me so warm and cosy out in the snow. = With their close-to-body fit, and elasticated waistband, they were really comfortable under all my layers. While I wore them as my base layer in Finland, I've worn them around the house back in London too. Was 79.95. Shop Passenger Snowscape Women's Merino Blend Base Layer Top I had to get the matching zip-up top to go with the leggings too. It's just as comfortable and warm. It's perfect for being out in the snow, under a thick jacket, but it's also great on top of a gym vest when out running in the cold. Was 89.95. Read the rest of our best thermals - tried and tested Shop Dare2B Women's Wander Padded Jacket For my jacket, I took this water resistant one from Dare2B. It was one of the only winter coats I could find that was actually stylish, while also keeping me warm with tons of padding. It comes in loads of colours, and the hood zips right up keeping a lot of my face out of the cold too. Was 180. Shop Berghaus Unisex Lumley Down Jacket - Black My husband also needed an excellently warm coat so opted for this one from Berghaus. This waterproof jackets padded with Hydrodown to keep you toasty warm in any weather, and there are plenty of pockets to keep your essentials in. It also has a removable hood, although he had it up constantly in Finland - and, of course, it's waterproof. Shop QUECHUA Adult mountain trekking fleece gloves With thick fleece inside, these gloves kept my hands so warm throughout my weekend in Finland. And what's even better is I could still use my phone while wearing them, as they're touchscreen compatible. Shop Ocoopa UT3 Pro Magnetic Rechargeable Hand Warmer There were times that even my thermal gloves couldn't keep my hands warm - so i put one of these in each pocket of my coat. The rechargeable hand warmers have four levels of heat up to 58 degrees and between six and 15 hours of continuous heat. Even when I put them on full blast, they lasted me all day. Shop NEXT Cow Print Soft Touch Cosy Teddy Borg Quarter Zip Fleece Of course I needed a few jumpers for a weekend away in Finland. This fluffy fleece from NEXT kept me so warm, and I love the print. It was perfect for the flight too, making sure I was comfortable. Shop Uniqlo HEATTECH Extra Warm Ribbed Scoop Neck Bra T-Shirt This thermal top was perfect for wearing under my jumper - and it even comes with a built-in bra, which was so comfortable. It's thin too, which makes it really easy for layering - and comes in loads of colours. Was 24.90. Shop Uniqlo HEATTECH Extra Warm Cashmere Blend Crew Neck T-Shirt I got a couple of these thermal tops from Uniqlo in different colours too. They're so soft and kept me warm in the freezing temperatures all day. Having used them as a thermal base in Finland, I've worn them on their own since I've got back. Shop Uniqlo HEATTECH Ultra Warm Leggings The matching thermal leggings were also perfect for the cold weather. They're so soft and comfortable, and really flattering. They're also seamless, making it easy to put overalls on top. Shop Regatta Great Outdoors Women's Aleena Shawl Scarf This scarf from Regatta is so soft, and also absolutely massive. As well as being very warm, it comes in loads of colours and is really versatile. I used it to shield my face from the snow a few times, and have also used it as a blanket. Was 40. Shop Merino Wool Boot Socks Thermal These unisex thermal socks are made from merino wool, and kept my tootsies so warm. As well as being really soft, they have great temperature regulation and excellent moisture control to keep feet fresh and odour free. They come in packs of three in a range of colours. Shop The airspace is getting busier, but it isn't just commercial planes and other aircraft cluttering the skies. Flights are often delayed by bad weather, technical issues or industrial action and space junk might be another problem to contend with in the future too. Experts warn that debris from satellites is increasingly becoming a risk for planes to consider. As more satellites are launched and the number of commercial flights increase the possibility of matter causing issues is changing. There is a 26 per cent chance a year that an uncontrolled rocket re-entry - when a malfunctioning satellite returns to land unplanned - could happen, according to research by Scientific Reports. However, air traffic management company Eurocontrol explained to Euronews how the figure doesn't mean planes will come in contact with debris. Instead it refers to the chance of a falling rocket travelling through airspace used by planes. This will mean authorities managing the area may have to close the route as a safety measure. Experts warn that debris from satellites is increasingly becoming a risk for planes to consider (stock) So far, there hasn't been any reported accounts of space-related debris hitting a passenger plane. The chances of an incident becoming reality is very low and is estimated to be around one in a million years. But, if airspace routes had to be closed on even precautionary measures it could quickly cause chaos for travellers. Air traffic is estimated to grow 2.4 per cent each year up to 2050, meaning more planes will be taking to the sky as well as satellites. Earlier this year rocket Chinese Zhuque3, that was launched in early December, crashed into the South Pacific Ocean after the UK was put on red alert for falling debris. If fragments of the falling rocket body were to land over the UK, an emergency alert system was ready to possibly be activated to warn residents about the risk. At the time, a UK government spokesperson told the Daily Mail: 'It is extremely unlikely that any debris enters UK airspace. 'As you'd expect, we have well rehearsed plans for a variety of different risks including those related to space, that are tested routinely with partners.' If airspace routes had to be closed on even precautionary measures it could quickly cause chaos for travellers Meanwhile, in 2022 airspace over parts of Spain and France were closed off after more rocket debris was predicted to fall in the area. It led to hundreds of flights being delayed and in the end, the matter fell into the sea miles away from the estimated route. The Mail previously reported how it is not uncommon for pieces of rocket and satellite debris to fall to Earth, with debris passing over the UK about 70 times a month. The overwhelming majority of the material is burned up upon reentry due to friction with the atmosphere. A flight attendant has shared details of her romance with her now-husband, Stuart, which began with a chance encounter at 30,000 feet on a flight to Tenerife. Cabin crew member, Alexis Milford-White, was 32 when she boarded a TUI aircraft at Manchester Airport in June 2001, expecting a routine shift. As she carried out her duties on the Boeing 757, Stuart, who was 24 and travelling on holiday with friends at the time, soon caught her eye. She explained: 'We got chatting throughout the flight, and at one point he even helped me when I dropped the money from duty free sales all over the cabin floor. It was one of those moments that just broke the ice.' After landing in the Canary Islands, Stuart plucked up the courage to ask Alexis for her details - three days later, she finally received a text. She gushed: 'We stayed in touch throughout his holiday and would talk on the phone for hours, sometimes up to 12 hours at a time.' Alexis, determined to see Stuart one more time before he flew back home, managed to secure a shift on his return flight. Shortly after, the pair arranged to 'meet properly', and it didn't take long for them to click and start seeing each other every week. TUI cabin crew member, Alexis Milford-White, has shared how she fell in love with her now-husband Stuart at 30,000 feet in June 2001 Alexis was 32 when she began her shift on a Boeing 737 departing Manchester Airport for Tenerife, Spain But, just two months into their relationship, the challenges of long-distance dating - with Stuart based in Birmingham and Alexis in Preston - were overshadowed by a tragic turn of events. The flight attendant became seriously ill with a spinal bacterial infection that left her unable to walk. Despite living miles apart, Stuart left his training in Birmingham 'without hesitation' and rushed to be by Alexis's side. She said: 'It was a difficult time and I was off work for a long time. But he was an amazing support and it became clear very quickly we were meant to be together.' Stuart stood by her as she learned to walk again, including rehabilitation in a pool. He moved in after six months, and they have been inseparable ever since. Both Disney fans, they married at Disney World in Florida in 2004. The couple say listening, supporting one another, and making the most of their time together has been key. Alexis added that travelling for work makes them value the time they spend together even more. Becoming cabin crew was a lifelong dream for Alexis - after years working in a bank, she took a leap of faith, applied for a role with TUI, and got the job at her first interview. The pair have been inseparable since the day they met, with Stuart moving in after six months and the couple later tying the knot at Disney World in Florida in 2004 The couple say the key to making their 25-year relationship work is by listening, supporting one another, and making the most of their time together Now celebrating their 25th Valentine's Day together, Alexis and Stuart say a chance meeting in the sky changed their lives forever. The flight attendant said: 'Weve had our ups and downs like any couple. But if it wasnt for that flight, we wouldnt be together. 'I went to work that day thinking it was just another shift, and instead I met my husband and he's my rock. Even after all these years, it still amazes me that love found us in the sky.' With Valentine's Day fast approaching, they say their story is a reminder that love can blossom anywhere - even on a routine TUI flight to Tenerife. Tipping etiquette often varies between countries and it can be easy to get confused or simply forget the rules when you're jetting off around the world. Mishaps can lead to awkward and uncomfortable moments or even unexpected added costs to your meal out. Every January, holidaymakers create a surge in Google searches for 'tipping etiquette' as they frantically try and prepare for their upcoming trips in the new year. It's understandable, as a whopping 46 per cent of adults experience 'tipping torment' when they are abroad - struggling to grasp when, where and how much to leave for the waiter. Hidden costs such as tipping can add up to 10 to 15 per cent to the overall price of the holiday. There is a strong tipping culture in America where waiting staff rely on the extra cash to top up their income. Elsewhere, tipping is not expected at all in Japan and it can even be considered rude to do so. Fortunately, travel experts have revealed the best way to tip at some of the most popular destinations around the world. Tipping culture can vary between countries - holidaymakers in America might be expected to leave extra cash while in Japan doing so can be seen as rude In America, it is expected that diners leave around 20 to 25 per cent extra on top of their restaurant bill, according to experts from online travel agency eShores. Even holidaymakers just ordering a drink at a bar can't avoid the extra fee, as $1 to $2 (73p to 1.46) is expected per drink. As for taxis, the driver might assume you will be leaving a 20 per cent tip too. Alternatively, in Japan tipping is not considered the norm but particularly exceptional service might be acknowledged by leaving a discreet envelope. Across Europe, the norms vary massively and travellers often have to grapple with discretionary service charges on bills too. In Italy and Austria, a service charge isn't always included on the final tab so adding five or ten per cent is often custom. Meanwhile, the service charge is often included on bills in France, Germany and Spain. Even so, leaving some additional change is appreciated too but isn't seen as a requirement. When visiting Nordic countries, waiting staff are well compensated for their work and tipping is often minimal. When ordering a drink at a bar in the States, customers are often expected to leave an extra $1 to $2 (73p to 1.46) per drink If jetting off to the Middle East, it's important to note tipping practices differ by country but leaving some extra change is still widely appreciated. In the United Arab Emirates, for example, if a service charge isn't added to the bill leaving an extra 10 to 15 per cent is recommended. Drivers and porters also expect a small offering too. But for Australia and New Zealand, tipping culture is far more relaxed and is only a recent concept. In larger cities, adding 10 per cent for great service is becoming more common but more regional areas, or when dining in a pub or cafe, not so. Gavin Lapidus, founder and director of eShores, commented: 'Tipping is one of the most common sources of uncertainty for travellers, especially when visiting new destinations where customs can feel unfamiliar. 'Understanding local expectations not only helps you budget more accurately, but it also ensures smoother, more respectful interactions while abroad.' A TAP Air Portugal flight heading to Porto had to make an emergency landing at London Gatwick Airport. The incident happened on Sunday, February 8, when a fire reportedly broke out onboard the plane. Flames in the galley triggered a squawk 7700 emergency code after the aircraft reached around 4,300 feet high. The pilots requested to return to the London hub immediately and looped back to Gatwick. The plane touched back down at 9.41am and emergency services were ready and waiting. It underwent a technical assessment and was moved away from the gates and other aircraft. The route resumed at 12.30pm and landed at its final destination at around 2.22pm GMT. The flight was originally supposed to arrive in Portugal at 11.30am. The incident happened on a TAP Air Portugal flight on Sunday, February 8, when a fire reportedly broke out onboard the plane No injuries were reported and it isn't known if the same plane was used for the journey, EuroWeekly News reports. The Daily Mail approached TAP Air Portugal for comment. Another plane was also forced to make an emergency landing over the weekend, again triggering a squawk 7700 code. Flight D7221 was bound for Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, after departing Sydney at about 10pm on Sunday. The plane began issuing the international code for a general emergency. 'Shortly after take off, the flight crew observed an alert related to cabin pressure,' a spokesperson for AirAsia told the Daily Mail. 'While the cabin pressure remained at a safe level, the captain chose to make a precautionary diversion to Brisbane airport, in line with established operational safety procedures. 'The aircraft will undergo a detailed engineering assessment in line with safety protocols.' The pilots requested to return to the London hub immediately and looped back to Gatwick The altitude of the plane dropped from 34,000ft - which is a typical commercial cruising height - to about 10,000 ft. All 142 passengers and the 11-person crew disembarked without incident. 'This precautionary diversion was carried out in line with our operational safety procedures,' airline General Manager Benyamin Ismail said. 'Our flight crew are highly trained in safety procedures and took the appropriate measures for an issue of this nature. Guests were kept informed by the crew, and have all received accommodation and food vouchers while travel arrangements are being made.' The first of CrossCountry's refurbished Voyager trains has entered service, marking the beginning of a 75 million investment to improve passengers' rail journeys. The major rail operator runs an extensive network across Britain, connecting major cities such as Birmingham, Manchester, Cardiff, Bristol, Newcastle, Leeds, Glasgow, and Edinburgh. CrossCountry was previously slammed for 'shocking' conditions and overcrowding on its services, with passengers - some elderly - forced to stand in toilets. In an effort to mitigate the issue, the operator announced that it would introduce 12 new trains to its network by May 2025. The first of the newly revamped units was showcased at the Derby Litchurch Lane facility - where the refurbishment was carried out by staff - on 10 February, 2026. The newly refurbished Voyager train has a lot more seating, improved lighting, extended legroom, and enhanced onboard technology, such as CCTV. Shiona Rolfe, the company's managing director, said: 'This train marks an important step in our commitment to improving the experience for everyone who travels with us.' The new train joins 70 existing CrossCountry Voyager trains that have been in operation since 2000, when they were first built. This week, British rail operator CrossCountry introduced the first of its newly refurbished Voyager trains (pictured) The new trains will feature new seats, improved lighting, extended legroom, and enhanced onboard technology, such as CCTV It marks the start of a 75 million investment to improve passengers' rail experience Over the next two years, the operator aims to refurbish all Voyager trains up to the same standard. In August 2024, Navendu Mishra, Labour MP for Stockport, described CrossCountry as 'one of the worst operating train companies in the country'. He wrote in a letter addressed to the operator's bosses: 'For too long passengers in Stockport have suffered from delays, cancellations, and overcrowding. 'I appreciate that you have acknowledged that services have "fallen below the standards our passengers should expect from us", however now is the time to take action.' The refurbishment comes as the Government plans to renationalise nearly all passenger rail services by 2027. In their 2024 manifesto, Labour committed to a significant overhaul of the rail network, declaring that railways should be 'owned by the public, delivering for the public, not for private shareholders'. Plans are underway to replace the current privatised franchise model with a new public body named Great British Railways (GBR). GBR is due to roll out to trains, websites and stations from next spring. The state-owned company unveiled its red, white and blue branding before Christmas. The newly refurbished train was unveiled at the Derby Litchurch Lane facility (pictured) on 10 February, where work was carried out by staff The first of CrossCountry's new fleet joins 70 Voyager trains that have been in operation since 2000 Shiona Rolfe, the company's managing director, said: 'This train marks an important step in our commitment to improving the experience for everyone who travels with us' It will bring together 17 different organisations and ministers claim it will 'cut through the frustrating bureaucracy and lack of accountability that continues to plague the railways'. The Government announced in November that rail fares in England would be frozen next year for the first time in 30 years. The freeze until March 2027 will apply to regulated fares, which includes season tickets and off-peak returns. A DfT spokesman said: 'The GBR chairman's salary is lower than previous similar positions. 'This is also rightly much lower than salaries in similar-sized private organisations.' Brits on holiday in the Canary Islands are facing massive fines if they need to be rescued from the sea or in any other emergency circumstances. The government is preparing a legal change to prevent islanders from continuing to pay the high cost of bailouts for negligence with the money they contribute to the public. The new Civil Protection Law will include a sanctioning regime for those operations that involve lifeguard teams as a result of recklessness. No amounts have yet been revealed but the fines are expected to be high and could run into thousands of pounds per rescue. A typical rescue involving the emergency helicopter could be 6,000 (5,220). The decision has been taken at a time when very risky and expensive rescue operations have taken place in the Canary Islands as a result of non-compliance by visitors in different natural areas. The two most relevant occurred on the coasts of Tenerife and Lanzarote. On December 7, four tourists lost their lives and another was injured when they were dragged by the strong waves in the natural pool of Isla Cangrejo, in Santiago del Teide, south of Tenerife. They had all jumped the tape that prohibited access to this bathing area because there was an alert for bad seas. Tourists travelling to the popular Canary Islands should beware of new fines Another similar event occurred on January 25. An American tourist died and two friends were injured by another sea blow in Los Charcones, Lanzarote. That day there was also an alert and several posters warned of the danger of that part of the coast of Lanzarote, where two other people have died in the last five months. The Canary Islands Law on Administrative and Fiscal Measures, which came into effect in 2012, establishes a fee for search, rescue and salvage services. The aim is to ensure that anyone who acts negligently and requires urgent assistance assumes responsibility and covers the costs. The fee includes the following rates: 36 (31) per hour for each member of the mobilised Emergency Response Team (GES), 2,000 (1,740) per hour for helicopter use, 40 (34.80) per hour for each vehicle, 300 (260) per hour for the deployment of the advanced command post vehicle, and 300 (260) per hour for each vessel. This fee has never been collected and is now outdated. The complexity of proving negligence, the fact that rescue teams lack the authority to request personal data or initiate administrative proceedings - their mission is focused on lifesaving - and the difficulty of collecting compensation when the affected person is a foreigner are the three main reasons why the Canary Islands Government has not implemented this fee in 14 years, says Spanish newspaper La Provincia. 'Aware of the need to ensure that those rescued through negligence do not get away scot-free, the directorate general of emergencies is committed to incorporating a sanctions regime,' the newspaper reports. 'The Canary Islands Police will be responsible for managing the fines. ' Fernando Figuereo, director general of emergencies, said officers of the regional security force 'will be able to assume this task because they have the authority to investigate each case and open the corresponding administrative file.' Sea rescue missions can be hugely expensive, with helicopter use estimated to be 2,000 (1,740) per hour It doesn't just happen at sea. Last week alone, ten operations were deployed to help 11 hikers in Tenerife, Gran Canaria and Lanzarote. In most cases they were tourists over 60 years old the oldest was 75 who got lost or suffered accidents due to lack of foresight. The number of rescues coordinated by the Government of the Canary Islands is also high. In 2025 there were a total of 216 by land, sea and air. Tenerife led the ranking by far over the rest of the islands, with 96 lifeguard devices. It was followed by Gran Canaria (41), La Palma (24), Lanzarote (16), La Gomera (16), Fuerteventura (15) and El Hierro (six). 'Whoever commits recklessness must pay for it,' said Fernando Figuereo. It is not clear whether the families of anyone who dies in a negligent act would be responsible for the fines. British travellers have been warned to prepare for serious disruption - including four-hour queues - at European airports this summer, as the rollout of the EU Entry/Exit System (EES) continues. Bodies representing airlines and airports, such as ACI Europe, lata and Airlines for Europe (A4E), have called for an immediate review into the 'significant delays' passengers are currently facing at aviation hubs across the continent. The new biometric system requires fingerprints and photos from non-EU nationals, including UK citizens, entering the Schengen Area, which includes most of the EU, plus Iceland, Norway, Liechtenstein and Switzerland. The automated IT system was first launched in October 2025, but airports and ports initially had until April 2026 to fully implement the technology as a mandatory requirement. However, last week, the EU made the decision to give 29 participating countries a more flexible timeline for the system's introduction until early September. As the gradual rollout continues, fears are mounting over the impact on summer travellers, with passengers already facing significant delays. In the meantime, concerns continue to grow for how the gradual rollout might affect the journeys of holidaymakers travelling through airports during the busy summer season, with significant delays already being reported by passengers. Long, slow-moving queues have been reported at popular Schengen area airports, along with technical issues, such as crashing gates, as witnessed in Gran Canaria. British holidaymakers could face queues of up to four hours when travelling through European airports over the summer amid the gradual rollout of the new EU Entry/Exit System (EES) The biometric system requires fingerprints and photos from non-EU nationals, including UK citizens, entering Schengen Area countries In some cases, passengers have missed flights amid 70 per cent longer processing times and fears of 5 to 6-hour queues. Aviation bodies have since written to Magnus Brunner, the EU commissioner for internal affairs and migration, demanding the EU take immediate action to prevent 'excessive' delays as a result of the rollout. They warned: 'Failing immediate action to provide sufficient flexibility, severe disruptions over the peak summer months are a real prospect, with queues potentially reaching four hours or more.' They highlighted three core issues that are 'compounding EES delays', including 'chronic' understaffing at border control, 'unresolved' technical malfunctions and the 'very limited uptake' of the Frontex pre-registration app by Schengen states. The Frontex app would allow passengers to complete a number of additional checks prior to their arrival at the border. According to the Independent, the European Commission insists the new system is operating 'largely without issues'. But in a joint statement, ACI Europe, lata, and A4E said: 'There is a complete disconnect between the perception of the EU institutions that EES is working well, and the reality, which is that nonEU travellers are experiencing massive delays and inconvenience. 'This must come to an end immediately. We need to be realistic about what will happen during the peak summer months, when traffic at Europes airports doubles.' Pictured: Queues of passengers at Lisbon Humberto Delgado Airport Arrivals waiting for immigration border control processing for up to 3 hours in June 2025 They further warned that the rollout of EES must be 'flexible to react to operational realities' and 'safeguard the reputation of the EU as an efficient, welcoming and desirable destination'. To keep travel chaos at a minimum over the summer, the group hopes that the European Commission will allow Schengen member states to partially or totally suspend EES until the end of October. It comes after Lisbon airport was reinforced with soldiers trained as border guards to reduce waiting times after security flaws led to the European Entry Exit System (EES) digital border rollout being suspended last month. In Janaury, 24 members of the National Republican Guard were stationed in the arrivals area at Humberto Delgado Airport, a measure approved by the government, a news agency in Portugal reported. Funnyman Jason Manford has shared his thoughts about cancel culture - and taken a subtle swipe at fellow comic Ricky Gervais. The comedian, 44, opened up to The Daily Mail about if he thinks comedy has become too PC in recent years. He pointed out that there are in fact plenty of stars making a whole career out of claiming they've been 'cancelled'. Jason explained: 'That's the funny thing, isn't it? It is and it isn't. 'Look at the most watched shows on Netflix for example, they are Ricky Gervais, they're Jimmy Carr, they're Jim Jefferies. 'They're comics who are really offensive, and Dave Chappelle. Funnyman Jason Manford has shared his thoughts on cancel culture - and made a cheeky swipe at Ricky Gervais The comedian, 44, who recently joined forces with cheezy baked snack Cheez-It to spread joy in London, opened up to The Daily Mail about if he thinks comedy has become too PC in recent years 'Makes me laugh, Ricky and Dave say, "Oh, I've been cancelled"... I think I wish I was cancelled! 'He just signed a 20 million pound Netflix deal. I'd love to be that cancelled... I'm on a worldwide arena tour being cancelled.' The Waterloo Road star explained that jokes often land way better in person at gigs rather than in short clips, which don't always capture the context of the set. He continued: 'Sat around the table with your family reading a joke that was said the night before in front of a room full of people, hits different. 'You know that, of course, that might be offensive, but in the room on the night, you can see a wink in the eye. 'You can see the you can hear the tone of voice. 'You know there's no malice behind it. Live comedy is still as fun and as raucous and as edgy as it's ever been.' Jason joked: 'You know, makes me laugh, Ricky and Dave say, "Oh, you know, I've been cancelled"... I think I wish I was cancelled!' When asked why he thinks classic comedies such as The Royal Family and Absolutely Fabulous are still popular to this day, he confessed that it's because way more people are involved in making shows now, in compared to then. The Royal Family aired on the BBC between 1998 and 2012, while Absolutely Fabulous was on our screens between 1992 and 2004. Jason said: 'I think there, there was definitely a point where laughter was first, and it was just about right. 'What's the funniest thing to do? Let's not worry too much about sensitivities, and let's be funny. 'And the more you make comedy by committee, the more people are involved, the less funny it gets. 'You know, a lot of those shows were one or two people's vision, and they were sort of left to do it. 'And now, I'll be sat in rooms with people I think you don't even make your own friends laugh, and yet you're in charge of comedy! 'I've had that before, where I remember being in a meeting once, and I did whatever the joke was in the hosting thing I was doing, and this commissioner said, "You know, that bit at the end where they laugh, there's quite a long build up to that. Is there any way of moving that bit to the beginning?" Top 10 cities with the best sense of humour (Cheez-It research) 1. Liverpool - 16% 2. Glasgow - 7% 3. London - 6% 4. Newcastle-upon-Tyne - 5% 5. Birmingham - 5% 6. Manchester - 5% 7. Belfast - 2% 8. Edinburgh - 2% 9. Leeds - 2% 10. Brighton & Hove - 2% Advertisement 'And I was like, "What the punchline? No. That's not how this works." 'That's like building a house on top of a roof, that's not going to work!" 'I don't necessarily think I'm not one of these people who's like, "Oh, you can't say anything anymore", and everyone's offended. I don't think that's true. 'I actually think being inclusive, if anything, makes you work harder for comedy, you can't just go for the low-hanging fruit now, you have to work a little bit harder to make sure that everyone feels included. I don't mind that at all. That fits into my comedy anyway. 'I feel like I'm quite liberal, but I think some people in comedy sort of try and like out liberal each other. They try and find like another way. 'I feel like even now I've got material that I think in 20 years time, someone will say, "Oh, my God, I can't believe you said that about dogs. '"Like dogs have got their own people, and how dare you, and you're gonna get cancelled because you said that joke about dogs". 'Like just finding other ways of sort of getting in the way of being funny. 'And fundamentally, when you're live in front of a room of people, everyone from all walks of life, everyone is just up for a laugh. No one is trying to be offended or try and be upset. Jason told us: 'When you're live in front of a room of people, everyone from all walks of life, everyone is just up for a laugh. No one is trying to be offended or try and be upset' 'So, yeah, I think modern comedy is it sort of victim of its own niceness, in a way. 'And that's probably why those old comedies sit so well, is because they didn't worry too much about that. 'They just went, "Let's be funny first".' Jason has had an extremely successful career over the years, working in comedy, TV, theatre and radio. In particular his comedy has seen him complete a number of UK tours including A Manford All Seasons, Like Me, Muddle Class, First-World Problems and Turning into My Dad. Jason, who recently joined forces with cheezy baked snack Cheez-It to spread joy in London, admitted that he still feels 'responsibility' to cheer anyone up if are feeling down. With February in full swing, plenty of rain and Christmas as a distant memory, the UK isn't at its most chipper - and Cheez-It's research has found that nearly two thirds of Brits admitted that they were 'yearning for more joy in winter months'. Jason hit the streets of the capital to try and lift the mood after finding out that one in ten Brits confessed that they can't remember the last time they had a 'proper laugh'. He said: 'I feel like I'm constantly trying to fix people's moods. 'You know, if someone's down, I feel like that's my responsibility. 'And I guess people do presume that because you're a comic, you're always full of laugh, full of banter.' Luckily he knows exactly what to do if he needs a boost himself. 'But for me, I suppose I'll watch same as everybody else, really comedy clips, sitcoms. 'I'll ring a friend, got a couple of mates who were dead funny. My mate Steve and and Dave and we have a little laugh. 'My kids make me laugh - my son's hilarious, like, just stuff he comes out with. 'So, yeah, I think it's about people, isn't it? Fundamentally, it's very hard to laugh by yourself. 'So a campaign like this hopefully brings people together, gets people laughing.' Jason Manford took to the streets of London with Cheez-It to lift the nations mood and launch the Comedy Credit Service to give Brits a much-needed laugh. Missed Jason? Head to @cheezit_uki on Instagram Peaky Blinders is set to return to screens with new film, The Immortal Man, in less than a month, with Cillian Murphy's Thomas Shelby back for more. The hit franchise ran across 36 episodes over six series before it was announced it would return in movie format, with a spin-off series also in the works. It's been a long wait for fans of the franchise, with creator Steven Knight first teasing the release of a film back in 2021, before it was confirmed last year. While it will be made available to view in select cinemas from March 6, 2026, the wider public will be able to stream on Netflix from March 20. The film will pick up four years after viewers last said goodbye to the Shelby clan in the series finale of Peaky Blinders. Tommy Shelby, who has been played by Cillian, 49, since the show's debut in 2013, will be driven back to Birmingham from his self-imposed exile. Peaky Blinders is set to return to screens with new film, The Immortal Man, in less than a month, with Cillian Murphy's Thomas Shelby back for more The hit franchise ran across 36 episodes over six series before it was announced it would return in movie format, with a spin-off series also in the works The synopsis teases the character will face his 'most destructive reckoning yet', adding: 'With the future of the family and the country at stake, Tommy must face his own demons, and choose whether to confront his legacy, or burn it to the ground. By order of the Peaky Blinders.' Die-hard fans of the series may know that the fictional characters and the series story are loosely based on a real gang members from Birmingham. Creator Steven drew inspiration from stories his parents told him about real gangs that operated in the area much earlier than the show's post World War I setting. Now, genealogy site Ancestry has given a look behind the curtain about the real figures who inspired the hit series, delving into newspaper articles from the past on their site Newspapers.com. Historical records reveal that the term 'Peaky Blinders' originally referred not to a single organised crime dynasty, but to a group of violent youths operating in Birmingham. The newspapers used the label broadly, often applying it to anyone sporting the now-iconic flat-peaked caps associated with the gangs activity. One of the most recognisable names from the series is William Billy Kimber, portrayed on screen by Charlie Creed-Miles. In reality, Kimber was a formidable figure long before television dramatised his life, the leader of the Birmingham Boys gang, and appears in official documents and newspapers throughout the early 20th century. The newspapers used the label broadly, often applying it to anyone sporting the now-iconic flat-peaked caps associated with the gangs activity Die-hard fans of the series may know that the fictional characters and the series story are loosely based on a real gang members from Birmingham In 1921, Kimber was recorded living in London with his partner, Cissie Kimber, and her family - and were unmarried until 1926, despite living together. Just weeks before that 1921 census was taken, the Birmingham Gazette reported that Kimber had been injured in a fight with a rival gang. Contrary to popular belief, the Peaky Blinders weren't just women, and newspaper reports from the era identify women as active participants in gang activity. Laura Annie Collins, born around 1863, was identified in newspapers as a Peaky Blinder alongside her husband, Alfred J. Worrall (alias John Collins). In 1904, the Walsall Observer reported that she attacked a police constable with a hairpin during a trip to Bridgtown, Staffordshire. Nearly a decade earlier, in 1895, Emma Rowlands appeared before a Birmingham court following an altercation. The Birmingham Evening Mail described her striking a man in the eye with a belt, an act the prosecutor claimed was unprovoked, despite her insisting she acted in self-defence. A headline from July 1895 labelled her 'A Female Peaky Blinder. One of the most recognisable names from the series is William Billy Kimber, portrayed on screen by Charlie Creed-Miles Historical records reveal that the term 'Peaky Blinders' originally referred not to a single organised crime dynasty, but to a group of violent youths operating in Birmingham The character of Alfie Solomons, was inspired by real Jewish gang leader Alfred Solomon Elsewhere, in 1905, a split within the Peaky Blinders resulted in one member stabbing another. Charles Henry Allbutt was seriously injured in the attack but survived, continuing to appear in criminal records until 1910. Similarly, brothers William and James Brough, born in Birmingham in 1882 and 1884, were both associated with the Peaky Blinders. In 1905, James was arrested after drunkenly attacking a police officer, and when William and a friend, Thomas Mullis, attempted to intervene, they too were detained, according to the Birmingham Evening Mail. James Brough later served in the First World War. By 1921, he was no longer appearing in newspaper reports as a criminal. Instead, he was working as a metal polisher and living in Birmingham with his wife, Emma, and their children. The character of Alfie Solomons, played by Tom Hardy, was inspired by real Jewish gang leader Alfred Solomon. Official records list him not as a crime boss but as a fruiterer (fruit seller) and in 1921, he was living in Westminster and described by the same trade. Tommy Shelby, who has been played by Cillian, 49, since the show's debut in 2013, will be driven back to Birmingham from his self-imposed exile Alfie Solomons was played by Tom Hardy But in 1924, Solomon was charged with the murder of bookmaker Barney Blitz at the Eden Social Club. The Daily Mirror reported that he was sentenced to three years in prison. Simon Pearce, Family History Expert at Ancestry, said: 'Peaky Blinders has captivated audiences with its gritty stories of rivalry and gang loyalty on the streets of Birmingham. 'Ancestry's real-life discoveries show just how closely the citys history aligns with the drama on screen and some lesser known facts about the infamous gang too. 'From women actively involved in gang activity to men who served in the First World War, and others who reformed as respectable fruiterers, its a reminder that the most fascinating stories often lie hidden in our local and family histories, waiting to be uncovered.' The Immortal Man airs on Netflix on March 6 and will be available in cinemas The Summit - ITV1 Rating: A party of immature strangers is stranded in the wilderness, somewhere on the far side of the world. Their only hope lies in co-operation... but instead, they succumb to savagery. No, it's not Lord Of The Flies, but Ben Shephard's mountaineering reality show, The Summit - ITV's take on The Traitors, with 14 contestants in cagoules instead of cloaks, using pickaxes to stab each other in the back. It must have seemed a good wheeze on paper. But, set in the wide open spaces of New Zealand instead of the confines of a castle, the format is overwhelmed by logistical problems. The result is stilted, staged, blatantly fake and frequently nonsensical. The scenery's nice, though. We are meant to believe that these climbing novices, aged from their 20s to their 50s, are going to cover more than 100km (roughly 70 miles) in a fortnight, much of it on steep or boggy terrain, some of it vertical, at high altitude, ending on a mountaintop. They don't appear to be carrying spare clothes, food or safety equipment, let alone ropes and crampons. All they've got in their rucksacks is the prize money, currently standing at 200,000. The blokes are in jeans, the women in leggings. Frankly, I'd be worried if I saw them setting off for a picnic in the Lake District. Yet when they reach their first campsite, helpfully set up by the invisible production crew, no one is complaining of sore feet or tired muscles. Ben Shepherd's (pictured) ITV take on The Traitors is overwhelmed by logistical problems Contestants Warren and Jenny on the show. The show feels stilted, staged, blatantly fake and frequently nonsensical Afton, 24, (pictured) sobs helplessly when she gets mud on her pink outfit Even if they're only covering five miles a day, I'd expect all but the fittest to be exhausted. Several of them are playing panto roles. There's 24-year-old Afton, all in pink, sobbing helplessly when she gets mud on her outfit. Publican Miranda, 50, is quick to tell everyone that she lost her mother when she was a teenager, and no one thinks it odd that she chats to her mum's ghost whenever she's anxious. Construction manager Dockers, 36, has apparently been told to make himself as obnoxious as possible. He swaggers about, proclaiming himself to be 'the ultimate shark' and boasts of his ability to manipulate the other players. He's clearly been told to pick fights, and he does it without any guile or subtlety. On the second morning, he accused the others of trying to 'sabotage' him by throwing his gloves on the fire. When they denied it, he blurted, 'You calling me a liar?' like a drunk in a pub. The beauty of The Traitors is that all the cast have to pretend to be friends, even while they know some are bound to be enemies. These 'mountaineers' are supposed to be co-operating. True, they must select candidates for elimination each day but even that is done by a group vote. Stirring up conflict and splitting into factions makes no sense. It's all weirdly pointless... summit and nothing. ITV has named the actresses who will be fronting the new all-female Dalziel and Pascoe reboot for the show's first remaining in almost 20 years. Originally airing between 1996 and 2007, the series followed veteran detective Andy Dalziel (Warren Clarke) and his corner-cutting ways and his younger partner, Peter Pascoe, (Colin Buchanan) who insists on solving crimes by the book. The leading roles will now be played by Kerry Godliman, 52, known for her work on the likes of Afterlife and Derek, who will step into the shoes of Detective Inspector Andrea Dalziel, and Virdee star, Nina Singh, 30, who will play Detective Sergeant Paige Pascoe. Just like the original series, the reboot will be based on the crime novels of the same name by Reginald Hill - the main difference being that its stars are now women. ITV has promised that the reboot will be 'a fresh and contemporary reimagining of the beloved British detective series'. The show, which is set in the fictional Yorkshire town of Wetherton, will be filmed this spring and is expected to air later this year. ITV has named the actresses who will be fronting the new ALL-FEMALE Dalziel and Pascoe reboot for the show's first remaining in almost 20 years Kerry Godliman (pictured here on Loose Women), 52, known for her work on the likes of Afterlife and Derek, will step into the shoes of Detective Inspector Andrea Dalziel Virdee star, Nina Singh, 30, will play Detective Sergeant Paige Pascoe (pictured here in The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry) Kerry Godliman said that she was 'chuffed to be playing the assertively charming DI Andrea Dalziel.' The actress added to The Mirror: 'It's a juicy role as she's such an interesting personality - accomplished at her job, warm, but also direct to the point of being abrasive. Weary and warm-hearted. 'Lots to get my teeth into as we reimagine Dalziel and Pascoe to a new audience.' Nina Singh echoed this sentiment and described her new role as Pascoe as 'an absolute honour'. She admitted: 'I find Kerry hilarious, so I know at times I'll struggle not to be laughing. 'Colette Kane and the writing team have incorporated humour so well into the scripts at the same time as keeping you constantly guessing what'll happen next in true Dalziel and Pascoe form.' The boss of comedy at ITV, Nana Hughes, said: 'It's a genuine privilege to bring Reginald Hills much-loved Dalziel and Pascoe back to the screen for a new audience. 'At the heart of this series is the enduring, unexpected chemistry between two very different detectives, and were excited to explore that new dynamic.' Originally airing between 1996 and 2007, the series followed veteran detective Andy Dalziel (Warren Clarke) and his corner-cutting ways and his younger partner, Peter Pascoe, (Colin Buchanan) who insists on solving crimes by the book ITV has promised that the reboot will be 'a fresh and contemporary reimagining of the beloved British detective series' It was previously reported that the switch to female detectives could 'rattle' longtime fans of the show, and will raise questions around whether this reboot will pay a faithful homage to the original run. A source said: 'This will be a huge shock for fans of Dalziel and Pascoe with the two coppers being played by women. 'While it was never in doubt that the programme would undergo a recast, many of the old-school drama fans won't be expecting to see two women in these legendary roles.' They went on to tell The Sun: 'It will certainly raise questions about if the new reboot will discard the previous iteration altogether or if some bizarre explanation will be offered up on-screen.' This would be the latest in a long list of gender-swapped roles in TV, with Doctor Who making a similar move in 2017 when they cast Jodie Whittaker as the titular time traveller. Previous show star Warren died in 2014 following a short illness whilst Colin hasnt appeared on screen since his role in the 2009 TV film, Diverted. The Dalziel and Pascoe reboot is set to air on ITV1 later this year. Ed Balls was silenced as a frustrated Good Morning Britain guest snapped 'let me answer' - before issuing a brutal swipe at his looks during the tense interview. The former politician went head to head with Richard Holden, the Shadow Secretary of State for Transport as he appeared as a guest on the ITV breakfast show. The Conservative MP took the opportunity to make a call of Prime Minister Keir Starmer to resign as the Lord Mandelson scandal rolls on. The Former European Commissioner for Trade Mandelson had a long-standing personal relationship with Jeffrey Epstein that continued even after Epsteins conviction in 2008 for soliciting prostitution involving a minor. Mandelson was a senior Labour politician and strategist before Starmer rose up the ranks in politics, serving in Cabinet roles under Tony Blair and Gordon Brown. However, Mandelson and the PM would have operated within the same party circles, and in 2024, Starmer appointed Mandelson as the UKs Ambassador to the United States, solidifying their working relationship. Ed Balls was left silenced as a frustrated Good Morning Britain guest snapped 'let me answer' - before issuing a brutal swipe at his looks during the tense interview The former politician went head to hear with Richard Holden, the Shadow Secretary of State for Transport as he appeared as a guest on the ITV breakfast show During the exchange live on air on Good Morning Britain, an imagine was shown of Holden at the darts alongside Robert Jenrick, who defected to Reform UK. Ed, 58, poked fun at the men being dressed as Robin Hood, suggesting it was because, like the story, they want to take money from the rich and give it to the poor. He questioned whether Holden planned to follow in the footsteps of his friend Jenrick with any plans to join Nigel Farage's party. But Holden hit back: 'I think you also see another of my colleagues, Jack Rankin is also there and neither Jack, nor I, are leaving the Conservative Party.' As Holden continued to explain Jenrick can 'make his own decisions', he was interrupted by Ed - but the politician wasn't backing down. He demanded: 'Ed, let me answer the question,' to which Ed continued: 'You're saying to Good Morning Britain unequivocally, you will not leave the Conservative Party for Reform at any point in this Parliament?' The Tory minister responded: 'I can guarantee that. I have been a member of this party since I was a teenager. I was a council candidate for it against the odds in Whitechapel in the 2000s. 'I've stood for Parliament. I've worked behind the scenes for the Conservative Party. During the exchange live on air on Good Morning Britain, an imagine was shown of Holden at the darts alongside Robert Jenrick, who defected to Reform UK Ed, 58, poked fun at the men being dressed as Robin Hood, suggesting it was because, like the story, they want to take money from the rich and give it to the poor 'The Conservative Party is the only one with a clear plan for the future of the country, a team that can deliver and a leader who's fit to be prime minister now and in the future.' Ed's co-host Susanna Reid brought the interview to a close, but not before Ed took one final swipe at Holden - joking he looked more like Friar Tuck than Robin Hood. Holden snapped back against the quip, leaving Susanna, 55, shocked: 'That's rich coming from you, Ed.' It comes after Ed Balls suffered an agonising on-air moment on Good Morning Britain after appearing to 'freeze' while reading the time. The former Labour minister was presenting the show with his co-host Susanna earlier this month when the awkward exchange occurred. The pair were wrapping up a segment before an ad break when the camera panned onto Ed, who appeared to falter while reading the time. He said: 'So it's...' before going blank and staring directly down the camera, causing Susanna to jump in and add: 'It's 8.53, you're watching Good Morning Britain. See you in a moment'. The show then cut to a commercial break. Although it is not clear whether there were behind-the-scenes technical issues or Ed had simply frozen, the ex-MP has been open about having a speech impediment. Ed's co-host Susanna Reid brought the interview to a close, but not before Ed took one final swipe at Holden - joking he looked more like Friar Tuck than Robin Hood Ed Balls seemingly froze up live on GMB - with co-host Susanna Reid swiftly stepping in to help out Last year, the presenter was left close to tears after interviewing inspirational stammer sufferer Jessie Yendle. Ed has previously discussed his experiences of having a stammer recalling a 'decade-long struggle' with his speech, which saw him famously mocked by David Cameron in the Commons in 2012. Ms Yendle thank Ed for 'representing the community' saying 'it means the world to us'. Ed first revealed he had struggled with a stammer in an 2011 article with the Times, revealing he faced a daily battle to deliver his words and had to memorise all his speeches because he could not read a script. In an attempt to overcome his stammer, Ed said he memorised 15 speeches a week and when he appears to have forgotten his lines, it is just that his voice has frozen. Ed said at the time: 'You just have to be yourself whatever you do. It doesn't cause me a problem as Secretary of State, although there are times when it is tough. 'The worst thing you can do is try and stop it. That's when you trip up. It happens to me on live TV. 'Some people speak without notes because they think it looks better. Some people do it because they think it leads to a better speech. But I can't read the words out.' Ed was elected Labour MP for Normanton in the 2005 general election. He served as Economic Secretary to the Treasury from 2006 to 2007 in Tony Blair's Government. Under Gordon Brown, he was the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families from 2007 to 2010. Good Morning Britain airs weekdays from 6am on ITV1 and ITVX Netflix has acquired the entirety of an iconic show branded the 'greatest medical drama ever made' - 32 years since it first hit screens. ER launched on NBC in 1994 and lasted until 2009, airing a whopping total of 331 episodes altogether. UK viewers will now get to rewatch the legendary show - or discover it for the very first time. It provided a launch pad for George Clooney, who played Dr. Doug Ross for five years and later won two Academy Awards. Other original cast members include Noah Wyle as Dr. John Carter, Anthony Edwards as Dr. Mark Greene and Juliana Margulies as Carol Hathaway. During its run, ER became the highest-award medical drama, with recognition such as 23 Primetime Emmy Awards and a Golden Globe win. Netflix has snapped up all 331 episodes of a beloved medical drama - spanning 15 seasons altogether ER first hit screens in 1994 and ran until 2009 - notably providing a launch pad for George Clooney, who played Dr. Doug Ross Pictured from (l to r): ER cast members Alex Kingston, Anthony Edwards, Eriq La Salle, Goran Visnjic and Noah Wyle Writing online, fans have been sharing their appreciation for the series with one penning on IMDB: 'This show is without a doubt, the best one on television.' Another agreed: 'Having seen virtually every single episode of this brilliant Drama, it is safe to say that those most loyal to it have never been let down by the characters they have watched grow & develop on screen, leaving many saddened at the loss of the original cast, yet intrigued by the new members.' A third said: 'ER was a wonderful series that focused on the challenges that doctors face and the kind of training they receive as well as all the different kind of patients they treat. 'It is one of the best medical television shows that I have ever watched.' While a fourth chimed in: 'I recently finished the entire series of ER. 'Overall it was a great show. As a medical student I actually learned some things. The show was well written and had a lot of great acting.' The first eight seasons of ER starred Anthony Edwards (left) in the leading role of Dr. Mark Greene As well as the main cast members, several recognisable faces appeared as guest stars on ER. Some examples are Zac Efron, Ewan McGregor, Angela Bassett, Stanley Tucci and Aaron Paul, to name a few. Elsewhere, Netflix snapped up an 'addictive' drama series which tells the story of a real-life game show cheating scandal and has been hailed a must-watch. First released back in 2020 on ITV, the series was created by Dear England writer James Graham and based on popular novel Bad Show: the Quiz, the Cough, the Millionaire Major by Bob Woffinden and James Plaskett. Showcased across three tense episodes, Quiz tells the story of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? contestant Charles Ingram, a former armer major, who became the third person to ever win the 1million on the popular gameshow format. The contestant was later known as the 'coughing major' after his time on screen in 2001, after producers noticed a distinctive coughing pattern coming from the audience when he was answering the questions. Correct answers being repeated aloud by Ingram were always met with a series of coughs, helping him to pick the correct answer each time. His coughing accomplice was Tecwen Whittock, alongside Ingram's wife Diana who was also in on the plot, and all three were caught out by the show's production staff. The BBC has dropped first look images from Vigil's third series. Suranne Jones, 45, will return to reprise her role as Detective Chief Inspector Amy Silva and she will be joined by Rose Leslie, 39, as Detective Sergeant Kirsten Longacre. This series will centre around the Artic, with the duo investigating their latest case - a murder at the research station. Teasers showed the couple with rifles on their back, Amy in a courtroom and the two appearing to discuss the investigation in a police interview room. The show's writer Tom Edge said: 'I'm grateful to the BBC and World Productions for backing the ambition of a story that takes Vigil to the Arctic. 'This series grapples with the issues that will define tomorrow's world: melting ice caps, conflict over resources, energy wars, and lives put at risk in pursuit of peace and profits.' The BBC has dropped first look images from Vigil's third series. Suranne Jones, 45, will return to reprise her role as Detective Chief Inspector Amy Silva and she will be joined by Rose Leslie This series will centre around the Artic, with the duo investigating their latest case - a murder at the research station The series will be split into six parts as the duo investigate the shooting of a British member of a covert special forces mission. 'Amy and Kirsten will need to catch the killer and diffuse a potential international confrontation, driven by a land-grab for energy and resources in the changing polar climate, with both their careers and relationship on the line,' the BBC teased in its series three casting announcement. The duo are not the only familiar faces returning to the show and Gary Lewis will also return to reprise his role as Detective Superintendent Robertson for the third time. Dominic Mafham will once again play Sir Ian Downing and Orla Russell will feature again Amy and Kirsten's daughter Poppy. Other actors lending their talents to the show include Shetland's Steven Miller and Dawn Sievewright. Jake Lushington, the executive producer at World Productions, said: 'We are thrilled to be kicking off filming series three of Vigil with Suranne and Rose in the epic arctic landscapes of Svalbard and welcome our most multinational cast to date, as well as featuring new and established Scottish talent.' Filming of the latest season of the hit show has now wrapped and it is expected to be released on BBC1 and iPlayer later this year. The series will be split into six parts as the duo investigate the shooting of a British member of a covert special forces mission Teasers showed the couple with rifles on their back, Amy in a courtroom and the two appearing to discuss the investigation in a police interview room Filming of the latest season of the hit show has now wrapped and it is expected to be released on BBC1 and iPlayer later this year The first-look images come after Suranne was praised for her incredible acting and on-screen chemistry with love interest Rose in the second season of Vigil. The Manchester-born actress had many dubbing her acting as 'incredible' and the story 'thrilling'. Season one was a cat-and-mouse thriller set aboard a Royal Navy nuclear submarine mired in espionage and murder, where Jones excelled as DCI Amy Silva, a detective-turned-action hero who battled evil submariners and her own sense of claustrophobia, and the gripping series won an International Emmy for Best Drama Series and was nominated for a BAFTA. For the second season, DCI Silva and DS Longacre were transported to a Royal Air Force base in Scotland. It follows events after a training exercise at the fictional Dundair air base to show off an attack drone to foreign buyers goes terribly wrong, killing several military personnel. The first and second series of Vigil are available to stream on BBC iPlayer now. Coronation Street star Sally Dynevor recounted the impact of her previous breast cancer diagnosis - while offering support to former co-star Beverley Callard. Sally, 62, who plays Sally Metcalfe on the ITV soap, was diagnosed with breast cancer in November 2009. That same year, her character also received a breast cancer diagnosis - and both ultimately made full recoveries. On Wednesday (February 11), Sally appeared on Loose Women to mark her 40th anniversary on the cobbles. The panel discussed her former co-star Beverley, 68, who played Liz McDonald, recently revealing her own breast cancer diagnosis. Sharing her perspective, Sally told how her diagnosis had 'completely changed' her life. Appearing on Loose Women, Coronation Street's Sally Dynevor reflected on her breast cancer diagnosis - and shared support to former co-star Beverley Callard, who played Liz McDonald Coronation Street legend Beverley, 68, revealed she is battling the disease during a chat show appearance in Ireland to promote her new role on soap opera Fair City In a fresh health update to fans, Beverley Callard said she's feeling 'positive and strong' after being diagnosed with breast cancer She elaborated: 'My character had breast cancer and I had to tell Carla (Alison King) that Sally had breast cancer. 'That was a very, very difficult scene because I knew I was leaving at that point.' Sally continued: 'I wanted to carry on working. I didn't want to stop., but the moment that I was told I needed chemo that's the moment that I realised that actually this is serious. 'But hopefully for Bev, she's caught this early so she will hopefully be back at work and carrying on doing what she's doing. 'It's very hard for women because if you're a working mum and the breadwinner, then you want to carry on. You need to be working.' Meanwhile, Sally disclosed how her character's storyline had prompted her to get checked in real life. She recalled: 'I've still not come to terms that it happened and maybe if I hadn't had the storyline, maybe I wouldn't have checked because I was only 46.' Sally added: 'I thought it was, you know, much older women but it's not. 'I mean thank goodness there's much more information out there now than there was 15 years ago when I got it. 'But now we're talking about it, which is very important.' She added: 'I remember my first day back on the street after having eight months off or six months off and walking down the cobbles and going. 'I am so grateful for this because once you have something taken away from you. 'You think that's it, and then to get it back is just, wow, I mean, you don't take it for granted.' Sally featured on Loose Women to discuss her four decades starring as Sally Webster/Metcalfe in Coronation Street Elsewhere, Beverley shared a fresh health update with fans, saying she is feeling 'positive and strong' following her breast cancer diagnosis. Beverley revealed she is battling the disease during a chat show appearance in Ireland to promote her new role on soap opera Fair City. She reassured fans the cancer was caught early, but would need to return to the UK for radiotherapy and surgery. In an update on Monday, the actress told fans she is now back home in Norfolk after taking the ferry with her husband Jon McEwan and their dogs. Speaking on camera, Beverley said: 'I really want to say thank you so much to everyone for your wonderful messages. Everybody has been truly fantastic. 'And I also want to say I'm feeling really positive and I'm very strong. I begin hospital stuff and everything now I'm home. 'Everything begins this week. On Wednesday, they're testing lymph nodes and lymph glands and all of that and I will keep everybody updated. 'I'm so appreciative of all the love that's coming, thank you.' Announcing her diagnosis last Friday on The Late Late Show to host Patrick Kielty, Beverley revealed she received the news just 20 minutes before filming her first scenes in her new role. She explained: 'I'd had some tests just before I left the UK and literally 15 to 20 minutes before [her first scene] I was in my dressing room at Fair City, getting ready to go on, and I was quite nervous and thinking, "I hope everybody thinks I'm all right, whatever". 'And my consultant rang me and said, "you've got to come back to the UK". I said, "well I can't possibly, you know, I've just taken a new job I'm away for a month".' Beverley added: 'I'm fine. I'm absolutely fine. My head was a bit mashed for the first few days. It's very early stages, and I'm along with, you know, thousands of other women as well.' An Antiques Roadshow guest was left gasping as she learned the eye-watering value of an 'iconic and truly beautiful' showbiz artefact from her late husband. Expert Stephen Lane was joined by a female guest on the most recent episode of the BBC One spin-off show, Unseen Treasures, as it took to Bedfordshire's Shuttleworth House. He was left thrilled to see a piece of theatre history brought for valuation, that was said to have been worn by actor Michael Crawford during the Phantom of the Opera's long-running stint on stage on London's West End. The guest brought the prop, alongside a crew jacket and a script, to see how much it would be worth should she decided to part with it. She explained that her late husband had been a member of the original cast during the shows 1986 run, and was gifted the mask by Michale, 84, after he left the show. Expert Stephen said as he examined the piece of costume history: 'So we can see that this has been used for many, many shows. An Antiques Roadshow guest was left gasping as she learned the eye-watering value of an 'iconic and truly beautiful' showbiz artefact from her late husband The guest brought the prop, alongside a crew jacket and a script, to see how much it would be worth should she decided to part with it 'There's some sort of a build-up of makeup, perhaps makeup residue here. So it looks like it's had great heavy use. 'To go to the next level, really what I want to do is research this in further depth and see if we can find a photo, a behind-the-scenes photo or a stage show shot of Michael wearing the mask. 'Because as we look at the mask, there are a number of inherent details here and I'm just going to point to some of these. 'There's some paint splashes the way that it's been painted just along under the eye here and then there's a little dent in the paintwork just in here as well. 'So what's really important to establish here is if this was a mask worn by Michael or by a stand-in and it really makes a difference in the value. 'On one hand it's going to be an interesting thing, it's iconic in its own right, but if it's worn by Michael Crawford it really elevates the value. 'But as it stands today, I think it's a highly desirable and collectible artefact.' Stephen then confirmed the mammoth valuation for the item: I wouldn't hesitate to put an estimate on it of about 5,000 to 10,000. 'So really, really valuable. If we can do that further research, I think the likelihood is if we can match it up and that should be possible, then you're going to double that I think 10,000 to 20,000.' Expert Stephen Lane was joined by a female guest on the most recent episode of the BBC One spin-off show, Unseen Treasures, as it took to Bedfordshire's Shuttleworth House She explained that her late husband had been a member of the original cast during the shows 1986 run, and was gifted the mask by Michale, 84, after he left the show The guest was left gasping in shock, replying: 'Wow!' as Stephen concluded of the mask: 'Truly beautiful.' It comes after an Antiques Roadshow guest was amazed to learn the value of a tiny trinket with 'great history attached to it'. The BBC show paid a visit to Thirlestane Castle in the Scottish Borders to assess hidden treasures. Antiques expert and journalist Marc Allum met a mother and son, who brought heirlooms connected to a Russian tsar. These items included an imposing portrait, a small painting as well as a gold snuffbox. Marc was particularly taken by the snuffbox - with a handwritten note outlining the significance of its engraving and the fact it was gifted by a Russian tsar. The guest revealed the box's historical importance had always mattered more than potential financial value. Upon examining the item, Marc estimated the snuffbox to be worth between 20,000 to 30,000. Antiques Roadshow airs Sundays on BBC One and is available to stream on iPlayer Married At First Sight's Stella Mickunaite and Filip Gregov have confirmed their relationship is stronger than ever, despite a few rocky moments on their wedding day. Things went pear-shaped during their nuptials when Stella's friends branded Filip a 'red flag' because he mentioned his flourishing YouTube career in his vows. However, it seems the couple haven't let the naysayers destroy their bond, as a video shared to Instagram on Wednesday proves they are still going strong. The clip, uploaded by one of Stella's friends, shows the couple cuddling up at a bar as they attended a watch party for their wedding episode. Filip had his arm wrapped around his bride's waist as they watched the emotional ceremony unfold on a large screen. 'Match made in heaven', the friend wrote next to the heartwarming clip. Married At First Sight's Stella Mickunaite and Filip Gregov have confirmed their relationship is stronger than ever. Both pictured A video shared to Instagram on Wednesday shows the couple cuddling up at a bar as they attended a watch party for their wedding episode It comes after couple strongly hinted their relationship was still going swimmingly during an interview with Daily Mail Australia this week. Asked how it felt rewatching their wedding, Stella revealed she was emotional. 'I couldn't stop crying watching it back,' she said. 'It was such an amazing day. All the right people were there, the energy was right, the venue was incredible. I just felt super blessed.' Filip echoed her sentiments, describing the day as one of the most meaningful moments of his life. For Stella, their instant connection went far deeper than attraction. The bride, who grew up in Lithuania before moving to Australia, said dating Filip felt different to any relationship she'd had before. 'I've dated Aussie men in the past and I noticed a massive difference in values,' she explained. Filip had his arm wrapped around his bride's waist as they watched the emotional ceremony unfold on a large screen It comes after couple strongly hinted their relationship was still going swimmingly during an interview with Daily Mail Australia this week Despite the rocky start, the couple confirmed their physical chemistry was undeniable. Both pictured in October 'I often felt misunderstood and judged for wanting to build more in life. 'Connecting with a man whose family background is the same as mine was a beautiful surprise. I felt seen, I felt heard. It laid a really strong base for everything that followed.' Despite the rocky start, the couple confirmed their physical chemistry was undeniable, with plenty of PDA still to come on screen. 'We're not allergic to affection,' Filip joked. 'The chemistry was there from the get-go.' Stella admitted she initially tried to slow things down after her friends' warnings. 'I literally said, "Two weeks, nothing is happening,"' she revealed. 'But common sense prevailed. It wasn't forced. It just progressed naturally.' The daughter of veteran Seven News broadcaster Rob Brough has died following a heartbreaking battle with aggressive cancer. Jess Willmott, a mother of three, died on Thursday just one month after she had been given the all-clear from breast cancer, only to be struck down by an aggressive brain tumour. Her death comes after her famous father, 71, made the emotional decision to step away from his long-running on-air role in regional Queensland in late 2024 so he could spend more time with his beloved daughter and her young family. Jess' husband Tammen confirmed the tragic news on a GoFundMe page set up to support the family, as he became her full-time carer. 'Jess was deeply loved as a wife, a mother, a friend, and an extraordinary human,' he wrote. 'The space she leaves behind is immeasurable, and our family is navigating a loss that words cannot fully capture.' The daughter of veteran Seven News broadcaster Rob Brough (pictured) has died following a heartbreaking battle with aggressive cancer He described her as 'strong, courageous and truly resilient' and thanked the community who rallied around them during her illness. 'We want to thank every single person who has supported us, prayed for us, donated, and stood beside us throughout this journey. Your kindness has carried us more than you could ever know.' Brough, who has been a familiar face on Australian television since the 1970s, anchored Channel Sevens nightly bulletins across the Sunshine Coast, Wide Bay and Mackay for years before disappearing from screens last year. At the time, he revealed he had taken extended leave to care for Jess and help raise her three young children on the Sunshine Coast. Speaking to the ABC in 2025, Brough explained his decision to walk away from the newsroom. 'About four years ago our daughter Jess was diagnosed with breast cancer. That was pretty confronting,' he told ABC Sunshine Coast radio in September. 'We got to a tough stage where things weren't working and not a lot of options were available,' he explained. 'It was just an easy choice for me to leave work and spend as much time as I could around her and her family.' Jess Willmott (pictured), a mother of three, died on Thursday - just one month after she had been given the all-clear from breast cancer, only to be struck down by an aggressive brain tumour Her death comes after her famous father made the emotional decision to step away from his long-running on-air role in regional Queensland in late 2024 so he could spend more time with his beloved daughter and her young family Brough said he has devoted his time to helping raise Jess' three children, Indigo, Milla and Madden. 'That's a beautiful thing because bringing up your children and then being a part of your grandchildren's upbringing is as good as it gets,' he said. The TV star also suffered heartbreak almost three decades ago when his three-year-old son Sam suddenly died. During his absence, Brough's chair for Seven's regional bulletins on the Sunshine Coast, including Cairns, has been filled by Nathan Spurling and Joanne Desmond. Brough began his career in radio in the 1970s before moving into television roles with ABC and Channel Nine. She has been serving up elegance and class on red carpets recently, but Margot Robbie has revealed her wild side during her drink-fuelled days in London - from being kicked out of nightclubs to parties with strippers. The Wuthering Heights and Barbie actress, 35, has admitted to being thrown out of infamous nightclub Infernos and 'most of the clubs in Clapham' in a new interview, while opening up on her wild hen do featuring a Harry Potter stripper. Up until 2016 Margot was a proud Clapham resident, living in a ramshackle, four-bedroom flat ironically dubbed The Manor with six of her friends. She previously branded her life in South London as the 'best days of my life' and reportedly instigated a compulsory 'house tattoo', with every member getting the same design. Now, appearing on the Table Manners podcast, mother-of-one Margot has opened up on her wild days in the capital as she admitted to being thrown out of Infernos - the cheesy establishment renowned for its drenched carpeted floors and sketchy customers. The disco-central club appears to be a magnet for celebrities, with The Summer I Turned Pretty actress Lola Tung also previously being spotted dancing the night away inside. Margot Robbie has admitted to being thrown out of infamous London nightclub Infernos and 'most of the clubs in Clapham' in a new interview Margot later moved to Clapham and lived 'down the road' from Infernos with her roommates during her drink-fuelled party days Margot explained how her roommates had told her about Infernos while she she was working in Belgium and how you 'can't get kicked out' - which she put to the test Speaking to Jessie and Lennie Ware, Margot explained how her roommates had initially told her about the former Cinema while she was working in Belgium and how you 'can't get kicked out' - which she unintentionally put to the test. Margot said: 'So we all had a weekend in London when the job was done. And of course, we went to Infernos, and within about 15 minutes, we got kicked out. 'And while we're getting dragged out by security, I was screaming, but this is Infernos, you cant get kicked out of Infernos. 'And the bouncer was like, Look, we allow most things, but when your friend does [redacted], then we kick you out. And I was like, okay, fair enough!' Margot did not reveal what her friend had done to alert security, but went on to admit: 'Most of the clubs in Clapham, I'd say, have kicked us out. 'Yeah, for a while we were banned at a number of places! [..] So we ended up all deciding to move in together.' Margot was so captured by the area she and her pals decided to call it home and the lifestyle she led could be likened to that of a student, the star previously admitting she was like a 'naughty schoolgirl'. She explained: 'I had gone back to America at that point, and so we were looking online, and the guys were like, Oh, it's a sign this place is down the road from Infernos. So we literally signed our lease just because it was down the road from Infernos.' Join the debate Does this story make YOU like Margot more knowing she got kicked out of clubs? Margot was so captured by the area she and her pals decided to call it home, with the star previously admitting she was like a 'naughty schoolgirl' Before her wedding to husband to Tom Ackerley, Margot had a boozy Harry Potter-themed hen do, with a stripper (pictured with Tom in 2024) While on the cusp of stardom, pictures posted by the actress's friend group on social media in 2014 suggest a hard-drinking lifestyle a world away from the fakery of LA. One, captioned 'the house degenerates', shows a brunette Margot wearing black boots, posing with her housemates atop a roof, sticking two fingers up at the camera, wearing a T-shirt with the slogan 'Oscars Bait' (in 2018 Margot would be nominated for an Academy Award for her role in I, Tonya about infamous ice skater Tonya Harding). Another shows a pile of bin bags outside the house filled with empty beer cans. The housemates got on so well that in 2015, four of them Robbie, Ackerley, Sophia Kerr and Josey McNamara founded production company, Lucky Chap. Now worth an estimated 25million, its remit is to 'make female stories', producing I, Tonya in 2017, Promising Young Woman, starring Carey Mulligan, in 2020 both of which won Oscars and now Barbie. Before her wedding to husband Tom Ackerley, the former Neighbours star had a boozy Harry Potter-themed hen do, with a stripper. She recalled: 'My friends got a stripper and made him do Harry Potter. It was so funny and not sexy, and like, he was like, in a robe with the glasses, the scar, and you know, all the innuendo that you can imagine. 'And it was very, very funny, but we were all so drunk, it really didn't matter, to be honest! 'In the midst of her party girl era, Margot befriended the local off license owners and even invited them to one of her movie premieres, though she said they did not believe she was famous and did not accept her invitation.' After Margot's Wuthering Heights co-star Jacob Elordi revealed their 'mutual obsession' with each other, she was asked whether the Aussie hunk was the stripper. After Margot's Wuthering Heights co-star Jacob Elordi revealed their 'mutual obsession' with each other, she was asked whether the Aussie hunk was the stripper - which she replied no Margot stars alongside Jacob Elordi in the highly anticipated Wuthering Heights, which is released in cinemas this Friday Margot replied: 'No, Jacob did not come as a stripper, but we did have strippers, and they were amazing. They did like classic Magic Mike.' Meanwhile, during an appearance on Heart Radio on Tuesday to promote Wuthering Heights, Margot necked beer and gin with Amanda Holden. During the interview, Amanda brought along a pair of shoe-shaped bottles so the pair could have 'shoeys' - when someone drinks out of a shoe as a party piece. It is popular in Australia as a celebratory ritual. Amanda said: 'I've got you a little present only because it's nearly lunchtime so I feel this is legal. As an Australian, I know you like shoeys.' 'I literally just told someone what a shoey is,' Margot replied. Amanda then revealed the shoe-shaped bottles, one with beer, which she gave to Margot, and one with gin, which she drank herself. 'This is actual beer. You can either go for a real one or a non-alcoholic one,' she said. 'I mean, obviously the real one. This is a very elegant shoey. Usually you do it out of some mangy old sneaker,' Margot said. 'Cheers darling,' Amanda said as they both enjoyed their drinks. Phoebe Burgess has revealed she is still living on her parents' Southern Highlands property, six years after her split with NRL star husband Sam. The former WAG, 36, was recently enjoying a Noosa getaway with her children Poppy, eight, and Billy, six. And she took to Instagram on Tuesday to reveal the trio had returned to the idyllic property, where she has been residing since the 2019 split. After sharing a photo that showed her enjoying Noosa with Poppy with the caption: 'missing the sand between our toes,' Phoebe followed with a short clip of Poppy walking a white horse around a paddock. She then shared a series of clips that gave a glimpse into her relaxed rural lifestyle, including one showing Poppy driving a utility vehicle filled with horse feed as Billy trailed behind on a motorbike. Another clip showed Poppy, still in her pyjamas, happily feeding the horses before school. Phoebe Burgess has revealed she is still living on her parents' Southern Highlands property, six years after her split with NRL star husband Sam After enjoying an idyllic Noosa getaway, Phoebe to Instagram on Tuesday to reveal the trio had returned to the idyllic property, where she has been residing since the 2019 split Billy, meanwhile, looked less-than-impressed as he watched on from the vehicle. A third clip showed Poppy bonding with a horse which follows her around the paddock. The sweet moment was captured in another clip that showed Poppy gently kissing the horse. 'Horses' brekky comes first here,' Phoebe wrote. 'With kisses of course.' It comes after Phoebe offloaded her nearby Southern Highlands property in November for $2.09million. Phoebe purchased the property, dubbed Acre Hill, back in 2021 following her bitter and public split with her footy star ex, Sam. According to the Daily Telegraph, Phoebe and her two children never officially lived in the house. She has, instead, remained at her parents' nearby property, with the home leased for 'about a year', according to the publication. She shared a series of clips that gave a glimpse into her relaxed rural lifestyle, including one showing Poppy driving a utility vehicle Another clip showed Poppy, still in her pyjamas, happily feeding the horses before school Phoebe grew up at the property with her parents Mitch and Sarah Hooke, and sisters Jemima and Harriet, just a stone's throw from Acre Hill. She told Daily Mail Australia at the time that the move back to her parental home was one of the best decisions she's made for her two children. 'I learned really early on that there's a trade-off. My kids love the space,' she said. 'Billy has an electric bike, and dad's just made him a cool track out in mum's horse arena of jumps... Poppy just loves going outside and being creative.' Phoebe and Sam split in October 2019, after four tumultuous years of marriage. They had initially separated in December 2018 shortly after the birth of their son, Billy but reconciled in April, only to end things for good six months later. Phoebe recently started posting on Instagram again after months-long silence since November. Her social media re-emergence came after ex Sam was reunited with their two children earlier this month. A third clip showed Poppy bonding with a horse which follows her around the paddock Phoebe and Sam split in October 2019, after four tumultuous years of marriage Following the split, Phoebe purchased a property near her parents farm, but never officially lived in the house. She offloaded the property in November for $2.09million The footy star's second wife, Lucy, shared a photo of the former NRL player's reunion with his daughter and son. The English-born athlete beamed from ear to ear in one picture, which captured him posing with all four of his children: his two with Phoebe and the two he shares with Lucy daughter Robbie, two, and son Mack, three months. It is believed that it was the first time Billy and Poppy had met their half-brother Mack. Footage also showed Sam playing a fun game of rugby with Billy in a backyard. A third picture showed Sam posing alongside his wife Lucy, the happy couple smiling as they enjoyed some downtime in Sydney. The gallery was captioned: 'Family time'. Since 2023, Sam has been mostly separated from Billy and Poppy after he moved to the UK with Lucy. It appears that Bec Zacharia loves nothing more than seeing her name and face in print. The Adelaide-based Married At First Sight bride, 35, was spotted out and about at her local shopping centre this week, but she was looking for more than just fruit and veg. Bec was spotted at a magazine rack at the supermarket checkout feverishly scouring pages of newspapers and magazines, possibly looking for a mention of her MAFS exploits. Dressed in a sleeveless black top and matching pants, the real estate agent was also seen with a small basket of groceries. As she perused one publication, Bec was also chatting to someone on her phone which was held in the crook of her neck. It's unsurprising that Bec would be looking for her name in headlines given the drama she has generated in the first week of the Channel Nine series. It appears that Bec Zacharia loves nothing more than seeing her name and face in print The Adelaide-based Married At First Sight bride, 35, was spotted out and about at her local shopping centre this week, but she was looking for more than just fruit and veg She took umbrage with groom Danny Hewitt's wedding day joke about her bailing him out of jail. The couple appeared to put the faux pas behind them and became intimate during their idyllic Fiji honeymoon. However, that initial spark appears to have fizzled, with Danny admitting to a lack of sexual chemistry between the pair. Bec was also at the centre of the drama at the first dinner party on Monday night, clashing with fellow bride Gia Fleur over who had the better sex life. The heated argument occurred in front of the entire cast, after Gia, 35, bluntly boasted to the table about how amazing her bedroom antics were with her husband Scott McCristal - much to Bec's annoyance. Gia's admission did not go down well with Bec who was still stinging over Danny's sexual chemistry admission. 'Shut up! She feels like her relationship is so good right now and she is in this dream place. Like, I am really happy for her that she had good sex, but to see her with that massive smile on her face... shush! Like, read the room,' Bec vented to producers. The tension culminated in a game of one-upmanship between the bombshell brides, as Bec attempted to then boast about how much better her honeymoon was compared to Gia's. Bec was spotted at a magazine rack at the supermarket checkout feverishly scouring pages of newspapers and magazines, possibly looking for a mention of her MAFS exploits It's unsurprising that Bec would be looking for her name in headlines given the drama she has generated in the first week of the Channel Nine series 'I can't fault Scott, we had such a good honeymoon!' Gia boasted, to which Bec cheekily jumped in with: 'We went to Fiji for a week!' 'It was so good, so much fun!' Bec added, before asking Gia and Scott where they went on their romantic getaway. 'Townsville!' the pair replied in unison, prompting Bec to burst into laughter over their honeymoon in remote Queensland. 'Gia and Scott went to Townsville... Not Fiji! I'm sure they had a nice time though,' Bec quipped to producers. A furious Gia did not hold back when later slamming her rival to producers. 'Bec is yuck! Like what is your f***ing problem? It was just rude, she is rude!' Gia sniped. Meanwhile, Bec later accused Gia of being 'fake' and sniped that she was unfairly judging her relationship with Danny. There were also rumours swirling that Bec had branded Gia a 'trashy s***' during a wild hens' night. She took umbrage with groom Danny Hewitt's wedding day joke about her bailing him out of jail. The couple appeared to put the faux pas behind them and became intimate during their idyllic Fiji honeymoon which quickly fizzled due to a lack of sexual chemistry Bec was also at the centre of the drama at the first dinner party on Monday night, clashing with fellow bride Gia Fleur (pictured) over who had the better sex life. Speaking to Daily Mail, Bec rubbished the claims, saying the incident 'did not happen.' 'That would have been TV gold,' Bec said bluntly. 'If I had said that, there is absolutely no way it would have been left on the cutting room floor. It did not happen.' Bec explained that while she and Gia clashed almost immediately, the tension stemmed from a personality mismatch. 'I think we are fundamentally very different people,' she said. Married At First Sight continues Wednesday at 7.30pm on Channel Nine Kim Kardashian has casually revealed that her daughter Chicago can play the piano. It appears the eight-year-old, whose dad is 48-year-old music artist Kanye West, has inherited his musical talent. Kardashian, 45, posted a snippet of their little girl playing the keys via Instagram Stories on Monday. She looked perfectly at ease while demonstrating her command of the instrument as she played without any sheet music in front of her. Chicago, who celebrated her birthday in January, mostly maintained rhythm and coordination while steadily playing with both hands. It comes days after her big sister North, 12, released her first single, a rap song titled Piercing On My Hand. Kim Kardashian has casually revealed that her daughter Chicago can play the piano Kardashian, 45, posted a snippet of their little girl playing the keys via Instagram Stories on Monday Kardashian's video clip showed the youngster sitting at a cream-colored piano in her mansion as her younger brother Psalm, six, tussled with a friend. Chicago's curly dark hair was pulled into a ponytail as she wore a patterned pink dress. On Friday North debuted her new song on social media, complete with cover art featuring the tween with bright blue hair and showing off dermal piercings on her fingers. Recent months have seen the young star and her mom come under fire for her outlandish fashion and bold self-expression. North initially debuted dermal piercings on her fingers in November. Fans swarmed social media comments to call out the 'high-risk' body art, prompting the youngster to simply reply, 'It's okay,' with a heart-shaped hands emoji. And in December, the nepo baby addressed critics of her finger piercing in a TikTok video. She filmed a short video with a soundbite saying: 'Why are you crying? How old are you? Just pull it together.' Text over the reel noted: 'This is for everyone that's mad over a finger piercing.' Join the debate Should children be free to express themselves with bold fashion and body art, or are boundaries needed? Chicago's musical talent reveal It comes days after her big sister North, 12, released her first single, a rap song titled Piercing On My Hand; pictured in the single artwork On Friday North debuted her new song on social media, complete with cover art featuring the tween with bright blue hair and showing off dermal piercings on her fingers In addition to Chicago and North, exes Kardashian and West share sons Saint, 10, and Psalm, six While appearing as a guest on sister Khloe Kardashian's Khloe In Wonder Land podcast in January, Kardashian revealed that North is homeschooled and involved in a hands-on music course. 'At home she'll do an eight-hour music studio session, where she's producing and writing. I'll add her writing out all of her lyrics as a part of her spelling tests. 'We do all of the things at home that she really enjoys and are challenging,' the billionaire mogul spilled. Elsewhere in the episode, Kardashian staunchly defended her firstborn child. Asked if the scrutiny over her parenting bothers her, she answered: 'I'm just not a judgmental person like that, so I try not to pay attention to it.' She elaborated, 'But I think that no one knows, unless they're in my shoes, what I'm dealing with and how we have to manage certain things from the outside world. Kardashian said there's a misconception that she is trying to be her daughter's 'bestie' and 'lets her get away with a lot.' The multihyphenate detailed, 'No, Northie actually has a lot of rules. The one area [of freedom] is that I do let her express herself.' She recently returned from a trip to Fiji with her partner John Winning Jr. And Dina Broadhurst captured some stunning self-portraits for her art collection during the vacation. In the images, which she posted on Instagram this week, the eastern suburbs socialite appears completely nude while floating in the water. The 50-year-old 'nude artist' strategically placed a pineapple to protect her modesty. Dina looked serene as she relaxed in the sea, covering her eyes from the sun with a pair of sunglasses. The series of photographs was aptly titled 'Pineapple Skies' and will no doubt be available to buy from Dina's sought-after collection. Dina Broadhurst captured some stunning self-portraits for her art collection during her recent trip to Fiji Dina holidayed with her partner John Winning Jr earlier this year But it was not all work and no play during the trip, as Dina also posted some flirty holiday snaps for her followers. They included a carousel of images modelling an array of swimwear, including a barely-there electric blue two-piece that showed off her trim and toned torso. She also slipped into a form-fitting strapless crochet mini dress with a floral embellishment on the decolletage. Unabashed about revealing some skin, another photo captured Dina completely nude, preparing to take an outdoor shower. While clearly keen to work on her tan during her Fiji escape, it seems that Dina may have overdone it a tad. Another image showed Dina, again completely nude, flaunting a rather nasty sunburn. Meanwhile, Dina and John appear to be going strong after reuniting last year. After parting ways at the end of 2024, Dina confirmed that the pair had rekindled their romance in August last year. In the images, which she posted on Instagram this week, the eastern suburbs socialite appears completely nude while floating in the water But it was not all work and no play during the trip, as Dina posted some flirty holiday snaps for her followers Another image showed Dina, again completely nude, flaunting a rather nasty sunburn 'I'm in a relationship,' she said. 'After spending some time apart, we've reconnected with a much deeper bond. And we're happier than ever.' John took over as CEO of Winning Appliances in 2011 at the age of 22, spearheading its expansion into Australia's largest online appliance retailer. The company was founded in 1906 by his great-grandfather, Richard William Winning, and remains a powerhouse in the kitchen and laundry appliance sector, with the family fortune estimated at $700 million. Angelina Jolie made rare comments about the preventative double mastectomy she underwent back in 2013. The Oscar-winner, 50, touched on the topic of her mastectomy scars, which she recently showed for the first time in December, in a new interview with France Inter. Jolie, who plays a woman diagnosed with breast cancer in her latest film Couture, said that her scars 'are a choice' that she is 'grateful' she was able to make. 'I've always been someone more interested in the scars and the life that people carry,' she said. 'I'm not drawn to a perfect idea of a life that has no scars.' 'My scars are a choice I made to stay here as long as I could with my children. I love my scars because of that. 'And I'm grateful that I had the opportunity and the choice to do something proactive about my health.' Angelina Jolie made rare comments about the preventative double mastectomy she underwent back in 2013 in a new interview; seen on February 9 She noted that being able to choose to undergo the surgery was meaningful, especially because she lost her mother, Marcheline Bertrand, to cancer and is now 'raising [her] children without a grandmother.' Bertrand was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 1999 and later developed breast cancer. She died in January 2007 at the age of 56. Jolie's grandmother and aunt also passed away from cancer. 'So for me, I think this is life, and if you get to the end of your life and you haven't made mistakes and you haven't made a mess, you don't have scars, you haven't lived a full enough life,' Jolie said. Jolie shares three biological children with ex-husband Brad Pitt, 61: Shiloh, 19, and 17-year-old twins Knox and Vivienne. They also share three adopted children: Maddox, 24, Pax, 22, and Zahara, 21. In December 2025, she publicly showed her double mastectomy scars for the first time when she posed for Time France. In May 2013, Jolie had both breasts surgically removed, and then underwent a reconstructive surgery, after discovering she carries a genetic mutation that dramatically increases the chance of being diagnosed with potentially fatal breast cancer; Seen in 2024 Jolie was seen out ing Paris on Tuesday just hours after her interview was published I'm grateful that I had the opportunity and the choice to do something proactive about my health,' she told France Inter 'I share these scars with many women I love,' she stated. 'And I'm always moved when I see other women share theirs.' 'I wanted to join them, knowing that TIME France would be sharing information about breast health, prevention, and knowledge about breast cancer.' In May 2013, Jolie had both breasts surgically removed, and then underwent a reconstructive surgery, after discovering she carries a genetic mutation that dramatically increases the chance of being diagnosed with potentially fatal breast cancer. The mutation in her BRCA1 gene, left the mother-of-six with an estimated 87 per cent risk of breast cancer and 50 per cent risk of ovarian cancer. In March 2015, she also had her ovaries and fallopian tubes removed as a preventive measure against developing ovarian cancer. In her Time France interview, Jolie called for making BRCA screenings available to every woman. 'Every woman should always be able to determine her own healthcare journey and have the information she needs to make informed choices: genetic testing and screening should be accessible and affordable for women with clear risk factors or a significant family history.' 'When I shared my experience in 2013, it was to encourage informed choices,' she added. In her new film Couture, directed by Alice Winocour, Jolie plays Maxine Walker, a woman whose life is upended when she receives a breast cancer diagnosis; Jolie seen in a still In March 2015, she also had her ovaries and fallopian tubes removed as a preventive measure against developing ovarian cancer; Pictured with ex-husband Brad Pitt in 2014 'I know my children will never have to say, 'Mom died of ovarian cancer,'' she previously told the New York Times in 2015; Seen with her six children in 2019 'Healthcare decisions must be personal, and women must have the information and support they need to make those choices. Access to screening and care should not depend on financial resources or where someone lives.' In 2015, Jolie shared about her decision to remove her ovaries due to a second health scare. The Maleficent star published a lengthy opinion piece, titled Angelina Jolie Pitt: Diary Of A Surgery in the New York Times explaining her decision. According to Jolie, she had been planning to undergo surgery to remove her ovaries and Fallopian tubes for a while at the time, but a call from her doctor made the procedure more urgent. A blood test detected potential anomalies linked to the protein CA-125, which is used to monitor ovarian cancer, Jolie's doctor told her, urging the actress to see her surgeon, who also had treated her late mother. 'I went through what I imagine thousands of other women have felt,' she wrote. 'I told myself to stay calm, to be strong, and that I had no reason to think I wouldn't live to see my children grow up and to meet my grandchildren.' She noted that she chose to keep her uterus because there is no history of uterine cancer in her family. Jolie has previously spoken of the void in her life that her mother's death had left - a pain that led her to taking the brave decision to have a double mastectomy, so her children may not have to experience the pain she did. The Unbroken director lost her mother, Marcheline Bertrand, to cancer at age 56 in 2007. Her grandmother and aunt also passed away from cancer; Seen with her mom in 2001 The actress's aunt, Debbie Martin, then died of breast cancer at the age of 61 less than two weeks after Jolie revealed she had undergone her mastectomy. To counteract the loss of her ovaries, Jolie turned to hormone replacement therapy and had a device inserted in her womb. 'Regardless of the hormone replacements I'm taking, I am now in menopause,' she wrote. 'I will not be able to have any more children, and I expect some physical changes. But I feel at ease with whatever will come, not because I am strong but because this is a part of life. It is nothing to be feared.' 'I know my children will never have to say, 'Mom died of ovarian cancer,'' she added. Lily James and Daisy Edgar-Jones looked incredibly chic as they attended Krug & Max Richter's star-studded event on Tuesday. The actresses mingled with fellow guests and sipped on champagne as they enjoyed a music tasting at London's Roundhouse. Krug & Max Richter celebrated Every Note Counts, an encounter between two uncompromising minds: Krug Cellar Master Julie Cavil and genre-defying composer, pianist, and producer Max Richter. Lily, 36, cut a glamorous figure in a black midi dress, while Daisy, 27, flashed her bralette in a semi-sheer blouse. The Cinderella actress was joined closely by her good friend Shazad Latif, who stars in Emerald Fennell's Wuthering Heights. Meanwhile, Daisy looked loved-up with her photographer boyfriend Ben Seed as they enjoyed a rare public outing. Lily James (R) and Daisy Edgar-Jones (L) looked incredibly chic as they attended Krug & Max Richter's star-studded event on Tuesday The actresses mingled with fellow guests and sipped on champagne as they enjoyed a music tasting at London's Roundhouse (Daisy, Ben Seed, Shazad Latif and Lily pictured L-R) Dame Kristin Scott Thomas, 65, also made an appearance and showcased her age-defying features. Inside the soiree, Lily reunited with her Cliffhanger 2 and Mamma Mia: Here We Go Again co-star Pierce Brosnan. The pair looked delighted to be in each other's company and appeared invested in conversation. The icon enjoyed a night out with his son Dylan, 29, who looked handsome in a black suit jacket. Lily previously expressed her fondness for Pierce, telling People 'Hes one of lifes true gentlemen'. Pierce thanked Lily in 2024 for letting him star in the Cliffhanger reboot. The legendary actor, 72, shared a sweet behind-the-scenes photo alongside the actress after he wrapped filming. The remake of the 1993 Sylvester Stallone film sees Lily play Naomi, the eldest daughter of seasoned mountaineer Ray Cooper (Pierce). Krug & Max Richter celebrated Every Note Counts, an encounter between two uncompromising minds: Krug Cellar Master Julie Cavil and genre-defying composer, pianist, and producer Max Richter Lily, 36, cut a glamorous figure in a black midi dress The Cinderella actress was joined closely by her good friend Shazad Latif, who stars in Emerald Fennell's Wuthering Heights Gala Gordon looked incredible in an all-white outfit while Pierce Brosnan looked suave in a navy suit Daisy, 27, flashed her bralette in a semi-sheer blouse Meanwhile, Daisy looked loved-up with her photographer boyfriend Ben Seed as they enjoyed a rare public outing The couple departed the event together Dame Kristin Scott Thomas, 65, also made an appearance and showcased her age-defying features Mia McKenna-Bruce wrapped up in a faux fur knee-length coat as she departed the event Inside the soiree, Lily reunited with her Cliffhanger 2 and Mamma Mia: Here We Go Again co-star Pierce The pair looked delighted to be in each other's company and appeared invested in conversation The icon enjoyed a night out with his son Dylan, 29, who looked handsome in a black suit jacket Lily previously expressed her fondness for Pierce, telling People 'Hes one of lifes true gentlemen' Mia McKenna-Bruce cut a chic figure as she struck a pose at the event The pair smiled side-by-side as they posed for a photo on the set, wearing wool trench coats and black hats. Sharing the snap to Instagram, Pierce wrote: 'Dear Lilly, thank you and Jaume Collette Serra (director) for inviting me to come play with yll in the mountains of Austria and the fair city of beautiful Munich.' He added: 'I had a blast, am gonna miss ya. I wish you et al every joy of success with your production of Cliffhanger. Mighty work Lily reached death defying new heights in her role after taking over from silver screen legend Sylvester. The father-daughter duo, Naomi and Ray 'run a mountain chalet in the Dolomites. During a weekend trip with a billionaire's son, they are targeted by a gang of kidnappers,' an official synopsis reads. 'Ray's older daughter Naomi, still haunted by a past climbing accident, witnesses the attack and escapes.' Ray is kidnapped while climbing with the son of a billionaire and Naomi must 'save her family' while fighting 'for survival in the Italian Dolomites,' the synopsis concludes. Phoebe Burgess has returned to social media with a vengeance. The former WAG has recently enjoyed a Noosa getaway with her children Poppy, eight, and Billy, six, and has posted up a storm documenting the trip. In images shared to Instagram on Wednesday, the 36-year-old showed off her figure in a series of swimsuits as she lazed around in the popular tourist destination. Phoebe stretched out on a towel in a burgundy one-piece while wearing a straw bucket hat and reading a book. In another photo, the influencer opted for a floral, strapless swimsuit as she played with her children on the sand. A third image showed Phoebe in yet another pair of floral motif swimmers, this time in a pale pink and black design. Phoebe Burgess (pictured) has returned to social media with a vengeance The former WAG has recently enjoyed a Noosa getaway with her children Poppy, eight, and Billy, six, and has posted up a storm documenting the trip 'Currently enjoying the sound of my own thoughts again having adopted the "can't beat 'em join 'em" approach to our little escape this summer' Phoebe wrote in her caption alongside the images. 'The memories were all captured, no posts, so revisiting them to share a few (while tactfully and intentionally ignoring the daily sibling brawl or two) confirms just how big a leap this vacay felt for the three of us,' she continued. 'I basically regressed to my 10-year-old self on holiday - including surf lessons, playing hangman at breaky or colouring in menus at dinner, the boogie board was king, Hey Bill shaved ice is still the thing, shoes optional, night swims allowed complemented by very lax shower and bedtimes - and ice cream is lunch. Heaven. 'Never has a holiday felt more recharging than this little oasis of time we found.' It comes after Phoebe revealed she is still living on her parents' Southern Highlands property, six years after her split with NRL star husband Sam. She took to Instagram on Tuesday to reveal the trio had returned to the idyllic property, where she has been residing since the 2019 split. After sharing a photo that showed her enjoying Noosa with Poppy with the caption: 'missing the sand between our toes,' Phoebe followed with a short clip of Poppy walking a white horse around a paddock. Phoebe offloaded her nearby Southern Highlands property in November for $2.09 million. In images shared to Instagram on Wednesday, the 36-year-old showed off her figure in a series of swimsuits as she lazed around in the popular tourist destination A third image showed Phoebe in yet another pair of floral motif swimmers, this time in a pale pink and black design 'Currently enjoying the sound of my own thoughts again having adopted the "can't beat 'em join 'em" approach to our little escape this summer' Phoebe wrote in her caption She purchased the property, dubbed Acre Hill, back in 2021 following her bitter and public split with her footy star ex, Sam. According to the Daily Telegraph, Phoebe and her two children never officially lived in the house. She has, instead, remained at her parents' nearby property, with the home leased for 'about a year', according to the publication. Phoebe grew up at the property with her parents Mitch and Sarah Hooke, and sisters Jemima and Harriet, just a stone's throw from Acre Hill. She told Daily Mail Australia at the time that the move back to her parental home was one of the best decisions she's made for her two children. 'I learned really early on that there's a trade-off. My kids love the space,' she said. 'Billy has an electric bike, and dad's just made him a cool track out in mum's horse arena of jumps... Poppy just loves going outside and being creative.' Phoebe and Sam split in October 2019, after four tumultuous years of marriage. They had initially separated in December 2018 shortly after the birth of their son, Billy but reconciled in April, only to end things for good six months later. Phoebe recently started posting on Instagram again after months-long silence that began in November. More than two decades after making her mark in one of Australia's most beloved teen films, Leeanna Walsman is proving she's only getting hotter with age. The Looking for Alibrandi star, 46, was spotted making the most of the sunshine at Sydney's Bondi Beach on Tuesday, turning heads as she enjoyed a relaxed day by the water. The actress, who appeared in the 2000 cult classic alongside Pia Miranda and Kick Gurry, showcased her incredible figure as she splashed about with a female friend, dressed in a skimpy black bikini that featured gold ring detailing. She went bare-faced for the laid-back outing and wore her signature curly blonde hair loose. At times she was seen strolling and chatting with her gal pal, who wore a black one-piece. The sighting comes more than two decades after the release of Looking for Alibrandi, which marked Walsman's first major screen exposure. More than two decades after making her mark in one of Australia's most beloved teen films, Leeanna Walsman is proving she's only getting hotter with age Leeanna is pictured in Looking For Alibrandi The Looking for Alibrandi star, 46, was spotted making the most of the sunshine at Sydney's Bondi Beach on Tuesday, turning heads as she enjoyed a relaxed day by the water The actress, who appeared in the 2000 cult classic alongside Pia Miranda and Kick Gurry, showcased her incredible figure as she splashed about with a female friend, dressed in a skimpy black bikini that featured gold ring detailing She went bare-faced for the laid-back outing and wore her signature curly blonde hair loose She looked toned and terrific as she traversed the beach's rocky shore In the film, she played Carly Bishop, a privileged private school student whose storyline intersected with the film's central characters at the elite St Martha's College. The role helped introduce her to Australian audiences and launched a career that has since spanned film, television and theatre. Following the success of Looking For Alibrandi, Walsman went on to land an international credit in Star Wars: Episode II Attack of the Clones (2002), playing bounty hunter Zam Wesell. She later built a steady television career with appearances in series including Underbelly, Rescue: Special Ops, The Secret Daughter, Wakefield and The Wrong Girl. She is also well known for her recurring role as Erica Davidson in the hit Foxtel prison drama Wentworth. Most recently, Leeanna starred in the Nine drama Human Error (2024), the biggest Free to Air role she has ever undertaken. 'Except for Jessica (2004), I've never played the lead of a series, especially one like this on a Free to Air network like Channel Nine,' she told TV Tonight at the time. 'I definitely think I'm a better actor now. But when I think about it, other than theatre, I've been part of ensembles as a lead, which is extraordinary. This role feels even bigger, because I guess I'm older and I'm more aware of what's going on.' Alongside her screen work, Leeanna has maintained a strong presence on stage, performing with major theatre companies including Sydney Theatre Company and Belvoir. Leeanna beamed and gestured as she chatted to her friend The sighting comes more than two decades after the release of Looking for Alibrandi, which marked Walsman's first major screen exposure In the film, she played Carly Bishop, a privileged private school student whose storyline intersected with the film's central characters at the elite St Martha's College The role helped introduce her to Australian audiences and launched a career that has since spanned film, television and theatre Following the success of Looking For Alibrandi, Walsman went on to land an international credit in Star Wars: Episode II Attack of the Clones (2002), playing bounty hunter Zam Wesell She later built a steady television career with appearances in series including Underbelly, Rescue: Special Ops, The Secret Daughter, Wakefield and The Wrong Girl Nicole Kidman looked absolutely radiant on Wednesday as she proudly showed off her naturally curly red hair while jetting out of Sydney Airport. The Hollywood star, 58, looked timelessly chic in head-to-toe Chanel as she strolled through the terminal with her trademark auburn curls bouncing freely around her shoulders. Dressed in a navy double-breasted coat and loose-fitting dark jeans, Nicole kept things casual yet polished. She finished her look with a pair of white lace-up shoes and oversized black sunglasses. With her hands tucked casually into her pockets, the Moulin Rouge actress appeared relaxed and in good spirits. She appeared to be travelling light, carrying only a small item in her hand as she made her way through the terminal. Nicole Kidman looked absolutely radiant on Wednesday as she proudly showed off her naturally curly red hair while jetting out of Sydney Airport The Hollywood star, 58, looked timelessly chic in head-to-toe Chanel as she strolled through the terminal with her trademark auburn curls bouncing freely around her shoulders Nicole kept her makeup minimal for the outing, allowing her glowing complexion and signature natural curls to take centre stage. The Oscar winner flashed a warm smile as she passed through the airport, cutting a glamorous figure despite the low-key travel look. Her relaxed appearance was a far cry from the sleek, straightened styles she has recently worn on the international fashion circuit. In January, Nicole dipped back into her wig collection for Paris Fashion Week, after letting her natural curls breathe in Australia over Christmas. The iconic actress was spotted wearing a hair topper as she stepped out at the Chanel Haute Couture spring/summer 2026 show. A closer look at her straightened locks showed the tell-tale sign of a wig positioned just behind the actress' hairline, blending in with her real hair. Hiding her eyes behind a pair of dark designer shades, the Hollywood veteran slipped into a feathered mini dress. To finish off the look, Nicole boosted her height with a pair of black and white heels as she sat beside former Vogue editor Anna Wintour on the FROW. Dressed in a navy double-breasted coat and loose-fitting dark jeans, Nicole kept things casual yet polished Nicole kept her make-up minimal for the outing, allowing her glowing complexion and signature curls to take centre stage Her relaxed appearance was a far cry from the sleek, straightened styles she has recently worn on the international fashion circuit. In January, Nicole dipped back into her wig collection for Paris Fashion Week (pictured) Fans rushed to point out the Aussie star's wig online, with one person noting: 'Nicole has a hair topper and you can see where it's been clipped on her head.' 'Whats with the wig and sunglasses?' another wrote, as someone else commented: 'Hair topper. Very obvious.' 'It is obviously a wig she's wearing. It's badly blended at the front,' added one, as another echoed: 'You can clearly see her wig.' Nicole has been known to frequently wear wigs when she attends events, likely to protect her natural curl pattern. However, she was recently spotted giving her locks a break when she returned home to Australia for Christmas following her split from husband Keith Urban. She also marked the milestone 15th birthday of her daughter Faith Margaret on December 28. The veteran actress continued to show off her naturally curly, voluminous red hair in a photograph to celebrate the occasion. Matt Damon and his wife Luciana Barroso put on a unified front when they arrived for the premiere of the new film Crime 101 in Los Angeles on Tuesday night. Luciana, 49, cut an elegant figure in a black off-the-shoulder dress that contrasted with her 55-year-old husband's dressed-down gray suit. The couple was also joined at the premiere by Matt's longtime friend and collaborator Ben Affleck. The trio's outing comes shortly after Matt admitted to Howard Stern that his wife once admitted that she considered his pal Ben to be 'the cute one' when they starred together in 1997's Good Will Hunting. Luciana's dress featured intriguing black tonal stripes and a modest slit to showcase her toned legs. She paired the dress with a set of black heels, and she wore her brunette tresses at shoulder length while adding some sparkle to her look with chandelier earrings. Matt Damon and his wife Luciana Barroso put on a unified front when they arrived for the premiere of the new film Crime 101 in Los Angeles on Tuesday night The couple was also joined at the premiere by Matt's longtime friend and collaborator Ben Affleck, after Matt admitted to Howard Stern that his wife once said she considered his pal Ben to be 'the cute one'when they starred together in 1997's Good Will Hunting She accessorized her minimalist look with a shiny black clutch. Her husband Matt, whom she married in 2005, looked stylish in a light-gray suit with wide-spaced pin stripes, which he dressed down with a thin white ribbed sweater. Matt, who also wore rectangular plastic-frame glasses, posed as a trio with Luciana and Ben, with whom he recently appeared in the crime thriller The Rip. Ben favored a more formal navy blue suit, but he dressed down the look by skipping a tie. Last month, Damon revealed during an appearance on The Howard Stern Show that he learned while was still dating his future wife that she once had eyes for his best friend. He told the host that, months into their relationship, he was introduced to Luciana's friend, which set the shocking revelation in motion. 'After we'd been together for a little while, probably a few months, she admitted that I think I met her best friend from high school, and it came out that the two of them went and saw Good Will Hunting together, and her best friend thought I was the cute one, and she thought Ben was the cute one. 'So she admitted to me... I'm like, "You got the wrong one?"' he recalled.' She told me that 23 years ago.' Luciana, 49, cut an elegant figure in a black off-the-shoulder dress Her husband Matt, whom she married in 2005, looked stylish in a light-gray suit with wide-spaced pin stripes, which he dressed down with a thin white ribbed sweater Ben favored a more formal navy blue suit, but he dressed down the look by skipping a tie During an appearance in January on Howard Stern, Damon revealed that his wife saw him and Ben in Good Will Hunting and thought the Armageddon star was the hotter of the two, though he joked that, ''Finally she met [Affleck] and all that went away' Stern asked if hearing news like that 'stays with you,' but Damon waved away concerns by pointing out that his wife now regularly works with him and Affleck as a producer on their films, including The Rip and Affleck's next directorial effort, Animals. 'She's a great producer and a really good friend, and yeah, I never got that vibe from her,' Matt explained. 'So I think something I did in real life rubbed it off.' 'Finally she met [Affleck] and all that went away,' Damon added, jokingly. In addition to starring together in Good Will Hunting, Damon and Affleck co-wrote the screenplay, which earned them the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay. Their costar Robin Williams was also honored with Best Supporting Actor at the Academy Awards. Beyond the A-list trio, the Crime 101 premiere featured its own high-profile stars, including Halle Berry. She looked effortlessly elegant in a black suit with a matching black satin blouse. It featured a ruffled, raised collar, and she left it unbuttoned to highlight her cleavage. Beyond the A-list trio, the Crime 101 premiere featured its own high-profile stars, including Halle Berry. She looked effortlessly elegant in a black suit with a matching black satin blouse It featured a ruffled, raised collar, and she left it unbuttoned to highlight her cleavage She was joined on the red carpet by another of the film's stars, Chris Hemsworth, who looked chic in a brown double-breasted suit The suit featured darker lapels for an unusual touch, and Hemsworth added a tasteful touch with shiny brown leather loafers. He complemented his suit with a knee-length brown cashmere overcoat with a brown suede collar Chris was supported by his younger brother Liam Hemsworth, who paid tribute to him with a pair of brown trousers. He dressed down the rest of his look with an eggshell-colored shacket, along with weathered white sneakers featuring contrasting crimson laces She was joined on the red carpet by another of the film's stars, Chris Hemsworth, who looked chic in a brown double-breasted suit. The suit featured darker lapels for an unusual touch, and Hemsworth added a tasteful touch with shiny brown leather loafers. He complemented his suit with a knee-length brown cashmere overcoat with a brown suede collar that enlivened the otherwise-monochrome look. He stars in Crime 101 which is directed by Bart Layton from a novella of the same name by Don Winslow as a prolific thief who teams up with an insurance broke (played by Bailey) to pull off a major score. However, a detective played by Mark Ruffalo is hot on the thief's trail. Chris was supported at the premiere by a member of his family, his younger brother Liam Hemsworth. The Australian heartthrob paid tribute to Chris's outfit with a pair of brown trousers, but he dressed down the rest of his look with an eggshell-colored shacket that he left buttoned up, along with weathered white sneakers featuring contrasting crimson laces. Chris and Liam were also joined on the red carpet by their parents, Craig and Leonie Hemsworth. Chris and Liam were also joined on the red carpet by their parents, Craig and Leonie Hemsworth. The family outing comes after Chris revealed late last year that his father had been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease Also representing Crime 101 was actor Corey Hawkins, who arrived in a dark velvety suit. He added a playfully casual touch with a semi-sheer brown mock turtleneck The Simple Favor filmmaker Paul Feig wore a cool black leather sport coat with black trousers, a Western-style belt buckle and black cowboy boots Actor Tate Donovan kept things simple with a dark suit and a thin grayblue sweater Crime 101 had its premiere in London last month, and it will be released in theaters in the US on February 13 The family outing comes after Chris revealed late last year that his father had been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. Years prior to the somber announcement, the Avengers star revealed that a genetic test showed he had an increased risk of developing Alzheimer's disease himself. Also representing Crime 101 was actor Corey Hawkins, who arrived in a dark velvety suit. He added a playfully casual touch with a semi-sheer brown mock turtleneck. The Simple Favor filmmaker Paul Feig wore a cool black leather sport coat with black trousers, a Western-style belt buckle and black cowboy boots. Actor Tate Donovan kept things simple with a dark suit and a thin grayblue sweater. Crime 101 had its premiere in London last month, and it will be released in theaters in the US on February 13. Chris and Liam Hemsworth enjoyed a family outing with their parents Leonie and Craig at the star-studded Crime 101 premiere in Los Angeles on Tuesday. The Thor actor, 42, and his younger brother, 36, cut a dapper duo as they posed with their parents, after Chris recently opened up about his dad's, 70, battle with early-stage Alzheimer's. In Crime 101, Chris stars opposite a cast that includes Halle Berry, Mark Ruffalo, Barry Keoghan, Monica Barbaro, Corey Hawkins, Jennifer Jason Leigh and Nick Nolte. The Australian leading man who also revealed he is at a much higher risk of developing the neurodegenerative disorder himself looked handsome as ever in a dark brown suit. The father-of-three wore a long brown coat over it, and a white button-up underneath. Meanwhile, Liam went with a more casual look, sporting a white jacket with a t-shirt underneath, and brown pants. He completed the outfit with white sneakers. Chris, 42, and Liam Hemsworth, 36, enjoyed a family outing with their parents Leonie and Craig at the Crime 101 premiere in Los Angeles on Tuesday Leonie was chic in a black dress and a matching jacket, while her husband rocked a white t-shirt underneath a grey blazer paired with black jeans. Crime 101 is directed and co-written by Bart Layton, marking his return to the crime-thriller genre following his 2018 hit American Animals. Based on Don Winslow's novella of the same name, Crime 101 follows a string of slick, organized jewelry heists along the Pacific Coast, initially believed to be the work of Colombian cartels. But one sharp-eyed detective isn't convinced - and soon zeroes in on a very different suspect. The movie will hit theatres on February 13. The family's outing comes days after Chris opened up on his recent documentary about his dad's battle with Alzheimer's, calling the 'deeply personal' experience a 'love letter to my father'. The Hollywood star released A Road Trip To Remember last year, which followed him and his father Craig revisiting his childhood homes across Australia, following Craig's diagnosis with early-stage Alzheimer's. It came as a follow-up to his 2022 docuseries Limitless, where the actor learned he had two copies of the APOE4 gene one from each parent meaning he was eight to ten times more likely to develop the same disease. Join the debate Have you been affected by Alzheimer's? The Thor actor and his younger brother cut a dapper duo as they posed with their parents, after Chris recently opened up about his dad's battle with early-stage Alzheimer's The Australian leading man who also revealed he is at a much higher risk of developing the neurodegenerative disorder himself looked handsome as ever in a dark brown suit The father-of-three wore a long brown coat over it, and a white button-up underneath In Crime 101, Chris stars opposite a cast that includes Halle Berry, Mark Ruffalo, Barry Keoghan, Monica Barbaro, Corey Hawkins, Jennifer Jason Leigh and Nick Nolte Crime 101 follows a string of slick, organized jewelry heists along the Pacific Coast, initially believed to be the work of Colombian cartels Chris also posed with his co-star Halle Liam went with a more casual look, sporting a white jacket with a t-shirt underneath, and brown pants. He completed his look with white sneakers Opening up about releasing the emotional and heartfelt documentary in a new interview with The Guardian, Chris admitted that he struggled with the idea of going public with his innermost feelings. He said: 'I wondered if I was letting people too far in. Are they no longer going to believe in the action star or the Marvel character? And do I want people to know my fears and insecurities to this level?' But while it wasn't easy, the Thor star sees the doc as one of the most important things he's ever made, because of what it did for Craig. 'It was so deeply personal. It was a love letter to my father,' he said. 'It empowered him for a period, and stimulated memories that were being taken away from him.' While Chris said that following the film, he's had people who also are battling Alzheimers tell him how they wanted their children to see it. He explained that his dad's diagnosis has also had a profound effect on his own mentality about his career, with the actor able to slow down, instead of feeling the pressure to constantly be working and making money like he used to. The Aussie star is the proud dad to daughter India, 13, and twin boys, Sasha and Tristan, 11, with his wife Elsa Pataky. 'My appetite for racing forward has really been reined in,' he said. 'Ive become more aware of the fragility of things. 'You start thinking, "My dad wont be here for ever." And my kids are now 11 and 13. Those nights where theyd fight over sleeping in our bed suddenly theyre not happening any more.' Chris recently became overwhelmed with emotion as he recalled the heartbreaking moment he found out that Craig had Alzheimer's. The movie will hit theatres on February 13; Chris seen with Mark Ruffalo in a still from the movie Speaking about his father's disease, which has become more noticeable in the past two years, on Jay Shetty's podcast On Purpose, he explained that it had been a 'real shock to the system' for his family. 'I remember vividly that conversation of him sort of telling me not to be concerned about it', he said. 'And then about two or three years later, my mom's saying to me, I think we've got to get dad checked because there's these signs and things I'm concerned about.' 'The obvious one's memory and sort of slight mood changes and shifts and forgetfulness and so on. So he went and got tested and found out he had two copies of the APOE4 four, as did my mom.' He continued: 'So then by default, me, Luke, and Liam all have two copies of APOE4. So this sort of anomaly of genetic combinations.' 'I was immediately hit with the reality of what that meant for him because I had just gone through "Ah it's a long way down the track, don't worry, push it aside."' 'Then all of a sudden it was right in front of us and, and it was confronting, but again, I think "we'll figure it out mentality" was still very prominent.' 'But then as it began to get worse it became a real sort of shaking into the moment and a real sort of shock to the system. Everything we thought was solid and true and consistent was gonna dramatically change and shift.' Lewis Hamilton got back to his day job on Tuesday as he arrived at the Bahrain International Circuit after going public with Kim Kardashian at the Super Bowl. The new couple hard launched their romance at California's Levi's Stadium over the weekend after conducting their secret romance behind closed doors at a British countryside retreat and a five star Paris hotel. Now Formula One driver Lewis, 41, has returned to work for Scuderia Ferrari for the first of two pre-season tests in Bahrain. The seven-time world champion looked ready to go as he arrived carrying a green juice and donned his team T-shirt with a pair of denim jeans and red trainers as he made his way into the Ferrari garage. Lewis wore a pair of dark sunglasses and lifted his hand over his face to shielded from the sun on arrival. The F1 star looked in good spirits as he chatted to members of the team before going to change into his iconic red Ferrari racing suit. Lewis Hamiltongot back to his day job on Tuesday as he arrived at the Bahrain International Circuit after going public with Kim Kardashianat the Super Bowl The new couple hard launched their romance at California's Levi's Stadium over the weekend after conducting their secret romance behind closed doors at a British countryside retreat The British star enjoyed a hot beverage and checked his phone before heading out onto the track. Lewis seems to have enjoyed the winter break as he went on a string of dates with SKIMS mogul Kim in a British countryside retreat, a five star Paris hotel and the Super Bowl. But proving he is very much part of the family, he also recently enjoyed a low key night in with his new love interest and her sisters. Kim shared a hilarious video of the group night, which saw her attempt the Titanic viral trend with her sisters Khloe Kardashian and Kylie Jenner. Whilst the camera focused on the sisters' hilarious tries at the couple challenge, fans quickly noticed Lewis' voice in the background as he cheered Kim on. A male voice with a British accent could be heard shouting at Kim 'push away, push away' before laughing as she fell to the floor after Khloe tried and failed to lift her. 'We all heard Lewis Hamiltons voice in the background right?' commented one fan on the vid which was shared by Kim, Khloe and Kylie on their Instagram accounts on Monday night. 'Am I the only one who can hear lewiss laugh?' 'Lewis hamilton's laugh + voice in the background is killin me,' agreed others. Now Formula One driver Lewis has returned to work for Scuderia Ferrari for the first of two pre-season tests in Bahrain The seven-time world champion arrived at the Ferrari garage wearing his team T-shirt with a pair of denim jeansand red trainers Lewis donned a pair of sunglasses and enjoyed a hot beverage as he made his way to the track He looked in good spirits as he chatted away to his team before enjoying a hot beverage before heading out onto the track Lewis arrived for testing carrying a green juice and donned a huge diamond earring Lewis seems to have enjoyed the winter break as he went on a string of dates with SKIMS mogul Kim in a British countryside retreat, a five star Paris hotel and the Super Bowl The F1 star made his way out of the garage for the first pre-season test As the morning testing comes to an end for a planned one-hour lunch break, Lewis was seen zooming out of the garage on a scooter Testing will continue in the afternoon but Hamilton's teammate Charles Leclerc will switch places with the British driver During testing, Lewis came fourth fastest behind Red Bulls Max Verstappen, McLaren driver Oscar Piastri and George Russells Mercedes Sunday night was the first public outing for Kim and Lewis after conducting their secret romance behind closed doors. The pair were spotted enjoying the showdown between the Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots, amid reports they are enjoying a 'secret romance'. It comes days after Kim and Lewis were pictured checking in to upmarket hotel Estelle Manor. The pair were seen arriving with a motorcade in tow at the five-star establishment in the English Cotswolds, which is frequented by the rich and famous. They enjoyed an intimate dinner and a couple's massage as part of a romantic weekend getaway to the A-list favourite spot in the Cotswolds. Kim jetted into the UK on her $125million private jet to spend just time with her new beau at the exclusive venue, with three bodyguards protecting the couple. Then they both travelled to Paris where Kim was promoting her Nike SKIMS line. A lip reader has unmasked the conversation between the two at the Super Bowl as Lewis seemingly promised Kim that she would meet his mom in a viral clip from the broadcast. 'No I don't take just any girl to my mom, I mean you're gonna meet someday, she is very excited to see you,' he reportedly said to Kim, according to expert Nicola Hickling, who is the founder of LipReader. Hickling told the Daily Mail that Kim appeared to 'shuffle uncomfortably in her seat' and covered her face 'before replying with a simple "okay"'. Lewis proved he is very much part of the Kardashian family as he recently enjoyed a low key night in with his new love interest and her sisters Khloe Kardashian and Kylie Jenner Kim shared a video of the group night, which saw her attempt the Titanic viral trend but whilst the camera focused on the sisters, fans quickly noticed Lewis' voice in the background 'We all heard Lewis Hamiltons voice in the background right?' commented one fan on the vid which was shared by Kim, Khloe and Kylie on their Instagram accounts Meanwhile body language expert Judi James revealed to the Daily Mail how Kim used a 'hot and cool' flirting technique that left Lewis 'purring'. 'Firstly, there is the pose that registers undivided attention between them, which is a form of non-verbal stroke when you're on a date,' James said, dissecting their interaction. 'Kim actually leans back to take in Lewis visually as he speaks and this flattering "stroke" produces a "purr" response from him which is visible in the way his facial features soften and he talks through a smile of pleasure.' James noted that, 'Kim adds to the flirting when the tip of her tongue appears at the side of her mouth. This is usually seen as a gesture of playful desire or interest.' 'But then she seems to switch to a very smart technique of intense interest followed by distraction, suddenly looking away after bathing Lewis in her interested gaze.' James observed: 'She even brings one hand up to touch her hair and hide her face from him. This hot/cool body language technique is used to capture someone's attention and to get them to coax the signals of interest back again. 'Kim's hand to hair gesture looks like a preen here, suggesting she sees Lewis as a very suitable "catch" to show off with pride at this public event.' A few hours after the Monday video was shared, Lewis posted from Bahrain, with insiders revealing that the F1 star wants to spend as much time with Kim as possible amid their intense schedules. The couple appear to be going from strength to strength, having spent time together in LA with Kim's family. The video was shared 24 hours after the new couple hard launched their romance at the Super Bowl at California's Levi's Stadium New reports have claimed Kim's family 'adore and approve' of Lewis, with the pair 'keen to keep their romance moving forward'. A source said: 'Kim and Lewis's relationship is intense but they are both keen to keep moving forwards. He wants to spend as much time with her as possible, especially as he'll be back getting ready for the new F1 season in a couple of weeks. 'Lewis has been in LA, spending time with Kim and her family. They all adore him, especially her mum Kris [Jenner], who has loved having Lewis around. 'They're all really approving of this relationship. They just want to see Kim happy', according to The Sun. Daily Mail has contacted Kim and Lewis' representatives for comment. Molly-Mae Hague opened up about her second pregnancy and shared the 'irritating' symptoms she's experiencing on Tuesday. In her first vlog since announcing the happy news, the television personality, 26, said it was her 'worst-kept secret' as her daughter Bambi, two, 'told everyone'. Molly had announced on Instagram that she was six months pregnant with her Love Island boyfriend, Tommy Fury, with what will be their second child, in a low-key' grainy black-and-white home video'. Speaking to her fans in the YouTube update, she said: 'I dont really know how we got here, but Im pregnant, legitimately the worst kept secret. 'But thats honestly my own fault because towards the end, I got really lazy trying to hide it. We werent even trying to hide it. 'We were at a spa over the weekend and I was openly saying to people that "Im pregnant", to the staff.' Molly-Mae Hague opened up about her second pregnancy and shared the 'irritating' symptoms she's experiencing on Tuesday In her first vlog since announcing the happy news, the television personality, 26, said it was her 'worst-kept secret' as her daughter Bambi, two, 'told everyone' Molly continued: 'Having a toddler is savage, if you want to keep a secret don't tell them. Bambi is telling everyone, she told all the air hostesses on the way home from the Maldives, she's told all her teachers at nursery. 'The people who have known through Bambi have been really great to me and just pretended that they didn't hear.' Over the last month, eagle-eyed fans noticed that she had been sipping on peppermint tea and even accidentally flashed her 'bump' in the reflection of a darkened window during one YouTube vlog. Molly-Mae added: 'We still in this current moment, we dont have anything filmed, I felt like posting a black statement on my Instagram saying "Yes, I am pregnant", we dont even have anything to post. 'I havent really been documenting anything, its been so different this time, it just feels really chilled and I feel really at peace weirdly.' After struggling with her last pregnancy, the influencer said she was suffering again with similar problems, which also made it 'hard to hide'. She explained: 'One of my symptoms is my skin, my eczema, my skin is so so irritated and flared. It was the same in my last pregnancy, Im just struggling with little things to hide it. 'Im constantly out of breath as you guys have noticed in my videos. Ive got quite a full-on bump which you guys have seen in my last video in all the reflections.' Speaking to her fans in the YouTube update, she said: 'Having a toddler is savage. Bambi is telling everyone, she told all the air hostesses on the way home from the Maldives' After struggling with her last pregnancy, the influencer said she was suffering again with similar problems, which also made it 'hard to hide' She said: 'Im constantly out of breathe as you guys have noticed in my videos. Ive got quite a full-on bump which you guys have seen in my last video in all the reflections' She continued: 'I am pregnant and yeah my body is changing and there are differences visibly emotionally, mentally, physically.' It sounds like Ive got a rotten cold and one of my symptoms has been congestion. I woke up this morning to an empty bed and Tommy wasnt there and I came into the spare room and said I was snoring so loudly.' Molly added: 'Im so lucky to say that Ive had a really amazing pregnancy, Im so beyond blessed that Ive had a very smooth experience. 'I dont get sick, Ive not had symptoms that are debilitating, I can kind of pretty much crack on as usual, which is amazing for me because Im not one of those women, you amazing women out there that have horrendous morning sickness and still get up and get your things done. 'Best believe if I felt like that, Id be done for, the whole world would hear about it.' Molly said that while she does know the gender and has a name, she is saving that for another time. Katie Price is reportedly leaving the UK and relocating to Dubai with her husband Lee Andrews for a 'fresh start' because of her financial woes. The former glamour model, 47, shocked fans last month when she revealed she had tied the knot for the fourth time to the so-called businessman and is said to have put a deposit down on a house in the UAE. Katie was first declared bankrupt in November 2019, and then was made bankrupt again in March 2024 over an unpaid tax bill worth more than 750,000. And she was forced to sell her Mucky Mansion in January last year for a knock-down price of 1.15million after failing to keep up with mortgage payments. She now makes a living by selling racy pics and videos on OnlyFans but she is said to have no choice but to move as she can't afford her rent in England. A source told The Mirror: 'Katie owes a lot of money here. [She] doesn't have the money to keep renting a place in the UK. She'll be with Lee in Dubai and try have a base at a friend's place in the UK. She won't have a house here. Lee's business is in Dubai. Katie Price is reportedly leaving the UK and relocating to Dubai with her husband Lee Andrews for a 'fresh start' because of her financial woes The former glamour model, 47, shocked fans last month when she revealed she had tied the knot for the fourth time to the so-called businessman (pictured with Lee and Kerry Katona) 'Katie's guy knows Dubai like the back of his hand. Both of them want a new start, especially Katie. She also doesn't have much of a choice - if she wants to properly make a future with Lee, she's going to have to make that choice.' The insider added that Katie's family are 'very worried' about her amid her hasty marriage to Lee. They also said the reality star would not be bringing her eldest son Harvey, 23, with her to Dubai. He has Prader-Willi Syndrome and lives in an independent living facility with 24-hour help. The insider stressed Katie is a 'great mum' and would never want to 'abandon' Harvey but she doesn't want to disrupt his current living situation. She will instead reportedly fly back and forth to see him. The Daily Mail has contacted representatives of Katie Price for comment. Her family have shared their fears over Katie 'splashing the cash' on the Dubai home, reportedly saying they are 'anxious this is a potential scam'. A source told The Sun that Katie has put money down on a home with Lee in the UAE, with the contract signed. 'She is really excited and thinks she is going to have her happy ending with Lee but those close to Katie fear this could be the start of a potential scam,' they said. A source said: 'Katie owes a lot of money here. [She] doesn't have the money to keep renting a place in the UK' They added: 'Katie's guy knows Dubai like the back of his hand. Both of them want a new start, especially Katie' The source added that when Katie returned to Dubai she was meant to come home after two days but has yet to. They said: 'Katie says she is busy planning her new life with Lee and has splashed the cash on this property but it's making her closest friends and family anxious. 'They're concerned about his motives and that is only natural given what some of his ex partners have said.' The mother-of-five is currently enjoying her honeymoon in Dubai with Lee and was due to return home swiftly - however she has stayed in the country. The Daily Mail previously revealed Lee spent three weeks locked up in a UAE jail for allegedly forging his ex-girlfriend's signature to take out a 200,000 loan in his ex's name and has been banned from leaving the country. He denies this, but as yet, does not appear to have left the country. Lee had previously said he would be flying to the UK to meet Katie there soon after they wed, but changed his mind and decided to stay in Dubai to find them a home together. He then said he would be leaving the country so they could go travelling to start their honeymoon, but they still seem to be in the United Arab Emirates. Katie shocked fans last month when she revealed she had tied the knot for the fourth time to so-called businessman Lee, who has been the subject of a number of outrageous exposes about his work and relationships. The Daily Mail previously revealed Lee spent three weeks locked up in a UAE jail for allegedly forging his ex-girlfriend's signature to take out a 200,000 loan in his ex's name and has been banned from leaving the country. He denies this In a slew of romantic snaps posted on Monday morning, Lee and Katie cosied up in what appeared to be heavily filtered images shared on AI-loving Lee's Instagram account, which he shared shortly after Katie defended her husband in the face of the accusations. The couple posed up a storm in the images, one of which saw the couple place their hands over their faces to show the matching tattoos - after the duo had their names inked on their hands while Lee's features the 'spiritual' numbers 11.11. Just a day before, Katie finally addressed her whirlwind marriage, dismissing concerns about her new husband by insisting: 'I'm not stupid, I know what I'm doing.' But her new marriage has sparked concern from loved ones, as Lee's facade has since crumbled, with accusations of using AI, appearing on an escort site and having a colourful history with women. Several of his ex-partners have made a slew of bombshell accusations against him, and issued public warnings to Katie, urging her to 'run for the hills'. However, the mother-of-five continued to defend her husband on Sunday, as she addressed the romance for the first time in her latest YouTube video, stating she was 'not a young kid' and 'will do what I want to do'. Katie's daughter Princess is said to be 'completely horrified' by her mother's wedding to Lee While packing her bags ready to go visit Lee in Dubai, she began: 'I'm going back to Dubai, obviously going back to see Lee. I've made no comments about anything, I don't feel I need to make comments about anything... 'I'm fully aware like everyone else, I see stuff, I get sent stuff. What I want everyone to know is, I'm a grown a**e woman.' It was claimed Katie's family are deeply concerned about the speed of the relationship and are preparing to sit her down for a 'serious talk' over her marriage. Katie's daughter Princess is said to be 'completely horrified' by her mother's wedding to Lee. Following the number of outrageous exposes about Lee's work and relationships, Princess took matters into her own hands after getting 'alarm bells'. 'Princess learnt about her mum's wedding online like everyone else and has been completely horrified', a source said. 'She's read the stories and all the stuff on TikTok about his ex wives and instantly alarm bells started ringing', The Sun reports. The publication alleged that Princess helped stage an intervention between her mum and Lee's exes before she returned to Dubai for her honeymoon. The insider continued: 'Princess is very sharp and realised straight away that if her mum wouldn't listen to her or any of their family, she might take on board what women in the same situation have had to say about it all. 'She saw her mum a few days ago and forced her to speak to his exes to hear their side of the story.' The sourced added Princess is 'utterly heartbroken and deeply concerned' about her mum. Katie and Princess' representatives declined to comment. Halle Berry has said women have to 'reclaim the narrative' that they are 'done' at '50, 60 or 70' as she spoke out about ageing in Hollywood. The actress, 59, gave her thoughts on getting older while discussing her role as Sharon Coombs in the upcoming film, Crime 101. Speaking to Variety, Halle noted she will be turning 60 in August and feels like she is just at the beginning of her second act. She said: 'I know how marginalised women feel when they get around those numbers. 'It's a message to whoever has the ears and the heart to absorb it. As women, we have to reclaim that narrative. We're not done at 50, 60, even 70. 'We have so much more to offer. I'm 60 this year and I feel like I'm just getting my second groove started so, not done.' Halle Berry has said women have to 'reclaim the narrative' that they are 'done' at '50, 60 or 70' as she spoke out about ageing in Hollywood Halle noted she will be turning 60 in August and feels like she is just at the beginning of her second act The Oscar-winner recently said said she is 'not going to allow myself to be erased' while speaking about getting older. She told The Cut: 'You get to this age where you feel like you're being marginalized, devalued. You feel it at work. You feel it from society. 'But I have adamantly decided I am not going to allow myself to be erased. That's why I'm on my menopause mission. I'm going to be louder than I have ever been.' Halle launched Raspin, a menopause and women's health care platform which aims to redefineor re-spinthe conversation around menopause and perimenopause in 2020. She has since rebranded it to more directly target women's health and longevity. During her interview, the Oscar-winner said she wants to tackle the stigma of vaginal dryness. 'Look, it happens to more than 60 percent of women as we get older. Everything gets dry! If we talk about it and laugh about it, there's no more shame or embarrassment,' she said. 'I'm almost 60. Fighting for women's health feels like a formidable cause for my second act.' The actress, 59, gave her thoughts on getting older while discussing her role as Sharon Coombs in the upcoming film, Crime 101 (pictured with co-star Chris Hemsworth) She said: 'I know how marginalised women feel when they get around those numbers' Halle previously sent fans wild on her 59th birthday when she posted a snap of herself in a bikini while soaking up the sun in Bora Bora. The star paraded her fit 5ft5in figure in a gold sparkly Monday Swimwear 'Palma' bikini set while perched on a soft platform over the water. Halle completed her South Pacific style with a black-and-white checkered head scarf, dark aviator sunglasses, and plenty of jewelry. The reaction on X was swift with user @Nephil_Him declaring: 'The older the Berry [the] sweeter the juice.' 'Where can I sell my soul to look like this at 59?' X user @CharliexLevine asked. X user @current_tweet tweeted: 'We're not old, we're just poor.' Last year Halle left Gayle King lost for words after proudly declaring that her vagina is 'juicy like a peach' during an appearance on CBS Morning. The actress made the admission when Gayle said: 'The other thing that I love that you're talking about menopause because most people think menopause is dry vaginas, and you're all done'. Halle then cheekily quipped: 'It did mean that for a minute. Now I'm juicy like the peach!' Menopause is when your periods stop due to lower hormone levels. It typically affects women between the ages of 45 and 55, but it can happen earlier. After the break, Halle shared that she had discovered she was menopausal in the 'most horrific way'. She said: 'I was diagnosed with herpes instead of a menopausal symptom, you know, and that got me awakened to the idea that if I had this little information, I wonder what millions of other women don't have. 'And then it just started snowballing and I realized that only we, women, can destigmatize this by talking about it, making it okay, talking about it with our husbands, our partners, our sons, our co-workers. Halle has been very vocal about her experience and even held a speech at Capitol Hill in May in which she asked for legislation to fund better research and education for it. Romeo Beckhams girlfriend Kim Turnbull stunned as she went braless in sizzling snaps from their Parisian date night. The couple, who have been linked since late 2024, attended Fashion Week in the city together two weeks ago, with Kim giving an insight into the trip on Tuesday. In a series of photos shared to Instagram, she wore a black minidress that featured a a key-hole daring cut-out. Kim teamed it with a pair of sling back stiletto heels and pulled her hair back into a sleek pony tail. Romeo opted for a denim jacket which he teamed with an oversized pair of jeans and smart shoes. The duo had been in Paris with the Beckham family as they supported his fashion designer mother Victoria at Haute Couture Fashion Week, where she was Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters on January 26. Romeo Beckhams girlfriend Kim Turnbull stunned as she went braless in sizzling snaps from their Parisian date night The couple, who have been linked since late 2024, attended Fashion Week in the city together two weeks ago, with Kim giving an insight into the trip on Tuesday Romeo and his girlfriend travelled to Japan from Paris where they have been seen meeting a geisha and enjoying some street food. Predictably, his older brother Brooklyn skipped out on the family trip to Paris - a week after he severed all ties with his family in a bombshell statement, opting instead to build a new life with his heiress wife Nicola Peltz in the US. In his statement, Brooklyn went as far as to say he has been 'controlled by a family that values public promotion above all else' and that since being with his wife Nicola, he has found 'peace and relief' after battling crippling anxiety. He wrote: 'I have been silent for years and made every effort to keep these matters private. 'Unfortunately, my parents and their team have continued to go to the press, leaving me with no choice but to speak for myself and tell the truth about only some of the lies that have been printed. 'I do not want to reconcile with my family. I'm not being controlled, I'm standing up for myself for the first time in my life. For my entire life, my parents have controlled narratives in the press about our family. 'The performative social media posts, family events and inauthentic relationships have been a fixture of the life I was born into. 'Recently, I have seen with my own eyes the lengths that they'll go through to place countless lies in the media, mostly at the expense of innocent people, to preserve their own facade. But I believe the truth always comes out.' In a series of photos shared to Instagram, she wore a black minidress that featured a a key-hole daring cut-out Romeo and his girlfriend travelled to Japan from Paris where they have been seen meeting a geisha and enjoying some street food The model, 23, and his girlfriend, 24, met a geisha during the trip as they took their min off the drama surrounding his brother Brooklyn He continued: 'My parents have been trying endlessly to ruin my relationship since before my wedding, and it hasn't stopped. 'My mum cancelled making Nicola's dress in the eleventh hour despite how excited she was to wear her design, forcing her to urgently find a new dress. 'Weeks before our big day, my parents repeatedly pressured and attempted to bribe me into signing away the rights to my name, which would have affected me, my wife, and our future children. 'They were adamant on me signing before my wedding date because then the terms of the deal would be initiated. 'My holdout affected the payday, and they have never treated me the same since.' In a further blow, he added: 'During the wedding planning, my mum went so far as to call me "evil" because Nicola and I chose to include my Nanny Sandra, and Nicola's Naunni at our table, because they both didn't have their husbands. 'Both of our parents had their own tables equally adjacent to ours. The night before our wedding, members of my family told me that Nicola was "not blood" and "not family". 'Since the moment I started standing up for myself with my family, I've received endless attacks from my parents, both privately and publicly, that were sent to the press on their orders. 'Even my brothers were sent to attack me on social media, before they ultimately blocked me out of nowhere this last summer. 'My mum hijacked my first dance with my wife, which had been planned weeks in advance to a romantic love song. Predictably, his older brother Brooklyn skipped out on the family trip to Paris - a week after he severed all ties with his family in a bombshell statement 'In front of our 500 wedding guests, Marc Anthony called me to the stage, where in the schedule was planned to be my romantic dance with my wife but instead my mum was waiting to dance with me instead. 'She danced very inappropriately on me in front of everyone. I've never felt more uncomfortable or humiliated in my entire life. 'We wanted to renew our vows so we could create new memories of our wedding day that bring us joy and happiness, not anxiety and embarrassment. 'My wife has been consistently disrespected by my family, no matter how hard we've tried to come together as one. 'My mum has repeatedly invited women from my past into our lives in ways that were clearly intended to make us both uncomfortable. 'Despite this, we still travelled to London for my dad's birthday and were rejected for a week as we waited in our hotel room trying to plan quality time with him. 'He refused all of our attempts, unless it was at his big birthday party with a hundred guests and cameras at every corner. 'When he finally agreed to see me, it was under the condition that Nicola wasn't invited. It was a slap in the face. Later, when my family travelled to LA, they refused to see me at all. 'My family values public promotion and endorsements above all else. Brand Beckham comes first. 'Family "love" is decided by how much you post on social media, or how quickly you drop everything to show up and pose for a family photo opp, even if it's at the expense of our professional obligations. 'We've gone out of our way for years to show up and support at every fashion show, every party, and every press activity to show 'our perfect family. 'But the one time my wife asked for my mum's support to save displaced dogs during the LA fires, my mum refused. 'The narrative that my wife controls me is completely backwards. I have been controlled by my parents for most of my life. 'I grew up with overwhelming anxiety. For the first time in my life, since stepping away from my family, that anxiety has disappeared. 'I wake up every morning grateful for the life I chose, and have found peace and relief. 'My wife and I do not want a life shaped by image, press, or manipulation. All we want peace, privacy and happiness for us and our future family.' Sir Mick Jaggers fiancee Melanie Hamrick has revealed she was 'physically attacked' and mugged in the upmarket London district of Mayfair. The ballerina, 38, took to Instagram on Wednesday morning to detail what had happened to her, saying two muggers grabbed her from behind - leaving her 'shaken' and 'heartbroken'. Melanie wrote: 'This is incredibly hard to share, but I was physically attacked at Annabel's Mayfair tonight. 'Im so thankful to my friends for protecting me. Two people grabbed me from behind and thank god for good people who stepped in to help me. 'Im shaken, sad and heartbroken that people can treat each other this way.' The attack is believed to have taken place outside the private members' club in Berkeley Square. The Daily Mail has contacted the Metropolitan Police and the club for comment. Melanie, who danced with the American Ballet Theatre for 15 years before retiring in 2019, has been in a relationship with 82-year-old Rolling Stones rocker Sir Mick since 2014. They have a young son, Devereux. It comes amid a series of brazen daytime heists targeting some of London's most expensive stores, with thieves swiping thousands of pounds worth of luxury watches, handbags and jewellery. Mick Jagger's fiancee Melanie Hamrick has been left 'shaken and heartbroken' after being 'physically attacked' in Mayfair - they are pictured here at The Fashion Awards last December She shared this upsetting post on Instagram soon after it happened And the area around prestigious Berkeley Square in Mayfair has become one of the worst in the capital - and in Europe - for robberies and street crime, the Daily Mail revealed. Official figures suggest people are 30 times more likely to be a victim of crime there than elsewhere in London. Police data showed there were 115 robberies per 1,000 residents in the local area, in contrast to London's overall robbery rate, which is about 3.7 per 1,000 people over the same period between December 2024 and November 2025. Thefts and robberies, especially targeting mobile phones, have tripled over a recent four-year period across London's West End, with tens of thousands of reported cases, and the area around Mayfair and St James's is particularly targeted. Some wary visitors have even resorted to hiring private security with them when venturing around the district. Raiders ploughed a car into the front of Phillips auction house last May in a suspected attempt to steal a Damian Hirst artwork. The vehicle was abandoned, and glass was left scattered on the pavement outside the venue, which boasts round-the-clock security. Nearby jewellery shops remove their stock of Rolexes and Cartiers from windows after shutting up shop for the night. Phillips auction house and gallery in Berkeley Square was boarded up following a ramraid burglary last May in a suspected attempt to steal a Damian Hirst artwork One shop worker said: 'We can't take our eye off the ball for a minute around here.' Meanwhile, organised criminals have been targeting prized brands such as Rolex, Yves Saint Laurent, and a string of high-end jewellers in the capital, which critics have described as 'lawless'. Gangs have smashed windows with sledgehammers, ridden motorbikes into store and rammed SUVs through barred doors, all to land their precious loot. The Daily Mail revealed last month how Tom Cruise abruptly 'deserted' his luxury apartment in west London because the actor felt it had become too unsafe. A source close to the Mission Impossible star, 63, said he left his 35million pad in the towering One Hyde Park building because he felt the star-studded location had 'declined' recently. And a fashion designer to Hollywood stars was last month mugged for his ultra-rare 2million Richard Mille watch in Mayfair. Romanian-born Catalin Botezatu, 59, who has worked for the likes of Vogue and Versace, was robbed in Berkeley Square at 11.50pm on January 29. CCTV footage has laid bare the methods deployed by thieves to complete robberies worth thousands, leaving police trailing in their wake. Brazen daytime heists are targeting London stores, such as a family-run jewellers in Richmond Mobile phone footage shows two motorbikes descending on the Bucherer Rolex Boutique at One Hyde Park as another vehicle props open the door Sir Mick Jagger and fiancee Melanie Hamrick are seen here leaving an event in Mayfair in central London on November 20, 2025 Hollywood fashion designer Catalin Botezatu, 59, had his 2million watch stolen in Mayfair Richard Mille watches are some of the rarest in the world. Botezatu's could have been part of the Sapphire Series which are carved from blocks of sapphire crystal Last month, hammer-wielding thugs broke into a family-run jewellers in Richmond, south-west London - ransacking a window display while brave staff tried to fend them off. Two men could be seen swinging a large hammer against the glass of Gregory & Co in front of stunned passersby. The gang then peeled away the glass and filled a blue bag with some of the most expensive valuables on display. An employee who works at a nearby store and witnessed the incident told the Daily Mail how the robbers 'appeared out of nowhere, carrying a large sledgehammer and a bag', adding: 'They then started smashing the jeweller's window up.' Just two days earlier and several miles away, a moped gang conducted an audacious 'high value heist' on a jewellery shop, which itself was targeted in a similar raid just over six years ago. Police launched an investigation after Sultan Jewellery in Uxbridge Road, Shepherds Bush, was attacked by several men who smashed the shop's windows with a sledgehammer before fleeing with expensive jewellery. That came days after a gang smashed their way into the sought-after designer store Yves St Laurent in central London and fled with a haul of luxury handbags worth up to 30,000. Footage taken by a passer-by showed the balaclava-clad thugs clearing the shelves of the Bond Street store after ramming a black SUV through its window - with one seen fleeing the scene on the back of a motorbike, as another clip showed the extent of the damage inflicted on the empty and battered shop. In footage taken by a onlooker and shared widely on social media, two men can be seen swinging a larger hammer against the glass of family-owned jewellers Gregory & Co Sultan Jewellery in Uxbridge Road, Shepherds Bush, was targeted by several men who smashed the shop's windows with sledgehammers A separate picture laid bare the aftermath of the robbery as the metal security shutters were severely damaged and pieces of glass were strewn across the floor. Concerns have also been raised about a mobile phone theft epidemic across the capital - and further afield. The 50million-a-year crimewave spreading across the country involves thugs speeding on scooters and bikes taking expensive phones from innocent citizens. According to Metropolitan Police figures, 66,528 phones were stolen in the capital in the year leading up to September 2024. Over the same period in Westminster, 22,253 thefts were reported, equating to 85.4 incidents per every 1,000 people. Among the victims has been a Bridgerton actress who was left 'concussed and traumatised' when her phone was seized at a cafe in west London. Zacariah Boulares, 18, carried out the theft from rising star Genevieve Chenneour as she sat in the Joe & The Juice cafe in Kensington. The Algerian national, last May, pleaded guilty to stealing the phone when he appeared before Westminster magistrates in central London. Genevieve Chenneour, pictured here at the premiere of Netflix's The Gentlemen at London's Theatre Royal Drury Lane in March last year, had her phone stolen in February this year Your browser does not support iframes. He also pleaded guilty to common assault against Carlo Kurcishi, another customer in the same cafe, as well as a separate charge of theft after taking a black leather handbag at a pizza restaurant. Chenneour has previously spoken of the terrifying moment she fought off the teenage thug who set upon her while she was walking her dog. The actress, who appeared in season three of the Netflix hit show as rumour-monger Clara Livingston, told the Mail on Sunday: 'They didn't expect me to stand up for myself but I did.' The robbery happened when Yorkshire-born Genevieve had stopped at a branch of Joe & The Juice in west London. She said: 'I was left with a concussion just before the Screen Actors Guild Awards and since then, I've felt constantly on edge. 'Even my dog was traumatised - now, if anyone touches me, he panics and tries to protect me. 'Getting a coffee shouldn't be something you need your wits about you for.' Martin Frizell has shared a new picture of his wife Fiona Phillips amid her battle with Alzheimer's disease and updated his followers on her current condition. The former editor of ITV's This Morning, 67, posted the smiling picture of his wife, 65, wearing a furry jacket and sunglasses while out in London together. Fiona was only 61 when she was told she had developed the disease, a progressive, incurable brain disorder that causes a decline in memory, thinking and behaviour. In the four years since her diagnosis, Martin has been fighting for an improved government policy to support people with Alzheimer's and their families. Sharing an update on their position, Martin wrote alongside the photo: 'So it was a choice, either get a dog or a jacket that looks like a dog.. 'Paperback version of Fiona's book out this week with a new chapter updating where we've reached and still zero government action on Alzheimer's since I last spoke in the summer.' Martin Frizell has shared a new picture of his wife Fiona Phillips amid her battle with Alzheimer's disease and updated his followers on her current condition Fiona was only 61 when she was told she had developed the disease, a progressive, incurable brain disorder that causes a decline in memory, thinking and behaviour (pictured together) Martin was met by supportive messages in the comments section from fans, who told him it was lovely to see Fiona's face again, after years of hosting ITV Breakfast Show GMTV. They read: 'Missing you my lovely friend'; 'Ahh beautiful Fiona, tell her it looks lovely! Sending love'; Lovely to see her wee face again, she was always smiling'; 'I miss seeing Fiona around whilst walking the dog or having a coffee. Always gave a lovely smile and a hello. I hope is as well as it can be'; 'Love the coat! Looks nice and warm too'; 'Aww she looks lovely and that beautiful smile is still there. Love to her and all the family'; I've been dealing with this condition for past twenty years with both my parents and sister all having a dementia diagnosis. Very little governmental change in that time sadly. Sending love to you all.' As well as sharing the new picture, Martin opened up about the 'wretched' effects of his wife's ongoing battle, as he took to Lorraine to call for the government to do more to find a cure for the disease. He sat down with Lorraine Kelly on her self-titled show to issue an update on how Fiona was doing after she was diagnosed. Martin quit his position at ITV after 10 years in charge to be 'around much more' for wife Fiona in 2024 - and helped write her memoir, Remember When. Opening up on her worsening condition, Martin said that he had battled 'slipping into a depression' as he cared for Fiona, and watched her 'slip away'. Martin was met by supportive messages in the comments section from fans, who told him it was lovely to see Fiona's face again, after years of hosting ITV Breakfast Show GMTV As well as sharing the new picture, Martin opened up about the 'wretched' effects of his wife's ongoing battle, as he took to Lorraine to call for the government to do more to find a cure for the disease He sat down with Lorraine Kelly on her self-titled show to issue an update He told Lorraine, sharing a new image of Fiona, taken yesterday (February 10): 'She doesn't remember Valentine's Day, she doesn't remember Christmas now, she doesn't remember New Year's. 'It's wretched... not just for her but for the family as well. 'She's still there, but day by day, we can see it slipping away - and just to sit there and see this person who was, as you know was the most dynamic, bubbly, and had so much pride in how she dressed and what she did - it's just a loss of dignity... 'People do ask, "Are you okay?" and I used to say, "It's not me, don't worry about me", but I am conscious that I've never been a depressive person but I can slip into that. 'My respite is work, I've gone back to broadcasting, and podcasting... but I still feel guilty, I feel guilty being here [away from Fiona].' Martin went on to reveal the ways he could see Fiona fighting her worsening condition, praising her for being a 'stubborn woman'. 'I don't want to give the impression she's some sort of basket case as she's very much with us, she still is the worlds' most stubborn woman, and she's still around the house,' the broadcaster continued. 'We play her a lot of Rod Stewart, when she was a reporter she interviewed him and they became friends, he called her Doris - and I think she's a contender for Rochelle and Marvin Humes' The Hit List because she can do all the tunes.' Martin hit out at the government for not doing more to find a cure for the disease - and hit out at Secretary of State for Health and Social Care Wes Streeting. Everyone experiences dementia differently. Use this checklist to help you make a note of your symptoms before you talk to your GP. Symptom Checklist Fiona was only 61 when she was told she had developed the disease, a progressive, incurable brain disorder that causes a decline in memory, thinking and behaviour Opening up on her worsening condition, Martin said that he had battled 'slipping into a depression' as he cared for Fiona, and watched her 'slip away' He noted that since Fiona's book was published in July 2025, he had not noticed 'anyone speaking' about Alzheimer's. He hit out: 'Since I last spoke about her book, nobody has spoken about Alzheimer's. Wes Streeting - where is he on this? There's been nothing. 'One of the first things Wes Streeting did when he came in was, there were targets for diagnosing Alzheimer's - but he cancelled those. 'All the charities and all the experts are saying, "why have you done that?" Cancer gets sometimes as much as ten times as much funding as Alzheimer's and Dementia. '[I wish she had been diagnosed with cancer] because there's drugs [to help]. When she was first diagnosed she was put on the same [medicine] as her mum 20 years ago. 'There's new American drugs but they won't pay for it due to "cost benefit analysis".' There have been some 'lovely' messages from celebrities that Fiona and Martin knew through work. 'Out of the blue I received a message for Fiona... from Kate McCann [the mother of Madeleine McCann, who was abducted in Portugal in 2007]. 'She remembered that she was a warm, bubbly and capable lady. Kate was sure those attributes must have stood Fiona in good stead. 'I didn't realise until I read the letter that Kate McCann, herself a doctor, had spent almost ten years in [NHS] Memory Services, largely drawn to it because of her dad, who also had dementia.' When Martin read Fiona the 'very long letter' Kate had written, she remembered Madeleine and her eyes welled up. For a moment, the Alzheimer's fog lifted and she was back as the GMTV presenter and sympathetic mum. She'd met the McCanns several times and was the first to announce Madeleine's disappearance on GMTV. Then the clouds came back and the memory went away as quickly as it had surfaced. The old Fiona who'd appeared for a moment was gone. This admission comes after Martin revealed the one thing you shouldn't say to someone with dementia after GMB star was diagnosed with Alzheimer's Disease. In one of the final chapters of the book, Martin shared the biggest learning he has gleaned from his wife's illness, and it's advice that anyone with a loved one struggling with a degenerative brain condition can benefit from. The former ITV editor noted that since Fiona's book was published in July 2025, he had not noticed 'anyone speaking' about Alzheimer's Martin spoke about Fiona's ongoing battle to Lorraine Kelly He wrote: 'The experts say you are not supposed to challenge someone with Alzheimer's when they're saying things that are completely wrong, but it's very difficult when you are in that moment and you are just desperately hoping you might be able to get through to them. 'What am I supposed to say when she says: "You're not my husband!"? 'Obviously it's not nicebut I don't feel hurt by it because I know that isn't Fiona talking: it's the illness that has taken her mind.' Martin continued that the most important thing to do when involved in a back-and-forth with a dementia patient is not to say 'no'. He believes that it's best to keep up rapport even if it's uncomfortable to stay connected. He said: 'The textbooks say to never argue with a dementia patient. 'Although, even before the illness you could never win an argument with Fiona, so we play along,' he continued. The couple live with their two sons, Nathaniel, 26 and Mackenzie, 23, who also have to entertain their mother's terrifying delusions one of which required Martin to pretend that he has smuggled his wife away from her parents. He told This Morning: 'Fiona and I leave as if I am taking her home. 'We walk around the block as she loudly proclaims, "I'll never forgive you for tricking me," and passers-by stare; then we are back home again, where she goes in and greets Mackenzie as if she hasn't seen him for days.' Despite seeing the diagnosis coming as his wife became increasingly withdrawn and anxious, Martin said when it finally came it was 'awful'. 'You realise that there are around 70,000 people who have early-onset Alzheimer's and there is not a lot of help out there,' he added. 'As a family we are just kind of left to get through it and at some point we will need more support but there's just nothing really. 'You become kind of invisible', he told the Telegraph in a recent interview. 'If you mention the word Alzheimer's or dementia, it brings it to the front and it's upsetting because she knows the way it's going,' he also wrote in the book. Margot Robbie called her husband Tom Ackerley her 'perfect match' in rare comments about their marriage on Tuesday - but admitted to one huge faux pas when spending Christmas with his family in the UK. The Wuthering Heights actress, 35, appeared on the Table Manners podcast with Jessie and Lennie Ware to promote the new film which she stars in alongside Jacob Elordi. Chat soon turned to food on the podcast as Margot praised her producer husband, also 35, for being an incredible cook before giving a sweet insight into their relationship. She said: 'My husband is a phenomenal cook - he could be a chef he is so good. We are like a perfect match. 'I didn't know he was good until after we got married. He spends two days making a spaghetti bolognese. 'He does a three-day fried rice with Korean short ribs. He does steak better than any restaurant I've ever been to!' Margot Robbie called her husband Tom Ackerley her 'perfect match' in rare comments about their marriage on Tuesday - but admitted to one huge faux pas when spending Christmas with his family in the UK The Wuthering Heights actress, 35, appeared on the Table Manners podcast with Jessie and Lennie Ware to promote the new film which she stars in alongside Jacob Elordi Margot and Tom met back in 2013, on the set of Suite Francaise and then lived as friends together with other roommates in Clapham, London. They then formed a romantic connection and married in 2016. In the podcast chat she revealed that they still lived with their roommates for a few months after getting married until they realised they should get their own place. Margot explained: 'We had all moved from Clapham to Shepherd's Bush and one day our roommates were like this is a little weird you guys are married now... We got married quite quickly so... And yeah then we moved out and got our own place.' However on the podcast the Australian star told a shocking story about a huge faux pas she made while spending Christmas with his family in the UK. She told how she offered to make them a big ham for Christmas day but ended up severely undercooking it after a mix up with how she prepared the meat back in Australia. Margot explained: 'Ham at Christmas time in Australia is essential. It is pre cooked ham over there and then you heat it up in the oven it doesn't take long. 'So when I did my first Christmas over here with Tom's family I was like 'oh I'll do the ham don't worry' so I went to the butcher and asked for ham and got some gammon. 'It was a huge piece of pork and I cooked it for only three hours and it was completely raw inside. I watched his grandma nearly put a raw piece of pork in her mouth. She could have died so I slapped it out of her hand!' The story left hosts Lennie and Jessie in stitches as they told her she would have to cook a massive piece of meat like that for much longer than three hours. Chat soon turned to food on the podcast as Margot praised her producer husband, also 35, for being an incredible cook before giving a sweet insight into their relationship Margot stars alongside Jacob in the highly anticipated Wuthering Heights, which is released in cinemas this Friday Elsewhere in the chat she admitted to being thrown out of infamous nightclub Infernos and 'most of the clubs in Clapham', while also opening up on her wild hen do featuring a Harry Potter stripper. Up until 2016 Margot was a proud Clapham resident, living in a ramshackle, four-bedroom flat ironically dubbed The Manor with six of her friends. She previously branded her life in south London as the 'best days of my life' and reportedly instigated a compulsory 'house tattoo', with every member getting the same design. And on the podcast she opened up on her wild days in the capital as she admitted to being thrown out of Infernos - the cheesy establishment renowned for its drenched carpeted floors. The disco-central club appears to be a magnet for celebrities, with The Summer I Turned Pretty actress Lola Tung also previously being spotted dancing the night away inside. Speaking to Jessie and Lennie, Margot explained how her roommates had initially told her about the former Cinema while she was working in Belgium and how you 'can't get kicked out' - which she unintentionally put to the test. Margot said: 'So we all had a weekend in London when the job was done. And of course, we went to Infernos, and within about 15 minutes, we got kicked out. Elsewhere in the chat she admitted to being thrown out of infamous nightclub Infernos and 'most of the clubs in Clapham' Margot explained how her roommates had told her about Infernos while she she was working in Belgium and how you 'can't get kicked out' - which she put to the test 'And while we're getting dragged out by security, I was screaming, but this is Infernos, you cant get kicked out of Infernos. 'And the bouncer was like, Look, we allow most things, but when your friend does [redacted], then we kick you out. And I was like, okay, fair enough!' Margot did not reveal what her friend had done to alert security, but went on to admit: 'Most of the clubs in Clapham, I'd say, have kicked us out. 'Yeah, for a while we were banned at a number of places! [..] So we ended up all deciding to move in together.' Margot was so captured by the area she and her pals decided to call it home and the lifestyle she led could be likened to that of a student, the star previously admitting she was like a 'naughty schoolgirl'. She explained: 'I had gone back to America at that point, and so we were looking online, and the guys were like, Oh, it's a sign this place is down the road from Infernos. So we literally signed our lease just because it was down the road from Infernos.' While on the cusp of stardom, pictures posted by the actress's friend group on social media in 2014 suggest a hard-drinking lifestyle a world away from the fakery of LA. One, captioned 'the house degenerates', shows a brunette Margot wearing black boots, posing with her housemates atop a roof, sticking two fingers up at the camera, wearing a T-shirt with the slogan 'Oscars Bait' (in 2018 Margot would be nominated for an Academy Award for her role in I, Tonya about infamous ice skater Tonya Harding). Another shows a pile of bin bags outside the house filled with empty beer cans. The housemates got on so well that in 2015, four of them - Margot, Tom, Sophia Kerr and Josey McNamara - founded production company, Lucky Chap. Now worth an estimated 25million, its remit is to 'make female stories', producing I, Tonya in 2017, Promising Young Woman, starring Carey Mulligan, in 2020 - both of which won Oscars - and now Barbie. Before her wedding to husband Tom, the former Neighbours star had a boozy Harry Potter-themed hen do, with a stripper. She recalled: 'My friends got a stripper and made him do Harry Potter. It was so funny and not sexy, and like, he was like, in a robe with the glasses, the scar, and you know, all the innuendo that you can imagine. 'And it was very, very funny, but we were all so drunk, it really didn't matter, to be honest! In the midst of her party girl era, Margot befriended the local off license owners and even invited them to one of her movie premieres, though she said they did not believe she was famous and did not accept her invitation. Meanwhile, during an appearance on Heart Radio on Tuesday to promote Wuthering Heights, Margot necked beer and gin with Amanda Holden. Margot has been showing off a series of stylish looks on the recent Wuthering Heights promo tour During the interview, Amanda brought along a pair of shoe-shaped bottles so the pair could have 'shoeys' - when someone drinks out of a shoe as a party piece. It is popular in Australia as a celebratory ritual. Amanda said: 'I've got you a little present only because it's nearly lunchtime so I feel this is legal. As an Australian, I know you like shoeys.' 'I literally just told someone what a shoey is,' Margot replied. Amanda then revealed the shoe-shaped bottles, one with beer, which she gave to Margot, and one with gin, which she drank herself. 'This is actual beer. You can either go for a real one or a non-alcoholic one,' she said. 'I mean, obviously the real one. This is a very elegant shoey. Usually you do it out of some mangy old sneaker,' Margot said. 'Cheers darling,' Amanda said as they both enjoyed their drinks. Lucy Mecklenburgh has revealed what her scars look like after undergoing laparoscopy surgery for endometriosis in November. The former TOWIE star, 34, shared a video in a black bikini as she discussed the procedure and pointed out the faint scarring she has been left with. Filming in a mirror, Lucy explained: 'For people asking about my laparoscopy surgery for endometriosis, my recovery and my scar - I thought I'd show you. Pointing to a slight scar above her belly button, she said: 'So that's where the camera goes in - that's the biggest scar, which you can't really see - in my tummy.' She continued: 'I know everyone's experience is different so this is my experience and my body after,' before adding, 'That's a burn so ignore that.' Lucy then pointed to the lower right side of her abdomen and then the left, and said: 'This is where they took most of the endometriosis tissue and then there is a tiny little incision here, they have glued and put some stitches here.' Lucy Mecklenburgh has revealed what her scars look like after undergoing laparoscopy surgery for endometriosis in November The former TOWIE star, 34, shared a video in a black bikini as she discussed the procedure and pointed out the faint scarring she has been left with Sharing her overall experience, she said: 'Recovery has been pretty good and they are so low [the scars] you can't see it.' Another of her followers asked how her symptoms have been since and if they have improved, and she said: 'Honestly not hugely. Bloating is slightly less, lower back pain has gone which is positive! Fatigue is very much still there.' Weeks after the operation, Lucy praised the 'incredible' results of her endometriosis surgery and has reassured her followers that she is feeling 'completely fine'. She underwent a laparoscopy after suffering with symptoms from the 'awful' condition for years. Taking to her Instagram Stories, the mother-of-two gave a health update two weeks after the operation. Lucy said: 'So, endo recovery wise, honestly it's been five days and I know everyone is different, but this is my experience. 'The first five days I really took it easy, sitting up and everything it felt like, "Oh my god, is my core strength ever going to come back?" but I wasn't in loads of pain. I just felt a bit fragile and tender. 'About 12 days in I got back into working out, walking, a bit more normal in house, for a week really I was more normal and now I just feel completely fine.' Another of her followers asked how her symptoms have been since and if they have improved, and she said: 'Honestly not hugely. Bloating is slightly less, lower back pain has gone which is positive! Fatigue is very much still there' Lucy praised the 'incredible' results of her endometriosis surgery and has reassured her followers that she is feeling 'completely fine' Showing off her toned abs with barely visible scars, the former TOWIE star, 34, praised the seamless work of the surgery Lucy added: 'The scars are near enough already invisible, my core strength feels like it's come back. 'I took it easy when I did a workout the other day but actually I felt fine, I felt no pain.' Showing off her toned abs with barely visible scars, she praised the seamless work of the surgery, though said: 'It's too soon to tell if it's improved my symptoms.' Lucy explained: 'A few people have asked me for an update on my recovery for endo, physically it's incredible. 'The biggest incision was here [pointing to bely button], I've still got a bit of a scab but there's zero scar. 'And this is what's insane, that is what is left [pointing to a tiny scar on her hip], that is just incredible in literally two weeks that's been.' Endometriosis is a condition in which endometrial tissue - tissue similar to uterine lining - grows outside of the uterus, such as on the cervix, bladder, and ovaries, where it collects and thickens over the course of every menstrual cycle. Symptoms include pain, heavy periods and fatigue, as well as a higher risk of infertility, and bowel and bladder problems. Taking to her Instagram Stories, the mother-of-two gave a health update two weeks after the operation Pointing to a tiny scar on her hip, Lucy said: 'And this is what's insane, that is what is left, that is just incredible in literally two weeks that's been' Lucy underwent a laparoscopy last month after suffering with symptoms from the 'awful' condition for years (pictured in November just after the operation) Lucy previously explained how she had put off having the surgery, which removes as much of the endometrial tissue as possible, after insisting her symptoms were not 'as bad as other people's'. She also said she had anxiety about what the procedure and recovery would entail. 'One of the anxieties I had about the surgery was not knowing how that day looked and going into it completely blind, I found that really intimidating,' Lucy explained to her Instagram followers. She revealed how her symptoms of 'fatigue, bloating, constipation and back pain' didn't feel as severe as other sufferers who are 'living with these awful, crippling period pains and fertility issues.' But the star, who has two children with her fiance Coronation Street actor Ryan Thomas, 41, admitted she had recently felt, 'I've had enough. It felt like time to do something for me.' 'I eat well, I exercise, I've tried to make changes to my lifestyle and yes it helps when I don't eat processed food,' she added. 'When I look after myself my symptoms are better and I have a slight relief but I'm at the point where I can't physically live like that every single moment of every day.' Lucy explained how she had put off having the surgery, which removes as much of the endometrial tissue as possible, insisting her symptoms were not 'as bad as other people's' She also noted the messages she received about her bloating started to impact her, explaining: 'I get a lot on social media, people messaging me saying, "Why are you hiding your pregnancy?" She also noted the messages she received about her bloating started to impact her, explaining: 'I get a lot on social media, people messaging me saying, "Why are you hiding your pregnancy? Tell us already, I've seen the bump." 'I'm like, "Babes it's not a bump, it's just endo bloat, endo belly."' Lucy received her endometriosis diagnosis in early 2024, revealing that her symptoms had 'really affected her' since having her daughter Lilah, who is now three. The mother of two said that she was surprised by the diagnosis because her symptoms didn't include period pain and fertility issues, which are typically associated with endometriosis. Dawson's Creek star James Van Der Beek has died aged 48 after a public two-year battle with colorectal cancer. The actor's loved ones confirmed his passing in an emotional Instagram post on Wednesday. It read: 'Our beloved James David Van Der Beek passed peacefully this morning. He met his final days with courage, faith, and grace. 'There is much to share regarding his wishes, love for humanity and the sacredness of time. Those days will come. For now we ask for peaceful privacy as we grieve our loving husband, father, son, brother, and friend.' He is survived by his wife, Kimberly, and their six children. The actor and his wife share daughters Olivia, 15, Annabel, 12, Emilia, nine, and Gwendolyn, seven, as well as sons Joshua, 13, and Jeremiah, four. Dawson's Creek star James Van Der Beek has died aged 48 after a public battle with colorectal cancer - pictured during one of his final red carpet appearances on May 14, 2025 Van Der Beek starred alongside Katie Holmes, Joshua Jackson and Michelle Williams in the beloved series Dawson's Creek, which ran for six seasons Jennifer Garner, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Lucy Hale, Christie Brinkley and Rumer Willis responded to the family's statement with the like button. A GoFundMe page was launched on Wednesday to help support Van Der Beek's family with $500,000 as a starting ask. Kimberly wrote on her Insta Stories: 'My friends created this link to support me and our children during this time. With gratitude and a broken heart.' It was added on the page, 'Your generosity will help cover essential living expenses, pay bills, and support the children's education.' More than $100,000 was raised within an hour of news of the star's passing. Soon after Van Der Beek's Dawson's Creek co-star Busy Philipps shared on Instagram: 'My heart is deeply hurting for all of us todayevery person who knew James and loved him, anyone who loved his work or had the pleasure of meeting him, all of his dear friends and community that surrounded him as he battled this illness, especially his parents and brother and sister. 'But I am profoundly heartbroken for his incredible wife Kimberly and their six magical children. There is a go fund me for them to help out and ill put the link in my stories. James Van Der Beek was one in a billion and he will be forever missed and i dont know what else to say. i am just so so sad. He was my friend and i loved him and im so grateful for our friendship all these years..' Join the debate Share your message of love for his wife and children His family shared a heartbreaking post about his passing on Wednesday. Sarah Michelle Gellar, Lucy Hale, Christie Brinkley and Rumer Willis all hit the like button within minutes Van Der Beek announced in November 2024 that he had cancer. 'There's no playbook for how announce these things, but I'd planned on talking about it at length with People magazine at some point soon to raise awareness and tell my story on my own terms,' he wrote on social media. 'But that plan had to be altered early this morning when I was informed that a tabloid was going to run with the news. 'I've been dealing with this privately until now, getting treatment and dialing in my overall health with greater focus than ever before. I'm in a good place and feeling strong. It's been quite the initiation, and I'll tell you more when I'm ready. His last Instagram post was on January 25 where he looked slender but healthy. He was wishing his daughter and father a happy birthday The star looked frail in December when posing with his wife in Texas George Clooney's ex Stacy Keibler shared a final photo of the actor in a wheelchair in his last days 'Apologies to all the people in my life who I'd planned on telling myself. Nothing about this process has occurred on my preferred timeline But we roll with it, taking each surprise as a signpost, pointing us toward a greater destiny than we would have discovered without divine intervention. Please know that my family and I deeply appreciate all the love and support.' Later Van Der Beek told People he was getting through the health ordeal with the 'support of my incredible family.' And he slowed down dramatically in the past two years: 'The beauty of just taking things a little bit more slowly and prioritizing rest and really allowing that to be the job, I'm just on the journey,' he during an interview on Today. The actor added, 'It's a process. It'll probably be a process for the rest of my life.' The star has often updated fans on social media about his cancer journey. 'I feel a little bit better every month. It's required more of me more patience, more discipline,' he said late last year when addressing his weight loss. 'More strength than I knew I had. I knew I was strong, I didn't know I was this strong,' the star said in the emotional conversation. His last Instagram post was on January 25 where he looked slender but healthy. He was wishing his daughter and father a happy birthday. The star had moved from Los Angeles to Austin, Texas with his family in 2020 for a simpler life as they lived on a ranch. Van Der Beek shot to fame in the 90s as Dawson's Creek teen heartthrob Dawson Leery when he was 20 years old. The actor worried fans when he looked noticeably thinner as he appeared virtually at a Dawson's Creek reunion in September Van Der Beek who shares six kids with wife Kimberly revealed his stage three colorectal cancer diagnosis in November 2024; Pictured with his wife and kids in an Instagram snap A GoFundMe page has been launched to help support Van Der Beek's family with $500,000 as a starting ask. Kimberly wrote on her Insta Stories: 'My friends created this link to support me and out children during this time. With gratitude and a broken heart' The drama ran for six seasons on the WB Network between 1998 and 2003 and also launched the careers of Katie Holmes, Michelle Williams and Joshua Jackson. On the show, Katie portrayed Dawson's childhood love, Joey Potter, while Joshua played their other friend and Joey's true love, Pacey Witter. Michelle completed the core group as the rebellious Jen Lindley. In his early days, Van Der Beek wasn't prepared for the level of fame that came with playing the lead role in the high school drama. 'Getting recognized is something that took me a long time... I had a big learning curve on it,' he told People in 2024. 'It was a different interaction back then. Now, it's a lot more grown-up, and back then, I was so tortured about it because I loved being an observer and a fly on the wall and having random conversations with people. 'I remember being so broken up about the fact that those random conversations or random acts of kindness were now taken away because there was this thing called 'celebrity' in between me and somebody else, and it became the center of attention.' He also starred on the sitcom Apartment 23 with Eric Andre as Mark, Michael Blaiklock as Eli, Dreama Walker as June, Krysten Ritter as Chloe and James as himself And he competed on Dancing With The Stars in 2019 with Emma Slater Despite having to overcome dealing with global fame, Van Der Beek ultimately treasured his time on Dawson's Creek. In recent years too, he very much delighted in reconnecting with his former cast mates and in August 2025, it was announced that he and the cast would be reuniting for a live reading of the show's pilot episode. The celebration was a one-night-only charity event to raise money for the nonprofit F Cancer and for Van Der Beek amid his cancer journey. Days before the event was due to take place, however, Van Der Beek was devastated to announce that he had to pull out of the appearance due to illness. Expressing his disappointment in a pre-recorded video which played on the night, he told fans: 'I have been looking forward to this night for months and months ever since my angel Michelle Williams said she was putting it together.' Van Der Beek, who was raised in Cheshire, Connecticut, started acting at 13 after suffering a concussion playing football that prevented him from playing for a year on doctor's orders. He landed the role of Danny Zuko in his school production of Grease. Another hit film Van Der Beek made was 1999's: Varsity Blues (seen with Angelina Jolie's father Jon Voight) The actor before the Hollywood Stars baseball game 2009 at Dodger stadium in Los Angeles He stuck with theater, landing at 16 in 1994 an off-Broadway role in Finding the Sun by Pulitzer Prize-winner Edward Albee and one of the sons in a revival of Shenandoah at the prestigious Goodspeed Opera House in his home state. He earned a scholarship to New Jerseys Drew University but left school early when he got Dawsons Creek. In 2024, he returned to campus to accept an honorary degree for his 'selfless service and exemplary commitment to the mission of Drew,' the university said. His other notable film roles are in 2001's Texas Rangers, 2002's Rules Of Attraction, 2006's The Plague, 2007's Final Draft, 2013's Labor Day, 2017's Downsizing and 2020's Bad Hair. He also popped up on the TV shows One Tree Hill, Mercy, Law & Order: SVU, How I Met Your Mother, Friends With Better Lives, CSI: Cyber, Pose, Vampirina and Overcompensating. The star's next role is in the TV series Elle, a version of Legally Blonde, starring Lexi Minetree as Elle Woods. Coleen Rooney cut a sophisticated figure as she greeted King Charles during a reception highlighting the inspirational work of paid and unpaid carers at Windsor Castle on Wednesday. The I'm A Celebrity star, 39, has long supported care-related causes, including Alder Hey Children's Hospital, and has spoken movingly about her family's experience with foster care, specifically regarding her late sister Rosie. During the reception, Coleen curtsied as she warmly greeted the monarch, 77, before the pair were seen chatting inside the historic castle. She looked effortlessly elegant for the occasion in a cream pinstripe blazer teamed with matching tailored trousers. Meanwhile, broadcaster Kate Garraway, 58, looked effortlessly stylish in a white floral blazer as she also attended the reception. She, along with several other guests, greeted Sophie, the Duchess of Edinburgh, 61, on arrival. Coleen Rooney cut a sophisticated figure in a cream pinstripe suit as she greeted King Charles during a reception highlighting the inspirational work of paid and unpaid carers at Windsor Castle on Wednesday The I'm A Celebrity star, 39, who has long supported care-related causes, including Alder Hey Children's Hospital, was all smiles as she spoke with the King inside the historic castle Kate dedicated years to caring for her late husband, Derek Draper, who died in January 2024 after a four-year battle with the long-term effects of Covid-19. Last month, Coleen paid an emotional tribute to Rosie on the 12th anniversary of her death. The WAG shared a touching black-and-white snap to mark more than a decade since her beloved younger sister passed away. Rosie died in 2013, aged just 14, after a lifelong battle with Rett syndrome, a rare neurological disorder that causes severe disabilities. Coleen took to Instagram to share a picture of herself grinning as she held her younger sister, who looked at her and smiled. She captioned the family photo simply: '12 years [red heart emoji]'. The McLoughlins took Rosie in as a foster child when she was two, and while they previously just provided respite care, the teen tragically passed away after being brought home to spend her final moments with her family. During her time on I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here in November, Coleen broke down in tears as she opened up about the loss of her little sister. King Charles appeared in great spirits as he hosted the reception alongside his wife, Queen Camilla Broadcaster Kate Garraway, 58, looked effortlessly stylish in a white floral blazer as she also attended the reception Kate dedicated years to caring for her late husband, Derek Draper, who died in January 2024 after a four-year battle with the long-term effects of Covid-19 Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, 61, looked elegant in a black-and-white polkadot blouse as she was seen speaking with Liberal Democrats leader Sir Ed Davey during the reception The Duchess smiled as she warmly greeted guests, including Kate, at the reception The emotional conversation began when Coleen's campmate, boxer Barry McGuigan, 63, broke down as he spoke about his late daughter Danika, who lost her battle with cancer in 2019, aged 33. Coleen then confided in Dean and Oti, saying: 'Even when Rosie died, I kept it together for me mum and dad.' She continued: 'She was 14 when she died, she'd be 26 now. It's hard to lose a child, I've always said that so we're lucky to have what we've got.' And after making the emotional confession in the Jungle, her campmates once again rallied round the star and took to the comments underneath her Instagram post to show their support. Alan Halsall posted a single red heart to mirror Coleen's, while Dean McCullough wrote: 'sending you love' with a string of heart emojis, and Maura Higgins commented several red hearts as well. The media personality has always been very open about her younger sister and last year spoke about how her family always knew 'Rosie was different'. Coleen made the comment in her Wagatha Christie Disney+ documentary, where she explained: 'When Rosie came along, she was a massive part of our lives. She was the sister that I never thought I was going to have.' Last month, Coleen paid an emotional tribute to her late sister Rosie on the 12th anniversary of her death Rosie died in 2013, aged just 14, after a lifelong battle with Rett syndrome, a rare neurological disorder that causes severe disabilities (pictured in 2006) The McLoughlins took Rosie in as a foster child when she was two, and while they previously just provided respite care, the teen tragically passed away after being brought home to spend her final moments with her family Speaking to her mother and her father, Tony, she continued: 'I used to do her hair and used to love picking clothes with me mum for her. She brought that little bit extra to the house. We fell in love with her.' Yet the family soon realised that Rosie was struggling with her development, and after a series of hospital tests, she was diagnosed with Rett syndrome. Coleen explained: 'Rosie, she struggled. She couldn't walk and talk and would be in pain and sick, but she still put a smile on her face. 'Sometimes she used to force a laugh out. I think it was just to make my mum and dad happy. 'Gradually her brain wasn't functioning, so she couldn't eat anymore, couldn't talk, move.' Rosie needed 24-hour care, and after suffering from 'lots of complications' and being admitted to intensive care, Coleen revealed the family decided to bring her home to spend her final days surrounded by her loved ones. 'We had a sleepover, one last sleepover, all of us together,' she explained. 'And then we had a big party to celebrate her life.' Breaking down in tears, Coleen said: 'To lose a child is the worst thing that could ever happen to anyone, but when you look back now, she gave us so many good years of happiness and love.' James Van Der Beek honored his beloved daughter in his final social media post just two weeks before his death from cancer at 48. The Dawson's Creek legend passed away following a two-year battle with colorectal cancer on Wednesday. Van Der Beek, who is survived by six children and wife Kimberly, shared a poignant photograph with daughter Annabel, 12, and dad Jim on their birthdays on January 25. A frail Van Der Beek, clad in a woolen hat and looking noticeably thin, embraced his daughter in the snap, which was captioned: 'My father and my daughter share a birthday today. At first, I thought that was all they shared - they seemed so different to me. 'But as the two of you have evolved, and let more of who you are shine through, I can recognize the same open, warm, loving, gentle heart. I see the care and dedication you shower upon those you love most. 'I see the same out-of-the-box Aquarian creativity and originality. And you both make every room youre in more fun. Different senses of humor, but you both have a way of alchemizing the vibe around you in such a subtle way one can almost miss how powerfully you do this. James Van Der Beek honored his beloved daughter in his final social media post just two weeks before his death from cancer at 48 Van Der Beek, is survived by six children and wife Kimberly 'In this crazy world, its a wonder to me that youve managed to stay so open, so tender, and so genuinely good. 'You are marvels and Im so insanely grateful to have you in my life. 'The world is a better place because the two of you are in it. 'Happy birthday, guys. I love you with all my heart.' The actor's loved ones confirmed his passing in an emotional Instagram post on Wednesday. It read: 'Our beloved James David Van Der Beek passed peacefully this morning. He met his final days with courage, faith, and grace. 'There is much to share regarding his wishes, love for humanity and the sacredness of time. Those days will come. For now we ask for peaceful privacy as we grieve our loving husband, father, son, brother, and friend.' The actor and his wife share daughters Olivia, 15, Annabel, Emilia, nine, and Gwendolyn, seven, as well as sons Joshua, 13, and Jeremiah, four. Annabel is pictured with her grandfather Jim - who shares her birthday Van Der Beek starred alongside Katie Holmes, Joshua Jackson, and Michelle Williams in the beloved series, which ran for six seasons The actor worried fans when he looked noticeably thinner as he appeared virtually at a Dawson's Creek reunion in September A GoFundMe launched to support the actor's family soared to $149,000 In the wake of his death, friends of the late star and his wife launched a GoFundMe to support his family - and it has already totaled $149,000 at the time of publication. A description reads: 'Throughout his illness, the family faced not only emotional challenges but also significant financial strain as they did everything possible to support James and provide for his care. 'In the wake of this loss, Kimberly and the children are facing an uncertain future. The costs of Jamess medical care and the extended fight against cancer have left the family out of funds. They are working hard to stay in their home and to ensure the children can continue their education and maintain some stability during this incredibly difficult time. The support of friends, family, and the wider community will make a world of difference as they navigate the road ahead. 'Your generosity will help cover essential living expenses, pay bills, and support the childrens education. Every donation, no matter the size, will help Kimberly and her family find hope and security as they rebuild their lives. Thank you for considering a gift to support them.' The star was open about his cancer battle and often updated fans on social media. 'I feel a little bit better every month. Its required more of me more patience, more discipline,' he said last year when addressing his weight loss. 'More strength than I knew I had. I knew I was strong, I didn't know I was this strong,' the star said in the emotional conversation. His last Instagram post was on January 25 where he looked slender but healthy. He was wishing his daughter and father a happy birthday. When announcing his battle with colorectal cancer, James told People he was getting through the health ordeal with the 'support of my incredible family.' And he slowed down dramatically in the past two years: 'The beauty of just taking things a little bit more slowly and prioritizing rest and really allowing that to be the job, I'm just on the journey,' he during an interview on Today. The actor added, 'It's a process. It'll probably be a process for the rest of my life.' The star had moved from Los Angeles to Austin, Texas with his family in 2020 for a simpler life. Van Der Beek shot to fame in the 90s as Dawson's Creek teen heartthrob Dawson Leery when he was 20 years old. The drama ran for six seasons on the WB Network between 1998 and 2003 and also launched the careers of Katie Holmes, Michelle Williams, and Joshua Jackson. His family shared a heartbreaking post about his passing on Wednesday. Sarah Michelle Gellar, Lucy Hale, Christie Brinkley and Rumer Willis all hit the like button within minutes On the show, Katie portrayed Dawson's childhood love, Joey Potter, while Joshua played their other friend and Joey's true love, Pacey Witter. Michelle completed the core group as the rebellious Jen Lindley. In his early days, Van Der Beek wasn't prepared for the level of fame that came with playing the lead role in the high school drama. 'Getting recognized is something that took me a long time... I had a big learning curve on it,' he told People in 2024. 'It was a different interaction back then. Now, it's a lot more grown-up, and back then, I was so tortured about it because I loved being an observer and a fly on the wall and having random conversations with people. 'I remember being so broken up about the fact that those random conversations or random acts of kindness were now taken away because there was this thing called "celebrity" in between me and somebody else, and it became the center of attention.' Van Der Beek revealed his stage three colorectal cancer diagnosis in November 2024; Pictured with his wife and kids in an Instagram snap One of his last red carpet appearances was at the Los Angeles premiere of the series Overcompensating at Hollywood Palladium on May 14, 2025 Despite having to overcome dealing with global fame, Van Der Beek ultimately treasured his time on Dawson's Creek. In recent years too, he very much delighted in reconnecting with his former cast mates, and in August 2025, it was announced that he and the cast would be reuniting for a live reading of the show's pilot episode. The celebration was a one-night-only charity event to raise money for the nonprofit F Cancer and for Van Der Beek amid his cancer journey. Days before the event was due to take place, however, Van Der Beek was devastated to announce that he had to pull out of the appearance due to illness. Expressing his disappointment in a pre-recorded video which played on the night, he told fans: 'I have been looking forward to this night for months and months ever since my angel Michelle Williams said she was putting it together. Cindy Crawford grew up in Illinois as a straight-A student, becoming valedictorian of DeKalb High School in 1984, and receiving an academic scholarship to study computer engineering at Northwestern University. But the 59-year-old beauty with brains quickly dropped out of college in order to fulfill her supermodel destiny, which led to much judgment. 'People immediately treated me like I was dumb,' Crawford told OK! Magazine on Tuesday. 'I wasn't.' The Meaningful Beauty co-founder continued: 'Growing up, I wanted to be the first woman president of the United States. Then I wanted to be a doctor or maybe a teacher. Even now I could imagine myself in a job like that. I loved school.' Indeed, in an episode of MTV's House of Style, Crawford paged through her yearbook which detailed her being on the math team, Illinois State Scholar, National Honor Society and she was very active on the student council. 'This is my modeling in my high school yearbook,' the hot host recalled sarcastically. 'Flashdance inspired all the way.' Cindy Crawford grew up in Illinois as a straight-A student, becoming valedictorian of DeKalb High School in 1984, and receiving an academic scholarship to study computer engineering at Northwestern University But the 59-year-old beauty with brains quickly dropped out of college in order to fulfill her supermodel destiny, which led to much judgment (pictured in 1981) So when outsiders scoffed at her choice to glow in front of the camera, Crawford coped 'by knowing myself and understanding that it was more a reflection on those people than it was on me.' 'Back in my day, there was this terrible assumption that if you were a model, you were dumb,' the brunette bombshell explained. 'Models now have a voice in a way we really didn't back then. Social media has given models the opportunity to show who they are as a person and that they're not just a magazine cover.' Crawford is turning the big 6-0 next week and she's ready to 'embrace it.' 'Everyone feels a little bit insecure. We still live in a very ageist world, which is hard, but at the same time we tend to be so self-critical too,' she said. 'I don't know why that is but you have to push past that, no matter what age you are. You just have to embrace it, be yourself and also let other people be themselves. We all need to be less critical.' Crawford is 'loving life with my husband and enjoying having adult children' after decades of her and second husband Rande Gerber being 'so busy.' She and the 63-year-old Casamigos co-founder have been impressively married for 27 years. Crawford's 24-year-old daughter Kaia Gerber has followed in her modeling footsteps and has a series regular acting role in Apple TV+ show Palm Royale. The inseparable couple's son Presley Gerber hosts 'Mental Health Mondays' where he's listed all the medications he's taking for depression and insomnia: Buprenorphine, Xanax, Valium, Remeron, Belsomra and Melatonin. 'People immediately treated me like I was dumb,' Crawford told OK! Magazine on Tuesday. 'I wasn't' (pictured January 9) The Meaningful Beauty co-founder continued: 'Growing up, I wanted to be the first woman president of the United States. Then I wanted to be a doctor or maybe a teacher. Even now I could imagine myself in a job like that. I loved school' (pictured early in her career) Indeed, in an episode of MTV's House of Style, Crawford paged through her yearbook which detailed her being on the math team, Illinois State Scholar, National Honor Society and she was very active on the student council 'This is my modeling in my high school yearbook,' the hot host recalled sarcastically. 'Flashdance inspired all the way' So when outsiders scoffed at her choice to glow in front of the camera, Crawford coped 'by knowing myself and understanding that it was more a reflection on those people than it was on me' 'Back in my day, there was this terrible assumption that if you were a model, you were dumb,' the brunette bombshell explained. 'Models now have a voice in a way we really didn't back then. Social media has given models the opportunity to show who they are' (pictured in 1987) Crawford is turning the big 6-0 next week and she's ready to 'embrace it' 'They make me feel good or at least all right for the time being,' the heavily-tattooed 26-year-old explained in a since-deleted Instagram video on December 29,. 'The better you're taking care of your body, so - nutrition, physical activity, those kinds of things - medications, for me personally, seem to work better.' Gerber - who's seen 15 psychiatrists - added: 'I'm feeling good about where I'm at now.' Globe-trotting Sarah Ferguson is plotting an astonishing comeback to public life very much without her beleaguered ex-husband, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor. The former Duchess of York, it can be revealed, is lying low while she 'gets her head together', having recently spent a few days with friends in the French Alps before moving on to the United Arab Emirates. She has also been spending time with her youngest daughter, Princess Eugenie, 35, who has been in the region for work, attending an art fair in Doha, Qatar, in her role as a director at dealer Hauser and Wirth. However, far from issuing a public mea culpa over continuing revelations regarding her friendship with convicted sexual offender Jeffrey Epstein, Ms Ferguson, 66, is understood to be already scouting around for a new PR team to represent her as she plans her return to the UK. Sources say she has openly told friends: 'I need to get back to work. I need money.' No room at the farm Fascinatingly, she has also made it clear that this future does not include her ex-husband, despite once describing them as 'the happiest divorced couple in the world'. Until recently they continued to live together at Royal Lodge, Andrew's vast Windsor mansion, a staggering three decades after their split. Over the years the former royal has repeatedly publicly championed her former husband, describing him as a 'kind, good man' and a 'fabulous father', while neatly side-stepping the growing allegations being levelled against him. But she is now said to have told a friend: 'When I come back I am going to have to put some distance between myself and Andrew.' It is understood Ms Ferguson will not join him at his new home on the King's Sandringham estate in Norfolk, and is planning to remain 'in the Windsor area', where she will either buy or rent her own home. But friends believe she is 'kidding herself' if she thinks she can pick up where she left off and return to any kind of normal life. New emails detail Fergusons debt to Epstein Emails between the ex-duchess and Epstein show her repeatedly chasing him for money to pay off her debts, as well as practical support over a considerable period of time. They contain evidence she remained in close contact with him after he was released from prison for sexual offences against children, even taking her two daughters, Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie, to have lunch with him five days after his release. She also privately issued a grovelling apology to Epstein for publicly denouncing him, claiming she only did so to protect her career as a children's author. She told him he had been a 'steadfast, generous and supreme friend'. Last week, the Daily Mail reported that friends seemed keen to emphasise the disparity in the allegations facing Ms Ferguson and Andrew. While the evidence about her dealings with Epstein is deeply troubling, she has not been accused of any criminal activity unlike the King's brother, who has denied any wrongdoing. Removed from the list Sarah is now said to be 'deeply concerned' about her two daughters, who have been dragged into the scandal by their parents. At last week's Art Basel fair in Doha, Eugenie's friend Caroline Daur put a comforting arm around the princess as they posed for a picture, which the model later shared on Instagram. And while the King has moved to protect his nieces by inviting them to family events, others, it seems, are not so keen. A source said: 'Sarah is upset that their names have apparently been taken off the guest lists for red-carpet and charity events.' Regarding her return to the UK, another source said: 'I don't know whether Sarah is just deluded or desperate. She is 66 and has no home and no discernible income.' 'The public is disgusted by what they have read. And how would she pay a new PR team to rescue her reputation? 'She is said to be looking to bounce back, in typical Fergie style. I'm just not sure the public will buy it.' Share your thoughts with us in the comments Report: Epstein said Fergie should 'admit her medication abuse and go into rehab' Jeffrey Epstein suggested that Sarah Ferguson should 'admit her medication abuse and go into rehab' after she was caught in a cash-for-access sting. The latest tranche of emails released by the US Department of Justice show the former Duchess of York's 'desperate' situation was discussed by Epstein and Peter Mandelson following the humiliating newspaper expose in 2010. Posing as a wealthy international businessman, undercover journalist Mazher Mahmood - known as the Fake Sheikh - arranged to pay Ms Ferguson for access to her ex-husband Andrew, who was then an influential trade envoy promoting deals for UK firms around the world. During a secretly filmed meeting at a Mayfair apartment, she demanded a payment of 500,000 to be wired to her HSBC bank account, telling the reporter: 'That opens up everything you would ever wish for.' 'I can open any door you want, and I will for you. Look after me and he'll look after you you'll get it back tenfold.' She was later seen bursting into tears as Mahmood handed her a suitcase filled with 40,000 in cash as a down payment. At 6.30am on the morning the story was published in the News of the World, Epstein emailed his pal Mandelson asking if he'd seen it. Mandelson replied: 'Have you watched the video? If Andrew was elected he would have to resign. She's so desperate I feel sorry for her. But she will not recover from this.' Responding to Epstein's suggestion that she should enter rehab, Mandelson said it was 'an option' but pointed out it would be 'awful for her and the girls', referring to daughters Beatrice and Eugenie, who were aged 22 and 20 at the time. Epstein also noted that he had spoken to Andrew the day before, adding that he was 'with friends of mine in a restaurant in Singapore...' There is no evidence that Ms Ferguson had an addiction to medication or ever attended a rehab unit. Following Mahmood's sting, the former royal immediately apologised for a 'serious lapse in judgment', blaming her spiralling debts and an addiction to food. Continue reading about Fergie's 'medication abuse' here: Ministry Minutes | China urges Japan to back dialogue pledges with concrete action (People's Daily App) 16:57, February 11, 2026 China said on February 10, 2026 that if Japan sincerely seeks to develop China-Japan strategic relations of mutual benefit, it should demonstrate its sincerity for dialogue through concrete actions. (Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun) Virginia Giuffre's brother has said Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor must 'show up' to testify before Congress amid the fallout from the latest Jeffrey Epstein files. Sky Roberts and his wife Amanda were at the US Capitol as politicians in Washington unveiled Virginia's Law, some ten months after her death by [self-murder]. The new law will mean survivors will be able to pursue justice against their attackers without a time limit. An emotional Mr Roberts told the press conference: 'Virginia's dream was to inspire and empower survivors to come forward in a world that too often turns away from abuse and pushes it into the shadows. She wanted to bring light.' After being asked about the notorious photograph that shows the former prince with his arm around his young sister, he added: 'I think he should show up in front of our Congress. A legacy of justice 'He has a lot of questions he needs to answer and he has been exploited through these files to have inconsistencies in his own messages.' 'I want today to be about Virginia's law, to not allow this to happen again, but to Andrew, he needs to show up and answer questions in front of our Congress.' Ms Giuffre was Epstein's most prominent accuser and claimed she had been trafficked to have intercourse with Andrew on three occasions, including in London and on Epstein's private island. Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor has always denied any wrongdoing. Ms Giuffre said she was first trafficked to London, where the photograph with Andrew and Ghislaine Maxwell was taken, when she was 17 and forced to have intercourse with the 41-year-old former Duke of York. Andrew eventually settled her claims, without admitting wrongdoing, in a reported 12 million out-of-court agreement. Ms Giuffre died in April 2025, aged 41. A Global message to perpetrators There is now mounting pressure on Andrew to testify about what he knew of convicted Epstein before Congress, with US Vice President JD Vance adding his voice to the fray last week. In an interview with the Daily Mail he said he was 'open' to Andrew testifying, but added it is the decision of Congress itself. Meanwhile after the latest release of around three million documents, photos and videos from the files last month, UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said Andrew has a duty to give evidence. Sir Keir said victims 'have to be the first priority' and that 'anybody who has got information should be prepared to share that information in whatever form they are asked to do that'. He added that a 'victim-centred' approach was why Andrew should co-operate fully and provide information 'in whatever form' he is requested. Speaking at the Capitol on Tuesday, Ms Giuffre's brother said the introduction of Virginia's Law would 'amplify the voices of survivors around the world'. He continued: 'We send a clear message to perpetrators everywhere by introducing Virginia's law. Survivors deserve justice not expiration dates. Change must mean justice justice in law.' He added: 'Virginia did not survive what she survived just to be silenced again.' While the Queen was away The bill will end the statute of limitations for adult victims or their survivors bringing civil suits. It would also widen options for victims, enabling them to bring suits involving crimes that take place outside of the US, as long as a US court has jurisdiction. It is hoped this could help some of Epstein's victims, after the disgraced financier died in 2019 before he himself could face justice. His former girlfriend and associate, British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell, is currently serving a 20-year prison sentence in a US jail for her role in procuring and trafficking young girls for Epstein. The latest files released by the American Department of Justice revealed more disturbing pictures of Andrew crouching over a young woman, as well as dozens of emails showing further details of their friendship. This includes allegedly sharing confidential information from his role as the UK trade envoy such as confidential briefings on investment opportunities in the reconstruction of Helmand province, Afghanistan, as well as reports of visits to Hong Kong, Vietnam and Singapore. Other emails show how Andrew entertained Epstein and four women, including a young Romanian model, at the Palace while Queen Elizabeth was away at Balmoral in 2010. And it was announced this week that police are assessing a complaint from a second woman who also claims she was sent to the UK for an encounter with Andrew in 2010. Buckingham Palace has said it is ready to 'support' any police inquiry should UK authorities decide to investigate Andrew further as a result of the files. Share your thoughts with us in the comments Andrew could be sent to prison if he is convicted of allegations relating to Epstein Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor could be sent to prison if he is convicted of allegations relating to Jeffrey Epstein that are now being assessed by police. Andrew Lownie, author of biography 'Entitled', insisted there were 'good grounds' for the disgraced royal to be investigated and charged with misconduct in public office. Life imprisonment is the maximum sentence for convictions of the offence, covering serious wilful abuse or neglect of the power or responsibilities of the office held. Thames Valley Police officers are now assessing suggestions that Andrew shared confidential reports from his role as the UK's trade envoy with Epstein. There is nothing in the law stopping Andrew from being criminally prosecuted and jailed, given Charles is the only Royal Family member who has sovereign immunity. Mr Lownie told the Daily Mail today: 'There are good grounds to investigate Andrew - plenty of evidence now of women trafficked to him including at Royal Lodge and misconduct in public office for sharing confidential information to business associates. There is a stronger case against him than Mandelson.' But when asked whether Andrew could go to jail, Mr Lownie suggested he might flee to another country. He said: 'Assuming the Metropolitan Police and National CrimeAgency do bite the bullet and investigate Andrew and they then say there are grounds to charge him, he'll be off to a country without an extradition treaty with UK.' 'The last thing the Royal Family want is a trial airing their dirty laundry and the fact they have ducked dealing with Andrew for years.' 'He was protected by the Queen and that has continued.' 'His royal relative King Juan Carlos scarpered to Dubai as soon as corruption charges levelled against him.' Andrew could move to Abu Dhabi, where he is said to have been offered a 16,000 square foot palace by friend UAE president Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. The King has told of his 'profound concern' at the allegations, with palace officials saying they 'stand ready to support' the police if approached over the claims. Mr Lownie has previously claimed Andrew could go to prison over the allegations against him by the late Virginia Giuffre, which the former prince has always denied. Continue reading if Andrew could go prison here: The mother of a British graduate shot dead by her own father while visiting his Texas home today criticized the US police investigation into her tragic death, saying her daughter deserved better. 'Functioning alcoholic' Kris Harrison claimed his fashion buyer daughter Lucy, 23, who was passionately anti-guns, had asked to see his Glock 9mm pistol, which he had not been trained to use. The semi-automatic weapon then 'just went off' as he removed it from its case and struck her in the chest, he told officers at the scene. Police in the US state failed to test him for alcohol despite smelling drink on his breath, and her death was ruled accidental. At the time, her mother Jane Coates described the decision as 'baffling' and 'beyond comprehension'. But today a coroner in her home town of Warrington, Cheshire concluded Lucy had been unlawfully killed on the last day of her post-Christmas trip with her boyfriend. Saying 'reckless' Mr Harrison - who had drunk at least 500ml of wine that day was a teaser, she ruled he had deliberately aimed it at his daughters chest, unaware it was loaded. Mother Says Texas Gun Laws Failed Lucy as US police Probe Criticized Speaking afterwards, flanked by her daughters 'soulmate' Sam Littler, her mother said: Texas gun laws did not keep Lucy safe from harm.' And she said it was their strongly held view that the US investigation led by the Prosper Police Department lacked the rigor and scrutiny youd expect if this had happened in the UK.' Lucy deserved better, she added. Ms Harrison was shot as she prepared to fly home on January 10 last year. On Tuesday, an inquest in Warrington heard her British father an executive at a fibre optics company who had settled in Texas had been drinking on the morning of the tragedy and that the pair had argued about Donald Trump. Emergency services rushed to the house in Prosper, near Dallas, after her boyfriend dialled 911. But she had been shot through the heart and could not be saved. Her father, who did not attend the hearing, claimed his daughter described by a friend as 'categorically anti-gun' had asked to see his pistol, which he had not been trained to use. Coroner Dismisses Fathers Account of Fatal Shooting Police bodycam footage showed Mr Harrison telling officers afterwards that the gun 'just went off'. But rejecting his account, senior coroner Jacqueline Devonish said: 'To shoot her through the chest whilst she was standing would have required him to have been pointing the gun at his daughter, without checking for bullets, and pulling the trigger.' She added: 'I accept he was a teaser, and on the balance of probabilities this is what he was doing. 'I accept he did not realize the gun was loaded.' The coroner said Mr Harrison had been 'reckless' to have bought a pistol without undergoing training on the safe use of firearms. 'His actions have killed his own daughter and in the cold light of day it is hoped that he now recognizes the risk he posed to her life in circumstances in which he had no experience of guns, had undertaken no training and had never fired a gun.' Ms Devonish said he had failed to tell her boyfriend - who was on the phone to 911 - that he had shot Ms Harrison, despite knowing 'full well he had shot his own daughter, pointing a gun at chest height and pulling the trigger'. Mother Thanks Coroner She also highlighted how police in Texas failed to test Mr Harrison for alcohol despite suspecting he had been drinking after smelling it on his breath. Relatives of Ms Harrison wept as the coroner recorded her conclusion. Speaking afterwards, flanked by Lucy's 'soulmate' Mr Littler, her mother thanked the coroner for giving her daughter's 'voice back, after what has been an unrelenting year of deep shock, grief and fight'. Praising her for 'exploring all of the evidence fairly, as fully as she could, and fearlessly for Lucy', Ms Coates, a deputy manager at a primary school, told how for 23 years she had dedicated herself to the safety of her only child. 'I brought Lucy up in a single parent family and along each step of the way, I did what parents do to keep their children safe: watching her play with friends when she was little, staying awake until she came home from a night out, and feeling grateful every time her return flight landed safely after visiting her Dad and family. 'I never imagined she would be shot and killed in the US, in a place where she should have been safe. 'We respectfully accept that our two cultures are different in regards to firearms, yet we feel Texas gun laws did not keep Lucy safe from harm.' Mother Urges Change After Daughters Death Describing Texas gun laws were 'so different to England', Ms Harrison said firearms caused 'too many deaths in the USA'. Thanking first responders for their efforts to save her daughter's life, she added: 'Finally, I want to thank Sam, for loving Lucy unconditionally - I take great comfort in knowing that in her short adult life, she experienced the richness of true love with her soul mate.' Saying there was 'much to be learnt from Lucys needless and entirely avoidable death', her mother said she would not let 'bitterness and hatred' consume her. 'Lucy had so much more of life to live, to love, to give. 'She had a huge sense of right and wrong, and was not afraid to speak out if she saw any type of injustice. 'Those who really know Lucys heart can hear her, loud and clear, and know exactly what she would want us to do moving forward. 'Make change. Do better. Be better.' Ms Harrison regularly visited her father - who had married and started a new family in the US - after her parents split when she was a young child, the inquest heard on Tuesday. Boyfriend Says Trump Row Preceded Fatal Shooting But she had expressed concern about 'volatility' in the house, a friend said, adding that the presence of a gun created an 'unpredictable environment. Ms Harrison was 'categorically anti-gun' and felt it was unsafe for her father to have a firearm in the house with his young daughters around, the inquest heard. Giving evidence, her boyfriend said she had argued with her father about Donald Trump on the morning of her death. He 'always felt on edge' at the house, he added, saying: There was a lot of very opinionated people in the house.' As they prepared to set off for the airport, he said Mr Harrison took his daughter by the hand in a 'mysterious' manner without saying anything. He then guided her into the downstairs bedroom where the gun was kept in a locked case. Within 15 seconds, Mr Littler heard a 'loud bang' from the bedroom and found his girlfriend collapsed on the floor. He insisted she would not have been interested in seeing her father's gun. In his own witness statement read to the court, Mr Harrison - who did not attend the inquest - claimed Lucy daughter agreed to let him show her the weapon after they had watched a television news report about gun crime. Father Had No Firearms Training and Had Been Drinking That Morning, Inquest Hears He said he bought the handgun as a 'home defense' weapon, meaning he did not need a license as long as he did not take it out in public. He had 'no prior experience and no formal training' around firearms, he said. Mr Harrison suffered an 'alcoholic seizure' in 2023 which left him in an induced coma, the inquest was told. He had drunk a 500ml carton of white wine that morning, but did not believe he was impaired by alcohol when his daughter was shot shortly before 3pm. 'As I lifted the gun to show her, I suddenly heard a loud bang, he said in his statement. Lucy immediately fell to the ground.' Police bodycam footage showed Mr Harrison saying the gun 'just went off'. 'We were getting ready to go to the airport and we were talking about guns,' he tells the officer as a shocked-looking Mr Littler stands with his hands behind the back of his neck. 'It was in the bedside cabinet in a locked box. I took it out to look and it just went off.' In a statement read to the hearing, Officer Luciano Escalera, who was scrambled to the house, said he smelt 'metabolized alcohol' on Mr Harrison's breath at which he initially lied, saying he hadn't drunk alcohol since the day before. Grand Jury Declined to Prosecute Father Over Shooting But he then confessed to having drunk a 'small' carton of wine earlier in the day. A 'grand jury' of 12 Texas residents later heard the evidence in private before deciding no-one should be prosecuted over Ms Harrison's death. Her father hired lawyers who on Tuesday made an unsuccessful attempt to have the coroner removed from the case on the grounds she was biased against him. But she rejected the application and the inquest at Cheshire Coroners Court went ahead. After Tuesdays hearing his lawyers released a statement from Mr Harrison. In his first public comments since the tragedy, he paid tribute to Lucy as the light of my life and said he was deeply sorry for the pain he had caused her grieving family. From the moment she was born, to watching her grow into the remarkable young woman she became from her first steps to her graduation, where I cried with pride was the greatest privilege of my life, he said. Lucy adored her younger sisters, and our home was never truly complete unless she was in it laughing, cuddling, and filling every room with joy. During her last visit, she wrote a letter saying that Texas was her home and that she felt lucky to be part of the best family in the whole wide world. That letter is now one of our most treasured possessions. Losing Lucy has shattered all of us. I lost my best friend. My girls lost their big sister and hero, and her stepmum lost her bonus daughter who taught her how to be a mum. Father Apologizes and Pays Tribute He said: I fully accept the consequences of my actions, and there isnt a day I dont feel the weight of that loss a weight I will carry for the rest of my life, and I know that nothing I say can ease the heartbreak this tragedy has caused. I cannot undo what happened, but I can honor Lucy by being the best father I can be to her sisters and by carrying her memory forward in everything we do. I am deeply sorry for the pain others feel from this tragedy. Lucys spirit her warmth, her humor, her kindness will live on in all of us who loved her. After the hearing, Victoria Cox from HCC Solicitors, who assisted Lucy's mother, said: 'Losing a child in such horrific circumstances is tough enough, but my client has had to deal with it happening in a different country and not knowing what was happening from one day to the next. 'Part of the problem at an inquest, as the family encountered, is that a witness who lives abroad cannot be compelled to give a statement or be questioned by the Coroner on what happened if they choose not to be. 'Jane was really hoping she'd get the answers she longed for this week and she's been denied that, but there are more facts out there now which is something. 'Sadly she and all who loved Lucy now have to live with the knowledge that her death couldve been avoided something they will never recover from.' British graduate,23, shot dead by father at Texas home after Trump row, inquest hears A British graduate who was passionately anti-guns was shot dead by her alcoholic father at his Texas home just hours after they had an argument about Donald Trump, an inquest was told today. Lucy Harrison, 23, from Warrington, Cheshire, was killed as she prepared to fly home on January 10, 2025 following a post-Christmas break accompanied by her boyfriend. A police report found she died of a gunshot wound to the chest after being 'shot by another person' from a 'medium range' at the house in Prosper, Texas, but a grand jury found that no one should be prosecuted. Speaking at the time, her mother, Jane Coates, described the decision as 'baffling' and 'beyond comprehension'. Read the full story here Prosecutors were today revealed to be 'in close contact' with the Metropolitan and Thames Valley police as their assessment of the Jeffrey Epstein files continues. Director of Public Prosecutions Stephen Parkinson also confirmed that the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) had not been asked for formal advice at this stage. Mr Parkinson told reporters this morning: 'We are in close contact with both the Met and Thames Valley Police, but we haven't been asked for formal advice yet. 'In complex and sensitive cases, the CPS and the police do work together. And I'm sure in respect of the investigation that has been announced, we will do so. But the position at the moment is that we made contact and we won't be giving step-by-step updates.' It comes as Gordon Brown today urged police to interview Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor as part of a new probe into Epstein and his '[Expletive] Express' private jet. The former prime minister encouraged officers to question the disgraced royal while investigating [sexual] trafficking by the [child predator] financier through Stansted Airport. Brown Calls for Police to Interview Andrew He said women were moved from one Epstein plane to another at the airport in Essex, with the BBC uncovering evidence of incomplete flight logs that showed unnamed passengers were labelled as 'female' and names of male passengers also unknown. Mr Brown wrote in the New Statesman: 'In short, British authorities had little or no idea who was being trafficked through our country, and for whom other than Epstein.' He added: 'I have been told privately that the investigations related to the former Prince Andrew did not properly check vital evidence of flights. I have asked the police to look at this as part of the new inquiry. The Stansted revelations alone require them to interview Andrew. 'Separately, a line of emails concerns the logistics of registering trafficked girls for English-as-a-foreign-language courses, as a route to obtaining US visas. We need to know if and to what extent this was also happening in the UK.' On Monday, Thames Valley Police confirmed it was assessing allegations that Andrew shared confidential reports from his role as the UK's trade envoy with [sexual] offender Epstein. US Files Raise Fresh Claims Over Andrew as Met Probes Mandelson Emails released by the US Department of Justice last month appear to show the former duke sharing reports of official visits to Hong Kong, Vietnam and Singapore. Files released by American authorities also include claims a woman was sent to the UK by Epstein for a sexual encounter with Andrew in 2010. Separately, the Metropolitan Police has launched an investigation into Peter Mandelson over alleged misconduct in public office. The inquiry is linked to allegations that Mandelson sent market-sensitive information to the [child predator] financier Epstein while he was business secretary during the financial crisis. Mr Brown, who gave Mandelson the job of business secretary and put him in the House of Lords, said last week that he felt 'shocked, sad, angry, betrayed, let down', when he saw the messages which suggested the then-Cabinet minister was passing details about the response to the global financial crash to Epstein. Today, Mr Parkinson said he was confident the CPS could advise police over the offence of misconduct in public office, which is a common law crime that is not considered to be well-defined. Palace Stands Ready to Support Police Asked whether that could be a problem, Mr Parkinson replied that 'the law is quite clear', adding: 'The Attorney General's reference in 2003 gave guidance about the constituents of the offence of misconduct in public office. No, I don't think it'd be difficult to give advice on that. 'The issue when you're advising on criminal cases, it's very rarely about what the law is, it's about the application of the law in the context. I'm confident we would be able to give advice.' The reignited crisis which has engulfed both the monarchy and Westminster has shown little sign of abating since the US authorities' recent dump of millions of documents associated with Epstein. On Monday, the King made clear his 'profound concern' at allegations about Andrew's conduct, with Buckingham Palace saying it will 'stand ready to support' the police if approached over the claims. The Palace has not so far been approached by Thames Valley Police over the claims which relate to Andrew's time as the UK's special representative for international trade and investment. Prince and Princess of Wales Break Silence The Prince and Princess of Wales meanwhile publicly addressed the Epstein scandal for the first time on Monday, with Kensington Palace saying they were 'deeply concerned' at the 'continued revelations' and that their thoughts 'remain focused on the victims'. Andrew, who was stripped of his titles by the King last year, has always denied any wrongdoing and last week finally left Royal Lodge for the King's private Sandringham estate, with Charles personally funding his new life with an annual stipend. Among the claims in the latest documents are that a second woman was sent to the UK by Epstein for a sexual encounter with Andrew, and also that the former prince and Epstein asked an exotic dancer for a threesome in the latter's Florida home. The latest allegation is that Andrew shared confidential reports of official visits to Hong Kong, Vietnam and Singapore in his role as the UK's trade envoy. One email, dated November 2010, was forwarded by Andrew just five minutes after being sent by his then-special adviser, Amir Patel. Campaign Group Reports Allegations to Police Another, on Christmas Eve 2010, Andrew looped Epstein in on a confidential brief on investment opportunities in the reconstruction of Helmand Province, Afghanistan. Graham Smith, chief executive of anti-monarchy campaign group Republic, said he had reported the allegations to police. The Duke of Edinburgh was the first member of the royal family to publicly speak out since the Epstein documents were released, saying last week that it was important to 'remember the victims' when asked how he was 'coping'. In 2022, the late Queen stripped her son Andrew of his honorary military roles and he gave up using his HRH style, in a dramatic fallout from the civil [sexual] case brought by Virginia Giuffre, who died last year from [taking her own life]. Ms Giuffre alleged she was forced to have [sexual relations] three times with Andrew, which he vehemently denies, including when she was 17, and also during [group sexual activity], after she was trafficked by Epstein. Thames Valley Police Assess Misconduct Allegations Andrew paid millions to settle the civil [sexual] case with her in 2022, despite insisting he had never met her. Today, Thames Valley Police Assistant Chief Constable Oliver Wright said: 'We can confirm that Thames Valley Police is leading the ongoing assessment of allegations relating to misconduct in public office. 'This specifically relates to documents within the United States Department of Justice's Epstein Files. 'As part of this assessment, we have engaged in discussions with Specialist Crown Prosecutors from the CPS. 'We will provide updates as and when they are available, but at this stage it would be inappropriate to discuss further specifics of this work.' Could Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor go to prison under UK law? Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor could be sent to prison if he is convicted of allegations relating to Jeffrey Epstein that are now being assessed by police. Andrew Lownie, author of biography 'Entitled', insisted there were 'good grounds' for the disgraced royal to be investigated and charged with misconduct in public office. Life imprisonment is the maximum sentence for convictions of the offence, covering serious wilful abuse or neglect of the power or responsibilities of the office held. Thames Valley Police officers are now assessing suggestions that Andrew shared confidential reports from his role as the UK's trade envoy with sexual offender Epstein. There is nothing in the law stopping Andrew from being criminally prosecuted and jailed, given Charles is the only Royal Family member who has sovereign immunity. Mr Lownie told the Daily Mail today: 'There are good grounds to investigate Andrew on sexual trafficking - plenty of evidence now of women trafficked to him including at Royal Lodge and misconduct in public office for sharing confidential information to business associates. There is a stronger case against him than Mandelson.' Read the full story As rampant shoplifting across the US has forced store closures and inflicted billions of dollars in losses on retailers, one industry giant appears to have cracked the problem. Costco has largely defied the retail theft surge that has plagued chains such as Walmart and Target - because it runs its stores differently. In its most recent annual report, Costco explained how its business model keeps losses low. 'By strictly controlling the entrances and exits and using a membership format, we believe our inventory losses are well below those of typical retail operations,' the report for 2025 said. Unlike Walmart or Target, Costco doesnt let just anyone wander in off the street. Shoppers must show a paid membership - often with photo ID - before theyre allowed through the door. Once inside, theres usually just one way in and one way out, and every purchase is checked against a receipt before customers leave. These all add up. Fewer entrances mean fewer blind spots. Receipt checks make it much harder to walk out with unpaid items. And because everyone inside has already paid to be there, theres far fewer anonymous shoppers - a key driver of retail theft. The contrast comes as US retailers are estimated to have lost more than $47 billion to shoplifting in 2025. A Costco worker checks a receipt at the store exit in Teterboro, New Jersey, on February 28, 2024 - a small step that makes walking out with unpaid items harder According to the National Retail Federation, the average number of shoplifting incidents rose 93 percent in 2023 compared with 2019, while dollar losses increased by 90 percent over the same period. Companies including Target, Walgreens, Whole Foods, and Nordstrom have previously cited retail crime as a factor behind store closures. Costco has long said shoplifting has been a much smaller problem for them than for competitors. During an earnings call in 2023, then chief financial officer Richard Galanti told investors: 'Thankfully, it's not a big issue for us.' Speaking to Daily Mail after the call, Galanti said Costcos theft rate sat between 0.1 and 0.2 percent - roughly ten times lower than the retail industry average. 'Our shrinkage has historically been low,' he said. 'And we've gotten better with time.' Shrinkage is an industry term for stock losses, including theft. While theft has never been a major problem for Costco, losses were more than twice todays level roughly 30 years ago, showing how the companys approach has steadily tightened. Beyond store design, he said Costcos bulk-buying model also helps. Large items like multi-packs of groceries or household goods are far harder to steal than small, high-value products that are often targeted in other stores. In the US, Costco membership costs $65 per year for a standard Gold Star or Business membership, or $130 for an Executive one. Executive members also get 2 percent cashback on most purchases- paid yearly - and can also start shopping an hour earlier. Bulk items stacked high on both sides of a Costco aisle reflect the retailers simple design - fewer frills, fewer blind spots A shopper packs a car with purchases outside Costco, whose focus on large, high-volume items reduces the risk of unpaid goods leaving the store Those membership fees allow Costco to operate on thin margins while keeping prices low - and investing in security without locking up everyday items. While Costco experiences low levels of in-store theft, it has not been immune to crime altogether. In late 2025, the company suffered a high-profile cargo theft involving a hijacked $400,000 shipment of live lobsters. Financially, the retailer remains on solid footing. In early 2026, Costco shares are up more than 13 percent year to date, rebounding from a dip in 2025 and buoyed by strong January sales growth of 7.1 percent. Allstate (NYSE: ALL) has recently received a number of price target changes and ratings updates: 2/10/2026 Allstate had its outperform rating reaffirmed by analysts at Keefe, Bruyette & Woods. 2/10/2026 Allstate had its price target raised by analysts at Citigroup Inc. from $216.00 to $221.00. They now have a neutral rating on the stock. 2/9/2026 Allstate had its price target raised by analysts at Mizuho from $255.00 to $281.00. They now have an outperform rating on the stock. 2/7/2026 Allstate had its buy rating reaffirmed by analysts at The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc.. They now have a $238.00 price target on the stock. 2/6/2026 Allstate had its price target raised by analysts at Wells Fargo & Company from $223.00 to $228.00. They now have an equal weight rating on the stock. 2/5/2026 Allstate had its price target raised by analysts at JPMorgan Chase & Co. from $260.00 to $263.00. They now have an overweight rating on the stock. 2/5/2026 Allstate had its neutral rating reaffirmed by analysts at Cantor Fitzgerald. They now have a $220.00 price target on the stock. 1/21/2026 Allstate had its buy (b) rating reaffirmed by analysts at Weiss Ratings. 1/14/2026 Allstate was given a new $255.00 price target on by analysts at Mizuho. 1/13/2026 Allstate had its price target raised by analysts at Wells Fargo & Company from $216.00 to $223.00. They now have an equal weight rating on the stock. 1/12/2026 Allstate was downgraded by analysts at TD Cowen from a buy rating to a hold rating. 1/12/2026 Allstate had its hold rating reaffirmed by analysts at TD Cowen. They now have a $231.00 price target on the stock, up previously from $224.00. 1/7/2026 Allstate was given a new $227.00 price target on by analysts at The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc.. 1/7/2026 Allstate was given a new $225.00 price target on by analysts at Evercore Inc. 1/6/2026 Allstate had its price target raised by analysts at Keefe, Bruyette & Woods from $250.00 to $254.00. They now have an outperform rating on the stock. 12/19/2025 Allstate was downgraded by analysts at Zacks Research from a strong-buy rating to a hold rating. 12/18/2025 Allstate was downgraded by analysts at William Blair from an outperform rating to a market perform rating. 12/16/2025 Allstate had its equal weight rating reaffirmed by analysts at Morgan Stanley. They now have a $215.00 price target on the stock, down previously from $245.00. 12/15/2025 Allstate is now covered by analysts at Mizuho. They set an outperform rating and a $254.00 price target on the stock. 12/15/2025 Allstate was upgraded by analysts at Mizuho to a strong-buy rating. Allstate Increases Dividend The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, April 1st. Shareholders of record on Monday, March 2nd will be issued a dividend of $1.08 per share. This represents a $4.32 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.2%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, March 2nd. This is a boost from Allstates previous quarterly dividend of $1.00. Allstates dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 10.47%. Get The Allstate Corporation alerts: Insider Buying and Selling at Allstate In related news, insider Suren Gupta sold 21,871 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Friday, November 21st. The shares were sold at an average price of $215.21, for a total value of $4,706,857.91. Following the transaction, the insider directly owned 100,646 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $21,660,025.66. The trade was a 17.85% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Over the last three months, insiders sold 48,400 shares of company stock valued at $10,313,256. Company insiders own 1.70% of the companys stock. Allstate Corporation is a publicly traded insurance company headquartered in Northbrook, Illinois, and is one of the largest personal lines property and casualty insurers in the United States. Founded in 1931 as a subsidiary of Sears, Roebuck and Co, Allstate has grown into a diversified insurer that serves millions of consumers and businesses through a mix of distribution channels and product offerings. The company underwrites a broad range of insurance products, with primary emphasis on auto and homeowners coverage. See Also Receive News & Ratings for The Allstate Corporation Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for The Allstate Corporation and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Dutch Bros (NYSE:BROS Get Free Report) is projected to post its Q4 2025 results after the market closes on Thursday, February 12th. Analysts expect Dutch Bros to post earnings of $0.10 per share and revenue of $424.4430 million for the quarter. Individuals may visit the the companys upcoming Q4 2025 earning results page for the latest details on the call scheduled for Thursday, February 12, 2026 at 5:00 PM ET. Dutch Bros Price Performance NYSE BROS opened at $55.11 on Wednesday. The firms 50 day moving average is $60.50 and its 200-day moving average is $59.50. The company has a quick ratio of 1.32, a current ratio of 1.52 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.68. The company has a market capitalization of $9.07 billion, a PE ratio of 110.22, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.39 and a beta of 2.54. Dutch Bros has a 12-month low of $47.16 and a 12-month high of $86.88. Get Dutch Bros alerts: Analyst Ratings Changes Several equities research analysts have issued reports on BROS shares. Piper Sandler lowered their price target on shares of Dutch Bros from $73.00 to $63.00 and set a neutral rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, November 6th. Barclays raised their price objective on Dutch Bros from $72.00 to $76.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a report on Wednesday, January 7th. Royal Bank Of Canada upped their target price on Dutch Bros from $75.00 to $80.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a report on Wednesday, December 3rd. TD Cowen reissued a buy rating on shares of Dutch Bros in a research report on Monday, January 5th. Finally, UBS Group reaffirmed a buy rating on shares of Dutch Bros in a research report on Monday. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eighteen have issued a Buy rating and four have issued a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $77.19. Dutch Bros News Roundup Here are the key news stories impacting Dutch Bros this week: Insiders Place Their Bets In other Dutch Bros news, major shareholder Dm Individual Aggregator, Llc sold 648,089 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Tuesday, November 25th. The stock was sold at an average price of $55.44, for a total value of $35,930,054.16. Following the transaction, the insider directly owned 9,817 shares of the companys stock, valued at $544,254.48. This represents a 98.51% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, Chairman Travis Boersma sold 1,678,616 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, November 25th. The shares were sold at an average price of $55.44, for a total transaction of $93,062,471.04. Following the completion of the transaction, the chairman owned 9,817 shares in the company, valued at $544,254.48. This trade represents a 99.42% decrease in their ownership of the stock. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. In the last 90 days, insiders sold 3,465,214 shares of company stock worth $189,800,291. 42.40% of the stock is owned by company insiders. Hedge Funds Weigh In On Dutch Bros Hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Integrated Wealth Concepts LLC acquired a new position in Dutch Bros in the 1st quarter valued at $318,000. Empowered Funds LLC increased its position in shares of Dutch Bros by 15.9% in the first quarter. Empowered Funds LLC now owns 33,843 shares of the companys stock worth $2,089,000 after purchasing an additional 4,633 shares during the period. UBS AM A Distinct Business Unit of UBS Asset Management Americas LLC raised its stake in Dutch Bros by 7.9% in the first quarter. UBS AM A Distinct Business Unit of UBS Asset Management Americas LLC now owns 305,714 shares of the companys stock valued at $18,875,000 after purchasing an additional 22,323 shares in the last quarter. California Public Employees Retirement System raised its stake in Dutch Bros by 24.2% in the second quarter. California Public Employees Retirement System now owns 198,895 shares of the companys stock valued at $13,598,000 after purchasing an additional 38,697 shares in the last quarter. Finally, State Street Corp lifted its position in Dutch Bros by 6.6% during the second quarter. State Street Corp now owns 1,978,441 shares of the companys stock worth $135,266,000 after purchasing an additional 121,683 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 85.54% of the companys stock. About Dutch Bros (Get Free Report) Dutch Bros Coffee, trading on the NYSE under the ticker BROS, is an American drive-through coffee chain known for its quick-service model and community-focused brand. Founded in 1992 by brothers Dane and Travis Boersma in Grants Pass, Oregon, the company began as a single coffee stand and has since expanded its footprint across numerous U.S. markets. Dutch Bros specializes in handcrafted espresso drinks, drip coffee, cold brew, energy drinks, smoothies, teas, and a variety of signature Dutch Freeze and Dutch Frost blended beverages. The company operates a mix of company-owned and franchised locations, placing a strong emphasis on speed and customer engagement. See Also Receive News & Ratings for Dutch Bros Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Dutch Bros and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Eiffage SA (OTCMKTS:EFGSY Get Free Report) saw a significant growth in short interest in the month of January. As of January 30th, there was short interest totaling 3,142 shares, a growth of 492.8% from the January 15th total of 530 shares. Based on an average daily volume of 3,104 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is currently 1.0 days. Based on an average daily volume of 3,104 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is currently 1.0 days. Eiffage Trading Down 0.1% EFGSY traded down $0.02 on Tuesday, hitting $32.10. 3,752 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 1,567. Eiffage has a 12 month low of $17.60 and a 12 month high of $32.12. The business has a 50-day moving average of $29.01 and a two-hundred day moving average of $27.23. Get Eiffage alerts: Analysts Set New Price Targets Separately, Morgan Stanley reiterated an overweight rating on shares of Eiffage in a research note on Wednesday, January 7th. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and two have given a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy. About Eiffage (Get Free Report) Eiffage SA, traded over the counter under the symbol EFGSY, is a leading French construction and concessions group that offers a wide range of engineering and infrastructure services. The companys core activities span civil engineering, metalworks, building construction and renovation, roadworks, and energy services. Through its integrated business model, Eiffage delivers turnkey solutions for public and private clients, from project financing and design to construction and long-term asset management. In its concessions division, Eiffage invests in, finances and operates major transport and energy infrastructure assets such as motorways, tunnels and power distribution networks under publicprivate partnership arrangements. See Also Receive News & Ratings for Eiffage Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Eiffage and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Farmers and Merchants Bancshares, Inc. (OTCMKTS:FMFG Get Free Report) saw a significant drop in short interest during the month of January. As of January 30th, there was short interest totaling 3 shares, a drop of 95.7% from the January 15th total of 70 shares. Based on an average daily volume of 1,082 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is currently 0.0 days. Based on an average daily volume of 1,082 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is currently 0.0 days. Farmers and Merchants Bancshares Trading Down 1.0% FMFG traded down $0.20 during midday trading on Tuesday, reaching $19.00. 212 shares of the companys stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 555. Farmers and Merchants Bancshares has a 52 week low of $14.76 and a 52 week high of $19.50. The firm has a fifty day moving average of $17.63 and a two-hundred day moving average of $16.92. Get Farmers and Merchants Bancshares alerts: Farmers and Merchants Bancshares Company Profile (Get Free Report) Farmers and Merchants Bancshares is the bank holding company for Farmers and Merchants Bank, a community-focused institution based in Lyons, Kansas. Through its banking subsidiary, the company provides a full range of deposit and lending products designed to meet the needs of individuals, families and small businesses. Core offerings include checking and savings accounts, certificates of deposit and consumer loan products such as auto and home mortgages. In addition to traditional banking services, Farmers and Merchants Bancshares offers commercial and agricultural lending to support local enterprises and farming operations throughout its service area. See Also Receive News & Ratings for Farmers and Merchants Bancshares Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Farmers and Merchants Bancshares and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Great Wall Motor Company Limited (OTCMKTS:GWLLY Get Free Report) was the recipient of a significant decline in short interest in the month of January. As of January 30th, there was short interest totaling 17 shares, a decline of 77.9% from the January 15th total of 77 shares. Based on an average daily volume of 1,397 shares, the short-interest ratio is currently 0.0 days. Based on an average daily volume of 1,397 shares, the short-interest ratio is currently 0.0 days. Great Wall Motor Trading Up 0.6% GWLLY traded up $0.10 during trading on Tuesday, hitting $17.10. 670 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 761. The firm has a 50 day simple moving average of $18.20 and a 200 day simple moving average of $19.88. Great Wall Motor has a 1 year low of $13.87 and a 1 year high of $26.12. Get Great Wall Motor alerts: About Great Wall Motor (Get Free Report) Great Wall Motor Co, Ltd. is a Chinese automotive manufacturer headquartered in Baoding, Hebei Province. Founded in 1984, the company has evolved from a regional vehicle assembler into one of Chinas largest producers of sport utility vehicles (SUVs) and pickup trucks. Over the decades, Great Wall Motor has invested in research and development to broaden its product portfolio and enhance its manufacturing capabilities. The companys principal business activities include the design, development and production of passenger vehicles, commercial vehicles and new energy vehicles. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for Great Wall Motor Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Great Wall Motor and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Hyatt Hotels (NYSE:H Get Free Report) is expected to be announcing its Q4 2025 results before the market opens on Thursday, February 12th. Analysts expect the company to announce earnings of $0.46 per share and revenue of $1.7814 billion for the quarter. Investors may visit the the companys upcoming Q4 2025 earning results page for the latest details on the call scheduled for Thursday, February 12, 2026 at 10:00 AM ET. Hyatt Hotels Stock Up 6.1% Shares of NYSE:H opened at $169.36 on Wednesday. The stock has a market capitalization of $16.08 billion, a P/E ratio of -182.11, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.01 and a beta of 1.27. The stocks 50-day moving average price is $162.61 and its 200-day moving average price is $151.69. The company has a current ratio of 0.69, a quick ratio of 0.68 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.47. Hyatt Hotels has a 12-month low of $102.43 and a 12-month high of $174.58. Get Hyatt Hotels alerts: Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth A number of brokerages have commented on H. The Goldman Sachs Group began coverage on Hyatt Hotels in a research note on Wednesday, January 14th. They issued a buy rating and a $198.00 price target on the stock. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a hold (c-) rating on shares of Hyatt Hotels in a research note on Monday, December 29th. Mizuho increased their price target on shares of Hyatt Hotels from $203.00 to $223.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research report on Tuesday, January 13th. Sanford C. Bernstein restated an outperform rating and issued a $188.00 price objective on shares of Hyatt Hotels in a research report on Friday, January 2nd. Finally, Stifel Nicolaus raised their target price on Hyatt Hotels from $158.00 to $164.00 and gave the stock a hold rating in a research note on Wednesday, December 31st. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, ten have issued a Buy rating and seven have issued a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Hyatt Hotels has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $172.13. Insider Buying and Selling at Hyatt Hotels In other Hyatt Hotels news, insider Javier Aguila sold 9,548 shares of Hyatt Hotels stock in a transaction on Tuesday, December 23rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $165.87, for a total value of $1,583,726.76. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider directly owned 2,684 shares of the companys stock, valued at $445,195.08. This trade represents a 78.06% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at this link. Also, insider David Udell sold 4,300 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, November 26th. The shares were sold at an average price of $166.00, for a total transaction of $713,800.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider directly owned 13,746 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $2,281,836. The trade was a 23.83% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. 23.70% of the stock is owned by company insiders. Institutional Trading of Hyatt Hotels Several institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in H. CIBC Asset Management Inc purchased a new position in Hyatt Hotels in the 4th quarter worth about $314,000. Norges Bank purchased a new stake in Hyatt Hotels in the 4th quarter valued at about $15,069,000. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. grew its stake in Hyatt Hotels by 3.5% in the 4th quarter. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. now owns 2,318 shares of the companys stock worth $372,000 after acquiring an additional 79 shares in the last quarter. CIBC Bancorp USA Inc. purchased a new position in shares of Hyatt Hotels during the third quarter worth approximately $215,000. Finally, Coldstream Capital Management Inc. bought a new stake in shares of Hyatt Hotels during the third quarter valued at approximately $212,000. Institutional investors own 73.54% of the companys stock. About Hyatt Hotels (Get Free Report) Hyatt Hotels Corporation (NYSE: H) is a global hospitality company that develops, owns, manages and franchises luxury and business hotels, resorts and vacation properties. Its portfolio spans a range of price points and styles under brands such as Park Hyatt, Grand Hyatt, Andaz, Hyatt Regency, Hyatt Centric, Hyatt Place, Hyatt House, Thompson Hotels, Alila and Destination by Hyatt. In addition to accommodations, the company provides meeting and event spaces, food and beverage outlets, spa and wellness centers, and a variety of guest services designed to cater to both leisure and business travelers. Hyatts business model combines property ownership, management contracts and third-party franchising. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for Hyatt Hotels Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Hyatt Hotels and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. MasterBrand (NYSE:MBC Get Free Report) issued an update on its FY 2026 earnings guidance on Tuesday morning. The company provided earnings per share guidance of -0.060-0.000 for the period, compared to the consensus earnings per share estimate of 0.960. The company issued revenue guidance of -. MasterBrand Trading Up 2.7% MBC stock traded up $0.36 during trading on Tuesday, hitting $13.81. 2,761,995 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 1,534,362. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.69, a quick ratio of 1.13 and a current ratio of 1.87. The company has a 50-day moving average of $11.91 and a 200-day moving average of $12.15. The firm has a market capitalization of $1.75 billion, a PE ratio of 21.58 and a beta of 1.45. MasterBrand has a 1 year low of $9.33 and a 1 year high of $17.09. Get MasterBrand alerts: MasterBrand (NYSE:MBC Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, February 10th. The company reported ($0.02) earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.14 by ($0.16). MasterBrand had a net margin of 3.00% and a return on equity of 10.88%. The firm had revenue of $644.60 million for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $607.60 million. MasterBrand has set its FY 2026 guidance at -0.060-0.000 EPS. Wall Street Analyst Weigh In MBC has been the topic of several analyst reports. Wall Street Zen downgraded MasterBrand from a buy rating to a hold rating in a report on Saturday, November 8th. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a hold (c) rating on shares of MasterBrand in a report on Thursday, January 22nd. One analyst has rated the stock with a Buy rating, one has assigned a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $15.00. Get Our Latest Research Report on MasterBrand Institutional Inflows and Outflows A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of MBC. Boston Partners lifted its position in MasterBrand by 7.8% in the third quarter. Boston Partners now owns 8,930,199 shares of the companys stock worth $117,688,000 after buying an additional 649,960 shares during the last quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP lifted its holdings in MasterBrand by 2.4% during the third quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 6,289,199 shares of the companys stock worth $82,832,000 after buying an additional 147,177 shares during the period. UBS AM A Distinct Business Unit of UBS Asset Management Americas LLC lifted its position in shares of MasterBrand by 20.0% during the third quarter. UBS AM A Distinct Business Unit of UBS Asset Management Americas LLC now owns 2,949,665 shares of the companys stock valued at $38,847,000 after buying an additional 492,035 shares during the last quarter. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. lifted its holdings in shares of MasterBrand by 5.8% during the 4th quarter. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. now owns 2,616,658 shares of the companys stock valued at $28,888,000 after purchasing an additional 144,569 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Stonehill Capital Management LLC increased its holdings in shares of MasterBrand by 311.5% during the third quarter. Stonehill Capital Management LLC now owns 1,954,780 shares of the companys stock valued at $25,744,000 after acquiring an additional 1,479,780 shares in the last quarter. 87.32% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. MasterBrand Company Profile (Get Free Report) MasterBrand Inc is one of the largest manufacturers of cabinetry and home storage solutions in North America. The company specializes in designing, producing and distributing kitchen and bath cabinetry for both new construction and the remodeling markets. Its offerings span a broad spectrum of styles and price points, serving homebuilders, home improvement retailers and independent dealers. MasterBrands product portfolio includes framed and frameless cabinet lines, bath vanities, closet systems and other organizational accessories. See Also Receive News & Ratings for MasterBrand Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for MasterBrand and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Mohawk Industries (NYSE:MHK Get Free Report) is anticipated to release its Q4 2025 results before the market opens on Thursday, February 12th. Analysts expect the company to announce earnings of $1.98 per share and revenue of $2.6809 billion for the quarter. Individuals can check the companys upcoming Q4 2025 earning summary page for the latest details on the call scheduled for Friday, February 13, 2026 at 11:00 AM ET. Mohawk Industries Stock Up 3.6% Shares of MHK opened at $136.85 on Wednesday. The companys fifty day moving average is $116.37 and its two-hundred day moving average is $120.58. Mohawk Industries has a fifty-two week low of $96.24 and a fifty-two week high of $143.13. The company has a quick ratio of 1.24, a current ratio of 2.25 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.21. The firm has a market cap of $8.46 billion, a PE ratio of 20.36, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.68 and a beta of 1.23. Get Mohawk Industries alerts: Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades Several equities research analysts have issued reports on the stock. Barclays set a $121.00 price objective on shares of Mohawk Industries in a research note on Monday, December 8th. Wells Fargo & Company decreased their target price on Mohawk Industries from $125.00 to $110.00 and set an equal weight rating for the company in a research report on Monday, December 15th. Evercore dropped their target price on Mohawk Industries from $124.00 to $118.00 and set an in-line rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, November 19th. Raymond James Financial restated a strong-buy rating and issued a $150.00 price target (up previously from $140.00) on shares of Mohawk Industries in a report on Tuesday, October 21st. Finally, Wolfe Research lowered shares of Mohawk Industries from an outperform rating to a peer perform rating in a research note on Wednesday, January 7th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, three have given a Buy rating and eight have given a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, Mohawk Industries has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $128.11. Insider Buying and Selling In other Mohawk Industries news, insider Suzanne L. Helen sold 3,500 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, December 16th. The stock was sold at an average price of $110.36, for a total transaction of $386,260.00. Following the sale, the insider owned 70,593 shares in the company, valued at $7,790,643.48. This represents a 4.72% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through this link. In the last 90 days, insiders have sold 14,985 shares of company stock worth $1,658,526. Corporate insiders own 17.40% of the companys stock. Institutional Trading of Mohawk Industries A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of MHK. AQR Capital Management LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Mohawk Industries by 73.9% in the 3rd quarter. AQR Capital Management LLC now owns 1,578,335 shares of the companys stock valued at $200,922,000 after buying an additional 670,601 shares during the period. Steadfast Capital Management LP boosted its stake in Mohawk Industries by 96.3% in the third quarter. Steadfast Capital Management LP now owns 937,301 shares of the companys stock valued at $120,837,000 after acquiring an additional 459,700 shares during the period. Freestone Grove Partners LP bought a new position in shares of Mohawk Industries during the third quarter valued at approximately $36,076,000. Bank of America Corp DE raised its position in shares of Mohawk Industries by 69.0% during the 2nd quarter. Bank of America Corp DE now owns 553,059 shares of the companys stock worth $57,983,000 after purchasing an additional 225,900 shares during the period. Finally, Schonfeld Strategic Advisors LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Mohawk Industries by 2,091.7% in the 3rd quarter. Schonfeld Strategic Advisors LLC now owns 118,876 shares of the companys stock worth $15,325,000 after purchasing an additional 113,452 shares during the last quarter. 78.98% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. About Mohawk Industries (Get Free Report) Mohawk Industries, Inc is a global flooring manufacturer that designs, produces and distributes a broad range of floor covering products for both residential and commercial applications. Headquartered in Calhoun, Georgia, the company traces its roots to 1878 and has expanded through a series of strategic acquisitions and organic growth initiatives. Over the decades, Mohawk has built a vertically integrated platform encompassing yarn manufacturing, fiber production, wood and laminate finishing, and ceramic tile fabrication, enabling tight control over product quality and supply chain efficiency. The companys product portfolio includes residential and commercial carpet, ceramic and porcelain tile, laminate, wood and natural stone flooring, luxury vinyl, and innovative surface solutions. Read More Receive News & Ratings for Mohawk Industries Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Mohawk Industries and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Thomson Reuters (TSE:TRI Free Report) (NYSE:TRI) had its target price trimmed by National Bankshares from C$190.00 to C$175.00 in a research report sent to investors on Sunday morning,BayStreet.CA reports. The firm currently has an outperform rating on the stock. Several other equities analysts also recently issued reports on TRI. The Goldman Sachs Group raised shares of Thomson Reuters from a hold rating to a strong-buy rating in a research note on Wednesday, October 15th. Canaccord Genuity Group raised Thomson Reuters from a hold rating to a strong-buy rating in a research report on Wednesday, November 5th. Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce cut their target price on Thomson Reuters from C$183.00 to C$140.00 and set an outperform rating on the stock in a report on Friday, February 6th. Huber Research raised Thomson Reuters to a strong-buy rating in a research note on Monday, October 20th. Finally, BMO Capital Markets cut their price objective on Thomson Reuters from C$275.00 to C$165.00 in a research note on Friday, February 6th. Five research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, five have assigned a Buy rating and one has given a Hold rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock has a consensus rating of Buy and a consensus price target of C$175.86. Get Thomson Reuters alerts: Read Our Latest Research Report on Thomson Reuters Thomson Reuters Price Performance Thomson Reuters stock opened at C$123.17 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 24.28, a quick ratio of 0.52 and a current ratio of 0.94. Thomson Reuters has a 52 week low of C$116.21 and a 52 week high of C$299.24. The stock has a market capitalization of C$54.81 billion, a P/E ratio of 36.99, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.64 and a beta of -0.02. The stock has a fifty day moving average of C$169.40 and a 200-day moving average of C$205.26. Thomson Reuters (TSE:TRI Get Free Report) (NYSE:TRI) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, February 5th. The company reported C$1.47 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter. The business had revenue of C$2.76 billion during the quarter. Thomson Reuters had a net margin of 32.12% and a return on equity of 20.19%. On average, sell-side analysts expect that Thomson Reuters will post 5.6395803 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Thomson Reuters Company Profile (Get Free Report) Thomson Reuters is the result of the $17.6 billion megamerger of Canadas Thomson and the United Kingdoms Reuters Group in 2008 and the 2018 carve-out of its finance and risk business, Refinitiv, in which it holds a 45% stake. In 2019, the company agreed to exchange its 45% stake in Refinitiv for a 15% stake in LSE. Since the divestiture, the company is more concentrated on selling its flagship legal data and software, WestLaw, and its tax accounting software, OneSource. In addition, the company does hold a significant investment in the publicly traded Tradeweb, which operates a fixed income exchange. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for Thomson Reuters Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Thomson Reuters and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Norsk Hydro ASA (OTCMKTS:NHYDY Get Free Report) is anticipated to announce its results before the market opens on Friday, February 13th. Analysts expect the company to announce earnings of $0.03 per share and revenue of $4.8215 billion for the quarter. Norsk Hydro ASA Price Performance Shares of NHYDY opened at $9.42 on Wednesday. The firm has a 50-day simple moving average of $8.19 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $7.25. The stock has a market cap of $18.64 billion, a PE ratio of 18.12, a P/E/G ratio of 0.28 and a beta of 1.15. Norsk Hydro ASA has a 1-year low of $4.50 and a 1-year high of $9.50. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.26, a current ratio of 1.91 and a quick ratio of 1.25. Get Norsk Hydro ASA alerts: Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth Several research firms recently weighed in on NHYDY. Morgan Stanley reiterated an overweight rating on shares of Norsk Hydro ASA in a report on Tuesday, December 16th. Danske raised Norsk Hydro ASA to a hold rating in a research note on Monday, October 27th. Wall Street Zen downgraded Norsk Hydro ASA from a buy rating to a hold rating in a report on Sunday, October 26th. Royal Bank Of Canada restated an outperform rating on shares of Norsk Hydro ASA in a report on Friday, November 21st. Finally, Zacks Research downgraded Norsk Hydro ASA from a strong-buy rating to a strong sell rating in a research report on Friday, January 23rd. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, six have issued a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of Hold. About Norsk Hydro ASA (Get Free Report) Norsk Hydro ASA is a Norwegian industrial company with a primary focus on aluminum production and renewable energy. Established in 1905, the company has grown from its roots in fertilizer manufacturing to become one of the worlds largest integrated aluminum producers. Its operations span the full value chain, including bauxite mining, alumina refining, primary aluminum production, and downstream processing of rolled and extruded products. In addition to its aluminum business, Hydro maintains a significant portfolio of hydropower assets to support its energy-intensive processes. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for Norsk Hydro ASA Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Norsk Hydro ASA and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Sally Beauty Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:SBH Get Free Report) has earned an average recommendation of Hold from the eight analysts that are covering the firm, MarketBeat Ratings reports. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, four have assigned a hold rating and three have issued a buy rating on the company. The average 12-month target price among analysts that have covered the stock in the last year is $16.5833. Several equities research analysts have recently commented on SBH shares. Raymond James Financial upgraded shares of Sally Beauty from a market perform rating to an outperform rating and set a $19.00 target price on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, January 21st. Jefferies Financial Group reissued a hold rating and set a $16.00 price target on shares of Sally Beauty in a report on Wednesday, January 14th. TD Cowen upped their price objective on shares of Sally Beauty from $17.00 to $18.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research note on Wednesday, January 21st. Canaccord Genuity Group raised their price objective on shares of Sally Beauty from $19.00 to $20.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Tuesday. Finally, Weiss Ratings reiterated a hold (c+) rating on shares of Sally Beauty in a research note on Friday, January 9th. Get Sally Beauty alerts: View Our Latest Analysis on Sally Beauty Trending Headlines about Sally Beauty Positive Sentiment: Q1 beat SBH reported fiscal Q1 results that topped EPS and revenue estimates (EPS $0.48 vs. $0.47 est.; revenue ~$943M, +0.6% y/y), showing operating leverage and improved margins. Read More. Q1 beat SBH reported fiscal Q1 results that topped EPS and revenue estimates (EPS $0.48 vs. $0.47 est.; revenue ~$943M, +0.6% y/y), showing operating leverage and improved margins. Read More. Positive Sentiment: Raised FY26 EPS floor management raised the low end of its FY2026 EPS guidance after the quarter (FY26 EPS guide 2.0202.100), signaling confidence in full-year profitability. Read More. Raised FY26 EPS floor management raised the low end of its FY2026 EPS guidance after the quarter (FY26 EPS guide 2.0202.100), signaling confidence in full-year profitability. Read More. Positive Sentiment: Margin expansion and efficiency commentary and coverage note expanding margins and solid ROE, supporting cash generation that could fund buybacks/dividends or reinvestment. Read More. Margin expansion and efficiency commentary and coverage note expanding margins and solid ROE, supporting cash generation that could fund buybacks/dividends or reinvestment. Read More. Neutral Sentiment: Category expansion & digital initiatives company cited new category launches and digital investments as anchors for sales stability, but top-line growth remained essentially flat in the quarter. Read More. Category expansion & digital initiatives company cited new category launches and digital investments as anchors for sales stability, but top-line growth remained essentially flat in the quarter. Read More. Neutral Sentiment: Long-term growth thesis highlighted some analysts continue to flag SBH as a long-term growth/quality pick based on execution and industry position, but that narrative hasnt erased near-term uncertainty. Read More. Long-term growth thesis highlighted some analysts continue to flag SBH as a long-term growth/quality pick based on execution and industry position, but that narrative hasnt erased near-term uncertainty. Read More. Negative Sentiment: Conservative near-term guidance management set Q2 EPS guidance below Street expectations (Q2 EPS guide 0.3900.420 vs. consensus ~0.45) and provided a revenue range that only marginally covers estimates, which appears to be the main catalyst for the sell-off. Read More. Conservative near-term guidance management set Q2 EPS guidance below Street expectations (Q2 EPS guide 0.3900.420 vs. consensus ~0.45) and provided a revenue range that only marginally covers estimates, which appears to be the main catalyst for the sell-off. Read More. Negative Sentiment: Cautious tone on the call the earnings call balanced progress with caution on macro/retail trends and inventory/assortment work, reinforcing near-term uncertainty for investors. Read More. Insider Buying and Selling at Sally Beauty Here are the key news stories impacting Sally Beauty this week: In other Sally Beauty news, CAO Kim Mcintosh sold 5,900 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Thursday, December 11th. The stock was sold at an average price of $15.71, for a total value of $92,689.00. Following the transaction, the chief accounting officer owned 21,295 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $334,544.45. The trade was a 21.70% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, SVP Scott C. Sherman sold 15,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Monday, December 1st. The shares were sold at an average price of $16.27, for a total value of $244,050.00. Following the completion of the sale, the senior vice president owned 57,585 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $936,907.95. This trade represents a 20.67% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Insiders own 2.00% of the companys stock. Hedge Funds Weigh In On Sally Beauty Institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the stock. Royal Bank of Canada lifted its position in shares of Sally Beauty by 150,390.9% during the first quarter. Royal Bank of Canada now owns 33,108 shares of the specialty retailers stock worth $299,000 after purchasing an additional 33,086 shares in the last quarter. AQR Capital Management LLC lifted its holdings in Sally Beauty by 53.7% during the 1st quarter. AQR Capital Management LLC now owns 476,966 shares of the specialty retailers stock worth $4,188,000 after buying an additional 166,637 shares in the last quarter. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. boosted its position in Sally Beauty by 3.5% in the 1st quarter. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. now owns 60,595 shares of the specialty retailers stock valued at $547,000 after buying an additional 2,026 shares during the last quarter. UBS AM A Distinct Business Unit of UBS Asset Management Americas LLC boosted its position in Sally Beauty by 10.6% in the 1st quarter. UBS AM A Distinct Business Unit of UBS Asset Management Americas LLC now owns 324,906 shares of the specialty retailers stock valued at $2,934,000 after buying an additional 31,040 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Janney Montgomery Scott LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Sally Beauty in the 2nd quarter valued at $344,000. Sally Beauty Stock Down 8.4% NYSE SBH opened at $15.57 on Friday. Sally Beauty has a 1-year low of $7.54 and a 1-year high of $17.92. The company has a market capitalization of $1.52 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 8.85 and a beta of 1.16. The stocks 50 day moving average is $15.44 and its two-hundred day moving average is $14.71. The company has a current ratio of 2.37, a quick ratio of 0.54 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.02. Sally Beauty (NYSE:SBH Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Monday, February 9th. The specialty retailer reported $0.48 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.47 by $0.01. Sally Beauty had a return on equity of 26.07% and a net margin of 4.87%.The business had revenue of $943.17 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $939.63 million. During the same quarter last year, the company earned $0.43 EPS. Sally Beautys revenue was up .6% on a year-over-year basis. Sally Beauty has set its FY 2026 guidance at 2.020-2.100 EPS and its Q2 2026 guidance at 0.390-0.420 EPS. Equities analysts forecast that Sally Beauty will post 1.81 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Sally Beauty Company Profile (Get Free Report) Sally Beauty Holdings, Inc is a leading global specialty retailer and distributor of professional beauty supplies, serving both retail customers and salon professionals. The company operates two primary channels: Sally Beauty Supply, which offers a broad assortment of hair color, hair care, styling, and skincare products; and Beauty Systems Group (BSG), which provides salon-quality products and supplies to professional stylists and salon owners. With a focus on catering to diverse customer needs, Sally Beauty offers well-known brands alongside private label lines, positioning itself as a one-stop source for beauty professionals and enthusiasts alike. Founded in 1964 and headquartered in Denton, Texas, Sally Beauty has grown through a combination of organic expansion and strategic acquisitions. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for Sally Beauty Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Sally Beauty and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Cibc World Market Inc. decreased its position in shares of Procter & Gamble Company (The) (NYSE:PG Free Report) by 36.3% in the third quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 364,132 shares of the companys stock after selling 207,770 shares during the quarter. Cibc World Market Inc.s holdings in Procter & Gamble were worth $55,949,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently bought and sold shares of PG. WP Advisors LLC increased its stake in shares of Procter & Gamble by 4.9% in the second quarter. WP Advisors LLC now owns 1,405 shares of the companys stock worth $224,000 after acquiring an additional 66 shares during the period. Emprise Bank boosted its holdings in Procter & Gamble by 2.5% in the third quarter. Emprise Bank now owns 2,766 shares of the companys stock valued at $425,000 after purchasing an additional 68 shares during the last quarter. Affiance Financial LLC boosted its holdings in Procter & Gamble by 2.5% in the third quarter. Affiance Financial LLC now owns 2,803 shares of the companys stock valued at $431,000 after purchasing an additional 69 shares during the last quarter. Vermillion & White Wealth Management Group LLC grew its position in Procter & Gamble by 12.9% during the 2nd quarter. Vermillion & White Wealth Management Group LLC now owns 621 shares of the companys stock worth $99,000 after purchasing an additional 71 shares during the period. Finally, Dominguez Wealth Management Solutions Inc. raised its stake in shares of Procter & Gamble by 0.3% during the 3rd quarter. Dominguez Wealth Management Solutions Inc. now owns 20,464 shares of the companys stock valued at $3,144,000 after buying an additional 71 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 65.77% of the companys stock. Get Procter & Gamble alerts: Wall Street Analyst Weigh In Several analysts recently commented on the company. Dbs Bank raised Procter & Gamble from a hold rating to a buy rating in a report on Friday, January 23rd. Rothschild & Co Redburn lifted their target price on shares of Procter & Gamble from $155.00 to $157.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a report on Friday, January 23rd. Morgan Stanley set a $175.00 price target on shares of Procter & Gamble in a report on Monday, October 27th. Jefferies Financial Group upgraded shares of Procter & Gamble from a hold rating to a buy rating and raised their price target for the company from $156.00 to $179.00 in a research report on Tuesday, December 16th. Finally, Piper Sandler started coverage on shares of Procter & Gamble in a research report on Wednesday, January 7th. They issued a neutral rating and a $150.00 price objective for the company. Thirteen research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and eight have given a Hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $167.67. Insider Buying and Selling In related news, CEO Ma. Fatima Francisco sold 8,000 shares of the stock in a transaction on Wednesday, February 4th. The stock was sold at an average price of $158.00, for a total value of $1,264,000.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer directly owned 6,571 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $1,038,218. This represents a 54.90% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, insider Marc S. Pritchard sold 95,903 shares of Procter & Gamble stock in a transaction on Friday, January 23rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $151.15, for a total transaction of $14,495,738.45. Following the sale, the insider directly owned 182,607 shares in the company, valued at approximately $27,601,048.05. This trade represents a 34.43% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. 0.20% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders. Key Procter & Gamble News Here are the key news stories impacting Procter & Gamble this week: Procter & Gamble Price Performance Shares of NYSE PG opened at $159.16 on Wednesday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.49, a quick ratio of 0.51 and a current ratio of 0.72. The firm has a fifty day moving average of $146.21 and a 200 day moving average of $150.29. The firm has a market cap of $369.89 billion, a PE ratio of 23.58, a PEG ratio of 5.23 and a beta of 0.38. Procter & Gamble Company has a one year low of $137.62 and a one year high of $179.99. Procter & Gamble (NYSE:PG Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, January 22nd. The company reported $1.88 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.86 by $0.02. The business had revenue of $22.21 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $22.36 billion. Procter & Gamble had a net margin of 19.30% and a return on equity of 32.21%. The companys revenue for the quarter was up 1.5% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the business earned $1.88 earnings per share. Procter & Gamble has set its FY 2026 guidance at 6.830-7.090 EPS. As a group, research analysts predict that Procter & Gamble Company will post 6.91 EPS for the current fiscal year. Procter & Gamble Dividend Announcement The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, February 17th. Shareholders of record on Friday, January 23rd will be paid a dividend of $1.0568 per share. This represents a $4.23 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.7%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, January 23rd. Procter & Gambles payout ratio is 62.52%. About Procter & Gamble (Free Report) Procter & Gamble (NYSE: PG) is a multinational consumer goods company headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio. Founded in 1837 by William Procter and James Gamble, P&G has grown into one of the worlds largest producers of branded consumer packaged goods. The company focuses on developing, manufacturing and marketing a broad portfolio of household and personal care products sold to consumers and retailers worldwide. P&Gs product offering spans several core business categories, including Beauty, Grooming, Health Care, Fabric & Home Care, and Baby, Feminine & Family Care. Further Reading Want to see what other hedge funds are holding PG? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Procter & Gamble Company (The) (NYSE:PG Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Procter & Gamble Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Procter & Gamble and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Cincinnati Insurance Co. lowered its stake in shares of Chubb Limited (NYSE:CB Free Report) by 64.6% during the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent filing with the SEC. The firm owned 139,267 shares of the financial services providers stock after selling 254,471 shares during the period. Cincinnati Insurance Co.s holdings in Chubb were worth $39,308,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. A number of other institutional investors have also recently made changes to their positions in CB. Westbourne Investment Advisors Inc. lifted its holdings in Chubb by 12.3% in the third quarter. Westbourne Investment Advisors Inc. now owns 22,233 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $6,275,000 after acquiring an additional 2,427 shares during the period. Assetmark Inc. increased its position in shares of Chubb by 14.1% during the 2nd quarter. Assetmark Inc. now owns 71,294 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $20,655,000 after purchasing an additional 8,828 shares during the last quarter. Sivia Capital Partners LLC increased its position in shares of Chubb by 166.3% during the 3rd quarter. Sivia Capital Partners LLC now owns 3,707 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $1,046,000 after purchasing an additional 2,315 shares during the last quarter. Liberty One Investment Management LLC bought a new position in shares of Chubb in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $51,167,000. Finally, Cooke & Bieler LP boosted its holdings in shares of Chubb by 21.3% in the third quarter. Cooke & Bieler LP now owns 606,011 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $171,047,000 after buying an additional 106,237 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 83.81% of the companys stock. Get Chubb alerts: Key Chubb News Here are the key news stories impacting Chubb this week: Positive Sentiment: Chubb posted a material EPS beat for the most recent quarter ($7.52 vs. $6.33 consensus) with revenue up ~8.9%, reinforcing earnings momentum and supporting valuation. Read More. Chubb posted a material EPS beat for the most recent quarter ($7.52 vs. $6.33 consensus) with revenue up ~8.9%, reinforcing earnings momentum and supporting valuation. Read More. Positive Sentiment: Raymond James upgraded CB to a strong-buy and raised its price target to $380, signaling meaningful upside vs. current levels and likely attracting buying interest. Read More. Raymond James upgraded CB to a strong-buy and raised its price target to $380, signaling meaningful upside vs. current levels and likely attracting buying interest. Read More. Positive Sentiment: Multiple broker price-target increases and at least one upgrade have pushed the stock to a new 52-week high after the analyst actions, helping drive momentum. Read More. Multiple broker price-target increases and at least one upgrade have pushed the stock to a new 52-week high after the analyst actions, helping drive momentum. Read More. Positive Sentiment: Independent commentary (The Motley Fool) is pitching Chubb as a lower-volatility, more reliable insurance pick versus higher-risk peers, which can attract relative-value flows into CB. Read More. Independent commentary (The Motley Fool) is pitching Chubb as a lower-volatility, more reliable insurance pick versus higher-risk peers, which can attract relative-value flows into CB. Read More. Neutral Sentiment: Despite several target raises, the brokerage consensus rating remains Hold, which could limit broad-based upgrades until guidance or further results push more firms to Buy. Read More. Despite several target raises, the brokerage consensus rating remains Hold, which could limit broad-based upgrades until guidance or further results push more firms to Buy. Read More. Neutral Sentiment: Zacks flags elevated investor attention to CB, useful as a sentiment/flow indicator but not a direct fundamental driver. Read More. Zacks flags elevated investor attention to CB, useful as a sentiment/flow indicator but not a direct fundamental driver. Read More. Negative Sentiment: Insider selling: CEO Evan Greenberg sold 15,060 shares (~$5.0M) on Feb. 5. While his remaining ownership is large, the sale can be perceived as a short-term negative or additional supply. Read More. Insider selling: CEO Evan Greenberg sold 15,060 shares (~$5.0M) on Feb. 5. While his remaining ownership is large, the sale can be perceived as a short-term negative or additional supply. Read More. Negative Sentiment: Chubb underperformed some peers on recent trading days, which could reflect sector rotation or profit-taking after analyst-driven gains. Read More. Insider Transactions at Chubb Chubb Trading Down 0.0% In other Chubb news, EVP Joseph F. Wayland sold 5,830 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, November 13th. The stock was sold at an average price of $297.08, for a total transaction of $1,731,976.40. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president owned 60,593 shares in the company, valued at $18,000,968.44. This trade represents a 8.78% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through this link . Also, CEO Evan G. Greenberg sold 15,060 shares of Chubb stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, February 5th. The stock was sold at an average price of $331.47, for a total value of $4,991,938.20. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer directly owned 511,576 shares in the company, valued at approximately $169,572,096.72. The trade was a 2.86% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure . In the last three months, insiders have sold 76,512 shares of company stock worth $24,197,361. 0.86% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders. Shares of CB opened at $326.16 on Wednesday. The firm has a market cap of $128.36 billion, a P/E ratio of 12.68, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.08 and a beta of 0.49. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.20, a current ratio of 0.24 and a quick ratio of 0.27. Chubb Limited has a 1 year low of $263.14 and a 1 year high of $335.59. The company has a 50 day simple moving average of $308.69 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $290.09. Chubb (NYSE:CB Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Tuesday, February 3rd. The financial services provider reported $7.52 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $6.33 by $1.19. The firm had revenue of $2.08 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $11.11 billion. Chubb had a net margin of 17.36% and a return on equity of 13.15%. The companys quarterly revenue was up 8.9% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm earned $6.02 earnings per share. On average, equities analysts expect that Chubb Limited will post 21.52 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Chubb Announces Dividend The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, January 2nd. Shareholders of record on Friday, December 12th were issued a dividend of $0.97 per share. This represents a $3.88 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.2%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, December 12th. Chubbs dividend payout ratio is 15.08%. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth A number of brokerages have commented on CB. JMP Securities reaffirmed a market outperform rating and set a $325.00 target price on shares of Chubb in a report on Wednesday, October 22nd. Cantor Fitzgerald upped their price objective on Chubb from $300.00 to $309.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a research note on Wednesday, January 14th. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods raised their target price on Chubb from $355.00 to $373.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a report on Friday, February 6th. Raymond James Financial boosted their price target on Chubb from $340.00 to $380.00 and gave the company a strong-buy rating in a report on Monday. Finally, Barclays upped their price target on Chubb from $317.00 to $339.00 and gave the stock an equal weight rating in a research report on Thursday, January 8th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, ten have issued a Buy rating, eleven have assigned a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of Hold and an average target price of $340.09. View Our Latest Stock Report on Chubb About Chubb (Free Report) Chubb is a global property and casualty insurance company that underwrites a broad range of commercial and personal insurance products and related services. Its offerings include commercial property and casualty coverage, specialty liability, professional and management liability, cyber and technology insurance, marine and energy, surety, accident and health solutions, and high-net-worth personal lines such as homeowners, auto and valuables protection. Chubb serves businesses, individuals and institutions with tailored underwriting and risk-transfer solutions across multiple industry sectors. In addition to core underwriting, Chubb provides risk engineering, loss control, claims management and risk consulting services intended to reduce loss severity and help clients manage exposures. Recommended Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding CB? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Chubb Limited (NYSE:CB Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Chubb Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Chubb and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Cordoba Minerals Corp. (CVE:CDB Get Free Report) was up 56.6% on Wednesday . The company traded as high as C$1.21 and last traded at C$1.19. Approximately 2,335,927 shares changed hands during mid-day trading, an increase of 1,888% from the average daily volume of 117,519 shares. The stock had previously closed at C$0.76. More Cordoba Minerals News Here are the key news stories impacting Cordoba Minerals this week: Get Cordoba Minerals alerts: Positive Sentiment: Large intraday price gain on very high volume suggests a material catalyst (drill results, resource update, JV, takeover speculation, or analyst coverage) or a shortsqueeze/liquidity run. Check the company press releases and exchanges for a formal announcement. Large intraday price gain on very high volume suggests a material catalyst (drill results, resource update, JV, takeover speculation, or analyst coverage) or a shortsqueeze/liquidity run. Check the company press releases and exchanges for a formal announcement. Positive Sentiment: Price is trading near its 1year high and above/between short and longterm moving averages, which technical traders view as bullish momentum for further upside. Price is trading near its 1year high and above/between short and longterm moving averages, which technical traders view as bullish momentum for further upside. Neutral Sentiment: Common potential catalysts to look for (no specific article provided): new exploration/drill results, a resource estimate, farmin/JV deals, M&A approaches, or upgraded coverage from analysts any of these would plausibly explain the move. Investigate recent SEDAR/TSX Venture press releases and news wires. Common potential catalysts to look for (no specific article provided): new exploration/drill results, a resource estimate, farmin/JV deals, M&A approaches, or upgraded coverage from analysts any of these would plausibly explain the move. Investigate recent SEDAR/TSX Venture press releases and news wires. Neutral Sentiment: Sector and commodity context: changes in copper/gold prices or broader mining sentiment can move junior explorers. Verify metal price moves and mining sector headlines today. Sector and commodity context: changes in copper/gold prices or broader mining sentiment can move junior explorers. Verify metal price moves and mining sector headlines today. Neutral Sentiment: Low average daily volume historically (relative to todays volume) and a small market cap can produce exaggerated moves absent material company news consider liquidity/float effects when sizing positions. Low average daily volume historically (relative to todays volume) and a small market cap can produce exaggerated moves absent material company news consider liquidity/float effects when sizing positions. Negative Sentiment: Fundamentals and risk: the company shows a negative P/E (unprofitable), a very low quick ratio (potential shortterm liquidity constraints), and a high reported debttoequity figure these increase downside risk if the catalyst proves transitory. Fundamentals and risk: the company shows a negative P/E (unprofitable), a very low quick ratio (potential shortterm liquidity constraints), and a high reported debttoequity figure these increase downside risk if the catalyst proves transitory. Negative Sentiment: High volatility and speculative profile: large gaps on singleday news can reverse quickly; absent a clear, durable operational positive (e.g., confirmed resource expansion or binding JV), gains may be shortlived. Cordoba Minerals Stock Up 56.6% The stock has a market capitalization of C$110.25 million, a P/E ratio of -5.95 and a beta of -0.98. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 27.84, a current ratio of 3.09 and a quick ratio of 0.11. The stocks fifty day moving average is C$0.79 and its two-hundred day moving average is C$0.81. About Cordoba Minerals Cordoba Minerals Corp., a mineral exploration company, engages in the acquisition, exploration, evaluation, and development of base and precious metal properties in Colombia and the United States. The company explores for copper, silver, and gold deposits. It primarily holds a 100% interest in the San Matias project with exploration licenses covering 146.62 square kilometers and has an additional 893.91 square kilometers of mining titles under application located in the municipality of Puerto Libertador, Department of Cordoba, Colombia. Read More Receive News & Ratings for Cordoba Minerals Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Cordoba Minerals and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Cousins Properties Incorporated (NYSE:CUZ Get Free Report) reached a new 52-week low during trading on Wednesday . The company traded as low as $23.34 and last traded at $23.3180, with a volume of 3037117 shares changing hands. The stock had previously closed at $25.15. Analysts Set New Price Targets CUZ has been the topic of a number of recent research reports. Evercore ISI reaffirmed an outperform rating on shares of Cousins Properties in a research report on Friday, February 6th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lowered their target price on shares of Cousins Properties from $37.00 to $33.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday, November 25th. Wells Fargo & Company dropped their price target on shares of Cousins Properties from $32.00 to $30.00 and set an overweight rating on the stock in a research note on Monday, November 10th. Wall Street Zen cut Cousins Properties from a hold rating to a sell rating in a research report on Saturday, November 1st. Finally, Weiss Ratings reiterated a hold (c) rating on shares of Cousins Properties in a research report on Wednesday, January 21st. Seven investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and three have assigned a Hold rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $30.50. Get Cousins Properties alerts: Check Out Our Latest Stock Report on Cousins Properties Cousins Properties Price Performance The company has a quick ratio of 0.93, a current ratio of 0.93 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.71. The stock has a market capitalization of $3.88 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 96.30, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.94 and a beta of 1.21. The company has a 50 day moving average of $25.68 and a 200 day moving average of $26.74. Cousins Properties (NYSE:CUZ Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, February 5th. The real estate investment trust reported $0.71 EPS for the quarter, hitting analysts consensus estimates of $0.71. Cousins Properties had a return on equity of 0.85% and a net margin of 4.08%.The business had revenue of $255.03 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $252.18 million. During the same period in the prior year, the firm posted $0.69 EPS. The businesss revenue for the quarter was up 13.2% on a year-over-year basis. Cousins Properties has set its FY 2026 guidance at 2.870-2.970 EPS. As a group, equities research analysts forecast that Cousins Properties Incorporated will post 2.76 EPS for the current fiscal year. Cousins Properties Dividend Announcement The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, January 14th. Investors of record on Monday, January 5th were paid a dividend of $0.32 per share. This represents a $1.28 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 5.5%. The ex-dividend date was Monday, January 5th. Cousins Propertiess dividend payout ratio is presently 533.33%. Institutional Inflows and Outflows Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of CUZ. Principal Financial Group Inc. boosted its stake in Cousins Properties by 3.4% during the 4th quarter. Principal Financial Group Inc. now owns 12,890,208 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $332,310,000 after purchasing an additional 419,911 shares in the last quarter. Resolution Capital Ltd boosted its position in shares of Cousins Properties by 0.6% in the second quarter. Resolution Capital Ltd now owns 5,919,230 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $177,754,000 after buying an additional 33,097 shares during the period. Centersquare Investment Management LLC raised its position in Cousins Properties by 2.4% during the third quarter. Centersquare Investment Management LLC now owns 5,668,140 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $164,036,000 after buying an additional 132,479 shares during the period. Jennison Associates LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Cousins Properties by 51.5% during the second quarter. Jennison Associates LLC now owns 3,535,111 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $106,159,000 after purchasing an additional 1,200,952 shares during the period. Finally, Massachusetts Financial Services Co. MA boosted its position in Cousins Properties by 7.8% during the third quarter. Massachusetts Financial Services Co. MA now owns 3,484,297 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $100,836,000 after purchasing an additional 252,590 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 94.38% of the companys stock. About Cousins Properties (Get Free Report) Cousins Properties Incorporated (NYSE: CUZ) is a publicly traded real estate investment trust (REIT) specializing in the development, acquisition and management of high-quality office and mixed-use properties. Headquartered in Atlanta, the company focuses on urban infill and suburban markets across the Sun Belt, with a strong presence in metropolitan areas such as Atlanta, Austin, Charlotte, Nashville, Orlando and Tampa. Its core activities encompass full-service property leasing, asset management and construction oversight, serving a diverse mix of corporate and institutional tenants. Founded in 1958 as a privately held real estate concern, Cousins Properties completed its initial public offering in 1992. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for Cousins Properties Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Cousins Properties and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Evolution Petroleum (NYSEAMERICAN:EPM Get Free Report) announced its earnings results on Tuesday. The energy company reported $0.10 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $0.01 by $0.09, reports. The business had revenue of $20.68 million during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $21.80 million. Evolution Petroleum had a net margin of 0.27% and a return on equity of 1.28%. Evolution Petroleum Price Performance Shares of EPM stock traded up $0.15 during midday trading on Wednesday, reaching $4.15. 44,071 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 387,240. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.77, a current ratio of 0.70 and a quick ratio of 0.70. The firm has a market cap of $145.08 million, a PE ratio of -412.00 and a beta of 0.31. Evolution Petroleum has a 1-year low of $3.19 and a 1-year high of $5.70. The firms 50 day simple moving average is $3.75 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $4.38. Get Evolution Petroleum alerts: Evolution Petroleum Dividend Announcement The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, March 31st. Investors of record on Monday, March 16th will be paid a $0.12 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Monday, March 16th. This represents a $0.48 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 11.6%. Evolution Petroleums dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 600.08%. About Evolution Petroleum Evolution Petroleum Corporation (NYSE American: EPM) is an independent oil and natural gas company focused on enhanced oil recovery (EOR) through the use of carbon dioxide. Headquartered in Houston, Texas, the company specializes in acquiring and developing mature hydrocarbon reservoirs that benefit from CO injection to increase production efficiency. Evolution Petroleums business model combines property acquisition, reservoir engineering, and CO management to optimize recovery of oil and associated gas. The companys primary asset is the Jackson Dome CO field in southwestern Mississippi, where natural carbon dioxide is produced, separated and reinjected into adjacent oil-bearing formations. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for Evolution Petroleum Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Evolution Petroleum and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Koninklijke Philips N.V. (NYSE:PHG Get Free Report) announced an annual dividend on Tuesday, February 10th. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, May 13th will be paid a dividend of 1.013 per share by the technology company on Wednesday, June 3rd. This represents a dividend yield of 318.0%. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, May 13th. This is a 14.3% increase from Koninklijke Philipss previous annual dividend of $0.89. Koninklijke Philips has raised its dividend payment by an average of 0.0%per year over the last three years. Koninklijke Philips has a payout ratio of 47.7% indicating that its dividend is sufficiently covered by earnings. Equities research analysts expect Koninklijke Philips to earn $1.93 per share next year, which means the company should continue to be able to cover its $0.82 annual dividend with an expected future payout ratio of 42.5%. Get Koninklijke Philips alerts: Koninklijke Philips Stock Down 2.8% Shares of NYSE PHG traded down $0.94 during mid-day trading on Wednesday, reaching $31.98. The company had a trading volume of 1,344,908 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,018,965. The company has a current ratio of 1.32, a quick ratio of 0.86 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.68. The firm has a 50 day simple moving average of $28.27 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $27.91. The stock has a market cap of $30.79 billion, a P/E ratio of 159.88, a PEG ratio of 0.84 and a beta of 0.79. Koninklijke Philips has a 52-week low of $21.48 and a 52-week high of $33.44. Key Headlines Impacting Koninklijke Philips Koninklijke Philips ( NYSE:PHG Get Free Report ) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, February 10th. The technology company reported $0.70 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $0.50 by $0.20. Koninklijke Philips had a net margin of 1.07% and a return on equity of 12.14%. The firm had revenue of $5.98 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $5.03 billion. Sell-side analysts predict that Koninklijke Philips will post 1.63 earnings per share for the current year. Here are the key news stories impacting Koninklijke Philips this week: Koninklijke Philips Company Profile (Get Free Report) Koninklijke Philips N.V. (NYSE: PHG), commonly known as Philips, is a Dutch multinational company focused on health technology. Founded in Eindhoven in 1891, the company evolved from a diversified electronics manufacturer into a specialist in healthcare products, systems and services. Philips is legally registered in the Netherlands and operates globally, supplying equipment and solutions to hospitals, clinics, healthcare providers and consumers across Europe, the Americas and Asia. Philips principal activities center on medical technologies and personal health. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for Koninklijke Philips Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Koninklijke Philips and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Mitsubishi Estate (OTCMKTS:MITEY Get Free Report) updated its FY 2026 earnings guidance on Monday. The company provided earnings per share guidance of 1.180-1.180 for the period, compared to the consensus earnings per share estimate of 0.000. The company issued revenue guidance of $12.0 billion-$12.0 billion, compared to the consensus revenue estimate of 0.000. Mitsubishi Estate Trading Up 7.5% MITEY stock opened at $31.89 on Wednesday. The stock has a market cap of $38.82 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 24.91 and a beta of 0.10. The company has a fifty day moving average price of $25.19 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $22.95. Mitsubishi Estate has a one year low of $13.82 and a one year high of $32.98. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.27, a current ratio of 2.09 and a quick ratio of 1.45. Get Mitsubishi Estate alerts: Mitsubishi Estate (OTCMKTS:MITEY Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Monday, February 9th. The company reported $0.31 EPS for the quarter, hitting the consensus estimate of $0.31. The business had revenue of $3 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $3.04 billion. Mitsubishi Estate had a net margin of 13.66% and a return on equity of 5.55%. Mitsubishi Estate has set its FY 2026 guidance at 1.180-1.180 EPS. About Mitsubishi Estate Mitsubishi Estate Co, Ltd. (OTCMKTS: MITEY) is one of Japans largest real estate developers and a core company within the Mitsubishi corporate group. Headquartered in Tokyo, the firm is best known for large-scale urban development and property leasing, including landmark office districts and mixed-use complexes in central Tokyo. Its businesses span the full real estate value chain, from land acquisition and project development to leasing, sales, property and facility management, and real estate investment management. The companys commercial activities cover office buildings, retail and commercial facilities, residential housing, hotels and resorts, and logistics properties. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for Mitsubishi Estate Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Mitsubishi Estate and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Motorola Solutions (NYSE:MSI Get Free Report) posted its earnings results on Wednesday. The communications equipment provider reported $4.59 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $4.35 by $0.24, FiscalAI reports. Motorola Solutions had a net margin of 18.71% and a return on equity of 118.48%. The company had revenue of $3.38 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $3.34 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the firm posted $4.04 earnings per share. The firms quarterly revenue was up 12.3% on a year-over-year basis. Here are the key takeaways from Motorola Solutions conference call: Get Motorola Solutions alerts: Motorola finished 2025 with record results strong Q4 revenue and operating earnings, nonGAAP operating margin a record 30.3%, record operating cash flow of $2.8B, and an alltime high backlog of $15.7 billion . strong Q4 revenue and operating earnings, nonGAAP operating margin a record 30.3%, record operating cash flow of $2.8B, and an alltime high backlog of . 2026 outlook calls for approximately $12.7 billion revenue, nonGAAP EPS $16.7016.85, Q1 sales +67% and ~ $3 billion in operating cash flow, with Software & Services and Command Center expected to be key growth drivers. revenue, nonGAAP EPS $16.7016.85, Q1 sales +67% and ~ in operating cash flow, with Software & Services and Command Center expected to be key growth drivers. The Silvus acquisition is accelerating integration and demandmanagement raised Silvus revenue expectations to $675 million for 2026, driven by international and unmannedsystems opportunities (notably Ukraine, U.K., Germany). for 2026, driven by international and unmannedsystems opportunities (notably Ukraine, U.K., Germany). Management launched AIpowered Assist Suites for dispatchers and responders at $99/user/month, shipped ~15,000 SVX bodyworn assistant units and secured FedRAMP approvals for APEX Next/SVX/evidence platforms, which should expand federal TAM and recurring software revenue. for dispatchers and responders at $99/user/month, shipped ~15,000 SVX bodyworn assistant units and secured FedRAMP approvals for APEX Next/SVX/evidence platforms, which should expand federal TAM and recurring software revenue. Nearterm margin pressure risks include an incremental $60 million tariff headwind expected in H1 2026, some rising memory costs (modest), higher interest from financing and increased acquisitionrelated OpEx, and a slightly higher effective tax rate. Motorola Solutions Price Performance NYSE:MSI opened at $421.50 on Thursday. The firm has a market cap of $70.20 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 33.83, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.14 and a beta of 1.00. The companys 50-day moving average is $388.63 and its two-hundred day moving average is $420.88. Motorola Solutions has a 12-month low of $359.36 and a 12-month high of $492.22. The company has a current ratio of 1.03, a quick ratio of 0.86 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 3.59. Motorola Solutions Increases Dividend Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, January 15th. Shareholders of record on Monday, December 15th were given a dividend of $1.21 per share. The ex-dividend date was Monday, December 15th. This is an increase from Motorola Solutionss previous quarterly dividend of $0.01. This represents a $4.84 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.1%. Motorola Solutionss dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 38.84%. MSI has been the topic of a number of analyst reports. Weiss Ratings upgraded Motorola Solutions from a hold (c+) rating to a buy (b-) rating in a research note on Tuesday, January 27th. Piper Sandler upgraded Motorola Solutions from a neutral rating to an overweight rating and dropped their target price for the company from $465.00 to $443.00 in a research note on Monday, January 5th. Northcoast Research raised shares of Motorola Solutions from a neutral rating to a buy rating and set a $450.00 target price for the company in a research report on Monday, December 1st. Finally, Barclays decreased their target price on shares of Motorola Solutions from $509.00 to $495.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a research note on Friday, October 31st. Eight investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and two have issued a Hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $491.86. View Our Latest Stock Report on Motorola Solutions Institutional Inflows and Outflows A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Revolve Wealth Partners LLC bought a new position in shares of Motorola Solutions in the fourth quarter valued at $208,000. Sivia Capital Partners LLC bought a new stake in shares of Motorola Solutions in the second quarter valued at approximately $210,000. HUB Investment Partners LLC lifted its stake in shares of Motorola Solutions by 38.7% during the 2nd quarter. HUB Investment Partners LLC now owns 2,540 shares of the communications equipment providers stock valued at $1,068,000 after buying an additional 709 shares in the last quarter. Peapack Gladstone Financial Corp increased its holdings in Motorola Solutions by 17.7% during the 2nd quarter. Peapack Gladstone Financial Corp now owns 16,279 shares of the communications equipment providers stock worth $6,845,000 after acquiring an additional 2,450 shares during the period. Finally, Diversify Advisory Services LLC bought a new stake in Motorola Solutions during the second quarter valued at approximately $891,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 84.17% of the companys stock. Motorola Solutions News Summary Here are the key news stories impacting Motorola Solutions this week: About Motorola Solutions (Get Free Report) Motorola Solutions, Inc is a provider of mission-critical communications and analytics solutions for public safety and commercial customers. The company designs, manufactures and supports a range of communications equipment and software aimed at enabling first responders, government agencies and enterprises to coordinate and operate reliably in high-pressure environments. Its offerings emphasize secure, resilient connectivity and situational awareness for organizations that require dependable voice, data and video communications. Product lines include land mobile radio (LMR) systems and handheld and vehicle-mounted radios used by police, fire and emergency medical services; broadband push-to-talk and LTE-based solutions; command-and-control center software for incident management and records; and video security and analytics systems. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for Motorola Solutions Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Motorola Solutions and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Xylem (NYSE:XYL Get Free Report) had its target price cut by Royal Bank Of Canada from $176.00 to $162.00 in a report released on Wednesday,Benzinga reports. The firm currently has an outperform rating on the industrial products companys stock. Royal Bank Of Canadas price target would indicate a potential upside of 28.51% from the companys previous close. A number of other brokerages have also weighed in on XYL. Stifel Nicolaus decreased their price objective on shares of Xylem from $178.00 to $175.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a report on Wednesday. TD Cowen reaffirmed a hold rating on shares of Xylem in a research note on Friday, December 5th. Wall Street Zen lowered Xylem from a buy rating to a hold rating in a report on Saturday, December 27th. Zacks Research downgraded Xylem from a strong-buy rating to a hold rating in a report on Tuesday, November 18th. Finally, Citigroup lowered their target price on Xylem from $182.00 to $174.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a report on Wednesday. Nine equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and four have assigned a Hold rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $159.40. Get Xylem alerts: Get Our Latest Analysis on XYL Xylem Trading Down 2.2% Shares of NYSE XYL traded down $2.86 during midday trading on Wednesday, hitting $126.07. The companys stock had a trading volume of 1,334,899 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,616,744. Xylem has a 12-month low of $100.47 and a 12-month high of $154.27. The company has a current ratio of 1.96, a quick ratio of 1.50 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.17. The firm has a market cap of $30.69 billion, a P/E ratio of 32.40, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.99 and a beta of 1.17. The businesss 50 day moving average is $139.27 and its two-hundred day moving average is $142.22. Xylem (NYSE:XYL Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Tuesday, February 10th. The industrial products company reported $1.42 earnings per share for the quarter, hitting analysts consensus estimates of $1.42. Xylem had a return on equity of 10.77% and a net margin of 10.66%.The business had revenue of $2.40 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $2.37 billion. During the same quarter last year, the firm posted $1.18 earnings per share. The businesss revenue was up 6.3% compared to the same quarter last year. Xylem has set its FY 2026 guidance at 5.350-5.560 EPS. As a group, equities research analysts expect that Xylem will post 4.65 EPS for the current year. Institutional Trading of Xylem Institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the company. AQR Capital Management LLC boosted its stake in Xylem by 14.4% in the first quarter. AQR Capital Management LLC now owns 30,955 shares of the industrial products companys stock valued at $3,645,000 after acquiring an additional 3,900 shares in the last quarter. NewEdge Advisors LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Xylem by 3.3% during the 1st quarter. NewEdge Advisors LLC now owns 4,151 shares of the industrial products companys stock valued at $496,000 after purchasing an additional 132 shares during the last quarter. Empowered Funds LLC boosted its position in shares of Xylem by 56.1% in the 1st quarter. Empowered Funds LLC now owns 8,678 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $1,037,000 after purchasing an additional 3,120 shares in the last quarter. Concurrent Investment Advisors LLC purchased a new position in Xylem during the 2nd quarter worth $225,000. Finally, CWM LLC increased its position in Xylem by 15.7% during the 2nd quarter. CWM LLC now owns 9,988 shares of the industrial products companys stock valued at $1,292,000 after buying an additional 1,353 shares in the last quarter. 87.96% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors. Trending Headlines about Xylem Here are the key news stories impacting Xylem this week: Positive Sentiment: Q4 execution showed strength: revenue of $2.40B and adjusted EPS growth (management cited ~20% adjusted EPS improvement), with revenue above Street sales expectationsevidence of solid endmarket performance. Business Wire Q4 Results Q4 execution showed strength: revenue of $2.40B and adjusted EPS growth (management cited ~20% adjusted EPS improvement), with revenue above Street sales expectationsevidence of solid endmarket performance. Positive Sentiment: Board raised the quarterly dividend 7.5% to $0.43/share (annualized yield ~1.3%), signaling confidence in cash flow and returning capital to shareholders. Board raised the quarterly dividend 7.5% to $0.43/share (annualized yield ~1.3%), signaling confidence in cash flow and returning capital to shareholders. Positive Sentiment: Analyst support: William Blair reiterated a Buy rating, and Barclays kept an Overweight stance (although it trimmed its price target). Barclays view still implies meaningful upside from current levels. TipRanks William Blair note Benzinga Barclays note Analyst support: William Blair reiterated a Buy rating, and Barclays kept an Overweight stance (although it trimmed its price target). Barclays view still implies meaningful upside from current levels. Neutral Sentiment: FY2026 guidance was provided as EPS $5.3505.560 and revenue $9.19.2B; EPS range overlaps consensus but revenue guidance is below consensusthe numbers reduce nearterm certainty. Zacks Guidance FY2026 guidance was provided as EPS $5.3505.560 and revenue $9.19.2B; EPS range overlaps consensus but revenue guidance is below consensusthe numbers reduce nearterm certainty. Neutral Sentiment: There are mixed reads of the quarter in transcripts and media: some outlets reported EPS met consensus ($1.42) while a call transcript excerpt showed a different EPS figureinvestors are parsing adjusted vs. GAAP metrics. InsiderMonkey Call Transcript There are mixed reads of the quarter in transcripts and media: some outlets reported EPS met consensus ($1.42) while a call transcript excerpt showed a different EPS figureinvestors are parsing adjusted vs. GAAP metrics. Negative Sentiment: Market reaction: the stock fell after managements cautious tone on FY2026 and lower revenue guidance; several headlines cited the outlook as the primary driver of the selloff. MarketWatch Stock Reaction Market reaction: the stock fell after managements cautious tone on FY2026 and lower revenue guidance; several headlines cited the outlook as the primary driver of the selloff. Negative Sentiment: Short interest jumped materially in January (47% increase to ~4.17M shares), adding selling pressure and downside risk while the market digests the guidance miss/softness. Short interest jumped materially in January (47% increase to ~4.17M shares), adding selling pressure and downside risk while the market digests the guidance miss/softness. Negative Sentiment: The stock is underperforming peers in recent sessions as investors favor names with clearer revenue visibility; that relative weakness contributes to the downward move. MarketWatch Peer Performance Xylem Company Profile (Get Free Report) Xylem Inc (NYSE: XYL) is a global water technology company that designs, manufactures and services engineered systems and equipment for the transport, treatment, testing and efficient use of water. Its product portfolio spans pumps and pumping systems, valves, filtration and disinfection equipment, sensors and analytical instruments, and digital solutions for monitoring and control of water infrastructure. Xylem serves the full water cycle with offerings for water and wastewater utilities, industrial customers, commercial and residential buildings, and agricultural applications. The company was established as an independent publicly traded company in 2011 following a corporate spin-off from ITT Corporation and is headquartered in Rye Brook, New York. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for Xylem Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Xylem and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Ryder System (NYSE:R) executives emphasized initiatives-based earnings growth heading into 2026, pointing to multi-year pricing and cost actions that management said are helping the company outperform prior freight cycles despite continued weakness in transactional markets such as rental and used vehicle sales. Get alerts: Leadership transition and strategy update Chairman and CEO Robert Sanchez opened the call by reviewing Ryders CEO succession plan. Sanchez said he will retire effective March 31, with President and COO John Diez assuming the CEO role. Sanchez will remain on the board as executive chair. Sanchez said the companys balanced growth strategy has reshaped Ryders business mix, reduced reliance on used vehicle proceeds, and increased the share of revenue from asset-light supply chain and dedicated businesses. He said Ryder generated over 90% of revenue from its contractual portfolio and highlighted a combined annual pre-tax earnings benefit of over $225 million from multi-year lease pricing and initial maintenance cost savings initiatives. Management also discussed technology investments, including embedding AI into proprietary tools such as RyderShare and Ryder Guide, and the role of Baton, a Ryder technology lab, in building an AI-enabled software and data platform for next-generation customer-facing technology. Fourth-quarter results and segment performance Chief Financial Officer Cristina Gallo-Aquino said fourth-quarter operating revenue of $2.6 billion was in line with the prior year, as contractual growth in Supply Chain Solutions (SCS) was offset by lower revenue in Dedicated Transportation Solutions (DTS) and Fleet Management Solutions (FMS). Comparable earnings per share from continuing operations were $3.59, up 4% year over year, which she attributed to share repurchases. Return on equity was 17%. Ryder reported year-to-date free cash flow of $946 million, up from $133 million in the prior year. Gallo-Aquino cited reduced capital expenditures, lower income tax payments tied to the permanent reinstatement of tax bonus depreciation, and lower working capital needs. Fleet Management Solutions: Operating revenue declined 1% as lower rental demand was partially offset by higher ChoiceLease revenue. Pre-tax earnings were $136 million, down from the prior year due to weaker rental and used vehicle sales conditions. Rental power fleet pricing rose 5% year over year, while power fleet utilization was 72% (down from 73%) on an average fleet 8% smaller. FMS EBT margin was 10.5%, below Ryders long-term target of low teens over the cycle. Operating revenue declined 1% as lower rental demand was partially offset by higher ChoiceLease revenue. Pre-tax earnings were $136 million, down from the prior year due to weaker rental and used vehicle sales conditions. Rental power fleet pricing rose 5% year over year, while power fleet utilization was 72% (down from 73%) on an average fleet 8% smaller. FMS EBT margin was 10.5%, below Ryders long-term target of low teens over the cycle. Used vehicle sales: Used tractor pricing increased 1% year over year while used truck pricing declined 9%. On a sequential basis, pricing increased for both tractors and trucks, which management said benefited from a higher retail mix. Retail represented 69% of fourth-quarter sales volume, up from 54% in the third quarter. Ryder sold 3,600 used vehicles in the quarter, and ending used inventory of 9,500 vehicles was slightly above the targeted range. Management said used vehicle pricing remained above residual value estimates used for depreciation. Used tractor pricing increased 1% year over year while used truck pricing declined 9%. On a sequential basis, pricing increased for both tractors and trucks, which management said benefited from a higher retail mix. Retail represented 69% of fourth-quarter sales volume, up from 54% in the third quarter. Ryder sold 3,600 used vehicles in the quarter, and ending used inventory of 9,500 vehicles was slightly above the targeted range. Management said used vehicle pricing remained above residual value estimates used for depreciation. Supply Chain Solutions: Operating revenue increased 3% on new business and omnichannel retail volumes. Segment earnings fell 8% year over year as lost business and extended automotive production shutdowns more than offset revenue growth. SCS EBT margin was 8%, at the segments long-term target of high single digits. Operating revenue increased 3% on new business and omnichannel retail volumes. Segment earnings fell 8% year over year as lost business and extended automotive production shutdowns more than offset revenue growth. SCS EBT margin was 8%, at the segments long-term target of high single digits. Dedicated Transportation Solutions: Operating revenue decreased 4% due to lower fleet count amid the prolonged freight downturn. EBT increased versus the prior year, aided by lower bad debt and acquisition synergies, partially offset by lower revenue. DTS EBT margin was 8.9%, in line with the segments high single-digit target. Capital spending, cash generation, and shareholder returns Gallo-Aquino said 2025 lease capital spending was $1.5 billion, down from the prior year due to lower lease sales activity. Ryder forecasts 2026 lease spending of $1.9 billion, reflecting higher replacement activity, and expects the ending lease fleet to modestly decline in 2026. Rental capital spending was $300 million in 2025 and is forecast at $100 million in 2026 as Ryder plans lower replacement activity. Ryder expects the rental fleet to decrease 7% at year-end, with the average rental fleet down 13%. Trucks represented about 60% of the rental fleet at year-end 2025. For 2026, Ryder forecast approximately $2.4 billion of total capital expenditures and about $500 million in proceeds from used vehicle sales, with net capital expenditures expected to be about $1.9 billion. Management also outlined what it called significant capital deployment capacity. Over a three-year period, Ryder expects to generate about $10.5 billion from operating cash flow and used vehicle sales proceeds, creating about $3.5 billion of incremental debt capacity and $14 billion available for capital deployment. After an estimated $9 billion for vehicle replacements and dividends, management said about $5 billion would remain for flexible deployment, split roughly between growth capex and discretionary buybacks and acquisitions. Since 2021, Sanchez said Ryder generated $3 billion in free cash flow, repurchased 24% of shares outstanding, and increased the quarterly dividend by 57%. Gallo-Aquino noted the company raised its quarterly dividend 12% in 2025 and approved its 198th consecutive dividend payment. 2026 outlook: modest growth, continued freight weakness assumed Diez said Ryders 2026 outlook assumes modest U.S. economic growth, no meaningful change in freight market conditions, and a 4% decline in U.S. Class 8 production. Ryder forecast operating revenue growth of about 3% in 2026 and guided comparable EPS to a range of $13.45 to $14.45, versus $12.92 in 2025. At the high end, the company expects about 12% EPS growth driven by $70 million of strategic initiative benefits. Ryder expects return on equity to rise to 17% to 18% in 2026 and free cash flow of $700 million to $800 million, down from 2025 primarily due to higher lease replacement capex. Diez said the companys guidance does not assume a significant freight market pickup, noting Ryder has not seen evidence of a turn in its business yet. During Q&A, management reiterated that Ryder typically sees a lagDiez cited about six monthsbetween improving spot conditions and any meaningful improvement in rental demand. Key drivers and sensitivities discussed on the call Executives described the largest variability in the 2026 EPS range as tied to transactional businesses (rental and used vehicle sales) and, within strategic initiatives, execution in maintenance and omnichannel optimization. On used vehicle sales, management said it expects a gradual improvement through 2026, with the first quarter consistent with fourth-quarter conditions. Tom Havens said Ryder expects retail pricing pressure into the first quarter, with improvement beginning in the second quarter and beyond, resulting in full-year gains that look kind of flat year over year. Ryders full-year forecast assumes used vehicle prices begin to modestly improve in the second half of 2026 and remain above depreciation residuals. On rental, Havens said January utilization dropped to 66% from 74% in December, which he characterized as typical seasonality but down a little bit worse than our historical seasonal trends. He said Ryders non-lease rental customer demand was down slightly year over year, while the bigger pressure has come from lease customers needing fewer lease extras as they downsize fleets. In supply chain, Sanchez said SCS delivered record sales in 2025, with benefits expected to layer in more meaningfully beginning in the middle of 2026. Steve Sensing added that about 80% of SCS sales in 2025 were expansion sales, which he said reflected execution and customer confidence across verticals and service offerings. Management also addressed automotive-related disruption in SCS, citing extended production shutdowns. Sensing referenced a microchip shortage affecting some customers and said OEMs are undergoing retooling as they convert away from EV vehicles to more ICE vehicles, with expectations for normalization in the back half of the year. Closing the call, Sanchez said Ryder expects 2026 to be another year of initiatives-driven earnings growth, with any market improvement representing potential upside, while the company remains focused on executing the actions within its control. About Ryder System (NYSE:R) Ryder System, Inc is a leading provider of transportation and supply chain management solutions, serving commercial customers across a range of industries. The companys Fleet Management Solutions segment offers full-service leasing and rental of medium- and heavy-duty trucks, tractors and trailers, along with maintenance and repair services at its network of service locations. Its Supply Chain Solutions segment provides integrated, technology-driven offerings that span managed transportation, dedicated contract carriage, warehousing and distribution, and e-commerce fulfillment. Founded in 1933 and headquartered in Miami, Florida, Ryder has grown from a regional truck leasing operation into a diversified, global logistics provider. Featured Stories Savant Capital LLC reduced its position in shares of Reinsurance Group of America, Incorporated (NYSE:RGA Free Report) by 48.8% during the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 6,008 shares of the insurance providers stock after selling 5,717 shares during the quarter. Savant Capital LLCs holdings in Reinsurance Group of America were worth $1,154,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of the business. Millstone Evans Group LLC boosted its position in Reinsurance Group of America by 82.4% during the third quarter. Millstone Evans Group LLC now owns 135 shares of the insurance providers stock worth $26,000 after purchasing an additional 61 shares in the last quarter. Root Financial Partners LLC acquired a new position in shares of Reinsurance Group of America during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $33,000. LRI Investments LLC lifted its position in shares of Reinsurance Group of America by 41.2% during the 3rd quarter. LRI Investments LLC now owns 264 shares of the insurance providers stock valued at $51,000 after buying an additional 77 shares in the last quarter. IFP Advisors Inc grew its stake in Reinsurance Group of America by 93.9% in the 2nd quarter. IFP Advisors Inc now owns 285 shares of the insurance providers stock valued at $57,000 after acquiring an additional 138 shares during the period. Finally, Employees Retirement System of Texas purchased a new stake in Reinsurance Group of America in the 2nd quarter worth $57,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 95.11% of the companys stock. Get Reinsurance Group of America alerts: Reinsurance Group of America Stock Down 0.7% NYSE RGA opened at $217.76 on Wednesday. The businesss fifty day simple moving average is $201.60 and its 200-day simple moving average is $194.01. The company has a quick ratio of 0.13, a current ratio of 0.14 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.42. The firm has a market cap of $14.31 billion, a PE ratio of 12.27 and a beta of 0.53. Reinsurance Group of America, Incorporated has a 52 week low of $159.25 and a 52 week high of $229.21. Reinsurance Group of America Dividend Announcement Reinsurance Group of America ( NYSE:RGA Get Free Report ) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, February 5th. The insurance provider reported $7.75 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $5.86 by $1.89. Reinsurance Group of America had a net margin of 4.99% and a return on equity of 12.99%. The company had revenue of $6.64 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $6.25 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the firm earned $4.99 earnings per share. Reinsurance Group of Americas quarterly revenue was up 26.6% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, equities analysts anticipate that Reinsurance Group of America, Incorporated will post 22.9 earnings per share for the current year. The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, March 3rd. Investors of record on Tuesday, February 17th will be given a $0.93 dividend. This represents a $3.72 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.7%. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, February 17th. Reinsurance Group of Americas dividend payout ratio is presently 20.96%. Analysts Set New Price Targets Several research firms have issued reports on RGA. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods dropped their target price on shares of Reinsurance Group of America from $255.00 to $240.00 and set an outperform rating on the stock in a research report on Monday, November 3rd. Raymond James Financial downgraded shares of Reinsurance Group of America from a market perform rating to an underperform rating in a research report on Friday, October 17th. Wall Street Zen raised Reinsurance Group of America from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research note on Saturday. Barclays set a $245.00 price objective on Reinsurance Group of America and gave the company an overweight rating in a research note on Friday. Finally, TD Cowen reaffirmed a hold rating on shares of Reinsurance Group of America in a research note on Wednesday, January 28th. Seven analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, three have assigned a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $243.00. Get Our Latest Stock Report on RGA About Reinsurance Group of America (Free Report) Reinsurance Group of America, Incorporated (NYSE: RGA) is a leading global provider of life and health reinsurance solutions. Headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri, RGA partners with primary insurance companies to help them manage risk, improve capital efficiency and develop innovative products. The companys offerings span traditional risk transfer, financial solutions and facultative underwriting services, enabling clients to address a wide range of mortality, longevity, morbidity and critical-illness exposures. RGAs product suite includes life reinsurance, living benefits reinsurance, structured reinsurance and financial solutions that support product innovation and capital management. Featured Articles Want to see what other hedge funds are holding RGA? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Reinsurance Group of America, Incorporated (NYSE:RGA Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Reinsurance Group of America Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Reinsurance Group of America and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Butler National (OTCMKTS:BUKS Get Free Report) was the target of a large drop in short interest in January. As of January 30th, there was short interest totaling 1,873 shares, a drop of 67.0% from the January 15th total of 5,673 shares. Based on an average trading volume of 117,513 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is presently 0.0 days. Currently, 0.0% of the companys stock are short sold. Currently, 0.0% of the companys stock are short sold. Based on an average trading volume of 117,513 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is presently 0.0 days. Butler National Price Performance BUKS stock opened at $2.98 on Wednesday. The company has a market capitalization of $238.46 million, a P/E ratio of 11.92 and a beta of 0.23. Butler National has a 52-week low of $1.30 and a 52-week high of $3.19. The business has a 50-day simple moving average of $2.92 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $2.33. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.38, a quick ratio of 1.54 and a current ratio of 1.96. Get Butler National alerts: Butler National (OTCMKTS:BUKS Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, December 11th. The company reported $0.09 earnings per share for the quarter. Butler National had a return on equity of 24.93% and a net margin of 19.02%.The company had revenue of $23.25 million for the quarter. About Butler National Butler National Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, designs, engineers, manufactures, sells, integrates, installs, repairs, modifies, overhauls, services, and distributes a portfolio of aerostructures, aircraft components, avionics, accessories, subassemblies, and systems in North America, Europe, the Middle East, Asia, and internationally. It operates through two segments, Aerospace Products and Professional Services. The Aerospace Products segment provides aircraft modifications to business-size aircraft, which include passenger-to-freighter configuration, radar systems, addition of aerial photography capabilities, search and rescue, environmental research, mapping, intelligence surveillance reconnaissance modifications, and stability enhancing modifications for Learjet, Beechcraft, and Cessna aircraft along with other specialized modifications. See Also Receive News & Ratings for Butler National Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Butler National and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Signet Investment Advisory Group Inc. lifted its stake in shares of Chevron Corporation (NYSE:CVX Free Report) by 22.2% during the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 18,425 shares of the oil and gas companys stock after buying an additional 3,349 shares during the period. Signet Investment Advisory Group Inc.s holdings in Chevron were worth $2,861,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also bought and sold shares of the company. Quaker Wealth Management LLC raised its holdings in shares of Chevron by 197.7% in the second quarter. Quaker Wealth Management LLC now owns 217 shares of the oil and gas companys stock valued at $31,000 after purchasing an additional 439 shares during the last quarter. Decker Retirement Planning Inc. purchased a new stake in Chevron in the 3rd quarter valued at about $34,000. Vermillion & White Wealth Management Group LLC lifted its position in shares of Chevron by 86.1% during the 2nd quarter. Vermillion & White Wealth Management Group LLC now owns 255 shares of the oil and gas companys stock worth $37,000 after buying an additional 118 shares in the last quarter. IMG Wealth Management Inc. boosted its stake in shares of Chevron by 52.3% in the 2nd quarter. IMG Wealth Management Inc. now owns 265 shares of the oil and gas companys stock worth $38,000 after buying an additional 91 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Marquette Asset Management LLC bought a new position in shares of Chevron in the third quarter valued at approximately $41,000. 72.42% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. Get Chevron alerts: Insider Activity at Chevron In related news, insider Andrew Benjamin Walz sold 22,200 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, February 3rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $176.53, for a total transaction of $3,918,966.00. Following the sale, the insider owned 666 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $117,568.98. This represents a 97.09% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, insider R. Hewitt Pate sold 41,134 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Friday, January 30th. The stock was sold at an average price of $176.40, for a total value of $7,256,037.60. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider owned 4,169 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $735,411.60. This represents a 90.80% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Insiders sold a total of 793,158 shares of company stock worth $127,919,578 in the last 90 days. 0.20% of the stock is owned by company insiders. Wall Street Analyst Weigh In A number of brokerages recently commented on CVX. TD Cowen lifted their price target on Chevron from $160.00 to $168.00 and gave the stock a hold rating in a report on Monday, February 2nd. Weiss Ratings reissued a hold (c) rating on shares of Chevron in a report on Wednesday, January 21st. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upgraded shares of Chevron from a neutral rating to an overweight rating and set a $176.00 price objective for the company in a report on Tuesday, January 20th. Wells Fargo & Company increased their target price on shares of Chevron from $196.00 to $204.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research report on Monday, February 2nd. Finally, Sanford C. Bernstein lifted their price target on shares of Chevron from $170.00 to $172.00 and gave the stock a market perform rating in a report on Monday, January 5th. Twelve research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, seven have issued a Hold rating and four have given a Sell rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of Hold and an average target price of $175.00. Read Our Latest Research Report on CVX Chevron Stock Performance NYSE CVX opened at $182.39 on Wednesday. The firm has a market cap of $367.25 billion, a P/E ratio of 27.39, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 12.28 and a beta of 0.70. The company has a quick ratio of 0.86, a current ratio of 1.15 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.19. The companys 50 day moving average is $160.55 and its 200-day moving average is $156.86. Chevron Corporation has a 12-month low of $132.04 and a 12-month high of $182.95. Chevron (NYSE:CVX Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Friday, January 30th. The oil and gas company reported $1.52 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.44 by $0.08. Chevron had a net margin of 6.51% and a return on equity of 8.23%. The company had revenue of $45.79 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $48.18 billion. During the same period last year, the firm earned $2.06 EPS. Chevrons revenue for the quarter was down 10.2% on a year-over-year basis. Sell-side analysts predict that Chevron Corporation will post 10.79 earnings per share for the current year. Chevron Increases Dividend The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, March 10th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, February 17th will be given a $1.78 dividend. This represents a $7.12 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 3.9%. This is a boost from Chevrons previous quarterly dividend of $1.71. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, February 17th. Chevrons dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 102.70%. About Chevron (Free Report) Chevron Corporation (NYSE: CVX) is an American multinational energy company engaged in virtually all aspects of the oil and gas industry. As an integrated energy firm, Chevrons core activities include upstream oil and natural gas exploration and production, midstream transportation and storage, downstream refining and marketing of fuels and lubricants, and petrochemical manufacturing through joint ventures and subsidiaries. The company markets fuels under brands such as Chevron, Texaco and Caltex and supplies a range of products and services to retail customers, industrial users and commercial fleets worldwide. Chevron traces its corporate lineage to the early petroleum companies that eventually became Standard Oil of California and has evolved through significant mergers and restructurings, including the acquisitions of Gulf Oil and Texaco. Read More Want to see what other hedge funds are holding CVX? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Chevron Corporation (NYSE:CVX Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Chevron Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Chevron and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Impala Platinum (OTCMKTS:IMPUY Get Free Report) and Wheaton Precious Metals (NYSE:WPM Get Free Report) are both large-cap basic materials companies, but which is the superior investment? We will compare the two companies based on the strength of their dividends, institutional ownership, valuation, analyst recommendations, risk, profitability and earnings. Insider and Institutional Ownership 70.3% of Wheaton Precious Metals shares are held by institutional investors. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that large money managers, endowments and hedge funds believe a company is poised for long-term growth. Get Impala Platinum alerts: Volatility & Risk Impala Platinum has a beta of 0.8, indicating that its stock price is 20% less volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Wheaton Precious Metals has a beta of 0.52, indicating that its stock price is 48% less volatile than the S&P 500. Analyst Recommendations Sell Ratings Hold Ratings Buy Ratings Strong Buy Ratings Rating Score Impala Platinum 0 0 2 1 3.33 Wheaton Precious Metals 0 1 10 1 3.00 This is a breakdown of recent recommendations and price targets for Impala Platinum and Wheaton Precious Metals, as provided by MarketBeat.com. Impala Platinum presently has a consensus price target of $23.00, suggesting a potential upside of 24.59%. Wheaton Precious Metals has a consensus price target of $140.44, suggesting a potential downside of 5.36%. Given Impala Platinums stronger consensus rating and higher possible upside, equities research analysts clearly believe Impala Platinum is more favorable than Wheaton Precious Metals. Profitability This table compares Impala Platinum and Wheaton Precious Metals net margins, return on equity and return on assets. Net Margins Return on Equity Return on Assets Impala Platinum N/A N/A N/A Wheaton Precious Metals 54.72% 13.32% 12.89% Earnings & Valuation This table compares Impala Platinum and Wheaton Precious Metalss top-line revenue, earnings per share and valuation. Gross Revenue Price/Sales Ratio Net Income Earnings Per Share Price/Earnings Ratio Impala Platinum $4.71 billion 3.55 $41.85 million N/A N/A Wheaton Precious Metals $1.28 billion 52.45 $529.14 million $2.20 67.46 Wheaton Precious Metals has lower revenue, but higher earnings than Impala Platinum. Dividends Impala Platinum pays an annual dividend of $0.06 per share and has a dividend yield of 0.3%. Wheaton Precious Metals pays an annual dividend of $0.66 per share and has a dividend yield of 0.4%. Wheaton Precious Metals pays out 30.0% of its earnings in the form of a dividend. Wheaton Precious Metals has increased its dividend for 2 consecutive years. Wheaton Precious Metals is clearly the better dividend stock, given its higher yield and longer track record of dividend growth. Summary Wheaton Precious Metals beats Impala Platinum on 9 of the 14 factors compared between the two stocks. About Impala Platinum (Get Free Report) Impala Platinum Holdings Limited engages in the mining, processing, concentrating, refining, and sale of platinum group metals (PGMs) and associated base metals. The company produces platinum, palladium, rhodium, nickel, and by-products, as well as ruthenium, iridium, and gold. It has operations on the PGM-bearing orebodies, including the Bushveld Complex located in South Africa; and the Great Dyke situated in Zimbabwe, as well as the Canadian Shield. The company markets and sells its products in South Africa, Japan, China, the United States, and Europe. Impala Platinum Holdings Limited was incorporated in 1957 and is based in Sandton, South Africa. About Wheaton Precious Metals (Get Free Report) Wheaton Precious Metals Corp. primarily sells precious metals in North America, Europe, and South America. It produces and sells gold, silver, palladium, and cobalt deposits. The company was formerly known as Silver Wheaton Corp. and changed its name to Wheaton Precious Metals Corp. in May 2017. Wheaton Precious Metals Corp. was founded in 2004 and is headquartered in Vancouver, Canada. Receive News & Ratings for Impala Platinum Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Impala Platinum and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. 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 Over 600 illegals cross the Channel into Britain every single day, as the bordersland, sea, and airare effectively wide open, and as the luxury hotels, spas, and former barracks are full of men seeking asylum from Third World countries. Do you think Britains women and children are safe? Britains women and children are now supremely vulnerable to attacks from these elements imported into the country en masse. THE POPULATION OF THE UK WAS 58 MILLION IN 2000; NOW ITS 70 MILLION Over 65,000 migrants have crossed the Channel since Labour took power 19 months ago. If you are a woman, do you feel safe walking the streets in Britain, especially at nighttime? If you are a parent, do you think it is safe for your child to walk to school or to go and play with their friends in the park? Labours Britain is now a cesspit of violence, murder and rape roaming the streets, towns and villages; these are violent attacks on Britains population; these attacks affect the victims for their entire lives, while the mollycoddled illegals are given homes, hotel rooms and luxury stays in 5-star resorts, all at the expense of the taxpayer. The cover-ups of Pakistani grooming gangs by the likes of Labour-run councils and institutions and Sadiq Khan are another element adding to the nasty mix. Of course, not every migrant, illegal or not, is a criminal, rapist or murderer, but who the fuck are all these men? No one knows, because they destroy their papers before they cross the Channel. Nothing is being done despite the hollow words of promise from the government. Smash the gangs? Utter bullshit. A Small Selection of Known Sexual Assaults and Rapes Under Labour Epping, Essex (July 2025): A 38-year-old Ethiopian man, housed in an asylum hotel, was arrested on July 8, 2025, and charged with sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl. He was remanded in custody, with a trial scheduled for August 26, 2025. This incident sparked protests and was highlighted in parliamentary discussions on migrant-related crimes. Horley, Surrey (May-June 2025): Qais Al-Aswad, a 26-year-old Syrian asylum seeker residing in the Four Points by Sheraton Hotel (used for asylum housing), was convicted of three counts of sexual assault against three different women. The offences occurred between May 23 and June 12, 2025. He received a six-month suspended prison sentence, two years suspension, and 200 hours of unpaid work on October 23, 2025. Oxford (reported in 2025): An individual described as an illegal immigrant housed in a government asylum hotel was convicted of raping a 20-year-old woman in a churchyard. Specific dates were not detailed in reports, but the case was cited as recent in July 2025 parliamentary debates. Wakefield (reported in 2025): A Sudanese man, housed in a government asylum hotel, was convicted of strangling and attempting to rape a woman in a nightclub toilet. Exact dates were not specified, but it was referenced as a recent example in July 2025 discussions. Deng Chol Majek (Walsall): In October 2025, Deng Chol Majek, an asylum seeker from Sudan who arrived in the UK via a small boat, was found guilty of murdering Rhiannon Whyte, a 27-year-old hotel worker. Majek stabbed Ms Whyte 23 times with a screwdriver at a railway station in October 2024. Witnesses and CCTV captured Majek behaving in a callous manner, dancing and drinking in a car park shortly after the attack. In January 2026, he was sentenced to life imprisonment following a dispute regarding his age, as he claimed to be 19 while prosecutors believed him to be in his mid-20s. Haybe Cabdiraxmaan Nur (Derby): Haybe Cabdiraxmaan Nur, a Somali asylum seeker who arrived on a small boat, was jailed for life in October 2025 for the brutal and callous murder of a man inside a Lloyds Bank in Derby. Nur, who had previous criminal convictions in Italy and Germany, stabbed 37-year-old Gurvinder Johal in May 2025. Reports indicated that in the hours before the murder, Nur had made threats to kill, which were reported to authorities. Safi Dawood (London): In November 2025, it was reported that an Afghan refugee, Safi Dawood, 22, was facing a murder trial for the fatal stabbing of a dog walker, 49-year-old Wayne Broadhurst, in Uxbridge, west London, in October 2025. Ahmad Mulakhil (23, Afghan asylum seeker): Convicted at Warwick Crown Court of abducting and raping a 12-year-old girl in Nuneaton, Warwickshire. The attack occurred on July 22, 2025, in a quiet cul-de-sac after he targeted her in a park. He was found guilty of one count of rape (having already pleaded guilty to another rape charge), two counts of sexual assault, child abduction, and taking an indecent video of the victim. The girl reported that he laughed during the assault. Mulakhil had arrived in the UK via small boat four months prior and was living in asylum accommodation. The case sparked protests in Nuneaton over initial police withholding of his nationality and immigration status, leading to a political debate on transparency in migrant-related crimes. Ahmadreza Khalafi (29, Iranian refugee): Sentenced on February 5, 2026, at St Albans Crown Court to 4.5 years in prison plus 3 years on extended licence for sexually assaulting a 19-year-old woman in Bishops Stortford town centre on May 3, 2025. He approached the victim while she was playing hide-and-seek with friends, assaulted her over a prolonged period, and was described by the judge as a predator who didnt know the difference between right and wrong. Khalafi was initially charged with rape, five counts of sexual assault, and one count of sexual assault by penetration but pleaded guilty to reduced charges. He entered the UK illegally on a lorry in July 2024 and was granted refugee status. Shahram Ibrehemi (20, Iranian asylum seeker): Convicted of raping a 13-year-old girl in a Hull hotel room (Yorkshire). Reports emerged on February 11, 2026, indicating a recent jury verdict at Grimsby Crown Court. Ibrehemi, along with co-defendant Riley Smith (19, UK national), lured the intoxicated girl to the hotel where she was repeatedly raped. Ibrehemi admitted guilt early. He arrived in the UK as a 17-year-old refugee from Iran, smuggled by people traffickers, and was living in immigration accommodation. Sentencing details are not yet public, but the case highlights vulnerabilities in asylum housing. Most crimes in Labours Britain are not recorded or covered up, so we will never know the true extent of these vicious crimes. 708 charges against asylum seekers in a third of UK asylum hotels over three years, including multiple cases of rape, sexual assault, violence, theft, and arson. Foreign nationals make up about 12% of the UK prison population but commit around 20% of rapes, per recent Ministry of Justice data. A separate August 2025 report found 211 asylum hotel residents charged with 425 offences in 2025 alone, including 44 sexual offences, 109 violent offences, and 63 theft-related offences. Britains women and children are living their lives in perpetual fear because of Labours inadequate and incompetent actions regarding Britains open borders and asylum housing. ENOUGH IS ENOUGH Dinghy migrant Muhammad from Pakistan has been in the UK just 5 days before attempting to Rape a 12 year old and TWO 13 year old British girls These are the people arriving at our expense by the thousands every week! pic.twitter.com/nlhEylqW9b Pippa B (@pippaisright) October 23, 2025 Advisors Asset Management Inc. increased its holdings in Procter & Gamble Company (The) (NYSE:PG Free Report) by 11.5% during the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 147,746 shares of the companys stock after purchasing an additional 15,286 shares during the quarter. Advisors Asset Management Inc.s holdings in Procter & Gamble were worth $22,701,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. Get Procter & Gamble alerts: Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of the company. Halbert Hargrove Global Advisors LLC purchased a new position in Procter & Gamble in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $25,000. Corundum Trust Company INC bought a new position in shares of Procter & Gamble in the third quarter worth approximately $32,000. Mid American Wealth Advisory Group Inc. bought a new position in shares of Procter & Gamble in the second quarter worth approximately $34,000. Marquette Asset Management LLC purchased a new position in shares of Procter & Gamble in the third quarter worth $37,000. Finally, Manning & Napier Advisors LLC bought a new stake in Procter & Gamble during the 3rd quarter valued at $44,000. 65.77% of the stock is owned by institutional investors. Key Headlines Impacting Procter & Gamble Here are the key news stories impacting Procter & Gamble this week: Procter & Gamble Trading Up 1.2% Shares of NYSE PG opened at $159.16 on Wednesday. The stock has a market cap of $369.89 billion, a P/E ratio of 23.58, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 5.23 and a beta of 0.38. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.49, a current ratio of 0.72 and a quick ratio of 0.51. Procter & Gamble Company has a 1 year low of $137.62 and a 1 year high of $179.99. The firm has a 50-day moving average of $146.21 and a 200 day moving average of $150.29. Procter & Gamble (NYSE:PG Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, January 22nd. The company reported $1.88 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $1.86 by $0.02. Procter & Gamble had a net margin of 19.30% and a return on equity of 32.21%. The business had revenue of $22.21 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $22.36 billion. During the same quarter last year, the firm earned $1.88 earnings per share. The businesss revenue for the quarter was up 1.5% on a year-over-year basis. Procter & Gamble has set its FY 2026 guidance at 6.830-7.090 EPS. As a group, sell-side analysts expect that Procter & Gamble Company will post 6.91 EPS for the current fiscal year. Procter & Gamble Announces Dividend The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, February 17th. Shareholders of record on Friday, January 23rd will be issued a $1.0568 dividend. This represents a $4.23 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.7%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, January 23rd. Procter & Gambles payout ratio is 62.52%. Insider Buying and Selling at Procter & Gamble In other Procter & Gamble news, CEO Ma. Fatima Francisco sold 8,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, February 4th. The shares were sold at an average price of $158.00, for a total transaction of $1,264,000.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer directly owned 6,571 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,038,218. This trade represents a 54.90% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, insider Marc S. Pritchard sold 95,903 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, January 23rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $151.15, for a total transaction of $14,495,738.45. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider owned 182,607 shares in the company, valued at approximately $27,601,048.05. This represents a 34.43% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. 0.20% of the stock is owned by company insiders. Wall Street Analyst Weigh In Several analysts recently issued reports on PG shares. UBS Group raised their target price on Procter & Gamble from $161.00 to $170.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research note on Friday, January 23rd. Raymond James Financial dropped their price objective on Procter & Gamble from $185.00 to $175.00 and set an outperform rating for the company in a report on Monday, October 20th. BNP Paribas Exane reduced their target price on Procter & Gamble from $172.00 to $164.00 and set an outperform rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, January 16th. Rothschild & Co Redburn upped their target price on Procter & Gamble from $155.00 to $157.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a report on Friday, January 23rd. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group upgraded shares of Procter & Gamble from a hold rating to a buy rating and lifted their price target for the company from $156.00 to $179.00 in a report on Tuesday, December 16th. Thirteen equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and eight have assigned a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Procter & Gamble has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $167.67. Get Our Latest Analysis on Procter & Gamble Procter & Gamble Company Profile (Free Report) Procter & Gamble (NYSE: PG) is a multinational consumer goods company headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio. Founded in 1837 by William Procter and James Gamble, P&G has grown into one of the worlds largest producers of branded consumer packaged goods. The company focuses on developing, manufacturing and marketing a broad portfolio of household and personal care products sold to consumers and retailers worldwide. P&Gs product offering spans several core business categories, including Beauty, Grooming, Health Care, Fabric & Home Care, and Baby, Feminine & Family Care. Featured Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding PG? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Procter & Gamble Company (The) (NYSE:PG Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Procter & Gamble Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Procter & Gamble and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. In a significant move that underscores the changing industrial landscape of Europe, the Renault Group has officially confirmed its entry into the military hardware sector. The French automotive giant announced plans to manufacture unmanned aerial vehicles intended for use by the French armed forces. This development marks a pivotal moment for the legacy automaker, signaling a broader trend in which traditional civilian manufacturers are increasingly integrated into national defense strategies. Get alerts: The initiative centers on producing up to 600 drones, a contract that solidifies the relationship between the commercial industrial base and the French Ministry of Defense. Rather than building a new facility for this purpose, Renault will utilize its existing infrastructure in Le Mans. Located in western France, the Le Mans plant is historically renowned for its contributions to automotive engineering and chassis manufacturing. By retooling a portion of this facility for aerospace defense applications, the company is demonstrating the versatility of modern manufacturing lines and the growing convergence between automotive technology and military requirements. The Auto Industrys Strategic Pivot This announcement serves as a microcosm of a larger phenomenon sweeping across the European Union. As geopolitical tensions rise and demand for security equipment outpaces traditional production capacity, governments are looking to the automotive sector for solutions. Car manufacturers possess specific competencies that are highly valuable to modern defense needs: mastery of supply chains, expertise in mass production, and advanced knowledge of electronics and battery systems. Revitalizing Domestic Capabilities For decades, the European auto industry operated largely independently of the defense sector, focusing primarily on consumer mobility and export markets. However, recent calls from EU leadership for a ramp-up in military capabilities have prompted a reevaluation of industrial assets. The decision by Renault to dedicate resources to drone production indicates that the line between civilian and military manufacturing is becoming increasingly porous. This shift suggests that the war economy is moving from a theoretical concept to a tangible reality on the factory floor. The choice of the Le Mans facility is both symbolic and practical. By keeping production within French borders, the initiative supports the strategic goal of national sovereignty. In recent years, there has been a concerted effort across Europe to reduce reliance on foreign suppliers for critical security equipment. By leveraging a domestic champion like Renault, the French Ministry of Defense ensures that the supply chain for these tactical units remains secure and immune to external disruptions. Furthermore, this pivot offers a degree of economic resilience for the manufacturer. As the automotive industry faces challenges, from the transition to electric vehicles to fluctuating global demand, diversifying into defense contracts offers a stable, government-backed revenue stream. It allows the workforce at Le Mans to apply their skills in high-precision assembly to a new vertical, potentially safeguarding jobs and technical expertise within the region. The Convergence of Technologies The production of 600 drones represents more than just a procurement order; it highlights the technological overlap between modern cars and modern weapons systems. Both rely heavily on sensors, autonomous software, electric propulsion, and lightweight materials. As automakers invest billions into self-driving algorithms and battery efficiency, those same technologies are directly applicable to the development of unmanned military systems. Observers note that this could be the beginning of a sustained trend. If Renaults integration of drone manufacturing proves successful, it may set a precedent for other European automakers to follow suit. The industrial logic is sound: if a factory can produce hundreds of thousands of complex, computer-controlled vehicles annually, it is well positioned to produce the hardware needed for 21st-century security. Looking Ahead As the first units move toward production in Western France, the implications extend beyond the factory gates. This collaboration between Renault and the state defense apparatus serves as a test case for the dual-use potential of Europes heavy industry. It represents a pragmatic response to a changing world order, where the security of the continent relies not just on specialized defense contractors but on the adaptability of its most historic commercial brands. The auto industry, once solely the engine of mobility, is now becoming a distinct component of the engine of defense. Derry City and Strabane District Council will seek and update from the Department for Infrastructure (DfI) around improved train services. Following a request of the Public Transport Taskforce, members of Februarys Governance and Strategic Planning Committee agreed to write to the Infrastructure Minister, Liz Kimmins, for an update on the business case for increased rail services between Derry and Belfast. Director of Environment and Regeneration, Karen Phillips, informed members that the taskforce, which was established in 2023 and comprises of representatives of council, DfI, Translink, and rail campaign group Into the West, had its most recent meeting in September. During the meeting DfI gave a progress update on the development of the North West Transport Plan, while Translink spoke on the operation of current services and on proposed improvements to bus and rail services. During the meeting, members of the taskforce discussed proposals to increase rail services between Derry and Belfast, Ms Phillips said. Translink officials advised that they had submitted a business case to DfI relating to an additional early morning and later evening train service and for an hourly service on a Sunday in 2020. The members of the taskforce requested that council write to the DfI Minister seeking an update on progress of this business case/improved services. People Before Profit councillor Shaun Harkin said council passed a similar motion last year to request funding to address the real disparity on the Derry to Belfast line. I think we got some responses back to the effect of we are looking at it and were open to it but we havent had any decision made, so I fully support the proposal and that we write to them collectively from this Committee, he added. READ NEXT: Derry and Strabane District Council set 4.48% rate increase Hopefully when that letter is received well get a firmer response. This has been something that campaigners, particularly Into the West, have been pushing for for a long time, so we have to keep making the case that Derry is worthy of services that exist east of the Bann. Sinn Fein councillor Emma McGinley said Ms Kimmins has demonstrated commitment to the North West during meetings of the Regional Development Group, while SDLP councillor Rory Farrell said there needed to be faster and more frequent journeys. He concluded: Translink submitted a revised business case to the Minister for those more frequent services in September 2025, Im unsure whether a decision has been made, but if this paper is before us it suggests it hasnt. But we support writing to the Minister, asking for clarity, asking for certainty, because we do need investment. An Inishowen County Councillor has warned against the new Derry to Dublin PSO air service users being treated like those on the new Carrickfinn to Dublin route. The Public Service Obligation (PSO) air service between Carrickfinn and Dublin has operated since 2004. It had a flight schedule that facilitated patients travelling to and from Dublin for medical procedures. The current contract is due to expire this month, but the government has not secured the next contract in a timely manner. Moville Labour Councillor Martin Farren says that it would appear that the government is negotiating a new PSO contract, allowing a new flight schedule to be introduced that would NOT suit the majority of prospective passengers, particularly those going to Dublin for medical procedures. The new schedule is due to start from February 26th, but patients booked for procedures in Dublin after the 26th can get no flight information and are being forced to make alternative, last-minute arrangements. Cllr Farren fears that medical passengers eagerly awaiting the new City of Derry Airport to Dublin PSO service may face the same uncertainty and poor service timetable. It makes commercial sense for an airline company to base its aircraft at a large hub, like Dublin, where overnight maintenance crews are readily available, where aircrew live, and where emergency replacement aircraft and crew are more readily available. Commercial and business sense is not what a PSO contract is supposed to be about. The Carrickfinn service forms a crucial part of the medical services available to Donegal patients and their families. It allows them to access treatment in Dublin that is not available in Donegal. READ NEXT: New book restores Maghera born Charles Thomson to the heart of Americas story Cllr Farren says the government seems to have ignored the fact that the PS, in PSO, stands for Public Service. He says commercial concerns over aircraft placement are being allowed to override concerns for public and patient well-being. The Public Service Obligation (PSO) air service between City of Derry Airport and Dublin was suspended in 2011 but is set to be restored by late 2026, backed by 2 million in Irish government funding. The old service was used by passengers from North Donegal going to Dublin for medical treatment, so we must ensure that the new service out of Derry is timetabled in a way that prioritises access to medical care in Dublin for North Donegal patients, Cllr Farren said. City of Derry Airport is as important to patients from North Donegal, including Inishowen, as Carrickfinn is to patients from South Donegal. Cllr Farren says the needs of all Donegal patients must be placed before the commercial needs of service operators looking for more economic aircraft placement schedules. We all should support the Donegal Cancer Flights and Services group in their campaign to achieve patient-focused flights in PSO-funded air services, he added. 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. In its third year, the Teddy Bear Hospital initiative returned to Derry, expanding its reach at the An Chroi Community Hub. The initiative is designed to help children living with medical conditions become more comfortable with clinical environments by exploring them in a safe, playful, and child-led way. This years expansion includes the involvement of Ulster University student nurses for the first time, strengthening interprofessional learning and widening the hands-on experience available to participating families. Organisers are also working closely with Salus Medical, who are kindly providing an ambulance on-site for children to explore, offering an additional opportunity to familiarise themselves with emergency care equipment in a relaxed environment. Hosted by the Ulster University Child Health Society, the event brings together medical students, nursing students, WHSCT staff, and APG volunteers to deliver interactive sessions covering clinical examination skills, PPE familiarisation, and mythbusting conversations about healthcare procedures. The activities encourage confidence, reduce anxiety, and build a positive connection with hospitals and healthcare professionals. Lisa Storey, Child Development Interventions Coordinator at the Western Trust said: Many children and young people who face frequent hospital stays and complex medical journeys, can understandably build up debilitating fears that something bad is going to happen. The goal of the Teddy Bear Hospital is to create a fun experience which fosters positive attitudes so children can come away feeling more comfortable, confident and their anxieties eased for the next time they have to attend hospital or interact with healthcare professionals. Speaking on behalf of Altnagelvin Parents Group, Yvonne Devenney, APG Committee Member said: We are delighted to see the Teddy Bear Hospital in its third year supporting children and their families through play-based learning. We know all too well that a visit to the hospital or an encounter with a healthcare professional can be frightening for children. Working in partnership with Ulster Universitys Child Health Society, the Western Trust, and now with student nurses joining us too, has allowed us to create an inclusive, engaging space that truly supports children to feel safer and more confident around healthcare. READ NEXT: IN PICTURES: A "beary" special day for healthcare education in Derry Sinead Doyle, Ulster University Medical Student and Child Health Society member, added: Its fantastic to see the Teddy Bear Hospital expanding this year. Welcoming our student nurse colleagues and partnering with APG and the Trust allows us to offer even more meaningful, handson experiences for the children who attend. Watching children explore medical equipment with curiosity rather than fear, while caring for their favourite teddy bears, is incredibly rewarding. Were privileged to play a small part in helping families feel more at ease with healthcare environments. Professor Peter Bazira, Dean of Ulster University School of Medicine, commented: We are very proud of our students for developing a communitycentred initiative that continues to grow in scope and impact. This years involvement of both medical and nursing students reflects Ulster Universitys commitment to interprofessional learning and to nurturing compassionate, communityfocused future healthcare professionals. The Teddy Bear Hospital is a wonderful example of how meaningful engagement can reduce anxiety and improve childrens experience of healthcare. An additional 400 million is to be made available to Stormont to support public services in Northern Ireland. Finance Minister John ODowd said the reserve claim from the Treasury would be repaid over three years. The UK Government has said the funding will be accompanied by an open book exercise looking at the Executive budget. The money will be divided between two Stormont departments which were facing significant overspends. The Department of Education will receive 214.6 million and the Department of Health will be given 185.4 million. Mr ODowd said: Following intense negotiations and recognition of the significant financial challenges faced by the Executive, the Treasury has agreed to provide a reserve claim of 400 million for 2025/26 which will be repaid over three years. The Executive remains committed to safeguarding public services, and this approach will allow us to spread costs over a longer period, reducing pressure on those services. While this flexibility is welcome, it does not cover the full forecast overspend. We must therefore continue to reduce the overspend, and I remain committed to working with ministerial colleagues to manage the remaining pressures. Mr ODowd added: The Executive is committed to meaningful reform of how public services are designed and delivered. I am keen to ensure that the level of funding provided to the Executive meets the growing demand for public services here. I will continue to engage with the Treasury on the three-year budget and a proper funding model for the Executive. Northern Ireland minister Matthew Patrick told the Commons on Wednesday that it was exceptional funding being provided by the Government. He said: It will be repayable over three years, and will be accompanied by an open book exercise looking at the Executive budget. A UK Government spokesperson said: While the Executive is funded above Northern Irelands independently assessed level of need, the UK Government has granted a reserve claim on an exceptional basis to protect public services, in light of its forecast overspend this year. It is repayable in future years. The Government has agreed to work with the Executive to conduct an open-book exercise with a view to determining the best way forward for the Northern Ireland budget. This process will strictly adhere to the principles of devolution. We welcome the Executives commitment to continue working together to balance the Northern Ireland budget from 2026-27, and deliver the changes that public services need to ensure that they work for the people of Northern Ireland, and are sustainable long-term. DUP leader Gavin Robinson said it was a clear example of Westminster and Stormont working together. He said: Northern Irelands public services are under severe strain, and this reserve funding provides vital short-term flexibility. I am pleased that the Government recognised the strength of the arguments we put forward and we have been able to bring these discussions to a position which delivers for our schools and our hospitals. This was a clear example of Westminster and Stormont working together. It is equally important to recognise that this is exceptional funding. The commitment to an open book, line-by-line assessment of Executive budgets is therefore both reasonable and necessary. Accountability must sit at the heart of public spending. Last years end point should not automatically become this years starting point. A reserve claim is a call on a Treasury fund that exists to cover unforeseen, unavoidable and unaffordable spending pressures. SDLP Opposition leader Matthew OToole warned the reserve claim risks simply pushing problems into future financial years. He said: It feels like the Executive is engaged in one never-ending credit card balance transfer without ever gripping the situation. It also appears there is no progress on delivering a multi-year budget, which was promised by the Executive. A multi-year budget is key to putting Northern Ireland on a sound financial footing and addressing long-term challenges in areas like health, housing and other public services. Mr OToole added: This situation typifies this Executives sticking plaster approach that has left our public services in ruin, with so little progress since the return of Stormont. Its all too likely that this money will be swallowed into Stormonts black hole, with the Finance Minister going back to London in a years time looking for more cash while simultaneously blaming London for the situation in the first place. Operators across the world have spent the past several years seemingly unloading their passive infrastructure - towers, fibre optic networks, and other backbone assets - in what looked like a series of fire sales. But now, some are exercising contract clauses to bring these assets back in-house. Selling passive infrastructure became a growing trend over the past five years, offering a quick, surefire way to raise capital. The cash was essential for expensive network rollouts, such as 5G, and for balancing the books. Leasing the assets to independent tower companies and fibre operators also allowed mobile operators to adopt an asset-light model, focusing resources on customer services rather than maintaining steel and fibre. But the pendulum is swinging back. MTN recently announced it was in advanced negotiations to reacquire shares in IHS Towers in a deal approaching $3 billion. Across the South Atlantic in Brazil, Telecom Italias unit TIM Brasil said it would reacquire its fibre business. Alberto Griselli, CEO of TIM Brasil, framed the move as a strategic play to capture growing demand in the broadband market. Bringing fibre back in-house, he said, will improve service quality and operational efficiency, positioning the operator for upcoming opportunities in fibre expansion. Grisellis reasoning illustrates why operators appear confident in taking back control of their assets. Despite the eye-watering upfront cost, owning the infrastructure directly can improve long-term cost structures. With fewer recurring leasing expenses and better control over operations, operators may enjoy higher margins over time. Owning towers, radios and fibre also provides a competitive edge - particularly in markets where regulation allows operators to prioritise their own traffic or manage network expansion more flexibly than third-party tenants. In short, operators are betting that direct ownership and close integration of core infrastructure will pay off in operational efficiency, competitive positioning and long-term savings. It is also worth noting that operator revenues in many markets appear to have reached a saturation point, with earnings under pressure. Against that backdrop, a long-term - albeit expensive - strategic bet on infrastructure ownership is not entirely out of the ordinary. Of course, there are risks. Spending billions on assets previously sold is a massive gamble. If it goes wrong, it could leave a serious hole in the balance sheet, especially in emerging markets exposed to economic volatility and political uncertainty. Regulatory changes can hit suddenly - telecoms have long lived with this reality. In 2019, Indias Supreme Court forced mobile operators to collectively pay $21 billion in a dispute over the definition of revenue for taxation. Unexpected costs like this can quickly erode the financial benefits of asset ownership. However, regulation could also swing in favour of operators. In South Africa, operators are calling for over-the-top (OTT) companies that rely on connectivity to contribute to the maintenance and buildout of networks. If such measures were enshrined in law, passive infrastructure assets could become even more lucrative, supported by stronger and more diversified cash generation. Another practical consideration is the relationship with existing tenants. Operators who once rented infrastructure space to others must now balance ownership responsibilities with potential tenant concerns. As the new landlord, the operator gains control but may also face tensions if third-party users feel sidelined. Rival operators may question whether they are being treated equally in terms of pricing, maintenance and upgrade schedules. Owner-operators will need to keep tenants satisfied to preserve both utilisation rates and the long-term value of the asset. Ultimately, these buybacks signal a potential strategic recalibration in telecom. The industry may be moving from a decade of financial engineering - selling assets to unlock cash - back towards greater integration, where controlling the physical network is seen as a critical lever for long-term growth. MTN and TIM Brasil are betting that owning their networks outright will pay dividends in efficiency, customer experience and profitability - but only if the billions they are spending today translate into sustainable advantage tomorrow. If there is one wish that every gamer has, it is to be able to carry their favourite virtual worlds with them wherever they go. After all, long cab rides feel shorter when you are in the middle of a tense duel in Hogwarts Legacy and flights feel less exhausting when you are blasting through hordes of demons in Doom. Even lazy afternoons at a cafe can turn into boss fights and side quests. That is exactly why gaming handhelds have carved out such a strong space for themselves. Over the years, devices like the OG Sony PSP, PS Vita, Nintendo Switch, and even the Windows-powered handhelds have given flexibility to gamers on the go, and most importantly, power in a portable form. Survey Thank you for completing the survey! At Lenovo Tech World 2026 held in New Delhi, I finally got to spend some quality time with Lenovos latest attempt at redefining portable gaming, the Legion Go 2. And from the moment I picked it up, I knew this was not just another handheld. Also read: Lenovo Tech World 2026 arrives in New Delhi: What to expect Hands-on with the Lenovo Legion Go 2 The first thing I noticed about the Lenovo Legion Go 2 was the size of that 8.8-inch OLED display. On paper, it sounds big and in person, it feels even bigger. I use a Nintendo Switch OLED at home and last year I reviewed the Asus ROG Ally X. Compared to both, this screen feels expansive. The 16:10 aspect ratio gives games more room to breathe, and the colours instantly stand out. Blacks look deep, and bright scenes pop without looking washed out. The demo unit was running Tekken 7, and it genuinely looked great. Character details were crisp, motion felt fluid, and I was seeing a stable 120 FPS during gameplay. That smoothness makes a huge difference in a fighting game where timing is everything. Inputs felt responsive and there was no noticeable stutter during my session. The detachable controllers of the device are one of my favourite features. With a button at the back, they slide out easily. You can prop up the screen using the kickstand and continue playing more comfortably. It reminded me of the Nintendo Switch, but this feels more premium and more powerful. That said, the weight is noticeable. After about 15 minutes, my wrists started to feel it. It is sturdy and well-built, but this is not a lightweight device. As for the grip, the controllers are easy to hold on to and wont slip out of your hands. Performance, power and the price question Under the hood, Lenovo Legion Go 2 comes with two AMD Ryzen Z2 processor options, including a Z2 Extreme variant. Both feature 8 cores and 16 threads, paired with integrated AMD Radeon graphics. You can configure it with up to 32 GB LPDDR5X RAM and up to 2 TB PCIe Gen4 SSD storage. That is serious hardware for a handheld. The 8.8-inch WUXGA OLED display supports a 144Hz refresh rate, 500 nits brightness, VRR, and carries VESA True Black 1000 certification. Audio comes from dual 2W speakers with Nahimic support, and connectivity includes dual USB4 ports, WiFi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3, and a microSD card slot. Battery capacity stands at 74 WHr, and the device weighs around 0.92kg without controllers. Add them, and you definitely feel the heft. During my demo, the fans did get loud when multiple tasks were running, but performance stayed stable. The Lenovo Legion Go 2 is not available in India yet, but it is expected to come soon. It can also be quite expensive, as pricing could be around Rs 80,000. Hence, it would not be an impulse buy for sure. Still, after my brief hands-on with the device, I can say that the Legion Go 2 feels bold, powerful, and serious about portable gaming. Also read: I tried Lenovos glass-less 3D screen gaming laptop, heres how it went Google has announced new privacy updates to give users more control over their personal information online. In a blog post, the company said it is expanding its Results about you tool and improving how people can request the removal of non-consensual explicit images from Google Search. These changes are designed to simplify the process and strengthen user protection. With identity theft and online abuse on the rise, Google says it wants to help users act quickly when sensitive information appears in search results. The update will first roll out in the United States, with plans to expand to other regions later. Survey Thank you for completing the survey! The Results about you tool already allowed people to request the removal of search results that included personal contact details such as phone numbers, email addresses, and home addresses. Now, it also lets users ask for the removal of results that contain government ID information, including drivers licence numbers, passport numbers, and Social Security numbers. Also read: Samsung Galaxy Unpacked 2026: Date, India timings, pre-reservation benefits and what to expect Google has also made changes to how users report non-consensual explicit images. People can now click the three dots next to an image in Search, choose remove result, and select the option that says the image is sexual and shows them. Users can submit multiple image requests through one form and track all removal requests in a single place within the Results about you hub. Also read: Govt tightens AI rules, orders social platforms to label deepfakes and remove harmful content in 3 hrs Information you can ask to be removed from Google search Google says the new system also offers an option to filter similar explicit results in the future, adding another layer of protection. Here is a list of information that you can request Google to remove: Home address Phone number Email address Social Security or tax ID numbers Passport number Drivers licence number Resident ID card number Bank account or credit card number Pictures of your signature or ID Medical records Confidential usernames and passwords Doxxing content that includes threats or harmful intent How to remove personal information from Google search Removing the personal information mentioned above from Google is easy. Just follow the simple steps below: On Mobile 1. Open the Google app on your Android or iOS device. 2. Look for Results about you and tap it. 3. Press the Get Started button. 4. Add your name in the box and press Continue. Note: You can add more than one name, like the birth name or the nickname. 5. Now add your Home address, Phone number and email. Once done, hit Continue. Note: You can add more than one Home address, Phone number and email. 6. Add your government ID numbers and press Continue. 7. Check the information, confirm it by ticking the box and hit Save. Now Google will start checking for results about you. It may take some time, so we advise you to exercise patience. Youll receive an email regarding the discovery of Google related to your personal information. Now you can go ahead and remove the information; to do so, follow the steps below: 8. Follow steps 1 to 3 and head to the Results about you section. 9. Select the information that is available online and you want to remove. 10. Press the Request to Remove button. Also read: OpenAI fires policy exec who opposed ChatGPTs adult mode: Heres what happened On Desktop 1. Launch your web browser. 2. Visit the goo.gle/resultsaboutyou site. 3. Make sure you are signed in to your Google account. 4. Click the Get started button. 5. Enter the personal contact information you want to monitor. 6. Add your government ID numbers when prompted. 7. If youre already using the tool, simply add the ID numbers youd like to monitor. 8. To keep your sensitive information safe, Results about you uses Googles rigorous security protocols and advanced encryption to protect your privacy. 9. Once your details are confirmed, Google will automatically monitor Search results. 10. Youll receive notifications if matching information is found so you can take action. 11. Head to the results section and click the Request to Remove button. Save my User ID and Password Some subscribers prefer to save their log-in information so they do not have to enter their User ID and Password each time they visit the site. To activate this function, check the 'Save my User ID and Password' box in the log-in section. This will save the password on the computer you're using to access the site. Note: If you choose to use the log-out feature, you will lose your saved information. This means you will be required to log-in the next time you visit our site. Currently completing his final year of the Level 8 Bachelor of Business degree at DkIT, 20-year-old Thomas McCarragher from Ballagan in Cooley has a strong passion for sport and business. Initially unsure if college was the right path for him, aspiring entrepreneur Thomas opted for a three-year degree. I was pretty sceptical about college at first all I wanted to do was start my own business after school, he said. But Im really glad I chose this course because it has given me the knowledge and confidence to succeed in business. A general Business degree appealed to Thomas as it allowed him to build a broad knowledge base while keeping his future options open, giving him the flexibility to pursue further study or move straight into business. He also appreciates the smaller classes which means he knows the lecturers really well and finds that the whole class bounces off the group energy, and everyone mingles in together. Thomas has particularly enjoyed exploring the psychological impact of marketing and different social media strategies, which has made marketing his favourite area of study. He has also developed a strong interest in business law, especially the Irish legal system. Skills that Thomas feels he has strengthened since beginning his course include management and communication. He was chosen as project manager for a recent charity event for the Irish Wheelchair Association, where his skills were put to the test. The Run and Roll, followed by a quiz were a huge success raising over 3000. Although being an entrepreneur is an aspiration Thomas has had for many years, the Entrepreneurship module in the first year of his course helped him to envision how some of these ideas might develop. He is currently focusing on developing one of his ideas, an AI app, which acts as an agent to manage social media content and posting. The app is being designed to analyse a companys products or services and provide suggested social media content and optimum posting times. Its still in development, but Im hopeful it would help someone starting out or that doesnt have a big budget to hire an agency, according to Thomas. Read Next: Louth woman leaves generous gift to Maria Goretti Foundation As a self-taught coder, Thomas has enjoyed the challenge, Im learning to code as I go, so if a new issue comes up it takes a bit longer to solve, he explains. But its really satisfying when I figure it out. Thomas is hoping to use the app to trial his own entrepreneurial ideas and then engage with some other companies to test a prototype. For any other aspiring entrepreneurs, or anyone considering a Business degree, Thomas advises: Be open to all possibilities. When you leave school, you think you know everything, but once you get to college you realise theres so much more to learn. I was closed off to the idea at first, but meeting new people helped me grow a lot. Whether you want to start your own business or work in one, its a great course. Louth County Councillors have been warned about the threat of cyber security breaches during a presentation at February's District meetings of Dundalk, Ardee and Drogheda. David Conway, Chief Executive of Louth County Council told Dundalk councillors that cyber security ranks third on its risk register. Mr Conway warned that hackers have become "so sophisticated" and said he had been subject to an attempted breach, in which fake emails had been sent from his address. Helen Divilly, Head of Information Systems at Louth County Council said that cyber threats are increasing locally and nationally. Ms Divilly said that local authorities are "prime targets for cyber criminals" due to its collection of personal and sensitive data. She warned councillors that they are "high-value targets" for criminals, who are now targeting people rather than IT systems. Ms Divilly explained that councillors' email accounts and council-issued devices are "attractive entry points for attackers". She said the threat of cyber attacks are heightened during events such as elections, and added the risk will be at its peak when Ireland host the EU Presidency later this year. "It's expected that there will be increased activity from hostile actors, with threats to critical infrastructure including data centres and transatlantic cables," she said. Read Next: Louth students receive Leaving Certificate awards Ms Divilly said that public representatives have already been targeted through social media attacks and phishing campaigns. She told the meeting that local authorities like Meath County Council and the Office of the Ombudsman have been compromised as recently as December 2025. She said Louth County Council are dealing with cyber security incidents "very, very regularly" and encouraged councillors to report anything they deem suspicious. Ms Divilly said risks to councillors in relation to cyber security include reputational damage, impersonation, fraud and GDPR risks. She confirmed Louth County Council has implemented cyber security training for its members. Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme. Louth businesses are being encouraged to engage with the National Enterprise Hub in 2026 as they plan for the year ahead to help them to navigate ongoing economic pressures, skills challenges and increasing requirements around sustainability and digital transformation. With more than 9,000 businesses operating in Louth, across a range of sectors, businesses in the region are facing continued pressure around costs, skills and competitiveness in 2026. The National Enterprise Hub offers a single, practical route to identifying the Government supports available to help address these challenges. Operated by Enterprise Ireland and funded by the Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment, the National Enterprise Hub provides a single point of access to more than 250 Government supports delivered by over 30 Departments and State Agencies. Available online at www.neh.gov.ie, as well as through phone and live chat support, the Hub connects businesses directly with trained advisors who help identify the most relevant grants, funding options, loans and expert supports based on a companys size, sector and stage of development. Read also: Exciting week in store for Local Enterprise Week Louth 2026 As Louth businesses plan for the year ahead, the Hub continues to play a key role in helping SMEs identify and access grants, funding, loans, training and expert advice that align with their specific needs, sector and stage of development. The service is particularly relevant to Louth-based SMEs, start-ups and growing enterprises across sectors including retail, hospitality, tourism, food and drink, manufacturing and services, as well as businesses planning to invest, expand or improve energy efficiency. Sally Anne-Cooney of Boann Distillery said: Running a business means constantly balancing rising costs, staffing and planning for the future. Engaging with the National Enterprise Hub helped us understand what supports were actually available and which ones made sense for our business. Having a single point of contact saved us time and gave us clarity as we plan ahead for 2026. Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Peter Burke TD, said: the Hub plays a key role in helping businesses make effective use of Government supports: Louth is home to a diverse and resilient SME base and the National Enterprise Hub can play an important role in ensuring those businesses can access the supports they need to grow and adapt in 2026. "As Louth businesses continue to adapt to changing economic conditions, it is vital that they are aware of and can easily access the full range of Government supports available to help enable job creation and long-term regional competitiveness. The National Enterprise Hub helps businesses to save time, cut through complexity and identify practical supports that can help them remain competitive and plan for the future. Donal Leahy, Head of Regional Infrastructure and the National Enterprise Hub, Enterprise Ireland added: Many SMEs in Louth are busy running day-to-day operations and dont always have the time to explore what supports might be available to them. "The National Enterprise Hub is there to make that process simpler, by giving businesses a single point of contact and access to advisors who can quickly point them in the right direction. Whether its help with funding, skills, energy efficiency or planning next steps, our role is to provide practical guidance that Louth businesses can act on in 2026 to help make their business as competitive as possible. The National Enterprise Hub works closely with a broad network of enterprise partners including Local Enterprise Offices, IDA Ireland, Failte Ireland, Skillnet Ireland, Solas, Bord Bia, Microfinance Ireland, Revenue, Social Protection, SEAI, InterTradeIreland and the Western Development Commission, among others. Louth businesses can engage with the National Enterprise Hub via www.neh.gov.ie or by calling 01 727 2100 to speak directly with an advisor. The annual LMETB Academic Awards Ceremony for outstanding achievement in Leaving Certificate and Leaving Certificate Applied Examinations 2025 took place in the Gateway Hotel, Dundalk on Friday 23 January 2026. Former LMETB students, their parents/guardians, principals, deputy principals, teachers and their extended family and friends were all on hand to celebrate. Opening the ceremony, Ms. Fiona Kindlon, Director of Schools, LMETB welcomed all and stated that this awards evening is a very special occasion for everyone present as we are reflecting on, celebrating and acknowledging the successes and achievements of our students and also thanking our school leaders and their teams of teaching staff for the role they have played in assisting, guiding and supporting our award winners here this evening to move to the next phase of their education career or to enter into the world of work. Ms. Kindlon also addressed the award winners saying: You symbolise everything we aim to do in LMETB around educating people to very high standards. You are role models and ambassadors for LMETB. READ NEXT: Louth graduates of first higher education apprentices in land-based sectors Ms. Kindlon also wished the award winners well in their studies with those present having now progressed to Degree courses, Post Leaving Certificate Courses and Apprenticeships. Above: Thomas Sharkey, Principal, Colaiste Chu Chulainn, Rachel Ni Channan and Neasa Ni Chonluain with Lorcan Garvin, Michelle Nowak and Connall McCaffrey who received awards at the LMETB Academic Awards Ceremony 2026 held in the Gateway Hotel, Dundalk. Photos by Ken Finegan/Newspics Photography Ms. Kindlon acknowledged and congratulated the group on the diverse pathways being followed including Veterinary Medicine, Engineering, Biotechnology, Modern Languages, Maths, Business, History, Irish, Law, Psychology, Pharmacy, Music, Music Production, Mechatronics, Chemistry, Equine Therapy, Equine Science, Sport, TV, Film Production, Physics, Astronomy, Space Science, Geography, Arts, Apprenticeship in Mechanics, Criminology, Criminal Justice, Agriculture, Metal Fabrication, Economics, Retail Management, Architectural Design, Software and Games development, Accounting and Finance, Mechanical Engineering, Architectural Technology, Biological Sciences, English Literature, Arts, Economics and Finance and Commerce. Ms. Kindlon paid tribute to the school Guidance Counsellors and Programme Coordinators who work tirelessly to organise visiting speakers, visits out, careers fairs and work experience to enable students to make informed choices about career options available to them. Ms. Kindlon also thanked the employers across Louth and Meath for their ongoing commitment to our young people and in particular for supporting schools in the facilitation of work experience/work placement. Above: Padraig McGovern, Principal, O Fiaich College, Brendan O'Malley, Asst. Principal and Angela McNally with Morgan McNally who received an award at the LMETB Academic Awards Ceremony 2026 held in the Gateway Hotel, Dundalk. Photos by Ken Finegan/Newspics Photography Ms. Eilis Flood, Principal, Colaiste na hInse, Laytown spoke on behalf of the LMETB School Leaders congratulating the students on their success and highlighting the key skills and qualities that they will bring to the jobs of the future. Ms. Flood also thanked the students present for the contribution they had made to their schools and congratulated them on the broad range of pathways they are now following. Ms. Flood also reminded the award winners that their local school and the LMETB Head Offices will continue to remain open to them for any support, advice and guidance they need in the future. Comperes for the evening were Mr. Barry O Higgins, Deputy Principal, Colaiste de Lacy, Ashbourne, Co. Meath and Ms. Anna Mc Cready, Deputy Principal, Scoil Ui Mhuiri, Dunleer. Each student was presented with an engraved piece of crystal and a certificate to mark their achievement. LMETB schools represented from Co. Louth included Scoil Ui Mhuiri, OFiaich College, Bush Post Primary, Colaiste Chu Chulainn and St. Olivers Community College Drogheda. LMETB schools represented from Co. Meath included Beaufort College, Navan, Dunshaughlin Community College, Colaiste na hInse, Laytown, Colaiste Pobail, Rathcairn, O Carolan College, Nobber, Colaiste na Mi, Navan, Ratoath College, Colaiste Clavin, Longwood, St. Peters College, Dunboyne, Colaiste de Lacy, Ashbourne and St. Oliver Post Primary School, Oldcastle. Further information on LMETB is available on www.lmetb.ie. A man has been arrested on suspicion of the murder of Daniel Aruebose, a young boy who was missing for years in Dublin. Gardai say the man, in his 20s, was arrested on Tuesday afternoon. He was detained under provisions of Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act, 1984 at a Garda station in Dublin. Gardai said investigations were ongoing. Daniels remains were recovered from Donabate, in North Dublin, last September and a homicide investigation was launched in December. He was reported missing after Irish authorities discovered in August that he had not been seen for several years. Gardai conducted a weeks-long search in the Donabate area before his remains were found in an area of open ground. Irelands child and family agency, Tusla, had interacted with Daniels family but closed its engagement with his parents after a temporary fostering arrangement ended. His case prompted a series of well-being checks carried out on thousands of Tusla files, as well as a rapid review of the boys case. Daniel would have turned eight on December 12. Rural children's choir from S China's Hainan shines on international stages People's Daily Online) 14:58, February 11, 2026 Members of the Rainforest Children's Choir perform at the opening ceremony of the Sanyuesan Festival, a traditional festival celebrated by the Miao and Li ethnic groups in China on the third day of the third lunar month, in March 2025, at the main venue of the festival in south China's Hainan Province. (Photo/Xinhua) Over the course of just three years, the Rainforest Children's Choir, formerly known as the Wuzhishan Li and Miao Children's Choir, in Shuiman township, Wuzhishan city, south China's Hainan Province, has gone from being too shy to speak to performing at major international events. The children have an average age of only 10. They've toured France and performed in South Korea, sharing their voices with audiences around the world. Shuiman township, the highest-lying township on Hainan Island, has been home to generations of Li and Miao families. Tucked deep in the mountains, it feels far removed from the bustle of the outside world. For many children growing up here, the wider horizon once seemed distant. In August 2022, the Wuzhishan Li and Miao Children's Choir was founded at Shuiman Central School. Despite challenges such as a shortage of qualified teachers, the local government remained fully committed to supporting the choir. Liu Min, the choir's founder and artistic director, still vividly recalls his first visit to Shuiman Central School in 2022. When he first appeared before the students, many instinctively shrank back, dropped their gazes and said nothing. The audition process was simple and direct. Each child was asked to sing "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star." Anyone who was willing to open their mouth and could roughly hold a tune made the cut. Liu combined oral instruction with a professional music training system. He started by teaching the children to read musical notation and focused on developing their basic vocal skills. Change came slowly, through the steady rhythm of daily rehearsals. Chen Kexin, a fourth grader, remembers that when she first joined, the children couldn't even manage proper posture. To assign voice parts, they had to take turns singing solo at the piano. Gradually, the children gained confidence through repeated training. The Boao Forum for Asia Annual Conference 2023 proved to be a turning point for the choir. When their clear, heartfelt voices echoed across the stage, the sustained applause from the international crowd made it clear to Liu that they were ready to "spread their wings." Members of the Rainforest Children's Choir perform in France. (Photo courtesy of the media convergence center of Wuzhishan city) In early 2024, a music video featuring the choir was shown at an event marking the 60th anniversary of the establishment of China-France diplomatic ties held by China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The video brought the choir to public attention and earned the children an invitation to Paris. To prepare, Liu had the children practice singing in French. He transcribed the French lyrics using Chinese characters that closely resembled their pronunciation, and the children memorized them through repeated recitation. In October 2024, as part of a reciprocal exchange, Le Choeur des Polysons, a renowned French children's choir, visited Maona village, Shuiman township, and sang together with children from the Rainforest Children's Choir. With government funding and the support of generous donors, the choir has carried out cultural exchanges both across China and abroad. In Changchun, northeast China's Jilin Province, they performed a song celebrating their tea culture. At the 63rd Tamna Cultural Festival on Jeju Island, South Korea, they donned traditional Li brocade and performed songs and dances. On Nov. 6, 2024, the Rainforest Children's Choir was officially expanded to a city-wide program. Breaking the previous restriction of recruiting only from Shuiman Central School, the choir opened auditions to students from schools across the city. A permanent training center was also established in the city. Alongside the choir, the city has launched policies to attract top musical talent from institutions like the China Philharmonic Orchestra and the Central Conservatory of Music to train local music teachers, with the goal of establishing a model for county-level arts education. "We hope to give children more opportunities so that, one day, art can help open the doors of universities for them," Liu said. He hopes that after completing their studies, the students will return to Wuzhishan as the next generation of music teachers, giving back to their hometown. (Web editor: Hongyu, Liang Jun) A change in Cocos Law to close a loophole around the generation of nonconsensual intimate images and videos using AI was debated in the Dail on Tuesday. Sinn Fein brought the Bill to amend current legislation to the Dail after reports an AI chatbot on the social media site X, formerly known as Twitter, was being used to create deepfake sexualised images of people, including children. The Harassment, Harmful Communications and Related Offences Bill, also known as Cocos Law, was enacted in 2020. It makes the distribution or publication of an intimate image without consent, with intent to cause harm to the victim a serious offence with perpetrators facing up to seven years imprisonment. It also criminalises threats to distribute or publish such images. However, Sinn Feins spokesman on justice Matt Carthy said there is ambiguity in the current legislation, that had been exposed by Grok. The party says it brought forward the amendment to clarify that the creation of sexualised AI deepfakes is illegal. During the Bills second reading, Mr Carthy criticised the Government saying, they could have brought forward immediate and targeted amendment to close this loophole. He said: If this was clear in law, then we wouldnt need a minister to sit down with the companies involved. If you or I are suspected of breaking the law, the minister doesnt come to our house to discuss it, the appropriate powers hold us to account. Maire Divine, who co-authored the amendment, said over 11 days roughly three million sexualised images were produced using Grok and said 99% of them were of women and young children. The changes to the law would also extend the statute of limitations from two to five years, to allow victims more time to come forward. They would give An Garda Siochana more time to forensically technically examine personal electronic devices. And they aim to increase the maximum penalties people convicted of these crimes would face. Minister for Justice Jim OCallaghan said the Government would not oppose the Bill at its current stage, adding it shared the widespread revulsion of the fact that platforms have allowed the nonconsensual nudification of images, primarily of women and children. He said there was a number of pieces of legislation which covered the generation or alteration of sexual images by AI. But said he is keen to ensure that there are no gaps in the legislation and that the current established legal framework is sufficiently robust to protect people from digital harms. Mr OCallaghan did criticise some aspects of the Sinn Fein Bill, saying the Attorney General had advised the proposed prison term of up to five years, for the creation of an image that is not shared, is a disproportionate penalty. Whether or not Cork City Council makes an exception to its rules and allows a bridge to be named after the late Don OLeary, his son is certain of one thing: My dad would have absolutely hated this. The former director of the Cork Life Centre was never comfortable in the spotlight, accepting accolades with the greatest of reluctance, and then only to promote the centre. His son, Don Jr, says his father would have never stopped giving out about a campaign by some of his former students to have one of Corks newest pedestrian bridges named after him. Still, he concedes, his dad believed passionately in empowering young people and helping them to find their own voices, so, he has no one to blame but himself, he laughed. Don OLeary served for more than 18 years as director of the Cork Life Centre on Winters Hill in Sundays Well. During that time, working with a volunteer-led staff, he helped provide one-to-one, relationship-based tuition to hundreds of young Cork people failed by Irelands mainstream education system. Saved lives He gave a future to countless young people who had been written off by the system, spending months and years restoring self-belief to teenagers who had been told they were worthless. He quite literally saved the lives of several of his young charges. Mr OLeary received several honours for his work, and he accepted them as a sort of devils bargain. He hated to be centre stage, preferring to focus on the young people of the Life Centre, but he sacrificed his own natural reserve to publicise the centre. In 2022, the then lord mayor of Cork, councillor Colm Kelleher, presented him with the Lord Mayors Civic Award, but Mr OLeary insisted on receiving it on Winters Hill, becoming the first person to be granted the honour outside of City Hall. The year before that, he received an honorary doctorate in education from UCC. Those who loved him delighted afterward in calling him Doctor, to his fury. When he accepted that doctorate, he admitted that when he had completed his Leaving Cert, he would have loved to have been a teacher. Given the times and the fact that I was the eldest of 11 siblings, that wasnt on the cards, he said. He eventually resumed his education via the Open University on what he called a long holiday he took in Portlaoise. Then I was lucky enough to land in UCC as a mature student, where I studied youth and community work, a very enriching experience. That long holiday was courtesy of the minister for justice, when, in 1987, Mr OLeary was jailed for five years for membership of the Provisional IRA, serving three. He often said his real crime had been possession of Sinn Fein election posters. Ill Health A Ballyphehane native who lived most of his life in Fairhill, he was elected a Sinn Fein councillor for the Cork city North-West ward in 1999, but ill health forced him to stand down in 2000. During his time as director of the Life Centre, he grew its student body from five in 2006, to 55, expanding the centres curriculum and introducing Leaving Certificate subjects. In December of 2021, when Mr OLeary made public his diagnosis of terminal cancer, he told The Echo: If I had one wish for anyone, it would be to give them one day of the last 16 years of days that I have had in the Life Centre. He passed away last October at the age of 68. The late Don O'Leary in conversation with Taoiseach Micheal Martin. At the time, the Taoiseach Micheal Martin, said of Mr OLeary: He believed in the dignity of every individual, and the capacity of every individual to grow. His contribution to the Cork Life Centre and to many, many young people was very, very positive, and he has left a significant legacy. The Lord Mayor of Cork, councillor Fergal Dennehy, said Mr OLeary was fearless in his advocacy, often challenging authority with honesty and conviction. His legacy will endure not only in the centre he helped create, but in the lives transformed by his dedication. In recent weeks, some of his former students have campaigned for Cork City Council to name the new Probys Quay pedestrian bridge after him, even though nominees for such honours usually, by city council convention, have to be dead for more than 20 years. Another consideration for some of those young people is that their former mentor might not have welcomed such an honour. Hed have killed us! laughed Darcy Faye, who graduated from the Life Centre in 2018 and now has a degree in youth and community work. Hed be so annoyed with us, but the thing with Don is he always encouraged us to find our own voices, so he couldnt say anything about us now speaking up for him. She says this would be a way to show Mr OLearys widow Betty, his children Don Jr and Eilis, and his former deputy director Rachel Lucey, just how much he meant to his former students. Bridge to education Mr OLeary had, she says, offered so many young people a bridge to education and greater confidence it would be appropriate that his name be remembered on a bridge in the city he loved. Don was all about empowering young people to find their voice and to stand up for what they believe in, and we believe that Don is someone who helped so many of us, he shouldnt be forgotten. Former Life Centre student Amber OCallaghan has just completed her post-graduate degree as a special needs assistant, and she said Mr OLeary was her guardian angel who helped her through trauma and gave her hope for life. Don always called us his legacy, and he will live on through us, but I think its also important to have somewhere the people of Cork can go to remember him, she said. Don deserves that recognition and I think its the least Cork can do for someone who has saved so many lives. William Cooper says that in his time in the Life Centre, Don was the bridge between me and my untapped potential and he feels that Mr OLearys family deserve to see him recognised once more by the city. Don spent his life building bridges and I feel it would be fitting to name a bridge after him, especially one coming from the southside like Don did, he said. Don OLeary Jr has no doubt about how his father would have felt. He would have gone mad at them for doing this, but he would have been so proud of the fine young people they are. Even if this goes nowhere, the effort that his past pupils have put into this is all the tribute that he would want. A Cork City Council spokesperson said a public consultation process was currently ongoing. They said a person being nominated should have been born or lived in Cork and should have made a unique and outstanding contribution to the life or history of Cork through outstanding achievement, distinctive service, or significant community contribution. Proposals to commemorate living persons are not generally encouraged, they added. Nominees should be deceased preferably at least 20 years previously or have passed the centenary of their birth whichever is earlier. However, an exception to those guidelines can be considered by the council if deemed appropriate. The deadline for submissions of nominations is January 26, 2026. This is a week when the Ballycotton community in East Cork can remember that their village has a proud place in the annals of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution. On the cliffside above the village stands the original Mary Stanford lifeboat which, this week in 1936, carried out a rescue off Cork Harbour that has become a key part of RNLI history. Tonight in the Garryvoe Hotel the rescue will be recalled when a book is launched to help raise funds for its ongoing maintenance. Written by Galway historian Gerry Kearney, originally from Cloyne, it documents the lives of 267 men and five women of Cloyne parish Ballycotton, Churchtown South, Cloyne, Shanagarry and their maritime and military service in the Merchant Navy, Coastguard, Red Cross, during the First World War and links to their later lives. These include the famous Ballycotton Coxswain Patrick Patsy Sliney and Thomas Flavin Walsh of the Mary Stanford crew, which went to the rescue of the lightkeepers aboard the then Daunt Rock lightship, Comet, who were in great danger during a week of gales. A strong south-easterly with rain and snow hit the Cork area on February 7. Ballycotton Bay was a seething turmoil. Huge waves swept into Ballycotton Harbour. The next morning, with the gale still howling, Ballycotton Lifeboat Station was told that the lightship, with eight men aboard, had broken from its moorings and was drifting helplessly in huge seas and gale force winds. With Coxswain Sliney in charge, the Mary Stanford was launched into the turmoil of Ballycotton Bay. Its seven-man crew battled enormous waves as they fought their away against the gale towards Cork Harbour. People watching her leave the quay went to the church to pray, a contemporary report records. The Daunt Rock rescue. They located Comet quarter of a mile from Daunt Rock, in grave danger. Multiple attempts were made to tow her, but heavy waves snapped a steel cable. The lifeboat stood by until nightfall as the lightship was tossed about. The MV Innisfallen and HMS Tenedos arrived on the scene so the Mary Stanford could go to Cobh to get stronger cables. After being all day without food, the crew got a meal, a few hours sleep, changed to dry clothes and got back to the Daunt Rock area. The storm was still strong and there was thick fog. Mary Stanford remained into another night. Commissioners of Irish Lights vessel, Isolda, arrived but the lifeboat was the only hope of saving the lightship crew. It needed refuelling at Cobh then returned to the dangerous scene. Comet had drifted perilously close to Daunt Rock, its bow going underwater. At 9.30pm the only option was to get the lifeboat alongside the lightship as both vessels were thrown about in the sea conditions. It was extremely dangerous but Coxswain Sliney did it. His crew shouted instructions to the lightshipmen to jump onto the Mary Stanford. The RNLI archive records: On the first attempt, one did. By the third, five more had jumped successfully, leaving two exhausted, clinging to the lightship rails. Fourth and fifth rescue attempts were futile. On the sixth the Ballycotton lifeboat men successfully dragged the two on to the Mary Stanford. The lightship crew were disembarked at Cobh by 11pm. Then the Mary Stanford returned to Ballycotton. The crew had been at sea for 49 hours, with only three hours' sleep. All suffered cold and salt burns, having completed one of the most demanding rescues ever undertaken, an example of endurance and bravery. An RNLI Gold Medal was awarded to Coxswain Sliney. Second Coxswain John Lane Walsh and Mechanic Thomas Sliney were awarded Silver. Crew members Michael Coffey Walsh, John Shea Sliney, William Sliney, and Thomas Walsh all received Bronze Medals. In 1974 a painting of the rescue by Bernard Gribble was featured in the RNLIs 150th celebrations and An Post issued an Irish commemorative stamp, designed by Michael Byrne. The Daunt Rock Medal in Ballycotton lifeboat station. Gerry Kearney, who has written several historical books, says: Being from Cloyne I knew about this rescue and found links through crew members into the First World War and how, after that, they had continued into later life. It was a great sea rescue. "When the Mary Stanford was, in her later years, threatened with destruction, Ballycotton villagers decided it should be preserved and fought successfully for that. It stands now as a symbol of courage and service by lifeboatmen and a mark of the communitys pride in honouring and remembering them. "It is East Corks most important maritime landmark. All proceeds from book sales will go towards its ongoing care and conservation. Gardai in West Cork are seeking nominations for inspirational young people to be honoured at a special awards ceremony taking place in April. The 30th West Cork Garda Youth Awards, celebrate the outstanding contributions of young people between the ages 13 and 21. The organising committee said awards will be considered for nominees who by their presence make their communities a better place to live in. The deadline for nominations is March 20. Judging will take place in mid-April, with the presentation ceremony taking place on April 17 in the Kinsale Hotel and Spa. Launching this years awards, chief superintendent Vincent O Sullivan from Bandon Garda Station said: The nomination process is open to everyone, so if you know of a young person who is committed to making a difference to their community, please put them forward. We wish to promote and honour the positive contribution of the youth of today, who are the leaders of tomorrow. The award categories for the event are individual award, group award, community safety award, and a special achievement award. Individual award The individual award is open to young people who have made a positive contribution to their community, making it a better place to live. The group award category applies for groups of two or more young people, whose combined efforts have contributed positively to their communities. The community safety award is for a young person or group, who through a crime prevention or safety innovation, have made their community a safer place. The special achievement category is open to any young person who has overcome difficult circumstances or defied the odds and whose commitment deserves recognition. The awards are held in association with SuperValu, with the Irish Examiner as media partners. The nomination forms are available from any SuperValu store in the West Cork garda division and also at Garda stations throughout West Cork. Application forms will also be distributed by the community gardai in each local garda district. Electronic versions of the nomination form are available by emailing: westcorkgardayouthawards@garda.ie. People in Cork city are frightened and intimidated by scrambler bikes and e-scooters which are endangering lives in many residential areas, a city council meeting has heard. Gardai have seized 55 scramblers and 49 e-scooters in Cork city since 2023. However, on Monday, Cork city councillors expressed concern that the figures do not represent the full scale of the problem. They expressed fears that gardai have insufficient resources to enforce current legislation, and will face the same issue with the new legislation. Recently, the Government introduced a new ban on the use of scramblers on public roads, following the death of 16-year-old Grace Lynch in Dublin. Figures provided by Cork-based Garda Superintendent John Deasy at a recent local community safety partnership meeting revealed that gardai seized 17 scramblers in Cork in 2023. The totals seized in previous years were 19 in 2024; 18 in 2025; and one in 2026 to date. Four e-scooters were seized in 2023, 15 in 2024, 24 in 2025, and six so far this year. A total of 14 e-bikes were also seized during the same time period four in 2024, nine in 2025, and one in 2026 to date. The figures were provided to Sinn Fein councillor Joe Lynch, who told The Echo: I have been inundated with calls recently since Christmas in particular about the dangerous use of scramblers and e-scooters in housing estates and on main roads in Ballincollig. Those involved in antisocial behaviour using these machines are a danger to themselves and others, as illustrated by the tragic loss of life of a young woman in Dublin recently. He said that he has raised the matter with gardai. I know they are taking the issue seriously, but we need to see more action, with gardai using their powers of seizure to take these dangerous machines off our streets in far greater numbers. The topic was raised at Mondays Cork City Council meeting, where Mr Lynch said that people feel frightened and intimidated. He was responding to a motion by Independent councillor Kieran McCarthy who had proposed that the council write to the Taoiseach calling for tighter restrictions on the use of scramblers. AMENDMENT Labour councillor Peter Horgan proposed an amendment, which was agreed, that the council should also write to the Garda Commissioner. Sinn Feins Kenneth Collins added that a woman was knocked down by an e-scooter on Fairfield recently. We need this sorted ASAP, or someone will be killed, he said. Fianna Fail councillor Fergal Dennehy, Lord Mayor of Cork, said these vehicles were also causing problems on Anglesea St in the city. Its not just in the suburbs, its happening outside our door here in City Hall, he said. But gardai are very restricted in how they can stop them without endangering lives. A 52-year-old Kinsale woman who admitted stealing over 300,000 while employed at the Fishy Fishy restaurant over a period of several years is planning to sell her home to raise compensation for her former employer. Nessa Gilsenan of Copper Beech House, Mellifontstown, Kinsale, Co Cork, appeared at Cork Circuit Criminal Court yesterday, but sentencing was adjourned until November 4. The lengthy adjournment is to facilitate the sale of the property, Judge Helen Boyle was told yesterday. Defence senior counsel, Donal OSullivan, confirmed that the State had received 15,000 from the defendant as part of the compensation due in the case. Another sum was paid at an earlier stage. Thereafter, I would ask for a sentencing date in the Michaelmas sessions [of Cork Circuit Criminal Court]. A property has to be sold, Mr OSullivan said. Prosecution senior counsel Ray Boland said: There is no objection to that. The defendant stole over 300,000 while employed at Fishy Fishy restaurant in Kinsale. Picture: fishyfishy.ie So far, the full facts of the case have not been outlined in court. It is anticipated that this will be done at the sentencing hearing now set for November 4. Mr OSullivan said it was anticipated that the sentencing hearing was likely to take one hour. The injured party referred to in charges against Nessa Gilsenan is TV chef Martin Shanahan, who owns the award-winning Fishy Fishy restaurant in Kinsale. Nessa Gilsenan previously pleaded guilty to nine charges. The first charge states that on dates in 2017, she committed theft in that she did dishonestly appropriate over 26,000. The next charges are expressed in similar terms of the following years, namely: 2018, almost 55,000; 2019, over 75,000; 2020, over 63,000; 2021, almost 69,000; and 2022, almost 15,000. The next three charges are for the falsification of documentation, namely the staff payroll system, in order to make a gain for herself in 2020, 2021, and 2022. The injured party, Mr Shanahan, has appeared as a TV chef on a number of successful programmes and has also written a number of successful cookery books. How Nessa Gilsenan committed the crimes is expected to be described by the investigating member of An Garda Siochana at the sentencing in November. Youve likely seen videos on social media of long queues of customers waiting in line to buy unclaimed packages. Now buyers in Cork can try their luck as a new mystery package shop will open in the city next week for a limited time. French start-up firm King Colis had huge success before Christmas when it brought the concept to Dublin, opening in Tallaght and seeing crowds arrive to buy mystery packages. Described as a real-life treasure hunt, lucky customers could find high-tech devices, designer clothes and shoes, watches, beauty and household appliances, collectable items, and more. However, Echo columnist Caitriona Redmond has previously written about these types of shops and advises caution when introducing children to what she describes as a form of gambling. Huge turnout The new outlet will open at Douglas Court Shopping Centre on February 24, with a huge turnout expected. We are so excited to be bringing King Colis and its concept to Cork, said King Colis CEO and co-founder Killian Denis. Its always exciting because you never know what youll get. Sometimes there are real treasures hidden inside the boxes. For example, in France, one customer discovered a small collectable gold bar, while in Italy someone found an ultra-rare Pokemon card valued at 3,000. Of course, luck plays a big role in what you find in your packages, but one thing is certain, the experience is unforgettable. I believe the turnout will be great, as it has been elsewhere, and I advise anyone thinking about it to get down early as stock is limited. Packages are sold by weight, and shoppers have 10 minutes to select all the packages they want, but are not allowed to open them before purchasing. The total price will be determined after weighing, and the surprises can be unboxed. King Colis has been buying undelivered packages since 2023 to sell on its website or in pop-up stores across Europe. It says customers can help reduce waste and leave a positive environmental footprint by buying undelivered packages which previously would have been destroyed. King Colis will be in Douglas until March 1, 10am-8pm each day. Entry to the shop is free, but fast passes are 15, available on https://www.king-colis.com/en. Of the 167 new gardai who graduated from the Garda College in Templemore last week, none have been assigned to posts in West Cork. A total of 19 new gardai from Cork were sworn in, but only five will be assigned to garda stations in Cork. Two of the new recruits will go to Cork city, in Gurranabraher and Togher, while three will go to the county, two to Midleton, and one to Mallow. Independent Ireland leader Michael Collins has expressed his disappointment that none of the new recruits will be going to West Cork. This continues a longstanding and deeply concerning pattern of under-resourcing for West Cork communities, as evidenced by An Garda Siochanas own official data on probationer allocations from 2015 to December 2025. Over this 11-year period, the four principal stations of Bandon, Clonakilty, Bantry, and Macroom received a combined total of just 48 new probationer gardai. Notably, both Bantry and Macroom received zero new recruits from 2022 to 2025. This is a trend that has now extended into 2026 for all four of these stations, Mr Collins said. West Cork communities face the same serious challenges as anywhere else from burglary, antisocial behaviour, drug-related crime, and road safety concerns, yet we are repeatedly overlooked, and the facts bear that out. Towns and rural areas from Bandon, Clonakilty, Bantry, Macroom, and Skibbereen to Castletownbere deserve the same level of protection and visible garda presence as Dublin or anywhere else, which seem to hit the allocations jackpot every year. This persistent and disproportionate disregard is not just unacceptable, it is scandalous. The TD is calling on the minister for justice and theGarda Commissioner to immediately review allocation policies and to prioritise fair, equitable distribution of new recruits, with particular attention to rural and regional areas that have been historically neglected. Next week, the Commission on the Future of Ireland will be hosting our first Peoples Assembly in Cork. It will take place at 7pm in the Rochestown Park Hotel. Under the theme Have your Say, the Commission is inviting the people of Cork to join in the growing conversation on Irish unity; to discuss the necessary planning for constitutional change; and the building of a new future for everyone in a new Ireland. The discussion in Rochestown will be an opportunity to explore the benefits for Cork that Irish unity can deliver. It is about discussing the shape of an agreed new Ireland and ensuring that it is managed properly and to the benefit of every citizen. The extent of constitutional and institutional change is for the people of the island of Ireland to decide - democratically and without outside interference and on the basis of equality. The line-up for the Cork Peoples Assembly The Commission on the Future of Ireland was established by Uachtaran Shinn Fein Mary Lou McDonald in July, 2022. Its objective is to undertake a grassroots consultation with the people of Ireland and internationally on the future of Ireland and to listen respectively to those who have a vision of a new Ireland. The Commission has held scores of public meetings across the island of Ireland, and within the diaspora in Canada and in the USA. Thousands of people have contributed. The Cork event will be chaired by Colette Kelleher, who is a former Independent Senator, family therapist, and Chair of the Irish Council for Civil Liberties. Panellists on the night include David Lane, General Manager for Social Inclusion at the HSE, Bernadette Connolly, Coordinator of The Environmental Forum, and The Very Reverend Nigel Dunne, Dean of Cork & Rector of St Fin Barres Cathedral. The opening address will be delivered by Sinn Fein Finance Spokesperson Pearse Doherty TD. The Cork Peoples Assembly is about encouraging and empowering people in Cork to actively engage in the discussion on constitutional change and unity. Its an exciting discussion that is widening every day involving community-based organisations as well as those within the health, business, sports, cultural and farming sectors. They understand the opportunities that exist in an all-island context for growth in these sectors. The 2017 decision by the EU, that all of the island of Ireland automatically become part of the EU in the event of unity, was a significant decision. In addition, polling by Amarach Research for the European Movement Ireland shows strong majority support, North and South, for a united Ireland within the European Union. A united Ireland within the EU must be a central political and policy priority for the Irish government as it embarks on the EU Presidency in July this year. The ending of partition will be a positive opportunity to improve the lives of every citizen - to build the Republic that was envisioned in the 1916 Proclamation - a republic of equality and rights. Those who attend on the night will have a chance to discuss the current challenges facing the people of Cork and how a different constitutional arrangement can provide the scope to address these, as well as unlocking the economic potential of Cork. Important issues such as jobs, housing, infrastructure, tourism, education, healthcare will all be explored in the context of reunification. There are excellent success stories in Cork, the county has a lot to be proud of, and there is massive potential for further development in a new united Ireland. The Cork Peoples Assembly is about people in this county, sharing their opinions, debating perspectives, and having their say on our shared future. We are just two years away from the 30th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement. The right of self-determination is enshrined within international law and is integral to the Good Friday Agreement. The promise of the Good Friday Agreement and its provision on Irish unity must be honoured and Sinn Fein is calling for concurrent referendums on unity to be held by 2030. Before that, the Irish government should convene an all-island Citizens Assembly/Assemblies to properly structure the current discussion on Irish unity. There is significant work to be done to prepare for these referendums and the prospect of democratic constitutional change. Work must begin now so we can collectively ensure that the next phase of this process is managed in a constructive way. We have huge opportunities ahead of us to write the next chapter of our nation and build a modern, thriving and prosperous Ireland for all. That potential must be seized. The people must have their say. The people of Cork must have their say. A century of partition is long enough. Its time now to look to the future and to a new Ireland. Come along to the Rochestown Park Hotel on Thursday, February 19, at 7pm and join what is the most important national discussion of our time. Ellen O'Donoghue The arrest of a man in connection with the murder of toddler Daniel Aruebose in Dublin features heavily on Irish front pages on Wednesday. The Irish Times lead with the Government examining plans to fast-track citizenship for immigrants who complete military service in Ireland, reports from the special rapporteur on child protection being delayed, and the arrest of a man in connection with the murder of toddler Daniel Aruebose. The Irish Examiner lead with experts warning that 'hard choices' are needed to tackle storms, actor Robert Sheehan seeking planning permission in West Cork, Garda traffic corps being down 38 per cent in the last 15 years, and key defence projects being delayed under a new scheme. The Irish Independent lead with dozens of towns escaping a crackdown on Airbnb lets. The Echo lead with people in Cork city being frightened and intimidated by scrambler bikes and e-scooters, and an inconclusive fish kill probe costing 42,000. The arrest of a man in connection with the murder of Daniel Aruebose leads The Herald, the Irish Daily Mirror and the Irish Daily Star. The Irish Daily Mail lead with Ministers being warned that new laws to lift the Dublin Airport passenger cap are likely to be delayed by challenges in court, as Ministers say there is a "huge risk" to the Irish economy if the cap is not abolished. The Belfast Telegraph leads with a former INLA hitman who was jailed for murder three decades ago claiming that there was a 50,000 (57,300) bounty on his head at the time. Eimear Dodd A man who applied for a passport using a fictitious identity was involved in a deliberate, prolonged and particularly unusual fraud involving the delayed registration of a purported birth, a court has heard. Simon O'Donnell (43) of Longview Avenue, Millers Glen, Swords, Co Dublin, pleaded guilty to providing false information in connection with a passport application on August 26th, 2019. Winnie O'Donnell (59) of Tor An Ri Lane, Clondalkin, Dublin 22, pleaded guilty to providing false or misleading information to a registrar of the Civil Registration Service contrary to Section 69 (3) of the Civil Registration Act on a date between May and November 2011. Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard that Simon and Winnie went to register the birth of 'David O'Donnell'. It was claimed that 'David' was born in 1980 and there was a delay of 29 years in the registration of his birth. Winnie purported to be David's aunt and claimed she had witnessed his birth. She is actually Simon's cousin, the court heard. The fictitious birth certificate was later submitted as part of an application for a passport made in 2019. The passport application was stopped when biometric safeguards identified an issue. This was later referred to gardai, who started an investigation. Simon never received the passport, the court heard. The court heard that Simon's home was searched as part of the investigation and bank cards seized. He told gardai that he was responsible for the submission of the passport application. He said he did it to obtain social welfare to pay off people who were threatening him as a result of a feud. During her garda interview, Winnie admitted there was no such person as 'David ODonnell'. While she did not admit to signing the form or going to the civil registry office, she did not dispute that the signature looked like hers. The court heard she said it was a bet to see if they could be successful in submitting the application. Judge Martin Nolan said it was a very strange thing to think about doing it, let alone bet on it. Most people wouldnt think it would be a great joke to register someone who is already 29, swearing a declaration and then hoodwinking the registration office. The garda agreed with Judge Nolan that the only purpose of this application was to establish a new identity. Winnie had no previous convictions at the time of this offence, but now has eight summary convictions, all for offences under the Theft and Fraud Act. Simon has five previous convictions for road traffic, public order and criminal damage offences. Evidence was heard that the passport application was made in 2019, 10 years after the registration of the birth of 'David O'Donnell'. As part of the passport application, details of a driving licence from Northern Ireland was submitted. The investigating garda said it was ascertained that the licence was obtained as part of the process to obtain the passport. The garda agreed with David Fleming, defending Simon, that no social welfare was obtained under the second identity as the passport was never issued or used. It was further accepted that Simon was co-operative with the investigation and has no other convictions for deception offences. The investigating garda agreed with Ronan Prendergast, defending Winnie, that her offence occurred 17 years ago. He also accepted that there were red flags with the birth certificate application made in 2009 and that she did not profit from it. The garda agreed Winnie was co-operative and has not come to recent garda attention. Fleming said he is instructed to apologise and that his client is ashamed of his actions. He acknowledged this was a deliberate, prolonged and particularly unusual fraud, considering the complete lack of criminal pedigree this man has. He noted it is aggravating that the first incident took place in 2009 and it seemed that this was carried out to get to the second incident in 2019. Fleming said his instructions are that this offending was an attempt to obtain social welfare his client was not entitled to, adding that he was caught by the safeguards in place. He asked the court to consider his client's co-operation, guilty plea and that he has no significant history of offending. Fleming said Simon has no history of employment. His client is a father of nine children, some of whom have additional needs, and he is needed at home to provide care for them. A letter of apology, a letter from a local priest and documents relating to his children's health were handed to the court. He asked the court to consider directing The Probation Service to assess his client's suitability for community service. Prendergast asked the court to take into account his client did not benefit or profit from her involvement. He submitted that the unusual circumstances of the application made in 2009 could have been picked up at that time, but were not. He noted that his client had no convictions at the time and is not someone with a significant record of conviction. He asked the court to consider imposing a non-custodial sentence. Remanding the defendants on bail, Judge Nolan adjourned the case on Thursday for finalisation. As part of a pilot project BreakingNews.ie has used AI to suggest headline options for this article. The final headline was chosen and edited by BreakingNews.ie journalists. Find out more As a teenager, Aisling Claffey Healion, from Carrigaline, was crippled by anxiety. Not any more. Aisling, whose journey with the Irish Girl Guides (IGG) began more than two decades ago, was recently named the IGG Chief Commissioner. Guiding has given me so much, she says. Confidence, life-long friendships, leadership skills, and a sense of belonging. Stepping into the role of Chief Commissioner is my way of giving back to the organisation that has shaped my life. What motivates Aisling, a mother of one? Im motivated by the opportunity to help Irish Girl Guides to grow, to be visible in every community, and to make sure every girl has the chance to experience the same sense of empowerment that I did. How did she take the life-affirming step to join the Guides as a shy young girl? I grew up in a housing estate, says Aisling. I remember when I was about 10, the girls living on the estate would go away together every Tuesday. I wanted to go with them. So she did. From the very first Girl Guide meeting, I found my own space, says Aisling. I felt a sense of belonging and believed that I could find my path. She felt just a tiny bit anxious. To be sure, to be sure, I went back to the meeting the following week. She was reassured. I found a supportive, friendly network that was fun and inclusive, says Aisling. During my teen years, I learned life skills, skills for daily life, and skills to take out into the world. She was glad that she came out the hall door one Tuesday when she was 10-years-old. And from out of those same hall doors, 21 years later, I see the girls still disappearing every Tuesday to go to the Girl Guide meeting. There is something for everybody. Its wonderful! says Aisling. From a young Guide to Senior Branch, to Leader, and now Chief Commissioner, Aisling has honed many skills. I chose a wonderful journey, enjoying enduring friendships made through bonding during outdoor activities, hiking, camping, achieving our badges earned by members to recognise skill, knowledge and interests developed across various, often themed, activity areas. What are some of the areas of interest? They range from environmental conservation and coding to cooking and camping, says Aisling. Other interests include politics, money matters, or skin care. These awards, or badges, encourage personal growth and are displayed on uniforms or sashes to celebrate achievements. Having the craic is recognised too. Absolutely! says Aisling. We all have the best time on our excursions, camping trips, and unique experiences. Like what unique experiences? Like cooking three meals a day for 30 kids in the middle of a field with two little gas stoves! And living in a tent and helping clean out the toilet. Thats pretty unique alright. Being such an active ambassador for Irish Girl Guides, what does Aisling hope to achieve for IGG during her time as chief? My goal is to strengthen our foundations while embracing innovation, says Aisling. I want to see membership continue to grow, our programmes to evolve to meet girls changing needs, and our volunteers to feel equipped and confident in their roles. My hope is to lead IGG into a new era of visibility and unity. I want every girl in Ireland to know that Guiding is a space where she can belong, be herself, and build skills and confidence to lead in her own way. Aisling is fuelled with ambition for growth. I want to see IGG continue to grow as a modern and dynamic movement, one that celebrates its history while embracing the future with courage and optimism. Aislings goal is simple. I want every girl who walks through our doors leaving believing she can change the world. Aislings world changed when she joined the Guides. In a previous interview, Aisling explained how being a Guide is something that felt comfortable and safe. We were having a conversation at camp, says Aisling. Someone said, how can you have anxiety when you are so confident? I said, yes, I am confident now because I am comfortable. Being a Guide feels comfortable and safe. She added: We teach everyone, from when they come in aged five, that guiding is a safe place. That is always something that stood to me. I always knew if I was at a meeting where I felt uncomfortable, I could take a step back and I would never be judged for it. Guiding was something I kept on and kept going to. It gave me that place that I could go and feel very comfortable and be the person I knew I was. I could go there and not feel judged. It gave me the chance to face those fears in a safe place. And that helped me overcome my anxiety. The Girl Guides motto is be prepared. Aisling is prepared to give back to the organisation that gave her so much. Settling into my role as Commissioner can be time-consuming, says Aisling. I am very willing to give of my time after 21 years. I am very prepared to give my time back. Organising 400 volunteers into groups of 30 [at camp] and delegating various duties makes for a lot of logistics. Working together, travelling together, well all get on with it. Its 100 per cent enjoyment. Aisling enjoys spreading the word about IGG. I see an organisation that is bold, inclusive and connected, she says. One that continues to honour our traditions while embracing new opportunities. In the coming years, I believe well see more collaboration across regions, deeper engagement with communities and a renewed focus on outdoor adventure and leadership development. Guiding has always adapted to the times. But our purpose remains the same; empowering every girl to be her best self. When she was a shy 10-year-old, Aisling took the step to become her best self. My parents were delighted, she says. My sisters joined IGG as well. They are all part of the gang. I stayed the distance, Aisling adds. And she went the distance. Appointed as Chief Commissioner of IGG, Aisling is her best self. Irish Girl Guides has around 12,000 members ranging from ages five to 30. Girl Guides is an international movement organised under the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts, (WAGGGS) which represents over 10 million members in more than 150 countries. Guiding started in Ireland in 1911 and operates throughout the 26 counties, with leaders providing an informal educational programme of fun and challenging activities that foster confidence and leadership skills in girls and young women, enabling them to become responsible citizens. When Edel Marples began to battle isolation in her own life, she was inspired to start a walking club that would benefit not just herself, but the women of Cork. I have a lot of friends who emigrated to Australia and everywhere else, says the Cork city-based tutor/translator and events organiser. And I also work for myself, so I felt like I didnt have the opportunity to make friends at work. I was looking for a community to be a part of. In seeking such a community out, Edel found that there werent many that fitted her interests. Id seen a lot of run clubs and I felt, oh, theyre having all this fun. But Im not much of a runner myself. It was around this time February of last year that Edel came across a call for community organisers from a wellness brand, which specialises in womens wellness and health. The brand was looking for people to volunteer to host walks in their local area. The timing was just right for Edel. I said, right, Ill set up the Bestie Cork City Walking Club! One of the earliest Bestie Walking Club Cork walks along the Marina. Edels first step was to set up an Instagram page to try and get the word out, and a WhatsApp group to which she added all the women on her contacts list. The Bestie Cork City Walking Club held its first walk in February, 2025, leaving from the Marina Market and continuing along the Marina Promenade. A handful of women came to the first walk, but it didnt take long for numbers to grow. Edel soon found that word was spreading about the new club. Its funny because its actually very few people that I know myself. (The membership grows) mainly just through word of mouth, Instagram, and through people bringing their friends. To begin with, the club focused on city walks the Marina, the Lee Fields, Fitzgeralds Park and the like. Soon, members began indicating to Edel that they would like to branch out from the city. The club has therefore rebranded to the Bestie Walking Club: Cork. Their first county walk was held in January this year, in Crosshaven. Nearly a year after the first small group walk along the Marina, the Crosshaven walk attracted over 30 women. Each Bestie Club walk is between five and six kilometres in length, generally taking about an hour or an hour and a half. Theres no pressure, however, for any attendee to keep to a specific pace. The goal would be to do six kilometres at a six-kilometre (per hour) pace to increase your fitness, says Edel, but honestly, any pace is fine and you can build up to a six-kilometre pace. Livia Cosmai, Bestie Walking Club Cork member The walks have attracted women across Cork from all ages (early twenties to late sixties at present) and backgrounds, and with various reasons for joining. We definitely have a lot of women who have just moved here for college or work for whatever reason. Theyre looking to join a community and make some friends. And then you have people who are looking for something to do on a Sunday afternoon, and people come with their friends. Livia Cosmai is originally from Italy and now lives in Ballincollig. She came across the Bestie Walking Club via Instagram last summer. She has quickly become a regular. I have tried to participate in as many (walks) as I could, she says. I would say I have done around ten walks in different areas of the city so far. Livia was originally attracted to the club as walking is her favourite type of exercise. It is very accessible and you can train at low impact while being out in the fresh air. It also helps clear my thoughts. Since I sit at my desk about eight hours a day due to my job and I work from home, I think walking is essential for my daily routine to keep healthy, both physically and mentally. Initially interested in the club due to her love for walking, Livia enjoys the social side, too, saying that its not only a good way to keep fit but to meet new people at the same time. It is a very fun group of people, she continues, and there is no pressure. Most walks are suitable for every level of fitness and sometimes we go for coffee afterwards. Members of the club are under no obligation to join every walk. However, like Livia, many do become regulars. Edel has been pleased to witness the social side of the club flourish, as she had hoped it would when she led the first walks last year. The biggest and nicest feedback is that people have been making friends. Theyre meeting each other socially, which is really nice. Bestie Walking Club Cork members setting off from the Marina Market The club has given Edel a personal boost too. Its been so nice and its really motivating. You know, it gets me out of the house on mornings where I wouldnt particularly want to! The walks take place on average once a month always on a Sunday with details posted on the Instagram page and the clubs WhatsApp group. Anyone interested in coming along on a walk is encouraged to join the WhatsApp group, which can be accessed via the Instagram page. The next walk will take place this Sunday, February 15 at Tracton Woods. Full details of the meeting point for this, and every, walk are shared via the WhatsApp group. The walks are free of charge, but the club also runs a number of ticketed events throughout the year. The next event will be a Steps and Sweat outing on April 5 in conjunction with the Hoco Sauna in the Black Market in Cork city. Edel looks forward to what 2026 will bring for the Bestie Walking Club, as it continues to grow in popularity. One thing shes certain of is that the female bonds created by the group will keep it going. The walks create a nice space for women in Cork to be vulnerable and to be together, she reflects, adding that its the women walking who make the club so special. Something I always say is that when women come together, something kind of beautiful happens. Mullvad, a virtual private network (VPN) named after the Swedish word for "mole," is often recognized as one of the best VPNs for privacy. I put it on my best VPN list for exactly that reason. I've got huge respect for the extra lengths Mullvad goes to in order to ensure its user's privacy. To give you a preview, Mullvad is one of the few VPNs other than my normal privacy recommendation, Proton VPN that lets users pay entirely in cash. But even Proton VPN asks for an email address to make an account and uses a few marketing cookies on its own website. Mullvad represents every account as a randomly generated 16-digit code and uses no marketing cookies whatsoever. That's just one example of how Mullvad goes beyond the call of duty to keep users private. But while privacy is the most important aspect of a VPN alongside security, it's not the only thing that matters. For this review, I set out to investigate whether Mullvad pairs its rights-protecting bonafides with versatile, convenient and enjoyable VPN apps. Using our rigorous VPN testing procedure, I'll rate Mullvad in 11 areas. You can find a summary of my results in the table below, skip to the sections that matter most to you or just read my final advice in the conclusion. Advertisement Advertisement Editor's note (2/11/26): We've overhauled our VPN coverage to provide more detailed, actionable buying advice. Going forward, we'll continue to update both our best VPN list and individual reviews (like this one) as circumstances change. Most recently, we added official scores to all of our VPN reviews. Check out how we test VPNs to learn more about the new standards we're using. Mullvad 85 100 Expert Score Best VPN for privacy Mullvad VPN A VPN with average speeds and features but a great pricing scheme and no compromises on anonymity. Pros Can sign up without any personal information and pay in cash Saves no data whatsoever on users, even on its own website Excellent apps on all OSes Cons WireGuard is the only protocol Disappointing browser extension No live chat support 5 Euro at Mullvad Findings at a glance Category Notes Installation and UI All apps share roughly the same user interface Apps are responsive and easy to navigate, with no design choices that would threaten beginners Lack of "fastest server" button is an issue Browser extension is only available on Firefox and still in beta Speed Reasonably good average latency Reduces download speeds by 26 percent and upload speeds by 17 percent Speed declines are consistent and chartable All speed metrics are quite good on nearby servers Security Only uses WireGuard protocol No IP address leaks, even when switching servers Packet test showed successful encryption Pricing Always costs 5 Euro per month, though prices outside Europe depend on exchange rates No auto-renewal membership lasts until money runs out Can pay using cash or by purchasing scratch-off vouchers on Amazon 14 day money-back guarantee, except on cash payments Bundles Only app besides the VPN is the free Mullvad Browser, which removes the tracking habits of typical web browsers Allows several smaller VPNs to use its servers in their networks Privacy policy No vague lines or loopholes in privacy policy Only saves account numbers and expiration dates for each user Uses an extremely limited range of cookies with no marketing trackers Has undergone a total of 17 audits of different aspects of its service Swedish police demanded customer information in 2023; Mullvad couldn't comply because the data wasn't logged Virtual location change Unblocked Netflix 13 out of 15 times When it failed, virtual location was still changed Server network 90 locations in 50 countries, majority in North America and Europe No virtual servers whatsoever Features DAITA conceals traffic patterns that might let an AI identify what sites you visit Uses quantum-resistant encryption on WireGuard Can choose your own multihop entry and exit points Several options for getting around nation-level firewalls Can block ads, trackers, malware and other unwanted content using predetermined DNS block lists Supports IPv6 traffic Kill switch and stronger lockdown mode Split tunneling by app Customer support Help center includes useful filters to find the topic Well-written articles with good internal linking No live chat support, but staff answers emails quickly Can view app logs at any time Background check Founded in 2009 in Sweden; still owned and operated by initial founders User account numbers were exposed in a 2023 incident, but Mullvad quickly closed the leak Installing, configuring and using Mullvad Let's start by examining how Mullvad feels as a piece of software. In this section, I'll be testing its desktop apps for Windows and Mac, its mobile apps for Android and iOS and its browser extension for Firefox. To start with the installation process, Mullvad downloads and installs in a snap on mobile. On desktop, installation requires a few more steps than is typical, but the app guides you quickly through everything. Across the board, my only serious complaint is that there's no option for automatically choosing the fastest server. You can usually assume that the nearest one to you will be the fastest, but there's always the chance of an unusual server overload. It's a bizarre oversight for an app that otherwise goes out of its way to be usable. Windows Mullvad's Windows app has a slim UI that uses space efficiently without being too cramped. It doesn't give you a lot of information, such as live speed tests or data in transit, but I've mostly found that to be needless filler on VPN apps. Mullvad on Windows. (Sam Chapman for Engadget) Speaking of needless filler, the map may be a little bigger than it needs to be, but maps on VPN clients aren't just about teaching you geography they do a lot to make the apps more welcoming to casual users who might not otherwise fire up security software. In fact, Mullvad's UI is admirably beginner-friendly, befitting its focus on privacy for everybody rather than just the tech-savvy. Advertisement Advertisement All the settings are accessed by clicking the gear in the top-right. Here, you can turn on DAITA (Mullvad's defense against AI traffic scanning), activate multihop and control Mullvad's other features. There are also some quality-of-life features for the UI itself, such as whether it remains pinned to the taskbar or operates as a standalone window. Some options, especially under the VPN settings tab, are a bit technical, but don't need to be touched for a good experience. Mac Mullvad's macOS app is quite similar to its Windows app, both in terms of the interface and the features offered. The big difference used to be that macOS lacked split tunneling, but that's been added in a recent update. The only serious distinction now is that the Mac client can't be unpinned from the taskbar, which is just a little bothersome. Mullvad on Mac. (Sam Chapman for Engadget) Other than that, you'll find every setting you need under the gear, just like on Windows. Similarly, connections to VPN servers happen quickly, and selecting locations from the menu is very straightforward. While connected on either app, you can click the circular arrow by your location to swap to another server in the same location highly convenient if you're trying to unblock Netflix. Android Mullvad's Android app has the same nearly-perfect design approach as all its other apps. The main page has nothing on it but the connect/disconnect button, the choice of server locations, a map and the buttons for your account information and preferences. Those preferences are a manageable set of options that are almost all managed with simple on-off switches. It's all highly responsive and annoyance-free. Mullvad on Android. (Sam Chapman for Engadget) iOS Mullvad's iOS app looks very similar to its apps on every other platform. The front page is kept simple, with large controls in the foreground and a map taking up most of the space. Everything else is located in the menu accessed through the gear icon at top right. Neither mobile app has the options for toggling the UI itself that the desktop apps have, but it's mostly free of quality-of-life problems to start with. Mullvad on iPhone. (Sam Chapman for Engadget) Advertisement Advertisement Browser extensions Mullvad's browser extension is only compatible with Firefox. You can't actually connect to the VPN through this extension. Its main functions are to tell you whether you're connected to a Mullvad server and to connect to a SOCKS5 proxy in a Mullvad location. If you do this while connected to Mullvad through the desktop app, you'll get a second layer of protection, similar to the multi-hop feature. The Firefox extension is a rare misfire for Mullvad perhaps fair, since it's still in beta. Its only real feature is something that the desktop app already does perfectly well, and it looks like a software malfunction to boot. However, given Mullvad's track record, I'm confident they'll figure out what to do with it in time. Mullvad speed test A VPN almost always slows browsing speeds and increases latencies. It's unavoidable, given the extra steps a VPN protocol adds to the process of getting online. The trick is to find VPNs that keep the slowdown to a minimum, using a combination of regular maintenance, good planning and smart load balancing. For this test, I used speedtest.net to check how six of Mullvad's server locations influenced three key speed metrics. Ping measures latency, the time in milliseconds (ms) that one data packet needs to travel between a client device and an ISP. Download speed measures the amount of data in Megabits that a web browser can download in one second. Upload speed tracks how much data can be uploaded in a second. We're looking for low latencies and high download and upload speeds. Server location Ping (ms) Increase factor Download speed (Mbps) Percentage drop Upload speed (Mbps) Percentage drop Portland, USA (unprotected) 15 58.96 5.85 Seattle, USA (fastest location) 23 1.5x 55.07 6.6 5.51 5.8 Montreal, Canada 165 11.0x 44.28 24.9 4.62 21.0 Fortaleza, Brazil 307 20.5x 40.96 30.5 4.65 20.5 Prague, Czechia 368 24.5x 43.17 26.8 5.47 6.5 Lagos, Nigeria 528 35.2x 37.41 36.6 4.61 21.2 Bangkok, Thailand 473 31.5x 39.76 32.6 4.13 29.4 Average 311 20.7x 43.44 26.3 4.83 17.4 I'll start with the bad news: the tests didn't exactly make Mullvad look like a speed demon. Its speeds have gone up and down in the years I've been using it, and right now they appear to be on the downswing. If you use locations all around Mullvad's server network, you can expect your download speeds to decrease by about 26 percent and your upload speeds to decline by 17 percent. Advertisement Advertisement However, it's important to put those numbers in perspective. First, Mullvad's numbers aren't markedly worse than the ones I got when testing CyberGhost. Its speeds are average, but by definition, most things are average. Its average worldwide latency is actually better than Surfshark, the current champion of download and upload speeds. Speed-testing a Mullvad server in Los Angeles. (Sam Chapman for Engadget) It's also nice that Mullvad's speed drops follow a predictable curve. Lots of VPNs have unexpectedly sharp declines in certain locations, frequently in Africa. By contrast, Mullvad's speed decreases pretty much as a direct function of how far from the server you are. This not only makes speed drops easier to plan around, but also means you can expect very good speeds on nearby servers. This property of being fastest on servers near the user is another sign of Mullvad's focus on its core privacy mission. If anonymity is your main reason for using a VPN, it doesn't matter what your IP address is, so long as it's not your real one. Using a nearby Mullvad server should guarantee you an internet connection that's both fast and private. Mullvad security test To be secure, a VPN has to check two critical boxes. It must provide you with a secondary IP address without leaking your real one, and it must encrypt your communications with its servers so your activity can't be traced. In the sections below, I'll see whether Mullvad meets those requirements. VPN protocols VPNs use protocols to mediate between end devices, ISPs and their own servers. The first step is to ensure that the service you're considering uses protocols that have expert confidence. Mullvad has kindly made this step easy for me by using only WireGuard on all its apps, with no OpenVPN, IKEv2 or in-house unique protocols. Advertisement Advertisement There's no question that WireGuard is a solid protocol. It uses the ChaCha20 stream cipher for symmetric encryption and Poly1305 for authentication, both uncrackable with current technology. Mullvad has even added its own fix for WireGuard's one flaw, its need to save static IP addresses the Mullvad implementation is set up to delete the IP address if it goes 10 minutes without being used. Even so, it's unfortunate to lose the ability to change protocols, which is one of the most common steps for troubleshooting a VPN connection. I understand Mullvad's reasoning for cutting out OpenVPN (it claims the cryptography isn't strong enough) but don't agree. It's one of this provider's few unforced errors. Leak test There's a straightforward test to determine if your VPN is leaking. Load up any website that shows your IP address I personally use ipleak.net and see what IP and location it reveals without your VPN active. Then activate the VPN and refresh the page. If you see your real IP address anywhere, your VPN is leaking. Testing Mullvad for IP leaks. (Sam Chapman for Engadget) I ran that test on five Mullvad servers. Each time, the website showed me the IP address of the VPN server, concealing my real one. To keep things simple, I ran the initial tests with IPv6 blocked via the Mullvad client. When I turned it on and tried again, the IPv6 traffic didn't leak any more than the IPv4 did. I also saw no signs of WebRTC leaks. Unless you set up a custom DNS server, Mullvad also uses its own DNS, which remains entirely within the VPN tunnel. Advertisement Advertisement I had one more leak test to try. Frequently, VPNs are leak-proof when maintaining a connection to one server but drop encryption when switching between servers. That problem is why I ultimately couldn't recommend Norton VPN. Luckily for me, Mullvad has a button that lets you shuffle to another server in the same location, so I used that to see if it stayed leak-proof. Mullvad doesn't leak your IP even while changing servers. (Sam Chapman for Engadget) As you can see in the screenshot, Mullvad jumped seamlessly from one server to another without showing my real location in-between. On a practical level, that's enough for me to declare Mullvad leak-proof. Encryption test For one final experiment, I used the WireShark packet sniffer to see whether the data Mullvad sent from my computer to my ISP was encrypted. After capturing a few packets, I was gratified to see that they were totally unreadable to interlopers. Most established VPNs pass this test, but it's still important for due diligence. How much does Mullvad cost? Mullvad's pricing structure is one of the most unusual things about it. This is normally the section where I untangle 47 different Pro+ and Business- accounts that are all sold at three different durations. Mullvad couldn't be further from that. It costs 5 Euro a month thats it. Each 5-Euro subscription can be used on five devices at once. Advertisement Advertisement It manages payments through a system inspired by parking meters. When you sign up for Mullvad, you'll buy as much time as you want. That time will count down until it expires, unless you top it up with more 5-Euro payments. If you run out of money, Mullvad won't charge you a new subscription fee because you didn't tell it not to. It'll just stop working until you pay again. Every payment also comes with a 14-day money-back guarantee, except for payments made in cash. The Mullvad account dashboard. (Sam Chapman for Engadget) Advertisement Advertisement The only real complexity in the process is that Mullvad always figures out its prices in Euro, so outside the EU, the cost per month is affected by exchange rates. If you happen to live in a country where the government's economic policy shuttles between capricious and arbitrary, you might want to grab a few months in advance. The other most interesting thing about Mullvad's pricing is the options you can use to pay. For maximum privacy, you can pay with cash using the payment token you'll find on your account page. Note that this is not the same as your account number. To find it, log into your dashboard on Mullvad.net, click Add time to your account in the left-hand bar, then click the button labeled Cash and scroll down. Make your cash payment by writing the token on an envelope and mailing it to Sweden (full instructions here). Unredacted, in case any hackers out there want to buy me some more time. (Sam Chapman for Engadget) You can also get untraceable Mullvad vouchers by paying cash at participating retail locations. Most of them are in Europe, but you can order them from Amazon. While your payment to Amazon won't be private, the voucher can't be linked directly to your VPN account, since the actual number is hidden behind a scratch-off panel. It's actually pretty ingenious. Of course, you can also pay using any of the normal methods, including credit cards, cryptocurrency and bank wires (though not PayPal). But the more private methods are always there for people who need them. Mullvad side apps and bundles Mullvad is that rare VPN that's still content to be a VPN and not an all-inclusive security suite. No shade to NordVPN or Surfshark, whose extra features are generally quite good, but it's nice to see at least one of the top providers staying focused. Advertisement Advertisement Although Mullvad doesn't have any partners that sell their products alongside its VPN, it does have several partnerships with other VPNs who use its network as the basis for their own products. MalwareBytes Privacy VPN, Mozilla VPN, Tailscale and Obscura can all be considered Mullvad side apps if you squint. Mullvad Browser Mullvad's only product other than the VPN is Mullvad Browser, which is free to download and works on Windows, macOS and Linux. Mullvad Browser works in the background, blocking common methods of browser fingerprinting that can be used to deduce your identity even when you have a VPN running. For example, it automatically reports your time zone as UTC, disguises personal preferences like font and window size, scrambles information sent by APIs and conceals your browser version and computer operating system. It's also in private mode by default, which doesn't hide what your ISP sees but is useful for concealing your activity from other people that might use your computer. Close-reading Mullvad's privacy policy Since privacy is Mullvad's main selling point, this section is even more important than usual. Loopholes in the privacy policy of the privacy VPN would be deeply ironic. Fortunately, Mullvad's privacy policy backs up its high-flying rhetoric. It's a short, pointed and readable document with no problems I could discern. Mullvad has no parent company or subsidiary it might use as a loophole, and no clauses in its policy are left open to interpretation. It's a masterpiece of the privacy-policy genre. The document is actually three policies: a privacy policy, a no-logging policy and a cookie policy. The privacy policy lists all the times Mullvad might collect data about a user. That's exactly two situations using financial information to process payments (which will be entirely anonymous if you use cash or a voucher) and using your email address to track support tickets you open. That's it. The no-logging policy is a bit longer, but mostly because it's explaining exactly how Mullvad manages to run a VPN service with so little information on individual users. For each account, it stores a number and an expiration date, plus public keys and tunnel addresses if you're using WireGuard (deleted at most 10 minutes after your session ends). Everything else is completely anonymized. Mullvad even claims that its 500,000 or so user accounts could have been created by the same user 500,000 times, which I suppose is one way to spend 2.5 million Euro. The cookie policy is the shortest because Mullvad uses exactly five cookies. One saves your login status in your browser, one saves your language preferences, one protects its site from being used in a specific kind of forgery hack and the other two are for handling Stripe payments. Independent privacy audits Mullvad corroborates its privacy policy with regular audits of various aspects of its service. Currently, there are 17 audits listed on its website, including four infrastructure audits by Cure53. All of its apps have been separately audited and found to be solid. It has been a couple of years since the last full infrastructure audit in 2024, but given how many other targeted reviews Mullvad has gone through since then, it's hard to be too upset about the pause. In 2023, Mullvad achieved the holy grail of VPN privacy: being ordered by subpoena to turn over customer information and not being able to comply because that information didn't exist. Nothing compares to a VPN's privacy being tested in the wild like this. Can Mullvad change your virtual location? Sometimes, a VPN appears to be working, but still reveals your real location to websites. Netflix is a useful proxy for this. To unblock a streaming site like Netflix, a VPN needs to change your virtual location while not appearing to do so if Netflix sees any hint of VPN traffic, you'll get blocked with the hated proxy error. I used five different locations to check whether Mullvad is up to the streaming task. Server location Unblocked Netflix? Changed content? Vancouver, Canada 3/3 3/3 Gothenberg, Sweden 2/3 2/3 Istanbul, Turkey 3/3 3/3 Johannesburg, South Africa 3/3 3/3 Singapore, Singapore 2/3 2/3 Mullvad did well for streaming, but it didn't manage a perfect score like its fellow anti-establishment VPN Windscribe did. Two of the 15 servers I tested failed to unblock Netflix, one in Singapore and one in Mullvad's hometown of Gothenburg. I also had trouble logging into Netflix while connected to a Vancouver server, though that server did unblock the site consistently once I got inside. Mullvad's servers all tricked Netflix into believing my new location. (Sam Chapman for Engadget) In Mullvad's defense, no location failed more than once. It's completely possible to get good streaming performance out of this VPN; you just have to be willing to click the server refresh button a few times. Privacy is still the main use case for Mullvad, but it's fine for streaming too. Investigating Mullvad's server network Mullvad has 90 server locations in 50 countries and territories. Unusually for a VPN, users can choose between all 590 of its total servers, including several in each location. There's even a list on its website that shows you the status of every server. Mullvad does not use virtual server locations, so every server is physically located in the place where it claims to be. Here's how they're distributed. Region Countries with servers Total server locations North America 3 25 South America 5 6 Europe 29 41 Africa 2 2 Middle East 2 2 Asia 7 8 Oceania 2 6 Total 50 90 Over half the countries with servers are in Europe and over two-thirds of the cities with servers are in either Europe or North America. That lopsided network is a limitation of Mullvad's refusal to use virtual server locations, since its real servers have to be concentrated in nations developed enough to host data centers. With an all-real network, it's easier to tell which servers will give you the fastest performance, but you can't simulate as much of the world as you can with larger services like ExpressVPN. The good news is that there's at least two real server locations on every continent. Mullvad has a surprisingly robust presence in South America and two bare-metal servers in Africa, which is more than some other VPNs have. In the end, though, the best application of Mullvad is to protect the online privacy of users in North America, Europe and eastern Asia. Extra features of Mullvad Most of Mullvad's features are augmentations to the VPN itself, rather than side options that do other things. Some of them are bread-and-butter, like the kill switch and split tunneling, but a few you won't find anywhere else. Note beforehand that Mullvad does not support port forwarding, so if you depend on that for your torrenting, try another VPN. DAITA AI defenses Mullvad's most novel feature is a recent one. DAITA, which stands for Defense against AI-guided Traffic Analysis, can be toggled on and off in the Mullvad app. According to Mullvad, certain patterns in how browsers communicate with websites can be analyzed by AI to reveal the truth behind encrypted internet history. DAITA hides those packets by filling communications with background noise so the AI won't know what's real. Mullvad's anti-AI settings. (Sam Chapman for Engadget) DAITA is a laudably forward-looking feature, but as Mullvad itself admits, it will make your browsing speeds slower and drain your battery. I recommend only using it for activities you really want to hide. Quantum resistance Mullvad's desktop apps establish quantum-proof WireGuard tunnels by default. Quantum computing isn't yet a threat to WireGuard, but it may become dangerous in the future, so Mullvad is getting ahead of the problem (along with a few other services like NordVPN). When quantum resistance is active, Mullvad encapsulates its keys using the current standard mechanism, ML-KEM. Anti-censorship If you find yourself in a country where government censorship makes it hard to access the internet, Mullvad has options that might help. These anti-censorship features can be used to get around firewalls that block visible VPN traffic. You have several options, including changing your WireGuard port, randomizing your port number, disguising your VPN traffic as an ordinary HTTPS connection or using an obfuscated Shadowsocks proxy. Mullvad's anti-censorship involves more features than most VPNs have in this area. This makes it a bit less user-friendly, but a lot more likely to work. If you're new to getting around censorship, Mullvad's help center has a helpful page about using its anti-censor settings. Multihop Many VPNs offer a double-hop connection that routes your traffic through two servers instead of one, adding a redundant layer of encryption in case one server malfunctions. Mullvad pulls ahead of the competition (except Surfshark, which also does this) by allowing you to choose your entry and exit servers. When you activate the multihop option and open the server list, you'll be prompted to pick two locations instead of one. Mullvad's server list with multihop enabled. (Sam Chapman for Engadget) This means you can select an entry server that's close to you and an exit server in any country whose location you want to spoof, letting you fine-tune your own performance. It's way nicer than being railroaded into certain paths. DNS content blockers Mullvad includes six blocklists that can keep you or your family members from looking at unwanted content: ads, trackers, malware, gambling, adult content and social media. These lists can't be customized like Windscribe's R.O.B.E.R.T. blocks can, so you're limited to just turning them on and off. IPv6 support The internet is gradually transitioning from the old IPv4 standard over to IPv6, which will allow many more addresses to be shared out. Mullvad is one of a few VPNs looking ahead to the IPv6 era. You can leave it to block all IPv6 traffic, but if you do need IPv6 for any reason, you can enable it while still being connected to a Mullvad server. Kill switch and lockdown mode Mullvad comes with two features that protect against unexpectedly losing your VPN defenses. The first is a kill switch, a common VPN option that cuts off internet access if the VPN tunnel ever fails. This simple measure helps guard against accidental leaks. Lockdown mode is the stronger option. While it's active, you will be unable to get on the internet unless you connect to a Mullvad server first. This will remain true if you turn the connection off yourself and even if you quit the app. Split tunneling Split tunneling is available on Mullvad's apps for every system except iOS. It lets you send some apps outside the VPN tunnel so they get online with your normal IP address. It's helpful if you have some apps that don't work with the VPN active this is common with online banking, as an example. Another common application is to protect a torrenting client in the background while using your browser unprotected for better speeds. Mullvad customer support options Mullvad makes two forms of support available in the app. You can report a problem by going to Settings -> Support -> Report a problem, typing your question (requested to be in either English or Swedish, though they'd probably be able to read a question run through Google Translate) and optionally providing your email. You can also view the app's logs at any time, which can be useful to help a technician diagnose your problem. If you'd rather search for a solution at your own pace, you can go to that same page and click FAQs and Guides instead. This opens the help center in a browser. Mullvad's help center, including the dropdown filter menus. (Sam Chapman for Engadget) I love Mullvad's approach to laying out its FAQs. Instead of crowding topics into five or six categories and making you guess whether your problem falls under setup, usage or troubleshooting, Mullvad gives you a set of dropdown filters to narrow down the articles which might relate to your problem. By the time you've named which device, OS and protocol you're dealing with, you wont have many articles left to sift through. There is an annoying tendency for certain sets of filters to reduce the number of surfaced links to zero, but for those cases, there's a search bar that also works well. The articles themselves are good enough that I referred to them several times while writing this review. Some of them are a bit overlong, but they're diligent about including both internal and external links to get you where you're going fast. Live support experience This is normally where I cover how it feels to get live chat support from the VPN I'm reviewing. However, Mullvad doesn't have live chat support. That's unfortunate, although it's still better than Windscribe's approach of forcing you to banter with a sarcastic robot. Instead, I sent a question via email to Mullvad's support team, and got a response within 24 hours. Mullvad background check Mullvad was founded in 2009 in Sweden. It's still owned and operated by its original founders. According to a detailed timeline on its website, its 16-year history has been as uneventful as any user could ask for, with not much changing except updates to stay on the technological leading edge. The only controversy mentioned in Mullvad's own materials is the 2023 police raid of its headquarters, which (as I covered in the privacy section) only makes them look better. So as not to take Mullvad at its word, I scoured the last 16 years of news items and user reports to search for any other blemishes on its record. Based on that research, I found no reason to doubt Mullvad's honesty about its location, owners or team. I found just one leak that wasn't noted on Mullvad's own site. In 2023, a security research group called ZATAZ alleged that it found anonymized information on Mullvad users saved on an Internet Archive page, including account numbers (linked article is in French). According to ZATAZ, Mullvad contacted the Archive and got the page deleted. To my mind, the only mistake Mullvad made in response to the ZATAZ allegations was not making a public statement about the incident. I can see why they didn't think it was a big deal, since even logging into someone else's Mullvad account wouldn't show you their browsing history, but it's always better to communicate about these things. Final verdict Mullvad is a VPN that knows what it wants to be and achieves that goal with flying colors. It's not trying to be an everything app it does privacy and does it well. That's not to say it has nothing going on outside the VPN itself, as its DNS blockers, AI defenses and split tunneling all work smoothly. But if you want a VPN that's not ashamed to be a VPN, Mullvad is the right choice. Of course, it has its own compromises. It's solidly in the middle of the speed pack and occasionally trips up when unblocking streaming sites. The lack of any protocols other than WireGuard grates on me a bit, since it reduces the user's options for troubleshooting. With all that said, those are minor hiccups on a VPN that does such a thorough job keeping you anonymous online. Best VPN for 2025 | ExpressVPN review | NordVPN review | Norton VPN review | Proton VPN review | Surfshark review | Private Internet Access (PIA) review | How we test VPNs | How to add VPN to your TV | How to use a VPN on Chromecast or Google TV | How to use a VPN on Roku | How to use a VPN on Apple TV | How to use a VPN on Fire TV | See Engadget's full VPN coverage Samsungs 2025 was filled with new foldables, an ultra-thin new form factor and the launch of Google's XR platform. After making some announcements at CES 2026, the company has announced its first Galaxy Unpacked of the year will take place on February 25, where it is expected to introduce the Galaxy S26 lineup. Official invites have been shared, but actual information on what devices are arriving then is still not completely confirmed. But as usual, we know a lot about whats expected at Unpacked. Engadget will be covering Galaxy Unpacked live from San Francisco tomorrow, and we'll most likely have hands-on coverage of Samsung's new smartphones soon after they're announced. While we wait for the full details, here's everything we expect Samsung will introduce at the first Galaxy Unpacked event of 2026. When is Unpacked 2026 taking place? According to the official invite that Samsung shared on February 10, Unpacked will happen on February 25, 2026 in San Francisco. The keynote will start at 10AM PT (1PM ET) and be livestreamed on Samsung.com, as well as the companys newsroom and YouTube channel. The announcement on February 10 also said this launch will mark a new phase in the era of AI as intelligence becomes truly personal and adaptive. Its not a lot to go on, since weve heard a version of this from various companies over the last few years, but at least we wont be shocked when we hear more about AI in just about two weeks. Galaxy S26, S26+ and S26 Ultra Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra hands-on photo (Photo by Sam Rutherford/Engadget) Samsung's restrained approach to updating its phones will likely continue with the Galaxy S26. Based on leaked images of the new lineup, the company is not expected to radically reinvent the look of the Galaxy S26, Galaxy S26+ or Galaxy S26 Ultra, and instead will stick with a similar design to what it used on the Galaxy S25. The phones will have a flat front screen and frame, with rounded corners and cameras housed in a vertical pill-shaped plateau on the back. Unlike Apple's move from the iPhone 16 Pro to the iPhone 17 Pro, the biggest difference here will likely be internal components like the screens, chips and camera sensors Samsung uses. Advertisement Advertisement Qualcomm's new Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chip is expected to be in all Samsung Galaxy S26 phones, though Korean news site Yonhap News reports Samsung's relatively new Exynos 2600 chip could be used in some phones in the lineup depending on the region, a strategy Samsung has deployed in the past. Either way the new phones should be more performant than the previous generation, and in the case of the models with the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, particularly good at on-device AI processing. One notable difference between the Galaxy S26 and the Galaxy S25 could be the phone's screen. The new phone will reportedly feature a 6.3-inch FHD+ display according to specs shared by leaker Ice Universe, which makes it ever so slightly larger than the 6.2-inch display used on the Galaxy S25. The S26 will also allegedly come with 12GB of RAM, either 256GB or 512GB of storage and a slightly larger 4,300mAh battery. Samsung isn't changing the cameras on the entry-level phone, though: leaks suggest it'll feature the same 50-megapixel main camera, 12-megapixel ultrawide, 10-megapixel 3x telephoto and 12-megapixel selfie camera as the previous generation. Changes appear to be even more minor on the Galaxy S26+. Other than the new Snapdragon chip, the phone will reportedly feature the same 6.7-inch FHD+ screen, 4,900mAh battery, 12GB of RAM and the same camera array used on the base Galaxy S26. The difference between the Galaxy S26 Ultra and Galaxy S25 Ultra is reportedly a bit clearer. According to Android Headlines, the new phone's cameras will be slightly more raised, and stand out thanks to a new metallic finish. Samsung may also switch back to using an aluminum frame on the Galaxy S26 Ultra, after using titanium frames on both the Galaxy S24 and S25 Ultras. Most importantly, to make the phone actually support Qi2 rather than only technically work with the standard when a case is attached, rumors suggest Samsung will remove the S Pen digitizer layer in the phone and adopt a new method for accepting stylus input. It's not clear what that new method will actually be, but it could let the Galaxy S26 Ultra more easily work with Qi2 accessories without losing its stylus. Android Headlines also recently shared what appear to be full image renders of the S26 series, and they generally line up with what has already been rumored, leaked and reported so far. If these pictures are accurate, they give us a clearer look at the camera bump and two color variants of the S26 Ultra. Advertisement Advertisement Fans of magnets may continue to be disappointed by Samsung if the latest rumors are accurate. Despite the launch of the Qi 2 wireless charging standard adding support for convenient magnetic alignment years ago, Samsung has yet to bring that feature to its phones. Though the S-series have the higher speed charging rates that the spec enables, Nieuwemobiel.nl is reporting that, due to images it received of cases with magnetic rings, the S26 series likely wont have built-in magnets. Samsung has made these cases to add the magnetic capability to its S-series in the past, and the existence of the images of these accessories lends weight to the idea that the company will continue this approach. Galaxy Buds 4 Galaxy Buds 3 Pro in case. (Engadget) Advertisement Advertisement Samsung released the Galaxy Buds 3 and 3 Pro in 2024, with a major redesign that brought them much more in line with Apple's AirPods. The Galaxy Buds 4 and Buds 4 Pro Samsung is rumored to be announcing soon won't necessarily change that, though they will feature a more compact case and less angular stems, according to leaked images from the Samsung Tips app. Support for head gestures to accept and decline calls, a feature Apple includes on the AirPods Pro 3 and AirPods 4, is also rumored to work on both versions of the new Galaxy Buds. SamMobile reports the Galaxy Buds 4 and 4 Pro may also ship with a new Ultra Wideband chip that will make them easier to find with Google's Find Hub network. Galaxy Z Trifold Yes, the TriFold has a crease, two in fact. But they still don't ruin the experience. (Sam Rutherford for Engadget) Samsung announced the Galaxy Z TriFold in late 2025 without firm details of when the new smartphone-that-folds-into-a-tablet would be available in North America. That info came on January 27, when the company announced the TriFold would be available in the US on January 30, for a whopping $2,900. Considering weve already seen the device in person at CES 2026 and people are most likely to have had a chance to look at, if not buy the foldable for themselves by the time Unpacked rolls around, we dont expect Samsung to spend too much time dwelling on it, if at all. Galaxy S26 Edge At just 5.8mm thick, the Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge is one of the thinnest smartphones ever made. (Sam Rutherford for Engadget) When the Galaxy S25 Edge was announced in 2025, it seemed possible that Samsung could replace its "Plus" smartphone with a unique form factor, just like Apple has opted to do with the iPhone Air. There have been conflicting reports on the matter, but it seems like Samsung will not be doing that with the Galaxy S26 Edge. Advertisement Advertisement Instead, the smartphone will reportedly remain another option, much like foldables are for customers not swayed by Samsung's traditional smartphones. The Galaxy S26 Edge is rumored to feature a slightly different design than last year's model, according to Android Headlines, with a large rectangular camera plateau that's reminiscent of Google's Pixel phones, and the raised oval Apple used on the iPhone Air. Beyond that, the phone is also expected to be ever so slightly thinner at 5.5mm than the 5.8mm Galaxy S25 Edge. Bixby and other AI features Samsung already acts as a first place Google can show off new AI features for Android, but the company is reportedly exploring other AI partnerships, too. In June 2025, Bloomberg reported that Samsung was nearing a deal with Perplexity to integrate its AI-powered search engine across OneUI and its homegrown mobile browser. Perplexity already has a deal with Motorola on its Razr phones, so the only thing that would make a deal with Samsung unusual is the close relationship the company already has with Google. The company also accidentally announced a new version of its Bixby AI assistant, which will likely also be integrated with Perplexity and could serve as an alternative to Google Gemini. Both a new Bixby and a deeper integration with Perplexity seem like natural new software features to show off at Galaxy Unpacked. On February 17, Samsung teased some mobile AI photography features ahead of Unpacked. These expand the S-series existing image-editing tools by bringing the ability to turn a photo from day to night in seconds, restore missing parts of objects in images, capture detailed photos in low light, and seamlessly merge multiple photos into a single, cohesive result. A lot of these things are already possible in other photo-editing apps or even in the Google Photos app, but well have to wait to see them in action on the S26 phones for more details on whether theyre different or more effective. Advertisement Advertisement The company continued to drip feed more teasers in the week leading up to Unpacked 2026, announcing just a few days later that its updated its Bixby assistant to be more conversational. Then, over the weekend, it shared that the S26 series will offer third-party AI agents within Galaxy AI, including Perplexitys offering. It will allow for the devices to respond to the wake phrase Hey Plex, which is sure to be popular and not at all confusing to those who already use a similarly named media server and streaming app. Until we find out more at Unpacked 2026, its tricky to determine if and how effective these updates will be, so well just have to be patient until we get the phones in our hands. Update, January 27 2026, 11:55AM ET: This story has been updated to reflect the latest news around the Galaxy Z TriFolds price and availability in the US. Update, January 30 2026, 12:45PM ET: This story has been updated to include the latest leaks on the possible dates for Unpacked 2026. Advertisement Advertisement Update, February 02 2026, 11:30AM ET: This story has been updated to include the latest leaks with full image renders of the S26 trio of devices. Update, February 03 2026, 11:00AM ET: This story has been updated to include the latest leaks about the possible lack of magnetic support on the S26 series. Update, February 10 2026, 7:15PM ET: This story has been updated to include the official date of Galaxy Unpacked as Samsung announced it today. The intro was also edited to reflect that detail. Update, February 17 2026, 4:55PM ET: This story has been updated to add Samsungs teaser about its upcoming mobile AI photography tools. The intro was also edited for timeliness. Advertisement Advertisement Update, February 24 2026, 10:45AM ET: This story has been updated to add Samsungs recent updates about Bixby and Galaxy AIs integration with Perplexity. The intro was also edited for timeliness. Samsung has unveiled its latest flagship phone series the Galaxy S26 Ultra, the Galaxy S26+ and Galaxy S26 along with new Galaxy Buds 4 and 4 Pro earbuds today at its Galaxy Unpacked event in San Francisco. Read everything announced at Samsung Unpacked to catch up on all the key Galaxy news, and scroll through our real-time commentary on the Samsung Unpacked 2026 liveblog to see how the event unfolded in real-time (or watch a replay of the video). After kicking off CES 2026 with its "First Look" event, Samsung is ready to announce the first of what should be several new Galaxy smartphones this year. The company is officially hosting a Galaxy Unpacked event on February 25 at 1PM ET, where it'll introduce the Galaxy S26 series and updates to Galaxy AI. Leaks that have trickled out ahead of the event suggest that the Galaxy S26, S26+ and S26 Ultra will feature a new Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chip, and could come with more RAM and storage. Only the Galaxy S26 Ultra is expected to include major hardware changes, though, with an updated camera system, and possibly proper support for Qi2 charging. Alongside new smartphones, Samsung is also expected to introduce the Galaxy Buds 4 and 4 Pro, which will reportedly feature a new design, support for head gestures and an Ultra Wideband chip so they're easier to find using Google Find Hub. As in previous years, Samsung has an optional deal for anyone who wants to lock in a discount before the company's new smartphones and accessories are announced. If you reserve Samsung's new devices now, you can receive a $30 credit and be entered to win a $5,000 Samsung.com gift card. When you do pre-order, the company also claims that it'll offer up to an additional $900 in savings if you trade-in a device or $150 off even without a trade-in if you pre-order through Samsung.com. Advertisement Advertisement Engadget will have coverage of everything Samsung announces at Galaxy Unpacked right here, but if you want to watch along, you can catch the company's livestream of the event on Samsung's YouTube channel, the Samsung Newsroom page or at Samsung.com. With his newfound focus on the Moon, Elon musk is making some wild new plans. In an xAI meeting with employees, Musk said the company needed to build an AI satellite factory on the moon with a gigantic catapult to launch them into space, according to audio heard by The New York Times. All of that would be part of the billionaire's plans to create a massive orbiting AI "data center" that uses satellites powered by the sun and kept cool by the vacuum of space (a bad plan, some experts say). Any satellites launched from the Moon would presumably orbit the Moon as well, though Musk didn't provide any additional details. "You have to go to the moon" in order to build the required AI capabilities, Musk told employees. "Its difficult to imagine what an intelligence of that scale would think about, but its going to be incredibly exciting to see it happen." Advertisement Advertisement Such a catapult would certainly need to be powerful though the Moon has only one-sixth the gravity of Earth, the minimum escape velocity required for orbit is still around 3,800 MPH or five times the speed of sound. That's currently possible with electromagnetic railguns that launch projectiles at speeds up to Mach 8.8, though any satellite launched by such a device would need to withstand acceleration forces around 10,000 g or more. It's fun to think about it, but there are a few tiny steps required first. That starts with orbiting the Moon and eventually landing on the surface. Then you'd need to build a colony, followed by a factory, all of which would require a large number of manned and unmanned expeditions. As a reminder, we haven't been to the moon for over 50 years and none of the colony or factory stuff has ever been done. Early last year Musk said in a post on X that SpaceX would be going "straight to Mars" and that "the Moon is a distraction." However, the CEO apparently shifted his near-term priorities to building a "self-growing city on the Moon" because it's a more achievable target. In a post on X, Musk said the company could complete this in less than 10 years, while doing the same on Mars would take over 20 years. Any estimates from Musk himself certainly need to be treated skeptically, though. Elon once said in 2017 that SpaceX would send cargo missions to Mars by 2022 aboard a rocket that's still being tested in 2026. "Chicken Shop Date" host Amelia Dimoldenberg is set to star in and produce a new romantic comedy film for Amazon MGM Studios' Orion Pictures, marking her debut as a feature film lead and developer. Dimoldenberg will play a strict, by-the-book journalist whose carefully planned life is thrown off course when a routine celebrity interview unexpectedly turns into a romance that challenges her views on love. The untitled project is described as a rom-com centered on a celebrity interviewer, echoing elements of her real-life persona from her YouTube series. No title, release date, or additional casting details have been announced yet, according to Variety. The film is being developed with Gloria Sanchez Productions, the company behind several acclaimed modern comedies. Writer Sarah Heyward, known for her work on television, has been tapped to pen the screenplay. Dimoldenberg will also serve as a producer alongside Gloria Sanchez, extending her role beyond acting into the creative development of the movie. News of the deal surfaced this week after industry outlets reported that Amazon MGM's Orion label had come on board to back the project. Dimoldenberg later shared the announcement on social media, calling it a dream come true and saying she was excited to be developing her own film, E! News reported. The project signals a major move into scripted features for the British creator, who built a global following through her offbeat interview style. "Chicken Shop Date," which began online and is produced through her own company, features awkward, deadpan conversations with guests in London fried chicken shops. The show has helped Dimoldenberg become a familiar face on red carpets and award shows, and she has expanded into hosting high-profile branded specials and live events. She is also fronting a new series, "Passenger Princess," in which she continues her comedic interview style while riding in cars with celebrity guests, as per Parade. Meghan Markle is said to have asked Prince Harry not to get involved in the Epstein scandal. This development follows the latest backlash as a result of new emails between Sarah Ferguson and Jeffrey Epstein that were made public and have once again drawn members of the royal family into the limelight. Among other things, the recent revelations suggest Ferguson, her daughters Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie were not only spoken about but might have even visited Epstein. Prince Edward, the king's younger brother, publicly urged people to "remember the victims", thus the royal family became the focus of the latest rounds of media attention. Royal expert Duncan Larcombe told Radar Online that Harry is likely feeling particularly sympathetic toward his cousins Beatrice and Eugenie. "He'll be gutted for his cousins, there's no doubt about it," Larcombe said. "Beatrice and Eugenie are two of the few members of the royal family that have actually kept ties with him and haven't blocked him out of their social circles, so he'll be really feeling their pain." Larcombe explained that Harry might be expected to contact the York sisters as they had reached out to him and his family when no one else did. However, the continuous scandal coming from the Epstein revelations has seemingly made Markle distrustful of a possible Sources claim Markle is urging Harry to avoid involvement. "I'm sure she's telling him, 'keep your head down, don't get involved, the royal family is in a crisis, don't drag us into this,'" Larcombe added. The Duchess of Sussex, 44, who stepped back from official royal duties in 2020 and stopped using the HRH style, is reportedly focused on shielding her lifestyle brand, As Ever, from any negative publicity. Read more: Prince Harry Reportedly Seeking to Heal Rift With Prince William Before He Becomes King Protecting As Ever and Commercial Interests While Markle brand has seen strong online sales, including flower sprinkles, jam, and crepe mix, her Netflix lifestyle series "With Love, Meghan" was reportedly axed after two seasons due to poor ratings. Sky News Australia columnist Louise Roberts noted that the Duchess may now be extremely selective about when and how she associates with the royal family to protect her commercial ventures. Larcombe explained, "There was a time when all Meghan needed to do was associate herself with the royal brand. But at the moment, particularly for her, perhaps now is not the time to be going on about what a close member of the royal family she was and still is." Ongoing Epstein Fallout Puts Pressure on Royals The emails between Ferguson and Epstein, who died in 2019, include messages where Ferguson described Epstein as "the brother I have always wished for" and referred to him as "my dear spectacular and special friend Jeffrey" and "a legend." In a July 2009 exchange, just after Epstein's release from prison, Ferguson appeared to confirm a lunch with Epstein and her daughters. Per BBC, when Epstein asked if her daughters could greet an unnamed visitor in London in 2010, Ferguson replied, "Beatrice is in London with her father. Eugie is away with a cool boyfriend." Larcombe noted the York sisters, though completely innocent, have "had to sit and watch their parents torn to pieces by their own behaviors" and said, "Epstein's web spread wide and far, and for the two York sisters to be caught up in it is shocking and they will be absolutely mortified, I'm sure. What they do now is a really difficult dilemma." Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni began their off-screen relationship with a closeness that some insiders now describe as "too friendly," sources revealed. While the pair's professional collaboration on the 2024 film "It Ends With Us" generated plenty of buzz, their personal dynamic quickly drew attention long before legal battles arose between the two. A 2023 voice memo from Lively revealed she addressed Baldoni "as a friend more than anything," a level of intimacy that, according to insiders, blurred professional lines. "They weren't just co-stars. They were very friendly. Some would say... too friendly," one source told Rob Shuter's Naughty But Nice. Another added, "That level of emotional openness early on blurred lines, especially in a professional power dynamic." During filming and promotion, Lively and Baldoni shared a warm and informal connection, contrasting sharply with the coldness that followed after disputes over alleged misconduct surfaced. Sources noted, "There was a comfort there that later became part of the problem. Once things went sour, everyone started reassessing what should and shouldn't have been shared." The Intimate Early Dynamics Before the public fallout, Lively and Baldoni frequently communicated outside of work. According to insiders, "They were texting, voice-noting, checking in not inappropriate, but intimate." When trust in such setups collapses, "it gets messy fast," one source said. The actors' friendship, initially seen as supportive, became entangled with legal and financial implications after Lively filed a sexual harassment lawsuit in December 2024. Baldoni, who directed and starred in in the movie, denied the allegations and countersued for $400 million a countersuit that has since been dismissed. Lively claims she lost $161 million as a result of what she describes as a retaliatory smear campaign. Settlement Conference Ahead of May Trial The legal dispute is gradually heading towards a possible settlement, as a court, directed settlement conference has been set up for Feb. 11 in NYC at the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York. Lively, Baldoni and their lawyers will be meeting under the direction of U.S. Magistrate Judge Sarah L. Cave. Legal expert Gregory Doll told PEOPLE that settlement conferences are designed to explore whether a case can resolve without going to trial. "All statements are 100% confidential and cannot be used at trial," Doll said, emphasizing that the discussions will remain private. The conference is expected to last a full day, with the judge using breakout sessions to highlight potential weaknesses in each side's case. Doll explained that the goal is often to show parties the financial and public relations costs of trial, encouraging a resolution. "These types of settlement conferences are court-ordered, so we're not able to infer anything about the strength of either side's case based on their participation," he added. In case of a disagreement, the following steps will be pre-trial motions and trial proceedings, scheduled for May 18. Doll observed that most of the civil cases actually get settled at this point as parties get tired of legal costs and public scrutiny. "I think it is going to have to involve the payment of some amount of money to Lively... I think it is unlikely that the parties are going to do a walk away deal where neither side pays money," he said. Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni arrived at a Manhattan federal courthouse clad in eerily coordinated outfits on a day meant for serious legal negotiation regarding the case around their movie It Ends with Us, a court-ordered settlement conference intended to avert or shape the course of their high-stakes dispute ahead of a May trial. The unusual sartorial symmetry played out like a visual punchline: Lively in an olive green suit paired with a bold hot-pink blouse and lime accents; Baldoni in slate-gray slacks, an olive overcoat and a blush-pink scarf. The similarity was striking enough that fashion outlets flagged it as an accidental matching moment rather than a coordinated choice, a whimsical contrast to the tension of federal litigation. Or maybe, as some on the internet point out, they were channeling the proverbial olive branch. Did archenemies Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni mean to color-coordinate at court? https://t.co/GM23cn56D0 pic.twitter.com/o6dqbZTc8y Page Six (@PageSix) February 11, 2026 Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni were spotted headed to court in NYC. : REUTERS pic.twitter.com/zBgVeUwCX9 Page Six (@PageSix) February 11, 2026 A Legal War That Started Behind the Scenes Their appearance at the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York came not as a photo op, It's part of a court-ordered settlement conference overseen by Magistrate Judge Sarah L. Cave. Such hearings are confidential and designed to push both sides toward resolution before a scheduled trial date, currently set for May 18, 2026. If settlement talks fail, the case will proceed to a full civil trial. Lively filed a lawsuit in December 2024 accusing Baldoni of sexual harassment and retaliation during the production of the 2024 film It Ends With Us. She alleges that inappropriate behavior and a hostile work environment led to reputational and financial harm, claiming approximately $161 million in damages. Baldoni has denied those allegations. In a dramatic twist to the dispute, Baldoni originally filed a $400 million countersuit against Lively, her husband Ryan Reynolds, and others for defamation and extortion, but that counterclaim was dismissed by a judge in 2025 after he failed to revive it. The Courtroom Fashion Irony The outfits may have seemed irreverent, but even seasoned legal analysts note that settlement conferences are serious business. They allow opposing parties to flesh out potential compromises and explore vulnerabilities in their respective legal positions, without testimony being entered into the public record. Both sides have signaled willingness to negotiate, though neither has publicly discussed specific terms. Yet onlookers and fashion editors alike couldn't help but notice the visual symmetry as Lively and Baldoni walked separate entrances into the courthouse. At a time when their dispute has drawn scrutiny from mainstream media, been tied up with unsealed texts involving other celebrities, and invited expert commentary on reputational damage, the color palette of olive greens and pinks injected an almost surreal note into an otherwise drab legal setting. Stakes Beyond the Wardrobe The clash between Lively and Baldoni has become one of Hollywood's unexpected legal sagas, showing less than flattering inner works of movie producing, as well as shocking texts and emails from Taylor Swift and Lively's husband Ryan Reynolds. Unsealed filings have also included communications involving prominent figures and prompted waves of media coverage dissecting everything from production disputes on set to behind-the-scenes text messages and PR strategies. Car insurance rates started 2026 by falling slightly during January. The national average rate for full-coverage car insurance fell from $179 per month to $178, according to Insurify data. The national average liability rate held steady at $100, identical to the previous month. Average cost of car insurance by state as of February 2026 Insurance rates can vary greatly based on location, which influences factors like exposure to extreme weather, repair costs, traffic congestion, and vehicle crime rates. Here are the monthly averages for full and liability coverage across the country. 5 states with the highest car insurance rates as of February 2026 Washington, D.C., remains the most expensive location for car insurance in the nation. Maryland, Rhode Island, New Jersey, and New York also show that rates remain high in the Northeast. 5 states with the lowest car insurance rates as of February 2026 New Hampshire retains the top spot for the most affordable car insurance, with rates well below the national averages of $100 per month for liability and $178 per month for full coverage. North Dakota appears on the list for the first time, replacing North Carolina. Factors that affect car insurance rates Car insurance rates can vary significantly among drivers based on many factors that insurers use to estimate risk. Some common rating factors include: Driving history: Insurers consider whether a driver has a clean record or infractions such as speeding, driving under the influence (DUI), or causing an accident. Age: Driving experience and accident risks closely correlate with age, actuarial data shows. Gender: Statistically, women are less likely than men to cause accidents and engage in risky behaviors like aggressive driving. Location: Where a policyholder lives and drives affects their exposure to risk factors such as extreme weather, vehicle crime rates, and accident rates. Credit history: Data indicates that drivers with better credit are less likely to file car insurance claims than those with poor credit. Vehicle make and model: Vehicles that are less expensive or have multiple safety features cost less to insure. Vehicle usage: Driving fewer miles per year reduces a vehicles exposure to the day-to-day risks of driving. Vehicle equipment: Safety features like lane-keeping assist and blind-spot warning can help decrease the risk of accidents. Coverage type: Generally, liability-only coverage costs less than full-coverage car insurance. Coverage limits: The amount of coverage you buy affects annual premiums. Minimum coverage is typically the cheapest but doesnt offer enough financial protection for most drivers. Deductible: A higher collision and comprehensive coverage deductible (liability coverage has no deductible) reduces rates, as the insurer assumes less risk for the cost of repairs. How to save on car insurance Every state except New Hampshire requires drivers to carry a minimum amount of liability coverage. Insurance professionals recommend buying more coverage for greater financial protection in the event of an at-fault accident. And if a driver leases or finances a vehicle, the leasing company or lender will require them to buy full-coverage car insurance. Drivers can take the following steps to reduce the cost of car insurance: Drive safely. Avoid speeding, hard braking, distracted driving, and other risky driving behaviors that could cause a claim. Look for discounts. Most insurers offer discounts, such as good student or multi-car discounts, that can help reduce premiums. Increase the deductible. A higher collision and comprehensive deductible typically leads to lower rates. Adjust coverages. Liability-only coverage is the cheapest insurance available, and minimum coverage is the cheapest liability option. But drivers should be careful and buy enough coverage to adequately protect themselves financially. Comparison shop. Drivers should compare rates from multiple companies every time their policy comes up for renewal. Related articles Methodology Insurify data scientists analyzed more than 97 million rates from car insurance applications in Insurifys proprietary database to calculate the premium averages displayed on this page. These premiums are real quotes that come directly from Insurifys 50+ partner insurance companies in all 50 states and Washington, D.C. All premium averages reflect the cost of car insurance for drivers between the ages of 20 and 70 with a clean driving record and average or better credit. For most states, full-coverage premium prices represent two-year rolling medians in order to manage extreme market volatility seen over the past few years as insurance companies have sought substantial rate increase approvals and deprioritized writing new policies in the face of rapidly rising costs. Liability-only premium prices as well as full-coverage prices in Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Montana, North Dakota, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, and Vermont represent one-year rolling medians. Liability-only premium averages correspond to policies with the following coverage limits: Bodily injury limits between state-minimum rates and $50,000 per person, $100,000 per accident Property damage limits between $10,000 and $50,000 No additional coverage Full-coverage premium averages correspond to the same bodily injury and property damage limits in addition to: Comprehensive coverage with a $1,000 deductible Collision coverage with a $1,000 deductible For full-coverage historical data, please visit Insurifys Auto Insurance Data Center. Data housed in the Data Center dates back to 2021 and represents the average yearly cost of full coverage for drivers between the ages of 20 and 70 with a clean driving record and average or better credit. Monthly prices are based on two-year rolling averages in order to manage extreme market volatility seen over the past few years. Insurance companies have sought substantial rate increase approvals and deprioritized writing new policies in the face of rapidly rising costs. On the evening of May 21, 1796, Ona Judge made the daring decision to free herself. Considering the prominence of her owner, the laws of the time and the dangerous trek to New Hampshire, a place where she could discreetly live freely, the act carried remarkable risk. Nevertheless, she slipped out of the Presidents House undetected while the first family dined. The house, then located at the intersection of 6th and Market streets in Philadelphia, served as the first executive mansion. It stood mere feet from Independence Hall, where the nation adopted its lofty language regarding freedom. The slavery exhibition at Independence Hall opened in December 2010. It was the first slavery memorial on federal land in U.S. history. Michael Yanow/NurPhoto via Getty Images Years later, Judge described her narrow escape to Rev. Benjamin Chase in an interview for the abolitionist newspaper The Liberator. Judge told Chase, I had friends among the colored people of Philadelphia, had my things carried there beforehand, and left Washingtons house while they were eating dinner. Prior to her escape, Judge served as a chambermaid in the Presidents House. She spent years tending to Martha Washingtons every need: bathing and dressing her, grooming her hair, laundering her clothes, organizing her personal belongings, and even periodically caring for her children and grandchildren. Being a chambermaid also included grueling daily tasks such as maintaining fires, emptying chamber pots and scrubbing floors. Even though she engaged in this arduous labor as property of the Washingtons, living in Philadelphia provided Judge a glimpse of what freedom could eventually look like for her. Historians estimate that 5% to 9% of the citys population at the time were free Black people. Prior to her escape, Judge befriended several of them. An oil painting titled Mt. Vernon Kitchen by Eastman Johnson, 1864. Mount Vernon Ladies Association In the spring of 1796, the Washingtons prepared to return to Virginia to resume private life. President Washington issued his farewell address in the fall of 1796, but he told family and close confidants of his plans earlier in the year. During that time, Martha Washington made arrangements for their pending return to Mount Vernon. Her plans included bequeathing Ona Judge to her granddaughter, Elizabeth Parke Custis, as a wedding gift. Upon learning this, Judge made plans of her own. In her interview with Chase she explained, Whilst they were packing up to go to Virginia, I was packing to go, I didnt know where; for I knew that if I went back to Virginia, I should never get my liberty. As a civil rights lawyer and professor in the Africology and African American Studies department at Temple University in Philadelphia, I study the intersection of race, racism and the law in the United States. I believe Judges story is vital to the telling of Americas history. Dismantling history Erica Armstrong Dunbar, a professor of African American Studies at Emory University, tells Judges fascinating story in her book Never Caught: The Washingtons Relentless Pursuit of their Runaway Slave Ona Judge. Before January 2026, those who wished to learn about Judge could literally stand on the same walkway in Philadelphia where Judge once stood when she chose to flee. Several footprints, shaped like a womans shoes and embedded into the pathway outside of where the Presidents House once stood, memorialize the beginning of Judges journey. These footprints composed part of an exhibit examining the paradox between slavery, freedom and the nations founding. The exhibit, Freedom and Slavery in the Making of a New Nation, also included 34 explanatory panels bolted onto brick walls along that sidewalk. They provided biographical details about the nine people the Washingtons owned while living in the presidential mansion. The exhibit presented the sobering reality that our nations first president enslaved people while he held the nations highest office. These and other panels discussing the founders owning of slaves were removed in late January 2026, after an executive order issued by President Donald Trump in March 2025 called to eliminate materials deemed disparaging to the Founding Fathers or the legacy of the United States. Matthew Hatcher/Getty Images This changed in late January when the National Park Service dismantled the slavery exhibit at Philadelphia Independence National Historic Park. The removal sparked intense, immediate outrage from people across the country dismayed by the attempt to suppress unfavorable aspects of American history. Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker responded swiftly. Let me affirm, for the residents of the city of Philadelphia, that there is a cooperative agreement between the city and the federal government that dates back to 2006, she said in a public statement. That agreement requires parties to meet and confer if there are to be any changes made to an exhibit. The city of Philadelphia later sued Interior Secretary Doug Burgum and National Park Service acting Director Jessica Bowron. Pennsylvania subsequently filed an amicus brief in support of the citys lawsuit. After an inspection of the exhibits panels, U.S. District Judge Cynthia Rufe, who is overseeing the case, ruled that the government must mitigate any potential damage to them while they are stored. Civil rights activist and Philadelphia-based attorney Michael Coard recently had an opportunity to visit and examine the exhibits in storage. Coard has led the fight to create and preserve the exhibit and now is at the center of the fight to restore it. Philadelphia-based attorney Michael Coard, who helped lead the effort to create the exhibition, visited the site after its removal. AP Photo/Matt Rourke Limiting discussion of race While the court deliberates the future of the exhibits, critics continue to raise key concerns regarding the exhibits removal. Many argue the National Park Services dismantling of the exhibit is an attempt to whitewash history and erase stories like Ona Judges. This is particularly the case considering the Trump administration has restored and reinstalled two Confederate monuments of Albert Pike in Washington, D.C., and Arlington National Cemetery, while removing the slavery exhibit in Philadelphia. Moreover, during the first week of his second term, Trump signed multiple executive orders to eliminate diversity, equity and inclusion policies. Similarly, during the first Trump administration, the federal government engaged in various efforts to counterbalance the 1619 Project, a project spearheaded by Pulitzer-winning journalist Nikole Hannah-Jones that discussed the 400th anniversary of slaverys beginnings in America. The 1619 Project spawned yearslong backlash. This included the 1776 Commission, created during the first Trump administration, which tried to discredit the conclusions of the 1619 project. It is all part of a broader pattern across the country to limit how public institutions broach topics pertaining to race and racism. This pattern has intensified as the United States prepares to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the framers signing the Declaration of Independence. As the nation celebrates its history, it must decide how much of it to explore. Read more of our stories about Philadelphia and Pennsylvania, or sign up for our Philadelphia newsletter on Substack. 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: Timothy Welbeck, Temple University Read more: Timothy Welbeck has colleagues and affiliates who are members of Avenging the Ancestors Coalition, an organization which is mentioned in this article. A Herefordshire sheep farmer is embarking on a 142-mile walk to highlight the hidden mental health pressures facing agriculture during this years Mind Your Head Week. Sam Stables, a tenant farmer from Kingsthorne, is traveling from Ross-on-Wye to London to raise awareness of wellbeing in farming and to fundraise for the National Federation of Young Farmers. One of the most striking symbols of the challenge is a seed bag worn on his back, marked with words such as weather, finances, exhaustion to reflect the worries many farmers carry silently every day. Mr Stables, who co-founded the charity We are Farming Minds, is taking on the walk as part of the annual Mind Your Head Week campaign led by Yellow Wellies, which encourages farmers to speak openly about mental health and seek support. Speaking about the challenge, he said: I want every farmer to know that support exists, that they are not alone, and that things can get better. He started in Ross-on-Wye Market on 9 February and plans to arrive at the Farmers Club in Whitehall on 13 February, staying at farms along the route. The walk comes amid ongoing concern over stress, isolation, long hours and financial strain across the farming sector. Mr Stables said the event is intended to promote greater understanding, more open conversations, and stronger support for those who feed the nation. The initiative has drawn backing from the NFU and other industry bodies. NFU Deputy President David Exwood said: No-one should have to face mental health challenges alone. He added that while farming is an incredibly rewarding way of life, it can also be isolating, making it vital for people to talk and check in with one another. Mind Your Head Week is an important reminder to stop and look out for ourselves and each other, he said. Mr Stables founded We are Farming Minds with his wife Emily after experiencing his own mental health struggles. The charity, which counts HRH Prince William as its patron, provides counselling, agricultural training and a 24-hour support line staffed by Samaritans-trained volunteers. It also runs a retired farmers group, with around 130 members visiting a different farm each month. Mr Stables hopes the charity can expand into more counties in future to widen access to support across rural communities. Supporters can follow his journey online via @Wearefarmingminds or donate through the fundraising campaign. Tenant farmers are being asked to speak up on fairness and landlord relationships as a new survey launches across the farming tenancy sector. Alan Laidlaw, the Commissioner for the Tenant Farming Sector, said the questionnaire will help assess how familiar people are with his role and the Agricultural Landlord and Tenant Code of Practice for England. The survey aims to identify concerns early and improve behaviour before disputes escalate, helping strengthen working relationships across the industry. It comes at a time when some tenant farmers have raised concerns over rent negotiations, access to environmental schemes and long-term security of tenure, particularly in upland areas where margins remain tight. Laidlaw's office, established in September 2025 following the Rock Review, acts as a confidential point of contact for anyone wishing to raise issues about unreasonable behaviour linked to the code. My aim is to help encourage fair treatment and positive relationships across the tenant farming sector, Mr Laidlaw said. He said responses will build a clearer picture of the views, experiences and needs across farming tenancies, helping shape future priorities and engagement. The survey takes around 10 minutes to complete and is open to tenant farmers, landlords, agents and advisers. It closes on 6 March 2026. Mr Laidlaw said regular meetings with stakeholders remain central to his role, helping him stay close to what is happening on the ground and encourage positive change. Over recent months, he and his team have travelled widely across England meeting people involved in the tenancy community, including tenant farmers in Cumbria supported by the Farmer Network and the Tenant Farmers Association. Listening directly to tenants and hearing about day-to-day experiences is incredibly valuable, he said, adding that it helps him represent those views in the Farm Tenancy Forum and in discussions with Defra policy colleagues. Tenancies in the uplands are a particular focus, with Mr Laidlaw noting that circumstances can vary widely and relationships can at times remain challenging. He encouraged people across the sector to take part and share the survey link with others. Genetic performance recording is strengthening maternal traits and improving flock efficiency in a Welsh hill system running at up to 1,300ft. College Cambria Llysfasi, near Ruthin, grazes 120 pure Welsh Mountain ewes on mountain ground ranging from 1,000 to 1,300 feet, where harsh winters demand hardiness, sound structure and strong mothering ability. At that altitude, resilience and the ability to rear lambs with minimal intervention are essential, making breeding decisions a key driver of long-term performance. The college joined the Farming Connect Welsh Sheep Genetics Programme in 2023, introducing structured performance recording and genetic indexes to support selection for maternal ability, growth and carcase traits. Although breeding progress takes time, measurable gains are already being seen. By removing the bottom 20% of performers, the hill flock index has risen from 13 to 16.24, reflecting stronger overall genetic potential. Historically, triplet-bearing ewes were lambed indoors, increasing housing and labour costs. But improved maternal performance has given shepherd Alun Jones the confidence to lamb them outside on the hill. The ewes are holding their body condition better, we havent had any problems with lambing them outdoors and they keep their lambs very well, he said. Losses have reduced across the flock, with far less need for intervention. We are getting fewer losses, no mismothering, and there is less intervention needed in the 2025 lambing season we only needed to assist two ewes out of 120, he added. Llysfasi runs 600 ewes in total, including Welsh Mountain crosses with Abertex and mule ewes crossed with Beltex or Texel rams. The pure Welsh Mountain flock had previously been reduced, but its value within the hill system prompted a rebuilding of numbers. Farm manager Dewi Jones said joining a benchmarking group helped sharpen selection decisions. As we were rebuilding the flock we wanted to gain better ewes so joining a group of farmers who benchmark and record was a good opportunity, he said. Performance recording began in October 2023 with tissue sampling, body condition scoring and weighing to establish a clear data baseline. At that stage we were creating a baseline of data we werent getting the rigour, the hard evidence, Mr Jones explained. Genetic indexes are now guiding decisions on maternal ability, muscle depth and growth rates. The data is also transforming ram selection. This is where the magic happens, Mr Jones said, explaining that having clear figures at sales gives power to selection decisions. However, he stressed that figures must sit alongside good physical type. Some breeders would say that the data is a bonus but you do need both, he said, adding that performance data helps avoid rams that could take the flock in the wrong direction. The Welsh Mountain ewes lamb from the second week in April and are supplemented only with mineral blocks. Lambs are creep-fed for finishing, sold through Ruthin livestock market and to ABP at 3842kg liveweight and 1718kg deadweight. Looking ahead, the college sees potential to retain or sell high-index ram lambs that might previously have gone for slaughter. While sheep farming has traditionally been less data-driven than dairy, Mr Jones believes the commercial case is growing. The commercial rewards are there for having that data, he said. If we dont do it, how do we improve, and how will we know if we have improved? The National Pig Association has challenged a claim made on BBC Farming Today that sow farrowing crates will be banned within four years. The organisation has contacted the programme after the presenter suggested the government had set a firm deadline for ending the use of crates, prompting concern across the pig sector. The NPA said the statement was inaccurate and warned that unclear messaging risks creating unnecessary uncertainty for producers. Farrowing crates are widely used in pig production to protect piglets from being crushed by sows, but they remain the subject of ongoing welfare debate. Rather than setting a ban date, the governments animal welfare strategy states it will work with the industry to explore how to transition away from the use of farrowing crates to alternative systems. Tom Haynes, chief policy adviser at the NPA, said the recently published strategy outlines priorities for England up to 2030, but does not impose a fixed timescale for change. He explained that legislation may be passed by that point, but this does not mean it would come into force immediately. It is very common to have implementation periods within the legislation to allow industries the time to prepare and adapt, he said. No formal consultation setting out specific timetables has yet been published, and one is not expected until later this year. In a recent House of Commons debate, Farming Minister Angela Eagle said the government would transition away from farrowing crates in conjunction with the industry, recognising the costs involved and the time needed to move to higher welfare systems. The NPA is calling for a significant transition period, warning that many pig units would require major capital investment in new infrastructure to adopt alternative systems. NPA chief executive Lizzie Wilson said the organisation welcomed Farming Todays continued focus on pig welfare issues, but stressed the need for accuracy on timing. We are keen to put the record straight for our members and have asked Farming Today to issue a clarification to avoid any further misunderstanding, she said. The NPA said greater clarity on future timelines will be essential to allow producers to plan investment and adapt without unnecessary disruption. UK citizens are calling for stricter safeguards, farmer protections and mandatory labelling as cultivated meat moves closer to regulation. A new report from the Cellular Agriculture Manufacturing Hub (CARMA) sets out public-led recommendations aimed at ensuring the emerging technology contributes to a fairer and more transparent food system. Cultivated meat, which is grown from animal cells rather than produced through conventional livestock farming, has been developed over decades and is now edging towards potential commercialisation in the UK. The prospect of these products entering the market has also raised questions within the livestock sector about long-term demand, food system power and how farmers could be supported through any transition. CARMA is a collaboration between several UK universities and partners working to responsibly develop cellular agriculture tools and integrate them into food manufacturing. As part of the project, researchers at the Royal Agricultural University convened a diverse citizen panel to examine the wider social, ethical and environmental implications of cultivated meat. Over the past year, 18 participants engaged with scientists, regulators and other experts, discussing public health, sustainability, animal welfare, affordability and the distribution of power within the food system. The group also contributed input into the Food Standards Agencys regulatory sandbox a framework designed to assess cell-cultivated products before any potential approval for sale. Professor Marianne Ellis, director of CARMA, said: It is fantastic that the Citizen Forum has been able to contribute in this way such participatory research will continue to be central to our thinking and planning going forward. Rather than taking a simple position for or against cultivated meat, participants developed a set of conditions they believe must be met for the products to earn public trust. James Riley, a research fellow at the Royal Agricultural University, said health impacts remain one of the publics most immediate concerns. We know that one of the main immediate concerns people have when they hear about cultivated meat is the potential health impact, he said. Among the recommendations were calls for two-year eating trials, mandatory long-term independent product testing, and strict controls on imports of cultivated meat. However, Mr Riley said the proposals extend beyond safety alone, raising wider issues around transparency, equality and affordability. Other recommendations include establishing a non-commercial governing body to oversee the cultivated meat sector and ensuring accountability for animal welfare, environmental impacts and market power. Participants also urged analysis of how cultivated meat could affect food equality in the UK, alongside support for farmers through compensatory and transition schemes. Despite concerns, the panel expressed cautious optimism about the technologys potential to reduce animal suffering, lower environmental impacts and improve food system resilience by offering an alternative protein source. They also called for clear, standardised and mandatory front-of-pack labelling, saying transparency would be essential to avoid consumer confusion. Suggestions included use of the term cell and explanations such as grown from animal cells. Dr Atenchong Talleh Nkobou, senior lecturer at the Royal Agricultural University, said the Citizen Forum marks the beginning of an ongoing public conversation, rather than a definitive verdict. He added that cultivated meats future in the UK will depend not only on scientific innovation, but on how the technology is governed, regulated and integrated into existing economic and farming systems. The report suggests that alongside safety and consumer confidence, farmer transition support and clear oversight will be central to how cultivated meat develops in the UK food chain. Oatly has been barred from using the word milk to promote its plant-based products in a landmark Supreme Court ruling that could reshape how Britains booming dairy alternatives sector markets itself. The UKs highest court ruled in favour of trade body Dairy UK, concluding a long-running legal battle with the Swedish drinks manufacturer over its use of dairy-linked terminology. In a unanimous judgment handed down on Wednesday, justices ruled that Oatly can no longer trademark, or use, the slogan Post Milk Generation. At the centre of the dispute was whether plant-based producers can adopt language traditionally reserved for products derived from animals. Under UK law closely aligned with retained EU rules terms such as milk and cheese are protected designations for animal-based products. The courts decision reinforces that position. Responding to the ruling, Dr Judith Bryans, chief executive of Dairy UK, said the organisation was delighted with the outcome. We are delighted that the Supreme Court upheld the earlier decision of the Court of Appeal, confirming that Oatlys trade mark Post Milk Generation contravened the rules protecting reserved dairy terms, she said. Dr Bryans added: This ruling is an important decision for the sector as it finally provides clarity on how dairy terms can - and cannot - be used in branding and marketing. She said the judgment brings greater certainty for businesses and helps ensure that long-established dairy terms continue to carry clear meaning for consumers, while allowing appropriate descriptors to be used where the law permits. Dairy UK also expressed its sincere appreciation to the Justices of the Supreme Court for their careful consideration of the case and said it was very grateful to our legal advisers at DWF and Tom Moody-Stuart KC for their expertise and commitment throughout the proceedings. Legal experts said the ruling draws a firm line for food and drink brands operating in Britain. Richard May, partner at international law firm Osborne Clarke, said: The Supreme Courts unanimous decision provides important clarity for food and drink brands operating in the UK. It confirms that, even post-Brexit, the UK will continue to take a strict approach to the use of protected dairy terms, closely aligned with the EU regime. He said the principle underpinning the case was clear. If a product is not derived from animal milk, it cannot be marketed using reserved dairy designations such as milk or cheese. For plant-based producers, he added, the safer course is to use clearly descriptive alternatives such as oat drink or plant-based drink, and to keep statements like dairy-free factual rather than brand-defining. The decision is expected to have immediate implications for branding and advertising across the plant-based category. In practical terms, terminology such as oat milk or plant-based cheese now carries heightened legal risk in the UK market, Mr May said, warning that marketing teams will need to ensure that product names and campaign messaging do not stray into protected territory. Beyond dairy alternatives, the ruling may signal a tougher stance from regulators on what lawyers describe as category borrowing. Businesses building brands around legally defined product names whether in dairy or elsewhere should expect careful scrutiny and plan their brand strategy accordingly, Mr May said. The judgment reinforces the UKs commitment to protecting traditional food designations, even as consumer demand for plant-based options continues to grow. Oatly has been contacted for comment. In modern red carpets, a press tour is no longer just a series of interviews; it is a performance. If 2023 was the year Margot Robbie turned the world pink, 2026 is the year she draped it in shadows. For the promotional trail of Emerald Fennells Wuthering Heights, Robbie and her longtime collaborator Andrew Mukamal have orchestrated a visual symphony of "Method Dressing" that transcends mere costume. By blending Victorian mourning rituals, Baroque opulence, and the "witchy occult," Robbie has effectively brought the Yorkshire moors to the global stage. The tours aesthetic foundation is built on a "noir fairytale" sensibility. Rather than literal period costumes, Robbie has utilised "theatrical alchemy, mixing historical silhouettes like the bustle and the corset with a modern, subversive edge. This is not just dressing for a role; it is an immersive extension of Emily Brontes dark, obsessive world.The masterclass began with a deep dive into fashions most "surreal and morose" archives. Early in the tour, Robbie signalled her stylistic shift by wearing a Vivienne Westwood Autumn/Winter 1988 ensemble, followed by a hauntingly beautiful John Galliano Spring/Summer 97/98 piece. These selections established the "marvellously macabre" tone, proving that the duo wasn't just looking for pretty dresses, but for garments that carried the weight of history and the "frenzy" of the novels protagonist, Catherine Earnshaw.At the London premiere on February 5, 2026, Robbie delivered what may be the tours most intellectually dense look. She wore a custom Dilara Findikoglu boned corset dress that pushed the "naked dressing" trend into the realm of the gothic. The translucent slip was accented with braided synthetic hair, a chilling reference to Victorian mourning jewelry where the hair of the deceased was woven into keepsakes. To drive the point home, she wore a replica of Charlotte Brontes mourning bracelet, originally made to honour her sisters Emily and Anne. It was a sentimental, albeit morbid, nod to the author herself. The journey continued to Paris, where the "City of Lights" saw a darker side of the actor. For the premiere on February 2, 2026, Robbie appeared in a custom Chanel couture look by Matthieu Blazy. Crafted from burgundy silk, velvet, and faille, the dress featured a hand-draped bustle, the definitive silhouette of the late 19th century. The deep wine hue was a deliberate choice, symbolising the blood-deep passion of Catherine and Heathcliff and the memento mori that hangs over their union. While in Paris, the tours versatility was on full display. Robbie rotated through a series of "monastic-chic" and avant-garde looks, including a structured Maison Margiela piece and a precision-tailored Thom Browne ensemble. She also reached back into the archives for a John Galliano Spring/Summer 92/93 look, reinforcing the idea that the "Method" requires a knowledge of fashions most rebellious eras. The crescendo of the tour arrived at the Los Angeles premiere on January 31, 2026. Robbie stepped out in a custom Schiaparelli couture gown by Daniel Roseberry. While the original runway version was electric blue, Robbies version was reimagined in a visceral velvet red. The Chantilly lace bustier was breathtaking, but the true "theatrical alchemy" lay in the jewellery. Around her neck sat the late Elizabeth Taylors Taj Mahal diamond necklace. A 400-year-old relic gifted by Richard Burton to Taylor, the heart-shaped diamond is inscribed with "Love is Everlasting" in ancient Parsi. By wearing a piece of jewellery with such a volatile, epic history of love, Robbie didn't just play Catherine, she inhabited the very idea of an eternal, haunting romance. The crescendo of the tour arrived at the Los Angeles premiere on January 31, 2026. Robbie stepped out in a custom Schiaparelli couture gown by Daniel Roseberry. While the original runway version was electric blue, Robbies version was reimagined in a visceral velvet red. The Chantilly lace bustier was breathtaking, but the true "theatrical alchemy" lay in the jewellery. Around her neck sat the late Elizabeth Taylors Taj Mahal diamond necklace. A 400-year-old relic gifted by Richard Burton to Taylor, the heart-shaped diamond is inscribed with "Love is Everlasting" in ancient Parsi. By wearing a piece of jewellery with such a volatile, epic history of love, Robbie didn't just play Catherine, she inhabited the very idea of an eternal, haunting romance. Mukamals styling didn't just rely on high-glamour premieres; it found its way into the smaller details of the press junkets. One standout was a red snakeskin Dilara Findikoglu corseted mini dress. The look was a direct "Easter egg" for fans of the novel, referencing an insult hurled at Catherine Linton: "Id rather be hugged by a snake." It is this level of literary literacy that elevates Robbies style book from a wardrobe to a thesis. The excitement around Sanjay Leela Bhansalis upcoming directorial venture, Love & War, continues to grow as the project comes close to its final schedule. Starring a powerhouse cast including Ranbir Kapoor, Alia Bhatt, and Vicky Kaushal, the film has officially entered its final phase of shooting. According to a recent report by Midday, the production is moving at a steady pace to meet its scheduled release. Sanjay Leela Bhansali is known for his grand vision and meticulous attention to detail, and Love & War appears to be no exception. The film marks a reunion for many of the involved stars. It brings Ranbir Kapoor and Alia Bhatt back together on screen after Brahmastra and reunites Ranbir with Vicky Kaushal after their successful collaboration in Sanju. This project also marks the first time Ranbir is working with Bhansali since his debut film, Saawariya, nearly two decades ago. Additionally, this film also marks Alia Bhatts second project with Bhansali after Gangubai Kathiawadi. The filming has been progressing through various schedules, and the team is now focused on completing the remaining portions of the film. A source close to the production told Midday, We have over two months of shoot remaining, with six songs yet to be filmed. Nearly 35 days have been blocked only for the songs. As with any Bhansali film, these arent quick tracks; they have been envisioned as elaborate sequences mounted on a grand canvas. These period-specific songs will need a lot of prep before being filmed. The source also added, The film is running approximately 40 days behind schedule, and the earliest it can now be released is in the month of June 2026. Ranbir Kapoor and Sanjay Leela Bhansali will take a call on the films release soon and officially announce the delay in its release. Earlier this year, during a meet and greet event in Mumbai, Ranbir Kapoor also discussed the project, saying, Love and War is something which is every actors dream. To work with brilliant actors like Alia and Vicky and to be directed by the master Sanjay Leela Bhansali. I worked with him 17 years ago. To work with him again, I can say this with so much of clarity that I havent met a human being who works so hard, who understands characters, emotions, music, Indian culture, Indian value system, as much as Sanjay Leela Bhansali. Just to be on his set, it is tiring. It is long. The process can be a little daunting but eventually, as an artist, it is so satisfying. He really nurtures art. As actors, its truly been amazing so far. Also Read: Ranbir Kapoor, Alia Bhatt and Vicky Kaushals Love & War to Release in 2026 or 2027? Sonam Kapoor Ahuja recently shared some family moments from her baby shower. In the glimpses shared on social media, Sonam is seen enjoying with her family and friends during her Godh Bharai at her Mumbai home. Sharing the glimpses on social media, Sonam wrote, "Seemantonnayan the third of the sixteen sacred sanskars in Sanatan Dharma. Often called the 'hair-parting ritual,' it honours the mother and the life she carries. Known as Godh Bharai, Shrimant, Dohale Jevan, Shaad, Seemantham, Valaikappu, Seemantha, Pulikkudi and Sadhabhakshan across different parts of India the names may change, but the blessing remains the same: love, protection and celebration of new life. This ancient ritual felt even more meaningful because all my best friends in the world showed up for me. My whole family did too. I felt so held. And to my mum, my mother-in-law, and my sister thank you for organising everything and making me feel so deeply loved, cherished and celebrated. I will never forget this. A lap full of blessings. A heart overflowing with gratitude." Fans and well-wishers took to social media to congratulate Sonam. The mom-to-be wore a customised lime-green lehenga, which is made of soft mul fabric. Anand Ahuja, her husband, opted for a white kurta pyjama with golden detailing. Opening up about the ensemble, Sonam wrote, "This look was made with so much love. Shehla created this soft mul custom outfit for me, hand-painted, hand-embroidered, and crafted with the kind of care that only comes from deep understanding and trust. Grateful beyond words for you, Shehla, and for my sister Rhea, who have stood by me unconditionally, always. It truly takes a village, and Im endlessly thankful for mine." Kim Dong Wook and Stella Kim have welcomed their first child, a baby girl named Rowan Grace Kim. The couple announced the birth of their child and shared some adorable clicks. This development has sparked a wave of celebration across the South Korean industry and amongst their global fanbases. Stella shared heartwarming photos on her social media account. The photos reveal a little of the baby's face, but the couple kept her mostly hidden. Fans and well-wishers took to social media to congratulate the couple. While some are overwhelmed with the sneak peek of the baby, others have been asking about the mother's health. Another tender black-and-white image captured the newborns tiny hand curled around Stellas palm. It beautifully reflected the deep connection of motherhood. Although Delightfully Deceitful star Kim Dong Wook has not issued an official statement yet, the couples happiness is unmistakable. The two had tied the knot in an intimate ceremony in December 2023. Previously, Stella announced her pregnancy with a note. She revealed, "I now very much anticipate her arrival, and dare I say I am cautiously optimistic. I am excited to see how my husband will grow within his relationship with her, and how my own parents will settle back into who they once used to be. This little heart created by mine, which once also flickered in my mothers wombI want nothing more than to protect it from the realities we are forced to tolerate. And lastly, I need for all birthing and trying parents to feel more included, in control, at ease. I hope we can reimagine and reestablish how we get there." Allu Arjun team denies Actor team warns of legal action Actor Allu Arjuns team has issued an official statement to refute claims made in a viral podcast clip by a brand manager. She alleged that there were 42 strict dos and donts rules enforced before meeting the superstar. In the clip, the individual described rules like avoiding eye contact with sir, no handshakes, and mentioned a large entourage with multiple layers of managers. The video sparked widespread discussions online, with many haters of the actor taking the claims at face value.The team of the Pushpa 2 actor labelled these allegations as completely false. Certain recent comments made about Mr. Allu Arjun are completely baseless and untrue. He has always conducted himself with the utmost dignity and honour. We take these false allegations seriously. Our legal team is initiating defamation proceedings against those responsible. We request everyone to refrain from spreading unverified information, the statement reads. Meanwhile, another interview clip projecting the Ala Vaikuntapurramuloo actor as allegedly enforcing regressive rules on the sets of his movies went viral hours ahead of the statement. It's likely that Allu Arjuns team views the online campaign as orchestrated.At a time when Allu Arjun is lapping up huge projects (one of his upcoming movies will be directed by Lokesh Kanagaraj, and he is also scheduled to team up with Sandeep Reddy Vanga), the two video clips have sought to do damage to his image. A large section of the audience believes in juicy pieces of gossip with a tendency to believe in negative rumours without verification. Naturally, the actors team was quick to clarify and also warned of initiating legal action against such malicious campaigns.Workwise, Allu Arjuns next theatrical release co-stars Deepika Padukone and is directed by Atlee Kumar, who directed Shah Rukh Khans Jawan in 2023. The film will be released in theatres in the second half of 2027. Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - February 10, 2026) - Carlyle Commodities Corp. (CSE: CCC) (FSE: BJ4) ("Carlyle") is pleased to announce that, further to its news releases of February 3, 2026, January 30, 2026 and January 23, 2026, it has further upsized its previously announced non-brokered private placement (the "Private Placement") by an additional $100,000 to aggregate gross proceeds of $4,250,000 and has closed the third and final tranche thereof. Under the third tranche, Carlyle issued 55,000,000 subscription receipts (the "Subscription Receipts") at a price of $0.01 ($0.20 on a post-Consolidation basis) per Subscription Receipt, for additional gross proceeds of $550,000. In total, Carlyle raised aggregate gross proceeds of $4,250,000 under the Private Placement. The Private Placement was conducted in connection with Carlyle's proposed business combination (the "Transaction") with Silver Pony Resources Corp. ("Silver Pony"). As previously announced, Carlyle intends to consolidate its common shares in connection with the Transaction on a basis of 20 pre-consolidation shares for 1 post-consolidation share (the "Consolidation"). Carlyle's Chief Executive Officer and Director, Mr. Morgan Good, commented: "We are pleased with the continued strong investor interest that enabled the further increase and closing of this Private Placement. This financing strengthens our cash position as we progress towards the completion of the proposed Transaction and advance all our Company initiatives." Offering Terms Each Subscription Receipt will automatically convert into one unit of Carlyle (a "Unit") (for no further consideration and without any further action by the holders thereof) upon all conditions for the closing of the Transaction being satisfied or waived (the "Escrow Release Condition"). Each Unit will consist of one common share of Carlyle (each a "Share") and one-half of one common share purchase warrant of Carlyle (each whole warrant, a "Warrant"). Each Warrant will entitle the holder thereof to purchase one additional common share of Carlyle (a "Warrant Share") at an exercise price of $0.015 ($0.30 on a post-Consolidation basis) per Warrant Share for a period of 18 months following the date on which the Escrow Release Condition is satisfied, subject to adjustment in certain events. The expiry date of the Warrants may be accelerated if the closing price of the Shares on any Canadian stock exchange equals or exceeds $0.025 ($0.50 on a post-Consolidation basis) for five consecutive trading days. In such event, Carlyle may, within 15 business days following the occurrence of that condition, accelerate the expiry date of the Warrants by issuing a news release, in which case the Warrants will expire on the date that is 30 calendar days after the date of such news release, as specified therein. In connection with the third tranche, Carlyle: (i) paid to certain eligible finders an aggregate cash commission of $8,500; and (ii) issued to certain finders an aggregate of 800,000 finder's warrants (each a "Finder's Warrant"). Each Finder's Warrant is exercisable into one unit of the Company (a "Finder's Unit") at an exercise price of $0.01 ($0.20 on a post-Consolidation basis) for a period of 18 months from the date of issuance. Each Finder's Unit is comprised of one Share and one-half of one warrant (a "Finder's Unit Warrant"). Each full Finder's Unit Warrant is exercisable into one Share at an exercise price of $0.015 ($0.30 on a post-Consolidation basis) per share for a period of 18 months from the date of issuance. In total, Carlyle paid aggregate cash commissions of $184,500 and issued an aggregate of 20,240,000 Finder's Warrants under the Private Placement. All securities issued in connection with the Private Placement are subject to a statutory hold period of four months and one day from the date of issuance. The Company also wishes to clarify that its news releases of January 23, 2026 and January 30, 2026, inadvertently stated that it had raised $2,855,000 and $2,705,000, respectively, in the first tranche; the correct amount raised in the first tranche was $2,655,000. Escrow and Use of Proceeds The net proceeds of the Private Placement will be held in escrow pending satisfaction of the Escrow Release Condition. In the event the Escrow Release Condition is not satisfied or waived within 180 days following the closing date of the Private Placement, the net proceeds of the Private Placement will be returned to the subscribers in accordance with the terms of the subscription receipts. If the Escrow Release Condition is met, Carlyle anticipates that the net proceeds will be used for exploration work on the Silver Pony Resources Trout Lake Projects and general working capital. For more information regarding the Transaction, please refer to Carlyle's news release dated December 31, 2025. This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of any of the securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful, including any of the securities in the United States of America. The securities have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "1933 Act") or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to, or for account or benefit of, U.S. Persons (as defined in Regulation S under the 1933 Act) unless registered under the 1933 Act and applicable state securities laws, or an exemption from such registration requirements is available. About Carlyle Carlyle is a mineral exploration company focused on the acquisition, exploration, and development of mineral resource properties. Carlyle owns 100% of the Quesnel Gold Project located in the Cariboo Mining Division, 30 kilometers northeast of Quesnel in central B.C, and holds the option to acquire 100% undivided interest in the Nicola East Mining Project, located approximately 25 kilometers east of the mining town of Merritt, B.C., and is listed on the CSE under the symbol "CCC" and the Frankfurt Exchange under the ticker "BJ4". ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF CARLYLE CARLYLE COMMODITIES CORP. "Morgan Good" Morgan Good President and Chief Executive Officer Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information This release includes certain statements and information that may constitute forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws. Forward-looking statements relate to future events or future performance and reflect the expectations or beliefs of management of Carlyle regarding future events. Generally, forward-looking statements and information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "intends", "anticipates", "plans", "believes", "expects", or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "should", "would" or "occur". This information and these statements, referred to herein as "forward-looking statements", are not historical facts, are made as of the date of this news release and include without limitation, statements regarding discussions of future plans, estimates and forecasts and statements as to management's expectations and intentions with respect to, among other things: the completion of the Transaction and the Consolidation; the satisfaction of the Escrow Release Condition and the timing thereof; the conversion of the Subscription Receipts; the use of the net proceeds from the Private Placement for exploration on the Trout Lake Projects and for general working capital; and the advancement of the Trout Lake Projects. These forward-looking statements involve numerous risks and uncertainties and actual results might differ materially from results suggested in any forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, among other things: that the Escrow Release Condition will not be satisfied, that the Transaction will not close, that the Consolidation will not be completed, and that the net proceeds will not be used as anticipated. In making the forward-looking statements in this news release, Carlyle has applied several material assumptions, including without limitation, that: the Escrow Release Condition will be satisfied, the Transaction will close, the Consolidation will be completed as anticipated, and the net proceeds of the Private Placement will be used as anticipated. Although management of Carlyle has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking statements or forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements and forward-looking information. Readers are cautioned that reliance on such information may not be appropriate for other purposes. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statement, forward-looking information or financial out-look that are incorporated by reference herein, except in accordance with applicable securities laws. Neither the CSE nor its Market Regulator (as that term is defined in the policies of the CSE) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO UNITED STATES NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/283500 Source: Carlyle Commodities Corp. EQS Newswire / 11/02/2026 / 02:30 CET/CEST BEIJING, CHINA - Media OutReach Newswire - 11 February 2026 - As China marks Xiaonian, or Little Chinese New Year, there is growing evidence of its ancient traditions evolving into global lifestyle trends. CGTN published an article analyzing how this prelude to the Year of the Horse - from the folk ritual of "sweeping the dust" to the cross-cultural fusion of the Spring Festival Gala - illustrates China's growing global cultural resonance. As the lunar calendar turns its final pages, China enters a period of joyful anticipation known as Xiaonian, or Little Chinese New Year. Often celebrated as the Festival of the Kitchen God, it marks the official start of the "busy year" - a traditional term for the intense, joyful period of preparing food, cleaning homes, and shopping for the upcoming Spring Festival. The Spring Festival is a deeply significant time for family reunion. In 2024, UNESCO inscribed the "Spring Festival, social practices of the Chinese people in celebration of the traditional Chinese New Year" onto the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. While daily routines continue to evolve, they remain anchored in rituals that provide a sense of normalcy and meaning. It is perhaps no wonder that in a climate of uncertainty, traditional Chinese lifestyles are finding a new audience beyond the country's borders, with the Spring Festival chief among those unique traditions that are fast becoming a shared human experience. Diverse traditions, shared aspirations In a prelude to the broader celebrations, Xiaonian, observed on February 10 and 11 this year, kickstarts a focused period of preparation. According to ancient lore, families offer Zaotang, or sticky "Kitchen Candy," to the Kitchen God to ensure he delivers a favorable report on the household's conduct before he ascends to the heavens. This lighthearted tradition marks the beginning of several symbolic rituals aimed at welcoming a fresh start. A key element of this transition is donning new clothes. In Chinese culture, the New Year represents a moment when "all things are renewed," and wearing new garments symbolizes shedding the "dust" or misfortunes of the past to embrace auspicious energy for the year ahead. Alongside this personal renewal, families nationwide engage in "sweeping the dust," a deep-cleaning ritual to purify the home and prepare it for new blessings. Whereas these practices are universal, celebratory flavors vary by geography. In the north, families traditionally gather over steaming plates of dumplings, whereas in the south, the menu often features sweet rice cakes (Niangao) and glutinous rice balls (Tangyuan). As Mao Qiaohui, a researcher at the Institute of Ethnic Literature at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, explains, these variations highlight the inclusive nature of Chinese civilization. "Although folk customs differ between different regions across China, this diversity reflects the cultural pluralism within the Spring Festival tradition," she notes. "Different regional identities contribute to a shared pursuit of harmony and reunion." The vitality of these traditions is also evident in local craftsmanship. In northern regions like Shandong and Henan, artisans are currently making Huamo, decorated steamed buns, featuring horse designs for the upcoming zodiac year. Meanwhile, in Shuozhou, Shanxi Province, intangible heritage inheritors are carving spirited stallions onto traditional gourds. These creations reflect the regional diversity of the festival and a collective desire for progress in the year ahead. Cultural dialogue: From global stage to daily life The festive atmosphere is reflected further in preparations for the Spring Festival Gala (Chunwan), produced by China Media Group. Recent rehearsals show performances meshing traditional Chinese culture with international artistry. One performance piece combines the wooden clog dance of the Hani and Lisu ethnic groups with the rhythmic tap of Spanish Flamenco and Hungarian folk dance. And with global stars like Jackie Chan and Lionel Richie on the bill, the Gala's stage is set to become a stage for the world to come together. The reach of the gala has expanded far beyond a domestic audience. Through the "Spring Festival Gala Prelude" events held in the United States, Russia, France, Italy, and several African nations, the program has become a gateway to Chinese New Year customs and cultural exchange. This interest extends beyond art and into the lives of people worldwide, as seen in the BecomingChinese trend. This phenomenon features international social media users adopting elements of Chinese daily life - such as keeping a thermos of hot water handy, wearing quilted indoor slippers or practicing mindful movement with Baduanjin exercises. The festival is no longer a distant event but a gateway to Chinese lifestyle, rooted in ancient wellness wisdom and constantly updated by modern convenience, and the first step to a journey of exploration into a culture that values ritual, safety and hospitality. Whether through global broadcasts or shared daily habits, the Spring Festival increasingly strengthens a sense of cultural empathy between China and the rest of the world. For more information, please click here: https://news.cgtn.com/news/2026-02-10/Little-New-Year-opens-big-window-to-China-s-soul-1KEhJjMX2fe/p.html Hashtag: CGTN The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. News Source: CGTN 11/02/2026 Dissemination of a Financial Press Release, transmitted by EQS News . The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. Media archive at www.todayir.com View original content: EQS News Beijing, China--(Newsfile Corp. - February 10, 2026) - As China marks Xiaonian, or Little Chinese New Year, there is growing evidence of its ancient traditions evolving into global lifestyle trends. CGTN published an article analyzing how this prelude to the Year of the Horse - from the folk ritual of "sweeping the dust" to the cross-cultural fusion of the Spring Festival Gala - illustrates China's growing global cultural resonance. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/7958/283510_figure1.png As the lunar calendar turns its final pages, China enters a period of joyful anticipation known as Xiaonian, or Little Chinese New Year. Often celebrated as the Festival of the Kitchen God, it marks the official start of the "busy year" - a traditional term for the intense, joyful period of preparing food, cleaning homes, and shopping for the upcoming Spring Festival. The Spring Festival is a deeply significant time for family reunion. In 2024, UNESCO inscribed the "Spring Festival, social practices of the Chinese people in celebration of the traditional Chinese New Year" onto the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. While daily routines continue to evolve, they remain anchored in rituals that provide a sense of normalcy and meaning. It is perhaps no wonder that in a climate of uncertainty, traditional Chinese lifestyles are finding a new audience beyond the country's borders, with the Spring Festival chief among those unique traditions that are fast becoming a shared human experience. Diverse traditions, shared aspirations In a prelude to the broader celebrations, Xiaonian, observed on February 10 and 11 this year, kickstarts a focused period of preparation. According to ancient lore, families offer Zaotang, or sticky "Kitchen Candy," to the Kitchen God to ensure he delivers a favorable report on the household's conduct before he ascends to the heavens. This lighthearted tradition marks the beginning of several symbolic rituals aimed at welcoming a fresh start. A key element of this transition is donning new clothes. In Chinese culture, the New Year represents a moment when "all things are renewed," and wearing new garments symbolizes shedding the "dust" or misfortunes of the past to embrace auspicious energy for the year ahead. Alongside this personal renewal, families nationwide engage in "sweeping the dust," a deep-cleaning ritual to purify the home and prepare it for new blessings. Whereas these practices are universal, celebratory flavors vary by geography. In the north, families traditionally gather over steaming plates of dumplings, whereas in the south, the menu often features sweet rice cakes (Niangao) and glutinous rice balls (Tangyuan). As Mao Qiaohui, a researcher at the Institute of Ethnic Literature at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, explains, these variations highlight the inclusive nature of Chinese civilization. "Although folk customs differ between different regions across China, this diversity reflects the cultural pluralism within the Spring Festival tradition," she notes. "Different regional identities contribute to a shared pursuit of harmony and reunion." The vitality of these traditions is also evident in local craftsmanship. In northern regions like Shandong and Henan, artisans are currently making Huamo, decorated steamed buns, featuring horse designs for the upcoming zodiac year. Meanwhile, in Shuozhou, Shanxi Province, intangible heritage inheritors are carving spirited stallions onto traditional gourds. These creations reflect the regional diversity of the festival and a collective desire for progress in the year ahead. Cultural dialogue: From global stage to daily life The festive atmosphere is reflected further in preparations for the Spring Festival Gala (Chunwan), produced by China Media Group. Recent rehearsals show performances meshing traditional Chinese culture with international artistry. One performance piece combines the wooden clog dance of the Hani and Lisu ethnic groups with the rhythmic tap of Spanish Flamenco and Hungarian folk dance. And with global stars like Jackie Chan and Lionel Richie on the bill, the Gala's stage is set to become a stage for the world to come together. The reach of the gala has expanded far beyond a domestic audience. Through the "Spring Festival Gala Prelude" events held in the United States, Russia, France, Italy, and several African nations, the program has become a gateway to Chinese New Year customs and cultural exchange. This interest extends beyond art and into the lives of people worldwide, as seen in the BecomingChinese trend. This phenomenon features international social media users adopting elements of Chinese daily life - such as keeping a thermos of hot water handy, wearing quilted indoor slippers or practicing mindful movement with Baduanjin exercises. The festival is no longer a distant event but a gateway to Chinese lifestyle, rooted in ancient wellness wisdom and constantly updated by modern convenience, and the first step to a journey of exploration into a culture that values ritual, safety and hospitality. Whether through global broadcasts or shared daily habits, the Spring Festival increasingly strengthens a sense of cultural empathy between China and the rest of the world. For more information, please click here: https://news.cgtn.com/news/2026-02-10/Little-New-Year-opens-big-window-to-China-s-soul-1KEhJjMX2fe/p.html Hashtag: CGTN The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/283510 Source: Media OutReach Das Borsenjahr 2026 ist fur viele Anleger ernuchternd gestartet. Tech-Werte straucheln, der Nasdaq 100 tritt auf der Stelle und ausgerechnet alte Favoriten wie Microsoft und SAP rutschen zweistellig ab. KI ist plotzlich kein Ruckenwind mehr, sondern ein Belastungsfaktor, weil Investoren beginnen, die finanzielle Nachhaltigkeit zu hinterfragen. Gleichzeitig vollzieht sich an der Wall Street ein lautloser Favoritenwechsel. Wahrend viele auf Wachstum setzen, feiern Value-Titel mit verlasslichen Cashflows ihr Comeback: Telekommunikation, Industrie, Energie, Pharma die Cashmaschinen der Realwirtschaft verdrangen hoch bewertete Hoffnungstrager. In unserem aktuellen Spezialreport stellen wir funf Aktien vor, die genau in dieses neue Marktbild passen: solide, gunstig bewertet und mit attraktiver Dividende. Werte, die nicht nur laufende Ertrage liefern, sondern auch bei Marktkorrekturen Sicherheit bieten. Jetzt den kostenlosen Report sichern bevor der Value-Zug 2026 endgultig abfahrt! Dieses exklusive PDF ist nur fur kurze Zeit gratis verfugbar. JAKARTA, Indonesia, Feb. 11, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- KuCoin, in collaboration with the Global CSR Foundation and the American Medical Women's Association (AMWA), is supporting Yayasan Srikandi Merah Putih's 'A Matter of Dignity - Sumatra Relief Initiative' through the delivery of 5,000 menstrual hygiene kits. The broader relief program includes essential medicines and fresh food alongside women's health support to disaster-affected communities in Aceh and Medan, Sumatra. Distribution is scheduled to begin in early April 2026, focusing on communities most affected by recent disasters and prolonged recovery challenges. "This initiative is about responding to crisis in a way that protects both life and dignity," said Aurelly Syifalia Widihartanto, Co-Founder of Yayasan Srikandi Merah Putih. "Women are often the most affected during disasters, yet their basic health needs are the first to be overlooked. Our goal is to ensure care reaches communities not only quickly, but respectfully and responsibly." The initiative builds on an established collaboration between AMWA ' s Global Health Lead Dr Padmini Murthy and Global CSR Foundation, founded by Jing Zhao Cesarone, and expands into Indonesia through Yayasan Srikandi Merah Putih, with leadership support from Vice President Stefanny Florina. The Menstrual Equity Project was conceptualized by Dr. Padmini Murthy and Jing Zhao Cesarone and has been successfully implemented in the Commonwealth of The Bahamas, the Republic of Suriname, and in satellite clinics affiliated with St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, providing a proven model now adapted for the Indonesian context. The procurement and shipment of menstrual hygiene kits are supported by KuCoin, represented by CSR Director and Global Human Resources Director Sylvie Dong, enabling the timely delivery of women's health supplies. "Corporate responsibility means showing up in practical ways when communities are affected by disaster," said Sylvie Dong. "KuCoin will continue to support CSR initiatives that address real needs and deliver meaningful help on the ground." On-the-ground distribution of medicine, food, and hygiene kits in Aceh and Medan is led by Maha Medicare, which has been actively assisting flood-affected communities in Medan since December. The initiative is supported by regional and national leadership, including H. Teuku Badruddin Syah, Sultan of Aceh, reflecting strong local commitment to community recovery. National-level support is further demonstrated through the involvement of Agustina Hastarini, Spouse of the Minister of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) of Indonesia and La Ode Ikrar Hastomi as the representative of the Ministry of Industry of Indonesia, underscoring government engagement in cross-sector humanitarian action. The relief effort has also drawn support from prominent Indonesian public figures who are using their platforms to amplify the message of dignity-centered humanitarian response. Indonesian actors and actresses Baim Wong, Rianti Cartwright, Dame Aning, Nadya Shakira, Ririn Dwi Ariyanti, and Metta Permadi have joined the initiative, helping raise awareness around women's health, access to essential care, and the importance of dignity in disaster response. The initiative was formally presented during an intimate press dinner titled "A Matter of Dignity," held on Friday, 6 February 2026, at Sushi Maru Hang Tuah, Jakarta, bringing together foundation leaders, government representatives, medical experts, business executives, public figures, and senior media. Post-distribution documentation, verified impact reports, and visual materials from Aceh and Medan will be made available to media following deployment. About KuCoin Founded in 2017, KuCoin is a leading global crypto platform trusted by over 40 million users across 200+ countries and regions. The platform delivers innovative and compliant digital-asset services, offering access to 1,000+ listed tokens, spot and futures trading, institutional wealth management, and a Web3 wallet. Recognized by Forbes and Hurun, KuCoin holds SOC 2 Type II and ISO 27001:2022 certifications, underscoring its commitment to top-tier security. With AUSTRAC registration in Australia and a MiCA license in Austria, KuCoin continues expanding its regulated footprint under CEO BC Wong, building a reliable and trusted digital-asset ecosystem. Learn more: www.kucoin.com About Yayasan Srikandi Merah Putih Yayasan Srikandi Merah Putih is an Indonesian foundation advancing women's empowerment and leadership through humanitarian action, health equity, environmental stewardship, human rights advocacy, and the strengthening of micro, small, and medium enterprises (UMKM). Rooted in Indonesia's cultural values and guided by a global outlook, the foundation mobilizes cross-sector collaboration to build resilient communities and deliver sustainable impact for women, families, and local economies. About The Global CSR Foundation (GCSRF) The Global CSR Foundation (GCSRF) is an international platform advancing responsible leadership and sustainable development worldwide. Aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals, it convenes governments, corporations, investors, and civil society to drive ESG, women's leadership, cultural diplomacy, and innovation initiatives. Through global summits and strategic partnerships, GCSRF transforms cross-border collaboration into measurable, long-term impact across regions and sectors globally. Learn more: www.GCSRF.org About American Medical Women's Association (AMWA) Since 1915, AMWA has been a multispecialty organization of women physicians committed to advancing women in medicine, advocating for equity, and ensuring excellence in health care. The Breakthrough Women in Science & Medicine series is an AMWA national non-profit educational initiative supporting AMWA's mission to advance women in medicine and advocate for equity. Learn more: www.amwa-doc.org. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2891186/image.jpg Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2785613/KuCoin_new_Logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/kucoin-joins-yayasan-srikandi-merah-putih-global-csr-foundation-and-amwa-to-support-a-matter-of-dignity-relief-in-sumatra-302683983.html NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - February 11, 2026) - Questcorp Mining Inc. (CSE: QQQ) (OTCQB: QQCMF) (FSE: D910) (the "Company" or "Questcorp") is pleased to announce an upsize to its previously announced non-brokered private placement to up to 15,000,000 units (each, a "Unit") at a price of $0.20 per Unit for gross proceeds of up to $3,000,000 (the "Offering"). Each Unit will consist of one common share of the Company (each, a "Share") and one-half-of-one share purchase warrant (each whole share purchase warrant, a "Warrant"). Each Warrant will entitle the holder to acquire an additional common share of the Company at a price of $0.30 for a period of thirty-six months following closing of the Offering, provided that holders will not be permitted to exercise Warrants until 60 days following closing of the Offering. The Company expects to utilize the proceeds of the Offering for exploration work at the Company's La Union Gold and Silver Project and North Island Copper Project, and for general working capital purposes. The Units to be issued under the Offering will be offered for sale pursuant to the listed issuer financing exemption under Part 5A of National Instrument 45-106 - Prospectus Exemptions, as amended by CSA Coordinated Blanket Order 45-935 - Exemptions from Certain Conditions of the Listed Issuer Financing Exemption (collectively, the "Listed Issuer Financing Exemption"), in all provinces of Canada, except Quebec, and other qualifying jurisdictions, including the United States. The Units offered under the Listed Issuer Financing Exemption will be immediately "free-trading" under applicable Canadian securities laws. There is an offering document (the "Offering Document") related to this Offering that can be accessed under the Company's profile at www.sedarplus.ca and at the Company's website at https://questcorpmining.ca/. Prospective investors should read this Offering Document before making an investment decision. In connection with completion of the Offering, the Company may pay finders' fees to eligible third-parties who have introduced subscribers to the Offering. Completion of the Offering remains subject to receipt of regulatory approvals. This press release is not an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy the securities in the United States or in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to qualification or registration under the securities laws of such jurisdiction. The securities being offered have not been, nor will they be, registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and such securities may not be offered or sold within the United States or to, or for the account or benefit of, U.S. persons absent registration or an applicable exemption from U.S. registration requirements and applicable U.S. state securities laws. About Questcorp Mining Inc. Questcorp Mining Inc. is engaged in the business of the acquisition and exploration of mineral properties in North America, with the objective of locating and developing economic precious and base metals properties of merit. The Company holds an option to acquire an undivided 100% interest in and to mineral claims totaling 1,168.09 hectares comprising the North Island Copper Property, on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, subject to a royalty obligation. The Company also holds an option to acquire an undivided 100% interest in and to mineral claims totaling 2,520.2 hectares comprising the La Union Project located in Sonora, Mexico, subject to a royalty obligation. This news release includes certain "forward-looking statements" under applicable Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements with respect to the intended use of proceeds from the Offering; closing of the Offering; and filing of the Offering Document. Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable, are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors which may cause the actual results and future events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors include, but are not limited to general business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties, uncertain capital markets; and delay or failure to receive board or regulatory approvals. There can be no assurance that such forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law. Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/283532 Source: Questcorp Mining Inc. Restylane Refyne and Restylane Defyne are the first Optimal Balance Technology (OBT) hyaluronic acid injectables ever approved and launched in Japan, bringing advanced flexibility and natural movement to the market 1,2 Refyne and Restylane Defyne are the first Optimal Balance Technology (OBT) hyaluronic acid injectables ever approved and launched in Japan, bringing advanced flexibility and natural movement to the market This expands Galderma's Restylane portfolio in Japan to four products, enabling treatment of a wider spectrum of patient and practitioner needs 3,4 These two new launches underscore Galderma's accelerating growth across the Japan Asia Pacific (JPAC) region Galderma (SIX: GALD), the pure-play dermatology category leader, has announced the launch of Restylane Defyne and Restylane Refyne: the first OBT-based hyaluronic acid injectables ever authorized in Japan.1,2 The products designed for injection into the mid-to-deep dermis for the correction of moderate to severe facial wrinkles and folds are now commercially available in the market.1,2 Restylane Defyne and Refyne leverage the unique balance of softness, flexibility, and support delivered by Galderma's proprietary OBT designed to move in harmony with facial expressions while maintaining shape and lift and are the first and only hyaluronic acid injectables clinically proven to restore youthful facial expressions.1,2,5-11 Restylane Refyne offers a smooth, flexible gel, ideal for delicate, highly expressive areas, while Restylane Defyne provides support for areas such as the jawline and deeper facial folds.1,2,5-11 These launches mark a major milestone for Galderma and represent an important chapter in its JPAC growth strategy, supporting the company's continuing expansion in one of the region's most dynamic aesthetics markets. "The introduction of OBT technology to Japan is a significant milestone not only for clinicians but for the region's aesthetic landscape as a whole. By combining the power of both NASHA and OBT within the Restylane portfolio in Japan, physicians can tailor treatments more precisely than ever before. This broader set of tools supports natural-looking, expressive outcomes and aligns Japan with international best practice." DR. STEPHANIE LAM PLASTIC SURGEON, CENTRAL HEALTH MEDICAL PRACTICE HONG KONG The Restylane portfolio in Japan now includes four products in total, with Refyne and Defyne joining NASHA-powered products, Restylane Classyc and Restylane Lyft.1-4 This versatile range enables clinicians to meet diverse patient needs, from soft, flexible formulations that smooth fine lines, to firmer gels that deliver contouring and support.1-7,12,13 The approvals of Restylane Refyne and Defyne in Japan were based on two pivotal, double-blinded, randomized, active-controlled phase III studies investigating the products in 171 and 162 subjects, respectively. Restylane Refyne and Defyne met the studies' endpoints, demonstrating a clinically meaningful improvement in wrinkle severity for up to 12 months, with most patients reporting at least a 1-grade improvement in self-assessment scores after six weeks.1,2 "The approval of Restylane Defyne and Refyne the first OBT HA injectables ever authorized in Japan is a landmark moment for Galderma in the region. A decade after NASHA's introduction to this market, we are proud to now offer a fully rounded Restylane portfolio that gives healthcare professionals even more precision and flexibility to meet the needs of their patients. Japan is an important growth engine for our business, and this milestone underscores our long-term commitment to bringing world-leading aesthetic technologies to the region." HON KEONG CHOO HEAD OF JPAC REGION GALDERMA With over 30 years of innovation and more than 77 million treatments administered worldwide, Restylane is highly relevant in addressing some of today's most significant aesthetic trends and needs, from improving facial harmony following medication-driven weight loss to growing concerns around menopause-related skin health and aging.5,14-17 The arrival of OBT technology in Japan now aligns the market more closely with global Restylane availability, reinforcing the brand's position as the world's most scientifically studied and diverse hyaluronic acid injectables range. About the Restylane portfolio Restylane hyaluronic acid treatments are designed differently to go beyond volumizing for natural-looking results.4,5,18,19 Our hyaluronic acid is minimally modified and our innovative manufacturing process preserves its biocompatibility while creating individual products designed for a specific purpose.20-22 Powered by NASHA, NASHA HD, OBT and SB-NASHA technologies, Restylane offers gels with the highest firmness to the highest flexibility, enabling personalized treatments that deliver structural support, natural-looking results, and a healthy glow.12,13,23,24 Trusted for almost three decades, our hyaluronic acid gels work in sync with your skin for 100% natural-looking results.5-7 About Galderma Galderma (SIX: GALD) is the pure-play dermatology category leader, present in approximately 90 countries. We deliver an innovative, science-based portfolio of premium flagship brands and services that span the full spectrum of the fast-growing dermatology market through Injectable Aesthetics, Dermatological Skincare and Therapeutic Dermatology. Since our foundation in 1981, we have dedicated our focus and passion to the human body's largest organ the skin meeting individual consumer and patient needs with superior outcomes in partnership with healthcare professionals. Because we understand that the skin we are in shapes our lives, we are advancing dermatology for every skin story. For more information: www.galderma.com. References Restylane Defyne. IFU. Japan. Available online. Accessed February 2026 Restylane Refyne. IFU. Japan. Available online. Accessed February 2026 Restylane Lyft. IFU. Japan. Available online. Accessed February 2026 Restylane Classyc. IFU. Japan. Available online. Accessed February 2026 Di Gregorio C, et al. 25+ years of experience with the Restylane portfolio of injectable HA fillers for facial aesthetic treatment. E-poster presented at AMWC; March 27-29, 2024; Monaco Solish N, et al. Dynamics of HA fillers formulated to maintain natural facial expression. J Cosmet Dermatol. 2019;18(3):738-746. doi: 10.1111/jocd.12961 Philipp-Dormston WG, et al. Perceived naturalness of facial expression after HA filler injection in nasolabial folds and lower face. J Cosmet Dermatol. 2020;19(7):1600-1606. doi: 10.1111/jocd.13205 Philipp-Dormston WG, et al. Evaluating perceived naturalness of facial expression after fillers to the nasolabial folds and lower face with standardized video and photography. Dermatol Surg. 2018;44(6):826-832. doi: 10.1097/DSS.0000000000001419. Galderma. Data on file. MA-43049. xStrain and G' Global HA filler rheology data. 2023 Galderma. Data on file. MA-42769. Restylane Defyne Clinical study report. 2020 Ohrlund A. Evaluation of rheometry amplitude sweep cross-over point as an index of flexibility for HA fillers.JCDSA2018;8(2):47-54 Galderma Data on file. MA-56724. X-strain and G' including Shaype Ohrlund A. Differentiation of NASHA and OBT hyaluronic acid gels according to strength, flexibility, and associated clinical significance.J Drugs Dermatol2014;23(1):1332-1336. doi: 10.36849/JDD.7648 Galderma. Data on file. MA-57232 [Updated]. 77 Million treated. 2025 Galderma. Data on file. MA-55607. Restylane 27 years data publications analysis. 2023 Fabi G, et al. The potential role of biostimulators/dermal fillers to address menopause-related skin conditions. Poster presented at IMCAS; January 29-31, 2026; Paris, France Lorenc ZP, et al. Synergistic efficacy and safety of poly-L-lactic acid biostimulator and hyaluronic acid filler for facial fullness post weight loss due to glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist medication. Presented at the ASDS 2025 Annual Meeting; November 13-16; Chicago, United States Nikolis A, et al. The role of clinical examination in midface volume correction using hyaluronic acid fillers: should patients be stratified by skin thickness? Aesthet Surg J Open Forum. 2020;2(1):1-12. doi: 10.1093/asjof/ojaa005 Talarico S, et al. High patient satisfaction of a HA filler producing enduring full-facial volume restoration: an 18- month open multicenter study. Dermatol Surg. 2015;41:1361-1369. doi: 10.1097/DSS.0000000000000549 Edsman K, et al. Gel properties of hyaluronic acid dermal fillers. Dermatol Surg. 2012;38:1170-1179. doi: 10.1111/j.1524-4725.2012.02472.x. Galderma. Data on file. MA-58650. Degree of modification of HA fillers. Seo K. Facial volumization with fillers. Springer. 2021;29-83. doi: 10.1007/978-981-33-6212-3_2 Nikolis A, et al. Effectiveness and safety of a new hyaluronic acid injectable for augmentation and correction of chin retrusion. J Drugs Dermatol. 2024;23(4):255-261. doi: 10.36849/JDD.8145 Belmontesi M et al. Injectable non-animal stabilized hyaluronic acid as a skin quality booster: an expert panel consensus. J Drugs Dermatol. 2018;17(1):83-88. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260210555523/en/ Contacts: For further information: Christian Marcoux, M.Sc. Chief Communications Officer christian.marcoux@galderma.com +41 76 315 26 50 Richard Harbinson Corporate Communications Director richard.harbinson@galderma.com +41 76 210 60 62 Celine Buguet Franchises and R&D Communications Director celine.buguet@galderma.com +41 76 249 90 87 Emil Ivanov Head of Strategy, Investor Relations, and ESG emil.ivanov@galderma.com +41 21 642 78 12 Jessica Cohen Investor Relations and Strategy Director jessica.cohen@galderma.com +41 21 642 76 43 SAN FRANCISCO / MUMBAI, Feb 11, 2026 - (ACN Newswire) - CleverTap, the all-in-one customer engagement platform, today announced that they have been positioned by Gartner as a Leader in their 2026 Magic Quadrant for Personalization Engines.We believe this recognition underscores the progress we are making alongside our customers, a growing ecosystem of forward-looking brands and partners dedicated to delivering relevant, responsible, and effective personalization.Our approach to hyper-personalization, individualized to each customer, is built around agentic AI capabilities from CleverAI designed to deliver "Experience of One" through 1:1 engagement at scale. We believe the CleverAI Decisioning Engine plays a central role in interpreting customer intent, enabling brands to connect customers with the right message, on the right channel, at the right moment. Combined with a comprehensive suite of personalization capabilities, we believe these capabilities are helping brands drive measurable outcomes, including up to 35% higher conversion rates across key use cases in industries like financial services, retail, ecommerce, media, telecom, and many others.At the core of this approach is CleverAI, our enterprise-grade agentic intelligence and decisioning engine. Designed for autonomous real-time orchestration, it enables continuous experience optimization across the customer lifecycle. We believe this focus on unified intelligence, real-time decisioning, and scalable hyper-personalization has contributed to our broader market momentum."We consider our positioning in the Leaders Quadrant by Gartner as confirmation of our capability that enables customers to improve business outcomes with the power of CleverAI," said Anand Jain, Co-founder and Chief Marketing Officer, CleverTap."We continue to innovate while we execute on our product roadmap. With CleverAI, we are delivering a truly revolutionary AI-First Customer Engagement Platform that will change the face of the martech and customer engagement industry, further enhancing our market position."View a complimentary copy of the Magic Quadrant report to learn more about CleverTap's strengths and cautions, among other provider offerings, here.(Gartner, "Magic Quadrant for Personalization Engines," by Penny Gillespie, Jason Daigler, Michael Ro, Ross Cosner, 3 February 2026.)Gartner and Magic Quadrant are trademarks of Gartner, Inc. and/or its affiliates.Gartner does not endorse any company, vendor, product or service depicted in its publications, and does not advise technology users to select only those vendors with the highest ratings or other designation. Gartner publications consist of the opinions of Gartner's business and technology insights organization and should not be construed as statements of fact. Gartner disclaims all warranties, expressed or implied, with respect to this publication, including any warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose.About CleverTapCleverTap is the world's leading AI-first, all-in-one customer engagement and retention platform, helping brands turn data into lasting customer relationships. Powered by its proprietary CleverAI: Decisioning Engine and Agentic AI-verse, CleverTap enables organizations to maximize customer lifetime value at scale. Its unified platform brings together AI-powered segmentation, personalization, experimentation, journey orchestration, and deep analytics seamlessly integrated with 100+ leading martech solutions.With backing from global investors including Accel, Peak XV Partners, Tiger Global, CDPQ, and 360 One, CleverTap has presence across US, Europe, the Middle East, Latin America, and Asia. Leading brands such as TD Bank, Burger King, Paytm, Levi's, IKEA, Decathlon, Vodafone, Domino's, Jio, Carousell, Banco Azteca, Zomato, StockX, and Emirates NBD, rely on CleverTap to drive measurable growth through meaningful customer engagement.For more information, visit clevertap.com or follow us on:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/clevertap/X: https://twitter.com/CleverTapForward-Looking StatementsSome of the statements in this press release may represent CleverTap's belief in connection with future events and may be forward-looking statements, or statements of future expectations based on currently available information. CleverTap cautions that such statements are naturally subject to risks and uncertainties that could result in the actual outcome being absolutely different from the results anticipated by the statements mentioned in the press release.Factors such as the development of general economic conditions affecting our business, future market conditions, our ability to maintain cost advantages, uncertainty with respect to earnings, corporate actions, client concentration, reduced demand, liability or damages in our service contracts, unusual catastrophic loss events, war, political instability, changes in government policies or laws, legal restrictions impacting our business, impact of pandemic, epidemic, any natural calamity and other factors that are naturally beyond our control, changes in the capital markets and other circumstances may cause the actual events or results to be materially different, from those anticipated by such statements. CleverTap does not make any representation or warranty, express or implied, as to the accuracy, completeness, or updated or revised status of such statements. Therefore, in no case whatsoever will CleverTap and its affiliate companies be liable to anyone for any decision made or action taken in conjunction.For more information:ADITYA SANYALDirector, Digital Marketing, CleverTap+91 9177110080aditya.sanyal@clevertap.comASHMIT CHAUDHARYAssociate Consultant, Archetype+91 8850752121ashmit.chaudhary@archetype.coSource: CleverTapCopyright 2026 ACN Newswire . All rights reserved. Regulatory News: Eutelsat (ISIN: FR0010221234 Euronext Paris London Stock Exchange: ETL) (Paris:ETL) (LSE:ETL) announces that it has signed a c. 1bn Export Credit Agency (ECA) financing for the procurement of LEO satellites for its OneWeb constellation. The financing will be provided by a pool of commercial banks, which will benefit from a French State guarantee, obtained through its export credit agency, Bpifrance Assurance Export for an amount of c.975m-eq. It will be provided to Eutelsat Communications SA and will rank pari-passu with other debts of that entity. Its disbursement remains subject to several conditions precedent, including a bond issuance at Eutelsat Communications. The financing backs the recently announced contract with Airbus Defence and Space for 340 LEO satellites, on top of the 100 already ordered, to be manufactured at Airbus' Toulouse facility. These satellites will ensure full operational continuity for customers of the OneWeb LEO constellation, by progressively replacing existing satellites as their operational life comes to an end. Jean-Francois Fallacher, Chief Executive Officer of Eutelsat said:We are delighted to secure this crucial aspect of Eutelsat's refinancing plan. We are grateful to the French State for its unwavering support. This funding significantly strengthens our financial structure and gives us the means to support the deployment of our LEO activities." Societe Generale acted as Sole Global Coordinator and Sole Bookrunner, and Mandated Lead Arranger (MLA) on this financing together with Commerzbank Aktiengesellschaft, Credit Agricole Corporate and Investment Bank (acting also as Facility Agent), ING Bank N.V and Helaba Landesbank Hessen-Thuringen. Rothschild Cie acted as financial advisor to Eutelsat. Latham Watkins LLP acted as legal advisor to Eutelsat. De Pardieu Brocas Maffei acted as legal advisor to the lending banks. About Eutelsat Eutelsat is a global leader in satellite communications, delivering connectivity and broadcast services worldwide. Eutelsat was formed through the combination of the Company and OneWeb in 2023, becoming the first fully integrated GEO-LEO satellite operator with a fleet of 33 Geostationary (GEO) satellites and a Low Earth Orbit (LEO) constellation of more than 600 satellites. Eutelsat addresses the needs of customers in four key verticals of Video, where it distributes around 6,300 television channels, and the high-growth connectivity markets of Mobile Connectivity, Fixed Connectivity, and Government Services. Eutelsat's unique suite of in-orbit assets and ground infrastructure enables it to deliver integrated solutions to meet the needs of global customers. The Company is headquartered in Paris and Eutelsat employs more than 1,600 people across more than 75 countries. Eutelsat is committed to delivering safe, resilient, and environmentally sustainable connectivity to help bridge the digital divide. The Company is listed on the Euronext Paris Stock Exchange (ticker: ETL) and the London Stock Exchange (ticker: ETL). Disclaimer The forward-looking statements included herein are for illustrative purposes only and are based on management's views and assumptions as of the date of this document. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks. For illustrative purposes only, such risks include but are not limited to: risks related to the health crisis; operational risks related to satellite failures or impaired satellite performance, or failure to roll out the deployment plan as planned and within the expected timeframe; risks related to the trend in the satellite telecommunications market resulting from increased competition or technological changes affecting the market; risks related to the international dimension of the Group's customers and activities; risks related to the adoption of international rules on frequency coordination and financial risks related, inter alia, to the financial guarantee granted to the Intergovernmental Organization's closed pension fund, and foreign exchange risk. Eutelsat Communications expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to update or revise any projections, forecasts or estimates contained in this document to reflect any change in events, conditions, assumptions or circumstances on which any such statements are based, unless so required by applicable law. The information contained in this document is not based on historical facts and should not be construed as a guarantee that the facts or data mentioned will occur. This information is based on data, assumptions and estimates that the Group considers as reasonable. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260210623577/en/ Contacts: Media enquiries Joanna Darlington Tel. +33 674 521 531 joanna.darlington@eutelsat.com Anita Baltagi Tel. +33 643 930 178 anita.baltagi@eutelsat.com Katie Dowd Tel. +1 202 271 2209 katie.dowd@eutelsat.com Investors Joanna Darlington Tel. +33 674 521 531 joanna.darlington@eutelsat.com Hugo Laurens-Berge Tel. +33 670 80 95 58 hugo.laurens-berge@eutelsat.com DOHA, Qatar, Feb. 11, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- From February 2 to 5, 2026, ENDURANCE ENERGY EQUIPMENT CO., LTD. showcased its comprehensive portfolio of clean energy equipment and integrated solutions at the 21st International Conference and Exhibition on Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG2026), held at the Qatar National Convention Center. Under the theme "Power a Green Future", The company reinforced its commitment to deepening international market engagement and demonstrating Chinese intelligent manufacturing's capabilities in driving the global energy transition. The 35,000-square-metre exhibition floor hosted 300 exhibitors across the LNG value chain. As a national high-tech enterprise and industry champion, Endurance presented four flagship products that garnered significant attention from global experts and potential partners: The Containerised LNG Refueling Station features a compact design under 14 meters with intelligent PLC controls, minimizing residual liquid and enhancing safety. features a compact design under 14 meters with intelligent PLC controls, minimizing residual liquid and enhancing safety. The Modularized LNG Liquefaction Plant utilizes proprietary mixed refrigeration technology, offering flexible configurations and daily capacities from 1 to 100 MMSCFD with proven stability and efficiency. utilizes proprietary mixed refrigeration technology, offering flexible configurations and daily capacities from 1 to 100 MMSCFD with proven stability and efficiency. The i ntegrated L- CNG Refueling Station combines LNG and CNG functionalities in a skid-mounted design for efficient land use and rapid deployment. combines LNG and CNG functionalities in a skid-mounted design for efficient land use and rapid deployment. The Integrated CNG Refueling Station employs a high-efficiency hydraulic system, boosting compression efficiency by 30% and operational stability compared to traditional models. Throughout the exhibition, Endurance's technical teams engaged in in-depth discussions with international visitors, exploring new pathways for the LNG industry's development. Leveraging Qatar's position as the world's leading LNG exporter, currently expanding its North Field to reach 126 million tons of annual capacity, Endurance strengthened its global brand presence. The company's products are already successfully exported to over 20 countries and regions across Europe, Africa, Latin America, Southeast Asia, and Central Asia. Beyond its core natural gas equipment, Endurance has strategically expanded into the hydrogen energy sector, achieving full domestic production of critical components like compressors. Company officials emphasized that LNG2026 marks a key milestone in their commitment to independent technological innovation. Endurance remains dedicated to deepening its global market presence, broadening application scenarios for clean energy solutions, and contributing Chinese expertise to worldwide energy transformation efforts. The company looks forward to collaborating with international partners to build a sustainable, green energy future. For more information, please visit www.endurance-energy.com. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2901789/3fa76e6ffe16c058cbdea5898b0dd44.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/endurance-debuts-at-lng2026-accelerating-global-expansion-through-technological-excellence-302684765.html The appointment of former General Manager of Novo Nordisk UK follows the recent appointment of Professor Sir Jonathan Van-Tam to Reset Health's Advisory Board LONDON, Feb. 11, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Reset Health ("the Company"), the experts in the personalised management of chronic disease, today announces Pinder Sahota has joined the Company as a member of its Advisory Board. The announcement follows the recent appointment of former Deputy Chief Medical Officer to HM Government, Professor Sir Jonathan Van-Tam to Reset Health's Advisory Board. The appointments underscore the Company's commitment to assembling world-class expertise to support its next phase of growth. Pinder most recently served as General Manager and Corporate Vice President at Novo Nordisk UK, leading the Company through periods of growth including the development and commercialisation of GLP-1s in the UK market. He brings a distinguished track record in strategic health innovation, digital transformation, and executive leadership, with over 20 years of senior commercial and leadership life sciences experience, having held a variety of senior roles including GSK, AstraZeneca and Smith & Nephew. Pinder has also played an active role in shaping sector-wide priorities, previously serving as President of the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI) Chairman of the Confederation of Business Industry's (CBI) Health Council, and Vice Chair of the European Medicines Group. Pinder joins Reset Health at a pivotal moment as it expands its clinically driven, technology-enabled model of integrated care designed to complement GLP-1 medications, and support long-term, sustainable outcomes for people living with chronic conditions including obesity. The two appointments reinforce Reset Health's commitment to building a robust advisory board guided by leading clinical and industry experts, as the company expands its technology-enabled, integrated care model for obesity and other chronic conditions, delivering better outcomes for patients, clinicians and health systems. Oliver McGuinness, Chief Executive Officer at Reset Health, said: "We are delighted to welcome Pinder to Reset Health. His decades of experience as a pharmaceutical leader will be instrumental as we continue to build integrated, personalised models of care for people living with obesity and related chronic conditions. Alongside the recent addition of Sir Jonathan, Pinder's appointment further bolsters our expert team as we work towards our mission of delivering meaningful and sustainable change for patients, and benefits for healthcare systems in the UK and globally." Pinder Sahota, Advisor at Reset Health, commented: "Reset Health's approach recognises that obesity is a chronic condition that requires high-quality, multifaceted, long-term care, not a short-term, commodity approach to medication alone. I am delighted to support the team as they scale an integrated care model that combines clinical excellence with intelligent digital tools and works collaboratively with partners to deliver better outcomes for patients and health systems." For media enquiries, contact Matthew Neal (+44 7917 800 011)? Charlotte Dawson (+447810 406 284) resethealth@5654.co.uk Notes to Editors About Reset Health? Reset Health (www.resethealth.clinic) is a digital health company delivering end-to-end management of chronic conditions by combining its Reset Technology Platform (RTP), with the latest innovative evidence-based clinical care pathways for each chronic condition it treats. Reset's integrated care model for metabolic health, Roczen (www.roczen.com), is used in conjunction with new anti-obesity medications, GLP-1s and GIPs, to enhance health outcomes of patients with obesity and associated co-morbidities. Reset Health is regulated by the Care Quality Commission and recommended by the National Institute of Clinical Excellence (NICE) on a time-limited basis as further evidence is generated. Reset Health provides care across the UK, Europe and Malaysia where its integrated care models are available to millions of patients, working with pharma, governments, employers, insurers, private providers and health systems. www.resethealth.clinic Aiforia will publish H2'25 results on March 6. We view FY26 as an inflection year, with stronger revenue growth and operational efficiencies accelerating the path to profitability. Aiforia recently launched its proprietary Foundation Engine, a patent-pending technology based on the Vision Transformer (ViT) architecture. The ViT architecture is seen to adapt well to the heterogeneous, challenging features of whole slide images. It is a relatively novel architecture, challenging Convolutional Neural Networks (CNN) long-standing dominance in medical imaging. Through global self-attention, ViTs capture the broader context of an image more effectively than local convolutions. Takahashi et al. (2024) reviewed 36 medical imaging studies (X-rays, CT scans, MRIs, histopathology slides), comparing ViTs/Transformers to CNNs, finding ViTs performed generally better or comparably in many classification tasks (e.g. skin cancer, ViT 94.3% accuracy). Aiforia's Foundation Engine exemplifies this ViT advantage, but it also highlights the fundamental trade-offs between Foundation Models (FM) and traditional CNNs in pathology workflows. Pre-trained on vast unlabeled datasets, FMs deploy and scale rapidly while generalising well across a vast spectrum of cases, but trade cell-level granularity for broader slide context at the cost of slower, compute-heavy inference. CNNs on the other hand, deliver precise cell-level detail more efficiently, yet struggle in novel cases outside their training data, requiring vast annotated datasets, which pathology desperately lacks. Therefore, training AI models with CNNs can prove difficult, costly and time-consuming. Aiforia sees it as essential to bridge both worlds for clinical use, combining Foundation Models' broad generalisation with task-specific fine-tuning for validated, precise performance. Foundation Engine-trained models should generalise well across different cancers and scanners, while providing cell-level precision with leaner, faster inference than pure FMs. By leveraging pre-trained FMs, the Foundation Engine gains a "headstart" that requires fewer annotated slides for training, which accelerates development and slashes costs. We expect Foundation Engine models to exhibit improved accuracy in edge cases (vs CNN), where even experienced pathologists struggle to reach consensus. Overall, Foundation Engines will drive faster deployment, superior adaptability, lower cost, and enhanced clinical scalability. Noteworthy, the latest CE-IVD marked gastric cancer solution was built using the Foundation Engine. We remain upbeat on Aiforia's Foundation Engine and its clinical and commercial scalability. Aiforia's clinical footprint now covers breast, prostate, and lung cancers, strengthened by its new gastric cancer model. Supply-demand dynamics are supportive as hospitals face rising pressure to digitise pathology and adopt AI. In Lombardia, ~400 pathologists in 2025 are expected to fall by ~100 (due to retirements) by 2027 with only nine replacements, underscoring urgent automation needs. FY26 should bring additional tenders, including HUS, Finland's largest hospital group (potentially in Q2). We reiterate our BUY rating with a 3.80 PT based on our DCF model. ISIN: FI4000507934 Die Stimmung an den Markten hat sich grundlegend gedreht. Wahrend Tech- und KI-Werte zunehmend mit Volatilitat und Bewertungsrisiken kampfen, erleben klassische Versorger ein unerwartetes Comeback. Laut IEA und EIA steigt der globale Strombedarf strukturell weiter, nicht nur wegen E-Mobilitat und Warmepumpen, sondern vor allem durch energiehungrige KI-Rechenzentren. Energie wird damit zur zentralen Infrastruktur des digitalen Zeitalters. Gleichzeitig rucken in unsicheren Marktphasen stabile Cashflows, solide Bilanzen und regulierte Renditen wieder starker in den Fokus. Genau hier spielen Versorger ihre Starken aus: berechenbare Ertrage, robuste Nachfrage und hohe Dividenden Qualitaten, die vielen Wachstumswerten aktuell fehlen. Nach Jahren im Schatten der Tech-Rallye steigt nun das Interesse an Unternehmen, die Stabilitat mit langfristigen Wachstumsthemen wie Netzausbau, Dekarbonisierung und erneuerbaren Energien verbinden. Im aktuellen Spezialreport stellen wir drei Versorger vor, die defensive Starke mit attraktivem Potenzial kombinieren. Jetzt den kostenlosen Report sichern bevor die nachste Versorgerwelle Fahrt aufnimmt! Kingdom of Saudi Arabia-based, NSMICO, is advancing national modernization and advanced technology transformation initiatives under Vision 2030. The partnership expects to fast-track the deployment of edgeTI Platforms for Real-Time Operational Intelligence and Decision Support capabilities in concert with rising Middle East demand for Industry 4.0 and AI-enabled transformation. EdgeTI and NSMICO are jointly showcasing EdgeTI's expanding defense technology platforms at the World Defense Show in Riyadh this week. Arlington, Virginia--(Newsfile Corp. - February 11, 2026) - Edge Total Intelligence Inc. (TSXV: CTRL) (OTCQB: UNFYF) (FSE: Q5I) ("edgeTI" or the "Company"), a leader in real-time operational intelligence and decision support solutions, and Najad Shield Military Industries Holding Co. ("NSMICO"), the leading company in the field of supply and manufacturing of military and security products in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, are pleased to announce a formal partnership to evaluate, demonstrate, and pursue the potential deployment of real-time operational intelligence, digital twin, and decision-support technologies in support of defense, government, and critical infrastructure initiatives across Middle East and Africa. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/10266/283439_74345ddc64af291c_001full.jpg Subject to applicable laws and future agreements, the companies are responding to increasing interest in the Middle East's adoption of Industry 4.0, driven by government initiatives (like Saudi Vision 2030, UAE's Operation 300bn) and mega-projects (NEOM), focusing on AI, IoT, robotics for economic diversification away from oil. According to IMARC Group, Key consumption areas include smart manufacturing, automation, energy efficiency (IoT sensors), and digital transformation in oil & gas, with strong growth projected in sectors like aerospace and advanced manufacturing, supported by significant state-led investment. Abdulmalik Tariq Al-Qahtani, Chairman of the Board Najad Shield Military Industries Holding Co stated: "We are the leading company in the field of supply and manufacturing of military and security products in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. We contribute to achieving economic and social development by providing innovative and effective solutions that meet the needs of our customers, while adhering to global quality standards and keeping pace with the latest developments in line with the Kingdom's Vision 2030." Jim Barrett, Chief Executive Officer and Chair of Edge Total Intelligence Inc. stated: "As a United States-based enterprise software company specializing in real-time operational intelligence and Digital Twin of the Organization platforms for government, defense, and critical infrastructure operations, we dare not ignore the global demand centered around the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and surrounding Middle East and Northern Africa region. Reaching this agreement, NSMICO gives us the opportunity to accelerate our global endeavors with a true leader in the region." EdgeTI is demonstrating at the World Defense Show in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on Sunday 8 - Thursday 12 February 2026 | Riyadh Exhibition & Convention Center with NSMICO Military Industries Stands (H3-C7.3 and H3-C7.5). In 2024, the World Defense Show hosted 773 exhibitors, welcomed 441 official delegations from 116 countries, attracted 106,000 trade visitors, and facilitated 26 billion Saudi Riyals in deals. About NAJAD SHIELD MILITARY INDUSTRIES COMPANY NSMICO Military Industries is a company specialized in the field of supply and manufacturing of military and security products. The company seeks to be one of the leading suppliers to the military and security authorities in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in particular and in North Africa and the Middle East in general, and to provide high-quality products and services that meet their needs and contribute To achieve the goals of the Kingdom's Vision 2030. NSMICO is committed to global quality standards and the use of the latest technologies in the manufacture of its products. It also supports innovation, research and development, and is always striving to offer new and advanced products and localize technology and systems in cooperation with the best specialized companies in the world. About EDGE TOTAL INTELLIGENCE INC edgeTI empowers defense, service providers, and enterprises to operate decisively with real-time clarity in complex, mission-critical environments. Its edgeCore Digital Twin and industry-specific platforms dynamically and cost-effectively unite data, applications, third-party services, business models, AI, automation, and domain expertise to orchestrate real-time actions and drive targeted outcomes-enabling faster, more effective decisions across continually evolving defense, business, and lifecycle operations. Traded on: (TSXV: CTRL) (OTCQB: UNFYF) (FSE: Q5I) Website: https://edgeti.com LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/edgeti YouTube: www.youtube.com/user/edgetechnologies Twitter: www.twitter.com/edge_suite Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Forward-Looking Information and Statements Certain statements in this news release are forward-looking statements or information for the purposes of applicable Canadian and US securities law. 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", "Potential" 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 edgeTI, including but not limited to, completion of due diligence by the lender, business, economic and capital market conditions. Such statements and information are based on numerous assumptions regarding present and future business strategies and the environment in which the edgeTI will operate in the future, including the demand for its products, 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, the impact of viruses and diseases on the Company's ability to operate, competition and general economic, and market or business conditions. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking information. The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are made as of the date of this news release. Except as required by law, the Company disclaims any intention and assumes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/283439 Source: Edge Total Intelligence Inc. New research unveils how real estate fund managers are navigating investor demand for transparency, rising operational costs, and increasing regulatory pressure LONDON, Feb. 11, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Yardi and the Association of Real Estate Funds (AREF) have released a new report examining how the real estate investment industry is responding to operational pressures through technology, data and digital transformation. Titled "The Changing Role of Data & Technology in Real Estate Investment", the research explores how fund managers are adapting their operations amid market repricing, rising costs, tightening regulation and evolving investor reporting expectations. The report is based on in-depth interviews with senior leaders from 10 UK-based real estate investment firms, representing more than 40% of AREF's fund membership, alongside a targeted survey of executive and senior management respondents from a further 14 fund and investment management firms. Together, the research provides a representative snapshot of digital maturity and strategic priorities across the UK real estate funds industry. Key findings demonstrate that data and operational efficiency remain the primary drivers of technology investment, with more than 60% of participants citing efficiency gains as the main motivation behind their technology strategies, while over 50% highlighted fragmented data and siloed systems as their biggest challenge. "The report gives us a real insight into the perception of the real estate industry compared to a lot of the hype that we hear," said Matt Glenny, commercial and investment management director at Yardi. "Just 45% of respondents see AI as the biggest tech disruptor of the next three to five years, which shows the industry is not as confident of the potential of AI based on this survey. "Although, 88% of respondents are trialling AI in some form to automate or enhance performance of manual tasks such as reading and summarising documents and automating meeting minutes. Predictive analytics and the adoption of AI agents are viewed as future aspirations rather than a current consideration," Glenny adds. Additionally, investor reporting expectations are accelerating, with "more timely reporting" cited as the top investor demand by 26% of firms, positioning reporting and investor relations as key priorities for digital transformation. Alongside the report, Yardi and AREF hosted a webinar with industry leaders from Savills Investment Management, Aberdeen, L&G Real Assets Equity, and UK Proptech Association to explore the growing divide in digital maturity across the sector. While some firms continue to rely heavily on spreadsheets and disconnected systems, more advanced organisations are investing in cloud-based data platforms and structured data foundations to improve governance, scalability and decision-making. Gain deeper insights into how UK real estate fund management is navigating this period of transformation by downloading the report or watch the webinar on demand. About the Association of Real Estate Funds (AREF) AREF stands at the forefront of the UK's real estate investment landscape. It is recognised by policymakers as the intellectual authority on pivotal industry issues, ensuring that its member-driven agenda consistently reflects the collective voice and interests of its community. Its commitment to enhancing investor outcomes is evident through strategic alliances with fellow investment associations, strengthening the UK's real estate market. For more information, visit aref.org.uk. About Yardi Yardi develops industry-leading software for all types and sizes of real estate companies across the world. With over 10,000 employees, Yardi is working with our clients to drive significant innovation in the real estate industry. For more information on how Yardi is Energised for Tomorrow, visit yardi.co.uk. Image - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2891408/Yardi.jpg Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2447766/5782307/Yardi_Logo.jpg View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/yardi--aref-release-report-on-data--technology-strategies-in-the-real-estate-investment-sector-302684203.html A 60something nonbinary plural person abruptly leaves their 35 year sexless marriage to date online, bringing along all their very vocal personalities. LONDON, Feb. 11, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Releasing on April 1 st and available for pre-order, Bachelorx is a bold memoir by award-winning writer, filmmaker, performer Skylar Lyralen Kaye (fae/they), exploring love, dating, and identity from the perspective of someone whose inner life has multiple voices. Bachelorx follows Kaye, depicted through the protagonist Orpheus, newly single after a decades-long marriage, as they explore contemporary online dating later in life, searching for their Eurydice. Distinctively, Orpheus is multiple - meaning they experience themselves as having more than one inner voice - the memoir allows those voices to speak directly as they navigate intimacy, disappointment, and desire. Rather than presenting this multiplicity as a problem, Bachelorx treats it as an empowering reality. The book draws on ideas popularised by psychologist Dr. Richard Schwartz, founder of Internal Family Systems Therapy, which understands the inner life as made up of different parts that develop over time in response to life experience. In this view, inner voices are not flaws, but fulfil a purpose, such as care, protection, and survival. Dr. Richard Schwartz, PhD, author of You Are the One You've Been Waiting For, praises the memoir's range: 'Some memoirs are compelling because of the writer's absorbing story and unique style. In others you learn intriguing things about a life different from yours. With still others, the writer offers a courageous window into how their internal family members interact and interface with the external world. In Kaye's funny and poignant book, you get all those things and more!' While rooted in Kaye's experience as nonbinary, Bachelorx speaks to a wide readership. The memoir moves through relationships, consent, and mental health, exploring a journey to live authentically when cultural expectations leave little room for complexity. Early readers describe Bachelorx as deeply relatable. Charity Feb calls it 'funny, inclusive, heartbreaking, and hopeful,' while journalist Rachel Swift praises its 'humor, intelligence, and rare narrative momentum.' Written with warming clarity, Bachelorx avoids academic language and self-help cliches. It foregrounds chosen family, and queer life while remaining accessible to anyone interested in contemporary relationships. When conversations about identity and mental health are often polarised, Bachelorx offers a grounded, human story that shows complexity is not a failure, but a meaningful part of living. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2891060/Bachelorx.jpg View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/skylar-lyralen-kaye-award-winning-writer-releases-memoir-bachelorx-exploring-queer-dating-through-multiple-inner-voices-302684408.html Aligned with France's national AI strategy and France 2030 investment in AI education, EC-Council's four new AI certifications and Certified CISO v4 build role-ready skills to adopt, defend, and govern AI at scale PARIS, Feb. 11, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- EC-Council ,creator of the world-renowned Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH) credential and a global leader in applied cybersecurity education, today launched its Enterprise AI Credential Suite, with four new role-based AI certifications debuting alongside Certified CISO v4, an overhauled executive cyber leadership program.?The dual launch is the largest single expansion of EC-Council's portfolio in its 25-year history, built for one clear reality: AI is scaling faster than the workforce trained to run, secure, and govern it. The launch is aligned with France's national direction on AI capability-building and trusted adoption, including the second phase of France's national AI strategy and the France 2030 plan's focus on scaling AI education and applied skills. France's second-phase national AI strategy outlines?2.22 billion?in total allocation over five years, including a France 2030 investment in AI education?exceeding 700 million, reflecting the country's focus on turning AI ambition into workforce capability.? As France accelerates adoption across sectors, workforce readiness and governance discipline are becoming operational requirements, not optional add-ons. The IMF has noted that AI will affect?almost 40% of jobs globally, while the World Economic Forum projects?39% of workers' core skills?will change by 2030, increasing demand for job-ready training pathways that translate into real capability.?Security exposure is rising in parallel. Most organisations report encountering AI-driven attacks, and Palo Alto Networks reports generative AI traffic surged?890%, expanding AI attack surfaces faster than many teams are being trained to defend.? "France is investing in AI capability through national strategy and France 2030, and the success of that investment comes down to people," said?Jay Bavisi, Group President, EC-Council."This portfolio is built to help professionals adopt AI responsibly, defend it under real conditions, and govern it with accountability, so organisations can scale AI with confidence." Role-Aligned Certifications The Enterprise AI Credential Suite is structured to mirror how AI capability is developed in practice. Artificial Intelligence Essentials (AIE) serves as the baseline, building practical AI fluency and responsible usage across roles, and it is supported by EC-Council's proprietary Adopt. Defend. Govern. (ADG) framework, which defines how AI should be operationalized at scale in real environments. Adopt: Prepare teams to deploy AI deliberately, with readiness and safeguards Defend: Secure AI systems against emerging risks, including prompt injection, data poisoning, model exploitation, and AI supply-chain compromise Govern: Embed accountability, oversight, and risk management into AI systems from the outset Within this structure, the four new certifications align directly to specific workforce needs across the AI lifecycle. Artificial Intelligence Essentials (AIE) builds foundational AI literacy. builds foundational AI literacy. Certified AI Program Manager (CAIPM) equips to translate AI strategy into execution, aligning teams, governance, and delivery to drive measurable ROI and enterprise-scale intelligence. equips to translate AI strategy into execution, aligning teams, governance, and delivery to drive measurable ROI and enterprise-scale intelligence. Certified Offensive AI Security Professional (COASP) Builds elite capabilities to test vulnerabilities in LLMs, simulate exploits, and secure AI infrastructure hardening enterprises against emerging threats. Builds elite capabilities to test vulnerabilities in LLMs, simulate exploits, and secure AI infrastructure hardening enterprises against emerging threats. Certified Responsible AI Governance & Ethics Professional (CRAGE) Focuses on Responsible AI, Governance and Ethics at enterprise scale with NIST/ISO compliance. Alongside the new AI certifications, Certified CISO v4 updates executive cyber leadership education for AI-driven risk environments, strengthening leadership readiness as intelligent systems become part of core business operations and security decision-making. "Security leaders are now accountable for systems that learn, adapt, and influence outcomes at speed," Bavisi added. "Certified CISO v4 prepares leaders to manage AI-driven risk with clarity, strengthen governance, and make informed decisions when responsibility is on the line." The portfolio also builds on EC-Council's long-standing work with government and defense organisations, including its existing DoD 8140 baseline certification recognition, as AI security and workforce readiness take on greater national importance. To explore the full range of training and certification opportunities, visit the EC-Council AI Courses library. About EC-Council: EC-Council is the creator of the Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH) program and a leader in cybersecurity education. Founded in 2001, EC-Council's mission is to provide high-quality training and certifications for cybersecurity professionals to keep organizations safe from cyber threats. EC-Council offers over 200 certifications and degrees in various cybersecurity domains, including forensics, security analysis, threat intelligence, and information security.?? ???? An ISO/IEC 17024 accredited organization, EC-Council has certified over 350,000 professionals worldwide, with clients ranging from government agencies to Fortune 100 companies. EC-Council is the gold standard in cybersecurity certification, trusted by the U.S. Department of Defense, the Army, Navy, Air Force, and leading global corporations.??? For more information, visit: www.eccouncil.org Media Contact: press@eccouncil.org A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/09aa0787-4fa5-4ae7-a72d-1afbe9ace01f Recognition of AmacaThera's leadership and landmark agreement with Pacira BioSciences for its long -acting, opioid -sparing anesthetic in post -operative pain management Progressing AMT-143 to Phase 2 clinical development in 2026 TORONTO, Feb. 11, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- AmacaThera, a leading developer of next-generation hydrogel-based drug delivery solutions that enable precise, tunable, and sustained release to improve a wide range of active therapeutics, today announced that it has been named Emerging Company of the Year by Life Sciences Ontario. This award highlights AmacaThera's evolution from an early-stage biotech into a global innovator, reflecting recognition from the broader life sciences community for its scientific excellence, innovative hydrogel technology, and increasing influence within the sector. This honor underscores the industry's acknowledgement of AmacaThera's promising advancements and the potential of its products to positively impact patient care. Now in its 23rd year, the Life Sciences Ontario Annual Awards celebrate outstanding achievements within Ontario's life sciences sector, honoring organizations that are leading the way in patient-centered, next-generation innovation. The official awards ceremony for this year will take place on May 13, 2026, at the Automotive Building in Exhibition Place, Toronto. The recognition comes during a year of significant momentum for AmacaThera, following its exclusive US$230 million global licensing agreement with Pacira BioSciences, Inc. Through this partnership, AmacaThera is advancing AMT-143, its investigational long-acting, non-opioid anesthetic addressing a major unmet need for post-operative pain management. AmacaThera and Pacira are preparing to initiate a Phase 2 trial in 2026. This award underscores the excitement surrounding AmacaThera's core platform technology, which has been validated across various therapeutic modalities. The company has demonstrated compatibility and proof-of-concept with a range of therapeutics from small molecules to biologics, showcasing the platform's versatility and scalability. AmacaThera is actively collaborating with multiple pharmaceutical partners to explore further opportunities, emphasizing the technology's relevance and potential for expanded impact. Mike Cooke, Chief Executive Officer of AmacaThera, said: "We are honored to receive this recognition from Life Sciences Ontario. It reflects the strength of our scientific innovation and the growing relevance of next-generation, hydrogel-based drug delivery solutions. As we evolve from an early-stage biotech into a global innovator, I am proud of our multidisciplinary team whose expertise and dedication have been instrumental in our progress." Molly Shoichet, Chief Scientific Officer of AmacaThera, added, "Our hydrogel-based platform is highly adaptable and supports the development of safer, patient-friendly therapies across a wide range of therapeutics. Our partnerships and this recognition from Life Sciences Ontario validate our products. With our mission to transform patient care, we look forward to translating our innovations into real-world benefits for people worldwide." AmacaThera's proprietary tunable hydrogel platform transforms from liquid to gel at body temperature, enabling precise, localized, and extended release of therapies across small molecules and biologics. The technology is scalable, cost-effective to manufacture, and designed to enhance therapeutic efficacy while improving patient experience and reducing systemic exposure, positioning the company as a leader in drug delivery. About AmacaThera AmacaThera is a leading developer of next-generation hydrogel-based drug delivery solutions. Using a proprietary blend of known polymers, AmacaThera's clinically validated hydrogel platform is transforming drug delivery by enabling the precise, tunable, and sustained release of a wide range of therapeutics, from small molecules to biologics. Transforming from liquid to gel at body temperature, AmacaThera's hydrogel enables drugs to be delivered to and stay precisely where they are needed and released over days or weeks, depending on the specific needs of each therapeutic application. Building on this foundation, AmacaThera leverages its proprietary hydrogel platform to co-develop innovative drug delivery solutions with pharmaceutical and biotechnology partners. The platform's inherent versatility enables the creation of long-acting formulations that enhance therapeutic efficacy, improve patient convenience, and minimize systemic exposure. Scalable and cost-effective to manufacture, AmacaThera's hydrogel technology supports a collaborative business model designed to deliver value across a broad range of therapeutic areas and product modalities. For more information, please visit: www.amacathera.com View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/amacathera-named-life-sciences-ontario-emerging-company-of-the-year-302684232.html BARCELONA, Spain, Feb. 11, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Fractus, a pioneer in antenna technology and intellectual property (IP) licensing, announced today a new patent licensing agreement with licensing aggregator RPX Corporation that expands the Fractus family of licensees. The agreement reflects continued adoption of connected safety devices that depend on compact, high-performance, multiband antennas-whether installed in monitored alarm panels, hubs or home base stations, cameras, wearables, or pendant devices. By bringing multiple implementers under a single negotiation process, the parties completed an efficient, non-contentious licensing transaction aligned with Fractus' licensing models. RPX's experienced, innovative approach to dealmaking delivered an efficient licensing solution for its members and for Fractus-without wasting time, money, and goodwill on legal disputes that can hinder optimal outcomes for stakeholders. "This RPX agreement reflects a pragmatic path to licensing at scale," said Jordi Ilario, CEO of Fractus. "This agreement underscores the momentum of connected safety in the U.S. and adds several respected providers to our licensee community." Demand for connected safety devices is accelerating, thereby increasing the need for miniature, multiband antenna technology that supports reliable connectivity. Berg Insights estimates there were 36.0 million active monitored alarm systems in the U.S. and Canada at the end of 2023, and forecasts this will grow to 42.9 million by 2028. In medical alert systems, Berg Insights estimates the North American user base will rise from 5.2 million in 2023 to 7.5 million in 2028, with market value growing from 2.7 billion (US$2.9 billion) in 2023 to 4.1 billion (US$4.5 billion) by 2028. About Fractus Fractus is an early pioneer in the application of advanced geometry and mathematics to antenna design. The company's patented innovations enable compact, high-performance, multiband antennas that are widely used across smartphones, IoT devices, network infrastructure, and connected health applications. Fractus holds a portfolio covering more than 40 inventions and its technology has been licensed by leading global companies. Among other recognitions, Fractus was named a 2005 World Economic Forum Technology Pioneer; its inventors were finalists for the European Inventor Award in 2014; and in 2017 the company received the "European Inspiring Company Award" from the London Stock Exchange Group. Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1896932/Fractus_Logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/fractus-expands-us-connected-safety-licensing-via-rpx-agreement-302684228.html LONDON, Feb. 11, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Cognita, a leading global schools group, is delighted to announce that David Baldwin has been appointed Group CEO with immediate effect. Since joining Cognita in 2018, David has worked at the heart of the organisation, holding senior education leadership roles in the UK and partnering closely with schools across the group. He is widely regarded as an effective and respected leader, with deep expertise in K-12 education and a strong understanding of Cognita's culture and communities. In his most recent role as the first CEO, Cognita Middle East he led the business through a period of rapid growth, demonstrating strong leadership and building a regional presence that now spans 14 schools, over 5 countries, educating more than 23,000 students. In his new role, as Group CEO, David will now lead the wider organisation into an exciting new chapter, bringing energy, commitment and continuity for the group. His appointment follows a comprehensive and rigorous search process led by a sub-committee of the Cognita Board of Directors and supported by one of the world's leading professional recruitment firms. A strong field of external candidates were engaged, and after careful deliberation, David emerged as the clear standout choice. Jacob Polny, CEO, Jacobs Capital & Chairman of Cognita's Board of Directors commented: "We are truly delighted that David will lead Cognita into an exciting new chapter. His appointment will bring stability, continuity and optimism to the company. He leads with purpose, operates with integrity, and as a passionate educator, never loses sight of why we do this work." David Baldwin, Group CEO, Cognita, added: "It is an enormous privilege to step into this role, for which I am incredibly proud and grateful. For more than twenty years, education has been my passion and life's work and over that time, I have seen first-hand the brilliant things people do every single day to help schools truly thrive. I am excited to build on the strong foundations, help our schools focus their energy on what matters most - the students, and build a culture where people feel trusted, supported, and proud of the difference they make." The Cognita Board of Directors sincerely thanks Andreas Tolpeit, for his leadership as Group CEO (Interim) over the past months. During this period, Andreas provided continuity and ongoing momentum leading important work on the Group's strategic direction, operating model and performance priorities. The Board appreciates his contributions and support in strengthening the Group's foundations and positioning it well for the future. Andreas will now resume his role as Group CFO. At the same time, Stuart Millman, currently Chief Financial Officer, Middle East, will move into the position of CEO, Middle East (Interim), with immediate effect. About Cognita Launched in 2004, Cognita is an extraordinary community of schools currently spanning more than 20 countries that share one common purpose: to help young people thrive in a rapidly evolving world. With 90 schools in Europe and the US, the Middle East, Latin America, and Asia, Cognita employs over 22,000+ teaching and support staff in the care and education of more than 100,000 students across five regions and offers multiple recognised academic curricula. Together, Cognita schools provide a uniquely global education that goes beyond grades, to develop all-round academic excellence - equipping young people with the agency, adaptability and positive attitudes that prepares them to grow, thrive and find their success in a rapidly evolving world. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2891331/Cognita_CEO.jpg Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2244643/5782109/Cognita_Logo.jpg View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/cognita-announces-appointment-of-new-group-ceo-302684285.html LONDON and NEW YORK, Feb. 11, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- ManageMy, the Intelligent Orchestration Platform transforming how insurers sell, service, underwrite, and manage policies, today announces it has raised $45 million, $20m of which was secured in its recent Series B round, co-led by Ventura Capital and OCVC, with backing from BNF and a consortium of strategic leaders in both traditional insurance and InsurTech. ManageMy was founded by Sean O'Connor, Co-Founder of the FinTech unicorn Zilch, through his investment operator vehicle OCVC.com, alongside a team of insurance, technology, and data specialists with deep experience across carriers, reinsurers, and distribution, led by Co-Founder and CEO Stephen Collins. Created to simplify complexity across the insurance value chain, ManageMy provides insurers with a modular, composable platform that spans customer engagement, automated underwriting, and intelligent claims decisioning. The funding will enable ManageMy to further accelerate: Market expansion, strengthening its North American presence, while building on growing traction in Asia Pacific and Europe strengthening its North American presence, while building on growing traction in Asia Pacific and Europe AI investment , including agentic workflows, explainable decisioning, and data-driven underwriting automation , including agentic workflows, explainable decisioning, and data-driven underwriting automation Product expansion , enhancing ManageMy's integrated services platform and industry-specific modules , enhancing ManageMy's integrated services platform and industry-specific modules Go-to-market execution , scaling commercial investment to support growth across North America and Asia Pacific , scaling commercial investment to support growth across North America and Asia Pacific Team scaling, particularly across engineering, implementation, and customer success. Stephen Collins, Co-Founder and CEO of ManageMy, commented: "This funding marks a major milestone for ManageMy and validates our vision of a more intelligent, integrated, and adaptable insurance operating model. From the outset, we built ManageMy as a scalable, enterprise-grade platform capable of compounding value as insurers grow and modernise. This investment enables us to accelerate product depth, expand distribution, and convert strong client adoption into even more durable, high-quality recurring revenue. ManageMy is now uniquely positioned to become a long-term infrastructure partner to the global insurance industry. Insurers are under growing pressure to improve speed, accuracy, and customer experience while increasing sales and reducing costs. Our platform is purpose-built to address those challenges - delivering AI-enabled decisioning and orchestration across the entire Buy-Manage-Claim lifecycle." Mo?El?Husseiny, Managing Partner at Ventura Capital, said: "ManageMy has built something of massive strategic value to the insurance industry. Their combined application of intelligence and automation into insurers and brokers environments unlocks value at scale. The insurance industry has struggled to modernise its business models compared to the financial services market. ManageMy is at the forefront of digitally transforming the insurance sector, one of the world's largest and most lucrative markets. We are delighted to continue partnering with Sean O'Connor across his ventures and with the team at ManageMy." Sean O'Connor: Co-Founder of ManageMy and Founder of OCVC.com, said: "When we co-found a business, we do so with tier one operating co-founders, like Stephen Collins, who, along with the team he has built, have deep domain expertise in insurance and the application of technology within the industry. Insurance is a fundamental financial inclusion product, designed for social good. ManageMy is the intelligent application of increasingly critical digital infrastructure into the incumbent insurers and brokers, which enables transformation of the operating model and creates new value for insurers, brokers and consumers. This also makes it increasingly economically viable to open up insurance to the millions who are uninsured or underinsured." ManageMy leads a distinct category of 'Deep Front-End' platforms, transforming the insurance experience for over 45 major insurance carriers and broker groups across North America. The platform supports enterprise-scale digital journeys and intelligent orchestration across life, health, and P&C lines, delivering three core advantages: Uniquely designed to bring the key operating functions and journeys - customer experience, underwriting and claims - into the front-end, enabling insurers to manage and automate journeys. Delivers composable, native, adaptive, and intelligent customer journeys and workflows that respond to context, product, and user intent, reducing friction and errors across the entire insurance journey - from onboarding to claims - with one seamless, modular platform. Offers one engine to connect, configure, & launch. The only comprehensive solution with a front-end design that transforms great customer experience into a revenue engine, unlocking cross-sell, upsell, and embedded distribution at scale. Over the past 24 months since its Series A (also led by Ventura and OCVC), ManageMy has gained significant commercial momentum. The company's solutions are increasingly being adopted as a front-end and decision-layer alternative to traditional portals and point solutions, leveraging its Ai and no-code capability to enhance enterprise insurance environment. About ManageMy ManageMy is a deep front end insurance Intelligent Orchestration Platform, which enables insurers to seamlessly orchestrate digital customer engagement, automated underwriting, and intelligent claims decisioning. Designed for flexibility, scale, and AI-driven insight, ManageMy enables insurers to modernise operations, improve customer experience, and unlock sustainable value across the insurance lifecycle. Co-founded by Stephen Collins, Sean O'Connor, Gino Maccio and Sean Rowley, ManageMy is a UK company with global headquarters in Charlotte, North Carolina. London. https://managemy.com/ View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/managemy-raises-45-million-to-accelerate-ai-driven-insurance-transformation-302684442.html As the UK's AI market grows to become one of the largest globally and Ireland's AI labour demand doubles, four new AI certifications and Certified CISO v4 help close the gap between rapid AI adoption and the skilled workforce needed to govern, secure, and scale it LONDON and DUBLIN, Feb. 11, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- EC-Council, creator of the world-renowned Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH) credential and a global leader in applied cybersecurity education, today launched its Enterprise AI Credential Suite, with four new role-based AI certifications debuting alongside Certified CISO v4, an overhauled executive cyber leadership program. The dual launch is the largest single expansion of EC-Council's portfolio in its 25-year history, built for one clear reality: AI is scaling faster than the workforce trained to run, secure, and govern it. The launch aligns with a defining phase in the United Kingdom and Ireland's AI growth trajectory. According to the latest market research, the UK AI ecosystem is now the third-largest in the world, valued at approximately $92 billion in 2024 and projected to grow at an annual rate exceeding 28 percent through 2033. More than 52 percent of UK businesses are already using AI in operations, with 77 percent reporting measurable productivity gains from adoption. London alone hosts over 2,700 AI companies, making it one of Europe's most active and strategically significant AI hubs. Ireland's AI labour market is also expanding rapidly: recent analysis shows that AI-related jobs and usage have doubled in the past two years, reflecting strong demand for AI skills and positioning the country as a key European technology market. Ireland ranks among the top in AI adoption and digital skills readiness, with research pointing to robust opportunities for the workforce and employers alike. "AI is moving from experimentation to infrastructure, and the workforce has to move with it," said Jay Bavisi, Group President, EC-Council. "These programs are built to give professionals practical capability across adoption, security, and governance, so organizations can scale AI with confidence and clear accountability." Role-Aligned Certifications The Enterprise AI Credential Suite is structured to mirror how AI capability is developed in practice. Artificial Intelligence Essentials (AIE) serves as the baseline, building practical AI fluency and responsible usage across roles, and it is supported by EC-Council's proprietary Adopt. Defend. Govern. (ADG) framework, which defines how AI should be operationalized at scale in real environments. Adopt: Prepare teams to deploy AI deliberately, with readiness and safeguards Defend: Secure AI systems against emerging risks, including prompt injection, data poisoning, model exploitation, and AI supply-chain compromise Govern: Embed accountability, oversight, and risk management into AI systems from the outset Within this structure, the four new certifications align directly to specific workforce needs across the AI lifecycle. Artificial Intelligence Essentials (AIE) builds foundational AI literacy. builds foundational AI literacy. Certified AI Program Manager (CAIPM) equips to translate AI strategy into execution, aligning teams, governance, and delivery to drive measurable ROI and enterprise-scale intelligence. equips to translate AI strategy into execution, aligning teams, governance, and delivery to drive measurable ROI and enterprise-scale intelligence. Certified Offensive AI Security Professional (COASP) Builds elite capabilities to test vulnerabilities in LLMs, simulate exploits, and secure AI infrastructure hardening enterprises against emerging threats. Builds elite capabilities to test vulnerabilities in LLMs, simulate exploits, and secure AI infrastructure hardening enterprises against emerging threats. Certified Responsible AI Governance & Ethics Professional (CRAGE) Focuses on Responsible AI, Governance and Ethics at enterprise scale with NIST/ISO compliance. Alongside the new AI certifications, Certified CISO v4 updates executive cyber leadership education for AI-driven risk environments, strengthening leadership readiness as intelligent systems become part of core business operations and security decision-making. "Security leaders are now accountable for systems that learn, adapt, and influence outcomes at speed," Bavisi added. "Certified CISO v4 prepares leaders to manage AI-driven risk with clarity, strengthen governance, and make informed decisions when responsibility is on the line." The portfolio also builds on EC-Council's long-standing work with government and defense organizations, including its existing DoD 8140 baseline certification recognition, as AI security and workforce readiness take on greater national importance. To explore the full range of training and certification opportunities, visit the EC-Council AI Courses library. About EC-Council: EC-Council is the creator of the Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH) program and a leader in cybersecurity education. Founded in 2001, EC-Council's mission is to provide high-quality training and certifications for cybersecurity professionals to keep organizations safe from cyber threats. EC-Council offers over 200 certifications and degrees in various cybersecurity domains, including forensics, security analysis, threat intelligence, and information security. An ISO/IEC 17024 accredited organization, EC-Council has certified over 350,000 professionals worldwide, with clients ranging from government agencies to Fortune 100 companies. EC-Council is the gold standard in cybersecurity certification, trusted by the U.S. Department of Defense, the Army, Navy, Air Force, and leading global corporations. For more information, visit: www.eccouncil.org Media Contact: press@eccouncil.org A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/965b43ae-d280-408b-8516-fe5d1a6b7301 The global energy sector is facing mounting pressure as accelerating demand collides with grid constraints, rising project costs, and shifting government policies, according to Womble Bond Dickinson's Energy Outlook 2026 Based on insights from more than 650 senior leaders across energy companies, investors, service providers, and energy-intensive consumers worldwide, the research highlights the difficulty of delivering reliable energy to keep pace with the surging demand driven by electrification of heat and transport, AI, data centres, manufacturing growth, and extreme weather. UK in focus: Challenging conditions for capacity growth: Despite rising demand globally, UK firms expect energy capacity to grow by 16% over the next 12-24 months, slightly below the 17% global average. Despite rising demand globally, UK firms expect energy capacity to grow by 16% over the next 12-24 months, slightly below the 17% global average. Grid connection delays remain the primary barrier: Despite planned reforms, almost two thirds of UK firms cite grid-connection delays as their biggest barrier. Faced with these constraints, companies are shifting from a focus on greenfield projects to more diverse strategies, including balancing upgrades, M&A, partnerships, and retrofits. Despite planned reforms, almost two thirds of UK firms cite grid-connection delays as their biggest barrier. Faced with these constraints, companies are shifting from a focus on greenfield projects to more diverse strategies, including balancing upgrades, M&A, partnerships, and retrofits. UK companies face more community opposition than other regions: More than 42% of UK firms report project delays due to nimbyism significantly above the 32% global average. Recommendations In addition to its findings, the report sets out practical recommendations to help energy companies accelerate project delivery and reduce risk. These include early, collaborative planning with regulators and communities; building agile systems for policy and regulatory change; designing projects with investment attractiveness in mind; structuring projects to allow for effective dispute mitigation; and deploying AI to optimise assets and decision-making, underpinned by strong governance and accountability frameworks. Chris Towner, Partner and UK Energy Sector Leader at WBD, added: "The findings from our UK survey respondents make for worrying reading amid the rapidly approaching 2030 energy decarbonisation target. However, they will be no surprise to those in the industry: grid connection delays, rising project costs, and community opposition are consistently holding back capacity growth. "Fortunately, we are sitting on significant untapped efficiency. Smarter use of existing infrastructure, combined with better data insights and AI-driven optimisation including by energy-intensive consumers themselves could transform how we balance the grid and unlock new capacity. Through agile project structures, early stakeholder engagement, and strategic use of technology, UK developers have a clear opportunity to transform these challenges into cleaner, more resilient, and investable energy." View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260210963649/en/ Contacts: Media enquiries: Milo Osborne-Young: WombleBondDickinson@infiniteglobal.com Synergy between TVS Motor Italia and Exelentia defines the path towards sustainable and responsible mobility. TVS Motor Company, a global leader in two and three-wheeler mobility, and Exelentia are strengthening their commitment to sustainable and responsible mobility by providing the Governorate of Vatican City State with two TVS iQube electric scooters This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260210048491/en/ TVS iQube delivered to Governorate of Vatican State City The official delivery, which took place on February 5th, is part of a consolidated collaboration between the Vatican and Exelentia which is already active in projects focused on innovation and sustainability. This initiative by Exelentia in a partnership of TVS Motor Italia marks a further concrete step in the ecological transition process already undertaken by the Governorate of Vatican City State. This process aims for zero-emission mobility solutions designed to meet the daily operational needs of a unique context like the Vatican, where efficiency, reliability, and respect for people and the environment are core values. Emphasizing the importance of this occasion, Giovanni Notarbartolo di Furnari, General Manager of TVS Motor Italia, stated, "The deployment of TVS iQube electric scooters in a prestigious setting such as the Vatican validates our vision for urban electric mobility-anchored in reliability, intuitive usability, and world class quality." Giovanni Zappia, Founder Owner of Exelentia, stated, "The partnership undertaken with the Governorate of the State of the Vatican City strengthens Exelentia's commitment to contributing concretely to mature, reliable mobility fully suited to particularly sensitive urban and institutional contexts." TVS iQube: The Vanguard of Zero-Emission Mobility The TVS iQube was selected for its blend of silent performance and cutting-edge tech, making it uniquely suited for the Vatican's historic and high-sensitivity environment. With a range of up to 100 km in eco mode, it is a means of transport with superior comfort, characterized by intelligent connectivity developed thanks to the SmartXonnect system, accessible via TFT display and dedicated app. Designed to simplify city mobility and short-range travel, the TVS iQube combines: Driving comfort Practicality of use Functional technology Total absence of emissions and noise Designed to simplify mobility in the city and short-distance travel, TVS iQube combines riding comfort, ease of use, functional technology and total absence of emissions and noise. TVS Motor Company was founded in India. It is currently present in over 90 countries and is recognized for producing reliable vehicles suited to the real, daily needs of millions of people. Exelentia, a specialist partner in "last-mile" mobility, brings the TVS iQube electric scooter to its most mature expression within a vision of reliable, accessible, and urban mobility. About TVS Motor Company TVS Motor Company (BSE:532343 and NSE: TVSMOTOR) is a reputed two and three-wheeler manufacturer globally, championing progress through sustainable mobility with four state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities located in India and Indonesia. Rooted in our 100-year legacy of trust, value, and passion for customers, it takes pride in making internationally accepted products of the highest quality through innovative and sustainable processes. TVS Motor is the only two-wheeler company to have won the prestigious Deming Prize. Our products lead in their respective categories in the J.D. Power IQS and APEAL surveys. We have been ranked No. 1 Company in the J.D. Power Customer Service Satisfaction Survey for four consecutive years. Our group company Norton Motorcycles, based in the United Kingdom, is one of the most emotive motorcycle brands in the world. Our subsidiaries in the personal e-mobility space, Swiss E-Mobility Group (SEMG) and EGO Movement have a leading position in the e-bike market in Switzerland. TVS Motor Company endeavours to deliver the most superior customer experience across 90 countries in which we operate. For more information, please visit www.tvsmotor.com View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260210048491/en/ Contacts: For more details, please contact Kanika Mehta kanika.mehta@tvsmotor.com Ottawa, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - February 11, 2026) - Focus Graphite Inc. (TSXV: FMS) (OTCQB: FCSMF) (FSE: FKC0) ("Focus" or the "Company"), a leading developer of high-grade flake graphite deposits and advanced graphite materials for battery, defence, and industrial applications, is pleased to announce that it has engaged Dr. Reuter Investor Relations ("Dr. Reuter") to provide investor awareness and communications services across Germany and the broader European capital markets, effective February 16, 2026. Dr. Reuter is a recognized European investor relations and financial communications firm with an established network of institutional investors, retail shareholders, and financial media throughout the DACH region and the European Union. The engagement is intended to enhance Focus Graphite's visibility among European investors, support market education regarding its vertically integrated graphite strategy, and strengthen shareholder communications as development advances across the Company's flagship projects and downstream processing initiatives. Dr. Reuter's business address is Tower 185, Friedrich-Ebert-Anlage 35-37, 60327 Frankfurt, Germany, and the firm may be contacted at e.reuter@dr-reuter.eu. "We are seeing growing strategic and institutional interest from European markets in secure critical minerals supply chains, particularly for battery materials, defence, and advanced industrial applications," said Dean Hanisch, CEO of Focus Graphite. "European stakeholders are increasingly focused on diversifying supply away from highly concentrated sources of graphite. Engaging Dr. Reuter strengthens our ability to communicate directly with German and broader European capital markets, expand institutional awareness, and improve investor access as we advance our resource development and technology initiatives." The engagement comes at a time of accelerating European policy and industrial focus on securing domestic and allied sources of critical raw materials. European governments and industrial stakeholders are increasingly prioritizing supply chain resilience, diversification away from highly concentrated foreign sources, and long-term access to graphite and other materials supporting battery, energy storage, defence, and broader dual-use industrial applications. Initiatives tied to defence readiness and industrial capacity, including frameworks such as the European Union's "ReArm Europe" strategy, are reinforcing demand for secure, traceable, and jurisdictionally aligned graphite supply. The Company believes its high-grade natural graphite resources and downstream processing strategy are well aligned with these evolving European defence and dual-use supply chain priorities. Complementing this engagement, the Company will be participating in the Canadian Critical Minerals Mission to Europe taking place February 16-20, 2026, with scheduled engagements in Rome, Munich, and Paris alongside representatives from Natural Resources Canada and Invest in Canada. The mission is expected to facilitate direct dialogue with government stakeholders, industrial partners, and institutional investors, supporting the advancement of secure transatlantic critical minerals supply chains and expanding strategic relationships across European capital markets and downstream industrial sectors. Under the terms of the agreement, Dr. Reuter will provide investor relations and financial public relations services across European capital markets, including campaign and editorial articles, translation and distribution of press releases, journalist targeting, social media outreach, and ongoing performance reporting. The agreement commences February 16, 2026 and runs for an initial six-month term ending August 16, 2026, at a monthly fee of 4,000. The agreement includes a performance review after three months, at which time the Company may terminate the engagement within seven days without penalty if services are not meeting expectations. Following the initial term, the agreement may be renewed upon mutual consent of both parties. Dr. Reuter is arm's length to the Company and, to the knowledge of the Company, holds no securities of Focus Graphite. About Focus Graphite Advanced Materials Inc. Focus Graphite Advanced Materials is redefining the future of critical minerals with two 100% owned world-class graphite projects and cutting-edge battery technology. Our flagship Lac Knife project stands as one of the most advanced high-purity graphite deposits in North America, with a fully completed feasibility study. Lac Knife is set to become a key supplier for the battery, defence, and advanced materials industries. Our Lac Tetepisca project further strengthens our portfolio, with the potential to be one of the largest and highest-purity and grade graphite deposits in North America. At Focus, we go beyond mining - we are pioneering environmentally sustainable processing solutions and innovative battery technologies, including our patent-pending silicon-enhanced spheroidized graphite, designed to enhance battery performance and efficiency. Our commitment to innovation ensures a chemical-free, eco-friendly supply chain from mine to market. Collaboration is at the core of our vision. We actively partner with industry leaders, research institutions, and government agencies to accelerate the commercialization of next-generation graphite materials. As a North American company, we are dedicated to securing a resilient, locally sourced supply of critical minerals - reducing dependence on foreign-controlled markets and driving the transition to a sustainable future. For more information on Focus Graphite Inc., please visit http://www.focusgraphite.com. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/focus-graphite/ X: https://x.com/focusgraphite Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements Certain statements contained in this press release constitute forward-looking information. These statements relate to future events or future performance. The use of any of the words "could," "intend," "expect," "believe," "will," "projected," "estimated," and similar expressions, as well as statements relating to matters that are not historical facts, are intended to identify forward-looking information and are based on the Company's current beliefs or assumptions as to the outcome and timing of such future events. In particular, this press release contains forward-looking information regarding, without limitation: (i) the expected services to be provided by Dr. Reuter Investor Relations pursuant to the investor relations and communications agreement; (ii) the anticipated benefits of the engagement, including increased visibility, investor awareness, and shareholder communications across German and broader European capital markets; (iii) the Company's participation in the Canadian Critical Minerals Mission to Europe, including scheduled engagements in Rome, Munich, and Paris; (iv) the potential outcomes of such engagements, including the development of relationships with government stakeholders, industrial partners, and institutional investors; and (v) the Company's broader strategy to expand its presence and positioning within European critical minerals and advanced materials markets. Forward-looking statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors that may cause actual results, performance, or achievements to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, risks related to market conditions, regulatory approvals, changes in economic conditions, the ability to raise sufficient funds on acceptable terms or at all, operational risks associated with mineral exploration and development, and other risks detailed from time to time in the Company's public disclosure documents available under its profile on SEDAR+. The forward-looking information contained in this release is made as of the date hereof, and the Company is not obligated to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise, except as required by applicable securities laws. Because of the risks, uncertainties, and assumptions contained herein, investors should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services 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/283521 Source: Focus Graphite Inc. BARCELONA, Spain, Feb. 11, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Europe will lead international participation at Alimentaria + Hostelco, Spain's leading international platform for food, beverages, food service and hospitality equipment and one of the world's key international trade fairs, which will return to Fira de Barcelona's Gran Via venue from 23 to 26 March 2026. With more than 650 exhibitors, European participation will increase by 25% compared to 2024, occupying over 10,000 m. The European exhibition area will reach 10,000 m, representing an increase of 25%. In total, more than 650 companies will participate, excluding Spanish exhibitors, reinforcing Europe's leadership within the event. The European countries with the strongest presence include Italy, Poland, Portugal, Germany, Belgium, Greece, the Netherlands, Romania, France and Austria. This edition will also feature new institutional and sectoral participation from international entities such as Advantage Austria, the French Chamber of Commerce and Taste France, which will have its own pavilion, as well as Hungary, among others. In addition, Gefa Exportservice Germany returns after being absent in 2024, reflecting renewed interest from the German market. The dynamism of the European area is reflected in the expansion of exhibition space, the incorporation of new countries and the diversity of represented categories: from gourmet products, dairy and oil to meat, preserved foods, coffees, bakery, biscuits, snacks and horeca equipment. With nearly 200 companies, Italy will once again lead the international presence and will represent the largest foreign delegation at the show. Also noteworthy is the presence of Poland, which holds the title of guest country and will exhibit all its agri-food potential with 100 companies. Alimentaria + Hostelco expects 25% of the nearly 110,000 professionals who visit the show to be international, 27% of them from Europe. This consolidates its global leadership with a 41% increase in international exhibiting companies compared to 2024. Of the more than 3,300 companies planned, nearly 1,000 will be international, representing over 70 countries. Organised by Alimentaria Exhibitions, a Fira de Barcelona company, Alimentaria + Hostelco 2026 expects to bring together around 3,300 exhibiting companies, occupying 100,000 m net across seven halls. Celebrating its 50th anniversary, the event is expected to welcome more than 110,000 professional visitors, 25% of them international, reaffirming its position as one of the world's leading trade fairs and a key platform for business development, internationalisation and networking. www.alimentaria.com Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2891044/FIRA_EUR.jpg Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2826383/5781433/Logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/more-than-650-european-companies-to-participate-in-alimentaria--hostelco-2026-302684896.html Lugano, Switzerland - February 11th, 2026 - Helsinn Healthcare SA ("Helsinn"), a global pharmaceutical group focused on supporting patients with cancer and chronic diseases, and MagnaPharm, a leading pharmaceutical group operating across Central & Eastern Europe, today announce that the companies have entered into a long-term Licence, Distribution and Supply Agreement for AKYNZEO (combination of netupitant-palonosetron) and ALOXI (palonosetron) in Poland, Romania, Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary. Both products are indicated for the treatment of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV) in adult patients. Riccardo Braglia, Chairman and CEO of Helsinn,commented: "We are pleased to welcome MagnaPharm, an established leader in the Central and Eastern European region, into our network of commercial partners. This collaboration marks an important milestone as we continue to expand access to our supportive care portfolio across key international markets. We look forward to working closely with the MagnaPharm team to ensure that a growing number of patients in the CEE region can benefit from these important therapies, which are designed to improve quality of life throughout the cancer care journey." Karol Michalak, CEO of MagnaPharm Group stated: "We are proud to embark on the partnerships with Helsinn, a globally respected leader in scientific innovation and patient-centered care - values that resonate deeply with our own mission. By joining forces, we strengthen our ability to expand access to innovative, high-impact therapies across the CEE region, ensuring that more patients benefit from the latest advances in oncology care. Through Akynzeo and Aloxi, we empower healthcare professionals with trusted, clinically proven solutions that not only enhance therapeutic outcomes, but also make a meaningful contribution to safeguarding patients' quality of life throughout their cancer care and recovery." About AKYNZEO AKYNZEO is a 5-HT3 and NK1 receptor antagonist fixed combination approved in adults for the prevention of acute and delayed nausea and vomiting associated with highly and moderately emetogenic chemotherapy. For additional information please see the EU Summary of Product Characteristics . AboutALOXI ALOXI is approved in Europe in adults for the prevention of acute nausea and vomiting associated with highly emetogenic cancer chemotherapy and the prevention of nausea and vomiting associated with moderately emetogenic cancer chemotherapy. ALOXI is also indicated in pediatric patients 1 month of age and older for the prevention of acute nausea and vomiting associated with highly emetogenic cancer chemotherapy and prevention of nausea and vomiting associated with moderately emetogenic cancer chemotherapy. For additional information please see the EU Summary of Product Characteristics . About Helsinn Helsinn is a global pharmaceutical company that builds, manufactures, launches, and commercializes products to improve the quality of life for patients with cancer and chronic diseases, with a focus on supportive care, oncology and dermato-oncology. Headquartered in Lugano, Switzerland, Helsinn has direct commercial operations in the U.S., manufacturing operations in Ireland, offices in China, and a network of trusted partners enabling a commercial presence in 90 countries. Established in 1976, Helsinn is a third-generation family-owned company with broad pharmaceutical and technical expertise. For half a century, Helsinn has been operating with integrity, passion, and quality. The company continuously fosters innovation for its patients and embraces sustainable growth as a core element of its strategic vision. To learn more about Helsinn, please visit www.helsinn.com or follow us on LinkedIn and X . About MagnaPharm MagnaPharm is a premier pharmaceutical and consumer healthcare service provider in Central & Eastern Europe. MagnaPharm is the partner of choice on the Central and Eastern Europe pharmaceutical market, offering a unique and full range of services on the distribution, marketing, sales, pharmaceutical retail, market access, pricing and medical services segments. MagnaPharm is going an extra mile to fulfil the demands of its reputable partners, multinational and specialty international pharmaceutical companies that have decided not to operate directly in CEE or already operating in CEE but outsourcing parts of their portfolios. MagnaPharm operates in all main CEE countries: Romania, Bulgaria, Poland, Hungary, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Serbia, Slovenia, Lithuania, Estonia, Latvia, Croatia, Bosnia, Albania, Montenegro, Kosovo and North Macedonia. For more info about MagnaPharm, please visit: www.magnapharm.eu . For more information: Helsinn Media Contact Sabrina Perucchi Group Communication Manager Tel: +41 (0) 91 985 21 21 Email: communications@helsinn.com MagnaPharm Media Contact: Filip Filkorn Cell: +421 905 839 723 Email: filip.filkorn@magnapharm.eu Guangzhou, China--(Newsfile Corp. - February 11, 2026) - The APEC members should work toward a clear, substantive outcome document at this year's Leaders' Meeting, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said when delivering a speech at the opening session of the first Senior Officials' Meeting of APEC China 2026 in Guangzhou on Tuesday. Chinese FM Outlines Key Tasks of APEC China 2026 To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/8722/283542_afa0fedfe4b8e9c3_001full.jpg Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, said that China has chosen the theme "Building an Asia-Pacific Community to Prosper Together" for this year and will focus on the priorities of openness, innovation, and cooperation to advance the whole year's agenda. The APEC members should explore ways to broaden the path toward the Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific, and should promote the formulation of a blueprint for upgrading connectivity, Wang said. Wang noted that the APEC members should accelerate digital, smart, and green transformations driven by innovation, and foster new growth drivers for APEC economies. The APEC members should bear in mind the diversity among APEC members, and deepen practical cooperation across wide-ranging areas of governance that are integral to development, Wang added. Chinese FM Outlines Key Tasks of APEC China 2026 To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/8722/283542_afa0fedfe4b8e9c3_002full.jpg This is the third time that China plays host to APEC -- and the first after twelve years. Chinese President Xi Jinping has pointed the way forward: stay true to APEC's founding mission of promoting economic growth and improving people's lives, champion open development where everyone shares opportunities and emerges a winner, promote a universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization, and build an Asia-Pacific community, Wang said. He called on the APEC members to build a prosperous and stable Asia-Pacific, an open and interconnected Asia-Pacific, a universally beneficial and inclusive Asia-Pacific and a united and mutually supportive Asia-Pacific. The APEC "China Year" coincides with the opening year of China's 15th Five-Year Plan period. China will deliver new opportunities for the Asia-Pacific and the wider world with the new achievements of Chinese modernization, Wang said. The first Senior Officials' Meeting of APEC China 2026 is designed to accumulate outcomes for the Leaders' Meeting in November. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/283542 Source: Global News Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - February 11, 2026) - Arnold Kondrat ("Kondrat") announces that he acquired on February 10, 2026 direct ownership of 8,857,142 common shares of KGL Resources Ltd. ("KGL"), representing approximately 60.23% of the 14,706,632 issued and outstanding common shares of KGL. Kondrat did not own any common shares of KGL prior to this acquisition such that, immediately following the acquisition, Kondrat now directly owns 8,857,142 common shares of KGL, representing approximately 60.23% of the issued and outstanding common shares of KGL on a non-diluted basis. Kondrat acquired the 8,857,142 common shares of KGL (the "KGL Shares") by way of a private agreement as part of a divesture transaction carried out by the seller of the KGL Shares (the "Seller") in connection with a plan of arrangement involving the Seller (the "Arrangement"). This divesture transaction involved the Seller disposing of certain assets which included the KGL Shares. Kondrat and the Seller agreed in the agreement for the divesture transaction that the value of the consideration for the KGL Shares shall be an aggregate of Cdn$620,000 (which represents approximately Cdn$0.07 per KGL Share). This consideration was satisfied by way of Kondrat accepting a reduction in Kondrat's compensation entitlement from the Seller resulting from the closing of the Arrangement. Kondrat acquired the KGL Shares for investment purposes. Kondrat does not have any present intention to acquire additional securities of KGL but may, depending on the market and other conditions, increase or decrease his beneficial ownership of securities of KGL, whether in the open market, by privately negotiated agreements or otherwise, subject to general market conditions and other available investment and business opportunities. Kondrat relied on the "private agreement" take-over bid exemption set out in section 4.2 of National Instrument 62-104 - Take-Over Bids and Issuer Bids, in acquiring the KGL Shares. The facts supporting reliance on this exemption are as follows: (a) the acquisition of the KGL Shares by Kondrat was made from one seller; (b) the bid was made to one shareholder only and was not made generally to holders of common shares of KGL, and there is more than five holders of common shares of KGL; and (c) there is a published market for the common shares of KGL (the common shares trade on the NEX Board of the TSX Venture Exchange), and the value of the consideration paid by Kondrat for any of the KGL Shares, including brokerage fees or commissions, was not greater than 115% of the market price of the common shares of KGL at the date of the bid as determined in accordance with section 1.11 of National Instrument 62-104 - Take-Over Bids and Issuer Bids. The "early warning" disclosure above is issued pursuant to National Instrument 62-103 - The Early Warning System and Related Take-Over Bid and Insider Reporting Issues, which also requires a report to be filed with regulatory authorities in each of the jurisdictions in which KGL is a reporting issuer containing information with respect to the foregoing matters (the "Early Warning Report"). The Early Warning Report containing additional information with respect to the foregoing matters will be filed and made available under the SEDAR+ profile of KGL at www.sedarplus.ca. Kondrat's address and KGL's address is 4120 Yonge Street, Suite 304, Toronto, Ontario, M2P 2B8, Canada. For further information or to obtain a copy of the Early Warning Report, please contact: To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/283528 Source: Arnold Kondrat Highlights Hole 25MN-042 returned 5.22 g/t gold over 36.82 metres ("m"), including 19.86 g/t gold over 4.88 m . ("m"), including . Hole 25MN-043 returned 0.36 g/t gold over 32.16 m and 9.03 g/t gold over 7.01 m , including 41.21 g/t gold over 1.37 m . and , including . Hole 25MN-041 returned 0.58 g/t gold over 16.15 m . . 11 holes pending assays, totalling 3,924 m, have been completed and are pending assay results. Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - February 11, 2026) - Scorpio Gold Corp. (TSXV: SGN) (OTCQB: SRCRF) (FSE: RY9) ("Scorpio Gold", or the "Company") is pleased to announce results from three holes from its 2025 drilling program at the Manhattan District Project ("Manhattan"), Nevada, USA: from the Phase Two program (25MN-041 through 25MN-043). The results are tabulated in Table 1 and discussed below. Scorpio Gold has drilled 44 drill holes to date from its Phase Two diamond drilling program, 25MN-011 through 25MN-045 and 26MN-046 through 26MN-054, for a grand total of 14,324 m. With the results herein, Scorpio Gold has reported assays on 33 of these (25MN-011 through 25MN-043), totalling 10,406 m, and assays are pending from 11 holes (25MN-044 through 25MN-045 and 26MN-046 through 26MN-054), totalling 3,924 m. The pending results will be reported as they come available and the holes are discussed briefly below. "Results from our current three-rig diamond drilling program continue to reinforce the presence of strong grades along the main mineralized trend at Manhattan. As the program advances, we will continue stepping out along the Reliance Trend with the objective of adding ounces ahead of the next resource update. We have also planned several more aggressive step-outs designed to rapidly test the broader strike potential of the system, including pending results from exploration drill holes targeting new areas such as Black Mammoth," stated Harrison Pokrandt, Vice President of Exploration. One hole was drilled along the Reliance Trend (25MN-042), one hole was drilled in the Gap Zone (25MN-041), and one hole was drilled in the East Pit area (25MN-043), see Figure 1. These holes were designed to add Inferred category resource blocks in areas where drill density was insufficient to categorise them as Inferred in the June 2025 estimate. The holes tested laterally and below the Inferred Resource Constraining Pit ("IRCP"), modelled at a gold price of USD $2,500 with a 0.3 g/t gold only cutoff grade, along with other inputs including: mill recovery of 90%, 50 degree pit slope angle for in-situ rock, mining costs of $3.00 per tonne for both ore and waste, milling costs of $15.00 per tonne processed, general administration cost of $3.50 per tonne processed and 2% royalty costs, and ore loss and dilution not applied. For further details see "Mineral Resource Estimate and NI 43-101 Technical Report, Manhattan Property, Nye County, Nevada" with an effective date of June 4, 2025, on Scorpio Gold's website, here. Figure 1. Surface Plan Map of drill results with highlights noted. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/9779/283520_4a9139074452eb74_002full.jpg Drill Hole ID Hole Depth Target Azimuth / Dip From (m) To (m) Intercept (m) Gold (g/t) 25MN-041 Gap Zone 11.43 17.37 5.94 0.32 203 m 055 / -55 50.29 56.39 6.10 0.77 79.25 108.20 28.96 0.28 111.86 128.02 16.15 0.58 25MN-042 Reliance Trend 92.13 105.37 13.23 0.26 269 m 055 / -45 115.00 119.36 4.36 2.14 127.01 163.83 36.82 5.22 including 154.23 159.11 4.88 19.86 167.21 175.56 8.35 0.22 189.80 197.42 7.62 0.44 25MN-043 East Pit 207.42 239.57 32.16 0.36 276 m 060 / -45 268.53 275.54 7.01 9.03 including 271.42 272.80 1.37 41.21 Intervals contain no more than 3 continuous metres grading less than 0.1 g/t gold, high grade samples were capped at 70 g/t gold. Table 1. Results from the current batch of drill holes. Note: There is insufficient geological information to estimate a true width for the drill intercepts reported. Completed hole summaries, reported results, see Figure 1: 25MN-041: contained three intervals, all hosted in meta-sedimentary fine grained clastic units, of 5.94 m, 6.10 m, and 28.96 m, grading 0.32 g/t gold, 0.77 g/t gold, 0.28 g/t gold, 0.58 g/t gold respectively. One interval, hosted in limestone, of 16.15 m grading 0.58 g/t gold overlies and is adjacent to the volcanic tuff/caldera contact. See Figure 2, section A to A'. 25MN-042: contained five intervals, all hosted in meta-sedimentary fine grained clastic and limestone units, of 13.23 m, 4.36 m, 36.82 m, 8.35 m, and 7.62 m, grading 0.26 g/t gold, 2.14 g/t gold, 5.22 g/t gold, 0.22 g/t gold, and 0.44 g/t gold respectively. The 36.82 m length interval includes 4.88 m grading 19.86 g/t gold. See Figure 3, section B to B'. 25MN-043: contained two intervals, all hosted in meta-sedimentary fine grained clastic and quartzite units, of 32.16 m and 7.01 m, grading 0.36 g/t gold and 9.03 g/t gold respectively. The later interval includes 1.37 m grading 41.21 g/t gold and is open to depth. See Figure 4, section C to C'. Figure 2. Section A-A', along trace of hole 25MN-041, showing gold grades with reported intervals highlighted. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/9779/283520_4a9139074452eb74_003full.jpg Figure 3. Section B-B', along trace of holes 25MN-042, showing gold grades with reported intervals highlighted. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/9779/283520_4a9139074452eb74_004full.jpg Figure 4. Section C-C', along trace of hole 25MN-043, showing gold grades with reported intervals highlighted. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/9779/283520_4a9139074452eb74_005full.jpg Completed hole summaries, assays pending, see Figure 5: 25MN-044: drilled near Mustang Hill, to the north, to test the faulted contact zone between caldera volcanics and older sedimentary units that host the current Inferred Mineral Resource. 25MN-045: drilled near Mustang Hill, to the north-northeast to test the faulted contact zone between caldera volcanics and older sedimentary units that host the current Inferred Mineral Resource. 26MN-046: drilled directly north of the historic East Pit, to test for a northerly extension of a westerly mineralised fault splay. A 50 m step-out from drill hole 25MN-043. 26MN-047: drilled as a 50 m step out on drill hole 25MN-042 to the north northwest, on the Reliance Trend. 26MN-048: drilled at Goldwedge to test the faulted contact zone between caldera volcanics and older sedimentary units that host the current Inferred Mineral Resource. 26MN-049: drilled directly north of the historic West Pit, along the Reliance Trend, a 50 m step-out to the southwest and at depth from drill hole 25MN-042. 26MN-050: exploration hole drilled along a structure recognised in the company's recently completed magnetic survey northwest of Mustang Hill, in a newly recognised are called Sloppy Gulch where a circular 1km diameter gold in soils anomaly defined at 100ppm gold where newly discovered historic workings were found. 26MN-051: drilled directly north of the historic East Pit, to test for a northerly extension of a westerly mineralised fault splay. A 50 m step-out to the southeast from drill hole 26MN-046. 26MN-052: drilled directly north of the historic West Pit, along the Reliance Trend, a 50 m step-out to the southwest from drill hole 26MN-049. 26MN-053: the first deep penetrating exploration hole at the peripheral Black Mammoth prospect, targeting the extension of the Reliance Trend where it intersects the Caldera Margin, as it extends northwest of Goldwedge. 26MN-054: drilled directly north of the historic East Pit, to test for a northerly extension of a westerly mineralised fault splay. A 50 m step-out to the northeast from drill hole 26MN-046. Figure 5. Location and surface traces of completed holes with assays pending, with modelled structures and current Inferred Mineral Resource Block Model2. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/9779/283520_4a9139074452eb74_006full.jpg QA/QC HQ sized diamond drill core samples were cut in halves, then bagged and secured with security tags to ensure integrity during transportation to the Reno, NV, Paragon Geochemical facility for preparation. For quality assurance ("QA"), unmarked coarse blanks, unmarked certified reference materials, and requested laboratory duplicates were inserted into the sampling sequence. QA samples were systematically inserted into each batch of samples, amounting to approximately 10% of the run of samples. Samples were analyzed for gold using method PA-AU02 (~500 g), a two-cycle PhotonAssayTM analysis of crushed material (70% passing 2 mm). All Paragon Geochemical facilities comply with ISO 17025:2017. About the Manhattan District Manhattan, located in the Walker Lane Trend of Nevada, USA, is road accessible and lies approximately 20 kilometers south of the operating Round Mountain Gold Mine, which has produced more than 15 million ounces of gold. For the first time, the Company has consolidated Manhattan's past-producing mines under a single entity that holds valuable permitting and water rights. Historically, Manhattan has produced approximately 700,000 ounces of gold from high-grade placer and lode operations dating from the late 1890s through to the mid-2000s. The maiden mineral resource estimate (the "Maiden MRE") covering the Goldwedge and Manhattan Pit areas of Manhattan is comprised of 18,343,000 tonnes grading 1.26 g/t gold for a total of 740,000 oz contained gold in the inferred category. A historical mineral resource estimate (the "Historical MRE") covers the Black Mammoth, April Fool, Hooligan, Keystone, and Jumbo areas of Manhattan and comprises 1,652,325 tonnes grading 5.89 g/t gold for a total of 303,949 oz contained gold. The deposit is interpreted as a low-sulfidation, epithermal, gold-rich system situated adjacent to the Tertiary-aged Manhattan caldera in the Southern Toquima Range of Nevada. A "Qualified Person" as defined in National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects ("NI 43-101") has not done sufficient work to make the Historical MRE current, and the Company is not treating the Historical MRE as current. Notes Adjacent Properties: The Company has no interest in, or rights to, any of the adjacent properties mentioned, including the Round Mountain Gold Mine, and exploration results on adjacent properties are not necessarily indicative of mineralization on the Company's properties. Any references to exploration results on adjacent properties are provided for information only and do not imply any certainty of achieving similar results on the Company's properties. Historical Data: This news release includes historical information that has been reviewed by the Company's qualified person. The Company's review of the historical records and information reasonably substantiate the validity of the information presented in this presentation. The Company encourages readers to exercise appropriate caution when evaluating these data and/or results. Third-Party Mineral Projects: These deposits are cited solely for geological context. The Company cautions that these properties are not necessarily adjacent to, nor does the Company or have any interest in or control over them. Although certain geological features may be similar, there is no assurance that mineralization comparable to these deposits will be discovered on any of the Company's properties. Information regarding the aforementioned deposits is taken from publicly available sources and technical reports believed to be reliable but has not been independently verified by the Company. The Company encourages readers to exercise appropriate caution when evaluating these data and/or results. Mineral Resource Estimate (MRE): All scientific and technical information relating to Manhattan pertaining to Maiden MRE contained in this news release is derived from the Technical Report dated October 23, 2025 (with an effective date of June 4, 2025) titled "Mineral Resource Estimate and NI 43-101 Technical Report" (the "Technical Report") prepared by Matthew R. Dumala, P.Eng (BC) of Archer Cathro Geological (US) Ltd., Patrick Loury, M.Sc., CPG (AIPG) of Daniel Kunz & Associates, Annaliese Miller, LG (WA) of Geosyntec Consultants, Inc. and Art Ibrado, PhD, PE (AZ) of Fort Lowell Consulting PPLC. The information contained herein in respect of the Maiden MRE is subject to all of the assumptions, qualifications and procedures set out in the Technical Report and reference should be made to the full text of the Technical Report, a copy of which has been filed with the applicable securities regulators and is available under the Company's profile on www.sedarplus.ca. Historical MRE: A Qualified Person has not done sufficient work to make the Historical MRE current, and the Company is not treating the Historical MRE as current. The Company considers the Historical MRE relevant as it demonstrates the presence of significant gold mineralization across multiple zones within Manhattan; however, its reliability is uncertain because it was prepared prior to the adoption of the current CIM Definition Standards and current QA/QC practices. The Historical MRE provides limited disclosure of assumptions, parameters, estimation methods, cutoff grades, and QA/QC protocols, and therefore these cannot be fully verified by the Company. The categories used in the historical estimate predate, and are not directly comparable to, current CIM Definition Standards, and the Company is not treating the Historical MRE as a current Mineral Resource Estimate. To upgrade and verify the Historical MRE in order to make it a current Mineral Resource Estimate, the Company would be required to undertake confirmatory drilling, modern QA/QC sampling, validation and digitization of historical datasets and updated geological modeling followed by the preparation of a new Mineral Resource Estimate in accordance with CIM Definition Standards and NI 43-101. The Company encourages readers to exercise appropriate caution when evaluating the Historical MRE. All scientific and technical information relating to Manhattan pertaining to the Historical MRE contained in this news release is derived from the Technical Report dated May 1997 titled "Exploration and Pre-Production Mine Development, Manhattan District Project, Nye County" (the "Historical Technical Report") prepared by New Concept Mining, Inc. The information contained herein in respect of the Historical MRE is subject to all the assumptions, qualifications and procedures set out in the Historical Technical Report and reference should be made to the full text of the Historical Technical Report. References: (1) Strachan, D. G., and Master, T. D., 2005: Update and Revision of the Gold Wedge Project Development, Nye County. Report prepared for Nevada; Royal Standard Minerals, Inc. and dated March 31, 2005; (2) Dumala, M. R., and Lowry, P., 2025: Mineral Resource Estimate and NI 43-101 Technical Report, Manhattan Property, Nye County, Nevada. Report prepared for Scorpio Gold Corporation and dated October 23, 2025 (with an effective date of June 4, 2025); and (3) Berry, A., and Willard, P., 1997: "Exploration and Pre-Production Mine Development, Manhattan District Project, Nye County". Report prepared for New Concept Mining, Inc. and dated May 1997. Qualified Person The scientific and technical information in this news release has been reviewed, verified and approved by Thomas Poitras, P. Geo., Chief Geologist of Scorpio Gold, a "Qualified Person", as defined under National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects. Verification included review of laboratory certificates, review of field logs and chain-of-custody records, inspection of blank/standard/duplicate performance, and review of collar and down-hole survey data. No limitations or failures to verify were identified. About Scorpio Gold Corp. Scorpio Gold holds a 100% interest in the Manhattan District located in the Walker Lane Trend of Nevada, USA. Scorpio Gold's Manhattan District is ~4,780-hectares and comprises the advanced exploration-stage Goldwedge Mine, with a 400 ton per day maximum capacity gravity mill, and four past-producing pits that were acquired from Kinross in 2021 (see news release dated March 25, 2021). The consolidated Manhattan District presents an exciting late-stage exploration opportunity, with over 140,000 metres of historical drilling, significant resource potential, and valuable permitting and water rights. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF SCORPIO GOLD CORPORATION Forward-Looking Statements This news release contains statements that constitute "forward-looking statements." Such forward looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the Company's actual results, performance or achievements, or developments to differ materially from the anticipated results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Forward looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, but not always, identified by the words "expects," "plans," "anticipates," "believes," "intends," "estimates," "projects," "potential" and similar expressions, or that events or conditions "will," "would," "may," "could" or "should" occur. Forward-looking statements in this news release include, among others, statements relating to the timing, scope and interpretation of assay results; potential for resource growth; the potential continuity, extent and characteristics of mineralization along the Reliance Trend, Gap Zone, Zanzibar Trend and Mustang Hill; the intended follow-up exploration activities and timing of future disclosures, and other statements that are not historical facts. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause our actual results, performance or achievements, or other future events, to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors and risks include, among others: the Company may require additional financing from time to time in order to continue its operations which may not be available when needed or on acceptable terms and conditions acceptable; compliance with extensive government regulation; domestic and foreign laws and regulations could adversely affect the Company's business and results of operations; the stock markets have experienced volatility that often has been unrelated to the performance of companies and these fluctuations may adversely affect the price of the Company's securities, regardless of its operating performance. The forward-looking information contained in this news release represents the expectations of the Company as of the date of this news release and, accordingly, is subject to change after such date. Readers should not place undue importance on forward-looking information and should not rely upon this information as of any other date. The Company undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements in the event that management's beliefs, estimates or opinions, or other factors, should change. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/283520 Source: Scorpio Gold Corp PANAMA CITY, Feb. 11, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- On February 6, 2026, HTX officially launched the industry's first "New Funds Bonus Trial Program", a strategic initiative designed to reward actual net new funds deposited on the platform. Moving beyond the limitations of traditional trading-based commission models, this program offers ongoing incentives based on the amount of net new funds deposited and held, fostering long-term, sustainable growth within the crypto asset ecosystem. Click to view the program details: https://www.htx.com/support/55024606728745 Reshaping Incentives: A Dual Approach to Growth and Retention Unlike traditional cryptocurrency exchange referral programs that primarily reward trading volume, HTX's new initiative takes a groundbreaking approach by directly incentivizing net capital inflows and long-term fund retention, setting a new industry standard. According to the official announcement, the trial period will run from February 6 to June 30. During this phase, commissions will be based on the net new funds deposited and retained by users who sign up on HTX using a referral code from an inviter or their sub-affiliates. This structure allows partners to earn beyond the scope of traditional trading and financial product rewards, offering consistent incentives driven by long-term asset retention and stable growth. The program clearly defines "Effective New Funds" as the capital exceeding the historical baseline that is genuinely deposited and retained on the platform during the statistical period. This metric is derived from actual net deposits and is reflected in the assets held in the user's account. This design effectively excludes capital churn or internal transfers, ensuring that incentives truly serve the substantial expansion of the crypto ecosystem. Unlock Up to 20% Commission Rewards with Three-Tiered Benefits In an effort to invigorate the market, HTX has unveiled a competitive reward system: Base Reward: All qualifying "Effective New Funds" are eligible for a guaranteed 8% base commission rate. Q1 Launch Bonus: During the first quarter of the program (Q1 2026), the platform offers an exclusive 8% limited-time bonus. Milestone Incentive: Reach = 20M USDT in real new funds during Q1 2026 to unlock an additional 4%. With these three tiers of benefits combined, participants can unlock commission rates as high as 20%. This industry-leading offering positions the platform at the forefront of the asset-based commission and wealth management markets. Driving a Healthy Growth Ecosystem with Major Asset Support To ensure broad accessibility, HTX supports 21 mainstream and popular tokens in the "New Funds Bonus Trial Program", including USDT, USDC, USDD, USD1, ETH, SOL, and TRX, among others. This not only lowers the barrier to entry but also offers users a wider range of asset allocation options. HTX's new funds bonus program is a major strategic initiative, rather than a one-time promotion. By offering direct subsidies to incentivize "real net new funds growth", HTX is working with its global user base to build a more resilient and sustainable Web3 financial ecosystem. In this ecosystem, the full potential of long-term capital retention is unlocked, aligning the platform and its users into a true community of shared interests, benefiting from the industry's growth. As this trial progresses, this innovative model is poised to set a new benchmark for channel incentives in the cryptocurrency industry. About HTX Founded in 2013, HTX (formerly Huobi) has evolved from a virtual asset exchange into a comprehensive ecosystem of blockchain businesses that span digital asset trading, financial derivatives, research, investments, incubation, and other businesses. As a world-leading gateway to Web3, HTX harbors global capabilities that enable it to provide users with safe and reliable services. Adhering to the growth strategy of "Global Expansion, Thriving Ecosystem, Wealth Effect, Security & Compliance," HTX is dedicated to providing quality services and values to virtual asset enthusiasts worldwide. To learn more about HTX, please visit https://www.htx.com/ or HTX Square , and follow HTX on X , Telegram , and Discord . Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2901984/image_838145_34939762.jpg Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2391903/image_ID__Logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/industry-first-htx-launches-the-new-funds-bonus-trial-program-offering-rewards-of-up-to-20-302685004.html Sia, an international consulting group specializing in strategy, management, and AI, has reached a milestone in its Agentic AI journey. Born in the digital era, the firm now leverages the expertise of more than 3,000 consultants in 19 countries to help organizations scale AI-driven transformation. From GenAI to an Agent Store for All Industries and Functions After unveiling its Generative AI platform to clients in June 2023, the firm announced the launch of its Agent Store in September 2025. Built on a learn-by-design approach, Sia's Agent Store grew from 50 AI agents to over 400 available for direct consultation, with over a dozen Minimum Viable Products ready for demonstration. Originally introduced as SiaGPT, the platform is now accessible via siagents.ai, reflecting the transition from custom GPTs to fully agentic services. Sia's AI agents cover a wide range of industries such as Finance, Energy, Public Sector, Healthcare, and Retail and Consumer Goods, and address all corporate functions such as Compliance, IT, Marketing, HR, and Cybersecurity. The agents share a common objective: enabling organizations to discover, customize, and deploy agentic cases at scale with Sia's consulting methodology. AI Analysts, Strategists, Auditors: Versatile Agents for All Business Functions Sia's AI agents act as analysts, strategists, and auditors designed to support decision-making across business functions. Each agent is purpose-built to address concrete operational challenges, combining domain expertise, real-time data processing, and Sia's consulting expertise. Among these 400+ AI agents: Crisis Companion understands the various stakeholders involved when a cybersecurity, operations, or corporate reputation crisis arises and produces coordinated outputs aligned with company policies to create incident management reports and communication plans. RegMatcher is Sia's AI agent designed for Compliance teams. The agent identifies gaps between internal frameworks and the latest regulatory requirements, updates corporate policies, and designs and deploys real-time controls to ensure the highest level of organizational compliance. The Agent Store offers dozens of other agents, such as the Underwriting Intelligence Platform, which transforms satellite imagery into underwriting-ready intelligence in minutes; the AI Resilient Infrastructure Agent, which assesses and strengthens company resilience against risk and disruption; the Sales Assistant Copilot, which provides decision support for sales teams by matching client intent with cultural and product data; and the one that automatically classifies investment funds and documents regulatory decisions to ensure regulatory compliance (FRTB CIU Classifier). Reinventing Consulting with Human-Agent Collaboration Agentic AI is not only transforming clients' organizations. It is also redefining consulting. While human expertise remains central, it is now empowered by AI agents. In the coming months, Sia's teams will continue to automate the creation of proprietary and synthetic datasets, with objectives that go beyond cost reduction. In 2026, AI agents will become a lever for large-scale, deep organizational transformation, and companies will witness greater productivity, speed of execution, and revenue growth. In the age of agentic AI, Sia reinforces its vision of a balanced collaboration between humans and AI. The expertise and creativity of Sia consultants, supported by their AI Data teams, remain at the core of this model. About Sia Sia is a next-generation, global management consulting group. Founded in 1999, we were born digital. Today our strategy and management capabilities are augmented by data science, enhanced by creativity and driven by responsibility. We're optimists for change and we help clients initiate, navigate and benefit from transformation. We believe optimism is a force multiplier, helping clients to mitigate downside and maximize opportunity. With expertise across a broad range of sectors and services, our 3,000 consultants serve clients worldwide from 48 locations in 19 countries. Our expertise delivers results. Our optimism transforms outcomes. Visit our website and follow us on LinkedIn @Sia Access our Agent Store https://siagents.ai View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260211541107/en/ Contacts: Press contact press@sia-partners.com FASE (Federation des Agences de Souscription Europeennes), the newly formed pan-European MGA federation, is delighted to welcome Bridgehaven as a gold sponsor of the federation. "Our focus at Bridgehaven is to provide durable capacity for well-managed MGAs in the UK and continental Europe and to partner with these MGAs as they grow," said Paul Jewell, Chief Executive Officer at Bridgehaven. "There is no lack of underwriting talent in Europe, but the MGA market is still quite fragmented. FASE is helping to bring the market closer together while promoting the highest professional standards. We are delighted to support it." William Pitt, FASE Executive Director, welcomed Bridgehaven's support. "Bridgehaven is representative of a new breed of hybrid fronting insurers that is helping to power the growth of Europe's MGA market. We look forward to sharing the insights and expertise of the Bridgehaven team with our members." Bridgehaven chairman Erik Matson will join senior market figures addressing FASE's annual conference, the MGA Rendezvous, in Barcelona on May 11 and 12. Alongside Miles Wuller, chief executive officer of Ryan Specialty Underwriting Managers, he will explore parallels between the development of the US and European MGA markets. About Bridgehaven: About Bridgehaven Specialty UK was authorised as a hybrid fronting company serving the fast-growing UK-based MGA market in 2023 and commenced underwriting in 2024. From this year, Bridgehaven will be expanding its reach into continental Europe through its Dublin-based company, Bridgehaven Europe Specialty, rated A- by A.M. Best. For further information visit: www.bhvn-ins.com. About FASE: FASE is a pan-European federation established in 2025 to connect Europe's managing generational agents with insurance capacity providers, distributors, investors and service providers. For further information visit: www.fasemga.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260210951009/en/ Contacts: Media contact: Aline Sullivan at aline.sullivan@fasemga.com Tucson, Arizona--(Newsfile Corp. - February 11, 2026) - Alaska Silver Corp. (TSXV: WAM) (the "Company," "Alaska Silver" or "WAM") announces that, in accordance with the Articles of the Company, it is initiating a simplification of the Company's capital structure through the conversion of all issued and outstanding proportionate voting shares ("PV Shares") into subordinate voting shares of the Company ("SV Shares") on the basis of one hundred (100) SV Shares for every one (1) PV Share (the "Conversion"). Kit Marrs, CEO, explained: "Our two-class share structure, which is a relic of our prior "Foreign Private Issuer" ("FPI") status under U.S. securities laws, is an unnecessary burden on the Company and is a source of confusion for our shareholders. Our goal in 2026 is to provide a simpler share structure for Alaska Silver that should serve to enhance trading liquidity while providing shareholders with a clearer understanding of our market value." Background A corporation that is incorporated in a jurisdiction outside the United States that has a majority of its voting equity securities held by non-U.S. residents qualifies as a "foreign private issuer" (as defined in Rule 405 of the U.S. Securities Act) for U.S. securities law purposes. Under guidance from the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"), an issuer may determine U.S. resident ownership of voting equity securities using one of two methods. The issuer may look to whether more than 50 percent of the voting power of all classes of voting equity securities, on a combined basis, is directly or indirectly owned of record by residents of the United States. Alternatively, an issuer may make the determination based on the number of issued voting equity securities. Issuers must apply a determination methodology on a consistent basis. Based on this guidance, the Company historically elected to use the latter method to determine U.S. resident ownership of its voting equity securities and the Company's share structure and authorized capital was structured to, among other things, better maintain compliance of its foreign private issuer status. However, on January 1, 2025, the Company determined that a majority of its voting equity securities were held by residents of the United States resulting in the Company no longer qualifying as a foreign private issuer. As such, the Company now has to comply with U.S. domestic SEC reporting and corporate governance requirements. Accordingly, the board of directors has determined that it is no longer in the best interests of the Company to have the PV Shares be maintained as a separate class of shares of the Company, as the dual class structure no longer serves as a benefit to maintain foreign private issuer status. Mechanics of Conversion The Company has set the record date for the Conversion as March 9, 2026 (the "Record Date"). On the Record Date, holders of PV Shares as of such date will be issued certificates or DRS advice statements representing the number of SV Shares into which the PV Shares are so converted, and each existing certificate representing the PV Shares (or other evidence thereof) will be null and void. In the case of fractional PV Shares, the holder thereof will be issued such number of SV Shares as is determined by multiplying the fraction by 100. SV Shares issued upon the conversion of PV Shares to U.S. residents will include restrictive legends outlining transfer limitations under U.S. securities laws. Holders of these SV Shares are expected to be eligible to initiate a process, such as a Rule 144 opinion, to have these legends removed, facilitating future trading. Approximately 73% of the PV Shares to be converted are held by ten key officers, founders, directors and long-time major shareholders. These persons have entered into voluntary lock-up agreements to restrict the sale of their shares for up to 12 months following the Record Date subject to certain limited exceptions. These locked up shares will be released in stages: 50% at 6 months, an additional 25% at 9 months, and the remaining 25% at 12 months. Following the Conversion, it is the intention of the Company to re-identify the SV Shares as "Common Shares" at the Company's next annual general meeting of shareholders. This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell, or the solicitation of an offer to buy any of the Company's securities, nor shall such securities be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from registration, nor shall there be any offer, solicitation or sale of any of the Company's securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such offers, solicitations or sales would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of such state or jurisdiction. About Alaska Silver Alaska Silver is one of the pioneers of North America's next major silver and critical minerals district at the Illinois Creek Project, a prolific 8-km mineral corridor hosting two stand-alone deposits with a new Warm Springs discovery zone in between (the "IC project"). The claims of the IC project cover a 100% owned land package of 73,535 acres (115 square miles or 29,758 hectares), located approximately 38 kilometers from the region's marine highway, the Yukon River. Or visit our website at: www.alaskasilver.com Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Forward-Looking Information This news release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. "Forward-looking information" includes, but is not limited to, statements with respect to the activities, events or developments that the Company expects or anticipates will or may occur in the future. Generally, but not always, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "expects", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates", or "believes" or the negative connotation thereof or variations of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will be taken", "occur" or "be achieved" or the negative connation thereof. This forward-looking information relates to, among other things, the intended timing and completion of the Conversion, and the Company's expectation that the Conversion will result in enhanced trading liquidity and a clearer understanding of the Company's market value for investors. Such forward-looking information is based on numerous assumptions, including among others, that the Company will complete the Conversion on the timing anticipated, and that the Conversion will result in enhanced trading liquidity and a clearer understanding of the Company's market value for investors. Although the assumptions made by the Company in providing forward-looking information is considered reasonable by management at the time, there can be no assurance that such assumptions will prove to be accurate and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such information. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the Company's plans or expectations include the risk that the Company will not be able to complete the Conversion on the timing anticipated or at all, and the risk that the Conversion will not result in enhanced trading liquidity or a clearer understanding of the Company's market value for investors. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking information or implied by 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 forward-looking information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated, estimated or intended. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Readers are cautioned that reliance on such information may not be appropriate for other purposes. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking information or financial outlook that are incorporated by reference herein, except in accordance with applicable securities laws. Any forward-looking information contained in this news release is expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. We seek safe harbor. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/283535 Source: Alaska Silver Corp. Medford, Wisconsin--(Newsfile Corp. - February 11, 2026) - GreenLight Metals Inc. (TSXV: GRL) (OTCQB: GRLMF) ("GreenLight" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that its wholly owned subsidiary, Green Light Wisconsin LLC ("GLW"), has received all required regulatory approvals from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources ("WDNR") and the U.S. Forest Service ("USFS") for exploration drilling on the Soo Line Mineral Parcel at the Bend VMS Project in Wisconsin. Mobilization of two drill rigs has commenced. Highlights Regulatory Approvals Secured: GLW has received conditional approval from the WDNR and authorization from the USFS for exploration drilling on the Soo Line Mineral Parcel, permitting up to approximately 7,000 metres of drilling. Mobilization Underway: Two drill rigs are mobilizing to site, with drilling expected to commence shortly. Proven Contractor Returns: Taconite Drilling LLC, a veteran-owned drilling firm headquartered on Minnesota's Iron Range, has been re-engaged following its successful execution of the Phase 1 program in 2025. Taconite brings more than five decades of combined diamond-drilling experience and a strong safety-first culture. Program Objectives: The expanded program will focus on continued testing of down-plunge and down-dip extensions of the high-grade copper-gold-tellurium system. Matt Filgate, President & CEO, commented, "We are pleased to be working with Taconite again as we enter this exciting next phase of exploration at Bend. Their performance during Phase 1 demonstrated their expertise in mineral exploration drilling and their alignment with our safety and operational standards. With regulatory approvals in hand and two rigs now mobilizing, we are positioned to significantly advance the Bend Project while continuing to unlock the exceptional copper-gold-tellurium potential we have demonstrated to date." Bend Project - 2026 Winter Exploration Program Building on the success of the Phase 1 drill program completed in 2025, GreenLight is advancing an expanded exploration campaign at the Bend Project. The Phase 1 program delivered exceptional results, including 34.25 metres averaging 3.74% copper equivalent in hole B25-004, with significant tellurium values encountered throughout the program.i The 2026 winter program will be executed on privately controlled (Soo Line) mineral lands. In addition to drilling, borehole electromagnetic (BHEM) surveys will be conducted on the 2026 drill holes to generate real-time 3D plate models that optimize drill targeting. The drilling program will focus on the northeast down-plunge extension of mineralization successfully delineated during the Phase 1 fall program. The campaign will utilize two diamond drill rigs across up to 15 permitted drill pads, with permits in place for approximately 7,000 metres of drilling. An initial portion of the permitted meterage will be completed during the current winter program, with the remainder to be drilled following spring breakup. The Company continues to advance its federal permitting efforts in parallel with operations on private mineral lands. GLW is actively engaged with the U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management regarding a prospecting permit application on adjacent federal lands. Subject to regulatory approvals, the Company plans to expand drilling onto these parcels later in 2026. Qualified Person Statement The technical information in this news release has been prepared in accordance with Canadian regulatory requirements as set out in NI 43-101 and reviewed and approved by Thomas Quigley, MSc, CPG-11962, Exploration Director of the Company, a Qualified Person as defined by NI 43-101. Figure 1: Phase 2 permitted drill sites for the 2026 winter program targeting the extension of known mineralization. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/7506/283529_b8c8b639a43469e9_001full.jpg Figure 2: Bend Long section showing projected mineralization down plunge of historic resource body. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/7506/283529_b8c8b639a43469e9_002full.jpg About GreenLight Metals Inc. GreenLight is a Wisconsin-focused exploration company advancing copper-gold and gold projects across the Penokean Volcanic Belt-one of North America's most prospective VMS districts-and the Kalium Canyon epithermal gold project in Nevada's Walker Lane. In Wisconsin, our portfolio includes the Bend copper-gold deposit, the Reef high-grade gold project, and the Lobo and Lobo East massive sulfide targets. Guided by a team with deep roots in the state, we are building a modern minerals company for Wisconsin, by Wisconsin-committed to responsible exploration, transparent engagement, and creating durable local opportunities as we help supply the critical metals that power the energy transition. Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release. Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Information This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities laws. All statements in this release, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements and are based on the opinions and estimates of management as of the date hereof. Forward-looking statements in this press release include, but are not limited to, statements regarding: the anticipated timing, scope and nature of the 2026 exploration program at the Bend Project; expectations regarding mobilization and commencement of drilling; the number of drill rigs, drillholes, drill sites and anticipated meterage; the potential for extensions of mineralization; the anticipated use of borehole electromagnetic surveys; and expectations regarding federal permitting and potential expansion onto additional parcels. These forward-looking statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied, including: risks related to exploration and drilling results; risks related to permitting, title, environmental matters and government regulation; dependence on third-party contractors; changes in project plans; volatility in commodity prices; the availability of capital; general business and market conditions; and the other risks described in the Company's public disclosure documents filed on SEDAR+. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements except as required by applicable law. i CuEq is reported to express the aggregate in-situ value of copper, gold and silver as a percentage copper grade. CuEq incorporates assumed metallurgical recoveries and is not a proxy for, nor evidence of, economic value. Tellurium (Te) is reported separately and is not included in CuEq. CuEq (%) = ((Cu grade (%) / 100 0.9 (recovery) 2204.6 US$4.50) + (Au grade (g/t) 0.9 (recovery) / 31.1035 US$3,600) + (Ag grade (g/t) 0.9 (recovery) / 31.1035 US$40)) / (2204.6 0.01 US$4.50). Assumptions: metal prices of US$4.50/lb Cu, US$3,600/oz Au, US$40/oz Ag; recoveries of 90% for Cu, Au and Ag based on the Company's preliminary assessment of analogous VMS deposits. No allowances have been made for smelting/refining charges, penalties or deleterious elements, or payability factors. No metallurgical test work has been completed at Bend; actual recoveries and payabilities are unknown and may differ materially. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/283529 Source: GreenLight Metals Inc. Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - February 11, 2026) - Boba Mint Holdings Ltd. (CSE: TNJ) (OTCQB: WERDF) ("Boba Mint" or the "Company") announces that Mr. Andrew Shore has been appointed as a director and as Chief Executive Officer of Boba Mint. Mr. Shore replaces Rody Lazar who has resigned as Chief Executive Officer. "I'm excited to step into the role of Chief Executive Officer at Boba Mint at a pivotal moment in the Company's evolution," said Andrew Shore, Chief Executive Officer of Boba Mint. "We are expanding beyond a single blockchain game into a broader platform focused on building innovative consumer apps. We bring a unique combination of experience across gaming, AI, and blockchain infrastructure, and we intend to use that edge to build products people genuinely want to use, scale them aggressively, and drive long-term shareholder value." Andrew Shore is a Toronto-based technology entrepreneur with extensive experience in gaming, blockchain, and consumer-facing digital products. He is the co-founder of Drafters.com, which was acquired by SuperDraft, and the founder of Amino and Moon Poker. Since entering the blockchain sector in 2020, Mr. Shore has contributed to multiple successful projects and has built one of the industry's most extensive networks of developers, partners, and influencers. I am proud of the progress Boba Mint has made during my tenure and I am confident in the Company's future, said Rody Lazar, outgoing Chief Executive Officer. Andrew brings strong leadership, clear vision, and a proven track record of execution, and I look forward to seeing Boba Mint continue to evolve and grow under his guidance. The Company also announces that Michael Kron and Allen Spektor have resigned as directors of the Company. The Company thanks Mr. Kron and Mr. Spektor for their valuable contributions over the past several years. The Company expects to welcome Paul Johnson, an experienced executive with a successful track record of substantially growing mobile and digital companies, and Mitchell Greenspoon, an executive with significant capital markets and advisory skills focused growing companies in the technology sector, to join the Board at the next shareholder meeting, which is expected to be called shortly. About Boba Mint Holdings Boba Mint Holdings is a forward-thinking blockchain gaming and digital innovation company that develops and invests, directly and through its wholly owned subsidiary WERD Studios, in innovative consumer apps and blockchain projects that blend cutting-edge technology, gamification, and real-world utility. Our mission is to create engaging products that people love using every day - and that make a positive impact. On Behalf of the Board of Directors, Boba Mint Holdings Ltd. "Andrew Shore" CEO Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the CSE policies) accepts responsibility for this release's adequacy or accuracy. Forward-Looking Statements This news release contains certain statements that may be considered "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and generally, but not always, are identified by words such as "expects," "plans," "anticipates," "believes," "intends," "estimates," "projects," "potential," or similar expressions, or statements that events or conditions "will," "would," "may," "could," or "should" occur. Forward-looking statements in this news release include, but are not limited to, statements relating to the Company's business strategy, future operations, leadership transition, growth initiatives, product development, and the anticipated benefits of management changes. Such statements are based on the beliefs, assumptions, and expectations of management as of the date of this news release. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors that may cause actual results, performance, or achievements of the Company to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, without limitation, general economic conditions, changes in applicable laws and regulations, risks related to the blockchain and digital asset sectors, the Company's ability to execute its business strategy, competitive factors, access to capital, and other risks described in the Company's continuous disclosure filings available under the Company's profile on SEDAR+. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements are reasonable as of the date hereof, there can be no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The Company does not undertake any obligation to update or revise forward-looking statements except as required by applicable securities laws. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/283519 Source: Boba Mint Holdings Ltd. Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - February 11, 2026) - Loncor Gold Inc. (TSX: LN) (OTCQX: LONCF) (FSE: LO5) ("Loncor" or the "Company") today announced the closing of its going private transaction (the "Transaction") in accordance with an Arrangement Agreement (the "Arrangement Agreement") with Chengtun Gold Ontario Inc. (the "Purchaser"), an affiliate of Chengtun Mining Group Co., Ltd., pursuant to which the Purchaser acquired all of the issued and outstanding common shares of the Company at a price of C$1.38 per share (the "Shares"). In connection with the closing of the Transaction, the Shares will be delisted from the TSX and the Frankfurt Stock Exchange and will no longer be quoted on the OTCQX Market of the OTC Markets Group Inc. Further, the Company has applied to cease to be a reporting issuer in each of the applicable jurisdictions in Canada. For more information on the Transaction, please refer to the Company's Management Information Circular and the appended plan of arrangement, which are available on SEDAR+ (www.sedarplus.ca) under Loncor's issuer profile. Early Warning Immediately prior to the completion of the Transaction, the Purchaser held or exercised control or direction over nil securities of the Company. Following the completion of the Transaction, the Purchaser owns 183,660,846 Shares, representing all of the issued and outstanding Shares. In connection with the closing of the Transaction, each of the directors that were previously on the board of directors of the Company resigned with Mr. Shing Yip Iu being elected as director. An early warning report containing additional information will be filed by the Purchaser in accordance with applicable securities laws and will be available on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca or may be obtained directly from the Purchaser upon request at +86 059 2589 1666. The head office of the Company is located at 4120 Yonge St. Suite 304, Toronto, Ontario, M2P 2B8, Canada. The head office of the Purchaser is located at 77 King Street West, Toronto, Ontario, M5K 2A1. About Loncor Gold Inc. Loncor is a Canadian gold exploration company focused on the Ngayu Greenstone Gold Belt in the northeast of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Loncor's growing resource base in the Ngayu Belt is focused on the Imbo Project. Additional information with respect to Loncor and its projects can be found on Loncor's website at www.loncor.com. About Chengtun Mining Group Co., Ltd. Chengtun Mining specializes in developing new energy metal resources. The company's core operations include mining and refining of energy metals and base metals, with strategic focus on copper, cobalt, nickel for new energy batteries. The company has also identified gold and other precious metals as a key strategic business area for future development. Chengtun owns and operates mines in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, most notably the Kalongwe copper-cobalt mine. Chengtun Mining is publicly listed on the Shanghai Stock Exchange under the ticker 600711. Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains "forward-looking information" and "forward-looking statements" (collectively, "forward-looking information") within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Such forward-looking information or statements ("FLS") are provided for the purpose of providing information about management's current expectations and plans relating to the future. Readers are cautioned that reliance on such information may not be appropriate for other purposes. Any such FLS may be identified by words such as "proposed", "expects", "intends", "may", "will", and similar expressions. FLS contained or referred to in this press release includes, but is not limited to, the delisting of the Shares from the TSX and the Frankfurt Stock Exchange, and that the Shares will no longer be quoted on the OTCQX Market of the OTC Markets Group Inc. and the submission of an application to cease to be a reporting issuer in each of the applicable jurisdictions in Canada. FLS is based on a number of factors and assumptions which have been used to develop such statements and information, but which may prove to be incorrect. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in such FLS are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on FLS because the Company can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in such FLS include, without limitation, the identified risk factors included in the Company's public disclosure, including the annual information form dated March 31, 2025, and information circular prepared in connection with the meeting held to consider the Transaction filed on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca and EDGAR at www.sec.gov. If any of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or if the assumptions underlying the FLS prove incorrect, actual results or future events might vary materially from those anticipated in the FLS. Although the Company has attempted to identify important risk factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in FLS, there may be other risk factors not presently known to the Company or that the Company presently believes are not material that could also cause actual results or future events to differ materially from those expressed in such FLS. The FLS in this press release reflect the current expectations, assumptions, judgements and/or beliefs of the Company based on information currently available to the Company and are subject to change without notice. Any FLS speaks only as of the date on which it is made and, except as may be required by applicable securities laws, the Company disclaims any intent or obligation to update any FLS, whether as a result of new information, future events or results or otherwise, except as required under applicable securities laws. The FLS contained in this press release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. For more information on the Company, please review the Company's continuous disclosure filings that are available at www.sedarplus.ca. No securities regulatory authority has either approved or disapproved of the contents of this news release. The TSX accepts no 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/283516 Source: Loncor Gold Inc. American glaciologist decodes secrets of glaciers on Qinghai-Xizang Plateau 15:35, February 11, 2026 By Zhang Bolan, Wang Xiaobo ( People's Daily In 2006, members of the China-US joint expedition team carry ice cores from Naimona'nyi back to their base camp. Courtesy of the Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences Nestled beneath the campus of Ohio State University in the United States lies a unique repository: an underground "ice core bank." Within its chambers, thousands of gleaming silver tubes are neatly arranged on steel racks. This vault safeguards the world's most extensive collection of ice-core archives -- irreplaceable records chronicling Earth's climate fluctuations across an extraordinary 700,000-year timespan. The visionary behind this initiative is Lonnie Thompson, a member of the American Academy of Sciences and distinguished professor of the School of Earth Sciences at Ohio State University. Prof. Thompson presents a polite and scholarly figure, often seen with silver-rimmed glasses. However, when discussing glaciers, his demeanor transforms, revealing profound passion and encyclopedic knowledge, as if recounting tales of cherished companions. Demonstrating remarkable foresight over four decades ago, Prof. Thompson diverged from the prevailing focus on polar regions. He recognized the critical scientific importance of glaciers in mid- and low-latitude areas. This insight propelled him to lead 50 challenging expeditions to remote highlands across nearly 20 countries. Through the collection and analysis of ice-core samples, he pioneered the reconstruction of global paleoclimate patterns. These foundational contributions earned him recognition as the founder of mid- and low-latitude alpine paleoclimatology. In 2015, Lonnie Thompson (right) and Yao Tandong (left) measure the length of an ice core during a joint five-country expedition at Guliya Glacier. Courtesy of the Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences Prof. Thompson holds the distinction of being the first American glaciologist to conduct scientific research on the QinghaiXizang Plateau and the first paleoclimatologist to drill ice cores from Himalayan glaciers. Since 1984, he has visited the plateau 29 times for field research and is known among Chinese colleagues as both a "trailblazer" and a "collaborator" in China's glacier scientific expeditions. In 1987, Prof. Thompson worked with Chinese and Russian scientists, including Prof. Yao Tandong, one of the pioneers in Chinas glaciological research, to complete the drilling of the first deep ice core at the Dunde ice cap in the Qilian Mountains in the northwest China. In 1989, the research findings were published in Science, one of the world's leading academic journals, drawing widespread attention from the international science communities. In 1992, a multinational research team including Chinese and American scientists reached the Guliya ice cap in the west Kunlun Mountains in northwest China and successfully drilled an ice core that set a milestone: at 308.6 meters long, it was then the longest ever retrieved from mid- to low-latitude regions, and it remains the one containing the most extended continuous climate record to date. Spanning over 700,000 years, the core has enabled detailed reconstruction of climatic and environmental changes across multiple timescales since the last interglacial period. In 1997, on Mount Shishapangma, the 14th-highest mountain in the world in China's Xizang autonomous region, a joint China-U.S. expedition drilled three Dasuopu ice cores with a combined length of 480 meters and a total weight of 5 tons, setting a world record for the highest-altitude ice-core drilling site, at 7,200 meters above sea level. In 1987, members of the China-U.S. joint expedition team were drilling at the Dunde Ice Cap in the Qilian Mountains. Courtesy of the Byrd Polar and Climate Research Center, USA Through his long-standing collaboration with Chinese scientists such as Prof. Yao, Prof. Thompson became firmly convinced of one fundamental truth: even amidst extreme climatic conditions, scientists from the United States and China share common goals. Science transcends borders. Ultimately, he believes, the global community must unite to confront the shared challenge of climate change. Since the late 1980s, Prof. Thompson has dedicated portions of his research funding to support Chinese scientists, inviting them for academic exchanges at the Byrd Polar and Climate Research Center in the United States. Over the following decades, he has co-authored papers with Chinese researchers in internationally renowned journals such as Nature, substantially elevating the global academic profile of Chinese scientists in this field. Built upon decades of persistent research and accelerated in recent years by major national science and technology programs such as the Second Scientific Expedition and Research to the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau and "Pan-Third Pole Environment Change Study for Green Silk Road Development" project by the Chinese Academy of Sciences -- Chinese scientists have risen to the international forefront of glacier research on the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau. Prof. Thompson has personally witnessed China's transformative development and observed the government's increasing investment in cultivating young scientific talents and modernizing research infrastructure. He notes that China's ice-core laboratories have grown increasingly sophisticated, with new research campuses established in both Beijing and Lhasa, Xizang autonomous region. Today, the QinghaiXizang Plateau has emerged as a new arena for international ice-core research, alongside the Arctic and Antarctic. Prof. Thompson remains committed to advancing China-U.S. scientific cooperation in glaciology and to helping China's glacier research integrate more deeply into the international scientific community. To advance international support for the China-led Third Pole Environment (TPE) program, Prof. Thompson utilized his academic influence to establish a TPE satellite office at The Ohio State University. He has consistently taken part in TPE Workshops, where he urged Earth scientists focusing on the Third Pole research to share their expertise and collaboratively tackle climate change challenges. Furthermore, he has facilitated visits and coordinated coverage by international media outlets, including The New York Times, to relevant research institutes in China, enabling the world to gain a better understanding of China's glaciological research and effort to combat climate change threats. (Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun) Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - February 11, 2026) - Perseverance Metals Inc. (TSXV: PMI) ("Perseverance", "PMI" or the "Company") announces that it will complete a non-brokered private placement financing of up to C$3,000,000 (the "Offering"). The Offering will consist of up to C$3,000,000 in hard dollar units (the "HD Units") priced at C$0.65 per HD Unit. Each HD Unit will be comprised of one common share of the Company and one-half of one common share purchase warrant (each whole warrant, a "Warrant"). Each Warrant will entitle the holder to acquire one additional common share at a price of C$0.95 for a period of 36 months from the date of issuance. The expiry date of the Warrants will be subject to acceleration such that, should the closing price of the common shares on the TSX Venture Exchange equal or exceed C$1.30 for ten consecutive trading days, the Company may, within 15 business days of such event, accelerate the expiry date of the Warrants to a date that is 30 calendar days following the date on which notice of such acceleration is given by news release, with the new expiry date specified in such news release (the "Acceleration Clause"). The Company will use the proceeds of the Offering to fund the inaugural diamond drill campaign on the Voyageur project in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, continued exploration of the Lac Gayot project in Quebec, and for General Corporate purposes. The Company may pay finder's fees in connection with the Offering. Insiders of the Company may participate in the Offering. Any such participation will be considered a "related party transaction" as defined under Multilateral Instrument 61-101. The Company expects that any insider participation will be exempt from the formal valuation and minority shareholder approval requirements of MI 61-101, as neither the fair market value of the securities issued to insiders nor the consideration paid by insiders is expected to exceed 25% of the Company's market capitalization. All securities issued pursuant to the Offering will be subject to the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange and a statutory hold period of four months and one day in accordance with applicable securities laws. About Perseverance Metals Perseverance Metals is a critical minerals explorer with a project portfolio that is strategically located in key North American Ni-Cu-Co-PGE and hard rock lithium regions, including Quebec's prolific James Bay district and Michigan's productive Mid-Continent Rift. Our strict science-driven approach and extensive track record of discovery as leveraged via an exceptional technical advisory board, coupled with an industry-leading team armed with next-generation exploration tools, provide us with a distinct competitive advantage. This offers a unique opportunity for investors to be exposed to a portfolio of projects with the potential for multiple discoveries. Perseverance's exploration assets include: the Lac Gayot high-grade Ni-Cu-Co-PGE and lithium pegmatite project, which covers the entirety of the 30km Venus Greenstone Belt in Quebec, featuring multiple, very high-grade Ni-Cu-Co-PGE showings and zones along with numerous large spodumene-bearing pegmatites with consistent high lithium grades in channel sampling; the Voyageur Ni-Cu-Co-PGE project which covers 680 km2 of the Upper Peninsula in Michigan, 65 kilometres west of the only producing nickel mine in the United States is drill-ready, and; the Armit Lake Ni-Cu-Co project, which is the consolidated and underexplored western half of the nickel- and gold-rich Savant Lake Greenstone Belt in Ontario. Additional information about Perseverance Metals can be found at perseverancemetals.com. On Behalf of the Board, Michael J. Tucker CEO and Director Forward-Looking Statements This news release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. "Forward-looking information" includes, but is not limited to, statements with respect to the activities, events or developments that the Company expects or anticipates will or may occur in the future, including expectations regarding the accuracy, timing and outcome of the sample, assay and drill results; the characterization of the Venus Greenstone Belt; the option on the Lac Gayot project; and the Company's exploration and business plans, and the cost and timing thereof. Generally, but not always, forward-looking information and statements can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "expects", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates", or "believes" or the negative connotation thereof or variations of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will be taken", "occur" or "be achieved" or the negative connotation thereof. Such forward-looking information and statements are based on numerous assumptions, including among others, that the sample, assay and drill results will align with the expectations of management in terms of accuracy, outcome and timing; that the characterization of the Venus Greenstone Belt is accurate; that the Company will continue to pursue the option on the Lac Gayot project; and that the Company's exploration and business plans, and the cost and timing thereof will not change significantly from management's current expectations. Although the assumptions made by the Company in providing forward-looking information or making forward-looking statements are considered reasonable by management at the time, there can be no assurance that such assumptions will prove to be accurate and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the Company's plans or expectations include risks that the sample, assay and drill results will not align with the expectations of management in terms of accuracy, outcome and timing; that the characterization of the Venus Greenstone Belt is not accurate; that the Company will not continue to pursue the option on the Lac Gayot project; and that the Company's exploration and business plans, and the cost and timing thereof may change significantly from management's current expectations. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking information or implied by 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 forward-looking information and statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated, estimated or intended. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements or information. Neither TSXV nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSXV) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/283513 Source: Perseverance Metals Inc. IHS Fiber Brasil Cessao de Infraestruturas Ltda, part of IHS Holding Limited (NYSE: IHS) ("IHS Towers" or the "Company"), one of the largest independent owners, operators and developers of shared communications infrastructure in the world by tower count, has agreed to sell its 51% stake in I-Systems Solucoes de Infraestrutura S.A. ("I-Systems") (the "I-Systems transaction"), a specialist provider of shared optical fiber networks in Brazil, to TIM. S.A. ("TIM"), the owner of the remaining 49% of I-Systems. The I-Systems network covers approximately 9.3 million homes passed (of which approximately 6.4 are Fiber-to-the-Home) and spans approximately 22,250 route kilometers.1 This will result in IHS Towers' exit from the Brazilian fiber sector. The I-Systems transaction, reflecting an enterprise value2 of $452.6 million, is aligned with the Company's previously announced strategic initiatives, helping to focus the growth of the Company in lower capex, higher return businesses. This transaction is subject to customary closing conditions, including regulatory approvals, and is expected to close later in 2026. J.P. Morgan is acting as financial advisor to IHS Towers. Sam Darwish, Chairman CEO, IHS Towers, commented, "Today's announcement to sell I-Systems to TIM forms part of our strategic initiatives targeted at shareholder value creation, designed to help focus our growth on lower capex, higher return businesses. We extend our sincere appreciation to our colleagues, customers, and partners whose commitment has enabled the successful development of our fiber business in Brazil." Alberto Griselli, CEO, TIM Brasil, commented, "This transaction marks another strategic move by TIM to strengthen its presence in the broadband market, a defining front for the company in 2025. By improving end-to-end connectivity quality, TIM aims to enhance customer experience, boost operational efficiency, and reinforce its position for upcoming FTTH opportunities, while maintaining a strong focus on profitability and cash generation." 1 As of December 31, 2024. 2 Enterprise value is defined as anticipated cash consideration to be received plus borrowings less cash in the business and stated for a 100% shareholding. About IHS Towers: IHS Towers is one of the largest independent owners, operators and developers of shared communications infrastructure in the world by tower count and is solely focused on the emerging markets. The Company has over 37,000 towers across its seven markets, including Brazil, Cameroon, Colombia, Cote d'Ivoire, Nigeria, South Africa and Zambia. For more information, please email: communications@ihstowers.com or visit: www.ihstowers.com About TIM S.A.: Evolving together with respect and courage, transforming technology into freedom. This is TIM's purpose. The company has been operating in Brazil for over 25 years and is leading important market movements and bringing digital transformation to the different areas of society. TIM has the largest 5G coverage in the country and is the only one that reaches all cities with its 4G network, in line with its leading attitude and slogan: "Imagine the possibilities." The company's evolution is always backed by a commitment to the best environmental, social, and governance practices. This makes it the first and only company in the telecommunications sector to be included in all sustainability portfolios on the Brazilian stock exchange: the Corporate Sustainability Index (ISE B3), the Carbon Efficient Index (ICO2 B3), IDIVERSA B3, and IGPTW B3. For more information, visit www.tim.com.br. Cautionary Language Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This document contains forward-looking statements, including regarding the closing of future transactions. We intend such forward-looking statements to be covered by relevant safe harbor provisions for forward-looking statements (or their equivalent) of any applicable jurisdiction, including those contained in Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. All statements other than statements of historical facts contained in this document may be forward-looking statements. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terms such as "may," "will," "should," "expects," "plans," "anticipates," "could," "intends," "targets," "commits," "projects," "contemplates," "believes," "estimates," "forecast," "predicts," "potential" or "continue" or the negative of these terms or other similar expressions. We have based these forward-looking statements largely on our current expectations and projections about future events and financial trends that we believe may affect our business, financial condition and results of operations, and while we believe such information forms a reasonable basis for such statements, such information may be limited or incomplete, and our statements should not be read to indicate that we have conducted an exhaustive inquiry into, or review of, all potentially available relevant information. These statements are inherently uncertain and investors are cautioned not to unduly rely upon these statements. You should read this press release and the documents that we reference in this press release with the understanding that our actual future results, performance and achievements may be materially different from what we expect. Further information on such assumptions, risks and uncertainties is available in our filings with the US Securities and Exchange Commission, including our Annual Report on Form 20-F for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2024. We qualify all of our forward-looking statements by these cautionary statements. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this press release. Except as required by applicable law, we do not assume, and expressly disclaim, any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements contained in this press release, whether as a result of any new information, future events or otherwise. Certain definitions We define Adjusted EBITDA for the Group as income/(loss) for the period, before income tax expense/(benefit), finance costs and income, depreciation and amortization, net impairment/(reversal of impairment) of withholding tax receivables, impairment of goodwill, business combination transaction costs, net impairment/(reversal of impairment) of property, plant and equipment, intangible assets excluding goodwill and related prepaid land rent, reversal of provision for decommissioning costs, net (gain)/loss on sale of assets, share-based payment (credit)/expense, insurance claims, gain on disposal of subsidiary and certain other items that management believes are not indicative of the core performance of our business. See our unaudited condensed consolidated interim financial statements filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission for additional information, definitions and a reconciliation to the most comparable IFRS measures. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260211209230/en/ Contacts: Enquiry: Investor Contact Info: IHS Africa (UK) Limited 1 Cathedral Piazza 123 Victoria Street London, SW1E 5BP United Kingdom investorrelations@ihstowers.com Enquiry: Journalist Contact Info: IHS Africa (UK) Limited 1 Cathedral Piazza 123 Victoria Street London, SW1E 5BP United Kingdom ihstowers@teneo.com Enquiry: Other Contact Info: IHS Africa (UK) Limited 1 Cathedral Piazza 123 Victoria Street London, SW1E 5BP United Kingdom +442081061600 communications@ihstowers.com Montana Capital Partners ("MCP") today announced the final close of MCP Opportunity Secondary Program VI ("OSP VI"), the sixth fund in MCP's private equity secondaries series. OSP VI closed with a total programme size of US$1.4billion, in line with OSP VI's most recent predecessor fund. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260211915766/en/ "OSP VI builds on over a decade of secondaries experience, allowing us to systematically identify relative value in mid-market private equity investments." Dr. Stephan Wessel, CEO, Montana Capital Partners OSP VI pursues a relative value strategy across GP-led and LP-led transactions in North America and Western Europe, targeting investment opportunities in the private equity mid-market. Building on a first close in 2024, the programme secured substantial re-ups from long-standing partners including sovereign wealth funds, pension funds, insurance companies, family offices, and foundations from Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and the US alongside commitments from new, highly-regarded institutional investors. "The close of OSP VI comes amid increased demand for mid-market private equity secondary strategies," said Dr. Stephan Wessel, CEO of MCP. "We continue to observe steady deal flow across GP-led and LP-led opportunities, enabling us to deploy over 50% of our new fund already. Additionally, we have syndicated a significant number of transactions to our co-investors." Successfully executed investments include a diversified portfolio acquired through a private transaction in partnership with a leading Chinese insurance company and MCP's 2025 landmark transaction with Prudential Financial, Inc. (PFI), through which MCP acquired a portfolio of mid-market inflection buyout assets on behalf of OSP VI and select MCP co-investors. The current seed portfolio blends diversified LP-led transactions with high-conviction GP-led opportunities across North America and Western Europe. "OSP VI builds on over a decade of secondaries experience, allowing us to systematically identify relative value in mid-market private equity investments," Stephan Wessel added. "We have developed a scaled platform that integrates market access across our secondary and primary businesses with PGIM's global footprint. Combined with our rigorous, data-driven investment process, this positions us well to pursue compelling investment opportunities in the secondary market." OSP VI is the first fund closed after the acquisition of MCP by PGIM in 2021. MCP now manages a platform of more than US$5billion1 with a team of more than 45 professionals across Switzerland and the US and has deployed more than US$5billion across secondary investments to date. ABOUT MCP Montana Capital Partners AG ("MCP") is a US$5.1 billion1 global private equity secondaries investment manager with a focus on the mid-market. MCP provides customised liquidity solutions with a focus on proactive sourcing and a balanced portfolio construction across GP-led and LP-led transactions. Across its offices in Baar, Switzerland, and New York, mcp and has invested in more than 140 transactions since its inception. MCP is part of PGIM, the global investment management business of PFI (NYSE: PRU) with US$1.5 trillion in AUM, benefiting from its combined market positioning and global footprint. For more information visit mcp.eu. ABOUT PGIM PGIM, the global asset management business of Prudential Financial, Inc. (NYSE: PRU) is built on a 150-year legacy of strength, stability, and disciplined risk management through more than 30 market cycles. Managing US$1.5 trillion in assets2, PGIM offers clients deep expertise across public and private asset classes, delivering a diverse range of investment strategies and tailored solutions including fixed income, equities, real estate and alternatives. With 1,400+ investment professionals across 41 offices in 20 countries, we serve retail and institutional clients worldwide. For more information, visit pgim.com. Prudential Financial, Inc. (PFI) of the United States is not affiliated in any manner with Prudential plc, incorporated in the United Kingdom or with Prudential Assurance Company, a subsidiary of M&G plc, incorporated in the United Kingdom. For more information please visit news.prudential.com. 1 As of 30 Sept. 2025. Together with its affiliates 2 As of 30 Sept. 2025. For media use only. All investments involve risk, including the possible loss of capital. These materials are not intended as an offer or solicitation with respect to the purchase or sale of any security or other financial instrument or any investment management services and should not be used as the basis for any investment decision. No liability whatsoever is accepted for any loss (whether direct, indirect, or consequential) that may arise from any use of the information contained in or derived from this report. In the United Kingdom, information is issued by PGIM Fund Management Limited with registered office: Grand Buildings, 1-3 Strand, Trafalgar Square, London, WC2N 5HR. PGIM Fund Management Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority ("FCA") of the United Kingdom (Firm Reference Number 181389). These materials are issued by PGIM Fund Management Limited to persons who are professional clients as defined under the rules of the FCA. In the European Economic Area ("EEA"), information is issued by PGIM Luxembourg S.A. with registered office: 2, boulevard de la Foire, L1528 Luxembourg. PGIM Luxembourg S.A. is authorised and regulated by the Commission de Surveillance du Secteur Financier in Luxembourg (registration number A00001218) and operating on the basis of a European passport. In certain EEA countries, this information, where permitted, may be presented by either PGIM Fund Management Limited or PGIM Limited in reliance of provisions, exemptions, or licences available under the temporary permission arrangements following the exit of the United Kingdom from the European Union. PGIM Fund Management Limited and PGIM Limited have their registered office at: Grand Buildings, 1-3 Strand, Trafalgar Square, London WC2N 5HR. PGIM Fund Management Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority ("FCA") of the United Kingdom (Firm Reference Number 181389). PGIM Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority ("FCA") of the United Kingdom (Firm Reference Number: 193418). These materials are issued by PGIM Luxembourg S.A., PGIM Fund Management Limited and/or PGIM Limited to persons who are professional clients as defined in the relevant local implementation of Directive 2014/65/EU (MiFID II) and/or to persons who are professional clients as defined under the rules of the FCA. REF: 5174804 View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260211915766/en/ Contacts: MEDIA CONTACT Paul Rene Frigo +49 (0)69 244 341 730 paul.frigo@pgim.com As part of the 700-page 2026 Black Book State of Global Digital Healthcare, this continuing series spotlights Brazil, one of the world's fastest-growing regions for EHR adoption and interoperability software. MIAMI, FLORIDA / ACCESS Newswire / February 11, 2026 / Black Book Market Research today announced the release of its new qualitative market report, "Brazil Acute Care EHR and Digital Health 2026: Demand Drivers, National Platforms, Standards, and Vendor Landscape." The report details how Brazil's acute-care providers and hospital groups are recalibrating EHR and digital hospital investments for the 2026-2030 planning horizon as national interoperability expectations accelerate and operational pressures intensify. Brazil's health system scale and mixed public-private delivery model are reshaping what "enterprise EHR" means in-country. Approximately 72% of Brazilians rely on SUS as their sole provider of health services, while tens of millions also use supplementary private coverage-creating parallel reporting, workflow, and integration realities for hospitals and health systems. At the center of the shift is Brazil's national interoperability agenda. The Rede Nacional de Dados em Saude (RNDS) is positioned as the country's primary health data integration platform, with policy momentum reinforcing participation requirements and identity governance. "Brazil's acute-care digitization is entering a new phase where interoperability is no longer an aspirational IT milestone, it's becoming a participation requirement," said Douglas Brown, Black Book Market Research. "Hospitals are being pushed to prove measurable throughput improvement, medication safety gains, and compliance-grade resilience, while also preparing for governance expectations around AI and cybersecurity." Key market signals and national momentum covered in the report The 2026 report synthesizes policy and operational forces influencing EHR procurement and digital health roadmaps, including: RNDS scale and acceleration: Public reporting cited 4.3 billion records accumulated in RNDS and 476% growth over three years , underscoring the rapid increase in national-level data exchange expectations. Identity standardization push: Sector reporting describes federal action to formalize RNDS within SUS integration strategy and expand the use of CPF as a unique identifier for health records-raising the bar on patient matching and audit-ready governance. Privacy and governance baseline: Brazil's LGPD has been in force since September 18, 2020, elevating expectations for consent, security controls, vendor assurance, and defensible data-processing practices in health. Procurement-ready framework: 12 evaluation dimensions for Brazil acute care (2026) To help provider leaders, CIOs, CMIOs, and procurement teams structure shortlists and due diligence, the report introduces a weighted scoring framework across 12 practical evaluation dimensions, including: Identity and patient matching readiness Interoperability architecture and participation roadmaps Clinical documentation and structured data strategy Orders/results and departmental integration (lab/radiology/pharmacy/devices) Medication safety and pharmacy workflows Patient flow and operational command (ED/bed/discharge visibility) Revenue-cycle and billing integration (coding, denials/glosa prevention, payer interchange) Digital front door and communications (scheduling, check-in, results access, secure messaging) Telehealth and hybrid care enablement Analytics and operational KPI reporting AI governance readiness (model lifecycle, oversight, auditability expectations) Cybersecurity posture (IAM/MFA, logging, encryption, supplier assurance) The report is designed for: Brazil's: State/municipal networks and public hospitals operating within SUS constraints Philanthropic and university hospitals managing hybrid funding models and complex governance Private hospital groups prioritizing operational throughput, payer integration, and patient experience Regional and International Vendors and implementation partners aligning products and services to Brazil's interoperability and compliance realities Media and Communications partners The full report and supporting materials are available for download from Black Book Market Research's website or https://blackbookmarketresearch.com/brazil-acute-care-ehr-and-digital-health-2026 About Black Book Market Research Black Book Market Research provides independent, research-driven insights on healthcare IT, digital health, and vendor landscape dynamics, supporting provider organizations, payers, policymakers, and suppliers with qualitative and quantitative market intelligence. Media Contact Black Book Market Research https://www.blackbookmarketresearch.com Email: research@blackbookmarketresearch.com SOURCE: Black Book Research View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/healthcare-and-pharmaceutical/black-book-research-releases-%22brazil-acute-care-ehr-and-digital-healt-1135867 The expanded underwriting team and newly established strategic partnerships role enhance Counsel Financial's capacity to deliver timely credit decisions and broaden support for both law firms and capital provider clients across the litigation finance market. BUFFALO, NEW YORK / ACCESS Newswire / February 11, 2026 / Counsel Financial, a leading provider of litigation finance solutions, announced today the addition of Jason Frank and Jaclyn Tayabji as Directors of Legal Underwriting, and the promotion of Melissa Ruggiero to Director of Strategic Partnerships. The addition of Frank and Tayabji expands Counsel Financial's underwriting capacity and in-house team of attorneys, enabling faster credit decisions and helping the company's capital provider clients expand their bandwidth to serve law firms with complex litigation portfolios nationwide. Ruggiero's new role will deepen Counsel Financial's relationships with service providers across the legal ecosystem, creating new channels for law firms to access capital solutions. As Director of Legal Underwriting, Jason Frank evaluates complex litigation investments for the Company and its clients by assessing case strength, risk, and financial viability. Prior to joining Counsel Financial, Jason litigated mass tort cases and managed litigation support teams. He earned his Juris Doctor, cum laude, from the University of Miami School of Law and holds a Bachelor of Science, cum laude, in Finance from Florida State University. Jason is admitted to the Florida Bar and is based in Miami, Florida. Jaclyn Tayabji also serves as Director of Legal Underwriting, analyzing and monitoring a diverse portfolio of complex litigation matters. Before joining Counsel Financial, she spent four years at a class action and whistleblower plaintiffs' firm, and her legal analyses have been published in leading law reviews and Trial Magazine. Jaclyn earned her Juris Doctor, magna cum laude, from Boston University School of Law and holds a Bachelor of Arts from Emory University. She is admitted to practice law in Colorado and the District of Columbia. Melissa Ruggiero has been promoted to Director of Strategic Partnerships, a newly created role reflecting Counsel Financial's continued growth and expanding presence in the legal finance market. In this position, Melissa will focus on building and managing collaborative relationships with service providers across the legal ecosystem-including legal technology companies, consultants, and other companies who serve law firms. Her efforts will help extend Counsel Financial's reach and create new channels for firms to access the capital solutions they need. Melissa brings 14 years of experience in the legal industry to the role, with deep expertise in funding, business development, and mass tort portfolio management. "These appointments reflect our continued commitment to disciplined underwriting, deep legal expertise, and strategic growth," said Nick D'Aquilla, President of Counsel Financial. "By strengthening both our underwriting and partnership capabilities, we are even better positioned to support law firms and capital partners navigating a nuanced litigation landscape, and to capitalize on the promising opportunities ahead." About Counsel Financial Counsel Financial is the leading provider of financial and servicing solutions for contingent-fee law firms and institutional investors engaged in litigation finance. With more than 25 years of experience and over $2 billion deployed, the Company combines legal insight with disciplined underwriting and servicing to support access to capital across the plaintiffs' bar. Contact Information Kim Zimmermann VP, Marketing kim@counselfinancial.com 7165680070 SOURCE: Counsel Financial View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/banking-and-financial-services/counsel-financial-expands-underwriting-team-and-adds-strategic-partn-1134486 Armed with information before and during their visit, shoppers are forcing retailers to reimagine the store to deliver efficient, inspired and digitally connected shopping experiences More than half of European shoppers (53%) aged 18-75 use their phones in store, reinforcing the reality that in-store retail is now also digital by default. Shoppers aged 18-44 overwhelmingly say they use their smartphone when shopping in-store. Top use cases are to make mobile payments (33%), access loyalty programs (32%), look for discounts (30%), take photos (29%) and compare prices (22%). These are among the findings from research by Insider Trends and Fern Insights and sponsored by Jumpmind, based on a survey of 1,005 consumers across the United Kingdom, France, Germany and the Netherlands in November 2025. Researchers sought to understand how in-store journeys are shaped by smart phone usage before and during a store visit. The research found 81% of European consumers have visited a store for shopping outside of grocery stores in the month prior, and nearly two-in-five (39%) shop in stores at least once weekly. Additionally, 16% of shoppers aged 18-34 shop in store daily more so than any other generation. "Meeting the needs of the European digitally empowered shopper requires retailers to reimagine the role of the store in the shopping journey," said Jack Stratten, Head of Trends at Insider Trends. "Consumers enter the store already omni-channel by default with their smartphone in hand. Omnichannel shoppers spend multiples more than single-channel shoppers, so retailers must seize the opportunity to capitalize on this." Less than a third of shoppers (30%) say they shop in-store because they enjoy shopping. Instead, reasons cited for shopping brick mortar locations were far more pragmatic: The most popular reason to visit the store was to see and feel products prior to purchase (48% said this). Additionally, shoppers aged 25-34 were more likely than shoppers of other age groups to look for added convenience and value in exchange for their time in the store. These shoppers were more likely to appreciate self-checkout (24% vs. 15% on average), in-store services such as repairs and tailoring (20% vs. 11%), personalized service (14% vs. 8%) and brand collaborations or celebrity endorsements (9% vs. 4%). Younger shoppers were more likely to say they used self-checkout while shopping in-store (for non-groceries) than other generations, with 79% of 18-to-24-year-olds, 81% of 25-to-34-year-olds and 70% of 35-to-44-year-olds saying so compared to 61% on average. They were also more likely to prefer self-checkout, with 62% of 18-to-24-year-olds and 66% of 25-to-34-year-olds agreeing they preferred it compared to 47% on average. "The research reinforces that most shoppers arrive informed and expect an easy checkout experience," said Lauren Cevallos, Head of Strategy and Customer Success at Jumpmind. "What's interesting is the extent to which younger shoppers seek something more: personalized service, expert support, and experiences that extend beyond the transaction itself. Store visits are increasingly purposeful, blending digital behaviors with a desire for human interaction and added value. "From a retailer perspective, that puts real pressure on store operations. Associates have to support quick, seamless transactions and more contextually driven service moments -sometimes in the same visit. That's incredibly hard to do on legacy systems. Modern store technology gives retailers the tools and flexibility to handle both ends of that spectrum, which is ultimately what today's shoppers expect." To learn more about the research, please visit: https://www.jumpmind.com/european-shoppers-report/ About Jumpmind Jumpmind is a leading provider of innovative retail technology solutions. Our cloud-native, mobile POS platform empowers retailers to streamline operations, enhance customer experiences, and achieve sustainable growth. With a future-proof architecture and a focus on delivering exceptional value to our clients, Jumpmind is committed to shaping the future of retail technology. Jumpmind powers inspired in-store experiences for a growing list of leading retailers, including American Eagle Outfitters, Bath Body Works, Build-A-Bear Workshop, DTLR, Petco, Reitmans Canada Ltd., Shoe Palace, The Paper Store, Landmark Group, and The Vitamin Shoppe. Learn more about Jumpmind at www.jumpmind.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260211367932/en/ Contacts: Media Contact: Erin Lutz Lutz Public Relations and Marketing (for Jumpmind) 949.293.1055 erin@lutzpr.com Luxury adventure travel pioneer honors excellence in hospitality, experiences, leadership, and conservation. SANTA BARBARA, CALIFORNIA / ACCESS Newswire / February 11, 2026 / UNCHARTED, the Global Safari Brand, today announced the 2026 Global Safari Awards, recognizing 25 properties, experiences, individuals, and conservation organizations that define excellence in luxury adventure travel worldwide. Now in its second year, the Global Safari Awards represent UNCHARTED's independent expert position on what matters in luxury adventure travel. The winners are partners the company stakes its reputation on after three decades of designing transformative journeys to the world's most spectacular nature travel destinations. "These are not the most Instagrammed destinations or the most publicized or advertised experiences," says Chip Cunningham, President and Co-founder of UNCHARTED. "These are the places we send our discerning, high-end clients with complete confidence. These are the hosts and guides we trust, the people in the field who do real conservation work. This is our judgment, earned over 30 years of flying bush planes, sleeping under canvas, and designing trips that deliver not just complete satisfaction, but transformation." "The awards represent the evolution of modern safari-style travel," says UNCHARTED co-founder Sandy Cunningham. "It's a holistic, 21st-century approach that blends exploration with environmental responsibility, cultural preservation, and purpose-driven luxury." Four Categories, One Standard of Excellence The 2026 awards include four categories, including three new ones this year: Outposts honors the planet's premier safari-style camps, boutique boats, lodges, and city-side hideaways with extraordinary design, genuine hospitality, and sustainability best practices. Experiences (NEW) recognizes itineraries, programs, and expeditions that become transformative, from walking safaris led by master trackers to wellness journeys and Zodiac expeditions into rarely visited waters. People (NEW) celebrates the visionaries, guides, and other changemakers doing the real work of building lodges that protect rather than extract, training the next generation, and making lasting impact. Conservation (NEW) honors foundations, NGOs, and businesses proving that luxury travel and conservation are fuel for each other - protecting wildlife habitats, empowering communities, and enacting economic models that benefit both. 2026 Global Safari Award Winners Include: Royal Chundu Island Lodge (Zambia) - "Best Bubble Bath on the Big Bad Zambezi" Magashi Peninsula Camp (Rwanda) - "Our Favorite Under-the-Radar Camp" Samode Safari Lodge (India) - "Where The Jungle Book Comes Alive" Estancia Cerro Guido (Chile) - "Puma Country's Premier Gaucho Getaway" The complete list of 25 winners is available here . About the Global Safari Awards The Global Safari Awards represent UNCHARTED's editorial judgment on what defines world-class in luxury adventure travel. Winners are selected based on design excellence, authentic hospitality, conservation impact, and the company's direct experience sending clients to these properties and working with these partners over multiple years. About UNCHARTED Founded in 1995, UNCHARTED is a family-owned luxury adventure travel company specializing in designing bespoke journeys to Africa, India, South America, and beyond. For more information, visit gouncharted.com or contact: Media Contact: Sandy Cunningham, co-founder UNCHARTED sandy@gouncharted.com | (888) 995-0909 SOURCE: UNCHARTED View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/travel/uncharted-announces-2026-global-safari-awards-1134248 New technology reads a company's website and content to generate unlimited on-brand social posts with no setup required MIAMI, FLORIDA / ACCESS Newswire / February 11, 2026 / SocialPost.ai, an AI-powered social media platform built for small businesses, today announced the launch of a new capability that automatically creates fully on-brand social media content by analyzing a business's website. With SocialPost.ai, businesses no longer need to manually define brand colors, voice, or creative direction. Users simply enter their website URL, and the platform's AI analyzes the company's content, brand assets, blogs, tone, services, and products. From there, it generates ready-to-publish social media posts that reflect the company's actual brand, both visually and contextually. "This removes the setup tax that keeps so many businesses from being consistent on social media," said Gregory Scott Henson, Founder and CEO of SocialPost.ai. "If your website already explains who you are and what you do, our AI can turn that into high-quality social content instantly. You can customize everything or do nothing at all." Looking ahead, SocialPost.ai plans to introduce AI Agents that continuously learn from a company's existing content and brand presence. These agents will help ensure posts stay aligned over time while fresh creative is consistently generated, even while business owners sleep. Businesses will remain in full control and can edit, refine, or override any post. The default output is designed to be immediately usable. "This is genuinely incredible technology," said Nikita Sanchez, Social Media Manager at ALIANDO. "By switching our creative workflow from Canva to SocialPost.ai, we're saving hours every week that used to be spent designing our own creatives. The AI understands our brand and consistently produces content that's ready to use." SocialPost.ai also removes common usage limits that restrict experimentation. Its free forever plan includes unlimited content generation with no credit card required, allowing businesses to test, iterate, and publish without friction. This release reinforces SocialPost.ai's mission to make professional-quality social media accessible to every business, regardless of size or budget, by replacing manual design and writing workflows with brand-aware automation. The new website-powered content engine is available immediately at https://socialpost.ai About SocialPost.ai SocialPost.ai is an AI-powered social media platform that helps businesses create, schedule, and optimize content across major social networks. By learning directly from a company's website and existing content, SocialPost.ai automates social media creation while staying true to each brand's voice and identity. The platform offers a free forever plan with unlimited content generation and no credit card required. About ALIANDO ALIANDO is a global technology services company and Microsoft partner that helps organizations modernize, migrate, and manage their cloud environments. Built through the combination of experienced cloud and digital transformation teams, ALIANDO delivers expertise across cloud strategy, application modernization, data, and managed services, supporting customers across North America, Europe, and beyond. Media Contact: press@socialpost.ai https://socialpost.ai SOURCE: SocialPost View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/computers-technology-and-internet/socialpost.ai-launches-ai-that-turns-any-business-website-into-on-1134390 First FedRAMP-authorized EHS platform supports mission-critical federal, state, and local programs TORONTO, Feb. 11, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Cority , the converged platform for preventing EHS+ risks in operations, today announced a strategic agreement with Carahsoft Technology Corp., the Trusted Government IT Solutions Provider, to expand access to CorityOne for U.S. federal, state, and local agencies. The partnership marks a major milestone in Cority's public sector strategy. In 2021, Cority became the first EHS platform to achieve FedRAMP Moderate authorization and has since maintained continuous compliance while scaling to support the highest number of authorized public sector entities in its FedRAMP environment. The announcement follows Cority's recent launch of Cortex AI , a groundbreaking suite of intelligent agents managed through a centralized AI Control Center. Cortex AI redefines how organizations deploy and govern artificial intelligence for environmental, health, safety, quality, and sustainability management. As agencies seek trusted ways to apply AI to inspections, incident response, and reporting, Cority is investing in the controls, security, and governance that public sector programs require. "Public sector agencies are under pressure to modernize while doing more with limited resources," said Ryan Magee, CEO of Cority. "That means moving away from expensive, inflexible custom-built systems and toward secure, configurable platforms that can scale. Our agreement with Carahsoft makes it easier for agencies to adopt Cority, backed by FedRAMP authorization." Purpose-built for government trust and scale Cority's public sector strategy centers on three pillars that agencies value most: security, operational resilience, and measurable outcomes. Security through federal and state authorization. CorityOne was the first EHS platform to achieve FedRAMP authorization and now supports the largest number of authorized public sector entities operating in a FedRAMP authorized EHS environment. CorityOne was the first EHS platform to achieve FedRAMP authorization and now supports the largest number of authorized public sector entities operating in a FedRAMP authorized EHS environment. Operational resilience across public sector environments. In addition to federal readiness, Cority holds Texas RAMP authorization, enabling compliant SaaS procurement for one of the largest and most complex state government markets in North America. This ensures agencies can deploy Cority at scale without introducing procurement or compliance risk. In addition to federal readiness, Cority holds Texas RAMP authorization, enabling compliant SaaS procurement for one of the largest and most complex state government markets in North America. This ensures agencies can deploy Cority at scale without introducing procurement or compliance risk. Measurable outcomes enabled by trusted AI. Cority is advancing explainable and auditable AI capabilities designed specifically for government use. These capabilities help agencies improve data quality, standardize analysis, and move from insight to action-while maintaining human oversight at every step. Growing momentum across federal, state, and local agencies Cority supports a diverse and expanding roster of public sector customers. Agencies rely on CorityOne to manage environmental, health, and safety programs that protect people and operations in high-consequence environments. Today, Cority supports a diverse network of public sector customers, including Los Alamos National Laboratory, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, and MTA New York City. These agencies use CorityOne to track hazardous exposures, streamline incident and spill reporting, conduct inspections and audits, and maintain complex compliance programs that span large, multi-site operations. "Cority has grown a dedicated public sector practice to serve the unique needs of government," said Troy Doller, Senior Director, Government Sales at Cority. "We are aligning experienced talent, strategic partnerships, and a clear security roadmap so agencies can deploy a modern, FedRAMP-authorized EHS platform that delivers efficiency and mission impact." Partnership for simplified procurement Through their new agreement with Carahsoft, government customers can procure Cority through Carahsoft's contracts and reseller ecosystem, streamlining procurement and accelerating time to value. Cority also partners with established government system integrators and a broader ecosystem of solution consultants, healthcare providers, and government-focused technology providers to help agencies deploy and operate EHS programs at scale. To learn more about how public sector programs can apply Cortex AI with the governance and controls agencies expect, visit https://www.cority.com/public-sector-government/ . WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has launched a comprehensive re-assessment of butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA), a chemical preservative used in food. The review will consider whether BHA is safe under its current conditions of use in food and as a food contact substance, based on the latest scientific information. As part of this re-assessment, the agency issued a Request for Information on the use and safety of BHA. This is part of the FDA's broader efforts to proactively review chemical additives in the food supply. In May last year, the FDA launched a strengthened program to review chemicals currently used in the U.S. food supply. FDA identified BHA as a top priority for review. The FDA's post-market assessment of BHA used in food is one of several ongoing post-market assessments under the agency's enhanced systematic process for scrutinizing chemicals in the nation's food supply. U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy has warned that If BHA cannot meet adequate safety standards, it will be banned. 'BHA has remained in the food supply for decades despite being identified by the National Toxicology Program as 'reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen' based on animal studies,' said Kennedy. 'This reassessment marks the end of the 'trust us' era in food safety. If BHA cannot meet today's gold-standard science for its current uses, we will remove it from the food supply and continue cleaning up food chemicals-starting where children face the greatest exposure.' FDA Commissioner Marty Makary said, 'The scientific community has raised significant concerns about some chemicals currently in the food supply. Once we complete our assessment of BHA, we expect to conduct similar assessments for butylated hydroxytoluene, a synthetic preservative known as BHT, and azodicarbonamide - a chemical used in yoga mats and also used as a dough conditioner.' For decades, health advocates have raised potential safety concerns regarding the use of BHA. The NIH's National Toxicology Program lists BHA as 'reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen' based on animal studies. FDA listed BHA as Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) in 1958 and approved it as a food additive in 1961. It is used to prevent spoilage of fats and oils and can be found in various food products including frozen meals, breakfast cereals, cookies, candy, ice cream, and meat products. While packaged food label data indicate BHA use has declined in recent years, it remains present in many food products, including those marketed to children. Copyright(c) 2026 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX 2026 AFX News Atlanta, Georgia--(Newsfile Corp. - February 11, 2026) - Ammunition, one of the country's fastest-growing independent firms known for full-funnel expertise and market-moving brand building, today announced a new partnership with American Tire Distributors (ATD), North America's leading tire distributor, to accelerate enterprise brand and experience transformation. Following a competitive national review, Ammunition was selected as an end-to-end partner to help shape ATD's next phase of evolution across the brand, customer experience, loyalty, creative, and digital platforms, signaling a major strategic shift in how the company is approaching transformation. As the largest replacement tire distributor in North America, ATD is sharpening how it serves its dealer network and tire brand partners by focusing on execution, clarity, and reliability at scale. As dealer and customer expectations continue to rise around availability, speed, and service, ATD is investing in a more unified enterprise approach that brings brand, experience, and transaction together, ensuring customers can get exactly what they want, when they want it, across every touchpoint. "This partnership reflects a pivotal moment for ATD as we rethink how our brand, customer experience, creative, and digital capabilities work together to drive growth for both our dealers and our tire brand partners," said Kirk Feinswog, Senior Vice President of Sales & Marketing at ATD. "We sought a partner that can operate at an enterprise level while still delivering world-class execution. Ammunition brings a strong understanding of our business, our customers, and the future we're building." As part of the partnership, Ammunition will strengthen ATD's enterprise transformation across brand strategy, creative development, channel strategy, and activation; experience design for dealers, tire brand partners, and customers; loyalty program evolution; CRM and lifecycle personalization; digital ecosystem advancement; and production, analytics, and performance optimization. The work is designed to deliver a more connected, consistent, and value-driven experience across ATD's dealer network, brand partnerships, and digital platforms. "ATD is taking a forward-looking approach to how it connects dealers, tire brands, and customers through a more unified experience ecosystem," said Jeremy Heilpern, Founder and CEO of Ammunition. "Our role is to help design and activate that transformation by connecting strategy, creativity, and execution in ways that are practical, measurable, and built for long-term growth." The collaboration begins immediately with the launch of a bold new creative platform, the first in a series of brand, creative, digital, and performance initiatives rolling out throughout 2026 to elevate loyalty, enhance digital experiences, and strengthen engagement across ATD's partner network. Together, ATD and Ammunition are focused on deepening loyalty and driving sustained growth. About Ammunition Ammunition is a full-funnel independent agency recognized by Adweek, Campaign, Inc. Magazine, and The Financial Times for driving high-performing creative and media across complex B2B and B2C categories. Headquartered in Atlanta, GA, with operations in Europe, Ammunition develops end-to-end brand, creative, media, and technology programs that help brands scale growth and impact. Privately held, Ammunition is a proud member of Worldwide Partners Inc., and the American Association of Advertising Agencies (4A's). For more, visit ammunition.agency. About American Tire Distributors American Tire Distributors (ATD) is one of the nation's largest independent suppliers to the replacement tire industry. With a robust network of over 110 distribution centers, ATD proudly serves 80,000 customers nationwide. Its extensive inventory and commitment to reliable, frequent deliveries are complemented by a suite of value-added services tailored to the tire and automotive service industry. With a team of nearly 4,000 dedicated associates, ATD is driven by a customer-first mentality, empowering its customers to thrive. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/283472 Source: Ammunition LLC New analysis shows over 60 percent alignment between Cascale Better Buying survey data and leading due diligence frameworks. AMSTERDAM, HONG KONG, AND OAKLAND CA / ACCESS Newswire / February 11, 2026 / Cascale Better Buying has released Mapping Cascale Better Buying Responsible Purchasing Practices Survey Questions to the CFRPP and PP-DD Frameworks analyzing how its Responsible Purchasing Practices surveys align with two widely used industry due diligence frameworks: the Common Framework for Responsible Purchasing Practices (CFRPP) and the Purchasing Practices Human Rights Due Diligence (PP-DD) Framework. The analysis maps supplier feedback captured through Better Buying tools against each framework's requirements to better understand where responsible purchasing and human rights due diligence expectations are already reflected, where additional coverage can be achieved through existing services, and where targeted refinements could further strengthen alignment. The report also identifies areas that fall outside Better Buying's core focus or practices that suppliers cannot reasonably observe. "Our goal was to bring greater clarity to how supplier-reported data can support responsible purchasing and human rights due diligence efforts," said Katie Hess, head of product at Cascale Better Buying. "This mapping shows that supplier feedback already provides meaningful insight into many core practices, and it highlights practical ways companies can strengthen alignment without adding unnecessary complexity." Mapping to the CFRPP The CFRPP was developed in 2022 by a working group of multi-stakeholder initiatives as a shared reference point for companies and supporting organizations to understand and improve responsible purchasing practices in supply chains. Better Buying Institute, whose assets were acquired by Cascale in 2025, was consulted during the development process and contributed input as part of the broader stakeholder consultation and benchmarking process. Mapping the Cascale Better Buying survey questions to the CFRPP revealed: Existing Cascale Better Buying survey questions cover 60 percent of CFRPP practices. By subscribing to Cascale Better Buying services, companies can address an additional 21 percent of CFRPP requirements. Targeted additions or revisions to survey questions will extend coverage by a further nine percent. The remaining 10 percent of CFRPP practices fall outside Better Buying's focus or are beyond what suppliers can directly observe or assess. Mapping to the PP-DD Framework The PP-DD Framework was developed by the Responsible Purchasing Practices Working Group, a coalition of multi-stakeholder organizations working to advance responsible purchasing and human rights due diligence in global supply chains. The PP-DD Framework defines the core actions companies should be accountable for when aligning purchasing practices with human rights due diligence expectations. Mapping the Cascale Better Buying survey questions to the PP-DD Framework revealed: Existing Cascale Better Buying survey questions cover 47 percent of the PP-DD Framework requirements. An additional 22 percent of PP-DD requirements can be addressed through current Cascale Better Buying services. Modest updates to survey content will extend coverage by a further 11 percent. Twenty percent of PP-DD practices fall outside the scope of Better Buying's tools or are not reasonably knowable by suppliers. Summary Together, the findings demonstrate how supplier voice data can support responsible purchasing practices and human rights due diligence when used alongside established frameworks. The report reinforces Cascale Better Buying's role in helping companies understand where they are today and where practical improvements can be made to support decent work through more responsible purchasing. Media Contact: Forster Communications, cascaleforster@forster.co.uk ABOUT CASCALE Cascale is the global nonprofit alliance empowering collaboration to drive equitable and restorative business practices in the consumer goods industry. Formerly known as the Sustainable Apparel Coalition, Cascale owns and develops the Higg Index, which is exclusively available on Worldly, the most comprehensive sustainability data and insights platform. Cascale unites over 300 retailers, brands, manufacturers, governments, academics, and NGO/nonprofit affiliates around the globe through one singular vision: To catalyze impact at scale and give back more than we take to the planet and its people. LinkedIn | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from Cascale on 3blmedia.com. Contact Info: Spokesperson: Cascale Website: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/cascale Email: info@3blmedia.com SOURCE: Cascale View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/business-and-professional-services/supplier-feedback-mapped-to-leading-responsible-purchasing-frame-1135913 Key Takeaways Cybersecurity is a direct threat to deal flow and value Cybersecurity is an increasing risk of material financial impact to private equity backed companies Mid-market and smaller private equity firms are under-developed in cyber risk governance NEW YORK, Feb. 11, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Kroll, the leading independent provider of global financial and risk advisory solutions, today released findings from its global report on safeguarding portfolio value in private equity (PE). The research, which surveyed 325 PE firm executives, reveals that cyberattacks cause significant value destruction across the PE lifecycle and are increasing in frequency. Financial Impact of a Cyber Attack on the Deal Lifecyle On average, firms suffered $2.1 million in financial impact per incident, with a 53% chance that a PE firm will lose more than $500,000 and a 13% chance that financial impact will exceed $5 million. 94% of firms suffered some financial impact due to cybersecurity risk, including: Reduced valuation or exit price due to cyber incidents (26%) Increased ongoing compliance or cybersecurity training (62%) Indirect remediation or consultancy costs (46%) Cyber Attacks Increasing in Frequency 80% of PE firms experienced disruption due to cyberattacks during the hold period, nearly a third (27%) of which suffered outright business disruption or downtime. Other disruption includes: unexpected remediation costs (44%), compliance or regulatory related litigation (29%) and IT system integration (30%). Almost 70% (68%) of PE firms report cyber incidents are increasing during hold period. Dave Burg, Global Group Head of Cyber and Data Resilience at Kroll says, "Cybersecurity has evolved into a material transaction risk, becoming a direct threat to deal flow and valuation in private equity. It is not a coincidence that nearly 70% of our respondents have experienced cyber incidents during the hold period. Attackers are increasingly synchronizing when they strike and are using generative AI to amplify the impact and effectiveness of their actions. The average financial impact is $2.1 million, but that's just the tip of the iceberg. The real cost emerges in regulatory investigations, deal timeline delays and continuation vehicles triggered by post-incident governance gaps; and we're seeing that maturity matters. Our call to action is that those in the private equity ecosystem need to monitor and challenge assumptions, including compliance, reputation and defense across their entire security perimeter." Small and Mid-Market PE Firms Especially Vulnerable to Deal Value Destruction The research identified a clear divide in cyber risk management approaches between larger firms (>$25 billion AUM) and smaller firms (<$25 billion AUM): 55% of larger firms reported governing cybersecurity risk through a formal mandate to portfolio company managers, compared to 12% of smaller firms. 81% of larger firms report that cybersecurity due diligence is a standard part of the transaction diligence process, compared to 29% of smaller firms who said the same. 58% of larger firms have dedicated risk management platforms versus 9% of smaller firms. By comparison, smaller firms rely heavily on manual monitoring (50%) and managed service providers (53%) rather than dedicated platforms, leaving them more vulnerable to significant remediation costs and deal disruption. 52% of larger firms have a dedicated cyber risk leader versus 15% of smaller firms. Eric Hasty, Managing Director of Cyber and Data Resilience at Kroll says, "Cybersecurity incidents can cause significant impacts to private equity portfolios of all sizes, making a focused and disciplined approach essential across the industry for firms to protect and maximize value. Our study shows that PE firms that implement a concise set of required cybersecurity controls, leverage dedicated platforms to monitor risk, conduct standardized diligence and establish clear accountability are far more effective at protecting value against cyber exposure in a cost-efficient manner. With clients spanning the full spectrum of the private equity landscape, Kroll has seen firsthand that addressing this challenge requires a structured governance model supported by consistent, pragmatic best practices. Now is the time for PE firms to get ahead of this challenge in readiness for a rebound and wave of deal activity." 2026 Outlook 96% of PE firms expect the importance of portfolio cybersecurity to increase over the next 12 months. Over half (53%) believe the financial impact of cyberattacks will grow in the coming year, and 54% expect cyber incidents to be more challenging. You can access the full Cyber Risk at Scale: Safeguarding Portfolio Value in Private Equity report on the Kroll website. You can also register for a live webinar discussing these results in-depth here. About The Research Kroll commissioned independent research firm Sapio Research to conduct a study into the cyber risk presented by portfolio companies in PE globally. The research surveyed 325 portfolio leaders involved in the oversight of technology and cybersecurity risk within private equity funds. Survey respondents were from firms ranging in size from under $500 million AUM to more than $25 billion AUM, with the largest concentration in the $1 billion to $4.9 billion range (37%) and over $5 billion range (32%). Respondents were based in the U.S.A (175), UK and Ireland (50), Australia (25), Germany (25), Switzerland (25), Singapore (13) and Japan (12). Field research was conducted in December 2025. About Kroll As the leading independent provider of financial and risk advisory solutions, Kroll leverages our unique insights, data and technology to help clients stay ahead of complex valuation demands. Kroll's team of more than 6,500 professionals worldwide continues the firm's nearly 100-year history of trusted expertise spanning risk, governance, transactions and valuation. Our advanced solutions and intelligence provide clients the foresight they need to create an enduring competitive advantage. At Kroll, our values define who we are and how we partner with clients and communities. Learn more at kroll.com. Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/478418/Kroll_v2_Logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/private-equity-cybersecurity-a-significant-risk-to-deals-with-2-1m-financial-impact-on-average-kroll-finds-302685183.html YIWU, China, Feb. 11, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- A news report from Yiwu Media Convergence Center: As the 2026 Spring Festival approaches, a campaign titled "Yiwu Red Lights Up Global Landmarks" has been launched across five continents. Outdoor screens in 20 countries and regions-including New York's Times Square, Toronto's Yonge-Dundas Square, Dubai's CBD Bay, the Avenue de l'Opera in Paris, Milan's Navigli, London's Stratford, Myeongdong Eulji-ro in Seoul, and Jalan Imbi in Kuala Lumpur-are simultaneously broadcasting Yiwu's city promotional video and invitations to the 2026 Spring Festival Gala's Yiwu sub-venue. From a roadside market to a "world's supermarket", from the Shuangjianghu New Area to the Global Digital Trade Centre, from new energy vehicle factories to the China-Europe Railway Express (Yixin'ou), and from Chen Wangdao's former residence to the international Jimingshan Community-these images unfold like a scroll, showcasing the economic vitality, global vision, and cultural richness of this county-level city in China. The city's cultural brand, "World's Yiwu, City of Warmth & Integrity", shines brightly, accompanied by heartfelt Spring Festival greetings from eight Yiwu businesswomen extending a warm invitation to the world: "Come to Yiwu-taste global cuisines, shop for global goods, make friends from around the world, watch China's Spring Festival Gala, and do business with the world." This confidence is rooted in solid development. Over the past year, Yiwu delivered an impressive performance reflecting its "speed, innovation, vitality, and confidence", earning Zhejiang Province's "Loyalty, Responsibility, and Excellence Award". It ranked first among county-level cities nationwide in total export volume, number of market entities, and per capita disposable income of urban and rural residents; its total retail sales of consumer goods ranked first in the province; it topped the "China County-Level Common Prosperity Index"; and it rose to first place in the national "Top 100 Counties in Social Governance". The cultural tourism brand "Yiwu Is Fun to Explore" went viral, achieving the highest communication popularity index among county-level cities nationwide. As an important window of China's reform and opening-up, Yiwu introduced 33 national and provincial "first orders", "first cases", and "first initiatives" last year. The Global Digital Trade Centre officially opened, Yiwu (Suxi) International Hub Port commenced operations, the China-Europe Railway Express (Yixin'ou) maintained its leading position nationwide and ranked first in the Yangtze River Delta in terms of train frequency, and Yiwu became the first county-level city in China to exceed 100 million cross-border e-commerce import orders in a single year-strongly supporting both domestic and international economic circulation. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2902092/Photo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/worlds-yiwu-city-of-warmth--integrity-lights-up-global-landmarks-302685298.html DELRAY BEACH, Fla., Feb. 11, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- According to MarketsandMarkets, the Vascular Access Device Market is projected to grow from about USD 6.27 billion in 2026 to USD 8.68 billion by 2031, at a CAGR of 6.7%. Browse 380 market data Tables and 65 Figures spread through 400 Pages and in-depth TOC on "Vascular Access Device Market - Global Forecast to 2031" Vascular Access Device Market Size & Forecast: Market Size Available for Years: 2025-2031 2025-2031 2026 Market Size: USD 6.27 billion USD 6.27 billion 2031 Projected Market Size: USD 8.68 billion USD 8.68 billion CAGR (2026-2031): 6.7% Vascular Access Device Market Trends & Insights: The peripheral vascular access device segment is expected to register the highest CAGR of 7.6% during the forecast period. The intravenous route of insertion segment is expected to register the highest CAGR of 6.8% during the forecast period. The drug administration segment is estimated to account for the largest market share of 49.6% in 2025. The hospital segment is estimated to dominate the market with a share of 65.3% in 2025. Download PDF Brochure @ https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/pdfdownloadNew.asp?id=122149686 The key factor driving the growth of the vascular access device market is the increase in chronic diseases, such as cancer, renal failure, cardiovascular disorders, and infectious diseases. These conditions necessitate frequent or long-term intravenous treatments, including chemotherapy, dialysis, and parenteral nutrition. Additionally, hospitalizations are on the rise, minimally invasive and image-guided procedures are becoming more common, and the aging population is more prone to requiring repeated venous access. This growing demand for vascular access devices is a direct result of these trends. Moreover, the higher awareness of catheter-related bloodstream infections (CRBSIs) is expediting the acceptance of new technologies such as antimicrobial-coated catheters, needle-free connectors, and safety-engineered devices. The establishment of ambulatory surgical centers, home-based infusion therapy, and outpatient care, together with the developments in healthcare infrastructure and access in developing countries, has also been a major factor driving the market growth. By type, peripheral vascular access device segment to exhibit highest CAGR during forecast period. The demand for peripheral vascular access devices is rising mainly due to the increasing incidence of chronic diseases like diabetes, cancer, and cardiovascular disorders, which necessitate patients to undergo intravenous therapy, blood sampling, and medication delivery at a regular interval. The trend of demanding reliable short-term vascular access is further supported by increasing hospital admissions, emergency care volumes, and outpatient procedures. Advanced technologies such as safety-engineered catheters, better biocompatible materials, and designs that minimize infection and needlestick injuries are fostering clinical adoption. Besides, the growth in ambulatory surgery centers, home healthcare, and value-based care models is making peripheral access devices more popular because of the easy placement, low complication rate, and reduced overall treatment cost associated with them. Request Sample Pages@https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/requestsampleNew.asp?id=122149686 By route of insertion, intravenous insertion segment to witness highest CAGR during forecast period. The use of intravenous methods for inserting vascular access devices is an accepted practice in the medical field. This method is the quickest, most efficient, and reliable way to deliver fluids, medications, blood products, and nutrients to patients in both acute and chronic care settings. The increasing frequency of chronic diseases, more and more surgical and emergency cases, and the use of chemotherapy, biologics, and critical care therapies are the main factors contributing to the rise of IV access. The advancements in IV catheter technology, safety needles, and infection control measures are making it easier to use and safer for patients. IV access is also supported by the growth of hospitals, ambulatory surgery centers, and home infusion therapy. By end user, clinics & ambulatory care centers segment to register highest CAGR during forecast period. The clinics & ambulatory care centers segment is expected to experience the fastest growth in the vascular access device market during the forecast period. Outpatient services and same-day procedures are being increasingly adopted to lower costs and alleviate the pressure on hospitals. The large number of minimally invasive surgeries and a growing need for infusion therapy, dialysis, and chronic disease management support are some of the factors contributing to the demand for safe and efficient vascular access in non-hospital settings. Developments in vascular access devices that allow for rapid placement, reduced infection risk, and less need for training are making the switch to clinics & ambulatory care centers easier. Favorable reimbursement trends, increasing patient preference for shorter hospital stays, and the growth of standalone specialty clinics are also accelerating the use of vascular access devices in ambulatory care settings. North America dominated global vascular access device market in 2025. The North American market for vascular access devices is growing due to the increasing prevalence of chronic diseases, such as cancer, cardiovascular diseases, and renal failure. Patients with these conditions often require frequent treatments, including intravenous infusions, chemotherapy, and dialysis. The demand for vascular access products is also supported by the combination of an aging population and high volumes of procedures performed in hospitals, clinics, and ambulatory surgery centers. The use of advanced technologies like safety-engineered catheters, antimicrobial-coated devices, and ultrasound-guided placement is also a contributing factor to the expansion of the market. The presence of competent healthcare infrastructure, favorable reimbursement policies, and a primary goal of reducing the number of infections associated with catheters are some of the factors quickening the adoption of vascular access devices. Inquire Before Buying@https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Enquiry_Before_BuyingNew.asp?id=122149686 Top Companies in Vascular Access Device Market: The Top Companies in Vascular Access Device Market include Becton, Dickinson and Company (US), Teleflex Incorporated (US), ICU Medical, Inc. (US), B. Braun SE (Germany), AngioDynamics, Inc. (US), Medtronic, Plc (Ireland), Merit Medical Systems Inc. (US), Terumo Corporation (Japan), Nipro (Japan), Vygon (France), AMECATH (Egypt), Medical Components, Inc. (US), HealthLine Medical Products (US), Cook Medical (US), and Access Vascular, Inc. (US). Browse Adjacent Markets: Medical Devices Market Research Reports & Consulting Related Reports: Catheters Market - Global Forecast to 2030 Peripheral Vascular Devices Market - Global Forecast to 2029 Interventional Cardiology Devices Market - Global Forecast to 2031 Pediatric Vascular Access Market - Global Forecast to 2030 Minimally Invasive Surgery Market - Global Forecast to 2030 About MarketsandMarkets MarketsandMarkets has been recognized as one of America's Best Management Consulting Firms by Forbes, as per their recent report. MarketsandMarkets is a blue ocean alternative in growth consulting and program management, leveraging a man-machine offering to drive supernormal growth for progressive organizations in the B2B space. With the widest lens on emerging technologies, we are proficient in co-creating supernormal growth for clients across the globe. Today, 80% of Fortune 2000 companies rely on MarketsandMarkets, and 90 of the top 100 companies in each sector trust us to accelerate their revenue growth. With a global clientele of over 13,000 organizations, we help businesses thrive in a disruptive ecosystem. The B2B economy is witnessing the emergence of $25 trillion in new revenue streams that are replacing existing ones within this decade. We work with clients on growth programs, helping them monetize this $25 trillion opportunity through our service lines - TAM Expansion, Go-to-Market (GTM) Strategy to Execution, Market Share Gain, Account Enablement, and Thought Leadership Marketing. Built on the 'GIVE Growth' principle, we collaborate with several Forbes Global 2000 B2B companies to keep them future-ready. Our insights and strategies are powered by industry experts, cutting-edge AI, and our Market Intelligence Cloud, KnowledgeStore, which integrates research and provides ecosystem-wide visibility into revenue shifts. MarketsandMarkets SalesPlay is an AI-driven Revenue Intelligence Co-Pilot designed to help revenue teams prioritize the right accounts, identify critical changes early, and surface opportunities ahead of demand, so pipeline builds naturally and deals close with greater consistency. To find out more, visit www.MarketsandMarkets.com or follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook. Contact: Mr. Rohan Salgarkar MarketsandMarkets INC. 1615 South Congress Ave. Suite 103, Delray Beach, FL 33445 USA: +1-888-600-6441 Email: sales@marketsandmarkets.com Visit Our Website: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/ Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1868219/MarketsandMarkets_Logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/vascular-access-device-market-worth-8-68-billion-by-2031--marketsandmarkets-302684907.html PORTLAND, Ore., Feb. 11, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Allied Market Research published a report, titled, "Kidney Dialysis Market by Type (Hemodialysis and Peritoneal Dialysis), Product and Service (Equipment, Consumables and Services), and End User (In-Center Dialysis and Home Dialysis): Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2024-2033". According to the report, the kidney dialysis market was valued at $79.6 billion in 2023, and is estimated to reach $149.7 billion by 2033, growing at a CAGR of 6.5% from 2024 to 2033. Request Sample of the Report on Nuclear Medicine Equipment Market Forecast 2034 - https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/request-sample/A295002 Factors driving the growth of the kidney dialysis market Rise in prevalence of chronic kidney disease and increase in awareness that promotes early diagnosis drive the expansion of the kidney dialysis sector. However, high treatment costs and limited access to dialysis services continue to restrict market growth. At the same time, technological innovations and expanding healthcare infrastructure in developing countries offer lucrative opportunities for market expansion in the coming years. The hemodialysis segment held the largest share of the industry in 2023 By type, the hemodialysis segment generated the highest revenue in the kidney dialysis market in 2023. Hemodialysis is the most widely adopted dialysis method for patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and end-stage renal disease (ESRD). It effectively removes waste products and excess fluids from the blood, helping improve patient outcomes and quality of life. Its established infrastructure and clinical familiarity contribute to its continued market dominance. The equipment segment dominated the genomics sector in 2023 By product and service, the equipment segment generated the highest revenue in the kidney dialysis market in 2023. Dialysis machines, water treatment systems, and related equipment are critical for delivering safe and efficient dialysis treatments. Continuous technological advancements, such as portable hemodialysis systems and automated monitoring, enhance treatment efficacy, driving demand for dialysis equipment in hospitals, clinics, and home-care settings. The in-center dialysis segment accounted for a major share of the market in 2023 By end user, the in-center dialysis segment generated the highest revenue in the kidney dialysis market in 2023. Hospitals and specialized dialysis centers remain the primary settings for dialysis treatments due to the need for trained medical staff and advanced equipment. In-center dialysis ensures consistent monitoring and management of patients, making it a preferred choice, although home dialysis is gaining traction for convenience and patient autonomy. Regional Outlook From a regional perspective, North America and Europe are expected to maintain leadership in the kidney dialysis market, driven by robust healthcare infrastructure, established reimbursement policies, and high awareness of CKD. Asia-Pacific is projected to grow at a faster rate, fueled by expanding healthcare access, government initiatives, rising prevalence of kidney disorders, and increasing investments in dialysis infrastructure. LAMEA is also expected to witness gradual growth due to improving healthcare services and rising awareness of chronic kidney disease management. Want to Explore More, Connect to our Analyst - https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/connect-to-analyst/A295002 Key Players Baxter International Inc. Nipro Corporation Diaverum Deutschland GmbH Asahi Kasei Corporation Fresenius Se And Co. KgAA B. Braun Melsungen AG Angiodynamics Inc. Becton, Dickinson and Company Davita, Nikkiso Co., Ltd. The report provides a detailed analysis of these key players in the global kidney dialysis market. These players have adopted different strategies such as expansion, acquisition, product approval, product launch, and others to increase their market share and maintain dominant shares in different regions. The report is valuable in highlighting business performance, operating segments, product portfolio, and strategic moves of market players to showcase the competitive scenario. In April 2022, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) awarded 510 (k) clearance to the Versi PD Cycler System, a next generation portable automated peritoneal dialysis (APD) system from Fresenius Medical Care North America (FMCNA). VersiPD is the lightest, smallest, and quietest dialysis cycler in the U.S. Recent Industry Development In July 2022, Baxter International Inc., a global innovator in renal care, and Ayogo Health Inc., a behavioral science-based digital health company, announced the expansion of their partnership to support the needs of patients with kidney disease through digital health solutions. Ayogo is combining LifePlan-its unique behavior-based digital platform-with Baxter's expertise in renal care to build mobile apps and digital solutions that bring personalized, relevant and timely support to patients with kidney failure. In March 2022, B. Braun Melsungen AG announced that it has acquired Intermedt Medizin & Technik GmbH, a company that prepares dialysis concentrates. With this acquisition, Intermedt's product portfolio was permanently integrated into B.Braun's comprehensive range of products and services for dialysis therapy. In June 2023, Rockwell Medical, Inc, a healthcare company that develops, manufactures, commercializes, and distributes a portfolio of hemodialysis products to dialysis providers worldwide, announced that the Company entered into a three-year co-promotion services agreement with B. Braun Medical Inc. ("B. Braun"), a leader in renal therapies including innovative, high-quality products for hemodialysis. For Purchase Related Queries/Inquiry- https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/purchase-enquiry/A295002 How Is the Kidney Dialysis Market Performing Compared to Previous Years? The kidney dialysis market has witnessed steady growth in recent years due to the rising prevalence of chronic kidney disease (CKD) and increased awareness about early diagnosis and treatment. Advancements in dialysis equipment, such as high-efficiency hemodialysis machines and portable systems, have improved treatment outcomes and patient comfort. Hospitals, specialized dialysis centers, and home-care providers now have greater access to advanced dialysis technologies, increasing adoption among clinicians and patients. In addition, growing investment in healthcare infrastructure and training programs has enhanced the availability and quality of dialysis services. Collaborations between medical device manufacturers, healthcare providers, and research institutions have further accelerated innovation and expanded the range of dialysis solutions available. What Is the Kidney Dialysis Market Growth Forecast and CAGR Outlook? The kidney dialysis market is expected to experience robust growth during the forecast period, driven by increasing CKD prevalence, technological advancements, and expanding healthcare access. Hemodialysis is likely to remain the dominant treatment type, while home dialysis is projected to gain traction due to convenience and patient preference. Rising healthcare investment, favorable reimbursement policies, and government support for kidney care programs create attractive growth opportunities. The market is anticipated to grow further as innovative dialysis devices, consumables, and service models continue to reach the market, enhancing efficiency and patient outcomes. Regions such as Asia-Pacific are projected to witness faster growth due to rising healthcare infrastructure and awareness, while North America and Europe maintain leadership owing to established dialysis ecosystems. The report, published by Allied Market Research, focuses on market dynamics and key trends of the kidney dialysis market analysis. The study provides competitive landscape analysis of the key players to understand the adopted strategies and competitive intensity of competitors. It also offers a study of threat of new entrants, and bargaining power of buyers, on the kidney dialysis market outlook. Explore AMR's Extensive Ongoing Coverage on Life Science Industry: Weight Management Market: Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2023-2032 India IVF Services Market: Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2023-2032 Albumin Market: Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2023-2032 At-home Genetic Testing Market: Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2023-2032 Medical Software Market: Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2023-2032 AVENUE- A Subscription-Based Library (Premium on-demand, subscription-based pricing model) Offered by Allied Market Research: AMR introduces its online premium subscription-based library Avenue, designed specifically to offer cost-effective, one-stop solution for enterprises, investors, and universities. With Avenue, subscribers can avail an entire repository of reports on more than 2,000 niche industries and more than 12,000 company profiles. 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AMR offers its services across 11 industry verticals including Life Sciences, Consumer Goods, Materials & Chemicals, Construction & Manufacturing, Food & Beverages, Energy & Power, Semiconductor & Electronics, Automotive & Transportation, ICT & Media, Aerospace & Defense, and BFSI. We are in professional corporate relations with various companies and this helps us in digging out market data that helps us generate accurate research data tables and confirms utmost accuracy in our market forecasting. Allied Market Research CEO Pawan Kumar is instrumental in inspiring and encouraging everyone associated with the company to maintain high quality of data and help clients in every way possible to achieve success. Each and every data presented in the reports published by us is extracted through primary interviews with top officials from leading companies of domain concerned. Our secondary data procurement methodology includes deep online and offline research and discussion with knowledgeable professionals and analysts in the industry. Contact David Correa 1209 Orange Street, Corporation Trust Center, Wilmington, New Castle, Delaware 19801 USA. Toll Free: +1-800-792-5285 Int'l: +1-503-894-6022 UK: +44-845-528-1300 Hong Kong: +852-301-84916 India (Pune): +91-20-66346060 Fax: +1-855-550-5975 help@alliedmarketresearch.com Web: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/636519/Allied_Market_Research_Logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/kidney-dialysis-market-to-reach-149-7-billion-globally-by-2033-at-6-5-cagr-allied-market-research-302685078.html A collection of articles, case reports and industry news for dental professionals IRVINE, CALIFORNIA / ACCESS Newswire / February 11, 2026 / Volume 21, Issue 1, of Chairside magazine is now available in print and online at chairsidemagazine.com - offering four CEUs. "In this issue of Chairside magazine," said founder and president, Jim Glidewell, "we highlight how AI makes diagnosis more precise, treatment planning simpler, intraoral scanning more powerful, implant placement more predictable, and chairside milling more accessible. I encourage readers to explore this issue and determine if these solutions match their practice needs." In the featured Q&A cover article for this issue, Overjet founder Dr. Wardah Inam reflects on the evolution of dental AI and shares how her company impacts diagnostic precision and communication. "The technology that we create helps us make dentistry more clinically precise, efficient and patient-centric," said Dr. Inam. Her analysis on the role of dentists in a changing AI-driven environment offers readers a unique and valuable perspective. Drs. Isaac Tawil and Bushra Imam contribute to this discussion with their CE article "Same-Day Screw-Retained Zirconia Restorations: A Fully Integrated Digital Workflow." Digital technology has redefined how dentists approach implant rehabilitation. The article showcases how this technology - specifically, guided surgery, scanning, AI-driven design, and in-office milling - makes workflows more efficient and predictable. Dr. Taylor Manalili shares her recommended "Do's and Don'ts of Intraoral Scanning for Implant Restorations" in this issue to offer a practical approach to scanning for implant cases - from pre-scan preparation to post-processing protocols. The CE article provides readers with an overview of the essential principles that separate successful digital scans from frustrating failures. Chairside magazine and the educational offerings at Glidewell continue to serve as valuable resources for dental practices across the country. Start learning today at glidewell.com/education. Contact Information Eldon Thompson Sr. Director of Marketing mail@glidewelldental.com SOURCE: Glidewell View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/healthcare-and-pharmaceutical/newest-issue-of-chairsider-magazine-connects-ai-with-reshaping-dental-1132890 The growth of the Customer Experience (CX) Administration Software Market is driven by enterprises prioritizing customer-centric strategies to strengthen brand loyalty and retention. Increasing adoption of AI-driven analytics, real-time customer insights, and omnichannel engagement platforms is accelerating market expansion. Organizations across retail, BFSI, healthcare, and telecom are investing in CX administration solutions to personalize interactions, optimize service workflows, and improve customer satisfaction amid intensifying market competition. LEWES, Del., Feb. 11, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The global Customer Experience (CX) Administration Software Market was valued at USD 9.5 billion in 2024 and is projected to reach USD 18.2 billion by 2033. The market is expected to expand at a steady CAGR of 8.5% during the forecast period from 2026 to 2033. This growth is driven by increasing enterprise investments in digital customer engagement platforms, data-driven decision-making tools, and AI-powered CX solutions aimed at enhancing customer satisfaction and long-term business performance. Download PDF Brochure: https://www.marketresearchintellect.com/download-sample/?rid=249165 202 - Pages 126 - Tables 37 - Figures Scope Of The Report REPORT ATTRIBUTES DETAILS STUDY PERIOD 2020-2031 BASE YEAR 2024 FORECAST PERIOD 2026-2033 HISTORICAL PERIOD 2020-2024 UNIT Value (USD Billion) KEY COMPANIES PROFILED Salesforce, SAP SE, Oracle Corporation, Adobe Inc., Zendesk, Genesys, NICE Ltd., Microsoft Corporation, HubSpot, and ServiceNow. SEGMENTS COVERED By Type, By Application And By Geography CUSTOMIZATION SCOPE Free report customization (equivalent to up to 4 analyst working days) with purchase. Addition or alteration to country, regional & segment scope Customer Experience Cx Administration Software Market Overview 1. Market Evolution and Strategic Importance The Customer Experience (CX) Administration Software Market has transitioned from basic customer support tools to enterprise-wide strategic platforms. Initially focused on ticketing and feedback collection, modern CX administration solutions now manage end-to-end customer journeys across digital and physical touchpoints. Organizations increasingly recognize CX as a competitive differentiator rather than a support function. As a result, CX platforms are being integrated with CRM, ERP, marketing automation, and analytics systems to deliver unified customer insights. This evolution reflects a broader shift toward experience-led growth strategies, where customer satisfaction, loyalty, and lifetime value directly influence revenue performance and brand positioning. 2. Rising Demand for Omnichannel Customer Engagement Customers now interact with brands across multiple channels, including web, mobile apps, social media, call centers, and in-store environments. CX administration software enables seamless orchestration of these interactions by centralizing data and workflows. Businesses adopt omnichannel platforms to ensure consistent messaging, faster resolution, and personalized engagement. As digital touchpoints expand, the ability to manage complex interaction ecosystems efficiently is becoming essential. This demand is especially strong in retail, BFSI, telecom, and healthcare sectors, where customer expectations for responsiveness and continuity are high. 3. Integration of AI, Analytics, and Automation Artificial intelligence and advanced analytics are core growth drivers within the CX administration software market. AI-powered sentiment analysis, chatbots, predictive insights, and automated workflows enhance operational efficiency and customer satisfaction. Analytics tools convert customer data into actionable intelligence, enabling proactive service strategies and real-time performance monitoring. Automation reduces manual intervention, improves response accuracy, and shortens resolution cycles. As enterprises prioritize data-driven CX decision-making, AI-enabled platforms are becoming standard rather than optional. 4. Cloud Adoption and Scalable Deployment Models Cloud-based CX administration software dominates new deployments due to scalability, flexibility, and lower infrastructure costs. SaaS models allow organizations to scale capabilities based on interaction volumes and business growth. Cloud platforms also support faster updates, enhanced security features, and easier integration with third-party applications. Small and mid-sized enterprises benefit from enterprise-grade functionality without heavy capital investment, while large enterprises leverage cloud elasticity for global CX operations. This shift significantly accelerates market penetration. Download Sample Report Now:https://www.marketresearchintellect.com/download-sample/?rid=249165 5. Customer-Centric Business Transformation Enterprises across industries are aligning internal processes around customer experience metrics such as Net Promoter Score (NPS), Customer Satisfaction (CSAT), and Customer Effort Score (CES). CX administration software provides centralized dashboards and reporting tools to track these KPIs. By embedding CX insights into decision-making, organizations improve service quality, reduce churn, and strengthen brand loyalty. This transformation positions CX platforms as strategic assets rather than operational tools. 6. Industry-Wide Adoption Across Verticals The CX administration software market serves diverse industries including BFSI, retail, healthcare, telecom, IT services, and public sector organizations. Each vertical has unique CX requirements, such as regulatory compliance in BFSI or patient engagement in healthcare. Vendors increasingly offer configurable and industry-specific solutions to address these needs. This vertical diversification expands addressable market size and supports sustained long-term growth. 7. Data Privacy, Security, and Compliance Focus With increasing volumes of customer data, data privacy and security have become critical considerations. CX administration software incorporates encryption, access controls, audit trails, and compliance features aligned with regulations such as GDPR and regional data protection laws. Secure CX platforms build customer trust while reducing regulatory risks. Compliance readiness is now a key vendor selection criterion, particularly for enterprises operating across multiple geographies. 8. Competitive Differentiation and Innovation The CX administration software market is highly competitive, with vendors continuously innovating to differentiate offerings. Features such as journey orchestration, real-time personalization, and voice-of-customer analytics are becoming standard. Strategic partnerships, acquisitions, and platform enhancements are shaping competitive dynamics. Continuous innovation ensures vendors remain aligned with evolving customer behavior and enterprise expectations, reinforcing long-term market expansion. Geographic Dominance: North America leads the Customer Experience (CX) Administration Software Market, driven by early technology adoption, high enterprise digital maturity, and strong presence of leading CX solution providers. The region benefits from CX-focused business strategies across BFSI, retail, and technology sectors. Europe follows closely, supported by regulatory-driven customer engagement standards and increasing investments in digital transformation. The Asia-Pacific region is witnessing the fastest growth due to rapid digitalization, expanding e-commerce ecosystems, and rising customer experience awareness among enterprises. Emerging economies are adopting cloud-based CX platforms to improve service efficiency and competitiveness. Latin America and the Middle East & Africa show steady adoption as organizations modernize customer engagement infrastructure, indicating untapped long-term growth potential. Customer Experience Cx Administration Software Market Key Players Shaping the Future Key players operating in the Customer Experience (CX) Administration Software Market include Salesforce, SAP SE, Oracle Corporation, Adobe Inc., Zendesk, Genesys, NICE Ltd., Microsoft Corporation, HubSpot, and ServiceNow. These companies are driving innovation through AI-powered engagement tools, analytics-driven insights, and scalable cloud-based CX platforms. Customer Experience Cx Administration Software Market Segment Analysis The Customer Experience Cx Administration Software Market is segmented based on By Type, By Application, and Geography, providing a comprehensive framework for industry analysis: By Type Cloud-Based / SaaS CX Administration Software On-Premise CX Administration Software By Application Banking, Financial Services and Insurance (BFSI) Retail and E-commerce Healthcare Telecommunications IT & IT-Enabled Services Government and Public Sector By Geography North America Europe Asia-Pacific Latin America Middle East & Africa Information Technology and Telecom The Information Technology and Telecom sector is a significant adopter of Customer Experience (CX) Administration Software, driven by high customer interaction volumes and intense competitive pressure. IT service providers and telecom operators rely on CX platforms to manage omnichannel customer engagement across digital portals, mobile apps, call centers, and social media. These solutions enable real-time issue tracking, automated ticket resolution, and personalized service delivery, improving customer satisfaction and retention. Advanced analytics and AI-powered tools help organizations monitor service quality, predict churn, and optimize network-related customer experiences. Additionally, CX administration software supports scalability and integration with billing, CRM, and network management systems, ensuring operational efficiency. As telecom operators expand 5G services and IT firms deliver cloud-based solutions globally, the demand for robust, secure, and data-driven CX platforms continues to grow, reinforcing the sector's importance in overall market expansion. 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Contact Us: Mr. Edwyne Fernandes Market Research Intellect Call Us on: +1 743 222 5439 Email: sales@marketresearchintellect.com Web: https://www.marketresearchintellect.com/ Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2483702/Market_Research_Intellect_Logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/customer-experience-cx-administration-software-market-fueled-by-digital-cx-transformation-and-ai-integration---market-research-intellect-302685058.html Mid Wynd International Investment Trust Plc - Notice of GM PR Newswire LONDON, United Kingdom, February 11 MID WYND INTERNATIONAL INVESTMENT TRUST PLC (the "Company") Legal Entity Identifier: 549300D32517C2M3A561 To ensure the continuing successful operation of the Company's discount control mechanism (" DCM"), the Board is seeking renewal of the Company's share buyback authority. The Board's policy, within normal market conditions, is to issue and re-purchase ordinary shares of 5 pence each in the Company where necessary to maintain the share price within a band of plus or minus 2 per cent. relative to the Company's net asset value per share. The Company will today be publishing a circular (the " Circular") to convene a general meeting (the " General Meeting") at which Shareholder authority will be sought for the early renewal of the Company's authority to buy back shares to avoid a situation arising whereby the Company fully utilises its authority to buy back shares pursuant to the DCM prior to this year's annual general meeting which is expected to be held in October 2026. Shareholders are encouraged by the Board to vote in favour of the resolution to be proposed at the General Meeting to facilitate the continued smooth operation of the DCM. The General Meeting will be held at 9.00 a.m. on 27 February 2026 at the offices of Juniper Partners Limited, 28 Walker Street, Edinburgh, EH3 7HR. A copy of the Circular will be submitted to the National Storage Mechanism and will shortly be available for inspection at https://data.fca.org.uk/#/nsm/nationalstoragemechanism . The Circular and the notice of the General Meeting will also be available on the Company's website ( https://www.midwynd.com ). For further information please contact: Mid Wynd International Investment Trust plc0131 378 0500 David Kidd (Chairman) viathe Company Secretary Students across 32 states and Washington, DC will benefit from increased access to fresh fruits and vegetables. BOULDER, COLORADO / ACCESS Newswire / February 11, 2026 / The Chef Ann Foundation announced that it awarded 166 salad bar equipment grants to 81 school districts in 2025 through its Salad Bars to Schools program. These salad bars will provide students across 32 states and Washington, DC with increased access to fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and healthy proteins through school meals. The program prioritizes schools with high free and reduced lunch participation rates to ensure the greatest impact on students who might otherwise have limited access to fresh foods. The Salad Bars to Schools program is part of Chef Ann Foundation's ongoing efforts to help schools improve the quality of school meals. Grantees in K-12 schools receive equipment, marketing materials, and training to implement self-serve salad bars in their cafeterias. Each grant includes a salad bar and all needed accessories, as well as technical assistance and resources to help schools successfully implement a salad bar. "Salad bars give schools a practical way to move beyond processed options and allow fresh fruits and vegetables to be a part of daily school meal options," said Mara Fleishman, CEO of the Chef Ann Foundation. "When students can choose and customize their meals, they're more likely to try new foods and develop healthy habits that last beyond the lunchroom." Since 2010, the Chef Ann Foundation has granted over 6,400 salad bars to schools nationwide. Data shows that salad bars, when paired with operational and marketing best practices, have the power to increase students' consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables. These 2025 Salad Bar to Schools grants are made possible through generous funding from our mission-aligned partners. Thank you to the Whole Foods Market Foundation, dedicated to improving children's health and wellness through nutrition. Thank you to the Denver Broncos Foundation, an organization committed to making a positive impact on future generations by creating a "game plan" for life through youth health and wellness initiatives, dynamic in and out of school programming, and access to career pathways. Applications for the 2026 Salad Bars to Schools grants will be open from February to March 31, 2026 . About Chef Ann Foundation Chef Ann Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit working to ensure that school food professionals have the resources, funding, and support they need to provide fresh, delicious, scratch-cooked meals that support the health of children and our planet. To date, the organization has reached more than 19,000 schools and 5.9 million kids in all 50 states with healthy school food programming. CONTACT: Jessica Christopher Public Relations Supervisor jessica.christopher@curatorpr.com 610-945-8615 (PT) SOURCE: Chef Ann Foundation View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/education/chef-ann-foundation-awards-166-salad-bar-grants-to-schools-nationwide-1135406 Leading metrology firm defies industry retrenchment with new Space Coast laboratory and unrivaled Silicon Valley presence HARTLAND, Mich., Feb. 11, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Trescal US, the nation's premier authority in calibration and metrology services, announced a significant strengthening of its domestic operations. In a period marked by industry-wide consolidation and the closure of competitors, Trescal is moving in the opposite direction, expanding its footprint and deepening its commitment to the American industrial base. Trescal's resurgence is supported by a network of 20 laboratories, headlined by a flagship on each coast: Silicon Valley, California, and Melbourne, Florida. Silicon Valley laboratory is tailored to the rigorous compliance needs of the biotechnology, pharmaceutical, and medical device sectors. It offers ISO 17025 accredited services specifically for the instrumentation critical to GxP environments, ensuring data integrity and regulatory adherence. Proving its dedication to national interests, Trescal's Space Coast laboratory in Melbourne, Florida provides advanced capabilities in Dimensional, Mechanical, Thermodynamic, Electrical DC/LF and RF Radio Frequency calibration to the aerospace industry. The laboratory supports the rapid pace of commercial space exploration and traditional aviation manufacturing. Trescal combines local technical expertise with national reach through its centers of excellence in Philadelphia (Temperature/Mass), Cleveland (Gas Flow), Detroit (RF/Mechanical), and Silicon Valley (RF Power Sensors), and OEM-equivalent Electrical calibration hubs in Milwaukee and Atlanta. Aymar de Vandiere, Trescal USA President: "Our clients cannot afford to have critical instruments sitting in transit or waiting in a service line. By building laboratories and placing our technical experts in the backyard of the most demanding industries, we have successfully slashed turnaround times to ensure that American innovation never slows down." About Trescal Trescal is the global leader in calibration services, offering a single-source solution for calibration, measurement, repair, qualification, validation, and asset management across diverse industries. With over 7,000 employees worldwide, Trescal delivers accredited and non-accredited services for all measured variables and instruments in every technical domain. The company performs 3.3 million operations annually, including 27,000 repairs on 150,000 types of instruments from 20,000 brands. https://www.trescal.com/ Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2902186/Trescal_Engineer.jpg Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2902185/Trescal_Logo.jpg Contact Anna Frutko Marketing and Communications Manager anna.frutko@trescal.com Tel: +33 (0) 7 70 21 73 29 View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/trescal-reaffirms-dominance-in-calibration-sector-302685440.html Schools nationwide can apply to receive salad bar equipment and training to increase access to fresh fruits and vegetables in school meals. BOULDER, COLORADO / ACCESS Newswire / February 11, 2026 / The Chef Ann Foundation has opened applications for the 2026 Salad Bars to Schools equipment grants . Schools that participate in the National School Lunch Program and serve students from kindergarten through twelfth grade are eligible to apply. Grantees will receive salad bar equipment, online training through the Chef Ann Foundation's School Food Institute , technical assistance, and marketing resources to install and successfully manage a salad bar as part of their school meal service. School food has a significant impact on student health: nearly 30 million students eat school meals each day. Salad bars can increase students' consumption of fruits and vegetables , as well as whole grains and healthy proteins, providing students with increased access to fresh, whole foods and more menu choices. The U.S. Department of Agriculture requires schools participating in the National School Lunch Program to offer students fruits and vegetables daily. Salad bars make it easier for schools to meet - and even exceed - these federal nutrition standards for school meals. "Implementing a salad bar is a great way for schools to start to transition away from serving ultra processed foods in favor of fresher, healthier whole foods," explained Laura Smith, Chef Ann Foundation's chief program officer. "With less than 25% of the food served in schools being cooked from scratch, salad bars can be an important first step in a school district's scratch-cooked meals transition." In addition to supporting student health, salad bars can advance schools' environmental sustainability goals. By allowing students to choose only what they plan to eat, salad bars can reduce food waste. Serving ingredients in bulk rather than single-use packaging can also decrease waste. Schools may further enhance sustainability by sourcing local and seasonal food for the salad bar from nearby farms. Since 2010, Chef Ann Foundation's Salad Bars to Schools program has awarded more than 6,400 salad bars nationwide, increasing access to fresh fruit and vegetables for over 3 million students. The 2026 grants are made possible through generous support from the Whole Foods Market Foundation , dedicated to improving children's health and wellness through nutrition. Schools must apply by March 31 to be considered for a 2026 grant. About Chef Ann Foundation Chef Ann Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit working to ensure that school food professionals have the resources, funding, and support they need to provide fresh, delicious, scratch-cooked meals that support the health of children and our planet. To date, the organization has reached more than 19,000 schools and 5.9 million kids in all 50 states with healthy school food programming. CONTACT: Jessica Christopher Public Relations Supervisor jessica.christopher@curatorpr.com 610-945-8615 (PT) SOURCE: Chef Ann Foundation View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/education/chef-ann-foundation-opens-applications-for-salad-bar-equipment-grants-1135379 Regulatory News: TotalEnergies EP Gabon (Paris:EC): Main Financial Indicators 2025 2024 2024 vs. 2023 Average Brent Price $/b 69.1 80.8 -14% Average TotalEnergies EP Gabon crude price (1) $/b 65.3 77.2 -15% Crude oil production from fields operated by TotalEnergies EP Gabon kb/d (2) 16.0 17.0 -6% Sales volumes (3) Mb (4) 6.1 5.7 +7% Revenues (5) M$ 418 465 -10% (1) The crude price calculation excludes profit oil reverting to the Gabonese Republic as per production sharing contract, these barrels being handed over in kind to the host state. (2) kb/d: Thousand barrels per day. (excluding gas production) (3) Sales volumes excludes profit oil reverting to the Gabonese Republic as per production sharing contract, these barrels being handed over in kind to the host state. (4) Mb: Million of barrels. (5) Revenue from hydrocarbon sales and services (transportation, processing and storage), including profit oil reverting to the Gabonese Republic as per production sharing contracts. 2025 Revenues Selling price Over 2025 year, the average Brent price stood at $69.1/b, down 14% compared to 2024 year ($80.8/b). The average selling price of the quality of crude oil marketed by TotalEnergies EP Gabon amounted to $65.3/b in 2025, reflecting the downward trend in Brent compared to 2024 ($77.2/b). Production TotalEnergies EP Gabon's crude oil production reached 16.0 kb/d, showing a decrease of 6% compared to the previous year (17.0 kb/d). This decrease in production is mainly due to planned shutdowns on Anguille and Torpille sites conducted in the second quarter of 2025. Revenues In 2025, revenues totaled $418 million, representing a decrease of 10% compared to 2024 ($465 million), due to the drop in average selling prices of the quality of crude oil marketed by TotalEnergies EP Gabon (-15%), partially offset by an increase in crude oil sold volumes by TotalEnergies EP Gabon (+7%). About TotalEnergies EP Gabon TotalEnergies EP Gabon is 58.28% owned by TotalEnergies SE, 25% by the Gabonese Republic and 16.72% by the public. About TotalEnergies TotalEnergies is a global integrated energy company that produces and markets energies: oil and biofuels, natural gas and green gases, renewables and electricity. Our more than 100,000 employees are committed to provide as many people as possible with energy that is more reliable, more affordable and more sustainable. Active in about 120 countries, TotalEnergies places sustainability at the heart of its strategy, its projects and its operations. TotalEnergies on social media X: @TotalEnergies LinkedIn: TotalEnergies Facebook: TotalEnergies Instagram: TotalEnergies Cautionary Note The terms "TotalEnergies", "TotalEnergies Company" and "Company" appearing in this document are used to refer to TotalEnergies SE and the consolidated entities that TotalEnergies SE controls directly or indirectly. Similarly, the terms "we", "us", "our" may also be used to refer to these entities or their employees. The entities in which TotalEnergies SE holds a stake directly or indirectly are separate and autonomous legal persons. TotalEnergies SE cannot be held liable for acts or omissions emanating from these companies. This document may contain forward-looking statements. They may prove to be inaccurate in the future and are dependent on risk factors. Neither TotalEnergies SE nor any of its subsidiaries undertakes or assumes any commitment or responsibility to investors or any other stakeholder to update or revise, in particular as a result of new information or future events, any or all of the statements, forward-looking information, trends or objectives contained in this document. Information regarding risk factors that could have a material adverse effect on TotalEnergies' financial results or operations is also available in the most up-to-date versions of the Universal Registration Document filed by TotalEnergies SE with the Autorite des marches financiers and Form 20-F filed with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"). View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260211916616/en/ Contacts: Contacts TotalEnergies EP Gabon actionnariat-epgabon@totalenergies.com Media Relations: +33 (0)1 47 44 46 99 l presse@totalenergies.com l @TotalEnergiesPR Investor Relations: +33 (0)1 47 44 46 46 l ir@totalenergies.com RIYADH, Saudi Arabia, Feb. 11, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The Saudi Ministry of Culture and the UK Department for Culture, Media and Sport jointly announced the year 2029 as the official Saudi-UK Year of Culture, following the official visit of His Royal Highness Prince William of Wales to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. For nearly a century, formal relations between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland have evolved into a multifaceted international relationship, expanding across culture, education, and innovation, reflecting shared values and a mutual commitment to long-term partnership. Cultural cooperation has emerged as a key element of Saudi-British relations in recent years, through joint initiatives across heritage conservation, visual and culinary arts, architecture, and higher education. This ongoing expansion of cultural exchange lays the foundation for the Saudi-UK Year of Culture 2029, a year-long program celebrating creative dialogue and the shared heritage of Saudi Arabia and the United Kingdom, while deepening cultural ties for generations to come. It will also be a great opportunity for young people in both countries to connect in new ways. Supported by Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 and the United Kingdom's continued promotion of cultural innovation and creativity, the Saudi-UK Year of Culture 2029 will be an important milestone between both countries. About the Ministry of Culture: Saudi Arabia has a vast history of arts and culture. The Ministry of Culture is developing Saudi Arabia's cultural economy and enriching the daily lives of citizens, residents, and visitors. Overseeing 11 sector-specific commissions, the Ministry works towards the support of and preservation of a vibrant culture that is true to its past and looks to the future by cherishing heritage and unleashing new and inspiring forms of expression for all. Find the Ministry of Culture on social media: X @MOCSaudi (Arabic); @MOCSaudi_En (English) | Instagram @mocsaudi View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/the-kingdom-of-saudi-arabia-and-the-united-kingdom-of-great-britain-and-northern-ireland-announce-saudi-uk-year-of-culture-2029-302685555.html The Human Capability Initiative Conference will return to Riyadh from 03-04 May, convening more than 15,000 global leaders to drive future human capability development under the theme "The Human Code." The United Kingdom has been named Country of Honor, reflecting the strategic partnership between Saudi Arabia and the United Kingdom in education, workforce development, and economic cooperation. RIYADH, Saudi Arabia, Feb. 11, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Saudi Arabia's Human Capability Development Program (HCDP) today announced the third edition of the Human Capability Initiative (HCI) Conference, to be held on 03-04 May 2026 in Riyadh, bringing together global leaders to drive the future of human capability development under the theme "The Human Code." Held under the patronage of His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia and Chairman of the HCDP Committee, HCI 2026 will feature the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland as the Country of Honor, underscoring the strategic partnership between Saudi Arabia and the United Kingdom in education, workforce development, and economic cooperation. HCI 2026 is expected to attract more than 15,000 leaders and feature over 250 local and international speakers, including policymakers, industry leaders, academics, experts from the public and private sectors, non-profit organizations, and global think tanks. The program will focus on learning and working environments that maximize human capability in the age of artifical intelligence. Youssef bin Abdullah Al-Bunyan, Saudi Arabia's Minister of Education and Chairman of the Executive Committee of HCDP, said the conference reflects the Kingdom's commitment to investing in people as a foundation for sustainable economic growth and long-term competitiveness. "Human potential remains the most critical driver of progress in a rapidly changing global landscape, and investing in humans is the most critical pillar in building a competitive economy and a knowledge based society. This third HCI Conference reflects Saudi Arabia's commitment to enriching a global dialogue to contribute to the development of human capabilities, in line with Saudi Vision 2030 objectives," Al-Bunyan said. Saudi Arabia's Minister of Commerce and Chairman of the Economic and Social Committee of the Saudi-British Strategic Partnership Council, Dr. Majid bin Abdullah Al-Kassabi, welcomed the United Kingdom as the Country of Honor, stating: "The United Kingdom's status as the Country of Honor represents a continuation of the strategic cooperation between both countries, including the launch of the 'Skills of the Future' initiative at the 2025 HCI Conference, focused on advancing economic cooperation, educational exchange, and workforce development." Since its launch, HCI has become a leading global platform for dialogue on human capability development. Over the past two editions, the conference attracted more than 23,000 participants, featured over 550 speakers, and announced more than 156 partnerships and initiatives. Host the HCDP is one of Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 Realization Programs, enhancing citizens' human potential to the Kingdom's competitiveness. Registration is now open, for more information visit www.humancapabilityinitiative.org. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2902385/HCI_2026.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/saudi-arabia-launches-the-human-capability-initiative-conference-2026-themed-the-human-code-united-kingdom-named-country-of-honor-302685562.html Victoria, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - February 11, 2026) - ALUULA Composites Inc. (TSXV: AUUA) (OTCQB: AUUAF) (the "Company" or "ALUULA") is pleased to announce that as a result of strong investor demand, it has entered into an amended agreement with Canaccord Genuity Corp. (the "Agent"), as sole agent and bookrunner, pursuant to which the Agent will conduct a "best efforts" brokered private placement offering (the "Offering") for aggregate gross proceeds of C$12,002,100 consisting of 3,637,000 units of the Company (the "Units") at a price of C$3.30 per Unit (the "Offering Price"). Each Unit will consist of one common share in the capital of the Company and half of one common share purchase warrant (each whole warrant, a "Warrant"). Each Warrant will entitle the holder to purchase one common share of the Company at a price of C$4.29 per common share at any time on or before that date which is 24 months after the closing date of the Offering. The Company may accelerate the expiry of the Warrants if the common shares of the Company trade on the TSX Venture Exchange (the "TSXV") (or any other Canadian stock exchange on which they are then listed) at a volume weighted average price of C$8.25 or more per common share for thirty (30) consecutive trading days, subject to the terms of the Warrants. The Warrants will not be transferable. The Units will be offered by way of the listed issuer financing exemption under Part 5A of National Instrument 45-106 - Prospectus Exemptions ("NI 45-106"), as amended by Coordinated Blanket Order 45-935 - Exemptions from Certain Conditions of the Listed Issuer Financing Exemption (the "Order"), in all of the provinces and territories of Canada. Pursuant to NI 45-106 and the Order, the Units issued to Canadian residents under the Offering will not be subject to resale restrictions. The Company is relying on the exemptions in Part 5A of NI 45-106 and the Order and is qualified to distribute securities in reliance on the exemptions included therein. The Units are expected to be offered to investors in other qualifying jurisdictions, including the United States. The Company expects to offer Units to persons in the United States pursuant to Rule 506(b) of Regulation D (including "Qualified Institutional Buyers" as defined in Rule 144A who are also "Accredited Investors") adopted by the United States Securities and Exchange Commission under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act"). The Company has granted the Agent an option to offer for sale up to an additional 17.5% of the number of Units sold pursuant to the Offering (the "Additional Units") at a price per Additional Unit equal to the Offering Price, any time up to 48 hours prior to the closing date of the Offering (the "Agent's Option"). The Agent shall be entitled to the same cash commission and agent's warrants in respect of any Additional Units issued and sold upon exercise of the Agent's Option. The Company intends to use the net proceeds from the Offering for expansion of manufacturing capacity through building a new facility and for general administrative and working capital purposes. The Offering is expected to close on or about February 24, 2026, or such other date that is within 45 days from the date of this news release, as the Company may decide. The Offering remains subject to certain conditions, including, but not limited to, the receipt of all necessary approvals, and compliance with the policies of the TSXV. The Company has engaged Genthod Global Advisory SA as a finder in connection with the Offering. There is an offering document related to the Offering that will be made available under the Company's profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca. The offering document will also be made available on the Company's website at www.aluula.com. Prospective investors should read this offering document before making an investment decision. This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy securities in the United States, nor shall there be any sale of the securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful. The securities being offered have not been, nor will they be, registered under the U.S. Securities Act or under any U.S. state securities laws, and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements of the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws. About ALUULA Composites Inc. ALUULA is an ultra-light, high performance and recycle-ready composite materials brand that enhances the performance of outdoor gear. Proudly owned and manufactured on the Canadian west coast, ALUULA's innovation is driven by a deep understanding that equipment does not need to sacrifice performance for sustainability. ALUULA's materials are known for their unique construction capabilities and their ability to make products lighter, stronger, and more sustainable. www.aluula.com | (TSXV: AUUA) Forward-Looking Statements: Certain information contained herein constitutes "forward-looking information" under Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking information includes, but is not limited to: the Offering, the Agent's Option, completion of the Offering, the expected closing date of the Offering and the use of proceeds of the Offering. Generally, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "anticipates", "anticipated", "expected", "intends", "will" or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results "will" occur. Forward-looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates of management as of the date such statements are made and they are from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements or forward-looking information subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results to be materially different, including receipt of all necessary regulatory approvals and the timing thereof. Although management of the Company have attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking statements or forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements and forward-looking information. The Company will not update any forward-looking statements or forward-looking information that are incorporated by reference herein, except as required by applicable securities laws. This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any of the securities in the United States. The securities referenced herein have not been and will not be registered under the U.S. Securities Act or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to, or for account or benefit of, U.S. Persons (as defined in Regulation S under the U.S. Securities Act) unless registered under the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws, or an exemption from such registration requirements is available. Neither TSXV nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSXV) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. 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/283568 Source: ALUULA Composites Inc. Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - February 11, 2026) - Burcon NutraScience Corporation (TSX: BU) (OTCQB: BRCNF) ("Burcon" or the "Company"), a global technology leader in plant-based protein innovation, reported results for the fiscal third quarter ended December 31, 2025. "Fiscal Q3 marked an important milestone in Burcon's commercial growth," said Kip Underwood, Burcon's chief executive officer. "We ramped production, fulfilled recurring customer orders, and strengthened key customer relationships, building momentum toward broader market adoption. With strong support from our manufacturing partner and insiders, we remain focused on scaling efficiently and executing our long-term growth strategy." Key Operational highlights for the third quarter ended December 31, 20251: Strong revenue growth : Revenue for the quarter was $739,000 up approximately 1100% from $61,000 in the prior-year period, driven by increased commercial production and repeat customer orders. Accelerating commercial momentum : Customer demand continued to exceed expectations resulting in the Company making targeted investments to accelerate growth and expand production capacity. Strengthening balance sheet : Closed a $1.25 million first tranche of a $6.9 million private placement of convertible debentures financing (the "Private Placement") through a direct investment from the Company's manufacturing partner owners, underscoring strong alignment and confidence in Burcon's long-term strategy. Management Commentary Fiscal 2026 third quarter was highlighted by strong revenue growth and expanding commercial momentum. Customer demand for Burcon's high-performance plant-based protein ingredients continue to exceed business plan expectations. The robust demand is translating into recurring commercial orders and prompting targeted investments to accelerate our growth. Burcon's robust pipeline of over 200 active customer projects continue to support ongoing commercial progress. New customers are transitioning from final product trials to commercial orders and existing customers are placing larger, repeat purchase orders. This momentum underscores the increasing adoption of Burcon's high-purity protein ingredients across multiple food and beverage consumer applications. In response to growing demand, Burcon is leaning into growth by investing in expanded production capacity and enhanced operational capabilities. The final tranche of the Company's announced $6.9 million Private Placement is expected to close on or around February 24, 2026, and is intended to fund continued commercial expansion and support long-term growth. With strong commercial traction, Burcon is executing with discipline as we rapidly scale our operations. We continue to prioritize capital efficiency, operational excellence and long-term customer relationships. Financial Results In the three and nine months ended December 31, 2025, Burcon generated revenue of $739,000 and $1,439,000, respectively, which represents an approximately 1100% and 325% increase in revenues from the prior year comparable periods. The increase in revenue is a result of protein sales and the provision of contract manufacturing services at the Galesburg production facility. In the nine months ended December 31, 2025, the Company launched commercial production of its plant proteins and continued to scale production and sales. The Company reported net cash used in operating activities of $6.2 million as compared to $4.5 million in the same period in the prior year. The Company reported a net loss of $10.7 million or $0.84 per basic and diluted share, as compared to $6.0 million or $0.83 per basic and diluted share in the same period last year. The increases in net cash used in operating activities and net loss were driven by the $5.5 million increase in cost of sales, which encompasses startup and commissioning costs and ongoing production costs of the Galesburg facility. This increase was partially offset by a 56% decrease in research and development expenditures and a 26% decrease in general and administrative expenditures from the comparable period as the Company focused its efforts on commercialization and production at the Galesburg facility. As at December 31, 2025, Burcon had $1.3 million of cash and had a negative working capital of $9.7 million. The working capital deficiency is primarily driven by the current nature of the senior secured loan, whereby the lender is a related party and Burcon's largest shareholder. Subsequent to December 31, 2025, the Company obtained a $0.5 million short-term loan and is undergoing a $6.9 million Private Placement whereby the final tranche is expected to close on or about February 24, 2026. For full details on the Company's financial results, refer to the financial statements for the three and nine months ended December 31, 2025 and management's discussion and analysis for such period filed on www.sedarplus.ca. Execution of Loan Agreement Burcon is also pleased to announce that it has entered into a loan agreement (the "Loan Agreement") pursuant to which an entity related to a director of Burcon (the "Lender") will provide Burcon with an unsecured loan (the "Loan") of $480,000 (the "Loan Amount") for a term expiring on the earlier of 30 days from the Closing Date (defined below) and the completion of the Private Placement announced by Burcon on January 2, 2026 and January 9, 2026. The Loan was drawn by Burcon on February 10, 2026 (the "Closing Date"). The Lender was paid a commitment fee of $2,700. The Loan Amount will bear interest at a rate of 12% per annum with interest payable on the last day of each calendar month with a minimum interest amount payable of $4,800. The Loan Amount and all unpaid interest are expected to be repaid from the proceeds of the Private Placement. The net proceeds from the Loan will be used to accelerate the commercial production and sales of Burcon proteins, for general corporate purposes and as bridge funding until the Private Placement is closed. The Loan is considered a "related party transaction" pursuant to Multilateral Instrument 61-101 - Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions ("MI 61-101"). Burcon is relying on the exemption available under Section 5.7(1)(a) of MI 61-101 minority shareholder approval requirement. Additionally, the Loan is exempt from the formal valuation requirement of MI 61-101 since it is a related party transaction under section (j) of the "related party transaction" definition of MI 61-101. Conference Call Details Burcon will hold an investor conference call and webcast on Wednesday, February 11, 2026 at 5:00pm ET. A link to the webcast of the conference call is available on Burcon's website under "Presentations" or directly here. The webcast will also be archived for future playback. Investors interested in participating in the live call can dial in using the details below: Date: Wednesday February 11, 2026 Time: 5:00 p.m. Eastern time (2:00 p.m. Pacific time) Toll-free dial-in (North America): 1-800-717-1738 Dial-in (toll/international): 1-646-307-1865 Conference ID: 50822 About Burcon NutraScience Corporation Burcon is a global technology leader in high-performance plant-based proteins for the food and beverage industry. Our commercial ingredients offer superior taste, texture, and functionality-ideal for formulators seeking next-generation protein solutions. Backed by over two decades of innovation, Burcon holds an extensive patent portfolio covering novel proteins derived from pea, canola, soy, hemp, sunflower, and other plant sources. As a key player in the rapidly growing plant-based market, Burcon is committed to sustainability and to creating best-in-class protein solutions that are better for people and the planet. Learn more at www.burcon.ca. Forward-Looking Information Cautionary Statement The TSX has not reviewed and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy of the content of the information contained herein. This press release contains forward-looking statements or forward-looking information within the meaning of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and applicable Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking statements or forward-looking information involve risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results, performances, prospects and opportunities to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements or forward-looking information can be identified by words such as "anticipate," "aim", "intend," "plan," "goal," "project," "estimate," "expect," "believe," "future," "likely," "may," "should," "could," "will" and similar references to future periods. All statements included in this release, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements or information. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from Burcon's plans and expectations include the implementation of our business model and growth strategies; trends and competition in our industry our future business development, financial condition and results of operations and our ability to obtain financing cost-effectively; potential changes of government regulations, and other risks and factors detailed herein and from time to time in the filings made by Burcon with securities regulators and stock exchanges, including in the section entitled "Risk Factors" in Burcon's annual information form for the year ended March 31, 2025 and its other public filings with Canadian securities regulators on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca. This list is not exhaustive of the factors that may affect any of the Company's forward-looking statements or information. Any forward-looking statement or information speaks only as of the date on which it was made, and, except as may be required by applicable securities laws, Burcon disclaims any intent or obligation to update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Although Burcon believes the assumptions inherent in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance, and, accordingly, investors should not rely on such statements. 1 All amounts herein are presented in Canadian dollars ($) Burcon NutraScience Corporation Condensed Consolidated Interim Statements of Financial Position (Unaudited) As at December 31, 2025 and March 31, 2025 (In Canadian dollars) December 31, March 31, 2025 2025 Assets Current assets Cash 1,287,324 7,275,972 Amounts receivable and other receivables 481,542 131,974 Inventory 817,824 201,145 Prepaid expenses and deposits 111,684 191,390 2,698,374 7,800,481 Derivative financial asset 223,767 - Long-term deposit 862,138 853,943 Property and equipment 1,741,811 961,418 Right-of-use assets 12,554,869 14,834,751 Deferred development costs 4,636,521 4,952,647 Goodwill 1,254,930 1,254,930 Total assets 23,972,410 30,658,170 Liabilities Current liabilities Accounts payable and accrued liabilities 2,192,558 1,271,743 Current portion of lease liabilities 1,836,968 890,566 Current portion of secured loan 8,361,548 2,085,567 Deferred revenue and government assistance - 46,870 12,391,074 4,294,746 Secured loan - 5,792,049 Convertible notes 682,195 - Lease liabilities 13,385,445 13,627,713 Total liabilities 26,458,714 23,714,508 Shareholders' Equity Capital stock 131,614,299 131,581,539 Contributed surplus 20,462,211 19,216,437 Options 4,855,788 5,748,320 Warrants 710,614 670,019 Equity component of convertible notes 745,187 - Restricted share units 9,302 37,553 Foreign currency translation reserve 81,291 1,080 Deficit (160,964,996 ) (150,311,286 ) Total shareholders' equity (2,486,304 ) 6,943,662 Total liabilities and shareholders' equity 23,972,410 30,658,170 Burcon NutraScience Corporation Condensed Consolidated Interim Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Loss (Unaudited) For the three and nine months ended December 31, 2025 and 2024 (In Canadian dollars) Three months ended Nine months ended December 31, December 31, 2025 2024 2025 2024 Revenue 739,095 61,492 1,438,482 338,567 Cost of Sales 2,332,116 287,375 6,213,860 659,621 Research and development 379,466 676,107 1,093,965 2,509,975 General and administrative 692,438 889,502 2,173,625 2,927,690 Loss from operations (2,664,925 ) (1,791,492 ) (8,042,968 ) (5,758,719 ) Interest and other income 22,199 5,384 116,738 49,287 Interest and other expense (829,276 ) (9,470 ) (2,436,466 ) (315,465 ) Foreign exchange (loss) gain (103,430 ) 11,634 (291,014 ) 16,695 Net loss (3,575,432 ) (1,783,944 ) (10,653,710 ) (6,008,202 ) Other comprehensive gain Foreign currency translation adjustment 77,235 - 80,211 - Total comprehensive loss (3,498,197 ) (1,783,944 ) (10,573,499 ) (6,008,202 ) Basic and diluted loss per share (0.28 ) (0.25 ) (0.84 ) (0.83 ) To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/283573 Source: Burcon NutraScience Corporation BRISBANE, Australia, Feb. 11, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- A bold cultural showcase sparks travel to Scotland in 2026 Scotland brings its iconic tartan and cultural heritage to the Southern Hemisphere as part of a global invitation to visit in 2026. With the Commonwealth Games taking place in Glasgow this year, alongside major new attractions, Scotland is stepping into the international spotlight. Scotland paints Brisbane tartan As The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo prepares to take centre stage in Brisbane and Auckland, VisitScotland has illuminated the historic pillars of Brisbane City Hall with the Tattoo tartan. The striking display celebrates Scotland's deep-rooted traditions and cultural pride, creating a moment of connection with Australia. Marking its 75th anniversary, the Tattoo brings massed pipes and drums, military precision and contemporary storytelling to audiences in Australia and New Zealand, having captivated more than 100 million people worldwide. Why Scotland in 2026? With global attention on Scotland in 2026, travellers are encouraged to look beyond postcard moments and discover a destination evolving in exciting new ways. New and reimagined experiences launching across the country include The Inverness Castle Experience, the reopening of Paisley Museum, a transformed Calanais Standing Stones Visitor Centre on the Isle of Lewis, and landmark exhibitions in Glasgow and Dundee. Scotland is closely aligned with the travel preferences of Australian and New Zealand visitors, who are increasingly seeking wellbeing-focused, community-minded and immersive experiences. This growing appetite for wellness, noctourism and slow travel is reflected across the country from floating saunas on Highland lochs to new dark sky observatories in southern Scotland. The Tattoo's visit to Australia and New Zealand provides a platform for VisitScotland to connect with local partners and promote Scotland as a must-visit destination. Jill Walker, Director of Marketing at VisitScotland, said: "The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo is a globally recognised symbol of Scotland's culture and a compelling platform to engage audiences in Australia and New Zealand. Alongside these high-profile cultural moments, we are working closely with media, travel trade and partners to showcase the breadth of Scotland's visitor offer and encourage future travel." Australia also shares a longstanding connection with Scotland through whisky, craftsmanship and storytelling. The country was Johnnie Walker's first major export market in the 1870s, a legacy continuing to draw Australian travellers to Scotland. For more on holidays in Scotland, visit www.visitscotland.com Notes to Editors?? Follow us on X: @visitscotnews or @VisitScotland on Linkedin VisitScotland is Scotland's national tourism organisation. Its core purpose is to drive the visitor economy, growing its value in Scotland.? As an economic growth agency, VisitScotland's activity focuses on three key priorities - market development, place development and business and experience development.??? VisitScotland's work helps deliver the ambitions of the national tourism strategy, Scotland Outlook 2030, for Scotland to be a world leader in 21st century tourism, and the national events strategy, Scotland the Perfect Stage.?? It leverages tourism and events as a force for good for all of Scotland's people and places and builds Scotland's international profile as a leading place to visit, live, work, study and do business. VisitScotland is a proud signatory of the Glasgow Declaration on Climate Action in Tourism and Tourism Declares a Climate Emergency.?? For VisitScotland's press releases go to Media Centre (visitscotland.org) tourism statistics and frequently asked questions go to http://www.visitscotland.org/ For holiday information on Scotland go to?www.visitscotland.com? Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2902335/VisitScotland_Brisbane_Tartan.jpg Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2902336/VisitScotland_Logo.jpg View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/scotland-lights-up-brisbane-with-iconic-tartan-302685679.html NEW YORK, NY / ACCESS Newswire / February 11, 2026 / International WELL Building Institute (IWBI) WELL APs and WELL Faculty recognized for outsized contributions to people-first places and organizations in 2025 | Global and Fortune 500 companies and world-class real estate portfolios recognized for leveraging WELL to make extraordinary strides in health, well-being and performance in 2025 The International WELL Building Institute (IWBI), the global authority for advancing healthy buildings, organizations and communities, today announced the winners of the annual 2025 IWBI Community Awards and the 2025 IWBI Organizational Awards. This year, through the presentation of more than 200 total awards, we celebrate outstanding individual leaders from IWBI's WELL Faculty and WELL Accredited Professional (WELL AP) community who are being recognized for their impassioned leadership and advocacy, as well as Global and Fortune 500 companies and world class real estate portfolios that are using WELL as a roadmap to prioritize people and performance. For the first time, IWBI opened nominations for the awards to the public, receiving more than 400 submissions that speak to the depth and breadth of leadership of the WELL movement. New in 2025, more than 20 WELL Project Awards recognize projects that have displayed exemplary use of WELL strategies to promote people-first places. Nominations were submitted for projects that have shown exceptional leadership, innovation and impact. The winners of the 2025 IWBI Community Awards are providing organizations with people-first solutions to meet the rising demand for health. WELL Faculty and WELL APs-a community of 29,000 people in 135 countries who have obtained or are working toward the professional credential denoting expertise in WELL-have worked hand-in-hand with organizations pursuing IWBI's achievements under the WELL Standard, including pursuit of WELL Certification, WELL ratings and applying WELL at scale, now collectively spanning more than 6 billion square feet in nearly 100,000 locations across nearly 140 countries. 2025 Community Award honorees hail from 22 countries covering all corners of the globe. Among the new awards IWBI is presenting this year, the WELL Executive Awards recognize C-suite level executives who play a very active role in expanding the adoption of WELL, and the Visionary Leadership Awards recognize individuals for exceptional leadership in advancing WELL principles through client education and cross-industry collaboration in their region. IWBI will also honor 12 innovators breaking new ground in emerging markets, 11 Changemakers driving market transformation and two revolutionary Educators of the Year. This year's winning roster also includes Rising Stars making waves, one fearless Project Steward supporting exceptional numbers of WELL projects and four WELL APs advancing WELL in their respective regions. One of the most prestigious honors each year, the 2025 WELL AP of the Year, is awarded to Ken Fong, who currently serves as Director of Human-Centered Design at E-LAB Consulting in Melbourne, Australia. "We are proud to recognize the 2025 Community Award honorees, the visionaries catalyzing a global shift toward people-first places. The healthy building movement's evolution is a direct result of their tireless dedication and resolve," said IWBI President and CEO Rachel Hodgdon. "These leaders aren't just making an impact; they are fundamentally redefining their industries and forging the future of WELL." The 2025 IWBI Organizational Awards celebrate organizations around the world that have demonstrated exceptional leadership and impact at scale, leveraging WELL to drive forward healthy buildings and organizations of all types. Among the organizations being recognized this year are Global and Fortune 500 companies, including CBRE, Cisco, Citigroup, JLL, JPMorgan Chase & Co., Panasonic, Sanofi and Uber, as well as world-class real estate portfolios, including those led by Embassy Office Parks, Empire State Realty Trust, Lendlease, Swire Properties and Vornado. Dozens of award recipients from around the world, spanning a variety of industries and sectors, highlight the incredible global demand for WELL and its evidence-based strategies to enhance employee health, productivity and well-being. These leading companies and organizations are also helping propel an extraordinary wave of adoption of WELL. "The organizations we honor today have done more than commit to a philosophy-they have prioritized human health across their entire portfolios," added Hodgdon. "We are proud to partner with these leaders as they set a new global benchmark for excellence, working with WELL to directly improve the lives of more than 30 million people through their bold actions." The majority of award recipients are leveraging WELL at scale, which enables organizations to measure and improve organizational health performance across their locations over time and the impacts on people inside the spaces. Organizations using WELL at scale in 2025 identified their top reasons for engaging in the program, which include attracting and retaining talent and/or tenants (77%); increasing engagement among employees and/or tenants (70%); enhancing social sustainability performance (73%); improving building performance (73%); and delivering on complementary people and planet strategies (68%). The WELL concepts and well-being issues that ranked highest in priority for organizations engaged in WELL at scale are Air (78%), Water (66%), Community (65%) and Mind/mental health (58%). A sampling of the top features achieved across WELL at scale locations includes developing emergency preparedness plans (C03.1), supporting mental health recovery (M03.4), promoting health benefits (C06.1) and improving cleaning practices (X11.1). Locations in Oceania achieved the highest average performance of any region globally as measured by their WELL Scores. Europe achieved the second highest average regional performance. When measured by sector, companies in the real estate sector performed highest. New awards presented at the organizational level in 2025 include the Coworking Leadership Award which recognizes organizations with a significant number of WELL Coworking Rated locations across their enrolled portfolio; IWBI Member of the Year which honors an IWBI Member organization for exceptional leadership, impact and collaboration in advancing IWBI's mission, driving measurable change and uplifting the global WELL community; and Consultant of the Year which recognizes consulting companies for supporting the implementation of WELL in their region (Americas, Europe, Oceania and Asia). The Global WELL Leadership Award recognizes organizations with the highest WELL Scores, reflecting progress towards implementing WELL strategies and serving as a benchmark for health and well-being performance against peers. The four honorees are Lendlease International Towers Sydney Trust (LITS) and Lendlease One International Towers Sydney Trust (LOITS); Embassy REIT; Barclays; and Citi. Also of note is the Healthy Building Catalyst Award, which recognizes organizations for going above and beyond to develop a dedicated team for implementing WELL strategies and/or promote their commitment to health and well-being to the public, including through organizational reporting, public relations or a related event. Recipients include the following: Empire State Realty Trust; MSD (Merck Sharp & Dohme) - Global Commercial Offices (JCAP, EMEA, LATAM); Sanofi S.A.; Standard Chartered Bank; Kerry Properties Limited; and Gmp Property SOCIMI S.A. The WELL Concept Awards highlight each of the 10 categories of human health addressed by WELL. The WELL Mind Award, which recognizes organizations for significant achievement within the Mind Concept of the WELL Standard, was presented to Deloitte US Firms. What some of our award recipients are saying: WELL AP of the Year - Ken Fong, Director of Human-Centered Design, E-LAB Consulting: "I'm deeply honored by this individual recognition, but I view it as a collective victory for my team at E-LAB Consulting. I want to also acknowledge the incredible global WELL AP community for your enriching input into my life. A huge thank you to all my mentors, friends, collaborators, clients and supporters. From my early role as an acoustic consultant (when I first got involved with WELL), to my current role which is more holistically focused, it has been an honour to be on the journey with IWBI in accelerating adoption of healthy building principles. If this award inspires many others to design buildings that amplify human health and well-being - that's the real win!" Vanessa Orth, Managing Director, Lendlease Investment Management Australia: "Lendlease continues to lead the industry in advancing health and well-being across the built environment across international markets, reinforcing the value this creates for our customers, investors and communities. We have once again demonstrated how WELL's evidence-based strategies can be applied at scale to deliver healthier, more sustainable and productive workplaces. Our ongoing collaboration with the International WELL Building Institute (IWBI), whose leadership in shaping global health-focused building standards has been integral to this progress, supports our commitment to enhancing the experience, well-being and performance of the people who use our places every day." Lendlease was awarded several awards, including the Global WELL Leadership Award - Fewer than 50 locations; the Regional WELL Leadership Award - Oceania; the Health and Safety Leadership Award; and WELL Concept Awards for Community, Materials and Nourishment. Healthy Building Catalyst Award - Omer Done, Global Head of Sustainable Workplace, Sanofi: "At Sanofi, we believe that creating healthy workplaces is an extension of our core mission to chase the miracles of science to improve people's lives. Receiving the Healthy Building Catalyst Award validates our commitment to ensuring that the spaces where our teams work every day support their health, well-being and ability to deliver for patients worldwide. We're proud to be part of a global movement that recognizes the profound impact our built environments have on human health, and deeply honored that IWBI has recognized Sanofi's dedication to leading by example in sustainable workplace design." Healthy Building Catalyst Award - Lisa James-Holmes, Global Lead, WELL at Scale - Commercial Offices, MSD: "WELL at Scale provides a disciplined, evidence-based way to embed health, wellbeing, and performance into the day-to-day operation of our commercial offices. Across MSD's JCAP, EMEA and LATAM regions, independently certified and rated workplaces are being delivered through a small global program team working in close partnership with local site leads, enabling healthier experiences for occupants, stronger operational performance, and a more consistent workplace experience. This approach reflects a long-term focus on people, sustainable assets, and organisational resilience." Each of these award-winning individuals and organizations will be recognized during WELL 2026, IWBI's global event series hosted in cities around the world. For more information about WELL, please visit www.wellcertified.com. Notes to Editors: The 2025 WELL at scale leaderboard and awards are based on data from the last completed review cycle of WELL at scale participants through December 31, 2025. Awards are available only to organizations or entities with five or more enrolled locations. Organizations engaging with WELL across their entire enterprise receive a WELL Score, which serves as a dynamic metric to benchmark portfolio performance, identify new opportunities for impact and communicate real-time excellence to stakeholders. About the International WELL Building Institute The International WELL Building Institute (IWBI) is a public benefit corporation and the global authority for transforming health and well-being in buildings, organizations and communities. In pursuit of its public-health mission, IWBI mobilizes its community through the development and administration of the WELL Building Standard (WELL), WELL for residential, WELL Community Standard, its WELL ratings and management of the WELL AP credential. IWBI also translates research into practice, develops educational resources and advocates for policies that promote people-first places for everyone, everywhere. More information on WELL can be found here. International WELL Building Institute, IWBI, the WELL Building Standard, WELL v2, WELL Certified, WELL AP, WELL EP, WELL Score, The WELL Conference, We Are WELL, the WELL Community Standard, WELL Health-Safety Rated, WELL Performance Rated, WELL Equity Rated, WELL Equity, WELL Coworking Rated, WELL Residence, Works with WELL, WELL and others, and their related logos are trademarks or certification marks of International WELL Building Institute pbc in the United States and other countries. Media contact: media@wellcertified.com Appendix: The IWBI Community Award winners are as follows: Ken Fong - WELL AP of the Year Andres F. Schwarz; Ashish Pandya; Clare Gallagher; Dengyao Tsao; Hidekazu Sawada; Jennifer Harding; Josh Jackman; Kimberley Beaumont; Qiang Zhang; Shaghayegh (Shaya) Riazi - Changemaker Award Khee Poh Lam; Rachel Vig - Educators of the Year Award Ahmad Altibi; Chompunuch Sangkanchanavanich; Duygu Erten; Federico Steinvorth; Keith Cassie; Keith Lei; Lisa Hinde; Manoranjani Rajendran; Micaela Smulevich; Piya Verma; Praveen Kumar; Wendong Li - Emerging Market Award D.B. Zender - WELL Forum Influencer Award Adolfa Maria Munoz del Campo; Anthony Marklund; Devan Valenti; Emily Billheimer; Felicity Lee; Jaymie Anne Malicsi; Jie Min Ong; Marcela Patricia Guerra Romero; Sachiko Watanabe - Global Adoption of WELL Award Kai Wen Teng - Performance Testing Agent of the Year Award Andrea Villalobos; Cipactly Caballero; Garry Magee; Ilia Sokolinskii; India Golding; Jamali Kigotho; Jihyun Park; Jiye Wu; Johanna Turko; Komal Jain; Laura Cowie; Robert Crawford - Rising Star Award Abhijit Zacharia; Candi Hampton; Chris Higgins; Hosanna Elarmo; Michelle Lam; Plum Stone; Priyanka Kanagalingam; Teresa McGrath; Tiexin Chen; Wallace Lin - Visionary Leadership Award Curtis Chan - WELL AP Regional Leadership Award (China) Hrisa Gatzoulis - WELL AP Regional Leadership Award (Americas) Maria Vicidomini - WELL AP Regional Leadership Award (EMEA) Yoshi Murakami - WELL AP Regional Leadership Award (APAC) Andre Marin; Andrew Cole; Beata Kepowicz; Gie Garcia; Grace Kwok; Liam Bates - WELL Executive Award Mariana Pallares - WELL Project Steward Award The IWBI Organizational Award winners are as follows: Delos Group; Laguna - Building Performance Leadership Award WSP Global, Inc. - Consultant of the Year Award - Americas EMSI (Environmental Market Solutions Inc.); Panasonic Holdings Corporation - Consultant of the Year Award - Asia SuReal - Consultant of the Year Award - Europe E-LAB Consulting - Consultant of the Year Award - Oceania KMC Community, Inc - Coworking Leadership Award Awfis Space Solutions - Coworking spaces; Brookprop Management Services Pvt. Ltd; Cisco Systems Inc; Empire State Realty Trust; Genentech; KMC Community, Inc; NEO; Sunrise Senior Living; Veris Residential - Equity Leadership Award Barclays - Global WELL Leadership Award - 100 to 499 locations Embassy REIT - Global WELL Leadership Award - 50 to 99 locations Citi - Global WELL Leadership Award - 500 or more locations Lendlease International Towers Sydney Trust (LITS) and Lendlease One International Towers Sydney Trust (LOITS) - Global WELL Leadership Award - Fewer than 50 locations Bagmane Group; Bloomberg L.P. Global Portfolio; Cadillac Fairview - Select Offices; Cisco Systems Inc; Citi Global; DLF Commercial and Retail; Dream Office REIT; Embassy REIT; Empire State Realty Trust; JPMorgan Chase & Co.; KinderCare Learning Companies; KMC Community, Inc; Lendlease APPF, LITS and LOITS; M Moser Associates Ltd.; NEO; Royal Bank of Canada; RXR Realty; Standard Chartered Bank; Sunrise Senior Living; Swire Properties - Pacific Place Portfolio; T-Mobile - Corporate Owned Locations; Uber- Global Talent Hubs and Regional; Priority Offices; Vornado Realty Trust - Health and Safety Leadership Award EDGE Technologies - EDGE developments, Europe; Hongkong Land - Central Portfolio; Nan Fung Group Real Estate - Operating; Swire Properties - Pacific Place Portfolio; Swire Properties - Taikoo Place Portfolio - WELL Air Award Empire State Realty Trust, Inc.; Gmp Property SOCIMI S.A.; Kerry Properties Limited; MSD (Merck Sharp & Dohme) - Global Commercial Offices (JCAP, EMEA, LATAM); Sanofi S.A.; Standard Chartered Bank - Healthy Building Catalyst Award Epsten Group, Inc., A Salas O'Brien Company - IWBI Member of the Year Award Atenor Group SA - Leadership in Sustainability Reporting Award Cbus Property Commercial Unit Trust; Genentech; MSD - Commercial Offices Portfolio (JCAP, EMEA, LATAM) - Outstanding Health Progress Award JPMorgan Chase & Co. - People First Award - Non-Real Estate Hang Lung Mainland and Hong Kong Portfolios - People First Award - Real Estate Citi - Regional WELL Leadership Award - Africa Barclays - Regional WELL Leadership Award - Americas The Hongkong Land Property Company, Limited - Regional WELL Leadership Award - Asia Edge Technologies Contract B.V. - Regional WELL Leadership Award - Europe Lendlease International Towers Sydney Trust (LITS) and Lendlease One International Towers Sydney Trust (LOITS) - Regional WELL Leadership Award - Oceania Awfis Space Solutions Private Limited; Bupa Arabia; Globe Forest Low Carbon Technology (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. (Maratti); SSM Health; Standard Bank Group Limited - Rising Star Award CapitaLand Development - Sustainable Finance Award Properties - Pacific Place Portfolio; Swire Properties - Taikoo Place Portfolio - WELL Air Award Jones Lang LaSalle, Inc. (JLL) - WELL AP Impact Award Embassy REIT; Jones Lang LaSalle, Inc. (JLL) - WELL Certification Leadership Award Bagmane Group; Brookprop Management Services Pvt. Ltd; Genentech; KMC Community, Inc; Lendlease APPF, LITS and LOITS; NEO; Sunrise Senior Living - WELL Community Award CBRE Group, Inc.; En3 Sustainability Solutions - WELL Enterprise Provider of the Year Award Bloomberg L.P. Global Portfolio; Cbus Property (Commercial Office); EY US - Office Portfolio; Precinct Properties; Swire Properties - Pacific Place Portfolio; Swire Properties - Taikoo Place Portfolio; Veris Residential - WELL Innovation Award EDGE Technologies - EDGE developments, Europe; Nan Fung Group Real Estate - Operating; Walker Corporation - Select Offices and University - WELL Light Award Grupo Gmp Properties - Direct Managed Offices; Investa; Lendlease APPF, LITS and LOITS; Nan Fung Group Real Estate - Operating; Swire Properties - Pacific Place Portfolio; Tata Realty & Infrastructure Limited - WELL Materials Award Deloitte US Firms - WELL Mind Award Bagmane Group; EDGE Technologies - EDGE developments, Europe; Embassy REIT; Hongkong Land - Central Portfolio; Swire Properties - Pacific Place Portfolio; Swire Properties - Taikoo Place Portfoli o - WELL Movement Award Lendlease APPF, LITS and LOITS - WELL Nourishment Award SAP - Select APAC Offices - WELL Sound Award Swire Properties - Pacific Place Portfolio - WELL Thermal Comfort Award Nan Fung Group Real Estate - Operating; Swire Properties - Pacific Place Portfolio; Swire Properties - Taikoo Place Portfolio - WELL Water Award The WELL Project Award winners are as follows: ?????? Gloryview Technology Headquarters; Co-operators 101 Cooper Dr - People & Planet Award BNP Paribas Fortis Montagne du Parc - Warandeberg; Dai-ichi Life HQ project; EDIFICIO CORPORATIVO GRUPO EDISUR; Project Emerald - Innovative Design Award Globant Tower; oxxeo - Recertification; Sanofi Singapore - Outstanding Strategy Award Ayala Corporation Office; Hospital Oncopediatrico Erasto Gaertner - Erastinho; MGM Cotai; MGM Macau; Sella 137 - Vanguard Award HKRI Taikoo Hui; MENARCO Tower - Recertification; Trico LivingWell - Champion Award 311 Third; CENTERFIELD; Panattoni BTS - Research & development Center Office, phase 1 - Tenneco, Gliwice; Thomas Dixon Centre: Queensland Ballet Headquarters and Studios - Unique Impact Award View original content here. Find more stories and multimedia from International WELL Building Institute (IWBI) at 3blmedia.com. Contact Info: Spokesperson: International WELL Building Institute (IWBI) Website: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/international-well-building-institute Email: info@3blmedia.com SOURCE: International WELL Building Institute (IWBI) View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/business-and-professional-services/2025-iwbi-awards-celebrate-outstanding-individual-organizational-1136504 Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - February 11, 2026) - Planet Ventures Inc. (CSE: PXI) (OTC Pink: PNXPF) (FSE: P6U1) ("Planet" or the "Company") announces that the Company intends to consolidate the common shares in the capital of the Company (the "Common Shares") on the basis of two (2) pre-consolidation Common Shares for every one (1) post-consolidation Common Share (the "Consolidation"). The Company currently has 304,126,672 Common Shares issued and outstanding, and following the Consolidation, the Company will have approximately 152,063,336 Common Shares issued and outstanding, prior to rounding for fractional shares. The Consolidation was approved by the board of directors of the Company (the "Board") in accordance with the Articles of the Company but remains subject to the approval of the Canadian Securities Exchange (the "Exchange"). The Company will issue a further news release announcing the effective date of the Consolidation upon receiving Exchange approval. The Company will not be changing its name in conjunction with the Consolidation. About Planet Ventures Inc. Planet Ventures Inc. is an investment issuer that actively invests in disruptive companies across high-growth industries. Planet aims to build long-term shareholder value through strategic investments in innovative businesses. Neither the CSE nor its regulation services provider accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Cautionary Statement Regarding "Forward-Looking" Information Certain statements contained in this news release may constitute forward-looking information. Forward-looking information is often, but not always, identified by the use of words such as "anticipate", "plan", "estimate", "expect", "may", "will", "intend", "should", and similar expressions. Forward-looking information involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results or events to differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking information. The Company's actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in this forward-looking information as a result of regulatory decisions, competitive factors in the industries in which the Company operates, prevailing economic conditions, changes to the Company's strategic growth plans, and other factors, many of which are beyond the control of the Company. The Company believes that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking information are reasonable, but no assurance can be given that these expectations will prove to be correct and such forward-looking information should not be unduly relied upon. Any forward-looking information contained in this news release represents the Company's expectations as of the date hereof, and is subject to change after such date. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable securities legislation. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/283566 Source: Planet Ventures Inc. Winnipeg, Manitoba--(Newsfile Corp. - February 11, 2026) - Novra Technologies Inc. (TSXV: NVI) ("Novra") is issuing this notice to announce the receipt of an additional US $3.2 million ($4.4 million CAD) from SNAPS Holding Company ("SNAPS"), under the same terms as the convertible loan agreement that was announced September 10, 2024 and expired on December 15, 2025 ("Original Loan"). With the first tranche of US $500 thousand that was received in June 2025, a total of US $3.7 million ($5.0 million CAD) has been received from SNAPS to date and SNAPS has requested that these funds be converted to Novra common shares at $0.34 CAD per share. Conversion of US $3.7 million, using the current exchange rate, would result in SNAPS receiving approximately 14.9 million Novra shares. This will be more than 20% of Novra's outstanding shares, which will make SNAPS a new Novra Insider and Control Entity. This transaction will require TSXV and shareholder approval. Novra is also pleased to announce a new non-brokered binding convertible loan agreement ("New Loan") with SNAPS in the amount of US $5.3 million ($7.2 million CAD) and under similar terms as the Original Loan. The New Loan agreement has a term of 2 years from the date funds are received and incurs interest at 1% per annum. It requires that all funds be received by September 30, 2026. The principal can be converted by either party at any time to Novra common shares with a minimum price of $0.34 CAD and not less than the Market Price as of the Price Reservation Date once funds are received. Any share conversion will require TSXV approval and may also require shareholder approval. Although SNAPS continues to demonstrate a commitment to Novra by providing this US $3.2 million of additional funds, Novra cautions investors to refrain from placing undue reliance on forward-looking statements regarding this agreement. Novra can provide no assurance that this New Loan will be completed as proposed. Novra's Directors and Officers, as insiders, are currently subject to a trading blackout and this will continue for an additional one-week period after an update announcing an end to the blackout, or an announcement that the New Loan has closed in full, is released. With its $5.0 million CAD investment and agreement to provide an additional $7.2 million CAD, SNAPS has taken decisive steps demonstrating its strong commitment to Novra. SNAPS sees Novra, with its strong M&A capabilities and ability to design, manufacture, and communicate with embedded devices, as a very important component in their vision to consolidate and integrate AIoT (Artificial Intelligence with Internet of Things) products and services across a range of verticals. The following is provided by SNAPS to give a high-level overview of SNAPS and how it sees Novra's capabilities provide key technical components to complement SNAPS' existing capabilities to fulfill their global vision: "SNAPS is continuing into a transformative pursuit to establish the one of the world's first exclusive AI/IoT/IIoT ecosystem built on proprietary wireless spectrum engineered, under its Lilikoi Technologies (www.lilikoitechnologies.com) brand, for mission-critical operations and intelligent asset management. This initiative unifies sensors, connectivity, edge devices, wireless transport, and cloud-based applications into a vertically integrated platform that delivers deterministic performance unmatched by Wi-Fi, 5G, or satellite technologies. SNAPS' goal is to become a major global provider of full-stack AI infrastructure and ecosystem anchored by an exclusive wireless network, the company enables real-time, mission-critical data transport from source to AI engine - powering targeted analytics and context-aware orchestration across agriculture, manufacturing, aviation, utilities, smart infrastructure, mission-critical communications, and many more industries through its strategic acquisitions of high growth specialized industry-leading entities immediately following the conversion of shares into Novra. Backed by three decades of multi-industry leadership - including electronics and semiconductor-based manufacturing - the organization has built a scalable foundation capable of redefining how assets and infrastructure operate nationwide. With the estimated 2025 global IoT market size exceeding US $800 billion, SNAPS is positioned to become the disruptive standard for AI/IoT wireless connectivity and next-generation network infrastructure. The company currently serves marquee clients across six major verticals and operates EBITDA-positive with a 950-member workforce, supported by global supply-chain capabilities and proven engineering execution. Its multi-phase acquisition strategy accelerates nationwide deployment, consolidates fragmented sectors, and expands operational capacity through targeted integrations across industry-specific application domains. The wireless backbone enables autonomous asset behavior, real-time decisioning, and high-fidelity data visibility, creating a defensible competitive moat and long-term enterprise value. What sets this platform apart is its end-to-end control of sensing, transport, and insight - a capability unmatched in today's market landscape. As the ecosystem scales, the company remains committed to strengthening its leadership bench by integrating industry experts, technology disruptors, and executives from acquired entities and global markets. Together, these elements position the venture as a category-defining force in intelligent infrastructure and next-generation wireless innovation. How Novra fits into our vision: Novra is a long-established engineering and communications enterprise with a strong technical foundation in IP transmission, cloud broadcasting, and industry-leading, secure multimedia distribution. The transformation ahead elevates Novra from a communications-centric enterprise into a next-generation intelligent infrastructure and AI/IoT ecosystem provider. Through a comprehensive technology transformation, the company will expand its foundational capabilities to serve the rapidly growing AI and IoT markets. By integrating a proprietary AI/IoT ecosystem infrastructure, Novra will evolve from delivering content and data transport to enabling real-time intelligence, autonomous operations, and context-aware decisioning across diverse industries. This shift positions the company at the forefront of intelligent systems, where sensing, connectivity, and AI converge into a unified operational fabric. A parallel business transformation will revitalize the company's commercial engine and expand its market reach. Sales and marketing will be modernized with new pricing models, refreshed distribution strategies, and a stronger enterprise-focused go-to-market posture. The company's offerings will be extended to serve six high-value industry segments, including commercial real estate, mission-critical infrastructure, manufacturing, mission-critical communications, and smart agtech. These sectors represent substantial demand for intelligent connectivity, automation, and AI-driven insights - areas where Novra's expanded platform will deliver immediate value. New licensing frameworks and SaaS-based offerings will further strengthen recurring revenue streams and align the company with modern enterprise procurement models. The product transformation will significantly extend the functionality Novra's existing solutions while unlocking entirely new product categories. By infusing AI capabilities, IoT connectivity, and wireless infrastructure into the product suite, Novra will transition from delivering broadcast and data distribution tools to offering intelligent, interoperable systems that power next-generation operations. This includes enhanced edge intelligence, real-time analytics, autonomous device orchestration, and expanded cloud-native services. The result is a drastically broadened product and services portfolio capable of serving multi-industry use cases with precision, scalability, and mission-critical reliability. Together, these transformation pillars position Novra for accelerated growth, expanded market relevance, and long-term enterprise value creation. The company's legacy strengths - engineering depth, global customer trust, mission-critical reliability, and defensible IP - will be amplified by a forward-looking strategy that aligns with the future of intelligent infrastructure and ecosystem. As the transformation unfolds, Novra will emerge not only as a modernized communications enterprise but as a category-defining leader in AI-enabled connectivity, IoT ecosystems, and next-generation wireless innovation" About Novra Technologies Inc.: Novra (TSXV: NVI) (OTCQB: NVRVF) is an international technology provider of products, systems and services for the distribution of multimedia broadband content. The Novra Group of companies includes Novra Technologies Inc, International Datacasting Corporation, and Wegener Corporation. The companies in the group are known for a strong focus on applications, including: broadcast video and radio, digital cinema, digital signage, and highly reliable data communications. For more information visit: www.novragroup.com Forward-Looking Statements: This press release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws, concerning but not limited to: potential closing of this transaction, required TSX Venture Exchange approval of this transaction, Shareholder approval of this transaction, and anticipated developments in our operations in future periods. Forward-looking statements are generally identifiable by words such as "expect", "anticipate", "believe", "intend", "estimate", "predict", "outlook", "opportunity", "momentum", "potential", "proposed", "targeted", "plans" "possible", "positive indication for", "looking forward to", "commitment to", "is starting to", and similar expressions, or statements that events, conditions or results "will", "may", "could" or "should" occur or be achieved. As such, forward-looking statements are not historical facts but reflect our current assumptions and expectations regarding future events. These are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from current expectations and assumptions. Some of these risks and uncertainties are described under the "Risks and Uncertainties" section of Novra's MD&A. For the above reasons, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. 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. # # # To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/283581 Source: Novra Technologies Inc. Miami, Florida--(Newsfile Corp. - February 11, 2026) - On February 11, 2026, Razvan Romanescu (the "Acquirors"), disposed of 18,000,000 common shares (the "Common Shares") of Vertiqal Studios Corp. (TSX: VRTS) (the "Issuer") (the "Transaction"). Immediately prior to February 11, 2026, the Acquiror had direct beneficial ownership and control and direction over 99,763,516 Common Shares (composed of 96,259,583 issued and outstanding Common Shares and a convertible debenture of the Issuer with principal amount of $65,000 issued in November 2022 (the "Convertible Debenture") which is automatically convertible on surrender of the Convertible Debenture certificate into 3,503,933 Common Shares (after taking into account accrued interests in an amount of $22,598.32 also convertible into Common Shares) representing 11.57% of the Issuer's issued and outstanding Common Shares calculated on a partially diluted adjusted basis (i.e. considering the deemed issuance of all of the Convertible Debenture 3,503,933 underlying Common Shares) for a total of 862,421,352 issued and outstanding Common Shares in the capital of the Issuer. Following the Transaction, the number of Common Shares over which the Acquiror now has direct or deemed beneficial ownership, control and direction is 81,764,516 Common Shares (composed of 78,259,583 issued and outstanding Common Shares and 3,503,933 non-issued Common Shares issuable upon the conversion of Convertible Debenture) representing 9.48% of the Issuer's issued and outstanding Common Shares calculated on a partially diluted adjusted basis (i.e. considering the deemed issuance of all of the Convertible Debenture 3,503,933 underlying Common Shares) for a total of 862,421,352 issued and outstanding Common Shares in the capital of the Issuer. In accordance with applicable securities laws, the Acquiror may, from time to time and at any time, acquire additional Common Shares, and/or other equity, debt or other securities or instruments of the Issuer (collectively, "Securities") in the open market or otherwise, and the Acquiror reserves the right to dispose of any or all of such Securities in the open market or otherwise at any time and from time to time, and to engage in similar transactions with respect to the Securities, the whole depending on market conditions, the business and prospects of the Issuer and other relevant factors. The Acquiror disposed of the Securities for investment purposes, and has no present intention of acquiring additional Securities. Depending upon Acquirors' evaluation of the business, prospects and financial condition of the Issuer, the market for the Securities, general economic and tax conditions and other factors, the Acquiror may acquire more or sell some or all of the Securities owned, managed or controlled by the Acquiror. This press release is issued pursuant to early warning requirements of National Instrument 62-103 - The Early Warning System and Related Take-Over Bid and Insider Reporting Issues ("NI 62-103") which also requires that it be filed on SEDAR+ together with an Early Warning Report relating to the Transaction. For further information please refer to the Early Warning Report to be posted on Vertiqal Studios Corp.'s SEDAR+ profile at www.sedarplus.ca. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/283631 Source: Razvan Romanescu Major bank unions protest labour codes and sectoral reforms; public sector lenders say branches will remain open but services could slow depending on staff participation Indias banking system is preparing for a one-day nationwide strike on Thursday, after major employee unions called for industrial action that could disrupt branch operations across public sector banks, including the countrys largest lender, State Bank of India (SBI). The strike has been called by key banking unionsthe All India Bank Employees Association (AIBEA), All India Bank Officers Association (AIBOA) and the Bank Employees Federation of India (BEFI)and is part of a broader protest backed by 10 central trade unions. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The unions have positioned the strike as a protest against the four labour codes notified by the Centre in November 2025. They argue the new codes dilute worker protections, make union registration more difficult and weaken collective bargaining rights. In addition to opposing the labour reforms, bank unions are reiterating long-pending demands such as a five-day work week, improved work-life balance, filling up staff vacancies, safeguarding pension benefits and resisting further privatisation in the public banking sector. Banks alert customers, exchanges SBI has issued a cautionary statement indicating that services may be affected to a limited extent on February 12 if employee participation is significant. The development was reported by The Economic Times, citing Reuters. While the bank has said it is taking steps to ensure normal operations, it acknowledged that routine work could slow down. Bank of Baroda has informed the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) about the potential impact, stating that branch and office operations may be affected if the strike proceeds as planned. Bank of Maharashtra has also filed a similar communication, warning that despite contingency arrangements, normal functioning could be disrupted depending on the level of participation. Such exchange filings are standard practice under regulatory disclosure norms when operational risks may affect customer services. Will banks remain open? Neither the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) nor banks have declared February 12 an official holiday. Branches are therefore scheduled to remain open. However, the extent of disruption will depend largely on employee participation, particularly in public sector banks where union presence is stronger. Over-the-counter servicesincluding cash deposits and withdrawals, cheque clearing, passbook updates, loan processing and customer assistance at branchescould face delays. Back-office functions may also see slower turnaround times. Digital channels such as internet banking, mobile banking, UPI services, ATMs and card payments are expected to operate normally, barring localised operational issues. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Customer advisory With the strike imminent, banks have advised customers to complete urgent branch-based transactions in advance. Time-sensitive activities such as large cash transactions, cheque settlements, loan documentation and trade-related banking work may be better handled before February 12. For routine transactions, customers are being encouraged to rely on digital banking platforms and to check with their respective branches for region-specific updates. While banks are aiming to limit the impact, the strike underscores continuing friction between employee unions and the government over labour reforms and sectoral demandstensions that periodically surface in Indias public banking system. Taiwans export surged 69.9 per cent year-on-year in January to a record $65.77 billion, far exceeding Reuters poll expectations of a 51.9 per cent rise and accelerating from Decembers 43.4 per cent growth Semiconductor chips are seen on a circuit board of a computer in this illustration picture taken February 25, 2022. REUTERS Taiwans export engine roared into 2026 with its fastest growth in 16 years, as global demand for artificial intelligence (AI) chips turbocharged shipments and reinforced the islands pivotal role in the semiconductor supply chain. Exports surged 69.9 per cent year-on-year in January to a record $65.77 billion, far exceeding expectations in a Reuters poll for a 51.9 per cent rise and accelerating from Decembers 43.4 per cent growth, according to data released by Taiwans finance ministry. It marked the 27th consecutive month of annual export expansion and the strongest monthly increase since 2010. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Imports rose 63.6 per cent to $46.87 billion, leaving a trade surplus of $18.89 billion for the month. AI demand powers record gains The finance ministry attributed the outsized jump to robust demand linked to AI and cloud computing applications. Taiwan, home to the worlds largest contract chipmaker TSMC, sits at the heart of global semiconductor production, supplying technology giants including Nvidia and Apple. Exports of information, communication and audio-video productsa category that includes many AI-related itemsmore than doubled, soaring 129.8 per cent year-on-year to $28.71 billion and accounting for 43.7 per cent of total exports. Shipments of electronic components climbed 59.8 per cent to $22.36 billion, also a record high. By market, exports to the United States skyrocketed 151.8 per cent to $21.28 billion, making the US Taiwans largest export destination in January with a 32.4 per cent share. Exports to mainland China and Hong Kong rose 49.6 per cent to $16.03 billion, while shipments to ASEAN countries jumped 61.8 per cent. Exports to Europe more than doubled, up 106 per cent. The ministry said the comparison was also helped by a lower base last year, when the Lunar New Year holiday fell in late January, reducing working days. Even so, officials expect momentum to continue, forecasting export growth of 2027 per cent in February despite this years holiday falling mid-month. Tariffs absorbed, relocation pressure builds Taiwanese exporters have so far weathered US trade tensions with limited damage. While Washington imposed 20 per cent tariffs on certain goods last year, key semiconductor exports were excluded. The rate was reduced to 15 per cent last month under a broader trade and investment understanding between Taipei and Washington. The export boom comes as the United States steps up efforts to diversify semiconductor manufacturing away from Taiwan, citing supply chain resilience and geopolitical risk. However, Taipei this week pushed back against pressure to relocate more advanced chip production overseas. Officials view the islands manufacturing concentrationoften dubbed the Silicon Shieldas a strategic asset that acts as a deterrent against potential Chinese aggression. Maintaining cutting-edge fabrication capacity at home is seen not only as an economic priority but also as a geopolitical bargaining tool in dealings with both Washington and Beijing. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD A two-track economy emerges The blistering pace of export growth has also highlighted widening divergences within Taiwans domestic economy. While semiconductor and high-tech manufacturers are reaping windfall gains from the AI boom, more traditional sectors are seeing comparatively modest expansion. In January, exports of base metals and related articles rose 22.3 per cent, machinery shipments increased 29.4 per cent, and plastics and rubber products edged up 8.6 per centsolid but far below the triple-digit growth recorded in AI-linked categories. Joe Ward elevated to global sales role after North America sales chiefs exit, as Elon Musk-led EV maker grapples with slowing deliveries and intensifying competition from Chinese and legacy automakers Tesla has named its head of European operations, Joe Ward, to oversee global sales, Bloomberg News reported on Tuesday, citing people familiar with the matter. According to the report, Ward will take charge of sales worldwide following the departure of Raj Jegannathan, Teslas head of North American sales. The move marks the latest in a series of senior-level exits at the electric vehicle (EV) maker over the past couple of years. Ward joined Tesla in 2010 as a logistics intern and steadily rose through the ranks. He was named vice president for the Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region in 2022, according to his LinkedIn profile. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The leadership reshuffle comes at a challenging time for the Elon Musk-led company. Teslas sales have come under pressure amid intensifying competition, particularly from Chinese automakers and established global carmakers rolling out lower-priced EV models. The company last month reported its second consecutive annual decline in vehicle deliveries, despite offering incentives to stimulate demand, according to its previous disclosures. Beyond its core automotive business, Tesla has increasingly pivoted toward artificial intelligence-driven products, including its full self-driving (FSD) system, robotaxis and humanoid robots. Even so, vehicle sales continue to account for the bulk of its revenue. The threat to the Dhurandhar star came days after an incident of firing outside the residence of filmmaker Rohit Shetty in the city Bollywood actor Ranveer Singh received a threat through WhatsApp from unidentified persons, police said on Tuesday. Security around his residence was increased after Singh received a threat through a voice note and approached police, an official said. When did the threat come? The threat to the _Dhurandhar_ star came days after an incident of firing outside the residence of filmmaker Rohit Shetty in the city. People behind the threat Police suspect that members of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang could be behind the threat to Ranveer with the purpose of extortion, the official said. The crime branch of Mumbai Police has launched a probe, he added. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Besides Mumbai Police personnel, private guards too have been deployed at the housing society in Central Mumbai where the actor lives. On Tuesday, the societys managing committee approached police and expressed concern over the deployment of guards. Since these armed guards are frequently moving with weapons in common areas such as the lobby, gymnasium and childrens play area, the society managing committee has expressed serious concern regarding the safety and comfort of other residents, they said in a letter. Recently, an unidentified shooter had fired five rounds at filmmaker Rohit Shettys residence in Juhu. Lawrence Bishnoi gang member Shubham Lonkar, who has been absconding, purportedly took responsibility for the firing. Five men have been arrested in the case. Wuthering Heights first reviews are out, and critics are sharply divided on Emerald Fennells adaptation starring Margot Robbie. Heres what early reactions say about the films performances, bold style, deviations from the novel, and why it is already one of 2026s most polarising releases. The first wave of reviews for Wuthering Heights, directed by Emerald Fennell and starring Margot Robbie, is out, and the response has been deeply polarising. While several critics have praised the films bold reinterpretation and intense emotional core, others have dismissed it as messy, indulgent and overly stylised. The film, based on Emily Brontes classic Gothic novel, has been described as everything from audacious and absorbing to a gooey, grimy mess, highlighting the sharp divide in critical opinion. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Praise For Bold Style And Emotional Intensity Some critics have embraced Fennells highly stylised approach, applauding her for leaning into mood, sensuality and emotional excess rather than traditional literary faithfulness. Caryn James of BBC.com awarded the film four stars, writing that audiences who accept it as a reinvention rather than a strict adaptation may find it utterly absorbing. The London Evening Standard echoed this sentiment, calling the film wildly fun and describing it as a fever dream brought vividly to life, though not without flaws. The Daily Telegraph went even further, awarding the film a full five stars and arguing that Fennell proves style itself can become substance when executed with conviction. Watch the trailer of the film here: Criticism: Overlong, Undersexed And Excessively Messy Not all critics were convinced. The Atlantics David Sims described the film as Fennells best work yet, but simultaneously labelled it a gooey, grimy mess, capturing the films central contradiction. The Independent described the film as an astonishingly hollow work. Games View All AV Club offered one of the harshest assessments, grading the film a C and calling it overlong and undersexed, while suggesting it alienates both fans of Fennells edgy sensibilities and those traditionally resistant to her style. The Guardian called the film an emotionally hollow, bodice-ripping misfire Controversy Over Casting And Departure From The Novel Beyond reviews, Wuthering Heights has also sparked debate online for its creative liberties, particularly in casting and narrative interpretation. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Some viewers have criticised deviations from the novels racial and age descriptions, pointing to casting choices that significantly alter Emily Brontes original characterisation. Online discourse has also highlighted concerns about perceived whitewashing and dramatic departures from the source material. Collider, in a sharply worded review headlined Emily Bronte Is Absolutely Rolling in Her Grave, criticised the films loose approach to the source material, arguing that Fennell has taken a knife and gutted some of the novels most pivotal characters, significantly diluting the emotional and narrative core of the classic. However, defenders argue that Fennells film is intentionally framed as an emotional reinterpretation rather than a faithful adaptation, designed to capture how the novel feels rather than how it reads. Margot Robbies Performance And Fennells Vision At the centre of the films conversation is Margot Robbie, whose intense performance anchors the emotional turbulence of the story. Critics largely agree that her presence elevates the film, even when its narrative choices feel excessive or chaotic. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Fennell, known for Promising Young Woman and Saltburn, once again leans into provocative themes, heightened sexuality and stylised excess, cementing her reputation as one of contemporary cinemas most divisive voices. Varietys review read, Evoking elements of bondage, the movie opens with the creaking of rope and what sounds like orgasmic gasping, and though Fennell plays a trick the image doesnt necessarily match what you imagine shes essentially planted an erotic suggestion from the start, Verdict: A Film That Will Polarise Audiences Early reviews suggest Wuthering Heights will be one of 2026s most talked-about releases, likely to divide audiences just as sharply as critics. Whether viewed as a bold reimagining or an indulgent misfire, Fennells take on the Gothic classic is shaping up to be impossible to ignore. As one critic neatly summarised, this is a film that some will love, and others will love to hate. Bangladesh is voting in its first election since the ouster of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. These polls have serious implications for India New Delhi is hoping for a government that will help improve bilateral ties, which have deteriorated over the past two years Vehicles pass by election campaign banners ahead of the national election, in Dhaka, Bangladesh. File image/Reuters Today (February 12), more than 127 million Bangladeshis will decide their fate as they vote for a new government. The election comes 18 months after student-led protests forced Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to flee the country and her position. Since then, an interim government, led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, has been in charge. As excitement builds in Bangladesh over the elections, which are billed as the countrys first properly free and fair poll in more than a decade, India watches cautiously. Thats because what happens in the South Asian nation can have a deep impact on New Delhi. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD As Michael Kugelman, senior fellow for South Asia at the Atlantic Council, told Al Jazeera, India is hoping that this upcoming election will produce a government that is willing to engage with India and will not be influenced by the types of actors that India feels threaten its interests. The main players and their views on India This election is a direct contest between the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) led by Tarique Rahman, son of former prime minister Khaleda Zia, and a coalition led by the Islamist Jamaat-e-Islami. The new Nationalist Citizen Party (NCP), driven by Gen-Z activists under the age of 30, has aligned with Jamaat. Sheikh Hasinas Awami League has been barred from contesting the polls. Hasinas absence at the polls is a concern for India. The former Bangladeshi PM has always been a supporter of India, with her administration having exceptionally close ties with India across security, trade, and transit. In the absence of Hasina, India has tried to diversify its political engagement with Bangladesh, namely with the BNP. Modi sent a condolence letter following the death of Khaleda Zia last December. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar also attended Zias funeral, where he met her son, Tarique Rahman. Rapprochement is difficult owing to BNPs prickly past with India. As the Institute of South Asian Studies (ISAS-NUS), Singapore, noted in one report, The BNPs rhetoric frequently depicted Indian initiatives as hegemonic and unequal, opposing transit arrangements and highlighting unresolved disputes over water and trade. Moreover, during Zias regime, Dhaka reportedly provided sanctuary, training, and logistical support to insurgent groups such as the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA), NSCN (IM), and others. Ansar and VDP members carry ballot boxes through a street to move them to a voting centre, a day ahead of the national election in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Reuters And a look at BNPs vision document reveals that the political party is firmly committed to uphold independence, sovereignty and dignity of Bangladesh. It also warned of strong resistance if any other country interferes into the internal affairs of Bangladesh and poses any threat to the state security of the country. The document firmly stated its belief that across the border, Bangladesh have friends and no master. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD With respect to foreign relations, topmost priority will be given to the national interest of Bangladesh. The BNP will build up special relations with the Muslim Ummah and the neighbouring countries, it said. Meanwhile, the Jamaat has been at odds with India; its leaders have often made remarks that could be seen as anti-Indian. The Jamaat also has strong ties to Pakistan, Indias rival nation, and this could be a huge worry for New Delhi. If either the BNP or the Jamaat wins the polls, theres bound to be uncertainty in bilateral ties between Dhaka and New Delhi. Security in the Northeast Theres worry in New Delhi that a new government in Bangladesh could result in rising insurgency in the Northeast. Bangladesh shares a 4,000 km border with India, touching five northeastern states. Stability in Dhaka will directly affect cross-border insurgency management, border security, and migration flows. Bangladesh Army personnel patrol outside a polling station in Dhaka on February 10, 2025 ahead of the countrys general election on February 12. AFP As long as Hasina was in power, Dhaka took decisive action against militant groups and helped in curbing illegal border crossings. However, its unknown how the next government will work with India. Theres concern that security cooperation could weaken complicating Indias internal security architecture in the northeast, according to experts. India is also wary of Bangladeshs future actions in and around the Siliguri Corridor, the narrow chicken-neck land strip, connecting mainland India to the Northeast. Indias concerns stem from a series of developments in Bangladesh, including the reported revival of the WWII-era Lalmonirhat Airbase in northern Bangladesh, barely 135 km from the Siliguri Corridor, with active involvement of the Chinese government. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD A cosying up to China, Pakistan What is worrying to India isnt just that Dhaka has distanced itself from India, but its outreach to countries that have historically difficult relations with India China and Pakistan. Many would argue that Dhaka and Beijing share old ties the Asian giant has been a longstanding trade, investment, and defence partner for Bangladesh. However, India fears that China is seeking to exploit its deteriorating relations with Bangladesh. Last June, Bangladesh, China, and Pakistan held the inaugural meeting of a foreign secretary/vice foreign minister dialogue. This parallels a similar initiative between Afghanistan, China, and Pakistan. New Delhi views this as an effort to marginalise India in its own neighbourhood, reports Chatham House. Jamaat-e-Islami party-led alliance supporters at a rally ahead of Bangladeshs general election in Dhaka. AFP Moreover, China has stepped up its investment and diplomatic outreach in Dhaka, most recently signing a defence deal to build a drone factory near Bangladeshs border with India. Chinese Ambassador Yao Wen is also seen meeting Bangladeshi politicians, officials, and journalists, discussing infrastructure projects worth billions of dollars and other cooperation between the two countries. China is also involved in a water management project along the Teesta River. This is of concern to New Delhi as India as Bangladesh and India have been engaged in stalled negotiations on sharing the river waters. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The more worrying aspect is Dhakas shift to Pakistan. Traditionally, Pakistan and Bangladesh have had strained relationships following the creation of Bangladesh in 1971. But the tides are changing, and the two nations are seeing a reset. In the recent past, visa rules and trade restrictions have changed. Additionally, direct air and sea links have been reinstated. Theres also deepening defence cooperation. Bangladesh is considering procuring the JF-17 fighter aircraft, which is jointly produced by China and Pakistan. As the Indian Express noted, Who emerges dominant will do more than just form a government. It will influence how Bangladesh navigates its ties. And its for this reason that the ballot in Bangladesh will be closely watched by New Delhi. With inputs from agencies Ten central trade unions across the country have called for a nationwide strike, Bharat Bandh, today, opposing the new labour codes. Thirty crore workers are expected to participate Banks, buses, government offices, and some industries may see disruptions as a result of the Bharat Bandh. Representational image/PTI A nationwide strike, also known as Bharat Bandh, has been called by central trade unions today (February 12). The strike has been announced in protest against labour reforms and other economic policies that unions say weaken workers protections. Banks, buses, government offices, and some industries may see disruptions, especially in Kerala and Odisha, where unions tend to mobilise in large numbers. Meanwhile, essential services like hospitals and ambulance operations will be exempted. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Heres all you need to know about the bandh planned for Thursday. What Bharat Bandh and why? A Bharat Bandh or nationwide strike will take place today (February 12). It will begin at midnight on Thursday and continue for the next 24 hours. A joint forum of 10 central trade unions, including the Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC), All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC), Hind Mazdoor Sabha (HMS), Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU), All India United Trade Union Centre (AIUTUC), Trade Union Coordination Centre (TUCC), Self-Employed Womens Association (SEWA), All India Central Council of Trade Unions (AICCTU), Labour Progressive Federation (LPF), and United Trade Union Congress (UTUC) have called for the strike. Depending on how widely the call is observed, people may find government offices either partially functioning or shut for the day. Union leaders say the strike is aimed at pressing for stronger social security measures and protection of labour rights. Union leaders say the strike is aimed at pressing for stronger social security measures and protection of labour rights. They argue that the new labour codes weaken worker protections and collective bargaining rights. They oppose the opposing the four labour codes that have replaced 29 previous labour laws. They argue that argue that the labour codes weaken workers rights, reduce job security, and make it easier for employers to hire and fire staff. Their key demands include scrapping the four labour codes and rules, withdrawing the Draft Seed Bill, the Electricity Amendment Bill, and the Sustainable Harnessing and Advancement of Nuclear Energy for Transforming India (SHANTI) Act. They are also demanding restoration of MGNREGA and scrapping of the Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Act, 2025. Moreover, farmers organisations such as the Samyukt Kisan Morcha have extended their support to the Bharat Bandh. They will also be protesting tomorrow (February 12) against the IndiaUS trade agreement. What will remain closed during the bandh? Several sectors may face disruptions, though the impact may vary from state to state. Banking and insurance services could be disrupted, as some branches may function with limited staff while others stay will remain shut, depending on turnout. Bus and other public transport services may run at reduced frequency, and in some areas, they could be suspended altogether. Factory and business activity may also slow down, while schools and colleges could see disruption in case a large number of staff members join the strike. Some markets and shops will also remain shut across the nation. One could also witness road closures across the country as the protesters may spill out on the streets. States like Kerala, Odisha, and Karnataka may witness a larger disruption as these states have stronger unions. What will remain open during the nationwide strike? Essential services will be exempted from Bharat Bandh. Hospitals and medical services, medical stores and pharmacies, ambulance, fire and rescue operations, milk supply, and newspaper distribution services will remain unaffected. Kerala has allowed vehicles transporting Sabarimala pilgrims and those attending the Maramon Convention to operate despite the strike. Airports around the country will also remain functional While physical banking may be affected, digital banking services will remain unaffected. With inputs from agencies With Hasinas Awami League being dissolved, the Bangladesh election is widely seen as a two-way race between the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and the Jamaat-e-Islami, which is heading up an 11-party alliance. But can the Islamists lead the nation? Bangladesh's Jamaat-e-Islami party leader Ameer Shafiqur Rahman (centre right) presents a floral wreath to leader ATM Azharul Islam (centre left) after his release from prison in Dhaka on May 28, 2025. File image/AFP Bangladesh is set to go to the polls tomorrow (February 12). This historic election will be the first since Sheikh Hasinas government was overthrown in August 2024. With Hasinas Awami League being dissolved, the election is widely seen as a two-way race between the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and the Islamist Jamaat-e-Islami. While the BNP is favoured, the Jamaat, which is leading a coalition of nearly a dozen parties, including the student-led National Citizen Party, could spring an upset. Both parties have made tackling graft central to their campaigns, with Jamaats anti-corruption image helping fuel its resurgence. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD But what do we know about the Jamaat? Can Bangladeshs Islamists lead the nation? What we know about Jamaat The party was founded in 1941 by Islamist thinker Abul Ala Maududi. The Jamaat, which is Bangladeshs largest religious party, wants the state to be organised under Islamic principles that is, to be run under Sharia law. The Jamaat has long had a history of controversy. The Jamaat supported Pakistan during the 1971 war. The party was banned by Hasinas father, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, in 1972, after Bangladesh got its independence. However, BNP founder Ziaur Rahman reversed this decision in 1979. In 1991, the Jamaat supported Khaleda Zia, the wife of Rahman and rival of Hasina, in coming to power. However, Hasinas return in 2009 threw the Jamaat into chaos. Hasina ordered leaders of the party to be tried for war crimes at the International Crimes Tribunal. Many of the party leaders were tried and executed. The years that Hasina was in power saw the power of the Jamaat systematically reduced. However, the party has grown increasingly popular since the fall of the Hasina regime. The Muhammad Yunus-led interim government has released many of the partys leaders from prison. Jamaat-e-Islami party-led alliance supporters at a rally ahead of Bangladeshs general election in Dhaka. AFP Our leaders and activists suffered throughout the Hasina years. Many of our leaders were executed. Jamaat and Shibir activists were killed, and our political rights were taken away, Abdur Razzak, a 45-year-old banker in Bangladeshs Faridpur district, told Al Jazeera. Now, things have changed. People sympathise with what we went through, and they see us as honest. That is why they will vote for us, he said. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Some polls show it could be a close-run contest. DW quoted the International Institute of Law and Diplomacy as saying the BNP could garner 44.1 per cent of the votes over the Jamaat alliances 43.9 per cent. However, other polls say the BNP is far more comfortably placed. Some voters remain undecided. India Today quoted a November survey by the International Republican Institute (IRI) as saying that around seven per cent of voters remain undecided, while 11 per cent offered no opinion. Prothom Alo in January published a December 2025 survey showing 17 per cent of voters had not made up their minds. Dhaka-based think tank Brac Institute of Governance and Development in August claimed 48.5 per cent of respondents were still pondering their choice. That figure was at 38 per cent in March, reported the Dhaka Tribune. Opinion polls suggest the BNP has an edge, but we must remember that a significant portion of voters are still undecided, Parvez Karim Abbasi, executive director at Dhakas Centre for Governance Studies, said. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD A recent survey of various voters found that nearly half of former Awami League voters now prefer the BNP, the frontrunner in most opinion polls, followed by roughly 30 per cent who favour Jamaat. Can Bangladeshs Islamists lead the nation? The discussion earlier was not if the BNP would win, but the margin of victory. Whether it would get 250 or 280 seats. Now, people are also excited because surveys have predicted a neck-and-neck fight between the BNP and the Jamaat, Daniel Rahman, a Dhaka-based political commentator, told India Today Digital. Theres a lot of excitement among people over the election. Railway stations, ferry ghats and bus stands were packed yesterday with people travelling to their home districts for voting. Its like Eid time. With non-residents going for voting, Dhaka is almost empty, Daniel added. Liberals in Bangladesh are concerned about the rise of the Jamaat, which comes in the backdrop of escalating violence and a number of attacks on Hindus. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD They know Bangladesh is secular in its spirit, so they try to kill people who speak for that spirit, Jamshed Tapan, General Secretary of Udichi, told Scroll. The main office of the cultural organisation, founded in 1968 by the uncle of Amartya Sen, was burned down by a right-wing mob. Udichi represents the real Bangladesh. So thats why were hated by the right, thats why we are attacked, Tapan added. Supporters of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami gather as they join in the election campaign rally on the Adarsha High School premises in Dhaka, Bangladesh, January 22, 2026. File Image/Reuters When things were in disarray [after Hasina fled], they [the Jamaat] were organised and this gave them an edge, Shahidul Alam, one of Bangladeshs most famed photographers, told the outlet. There are troubling signs. BNP Secretary-General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir in a recent interview claimed that secularism was ill-suited to Bangladesh due to its overwhelmingly Muslim population. If we can ensure their rights, then there is no problem, he added. Mahfuz Alam, a key organiser of the uprising and a recent adviser to the interim government, told DW that divisions between secularists and Islamists have hardened into open confrontation, leaving no space for negotiation. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD A state cannot function like this, Alam added. Political analyst Altaf Parvez told the outlet that Bangladesh is now, at the very least, a centre-right nation. People have already accepted that whoever wins the elections, they will have to live in a right-leaning Bangladesh from now on, he said. Whatever happens, India will be watching closely. With inputs from agencies Ten people, including the gunman, died after a mass shooting took place at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School in British Columbia. This is the deadliest school shooting in Canada since the attack in Montreal in 1989 Royal Canadian Mounted Police have said that 10 people, including the gunman, are dead after a shooting at Tumbler Ridge Secondary school and a residence in British Columbia. Representational image/Reuters A mass shooting has rocked a small town of Canada on Tuesday (February 10), with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney saying hes devastated hearing the news. Ten people, including the perpetrator, have been killed in the shooting at a high school and a residential property in Canadas Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia, a picturesque mountain valley town in the foothills of the Rockies. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police said more than 25 people have also been injured, including two who were airlifted to the hospital with life-threatening injuries, after the shooting at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD RCMP Superintendent Ken Floyd told reporters that investigators had identified a female suspect but would not release a name, and that the shooters motive remained unclear. The police added that the suspected shooter was found deceased at the school with what appears to be a self-inflicted injury. This tragedy is the second-deadliest school shooting in Canadas history. It also shines a spotlight on Canadas strict gun laws. What we know of Tuesdays school shooting in Canada On Tuesday afternoon, the police received an alert of an active shooter at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School. The school has approximately 175 students from classes 7 to 12, and the town of Tumbler, located more than 1,000 kilometres north of Vancouver, boasts a population of around 2,400 people. When the police arrived at the school, they began a search of the premises, finding six people shot dead. A seventh person with a gunshot wound died while en route to the hospital. Separately, police found two more dead bodies at a residence in Tumbler Ridge. This residence is believed to be connected to the incident, police said. Police vehicles outside Tumbler Ridge Secondary School in Canadas British Columbia region after a shooting occurred. Image Courtesy: @globalnews/X The authorities also noted that an individual believed to be the shooter was also found deceased with what appears to be a selfinflicted injury. Darian Quist, a 12th grader at the school, has told CBC the moment when the shooting unfolded. He narrates that he got to his class around 1.30 pm when an alarm went off with lockdown instructions. We got tables and barricaded the doors for over two hours, he told CBC. He went on to say, The reality of it all is starting to set in I believe I knew somebody, but everything is still very fresh. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The incident has sent shockwaves across Canada. Tumbler Ridge Mayor Darryl Krakowka said the close-knit community would have to support each other after the mass shooting. I will know every victim. Ive been here 19 years, and were a small community, he told CBC News. I dont call them residents. I call them family. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney also expressed his heartfelt remorse. I join Canadians in grieving with those whose lives have been changed irreversibly today, and in gratitude for the courage and selflessness of the first responders who risked their lives to protect their fellow citizens. Our officials are in close contact with their counterparts to ensure the community is fully supported as best we can. The Government of Canada stands with all British Columbians as they confront this horrible tragedy. Carney has also cancelled his visit to Germany for the Munich Security Conference. Canadian opposition leader Pierre Poilievre also expressed his grief on X. I am devastated to learn that many innocent people have been killed and injured in a senseless act of violence at a local high school in Tumbler Ridge. Our prayers are with the families, students, teachers, first responders, and the entire community grieving this immense loss. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Tuesdays school shooting is extremely rare in Canada Tuesdays shooting at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School is one of the rare instances in Canada when an educational institution has come under attack. In fact, school shootings in Canada are extremely rare. Prior to Tuesday, the deadliest school shooting in the North American nation occurred on December 6, 1989. Fourteen female students and a college employee were killed, and another 13 were injured, when 25-year-old Mark Lepine walked into a classroom of LEcole Polytechnique in Montreal, separated the men and the women, and then opened fire in the classroom. Later, he wandered the hallways of the school, dying by suicide shortly after his rampage. A mass funeral is held at the Notre-Dame Basilica, on December 11, 1989 in Montreal for the victims of the Ecole Polytechnique massacre perpetrated at the University of Montreal on December 6. File image/AFP But there have been other school shootings, too, in Canada. Professor Valery Fabrikant fired on his colleagues at Concordia University in Montreal on August 24, 1992. He killed four people and wounded one more. Seven years later, in 1999, a 14-year-old boy opened fire inside the WR. Myers High School in Taber, Alberta. The shooting left 17-year-old student Jason Lang dead, and another student was seriously injured. The shooter, who could not be identified because of his age, was sentenced to three years in secure custody and another seven years of probation. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD In September 2006, a woman was killed during a shooting rampage at Montreals Dawson College. Another 19 people were injured several seriously in the shooting. The shooter, 25-year-old Kimveer Gill, shot himself after a shootout began with police at the college. A year later, in May, gunshots reverberated in Torontos WC Jeffreys Collegiate Institute. Fifteen-year-old Jordan Manners was found in a hallway with a single gunshot wound to the chest. He later died in the hospital. Two teens were charged with first-degree murder and were later acquitted. A man holds a rosary as police investigate the scene of a shooting at the community school in La Loche, Saskatchewan. File image/AP Two other shooting incidents were reported in Canadian schools. One in 2013 at Les Racines de vie Montessori, Gatineau, Quebec, and the other at La Loche High School, Saskatchewan, in January 2016. A spotlight on Canadas gun laws Tuesdays tragedy has also put a spotlight on Canadas gun laws. The country has much stricter gun laws than the US, but Canadians are allowed to own firearms, provided they have a licence. Restricted or prohibited firearms, like handguns, must also be registered. According to Canadian laws, an individual can only acquire a gun licence after the age of 18 and must pass a firearms safety course. Moreover, every gun holders licence has to be renewed after five years. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Children aged 12-17 can get a minors licence, allowing them to borrow non-restricted firearms like most rifles or shotguns for hunting or shooting competitions, and buy ammunition. A salesman shows a Sig Sauer P320 9mm handgun from the display case at That Hunting Store in Ottawa. File image/AFP In 2020, gun laws were further tightened when then Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced a ban on more than 1,500 makes and models of military-style assault weapons, including the AR-15 and the Ruger Mini-14, following a mass shooting in Portapique, Nova Scotia. And in December 2024, Trudeaus government imposed a raft of additional measures, adding hundreds of gun models and variants to the countrys banned weapons list. While more recent figures arent available, data from 2020 reveal that there were approximately 1.1 million registered handguns in the country. A 2017 Small Arms Survey estimated there were 12.7 million firearms in civilian possession in Canada, and there are an estimated 34.7 firearms per 100 people. RCMP data also shows that applications for handguns were up three per cent last year for those aged 20 to 29, and 2.5 per cent for people 30 and older. That translated into almost 60,000 new gun owners last year close to 7,500 of them under the age of 30. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD But despite the strict gun laws, there have been 286 shooting deaths in 2024. With inputs from agencies Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will meet US President Donald Trump in Washington today (February 11). It will be their sixth meeting since Trump returned to office a year ago. Meanwhile, Instagram CEO Adam Mosseri is expected to take the witness stand in the landmark social media addiction trial in Los Angeles Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will meet US President Donald Trump in Washington today (February 11). File image/Reuters Today (February 11) is a big day for news. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will meet US President Donald Trump in Washington. Netanyahu is expected to press Trump to adopt a tougher line on Irans ballistic missile programme in the coming rounds of talks. Also, Instagram CEO Adam Mosseri is expected to take the witness stand in the social media addiction trial. All this and more of the big news from across the world today. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Netanyahu to meet Trump Netanyahu will meet Trump in Washington in what will be their sixth meeting in the United States since Trump returned to the White House a year ago. The meeting comes days after Tehran and Washington held talks in Oman, after which the Republican leader asserted another round of negotiations would follow. According to media reports, Netanyahus office said he will highlight Israels concerns over Irans ballistic missile programme. He believes any negotiations must include limitations on ballistic missiles and a halting of the support for the Iranian axis, the statement read, reported The Hindu. Instagram CEO to take witness stand in social media trial Instagram CEO Adam Mosseri is expected to take the witness stand in the social media addiction trial in Los Angeles today. The lawsuit being heard in a Los Angeles court centres around a 20-year-old woman from Chico, California, KGM, who says she experienced an addiction to several social media apps that resulted in other mental health issues; she developed anxiety, body dysmorphia, and suicidal thoughts. Instagram CEO Adam Mosseri is expected to take the witness stand in the social media addiction trial in Los Angeles. File image/Reuters This trial, which is expected to last six to eight weeks, will be the first time Big Tech executives will answer to accusations in front of a jury. Greek PM to meet Turkeys Erdogan Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis will visit Turkiye today at the invitation of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The visit aligns with the sixth session of the Turkish-Greek High-Level Cooperation Council, scheduled to take place in Ankara and jointly chaired by Erdogan and Mitsotakis, with key ministers in attendance, according to Turkish media cited by The Caspian Post. During the meeting, officials will assess the current state of relations between Turkiye and Greece and explore opportunities to deepen bilateral cooperation. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Talks are also expected to cover regional and international matters. Agreements are expected to be signed to further reinforce ties between the two neighbouring countries. Goyal to meet exporters, industry associations Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal will also hold a meeting with representatives of export promotion councils and industry associations today, an official said on Monday. After many ups and downs, US President Donald Trump announced on Monday that, after a phone call with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the two sides had agreed upon a trade deal. File image/Reuters Under the agreement, the US has agreed to lower the 25 per cent reciprocal tariffs on Indian goods to 18 per cent. It has also scrapped the additional 25 per cent punitive duties imposed on India last August over its purchases of Russian crude oil. Many believe that the India-EU trade pact was the mother of trade deals and that the India-US trade agreement is the father of all trade deals. Ritu Tawde to take charge as Mumbai mayor Ritu Tawde is all set to take charge as Mumbais next mayor after being elected unopposed in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) polls. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)s Mumbai president, Ameet Satam, formally announced Tawdes name as its mayoral candidate on Saturday (February 7). Tawde is not new to Mumbais civic politics. Her journey within the BMC began in 2012, when she was elected as a corporator from Ward No. 127. She went on to secure a second consecutive term in 2017 from Ward No. 121 in Ghatkopar, establishing herself as a familiar presence in the eastern suburbs. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD In the most recent civic elections held on January 15, Tawde won from Ward No. 132. Her repeated electoral successes have made her a three-term corporator with more than a decade of experience in municipal administration. With inputs from agencies Jacques Leveugle has been charged with the rape and sexual assault of dozens of minors in multiple countries, including India, over decades. Some of the cases date back to the 1960s Authorities have identified at least 89 teenage victims in nine countries via USB drives that contained Jacques Leveugles memoirs. Representational image/Reuters A 79-year-old former French teacher has been charged with sexually assaulting 89 minors. Jacques Leveugle has been charged with the rape and sexual assault of dozens of minors in multiple countries, including India, over decades. Leveugle has been in the custody of authorities since he was indicted in 2024. Authorities have identified at least 89 teenage victims in nine countries via USB drives that contained Leveugles memoirs. But what do we know about Leveugle? How was he nabbed? STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Lets take a closer look. What we know about Leveugle As per Le Monde, Leveugle was born in 1946 in the Alpine town of Annecy. Leveugle, who attended preparatory classes in advanced literature, dropped out of school in France. In 1967, at age 21, Leveugle left the country for Algeria, where he began teaching French. Despite not having any credentials as a teacher, Leveugle worked in several countries, including Germany, Switzerland, Morocco, Niger, Algeria, the Philippines, India, Colombia, France and New Caledonia over the next few decades. He preyed upon innocent youth in his role as a teacher, youth worker, or school assistant. He also worked as an instructor of speleology, also known as the science of caves. The incidents allegedly occurred between 1967 and 2022. He travelled the world from the mid-1960s to the mid-2020s, Grenoble prosecutor Etienne Manteaux said at the press conference. And in each of these places, he had sexual relations with these young people. A magistrate told the newspaper that Leveugles modus operandi remained the same everywhere. He gave lessons within a community setting, then identified low-income families and entered their homes by offering academic support to the young people he desired. He was friendly, charismatic and was welcomed with open arms. He awakened them intellectually, and sometimes even paid for a driving licence like a generous sponsor, but gradually, he imposed caresses. How was he nabbed? According to Euro News, prosecutors determined the number of Leveugles victims from his memoirs, which he kept stored on five hard drives. Leveugle, in his writings, made reference to sexual relations with minors between the ages of 13 and 17. As per Le Monde, Leveugle, in his memoirs, claimed he had long been aware of his particular nature, which resulted in him becoming attached to boys. He said this occurred when they went through puberty, after which he ended the relationship once they turned 16 or 17. He added that such relations with adults repulsed him. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Leveugle, in his writings, sought to portray himself as a gentleman boy-lover and as an ancient Greek training young ephebes. Leveugles nephew uncovered the documents, said to be of 15 tomes, while Leveugle was out on a hike in October 2023. Leveugles nephew turned over the information to authorities in Vizille in 2023. Leveugle was taken into custody in 2024 after he confirmed that the writings were authentic. This handout image released by Frances Gendarmerie Nationale on February 10, 2026, shows a public appeal notice bearing portraits, taken in different years and locations, of Jacques Leveugle, a 79-year-old man who have charged in 2024 for aggravated rape and sexual assault committed against 89 minors. AFP According to the BBC, Leveugle was arrested in 2024 after visiting his brother in Isere, near Grenoble in south-eastern France. Leveugle himself was living in Morocco at the time. He had spent years in Morocco working as a tutor for low-income families, where he is suspected of abusing at least 10 victims, the prosecutor has said. He also lived in Algeria between 1967 and 1969, and again from 1971 to 1975, where he worked as a teacher and is suspected of abusing at least two children. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD According to India Today, Leveugle has also allegedly confessed to murdering two of his relatives. This includes his mother, whom he smothered with a pillow during the 1970s when she was terminally ill with cancer. Leveugle, at the time, was just 28 years old. He also admitted to killing his 92-year-old aunt in Switzerland in the 1990s. He described the murder of his aunt, also with a pillow while she was asleep, as a mercy killing. He said he did so because she had begged him not to leave her when he had to return to the Cevennes. He justifies the killings by saying he hoped someone would do the same to him if he was in the same situation at the end of his life, Manteaux was quoted as saying by the BBC. Authorities have launched a separate investigation into these incidents and set up a dedicated hotline where anyone with information on these incidents can call in. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Now is the time Manteaux has appealed for witnesses and victims to come forward. They said they waited to reveal his identity to ensure all the facts were verified. This is important because the identity of suspects in France is usually kept under wraps. If victims wish to come forward, now is the time, Manteaux was quoted as saying by the BBC. A lot of work has been done to identify all the victims. But in his journal, some only have first names, and there we found ourselves up against a wall. Thats why we decided to launch this appeal and also in case there are other victims not listed in his journal, Manteaux added. We thought we would be able, internally, to identify all the victims, Manteaux said, but we realised we were up against a wall. Authorities say that, given Leveugles age and the statute of limitations in France, where no assaults before 1993 can be prosecuted, the case against him must be wrapped up by 2026. France is still reeling from the Gisele Pelicot case, one of the countrys most shocking recent sexual violence trials, in which a husband was convicted of drugging his wife and recruiting dozens of men to rape her over years. In both cases, investigators say, a digital trail proved decisive recordings and files in Pelicots case, and the USB drive in the Grenoble investigation. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD With inputs from agencies Samyukt Kisan Morcha, an umbrella group of farmers associations, has called for Bharat Bandh on Thursday (February 12) to protest against the interim trade agreement between India and the US. Under the deal, New Delhi will reduce or eliminate tariffs on a wide range of US food and agricultural products. But why has this left Indian farmers anxious? A farmer uses a surface seeder alternate to stubble burning at a rice field amid the ongoing air pollution in Mansa in the northern state of Punjab, November 11, 2024. File Photo/Reuters Farmer unions in India are planning to organise nationwide protests on Thursday (February 12) against the interim trade agreement with the United States. Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM), an umbrella group of farmers associations, has called for Bharat Bandh amid fears that the trade deal threatens Indian agriculture, dairy and rural livelihoods. While India has resisted the US pressure to broadly open its agricultural market, it has agreed to lower trade barriers on some farm goods. This has stoked worries among farmers and criticism by opposition parties. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD We take a closer look. What India-US trade deal says about agriculture India and the US have released an interim framework for a trade agreement, which would lead to reduced tariff rates on Indian goods and deepen economic cooperation. As per the framework, India will eliminate or reduce tariffs on all US industrial goods and a wide range of US food and agricultural products. Under the agreement, India is expected to allow imports from the US of protein-rich distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS), a byproduct of ethanol made from corn and other grains. Indias tariffs on US agricultural products, which previously ranged between 30 and 150 per cent, will be cut to zero, reported Reuters. India currently levies an 11 per cent duty on cotton imports, which could become duty-free. How Indian farmers may be impacted India importing distillers dried grains with solubles from the US is likely to benefit its nearly $30 billion poultry sector. However, domestic oilseed processors and soybean farmers could suffer if American imports increase. India has surplus supplies of DDGS and a weakened demand for oilmeals such as soyameal. This has put pressure on Indian oilseed prices, forcing farmers to switch from soybean and peanuts to corn and rice, noted Reuters. As the supply of DDGS will increase further, Indias ethanol producers may earn less from DDGS sales in the domestic market. Indias allowing the entry of duty-free imports of soyoil from the US has also raised concerns. However, these imports will reportedly only be under a tariff-rate quota, meaning the amount above the quota will be subject to standard tariffs. This is being done with the aim of protecting domestic producers. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Duty-free imports of cotton from the US could influence domestic prices. But the impact is likely to be limited, as only shipments of extra-long staple cotton have been permitted, which are also under a quota. Under the trade deal, India will allow imports from the US at a concessional duty of 25 per cent and a minimum import price of Rs 80 per kg. This would prevent shipments below Rs 100 per kg, which would help protect Indian farmers, reported Reuters. Indian growers of tea, coffee, spices and fruits are set to benefit from the trade deal, as they will get duty-free access to the US. A farmer carries a harvested paddy in a paddy field on the outskirts of Assams Guwahati, May 27, 2019. File Photo/AP The US reducing import duties on rice to 18 per cent is also expected to benefit exporters of both premium basmati and non-basmati varieties. Farmers to go on strike Indian farmers are concerned that removing or reducing trade barriers would lead to markets being flooded with cheap agricultural, milk and dairy products from the US. SKM national coordination committee member Dr Darshan Pal told Indian Express, Indian agriculture would be left hanging at the mercy of multinational corporations, undermining food sovereignty, rural employment and long-term sustainability. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Earlier restrictions on milk from animals fed with meat and animal by-products acted as safeguards. These protections are now being diluted, posing a direct threat to Indias vast dairy sector that supports millions of rural households, he added. In India, 86 per cent of farmers are small and marginal, with landholdings of less than two hectares (five acres) of land. Farmer unions fear US corporations could monopolise control over Indias animal feed market. They also warn that the deal could lead to the entry of imports of GM foods and seeds, which pose a risk to soil fertility, biodiversity and domestic seed systems, reported Indian Express. Imports of US wheat, soybean oil, ethanol, fresh fruits such as apples, pineapples and coconuts, and dry fruits, including cashew, could also impact Indian farmers, with those in Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh and the North-Eastern states among the worst-hit, according to SKM leaders. The outfit has urged political parties, farmers organisations, agricultural workers unions, trade unions and mass organisations to oppose what it has described as ananti-national trade agreement. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD SKM has warned that the current form of the agreement could trigger large-scale and sustained protests across India. Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader Rakesh Tikait has said his organisation would support nationwide strikes on Thursday. Expressing fears that the US could dump subsidised goods in the Indian market, he warned, Our farmers will not be able to sell their produce. Speaking to ANI, SKM convenor Hannan Mollah said Indian produce would not be able to compete with a potential influx of US goods. They will flood our markets with cheaper goods. Our country will not be able to compete and our farmers will be finished, he said. Political parties also criticised the interim trade deal with the US, with Congress MP Jairam Ramesh claiming it allows a backdoor entry for US imports. India will slash import duties to help American farmers at the cost of Indian farmers, he posted on X. Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh brought to light the spike in US tariffs on Indian goods, from around 3 per cent earlier to 18 per cent. Opening the market for agriculture is like a death sentence for farmers, he alleged. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The Indian government has allayed fears of the farmers, with Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal emphasising that sensitive agricultural products such as dairy and poultry have been kept out of trade talks. He also asserted that India made no concessions on imports of genetically modified crops from the US. Goyal said the agreement would be etched in golden letters in Indias economic history. I can say categorically that the interests of farmers and the dairy sector have been protected, he said. The minister said products such as milk, cheese, butter, ghee, yoghurt and whey, along with staples including wheat, rice, maize, millets, barley, oats and sorghum, have been excluded from tariff concessions. In a post on X, Goyal said the deal would safeguard the interests of domestic farmers, strengthen local agriculture through preferential access to a large market, and advance the goal of a self-reliant India. India will also phase out the elimination of tariffs on certain American agricultural products to help Indian farmers adapt. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Phased elimination of tariffs over up to ten years has been adopted for certain intermediate products used by Indias food processing industry and sourced from multiple countries. These include albumins; certain oils such as coconut oil, castor oil and cotton seed oil; hoofmeal; lard; stearin; modified starches; peptones and their derivatives; and plants and parts of plants etc. This extended timeline provides adequate adjustment space for domestic stakeholders, the Press Information Bureau said in a recent statement. It added that the agricultural market access has been calibrated based on product sensitivity, following Indias approach in trade agreements with other countries or blocs. With inputs from agencies Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz are deepening cooperation on trade, defence and EU competitiveness, challenging the traditional Franco-German leadership model. As France struggles with political headwinds, Rome and Berlin appear increasingly aligned in steering Europes future agenda Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz react as they arrive to attend Italian-German government consultations, at Villa Doria Pamphili, in Rome, Italy, January 23, 2026. File Image/Reuters From commercial agreements to the auto industry, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz are increasingly coordinating their efforts to shape the European Unions direction raising concerns that French President Emmanuel Macron could be pushed to the margins. At Thursdays EU leaders summit, the right-wing Meloni and centre-right Merz are expected to advocate a common blueprint aimed at strengthening the blocs competitiveness. Their stance marks another step in the deepening collaboration between Rome and Berlin, prompting questions about the durability of the EUs long-standing Franco-German partnership. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Some observers say that 2026 will be the year of Italy and Germany, Meloni said last month at a summit with Merz in Rome. We intend to give it our all to consolidate a friendship that is strategic not only for our nations, but for Europe as a whole. Although the two have long shared a firm position on migration, they agreed in Rome to broaden coordination across areas ranging from trade to defence. In recent months, they have frequently found themselves on the same side of debates in Brussels. In January, after initial hesitation, Meloni ultimately endorsed the EUs trade pact with South Americas Mercosur bloc a move welcomed in Berlin. France, traditionally Germanys closest partner within the EU, sought unsuccessfully to halt the agreement, citing risks to its agricultural sector. Germany and Italy also joined forces to push for easing the EUs planned 2035 phase-out of new petrol and diesel vehicles another initiative France opposed but failed to stop. What Im hearing is that the Franco-German axis isnt working; Meloni and Merz are doing their own thing together, one European diplomat told AFP on condition of anonymity. Parallel convergence Like France, both Italy and Germany were among the EUs founding members and remain key NATO allies. Historically, however, Rome and Berlin have frequently clashed, particularly over fiscal matters with Germany advocating budgetary discipline and Italy grappling with heavy debt. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD That equation has begun to shift. Meloni has worked to reduce Italys deficit, while Merz has departed from Germanys traditional fiscal restraint by increasing borrowing and public investment. In foreign affairs as well, both leaders have aimed to maintain constructive ties with US President Donald Trump. Id describe it as a parallel convergence, said Matteo Villa of Italys ISPI think tank. The die is cast, and the time is coming when these two are more compatible than the classic France-Germany pairing, he told AFP. Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani told Il Messaggero daily in an interview on Wednesday that the Italy-Germany partnership echoed the close cooperation seen at the EUs inception. A new season is beginning: Italy has a leading role, it wants to be one of the locomotives of the EU, he said. He described Italy and Germany as the blocs two most industrialised and stable countries. Moving Europe forward French President Emmanuel Macron, whose administration has faced political turbulence since the snap elections of 2024, has dismissed claims that France is being sidelined. In remarks to several European newspapers published Tuesday, he said it was normal for Rome and Berlin to put forward joint proposals following their bilateral summit. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The Franco-German partnership is essential for moving Europe forward. But it is never enough on its own, he said. Macron pointed out that he and Meloni are due to convene their own Italy-France summit in the coming weeks likely in April in Toulouse, according to diplomatic sources. Nevertheless, relations between Macron and Merz appear to have cooled. Diplomats indicate that Frances efforts to derail the Mercosur agreement generated friction in Brussels and among fellow member states, including Germany. At the same time, Germany is reportedly considering withdrawing from the troubled Future Combat Aircraft System (FCAS) a joint fighter jet initiative with France and Spain that has faced months of delays due to disputes between industry partners. Instead, Berlin is said to be evaluating participation in Italys Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP), alongside Britain and Japan. The gaps between Paris and Berlin mean Berlin is having to look to other partners, Thomas Maddock, a fellow at the Centre for European Reform in London, told AFP. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD An editorial in Germanys Bild newspaper was even more blunt. Merz knows that for Europe to have a voice internationally, he needs strong partners at his side, it wrote. It added, Unlike France, Italy is now a country with a stable government and a successful economy. Also Watch: With inputs from AFP US Vice President JD Vance uploaded a social media post following his visit to Armenias official national monument with the caption Armenian genocide. The use of the term raised eyebrows leading his team to the delete the post. The US government has historically not recognised what happened in Armenia during the Ottoman Empire as a genocide out of fear of alienating present-day Turkey US Vice President JD Vance takes part in the wreath-laying ceremony during a visit to the Tsitsernakaberd Armenian Genocide Memorial in Yerevan, Armenia. AP US Vice President JD Vances team posted and then deleted a message on social media about the Republicans visit to a memorial paying tribute to early 20th-century Armenians killed by the Ottoman Empire. The issue was the post using the term Armenian genocide, a designation the US government historically has not used for what happened, with a notable exception by the Biden administration. The White House blamed a staff mistake. Here are some questions and answers about what that means, what Vance himself did and didnt say, and why it matters. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD What did Vance go see in Armenia? Vance visited a site called the Armenian Genocide Memorial, Armenias official national monument, remembering its citizens who died under the Ottoman Empires brutal control during World War I. The initial post on Vances official X account stated that he was visiting the memorial to honor the victims of the Armenian genocide. It was replaced with a second post that showed what he wrote in the guest book, as well as a clip of the vice president and Usha Vance laying flowers at the memorial. Vance, the first US vice president to visit Armenia, was in the country as part of the Trump administrations follow-up to a US-brokered deal aimed at ending a decades-long conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan, where Vance traveled later Tuesday. Why does the word choice matter? Genocide is a fraught and legally distinct term that national governments, international bodies, and media organisations use carefully. The United Nations in 1948 defined genocide to mean certain acts, enumerated in Article II, committed with the intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnic, racial or religious group, as such, according to the US State Departments long-held understanding. It is not questioned that many thousands of Armenian citizens, most of them Christians, died at the direction of the Committee of Union and Progress that led the Muslim government in Constantinople, now known as Istanbul. The US Holocaust Memorial Museum estimates that at least 664,000 and possibly as many as 1.2 million died. US Vice President JD Vance and second lady Usha Vance hold flowers as they walk towards the eternal flame at the Tsitsernakaberd Armenian Genocide Memorial in Yerevan, Armenia. AP But the US government has historically not recognized what happened as a genocide out of fear of alienating Turkey, a key US ally in the region. In 2021, then-President Joe Biden formally recognized that the systematic killings and deportations of hundreds of thousands of Armenians by Ottoman Empire forces were a part of a genocide. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Turkey reacted with fury at the time. The foreign minister said his country will not be given lessons on our history from anyone. People of Armenian descent recall the victims with memorials and an annual day of remembrance observed around the world, including in the US. What did Vance himself say? Vance was asked specifically on Tuesday about his visit to the memorial and whether he was recognizing genocide. He avoided using the word and said he went to pay my respects at the invitation of his host, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, and his government. They said this is a very important site for us, and obviously, Im the first (US) vice president to ever visit Armenia, Vance said. They asked us to visit the site. Obviously, its a very terrible thing that happened a little over a hundred years ago and something thats very, very important to them culturally. Vance added that it was a sign of respect, both for the victims but also for the Armenian government thats been a very important partner for us in the region. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD What did the White House say? The White House blamed the original post on a staff member. Its the second time in less than a week that the West Wing has blamed an unnamed aide for a controversy over a social media post. Last Friday, it was a racist video that Trump had shared on his Truth Social account that depicted former President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama as jungle primates. The White House defended that post initially before deleting it after a cascade of criticism. What happens next? Its not yet clear whether there will be any diplomatic consequences. Vance, for his part, seemed determined to keep the focus on the original mission of his trip. I think the president struck a great peace deal. I think the administration is really making it stick, Vance said. Still, there is the political question of whether Armenian Americans react, with the rhetorical boomerang offering one more reminder of how reluctant the US has been to use the word genocide to describe what Armenians remember that way. Pakistans Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has openly criticised the countrys past alignment with the United States, stating that the latter treated Pakistan worse than a piece of toilet paper. The remarks come as ties warmed under Donald Trumps second term. From the 2025 India-Pakistan ceasefire to crypto deals, is Islamabad now recalibrating its Washington strategy? It seems like Pakistan is once again at odds with the United States. In 2025, Islamabad and Washington appeared to rediscover strategic alignment under US President Donald Trumps second administration, marked by high-profile meetings, and economic initiatives spanning crypto policy and critical minerals. Yet, by February 2026, a sharply worded intervention by Pakistans Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has reopened old wounds about the costs of past alliances with Washington. Addressing Pakistans National Assembly earlier this week, Asif delivered an unusually candid account of Islamabads role in the Afghan wars and its long partnership with the United States. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD His remarks which included a direct accusation that Washington had used Pakistan for its own purposes and then abandoned it came at a moment when bilateral ties are facing fresh strain following a major India-US trade agreement. The juxtaposition is striking. Only months earlier, Trump had repeatedly praised Pakistans leadership and credited himself with preventing a nuclear confrontation between India and Pakistan. Islamabad, in turn, publicly supported Trumps claims regarding the May 2025 ceasefire and even endorsed him for the Nobel Peace Prize. After a year of visible diplomatic warmth, is Pakistan recalibrating its position toward the United States? How Khawaja Asif exposed Islamabad in Pakistans Parliament Khawaja Asifs speech in Parliament stands out for its direct acknowledgment of Pakistans past strategic decisions and their consequences. Speaking before lawmakers, the defence minister criticised the countrys alignment with Washington during both the anti-Soviet campaign in Afghanistan in the 1980s and the post-September 11 US-led war on terror. He stated that Pakistan had repeatedly entered into conflicts that were not grounded in its own national priorities. Referring to the military leadership during those periods, Asif said that two former military dictators (Zia-ul-Haq and Pervez Musharraf) had joined the war in Afghanistan, not for the sake of Islam, but to appease a superpower. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD His remarks directly challenged decades of official narratives that framed Pakistans participation in Afghan conflicts as religiously motivated. Khwaja Asif admits in Parliament that Pakistan rented itself out to the U.S. for war and was later discarded like toilet paper. Afghanistan was destroyed by policies now openly acknowledged in parliament. Millions suffered. Generations were lost. The world cannot look away now pic.twitter.com/aEQjrm16ME Mariam Solaimankhil (@Mariamistan) February 10, 2026 Asif rejected the idea that the countrys involvement had been a religious obligation, acknowledging that Pakistanis had been mobilised and sent into conflict under the banner of jihad, a framing he described as misleading and damaging. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD We deny our history and do not accept our mistakes. Terrorism is a blowback of the mistakes committed by dictators in the past, he told Parliament. The losses we suffered can never be compensated. He characterised those decisions as irreversible. Perhaps most pointedly, he accused the United States of exploiting Pakistans cooperation and then discarding it. Pakistan was treated worse than a piece of toilet paper and was used for a purpose and then thrown away, he said. Beyond the battlefield consequences, Asif claimed that Pakistans education system had been altered to legitimise the wars, embedding ideological shifts that continue to shape society today. The speech amounts to one of the most explicit acknowledgments by a senior Pakistani official that the countrys partnership with Washington during key historical junctures produced long-term internal instability, radicalisation and economic strain. How Pakistan-US went from cooperation to distrust Pakistans ties with the United States have long oscillated between close collaboration and deep mistrust. During the 1980s, Islamabad and Washington worked together to support the Afghan mujahideen against the Soviet Union. Critics later argued that this period strengthened the military leadership of General Mohammad Zia-ul-Haq. Following the September 11, 2001 attacks in the United States, Pakistan once again aligned itself with Washington. It was designated a major non-Nato ally and became central to the US-led campaign in Afghanistan. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Under General Pervez Musharrafs rule, Pakistan turned against the Taliban and provided logistical and intelligence support to American forces. Over time, however, the relationship deteriorated. US officials accused Islamabad of maintaining links with terror groups even while cooperating publicly in the war on terror. During his first term in office, Donald Trump accused Pakistan of giving the United States nothing but lies and deceit and of harbouring armed groups. Later, Joe Biden described Pakistan as one of the most dangerous nations. The withdrawal of US forces from Afghanistan in 2021 reshaped the regional security landscape. Pakistan was left grappling with internal security challenges, including increased militant violence in its western regions. Asifs remarks explicitly linked current instability to earlier policy decisions made during both the anti-Soviet campaign and the post-9/11 alignment. How Pakistan cosied up to Trump-led US in 2025 When Donald Trump returned to the White House in January 2025 for his second term, Pakistan initiated what observers described as a deliberate diplomatic shift aimed at aligning itself with the administrations priorities and style of governance. Operation Sindoor A defining moment came in May 2025 during a four-day armed confrontation between India and Pakistan. The brief but intense clash raised concerns about potential escalation between the two nuclear-armed neighbours. Following the ceasefire, Pakistan publicly credited Trump with playing a mediating role in halting the hostilities. India maintained that the ceasefire resulted from bilateral dialogue and reiterated its longstanding position that disputes between New Delhi and Islamabad must be resolved directly between the two sides. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Despite Indias position, Trump repeatedly claimed credit for preventing a larger conflict. At a news conference in December, he declared, We have stopped eight wars. He continued, We stopped a potential nuclear war between Pakistan and India. Referring to Pakistans leadership, Trump added, The head of Pakistan and a highly respected general he is a field marshal and also the prime minister of Pakistan said that President Trump saved 10 million lives, maybe more. Asim Munir & Trump dynamic Trumps remarks were not isolated. Since June 2025, he has publicly praised Pakistans army chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, on at least ten occasions. At the Sharm el-Sheikh Peace Summit in Egypt in October, marking the conclusion of a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, Trump referred to Munir as my favourite field marshal. On other occasions, he described him as a great fighter, a very important guy, and an exceptional human being. After their first meeting in June 2025, Trump said he was honoured to meet the Pakistani military chief. Pakistans leadership reinforced this dynamic by endorsing Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize, citing his role in preventing nuclear escalation. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The move reportedly facilitated multiple Oval Office invitations and a White House lunch for Munir in June 2025, making him the first Pakistani military chief to receive such repeated one-on-one engagements at that level. US-Pakistan security cooperation In early 2025, Pakistan assisted US authorities in capturing Sharifullah, also known as Jafar, identified as the mastermind behind the August 2021 Abbey Gate bombing at Kabul airport. The attack killed 13 US service members and dozens of Afghan civilians during the chaotic US withdrawal. In March 2025, addressing a joint session of US Congress, Trump publicly thanked Pakistan for its role in the arrest. He described the Pakistani military as trusted partners once again. In exchange for intelligence cooperation, the Trump administration designated the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) as a foreign terrorist organisation a long-standing request from Islamabad aimed at protecting infrastructure linked to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). The designation aligned US policy with a key Pakistani security objective in Balochistan, even as Islamabad simultaneously sought American investment in the same region. Pakistan also signalled willingness to participate in a proposed US-led international stabilisation force for Gaza, part of Trumps broader West Asian initiative. Islamabad also joined Trumps newly established Board of Peace for Gaza, a regional framework that includes Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Turkey. Through this platform, Pakistan positioned itself as a bridge between Washington and parts of the Muslim world, particularly in relation to the Israel-Gaza peace process. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Pakistan opens its economy to the US Seeking to align with the Trump administrations emphasis on technology and resource security, Pakistan established a Crypto Council in 2025 and appointed a dedicated Minister for Crypto. It signed a deal with World Liberty Financial, a company linked to the Trump family, in an effort to position itself as a regional hub for digital assets. In parallel, Pakistan offered the United States access to strategic mineral resources. A $1.25 billion financing package from the US Export-Import Bank was secured for the Reko Diq mining project in Balochistan. A $500 million framework agreement was reached with US Strategic Metals (USSM) to extract lithium and rare earth elements critical to US defence industries. These moves coincided with trade concessions. Pakistan obtained a 19 per cent tariff rate on its exports to the US, the lowest in South Asia, while competitors such as India faced significantly higher tariffs at the time, reaching up to 50 per cent. How domestic realities have put pressure on Islamabad Despite the diplomatic honeymoon of 2025, 2026 has brought new strains. Violence has surged across Pakistan, particularly in western provinces bordering Afghanistan and Balochistan, with casualty figures reaching the highest levels in a decade. The most high-profile incident occurred on February 6, when a suicide bomber targeted the Khadija Tul Kubra Mosque in Islamabad during Friday prayers. The attack, This bombing was particularly jarring as it breached the high-security Red Zone of the capital and represented the deadliest attack in Islamabad in nearly two decades, signalling a dangerous shift in militant capability to strike the states core. Simultaneously, the province of Balochistan has experienced its most violent period in years. Starting on January 31, the Balochistan Liberation Army launched a massive, coordinated offensive across 12 districts, including Quetta, Gwadar, and Mastung. These attacks involved suicide squads and armed assaults on police stations, military outposts, and a high-security prison. In response, the Pakistani military launched Operation Radd-ul-Fitna-1 (Countering Chaos). According to official military statements, the operation resulted in the deaths of 216 militants, though the violence also claimed the lives of 31 civilians and 17 security personnel during the initial wave of attacks. The security situation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) remains equally volatile. In early January, a major security operation in the Tirah Valley led to the displacement of over 70,000 residents, sparking a public standoff between the federal government and the KP provincial leadership, who accused the centre of unilateral action. Statistics for January 2026 alone show a 28 per cent increase in militant activity compared to the previous month, with a total of 361 deaths recorded nationwide the highest monthly toll in years. The country also saw widespread disruption on February 8, during a national strike organised by the Tehreek-e-Tahafuz-e-Ayeen-e-Pakistan (TTAP). Marking the second anniversary of the 2024 general elections, thousands of protesters took to the streets in major cities to demand the release of former Prime Minister Imran Khan and to protest the countrys current foreign policy alignments. Opposition parties and rights organisations have accused the government of curbing civil liberties, restricting media freedoms and engaging in political repression. Against this domestic backdrop, the massive India-US trade deal may have felt like the final nail in the coffin for Pakistan. Whether Asifs remarks will be seen as a fundamental policy shift for Islamabad or just a personal grievance that was being aired publicly, remains to be seen. Also Watch: With inputs from agencies The Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has directed that Vande Mataram will be sung before the national anthem, Jana Gana Mana, at all government events. India has marked 150 years of its national song, penned by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay. Heres what makes the two special Prime Minister Narendra Modi visits an exhibition during an event marking 150 years of the national song Vande Mataram, at the Indira Gandhi Indoor (IGI) Stadium, in New Delhi on November 7, 2025. @NarendraModi/YT via PTI Indias national song, Vande Mataram, will be sung before the national anthem, Jana Gana Mana, at all schools and government events, the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has said. The rules require everyone to stand as all six stanzas of the national song are played. Last year, India marked the 150th anniversary of Vande Mataram, with Parliament debating the history of the national song by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay. Its selection as Indias national song and not national anthem remains a hot political debate even today. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Heres a look at the two masterpieces. How Vande Mataram became Indias national song _Vande Mataram_ (Mother, I bow to thee) was composed by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay in 1875. An expanded version of the poem was included in his novel Anandamath in 1881. The six additional stanzas portrayed the Fakir-Sannyasi Rebellion in which Hindu monks fought against the Muslim rulers in Bengal in the early 1770s, at a time when the state was struggling with famines and agrarian crises. According to political thinker Aurobindo Ghoshs translation of Vande Mataram, the song begins with the line I bow to thee, Mother and then refers to her as a giver of boons and bliss. Mother possesses strength that she bestows on her people. In the later stanzas, she is described as a saviour and compared to goddesses Durga and Laxmi. The song was publicly intoned for the first time in 1896 by Rabindranath Tagore at the Congress session in Calcutta. Vande Mataram became a rallying cry for nationalists, especially during the Swadeshi Movement of 1905. However, there was opposition to the song in some quarters. The Muslim League (ML) objected to Vande Mataram, claiming that it was anti-Islamic and idolatrous. Jawaharlal Nehru admitted that the Leagues protest against the song was manufactured by the communalists. However, given the historical background of the novel Anandmath, he worried it would further stoke Hindu-Muslim animosity in the communally charged environment of the 1930s, as per Indian Express. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD This prompted the Congress Working Committee to issue a statement denying that Vande Mataram had been adopted as the national anthem. The Congress also directed that only the first two stanzas of the song were to be sung. Nehru preferred Jana Gana Mana of Rabindranath Tagore as Indias national anthem and Vande Mataram as the national song. The Indian National Congress later adopted a shorter version of Vande Mataram as the national song. This was the version adopted by the Constituent Assembly at the instance of Rajendra Prasad in 1951 as the national song, along with Jana Gana Mana, which was designated the national anthem, according to the late historian Sabyasachi Bhattacharya, who wrote the book Vande Mataram: The Biography of a Song. Rajendra Prasad, president of the Constituent Assembly, ruled that both Vande Mataram and Jana Gana Mana would have equal status. The composition consisting of the words and music known as Jana Gana Mana is the National Anthem of India, subject to such alterations in the words as the Government may authorise as occasion arises; and the song Vande Mataram, which has played a historic part in the struggle for Indian freedom, shall be honoured equally with Jana Gana Mana and shall have equal status with it, he said. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD However, there was no mandatory etiquette, posture, or legal requirement associated with singing or reciting the national song. How Vande Mataram differs from Jana Gana Mana Jana Gana Mana was penned by Rabindranath Tagore in 1911. It was first sung on the second day of the annual conference of the Congress in Calcutta on December 27, 1911. The historic session of the Indian Constituent Assembly started at the stroke of midnight on August 14, 1947, with Vande Mataram and closed with Jana Gana Mana. The national anthem has also faced controversy with some mistakenly claiming that it had been written not in praise of Mother India, but of King George V. _Jana Gana Mana_ was picked as the national anthem for its secular, inclusive nature and for celebrating the nations unity in diversity. Indias national anthem enjoys constitutional privileges not accorded to the national song. Article 51A(a) of the Constitution makes it a fundamental duty for every citizen to respect the National Anthem. The decorum for playing or singing the national anthem is regulated by Orders relating to the National Anthem of India and The Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971. In 2022, the Centre informed the Supreme Court that the 1971 law criminalises preventing the singing of the national anthem or causing disturbance to an assembly playing it. However, similar penal provisions were not in place for the national song. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD New rules on Vande Mataram The MHA has notified that all six stanzas of Vande Mataram be sung first when the national song and national anthem are played together. The order issued on January 28 lays down protocols for singing the national song for police chiefs and chief secretaries of states and Union Territories. It directed that all six stanzas of Vande Mataram, which last for three minutes and 10 seconds, must be sung on official functions such as the arrival of the President, unfurling of the tricolour, and speeches of governors. When the National Song and the National Anthem are sung or played, the National Song will be sung or played first The assembly where the National Song is sung shall stand in attention, the order stated. Whenever the official version of the National Song is sung or played, the audience shall stand to attention. However, when in the course of a newsreel or documentary the National Song is played as a part of the film, it is not expected of the audience to stand as standing is bound to interrupt the exhibition of the film and would create disorder and confusion rather than add to the dignity of the National Song, it added. #VandeMataramNews | In the latest guidelines issued regarding Vande Mataram, the Union Home Ministry said that whenever the official version of the National Song is sung or played, the audience shall stand to attention@Arunima24 shares more information#VandeMataram #India pic.twitter.com/7GdIyi3dIl News18 (@CNNnews18) February 11, 2026 STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The national song will now be played at civilian awards ceremonies, like the Padma awards, and all other events attended by the President, during their arrival and departure. It will also be played in public spaces like cinema halls, but standing up is not mandatory in such places. The Centre has launched a year-long celebration of Vande Mataram, with the first phase completing in November. The second is scheduled for February and two others are in August and November. With inputs from agencies Elon Musk, the worlds richest man, wants to build an AI satellite factory on the Moon. The development comes as his tech company xAI has witnessed a raft of exits over the past few weeks. So, whats going on? Elon Musk is said to be planning a lunar manufacturing facility which will build AI satellites and send them into space via a giant catapult.. Reuters Self-driving cars are so yesterday. Establishing a colony on Mars? Maybe later. Now, Elon Musk, the worlds richest man, wants to build an AI satellite factory on the Moon. The development comes as his tech company xAI has witnessed a raft of exits over the past few weeks. The development also comes after Musk announced his tech firm SpaceX would be acquiring xAI. But what happened? What do we know? Why did Musk change his mind? STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Lets take a closer look. To the Moon According to several media reports, Musk is said to have called an all-hands-on-deck staff meeting on Tuesday night. Musk, during the meeting, spoke about the future of xAI and his plans for the Moon. The New York Times quoted Musk as saying that xAI requires a factory on the Moon. Musk is said to be planning a lunar manufacturing facility which will build AI satellites and send them into space via a giant catapult. You have to go to the Moon, Musk said. He told employees this would allow xAI to achieve more computing power than any of its rivals. Its difficult to imagine what an intelligence of that scale would think about, he added, but its going to be incredibly exciting to see it happen. If youre moving faster than anyone else in any given technology arena, you will be the leader, Musk added. And xAI is moving faster than any other company no ones even close. He claimed that when this happens, theres some people who are better suited for the early stages of a company and less suited for the later stages. The development comes days after Musk took to X to announce that SpaceX had redirected its efforts towards the Moon. For those unaware, SpaceX has already shifted focus to building a self-growing city on the Moon, as we can potentially achieve that in less than 10 years, whereas Mars would take 20+ years, Musk wrote on Sunday. The mission of SpaceX remains the same: extend consciousness and life as we know it to the stars. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The development also comes after Musk announced his tech firm SpaceX would be acquiring xAI. The overriding priority is securing the future of civilisation and the Moon is faster, Musk added. However, he insisted that he had not forgotten about Mars. It is only possible to travel to Mars when the planets align every 26 months (six-month trip time), whereas we can launch to the Moon every 10 days (two-day trip time). This means we can iterate much faster to complete a Moon city than a Mars city, Musk wrote. That said, SpaceX will also strive to build a Mars city and begin doing so in about five to seven years. Ironically, the development comes a little over a year after Musk dismissed the Moon as a distraction. Musks comments echo a Wall Street Journal report on Friday, which said SpaceX has told investors it would prioritise going to the Moon and attempt a trip to Mars at a later time, targeting March 2027 for an uncrewed lunar landing. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Musk has a long record of setting ambitious timelines for projects such as electric vehicles and self-driving technology that have repeatedly failed to materialise on schedule. What changed Musks mind? It is possible that SpaceX being under contract with the US government to reach the Moon has something to do with it. According to Business Insider, Nasa in 2021 employed SpaceX to make a reusable version of its Starship vehicle that could take astronauts to the Moon as part of the Artemis programme. The contracts, worth billions of dollars, helped SpaceX pay for its Starship programme. NASA is aiming to have the Starship rocket head for the South Pole of the Moon in 2028. It also comes as SpaceX is preparing to make its debut as an initial public offering (IPO), which could occur as early as June 2026. To be fair, this isnt the first time Musk has spoken about the benefits of going to the Moon. The biggest opportunity on the Moon is to make solar cells and radiators, and then youre manufacturing on the Moon anything that weighs a lot; chips maybe still come from Earth, they weigh very little, Musk said in December. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD And then you can use a mass driver to put a billion tonnes of AI-powered satellites into orbit per year. You could set a scale to 100 terawatts of AI compute per year from the Moon, he added. SpaceX is under contract with the US government to reach the Moon. Reuters Starship can enable a permanently crewed science station on the Moon, which would be super cool! Moonbase Alpha!! Musk wrote in 2024. It is high time that humanity went beyond Earth. Should have a Moon base by now and sent astronauts to Mars. The future needs to inspire, Musk wrote in 2017. However, questions about the legality of such an enterprise abound. According to TechCrunch, the 1967 Outer Space Treaty makes it illegal for any company or nation to claim the Moon as its own. However, a 2015 law allows companies or nations to keep whatever they can get from the Moon. Some have expressed scepticism about this law. Mary-Jane Rubenstein, a professor of science and technology studies at Wesleyan University, told TechCrunch last month, Its more like saying you cant own the house, but you can have the floorboards and the beams. Because the stuff that is in the Moon is the Moon. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Let that sink in. With inputs from agencies Lucy Harrison was shot dead by her father, Kris, on January 10. Her boyfriend claims that she was upset over her fathers stance on political issues, especially his support to US President Donald Trump. Heres exactly what happened In a shocking incident, a British woman was shot dead by her father in Texas on January 10. The reason: she argued with him about US President Donald Trump earlier in the day. Lucy Harrison was visiting her father and his family in Prosper, Texas with her boyfriend Sam Littler. Lucy, a resident of Warrington, England, was struck at medium range by a bullet fired by her father, Kris Harrison. Heres all you need to know about the incident. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD How the incident unfolded Lucy Harrison, a British resident, was visiting her father for the holidays with her boyfriend in Texas. She arrived for the holidays at her fathers residence after flying out from Heathrow Airport. An inquest was opened to investigate the death of the 23-year-old Lucy at Cheshire Coroners court as a potential manslaughter case, though a grand jury in Collin County later chose not to indict Kris Harrison. According to Littler, speaking at the inquest, she got into an argument over US President Donald Trump, who was preparing to be inaugurated for his second term, with her father on Tuesday (January 10). Later, Kris Harisson shot her in the chest, leading to her death. According to a BBC report, Lucy would often get upset with her father when he spoke about owning a gun. As per the report, Littler said that his partner had asked her father during the Trump row, how would he feel if she were the girl in that situation and she had been sexually assaulted. To this, her father replied that he had had two other daughters who lived with him, so he would not be upset that much. Littler went on to say that this upset Lucy a lot. Later that day, about half an hour before the couple set off for the airport. He took her by the hand and led her into his bedroom, following which a loud bang was heard about 15 seconds later. Speaking to the reporters, Littler said that he rushed into the bedroom only to find Lucy lying on the floor while Kris was just screaming nonsense. Kris Harrisons version of events Kris Harrison, who was not present at the inquest, presented a completely different version of the incident. According to his statement, he was watching the news on gun crime when he told her he owned one and asked her if she wanted to take a look. They then went into the bedroom to check out the Glock 9mm semi-automatic handgun he owned and kept in the bedside cabinet. He further said that as he lifted the gun to show her, he heard a loud bang. He failed to understand what had happened as Lucy immediately fell. Harrison said he could not recall if his finger was on the trigger. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD He also acknowledged that he had issues with alcohol in the past. Harrison further claimed that he briefly lapsed on the day his daughter died as he was emotional about her daughter leaving her. According to evidence read at the inquest, Officer Luciana Escalera smelled alcohol on Harrisons breath when she was called to the house after the shooting. Harrison issues an apology Kris Harrison issued a statement via his solicitors in which he said, I fully accept the consequences of my actions, and there isnt a day I dont feel the weight of that loss - a weight I will carry for the rest of my life, and I know that nothing I say can ease the heartbreak this tragedy has caused. According to news website News Sky, he further said he could not undo what happened, but could honour Lucy by being a better father to her sisters. He said, I am deeply sorry for the pain others feel from this tragedy. Lucys spirit - her warmth, her humour, her kindness - will live on in all of us who loved her. With inputs from agencies His comments come as India moves closer to approving a major proposal to acquire 114 multi-role fighter aircraft (MRFA), with the Rafale widely seen as the frontrunner Indian Air Force (IAF) Vice-Chief Air Marshal Nagesh Kapoor has praised the Rafale fighter jet as the hero of Operation Sindoor, signaling the services plans to expand its fleet of advanced combat aircraft. Rafale is definitely the buzzword, India Today quoted Air Marshal Kapoor as saying, adding that the aircraft was the hero of Operation Sindoor among many other heroes. His comments come as India moves closer to approving a major proposal to acquire 114 multi-role fighter aircraft (MRFA), with the Rafale widely seen as the frontrunner. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Earlier this week, India Today TV, citing sources_,_ reported that the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, is expected to consider granting Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) for the multi-billion-dollar programme ahead of French President Emmanuel Macrons visit later this month. The proposal was cleared last month by the Defence Procurement Board, led by the Defence Secretary, marking a key procedural step toward formal negotiations for the acquisition. If approved, the deal valued at an estimated Rs 3.25 lakh crore would be among the largest fighter jet procurements in Indias history. While Air Marshal Kapoor did not specify a platform for the MRFA programme, he reaffirmed the IAFs intent to bolster its combat fleet. We are looking forward to inducting more MRFA aircraft, he was quoted as saying, adding, I cannot say which type, as it is under deliberations. The push for the new fighter jet acquisition is driven by a growing capability gap in the Indian Air Force (IAF). The service currently operates around 29 fighter squadrons, well short of its sanctioned strength of 42, even as security challenges continue along both the western and northern borders. Under the proposed deal, India plans to acquire 114 Rafale fighter jets, with 18 to be delivered in fly-away condition and the remainder to be manufactured domestically. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Sources said nearly 80% of the fleet is expected to be produced in India, with indigenous content potentially reaching 60% under the Make in India initiative. The configuration under consideration includes 88 single-seat and 26 twin-seat Rafale aircraft for the IAF. French manufacturer Dassault Aviation is expected to collaborate with Indian private sector firms for local production and assembly, boosting the countrys domestic aerospace manufacturing capabilities. With inputs from agencies As per the new guidelines dated February 6, 2026, Vande Mataram will now be sung before the national anthem, a break from an years long practice. It also mandates that the song will be sung in all official functions in its entirety, including the last four stanzas Prime Minister Narendra Modi poses with other officials during an event marking 150 years of the national song Vande Mataram, at the Indira Gandhi Indoor (IGI) Stadium, in New Delhi. File image/PTI Indias Ministry of Home Affairs has updated the guidelines for the national song Vande Mataram following days of political showdown over the last four stanzas of the song that were removed by the Congress government. Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that Jawaharlal Nehru dropped the four stanzas of the song written by Bankim Chandra Chatterjee to maintain its secular nature. PM Modis comments came as he addressed the Parliament in December during a special session to commemorate 150 years of Vande Mataram. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD What do the new guidelines say? As per the new guidelines dated February 6, 2026, Vande Mataram will now be sung before the national anthem, a break from an years long practice. It also mandates that the song will be sung in all official functions in its entirety, including the last four stanzas. Chatterjees original composition of the song, which has six stanzas, will now be extended to 3 minutes and 10 seconds. Apart from this, the audience present during the playing of Vande Mataram will be required to stand in an attention pose. However, this rule will not be applied when the song plays as part of a movie in cinema halls, as it might hinder the viewing experience. In accordance with the MHAs directive, the national song will be played at all civil investiture ceremonies, official state functions, and government-organised events attended by the President of India. It will be played both when the President arrives at and departs from these events. Vande Mataram shall be honoured by the sound of drumrolls before it is played or sung at official events. And during marching, the song will be preceded by seven steps, building up to it. Politics over Vande Mataram A row erupted after PM Modis Parliament address, where he condemned Nehrus decision not to reaffirm his and the Indian National Congress (INC) Partys commitment to Vande Mataram and began questioning the song itself. He recalled that just five days after Muhammad Ali Jinnahs opposition, on 20 October 1937, Nehru wrote a letter to Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, agreeing with the Muslim Leagues sentiment and stating that the Anand Math background of Vande Mataram could irritate Muslims. The Prime Minister quoted Nehrus words: I have read the background of the Vande Mataram song. I feel that this background may provoke Muslims. Tucked away near the Kenyan border, the mysterious Lake Natron in Tanzania intrigues researchers across the globe Lake Natron Tanzania has fueled speculations and myths across the globe. Photo credit: Blogspot In the remote northern reaches of Tanzania, near the Kenyan border, lies one of the most surreal and ancient (formed nearly 1.5 million years ago!) bodies of water on Earth - Lake Natron. Often described as a blood-red lake that turns animals into stone, Natron has fueled myths, viral images, and dramatic headlines across the world. But what is the real story behind this mysterious lake? The truth is both scientifically fascinating and visually haunting. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD First things first: Why is the lake red? The blood-red lake in Tanzania turns animals into stone. Photo credit: Blogspot Lake Natrons striking red or pink hue comes from microorganisms that thrive in its extreme conditions. The lake is highly alkaline, with a pH level that can reach 10.5 - nearly as caustic as ammonia. The water is rich in sodium carbonate and other minerals, largely due to volcanic activity from the nearby Ol Doinyo Lengai volcano, the only active carbonatite volcano in the world. During dry seasons, as water evaporates and salt concentrations increase, halophilic (salt-loving) microorganisms such as cyanobacteria flourish. These microbes produce red and orange pigments, giving the lake its dramatic, blood-like appearance. In some areas, especially where salt crusts form, the lake can even appear pink or crimson from a distance. Does the lake actually turn living creatures into stone statues? The deadly beauty of Lake Natron. Photo credit: Lumen Learning Although rooted in real, the lakes stone-turning capabilities may be largely misunderstood. Due to its high alkaline nature and the fact that it is replete with several minerals, animals and birds that fall in the lake get preserved through calcification. The high concentration of sodium carbonate acts as a natural preservative, coating their bodies and giving them a haunting stone-like appearance. However, the lake does not instantly turn living creatures into stone. There is no magical transformation. The preservation happens after death, as minerals accumulate on the carcass, effectively mummifying it. The haunting images that brought global attention to Lake Natron were captured by photographer Nick Brandt in his book Across the Ravaged Land. He found calcified bird remains along the shoreline and posed them as they were discovered, creating powerful and unsettling photographs that amplified the lakes mythic reputation. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Lake Netron: A death trap or an important ecological system? Lake Natron: Tanzanias haunting red lake but of ecological importance. Photo credit: Jzareports Despite its harsh chemistry, Lake Natron is not a lifeless death trap. In fact, it plays a crucial ecological role. The lake is the primary breeding ground for East Africas lesser flamingos. Astonishingly, these birds thrive in conditions that would be lethal to many other species. Their tough skin and specialized glands help them tolerate the caustic water, and they feed on the very cyanobacteria that give the lake its red colour. Because few predators can survive in such an extreme environment, the flamingos are relatively safe while nesting there. Each year, millions of flamingos gather along the lakes shallow edges, turning parts of the shoreline into a sea of pink. So while Lake Natron can preserve dead animals in a dramatic way, it is simultaneously a sanctuary for one of Africas most iconic bird species. The lake has extreme conditions (only specialized organisms can survive!) Lake Netron has extreme conditions that sets it apart from other lakes in the world. To begin with, the temperature of the water can soar up to 40C (104F) and the evaporation rates are pretty high during the dry season. The lake is shallow, often less than three meters deep, and salt crusts can easily form on the surface. I read Wuthering Heights over the lockdown. I was cooped up in my parents wonderfully cosy but miniscule apartment in Delhi, and it was a torrid, squelchy, dismal, sweaty May afternoon, just around the time Id gotten vaccinated. Id picked the book up when I was still in school, and I did like it even back then even though I couldnt properly follow it. There was something about the writing that reminded me it was a story to get back to. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Sweet relief though, the awfully suffocating air of May broke down, and it began to rain and whatever we say about Covid, it was when we had the luxury of time. I picked the book back up and then got utterly devoured by it, a netted door gently letting flicks of the rain in. We may disagree with Emerald Fennells version of Wuthering Heights, but there is something utterly sensuous about where the book is set, it is simple to imagine how one can be so easily consumed and haunted by such vast moors in Yorkshire, England. Inside Haworth, the Brontes home The ascent up Haworths Main Street, where the Brontes lived, is a vertical pilgrimage, a lung-burning climb over slick, hand-laid cobbles that seem to repel the very idea of the twenty-first century. The air is thick with the scent of coal smoke and damp stone, a sensory overture to the bleakly, hauntingly beautiful landscape that looms just beyond the rooftops. The village is of Northern grit, where the architecture is forged from the same dark, honey-hued sandstone as the moors themselves, appearing as though it were carved directly from the Pennine spine. To walk this path is to enter a world of atmospheric intensity, where the New Gothic allure of Emerald Fennells Wuthering Heights, led by the smouldering presence of Jacob Elordi and Margot Robbie, collides with the brilliant and stark women who left behind some of the greatest literature in the world. At the literal and metaphorical summit of the village sits the Bronte Parsonage Museum, the former home of Charlotte, Emily, Anne, and their brother Branwell. To cross its threshold is to step into a vacuum of history. The house is maintained with exquisite, care by the Bronte Society, one of the oldest literary societies in the world. Founded in 1893, the Society serves as the custodian of the sisters legacy, ensuring that the Parsonage remains not a static monument, but a living sanctuary. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Their work is a delicate balancing act of preservation and storytelling, managing a collection that draws 75,000 visitors annually, all seeking a glimpse of the domestic claustrophobia that birthed such expansive genius. The curators and staff operate reverent precision, guarding the manuscripts and personal ephemera that transformed this remote Yorkshire township into a global center of literary celebrity. The rooms feel caught in a permanent Victorian twilight. Nowhere is this more palpable than in the dining room, the creative crucible where the sisters would pace around the central table long into the night, reading their drafts aloud to the rhythm of their footsteps. Here sits the small, mahogany writing desk a surprisingly diminutive object to have carried the weight of Jane Eyre, and Wuthering Heights, where Emily scratched the letter E. Its surface is scarred with the ghosts of ink-pots and the frantic scratching of a quill, a physical manifestation of Charlottes relentless ambition. It is an intimate, startlingly small piece of furniture that reminds the viewer of the physical constraints of the sisters lives; their worlds were small, but their visions were infinite. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Contrasting this creative energy is the Parlours most somber artifact: the sofa where Emily Bronte is said to have died. It is a chillingly narrow piece of furniture, upholstered in horsehair, and it remains the most visceral reminder of the tragedy that haunted the Parsonage walls. Emily, the most mysterious of the sisters, famously refused medical intervention until her final moments. Being at the parsonage induces an absolute feeling of awe so much genius in one house, all cut short too soon. Anne died even before Emily, also from tuberculosis, Branwell died of alcoholism, their mother and older sister Maria too died of an illness, when they were all young and their aunt and father were the ones who raised the children. Charlotte lived longer than her younger sisters, protecting their works. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The Bronte Society preserves all the darkness as a part of the essential fabric of the sisters story, acknowledging that their literature was forged in the presence of death as much as it was in the beauty of the moors. The landscape itself, the vast and rolling West Yorkshire Dales, serves as the Parsonages backyard. The four-mile trail to Top Withens is a journey through desolate waves of brown bracken and boggy ground that squelches underfoot with a rhythmic, sucking sound. This is the terrain that dictated the sisters moods and their meters. In the winter, the moors are a palette of bruised purples and charcoal greys, punctuated by a lone, wind-twisted tree that stands like a sentinel against the horizon. It is easy to see why Fennells production team sought the wildness of nearby Swaledale and Arkengarthdale to capture this essence; the land possesses a feral quality that no studio set could ever replicate. It is a place where the weather is a character in its own right, capable of shifting from a soft, romantic mist to a bone-chilling gale in the span of a single afternoon. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Back in the village, the Bronte industry flourishes with a mixture of reverence and kitsch. One can find Bronte Balti and Branwell Cask Ales at the Kings Arms, where the locals remain delightfully unfazed by the Hollywood stardust currently settling over the valley. There is a sense of pride here that is distinctly Yorkshirea take us as we are attitude that the sisters would have recognised. Shops like The Cabinet of Curiosities offer vials of Victorian-style perfumes and apothecary jars that lean into the Gothic aesthetic, while the Haworth Old Post Office was from this very spot that the envelopes addressed to London publishers were sent, carrying with them the voices that would eventually change the course of English literature forever. As the 2026 film release approaches, the Bronte Parsonage stands ready for its next chapter. The Haworth to Eternity exhibition currently charts the villages transformation from a hardworking industrial township into a site of international pilgrimage, showcasing letters and albums that reveal just how early the Bronte fever began. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Despite the impending slew of visitors and the inevitable commercialisation that follows a blockbuster, the heart of Haworth remains unchanged. It is still a place of granite and ghosts, a landscape that demands respect and a house that guards its secrets with a dignified intensity. To visit is to be reminded that while films may come and go, the unbridled power of the Bronte sisters words, and the Yorkshire earth that inspired them is truly eternal. As Somaliland enters the diplomatic spotlight, the Horn of Africa is fast becoming the epicentre of a new great-power contest over the Red Sea and global trade routes Officially concluding over 30 years of diplomatic seclusion for the self-declared republic on Somalias northern coastline, Israel became the inaugural UN member state to acknowledge Somalilands independence in late December 2025. The declaration issued on December 26, 2025, triggered swift reactions throughout Africa and the Middle East. The action was denounced by the Somali Federal Government as a breach of Somalias sovereignty. In Mogadishu, protests broke out, and within days Egypt made it clear that it would increase military and security cooperation with Somalia, placing the defence of Somali territorial integrity at the forefront of its regional strategy. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD This acknowledgement has transformed what was once a marginal dispute into a geopolitical fault line with global ramifications. The status of Somaliland, the security of the Red Sea and Egypts increasing involvement in the Horn of Africa are now closely intertwined. These developments are more than a diplomatic disagreement over borders; they mark the opening of a new geopolitical struggle for control over one of the worlds most significant maritime routes. The rapid unfolding of recent events has reshaped the regions strategic landscape. The Horn of Africa, once viewed largely through the narrow prism of humanitarian crises and counter-piracy operations, has emerged as a critical geopolitical theatre. The balance of power in the Red Sea, the security of the Bab el-Mandeb Strait and the future of African boundary norms are all at stake. Historical Context Egypts growing interest in Somalia and Somaliland must be analysed within a broader historical framework. Egypt has long regarded the Red Sea as an extension of its national defence perimeter. Following the opening of the Suez Canal in 1869, maritime security became a central pillar of Cairos strategic thinking as the canal evolved into a major artery of global trade. During the Cold War, Egypts engagement in the Horn of Africa was shaped by concerns over the security of maritime routes between Europe and Asia, Israeli naval capabilities and Soviet involvement in the region. Deep diplomatic engagement with Somalia, Ethiopia and Eritrea was viewed as an essential component of Egypts strategic depth. Although Egypts attention shifted largely towards the Middle East after the collapse of the Somali state in 1991, it retained the conviction that instability in the Horn of Africa could endanger its maritime lifeline. This concern has gained renewed urgency as foreign naval bases proliferate along the Red Sea coastline and armed non-state actors target commercial shipping. Ethiopias growing regional prominence has further intensified Cairos anxieties. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Ethiopias economic expansion, assertive diplomacy and military modernisationparticularly in relation to the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Damhave challenged Egypts longstanding dominance in Nile Basin affairs. Consequently, Addis Ababas ambition to secure permanent access to the sea has been interpreted in Cairo not merely as an economic objective, but as a strategic challenge. Ethiopias January 2024 memorandum of understanding with Somaliland, granting access to Berbera Port and signalling the possibility of diplomatic recognition, was thus perceived by Egypt as a potential shift in the regional balance of power. The Red Sea Corridor and the Horn of Africa The Horn of Africa occupies a pivotal position in the global system. Situated at the crossroads of Africa, the Middle East and the Indian Ocean, it controls access to the Bab el-Mandeb Straita narrow maritime passage linking the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden and the wider Indian Ocean. Millions of barrels of oil and trillions of dollars worth of goods transit this corridor annually en route to Europe via the Suez Canal. According to data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration, approximately 12 per cent of the worlds seaborne petroleum trade passes through the Bab el-Mandeb, placing it alongside the Straits of Hormuz and Malacca as one of the worlds most critical maritime chokepoints. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Over the past two years, the vulnerability of this route has become starkly evident. Since late 2023, Houthi attacks on commercial shipping in the southern Red Sea have forced several major shipping companies to divert vessels around the Cape of Good Hope. These reroutings have resulted in significantly longer transit times, higher insurance premiums and sharply increased freight costs, as documented in a series of reports by Reuters and Lloyds. For Egypt, instability at the Bab el-Mandeb poses a direct economic and national security threat, given the countrys reliance on Suez Canal revenues. World Bank estimates indicate that canal receipts account for approximately 2 to 2.5 per cent of Egypts GDP and remain one of its most important sources of foreign exchange. Under these circumstances, control over the southern gateway to the Red Sea has assumed heightened strategic importance. The Horn of Africa is no longer a peripheral strategic outpost; it has moved to the centre of global maritime security. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Ports, Power and the Battle for Berbera At the heart of this evolving contest lies Berbera, located along Somalilands Gulf of Aden coastline on one of the worlds busiest shipping lanes. Historically, Berbera functioned as a regional commercial hub, linking Arabian markets with the Ethiopian hinterland. Over the past decade, however, a major port expansion project led by Dubai-based DP World has transformed it into a modern logistics platform. Reuters investigations indicate that DP Worlds $442 million investment has upgraded Berberas infrastructure, expanded its container-handling capacity and integrated it into a broader network of ports spanning the western Indian Ocean and the Red Sea. For Ethiopia, Berbera offers a potential alternative to Djibouti, which currently handles over 90 per cent of its maritime trade. For the Gulf states, the port serves as a logistical bridge between East Africa and the Arabian Peninsula. Its proximity to Yemen and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait also makes it an attractive site for naval logistics and maritime surveillance. In recent years, scholars and policy analysts have increasingly argued that ports are no longer neutral commercial assets, but instruments of geopolitical influence. From this perspective, infrastructure constitutes power, and control over logistics networks translates into strategic leverage. Berberas rise has therefore placed Somaliland at the centre of a broader struggle over Indian Ocean trade routes and Red Sea security. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Way Forward Since declaring independence from Somalia in 1991, Somaliland has established itself as one of the Horn of Africas most stable political entities. It has built functioning state institutions, held multiple competitive elections and maintained a relative degree of peace in a region beset by persistent conflict. Despite meeting many empirical criteria for statehood, it remained diplomatically unrecognised for more than three decades. Israels decision to recognise Somaliland has altered this long-standing equation. The move has elevated Somalilands international profile while drawing external actors more deeply into the regions complex political dynamics. The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation has rejected any attempt to alter Somalias borders, and the Somali Federal Government has condemned Israels action as a violation of its sovereignty. Egypt has consequently been compelled to reassess its regional strategy. Egyptian officials have stated unequivocally that Cairo opposes any unilateral measures that establish rival political authorities within Somalia. In an effort to prevent further recognition of Somaliland, Egypt has expanded its military training and advisory missions in Somalia and intensified diplomatic engagement within the Arab League and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation. According to a recent report in The National, a leading UAE-based publication, Egypt has broadened the scope of its security mission in Somalia, framing the defence of Mogadishus authority as a core national security objective. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD For Cairo, Somalia has thus emerged as the linchpin of its forward defence strategy in the Red Sea. By embedding itself within Somalias political and security architecture, Egypt seeks to preserve a regional order that constrains Ethiopias maritime ambitions, limits the proliferation of foreign military bases along the African coast and safeguards the southern approaches to the Suez Canal. Viewed together, Ethiopias pursuit of independent Red Sea access, Egypts expanding security presence in Somalia and Israels diplomatic recognition of Somaliland point towards the emergence of a tightly interlinked strategic triangle reshaping power dynamics in the Horn of Africa. The Horn of Africa is no longer a distant arena defined primarily by counter-terrorism and humanitarian intervention. It has become a central battleground for competition over regional security, infrastructure influence and maritime politics. From the cranes of Berbera to the warships near Bab el-Mandeb, a new geopolitical order is taking shape. Israels Red Sea strategy, Somalilands diplomatic gamble and Egypts strategic realignment have combined to create a volatile mix of risks and opportunities. The new Great Game is not confined to distant capitals; it is being fought across Africa and the Middle East, with consequences for the global economy. Its outcome will shape not only the future of the Horn of Africa, but also the security of one of the worlds most vital trade corridors. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD (Dr Gayettri Dixit is Assistant Professor, Centre for African Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University. Akshan Ranjan is PhD Research Scholar, Centre for African Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the authors. They do not necessarily reflect Firstposts views.) Journalism has survived many crises, but todays challenge is different because it is built into the economics of the industry itself The recent layoffs at The Washington Post, which eliminated around one-third of its workforce and more than 300 newsroom employees, represent one of the sharpest cuts in the papers recent history and a troubling moment for American journalism. This decision raises serious concerns, as the layoffs included many prominent journalists, columnists, and editors. It reflects the changing nature of capitalist management and a market-driven approach to journalism, both of which risk undermining the credibility and independence of the press. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Among those affected was Ishaan Tharoor, a widely read columnist on international affairs. Others included Amazon beat reporter Caroline ODonovan, culture writer Jada Yuan, books editor Jacob Brogan, technology columnist Geoff Fowler, among others. Foreign bureaus have been closed, local reporting reduced, and entire desks dismantledchanges that suggest not a temporary downturn but a deeper shift in how global news organisations operate. Journalism did not begin as a profit-seeking industry. It grew instead as a means of sharing information and holding power to account. From Roman public bulletins to the pamphlets of the Renaissance and the newspapers of the Enlightenment, journalism developed alongside democratic institutions. The printing press reduced the cost of disseminating information and enabled public debate, shaping revolutions and political reform across Europe and the Americas. By the 20th century, newspapers such as The Washington Post had become central institutions of democratic oversight. The Posts investigation of the Watergate scandal demonstrated how well-funded, independent journalism could challenge the highest levels of political authority. The Crisis of the Business Model The difficulties facing journalism today cannot be understood without looking at broader changes in the global economy. Under industrial capitalism, newspapers were sustained by a cross-subsidy model: advertising funded reporting. Large newsrooms generated investigative journalism. Profits were reinvested in reporting capacity. Digital capitalism disrupted this model. Technology platforms captured advertising revenue, and search engines and social media became intermediaries between publishers and audiences. As a result, publishers lost both revenue and traffic. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The financial pressures are stark: The Washington Post reportedly lost about $77 million in 2023 and roughly $100 million in 2024. It also lost hundreds of thousands of subscribers, including about 250,000 cancellations following editorial controversies in 2024. Globally, nearly 15,000 media jobs were eliminated in 2024 alone, reflecting a systemic contraction of the industry. These figures show that the problem extends far beyond a single newspaper and reflects wider pressures across the industry. Scholars of political economy have long argued that media institutions under capitalism face an inherent contradiction: journalism serves the public interest, but its survival depends on profitability. When profit margins shrink, public-interest reporting is often the first casualty. Bezos, Corporate Power and Editorial Direction Jeff Bezoss acquisition of The Washington Post in 2013 was widely seen as a rescue of a declining newspaper. For several years, the paper expanded digitally and increased subscriptions. However, ownership by one of the worlds most powerful business figures inevitably brought new pressures and competing priorities. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Recent reports indicate that Bezos has intervened in editorial direction, including blocking certain political endorsements and restricting opinion content to specific ideological boundaries, prompting resignations of senior editors. These decisions contributed to subscriber losses and internal dissent. Critics, including former executive editor Marty Baron, have argued that the downsizing and editorial shifts may reflect broader strategic considerations related to business interests and political relationships. Trump and the New Media Environment The relationship between Donald Trump and Bezos was not particularly strong until 2024, but by March 2024 there was a shift in their relationship. This change came just after the view that Trump might return to power in Washington, DC. This shift coincided with the decision to withdraw an editorial endorsement of Kamala Harris, a move that sparked significant internal debate. The relationship between media institutions and political power has always been complex, but recent developments suggest a new phase. Trump, who had previously criticised Bezos and The Washington Post, later praised Bezos publicly in 2025. Bezos was among the prominent business leaders seen making overtures towards the administration, reflecting a broader pattern of corporate-state alignment in highly regulated sectors. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Journalists and analysts have warned that political pressures, legal investigations targeting reporters, and a hostile regulatory climate could further weaken independent journalism. Some commentators argue that corporate owners may seek to avoid political confrontation to protect broader business interests, especially when companies operate in heavily regulated markets worldwide. In a broader context, the pressures on journalism reflect deeper changes in the modern economy. Financialisation has led many media organisations to prioritise profitability and shareholder returns, often resulting in cost-cutting that weakens reporting capacity. At the same time, the rise of platform capitalism has allowed large technology companies to capture a major share of advertising revenue and control the distribution of news, undermining the financial base of traditional newspapers. Simultaneously, ownership of major media outlets has become increasingly concentrated, with fewer individuals and corporations controlling major media institutions. Combined with the precarious nature of journalistic labour, reporters and editors increasingly face short-term contracts and job insecurity. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Political theorists, including Jurgen Habermas, have long argued that when the public sphere becomes shaped primarily by market forces, the space for informed democratic debate begins to shrink. The layoffs at The Washington Post are a clear example of how these economic pressures are reshaping the newsroom itself. Needed, New Institutional Models The layoffs at The Washington Post are not simply a story about one newspaper. They reflect several long-term shifts converging at once: the collapse of the industrial newspaper business model; the rise of digital capitalism; the growing power of global technology corporations; increasing political pressures on the press; and rapid technological disruption. Journalism has survived many crises, but todays challenge is different because it is built into the economics of the industry itself. When newsrooms shrink, the consequences extend beyond the media industry. They affect the quality of public debate, the accountability of governments, and the capacity of societies to understand themselves. For many reporters, the layoffs were not an abstract economic adjustment but the abrupt end of years of work, sources, and institutional memory. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The future of journalism will depend on whether new institutional modelspublic funding, non-profit journalism, and reader-supported platformscan sustain the role that newspapers once played. History suggests that societies that neglect journalism ultimately weaken their own democracies. (The writer is a policy analyst, columnist and independent researcher specialising in public policy, international relations and global governance. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Firstposts views.) New Delhi is set to host a landmark global AI event, AI Impact Summit 2026, next week. The event aims to bring together influential technologists, policymakers and innovators to shape the future of artificial intelligence. Google CEO Sundar Pichai, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, and several other tech leaders are travelling to attend the event. The capital of India is set to take centre stage in the global artificial intelligence conversation as it hosts the AI Impact Summit 2026 from February 1620 at Bharat Mandapam. Touted as one of the largest AI events ever held, the summit will convene policymakers, industry giants, and innovators from around the world to deliberate on the future of artificial intelligence. The event comes at a pivotal time, as governments and businesses race to manage the opportunities and risks of generative AI. Indias hosting of this global summit signals its growing leadership in the worlds AI race, and its intent to be a bridge between advanced economies and the developing world in shaping responsible AI frameworks. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD AI Impact Summit 2026: Whos coming and whats on the agenda? The list of confirmed attendees reads like a whos who of the global technology world. Leaders from major AI organisations and tech giants such as Google CEO Sundar Pichai, OpenAIs Sam Altman, Nvidia founder Jensen Huang, and DeepMind CEO Demis Hassabis are expected in the Indian capital. The summit will also attract a broader mix of global CEOs and thinkers, including representatives from Microsoft, Adobe, Qualcomm and Accenture, as well as renowned AI researchers like Yann LeCun and Yoshua Bengio. Indian industry is well represented too, with top executives from Reliance Industries, Tata Sons, Infosys and other major domestic players slated to participate in discussions. Political leaders are not missing from the lineup. French President Emmanuel Macron is scheduled to be in Delhi during the summit, using the platform to strengthen technological cooperation and bilateral relations with India. The most recent entry in the list is Irans Minister of Information and Communications Technology Sattar Hashemi. The AI Impact Summit is not just a networking event, its agenda is geared towards meaningful outcomes. Built around three core pillars People, Planet and Progress the summits agenda will span seven key thematic areas, from inclusive workforce development and trusted AI systems to sustainable innovation and AI for economic growth. Policymakers and experts will explore how to unlock AIs potential in sectors such as healthcare, education, agriculture and public services, while addressing ethical and regulatory challenges. India, one of the leading nation in the AI world Indias role as host isnt just symbolic. The country has quietly become one of the top three nations in the global AI race, after the United States and China. According to multiple international reports, India is now home to more than 4,000 AI startups, with government-backed initiatives accelerating domestic AI adoption across healthcare, agriculture, education, and governance. Through its India AI Mission, launched in 2025, the government has committed over Rs 10,000 crore to support research, data infrastructure, and AI talent development. The mission aims to position India as a hub for inclusive and ethical AI innovation, with a focus on using artificial intelligence to solve real-world problems rather than just power big tech profits. Now, the govt has also announced its 2.0 version of the mission. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Hosting the AI Impact Summit 2026 allows India to cement its role as a global convener, a country that can bridge regulatory, ethical, and developmental divides between the West and the Global South. By bringing the worlds top AI leaders to Delhi, India is not only showcasing its capabilities but also setting the stage for policy frameworks and partnerships that could shape the next decade of global AI governance. Indian-American business leader and philanthropist Chandrika Krishnamurthy Tandon praised Indias growing push in Artificial Intelligence, lauding Prime Minister Narendra Modis efforts to prioritise AI and host the AI Impact Summit in New Delhi. India is hosting the AI Impact Summit at the Bharat Mandapam from February 16 to 20, 2026. The Summit signals the world that India is serious about the advancements in tech and Artificial Intelligence and providing opportunities to spur the interesting collaboration, Chandrika Krishnamurthy Tandon, an Indian-American business leader has said. The summit will mainly focus on practical use of AI by incorporating it in our daily lives including healthcare, agriculture, skilling language technologies, innovation, and digital infrastructure. Tandon is a distinguished philanthropist and Grammy-award winning artist who appreciated PM Narendra Modi and his efforts to prioritise the usage of AI. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD I applaud this whole notion that we are trying to use AI to benefit all sectors of society, and that has been a stated goal of Viksit Bharat and all of the broader initiatives, Tandon told PTI on Tuesday. Global tech leaders participating Over 100 international leaders will be present in the global summit, which will be the first-ever global AI Summit hosted in the Global South and will focus on the principles of People, Planet, and Progress. Tech leaders from Sam Altman, Bill Gates, and Sundar Pichai will be attending the Summit bringing together government, industry, and expertise in the related field. India is serious about AI This is an opportunity to not just have conversations in the formal agenda, but the informal interactions that get built as a result of this are going to spur a lot of interesting collaborations and innovation, Tandon said. It also signals to the world that India is serious about AI. Given the demographic dividend that we have as a country, its a tremendous opportunity for India to leverage that and give gifts to the world. Because I think Indias learning will not be contained within India. Everyone can learn from it, she added. Establishment of Krishnamurthy Tandon School of Artificial Intelligence at IIMA Tandons contribution to the Indian education system in the field of AI remains an important step towards advancement and development. In the past week, Tandon and his husband Ranjan Tandon who is an IIT Kanpur and Harvard Business School alumnus and founder and chairman of Libra Advisors, exchanged a Memorandum of Understanding with the Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad (IIMA) for the establishment of the Krishnamurthy Tandon School of Artificial Intelligence at the prestigious institution. The school will be established through a generous endowment of 100 crore rupees by Tandon, who is also an alumna of 1975 batch of IIMA. She termed the establishment of the dedicated school of Artificial Intelligence at the Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad as a real milestone for India and underlined that learnings in India about translational AI will hold deep relevance for the world. This will create a school of data science and AI at IIM Ahmedabad, my alma mater, and it is going to be the first-of-its-kind in a management institution. I think its a real milestone for India. The focus of this School will be on translational research to look at how AI is going to affect different segments of management, different functions in management, and different industrial verticals, she said. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD From agriculture to healthcare to education From agriculture to healthcare to education, this will really look at what are the specific problems and what is AI going to do towards that, she added. The MoU was exchanged on January 29, in the presence of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and Ambassador Vinay Kwatra virtually in the US. Pradhan said that the MoU in the lead-up to the IndiaAI Impact Summit 2026 is a solid reflection of the concrete actions the country is taking to become a global AI superpower. Boosting Indias AI capabilities He expressed confidence in Krishnamurthy Tandon School of Artificial Intelligence, that it will work towards boosting Indias AI capabilities and democratising AI advancement in India. Tandon emphasised that there will be a lot of focus on creating a new kind of thinker. There will be advancements in critical, ethical, and emotional thinking. Those are some of the issues that are going to change governance and management, she said, adding that AI is going to upend many functions and the future is going to be a bit different. Ultimately, the goal of all this is to be able to help solve challenges for India and make it accessible. If we have great leaders, they can make better techniques available to the rest of their organisations, the country, the society, she said. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Indias new IT rules mandate faster takedowns and compulsory labelling of AI-generated content. But as experts warn, the problem with deepfakes runs deeper than what a label can fix. The Supreme Courts growing scrutiny of AI-generated content and the governments decision to tighten the Information Technology Rules, 2021, have put deepfakes firmly in the spotlight. In the ruling, social media platforms such as YouTube, Instagram, and X will have just three hours to take down flagged synthetic content once notified by authorities. They must also label all AI-generated media and embed permanent identifiers or metadata marking it as artificial. The new rules will be implemented from February 20 onwards. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Its a significant step towards reining in the misuse of generative AI, from fabricated political videos to fake legal citation, but questions remain: is this enough to restore public trust? Is labelling enough? For many experts, the new labelling rule is an overdue but incomplete response. It signals recognition that synthetic media has become a mainstream threat, capable of undermining credibility, fuelling misinformation, and damaging reputations within hours. Indias move to explicitly bring synthetically generated information within the IT Rules is a significant regulatory step, said Malcolm Gomes, Chief Operating Officer at Privy by IDfy. It recognises that deepfakes and AI-generated media are no longer fringe concerns but real risks to public trust and institutional credibility. In my view, this acknowledgement is overdue, because the scale and sophistication of synthetic media today far outpaces the current guardrails. However, Gomes warns that labelling cannot be the only safeguard. Synthetic content spreads extremely fast across platforms, and by the time it is labelled, it may already have influenced opinion, disrupted markets, or caused reputational harm, he said. Gomes emphesised that The real safeguard has to sit much earlier in the process, through proactive deepfake detection tools, stronger content verification systems, and continuous monitoring that can identify manipulated media before it spreads widely. Without this technical backbone, labelling risks becoming a compliance formality rather than a meaningful control. Legal experts share this view, calling for a deeper framework that combines judicial oversight with legislative muscle. Atul Kumar, Supreme Court lawyer, cautioned that while the recent steps are welcome, piecemeal measures will not suffice. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD AI is a double-edged sword; if not used cautiously and genuinely, it can inflict injury on the unintended also, Kumar said. He pointed out how the courts themselves have begun to encounter the perils of AI misuse. If AI starts dominating the proceedings of the courts, it would have dangerously intimidating consequences. In Deepak Raheja vs Omkara, AI generated non-existent case references in a rejoinder affidavit, he said. Similarly, the Supreme Court questioned the Election Commissions use of AI-driven software, observing that such tools were not based on ground realities. Kumar said that while the judiciary can take assistance from AI in administrative matters such as case listing, decision-making must remain human-led. The law is a dynamic concept; only a human is competent to interpret it within context and circumstance, he said. One directive from a court or a government order will not solve the deepfake challenge, we need detailed guidelines and stricter laws. Why AI governance is becoming a board-level trust imperative? Beyond regulation, experts say organisations themselves must confront how AI-generated media could expose them to reputational and legal risks. Deepfakes, once a distant threat, now pose enterprise-level dangers, from manipulated brand videos to fraudulent employee communications. AI governance is quickly becoming a board-level trust priority, whether organisations are ready for it or not, said Gomes. The misuse of AI-generated media can create regulatory exposure, financial liability, operational disruption, and long-term brand damage. This is not just a content moderation issue, it is an enterprise risk issue. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD He added that corporate boards now need clear visibility into how AI systems are deployed, how authenticity is verified, and how third-party AI risks are managed. In the years ahead, credibility will depend not just on innovation, but on responsible oversight, Gomes said. Organisations that treat AI governance as a core element of continuous risk management, rather than a one-time compliance exercise, will be far better positioned to retain trust in an environment where manipulation is becoming cheaper and more scalable by the day. As deepfakes grow more convincing and accessible, Indias new labelling and takedown rules are a crucial foundation, but far from a solution. Technology experts and lawyers alike agree that AI governance must evolve faster than AI deception. Without proactive detection, rigorous oversight, and stronger laws, labelling may end up being little more than a digital warning tag on an ever-expanding web of synthetic lies. Many users reported lagging and slow traffic when using Telegram this week after Russias communications watchdog said that the popular messaging app would face greater restrictions because it failed to correct previous violations Russia is slowly moving away from mainstream messaging apps to introduce its own platforms, a move that has been criticised by tech innovators as regressive. Telegram founder Pavel Durov has become the latest figure to slam the Russian governments decision to restrict his app, along with several others, vowing to fight for their survival in the country. Many users reported lagging and slow traffic when using Telegram this week after Russias communications watchdog said that the popular messaging app would face greater restrictions because it failed to correct previous violations. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD A statement from the communications regulator Roskomnadzor said, As before, Russian law is not being observed, personal data is not protected, and there are no effective measures to counter fraud and the use of the messaging app for criminal and terrorist purposes. Telegram has also been slapped with fines scaling up to 64 million rubles as part of eight upcoming court hearings. spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said, It is a great shame that the company is not carrying out laws that need to be observed. What has Durov said? Russia last year mandated that all smartphones pre-install the government-backed Max was introduced in March by the state-controlled social media company VK as a replacement for VK Messenger, which has been included on the governments list of mandatory apps since 2023. Durov defended the platform, arguing that the measures were intended to steer users toward a state-backed alternative designed for surveillance and political censorship. Restricting citizens freedom is never the right answer. Telegram stands for freedom of speech and privacy, no matter the pressure, he said. Whats Max app? The app is equipped with features like messaging, making audio and video calls and sending money, while makers have said that additional updates will be introduced in the future. According to Tass, around 18 million people have registered with Max since its launch. Russia restricts WhatsApp, Telegram Russia has started restricting certain communications on WhatsApp and Telegram, tightening its grip on the foreign-owned encrypted messaging services as part of its wider bid to exert greater control over the internet. The states digital regulator alleged the platforms were being misused for sabotage and terrorist activities and accused their owners of refusing to share information with law enforcement, the Interfax news agency reported. Moscows disputes with international tech companies have simmered for years, particularly over data storage and content regulations. Tensions escalated sharply after Russias full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, with critics arguing that the Kremlin is moving to consolidate its authority over the countrys online space. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD With voting set to begin on Thursday, Bangladeshs Election Commission has said that the 2026 national polls will be free, fair, impartial and credible, even as security concerns and political tensions dominate the run-up With just one day to go before Bangladeshs highly anticipated national election, the Election Commission (EC) has assured voters that the poll scheduled for Thursday will be free, fair, impartial and credible. Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin made the promise during a briefing for foreign journalists and international observers in the capital. Preparations followed a coordinated and multi-dimensional approach encompassing legal reforms, institutional readiness, stakeholder consultations and operational planning, he said. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The comments come as Bangladesh prepares to hold its 13th national parliamentary election alongside a national referendum, an event that marks a major milestone following political upheaval in recent years. The EC has worked to enrol millions of new voters, including women and expatriates, with over 127 million registered to vote, including nearly 800,000 abroad voters who can cast ballots by mail. BREAKING: Bangladesh braces for crucial national polls as the Election Commission holds a key press briefing in Dhaka. Authorities outline measures to ensure a fair and transparent vote amid heightened political tensions and global scrutiny. With major parties gearing up for pic.twitter.com/eKlOh0fHCV Aditya Kumar Trivedi (@adityasvlogs) February 11, 2026 Wide preparations, international oversight Polling materials, including ballot boxes, were distributed nationwide on Wednesday as officials finalised logistical arrangements. The EC says all polling centres have been verified, polling staff trained, and security arrangements coordinated with law enforcement to ensure smooth voting. Presiding officers, assisted by polling staff, will manage polling and counting at stations in the presence of candidates agents, accredited observers and journalists, Nasir Uddin said, emphasising transparency and procedural integrity. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The commission expects robust turnout and has invited observers from over 45 countries to monitor the process. Observers from 45 countries and organisations expressed satisfaction with our overall readiness and appreciated our efforts, he added. With ballots set to open at 7:30 am on Thursday and close at 4:30 pm, Bangladeshis from all walks of life are poised to cast their votes in what officials hope will be a peaceful and credible democratic exercise. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Also read | Yunus vows smooth power handover to elected govt as Bangladesh heads to historic polls Tight security as over half of polling centres flagged high-risk More than half of Bangladeshs polling centres have been classified as risk-prone ahead of the national election. Officials say nearly 90% of polling stations will have CCTV cameras installed, and many police in Dhaka will wear body cameras as part of efforts to deter violence and ensure safety. Election Commissioner Abul Fazal Mohammad Sanaullah noted that security deployments are based on local risk assessments, while law enforcement and technology are being used more widely than ever before. Authorities have also deployed a record number of personnel to maintain peace before, during, and after voting. Bangladeshs political parties are spending crores on Facebook ads ahead of the 2026 elections, turning social media into a key battleground as BNP and allies aggressively target young and undecided voters. As Bangladesh heads towards a crucial general election, the contest is no longer confined to rallies, posters and television debates. Facebook has emerged as the principal theatre of political warfare with parties pouring crores of taka into targeted advertisements in an attempt to shape narratives and woo a digitally connected electorate. Data on political advertising shows that the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) alone spent $96,171, roughly Tk 1.15 crore on 5,179 advertisements on the platform. The scale and intensity of this campaign signal how central social media strategy has become for the party, particularly as it seeks to consolidate support amid shifting political dynamics. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Jamaat-e-Islami and the 11-party alliance have also invested heavily in the digital push. Collectively, they used at least 104 Facebook pages to run 2,792 advertisements, spending no less than Tk 85 lakh. Within the alliance, Tk 4 lakh was spent by Khelafat Majlish and Bangladesh Khelafat Majlish, Tk 3.8 lakh by the National Citizen Party and about Tk 1 lakh by Amar Bangladesh (AB) Party. The figures highlight a broader transformation in electioneering in Bangladesh, a move from street mobilisation to sophisticated micro-targeting. Targeting Gen Z and first-time voters The aggressive ad blitz comes at a time when Bangladeshs young electorate is expected to play a decisive role. Reports indicate that Gen Z voters are particularly focused on jobs, governance reforms and freedoms, making them a strategic demographic for political messaging. Social media platforms, especially Facebook, offer direct access to this segment, many of whom consume news and political content primarily online. Digital political campaigns allow parties to tailor messages by geography, age group and interests a powerful tool in a fragmented political climate. Short videos, sponsored posts and issue-based campaigns can be deployed rapidly in response to developments on the ground, something traditional campaigning often cannot match. For the BNP and its allies, Facebook advertising provides an opportunity to bypass mainstream media gatekeeping and directly challenge the ruling establishments narrative. Conversely, it also raises concerns about misinformation, echo chambers and opaque funding flows. Bangladeshs political arena has been marked by intense polarisation in recent years. Against this backdrop, online campaigns risk amplifying divisive rhetoric, particularly when algorithms reward emotive or controversial content. Analysts note that the digital shift has lowered entry barriers for smaller parties as well, enabling them to project influence disproportionate to their organisational size on the ground. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The 2026 election has already drawn attention internationally, with assurances from the Election Commission promising a free, fair and credible vote. Yet the battle for perception both domestic and global is increasingly unfolding online. Regulation, transparency and the credibility question The surge in political advertising expenditure also brings questions of transparency to the fore. While Metas ad library provides some disclosure on spending and sponsors, scrutiny over real-time compliance and content accuracy remains limited. In a politically charged environment, ensuring that digital campaigning adheres to electoral norms will be a key test for authorities. Critics argue that without robust monitoring mechanisms, online spaces could become fertile ground for coordinated disinformation campaigns or foreign influence operations. The scale of spending crores of taka within months reflects how seriously parties are taking the digital domain. Compared to traditional print or broadcast advertising, online promotions can be measured, optimised and amplified at speed, offering a return on investment difficult to ignore. At the same time, the optics of heavy ad spending may cut both ways. For a population grappling with economic pressures, flashy digital campaigns risk appearing disconnected from everyday realities unless paired with credible policy proposals. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD As Bangladesh moves closer to polling day, Facebook timelines may increasingly resemble campaign billboards. The digital scramble illustrates not just technological evolution, but a fundamental shift in how political legitimacy is contested in the worlds eighth-most populous country. Whether this online surge will translate into votes at ballot boxes remains uncertain. What is clear, however, is that in modern Bangladesh, elections are no longer fought only in Dhakas streets they are fought on screens across the nation. Bangladesh set to vote in its 13th parliamentary election today under an interim government, with BNP and Jamaat contesting in the absence of the disbanded Awami League amid tight security and a nationwide reform referendum. Army soldiers patrol on a street as a part of heightened security measures leading up to Thursday's parliamentary national election, in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Mahmud Hossain Opu) Bangladesh stands at a historic crossroads today as nearly 127 million voters head to the polls for the 13th parliamentary elections, the first since the dramatic collapse of Sheikh Hasinas 15-year administration. Eighteen months after a student-led uprising paved the way for Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunuss interim government, the nation is attempting a democratic reset. However, this transition is shadowed by a fortress-like security environment and rigging fears. With the once-dominant Awami League disbanded and barred from the contest, the political vacuum has ignited a fierce, bipolar rivalry between the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and the resurgent Jamaat-e-Islami. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The voting will begin simultaneously in 299 parliamentary constituencies across the country from 7:30 am and will continue until 4:30 pm. Voting in one constituency has been cancelled due to the death of a candidate. A total of 1,755 candidates from 50 political parties and 273 independents are contesting in the election. The BNP has fielded the highest number of 291 candidates. There are 83 female candidates. All of you should exercise your respective voting rights consciously, Chief Adviser Yunus said in a message on Wednesday. Yunus, who has promised to quickly transfer power to the elected government, urged the political parties, candidates and other concerned parties to maintain restraint, tolerance and democratic behaviour on the polling day. The countrymen, through this national election, will elect peoples representatives, who are competent, responsible and respectful of the peoples aspirations, he said. Mentioning that a free, fair, impartial and acceptable election is the foundation of a democratic state, he said the present interim government is fully committed to achieving this goal ultimately. In a televised address to the nation, Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin called upon the voters to cast their votes freely. He urged political parties, candidates, and voters to maintain a peaceful and cordial environment. He said that as a natural outcome of the democratic process, victory and defeat must be accepted by all in a normal manner. Nasir earlier reaffirmed the Election Commissions commitment to holding a free, fair, impartial and acceptable election, saying all preparations have been made to ensure a peaceful and credible election. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The election will be completed as promised to the people, he said while briefing international observers and media representatives in the capital. He said that representatives from 45 countries and organisations, including election management bodies and international institutions, are observing the polls. The participation of media and observers will play a significant role in ensuring maximum transparency and public trust in this election, he said. Election Commissioner Abdur Rahmanel Machud said nearly 900,000 law enforcement personnel have been deployed to ensure security during the election, state-run BSS news agency reported. Authorities have deployed Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs) and Rapid Action Teams (RATs) across key areas of the capital. Security deployment is being made based on local sensitivity assessments, Election Commissioner Abul Fazal Mohammad Sanaullah told a media briefing late Tuesday. Police said they provided a list of risk-prone polling centres to the EC, which showed that out of 2,131 polling centres in Dhaka, 1,614 were risk-prone. However, the army said they have identified two centres in Dhaka city to be risky. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD For the first time, drones and body-worn cameras are being used for election security, Sanaullah said. Around 25,000 body-worn cameras will be deployed on the field. Some of these are IP-based for live feed, while others will record locally. Moreover, for continuous monitoring, CCTV cameras have already been installed in over 90% of centres. He said voting will be held in a total of 42,659 centres. EC data showed that first-time voters made up some 3.58 per cent of nearly 127 million voters. Masud on Wednesday said the results of the general elections and the referendum will be announced without much delay. The voting atmosphere is very good. A festive mood prevails. We are working in a well-planned manner. I hope the results will be published without significant delay, he told reporters. For the first time, nearly 800,000 expatriate Bangladeshis, who have registered with the poll body, will be able to vote through an IT-based postal ballot system. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Opinion polls have positioned BNP as the frontrunner, with its chief Tarique Rahman, back from 17 years of exile in the UK, leading the charge for forming the next government. Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami chief Shafiqur Rahman on Wednesday said that his party would work to build strong, respectful and mutually beneficial relations with India if voted to power. Analysts flag uncertainties Leading political analysts on Wednesday expressed skepticism as Bangladesh is set to hold general election on Thursday under an interim regime in a changed political landscape, with some cautious about uncertainties and manipulation over polling. Bangladesh will hold its 13th parliamentary elections on Thursday the first since the ouster of prime minister Sheikh Hasinas Awami League in massive student protests in August 2024. The centre-right Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) pitted against its longtime ally, far-right Jamaat-e-Islami, in the absence of now disbanded Hasinas Awami League in the election described by Interim government chief Muhammad Yunus in his last nationwide address overnight as the best and most historic election. But uncertainties remain over what kind of election it will be, said prominent economist and political analyst Debapriya Bhattacharya, who headed a major committee of the outgoing interim administration on the corruption of the ousted Awami League regime. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Asked if Yunus promise of a new settlement for a new Bangladesh by pushing a reset button, Bhattacharya said and added, but the gap is being seen in the candidate selection process, doubts about voter participation and old practices money, muscle and influence again becoming dominant. Yunus might have an aspiration, but there is a gap in aspiration and capability and we are feeling that gap every day, Bhattacharya, the founding executive director and currently a distinguished fellow of leading think tank Centre for Policy Dialogue, said. There are still many uncertainties: Will everyone be able to vote freely? If they do, will their votes be properly counted? So, we cannot judge until the entire process is over, he told PTI. Bhattacharya said the interim government knew that authoritarian power concentration within the ruling party and family-based politics had crippled the state yet they did not address this structurally. Leading TV talk show host and executive director of Centre for Governance Studies (CGS) Zillur Rahman echoed the sentiment as he said most people expected the election to see the end of the interim government, which could not deliver its promised reforms. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD My fear centres around what would be the scenario of the election day and post election period, he said. Rahman said despite its stigmas since 1971 opposing Bangladeshs independence from Pakistan Jamaat was able to create a space largely, visibly with interim governments backing and western support for geopolitical reasons, using its regimented party structure. But if the voter turnout is high, BNP could win but if it is low, Jamaat could benefit, Rahman told PTI. Explaining the BNP weakness, a former BNP lawmaker preferring anonymity said, BNPs new chairman Tarique Rahmans family oriented politics could be a disadvantage for the party as his physician wife and lawyer daughter are portrayed as important figures giving Jamaat an edge. (Yet), I think, the people of Bangladesh have not turned so crazy to vote for a party (Jamaat) which was opposed to the very foundation of the country, pointed out Sabir Mostafa, political affairs writer and former chief of Bangla service of BBC and Voice of Bangla services. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD But, he said, the issue of election manipulation remained as a real fear factor. Most analysts, however, said the disbanded Awami League, despite its current political wilderness, commands a huge support and their role would largely influence the voting. Hasina, who is in exile in India since her ouster, encouraged her party supporters and activists to boycott voting, but most analysts said a significant segment from her lot would cast their ballots because of ground level realities, including security concerns. According to newspaper reports, local Awami leaders, who were exposed to persecution for the past 18 months, appeared on BNP election campaign stages chanting their partys Joy Bangla, Joy Bangabandhu slogans and extending support for BNP candidates at places. In some other areas, they were trying to woo Jamaat while in both cases they sought to ensure security of their life and livelihood in the post August 5, 2024 period, the media report said. The analysts, however, said a large number of Awami League supporters would boycott the voting being led by a sense of disfranchisement. Jon Danilowicz, former deputy head of the US mission in Dhaka, called the election as a real test of the countrys political class. The real test of Bangladeshs political class will take place on February 13. Will they be able to accept the verdict of Bangladeshs voters and play their respective roles in helping to build a new Bangladesh? If not, then the odds of history repeating itself will rise, Danilcowicz, who still keenly follows and comments on Bangladeshs political affairs, said in a post on X over the weekend. With inputs from agencies The perpetrator behind the attack in Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia, was also found dead, with police officials saying that the death appears to be selfinflicted. Police said an alert was issued about an active shooter at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School on Tuesday afternoon This screengrab of a video provided by local journalist Trent Ernst shows the middle school and high school building where a shooting took place, leaving at least nine people dead in the small town of Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia, on February 10, 2026. (Photo by Trent Ernst / AFP) At least nine people were killed in Canada, including seven who were shot dead in a secondary school, while the remaining two were found dead at a home, the federal police have said. At the same time, the perpetrator behind the attack in Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia, was also found dead, with police officials saying that the death appears to be selfinflicted. Police said an alert was issued about an active shooter at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School on Tuesday afternoon. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Meanwhile, 27 people were injured in the shooting incident, including two with serious injuries and 25 with non-life-threatening injuries, the RCMP said in a statement. On Tuesday, the police received an alert about an active shooting incident at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School, following which authorities searched the premises and initially found six people, not including the suspect, who had been shot dead. Deaths in residence connected Police identified a secondary location believed to be connected to the incident, where two additional victims were located deceased in a residence, the statement said. Canadian media have reported that the shooter was female, but the RCMP statement did not include any details about the suspect. This was a rapidly evolving and dynamic situation, and the swift cooperation from the school, first responders, and the community played a critical role in our response, the RCMPs northern district commander, Ken Floyd, said in a statement. Locals schools shut Authorities in the area have issued a statement announcing that all local schools in Tumbler Ridge will remain shut for the rest of the week in the wake of the deadly attack. Due to the tragic events that unfolded in the community of Tumbler Ridge today, Tumbler Ridge Secondary School and Tumbler Ridge Elementary School will be closed for the rest of the week," the statement said. Tumbler Ridge, a quiet town with roughly 2,400 residents, is more than 1,100 kilometers (680 miles) north of Vancouver, British Columbias largest city. We are devastated by the loss of life and the profound impact this tragedy has had on families, students, staff, and our entire town, the municipality said. Carney suspends Europe trip Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has cancelled his scheduled visit to Halifax and Munich in the wake of the mass shooting. In a statement posted on X, Carney said, I am devastated by todays horrific shootings in Tumbler Ridge, B.C. My prayers and deepest condolences are with the families and friends who have lost loved ones to these horrific acts of violence. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD I am devastated by todays horrific shootings in Tumbler Ridge, B.C. My prayers and deepest condolences are with the families and friends who have lost loved ones to these horrific acts of violence. I join Canadians in grieving with those whose lives have been changed Mark Carney (@MarkJCarney) February 11, 2026 With inputs from agencies The European Commission and several member states are exploring ways to bypass Hungarys veto, according to a report, citing EU officials and diplomats Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban holds an international press conference in Budapest, Hungary, on January 5, 2026. Reuters File Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has slammed the European Unions reported plans to fast-track Ukraines membership bid, describing the move as an open declaration of war against Hungary. The European Commission is working on proposals to accelerate Kyivs accession process, potentially granting Ukraine partial EU membership before it completes all required reforms. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has urged that his country join the bloc by 2027 as part of any future peace agreement with Russia, reported Politico. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Orban, who is widely seen as maintaining close ties with Moscow, has been a vocal opponent of Ukraines EU membership. According to a Politico report, citing EU officials and diplomats, the European Commission and several member states are exploring ways to bypass Hungarys veto. Options under discussion reportedly include seeking pressure from US President Donald Trump on Budapest or invoking Article 7 of the EU treaty to suspend Hungarys voting rights, added the report. Responding to the reports, Orban said in a post on X on Wednesday that such steps would amount to an open declaration of war against Hungary. Orban said that Politico had published Brussels and Kyivs latest war plan, the five-point Zelenskyy plan. They have decided that Ukraine will be admitted to the Union as early as 2027, he was quoted as saying. They disregard the decision of the Hungarian people and are determined to remove the Hungarian government by any means necessary, he added. Hungarians are set to vote in a closely fought general election in April. Orban, who has ruled for the past two decades, is trailing in opinion polls, with his Fidesz party facing a resurgent opposition that has pledged to tackle corruption and restore the rule of law. The Hungarian prime minister has frequently clashed with Zelenskyy and has made Ukraines prospective EU membership a key campaign issue, casting Kyiv and Brussels as threats to Hungarys sovereignty. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD This April, at the ballot box, Hungarians must stop them, he said. Fidesz is the only force standing between Hungary and Brusselian rule, and the only guarantee of Hungarian sovereignty. With inputs from agencies The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reopened airspace around El Paso International Airport Wednesday morning, just hours after announcing a 10-day closure that would have grounded all flights Flights at El Paso International Airport in Texas were temporarily halted on Wednesday after drones linked to a Mexican drug cartel entered US airspace. Mexican cartel drones breached US airspace, AFP quoted a US administration official as saying said on condition of anonymity, adding that US forces took action to disable the drones. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reopened airspace around El Paso International Airport Wednesday morning, just hours after announcing a 10-day closure that would have grounded all flights. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD In a social media post, the FAA said the temporary closure has been lifted, noting there was no threat to commercial aviation and all flights will resume. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy posted on X: The FAA and the Defense Department acted swiftly to address a cartel drone incursion. The threat has been neutralized and there is no danger to commercial travel in the region. He added that normal flights are resuming Wednesday morning. Duffy did not specify the number of drones involved or the measures used to disable them. The shutdown, initially cited as for special security reasons, had raised concerns over potential disruptions in the El Paso metropolitan area, home to nearly 700,000 residents and a major hub for cross-border commerce with Ciudad Juarez, Mexico. The airport had previously announced on Instagram that all commercial, cargo, and general aviation flights would be grounded from late Tuesday through Feb. 20, urging travelers to contact airlines for updated information. Rep. Veronica Escobar, a Democrat whose district includes El Paso, had urged the FAA to lift the restrictions in a statement Wednesday morning. There was no advance notice given to her office, the city of El Paso or airport operations, she told the Associated Press. The highly consequential decision by FAA to shut down the El Paso Airport for 10 days is unprecedented and has resulted in significant concern within the community, Escobar was quoted as saying. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD From what my office and I have been able to gather overnight and early this morning there is no immediate threat to the community or surrounding areas," she added. The airport describes itself as the gateway to west Texas, southern New Mexico and northern Mexico. Southwest, United, American and Delta all operate flights there, among others. A similar temporary flight restriction for special security reasons over the same time period was imposed around Santa Teresa, New Mexico, which is about 15 miles (24 kilometers) northwest of the El Paso airport. Southwest Airlines said in a statement that it has paused all operations to and from El Paso at the direction of the FAA. We have notified affected customers and will share additional information as it becomes available, AP quoted Southwest Airlines as saying. Nothing is more important to Southwest than the safety of its customers and employees. With inputs from agencies Council of Europe waives ex secretary general Thorbjoern Jaglands immunity for a Norwegian police probe into corruption allegations tied to Jeffrey Epstein. Documents reveal planned family trips and funding requests during his 2009 to 2019 tenure. Norways former top diplomat and ex Council of Europe chief Thorbjoern Jagland faces a police investigation into alleged corruption ties with Jeffrey Epstein, the late US sex offender. The human rights body has stripped him of diplomatic protection to allow the probe, triggered by fresh documents exposing their contacts. Immunity waiver approved The Council of Europe, which oversees human rights across the continent, agreed to end Jaglands diplomatic immunity at Norways request. This clears the path for white collar crime police to examine his dealings during his decade as secretary general from 2009 to 2019. The former Norwegian prime minister, foreign minister and Nobel Peace Prize committee chair now awaits questioning. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD His legal team expects the development and pledges full cooperation. Jagland views the matter gravely but maintains no criminal wrongdoing occurred. Focus of corruption inquiry Police seek evidence of gifts, funded travel or loans linked to his high office. A letter from investigators warned that accepting bribes would breach the public trust placed in the elected leader. No charges have been filed, but authorities aim to trace financial benefits from Epstein connections. Newly unsealed US records detail Epstein links to European elites. For Jagland they reveal 2014 plans for a family trip to Epsteins Palm Beach estate and private Caribbean island, arranged through the financiers aides. Jagland denies setting foot on the island. Documented exchanges revealed Emails from that year show Jagland asking Epstein to fund an Oslo flat. In 2018 correspondence, Epstein sought introductions to Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, claiming valuable insights for President Vladimir Putin. Jagland agreed to pass the request via Lavrovs office. Norway widened its Epstein scrutiny Monday, targeting two senior diplomats in a parallel corruption case. Crown Princess Mette Marit has publicly regretted her past association with the financier. Broader political fallout Parliaments oversight panel unanimously called for an outside probe into foreign ministry Epstein ties, a rare step. The moves reflect mounting pressure on Norwegian figures named in the files, which also touch politicians and wealthy socialites. Jaglands prominent career now hangs under suspicion as police sift through transatlantic records. The Council of Europe stressed the need for clarity on whether official duties intertwined with personal gain from the convicted predator. Outcomes could reshape views of his tenure at the rights watchdog. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD France will increase humanitarian visas for Iranians seeking asylum amid Tehrans crackdown, with Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot pledging protection for persecuted opponents and political dissidents. France has announced plans to increase the number of humanitarian visas granted to Iranians seeking asylum as authorities in Tehran intensify their crackdown on dissent. The move, confirmed by French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot, signals Pariss intent to position itself as a refuge for individuals persecuted by the Iranian regime. Speaking before lawmakers in parliament on Wednesday, Barrot said France aimed to stand by the Iranian people by any means possible, with a particular focus on those targeted for their political beliefs or activism. In particular by welcoming opponents persecuted by the regime who are seeking asylum and refuge in France. We will increase our humanitarian visas for asylum purposes for these individuals whom we must protect, he said. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The announcement comes amid growing international concern over Irans domestic security measures, which have included arrests, detentions and tighter controls on political expression. Human rights groups have repeatedly warned of pressure on activists, journalists and civil society figures, prompting renewed calls for Western governments to offer safe pathways for those at risk. France has historically maintained a visible role in advocating for human rights and offering asylum to political dissidents. By pledging to expand humanitarian visa allocations for Iranians, Paris is reinforcing that tradition at a time of heightened geopolitical tensions between Iran and Western nations. While specific numbers were not disclosed, the commitment to increase humanitarian visas indicates an administrative shift that could speed up the processing of asylum applications and provide temporary protection for vulnerable individuals. Humanitarian visas typically allow applicants to legally enter France before formally seeking asylum, thereby reducing the risks associated with irregular migration routes. The decision also carries diplomatic implications. Relations between European capitals and Tehran have remained strained over a range of issues, including nuclear negotiations, regional security and human rights concerns. Frances move may further signal Europes unease over Irans internal policies while underscoring its broader commitment to asylum protections under international law. For Iranians fearing persecution, the expansion of visa access could offer a critical lifeline. At the same time, France will need to balance domestic migration debates with its stated humanitarian principles. As pressure grows inside Iran, Pariss latest step highlights how migration and foreign policy remain closely intertwined in todays geopolitical climate. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD With inputs from agencies India and the United Kingdom have signed an agreement to eliminate double social security contributions of employees on temporary overseas assignments. Indian technology companies like TCS and Infosys are set to gain from the move. India's Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri and British High Commissioner Lindy Cameron hold documents after signing an agreement to eliminate double social security contributions of employees on temporary overseas assignments on February 10, 2026. (Photo: X/Ministry of External Affairs) India and the United Kingdom have signed an agreement to eliminate double social security contributions of employees on temporary overseas assignments, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Tuesday. Last year, India and the UK had agreed to negotiate a reciprocal Double Contributions Convention (DCC) at the time of signing the India-UK trade deal. By eliminating double social security contributions of employees on temporary overseas assignments, the Agreement will support mobility of talent between the two countries and enhance competitiveness, MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Indian technology companies like TCS and Infosys, who often send staffers on overseas assignments, are set to gain from the move. Foreign Secretary Shri Vikram Misri and the British High Commissioner to the Republic of India, Ms. Lindy Cameron CB OBE signed the Agreement on Social Security relating to Social Security Contributions between the Government of the Republic of India and the Government of the pic.twitter.com/UsJPhBFXGa Randhir Jaiswal (@MEAIndia) February 10, 2026 Under the agreement, employees moving between the UK and India, and their employers like TCS and Infosys, will only need to pay social security contributions in one country at a time. For example, an Indian temporarily working in the UK will only pay social security contributions like provident fund (PF) in India instead of paying in both India and the UK. It would not just avoid dual payment burden but would also ensure that the social security record is not fragmented between two jurisdictions. India and the UK have such agreements with many countries. Whereas India has such agreements with at least 19 countries, such as Germany, Switzerland, France, Norway, Canada, Australia, Japan, the UK has such agreements with many countries like the United States, Japan, South Korea, The European Union (EU), Canada, Israel, and Turkey. In a previous factsheet, the British government said the net impact of such an impact would be positive on exchequer. When agreeing to negotiate a DCC [Double Contributions Convention] with India, the government took account of the benefits of the wider trade deal, which could add 4.8 billion to UK GDP every year and boost UK wages by 2.2 billion every year in the long run. The indicative results of DBT [Department for Business and Trade] analysis also suggest the trade deal could increase public sector receipts by 1.8 billion annually in the long run, the factsheet said. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Indonesia is preparing to deploy up to 8,000 soldiers to the Gaza Strip as part of a multinational peacekeeping force under a peace plan backed by US President Donald Trump. A Palestinian boy pushes his bicycle past the ruins of destroyed buildings in the Sheikh Radwan neighbourhood of Gaza City on October 22, 2025. (Photo: AFP) Indonesia is preparing to deploy up to 8,000 soldiers to the Gaza Strip as part of a multinational peacekeeping force. A spokesperson for Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto on Tuesday told Reuters that the country would contribute 8,000 soldiers to the Gaza peacekeeping force of around 20,000 personnel. They added that the terms or areas of the deployment have not yet been finalised. Under a plan approved by the United Nations (UN) and backed by US President Donald Trump, a multinational force called the International Stabilisation Force (ISF) would take over Gaza as part of a multi-phase peace process. It would be overseen by Trumps controversial Board of Peace. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD While the government did not give many specifics, Indonesian army chief General Maruli Simanjuntak said training for the soldiers had already begun and that they would focus on medical and engineering roles in Gaza, according to Guardian, according to BBC News. Separately, the defence ministry denied Israeli media reports that the countrys soldiers would be posted in Gazas Rafah and Khan Younis areas. Indonesias plans to contribute to peace and humanitarian support in Gaza are still in the preparation and coordination stages. Operational matters (deployment location, number of personnel, schedule, mechanism) have not yet been finalised and will be announced once an official decision has been made and the necessary international mandate has been clarified, defence ministry spokesperson Rico Ricardo Sirat told Reuters. Trumps Board of Peace will hold its first meeting on February 19. Prabowo, who has agreed to join the Board, has been invited to the meeting. Other than Indonesia, Pakistan and Turkey are believed to be considering deploying soldiers to Gaza as part of a multinational force. Previously, CNN-News 18 reported that Pakistan was preparing to send up to 20,000 soldiers to Gazas ISF under a deal with the United States and Israel. On its part, Turkey has said its soldiers would only serve as peacekeepers and not be part of the planned disarmament of Hamas. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar will attend the Munich Security Conference 2026, joining global leaders including US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and European heads of state. Indias External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar will attend the Munich Security Conference (MSC) 2026 in Munich, organisers announced on Wednesday. We are honored to announce that @DrSJaishankar will be joining us at #MSC2026 in Munich, the conference said in a statement. We are honored to announce that @DrSJaishankar will be joining us at #MSC2026 in Munich. pic.twitter.com/s8JhgJKx4c Munich Security Conference (@MunSecConf) February 11, 2026 STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Earlier in the day, the organisers also confirmed the participation of Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney. On Monday, the head of the forum had said that US Secretary of State Marco Rubio will lead a sizeable U.S. delegation to the Munich Security Conference starting on Friday. Wolfgang Ischinger, the former diplomat who chairs the annual gathering of security experts and policymakers, said more than 50 members of the US Congress were expected, including Democratic US Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. Fifteen prime ministers or heads of state from the European Union will also attend the conference, which German Chancellor Friedrich Merz will open on Friday and continues until Sunday, he said. At last years conference, US Vice President JD Vance accused European leaders of censoring free speech and failing to control immigration. The comments by Vance, who also met Alternative for Germany party leader Alice Weidel, began a series of criticisms of Europe by members of President Donald Trumps administration that have unsettled Washingtons European allies. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Rubio is expected to deliver a speech on Saturday. Asked whether he expected a similar attack from Rubio, Ischinger said he assumed Rubio would speak about US foreign policy and not about issues that do not directly fall within his portfolio. One of the main themes of the conference will be Europes ability in the future to assert itself more strongly through its own capabilities and to speak with one voice, Ischinger said. Europes response to Trumps designs on Greenland, an autonomous Danish territory, showed that it could do so if required. Trump has backed off tariff threats against Europe and ruled out taking Greenland by force. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy is expected to lead the delegation from Ukraine, shortly before the fourth anniversary of Russias invasion. Since cancelling its attendance in 2022, Russia has not asked to be invited back, Ischinger said. He said the Palestinian foreign minister and Israeli officials would attend, and Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado will make a virtual appearance. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Vice President JD Vances office deletes a post referring to the 1915 Armenian killings as genocide during his Armenia visit, reigniting debate over US policy and diplomatic sensitivities US Vice President JD Vance, second lady Usha Vance arrive with flowers to pay their respects at the eternal flame during a visit to the Tsitsernakaberd Armenian Genocide Memorial, in Yerevan, Armenia, on February 10, 2026. (Photo by Kevin Lamarque / POOL / AFP) US Vice President JD Vances office deleted a social media post on Tuesday that referred to the 1915 killings of Armenians as a genocide, touching off criticism from Armenian-American groups and others who saw the move as insensitive and politically fraught. The deletion came during Vances official visit to Armenia, where he was at the Tsitsernakaberd Armenian Genocide Memorial in Yerevan. The original post on Vances X account had described the visit as intended to honour the victims of the 1915 Armenian genocide. But the message was later removed, and a spokesman for the vice president said it was shared in error by staff who are not part of the traveling delegation. This is an account managed by staff that primarily exists to share photos and videos of the vice presidents activities, the spokesperson said, adding that Vance himself did not use the word genocide in his own remarks. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Walking the tightrope of diplomacy and political sensitivities Turkey, a key Nato ally, rejects the characterisation of the 1915 Ottoman-era killings as genocide, and successive US administrations have often avoided the term, until recent years when Congress and former President Joe Biden formally recognised the massacres as a genocide. But the Trump administration has steered clear of that language in official statements. The deleted message came shortly after the White House also pulled another controversial social media post, a video from President Trumps account that included a racist image of former President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama. Trump later told reporters he had not watched the whole video before it was posted. During his visit, Vance and his wife participated in a wreath-laying ceremony at the memorial, which honours the roughly 1.5 million Armenians who died in the Ottoman Empires final years. The US & Armenia have signed a major civilian nuclear co-operation agreement, worth $5 billion in initial exports along with an additional $4 billion in fuel supply & maintenance. Vice President JD Vance also confirmed an $11 million military drone technology sale to Armenia. The pic.twitter.com/9uCEvnLJv7 CNBC-TV18 (@CNBCTV18News) February 10, 2026 STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The vice presidents trip is part of broader efforts by the US to deepen ties in the South Caucasus, including deals with Armenia and neighbouring Azerbaijan that the Trump administration says could help secure lasting peace in the region. Nato has launched Arctic Sentry to coordinate military exercises in the High North, seeking to counter Russia and China while moving past tensions sparked by US threats to annex Greenland. Nato has unveiled a new military initiative Arctic Sentry to strengthen coordination and visibility in the High North, just weeks after tensions within the alliance flared over US President Donald Trumps remarks about annexing Greenland. Announced on Wednesday, Arctic Sentry will serve as a unifying Nato framework for a series of national military exercises already conducted in the Arctic region. Rather than deploying a new permanent force under a Nato banner, the initiative will coordinate existing drills such as Denmarks Arctic Endurance and Norways Cold Response exercises. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The decision comes after a turbulent period for the alliance. Trumps renewed insistence that Washington should get Greenland, a semiautonomous territory within the Danish realm rattled European allies and reignited questions about cohesion inside Nato. Denmarks participation in Arctic exercises had even drawn tariff threats from Washington, further straining diplomatic ties. By consolidating regional drills under the Arctic Sentry label, Nato appears keen to shift attention from internal disagreements to shared security concerns. Countering Russia and China in the High North Arctic Sentry will be coordinated through Natos Joint Force Command in Norfolk, Virginia. Its stated objective is to reinforce security across the Arctic and High North, an area that includes Greenland and is drawing growing attention from both Russia and China. Seven Nato allies have territory within the Arctic region, which has become increasingly strategic as melting ice opens new shipping routes and access to natural resources. Russia maintains a substantial military presence along its Arctic coastline, while China has declared itself a near-Arctic state and stepped up economic and scientific engagement there. Natos Supreme Allied Commander Europe, US Air Force Gen. Alexus Grynkewich, said the initiative reflects the alliances focus on safeguarding member territories and maintaining stability in a region that poses environmental and logistical challenges. The United Kingdom has already announced that it will double the number of troops deployed to Norway over the next three years, increasing from 1,000 to 2,000 personnel. Some British forces will take part in Exercise Lion Protector scheduled for September. France and Germany have also signalled their participation, though troop numbers have not yet been specified. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD For now, Arctic Sentry does not involve permanent Nato deployments. Instead, it offers a coordination umbrella that could expand over time as security assessments evolve and additional activities are folded into the framework. Seeking unity as focus returns to Ukraine The rollout of Arctic Sentry is as much about internal repair as it is about external deterrence. NATOs founding principle is collective defence of its 32 member states. The prospect of the alliances most powerful member openly discussing the annexation of territory belonging to another ally unsettled governments across Europe. Greenlands strategic value, its location between North America and Europe and its role in missile warning and surveillance systems has long attracted US interest. However, Trumps approach created friction at a moment when NATO has been striving to present a united front against Russias war in Ukraine. European allies are hoping that formalising Arctic cooperation through Arctic Sentry, alongside ongoing talks between Washington, Copenhagen and Greenlandic authorities, will help contain fallout from the dispute. The broader priority for many capitals remains support for Ukraine and strengthening deterrence along NATOs eastern flank. At the same time, the Arctic is no longer viewed as a peripheral theatre. Climate change, competition over sea lanes and resource access, and expanding military activity have transformed it into a key arena for great-power rivalry. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD By branding and coordinating existing military exercises under Arctic Sentry, Nato is signalling that it intends to stay present in the High North not as an occupying force, but as a structured collective defence arrangement. Whether this effort fully restores confidence among allies after the Greenland episode will depend on diplomatic follow-through as much as on military drills. For now, Arctic Sentry reflects Natos attempt to recalibrate, refocus and reinforce its northern front at a time of both internal strain and shifting global competition. With inputs from agencies A cyclone packing violent winds killed at least nine people as it struck Madagascar, toppling houses and causing major flooding, the Indian Ocean islands disaster authority said Wednesday. At least nine people were found dead and dozens injured after a violent cyclone hit Madagascar, toppling houses and causing intense flooding, the Indian Ocean Islands disaster authority said on Wednesday. The Cyclone is called Gezani which slammed into the city of Toamasina with winds reaching 250 kilometres per hour and displacing dozens of people. The National Office for Risk and Disaster Management (BNRGC) said it recorded nine deaths at the impact zone after houses collapsed. Another 19 people were hurt, it said in a statement. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Videos circulating on social media showed major flooding in the east coast city of 400,000 people and about 220km northeast of the capital Antananarivo, with roofs ripped off buildings and trees uprooted. Its total chaos: 90 percent of house roofs have been blown off, entirely or in part, said the head of disaster management at the Action Against Hunger humanitarian group, Rija Randrianarisoa. The roads are completely inaccessible because of trees on the ground, sheet metal, he told AFP. The cyclone swept across the island, posing the risk of flooding and displacement of people. A resident of Toamasina told AFP by telephone late Tuesday that the winds had collapsed solid walls. Its monstrous, the resident said. President of Madagascar, Michael Randrianirina assessed the situation on Wednesday. The CMRS forecaster on Frances Reunion island confirmed that Toasmasina had been directly hit by the most intense part of the storm. The landfall was one of the most intense recorded in the region, during the satellite era, rivalling Geralda in February 1994. Speaking at Pakistans National Assembly on Monday, Asif said that Islamabads motive to be a part of the wars was driven by politics and not religion Pakistans Defence Minister Khwaja Asif has made a rare admission about Islamabads involvement in the Afghanistan wars, revealing the real intention behind the move. Speaking at Pakistans National Assembly on Monday, Asif said that Islamabads motive to be a part of the wars was driven by politics and not religion. He said that Pakistans participation in the conflict, which began during the Cold War and went on till the September 11, 2001 attacks, was a strategic choice made to garner international support, especially from the US. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD We did not enter these wars to defend Islam or for jihad. We entered them for political legitimacy and to secure the support of a superpower, Asif told lawmakers. Asif said Pakistans approach to Afghanistan since independence has been driven by changing geopolitical interests, arguing that the so-called jihad during the Soviet-Afghan war was essentially a proxy war backed by global powers. He said, That was not jihad. It was the war of a superpower. And for that war, we changed our education system. Even today, that curriculum has not been fully corrected. The defence minister acknowledged Pakistans failure to learn from the then Soviet Unions withdrawal and instead aligned with the US post 9/11 and remained involved the Afghanistan war for nearly two decades. For not one decade, but two decades, we rented ourselves out. The only objective was to gain American support, he said. Asif added that Afghans were not involved in the Twin Tower attacks, that Afghanistan as a country was not responsible, yet Pakistan became deeply involved in the subsequent war. He said Pakistans leadership had consistently avoided admitting past mistakes. Until we admit our mistakes, nothing will improve, Asif said, adding that he had personally apologised for the decisions made by previous generations. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Asifs comments represent one of the clearest public admissions by a sitting Pakistani defence minister about the strategic motives behind Islamabads role in Afghanistans conflicts, an issue widely debated domestically but seldom addressed so candidly by senior leaders. The US-India relationship delivers real results through close cooperation on defence, energy, critical minerals, and through Quad engagement. Always great to see my friend Ambassador Rawat to discuss our shared interests, David Perdue said in a post on X on Tuesday Indian Ambassador to China Pradeep Rawat and his US counterpart David Perdue. Image Courtesy: @USAmbChina Indian Ambassador to China, Pradeep Rawat and his US counterpart, David Perdue met in Beijing and discussed US-India ties and shared interests. The US-India relationship delivers real results through close cooperation on defence, energy, critical minerals, and through Quad engagement, Perdue said in a post on X on Tuesday. Always great to see my friend Ambassador Rawat to discuss our shared interests, he said. The U.S.-India relationship delivers real results through close cooperation on defense, energy, critical minerals, and through Quad engagement. Always great to see my friend Ambassador Rawat to discuss our shared interests. pic.twitter.com/yluRfMpfHa U.S. Ambassador to China David Perdue (@USAmbChina) February 10, 2026 STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD This is their second meeting since December last and took place after the recent interim trade deal between India and the US. Rawat, Perdue and Japanese Ambassador to China Kenji Kanasugi met at the US Embassy in December last year. With inputs from agencies Russia has imposed further curbs on Telegram, citing failure to curb criminal activity, drawing criticism from politicians and regional officials who warn the restrictions could disrupt communications for soldiers and civilians. Russias tightening restrictions on the messaging app Telegram have drawn criticism from politicians, regional officials and military-linked users, who warn the measures could disrupt battlefield coordination and cut soldiers off from their families. The state communications regulator, which began limiting Telegrams voice and video call functions in August last year, announced on Tuesday that additional restrictions would be introduced. It cited what it described as Telegrams failure to take sufficient steps to curb criminal and extremist use of the platform. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD In recent days, some users have reported that the apps performance has slowed noticeably. Three men identifying themselves as members of a Russian anti-drone unit released brief video messages appealing to the regulator not to interfere with the service. They said Telegram was essential for their operational work. Sergei Mironov, head of a pro-Kremlin party in parliament, shared the videos and argued that curbs on the platform could endanger troops. The guys are shedding blood there, they need normal communication, and besides Telegram, they often have nothing, he wrote. Dont deprive them of what helps them fight the enemy and keep themselves alive. In remarks to reporters, Mironov criticised those responsible for restricting the app, calling them idiots for undermining a key communications channel. Telegram remains one of the most widely used platforms in Russia for both private messaging and public updates, and has played a central role in shaping narratives both factual and false about the war in Ukraine. Concerns over frontline coordination Russian military bloggers and commentators have often described Telegram as an important tool for troops on the front lines. The Kremlin, however, played down that assertion. I dont think its possible to imagine frontline communications being provided via Telegram or some other messaging service, presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov told journalists, directing further inquiries to the Defence Ministry. The ministry did not immediately comment. Vyacheslav Gladkov, governor of the Belgorod region bordering Ukraine and frequently targeted by drone strikes, said he feared the latest measures could hamper efforts to issue urgent safety alerts to residents. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Im concerned that the slowdown could impact the delivery of operational information to you if the situation worsens, he said, encouraging citizens to sign up for the state-backed MAX messaging platform. Critics argue that the restrictions on Telegram along with previous curbs affecting foreign-based services such as Metas WhatsApp and Apples FaceTime are intended to steer users toward MAX. They contend the domestic alternative could be used for surveillance purposes, an allegation that state media have rejected. Telegrams Russian-born founder Pavel Durov said the app would remain committed to protecting free speech and user privacy no matter the pressure. Kremlin spokesman Peskov said the communications watchdog was simply doing its job. We can only express regret here; theres nothing good about this, but the law must be followed, he said. With inputs from agencies Russia will observe New START missile and warhead limits as long as the US does, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said after the treaty expired last week, leaving both nuclear giants without formal constraints for the first time in decades. Russia upholds New START caps if US follows suit post expiry. Russia has pledged to uphold the missile and warhead caps from the now expired New START nuclear accord with the United States, provided Washington follows suit. Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov made the statement as the 2010 agreement lapsed last week, ending formal restrictions on the worlds two largest nuclear arsenals for the first time in decades. Conditional commitment announced Lavrov addressed parliaments lower chamber, the State Duma, confirming that President Vladimir Putins declared moratorium remains active. Moscow will respect the treaties numerical ceilings on deployed strategic weapons as long as the US refrains from surpassing them. This comes after President Donald Trump rejected Putins suggestion for a one year voluntary extension of the limits. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The treaty had set ceilings of 1550 deployed warheads and 700 deployed launchers for each side, verified through mutual inspections. Its collapse leaves both nations free to expand stockpiles without legal bounds. Background of the expired pact Signed in 2010, New START aimed to cut strategic offensive arms and foster transparency between former Cold War adversaries. It endured tense periods, including mutual suspensions of inspections during the pandemic and over Ukraine related disputes. Efforts to negotiate a successor faltered amid broader geopolitical strains. Trump administration officials cited Russias alleged non compliance and Chinas growing arsenal as reasons against renewal. Putin countered with the voluntary pause offer, which Washington declined. Risks of unconstrained buildup The treaties end raises alarms over a potential three way arms competition involving Russia, the US and China. While Beijing possesses fewer warheads, its rapid modernisation programme has prompted calls for a broader framework. Analysts warn that without caps, all parties might accelerate deployments, heightening global tensions. Russias strategic calculus Observers note Moscow faces fiscal pressures from its ongoing conflict in Ukraine, now in its fourth year. Expanding nuclear forces would strain resources already stretched by military spending. Lavrov emphasised reciprocity as key, suggesting Russia seeks to avoid a costly escalation while leaving room for future talks. Both powers retain thousands of warheads, with Russia and the US controlling over 90 per cent of the global total. The unilateral restraint signals a cautious approach, though experts doubt it will last without renewed diplomacy. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Attorney General accuses lawmakers of theatrics and refuses to apologise to Epstein victims, sparking heated exchanges with Pramila Jayapal, Jerry Nadler and Jamie Raskin US Attorney General Pam Bondi testifies before a House Judiciary Committee hearing on oversight of the Justice Department, on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., U.S., on Wednesday. Reuters A House Judiciary Committee hearing erupted into a shouting match after Attorney General Pam Bondi declined a request from Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) to address victims of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein seated in the audience. During her questioning, Jayapal accused the Justice Department of protecting the identities of some Epstein associates while repeatedly disclosing the names or identifying details of victims, despite legal requirements to shield them. Jayapal asked the 11 victims present to stand if they wished and to raise their hands if they had not yet met with the Trump Justice Department. All 11 stood and raised their hands. She then urged Bondi to turn to them now and apologize for what your Department of Justice has put them through. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Bondi refused, accusing Jayapal of engaging in theatrics. The attorney general began referencing her predecessor, Merrick Garland, before being cut off by the congresswoman. This is not about anybody that came before you. It is about you taking responsibility for your Department of Justice and the harm that it has done to the survivors who are standing right behind you and are waiting for you to turn to them and apologise, The Hill quoted Jayapal as saying. Bondi then replied that she wasnt going to get in the gutter with these theatrics. At the end of the exchange, Bondi muttered, unprofessional. The tensions persisted moments later as Bondi became embroiled in another heated exchange, this time with Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-N.Y.) and House Judiciary Committee ranking member Jamie Raskin (D-Md.). After citing a list of Trump opponents who have been charged or investigated by the Justice Department, Nadler pressed the attorney general: How many of Epsteins co-conspirators have you indicted? How many perpetrators are you even investigating? Im going to answer the question the way I want to answer the question. Chairman [Jim] Jordan, Im not going to get in the gutter with these people, Bondi responded. As Raskin urged Chairman Jordan, an Ohio Republican, to stop the clock and restore Nadlers time, Bondi shot back at the ranking member, saying the constitutional law expert is not even a lawyer. Bondi then turned her criticism toward Democrats more broadly. You all should be apologizing. You sit here and you attack the president, Bondi said. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD This has been around since the Obama administration. This Administration released over 3 million pages of documents. Over 3 million. And Donald Trump signed that law to release all of those documents. He is the most transparent president in the nations history, she said. (With inputs from agencies) Trump administration is set to repeal Obama-era endangerment finding that underpins federal greenhouse gas limits, marking its most sweeping climate rollback and triggering legal, political and industry pushback AUSTIN, TEXAS - JULY 30: Vehicles travel along Interstate 35 on July 30, 2025 in Austin, Texas. Under the Trump administration, the EPA is seeking to repeal past findings that greenhouse gas emissions pose a threat to public health. The action is in part to the Trump administration's broader plan to expand oil, natural gas and coal production. Brandon Bell/Getty Images/AFP (Photo by Brandon Bell / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP) The administration of President Donald Trump is set this week to overturn an Obama-era scientific finding that carbon dioxide endangers human health, removing the legal basis for federal greenhouse gas emissions regulations. The move, which the administration formally proposed in July, would mark the Republican administrations most sweeping climate change policy rollback to date, and follows a string of regulatory cuts and other moves intended to unfetter fossil fuel development and stymie the rollout of clean energy. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Trump says he believes climate change is a hoax, and has withdrawn the United States from global efforts to combat it. The Environmental Protection Agency told Reuters late on Monday that the repeal of what is known as the endangerment finding would be unveiled this week. An EPA spokesperson said the finding had been used by the Democratic Obama and Biden administrations to justify trillions of dollars of greenhouse gas regulations covering new vehicles and engines. The Wall Street Journal was first to report the plan to issue the repeal this week, and cited EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin saying it would amount to the largest act of deregulation in the history of the United States. Repeal would apply to car emission standards The repeal would remove the regulatory requirements to measure, report, certify, and comply with federal GHG emission standards for cars, administration officials told the Wall Street Journal, but would not apply to stationary sources such as power plants. Reuters was unable to confirm those details. While many industry groups back the repeal of vehicle emission standards, many have been reluctant to show public support for rescinding the endangerment finding because of the legal and regulatory uncertainty it could unleash. You squeeze one part of the climate-policy balloon and the pressure shifts toward increased efforts somewhere else, like state-level policy, tort cases, or future legislation, said Billy Pizer, president of Resources for the Future, an energy and environment research group. The Trump administration has been working on the repeal for over a year. Repeal will face legal challenges On January 30, a federal court ruled the Department of Energy had violated the law when it formed a climate science advisory group whose report was meant to support the EPAs attempt to repeal the endangerment finding, making the final rule vulnerable to legal challenges. The proposed rule was sent to the White House Office of Management and Budget for review on January 7. Last month, the American Petroleum Institute said it supported repealing the endangerment finding for vehicles but said it should be left in place for stationary sources. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD That would require the EPA to continue to regulate emissions from the oil and gas sector as well as from power plants. The transportation and power sectors are each responsible for around a quarter of US greenhouse gas output, according to EPA figures. The move would hurt the global climate while helping Chinas fast-growing clean energy industry, said Dan Becker, director of the Center for Biological Diversitys Safe Climate Transport Campaign. Theyre popping champagne corks in Beijing, where Chinas EV makers will face no competition from the US to dominate the worlds clean car market, he said. (Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Firstpost staff.) Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick admits he had lunch with Jeffrey Epstein on the financiers private island in 2012, drawing bipartisan scrutiny and fresh questions about past ties US Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick stands behind US President Donald Trump as he gaggles with reporters while aboard Air Force One on February 6, 2026 en route to Palm Beach, Florida. (AFP) US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick admitted on Tuesday that he ate lunch with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein on Epsteins private island in 2012, contradicting his earlier statements that he cut ties with Epstein years ago. The admission came during testimony before the Senate Appropriations Committee, where Lutnick said of the visit: I did have lunch with him, as I was on a boat going across on a family vacation. Lutnick told senators that the lunch occurred while he was on a family trip, and that his wife, their four children and the familys nannies were all present. And we had lunch on the island, that is true, for an hour, he added. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The revelation has triggered bipartisan calls for his resignation, with figures from both parties pressing Lutnick over inconsistencies between the newly released Department of Justice files and his past claims. Republican Representative Thomas Massie said Lutnick should consider stepping down, saying that if similar controversies occurred in other countries, officials would already be gone. Also read | Did paedophile Epstein want to create super race of humans with his sperm? Trump fully supports White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt defended Lutnick, saying he remains a very important member of President Trumps Cabinet and has the administrations full support. Lutnick has maintained that he barely had anything to do with Epstein and met him only a handful of times over many years, even as the new disclosure undercuts previous assertions that he severed contact after 2005. The recent unsealing of Jeffrey Epsteins files, has brought several prominent names back into the spotlight. Key political figures frequently mentioned include President Donald Trump and Bill Clinton, as well as former Prince Andrew. The latest DOJ records highlight tech titans Elon Musk, Bill Gates, and Sergey Brin, with some documents featuring a 2015 dinner photo including Mark Zuckerberg. Other notable mentions involve Steve Bannon, Italian politician Matteo Salvini, and Soon-Yi Previn (Woody Allens wife), whose private emails discussed topics ranging from college admissions to the #MeToo movement. High-profile celebrities like Michael Jackson, David Copperfield, and Leonardo DiCaprio also appear in witness depositions or social logs. While many individuals are cited only as social acquaintances or passengers on flight manifests, the 2026 files offer deeper insights into Epsteins attempts to leverage these elite connections for personal and professional influence. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Satellite images show US forces deployed mobile Patriot missile launchers at Qatars al-Udeid base as tensions with Iran escalated, signaling heightened military readiness across the Middle East Satellite image shows F-15E, A-10 Thunderbolt, and C-130 Hercules at the Muwaffaq Salti Air Base, in Al Azraq, Jordan, February 2, 2026. 2026 PLANET LABS PBC/Handout via REUTERS As tensions between the United States and Iran have escalated in early 2026, US forces stationed at al-Udeid Air Base in QatarAmericas largest military installation in the Middle Easthave taken a big step to adjust their defensive posture. Satellite images shows that Patriot surface-to-air missiles were loaded onto truck-mounted launchers, marking a shift from more fixed sites and giving the weapons greater mobility, reported Reuters. The Patriot missiles were placed on M983 Heavy Expanded Mobility Tactical Trucks (HEMTT) rather than remaining tied to static launcher stations, allowing them to be moved quickly to different positions if needed. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The satellite comparisons also showed a broader regional increase in US military assets. At al-Udeid, there were more aircraft and support equipment in early February than in previous weeks, suggesting that US Central Command is bolstering its footprint not just for defence but possibly as a deterrent. Similar patterns, including additional aircraft and support vehicles, were spotted at bases in Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Oman, and even on Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean. The intensified posture comes amid reports that Iran has been replenishing its missile inventories after a conflict last summer in which Israel struck Iranian nuclear and military facilities, with some involvement from US forces. Tehran also continues to showcase naval assets, like the IRIS Shahid Bagheri drone carrier near Bandar Abbas in the Gulf, underscoring its own strategic readiness. Trump administration maintains diplomatic pressure While some diplomatic engagement continueswith efforts to avert outright conflictthe presence of mobile launchers and the broader military build-up signal that the United States is preparing for a range of possible scenarios. US President Donald Trump has publicly warned Iran over its nuclear ambitions and missile programs, but talks aimed at de-escalation remain ongoing. For now, the move to reposition missiles on mobile platforms reflects how seriously US defence planners view the current climate in the Middle East, cautious, alert, and ready to respond if the situation deteriorates further. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD US immigration chiefs faced tough questions in Congress over Trumps mass deportation campaign and Minneapolis raids. Democrats demand reforms while Republicans defend enforcement, as DHS funding hangs in the balance (L/R) Rodney Scott, Commissioner of US Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Joseph Edlow, Director of US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), and Todd Lyons, acting director of US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), are sworn in during a House Committee on Homeland Security hearing on Oversight of the Department of Homeland Security on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, on February 10, 2026. (Photo by ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS / AFP) US immigration agency chiefs were grilled by Congress on Tuesday over President Donald Trumps sweeping deportation campaign and the recent fatal shootings of two protesters in Minneapolis. Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons opened the hearing, stating, The president tasked us with mass deportation, and we are fulfilling that mandate. Lyons appeared alongside Rodney Scott, head of US Customs and Border Protection (CBP), and Joseph Edlow, director of Citizenship and Immigration Services, reported AFP. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Scott highlighted border enforcement achievements, claiming CBP spent the last year rebuilding what was an intentionally broken border and that the US now has the most secure border in our nations history. The heads of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, U.S. Customs and Border Protection and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services appeared before the House Homeland Security Committee on Tuesday. Among the questions they faced was whether the tactics used by their agents pic.twitter.com/z9ukbuz2Nq PBS News (@NewsHour) February 10, 2026 Democrats demand reforms, Republicans push back Democrats sharply criticised the administrations tactics, calling them unlawful and unconstitutional. Representative Tim Kennedy said the agencies had shown complete and utter disregard for the law and the Constitution. Republicans defended enforcement efforts. Representative Eli Crane accused Democrats of attempting to demonize ICE and Homeland Security. The clash comes as Minneapolis has seen thousands of federal agents conducting raids in recent weeks. Minnesota Governor Tim Walz said he expects the operation to end soon, describing it as days, not weeks and months, of this occupation. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Fallout from Minneapolis shootings The crackdown has sparked widespread protests, intensified by the deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti less than three weeks apart. Lyons declined to apologise during questioning, citing ongoing investigations. Democrats are calling for reforms, including ending mobile patrols, requiring warrants, and prohibiting agents from concealing their faces. They have also threatened to block the 2026 DHS funding bill if concerns are not addressed. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer criticised the White Houses proposed countermeasures as incomplete and insufficient and said further details are needed. If negotiations fail, DHS could face a funding gap starting Saturday. While ICE and CBP could continue operations under last years funding, other sub-agencies like FEMA could be affected. Satellite images reveal a massive US military buildup in the Gulf as President Trump and PM Netanyahu meet to discuss potential strikes and maximum pressure tactics against Irans nuclear program. As the Islamic Republic of Iran commemorated the 47th anniversary of its revolution with defiant displays in Tehran, a more ominous picture is emerging across the Persian Gulf. Fresh satellite imagery and military intelligence reveal one of the most substantial American military mobilisations in the regions history. This surge in firepower, comprising Patriot missile batteries, strategic airlifters, and naval strike groups is setting the stage for what many fear could be a repeat of last summers air strikes on Iranian nuclear infrastructure. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The buildup coincides with a hastily arranged White House summit on Wednesday between President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The meeting, described as a low-profile yet urgent session, focuses on stiffening the resolve of the US administration as it navigates a fragile new round of nuclear negotiations with Tehran. The Armada in the desert: A visible threat Recent satellite photographs provided by commercial imagery firms have exposed the sheer scale of the US deployment. At the Al-Udeid Air Base in Qatar and Muwaffaq Salti in Jordan, there is a visible influx of F-15E Strike Eagles, KC-135 Stratotankers and C-17 Globemaster III transport planes. Perhaps more telling is the shifting of Patriot missile batteries from semi-static stations to mobile truck launchers, a move intended to provide rapid-response defence against potential Iranian retaliatory strikes. Offshore, the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group is already on station, accompanied by a fleet of guided-missile destroyers. President Trump has openly discussed the deployment of a second armada, potentially led by the USS George H.W. Bush to intensify the maximum pressure campaign. This military posture is not merely a show of force; it is a logistical foundation for offensive options should current diplomatic tracks in Oman hit a dead end. For the Trump administration, the strategy is binary: a good deal that includes curbs on ballistic missiles, or a military outcome tougher than last time. Netanyahu pushes harder line as talks resume Against this backdrop, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arrived in Washington for his sixth meeting with Trump since January 2025, advancing a visit that had originally been scheduled for later in the month. Netanyahu said the Iran negotiations would be first and foremost on his agenda. Israeli officials have long argued that any agreement must cover not only uranium enrichment but also Tehrans growing missile arsenal, which Israel views as a direct threat. During last years hostilities, Iran launched waves of ballistic missiles toward Israeli territory, targeting both military and civilian areas. Israeli leaders contend that leaving the missile programme outside a new deal would enable Iran to retain strategic leverage even if nuclear restrictions are tightened. Trump has signalled alignment with aspects of that view, saying any agreement must ensure no nuclear weapons, no missiles. Yet his administration is simultaneously emphasising the possibility of a negotiated outcome. The dispatch of additional naval assets appears designed to strengthen the US bargaining position while reassuring regional allies. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The optics of Netanyahus White House visit low-key but urgent highlight Israels concern that rapid progress in US-Iran talks could produce compromises it finds unacceptable. Israeli officials are expected to push for clear red lines and credible enforcement mechanisms. Deterrence, diplomacy and regional fallout The expanding US military footprint in the Gulf sends a dual message: readiness for force and backing for negotiations. Defence analysts note that deploying additional carrier groups, airlift aircraft and missile defences provides operational flexibility should talks collapse. Iran, for its part, has coupled diplomatic engagement with firm rhetoric. Pezeshkians speech before a heavy security presence in Tehran reflected both domestic pressure and geopolitical tension. Nationwide protests last month prompted a crackdown, and Washington had previously threatened action in support of demonstrators. Beyond the nuclear file, Netanyahu and Trump are also expected to discuss Gaza and the West Bank. Israeli cabinet decisions tightening control over parts of the occupied West Bank have drawn criticism internationally. A US official has indicated that Trump does not support Israeli annexation of the territory, though Iran remains the centrepiece of the current diplomatic push. The convergence of military preparations and diplomacy places the region on edge. While Washington and Tehran exchange proposals, naval formations and air assets are being positioned within reach of potential flashpoints. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Whether the military build-up remains a show of force or preludes further strikes will hinge on the outcome of negotiations. For now, the Gulf is again at the centre of global attention, with diplomacy playing out against the backdrop of carrier decks and missile batteries. With inputs from agencies The additional troops, expected to arrive in the coming weeks, will provide training and technical guidance, including by helping their Nigerian counterparts coordinate operations that involve air strikes and ground troops simultaneously The United States will deploy 200 troops to Nigeria to train its armed forces in their fight against jihadist groups, Nigerian and US officials said Tuesday, as Washington increases military cooperation with the West African country. We are getting US troops to assist in training and technical support, Major General Samaila Uba, a spokesman for Nigerias Defense Headquarters, told AFP. The Wall Street Journal was the first to report the deployment, which will supplement a US small team already in the country to aid the Nigerians with air strike targeting. The additional troops, expected to arrive in the coming weeks, will provide training and technical guidance, including by helping their Nigerian counterparts coordinate operations that involve air strikes and ground troops simultaneously, the US daily said. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD A US Africa Command spokeswoman confirmed the details of the report to AFP. Nigeria has been under diplomatic pressure from the United States over insecurity in the country, which US President Donald Trump has characterized as persecution and genocide against Christians. Although there are instances where Christians are specifically targeted, Muslims are also killed en masse, with Trumps senior advisor on Arab and African affairs Massad Boulos saying last year Boko Haram and Islamic State are killing more Muslims than Christians. Abuja rejects allegations of Christian persecution in Nigeria, a framing long used by the US religious right. So do independent analysts, who point to a broader state failure to curb violence from jihadist groups and armed gangs across swaths of sparsely governed countryside. Despite the diplomatic pressure, Nigeria and the United States have found common ground in increasing military collaboration. The US targeted militants in northwest Sokoto state with strikes in December, in a joint operation with Nigeria, officials from both countries said. Going forward, the US military has said it will supply intelligence for Nigerian air strikes and work to expedite arms purchases. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD While the 200-troop deployment represents a scaling up of that collaboration, US troops arent going to be involved in direct combat or operations, Uba told the Journal. Nigeria requested the additional assistance, he added. Africas most populous country is battling a long-running jihadist insurgency concentrated in its northeast, while non-ideological bandit gangs conduct kidnappings for ransom and loot villages in the northwest. Across the center of the country, violence erupts among mostly Christian farmers and Muslim Fulani herders though researchers say the main cause is access to dwindling land and resources. Sixteen protesters were treated in a hospital for burns and other injuries, police said, adding that 13 protesters were arrested. Many of the rally members were seen throwing Molotov cocktails and rocks at the police Protesters throw Molotov cocktails, flares and fireworks during an anti-government rally outside Prime Minister's office over corruption scandals and broader political issues, in Tirana, Albania, Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026. AP Albanias capital city of Tirana is rocked by anti-government protests, with police trying to quell the demonstrations by firing tear gas and water cannon at the protestors. Thousands of people supporting the Opposition are demanding the resignation of the current government in the Balkan country. Sixteen protesters were treated in a hospital for burns and other injuries, police said, adding that 13 protesters were arrested. Many of the rally members were seen throwing Molotov cocktails and rocks at the police. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Why are people protesting? Albanian Prime Minister Edi Ramas government has been accused of corruption involving Deputy Prime Minister Belinda Balluku. Although not the first time that his government has come under fire, Rama has resisted calls for Ballukus dismissal. There have been growing demands that lawmakers lift Ballukus immunity from prosecution, which can only be done in a parliamentary vote. Anti-corruption prosecutors have accused Balluku, who is also minister for energy and infrastructure, of interfering in public procurement for construction projects to favour certain companies, and have called for her immunity to be lifted. Albania has witnessed anti-government protests turning violent in the past, but no real change has ever resulted from these demonstrations. Peaceful protests Political analyst Mentor Kikia said it was unlikely that any major change would result from the protests. Citizens are distrustful, having consistently voted for the lesser evil to remove the greater evil from power, he said. The current perception is that if Rama leaves, Berisha will return. One left power because of corruption, the other must also leave power because of corruption, Kikia said. Albania hopes to join the European Union, and is under close monitoring by the bloc as part of its accession process, which it hopes to complete by 2027. However, international watchdogs say the country continues to suffer from widespread corruption. With inputs from agencies Trump claims India-Pakistan clashes nearly spiralled into nuclear war, says 10 aircraft were shot down, and reiterates that US interventionincluding trade pressurehelped prevent a catastrophic escalation US President Donald Trump has once again claimed that a military confrontation between India and Pakistan could have escalated into a nuclear war, saying intense fighting and the shooting down of aircraft almost pushed the two nuclear-armed neighbours past a dangerous line. Trump made the remarks in a recent interview with Fox Business, in which he also repeated his long-standing assertion that he played a decisive role in ending the hostilities. Trump, who has repeatedly taken credit for what he describes as his part in brokering a ceasefire, said the situation had become extremely volatile. It would have been a nuclear war, in my opinion. They were really going at it; 10 planes were shot down. They were going at it, he said, referring to the clashes. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Watch the video here: #BREAKING Once again Trump claimed his tariff threats stopped a nuclear war between India & Pakistan. He said 10 planes down & millions of lives saved. India still denies any US role. Source: Fox News#India #indiapakistanwar2025 #Trump pic.twitter.com/2PuYGTESbd Twilight (@TwilightDewy) February 11, 2026 The comments revisit a period of heightened tensions in May last year, when a four-day conflict broke out following an Islamist militant attack in Indian-administered Kashmir that killed 26 civilians. India responded with a major military operation code-named Operation Sindoor, carrying out airstrikes against alleged terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. In turn, Pakistan said it shot down several Indian aircraft, claims that were part of an intense wave of combat involving jets, missiles, and artillery before a ceasefire was reached. Trump also repeated another of his more dramatic assertions by citing praise he claimed to have received from Pakistans prime minister. He said the premier told him, President Trump saved at least 10 million lives when he got us to stop fighting, adding that tariffs were instrumental in stopping further escalation. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD However, officials in both India and Pakistan have consistently denied that any third-party intervention was responsible for the ceasefire. India has maintained that an understanding on cessation of hostilities was reached directly between the two countries military leaders, without external mediation. Bangladesh will vote in its first national election since Sheikh Hasinas ouster, as interim chief Muhammad Yunus promises a swift transfer of power and urges peaceful participation amid tight security. Muhammad Yunus, head of Bangladeshs interim government, signs the July Charter during a ceremony at the National Parliament in Dhaka, Bangladesh, October 17, 2025. File Image/Bangladesh Chief Advisers Press Wing As Bangladesh gears up for its first national election since the dramatic ouster of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in August 2024, interim government head Muhammad Yunus has allayed fears that power might not be handed over after the vote. Yunus, the Nobel Peace Prize-winning economist now serving as chief adviser of the interim administration, said there should be no doubt about the democratic transition. We will hand over the responsibility to the newly elected government with deep pleasure and pride and return to our own jobs. We ardently await that auspicious moment, he said in a nationally broadcast address ahead of Thursdays polls. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The general election, set for February 12, is seen as a defining moment for Bangladeshs future, marking a fresh chapter in the countrys turbulent politics. Yunus encouraged citizens to participate without fear, dismissing rumors suggesting the interim government might cling to power as baseless propaganda aimed at undermining the democratic process. Some days come in the life of every nation that have far-reaching significance, when the future direction of a state, the character and stability of democracy and the fate of future generations are determined, he said. Calls for peaceful participation Yunus also urged political parties to ensure their leaders and supporters refrain from intimidation, violence or attempts to disrupt voting. Any move to forcibly take over polling centres, disrupt voting or provoke unrest would not be tolerated, he warned. The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), led by Tarique Rahman, is currently viewed as the frontrunner in the election, with its longtime ally Jamaat-e-Islami as a significant rival. Meanwhile, Sheikh Hasinas Awami Leaguethe party that dominated Bangladeshi politics for yearshas been disbanded and barred from contesting, a move that has drawn criticism from some quarters. To help safeguard the vote, authorities have deployed a record number of law enforcement personnel and armed forces with expanded powers. The interim leadership is pushing for a free, fair and peaceful election. Bharti Airtel has announced the launch of a new security feature titled Fraud Alert, an AI-powered tool designed to protect customers from One-Time Password (OTP) related banking fraud. The telecom operator stated that the initiative is part of its broader strategy to secure its network against digital spam and scam activities. Addressing OTP Vulnerabilities The new system specifically targets a common method used by fraudsters: social engineering. Scammers frequently manipulate victims by creating a false sense of urgencyoften masquerading as service providers or delivery personnelto obtain OTPs. While these codes are intended for banking transactions, victims are often misled into believing they are verifying a routine service, inadvertently granting access to their savings. Airtels solution aims to disrupt this process by identifying risky scenarios in real-time. How the System Works The Fraud Alert system utilizes artificial intelligence to monitor communication patterns. According to the company, the feature operates through the following mechanism: Detection: The system identifies potentially risky incoming calls. Correlation: It detects if a banking OTP is generated and delivered to the user while that specific call is active. Intervention: If these two events occur simultaneously, Airtel triggers a real-time fraud alert to the customer. This alert serves as a warning, prompting the user to pause and verify the nature of the transaction before verbally sharing the OTP. The goal is to provide a check that counters the pressure tactics used by scammers, ensuring users remain in control of their security credentials. Building on Existing Safeguards This development follows a series of technical safeguards implemented by Airtel over the past two years, including spam-call warnings and malicious link blocking. While these measures have reduced network-level spam, the company acknowledges that fraudsters have adapted by focusing on human vulnerabilities through impersonation. The Fraud Alert is designed to bridge the gap between network security and user behavior, offering protection against scams that rely on user consent rather than technical hacking. Availability and Rollout Airtel has confirmed that the solution is currently live for customers in Haryana. The company plans to complete a nationwide rollout, covering 100% of its customer base, within the next two weeks. Commenting on the initiative, Shashwat Sharma, Managing Director & CEO Airtel, India said: We are on a mission to make Airtel the safe network. While working towards this, we have realised that despite the foundational role played by One-Time Passwords (OTPs) in securing digital transactions, their efficacy is frequently being undermined by criminal tactics. We are, therefore, pleased to announce a significant advancement in Airtels network layer that is designed to strengthen protection against banking frauds. Our newly developed, AI-powered, autonomous solution operates proactively at network level and is engineered to detect and intervene against fraudulent activity in real-time. Extensive trials have demonstrated a remarkable level of accuracy and impact in preventing the menace of such scams. 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. Political Operative Sentenced to 48 Months in Federal Prison for Acting as Covert Agent of People's Republic of China Tuesday, February 10, 2026 For Immediate Release Office of Public Affairs Yesterday, a San Bernardino County man, Yaoning "Mike" Sun, 65, of Chino Hills, California, was sentenced by United States District Judge R. Gary Klausner for the Central District of California to 48 months in federal prison for acting as an illegal agent of the People's Republic of China (PRC), including while serving as the campaign advisor for a political candidate who was elected to the city council of a Southern California city. Sun pleaded guilty in October 2025 to one count of acting as an illegal agent of a foreign government. "For years, Sun received and executed taskings from Chinese government officials, distorted our public discourse by disseminating Chinese propaganda, and surveilled groups in the United States that China viewed as threatening its interests as part of a campaign of intimidation," said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg. "His conduct represents a brazen violation of our national sovereignty. This sentence reflects our commitment to prosecuting those who would extend the authoritarian reach of the Chinese government on U.S. soil." "When Americans vote for elected officials, they expect them to represent the interests of their constituents - not those of a foreign adversary like the Chinese government," said Assistant Director Roman Rozhavsky of the FBI's Counterintelligence and Espionage Division. "By exploiting his position as a campaign advisor, Yaoning Sun attempted to undermine our political processes and democratic institutions for the benefit of the Chinese Communist Party. This sentencing underscores the unwavering commitment of the FBI and our partners to defending the homeland and holding accountable anyone who tries to subvert the will of American voters at the behest of our adversaries." "Federal law enforcement will not allow hostile foreign nations to infiltrate the governance of our nation's political bodies," said First Assistant United States Attorney Bill Essayli for the Central District of California. "The relentlessness of PRC intelligence operations in our country must be met by equal relentlessness on our part to secure, protect, and defend the United States." According to court documents, from at least 2022 to January 2024, Sun knowingly acted within the United States as an agent of the PRC and officials of its government - without notifying the Attorney General, as required by U.S. law. At the direction and control of PRC government officials, Sun coordinated with U.S.-based individuals to promote the PRC's interests by, among other things, "orchestrat[ing]" a team to help elect a politician identified in court documents as "Individual 1" to political office and promoting pro-PRC propaganda in the United States. Sun also closely surveilled the then-President of Taiwan during her April 2023 visit to Southern California, reporting directly to PRC officials on her movements. At the direction of PRC officials, from 2020 through 2023, Sun and Individual 1 worked together to operate a purported news website for the local Chinese American community. Sun and Individual 1 received and executed directives from PRC government officials to post pro-PRC content. Throughout 2022, Sun also worked as the campaign advisor for Individual 1 who was running for a city council seat in a Southern California city. Individual 1 was elected to that city council in November 2022. In December 2022, Sun attended a meeting in Southern California with a group of other people, including Individual 1, whom PRC officials were told was a "team dedicated" to PRC interests, according to Sun's plea agreement. In February 2023, Sun drafted a report for PRC officials to solicit additional money and taskings from the PRC government. Sun's report summarized his personal experience, including his past service in the People's Liberation Army, China's military. In the report, Sun stated that he had worked in the United States to lead "delegations of U.S. dignitaries and cultural workers to China," "persist in resisting any hostile forces that undermine the friendship of U.S.-China relations, and Chinese secessionist forces," and, "most of all, during the 2022 U.S. midterm elections, I orchestrated and organized my team to win the election for city council" for Individual 1, whom Sun called a "new political star," Sun's plea agreement states. Sun's report described various issues concerning "anti-China forces" overseas, including opposition to independence for Taiwan, Tibet, and Xinjiang as well as issues involving Falun Gong, a spiritual movement banned in China. The report further proposed "using part of our Los Angeles organization's professional core team," to seek to counteract those forces, according to court documents. To that end, Sun's report requested $80,000 from the PRC government to fund a pro-PRC demonstration at a Fourth of July parade in Washington, D.C. Throughout 2023 and 2024, Sun communicated with an official at the consulate general of the People's Republic of China in Los Angeles regarding activities in Southern California related to Taiwan. In April 2023, President Tsai Ing-Wen of Taiwan visited Southern California. Sun sent real-time updates on President Tsai's movements to a Los Angeles-based PRC consular official and sought approval from this official to publish an article about President Tsai's visit on the website he operated with Individual 1. Sun also took photographs of individuals protesting in support of and opposition to President Tsai and sent those photographs to the consular official. "As an agent for the PRC, [Sun] worked covertly in the United States with his primary co-conspirator John Chen, a/k/a 'Chen Jun,'" prosecutors argued in a sentencing memorandum. "Chen was a high-level member of the PRC intelligence apparatus, who regularly attended elite [Chinese Communist Party] functions, including military parades...[and] met personally with PRC President Xi Jinping . . . . Per his own report, and other communications between Chen and PRC officials, [Sun] served as Chen's right-hand man in the United States for decades." Chen was sentenced in November 2024 to 20 months in federal prison after pleading guilty in the Southern District of New York to acting as an illegal agent of the PRC and conspiracy to bribe a public official. The FBI investigated this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Amanda B. Elbogen of the National Security Division prosecuted this case with assistance from Trial Attorney Garrett Coyle of the Counterintelligence and Export Control Section in the Department of Justice's National Security Division. Topics: Counterintelligence National Security Components: National Security Division (NSD) USAO - California, Central Press Release Number: 26-119 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address FSB Detains Third Accomplice in Attempted Assassination on Russian General Sputnik News 20260210 MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Russia's Federal Security Service on Tuesday (FSB) released video footage showing a confession by a third accomplice in the attempted assassination on Russian Defense Ministry Lieutenant General Vladimir Alexeyev, with the suspect identified as Pavel Vasin. "I am Pavel Viktorovich Vasin, born June 24, 1981. In September 2025, I was recruited by Lubomir Korba on behalf of the Security Service of Ukraine [SBU]. I carried out his instructions. I purchased equipment, transported it where he told me to, and conducted surveillance of high-ranking officials. I also took part in preparations for the attempt on General Alexeyev," Vasin said in the video. The FSB told Sputnik that the third accomplice turned out to be the son of Viktor Vasin, who had been detained earlier. "P. Vasin provided logistical support to the previously detained SBU agent Lubomir Korba, born in 1960, and to his father, Viktor Vasin, born in 1959," the FSB said. Pavel Vasin collected information on the residential addresses and vehicles of individuals of interest to the SBU, using internet applications and search engines, the FSB said, adding that Vasin also purchased a video recorder to conduct surveillance. Vasin's testimony helped identify two other high-ranking officials from the Russian Defense Ministry who were allegedly under surveillance by Korba and Viktor Vasin, with the aim of preparing further sabotage and terrorist attacks. Alexeyev was shot at in a residential building in Moscow early on February 6. He was hospitalized. A criminal case has been initiated on charges of attempted murder and illegal trafficking of firearms. On Sunday, the FSB said that the alleged perpetrator of the attack, Korba, had been detained in Dubai and extradited to Russia. According to court records, he has been placed under arrest. Russian citizens Viktor Vasin and Zinaida Serebritskaya were identified as his accomplices. Vasin has been detained in Moscow, while Serebritskaya has fled to Ukraine. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Contracts Contracts for Feb. 10, 2026 DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY Alabama Institute for the Deaf & Blind,** Talladega, Alabama, has been awarded a maximum $14,085,000 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for helmet covers. This is a three-year contract with no option periods. The ordering period end date is Jan. 21, 2029. Using military service is Army. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2026 through 2029 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPE1C1-26-D-B004). Avox Systems, Lancaster, New York, has been awarded a maximum $10,485,196 firm-fixed-price, definite-quantity contract for oxygen masks. This was a sole-source acquisition using justification 10 U.S. Code 3204 (a)(1), as stated in the Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1. This is a three-year contract with no option periods. The delivery completion date is Oct. 22, 2029. Using military service is Navy. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2026 defense working capital fund. The contracting activity is Defense Logistics Agency Weapons Support, Richmond, Virginia (SPE4A7-26-C-0056). Point Blank Protective Apparel & Uniforms, Guanica, Puerto Rico, has been awarded a maximum $10,151,100 firm-fixed-price, definite-quantity contract for large field pack sets and pack frames. This was a sole-source acquisition using justification 10 U.S. Code 3204 (a)(3), as implemented in Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-3. This is a one-year contract with no option periods. The ordering period end date is Jan. 8, 2027. Using military service is Army. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2026 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPE1C1-26-C-0004). NAVY L3Harris Technologies, Communication Systems-West, Salt Lake City, Utah, is being awarded $11,955,764 for a firm-fixed-price long-term contract for the repair of one component in support of the Multifunctional Information Distribution Systems Low Volume Terminal Block Upgrade 2 with the Common Systems Integrated Weapon Support Team. The contract does not include an option provision. All work will be performed in Salt Lake City, Utah. Work is expected to be completed by February 2031. Applicable fiscal year working capital funds (Navy) will fund the award, but no funds are being obligated at the time of award. One source was solicited for this sole-source requirement pursuant to the authority set forth in 10 U.S. Code 2304 (c)(1) and one offer was received. Naval Supply Systems Command Weapon Systems Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is the contracting activity (N00383-26-D-U001). ARMY The $10,270,400 firm-fixed-price contract (W912HY-26-C-A010) announced on Feb. 3, 2026, to Inland Dredging Company LLC, Dyersburg, Tennessee, for maintenance pipeline dredging of the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway from High Island to Causeway with Chocolate Bayou in Galveston, Chambers, and Brazoria counties, Texas, was actually awarded on Feb. 5, 2026. *Small Business **Mandatory source https://www.defense.gov/News/Contracts/Contract/Article/4402822/ NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Haiti - End of the Transitional Presidential Council mandate (February 9, 2026) France - Ministere de l'Europe et des Affaires etrangeres France takes note of the end of the Transitional Presidential Council's mandate on February 7, in line with the political agreement of April 3, 2024. It applauds the orderly transition of executive power from President Laurent Saint-Cyr to the Cabinet of Ministers, led by Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aime. It encourages the Haitian government to continue strengthening the Haiti National Police and Haitian Armed forces and to step up efforts to combat criminal gangs and their means of support, particularly through the Haitian legal system. France will continue to back the Haitian security forces and will support the deployment of the Gang Suppression Force (GSF) in line with UN Security Council resolution 2793. It will continue to provide humanitarian aid to the most vulnerable members of the population and will maintain its solidarity-based investment policy in Haiti. It calls on all political actors and all components of civil society to work together with the interim authorities to promote stability, security and a return to constitutional and democratic order in Haiti through free, inclusive elections. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Palace urges consistency in declarations as PH stands firm on WPS Philippine News Agency By Darryl John Esguerra February 9, 2026, 3:01 pm MANILA -- Malacanang on Monday underscored the need for consistency and responsibility in public statements on the West Philippine Sea (WPS), as it reiterated President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.'s firm position against surrendering any part of Philippine territory or national interest. Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said while lawmakers are free to express their views, the President wants Filipinos, especially public officials, to clearly and consistently communicate the country's rights and interests. "Pero ang nais din po ng Pangulo, maipahatid ninuman, ng bawat Pilipino kung ano ba ang ating karapatan sa ating teritoryo, kung ano ba ang interes natin sa West Philippine Sea (What the President also wants is for everyone, every Filipino, to convey what our rights are over our territory and what our interests are in the West Philippine Sea)," Castro said in a Palace press briefing. The Palace's statement comes amid renewed debate in the Senate over the WPS, with Sen. Rodante Marcoleta recently drawing flak after supposedly suggesting the surrender of the Kalayaan Island Group in Palawan. Kalayaan is the country's only municipality located in the WPS. Its center on Pag-asa Island hosts the country's largest and most developed stronghold in the disputed waters. Castro stressed that the President's position remains unchanged. "Ganoon pa rin po ang posisyon ng Pangulo, wala pong anumang bahagi ng teritoryo natin o anumang interes ang isu-surrender sa anumang foreign power (The President's position remains the same: no part of our territory or any of our interests will be surrendered to any foreign power)," she said. Castro said Senate debates fall within the scope of legislators' duties and freedom of expression, but warned against careless or inconsistent messaging on sensitive national issues. "Pero dapat din po tayong maging tugma sa ating ipinapahayag (We must also be consistent in what we say)," the Palace official said. "May kasabihan nga tayo, 'Ang magtanim ng hangin, bagyo ang aanihin' (As the saying goes, those who sow the wind will reap the storm)," she added. (PNA) NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address No part of PH territory to be given while AFP is on watch Philippine News Agency By Priam Nepomuceno February 9, 2026, 2:49 pm MANILA -- No part of the country's territory, including those in the West Philippine Sea (WPS), will be given up as long the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) is on watch, a ranking naval official said on Monday. In a message to the Philippine News Agency (PNA), Philippine Navy spokesperson for the WPS Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad said the "constitutional mandate of the AFP is to protect national sovereignty, secure the integrity of the national territory and look after the welfare of the Filipino people." He said the AFP and its three services have never shirked from their duty in going about its mandate. "Throughout history, the Armed Forces has never wavered in performing this mandate and we have proven it time and again," he added. Trinidad also said the extent of the national territory that they have sworn to protect is defined in the Constitution and it includes Bajo de Masinloc and the Kalayaan Island Group (KIG). "Guided by a policy of 'not giving up one square inch' and a matching strategy of comprehensive archipelagic defense, your AFP will continue performing its mandate (with) utmost professionalism and love for country," he added. Earlier, some groups reportedly suggested giving up the KIG, which consists of seven islands and two reefs in the WPS, as it lies outside of the Philippines' 200 nautical mile exclusive economic zone. Among the seven islands in the KIG is Pag-asa Island, which lies 280 nautical miles northwest of Puerto Princesa, Palawan, and serves as the seat of government of Kalayaan town. As this developed, Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. on Monday reiterated the service's commitment to ensure the safety and security of civilians living on Pag-asa Island. He added the PNP continues to work closely with other security agencies to protect residents on the island. Nartatez said coordination remains strong despite external developments surrounding the area. (with reports from Lloyd Caliwan/PNA) NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Statement on Israel's security cabinet's decision to expand Israeli control over the West Bank Global Affairs Canada Statement February 10, 2026 - Ottawa, Ontario - Global Affairs Canada Global Affairs Canada issued the following statement: "Canada strongly condemns the Israeli security cabinet's recent decision to approve measures to expand Israeli control over the West Bank. "These measures contravene international law, undermine the prospects for peace, and erode the viability of a Palestinian State. "We call on Israel to reverse this decision and immediately halt settlement expansion. "Canada firmly believes that a two-state solution - with Israelis and Palestinians living side-by-side - remains the only way forward for the long-term security of both peoples. We will continue to work with our allies and partners to support peace and stability in the region." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address February 10, 2026 By Alexandra Broughton, Headquarters Air Force, Office of the Director of Civil Engineers From Backpacks to Bird's-Eye: Drones Are Transforming EOD Across a stretch of open terrain at Hurlburt Field, Florida, two airmen assigned to the 1st Special Operations Wing began a race between machines. One guided a ground robot toward a simulated casualty, its treads working across dirt and grass. The other launched a small unmanned aerial system, or drone, which reached the site within seconds. From above, the drone's camera streamed a clear view of the scene before the robot made it halfway there. It's a new kind of flight reshaping how explosive ordnance disposal airmen execute their mission and how the Air Force strengthens readiness through innovation. Before the adoption of modernized drones, EOD teams relied primarily on heavy robotic platforms to inspect potential explosive threats. The systems still provide valuable standoff capability but require vehicle transport and setup time, limiting their use during operations on foot. In those scenarios, airmen may have to approach hazards themselves. Compact and portable drones can be carried in a backpack and launched within minutes. Operated from a safe distance, they stream real-time imagery that helps airmen assess hazards without approaching them. The drones give teams an unmatched view of any environment. They combine optical and thermal cameras for day or night operations with advanced 3D scanning that produces precise digital models in minutes, whether documenting blast sites or mapping entire airfields. Drones can be used to establish a visual reference of a runway and to collect updated imagery after an incident. The data helps civil engineers quickly identify changes or damage, supporting timely clearance actions and repair planning to resume air operations. Built-in artificial intelligence also allows drones to operate with a high degree of autonomy. The system can identify and track targets, hold position, and navigate around obstacles with minimal operator input. These capabilities boost mission tempo and efficiency while augmenting the work of airmen, keeping them out of harm's way and allowing them to focus on critical decision-making. Drones have not yet replaced every function of traditional robots, but the two technologies currently complement one another on the battlefield. "The big thing doesn't currently have is manipulation," an EOD airman explained. "I can't pull a battery off something or flip something over [with a drone], but a robot can." Still, drones are increasingly assuming tasks once limited to ground platforms, expanding options for commanders and reinforcing the Air Force's ability to adapt faster than its adversaries. Introducing any new technology brings challenges, but EOD airmen at Hurlburt Field have moved quickly to overcome them. Through local innovation projects, the team acquired and tested drones early, giving them a head start in integrating the capability into daily operations. "We've had the ability to work through a lot of the growing pains much faster," said an airman assigned to the 1st Special Operations Wing. "Now we're able to disseminate those lessons throughout the career field." That progress continues as airmen refine training and certification standards while identifying where drones provide the most operational value. "A lot of this is going to fluctuate based on use cases, because we all have a general idea of how we'd want to use this ... but there's still a lot to learn," said another EOD airman. Wing airmen emphasized that the success of drone integration depends as much on institutional understanding as on technology itself. They said progress requires high-level advocacy to navigate the policies and risk assessments that come with operating in shared airspace, along with trust between ground units employing the systems and aviation communities managing them. As one airman explained, the future fight will rely on an enterprise that adapts quickly and learns from those already proving what's possible. At Hurlburt Field, EOD airmen are showing how small systems can yield big results. The shift from large ground robots to backpack-sized drones is transforming how they detect, respond and recover bringing speed, precision and safety to every mission. "These are coming. This is the way of the future," said another airman. "If it's not in your shop currently, it probably will be in the very near future. Get ready." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Justice Department Files Action to Protect National Security by Enforcing President's Order of Chinese Company's Divestment from U.S. Company Tuesday, February 10, 2026 For Immediate Release Office of Public Affairs Yesterday, the United States filed a complaint under section 721 of the Defense Production Act of 1950 to enforce a presidential order prohibiting Suirui Group's acquisition, through Suirui International, of California-based Jupiter Systems and compelling Suirui to divest from Jupiter Systems. On July 8, 2025, the President issued the Order based on his findings that the transaction "threatens to impair the national security of the United States." This is the first such action ever filed in federal district court. While foreign direct investment is important to the United States' economy, foreign investment in certain companies and certain industries, particularly those involved in defense or critical infrastructure, can pose national security concerns. To address these concerns, the President has the authority to take such action for such time as the President considers appropriate to suspend or prohibit such a transaction that threatens to impair the national security of the United States. The Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) is empowered to review and investigate such transactions. According to the Complaint, in 2020, Suirui Group, a Chinese company, through its Hong Kong subsidiary Suirui International, acquired all of Jupiter Systems, which provides video communications hardware and software to commercial and U.S. Government customers. On July 8, 2025, the President issued an Order prohibiting the transaction and, among other things, requiring Suirui to divest all its interests in Jupiter Systems within 120 days. According to the Complaint, despite CFIUS granting two extensions of the divestment deadline, to Feb. 3, Suirui and Jupiter Systems have failed to comply with the Order. The United States thus filed this action to protect the country's national security interests. The Justice Department's Civil Division, Federal Programs Branch is handling the matter. The case is captioned United States v. Suirui Group Co., Ltd., et al., No. 26-cv-00369 (D.D.C.). This case is being handled by Trial Attorney Sam Bean of the Justice Department's Civil Division. The claims asserted in the complaint are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability. Component: Civil Division Press Release Number: 26-124 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Executive Pleads Guilty to Multi-Million Dollar Bid-Rigging Conspiracy Tuesday, February 10, 2026 For Immediate Release Office of Public Affairs The president of a metal fabrication and manufacturing company pleaded guilty on Feb. 5, to a conspiracy to rig bids for maintenance, repair, and operations contracts affecting United States military installations, earning his company more than $8.5 million dollars in rigged procurements. According to court documents filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, Thomas C. Rollins, of Wilmington, North Carolina, was the president of a company that provided goods and services to military bases through procurements administered by the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA). Between at least 2015 and 2022, Rollins conspired with other individuals and companies to suppress and eliminate competition by rigging bids for the procurements administered by the DLA, which were awarded to subcontractors through a competitive bidding process. Rollins and his co-conspirators coordinated their submission of rigged bids by agreeing in advance which co-conspirator would submit the lowest pricing and instructing each other how to price "comp" or "cover" bids. In the plea agreement, Rollins admitted that the volume of commerce attributable to him and related to the conspiracy was approximately $8.47 million. "For seven years, this defendant deliberately chose to cheat instead of compete, harming the Department of War and the American people in the process," said Deputy Assistant Attorney General Omeed A. Assefi of the Justice Department's Antitrust Division. "The Antitrust Division and its partners in the Procurement Collusion Strike Force are laser focused on detecting and prosecuting those who seek to tilt the scales in their favor at the expense of American taxpayers and warfighters." "As the criminal investigative arm of the Department of Defense's Office of Inspector General, the Defense Criminal Investigative Service remains steadfast in its commitment to safeguarding the integrity of the Department's acquisition process," said Special Agent in Charge Christopher Dillard of DCIS's Mid-Atlantic Field Office. "When individuals conspire to rig bids and eliminate fair competition, they erode taxpayer trust and jeopardize the readiness of our armed forces. Today's outcome makes clear that this conduct will not be tolerated. DoD contracts must be awarded based on merit, consistent with the best interests of national defense." Rollins pleaded guilty to one felony count of restraining trade by conspiring to rig bids, in violation of Section 1 of the Sherman Act. The maximum penalty for individuals is 10 years in prison and a $1 million criminal fine. A sentencing hearing has not been scheduled in this case. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The Department of Defense's Office of Inspector General's Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DoD-OIG) is investigating this case. The Antitrust Division's Washington Criminal Section is prosecuting the case. The Justice Department's Procurement Collusion Strike Force (PCSF) is a joint law enforcement effort to combat antitrust crimes and related fraudulent schemes that impact government procurement, grant and program funding at all levels of government federal, state and local. To learn more about the PCSF, or to report information on bid rigging, price fixing, market allocation and other anticompetitive conduct related to government spending, go to www.justice.gov/procurement-collusion-strike-force. Whistleblowers who voluntarily report original information about antitrust and related offenses that result in criminal fines or other recoveries of at least $1 million may be eligible to receive a whistleblower reward. Whistleblower awards can range from 15 to 30 percent of the money collected. For more information on the Antitrust Whistleblower Rewards Program, including a link to submit reports, visit www.justice.gov/atr/whistleblower-rewards. Topic: Antitrust Component: Antitrust Division Press Release Number: 26-120 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Tsahkna meeting with Spain's foreign minister: acting together in supporting Ukraine and strengthening security in the Baltic and Mediterranean regions Republic of Estonia - Ministry of Foreign Affairs 10.02.2026 | 19:23 Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna is on a visit to Madrid on 10 and 11 February. At a meeting held today with Spain's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Jose Manuel Albares, he had an in-depth discussion on strengthening European security, increasing pressure on Russia to achieve a just and lasting peace in Ukraine, transatlantic relations, and strengthening bilateral cooperation. "Estonia and Spain act as partners in the European Union and as Allies in NATO to strengthen deterrence and defence, ensure effective transatlantic relations, and promote Europe's competitiveness and unity. Estonia highly values Spain's contribution to the security of NATO's eastern flank, including its participation in NATO's Baltic Air Policing mission in Estonia," Tsahkna said, adding that to face current and future threats, Allies must increase defence spending and rapidly strengthen NATO's European pillar. "Russia is and will remain the most serious and long-term threat to Europe as a whole, targeting us by organising hybrid attacks, spreading instability in Africa, and fuelling migratory pressure," Tsahkna said. "Acting together to counter Russia's actions strengthens security in both the Baltic and Mediterranean regions." Speaking about Russia's aggression against Ukraine, Tsahkna said that although Estonia and Spain are located at opposite ends of Europe, it is vital for the security of both countries that Russia does not succeed in its attempts to change borders by force. "For this reason, we must continue along the path of supporting Ukraine and increasing pressure on Russia. We are working to adopt a strong 20th EU sanctions package in the coming weeks, including sanctions against Russia's energy companies, its shadow fleet and those enabling its activities, as well as a ban on maritime services for vessels exporting Russian energy carriers," Tsahkna said. "The state of Russia's economy is deteriorating, and the stronger the pressure we exert through sanctions, the fewer resources Russia will have to continue the war and it will be forced to abandon its course of aggression," the foreign minister said. "In addition to strengthening sanctions, pressure should also be increased by imposing customs duties on goods from Russia and Belarus." "Estonia recognises Spain for its military support to Ukraine and for its participation in the IT Coalition established under the leadership of Estonia and Luxembourg to assist Ukraine, through which Ukraine's armed forces and Ministry of Defence are supported in the fields of communications and information technology," the foreign minister said. The ministers also discussed deterring Russia's shadow fleet, which, in addition to security considerations, is important for protecting critical infrastructure and the environment in both the Baltic Sea and the Mediterranean. The foreign ministers also discussed in depth the threat posed by Russian fighters to internal security in Europe. "Europe must act jointly to ensure that those who have fought for Russia in Ukraine are not able to enter the Schengen area as ordinary travellers, as they are battle-hardened individuals hostile to Europe who have committed war atrocities, including criminals sent from prisons to the front," Tsahkna said. "Former fighters represent a suitable recruitment pool for Russia's special services and can be used for sabotage, subversion and involvement in organised crime on European soil. To ensure the security of our citizens, the door must remain closed to Russian fighters." The ministers also discussed EU enlargement, the development of security guarantees for Ukraine, transatlantic relations, the establishment of a special tribunal, and the promotion of economic cooperation between Estonia and Spain. Today, Foreign Minister Tsahkna also spoke at the Elcano Royal Institute and at the diplomatic school of the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, where he addressed European security. Tomorrow, the foreign minister will meet Estonia's honorary consuls in Spain, as well as Estonian e-residents and Estonian entrepreneurs operating in Spain. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Ethiopia: Turk urges restraint and steps towards de-escalation amid volatility in Tigray Press releases Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights 10 February 2026 GENEVA -- UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk on Tuesday called on all parties to take urgent steps towards de-escalation, amid the precarious situation in the Tigray region. Recent fighting between the Ethiopian army and regional forces has highlighted the risk of a deepening human rights crisis in the north of the country. "The situation remains highly volatile, and we fear it will further deteriorate, worsening the region's already precarious human rights and humanitarian situation," said Turk. "There must be concerted and sustained efforts by all parties, with the help of the international community, to de-escalate tensions before it is too late. Political dialogue and confidence-building measures are urgently needed - not renewed resort to armed violence." Clashes between the Ethiopian National Defence Forces (ENDF) and the regional Tigray Security Forces (TSF) intensified on 26 January, particularly in the areas of Tselemti and Laelay Tselemti, in the region's north-west, close to the Amhara border. The TSF withdrew from the Tselemti area on 1 February. Drones, artillery and other powerful weapons were used by both sides. Several arrests and detentions by both the ENDF and TSF have been reported - during the clashes and subsequently. "Civilians are once again caught in between escalating tensions, with both TSF and ENDF reportedly carrying out arrests for perceived affiliation with the opposing side. This must stop," Turk said. In the south and south-east of the Tigray region, near the Afar border, clashes between the TSF and the "Tigray Peace Forces", a rival faction, continue unabated. Over a million civilians remain internally displaced from the 2020-2022 Tigray conflict that left many people dead and uprooted more than two million. The exact death toll remains unclear, with widely differing estimates from different sources. "Both sides must step back from the brink and work to resolve their differences through political means. Alleged serious violations or abuses must be promptly and independently investigated, irrespective of the perpetrators." The High Commissioner also expressed concern at recent tensions between Ethiopia and neighbouring Eritrea, warning that they risked exacerbating the already serious human rights and humanitarian challenges in both countries, and across the wider Horn of Africa. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address OIC Media Observatory Releases its 115th Report: Israeli Crimes Continue to Accelerate in line with a Final Annexation Plan Officially Approved This Week Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) 10-02-2026 The Media Observatory of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) for monitoring Israeli crimes against Palestinians announced in its 115th report for the period from 3 to 9 February 2026 that the Israeli occupation forces and settlers committed 1,026 various crimes in one week, including murder, destruction, and attacks on holy sites and property in the Gaza Strip, the West Bank, and occupied Al-Quds (Jerusalem). According to the report, 62 Palestinians were martyred during this period, including 60 in the Gaza Strip, which witnessed intense bombing targeting tents for displaced individuals in Deir al-Balah and Khan Yunis and civilian homes in the neighborhoods of al-Zaytoun and al-Tuffah. This brings the total number of martyrs since 7 October 2023 to 72,948, with 181,121 wounded. Last week alone, 11 children were martyred by Israel in Gaza. In the West Bank and Al-Quds (Jerusalem), the report noted a dangerous escalation against vegetation, with the occupation and settlers uprooting 600 trees, including 400 olive trees and 200 grapevines, while demolishing eight homes and six commercial establishments and bulldozing roads and agricultural land. Violations also affected the education sector, with the storming of the Khirbet Ibziq school, the destruction of its infrastructure, and the confiscation of its educational tools to prevent students from accessing it. In terms of holy sites, Al-Aqsa Mosque recorded increasing daily raids, while Al-Ibrahimi Mosque in Hebron was closed twice to secure settler rituals, with attacks on mosques and the cutting of water and electricity networks to UNRWA headquarters in Al-Quds (Jerusalem). In light of the legalization of settlements, settlers carried out 74 attacks, including burning houses and vehicles, stealing agricultural equipment, and confiscating money and gold from citizens at gunpoint. The OIC Media Observatory's Monitoring report considers that the approval by the Israeli occupation's mini-cabinet on 8 February of a series of decisions to impose a fait accompli through colonial settlement and change the legal status of the occupied Palestinian territory comes in the context of legalizing and escalating these daily crimes committed by the Israeli occupation. The report concluded that these practices, which also included imposing a curfew and preventing the wounded from leaving through the Rafah crossing, constitute a comprehensive aggression aimed at destroying livelihoods and entrenching and legitimizing settlement, calling on the international community to shoulder its responsibilities to stop these ongoing violations against the Palestinian people and their property. To view the detailed report, please click on the link: https://palestine.oic-oci.org/2026/02/10/increased-incursions-into-al-aqsa-the-ibrahimi-and-grazing-areas-in-the-palestinian-territories/ NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Soldiers ready to make the ultimate sacrifice for country - AFP spox Philippine News Agency By Priam Nepomuceno February 10, 2026, 4:06 pm MANILA -- If needed, officers and enlisted personnel of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) are ready to lay down their lives to defend the country's territory, which includes its 200 nautical mile exclusive economic zone (EEZ) and the Kalayaan Island Group (KIG), a ranking naval official said on Tuesday. "The mere fact that we wear the uniform, we swore to protect this country from all threats, domestic and foreign. It goes without saying if and when the ultimate sacrifice is necessary, we expect the AFP to perform its mandate regardless of the cost," Philippine Navy spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea (WPS) Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad said in a press briefing at Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City. This is despite claims that the KIG is outside the Philippines' EEZ. "I would like to leave their statements as they are. (As) far as the AFP is concerned, napakaliwanag ng ating mandato (our mandate is clear) and this is stated in the Constitution itself, we know the limits of the Philippine territory. It is our mandate to protect national sovereignty, to ensure the integrity of the national territory all the way up to our 200 nautical mile EEZ and the regime of islands covering KIG which is beyond our EEZ and to look after the welfare of the Filipino people," Trinidad said. Also, the PN official said all military personnel are all well aware of their duty to defend the country, its territory along with its people, and have done so faithfully for many years. "We have performed this mandate for many years, we have proven it time and again without fanfare, without questions asked of our patriots, our comrades have laid down the ultimate sacrifice and this is the mandate that we have sworn to protect, to perform, we will keep performing it," he added. Trinidad added that AFP troops are not affected by such talks as they are mature enough to delineate political discourses from their mission of securing and protecting the country's territory. The PN official maintained the Philippines has legal basis for its claims. "(As) far as the AFP is concerned, we have the legal basis, we have international law and domestic law on our side and these are the references of your AFP in performing its mandate," he added. The Philippines and China have been locked in a territorial dispute in the South China Sea, which Beijing claims entirely as it owns, including resource-rich features in the West Philippine Sea. On July 12, 2016, the Arbitral Tribunal constituted under the 1982 Law of the Sea Convention dismissed China's expansive claims under its so-called nine-dash-line as illegal. To this day, Beijing continues to reject the ruling. Malacanang and the AFP have both said the Philippines would never give up an inch of any part of its territory to foreign powers. (PNA) NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address No decision yet on Trump's board of peace invite, says Palace Philippine News Agency By Darryl John Esguerra February 10, 2026, 3:26 pm MANILA -- Malacanang on Tuesday said President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has yet to decide whether to accept an invitation from United States President Donald Trump to join a proposed international Board of Peace (BOP). Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said no meeting or commitment related to the invitation has been finalized. "Sa ngayon po ay wala pa pong napa-finalize na anumang tungkol sa meeting," (As of now, nothing has been finalized regarding any meeting)," Castro said in a Palace briefing. Philippine Ambassador to the U.S. Jose Manuel Romualdez earlier bared that Trump, through the White House, has sent a personal letter addressed to Marcos inviting him to be a member of the BOP. Launched at the World Economic Forum in Switzerland in January, the BOP is being billed as a vital part of a U.S.-led peace plan to end conflict in Gaza and restore peace and stability in the region. Indonesia and Vietnam are currently the two only Southeast Asian states to join the body. (PNA) NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Not within budget, but PH 'not closing door' on F-16 purchase - envoy Philippine News Agency By Joyce Ann L. Rocamora February 10, 2026, 12:03 pm MANILA -- The Philippines is not closing its doors on the possibility of acquiring 20 Lockheed Martin F-16 fighter jets from the United States, Philippine Ambassador to the U.S. Jose Manuel Romualdez said Tuesday. At a US-Philippines Society press conference, the envoy said the potential purchase "is not within budget," but talks between the Philippines and Lockheed Martin continue. "We're not closing the door, but it'll take quite some really imaginative and creative ways to be able to purchase," he said. The Philippine government previously submitted a letter of intent to procure 16 F-16C Block 70/72 fighter jets and four F-16D Block 70/72 aircraft from the U.S. In April, the U.S. Department of State announced that the American government has approved the potential foreign military sale of 20 Lockheed Martin F-16 fighter jets for approximately USD5.58 billion. In September, Romualdez disclosed that the Philippines has put on hold plans to push through with the acquisition, "mainly because of funding." The Philippines is getting at least USD2.5 billion in defense capabilities from 2026 to 2030 after the U.S. Senate approved a bill authorizing fresh foreign military financing (FMF) last December. But Romualdez said the latest allocation is anticipated to be earmarked "mostly for defense capabilities on the ground, maritime security, and cyber security." "So, we just have to wait and see on how we can move forward on that particular item," he said. (PNA) NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address The Philippines should stop unscrupulous political manipulation and self-directed farce at sea: Defense Spokesperson Ministry of National Defense of the People's Republic of China Source China Military Online EditorLi Jiayao Time2026-02-10 19:37:48 BEIJING, Feb. 10 -- China on Tuesday urged the Philippine side to stop its unscrupulous political manipulation and self-directed farce at sea. Senior Colonel Jiang Bin, spokesperson for China's Ministry of National Defense (MND), made the remarks at a press briefing in response to recent remarks regarding the so-called New Hero-Fisherfolk initiative. The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) spokesperson reportedly said that in order to advance the so-called New Hero-Fisherfolk initiative, the PCG had deployed vessels and aircraft to provide security for the Philippine fishing boats operating near Huangyan Dao, protecting the Philippines' sovereign rights and the livelihoods of its fishermen. "Huangyan Dao is part of China's territory and has never been within the limits of Philippine territory," said Spokesperson Jiang. He pointed out that certain authorities of the Philippine side trick and instigate innocent fishermen into committing provocative acts, using them as a tool to infringe upon China's legitimate rights, and even deliberately create friction to scapegoat and smear China. Such treacherous behaviors have fully betrayed their disregard for the livelihoods, well-being, or even the safety of these fishermen. "China urges the Philippine side to stop its unscrupulous political manipulation and self-directed farce at sea," said the spokesperson. "China will continue to exercise sovereignty and jurisdiction over Huangyan Dao and its adjacent waters in accordance with law, and resolutely defend China's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Rubio Heads To Munich Conference, Bratislava, And Budapest As Allies Look For Reassurance By Alex Raufoglu February 10, 2026 WASHINGTON -- The top US diplomat, Marco Rubio, will travel to Germany later this week to lead a high-level delegation to the annual Munich Security Conference before heading on to Slovakia and Hungary, the State Department has announced. The trip comes at a pivotal moment, as Washington and its European allies grapple with deepening mistrust over security, trade, and the fundamental future of the transatlantic alliance -- tensions that are expected to loom large over discussions in Munich. Russia's war against Ukraine, which will soon enter its fifth year since the start of the full-scale invasion in 2022, is expected to be a major topic of discussion at the conference, as is the tension surrounding Iran. Rubio's attendance at the February 13-15 conference will be followed by a diplomatic swing through Bratislava and Budapest on February 15-16, underscoring the administration's focus on Central Europe at a time of strategic uncertainty. In Slovakia, he is expected to meet senior officials to advance regional security cooperation and nuclear energy projects, the State Department said; in Hungary, the focus shifts to bilateral ties and peace efforts aimed at resolving global conflicts. The centerpiece of Rubio's trip may be his scheduled Munich address on February 14, which is expected to come under intense scrutiny -- particularly in the shadow of last year's conference, where Vice President JD Vance's speech made waves. At the time, Vance's remarks -- which accused European leaders of suppressing free speech and failing to manage migration -- left a lingering sense of apprehension in Brussels and beyond. That unease is reflected in the Munich Security Conference's annual report, written by organizers of the forum and published this week, which warns that Europe faces a "prolonged era of confrontation" driven by Russian aggression. Transatlantic Tensions Crucially, the report argues that the greatest challenge to the liberal international order may now be "coming from within," citing what it describes as a tectonic shift in US thinking about alliances. Calling US President Donald Trump "the most powerful of those who take the axe to existing rules and institutions," its authors predict that "transactional deals may well replace principled cooperation...and regions may become dominated by great powers rather than governed by international rules and norms." US Ambassador to NATO Matthew Whitaker has forcefully rejected that "internal threat" assessment, saying that Washington is seeking to rebalance, rather than dismantle, the postwar order. Speaking to reporters on February 9, Whitaker pushed back against the notion that the United States is drifting away from its long-standing alliances. "We're trying to make NATO stronger," he said, arguing that pressure on European allies to spend more on defense is about capability, not abandonment. On trade, he cast the US position as a response to what he called unfair imbalances. On Greenland, which Trump has said he wants the US to take over, Whitaker framed US interest as a security concern tied to Russia and China -- while distancing himself from the president's more incendiary rhetoric on the subject. That distinction -- between rebalancing and retreat -- has become central to how many seasoned diplomats interpret the current moment. Still, some caution that the challenge for Rubio lies in bridging the gap between official rhetoric and the stark political intelligence being gathered by US allies across Europe. 'Don't Throw Up Your Hands' Daniel Fried, a former assistant secretary of state for Europe and Eurasia who served under seven US administrations, recently returned from a trip to Bucharest, Warsaw, and Prague. In an interview with RFE/RL on February 9, Fried argued that while concern among transatlantic allies is understandable, European "hand-wringing" risks becoming a strategic dead end. "I understand the concern, but you can't throw up your hands and just recoil in horror," Fried said. Instead, he contended, the path forward for Europe is not to complain, but to "work the problem." Fried pointed to the NATO summit in The Hague in June, where Europeans put forward a formula for increased military spending, as a success story -- effectively giving Washington the "win" it had sought. At the heart of the current friction, he argued, is the definition of US engagement. While critics see signs of a fundamental withdrawal from the existing security architecture, Fried contended there is a "complete difference" between rebalancing and disengagement. "US presidents since Eisenhower have pushed Europe to do more for their own defense," Fried said, citing former Defense Secretary Bob Gates as a prominent advocate of this approach. The objective, he said, has long been a stronger transatlantic relationship built on greater European capability -- and, by extension, a louder European voice. Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/rubio-us-europe- munich-hungary-slovakia/33674060.html Copyright (c) 2026. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Vance Lands In Azerbaijan As Caucasus Peace Deal Visit Continues By RFE/RL's Armenian Service and RFE/RL's Azerbaijani Service February 10, 2026 US Vice President JD Vance arrived in Azerbaijan on February 10 as he continues a trip to the Caucasus aimed at shoring up support for a US-brokered peace deal with Armenia and to push a strategic transit corridor Washington sees as central to reshaping trade, energy, and influence in the region. Vance made the short flight from Yerevan to the Azerbaijani capital of Baku following two days of meetings with Armenian officials where he signed an agreement to cooperate in the civil nuclear sector that will allow up to $5 billion in initial US exports to Armenia, plus an additional $4 billion in longer-term fuel and maintenance contracts. The vice president, the first sitting US vice president to ever visit Armenia, called the trip to Armenia "very productive" and said he's "optimistic about the peace deal based on where we are compared to where we were just a few months ago." In June, Armenia signed a US-brokered a deal with Azerbaijan aiming to end more than 40 years of conflict over the Karabakh region. The centerpiece of the agreement is a proposed 43-kilometer road-and-rail corridor, to be called the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity (TRIPP), that would run through Armenia and link Azerbaijan to its Nakhchivan exclave while opening a new East-West trade artery bypassing Russia and Iran. Armenia and Azerbaijan had been locked in conflict since the late 1980s over Nagorno-Karabakh, a region internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan but long controlled by ethnic Armenian separatists. In September 2023, Azerbaijan retook full control of Karabakh following a military offensive. Last summer, leaders from the two countries agreed on a major deal-- brokered by Washington -- aimed at ending decades of conflict, including two full-scale wars. The agreement gives the United States leasing rights to develop the transit corridor, which would run through southern Armenian territory along the border with Iran. The corridor would eventually include a rail line, oil and gas lines, and fiberoptic lines, allowing for the movement of goods and eventually people. Vance said "a lot of investment that's going to come to Armenia because of some of the good deals that we've struck." Azerbaijani media reported Vance was holding a brief meeting with President Ilham Aliyev in Baku to start the second leg of the trip. Ahead of Vance's arrival, Aliyev said the visit is part of "a new era in bilateral relations which is very promising." The peace agreement has boosted Washington's position in the region at a time when Russia's influence has faced setbacks in Baku and Yerevan. Vance's arrival also coincides with other regional developments -- such as US-Iran tensions amid ongoing peace talks in Oman and a new US-backed critical minerals initiative -- that analysts say has placed the South Caucasus at an unlikely nexus for US policy priorities. With reporting by Alex Raufoglu in Washington Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/vance-azerbaijan-caucasus- peace-visit/33674351.html Copyright (c) 2026. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address EU Set To Blacklist Uzbek Cotton Pulp Firms Linked To Russian Military By Zamira Eshanova and RFE/RL's Uzbek Service February 10, 2026 Rustam Rakhimdzhanovich Muminov, an Uzbek businessman who holds Russian and British citizenship, was previously sanctioned by the EU, the United Kingdom, and Ukraine for supplying cotton pulp to Russia's military facilities. However, this hasn't stopped his companies from continuing to produce materials critical for Russia's military industry. According to a draft EU sanctions document seen by RFE/RL, Fargona Kimyo Zavodi LLC and Raw Materials Cellulose LLC, controlled by Muminov, supply cotton pulp to Russian gunpowder plants in Kazan, Perm, and Tambov. The EU draft states both companies "support Russia's military and industrial complex by being involved in the supply of military technology and equipment," which is why they're included on the EU's upcoming blacklist. The sanctions also extend to two Russian buyers of Uzbek cotton products, Dmitry Malyuta and Denis Shishkin. The EU draft describes them as owners of shares in LLC Bina Invest, through which they control companies importing cotton pulp from Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan for Russian gunpowder factories. Both also own shares in LLC Aleksinskiye Kraski-Ural, which delivers goods to Russian gunpowder factories. The materials are used in a wide range of military products, including ammunition. 'Cotton Cellulose King' Investigative reporting by Vazhnyye Istorii, Vlast.Kz, and OCCRP shows that Muminov's network controlled roughly 85 percent of Uzbekistan's cotton cellulose exports to Russia, which surged after the 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Exports totaled around $5 million in 2022 and $8.7 million in the first nine months of 2023 -- nearly 70 times higher than in 2021. Trade and customs data show that in 2024-2025 some Uzbek suppliers shifted to exporting cotton fiber under HS code 5601219000 instead of cotton cellulose. Exports under this classification were valued at about $9.8 million in 2024, according to figures cited by RFE/RL's Uzbek Service. Experts say this may have allowed deliveries to Russian military facilities to continue while partially circumventing EU restrictions. According to Ukrainian authorities, Muminov's companies were restructured following the May 2025 sanctions: Mercury Renaissance and Fargona Kimyo Zavodi LLC were re-registered, and Raw Materials Cellulose LLC ceased exports to Russia at the end of 2024. Nevertheless, Muminov remains closely connected to Russian military procurement, according to the Council for Economic Security of Ukraine (ESCU). Several companies controlled by Muminov - Fargona Kimyo Zavodi LLC (Fergana Chemical Plant), Raw Materials Cellulose LLC, and Mercury Renaissance were placed under Ukrainian sanctions in May 2025, along with Muminov himself, under a decree signed by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy that remains in force for 10 years. The United Kingdom added Muminov and these Uzbek-linked firms to its Russia sanctions list on December 18, 2025, imposing asset freezes and financial restrictions as part of a broader sanctions update. Muminov's dominance in Uzbekistan's cotton pulp exports highlights his close ties with the state institutions regulating this strategically important sector. Cotton and cotton-derived products, including cellulose and pulp with dual-use potential, have traditionally been tightly controlled by the Uzbek government, with oversight from security agencies as a major source of national revenue. So far, Uzbek authorities have not publicly responded to the sanctions targeting Muminov and his companies, leaving questions about domestic oversight of cotton pulp exports to Russia. The EU's 20th sanctions package is expected to be formally adopted by the end of February. Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/uzbekistan-eu-sanctions- cotton-russian-military/33674429.html Copyright (c) 2026. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Kyrgyz President Reshuffles National Security Leadership Amid Political Tensions By Zamira Eshanova and RFE/RL's Kyrgyz Service February 10, 2026 Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov dismissed Kamchybek Tashiev as chairman of the State Committee for National Security (SCNS) on February 10 and appointed Jumgalbek Shabdanbekov as acting chairman amid rising political tensions in the Central Asian nation. Tashiev, a longtime political ally of Japarov, is currently undergoing medical treatment in Munich, Germany after arriving on February 6, according to a Kyrgyz diplomat posted in Europe. Sources close to Tashiev told RFE/RL's Kyrgyz Service that the dismissal "was completely unexpected," adding that he "heard this news while receiving medical treatment." The reshuffle is widely seen as a move by Japarov to reassert control over key institutions ahead of upcoming political cycles. It also comes amid ongoing debate over the timing of the next presidential election. Since Japarov and his allies took power in 2021, Kyrgyzstan's reputation as a democratic outlier in authoritarian Central Asia has been dealt one blow after another, with crackdowns on the media, civil society, and political opponents. Included in the reshuffle is Rustam Mamasadykov, who was Secretary of the Security Council and who now has been appointed first deputy chairman of the SCNS. In a statement to RFE/RL, Japarov's press secretary, Askat Alagozov, said the president made the decision "first and foremost" in the interest of the state "to prevent divisions in society, including among state institutions and instead to strengthen unity." Tashiev was appointed SCNS chairman in October 2020, shortly after a wave of political unrest rocked the country. During his tenure, he led a high-profile campaign against corruption and organized crime, including the 2023 killing of Kamchy Kolbaev, a prominent criminal figure in Bishkek, during a special SCNS operation. Over the past five years, the SCNS reported recovering more than 352 billion soms ($4.14 billion) for the state. Shabdanbekov, 56, previously served as deputy chairman of the SCNS and head of its 9th Department. His appointment as permanent chairman still needs parliamentary approval. From Alliance to Rivalry Tashiev and Japarov, once close allies, formed a powerful duo in Kyrgyz politics. Tashiev played a central role in managing security and anti-corruption operations while Japarov consolidated the presidency. Analysts say their relationship has shown signs of strain in recent years as Tashiev's growing influence created an informal power base that at times appeared to rival that of the president. Tashiev's dismissal has intensified questions about Kyrgyzstan's political landscape, particularly with upcoming elections in view. Civil activist Mavlyan Askarbekov told RFE/RL that the move likely reflects deeper strategic calculations. "Let me also say why Kamchy Kolbaev was neutralized: because he refused to compromise. Given this factor, he was eliminated. Very important and difficult decisions are likely to be made soon," he said. "Tashiev also has his own major plans and is thinking ahead. I believe Tashiev understands that in the upcoming election, if he wants to be president, now is his chance; otherwise, it may never happen." In a video interview with RFE/RL, journalist and Tashiev ally Mirlan Duishonbaev described the dismissal as "completely unexpected, especially since Tashiev was abroad." "He has worked to ensure political stability and unity, and this could mark the end of the political tandem, possibly leading him to run in the next presidential election against Japarov." Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/kyrgyzstan-president- reshuffle-reshuffle-political-tensions/33674256.html Copyright (c) 2026. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Kyrgyzstan May Be First State Targeted Under EU Anti-Circumvention Rules By Zamira Eshanova February 10, 2026 Under a proposed 20th European Union sanctions package against Russia, expected to be adopted by the end of the month, Kyrgyzstan could face certain export restrictions for the first time. According to draft proposals seen by RFE/RL, the EU is considering export bans on at least two dual-use items -- computer-controlled CNC machines that cut, drill, and shape material as well as radio equipment -- amid concerns that goods exported to Kyrgyzstan may be reexported to Russia, circumventing existing sanctions against Moscow over its war in Ukraine. The draft package also proposes adding CJSC TengriCoin, a Kyrgyz cryptocurrency company, to the EU blacklist for its role in trading the A7A5 stablecoin, which supports Russian state-linked financial interests. If approved, the restrictions would be the first application of the EU's anti-circumvention instrument, introduced in 2023. Unlike traditional sanctions, this tool focuses on sector-specific export bans rather than requiring proof of intentional violations. Dual-Use Imports The draft notes that preventing and countering sanctions circumvention in third countries remain a priority. Kyrgyzstan is the first country on the EU's radar as a potential route for such circumvention, prompting Brussels to propose tighter controls. The EU plans to expand sectoral restrictions to cover high-precision metalworking machines and communications equipment, blocking exports of these items to Kyrgyzstan. These goods can be used to produce weapons, build military equipment, and support operations such as drone deployment and secure field communications. Draft EU data shows that exports of these items to Kyrgyzstan rose nearly 800 percent in the first 10 months of 2025 compared with pre-invasion levels, while Kyrgyz exports of the same goods to Russia increased by about 1,200 percent. "The import of these items into the Kyrgyz Republic from the Union demonstrates a continuing and particularly high risk of circumvention, with these items being subsequently sold, supplied, transferred or exported from the Kyrgyz Republic to Russia," the draft says. According to the document, despite repeated EU engagement and technical talks, Kyrgyz authorities have not implemented "effective" controls, leading the bloc to view Kyrgyzstan as a country where sanctions circumvention is ongoing and systematic. The proposed sectoral restrictions aim to close this loophole across the EU and ensure consistent application in all member states. Germany, Italy, France, and Poland are among EU suppliers of industrial machinery and electronics to Kyrgyzstan, including CNC and radio components, which Russia used to purchase directly from these countries before the war for its advanced military production. Unanimous Approval Any EU sanctions package requires unanimous approval from all 27 member states, so negotiations may modify or delay the final measures. On February 9, Reuters reported that German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul will meet with his counterparts from Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, and Kazakhstan in Berlin to discuss energy cooperation and preventing the circumvention of EU sanctions against Russia. A German government spokesperson noted that the region is important for energy diversification, resource security, and trade in raw materials, while also emphasizing the need to prevent Russian sanctions circumvention through Central Asia. The spokesperson did not want to say whether Germany would support the proposed EU sanctions against Kyrgyzstan. According to RFE/RL diplomatic sources, Germany, as a major supplier of industrial machinery and electronics that include components like CNC and radio equipment to Kyrgyzstan, might oppose the draft sanctions to protect its business interests. Targeting Crypto The draft package also proposes adding CJSC TengriCoin, a Kyrgyz cryptocurrency company, to the EU blacklist. TengriCoin runs the Meer platform, a major marketplace for trading the A7A5 stablecoin, which is backed by Promsvyazbank, a Russian state-owned bank. The EU views this activity as supporting Russian state-linked financial interests, including those responsible for the annexation of Crimea and the destabilization of Ukraine. Western regulators have long raised concerns about Russia-linked crypto in Kyrgyzstan. In 2025, the Grinex exchange, launched by Moldovan oligarch Ilan Shor, and the A7A5 stablecoin were already under international scrutiny. The US Treasury, the UK government, and the EU sanctioned Grinex, A7A5, and their founders. An investigation by RFE/RL's Kyrgyz Service estimated that A7A5 transactions reached $79 billion, while other reports suggest circulation through Grinex exceeded $100 billion by early 2026. "Therefore, CJSC TengriCoin is supporting and benefitting from the Government of the Russian Federation, which is responsible for the annexation of Crimea and the destabilisation of Ukraine. In addition, CJSC TengriCoin is associated with Promsvyazbank, Limited Liability Company A7 and Limited Liability Company Old Vector," the EU draft says. A7A5 was developed by Limited Liability A7 and Limited Liability Company Old Vector, linking CJSC TengriCoin directly to these entities. Through the Meer platform, CJSC TengriCoin channels funds into Promsvyazbank, supporting Russian state financial interests. Playing Clean Kyrgyz officials have strongly denied claims that the country facilitates sanctions evasion. Last week, First Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers Daniyar Amangeldiev told RFE/RL that Bishkek had received no official notification of sanctions and that reports so far were based on media coverage. "We are holding consultations with EU Special Envoy for Sanctions David O'Sullivan and have imposed restrictions on the export of weapons and sensitive goods. Trade statistics based on percentage growth can also be misleading when initial volumes were very low," he said. Economically, EU export bans on machinery and electronics could disrupt supply chains, increase costs, discourage foreign investment, and make European banks and insurers more cautious in dealing with Kyrgyz counterparties. Once imposed, such measures are difficult to reverse and require sustained proof that reexports have stopped. In a conversation with RFE/RL, Kyrgyz economist Marat Musuraliev warned that if the EU eventually imposes country-level export restrictions, it could severely harm Kyrgyzstan's reputation and economic prospects. "If individuals or private companies profit from bypassing sanctions and the EU then sanctions the country, we will all bear the consequences. It's easy to fall under sanctions, but very difficult to recover. This would inflict serious damage on our economy," he said. "It's also a reputational issue. Anyone considering investing in Kyrgyzstan will not just think once, they will think seven times before making a decision." Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/kyrgyzstan-eu-sanctions-russia- circumvention/33671180.html Copyright (c) 2026. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Minister of National Defence will participate in the EU Foreign Affairs Council Meeting and the Meeting of NATO Ministers of Defence Romania - Ministry of National Defence Press release No. 24 10.02.2026 Minister of National Defence, Radu Miruta, will participate, on February 11th, in the EU Foreign Affairs Council Meeting (Defence), and in the Meeting of NATO Ministers of Defence, on February 12th, in Brussels. The FAC Meeting, chaired by the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Kaja Kallas, will focus on the EU's military support for Ukraine, with focus on cooperation in defence innovation, as well as the prospects in the field of security and defence this year. The agenda of the Meeting of NATO Ministers of Defence will include a North Atlantic Council (NAC) Meeting in the format of defence ministers, dedicated to the deterrence and defence calendar, a Ukraine Defence Contact Group Meeting, a working lunch of the NATO-Ukraine Council, as well as the signing ceremony of the Letter of Intent on Multinational Approaches to Military Airworthiness in the Context of Crisis or Conflict. Minister of National Defence will also have bilateral meetings in Brussels with NATO and EU officials, as well as with counterparts of allied countries. Minister Miruta will be accompanied in Brussels by the Chief of Defence Staff, General Gheorghita Vlad, and by State Secretary for Defence Policy, Planning and International Relations, Sorin Moldovan. The Press Office NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova's answer to a media question regarding the Israeli government's decision to tighten control of the West Bank 10 February 2026 16:07 170-10-02-2026 Question: According to reports, on February 8, the Israeli government, at a meeting of its Ministerial Committee on National Security, approved a package of measures that unilaterally alter land registration and property acquisition rules in the West Bank. This may mean lifting the long-standing ban on non-Muslims acquiring land there. Control over holy sites revered by all Abrahamic faiths, as well as environmental legislation, would also pass to Israeli authorities. What is the Foreign Ministry's position on this issue? Maria Zakharova: The official text of this decision has not yet been published. Nonetheless, it has already drawn sharp criticism from Palestinians and across the Arab and Muslim world. The Palestinian National Authority (PNA) views it as an open attempt to "legalise settlement expansion, land confiscation, and the destruction of Palestinian property in areas under Palestinian sovereignty." These new Israeli decisions regarding the West Bank are deserving international condemnation and raise serious concerns. They represent a departure from the spirit and provisions of the Oslo II Accords, concluded in 1995 between Israel and the PNA. They also constitute another blow to prospects for normalisation in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and for a final settlement based on established international law, centred on the two-state formula. We urge the Israeli authorities to reconsider these planned steps to change the status quo in the West Bank, in order to avoid a further dangerous escalation of tensions in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict zone and the wider region. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Albares reiterates Spain's commitment to defending eastern flank to Estonia Spain - Ministry of Foreign Affairs PRESS RELEASE 015 The ministers also discussed the bilateral and EU agenda, as well as key international issues 10 FEB 26 The Minister for Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation, Jose Manuel Albares, met today in Madrid with the Estonian Foreign Minister, Margus Tsahkna, with whom he confirmed the affinity between the two countries and the synergies in key areas such as security, defence and EU affairs. The minister also reiterated to his counterpart Spain's commitment to the security of the region in the context of the Russian war against Ukraine. 'Spain is fully committed to the security and defence of Estonia and the eastern flank,' said the minister, who recalled that, since 2015, Spain has participated in the military presence in the region and in the country alongside other NATO members, as a staunch ally in strengthening air defence in the region, especially in the context of the Alliance's deterrence efforts in the context of the war in Ukraine. Close collaboration Defence is another area where cooperation between the two countries is excellent. The Spanish defence industry is the eighth largest supplier to the Estonian Armed Forces, with extensive experience in the country and growing demand. In the field of economic relations, the participation of Spanish companies with extensive international experience in interconnection and infrastructure projects of great importance for the country, the region and the European Union as a whole, such as Rail Baltica, has been highlighted. Also at the bilateral level, the ministers discussed the promotion of Spanish in the Estonian education system and Spain's commitment to creating new bilingual sections in the country's schools, following the example of the Gymnasium Mustamae secondary school in Tallinn, whose section will open its doors in 2026-2027. International affairs The challenges facing the European Union, the need for Europe to achieve true sovereignty and greater responsibility in defence matters, including the development of additional capabilities and the strengthening of critical supply chains, were among the other topics discussed during the meeting. Finally, the ministers also addressed the challenges facing transatlantic relations, as well as the conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza, in which Spain supports all diplomatic efforts being made to achieve peace. NON OFFICIAL TRANSLATION NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Trump Says US Might Send 2nd Strike Group to Mideast in Event of Iran Talks Failure Sputnik News 20260210 WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - US President Donald said on Tuesday he is considering the possibility of deploying a second aircraft carrier strike group to the Middle East in preparation for a possible failure of negotiations with Iran. "Either we will make a deal or we will have to do something very tough like last time," Trump told Axios in an interview. "We have an armada that is heading there [Middle East] and another one might be going." The US president also said he expects a second round of negotiations with Iran to take place next week. Moreover, he expressed optimism in the possibility of reaching an agreement via diplomatic engagement, claiming that "Iran wants to make a deal very badly". Trump further noted that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is set to visit the White House on Wednesday to discuss the talks with Iran, is not nervous about the negotiations, as he is also seeking a positive outcome. "He also wants a deal. He wants a good deal" Trump continued. Last Friday, talks between US and Iranian delegations on Iran's nuclear program were held in the Omani capital, Muscat. Trump said the talks went well and would continue during the week. At the same time, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Sunday that Tehran insists on its right to enrich uranium, even if this leads to war. In January, Trump said a "massive armada" was heading toward Iran, adding that he hoped Tehran would agree to negotiate and sign a "fair and equitable" deal. Trump warned that if no agreement on Iran's nuclear program was reached, any future US strike on the country would be "far worse" than the previous ones. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Trump Opposes Israeli Annexation of West Bank - Reports Sputnik News 20260210 US President Donald Trump opposes Israeli annexation of the West Bank, Axios journalist Barak Ravid reported, citing a White House official. "A White House official told me President Trump is opposed to Israel annexing the West Bank," Ravid said on X on Monday. The official reportedly added that a stable West Bank ensures Israel's security and is consistent with the Trump administration's goal of achieving peace in the region. On Monday, the Financial Times reported that Israel's Security Cabinet had greenlit significant changes that enhance the authority of Israeli officials in the occupied West Bank and facilitate land purchases by Jewish settlers. These changes also empower Israeli authorities to act against those seen as violating environmental and archaeological regulations in the Palestinian authority areas. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address The UK condemns the escalating military offensives across South Sudan since last March: UK statement at the UN Security Council Speech Statement by Ambassador Archie Young, UK Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN, at the UN Security Council meeting on South Sudan. From: Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office and Archie Young CMG Published 10 February 2026 Location: United Nations, New York Delivered on: 10 February 2026 (Transcript of the speech, exactly as it was delivered) We have heard clearly today how the situation in South Sudan is deteriorating and requires coordinated international attention and pressure. Today, I will address three key elements. Firstly, the worsening security situation, then the imperative for humanitarian access, and thirdly, the practical steps towards a political process to peace. First, the United Kingdom condemns the recent escalating military offensives across South Sudan since last March, including attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure. We condemn reported ethnically-based hate speech and reported increased recruitment and use of child soldiers, reminiscent of the worst days of the civil war. We urge all parties to comply with international humanitarian law, including for the protection of civilians, and reiterate our call for an immediate cessation of hostilities. The UK also joins the Secretary-General's calls for the safety and security of UN personnel, following the appalling killing of an UNMISS staff member in Wau in December. We express our deepest condolences. Second, it is critical that life-saving humanitarian support can reach the millions needing assistance. We are particularly concerned at the situation in Jonglei, where violence has displaced around 230,000 people since December. The 3 February airstrike on a Medecins Sans Frontieres hospital is unacceptable, as is the large-scale looting of a convoy carrying aid for 73,000 people in Upper Nile State between 31 January and 1 February. We reiterate our call on the transitional government to ensure unhindered humanitarian access to all areas, irrespective of political affiliation or ethnicity. Third, it is critical that the parties return to the peace agreement. We urge the transitional government to cease proposing its unilateral amendments to the peace agreement and its removal of opposition officials. We also express concern at the creation of parallel governance structures which are impacting aid and delivery. The Revitalised Agreement is critical to providing peace to South Sudan, especially through a power-sharing Government. The actions of President Kiir's regime are undermining this. The UK joins the African Union and IGAD in urging all parties to recommit to inclusive, consensusdriven dialogue to prevent the slide back into full-scale civil war. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Core Group Statement for the Interactive dialogue on the oral update of the OHCHR on the human rights situation in the Sudan Speech Sudan Core Group Statement for the oral update of the OHCHR on the human rights situation in and around El Fasher, in the context of the ongoing conflict in the Sudan. From: Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office and Eleanor Sanders Published 10 February 2026 Location: Geneva Delivered on: 9 February 2026 (Transcript of the speech, exactly as it was delivered) Mr President, This statement is on behalf of the Sudan Core Group: Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands, Norway, and the United Kingdom. We welcome the High Commissioner's powerful update. Sustained Human Rights Council attention remains crucial. Survivors of last year's brutal attacks in El Fasher, following months of siege by the RSF, have reported indiscriminate and ethnically motivated killings, and horrendous systematic sexual and genderbased violence. A recent Medecins Sans Frontieres report shows that El Fasher has become a ghost town. UN teams have encountered landmines and unexploded ordnance, severely restricting movement and rendering neighbourhoods unsafe. Human rights organisations warn that those still inside face the persistent threat of further grave and systematic violence. The ICC's initial assessment indicates crimes against humanity and war crimes by the RSF in El Fasher. The Fact Finding Mission must be granted immediate and unhindered access to El Fasher and to Sudan more broadly, to gather the information necessary for its independent reporting. We are concerned by intensified fighting in North and South Kordofan where civilians remain trapped between warring parties and face faminelike conditions. We must prevent a repeat of El Fasher's atrocities. Civilians must be protected and granted safe passage, humanitarian access must be immediately facilitated, and all parties must respect international humanitarian and human rights law. Thank you. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General Department of Public Information . News and Media Division . New York 10 February 2026 The following is a near-verbatim transcript of today's briefing by Stephane Dujarric, Spokesman for the Secretary-General. ** Briefing Tomorrow Tomorrow, at 12:45 p.m., there will be a briefing here by the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) to present the findings of a major new study on political violence against lawmakers by the public, both online and off. The speakers will be Martin Chungong, the IPU Secretary-General, along with Rogier Huizenga, IPU Human Rights Manager. I think it will be an important and interesting report. ** Deputy Secretary-General Our Deputy Secretary-General, Amina Mohammed, will be travelling to Abuja, in Nigeria, today, where tomorrow she will deliver a keynote address at the eighteenth Annual Leadership Conference and Awards Ceremony and meet with senior Government officials in Nigeria. From there, she will proceed to Addis Ababa to attend the thirty-ninth Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the African Union Heads of State and Government. During her time there, she will co-chair the sixth High-Level Strategic Dialogue on Sustainable Development, together with the Deputy Chairperson of the African Union Commission. She will be back in New York on Tuesday. ** South Sudan This morning, our friend Jean-Pierre Lacroix, the Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations, briefed the Security Council on the situation in South Sudan. He did so via video [teleconference] from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where as you know, he is currently travelling. Mr. Lacroix noted that political deadlock among the main signatories to the Revitalized Peace Agreement is driving tensions and fuelling armed clashes, particularly in Jonglei, as we have been telling you recently. Mr. Lacroix emphasized that the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) continues to engage political leaders at all levels. The Mission is also conducting patrols and remains actively deployed in an effort to protect civilians. He called on the international community, including the Security Council, to urge South Sudanese political actors to engage in dialogue and seek consensus on the way forward. Meanwhile, on the ground, the humanitarian situation is continuing to deteriorate. Our humanitarian colleagues tell us that families fleeing their homes in Jonglei urgently need food, they need safe water, they need healthcare and they need emergency shelter. As we have been telling you, since last December, renewed violence and airstrikes have uprooted an estimated 280,000 people. That is what the authorities are telling us. Aid delivery continues to be disrupted by insecurity, and essential services are shutting down. Road and river traffic is blocked, and humanitarian flights have not been allowed to take place. The displacements are driving up the risk of cholera. Already 55 cases and seven deaths were reported in just one week in Ayod and Duk Counties. Since September of [2024], South Sudan has recorded more than 98,000 cholera cases, including more than 1,600 deaths across nine states. Our colleagues warn that transmission of cholera is likely to intensify ahead of the rainy season if humanitarian teams and supplies continue to be restricted in their movements and delivery operations. ** Syria Turning to Syria: This week, an assessment mission led by our UN teams entered Ain Al Arab/Kobani in Aleppo Governorate in northern Syria. And that was for the first time since clashes there began in January. Yesterday, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) colleagues and the UN Department of Safety and Security carried out an assessment mission to the city. Local humanitarian teams on the ground say the situation remains relatively calm. We and our partners have previously delivered two convoys to the city carrying [52] trucks of aid and one mobile clinic. Goods and fuel are entering through limited commercial routes, though not at the scale that is needed. Basic services are continuing to be severely disrupted. Water systems are only partially functioning using diesel, and hospitals and bakeries are operating with limited fuel. Our partners on the ground have reported that public electricity was restored yesterday evening. Water, sanitation and hygiene conditions continue to be a great concern, with some families relying on unsafe water sources, which, as you can imagine, is increasing the risk of any water-borne diseases. More assessment missions are planned to identify peoples' needs, and we will keep you updated on that. ** Occupied Palestinian Territory Meanwhile, in Gaza, OCHA has received more reports of airstrikes, bombing, shelling, navy fire and shooting in the last 24 hours. This includes strikes in residential areas, which put civilians in danger and adds to the immense hardship they have endured over the last 28 months. OCHA stresses that civilians are protected under international humanitarian law wherever they are, whether they cross military demarcation lines or [are] just near them. Civilians and civilian infrastructure must always be protected [and] during military operations and constant care must be used to spare them. Today, colleagues from the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) said that their teams on the ground in Gaza have reopened the Bureij Health Centre, which is in Deir al-Balah. They have restored essential services after months of closure. The facility is now providing primary healthcare, maternal health services, laboratory testing and dental care. However, thousands of patients remain without opportunities for treatment and recovery, as some critical services are still unavailable in the Gaza Strip. Their top priority is to scale up local services, including rehabilitation of damaged facilities and expanding critical care. This requires more medical supplies, including items that are not easily approved by the Israeli authorities, such as X-ray machines and laboratory equipment. Our shelter, our partners said that by last week, they had provided more than 5,600 families with emergency shelter, including nearly 5,000 tarpaulins and over 12,000 bedding items in just over one week. Last month, they provided this type of assistance, including nearly 8,000 tents, to more than 85,000 families. However, they stress that more durable solutions are urgently needed. This requires permission to take in machinery and materials to repair damaged infrastructure. We and partners stand ready to further scale up humanitarian operations. However, this requires the lifting of all restrictions on our work. All of our humanitarian partners must be allowed to operate without obstruction and bring in critically needed supplies and equipment. ** Mozambique Turning to Mozambique, our colleagues at OCHA tell us that a large storm is forecast to pass offshore on Friday, but still [can] impact communities. Yesterday, the Government activated preparations ahead of the possible flooding that may be caused by Cyclone Gezani. That includes planning for evacuations and pre-positioning essential supplies. Ahead of the cyclone, $4.5 million was released by the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) to fund UN agencies to help more than 300,000 people in southern Mozambique. Our humanitarian colleagues note that this comes as the country continues to recover from recent floods that impacted large parts of central and southern Mozambique. So far, 140,000 human beings, which is nearly a quarter of all those most affected by the floods, have been reached with some humanitarian assistance. ** Ethiopia Turning to Ethiopia. I just want to flag some comments of Volker Turk, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. He today called on all parties to take urgent steps towards de-escalation, amid the precarious situation in the Tigray. The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) noted that recent fighting between the Ethiopian army and regional forces has highlighted the risk of a deepening human rights crisis in the north of the country. Mr. Turk stressed that both sides must step back from the brink and work to resolve their differences through dialogue and political means. He added that alleged serious violations or abuses must be promptly and independently investigated, irrespective of who the perpetrators may be. Mr. Turk also expressed concern at recent tensions between Ethiopia and Eritrea, warning that they risked worsening the already serious human rights and humanitarian challenges in both countries, and across the Horn of Africa. ** Venezuela And I want to flag Venezuela, which is a country that has one of the most underfunded humanitarian operations globally. Our colleagues at OCHA tell us that last year's humanitarian response plan for Venezuela was just 19 per cent funded, or $115 million, of the $606 million that we called for. But, even with the lack of funding, OCHA tells us that our humanitarian partners last year helped more than 2 million people in the country. That is about 40 per cent of the 5 million people we aimed to reach under the humanitarian response plan, which prioritized assistance for people most in need women, girls, young children and the elderly. In the health sector, medicine and other supplies delivered to hospitals and health centres reached more than 400,000 people, while 260,000 children and pregnant women received nutritional support. More than 750,000 people received food assistance from the World Food Programme (WFP) through school meals and support to communities impacted by heavy rains. That was also done through WFP's partners. Additionally, nearly 600,000 people received protection services, including support related to gender-based violence, child protection and assistance [for people returning to the country]. The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), together with other UN agencies and their local partners, continue to provide legal advice, psychosocial support and livelihoods assistance. And obviously, we urge Member States to step up and provide sustained, flexible funding this year so essential services can continue running and assistance reaches those who need the most. ** International Days Two interesting days today. Today is the International Day of the Arabian Leopard. We love the Arabian Leopard. Known for its golden-yellow fur with black spots, this critically endangered wild cat is a powerful reminder of why protecting wildlife and their habitats matters. And today is also World Pulses Day. This year's theme, "Pulses of the world: from modesty to excellence", celebrates lentils, beans and chickpeas humble yet mighty foods that nourish communities, support farmers and protect the planet. ** Financial Contributions Financial contributions, so please get ready. Just to note that in our Financial Regulation, Member States have 30 days from the receipt of the assessment letters to be included in our Honour Roll. So, we now have reached the end of the 30-day period, which ended on 8 February. This year. there were 55 Member States who made the Honour Roll. In 2025, there were 49, though the total cash is a little less this year in the Honour Roll than last year. We collected $941,186,981, compared to just over $1.009 billion last year. But, lucky for you, there is a lightning round quiz. Six countries paid. This country is home to the world's largest permanent desert lake. It is called Lake Turkana. Kenya. And I may not be pronouncing it right, but this food is called cepelinai. It is potato dumplings stuffed with ground meat, liver, or mushrooms, and it is a national dish of this country. It is Lithuania. In 1991, this country became the first country in the world to declare itself an "ecological State", with environmental protection written into its constitution. Montenegro. This country's flag is the only national flag in the world that is not quadrilateral. Who said Nepal? Yes, Nepal. With an area of over just 260 square kilometres, this country is the smallest country in the western hemisphere. Saint Kitts and Nevis. And this country is the world's largest producer of olive oil. Spain. Thank God the money is not linked to the success rate of this quiz, because we would have literarily no money. We thank Kenya, Lithuania, Montenegro, Nepal, Saint Kitts and Nevis, and Spain for their full payments to the Regular Budget. We are now up to [61]. You won the first one, Ahmed. Go ahead. ** Questions and Answers Question : Okay. Thank you, Steph. On Iran and the US, we understand that the United States and Iran are expected to enter a new round of negotiation on the Islamic Republic's purported nuclear issue. We also know that Israeli Prime Minister [Benjamin] Netanyahu is set to meet soon with President [Donald J.] Trump, where, he said on X, he wants to speak about the key principles of those talks. From the Secretary-General's perspective, does he believe the latter meeting has any potential to impede the prospect for a comprehensive diplomatic negotiation? Spokesman : Look. We're in a period of heightened diplomatic activity. There are a lot of meetings going on in different places. Our focus is on seeing the tensions in the region lower, and we hope that the discussions between the United States and the Islamic Republic of Iran will lead to exactly that. Edie? Question : On the Secretary-General and the African Union, we know that he's a great supporter of mediation. Is he undertaking any personal efforts on the many major crises in Africa? Spokesman : There will be a lot of bilateral meetings, a lot of issues up on the agenda, but I don't want to preview anything at this point just yet. Yes, Namo, please, and then Gabriel. Question : Thank you. Just two questions on South Sudan. You noted the Security Council meeting. What additional steps does the Secretary-General recommend the Council members to take to ensure the safety of aid workers and in turn the delivery of humanitarian access? Spokesman : Well, first of all, I think it's very important that the Council speak with one voice. The peacekeeping mission is deployed in South Sudan under the mandate of the Security Council. And all those Council members or those even Member States who are not Council members to put pressure on the Government and other actors in South Sudan to ensure that civilians are protected, that the Revitalized Peace Accord gets a renewed boost for the sake of people of South Sudan. I mean, the people of South Sudan have suffered so much at different times since their hard-won independence that the international community owes them to do whatever they can to help bring peace, and their leaders owes their people to do whatever they can bring peace. Question : And just a follow-up to the question I asked yesterday about Kobani. Have locals reached out to UN agencies or UN personnel on the ground about the reported looting that's taken place? Spokesman : I don't have any information on that. I would encourage you to reach out to our colleagues in Syria, who would have more direct information and less delayed. Gabriel? Question : Thanks, Steph. In the briefing this morning at the Council, Mr. Lacroix also talked about how the cost-reduction measures are having an operational impact on UNMISS. One of the examples he gave is protection patrols are down 40 per cent. He listed other things, as well. Is this all part of the liquidity crisis that peacekeeping is facing or is this part of something else? Spokesman : No, I mean it's part of the cuts and the savings that we are forced to endure, due to the budgetary situation. Question : And separately on Cuba, I know you had a statement about that, I believe it was last week, but given...? Spokesman : Yesterday, as well; I mean, I had given you an update yesterday, yeah. Question : Yeah, on that, the UN has many agencies or partner organizations that work in Cuba. Can you just remind us again on how the UN is preparing for these cuts in fuel and how it's making the situation there for the work that the UN does different? Spokesman : Well, I mean, you know, of course, as in any country, if there is lack of fuel, it will impact our ability, our mobility, right? And our ability to deliver. But, our main focus is not so much on us, but is on working with the Government, the plan of action they've put forward to try to support their efforts. Yes, sir? Correspondent : Thank you, Stephane. I have a question on Yemen. Spokesman : Move your microphone a little closer. Question : I have a question on Yemen. Is there any progress on the UN's efforts to get the release of its personnel detained by the Houthis? Spokesman : No. We continue to engage with the Houthis and others to ensure the immediate end to the unlawful detention of our national colleagues who remain arbitrarily detained, as well as those of international NGOs [non-governmental organizations] and diplomatic missions. They should be released. Question : Okay. Can you... can you please just specify what type of efforts are being made? Spokesman : Well, I mean, there are direct discussions going on between the UN and the Houthi leadership. And as you know, we've also engaged other countries in the region to try to help in any way they can. Yes, Pan? Question : Thank you, Steph. I have two questions. One is a follow-up to the upcoming meeting between Netanyahu and President Trump. Iran has accused Israel of undermining the newly started nuclear talks between United States and Iran. So, was SG's message for the meeting? And does he have any plan to meet Netanyahu? Thank you. Spokesman : No. We're not aware of the Prime Minister coming up to New York. I think, as I said earlier, our focus is on the direct discussions between the United States and the Islamic Republic of Iran, which we hope will lead to a visible decrease of the tensions that we've seen in the region. Question : Thank you. My second question is, in a few days, the Chinese people will celebrate the Year of the Horse, according to the Chinese lunar calendar. And last night, there was celebration at the business entrance, hosted by the Chinese mission. So, did you attend the celebration last night? Spokesman : I did not. Thank you. Question : So, what's the message for the Chinese people? Spokesman : Well, you know, I will share a message with you. If I knew enough about the culture, I would say something that is relevant to the Year of the Horse, but I don't, so I don't want to guess. But, of course, we wish a very happy new year to all Chinese people around the world who celebrate. Thank you. I think there's a question online from Anadolu. Question : Yup. Hi, Steph. Just a follow-up. Well, I have two questions, but one of them is a follow-up to the question I asked yesterday. Israel returning bodies of Palestinians, with body parts tortured or missing. Were you able to confirm those reports? If so, do have you any reaction? Spokesman : No, I'm sorry. I don't. I may have something, but I'll have to send it to you after the briefing, because I don't have it with me. Question : Okay. And the other one is... I actually saw a report on the Israeli media that Israel Prison Service is beginning to develop procedures and conduct training to start executing Palestinian prisoners. This obviously follows the death penalty bill that was passed at the Knesset last year. Is the SG or the UN concerned about these reports, especially considering that erasing people or genocide does not just happen with bombs, also by reaction, like these actions against the Palestinians? Spokesman : No. I mean, I think I answered that question yesterday, and I can tell you that we stand firmly against the use of the death penalty anywhere. Okay. Thank you all. Enjoy what remains of the day. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Remarks by UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell at the first regular session of the UNICEF Executive Board UNICEF Remarks As delivered 10 February 2026 NEW YORK, 10 February 2026 - "Excellencies, distinguished delegates, colleagues, "It is a pleasure to welcome you to the first regular session of the UNICEF Executive Board for 2026. I would like to extend my congratulations to the President and Vice-Presidents of the Board, and my sincere appreciation to the Bureau for your leadership and continued engagement. We value your guidance, your oversight, and your partnership. "To say that we are meeting at a moment of significant transition, for the world, for the multilateral system, and for UNICEF is quite an understatement. "In the last year, we have seen challenges to the future of the multilateral system, to the value and effectiveness of international aid, and ultimately to the world's collective responsibility to care for those most in need, especially children. The world is changing rapidly and that change is not temporary. The challenges facing children are immense, becoming ever more complex, more constrained, and more polarized. "Together we must ensure that UNICEF remains effective, trusted, and focused on delivering results for children, particularly those living in the most fragile and crisis-affected settings. And of course, how we responsibly manage the risks we face every single day. "Over the coming days, you will consider a full agenda that reflects both our ambition and our accountability. "This includes updates on humanitarian action and UN reform; the essential role of evaluations to drive continuous improvement; and strategic discussions on finance, partnerships and governance. "We will take critical decisions on country programme documents and hear from a panel of experts on several of the CPDs. I would like to emphasize here that UNICEF country program documents are carefully negotiated with Member States. "They are essential for ensuring accountability - between UNICEF and Government partners, and between UNICEF and the Executive Board. They are also consistent with broader Cooperation Frameworks, while adding critical detail and commitment in specific programme areas. I appreciate your careful attention to these essential documents. "The CPD discussion this session will focus on health. "Despite remarkable progress on child survival over the last three decades, 2025 could be the first year this century where child deaths will have increased, reversing generations of progress. "Child and maternal health continue to be key priorities for UNICEF. Our new Centre of Excellence in Nairobi focuses on child survival. It brings together our technical assets in health, nutrition and WASH to provide top level expertise and knowledge to countries burdened with high levels of child and maternal mortality. "Excellencies, "As you know, the global environment for children remains extraordinarily difficult. Conflict, climate shocks, economic instability and inequality place enormous pressure on children, families and communities. "The humanitarian situation facing children today is among the most severe we have ever seen. More than 200 million children across over 130 countries need humanitarian assistance in 2026. "Last year saw the highest number of verified grave violations against children on record. These violations include horrendous acts such as killings, abductions, and sexual violence. At the same time, famine re-emerged in 2025, when two famines were declared simultaneously - an unprecedented and deeply alarming development. "Beyond these formal famine declarations, millions more children suffer from malnutrition and are living one shock away from life-threatening catastrophe. "Yet even as needs grow, we see resources shrink. "Abrupt, severe funding cuts are forcing impossible choices across humanitarian operations - which lives do we prioritize as we limit supplies, reduce the frequency of services, and scale back interventions that children depend on to survive. "Despite these constraints, UNICEF continues to deliver. Last year, our teams and partners responded to emergencies across more than 100 countries, reaching tens of millions of children with lifesaving health care, nutrition, immunization, education, protection, and safe water and sanitation. We do this at a global scale because we are present before crises strike, because we work through national and local systems, and because we have decades of experience in saving children's lives. "This is why UNICEF is sharpening its humanitarian focus - prioritizing the most vulnerable children, investing in preparedness and anticipatory action, and strengthening the systems that protect children before crises escalate. "We are strengthening partnerships, working through UN80 and the Humanitarian Reset to pool common services, to combine efforts on humanitarian diplomacy, to develop an integrated supply chain initiative, and to collaborate on shared data to strengthen early warning and rapid response. "Excellencies, "This humanitarian reality is unfolding at a time when official development assistance is undergoing a structural shift. This is not a temporary downturn. "In this context, flexible funding matters more than ever. These regular resources are the foundation that allows UNICEF to respond quickly to emergencies, and to support sustainable, long-term solutions, and to ensure critical oversight functions. "I want to recognize those partners who have demonstrated leadership during this period. This includes governments that have sustained or increased their regular resources contributions despite fiscal pressure, and National Committees whose fully flexible support represents an extraordinary vote of trust in UNICEF's mission. In particular, I would like to acknowledge the National Committees of Japan, Germany, the Republic of Korea, Spain and France - among the largest contributors to UNICEF's regular resources. "Of course, the impact of National Committees extends well beyond funding. They are powerful advocates for children's rights, mobilizing public engagement and partnerships. "One example is the Republic of Korea, where the National Committee partnered with global artists and the private sector to promote youth mental health, reaching millions of young people while raising significant resources for UNICEF's work. "Excellencies, "In this complex global environment, UNICEF is delivering for children, in crisis settings and beyond. We are supporting countries to protect development gains in health and education, to recover from shocks, and to strengthen resilience. The ability to bridge humanitarian action and development, to move from emergency response to longer-term systems strengthening, remains one of UNICEF's defining strengths. "This is the foundation of our new Strategic Plan, endorsed by this Board last year. "The Plan is ambitious, but it is grounded in how we work and in what we know works. It sharpens our focus on five impact results for children - health and nutrition, education, child protection, safe water and sanitation, and social policy that supports children - and it aligns delivery with the enablers required to achieve them - including financing for scale, digital transformation, and solid governance. "In addition, we are advancing UNICEF's own Future Focus reforms. In light of unfortunate budget cuts, we have worked to increase effectiveness and efficiency across the organization, focusing reductions at HQ and regional levels, while prioritizing our work for children at the country level. These efforts involved very difficult decisions, affecting many of our dedicated staff members. "The global Centres of Excellence I mentioned earlier will strengthen technical support to countries. These centres are already operational, responding to country demand and helping teams translate evidence into scaled results. UNICEF is committed to technical excellence, innovation, and ensuring that our work remains agile and focused on impact. "Delivering for every child means finding ways to leverage our capacity to do more with what we have. "A decade ago, UNICEF established the Global Shared Services Centre in Budapest to reduce administrative costs, assure quality, and help manage risk. Today, we are scaling that model, centralizing functions such as recruitment, contracting, and travel administration, which is freeing capacity in country offices to focus on delivery for children. "We are also extending this leadership across the UN system, in line with the Secretary-General's UN80 reforms - something we will speak more about tomorrow with Under-Secretary-General Guy Ryder. "We are actively engaged in UN80 reform efforts. At the Executive level, at regional and at country levels. Our teams are fully engaged, and our contributions are anchored in what we see every day in our country operations. "Excellencies, "This session also reflects our commitment to accountability and to learning. As I have said many times at these Board meetings, I am committed to creating an environment in which we constantly assess, evaluate, and look for ways to improve our work. At this session, you will consider evaluations for the years ahead and take a deeper look at an evaluation on early childhood development and education. "In closing, let me return to the reason we are all here: children. UNICEF is present in more than 190 countries and territories, working with governments, partners and communities to give every child a fair chance, no matter who they are or where they live. "The choices we make - about funding, reform, and partnership - will shape what is possible for children in the years ahead. My top priorities over the next year are to ensure that UNICEF is truly fit for the future, that we are financially stable, that we build new and creative partnerships to reach children - especially the most vulnerable including girls and children with disabilities. We must never lose sight of our mandate, endorsed by this board, to do everything in our power to reach every child. "Thank you for your partnership, your leadership, and your continued commitment to the world's children." ##### NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Violence surges in South Sudan leaving civilians at risk and peacekeepers stretched thin By Vibhu Mishra 10 February 2026 - Escalating violence, political stalemate and humanitarian constraints are pushing South Sudan's civilians to the brink once again, while funding cuts weaken the UN mission tasked with protecting them. Briefing ambassadors in the Security Council on Tuesday, UN peacekeeping chief Jean-Pierre Lacroix said instability had risen sharply in recent weeks, driven by political deadlock among signatories to the 2018 Revitalised Peace Agreement and a dangerous escalation in armed confrontations. Fighting has intensified most dramatically in Jonglei state, where clashes between Government forces and opposition elements displaced more than 280,000 people, according to government sources. Reports of aerial bombardments, inflammatory rhetoric and severe restrictions on humanitarian access have raised fears of a return to the widespread violence seen in 2013 and 2016. Communities, Mr. Lacroix said, are once again "on the move," fleeing areas where fighting has erupted and basic services have collapsed. Crisis unravelling In late January, Government forces instructed civilians, UN personnel and humanitarian workers to temporarily relocate from several counties in Jonglei, including from the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) base in Akobo, citing an anticipated military operation. Although the Government later denied issuing such a directive and reiterated its cooperation with humanitarian partners, the episode underscored the volatility of the situation. Regional bodies, including the African Union (AU) and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), have voiced alarm at the escalation, stressing that there is no military solution and that the peace agreement remains the only viable framework for stability. Political deadlock deepens Mr. Lacroix warned that unilateral initiatives to amend the peace agreement risk undermining its primacy, particularly proposals to defer key transitional tasks such as constitution-making until after elections scheduled for December 2026. The Sudan People's Liberation Movement/Army-in-Opposition (SPLM-IO) has said it cannot engage in political dialogue while its leader, First Vice-President Riek Machar, remains subject to ongoing legal proceedings, further complicating efforts to break the stalemate. Mr. Machar, once an ally of President Salva Kiir, has been under house arrest since March 2025 and reportedly faces charges of murder and treason - which he denies. Humanitarian crisis worsens The deteriorating security situation is compounding what Mr. Lacroix described as one of the world's most dangerous environments for aid workers. In 2025 alone, 350 attacks on humanitarian personnel and facilities were recorded, a sharp increase from the previous year, as the country grapples with its worst cholera outbreak on record. Since September 2024, more than 98,000 cholera cases have been reported nationwide, with a resurgence now underway in Jonglei. Flight restrictions and blocked movements are delaying medical evacuations and the delivery of lifesaving supplies. Recent incidents include an airstrike on a hospital in Lankien on 3 February, which destroyed critical medical stocks and injured staff, and the looting of a health facility in Pieri the same day. Violence has also forced the closure of 24 nutrition sites in Jonglei, cutting off care for nearly 8,000 children, including more than 2,600 suffering from severe acute malnutrition. Peacekeepers stretched thin Against this backdrop, UNMISS is grappling with significant funding-driven capacity reductions. Mr. Lacroix said cost-cutting measures have already reduced protection patrols by up to 40 per cent in some areas and by as much as 70 per cent where bases have closed. Human rights monitoring missions have been cancelled, and tensions have increased in areas left without a UN presence. At the same time, the Mission has been forced to redeploy forces to hotspots such as Akobo and establish temporary operating bases to deter violence and protect civilians. "The trends we are currently observing are clear," Mr. Lacroix said, urging the Security Council and international partners to ensure sustained political and financial support. "The presence of UNMISS continues to matter a lot. It matters to the people that we protect, it matters to our humanitarian partners that we assist, and it matters to the peace process that we actively support and engage in." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address In Sudan, sick and starving children 'wasting away' By Dominika Tomaszewska-Mortimer in Geneva 10 February 2026 - Relentless violence, famine and disease are fuelling a rising death toll among children in Sudan, while attacks on healthcare and a lack of aid access hamper efforts to help them, UN aid agencies warned on Tuesday. As heavy fighting continues between former allies the Sudanese Armed Forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces and their allies, the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF), said that in parts of North Darfur more than half of all children are acutely malnourished. The warning follows the release of new data from the IPC, a UN-backed global food security monitoring system, from three localities there - Um Baru and Kernoi and At Tine - indicating "catastrophic" malnutrition rates. "Extreme hunger and malnutrition come for children first, the youngest, the smallest, the most vulnerable," said UNICEF spokesperson Ricardo Pires. "In Sudan, it's spreading... These are children between six months and five years old, and they are running out of time." Starvation spreading The UN agency stressed that famine thresholds have been surpassed in locations not previously considered at risk, such as Um Baru and Kernoi. Conflict, mass displacement, the collapse of services and blocked access which have sparked starvation alerts for these localities exist "across vast swathes of Sudan", Mr. Pires insisted. "If famine is looming there, it can take hold anywhere," he warned. Mr. Pires also warned of the prevalence of disease as a further threat to children's survival: "These children are not just hungry; nearly half of all children in At Tine had been sick in the previous two weeks. Fever, diarrhoea, respiratory infections, low vaccination coverage, unsafe water and a collapsing health system are turning treatable illnesses into death sentences for already malnourished children." He called on the world to "stop looking away" from Sudan's children, warning that more than half of the youngsters in North Darfur's Um Baru are "wasting away while we watch". "That is not a statistic. Those are children with names and a future that are being stolen," the UNICEF spokesperson said. Nearly three years since war erupted between the once-allied Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), 13.6 million people have fled their homes, including 9.1 million displaced within the country. Healthcare under attack Dr Shible Sahbani, the UN World Health Organization (WHO)'s representative in Sudan, told reporters that while the displaced require "urgent" care, the health system has been "ravaged by attacks, loss and damage of equipment and supplies, a shortage of health workforce and operational funds". Since the start of the war in April 2023, WHO has verified 205 attacks on health care that have led to 1,924 deaths and 529 injuries, Dr Sahbani said. "Such attacks deprive communities of care for years to come, instilling terror in patients and health workers and creating unsurmountable barriers to life-saving treatment," he added. Meanwhile, the country faces multiple disease outbreaks, including cholera, malaria, dengue and measles. While WHO and partners are supporting the response to these outbreaks, Dr. Sahbani insisted on the need for greater access and protection of health workers and facilities, in line with international humanitarian law. "Patients and healthcare workers should not risk death while seeking and providing care," he said. "Above all, we call for peace...Peace is long due for Sudan." His call echoed that of UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk, who on Monday once again sounded the alarm over the deadly conflict in Sudan, briefing the Human Rights Council in Geneva on the "preventable human rights catastrophe" that took place in North Darfur's capital El Fasher in October last year. Thousands of people were killed there in a matter of days after an 18-month-long siege of the city, multiple testimonies gathered by Mr. Turk's office have indicated. Kordofans could be next The new danger is a possible repeat of these abuses in the Kordofan region, he said. Responding to journalists' questions in Geneva about the involvement of other countries in the conflict, the High Commissioner's spokesperson, Ravina Shamdasani underscored his concerns - "whether they're directly involved, whether there are mercenaries on the ground from different countries, whether they're providing arms, intelligence, funding or other support, whether they're involved in the political economy of the conflict in Sudan". NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Ethiopia: Turk fears new crisis in Tigray amid renewed fighting By Daniel Johnson in Geneva 10 February 2026 - UN human rights chief Volker Turk appealed on Tuesday to all parties involved in renewed heavy fighting in Ethiopia's 'precarious' Tigray region to step back, warning of the potential for a deepening crisis in the country's war-weary north and beyond. "The situation remains highly volatile and we fear it will further deteriorate, worsening the region's already precarious human rights and humanitarian situation," Mr. Turk said, following clashes in recent days between the Ethiopian army and regional forces. The development comes against a backdrop of deadly conflict in Tigray from 2020 to 2022 between Government troops and separatist Tigray forces, following rising tensions between national and regional authorities. That conflict - in which Eritrean soldiers reportedly participated - is believed to have killed tens of thousands and uprooted more than two million civilians, of whom one million remain internally displaced today. Intensifying fighting According to the UN human rights office (OHCHR), the latest escalation saw clashes between the Ethiopian National Defence Forces (ENDF) and the regional Tigray Security Forces (TSF) intensify on 26 January, close to the Amhara border. The TSF withdrew from the Tselemti area on 1 February, OHCHR said. "Drones, artillery and other powerful weapons were used by both sides," Mr. Turk said in a statement. "Civilians are once again caught between escalating tensions, with both TSF and ENDF reportedly carrying out arrests for perceived affiliation with the opposing side. This must stop," he insisted. Meanwhile, in Tigray's south and southeast near the Afar border, clashes between the TSF and the "Tigray Peace Forces", a rival faction, continue unabated, the High Commissioner noted. "Both sides must step back from the brink and work to resolve their differences through political means," he said. "Alleged serious violations or abuses must be promptly and independently investigated, irrespective of the perpetrators." Dire consequences Briefing journalists in Geneva, the High Commissioner's spokesperson, Ravina Shamdasani warned that new clashes could erupt "at any point" with dire consequences for civilians. She highlighted his call to all parties to recommit to the Pretoria Agreement calling for an end to hostilities, signed in 2022. The hostile parties should also ensure the return of internally displaced people to their homes, among other confidence-building measures, Ms. Shamdasani continued. "This is something that was part of the agreement, but it hasn't proceeded as smoothly as it should," she noted. The High Commissioner also warned that recent tensions between Ethiopia and neighbouring Eritrea risked worsening the already serious human rights and humanitarian challenges in both countries and across the wider Horn of Africa. "There have been reports regarding the presence of Eritrean troops and heightened tensions between those two countries," Ms. Shamdasani said, pointing to "disagreements...particularly regarding the situation in Tigray". She added: "We're calling for these disagreements to be resolved through political dialogue and not resort to violence. We all saw what happened in 2020, 2021, when there was a full-blown conflict in the Tigray region, which led to we still don't know how many deaths...We cannot afford a return to that." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Today's top news: Occupied Palestinian Territory, Venezuela, Syria, Mozambique, South Sudan UNOCHA - United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs Occupied Palestinian Territory UNRWA reopens health centre in central Gaza OCHA has received reports that airstrikes, bombing, shelling, navy fire and shooting in Gaza in the past 24 hours - this includes strikes in residential areas, which puts civilians in danger and adds to the immense hardship they have endured over the past 28 months. OCHA stresses that civilians are protected under international humanitarian law wherever they are, even if they cross military demarcation lines or are near them - civilians and civilian infrastructure must always be protected and during military operations, constant care must be taken to spare them. Today, UNRWA reported that its teams on the ground have reopened the Bureij Health Centre in Deir al Balah, restoring essential services after months of closure. The facility is now providing primary health care, maternal health services, laboratory testing and dental care. However, health partners say that thousands of patients remain without opportunities for treatment and recovery, as some critical services are still unavailable in Gaza. Their top priority is to scale up local services, including by rehabilitating damaged facilities and expanding critical care. This requires more medical supplies, including items that are not easily approved for entry by Israeli authorities, such as X-ray machines and laboratory equipment. Shelter partners say that by last week, they had provided more than 5,600 families with emergency shelter, including nearly 5,000 tarpaulins and over 12,000 bedding items, in just over one week. Last month, they provided this type of assistance, including nearly 8,000 tents, to more than 85,000 families. However, they stress that more durable solutions are urgently needed and this requires permission to take in machinery and materials to repair damaged structures. Also, by last week, protection partners had reached nearly 15,000 people with services including psychosocial support over a seven-day period. Across all governorates, the demand for such services continues to outpace available capacity. Overcrowding in displacement sites, loss or damage of tents, and lack of private spaces, continue to undermine service delivery and confidentiality. The UN and partners stand ready to further scale up humanitarian operations. However, this requires the lifting of restrictions on humanitarian work. Humanitarian partners - NGOs as well as UN agencies - must be allowed to operate without obstruction and bring in critically needed supplies and equipment. *Donations made to UN Crisis Relief help UN agencies and humanitarian NGOs reach people in Gaza with urgent support. Venezuela With funding at critically lows, UN and partners reached 2 million people with aid in 2026 Humanitarian partners last year helped more than 2 million people - about 40 per cent of the 5 million people aimed to reach under the humanitarian response plan in Venezuela last year. Assistance was prioritized for people most in need - women, girls, young children and the elderly. The UN and its partners coordinated with the authorities, as well as with 122 humanitarian organizations, more than half of whom were national and local partners. In the health sector, medicine and other supplies delivered to hospitals and health centres reached more than 400,000 people, while 260,000 children and pregnant women received nutritional support. More than 750,000 people received food assistance from the World Food Programme and its partners through school meals and support to communities affected by heavy rains. Additionally, nearly 600,000 people received protection services, including support related to gender-based violence, child protection and assistance for people returning to the country. UNHCR, together with UN agencies and their local partners, continues to provide legal advice, psychosocial support and livelihoods assistance. Last year's humanitarian response plan received just 19 percent - or $115 million - of the $606 million required, placing Venezuela among the most underfunded humanitarian operations globally. The humanitarian community urge donors to step up and provide sustained, flexible funding this year so essential services can continue running and assistance reaches those who need it most. Syria OCHA and the UN Department of Safety and Security carried out an assessment mission to the Syrian city of Ain Al Arab, also known as Kobani, yesterday. In recent weeks, two convoys from the UN and its partners have delivered 52 trucks of aid. Local humanitarian teams on the ground say the situation is relatively calm but remains fragile. Goods and fuel are entering through limited commercial routes, though not at the scale needed. Basic services are severely disrupted. Water systems are only partially functioning using diesel, and hospitals and bakeries are operating with limited fuel. Partners on the ground have reported that public electricity was restored yesterday evening, following joint efforts by the Government and International Committee of the Red Cross. Water, sanitation and hygiene conditions are a key concern, with some families relying on unsafe water sources, increasing the risk of water-borne diseases. More assessment missions are planned to identify people's most needs. *Donations made to UN Crisis Relief help UN agencies and humanitarian NGOs reach people in Syria with urgent support. Mozambique UN releases $4.5 million as southern Mozambique braces for cyclone OCHA says a large storm is forecast to pass off the coast of Mozambique on Friday and affect communities. Yesterday, the Government activated preparations ahead of possible flooding caused by Cyclone Gezani, including planning for evacuations and pre-positioning essential supplies. Ahead of the cyclone, $4.5 million has been released from the Central Emergency Response Fund to five UN agencies to help more than 300,000 people in southern Mozambique. This comes as the country continues to recover from recent floods that affected large parts of central and southern Mozambique. So far, more than 140,000 people - nearly a quarter of all those most affected by the floods - have been reached with humanitarian assistance. South Sudan Stepped up clashes uproots civilians, curtails aid Fighting has intensified across northern and central Jonglei State in South Sudan, leading to the large-scale displacement of civilians and limiting the delivery of aid. Families fleeing their homes urgently need food, safe water, healthcare and emergency shelter. Since late December, renewed violence and airstrikes have uprooted an estimated 280,000 people, according to the authorities. Aid delivery continues to be disrupted by insecurity, and essential services are shutting down. Road and river traffic is blocked, and humanitarian flights have not been allowed to take place. The displacements are driving up the risk of cholera spreading - 55 cases and seven deaths reported in a week in Ayod and Duk counties. Since 28 September 2024, South Sudan has recorded more than 98,000 cholera cases and more than 1,600 deaths across nine states. The transmission of cholera is likely to intensify ahead of the rainy season if humanitarian teams and supplies continue to be restricted. In a statement issued over the weekend, the Humanitarian Coordinator, Anita Gbeho, called on all parties to "stop fighting, protect civilians and humanitarian workers and stop attacks on humanitarian assets." *Donations made to UN Crisis Relief help UN agencies and humanitarian NGOs reach people in South Sudan with urgent support. Posted on 10 February 2026 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Political Deadlock Driving Rising Violence in South Sudan, Under-Secretary-General Tells Security Council as Mission Faces Growing Strain Meetings Coverage Security Council 10103rd Meeting (AM) SC/16290 10 February 2026 The 2018 South Sudan peace agreement is at serious risk, raising fears that the world's newest country could relapse into full-scale civil war, Security Council speakers warned today. South Sudan became independent in 2011, and the United Nations established a peacekeeping mission to help the country stabilize. In 2013, fighting erupted in the capital and spread nationwide. Although leaders signed a peace agreement in 2015, it quickly collapsed. A renewed peace deal the Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan was signed in 2018, leading to the formation of a transitional Government. Briefing the Security Council on the Secretary-General's latest 90-day report (document S/2026/58), Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix warned that "political deadlock among the main signatories to the Revitalized Peace Agreement continues to drive heightened tensions, manifesting in armed confrontations in many parts of the country". He said violence has escalated sharply in recent weeks, particularly in Jonglei, displacing more than 280,000 people amid reports of clashes between Government and opposition forces, aerial bombardments and severe restrictions on humanitarian access. "Communities that remember all too well the violence of 2013 and 2016 are again on the move," he said. He said UNMISS is nearing completion of its cost-reduction measures while continuing to implement its mandate, including political engagement at the national and subnational levels to de-escalate fighting, conduct patrols and maintain a deterrence posture to protect civilians. In Unity State, the United Nations Mission in Sudan (UNMISS) intervened swiftly when violence in Pakur spilled into the Bentiu camp for internally displaced persons and the South Sudan People's Defence Forces deployed heavy artillery near opposition positions, helping to defuse a potentially dangerous situation, he reported. With major troop and base reductions, he said, the Mission's force component now relies on longer, hotspot-focused patrols under tighter planning cycles, requiring closer integration with civilian sections and field offices, while the civil affairs component increasingly works through partner non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to maintain situational awareness and continuity of engagement. "The presence of UNMISS matters" to the people that it protects, to its humanitarian partners and to the peace process that it supports, he emphasized, calling for the Council's continued support to UNMISS. Revitalized Peace Agreement Faces Collapse, Urgent Action Needed "Since my last briefing, the political and security situation in the Republic of South Sudan has continued to deteriorate, placing the implementation of the [Revitalized Agreement] in serious jeopardy," said George Aggrey Owinow, Interim Chairperson of the Reconstituted Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission, which is the body tasked with monitoring the Agreement's implementation. He said opposition representatives have been removed and replaced from the Government and leaders including Riek Machar Teny, Vice-President and Chairperson of the main opposition group remain in detention. He urged the Council to prevail on the parties to immediately restore and respect the ceasefire, reactivate the Revitalized Agreement's implementation mechanisms and embark on a full reunification of South Sudan's security forces under a single, non-partisan command. Members should also assist the Transitional Government in resolving the political impasse, paving the way for meaningful dialogue, and adhere to the Revitalized Peace Agreement "in letter and spirit". "Civil society is calling for your attention and seek your support," said Edmund Yakani, Executive Director of the Community Empowerment for Progress Organization. The current situation threatens the national general elections planned for December, he said, adding: "We are concerned the recent renewed armed violence may return the country to war." The Council should send a clear message to South Sudan's leaders that they will be held accountable for any further ceasefire violations, he said. Members should demand immediate observation of the Revitalized Agreement, the release of all political prisoners and unrestricted access for humanitarian actors. Noting that past international pressure on the warring parties has proven effective in nudging forward South Sudan's peace process, he stressed: "That coordinated pressure is needed now." Council members broadly shared a sobering view of the current crisis. "South Sudan is on the brink of collapse," said Denmark's representative. The Revitalized Agreement is under direct threat by the transitional leadership, while the people of South Sudan face growing human rights violations, displacement and violence compounded by severe climate change impacts. "Without urgent action, there is a real possibility of all-out war and disastrous consequences for regional peace and security." "Today, we are seeing dangerous echoes of the past," said Latvia's delegate. Her counterpart from Greece warned against recent attempts to amend the Revitalized Agreement "in a manner that separates elections from the completion of a permanent constitution". Panama's representative added that modifying fundamental provisions of the Revitalized Agreement could undermine trust among the parties and increase the risks of instability. Calls for Juba to Restore UNMISS Access, Protect Humanitarian Operations The representative of France called on the South Sudanese authorities to cooperate with UNMISS and fulfil their obligations under the status-of-forces agreement. Repeated obstructions to troop movements are "unacceptable", she said. Similarly, the United Kingdom's delegate condemned the 3 February air strike on a Medecins Sans Frontieres hospital and the large-scale looting of a convoy carrying aid for 73,000 people in Upper Nile State between 31 January and 1 February, reiterating a call on the Transitional Government to ensure unhindered humanitarian access to all areas, irrespective of political affiliation or ethnicity. "Any further non-cooperation by South Sudan will constitute a threat to the Mission's viability," said the representative of the United States, urging Council members to continue pressuring the Transitional Government to lift all remaining impediments to UNMISS operations. However, some members proposed a different approach. The international community should provide assistance, not cut it off, said China's delegate, emphasizing that general elections are domestic matters that should be encouraged, not pressured. Noting that many African nations are currently involved in shuttle diplomacy, he urged the Council to provide time and space for those efforts to bear fruit. Imposing unilateral sanctions at this point would only make matters worse for the South Sudanese people. "Unnecessary alarmism and fomenting tensions over the reduction of the UN presence must be avoided," said the representative of Russian Federation, pointing to a significant risk of pushing Juba into a negative stance towards UNMISS. The arms embargo on South Sudan remains a major obstacle to equipping the country's unified army, she said, advocating for its easing or complete removal. Budget Cuts Risk Undermining Mission Mandate Several delegations, including the representative of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, who spoke also for Liberia and Somalia, voiced concern over the impact of expenditure reductions on UNMISS operations and highlighted the importance of predictable and adequate funding to enable the Mission to carry out its mandate effectively. "In an already fragile environment, reductions in mission capacity carry serious risks for the protection of civilians and the safety and security of UN personnel," warned Pakistan's delegate, calling for UNMISS' mandate renewal and payments of assessed contributions to UN peacekeeping in full and on time. Bahrain's delegate echoed concerns over South Sudan's deteriorating political and humanitarian situation and about spillover effects that could jeopardize wider regional stability. Sharing her country's own experience,Colombia's representative said that implementation is the most difficult phase of any peace process. Strengthening international support, including the roles of UNMISS and the Council, is therefore critical, she said. "We recognize the seriousness of the concerns raised [today]," said South Sudan's representative, stressing that Juba remains firmly committed to the Revitalized Agreement. She also praised the important role played by UNMISS, emphasized the Government's respect for the status-of-forces agreement and welcomed efforts to address operational challenges. Balanced, constructive and coordinated international engagement is critical to progress, she said, welcoming regional engagement. However, she cautioned against espousing narratives, calling for "continued balanced engagement that isolates spoilers, supports dialogue, strengthens national institutions and preserves the political space necessary for peace to take root". NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Russo-Ukraine War - 10 February 2026 - Day 1448 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 A number of claims and counterclaims are being made on the Ukraine-Russia conflict on the ground and online. While GlobalSecurity.org takes utmost care to accurately report this news story, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos. On 24 February 2022, Ukraine was suddenly and deliberately attacked by land, naval and air forces of Russia, igniting the largest European war since the Great Patriotic War. Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a "special military operation" (SVO - spetsialnaya voennaya operatsiya) in Ukraine in response to the appeal of the leaders of the "Donbass republics" for help. That attack is a blatant violation of the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine. Putin stressed that Moscow's goal is the demilitarization and denazification of the country. The military buildup in preceeding months makes it obvious that the unprovoked and dastardly Russian attack was deliberately planned long in advance. During the intervening time, the Russian government had deliberately sought to deceive the world by false statements and expressions of hope for continued peace. "To initiate a war of aggression... is not only an international crime; it is the supreme international crime differing only from other war crimes in that it contains within itself the accumulated evil of the whole." [Judgment of the International Military Tribunal] The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that since the beginning of the day, there have been 33 combat clashes on the front. The Russian enemy from the territory of the Russian Federation launched artillery shelling on areas of populated areas, including Hrinivka of the Chernihiv region; Kharkivka, Rogizne, Budki, Kucherivka, Iskriskiv ina, Zarichne, Tovstodubove of the Sumy region. In the North Slobozhansky and Kursk directions, the Russian enemy launched five air strikes, dropped 14 controlled air bombs, carried out 33 shellings of settlements and positions of Ukrainian units. In the South Slobozhansky direction, Russian forces twice attacked in the areas of settlements Vovchansk, Prylipka. One confrontation is ongoing at this time. In the Kupyansky direction, the Russian enemy did not carry out offensive actions. In the Lyman direction, Ukrainian soldiers repelled one Russian attack in the direction of Stavkiv. In the Slovenian direction, the Russian opponent committed one offensive action in the direction of Lake. In the direction of Kramators komu, the Russians did not carry out offensive actions. In the direction of Konstantinivka, Russian forces carried out six offensive actions near the settlements of Konstantynivka, Cherbinivka, Rusin Yar, Yablunivka and towards Novopavlivka. One attack is still going on. In the Pokrovsky direction since the beginning of the day, Russian occupiers made 17 attempts to appease Ukrainian soldiers from occupied positions in the areas of settlements Rodinske, Kotline, Udaachne, Molodetske, Novomykolaivka and towards settlements New Donbas and Grishine. Defense forces are holding down the pressure and have already repelled 13 attacks. In the Oleksandrivsky direction, the Russian aggressor once attacked towards Ivanivka. Ukrainian defenders repelled five Russian attacks in the areas of Dobropilya, Gulyaipol and Lugivsky. In addition, enemy aviation struck the settlements of Girke and Upper Tersa. One battle is still going on. In the orihiv and pridniprovsky directions, the Russian enemy did not carry out offensive actions, but made an air strike on the cossacks. In other directions, no significant changes in the environment have been recorded at this time. Ukrainian troops are exhausting the Russian enemy along the entire line of combat and in the rear. The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation reported that the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation continue the special military operation. The Sever Group of Forces improved the tactical situation. The Group's units inflicted losses on the formations of one assault brigade of the AFU and one territorial defence brigade near Pokrovka, Ugroedy, and Kharkovka (Sumy region). In Kharkov region, units of one mechanised brigade and one motorised infantry brigade of the AFU, one territorial defence brigade, and one border detachment of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine near Grafskoye, Neskuchnoye, Okhrimovka, and Tsupovka (Kharkov region). The AFU losses amounted to more than 200 troops, an armoured fighting vehicle, 13 motor vehicles, and three field artillery guns. Six ammunition and materiel depots were neutralised. The Zapad Group of Forces took more advantageous lines and positions. Manpower and hardware of one mechanised brigade of the AFU and one national guard brigade have been hit near Kovsharovka (Kharkov region), Aleksandrovka, Ilyichovka, Korovy Yar, and Krasny Liman (Donetsk People's Republic). The enemy lost more than 150 troops, 12 motor vehicles, and five ammunition depots. The Yug Group of Forces improved the tactical situation along the front line. Russian troops hit one mechanised brigade, one mountain assault brigade, one motorised infantry brigade of the AFU, and one territorial defence brigade near Izhevka, Konstantinovka, Minkovka, Nikiforovka, and Reznikovka (Donetsk People's Republic). The AFU losses amounted to up to 145 troops and two field artillery guns. The Tsentr Group of Forces took more advantageous lines and positions. Strikes were delivered at manpower and hardware of two mechanised brigades, one airmobile brigade, two assault regiments of the AFU, and two national guard brigades close to Belitskoye, Grishino, Gulevo, Dobropolye, Novy Donbass, Sergeyevka, Toretskoye, Shevchenko, Donetsk People's Republic, Novopavlovka, Novopodgorodnoye, and Raypole (Dnepropetrovsk region). The AFU losses amounted to more than 295 troops, one tank, one U.S.-made M113 armoured personnel carrier, and two motor vehicles. The Vostok Group's units continue to advance to the depths of the enemy's defence and liberated Zaliznichnoye in Zaporozhye direction. Losses were inflicted at one mechanised brigade, one assault brigade and one air assault brigade, four assault regiments, and two UAV battalions of the AFU near Bratskoye, Kommunarovka (Dnepropetrovsk region), Verkhnaya Tersa, Vozdvizhevka, Dorozhnyanka, Komsomolskoye, Kopani, and Rizdvyanka (Zaporozhye region). The enemy lost up to 420 troops, one tank, three armoured fighting vehicles, and nine motor vehicles. Units of the Dnepr Group of Forces inflicted losses on manpower and hardware of one mountain assault brigade of the AFU near Zapasnoye (Zaporozhye region). Over 35 troops, four motor vehicles, two electronic warfare stations, and three ammunition, materiel, and POL depots have been neutralised. Operational-tactical aviation, attack drones, missile troops and artillery of the Russian Groups of Forces have inflicted damage on fuel and energy infrastructure facilities used for the interests of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, storage and pre-launch sites of long-range unmanned aerial vehicles as well as temporary deployment areas of Ukrainian armed formations and foreign mercenaries in 139 areas. Air defence systems shot down four guided aerial bombs, one U.S.-made HIMARS MLRS projectile, one Neptune long-range missile, and 72 fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicles. In total, since the beginning of the special military operation, 670 aircraft, 283 helicopters, 113,068 unmanned aerial vehicles, 650 anti-aircraft missile systems, 27,575 tanks and other armoured fighting vehicles, 1,661 MLRS vehicles, 33,176 field artillery guns and mortars, and 54,013 special military vehicles have been neutralised. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Ten Defendants Sentenced for Drug Trafficking in Columbus, Georgia Tuesday, February 10, 2026 For Immediate Release Office of Public Affairs Defendants' Combined Sentences Top 108 years in Prison Ten men have now been sentenced for their roles in a large-scale armed drug trafficking organization based in Columbus, Georgia. The prosecution stemmed from Operation Sweet Silence, a multi-agency investigation into drug trafficking in the Columbus area. As part of the investigation, law enforcement recovered firearms, multiple pounds of methamphetamine, cocaine, 232 pounds of marijuana, and $29,000 in cash. Collectively, the sentencings imposed by the court between Aug. 6, 2025, and Jan. 14, 2026, equated to more than 108 years in prison. "These defendants operated an armed drug trafficking network that distributed large quantities of highly addictive drugs in Columbus, Georgia," said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department's Criminal Division. "Methamphetamine and cocaine destroy lives, fracture families, fuel violence and are a scourge in our communities. The Justice Department will continue holding those who engage in the armed drug trade to account and ensure safety for our law abiding citizens and families." "This case represents the comprehensive efforts being deployed to target and dismantle the most dangerous criminal organizations and hold their members accountable in Columbus and across the Middle District of Georgia," said U.S. Attorney William R. "Will" Keyes for the Middle District of Georgia. "Prosecutors and law enforcement at every level are working together to combat armed trafficking organizations that threaten our community." "These ten defendants were key players in an armed drug trafficking organization that poisoned our community with dangerous substances like methamphetamine and cocaine," said Acting Special Agent in Charge Peter Ellis of the FBI Atlanta Field Office. "The sentences imposed reflect the severe consequences for those who choose to fuel this deadly trade. The FBI remains committed to holding accountable those who engage in these violent criminal activities and ensuring the safety of our communities." "Drug trafficking organizations don't just deal drugs they bring guns, violence, and instability into our neighborhoods," said Special Agent in Charge Jae W. Chung of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Atlanta Field Division. "The significant prison sentence imposed today reflects the serious danger these defendants posed and the harm caused by flooding our communities with methamphetamine, cocaine, and other illicit drugs." According to public documents and statements in court, the drug organization was led by defendant Tommie Mullins, Jr., who was part of the violent Zohannon criminal street gang. Over the course of the conspiracy, Mullins and the drug trafficking organization distributed vast amounts of methamphetamine, cocaine, and marijuana. The court sentenced the defendants to the following penalties in prison: Tommie Mullins Jr., also known as "TJ," "Bo," and "Mini," 31, of Columbus, was sentenced to 20 years in prison on Feb. 10, 2026; Trenton Clemons, 48, was sentenced to 25 years in prison on Oct. 7, 2025; Anthony Champion, 46, was sentenced to seven years and three months in prison on Aug. 6, 2025; Corey Turner, also known as "Lito Red," 33, was sentenced to 20 years in prison on Oct. 7, 2025; Adrian Palmer, also known as "AP," 25, was sentenced to 14 years in prison on Oct. 7, 2025; Trenton Thomas, also known as "Bubble," 25, was sentenced to 11 years and three months in prison on Oct. 7, 2025; Javonta Paden, 25, was sentenced to five years and 11 months in prison on Aug. 6, 2025; Christopher Hill, 36, was sentenced to two years in prison on Dec. 17, 2025; Adrian Pleasants, 29, was sentenced to one year and eight months in prison on Aug. 6, 2025; and Darius Jenkins, 24, was sentenced to one year and six months in prison on Oct. 7, 2025. The federal investigation into the Zohannon gang included court authorized wiretaps on Tommie Mullins' and other defendants' phones. Physical surveillance and other investigative techniques confirmed that Mullins, Champion, Turner, Palmer, Hill, Thomas and others all dealt drugs out of Mullin's Cove Circle residence. On March 18, 2023, FBI intercepted wiretap calls in which Turner arranged for the sale of a "30 sack," which law enforcement understood meant narcotics. Surveillance captured Turner briefly stopping by the Cove Circle residence before heading to the location where the drugs were sold. The defendants persistently repeated this pattern of briefly going to the Cove Circle house before heading to a drug sale, sometimes with Turner and Mullins directing other defendants to conduct drug deals on their behalf. In intercepted calls made between March 6 and March 7, 2023, Mullins and Turner directed Hill to conduct a half-kilogram drug sale to Champion. In another deal, law enforcement saw Turner leave the Cove Circle house, enter Champion's vehicle sitting outside the house, and almost immediately exit the vehicle. Champion then drove off. A short time later, a wiretap call captured Champion calling Turner to complain "this ain't even a whole it's a half. I'm fixing to bring it back to you and show you." Wiretapped calls and physical surveillance also captured defendants Thomas, Paden, Pleasants, and Palmer arranging to fly to Seattle, Washington to purchase and transport 300 pounds of marijuana back to Columbus. Before leaving for Seattle, surveillance showed Thomas meeting with leader Mullins and phone records showed that Mullins spoke to the drug supplier in Seattle only hours after this meeting. Knowing about the planned drug purchase from the wiretap, law enforcement arranged for a law enforcement K9 to be waiting at the airport when Thomas, Palmer, Peasants and Paden flew back from Seattle. After the dog alerted to the odor of narcotics on the luggage belonging to these defendants, law enforcement seized 232 pounds of marijuana. Later, intercepted calls showed Thomas and Palmer setting up deals for 10 pounds of methamphetamine at a time in hopes of recouping some of the money they lost after the marijuana seizure. A separate airport search netted over $29,000 in cash, which was seized from Mullins as suspected drug proceeds. The investigation further revealed that both Thomas and Palmer used Jenkins to distribute narcotics in street-level quantities. In one call, Jenkins told Palmer "I passed the sample around the hood" and asked whether this was "your price per pound?" A police search of Palmer's vehicle revealed approximately one kilogram of methamphetamine packaged in 33 separate baggies. Clemons also sold drugs for and with Mullins. On April 15, 2024, Mullins and Clemons traveled in Mullins' vehicle from Columbus, Georgia to a music studio in Atlanta. There, Mullins and Clemons met with a co-conspirator who gave them a bag, the contents of which Clemons emptied into a blue suitcase. Later that day, a traffic stop revealed over 4-pounds of almost pure methamphetamine. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs) and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department's Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). The case was investigated by the FBI, DEA, and the Muscogee County Sheriff's Office, with critical assistance from the Harris County Sheriff's Office; the Russell County, Alabama Sheriff's Office; the Coweta County Sheriff's Office; the Sacramento, California Sheriff's Office; and the Muscogee County District Attorney's Office. Trial Attorney Matthew Mattis of the Criminal Division's Violent Crime and Racketeering Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Veronica Hansis for the Middle District of Georgia prosecuted the case. Topic: Operation Take Back America Components: Criminal Division Criminal - Violent Crime and Racketeering Section Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) USAO - Georgia, Middle Press Release Number: 26-127 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Sanctioning Hizballah Finance Operatives US Department of State Press Statement Thomas "Tommy" Pigott, Principal Deputy Spokesperson February 10, 2026 Today, the United States is sanctioning Hizballah operatives who continue to exploit Lebanon's informal financial sector that generate revenue for Hizballah. These actors have supported sanctions evasion schemes involving Hizballah-controlled financial institution Al-Qard Al-Hassan (AQAH) and an Iran-based Hizballah finance team operative. Hizballah uses AQAH as a financial institution to undermine the Lebanese state and fund its terrorist activities. This action supports President Trump's whole of government policy of maximum pressure against Iran's regime and its terrorist proxies like Hizballah, as detailed in National Security Presidential Memorandum 2 issued on February 4, 2025. The United States is committed to supporting the Lebanese state and the people of Lebanon by exposing and disrupting the Iranian regime's covert financing of Hizballah. By funding Hizballah, Iran undermines Lebanon's sovereignty and the Lebanese government's ability to put the country on the path to stability. The United States will continue using every tool at its disposal to ensure that Hizballah can no longer obstruct Lebanon's regeneration or pose a threat to the United States and its interests. Today's action is being taken pursuant to the counterterrorism authority Executive Order (E.O.) 13224 as amended. The U.S. Department of State designated Hizballah as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist pursuant to E.O. 13224 on October 31, 2001, and as a Foreign Terrorist Organization on October 8, 1997. More information on today's designations can be found in the Press Release. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Treasury Sanctions Operatives Generating Revenue for Hizballah and Exploiting Lebanon's Cash Economy U.S. Department of the Treasury February 10, 2026 WASHINGTON -- Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) took action to disrupt two key mechanisms Hizballah uses to sustain its economic stability: revenue generation in coordination with the Iranian regime and exploitation of Lebanon's informal financial sector. OFAC today sanctioned gold exchange company Jood SARL, which operates under the supervision of Hizballah's U.S.-designated Al-Qard Al-Hassan (AQAH), and converts Hizballah's gold reserves into usable funds that sustain the terrorist group's reconstitution. OFAC also sanctioned an international procurement and commodities shipping scheme orchestrated by Hizballah financiers operating from all over the region, including in Iran. "Hizballah is a threat to peace and stability in the Middle East," said Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent. "Treasury will work to cut these terrorists off from the global financial system to give Lebanon a chance to be peaceful and prosperous again." Hizballah continues to use AQAH to facilitate its destabilizing militant activities, undermining the Lebanese people's ability to rebuild while enabling the group's own interests. AQAH masquerades as a non-governmental organization (NGO) under the cover of a Ministry of Interior-granted NGO license, but provides financial services similar to a bank, far beyond activities disclosed in its original registration documents. Today's action is being taken pursuant to the counterterrorism authority Executive Order (E.O.) 13224, as amended. The U.S. Department of State designated Hizballah as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist pursuant to E.O. 13224 on October 31, 2001, and as a Foreign Terrorist Organization pursuant to section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act on October 8, 1997. AL-QARD AL-HASSAN GOLD EXCHANGE After facing challenges throughout early 2025 to secure funding, Hizballah directed AQAH masquerades as a non-governmental organization (NGO) under the cover of a Ministry of Interior-granted NGO license, but provides financial services similar to a bank and far beyond anything disclosed in its original registration documents. Al-Qard Al-Hassan to ensure the terrorist group's continued access to cash flow. Senior Al-Qard Al-Hassan officials established a chain of companies to trade gold in Lebanon and potentially overseas. Hizballah officials pushed for Al-Qard Al-Hassan to establish these companies quickly to mitigate the liquidity pressures on the company throughout 2025. To evade sanctions, Al-Qard Al-Hassan officials established Lebanese government-licensed Jood SARL (Jood), overseen by U.S.-designated Samer Hasan Fawaz. Al-Qard Al-Hassan has opened or plans to open Jood branches in predominantly Shiite areas, including Beirut, the Bek'a valley, and Nabatiyeh. Al-Qard Al-Hassan supervises the activities of Jood, and most Jood branches are located in or near existing Al-Qard Al-Hassan branches. Senior AQAH officials Mohamed Nayef Maged and U.S.-designated Ali Karnib are co-owners and managing partners of Jood, and they operate the company on behalf of Al-Qard Al-Hassan. The establishment of Jood is the latest in a series of schemes Al-Qard Al-Hassan has used to obfuscate its financial activities. Jood is being designated pursuant to E.O. 13224, as amended, for having materially assisted, sponsored, or provided financial, material, or technological support for, or goods or services to or in support of, Hizballah. Mohamed Nayef Maged is being designated pursuant to E.O. 13224, as amended, for having materially assisted, sponsored, or provided financial, material, or technological support for, or goods or services to or in support of, AQAH. ALI QASIR's REVENUE-GENERATING ASSOCIATES U.S.-designated Iran-based Hizballah finance team member Ali Qasir regularly coordinates with a cohort of associates across several jurisdictions to evade sanctions and raise money for Hizballah. As of mid-2025, Moscow-based Russian national Andrey Viktorovich Borisov (Borisov), an employee of U.S.-designated Hizballah-affiliated company Mira Ihracat Ithalat Petrol (Mira), worked directly with Ali Qasir on projects including procuring weapons from Russia and selling commodities to generate revenue. Since at least 2021, Borisov has worked directly with U.S.-designated Hizballah finance team associates Ibrahim Talal al-Uwayr (al-Uwayr) and Muhammad Amir Alchwiki on facilitating matters related to Mira's business deals involving Russia. In late 2025, the Hizballah finance team, including Ali Qasir, al-Uwayr, and the director of U.S.- designated Hizballah front company Hokoul SAL Offshore, Samer Kasbar, in consultation with U.S-designated Syrian businessman Yaser Husayn Ibrahim, used Turkiye-based Platinum Group International Dis Ticaret Limited Sirketi to facilitate the export of millions of dollars' worth of fertilizer from Iran to Turkiye by falsely claiming the cargo originated in Oman. Turkiye-based Sea Surf Shipping Limited, the owner of the Saint Kitts and Nevis-flagged cargo vessel LARA, was also used to facilitate this transaction, and the Iranian fertilizer cargo was loaded onto the Panama-flagged BRILLIANCE. The BRILLIANCE, owned by Panama-based Brilliance Maritime Ventures S.A., was part of the fleet managed by U.S.-designated Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Qods Force and Hizballah-affiliated Syrian businessman Abdul Jalil Mallah. Borisov, Platinum Group International Dis Ticaret Limited Sirketi, Sea Surf Shipping Limited, and Brilliance Maritime Ventures S.A. are being designated pursuant to E.O. 13224, as amended, for having materially assisted, sponsored, or provided financial, material, or technological support for, or goods or services to or in support of, the Hizballah. BRILLIANCE is being identified pursuant to E.O. 13224, as amended, as blocked property in the interest of Brilliance Maritime Ventures S.A. LARA is being identified pursuant to E.O. 13224, as amended, as blocked property in the interest of Sea Surf Shipping Limited. SANCTIONS IMPLICATIONS As a result of today's action, all property and interests in property of the designated or blocked persons described above that are in the United States or in the possession or control of U.S. persons are blocked and must be reported to OFAC. In addition, any entities that are owned, directly or indirectly, individually or in the aggregate, 50 percent or more by one or more blocked persons are also blocked. Unless authorized by a general or specific license issued by OFAC, or exempt, OFAC's regulations generally prohibit all transactions by U.S. persons or within (or transiting) the United States that involve any property or interests in property of blocked persons. Violations of U.S. sanctions may result in the imposition of civil or criminal penalties on U.S. and foreign persons. OFAC may impose civil penalties for sanctions violations on a strict liability basis. OFAC's Economic Sanctions Enforcement Guidelines provide more information regarding OFAC's enforcement of U.S. economic sanctions. In addition, financial institutions and other persons may risk exposure to sanctions for engaging in certain transactions or activities involving designated or otherwise blocked persons. The prohibitions include the making of any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services by, to, or for the benefit of any designated or blocked person, or the receipt of any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services from any such person. Furthermore, engaging in certain transactions involving the persons designated today may risk the imposition of secondary sanctions on participating foreign financial institutions. OFAC can prohibit or impose strict conditions on opening or maintaining, in the United States, a correspondent account or a payable-through account of a foreign financial institution that knowingly conducts or facilitates any significant transaction on behalf of a person who is designated pursuant to the relevant authority. The power and integrity of OFAC sanctions derive not only from OFAC's ability to designate and add persons to the SDN List, but also from its willingness to remove persons from the SDN List consistent with the law. The ultimate goal of sanctions is not to punish, but to bring about a positive change in behavior. For information concerning the process for seeking removal from an OFAC list, including the SDN List, or to submit a request, please refer to OFAC's guidance on Filing a Petition for Removal from an OFAC List. Click here for more information on the persons designated and any property identified as blocked today. ### NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address ICE chief grilled by lawmakers on mass deportation operations at divided U.S. House hearing People's Daily Online (Xinhua) 13:27, February 11, 2026 WASHINGTON, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- Todd Lyons, acting head of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and other immigration officials on Tuesday were questioned by lawmakers on mass deportation operations at a U.S. House of Representatives hearing, with Republican and Democratic lawmakers expressing divided views. Lyons testified at a hearing before the House Homeland Security Committee, along with Rodney Scott, commissioner of Customs and Border Protection, and Joseph Edlow, director of Citizenship and Immigration Services. All three agencies operate under the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The ICE chief and other immigration officials, who defended the Trump administration's mass deportation operations, largely received praise and support from Republican lawmakers and drew criticism from Democrats, reflecting a polarized political environment. Democrats pressed the officials on a lack of due process, poorly-regulated practices, the two fatal shootings of U.S. citizens by federal agents, and whether Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem -- who has faced mounting pressure in recent days following her comments describing the victims as having committed "an act of domestic terrorism" -- should resign. Republicans, meanwhile, touted U.S. President Donald Trump's mass deportation policies and highlighted the risk and danger faced by federal immigration agents. New York Democratic Representative Timothy Kennedy is among the lawmakers who lashed out at ICE for wearing masks during immigration raids. "In America, we shouldn't have secret police. We shouldn't have masked government agents executing citizens in the streets," he said. When asked whether the secretary of homeland security should resign, Lyons dodged the question, saying that "I'm not going to comment on an ongoing investigation." Asked whether there were plans to release footage from body cameras worn by immigration agents in Minnesota state, Lyons said he fully welcomes body cameras. Lyons said that out of approximately 13,000 ICE officers who are active in the field, more than 3,000 have cameras. He also estimated that about 10,000 Border Patrol agents, out of about 20,000, have body cameras. Democratic Representative LaMonica McIver of New Jersey asked, "How many government agencies are you aware of that routinely kill American citizens and still get funding?" adding that ICE should be abolished entirely. The recent two fatal shootings by federal enforcement personnel in the city of Minneapolis have prompted Democrats to seek changes to how immigration agencies operate, resulting in a brief lapse in government funding. The DHS only received a two-week continuing resolution at current funding levels, allowing both parties and the White House to continue negotiations on immigration enforcement. The funding is set to expire on Friday. Democrats' demands include ending roving patrols, tightening warrant rules, imposing an enforceable code of conduct that holds federal agents to the same use-of-force standards as local law enforcement, and implementing a "masks off, body cameras on" policy for federal agents. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address President calls for immediate release of Jimmy Lai ROC Central News Agency 02/10/2026 06:26 PM Taipei, Feb. 10 (CNA) President Lai Ching-te () on Tuesday called for the immediate release of Hong Kong media tycoon Jimmy Lai (), who was sentenced on Monday to 20 years in prison on a charge of breaching Hong Kong's national security law, echoing similar demands by the international community. "Taiwan stands with Mr. Jimmy Lai and all the people who safeguard freedom," the president wrote in a social media post. "We hereby again urge Beijing to immediately release Mr. Jimmy Lai and stop pursuing political persecution under the false pretext of enforcing the law." The Hong Kong High Court on Monday handed 78-year-old Lai, founder of the pro-democracy media outlet Next Digital, a 20-year jail term for "colluding with foreign forces" under the Hong Kong national security law. "The ruling again proves that Beijing's so-called 'one country, two systems' scheme exists in name only, and that the judiciary has been degraded to a tool for depriving personal freedom and curtailing freedom of speech and press freedom," President Lai wrote. Hailing Lai as a long-time advocate for freedom and democracy, the president said the tycoon's detention was Beijing's attempt to create a chilling effect among dissidents and poses a grave threat to the universal values espoused by the international community. The silencing of Lai, he noted, is also a violation of the Sino-British Joint Declaration of 1984, which promised that the civil liberties of Hong Kong residents -- such as freedom of speech, assembly, and religion -- would be protected and remain unchanged for 50 years following the territory's handover from the United Kingdom to China in 1997. President Lai's call echoed similar demands from the United Kingdom, the United Nations, and the European Union a day earlier. In his statement on Monday, United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio called the sentence "unjust and tragic" and urged the Hong Kong authorities to grant Jimmy Lai "humanitarian parole." Lai has been detained by the Hong Kong authorities for more than five years, and adjudication of his case took more than two years. (By Sean Lin) Enditem/AW NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address China releases white paper on safeguarding national security in HKSAR following Jimmy Lai sentencing Global Times Policy document clearly articulates, explains rule-of-law principles, forcefully rebut accusations from certain Western claims: expert By Chen Qingqing Published: Feb 10, 2026 11:34 PM China on Tuesday released a white paper on Hong Kong's efforts to safeguard national security, comprehensively reviewing the practice of the special administrative region's national security practices, highlighting the central government's fundamental responsibility for national security affairs in the city and its staunch backing for the city's safeguarding role. Analysts said the white paper was issued at the right time after the successful implementation of the National Security Law for Hong Kong and anti-China riots instigator Jimmy Lai Chee-ying's conviction and sentencing for national security offenses. It explains the intrinsic logic linking national security with the steady implementation of the "One Country, Two Systems" principle, clears up confusion, misunderstandings, and misinterpretations surrounding the issue of safeguarding China's national security in the special administrative region, serving as a powerful rebuttal to politically-driven accusations and criticism against China regarding Hong Kong affairs, some analysts said. Consisting of five parts in addition to a preface and a conclusion, the document, titled "Hong Kong: Safeguarding China's National Security Under the Framework of One Country, Two Systems," details the unrelenting fight for safeguarding national security in Hong Kong and the central government's fundamental responsibility for national security matters concerning Hong Kong, according to the Xinhua News Agency. It also expounds on the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region's (HKSAR) achievements in fulfilling its constitutional responsibility for safeguarding national security, Hong Kong's transition from disorder to stability and prosperity, and efforts in creating high-standard security for high-quality development of the ''One Country, Two Systems'' policy, per Xinhua. The white paper said the Chinese government is publishing this document to review Hong Kong's endeavors in safeguarding national security and the experience and insights gained in the process, and also to clear up confusion and misunderstandings surrounding the issue to build consensus, and to ensure the high-quality development of the policy of "One Country, Two Systems'' with high-standard security. The white paper also reviewed the protracted fight around the local legislation on national security required by Article 23 of the Basic Law, the 2019 turmoil posed by the greatest challenge for safeguarding national security in Hong Kong, and how central government and local government responded to the 2019 turmoil including reinforcing the legal framework and enforcement mechanisms for safeguarding national security in the HKSAR, improving the region's electoral system and governance, and implementing the principle of patriots administering Hong Kong. This marks the first major white paper on Hong Kong released by the central government in five years. The previous one was issued in 2021 and focused on Hong Kong's democratic development. Multiple central government agencies expressed the support for the release of the white paper, hailing its far-reaching significance. The white paper comprehensively reviews the course of Hong Kong's efforts to safeguard national security, elaborates in depth on the central government's principled positions on this issue, and systematically summarizes the experience and insights gained in safeguarding national security under the framework of ''One Country, Two Systems,'' a spokesperson from the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council said on Tuesday. With increasingly complex geopolitical situations, frequent regional conflicts and the emergence of unilateralism and protectionism, unstable factors around the world are on the rise, and the national security risks facing Hong Kong are unpredictable, John Lee, Chief Executive of the HKSAR, said on Tuesday in commenting on the white paper. "The release of the white paper is of great significance and has come at exactly the right time," Lee said during a press conference on Tuesday. Why now? Some Western media like Reuters noted the white paper was released a day after the High Court of the HKSAR handed down a 20-year-imprisonment on anti-China riots instigator Jimmy Lai. The High Court of the HKSAR on Monday morning sentenced Lai to 20 years in prison. Lai was found guilty in December 2025 by the High Court of the HKSAR on two charges of conspiring to collude with external forces and a charge of conspiracy to publish seditious materials. With regard to the trial of the Lai's case, some Western countries have once again followed their usual practice of expressing opposition and raising the so-called doubts. Against this backdrop, the central authorities' release of the white paper is significant in "setting the record straight," Lawrence Tang Fei, a member of the Hong Kong Legislative Council, told the Global Times on Tuesday. Through the white paper, the full background and sequence of the 2019 turmoil in the city are clearly laid out, and the relevant political ethics and principles of the rule of law are systematically clarified, fundamentally explaining how the country and the HKSAR have handled the matter in accordance with the law, Tang said. Its core purpose is to clearly articulate and explain the various political and rule-of-law principles, thereby forcefully responding to and rebutting accusations and criticism against China from Western countries that lack factual and legal basis, the local lawmaker added. The legal and institutional framework for safeguarding national security in the HKSAR has been further refined, but this is not the end point, Tian Feilong, a vice-dean of the Law School of Minzu University of China in Beijing, told the Global Times on Tuesday. "Sanctions and countermeasures in the field of foreign-related rule of law also fall within the scope of national security, while risks and challenges arising from non-traditional security require continuous and dynamic assessment and response," Tian said, noting that the white paper points the way forward for the further development of HKSAR's legal system for safeguarding national security and provides a policy guide for the new stage of "One Country, Two Systems," moving from stability to prosperity. Western claims futile The verdict of the Lai's case has also been mentioned in the white paper. HKSAR's courts have accurately applied the National Security Law for Hong Kong and relevant local legislation in delivering verdicts that uphold national security, the white paper said. The courts have confirmed that, when individuals exercise their rights and freedom, they shall not refuse to recognize that Hong Kong is an inalienable part of the PRC. They have emphasized that freedoms and rights of individuals in a society underpinned by the rule of law are neither infinite nor absolute. Otherwise, if abused, their destructive and disruptive force would be self-evident. They also confirm that the National Security Law seeks compatibility, alignment and complementarity with local laws, according to the white paper. The purpose of the white paper is to clarify the central government's primary responsibility and lawful practice in safeguarding national security in Hong Kong under "One Country, Two Systems," signaling that neither internal nor external hostile forces will be allowed to undermine "One Country, Two Systems," Hong Kong's prosperity and stability, or national security, while serving as a warning and deterrent to Western powers, Lau Siu-kai, a consultant from the Chinese Association of Hong Kong and Macao Studies who is also a senior policy advisor, told the Global Times on Tuesday. "Given the current severe and complex international situation, and the Western powers' persistent intent to contain China, they will continue to use Hong Kong in various ways to endanger national and Hong Kong security. The white paper essentially says the central government will not relax its efforts to safeguard national security; rather, it will remain fully prepared, continuously preventing and responding to threats, and taking countermeasures against hostile forces," Lau said. Certain countries and institutions used the judicial case to make malicious smears against Hong Kong and its rule of law, and interfere in China's internal affair. China firmly opposes this and has lodged serious protests with those countries and institutions, the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said on Tuesday in response to statements issued by the US, the UK, Australia, the EU and others concerning the 20-year-imprisonment sentencing on anti-China riots instigator Jimmy Lai Chee-ying. Hong Kong affairs are purely China's internal affairs. The rule of law in Hong Kong is unshakable and no foreign country has the right to make irresponsible remarks. The Chinese government remains determined to safeguard the nation's sovereignty, security and development interests and to implement the "One Country, Two Systems" policy. Any attempt to disrupt Hong Kong's advancement from stability to prosperity or to destabilize Hong Kong and contain China is doomed to fail, Lin said. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Statement by Foreign Minister Eide on the verdict against Jimmy Lai News story | Date: 10/02/2026 'The verdict against Jimmy Lai is a sign that human rights and democracy are under pressure in Hong Kong', said Minister of Foreign Affairs Espen Barth Eide. 'This is a negative development that has been ongoing for several years. We have raised our concerns in meetings with the Chinese authorities on a number of occasions, most recently in November when I met China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Beijing. We have also spoken out on Jimmy Lai's case on several occasions, both publicly and in closed meetings. We will continue to do so', said Eide. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address White paper on Hong Kong crucial for high-quality "one country, two systems" development: spokesperson People's Daily Online (Xinhua) 16:44, February 10, 2026 BEIJING, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- The white paper on Hong Kong Special Administrative Region's efforts in safeguarding national security is of major and far-reaching significance for the high-quality development of the "one country, two systems" cause, a central government spokesperson said on Tuesday. The spokesperson for the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council made the remarks after the white paper titled "Hong Kong: Safeguarding China's National Security Under the Framework of One Country, Two Systems" was released earlier in the day. The white paper elaborates that the struggle to safeguard national security in Hong Kong has never stopped, and that the enactment and implementation of the national security law in Hong Kong is a major milestone in the practice of "one country, two systems," the spokesperson noted. The national security law has served as a turning point marking Hong Kong's shift from turmoil to order, and ushered in a new stage in the practice of "one country, two systems," the spokesperson added. The spokesperson also said that the white paper expounds on how Hong Kong has effectively fulfilled its constitutional responsibility to safeguard national security, and it reviews the historic achievements and transformative changes that have been made. The spokesperson stressed that safeguarding national security in Hong Kong is meant to uphold the principle of "one country, two systems," protect national sovereignty, security and development interests, and ensure the region's long-term prosperity and stability. A secure, free, open, dynamic and development-oriented Hong Kong serves the fundamental interests of the country, the well-being of its residents, and the interests of overseas investors, the spokesperson noted. With a high level of security in place, Hong Kong will be well-positioned to overcome risks and challenges ahead and achieve enduring peace and stability, as well as long-term prosperity, the spokesperson concluded. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Wang Yi on Key Tasks of the APEC "China Year" Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the People's Republic of China Updated: February 10, 2026 15:40 On February 10, 2026, Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Foreign Minister Wang Yi attended the opening session of APEC 2026 First Senior Officials' Meeting in Guangzhou. Wang Yi said that China has chosen the theme "Building an Asia-Pacific Community to Prosper Together" for this year. It both carries forward APEC's consistent vision and reflects a deeper commitment to further elevating regional cooperation, based on the achievements already made. Looking into 2026, China will focus on the three priorities of openness, innovation, and cooperation, and advance the following key tasks: Firmly upholding one main goal. All parties should reaffirm the original aspirations of Asia-Pacific cooperation, focus on the future of APEC, and work toward a clear, substantive outcome document at this year's Leaders' Meeting. All parties should be more determined than ever to hold high the banner of building an Asia-Pacific community and explore objectives and a roadmap for community-building in the period ahead. Exploring two key pathways. The Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific (FTAAP) and a network of connectivity would be important underpinnings for regional economic integration. All parties should build consensus on cooperation in trade, investment, regulation, and industrial and supply chains, and explore ways to better synergize the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership and the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership to broaden the path toward the FTAAP. The APEC Connectivity Blueprint for 2015-2025 proposed at the 2014 Beijing meeting has already delivered important progress. All parties should build on that, identify more converging interests, work toward an upgraded blueprint, and make physical, institutional, and people-to-people connectivity more solid and effective. Accelerating three major transformations. Digital, smart, and green transformations driven by innovation represent new growth drivers for APEC economies and the sure path to sustainable development. All parties should actively build science, technology, and innovation partnerships and foster an open innovation ecosystem. All parties should fully leverage their strengths in digital technologies to advance practical cooperation in cross-border e-commerce, data flows, smart customs, etc. All parties should also advocate people-centered AI and AI for good, and build greater consensus on how AI can empower growth and on AI governance rules. All parties should speed up green and low-carbon development, and put forward more cooperation initiatives in clean energy, green minerals, environmental protection, and related fields. Deepening multifaceted cooperation. All parties should bear in mind the diversity among APEC members, and deepen practical cooperation across wide-ranging areas of governance that are integral to development. On fighting corruption, all parties should build on the outcomes and consensus from the Beijing meeting and strengthen cross-border cooperation. In response to the common development challenges confronting the entire Asia-Pacific region, all parties should deepen practical cooperation in fiscal, transportation, tourism, public health, aging, food security, and other fields. All parties should strengthen interactions among small and medium-sized enterprises and in the fields of human resources, women, youth and the media, facilitate mutual travels, and forge closer people-to-people ties. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Lin Jian's Regular Press Conference on February 10, 2026 Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the People's Republic of China Updated: February 10, 2026 17:10 At the invitation of Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto of Hungary and Chairman Wolfgang Ischinger of the Munich Security Conference, Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Minister of Foreign Affairs Wang Yi will visit Hungary on February 11 and travel to Germany to attend the 62nd Munich Security Conference where he will deliver a speech at its China session. Shenzhen TV: On the Hong Kong High Court's decision to sentence Lai Chee-ying to 20 years in prison, parties including the U.S., the UK, Australia and the EU expressed concerns by releasing statements. What's China's response? Lin Jian: Certain countries and institutions used the judicial case to make malicious smears against Hong Kong and its rule of law, and interfered in China's internal affair. China firmly opposes it and has lodged serious protests with those countries and institutions. Lai Chee-ying is the principal mastermind and perpetrator behind the series of riots that shook Hong Kong. The facts concerning his crimes of endangering national security are clear and the evidence is solid. The judicial authorities of the Hong Kong SAR made the ruling based on facts and in accordance with the law. This is lawful, justified and beyond reproach. Hong Kong upholds the rule of law. To abide by the law and bring lawbreakers to justice is a basic principle. No one should be allowed to use "democracy" and "freedom" as a pretext to engage in unlawful and criminal activities and escape justice. Let me stress again that Hong Kong affairs are purely China's internal affairs. The rule of law in Hong Kong is unshakable and no foreign country has the right to make irresponsible remarks. The Chinese government remains unwavering in its determination to safeguard the nation's sovereignty, security and development interests and to implement One Country, Two Systems. Any attempt to disrupt Hong Kong's advancement from stability to prosperity or to destabilize Hong Kong and contain China is doomed to fail. We urge relevant sides to respect China's sovereignty, abide by the principles in international law and basic norms governing international relations, and immediately stop meddling in Hong Kong affairs and stop interfering in China's internal affairs in any form. CCTV: How does China view the current China-Hungary relationship? What is China's expectation for Foreign Minister Wang Yi's visit? Lin Jian: Hungary is China's all-weather comprehensive strategic partner in Europe. During the visit, Foreign Minister Wang Yi will meet with Hungarian leaders and hold talks with Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto for an in-depth exchange of views on our bilateral relations and issues of mutual interest. China stands ready to work with Hungary to implement the important common understandings reached between the leaders of our two countries, deepen strategic communication, expand practical cooperation, and work for sustained and steady progress in growing China-Hungary relations and China-EU relations. AFP: Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said yesterday that she is open to dialogue with China and that the countries will continue to exchange views. How does the Foreign Ministry view this? Is China willing to engage in dialogue with Takaichi? Lin Jian: China has made clear its just position on this issue more than once. True dialogue is built on the basis of respecting each other and honoring the agreements made. If anyone just talks about the need for dialogue while keeping themselves busy stoking confrontation, then this so-called "dialogue" is apparently unacceptable. If the Japanese side truly wants to develop the strategic relationship of mutual benefit with China, what needs to do is simple and clear, that is, retract Takaichi's erroneous remarks on Taiwan, abide by the four political documents between China and Japan and its own political commitments, and take concrete actions to demonstrate its sincerity for dialogue. Reuters: At the end of last month, there was an ASEAN-China senior officials' meeting on implementing the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea and countries agreed to strengthen dialogue. Have the talks helped to ease all the tensions in the South China Sea? Did the Philippines show any willingness to resolve the South China Sea issues? What are the next steps that both sides are planning to take? Lin Jian: Recently, officials from foreign ministries of China and the Philippines had a bilateral meeting in Cebu, and had a candid and in-depth exchange of views on maritime issues and other issues of mutual interest. Both sides agreed to continue maintaining communication through diplomatic channels, properly handle maritime differences, and get the situation at sea under control. Bloomberg: The new Dutch cabinet will include several China hawks after the dispute with Beijing over the ownership of the chipmaker Nexperia. The Dutch government plans to "take decisive action against the theft of our intellectual property and unwanted interference in our critical infrastructure" by China. Would the ministry like to comment on this stance? Also, the cabinet includes Sjoerd Sjoerdsma, who is slated to be trade minister and whom China sanctioned in 2021. Can the ministry confirm that Sjoerdsma is still sanctioned? Lin Jian: Both China and the Netherlands are important economies in the world and are each other's major cooperation partner. Over the decades, the two sides have been advancing mutually beneficial cooperation in the spirit of openness and practical results and have benefited the two peoples. Such effort serves the common interest of the two countries and is conducive to developing relations between China and Europe and keeping the global industrial and supply chains stable. We hope and believe that the new Dutch government will continue to uphold an objective and rational attitude toward China and work with China to promote the sound development of the bilateral relationship. On your second question, I have nothing to share on that. Beijing Youth Daily: According to preliminary results of Thailand's House of Representatives election, the Bhumjaithai Party, the People's Party and the Pheu Thai Party are leading as the top 3. What's China's comment? Lin Jian: Thailand held a smooth general election. As Thailand's close and friendly neighbor, China supports Thailand in following a development path suited to its own national conditions and maintaining stability and development. China stands ready to work with Thailand to deepen mutually beneficial cooperation in various fields, deepen and substantiate the building of the China-Thailand community with a shared future, and deliver more benefits to the two peoples. Reuters: Cuba is set to face a jet fuel shortfall from today until March 11. International carriers are suspending flights to Cuba. Are there Chinese citizens who are stranded in Cuba? Will China take any practical steps to help Cuba alleviate the oil supply shortage? Lin Jian: On your first question, so far we have not received any report of Chinese citizens stranded in Cuba. On your second question, I'd refer you to competent authorities for specifics. I would like to stress again that China firmly supports Cuba in safeguarding national sovereignty and security and opposing external interference. China stands firmly against the inhumane actions that deprive the Cuban people of their right to subsistence and development. China will, as always, do our best to provide support and assistance to Cuba. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Shaheen, Risch on Sentencing of Pro-Democracy Campaigner Jimmy Lai Senate Foreign Relations Committee February 10, 2026 WASHINGTON -- Today, U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Jim Risch (R-ID), Ranking Member and Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, released a statement regarding the Hong Kong government's sentencing of Jimmy Lai. "The Hong Kong government's further persecution of Jimmy Lai through multiple unjust and wrongful legal convictions makes a mockery of the rule of law. Mr. Lai has long been a peaceful advocate for democracy, and all of the activities for which he was prosecuted are protected under Hong Kong's own Basic Law and internationally recognized human rights. Mr. Lai's sentencing makes clear that Hong Kong's long-respected courts now lack judicial independence under the city's national security regime. "Authorities in Beijing and Hong Kong still have an opportunity to show mercy. We call for Jimmy Lai's immediate and unconditional release from prison on humanitarian grounds. Mr. Lai is 78 years old and in declining health. After five years in solitary confinement, during which he has endured unimaginable hardship, he should be freed to recover from his ordeal in the care of his family and friends who love him." ### NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Mainland spokesperson slams Lai authorities for 'shameless flattery' toward Japan, urging Tokyo to honor one-China principle Global Times By Global Times Published: Feb 11, 2026 12:00 PM A Chinese mainland spokesperson on Wednesday slammed the Lai Ching-te authorities for their shameless act of groveling flattery toward Japan, criticizing them for disregarding the heinous crimes committed by Japan during its colonial rule over Taiwan and seizing the opportunity to spread pro-Japan fallacies. Zhu Fenglian, spokesperson for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, made the remarks at a regular press conference when asked to comment on Lai's swift congratulations to Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi after the Liberal Democratic Party's victory in Japan's House of Representatives election. Lai claimed he looked forward to continuing "shared values" between Taiwan and Japan and jointly addressing "regional challenges." Meanwhile, "Taiwan's representative to Japan," Lee Yi-yang, wrote on Facebook that Taiwan-Japan ties would continue to warm, with further cooperation to be expected in economic and industrial fields. Zhu said the Chinese Foreign Ministry has already stated its position on Japan's lower house election. She urged the Japanese side to fully recognize the high sensitivity of the Taiwan question, strictly abide by the one-China principle and the spirit of the four political documents between China and Japan, retract Takaichi's erroneous Taiwan-related remarks, handle Taiwan-related issues prudently, and demonstrate with concrete actions its commitment to the one-China principle. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address HKSAR chief executive welcomes white paper on Hong Kong's efforts in safeguarding national security under one country, two systems framework People's Daily Online (Xinhua) 10:13, February 11, 2026 HONG KONG, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- John Lee, chief executive of China's Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), on Tuesday welcomed the white paper "Hong Kong: Safeguarding China's National Security Under the Framework of One Country, Two Systems" released by the State Council Information Office. Lee said in a statement that he will fully support and implement the content and requirements of the white paper. The white paper detailed how the fight for safeguarding national security in Hong Kong is an unrelenting one. Lee said that since Hong Kong's return to the motherland, the manipulation of anti-China agitators in Hong Kong and hostile external forces had long stalled legislation under Article 23 of the Basic Law of the HKSAR, creating destabilizing opportunities. Today, while Hong Kong is making every effort to boost the economy, pursue development, undertake construction and improve people's livelihood, it must be remembered that national security risks still exist among us and can arise all of a sudden, he added. The white paper stated that the central government has the fundamental responsibility for national security matters concerning Hong Kong. Lee expressed support and gratefulness for the central government's decisive act at a critical moment in Hong Kong, formulating the national security law in Hong Kong at the state level for the HKSAR's promulgation and implementation locally. The national security law in Hong Kong ended the state of defenselessness regarding national security that had persisted for over two decades since Hong Kong's return, and ended the "black-clad violence" prevailing in Hong Kong at the time, Lee said, adding that the HKSAR government has been combatting acts and activities endangering national security with full force and in accordance with the law, and as a result, order returned to the community. The white paper illustrated the HKSAR's achievements in fulfilling its constitutional responsibility for safeguarding national security. Lee said that the national security law in Hong Kong and the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance function as an integral whole to build a solid shield for safeguarding national security in Hong Kong, effectively protecting the rights and freedoms enjoyed by Hong Kong residents in accordance with the law and providing a solid foundation for Hong Kong's security and development. The white paper stated that Hong Kong is progressing from disorder to stability and prosperity. Lee said that under the auspices of the national security law in Hong Kong and the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance, Hong Kong society is stable and prosperous, the normal lives and development of the people of Hong Kong are firmly guaranteed, and international rating agencies continue to give Hong Kong positive assessments. The white paper laid down the practical requirements of creating high-standard security for the high-quality development of the "one country, two systems." Lee said that Hong Kong must work under the guidance of a holistic approach to national security, firmly safeguard national sovereignty, security and development interests, safeguarding of national security throughout the entire process of the implementation of the "one country, two systems" principle. Lee said that security is the prerequisite for development, and development is the guarantee of security. The HKSAR government will steadfastly safeguard national security and promote economic development and is committed to advancing the high-quality development of the cause of "one country, two systems" under the auspices of high-level security, and to achieving high-level security through high-quality development. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address No reports of Chinese nationals stranded in Cuba amid aviation fuel shortage so far: Chinese FM Global Times By Global Times Published: Feb 10, 2026 04:14 PM In response to a question on Cuba facing an aviation fuel shortage from today until March 11, which has led several international airlines to suspend flights to the country, and asking whether any Chinese nationals are stranded in Cuba or whether China will take concrete measures to help ease Cuba's aviation fuel supply shortage, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said on Tuesday that regarding the first question, there have been no reports of Chinese citizens being stranded in Cuba so far. Lin noted that as for the second question, inquiries for specific details should be directed to relevant Chinese authorities. He reiterated that China firmly supports Cuba in safeguarding its national sovereignty and security, opposes external interference, and resolutely rejects actions and inhumane practices that deprive the Cuban people of their right to survival and development. China will, as always, provide Cuba with support and assistance within our capacity. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Chancellor's trip to Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates Strengthening strategic partnerships Germany Federal Foreign Office Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates are key players in the Near and Middle East. Federal Chancellor Merz has travelled to the Gulf region to strengthen strategic partnerships. Developments in Iran were also a topic of discussion. Friday, 6 February 2026 It was his first official trip to the Gulf region: Federal Chancellor Friedrich Merz has visited Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. The Federal Chancellor's trip underlines the fact that stability in the Near and Middle East is in Germany's interest. The Federal government wants to strengthen and deepen relations with the three Gulf states. Three recurring themes of the trip The Federal Chancellor first met with Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman in Saudi Arabia for personal talks. The following day, he travelled to Qatar, where he met with the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani. His trip ended in Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), where the Chancellor met the President of the UAE--United Arab Emirates, Mohammed bin Zayed. Building strategic partnerships, strengthening bilateral relations and making joint efforts for peace and stability in the Gulf region were the recurring themes of the trip, as the Chancellor explained. He also sees the trip in a wider context: "We need such partnerships more than ever at a time when major powers are increasingly dominating politics." Reliability in bilateral relations During his visit to the United Arab Emirates, on the third stop on his trip, Federal Chancellor Merz spoke of the impressions that make him feel optimistic - also with regard to investments in Germany and German investments in the Gulf region. In a world of great uncertainty, what is needed above all else is reliability in bilateral relations. "I can offer that from Germany," said the Chancellor. Germany is also prepared to cooperate more closely on foreign trade policy, with the possibility of reaching a free trade agreement with the UAE--United Arab Emirates. The Federal Chancellor spoke at length with President bin Zayed about the talks held in Abu Dhabi between Russia, Ukraine and the USA. Iran, Sudan and Yemen, where the United Arab Emirates also play an important role, were also discussed. Deepening partnership between Qatar and Germany In Doha, the second stop on his trip, Federal Chancellor Merz emphasised the positive cooperation with Qatar. The country is a reliable partner and plays an important role politically. The Emir of Qatar has proven himself time and again as a mediator. Germany has been purchasing liquid gas from Qatar for several years. According to Merz, this has contributed to a reliable energy supply. German companies would do good business in Qatar. At the same time, the country is involved in a whole range of German companies. Sheikh Al-Thani will pay a state visit to Germany in July - a further sign that the two countries want to deepen their partnership. Expanding economic relations During his stop in Riyadh, Federal Chancellor Merz emphasised the economic importance of bilateral relations with Saudi Arabia. "Saudi Arabia's economic, cultural and social modernisation makes the country an attractive market for German industry. We have a substantial investment in the Saudi sovereign wealth fund. We want to utilise this - for growth in Germany," said the Chancellor. The partnerships with the Gulf states also opened up the opportunity to diversify oil and gas supply chains. Defence exports will also be discussed. Stay in dialogue The Chancellor had announced that he also wanted to address difficult issues during the three stops on his trip. In Saudi Arabia, for example, a lot has been achieved through Crown Prince bin Salman's "Vision 2030", but there is certainly still a lot to be done - also with regard to human rights. Working together for peace and stability in the region The Gulf states are committed to regional stability and are mediating partners in many other conflicts. According to the Federal Chancellor, the trip was therefore also focused on peace and stability in the region. Developments in Iran played an important role. In the talks, there was great concern expressed about a further escalation in the conflict. The Chancellor emphasised three points: The Iranian regime's violence against its own population must stop immediately. Iran must stop its military nuclear programme and put an end to its destabilising activities in the region. Merz emphasised the close contact Germany enjoys with its partners and how they want to promote de-escalation. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Foreign Secretary meets Executive Vice Foreign Minister of China, Mr. Ma Zhaoxu February 10, 2026 India - Ministry of External Affairs February 10, 2026 Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri held the India China Strategic Dialogue with his counterpart Executive Vice Foreign Minister(EVFM) of the People's Republic of China Ma Zhaoxu on February 10, 2026. EVFM Ma Zhaoxu is in India to participate in the BRICS Sherpa Meeting from 08-10 February 2026. 2. The two sides exchanged views on a wide gamut of issues covering bilateral, regional and international affairs. Bilateral discussions primarily focussed on the recent progress made in stabilising and rebuilding bilateral ties and ways to take bilateral engagement forward. 3. Both sides underscored the importance of peace and tranquility in the border areas for overall progress in bilateral relations. They reiterated their commitment to implement the guidance provided by their leaders including on the need to proceed from a political and strategic direction to approach issues and concerns related to bilateral trade. 4. Foreign Secretary noted the successful resumption of the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra and hoped for the continued expansion of the scale of the Yatra. Both sides recognised the need for an early conclusion of an updated Air Services Agreement. The two sides agreed to continue to take practical steps for visa facilitation and promote people-to-people contacts. 5. Both sides discussed multilateral cooperation, including in the context of India's BRICS Chairship this year. The Chinese side expressed its support for a successful BRICS Summit in India. EVFM also conveyed that China understands and respects India's aspirations for UNSC membership. New Delhi February 10, 2026 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Defence Secretary calls on Seychelles' Minister for Foreign Affairs & Diaspora and Chief of Defence Forces in New Delhi India - Press Information Bureau Ministry of Defence Both sides agree to enhance defence cooperation, reaffirm shared commitment towards peace, stability & security in Indian Ocean Region Posted On: 10 FEB 2026 5:18PM by PIB Delhi Defence Secretary Shri Rajesh Kumar Singh called on Minister for Foreign Affairs and the Diaspora of the Republic of Seychelles Mr Barry Faure and Chief of Defence Forces, Seychelles Defence Forces Major General Michael Anselme Marc Rosette in New Delhi on February 10, 2026. During the meeting, both sides reiterated their commitment to strengthening defence cooperation between the two nations. They reviewed the growing defence and security collaboration between India & Seychelles, and reaffirmed their shared commitment to enhancing bilateral engagement and contributing towards peace, stability, and security in the Indian Ocean Region. Both sides also welcomed the upcoming joint military exercise LAMITYE - 2026 between the Indian Defence Forces and the Seychelles Defence Forces & capacity building initiatives, and agreed to further enhance the scope and depth of these engagements. Cooperation in the field of training, hydrography, ships and aircraft visits, defence delegation visits and maritime security were also discussed. The Defence Secretary welcomed the participation of the Seychelles side in the upcoming International Fleet Review as well as the 2026 edition of exercise Milan in Visakhapatnam next week. The two sides also discussed MAHASAGAR (Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions), India's vision for inclusive, cooperative, and sustainable security and growth across regions. They underscored the importance of a collaborative approach to addressing shared challenges, particularly in the maritime domain, capacity building, and development partnerships. They deliberated upon future avenues for defence and security cooperation between India & Seychelles, with a focus on continued cooperation in capacity building through long term partnership in the modernisation of key military capabilities. ***** VK/SR/Savvy (Release ID: 2225915) NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address India Showcases Indigenous Defence Might at World Defence Show 2026 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia India - Press Information Bureau Ministry of Defence Posted On: 10 FEB 2026 2:41PM by PIB Delhi Raksha Rajya Mantri Shri Sanjay Seth led a high-level Indian delegation to the World Defence Show (WDS) 2026, held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on February 8-9, 2026. He joined international dignitaries to witness the opening ceremony of WDS and inaugurated the first-ever India Pavilion at the event, which showcased India's manufacturing prowess by Defence Public Sector Undertakings (DPSUs) and private Indian companies. The RRM also visited the exhibition areas of Saudi Arabia Military Industries (SAMI) and the Ministry of Defence, Saudi Arabia, to review their latest indigenous technological developments. Shri Sanjay Seth held discussions with Dr Khaled bin Hussein Al-Biyari, Assistant Minister of Defence for Executive Affairs, Saudi Arabia, enhancing cooperation and engagement across the armed forces of both the countries. He also met with Dr Faleh bin Abdullah Al-Sulaiman, Governor of the Saudi Arabian General Authority for Defence Development (GADD) and highlighted India's emergence as a global export hub. RRM invited GADD officials to visit India's R&D facilities to explore opportunities for the co-development of defence technologies. Shri Sanjay Seth met with the Governor of the General Authority of Military Industries (GAMI), Saudi Arabia, Mr. Ahmed bin Abdulaziz Al-Ohali, and discussions were held with regard to common areas of strategic cooperation and strengthening the supply chain ecosystem of both countries. RRM also proposed a visit by a joint GAMI-led delegation to India to gain first-hand experience of India's defence capabilities. In his address to heads of Indian and Saudi defence companies, held at Indian Embassy, the RRM emphasized the importance of joint cooperation between India and Saudi Arabia to achieve self-reliance in defence requirements and highlighted India's commitment to global support under the "Make in India, Make for the World" vision. The RRM also visited 'Diriyah', a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the birthplace of the Saudi state. Later, he addressed the Indian diaspora at an event at the Indian Embassy. In his address, he highlighted India's growth under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi across sectors, including women's empowerment, health, and digital literacy. RRM advocated for a 'Nation First' approach and commended embassy officials for their support to the Indian community residing in Saudi Arabia. ****** VK/SR/Ruchi (Release ID: 2225782) NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Iran: Statement by the Spokesperson on the sentencing of Narges Mohammadi European External Action Service (EEAS) 10.02.2026 EEAS Press Team The European Union is appalled by the latest sentencing to yet another prison term of Iranian human rights defender and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Narges Mohammadi, a long-standing human rights defender. The charges against Narges Mohammadi are based solely on her peaceful advocacy for human rights. The EU urges Iranian authorities to release her immediately and unconditionally, taking also into consideration her fragile health. Human rights defenders must be able to raise their voices and carry out their legitimate work without fear of imprisonment or reprisals. Iran is bound by its obligations under international human rights law, including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to respect freedom of expression, association and peaceful assembly. The EU calls on Iranian authorities to release all individuals unjustly detained for exercising these fundamental rights, including those arrested during the recent protests, and to ensure the respect for due process rights and the right to a fair trial for all. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address PM Netanyahu prior to his departure for a diplomatic visit to Washington Israel - Prime Minister's Office Type: Events and Speeches Government: The 37th Government Publish Date: 10.02.2026 Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu prior to his departure for a diplomatic visit to Washington: "I am now leaving for the United States for my seventh trip to meet with President Trump since he was elected for a second term. This, of course, does not include his unforgettable visit to Israel and his speech in the Knesset. I think these reflect the unique closeness of the extraordinary relationship that we have with the United States, that I personally have with the President, that the State of Israel has with the United States - unprecedented in our history. On this trip we will discuss a range of issues: Gaza, the region, but of course, first and foremost, the negotiations with Iran. I will present to the President our outlook regarding the principles of these negotiations - the essential principles which, in my opinion, are important not only to Israel, but to everyone around the world who wants peace and security in the Middle East." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Japan is retracing evil path of militarism: Defense Spokesperson Ministry of National Defense of the People's Republic of China Source China Military Online EditorLin Congyi Time2026-02-10 18:57:59 BEIJING, Feb. 10 -- "Various signs indicate that Japan's right-wing forces are deliberately attempting to challenge the post-war international order from multiple aspects including military, public opinion and law," said Senior Colonel Jiang Bin, spokesperson for China's Ministry of National Defense (MND), at a regular press briefing on Tuesday. It is reported that Japan's Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said that the Japan Self-Defense Forces (JSDF) should be recognized in Japan's constitution, hoping to redefine the JSDF as a "powerful organization" through constitutional amendment. The Chinese defense spokesperson pointed out that for a long time, by resorting to the so-called "interpretation" of its constitution, the Japanese government has been constantly breaking through the "exclusively defense-oriented" principle, lifting the ban on collective self-defense, vigorously developing offensive weapons and equipment under the pretext of "defense", and dressing its "remilitarization" in the garb of hypocritical "rule of law". The spokesperson added that, now the Japanese government is openly seeking to incorporate the JSDF into the constitution. This is not refining the law but rather undermining the foundation of the "pacifist Constitution"; it is not "justifying" the JSDF, but rather loosening military restrictions; it is not returning to the so-called "normal country", but rather retracing the evil path of militarism. "The international community should remain highly vigilant and resolutely take measures to curb this situation, and join hands to safeguard the fruits of victory of World War II and regional peace and stability," stressed the spokesperson. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Comment by Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova on the terrorist attack in Islamabad 10 February 2026 13:35 168-10-02-2026 On February 6, a suicide bomber carried out an attack on a mosque in Islamabad, resulting in the deaths of 32 people, with a further 170 injured. We unequivocally condemn this barbaric act, which took place during Friday prayers amidst a large congregation of worshippers. This tragedy serves as yet another stark reminder of the inhuman nature of terrorism. Moscow steadfastly advocates for the consolidation of efforts by all members of the international community in combating terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. We remain prepared to enhance collaboration with Islamabad in confronting this shared threat. We extend our heartfelt condolences to the families of the deceased and wish those injured a swift recovery. President Vladimir Putin has conveyed his condolences to Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Russian Defence Minister Andrei Belousov holds talks with CSTO Secretary General Taalatbek Masadykov 09 February 2026 11:10 Russian Defence Minister Andrei Belousov held talks with CSTO Secretary General Taalatbek Masadykov. Over the years the Organisation existed a great work has been done to develop its military sphere,' said Andrei Belousov. Russian Defence Minister stressed, that the organisation has activated and is improving a crisis response system. Furthermore, the CSTO collective forces have been formed, and combat drills are regularly underway. In a harsh military and political situation, it is important to continue working to ensure the Organisation being ready to meet emerging challenges and threats, the Russian Defence Minister said. Andrei Belousov also congratulated Taalatbek Masadykov on his appointment to the post of CSTO Secretary General and expressed confidence that his tenure in this post would contribute to the further strengthening of the organisation. 'I wish you success in your further efforts to strengthen the CSTO,' he added. In turn, Taalatbek Masadykov suggested to discuss a number of mutually interesting issues. In the framework of the meeting, the officials discussed the approaches of the Russian Ministry of Defence to implement the priorities of the Russian chairmanship in the CSTO in 2026. In particular, they touched upon the issues of the development of the components of the CSTO's Forces (Collective Forces), military education, and the procedure for conducting joint operational and combat exercises within the organisation. Department of Information and Media Affairs of Defence Ministry of the Russian Federation NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Meeting with Deputy Prime Minister Tatyana Golikova The President had a working meeting with Deputy Prime Minister Tatyana Golikova. February 10, 2026 14:05 The Kremlin, Moscow Deputy Prime Minister Tatyana Golikova: Mr President, allow me to provide a brief overview of the current state of the nation's healthcare system, the reforms presently underway, and those planned for the 2026-2030 period. Under your instruction, we are advancing three national projects that pertain directly or indirectly to healthcare. The principal and most wide-ranging of these is the Long and Active Life national project. Furthermore, within the broader Family national project, we are executing a dedicated federal project focused on maternal and child health. The third, one of our new national projects for technological leadership, is New Health-Saving Technologies. This project addresses the development of novel clinical facilities, as well as new pharmaceuticals and medical devices. Collectively, these projects are central to safeguarding the quality and accessibility of healthcare for the citizens of the Russian Federation. Immediately prior to the start of 2026, the Government approved the state-guaranteed programme for the provision of free healthcare to citizens. This programme defines the scope of medical care to be delivered across the country's regions. For 2026, the volume of care funded through compulsory medical insurance is budgeted at 4.8 trillion rubles, representing a 9.6 percent increase on the previous year. This funding ensures the fulfilment of all obligations undertaken by the state and, by extension, the regional authorities. It also enables us to meet the remuneration commitments for healthcare professionals. In line with your instructions on strengthening primary care, we will commence the second phase of this programme in 2026. This involves opening new facilities and, crucially, recruiting additional medical staff. This remains a complex challenge, as is consistently highlighted in your meetings with regional governors, where you usually request updates on medical staffing levels. We are doing this work together with the regions, as planned. Perhaps, not everything is working out fine, but we have already obtained certain positive results. One such indirect result implies that the volume of special social payments for the staff of the primary healthcare sector, which are being allocated on your instruction, increased by almost 28 percent throughout 2025. In 2024, such payments totalled 158 billion rubles, and in 2025, they reached 202 billion rubles. This means that numerous specialists are being attracted, many of them are arriving, and this is very good. We are expecting this trend to continue in 2026 and beyond. Consequently, we are stipulating the required financial resources for this. This, as well as regional measures and the County Doctor and County Paramedic programmes, are yielding the results that we can now see. As per your instruction, we continue to modernise the remuneration system in the healthcare sector. We can now safely say that the programme of state guarantees stipulates the mandatory share of salaries in the structure of the payroll fund (50 percent). The regions must fulfil this requirement. They should have converted to this concept some time ago, all of them have done this, but now we have formalised this requirement in the programme of state guarantees. Certainly, these efforts are producing the desired results, and we can see positive trends in the decline in mortality rates. So far, we have compiled statistics for 2025 alone, Nevertheless, we can see a tangible decrease in deaths from oncological diseases. We also see that TB-related mortality rates have plunged considerably (in effect, we have already defeated TB). The same concerns HIV, AIDS and multiple other infectious diseases being monitored by us all the time. Vladimir Putin: Ms Golikova, you and I realise that there are no secondary issues in our social policy. But healthcare occupies a special place even among all these high-priority issues. Let us discuss this in more detail. Tatyana Golikova: Thank you. <...> NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Telephone conversation with President of South Africa Cyril Ramaphosa Vladimir Putin had a telephone conversation with President of the Republic of South Africa Cyril Ramaphosa. February 10, 2026 14:25 The leaders discussed further development of the mutually beneficial cooperation in trade and economy as well as investment within the framework of the comprehensive strategic partnership between Russia and South Africa. The situation surrounding Ukraine was also on the agenda. Cyril Ramaphosa expressed support for Russia's efforts aimed at resolving the conflict via political and diplomatic means. As they exchanged views on current international matters, the leaders acknowledged the importance of continuing to align policies between the two countries, including within G20 as well as BRICS. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Press release on Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov's participation in BRICS sherpa/sous-sherpa meeting 10 February 2026 12:52 167-10-02-2026 On February 9 and 10, New Delhi served as the venue of the first sherpa/sous-sherpa meeting of BRICS countries as part of India's chairmanship. Deputy Foreign Minister and Russia's Sherpa for BRICS, Sergey Ryabkov, led the Russian delegation. Foreign Minister of India Subrahmanyam Jaishankar received the heads of delegations. The agenda included a presentation of the priorities for India's chairmanship in enhancing the performance of global governance institutions, promoting deeper dialogue on topical international matters, combatting terrorism, ensuring the safety of information and communication technology, innovation, artificial intelligence, healthcare, research, food and energy security. The participants also discussed matters dealing with consolidating cooperation mechanisms within the group. All the participants spoke out in favour of further strengthening cooperation within the BRICS framework on international platforms considering the fact that multilateralism is facing mounting challenges. They stressed the importance of ensuring continuity in the functioning of BRICS and the commitment to achieving tangible results based on the past achievements across all strategic partnership priorities, including politics and security, economics and finance, as well as humanitarian exchanges. The participants went on to express their readiness to continue carrying out the initiatives launched as part of Russia's and Brazil's chairmanships in 2024 and 2025. In this context, Sergey Ryabkov placed a special emphasis on the fact that BRICS has a pressing need to create cross-border payment, settlement, depositary and re-insurance infrastructure, as well as the New Investment Platform and the BRICS Grain Exchange. Sergey Ryabkov held bilateral meetings with his colleagues from Brazil, Egypt, India, Iran and Ethiopia on the sidelines of the event. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's interview with NTV television channel, Moscow, February 10, 2026 10 February 2026 12:45 166-10-02-2026 Question: Mr Lavrov, our conversation coincides with Diplomatic Worker's Day. First of all, I congratulate you on this professional holiday. Speaking of the global picture, what would you say are the main challenges and key issues currently facing Russian diplomacy? Sergey Lavrov: The principal challenges confronting the world are well-known. I refer to the trends and phenomena we are observing. It is difficult to predict where these developments will lead. However, President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly addressed the unfolding global processes. These are objectively shaped by the entire course of history and contemporary developments - where, after 500 years of Western dominance, sustained through slavery and colonialism at the expense of others, a multipolar order is now emerging to replace that system. This shift is not artificially contrived; it is rooted in objective trends - the rise of new centres of economic growth, financial power, and technological innovation, where social challenges are being effectively addressed. This evolution naturally translates into political influence. Countries such as China, India, and Brazil, alongside integration blocs like the GCC and such Eurasian sub-regional groupings as ASEAN, our post-Soviet structures, such a the CIS, the CSTO, the EAEU, and the Union State of Russia and Belarus - are increasingly asserting themselves as influential actors on the international stage, not only in economic, trade, and financial spheres but politically as well. The West is resisting this fiercely. Europe persists in attempting to dictate its approaches across the Eurasian continent, blatantly obstructing and undermining the natural processes of cooperation between Russia and Central Asian states, as well as our allies in the South Caucasus. Europe is aggressively pushing into the Black Sea region, disregarding the existing Organisation of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC). The same applies to the Arctic. Until recently, the European Union considered itself both capable and, crucially, entitled to interfere in all these processes and claim a dominant role. Their ardour has since cooled, particularly in light of the policies pursued by the administration of US President Donald Trump, which do not prioritise European security interests. On the contrary, it has been declared that the United States has other preoccupations - primarily in the Western Hemisphere, though not exclusively. Some argue that this new US National Security Strategy effectively constitutes an admission by Washington of the need to divide the world - asserting, "this is our sphere of influence, while China and Russia have their own." Yet this interpretation is not entirely accurate. US Vice President JD Vance recently stated unequivocally that the goal is "America First" - globally, across the entire planet. The United States has its interests, and these will dictate its actions. The Western Hemisphere is not even up for discussion - everyone must forget about it. The Middle East, however, remains a priority due to Israel, Washington's closest ally, which must be unconditionally supported in its confrontations with Iran, Palestine, Syria, and Lebanon. This is hardly a retreat from US ambitions to lead in the region. The same applies to the Indo-Pacific. Certain analysts suggest that the United States will now leave Europe to its own devices, seek to pacify the Middle East - halting yet another war - and negotiate with Russia to remove the Ukrainian issue from the agenda. As President Trump has implied: This is not my war; I did not start it, and it is merely an obstacle. We will set it aside and then pursue vast mutually beneficial projects with Russia. The specifics vary, but the underlying implication is clear: by resolving the entrenched problems in Europe, particularly around Ukraine, and thus normalising relations with Russia, the US could concentrate all its efforts on countering China. This encapsulates the assessments of both Russian and Western political analysts who have examined the US National Security and Defence Strategies. In truth, the Americans make little effort to conceal this. Speaking of the gist of your question, I could make it brief, but I would like to go into details. We find it important to guarantee our national interests. We agree with the administration of Donald Trump that the foreign policy of normal major powers, especially such as the United States and Russia, should be based on national interests. I have already quoted US Secretary of State Marco Rubio when we held our first joint meeting in February 2025 in Saudi Arabia. At that time, he said that when US and Russia's national interests coincide, it is necessary to take advantage of this and implement mutually beneficial projects. More often than not, such interests will not coincide, and, in such cases, it would be a crime to allow these interests which do not coincide to escalate into a hot confrontation or any form of confrontation. We agree with this. We now hear US President Donald Trump and his team, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner (who are dealing with Ukraine, the Middle East, Palestine, Iran, and who are also analysing prospects for Russian-US trade and economic cooperation) say that it would be great to completely resolve the Ukrainian issue, in the first place. They can see root causes, they are ready to facilitate a settlement by eliminating these root causes, they are saying that Ukraine should not join NATO, that it is necessary to address the territorial issue in accordance with current realities that have shaped up as a result of the expression of the will of the people who live on these territories. During the Alaska summit, we came close to reaching an agreement, and we hoped that, considering the fact that the Russian leader eventually accepted the US leader's proposal, this could simply be announced, and that numerous issues would be resolved much faster. Unfortunately, time marches on. Europe and Vladimir Zelensky are trying to throw US negotiators off balance, and are enlisting the services of the domestic US opposition. There are many Russophobes there who believe that Ukraine cannot be left alone, and that it should be directed against Russia, armed and so on. Nevertheless, they are regularly making other assessments, saying that the United States and Russia have wonderful prospects, including the Arctic, hydrocarbons, space exploration, artificial intelligence and cutting-edge technologies. We wholeheartedly support this and are ready to expand mutually beneficial cooperation with the US. The US business community and officials playing the leading role, including President Donald Trump, as we understand, are interested in this. If we analyse practical steps taken by US President Donald Trump and his team with regard to Russia during the Trump administration's second tenue in the White House, then we can see that we are moving in the wrong direction. The sanctions are still here. Moreover, two weeks following the Alaska summit, an illegal US decision banned all foreign projects of Lukoil and Rosneft. We already know (they are not trying to conceal this fact) that US President Donald Trump contacted all countries buying Russian oil and gas. Following his talks with India, he announced that India will not be buying Russian oil. India did not confirm this, but the idea is to seize the global energy carriers' market. In their contacts with partners from third countries, US representatives are saying that these countries should not buy energy carriers from Russia, that they should buy American oil which is good, although slightly more expensive. During the times of Joe Biden, they called this the "right molecule," and the Republicans also have their own terminology. Question: Can Russia do anything to counter this? Sergey Lavrov: Our leading positions on the global nuclear energy market also pose a challenge for the Americans. The Americans are working to impose their own standards on the energy sectors in the countries where we are operating projects, including in neighbouring European countries. They are not hiding this, either. I'm not even mentioning sanctions and tariffs, which are raised sky high for the countries that are not following what the Americans are telling them about how to do business with the Russian Federation. Our approach is set forth by the President and relies on our national interests. We reject methods that employ trade, economic, or currency wars, because they are abusing the US dollar on an unprecedented scale. The main thing is the Americans are entirely comfortable with this approach. US Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent is quick to act when it comes to condemning others or imposing sanctions. Just yesterday, he said the United States completely cutting off dollar flows to Iran sparked the unrest leading to mass protests and loss of life. He takes pride in that. We have repeatedly made it clear that we must not get exuberant about US President Trump "cutting Europeans and Zelensky to size" and demanding that they comply... All of that sounds good if we want to achieve peace in Ukraine, but we are not there yet. Negotiations are underway; the second round took place in Abu Dhabi, but there's still a long way to go. Question: Can we draw any conclusions from the second round? The initial idea was for the talks to be bilateral, but they ended up as a trilateral meeting with the Americans joining them. Is that development positive or negative? Sergey Lavrov: I do not think there were serious reasons for changing the format. My understanding is that initially, when the second round in Abu Dhabi was agreed upon, US Special Envoy for the Middle East Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner had other commitments during that period. Later, their schedule was adjusted. These matters are of secondary importance. They are well aware of where we stand regarding the Ukraine settlement. The root causes will not go anywhere unless we consider eliminating them in any peace agreement we may sign. We are ready to do that. We have said many times that President Trump publicly recognised our interest in NATO not expanding any farther. That is a huge step. No other Western leader has ever said that publicly, while he has reiterated it on several occasions. The people living on their own land who did not agree with the fact that neo-Nazis came to power in Ukraine through an illegal coup in 2014 were declared terrorists just for refusing to accept the illegal government and told to "make it off" to Russia. All of Europe ignored its own promises and said another lie. Nothing can be resolved without addressing these two issues. Nor can anything be resolved based on the disingenuous policy that Europe is currently pushing forward. Zelensky is playing along all he can, claiming that the most important thing is to end human suffering, stop the bloodshed immediately, and provide security guarantees to Ukraine. And then we will see. What does this mean? It means, as Zelensky earlier conveyed, they will stop at the line of contact as it is today, but will not recognise anything and make no legal concessions. All of that belongs to them, and they will simply temporarily save lives and continue receiving additional military aid in much larger volumes on the remaining territory under the banner of providing "security guarantees to Ukraine." British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron, alongside NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, openly take pride in the fact that "expeditionary troops" of intervening countries will be deployed there, and there will be an "automatic guarantee" that the United States will support them militarily. I will not go into the minutiae of us discussing this matter with the Americans. We asked them directly, though, if it was true. I have no doubt that neither the Europeans, nor Zelensky will find the answer positive. But the logic itself of "what will remain of Ukraine" should rely on the most concrete and enforceable security guarantees. Regarding what the regime looks like deep down, this regime has banned everything Russian across the board, including education, media, culture, daily life, and the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church. The regime legally promotes the Nazi ideology and practices, including ritual torchlight processions, and other satanic ceremonies, and will remain in place. Does it mean they are willing to provide security guarantees to this particular regime? Question: What did they tell you in response to this question? Sergey Lavrov: Nobody is saying anything. We are simply bringing these questions up. I am confident that the Americans are aware of our arguments. In a recent interview, I mentioned that the original plan discussed in Alaska included the requirement to restore the rights of Russians, Russian-speakers, ethnic minorities, and religious rights. This is not a whim. We are told we will bargain over who gets what later; stopping the war is what matters now. How can you negotiate over what you don't own? Respecting human rights regardless of race, gender, language or religion is what the first article of the UN Charter says. If you look back at it, in all discussions on Ukraine following the coup, not a single European, nor a single American politician or leader, has used the term "human rights." They are simply out of the picture. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen says every day and at every turn that one must "stand with Ukraine," because it defends European values. So, their values include Nazism, Russophobia, and an unprecedented assault on the Russian language. Nowhere else around the world, any conflicting parties, take the Arab-Israeli conflict or any other, no one outlaws the language of the other side. Here, they are talking about the "aggressor's" language. The delusional Mirotvorets website. Will all of that remain under Western "security guarantees?" Does a civilised country blacklist references to Mikhail Lermontov, Alexander Pushkin, Mikhail Bulgakov, and Nicholas II as symbols of Russian imperialism? We will demand to provide specific answers to these questions. Security guarantees to whom and to what end? Question: Even based on the issues, problems, and grievances you have outlined, it appears that the negotiating track is currently without prospects. Sergey Lavrov: The negotiating track consists of several components: addressing the root causes, which our position rests upon, ensuring Russia's security, and guaranteeing the rights of Russians and Russian-speaking population in Ukraine in full accordance with international law and the UN Charter. The recognition of territories is an issue that arises directly from these root causes, as these territories came under Russian control following attempts to threaten our security and to persecute the people who had lived there for centuries. These matters are under discussion. The details being considered by the military are extensive and consequential. Everything must be worked out down to the finest detail, because when - I hope it is "when," not "if" - a settlement is reached, and when the United States compels its partners in Ukraine and Europe to act responsibly, mechanisms for implementation and oversight will require careful coordination, above all between military structures. We have already had unfortunate experiences: the February 2014 agreement between then-President Viktor Yanukovych and the opposition collapsed; later, the Minsk agreements - a document of higher standing endorsed by the UN Security Council - were disregarded, as well as all these councils and statuses. Years afterwards, when we started the special military operation, former German Chancellor Angela Merkel and former French President Francois Hollande stated openly that there had been no intention of implementing those agreements or granting special status to Donbass. Let me recall that the initial objective was to enshrine a special status for Donbass within Ukraine's Constitution. This commitment was reaffirmed at a meeting convened by French President Emmanuel Macron in December 2019. President Zelensky attended: it is sometimes broadcasted on TV how he sat there grimacing. Documents were adopted stating that constitutional amendments would establish permanent special status for Donbass. These commitments were never fulfilled. No progress was made either when, a few weeks after the special military operation was launched, we accepted the Ukrainian proposal discussed in Istanbul in April 2022. Security guarantees were also central to those discussions. Please note the definitions there. The document was initialled by the delegation; subsequently, however - primarily under British influence, though Europeans may also have been involved - Ukraine was made to withdraw. The proposal envisaged permanent members of the UN Security Council, including Russia and China, acting as guarantors, with possible participation by Germany and Turkiye. That is roughly how it was described. In essence, these guarantees meant that if something inconsistent with the agreements happened, all guarantors would convene and decide collectively by consensus. This arrangement suited us, as it reflected a genuinely collective approach to security guarantees. Today, however, that framework has been set aside. Current security guarantees for Ukraine no longer comply with a broader European security context, but are rather designed to sustain policies hostile towards the Russian Federation. I have no doubt that American mediators understand this situation well. Russian President Vladimir Putin has communicated directly with them on numerous occasions, and there are additional channels to convey our current positions to them. We shall see how willing and determined the United States will be in persuading its counterparts to accept these fundamental positions. Question: Do you see Europe at least in some quality in the matter of Ukraine settlement? Emmanuel Bonne, allegedly the diplomatic advisor to the President of France, visited Moscow. Are there any shifts at that end? Sergey Lavrov: There are contacts that some our neighbours in Europe are attempting to establish through various channels. Honestly speaking, nothing new by comparison with what those countries say in public comes to us through these channels. You know, certain leaders visited [Moscow] some time ago (including President of France Emmanuel Macron, and there were contacts with the then German Chancellor, Olaf Scholz). All that they were saying in the course of their confidential contacts with President Vladimir Putin tallied with their public vociferous statements to the effect that Russia had attacked [Ukraine], that Russia should stop the war, and that they must defend Ukraine to the last - until they "inflicted a defeat." By delivering these messages during their contacts, they were attempting to assume a mediating function. Now they have calmed down a little and their demands for "inflicting a defeat" are not so loud, but they are still all of a fidget. The Merzes, Pistoriuses, and their ilk have officially declared that they should be ready for war with Russia by 2029 or 2030. Please note that they are gloating and palming off the frontline situation as going from bad to worse for us. They claim that we are increasingly weaker and the Russian economy is in a decline. They juggle with this every day. In parallel, illogically, they are urging everyone to prepare for war with Russia, because allegedly it will "attack" in three years time. It would be a good thing if they sorted out their arguments. Question: They will tell you that Russia will stop the conflict in Ukraine and start preparing. It will be ready precisely by 2029 or 2030. Sergey Lavrov: We wouldn't care. President of Russia Vladimir Putin has said that in Ukraine we are pursuing a special military operation. We are not going to attack any Europe. We do not need this at all. If, contrary to expectations, Europe does implement its threats to prepare for war against us and attacks the Russian Federation, we will not launch, as President Vladimir Putin has put it, another special military operation. Our response will be a full-blown military retaliation involving all available forces and assets in keeping with the doctrinal documents to this effect. Currently, we hear increasingly more sane voices. But Europe is in a tattered state. Greenland has shown how tenuous the image of solidarity, team spirit, and mutual understanding that has been created for both NATO and the EU is. I don't know how Europe will... The signals they are sending via different and not quite public channels imply that they are also part of the problem and the process, and therefore must have a seat "at the table." But they also say so in public and therefore there is nothing new in this regard either. Some three weeks ago, President of France Emmanuel Macron announced again that he would call President of Russia Vladimir Putin as soon as he prepared something. Next they say that it is necessary to prepare the technical aspects of the conversation with President Vladimir Putin. But this is not serious. If you want to put through a call, do so. Mature leaders usually announce their contacts following the conversation they have held. These announcements, by contrast, resemble a situation where you are preparing a show and need to excite as many spectators as possible. Europe is what it is. Question: Getting back to our relations with the United States. The New START Treaty has expired. We are now in a situation where verification mechanisms and reciprocal inspections have been non-existent for several years now. Quantitative caps are no longer available which makes things really scary, because a false signal about a missile launch can send the world down the path of mutual destruction. How can this situation be overcome in Russia's opinion? The United States, for its part, is not in a hurry to make progress in this regard. What does Moscow think about this? Or, do you think, the issue has been put off to a much later date when Russia-US and Russia-Europe relations will get normalised? Sergey Lavrov: We see the situation for what it is. It goes to show for the umpteenth time that the army, the navy, and now the aerospace forces remain our key allies no matter what international treaties on strategic stability, arms limitations or security we may have signed with whoever it may be. We will rely on them. We feel confident about the readiness of our combat systems. We are confident that they guarantee our security hundred percent safely. Our adversaries are aware that if they try to engage in aggressive behavior or to subvert our sovereignty they may get a response that they will find absolutely unacceptable. I'm talking about the fundamentals of nuclear deterrence which have always been in place. I wouldn't make a drama out of this situation and say that the treaty has fallen apart, because it has, in fact, been invalid for the past three years. Question: Has it been renewed? Sergey Lavrov: It hasn't. It was fully suspended. When it was suspended, we said that the United States - the Biden administration - has devalued the treaty by adopting an openly adversarial position. The New START was built on the principles such as mutual respect, consideration of each other's interests in matters of security, and so on. All of that was torn up by the Biden administration. You may remember what it did to and said about the Russian Federation. We told them the terms we came to with President Obama were quite different. Since you rejected these terms out of hand, we will suspend the treaty. You are loudly telling everyone that we are the "principal threat" and must suffer a "strategic defeat," but are standing at the gate to our nuclear facilities ready to inspect us? That's not going to happen. We suspended the treaty in full, but President Putin, as a gesture of goodwill, announced that we were prepared to adhere to the treaty's central quantitative indicators for the remainder of its term. That's how we agreed, and the Americans followed our agreement. The suspended treaty has become fully invalid on February 5. It simply no longer exists. As another gesture of goodwill, President Putin proposed in September 2025 to consider extending these voluntary moratoriums on increasing the treaty's central quantitative indicators on a reciprocal basis. This did not happen. Question: Have the Americans responded? Sergey Lavrov: No. But this is a known fact. We spoke publicly. Question: Still nothing? Sergey Lavrov: There will be no further response. The Foreign Ministry issued a detailed statement reflecting the relevant agencies' position, which was approved by President Putin. It says it all. We will closely follow what the American side will do now that formal restrictions are no longer in place. We will treat this situation with full responsibility and we will not be the first to escalate. What are the Americans planning to do? US President Donald Trump said the treaty was bad, and that it has allegedly been violated. What violations did he see on the Russian side? I have no idea. We had serious questions about the strictness of compliance with the treaty's requirements, which the Americans had not answered. On our part, though, we did not allow such things, at least while it was fully in effect for us. President Trump said again it was time to make a deal with the Chinese. The Chinese have stated their position repeatedly, and we respect it. But if the emphasis is shifted to having three participants, it could simply be a push to shift the focus of the discussion. Meanwhile, the Americans have taken Britain and France out of the equation even though they have binding alliance obligations with the United States (unlike Russia and China) to go to war together. And, of course, it's difficult to imagine a long-term multilateral agreement without considering their potentials. Question: Mr Lavrov, recently Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk stated that Jeffrey Epstein was most likely an agent of the Russian intelligence services. Allegedly, what was happening on his island was to be used as compromising material that ended up in the hands of the Russian intelligence services and could be used to influence Western elites, including Donald Trump. Is Jeffrey Epstein a Russian spy or did he collaborate with the Russian intelligence services? Sergey Lavrov: Please don't go into the gutter press narratives. Question: But this is what's being discussed now and takes us back to the first question: how will Russian diplomacy respond? Sergey Lavrov: This is not up for discussion. They're trying to irritate people in countries that aren't particularly well-liked by some people in other countries' political circles. They're trying to use this in the United States against both the Republican and Democratic parties. Europe has already seen diplomatic figures fired from their position. In England, some lord was shown somewhere sporting underwear, and then proudly resigned. Speaking about the influence this group of people Epstein's island wielded, any intelligence service would probably consider it an honour to recruit Jeffrey Epstein. But we've never been interested in doing that. They're trying to find Russian traces in this stack of millions of pages. As Vladimir Vysotsky famously said in a song of his, "Our reach around the world is particularly evident in countries further afield." Question: So you know nothing about this? Sergey Lavrov: I'd rather not discuss it altogether. This topic has nothing to do with the diplomatic work. It has everything to do with exposing the countenance known as the collective West. It's no longer called the deep state, but a deep alliance that rules the entire West and is trying to rule the rest of the world. Any right-minded person would agree that this is pure Satanism and is beneath human comprehension. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Press release on Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's meeting with State Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin, as well as leaders of parliamentary factions and relevant committees 10 February 2026 15:59 169-10-02-2026 On February 10, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov held a meeting with State Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin, as well as leaders of parliamentary factions and relevant committees ahead of the Government Hour to be held on February 11 during the plenary session of the State Duma devoted to the Priorities of the Foreign Policy of the Russian Federation. During the meeting, the sides exchanged views on key international issues and discussed the coordination of efforts within the framework of joint actions by the legislative and executive authorities to implement the unified foreign policy course approved by President Vladimir Putin. Sergey Lavrov highlighted the contribution of the Russian parliamentary diplomacy to promoting a positive agenda aimed at shaping a multipolar world and strengthening Russia's place and role on the global political stage. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's remarks after the flower-laying ceremony at the memorial plaques in the Foreign Ministry building marking Diplomatic Worker's Day, Moscow, February 10, 2026 10 February 2026 11:33 165-10-02-2026 Colleagues, Former diplomatic workers, Friends, I also welcome our colleagues who represent diplomatic corps. Today is Diplomatic Worker's Day. As per tradition, we have gathered here to pay tribute to the memory of the workers of the People's Commissariat of Foreign Affairs and the foreign trade workers killed on the battlefields of the Great Patriotic War. We also remember those who died in the line of duty. I would like to see Alexander Matsegora, who tragically passed away in 2025 while performing his duties, among the names on this plaque. We will always remember the victims of political repressions and other people who worked at this ministry. It is also a tradition to lay flowers at the memorial to Yevgeny Primakov on this day. We pay tribute to other outstanding Soviet and Russian diplomats buried here in Russia and abroad. Flower-laying ceremonies will be held throughout the day in Moscow and in many foreign countries. This year marks milestone birthdays for an entire constellation of our prominent predecessors who contributed to strengthening Russia's international position across the ages. An exhibition here, in the foyer of the Foreign Ministry's main building, is dedicated to their impressive achievements. I am confident that the ministry's staff and visitors will enjoy the exhibition. It is a great honour to see our friends and allies attend this ceremony today. I appreciate the presence of CIS representatives and senior officials from the executive bodies of the Eurasian integration associations. We have no doubt that caring about our shared history and dedication to the unparalleled heroism of our fathers and grandfathers during the Great Patriotic War serve as a crucial basis for deepening cooperation between our diplomatic services and states while also being a solid ground for successful implementation of various consolidating initiatives across Eurasia. Preserving the memory of our fight against Nazism is particularly important for the prevention of this human-hating ideology from reviving in any form or manifestation. This year, we mark 80 years since the end of the Nuremberg trials where history issued its final and irreversible verdict to the war criminals of the Third Reich for the genocide of the peoples of the former Soviet Union. We will continue to work on ensuring that its rulings remain unshaken and that the crimes condemned forever never happen again, be it in Ukraine or anywhere in Europe where they have been trying to reshape Nazism into something tolerable. In close coordination with our allies, strategic partners and friends from the Global Majority, we will continue to promote a constructive international agenda, strengthen security in Eurasia and develop integration in its various forms, according to Russian President Vladimir Putin's initiatives. This will be our efforts to facilitate the formation of a multipolar world order firmly grounded on the principles of the UN Charter in their entirety and interconnection. It goes without saying that, in Russia's foreign policy in general, we will continue to firmly uphold our national interests, doing everything we can to protect the lives and dignity of our citizens and compatriots while multiplying our ancestors' historical, spiritual and moral legacy. I strongly believe that the Foreign Ministry staff is ready to handle these tasks. I sincerely thank you. We will touch on this topic more during the reception today. Finally, congratulations to all workers of the central office and the territorial missions of the Foreign Ministry in the Russian regions, our offices abroad, and our dear former diplomatic workers on Diplomatic Worker's Day. I wish you all good health that you certainly need to achieve more success for the benefit of our Motherland. *** Colleagues, if you have not seen the exhibition, please do. Congratulations once again. I will see you at the reception tonight. Also, special thank you to our friends, colleagues from the Russian National Guard who always help with the organisation of our ceremonies. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Macron says dialogue channels with Russia restored at technical level: media People's Daily Online (Xinhua) 09:17, February 11, 2026 Following the Greenland crisis, Macron called on Europeans not to give in to what he described as a "cowardly relief" that would only be short-lived, Le Monde reported. PARIS, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- French President Emmanuel Macron has said that dialogue channels with Russia had been restored at a technical level, European media outlets reported on Tuesday. According to Germany's Suddeutsche Zeitung, Macron said in an interview on Monday that he hoped the move could be shared with European partners and lead to a well-organized European approach. He stressed that dialogue with Russia should take place "without too many interlocutors," the report said. France's Le Figaro reported that Macron again argued against "delegating" this dialogue to the United States. Following the Greenland crisis, Macron called on Europeans not to give in to what he described as a "cowardly relief" that would only be short-lived, Le Monde reported. Noting that threats from the United States occur on a daily basis, Macron stressed that Europe must not back down or seek compromise when there is "blatant aggression," the report said. Macron also advocated a coordinated European response to protect industry through a "European preference" for certain strategic sectors, including cleantech, chemicals, steel, automotive and defense, warning that otherwise Europeans risk being swept aside. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Chairs Cabinet Session in Riyadh Saudi Press Agency Tuesday 22/08/1447 Riyadh, February 10, 2026, SPA -- Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud chaired the Cabinet session in Riyadh today. The Cabinet was briefed on the recent telephone conversation between His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, and President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin. It also reviewed the discussions held by HRH the Crown Prince with President of the Republic of Turkiye Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Federal Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany Friedrich Merz during their official visits to the Kingdom. The Cabinet praised the positive outcomes of these visits, which underscored the strength of bilateral relations and the mutual commitment to furthering them at all levels. It also lauded the agreements and memoranda of understanding signed with Turkiye, as well as those between the public and private sectors in the Kingdom and Germany, which aim to expand cooperation and coordination across various sectors, advancing shared interests and supporting development priorities. In a statement to the Saudi Press Agency following the session, Minister of State, Member of the Cabinet for the Shura Counil's Affairs and Acting Minister of Media Issam bin Saeed said the Cabinet reviewed the latest regional developments and the Kingdom's ongoing efforts to engage with the international community in supporting regional security and stability. It called for adherence to the ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip, its full implementation, and progress toward a political solution leading to the establishment of an independent Palestinian state. The Cabinet reaffirmed its support for the outcomes of the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS meeting, hosted by Saudi Arabia, underscoring the importance of continued international collaboration and concrete measures to combat cross-border terrorism, which poses a direct threat to the security and stability of societies. The Cabinet praised the efforts to strengthen bilateral cooperation between Saudi Arabia and the Syrian Arab Republic, including the visit of a Saudi delegation to Damascus to launch strategic projects and contracts in the aviation, communications, water, industry, and education sectors, which will contribute to enhancing infrastructure and advancing economic growth in Syria. The Cabinet commended the outcomes of the second edition of the AlUla Conference on Emerging Market Economies 2026, organized by the Kingdom in partnership with the International Monetary Fund, aimed at consolidating international cooperation, promoting economic and financial reforms, and enabling emerging economies to address global changes in a way that achieves inclusive and sustainable growth. The Cabinet also regarded the Kingdom's election to the presidency of the Board of Directors of the Institute of Internal Auditors for the 2027-2028 term as confirmation of its commitment to supporting cooperation with international organizations at various levels and strengthening leadership in this field. The Cabinet addressed other items on its agenda and issued several decisions, including the following: First: Authorizing the minister of energy, or a deputy, to discuss and sign with the Jordanian and Turkish sides a draft framework agreement and a draft cooperation agreement on the peaceful uses of nuclear and atomic energy between the Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Government of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, and the Government of the Republic of Turkiye. Second: Approving two agreements between the Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and the Government of Mongolia, on the mutual exemption from short-stay visas for holders of diplomatic, special, official, and service passports. Third: Approving a memorandum of understanding for cooperation in the cultural field between the Saudi Ministry of Culture and the Uzbek Ministry of Culture. Fourth: Approving an agreement on the electric high-speed railway linkage between the Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Government of the State of Qatar. Fifth: Approving a memorandum of understanding between the Saudi Ministry of Health and the Syrian Ministry of Health for cooperation in the health fields. Sixth: Authorizing the minister of industry and mineral resources and chairman of the board of directors of the Saudi geological survey, or a deputy, to discuss and sign with the Yemeni side a draft memorandum of understanding between the Saudi Geological Survey and the Yemeni Geological Survey and Mineral Resources Authority for technical and scientific geological cooperation. Seventh: Authorizing the president of state security, or a deputy, to discuss and sign with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime a draft memorandum of understanding between the General Directorate of Financial Investigations at the Saudi Presidency of State Security and the United Nations, represented by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. -- SPA 16:41 Local Time 13:41 GMT 0051 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address U.S. House passes bill to limit China's access to finance if Taiwan threatened ROC Central News Agency 02/10/2026 03:12 PM Taipei, Feb. 10 (CNA) The U.S. House of Representatives on Monday (U.S. time) passed the PROTECT Taiwan Act, directing the United States to exclude China from international financial institutions if Chinese actions threaten Taiwan's security, by a 395-2 vote. Under the bill, the United States would, "to the maximum extent practicable," remove Chinese representatives from the Group of 20 (G20), the Bank for International Settlements (BIS), the Financial Stability Board (FSB) and other financial institutions if China's actions pose "a threat to the security or the social or economic system of the people on Taiwan." The PROTECT Taiwan Act was introduced by U.S. Representative Frank Lucas. "This bill sends a clear message," Lucas said ahead of the vote. "If China intends to engage in conflict with Taiwan, then China should be prepared to withstand the consequences." He cited Russia's invasion of Ukraine, saying the House previously approved similar mechanisms to demonstrate that disrupting the international order would result in swift and severe repercussions. Lucas said China continues to display aggressive behavior in the South China Sea and argued that the United States should adopt a more forward-looking policy toward Beijing. He said Washington must show clear resolve that aggression will not be tolerated and that any U.S. response to an invasion of Taiwan should be strong, including multiple sanctions and economic penalties. Excluding China from international organizations must be part of that response, Lucas said. U.S. Representative Greg Stanton said on social media platform X after the vote that "the Chinese Communist Party shouldn't benefit from global systems if it threatens its neighbors." "America must be firm, consistent, & focused on maintaining peace in the region," he wrote. The bill will next be sent to the U.S. Senate for deliberation and, if approved, will be signed into law by the U.S. president. (By James Thompson and Chung Yu-chen) Enditem/kb NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Senior CPC official stresses advancing peaceful relations across Taiwan Strait Ministry of National Defense of the People's Republic of China Source Xinhuanet EditorLiu Sen Time2026-02-10 15:15:22 BEIJING, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- Wang Huning, a senior official of the Communist Party of China (CPC), has urged steadfast efforts to promote the peaceful development of cross-Strait relations and advance national reunification. Wang, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, made the remarks at a work conference on Taiwan affairs held in Beijing on Monday and Tuesday. Wang stressed the need to uphold the one-China principle and the 1992 Consensus, firmly combat "Taiwan independence" separatist forces and oppose interference by external forces. He also called for facilitating people-to-people and primary-level exchanges, and supporting Taiwan compatriots, especially young people, seeking to study, work and live on the mainland. He further emphasized the importance of supporting the development of Taiwan's businesspeople and enterprises on the mainland, so that people on both sides of the Strait can share the opportunities and achievements of Chinese modernization. The meeting was chaired by Wang Yi, a member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and director of the Office of the Central Commission for Foreign Affairs. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Army troops in comprehensive training China Military Online) 16:38, February 10, 2026 Multiple armored vehicles attached to a brigade under the Chinese PLA 82nd Group Army wade through the shallow water during a training exercise on January 28, 2026. (eng.chinamil.com.cn/Photo by Mu Ruilin) (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun) US House Taiwan-related bill on financial exclusion ridiculed by some netizens on island; expert calls move wishful thinking Global Times By Liu Xin Published: Feb 11, 2026 01:38 PM The US House of Representatives has passed a new Taiwan-related bill directing the US administration to exclude the Chinese mainland from certain international financial institutions if its actions are deemed to "threaten security" of the island. The bill has been mocked by many netizens on the island as another attempt to extract more "protection fees" from Taiwan island. A mainland expert said on Wednesday that any attempt to exclude the Chinese mainland from international organizations and financial institutions are largely wishful thinking. The so-called "PROTECT Taiwan Act" passed the US House of Representatives on Monday. It requires the US Treasury Department, the Federal Reserve, and the Securities and Exchange Commission to seek "China's exclusion" from the G20, Bank for International Settlements, Financial Stability Board, Basel Committee on Banking Supervision, International Association of Insurance Supervisors, and International Organization of Securities Commissions in the event of China's "move" on Taiwan island, according to a press release on the website of the US House Committee on Financial Services. The bill will next be sent to the US Senate for deliberation, and, if approved, will be sent to the White House for signature by the US president before it can become a law. This bill showed that some US politicians are trying to pressure China over the Taiwan question through economic and financial sanctions, but there is little new in the legislation itself and proposals to exclude the Chinese mainland from certain international organizations and financial institutions are largely wishful thinking, Zheng Jian, a professor at the Taiwan Research Institute of Xiamen University, told the Global Times on Wednesday. These international bodies are not controlled by the US alone, and such moves are unpopular and lack broad international support given the massive disruptions they could cause to the global financial market. China is already part of the international order within these mechanisms, and it remains doubtful whether the US is able to do so and how many countries would follow Washington's lead, said Zheng. Overall, the US House bill is mostly symbolic to show its stance of exerting pressure on the Chinese mainland, while also using such acts as leverage to extract more concessions from Taiwan authorities on other areas such as arms sales and trade negotiations, according to Zheng. Some local media in Taiwan region also reported on the US House of Representatives' passage of the bill. While certain pro-DPP media interpreted the bill as a "support Taiwan act," many outlets also reported reactions from residents and netizens on the island who ridiculed the US bill. Taiwan regional media China Times reported that some PTT users mocked the bill, saying the so-called punishment "feels weak." Others said that the idea of a "financial blockade" against the mainland is "so laughable," and questioned the feasibility of such a move after the US tariff war against China "failed." Some pointed out that the measures are merely "packaged as punishment" with limited influence. Many netizens also commented on Taiwan media outlet ET Today's related report, with some saying the US bill sounds more like a "stunt." One netizen, "Kate Fox," wrote: "Is this merely a bill to happily extract money from Taiwan?" Another netizen, "Tsai Galin," wrote that the bill's real purpose may be to remind Taiwan to hand over "protection money." The US administration is reportedly developing a new package of four weapons systems for Taiwan to purchase, following the record $11.1 billion arms package unveiled in December, according to the Financial Times. On the island, various opposition parties have publicly criticized regional leader Lai Ching-te, questioning how much additional financial burden he plans to place on Taiwan residents, according to local media reports. Zheng noted that in recent years, through so-called "dollar diplomacy," the DPP authorities have colluded with certain members of the US Congress and defense interest groups to continuously push Taiwan-related bills and hype the issue, fueling cross-Straits tensions. Such actions ultimately harm the interests of Taiwan residents, who are increasingly recognizing the costs of such secessionist moves. According to media reports from Taiwan island, the US State Department recently responded to a reporter's question by claiming that the US "welcomes" Taiwan's proposed NT$1.25 trillion ($39.6 billion) special defense budget, while Raymond Greene, head of the "American Institute in Taiwan" Taipei office, warned that "freedom is not free," which sparked strong dissatisfaction on the island. Asked to comment on that at a press briefing on Wednesday, Zhu Fenglian, a spokesperson for the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office, said that Taiwan is China's Taiwan, said t that Taiwan is China's Taiwan, and resolving the Taiwan question is an internal affair of the Chinese people and brooks no interference from any external forces. Zhu further stated that the US side should strictly adhere to the one-China principle and the provisions of the three China-US joint communiques, exercise prudence in words and deeds on the Taiwan question, stop sending wrong signals to "Taiwan independence" separatist forces, and cease interfering in China's internal affairs. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address US urged to exercise prudence on Taiwan question, after Washington's claims on region's special defense budget Global Times By Global Times Published: Feb 11, 2026 11:15 AM A spokesperson for the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office on Wednesday urged the US to exercise prudence on the Taiwan question, in response to claims reportedly made by the US State Department regarding the region's so-called special defense budget. According to media reports from Taiwan island, the US State Department recently responded to a reporter's question by claiming that the US "welcomes" Taiwan's proposed NT$1.25 trillion ($39.6 billion) special defense budget, while Raymond Greene, head of the "American Institute in Taiwan" Taipei office, warned that "freedom is not free," which sparked strong dissatisfaction on the island. In response, Zhu Fenglian, the spokesperson for the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office, said that Taiwan is China's Taiwan, and resolving the Taiwan question is an internal affair of the Chinese people and brooks no interference from any external forces. Zhu further stated that the US side should strictly adhere to the one-China principle and the provisions of the three China-US joint communiques, exercise prudence in words and deeds on the Taiwan question, stop sending wrong signals to "Taiwan independence" separatist forces, and cease interfering in China's internal affairs. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address UK steps up defence of Arctic and High North from rising Russian threats Press release During a visit to meet Royal Marine Commandos at Camp Viking in the Arctic Circle in northern Norway, the Defence Secretary will today confirm that the number of British troops deployed to Norway will double over three years from 1,000 to 2,000 personnel. From: Ministry of Defence and The Rt Hon John Healey MP Published 11 February 2026 British troops deployed to Norway to double over three years from 1,000 to 2,000 personnel. Defence Secretary confirms UK Armed Forces will play vital part in NATO Arctic Sentry mission, with military planning underway. Major Joint Expeditionary Force exercise, 'Lion Protector', will see air, land, and naval forces deploy across High North in 2026. Arctic and High North security will be strengthened against rising Russian threats as Britain steps up its presence in the region. During a visit to meet Royal Marine Commandos at Camp Viking in the Arctic Circle in northern Norway, the Defence Secretary will today (Wednesday 11 February) confirm that the number of British troops deployed to Norway will double over three years from 1,000 to 2,000 personnel. It comes as the UK-led Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) confirms major military activity in the High North this year. Taking place in September 2026, Exercise Lion Protector will see air, land, and naval forces from JEF nations train to protect critical national infrastructure from attacks and sabotage and enhance their joint command and control capabilities. Hundreds of personnel will deploy across Iceland, the Danish Straits and Norway, as JEF steps up to enhance deterrence and defence in the Arctic, High North, and North Atlantic. The Defence Secretary is also expected to confirm that UK Armed Forces will play their part in NATO's Arctic Sentry mission, with detailed military planning at NATO underway. Healey will join Defence Ministers at NATO HQ on Thursday in Brussels to discuss the proposals. The government has committed to the largest sustained increase in defence spending since the end of the Cold War - hitting 2.6% of GDP from 2027 - to ensure that Britain and our allies are safe. Defence Secretary John Healey MP said: Demands on defence are rising, and Russia poses the greatest threat to Arctic and High North security that we have seen since the Cold War. We see Putin rapidly re-establishing military presence in the region, including reopening old Cold War bases. The UK is stepping up to protect the Arctic and High North - doubling the number of troops we have in Norway and scaling up joint exercises with NATO allies. Cold Response and Lion Protector will this year see thousands of troops deploy across the Arctic and North Atlantic - with the UK leading the way. We train together, we deter together, and if necessary, we will fight together. 1,500 Royal Marine Commandos are deploying to Norway for NATO's Exercise Cold Response taking place in March. The major military exercise across Norway, Finland and Sweden will enhance allied ability to defend strategically important locations across fjords and mountains. This follows the historic Lunna House Agreement with Norway, signed in December, which will see the UK and Norway jointly operate a fleet of submarine-hunting Type 26 warships, expand joint Arctic training, and pre-position British military equipment in Norway to be better prepared for future crises. The Strategic Defence Review also said that the UK should work to "improving NATO's deterrence posture in Northern Europe and the High North." Russia's growing activity across the Arctic, High North, and North Atlantic has changed the security picture for the region. The UK, with its 50 plus year history of operating in the Arctic, and through deep partnerships with allies including Norway, Sweden and Finland - will be at the centre of NATO's northern response from day one. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Delegation of France's Ministry of the Armed Forces and Veterans Affairs visits Ukraine's air defence combat positions Ministry of Defence of Ukraine 9 February, 2026, 11:17 AM EET A delegation of France's Ministry of the Armed Forces and Veterans Affairs, led by Minister Catherine Vautrin, visited the combat positions of anti-aircraft missile units of the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Together with Ukraine's Minister of Defence Mykhailo Fedorov, she observed Ukraine's air defence in action during the repelling of a massive russian attack. The parties then, together with the Command of the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, visited the positions of air defence units. The visit was conducted amid another large-scale missile and drone strike targeting critical infrastructure. The French delegation saw firsthand the scale of the threats Ukraine confronts daily. russia continues systematic missile and drone attacks on energy and civilian infrastructure. Ukraine counters these attacks by continuously strengthening its air defence system and developing its own defence technologies. During the visit to the positions, the French side was shown Ukrainian service members in action and the weapons already employed to protect the sky, including SAMP/T systems, Mirage 2000 fighter aircraft, and Mistral air defence systems. Minister Catherine Vautrin personally met with and spoke to Ukrainian service members. Ukraine continues to expand the production of various UAV types while advancing innovative solutions in the military domain. One of the key prospective areas involves advancing a missile programme in cooperation with international partners. As noted by Mykhailo Fedorov, despite sanctions pressure, russia retains the capacity to produce missiles and drones. In these circumstances, expanding joint production and defence cooperation with partners is vital to strengthening Ukraine's defence capabilities and Europe's security. The Minister of Defence of Ukraine expressed gratitude to France for its consistent support, which contributes daily to protecting Ukrainian skies and saving lives. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Ukraine and France sign Letter of Intent on joint weapons production Ministry of Defence of Ukraine 9 February, 2026, 1:22 PM EET In Kyiv, the Minister of Defence of Ukraine, Mykhailo Fedorov, and France's Minister of the Armed Forces and Veterans Affairs, Catherine Vautrin, signed a Letter of Intent on joint weapons production in Ukraine and France. The agreement paves the way for major joint defence industry projects. The French side also informed the Ukrainian delegation about preparations to deliver additional Mirage aircraft. During the talks, Ukraine and France aligned on key defence cooperation priorities and discussed funding sources for joint projects, including European Union credit financing and the SAFE programme. Participating in the meeting was a delegation of the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine, headed by First Deputy Minister of Defence Oleksii Vyskub and Deputy Minister of Defence for European Integration Sergiy Boyev. The French delegation was headed by Catherine Vautrin, Minister of the Armed Forces and Veterans Affairs of France. The parties discussed options to accelerate aircraft deliveries and further strengthen Ukraine's aviation capabilities. In parallel, efforts are underway to ensure a record volume of deliveries of AASM Hammer guided aerial bombs. The parties placed particular emphasis on strengthening air defence. Ukraine is interested in further supplies of SAMP/T, Mistral, and Crotale systems, as well as munitions for these systems. Joint work on upgrading SAMP/T systems was also proposed to increase their effectiveness in countering ballistic threats. Cooperation on the supply of Aster missiles and on accelerating their production is ongoing. The parties also discussed the supply of long-range strike systems, including SCALP missiles. Special focus was placed on advancing joint projects between the governments and defence companies of Ukraine and France, including testing joint security solutions and developing innovative electronic warfare (EW) systems. Representatives of the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine expressed gratitude to France for its consistent political and military support for Ukraine. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address From paper logs to digital workflows: the "Impulse" system is now deployed across 250 units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Ministry of Defence of Ukraine 9 February, 2026, 3:30 PM EET Within the Armed Forces of Ukraine, 250 military units have already transitioned to daily digital personnel record-keeping through the "Impulse" system, including units from the Land Forces, the Air Assault Forces, and the Unmanned Systems Forces. Key personnel and unit administration processes are now carried out within a single secure environment, replacing paper logs and fragmented spreadsheets. Where the system is most actively used The Land Forces represent the largest share of "Impulse" users, making up 88% of all Armed Forces of Ukraine units currently on the system. A further 9% are in the Air Assault Forces, while the remaining 3% are in the Unmanned Systems Forces, where deployment began late last year and is only gaining momentum. Within the Ukrainian Land Forces, Operational Command "West" leads in adoption, with the highest number of units using the "Impulse" system in the daily operations of personnel and unit administration services. "'Impulse' allows us to support service members at every stage of service from enlistment to discharge while all operations are carried out faster and without piles of paperwork. The system is rolled out most effectively in units and corps where command, personnel services, communications, and information protection work together. For those just joining the system, we recommend ensuring in advance that the data is in proper order in the electronic personnel records logbook (EPRL), obtaining a digital signature, and preparing all requests to avoid delaying the launch," emphasized Andrii Lezhenko, a representative of Operational Command "West" of the Ukrainian Land Forces. How the system is being implemented On a weekly basis, implementation teams from the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine and the Center for Scaling Technological Solutions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine work directly with military units to help set up processes, shift to the new operational format, and provide user support. The development team continuously incorporates unit feedback to tailor the system to operational requirements. "Impulse" is the Ministry of Defence's official personnel record-keeping system, designed to streamline, improve accuracy, and accelerate a range of unit-level processes, including tracking service members' arrivals and departures, appointments to positions, leave, temporary duty assignments and transfers, finalizing daily orders, and generating personnel orders and regular command reports without manual duplication. Data is entered once and then used across all documents, reducing errors and saving time for personnel services and unit administration. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address High stipend, guaranteed career, full state support: How to enroll in higher military education institutions and what benefits military education offers Ministry of Defence of Ukraine 9 February, 2026, 6:24 PM EET The admission campaign to higher military educational institutions is currently underway in Ukraine. Enrollment in higher military education institutions is not merely about obtaining a diploma; it is a conscious career choice, a commitment to national defense, and a guaranteed start to a career in the security and defense sector. Compared to civilian institutions, a military career offers young people substantial benefits from a stipend several times higher (service remuneration in higher military education institutions) to guaranteed housing. The Ministry of Defence outlines the benefits available to cadets and how to enroll in higher military education institutions. Benefits of enrolling in higher military education institutions Unlike civilian students, who often have to look for part-time work, cadets are on full state support. Education is fully funded by the state. Service remuneration starting in their first year, cadets receive approximately UAH 10,000 per month, while at civilian institutions, the minimum academic stipend currently stands at UAH 2,000 and will increase to UAH 4,000 in September. Free accommodation is guaranteed. Meals are provided three times a day in accordance with Armed Forces of Ukraine standards, including full breakfasts, lunches, and dinners with meat or fish dishes, side dishes, salads, dairy products, desserts, and fruit. Cadets are provided with clothing and essential gear. Guaranteed employment there is no need to search for a job in an unstable labor market, as upon graduation, cadets are awarded an officer rank and assigned to a position aligned with their professional qualification. Career progression the military provides a structured career pathway with predictable promotions, opportunities for further training, advanced qualification courses, and participation in international programs. Medical care cadets receive free treatment at military hospitals and have access to military sanatoriums for rest and recovery with their families. Personal development studying at higher military education institutions and higher education establishments broadens opportunities, builds character, and develops leadership qualities. Physical training regular workouts keep both mind and body in shape. Extensive hands-on training with modern equipment training is highly practical, conducted using modern high-tech equipment and weapons, and based on real combat experience. How to enroll in higher military education institutions Document submission Apply to your local Territorial Recruitment and Social Support Center (TRSSC) at your place of military registration or residence to submit an application and receive a referral for a Military Medical Commission (MMC) examination; Complete the MMC examination and professional and psychological screening, and obtain a conclusion on your eligibility to study at the selected higher military education institution; Provide the required documents to complete your applicant's personal file at the TRSSC; Obtain confirmation from the TRSSC that your applicant's personal file has been forwarded to the admissions committee of the higher military education institution; Receive a notification from the higher military education institution (directly or via the TRSSC) with the date you need to arrive and register for the entrance examinations; Report to the higher military education institution at the designated time and take the entrance examinations; Wait for the official publication of the ranking lists; Submit the original documents for enrollment in your selected specialty. Information to be provided in your application to the Territorial Recruitment and Social Support Center (TRSSC) surname, first name, and patronymic (if applicable); date of birth; postal code, residential address, and contact phone number; name of the selected higher military education institution; field of study, code and title of the selected specialty, and the title of the selected educational program (specialization); information on whether certificates from External Independent Testing or the National Multi-Subject Test (NMST) in the entrance subjects specified by the higher military education institution are available; confirmation that the applicant has read the Rules for Admission to higher military education institutions. Documents to be attached to the application copy of an identity document confirming Ukrainian citizenship; copy of a document confirming completion of general secondary, vocational (professional-technical), professional pre-higher, or higher education, along with an academic transcript. autobiography; copy of a document confirming eligibility for preferential admission; copy of military registration document; copy of a document confirming registration in the State Register of Individual Taxpayers, or a document confirming assignment of a taxpayer identification number (or passport (National ID) series and number, if available for persons who, for religious reasons, refuse to accept a taxpayer identification number under the law); letter of recommendation from the place of study or employment; six color photographs (3 4 cm, without headwear); Other documents as required by the Territorial Recruitment and Social Support Center (TRSSC). Previously, the Ministry of Defence outlined the specialties in which cadets receive training and education at higher military educational institutions. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Seth G. Jones: Kremlin Trying Hard To 'Hide The Actual Number' Of Russian Troops Killed In Ukraine By Ramazan Alpaut February 10, 2026 The casualty count in the Kremlin's war against Ukraine could reach 2 million by spring, with nearly 1.2 million Russian forces killed, wounded, or missing -- including some 325,000 dead -- since Moscow launched the full-scale invasion in February 2022, the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) said in a report published late last month. Contrary to Russian President Vladimir Putin's frequent expressions of confidence, CSIS said "the data suggests that Russia is hardly winning" and its forces are advancing extremely slowly. With growth flagging and technological innovation stagnating, meanwhile, "Russia is becoming a second- or third-rate economic power" as the war rages on, it said. Ramazan Alpaut of RFE/RL's Tatar-Bashkir Service spoke with Seth G. Jones, president of the Defense and Security Department and Harold Brown Chair at CSIS, on February 5. In the past, Jones held positions in the Office of the Secretary of Defense and US Special Operations Command. RFE/RL: I noticed in the study where you state that Russia has lost 325,000 killed, you don't use the word "identified" or "confirmed." Does this figure represent a final number or is it an estimate? Seth G. Jones: What we have done is estimated the number of both Russian casualties, which includes wounded, missing, and killed.... And what we have done is estimated based on a pretty significant methodology that there have been about 275,000 to 325,000 Russians killed in the war in Ukraine. We've also assessed Ukrainian casualties as well, so not just on the Russian side. RFE/RL: RFE/RL's Tatar-Bashkir Service has documented over 49,000 confirmed fatalities among Russians from the Volga region alone since the start of the full-scale invasion, while the BBC reports total Russian deaths at over 165,000. Your estimates are nearly twice as high. Why is there such a gap? Jones: Well, I think the challenge ends up being that there are a number of organizations that are only looking at confirmed fatalities, so they may be looking at graveyards and cemeteries in Russia or confirmed names at hospitals. The reality for those of us that have been in the military sphere and have done estimates is there are a range of reasons that government entities will try to hide these numbers. So one of the things we have done is conduct a range of discussions with government and intelligence services from over a dozen countries, from Poland and the Baltic states to Finland, the British, the Americans, in addition to other sources of data to get much closer estimates. I think that probably a reason why some of those estimates are so low is frankly because the Kremlin has made every effort to hide the actual number of fatalities. RFE/RL: You estimate that Ukrainian forces have suffered between 100,000 and 140,000 fatalities, while Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy cites 55,000 officially confirmed deaths, noting that many soldiers are missing in action. How do you explain this difference and how do your estimates relate to the figures provided by the Ukrainian government? Jones: Again, I think that talking about fatality and casualty numbers is very sensitive for governments that are involved in it in the middle of a war. I would just say that what we have done is...first of all, been to Ukraine and talked with folks inside the Ukrainian government, as well as a number of government agencies from across Europe and the US that are operating in Ukraine.... We use the same methodology for the estimates of Russian fatalities and broader casualties as we did with Ukrainians. RFE/RL: Data on identified Russian fatalities show a disproportionate number of deaths from Russia's ethnic republics like Bashkortostan and Tatarstan. What factors might explain this pattern? Jones: Well, there are a couple things. One is money. I think there have been quite large sums that the Russian government has been willing to provide to soldiers and families of soldiers, including if they're killed. And in some of those regions, we see large numbers in the Far East and in the North Caucasus of individuals that have been killed or wounded in the war in Ukraine. I think, you know, money is attractive to those regions within Russia that are poorer. There's a second reason, which is largely political, which is Vladimir Putin's most important political areas tend to be such cities as Moscow and St. Petersburg. You don't see those sorts of numbers of Russians killed or wounded from those regions. I think it's just more politically sensitive. So there's probably an economic reason for the large number that we're seeing from the Far East and North Caucasus and other areas, but there's also a political reason in the sense that it looks like the Kremlin assesses that those individuals are more expendable for the Russian state politically than losing men...from very politically important cities and regions. RFE/RL: RFE/RL's Tatar-Bashkir Service found that in the Volga region, where Tatarstan and Bashkortostan are located, one in every 150 men aged 18 to 66 has died in the war. You write that Russian forces have gained less than 1.5 percent of Ukrainian territory since the start of 2024, while suffering significant human losses and inflicting substantial economic damage on Russia. I was reminded of a documentary...about the capture of the Reichstag in 1945. The film shows the enormous...human cost the Soviet army paid during the siege. Does the Soviet strategy of achieving objectives at any cost, regardless of casualties, remain relevant to the way the Russian army operates today? Jones: Well, it is a brutal way of fighting. You know, what's interesting is if one looks at World War II. In that war, Nazi Germany invaded the Soviet Union. So that was a life-or-death struggle. And when you look at the Red Army advances even during that war, if you start with the German invasion of the Soviet Union during Operation Barbarossa and then you fast forward to when the Red Army was in Berlin, Germany, at the end of the war, it took 1,394 days for the Red Army to reach Berlin against a very competent...German army [and] air force. If you start with the Russian full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 and you fast forward the same number of days, 1,394, you get a very different picture. The Russians have only made it to Pokrovsk. I mean, it would almost be faster for a snail during that same time period to have moved from where the lines were in January 2024 to where they were in January 2026. They're historically slow numbers -- actually slower than any major offensive campaign that we looked at over the last century. And I think the fact that this is not a war of survival, this is a war of choice, means that I think these are senseless casualties that the Russians are suffering right now. This is a war of choice for Vladimir Putin and the Kremlin, not a war of necessity. RFE/RL: You write that President Putin's primary objective is to bring Ukraine back to Russia's sphere of influence. Does this mean that any peace deal is ultimately futile, given that Ukraine seeks to remain a sovereign state? Jones: I do think it means that any peace settlement that is achieved -- or cease-fire -- in 2026, for example, has to be looked at both in the short term and the long term. In the short term, I think it is possible with some trades of territory that there could be a pause of fighting for now. Both sides are tired, both sides have massive blood and treasure -- economic costs because of the four years of war. But every indication from what President Putin has both said and written is that he considers Ukraine in Russia's sphere of influence. What that suggests is that as long as Kyiv is closely aligned with Europe and the West in general, not Moscow, that I think the Russians will continue in some fashion to undermine Ukrainian sovereignty using a combination of conventional military and gray zone activity in Ukraine. So I do not believe, with those Putin objectives, that this war is anywhere close to being over. RFE/RL: Does that mean it's impossible to reach a peace deal without defeating Russia? Jones: I think it is difficult right now to...reach a permanent peace deal. I don't think a defeat of Russia itself is the only possibility. I think a future deterrence of Russia is also possible. What that would look like is a temporary pause in the fighting, but where there is a major Ukrainian buildup of forces with help from European and other countries that would make it very difficult and very costly for Russia to try to invade again in the future. RFE/RL: In your study, you also focus on the economic consequences of the war, noting that Russia's manufacturing is shrinking, foreign investment is limited, access to international markets is closed, and the country lags far behind in high-tech and AI development. Does this mean that Russia is falling irreversibly behind? Jones: Well, what it means is that Russia is a second or third-tier economic power. Russia is no longer a major power in the economic sphere. It certainly has oil and gas and some other goods that it can export, but I think what we found is a very bleak near-term outlook for the Russian economy in just basic areas of productivity.... And...if you look at President Putin's comments over the years, he has wanted Russia to be a leader in artificial intelligence. If you look at almost any major indicator of where Russia sits in artificial intelligence, it is near dead last in the artificial intelligence programs that are being produced.... Even in technology itself, if you look at the top 100 technology companies in the world, Russia has zero, none.... It is falling so far behind in technology that it will be very difficult in the near term to catch up. RFE/RL: Given that Russia's ethnic republics account for a disproportionate share of identified war fatalities and are also bearing the brunt of growing budget deficits, could this lead to the consolidation of regional elites and an increase in centrifugal or anticenter sentiments? Jones: It is possible that there will be increasing, growing disillusionment with President Putin and the Kremlin. When one looks at the impact of the war, there is a disproportionate effect in terms of soldiers that have been killed and casualties from the outer regions of Russia. Secondarily, it's those regions that are also feeling the economic effect of now four years of war. So this could lead to greater political unhappiness with both the economic situation and the military implications of the war. And I would just emphasize that this is a war of choice, it is not a war of need. Russia did not need to invade Ukraine, it chose to do that. And I think as we have seen, the Russian military has performed worse than any major military we looked at in the last century. It's time to stop. It's time for that suffering of the Russian population to end. This interview has been edited for length and clarity. Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-heavy-casualties- ukraine-slow-advance/33674170.html Copyright (c) 2026. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Russian Forces Liberate Zaliznichnoye Settlement in Zaporozhye Region Sputnik News 20260210 MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Russia's Vostok battlegroup continues to advance into the depths of Ukraine's defenses and has liberated Zaliznichnoye settlement in Zaporozhye Region, the Russian Defense Ministry said on Tuesday. "Units of the Vostok battlegroup continue to advance into the depth of the enemy's defense and liberated the settlement of Zaliznichnoye in Zaporozhye Region," the ministry's statement read. By liberating the settlement of Zaliznichnoye in the Zaporozhye region, Russian forces have expanded their bridgehead west of the city of Gulyaipole, gaining control over more than 18 square kilometers of territory. Ukrainian military has lost up to 420 personnel and a tank in battles with Russia's Vostok battlegroup Russia's Zapad battlegroup eliminated over 150 Ukrainian personnel and destroyed 12 motor vehicles and five ammunition depots eliminated over 150 Ukrainian personnel and destroyed 12 motor vehicles and five ammunition depots Tsentr battlegroup eliminated more than 295 personnel, a tank, a US-made M113 armored personnel carrier and two vehicles eliminated more than 295 personnel, a tank, a US-made M113 armored personnel carrier and two vehicles Ukraine also lost over 35 personnel, four vehicles, two electronic warfare stations, three ammunition depots in battles with Russia's Dnepr battlegroup Russia's Sever battlegroup eliminated over 200 Ukrainian personnel and destroyed an armored combat vehicle, 13 motor vehicles and three field artillery guns plus six ammunition and materiel depots eliminated over 200 Ukrainian personnel and destroyed an armored combat vehicle, 13 motor vehicles and three field artillery guns plus six ammunition and materiel depots The Yug battlegroup eliminated up to 145 Ukrainian personnel and two field artillery guns Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Japan to Sign Up For NATO's Ukraine Arms Pipeline Sputnik News 20260210 Japan has allegedly pledged significant financial support for Ukraine, and committed to providing specialized equipment, with reports indicating long-term assistance. Doubling down on its US-pushed militarization drive, Japan is moving closer to NATO by signing on to the alliance's Security Assistance and Training for Ukraine (NSATU) program, which facilitates the flow of military equipment to Ukraine, according to NHK. Sources cites by the outlet claim Japan will soon officially announce its participation in the initiative, announced during the NATO Summit in July 2024 and headquartered in Wiesbaden, Germany. The equipment that Japan is expected to procure for Ukraine reportedly includes body armor, vehicles, and, potentially, radar systems. The NSATU mechanism coordinates the donation of military equipment from Allied and partner nations to Ukraine's armed forces, aligning their capabilities with NATO standards. Russia has repeatedly argued that Western weapons shipments to Ukraine undermine any prospects for a negotiated settlement and amount to NATO's direct involvement in the conflict. Russia has also warned that convoys delivering arms to Ukraine would be treated as legitimate military targets. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Settlement Must Take Into Account Ukraine's Interests, But Russia's Security Key Sputnik News 20260210 Russia acknowledges that a settlement of the conflict in Ukraine must take its interests into account, but Russia's security is key, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko said. "We recognize that a peaceful settlement in Ukraine must take into account Ukraine's security interests, but Russia's security interests are, of course, key," Grushko told Russian media. The deputy minister added that a close examination of all statements by EU leaders revealed that none of them mentioned guarantees for Russia's security. "And this is a key element in reaching an agreement. Without it, no peace treaty is possible," he added. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Ukraine calls on the EU to direct financial support towards scaling up UAV production Ministry of Defence of Ukraine 10 February, 2026, 10:30 AM EET Financial support from the European Union should be applied flexibly and directed towards the development of UAV production in Ukraine, as well as towards advanced air defence capabilities. This was emphasised by Deputy Minister of Defence of Ukraine for European Integration, Sergiy Boyev, during a meeting with a delegation of the European Parliament led by Chair of the Committee on Security and Defence (SEDE), Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann. "Today, more than 85% of battlefield strikes are carried out by Ukrainian unmanned systems. Directing financial support towards scaling up the production of Ukrainian drones is a prerequisite for achieving results on the battlefield," Sergiy Boyev stressed. He underscored the need for flexible use of resources within the European Union's 90 billion financial support package for Ukraine. Ukraine has the capacity to increase drone production severalfold, provided adequate funding is in place. Sergiy Boyev noted that producing UAVs in Ukraine is roughly three times cheaper than in EU member states. At the same time, Ukraine is developing mechanisms to enable its combat experience and innovations to strengthen European partners. Another important part of the talks focused on the need to further limit the aggressor state's resources. Sanctions and political pressure directly reduce russia's ability to finance the war, scale up weapons production, and mobilise human resources. "It is critically important to intensify pressure on the "shadow fleet" and other sources of revenue for russia's economy," Sergiy Boyev stated. The Deputy Minister of Defence of Ukraine expressed gratitude to the European Union for its consistent support and solidarity with Ukraine. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address President of Ukraine and Prime Minister of Moldova Discussed Energy Cooperation, Infrastructure Projects, and Joint Path Toward the European Union President of Ukraine 10 February 2026 - 19:19 President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy held a meeting with the Prime Minister of Moldova, Alexandru Munteanu, who visited Ukraine for the first time since taking office. The Head of State expressed gratitude for the support of Ukraine during the full-scale Russian invasion, in particular for assisting Ukrainians who have found temporary refuge in Moldova. "Your political support is extremely important. We are grateful for your backing of our territorial integrity and sovereignty. I believe we share a common vision for our future EU membership, and I hope we will walk this path together," the President emphasized. The meeting focused in particular on the energy infrastructure of Ukraine and Moldova, especially the consequences of Russian strikes, which have also caused power outages in several Moldovan cities. Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Alexandru Munteanu discussed responding to Russian threats and strengthening bilateral cooperation in the energy sector. Moldova's Prime Minister assured continued support and announced the government's decision to provide humanitarian assistance to Ukraine, including generators and medicines. Future EU membership for Ukraine and Moldova was also a key topic of discussion. The sides spoke about the next joint steps and the importance of opening negotiation clusters simultaneously. Additionally, they discussed joint projects in the economy, defense production, as well as in transport and infrastructure. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address General Assembly President urges Europeans to 'stand up' for the UN 10 February 2026 - The President of the United Nations General Assembly appealed on Tuesday for Europe to protect the international rules-based system, defend the truth in the face of fake news and other falsehoods, and support UN reform. In a key address to the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France, Annalena Baerbock repeated her call to uphold multilateralism amid "trying times" globally. She noted that just 40 days into 2026, the world has already seen crises around Venezuela, Iran and Greenland, on top of continuing devastation in Ukraine, Gaza, Sudan and elsewhere. International order 'under attack' "The international order is not only under pressure, it is under attack," she told lawmakers. "And we face a new and more troubling kind of crisis: conflicts waged not even under the pretence of self-defence or respect for international law but often carried out in open defiance of it." She warned that at precisely the moment the world most needs cooperation and the UN, "powers - even those who have a special responsibility to protect peace and security - are pulling away from it or even outright attacking it." Protect the UN Charter Ms. Baerbock recalled that four years ago, when she was Germany's Foreign Minister, she addressed the General Assembly and called for the UN to stand up for Europe's peace as Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. "Today, I'm coming as President of the General Assembly to Europe, calling for Europe to stand up for the United Nations because the world needs the UN. But right now, the UN and its principles as enshrined in the Charter, needs the world too," she said, referring to all continents. "It needs you to form a cross-regional alliance to protect, defend and champion the Charter and the international rules-based system that benefits us all individually and collectively." Defend the truth First and foremost, the EU must defend the truth in a world where "fake news, falsities, mis- and disinformation" are everywhere. "Defending the truth means we cannot negotiate the facts; we cannot 'go along to get along' in the hope that it will avoid a tariff," she said. Ms. Baerbock acknowledged that defending the truth "is easier said than done, especially when you're faced with blackmail or coercion, or threats and intimidation." European unity over Ukraine She stressed, however, that "no one can do it alone", highlighting European Union (EU) collective action in this regard. "Four years ago, Europe watched as 100,000 troops amassed on Ukraine's borders, shocked into paralysis. Nobody could have imagined the EU, which has been described as 'too slow and too bureaucratic, too divided' would unite over a weekend," she said. The invasion began on a Thursday and by that Monday morning "the EU collectively passed one of the largest sanctions packages ever recorded because it responded as one, with conviction and purpose." 'The world is calling' But Europe did not act alone as she pointed to late-night calls and pleas made to other countries around the world. "Today dear colleagues, the world is calling. It's not only about Greenland, it's also about Latin America, about Africa. Once again, it's about the international peace order, once again it's about the UN Charter," she said. "The UN needs Europe and I count on your answer to be a clear and resounding: yes, we will be there for our peace, for the international peace order, for the United Nations." Support UN reform The Assembly President said the UN also needs Europe "to reform it, to make it better, to make it more effective and efficient." While the 80-year-old Organization is not perfect, she insisted that the world would not be better off without it. "Imperfection is an opportunity to strengthen and refine, not to cut down and demolish," said Ms. Baerbock. "We cannot allow those who would weaponize failings or setbacks to use existing inefficiencies or duplications as justification to unravel all that we have built, nor allow exclusive clubs to hold responsibilities for world peace." Lead by example The UN is also "dealing with an existential liquidity crisis," with some Member States not paying their assessed contributions - whether late, or not at all, for years. She noted that UN financial rules further require any "unspent" budgeted money to be returned to Member States, even if it was never received in the first place. "If the EU wants to preserve and strengthen the UN, then the EU should lead by example," she said. This includes paying dues on time and in full and proposing ways "to overhaul this Kafkaesque financial rule of reimbursing funds never received". Similarly, the EU should step up when it comes to the selection of the next Secretary-General "as one might wonder how in 80 years the UN has never selected a woman to serve its highest office, despite there being four billion potential candidates on Earth." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Southern Cross CEO steps down After 10 years in the role Southern Cross's Chief Executive is stepping down. Wednesday, February 11th 2026, 12:03PM Southern Cross Health Chief Executive Nick Astwick will step down after the societys annual in September this year. Astwick has been in the role for a decade and says It has been an honour to serve our people, customers and members in an organisation that plays such a significant role in New Zealanders health and wellbeing. Over the past decade my focus has been to contemporise Southern Cross, modernising the organisation so it is functionally excellent, operationally resilient, and more relevant to more New Zealanders." We invested for long-term impact, navigated the Covid years as well as major structural shifts in healthcare demand, and I believe Southern Cross remains a market leader and is well placed to serve our members well into the future. He acknowledged the people of Southern Cross first and foremost: Our people and our member and purpose-driven culture is at the heart of Southern Cross. Im deeply proud of all our people have achieved. I also want to recognise my leadership team, who will Im sure continue the momentum weve built, and to thank the Chair(s) and Board for their guidance, challenge and support throughout my tenure. Astwick intends to pursue a portfolio career, as a growth director and investor, working with organisations that are looking to transform, stay relevant, and grow through a rapidly changing environment. Chairman Chris Black said, "Under Nicks leadership, Southern Cross Health Society has grown its total membership and substantially modernised the organisation, all while continuing to deliver exceptional service in the moments that matter most to members." Most recently, Nicks successfully navigated the Society through the challenging financial headwinds experienced across the entire health insurance sector as well as led the development of a strategic blueprint for the organisation through to its 75th anniversary in 2036. Nick can rightly be proud of his achievements as CEO at a time of immense external change and increasing regulation. Throughout, Nicks steadfast belief in Southern Cross Health Society and the vital role it plays in the broader New Zealand health ecosystem on behalf of its 950,000 members has provided a true northpoint for others to follow. The board will "undertake a comprehensive search for a suitable successor. Special Offers Comments from our readers No comments yet Sign In to add your comment BoG inaugurates committee to woo banks for stock market Maclean Kwofi Business News Feb - 11 - 2026 , 16:13 The Bank of Ghana has set up a committee to work with universal banks towards listing on the Ghana Stock Exchange (GSE). The committee, chaired by the Governor of the Bank of Ghana (BoG), Dr Johnson Asiama, is to develop a practical and credible framework to encourage listing on the local capital market. It will focus on strengthening transparency, improving corporate governance and deepening the role of long-term domestic capital in the banking sector. The framework is also expected to recognise the diverse ownership structures within the country's banking industry, including state-owned, foreign-owned and locally controlled banks. Pool of funds At the inaugural meeting of the committee at the Bank Square in Accra yesterday, Dr Asiama said the country was experiencing a growing pool of domestic capital that was strengthening the resilience of the countrys banking sector. He said that patient funds, such as pension funds and other funds under management, now exceeded GH100 billion, making them part of the largest sources of investable capital in the economy. He said listed banks already had pension funds holding between 15 and 25 per cent of their equity, a sign of rising confidence in the local financial market. Unlocking bank ownership Dr Asiama said the trend demonstrated that both domestic and international investors were willing to unlock bank ownership when transparent governance structures and attractive returns were in place. He said the deepening of domestic capital participation would support long-term stability and sustainable growth within Ghanas financial system. He stressed that encouraging more banks to list on the GSE would broaden investment opportunities for Ghanaians, while improving market discipline in the sector. When banks open up their ownership through the capital market, it strengthens accountability and builds public trust in the financial system, Dr Asiama said. The Governor stressed the need for a flexible approach that recognised diverse ownership structures foreign, state-led, and locally controlled while maintaining high governance standards. He urged members to work rigorously and responsibly to develop a practical, credible framework grounded in Ghanas realities. Channelling local funds The Managing Director of the GSE, Abena Amoah, said strong collaboration among the leadership of all segments of the financial services sector was critical to deepening the countrys capital market and mobilising domestic savings to support economic growth. She stressed that channelling local funds into foreign economies would not drive Ghanas development. Externalising funds to develop other countries is not the way that our country will grow," she said. Ms Amoah, an astute investment banker who had structured many blue-chip companies onto the stock market, said increasing Ghanaian ownership in critical infrastructure and key sectors must be a deliberate national priority, as ownership directly influenced long-term economic resilience. The committee, which is made up of steering and technical committees, has a six-month timeline to develop a comprehensive framework to guide the orderly listing of banks. It is also expected to leverage not only the equities market but also fixed income instruments such as corporate bonds, green bonds, social bonds and commercial paper. While the steering committee will provide broad policy direction, the technical committee will identify bottlenecks and risks to ensure the successful implementation of the framework. The other membersof the committee include Ms Amoah; the Second Deputy Governor of the BoG, Matilda Asante-Asiedu; the Treasurer of the Ghana Securities Industry Association, Kofi Koduah-Sarpong; an official of the Ghana Securities Industry Association, Kwabena Boamah, and the Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Association of Bankers (GAB), John Awuah. The rest are Jacob Aidoo from the Securities and Exchange Commission, and Louis Kwame Amo of the Ministry of Finance. Featured GRA says spare parts traders fears over new VAT are a 'fundamental misunderstanding' Kweku Zurek Business News Feb - 11 - 2026 , 07:34 The Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) has issued a rebuttal to spare parts traders, asserting that their fears over a new tax regime are based on a critical misunderstanding and that, in fact, the changes will reduce prices for consumers and lower costs for businesses. The response, contained in a press release dated February 10, 2026, comes after public statements by the Abossey Okai Spare Parts Traders Association warning that the shift to a new Value Added Tax system under Act 1151 would lead to higher prices, market distortion, and an unfair burden. "The GRA takes the concerns of all taxpayers seriously and remains open to constructive engagement. However, the claims made in the Associations statement reflect a fundamental misunderstanding of how the new VAT system operates," the authority stated. At the heart of the dispute is the mechanics of input VATthe tax paid on business purchases. The GRA explains that under the abolished Flat Rate Scheme, traders paid a non-recoverable 21.9 per cent input VAT, which became a permanent part of their costs. The new standard VAT regime, while charging a 20 per cent output tax on sales, allows businesses to fully deduct the 20% input VAT they paid, claiming it back from the tax authority. To illustrate, the GRA provided a detailed comparison. For an item with a base cost of GH500 and a 20 per cent profit margin, the final price to the customer under the old system was GH760.66. Under the new system, after deducting input VAT, the final price calculates to GH720. "When input VAT deductibility is properly accounted for, the customers final price under the new regime (GH720) is GH40.66 lower than under the old regime (GH760.66)," the release asserted. It blamed the perception of higher prices on traders incorrectly applying the new 20 per cent output VAT on top of a cost base that still includes the old, non-deductible input tax. The GRA also addressed concerns that the increased VAT registration thresholdraised to GH750,000would create an uneven playing field, arguing it is "a deliberate relief measure" for smaller traders. It contended that for a given item, the final consumer price should be identical whether sold by a registered or non-registered trader, as the registered trader's ability to claim back input VAT offsets the output tax they charge. Listing the benefits of the new regime, the GRA highlighted a lower overall tax rate, the abolition of the COVID-19 Health Recovery Levy, and the "elimination of cascading taxes." It concluded that the reform leads to a "reduced cost of doing business," estimating that on a GH500 purchase, a trader's cost base drops by nearly 18%. Featured GUTA clashes with GRA over new 20% VAT regime Kwame Larweh Business News Feb - 11 - 2026 , 13:09 The Ghana Union of Traders Association (GUTA) has raised serious concerns over the implementation of the new Value Added Tax regime under the Value Added Tax Act, 2025 (Act 1151), which took effect on January 1, 2026. At a press conference held at its secretariat today in Accra, the President of GUTA, Clement Boateng, described the transition from the previous four per cent flat rate scheme to the standard 20 per cent VAT system as burdensome and detrimental to traders, particularly those operating within the informal sector. Mr Boateng said the new regime introduces complex input-through-output calculations, excessive paperwork and what he termed cascading price effects that are pushing up costs for businesses and consumers alike. He argued that many traders lack the technical expertise and administrative capacity to handle the new computation requirements, exposing them to unintentional non-compliance and possible penalties. Our analysis shows that the system is cumbersome... causing confusion and difficulties for traders, he said, adding that regional engagements with members had revealed widespread opposition to the reforms. He illustrated the practical implications by comparing the old and new systems. Under the previous flat rate scheme, he explained, an item priced at GH1,000 attracted a four per cent flat VAT of GH40, resulting in a final price of GH1,040. Under the new regime, applying 20 per cent VAT pushes the price to GH1,200. According to him, this sharp increase has led to customers rejecting purchases or demanding adjustments when traders attempt to issue new VAT receipts. Mr Boateng urged traders not to surrender their old VAT booklets until an amicable resolution is reached. GUTA also accused the Ghana Revenue Authority of reneging on earlier understandings reached after stakeholder meetings, including agreements on trader education and the establishment of a joint technical committee. Instead, Mr Boateng claimed that the Authority had deployed a task force to compel compliance. GRA has not respected the resolution... they have formed a task force to harass and coerce traders into submission, he said. He called for urgent government intervention and proposed a review of Act 1151 to restore a simplified three to four per cent flat rate VAT system for the informal sector. He further suggested intensified trader registration and education to broaden the tax base, the option for traders to choose between the old and new systems, and incentives for shops to register and collect VAT, alongside stronger consumer awareness campaigns. While reiterating GUTAs support for tax compliance, Mr Boateng rejected what he described as an obnoxious tax regime that places undue strain on both traders and consumers. The press conference followed a statement issued by the Ghana Revenue Authority a day earlier in response to similar concerns raised by the Abossey Okai Spare Parts Traders Association. In its rebuttal dated February 10, 2026, the GRA maintained that the criticisms were based on a misinterpretation of how the new VAT system operates. "The GRA takes the concerns of all taxpayers seriously and remains open to constructive engagement. However, the claims made in the Associations statement reflect a fundamental misunderstanding of how the new VAT system operates," the Authority stated. At the centre of the disagreement is the treatment of input VAT. The GRA explained that under the abolished Flat Rate Scheme, traders paid a non-recoverable 21.9 per cent input VAT, which became embedded in their cost structure. Under the new standard regime, although traders charge a 20 per cent output VAT on sales, they are permitted to fully deduct the 20 per cent input VAT paid on purchases. Providing a comparative example, the Authority said that for an item with a base cost of GH500 and a 20 per cent profit margin, the final consumer price under the old regime was GH760.66. Under the new system, after deducting input VAT, the final price would be GH720. "When input VAT deductibility is properly accounted for, the customers final price under the new regime (GH720) is GH40.66 lower than under the old regime (GH760.66)," the release asserted. The GRA attributed perceived price increases to transitional errors, arguing that some traders were applying the 20 per cent output VAT on cost bases that still included non-deductible input VAT from the old regime. The Authority also defended the upward revision of the VAT registration threshold to GH750,000, describing it as a deliberate relief measure designed to ease the compliance burden on smaller traders. It further cited the removal of the one per cent COVID-19 Health Recovery Levy, full deductibility of NHIL and GETFund levies, and the elimination of cascading taxes as key benefits of the reform. According to the GRA, the new framework ultimately leads to a reduced cost of doing business, estimating that on a GH500 purchase, a traders cost base could fall by nearly 18 per cent. Despite the escalating rhetoric, both sides have signalled willingness to engage. The GRA says it remains open to dialogue and continues to work with GUTA through a joint technical team to guide businesses on record-keeping and pricing adjustments. GUTA, for its part, has called for urgent and constructive engagement to ensure a fair and workable tax regime that safeguards revenue mobilisation without stifling trade. Toyota recalls over 142,000 vehicles over doors that could open while driving: See impacted models Previous article: Toyota recalls over 142,000 vehicles over doors that could open while driving: See impacted models Featured Back Ghanas slavery resolution at UN, Ablakwa urges AU Foreign Ministers Pacome Emmanuel Damalie International News Feb - 11 - 2026 , 12:24 3 minutes read The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has called on his counterparts across Africa to support Ghanas plan to table a motion on slavery at the United Nations next month on behalf of the African Union. Addressing the 48th Ordinary Session of the Executive Council of Ministers of Foreign Affairs at the AU Summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, yesterday, Mr Ablakwa appealed for continental solidarity ahead of the proposed resolution at the UN General Assembly. Ghana, on behalf of the African Union, intends to table a resolution at the United Nations General Assembly on the 25th of March this year, seeking the formal and universal recognition of the transatlantic slave trade and slavery as the gravest crime against humanity. Ghana formally requests the unflinching support and co-sponsorship of all AU member states for this resolution, he said. He explained that Ghana had engaged extensively with experts within the AU, the Caribbean Community and Common Market and the wider diaspora in shaping the initiative, stressing that the time had come for Africa to speak with one voice in pursuit of reparative justice. By standing together at the UN, we signal to the world that Africa will no longer allow the scale of its historical suffering to be minimised. We seek not only recognition, but a global legal framework that paves the way for healing, accountability, restitution and restorative justice, he stated. The minister said Ghanas leadership in championing the AUs 2025 theme of the year on reparations was intended to build momentum towards what has been proposed as a Decade of Reparations from 2026 to 2035. For centuries, the transatlantic slave trade decimated our populations and laid the foundations for global economic inequalities that persist till today. Ghana is honoured to have championed the 2025 theme of the year on Reparations, and we welcome the recommendation of the 7th Mid-Year Coordination Meeting to transition this momentum into the Decade of Reparations, from 2026 to 2035. It is imperative that we remain steadfast in our pursuit of justice, recognizing that the scars of colonialism and slavery continue to impact our development trajectory, he said. Mr Ablakwa also commended neighbouring Togo for its efforts to correct distortions in the map of Africa, describing the move as an essential step in reclaiming Africas true global image. He noted that the initiative was consistent with the Accra Declaration on Reparations and the AU Assemblys decision on reparative justice. The summit has drawn diplomats, civil society representatives and journalists from across the continent. It precedes the 39th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the AU, scheduled for February 14 and 15, which President John Dramani Mahama and other African leaders are expected to attend. President Mahama is also due to address the Assembly and hold bilateral and multilateral meetings on the margins of the summit. Touching on security concerns, Mr Ablakwa condemned the rising incidence of conflicts, as well as the activities of terrorists and violent extremists on the continent. He urged African leaders and stakeholders to renew their commitment to peace as a prerequisite for development. Ghana would also want to deplore the rising incidents of conflict and insecurity in our region. It is time for us to silence the guns, and it is time to commit to lasting peace. We are one people and we shall unite and pursue the development of our continent and the prosperity of our people, Mr Ablakwa said. British Museum to keep pendant linked to Henry VIII Next article: British Museum to keep pendant linked to Henry VIII Featured Somalia, Saudi Arabia sign agreement on military cooperation Aljazeera International News Feb - 11 - 2026 , 10:57 1 minute read Somalia has signed a military cooperation agreement with Saudi Arabia, weeks after inking a similar deal with Qatar, as Mogadishu seeks regional support against Israels recognition of the breakaway region of Somaliland. The memorandum of understanding was signed on Monday between the Somali Minister of Defence, Ahmed Moallim Fiqi, and his Saudi counterpart, Prince Khalid bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, in Riyadh. The agreement aims to strengthen the frameworks of defence and military cooperation between the two countries, and includes multiple areas of common interest, serving the strategic interests of both parties, Somalias Ministry of Defence said. Prince Khalid confirmed the agreement in a post on X. But neither country provided further details. Last month, Somalia signed a defence pact with Qatar, aimed at strengthening military ties and security collaboration, according to the Somali state news agency. The pact with Qatar focuses on military training, the exchange of expertise, the development of defence capabilities and enhanced security cooperation, in support of efforts to promote regional security and stability, it said. Featured Trump threatens to block opening of US-Canada bridge BBC International News Feb - 11 - 2026 , 11:05 2 minutes read President Donald Trump has threatened to block the opening of a bridge connecting the US and Canada until Washington is "fully compensated for everything" it has given to its northern neighbour. The Gordie Howe International Bridge, connecting the Canadian province of Ontario to the US state of Michigan, would not open until Ontario "treats the United States with the Fairness and Respect that we deserve", Trump wrote on social media. According to the project's website, the bridge is being funded by the Canadian government but will be publicly owned by both Canada and Michigan. Michigan Senator, Elissa Slotkin, a Democrat, said closing the "incredibly important infrastructure project" would be "awful for our state's economy". The move could have "serious repercussions". She said in a post on X: "Higher costs for Michigan businesses, less secure supply chains and ultimately, fewer jobs." It is not clear how Trump could block its opening, but he said negotiations would begin immediately, without elaborating. The bridge, which spans the Detroit River, is expected to open to traffic pending formal tests and approvals in the early part of this year. Construction began in 2018, but the project has been a point of contention between the countries for more than a decade. It is estimated to have cost $6.4bn CAD (3.4bn), according to the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC). In the statement on his Truth Social platform, Trump said that the US should own "at least half of this asset". He also suggested that Canada owned both the Canadian and US sides of the bridge. The organisation developing the bridge, the Windsor-Detroit Bridge Authority, is wholly owned by the Canadian government, according to the project's website. Trump wrote: "The Canadian Government expects me, as President of the United States, to PERMIT them to just 'take advantage of America!'" "I will not allow this bridge to open until the United States is fully compensated for everything we have given them," he added. 'Hooliganism' costs: 3 Eastern Region SHSs barred from all competition, ordered to pay for damages Previous article: 'Hooliganism' costs: 3 Eastern Region SHSs barred from all competition, ordered to pay for damages Featured UG graduates 153 PhDs as over 15,000 students receive degrees GNA Education Feb - 11 - 2026 , 12:48 2 minutes read A total of 153 candidates have graduated with Doctor of Philosophy degrees at the opening ceremony of the February 2026 Congregation of the University of Ghana on Tuesday. In all, 15,288 students who completed their programmes of study are expected to be awarded degrees during the congregation. The figure comprises 4,197 masters students, 10,543 undergraduates and 395 diploma students. The February 2026 congregation ceremonies are dedicated to postgraduate and undergraduate students drawn from four colleges of the University: the College of Basic and Applied Sciences, the College of Education, the College of Health Sciences and the College of Humanities. The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ghana, Professor Nana Aba Appiah Amfo, said the institution had positioned itself as Ghanas leading university and a leader in West Africa through deliberate investments in research, innovation, governance, infrastructure and student experience. Our work remains anchored in five strategic priorities: transformative student experience, impactful research, commitment to our faculty and staff, engagement and partnerships, and sustainable resource mobilisation and stewardship, she said. Professor Appiah Amfo noted that those priorities continued to shape the Universitys response to emerging global trends and ensured that it remained resilient, relevant and forward-looking. She, however, acknowledged challenges confronting the University, particularly inadequate physical infrastructure, including lecture halls, office space for staff and faculty, and student residential facilities. The Vice-Chancellor stressed that persistent pressure on existing facilities continued to affect the Universitys capacity to support quality teaching and learning, as well as its ability to attract and retain high-calibre faculty and staff. In spite of these challenges, we continue to work towards expanding our academic and residential facilities. Work on the Ghana Universities Superannuation Scheme (UG) hostel project is progressing, alongside hostels being constructed by private developers, she added. Professor Appiah Amfo urged the graduates to uphold the highest standards of excellence and to conduct themselves with truth, integrity and a strong sense of responsibility. In doing so, you will continue to make the University of Ghana proud. I wish you every success in your future endeavours, she said. Featured Bawjiase: Suspected robber who attempted to attack police with sharpened cutlass gunned down Emmanuel Bonney Feb - 11 - 2026 , 13:55 3 minutes read A suspected robber who reportedly attempted to attack the police with a sharpened cutlass at Bawjiase in the Central Region has been gunned down, Graphic Online has gathered. The suspect, identified as Clement Kofi Aidoo, a.k.a Yaw or Paddy, was said to have been shot and killed when he attempted to attack police personnel who had been detailed to arrest him, together with other suspects, at Danso near Bawjiase in the Central Region. The suspect and his accomplices are said to have stolen a Toyota Hilux pickup and other items at Labone in Accra and had gone into hiding in the Bawjiase area. The police have since retrieved the Toyota Hilux pickup with registration number GW 9834-25, together with several documents, the complainants mobile phone, as well as a Voters ID card and a Police ID card belonging to a policeman. A police situational report (SITREP) seen by Graphic Online indicated that on January 30, 2026, the Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Christian Tetteh Yohunu, referred a petition filed by one Madam Christiana Frimpong, aged 77, to the Anti-Armed Robbery Unit (AARU) of the CID Headquarters for investigation. The complainant reported that on December 4, 2025, she was attacked in her room at Labone in Accra by armed men who tied her hands and legs, covered her face with a plastic bag, and robbed her of a Toyota Hilux pickup with registration number GW 9834-25, an iPhone 16 Pro Max, and other personal effects. On February 6, 2026, at about 1:30 a.m., a team of investigators proceeded to Danso near Bawjiase in the Awutu Senya District following investigations. "After four days of sustained intelligence gathering, the team located suspects identified as Clement Kofi Aidoo, also known as Yaw or Paddy, and Joseph Abequaye. According to the SITREP, "upon sighting the police, the suspect jumped through a window, wielding a sharp cutlass, and attempted to attack the officers. He was shot and critically injured in the process. The suspect was rushed to the Police Hospital for treatment but was pronounced dead by the medical officer on duty while receiving care. His body was later deposited at the hospital morgue for preservation and autopsy," the SITREP indicated. During the operation, the police retrieved the Toyota Hilux pickup (GW 9834-25), several documents, the complainants mobile phone, as well as a Voters ID card and Police ID card bearing the name of a policeman, all of which have been retained as exhibits for ongoing investigations. According to the police, further investigations led to the invitation of the policeman whose police ID and voter ID cards were retrieved. That policeman is said to be stationed at the Kaneshie Divisional Headquarters and when he was questioned, he explained that in November 2025, while seeking a house help for his ailing father, he came into contact with the suspect through a recruitment agency at Bubuashie. "According to him, the suspect commenced work at his residence at Kaneshie on November 1, 2025. However, on November 14, 2025, while assisting his father to receive medical attention at the Ridge Hospital, the suspect allegedly fled with his Toyota Camry saloon car with registration number GC 123-12, police and voter ID cards, cash sum of GH12,200 and other personal effects." The matter, it said was reported to the Kaneshie Police Station, where investigations revealed that the suspect was a native of Bontroase in the Central Region and that his real name was Joseph Obessi, also known as Paddy. It said on January 25, 2026, the suspect was reportedly spotted with the stolen Toyota Camry at Bontroase. "After a hot pursuit by police, he abandoned the vehicle at Kojo Acquah Village and fled." Next article: GES confirms stabbing and alleged gang-rape at SHS 'Super Zo' sports event Featured Dambai: Police seize 4,000 parcels of suspected narcotics in trailer Mohammed Ali Feb - 11 - 2026 , 10:21 1 minute read The Oti Regional Police Command has seized 4,000 parcels of suspected narcotics concealed in a trailer at Dambai after an intelligence-led operation. A news release issued by the command on February 10, 2026 said officers stopped and searched a DAF long trailer with registration number GW 1943-09 after receiving a tip-off. The vehicle initially appeared empty, but a detailed search revealed that the trailer had been altered with hidden compartments sealed with six metal plates. Police said the compartments were opened in the presence of the suspect, Mr Amidu Jubril, aged 40. A search of the spaces led to the discovery of 4,000 parcels of compressed dried leaves suspected to be narcotics. The parcels were wrapped in yellow masking tape and concealed within the trailer. According to the police, the vehicle has been impounded and the exhibits retained for evidence. Mr Jubril has been detained and is assisting investigators while further inquiries continue. The Regional Police Command assures the public of its commitment to combating drug trafficking and related offences, the statement signed by Deputy Superintendent of Police John Nchor, the Oti Regional Public Affairs Officer, said. The seizure forms part of ongoing action by security agencies to address narcotics trafficking along major transit routes in the country. Featured Ghana begins vetting historic diaspora applicants for citizenship ahead of March ceremony Kweku Zurek Feb - 11 - 2026 , 15:48 2 minutes read The Ministry of the Interior and the Diaspora Affairs Office at the Office of the President have begun the formal vetting process for members of what has been described as the Historic Diaspora Community seeking Ghanaian citizenship. In a statement issued on February 10, 2026, the two institutions announced the commencement of the Vetting of the Granting of Citizenship for the Historic Diaspora Community, marking the next stage in the governments ongoing diaspora engagement drive. According to the release, applicants will be scheduled in batches for vetting at the Dubois Centre in Cantonments, Accra, beginning February 11, 2026. The authorities urged applicants to adhere strictly to their assigned dates. Applicants for the Historic Diaspora Community will be scheduled in batches for vetting at the Dubois Centre, Cantonments in Accra, starting February 11, 2026, the statement said. Officials cautioned prospective applicants against turning up at the venue without prior notification, warning that such actions could disrupt the process. Applicants are also advised to wait for notification on their vetting schedule from the Ministry before visiting the centre to avoid overcrowding, the statement added. The Ministry acknowledged the scale of interest in the initiative, noting that demand has outpaced the timeline set for an upcoming ceremonial event. The Ministry acknowledges that due to the overwhelming number of applicants and the limited time frame for the ceremonial swearing-in scheduled for 5th March 2026, not all interested persons will be able to participate in the process, it said. Despite this limitation, the government sought to reassure applicants that the broader citizenship pathway remains open beyond the March ceremony. The Ministry of the Interior, in collaboration with the Diaspora Affairs Office, assures all interested persons that the citizenship process remains open via https://e-services.mint.gov.gh for registration, and no one will be disadvantaged, the statement emphasised. It further reiterated the governments policy commitment to diaspora inclusion. The Government of Ghana is committed to granting Ghanaian citizenship to all qualified applicants as part of its diaspora affairs initiative, the release stated. The initiative forms part of Ghanas sustained effort in recent years to strengthen ties with descendants of the transatlantic slave trade and other historic diaspora communities, building on programmes aimed at reconnecting them to the country through legal recognition and cultural integration. Featured Ayawaso East seat: NDC clears Baba Jamal to contest Justice Agbenorsi Feb - 11 - 2026 , 12:52 3 minutes read The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has confirmed Baba Jamal Mohammed Ahmed, popularly known as Baba Jamal, as its candidate for the Ayawaso East parliamentary by-election after deciding that annulment of the internal parliamentary primary was not an option. The General Secretary of the party, Fifi Fiavi Kwetey, who was part of the partys Functional Executive Committee that received an inquiry from a three-member committees probe into allegation of vote-buying, mentioned that time constraints, potential legal challenges that may arise if the party decided to annul the results, and the lack of clear provisions in the partys constitution to guide such situations were the reasons for maintaining Baba Jamal as the validly elected parliamentary candidate. He further disclosed that all the candidates admitted to inappropriate conduct per the report, and added that the party would take appropriate measures against all of them. The party, in the meantime, has decided to expand the three-member committee established to inquire into the matter to seven members to enable the committee to conduct a more thorough investigation into the allegations. The General Secretary insisted that all candidates would face equal sanctions. Earlier, the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) invited Baba Jamal for interrogation. He was released on self-recognisance bail following hours of interrogation on vote-buying allegations linked to the partys parliamentary primary. His lawyer, Victor Kwadjoga Adawudu, who confirmed this to the Daily Graphic, added that Baba Jamal was also interrogated on an alleged assault on an officer of the OSP who was sent to submit an invitation letter to the parliamentary candidate. Counsel for Mr Jamal maintained that his client was not aware that items were being distributed in his name, adding that if he, being a lawyer, was aware, he would have told the people the position of the law. Background Following allegations of vote-buying and inducement during the Ayawaso East parliamentary primary held last Saturday, the party established a three-member committee to look into the matter. The committee, chaired by a former Minister of Information, Kofi Totobi Quakyi, with a former Member of Parliament for Tamale Central, Alhaji Inusah Fuseini, and a legal practitioner, Emefa Fugah, as members, probed the allegations and made appropriate recommendations, including recommending sanctions to the Functional Executive Committee, which is chaired by the partys National Chairman, Asiedu Nketia. The committees mandate also included making recommendations on sustainable measures and reforms to decisively end the practice of inducement and vote-buying in the partys internal electoral processes. This came after President John Dramani Mahama recalled Mr Jamal from Nigeria as High Commissioner over the vote-buying allegations. Mr Jamal polled 431 of the 964 valid votes to emerge tops in the five-person contest. His closest challenge came from Hajia Amina Adam, widow of the former Member of Parliament (MP) of the constituency, who polled 399 votes. The other three candidates polled a combined 134 votes. Total delegates eligible to vote in the primary were 1,047. But viral videos of supposed voter inducement in the constituency pointed fingers at Mr Jamal, then Ghana's High Commissioner to Nigeria. Mr Jamal subsequently explained that he had shown generosity towards acquaintances at Christmas and other festive occasions, and that the 32-inch TV sets and other souvenirs were not intended to induce any of the beneficiaries to vote in a particular way. Parliament to pass Legal Education Reform Bill, 2025 Friday - It will expand access to legal education Nana Konadu Agyeman Feb - 11 - 2026 , 09:57 4 minutes read Parliament is due to pass the Legal Education Reform Bill, 2025, to expand access to professional legal education in Ghana. The House has already adopted the report of the Constitution and Legal Affairs Committee, which earlier considered the bill and submitted its report to the House on February 3 this year. Given the 88 clauses contained in the bill that the House needed so much time to amend, the bill was referred to the Winnowing Committee to fine-tune it. Once the committee is done with its work and submits its report by Thursday or Friday, it will pave way for the bill's passage by Friday. This is because the bill already enjoys a bi-partisan support from both sides, and as such they have recommended the adoption of the Constitutional and Legal Affairs report and its passage. Breaking GSLs monopoly The Attorney General and Minister for Justice, Dr Dominic Ayine, presented the bill to the House on October 24, last year. The bill, if passed, will seek to establish the Council for Legal Education and Training to regulate professional legal education in Ghana and provide the curriculum and standards for legal education. To achieve those objectives, the Bill proposes to break the monopoly the Ghana School of Law (GSL) has over professional legal education and its entrance exams that has over the years, barred many from pursuing further legal training to be called to the bar. As a remedy, the bill, if assented to by the President, will extend accreditation to other universities, including private ones, to offer professional legal programmes. National Bar Examination The bill introduces a Law Practice Training Course to be offered by accredited universities, which will prepare candidates for the National Bar Examination. The Law Practice Training Course will emphasise clinical legal education and the acquisition of practical lawyering skills, rather than purely theoretical instruction. Holders of the Bachelor of Laws degree or other approved first degrees in law will be required to gain admission to that course before qualifying to sit the National Bar Examination. Equality of opportunity Moving the motion for the bill to be read the second time last Tuesday, Dr Ayine said the bill was in accordance with the letter and spirit of the Constitution in Article 25 to create equality of opportunity for Ghanaian citizens desirous of becoming lawyers. He said the bill sought to clear the bottleneck associated with the monopoly of the GSL and also the so-called entrance exam that made it virtually impossible for even students who graduated with First Class from very reputable universities to get into the GSL. As part of innovations contained in the bill, Dr Ayine said the government was introducing an accreditation programme that would make sure that it was not every mushroom bachelor of law (LLB) school that would produce lawyers who would go on to write the bar exam. There would be accreditation and quality control to ensure that if there was a university producing LLB candidates, those candidates would have gone through a training that was either equivalent to or better than what I went through or what the Majority Leader went through before becoming lawyers. We are also introducing the National Bar Exam so that those who go through the law practice training course at the accredited universities can all write the National Bar Exam, which will be a standardised exam that will be administered by the Council for Legal Education and its Bar Examination Committee, he said. We dont have too many lawyers On the misperception that there were already too many lawyers in Ghana, the A-G firmly described such a belief as untrue. He said, unlike in the United States of America, where the lawyer-to-citizen ratio was four lawyers to 1,000 residents, Ghana had one lawyer to 5,000 plus citizens and, therefore, denied that there was an oversupply of lawyers in Ghana. We cant maintain GSLs monopoly The Majority Leader, Mahama Ayariga, argued that year after year, the issue of access to professional legal education had been a perennial problem. He also said the House received several petitions from associations of students who had written the examination but failed to get into the law school, feeling unfairly treated. He recalled how the General Legal Council had to carry out some reforms in the examination process with a view to introducing some level of accountability, fairness and justice in the process. Featured GN Bank appeal: BoG to file written submissions in 7 days Justice Agbenorsi Feb - 11 - 2026 , 12:55 2 minutes read The Court of Appeal has granted the Bank of Ghana (BoG) leave to file its written submissions in the case in which Dr Papa Kwesi Nduom is challenging the licence revocation of GN Savings and Loans Company Limited. A three-member panel of the second highest court, which granted the leave yesterday, gave the BoG seven days to file the written submissions. Per the orders of the court, the parties in the case also have seven days to file their response, if any, to the written submissions that would be filed by the BoG. The application for extension of time to file written submissions was filed by counsel for the BoG, Kweku Boamah Kwakye. The case at the Court of Appeal is challenging the High Courts decision handed down by Justice Gifty Agyei Addo, which upheld the revocation of the financial companys licence. Dr Nduom was represented by Dr Nana Kweku Ndoum, while the Coconut Grove Beach Resort and Conference Centre Limited, an interested party in the savings and loans company, was represented by Barbara Brown, with Nana Ofori Owusu, the Vice-President of Groupe Ndoum, representing the Groupe. The Bank of Ghana was also represented by Marcus Owusu Peprah, an in-house counsel. Background On January 4, 2019, GN Bank Limited was reclassified as a savings and loans company and consequently renamed GN Savings and Loans Company Limited. Seven months later, on August 16, 2019, the BoG, then under the leadership of Dr Ernest Addison, revoked the operating licence of GN Savings and Loans Company Limited and appointed Eric Nana Nipah as Receiver as part of the banking sector clean-up exercise. The same month, Groupe Nduom, owners of GN Savings and Loans Company Limited, led by Dr Papa Kwesi Nduom, challenged the revocation of the licence in the High Court in Accra. On January 24, 2024, Justice Addo upheld the revocation of the licence. It is this judgment of the High Court that the owners of GN Savings and Loans Company Limited, led by Dr Papa Kwesi Nduom, are challenging at the Court of Appeal. Featured IGP Yohuno promotes 12,802 police officers in the first six weeks of 2026 Emmanuel Bonney Feb - 11 - 2026 , 18:09 3 minutes read A total of 12,802 police officers have been promoted in the first six weeks of 2026, from January to the first week of February 2026, by the Inspector General of Police (IGP). Mr Christian Tetteh Yohuno. The elevation, which ranged from Lance Corporals to Chief Inspectors are a backlog of promotions with many dating back to the last five to 10 years. This was made known to the media after several requests to the IGP's Secretariat. According to the IGPs Secretariat, the promotions were mainly administrative and special recommendations that were in line with the Police Service Regulations, 2012 (Constitutional Instrument 76). Regulation 37 of the Constitutional Instrument (C.I.) 76 makes it clear that promotion in the Ghana Police Service shall be by promotion examination, seniority and length of years served, subject to satisfactory performance assessment of good conduct; or special recommendation based on meritorious acts of bravery or valour in the prevention of crime or outstanding performance of duty. Some media reports this week had suggested the recent promotions in the Police Service had been fraught with nepotism. However, the IGPs Secretariat has dismissed such assertions, insisting that all the promotions were supervised by the various units, districts, divisional and regional commanders across all 25 police regions across the country. Information was sent to all the units, districts, divisional and regional commanders across all 25 police regions across the country to submit names of officers who were due for promotion, and that was how the administration arrived at that. Moreover, promotions in the Police Service cannot be solely done by the IGP as CI 76 makes that clear, it said. Breakdown of promotion The Secretariat said about 11,900 officers who fell within the lower ranks were elevated one step of their ranks while 600 of them were also based on special recommendations. So, for instance, some personnel who had remained in their ranks for more than the stipulated period of four years were all promoted to their next ranks. These were done to encourage everyone to work hard to gain due recognition. "Our men are sacrificing a lot for this country. So they also deserve to be treated fairly, and that is what we are doing for everyone, no matter their background. Petitions A lot of petitions had been received by the secretariat to look into unfair treatment that had been meted out to some of the officers. And after going through their cases, including those on interdiction for more than five years, they were acquitted and discharged and subsequently received their promotions due them. Others even petitioned the Secretariat to rectify the dates on their promotions which had pushed them back from their due time of promotions. The administration looked into all of those and corrected the anomalies. Some families of personnel who died in line of duty also petitioned the administration. Therefore, after going into their cases, we promoted all of them posthumously. NAIMOS arrests foreign nationals in Mpohor illegal mining raid Jemima Okang Addae Feb - 11 - 2026 , 12:45 2 minutes read The National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) has arrested three Chinese nationals and one Ghanaian in an operation at an illegal mining site at Adum Banso K9 in the Mpohor District of the Western Region. The arrests were made on Monday, February 9, at about 11:20 am, following an intelligence-led operation aimed at curbing illegal mining activities in the area. According to NAIMOS, the carefully planned raid targeted a site suspected to be operating unlawfully. Upon the arrival of the taskforce, the suspects attempted to escape using two vehicles but were quickly intercepted and arrested. They were apprehended in a Mitsubishi Pickup with registration number GT 3850-13 and a Toyota Highlander with registration number GS 572-25. A subsequent assessment of the site revealed tracks of two excavators that had been hastily moved and concealed in nearby bushes before the taskforce arrived. To prevent their further use, NAIMOS immobilised the machines. Due to the unavailability of lowbed services to transport the excavators, officers removed control boards and oil pumps, rendering the equipment inoperative. The two vehicles found at the site were seized, and additional equipment and materials used for the illegal mining activities were dismantled and disabled. The three Chinese nationals and the seized vehicles have since been conveyed to NAIMOS Headquarters for further investigations and will be handed over to the Ghana Immigration Service in line with established procedures. The Ghanaian suspect, identified as Isaac Armah and believed to be the site foreman, has been handed over to the Mpohor Police Station to assist with investigations and possible prosecution. NAIMOS, under the leadership of its Director of Operations, Dr Colonel Buah, reiterated its commitment to intensifying intelligence-driven operations across illegal mining hotspots nationwide. The Secretariat acknowledged ongoing operational challenges, including inadequate patrol vehicles, lowbed trucks and drone surveillance equipment, but assured the public that it remains resolute in its mandate. NAIMOS said sustained operations are continuing to disrupt illegal mining networks that damage cocoa farms and forest reserves, degrade road infrastructure and pollute the countrys water bodies. Featured SkyTrain case: GIIF Board did not approve project, $2 million payment Former Board Secretary tells court Justice Agbenorsi Feb - 11 - 2026 , 15:11 4 minutes read A former Board Secretary of the Ghana Infrastructure Investment Fund (GIIF), Kofi Boakye has testified that the Board did not approved the SkyTrain project. During my tenure as a member of the Board, we approved several projects however, the Board did not approve the Sky Train project. "Additionally, the Board did not approve the $2 million payment, Mr Boakye who is the second prosecution witness stated in his evidence-in-chief which was adopted today (Feb 11) in the trial in which Solomon Asamoah and Prof. Christopher Ameyaw-Akumfi, a former Board Chairman of GIIF have been accused of conspiring to cause financial loss of $2 million for building the Sky Train system which was never built. Meeting The former Board Secretary, who is also a lawyer by profession, said at one of GIIFs meetings, Mr Asamoah, informed the Board that he travelled to South Africa as a member of a government delegation to a summit where a certain group made presentations on the Sky train Project. The witness stated that Mr Asamoah further informed the Board that the government delegation that attended the Annual Investment Forum in South Africa had decided that GIIF partake in the project, adding that the Board also expressed its desire to partake in the project. Following this, he said a presentation was made to the Investment and Financing Committee of GIIF. During my tenure as a member of the Board, we approved several projects; however, the Board did not approve the Sky Train project. Additionally, the Board did not approve the $2,000,000.00 payment for the acquisition of shares in relation to the Sky Project, he said. Cross-examination Under cross-examination by Victoria Barh, who is counsel for Mr Asamoah, it was suggested to the witness that, but for his independent explanation or clarification to the Company Secretary who took over from him, that particular secretary and a Chief Accountant had understood that there was a sentence in an existing document that indicated the boards approval of the SkyTrain project. In his response, the witness told the court that his evidence was that the secretary who took over from him told him that, at all times, he (witness) made it clear to the secretary that the Sky Train was never approved. She (new secretary) drew my attention to the evidence there, and my response was that that statement did not constitute an approval. The CEO had referred to that memo as a record of the minutes of the approval of the SkyTrain project. This happened when the management team of GIIF appeared before the Public Accounts Committee of Parliament, he said. Below is an excerpt of the cross-examination flowing from the question. Question: Your answer just now contains embellishments that were not in your earlier testimony regarding what the new secretary told you when she drew your attention to the fact that there was something in the document that shows that the board approved the project. Answer: My lady, far from testifying to matters that never happened, the question that was posed by counsel was that the new secretary understood the document to constitute an approval. That was the question I was asked, so it is important to state the fact as they are. Question: It is not correct that the new secretary told you that the CEO had referred to the minutes of 24th October 2018, as the record for the board approval. No such conversation ever occurred? Answer: My lady, I have the content on exactly what transpired in my conversation with the new secretary and to repeat in my presence and in the presence of other members Mr Asamoah insisted that the minutes of October 24, 2018, constituted the record that shows that the board had approved the sky train project. He even went further to say that there was a comma in that paragraph, and I was misreading it. This was a matter that transpired in my presence. Featured Woman killed at church premises at Twifo Denyase Camp, suspect lynched Shirley Asiedu-Addo Feb - 11 - 2026 , 13:32 3 minutes read The community of Twifo Denyase Camp in the Twifo Atti-Morkwa District of the Central Region has been left reeling after a 62-year-old woman was killed in a violent attack on Tuesday morning, with the suspected assailant later lynched by residents. The deceased, Baby Abienor, was reportedly attacked alongside her daughter, Gladys, who sustained critical injuries and is currently receiving treatment. The incident occurred on Tuesday, February 10, 2026, at about 8:00 a.m., when a co-tenant, a 30-year-old man identified as Hormeku Agbemor, allegedly launched an unprovoked cutlass attack on the two women at their residence near a wooden structure belonging to the Apostolic Church, Ghana. Eyewitnesses said the suspect suddenly became violent in the morning and inflicted multiple cutlass wounds on the victims. Baby Abienor died at the scene from the severe injuries she sustained. Gladys, who suffered serious injuries, was initially rushed to a nearby Community-based Health Planning and Services compound for emergency care but was later referred to the St Francis Xavier Hospital in Assin Fosu due to the severity of her condition. The Central North Regional Crime Officer, Chief Superintendent Edmund Agyemang Badu, told Graphic Online that upon receiving information about the incident, the Twifo Praso District Police Command swiftly proceeded to the scene to commence investigations. He said the police were led to a wooden church structure and two adjoining rooms, where the lifeless body of Baby Abienor was found lying face down in a pool of blood. According to him, the deceased had deep, fresh wounds on her neck and left arm, believed to have been inflicted with a cutlass. About 15 metres from the scene, Chief Superintendent Agyemang Badu said officers discovered the lifeless body of the suspect, Hormeku Agbemor, with his hands and legs tied with rope and blood stains on his face. He is suspected to have been lynched by angry residents following the attack. Preliminary investigations, he said, indicated that on the morning of the incident, the deceased woman, her daughter and the suspect were in the house when the suspect allegedly began exhibiting abnormal behaviour and verbally attacking them. Sensing danger, Baby Abienor reportedly rushed to inform an elder in charge of the church about the situation. The elder arrived shortly afterwards, only to find her lying dead, with the suspect standing nearby holding a cutlass and pleading for forgiveness after allegedly confessing to the killing. Chief Superintendent Agyemang Badu said the church elder alerted the assembly member, other residents and the police, but by the time officers arrived at the scene, the suspect had been lynched. He said the bodies of the deceased had been conveyed to the Twifo Atti-Morkwa Hospital mortuary for preservation and autopsy, while investigations into the incident are ongoing. Featured Apart from Baba Jamal, sanction other candidates in Ayawaso East voter inducement allegation who are gov't appointees - Fiifi Kwetey urges President Mahama Mohammed Ali Politics Feb - 11 - 2026 , 17:42 5 minutes read President John Dramani Mahama has been urged that apart from Baba Jamal, there were other candidates in last Saturday's National Democratic Congress (NDC) parliamentary primary in the Ayawaso East constituency who are in positions of appointment by the government, and ought to be sanctioned similarly as has happened to Baba Jamal in the wake of allegations of voter inducement in line with the code of conduct for public officials. The General Secretary of the NDC, Fifi Fiavi Kwetey, who said this, indicated that there was one other candidate in last Saturday's NDC primary who, based on the report of the investigative committee, was also involved in voter inducement. Mohammed Baba Jamal Ahmed, who contested and won the primary and was Ghana's High Commissioner to Nigeria, was recalled from his position following allegations of voter inducement in the primary in which he participated. The communication from the presidency, which announced his recall, indicated that he was being sanctioned because he was a public officer among the contestants, even though the allegations of vote-buying were made against multiple candidates who contested the primary. But speaking to the media after the investigative committee formed by the NDC to look into the allegation had presented its report to the Functional Executive Committee of the party, Mr Fifi Kwetey said the party also wanted to signal that it takes into consideration the step taken by the President, and that the President acted purely on the back of what happened on that occasion by asking for Baba Jamal to be recalled. "We think that was appropriate by the President, but we also want to urge the President that apart from Baba Jamal, we think two other candidates involved are also in positions of appointment. We think they are on various boards, and similar measures should be taken [against them] as well, to make sure that we, as a party, anyone who was involved in this inappropriate conduct, have to be punished once they are appointed by the government, so that is what we are recommending to the President to take [action]. He indicated that the party was also going to do a comprehensive review of the whole process, which leads into the internal elections and that is why four more members will be added to the Mr Kofi Totobi Quakyi-led 3-member committee for them to do an extensive work. From the report of the committee, it came to light that with the exception of one candidate, all four other candidates in the parliamentary primary were involved in voter inducement. The report said apart from Najib Mohammed Sani, all four others, including Baba Jamal and the widow of the late MP, Hajia Amina Adam were involved in the voter inducement allegation. This, according to Mr Kwetey is why the President has to act against government appointees cited in the voter inducement claims linked to the primary. Hajia Adam, who serves on the boards of Prestea Sankofa Gold Mines and the Ghana Hajj Board, was among five candidates found by the inquiry to have engaged in monetary inducements during the primary held on February 7. When asked whether the party would sanction other candidates found culpable, Mr Kwetey repeated: "I just answered that. I just told you that apart from Baba Jamal, there are others who are part of the five, who are also appointees of the government. So our recommendation is the President should take the step also to be able to take them out of whatever position they are in." Mr Inusah Fuseini, a former Member of Parliament for Tamale Central and member of the investigative committee also gave details in a radio interview on Radio Gold in Accra on Wednesday about the scale of inducements during the contest. Mr Fuseini said delegates received "not less than GH10,000" each from all candidates combined, adding that the "standard going amount" stood at GH3,000 per candidate. He stated: "Aside Najib who got one vote, it was established that he didn't give anybody anything. Everybody else dropped something." According to Mr Fuseini, the committee interviewed regional executives, the director of elections, the General Secretary, the director of special operations, Ludwig Hlordze, the deputy national organiser, constituency executives and all five candidates. He said the process found "widespread breaches of the principles, values and ideology of the party." He explained: "There were material and monetary inducements that took place in the primary of the Ayawaso East constituency that could induce voters to act one way or the other. And that had the propensity to change the outcome of the election." Mr Fuseini added: "We came to the conclusion that those inducements violated, breached certain provisions of laws that we have in Ghana, especially the Constitution of the Republic of Ghana, the Political Parties Act, the regulations, the C.I. 127 issued by the Electoral Commission." He said the committee also assessed whether the outcome could be annulled and identified legal constraints. "One such legal hurdle would be whether or not the party can cancel an election conducted and supervised by the Electoral Commission, which has certified the results of that election as fair, transparent and valid," he stated. Mr Fuseini said the party constitution did not provide grounds for cancellation after certification. "We perused the entire NDC constitution. And there is no provision in the constitution of the NDC that grants the power to any structure of the party to annul elections after they have been so conducted," he said. Mr Kwetey confirmed that despite the findings, the party proceeded with the declared winner due to time limits and legal barriers. "Given the difficulties of time and also the legal challenges, we have no option but to present Baba Jamal, who actually won, according to the Electoral Commission's declaration," he said. Mr Baba Jamal secured 431 votes against Hajia Adam's 399, with the Electoral Commission requiring the party to field a candidate by February 11, 2026. Mr Kwetey said the investigative committee would be expanded from three to seven members to review the party's primary processes. "That seven-member committee will extensively come up with recommendations as to how we can once and for all deal with this, shall I call it, canker, which has to do with anything that amounts to inappropriate conduct as far as primaries are concerned," he stated. The March 3, 2026 by-election followed the death of Mahama Naser Toure, on January 4, 2026. He was the representative of the Ayawaso East constituency in Parliament on the ticket of the NDC. President Mahama swears in NAPRM Governing Council Kester Aburam Korankye Politics Feb - 11 - 2026 , 09:57 2 minutes read President John Dramani Mahama has expressed Ghanas readiness to open up for a thorough peer review. He describes the mechanism as an important exercise that will afford Ghana the opportunity to assess progress made through interventions to improve governance. The President was speaking after swearing in members of the National African Peer Review Mechanism Governing Council (NAPRM-GC). According to him, the new Council is expected to lead the second generation review of Ghana next week on the sidelines of the African Union Summit scheduled to take place in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. "We're willing to do that, and we'll be available to lead that process, he assured. Pride President Mahama noted that Ghana was among the first countries to accede to, volunteer, and undergo a comprehensive peer review process as far back as 2006. "It's been an issue of pride for us that Ghana's democracy, accountable governance, and everything that we are noted for, will be subjected to review by our peers." He observed that the outcome was a reference to the huge gap between the deprived Northern belt of Ghana and the South, which eventually led to the establishment of the Savannah Accelerated Development Authority (SADA) as a platform to provide direct development assistance to stem the migration from North to South. "So we want to know what has happened to those inequalities and what the level of opportunities we have opened up in other parts of the country are." Council members The new Governing Council is chaired by Professor Justice Akua Kuenyehia. In a brief remark, Professor Akua Kuenyehia expressed gratitude to the President and assured him of their commitment to uphold transparency and the independence of governance institutions. Other members are Dr Joseph Whittal, Commissioner of the National Commission for Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ); Joseph Obeng, David Ofosu-Dorte and Cornelia Amoah. The APRM is a voluntary, mutually agreed self-monitoring instrument established in 2003 by the African Union (AU) to promote good governance, political stability, and sustainable development. It facilitates national dialogue and self-assessments of policies across four areas: democracy, economic management, corporate governance, and socio-economic development. No MDCE in Volta will stand for parliamentary elections 2028 Dean Previous article: No MDCE in Volta will stand for parliamentary elections 2028 Dean Transparency International Ghana pushes for anti-corruption reform - Ghana's 2025 corruption score remains at 43 Daily Graphic Politics Feb - 11 - 2026 , 09:57 3 minutes read Transparency International (TI) Ghana has called for reforms to strengthen the country's justice system and promote anti-corruption efforts. The organisation also welcomed the Chief Justice's decision to fast-track the establishment of anti-corruption courts, which it said would speed up the hearing of related cases. TI, Ghana, made the call for reforms in a press release it issued yesterday to announce the 2025 Corruption Perceptions Index. Ghana's score The release said Ghana scored 43 out of 100 in the 2025 Corruption Perceptions Index, maintaining the same score for the sixth consecutive year, while falling five places to rank 76th among 182 countries assessed. It attributed the lack of movement partly to the withdrawal of corruption cases involving members of the government through 60:40 settlements, which raised public concern and lowered expectations created by the publication of Operation Recover All Loot. The anti-corruption organisation stated that the unchanged score shows government anti-corruption efforts are not making enough impact, pointing to continuing weaknesses in enforcement, political accountability, and institutional performance. Weaknesses "Ghana's performance reflects persistent weaknesses in enforcement, political accountability, and institutional effectiveness. Addressing this requires urgent action to strengthen the justice system, safeguard institutional independence, regulate political party financing, and ensure transparency in public office," the press release stated. Ghana scored 42 in 2024, meaning the one-point increase to 43 in 2025 represented marginal improvement. The country has stayed around a score of 43 since 2020, which Transparency International Ghana said does not amount to change under the index methodology. Ghana's corruption perception has declined from its peak score of 48 in 2014. The rating fell to 40 in 2017 before improving to 41 in 2018 and 2019, which Transparency International Ghana linked to public reaction to a change in government at the time. The organisation said the index score should be treated as an early signal rather than a final judgement, adding that the country's position points to corruption challenges, weak compliance with legal rules, and institutions under strain. It also cited interference in the work of the judiciary and law enforcement agencies, as well as executive influence, as factors shaping public perception. The report noted that steps taken in 2025 to increase transparency in corruption investigations and prosecutions, including actions by the Office of the Special Prosecutor and the removal of the former Chief Justice, have not led to an improved perception rating. Reforms It also urged Parliament to pass the Community Tribunal Bill, which remains among measures awaiting attention during the current sitting. Other proposals include adopting the National Ethics and Anti-Corruption Plan, promoting ethical conduct, improving the business environment, revising political party financing rules, protecting civic space and media freedom, and raising awareness among designated non-financial businesses and professions of their anti-money laundering duties. Global Globally, corruption levels are rising, with even established democracies recording higher levels amid declining leadership standards. The global average score stands at 42 out of 100, the lowest level in more than a decade. Apple is widely rumored to be introducing variable aperture on the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max later this year, and Samsung is apparently paying very close attention to iPhone-related rumors. That's because the Korean company is now said to be considering re-adding the feature to its lineup as well. The Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S10 both had variable aperture main cameras, but the feature was dropped with the Galaxy S20 generation in 2020. If Samsung does adopt it again, then expect to see it on the Galaxy S27 family next year, so after a seven-year hiatus. It's quite interesting how companies like Samsung can come up with an innovation, use it for a couple of years or so, then drop it and totally forget about it until Apple introduces its own version - or, in this case, is rumored to. Apparently Samsung still hasn't fully decided whether to use dual aperture in its upcoming devices, but is actively considering it, having allegedly requested the development of variable aperture from its partners, and both Samsung Electro-Mechanics and MCNEX are producing variable aperture samples and supplying them to Samsung Electronics for further evaluation. Source (in Korean) Apple dominated smartphone sales in 2025 and according to a new report, it unsurprisingly had the largest installed base out of any smartphone brand worldwide. This metric takes into account the number of units that are currently in use by customers with factors like user retention, ecosystem loyalty and device longevity. According to Counterpoint Researchs Smartphone Installed Base Tracker, one in every four active smartphones used in 2025 was an iPhone. Global Active Smartphone Installed Base by Brand Share, 2025 Apple and Samsung are the only two brands in the billion active devices club with the two brands responsible for 44% of the global active installed base in 2025. The pair are lauded for their strong ecosystems and long-term user loyalty. Counterpoint analysts also pointed out that Apple added more net new smartphones in 2025 than the next seven leading OEMs combined. Xiaomi was the third leading brand by active smartphone users, followed by Oppo and vivo. These three brands offer a diverse set of smartphones across all price segments and are also focusing on building up their ecosystems. Transsion Group came in sixth place thanks to rapid growth in the Middle East and Africa (MEA) and Southeast Asia markets. Transsions numbers include values for Tecno, itel and Infinix devices. Huawei and Honor rounded out the top-8, with Honor now officially boasting 200+ million active devices. Motorola and Realme fell just outside the top-8 OEMs but Counterpoint analysts point out that both brands are on track to reach the 200+ million active users club soon. Source Samsung officially confirmed the February 25 launch date for the Galaxy S26 series and is now accepting pre-reservations this is just a promo campaign that offers a $30/30 discount if you sign up for an email notification. We will talk about prices later, but first lets look at whats new. It goes without saying that this isnt based on official information. Here is a list of all the most plausible rumors concerning the upcoming flagship. Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra (speculative renders, source) Privacy display Privacy displays are nothing new some laptops have them, but there it is an all-or-nothing affair. Either all of the screen is fully visible or all of it has restricted viewing angles so that you can see it head-on, but people peeking over your shoulder cant see anything. Samsung has come up with a way to control this on a per-pixel level the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra (and only the Ultra, to hell with the other two models) will be able to set popups with sensitive info to private, which will make it hard or next to impossible for others to read, say, the unlock code you have received over text. The Galaxy S26 Ultra will have a Privacy Display feature One UI 8.5 will have smart controls over when this feature is active. For example, it can be fully disabled when you are at home and it can then get automatically enabled when you go out. The S26 Ultra will bring other display upgrades too, some of which are long overdue. It will feature a 10-bit display panel. Yes, Samsungs flagships have been using 8-bit panels all this time, even though Samsung Display sells some of the very best OLED panels in the industry to Samsungs competitors. The Galaxy S26 Ultra will have a new high-strength glass Additionally, the Ultra will debut a new high-strength Gorilla Glass. Presumably, this is a new formulation of the Gorilla Glass Armor, which features a special and exclusive anti-reflection layer (again, the S and S+ models are second-class citizens). Those things aside, it will be a 6.9 display with 1-120Hz refresh rate (LTPO) and 1440p+ resolution. Magnetic charging, sort of Samsung has adopted the stripped-down version of the Qi2 Magnetic Profile wireless charging with a magnetically-attached charger is supported, but the phones themselves will not have built-in magnets. Magnetic cases for the Galaxy S26 series If you want to use magnetic chargers and the various other magnetic accessories such as car mounts you will need to buy a special case with embedded magnets. Such cases already exist for older S models, so you may be wondering what has changed. Well, not much on the magnet front, but the charging hardware did get some upgrades. 60W wired charging, 25W wireless Samsung phones have had a hard cap of 45W wired charging for a few years now. This is finally changing, though only by the smallest step the upcoming Galaxy S26 Ultra will support 60W charging. Early results have been less than impressive an S26 Ultra test unit allegedly managed a 0% to 75% charge in 30 minutes. This is barely faster than the old S25 Ultra, which got to 72% in 30 minutes. Well talk about the battery in the next section, but lets just say that it will be a short section. The company already launched a new 60W charger dubbed the Samsung 60W Power Adapter (model number EP-T6010NBEGWW). It supports USB-PD (5V, 15V and 20V) and PPS (5-20V) at up to 3A. Its standby power draw is a very low 5mW. The new 60W adapter that can max out the Galaxy S26 Ultra Samsung will also bump up the wireless charging to 25W, up from the previous 15W. We havent seen leaked tests for that yet, but were not expecting miracles. A Qi2 Samsung power bank leaked last month. The EB-U2500 supports 15W wireless output and up to 20W input over USB-C. Theres a built-in kickstand and a bar of LEDs that shows the battery charge. A new magnetic battery for the Galaxy S26 series This magnetic battery is expected to sell for 60 in Europe. The most interesting thing about it is its weird shape the cutouts at the top are presumably to allow the battery to rotate 270 without bumping into the camera lenses. Same 5,000mAh battery You may expect that the faster charging is the result of a bigger battery. You may expect that Samsung will adopt some of that Silicon-Carbon magic that has resulted in massive battery gains over the last 12 months or so. Well, youd be wrong the latest information on the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra battery is that it will have 5,000mAh capacity. Thats the same as all S Ultra models so far. Yes, even the first-ever model, the S20 Ultra. If that doesnt put it into perspective, Samsung discontinued the S21 Ultra last week its that old. We did hear some rumors of a bump to 5,200mAh, but even if those rumors somehow prove to be true, the 200mAh increase will be negligible compared to what competing brands (at least the ones not named Apple or Google) have managed with their latest models. All Snapdragon, no Exynos As usual, the Galaxy S26 Ultra will receive special treatment it will use the latest Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 in all regions. Some early reports indicated that all S26 models sold in Korea will use the Exynos 2600 instead, but recent Geekbench results have put those speculations to bed. Its all Snapdragon, everywhere. The US model was also benchmarked with a Snapdragon. That is for the Ultra, of course. The S26 and S26+ will be getting Exynos in some regions. The Galaxy S26 Ultra will use a Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 in all markets Its not quite clear whether this Snapdragon will be a for Galaxy variant, which is what weve had in previous generations, or what that would entail. These specifics will be cleared up on launch day. There is nothing new to report on memory the phone will have 12GB of RAM with a 16GB option along with three storage tiers, 256GB, 512GB and 1TB. Minor camera upgrades The Galaxy S26 Ultra will have a 200MP main camera, a 10MP 3x mid-range telephoto, a longer 5x periscope with a 50MP sensor (f/2.8, 1/2.52) and a 50MP ultra-wide (f/1.9, 1/2.5). Wed say that there are no changes from the S25 Ultra, but there are the 10MP 3x tele module will have a smaller 1/3.94 sensor, compared to 1/3.52 on last years Ultra. The old Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra camera setup The camera lenses are said to have a special coating that reduces lens flare, but thats a fairly minor improvement for a year of development. As for the main camera, it is said to have a wider f/1.4 aperture. There was some talk of Samsung bringing back the variable aperture system it used in the Galaxy S9 and S10, but its not clear whether that made it into the final design. S Pen Sorry for the terse headline on this section, but it covers all that we have to say about the stylus. S Pen in matching colors Some were speculating that magnets interfere with the S Pens operation and that was why Samsung hadnt adopted magnetic Qi charging. Whether thats true or not, the S Pen remains a trademark feature of the S Ultra and will be present in the 2026 edition too with no new features to report, but (thankfully) no cutbacks either (we all remember what happened last year). Year of the Linux terminal The Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra may have a full Linux terminal on board. This will be a boon for all developers that use DeX for work and all those developers can probably fit in one room. Jokes aside, this is a more meaningful change than it first may appear. The issue was with the Android Virtualization Framework (AVF) that was required for the Linux terminal to run. This one is on Qualcomm as Snapdragon chips just dont support AVF Tensor, Exynos and Dimensity chips do, Snapdragon chips are missing a critical feature. Its not clear how Samsung will manage to circumvent this issue, but if it does, it may open up the door for Linux apps to run on the Ultra (without requiring workarounds). Something smarter Samsung is already teasing the upcoming Galaxy S26 lineup and it sounds like new AI features will be a major part of the upcoming Unpacked presentation. That feeling when you can see into the future. What do you see in our future? pic.twitter.com/zA7XVAIzf3 Samsung Mobile US (@SamsungMobileUS) February 9, 2026 This will include a smarter Bixby with agentic AI capabilities this means that it will be able to interact with apps (HERE Maps, Uber, The Weather Channel, etc.) and carry out tasks just like you could, but without you having to actually do anything other than give the command. Bixby with AI Design Another terse headline Samsung will add a small raised area around the camera lenses this generation, but this may be purely decorative like the larger camera lens rings on the S25 Ultra. Remember, the phone will use essentially the same camera hardware underneath. Galaxy S26 Ultra in Cobalt Violet Okay, okay, the Galaxy S26 Ultra is expected to be a bit slimmer and lighter at 7.9mm and 214g, down from 8.2mm and 218g on the S25 Ultra. Cool. Can we renegotiate that 200mAh battery bump that isnt happening? Because were not sure that we can feel a 4g difference. 200mAh may be more tangible. Anyway, you can see the raised area better in this leaked poster: According to Evan Blass, the S26 Ultra will be available in these colors: Black, White, Silver Shadow, Sky Blue, Cobalt Violet and Pink Gold. The one pictured above is Cobalt Violet. Price The base 12/256GB Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra is expected to launch at the same price as the 2025 Ultra, i.e. 1,470. The 512GB and 1TB models may get small price bumps, however. Keeping prices level is good, considering that the skyrocketing memory prices will significantly affect the smartphone business Samsung is already warning of possible price hikes. The S26 series will likely launch with the same pre-order perks as usual, i.e. a free storage upgrade, extra trade-in credit and the pre-reservation bonus. Full (rumored) specs for the Galaxy S26 Ultra Those who knowingly spread fake, artificial intelligence-generated election content in the hopes of swaying voters could be slapped with felony charges, should a bill introduced by Sen. Tina Muna-Barnes become law. Her Bill 201-38 drew some support at a Wednesday public hearing but also concerns about freedom of speech and First Amendment rights. Muna-Barnes on Wednesday said highly realistic, AI-generated video, audio and images posed a growing threat to elections around the world. The senator is running for lieutenant governor, alongside current Lt. Gov. Joshua Tenorio. Over the past couple of years, we have seen real world examples from robocalls that clone a candidates voice to manipulate it, videos and images to release shortly before elections and rapidly spread online, said Muna-Barnes. Though Guam had not seen that yet, the island needs to be prepared, she said. The measure would prohibit the distribution of, or any distribution deals for AI-generated content meant to harm a candidates reputation, or sway voters. It would only apply to content that is not clearly marked as AI-generated. Any violation would be a misdemeanor on first offense, and a felony upon any additional violations committed within five years. The attorney general, an affected candidate or individual shown in an AI image could also sue for an injunction blocking distribution of such fake content. A media company, streaming platform, or internet provider that unknowingly hosts deceptive AI election content would not be penalized. Sung Young Kim, with the Korea National Information Agency, spoke in support of the bill. Kim said South Korea faced a big problem with students creating AI-generated deepfake content, resembling real people, which was a crime in the country. He said he had developed an AI deepfake prevention system in South Korea, and worked to educate students about the technology. Guam Election Commission Executive Director Maria Pangelinan said her agency recognized the dangers of AI content, but did not support or oppose the bill. She said if senators did pass a law criminalizing deceptive AI election content, they should make it clear that the GEC is not involved in enforcement. The Commissions neutrality is essential to maintaining public confidence in elections, she said. Insulating the commission from content based disputes concerning campaign media ensures that election administration remains distinct from campaign related enforcement and litigation. But Guam Homeland Security Adviser Esther Aguigui, in written testimony, said a legal review showed the draft bill likely violates free speech protections under the First Amendment. The Supreme Court has consistently held that content-based restrictions on speech, even false speech, face strict scrutiny and are presumptively unconstitutional unless narrowly tailored to serve a compelling government interest using the least restrictive means, Aguigui stated. She wrote that she did support the goal of protecting elections from new technological threats. Lawmakers should consult constitutional law experts and the attorney general on past cases and alternatives, Aguigui wrote, and consider whether existing laws already address the most egregious conduct. Sen. Therese Terlaje, also an attorney, said she supports the intent of the bill, but added that senators may have to narrow this down to ensure it did not impede constitutional rights. Politically motivated speech is supposed to be one of the most protected speeches, she said, and senators have been the subject of numerous cartoons and critical images in elections past. Muna-Barnes said shes considering amending the bill to limit prohibitions to a 90-day, pre-election window. This would clarify the bill, and strengthen its constitutional defensibility. Under a green canopy overlooking the large waves at Tanguisson Beach on Wednesday, Lorihna Soulik, of Yona, waits for word no parent should have to endure as rescue units search for her missing 23-year-old son David Soulik. Her son was swimming with his cousins boyfriend when the current pulled him Tuesday night, the mother said. They were just near the second channel on this side, but the current pulled him, Lorihna Soulik told the Pacific Daily News in an interview by the search site. It was a full day of dive and drone operations and surface searches through the Tanguisson area on Wednesday. The Guam Fire Department, Guam Police Department, U.S. Coast Guard and U.S. Navy Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 25 have been conducting the joint search. As of 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, GFD temporarily suspended its efforts and will resume search operations at first light Thursday, GFD spokesperson Capt. Nick Garrido said. The U.S. Coast Guard will remain on station overnight, he said. Tuesday night search A 911 call was received at 6:28 p.m. Tuesday about a distressed fisherman, according to GFD. The Tuesday night search brought together GFD, GPD, Coast Guard and HSC-25. The search resumed at first light Wednesday again involving multiple agencies, with vessels and rescue swimmers on the water and drones and a rescue helicopter in the air, Garrido said. Search efforts are focused offshore in the waters outside the Tanguisson Power Plant, following the drift of the last known location. Rescuers continued scanning the surf and maneuvering jet skis along the coastline as the tide rolled in, concentrating on the stretch of shoreline where David Soulik, of Mongmong-Toto-Maite, was last seen. Friends and family members remained near the water, watching every movement offshore. Lorihna Soulik said her son and his cousins boyfriend were traveling around the island and stopped to swim before heading home. He was not fishing at the time, she said. The cousin called me and told me to come down here, because he already called the rescuers, she said. The mother described her son as family-oriented and close to his cousins. He likes to hang out with his cousins, whether boys or girls, just like hanging out with families, she said. I know he can swim The incident stunned his mother. It did surprise me, because I know he can swim, she said. As search efforts continue, family and friends gather near the shoreline under multiple canopies facing the area where David Soulik was last seen. When I heard that, my son got swept out, Im just hoping that hell be okay, that there will be a way for him to get back to the reef, Lorihna Soulik said. The support of family and friends awaiting by the shore has helped her endure the uncertainty. It really helped me, because Im really down knowing that I dont know where my son is, she said. They give me all the comfort that I need at the moment. Through tears, she urged residents to pay close attention to public advisories about ocean conditions, saying she believes her son and his cousin were unaware of updates before they went in. If theres updates about the water, please follow for your safety, because I do believe that my son and the cousin, they didnt know that theres an update on the water, she said. So yeah, so as they were going around the island, they decided to stop by and just swim before they head home. And then this is what happened. High surf advisory, rip currents A high surf advisory, a small craft advisory and a high risk of rip currents were in effect Tuesday when the incident happened. Large breaking waves of 9 to 12 feet are expected for west- and north-facing reefs of the Marianas, the National Weather Service said on Tuesday. Garrido reminded the public that a high surf advisory and small craft advisory remain in effect. He also urged extreme caution and advised avoiding hazardous waters. Mark Twain quipped three quotes that I use quite often. No man is safe while the Legislature is in session. Never let school interfere with your education. And finally, In the first place, God made idiots. That was for practice. Then he made school boards. A local businessman shared the last quote with me when I was appointed to the Guam Education Board several years ago. In the last week, there was a legislative education committee hearing. I was in Japan at a long planned Rotary Club meeting and could not attend. In the near future, it would be nice for the senators to allow board members to participate online when needed. Over the years, I have asked a number of various board members on several government boards to resign. Also, some board members need to step down when life or work issues interfere and they have the thought and courtesy to do so. The primary purpose of the meeting was a recent management audit conducted in 2025. I am a fraud examiner and human resources specialist by training. I generally welcome audits that follow standard practices. Common standard practices include ethics, professional competence, a risk-based approach and evidence collection. While I did not attend the oversight hearing called by Sen. Vince Borja, it is likely that the former education chair, Sen. Chris Barnett, should have called an oversight hearing when he was chair in the last Legislature. For a quick refresher, I often wrote about the 37th Guam Legislature as a circus populated by clowns. The current Guam Legislature has greatly improved in my opinion. Backseat driving does not count, and real driving takes leadership and courage. I welcome Senator Borjas oversight efforts. Generally speaking, the audit was pretty typical and contained all the normal shallow suggestions that surface-based approaches allow. In my opinion, the Office of Public Accountability audits are often overlooked and undervalued. In the future, I would kindly suggest coordinating these types of studies through the OPA. While an obscure policy center was contracted for this study, it is unclear who actually conducted and wrote up the management audit. I will do a full write up on certain parts of the management audit and post them in public for review and input. I take exception with some of the things Senator Barnett said about Judith Guthertz, PhD, the current board chair. She has been on the board for less than a year and as chair, she has not even led a meeting. She is just that new. When Guthertz tried to explain one point on the audit, Barnett replied that his point was in the report. My dear public, political hocus pocus aside, as education chair, Chris Barnett should not have needed a report. In 2023-2024, he had the ability to call an oversight hearing at any time. He did not. Perhaps he was new and perhaps he didnt read the law. Regardless of this, it was clear he failed to do so. By the way, I know Chris personally and I like him. He is a very intelligent person and I believe he has good intentions. Media celebrities in the Legislature generally get two to three free bites at the election apple. This is his second term. Just for the record, I have served on the school board since early 2017. I was appointed three times by two different governors and elected twice. I have had regular training. I have never bullied anyone. I do not even talk to GDOE employees unless I have to. I do not micromanage. I have used standard practices and protocols for communicating with the administrators or employees. I have never gotten involved with student discipline. I do not believe I have ever violated any public law. Guthertz has never in my opinion violated any rule, law or policy either. She is a good person and I am dismayed at Chris Barnetts approach. Maybe he was just frustrated and did not know what else to do. He could have called or met with me at any time on Guam Department of Education questions. As Lao Tzu said, To know and not to do is still not to know. Now you know. On a final note, lets recap Guam law on these questions. The Guam Code at 17 GCA 3102.1.r(1) contains the basic complaint process. For my part, I generally openly point out violations or boundary issues when I see them. If Chris Barnett, as education chair, was hearing complaints, why didnt he call an oversight hearing? It is just that simple. GDOE employees making good faith complaints are totally protected by Guam whistleblower laws. Haiti - Cinema : International excellence training in documentary filmmaking, call for applications The French National School of Image and Sound (La FEMIS) is now accepting applications for its 2026 Summer University. This two-month, internationally renowned documentary filmmaking program is designed for young filmmakers and film students from outside Europe. Established in 1989 with the support of the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, this program welcomes 15 film students or young professionals each year who wish to deepen their documentary skills. Candidates will be selected by a jury. The program will take place over eight and a half weeks, with five days of intensive classes per week (from July 8 to September 4, 2026) in Paris. The curriculum focuses primarily on the individual production of a documentary film between 5 and 10 minutes in length, under the guidance of film professionals. In addition to meetings related to film selection and development, participants will attend three weeks of theoretical and practical courses, including numerous film screenings. The following weeks are dedicated solely to practical documentary filmmaking skills. Desired Profiles : This call for applications is open to French-speaking film students with a strong interest in auteur documentary filmmaking and some prior practical experience. A short documentary film must be included in the application. Eligibility criteria are as follows : Be under 27 years of age on January 1st, 2026 Not a citizen of a European country Be fluent in French (written, spoken, and reading) For non-French-speaking applicants, provide a certificate of French proficiency at least at level B1 Selection Procedure : Candidates will be selected jointly by FEMIS and the Cultural Services of the French Embassies in the countries concerned, based on a review of their applications. Application deadline : The complete application must be sent to projet@institutfrancaishaiti.org no later than March 27, 2026 Please download the documents below : Application Form : https://ht.ambafrance.org/IMG/docx/ue26_dossier_de_candidature.docx Presentation Form : https://ht.ambafrance.org/IMG/pdf/ue26-fiche_presentation.pdf HL/ HaitiLibre The Hill County Commission is attending the Montana Association of Counties Midwinter Conference and will not hold a weekly business meeting the week of Feb. 16-20, 2026 MONDAY February 16, 2026 Commissioners attending the 2026 MACo Midwinter Conference TUESDAY February 17, 2026 Commissioners attending the 2026 MACo Midwinter Conference WEDNESDAY February 18, 2026 Commissioners attending the 2026 MACo Midwinter Conference THURSDAY February 19, 2026 Commissioners attending the 2026 MACo Midwinter Conference FRIDAY February 20, 2026 Regular Business Hours Staff and wire report HAVRE - A protest over the actions of U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the Trump administration drew a crowd to First Street West in Havre Saturday, Jan. 31, 2026, including with a local connection. The protest was specifically spurred by the death of two American citizens, Renee Good and Alex Pretti, shot by DHS agents in Minneapolis in January. "Our hearts are broken by the senseless killings in the streets of Minneapolis. We came together to mourn Renee Good and Alex Pretti and demand that the federal government stop its violence, its assaults and its raids in our communities," said Karen Datko, group leader of Indivisible Havre, which organized the event. However, it also included some signs with "Justice for Justin," referring to Border Patrol agents detaining Havre resident Justin Grzeb, who was legally in the country, according to his lawyer, but self-deported back to the United Kingdom and is in the last stages of obtaining his marriage-based green card to return to Havre. See related story on the front page. A total of 91 people took part in an ICE Out of Everywhere protest in Havre on Saturday, Jan. 31, a press release from Indivisible Havre said. The protest was held along First Street West from noon to 1 p.m. It was the second protest held in Havre after the fatal shooting of a U.S. citizen by federal immigration officers in Minneapolis. On Jan. 11, 86 area residents came together to hold a vigil for Renee Good and protest the conduct of ICE and other federal agents. An immigration officer killed Good on Jan. 7. Pretti was fatally shot on Jan. 24. In each case, videos of the scene contradicted the Trump administration's claim that officers acted in self-defense. Saturday's event in Havre was the eighth organized by local volunteers to protest federal actions that are antithetical to government "of the people, by the people, for the people," the press release said. Press release The Northern Montana Health Care team recently celebrated a significant milestone in surgical care with a robot-themed celebration, recognizing recent accomplishments in robotic-assisted surgery. On Tuesday, January 20, NMHC staff gathered to celebrate 300 successful surgeries using the ROSA Robot and 100 surgeries performed with the da Vinci Surgical System. The celebration was held in honor of NMHC's surgeons and operating room teams, whose expertise and collaboration have made advanced robotic-assisted surgery an accessible option for patients across the Hi-Line. The event embraced a lighthearted "robot party" theme, complete with colorful, playful decorations. Staff enjoyed walking tacos, cupcakes, and a chance to relax, visit, and celebrate together. "These milestones represent far more than numbers," said Dr. Kevin Harada, CEO and President of Northern Montana Health Care. "They reflect the dedication, skill, and teamwork of our surgeons, nurses, and operating room staff. Having this level of robotic surgery technology available in Havre is something our entire community can be proud of, and it speaks volumes about the quality of care our teams deliver every day." Robotic-assisted surgery allows surgeons to perform complex procedures with enhanced precision, flexibility, and control, often leading to smaller incisions, shorter hospital stays, and faster recovery times for patients. NMHC currently offers robotic-assisted procedures performed by Dr. Paige Brainard, Dr. M. Benjamin Farr, Dr. Toby Marshall, Dr. Sara Wilcox, and Dr. Damian Ymzon. "This was a chance to pause and say thank you," Harada added. "We're incredibly proud of our surgical teams and excited for what the future holds as we continue to bring advanced, high-quality care to our region." Northern Montana Health Care is committed to providing high-quality, patient-centered care close to home. Through continued investment in advanced technology and a dedicated healthcare team, NMHC proudly serves Havre and the surrounding communities. HedgeCo.Net) Point72 is one of the most closely watched hedge fund platforms in the U.S. because it sits at the intersection of three narratives: elite multi-strategy performance, aggressive talent-building, and the long shadow of the SAC Capital era. This week, that legacy moved back into the foreground. Reuters reported on February 10, 2026 that Pfizer is set to receive $29 million tied to the SECs case stemming from the 2013 insider trading scandal involving SAC Capital Management, the predecessor to Steve Cohens current Point72 franchise. The report said the payment would come from remaining settlement funds, with additional money directed to the U.S. Treasury pending approval, resolving a dispute around the disposition of those funds. Why this is trending now This isnt just a legal footnote. Its a reminder that the SAC case remains one of the defining events of modern hedge fund historyshaping how allocators, regulators, and prime brokers view compliance, culture, and oversight. When an update resurfaces, it naturally becomes a big hedge fund headline, because it taps into the industrys risk memory. Crucially, the Reuters report also reiterated key historical context: SAC paid a massive settlement in 2013, and Cohen later rebranded the firm as Point72, with Cohen not criminally charged personally. Those facts are well known in the industrybut their reappearance in a fresh legal development forces the market to revisit the story. The Point72 now story: a platform built for 2026 The deeper relevance is what Point72 represents today: a modern, multi-asset hedge fund platform competing with Citadel and Millennium for top talent, capacity, and allocator mindshare. While the legal history is part of the narrative, Point72s current trajectory is about scale, product expansion, and institutionalization. Recent industry coverage also reflects Point72s ongoing hiring and strategic build-out, including expansion within macro capabilities (for example, hedge fund trade press noting macro team additions). The reason those moves matter is simple: in volatile markets, macro and rates sensitivity can dominate equity selection; platforms that can rebalance across books quickly tend to defend capital better. What investors actually care about: operational credibility For the largest allocators, a resurfacing legal story prompts a practical checklist: Governance and compliance : Is the firms oversight demonstrably stronger than in the SAC era? : Is the firms oversight demonstrably stronger than in the SAC era? Institutional resilience : Can the platform keep compounding and retaining talent without reputational drag? : Can the platform keep compounding and retaining talent without reputational drag? Business momentum: Are flows, performance, and product lines strong enough that the past is not a constraint? The biggest hedge fund franchises win not just by generating returns, but by being allocatable in sizemeaning robust operational infrastructure, clean processes, and predictable business conduct. When a legacy legal story reappears, it tests the strength of that institutional brand. The 2026 subtext: regulation and scrutiny are tightening again Even beyond Point72, this story lands in a market mood where scrutiny is rising. Across the alternatives ecosystem, regulators and investors are more sensitive to conduct risk, valuation practices, and controlsespecially as private markets and hedge-fund-like products increasingly intersect with broader wealth channels. That makes this Reuters update more than a number. Its part of a broader cycle where reputational durability matters as much as Sharpe ratios. What to watch next Judicial approval and final disposition of remaining funds (as described in the Reuters report). of remaining funds (as described in the Reuters report). Point72s next product moves the firm has been associated in broader reporting with looking beyond classic liquid trading into adjacent strategies (where many platforms see growth). the firm has been associated in broader reporting with looking beyond classic liquid trading into adjacent strategies (where many platforms see growth). Allocator reaction: Most institutional investors wont change their views overnight, but renewed attention can influence due diligence tone and questions. Point72 is trending today because the past re-entered the presentand because the firm is now big enough that any legacy headline becomes a market story, not a niche footnote. The social media service Discord announced on Monday that it will introduce age verification on its platform starting in March. All new and existing user accounts worldwide will then be automatically set to a teen-friendly experience with updated communication settings, restricted access to age-restricted areas, and content filters, according to a company statement. To change certain settings or access sensitive content such as age-restricted channels, servers, or commands, as well as selected message requests, users may need to go through an age verification process. Continue after ad Multiple methods to choose from Discord users can choose whether to use facial recognition for age estimation or to provide an ID as proof of identity. The company announced that further options would be added in the future. Furthermore, an age estimation model will be implemented that runs in the background and helps determine whether a user account belongs to an adult without users always having to prove their age. If further information is required to assign a user to an age group, users may be prompted to use multiple methods for age verification. Users not verified as adults will continue to be denied access to age-restricted servers and channels, and content classified as sensitive by Discord will be filtered. They will also receive warning messages for friend requests from potentially unknown users, and direct messages from potentially unknown users will be automatically filtered into a separate inbox. Creation of a Teen Council Discord already introduced age verification in the UK and Australia last year. The current global implementation of this protective feature is based on the experiences gained. The global rollout of teen-default settings builds on Discord's existing safety architecture, providing strong protections for teens while offering flexibility for verified adults, Savannah Badalich, Head of Product Policy at Discord, is quoted as saying in the company statement. In addition to enhanced safety features for young users, Discord announced the creation of a Teen Council, consisting of 10 to 12 teenagers. This advisory board is intended to give greater weight to the perspective of young people in Discord's decision-making. The Teen Council will help Discord understand not just assume what teens need, how they build meaningful relationships, and what makes them feel safe and supported online, Discord writes. The board's contributions are to be incorporated into future product features, policies, and educational resources, it is further stated. Interested individuals aged 13 to 17 can apply to participate in the Teen Council from now until May 1, 2026. Continue after ad To better protect children and young people from the negative effects of social media and digital offerings, age verification or age limits for users are increasingly being discussed. In Australia, the world's first comprehensive ban on social media for under-16s came into effect in early December. The British government stated that it is closely monitoring Australia's approach. Other countries, however, have already announced similar bans, including Malaysia, Denmark, and Norway. Denmark agreed on a minimum age of 15 for social media access in early November, although parents can allow their children to sign up for these networks at the age of 13. The EU Parliament passed a resolution in late November calling for an EU-wide minimum age of 16 for social media. (akn) Don't miss any news follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn or Mastodon. This article was originally published in German. It was translated with technical assistance and editorially reviewed before publication. Several European countries have sent small military contingents to Greenland in recent weeks. Of course, in the event of the militarisation of Greenland and the creation of military capabilities aimed at Russia, we will take adequate countermeasures, including military-technical ones, he told Russian lawmakers. Russia will take countermeasures, including military ones, if Western nations expand their armed presence in Greenland, foreign minister Sergey Lavrov said in the State Duma on Wednesday. The deployments followed repeated statements by US President Donald Trump that he wanted the United States to annex the island, which is an autonomous territory within the Kingdom of Denmark. Finland also sent two liaison officers to Greenland as part of the recent European presence. Lavrov said the issue should be resolved by the United States, Denmark and Greenland. The US, Denmark and Greenland must sort this out themselves, he said. He also accused Denmark of treating Greenlanders as second-class citizens. Trump has argued that control of Greenland is important for security in the Arctic. He previously warned that Russia or China might seek influence over the island if the United States did not act. At the end of January, Trump said he had reached a framework understanding with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte to secure stronger US influence in Greenland. Greenlands authorities have stated that sovereignty and territorial integrity are a red line in any talks with Washington. Source: AFP HT The numbers are staggering. Over nearly four decades, five elite American universities have accepted more than $2.3 billion from countries that federal law identifies as threats to national security. Harvard University leads the list with over $610 million from these "countries of concern." The Massachusetts Institute of Technology follows with over $490 million. New York University received over $462 million. Stanford University took in over $418 million. And Yale University accepted over $400 million. These aren't total foreign funding figuresthose are even higher. These are specifically from countries that the U.S. government has designated as involved in activities that threaten American national security, undermine democratic institutions, or engage in hostile intelligence operations. The revelations come from new Department of Education data released Tuesday, compiled through a federal reporting portal that the Trump administration launched to bring what Education Secretary Linda McMahon called "unprecedented transparency" to foreign funding of American universities. The data shows that between 1986 and December 2025, American colleges and universities disclosed receiving $67.6 billion in foreign gifts and contracts. In 2025 alone, institutions reported over $5.2 billion in foreign funding from more than 8,300 transactions. But perhaps most troubling: Universities reported over $2 billion late between February and December 2025, in direct violation of federal disclosure requirements. Four major institutionsHarvard, the University of Pennsylvania, UC Berkeley, and the University of Michiganare now under federal investigation for inaccurate and untimely disclosures. The question that these numbers raise is simple and urgent: What are foreign governments and entities getting for their billions of dollars? The "Countries of Concern" Designation Before diving deeper into the money, it's important to understand what "countries of concern" actually means. The designation comes from federal statute (42 U.S.C. 19221(a)(1)), which identifies nations involved in activities including: Threats to U.S. national security Undermining democratic institutions Hostile intelligence operations Technology theft and espionage Human rights violations State-sponsored terrorism support The specific countries aren't named in the Department of Education press release, but federal law and interagency designations typically include China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea, among others. The designation can also apply to entities within countries that aren't wholesale designatedfor example, specific companies, universities, or government agencies in otherwise friendly nations. What makes the $2.3 billion particularly significant is that universities knewor should have knownthey were accepting money from entities with these designations. Federal disclosure requirements specifically ask institutions to identify whether funding sources are from countries or entities of concern. Yet year after year, billions flowed from these sources into America's most prestigious universities. Harvard: $610 Million From Hostile Sources Harvard University stands alone at the top of the list. Since 1986, the institution has disclosed receiving over $610 million from counterparties located in countries of concern. To put that in perspective: $610 million is more than the total endowment of most American universities. It's enough to fully fund thousands of scholarships, build multiple research facilities, or endow dozens of professorships. But Harvardwhich already has an endowment exceeding $50 billionchose to accept these funds from sources the federal government identifies as national security threats. The disclosures don't detail exactly what this $610 million purchased. Did it fund specific research? Did it provide access to Harvard faculty expertise? Did it create relationships between foreign entities and American researchers working on sensitive projects? Did it influence what gets taught, studied, or published? Federal disclosure requirements mandate reporting the funding, but they don't require universities to explain what foreign entities received in return. That opacity is precisely what concerns national security experts. In 2025 alone, Harvard received over $324 million in total foreign funding from all sources, making it one of the top recipients of foreign gifts and contracts among American universities. The institution is currently under federal investigation for inaccurate foreign financial disclosures. The investigation raises troubling questions: If Harvard's disclosed $610 million from countries of concern is based on incomplete or inaccurate reporting, how much have they actually received? And what else haven't they disclosed? MIT: Nearly Half a Billion From National Security Threats The Massachusetts Institute of Technology has received over $490 million from countries of concern since 1986approaching half a billion dollars from entities that threaten American interests. This is particularly significant because MIT conducts enormous amounts of federally funded research in areas critical to national security: artificial intelligence, quantum computing, advanced materials, robotics, cybersecurity, and aerospace engineering. MIT's research often has direct defense and intelligence applications. The university works closely with the Department of Defense, intelligence agencies, and national laboratories on projects ranging from autonomous systems to encryption technologies. When foreign entities from countries of concern fund MIT research or forge relationships with MIT faculty, they potentially gain access to cutting-edge work with strategic value. Even if specific projects aren't directly funded by foreign sources, relationships built through foreign funding can create channels for knowledge transfer. In 2025, MIT received almost $1 billion in total foreign fundingmaking it one of only two universities (along with Carnegie Mellon) to receive nearly a billion dollars from foreign sources in a single year. The scale is breathtaking. Almost $1 billion in foreign funding in one year, with nearly half a billion from countries of concern over four decades. And MIT continues receiving federal research funding that significantly exceeds its foreign funding. This creates a troubling dynamic: American taxpayers fund research at MIT, while entities from hostile nations also fund the institution and build relationships with researchers whose work has national security implications. NYU, Stanford, Yale: The Billion-Dollar Club New York University ($462 million), Stanford University ($418 million), and Yale University ($400 million) round out the top five recipients of funding from countries of concern. Each institution has received over $400 million from these sources since 1986collectively taking in nearly $1.3 billion from entities designated as threats to American national security. New York University's $462 million is particularly notable given the institution's extensive international operations, including campuses in Abu Dhabi and Shanghai. NYU has built a global presence that creates numerous touch points with foreign governments and entitiessome of which evidently fall under countries of concern designations. Stanford University's $418 million comes despiteor perhaps because ofits position at the heart of Silicon Valley and its close relationships with technology companies. Stanford faculty and researchers often work on projects with commercial applications in areas from artificial intelligence to biotechnology, making foreign access to Stanford expertise potentially valuable for entities seeking to acquire or replicate American technological advantages. Stanford received over $775 million in total foreign funding in 2025 alone, making it one of the top recipients. The question is how much of that came from countries of concern, and what those entities received in return. Yale University's $400 million from countries of concern spans decades of foreign relationships. Like its Ivy League peers, Yale maintains extensive international partnerships, hosts large numbers of international students and visiting scholars, and conducts research across numerous fields with potential strategic applications. Yale's total foreign funding figures aren't broken out in the 2025 data, but its appearance in the top five for countries of concern funding suggests significant ongoing relationships with foreign entities despite their designation as national security threats. What the Money Buys Federal disclosure requirements mandate reporting foreign gifts and contracts over $250,000, but they don't require detailed explanations of what those funds purchase. This creates a transparency gap that makes it difficult to assess the full implications of foreign funding. However, research and reporting over the past several years has identified several categories of what foreign funding typically buys at American universities: Research access: Foreign entities fund specific research projects, gaining early or exclusive access to findings, methodologies, and expertise in fields ranging from biotechnology to artificial intelligence. Talent recruitment: Funding creates relationships with faculty and graduate students who become candidates for recruitment to work directly for foreign entities or share research through unofficial channels. Institutional influence: Major gifts can influence university decision-making, from academic programming to campus policies regarding topics sensitive to foreign donors. Technology transfer: Even when direct technology isn't transferred, funding creates relationships that facilitate knowledge sharing through conferences, collaborations, and informal exchanges. Reputation laundering: Associations with prestigious American universities provide legitimacy and prestige for foreign entities, particularly important for countries seeking to improve their international standing. Student and scholar exchanges: Funding often supports programs that bring students and visiting scholars from foreign countries to study at American universities, creating networks and relationships that outlast the formal programs. For the $2.3 billion that five elite universities received from countries of concern, some combination of these benefits presumably flowed to the foreign funders. The question is whether the value universities received justified accepting money from entities that threaten American interests. The Compliance Crisis Beyond the sheer scale of foreign funding from countries of concern, the new Department of Education data reveals a compliance crisis: Universities are breaking federal disclosure laws. Between February 28, 2025, and December 16, 2025, more than $2 billion in reportable gifts and contracts were disclosed late, in direct violation of statutory requirements under Section 117 of the Higher Education Act. Section 117 requires institutions receiving federal financial assistance to disclose foreign source gifts and contracts with values of $250,000 or more annually. The disclosures must be timely. Universities that fail to comply risk: Civil enforcement actions by the Department of Justice Costs of enforcement being recouped from the institution Loss of ability to participate in Title IV federal student aid programs That last consequence is potentially catastrophic. Title IV programs include Pell Grants, federal student loans, and work-study funding. Losing eligibility would devastate most universities' finances and make it nearly impossible for many students to afford attendance. Yet universities reported $2 billion late. Either they're fundamentally unable to track and report their foreign funding in compliance with federal law, or they're deliberately slow-rolling disclosures to avoid scrutiny. The Department of Education has already launched four investigations into major universitiesHarvard, Penn, UC Berkeley, and Michiganfor inaccurate and untimely foreign funding disclosures. More investigations are likely as officials review the newly disclosed data. Who's Funding American Universities? The 2025 data provides a revealing picture of which countries and entities are funneling money into American higher education. Qatar leads all countries with over $1.1 billion in disclosed funding in 2025 alone. This is particularly striking given Qatar's small size and population. The Gulf state is investing more heavily in American universities than China, the United Kingdom, or any other nation. The United Kingdom provided over $633 million in 2025, reflecting long-standing academic and research partnerships between American and British institutions. China disclosed over $528 million in 2025 funding to American universities. This figure has likely declined from previous years due to increased scrutiny and restrictions, but it remains substantial. Much of China's funding presumably falls under the "countries of concern" designation given ongoing tensions over technology theft, espionage, and national security. Switzerland ($451 million), Japan ($374 million), Germany ($292 million), and Saudi Arabia ($285 million) round out the top foreign funding sources for 2025. These figures represent only what was disclosed. Given the $2 billion in late reporting and ongoing investigations into inaccurate disclosures, the actual totals may be significantly higher. The Biggest Recipients: Carnegie Mellon and MIT While Harvard, MIT, NYU, Stanford, and Yale lead in funding from countries of concern over decades, the 2025 single-year data shows different patterns in total foreign funding. Carnegie Mellon University received almost $1 billion in foreign funding in 2025the highest total for any institution. Much of this likely relates to Carnegie Mellon's campus in Qatar, which receives substantial funding from the Qatari government. MIT also received almost $1 billion in foreign funding in 2025, making it tied with Carnegie Mellon for the highest annual foreign funding total. Stanford received over $775 million, and Harvard received over $324 million in total foreign funding in 2025. These numbers dwarf the budgets of most American universities. They represent massive financial relationships between elite institutions and foreign entitiesrelationships that create dependencies, influence, and access that extend far beyond simple financial transactions. The Trump Administration's Transparency Push The release of this data comes as part of what the Trump administration describes as an unprecedented transparency initiative regarding foreign funding of American universities. "Thanks to the Trump Administration's new accountability portal, the American people have unprecedented visibility into the foreign dollars flowing into our colleges and universitiesincluding funding from countries and entities that are involved in activities that threaten America's national security," Education Secretary Linda McMahon said in a statement. The new reporting portal, launched at foreignfundinghighered.gov, represents a significant upgrade from previous disclosure systems. It includes 11 additional data elementsa 61% increase in data points made available to the publicand new data visualization capabilities that make it easier to track foreign funding patterns. McMahon specifically criticized "years of neglect by the Biden Administration, which failed to effectively enforce Section 117 and shuttered public-facing accountability instruments." The Biden administration's approach to foreign funding disclosures was indeed markedly different. While Section 117 has existed since 1986, enforcement was inconsistent across administrations. The Trump administration has made foreign funding transparency a priority, launching investigations, upgrading reporting systems, and publicly releasing data in ways designed to generate scrutiny. This political dimension adds complexity to the data. Supporters argue the transparency is long overdue and essential for national security. Critics suggest the focus on foreign fundingparticularly from Chinareflects broader geopolitical tensions rather than genuine concerns about academic integrity. Regardless of political motivations, the data itself is revealing. American universities have accepted billions of dollars from countries of concern, often with minimal public accountability for what those funds purchased. What Universities Say Universities defend foreign funding as essential to their global missions and research capabilities. Institutions argue that: Global collaboration drives innovation: Scientific and academic progress requires international cooperation. Funding from foreign sources enables partnerships that advance human knowledge. International students and scholars enrich education: Universities serve students and researchers from around the world, and foreign funding often supports programs that make this possible. Transparency already exists: Universities note they comply with federal disclosure requirements (albeit sometimes late) and that funding sources are generally known to relevant stakeholders. Academic freedom protects integrity: Universities maintain that academic freedom and institutional policies prevent foreign funders from improperly influencing research or teaching. National benefits exceed risks: The knowledge, talent, and innovation that result from international engagement benefit America more than the risks of foreign influence. These arguments have merit. International collaboration has produced enormous scientific and technological advances. Many foreign-funded programs serve legitimate educational purposes. And universities do have policies designed to protect academic integrity. But the sheer scale of funding from countries of concern$2.3 billion to just five institutionsraises questions about whether existing safeguards are sufficient. The National Security Perspective National security experts view the foreign funding differently than university administrators do. From a national security perspective, the concerns include: Strategic intelligence gathering: Foreign entities use funding relationships to identify, recruit, and cultivate American researchers working on sensitive projects. Even unclassified research can provide valuable intelligence when aggregated. Technology acquisition: Funding creates channels for foreign entities to access American technological expertise and innovations before they're publicly available or commercialized. Talent pipelines: Foreign funding helps identify promising graduate students and researchers who can be recruited to work for foreign governments or companies, draining American talent. Influence operations: Substantial funding gives foreign entities leverage over institutional decisions, potentially limiting criticism or shaping programming to align with foreign interests. Economic espionage: In fields with commercial applications, foreign funding can facilitate transfer of intellectual property that undermines American economic competitiveness. Dependency creation: Large foreign funding flows create financial dependencies that make universities reluctant to sever relationships even when security concerns emerge. These risks don't mean all foreign funding threatens national security. But $2.3 billion from countries of concernentities specifically designated as threatsrepresents a genuine vulnerability that may not be adequately managed by current policies. The Regulatory Gap Current federal regulations require disclosure of foreign funding but don't actually restrict it. The Department of Education has no authority to prohibit universities from accepting money from countries of concern. Section 117 requires disclosure of foreign gifts and contracts over $250,000. That's it. Universities must report the funding, but they're free to accept it regardless of the source. This creates a regulatory gap. Universities must disclose that they're taking money from entities that threaten national security, but nothing prevents them from taking that money. And if they fail to disclose or disclose late, the penaltieswhile potentially severeare rarely enforced. The Department of Education's recent investigations represent a more aggressive enforcement posture, but the fundamental problem remains: Current law provides transparency but not restriction. Some policymakers have proposed legislation that would: Prohibit universities from accepting funding from designated hostile foreign entities Require more detailed disclosures about what foreign funding purchases Mandate security reviews of foreign-funded research in sensitive fields Impose automatic penalties for disclosure violations Create federal oversight of certain international partnerships None of these proposals have been enacted. Until they are, universities remain free to accept billions from countries of concern as long as they disclose iteventually. What Happens Next The release of comprehensive foreign funding data through the new portal creates pressure for action from multiple directions. Congressional scrutiny: Members of Congress concerned about foreign influence will use this data to press for hearings, investigations, and potentially new legislation restricting foreign funding. Administrative enforcement: The Department of Education has already launched four investigations and will likely pursue more based on the newly disclosed data, particularly focusing on late or inaccurate reporting. Public pressure: Transparency about funding from countries of concern will fuel activism from groups concerned about foreign influence, potentially affecting university reputations and donor relations. University policy changes: Institutions may voluntarily restrict or screen foreign funding more carefully to avoid controversy, even without legal requirements to do so. Geopolitical tensions: Broader U.S.-China tensions and concerns about other adversarial nations will continue driving political focus on foreign funding regardless of specific university actions. The data shows that five elite universities have taken $2.3 billion from countries of concern over nearly four decades. That's already happenedthe money is spent, the relationships are established, and whatever benefits foreign entities received have already been delivered. The question now is whether American universities will continue accepting billions from entities that threaten national security, or whether transparency will finally create accountability. The Bottom Line Harvard: $610 million from countries of concern. MIT: $490 million. NYU: $462 million. Stanford: $418 million. Yale: $400 million. These aren't abstractions. They're real dollars from real entities that federal law identifies as threats to American national security. Over nearly forty years, five elite universities accepted $2.3 billion from these sources. For context, that's more than the entire endowments of hundreds of American universities. It's enough to fully fund world-class research programs, provide scholarships to tens of thousands of students, or build state-of-the-art facilities across multiple campuses. Instead, it flowed from countries of concern into institutions that already have billions in endowments and receive billions more in federal research funding. What did those countries and entities receive in return? The disclosure requirements don't fully answer that question. But they got somethingaccess, influence, knowledge, relationships, or capabilities they valued enough to invest billions of dollars over decades. The new Department of Education portal makes this information public. What happens with that transparencywhether it leads to meaningful accountability or becomes just another data point in ongoing political debatesremains to be seen. But at minimum, American taxpayers and students now know: The most elite American universities have taken billions from countries that threaten national security. And they're still doing it. Originally published on University Herald Give the Right to Be Right: Free Will, Algorithms, and How Hotels Can Design Real Choice - Image Credit Unsplash+ Gaspard Bizeul is the recipient of second-place (in a four-way tie) in the HFTP Fall 2025 Blog Competition. Travelers like to think they pick their hotel. In reality, a stack of algorithms shapes the decision long before a booking form appears: relevance and ranking algorithms define what is even considered, bidding algorithms elevate sponsored placements above organic results, and AI recommendation engines compress the shortlist into a single suggested option, all amplified by other peoples opinions. The cumulative effect is an algorithmic illusion of choice. Hotels that understand this architecture and design for felt autonomy can convert more directly, create stronger attachment, and reduce dependence on intermediaries. Reviews Define the Field of View Tripadvisors ecosystem alone is vast enough to shape demand. The company reported more than 1 billion reviews and opinions across roughly 9 million listings and analyzed 31 million new reviews and opinions in 2024. It also removed or rejected 2.7 million fraudulent reviews in 2024 as detection improved. These numbers matter because they show how consensus is constructed at scale and how much curation sits behind the ratings travelers trust. (Tripadvisor, 2025) Crucially, the playing field is not entirely organic. Tripadvisors Sponsored Placements are paid ads that place properties near the top of search results and above organic listings. This is legitimate advertising, but it means much of what travelers see first is not neutral. For hoteliers, that creates both a channel opportunity and a communications duty to be clear about why visibility improved. (Tripadvisor, n.d.) Influencers Concentrate Attention In luxury, tastemakers can create a demand waterfall with a single post. A case often cited is Gstaad Guy, a satirical yet highly effective luxury tastemaker who has crossed from parody into brand power, partnering with top labels and selling out collaborations. None of this is neutral, which is why regulators require clear disclosure of material connections in endorsements. Guests deserve to know when visibility is earned, when it is paid, and when it is a blend. (Business of Fashion, 2023; FTC, 2023) Outside hospitality, new formats are emerging that try to anchor influence in verified purchasing. The invite-only Selleb concept uses receipts as proof of what tastemakers actually buy, transforming receipts into a kind of social currency. While this lives in fashion, the idea is relevant to hotels that want to measure and reward real influence rather than impressions. (SCMP, 2025; Andover, 2025) AI Answer Engines Are the New Gatekeepers The discovery layer is shifting from search results to AI-generated answers across Google AI Overviews, ChatGPT, and Perplexity. A growing AEO (answer engine optimization) industry promises to help brands appear inside these synthesized answers, which compress attention even more. For hotels, that means optimizing content so large language models can cite and summarize it, not only so web pages rank. (Search Engine Land, 2025; Backlinko, 2025; Forbes, 2025) Large platforms confirm the trajectory. Booking Holdings has told investors its AI features are already improving conversion and reducing customer support contacts, which is a direct cost and revenue lever. At the same time, industry observers warn that agentic AI could bypass traditional marketplaces and suppliers that do not surface well in conversational discovery. Hotels that do not build a presence for AI answers risk being de-prioritized before a human ever sees them. (Booking Holdings, 2025; Financial Times, 2025) Why Guests Love What They Believe They Chose This is where psychology becomes a profit center. Self-Determination Theory shows that autonomy, competence, and relatedness increase motivation and satisfaction. When people feel a decision is theirs, they value the outcome more and stay more engaged. In hospitality terms, perceived autonomy can raise satisfaction with the same room and the same service. (Ryan & Deci, 2000; Ryan & Deci, 2022) There is also choice-induced preference change. After choosing, people rate the chosen option more positively and the rejected one more negatively. A classic series of experiments even used vacation destinations and found that these shifts emerge immediately after choosing and can endure years later. The act of deciding creates attachment. (Sharot et al., 2012) Add the IKEA effect. When people invest effort in assembling or co-creating something, they value it more. In a hotel context, when guests co-design parts of their stay, perceived value rises without changing the physical product. (Norton, Mochon, Ariely, 2012) Translate these findings into a front-end experience and you get concrete moves that increase conversion and stickiness. Designing the Feeling of Freedom Hotels cannot fight algorithms, but they can design around them. Start by making every recommendation explainable. When a site suggests a room or package, include a short note that ties the suggestion to the travelers inputs, not opaque rankings. A line like because you said you prefer quiet mornings or because you stayed near spas before restores perceived control, and explainable recommenders have been shown to increase trust and uptake in tourism contexts. (Neubig et al., 2024) Choice should feel authored, not infinite. Rather than hundreds of variants, present two or three you-shaped paths that respect stated constraints. For example, quiet wing near spa at 10% off versus corner suite with workspace and late checkout. Let guests toggle. Each small confirmation becomes an act of authorship that reinforces the decision they are making. Build light co-creation into pre-arrival. Short, finishable flows that let guests assemble a mini-itinerary or select in-room touches harness the IKEA effect, raising perceived value through psychological ownership. The key is to make steps quick, visible, and reversible before check-in, since incomplete effort does not produce the same lift. (Norton, Mochon, and Ariely, 2012) Visibility is also shifting from search results to answer engines. Treat AEO as a direct-booking lever by publishing entity-rich, structured facts that large language models can cite, maintaining clear pages for who you are, what you offer, for whom, and why you are different, and monitoring how often the brand appears inside AI answers to tune content accordingly. (Search Engine Land, 2025; Backlinko, 2025) Finally, own the voice you project. Develop a clear brand persona and publish recurring editorial that expresses values, while disclosing creator collaborations per policy and investing in authenticity signals. Hospitality can even borrow verification ideas from fashions receipt-anchored models, such as the Selleb concept, when showcasing who really comes here. (FTC, 2023; SCMP, 2025) From Feeling to Revenue Designing for felt autonomy is not just brand poetry. It tracks to measurable outcomes. Higher direct conversion: Clear explanations and co-crafted packages reduce friction and increase the likelihood of a confident click on your site. Large platforms already report conversion lifts from AI-supported journeys. (Booking Holdings, 2025) Lower cancellations and fewer support contacts: When guests feel ownership over the plan, they are less likely to churn or call to re-work details. Booking also attributes fewer support contacts to AI-assisted flows. (Booking Holdings, 2025) Better review dynamics: Guests who believe they chose their experience are more forgiving of small misses and more vocal about hits, a predictable corollary of choice-induced preference change. That improves reputation compounding in a world where review platforms still shape demand at massive scale. (Sharot et al., 2012; Tripadvisor, 2025) A short word on integrity... Transparency is non-negotiable: Disclose paid relationships, avoid dark patterns, and resist the temptation to manufacture authenticity. Storytelling works best when you show the strings, but do not script the entire puppet show. The aim is to return a feeling of freedom to the guest while guiding toward great outcomes. Deliver Authenticity Hospitality has always sold more than beds. It sells a story guests can own. In an era of algorithmic discovery and social proof, the most valuable asset a hotel can deliver is the feeling that the guests choice was truly theirs. This feeling increases satisfaction, resilience, and advocacy. True hospitality is giving people back the feeling of freedom and giving their opinion the right to be right. This blog post was awarded second place (in a four-way tie) in the Fall 2025 HFTP/MS Global Hospitality Business Graduate Student Blog Competition presented by the HFTP Foundation. Participants are students participating in the Master of Science in Global Hospitality Business, a partnership between the Conrad N. Hilton College of Global Hospitality Leadership at the University of Houston, the School of Hotel and Tourism Management at Hong Kong Polytechnic University and EHL. The blog posts that received the top scores will be published on HFTP Connect. Gaspard Bizeul earned a bachelors degree in Management and Marketing of Limited Goods. He is now pursuing a Master in Global Hospitality (MGH), focusing on hospitality management and real estate. Gaspard is curious, hands-on, and people-oriented. He loves hotels, brands, and the stories they tell. His goal is to design guest experiences that feel personal and memorable. He enjoys connecting data with creativity: market research, clear marketing ideas, and simple financial models that support good decisions. References This article originally appeared on HFTP. Cancun, Florida Lead 2026 Spring Break Search Trends Across U.S. States - Image Credit Upgraded Points An analysis of Google Trends data by Upgraded Points shows that Cancun, Mexico, is the most-searched international spring break destination in the U.S., while Florida leads in domestic searches, with Key West and Destin ranking highest among states for 2026 travel plans. Overview of Spring Break Search Trends A recent analysis of Google Trends search data by Upgraded Points from January 2025 through January 2026 highlights the most-searched spring break destinations and resorts in each U.S. state. The study considered both international and domestic locations, as well as specific resorts, to determine where travelers are most interested in spending their spring break in 2026. Top International Destinations Cancun, Mexico, is the leading international spring break destination, ranking as the top search in 13 states. Greece ranks second most-searched international destination, topping the list in 8 states. Belize leads in 5 states, and Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, is the top choice in 4 states. Other destinations, such as Iceland and Peru, are the most-searched for in 3 states each. The data indicate that while traditional beach destinations remain popular, there is also significant interest in non-traditional destinations such as Greece and Iceland for spring break travel. Top international destinations by number of states where they ranked No. 1: - Cancun, Mexico: 13 states - Greece: 8 states - Belize: 5 states - Puerto Vallarta, Mexico: 4 states - Iceland: 3 states - Peru: 3 states Top Domestic Destinations For domestic travel, Florida dominates search interest. Key West is the most-searched domestic spring break destination in 17 states and Washington, D.C., totaling 18. Destin, Florida, is the top search in 15 states. Combined, these two Florida destinations account for 33 of the top domestic results. In total, Florida destinations make up 37 of the 51 top domestic results (including Washington, D.C.). Other leading domestic destinations include South Padre Island, Texas (5 states), Lake Havasu, Arizona (3 states), Panama City Beach, Florida (2 states), and Myrtle Beach, South Carolina (2 states). In-State Destination Preferences The study also examined which destinations within certain states were most searched when multiple options were available: - Florida: Orlando is the top-searched destination within Florida, surpassing beach destinations like Key West and Destin. - Texas: Galveston is the leading in-state search, ahead of South Padre Island and Port Aransas. - South Carolina: Myrtle Beach is more searched than Hilton Head Island. - Alabama: Gulf Shores ranks higher than Orange Beach. These results reflect the highest-ranking destinations among those included in the studys keyword set and do not encompass all possible locations considered by residents. Top International Resorts The search for international resorts shows a strong preference for Mexico and the Dominican Republic: - Resorts in Mexico are the top-searched international resort choice in 16 states, particularly in the Cancun/Riviera Maya and Los Cabos/Cabo areas. - Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, resorts rank No. 1 in 12 states. The most frequently top-searched international resorts, each ranking No. 1 in 4 states, are: - Sugar Beach, A Viceroy Resort (St. Lucia) - Secrets The Vine Cancun (Cancun, Mexico) - Excellence Punta Cana (Punta Cana, Dominican Republic) - Hyatt Ziva Los Cabos (Los Cabos, Mexico) Top Domestic Resorts Interest in domestic resorts is concentrated in Florida, consistent with the states dominance in destination searches: - Florida-based resorts account for 28 of the 50 top-searched domestic resort results. - Pink Shell Beach Resort & Marina (Fort Myers Beach, Florida) is the most frequently searched domestic resort, ranking No. 1 in 10 states. - Other highly searched resorts include Candy Cane Inn (Anaheim, California) in 5 states and Lago Mar Beach Resort & Club (Fort Lauderdale, Florida) in 4 states. Methodology The study compiled a list of keywords for 42 international destinations, 21 domestic destinations, 56 international resorts, and 36 domestic resorts, drawing from travel industry sources such as U.S. News Travel, AAA, Vrbo, Lonely Planet, Hopper, and Tripadvisor. Google Trends data was analyzed to determine the relative popularity of each term by state from January 2025 through January 2026. The top-searched destination or resort per state was identified based on the highest indexed interest. Discover more at Upgraded Points. Travel Outlook Unveils Major Upgrades to Annette, The Virtual Hotel Agent, Powered By PolyAI - Image Credit Travel Outlook Travel Outlook, the hospitality industrys premier voice reservations company, today announced major upgrades to Annette, The Virtual Hotel Agent, its groundbreaking AI-powered voice assistant designed exclusively for hotels. The latest version of Annette is now powered by PolyAIs next-generation conversational technology, enabling truly human-like, guest-led interactions that redefine whats possible for hotel call handling and guest engagement. A New Standard for AI Conversations in Hospitality With the integration of PolyAIs proprietary spoken-language technology, Annette can now understand what guests mean not just what they say. The enhanced system processes natural, unscripted speech, allowing guests to ask questions in their own words and receive fast, accurate, and personal responses. Annettes upgraded capabilities include: Natural Speech Understanding: Recognizes guest intent from long or complex inputs without relying on keywords. Human-like Dialogue: Manages multi-turn, real-world conversations with natural pacing, timing, and tone. Accurate Recognition: Captures names, numbers, and details the first time with advanced speech and phonetic matching. Multilingual Conversations: Automatically detects and responds in the guests preferred language, ensuring a consistent global experience. Seamless Integration: Handles multiple calls simultaneously, provides local recommendations, and transfers calls to the appropriate department. John Smallwood President Travel Outlook Our mission has always been to deliver exceptional guest experiences through technology, said John Smallwood, President of Travel Outlook. With PolyAIs voice technology now powering Annette, hotels can offer conversations that sound and feel genuinely human 24/7. Its a major leap forward in guest communication and operational efficiency. Nikola Mrksic CEO and Co-Founder PolyAI Every customer deserves to be understood, no matter their accent, background, or language, added Nikola Mrksic, CEO and Co-Founder of PolyAI. Annette demonstrates how advanced voice AI can enhance hospitality, not replace it bringing empathy, accuracy, and ease to every interaction. Enhancing Guest Experience and Hotel Operations Annette helps hotels handle high call volumes with ease, ensuring every guest feels heard and assisted. From answering questions about amenities to providing local recommendations or following up with a text message, Annette keeps conversations fluid and personal allowing front-desk staff to focus on in-person service. By combining PolyAIs human-like conversational intelligence with Travel Outlooks hospitality expertise, Annette empowers hotels to deliver the next generation of guest experiences faster, smarter, and more personal than ever. See Annette in Action To experience Annettes new capabilities firsthand, visit www.traveloutlook.com/annette or schedule a live demo. For additional information on Travel Outlook, the Premier Hotel Call Center: John Smallwood President, Travel Outlook Email: jsmallwood@traveloutlook.com Phone: (844) 872-8356 Website: Travel Outlook About Annette, The Virtual Hotel Agent Annette is a guest-led conversational AI assistant designed specifically for the hospitality industry. Annette has been programmed using a breakthrough approach to conversational AI, using Generative AI and natural language understanding software built from human conversations. Using social media, chat forums, and movie dialogue, Annette learns from billions of casual human conversations to understand human inflections and multi-turn queries. This revolutionary approach means Annette understands callers no matter what they say, when they say it, or how they speak. Annette can answer FAQs specific to your property, understand multiple languages, route calls, send follow up texts, and more. For more information, visit https://traveloutlook.com/annette/ About Travel Outlook, the Premier Hotel Call Center Travel Outlook, the leading voice reservations team in hospitality, is an innovative, custom off-site reservations office that serves as either a primary or overflow reservations department for hotels. Travel Outlook use industry-leading talent combined with hospitality-specific AI-powered technology (Annette, The Virtual Hotel Agent) to enhance customer satisfaction and increase conversion. Travel Outlook's valued client list includes Viceroy Hotel Group, the Ojibwe Bands Mille Lacs and Hinkley Grand Casinos, Spokane Tribe Casino, Curator Hotels and Resorts, Outrigger, KSL Resorts, Proper Hospitality Group, Atlantis, The Irvine Company, Sage Hospitality, Noble House Hotels, HEI Hotels, Pyramid Global, and many others. Travel Outlook increases sales conversion and helps to create more effective voice communication between hotels and their guests, resulting in improved social scores in addition to increased voice channel revenue. https://traveloutlook.com / About PolyAI PolyAI builds customer-led voice assistants that understand every customer no matter who they are, where theyre from, or how they speak. Trusted by global brands across hospitality, retail, and banking, PolyAI delivers voice assistants that sound natural, handle real conversations, and deliver human-like customer experiences at scale. Discover more at www.poly.ai. Hotels Lost Metasearch. They Lost Mobile. AI Doesn't Have to Be Next - By Adam Swart - Image Credit Lighthouse AI is reshaping how travelers discover hotels right now. A few months ago I was at Web Summit in Lisbon, soaking wet, ducking between stages in the rain. Inside, every panel was about AI. Big predictions. Bold hypotheticals. Lots of hand-waving about what might happen someday. Meanwhile, travelers were already asking ChatGPT where to stay tonight. We keep making the same mistake Twenty years ago, Google was "just a search engine." Hotels that figured it out early dominated results and owned demand for years. Everyone else spent the next two decades paying for it. The same thing happened with OTAs. With mobile. With metasearch. Every time a new channel shows up, our industry watches from the sidelines, waits for proof and then scrambles to catch up after someone else has locked in the advantage. ChatGPT hit 800 million weekly users in 17 months. The window hotels had to crack Google SEO lasted a decade. This one won't be nearly that generous. The shift isn't coming. It's here. According to new research from Phocuswright, 15% of consumers are now using AI platforms like ChatGPT specifically to shop for travel. That number has doubled in a short period, and it's coming directly at the expense of traditional search. Google is losing ground. Overall, 39% of travelers are using AI somewhere in their planning journey, whether that's through AI-powered search, on an OTA or through a platform like ChatGPT directly. That's not a trend to monitor. That's a channel to show up in. And when someone asks an AI assistant "Where should I stay in Barcelona?", that AI isn't browsing hotel websites. It's pulling from structured data, review sites and OTAs. If your hotel isn't in a format AI can read and trust, you don't exist in that conversation. The OTAs aren't waiting. Booking.com and Expedia launched as day-one ChatGPT App partners. They showed up at the exact moment travelers are deciding where to book. Most hotels haven't. We're solving for the wrong problem Walk any trade show floor right now and you'll see chatbots, virtual concierges, AI-powered revenue management. All necessary. But it's all solving for guests who already found you. Nobody's asking about the guests who never will. The questions that actually matter Forget "should we invest in AI?" Ask "can AI find us?" Is your property data structured and current everywhere, or scattered and stale? Do you control your brand story in the places AI pulls from, or are third-party descriptions doing the talking? Can AI book your hotel directly, or does every path run through an intermediary? The answers tell you exactly where you stand. The pattern doesn't have to repeat I've spent over 15 years in technology. Long enough to recognize patterns and long enough to be tired of watching the same one play out. A new channel emerges, incumbents wait, somebody else ends up owning the customer relationship. At Lighthouse, that pattern is why we built Connect AI . It connects hotels directly to AI platforms like ChatGPT, Claude and Gemini so that when a traveler asks where to stay, the AI gets its answer straight from the hotel. Live rates, real availability, the hotel's own story. Not scraped from a review site. Not filtered through an OTA. The hotel controls what AI knows about it, and the booking stays direct. Regardless of what tools you use, the reality is the same. AI is reshaping how travelers discover hotels right now. The hotels that show up early will shape what AI learns to recommend. The ones that wait will spend the next decade wondering why they didn't move sooner. P.S. On February 25, Carrie Ell, Mercedes Blanco and I are hosting a live session where we'll show exactly how Connect AI works and how to make your hotel discoverable in ChatGPT. Join us here. Adam Swart Adam is Head of Brand and Content at Lighthouse. Connect with Adam on LinkedIn. About Lighthouse Lighthouse (formerly OTA Insight) is the leading commercial platform for the travel & hospitality industry. We transform complexity into confidence by providing actionable market insights, business intelligence, and pricing tools that maximize revenue growth. We continually innovate to deliver the best platform for hospitality professionals to price more effectively, measure performance more efficiently, and understand the market in new ways. Trusted by over 65,000 hotels in 185 countries, Lighthouse is the only solution that provides real-time hotel and short-term rental data in a single platform. We strive to deliver the best possible experience with unmatched customer service. We consider our clients as true partners - their success is our success. This article originally appeared on Lighthouse. 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 Millions of voters in Bangladesh are casting their ballots today in a historic election, optimistic for the restoration of genuine democracy following the ousting of the authoritarian Sheikh Hasina. After 18 months of political instability, economic collapse and rampant violence, about 128 million registered voters will cast their ballots in the first major election after a revolution fomented by Generation Z. The vote to elect 300 members of parliament and restore democracy has been hailed as historic by the interim government led by the Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus. It follows the July Revolution, a student-led uprising in 2024 that forced Hasina into exile in India. open image in gallery Security personnel arrive to collect ballot boxes and voting materials at a distribution centre ahead of today's national parliamentary election, in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Wednesday, 11 February 2026 ( AP ) The 13th parliamentary election is unlike any other poll held in independent Bangladeshs relatively brief history. With Hasanis Awami League, the countrys oldest political party, banned, the election has two clear favourites in the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and JamaateIslami. Whoever takes power will face the mammoth challenge of restoring a nation that was once one of Asias fastest-growing economies. InshaAllah, we will win. This has been long coming, a supporter tells The Independent outside BNP headquarters in Dhaka. The streets of the capital are plastered with colourful posters with eclectic party symbols, alongside old graffiti demanding justice for the Hasina regimes crackdown on protesters. The message is clear: a new dawn is expected, but the past will not be forgotten. open image in gallery People show their voter slips as they wait in a queue to cast their ballots at a polling station during Bangladesh's general election in Dhaka on 12 February, 2026 ( AFP via Getty ) Expectations are high, but so are fears of a possible tilt towards religious radicalisation with the resurgence of the once-banned Islamic Jamaat-e-Islami Party. The ballot is the first since a student-led mass uprising toppled Hasina and ended her 15-year rule. A government crackdown led to up to 1,400 deaths, according to the United Nations. A Bangladeshi tribunal court sentenced Hasina to death in absentia in November last year for crimes against humanity an unprecedented order that was met with fierce criticism. Nearly 5 million voters will be casting their ballots for the first time, many of them the same young Bangladeshis who poured onto the streets for last years protests. I dont think we were prepared for what was to come after the protests, says Salim Sheikh, a 27-year-old engineer. The uprising was necessary but now we need a government in place to make our lives better. This country desperately needs reforms. open image in gallery A main road in Bangladeshs capital city of Dhaka ahead of todays monumental elections ( AP ) With the Awami League barred from the race, the BNP has surged ahead as the clear frontrunner, and several people The Independent spoke to in Dhaka said they were prepared to place their faith in the leadership of Tarique Rahman, the son of former prime minister Khaleda Zia. Rahman returned to Bangladesh in December after 17 years in exile following the election victory of the Awami League in 2008. He came back promising to rebuild democratic institutions and stabilise an economy strained by inflation and political upheaval. He is a changed man, says Sakina Bibi, a shop worker. Ever since his return, he has been very sincere and measured about the partys future. We believe in his leadership. We need a new leader to run this country. For decades, Bangladeshs politics has been shaped by two families. Hasina, who is the daughter of the countrys founding president Sheikh Mujibur, led the Awami League and dominated the political landscape for 15 years. The Leagues chief rival, the BNP, is now being led by Rahman, who stepped up to the leadership after his mothers death. open image in gallery An official stands near ballot boxes and voting papers before their distribution to various polling centres, in Dhaka, Bangladesh, the day before the election ( AP ) As the most popular political party with massive support among the voters, its in our interest to ensure that the election remains free, fair and equitable without any controversy whatsoever, Mahdi Amin, an adviser to Rahman, told The Independent. The BNPs previous stints in power were marred by persistent allegations of corruption and cronyism, with critics accusing senior leaders of siphoning off state resources and weakening public institutions. Now party leaders are scrambling to recast their image, presenting themselves as a reformed and credible alternative to the status quo. The current BNP carries that hallmark of public service but, at the same time, under Mr Tarique Rahman, it is dynamic enough to integrate the changed political landscape with more technological integration, with a renewed emphasis for the empowerment of the women and a connectivity with their grassroots, said Amin. Wed like to empower the youth with more opportunities. Wed like to give them training to upskill, to make them more qualified to get jobs in the public sector, in the private sector, to become entrepreneurs, to have employment overseas. So well focus on economic opportunities, political freedoms and empowerment that can create employment opportunities. open image in gallery Head of the Bangladeshs interim government Muhammad Yunus attends an event to announce the July National Charter, outside Bangladeshs national parliament complex in Dhaka, Bangladesh last year ( AP ) Amin said that, unlike the previous Awami League government, a BNP administration would restore the rights of a genuine opposition and give it freedom to operate without persecution. The Awami League has dismissed todays vote as a sham election and called on its supporters to boycott the polls. Sheikh Hasinas son, Sajeeb Wazed, criticised the interim administration for placing a de facto ban on political parties. This is a completely manipulated election, in particular to give Jamaat a much greater proportion of seats in parliament than they would ever get in a fair election, he said. Hasina is credited with lifting millions from poverty through a boom in exports, balanced ties with China and India, and sidelining Islamist militants, but her legacy is shadowed by the 2024 crackdown and a long record of authoritarian rule. Our government completely mishandled the protests, Wazed said, in a rare admission of the Awami Leagues use of excessive force to crack down on demonstrators. We let it, our government let it completely get out of hand. It should never have gone that far. And, you know, its regrettable. But he claimed the state of Bangladesh had declined since his mothers ousting. Since the protests, Bangladesh has suffered economic collapse, and hardline groups have become more visible in the shifting political landscape, fuelling anxiety among womens rights advocates and religious minorities. Hindus, who make up about 8 per cent of the population in a country that is more than 90 per cent Muslim, report increased intimidation and sporadic violence. open image in gallery Tarique Rahman, the son of former prime minister Khaleda Zia and chair of the BNP, at an election rally in Dhaka ( AP ) While the Yunus administration may not have fully curbed the violence, it says it has prevented Bangladesh from descending into chaos by ensuring a more orderly and credible election process. Sheikh Hasina was accused of stifling the opposition parties. Now if one of the biggest parties is banned from contesting the election, then it is similarly undemocratic and unfair, said Sahidul Hasan Khokon, a journalist and co-author of Inshallah Bangladesh: The Story of an Unfinished Revolution. In the past 18 months, there has been no law and order in Bangladesh. Women are afraid of mob violence. The Yunus administration has failed to provide security to the people of the country. Khokon was among several associated with the Awami League party who were forced to flee the country to escape targeted killings after the deposing of Hasina. But the contest is not a simple two-sided affair. An 11-party coalition led by the Jamaat-e-Islami Party is seeking to expand its national footprint. The alliance includes the newly formed National Citizen Party, born out of the 2024 uprising. Jamaat, a name long connected with radical Islamic ideology, is poised to emerge as a major force in this election. The partys previous opposition to female leadership and proposals to cut womens working hours have triggered concerns for womens rights. The party has not fielded a single female candidate in the election. Though Bangladesh is a Muslim-majority country, its streets tell a different story. Women in burqas walk alongside girls in western clothes, dribbling basketballs at roadside parks. But rights activists warn that a more radical government could roll back years of hard-won progress. open image in gallery Jamaat-e-Islami leader Shafiqur Rahman (right) at an election rally in Dhaka this week ( AP ) In the run-up to the elections, Shafiqur Rahman, the leader of Jamaat-e-Islami, has softened the partys hardline stance. Rahman draws parallels between himself and American leaders such as Barack Obama and the New York mayor Zohran Mamdani, claiming they were also written off by the media but won over voters. Today, Jamaat stands on the brink of a majority, he said in a social media post. Minority neighbourhoods in Dhaka were unusually quiet on the eve of the election, bracing for what could follow if Jamaat were voted into power. But Jamaat leaders said there are no second-class citizens in Bangladesh. Regardless of their religion, they are all Bangladeshi citizens. I do not consider anyone a minority, said Rahman. Everyone is Bangladeshi. We do not endorse division. However, when asked about the imposition of hijab on women and the potential segregation of women, he said thats already been solved without offering further explanation. Other members of the party in recent days have insisted they would not impose compulsory hijab, though they affirm hijab as an Islamic ideal. The Hindus could be forced out of the country if the Jamaat is voted to power. Some of us might willingly leave to avoid persecution, said Rony Halder, a Hindu rickshaw driver. open image in gallery Voters in the capital wait in line outside a polling centre to cast their ballots during the national parliamentary elections ( AP ) In a symbolic shift, Bangladeshis living abroad will be able to cast their ballots by post for the first time, extending participation to a vast diaspora that sends home billions in currency each year but has long remained politically sidelined. But this election is also paired with a referendum on structural reform, including proposals to impose term limits on prime ministers and strengthen checks on executive authority. The measures are widely seen as an attempt to prevent the concentration of power that defined much of Sheikh Hasinas tenure. Bangladesh has oscillated between civilian rule and military intervention since its independence in 1971, with its democratic institutions often fragile and fiercely contested. Todays vote will not erase that history. But it will chart the path for a new Bangladesh. 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 Cambodia has intensified its efforts against transnational fraud, shutting down nearly 200 scam centres in recent weeks. Authorities, in a rare move, granted access to one such facility, aiming to demonstrate their commitment to dismantling these sophisticated operations that target individuals globally. Chhay Sinarith, a senior minister and chair of Cambodia's Commission for Combating Online Scams, confirmed to Reuters in Phnom Penh that "There are about 190 locations that we have sealed off now." He added that 173 senior crime figures linked to these centres have been arrested, and 11,000 workers deported. This campaign, which began late last year, follows a significant international push, including a US indictment and China's extradition of a China-born alleged scam kingpin. The crackdown has also brought to light a "humanitarian crisis," as described by Amnesty International. Thousands of scam workers, many of whom are victims of trafficking held in brutal conditions, have fled these compounds in recent weeks, desperate to return home. open image in gallery Chhay said 173 senior crime figures linked to the centres had been arrested and 11,000 workers deported in a campaign that began late last year after the US indicted and then China extradited a Chinaborn alleged scam kingpin in the strongest international move so far against the criminal networks ( Reuters ) During the visit to a sprawling complex in Kampot province, reporters observed large work rooms filled with computer stations and documents detailing methods to defraud Thai victims. The facility also featured studio booths for phone calls and a fabricated Chhay said 173 senior crime figures linked to the centres had been arrested and 11,000 workers deported in a campaign that began late last year after the U.S. indicted and then China extradited a Chinaborn alleged scam kingpin in the strongest international move so far against the criminal networks. Indian police station, highlighting the elaborate nature of the scams. The Indian embassy in Phnom Penh did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Authorities said there were no arrests made inside the Kampot casino complex known as My Casino. Workers fled after the detention of alleged boss and tycoon Ly Kuong, and police said they lacked the manpower to detain those leaving. Contact details for representatives of Ly Kuong, who is under arrest, were not immediately available. We have only about 1,000 policemen in the entire province and there are about 300 military policemen, said Kampot provincial police chief Mao Chanmothurith during the governmentorganised tour. open image in gallery Cambodia has closed almost 200 scam centres in a crackdown on transnational fraud in recent week ( Reuters ) Even with both forces combined, we still cant stop them because there were about 6,000 to 7,000 of them when they left this place, he said. The visit came a week after Thai officials led media and foreign delegates to see a separate compound, in Cambodian territory that Thai troops bombed and occupied during a border conflict in December. Reuters found similar materials, including fake police stations from multiple countries, as well as reams of documents. Cambodia long played down the existence of scam compounds in the country, and previous crackdowns have done little to stop their spread. Officials say the latest campaign is broader in scope, with a focus on closing sites and detaining senior figures. Sign up to the Independent Climate email for the latest advice on saving the planet Get our free Climate email Get our free Climate email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Donald Trumps Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is set to dismantle the legal foundation of US climate regulation, which campaigners have labelled a betrayal of poorer nations and global goals to combat the climate crisis. The EPA is set to rescind the 2009 endangerment finding the scientific determination that greenhouse gases endanger public health and welfare. The finding underpins nearly all federal limits on planet-heating emissions under the Clean Air Act, including vehicle pollution standards, methane rules and restrictions on emissions from power plants and industrial facilities. Without the finding, the agencys authority to regulate carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases would be severely constrained. The White House has described the move as the largest deregulatory action in American history. Press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the repeal, which is due to be released on Thursday, would eliminate $1.3 trillion in crushing regulations. EPA press secretary Brigit Hirsch claimed the Barack Obama-era rule one of the most damaging decisions in modern history and said the agency is actively working to deliver a historic action for the American people. The endangerment finding followed the Supreme Courts 2007 ruling in Massachusetts v EPA, which determined that greenhouse gases qualify as air pollutants under the Clean Air Act and that the agency must regulate them if they are found to endanger public health or welfare. Since the finding was issued in 2009, federal courts have repeatedly upheld it against legal challenges. After the EPA proposed repealing it last year, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine reassessed the scientific basis and concluded the original determination was accurate, has stood the test of time, and is now reinforced by even stronger evidence. The panel added: The evidence for current and future harm to human health and welfare created by human-caused greenhouse gases is beyond scientific dispute. Vehicle standards finalised in 2024 were built on the finding and aimed to cut passenger vehicle tailpipe emissions by nearly 50 per cent by 2032 compared with projected 2027 levels. The EPA previously said those standards would deliver net benefits of $99bn annually through 2055, including lower fuel and maintenance costs for drivers. Harjeet Singh, climate activist and strategic advisor to the Fossil Fuel Treaty Initiative, told The Independent the rollback would have consequences far beyond US borders. This betrayal doesn't just doom its own citizens, it also condemns millions in developing nations who contribute the least to this crisis yet will suffer the most from the supercharged storms and droughts, he said. Toneyhn Verkitus, Executive Director, Physicians for Social Responsibility Pennsylvania said: The rescission of the Endangerment Finding is a government-sanctioned crime against public health and the environment. The current administrations rejection of overwhelming, science-based evidence signals a profound disregard for the wellbeing of our planet and a clear prioritisation of corporate interests over human life. Without these protections, our fundamental right to clean air and clean water is sacrificed at the altar of greed. The United States is the worlds largest historical emitter of greenhouse gases and remains the second-largest annual emitter after China. Developing nations, particularly small island states and least developed countries, have long argued that wealthy nations bear primary responsibility for the climate crisis. Mr Singh added: This is not a 'regulatory win', but a catastrophic abdication of duty. By giving the fossil fuel industry a free pass, the US is willfully pouring gasoline on a burning planet. Andreas Sieber, head of political strategy at 350.org, told The Independent the repeal would also weaken the countrys economic standing as other nations accelerate the transition to clean energy. By dismantling the legal backbone of climate and pollution protections, the administration is trading public health and economic competitiveness for shortterm fossil-fuel interests, he said. The rest of the world races into clean technologies and the United States is choosing to fall further behind. While other countries scale up renewables and electric vehicles, this decision signals retreat and isolation. Dan Becker, director of the Center for Biological Diversitys Safe Climate Transport Campaign, said in a press release that the repeal would undermine one of the most significant climate measures adopted by any country. The EPA is killing the biggest single step any nation has taken to save oil, save consumers money at the pump, and combat global warming, he said. Trump is driving the country backwards into a dead end of dirty oil and filthy air. Gretchen Goldman, president of the Union of Concerned Scientists, said: The science establishing harm to human health and the environment from global warming emissions was evident in 2009 and its even more undeniable today. EPA has a legal obligation to regulate this pollution under the Clean Air Act. The American public deserves a government that will face the challenge of the climate crisis head on with proven policy solutions, not actively serve as agents of destruction by worsening it to boost fossil fuel profits. The repeal is expected to trigger fresh legal challenges from environmental groups and states that have defended the endangerment finding for more than a decade. Previous court rulings have consistently upheld the agencys authority to regulate greenhouse gases once the endangerment determination is in place. Sign up to our free money newsletter for investment analysis and expert advice to help you build wealth Sign up to our free money email for help building your wealth Sign up to our free money email for help building your wealth Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Tescos UK chief, Ashwin Prasad, has warned that the nation is in danger of sleepwalking into an epidemic of joblessness, while taking aim at government policies that increase hiring costs for employers. Mr Prasad said there had been a clear, gradual change over the past decade in people falling out of the workforce, saying there are far fewer people in work than there could be and calling for significant change from the government in how it tackles the issue. We have been sleepwalking into a quiet epidemic that is keeping millions of people out of work, said Mr Prasad. My perspective from leading a major employer in this country is that far fewer people are in work than there could be. This means that instead of investing in parts of national life that might stimulate investment and growth into the wider economy, we are spending an ever-increasing proportion of our national income on out-of-work benefits. We cannot afford to be a country that lets the next generation languish on the sideline. open image in gallery The boss of Tesco has warned that the UK is heading for a joblessness epidemic, saying that far fewer people are in work than there could be ( Tesco ) Tesco employs around 300,000 people and is likely the largest private employer in the country. Mr Prasads comments come as the UK unemployment rate currently sits at 5.1 per cent the highest level since the tail end of the pandemic in January 2021. The Bank of England has forecast it could rise even higher and hit the same peak as during mid-2020, reaching 5.3 per cent, while a recent survey of economists suggested two-thirds believed unemployment could rise up to 5.5 per cent. open image in gallery UK unemployment currently sits at 5.1 per cent, but experts suggest it could climb to 5.5 per cent ( ONS ) Speaking at a Resolution Foundation event, the Tesco chief said there were multiple reasons why joblessness had increased, but pointed to official forecasts which show that Britain will spend over 330bn on welfare this year, which the Office for Budget Responsibility predicts will grow to more than 400bn by 2030-31. Labour has made a sustained push to get more people back into jobs, including plans for large-scale welfare reform and altered rates within universal credit. Tescos UK CEO also suggested his company faced an outsized hit when the cost of employment rose, which includes increases in employer national insurance contributions and rising minimum and living wages requirements, as it has such a large number of staff on its books, noting the firms biggest expenditure is the salaries and the wages of employees. Mr Prasad criticised more regulation and increasing the costs for firms of bringing jobs to the economy, while hinting that they hampered the ability to hire even more people facing a diverse range of circumstances. Each time you add a new cost, money has to come from somewhere. In the past five years, weve already seen all sorts of new costs for labour, costs for energy and costs for regulation. We [the retail sector] provide some of the most flexible work opportunities in the labour market, supporting people to enter the workforce for the first time or re-enter after theyve taken time out for either childcare or caring, Mr Prasad added. This week, Tesco announced 70 new convenience stores were set to open, including some which have taken over prominent sites formerly used by Amazon Fresh. Sign up for our free Health Check email to receive exclusive analysis on the week in health Get our free Health Check email Get our free Health Check email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice A law banning the sale of tobacco to anyone born after 2009 could see smoking in young people drop below 5 per cent decades earlier than expected. The government plans to introduce the smoke-free generation" law as part of the Tobacco and Vapes Bill, which would progressively raise the age of sale so that anyone born in 2009 or later can never legally be sold tobacco, starting from 2027. Around 6 million adults smoke in the UK. While teenage smoking prevalence has declined over the past decade, some 400,000 11- to 15-year-olds in England have tried smoking at some point and 100,000 smoke now, according to Action on Smoking and Health (ASH). Smoking is the leading cause of premature and preventable death globally. It is responsible for more than a quarter of all cancer deaths in the UK, according to Cancer Research UK. But new research, led by experts at the University of Nottingham, found smoking prevalence among 12- to 30-year-olds in England could drop below 5 per cent and by 2075, the policy could deliver around 88,000 additional years of healthy life compared with no new law. open image in gallery Around 6 million adults smoke in the UK ( Alamy/PA ) Jamie Brown, professor of behavioural science at University College London, told The Independent: The smoke-free generation has the potential to be the most important public health intervention in living memory. Smoking will continue to cause tens of thousands of cancers and deaths a year without bold new policies to radically reduce smoking prevalence. The research published in the BMJ-owned journal Tobacco Control used detailed modelling to project how smoking prevalence among 12- to 30-year-olds in England could change over the coming decades if the law is implemented, compared with a scenario in which it is not. Researchers found the benefits could be the biggest in disadvantaged communities where smoking remains highest. Around 30 per cent of total healthy life years gained are projected to occur in the most deprived 20 per cent of neighbourhoods. Nathan Davies, lead author and researcher in the School of Medicine at the University of Nottingham, said: How the policy is implemented will matter. Stronger enforcement, communication and stop smoking support in communities where smoking remains most common could help ensure the benefits are shared across the country and achieved more rapidly. open image in gallery It is thought the law could transform the nations health ( Getty/iStock ) The research teams projections differ from the governments published impact assessment, predicting a 30 per cent cumulative annual reduction because they use more cautious assumptions about how much the policy will reduce smoking initiation year-on-year. Hazel Cheeseman, chief executive of ASH, said the modelling shows the law could transform the nations health, but warned some people could be left behind. She said: As this law comes into force, the government must set out how it will ensure every smoker has the support they need to quit, so that no one is excluded from the benefits of a truly smoke-free generation. Alizee Froguel, prevention policy manager at Cancer Research UK, said: Smoking is the leading cause of cancer deaths in England. This study highlights what a landmark step the age of sale legislation will be in helping protect future generations from a lifetime of deadly, costly addiction. The World Health Organisation (WHO) warned 15 million children use e-cigarettes, sparking a global nicotine crisis. It is also estimated around 400,000 children aged 11 to 17 currently vape in the UK, according to ASH. A ban on the sale and supply of disposable vapes in England was introduced in July 2025, which is separate from the Tobacco and Vapes Bill. A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: This government has already pledged to create the UK's first smoke-free generation through our Tobacco and Vapes Bill, which will ensure anyone born after 2008 cannot be sold tobacco. We welcome this research, which further supports the assessment that our smoke-free generation policies will save tens of thousands of lives and break the cycle of disadvantage and addiction. Our modelling shows that because of our actions, England will avoid up to 130,000 cases of cases of lung cancer, COPD, strokes and heart diseases over the next 50 years. 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 Dozens of antisemitic incidents were recorded in the immediate aftermath of the Manchester synagogue attack, a new report has revealed. Some even celebrated the incident, which took place in October last year, the report added. The Community Security Trust (CST), monitoring antisemitism in the UK, documented 40 incidents on the day of the attack and a further 40 the following day the highest daily totals recorded all year. Last October, worshippers Melvin Cravitz and Adrian Daulby were killed when 35-year-old Jihad Al-Shamie, a Syrian-born British citizen, drove into the gates of Heaton Park Synagogue in Crumpsall, Manchester. He then launched a knife attack, wearing a fake suicide belt. This marked the UKs first fatal antisemitic terror attack since the CST began recording incidents in 1984. John Mann, the governments independent adviser on antisemitism, said it was particularly troubling to see the large number of incidents which took place immediately after the horrific terrorist attack on Heaton Park Synagogue on Yom Kippur, celebrating the killing of British Jews on our streets. He said the latest figures overall were deeply alarming and illustrate the unrelenting nature of antisemitism in our country today. The CSTs latest report, covering the 12 months of 2025, concluded the second-highest annual total ever recorded for anti-Jewish hate incidents, at 3,700 up 4 per cent on the 3,556 incidents recorded in 2024. The annual record high remains at 4,298 antisemitic incidents reported in 2023 the year of Hamass October 7 attack on Israel, which prompted a spike in recorded cases of anti-Jewish hate in the UK. open image in gallery The incident at Heaton Park was the UKs first fatal antisemitic terror attack since the CST began recording incidents in 1984 ( PA ) The 2025 report was also the first time more than 200 cases of anti-Jewish hate were recorded in every calendar month. The CST said cases of damage and desecration to Jewish property including damage to the homes and vehicles of Jewish people and to synagogues reached the highest annual total ever recorded. There were 217 such incidents in this category in 2025, up 38 per cent from 157 the previous year. Reports of abusive behaviour accounted for the majority (83 per cent or 3,086 reports) of all cases of anti-Jewish hate, and were at their highest for any year aside from 2023. Of the 80 antisemitic incidents recorded across 2 October the day of the Manchester synagogue attack and 3 October last year, more than half (53 per cent or 42 incidents) involved direct reactions to it, the CST said. The organisation said three involved face-to-face taunting and celebration of the attack to Jewish people, and 39 were antisemitic social media posts referencing the attack, abusive responses to public condemnations of the attack from Jewish organisations and individuals, or antagonistic emails sent to Jewish people and institutions. The CST said there was also a spike in reports following the Bondi Beach killings in Sydney in December. The highest daily incident totals for that month were on the day of that attack 14 December when 16 incidents were reported, and the following two days, with 19 and 15 incidents recorded respectively. Of the 50 incidents across those three days, just under half (21) directly referenced the Bondi attack, the CST said. CST chief executive Mark Gardner said: Two years of intense anti-Jewish hatred culminated in a jihadi terror attack at a synagogue on the holiest day of the Jewish calendar. open image in gallery The CST said there was also a spike in reports following the Bondi Beach killings in Sydney in December ( AP ) The terror attack then triggered even more antisemitism, showing the depths of extremism faced by Jews and all our British society. All of this makes CST even more determined to keep protecting our community, giving it strength and dignity so it can lead the life of its choice. Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood branded the numbers shocking and said the government stands against the scourge of antisemitism. She added: We are providing record funding for security at synagogues, Jewish schools and community centres. I will go further to strengthen police powers so they can crack down on intimidating protests. Shadow home secretary Chris Philp said while the figures were appalling they were not a surprise and said the evil of antisemitism must be called out. He added: Anyone espousing extremist views or who expresses support for terrorism, or racial or religious hatred of any kind, including antisemitism, who is not a British citizen should be removed from this country. The Conservative Party is clear that there is no place for extremism on the streets of Britain and we continue to call on the Home Secretary and the police to use the full force of the law against those who attempt to harass or intimidate British Jews, or calls for violence such as jihad or intifada. Both the Metropolitan Police and Greater Manchester Police announced in December, days after the Bondi attack, that anyone chanting slogans such as globalise the intifada would face arrest. The UKs chief rabbi, Sir Ephraim Mirvis, welcomed the decision as an important step towards challenging the hateful rhetoric seen on Britains streets but the move was decried as political repression by campaigners. Chief Constable Mark Hobrough, the national policing lead for hate crime, said 2025 had been another difficult year for the Jewish community in the UK and elsewhere, with continued unacceptably high levels of antisemitic hate. He added: The tensions that exist in our society have not abated and are both deeper and more longstanding than anything we have experienced in modern times. He said the police will continue to commit resources to protect our Jewish communities and bring perpetrators to justice, and we remain deeply grateful for the work of the Community Security Trust, who share our determination to protect citizens from antisemitic hostility and violence. Lord Mann said: Anti-Jewish racism is present in every sector and every corner of society. I thank CST for its tireless efforts to protect our Jewish communities. I will continue to champion those efforts and fight unrelentingly alongside them to ensure antisemitism has no place in Britain. 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 13-year-old suspected of stabbing two children at a school in London was arrested after being seen acting distressed at a mosque, police have said. The Metropolitan Polices Counter Terrorism unit is leading the investigation after the two boys, aged 12 and 13, were injured at Kingsbury High School in Brent on Tuesday. Speaking at a media briefing on Wednesday afternoon, Detective Chief Superintendent Helen Flanagan said she believed the suspect, who was a former pupil, arrived at the school at around 12.30pm, before entering a first-floor classroom where he allegedly sprayed a pupil with a non-noxious substance. She added: The suspect has then attacked another pupil, a 13-year-old, in that classroom, stabbing him, and then the suspect left, running down the hallway of the school and the stairs. As he was leaving, he then attacks another victim, a 12-year-old, stabbing him before running off and away from the school. After a manhunt was launched, she said, the force received a call from a member of the public concerned over a child appearing distressed at a mosque in northwest London. Officers then arrested a 13-year-old, a British national, on suspicion of attempted murder in the vicinity of the mosque at 4.50pm. He remains in custody as officers try to establish the motive for the attack, which is not being treated as a terrorist incident at this stage. open image in gallery The lower school in Brent remains closed after the double stabbing ( PA ) The boy had no link with the mosque and police believe it is a coincidence that he was there, Det Chf Supt Flanagan said. In the update, she also said the two boys stabbed did not thankfully suffer life-threatening injuries, and remain in hospital in a stable condition. The boy sprayed with a substance did not suffer any injury, she said, but is being treated as a victim in the case. Police have searched three premises and are interviewing 30 to 40 witnesses to the stabbing as part of the investigation, she added. She said: At this point, we do not believe the suspect to have any particular connection to that mosque, and at this stage, we think that it may have been coincidental that he ended up in that area, and all of those at the mosque have been incredibly supportive of this investigation. Earlier on Wednesday, Sir Keir Starmer called the stabbing an appalling attack during Prime Ministers Questions. open image in gallery Police at the scene at Kingsbury High School ( PA ) Schools minister Georgia Gould also told Sky News that the government could look at bolstering security in schools in the wake of the stabbing, but ruled out installing metal detectors. The headteacher of the school said the incident was a deeply traumatic event for the whole school community in a letter to parents and carers. Alex Thomas said: I fully appreciate that this will be very upsetting news to hear and, as you can imagine, this has been a deeply traumatic event for the whole school community. The situation is under control, but a live investigation is taking place. We are working closely with the authorities and I will provide further updates as soon as I am able to share confirmed information. Simon Theodorou, a parent of a child at the school, told The Telegraph that the attacker managed to get his way in by climbing over a wall. He also claimed one of the victims pulled the fire alarm to get help, praising the boy as a hero. open image in gallery Home secretary Shabana Mahmood says her thoughts and prayers are with the victims ( PA ) Pupils were spoken to by police officers in one of the schools halls for more than three hours after the usual school day finished on Tuesday and some were seen leaving in tears. The father of one pupil said children were obviously traumatised by what happened in front of them. At Wednesday afternoons police briefing, Detective Chief Superintendent Luke Williams said he understood that the incident had been hugely distressing for the local community. He said: Its hard to imagine the impact on the loved ones of the victims and the officers are providing them with special support. I hope the knowledge this was an extraordinary one-off event, which led to the swift arrest of the suspect, provides some reassurance. Home secretary Shabana Mahmood said her thoughts and prayers were with the two children stabbed in the shocking attack. Mayor of London Sir Sadiq Khan urged anyone with information to contact the police, adding: There is no honour in staying silent. This awful violence has absolutely no place in our city. 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 Police have ordered evacuations in a UK town centre after the discovery of a substance that could be hazardous. Reports were made at around 1pm that a potentially hazardous substance had been found inside business premises. A cordon is currently in place at Baxter Gate in Loughborough after the incident. The premises in question, along with others nearby, have been evacuated as a precaution, according to Leicestershire Police. Emergency services are responding to the incident, including police, Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service and the East Midlands Ambulance Service. The cordon and road closures have been put in place to keep the public safe while emergency services respond to the incident, police said. A cordon is currently in place at Baxter Gate in Loughborough after the incident ( Google Maps ) No serious injuries have been reported at this time. We will provide further updates when we are able to, Leicestershire Police said in a statement on Wednesday. Please avoid the area, until further notice. Bus routes have been diverted in response to the incident according to the social media accounts of Loughboroughs Kinch Bus and Nottingham City Transport. Images circulating from the scene show several emergency vehicles including police, fire engines and ambulances, as well as a police cordon, in place. The area appears to be very central and surrounded by shops and other businesses. The area has been locked down while police and emergency vehicles deal with the incident. Police officers came in here at about 2pm and they said close your doors and no one's allowed to come in or out, an eyewitness told Leicestershire Live. I haven't heard anything more. I tried to ask what was happening but they couldn't tell me. Outside there are many police officers, ambulances, firefighters I'm not sure what they're all doing though. And I haven't seen the ambulances dealing with anyone. So for now I just have to stay inside and no customers can come in. I can't leave. Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service advised members of the public to avoid the area, saying: We are currently attending an ongoing incident on Baxter Gate in Loughborough. Members of the public should avoid the area, and motorists should expect delays. 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 former chief executive of Moorfields Eye Hospital is accused of exposing himself to a woman in a London park and then sexually assaulting the police officer who arrested him, a court was told. Dr Martin Kuper, 57, is accused of flashing himself in front of the woman as she sunbathed in Battersea Park in April last year, only a few months before he left his role at the NHS trust. Wimbledon Magistrates Court heard Oxford-educated Dr Kuper is then accused of groping a female police officer once he had been detained. The incident took place in Battersea Park on April 28 2025, said prosecutor Barbara Valentini. The defendant approached the victim while she was sunbathing, straddled her and exposed his penis. He ran off into the bushes after being told off by the victim. open image in gallery Dr Martin Kuper leaves Wimbledon Magistrates' Court. ( Tristan Kirk/PA Wire ) Ms Valentini said that after his arrest Dr Kuper is accused of grabbing a female PC in her crotch area. Dr Kuper appeared in the dock on Wednesday to plead not guilty to charges of exposure and sexual assault. He was appointed as chief executive of Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust in September 2021 and held the role for almost four years until his departure in July last year. Prior to that role, Dr Kuper was chief medical director at Northwick Park Hospital in north-west London and he previously held a senior post at Whittington Hospital in north London. He spoke during the court hearing to confirm his name, age and home address in Chelsea, before repeating not guilty twice when the charges were read to him. He then elected to stand trial in front of a judge and jury at the Crown Court. Magistrate Sandra Burling freed Kuper on bail, with a condition that he does not go to Battersea Park in south-west London. He is due to appear at Kingston Crown Court on March 10, when a date will be set for his trial. 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 The King has been urged to answer what he knew about Andrew Mountbatten-Windsors links with convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein and make his brother testify in the US. Democrat congressman Ro Khanna said the royal family had not been transparent, and Democrat congresswoman Teresa Leger Fernandez said Charles should direct his brother to answer questions, in an interview with the BBC. It comes after the King announced Buckingham Palace was ready to cooperate in the event of a police inquiry into Andrews links to Epstein and made clear his profound concern over the allegations made against his brother. He was forced to act after the US justice department released millions of documents revealing further details of the former princes relationship with Epstein. Andrew appears to have sent Epstein confidential reports from a 2010 tour of Southeast Asia, which he undertook as Britains envoy for international trade. Thames Valley Police said on Monday that the force was assessing the reports. open image in gallery The King is facing calls to cooperate after the latest Epstein files further revealed his brothers relationship with the paedophile financier ( Getty ) Among the other claims are that a woman was sent to the UK by Epstein for a sexual encounter with Andrew which police say they are also investigating and that the former prince and Epstein asked an exotic dancer for a threesome in Epsteins Florida home. Mr Khanna, the congressman who co-sponsored the law that compelled the justice department to release the Epstein files last year, said the royal family should reveal what they knew and what action theyre going to take. He said this was the most vulnerable the British monarchy had been, and stripping Andrew of the right to be called prince was not enough. Ms Fernandez also told BBCs Newsnight that the King should compel his brother to answer questions here at the oversight committee. She also called for an inquiry in England. Sky Roberts, the brother of Epstein victim and Andrew accuser Virginia Giuffre, also said the former prince should show up in front of our Congress and answer questions. Andrew, who was stripped of his titles by the King last year, has always denied any wrongdoing. But he has not spoken publicly about the latest revelations. Andrew left the Royal Lodge last week, but the former prince is now living on Charless privately owned Sandringham Estate. The Duke of Edinburgh was the first royal to publicly speak out since the Epstein documents were released, saying last week that it was important to remember the victims when asked how he was coping since the US department of justices document dump. open image in gallery The Prince and Princess of Wales have said they are deeply concerned by the scandal ( PA ) The Prince and Princess of Wales have also spoken out publicly to say they are deeply concerned by the scandal. A Kensington Palace spokesperson said: I can confirm that the Prince and Princess of Wales have been deeply concerned by the continued revelations. Their thoughts remain focused on the victims. King Charles and Queen Camilla were heckled last week over his brothers association with Epstein during a royal walkabout through the Essex village of Dedham. The heckler, who was standing in the crowds behind the metal barriers, shouted: Charles, Charles, have you pressurised the police to start investigating Andrew? The King was heckled again on Monday over Andrew during a royal visit to Lancashire. As he met well-wishers at Clitheroe train station in Lancashire, a man shouted at Charles: How long have you known about Andrew and Epstein? Charles appeared not to react, while members of the crowd booed the question. A Buckingham Palace spokesperson said: The King has made clear, in words and through unprecedented actions, his profound concern at allegations which continue to come to light in respect of Mr Mountbatten-Windsors conduct. While the specific claims in question are for Mr Mountbatten-Windsor to address, if we are approached by Thames Valley Police we stand ready to support them as you would expect. As was previously stated, Their Majesties thoughts and sympathies have been, and remain with, the victims of any and all forms of abuse. 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 Thames Valley Police is exploring options with the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) over allegations that Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor shared with the sex offender Jeffrey Epstein confidential reports he had access to in his role as a UK trade envoy. Discussions with specialist prosecutors from the CPS have taken place, and the force is making progress as quickly as possible, it announced in a statement on Wednesday. We can confirm today that Thames Valley Police is leading the ongoing assessment of allegations relating to misconduct in public office, said assistant chief constable Oliver Wright. This specifically relates to documents within the United States Department of Justices Epstein Files. As part of this assessment, we have engaged in discussions with specialist crown prosecutors from the CPS. We will provide updates as and when they are available, but at this stage it would be inappropriate to discuss further specifics of this work. The allegations are reportedly currently in an assessment phase as information is evaluated to determine whether a criminal offence is suspected and whether a full investigation is required. open image in gallery Police are assessing allegations that Mountbatten-Windsor shared confidential UK trade reports with Epstein ( AP ) Mr Wright added: Allegations of misconduct in public office involve particular complexities, and therefore an assessment must be conducted carefully and thoroughly. While we cannot provide timescales over when a decision as to whether a criminal investigation will be opened, we can assure you that Thames Valley Police is making progress as quickly as possible. The allegations reportedly relate to emails that appear to show Mr Mountbatten-Windsor sharing reports of his official visits to Singapore, Hong Kong and Vietnam with the paedophile financier. open image in gallery A photograph appearing to show Mountbatten-Windsor crouched over an unidentified woman, which was released in the latest disclosure of files linked to Epstein ( US Department of Justice ) One November 2010 email was apparently forwarded by Mr Mountbatten-Windsor just five minutes after being sent by his special advisor Amir Patel, according to the latest release. Mr Mountbatten-Windsor conducted meetings and trade talks during the visits, which were made in his capacity as trade envoy in late 2010. On Christmas Eve 2010, he shared with Epstein a confidential brief on investment opportunities in the reconstruction of Helmand province, Afghanistan. Mr Mountbatten-Windsor denies any wrongdoing. Earlier on Wednesday, the director of public prosecutions for England and Wales, Stephen Parkinson, told reporters: We are in close contact with both the Met and Thames Valley police, but we havent been asked for formal advice yet. In complex and sensitive cases, the CPS and the police do work together. And Im sure, in respect of the investigation that has been announced, we will do so. open image in gallery Jeffrey Epstein was found dead in his jail cell in August 2019 ( US Department of Justice/PA ) Among the latest revelations to emerge from the most recent release of the Epstein files are that the former Prince Andrew appeared to invite the financier to Buckingham Palace for dinner and lots of privacy, years after his conviction for sex offences. Epstein responded: Already in london [sic]. what time woudl [sic] you like me and we will also need/ have private time. It is not clear whether a meeting at the palace took place. The latest release also included pictures that appeared to feature Mr Mountbatten-Windsor poised on all fours over a woman on the floor whose face is blacked out. It is unclear where and when the photos were taken. There is no suggestion that appearing in the files implies wrongdoing, and people who have appeared in previous releases have denied any illicit behaviour in relation to Epstein. 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 cold weather health alert covering large parts of the UK has been issued for later this week, with sub-zero temperatures set to blast the country. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has issued a yellow alert between Friday and Monday, meaning the weather is likely to pose a greater risk to the lives of vulnerable people and have minor impacts on health and social care services. Temperatures are set to drop below zero in some areas on Friday evening into Saturday morning, with freezing weather forecast in major cities including Manchester, Birmingham, Newcastle, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen and Derry, according to the Met Office. The coldest conditions could be seen in Cumnock, East Ayrshire, where the mercury is currently expected to plunge to -4C. A yellow weather warning of rain across western Scotland, and in the east from Aberdeenshire down to Fife, is in force until midnight on Wednesday. This will persist across eastern Scotland during the day and may lead to some travel disruptions and possible flooding after recent rainfall. open image in gallery The UKHSA has issued a yellow cold health alert with a risk score of 7 ( UKHSA ) Two fresh weather warnings of snow and ice have been issued for Thursday and Friday across Scotland. The impacted regions include: Central, Tayside and Fife, Grampian, Highlands and Eilean Siar, Orkney and Shetland, as well as south west Scotland, Lothian Borders and Strathclyde. Grahame Madge, a Met Office spokesman, said: There is an Arctic Maritime airmass that will be moving south during this week, bringing a colder influence to the UKs weather we are already issuing snow and ice warnings for northern Britain. This colder spell is likely to be brief, as longer-range indications are from later in the weekend that the weather will be more dominated by Atlantic conditions. The Met Office said levels of snow will vary by area but will be possible on low ground by Friday morning, while on hills above 300 metres, accumulations of up to 10cm are possible. In addition to the snow, temperatures will fall quickly, and this is likely to lead to ice on untreated surfaces. open image in gallery The UK may be bracing for another winter cold snap of low temperatures and even snow this week ( Met office ) As of Wednesday morning, there are 87 flood warnings and 151 flood alerts in place for England issued by the Environment Agency. The Scottish Environment Protection Agency has also issued three flood warnings and seven flood alerts. Ongoing flooding from groundwater is likely to affect Dorset, Wiltshire, Hampshire and West Sussex over the next four days, according to the Environment Agency. open image in gallery Two fresh weather warnings of snow and ice have been issued for Thursday and Friday across Scotland ( Met Office ) River flooding is also expected along the River Trent and rivers across Somerset and Wiltshire on Wednesday. Forecasters warn that rain is likely to be heavy at times, with 15-25mm due to fall quite widely, with a potential for 30-40mm building up over high ground. open image in gallery Dozens of flood warnings and 151 flood alerts are in place for England issued by the Environment Agency on Wednesday morning ( Met Office ) As temperatures reach freezing levels, snow is predicted to fall above 300-400 metres, with 5-10cm expected to accumulate across Aberdeenshire, Angus and Perthshire by the end of Wednesday. The warning in the east covers Angus, Dundee, Fife, Perth and Kinross, Stirling, Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire, while in the west it covers Argyll and Bute, Inverclyde, North Ayrshire, Renfrewshire and West Dunbartonshire. open image in gallery A yellow weather warning of rain across western Scotland, and in the east from Aberdeenshire down to Fife, is in force until midnight on Wednesday ( Met office ) So far this year, Cardinham in Cornwall has recorded some rain every single day of the year. Overall, Cornwall and County Down in Ireland both logged their wettest January on record, while Northern Ireland endured its wettest in 149 years. Across the UK, 26 stations set new monthly rainfall records, while several daily records were broken Plymouth saw its wettest January day in 104 years, Hurn in Dorset in 74 years, and Dunkeswell in Devon in 57 years. 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 Women are affected by the housing crisis more than any other demographic, says Katie*, 40, a single mother from East London. The mother-of-two is currently living in temporary accommodation after leaving an abusive relationship in late 2024, first spending a year in a hotel. Following the end of the relationship, she found herself unable to pay the 2,200 cost for the flat alone. Soon after, she was handed a section 21 eviction notice by her landlord, and approached the council for help. They moved her and her four-year-old to a hotel in the neighbouring borough, which Katie says was highly unsuitable, adding: it was one tiny room, it was completely run down [the hotel] was full of men coming and going. She is one of the tens of thousands of single mothers stuck in hidden homelessness, as new research from Shelter reveals how women are feeling the worst effects of the housing crisis. Analysis by the housing charity finds that women make up approximately 60 per cent of adults in homeless temporary accommodation, up 31 per cent over the past five years. This makes them approximately 80,000 of the roughly130,000 households in this situation. open image in gallery Women make up approximately 60 per cent of adults in homeless temporary accommodation, up 31 per cent over the past five years (Joe Giddens/PA) ( PA Archive ) Strikingly, single mothers also make up a third (33 per cent) of all people in temporary accommodation, despite making up around 2 per cent of the UK population. This is up 13 per cent in the past five years, Shelter found, and means they represent over half (58 per cent) of all families in these settings. The growing number is totally unacceptable, says Shelters chief executive Sarah Elliott, urging the government to take decisive action to ease the housing crisis. After legal intervention supported by Shelter, Katie was moved into a tiny two bedroom flat back in her borough, which she says is basically one room, split into parts. The small size of both settings means that, while she has had to look after her four-year-old, her 19-year-old daughter was unable to join and had to grapple with homelessness by herself. Katie said: A 19-year-old going through homelessness, I think they carry so much more, and the shame. At that age, its just something that you dont want to go through because its such an important part of someones life. Despite being unhappy with the situation, Katie says she is scared to say anything to her local council, because she doesnt want to be moved back to a hotel. open image in gallery Single mothers make up a third (33 per cent) of all people in temporary accommodation, Shelter has found ( Getty Images ) [Women] are affected by it so much. We are the ones that will have the children, will look after the children nine times out of ten it will be a woman, she said. I would like to receive affordable property which would be a social property, so I can afford to work, and pay, and set down routes, and recover from the upheaval and trauma. Id like to contribute to society and bring up my child the best that I can. Labour MP Stella Creasy told The Independent: With a million women stuck on benefits because of caring commitments, its not a shock to me that many find themselves stuck in a nightmare of poor housing and debt. Thats why we need to overhaul our welfare state and childcare policies as well as recognise the discrimination they face in housing their talents are going to waste, their kids are suffering and the costs of this failure to value them falls us all. Changing this should be a national priority One of the key causes of the rising homelessness among single mothers is the lack of affordability in the private rented sector. Recent research by the Womens Budget Group found that average rents in England now cost 58 per cent of the average womans salary, compared to 42 per cent for men. Combined with the financial pressures of raising children with women leading 89 per cent of single-parent families the costs of the rental market prove too much for many, pushing more and more into homelessness. Ms Elliot said: It is totally unacceptable that, as the housing emergency escalates, a growing number of single mothers are homeless in temporary accommodation. open image in gallery Labour MP Stella Creasy told The Independent that we need to overhaul our welfare state and childcare policies ( House of Commons ) No one should be forced to make the impossible choice between paying rent, feeding their family or turning on the heating - yet this is the reality for many single mothers across England today. Instead of being supported to stay in their homes, too many are being pushed towards homelessness, where they can spend years trapped in damaging temporary accommodation, unable to afford to move on and into private rentals. The charity chief points to the governments decision to limit the amount of housing benefit people can received by maintaining the freeze on local housing allowance (LHA) as key factor, alongside skyrocketing rental prices. Around 57 per cent of housing benefit claimants with children are single mothers, equating to over 2,300 women. Ms Elliot added: The government urgently needs to unfreeze LHA, so it covers at least the bottom third of local rents. Single mothers should not be left to bear the weight of the housing emergency alone. A government spokesperson said: It is unacceptable that so many women are without a safe home and are having to live in unsuitable temporary accommodation. This has to change, which is why we investing 3.5 billion to tackle homelessness, plus 950 million for better-quality temporary accommodation and building 1.5 million homes, to help thousands of women out of temporary accommodation and into permanent homes. * Name changed 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 Migrants have launched a legal bid to halt deportations under the UK's controversial one in, one out returns deal with France over concerns that Labour is failing victims of trafficking and modern slavery. Some 16 migrants will challenge Sir Keir Starmers scheme in the High Court on Wednesday and are expected to claim that the deal breaches modern slavery laws. Minister for border security, Alex Norris, said that these cases are exactly why we are reforming our laws to stop these last-minute claims, adding: Modern slavery claims must never be used to prevent the removal of illegal migrants. So far, 367 people have come to the UK under the programme, which sees small boat migrants returned to France in exchange for other asylum seekers, with 305 so far sent back. The challenge comes as a coalition of 22 British and French charities has today called on the government to immediately halt the dangerous scheme in a letter that says survivors of torture and trafficking are being put at risk in prison-like detention. Charity workers who have supported migrants detained under the programme have warned that asylum seekers are suffering from alarmingly high levels of mental health issues, with incidents of self-harm and attempted suicide. At least 29 migrants who are believed to be children have been detained under the deal, charity Humans for Rights Network (HFRN) has said. open image in gallery A Border Force vessel delivers migrants to Dover port after intercepting a small boat crossing on December 17, 2025 in Dover, England. Some 305 people who have come to the UK on a small boat have been deported back to France under the one in, one out deal. ( Getty Images ) At least eight of these cases have been accepted as children by local authorities or are now in the care of the local council awaiting the outcome of age assessments, according to the report, signed by Detention Action, Bail for Immigration Detainees, and the Immigration Law Practitioners Association, among others. Maddie Harris, director of HFRN, warned that Home Office decision makers are conducting flawed age assessments based purely on physical appearance and demeanour. At least two of the cases have reached legal hearings, with the age-disputed children failing to get a stay of removal granted by a judge, Ms Harris said. Nine age-disputed migrants are believed to have been removed under the one in, one out scheme, and three remain in immigration detention, she added. The Home Office said that age-disputed migrants were only removed after officials made an assessment that they looked significantly over 18. open image in gallery Migrants carrying children wait in the water to try to board a smuggler's boat in an attempt to cross the English Channel off the beach of Gravelines, northern France on September 19, 2025. ( AFP via Getty Images ) A spokesperson said that robust processes [are] in place to ensure that unaccompanied asylum-seeking children are not removed under the UK-France treaty. Ms Harris said: Being in a detention centre is a barrier to a fair and adequate age assessment. There is a real risk that children are being removed and have been. This is not adults pretending to be children because we know of eight children now in care. Many of the migrants detained under the scheme have been unable to access legal advice, with firms lacking the capacity to take on their cases, the charities statement said. Charity Medical Justice, whose independent clinicians can assess the health of those detained, said that out of 20 clients, 15 had PTSD. Some 18 had clinical evidence that they had been tortured, and 14 of the group had clinical evidence of trafficking, the report said. This reportedly included people who had experienced sexual assaults in Northern France or had a fear of smugglers operating there. The statement warned: People seeking asylum who may have experienced severe violence and highly traumatic events are locked away in prison-like facilities under this scheme, deprived of the support they need to recover and face substantial barriers to accessing justice. A recent prison inspectorate report into a one-in, one-out removal flight said that the men being deported had been detained at Brook House and Harmondsworth immigration removal centres. The Independent reported last month on the reality of life inside Brook House, where migrants suffer from severe mental health crises, and guards use force against them. Charities warned that physical restraints used on migrants, which have included the use of handcuffs and a waist restraint belt, risk echoing their past experiences of trauma and torture. They said they were particularly concerned by officers using riot shields, dogs and pepper spray on a protest against the scheme by more than 60 people at Harmondsworth on 14 January. Gatwick Detainees Welfare Group reported five age disputes at Brook House removal centre, near Gatwick, and Jesuit Refugee Service UK reported four at Harmondsworth, near Heathrow, in January this year alone. Detention Action also warned that the detention of young people was happening at a level which [it has] not encountered before. A report from the prisons inspectorate published on Monday said that the treatment of detainees by staff on a deportation flight was mostly good, with staff polite, friendly, and respectful. However, the report found that almost no information was available to the men about what would happen to them in France. A Home Office spokesperson added: We are committed to ensuring that detention and removal are carried out effectively, and with dignity. Our one-in, one-out scheme means we can send those who arrive on small boats straight back to France - a safe country in which any protection claims can be considered. 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 Ceremonial artefacts once used by Queen Elizabeth II during her jubilee celebrations are set to be auctioned, with all proceeds dedicated to supporting cancer patients. Six items, many conceived by the late monarchs pageant master, Bruno Peek, for various landmark occasions, will go under the hammer in March to benefit Cancer Research UK. Among the collection is the Diamond Jubilee diamond, which was prominently displayed at the Tower of London before its use by the Queen in 2012. Also featured are the millennium torch, lit to mark the dawn of the year 2000, and the 90th birthday torch, used at Windsor Castle in 2016. Completing the array are a torch from the Golden Jubilee in 2002 and the Platinum Jubilee Commonwealth Nations Globe, a centrepiece of the 2022 celebrations at Windsor Castle. Mr Peek, who is from Gorleston in Norfolk, was Elizabeths pageant master for 40 years. open image in gallery First Sea Lord Admiral Sir Alan West, right, looks on as Bruno Peek helps Britain's Queen Elizabeth II to light the Trafalgar Weekend Beacon during her visit to Nelson's flagship HMS Victory in Portsmouth in 2005 ( PA ) During that time, he masterminded worldwide beacon tributes for her golden, diamond and platinum jubilees, as well as commemorations for the anniversary of VE Day. Of his time as pageant master, the 74-year-old said: The Queen and the royal family showed me such kindness over the years. They were very encouraging and courteous. I felt privileged and honoured and comfortable in the Queens company. Recalling a moment with Elizabeth at Buckingham Palace when there was a hitch with equipment during the lighting of the Diamond Jubilee beacon, Mr Peek said: I whispered to her do you mind giving it a little push maam? And she said I dont mind at all and gave it a good shove, to the cheers of the hundreds of thousands attending the concert in The Mall that evening. open image in gallery Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh during the Diamond Jubilee Pageant in 2012 ( PA ) The former welder said he last saw the late Queen in June 2022 at the lighting of a beacon to mark the Platinum Jubilee. We all understood the Queen wasnt well and we werent expecting her to make it, he said. But being the great Queen she was, she surprised us all and came. The last thing she ever said to me, after lighting the beacon, was Thank you Bruno. It was a lovely moment which I will cherish for the rest of my life, but also very sad because a few days later she died. Of the upcoming auction, Mr Peek said: I own these items but I could never have sold them for personal gain. Given that the King and Catherine, Princess of Wales, have both had cancer treatment, I felt it was appropriate to use them to raise money for Cancer Research UK. open image in gallery Queen Elizabeth II is greeted by her son, the Prince of Wales, as she is joined on stage with the rest of the Royal family and performers at the end of the Diamond Jubilee Concert at Buckingham Palace ( PA ) It is estimated the items will sell for around 20,000 to 30,000 each at the virtual auction at Bonhams in March. Mr Peek, who staged the Millennium Beacon project, was made an OBE in 2000, became a Member of the Royal Victoria Order (RVO) for organising the 2002 Golden Jubilee beacons and a Lieutenant for repeating the feat for the Diamond Jubilee in 2012. He also staged the Queens 90th birthday beacons in 2016. In 2022, he was recognised again for his service alongside others who helped stage the Platinum Jubilee celebrations and became a Commander of the RVO. Born to Polish immigrants, Mr Peek was abandoned at 14 months old alongside his twin brother George and brought up in a childrens home before they were adopted at four years old. Before training as a welder, Mr Peek had numerous jobs including working in a bakery and a butchers, making prams and as a builders labourer. After organising the Great Yarmouth and Gorleston carnival more than 40 years ago, Mr Peek said he realised he wanted to help organise historic celebrations and later approached the palace with ideas that were accepted. 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 debate around increasing security around schools has resurfaced after two pupils were stabbed at a school in Brent this week. Two boys aged 12 and 13 were left seriously injured after being stabbed at lunchtime on Tuesday at Kingsbury High School in north-west London. A 13-year-old boy has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder, and Counter Terrorism Police said he remained in custody earlier this afternoon. But any increased security around schools would need additional funding and staff, a headteachers union has said. Issues in wider society mean that education settings are facing a higher level of threat than they have in the past, the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL) added. open image in gallery Two boys aged 12 and 13 were left seriously injured after being stabbed Kingsbury High School ( Oscar Rihil/PA ) Pepe DiIasio, general secretary of ASCL, said: We are shocked and saddened by this terrible incident, and our thoughts are with everybody affected. Schools are predominately safe places and they go to great lengths to protect their students and staff, including lockdown procedures, educating students about the dangers of knife crime, site security, and weapons searches. However, they are not fortresses but part of the wider community, and teachers are teachers, not security staff. Education minister Georgia Gould told Sky News that the government could look at bolstering security in schools in the wake of the stabbing, but ruled out installing metal detectors. Everybody in the education community is fully aware that there are significant issues in wider society which mean the level of threat is higher than it has been in the past, Mr DiIasio said. As we have seen from a number of incidents in the recent past, no setting is immune from these risks and school leaders would welcome the opportunity to work with other partners such as government, police and local authorities to contribute to a strategic response to this issue. Schools have extremely limited resources and stepping up security further around school sites would require additional investment and staffing. Over the last few years, there have been a number of stabbings at secondary schools across the country. Harvey Willgoose, 15, was stabbed to death by fellow pupil Mohammed Umar Khan during his lunch break at All Saints Catholic High School in February 2025. open image in gallery Education minister Georgia Gould tsaid he government could look at bolstering security in schools but ruled out installing metal detectors ( David Mirzoeff/PA ) A 13-year-old girl was found guilty of three charges of attempted murder last year after attacking two teachers and a pupil at her school in Ammanford in 2024. And in 2023, two teenagers, Jakele Pusey and Jovani Harriott, were detained for life after being found guilty of stabbing 15-year-old Khayri Mclean to death outside his Huddersfield school in 2022. Last year, an investigation by the BBC found 1,304 offences involving knives or sharp objects were recorded at schools and sixth form colleges across England and Wales in 2024. Guidance from the Department for Education (DfE) says it is important for schools to have policies in place to manage and respond to security-related incidents. Potential preventative measures for crime on school sites, including pupils bringing in knives, could include CCTV, DfE guidance says, or access systems that allow schools to control, monitor and deny access when necessary. Preventative measures schools could take could also include systems that detect intrusion, such as alarm systems, strong perimeter fencing, and security lighting. Home Office advice to schools states it is unclear whether routinely searching students for weapons on their entry into school has an impact on violence levels. However, knife arches may have a part to play in creating a safer school environment, it adds. DfE-commissioned research published last year found schools often viewed knife crime as part of a wider system of safeguarding concerns, and school leaders felt in general safeguarding issues at schools were increasing and they were not always equipped to address this. Some staff who took part in the research did feel concerns that onsite knife crime incidents were increasing. Funding constraints and limited staff sometimes meant that schools were unable to offer all the knife crime prevention activities they wanted to, the research found, and therefore had to make decisions about what prevention to focus on depending on how they perceived the level of risk at the school. 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 The Home Offices decision to ban Palestine Action under terrorism legislation was unlawful, the High Court has ruled in a humiliating blow for the government that could lead to the collapse of hundreds of criminal prosecutions against supporters of the group. Huda Ammori, co-founder of the group, celebrated a monumental victory on Friday after Justice Victoria Sharp said that the proscription of Palestine Action was disproportionate, and that it did result in a very significant interference with the right to freedom of speech and the right to freedom of assembly. Three senior judges concluded that only a very small number of Palestine Actions activities amounted to terrorism, and that the groups acts had not crossed the high bar to make it a terrorist organisation. The ban remains in place for now and the government has said it will appeal, but the Metropolitan Police said officers would no longer arrest people simply for showing support for Palestine Action and will instead focus on gathering evidence of those offences ... to provide opportunities for enforcement at a later date. It admitted that these are unusual circumstances. The ruling means it is still a criminal offence to support or be a member of Palestine Action, punishable by up to 14 years in prison. Since the proscription last July, thousands of people have been arrested for holding up placards in support of the group. open image in gallery Since the proscription last July, thousands of people have been arrested for holding up placards in support of Palestine Action ( AFP/Getty ) Lawyers for Ms Ammori and the Home Office have until 20 February to provide further submissions to the court ahead of more hearings that will decide whether the ban should be lifted, and whether the case will head to the Court of Appeal. As news came through of the judges decision on Friday morning, about a hundred people gathered outside the Royal Courts of Justice building in central London started cheering and chanting Free Palestine. In their judgment, Dame Victoria Sharp, Mr Justice Swift and Ms Justice Steyn described Palestine Action as a group that promotes its political cause through criminality and encouragement of criminality, but said that criminal law is sufficient to prosecute these acts. The Independent revealed yesterday that the Home Office has spent 700,000 in legal fees so far fighting Ms Ammoris case. The then home secretary, Yvette Cooper, decided in July 2025 to ban the group under terror laws after activists broke into an RAF base and damaged two military aircraft. The High Court judges said in their ruling that Ms Cooper had failed to consider whether imposing a terror ban on Palestine Action was proportionate to the threat posed by the organisation. Justice Sharp wrote that, by doing this, Ms Cooper had made a significant error by failing to follow the Home Offices own policy on proscription. The High Court judges suggested in the ruling that the strength of the case for proscription may need to be considered further by the home secretary. open image in gallery Huda Ammori, co-founder of Palestine Action, in 2021 ( Peace Pledge Union/YouTube ) During the court case, Ms Ammoris lawyers insisted that Palestine Action does not advocate for violence, saying any examples of serious violence against property or person are not the norm, they are rare. Ms Ammori responded to the news on Friday, saying that the ruling was a monumental victory for both our fundamental freedoms here in Britain and in the struggle for freedom for the Palestinian people. She added: It would be profoundly unjust for the government to try to delay or stop the High Courts proposed order quashing this ban while the futures of these thousands of people hang in the balance, many of whom are elderly or disabled and facing up to 14 years imprisonment for this entirely peaceful protest. More than 2,000 people have been arrested for holding signs since the ban took effect, and nearly 700 people have been charged with a terrorism offence involving Palestine Action, although none have yet been convicted. Home secretary Shabana Mahmood said she was disappointed by the High Courts ruling, adding: I intend to fight this judgment in the Court of Appeal. open image in gallery Protesters celebrate outside the High Court in London on Friday ( PA ) Shadow home secretary Chris Philp welcomed the decision to appeal, saying Palestine Actions campaign was built on intimidation, destruction, and violence. Outside of the Royal Courts of Justice, there was confusion between Metropolitan Police officers and activists as dozens of people carried signs that read I oppose genocide, I support Palestine Action. Activist Grace Lally asked two liaison officers if it was illegal to hold the sign, with the officers replying: We can ask. People charged with supporting the group said they feel in limbo after the High Court decision. Angie Zelter, 74, said she faces charges over holding a placard at demonstrations last year and is due at Westminster Magistrates Court on Tuesday. She said the situation is up in the air, adding: We dont really know where we are. Akiko Hart, director of human rights organisation Liberty, said they welcomed the courts finding but said the practical effect will depend on the governments appeal. Lui Asquith, associate in the public law team at law firm Russell-Cooke, said, while routine, the ruling was an oddity as the rights-infringing proscription stands until the court stays otherwise. They explained that the Home Office could argue for the ban to remain in place for longer until the appeal is heard. Amanda Weston KC, a member of the Independent Commission on UK Counter-Terrorism Law, Policy and Practice, said the ruling was a solid judgment which will be difficult to appeal. However, until a decision to quash the ban is made, it leaves matters up in the air for protesters facing prosecution for supporting Palestine Action. Baroness Shami Chakrabarti said the judgment made clear that the decision to proscribe the whole organisation and its many peaceful supporters was disproportionate, adding: Let those engaged in criminal damage be prosecuted but dont make peaceful protestors guilty by association. Yasmine Ahmed, UK director of Human Rights Watch, said that the verdict was a shot in the arm for British democracy. Areeba Hamid, a director at Greenpeace UK, said the governments use of terror laws had been the stuff of dystopian novels. She added: The Crown Prosecution Service should immediately drop the terror charges against the peaceful protesters who opposed this ban. The Board of Deputies of British Jews and the Jewish Leadership Council said they were deeply concerned by the High Court ruling, saying that the practical impact of Palestine Actions activities on Jewish communal life has been significant and deeply unsettling. 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 Liberal Democrats plan to scrap the Treasury and replace it with a Department for Growth based in Birmingham has already been criticised by its own MPs, with one saying they despair over the policy. In a speech on Wednesday morning, Lib Dem deputy leader Daisy Cooper attacked the Treasury as anti-growth and proposed a radical shake-up of the British state. Under the Lib Dems plans, the new department would set taxes, oversee economic strategy, set fiscal rules and approve major infrastructure projects with a mandate to boost long-term prosperity, improve living standards and end the cost-of-living crisis. She also said a smaller department for public expenditure would be set up to oversee departmental spending and ensure value for money. The Liberal Democrats have announced a plan to break up the Treasury. The partys deputy leader, Daisy Cooper, claims the Treasury is anti-growth ( Yui Mok/PA ) But one Lib Dem MP said they despair at the policy, telling The Independent: At a time when the government is imploding and people are crying out for serious policies, we announce this. However, Ms Cooper argued that the Treasury in its current form is disconnected from the real economy. She said: The Treasury does too much. Fiscal policy, economic policy and controlling government spending. In most other countries, these roles are split up. The Treasury enables governments to go for short-term tax grabs that suit political cycles over the need for long-term growth. And the Treasury is disconnected from the real economy. Despite holding all the economic power, the Treasury isn't responsible for policies on business or trade. In short, the Treasury is over-centralised it drives short-term thinking, and it simply isn't designed to deliver the long-term economic growth that we need. Ms Cooper argued the plan would boost investment in the NHS, renewable energy and defence, as well as helping to make economic growth a priority and get Britain growing again. She also claimed the new structure could improve UK-EU relations, reset the relationship between the government and business and raise around 25bn a year to fix public services and the cost of living crisis. The MP for St Albans also justified the decision to place the new department in Birmingham by arguing that closing the productivity gap between the UKs second biggest city and London would add 12bn a year to the economy. 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 Britain is set to double the number of its troops in Norway to bolster defences in the High North against Vladimir Putins Russia. The commitment will see the number of UK forces in the country rise from 1,000 to 2,000 over the next three years. Defence Secretary John Healey, speaking during a visit to Royal Marines at Camp Viking in the Norwegian Arctic, also pledged UK participation in Natos Arctic Sentry mission. This alliance initiative seeks to improve regional security and address concerns raised by Donald Trump regarding Greenland. The announcement comes as General Sir Nick Carter, a former head of the armed forces, urged greater European co-operation to deter Russia and support Ukraine. The Defence Secretary also confirmed that UK Armed Forces will play their part in Natos Arctic Sentry mission. Mr Healey will join Nato counterparts to discuss the proposals at the alliances headquarters in Brussels on Thursday. The Defence Secretary also confirmed that UK Armed Forces will play their part in Natos Arctic Sentry mission ( PA ) The Defence Secretary said: Demands on defence are rising, and Russia poses the greatest threat to Arctic and High North security that we have seen since the Cold War. We see Putin rapidly re-establishing military presence in the region, including reopening old Cold War bases. The UK is stepping up to protect the Arctic and High North doubling the number of troops we have in Norway and scaling up joint exercises with Nato allies. Some 1,500 commandos will be deployed to Norway in March for Natos Exercise Cold Response. In September, the UK-led Joint Expeditionary Force will be carrying out major military exercises in the region with air, land and naval forces training to protect critical infrastructure from attacks and sabotage. The risk of Russian sabotage activity was highlighted by Sir Nick in a paper for the Tony Blair Institute. He said: Were all aware that Russia and the GRU at the tip of the spear thats Russias intelligence services are waging a campaign of sabotage and subversion in Europe, including incursions into our Nato airspace. Now weve got to be able to impose credible costs on this campaign, because otherwise it will continue. The paper called for wholesale improvements in European military power and urged continued support for Ukraine. Sir Nick said: Europe faces a growing external threat in an evolving world order at the same time as its political, fiscal and industrial systems are struggling to respond. After decades of under-investment in defence, this is no longer merely inefficient it is dangerous. The path ahead for Europes leaders will not be easy; they cannot afford to fail. Drift is no longer a neutral option. Europes influence will depend on its ability to take rapid collective action. A Europe that can do so and take responsibility for its own defence and security will remain a shaper of the international order. A Europe that cannot, will be shaped by others. 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 Sir Keir Starmer is clinging on after surviving the toughest day of his premiership so far this week, when Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar became the most senior Labour figure to call for him to quit. The prime minister has been at the centre of a political storm since admitting he was aware of Peter Mandelsons relationship with Jeffrey Epstein even after his conviction for child sex offences when he appointed him as US ambassador. Figures across the political spectrum including MPs in his own party have been questioning the prime ministers judgement, with some declaring its over for him. Morgan McSweeneys departure the man who was responsible for Sir Keir becoming the leader of the Labour Party, the architect of the subsequent election victory and central figure in running the government on Sunday failed to quell growing questions over whether or not the prime minister can continue in his job. The PM was also hit by the resignation of Downing Street director of communications Tim Allan, further fuelling doubts over his future. But the heat intensified even further on Sir Keir on Monday when the previously loyal Mr Sarwar urged him to step down over the Mandelson-Epstein scandal, saying he had made too many mistakes. Sir Keir responded defiantly, insisting he was not going anywhere, before telling a meeting of Labour MPs: Ive won every fight Ive ever been in. The lack of a concerted effort by MPs to depose Sir Keir - and his Cabinet coming out to back him publicly on Monday afternoon - suggests the immediate danger may have passed. But it only takes one candidate to garner 20 per cent of the MPs to stand against him, and Sir Keir is in serious trouble. So who would that person be, and could they unite a warring party? open image in gallery The furore comes after months of speculation about Sir Keirs leadership of the Labour Party, with senior figures appearing to position themselves as his successor ( House of Commons ) Angela Rayner The former deputy prime minister is being openly discussed as a replacement for Sir Keir, despite her resignation less than six months ago over her personal tax payments. Angela Rayner raised eyebrows on Wednesday when she got to her feet in the Commons and made it clear she would vote against the governments attempt to restrict the release of full vetting documents relating to Lord Mandelsons appointment. Ms Rayner, the MP for Ashton-under-Lyne in Greater Manchester, is viewed as a potential successor to Sir Keir or, if she did not run herself, as someone whose support could have a significant influence on the outcome of any contest. open image in gallery Sir Keir Starmer has said he would like to see Angela Rayner return to government ( Lauren Hurley/Downing Street ) Many in the trade unions have been eager to see Ms Rayner get the top job and were already plotting her return days after she quit. She is believed to be preparing for a contest, having declared last month: Im not dead yet. Last week, the prime minister suggested Ms Rayner has a future role to play in government, and said he wanted to bring her back to the front line at the right point. Andy Burnham Andy Burnham has been the most talked about threat to Sir Keirs leadership in recent months, with speculation about a potential challenge having grown since mid-2025. Last year, Mr Burnham repeatedly failed to rule out a Labour leadership bid and has been regularly tipped as the leading candidate to take over should Sir Keirs position as prime minister become untenable. He was the focus of such rumours at the Labour Party conference in September, when he revealed that MPs were privately urging him to challenge Sir Keir. Earlier this month, tensions came to a head when a parliamentary seat in the north west came up for grabs after Gorton and Denton MP Andrew Gwynne stepped down. The Greater Manchester mayor applied to run under the Labour banner in the historically safe seat but was blocked by the partys National Executive Committee (NEC). Critics have accused Sir Keir and his allies of preventing Mr Burnhams candidacy for factional reasons, fearing a leadership challenge from the mayor as both Labours poll ratings and his personal approval ratings flounder. open image in gallery Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham ( PA ) Wes Streeting There is widespread speculation that supporters of health secretary Wes Streeting will launch a bid to replace Sir Keir following months of uncertainty and suffering in the polls. Just this week, as questions around Sir Keirs future reached fever pitch, the health secretary took the controversial decision to publish communications between himself and Lord Mandelson which contained severe criticism of the PMs economic and Middle East policies. The publication broke collective responsibility and would normally lead to a sacking, but Mr Streeting justified it by saying it was necessary to deal with with smears that had been made about his relationship with the disgraced former Labour peer. However, many have seen it as a clear attempt to distance himself from the PM and make it clear that he is ready to step in to his role when the time is right. It comes after a briefing war within Downing Street in recent months, targeting the health secretary over his perceived ambitions to succeed Sir Keir. It was also reported earlier this month that senior figures had been pushing for Mr Streetings removal from Cabinet for disloyalty, amid deepening splits in the prime ministers top team. open image in gallery Wes Streeting has denied trying to launch a coup ( Reuters ) Mr Streeting has previously voiced his concerns about the direction of the government, and hit out at a toxic culture in No 10 when briefings against him was made public in November. The 43-year-old health secretary is charismatic and the one cabinet minister who can connect with the public as long as they are not striking resident doctors. The former National Union of Students' presidents main weakness is that he is seen as too far to the right of the party, but he remains a more charismatic version of Sir Keir with less qualms about being compared to the Tories. Shabana Mahmood Another candidate who has been tipped for the top job is the home secretary, who was effectively endorsed by former prime minister Tony Blair last year. Amid previous speculation that Sir Keir could be forced to step down as prime minister, Shabana Mahmood has emerged among the front runners to succeed him. open image in gallery Another candidate who has been tipped for the top job is home secretary Shabana Mahmood ( PA ) Her biggest issues are similar to Mr Streeting. Like him, she is seen as being on the right of the party and it is unlikely both could run. Ed Miliband The left is looking for a candidate and there is a good chance they may turn to someone who had a go as leader before. The 56-year-old is a hate figure for the rightwing press because of his net zero policies but this only acts as a plus with members of the party. open image in gallery Ed Miliband has had a shot at the Labour leadership before ( Getty ) A bit like former Tory leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith, Mr Miliband has found new life and purpose in life after leadership. He is now the evangelist for green energy and net zero when the world needs one. Gone is the cowed and shrunken man who led the party to defeat in 2015 he has been replaced by a man who is a serious contender to lead the party again with a new vigour. 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 Tropical cyclone Gezani has claimed the lives of nine people after making landfall on Madagascar's eastern coastline, leaving a trail of devastation in the island nation's second-largest city. Authorities confirmed the fatalities on Wednesday amid widespread damage from wind and rain. Madagascar's disaster management office reported 19 injuries and the evacuation of nearly 1,500 residents from the Toamasina district. Gezani unleashed its fury on coastal areas before pushing inland. Toamasina residents recounted scenes of chaos. Harimanga Ranaivo described the terrifying experience: "I have never experienced winds this violent... the doors and windows are made of metal, but they are being violently shaken." This marks the second cyclone to hit Madagascar this year. Just ten days prior, Tropical Cyclone Fytia resulted in 14 deaths and displaced over 31,000 people, according to the UN's humanitarian office. open image in gallery The cyclone is expected to move into the Mozambique Channel by Wednesday night ( Zoom Earth ) At its peak, Gezani generated sustained winds of approximately 185 km per hour, with gusts reaching nearly 270 km per hour. This immense force tore metal sheeting from rooftops, uprooted mature trees, caused homes to collapse, walls to crumble, and snapped power lines, plunging neighbourhoods into darkness. Officials had closed schools and prepared emergency shelters ahead of the cyclone's arrival. The National Bureau for Risk and Disaster Management had also warned of rising sea levels already flooding Toamasina's streets. By Wednesday morning, Madagascar's meteorological service confirmed Gezani had weakened to a moderate tropical storm, moving westward inland about 100 km north of the capital, Antananarivo. It is expected to cross the central highlands before moving into the Mozambique Channel by Wednesday evening or night. Mozambique was also affected by heavy rain last month, with severe flooding damaging homes in the country as well as in South Africa and Zimbabwe. The flooding across southern Africa also led to South Africas Kruger National Park being evacuated. 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 Local police are tapping school security cameras to help federal agents carry out immigration enforcement raids, according to a new report. President Donald Trump has promised to carry out the largest deportation operation in U.S. history, putting pressure on federal agents to dramatically increase the number of arrests of undocumented immigrants they are expected to make. Reuters reported in June that the White House was demanding arrest quotas of 3,000 per day. Amid Trumps crackdown, local police are searching a national license plate reader database for immigration-related investigations, according to hundreds of thousands of audit logs originating from Texas school districts,The Guardian and The 74, a nonprofit education news organization, reported Tuesday. The Texas school districts use cameras from Atlanta-based company Flock Safety, which, in part, capture license plate numbers. Flock Safety made clear in a January blog post that it does not work directly with the Department of Homeland Security, including ICE. But the company noted that data collected by its license plate readers is owned by its customers and the customers decide how their data is shared. open image in gallery Local police across the United States are tapping school security cameras to help federal agents carry out immigration enforcement raids, according to a new report ( Joel Angel Juarez/Getty Images ) The new report named two school districts outside of Houston that have allowed law enforcement to access their cameras. The Huffman Independent School District granted Customs and Border Patrol access to its license plate readers in May, according to the report. A spokesperson for the school district told The Guardian and The 74 that it was reviewing the matters you referenced. From December 2025 through early January, more than 3,000 law enforcement agencies conducted more than 733,000 searches on the Alvin Independent School Districts cameras, according to the report. Immigration-related reasons were cited 620 times by 30 of those agencies, the report said. The Independent has reached out to DHS, ICE, CBP, Huffman Independent School District, Alvin Independent School District and Flock Safety for comment. open image in gallery Texas school districts have allowed law enforcement to access their cameras amid Donald Trumps immigration crackdown ( Patrick T. Fallon/AFP via Getty Images ) Immigration enforcement is taking a toll on peoples everyday lives, including in schools. According to a paper published by the UCLA Institute for Democracy, Education and Access in December 2025, more than two-thirds of high school principals reported that [s]tudents from immigrant families have expressed concerns about their well-being or the well-being of their families due to policies or political rhetoric related to immigrants. In January, a photo of five-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos being taken into federal custody with his Spiderman backpack on went viral. Conejo Ramos and his father, Adrian Alexander Conejo Arias, were approached by ICE agents outside his home in a Minneapolis suburb after coming home from preschool. open image in gallery In January, a photo of preschooler Liam Conejo Ramos being taken into federal custody with his Spiderman backpack on went viral ( Columbia Heights Public Schools ) DHS said the child was taken into custody for his safety but a local school official who witnessed the operation said some adults couldve taken the child. The agency said Conejo Arias was an illegal alien from Ecuador, but the familys lawyer, Marc Prokosch, told reporters that the father was not an illegal immigrant and that he was seeking asylum. The five-year-old and his father have since been released following a federal judges order. Columbia Heights Public Schools said last month four students, including Conejo Ramos, have been detained by ICE. 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 North Carolina mother described the heartbreaking moment she tried to save her twin boys from drowning after they fell through an icy pond. Barbara Zarlinga was cooking dinner in her Onslow County home on Sunday, while her 7-year-old sons Benjamin and Sebastian played outside. She called out to them twice, but by the third time, she felt something had gone wrong, she told WITN, a local news station. She then scoured the neighborhood for her sons before circling back to the pond in her backyard. I saw Sebastian in the water. I didnt know it was him at the time. I was praying to God it was a toy, Zarlinga said. When I got into the water, it was not. She hauled Sebastian out of the water and attempted to resuscitate him. First responders later arrived at the scene and found Benjamin in the pond. open image in gallery A North Carolina mother described the heartbreaking moment she tried to save her twin sons from drowning. 'I was praying to God it was a toy,' she said ( GoFundMe ) The boys were both transported to a hospital, but were pronounced dead on Sunday evening, according to WITN. Zarlinga was also taken to a hospital, where she was treated for hypothermia. She said she is grateful to the first responders, who did the best they could to save her sons and who comforted her in her time of need. The woman who pulled me out of the pond, she prayed over me that night, Zarlinga said. She took me through the woods and prayed over me the whole time we were walking. Denise Morrison, the boys grandmother, said that she prays that no one else has to endure the pain Zarlinga feels. I hope nobody ever has to holler their childrens name and not get a response, Morrison said. The brothers had been first grade students at a local elementary school, where they had numerous friends, the family said. open image in gallery The twin boys fell into a frozen pond in Onslow County, North Carolina ( GoFundMe ) Following the boys tragic deaths, a family friend set up a GoFundMe page to raise money for funeral expenses. Barbara Zarlinga has been my lifelong friend, and I have always admired her strength and kindness, the page states. The loss has left her and her family heartbroken, and they are now facing not only emotional pain but also significant financial challenges. More than $25,000 in donations have been raised for the family as of Wednesday afternoon. Less than three weeks ago, another tragic drowning occurred in Texas during a winter storm that blanketed much of the nation in snow. Three brothers ages 6, 8 and 9 died after falling through a frozen pond behind a friends house in Fannin County. The boys mother, Cheyenne Hangaman, said she hoped that other parents would heed the perils of the icy conditions. In late January, the National Weather Service warned of the REAL and DEADLY danger of icy ponds and waterways. There is no readily available data on the thickness of any ice anywhere across the Mid-South that we know of, the agency said. Please do not sled, walk, play or drive near bodies of water. 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 Under the fluorescent glare of a congressional hearing room, Attorney General Pam Bondi spent Wednesday morning performing the particular genre of evasive tap-dance now required of anyone running the Trump Justice Department (DOJ). Lawmakers were there to ask about among other heinous things the Epstein files. Bondi was there to talk as if she were on cable news and engage in a light piece of performance art. In the audience were several Epstein victims. At one point, those survivors of sexual abuse stood up and identified themselves. It was a particularly painful back-and-forth: Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) asked the Epstein victims to stand if they were comfortable. They did. She then asked them to raise their hands if theyd been unable to meet with Bondis DOJ, and every one of them did so. Asked whether shed like to apologize for such an oversight, Bondi then started talking over Jayapal, repeatedly saying that she should ask Bidens AG, Merrick Garland, instead. She never once glanced back at the victims and eventually ended up at: Im not gonna get in the gutter for [Jayapals] theatrics. The Epstein victims remained unacknowledged. Even for Bondi, this was an eye-opening performance. open image in gallery Attorney General Pam Bondi is sworn in ahead of testifying before a House Judiciary Committee hearing on oversight of the Justice Department, in Washington, D.C., 11 February ( Reuters ) The Dow is over $50,000! she yelled at one point, before adding, after the shocked laughter of Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.), I dont know why youre laughing! Youre a great stock trader, as I hear, Raskin Thats what we should be talking about! Indeed, indeed, that is what we should be talking about. Sure, we could ask about emails that describe children possibly as young as nine years old being sexually abused on a secret pedophile island visited frequently by international elites. Emails that say things like loved the torture video. Emails that should have been released long ago, that the president promised to release as soon as he came into power, and that for some reason he just didnt, until they started appearing anyway, still heavily redacted. But why not instead discuss EMAILS ABOUT HOW MY SHARES IN BOEING ARE UP, AMIRITE, PAM?! At one point during the hearing, exasperated by the fact that Bondi wouldnt even directly answer a question about whether its important to protect the identities of sexual assault victims, Rep. Hank Johnson (D-Ga.) said, You do a kind of Jekyll and Hyde routine over here. Bondi immediately tried to drag him into a back-and-forth about what Jekyll and Hyde means (Im going to charitably assume here that she is aware of the book) and we never really got to the bottom of anything else. And so it went on. Quizzed about the handling of Epstein files, about immigration raids, about the arrests and detentions of US citizens and children and the presence of federal agents on the streets, Bondi remained, confusingly, aggrieved. She hit back at questioners, asking why they hadnt asked the same things of Merrick Garland when he was in power. She refused to answer even basic yes or no questions, instead insisting that shed said it all before. It became clear, very quickly, that this was another exercise in protecting the legacy of Donald Trump. The victims were just another inconvenient fact. Everything was a potential threat to presidential legacy, even things that happened decades ago on a different island, even if they happened to the American citizens whom Bondi has sworn to protect and represent. open image in gallery Victims of sex offender Jeffrey Epstein identify themselves during Pam Bondis oversight hearing ( AFP via Getty ) Bondi is one of my least favorite characters in the America Goes to Hell tragicomedy and yes, there are so many to choose from: puppy-killer-turned-ICE apologist Kristi Noem, still in her job while breastfeeding babies are ripped from their mothers arms; JD Vance, whose standout moments include a novel about why poor people deserve to be poor and that time he said he hoped his Hindu wife would come to Jesus; Karoline Leavitt, who abruptly ended a press conference this week rather than answer a question about commerce secretary Howard Lutnicks ties with Jeffrey Epstein; Stephen Miller, whose passing resemblance to Voldemort was neatly complemented by calling slain intensive care nurse Alex Pretti a domestic terrorist. So in many ways, it seems foolish to feel let down by Bondis performance. Shes never given us much cause to believe shes a crusader for justice, job title notwithstanding. Her background, too, is pretty much what youd expect from this administration: a $25,000 political donation made to her from Trumps foundation, illegally routed through a charity. Lobbying work for private prisons, the government of Qatar, Amazon, and Uber. Defence for Trump during his first impeachment trial. An unforgettable appearance alongside Rudy Giuliani at the Four Seasons Total Landscaping Company, there to deny the results of the 2020 election. But theres something so confronting about watching her refuse to crack now, after what weve all seen in the Epstein files. The insistent sticking to the script, the eye-rolling, the irritated and exasperated sighs: they come together to form such a calcified apathy that it cant be chipped away at even by the most stomach-churning of horrors. We are, ultimately, talking about children. Vulnerable children, used as playthings for old, rich men across the entire political spectrum and elsewhere besides. Bondi had a chance to rise to the occasion today. She holds one of the most important jobs in the United States, possibly the most important in the context of the Epstein files. Instead, when asked whether Trump who was shown in a video partying with Epstein had been in attendance at any parties with underage girls, she answered, This is so ridiculous. They are trying to deflect from all the great things Donald Trump has done. Who is they? Is it the Democrats? The victims? The wider public, who wont stop talking about the whole global pedophile thing, since it seems like kind of a big deal, all things considered? Really, it doesnt matter. Because Bondi has already decided that the whole Epstein files issue is just like everything else: us versus them, Dow-loving patriots versus stick-in-the-mud, Antifa-card-carrying domestic terrorists. And she made it very clear today: shell continue to be aggrieved on behalf of the people who really deserve her sympathy. 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 man detained by authorities on Tuesday for kidnapping Today show co-anchor Savannah Guthries mother, Nancy, has spoken out. Identifying himself only as Carlos, he says that he had never even heard of the missing 84-year-old until being detained. Nancy vanished sometime during the late hours of January 31 and the early hours of February 1, and the desperate search to find her became international news. The announcement that Carlos had been held came just after the FBI released a chilling picture of a masked man outside of the 84-year-olds home. Carlos, who was stopped at a traffic light south of Tucson, told ABC 15 that he is completely innocent. They didn't even tell me what's going on until the detectives got here, Carlos claimed. They told me I was being detained for kidnapping, and I asked them, Kidnapping of who? open image in gallery Carlos arrest comes after police released a photograph of a masked man outside of Nancy Guthries home ( FBI ) According to him, police had insufficient evidence to charge him with anything. Supposedly, I was at her house, but, like I said, I deliver packages for GLS, he continued. I might have delivered a package to her house. Carlos told the broadcaster that he was detained for hours before Pima County officers eventually told him he was free to leave. Jacob Owens, a reporter at KVOA, tweeted that a home belonging to Carloss mother, Josefina Maddox, had been searched by police. Maddox says her son in-law has nothing to do with Guthries disappearance, Owens continued. She adds he doesnt have what was seen in the footage released today. She says he works in Tucson as a delivery driver. She adds officials did not have a search warrant, but she let them in. open image in gallery Police also searched a property believed to belong to Carlos mother ( AP ) The Pima County Sheriffs Department broke the news that they had detained a suspect on Tuesday evening in a public statement. Earlier today, Pima County Sheriff's Department deputies detained a subject during a traffic stop south of Tucson, the press release read. The subject is currently being questioned in connection to the Nancy Guthrie investigation. The department added that the suspect was detained with assistance from the FBI, who Carlos says could still bring him back in for further questioning. A screenshot from the doorbell footage depicts a masked and armed man lurking on Nancy Guthries porch, tampering with her doorbell camera system. The black-and-white image was obtained by the PCSD after a long effort to recover footage that had been lost, corrupted, or inaccessible. Over the last eight days, the FBI and Pima County Sheriffs Department have been working closely with our private sector partners to continue to recover any images or video footage from Nancy Guthries home that may have been lost, corrupted, or inaccessible due to a variety of factors - including the removal of recording devices, the Pima County Sheriffs Department said in a statement posted to X. open image in gallery Savannah Guthrie and her family have said they are willing to pay Nancys kidnappers for her return ( Instagram/@savannahguthrie ) The video was recovered from residual data located in backend systems. Over the last eight days, the FBI and Pima County Sheriffs Department have been working closely with our private sector partners to continue to recover any images or video footage from Nancy Guthries home that may have been lost, corrupted, or inaccessible due to a variety of factors - including the removal of recording devices, the Pima County Sheriffs Department said in a statement posted to X. The video was recovered from residual data located in backend systems. The footage and photos were also shared online by FBI Director Kash Patel, who offered a $50,000 reward for information to assist the investigation. Nancy Guthrie was first reported missing on February 1, after she did not show up for a Church service as usual. A subsequent investigation found that her home showed signs of a break-in and that traces of blood were on her porch. Forensic testing soon determined that the blood belonged to Nancy. A ransom letter offering to return Nancy in exchange for $6 million was sent to several publications, but the deadline has since passed with no update. Savannah Guthrie, the star of the Today show, has said that her family was willing to listen to the authors of the ransom note and were prepared to negotiate their mothers release. Close Police identify 18-year-old suspect in killing of eight including mother and brother 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 Canadian police officially identified the victims of Tuesdays mass school shooting in Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia. Six were killed at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School, including students Abel Mwansa, 12; Ezekiel Schofield, 13; Kylie Smith, 12; Zoey Benoit, 12; and Ticaria Lampert, 12; and educator Shannda Aviugana-Durand, 39. Police identified the suspected shooter as 18-year-old Jesse Van Rootselaar, who allegedly attacked the school after killing her 39-year-old mother, Jennifer Jacobs, and 11-year-old stepbrother, Emmett Jacobs, at a nearby home. The shooting also wounded multiple children, including to Maya Gebala, 12. The girl was reportedly trying to lock the door when she was shot. We were warned that the damage to her brain was too much for her to endure, and she wouldn't make the night, her mother wrote in a post on Facebook. Our baby needs a miracle. Rootselaar was found dead with what police believe was a self-inflicted wound. Investigators have not identified a motive for the shooting. 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 Jesse Van Rootselaar, the 18-year-old who killed eight people in Tuesdays mass shooting in British Columbia, Canada, had a long-documented interest in firearms and school shootings, according to social media posts. Police received reports that a shooter, now known to be Van Rootselaar, opened fire at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School around 1.28 pm Tuesday. Shortly before heading to the campus, she killed her 39-year-old mother and 11-year-old stepbrother at their home, police have said. The shooting at the school left three female students, all 12-years-old; two male students, aged 12 and 13; and one 39-year-old educator dead. Police later found Van Rootselaars body at the school, with the teen having died from what is believed to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Now, it has been revealed that Van Rootselaar was born biologically male but had been transitioning to female over a six-year period. open image in gallery Eight people were killed in Jesse Van Rootselaars attack on Tumbler Ridge Secondary School on Tuesday ( Reuters ) A TikTok page under the name jessestrangg, with Strang being the surname of Van Rootselaars mother, reposted several videos about 28-year-old school shooter Audrey Hale. At the time of the shooting, Hale had been going by the name Aiden during gender transition. Hale opened fire at The Covenant School in March 2023, killing three third-graders and three staff members at the Nashville school. The TikTok account that shared content related to Hale also had a profile picture that matched a now-deleted YouTube account allegedly belonging to Van Rootselaar. Both accounts, seen by theVancouver Sun, had profile pictures of a girl brandishing a rifle in an anime style. Jennifer Strang, Van Rootselaars late mother, promoted the YouTube channel in a Facebook post, also seen by The Vancouver Sun, in which she claimed her daughter posts about hunting, self-reliance, guns. Two guns were recovered from Tumbler Ridge Secondary School after the shooting, though neither was registered to Van Rootselaar, whose gun license expired in 2024. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police have confirmed that there was a history of police attendance at Van Rootselaars home, with some of the call-outs relating to mental health-related issues. In one instance, Van Rootselaar was held under the Mental Health Act and checked into a hospital for assessment. open image in gallery When police arrived at the school, they found that the shooter had died from a seemingly self-inflicted gunshot wound ( AFP/Getty ) Although details surrounding the attack are still coming to light, some reports are beginning to paint a clearer picture of Van Rootselaars upbringing. Van Rootselaar lived an almost nomadic life in her youth, according to a 2015 B.C. Supreme Court family case filing, which led Strang to keep her family in British Columbia at the request of her father. These children have led an almost nomadic life, from what I have been told, with multiple moves over the last five years between Newfoundland, Grand Cache and Powell River, Justice Anthony Saunders wrote in the ruling, which was seen by CBC. It can hardly be the case that the children are tied in any meaningful sense to that one location. Cops have also confirmed that Van Rootselaar dropped out of school around four years before the shooting, although it is unknown whether she actually attended Tumbler Ridge Secondary School. What happened during the shooting at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School? Cops have confirmed that Van Rootselaar killed her mother and stepbrother at their home before heading to the school. Authorities received calls about the incident at the school before the shooting at the familys house. The RCMP first received reports about the shooting at the school at 1.20 pm local time, with officers arriving two minutes later. Police received a call about Van Rootselaars mother and her stepbrother at around 2.47 pm, after a young female who lived at the address called the cops from a neighbors house. open image in gallery Two of Van Rootselaars victims were her 39-year-old mother and 11-year-old stepbrother ( AFP/Getty ) Many of the students barricaded themselves in their classrooms as the shooting unfolded, a 12th-grade student named Darian Quist told CBC News. He said that pupils began sharing pictures with each other from different parts of the campus, giving a fractured view of what was actually going on. The official death count was listed at 10 for some time before being corrected to 9. More than 25 people were taken to a local clinic with possible injuries, while two other victims with significant injuries were airlifted to the hospital to receive urgent attention. 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 Actor Cheryl Hines appeared on Joe Rogans podcast and insisted that her husband Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr was being misrepresented by the media as someone who "is trying to hurt people." Hines sat down with Rogan this week for an interview that included a discussion of her husband's portrayal in non-conservative media. When people talk about Bobby and they want to paint him as somebody who is trying to hurt people its like look at his career and who he is and what hes accomplished," she said. He spent a lot of time suing huge corporations because they were polluting waterways, which was hurting people, killing people, and giving people cancer. Hines said his legal work showed that his intentions are only to help the general public. So why would he spend all of his life fighting for people, fighting for individuals, and then suddenly change and want to hurt people? she said. It just doesnt track. open image in gallery Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr and his wife, actor Cheryl Hines. Hines said during a recent interview on the Joe Rogan podcast that the media was misrepresenting her husband as someone who is trying to hurt people. ( AFP/Getty ) Despite placing the blame for her husband's reputation on the media, it is not news organizations claiming Kennedy's leadership is dangerous, but rather health experts. In October, six former Surgeons General who served collectively under every president since George H. W. Bush wrote a letter published in The Washington Post warning the public that "the actions of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. are endangering the health of the nation." "Over recent months, we have watched with increasing alarm as the foundations of our nations public health system have been undermined. Science and expertise have taken a back seat to ideology and misinformation," they wrote. "Morale has plummeted in our health agencies, and talent is fleeing at a time when we face rising threats from resurgent infectious diseases to worsening chronic illnesses." The Surgeons General cited Kennedy's propensity for "advancing dangerous and discredited claims about vaccines," including the "thoroughly discredited theory that childhood vaccines cause autism" and "misinformation about the HPV vaccine," among their points of criticism. Last fall, when Donald Trump and Kennedy trotted out their alleged findings linking Tylenol to childhood autism, medical professionals pushed back on their claims. When questioned about mothers seeking pain relief during pregnancy, Trump suggested they "tough out" their symptoms. Having a fever and just toughing it out is unacceptable in pregnancy, Dr. Melissa Simon, the vice chair for research in the department of obstetrics and gynecology at Northwestern University, told WTTW. She said avoiding Tylenol for pain or fever relief over autism fears "can lead to far more harm than taking Tylenol to relieve the fever." open image in gallery Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F Kennedy, Jr, and President Donald Trump claimed in 2025 that Tylenol was linked to childhoot autism and warned pregnant women away from taking the popular fever and pain reducer. Kennedy later walked back his statements, saying the link was only suggestive and not proven ( Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images ) "The same thing with pain, toughing it out the president nor other people who are telling women who are pregnant should just tough it out with respect to fever and pain have not been pregnant. Tylenol is considered the safest over-the-counter choice when treating either a fever or pain, she said. Kennedy later softened his position after initial blowback to his announcement, insisting the data were merely "suggestive" of a link. Weve all said from the beginning that the causative association between Tylenol given in pregnancy is not sufficient to say it definitely caused autism, but it is very suggestive, he said in late October. In Samoa, an island nation of 200,000, more than 5,700 people contracted measles, and 83 died in 2019. The Samoan Ministry of Health cited Kennedy's visit to the island the same year and his vaccine skepticism for encouraging locals to forgo vaccines at a critical time to stop the spread. The Samoan incident showed us how disinformation can kill, Dr. Paul Offit, who has followed Kennedys anti-vaccine activism for more than 20 years, told The Guardian. He sowed further distrust, he jumped all over it he met with anti-vaxxers in Samoa to promote the notion that its not measles, its the vaccine, and immunization rates dropped. Kennedy insists he is not anti-vaccine, but rather supports vaccines that have been rigorously vetted for safety. open image in gallery Former Center for Disease Control and Prevention Director Susan Monarez testified to Congress that she believes Department of Health and Human Services Secretary RFK Jr was turning the health agency into a rubber stamp for policies driven by his ideological views on vaccines ( Getty ) However, the HHS secretary in June removed all 17 members of the CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices and replaced them with his own hand-picked members. Around the same time, former CDC Director Susan Monarez resigned and warned Congress that Kennedy was turning the health organization into a tool for enacting his ideological beliefs on the nation. Monarez and former Chief Medical Officer Debra Houry testified that the agency had been "reduced to a rubber stamp" under Kennedy's leadership. "Due to the secretary's actions, our nation is on track to see drastic increases in preventable diseases and declines in health," Houry said. The Independent has requested comment from the DHHS. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice The sudden shutdown of airspace in Texas earlier this week was due to a lack of communication over the use of an anti-drone laser by Customs and Border Protection during an apparent attempt to stop operations by Mexican drug cartels, according to reports. The use of the laser, sanctioned by the Pentagon but not relayed to aviation authorities, resulted in the sudden closure of the airspace over El Paso, Texas, by the Federal Aviation Administration late Tuesday, according to The New York Times. A Trump administration official told The Independent that Mexican cartel drones breached American airspace, though sources close to the matter told The NYT that what USCBP officials believed to be a drone turned out to be a party balloon. Defense Department officials were reportedly present during the incident, the outlet reported. But the department later claimed the threat from drones was no longer present. The Independent has contacted the Defense Department, the Department of Homeland Security and the FAA for clarity over the incident. open image in gallery The sudden shutdown of airspace in Texas earlier this week was due to a lack of communication over the use of an anti-drone laser by U.S. Customs and Border Patrol, according to reports ( El Paso Airport ) A source told The Associated Press the laser was deployed near Fort Bliss without coordinating with the FAA, which decided then to close the airspace to ensure commercial air safety. Sources told CBS News that FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford did not consult the White House, Pentagon or Homeland Security officials over the decision. The technology was used this week despite a meeting scheduled for later this month between the Pentagon and the FAA to discuss the issue, the sources added. In its initial announcement online the FAA stated that all flight operations at the southwestern airport located near the U.S.-Mexico border would be prohibited for 10 days from February 11-21 due to special security reasons. open image in gallery El Paso airport travelers were advised to get in contact with airlines for the most up-to-date flight status information ( REUTERS ) The ban spanned a radius of 10 nautical miles and it applied from the ground up to about 18,000 feet. No pilots may operate an aircraft in the areas covered, the FAA said, though it noted that Mexican airspace is excluded. But the ban was lifted just hours later. The temporary closure of airspace over El Paso has been lifted, the FAA said in a statement on Wednesday morning. There is no threat to commercial aviation. All flights will resume as normal. In a travel advisory posted on Wednesday, the airport said that the ban impacts all flights, including commercial, cargo and general aviation. It noted that travelers should get into contact with airlines for the most up-to-date flight status information. Reactions from officials On Wednesday morning, Congresswoman Veronica Escobar, who represents El Paso, described the ban as unusual, and that she was still scrambling to get the facts. The highly consequential decision by FAA to shut down the El Paso Airport for 10 days is unprecedented and has resulted in significant concern within the community, she wrote in a post on X on Wednesday morning. From what my office and I have been able to gather overnight and early this morning there is no immediate threat to the community or surrounding areas, she said. In a statement, City Representative Chris Canales said that there is no indication the area faces any kind of imminent safety threat. But he described the lack of advance notice as especially troubling. open image in gallery Air Force Two at El Paso International Airport in 2021. The airport services over three million people per year ( AFP via Getty Images ) This is going to have a deep economic impact on the region, including in southern New Mexico, New Mexico Rep. Gabe Vasquez said in a video posted on X on Wednesday morning. The medium-sized El Paso airport which is the 73rd largest in the nation services over three million people per year. Over 1,000 flights were scheduled during the next 10 days, according to Cirium, an aviation firm, indicating thousands of travelers could have been impacted. At a news conference on Wednesday after the ban was lifted, El Paso Mayor Renard Johnson criticized the federal governments actions. I want to be very, very clear that this shouldve never happened,Johnson said. You cannot restrict air space over a major city without coordinating with the city, the airport, the hospitals, the community leadershipThat failure to communicate is unacceptable. The lack of a clear explanation for the sudden closure and quick reversal has fueled fear and speculation online. Shouldn't the citizens of El Paso know if they're in any danger? one user wrote on X. I would hate to think our government is causing unnecessary panic. Folks. Pay attention. This is unprecedented, Juliette Kayyem, a CNN national security analyst, wrote on social media. El Paso airport is the gateway to Mexico. Hes going after the cartels, I suspect. What travelers should do According to the FAA, there are no federal requirements pertaining to canceled or delayed flights. Instead, each airline has its own policies. If an airline has made a commitment to provide a particular service or compensation, then the Department can hold the airline accountable, the Department of Transportations website states. It notes that stranded travelers can ask airline staff if they can compensate them for the cost of hotels or meals. Following the El Paso airport closure, United Airlines issued a statement saying that travelers can exchange their tickets for new flights without paying a fee or fare difference. Southwest Airlines said it had notified affected customers and will share additional information as it becomes available. 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 Jeffrey Epstein gave quarterly payments to the head of Ohio State Universitys gynaecology department, according to newly released emails. Dr. Mark Landon, a gynecologist and obstetrician at the schools Wexner Medical Center, allegedly received as much as $25,000 per payment for an unspecified period in the early 2000s. He also received several packages from Epsteins associates from 2001 until at least 2004, although the contents of the packages are unknown. The alleged transfer of cash was revealed in the latest tranche of documents related to the disgraced financier and pedophile, which was made public in January 2026. One 2006 email exchange between Epstein and an advisor suggests that Dr. Landon was set to receive payments in January, April, July, and October of that year. open image in gallery OSU gynecology professor Dr Mark Landon allegedly received $25,000 from Jeffrey Epstein each quarter ( OSU ) Are we still paying Mark Landon? a man named Darren wrote. Eric was dealing with this, so I am not sure what was decided when the previous payment was made. Landon's agreement requires quarterly payments of $30k to be made to Landon on the 15th of January, April, July and October, he continues. The previous payment made to Landon was for $25,000 and not $30,000. The contract is terminable at will on 15 days' prior notice. Is NYSG to make payment to Landon by January 15th and if so for $25K or $30K? Please advise. Epstein later replied, 75 per year. He does not elaborate on what this means. However, a separate email exchange, dated April 11, 2005, appears to capture Eric overseeing a payment to Dr Landon. Dr. Landons $25k quarterly payment is due, please approve, Eric wrote. Hours later, Eric said that he had billed LHW/Abigail for the $25,000. FYI: on the Dr. Landon quarterly payments, we (NYSG) billed LHW/Abigail In advance as we have In prior years, he wrote. open image in gallery Epstein was convicted in 2008 for child sex crimes, although his alleged payments to Landon predate this ( AP ) The identities of LHW and Abigail are unknown, as are the reasons for the payments. However, it is known that one of Epsteins clients at the time was Les Wexner, then-CEO of Victoria's Secret. Wexners middle name is Herbert. Since 1993, the philanthropist has been married to his wife, Abigail. Wexner, a billionaire who built his fortune through the iconic lingerie company and oversees brands including Abercrombie & Fitch, donated $100 million to the school, which led to the hospital being named for him in 2012. Dr. Landon has worked at the medical center since 1987. However, neither Wexner nor Dr. Landon has been accused of any wrongdoing in connection with the Epstein case. The obstetrician remains employed at Ohio State and even has a hospital visitor lounge named after him. In a statement supplied to NBC 4, Dr Landon denied any wrongdoing in relation to Jeffrey Epstein. I did not provide any clinical care for Jeffrey Epstein or any of his victims, Landon said. I was a paid consultant for the New York Strategy Group regarding potential biotech investments from 2001 to 2005. I had no knowledge of any criminal activities; I find them reprehensible and I feel terrible for Epsteins victims. open image in gallery Dr Landon remains a professor at OSU and has even had a waiting room named after him ( AP2012 ) Wexner publicly apologized for his association with Epstein in 2019, claiming he had broken off their relationship in 2007. I am embarrassed that, like so many others, I was deceived by Mr. Epstein, he wrote. I know now that my trust in him was grossly misplaced and I deeply regret having ever crossed his path. Epsteins ties to prominent academics have been long documented, with the pedophile spending years cultivating relationships with leading scientists, professors, and philosophers. Noam Chomsky, who is considered to be the father of modern linguistics, sent a gushing email to Epstein in 2019 as press attention towards the pedophile ramped up. Ive watched the horrible way you are being treated in the press and public, Chomsky wrote. Its painful to say, but I think the best way to proceed is to ignore it. Thats particularly true now with the hysteria that has developed about abuse of women, which has reached the point that even questioning a charge is a crime worse than murder, he added. open image in gallery Noam Chomsky has been alleged to have a long-running friendship with Jeffrey Epstein ( House Oversight Committee ) Another prominent academic named in the files is Yale computer science professor David Gelernter. The pair exchanged several emails about women, with the Yale professor writing to Epstein that beautiful women are the fuel source of all human creativity. In another email, he told Epstein that he planned to hire an editoress based on her appearance. Yale sr, worked at Vogue last summer, runs her own campus mag, art major, completely connected, v small goodlooking blonde, Gelernter wrote. The professor even wrote in an email that he would love to host Epstein at Yale, despite the disgraced financier being convicted of child sex charges two years before the message was sent. Their correspondence seemingly came to an end in 2015, after Epstein declined an offer to invest in Gelernters sons start-up firm. Gelernter has since paused all teaching at the university, according to an email seen by Yale Daily News. The Independent has contacted OSU, Dr Mark Landon and Dr David Gelernter for further comment. GLOBALink | Global flavors meet Chinese New Year in Chongqing Pub Date:26-02-11 09:16 Source:Xinhua As the Chinese New Year approaches, an international fair celebrating global flavors and local traditions made its debut in Chongqing. Locals welcomed the New Year with authentic tastes from around the globe. #GLOBALink Editor:Qin Shuying Related News Young travelers chase authentic Spring Fes... Cultural market fuels vibe for Chinese New... GLOBALink | Festive vibes ahead of Spring ... GLOBALink | Philip Read's wish for the Yea... 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 President Donald Trumps boots-on-the-ground Border Patrol official congratulated an officer shortly after he shot a Chicago woman five times, according to messages released by federal prosecutors. In light of your excellent service in Chicago, you have much yet left to do!! Bovino wrote in an email to the officer on October 4, just hours after shooting 30-year-old Marimar Martinez. A federal judge granted the release of the messages and other documents in connection with a now-defunct criminal case against Martinez, a teachers assistant and U.S. citizen, who was accused of assaulting officers with her car during the Trump administrations surge into Chicago last year. In text messages after the shooting, Border Patrol officer Charles Exum wrote that his superiors were supporting him big time after he fired at Martinez, including Bovino, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and El Jefe himself, an apparent reference to the president. Texts also show that another officer called him a legend and offered beers on me. Another told him put that one in your book buddy. open image in gallery Border Patrol official Greg Bovino praised an officer for his excellent service hours after he shot Marimar Martinez five times in Chicago, according to messages in newly released court records ( AP ) Exum was placed on administrative leave after after the shooting but it is not clear whether he returned to work. In a statement to The Independent, a spokesperson for Customs and Border Protection said the agency is committed to the highest standards of conduct, transparency, and accountability and referred questions to the Department of Justice. The spokesperson said all significant use-of-force incidents are thoroughly investigated, reviewed and presented to the National Use of Force Review Board, which includes members of CBP, the Justice Department and DHS, including the DHS Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties. Body camera footage from the scene also appears to show the officer turning his steering wheel towards Martinezs car after officers can be heard saying its time to get aggressive footage that appears to undermine Homeland Securitys claim that Martinez and another man rammed the agents. District Judge Georgia Alexakis allowed the release of evidence after federal prosecutors argued that publishing Exums text messages could sully his reputation. The judge argued the Trump administration showed zero concern about the sullying of Ms. Martinezs reputation. Martinez pleaded not guilty to charges that she used her vehicle to assault, impede, and interfere with the work of federal agents in Chicago. open image in gallery Hours after he shooting, Bovino offered to extend the officers service and asked another official to coordinate a most illustrative endeavor ( Department of Justice ) Prosecutors with the U.S. Attorneys office in Chicago dropped the charges after lawyers for Martinez raised questions about evidence, but her legal team continues to press the Trump administration for evidence after labeling her a domestic terrorist. Lawyers for Martinez are now suing the administration in a case that attorney Chris Parente says will allow the public to see the real evidence as opposed to the false claims of our government. We live in a strange time right now, where we cannot trust our government, he said Wednesday. open image in gallery In her testimony to members of Congress, Martinez said she could feel bullets pierce her body as she tried to flee officers who side-swiped her with guns drawn ( Getty Images ) In videos from the scene, officers can be heard saying they are boxed in before colliding with another vehicle. An officer climbs out of the vehicle, points his weapon and yells dont you f****** move. Exum, who was behind the wheel, then exits the car, and five shots can be heard. Footage of Exum firing at Martinez is not included. In testimony to members of Congress last week, Martinez told lawmakers she was using her car horn to warn neighbors about the presence of federal immigration officers when she was side-swiped by Border Patrol officers who tried to cut her off. She said she feared for her life and tried to flee, and thats when agents opened fire. open image in gallery Text messages from Border Patrol officers released in connection with a case agains Marimar Martinez, who was shot five times in Chicago, show officers appearing to boast about the shooting ( Gerry Images ) As I continued to drive past the Border Patrol agents, I could hear my back passenger window shatter, and I felt bullets continue to pierce my body, she said. As I attempted to drive to a safe location, I began to feel lightheaded. I looked down and saw blood gushing out of my arms and legs and realized I had been shot multiple times. Images from the scene released by prosecutors Tuesday show the passenger seat and dashboard of her Nissan Rogue covered in blood. Previously released messages show the officer appearing to brag about the shooting to other officers. I fired 5 rounds and she had 7 holes, he wrote. Put that in your book boys. open image in gallery Text messages from the officer who shot Marimar Martinez appear to show him saying he received support from Trump administration officials ( Department of Justice ) Hours after the shooting, Bovino offered to extend Exums service with Customs and Border Protection. Id like to extend an offer for you to extend your retirement beyond age 57, he wrote in an email. In light of your excellent service in Chicago, you have much yet left to do!! Bovino then instructed a colleague to work with Exum to accomplish this most illustrative endeavor. Border Patrols now-former commander at large spearheaded the Trump administrations surge of federal immigration officers into Democratic-led states and cities, where officials and protesters accused him of leading a violent assault against immigrants and citizens alike. He was reportedly pulled out of Minnesota after agents under his command fatally shot two demonstrators. Border Patrol agents shot and killed Alex Pretti last month just two weeks after an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer fatally shot Renee Good. After growing public outrage and bipartisan political pressure, Trump deployed White House border czar Tom Homan to Minnesota, and Bovino was sent back to his post at CBPs branch in southern California near the U.S.-Mexico border. Ahead of a Chicago operation marked by a wave of lawsuits and allegations of violent force, Bovino pushed back against internal efforts to focus Border Patrol operations on targeted arrests rather than large-scale sweeps, according to emails obtained by NBC News. ICEs acting director Todd Lyons told Bovino to focus on arresting people who are already on federal law enforcements radar for immigration violations and other laws, according to the messages. But Bovino said he declined the directive and said he reports to Corey Lewandowski, a top aide to Secretary Noem. Mr. Lyons seemed intent that CBP conduct targeted operations for at least two weeks before transitioning to full scale immigration enforcement, Bovino wrote in an email to Homeland Security officials in September. I declined his suggestion. We ended the conversation shortly thereafter. Noem and Lewandowski have reportedly been sidelined from the Trump administrations street-level mass deportation campaign after fatal shootings in Minnesota. Homan reports directly to the president, effectively cutting Noem out of the chain of command. 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 Fox News has declined to run an anti-ICE TV spot that prominently features a clip of Joe Rogan comparing federal immigration agents to the Gestapo, according to a report. The advert from the Jewish Democratic Council of America, entitled Its Gone Too Far, focuses on the killings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti in Minneapolis last month, as well as the detention of five-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos, and calls on President Donald Trump to call off his illegal immigration crackdown. Federal agents are executing and terrorizing American citizens, the spots voiceover declares. Detaining and teargassing children, creating chaos. It then cuts to a clip of Rogan asking: Are we really going to be the Gestapo? Wheres your papers? Is that what weve come to? ICE are out of control, the narrator resumes. When the government kills Americans and lies about the victims to cover up the crime, its not law and order and its not leadership. Those responsible must be fired. President Trump, stop the abuse, investigate the killings, its gone too far. open image in gallery Podcaster Joe Rogan likens ICE agents to the Gestapo in a recent episode of The Joe Rogan Experience, commenting on the fatal shooting of two protesters in Minneapolis ( The Joe Rogan Experience/Spotify ) While CNN and MSNBC are running the JDCAs advert this week, Fox has declined to run it, according to Mediate. JDCA CEO Halie Soifer told the outlet that the organization had intended to run the video during a break in Fox and Friends the conservative networks morning show, which Trump is known to watch avidly and had not received an explanation as to why it was rejected. The Independent has reached out to Fox News and to Rogan for comment. Jewish Americans have long rejected Trumps extremism, but its now reached a tipping point for our community and our country, Soifer said of the advert in a statement. Every American needs to turn their outrage into action, and with the midterms on the horizon, now is a critical moment to reject Trumps dangerous chaos. open image in gallery Memorials to Renee Good and Alex Pretti in Minneapolis ( Bel Trew/The Independent ) Images of the execution of American citizens in the streets remind us of the darkest moments in our history. As Jewish Americans whose values are threatened by this White House, we feel obligated to sound the alarm and declare that Its gone too far, which is precisely what were doing with this ad. As for Rogan, while he was widely credited with playing a crucial role in the 2024 presidential election by inviting Trump onto his show and endorsing him, he has since become far more critical of the president. Rogan last year called Trumps crackdown on undocumented migrants f***ing nuts, ridiculed him for texting like a 79-year-old kid and questioned the wisdom of hosting UFC fights on the White House lawn, which the president is planning to do this year. Speaking to NBC News last week, Trump brushed aside Rogans criticisms, said they had had a great conversation three days prior, adding: I think hes a great guy, and I think he likes me, too. 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 Almost three-quarters of Americans want to see ICE either reformed or abolished following the fatal shootings of protesters Renee Good and Alex Pretti in Minneapolis last month, according to a new poll. The latest survey from NBC News Decision Desk finds that 43 percent of the public believes the federal immigration agency must be reformed, while another 29 percent said they would prefer to see it shut down altogether, which, taken together, accounts for 72 percent or three people in four. By contrast, just 29 percent were happy for the agency to continue its immigration operations in its current form. There was a sharp partisan divide on that point, with 71 percent of Republicans favoring business as usual, but just 2 percent of Democrats. Regarding ICEs tactics specifically, 67 percent of respondents said its agents had gone too far, 23 percent said they had been about right, and 10 percent said they had not gone far enough. Overall, 66 percent said they disapproved of ICEs conduct, compared to just 34 percent in favor. Additionally, a whopping 62 percent of national respondents said that they did not trust that the investigations into the Good and Pretti shootings would be fair and transparent. open image in gallery Federal agents detain a protester in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on February 3, 2026 ( AFP/Getty ) President Donald Trumps personal approval rating was also found to be in poor shape following recent events in Minnesota, tumbling to 39 percent nationally, down from 42 percent in December, and to 40 percent in the northern state, down 5 percent since last summer. Trump lost the typically blue state to Democrat Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential election by 50.92 percent to 46.68 percent. A state-specific poll from NBC News Decision Desk/KARE 11/Minnesota Star Tribune also cast a stark light on the unpopularity of Trumps immigration crackdown, which has long been considered a winning issue for him. Among Minnesotans, 57 percent said they strongly disapprove of ICEs actions in their state, with another 7 percent saying they somewhat disapprove. Only 23 percent of residents were strongly in favor of the agencys operations. A question on the agencys tactics exactly mirrored the national polling. When asked whether ICE should be allowed to continue patrolling their streets in its current form or if it needed reform, only 31 percent of Minnesotans less than a third said the agency was fine as it is. By contrast, 43 percent wanted to see reform, and 10 percent said it should be abolished altogether. open image in gallery President Donald Trumps approval rating stands at just 39 percent nationally, according to NBCs latest poll ( NBC News ) Back to Trump, 60 percent of locals felt the president and his administration deserved at least some of the blame for the unrest seen over the last five weeks, with heated clashes between activists and federal forces becoming a common sight amid the bitter winter cold. The president was forced to act in response to the killing of Pretti in late January, holding crisis talks with Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, returning Border Patrol Commander-at-Large Greg Bovino to California, and drafting in his border czar, Tom Homan, to assume control. Homan has already attempted to strike a calmer tone and ordered 700 agents to stand down, urging greater cooperation between federal and state law enforcement and an emphasis on prioritizing apprehending criminal illegal immigrants, rather than conducting broader roundups of undocumented migrants, an approach Bovino favored. But with the midterm elections looming in November, Trump will be keenly aware of the need to keep the public onside if he is to avoid being hit by a blue wave at the ballot box. Perhaps most worryingly for the president, NBCs national poll found that 65 percent of U.S. citizens believe their country is on the wrong track, a little over a year into his second term. 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 social media post from U.S Vice President JD Vance's team, referring to the early 20th-century killings of Armenians by the Ottoman Empire as 'Armenian genocide,' was swiftly deleted after publication. The message had been shared following Mr Vance's visit to the Armenian Genocide Memorial honouring the victims. The term's use is highly sensitive, as the US government has historically refrained from officially designating the events as genocide. While the Biden administration previously used the term, the White House later attributed this instance to a staff mistake. Here are some questions and answers about what that means, what Vance himself did and didnt say, and why it matters. What did Vance go see in Armenia? JD Vance visited the Armenian Genocide Memorial, Armenias national monument, honouring citizens who died under the Ottoman Empires brutal control during World War I. An initial post on Mr Vances official X account, stating he was visiting to honor the victims of the Armenian genocide, was replaced. open image in gallery JD Vance visited a site called the Armenian Genocide Memorial, Armenias official national monument, remembering its citizens who died under the Ottoman Empires brutal control during World War I ( Reuters ) A second post then showed his guest book entry and a clip of the vice president and Usha Vance laying flowers at the memorial. Vance, the first U.S. vice president to visit Armenia, was in the country as part of the Trump administration's follow-up to a U.S.-brokered deal aimed at ending a decades-long conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan, where Vance traveled later Tuesday. Why does the word choice matter? Genocide is a fraught and legally distinct term that national governments, international bodies and media organizations use carefully. The United Nations in 1948 defined genocide to mean certain acts, enumerated in Article II, committed with the intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group, as such, according to the U.S. State Department's long-held understanding. It is not questioned that many thousands of Armenian citizens, most of them Christians, died at the direction of the Committee of Union and Progress that led the Muslim government in Constantinople, now the Turkish city of Istanbul. open image in gallery Vance, the first U.S. vice president to visit Armenia, was in the country as part of the Trump administration's follow-up to a U.S.-brokered deal aimed at ending a decades-long conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan ( AFP/Getty ) The U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum estimates that at least 664,000 and possibly as many as 1.2 million died. But the U.S. government has historically not recognized what happened as a genocide out of fear of alienating Turkey, a key U.S. ally in the region. In 2021, then-President Joe Biden formally recognized that the systematic killings and deportations of hundreds of thousands of Armenians by Ottoman Empire forces were a part of a genocide. Turkey reacted with fury at the time. The foreign minister said his country will not be given lessons on our history from anyone. People of Armenian descent recall the victims with memorials and an annual day of remembrance observed around the world, including in the U.S. What did Vance himself say? Vance was asked specifically on Tuesday about his visit to the memorial and whether he was recognizing genocide. He avoided using the word and said he went to pay my respects at the invitation of his host, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, and his government. They said this is a very important site for us, and obviously Im the first (U.S.) vice president to ever visit Armenia, Vance said. They asked us to visit the site. Obviously, its a very terrible thing that happened a little over a hundred years ago and something thats very, very important to them culturally. open image in gallery Armenian Americans commemorate the 108th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day with a protest outside the Consulate of Turkey in Beverly Hills, California ( Associated Press/Damian Dovarganes ) Vance added that it was a sign of respect, both for the victims but also for the Armenian government thats been a very important partner for us in the region. What did the White House say? The White House blamed the original post on a staff member. Its the second time in less than a week that the West Wing has blamed an unnamed aide for a controversy over a social media post. Last Friday, it was a racist video that Trump had shared on his Truth Social account that depicted former President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama as jungle primates. The White House defended that post initially before deleting it after a cascade of criticism. What happens next? Its not yet clear whether there will be any diplomatic consequences. Vance, for his part, seemed determined to keep the focus on the original mission of his trip. I think the president struck a great peace deal. I think the administration is really making it stick, Vance said. Still, there is the political question of whether Armenian Americans react, with the rhetorical boomerang offering one more reminder of how reluctant the U.S. has been to use the word genocide to describe what Armenians remember that way. 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 White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt appeared to contradict claims by Donald Trump that he had not asked to rename New Yorks Penn Station after himself. It was something the president floated in his conversation with Chuck Schumer, Leavitt said Tuesday, in response to a question about why the president was interested in changing the name of the building. Why not? Her remarks come following reports last week that Trump said he would unfreeze millions of dollars in federal funds for a $16 billion New York infrastructure project if Senator Schumer agreed to rename New York's Penn Station and Virginia's Dulles International Airport after him. On Friday, Trump claimed that it had in fact been the Senate Minority Leaders idea to rename the two buildings. open image in gallery White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt appeared to contradict claims by Donald Trump that he had not asked to rename New Yorks Penn Station after himself ( REUTERS ) He suggested that to me, the president told reporters on his way to Mar-a-Lago for the weekend. Chuck Schumer suggested that to me, about changing the name of Penn Station to Trump Station. Dulles Airport is really separate. Shortly after the exchange was reported Schumer posted an angry rebuttal online. "Absolute lie. He knows it. Everyone knows it," Schumer wrote. "Only one man can restart the project and he can restart it with the snap of his fingers." As of Tuesday night, Schumer has not yet responded to Leavitts claims online. The Independent has contacted the New York senators office for comment. Trump froze $200 million in federal funding for the project, the Gateway Tunnel Project in New York City, in October, even though the funds had already been approved by Congress. open image in gallery Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer reacted angrily to a suggestion by Donald Trump that he had suggested renaming the station after the president ( Getty Images ) Work on the tunnel, which would join New York and New Jersey and ultimately replace other aging infrastructure linking the states, now cannot continue due to Trump's refusal to unfreeze the federal funding. The Gateway Development Commission, which is overseeing the project, sued the federal government over the funding freeze last week. Judge Jeannette Vargas in Manhattan ruled against the Trump administration and ordered it to release the funding on Friday, the same day as Trump made his comments about Schumer. But soon after, the Department for Transport applied for a temporary restraining order against the ruling while it appealed, arguing that there would be no obvious mechanism for recovering the money if it was forced to do so. Work on the project had not been restarted as of Tuesday and a hearing is set for Wednesday to determine the next steps. The Independent has contacted the White House and the Department of Transport for comment. open image in gallery Construction on the Gateway Tunnel Project may have to pause this week as funding runs out ( Getty Images ) The Trump administration never offered any specific reason for why it froze the funds and blamed Democrats for refusing to negotiate to get the project restarted. New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill hit out at the administrations delays. "I took the president to court on Friday, and I won. The court demanded release that money, and he has yet to do so," Sherrill said Monday, per CBS. "Here we are, all this equipment waiting to be put to work, all of you not on the job, because the president of the United States cares more about politics than he does about working men and women in this country." Sherrill said that delays to the New Jersey Transit system were tied to her funding demands. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand of New York also reacted angrily to the reported naming deal in a post on X. These naming rights arent tradable as part of any negotiations, and neither is the dignity of New Yorkers, Gillibrand wrote. I demand that the president put people first and unfreeze this project and all the others his administration has been holding hostage for his personal gain. 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 Nancy Mace, the Republican firebrand from South Carolina, landed a harsh rebuke on U.S. Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick after he admitted having lunch with Jeffrey Epstein on the disgraced financiers island in 2012. On Tuesday, Lutnick told the Senate Appropriations Committee, "We had lunch on the island, that is true, for an hour", prompting calls for him to resign from lawmakers on both sides of the aisle. Speaking in an interview with NewsNation host Katie Pavlich afterwards, Mace said she was glad Lutnick had disclosed the meeting under oath during his Senate testimony this week, but criticized his decision to meet with Epstein after the disgraced financier's 2008 conviction for procuring a child for prostitution. "It is not criminal, I mean that is the truth, and Im glad that he told the truth under oath today," she said. But she added, "As a mom, I wouldnt sit and have lunch with a convicted pedophile. I dont think thats something that I would personally do, but thats my personal choice." Her condemnation puts further pressure on the Trump administration spelling out the extent to which public figures considered it acceptable to associate with Epstein after his conviction. Trump has already said he will stand by Lutnick. I wouldnt sit and have lunch with a convicted pedophile, Nancy Mace said in an interview after it emerged this is what Howard Lutnick had done ( Getty Images ) When asked whether Lutnick should resign, Mace said she did not believe the admission alone warranted his removal. I wouldnt go that far," she said. "Ive not seen any evidence that he did anything wrong. You shouldnt just be fired because of who you had lunch with. She added: "But I do question people who werent straightforward, who werent honest right away with the American public, and what are we hiding? Mace added that the newly released documents contained names she had not expected to see. I saw some names in there of people that I had no idea would be in the files, who were scheduling lunch or meetings with a convicted pedophile. Didnt do anything wrong, but certainly you question, Wow, why are all these people, rich and powerful and famous, Hollywood etc, doing this?' She emphasized that her focus remained on holding those who committed crimes accountable. My priority is justice for the victims, she said. That does not include Howard Lutnick, and it does not include President Trump. Lutnick, like several figures who served in the Trump administration, had known Epstein for years. Although he previously said he avoided Epstein after what he described as a disturbing encounter in 2005, the recent release of the files revealed that he misled the public about the extent of his ties to the convicted pedophile sex trafficker and that he continued to have contact with him. The White House press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, told reporters Tuesday that Lutnick remains a very important member of the Trump administration. She said the president, who had previously been friendly with Epstein, fully supports Lutnick. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice The fallout from the three million documents released from the Justice Department as part of the Epstein files continues to embroil high-profile politicians and businessmen as more revelations are uncovered. Justice Department officials unredacted the names of six men, including Les Wexner, the former CEO of Victorias Secret, at the request of lawmakers leading the campaign for more transparency. The members of Congress accused officials of redacting the names of potential co-conspirators as well. Tuesday, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick admitted to visiting Epsteins Caribbean island in 2012 after claiming, four months ago, he had been so disgusted by the disgraced financier he had cut ties with him in 2005. That was after documents indicated Lutnick had a further-reaching relationship than he had previously suggested. Kimbal Musk, the brother of Elon Musk, also denied any wrongdoing associated with Epstein, claiming his name was mentioned in the files because of a newsletter he sent out. Here are the latest developments with the Epstein files. open image in gallery As reporters go through the three million pages of Epstein files, more revelations about powerful people connected to the disgraced financier are uncovered ( AFP via Getty Images ) Epstein got his girlfriend into Columbia University dental school A series of documents and emails shows that Epstein used his wealth and connections to powerful people to get his girlfriend, Karyna Shuliak, into Columbia Universitys dental school after she was initially rejected. Email exchanges show Epstein reached out to a friend who worked as a professor at the school, met with administrators for drinks, managed to have the schools alumni prep Shuliak for entrance exams, had her unfinished credits from a Belarusian dental school transferred over and made a $100,000 donation to a project run by the dean of the school. Ultimately, Shuliak was accepted.The Independent has asked Columbia College of Dental Medicine for comment. Kimbal Musk denies meeting Epstein multiple times Kimbal Musk, the brother of Elon Musk, denied meeting with Epstein multiple times and explained that his name appears in the Epstein files because of a newsletter he sent out. My only meeting with that demon was in his New York office during the day. I never met with him again and I never went to his island, Kimbal Musk said on X. Email exchanges show that Kimbal Musk turned down an invitation to Epsteins island in January 2013 and, at one point, personally emailed Epstein to tell him he got divorced. Elon Musk also exchanged emails with Epstein, including some that appeared to show the two planning a trip to Epsteins island. Elon Musk denies ever going to the island or any wrongdoing. Justice Department unredacts names of six men under pressure from lawmakers The Justice Department unredacted the names of at least six men named in the Epstein files alongside Maxwell and Epstein under pressure from Republican Rep. Thomas Massie and Democratic Rep. Ro Khanna. After reviewing the unredacted versions at the Justice Department, Khanna and Massie questioned why the men, who did not appear to be survivors of Epsteins abuse, had their names censored. DOJ officials then unveiled the names: Leslie Wexner, the former CEO of Victorias Secret, who was also named as a potential co-conspirator; Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem, the CEO of DP World; Salvatore Nuara; Zurab Mikeladze, Leonic Leonov and Nicola Caputo.Wexner has denied allegations of wrongdoing. The other named people have not been formally accused of wrongdoing. Lutnick admits to visiting Epsteins island Lutnick admitted to visiting Epsteins island in the U.S. Virgin Islands with his family in 2012 but emphatically denied any wrongdoing during an unrelated Senate hearing Tuesday morning. I did have lunch with him as I was on a boat going across on a family vacation, Lutnick said after being questioned by Senator Chris Van Hollen. open image in gallery Lutnick said he and his family did not witness anything suspicious while on Epstein's island for a brief period of time in 2012 ( Getty Images ) My wife was with me, as were my four children and nannies. I had another couple, they were there as well with their children and we had lunch on the island. That is true. For an hour. Then we left. The new revelation comes after reports contradicting a claim Lutnick made as recently as October, when he said he met Epstein once in 2005 but was so disgusted that he was never in the room with him socially, for business or even philanthropy. However, documents in the Epstein files suggested Lutnick and Epstein scheduled to have drinks in May 2011, spoke various times over the phone beginning in 2009, and that Epstein donated $50,000 to a philanthropic dinner recognizing Lutnick in 2017. Lutnick insisted Tuesday that nothing untoward occurred while he and his family were on the island and he did not witness anything other than staff tending to Epstein. However, lawmakers have seized on the revelation to call for Lutnick to resign. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said Trump still supports Lutnick, referring to the commerce secretary as a very important member of Trumps team. Lutnick has not been accused of any offenses and has denied any wrongdoing. Being mentioned in the Epstein files does not in itself imply any wrongdoing. Trump reportedly thanked Florida police for investigating Epstein in 2006 Palm Beach Police Chief Michael Reiter told FBI agents that Trump called the police department in July 2006 to thank them for investigating Epstein, claiming everyone has known hes been doing this. A transcript of a 2019 FBI interview with the now-former police chief, released in the Epstein files, indicates the president may have known about Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwells activities with young women and girls prior to Epsteins 2008 state conviction. open image in gallery Trump has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing in connection with Epstein ( Getty ) Trump recommended the police focus on evil Maxwell, Reiter told the FBI. Reiter told the Miami Herald that the FBI interviewed him in October 2019 about his departments investigation into Epstein. He said Trump called him in July 2006. When asked, in July 2019, if he had any knowledge that Epstein molested underage women, Trump told reporters, No, I had no idea. I had no idea. In July 2025, reporters asked Trump if he knew why Epstein had recruited female staffers from Mar-a-Lago. Trump responded, No, I dont know really why. Epstein paid Les Wexner $100 million after theft allegations An internal Justice Department memo suggests attorneys for Les Wexner, the billionaire former CEO of Victorias Secret, told federal prosecutors Epstein repaid him $100 million for stealing or mishandling hundreds of millions of dollars. The memo states Epstein was the primary financial adviser to Wexner beginning in the 1990s, amassing real estate, a private plane and other luxuries owned by Wexner or his businesses. However, after corporate lawyers took over Wexners finances, they reportedly discovered a significant amount of funds had been misappropriated. To avoid drawing attention as Epstein was facing his first set of legal problems in Florida, Wexner agreed to a private settlement of $100 million. Wexner said he broke off relations with Epstein after that and had no subsequent contact with him. There is no suggestion of any wrongdoing by Wexner. open image in gallery Reps Massie (left) and Khanna have railed against the Justice Department for improperly redacting names of people associated with Epstein and Maxwell ( Getty ) Justice Department unredacts names from potential co-conspirator list The Justice Department unredacted the names of people listed alongside Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell, potential co-conspirators Monday evening, under pressure from two lawmakers. Republican Rep. Thomas Massie and Democratic Rep. Ro Khanna were among lawmakers who reviewed unredacted versions of the Epstein files at the Justice Department, and criticized officials for redacting the names of Wexner; Lesley Groff, Epsteins executive assistant; and Karyna Shuliak, Epsteins former girlfriend. Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez asked Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche why Wexners name was unredacted in the first place. 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 President Donald Trump reportedly had a private dinner with Rupert Murdoch Tuesday, despite his ongoing $10 billion lawsuit against The Wall Street Journal which is owned by the billionaire media mogul. The pair sat down together at the White House amid a legal back and forth that has been going on for over six months, an official and a person familiar with the meal told CNNs The Source. The Independent has contacted the White House and Murdoch via News Corp representatives for confirmation and comment on the reports. Murdoch, 94, owns News Corp, which operates hundreds of local, national, and international publishing outlets around the world including in the U.S.,, such as The WSJ and Fox News. Tensions between Murdoch and Trump apparently began last July after the president launched a massive lawsuit against The WSJ over an article exposing his alleged ties to the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. open image in gallery Donald Trump reportedly had a private dinner with Rupert Murdoch Tuesday, despite his ongoing $10 billion lawsuit against The Wall Street Journal which is owned by the billionaire media mogul ( AFP via Getty Images ) The bombshell report revealed that the president had allegedly signed a bawdy birthday letter to Epstein in 2003. Trump denied the claims and has not been accused of any criminal wrongdoing. Despite the hefty suit and insistence by the publications lawyers that the article is true and the complaint is an affront to the First Amendment, Murdoch has apparently remained friendly with the commander-in-chief. In September 2025, just two months after the suit was filed, the pair both attended a state banquet at Buckingham Palace in the U.K., held in Trumps honor. One month later Murdoch and several of his key lieutenants dined again with the president at the White House. Despite the ongoing pleasantries The WSJ has been unrelenting in its criticism of Trump and some of the administrations policies, denouncing the presidents ongoing claims that the 2020 election was stolen from him as nonsense in a December editorial. open image in gallery Just two months after the suit was filed the pair both attended a state banquet at Buckingham Palace held in Trumps honor. One month later Murdoch and several of his key lieutenants dined again with the president at the White House ( AFP/Getty ) Mr. Trump will never admit his 2020 claims were partisan nonsense. But Republicans who care about the future could do their man a favor by refusing to keep indulging them, the board pointed out. As of Tuesday Trumps war, centering on elections offices in Georgia, continues. Newly unsealed documents showed that the FBI raided an office in Fulton County and seized ballots from the 2020 presidential election in connection with a federal investigation into deficiencies or defects into Trumps loss in the state. Elsewhere other outlets under the News Corp umbrella have shown signs of questioning the administration policies, including the heavy-handed, immigration crackdown in Minnesota. open image in gallery Tensions between Murdoch and Trump apparently began last July after the president launched a massive lawsuit against The WSJ over an article exposing his alleged ties to the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein ( AP ) Late last month several prominent members of Fox News, including Brian Kilmeade, the co-host of Trumps favorite morning talk show Fox & Friends, and Sean Hannity, appeared to appeal to the president to soften operations in the wake of the killings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti by federal officers in Minneapolis. On January 26, Kilmeade implored the president multiple times to send in border czar Tom Homan to settle things down, which Trump announced later that day via Truth Social. Hannity Trumps close confidant who has been a vocal proponent of the administrations heavy-handed mass deportation operation also took to the airwaves later that evening to say that ICE should stop going into Home Depots and arresting people, adding that it wasnt a good idea. Such shifts have occurred following a significant decline in Trumps popularity ratings, despite his claims to the contrary, driven by public opinion on immigration enforcement and the administrations handling of the economy ahead of the midterm elections. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Stephen Miller is working closely with President Donald Trumps allies in the Senate to resist Democratic attempts to rein in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, according to a new report. Among these Republicans, theres a strong belief that immigration remains one of Trumps most salient political issues and that giving ground to Democrats would be a mistake. Were now going on offense, South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham told The Hill. President Trump sent [border czar] Tom Homan to Minnesota to turn down the heat, he added. That was a good decision. But the idea that were going to abandon the campaign promises of President Trump on immigration is not accurate. Graham said the Senate will vote next week on his proposal to allow criminal penalties to be brought against local and state officials who refuse to cooperate with federal immigration agents. Stephen Miller helped orchestrate that with me, the South Carolina lawmaker said. open image in gallery Stephen Miller is 'working closely' with Trump's allies in Congress to combat attempts to rein in ICE, according to a new report ( AFP via Getty Images ) Miller Trumps 40-year-old deputy chief of staff is one of the most powerful officials in the White House. He masterminded much of the administration's immigration agenda, including the policy of deporting immigrants to a prison in El Salvador. A White House spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Independent about Millers involvement. The Republican push to recapture the narrative on immigration comes at a critical juncture for the administration. Funding for the Department of Homeland Security is set to expire on Friday and many Democrats appear ready to shut the agency down unless several reforms are enacted. Last week, Democrats in Congress sent a letter to their GOP counterparts, outlining their demands that they say must be met for them to support a funding bill. Among the requests are that all immigration agents wear body cameras and IDs and that they be prohibited from wearing masks. On Monday, GOP lawmakers put forward a counterproposal, and they are awaiting a response from Democrats. Senate Majority Leader John Thune, a South Dakota Republican, said that negotiators are making progress on a funding deal. open image in gallery Several GOP senators are planning to push for proposals that would allow for the penalization of illegal immigrants as well as state and local who do not cooperate with federal immigration authorities ( REUTERS ) Another GOP senator going on the offensive is Missouris Eric Schmitt, who is pushing for a reform package that would increase penalties on immigrants who enter the country illegally. I think Democrats probably underestimated our resolve to push back on their ridiculous demands. What theyre proposing effectively kneecaps ICEs ability to do their jobs and creates de facto amnesty for 15 [million] to 20 million people who came here illegally, because you wouldnt be able to process deportations and get people out, Schmitt told The Hill. Were not doing that, he added. open image in gallery During an oversight hearing on Tuesday, House Democrats grilled the heads of ICE, CBP and USCIS ( AFP/Getty ) Yet, while Republicans move to retake control of the immigration debate, President Trumps enforcement crackdown is facing mounting scrutiny from lawmakers and the broader public. During an oversight hearing on Tuesday, Democrats on the House Homeland Security Committee grilled the heads of ICE, U.S. Customs and Border Protection and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. They zeroed in on recent enforcement operations in Minnesota which led to the deaths of two people: Renee Good and Alex Pretti. This hearing is just the start of a reckoning of the Trump administration and its weaponization of DHS against American citizens, Rep. Bennie Thompson, a Mississippi Democrat, said. DHS must be held accountable, he added. Rep. LaMonica McIver, a New Jersey Democrat, embraced more fiery rhetoric, asking Todd Lyons, ICEs acting director, whether he believes he is going to hell. Meanwhile, Republicans on the committee applauded the actions of federal immigration agents and accused Democratic officials at the state and local levels of refusing to cooperate. Recent polling indicates that many Americans have concerns about the administrations immigration enforcement actions. According to a February Quinnipiac University survey, 63 percent of Americans disapprove of the way ICE is enforcing immigration laws, while 34 percent approve. Similarly, a January Siena College poll found that 61 percent of Americans believe the tactics employed by ICE have gone too far. 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 Republicans are growing increasingly concerned about the Texas Senate race as the primary, now less than one month away, could see the ouster of a sitting GOP senator in a move that Democrats are eyeing as an opportunity for a surprise pickup this fall. A new poll out from the University of Houston Hobby School of Public Affairs on Monday shows state Attorney General Ken Paxton leading Sen. John Cornyn by seven points, with support from 38 percent of likely voters to the senators 31 percent. Rep. Wesley Hunt, the third major candidate in the Senate race, was trailing at 17 percent with comparatively lower name recognition, a sign he is struggling to get voters to know him. Cornyns defeat in March would be a blow to the GOP Senate caucus, which views him as much more likely to hold his seat against a Democratic challenger, either Rep. Jasmine Crockett or state Rep. James Talarico, in November. Even with Republicans still favored to keep the seat, the race is shaping up to be an expensive money pit for Republicans, thanks to the competitiveness of the GOP primary. The surveys co-author, Mark Jones, told Houston Public Media on Tuesday that Cornyn has been largely unable to blunt his opponents momentum. [W]hile hes received [criticism] from Cornyn, it doesnt seem to have really changed things too much in the sense that his supporters are sticking with him overall, said Jones, a political science fellow at Rice University. open image in gallery Texas Sen. John Cornyn is still holding out hope for Trumps endorsement ( AP ) The issue of endorsements has weighed over the primary. Donald Trump has held out on endorsing Cornyn for re-election, allowing Paxton to openly court the presidents MAGA base and paint the senator as disloyal to the president. He hasnt endorsed against Cornyn, as was the case in Louisiana against Sen. Bill Cassidy, though there are clearly still reservations on the presidents part possibly due to Paxtons polling strength and support from Trumps MAGA base. The senator said in an article published by the Washington Post on Monday that hed spoken with the president about the race, and was holding out hope that Trump would grant his seal of approval. Every time I talk to him on the phone, he says, Hows the race going? and then he cites polls back to me so I know hes following it closely, he told the Post. The presidents MAGA base now appears to be coalescing behind Paxton to a significant degree in the absence of Trumps support for a candidate. Turning Point USA, the Charlie Kirk-founded conservative youth organization closely aligned with the White House, granted Paxton its endorsement on Tuesday, causing immediate panic among Cornyns supporters in Washington. Whoever thought that was a good idea really doesn't understand the headwinds that we've got to deal with, Sen. Thom Tillis told HuffPosts Igor Bobic of the TPUSA endorsement. Tillis, from North Carolina, is likewise seen as a big reason why his party is in danger of losing the Senate this year, as the retiring senators seat is favored to be won by North Carolinas Democratic governor, Roy Cooper. Paxton, cheekily, favorited an X post with Tilliss comments on Tuesday. open image in gallery Ken Paxton is leading in the GOP primary, hoping to unseat John Cornyn ( Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved ) The attorney general and his MAGA supporters are adamant that Republicans will have no trouble holding the seat in November if a conservative strongly aligned with the president is the GOP nominee. The UH Hobby School poll published this week affirms that Republicans do have an advantage though it was within the surveys margin of error. Increasingly, Democrats are seeing an opportunity, even if a damaged Cornyn is able to hold on to his seat next month. Time magazine reported last week that while Senate Majority Leader John Thune has been successful so far in keeping Trump from endorsing one of Cornyns challengers, Republican strategists are increasingly fearful he will do so before the March 3 primary. I think if Republicans nominate the attorney general, I think [Democrats] absolutely do [have a chance to win], Cornyn told CNN in an interview. At minimum wed have to spend hundreds of millions of dollars to salvage that seat that could be used in places like Georgia, Michigan and New Hampshire and elsewhere. Democrats are emboldened by poll numbers that show both Paxton and the incumbent Cornyn only leading Democratic candidates by the low single digits and recent elections in Texas that saw a Democrat trounce a Republican last week in a state senate district that heavily favored Donald Trump in 2024. The swing and the growing possibility of a blue wave year have Democrats feeling more optimistic than ever. But the Democratic contest between Talarico and Crockett has grown acidic in recent days, with supporters of the two candidates waging war on X and other social media platforms over accusations from an influencer backing Crocketts campaign about Talarico supposedly insulting Rep. Colin Allred, who stepped out of the race and endorsed Crockett after she decided to run. And polls consistently show that Republicans have the advantage regardless of who wins the primary. open image in gallery The Democratic primary between James Talarico and Jasmine Crockett has grown toxic online ( AP ) For their opponents, however, the opportunity to win a key Senate seat while at a minimum causing Republicans to panic and spend money is too good to pass up. And with their party now firmly on defense across the country, it could be more pressure than the presidents party can handle. Trump is now taking a new focus on the midterms, according to reporting. The Post revealed that the White House hosted a midterm strategy meeting that lasted for five hours last Wednesday, and ended with Trump vowing to spend whatever it takes to help his party defy expectations and hold both the House and Senate. His penchant for causing factional rifts within the GOP that often elevate candidates who win primaries and lose general elections could end up making that effort a waste, however, as many in his party are now openly acknowledging strong political dynamics working against the party this year. On Feb. 1, he told reporters at Mar-a-Lago he was giving the Texas Senate primary a very serious look. Youll be seeing soon, said the president. They say whoever I endorse wins. Thats probably right. 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 President Donald Trump confused Greenland and Iceland so much that Reykjavik hired a lobbyist in Washington, D.C., for advice, according to a new report. Trump had repeatedly appeared to mix up Greenland and Iceland during his speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos in January. The president has pushed for the U.S. to acquire Greenland, a semi-autonomous territory of Denmark, since before he returned to the White House. Trump has claimed the country needs Greenland for national security purposes, warning that it is threatened by adversaries Russia and China. In his Davos speech, Trump said, referring to European nations, Theyre not there for us on Iceland, that I can tell you. But it was Greenland that European leaders rebuked Trump over, writing in a statement that the mineral-rich Arctic island belongs to its people. open image in gallery President Donald Trump confused Greenland and Iceland so much that Reykjavik hired a lobbyist in Washington, D.C., for advice, according to a new report ( Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images ) White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt falsely claimed that Trump did not incorrectly refer to Greenland as Iceland in his speech. A newsletter published by The Bulwark Tuesday revealed that Icelands ambassador to the U.S., Svanhildur Holm Valsdottir, had hired lobbying firm Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck to provide strategic advice on navigating engagements with the United States government. The Bulwark cited a Department of Justice filing dated last Wednesday that included a letter to the ambassador from Jason Buckner, an attorney with the lobbying firm, that laid out their agreement. The agreement included a monthly retainer fee of $25,000 for the next six months. The filing went in-depth about what Brownstein would actually do to help the government of Iceland, including introducing officials to U.S. government stakeholders and giving constructive feedback on emerging priorities for Iceland. open image in gallery Trump appeared to repeatedly mix up Greenland and Iceland during his Davos speech last month as he pushed for the U.S. to acquire the Danish territory ( Jonathan Nackstrand/AFP via Getty Images ) While its not explicitly clear whether this new relationship has to do with Trumps recent comments, The Bulwark pointed out the curious timing of it all. Not only did [the agreement] come just a week after Trumps repeated apparent substitution of Iceland for Greenland in his belligerent Davos speech, but earlier in January, Trumps nominee to serve as ambassador to Iceland, Billy Long, joked to his former House colleagues that the country would become Americas 52nd state with himself installed as its governor, the newsletter read. open image in gallery Icelands ambassador to the U.S., Svanhildur Holm Valsdottir, had hired lobbying firm Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck to 'provide strategic advice on navigating engagements with the United States government' ( Leon Neal/Getty Images ) Long later apologized for his comments, telling nonprofit news site Arctic Today, There was nothing serious about that, I was with some people, who I hadnt met for three years, and they were kidding about [Louisiana governor and special envoy to Greenland] Jeff Landry being governor of Greenland and they started joking about me and if anyone took offense to it, then I apologize. The Independent has reached out to the Icelandic embassy in D.C. for comment. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice The last time Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu came to the White House, it was so he and President Donald Trump could finalize a deal to end one war in the Middle East. On Wednesday, Netanyahu returned to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue determined to stop Trump from rushing into another deal that could prevent a far bloodier war from starting in the same region. Netanyahu arrived at the White House just before 11 am.. his seventh visit in the year since Trump returned to power last January for a closed-door sit-down with his American counterpart to discuss Trumps push for a new-look deal with the Iranian government aimed at curbing the Islamic Republics longstanding nuclear ambitions. The Israeli leader left just before 2 p.m., with neither he nor Trump appearing before cameras or taking questions from reporters as is customary when foreign leaders visit the White House. But Trump took to Truth Social within minutes of Netanyahus departure to characterize the session as a very good meeting that had not resulted in any decisions being made on what any future Iran deal would look like but talks would continue. There was nothing definitive reached other than I insisted that negotiations with Iran continue to see whether or not a Deal can be consummated. If it can, I let the Prime Minister know that will be a preference, he said. If it cannot, we will just have to see what the outcome will be. Last time Iran decided that they were better off not making a Deal, and they were hit with Midnight Hammer That did not work well for them. Hopefully this time they will be more reasonable and responsible. Trump added that the two leaders had discussed tremendous progress being made in Gaza as well. open image in gallery Donald Trump met with Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday at the White House. Pictured: The two together in Florida in December ( Getty Images ) The Israeli leaders visit with Trump comes as American and Iranian representatives are set to resume talks in Oman on an agreement that could address Tehrans weapons program, which Trump had claimed to have obliterated in a series of bunker-buster attacks by B-2 bombers last June. The initial session, which was led on the American side by Trumps son-in-law Jared Kushner and roving peace envoy Steve Witkoff, came after Washington backed out of a plan to meet for direct talks in Turkey. But Iranian officials balked at the proposed format and insisted on limiting the scope of any negotiations to the countrys nuclear program. Netanyahus visit to Washington, which comes as negotiators are preparing for further bilateral talks, was announced immediately after what Trump had described as very good talks between Kushner, Witkoff and Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi the first meeting between U.S. and Iranian officials since the June 22 airstrikes on Iran ordered by Trump. The Israeli leader is understood to be extremely wary of any attempt by Trump to reach an accord on Irans nuclear program if negotiations dont include requirements that Iran similarly agree to curb its ballistic missile program and support for proxy militias in the region. Netanyahus insistence on including missiles and proxys in any nuclear agreement dates back at least a decade, to when he came out as a vehement opponent of efforts by the Obama administration along with the other four permanent members of the U.N. Security Council and the E.U. to implement the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action that relaxed sanctions against Tehran in exchange for restrictions on Iranian uranium enrichment. Netanyahus decision to deliver a bombastic address to a joint session of Congress opposing the deal and to court Republicans against the Obama administration endeared him to Trump, who pulled the U.S. out of the agreement during his first term. But its not clear whether Trump still has the same broader desires with respect to any potential replacement agreement. open image in gallery Netanyahus motorcade is seen arriving at the White House. Trump described their meeting as very good ( Getty Images ) In recent weeks, he said his goal in pushing Iran to make a deal is solely to ensure that Tehran does not ever develop a nuclear weapon something the countrys leaders have disclaimed any interest in. But Trump did express some agreement with Netanyahus longstanding position during a Wednesday interview with former National Economic Council director turned Fox Business Network host Larry Kudlow when he said that Irans rulers want to make a deal. It's got to be a good deal. No nuclear weapons, no missiles, no this, no that, all the different things that you want, he said. To that end, Trump has deployed one U.S. Navy carrier strike group to the region and is reportedly mulling whether to order a second such group to join it in what would be an unusual and escalatory military buildup. He told Axios in a separate interview ahead of the meeting with Netanyahu that either the U.S. and Iran will make a deal or he will have to do something very tough like last time. The military pressure campaign also comes at a delicate moment for the Iranian government, which is reeling from the economic effects of longstanding sanctions and struggling to tamp down civil unrest. Last month, a violent crackdown against anti-government protesters killed as many as 6,800 people, according to human rights groups. Trump has also threatened military action if Tehran had hanged protesters arrested during the crackdown, but he later backed off those threats after he claimed to have been informed that the hangings had been called off. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Donald Trumps administration has quietly withdrawn federalized National Guard troops from Democratic cities after a series of court rulings struck down the presidents plans. The withdrawal quietly concluded last month, with no public acknowledgment from the White House or Department of Defense despite the administrations insistence that U.S. military assets needed to be deployed on American streets to curb violent crime and support immigration enforcement. The end of those deployments, first reported by The Washington Post, is mentioned only by the U.S. Northern Command, stating that troops sent to Chicago, Portland and Los Angeles have completed demobilizing activities. That includes the withdrawal of more than 5,000 troops from California, roughly 500 troops in Chicago and another 200 in Oregon at the presidents direction. They were sent home by January 21, according to the Pentagon. Those deployments cost nearly half a billion dollars, according to the Congressional Budget Office. open image in gallery National Guard troops federalized by President Donald Trump appear to have quietly been withdrawn after the administration lost several court cases alleging they were unlawfully deployed ( Getty Images ) A month before those deployments ended, Trump announced on his Truth Social account that the administration would be removing service members despite the fact that CRIME has been greatly reduced by having these great Patriots in those cities, and ONLY by that fact. Portland, Los Angeles, and Chicago were GONE if it werent for the Federal Government stepping in, he wrote. We will come back, perhaps in a much different and stronger form, when crime begins to soar again - Only a question of time! White House deputy press secretary Abigail Jackson downplayed the news that the administration had withdrawn those troops, as of last month, saying that The Washington Post was covering an announcement the President made HIMSELF over a month ago, followed by three clown emojis. Last year, the president began ordering National Guard troops to several Democratic-led cities, an effort that one federal judge rebuked as Trumps attempt to create a national police force with the president as its chief. Legal challenges from state and local officials accused the administration of using American streets for political theater, and in December, the Supreme Court blocked the administration from sending the military into Chicago. Trump later announced the withdrawal of service members from other cities. The Supreme Court, weighing in on the legal battle over boots on the ground in Illinois, appeared to reject the administrations argument that protests against the presidents anti-immigration agenda are so volatile that only the National Guard, under Trumps orders, can stop them. For the first time, crickets from Donald Trump, wrote Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker. After losing in court multiple times to Illinois and other states, the National Guard was finally quietly pulled out of our streets. The pressure is working, and weve got to keep at it. More than 2,500 National Guard members are still in Washington, D.C., but under a separate arrangement for a mission that is expected to end this year. National Guard members were initially deployed to the nations capital to help fight crime. But have often spent time picking up trash while others patrolled the National Mall and train stations. In November, two West Virginia National Guard service members were shot near the White House. Air Force Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe remains in inpatient rehabilitation after he sustained a gunshot to the head. His colleague, U.S. Army Spc. Sarah Beckstrom, died one day after the attack. open image in gallery National Guard service members were deployed to patrol Washington, DC, and ended up picking up trash. That deployment is expected to end later this year ( Getty Images ) There are also troops in Memphis and New Orleans through an agreement with the Trump administration but under the direction of their respective states governors. Last year, Trump had federalized the normally state-authorized National Guards, going above the command and objections of Democratic governors. Democratic officials and civil rights groups feared the president was testing the limits of his authority to send active-duty military into American streets for politically charged missions, and violating service members commitments to stay out of domestic politics in the process. Trump deployed troops to Chicago, Portland and Los Angeles under Title 10, which allowed the president to exert authority over a states National Guard. But the military cannot perform law enforcement activities, like making arrests or performing searches. In January, the Pentagon ordered roughly 1,500 active-duty troops to prepare for deployment to Minneapolis in response to protests against the administrations surge of immigration officers and violent raids That deployment never happened, and the administration pulled out Border Patrols commander-at-large Greg Bovino and roughly 700 federal officers after the fatal shootings of demonstrators Renee Good and Alex Pretti. 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 President Donald Trump has suffered a devastating blow from his favorite polling company, which has found that 48 percent of Americans believe his predecessor Joe Biden did a better job in the Oval Office. The findings from Rasmussen, whose research the president routinely promotes on Truth Social whenever it casts him in a flattering light, have only 40 percent of respondents backing Trump over Biden. Whats more, Rasmussen head pollster Mark Mitchell posted on X (Twitter) Tuesday: If an election were held TODAY between Trump and Biden, Biden would win. There are a million valid arguments you can make that explain why thats r******d, and I would agree with most of them. But that doesnt change the fact Biden would win. open image in gallery President Donald Trump has long disparaged his predecessor Joe Biden but a majority of the American public now believes the Democrat did a better job in the White House ( AFP/Getty ) Political strategist Chris D Jackson, meanwhile, compared the Rasmussen polling with two other recent surveys from YouGov and Harvard CAPS/Harris to point out: Three polls in one week all say the same thing. A majority of Americans believe Joe Biden was a better president than Donald Trump. When even Rasmussen shows it, you know how bad things have gotten for Trump. While the unfavorable Biden comparison is likely to infuriate the president, who disparaged the Democrat throughout the 2024 presidential campaign and has blamed him for many of the problems he has encountered since, it is arguably not the most significant revelation from Rasmussen's polls. Perhaps of far greater significance is that a huge 58 percent of respondents told the company they do not see the golden age of America that Trump promised them materializing. Only 27 percent said they did indeed believe they were living in an epoch of unparalleled wealth, prosperity and splendor, with the remaining 15 percent unsure. That should worry the president because, when he took office last January, 52 percent of people surveyed by the same outfit said they were confident that brighter days were just around the corner, a disappointment many may choose to express at the ballot box come Novembers midterms. open image in gallery Trump may have surrounded himself with gold but few voters believe the golden age he promised them shows any sign of having materialized ( Getty ) So far, however, Trump has refused to concede that the economy is in anything other than robust health, recently telling NBC News anchor Tom Llamas that he is very proud of it while insisting that billions of dollars in tariff money is pouring into the country and that thousands of new manufacturing plants are about to reopen. But his blustering optimism is at odds with consumer sentiment: citizens regularly tell pollsters that more needs to be done to bring down the cost of living; 64 percent said so in an SSRS/CNN survey published last month. Another issue that threatens to backfire for Trump is immigration, once considered a strong suit, with another new poll from NBC this week finding that 72 percent of Americans now believe ICE should be reformed or abolished in the wake of the fatal shootings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti in Minneapolis. Two-thirds, or 66 percent, of respondents told NBC they disapproved of ICEs conduct, compared to just 34 percent in favor, strongly suggesting his crackdown on undocumented migrants could also cost him in the midterms without a significant course correction. 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 The Chinese sea captain of a Hong Kong-flagged vessel accused of damaging undersea cables and a gas pipeline in the Baltic Sea in 2023 has pleaded not guilty. Wan Wenguo, 44, the captain of the container ship NewNew Polar Bear, is alleged to have damaged an underwater natural gas pipeline and submarine telecom cables between Finland and Estonia in October 2023, according to a Hong Kong charge sheet reviewed by Reuters. The charge sheet stated that Wan had been "reckless" and "without lawful excuse damaged the property belonging to another". Finnish investigators said the container vessel had dragged its anchor to sever the Balticconnector gas pipeline. Finnish police later retrieved a broken anchor from the seabed near the pipeline, and technical examinations showed it belonged to the container vessel that was missing an anchor. A lawyer for Wan, Jerry Chung, earlier said 18 prosecution witnesses would be called to testify in the case that includes one charge of criminal damage, as well as two charges of failing to ensure the ship complied with safety requirements under the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea. Wan also pleaded not guilty to those two charges. The next hearing is on 5 May. open image in gallery Finnish Coast Guard stops a small boat which tried to reach the Cook Islands-registered oil tanker Eagle S anchored near the Kilpilahti port in Porvoo, on the Gulf of Finland ( Lehtikuva ) These witnesses include crew members, Hong Kong officials, and experts in maritime matters, Chung added. The Baltic Sea region has been on high alert for sabotage after a series of outages involving power cables, gas pipelines and telecom links since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022. NATO has boosted its military presence with frigates, aircraft and naval drones. When asked about possible Russian involvement in the case, a prosecution lawyer told reporters that there had been no indication so far in court of such a claim. But Nordic and Baltic authorities have struggled to prove intent and convict anyone including Wan for the incidents. "There has been no response to the legal assistance request that Finland sent to Hong Kong," Finnish state prosecutor Ari-Pekka Koivisto told Reuters by email. "As far as I understand, Estonia's legal assistance request has also not been answered." open image in gallery Finnish police later retrieved a broken anchor from the seabed near the pipeline, and technical examinations showed it belonged to the container vessel that was missing an anchor ( The Finnish Border Guard ) The NewNew Polar Bear first severed three telecom cables; a Russian one linking St Petersburg to Russia's Baltic exclave of Kaliningrad; and two others connecting Estonia to Finland and Sweden on 7-8 October 2023, before hitting the gas pipeline on its way to a port near St Petersburg, Russia. Estonian police have investigated the damage to Estonian telecom cables, while the owner of the Russian cable, state company Rostelecom, has said it won't seek compensation. Early on, China's foreign ministry promised both Finland and Estonia to assist with the investigations, while calling for an objective and fair probe. Ian Chan, a prosecution lawyer for Hong Kong's Marine Department that has regulatory oversight over the port city's maritime industry shipping registry, told reporters that he had not made contact with Finnish or Estonian authorities regarding the case. He noted, however, that Wan's ship, when it sailed from Russia to China, had been missing an anchor, and it had failed to report daily to its shipping company, as is required under maritime regulations. 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 Police in the Australian state of Tasmania have uncovered new evidence during a recent search operation in the case of a Belgian backpacker who went missing in wilderness nearly three years ago. Celine Cremer was last seen on 17 June 2023 and her friends reported her disappearance nine days later. The 31-year-old backpacker had travelled to Philosopher Falls, a popular hiking spot about 300km northwest of Tasmanias Hobart. She had planned a short bushwalk but never returned. This week, specialist search teams located a Honda car key, confirmed to belong to Cremer, along with human remains in a remote section of the Arthur River. The items are now being examined by forensic experts. Her vehicle was eventually found parked at the falls. Police confirmed on Tuesday evening that the recovered car key matched Cremers vehicle. We tried the key, and it worked, Commander Nathan Johnston said. During a focused operation over Sunday and Monday this week, authorities examined a 350-metre stretch of riverbank and recovered several new items. Police have now found five bones and two teeth. Police have today formally verified that the car key belongs to Celine, Mr Johnston said in a statement. The search undertaken over the past two days was thorough and methodical, and many of these items were located beneath debris, embedded in the riverbed itself. Mr Johnston told reporters the challenging environment had taken a toll on search crews. Due to the large time span of the search, and the involvement of Tasmania Police personnel and members of Ambulance Tasmania due to the conditions, (it has been) very trying for them, and they have been searching through extreme conditions for the past three years, he said. I commend them for their efforts along with the efforts theyve undertaken alongside the work of volunteers and members of the community in finding the items we have located within the Arthur River. Investigators will now carry out detailed forensic reviews. The specialists do a review of the work undertaken already and from that, they can provide a recommendation on what we do into the future, he said. A big part for us is to try and find as much as we can, (and) if it is Celine, to reunite as many items that we can to her family. Search efforts intensified after human remains were discovered two weeks ago near the area where she was last seen. Since then, police and volunteers have carried out detailed sweeps of the rugged terrain. While forensic testing is yet to be completed, a pathologist has reviewed images and confirmed the remains are human, Inspector Andrew Hanson said in a statement last month. Authorities believe previously recovered clothing, a mobile phone, and other belongings point to the possibility that it is Celine. Whenever we find human remains, we run a secondary investigation into the identity of that person, and we liaise with the coroner and other specialists to provide us that recommendation, he said. open image in gallery Police and other personnel during the recent search ( Tasmania Police ) Cadaver dogs assisted in the latest operation, with officers and wilderness paramedics winched into the isolated area and forced to camp overnight due to severe weather, police said. Police said they are in close contact with Cremers family as the investigation continues. We are continuing our liaison with Celines family to keep them informed as we review the search efforts to date, Mr Johnston said. Their daughter has been missing for a number of years now, but the best we can do is hope to give that family some closure, he said. A private investigator, Ken Gamble, who had been searching for Cremer, told AAP on Tuesday: I think we can now make a fairly good determination about what happened to Celine. We know that she got lost. We know that she lost her phone. We know that shes possibly drowned in the Arthur River, he was quoted as saying by the Australian Associated Press. Its given me closure as an investigator, Im very satisfied weve done everything we can to solve the case. He said that finding Cremers car keys was like finding a needle in a haystack. To be finding a phone and then keys and then bones and all these things, its quite miraculous, really. 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 police officer had to break it to her gently. First, he asked Gisele Pelicot whether she thought she knew her husband Dominique so well that he couldnt hide anything from her. She said yes. He also asked whether the couple ever swapped partners. I heard myself stammering that swinging was inconceivable for me. I couldnt bear other men touching me. I needed feelings, she recalls. Then the officer warned her: I am going to show you photos and videos that are not going to please you. And then her world fell apart. The first photo showed a man raping a woman who had been laid out on her side and dressed up in a suspender belt. That's you in this photo, the policeman said. He then showed her another photo, and another after that from a collection of images that Dominique Pelicot took of his wife over the years when he regularly knocked her unconscious by lacing her food and drink with drugs, so that strangers he invited to their home could assault her while he filmed. Ms Pelicot could not believe that the inert woman in the photos was her. I didn't recognise the individuals. Nor this woman. Her cheek was so flabby. Her mouth so limp. She was a rag doll, she writes in her new book recounting her story of survival and courage, Frances most shocking mass rape case. Fifty-three men had come to our house to rape me, she recalls being told by the officer, Laurent Perret. Gisele Pelicot and her son Florian Pelicot, third left, return to the courthouse during the appeals trial ( Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. ) My brain froze in the office of Deputy Police Sergeant Perret. Dominique Pelicot, found guilty on all charges, was given the maximum possible sentence of 20 years in prison after a highly publicised trial in 2024. He had recruited other men in an online chatroom to rape her while she was unconscious; 47 of them were found guilty of rape, two found guilty of attempted rape and two guilty of sexual assault. They were jailed for a total of 428 years. Extracts of her book, A Hymn to Life: Shame Has to Change Sides, written with journalist Judith Perrignon, and published by French newspaper Le Monde, explain how her then-husband had been summoned by police after a supermarket security guard caught him secretly taking video up womens skirts. Ms Pelicot was completely unprepared for the bombshell coming. Gradually, the officer explained the actions of the man she regarded as a loving husband and whom she described as a super guy. Horrified, she had no idea then of how subsequent events would turn her into a a global icon for campaigns against sexual violence. Embodying the message that it is the perpetrators, not the victims, who should feel shame, the 72-year-old grandmother waived her anonymity in the trial of her ex-husband and the 50 other men. The book relates how the morning had begun peacefully, when police asked her and her husband over the phone to go to the station. Dominique Pelicot was interviewed first on his own, extracts published in The Times reveal. Then Deputy Sergeant Perret took Ms Pelicot into his office. He asked me how I met Dominique and I answered that it was at my aunts home in July 1971, and it was a real coup de foudre [love at first sight], she writes. When the officer told her that her husband had been charged with rape and drugging her, she broke down in tears. He also showed her photographs and videos taken from her husbands computer. It showed a man lying beside her, raping her. Its you in this photo, Perret said. No it isnt me, she answered. He showed her a photo of another man raping her, still in his firemans pullover. By then, she could hardly hear what the policeman was saying. It was like the distant echo of a voice, she writes. They were then joined by a young woman, a psychologist. I felt far away, although we were in the same room. I didnt need her. I was sure of my happiness, our happiness. Nearly 50 years of marriage and I could still clearly picture our first meeting. His smile. His shy look. His long curly hair, down to his shoulders. His navy jumper. He was going to love me. Ms Pelicot says that when she spoke in court during the trial, she had prepared some notes. People are thanking me for my courage each day. I want to say to them, its not courage but the will and determination to change this patriarchal, macho society. She says that accepting a closed-door trial would have protected her abusers and left her alone with them in court, hostage to their looks, their lies, their cowardice and their scorn. No one would know what they had done to me. Not a single journalist would be there to write their names next to their crimes, she explains. Above all, not a single woman could walk in and sit in the courtroom to feel less alone. She says had she been 20 years younger, she might not have dared to refuse a closed-door hearing. I would have feared the stares," she writes. "Those damned stares a woman of my generation has always had to contend with Perhaps shame fades all the more easily when youre 70, and no one pays attention to you any more. 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 Mounting pressure on the Trump administration led to the release of millions of documents linked to the case of the late paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein. The files have illuminated Epsteins vast web of connections to royalty, politicians and public figures from around the world, including those who stayed in touch even after his 2008 conviction for soliciting prostitution. But for all the furore around the New York traffickers ties to the upper echelons of American society, it is mainly European figures who have fallen so far. open image in gallery Millions of Epstein files have been released, but there are potentially millions more to come ( AP ) Britains former prince Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and members of the Norwegian royal family continue to face intense scrutiny for their past relationships with Epstein. Norway and France have launched investigations into senior former politicians, while Latvia, Poland and Lithuania are grappling with the possibility that people were trafficked from their countries. With Epstein survivors demanding greater transparency over the remaining millions of files, The Independent looks at the high-profile European figures who have been caught up in the scandal to date. United Kingdom: Royal disgrace and a PM under pressure open image in gallery Photos from the latest files appear to show Andrew on all fours with a woman on the floor ( US Department of Justice ) The British royal family and political establishment have been rocked by revelations included in the Epstein files. The disgraced former prince Andrew was stripped of his title in late October, following the release of Epstein accuser Virginia Giuffres posthumous memoir, Nobodys Girl. But details of his continued correspondence with Epstein, published between November and January, hastened his departure from the Royal Lodge. King Charles said on 9 February that the palace was ready to support the police if approached, as police weigh the grounds for an investigation into Andrew for suspected misconduct in public office and breach of official secrets. Andrew has always denied wrongdoing. open image in gallery Police are investigating alleged misconduct in a public office following Lord Mandelsons contact with Epstein ( PA ) Prime minister Sir Keir Starmer is also under pressure to resign over his decision to appoint Labour grandee Peter Mandelson to the role of US ambassador in 2024, despite some knowledge of his historic ties to Epstein. Starmer said Mandelson gave the impression he barely knew Epstein after files showed the pair had spoken for years after the 2008 conviction. Mandelson said he did not want to cause further embarrassment in his decision to resign. The Met Police have since launched an investigation into alleged misconduct in public office. Lord Mandelson has denied any wrongdoing in relation to Epstein and said he regrets maintaining the relationship. Norway: Crown princess regret and a political corruption probe open image in gallery Crown princess Mette-Marit says she regrets her correspondence with Epstein ( Cornelius Poppe/NTB ) Norways royal family and political establishment have been similarly shaken by the release of the Epstein files. The latest files show correspondence between Norways crown princess, Mette-Marit, 52, and Epstein for years after the 2008 conviction. She previously denied knowing about his criminal past, but recently released emails suggest she wrote to him that it didnt look too good in 2011, with a smiley-face emoji, after searching his name online. Mette-Marit said in a recent statement that she showed poor judgment and regret having had any contact with Epstein at all. Police are also investigating Thorbjorn Jagland, Norways former prime minister, on suspicion of aggravated corruption in relation to his contact with Epstein. He is suspected of receiving gifts, travel and loans in connection with his former positions as chair of the Norwegian Nobel Committee and secretary general of the Council of Europe. open image in gallery Thorbjorn Jagland, a former prime minister and foreign minister, spoke to Epstein for several years ( AP ) Jagland distanced himself from Epstein late last year after it emerged in a previous release of files that they had discussed Russia and US president Donald Trump in 2018. Mona Juul, the countrys ambassador to Jordan and Iraq, was also suspended after the files pointed to extensive contact with Epstein after his conviction. Documents suggest she and husband, Terje Roed-Larsen, visited Epsteins island with their children. A version of Epsteins will suggested the two children stood to inherit $5m each from him. And the World Economic Forum launched its own investigation into its CEO, Boerge Brende, over his ties to Epstein. WEF said Brende, a former Norwegian foreign minister, had three dinners with Epstein and exchanged messages. Brende said he was unaware of Epsteins past and regretted not investigating him further. France: A former minister steps down open image in gallery Former minister Jack Lang resigned from his role shoring up Arab-French ties in the fallout of the release of the Epstein files ( AFP/Getty ) Former French culture minister Jack Lang, 86, resigned from his role as president of the Arab World Institute on 7 February, after the files showed he maintained contact with Epstein long after his conviction. Lang was a major figure in French socialist governments between the 1980s and 2000s. The files showed they spoke intermittently between 2012 and 2019, and had financial links. Lang's daughter Caroline, 64, resigned as head of Frances Independent Production Union. The files show that the former Warner Bros executive partnered in 2016 with Epstein in a company called Pyrtanee LLC. French prosecutors opened an investigation into Lang and his daughter on suspicion of aggravated tax fraud laundering linked to Epstein. Both have denied wrongdoing. Slovakia: Security adviser resigns over comments about young women open image in gallery Miroslav Lajcak resigned to avoid his ties to Epstein being used against the prime minister ( AP ) Slovakian national security adviser Miroslav Lajcak resigned after the latest files showed the pair exchanged emails about young women. He said the correspondence dated back to 2018, when he was foreign minister. In a statement, he denied wrongdoing and condemned Epsteins crimes, but said he was stepping down to prevent the issue from being used politically against prime minister Robert Fico. Sweden: Princess says she briefly met Epstein but cut contact open image in gallery Princess Sofia of Sweden (pictured in 2015) says she met Epstein in her twenties before his conviction ( Getty ) The release of the files also saw Princess Sofia of Sweden, 41, open up about her previous contacts with Epstein. At a seminar organised by the royal couples foundation, she said she met him at a few social events in her twenties, before his conviction. I met him in a few social contexts, she said. Fortunately, it was just that, the princess continued. When I read about the terrible crimes he committed against young women today, I am grateful that I had no further contact with him afterwards, she said. My thoughts go out to all the victims. I hope there will be justice in this. Belgium: Prince forced to clarify past meetings open image in gallery Prince Laurent of Belgium, the brother of the king, says he met Epstein twice ( AFP/Getty ) Prince Laurent of Belgium also clarified his relationship with Epstein after his name was included in the financiers address book. The prince issued a statement at the start of February, days after the main release, saying that he met Epstein face to face twice, after saying he had never attended an event with the financier. He said he probably wasnt clear enough the first time, adding: When I said that I had never attended an event at which Epstein or his entourage were present, I meant public or collective events. I have, however, met Epstein twice face to face at his request. Once in the early 1990s and a second time in the early 2000s. He did not explain why they met or where. He asked me questions I constantly refused to answer, the prince said. He wanted to meet my parents to introduce them to his billionaire friends; I told him my parents were not for sale. 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 NATO has launched a new military effort in Greenland, dubbed Arctic Sentry, that aims to improve security in the High North. The mission comes a month after U.S. President Donald Trump ramped up tensions within the alliance over his threats to annex Greenland. Initially, Arctic Sentry will be the NATO label for national military exercises in the region, such as Denmarks Arctic Endurance which angered Trump so much that he threatened to slap tariffs on allies taking part and Norways Cold Response drills. Arctic Sentry does not involve the permanent or even long-term deployment of troops to the region under a NATO banner. NATOs role in this series of military activities, which will be coordinated through its U.S. headquarters in Norfolk, Virginia, is aimed at countering Russian and Chinese influence in the High North, which includes Greenland. European allies hope that Arctic Sentry and ongoing talks between the Trump administration, Denmark and Greenland will allow NATO to move on from the dispute ( Getty ) Arctic Sentry underscores the alliances commitment to safeguard its members and maintain stability in one of the worlds most strategically significant and environmentally challenging areas, said U.S. Air Force Gen. Alexus Grynkewich, NATOs Supreme Allied Commander Europe. It will leverage NATOs strength to protect our territory and ensure the Arctic and High North remains secure, he continued. As part of the effort, the United Kingdom has announced that the number of British troops deployed to Norway will double over three years from 1,000 to 2,000. Some will be involved in Exercise Lion Protector, already planned for September. Details are sketchy, but other NATO activities will be added to Arctic Sentry once broader security needs are assessed and as the national military exercises end. France and Germany have said they will take part but have not said how many troops would be involved. Arctic security has been on NATOs agenda in recent years seven allies lie in the region, along with Russia but pressure to act accelerated as Trumps determination to get Greenland fueled tensions among the allies. NATOs primary role is to defend the territory of its 32 member states. The specter of the alliances most powerful country threatening to annex part of another ally, Denmark, has deeply shaken the rest of the alliance. Greenland is a semiautonomous territory in the Danish realm. European allies hope that Arctic Sentry and ongoing talks between the Trump administration, Denmark and Greenland will allow NATO to move on from the dispute and focus on Europe's real security priority, Russia's war on Ukraine. Rescue operations continue in Kharkiv as Kyiv says Moscow used new weapon in deadly attack On The Ground newsletter: Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly international news dispatch Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Volodymyr Zelensky says Ukrainian experts are heading to the Middle East to provide expertise on combatting Iranian drone attacks. Kyiv is hoping to leverage its experience with drone warfare in exchange for new supplies of US air defence missiles, amid concerns that the Middle East conflict could stretch global supplies. Asked how Kyiv intended to help the United States and its Gulf allies counter drone attacks, Zelensky said it was too early to say anything else at this stage, adding that experts would arrive on site in the coming week and assess the situation and help. Ukraine has highlighted its expertise in drone warfare since the outbreak of the joint US and Israel attack on Iran, and has expressed interest in supplying interceptor drones to counter Iranian Shahed UAVs in exchange for Patriot air defence systems. Ukraine was already facing a shortage of costly PAC-3 interceptor missiles supplied by the United States, and officials fear a prolonged conflict with Iran could further disrupt supplies. On The Ground newsletter: Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly international news dispatch Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Volodymyr Zelensky is planning to announce a spring election and a referendum on a peace deal to end the war with Russia, according to reports. The Ukrainian president, under mounting pressure from the White House, is set to announce the election plans on 24 February, according to the Financial Times. It comes after the United States issued a June deadline for Ukraine and Russia to finalise a peace agreement in a bid to end the four-year war. On Friday, Zelensky said: "The Americans are proposing the parties end the war by the beginning of this summer and will probably put pressure on the parties precisely according to this schedule." open image in gallery Volodymyr Zelensky is planning to announce a spring election, according to reports ( AP ) The Americans are in a hurry, a source familiar with the matter told Reuters. Russia continues to insist on Ukraine's withdrawal from the fiercely contested Donbas region, a condition Kyiv has unequivocally rejected. However, the European Union says it is working on its own sustainable peace plan that could help force Russias hand and bring the war in Ukraine to an end. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said she was "very grateful" for US diplomatic efforts to end the war in Ukraine but that Ukraine's European allies would have to agree to any future peace agreement. Everybody around the table, including the Russians and the Americans, needs to understand that you need Europeans to agree (to have a peace deal)," Ms Kallas said, speaking to reporters in Brussels. And for that, we also have conditions. And we should put the conditions, not on Ukrainians, who have been already pressured a lot, but on the Russians. The foreign policy chief added that Europe needs to push for concessions from Moscow, such as limiting its armed forces. "If they put out the maximalist demands, we should also put out the maximalist demands, she said. open image in gallery Rescuers remove debris at a thermal power plant damaged by multiple Russian missile strikes, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine ( Reuters ) It comes as Mr Zelensky assembled his top military officers on Tuesday to discuss shortcomings in air defence and other aspects of protecting civilians from Russian attacks. Speaking in his nightly video address, the president assessed how local authorities in Ukraine's cities were tackling the aftermath of massive Russian attacks, particularly in ensuring high-rise apartments had power and heating. Mr Zelensky said he held long discussions with the military's Commander-in-Chief, Oleksandr Syrskyi, the chief of the general staff, Andrii Hnatov, and defence minister Mykhailo Fedorov. "Many changes are happening right now in the work of air defence. In some regions, the way teams operate, interceptors, mobile fire units, the entire small air defence component is being practically rebuilt completely," he said. "But this is only one element of defence that requires changes. Changes will happen. 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 son of a British couple detained in Iran for more than 400 days told MPs his parents have been subjected to inhumane conditions, starvation and psychological torment as he called on the government to act. Lindsay and Craig Foreman were arrested while travelling in Iran last January and subsequently charged with espionage, which they deny. They are currently being held at Tehrans notorious Evin prison. Ms Foremans son, Joe Bennett, was meeting with parliamentarians on Wednesday to tell them his parents have endured threats of execution, witnessed regular knife fights and been left visibly malnourished and suffering from chronic medical neglect in prison. Since their arrest on January 3rd 2025, more than 400 days ago, Mum and Craig have suffered a list of human rights abuses that is truly shocking, he said in a statement. We cannot allow ourselves to become desensitised. We cannot just sit and watch and wait while these terrible atrocities compound. open image in gallery The Foremans have been held in Iranian prisons for more than a year ( Family handout ) Mr Bennett, from Folkestone in Kent, has said that his parents have been made to sleep on concrete floors or metal bunks with no mattresses, living in overcrowded, unsanitary and vermin-ridden conditions. They were unable to call home for 213 days and have been subjected to 57 days of solitary confinement and interrogation, campaigners said. The Foremans have been able to have some contact with family since a hunger strike in November. Mr Bennett told The Independent in January that his parents have since been forced into overcrowded cells in the wake of Irans brutal crackdown on nationwide protests. They are now being regularly threatened as UK citizens in the midst of escalating violence and anti UK propaganda, campaigners said. Craig is said to be in agony from untreated dental pain, and both are suffering from chronic medical neglect. open image in gallery Joe Bennett shared his concerns for his mother and Craig Foreman ( Joe Bennett ) Mr Bennett, who has collected more than 60,000 signatures in a petition online, said in a statement: Our family and our parents are living and reliving these horrors every single day, and yet our Governments reaction is to wait; to wait for quiet diplomacy, to wait for an unfair judicial process to unfurl, to wait and wait and wait. Lessons from the past show that the failure of the UK Government to engage proactively on arbitrary detention has historically led to several years of additional horrific detention for hostages before the release of UK citizens as compared to their French, Belgian, German or US counterparts. We need to learn from history and not allow this to fester without intervention. Mr Bennett urged parliamentarians from all parties to demand that the UK Government formally declare the detention of Lindsay and Craig Foreman as Arbitrary Detention to make the issue a diplomatic priority and apply pressure to form a plan for their immediate release. Mr Bennetts MP, Tony Vaughan KC, invited Mr Bennett to discuss his familys ordeal on Wednesday and said: The ordeal Joes parents have endured for over 400 days is truly horrifying. They are living in conditions that no person should ever face. I am joining Joe today to call on the UK Government to formally recognise their detention as arbitrary. The FCDO must escalate their case as a diplomatic priority and formulate a strategic plan to bring them home. Waiting and seeing is no longer a strategy. An FCDO Spokesperson told The Independent: "We remain deeply concerned that Craig and Lindsay Foreman have been charged with espionage in Iran. We continue to raise this case directly with the Iranian authorities. "We continue to provide Craig and Lindsay with consular assistance and remain in close contact with their family members. 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 Pressure is mounting on Israel to scrap its plans to expand settlements in the West Bank ahead of a meeting between Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House. The Israeli prime minister has authorised steps that would make it easier for Israeli settlers to buy land in the occupied West Bank, while granting Israel broader powers in an area the Palestinians see as the heartland of a future state. Eight U.S. Democratic senators on Tuesday urged Trump to oppose the settlements, which they said would go against the countrys longstanding policy on the issue, as well as the presidents own position. open image in gallery US senators urged Donald Trump to push back against the move when he meets Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday ( Getty ) The groups statement reads: We have long expressed our concern that these reckless moves make the possibility of a two-state solution, where Israelis and Palestinians can live side by side in peace and security, further out of reach. We urge Prime Minister Netanyahu to reverse course. When President Trump meets with Prime Minister Netanyahu this week, we also urge the president to clearly reinforce the opposition of the U.S. government to Israeli government actions that set the conditions for irreversible annexation. The letter signed by senators Jack Reed, Jeanne Shaheen, Mark Warner, Patty Murray, Dick Durbin, Chuck Schumer, Chris Coons and Britain Schatz followed a caveated admission from Trump that he opposed annexation ahead of the Wednesday summit. Trump will meet with Netanyahu at the White House where they are expected to discuss the future of the Israel-Hamas ceasefire and the lingering tensions with Iran. In his seventh meeting with Trump since the president returned to office nearly 13 months ago, Netanyahu will be looking to influence the next round of U.S. discussions with Iran following nuclear negotiations held in Oman last Friday. Asked by Axios about the settlement move ahead of the meeting, the president said: I am against annexation. We have enough things to think about now. We dont need to be dealing with the West Bank. And a White House official reiterated Trump's opposition toward Israel annexing the West Bank on Monday, saying: A stable West Bank keeps Israel secure and is in line with this administrations goal to achieve peace in the region. Trump has put himself at the forefront of efforts to bring peace to the troubled region, helping steer a plan to end the war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza late last year. The two-year war saw a rise in the number of Israeli settlements in the distinct West Bank, exacerbating tensions and jeopardising future Palestinian statehood. open image in gallery Caravans in the newly-legalised Jewish settlement of Yatziv, adjacent to the Palestinian town of Beit Sahour, in the West Bank ( AP ) New measures in violation of the Oslo Accords would cancel a decades-old ban on the direct sale of West Bank land to Jews and declassify local land registry records. Settlers, until now, could only buy homes from registered companies on land controlled by Israels government. Israeli politicians on the far-right have openly pushed for settlers to be able to take Palestinian land. Finance minister Bezalel Smotrich, leader of the Religious Zionism party, said of the move: We will continue to kill the idea of a Palestinian state. The UK has said it strongly condemned the move and called on Israel to reverse the decision. A Foreign Office spokesperson said: The UK has been clear: any unilateral attempt to alter the geographic or demographic make-up of Palestine is wholly unacceptable and would be inconsistent with international law. We call on Israel to reverse these decisions immediately. 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 Independent Arabia journalist Aya Mansour has won the 2025 Kurt Schork Memorial Award for International Journalism. The Independents sister publication triumphed in the local reporter category, marking the 10th award the platform has received since its launch in 2019. Mansour was recognised for her rigorous and courageous investigative reporting in Iraq, and commended by the judges for work that vitally shed light on the mechanics of oppression. open image in gallery Aya Mansour was recognised in the Local Reporter category for her work covering the cultures and resilience of minority groups and survivors of war ( Independent Arabia ) Among her winning entries was an investigation titled Humiliation as a Doctrine, which documented systematic abuse and harsh practices within Iraqi military colleges based on direct testimonies from students. Mansour, who is a published poet and author, also received acclaim for her reporting on Iraq's indecent content laws and their impact on freedom of expression. The Kurt Schork Memorial Awards were established to recognise journalism produced under difficult or dangerous conditions. Named after American Reuters correspondent Kurt Schork who was killed in Sierra Leone in 2000, the awards highlight the vital role of local reporters and freelancers working outside of safe havens. This latest accolade joins a growing list of honours for Independent Arabia. In the past year alone, the outlet received the World Press Freedom Hero award on behalf of its late Gaza correspondent, Maryam Abu Daqqa, and secured wins at the Saudi Media Forum and the Lina Ben Mhenni Prize for Freedom of Expression. 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 Irans president said he is ashamed before the people as he issued a sweeping apology for the countrys brutal crackdown on protests which resulted in the death of thousands. President Masoud Pezeshkian said he knew the great sorrow felt by people in the protests last month, but failed to acknowledge the hand Iranian security forces had in the bloodshed. Activists estimate that over 6,000 people, mostly protesters, were killed in the crackdown on dissent, though numbers have been hard to verify independently. On the 47th anniversary of the Islamic Republics birth, Pezeshkian said: We are ashamed before the people, and we are obligated to assist all those who were harmed in these incidents. We are not seeking confrontation with the people. open image in gallery President Masoud Pezeshkian apologised to all those affected by the protests and crackdown ( Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. ) Raha Bahreini, of Amnesty International said the authorities opened fire unlawfully at protestors. She said: The vast majority of protesters were peaceful. The video footage shows crowds of people including children and families chanting, dancing around bonfires, marching on their streets. Bahar Saba of Human Rights Watch added: Iranian authorities have repeatedly shown they have no answers other than bullets and brutal repression to people taking to the streets. I think the regime viewed it as this was a moment of existential threat and that they could either allow it to play out and allow the protests to build and allow foreign powers to increase their rhetoric and increase their demands on Iran, said Afshon Ostovar, an expert on the Revolutionary Guard and professor at the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterrey, California. Or they could turn out the lights, kill as many people as necessary ... and hope they could get away with it. And I think thats what they ultimately did. open image in gallery Thousands were brutally killed in the crackdown on protests Pezeshkians speech came as Irans theocracy is under heavy pressure. US president Donald Trump suggested a second aircraft carrier group could be sent to the Middle East in an interview on Tuesday night. Trump is meeting with Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House Wednesday, with the latter pushing the US toward the strictest-possible terms in any agreement reached with Tehran in nuclear talks. Before their meeting, Trump told Fox Business that a good deal with Iran would mean no nuclear weapons, no missiles. open image in gallery The protests called for regime change and spread across the country ( AP ) Iran is also still reeling from the 12-day war with Israel last June. The devastating series of airstrikes, including the US bombing several Iranian nuclear sites, killed nearly 1,000 people in Iran and almost 40 in Israel. At the time, Trump said the US action had "obliterated" Iran's nuclear capabilities, though the amount of damage remains unclear. Satellite photos of nuclear sites have recently captured activity, prompting concern Iran could be attempting to salvage or assess damage at the sites. The United Nations' nuclear watchdog has been unable for months to inspect and verify Iran's nuclear stockpile. open image in gallery Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu were set to meet on Wednesday to discuss Irans nuclear programme ( WANA ) The Iranian president referenced nuclear weapons in his speech, insisting that his nation was "not seeking nuclear weapons ... and are ready for any kind of verification". Pezeshkian said: The high wall of mistrust that the United States and Europe have created through their past statements and actions does not allow these talks to reach a conclusion. At the same time, we are engaging with full determination in dialogue aimed at peace and stability in the region alongside our neighbouring countries. But Ali Shamkhani, an adviser to Iran's supreme leader, said on Wednesday: The Islamic Republic's missile capabilities are non-negotiable. 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 Paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein told an Emirati billionaire he loved the torture video, in a disturbing email exchange in the Epstein files. Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem has been named as one of the six wealthy, powerful men whose identities had previously been redacted in the documents. Epstein and Sulayem, CEO of international logistics firm DP World, appeared to have corresponded by email and texts for years, according to the files, discussing sex and sharing links to fetish sites. In an April 2009 email to Sulayem, Epstein wrote: where are you? are you ok , I loved the torture video. The recipient replied: I am in china I will be in the US 2nd week of may. In texts from 2007, Sulayem emailed Epstein about his attempts to meet a supermodel. According to a separate cache of emails obtained by Bloomberg, he wrote: After several attemps [sic] for several months we managed to meet in NY. there is a missunderstanding [sic] she she wanted some BUSINESS! while i only wanted some P****NESS! In 2015, Sulayem had suggested visiting the financier with his family and sent him links to fetish porn websites, according to the files. open image in gallery Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem (left) stayed in contact with financier Jeffrey Epstein after the latters conviction ( House Oversight Committee ) He also emailed Epstein about his sexual experiences, with the paedophile sending Sulayem a link to an escort website in 2017. The same year, Sulayem shared a copy of a passport belonging to a personal masseuse at Epsteins private spa, asking for help in finding her work as a trainee at the Rixos hotel in Antalya, Turkey. Images of the two billionaires together were also published in the files without context or dates, including one of them cooking in a kitchen. Sulayem is a real estate developer from Dubai with an estimated net worth of up to $8bn. He has been CEO of DP World since 2016. The firm is based in the UAE and works across cargo logistics, ports and maritime services. They claim to move 10 per cent of global trade daily. open image in gallery Epstein and Sulayem, pictured in another undated image, appear to have corresponded for years ( DOJ ) DP World employs 5,500 people in the United Kingdom, according to its website, and works across ports and freight rail terminals at London Gateway and Southampton. The company is best known in the UK for buying P&O ferries in 2019. The group fired nearly 800 members of staff in 2022 without prior notice or consultations with workers unions. Being named in the files does not suggest wrongdoing and Sulayem has not been charged with a crime in connection with Epstein. Searches suggest his name is included more than 5,000 times in the files. The US Department of Justice allowed lawmakers access to the unredacted files for the first time on Monday, which led Democrat Ro Khanna and Republican Thomas Massie to name Sulayem alongside five others on Tuesday. open image in gallery An email previously redacted, sent to Epstein about a torture video ( US Department of Justice ) Until tonight no one knew who sent the torture video to Epstein, Republican congressman Thomas Massie wrote on X (formerly Twitter). I went to DOJ, unredacted the email, and reverse searched the email to discover it was a Sultans [sic]. Our law requires VICTIMs information to be redacted, not information of men who sent Epstein torture porn! The DOJ is facing mounting pressure to release the remaining three million pages of Epstein files, and removing other redactions in the three million pages that have already been published. If we found six men that they were hiding in two hours, imagine how many men they are covering up for in those three million files, Khanna said in a speech to the House of Representatives Tuesday. open image in gallery Thomas Massie (left) and Ro Khanna speak to reporters about the Epstein files outside the offices of the Department of Justice in Washington, DC ( Getty ) Jamie Raskin, the House judiciary ranking member who also reviewed the unredacted papers, said: I was able to determine, at least I believe, that there were tons of completely unnecessary redactions, in addition to the failure to redact the names of victims. The Epstein Files Transparency Act, which became law in November, allows for certain withholdings and redactions, including to personally identifiable information about victims that would constitute a clear invasion of privacy; files that depict child abuse or images of death, abuse or injury; and information that would interfere with certain investigations, foreign policy or security. The act prohibits redactions to save for embarrassment, reputational harm, or political sensitivity, including to any government official, public figure or foreign dignitary. All redactions must be explained in writing. The Independent approached DP World and the US Department of Justice for comment. 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 President Donald Trump has indicated hes considering deploying a second aircraft carrier to the Middle East, even as Washington and Tehran prepare to resume delicate negotiations aimed at de-escalating tensions and averting a new conflict. Last week, Oman facilitated talks between Iran and the U.S., which a spokesperson for Iran's foreign ministry stated had allowed Tehran to assess Washington's seriousness and demonstrated sufficient consensus for diplomatic efforts to continue. These discussions occurred after Trump had already positioned one aircraft carrier in the region, sparking fears of renewed military action. Trump, who joined an Israeli bombing campaign last year and targeted Iranian nuclear sites, had previously threatened military intervention during a brutal government crackdown on nationwide protests in Iran last month, though he ultimately refrained. In interviews with Israeli media, Trump asserted that the United States would be compelled to do "something very tough" if a deal with Iran is not secured. "Either we reach a deal or we'll have to do something very tough," Israel's Channel 12 quoted him as saying. The precise date and venue for the next round of U.S.-Iran talks remain undisclosed. Trump also informed Channel 12 and Axios that the deployment of an additional aircraft carrier to the Middle East was under consideration. Officials have indicated that the USS George Washington, currently in Asia, and the USS George H.W. Bush, on the East Coast, are the most probable candidates ( AFP/Getty ) Officials have indicated to Reuters that the USS George Washington, currently in Asia, and the USS George H.W. Bush, on the U.S. east coast, are the most probable candidates, though each is at least a week away from the Middle East. The Pentagon could also opt to deploy the Ford carrier from the Caribbean. "After the talks, we felt there was understanding and consensus to continue the diplomatic process," stated Esmaeil Baghaei, the Iranian foreign ministry spokesman. Baghaei confirmed that Tuesday's visit to Oman by Ali Larijani, an adviser to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, had been pre-planned, and that Larijani would subsequently travel to Qatar, another nation that has mediated in several Middle East crises. Oil prices saw a slight ease on Tuesday as traders remained focused on the evolving Iran-U.S. tensions. A Reuters analysis of satellite images revealed a recent build-up of aircraft and other military equipment across the region. Notably, U.S. forces at Qatar's al-Udeid, the largest U.S. base in the Middle East, have been observed placing missiles into truck launchers as tensions with Iran have escalated since January, enabling quicker deployment if necessary. Oman's state news agency reported that Larijani and Omani Sultan Haitham bin Tariq discussed avenues to achieve a "balanced and just" agreement between Iran and the U.S., emphasising the importance of returning to dialogue to bridge differences and foster regional and global peace and security. The U.S. is seeking to broaden the scope of negotiations with Iran beyond the nuclear issue to include curbing Iran's ballistic missile programme, one of the largest in the Middle East. Tehran maintains that its missile arsenal has been rebuilt since last year's 12-day bombing campaign by Israel and the U.S., and that its stockpile is non-negotiable. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is expected to leverage a meeting with Trump in Washington on Wednesday to advocate for any U.S.-Iran deal to incorporate limitations on Tehran's missiles. Baghaei asserted that the U.S. "must act independently of foreign pressures, especially Israeli pressures that ignore the interests of the region and even the U.S." In any negotiations, Iran would continue to demand the lifting of financial sanctions and insist on its nuclear rights, including enrichment, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has stated. Washington has demanded that Iran relinquish its stockpile of uranium enriched to up to 60% fissile purity, a small step away from the 90% considered weapons grade. The head of Iran's Atomic Energy Organisation, Mohammad Eslami, said on Monday: "The possibility of diluting 60% enriched uranium ... depends on whether, in return, all sanctions are lifted or not." Asked whether the U.S. would permit limited uranium enrichment by Iran, U.S. Vice President JD Vance said during a visit to Armenia on Monday: "I think President Trump is going to make the ultimate determination about where we draw the red lines in the negotiations." Iran and the U.S. held five rounds of talks last year on curbing Tehran's nuclear programme, with the process ultimately breaking down primarily due to disputes over uranium enrichment within Iran. Since Trump struck Iran's facilities, Tehran has stated it has halted enrichment activity, consistently maintaining that its nuclear programme is solely for peaceful purposes. 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 With Netflixs Bridgerton back on our screens, Regency era style is again in the spotlight, highlighting how pop culture shapes not only fashion trends but the way we design our homes. But the Regencycore trend is not about recreating a period set; instead, translates historic elegance for modern living: sweeping drapery, decorative mouldings, and soft pastel tones balanced with contemporary finishes, practical layouts, and everyday comfort. Soft shades sit at the heart of the aesthetic. Interior designer Emma Sherlock explains: Pastel colours were a hallmark of the Regency eras decorative style, reflecting a shift toward elegant and lighter schemes, moving away from the deeper, richer tones of the Georgian period. Powder pinks were often paired with pale blues, apple greens, and soft yellows tones that feel perfectly at home on the Bridgerton set. Today, however, the key isnt to recreate the period exactly, but to reinterpret it for a contemporary interior, she advises. Pair pastels with darker, sludgy shades to add depth, and use them sparingly as too much pink in a room can quickly feel overwhelming. With this colour palette as a foundation, wallpaper often becomes the next point of focus, instantly conjuring up romance and refinement. Interior designer Rebecca Hughes recommends sweeping, hand-painted-style botanicals or damasks, paired with curved furniture, gilded accents, sumptuous velvet upholstery, and silk drapery. open image in gallery A cottage in Wiltshire by designer Emma Sherlock ( supplied ) Regencycore is all about creating a space that feels nostalgic but still effortlessly sophisticated. That balance continues in the way furniture is arranged. Regency interiors prized order and calm but with the use of symmetry to create harmony, rather than formality. Matching chairs, paired lamps, and centred mirrors created a sense of balance, says Martin Waller, founder of furniture and textile design house, Andrew Martin. The pieces themselves were graceful rather than bulky, defined by slender legs, delicate inlays, and touches of brass. For a modern take, he suggests mixing old and new: A contemporary sofa alongside a coffee table with classical legs, or modern art set in an antique-style frame its that contrast that keeps a space feeling current. Flooring, too, played an important architectural role during the Regency era, bringing elegance and rhythm to the grand townhouses and formal reception rooms of the period. open image in gallery Fabrics and cushions by design house Andrew Martin ( supplied ) Ornate, geometric floor patterns such as herringbone, chevron, and Parquet de Versailles were hallmarks, says Neel Bradham, chief executive at flooring brand Parador. These designs lent a sense of refinement and structure to spaces, and today they translate beautifully into both period restorations and modern homes. He notes that opting for engineered wood rather than reclaimed hardwood allows homeowners to capture the refinement of historic flooring while benefiting from enhanced stability, durability, and compatibility with contemporary living conditions. Antiques add a final layer to the look, introducing a sense of history and individuality. Chinese-inspired designs, known as Chinoiserie, gained immense popularity during the Regency period, reflecting a growing taste for the decorative and the exotic. open image in gallery A Hampshire home by Rebecca Hughes ( supplied ) To source these pieces today, Hughes recommends online platforms such as Decorative Collective, 1stDibs and The Hoarde. Beautiful vintage pieces can also often be found affordably at one of the many antiques fairs across the country my favourite being Sunbury Antiques Market at Kempton Park Racecourse, held twice a month, she adds. Layered together, these elements create a home that feels romantic yet restrained, richly detailed yet practical a modern interpretation of Regency elegance that proves the Bridgerton effect shows no sign of fading. 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 Classical music fans can now experience a river cruise and concert with King of the Waltz conductor and violinist Andre Rieu. Amadeus River Cruises has revealed details of a second Rhine Concert Cruise after a sell-out January sailing. The cruise covers is a six-night itinerary from Cologne to Amsterdam. The itinerary includes stops at Bonn, which is the birthplace of Beethoven, as well visits to Nijmegen, Arnhem, Rotterdam and Dordrecht. The highlight of the cruise will be a performance by Rieu and his Johann Strauss Orchestra in the Ziggo Dome in Amsterdam. The sailing will take place aboard the Amadeus Aurea, which launches in May 2026. The ship will accommodate 158 guests in 12 suites with balconies and 67 cabins featuring panoramic windows. There will also be a Panorama Restaurant, sun deck with outdoor pool and lido bar, as well as a fitness room and river terrace. It departs on 4 January 2027 with prices from 1,969 per person. The fare includes the cabin, return flights from the UK, overseas transfers, all meals, beer and wine with lunch and dinner, the concert in Amsterdam, gratuities and 100 (87) per person onboard credit. If you cant wait until 2027, there are also chances to see Rieu perform in Maastricht during a seven-night Saga river cruise this summer in July 2026. Sailing aboard Spirit of the Rhine, guests will travel from the UK, have an early dinner on board and attend the concert on the first day in Maastricht before sailing to Rotterdam with stops in cities including Amsterdam and Dordrecht. Prices start from 2,989, with departures on 4 and 18 July. Read more: The best cruise deals for 2026 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 Kraft Heinz is pausing its plan to split into two companies. Steve Cahillane, a former Kellogg Co. chief who became CEO of Kraft Heinz on Jan. 1, said he wants to ensure that the company's resources are focused on profitable growth. I have seen that the opportunity is larger than expected and that many of our challenges are fixable and within our control, Cahillane said. The company's shares dropped 5.2% in early trading Wednesday as Kraft Heinz reported lower quarterly and annual results. Kraft Heinz announced in September it was splitting into two companies a decade after a merger of the brands created one of the biggest food manufacturers on the planet. open image in gallery CEO Steve Cahillane said Kraft Heinz's balance sheet and free cash flow potential were strong ( Alamy/PA ) One of the companies would include stronger-selling brands such as Heinz, Philadelphia cream cheese and Kraft Mac & Cheese. The other would include slower-selling brands like Maxwell House, Oscar Mayer, Kraft Singles and Lunchables. At the time, Kraft Heinz said it expected the split to be finalized in the second half of this year. On Wednesday, the company said it will pivot from the split and invest $600 million in marketing, sales and product development. In its fourth-quarter earnings release Wednesday, CEO Steve Cahillane said Kraft Heinz's balance sheet and free cash flow potential were strong. We are confident in the opportunity ahead and believe this investment will accelerate our return to profitable growth, Callihane said. The governor of the Central Bank of Ireland has told the Government it should take steps to enable greater participation by households in financial markets. In his annual letter to the Finance Minister, Gabriel Makhlouf says it should be a policy priority to support household resilience, and to address any barriers that prevent domestic businesses from getting finance. This Working Life with Joe Kinvi: I wanted to get into tech because its the greatest enabler for the world The co-founder of investment platform Borderless chats to Mary McCarthy about growing up in Togo, moving to Ireland and why the diaspora is key to Africas future success Prosperity happens through investment and we try to leverage that, says Joe Kinvi of Borderless In conversation with Mary McCarthy Wed 11 Feb 2026 at 06:30 It is difficult being a founder, now I have more empathy for them. US commerce secretary Howard Lutnick testifies during a Senate Appropriations Subcommittee hearing on Tuesday in Washington. Photo: Getty US commerce secretary Howard Lutnick minimised his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein on Tuesday even as he acknowledged visiting the disgraced financier at his private island in 2012 after Epstein was a convicted sex offender. Louis Theroux: Inside The Manosphere will be released on March 11 (Courtesy of Netflix) American social media star Sneako asks if documentary maker Louis Theroux is going to do a hit piece on him in a new teaser trailer for Therouxs latest documentary. Titled Inside The Manosphere, it is due to be released on Netflix on March 11, and sees Theroux explore the impact of online misogyny on young boys as he takes on the manosphere. Internet personality Sneako, real name Nicolas Kenn De Balinthazy, has been previously banned from YouTube and TikTok, the former in 2022 for what he has previously said was for Covid and election misinformation. In a recent interview with DJ Vlad, Sneako who has 423,000 followers on video-sharing platform Rumble claimed that YouTube had apologised and reinstated his original account in 2025. In the Netflix trailer, Sneako can be seen asking who journalist Theroux is, before saying: Oh s***, is he going to do a hit piece on me? Broadcaster Theroux, 55, will speak with social media stars and content creators who are at the extreme end of the manosphere, according to Netflix. At the end of the trailer, Sneako is seen imitating the journalist and said: There was a funny moment where he said, what do you think Sneakos message is?' While watching a video of the social media creator mimic him, Theroux was seen saying: Do I sound like that? A little bit. Harrison Sullivan (HS Tikky Tokky) will also appear in the documentary (Courtesy of Netflix) The teaser trailer also features Sudanese-American YouTuber Myron Gaines, who has more than 500,000 subscribers on the platform and is best known for hosting his Fresh And Fit podcast, which explores gender dynamics. Also among the social media influencers set to appear in the series is US internet personality Justin Waller, who has more than one million followers on Instagram, and has previously had his channel banned by YouTube. Waller, 39, is the CEO of Louisiana-based company RedIron Construction and is known for his friendship with controversial influencer Andrew Tate, with his Instagram account featuring pictures with Tate and others. Louis Theroux and Justin Waller (Courtesy of Netflix) In between clips, text on screen reads: Louis returns beta than ever. The pun on better refers to terminology in the manosphere which is used to refer to men who are low status and submissive, according to government website Educate Against Hate. The Cambridge dictionary defines the manosphere as websites and internet discussion groups concerned with mens interests and rights as opposed to womens, often connected with opposition to feminism or dislike of women. The 90-minute documentary, executive produced by Theroux, Aloke Devichand and Arron Fellows, will premiere on Netflix on March 11. One of Irelands most successful bands of the late 1980s have revisited their back catalogue for a new album on Sony Music featuring some of their earliest recordings, fan favourites and rarities, all available digitally for the first time. Songs That Got Away: 1984-1990 will be released on March 13, exactly 40 years to the day since the band took the ferry across the Irish Sea from Wexford to London to sign a major record deal with CBS/Epic Records in 1986. The 12-song collection reliving the formative years of Cry Before Dawn, one of the countrys best loved bands, follows on from last years Open Water, their first body of recorded work in 35 years which reached number 2 in the Irish Album Charts and topped the Independent charts. Brendan Wade, Pat Hayes, Vince Doyle and Tony Hall formed Cry Before Dawn in 1982 away from the critical gaze of the Dublin music scene. A session on BBC Radio 1 in 1985 ignited international record company interest. Their critically acclaimed debut album, Crimes of Conscience spawned three hit singles in Ireland Gone Forever, The Seed That's Been Sown and Girl In The Ghetto. They were awarded Best Newcomer at the IMMA Awards in 1987 and the Best Irish Group accolade at the same awards in 1989 after the release of their second album Witness For the World, produced in Los Angeles. Cry Before Dawn: new album and tour. The new compilation will be a trip down memory lane for fans and a reminder of what made Cry Before Dawn so attractive to record companies hunting the next U2 back in the eighties. It will include the haunting Follow Me and Credit To The People, the two tracks from the bands very first 7 vinyl single recorded at Cooleycall Studios in Bridgetown, Wexford, and not digitally available until now. Looking back on the bands early recordings, guitarist Tony Hall said: At that time, the process of recording music was very different to now. No laptops or digital, everything was analogue. Almost all of these songs were recorded as demos, which meant the band in a studio with live drums, loud amplifiers, microphones, and LOTS of cables. Takes were all live, with vocals and a few overdubs added later. Demos were usually recorded and mixed in a matter of hours, whereas completing an album would take months. While the recordings [on Songs That Got Away] may lack the polish that comes with months of rework and production, it is a snapshot of how songs ideas were developed and recorded back then." The release of Songs That Got Away: 1984-1990 will be followed by an Irish tour later in 2026. Judge takes into account higher personal injury award proposals that were rejected by Justice Minister Isme has called on the Government to intervene Justice Minister Jim OCallaghan decided not to bring the Judicial Council's recommendation of a 16.7pc awards increase to the Oireachtas. Photo: PA Shane Phelan Wed 11 Feb 2026 at 06:30 A High Court judge has controversially taken into account proposals for a major hike in personal injury awards, even though the recommended increases have not been sanctioned by the Government. Son bought conspicuous pink coat in Harrods and rented Lamborghini in lead-up to killing his father at five star resort, court told Henry McGowan pleads not guilty by reason of insanity to the murder of John McGowan (66) at Ballyfin Demesne Henry McGowan. Alison O'Riordan Wed 11 Feb 2026 at 20:41 A man described experiencing impulsive behaviour such as buying a "conspicuous pink coat" in Harrods and renting a Lamborghini in Paris in the lead-up to strangling his 66-year-old father at a five-star midlands resort, the Central Criminal Court has heard. Works are underway to strengthen the local power network near a Co Clare town after the activity of woodpeckers caused a number of power outages in the area over the past year. There have been 11 power outages near the town over the last 14 months, impacting residents of the Clogga townland to the east of Sixmilebridge, all due to woodpeckers boring into wooden poles and damaging local power infrastructure. The organisation that represents more than 11,000 frontline gardai has voted to take industrial action over the three days around St Patricks Day traditionally an extremely busy time for policing. At a Special Delegates Conference in Co Kilkenny yesterday four urgent motions were passed by the Garda Representative Association (GRA) as a response to its dispute with the Government over allowances and pay. A Co Meath woman has told of how her 11-year-old daughter was left absolutely petrified after an alleged incident where a man followed her while she was walking home from school. Speaking to The Late Lunch with Gerry Kelly on LMFM Radio, Andrea Dunphy, from Trim, said her daughter walked by the man on her way home from school on Friday afternoon, and he then started following her. Broadcaster Pat Kenny hailed the refusal of planning permission for a proposed nursing home beside his south Dublin home, saying he is delighted that An Coimisiun Pleanala (ACP) has seen the light of day. ESRI research officer Adele Whelan was surprised the gap was the largest in Europe. Photo posed/Getty Men are more than twice as likely as women to use high-tech skills at work, according to a new study. My family are lost out there hero Australian boys emergency call for help after four-hour swim released Austin Appelbee had to swim 4km and then run another 2km before he could make call to rescue his siblings and Irish mum Emergency call of hero Australia boy who saved Irish mother and sibling Sarah O'Mahony Wed 11 Feb 2026 at 12:32 The emergency call made by a teenage boy in Australia after he swam for four hours against the current to save his stranded family has been released. She is a former Hong Kong banker who now runs the family business, the famous Asia Market in Dublin city centre. Eva Pau, who is also a TV chef for RTE, worked in Hong Kong for eight years before returning to Dublin, where she grew up. Over 60 children who suffered spinal surgery complications asked to return for clinical checks Health Minister Jennifer Carroll MacNeill criticised the leaking of information about the review which led to a report on RTEs Morning Ireland Eilish O'Regan Wed 11 Feb 2026 at 12:01 Sixty two children who suffered complications after undergoing spinal surgery in Temple St Hospital, Dublin are to be asked to return for further medical assessment following an independent review into their care. Revealed: The towns excluded from Airbnb clampdown as Government waters down new rules on short-term lets Government faced pushback from TDs concerned about tourismMinisters agreedplans to apply new restrictions to towns with population of greater than 20,000 instead of 10,000 as planned According to the 2022 census, there are 20 towns in Ireland with a population above 20,000 Independent TD Michael Healy-Rae raised concerns about the impact on tourist towns. Photo: Getty Mary Regan Wed 11 Feb 2026 at 06:30 Large parts of the country will be exempt from new laws aimed at curbing short-term lets and Airbnb after they were significantly watered down by the Government. In a review of Nagomi restaurant, in Monkstown, Co Dublin, published online on January 27 we incorrectly stated that its owners, Kobe One Catering Limited, had also been the owners of a previous restaurant at the same address, Osteria 99. The review stated that Osteria 99 closed following a run in with the Food Standards Authority of Ireland. We are happy to confirm that neither Kobe One Catering Limited, nor its directors or shareholders, had any involvement in the running of Osteria 99 and neither Kobe One Catering Limited nor its directors or shareholder has been the subject of any adverse dealings with, or findings by, the FSAI. We apologise to Kobe One Catering Limited for the error. Former colleagues Miriam O'Callaghan and Ryan Tubridy at the international launch of the RTE Player back in 2015. I listened to the interview between Ryan Tubridy and Miriam OCallaghan on RTE Radio 1 on Sunday. I recognise OCallaghan as an excellent interviewer, but I think she or any person from RTE could not be expected to give an incisive and probing analysis of what happened with the payments scandal. Not casting any negative aspersions on Tubridy in relation to the situation he found himself, I would have preferred if OCallaghan had asked him the following question, which I did not hear: At a time when the staff in RTE were being forced to take a cut in their remuneration, was he aware and agreeable to getting a top-up on his remuneration in secret? A simple straightforward question. It is a yes or no question. Sadly, I did not find out the answer. Rory OConnor, Kenmare, Co Kerry Epstein files scandal will trigger a new era in which surveillance trumps trust The Epstein files do not merely reveal a monster. They expose a market. Access was traded like currency. Reputation was collateral. Morality was optional. Individuals who rise to cabinet office, chair global law firms or run multinational companies do not lose their critical faculties when a private jet appears. They made calculations. The returns looked attractive. There is a wider lesson. For years, voters were told that talk of a self-serving global elite was paranoia. The files show something more mundane and more corrosive: a class that treats rules as advisory when status is at stake. That perception, exaggerated or not, is political dynamite. The next wave of reform will not come from moral awakening, but from risk management. Boards, universities and governments will build compliance walls, not because they are virtuous but because reputational contagion now travels at digital speed. Association itself has become radioactive. When elites start avoiding each other out of fear rather than conscience, we may see a curious outcome: less clubbiness, fewer quiet favours and a colder public square. Trust will not rise. It will simply be replaced by surveillance. That may be progress of a sort, but it is hardly renewal. Enda Cullen, Tullysaran Road, Armagh This Valentines Day, we must remember what the saint died for: marriage Love is in the air as Valentines Day approaches this Saturday. The day itself is a significant cultural, religious and commercial celebration of romance and love. Saint Valentine, a third-century priest in the pagan Roman empire, was beheaded on February 14, 269AD for marrying Christian couples. Marriage is a sacred institution for Christians. Catholic marriage is a sacrament in canon law and a lifelong union of opposite-sex couples. Christians regard marriage as the essential building block that brings order, stability and structure to society. They see marriage as the safest environment for raising children in a loving, nurturing, and secure manner. Research confirms that stable, married-parent families contribute to healthier communities and reduced anti-social behaviour. Even though opposite-sex and same-sex marriage is now available to all citizens since 2015, the rate of marriage in Ireland is declining. Central Statistics Office (CSO) data released last April, shows that there were 20,348 marriages registered in 2024, a drop of nearly 4pc compared to 21,159 in 2023. In the decade from 2014 to 2024, the number of marriages fell by 7.7pc, from 23,173 to 20,348. The consequence is the birth of an increasing number of babies to women who are not in a relationship, are in a casual relationship or are in a steady but unmarried relationship. In many cases, where the baby is unplanned or unwanted, the woman is left as the single parent and may be unwilling or unable to provide a loving and safe environment for the innocent child. In Ireland, we are more regularly witnessing the serious and even fatal consequences of these situations. It is essential for long-term social cohesion and, in particular, for the safety of children that marriage should be championed in Ireland. As we prepare to celebrate St Valentines Day, in honour of a man who suffered martyrdom so that lovers could marry, we should appreciate the link between love, commitment, marriage and children. On the other hand, those who engage in unsafe casual sex should be aware of the drastic consequences for children resulting from loveless copulation. Billy Ryle, Tralee, Co Kerry Abolishing the three-day wait period will only lead to an increase in abortions It is good to see Sarah Carey describing abortion as a sad and terrible thing (Comparing Viagra and abortion is tasteless and has no place in debate on three-day wait, Irish Independent, February 7), although somewhat disturbing to observe the main image for the article consisting of so many happy-looking politicians celebrating its legislation. A glaring omission from the article was any reference to the shocking yearly increase in the number of abortions taking place in Ireland. As regards the bill to abolish the three-day wait for an abortion, the only justification for doing this is to ensure a further increase in abortions. Its hard to accept that abortion is totally paid for by the State while swelling the coffers of the vast abortion industry. With the vast sums of money involved, it is understandable that every effort will be made to increase profit. How can it be deemed necessary for the State to continue wasting such monies? I would certainly welcome seeing Sarah Carey in the welcoming arms of Peadar Toibins centrist party. Fair play to him for consistently supporting the right to life and the protection of the unborn. We have come to some pass when it is more popular to protect the fox than the helpless baby in the womb. And this is progress? Mary Stewart, Donegal town Dermot Whelan deserves a pat on the back for radio slot about house burping During his radio show last Thursday last, Dermot Whelan spoke about the practice of house burping. Why bring that up? Tom Gilsenan, Beaumont, Dublin 9 One Irish singer-songwriter is game for a laugh with a surrealist English comedian, while the history, culture and politics of Ireland are explored in two new seasons of popular series. Nearly a third of weekly podcast listeners aged 13+ in the US say YouTube is the platform they use most for podcasts, ahead of Spotify (27pc) and Apple Podcasts (15pc), with Gen Z taking the market share. Personally, I (Gen X) prefer audio than video, though did make an exception for CMAT guesting on The Harry Hill Show (Acast, Apple, Pocket Casts, Spotify). Hill himself is a visual gag, with his trademark wide-collar shirt, dark specs, zany pratfalls and props, and our very own Ciara Mary-Alice Thompson goes with the flow of his sketches in between chats about music awards, her wry lyrics, AI and... windmills. Many 29-year-olds would baulk at the idea of interacting with a robot (a person wearing a silver box), or doing a dance-off with the 61-year-old host. But CMAT Gen X trapped in a Gen Z body joins in gamely, in between discussing her life, career and fierce ambition. Ive always loved pop stars, she enthuses, citing Samantha Mumba and Eurovision-era Dana as her childhood heroines, though shes just as animated conversing with windmill expert Rhys Torrington. Harry Hill on stage in 2019 The tables are turned on Elizabeth How to Fail Day in The Savoy Originals (Acast, Apple, Pocket Casts, Spotify), in which shes interviewed by Alex Zane. Right off the bat she talks about the family moving to Northern Ireland when she was four years old. I was aware very quickly that I stood out if I spoke, she says, so I started speaking less and listening more. When we interview were also listening for the things that are unsaid... and Northern Ireland was such an interesting place to grow up for those kind of untold stories because if a place or a person or a group of people have gone through trauma, they dont immediately talk about it. And so I became very aware of the power of silence too. They also discuss her schooling in Derry and Belfast, and her being a 12-year-old columnist for The Derry Journal. Irish history isnt on the curriculum in Great Britain so its welcome to hear it discussed on not one but two recent episodes of Not Just the Tudors (Apple, Pocket Casts, Spotify) hosted by Professor Suzannah Lipscomb. One is entitled Ireland Under the Brutal Tudors and the other Why Cromwells Republic Failed, in which academics explain the impact of the 17th century Wars of the Three Kingdoms, modestly known as the English Civil War; though it was, of course, far more consequential for the people of Ireland than English citizens. The marriage plans of hundreds of couples in Cork and Kerry are being delayed for up to 18 months due to a review of marriage of convenience applications. The issue was recently raised in the Dail by Cork TD Colm Burke through a parliamentary question to the Minister for Health Jennifer Carroll MacNeill. The Fine Gael TD for Cork North Central highlighted the significant stress and uncertainty these delays are causing for couples who are simply seeking to regularise their marriages and plan their futures. In its response, the HSE confirmed that there has been a significant national increase in requests for interviews under the Civil Registration (Amendment) Act 2014, particularly where one party is a non-EU national. The HSE stated that civil registration offices in Cork and Kerry are currently reviewing more than 200 open cases, and that new notice-of-marriage appointments requiring such interviews have been temporarily paused while this review is carried out. Deputy Burke has subsequently called for urgent action to address lengthy delays in marriage notification appointments and so-called marriages of convenience interviews in Cork and Kerry. Deputy Burke said this situation is unacceptable for couples who are complying fully with the law. While I recognise the importance of safeguards in the system, the reality is that genuine couples in Cork and Kerry are being left in limbo for far too long. An 18-month wait to complete a legal process is simply not reasonable. These waiting lists are forcing couples to consider marrying outside Ireland. Mr Burke said he was recently contacted by a constituent and their partner, a foreign national, who are struggling to secure a marriage notification appointment and an interview of convenience. The HSE indicated that it expects the review of existing cases to conclude in February, after which appointments will resume, with efforts underway to streamline the process into a single extended appointment where possible. Prior to the suspension, couples were being advised of a 69 month wait, although most interviews were completed within six months. Deputy Burke welcomed the commitment to review and streamline procedures but said further steps are needed. Cork and Kerry have seen sustained population growth and increased demand for civil registration services. Staffing levels and resources must reflect that reality. Couples should not be penalised because the system has not kept pace with demand. In the HSE South West region, there are currently three full-time and one part-time positions in the HSE Civil Registration office, highlighting the need for staffing to meet the needs of the people this region serves. The Cork TD called on the Department of Health, the General Registrars Office and the HSE to ensure adequate staffing and facilities are put in place in Cork and Kerry to prevent similar backlogs arising again. Marriage registration is a basic public service. People deserve clarity, fairness and timely access. I will continue to press for improvements so that couples in Cork and Kerry can rely on a system that works. A Mallow man has been given a suspended sentence after getting drunk and shouting abuse at members of the public, including a woman in her car, before abusing gardai while in custody. Since 2023, King Colis has been purchasing lost packages and giving them a second life. A French retailer is to bring its unique lost package shopping experience to Cork. French start-up firm, King Colis, is to open a pop-up outlet in the Rebel City from February 24. King Colis is planning to sell 10 tonnes of lost packages with mystery contents to shoppers from a pop-up outlet at Douglas Court Shopping Centre. A similar initiative in Dublin proved an enormous success and King Colis is now rolling-out the unique experience shopping concept to other parts of Ireland. Such 'lost package' shops have proved enormously successful both across Europe and North America. They were inspired from the wildly popular garage and storage unit disposal sales across North America. The concept brings a similar shopping experience to retail outlets. Packages on offer can contain high-tech devices, designer clothes and shoes, watches, beauty and household appliances, collectibles and other items. The value of the contents can vary. Packages are sold by weight and shoppers will have 10 minutes to select all the packages they want. However, they are not allowed to open the package before purchase. Weight determines the final price. There is no limit on the number of mystery packages that an individual can purchase. King Colis co-founder Killian Denis said it is an unique experiential shopping concept. "We are so excited to be bringing King Colis and its concept to Cork. Its always exciting because you never know what youll get. Sometimes there are real treasures hidden inside the boxes," he said. "For example, in France one customer discovered a small collectible gold bar, while in Italy someone found an ultra-rare Pokemon Card valued at 3,000. "Of course, luck plays a big role in what you find in your packages, but one thing is certain, the experience is unforgettable. I believe the turnout will be great, as it has been elsewhere." Pop-up shops operate for a matter of weeks and are stock-limited. Fans of the shopping concept have described it as akin to a real-life treasure hunt. The Cork pop-up shop will operate in Douglas Court Shopping Centre from February 24 to March 1. King Colis offers the packages as a means of helping dispose of lost packages. Every year, millions of online orders get lost for various reasons, most often due to incorrect delivery information. Until now, after customers receive a refund, such undelivered packages were previously destroyed. Since 2023, King Colis has been purchasing these lost packages and giving them a second life. They are sold on the companys website or in pop-up stores located in well-known shopping centres across Europe. Plan to change Cork office block into IPAS centre still being considered by appeals board A decision was originally due to be made by August 27, however An Comisiun Pleanala now have no date for its decision 'The Cube' office building on Monahan Road Kevin Galvin Wed 11 Feb 2026 at 06:30 An office building on the outskirts of Cork City, which has an application for an exemption under international protection legislation ongoing, is currently being inspected for its suitability to house IPAS applicants. A working group is to be established by the Department of Housing in order to implement the removal of the current blanket on having a pet in homes provided by Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs). The news has been welcomed by Fine Gael TD for Cork North West John Paul OShea who said pets are an important part of many families. It is deeply unfair to force people to give up a beloved pet in order to secure a home. No family should have to face such a distressing choice. Last year almost 20,000 people signed a petition calling on the Government to stop tenancy agreements banning pets, after a 112pc increase in surrenders to Dogs Trust. The Dublin animal charity requested additional measures to stop landlords banning pets in rental homes after a huge spike in dog surrenders due to the housing crisis over the last five years. The news was recently confirmed following the submission of a parliamentary question by Fine Gael TD Maeve OConnell to the Minister for Housing, James Browne who stated that work is actively progressing on the removal of the blanket ban on pets in housing provided by AHBs. Deputy OShea welcomed the Ministers confirmation that a review is underway of the Codes of Practice for the AHB allocation process. When this policy was first announced, there were understandable concerns that introducing specific legislation could take significant time time that families facing immediate housing pressures simply do not have. Confirmation that the removal of the ban will be progressed through updated codes of practice and service level agreements means this important policy can be implemented far more quickly. Having engaged with a wide range of AHB tenants across Cork North West and further afield, it is clear that approaches currently vary significantly, he added. The Cork TD said both families and AHBs need clear, consistent guidance on what works best. I look forward to the Department producing these updated codes of practice and service level agreements as a matter of priority. The hotel will incorporate the facade of existing buildings on Store Street Planning permission has been granted for an eight-storey, 130-bedroom hotel between Store Street and Moland Place in Dublin 1. Dublin City Council issued a decision to grant permission on February 9 for the development at 1318 Store Street and Moland Place, subject to several conditions. The scheme, lodged by M.Y. Talbot Properties Limited, will see the demolition of a two-storey building at No 13 Store Street and partial demolition works at No 14, with the eastern elevation and gate structure to the rear yard retained and incorporated into the new hotel. The approved development will range from six to eight storeys, reaching a maximum height of 27 metres, with two upper floors set back from the main elevation. At ground floor level, the hotel will include a reception area, bar and amenity space accessed from Store Street, alongside plant rooms, staff facilities and back-of-house areas. An ESB substation and refuse store will be accessed from Moland Place. A landscaped courtyard and public event space is also planned for the southern portion of the site beneath the railway arches. The space is intended for pop-up food stalls and licensed beverage use, with new pedestrian access via Store Street. However, one of the conditions attached to the grant requires that land in C.I.E ownership will not be opened to the public and will be strictly limited to hotel guests and patrons. The lands must be fully enclosed and secured, with 24-hour on-site security and unrestricted access retained for rail infrastructure maintenance. The development provides for 19 bicycle spaces, including nine long-stay and 10 short-stay spaces, but no car parking. As part of the decision, the developer must pay a development contribution of 382,958 under the Section 48 Development Contribution Scheme, in addition to 119,282 in respect of the Luas Cross City Scheme. The permission also requires archaeological testing and monitoring in advance of groundworks, the retention and reuse of identified historic features and compliance with strict construction hours to protect nearby residential amenity. Any works affecting C.I.E lands will require a formal licence agreement prior to commencement. The applicant previously told the Irish Independent the aim of the hotel was to bring life back to Store Street, Moland Place and the wider Talbot Street area, citing the proximity to major transport hubs including Connolly Station and Busaras. Discussions had been held with international hotel brands about operating the completed development, with construction originally targeted to begin in late 2026. Under planning rules, any appeal against the decision must be lodged with An Bord Pleanala within four weeks of February 9. A view of the scheme showing the terrace of duplex apartments on the left and Our Lady of Dolours Church in the background The development would be made up of 241 build-to-sell apartments Planning permission for a build-to-sell, 241-apartment scheme spread across four blocks along Dublins Grand Canal has been granted, subject to several conditions. The up-to-seven-storey scheme, proposed by an applicant under the name of Green Urban Logistics 3 White Heather Propco Limited, would be developed in White Heather industrial estate in Dolphins Barn, behind Our Lady of Dolours Church. An original 250-unit proposal consisted of 148 one-bedroom units, with the remainder studio apartments (12 units), two-bedroom apartments (74 units), eight one-bed duplex apartments and eight two-bed duplexes. However, as a condition of planning, Dublin City Council said the scale should be revised downwards to 241 apartments, to protect the visual and residential amenity of the area. Developers must also procure a public artwork of good quality within the first six months of the developments life and install bat-friendly lighting along the canal corridor, amongst other conditions. Internal residential amenity spaces are also planned as part of the scheme, which is classed as a large-scale residential development, along with a creche and a cafe. Car parking is relatively limited on site, with 86 spaces proposed, along with 421 bicycle parking spaces and 8 spots for motorbikes. In an accompanying design statement, the developer said the proposal would provide a vibrant and diverse community with high-quality landscaping and public realm. "White Heather gives the opportunity to revitalise a section of lost canal frontage and create an access to a new public amenity by the Canal, it read. The scheme is also well served in terms of public transport, they wrote, citing nearby high-frequency bus routes and the Luas Red Line, located approximately 850m from the site. The demolition of existing on-site industrial warehouses is proposed to accommodate the development, with the exception of the An Post parcel delivery centre and local business Storage World on the eastern edge of the site. However, in a lengthy objection from Storage World, they said the applicant had placed their business outside the scope of the plans despite part of it being inside the development area. Compiled by BPS Planning Consultants, the planning observation report said: This situation in which Storage World is both in and outside of the estate somehow suits the applicants purposes, but we say the red line boundary (site boundary line) is currently illegal and invalid. The applicant has gone to great lengths to try to make it appear that the estate is carefully shown within the red-line boundary and contains only some old industrial units which will be unused if the scheme does not proceed. This could not be further from the truth, they wrote. Storage World said their business could be fully incorporated into the scheme if so desired by the developer, but it has always been the applicants intention to remove all existing uses from the site. "Such an approach would not have arisen if our client operated another business such as a supermarket. This would likely have been relocated within the scheme. Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme The EYE Cinema in Galway has confirmed its reopening this week, months after it was forced to close due to significant flood damage. The cinema was forced to shut its doors after its ceiling collapsed in August 2025. The venue suffered significant flood damage due to heavy rain and had shut down operations since. However, owners have confirmed the news that the cinema will reopen from Wednesday February 11. A statement issued on Wednesday said: Yes, The EYE Cinema is officially back open and we cannot wait to welcome you all through our doors again! The Home of Cinema in Galway is back up and running after a temporary closure refreshed, better and stronger! We are so grateful to all our patrons, friends and followers who have contacted us showing so much love while we were closed with their best wishes and very kind words of support: we are so lucky to work with the coolest community of film fans in Galway (and beyond)! Join us as we open back up with a selection of of recent releases including this Valentines Day movie treat Wuthering Heights (from Friday February 13), the Oscar nominated Marty Supreme and Hamnet, the thriller Crime 101 (from Friday 13), the horror Whistle (from Friday 13), the family friendly Goat (from Friday13) and many more: whether you are in the mood for a blockbuster or just looking for some relaxing time-out, there will be plenty on our programme to keep everyone entertained. Last August, heavy rain hit Ireland hard with County Galway affected by a Status Yellow rain warning until 6pm. Later that evening, the EYE Cinema in Wellpark Retail Park reported significant damage caused by the heavy rain. Gardai and Galway Fire and Rescue Services attended the scene and evacuated the area as a safety cordon was put in place. Photos and videos from the area show part of the outside structure collapsed while inside, part of the building was flooded and one of the movie theatres saw the ceiling collapsing. In a statement on social media at the time, the EYE Cinema confirmed the premises would be closed until further notice. One of the movie theatres was badly damaged. The team apologised to the public and informed ticket holders that they will be receiving further information about their booking. Due to unforeseen structural damage to our building this evening, we regret to inform you that The EYE Cinema will be temporarily closed until further notice, the cinema said last August If you have tickets booked for upcoming screenings, please do not travel to the cinema as the premises will not be accessible. We will provide regular updates and further instructions as soon as possible. We sincerely apologise for the disruption this has caused and truly appreciate your patience, understanding, and support during this time. A short-term let host in Tralee has spoken out against the inclusion of the town in clampdown legislation as concerns over planning permission continue. An Airbnb host in the town said the new rules were very arbitrary and was like plucking a figure from the sky. The government recently agreed to revise restrictions due to come into force on short term lets to towns with a population of greater than 20,000 instead of 10,000 as previously planned. While this means Killarney will no longer come under the new requirements, Tralee still faces a clampdown on holiday lets. Anne, who runs an Airbnb in Tralee, felt drawing the line at 20,000 population was very arbitrary and was like plucking a figure from the sky. The government seem to be applying a one size fits all approach to the lack of housing which will ultimately fail in my opinion, she said. We bought our apartment to use ourselves and when it is free it makes sense to allow others to use it through Airbnb. We will not be putting it on the long-term rental market and from conversations I have had with other hosts, I am not alone in this thinking. We have to understand that Kerry is first and foremost a tourist destination and taking short term lets out of the equation is going to be detrimental to this vital industry. New laws introduced last year mean the entire country is classed as a rent pressure zone (RPZ), meaning short term accommodation providers must apply for planning permission from the council. While these laws stand, the recent announcement draws the line between areas where applications will be treated more or less favourably, though what exactly this means is still to be ironed out. Noelle Casey, vice-chair of the Irish Self-Catering Federation (ISCF) and owner of a short-term let near Killarney, said the announcement was in the right direction but the devil is in the detail. She said the 20,000 figure was very arbitrary given you could argue Tralee has less hotels compared with Killarney. I ain't bringing out the champagne glass because we've been down this road before where we were told X, Y or Z, said Ms Casey. You also have tourist towns like Tralee, or Ennis along the Wild Atlantic Way that will be caught with the 20,000, so maybe there should be special allowances for tourist towns specifically in this part of the world. Also touted was grandfather legislation, which could allow exemptions for those operating for seven years or more. Ms Casey said their members would be delighted if such rules were introduced. While she didnt agree with the often cited analogy of long term landlords throwing renters for more profitable short term lets, she said the legislation shouldnt impact the livelihoods of people who had been doing it for years There has to be a bit of a balance, she said. Kerry councillor Brendan Cronin also welcomed the mention of the grandfather clause but argued that planning permission would still pose a challenge. This is the first step of the process that was announced yesterday morning regarding the town population, that's a positive start, said Cllr Cronin. But there are serious, serious issues still remaining regarding the whole planning situation and the difficulties that can arise out of it. To someone that has been operating 15 years, who will have to apply for planning permission, you are opening up a serious issue. It's high risk. What I'm looking for is that there be that exemption for established providers that have been operating and can show that they've been operating for X amount of years. Indeed, Ms Casey said operators who the council were attempting to shut down would have a stronger case in court than those who applied for planning permission and were rejected. Another major issue with the planning permission rule is the lack of flexibility it provides to owners who may want to sell or change use of their property. If an owner with short term let planning, decides to sell their property, the potential market value could be significantly lower, claims Ms Casey. A lot of people don't realise that the value of your house would significantly decrease, she said. You could have paid maybe 300,000 or 400,000 for your house, or you invested that amount of money, and you went to sell it, and you could only sell it for 100,000. That's another reason why people would be very slow to change over to short term rental planning. These implications draw parallels with the new rental legislation in that landlords of short term and long term lets will have overall less flexibility when it comes to decisions over their property. The long term rental rules due to come into force next month prescribe minimum six year leases, with the landlord unable to terminate tenancies if they wish to sell. In the same vein, short term planning permission might make the property challenging to sell, or potentially result in big loses for the owner. The net result of both is that the owner has less control over their asset. Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting scheme South Kerry Kerry school gets behind past pupil, Paudie, ahead of Glor Tire final It hasnt fully hit me yet' To say that it's been a whirlwind few weeks for Kerry singer Paudie Coffey would be quite the understatement, such is the journey that the talented Beaufort native has been on since entering the TG4 show Glor Tire. Members of Sligo IFA outside the Bord Bia offices in Dublin with Independent Ireland TD, Michael Collins. Sligo IFA have given its backing to protesting farmers at the offices of Bord Bia in Dublin. Six farmers have been on a sit-in at the offices since Tuesday last week. The actioin has been taken in an bid to remove Larry Murrin as Bord Bia Chairman after it emerged his company Dawn Farms use some Brazilian beef in its meat products. Members of Sligo IFA have joined members from around the country protesting outside the buidling The protest outside Bord Bia is set to continue this week and amongst those who have joined in has been Michael ODowd Chairman Sligo IFA. Meanwhile, Labour Party Spokesperson for Rural Development and Workers Rights, Sligo Senator Nessa Cosgrove called for the IFA protestors occupying Bord Bia Headquarters on Pembroke Road to be treated fairly, while urging them to end the occupation. She said: Levels of dissatisfaction amongst many farmers in the North West have increased over recent weeks and months. While ordinary shoppers have seen the price of beef rising by around 25% in the last 12 months, it is clear that small family farmers are not benefitting from these increases. Farmers face increasing costs surrounding the production of beef and compliance with the regulations which keep Irish consumers safe and mean that we produce food, particularly beef, of the highest standard in the world. At the same time, we hear about the importation of inferior beef from countries like Brazil. Beef from Brazil is produced with less regard for the environment, animal welfare, workers rights and food quality. It is unfair that Irish farmers are expected to produce meat to one standard, while inferior quality beef is imported from outside of the European Union. This has led to a situation where members of the IFA occupied Bord Bia Headquarters in Dublin several days ago to highlight what they see as a conflict of interest. When the occupation began, IFA members outside the building were keeping the protestors inside fed and watered. I understand that for the last 24 hours, that they have been prevented from doing so. The protestors tell me that they have also been subject to heating being turned off in the building, and that bright lights have been left on at night to disrupt sleep. There are six protestors still occupying the building, one of whom has diabetes, and must be in a vulnerable condition. While I strongly urge the protestors to leave the building, as they have been requested to do, I also must insist that those who do continue to protest at Bord Bia Headquarters be treated humanely, with dignity and be provided with the basic means of sustaining life and health. The IFA members occupying the offices are rom branches in Monaghan, Donegal, Galway, Wicklow and Cavan. Plans for a biogas plant at a quarry in rural Co Tipperary have been refused by the county council. Roadstone Limited applied for permission to add a biogas plant to their quarry at Killough, in Holycross, near Thurles. The plans would see a bio-renewables facility built on a 6.3 hectare site, which would incorporate an anaerobic digester to convert animal feed into biomethane gas. Plans were lodged with Tipperary County Council last January, with the local authority seeking further information from Roadstone before they were able to make a decision. In refusing permission, the council said it was not satisfied that sufficient information had been provided regarding road safety or the potential environmental risks of the development. "The planning authority is not satisfied that an adequate level of information has been provided on which to make an informed assessment on the risks of the development to the environment and its impact on surrounding land use, the council said. "In the absence of such information the proposed development is therefore considered contrary to the proper planning and sustainable development of the area, planners added. Planners also raised concerns about sightlines for road users at the proposed entrance to the facility, warning that granting permission could endanger road safety. "The planning authority is not satisfied that the works proposed to achieve the required sightlines can be undertaken notwithstanding the details submitted. "Having regard to the foregoing it is considered that the proposed development would endanger public safety by reason of traffic hazard or obstruction to road users they said. Plans for the biogas facility had been met with objections from residents, as well as the Killough Biogas Concern Group. In a previous interview with the Irish Independent, Pat Shanahan of the Killough Biogas Concern Group said that the proposed biogas plant would be co-located on an active quarry where explosives are used, which raises concerns for locals living in the area about the potential for an explosion. Around 10 or 15 tonnes of explosives have been detonated in the quarry over the last 20 years, and our point now is that with a biogas plant, theres potential there for an explosion. There was an explosion in the UK, theres been a few around the world, he explained. "Were also worried that if theres an accidental spill, theres no containment for it. "Our issue isnt with the technology of the biogas plant, but purely were concerned, is this the correct site? he added. Since the confirmation that Tipperary County Council moved to refuse permission for the development, the group said the decision was a win. "This outcome reflects the importance of proper planning, public safety, and environmental protection, particularly in a rural area with a school, homes, vulnerable water resources, and constrained local roads. "This is a win for the communities in rural Ireland. We need to keep standing together and supporting each other, they said. Roadstone Ltd now has four weeks to appeal the councils decision to An Coimisiun Pleanala. Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme Contacts/Deadlines If anyone has notes to be published, please send the information via email. The normal deadline is 9am on Mondays prior to the Wednesday publication but on a Bank Holiday weekend, the deadline is earlierits midday on the Friday. Either way, the email to use is grooney@hotmail.com Combo Classes in Clongeen Hall Combo class which includes stretching and strengthening exercises for men and women of all ages. The cost is 60 for 6 classes or 12 per night on a pay as you go basis. The classes start at 6:30pm on Mon 16th February. We look forward to seeing you there and having a good night & workout. Community Games The BBCT Community Games group are holding a model making workshop in Clongeen Hall this Saturday 14th February from 3.30pm until 5.30pm, for ages 8yrs old up to 15yrs old. Clay will be provided, but bring any other art and crafts items that you may need. The cost is 2 per child, which is capped at 5 for family of 3 or more. If interested, pls text Miriam on 087 623 5905 as places are limited. In addition, we will have an Art workshop in Clongeen Hall on Saturday 21st February from 3.30pm until 5.30pm. This event is for ages 6yrs old up to 15yrs old. If you are interested, please contact Miriam as per number above, as again, places are limited. Paper will be provided but please bring pencils, colours, paints or collage materials for your budding artists. The cost is 2 per child with a cap of 5 per family to attend each workshop. Finally, please keep Sunday 1st March free for our annual art and handwriting competition to be held in Clongeen hall for all 3 areas. Registration commences at 12.30pm, the competitions start at 1pm. Those placed 1st, 2nd & 3rd will go forward to represent our area in the county competition in Barntown sometime in April. Drama in Campile The Tintern Drama Group are presenting their hilarious Drama show in Campile Hall. The play called Mother Knows Best will be live next Thurs 19th February commencing at 8pm. Tickets costs are 10 per person and they are available several ways which are: in Hayes shop; by contacting Loretta on 087 0646265; by giving Campile Hall a call on 087 218 3300; or via Eventbrite. Clonroche-Poulpeasty Fr Richard Hayes RIP We extend our deepest sympathy to the family of Fr Richard Hayes, former parish priest of Cloughbawn. Fr Hayes came to Cloughbawn on 7th November 1992 and served this parish for just 21 years until his retirement in 2013. During that time, many parishioners have fond memories of Fr Hayes, as he shared the joy of their wedding day, christening of our children, helped their families through difficult times, or supported and gave them strength to cope at the time they lost a close relative, and he was always very compassionate and giving of his time to people. Predeceased by his brothers Peter and Nick and sister Mary. Sadly missed by his loving brother Walter, sister-in-law Joan, nephew, nieces, his many friends, former parishioners, Bishop Ger and clergy of the Diocese. May his soul rest in Eternal Peace. St. Josephs NS enrolment Application forms for enrolment in St. Josephs NS, Donard for September 2026 are currently available on our school website www.donardnationalschool.com. This form is also available by emailing donardns@live.ie, by phoning 089 2102800, or by visiting the school. Those wishing to enrol their child should return the form on or before 23rd February. Cloughbawn GAA & Camogie Club Dinner dance - The club would like to extend its thanks to everyone who attended the recent Dinner Dance. It was a wonderful evening, and we are very grateful for the ongoing support shown by members, families, and friends of the club. Ireland Lights Up initiative - A reminder that our Club has signed up to the Ireland Lights Up initiative, where we open our walking track to the wider community on Tuesdays and Thursday evenings from 7-8pm. This is the final week of this event, and we hope that with the change of weather, that we will see some new and old faces making an appearance. Cushinstown Notes contact Please contact rita.gaffney@gmail.com or 087 9914202 for items. GAA Club Development Fund Rathgarogue Cushinstown GAA Club wishes to offer club members the chance to contribute to the R/C Development Fund to members and community. 1. A once-off payment of 7802. 22 monthly contribution for 3 years3. 5 weekly contribution for 3 years. If anyone wants to join they can contact Francis OBrien on 087 7885475 or by email via rcdevelopmentfund@gmail.com Mens Shed Cushinstown Mens Shed have Kindling available for a 2 donation towards the upkeep of their facilities. Contact Padge 0876536066 for orders. Cushinstown Bingo Bingo is held the first Sunday of each month, in The Old School, Cushinstown. Eyes down at 7.30pm sharp. 1,000 in prizes and raffle. Cushinstown Split the Pot Cushinstown Split the Pot sold in Centra, Ballinaboola and after 11am mass. Draw held at Bingo on the first Sunday of each month. Campile Hall concert Michael English and guest artist Louise Morrissey will be appearing in concert in Campile Hall on Sunday 29th March at 8pm. For tickets phone 087 2183300. Tickets are also available on Eventbrite. Duncannon School Open Night St. Olivers National School, Duncannon will be having an Open Night on Wednesday 11th February 2026 from 5pm to 6.30pm. All are welcome to come. Any parent who wishes to enrol their child/children for September 2026 in St. Olivers N.S. Duncannon please contact the school on 051 389206 or email:info@duncannonns.com on or before 21st February 2026. St James Club Lotto Results 03/02/2026. Winning Numbers. 2 8 23 26. No jackpot winner. 5 match 3 winners to share 200. Jerry Guinan Bannow/Ballymitty, Ella an Fennagh Power Bannow/Ballymitty, Martin Nolan Taghmon/Camross, Richard Comerford Taghmon/Camross, Nicola McGee, Taghmon/Camross. Next Jackpot 14,000. Next draw Tuesday 17th February 2026 @ 8.30pm in Taghmon Camross Clubhouse. Opinion Justine OMahony: Sausages for the dog pushed Himself into a pre-holiday meltdown What is it about holidays that make people contrary? I dont mean the actual holiday but the getting ready for it aspect. It always seems to send my other half into a tailspin and has us falling out before weve even left the house. A number of matters arising from workplace inspections, environmental offences and social welfare breaches were before Wexford District Court recently, with Judge John Cheatle presiding. Employment of non-nationals on trawlers Two fishing companies appeared before the court in connection with the employment of non-nationals who did not have permission to work in the State. Inish Trawlers Limited, which operates out of Kilmore Quay, pleaded guilty to offences under employment legislation. The court heard that an inspector from the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) carried out an inspection of the business on October 10, 2023, during which breaches were identified in relation to employment records. The inspection found that an Indonesian man was working for the company without permission to work, despite having arrived in Ireland in 1997 and lacking a valid work permit since 2007. The court also heard that on two further occasions inspections were carried out on vessels operated by the company, including one in Howth, where additional non-nationals were found working without valid permission. Solicitor for the company, Catriona Walsh, told the court the men were being paid for their work but did not have the appropriate permission to work in the country. She said one of the men was now in discussions regarding a citizenship application, having lived in Ireland for approximately 28 years, and added that two of the workers had been staying on board a vessel as they did not have accommodation. The court heard Inish Trawlers had one previous conviction for similar offences dating back to 2021, when it had been dealt with under the Probation Act. On this occasion, Judge Cheatle imposed a fine of 1,200, allowing six months to pay. In a similar matter, Alan and Joseph Foley of Ramsgrange, New Ross, appeared before the court after employing two non-nationals without valid work permits as part of their crew. The court was told the men had approached them at the pier seeking work and were employed on the vessel for a two-week period. Judge Cheatle applied the Probation Act on condition that the defendants pay 750 towards the costs associated with the prosecution, and adjourned the matter to March 23 to allow for payment. Fine for hedging during nesting season A man has plead guilty to an offence of hedging during the nesting season. The court heard that Rafael Sanctuary of River Lodge, Harpoonstown, Wexford, was hedging land at Gardanaus Great, Wexford. Sanctuary had contracted a friend, Shane Hayes, to carrying out the works on the land which he was leasing with the intention of buying at the time. During the hedging approximately one kilometre of hedge rows had been destroyed, including bramble and hawthorn. During the nesting season, which takes place from March 1 up to August 31 annually, these hedges provide shelter for various wildlife animals. Judge Cheatle fined the accused 500 allowing six months to pay. Suspended sentence for disability claimant A New Ross man entered a plea of guilty to an offence of failing to notify a change of circumstances. The court heard that the partner of Paul Egan, with an address at 6 Woodbine Close, New Ross, Wexford, had started employment with Egan failing to notify the department of social welfare of his change in circumstances. This led to the defendant claiming an excess 28,660 over a two-year period. Eileen ONeill, solicitor for the accused, informed the court that Egan was of the view that it was up to his partner to notify the department which the accused now realises is incorrect. The solicitor stated that repayments are being made by way of deductions. Judge Cheatle imposed a three-month sentence suspended for 12 months. Fine for failure to keep employment records A Cork based company was fined in connection with a failure to keep employment records, a failure to pay the national minimum wage rate, and failure to provide payslips. The court heard that on October 14 2025 a WRC inspection was carried out at Londsdale Motors Limited with a company address at 12 Commerce House, 14 Washington Street, Cork, when the failures came to light. The employer made admissions on the date that a cleaner is employed by the company who is not paid the minimum wage rate. Since the inspection the company has not engaged and no records have since been provided to the WRC. Judge Cheatle imposed a 1000 fine giving the company six months to pay. The Judge also directed that the associated costs in the sum of 750 be paid by the company. Funded by the Courts Reporting Scheme. A man in his 50s has been denied bail in connection with four incidents of criminal damage, described by gardai as a frenzied prolonged incident. Garda Brian Delaney told the court he responded to reports of a man in possession of an axe at the Forth Mountain Trail car park in Wexford on Saturday February 7. It is alleged that Frank Furlong (51) of Trinity, Taghmon, Wexford, had damaged the windscreen of three vehicles at the trail car park using an axe, while a fourth vehicle was also struck as it drove passed the accused. Garda Delaney said the accused was also shouting at pedestrians passing by putting them in fear. Furlong was subsequently arrested at his residence where the axe in question was located, with the defendant admitting this was the axe used. During interview Furlong made admissions to the four incidents of criminal damage, stating that voices in his head, which he has no control over, talk to him. I do what is put in my mind, he said Garda Delaney outlined there were objections to bail with concerns the accused will interfere with witnesses if he recognises them. There were also fears that Furlong will return to the carpark situated in close proximity to his place of residence and commit similar offences. Catriona Walsh, solicitor for the accused, said that if granted bail Furlong would be willing to stay away from Forth Mountain, sign on daily, and maintain a curfew. Garda Delaney stated that these conditions would not ease his concerns around this serious and violent incident. Garda Delaney also expressed concerns in relation to the mental health of the defendant and stated that medical intervention is needed. Judge John Cheatle shared the same concerns and refused bail, stating he would prefer to see something from a psychiatrist. The judge certified for medical attention for the accused including a psychiatric assessment and report. The matter has been adjourned to February 16 with directions from the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) outstanding. Funded by the Court Reporting Scheme Members of the Irish Farmers Association protest outside the offices of Bord Bia in Dublin (Niall Carson/PA) Wexford County Council (WCC) has submitted a motion of no confidence in Bord Bia chairman Larry Murrin following a dramatic vote at its February meeting in County Hall. Although not on the initial agenda, a decision to discuss Mr Murrins tenure was taken after it emerged, halfway through the meeting, that members of the Irish Farmers Association (IFA) were in the building and requesting an audience with councillors. Following a brief interval, in which councillors liaised with the IFA members, two motions were tabled at the meeting, one calling for Mr Murrins head, the other defending his position. Councillor Jim Codd led the calls for the Bord Bia bosss resignation, arguing that his role had become untenable following news that Dawn Farms, Mr Murrins company, had imported beef from Brazil. As a result of this revelation and given Bord Bias duty to promote Irish food, members of the IFA have called upon Mr Murrin to step down from his position with immediate effect. And Cllr Codds motion asked that Agriculture Minister Martin Heydon TD intervene to resolve the situation once and for all. I call upon WCC to ask the agriculture minister to intervene in the Bord Bia dispute and ask for its chairmans resignation, read the motion. This is an intolerable situation and I would ask that my fellow councillors support me on it. The motion was seconded by Cllr Michael Sheehan with one slight amendment. "We should direct the agriculture minister, not ask him, he said. Further support came from Cllr Pat Barden who said he understood the rigours farmers have to go through to produce a good product and called it an absolute disgrace that the head of Bord Bia was importing beef from Brazil while getting the full backing of the government. With the agriculture minister having been asked and then directed to intervene, Cllr Aoife Rose OBrien upped the ante even further. If Bord Bia ever want to have the confidence of Irish farmers again Mur Murrin must resign, she said. Its unacceptable for him to continue in his post. If he doesnt resign I would ask the agriculture minister to enforce his resignation. As the wife of a farmer and someone who has tangled with the rigorous paperwork issued by Bord Bia, Cllr Vicky Barron said she was absolutely disgusted by Mr Murrins activities; a view shared by Cllr Marty Murphy who operates a working farm himself. I know all the hoops we have to jump through, we do so because we understand the benefits it has for our food, he said. Mr Murrins position is clearly untenable, he has a conflict of interest. However, not everyone in the chamber wanted to see Mr Murrin depart his role. Cllr Pip Breen submitted a countermotion in which he called on the Taoiseach, the agriculture minister, Bord Bia, the IFA, and all relevant organisations to meet immediately and resolve this ongoing dispute. We have always imported a small amount of beef from South America, continued Cllr Breen. As a farmer I fully understand the repercussions of his potential resignation and it would be very detrimental to the county. That motion was seconded by Cllr Donal Kenny before Cllr Pat Kehoe said the only way this issue could be truly resolved was through dialogue, people sitting round a table and finding a workable solution. Lastly, Cllr Bridin Murphy asked that, regardless of who was at the helm of Bord Bia, the administrative burden on farmers be reduced. Members of the Irish Farmers Association protest outside the offices of Bord Bia in Dublin (Niall Carson/PA) Theyre dealing with a lot of paperwork and the pressures involved in that and have to hire extra people just to deal with this, she said. We need a conversation around reform, we need to improve inspections, reduce administrative burden on farmers, and rebuild trust farmers will always adhere to standards, but they need everyone to stand with them and thats not happening at the moment. Because neither motion had been in the original schedule of the meeting, a show of hands was required to determine whether each could be voted on in the chamber; with a majority (18) required to have them heard. While Cllr Codds motion met that target, Cllr Breens did not. As a result, the motion calling upon WCC to ask the agriculture minister to intervene in the Bord Bia dispute and ask for its chairmans resignation was put to a vote. And, in a deviation from the norm, many councillors opted to vote against party lines. Voting in favour were Pat Barden (Wexford Independent Alliance), Vicky Barron (LAB), Nicky Boland (WIA), Trish Byrne (FG), Jim Codd (Aontu), Craig Doyle (SF), John Dwyer (IND), Mary Farrell (IND), Tom Forde (SF), Pat Kehoe (FG), Bridin Murphy (FG), Marty Murphy (WIA), Aoife Rose OBrien (SF), John ORourke (IND), Jackser Owens (IND), Raymond Shannon (WIA), Michael Sheehan (IND), Frank Staples (FG), Robbie Staples (FG), Joe Sullivan (FF), and Biddy Walsh (LAB). Voting against were Pip Breen (FF), Anthony Donohue (FG), Lisa McDonald (FF), and Oliver Walsh (FG). Aidan Browne, John Fleming, Donal Kenny, Garry Laffan, and Barbara Anne Murphy (al FF) chose to abstain. With 21 in favour, four against, and five abstentions, the motion was carried, much to the joy of the IFA members who had gathered in the gallery. Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme. Some of the mystery presents ready for Valentine's Day, at the Five Loaves Booktique in Bray. Photo: Leigh Anderson. The interior of the Five Loaves Booktique, in Bray, for Valentine's Day. Photo: Leigh Anderson. The interior of the Five Loaves Booktique in Bray for Valentine's Day. Photo: Leigh Anderson. Its just days away from the most romantic date on the calendar and volunteer at Brays Five Loaves Booktique, Frances Gaynor, is busy wrapping mystery gifts for those who want to give that special someone in their life the present of a good book for that intimate evening. War and Peace might not send the right signal. Nor might Fifty Shades of Grey. So to help matters, the charity bookshop, which opened as an adjunct to the homeless support service next door, is running another mystery gift sale after last years success. A romantic book is chosen by staff, wrapped in suitably amorous paper and tagged with a clue. On the shelf that morning were books variously labelled as Unusual romantic comedy, A twisty thriller with a unique detective, A comedian who has written a book, Controversial award-winner, A novel of closeness and, the quite cryptic A detective who daces as he solves crimes. Im here since we opened three-and-a-half years ago, said Francis. I volunteer and I do Fridays. Im a retired teacher and I just love books. I love bookshops. When the second-hand book and vinyl shop opened in Bray just as she retired, she called the serendipity of the moment a dream and rushed at the chance to be part of it. The response from the community to the store generally has been incredible. Its constantly busy. Income generated by the charity shop helps the organisation to maintain its services, which included a drop-in centre, hot breakfasts and dinners and support and information for the homeless service users. The charity also provides a food bank and has been catering for the needs of the homeless in the area for about 20 years. It has done extremely well. Im always amazed, Francis said, despite its location, tucked away as it is at the top of the town. You have to come right to the top and turn a slight corner. But people just go that extra mile to us, and they keep coming back. The shops shelves are piled high and diligently catalogued by another volunteer, Bob (known for the moustache), with the help of founder Ben OBrien, who along with manager Tommy Gordon decided to expand when they did after receiving so much support in the form of donations from the community. They noticed over time that they were getting a huge number of books, vinyl and CDs, but Bray lacked a dedicated second-hand store. Opening a door at the rear of the shop, Frances points to dozens of boxes of books, all waiting for space to be found on the shelves at the front. It wont take long for them to get their turn in front of the customers. This room is stacked floor to ceiling with donations, Frances said. Sometimes we just have to say no. And you have no idea whats going to come in. Theres a system to the ordered chaos, as fiction sells for 2- 3 and non-fiction is priced at between 35. Childrens books are just 1 each and young adult books go for 2. The records and art books are individually priced. Theyre roughly categorised, Frances said. Irish and current here cookery, history, politics, selfhelp, crime. Fantasys on the top shelf you have to be very tall to read fantasy. Were run by volunteers, and the stock is donations. Its a local charity, the Five Loaves. Bray people are very supportive of it because its local. Theres a real connection. With Valentines Day approaching, Frances explains the brownpaper parcels wrapped in the love-heart paper further. Its called Blind Date With a Book. You choose it based on the size or some little hint Bob writes on the tag, she said, as she takes one down from the shelf. Controversial award winner a detective who dances as he solves crimes. Youre taking a chance, its completely random. You buy it for your Valentine, or you buy it for yourself as your own Valentine. We dont really mind why people buy them. We just want people to buy them. Its been really popular, Frances added. The weathers gone against us this year, but theres a whole week left. Between Valentines events and the weekly buzz of running the shop, Frances is already busy thinking ahead to the next big event that can be hosted in the store, Bloomsday. We do a full window of Joyce material. Usually I dress up, she said. This year Im hoping to have a table outside, maybe some nosecco and a cup of tea. Maybe someone reading Joyce. Who knows? Suddenly, the door opens and an elderly lady enters, shakes the rain from her shoulders and scours the shelves with an unnerving sense of purpose. Are you looking for a nice romantic book for Valentine's Day, shes asked? "No, she replied. I'm looking for a good murder. WH Five Loaves Booktique is on 52C Main Street, Bray, County Wicklow, and is open from from Monday to Saturday, from 10am to 4pm. Christ Church COI Services of Worship for this Sunday The Sunday before Lent: 8.30am Holy Communion; 11am Morning Prayer 2. Parish Office: The Parish Office is open Monday to Thursday from 9.30am to 1.30pm. Email: info@christchurchbray.ie; tel. 01 286 2968; Parish website: christchurchbray.ie; or see facebook.com/christchurchbray. Recycled Teenagers: The January meeting takes place today (Wednesday) at 10.30am in the PLC. Organ Plus Series: We continue our interactive series of Organ Plus concerts, with violinist Zhamilia Pak and organist Tatiania Konina so come along at 5pm this Sunday with your family and explore! Would you like to understand music better? Curious about the secrets behind great performances? There will be great classical music, engaging performances, and a fun commentary that makes listening easy and enjoyable for all ages. Tickets 5/10/15 under 5s are free are available from the Parish Office, Fleurtique Florence Road, The Travel Boutique on the Upper Main Street, htpps://christchurchbray. Irish Trefoil GuildGuiding for Life: Calling all former leaders of the Irish Girl Guides in Bray and the surrounding area. There is now a Trefoil Guild in Bray. Contact Anne at: braytrefoilguild@gmail.com. Bray Methodist Church Worship for this Sunday: 10amSunday Worship with Creche and Sunday School. Bray Presbyterian Church Worship for this Sunday: 11.30am Sunday Worship. Christian Assembly Church Worship for this Sunday: 10.45am Morning Worship. Wednesdays: 8pm Prayer Meeting & Bible study. Monthly Ladies Meeting: For details see: www.christianassemblybray.com Cornerstone Church Weekly activities at Cornerstone Church at the Well Church Building, Church Terrace, Main Street, Bray: Mens Bible Study Mondays from 7.30pm to 9pm; Womens Bible Study Tuesdays from 10.45am to 12.30pm; Prayer Meeting Wednesdays from 10.30am to 12pm; Mens Indoor Bowls Wednesdays from 7.30pm to 9.30pm; Ukrainian Christian Film Night Thursdays from 7pm to 9pm; Ukrainian Bible Study Fridays from 6.30pm to 8.30pm; Games Evening Fridays from 7pm to 9.30pm; Friday Coffee & Chat at The Well Church Building, Church Terrace, Main Street, Bray. Drop in any Friday for a friendly cuppa and conversation no need to book! For more information contact Kyle Holland, Pastor, on 086 405 139. Sunday Services are 9am and 11am, followed by tea, coffee, and fellowshipstay, chat, and connect! Holy Redeemer Parish Contact Holy Redeemer Parish: Call (01) 2868413. Website: www.holyredeemerbray.ie; Email: office@holyredeemerbray.ie. Mass Times: 10amMonday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday & Saturday No Mass on Tuesday. Sunday Masses: 6pm Vigil Mass on Saturday and on Sunday at 10.30am and 12Noon. To book a Mass, please call into the Sacristy before or after our Masses. Music at Mass on Sundays: 10.30amFolk Group; 12pmGaudium Choir (Mainly Latin Church Music) on the 1st Sunday of the Month; 12pm on other Sundays of the Month: Parish Choir (Mainly English Church Music). Baptism: Registration for Baptism can be made online via the parish website www.holyredeemerbray.ie. St Peters Parish St Peters Church Mass Times: Sunday: 9am (Irish Mass), 11.30am. Holy Days: 11am. 1st Friday: 11am. To Book a Mass: To book a Mass, please contact the Parish Office on 01- 282 9467 or email: stpeterslittlebray1@gmail.com. Gluten Free Hosts available: If you would like to receive the Eucharist, but have gluten intolerance, we have gluten free hosts available. Come to the sacristy before Mass and we will be happy to accommodate you. First Sunday Tea/Coffee morning: A tea/coffee morning is held in the parish hall on the first Sunday of every month after both masses. Come along for a cup of tea or coffee and a chat. Its a great way to catch up and get to know other parishioners. Everyone is very welcome to join us. Car Park Hours: These are from 9am to 12.30pm, Monday to Friday, for parish business, and at weekends during church ceremonies. The Cemetery is accessible via the laneway for pedestrians. St. Peters Cemetery: There is a strict policy of No Dumping Allowed in any area of the cemetery. Visitors to the cemetery are requested to take home all forms of rubbish with them in order to keep the cemetery tidy. Your co-operation is appreciated. St Annes Church, Shankill: A Vigil Mass is celebrated at 5pm on Saturdays. All are welcome. St Fergals Parish Mass Times: Mass times are 9.30am Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. No morning Mass on Thursdays and Saturdays. Saturday: 7pm Vigil Mass; Sunday: 8am and 10.30am. Confessions: These are heard on Saturdays after the 7pm Vigil Mass. Baptism: Baptisms take place on the first and third Saturday of each Month at 12Noon. Bookings can be made through the Parish Office Only. The Preparation meeting takes place on the Monday before the 1st Saturday of the month. Please call into the Parish Office three weeks in advance of the Baptism to complete the Baptism Form and to confirm the date. Join the Fergals Gospel Choir and let your voice shine: If you would like to join the choir please come to St. Fergals Church on Mondays from 8pm. The choir usually sings at two masses per month and we welcome everyone who loves to sing. St. Claires Conference of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul: Messages for the St. Vincent de Paul should be sent to St. Clairs Centre, Ballymorris, Killarney Road, Bray call 01-2745325 and leave your message, or Mobile 087-1738 235. Our Lady Queen of Peace Mass: Weekday Masses are celebrated at 10.30am on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. Weekend Masses are at 6.30pm on Saturdays and 10.30am and 12 Noon on Sundays. Were you or any of your family married in Our Lady Queen of Peace Church?: Would you be willing to share a photo of the wedding, to be displayed as part of an exhibition in the Church in July? Photos may be left to the Villa Office, or emailed as an attachment to qopbray80@gmail.com. They will be returned following the exhibition. For each photo please include: Bride and Grooms name; Date of Marriage; Return address. Please submit photos by March 31st 2026. A Mass to celebrate Marriage will be held on Sunday July 12th. All are welcome. Eucharistic Adoration: Eucharistic Adoration takes place from 11am to 10pm on Mondays only in this Church. QOP youth club On Saturday Mike club leader with the Queen of Peace Adventure Youth Club organised a trip to the Dublin Castle State Apartments. The day started by meeting at the station at 9am, and Darting into Dublin. Twenty-seven members including six leaders participated. It was said that the visit was far better than anticipated. Before returning home at 5.40pm. everyone enjoyed refreshments and chat in McDonalds. It was a long successful day. Next club items include a night walk, and making bird feeders. Diving club Well done to John Keating who completed his first stint of nine acting as diving officer of the day with Bray Divers Sub-aqua Club. This is part of the two to three year course to acquire the Leading Diver qualification. Two other members are enrolled on the same course. Now is the ideal time to begin training as a diver, and to be ready to take off into the appreciation of our fantastic marine environment. Call Albert on 0876756439 and get started right away. Bray Library Opening hours are 10am to 5pm Monday to Saturday with late opening on Tuesday and Thursday until 8.30pm. Bray Library can be emailed at braylib@wicklococo.ie to book a place for library events or make inquiries about them. English Conversation Classes take place in the library every Monday (except Bank Holiday Mondays) from 11am to 12pm. Ciorcal Comhra Irish Language Conversation Group, meets from 7pm to 8pm on the first and third Tuesday of the month in the library; the next meeting of the Bray Library Junior Film Club will be at 6.30pm on Thursday February 19th, the February meeting of Ruths Book Club takes place at 11am on Wednesday February 25th; the February meeting of at the Literary Book Club 7pm on Thursday February 26th. The next meeting of the Bray Library Crime Book Club will take place at 7pm on Tuesday March 10th. Harp Meditation takes place this Saturday from 9.30am, to 10am booking required which can be made at the desk or by email to braylib@wicklococo.ie. Grainne Hurley will give a talk Gratefully & Affectionately Mary Lavin and The New Yorker at 3pm on Saturday February 28th. Admission is free but booking is required. A Plant & Seed Swap will take place in the library from 1pm to 2pm on Wednesday February 25th, Wednesday March 25th and Wednesday April 29th. All are welcome. No booking required. Preferred plants and seeds are plants with non-invasive habits, cuttings from herbs, vegetable seedlings, ideally from open pollinated seeds. Ballywaltrim Library Opening hours are 10am to 5 pm Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and 10am to 8pm on Wednesday. The library can be contacted at 01-2723205 or by email at: ballywatrimlibrary@wicklowcoco.ie. Adult Scrabble takes place every Monday from 3pm to 4.30pm no booking is required. Tummy-Time for Babies takes place every Monday from 10 am to 12pm no booking required. STEM Free Play for 18 months to 3 years takes place every Saturday from 10am to 11.30pm. Bray Cualann Historical Society Guest speaker for the February meeting of the Bray Cualann Historical Society, the local history society for Bray and North Wicklow, will be Bill Nelson at which he will recall The French Girl Guide Plane Crash of 1946 at 8pm on Thursday February 19th in the Royal Hotel, Main Street, Bray, Co. Wicklow, All are welcome members are free while admission for visitors/non-members is 8. Those wishing to join the Bray Cualann Historical Society can do so at this lecture. The annual membership rate for 2026 is 35 for an individual and 45 for a couple. Irish Girl Guides (IGG) There is a very large IGG presence in Bray and Enniskerry, with waiting lists for all groups. Leaders are urgently needed, so if you are interested in working with young children and have some spare time on a Monday, Thursday, or Friday evening, do get in touch. If you are interested in your daughter joining Ladybirds or Brownies do get in touch as spaces sometimes become available for September. (Ladybirds ages 5-7; Brownies ages 7-10; Guides and Senior Branch 10+) email:belmontbrowniesbray@gmail.com Shankill Classical Music Club Tonight (Wednesday) the February meeting of the Shankill Classical Music Club takes place from 7.45pm to 10pm, including a tea/coffee break, in the Shankill Seniors Centre, Lower Road, Shankill, located 100m from Shankill Main Street with car parking available. The music will be as always a varied programme of classical music on CDs, covering many genresorchestral, instrumental, vocal, opera, etc.in a friendly setting. Visitors and new and returning members are always welcome. You dont need to be an expert. Charge 2 on the night (waived for first visit). For further information please phone or text Malcolm at 085-8528216. Strength and Wellness programme for women Dr. Conor Dowling is collaborating with Dr. Niamh Bradley OConnor to deliver a Strength and Wellness programme for women in BrayStrong Mna. The Strong Mna programme will involve a blend of Pilates and resistance training with womens health education workshops. The in-person resistance training sessions will take place in the Holy Redeemer Parish Centre on Monday evenings at 5.45pm. Contact details arestrong.mna@hotmail.com / 0879668503 and our socialsfacebook Strong Mna / instagram strong.mna. St James COI, Crinken Services of Worship for this Sunday The Sunday before Lent: 10.30am Morning Praise. Rathmichael COI Parish Worship Services for this Sunday, The Sunday before Lent: 8.30amHoly Communion; 11am Holy Communion; 7pm Compline Sunday Evening Service: Every Sunday an Evening Service is held at 7pm in Rathmichael Church. We invite you to enjoy the silence and contemplation that this service allows a space for in your heart and mind, as you prepare to go into the new week. Wed love to see you at 7pm on Sunday evenings for this quiet and reflective service that includes music and hymns the perfect way to prepare for the busyness of a new week. Prayer IgnitesFuelling faith, hope and change through prayer: Join us each month at Rathmichael Church for a warm and welcoming Prayer Gathering, where we come together to lift up the needs of our community and the wider world. In a quiet, reflective space, we seek Gods guidance, strength, and peacetrusting that our prayers make a difference. Whether you come with personal concerns, hopes for others, or simply a heart open to God, youll find encouragement and fellowship as we pray side by side. The next meeting will take place at 8pm next Wednesday (February 18th) in Rathmichael Church immediately after the Ash Wednesday service. All are welcome. Confirmation Preparation at Rathmichael Church: Were delighted to let you know that Confirmation preparation classes will be starting soon for all young people in 2nd Year and upwards. These sessions are a great opportunity for your child to explore their faith, ask questions, and prepare meaningfully for this important step in their spiritual journey. If you would like your child to take part, or if you have any questions about the programme, please get in touch with the Rector for all the details. Organ Plus Series Christ Church, Bray, continues its interactive series of Organ Plus concerts, this time with violinist Zhamilia Pak and organist Tatiania Konina so come along to this Sundays 5pm concert with your family and explore! Would you like to understand music better? Curious about the secrets behind great performances? There will be great classical music, engaging performances, and a fun commentary that makes listening easy and enjoyable for all ages. Tickets 5/10/15 under 5s are free are available from the Christ Church Parish Office, Fleurtique Florence Road, The Travel Boutique on the Upper Main Street, or htpps://christchurchbray. Shankill Bible Church Shankill Bible Church, Glenmaris, Eaton Wood Grove - Sunday Worship: 10.30am Sunday Service. Prayer Meeting and Bible Study: Friday nights at 7pm. See www.shankillbiblechurch.org for further information. St Annes Parish Times of Masses and Blessed Sacrament Adoration: Weekday Masses are celebrated at 10am from Tuesday to Friday, and at 5pm (Vigil) on Saturday. There is no celebration of 10am morning Mass on Mondays and Saturdays. On Mondays Evening Mass is celebrated at 7pm with Adoration of Blessed Sacrament from 6pm to 7pm. Sunday Masses are celebrated at 10am, 12pm, and 6pm. All Masses are available online on the parish webcam www.stannesparishshankill.com through the link Watch Us Live. A Holy Hour takes place from 6pm to 7pm on Mondays, from 8pm to 9pm on Thursdays and from 10.30am to 11.30am on Fridays 9.45am. On the First Saturday of the Month only there will be 10am MaasConfessions will be heard from 9.15am to 9.45am beforehand. Irish Mass: A Mass in Irish is celebrated at 9am on Sunday mornings in St. Peters Church, Little, Bray. The Rosary: This is prayed Monday to Saturday mornings from 9.30am. All are welcome. Come Join Us: The Family Mass in St. Annes Shankill takes place every Sunday at 10am with a Special Childrens Monthly Mass at 10am on the first Sunday of every month. The Childrens Liturgy Team would like to invite any children and their parents /guardians/grandparents who would like to be involved in the liturgy (readings, offertory and processions) to contact Rob on 089-4123158 or contact the parish office on 01-2822704 / 01-2822277 or email info@stannesparishshankill.com. St. Annes Resource Centre Upgrade: St. Annes Resource Centre is currently closed due to renovation works. A temporary office is open at the side of St. Annes Resource Centre from 9.30am to 2pm Monday to Friday. As access will be restricted, all inquiries should be directed by email or telephone wherever possible. Marriage Week February 7th to February 14th: Marriage Week is an opportunity to celebrate and focus on the love in our marriages. This parish will provide the opportunity to bless your marriage at this Saturdays 5pm Mass and Sundays 10am Mass. This celebration is for all married couples, especially for those who are celebrating a significant anniversary (5,10,15 etc) this year. Come along and celebrate. Our Lady of Lourdes Healing Mass with Anointing of the Sick: Will be celebrated today (Wednesday) at 7pm by Fr. John Harris, OP Dominican Provincial. The Secret Choir will also be in attendance. A Day of Prayer for Survivors and Victims of Abuse: On Friday February 20th the 10am Mass will be offered for the Survivors and Victims of Abuse. Lent: During Lent Mass will be celebrated at 7pm Monday to Friday with Stations of the Cross beforehand at 6.30pm Ballybrack-Killiney Parish: Mass Times: Sts. Alphonsus & Columba Church, Church Avenue, Ballybrack Mondays, Fridays at 10am & Sundays at 10.30am; Church of the Apostles, Willow Vale, Ballybrack: Tuesdays & Thursdays at 10am, and Sundays at 12pm; Church of St. Stephen, Killiney Hill Road, Killiney: Saturdays at 6pm. Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament: Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament takes place every Thursday morning after 10am Mass until 12 noon, in the Church of the Apostles. All are welcome. Confessions: These are heard in Sts Alphonsus & Columba church from 4pm to 4.30pm each Saturday. Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Parish, Dalkey: Mass Times: Sundays at 9am and 11am. Vigil Mass on Saturday at 6pm (Taize/Gospel Choir); Daily Mass: 10am. Confessions: These are heard every Saturday morning after 10am Mass unless there is a funeral. Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament: Takes place on Mondays after 10am Mass until 4pm (Except on public holidays when exposition takes place on Tuesday). Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament takes place every Thursday from 7pm to 8pm. Compline: Takes place every Wednesday at 6.30pm in the Church, with the parishes of St. Patricks and the Assumption joining together for this short and simple service. All are most welcome. Our Lady of Good Counsel, Johnstown: General Mass Schedule: 10amMonday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday; no Mass on a Tuesday; Saturday6pm Vigil Mass and on Sunday at 11am. St. Colmcille Partnership of Parishes: Encounter Jesus this Lent with Lenten Evenings on Fridays February 20th and 27th and March 6th, 13th and 20th between 7.30pm to 9pm in Johnstown Parish Centre. A Partnership Retreat on Tuesday March 24th Wednesday March 25th and Thursday March 26th with Mass at 7.30pm and Confessions available from 7pm will take place in the Church of the Apostles, Ballybrack. No cost all are welcome. Enquiries to scpartnership2026@gmail.com. St. Brigids Parish, Cabinteely: Weekday Masses are celebrated in St. Brigids Church, Cabinteely on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday at 10am, and no Mass on Wednesday. On Bank Holidays Mass is celebrated at 11am. At weekends the Vigil Mass is celebrated at 5.30pm (Saturday). Sunday Mass times are 10am and 12.30pm. St. Michaels Church, Dun Laoghaire: Mass Times: Monday to Friday: 10am; Saturday: 10am and 6pm Vigil Mass; Sunday: 9.15am, 10.30am (Irish), 11.30am, and 12pm. The Church will now remain open until 4pm Monday to Friday. The Church will remain open on Saturdays and close after the 6pm Mass. Shankill Library To facilitate essential conservation and improvement works, Shankill Library on Library Road is closed and has been relocated to a temporary library in Stonebridge Community Centre, 7 Stonebridge, Grove, Shankill, until this work is completed, and is open on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays from 10am to 4pm. Space will be available to continue to facilitate regular library group meetings, access to book stock, a seating area for adults and children, newspapers, plus paid printing/copying facilities. Contact details remain the same telephone 01-204 7224 or email shankilllib@dlrcoco.ie. Rathmichael Historical Society The Societys AGM took place at 8pm last Wednesday night in Rathmichael National School at which the reports of the outgoing committee were placed before the members for adoption, a committee for coming year elected. There was a presentation and demonstration of the Societys new website followed by a short talk On the Trail of Lafcadio Hearn by Richard Ryan. Guest speaker for the Wednesday March 4th meeting will be The Irish Ringforts after Three Centuries by Matthew Stout. Members are freenon-members/visitors 5. Those wishing to join the Society can do so at this meeting. Members and supporters of the Rathmichael Historical Society are asked to note that the following events will take place in the coming weektoday (Wednesday) Rob Goodbody will present From Sandymount Strand to Crumlin RoadDublins Industrial Heritage at 1pm to the Ballsbridge, Donnybrook and Sandymount Historical Society in Pembroke Library, Anglesea Road, Ballsbridge, Dublin 4. Admission is free but booking is required email: pembrokelibrary@dublincity.ie or call 01 2228450; Joseph E. A. Connell, Jr, will present How Michael Collins used the politics of violence in Dublin during the War of Independence at 6pm to the Old Dublin Society in The Conference Room of Dublin City Library & Archive, 139-144 Pearse Street, Dublin 2. All are welcome admission is free and no booking is required. Seats are allocated on a first come basis. Tomorrow (Thursday) Frank Tracy will present Irelands Ancient Stones: Silent Windows to the Past at 8pm to the Kilmacud-Stillorgan Local History Society in St. Lawrences Parish Centre, Lower Kilmacud Road, Stillorgan, Co. Dublin. Members are free visitors are 3. Please note that there is a car parking charge of 1 per hour at this venue coin payment only. Next Tuesday Cormac F. Lowth will present A History of Lifeboats in Dublin Bay at 8pm to the Foxrock Local History Club in Foxrock Parish Pastoral Centre, Foxrock, Co. Dublin. All are welcomeadmission is 5. Next Wednesday James Scannell will recall The Air Crash No-One Saw: Djouce Mountain August 1946 at 7.30 p.m. to the Greystones Archaeological & Historical Society in Kilian House, beside the Church of the Most Holy Rosary, Greystones, Co. Wicklow. All are welcome admission is 3 for members and 5 for non-members; Mairtin Mac Con Iomaire will present Exploring the making of Irish Food History: A Companion at 8pm to the Dun Laoghaire Borough Historical Society in the Royal Marine Hotel, Marine Road, Dun Laoghaire, Co. Dublin. All are welcomeadmission is 5. Free hotel parking is available for those attending this lecture. Next Thursday (February 19th) Bill Nelson will present The French Girl Guide Plane Crash of 1946 at 8pm to the Bray Cualann Historical Society in The Royal Hotel, Main Street, Bray, Co. Wicklow. All are welcome members are freevisitors/non-members 8; Richard McCormack will present A Life in Deep Sea Trawling at 8pm to the Dublin Bay Old Gaffers Association in Poolbeg Yacht and Boat Club, Ringsend Road, Dublin 4. Donation to the R.N.L.I. at the door. First Saturday Book Sale The March First Saturday Book Sale, which supports the Shankill Seniors Day Care Centre, takes place from 10am to 1pm on Saturday March 7th in the Shankill Seniors Day Care Centre, Lower Road, Shankill. Donations of books, which must be in a clean and good condition, are limited to one small bag per donor due to storage issues, and can only be left into the Book Sale that Saturday morning. Classical Music Club The February meeting of the Shankill Classical Music Club will take place tonight (Wednesday) from 7.45pm to 10pm, including a break for tea/coffee, in the Shankill Seniors Centre, Lower Road, Shankill, located 100m from Main Street with car parking available. The music will be as always a varied programme of classical music on CDs, covering many genres i.e. orchestral, instrumental, vocal, opera, etc. in a friendly setting. Visitors and new and returning members are always welcome. You dont need to be an expert! Charge 2 on the night (waived for first visit). For further information please phone or text Malcolm at 085-8528216. Members of the Irish Farmers Association protest outside the offices of Bord Bia in Dublin (Niall Carson/PA) Members of the Irish Farmers Association (IFA) Kildare, West Wicklow continuing their protest on Thursday, January 29 outside the Bord Bia headquarters in Dublin. The demonstration is part of a rolling action that has kept farmers camped outside Bord Bia since Monday, with different county contingents taking shifts. The elected members of Wicklow County Council have formally called for the resignation of Bord Bia chairman Larry Murrin, with an amended emergency motion tabled by Fine Gael members voted on at the monthly meeting on Monday. Mr Murrin has been steeped in controversy in recent weeks stemming from revelations that his company, Dawn Farms, has been importing beef from Brazil. The Irish Farmers' Association (IFA) argue that his position as chair of Bord Biathe state agency responsible for promoting Irish foodis untenable while his company imports non-Irish beef. An emergency motion was brought forward to the February monthly meeting of the local authority by the councils Fine Gael chair Melanie Corrigan, and seconded and supported by her party colleagues Shane Langrell and Sylvester Bourke. Independent councillor Joe Behan expressed his support for the motion, which calls on the Agriculture Minister and all stakeholders involved to engage in dialogue to resolve the issues relating to Bord Bia as a matter of urgency. He called for the motion to be amended calling for the immediate resignation of Mr Murrin. That is the demand of the IFA. They're right to make that demand as far as I am concerned. I have listened and read to what they have said. This is hypocrisy that the person who oversees food safety, Bord Bia promoting safe Irish food to this country and abroad has admitted he's importing Brazilian beef as part of his operation. He's still sitting there as chair of Bord Bia. The Fine Gael and Fianna Fail ministers seem to be backing him. Fair play to the Fine Gael members in this chamber, they have shown courage. Cllr Langrell said it was important to listen to what the farmers are saying. It is totally not acceptable what has happened. When you have Brazilian beef coming into this country there's no traceability like what we get from the Irish farm. Cllr Bourke, who is himself a farmer, said the optics of it are shockingly bad from a food producing point of view. The objective of Bord Bia is to promote Irish food and to have the chairperson of it wilfully importing Brazilian beef at the time when markets are so topical is just not on. And I don't think the farmers would have confidence in Bord Bia in the future unless this issue is resolved. So, I support Cllr Behan's amendment. Cllr Gerry ONeill, an independent, also expressed his support for the move. It's crazy that Larry Murrin, could be chairman of Bord Bia and director of his own business. It's double standards to the highest degree. I am delighted to hear Fine Gael supporting this because the Government are very supportive of Larry Murrin. So, I wish you all the best of luck that you might get the better of your own Government there. Cllr Peter Stapleton, a Fine Gael member, was one of the few elected members not to support the call for Mr Murrins resignation. I don't think that, necessarily, if we just call for a head, and he falls on his sword, and we get someone else to replace him, that you have fundamentally restored the trust in Bord Bia. I think there's been widespread acknowledgment that Larry Murrin is a capable person and has done good for Bord Bia. I would be hoping there is a way around it, where perhaps there is an admission that what he did wasn't right. It wasn't right to stand over a chair of a board that is responsible for quality assurance, nailing your colour to the mast and saying we should accept nothing less than then the EU standards, while at the same time importing beef which is most likely of a lower standard. However, Labour party councillor Paul OBrien believes Mr Murrin needs to be held accountable for his actions. I wholeheartedly support this motion and Cllr Behan's amendment to it because there must be consequences to your action. If I went to start advocating for example for Educate Together, I would have to stand up and say I got it wrong and fall on my sword. There must be consequences to people's action. At that level people should know better. Larry Murrin should know better. And unfortunately, whether he's a nice man who has done a good job in the past he has made a huge error in judgment. He's going to have to pay the price. The amended motion, adding the call for Mr Murrins resignation, was carried with 20 elected members voting for, six abstaining and five not present. Two abstaining councillors were from Fine Gael, two were from the Green Party and two were independents. Four were elected to urban districts of Bray and Greystones. Wicklow County Council will now write to the Agriculture Minister to signal the councillors wishes. The IFA has staged sit-in protests at Bord Bia's headquarters in Dublin and called for Mr Murrin's immediate resignation. Wicklow farmers have been active in the ongoing protests against Mr Murrin, with local representatives highlighting the pressure on the county's agri-sector. Mr Murrin recently appeared before the Oireachtas Agriculture Committee, where he denied any conflict of interest, stating he remains "fully committed" to his role. The Irish Government, including the Taoiseach and Agriculture Minister, has expressed "full confidence" in Mr Murrin, despite opposition calls for his removal. Councillors in neighbouring Wexford have also formally backed calls for his resignation. Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme Paul Dacre said in written evidence that it was inconceivable that anyone at the Daily Mail would have carried out the alleged activities (Lucy North/PA) The former editor of the Daily Mail has said he has only a vague memory of a box containing invoices worth 3m (3.44m) to private investigators being discovered in the newspapers offices. We got lost in Moscow and I thought Id never see my husband again: the Irish housewives who took on the USSR Europe should brace for more moments of US hostility, French president Emmanuel Macron has warned, and should treat what he called the Greenland moment as a wake-up call to push through long-delayed reforms to strengthen the blocs global power. In an interview with several European newspapers, the French leader said the EU should not mistake a lull in tensions with Washington for a lasting shift despite a pause in US threats over Greenland, trade and technology. A memorial for the victims of a fire at a New Year's party in Switzerland went up in flames on Sunday, likely caused by candles left inside. Minister for Foreign Affairs Helen McEntee has hit out at Israel after its cabinet signed off on measures which will tighten the countrys grip on the occupied West Bank. In a statement on Wednesday, Ms McEntee said: I am deeply concerned by decisions taken by the Israeli Security Cabinet to expand Israeli control over the West Bank. Today in Brussels, I raised these concerns with EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the European Commission Kaja Kallas. White House considers sending second aircraft carrier to raise the pressure on Iran to do deal Donald Trump threatens to do something very tough if Tehran fails to toe the line White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt. Photo: Reuters Idrees Ali, Phil Stewart and Jana Choukeir Reuters Wed 11 Feb 2026 at 06:30 US president Donald Trump said yesterday that he was considering sending a second aircraft carrier to the Middle East, even as Washington and Tehran prepare to resume negotiations aimed at averting a new conflict. Democrats in the US Congress pressed Donald Trumps top immigration officials on Tuesday over the Republican presidents crackdown, the first such hearing since two US citizens were killed in Minnesota amid mounting opposition to Mr Trumps mass deportation push. Donald Trump hands control of three Nato bases over to Europeans Move follows US presidents threat of America playing lesser role in military alliance amid concerns over outcome of Russian war on Ukraine Ukrainian soldiers prepare tea at their position on the front line in the Zaporizhzhia region. Photo: AP Joe Barnes Telegraph Media Group Holdings Ltd Wed 11 Feb 2026 at 06:30 US president Donald Trump has handed control of three top Nato command posts to European countries. Donald Trumps Washington DC arch would be so tall it could pose a danger to flights At 250ft, proposed Independence Arch would be taller Arc de Triomphe in Paris and Mexico Citys Monumento a la Revolucion US president Donald Trump holds up a model of his proposed arch during a fundraising dinner at the White House in October. Photo: Getty Katie Hawkinson UK Independent Wed 11 Feb 2026 at 06:30 US president Donald Trumps proposed Independence Arch could pose a danger to flights in the Washington DC area, according to a new report. LATEST | Nancy Guthrie abduction: Man detained by police is released as FBI release images of suspected kidnapper Images show man in ski mask tampering with doorbell cameraTV journalist's elderly mother reported missing nine days agoSavannah Guthrie says family believes Nancy still aliveRecasting with latest details in the case; background throughout Authorities release footage of suspect at Savannah Guthries mothers Arizona home before kidnapping Erica Stapleton and Jana Winter UK Independent Wed 11 Feb 2026 at 16:16 A man has been released after being detained for questioning over the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie, the mother of US talk show host Savannah Guthrie. Israel's Netanyahu to meet Trump for seventh time in 13 months and expected to press over Iran diplomacy Two leaders will meet for seventh time in nearly 13 monthsNetanyahu seeks broader U.S. talks with Iran beyond nuclear issuesTrump: 'No nuclear weapons, no missiles,' eyes second carrierPotential bilateral tensions over Gaza plan and West Bank Donald Trump shakes hands with Benjamin Netanyahu (Alex Brandon/AP) Matt Spetalnick and Maayan Lubell Reuters Wed 11 Feb 2026 at 10:13 President Donald Trump will host Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House on Wednesday where the Israeli prime minister is expected to press him to widen U.S. talks with Iran to include curbs on Tehrans missile arsenal and other security threats that go beyond its nuclear programme. LATEST | Nine dead, including suspect, after Canada high school shooting as prime minister says its time to come together Mass shooting took place at school and another location in British ColumbiaPublic alert described the shooter as a female in a dress with brown hairIncident among the most deadly mass casualty events in recent Canadian history Ten dead, including suspect, after shootings at Canadian home and school Ismail Shakil and Ryan Patrick Jones Reuters Wed 11 Feb 2026 at 07:58 Canadian police on Wednesday identified the person who carried out a school massacre as an 18-year-old woman with mental health issues, but did not give a motive for one of the worst mass shootings in Canada's history. A Republican representative accused US attorney general Pam Bondi of concealing the names of powerful associates of the late financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein as she faced questions about the Justice Departments handling of investigative files in a charged hearing before a House of Representatives panel. On Wednesday, Thomas Massie, a Republican from Kentucky who helped lead the effort to require the files release, accused the Justice Department of a massive failure to comply with the law as he questioned why billionaire Leslie Wexners name was redacted in an FBI document listing potential co-conspirators in the sex trafficking investigation into Epstein. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas says Ukraine has been forced to make all the concessions. Photo: AP The European Union is drafting a list of concessions that it believes Russia must make to secure any long-term peace in Ukraine, the blocs top diplomat said yesterday, as US-run talks to end four years of war show little sign of progress. Russian forces used cluster munitions in an attack on a market in Ukraine killing seven as envoys from Moscow and Kyiv met in Abu Dhabi last week for another round of US-brokered talks. No breakthrough was made, although a new prisoner swap was agreed. Everything You Can Watch on OTT This Week 1. The Burbs Release Date: February 9, 2026 Where to Watch: JioHotstar Image credit : Peacock | A young couple moves back to the cul-de-sac A dark suburban comedy where a seemingly perfect neighborhood hides bizarre secrets. A young couple moves back to the cul-de-sac where the husband grew up, only to discover eerie mysteries that turn the quiet street upside down. 2. Motorvalley Release Date: February 10, 2026 Where to Watch: Netflix Valentines Day doesnt have to be all about couples and candlelit dinners. If youre flying solo this year, its the perfect excuse to curl up in bed and binge the latest movies and shows on OTT. From laugh-out-loud comedies to gripping dramas, these picks will keep you entertained while you embrace your solo vibe in style.Release Date: February 9, 2026Where to Watch: JioHotstarA dark suburban comedy where a seemingly perfect neighborhood hides bizarre secrets. A young couple moves back to the cul-de-sac where the husband grew up, only to discover eerie mysteries that turn the quiet street upside down.Release Date: February 10, 2026Where to Watch: Netflix 3. Kohrra Season 2 4. Cross Season 2 Image credit : Prime Video | Amarpal Garundi (Barun Sobti) and commanding officer Dhanwant Kaur (Mona Singh) investigate a brutal crime 5. Lead Children 6. Love Is Blind Season 10 7. State of Fear 8. How to Get to Heaven from Belfast Image credit : Netflix | Three childhood friends reunite after a friends death. 9. Baby Girl 10. Mana Shankara Vara Prasad Garu 11. Predator: Badlands 12. The Conjuring: Last Rites Ed and Lorraine Warren face their most terrifying case yet, inspired by the real Smurl haunting. Ghosts, demons, and terrifying encounters make this a spine-chilling finale. Ed and Lorraine Warren face their most terrifying case yet, inspired by the real Smurl haunting. Ghosts, demons, and terrifying encounters make this a spine-chilling finale. 13. Maayabimbum Release Date: February 13, 2026 Where to Watch: Sun NXT Release Date: February 13, 2026Where to Watch: Sun NXT An Italian racing drama set in Emilia-Romagnas Motor Valley. Three passionate racers face heartbreak, rivalry, and the thrill of the track as they chase speed, redemption, and glory across iconic circuits.Release Date: February 11, 2026Where to Watch: NetflixThe Punjabi noir series returns with a chilling murder in a small town. Assistant Sub-Inspector Amarpal Garundi (Barun Sobti) and commanding officer Dhanwant Kaur (Mona Singh) investigate a brutal crime, revealing secrets, suspicion, and hidden motives in a town full of potential suspects.Release Date: February 11, 2026Where to Watch: Prime VideoDetective Alex Cross and agent Kayla Craig hunt a cunning killer targeting wealthy elites. With the clock ticking and stakes rising, Cross must outwit a ruthless vigilante in a deadly cat-and-mouse chase.Release Date: February 11, 2026Where to Watch: NetflixBased on true events, a doctor in 1970s Silesia discovers children suffering from lead poisoning near a steelworks. Battling the state and industrial negligence, she fights to save the kids and reveal the shocking truth.Release Date: February 11, 2026Where to Watch: NetflixThe reality dating experiment returns with new singles in Ohio trying to find love without seeing each other. Pods, drama, and engagements collide as chemistry is tested in the real world.Release Date: February 11, 2026Where to Watch: NetflixA Brazilian action thriller where Elisas brother is kidnapped, dragging her and the city into a violent gang war. Chaos erupts as families struggle to survive and secrets surface.Release Date: February 12, 2026Where to Watch: NetflixThree childhood friends reunite after a friends death. Strange events at her wake force them to confront buried secrets on an emotional journey across Ireland.Release Date: February 12, 2026Where to Watch: SonyLIVOn Christmas Eve, a newborn disappears from a hospital, and a young attendant becomes the prime suspect. Secrets and moral dilemmas surface in this high-tension thriller.Release Date: February 12, 2026Where to Watch: ZEE5A National Security Guard officer tries to reconcile with his family while juggling high-stakes missions. Personal and professional worlds collide in this action-comedy.Release Date: February 12, 2026Where to Watch: JioHotstarA sci-fi action thriller with the iconic Predator hunting humans in remote terrain. Expect nonstop adrenaline and survival action.Release Date: February 13, 2026Where to Watch: JioHotstar What happened at Tumbler Ridge Secondary school The Canadian gun person who killed nine people, including teens at a B.C. school and members of his own family before taking his own life, is a trans person. Police initially said the suspect was a female in a dress, and are not confirming the suspects identity. This is one Andy Ngo (@MrAndyNgo) February 11, 2026 Eyewitness accounts and emergency response I am devastated by todays horrific shootings in Tumbler Ridge, B.C. My prayers and deepest condolences are with the families and friends who have lost loved ones to these horrific acts of violence. I join Canadians in grieving with those whose lives have been changed Mark Carney (@MarkJCarney) February 11, 2026 Community impact and official reactions Tumbler Ridge School, British Colombia, Canada Helicopter arrives to help airlift victims - after another Trans Person shot up this small school, killing at least 9 and injuring a further 25. This is one of the worst tragedies in Canadian history. pic.twitter.com/0lT2iPSovA Concerned Citizen (@BGatesIsaPyscho) February 11, 2026 How common are mass shootings in Canada? At least nine people were killed and 27 injured in a mass shooting in Tumbler Ridge, a town in northeastern British Columbia, on Tuesday. Police said the suspected attacker was found dead from what appeared to be a self-inflicted injury. Authorities added they do not believe there are additional suspects or any continuing threat to the public. Here is a detailed account of what has been confirmed so far.Police responded to reports of a shooting at approximately 1:20pm local time (21:20 GMT). Upon arrival at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School, officers discovered six people dead inside the building. A seventh victim died while being transported to hospital. The suspected attacker was also found dead at the school.Two additional bodies were located at a nearby house, which police believe is connected to the attack. In total, nine people were killed. Authorities said at least 26 people were injured at the high school residence, while earlier reports indicated 27 injuries.The suspect was described as a female in a dress with brown hair. Police said the attacker has been identified but the name has not been publicly released, nor has the sex been officially confirmed. Officials also declined to confirm whether children were among the victims.Superintendent Ken Floyd of the North District RCMP said the motive remains unknown. I think we will struggle to determine the why, but we will try our best to determine what transpired, he said. He added that further updates would be provided in the coming days.Darian Quist, a student at the school, said an alarm went off shortly after he arrived in class, announcing a lockdown and instructing students to close classroom doors. He told CBC Radio that students initially stayed inside without knowing what was happening.We got tables and barricaded the doors, Quist said, adding that students remained inside for more than two hours until police arrived and escorted them out. Around 100 students and staff were evacuated after officers secured the premises.Local journalist Trent Ernst said he received a Facebook message reporting an active shooter at the school. He drove to the scene but found roads blocked. He also saw RCMP vehicles heading toward a home near the town centre, where reports indicated a second shooting had occurred.Provincial Public Safety Minister Nina Krieger commended the RCMP, also known as the Mounties, for responding quickly. This is a small, tight-knit community with a small RCMP detachment who responded within two minutes, she said.Tumbler Ridge is a remote municipality with a population of about 2,400 people. It is located in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains in northern British Columbia, around 1,155km northeast of Vancouver. Tumbler Ridge Secondary School serves Grade 7-12 students and has approximately 160 students.Mayor Darryl Krakowka said the tragedy would affect the entire community. I will know every victim. Ive been here 19 years, and were a small community, he told CBC. I dont call them residents. I call them family.British Columbia Premier David Eby described the incident as an unimaginable tragedy.Prime Minister Mark Carney suspended his planned trip to Germany for the Munich Security Conference after being informed of the attack. In a statement on X, he said he was devastated.My prayers and deepest condolences are with the families and friends who have lost loved ones to these horrific acts of violence, he said. I join Canadians in grieving with those whose lives have been irreversibly changed today, and in gratitude for the courage and selflessness of the first responders who risked their lives to protect their fellow citizens.The school has been closed for the remainder of the week, and counselling services will be made available.The investigation has been handed over to the RCMPs Major Crimes Unit.The Tumbler Ridge shooting is among the most serious mass shootings in Canada in recent decades. However, the death toll remains below that of the worst incident six years ago.Compared with the United States, mass shootings are relatively rare in Canada. Experts often cite Canadas strict gun laws, which make it difficult to obtain assault-style weapons commonly used in many US school shootings.The investigation into Tuesdays attack is ongoing. Manhunt into the Nancy Guthrie case continues amid the FBI footage release ABC15 Image credit : X | @Tertainmen71306 | Who Is Carlos Palazuelos and What Role, If Any, Did He Play in Nancy Guthries Disappearance Could there be two suspects in the Nancy Guthrie case? Image credit : X | @AddyAdam8 | What Do Authorities Know About Carlos Palazuelos BREAKING! Carlos Alberto Palazuelos has just been released claiming he is innocent and has nothing to do with Nancy Guthrie's kidnapping. The manhunt is still ongoing for the real kidnappers. Recently released footage by the FBI showed a man who resembled hin X-tertainment (@Tertainmen71306) February 11, 2026 Who is Carlos Palazuelos, and does he know Nancy Guthrie? In a major development in the Nancy Guthrie case, Carlos Palazuelos, who was taken into custody for questioning, has been released without charges, reported CNN on Wednesday, citing its affiliate KNXV. Palazuelos was apprehended during a traffic stop in Rio Rico, Arizona, about an hour south of Tucson near the US-Mexico border, as part of the ongoing investigation. Following this, the authorities also searched a property in the area while looking into leads related to Guthries disappearance. Let's find out who this person whom the officials arrested is. Is he not the same guy?Nancy Guthrie, 84, mother of "Today" show co-host Savannah Guthrie, has been missing since February 1. Officials suspect she was kidnapped from her Tucson home overnight.On Wednesday, Carlos Palazuelos was detained based on investigation leads but was not charged, according to a law enforcement official. He was released shortly after the traffic stop, withreporter Ford Hatchett noting on X that Palazuelos "only wants to be identified as Carlos" and was held at the scene for several hours.Sources later told NewsNation that he is not currently considered a suspect, though authorities are executing a search warrant at his residence. The Pima County Sheriff's Department confirmed that their search of a Rio Rico property has concluded, while recently released FBI footage showed a man resembling Palazuelos, keeping the investigation into Nancy Guthrie's disappearance ongoing.Amid the videos of the suspect arrested surfacing on social media, there are also discussions going on that FBI experts now believe that two people may be involved in Nancy Guthrie's kidnapping, with newly released footage showing a masked man gesturing to someone off-camera.As per a post on X (formerly called Twitter), investigators note that it would likely take two people to carry an 84-year-old, and the ongoing probe into a Tucson cell is intensifying.Well, the post goes on to explain how a key lead involves a DoorDash delivery detail, which could explain how a suspect may have 'cased' Guthrie's home multiple times while mapping out camera blind spots. While Carlos Palazuelos' release without charges suggests he may not be the masked man, authorities seized all electronics from his Rio Rico residence.Hence, releasing a person of interest can sometimes help law enforcement locate the victim or a potential accomplice. The search for Nancy Guthrie continues to grow more urgent.Josefina Maddox, the mother-in-law of the man detained, confirmed that her son is Carlos Palazuelos and said he was at her home in Rio Rico, Arizona, during the time Nancy Guthrie went missing. She described Carlos as a "good guy" with no criminal record or history of violence.On the other hand, Palazuelos mother-in-law, Josefina, insists on his innocence, saying he was at her Rio Rico home when Nancy Guthrie disappeared. Leadership exits add to xAI turnover Image credit : X/musk_coco | Elon Musks xAI sees key resignations Musks expanding vision for xAI Image credit : X/elonmusk_VP | Elon Musks AI ambitions tested as xAI co-founders quit Broader shifts across Musk-led companies Image credit : X/ElonMuskAOC | Elon Musk faces fresh xAI shake-up Two co-founders of Elon Musk-backed artificial intelligence company xAI have resigned less than three years after launching the firm, marking the latest leadership shift inside the fast-growing startup. Tony Wu and Jimmy Ba confirmed their departures in separate social media posts, thanking Musk but offering no details on their reasons for leaving or their next professional steps.Their exits reduce the number of xAIs original co-founders from 12 to six, highlighting a steady stream of departures from the company as it ramps up efforts to compete in the global AI race.The resignations of Wu and Ba follow a broader exodus at xAI. According to reports, Jimmy Bas decision came after internal tensions within the companys technical team, particularly around pressure to improve the performance of xAIs artificial intelligence models.These demands are tied to Musks push for xAI to close the gap with established competitors such as OpenAI and Anthropic. While Ba did not respond to a request for comment regarding these reports, neither he nor Wu addressed the internal challenges directly in their public statements.Despite the lack of detail, both founders publicly expressed gratitude toward Musk, underscoring that the departures were not accompanied by public disputes or criticism.The leadership changes come just days after SpaceX announced plans to purchase xAI, a move that would combine the companies into a $1.25 trillion entity. The combined company is expected to go public later this year, with the aim of helping finance Musks broader ambitions, including the construction of data centers in space.During a recent all-hands meeting with xAI employees, Musk outlined an even more ambitious future. According to reports, he told staff that xAI would require a manufacturing facility on the Moon. The proposed lunar factory would build AI satellites and launch them into space using a large catapult system.Musk said such a setup would allow xAI to access more computing power than any competitor, describing the potential scale of intelligence as difficult to imagine but exciting to pursue.The developments at xAI coincide with leadership changes elsewhere in Musks business empire. At Tesla, senior executive Raj Jegannathan recently exited amid a challenging period for the electric vehicle maker.Jegannathan joined Tesla in 2012 and rose to become vice president overseeing IT, AI infrastructure, applications, and information security. He later took charge of sales operations despite having no prior sales experience and was credited with advancing automation within the company.His departure comes as Tesla reports slowing sales, a 3 per cent revenue decline in 2025, and growing competition from Chinese automakers. Several other senior leaders have also exited Tesla over the past two years, reflecting wider restructuring across Musk-led firms.Together, these leadership shifts underline a period of transition as Musk accelerates expansion, restructures teams, and pushes ambitious technological goals across his companies. Image credit : X| Irish man held in Texas ICE centre details appalling conditions Harsh conditions and health concerns "I'm in fear for my life. People have been killed by the staff here." Seamus Culleton, an Irishman with a valid US work permit, has been held in an ICE detention center for over four months and calls it a modern day concentration camp. pic.twitter.com/XXwhXFt7b6 Molly Ploofkins (@Mollyploofkins) February 11, 2026 A call for transparency and action Image credit : X| Detained Irish man describes harsh treatment in Texas facility An Irish man who has lived in the United States for nearly two decades has been held in an immigration detention centre in Texas for almost five months, despite asserting he holds a valid work permit and has a pending green card application as the spouse of an American citizen. Seamus Culleton, who previously lived in Boston, has described conditions inside the El Paso Camp East Montana, located within the Fort Bliss Army base, as harrowing.Speaking to Irish state broadcaster RTE by phone from the detention centre, Culleton said, "You do not know what will happen from one day to the next. There could be riots or sudden incidents, and you are powerless to control it." He described the facility as consisting largely of temporary tents, offering minimal privacy or comfort.Culleton reported that he has rarely been outdoors since his arrest. "We barely get outside, no fresh air, no sunshine. There are two TVs on the wall, 72 detainees in total, and three very small meals a day, like child portions. Everyone is hungry," he said.Beyond limited space and food, Culleton characterised hygiene at the centre as "filthy," stating that toilets and showers were "rarely cleaned and completely nasty." The combination of cramped quarters, minimal exercise, and poor sanitation has taken a visible toll on him, raising concerns for his health and safety.His wife, Tiffany Smith, shared her distress during an interview with CBS News Boston. She revealed that during a recent video call, Culleton appeared jaundiced and had lost a significant amount of weight. "He has always been someone to joke and lighten the mood, but now that side of him is gone," she said, highlighting the emotional and physical strain his detention has caused.Culletons case has drawn attention to the conditions faced by long-term detainees within U.S. immigration facilities. Advocates argue that prolonged confinement under such circumstances can endanger both mental and physical health, particularly when legal status and work eligibility are in question.The situation also underscores the opaque nature of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement procedures, as families and detainees often face delays, limited communication, and unclear explanations regarding their case progress. Calls for transparency and improved conditions continue to grow as cases like Culletons emerge into public view.For Culleton and his family, the ordeal has been both alarming and emotionally exhausting. While legal avenues continue, the human cost of detention remains starkly evident, prompting renewed debate over the treatment of immigrants in the United States. The magic of nighttime travel Why night travel is taking off Starbathing: literally lying under a blanket of stars (72 per cent of travellers are keen). literally lying under a blanket of stars (72 per cent of travellers are keen). Guided stargazing: spotting constellations with experts (59 per cent). spotting constellations with experts (59 per cent). Cosmic events: witnessing meteor showers, eclipses, and other once-in-a-lifetime phenomena (59 per cent). witnessing meteor showers, eclipses, and other once-in-a-lifetime phenomena (59 per cent). Night safaris & low-light nature walks: spotting animals in their natural nocturnal rhythm (57 per cent). Image credit : Freepik | See the World Differently: Why Night Travel Feels Magical How night adventures boost your mental health Reduce rumination (less overthinking, more ahhh): The calm and stillness of the night help interrupt cycles of overthinking and constant worry. The calm and stillness of the night help interrupt cycles of overthinking and constant worry. Lower stress hormones: Activities such as stargazing, night safaris and spending time under dark skies boost feel-good brain chemicals, helping you relax and lower the stress levels. Activities such as stargazing, night safaris and spending time under dark skies boost feel-good brain chemicals, helping you relax and lower the stress levels. Boost emotional regulation: Being in a peaceful nighttime setting naturally slows your breathing and quiets the mind, helping balance your emotions and lift your mood. Image credit : Freepik | Night Travel is the New Mood Ever caught yourself scrolling through travel feeds, double-tapping photos of glowing cityscapes, starry skies or wildlife under the moonlight and thought, "I want that, but IRL?" Well, welcome to the era of noctotourism, the travel trend that's all about experiencing the world after the sun goes down.Booking.com just named it India's Travel Word of the Year 2025, and honestly, it is not hard to see why. From night safaris and stargazing retreats to night markets buzzing with life, travellers are realising that some experiences are just better in the dark.Think about a place you know really well, maybe Qutub Minar in Delhi. You have seen it in the sun, right? Now picture it at night: warm lights kissing stone, planes slicing across a starry sky, distant ruins bathed in shadow. Suddenly, it is not the same old tourist spot. It is magical.That's the essence of noctotourism. It's not just travel; it's travel with a mood. Moreover, there's something about exploring under the stars that slows time, calms the mind and makes everything feel a little intimate.Daytime travel is great...until it is 40C and packed with tourists. Global warming and overcrowding are making daytime exploration less fun, and 61 per cent of travellers are actively looking for ways to avoid the sun.Enter nigh adventures, cooler temperatures, fewer crowds and a whole new perspective. Globally, travellers are now planning trips to darker-sky destinations, where the night is the main event. Think:And in India? The night is slowly becoming the new tourist hotspot, from Ladakh's Hanle Dark Sky Reserve to starlit retreats and night safaris in national parks. 78 per cent of Indian travellers are curious about trying noctotourism this year.Here's the part that hits different: noctotourism isn't just visually stunning; it is also a mental reset. Since our brain is constantly buzzing with deadlines, DMs, FOMO and the list goes on.Nighttime travel gives you space to breathe, reflect and actually slow down. Low-light setting, quiet starlit walks or just staring at the Milky Way:So, without a doubt, night experiences hit differently if you leave schedules behind. Let curiosity guide you. Image credit : Instagram | @shubham_vaidkar | The Courage Behind Shubham Vaidkars Armani Walk More than a glow-up: Why this reinvention hits home for Gen Z This isn't just a career switch; it's a mindset shift Image credit : Instagram | @shubham_vaidkar | Shubham Vaidkars Ultimate Career Plot Twist The rise of the "multi-identity' generation Image credit : Instagram | @shubham_vaidkar | The Reinvention of Shubham Vaidkar Social media as a reinvention tool If you have ever stared at your LinkedIn profile and thought, "Is this really it?", 24-year-old Shubham Vaidkar's story might feel like a sign.From civil engineering classrooms in Mumbai to the global spotlight of Milan Fashion Week, the Vaidkars' journey is the kind that sounds like a Netflix mini-series. One minute he's working a conventional engineering job in India. The next? He's walking the runway for Giorgio Armani, not once, but multiple times.And the internet is here for you.Shubham's recent post, showing a split between his life as a civil engineer and his transformed self strutting down the ramp in Milan, racked up over 90000 likes in no time.The comment section turned into a mini motivational seminar, and words like "brave", "inspiring", and "proof that you can reinvent yourself" flooded in.But beyond the glow-up and the glam, there's something deeper here that resonates hard with Gen Z.We grew up being told to "pick something stable." Engineering, medicine, corporate and safe paths that have predictable pay cheques and respectable titles. But Shubham chose one of those paths, and he did the degree and got the job.Then he pivoted, and that pivot reflects something bigger about our generation. As we are the first generation to build personal brands while in college, learn new skills from YouTube and Instagram, see everyday people become global faces overnight and understand that careers can be portfolios, not prisons.Shubham's shift from engineer to model isn't just a random move; it is a strategic reinvention.At 24, Shubham has already walked for Giorgio Armani multiple times, and he is aiming to add more designers to his portfolio. But the real win isn't just luxury fashion validation. It is that he didnt let his first career define his final identity.Since we are living in the era of multi-identity careers, one can be an engineer who also models, a coder who DJs, a law student who runs a skincare brand and more. The new economy values adaptability and visibility.Shubham is an example that he didn't just switch industries; he bet on himself in an industry where there are no guarantees, and that is what makes his story more powerful.Another underrated part of Shubham's story? He documented it, and the viral video shows his two life phases. The video isn't just content; it is a narrative control. In today's world, visibility matters. Gen Z understands that your story is your currency, authentic journeys build community, and people connect with transformation.Well, he didnt just walk for Armani; he told the story of how he got there, and the internet cannot handle it.An Instagram user rightly wrote on his post, "Ugh i just love seeing us succeed." While another said, "Long way to go""more power to you bro," one added and more. Greece will sign four major hydrocarbon exploration agreements with U.S. energy giant Chevron on Feb. 16, Environment and Energy Minister Stavros Papastavrou has announced, sealing a deal that aims to unlock vast potential south of Crete and the Peloponnese. In an interview with ACTION 24, Mr. Papastavrou hailed the agreement as a "record-time" achievement that bolsters both Europes energy security and Greeces geopolitical standing. The pacts cover the offshore blocks "South of Peloponnese," "Block A2," and two blocks south of Crete, where preliminary data suggests significant natural gas reserves. "Next week, Chevron arrives in Athens to sign the four agreements, advancing a vital prospect for our country," Mr. Papastavrou said. The deal, which partners Chevron with Greeces HELLENiQ Energy, will be immediately submitted to parliament for ratification. The move is crucial to greenlighting seismic surveys, which officials expect to begin by late 2026. Mr. Papastavrou also highlighted the broader strategy of the "Vertical Corridor," a pipeline network designed to transport non-Russian gas from Greece to Ukraine. He confirmed he will travel to Washington on Feb. 24 to meet U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright and regulators from five nations to streamline the corridors commercial framework. The acceleration of exploration comes as Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis prepares for talks with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, signaling Athens' determination to exercise its sovereign rights in the Eastern Mediterranean despite past challenges to maritime boundaries. iefimerida.gr Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis is scheduled to travel to Ankara on Wednesday for the 6th Greece-Turkey High Cooperation Council, a key diplomatic meeting aimed at maintaining dialogue between the two NATO allies amid ongoing regional tensions. Mitsotakis is set to meet Turkish Recep Tayyip Erdogan at 15:15 Greece time before the bilateral council convenes with senior officials from both countries. The two leaders are expected to deliver joint press statements at 17:00, followed by an official dinner hosted by Erdogan for the Greek delegation. The summit comes as Athens and Ankara seek to preserve a period of relative calm after years of friction over maritime boundaries, migration, energy exploration and regional security. Since 2023, both governments have pursued a cautious reset in relations, focusing on confidence-building measures, economic cooperation and open communication channels. Diplomatic engagement has intensified through regular high-level meetings and working groups covering trade, tourism, civil protection and energy. However, long-standing disputes in the Aegean Sea and eastern Mediterranean remain unresolved. The meeting takes place against a backdrop of shifting geopolitical dynamics in the eastern Mediterranean and broader Europe, including energy security concerns and NATO coordination following Russias invasion of Ukraine. Analysts say maintaining dialogue between Greece and Turkey is seen by European and U.S. partners as essential for regional stability. Greek officials have emphasized that while talks aim to deepen practical cooperation, Athens remains firm on issues of sovereignty and international law. Turkish officials have likewise framed the council as an opportunity to advance pragmatic cooperation despite persistent disagreements. Observers will be looking for signs of progress on confidence-building measures, economic ties and migration coordination as well as the tone of the joint statements from Mitsotakis and Erdogan, which could signal whether the current phase of improved relations is likely to continue into 2026. iefimerida.gr Maria Karystianou, the grieving mother who became the face of the justice movement following the deadly 2023 Tempe train collision, has announced plans to launch a new political party, vowing to create a "true social opposition" to the political establishment. In an interview with bankingnews.gr, Mrs. Karystianou said the as-yet-unnamed movement rejects traditional left-right labels in favor of a "human-centered" ideology born from public outrage over the states handling of the tragedy that killed 57 people "A mother's pain turned to strength; I won't let the guilty evade accountability," Mrs. Karystianou said. She sharply criticized Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis ahead of his scheduled meeting Wednesday with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara. Mrs. Karystianou argued that Mr. Mitsotakis should not engage in talks while Turkey maintains an "aggressive" stance and issues navigational telexes (NAVTEX) challenging Greek sovereignty. Beyond foreign policy, Mrs. Karystianou outlined domestic platforms, pledging to reinstate "eternal students" expelled from universitiesa measure she termed "fascist"and dismissing ridicule of anti-establishment voters often labeled conspiracy theorists. "It is ugly to divide people," she said. "We are citizens seeking dignity." The announcement comes as the ruling New Democracy government faces continued pressure over the stalled Tempe investigation, with Mrs. Karystianou positioning her movement as an alternative to the established opposition parties. iefimerida.gr A man was found unconscious in Heraklion, Crete, with stab wounds. Seven texts were signed in Ankara within the framework of the 6th High-Level Cooperation Council (HLCC) between Greece and Turkey. Heres what they include. A woman who reported being raped by two police officers at the Omonia Police Station testified before the Mixed Jury Court of Athens regarding the incident that occurred in 2022. This wave of high-level engagements has conveyed a clear message: Amid a turbulent and shifting global landscape, China is widely viewed as a source of stability, prompting countries to look eastward for collaboration and growth opportunities. BEIJING, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- Since the start of 2026, foreign leaders from across Asia, the Americas and Europe have visited China in quick succession. As the U.S. business magazine Forbes recently noted, Beijing was rolling out the red carpet almost daily for foreign dignitaries seeking a less chaotic economic environment. This wave of high-level engagements has conveyed a clear message: Amid a turbulent and shifting global landscape, China is widely viewed as a source of stability, prompting countries to look eastward for collaboration and growth opportunities. ANCHOR OF GLOBAL STABILITY On "Lichun," the Beginning of Spring and the first of the 24 solar terms in the traditional Chinese calendar, Chinese President Xi Jinping held a video meeting with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, and spoke by phone with U.S. President Donald Trump. The back-to-back conversations with the heads of state of two of the world's major countries were "an extraordinary example" of China's diplomacy, according to the South China Morning Post. Xi has in the past repeatedly underscored that "major countries should behave in a manner befitting their status and act with broad-mindedness and a sense of responsibility." It has become a tradition in recent years for the Chinese and Russian presidents to talk to each other ahead of the Spring Festival. During Wednesday's video meeting, Xi expressed his readiness to work with Putin to chart a new blueprint for bilateral ties. Xi also called on China and Russia to work together to maintain global strategic stability as the international situation has become increasingly turbulent since the beginning of the year. As responsible major countries and permanent members of the UN Security Council, China and Russia have the obligation to encourage the international community to uphold fairness and justice, safeguard the victorious outcomes of World War II, and defend the UN-centered international system and the basic norms of international law, he added. China has emerged as a global model of stability, predictability and rationality, the Moscow-based daily Moskovsky Komsomolets recently wrote. How the relationship between the world's top two economies fares in the new year matters greatly. During his first phone talks with Trump this year, Xi said he hopes to work with Trump in the new year to steer the giant ship of China-U.S. relations steadily forward through wind and storms, and accomplish more big things and good things. Xi also cited a classical Chinese saying: "It is always right to do a good thing, however small, and always wrong to do a bad thing, however small." The maxim underscores the importance of consistent goodwill in small acts in building up trust between the two major countries. He also told Trump that China must safeguard its own sovereignty and territorial integrity, and will never allow Taiwan to be separated. Trump described the call with Xi on social media as "long and thorough," calling it "very positive." LOOKING EASTWARD When receiving 18 newly appointed ambassadors to China last month in Beijing, Xi invoked the Chinese parable of the "blind men and the elephant" to encourage the new foreign envoys to travel widely across the country and gain a full and in-depth understanding of the real and multifaceted China. The parable was cited again by British Prime Minister Keir Starmer during his visit to China last month. Starmer's visit was the first by a British prime minister in eight years, underscoring the need for broader, deeper engagement after a prolonged lull in high-level exchanges between Beijing and London. When meeting with Starmer at the Great Hall of the People, Xi emphasized the need to see history from a broader perspective, calling on the two countries to open up new vistas for China-Britain relations and cooperation to better benefit both the two peoples and the world at large. In Western narratives, China is sometimes portrayed as a "threat." Yet firsthand engagement and on-the-ground observation enables foreign leaders to gain a more nuanced and comprehensive understanding of the country, informing their China policies. Mark Logan, a former British Member of Parliament who has worked in China for many years, said in Western societies, many of China's positive cultural and social characteristics have yet to be fully recognized. Since December 2025, a string of foreign leaders have visited China, including President of the Oriental Republic of Uruguay Yamandu Orsi, French President Emmanuel Macron and South Korean President Lee Jae-myung, as well as the prime ministers of Britain, Canada, Finland and Ireland. Their itinerary included visits to Beijing's Forbidden City and the Great Wall to experience traditional Chinese culture, as well as a stop in Shanghai, the country's financial hub. As he strolled through the Forbidden City after meeting Xi, Starmer said strengthening ties with China is "in the national interest" because of the huge opportunities provided by the world's second-largest economy. "That's why we've got such a big business delegation." Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo also made a special trip to the Forbidden City during his recent China trip. "This 600-year-old historical place sits right in the middle of this gigantic city filled with skyscrapers. It was stunning even before arriving," he said. "You don't understand China unless you go to China," said Jack Perry, chairman of the 48 Group. "So I would say: go to China, embrace China and move forward." EMBRACING OPPORTUNITIES OF THE FUTURE This year marks the beginning of China's 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026-2030). When engaging with global leaders, Xi would often brief them on China's future development plans, saying that China's high-quality development and high-level opening up will continue to provide new opportunities and expand new space for countries around the world. The visits to China have yielded concrete outcomes. During Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney's visit, the two countries signed an economic and trade cooperation roadmap, a major achievement under the framework of the China-Canada new strategic partnership. Moreover, Canada will allow an annual quota of 49,000 Chinese electric vehicles into the Canadian market at the most-favored-nation tariff rate of 6.1 percent, exempting them from the 100-percent surtax imposed in 2024. The two sides also agreed to increase direct flights and improve the business environment in both countries. Starmer's trip to China resulted in the signing of four economic and trade cooperation documents and a reduction in tariffs on British whisky imports from 10 percent to 5 percent. Technology and the environment were also on the agenda during the visits. Attending a business forum in Beijing in January, South Korean President Lee Jae-myung said future-oriented technologies, particularly AI, could elevate China-South Korea cooperation to a new level, The Korea Times reported. Lee later visited Shanghai to attend a venture startup summit, where he shook hands with a Chinese humanoid robot. "If (South) Korea's venture startup ecosystem is organically connected with China's massive innovative startup environment, both countries will experience greater growth," Lee said, quoted by Korea JoongAng Daily. Finnish Prime Minister Orpo saw broad prospects for the two countries to cooperate on clean energy and the green transition, which could help tackle climate change. "This 'future-oriented' perspective is very important," he said. Five United States lawmakers have introduced a bill at the countrys house of representatives seeking to compel the secretary of state to submit a comprehensive report on US efforts to address the ongoing religious persecution and mass atrocities in Nigeria. If the proposed legislation becomes law, the Departments of State and Treasury are expected to impose sanctions, including visa ban and asset freeze, on individuals or entities responsible for severe religious freedom violations in Nigeria. The entities and individual listed for sanctions are Rabiu Kwankwaso, a former governor of Kano and national leader of the New Nigerian Peoples Party (NNPP), Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, and those described as Fulani-ethnic nomad militias in Nigeria. Advertisement The bill was introduced on Tuesday at the US house of representatives. The congressmen who sponsored the proposed legislation are Chris Smith, Riley Moore (bill author), Brian Mast, Mario Diaz-Balart, and Bill Huizenga. The proposed legislation is titled: Nigeria Religious Freedom and Accountability Act of 2026. In a copy of the bill seen by TheCable, the sponsors said US President Donald Trump acted justly by redesignating Nigeria as a country of particular concern (CPC). The lawmakers stated that the US should use all available diplomatic, humanitarian, economic, and security tools to pressure the Government of Nigeria to end impunity for perpetrators of mass atrocities and religious persecution and protect Christian communities, clergy, and other targeted religious minorities. Based on the provisions of the proposed legislation, the secretary of state is expected to determine whether certain Fulani-ethnic militias in Nigeria qualify as a foreign terrorist organisation. The United States should deliver humanitarian assistance, co-funded by the Government of Nigeria, through trusted civil society organizations, including faith-based organizations, in Nigerias middle belt states, part of the bill reads. The Department of State and the Department of the Treasury should impose targeted sanctions, including visa bans and asset freezes under the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act, on individuals or entities responsible for severe religious freedom violations, or report to Congress the reasons such sanctions have not been imposed, including (A) Fulani-ethnic nomad militias in Nigeria; (B) Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, former Kano State Governor; (C) Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN); and (D) Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore. Moore, author of the bill, has been one of the US politicians insistent on claims of systemic Christian persecution in Nigeria. He paid a visit to Nigeria in November 2025 over the claim. In November 2025, Trump designated Nigeria as a country of particular concern, a move that allows the US executive branch to apply diplomatic and economic measures. Trump also authorised coordinated strikes with the Nigerian government against suspected militants on Christmas Day 2025. A young man in Kogi State has reportedly been arrested by his own father after a controversial video in which he declared he could sacrifice his parents for the All Progressives Congress (APC) went viral online. The young man, identified on social media as Mc Isa Aha, had posted the video earlier this week. In the clip, he made the shocking statement that quickly sparked outrage and heated reactions across various platforms. Advertisement The video spread rapidly, drawing condemnation from many Nigerians who described the comment as disturbing and reckless. Several users criticised what they saw as extreme political loyalty taken too far. While some viewers dismissed the remark as a joke or an attempt to trend online, others insisted such statements should not be taken lightly, especially in a tense political climate. According to a post shared by a close friend of the young man, his father decided to act after watching the viral clip. The friend claimed the arrest happened on Tuesday evening. Mc Isa Aha was arrested by his father this evening about the video he was dropping since that he can sacrifice his parent for APC. Please my good people, I want us to beg his father to release my friend. It is a mistake and it would never repeat himself again, the friend wrote in the post. The post also appealed to members of the public to plead with the father for leniency, describing the incident as a mistake that would not happen again. Senator Seriake Dickson, a member of the Senate Committee on Electoral Matters, has said the removal of the words real time from the Electoral Act Amendment Bill does not weaken the provision for electronic transmission of results or undermine electoral transparency. Speaking on Tuesday in an interview with ARISE News, Dickson said the Senates latest decision still makes electronic transmission of results from polling units to the Independent National Electoral Commissions (INEC) Result Viewing Portal (IREV) mandatory. I dont count the proceedings of today and the outcome as a loss for democracy, he said. Advertisement The Senate had reviewed Clause 60(3) of the bill after public backlash and restored electronic transmission of results, while retaining a proviso that allows manual collation where network failure occurs. Critics argue that removing the explicit requirement for real-time transmission leaves room for manipulation. Dickson, however, insisted that the core objective of protecting IREV had been achieved. He clarified that he was speaking in his personal capacity. Im not here as spokesman of the Senate. Im here to give my views as someone who has been deeply involved in all these processes as a ranking member of this committee and as someone who participated in the proceedings of today, he said. He explained that discussions on electronic transmission had lasted nearly two years, involving engagements with INEC and other stakeholders. This has been going on for about two years or so different workshops, conferences at the Senate Committee, joint committees and also interactions with INEC, he said. Dickson disclosed that he was absent when the Senate initially rejected compulsory electronic transmission because of a personal loss. I was not there when the Senate took that decision earlier, about a week ago, as I was bereaved Today was the very first day I went to sit in the Senate because of the importance of this matter, he said. He described the Senates earlier decision as unfortunate, especially after INEC had assured lawmakers of its capacity to transmit results electronically. On the controversy surrounding the phrase real time, Dickson argued that the term was being misunderstood. What is the meaning of real time? We are not voting electronically in Nigeria, he said, adding that the word real time in this context is actually superfluous. It doesnt on its own give you a transparent election. According to him, transparency lies in securing polling unit results. The primary evidence of who won an election is the EC8A INEC compels presiding officers to transmit the result to IREV. That is good enough for us, he said. Although he expressed reservations about the network-failure proviso, Dickson said parliamentary compromise was unavoidable. I dont agree with the proviso that has been included, but parliament works on the basis of majority, he said. He stressed that the law still mandates electronic transmission, noting that the general rule is that every presiding officer shall transmit the result electronically. That is mandatory. Dickson concluded that electoral reforms must be gradual. You make gains incrementally We have made electronic transfer mandatory, and that is progress, he said. The United States will send 200 troops to Nigeria to train the countrys military, as the West African nation battles insurgents across swathes of its northern territory. According to Reuters, a US official said the troops will supplement a handful of United States military personnel already on the ground in Nigeria. The deployment will follow increased security partnership between both nations since US President Donald Trump redesignated Nigeria as a country of particular concern over Christian genocide claims. Advertisement Last week, Dagvin Anderson, US Africa Command (AFRICOM) commander, visited Nigerias capital city of Abuja. Anderson was received by President Bola Tinubu, Nuhu Ribadu, national security adviser (NSA); Christopher Musa, minister of defence; Olufemi Oluyede, chief of defence staff; Waidi Shaibu, chief of army staff; and other senior security officials. Shared security priorities, with a focus on countering terrorist organisations that threaten Nigeria, the United States, the wider region, and global security, were discussed. Anderson said the US military had already deployed some forces in Nigeria as part of an expanded bilateral agreement to tackle terrorism and related security threats, though he did not disclose the exact size of the cavalry. He noted that the troops will primarily focus on intelligence gathering and providing support to local forces. On Christmas Day, the US launched missile strikes on two terrorist enclaves in Bauni forest in Tangaza LGA, Sokoto state. Nigerias ministry of foreign affairs said the precision hits stemmed from the exchange of intelligence and strategic coordination between both countries, and was in line with established international practice and bilateral understanding. Some Republican lawmakers in the United States house of representatives have introduced a bill seeking the possible designation of Fulani ethnic militias as a Foreign Terrorist Organisation (FTO) over religious violence in Nigeria. The proposed legislation, titled the Nigeria Religious Freedom and Accountability Act of 2026, was introduced by Riley Moore and co-sponsored by Chris Smith, alongside other Republican lawmakers. The bill calls on the US secretary of state to consider whether Fulani militias should be formally designated as a terrorist organisation and to submit annual reports to congress on efforts to address alleged religious persecution in Nigeria. Advertisement It also urges a review of US assistance to Nigeria to ensure that American support does not inadvertently enable religious persecution or systemic violence. Moore, republican representative from West Virginia, announced the proposed legislation in a post on X on Tuesday. Today, I am proud to introduce the Nigeria Religious Freedom and Accountability Act of 2026 with Rep. Chris Smith, he wrote. The U.S. is a Christian nation. As such, we must stand with persecuted Christians around the world. Our legislation will build upon the momentum of President Trump designating Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern and the recent US-Nigeria security framework agreement. The bill, tagged HR 7457, calls on the US secretary of state to submit an annual report to the foreign affairs committees in the house of representatives and the senate detailing efforts to address what it describes as Christian persecution in Nigeria. Smith, chairman of the house foreign affairs Africa subcommittee, said the United States has a responsibility to pressure Nigeria to act against systemic violence. The Nigerian governments blatant denial of the religious persecution occurring within its borders has only enabled the religious-based violence in the country to fester, with Christian deaths and church attacks reaching unprecedented numbers, Smith said. The bill references destruction of churches, kidnappings, sexual violence, and attacks on villages, estimating that between 50,000 and 125,000 Christians were killed between 2009 and 2025. Moore said he visited Nigeria as part of an investigation initiated by President Donald Trump. As part of the investigation President Trump asked me to lead, I visited Nigeria and witnessed firsthand the horrors our brothers and sisters in Christ face and saw the security challenges Nigeria faces, Moore said. He added that the bill demonstrates that the United States stands with our persecuted Christians. Tom Cole, republican representative from Oklahoma and chairman of the house appropriations committee, said defending religious liberty globally aligns with US interests and responsibilities. Cole said the proposed law would reinforce efforts to ensure that religious persecution will not be tolerated. The legislation also calls on the secretary of state to counter what it describes as the hostile foreign exploitation of illegal Chinese mining operations in Nigeria. Brian Mast, republican representative from Florida and chairman of the house foreign affairs committee; Mario Diaz-Balart, republican representative from Florida; and Bill Huizenga, republican representative from Michigan; are among other co-sponsors of the bill. In November 2025, Trump designated Nigeria as a country of particular concern, a move that allows the US executive branch to apply diplomatic and economic measures. Trump also authorised coordinated strikes with the Nigerian government against suspected militants on Christmas Day 2025. Bob Saget attends the Women's Guild Cedars-Sinai Annual Gala at the Maybourne Beverly Hills on Nov. 3, 2021, in Beverly Hills. The actor-comedian was found dead of a head injury in a hotel room on Jan. 9, 2022. (Phillip Faraone/Getty Images/TNS) Read more Old City-based 9.14 Pictures is working on an untitled documentary about comedian Bob Saget, the Philly-bred funny man who rose to fame in the 1980s as the affable Danny Tanner on the ABC sitcom Full House. Deadline first reported the news. Advertisement The announcement comes on the heels of the studios successful projects centering celebrities with local ties including Disney+s Taylor Swift: The End of an Era and Prime Videos most-watched documentary, Kelce. Both were directed by the studios owners, Don Argott and Sheena M. Joyce. According to Deadline, Argott and Joyce will direct this piece, too, and were given access to Sagets rare home videos and never-before-seen footage. The film will reveal the complex life, devastating losses and enduring kindness behind the laughter, Deadline stated. The documentary will ultimately help viewers understand how and why Sagets comedy turned so dark and raunchy before his untimely death in 2022 at a Ritz-Carlton in Orlando, from what medical examiners said was an accidental blow to the head. He was 65. Saget, who also hosted Americas Funniest Home Videos for eight seasons, was born in Mount Airy, moved to Virginia, and moved back to the area when he was a teenager. He graduated from Abington Senior High and went on to attend Temple University, where he studied film. While at Temple University, he practiced his stand-up at Philadelphia restaurateur Stephen Starrs then-Queen Village nightclub. He also won a student Oscar in 1978 for his 11-minute documentary, Through Adams Eyes, the story of an 11-year-old boy who underwent a grueling facial surgery. After Temple, he moved to the West Coast and attended the University of Southern Californias film school but dropped out to do stand-up. For the next seven years, he was the emcee at the Comedy Store, working among such comedians as David Letterman, Robin Williams, Michael Keaton, Billy Crystal, Jay Leno, Johnny Carson, and Richard Pryor. He also warmed up the crowd before tapings of Bosom Buddies, the Tom Hanks-Peter Scolari sitcom. The producer later hired Saget to play Danny Tanner on Full House, on which he portrayed a morning TV host in San Francisco. Saget lost one sister to a rare autoimmune disease and another to a brain aneurysm, he told The Philadelphia Inquirer in 1994. Those losses, he said, helped him prioritize his life and led to his maudlin sense of humor. The Bob Saget documentary will be produced by Story Syndicate, Revue Studios, and 9.14 Pictures. John C. Griffith, president and chief executive officer of American Water, at the office in Camden in 2025. He will run the combined companies. Read more Shareholders of Camden-based American Water Works and Bryn Mawr-based Essential Utilities, which owns the Aqua water and sewer companies, voted overwhelmingly Tuesday to merge and create a combined company with nearly $30 billion in yearly water and sewer sales. More than 99% of the 161 million American Water shares that were voted were cast in favor of the deal, the company told the Securities & Exchange Commission. Essentials online proposal to merge was approved by around 95% of voting shareholders. Advertisement The planned combination of these rivals, which have competed for more than 100 years to manage water and sewer for the small number of U.S. communities that allow for-profit operators, still needs approval from state public utility commissions. The combined companies sales are concentrated in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. In suburban Philadelphia, Aqua serves West Chester, northern Delaware County, parts of Lower Bucks, and Main Line communities. American Water serves Abington, King of Prussia, Norristown, Phoenixville, and nearby towns. New Jersey American Water serves towns along the PATCO rail line in Camden County, in northern and central Burlington County, and in Shore communities such as Absecon and Ocean City. Aqua New Jersey has customers in the three suburban South Jersey counties and at the Shore. American Waters 14 million U.S. customers include systems in 12 other states, and on 18 U.S. military bases. Essential has around 3 million customers, including systems in six other states, and Pittsburgh-based Peoples Gas, which serves 750,000 in western Pennsylvania and Kentucky. American Water is already the nations largest private operator of water and sewer systems, and the deal will make it a larger player in competition with Florida-based NextEra Water Group and France-based Veolias U.S. operations, among other private systems that have been seeking to expand. A separate vote on an Essential executive pay package drew some opposition, with 85%approving. That package included more than $17 million in severance compensation and stock grants for departing Essential CEO Christopher H. Franklin, plus medical benefits and up to three years professional assistance helping him land another job, plus millions more for his four top deputies. The merged companys larger size, as big as many of the leading natural-gas companies that dominate utility stock-index funds, will boost its visibility to investors, John C. Griffith, the American Water chief executive who will run the combined companies, said in announcing the deal last fall. The companies disclosed the approvals Tuesday afternoon and said more details on the vote and their plans would come later this week. Deal backers say the combination should enable Griffith to cut management costs, boost profits, drive up the share price, and could ease pressure to keep raising water rates. Regulators in New Jersey and Pennsylvania are weighing the companys latest rate increase requests. American Waters New Jersey affiliate is asking the state Board of Public Utilities for an average 10% water and 8% sewer rate hike on Jan. 16 for 2.9 million customers, which it said would fund improvements to aging water and sewer systems. Customers would pay an average of $18 more a month. Pennsylvanias Public Utility Commission said last month that it would consider the companys request to boost water and sewer rates on 2.4 million customers by an average 15%, or $20 a month. Critics had urged Essential to seek rival buyers to drive up the share price and shareholder profits from the sale, noting that both stocks had dropped after the merger was proposed last year. Tim Quast, founder of Colorado-based ModernIR, a consultant the companies hired to help explain the merger, said share price declines are now typical, even for merger-target companies like Essential whose shares command a premium from buyers like American Water because index-fund investors such as Vanguard and BlackRock tend not to buy more shares of merging companies until a deal is completed. Even after long competition from U.S. and foreign utility owners, private water companies serve only about one in six Americans. In recent years, customers of public utilities serving parts of Chester, Delaware, and Bucks Counties have defeated privatization campaigns, though some towns in Pennsylvania and New Jersey have signed on. Pennsylvania also has asked private operators to take over small, troubled public systems. Police on the scene of a stabbing of an infant on Smithbridge Drive in Coatesville, Wednesday, February 11, 2026 Read more A 44-year-old man was in police custody after he allegedly stabbed his 3-month-old child late Wednesday morning in Chester County, police said. Just after 11:35 a.m., Coatesville police were dispatched to the 2000 block of Smithbridge Drive to respond to a report on an infant that had been stabbed. Advertisement Officers took Michael Phillips into custody for stabbing his infant son in the abdomen, police said. After stabbing him, the father took the infant outside and threw him in the snow, police said. The infant was reported to be in very serious condition and was flown to Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia for surgery, police said. Just before 8 p.m., the Chester County District Attorneys Office said the child was out of surgery and was listed in critical but stable condition. Paul DiMaio was charged with smuggling prohibited items into the Federal Detention Center at 7th and Arch Streets. Read more A former criminal defense attorney was sentenced Wednesday to two years probation for smuggling contraband including Suboxone and a cell phone into Philadelphias Federal Detention Center last year in an apparent attempt to placate a purported gang leader. Paul DiMaio of Turnersville apologized for his actions during a sentencing hearing before U.S. District Judge John R. Padova, saying: I absolutely shouldve known better. Advertisement DiMaio said his behavior was an ill-conceived response to a variety of pressures he was feeling at the time including learning of a cancer diagnosis for his wife, and being afraid that the inmate who wanted the prohibited items was an accused murderer who had also been charged with attempting to arrange contract killings from jail. This is not me, DiMaio said. I think it was, for lack of a better term, a perfect storm. Padova said that 90 days of DiMaios probationary sentence must be served at a halfway house or similar reentry facility. DiMaio was indicted last year after prosecutors said he went to the detention center in February 2025 with two accordion-style folders, one of which contained a cell phone, a charging cord, strips of Suboxone, and 240 loose cigarettes. The materials which inmates are not allowed to possess were not discovered by guards overseeing entrants to the jail that day, prosecutors said. But surveillance footage later showed DiMaio taking the two folders to a visiting room, where he met with a prisoner who was associated with another inmate, Jahlil Williams, who prosecutors say was the intended recipient of the contraband. Williams also known as 25th Street Bill or Kill Bill was awaiting trial for a variety of violent crimes in a sprawling racketeering case. DiMaio said he was afraid that Williams, the purported leader of the Omerta street gang, was upset over a monetary dispute involving a previous legal case, and that Williams might seek to harm him if he didnt go along with the smuggling plot. I panicked, DiMaio said, and I made just a horrible decision. While in the visiting room at the detention center, prosecutors said, DiMaio gave Williams associate who has not been charged in the case the folder containing the prohibited items, and that man was supposed to give the materials to Williams. But a guard searched the folder before the prisoner got back to his cellblock and found the prohibited items inside. After an FBI investigation, DiMaio was charged with crimes including providing contraband to an inmate and aiding and abetting. Williams was charged as well, as were his sister Jada and his mother, Tanya Culver, who were accused of participating in the conspiracy. They are all still awaiting trial. DiMaio pleaded guilty last fall to providing contraband and making a false statement. He surrendered his law license voluntarily shortly after he was charged, he said in court. He has since been seeking to find other ways to pay his familys bills, but said the loss of his career and his wifes ongoing health challenges have left the couple financially ruined. Padova, the judge, told DiMaio he was involved in serious conduct but added: This is the first day of the rest of your life. Weve given you the opportunity to make the best of it, Padova said. Two Philadelphia men on Tuesday were convicted of first-degree murder for gang-related shootings that left three dead and five others wounded, including a man who was paralyzed after being shot 19 times, Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday said. Chris Byard, 27, was found guilty by a jury of three counts of first-degree murder and related offenses, and was sentenced to serve three consecutive life terms, Sunday said. Advertisement Daquan Bishop, 28, was found guilty of two counts of first-degree murder and related offenses, and was sentenced to serve two consecutive life terms. Byard and Bishop were members of the 6600 gang and they were trying to shoot members of another gang, Sunday said. The other gang was called Greatah, KYW reported in 2023 after both men were arrested and charged. Byard and Bishop were found guilty of the Nov. 27, 2021, killing of 24-year-old Angel Rivera, who was gunned down on the 500 block of West Duncannon Avenue. Both men were also found guilty of fatally shooting 23-year-old Tymir Johnson on the 3100 block of Barnett Street on Dec. 15, 2021. Two other men were wounded in that shooting. Byard was also convicted of the Jan. 11, 2022, killing of 21-year-old Rashaan Frazier, who was gunned down on the 4000 block of Aldine Street. Two other men were wounded. In the Frazier killing, Byard and others were targeting another man and killed Frazier by mistake. Byard was involved in a fourth shooting that left a man paralyzed from the waist down after being hit 19 times by bullets, Sunday said. Another defendant, 27-year-old Daquan Bethea, pleaded guilty in October to attempted murder and related crimes and was sentenced to up to 15 years in prison. Philadelphia School District Deputy Superintendent Oz Hill and student moderators Devyn Smith and Yoleiny Soleno listen to Andre Sanford-Adams, the school's health and physical education teacher, speak about why he thinks it's a mistake to close Conwell. Read more Russell H. Conwell Middle School celebrates its 100th anniversary this year. It may not remain open to see many more. Advertisement The Philadelphia School District has proposed closing Conwell and 19 other schools as part of its facilities planning process, which will shake up schools citywide. Conwell, in Kensington, is a very small school by any standard. This year, just 109 students are enrolled in a building that holds 500. Thats down from 490 students in the 2015-16 school year and 806 in 2009-10. The school used to occupy two buildings; it has since shrunk to one. But it is also a rarity a standalone magnet middle school. Community members and local officials are mounting a fight against closing the school, which they say has committed teachers and staff members who help students excel against the odds. The districts plan, which the school board is expected to vote on this winter, calls for Conwell students to move to AMY at James Martin, another citywide admissions magnet in Port Richmond, which just opened in a new building with only 200 students. Meanwhile, the district has proposed closing its only other free-standing magnet middle school, AMY Northwest. No changes have been proposed for Philadelphias four other magnet middle schools, all of which are attached to high schools. Neighborhood issues, enrollment declines Conwells enrollment issues are tied closely to its setting. The building sits on Clearfield Street in the heart of Kensington. Fewer and fewer parents have been choosing to send their kids into ground zero of the citys opioid epidemic, despite Conwells myriad partnerships, the outside investments it has attracted into its facility in recent years, and the schools long history of excellence. Parents, neighbors, students, and politicians, however, are furious that the district is choosing to abandon Conwell and the neighborhood. If this school closes, it wont just be students who feel the loss, Conwell student Nicolas Zeno told officials at a district meeting Thursday. Itll be the community. If the concern is safety, then invest. If the concern is environment, then repair. Community member Vaughn Tinsley, who runs Founding Fatherz, a nonprofit mentoring group, suggested closing Conwell would harm its students. These students have been victims, Tinsley said. These students have seen and witnessed things they shouldnt have witnessed. Most adults havent seen some of the things that these kids have seen, and yet still they come here, yet theyre still committed to excellence, yet they still stand up and still do what theyre supposed to do in the classroom. How dare we take that away from them? Watlington has proposed using Conwell as swing space district property that other schools can move into temporarily if their buildings require repairs. Tosin Efunnuga, Conwells nurse, wiped tears from her eyes as she beseeched district officials to keep the school open. To have those doors close would be such a disservice, Efunnuga said. We need 100 years more. Councilmember Quetcy Lozada, whose district includes Conwell, said she was angry and frustrated by the recommendation to close the school. Its underutilized because of whats happening on the outside, Lozada said at the Conwell meeting. Theres nothing wrong with what is happening on the inside other than successful academic learning, support for families. We are saying to these families, we are punishing them because as a city, we cant respond to the public safety issues that we have on the outside, and that is just not fair. What are yall doing? Emotions ran high inside the Conwell auditorium last week. Even before Deputy Superintendent Oz Hill finished his presentation about the rationale for the closures and the specific plan for Conwell, parents burst out with concerns. What are yall doing? Yall making a mess, one parent shouted. You say the building is old. So what? Its clean in here. Another said her child would not be going to AMY at James Martin, formerly known as AMY5. I dont think you understand how much of a battle there is between Conwell and AMY5, the parent said. You dont know the battles these kids have with each other. Conwell has a strong alumni network a rarity for a middle school that has turned out in force to support the school since the proposed closure was announced. Alexa Sanchez, Class of 2017, grew up in Kensington and came to Conwell as a bright but unruly student she acknowledges that she got in fights, egged the school, and disrespected teachers. But Conwell is rooted in its neighborhood, Sanchez said, with dedicated staff who helped her rise to earn a college degree and a good job in business. They didnt give up on students like me, Sanchez said. My future didnt look promising at first, but in the long run, it did. You shouldnt really close the school on a community that doesnt look promising if youre not from here. Other alumni, including Robin Cooper, president of the districts principals union, and Councilmember Isaiah Thomas, chair of Councils Education Committee, have spoken out for Conwell. Conwell shows up for Kensington and the city, running a food pantry, hosting Police Commissioner Kevin Bethels swearing-in ceremony and an event marking Cherelle L. Parkers 100th day as mayor, noted Erica Green, the schools award-winning principal. Staff and students participate in neighborhood cleanups and advocate for help amid the opioid crisis. We are what the city needs, Green told the school board recently. During Greens tenure, she has helped win money for a new schoolyard, a new science, technology, engineering, and math lab, and more. These investments were made for Kensington students, Green said. We owe it to them, to their neighborhood. Do not push them out once the neighborhood changes and thrives. Conwells success is rooted in its people, its history, and its impact. Need an evening out, just the two of you? Try our online finder for the answer. Also in this edition: Advertisement Mike Klein If someone forwarded you this email, sign up for free here. Where do we go for date night? We have answers for you! Answer five simple questions and let The Inquirers Date Finder match you with the ideal Philly-area restaurant. Where to find love in the city? These happy people tried its oldest bar. Valentines Day coincides with Lunar New Year. Heres where to celebrate. A couple saw opportunity in a courtyard in Chestnut Hill, and theyre launching a bottle shop and ambitious wine-focused restaurant. At Tesiny, the striking new oyster bar and grill from lox and caviar queen Lauren Biederman, critic Craig LaBan finds craft cocktails, shareable plates, and an extra pulse of intimacy. Biederman is targeting April for the opening of Biedermans Rittenhouse, the second location of her South Philly appetizing shop. Its coming together at 20th and Spruce Streets, the former Charley Dove/Audrey Claire space, with more baking and prepared foods. Chester County appears to be a growing incubator of homespun bakeries, some with carts and stands dotting residential roads. Cookie crumbles: The two Taylor Chip locations in Philadelphia closed in the last week. Whats up there? Deli drama: The Kibitz Room in Cherry Hill has filed for bankruptcy protection as a former owner says he wants to buy it. Grocery woes: Di Bruno Bros. is bowing out of the burbs, but theres hope for the former Ardmore location. Too pretty to eat? Youd be denying yourself a crunchy treat if you skipped the Bloom Shroom, an appetizer at Manong in Francisville. Check out this dish and gems from Emmett and Apricot Stone in our weekly feature. Scoop This is quite early, but a high-end Japanese restaurant is planned for a building that will eventually rise on the former site of Kitchen Kapers at 17th and Chancellor Streets in Center City. Among those involved is Tony Rim, formerly of 1225 Raw. Put down the chopsticks, as this one might be two years away. Still, its a sign that the upscale Rittenhouse Japanese scene (Dancerobot, Uchi, and Kissho House) is growing further. Restaurant report Its the Year of the Horse, and Kiki Aranita offers a rundown of dining spots where you can celebrate. Briefly noted At ease! Theres been a truce in a trademark lawsuit surrounding the recreation of Tun Tavern in Old City. The saucer at Love Park the old visitors center is in line to reopen this year with a food, beverage, retail, or other hospitality business. Texas Roadhouse has set Feb. 16 for the opening of its third area location (after Bensalem and Montgomeryville) at Greentree Square in Marlton. It replaces the TGI Fridays that closed two years ago. Shibam Coffee, a Yemeni coffee house, is looking at next week for its soft opening at 3748 Lancaster Ave. in University City. Cake & Joe has penciled in Feb. 18 for its opening at 1735 Market St., its third location. Aurora Cafe opens Saturday at 17th and Christian Streets, bringing a zenlike espresso-bar sensibility and Albanian coffee culture to Graduate Hospital. The corner cafe comes from cousins Arjan Parllaku and Bledar Noka, among partners at the Queen Village restaurants Capri and Casa Nostra. Baked goods include wares from home bakers and items produced at Capri. Theyre particularly stoked for a feature called F1 on the bar: a $2 espresso shot you order at the standing bar, priced less than to-go orders. Initial hours: 7:30 a.m.-4 p.m. daily. Wonder announced this week that its acquired New Yorks vaunted Blue Ribbon Fried Chicken. This is Wonders first full purchase; its other restaurant brands were created in-house or licensed to Wonder. No word on which locations will carry it. Meanwhile, Wonder has created a salad brand (Pop Salad) and a Mexican bowl brand (El Diez). Theyll be sold starting today at the Fishtown, Rittenhouse, South Philly, and University City locations. Pop quiz What kind of dog does Kalaya chef/owner Nok Suntaranon own? A) Portuguese water dog B) beagle C) poodle D) Pomeranian Find out if you know the answer, and see a cute photo. Ask Mike anything What happened to the Taylor Chip cookie shops in Rittenhouse and Fishtown? Dianne M. Taylor Chip has permanently closed its Philly locations after only 17 months. Read on to see how the Lancaster County company is now selling a lot of cookies. Have a question about food in Philly? Email your questions to me at mklein@inquirer.com for a chance to be featured in my newsletter. By submitting your written, visual, and/or audio contributions, you agree to The Inquirers Terms of Use, including the grant of rights in Section 10. A custom Lego model of restaurant Friday Saturday Sunday built by Leo Gualtieri. It features action figures of co-owners Chad and Hanna Williams. Read more To be loved is to be known or, better yet, to inspire a 3,233-piece custom Lego set. Gene Gualtieri is devoted to Friday Saturday Sunday. Almost every Friday since 2021, the Fitler Square resident has lined up at 4:30 p.m. to score the same seat at the first-floor bar of Chad and Hanna Williams acclaimed Rittenhouse Square restaurant, where he is known to house a full roast chicken bones and all and order off-menu sherry martinis from bartender Paul MacDonald. Its a ritual that has inspired a tattoo on Gualtieris bicep: B9, code for bar seat no. 9. Advertisement Its my seat, said Gualtieri, 57, an engineer. This feeling of hospitality and being welcomed [at the bar] ... its a social hub for me. So when Gualtieris 21-year-old son, Leo, needed a Christmas present for his father, everyone from his aunt Claire to his older brother Sam had the same idea. What if, Leo recounts them wondering, there was a way to shrink Friday Saturday Sunday so it fits in your house? The resulting gift a 1-foot-tall replica of Friday Saturday Sundays facade and its ground-level Lovers Bar, constructed out of more than 3,200 Legos doesnt skimp on the details. Leo recreated everything, down to the discolored patches of sidewalk out front. Friday Saturday Sunday (Leos version) comes with Lego figurines of the Williamses, bartender MacDonald, and his father that can be posed to sit in one of the bars 13 tiger-print chairs. Theres a petite version of the Fibonacci carousel MacDonald uses to perfect his mixology, plus miniatures of the bars gargoyle- and raven-shaped pour spouts, mermaid caryatids, and towering citrus bowls. In honor of restaurants Michelin star, Leo even included a tiny and perfectly rotund Michelin Man. Leo stored the pieces in a repurposed Seinfeld Lego set box that he wrapped in a rendering of the finished design. When Gualtieri opened it on Christmas morning, he cried. The finished version inspired a similar response from others after Gualtieri and the restaurant posted photos on Instagram at the end of January. This is so beautiful I wanna cry, commented one person. Top 10 most impressive things I have ever seen, wrote another. Leos dad concurs. I was pretty blown away, Gualtieri said. At first glance, it looks like a Lego set youd get a store. A replica built brick by (plastic) brick Recreating Friday Saturday Sunday was a labor of love for Leo, a self-described former Lego kid currently finishing up his senior year at Emerson College as a comedy major. As a child, Leo was fixated on building an ever-expanding amusement park out of the plastic blocks alongside his dad. It was an obsession that served him well this holiday season. To reconstruct the restaurant, Leo first had to create a rendering of the bar and its exterior in Brick Link, Minecraft-esque software that lets users build and source their own custom Lego sets. Leo said he spent roughly 100 hours translating all the tiny details into Lego form, working first off images of the facade from Google. When those werent precise enough, he said, Leo begged MacDonald to send him photos of all the minutiae, from the glassware to close-ups of the light fixtures. It was addicting ... I would work on it in class, said Leo while on Zoom with his father, who scoffed at the admission. Time would pass much faster because I was locked in. Once the rendering was complete, Leo and his mom spent $1,500 on the Lego pieces, sourced from 13 different Lego resellers across Japan, Spain, and the Netherlands. To find a realistic version of Chad Williams beard and apron, Leo had to commission custom blocks from an Etsy seller. After Christmas, Leo spent the remainder of his winter break from college building mini Friday Saturday Sunday, developing calluses from clicking the bricks into place. Dad, Leo said, wasnt much help. He tried to build some chairs, Leo said of his father. I dont think hes cut out for it. (Gualtieri agreed. Leo, he admitted, gets his dexterity from his mother.) Every time he looks at the replica, Gualtieri said he discovers new details, like how the bottles mimic the exact ones behind MacDonalds bar. Hanna Williams, Friday Saturday Sundays co-owner, felt the same when Gualtieri sent her progress updates on the build out. I think [Leo] might know every inch of the bar better than me, she said. Williams especially loves her Lego doppleganger: A high bun, bangs, and tattoos? Thats so me. Williams is used to her restaurant being the recipient of the highest order of affection. In the decade since she and her husband revamped Friday Saturday Sunday from a classic fine-dining restaurant with excellent mushroom soup into cozy bar for walk-ins with a top-floor tasting menu that melds Caribbean, Asian, and soul food influences, the restaurant has earned a Michelin Star, a James Beard Award, and a spot on the Worlds 50 Best North American restaurants. Just last week, Friday Saturday Sunday won an award for excellence in hospitality from the Tasties, Phillys homegrown culinary honors. And yet, Williams said, the Lego replica represents an extra-special type of achievement. Its completely overwhelming, she said. But at the same time, theres nothing that could make you feel better. A 78-year-old surgical oncologist seemed hesitant and unsure how to proceed in the operating room. (Dreamstime/TNS) Read more He was a surgical oncologist at a hospital in a Southern city, a 78-year-old whose colleagues had begun noticing troubling behavior in the operating room. Advertisement During procedures, he seemed hesitant, not sure of how to go on to the next step without being prompted by assistants, said Mark Katlic, director of the Aging Surgeon Program at Sinai Hospital in Baltimore. The chief of surgery, concerned about the doctors cognition, would not sign off on his credentials to practice surgery unless he went through an evaluation, Katlic said. Since 2015, when Sinai inaugurated a screening program for surgeons 75 and older, about 30 from around the country have undergone its comprehensive two-day physical and cognitive assessment. This surgeon did not come of his own accord, Katlic recalled. But he came. The tests revealed mild cognitive impairment, often but not necessarily a precursor to dementia. The neuropsychologists report advised that the surgeons difficulties were likely to impact his ability to practice medicine as he is doing presently, e.g. conducting complex surgical procedures. That didnt mean the surgeon had to retire; a variety of accommodations would allow him to continue in other roles. He retained a lifetime of knowledge that had not been impacted by cognitive changes, Katlic said. The hospital took him out of the OR, but he continued to see patients in the clinic. Such incidents are likely to become more common as Americas physician workforce ages rapidly. In 2005, more than 11% of doctors who were seeing patients were 65 or older, the American Medical Association said. Last year, the proportion reached 22.4%, with nearly 203,000 older practitioners. Given physician shortages, especially in rural areas and key specialties like primary care, nobody wants to drive out veteran doctors with skills and experience. Yet researchers have documented a gradual decline in physicians cognitive abilities starting in their mid-60s, said Thomas Gallagher, an internist and bioethicist at the University of Washington who has studied late-career trajectories. At older ages, reaction times slow; knowledge can become outdated. Cognitive scores vary greatly, however. Some practitioners continue to do as well as they did in their 40s and 50s, and others really start to struggle, Gallagher said. A few health organizations have responded by establishing late-career practitioner programs mandating that older doctors be screened for cognitive and physical deficits. UVA Health at the University of Virginia began its program in 2011 and has screened about 200 older practitioners. Only in four cases did the results significantly change a doctors practice or privileges. Stanford Health Care launched its late-career program the following year. Penn Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania also put in place a testing program. Nobody has tracked how many exist; Gallagher guesstimated as many as 200. But given that the United States has more than 6,000 hospitals, those with late-career programs constitute a vast minority, he said. The number may actually have shrunk. A federal lawsuit, along with the professions lingering reluctance, appears to have put the effort to regularly assess older doctors abilities in limbo. Late-career programs typically require those 70 and older to be evaluated before their privileges and credentials are renewed, with confirmatory testing for those whose initial results indicate problems. Thereafter, older doctors undergo regular rescreening, usually every year or two. Its fair to say such efforts proved unpopular among their intended targets. Doctors frequently insist that Ill know when its time to stand down, said Rocco Orlando, senior strategic adviser to Hartford HealthCare, which operates eight Connecticut hospitals and began its late-career practitioner program in 2018. It turns out not to be true. When Hartford HealthCare published data from the first two years of its late-career program, it reported that of the 160 practitioners 70 and older who were screened, 14.4% showed some degree of cognitive impairment. That mirrored results from Yale New Haven Hospital, which instituted mandatory cognitive screening for medical staff members starting at age 70. Among the first 141 Yale clinicians who underwent testing, 12.7% demonstrated cognitive deficits that were likely to impair their ability to practice medicine independently, a study reported. Proponents of late-career screening argued that such programs could prevent harm to patients while steering impaired doctors to less demanding assignments or, in some cases, toward retirement. I thought as we got the word out nationally, this would be something we could encourage across the country, Orlando said, noting that Hartfords program cost only $50,000 to $60,000 a year. Instead, he has seen zero progress in recent years. Probably weve gone backward, he said. A key reason: In 2020, the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission sued Yale New Haven over its testing efforts, charging age and disability discrimination. The legal action continues (the EEOC declined to comment on its status), as does the hospitals late-career program. But the suit led several other organizations to pause or shut down their programs, including those at Hartford HealthCare and at Driscoll Childrens Hospital in Corpus Christi, Texas, while few new ones have emerged. It made lots of organizations uncomfortable about sticking their necks out, Gallagher said. Instituting later-career programs has always been an uphill effort. Doctors dont like to be regulated, Katlic acknowledged. Late-career programs have in some cases been very controversial, and theyve been blocked by influential physicians, he said. As health systems wait to see what happens in federal court, most national medical organizations have recommended only voluntary screening and peer reporting. Neither works very well at all, Gallagher said. Physicians are hesitant to share their concerns about their colleagues, which can involve challenging power dynamics. As for voluntary evaluation, since cognitive decline can affect doctors (or anyones) self-awareness, theyre the last to know that theyre not themselves, he added. In a recent commentary in The New England Journal of Medicine, Gallagher and his co-authors recommended procedural policies to promote fairness in late-career screening, based on an analysis of such programs and interviews with their leaders. How can we design these programs in a way thats fair and that therefore physicians are more apt to participate in? he said. The authors emphasized the need for confidentiality and safeguards, such as an appeals process. There are all sorts of accommodations for doctors whose assessments indicate the need for different roles, Gallagher noted. They could adopt less onerous schedules or handle routine procedures while leaving complex six-hour surgeries to their colleagues. They might transition to teaching, mentoring, and consulting. Yet a substantial number of older doctors head for the exits and retire rather than face a mandated evaluation, he said. The future, therefore, might involve programs that regularly screen every practitioner. That would be inefficient (few doctors in their 40s will flunk a cognitive test) and, with current tests, time-consuming and consequently expensive. But it would avoid charges of age discrimination. Faster reliable cognitive tests, reportedly in the research pipeline, may be one way to proceed. In the meantime, Orlando said, changing the culture of healthcare organizations requires encouraging peer reporting and commending the people who have the courage to speak up. If you see something, say something, he continued, referring to healthcare professionals who witness doctors (of any age) faltering. We are overly protective of our own. We need to step back and say, No, were about protecting our patients. The New Old Age is produced through a partnership with The New York Times. KFF Health News is a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues and is one of the core operating programs at KFF the independent source for health policy research, polling, and journalism. Sources say the IRS improperly shared tax information with immigration enforcement officials as part of a Treasury Department decision made last spring. Read more The Internal Revenue Service improperly shared confidential tax information of thousands of individuals with immigration enforcement officials, according to three people familiar with the situation, appearing to breach a legal firewall intended to protect taxpayer data. The erroneous disclosure was only recently discovered, the people said. The IRS is working with officials from the Treasury Department, Justice Department, and Department of Homeland Security on the administrations response. Advertisement The IRS confirmed the Washington Posts reporting in a court filing Wednesday afternoon. Dottie Romo, the tax agencys chief risk and control officer, wrote in a sworn declaration that the IRS provided confidential taxpayer information even when DHS officials could not provide sufficient data to positively identify a specific individual. But in a controversial decision, Treasury, which oversees the IRS, in April agreed to provide DHS with the names and addresses of individuals the Trump administration believed to be in the country illegally, pursuant to DHS requests. Federal courts have since blocked the data-sharing arrangement, holding that it violates taxpayers rights, though the government appealed those rulings. Before the agreement was struck down, DHS requested the addresses of 1.2 million individuals from the IRS. The tax agency responded with data on 47,000 individuals, according to court records. When the IRS shared the addresses with DHS, it also inadvertently disclosed private information for thousands of taxpayers erroneously, a mistake only recently discovered, said the people familiar, who spoke on the condition of anonymity for fear of retribution. Romo, in her declaration, did not state when the IRS learned of its error. She said the agency notified DHS on Jan. 23, to begin taking steps to prevent the disclosure or dissemination, and to ensure appropriate disposal, of any data provided to ICE by IRS based on incomplete or insufficient address information. She declined to state if the IRS would inform people whose data was illegally disclosed to immigration officials, and said DHS and ICE had agreed to not inspect, view, use, copy, distribute, rely on, or otherwise act on any return information that has been obtained from or disclosed by IRS because of the pending litigation. The affected individuals could be entitled to financial compensation for each time their information was improperly shared. And government officials can personally face stiff civil and criminal penalties for sharing confidential tax information. Charles Littlejohn, an IRS contractor, pleaded guilty in 2023 to leaking the tax returns of President Donald Trump and other wealthy individuals. Littlejohn was sentenced to five years in prison. Trump in January sued the IRS for $10 billion in damages related to the Littlejohn leak. In a statement, a DHS spokesperson said that under the data-sharing agreement, the government is finally doing what it should have all along. Information sharing across agencies is essential to identify who is in our country, including violent criminals, determine what public safety and terror threats may exist so we can neutralize them, scrub these individuals from voter rolls, and identify what public benefits these aliens are using at taxpayer expense, the spokesperson said. There is little evidence that undocumented immigrants have attempted to participate in U.S. elections, nor is there a link between undocumented immigrants and higher levels of crime. With the IRS information specifically, DHS plans to focus on enforcing long-neglected criminal laws that apply to illegal aliens, the DHS spokesperson said. Treasury and Justice Department spokespeople declined to comment, citing agency policies not to comment on active litigation. The Office of the Deputy Attorney General is monitoring the ongoing litigation, but the office is not making any decisions on the matter, according to a person familiar with the matter who was not authorized to comment publicly. When the IRS began conversations with DHS over data sharing shortly after Trump returned to the White House, senior IRS employees warned administration officials that the program was likely illegal and could sweep up misidentified people, the Post has reported. During early meetings on the project, one agency staffer asked immigration authorities how many people with the same name may live in the same state, according to one of the people, illustrating how easy it would be for the Trump administration to inadvertently breach taxpayers privacy, including those who are not targets of immigration investigations. The IRSs privacy department was largely sidelined from the talks, two of the people said, and its IT department took over implementing the data sharing. That team had largely been taken over by officials from Trumps U.S. DOGE Service, the White Houses efficiency office charged with shrinking the federal government. Treasury officials justified the data-sharing agreement by arguing immigration enforcement was pursuing individuals who had violated criminal statutes, though immigration violations are generally civil, not criminal. Under the arrangement, DHS would provide the IRS with the name and address of a taxpayer. The IRS would then cross-reference that information with its confidential databases and confirm the taxpayers last known address. Immigration officials said the procedure was necessary because DHS lacked reliable information to locate individuals the Trump administration wanted to detain and deport, according to numerous IRS and DHS officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to publicly discuss the matter. This allegedly unauthorized viewing involves personal information that taxpayers provided to the IRS pursuant to a promise that the IRS would prioritize keeping the information confidential, Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia wrote in a November order. A reasonable taxpayer would likely find it highly offensive to discover that the IRS now intends to share that information permissively because it has replaced its promise of confidentiality with a policy of disclosure. Elizabeth Sieb addresses the Chester County commissioners as they hold a public meeting to discuss the errors they had in the pollbooks during the November election. Read more On the heels of a massive pollbook error that left thousands of voters off the rolls in the November election and prompted an independent investigation, Chester County is facing another mistake from its voter services department. Earlier this month, the countys reminder notices, sent to voters who said they would like to receive an annual mail ballot application, reversed the first and last names of voters on the applications. It was not clear how many applications were affected by the error. Advertisement This printing error will not affect the processing of the form, the countys voter services department posted on its website. Whether voters choose to submit their application online or using the paper form, all applications will be processed accordingly. It was another blunder for a department that has made administrative mistakes in its elections, with residents telling county commissioners last week the errors were eroding their trust in election safety. It also comes as voters have called for the firing of the director of the department after the office has seen high numbers of turnover. Counties across the state are sending reminders to voters who said they would like to receive an application to vote by mail. The county became aware of the mistake on Feb. 4, after it mailed out the applications earlier that week. County officials alerted the Pennsylvania Department of State that day, a spokesperson for the agency said. We agree with county officials that there is no need to reissue the applications, the spokesperson said in an email. A county spokesperson referred to the voter services statement. More than 52,000 county voters cast their ballots by mail in November. Residents had worried during a public meeting last week that the county would make another misstep. The meeting was the first since the county released an independent report investigating a pollbook error that omitted roughly 75,000 unaffiliated and third-party voters and forced more than 12,000 voters to cast provisional ballots in the general election. Novembers error followed another omission in May, when the county did not include the office of the prothonotary on its primary ballot, due to a legal misinterpretation from the countys solicitor. The issues come as the departments director, Karen Barsoum, has been accused of fostering a toxic workplace, leading to unusually high turnover. The independent investigation found no evidence of that, the lawyers who penned the report said last week. The investigation found no evidence of malfeasance in the election blunders, but rather that lack of training, poor oversight, and staffing challenges compounded to cause the pollbook error. This suburban content is produced with support from the Leslie Miller and Richard Worley Foundation and The Lenfest Institute for Journalism. Editorial content is created independently of the project donors. Gifts to support The Inquirers high-impact journalism can be made at inquirer.com/donate. A list of Lenfest Institute donors can be found at lenfestinstitute.org/supporters. Lower Merion's township building. The township and Narberth Borough are seeking residents input as they embark on an effort to make Montgomery Avenue safer for drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians. Read more Lower Merion and Narberth are seeking residents input as they embark on an effort to make Montgomery Avenue safer for drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians. At a meeting Feb. 3, officials from the township and the borough laid out long-standing safety issues on Montgomery Avenue and took feedback from attendees, many of whom said they no longer feel safe walking and driving along one of the Main Lines busiest arteries. Advertisement The U.S. Department of Transportation has awarded Lower Merion and Narberth $340,540 to study a seven-mile stretch of Montgomery Avenue, from Spring Mill Road to City Avenue, through the federal Safe Streets and Roads for All program. The program awards funds to municipalities working to limit roadway deaths and serious injuries. The study will inform safety improvements at 35 intersections on that stretch of Montgomery Avenue. Officials cited a long list of safety issues on Montgomery Avenue, from out-of-date pedestrian push buttons, sidewalk curb ramps, and crosswalk lighting to regular speeding and weaving by drivers. Without proper turn lanes and signals, drivers making left turns on Montgomery Avenue often slow traffic and can endanger pedestrians and other motorists, township representatives added. The traffic-calming effort comes at the heels of Lower Merions Comprehensive Safety Action Plan, which was published in 2025. The plan calls for eliminating all roadway fatalities and serious injuries in Lower Merion, with a goal of achieving a 50% reduction by 2030. Last summer, township commissioners approved a plan to install automated red-light enforcement cameras at four intersections, beginning with the intersection of Lancaster Avenue and Remington Road. Unlike previous traffic studies that focused on individual intersections, this project will take a more comprehensive approach, officials said. Between 2020 and 2024, there were 532 reportable crashes on Montgomery Avenue between Spring Mill Road and City Avenue. A reportable crash is defined as a crash resulting in an injury or vehicle damage serious enough to require towing. Around 2.5% of such crashes involved a serious injury. Just over half involved a minor injury, and the rest, around 46%, involved property damage only. In the same time frame, there were 920 minor crashes, or incidents with no injury and no need for towing. In total, 3,767 crashes were reported in Lower Merion at-large between 2019 and 2023. In that time frame, Lower Merion Township accounted for 8% of crashes with a fatality or serious injury within Montgomery County. READ MORE: Red-light enforcement cameras are coming to Lower Merion. Heres what to know about the location, fines, and more. Pennsylvania is the only state in the country where local police officers are prohibited from using radar for speed enforcement, said Andy Block, Lower Merions police superintendent, making it difficult for his department to enforce speed limits. At the meeting, residents told stories of their own crashes and near-misses on Montgomery Avenue. Kim Beam, a social worker at Bryn Mawr Hospital, used to walk to work along Montgomery Avenue every day before she was nearly hit by a car a few weeks ago. I had an event which would have made me one of your fatalities, Beam said, describing her walk to work as poorly lit, contributing to dangerous, and almost deadly, conditions for pedestrians like herself. Residents of Lower Merion and Narberth were encouraged to complete a survey that will inform officials as they develop a preliminary set of safety recommendations. A public meeting will be held once the recommendations are developed to gather additional feedback. Residents can fill out the survey online via www.lowermerion.org/Home/Components/News/News/5605/50 or print it out and drop it off at Narberth or Lower Merions municipal buildings. Completed forms can also be mailed to Brandon Ford, Assistant Township Manager, Lower Merion Township, 75 E. Lancaster Ave., Ardmore, Pa. 19003. This suburban content is produced with support from the Leslie Miller and Richard Worley Foundation and The Lenfest Institute for Journalism. Editorial content is created independently of the project donors. Gifts to support The Inquirers high-impact journalism can be made at inquirer.com/donate. A list of Lenfest Institute donors can be found at lenfestinstitute.org/supporters. Philadelphia and state officials awarded more than $6 million in taxpayer funds over the last five years to a politically connected but financially unstable anti-violence nonprofit, despite repeated warnings from city grant managers about improper spending and mismanagement, an Inquirer investigation has found. The group New Options More Opportunities, or NOMO Foundation received city and state anti-violence grants and locally administered federal dollars to expand its youth programs and launch a new affordable housing program. The money fueled NOMOs rapid rise from a small, grassroots outfit into a sprawling nonprofit that took on expenses it ultimately could not afford. Advertisement Mayor Cherelle L. Parker has publicly touted NOMOs work in the community, and she further boosted its profile by naming its director to her transition team upon taking office. But behind the scenes, Parker administration staffers watched NOMO face mounting financial pressures over the last two years. In that time, the organization has been hit with multiple eviction filings and an IRS tax lien, and had to lay off staff and suspend programming. Most significantly, NOMO had to terminate its housing initiative last year displacing all 23 low-income households that had been its tenants. The warning signs were evident years earlier. Records obtained under Pennsylvanias Right to Know Law show that city grant managers expressed concerns as far back as 2021 about NOMOs lack of financial controls, incomplete balance sheets, and chronic inability to provide basic documents. As recently as last year, the city was unaware who sat on the groups board. Yet records show city officials kept propping up the group with more funds, without successfully putting in place the kind of structural support that might have kept it from foundering. Last year, the city sought to award a $700,000 federal homelessness prevention contract to NOMO, but the nonprofit was unable to meet the conditions of the contract and the funds were never disbursed. Officials also proposed writing more funding to NOMO into last years city budget as a last-minute line item. That effort failed. In a September interview, NOMO executive director Rickey Duncan blamed city officials for funding delays. I was breaking my back to make sure those young people were getting housed, Duncan said. We built a tab that was so big we couldnt pay no more, because the city didnt pay. Much of the money awarded to NOMO came via Philadelphias Community Expansion Grant (CEG) program, launched in 2021 to respond to record gun violence and support alternatives to policing. NOMO was one of only two initial grantees to receive the maximum $1 million award, which was meant to help the group scale up its operations and serve more at-risk youth. A series of Inquirer investigations has shown that the CEG programs politicized selection process awarded grants to fledgling nonprofits sometimes ill-equipped to manage the funds. The city controller in 2024 corroborated many of The Inquirers findings, and late last year the Philadelphia District Attorneys Office charged nine police officers with conspiracy and theft of CEG funds. NOMOs financial records detail spending that quickly led to trouble after it received the first city grant, starting with the decision to devote most of the funds to launching a costly housing initiative while opening sprawling new youth centers to expand its after-school programs to new neighborhoods. Duncan signed annual building leases totaling $750,000, and increased his own salary from $48,000 in 2021 to $144,000 the next year. (Duncan said that his pay now $165,000, according to the most recent tax filing is below average for an organization of NOMOs size and was previously lower because he was volunteering half his time.) The records contain no evidence that city grant managers questioned the lease expenses or conducted an evaluation of whether the upstart housing program was an appropriate addition to the organizations core mission of offering after-school programming. By the start of last year, a tax lien and lawsuits over unpaid rent threatened NOMOs existence. Still, Duncan asked the city in January 2025 to reimburse the roughly $9,000 cost of two Sixers season tickets he purchased a year earlier. He explained in a memo that the tickets were an innovative tool for workforce development. Season tickets to the Sixers are not an acceptable programmatic expense, the grant program manager responded in an email. Records show that city officials discovered in April that a $35,000 IRS lien, filed four months earlier, had rendered NOMO ineligible for grant funding. Grant administrators sent an email to NOMO staffers with a warning written in all-caps: CEASE ALL SPENDING. Duncan said that the lien was the result of a missing signature on a tax form, and that it was eventually resolved at no cost. But in a June email to Public Safety Director Adam Geer and other city officials, he accused the city of pushing his organization to the brink of collapse. I am respectfully requesting a written response detailing how a tax [lien] escalated into a comprehensive investigation into the NOMO Foundations financial health, Duncan wrote. NOMO has been disrespected, attacked, and harassed, by members of this office on this and previous occasions. The funding was eventually restored last August. Duncan and his nonprofit have maintained support from the citys top elected leaders. Parker name-checked NOMO in her first-ever budget address, and City Council President Kenyatta Johnson appointed Duncan last year to an anti-violence task force. In a statement responding to The Inquirers findings, Johnson praised NOMO and credited the organization with working with children throughout Philadelphia, intervening in cycles of violence, and literally saving lives in our community. Johnson, who was listed as a reference on the groups most recent grant application, added: Regarding any allegations raised against Mr. Duncan and NOMO, I am confident that the City of Philadelphias Office of Public Safety will review these matters thoroughly, fairly, and professionally. It is crucial that any concerns are taken seriously and examined through the proper channels, with facts guiding the outcome. A spokesperson for Parker referred questions to the Philadelphia Office of Public Safety, which manages CEG grants. In a written response, a spokesperson for the department, Jennifer Crandall, praised NOMOs efforts. Not only has NOMO delivered on grant-funded programs, it has become an important partner on city initiatives like interventions with at-risk youth, Crandall wrote. She cited evaluations by an unnamed third party that credited NOMO for providing holistic support to participants beyond the immediate program activities and addressing the broader social determinants of violence. Crandall did not respond to a follow-up request for the evaluation. Duncan gave The Inquirer a 2023 report prepared by four nonprofit partners that evaluated CEG recipients in their first year, with the intention of documenting program goals and activities. The report states that the evaluation was based on a single site visit, interviews with staff, and a youth focus group, and that it was then too soon to evaluate impact. It noted that NOMO had retained more than half its participants over the grant cycle and had created an environment that is welcoming and comfortable, so that participants willingly show up. The assessment did not address the viability of the housing program, nor did it cite any metrics that might be used to gauge whether NOMOs programs had reduced community violence. Duncan also sent The Inquirer written statements from two landlords indicating that their court cases against him had been resolved, and that they support NOMOs mission. He says NOMO is now financially stable, despite three years of tax returns showing the nonprofit in the red. He said NOMOs programs now serve about 140 children a year across its three locations about the same as when it was operating in just one location in 2019 and before the city awarded the expansion grants. Laura Otten, a nonprofit consultant and former director of La Salle Universitys Nonprofit Center, said it was clear the citys grant awards to NOMO had not fulfilled their stated goals. It obviously didnt work if they ended up having to evict people, she said. Where is the evidence that this grant has improved the capacity of the organization? Significant weaknesses noted When Parker laid out her priorities in her first budget address before City Council in spring 2024, she mentioned Duncan and NOMO by name as she praised the grassroots anti-violence organizations working each day to lessen the pain and the trauma caused by gun violence. She also promised to reward the various groups with an additional $24 million in grant funding. It was another highlight of Duncans well-documented redemption story. By his own account, he dropped out of South Philadelphia High School in 1994 to sell drugs and promote concerts, earning the nickname Rickey Rolex for his flashy style. He was arrested the next year for robbery and spent more than a decade in prison. After he was released in 2015, Duncan began volunteering with NOMO, then a fledgling nonprofit, and eventually took the reins. My vision started off, to be honest, just wanting to help kids and give back to a city that I took from, Duncan said in a 2023 interview with The Inquirer. NOMO began as a largely volunteer-run effort operating in borrowed space on less than $50,000 a year, tax returns show. In 2019, the tiny nonprofit submitted a grant application to Philadelphia Works, the citys workforce development board, which was tasked with distributing about $6 million in federal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) grants. NOMO proposed after-school programs that would teach up to 125 kids everything from neuroscience to software development to road construction. Philadelphia Works awarded NOMO $209,000, skipping the standard financial review in order to disburse funds that would have otherwise expired. It breathed life into us, Duncan said. By 2021, NOMO was receiving half a million dollars annually in TANF money enough to lease a 7,000-square-foot office space on North Broad Street and support programs for more than 100 young people. And Duncans star was rising as a charismatic and credible voice who came up from the same streets that he and others were working to rid of violence. Elected officials and news media alike turned to him for quotes and photo ops amid a surge in shootings. In December 2021, then-Mayor Jim Kenney announced a $155 million investment in gun violence prevention funding. The plan included a $22 million grant program, with more than half that focused on supporting midsized organizations with a proven track record to expand their reach, deepen their impact, and achieve scale. Duncans scrappy, homespun nonprofit was exactly the type of group city officials had in mind when they created the CEG program, and his grant application cited support from State Reps. Danilo Burgos and Elizabeth Fiedler. Although 30 other nonprofits received funding, NOMO was one of only two organizations awarded the maximum grant of $1 million a transformative sum that would roughly triple NOMOs operating budget. In his first application for the CEG funds, Duncan pledged to expand his trauma informed after-school program to South Philadelphia by offering paid work experience, academic support, and intensive case management. The $1.4 million proposed budget projected the organization would spend about $1 million annually on staff salaries and participation incentives for teens, while spending $94,000 a year to cover added lease costs. NOMO devoted just one sentence of its 15-page grant application to describing a new affordable housing initiative to combat youth homelessness. The proposal did not include what metrics would be used to judge that programs success. Despite the brief mention, the housing initiative would become the organizations largest single budget item, by far. After securing the city grant money, NOMO took on a $552,000 annual lease for a newly built 27,000-square-foot West Philadelphia apartment complex near 40th Street and Lancaster Avenue. It also signed a $192,000-per-year lease for a 17,000-square-foot former culinary school on South Broad Street. The deals left NOMO with youth centers in North, South, and West Philly, each with large event spaces that could host its programming. Duncan also planned to market the venues for private events such as weddings and Eagles watch parties to generate additional revenue. If city officials had concerns about NOMOs costly expansion strategy or the viability of his plan to lease out the youth centers for parties, they are not reflected in the available records. However, staffers at the Urban Affairs Coalition a nonprofit the city had contracted to manage the first round of the grant program flagged NOMOs general lack of financial controls in a December 2021 fiscal assessment of prospective grantees. Significant weaknesses noted, an Urban Affairs staffer wrote of NOMO in an email to then-anti-violence director Erica Atwood and other city officials. No audited financials. No balance sheets presented even in the [IRS Form] 990s. Separation of Authority: Basically non-existent. That month, the city instructed Urban Affairs to proceed with the scheduled grant advance of $200,000 and to work with NOMO to establish a remediation plan. Instead, grant administrators wrote that they were reassured after NOMO installed a new chief operating officer who left the organization the following year. By the end of the grant cycle, Duncan was able to deliver a public relations win for NOMO. He appeared on Good Day Philadelphia in December 2022 to launch the housing plan with a surprise giveaway of the first of 23 brand-new apartments for young women, many of them single mothers. Duncan said NOMOs housing program would cover 70% of rent costs for 18 to 24 months while enrollees seek employment and eventually move out on their own. Theyll be getting their credit together so they can prepare to become a homeowner, he told Fox 29. We need money to finish doing this. Billion-dollar dream The city renewed NOMOs grant in January 2024, this time for $850,000. But a tax return the same year showed the organization was already $710,000 in the red. Months later, the nonprofit faced its first eviction suit, targeting its North Broad headquarters, and had to cut a check for $275,000 in back rent the equivalent of one-third of its city grant money for that year. By the fall of 2024, records show NOMO had spent only about 5% of the $150,000 initially budgeted for youth incentives, outside activities, equipment, or program supplies. The city withheld most of NOMOs fourth-quarter grant funding, reducing the nonprofits award by $170,000 to a total of $680,000 for that year. Still, the city re-upped the group for a third grant in 2025, this time for $600,000. By January 2025, financial records show NOMO had virtually stopped spending on youth programming. It laid off most of its staff as landlords for all three youth centers took legal action against the nonprofit over hundreds of thousands of dollars of back rent. Around then, NOMO received an infusion of support in the form of a $950,000 grant from the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency. But the TANF funds had run out, and the organizations problems continued. City officials had NOMO submit a formal performance enhancement plan last July. Duncan said in September that NOMO had cut costs, hired a new accounting firm, and was working toward full financial stability. It resolved two eviction cases by reducing its real estate footprint downsizing its North Philly headquarters into basement offices and terminating its affordable housing program. Duncan said the former tenants moved in with family members or were transferred to the nonprofit Valley Youth House, which provides transitional housing. After The Inquirer asked Duncan about the most recent lawsuit over back rent, this one for $312,000, his landlord filed notice in court that the matter was resolved. Duncan said keeping three youth centers and marketing the NOMO spaces for special events are key parts of his business plan as the organization continues to settle its debts. The spate of lawsuits has not dampened the citys enthusiasm for Duncans nonprofit. Crandall, the spokesperson for the Philadelphia Office of Public Safety, said NOMO remains eligible to receive funds when a new round of grants are awarded this year. And with the housing initiative scrapped, NOMO is left pursuing its original mission anti-violence programming for city youth. The organizations renegotiated leases for its three youth centers now total $360,000 a year, roughly half what NOMO had been paying. In a 2023 interview, Duncan acknowledged that he underestimated the financial demands of running an organization on a citywide scale. As a kid you think, If I can get a million dollars, Ill be rich. And then youre broke again, he said then. I had a billion-dollar dream. I didnt realize it was a billion-dollar dream. Pedestrians make their way through the snow in front of the South Philadelphia Library in 2019. Some Philly libraries have been activated as warming centers during the recent cold snap. Read more The bitter and persistent cold of recent weeks was so dangerous that various Philadelphia agencies coalesced around one mission: Get the citys most vulnerable off the streets. Philadelphia libraries became a key piece in these efforts, with some branches doubling as so-called warming centers for more than 20 days straight in an effort to provide a respite to people who would otherwise be living outside. Advertisement The mobilization of what can exceed 10 branches during life-threatening cold snaps is largely, though not universally, welcomed by library staff, the community groups that support the workers, and the people who use the spaces. As outdoor deaths mount in places like New York City, where at least 18 people have died on the streets since Jan. 19, Philadelphia library workers see the initiative as a way to prevent similar outcomes here, where there have been three cold-related deaths since Jan. 20. But employees say the warming center initiative, in only its second year as a formalized network, leaves branch staff, from librarians to security, unequipped to help some of the people walking through their doors with complex mental and physical health needs. People are feeling tired, feeling very burnt out, the physical, the emotional, and the mental load of not just doing our regular work, but having like this critical service, like lifesaving service, being offered on top of that for 12-plus hours a day has been really, really hard to sustain, said Liz Gardner, a library worker, speaking as a union steward in the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees District Council 47s Local 2186, which represents first-level supervisors, including those at libraries. Theres the little stuff, like how an online map sometimes listed the wrong information in December. Last-minute location changes among the South Philly branches made it confusing for even the self-described information professionals to direct people where to go. At one point, a branch that was not Americans with Disabilities Act-accessible was cast as a warming center, to the chagrin of many. Library workers and community groups described having to lobby the Free Library to crowdsource snacks and water. The transportation that transfers people to nighttime warming centers after the libraries close has often been late, meaning staff have to decide between staying after their shift or leaving people outside, which they dont want to do. Whats more, library workers and volunteers say, some people require more than a warm space. People in mental health crises, struggling with substance abuse issues, and requiring wound care need medical support, workers say. What [the city is] continuing to do is take advantage of a group of people that care so deeply about the city of Philadelphia and the communities that they serve, and theyll continue to do it, regardless of if they have the support or not, said Brett Bessler, business agent for DC 47 Local 2186. Altogether, the concerns surrounding the warming center system yield existential and moral quandaries: Is this system the best and most humane way to treat some of the citys most vulnerable people? Crystal Yates-Gale, the citys deputy managing director for health and human services, acknowledged some of the challenges described by library staff and volunteers. Many logistical issues, such as location changes, food, and transportation woes, were improving or had been resolved, she said. Some of the concerns regarding staffing might be a matter of miscommunication, she said. I think everybodys exhausted. Its like Groundhog Day, Yates-Gale said. Its the same thing: Every day you wake up, theyre all just quite exhausted, but everybodys working toward the same goal. Kelly Richards, president and director of the Free Library of Philadelphia, echoed the sentiment that staff have been saving lives. In a statement, he said he appreciated staff efforts and feedback as the Free Library continues making improvements to better serve our communities. They need more than a warm building Details of who uses the warming centers are limited. Visitors are not asked if they are at a library to escape the cold or for regular library programming. Three library workers from various corners of the city described some of the daily challenges they have faced at warming centers to The Inquirer under the condition that they remain anonymous, fearing professional repercussions. One worker who has lived through various iterations of heating and cooling operations involving libraries described a catatonic man being brought into their branch by first responders, left for staff to figure out his care. They need more than a warm building, the worker said. These are human beings, and were the wrong department to help. A worker at a different branch described trying to persuade a man with a festering wound to seek medical intervention. In another instance, when staff told a man he could not set up his sleeping bag on the library floor, he began shouting, telling workers they had to accommodate him. Library staff say one of the biggest challenges is the lack of consistent support for people with complex medical issues. Yates-Gale said the Philadelphia Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual disAbility Services staff focuses support on what are considered high-volume warming centers, including the Central Library and the Northeast Regional and Nicetown branches. Mobile teams are available by request. In other cases, through a partnership with Project HOME, the citys homeless services office assigns what is called a restroom attendant. Library workers and volunteers say the current setup is unfair to all involved. At the South Philadelphia Library on a recent Friday afternoon, a woman yelped in pain as she rubbed a blackened, possibly frostbitten toe. Children played with blocks in a corner as others checked out books. Library staffers maintain similar scenes have played out at the various warming centers, with workers left to balance the comfort and safety of people there to check out books and use their computers with those of people who might die if kicked out and sent to the streets. The worker who told of trying to persuade a man to seek medical attention noted that staffers are behind on work and programming has taken a hit. Kelsey Leon, a harm reductionist who regularly works with homeless Philadelphians with addiction, has been visiting libraries during the cold snap after hearing concerns from librarians, and working to deliver wound care kits to the centers so people there can treat themselves. Librarians are so clearly beyond their capacity to handle this, she said. The city says its listening to feedback A battle for snacks, workers and volunteers say, has become emblematic of the disconnect between what the Free Library and the city want warming centers to be and what they actually are. Most people using the service do not bring their own food. The city initially provided snacks at the overnight warming centers in recreation centers but made no such offerings at the daytime ones at libraries. When staff and volunteers noted this would mean people going 12 hours without sustenance and offered to fill that gap with crowdsourced snacks and drinks, they faced resistance. We were told repeatedly that warming centers at libraries are distinct from shelters, and that is the reason they couldnt provide food, said a third library worker, adding the Free Library and the city eventually allowed the outside snacks to come in. Part of the initial hesitation, according to Yates-Gale, was based on logistical considerations, including protecting library materials and adding cleanup to the plate of security officers who handle maintenance. The city provided library leadership with lists of food sites, the idea being that people could leave the libraries, get a meal close by, and come back. Still, Yates-Gale said, the city is listening and adjusting in real time. Last week, after two weeks of operations, the city brought water and cereal to warming centers. The city says people also have access to water fountains. The city said it is not giving up on improving warming center conditions. Yates-Gale said that starting Tuesday, the Philadelphia Office of Homeless Services would send reinforcement teams to daytime warming centers to get people to connect to additional services. The backup cannot come fast enough. Ibrahim Banch, 26, has been homeless before, but the cold he has experienced recently is something different. The air feels solid. It stands your hair up, he said. He knew he couldnt stay outside, so he sought out the warming centers as temperatures dropped. Recently released from prison, he said, he is waiting to be placed in an emergency shelter bed. But the warming centers are a last resort. He said the city should staff all centers with workers equipped to deal with the mental health needs that many clients have. People at the library shouldnt have to take this responsibility, Banch said. Its not a shelter or a caregiving place. Volunteers still eager to help Erme Maula, with the Friends of Whitman Library in South Philadelphia, echoed the challenging conditions described by workers. She believes it doesnt have to be this way. The citys 54 branches are full of supporters who can coalesce around the warming centers with donations, she said. Volunteers continue to collect toiletries and other essential items for people using the branches for warmth. As an advanced practice community health nurse, she could see healthcare workers organizing to help people and ease the load of librarians. But it is the sort of effort that would need support from the city. People are kind and want to be generous, but they didnt know you have to take care of what they expected the city to be able to take care of, Maula said. Maula and others who spoke to The Inquirer emphasized they want the warming centers to be improved not to go away. As with the snack issue, Yates-Gale said the city is responding to feedback in real time. Now that we know that there needs to be an adjustment for support staff, were ready and able to immediately begin staffing the libraries, she said. But that might not be felt by library staff until the next warming center activation. With daytime temperatures finally warming up, the city is slated to begin winding down warming center operations at libraries; nighttime centers will remain open until those temperatures similarly rise. Im really hopeful that we see substantial improvements to make this a more sustainable practice that helps more people in a more meaningful way, Local 2186s Gardner said. Philadelphia Lawyer Michael Coard speaks at a rally at the President's House Site in response to the removal of the President's House exhibit in Old City, in Philadelphia. Read more The Black activists and community members who brought the Presidents House Site into being are not letting its history be removed quietly. A couple of hundred supporters and local leaders organized by the Avenging the Ancestors Coalition rallied at the Presidents House Site on Tuesday afternoon to demand the restoration of its slavery memorial after the National Park Service removed all of its informational and educational materials last month. Advertisement History is not merely a collection of celebrated moments, said Catherine Hicks, president of the NAACP Philadelphia Branch. This action is a disservice to our city, our nation and denies future generations in the chance to learn from our history, fostering an environment of ignorance rather than understanding. This site is historic, holy ground, said Michael Coard, an attorney and founding member of ATAC. So now what? Now, we fight the good fight. ATAC was instrumental to the creation of Presidents House on Independence Mall in 2010, a site that honors the nine people enslaved by George Washington while he lived at the precursor to the White House. The structure at Sixth and Market Streets featured video displays, illustrations and text-filled panels about the Atlantic slave trade and life under slavery, and detailed Washingtons dogged support for the institution. Those exhibits were dismantled on Jan. 22, following directives from President Donald Trumps administration to review and remove displays in National Parks that inappropriately disparage Americans past or living. Thirteen exhibits from the Presidents House were flagged for review this summer. Mayor Cherelle L. Parkers administration filed a federal lawsuit against Interior Secretary Doug Burgum and acting National Park Service Director Jessica Bowron, and their respective agencies, on the day the panels were removed. The complaint argues that dismantling the exhibits was an arbitrary and capricious act that violated a 2006 cooperative agreement between the city and the federal government. Following a Jan. 30 hearing in which District Judge Cynthia M. Rufe called the federal governments argument that a president can unilaterally change the exhibits displayed in national parks horrifying and dangerous, and after a Feb. 2 inspection of the removed panels, as well as the Presidents House site, the court ordered that the exhibits be kept safe. The city filed an updated lawsuit with a new injunction request for the restoration of all the exhibits to the Presidents House as they were the day before their removal. The federal government has until the end of the week to respond to the new filings, and another courtroom showdown is expected to follow. Philadelphias collar counties filed on Monday a joint brief in support of the citys lawsuit, joining previous briefs by Gov. Josh Shapiro, Democrats in Pennsylvanias state Senate, and the advocacy groups who pushed for the creation of the exhibit. Attempts to unilaterally rewrite history will deprive residents and visitors of the collar counties of the full and accurate picture of the nations founding to which they are entitled, the brief says. The panels are currently being held in a storage facility owned by the National Park Service that is adjacent to the National Constitution Center, according to a legal filing by the Trump administration. Cant hide the truth Ever since the panels were taken down with crowbars and wrenches, there has been an outpouring of support for the memorial to be restored, and outrage toward the Trump administration. If you want to hide the truth of slavery in Philadelphia, you might as well tear down the whole city because it was built on the blood of my people. You cannot hide the truth, said Solomon Jones, a radio host and columnist for The Inquirer. To erase slavery is to erase American history. That would be to erase Mount Vernon, to erase Wall Street because those structures were built by enslaved labor, said Yvonne Studevan, a seventh-generation descendant of Mother Bethel AMEs Bishop Richard Allen. Judy Butler, a South Philadelphia resident, said she was both heartbroken and angry once she learned that the Presidents House exhibits were going to be removed. I felt violated, disrespected, she said. Butler, 66, said shes been inspired watching from afar as people in Minnesota have braved the frigid temperatures to protest, observe and resist ICEs occupation of the Minneapolis area. Coming to ATACs rally was something she felt she had to do. Theyre taking down our history. How deplorable is that? she said. Jeremy Carl is not just unqualified for the role of architect of U.S. policy at the United Nations; he represents a dangerous rejection of the ideals of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, write Desiree Cormier Smith and Jessica Stern. Read more When President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio gutted the U.S. Department of State last year, they said they were doing it to make America safer, stronger, and more prosperous. Yet, Trumps nominee to be assistant secretary of state for international organization affairs, Jeremy Carl, is a white supremacist conspiracy theorist who would undermine the United States standing at the United Nations and destroy our relationships with countries around the world. As former American diplomats, weve worked to promote human rights globally. We know the inner workings of this world and can say unequivocally that Carl would be a grave threat in this post, and his nomination must be resoundingly rejected. Advertisement The assistant secretary of state for international organization affairs is the architect of U.S. policy at the United Nations and across a wide range of multilateral arenas. Few outside diplomatic circles have heard of this position, but its one of the central posts through which the U.S. interacts with the world. For example, when we stop defending fair labor standards in places like Bangladesh or Vietnam, American workers pay the price as competitors in those countries cut corners and flood markets with cheaper goods. When we look away from corruption and repression in energy-rich regions, instability follows driving up oil prices and hitting Americans at the pump. When we ignore humanitarian crises until they explode, we spend far more on aid and crisis response than it would have cost to prevent them. These arent far-off problems. In an interconnected world, theyre immediate issues that impact American jobs, consumer prices, and national security. Thats why this role is so crucial. Carl is moving quietly ahead in the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, on which Pennsylvania Sen. Dave McCormick serves, and his nomination hearing is slated for Thursday. The Senate should stand up for American values and the interests of the American people by rejecting this dangerous nominee. He has promoted political violence, including calling for the execution of the president of the American Federation of Teachers. Carl is not just unqualified for the role he has no experience working with the U.N. he represents a dangerous rejection of the ideals of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights: that all humans are born with equal dignity and rights. Carl has promoted the racist and antisemitic great replacement conspiracy theory claiming that there is a covert effort led by elites to replace white people in Western countries through mass migration and high birth rates of people of color, Muslims, Jews, and immigrants. He has promoted political violence, including calling for the execution of the president of the American Federation of Teachers, a Jewish lesbian. He claimed that identifying as transgender is somewhere between demonic and laughable. Though he has deleted thousands of his inflammatory tweets, these views are memorialized in his book, The Unprotected Class: How Anti-White Racism is Tearing America Apart. He gave a speech last year titled, On the Persecution of Whites in America. These are not stray remarks. They reflect who Carl is, and the message the U.S. would send by giving him a senior diplomatic post. They are so alarming that the Global Project Against Hate and Extremism wrote an entire article about his work to champion anti-white racism. If Carl becomes the face the U.S. presents to the world, well be telling the world that we care about only one group of people. We also will undermine our interests, because in our racially, religiously diverse world, other countries will rightly see Carls views as abhorrent. A world where human rights are optional and the United States fails to hold abusers accountable is a world where corruption grows, conflicts fester, and authoritarian regimes operate unchecked. The result: increased human suffering at home and abroad, higher prices for Americans, fewer protections for American workers, and greater instability that threatens our own security. Last month, the Trump administration issued an executive order withdrawing the U.S. from 66 organizations, including 31 U.N. mechanisms. The U.S. was not a significant political or financial supporter of all of them, so the substantive consequences of withdrawal are debatable. Yet, the symbolism is clear: The U.S. is disproportionately targeting mechanisms that serve the most vulnerable and marginalized, like U.N. Women and the Permanent Forum for People of African Descent, or those tackling the climate crisis, like the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change. In other words, being unqualified, opposed to universal human rights, and seeking to undermine global governance is the point of Carls nomination. We know what effective diplomacy looks like. It is steady, principled, and grounded in the belief that Americas power is greatest when guided by its conscience. It also treats the rights and dignity of the most vulnerable as a priority, not an afterthought. When we lead with our values, we build coalitions that prevent wars and foster prosperity. When we abandon them, chaos fills the vacuum and history shows that chaos never stays overseas. Desiree Cormier Smith was the inaugural special representative for racial equity and justice. Jessica Stern was the special envoy for the advancement of the human rights of LGBTQI+ persons at the U.S. Department of State. They are now both cofounders and copresidents of the Alliance for Diplomacy and Justice, promoting human rights as a central pillar of U.S. foreign policy. Jamila H. Winder, chair of the Montgomery County Commissioners, delivers her 2026 State of County speech at Montgomery County Community College in Blue Bell, Pa., Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026. Read more It was a portrait of amicable disagreement. Talking to reporters gathered at the front of an auditorium at Montgomery County Community College, the collar countys top officials engaged in a friendly back-and-forth about something local leaders have had to pay unprecedented attention to since last year: how to handle any future federal funding cuts under President Donald Trump. Advertisement Within the last year, counties have navigated uncertainty surrounding reductions in funding under the Trump administration. In Montgomery County, those cuts have jeopardized key resources for public health, higher education, and homeless services. Naturally, our teams are following whats coming out of [the Department of Housing and Urban Development], whats happening with SNAP. Were trying to anticipate, said Jamila Winder, a Democrat and the chair of the Montgomery County Board of Commissioners. Community needs that arise from the cuts to SNAP and the cuts to Medicaid are significant, said vice chair Neil Makhija, a Democrat. Tom DiBello, the boards lone Republican, had a different view. Well, we also have to maybe look at what those reductions are, why those reductions are occurring and I know this is where we divide, he said. Crossing the aisle has become rare in the rancorous national political environment. But at Montgomery County Community College on Wednesday, the commissioners emphasized at their annual State of the County address that they are striving for cooperation to be their norm, even as lawmakers in Harrisburg and Washington struggle to work together. The commissioners have navigated their own tense moments in recent months, particularly related to immigration. Look, there are definitely things that we disagree on as a team, but whats most important is that were able to fund the services that we provide to people in Montgomery County, Winder told reporters. Wednesdays address featured the commissioners reflecting on the countys accomplishments in 2025 and outlining their goals for the year ahead to an audience of constituents and officials. Those include opening shelters for people experiencing homelessness, determining how to best integrate artificial intelligence in county services, and cutting red tape for residents trying to access local services. And it was also sprinkled with displays of camaraderie despite political differences, such as the commissioners touting 2026s bipartisan budget as the first in nearly a decade or DiBello going in for a hug after turning the microphone over to Winder for her closing remarks. If theres one thing I want you to take away from today, its this: Under our collective leadership as commissioners, this board will continue to put politics aside to do whats best for our communities, Winder said at the address, of which the theme was collaboration. But their interactions have not always fit the cordial image presented Wednesday. During a board of commissioners meeting in July, Winder accused DiBello of lacking empathy after 14 people were taken into custody by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in West Norriton. Winder and Makhija called for ICE agents to be held accountable, while DiBello encouraged respect for law enforcement and denounced the incorporation of politics into the meeting. People are being terrorized by masked ICE agents in Montgomery County, thats what were saying. And if you cant be empathetic to that, thats disconcerting, Winder said at the time. No matter what, we should be respecting our law enforcement agencies until they break the law, DiBello responded. On Wednesday, immigration-related disagreements lingered when Makhija told reporters about his opposition to ICE buying warehouses in Pennsylvania, including in Berks County, that may be used to detain people. Again we divide, because I will support the rule of law, DiBello said on immigration enforcement. I stand with law enforcement, and if people want changes, they need to go to Washington and ask and promote those changes." Mayor Cherelle L. Parker with an executive order she signed following her keynote address at the Chamber of Commerce for Greater Philadelphias annual mayoral luncheon. Read more Mayor Cherelle L. Parker on Wednesday unveiled PHL PRIME, a new service in Philadelphia that has nothing to do with Amazon although the e-commerce giant could potentially sign up for it. At her annual address to the Chamber of Commerce for Greater Philadelphia, Parker signed an executive order to establish PHL PRIME, which stands for Project Review and Infrastructure Made Easy. The new program is designed to draw high-impact economic development projects that generate quality jobs by helping businesses that are considering investing in Philadelphia to navigate city rules and regulations, according to the mayors office. Advertisement Im the mayor, and Im not absolving myself of the responsibility of making sure that bureaucracy is working effectively and efficiently, Parker said during her annual speech at the Convention Center. Were not going to burden business with the time tax. Were going to work at the speed of business. Parker told reporters the new program will not involve hiring any new staff. Instead, its meant to bring various city departments together into a PHL PRIME Tiger Team to coordinate a streamlined approach and lay out the welcome mat for investment. In her wide-ranging speech, Parker also said the city was committed to helping major development plans from the Market East corridor and the South Philadelphia Stadium Complex to the port and shipyard. But Parker did not speak at length about two measures she included in last years city budget deal that some have said shows the city is not as welcoming to business as it could be. Both relate to the citys business income and receipts tax, or BIRT. READ MORE: Why Mayor Cherelle Parker is asking Council to approve a tax cut that will take effect in 2038 Parker on Wednesday briefly mentioned a law she and City Council adopted last year that bakes in annual incremental cuts to the two BIRT tax rates over 13 years. And she thanked the Tax Reform Commission for guidance on making the citys tax structure more business-friendly. I am proud to affirm that we proposed and codified into law $210 million in tax investments to provide the kind of predictability that the business community told us that it needs, Parker said. I hope that was a direct sign to each of you in this room that the executive and the legislative branches are listening. But she did not mention that the enacted tax cuts the steepest of which will likely take effect after she leaves office are far less aggressive than the commissions recommendations, which called for completely eliminating BIRT within eight to 12 years. Parker also did not address the elimination of an important tax break that allowed businesses to exempt their first $100,000 in revenue when calculating their BIRT liabilities. That policy which lasted about a decade before Council approved a Parker bill to end it last year effectively eliminated BIRT for the tens of thousands of businesses that take in less than $100,000 per year from commerce in the city. READ MORE: What small business owners need to know about the major changes coming to Phillys tax code Parker has said she supports the exemption but was forced to get rid of it after the city was sued by Massachusetts-based Zoll Medical Corp., which does business in Philadelphia and argued that the tax break violated the Pennsylvania Constitution. Phillys smallest businesses are now scrambling to comply with the rule change. Tax bills are due April 15. A Virginia public school employee must proceed with his workers compensation claim appeal without the evidence of a video he believes shows how and when he was injured at work. His employer, the Newport News Public Schools, erased the video before the employee asked for it, prompting him to accuse the schools of spoliation of evidence. A Virginia Workers Compensation Commission (VWCC) deputy commissioner rejected the spoliation claim last September and last week the full VWCC let that evidence ruling stand. The public school employee filed his workers compensation claim on June 24, 2024, alleging that he sustained a compensable injury by accident on April 9, 2024. His employer denied the claim. When his appeal of that denial was before the deputy commissioner, the claimant asked for the record to be kept open to deal with the issue of evidence from a workplace video he said would support his case. According to the employee, his employer received notice of the April 9, 2024 accident shortly after it took place, had notice that he was seeking benefits when he filed his June 24, 2024 claim, and had notice that he was seeking a copy of the video at least as of November 21, 2024. At some point during that short window of time, the employer either destroyed or lost the video. The employer should not be allowed to benefit from its failure to preserve the video, the claimant asserted. He claimed that the missing video amounted to spoliation of evidence. He maintained that Newport News Public Schools knew about his injury and that it was captured on video and should have reasonably anticipated that he would pursue a claim and it would be a minimal burden to preserve a short video clip. Newport News Public Schools denied there was any spoliation of evidence. The school system said that the video from the day of the incident had been erased after 30 days in accordance with its normal procedures. That was about six weeks before the claimant filed his appeal with the commission. The school district argued that it was not aware of litigation involving the video when the video was destroyed and vowed that it did not intentionally or in bad faith destroy the video to deprive the claimant of evidence. The VWCC deputy commissioner dismissed the employees spoliation claim, finding that the employer did not know the video might have evidence before routinely erasing it after 30 days, which was in keeping with the companys normal policy. The deputy commissioner pointed out that cases have uniformly held that for a finding of spoliation to occur, the party in possession of the evidence must either be aware or should reasonably be aware of the relevance of evidence in its possession or under its control to either probable or pending litigation. The claimant appealed that ruling on the evidence. The full VWCC last week refused to review the deputys decision on the grounds that, while the commission has the discretion to grant an appeal on the evidence issue, a right of review of this nature is typically only available after a final decision or award. The VWCC noted that it is typical for it to decline interlocutory reviews on evidentiary or procedural matters, except for good cause shown. On this matter, it found that the claimant had not established good cause for such a review. The VWCC also did not agree that the claimant would suffer substantial prejudice if an interlocutory review were declined. The panel noted that the worker was not harmed because he also had two eyewitnesses willing to testify as to what occurred. Topics Commercial Lines Workers' Compensation Business Insurance Canadian airlines on Monday suspended flights to Cuba, which warned it was running out of jet fuel, as the U.S. tightens its grip on the communist-run nations oil supply by blocking shipments from Venezuela. Air Canada, the countrys biggest carrier, said in a statement that aviation fuel is not projected to be commercially available at airports as of Tuesday, as governments issue notices warning that the supply is likely to be unreliable. Smaller rivals WestJet and Air Transat also canceled flights due to anticipated fuel shortages. The shortfall is set to last from February 10 through March 11, according to a notice to pilots published late on Sunday. It comes just two days after Cuban officials said air travel would not initially be impacted by a fuel rationing plan announced on Friday. The Cuban Aviation Corporation (ECNA) published a short statement on Monday morning, just hours after the notice to pilots was issued, but made no mention of the fuel shortage or flight cancellations. We continue working tirelessly to ensure the safety, fluidity, and order of the airspace, supporting airline operations and ensuring that aviation in Cuba maintains the levels of reliability that characterize us, ECNA said. The Cuban government did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Refueling Stops Due to the fuel restrictions announced by the Cuban authorities, Spanish carrier Air Europa said it would make a refueling stop at Santo Domingo Airport in the Dominican Republic as part of its MadridHavanaMadrid operation starting on Tuesday. Fuel shortfalls are not new to Cuba, which has long struggled with supply issues, and many airlines already have plans in place to deal with them. Similar crises have prompted many carriers to refuel in nearby third countries including Panama, the Bahamas, the Dominican Republic and the U.S. Montreal-based Air Canada said over the coming days it will send empty flights to pick up and fly home about 3,000 customers in Cuba. It said it will fly in with extra fuel for the return journey and make refueling stops if necessary. WestJet said on its website that it had begun an orderly wind-down of its Cuban operations effective on Monday, also including some flights to assist customers with returning to Canada. Air Transat said it suspended all flights to Cuba until the end of April and was organizing repatriation flights to bring its customers back to Canada. In Cuba, travelers and their families said they were unnerved by the recent announcements. Today its one thing, and tomorrow its another, said Cuban Benigno Gonzalez, who was at Havanas Jose Marti International Airport on Monday morning to drop off his daughter for a flight to Mexico. This will hurt everyone who travels. An early morning Copa Airlines flight to Panama departed on time from Havana on Monday, and several American Airlines flights were slated to arrive later in the day, airport officials confirmed to Reuters. U.S. carriers American Airlines, Southwest Airlines and Delta Air Lines, which fly to Cuba from nearby Florida, said they are continuing to fly to the country and are not currently experiencing any impact on their operations. The carriers said aircraft operating flights to Cuba carry sufficient fuel for their next trips. Venezuela Import Problem Cuba has historically relied on Venezuela to provide much of its jet fuel, but the Caribbean island nation has not received any crude or refined products from its top ally since mid-December, when the U.S. moved to block the South American nations exports. U.S. President Donald Trump has since vowed Cuba would receive no more oil from Venezuela and has threatened to slap tariffs on any nation sending fuel to Cuba, effectively cutting off the islands supply of aviation gas. Venezuelas state oil company PDVSA in December loaded a 80,000-barrel cargo of jet fuel for Cuba, but the tanker never left amid a strict U.S. blockade on the OPEC country. The vessel, which has moved Venezuelan fuel to Cuba since last year, last week discharged the jet fuel at a PDVSA-operated port and loaded some 150,000 barrels of gasoline, according to the companys shipping schedules. The boat had yet to set sail on Monday, according to ship monitoring services. Its intended destination was not immediately clear. (Reporting by Dave Sherwood in Havana and Allison Lampert in Montreal; additional reporting by David Shepardson in Washington, Rajesh Kumar Singh in Chicago and Marianna Parraga in Houston and Hyunsu Yim; editing by Nick Zieminski, Kevin Liffey and Jamie Freed) Photograph: Air Canada Airlines at Varadero, Cuba airport in 2021; photo credit: Depositphotos Human-induced climate change, along with land-use shifts and budget cuts, likely worsened recent wildfires in Argentina and Chile that are threatening some of the worlds oldest trees, an analysis has found. These regions are now receiving 20% to 25% less rainfall due to climate change, driven by the burning of fossil fuels, according to a report by World Weather Attribution, also known as WWA, a scientific group that examines extreme weather events days after they occur. We estimate that similarly extreme fire weather conditions are now nearly three times as likely due to the 1.3C of human-caused warming, said Clair Barnes, a researcher at the Centre for Environmental Policy of Imperial College London. The drying trend is well captured by the climate models. The fires, which began in early January, devastated large swaths of south-central Chile, destroying about 2,300 homes and killing 21 people, according to a United Nations report. In Argentinas Patagonia, where the blazes continue out of control, fires have burned parts of Los Alerces National Park, home to the Alerce,the second-longest living tree species in the world, reaching more than 3,600 years. Climate change is leading to extreme and persistent temperatures well above average, said co-author Juan Antonio Rivera, a researcher at the Argentine Institute of Nivology, Glaciology and Environmental Sciences. At some weather stations near Patagonia, which were installed 70 years ago, we observed unprecedented warm spells. Besides the drier and hotter weather, pine tree plantations increased wildfire risk in both countries, the WWA analysis concluded. These plantations are highly flammable because of their uniform fuel structure and density. In 2024, when blazes killed 138 people in Chiles Vina del Mar, the fires reached neighborhoods after spreading through tree plantations. Inthe Argentine Patagonia, wildfire hotspots remain active inside Los Alerces National Park. Environmental groups and WWA point to budget cuts under President Javier Milei, who denies the existence of human-induced climate change. The budget of the National Fire Management Service was reduced by 69% this year, compared with 2023, and by 54%, compared with 2025, according to an analysis by nonprofit Environment and Natural Resources Foundation, also known as Farn. In a statement, Argentinas National Parks Administration said wildfires have affected about 16,000 hectares (39,500 acres) of Los Alerces National Park, an area slightly larger than San Francisco. It added that more than 200 federal personnel are involved in the response, working in coordination with Chubut province, which has deployed 278 public servants. Photograph: A firefighter works to extinguish a forest fire burning in the mountains of the rural area of Epuyen, in the Patagonian region of Chubut province, Argentina, on Feb. 2, 2025. Photo credit: Tomas Cuesta/AFP/Getty Images Copyright 2026 Bloomberg. Topics Climate Change South Koreas Bithumb said on Wednesday that serious flaws had left the crypto exchanges internal system susceptible to potential sabotage and failed to prevent an erroneous transfer of more than $40 billion in assets last week. The countrys second-largest virtual asset exchange said it accidentally gave away about 620,000 bitcoins to customers during a promotional event, instead of 620,000 won ($426), triggering a 17% slump in bitcoins price. Bithumb CEO Lee Jae-won said the giveaway amounted to 15 times the exchanges holding of 42,000 bitcoins, largely because a lag of about 24 hours in processing transactions delayed updates to the balance of virtual assets. We are acutely aware of the deficiency in internal system control, Lee told a parliament committee hearing on the incident that took place on Friday. The exchanges policy of checking the volume of currency to be transferred against its actual holdings had failed and the amount was also not earmarked in a separate account to ensure the safety of the transaction, Lee said. Most of the bitcoins have been retrieved by the exchange, but 1,786 had already been sold within minutes before the exchange froze the accounts of the customers that received them, regulators have said. The customers who sold them are legally required to return them, they said. Members of parliament expressed dismay at the failure of government and corporate oversight in the countrys virtual assets market, which is one of the most active in the world by trading volume. Financial Supervisory Service (FSS) Governor Lee Chan-jin said he personally believed the virtual currency market should be subject to the same regulatory oversight as banks and other financial services institutions, but it was not possible under existing laws and regulations. ($1 = 1,455.4700 won) (Reporting by Jack Kim; editing by Ed Davies and Sonali Paul) Fidelidade-Companhia de Seguros SA, the Portuguese insurer controlled by Chinese conglomerate Fosun International Ltd., is carrying out preliminary work toward a potential listing in Lisbon that could value the company at more than 3 billion, according to people familiar with the matter. Portugals largest insurance company has in recent weeks held discussions with banks and potential investors about a possible initial public offering, the people said, asking not to be identified because the information is private. Fidelidade has yet to appoint financial advisers, they said, with a view to listing early next year. Discussions are in the early stages and may not result in a share sale, according to the people. A representative for Fidelidade declined to comment on the listing plans and valuation. Fosun didnt immediately respond to a request for comment sent to its press office email. Fosun, whose businesses span tourism, pharmaceuticals and finance, paid 1 billion in 2014 for 80% of Fidelidade and now owns about 85% of the insurer. Portugals state-owned Caixa Geral de Depositos SA holds the remaining 15%. In November, Fidelidade Chief Executive Officer Rogerio Campos Henriques told newspaper Jornal de Negocios that the companys valuation could be significantly higher than 3 billion ($3.6 billion). Fidelidade had initially targeted an IPO in 2025, a plan announced nearly two years ago that included first listing its hospital operator Luz Saude SA. The timeline was pushed back after Fidelidade shelved the Luz Saude offering and instead sold a minority stake in the business to Sydney-based Macquarie Group Ltd. last year for about 310 million. A listing would provide a rare boost for Euronext Lisbon, which has seen limited IPO activity in recent years amid subdued capital markets and a broader scarcity of large-scale share sales in southern Europe. Portugals stock exchange has struggled to attract new issuers, with several companies opting for private capital or foreign markets instead. Lisbons main PSI Index has just 16 companies, one of the smallest benchmarks in Western Europe. Lisbon hasnt had a major listing since 2021 and Euronext NV, the owner of bourses including the Portuguese stock exchange, went last year without a significant IPO. This week, Fidelidade raised fresh funding through a bond sale led by BNP Paribas SA, CaixaBI, Deutsche Bank AG, JP Morgan Chase & Co. and Societe Generale SA, while also launching an offer to buy back debt due in 2031. Photograph: The Portuguese flag is seen with the Augusta street arch in the background as people walk through the the stores and esplanades in downtown Lisbon on July 30, 2018. Photo credit: Patricia de Melo Moreira/AFP/Getty Images Copyright 2026 Bloomberg. Topics Carriers Estee Lauder sued Walmart in California federal court on Monday, accusing the retail giant of selling knockoffs of Estee Lauder fragrance and skin care brands including Clinique, Tom Ford and Le Labo. Estee Lauder said in the lawsuit that Walmart sold counterfeit products through its website with identical branding to Tom Ford and Le Labo fragrances, Clinique and La Mer skin creams and Aveda hair brushes. The cosmetics company requested an unspecified amount of monetary damages and a court order blocking Walmart from selling the alleged counterfeits. Spokespeople for Walmart did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Tuesday. Spokespeople and attorneys for Estee Lauder also did not respond to requests for comment. New York-based Estee Lauders fragrance business has grown as Gen Z shoppers flock to brands including Le Labo and Tom Ford. Its lawsuit said that Walmart does very little to ensure that only authorized and authentic products are available through its website, which has led to it selling knockoffs that are likely to cause consumer confusion. Bentonville, Arkansas-based Walmarts expansion of its e-commerce platform helped it become the first retailer to ever hit $1 trillion in market valuation earlier this month. Estee Lauders complaint raised claims against Walmart including trademark infringement, counterfeiting, and false designation of origin over the alleged fakes. Topics Lawsuits The US House on Tuesday passed a bill that would seek to exclude China from global financial institutions if it were to threaten Taiwan and pose a danger to American interests. The legislation would establish US policy to block Chinese representatives from six organizations, including the Group of 20, the Bank for International Settlements, Financial Stability Board and the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision. The vote was overwhelming 395 in favor to 2 against. But its not yet clear if the Senate will consider the bill and send it to President Donald Trump for his signature the next two steps for the measure to become law. Adding to the uncertainty, the Republican-controlled Senate is likely to be wary of making substantial changes to US-China policy before Trumps visit to Beijing to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping in April. Trump has been trying to ease disagreements with China over trade, rare earths, Taiwan and other issues. The two men spoke earlier this month in advance of the April meeting. Trump cast that discussion as excellent, but the Chinese government described the call in a more contentious light, particularly as it relates to Taiwan, a self-governing island, which China sees as its own territory. If China seeks to disrupt the global order, then China cannot continue to be party to international organizations that seek to preserve that order, Republican Representative Frank Lucas, the House bills sponsor, posted on X. The legislation would also create US policy to block Chinese representatives from participating in the International Association of Insurance Supervisors and the International Organization of Securities Commissions. Top Photo: Taipei Photographer: Jimmy Beunardeau/Getty Images Copyright 2026 Bloomberg. Topics China The Federal Aviation Administration reopened airspace over El Paso and part of southern New Mexico on Wednesday morning after shutting it down for a few hours overnight amid an announcement there would be no flights for 10 days. The White House now says the unusual closure was triggered by Mexican cartel drones breaching U.S. airspace contradicting an industry source who said it was because of an impasse with the Department of Defense over the use of unmanned military aircraft. The temporary closure of airspace over El Paso has been lifted. There is no threat to commercial aviation. All flights will resume as normal, the FAA shared on X. An industry official, who had been briefed on the matter by the FAA in a morning call and asked not to be identified, told the Tribune that the Defense Department has been operating unmanned aircraft, or drones, against drug cartel operations from a base near El Pasos airport without sharing information with the FAA. It has to do with the FAAs inability to predict where [unmanned aircraft systems] might be flying, the official told the Tribune. They have been operating outside the normal flight paths. But a Trump official on Wednesday said the closure occurred because Mexican cartel drones breached U.S. airspace. The Department of War took action to disable the drones, the official said, and both the FAA and the military have now determined there is no threat to commercial travel. The FAA and DOW acted swiftly to address a cartel drone incursion, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy posted on X, referring to the Department of War. The threat has been neutralized, and there is no danger to commercial travel in the region. U.S. Rep. Veronica Escobar, D-El Paso, cast doubt on the administrations explanation. The statement by the administration that this shutdown was linked to a Mexican cartel drone that came into US airspace that is not my understanding, Escobar said at a Wednesday morning press conference. Escobar said the shutdown decision was made by the FAA in Washington, and that neither she, local officials in El Paso nor El Paso International Airport were notified by the agency. Escobar said she found out about the closure late Tuesday night from a member of the federal workforce. While she would not comment on whether or not drone activity factored into the closure, she noted that drone incursions are not unusual and have occurred for years. She said the FAA owes the public an explanation for the abrupt closure and reopening. The information coming from the administration does not add up, and its not the information that I was able to gather overnight and this morning, she said. The unexplained notices late Tuesday closed airspace over El Paso and a large patch of southern New Mexico west of Santa Teresa for 10 days. El Paso International Airport was set to be closed to all flights, the city had said. The orders closed off all air travel in the affected area, which could cause massive disruption in the nations 23rd-largest city. Escobar said there was not a threat to El Paso, which is why the restriction was lifted so quickly. A Southwest Airlines spokesperson said the airline resumed operations to and from the airport after the FAA lifted restrictions and customers should confirm their flights status before flying. The Tribune was unable to immediately reach Fort Bliss officials for comment. This article first appeared on The Texas Tribune. Topics Aviation Aerospace The average workers compensation rates for the Tennessee voluntary market should drop about 2% this year, marking the 13th straight year for lower rates in the state. Its also the smallest decrease in years. Safer workplaces where Tennessee workers are receiving fewer injuries on the job are helping contribute to the latest loss-cost reduction, Tennessee Insurance Commissioner Lawrence said in a bulletin. These reductions indicate a healthier workplace for Tennesseans as they result from decreases in lost-time claim frequency and more stable claims costs. The commissioner approved a 2% loss-cost decrease recommended in September by the National Council on Compensation Insurance. Lawrence also signed off on a 1.1% average decrease in average assigned risk rates for the state, according to recent orders. The reductions take effect March 1 and follow a 3.6% average loss cost decrease for 2025; a 9.4% decrease for 2024; a 10.2% decrease in 2023; and a 5.6% decrease in 2022. Workers compensation rates have fallen steadily over the last two decades across the country, although many states saw relatively tiny decreases in 2025 and 2026. Research suggests safer workplaces and fewer litigated claims have contributed to fewer injuries and reduced costs for employers and insurers. Tennessee recently ranked 39th among states in the average premiums, with rates well below the U.S. median, according to the 2024 Oregon Department of Consumer and Business Services, which studies comp rates every two years. That was a drop from 35th place in 2022, making Tennessee one of the least-expensive states on comp costs. Claimants lawyers have said that statutory changes in 2018 and 2019 trimmed attorney fees and have made it difficult for injured workers to find representation when claims are denied. Some voices in the industry, including roofing company associations in Florida, have warned that rates may be dropping so much that it could make some employers complacent about safety, and has prompted some insurers to avoid writing compensation insurance for certain classifications. Topics Workers' Compensation Talent Florida insurance company officers, employees, board members and even stockholders would have to undergo background checks and fingerprinting under a wide-ranging bill approved by a state House panel Wednesday morning. House Bill 1263, sponsored by state Rep. Linda Chaney, R-St. Petersburg, would authorize the Office of Insurance Regulation to require insurers and proposed insurers to submit full sets of fingerprints to a state law enforcement agency. The background checks could be used by OIR to deny or revoke carriers certificates of authority, the bill notes. The Legislature finds that criminal activity of insurers poses a particular danger to the residents of this state, reads the bill, which was approved Wednesday by the House Subcommittee on Insurance and Banking. Chaney did not cite criminal activity by insurers that may have prompted that section of the bill, but she said its a consumer-protection measure. We dont want insurance companies or any of the management authority to have, maybe, some unsavory background where they were not financially responsible, Chaney told the subcommittee, a meeting that was streamed on The Florida Channel. A 2002 Florida law already bars insurance companies from hiring officers and directors that had been in management positions at insolvent carriers, for at least two years after the insolvency. Florida regulators made headlines in attempting to enforce that provision in 2024 and 2025. Chaneys bill also would give OIR broader authority on insurance carriers in other ways, as well. It would grant the office the power to issue cease-and-desist orders for insurance firms that are not properly licensed in the state. The authority to issue a cease and desist extends to any person who aids and abets in the violation of the Florida Insurance Code, reads a legislative analysis of the bill. The measure also would require auto insurers to utilize only those loss hurricane models that have been approved by the Florida Commission on Hurricane Loss Projection Methodology, when filing for rate changes. Under current regulations, auto insurance companies are exempt from using standard hurricane loss models, three of which are approved by the hurricane loss commission. You can have a small, independent, fringe auto company come in with their own model and set rates according to that, Chaney said at the meeting. And OIR doesnt really have a way to analyze whether those are appropriate rates The bill also would require property insurers to give at least a minimum level of premium discounts for home construction techniques that exceed Florida Building Code requirements. The committee approved the bill without opposition. It now faces at least one more committee hearing in the House. No companion bill has been filed in the Senate, which could lessen the measures chances of being passed into law this year. A second bill offered by Chaney, HB 1265, would exempt the National Association of Insurance Commissioners from being required to provide deposition testimony in Florida litigation. But questions were raised about the scope of the exemption and its impact on discovery in insurance lawsuits. Chaney agreed to tweak the wording after working with members who had concerns. The subcommittee also approved HB 883, which would allow protected-cell captive insurance firms in Florida for the first time, moving the state a step closer to captive-friendly states such as North Carolina. A Senate version, SB 990, was approved by the Senate Banking and Insurance Committee last week. Photo: Chaney at Wednesdays subcommittee hearing. (The Florida Channel) Topics Florida Meta has failed to disclose what it knows about the harmful effect of its platforms on children in violation of New Mexicos consumer protection laws, a state prosecutor said Monday as a trial began over the dangers of child sexual exploitation on social media. Its the first stand-alone trial from state prosecutors in a stream of lawsuits against major social media companies, including Meta, over harm to children, and one that is likely to highlight explicit online content and its effects. Related: Instagram, YouTube Addiction Trial Kicks Off in Los Angeles In his opening statement, prosecution attorney Donald Migliori said Meta, which owns Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp, has misrepresented the safety of its platforms, engineering its algorithms to keep young people online while knowing that children are at risk of sexual exploitation on social media. Migliori said state prosecutors will present evidence that Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Adam Mosseri, the head of Instagram, have emphasized profits over safety. Meta clearly knew that youth safety was not its corporate priority that youth safety was less important than growth and engagement, Migliori told the jury. Related: Move to Ban Social Media for Kids Gains Traction Across Europe Meta attorney Kevin Huff pushed back on those assertions in his opening statement, highlighting an array of efforts by the company to weed out harmful content from its platforms while warning users that some dangerous content still gets past its safety net. He repeated the refrain that Meta disclosed, it didnt deceive. The state cannot win this case by showing there is bad content on Facebook and Instagram, he told the jury. You must instead focus on whether Meta disclosed risks to user. And the evidence will show that Meta did disclose that. More than 40 state attorneys general have filed lawsuits against Meta, claiming it is deliberately designing features that addict children to its platforms and failed to protect children and their mental health. Most filed their lawsuits in federal court. Also Monday, trial began in a separate case in California accusing Meta and Google of deliberately making their social media platforms addictive. State Says Zuckerberg And Others Understood The Risks Its unclear whether Zuckerberg will testify. New Mexico limits the ability to compel out-of-state witnesses to testify in person. Prosecutors on Monday did preview a video deposition of Zuckerberg that might figure prominently in the trial. Other current and former Meta employees are expected to testify that the company has misrepresented what it knows about the effects its platforms have on teenagers and preteens. The states witness list includes Arturo Bejar, an engineering director at Facebook from 2009 to 2015, who testified to Congress about his daughter confronting harassment on Instagram. Prosecutors say theyll present evidence that Meta knew that some 500,000 inappropriate interactions with children take place daily on its platforms, and that the company doesnt adequately track those interactions. Lawsuits Across The Country In California, opening statements began Monday in a separate case against Meta and Googles YouTube alleging their platforms are deliberately addictive and harm children. The outcome there and in New Mexico could challenge the companies First Amendment shield and Section 230 of the 1996 Communications Decency Act, which protects tech companies from liability for material posted on their platforms. A team led by New Mexico Attorney General Raul Torrez, who sued Meta in 2023, built their case by posing as children on social media, then documenting sexual solicitations as well as Metas response. Torrez a Democrat seeking reelection this year to a second term wants Meta to implement more effective age verification and do more to remove bad actors from its platform. He also is seeking changes to algorithms that can serve up harmful material, and has criticized end-to-end privacy encryption that can prevent the monitoring of communications with children for safety. Meta has noted that encrypted messaging is encouraged in general as a privacy and security measure by some state and federal authorities. Meta Says Investigation Is Ethically Compromised Meta says prosecutors are cherry-picking evidence to make sensationalist arguments. Meta spokesperson Andy Stone posted online Sunday that the states investigation is ethically compromised by its use of child photos on proxy accounts, delays by prosecutors in reporting child sexual abuse material and the disposal of data from devices used in the investigation. The evidence will show that the state rigged this investigation to get a fake result, Huff told the jury Monday. We think you will reject the reliability and fairness of the states fake-account investigation. Copyright 2026 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Lawsuits Mexico Agriculture Minister Martin Heydon has said there is no legal basis to prohibit the importation of straw. Instead, co-operation across sectors of the agricultural industry could minimise imports, he said. "I would urge farmers to carefully consider the risks associated with imported straw, recognising the need to protect farms from herbicide-resistant weeds". This week, it was announced that there will be 269 new organic farmers participating in the latest tranche of the Organic Farming Scheme. Minister of agriculture, Martin Heydon, welcomed the news of the new entrants to this year's scheme, subject to them meeting all scheme requirements. The Swedish-based drinks manufacturer Oatly has been banned from using the word milk to market its plant-based products in the UK after a court ruling. The alt-milk manufacturer has been in a long-running legal battle with the trade association Dairy UK after Oatly trademarked phrases associated with the dairy sector. On Wednesday, the supreme court unanimously ruled that Oatly can no longer trademark, or use, the slogan Post Milk Generation. It has taken the highest court in the land to decide once and for all whether a plant-based milk alternative can be branded as milk and marketed as such, said Laurie Bray, a senior associate and trademark attorney at the European intellectual property company Withers & Rogers. And the outcome is not what Oatly was hoping for. Regulations state that certain terms can be used only to denote the actual products they describe, such as milk, wine and olive oil. Milk is defined as coming from the dairy sector and, more specifically, animals. However, Oatly, which first filed a trademark application for the term Post Milk Generation with the UKs Intellectual Property Office in 2019 which was registered officially in 2021 had argued that the use of the term milk in a trademark did not breach regulations if it was not being used in a descriptive manner. In 2023, after an objection from Dairy UK, the IPO ruled that the use of the word milk in this way was deceptive; Oatly successfully appealed against the ruling in December 2023, but that decision was then overturned by the court of appeal, prompting it to take the issue to the supreme court. This ruling is an important decision for the sector as it finally provides clarity on how dairy terms can and cannot be used in branding and marketing, said the Dairy UK chief executive, Judith Bryans. It brings greater certainty for businesses and helps ensure that long-established dairy terms continue to carry clear meaning for consumers, while allowing appropriate descriptors to be used where the law permits. Despite the defeat handed down by the UKs highest court, Oatly remained defiant, saying that the ruling was anti-competitive and not good for the British public. This decision creates unnecessary confusion and an uneven playing field for plant-based products that solely benefits Big Dairy, said Bryan Carroll, the general manager for Oatly UK & Ireland. In our view prohibiting the trademarking of the slogan Post Milk Generation for use on our products in the UK is a way to stifle competition and is not in the interests of the British public. Carroll added that the company intended to find a way to get our Post Milk Generation merchandise into the hands of our brilliant community. The Guardian Celtic punk-folk group The Pogues have announced the death of their drummer Andrew Ranken, aged 72, with deep sadness. Ranken joined the London-formed group in 1983 and played on some of the groups best known songs such as Fairytale Of New York, Dirty Old Town and their rendition of The Irish Rover, which featured The Dubliners. A statement posted on The Pogues social media accounts read: It is with deep sadness that we announce the passing of Andrew Ranken, drummer, founding member, and heartbeat of The Pogues. Andrew, thank you for everything, for your friendship, your wit and your generosity of spirit, and of course for the music, forever a true friend and brother. Our thoughts and love are with his family at this sad and difficult time. Andrew The Clobberer Ranken. 13 November 1953 - 10 February 2026 pic.twitter.com/kgzaVnNDHg The Pogues (@poguesofficial) February 11, 2026 Nicknamed The Clobberer, Ranken also played on some of their most critically acclaimed albums such as Red Roses For Me (1984), Rum Sodomy And The Lash (1985) and If I Should Fall From Grace With God (1988). He also provided vocals for the group, and sang lead on the bands song Worms, which is the final track on If I Should Fall From Grace With God, and also played on the albums Peace And Love (1989), Hells Ditch (1990), Waiting For Herb (1993), and Pogue Mahone (1996). The band which in its best known incarnation featured a core group made up of late singer Shane MacGowan, bassist Cait ORiordan, singer and tin whistle player Spider Stacy, banjo player Jem Finer, accordion player James Fearnley, and Ranken broke up in 1996. They reformed in 2001 and Ranken performed with the band until their second split in 2014. Frontman MacGowan died in November 2023, and the band has performed with a line-up of Stacy, Finer and Fearnley since 2024, performing Red Roses For Me and Rum Sodomy And The Lash in full to celebrate their 40th anniversaries. Patients at Irelands state-of-the-art forensic mental health hospital are being advised to wear extra-warm clothing, and are being provided with more bedding at night because of renewed faults with the high-tech heating system. The heating failure which also knocks out the hot water has been continuing since last Thursday and comes as warnings are being issued of wintry weather from this Thursday and over the weekend. The brand-new Central Mental Hospital opened at Portrane, north Dublin, in November 2022 at a cost of more than 200m. Described by the Government at the time as a state-of-the-art, purpose-built facility, it boasts a natural gas combined heat and power plant, a central energy centre with a natural gas-fired medium temperature heating system, as well as a heat recovery system. The Government said the facility would provide care for 130 residents, and had capacity to cater for 170 people. Due to constraints, including difficulties in attracting psychiatric nurses, it currently has an operating capacity of 112. The current heating problem is just the latest the hospital has had with the system, with previous media reports highlighting issues in November 2022, when staff and patients moved there, and significant issues during early 2023 and into 2024. It is understood that up to five of the nine accommodation units three high-support and two medium-support may be affected. Met Eireann is warning of a cold snap hitting the country Thursday night, reaching as low as -3C, with wintry conditions on Friday and very cold weather on Saturday with the possibility of snow. Interim measures The Irish Examiner understands that large industrial air-blow heaters have been rented to blast heat into the units. Notices were circulated at the facility informing people that reduced heating capacity is affecting the High Secure Units (HSU), Medium Secure Units (MSU), Village Centre, and the Reception Building. It said that, based on the necessary risk assessment, the hospital staff were setting up electric industrial heaters in affected areas to ensure room temperatures are as comfortable [as possible] under the circumstances. The notification points out that the heating system provides a hot water supply to the hospital and that this has been affected also. In response, it said it had turned on the immersion to ensure there is a hot water supply. It asked staff and patients to bear in mind that when the immersion is depleted, it may take a couple of hours for the hot water to heat back up. Management also advised patients and staff: Individuals in the affected areas are encouraged to wear warm clothing over the next week and to not open windows unnecessarily, to prevent any heat loss. It said the hospital was making every effort to resolve the heating issue. Patients at the Central Mental Hospital are admitted under either the Mental Health Act 2001 or the Criminal Law (Insanity) Act 2006, where courts have decided a person is unfit to stand trial or has been found not guilty of an offence by reason of insanity. Cormac O'Keefe is Security Correspondent. The group behind a long-standing push to build a State-owned childrens science museum in Dublin says it plans to raise 25m to contribute to the construction of the controversial 70m-budgeted project. Irish Childrens Museum Limited chief executive Barbara Galavan will tell the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) on Thursday that the project in question is a critically important one for the country. She will tell the committee that under the groups plans, the new museum will include three floors of interactive exhibits, a 122-seat planetarium, a theatre, and fully equipped science laboratory spaces. The Office of Public Works, which will also be at the PAC, first agreed to construct the museum in 2003 and remains legally obligated to do so at the site of the National Concert Hall in collaboration with ICML, despite the fact a privately owned childrens museum Explorium in south Dublin has existed in the capital since 2019. Last September, the Comptroller and Auditor General, Seamus McCarthy, revealed the OPW had had no authority to approve the construction of the museum in 2003 but proceeded regardless, exposing the State to unnecessary risk. 'Omnishambles' At the time, the proposed building on Earlsfort Terrace in Dublin was budgeted at 14.3m, a figure that rose to 26m in 2013 before reaching its current level of 70.4m, not including the value of the site. Members of the PAC had described the ICML project as an omnishambles and an unmitigated disaster in the aftermath of the C&AG report, given no sponsor can be found to build it yet the OPW remains legally obliged to do so. Ms Galavan is expected to tell the PAC that the delays which have regrettably beset the project over the past 25 years have left Ireland as the only OECD country without a national science centre for children. ICML has committed to raising 25 million for the fit out of the science centre, which will be gifted to the State for the benefit of children, she will say. This has been made possible due to the ongoing strong philanthropic support for the project from leaders and employers in technology and science. They see the need, and are willing to back it financially. The PAC has repeatedly been told in recent times that regardless of the OPWs obligation to build the museum which has been reaffirmed via two separate arbitration processes no departmental sponsor can be found to fund the project. The privately owned Explorium science centre was opened in the southside suburb of Sandyford in 2019 and remains operational. It is believed that entity would not be hostile towards discussions aimed at bringing it into State ownership, in collaboration with ICML if possible, and that engagement has occurred between both sides in recent times. A West Cork farmer who is facing multiple animal cruelty charges in relation to cattle on his farm near Skibbereen will be sent forward for trial in the circuit court. Donal Bohane, aged 56, of Gortnamucklagh, Skibbereen, Co Cork, appeared before Judge Joanne Carroll at Skibbereen District Court. Sergeant Tom Mulcahy said Bohane faced a total of 11 charges under the Animal Health and Welfare Act. Sgt Mulcahy said instructions from the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) had been received and the DPP had directed Bohane be sent forward for a trial on indictment to the circuit court. The court was told a book of evidence was currently being prepared and it was expected to be completed in the coming weeks. Sgt Mulcahy said it was the States application to remand Bohane on bail so the book of evidence could be completed and served on the accused. Judge Joanne Carroll said the charges were very serious and she remanded Bohane on continuing bail to appear again on March 10 for service of the book of evidence. Bohane faces 11 charges relating to offences that are alleged to have occurred on four separate dates in November and December 2020, contrary to the Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013. This article is funded by the Courts Reporting Scheme A woman returned home from a nights drinking almost three years ago with her then partner, only to be violently attacked and left with a fractured jaw, fractured eye socket and broken nose. Garda Aisling Brosnan described the violent nature of the attack at a sentencing hearing on Wednesday for 41-year-old Jonathan Kingsbury, formerly of Connolly Road, Ballyphehane, Cork, and more recently of Schull, Co Cork, at Cork Circuit Criminal Court. After hearing the facts of the case and the victim impact statement as well as mitigation put forward by defence barrister Nikki OSullivan, Judge Helen Boyle said: There is an absolute inevitability of a prison sentence here. I will remand him in custody until February 18 and give a decision on that date. Garda Brosnan said the injured party and Jonathan Kingsbury returned to her house in Cork City after midnight on March 11, 2024, after being out in a pub together. He hit her head off a counter top, he hit her head off a wall, he punched her in the face, put his hands around her neck and threw heavy kitchen items at her. He had broken her phone. She ran from the house and called into neighbours and contacted the gardai, Garda Brosnan testified. In the course of three days in hospital, she required surgery to have metal plates inserted in both sides of her jaw. Victim impact statement In her victim impact statement she said: Since Jonathon assaulted me in March 2023, I have really bad anxiety and don't sleep properly. I don't go outside the door, Before I go anywhere, I'll get an anxiety attack. It's horrible. I want to cry. I want to get sick, I start shaking. I start over-thinking things. "When I do go out, it's just rushing to get things done and get back home. I'm always afraid I'll bump into him. When I sleep, I sometimes have a dream and he could be in the dream so I wake up and that's it then I'm awake and lying in bed or walking up and down the kitchen with anxiety. "Sometimes if I hear noises at night, I'm afraid that it's him at my door. I even got my locks changed as I didn't know if he had keys. I was always bubbly but I don't go out anymore. I don't socialise and only call to my sister. I wouldn't feel safe in a pub because I don't know where he'd be sitting. I have a metal plate and bolts and clamps in my jaw and my jaw still gets stiff when eating. I'm going away in June abroad and I'm terrified about the machines and metal detectors in the airport, that my jaw will set them off. This is my first time going abroad since the assault. "For months after it, I was eating and drinking through straws. I lost two teeth as well because of the punches he gave me. Nikki OSullivan said the defendant wanted to reiterate his apology to the victim and assure her he would never approach her again. The barrister said the defendant was sober now for the past 18 months. The seizure of a 280,000 stash of cocaine in a car on the M8 motorway at Riverstown, Glanmire, last August, will result in the sentencing of a 31-year-old woman, who signed a plea of guilty to her part in the drugs crime. Ellen Tobin, of 179 Comeragh Park, The Glen, Cork, admitted the offences, the most serious of which was possession of drugs for sale or supply at a time when its value exceeded 13,000, the threshold which allows for a minimum sentence of 10 years unless there are exceptional circumstances. The Government has been accused of leaving a bridge to nowhere in Cork by allowing a decade to pass since the sod was turned on the event centre without any progress. Then Taoiseach Enda Kenny turned the sod on February 12, 2016. Social Democrats TD Padraig Rice said the Governments failure to deliver on the event centre indicates its attitude towards the city. He said the the Taoiseach turning the sod on February 12, 2016, was a nice photo op but nothing more. At the time, the press release from the developer, BAM, said that a 6,000-capacity multi-purpose venue would be built within two years, Mr Rice said. A decade on, the only thing the people of Cork have been left with is a large derelict site in the city centre. "It is nothing more than an eyesore with a new bridge to nowhere. The Social Democrats TD said the latest information indicates 2.2m has been spent on the project, without any bricks being laid. This must surely now be one of the most expensive vacant sites and one of the biggest white elephants in the city, he added. Mr Rice said he plans to commemorate the 10-year anniversary of the sod turning on Thursday, with an plaque set to be unveiled outlining how the centre is yet to be completed. Activity at the event centre site in 2024. Picture: Chani Anderson An event centre in Cork has the potential to attract big gigs and shows that are currently skipping Cork, Mr Rice said. It also gives Cork the potential to host big conferences, trade shows, and other large scale community events. "All of this will have a positive knock on effect on the local economy with more people staying in our hotels, eating in our restaurants and drinking in our pubs. The Government ordered the project to be sent out for retendering in late 2024 before it provided any more State funding. When the project was first approved, there was 20m worth of public funding provided to develop the former Beamish and Crawford site on South Main St. In the interim, this increased to 57m. It is believed there is a requirement for between 30m to 40m of State funding. In December, the preliminary business case for the event centre was submitted to the Department of Housing. The final site for the event centre is yet to be decided, with rival options having been proposed including at a site on the South Docklands. The event centre itself is due to have a capacity of 6,000, with a final cost expected to be around 150m. Independent TD Danny Healy-Rae has voted against the Government and his brother Michael on proposed new rent reforms. Another Government-supporting independent TD, Gillian Toole, abstained on the vote. The Residential Tenancies Bill will introduce new six-year leases. There has been widespread opposition to landlords ability to increase rents to market rates each time a tenant leaves the accommodation of their own accord. Sinn Fein has suggested this could result in rents increasing by between 3,000 and 5,000 a year. The legislation will also create a new residential tenancies register. Ahead of five hours of debate on the proposed legislation and a final vote at 11pm on Wednesday evening to force the legislation through, an initial vote was taken on the Residential Tenancies Bill to allow further debate on opposition amendments. The Government parties voted in favour of the bill, with all the opposition parties voting against it. Danny Healy-Rae voted against the Government. He participated in Government-formation talks last year, with his brother Michael securing a junior ministry in the Department of Agriculture. Ms Toole, who was also involved in Government-formation talks as part of the Michael Lowry cohort, opted to abstain in the vote. Ronan Murray, managing partner, EY Cork office, outlines how Cork is continuing to foster a world-class environment for innovation, collaboration and economic growth Ronan Murray, managing partner, EY Cork office. In an ever-changing global economic and geopolitical landscape, business success requires strategic thinking, agility and the ability to respond quickly to shifting conditions. Few regions demonstrate this capability as consistently as Cork. Over several decades, the regional economy has undergone a remarkable transformation, driven by a combination of local ambition, supportive government policy and sustained foreign direct investment, particularly from the United States. Organisations, including the Cork Chamber of Commerce and the Southern Chapter of the American Chamber of Commerce, have also played an active role in fostering a collaborative approach within the city region, reinforcing Corks ability to attract and retain investment. Today, Cork and the broader South-West region record the second highest GDP in the state at 248 billion, reflecting its position as a globally competitive and innovative hub of enterprise and opportunity. Despite recent geopolitical uncertainty, multinational organisations, particularly North American firms, continue to choose Cork as a base for growth and expansion. More than 230 multinational companies now operate across the region in clusters spanning technology, financial services, cybersecurity, pharmaceuticals and life sciences. Their presence underpins a dynamic, outward-looking business ecosystem that continues to perform strongly. Year-end figures from the IDA show that 2025 was a record year for foreign direct investment in Ireland, with 323 investments, an increase of 38% on the previous year. Crucially, the IDA also reports that regional economies are playing an increasingly important role in attracting this investment, with 57% of total 2025 investments located outside Dublin. Cork and the South-West are central to this story of regionally driven growth. The appeal of Cork for US multinationals goes far beyond existing relationships or historical ties. Ready access to world-class talent across all industries has been pivotal. Many global organisations that initially established small teams in the region have since expanded significantly after experiencing first-hand the depth of knowledge, experience and skills available locally. Corks long history of foreign direct investment has created a strong pool of senior talent with decades of industry expertise. Yet it is not only established professionals who are attracting investment. Munster is home to outstanding universities, including University College Cork and Munster Technological University, as well as renowned education and training bodies. These institutions attract students from across Ireland and around the world, producing graduates who enter the workforce well prepared to deliver value across the regions diverse sectors. Corks success is grounded in a world-class environment for innovation, collaboration and economic growth. Foreign direct investment has played a major role in shaping this environment, but it has not done so alone. Indigenous firms and local entrepreneurs remain fundamental to the regions ongoing development. The relationship between multinational organisations and Irish-owned companies is symbiotic, with each strengthening the other. This is evident through the EY Entrepreneur of the Year programme, where many finalists and alumni collaborate with multinationals, supply into global value chains or grow to multinational scale themselves. These interactions enrich the regional economy and strengthen its capacity for long-term, sustainable growth. EY in Cork is proud of the role it plays in supporting and enabling this ecosystem. The Cork office has evolved significantly in recent years, reflecting the growth of EY Irelands national practice under the leadership of managing partner Frank OKeeffe. Most recently, the firm expanded its presence on Lapps Quay, increasing its footprint by two-thirds to 30,000 square feet. This investment positions EY Cork to meet rising client demand and to continue supporting the regions ambition. The business landscape has changed significantly in the 35 years since EY first established its base in Cork. Organisations now operate in an environment of greater complexity, interconnected risks and rapid technological change. EYs service offering has evolved in response, while maintaining the fundamental commitment to exceptional client service. Todays clients require an integrated, forward-looking service offering that helps them navigate uncertainty, strengthen resilience and unlock new opportunities. To meet these needs, the Cork office has recently established four new centres of excellence in private businesses, financial services, pensions, audit and tax, and energy and infrastructure. These centres are underpinned by advanced data capabilities, artificial intelligence and leading technology platforms. Corks growth story is one of collaboration, long-term vision and the ability to adapt to a rapidly changing global economy. As Cork continues to expand its reach and influence, EY remains committed to supporting clients, communities and the regional economy. The combination of deep local expertise, global reach and a strong culture of innovation ensures that EY Cork is well placed to help shape the next chapter of growth for the region and help businesses shape the future with confidence. www.ey.com When most people pass an office, hospital, or data centre, they dont see the systems pulsing beneath the surface. Johnson Controls does, the company is designing, integrating, and operating technologies that make buildings safer, healthier, and dramatically more efficient. From heating and cooling to fire and security, automation, and AI driven optimisation, Johnson Controls helps organisations turn their buildings from cost centres into strategic assets. Nowhere is that mission more visible than at One Albert Quay in Cork, which marks its 10-year anniversary in February 2026. As Johnson Controls global headquarters, the building is a living blueprint of whats possible when innovation and sustainability come together. Over the past decade, One Albert Quay has become a showcase of integrated HVAC, security, fire prevention, and building management technologies, including our OpenBlue platform which connects and optimises these systems in real time. Wrapped within a LEED-aligned design, the building demonstrates how a seamless, data-driven approach can lower energy use, reduce emissions, and elevate comfort. For Ireland, it stands as a local beacon of global innovation: proof that the next generation of smart, sustainable buildings isnt theoreticalits here, on the banks of the Lee. This anniversary comes at a pivotal moment. Data centres are now essential infrastructure for modern life, powering everything from streaming to fintech to AI. Yet cooling can account for more around 30% of a facilitys total energy, a massive lever for efficiency and decarbonisation. Johnson Controls is helping customers address this challenge through high efficiency and thermal management solutions, advanced controls and service that reduce energy and water consumption, improve uptime lessen the environmental footprint. These advancements support the growing demands of AI workloads while shrinking the environmental impact of digital infrastructure. Innovation is the engine behind that progress. Today, more than threequarters of Johnson Controls new product R&D is purpose-built for the challenges customers face: smart chillers for mission-critical environments, heat pumps that harvest waste heat, and connected platforms that orchestrate complex systems in real time. The OpenBlue suite is at the heart of that transformation. By integrating secured, scalable data with AI, OpenBlue helps predict faults, optimise energy minute by minute, and harmonise operations across entire building portfolios. These capabilities unlock strategic advantages; lower bills, greater uptime, and the ability to direct capital where it matters most. Crucially, this is sustainability as competitiveness. Advanced technologies help to cut waste, strengthen resilience, and create healthier indoor environments that support productivity and wellbeing. Johnson Controls solutions have already helped customers deliver significant energy and operational savings and millions of tonnes of avoided CO. The business case is clear: measurable impact, faster payback, and a strong platform for long-term value creation. Ireland is an ideal place to lead this transformation. With a thriving technology ecosystem, ambitious climate goals, and a deep commitment to innovation, the country is primed for smart infrastructure that can flex with the grid and support sustainable growth. From its Cork headquarters, Johnson Controls collaborates with customers around the world to modernise existing buildings and design new ones that are grid-aware, AI-enabled, and ready for the future. As we celebrate 10 years at One Albert Quay, Im proud that our Cork headquarters demonstrates the very best of Johnson Controls technology, says Eamonn Hughes, Vice President and General Manager, Johnson Controls Ireland. Its not just a workplace its a showcase of how innovation and sustainability come together to create smarter, healthier environments. And as data centres and AI reshape the world, Johnson Controls is leading the charge to make them more efficient and sustainable. Throughout 2026 and beyond, Johnson Controls will continue partnering with hospitals, universities, and data centre operators to deliver real outcomes: lower energy, lower emissions, better reliability, and better spaces for people. Because when innovation meets sustainability, buildings stop being passive backdrops, they become engines of progress for the communities they serve. Learn more at: https://www.johnsoncontrols.com When Tara Tibbs, senior vice-president and site head at Eli Lilly and Company, Kinsale, returned to the Cork site for what would become her third assignment, it felt less like a move and more like a continuation. Theres a different energy here, she says. The capability of the people, the curiosity, the we can do this mindset that combination is unique. Tibbs' first assignment in 2018 was as a business leader, responsible for Health, Safety and Environment, before moving into leading engineering at the site. At the time, she was part of the team tasked with introducing large-scale continuous peptide manufacturing to meet the business demands, in a way that was entirely new for the site. Rising to the challenge, they developed a process and facility in tandem that had never been done like this before and would go on to transform the sites operations. When I first left, we were only enabling works for the peptide facility. Now its one of the sites defining operations. Seeing how far its come, and the impact it's had, knowing the capability behind it, made my returning to Kinsale an easy choice. Tara Tibbs, senior vice president and site head at Eli Lilly and Company, Kinsale, Co Cork. That idea of capability, which Tara describes as a blend of technical excellence, talent, and attitude, is a recurring theme when she talks about Lilly Kinsale. The site has built a global reputation for its ability to adapt, solve complex problems, and step up when challenges arise a record that extends both within Lilly and beyond. Tibbs describes a culture shaped by challenges and curiosity. At Kinsale, its about rising to any challenge, innovating and transforming to meet the needs of patients and our business, she says. Its about navigating hurdles and finding a way forward. That mindset going where the work is and always asking how we can do things better is what allows us to keep delivering for patients, no matter the challenge. Tibbs has spent her 25-year career with Lilly. She studied chemical engineering at Cornell University in upstate New York, but her motivation to focus her work on medicine was personal as well as professional. My grandmother had diabetes. Given Lillys long history in diabetes care, working in this field felt deeply personal to me, she says. Her first decade was spent on the frontline until a mentor encouraged her to step into leadership. I didnt even think I wanted to be a leader, she admits. But once I tried it, I loved developing people and having the ability to improve the things that once frustrated me. That grounding continues to shape her leadership style. Tibbs prioritises visibility on the floor and an understanding of the realities of shift work and manufacturing life. I cant be there 24/7, but those early years give me a deep appreciation for what people sacrifice to make medicine. I never want to lose that. Kinsales story is one of transformation and repeated reinvention. From its very early days making small molecules for human and animal health, to biologics and now peptides, the site has consistently transformed to remain relevant and competitive. There were moments historically where it could have been easy to ask, is this the end?', Tibbs says. Instead, the question was always: how do we continue to add value? That attitude became contagious. This year marks 45 years of Lilly making medicine in Kinsale, alongside Lillys global 150-year anniversary. For Tibbs, the milestone is less about nostalgia and more about responsibility. The solar farm, at the Eli Lilly plant at Dunderrow, near Kinsale, Co Cork. Weve delivered billions of medicine doses from this site. The question now is how we continue to be dependable, competitive and innovative so that someone sitting in this chair 50 years from now can say the same. "Ireland has been a part of Lillys global manufacturing network for decades, and as the company continues to grow its clear that the future isnt a zero sum equation. The scale of innovation coming through the door means no single site could do it alone." Lilly in Kinsale has long-standing ties with US development and manufacturing teams, with knowledge flowing both ways. Before we started production in Kinsale, we went to the US to learn how to make medicine. Now colleagues come here to learn from us, Tibbs notes. That partnership is a real strength. It is also what prompted her to take on a new role as a board member of the American Chamber of Commerce Ireland. Its an interesting time for Ireland and for the US, she says. I feel I can help translate between both sides, at a moment where competitiveness really matters. For Tibbs, competitiveness underpins everything from investment and jobs to access to medicines. We make a lot of medicine in Ireland. Patients here should benefit from that, she says. Strengthening Irelands position helps the EU, helps our sector, and ultimately helps patients. She believes senior leaders like herself have a responsibility to engage beyond their own organisations. Ireland has a unique willingness to benchmark across sectors and share learnings. Thats a real superpower. Asked what she enjoys most about her role, Tibbs doesnt hesitate. Being part of making medicine, she says. I take enormous pride in this site. Give us a challenge, and well figure it out and deliver. www.lilly.com Reflecting on John Paul Constructions journey over the last five years, Liam Kenny, chief executive officer, outlines how the organisation has evolved into a truly international business. Liam Kenny, chief executive, John Paul Construction. We are in a privileged position at John Paul Construction, whereby we work with a wide range of US-based organisations who are leaders in their respective fields. Their own ability to maintain progress is driven by an insatiable desire to consistently raise standards. This sense of excellence rings true with our own culture and has helped drive the development of a skillset that empowers us to compete at a global level. Raising standards Foreign Direct Investment has been critical to the evolution of the organisation in recent years. It has brought exposure to leading US clients in the sectors of data centres, semiconductors and life sciences. As Liam explains: Securing projects with these clients has enabled John Paul Construction to pursue innovation, working in a dynamic environment underpinned by a true sense of collaboration. As an added benefit, we are exposed to new learnings these clients garner across the globe, providing fresh insights into safety, engineering and technology. A great example of this came from our work with a US-owned MedTech provider that is building their first manufacturing facility in Europe. The energy and focus the client committed to the project had an incredibly positive effect on the delivery approach adopted by our own team. Going further Its clear that John Paul Construction has an opportunity to build on this platform with planned investment in their people, to drive innovation and set a path for the future direction of our business. Liam outlines this positive intent: Our ambition is to maintain this sense of excellence and to continue to work along side our US-based clients as the realms of artificial intelligence drive new thinking and new opportunity. In parallel, recent commentary on the need to deliver on the governments National Development Plan to deliver critical infrastructure and housing cannot be underlined enough. "Its correlation with the attractiveness of Ireland as a place to do business is self-evident. Our recent success in delivering Rosslare Europort Terminal 7 and the related enabling works, both on time and on budget, has underlined that infrastructure can be achieved in an efficient manner when all parties put collaboration at the heart of a project. In that spirit, we look forward to playing our small part in delivering on behalf of the nation once more in the near future. www.johnpaul.ie Nine people have been killed and dozens injured after an assailant opened fire at a school in western Canada, in one of the deadliest mass shootings in the countrys history. The suspect was later found dead from what appeared to be a self-inflicted injury. Police found six dead inside the high school in the remote town of Tumbler Ridge in British Columbia, with a further two bodies found at a residence believed to be connected to the incident. Another person died on the way to hospital, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) said. The suspected shooter was found dead at the school, police said, adding they did not believe there were any more suspects or ongoing threat to the public. Prime minister Mark Carney said he was devastated by the shootings. Read More Person detained over disappearance of Nancy Guthrie I join Canadians in grieving with those whose lives have been changed irreversibly today, and in gratitude for the courage and selflessness of the first responders who risked their lives to protect their fellow citizens, he said. Our ability to come together in crisis is the best of our country our empathy, our unity, and our compassion for each other. The prime ministers office said Carney had suspended plans to travel to Germany on Wednesday for the Munich security conference. More than two dozen people have been hospitalised two with life-threatening injuries in what British Columbias premier, David Eby, called an unimaginable tragedy. Its hard to know what to say on a night like tonight. Its the kind of thing that feels like it happens in other places and not close to home, Mr Eby told reporters. Alert sent out with suspect description A police active shooter alert sent to people in the area described the suspect as female in a dress with brown hair. Police Supt Ken Floyd later confirmed at a news conference that the suspect described in the alert was the same person found dead in the school. Police did not say how many of the victims were minors. The District of Tumbler Ridge issued a statement on Tuesday afternoon, calling the shooting a deeply distressing incident for a community of less than 2,500. We recognise that many residents may be feeling shocked, scared and overwhelmed, the district said. In the days ahead, we know this will be difficult for many to process. Please check in on one another, lean on available supports, and know that Tumbler Ridge is a strong and caring community. Tumbler Ridge is a remote town in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains in northern British Columbia, approximately 1,155km northeast of Vancouver. Tumbler Ridge secondary school has 160 students in grades 7 to 12, roughly ages 12 to 18, according to its website. The school will be closed for the rest of the week and counselling will be made available to those in need, school officials said. There are no words that can ease the fear and pain that events like this cause in a school community, the Tumbler Ridge Parent Advisory Council said in a statement. We want families to know that the safety and wellbeing of students and staff are paramount, and we are grateful to the first responders and emergency personnel who acted quickly and professionally. Police on scene within minutes of call Officials said the towns small police force was on the scene within two minutes of receiving a call, and that victims were still being assessed hours after the incident. British Columbias public safety minister, Nina Krieger, said at a press conference: Speed and professionalism saved lives today. Earlier, Krieger, said online that news of the shooting was sending shockwaves through the community and the entire province. Police initially issued an emergency active shooter alert on Tuesday afternoon after receiving reports of a shooting at the secondary school at about 1.20pm. The alert told residents to shelter in place, lock their doors and refrain from going outside. The RCMP alert was lifted at 5.45pm. Supt Floyd told reporters the scene of the shooting was very dramatic with extensive injuries. He said all remaining students and staff at the secondary school, numbering about 100 people, had been safely evacuated from the school. Floyd said police wouldnt comment on a possible motive. Were following all leads to try to determine the connection to the shooter, he said. I think we will struggle to determine the why, but we will try our best to determine what transpired. The towns health centre was placed on Code Orange, signifying a mass-casualty incident or large-scale emergency response. But given the rural nature of the community, at least two victims were airlifted to larger hospitals. Shock Trauma Air Rescue Service (STARS) said one of its aircraft from Grande Prairie, Alberta, was requested for the incident. Because of Canadas strict gun laws, which make it difficult to own both handguns or assault-style weapons, the country has experienced far fewer instances of mass violence compared with the United States. Still, the shooting is the second-deadliest school shooting in Canadian history. In 1989, a gunman killed 14 students at Montreals LEcole Polytechnique in an attack that targeted women. In 2016, five people were killed in a series in La Loche, Saskatchewan. Speaking to reporters, Eby, a father of three, said news of the shooting makes you want to hug your kids a little tighter. Wrap these families with love. Not just tonight but tomorrow and into the future. This is something that will reverberate for years to come, he said. He later added: This is the kind of thing that feels like it happens in other places, and not close to home in a way that this feels like for many British Columbians and Canadians. - The Guardian U.S. television news host Savannah Guthrie appealed for help from members of the public on Monday (February 9), nine days after her mother Nancys presumed abduction in Arizona. Read More Person detained over disappearance of Nancy Guthrie A Sri Lankan court has sentenced 12 men to death for the killing of a lawmaker and his bodyguard in May 2022 during violence that erupted at the height of the nations economic crisis. The Gampaha High Court convicted the men for unlawful assembly, assault and the deaths of Amarakeerthi Athukorale and his bodyguard, who was a police officer, senior state counsel Oswald Perera said. Mr Athukorale, who was a ruling party lawmaker, and his guard were attacked and killed in Nittambuwa, just north of the capital, Colombo, after the car they were travelling in was intercepted by a crowd. Police at the time said Mr Athukorale or his bodyguard had fired gunshots at the protesters who later chased them and trapped them inside a building where their battered bodies were later recovered by police. The court also convicted another four people for unlawful assembly and imposed six-month prison terms suspended for five years, Mr Perera said. Another 23 people were acquitted. Violence erupted in May 2022 after ruling party supporters attacked a peaceful anti-government demonstration which was calling for the resignations of the-then ruling party leaders over the economic crisis. Dozens of lawmakers and their supporters were assaulted during widespread violence while several houses were attacked and set on fire. Sri Lankas economic crisis brought severe shortages that led to the ousting of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. The country declared bankruptcy in April 2022 with more than 83 billion dollar of debt. Senior opposition lawmaker Ranil Wickremesinghe was sworn in as president by parliament in July 2022 and led an economic recovery. Under his leadership, inflation fell, the local currency strengthened and foreign reserves increased. But he faced a public backlash over his governments stringent austerity measures. President Anura Kumara Dissanayake was elected in 2024 on an anti-corruption platform. While courts have the legal power to impose the death penalty, Sri Lanka has not hanged a prisoner since 1976. Read More Watch: Savannah Guthrie appeals for help from the public in new video - Associated Press Reporters Ten people including the shooter are dead after an assailant opened fire at a high school in western Canada on Tuesday in one of the country's deadliest mass casualty events in recent history. The attack brought to Canada the type of mass shooting more common in the neighboring United States. Six people were found dead inside a high school in the town of Tumbler Ridge, in British Columbia, two more people were found dead at a residence believed to be connected to the incident, and another person died on the way to hospital, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police said. At least two other people were hospitalised with serious or life-threatening wounds, and as many as 25 people were being treated for non-life-threatening injuries, police said. Police did not say how many of the victims may have been minors. Parents gathered in a local community centre as they waited to learn the fate of their children. "It was a situation that you really never want to face again... the sight of what I saw was devastating, many parents just waiting for the news on whether their child had survived the shooting or not," said local pastor George Rowe. Police would only identify victims when they had "absolute, unequivocal identification," he told CBC News on Wednesday. The road leading to the Tumbler Ridge Secondary School is blocked off, near the Tumbler Ridge Health Centre, in Tumbler Ridge, BC, Canada, on Wednesday. Picture: Jesse Boily/The Canadian Press via AP A visibly upset Canadian prime minister Mark Carney has promised Canadians would get through what he called a "terrible" shooting. "We will get through this. We will learn from this," Mr Carney told reporters, at one point looking close to tears. "But right now, it's a time to come together, as Canadians always do in these situations, these terrible situations, to support each other, to mourn together and to grow together." "The nation mourns with you. Canada stands by you." He is due to make a statement to parliament at 7pm Irish time this evening. SUSPECTED SHOOTER ALSO FOUND DEAD A suspected shooter was also found dead from what appeared to be a selfinflicted injury, police said, adding they did not believe there were any more suspects or ongoing threat. "It's hard to know what to say on a night like tonight. It's the kind of thing that feels like it happens in other places and not close to home," British Columbia Premier David Eby told reporters. Darian Quist, a 17-year-old student at the school, said his class had been locked down for more than two hours starting at about 1.30 pm local time. Although he heard nothing, other pupils later shared photos of scenes where blood could be seen, he told CBC News. 'TIGHT-KNIT COMMUNITY' The Tumbler Ridge Health Centre Emergency Department, in Tumbler Ridge. Picture: Jesse Boily/The Canadian Press via AP Canada has stricter gun laws than the United States, but Canadians can own firearms with a licence. The Trudeau government introduced a number of restrictions on handgun ownership and assault-style weapons since 2020, partly in response to a mass shooting in Nova Scotia and the Uvalde school shooting in Texas. However, attempts to ban certain types of rifles and shotguns were abandoned after opposition from farmers and hunters. Tumbler Ridge, the scene of the shooting, is a remote municipality with a population of around 2,400 people in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains in northern British Columbia, approximately 1,155km northeast of Vancouver. Images of the town show a snow-covered landscape filled with pine trees. Tumbler Ridge Secondary School has 160 students in grades seven through 12, roughly ages 12 to 18, according to its website. The school was closed for the rest of the week and counseling will be made available to those in need, school officials said. Officials said the town's small police force was on the scene within two minutes of receiving a call, and that victims were still being assessed hours after the incident. "This is a small, tight-knit community with a small RCMP detachment as well, who responded in two minutes, no doubt saving lives today," Nina Krieger, British Columbia's public safety minister, told reporters. The shooting ranks among the deadliest in Canadian history. In April 2020, a 51-year-old man disguised in a police uniform and driving a fake police car shot and killed 22 people in a 13-hour rampage in the Atlantic province of Nova Scotia, before police killed him at a gas station about 90km from the site of his first killings. In Canada's worst school shooting, in December 1989, a gunman killed 14 female students and wounded 13 at the Ecole Polytechnique in Montreal, before committing suicide. - Reuters Police have identified the suspect in a school shooting in Canada as an 18-year-old who had prior mental health calls to her home and who was found dead following the attack that killed nine people in a remote part of British Columbia. Royal Canadian Mounted Police deputy commissioner Dwayne McDonald said Jesse Van Rootselaar had a history of mental health contact with police, and that the suspects mother and stepbrother were also found dead in a home near the school. The motive remained unclear. The Tumbler Ridge Health Centre in Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia. Picture@ Jesse Boily/The Canadian Press via AP More than 25 people were wounded on Tuesday in the attack in the small mountain community of Tumbler Ridge, including two with life-threatening injuries who were airlifted for medical care, police said. The village of 2,700 people in the Canadian Rockies is more than 600 miles north-east of Vancouver, near the provincial border with Alberta. Parents, grandparents, sisters, brothers in Tumbler Ridge will wake up without someone they love. The nation mourns with you, and Canada stands by you, an emotional Prime Minister Mark Carney said as he arrived in Parliament. The attack was Canadas deadliest rampage since 2020, when a gunman in Nova Scotia killed 13 people and set fires that left another nine dead. Mr Carney said flags at government buildings will be flown at half-mast for seven days and added: We will get through this. Shelley Quist said her neighbour across the street lost her 12-year-old. We heard his mom. She was in the street crying. She wanted her sons body, Ms Quist said. Ms Quist said her 17-year-old son, Darian, was on lockdown in the school for more than two hours. The provincial government website lists Tumbler Ridge Secondary School as having 175 students. The grade sevens and eights, I think, were upstairs in the library, and thats where the shooter went, she said. Her son was in the library just 15 minutes prior to the attack. Ms Quist was working at the hospital down the street when the shooting started. I was about to go run down to the school, but my co-worker held me back. And then I was able to get Darian on the phone to know he was OK, she said. The road is blocked off before the Tumbler Ridge Secondary School, in Tumbler Ridge, BC. Picture: Jesse Boily/The Canadian Press via AP School shootings are rare in Canada, which has strict gun-control laws. The government has responded to previous mass shootings with gun-control measures, including a recently broadened ban on all guns it considers assault weapons. British Columbia premier David Eby told reporters that police reached the school within two minutes. A video showed students walking out with their hands raised as police vehicles surrounded the building and a helicopter circled overhead. Police found six people dead, Royal Canadian Mounted Police superintendent Ken Floyd said. A seventh person died while being transported to a hospital. Tumbler Ridge mayor Darryl Krakowka said it was devastating to learn how many had died in the community, which he called a big family. I broke down, Mr Krakowka said. I have lived here for 18 years. I probably know every one of the victims. The school district said the high school and elementary school will be closed for the rest of the week. Mr Carneys office said he called off a planned trip to Halifax, Nova Scotia, and Munich, Germany. He had been set to announce a long-awaited defence industrial strategy on Wednesday in Halifax before heading to Europe for the Munich Security Conference. Mr Eby on Tuesday said he had spoken to the prime minister about the unimaginable tragedy. I know its causing us all to hug our kids a little bit tighter tonight, he said. Im asking the people of British Columbia to look after the people of Tumbler Ridge tonight. Donald Trump has met Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu privately and said he insisted that negotiations with Iran continue as the US pushes for a nuclear deal with Tehran. Mr Netanyahu spent nearly three hours at the White House, but entered and left out of view of reporters and he and the US president did not take questions. In a subsequent post on his social media site, Mr Trump called it a very good meeting and said there was nothing definitive reached, other than I insisted that negotiations with Iran continue to see whether or not a Deal can be consummated. If it can, I let the Prime Minister know that will be a preference. If it cannot, we will just have to see what the outcome will be. Benjamin Netanyahu with Donald Trump (Alex Brandon/AP) He added Last time Iran decided that they were better off not making a Deal and were hit by US air strikes. Hopefully this time they will be more reasonable and responsible, he said. Mr Netanyahus office said the Israeli PM revealed they had discussed negotiations with Iran as well as developments in Gaza and around the region and that the pair had agreed to continue their close co-ordination and relationship. The visit was Mr Netanyahus seventh during Mr Trumps second term and came as the US and Tehran are projecting cautious optimism after holding indirect talks in Oman on Friday about how to approach negotiations over Irans nuclear programme. Mr Trump said after reaching an agreement with Iran on Tuesday: I think theyd be foolish if they didnt. We took out their nuclear power last time, and well have to see if we take out more this time. Its got to be a good deal. No nuclear weapons, no missiles. Mr Netanyahus office said before the meeting that he wants the US-Iran talks to include limits on Tehrans ballistic missile programme and support for militant groups such as Hamas and Hezbollah. I will present to the president our outlook regarding the principles of these negotiations the essential principles which, in my opinion, are important not only to Israel, but to everyone around the world who wants peace and security in the Middle East, he said on Tuesday. Satellite image of Irans Isfahan Nuclear Technology Centre (Planet Labs PBC/AP) It remains unclear how much influence Mr Netanyahu will have over Mr Trumps approach towards Iran. The US leader initially threatened to take military action over Tehrans crackdown on nationwide protests in January, then shifted to a pressure campaign in recent weeks to try to get iran to make a deal over its nuclear programme. Iran is still reeling from the 12-day war with Israel in June. The devastating series of air strikes, including the US bombing several Iranian nuclear sites, killed nearly 1,000 people in Iran and almost 40 in Israel. Mr Trump has said repeatedly that US strikes had obliterated Irans nuclear capabilities, though the amount of damage remains unclear. Satellite photos of nuclear sites have recently captured activity, prompting concern that Tehran could be attempting to salvage or assess damage at the sites. Israel has long called for Iran to cease all uranium enrichment, dial back its ballistic missile programme and cut ties to militant groups across the region. Iran has always rejected those demands, saying it would only accept some limits on its nuclear programme in return for sanctions relief. Washington has built up military forces in the region, sending an aircraft carrier, guided-missile destroyers, air defence assets and more to supplement its presence. Arab and Islamic countries, including Turkey and Qatar, have been urging both sides to show restraint, warning that any strike or retaliation could have destabilising consequences for a region already strained by the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza. In his post, Mr Trump said he and Mr Netanyahu had also discussed the tremendous progress being made in Gaza, and the Region in general. He plans to hold the first meeting next week of his Board of Peace, which was initially framed to oversee future steps of the US-brokered Gaza ceasefire plan but has taken shape with his ambitions of resolving other global crises. 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Many people optimistically assume that massive popular revolutions against dictators will automatically result in the establishment of democratic governments. Unfortunately, the aftermath of the Iranian revolution and the massive uprisings by Arab masses during the so-called Arab Spring have led to the establishment of even worse regimes. Far from resulting in the establishment of democracy, human rights and the rule of law, the 1979 Iranian revolution replaced the Shahs dictatorship with an autocratic and reactionary religious dictatorship that last month resorted to extreme violence, killing thousands. Its religious pretensions have won the support and loyalty of more religious sections of the society, which has made its ouster much more difficult. Several Arab regimes which have come to power in Tunisia, Egypt, Libya, Syria, Yemen and elsewhere as a result of Arab uprisings have proved to be more efficient dictatorships, often backed by the West. Practically, throughout the Arab world, we have several intimidated, oppressive and subservient regimes that have betrayed their people and have become open vassals of more openly aggressive US governments. After these experiences of failure, it is time to study the reasons for their failure so as not to repeat their mistakes. The spark of the revolution in Tunisia was an altercation on 17 December 2010 between a young fruit seller named Mohamed Bouazizi and a policewoman called Faida Hamdy. Soon, demonstrations erupted in several cities and in less than a month, on 14 January 2011, they had succeeded in toppling President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, one of the most autocratic rulers in North Africa, after 23 years in office. Massive demonstrations in Tahrir (Liberation) Square in Cairo, starting on 25 January 2015, marked the start of the revolution in Egypt, and in less than three weeks, Hosni Mubarak, who had ruled Egypt for 30 years with Western backing, was toppled. It is interesting to note that exactly 65 years earlier, on 25 January 1952, the Egyptian police in Ismailia fought against the British forces by refusing British demands to evacuate the Suez Canal Zone. That event marked the beginning of the Young Officers Uprising. That day was traditionally celebrated in Egypt as the Police Day, but after the massacres in Tahrir Square, it came to be known as the Day of Rage. In the first post-Mubarak democratic election held in Egypt on 23 and 24 May 2012, with a voter turnout of 46%, the results were split between five major candidates. In the second round, held on 16 and 17 June with 52% turnout, Mohamed Morsi, the candidate of the Muslim Brotherhood, won with 13,320,131 votes or 51.73% of the votes cast. Despite many international observers declaring Egypts first democratic election in its long history to have been fair and free, the military under General Abdel Fattah el-Sisi staged a coup on 3 July 2013, deposed and imprisoned President Morsi who died in jail, suspended the constitution and started a violent nationwide campaign against the members of the Muslim Brotherhood, killing and wounding thousands of demonstrators who opposed the coup. According to the Egyptian Health Ministry, 638 demonstrators were killed on 14 August, including 595 civilians and 43 police officers, but Human Rights Watch announced that its investigations revealed the killing of many more people: At least 1,400 protesters have been killed in protests and political violence as a result, and most likely scores more. While the West had cut off all aid to Morsis government, after a short pause, it resumed aid to the leader of the military coup, General Abdel Fattah el-Sisi. The Algerian War of Independence against the French, also known as the Algerian Revolution, started on 1 November 1954 (All Saints Day). The war caused the deaths of up to 1.5 million Algerians, 25,600 French soldiers, and 6,000 Europeans. French soldiers committed many war crimes, including massacres of civilians, rape and torture. The French destroyed 8,000 villages, and over 2 million Algerians were displaced. However, after all those sacrifices, the Algerians achieved their independence on 19 March 1962, more than seven years after the start of the revolution. The Libyan Revolution against Muammar al-Gaddafis four-decade rule started on February 15, 2011, with initially peaceful anti-government rallies held in Benghazi on February 15, 2011, by protesters angered by the arrest of a human rights lawyer, Fethi Tarbel. The protests intensified and became more violent. Western powers showed solidarity with the protestors and condemned the regimes violence against them. On February 28, the United States froze at least $30 billion in Libyan assets. Eventually, Western states planned military intervention, allegedly to prevent the massacre of protestors by Gaddafis forces. The African Union (AU) rejected any military intervention in Libya, asserting that the crisis should be resolved through negotiations. Meanwhile, Gaddafis forces seemed to be gaining the upper hand and advanced on the remaining rebel positions in Benghazi and Tobruk in the east and Misurata in the west. But Western countries pushed a resolution at the UN Security Council to authorize military action, including the imposition of a no-fly zone to protect Libyan civilians. Beginning March 19, a coalition of U.S., UK and French forces with warplanes and cruise missiles attacked targets in Libya, and on March 27, NATO forces officially took command of military operations. On October 20, Gaddafi was seized and killed by rebel fighters, supported by Western forces. All those revolutions started with a great deal of hope and optimism for real change. The most famous lines of a Tunisian poem, when the people decide to live, destiny will obey, and chains will be broken, became the anthem of young protestors in Tunisia and Egypt. That sentiment was echoed in the chant of the Egyptian protestors in Tahrir Square: The Egyptian nation has decided to topple the regime. The term that was used most often by the demonstrators was karama, or dignity. They wished to regain their dignity as free and independent individuals and not as oppressed masses. It is clear that a number of domestic mistakes, and opportunism by Western governments, have been responsible for the tragic failure of those revolutions. There were many false assumptions common to all those revolutions, but I will only refer to a couple of them. The first mistake was a naive belief that the revolution would be definitely benevolent and would change society for the better. This excessive optimism meant that the revolutionaries were not prepared to examine the real alternatives and work towards achieving them. At the height of the Iranian revolution, I met a good friend who had become very active in anti-Shah protests and would have been severely punished if the revolution had failed. He was a popular university professor who had been a member of the Communist Tudeh Party, but as he became a successful professor with two houses, he seemed to have changed his loyalties. Yet, during the revolution, he had suddenly reverted to his roots and had become an extreme leftist. When I saw him, he turned to me and in a sarcastic and contemptuous tone said: We do not see you in our meetings and demonstrations very often. I replied: My dear friend, you are a very intelligent person with a background in liberal and leftist causes. Do you know where you are taking the people now? Have you read anything by Ayatollah Khomeini and do you support his views? What do you want to put in the place of the current regime if you succeed in toppling it? To my surprise, he became angry and said: Even asking that question is treason to the revolution. At the moment, the only duty of all progressive forces is to topple the Shahs regime. The mullahs do not know anything about politics, but they are useful in mobilising the masses. Once we topple the Shah, we will send Khomeini and the rest of the mullahs to their mosques and seminaries and we will rule. Unfortunately, Khomeini had other ideas. After the revolution, he decimated the leftist forces in a way that could never have been dreamed of by the Shah. Despite all his services in mobilising the students, my friend too had to flee the country in fear for his life. Sadly, this is still very much the case with the current uprising in Iran and in many Arab countries. Any question about the aim of the revolution and any possible alternative to the current regime is regarded as unforgiveable treason. The second major mistake of all those revolutions was a naive belief in the good intentions of Western leaders and their alleged support for democracy and human rights. Practically, all the leaders of Middle Eastern revolutions believe that they would receive Western backing for opposing dictatorial regimes. After many decades of exploitation of Iranian oil by the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company and the British government, giving Iran a very small share of the oil revenue, the nationalist Iranian prime minister Dr Mohammad Mosaddeq decided to nationalise Iranian oil, with massive support in the Majlis or Iranian Parliament. That decision caused an uproar in the United Kingdom, whose secret service, the MI6, drew up plans to topple him. During the oil nationalization period and early years of his government, Mosaddeq looked to the United States as an ally in his struggle to throw away the yoke of imperialism. It also served the American purpose of wishing to get a foothold in Middle East oil that was mainly controlled by British concessions. Right to the end, Mosaddeq believed that the United States government would side with him in his disagreement with the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company. The Shah dismissed Mosaddeq and appointed a veteran politician Ahmad Qavam, better known as Qavam ol-Saltaneh, as prime minister. Virtually, the entire nation rose up with massive demonstrations, and only three days later, the Shah was forced to reinstate Mosaddeq. However, the CIA and the MI6 organised a coup in August 1953, and brought back the Shah who had fled into exile and restored him to power. They organised mass demonstrations, led by a gang leader Shaban Jafari, known as Shaban Bimokh (Brainless). Mosaddeq was imprisoned and many of his supporters were also jailed or killed. Photo of Azadi Tower, Tehran, by Alireza Heydarifard on Unsplash I translated the first two volumes of the Memoirs of my late friend, Ardeshir Zahedi, the late Shahs son-in-law and the son of General Zahedi who led the coup. Zahedi also spent many years as ambassador to the United States and the UK. In the first volume of his memoir, which is devoted entirely to the coup, he maintains that the coup led by the CIA operative Kermit Roosevelt failed, and what happened later was a domestic military coup. Even if one accepts this version, there is no doubt that the idea of the coup was planned and executed by the CIA and MI6, but was very poorly implemented. I vividly remember those events as a schoolboy. During those critical days of August 1953, a large number of villagers where we spent our summer vacation gathered around our radio to listen to the latest news bulletins. When, on 19th August, the national radio announced the fall of Mosaddeqs government and General Zahedi asked the Shah to return to the country, many villagers ran widely through the village shouting, The Shah is back! Mosaddeq was not universally popular and there was still a good deal of support for the Shah, especially in the rural areas and among the military and the clergy. However, the vast majority of the educated middle class backed Mosaddeq and his reforms and his downfall was seen as a great betrayal. After returning to school the following month, I noticed that many of our teachers were wearing black armbands as a sign of mourning, as there was still some level of freedom in the society. The main conclusion is that uprisings and revolutions in developing countries are extremely complex and have a number of powerful opponents at home and abroad. They need to be planned with a great deal of care and the revolutionaries must open their eyes to realities. Let us remember the words of a popular Tunisian poet, Abul-Qasim al-Shabi, in his poem To the Tyrants of the World: Wait, dont let the spring, the clearness of the sky and the shine of the morning light fool you Because the darkness, the thunders rumble and the blowing of the wind are coming toward you from the horizon Beware, because there is a fire underneath the ash. Edward FitzGeralds no. 36 in his first edition of The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam reminds us that from dust we come and to dust we will return. XXXVI. For in the Market-place, one Dusk of Day, I watchd the Potter thumping his wet Clay : And with its all obliterated Tongue It murmurd- Gently, Brother, gently, pray! A. J. Arberry identifies the original as no. 89 in the Bodleian manuscript, and it is also found here on the Web: Literally, the first two lines of the poem go as prose, Yesterday I saw a potter in the bazaar, stomping repeatedly on fresh clay. I translated the last two lines in free verse: That lump, as in a vision, said to him, Please lighten up! For I was once like you. - Order Juan Coles contemporary poetic translation of the Rubaiyat from Bloomsbury (IB Tauris) or Barnes and Noble. or for $16 at Amazon Kindle - That clay, and the things made of clay like jugs and mugs, bear traces of past people who died and became clay is a common theme in classical Persian poetry, and it also appears in medieval Arab poets such as al-Ma`arri. I think this image appealed to Edward FitzGerald because he at one point in the 1840s did some amateur archeology. His friend Thomas Carlyle collected two volumes of the letters of the seventeenth-century religious revolutionary Oliver Cromwell (d. 1658), who had led pro-parliament troops in a battle at Naseby in Northampshire against the royalist forces of Charles I during the first English civil war. FitzGeralds fabulously wealthy family came to own those fields, and Carlyle asked him to do some excavations to locate the bodies in the battlefield so as to specify the exact location of the major encounters. FitzGerald thus dug up old skulls and skeletons and even bullets. So he had his own experience of sifting clay for human remains. This sort of image is also used by Hafez of Shiraz (d. 1390), who has this quatrain: It goes like this: This clay is what remains of a lover; It brings great joy into my heart. Thats the reason I always seek it out For from it wafts to me the fragrance of someone. Figurine of a Seated Personage with Folded Arms and Elaborate Headdress, 12th13th century, Iran or Iraq. NYC Met. Public Domain. The poem attributed to Khayyam is less nostalgic and more uncompromising. A potter thumping on clay should remember that he or she will soon be clay, as well. This sense of the fleeting character of human life animates this corpus of poetry, and as in Buddhism, the insight that life is ephemeral is used to encourage empathy with others. In fact, since some of this poetry was likely written under Mongol Buddhist rule in Iran during the 1200s, there may be Buddhist influences on its philosophy. Of course, the Omarian poetry takes the opposite lesson from the shortness of life from Buddhism. The latter urges us to give up pleasures and attachments so as to avoid the pain that comes from them. The unconventional Persian quatrains urge a humanist philosophy of pleasure and good times as the only salve for our mortality, and unlike the Buddhists, do not believe in reincarnation or an afterlife. The only reward in these poems for doing good is to feel good about yourself as the creature of a moment in a vast overpowering universe that will long outlive us. For more commentaries on FitzGeralds translations of the Rubaiyat, see FitzGeralds Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam: Commentary by Juan Cole with Original Persian By Jasim Al-Azzawi | ( Middle East Monitor ) In the current state of tension between the Jewish state and the Islamic Republic of Iran, the situation has come to a critical juncture. What was once a series of regional skirmishes has now escalated to a sophisticated, three-way defense of Iran against the Israeli threat. This has come about through the Chinese and Russian force multipliers that can neutralize the Wests most potent tactical advantages: stealth and accuracy. The end of invisible incursions The most significant development has been the deployment of Chinas YLC-8B 3D long-range surveillance radar. This is not just a cosmetic move; rather, it is a fundamental threat to the Israeli and American air forces tactical doctrines. This system operates at the UHF frequency and uses physical principles to render the stealth capabilities of the latest fifth-generation aircraft, such as the F-35 Lightning II, irrelevant. The YLC-8B has a detection range of over 350 kilometers for stealth aircraft, giving Iran a critical window of opportunity to prepare against the Israeli threat. According to geopolitical expert Brandon Weichert, the deployment of the Chinese radar system has created a trap for the Israeli Air Force: Iranian anti-ship and air defense systems, supported by Chinese intelligence, can detect threats in real-time. This effectively counters the Israeli shoot-and-scoot tactic. Furthermore, according to a report by Defence Security Asia: Earlier detection compresses decision cycles and forces attacking forces to commit additional assets to electronic warfare. The pivot: From Russian delays to Chinese speed The reason Iran has turned to China for help is a result of the repeated delays by Russia in the sale of the S-400 Triumf system to Iran. Iran has sought to purchase the S-400 system to modernize its antiquated air defenses fundamentally. However, the repeated delays by Russia have been a result of their own procurement issues in the Ukraine conflict, as well as their desire to maintain a level of leverage against the Islamic Republic. The most significant development has been the deployment of Chinas YLC-8B 3D long-range surveillance radar. This is not just a cosmetic move; rather, it is a fundamental threat to the Israeli and American air forces tactical doctrines. Although Russia has finally formalized its Comprehensive Strategic Partnership arrangement at the start of 2026, it nevertheless remains a Tier 2 relationship compared with its partnership with either Minsk or Delhi. Iran has consequently turned to China as its total solution provider. In return for Iranian crude oil sold at a handsome discount of $10-$15 per barrel, China has expedited delivery of its HQ-9B, a long-range surface-to-air defense system, and its YLC-8B radar. Irans pivot towards Chinese air defense systems reflects eroding confidence in Russian reliability, says a Hudson Institute report. Beijing offers complete and deployable systems with flexible financial terms, something Moscow cannot match. The frustration with Russia has been openly expressed by Irans former Parliament Deputy Speaker, Ali Motahari, who says, Russia has given the S-400 air defense system to Turkey and Saudi Arabia, but does not give it to Iran, which has provided it with drone assistance. Digital sovereignty and the security belt This defense belt has been made even more secure by Irans full-scale adoption of Chinas BeiDou satellite navigation system, replacing the US GPS, which has rendered Iranian precision-guided munitions immune to the GPS Denial and spoofing tactics employed by the US during the Twelve-Day War last June. Gloria Shkurti Ozdemir, writing for Politics Today, says, Iran has been able to pursue its missile and UAV programs with strategic independence because of BeiDou. She adds, Immunity against American interference is now a reality. China has been using its BeiDou system as part of its strategy to strengthen Iranian digital sovereignty by replacing Western software with its own, much harder-to-penetrate system. The alliance is now transitioning from the server room to the sea. In mid-February 2026, the three nations plan to conduct their eighth Maritime Security Belt exercises in the northern Indian Ocean. These exercises, involving both the regular Iranian Navy and the IRGC, are planned to coincide with heightened tensions in the region, a clear indication of trilateral unity. Moscow is careful to exclude a mutual defense commitment to Iran to avoid being dragged into a conventional war. Its technical assistance ensures Iran remains a thorn in the side of Western interests, distracting US resources away from Eastern Europe. Strategic imperatives and US policy The strategic implications for the US are critical. The maximum pressure strategy is being bypassed by a maximum integration strategy between Tehran, Beijing, and Moscow. PEARL HARBOR (Jun. 29, 2016) The Chinese Peoples Liberation Army (Navy) (PLA(N) Luang II class guided-missile destroyer Xian (153) arrives at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam for Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2016. US Navy. Public Domain. Via Picryl China currently imports 1.4 million barrels a day of Iranian oil. The Persian Fortress is a matter of national industrial life for China. As Modern Diplomacy explains, Beijing views the Mossads success in penetrating the Iranian interior as a direct threat to its economic interests and its Belt and Road Initiative. Moscow is careful to exclude a mutual defense commitment to Iran to avoid being dragged into a conventional war. Its technical assistance ensures Iran remains a thorn in the side of Western interests, distracting US resources away from Eastern Europe. The US strategy of isolating Iran is now a dead-end street. As Joe Kawly explained in an article published by Alhurra, China enables endurance, not escalation it helps Iran sustain capability while staying below the threshold that would trigger direct US retaliation. The US is now faced with a Middle East in which the Axis of Resistance is now a technologically buoyant front supported by the worlds second-largest economy. As round two approaches, any attack on Iranian territory now faces a wall of Chinese sensors and a Russian alliance that has now gone past the point of no return. The Middle East may have officially lost its uncontested airspace. The views expressed in this article belong to the author and do not necessarily reflect the editorial policy of Middle East Monitor or Informed Comment. Via Middle East Monitor ) On February 10, the Anhui Museum held a press briefing to announce its exhibition plans for 2026, which will feature more than ten high-quality exhibitions. In 2026, the Anhui Museum will focus on organizing several special exhibitions with significant academic and artistic value. Original major exhibitions such as "Heavenly QuestionsThe Cosmology of Chinese Civilization" and "The Lifeline of CivilizationA Special Exhibition on the Civilization of the Huaihe River Basin" will provide an in-depth interpretation of the essence of Chinese civilization. Additionally, the museum will introduce domestic high-quality exhibitions, including "The Yellow River Flowing Through the GrasslandsCultural Relics from the Yellow River Basin of Inner Mongolia" and "Treasures of the Forbidden CityMing and Qing Court Culture and Art," to facilitate dialogue among diverse civilizations. The Anhui Civilization History Exhibition will also undergo a comprehensive upgrade, offering visitors a more systematic experience of local history. During the Spring Festival, the Anhui Museum took the lead in launching four distinctive new exhibitions, creating a rich cultural atmosphere for the holiday. "Gallop into the New Year2026 Global Zodiac Culture Exhibition Celebrating the Year of the Horse" centers around the Chinese zodiac, showcasing horse-themed cultures from around the world. "MawangduiThe Han Dynasty: A Family's 'Dream of Eternal Life'" guides visitors through the burial practices and material civilization of the Han Dynasty. "The Yellow River Flowing Through the GrasslandsCultural Relics from the Yellow River Basin of Inner Mongolia" highlights the cultural fusion between the grasslands and the Yellow River. "Inquiry into RitualsExquisite Artifacts from the Zhou Dynasty Guo State" interprets the ritual and music systems of the Zhou Dynasty through precious artifacts. To complement the Spring Festival exhibitions, the Anhui Museum will host interactive activities such as "Celebrate Chinese New Year -Teaser Challenge" and "Handcrafting Festive Delights." Additionally, over 80 new cultural and creative products, including "Horse Brings Blessings" and "Elegant Gathering of Anhui," as well as themed culinary offerings, will be launched, allowing visitors to enjoy a culturally enriching Spring Festival celebration at the museum. Source: anhuinews.com Wednesday, February 11, 2026 - Presidential hopeful and human rights activist, Boniface Mwangi, has ignited a heated debate after boldly declaring that Kenya should scrap private schools altogether. In a recent interview, Mwangi argued that the elites preference for private institutions drains resources and attention from public schools, leaving them underfunded and neglected. He vowed to standardize education nationwide - ensuring every child has access to modern classrooms, libraries, laboratories, computer labs and wellpaid teachers if elected President. This country should not have private schools. It should only have public schools, fully funded by the Government. No one should pay for education from kindergarten to university, Mwangi said. Critics, however, were quick to point out that Mwangis own children attend Brookhouse, one of Nairobis most prestigious schools, where fees can soar above Ksh 2.27 million per term. Many labeled him a hypocrite. Mwangi responded candidly, admitting that his children are in private schools but explaining that the choice was driven by the poor state of many public institutions. He stressed that this is precisely what he hopes to change if elected. My children attend private schools because public schools are underfunded, mismanaged, and run down. As president, I shall properly fund education and standardize all schools, he reaffirmed. The Kenyan DAILY POST Wednesday, February 11, 2026 - There was drama at the infamous Tsavo Apartments in Nairobi after a young man was thrown out of a ladys house wearing nothing but boxers. In the viral video making rounds on social media, the distressed man is seen taking the proverbial walk of shame, clearly shaken as curious onlookers record the spectacle. While details remain unclear, reports suggest that the man had gone for a sleepover at a ladys house - only for her Mubaba (older sponsor footing her bills) to show up unannounced. The Mubaba allegedly caught the pair redhanded and ordered the young man to leave immediately, without his clothes. The clip has sparked mixed reactions online. Some netizens castigated the incident as humiliating, while others warned men never to sleep over at a womans house if you dont know who pays the rent. Watch the video>>> below. Men, no pussy is worth this kind of embarrassment. Tukiwaambia msiende sleep over kwa nyumba ya dem hamsikii. Sasa ona Mwanaume kamili hufai ata kujua where your girlfriend lives. Stay dangerous pic.twitter.com/DEtPHr9ZbD (@iamjoseh_) February 11, 2026 The Kenyan DAILY POST Wednesday, February 11, 2026 - Tenants at a Nairobi apartment complex were left stunned after a late-night lovers quarrel escalated into a dramatic scene that saw a man chased out of the building by his girlfriend. According to witnesses, the commotion erupted in the middle of the night, drawing the attention of neighbours and security guards. In a video that has since surfaced online, the visibly distressed young man is seen walking away from the apartment shirtless as guards trail behind him. He appears to have been kicked out following a heated disagreement with his girlfriend. While the exact cause of the fallout remains unclear, it is believed that the couple had a serious disagreement that prompted the woman to eject him from her house. The incident has sparked mixed reactions online, with many jokingly warning men against sleepovers at their partners homes. Men, no pussy is worth this kind of embarrassment. Tukiwaambia msiende sleep over kwa nyumba ya dem hamsikii. Sasa ona Mwanaume kamili hufai ata kujua where your girlfriend lives. Stay dangerous pic.twitter.com/DEtPHr9ZbD (@iamjoseh_) February 11, 2026 The Kenyan DAILY POST Wednesday, February 11, 2026 - Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja has dismissed reports suggesting that the County is preparing to surrender key functions to the national Government. Speaking during the State of the County Address on Wednesday, February 11th, Sakaja described speculation of a return to the defunct Nairobi Metropolitan Services (NMS) as a misadventure. He argued that the NMS experiment left behind a Ksh16 billion debt in pending bills, low staff morale, and what he termed as destruction of devolution. The functions bestowed upon the County Government of Nairobi in the constitution will remain County functions; we shall not transfer any functions, Sakaja declared. His remarks followed reports that he had agreed with President William Ruto on a shared responsibility formula that will see the national Government take charge of garbage collection, public works and water supply. Sakaja clarified that while Nairobi is open to collaboration, this does not amount to ceding authority. We are pursuing procedures using the Urban Areas and Cities Act to enhance support in infrastructure, but the city will continue to be governed as a County Government under the law, he said. Key areas of cooperation include construction of new classrooms, expansion and resurfacing of roads, and a joint programme for cleanliness and water improvements. Among flagship projects is a modern wastemanagement facility in Ruai, expected to convert refuse into fertiliser and energy once operational. On February 8th, President Ruto affirmed his commitment to work with Sakaja to elevate Nairobis infrastructure. I will come here with my work on affordable housing, cleaning, and markets, and I know the people of Nairobi will decide from there, Ruto said. The Kenyan DAILY POST Wednesday, February 11, 2026 - Deep inside Nairobis Majengo slums, a harsh economic reality is pushing dozens of vulnerable women into desperate survival tactics, with some selling mechi for as little as Ksh100 a session. Videos circulating online show women seated outside mud houses, waiting for potential clients as they try to make ends meet in an environment marked by extreme economic hardship. The situation has worsened under President Rutos leadership as rising prices of basic commodities and scarce employment opportunities leave many with few options to support themselves and their families. Watch the videos>>> below The Kenyan DAILY POST Wednesday, February 11, 2026 - The murder trial of John Matara Ongoa continued at the Milimani High Court, with the prosecution presenting fresh testimony linking the accused to the brutal killing of 24-year-old socialite, Starlet Wahu. Matara is accused of murdering Wahu on the night of January 3rd, 2024, at Papino Apartments in South B, Nairobi. The prosecution, led by Counsel Ms. Della Wilbey, called two additional witnesses before Hon. Justice Alexander Muteti. Government Chemist Emily Oporo told the court that DNA analysis placed both the victim and the accused at the centre of the crime scene. She testified that DNA profiles belonging to Starlet Wahu and John Matara were detected on a knife believed to be the murder weapon, as well as on a towel recovered from the scene. The court also heard testimony from the arresting officer, Horace Arwa, attached to South B Police Station, who detailed how the suspect was tracked down and apprehended. Arwa said he responded to a report from two women who had discovered a woman lying in a pool of blood inside house number Y32 at Papino Apartments. Upon arrival, he found the lifeless body, later identified as Wahu. Investigations led officers to pursue Matara after reports emerged that he had been spotted near South B Hospital carrying a blood-soaked towel. Police later learnt that he had been referred to Mbagathi Hospital. At Mbagathi, officers found him receiving treatment, with his clothes soaked in blood and a white towel wrapped around his waist. According to the officers testimony, Matara admitted to having a scuffle with the deceased and allegedly stated that he stabbed her on the left thigh. However, further questioning was halted as he was undergoing medical care at the time. After his discharge, Matara was arrested alongside Andrew Nyongesa, who had reportedly taken him to the hospital. Police recovered and preserved his blood-stained clothes as exhibits, which were later presented in court. The Kenyan DAILY POST Wednesday, February 11, 2026 - Nairobi County Chief Officer for Citizen Engagement and Customer Service, Geoffrey Mosiria, has shared details of a bizarre scam that saw a man lose more than Ksh150,000 in his quest to join Freemasonry. In an interview with a local media outlet on Wednesday, February 11th, 2026, Mosiria recalled how the man believed he could help him after being promised wealth. Yaani aliibiwa na shetani hii town. Alikwa anataka kuingia Freemasonry, akaambiwa atakuwa tajiri wa kutajika. Akaambiwa hii sasa tunakuregister alafu ukiingia utapatana na Lucifer, Mosiria said. (Loosely translated: Satan conned him in this city. He wanted to join Freemasonry and was assured that he would be wealthy and meet Lucifer.) The victim was directed to supposed offices near Uhuru Park, prompting him to reach out to Mosiria. The county official explained that his previous visit to the building in his official capacity made the man believe he could assist. Alinipigia kuniambie nimsaidie nimpeleke hapo Freemasons kwa sababu tuliendanga kuchukua rates zetu hawakua wamelipa, Mosiria recounted. (Translation: He called me and requested assistance in taking him to the building, as we had previously gone there to collect rates.) The man shared messages from an individual identified as Chief Benard, who promised to connect him to Lucifer once he received a registration number. Each step of the elaborate scheme required payment, eventually draining the victim of over Ksh150,000. Mosiria even shared screenshots of the exchanges, showing how the fraudsters manipulated the mans desperation with promises of wealth and protection. The Kenyan DAILY POST A NEWBRIDGE primary school has been chosen to be the recipient of hundreds of new books and some wonderful resources from national charity and arts organisation, Childrens Books Ireland. St Patricks NS in Newbridge, was announced as one of the lucky schools to benefit from the charitys book-gifting programme which will bring hundreds of new books and resources to its students in 2026. Designed by Childrens Books Ireland, the Every Child A Reader programme is a year-long support provided to select schools which helps to foster a love of reading in their students and wider school community. As part of this project, each school will have their own dedicated Champion of Reading, an author or illustrator assigned to the school who will host a series of live workshops throughout the year with students. These creative and engaging sessions will help promote a love of reading, writing and illustrating amongst class groups. Delivered by the team at Childrens Books Ireland, the Every Child a Reader programme will bring a diverse collection of excellent contemporary titles to students in 28 primary schools this year. Through this initiative Childrens Books Ireland provides schools with a library of 250 books covering all ages, interests, genres and issues which represent the richness and diversity of Irish society. As well as hundreds of brilliant new books, chosen schools will receive supports and resource packs as well as bookmarks, bunting and stickers to celebrate their new library books. Other materials such as curated reading guides, lists and further guidance will also be given to schools and families to encourage a love of reading that endures beyond the school gates. Stephen Lynch, Home School Community Liason and Literacy Co-ordinator for St Patricks NS, said: We are absolutely thrilled to be chosen as one of the participating schools in the Every Child a Reader Programme this year. We have recently opened a new extension to our school, which has afforded us the opportunity to set up a dedicated library space. The brand new selection of books and support from Childrens Books Ireland has already generated a great buzz and enthusiasm for reading here in St Patricks. It is so important to have a new selection of books that reflects the lives and experiences of our community. These books really are the best of the best. He continued: Our Champion of Reading, Molly Harris, has also begun her workshops and class visits, sharing her experiences as a reader and author and instilling her love of literacy throughout our school community. In 2025, Childrens Books Ireland received over 1,000 applications from primary and secondary schools for the limited number of spaces for the book-gifting programmes commencing in 2026. Of 907 applications received from primary schools only 28 of these could be selected to receive the support provided through the Every Child A Reader programme. Learn more about the work of Childrens Books Ireland on www.childrensbooksireland.ie For more information, please contact Book-gifting Manager Aoife McDonnell on aoife.mcdonnell@childrensbooksireland.ie It is arguably the most expensive, beautiful and elegant residence in Ireland yet outside of certain areas of South Kilkenny, the general public often have never heard of it. Thats now changing after it was revealed that American billionaire Kelcy Warren had purchased Castletown Cox Estate for what was reportedly in the region of 20 million. READ NEXT: 'Monster' musician who busked in Kilkenny jailed for raping ex-wife and her sister The sale, which occurred around 2019, marked the biggest residential estate sale in Ireland since the 2014 sale of Castlemartin, the property of well-known businessman Anthony OReilly on 750 acres in Kildare, was sold to US businessman John Malone. Speculation began to mount about what plans the Texan billionaire had for the estate, but interest quickly petered out with no signs of any significant movement. Now, however, the billionaires plans (at least some of them) have come to light, and the result could have far-reaching regional implications. Earlier this month, Mr Warren was revealed as the mystery investor behind the 30 million plan to extend Waterford Airports runway. This extension could certainly prove to be handy for a billionaire with a bolt-hole in South Kilkenny. READ NEXT: Fresh retail blow as another business in Kilkenny is 'closing down' Warrens plan for a barley to bottle whiskey distillery on the site (primarily through the reconfiguration of existing outbuildings) has also generated significant intrigue, even at international level, with Forbes picking up the story. The planning application, lodged with Kilkenny County Council in August of last year, described the proposed development as a personal private project and not a commercial enterprise. Castletown Cox will then become the only distillery in Ireland where every step of the process from barley to bottle will be carried out on the same site, the application states, adding that it is not intended to sell the whiskey commercially. This assertion generates further intrigue, and further speculation. If the payoff isnt profit, then what is it? Perhaps its heritage, provenance, prestige - maybe its just having ownership of a private product that exists because it can? For somebody this wealthy, these possibilities cannot be ruled out. READ NEXT: 'Ive had quite a few close calls' - Kilkenny driver fury on worsening situation Will big clients be flown over to Waterford and hosted at Castletown Cox to sample the fare? That very much remains to be seen. Castletown Cox is certainly a place that is built to impress any discerning guest. Completed in the 1770s and said to be based on Villa La Rotunda, a Renaissance villa in northern Italy, the sheer scale of its complex symmetry sometimes draws comparisons to some of the worlds most beautiful symmetrical builds, such as the Taj Mahal in India. It has had a storied legacy of owners since its construction, beginning with Archbishop Michael Cox of Cashel, all the way through to George Magan, Conservative member of the House of Lords and son of the late Brigadier Bill Magan, who served as a director at MI5. With Kelcy Warren now at the helm, it will be interesting to see what the oil tycoon has in the pipeline as he adds another chapter to the estates storied history and legacy. CLICK HERE FOR MORE LOCAL NEWS A close-bonded sister duo from Kilkenny City have achieved their dream job travelling the world side by side as cabin crew for Emirates. As the UAE marks 2026 as the Year of the Family, two sisters from Kilkenny, Eabha and Doireann Sloyan, share their heart-warming story about the importance of family and following your dreams. The sisters are living proof that family bonds can stretch far beyond home, right across the globe. Eabha and Doireann Sloyan grew up together in Kilkenny City and are now both living and flying from Dubai, experiencing a whole other world to their hometown in Ireland. The sisters both share a great love of travel and curiosity about the world, values rooted in their upbringing since they were little girls. Growing up, travel was always something we talked about, said Eabha, a graduate of NUIG, who has spent over a year living and working in Dubai. Working for Emirates has given me the chance to see places I only ever dreamed of, but what makes it extra special is sharing that experience with my sister. READ NEXT: People are getting used to apartments: Council adapting housing strategy for changing city trends - Kilkenny Live Inspired by her sister's journey, Doireann left her previous corporate career to pursue her own journey as cabin crew with Emirates and relocated to Dubai to join her sister. It was a big decision to leave my job, but seeing Eabha thrive gave me the confidence to go for it, Doireann said. Training was intense but incredibly rewarding, and having my sister already here made the transition so much easier. It really felt like we were starting this adventure together. Commuters travelling from Kilkenny to Dublin and further afield have voiced growing frustration at what they describe as ridiculous and increasingly unmanageable delays on some of the States busiest routes. Workers who rely on the M9, M7, N7 and M50 say their daily journeys have become a constant source of stress, with collisions, breakdowns and poor driving standards that are turning already long commutes into exhausting ordeals. READ NEXT: High Court weighs in on skydiving club dispute with IAA at airfield in Kilkenny One Kilkenny-based commuter, who drives to Dunshaughlin in County Meath up to six days a week, said leaving home before dawn has become a necessity rather than a choice. If I dont leave the house at 4.45 or 5am on a Monday morning, I wont make work on time, they said. There are constant collisions and breakdowns, and the standard of driving is shocking. People dont know how to use the lanes properly. READ NEXT: Kilkenny gardai have the last laugh after chase of dangerous driver abandoned They added that dangerous last-minute lane changes are now a daily occurrence, particularly around exits. Youll see people swapping from lane to lane and then, when its their exit, theyll swerve from the far lane straight across to the nearside at the last minute. Ive had quite a few close calls because of this. What should be a journey of around an hour and a half can regularly stretch to two or even three hours, particularly in the evenings. The M50, especially turning off towards the N7, was highlighted as a major pinch point. You could easily face three or four crashes on one journey to or from work, the commuter said. It makes going to work challenging and really difficult to keep your mindset right. Another issue adding to the frustration is the cost. Some commuters report paying tolls up to three or four times a day, five days a week. READ NEXT: US billionaire with plans for Kilkenny distillery revealed as Waterford Airports mystery investor Another commuter, who can be called to work at short notice, said the unpredictability of traffic has become a serious source of anxiety. Im given one hour and 45 minutes to get there, and I have to take the M9, M7, N7 and M50, they explained. In recent times its been very anxiety-inducing. Its almost a lottery now, depending on the time Im called, as to whether Ill make it. They said traffic conditions have deteriorated significantly in recent years. READ NEXT: Plans for a brand new restaurant in the heart of Kilkenny It wasnt like this before. Traffic seems worse than ever, and then getting caught in it on the way home can really stress you out when you should be settling down. Its ridiculous. Speaking recently in Dail Eireann, Kildare TD Mark Wall said its not just workers that are affected, as he outlined harrowing stories of people missing medical appointments like chemotherapy because of delays. The commuter chaos needs to be addressed, he added. CLICK HERE FOR MORE LOCAL NEWS A new locallyowned financial planning firm, Shefflin ONeill, has opened its doors in Kilkenny this week, led by directors Henry Shefflin and Richie ONeill. Based at Talbots Inch on the Freshford Road, Shefflin ONeill focuses on providing planningled, regulated financial advice to: Business Owners Professionals Families The firm places strong emphasis on trust, integrity, confidentiality and longterm relationships. Local Roots, Professional Focus Although the Shefflin name needs no introduction in Kilkenny sporting circles, the new venture is positioned as a highcalibre, professional financial planning firm built on the trust of its clients. Cofounder Richie ONeill, a Certified Financial Planner (CFP) with more than 20 years experienceincluding two decades with Zurichspecialises in the complex areas of pensions and retirement planning. Everyone needs a financial plan but people dont know where to start, Richie explains. Henry Shefflin, a Qualified Financial Adviser (QFA) with a degree in Financial Services, has extensive experience working with SMEs and professionals on corporate finance and banking needs. This now feeds directly into the firms advisory offering for business owners and company directors. Our aim is to build a local business based on the same standards and values that have proven successful both in sporting and business teams thats preparation, honesty, hard work and teamwork adds Henry. The SON Financial Plan Strategise. Organise. Navigate. At the heart of the firms approach is its proprietary planning framework, the SON Financial Planan acronym for Strategise, Organise, Navigate. Rather than beginning with products, the SON Financial Plan begins with the clients life: their family, business, cashflow, life goals, and concerns. From there, the firm builds a coherent strategy across four core pillars: Four Core Pillars Pensions tax-efficiently building the lifestyle you want in retirement Protection safeguarding your income, your family and your business with life cover, income protection, and business continuity planning Investments using regulated medium and longterm strategies to grow and preserve your wealth Legacy passing on wealth to those important to you, with clarity, control and purpose We want clients to feel that everything is joined up, explains Richie. Your pension, your savings, your business, your protection policies they all interact. The SON Financial Plan is about putting a framework around that, so were not just selling a pension or a policy; were building a plan to best serve your future. Kilkenny and the South East has a huge number of business owners and professionals who are busy doing their day job says Henry. They dont necessarily have the time or the headspace to step back and ask, Are we actually on track? Thats where we come in as a planning partner. A Commitment to Regulated, Responsible Advice When it comes to implementing a plan, Shefflin ONeill only recommends regulated products from authorised providers. The firm does not advise on unregulated or speculative investments. This is a deliberate choice, reflecting their focus on long-term security, alignment with the Irish regulatory framework, and protection of clients and their families. Looking Ahead Were excited to bring something genuinely planningled to Kilkenny, Richie ONeill If someone wants a quick second opinion on their existing arrangements or a full financial planning review, were here to help, Henry Shefflin How to get in touch Clients can get in touch via: Website: www.shefflinoneill.ie Email: info@shefflinoneill.ie The directors will be meeting clients by appointment and expect demand to come from both long-standing contacts and new enquiries. *Sponsored Content A heart-warming and life-affirming show is coming to the Watergate Theatre in Kilkenny this March. Tuesdays with Morrie is adapted from the phenomenally popular first novel by Mitch Albom by Breda Cashe and Pat Moylan. It is an autobiographical story of Mitch Albom, an accomplished journalist driven solely by his career, and Morrie Schwartz, his former college professor. TAP HERE FOR MORE WHAT'S ON IN KILKENNY Sixteen years after graduation, Mitch happens to catch Morries appearance on a television news programme and learns that his old professor is battling Lou Gehrigs Disease. Mitch is reunited with Morrie, and what starts as a simple visit, turns into a weekly pilgrimage and a last class in the meaning of life. Tuesdays with Morrie is a heart-warming exploration of friendship and life. It will make you cry but above all it will make you laugh but most of all it will make you realise the simple things in our lives that mean and matter the most. Starring roles The role of Morrie will be played by renowned actor David Hayman known for his starring roles in A Sense of Freedom, Trial and Retribution, Sid and Nancy, and The Boy In The Striped Pyjamas. On stage, David has played in the Donmars production of Anna Christie, and more recently leading casts in productions of critically acclaimed plays Death of a Salesman and Cyprus Avenue. He will be joined by Irish actor, writer and composer Fionn Foley whom audiences know from his many performances on stages across Ireland as well as his TV and film work which includes Harry Wild, The Dry, Balor Hall, Dublin Oldschool and more. For more and to book see www.watergatetheatre.com For generations the Ranchers Return, also known locally as the Village Well, has occupied a central place in the life of Coon in North Kilkenny. More than just a public house, it has long served as a gathering point for neighbours, a venue for stories and music and a hub where the community can put the worlds wrongs to right. Established in the mid-1850s, the pub has long been part of the fabric of the community, passing through generations of families and patrons alike. Much to the communitys disappointment it doors closed for two years in the mid-2000s before reopening and re-establishing its place in the heart of the area. READ NEXT: 'A gentleman' - Kilkenny in mourning following death of much loved publican However, its future now hangs in the balance again, with the previous proprietors making the difficult decision to put the business on the market after many years behind the bar. In an attempt to secure its future and with the support of the previous ownership, a number of parishioners have stood up to the mark and are leading the charge to keep the much loved local alive, hosting community meetings and co-ordinating a bid to place the pubs future in the hands of the community. But is it almost time for last orders and farewells, or the start of a new chapter yet to be written? The answer to that question is very much dependent on how many people take up confidential shares. Community shares are available at 2,500 per share, but families/groups can also donate whatever they can. The target is to raise 350,000 to make the dream a reality and ultimately save a vital community resource. Each contribution of 2,500 will be split into 2,499 which will be classified as a 0% loan via a loan agreement with the limited company and 1 as a purchased share. In a warm and friendly atmosphere under the care of barman Joe Fenlon, members of the community initiative expressed their firm desire to keep the jewel in the villages crown shining when speaking to the Kilkenny People. Phil Shore has lived in Coon all his life, and still remembers Sunday mornings in the 1950s when the whole community came together and the village felt like one family. "Theres something different about this place," he said. "Rural pubs are all on a downward curve and thats the big challenge for the committee here but I know it will work because were in Coon." Gerald Flynns relationship with the community is more recent but no less emotive. "Im living here now 22 years, and it is the hub of the community for parties, anniversary masses, 21sts, pool tournaments and so much more," he said. "Were going to run it for the community. We have a million and one ideas as a committee," he added, noting it will be a place where drinkers and non-drinkers can come together. "Without it (the pub), I think wed be lost here," he continued. READ MORE: Kilkenny GAA and gardai release statement in wake of fence collapse in UPMC Nowlan Park "Weve lots of people that are retired living around the area that come down here to meet. Its a social thing. Its the hub of the community, Gerald added, noting the successful developments within the village, ranging from the state of the art GAA pitch in the village to the playground, which wouldnt be possible without their base within the pub. "We all know the isolation thats in rural Ireland and the pressure people are under," fellow member of the initiative, Brendan Healy added. "It was hard to get people to come out after the pandemic. People got institutionalised so it was places like this that brought people back to the community. "If you look around the bar, theres obviously people having a few pints but theres a lot of people here who are not and are drinking minerals or tea or coffee. Its not about drink, its about coming down and having the fun," Brendan commented. "Its not about our generation. This is actually future-proofing for generations to come." Local representative, Cllr Pat Fitzpatrick commended the groups efforts, stating, "Its the hub. Lets not let it deteriorate. Its critical we hold on to this resource." FOR MORE KILKENNY COMMUNITY NEWS, CLICK HERE COLUMBIA A common theme among many killings in Columbia is young people being involved as suspects. A juvenile has been suspected in 28% of the homicides in Columbia since 2022. Juveniles are suspected in the shooting death of Marine veteran Michael Ryan Burke at his home in January and the robbery and killing of Zarian Simpson in June 2025. A juvenile was also arrested in connection to a shots fired incident at Dick's Sporting Goods and a carjacking in the parking lot, police said. But young people KOMU 8 News spoke to in a roundtable interview said headlines about youth violence don't tell the full story. "I feel like there's such a lack of opportunities here that youth feel like they don't have any other option but to go to the streets and commit crimes," Kayden Brandkamp said. He's 17 and was born and raised in Columbia. Now, he's going to school through the Youth Build program at Job Point. Keith Mosley IV, 18, and Addo Meiners and Tarandin Whitaker, both 20, are in the program as well. They sat down with KOMU 8 News for the roundtable interview, which focused on about the problems facing the community that drive young people to commit crimes. In the Youth Build program, they're learning practical trade skills to get a job. But, all four of these people have witnessed violent crime. "When people don't like to fight, there are a lot of people that will go pick up a gun," Mosley said. "And then, there's a lot of people who've got people that will go pick up a gun or give them a gun if they ask them for it. So, there's not really too many young people out here that are safe from that ... most of the time, when you see somebody carrying, it's probably because someone's threatened their life with a firearm before." "It's not really hard to get a gun in Columbia, Missouri," he continued. Stolen firearms Columbia Police Chief Jill Schlude said that, overwhelmingly, many guns that people have in Columbia are stolen. Police Department data Schlude provided to KOMU 8 shows people reported about 150 guns stolen in Columbia in 2025, based on projections from amounts at the end of October, which was the most recent data available. This was the least amount since at least 2020. Of those thefts, the most common were from vehicles, with 69 reports of a stolen firearm from a vehicle in the city by the end of October 2025. The next-highest category were reports of gun thefts from buildings, with only 13 of them last year. "Our hypothesis is that once the folks stealing the guns starting figuring out there's quite a few people that leave guns in vehicles, it's almost like playing a slot machine when you go through a neighborhood of cars," Schlude said. Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. Error! There was an error processing your request. She said people are going through vehicles even where they cannot see a gun through an outside window. Patterns in age Columbia Police Department data compiled by the Missouri State Highway Patrol showed 37 people under the age of 18 were arrested on suspicion of firearm-related offenses in 2025. That was the least amount of juveniles arrested for such offenses in the past three years. However, 94 people between the ages of 18 and 24 in Columbia were arrested on suspicion of firearm-related offenses in 2025. That was the most people in that age range arrested for such offense in the past three years. "Many times we have been dealing with that particular person while they were a juvenile and now they're an adult," Schlude said. Schlude said juveniles typically aren't acting alone when they commit crimes in Columbia, so KOMU 8 asked her what gangs look like in the city. "In Columbia, it's less about turf," Schlude said. "In communities like Los Angeles, Chicago, New York, gangs are associated with certain geographic areas. In Columbia, it's less about the geographic area and it's more about the relationships." Where responsibility lies for curbing Columbia youth violence: 'We all have a part to play' Columbia police, Columbia Public Schools, Job Point and the Columbia Office of Violence Prevention all play a part in preventing youth violence. Schulde said policing this is very difficult. "Here, it's more about the players than it is about what you're wearing, what block you live on, all those types of things," Schlude said. "So, who's in a particular gang here in Columbia in 2022 may be completely irrelevant in 2026. And so, we have to do a lot of work in going back into the schools and figuring out who's associating with who, and that's a constant intelligence gathering operation for us." The police chief said part of the intelligence-gathering operation involves school resource officers. Schlude said there is growing evidence that gang activity is beginning with kids as early as the middle school level. The people at the roundtable said some children as young as 12 and 13 years old are now carrying firearms in Columbia. "Because the people that they're around convinced them that they need protection because like, say their big brother is into it with some people ... he'll feel like he needs to carry a gun because his big brother did," Mosely said. NEXT STORY: Efforts ongoing to curb youth gun access in Columbia and in Missouri KOMU 8 takes a closer look at the implications of proposed laws to make it illegal for juveniles to carry handguns in Missouri. 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. Auburn, IN (46706) Today A few clouds with an isolated thunderstorm possible after midnight. Low 58F. Winds SSW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 30%.. Tonight A few clouds with an isolated thunderstorm possible after midnight. Low 58F. Winds SSW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 30%. BEIJING, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- Multiple Chinese authorities have jointly issued guidelines to bolster the information and communication sector, aiming to support the development of low-altitude infrastructure. The guidelines, which were released by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and four other government departments, establish that ground mobile communication network coverage for low-altitude public air routes across the country should be no lower than 90 percent by 2027. They also mandate the development of at least 10 standards for information infrastructure and the cultivation of typical low-altitude application scenarios in fields such as urban governance, logistics and transportation, and culture and tourism. The guidelines call for the active development of the 5G-Advanced industry, upgrades to existing ground base stations, and the accelerated maturity of integrated sensing and communication technologies. The five departments urged coordinated efforts in network deployment, technological advancement and application development, and advocated the utilization of multiple funding channels to support research on key technologies, equipment development and application promotion for relevant information infrastructure. The US flag flies at half-mast on the US Capitol in Washington, DC, on September 11, 2025. An investigator looks inside a culvert in the neighborhood where Annie Guthrie, whose mother Nancy Guthrie has been missing for more than a week, lives just outside Tucson, Ariz., on Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Ty ONeil) Sean McCarthaigh A GP accused of professional misconduct over his criticism of Covid-19 vaccines and other pandemic measures has told a medical inquiry that he believed he could adhere to public health guidelines in his medical practice while still challenging them on social media. Marcus de Brun told a fitness-to-practise hearing of the Medical Council that he felt corralled into using Twitter to question public health guidelines because there was no other forum for doctors to raise their concerns about measures used to combat the virus. There was nowhere else to go, he said. De Brun said he continued to hold the view that Covid-19 vaccines had caused an excess of deaths and were dangerous because of his belief they have the potential to cause cancer as they are unlike traditional protein-based vaccines. He repeated a claim made in a controversial tweet in July 2021 that injecting a child with a genetic-based vaccine was a crime against humanity. The inquiry heard the GP had resigned his HSE contract because he did not want to administer the vaccine to his patients, even though it had serious consequences for him, including his relationship with his family. However, de Brun stressed that he had followed all public health guidelines while working in his previous practice in Rush, Co Dublin during the pandemic. The GP, who legally represented himself at the inquiry, denied he was a maverick. De Brun a former member of the Medical Council who had operated his own practice in Rush, Co Dublin is accused of 10 counts of professional misconduct over his criticism of lockdowns, the wearing of facemasks and Covid-19 vaccines. Most of the allegations relate to 67 posts by the GP on his Twitter (now X) account between May 2020 and October 2021. Others relate to comments he made at a public rally in Dublin in August 2020, when he was also accused of failing to wear a facemask and observe social distancing. The Medical Council claims de Bruns comments and actions were inappropriate and undermined public health guidelines as well as running contrary to sections of the Guide to Professional Conduct and Ethics. However, the GP maintains that the deaths of his patients in a nursing home during the pandemic and the subsequent anger and upset he expressed on Twitter were a consequence of Government guidelines and inaction of the Medical Council. The qualified microbiologist told the sixth day of the inquiry on Wednesday that he was no longer proud to be a GP. De Brun gave evidence that the feedback he got from his peers when he first raised his concerns about the vaccine was to keep my mouth shut. The GP noted that speaking out against public health guidelines was risky and dangerous. He also felt his views were entirely ignored by mainstream media, while his more detailed publications about his views were vilified, insulted and denigrated by medical colleagues. He said he had rather foolishly assumed there would be some degree of discussion about public health guidelines among doctors with some degree of latitude shown to those with contrary opinions. However, he observed there was no place in Irish society for criticism of what he believed is a dangerous vaccine. This tribunal is proof of that, he added. He resigned from the Medical Council in April 2020 because his attempt to raise concerns about deaths in nursing homes fell on deaf ears, he said. He claimed he felt added indignation by a Medical Council statement that he had resigned for personal reasons when he said nothing could be further from the truth. Addressing the allegations against him, de Brun said he stood over everything he had said at a public rally at the Custom House in Dublin on August 22nd, 2020, although he noted that his family had not asked him to attend the gathering. He remarked that he would be a lot better off materially and physically if he had not gone to the rally, but not spiritually. The GP said he had attended the rally to highlight egregious policies and to call for a full public inquiry into deaths in nursing homes during the pandemic. It was something he felt he "had to do", and said he would have done it even if it had meant breaking the law. On the National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET), he remained adamant that the groups policies had resulted in a significant number of deaths. A great many of their decisions were wrong with disastrous effects then and which still reverberate through our society, he added. De Brun said he believed there was political favouritism in people appointed to NPHET while the groups financial arrangements were suspicious. He also complained that a decision by the HSE to only allow Hydroxychloroquine to be used with hospital patients for a pharmaceutical and political agenda had deprived him of a treatment that could have saved lives among his patients in nursing homes. Under cross-examination by counsel for the Medical Council, Neasa Bird, de Brun accepted he had used Twitter to challenge public health guidelines but agreed it was not a place for detailed complex discussion. He pointed out that he had always referenced his longer articles about Covid-19 issues in his posts. While he accepted that some of his posts may have caused distress, he disagreed with Birds suggestion that his use of Twitter to raise his concerns was inappropriate including using a photo of a Nuremberg rally in one tweet. Bird said such posts - including one which described giving vaccines to children as the greatest crime against humanity that this century has witnessed so far - were clearly inappropriate and highly alarmist. De Brun also continued to maintain that some doctors would rather take money than do right by their patients but conceded that the tone and language of some of his tweets were severe. He acknowledged one relating to fat people wanting everyone to be vaccinated because it made them feel less fat was excessive, but he believed it had been deleted shortly after. Asked if he supported any public health guidelines, he said he had agreed with the use of hand sanitiser and the isolation of vulnerable people in nursing homes, which he accepted were introduced with a lot of good intent, However, he believed the consequences of social distancing and lockdowns for young healthy people were more severe and dangerous than Covid-19 itself. In reply to other questions, he accepted he had not complied with his regulatory bodys guidelines on the use of social media but said his posts should be seen in the context of his primary duty to do no harm and then try and do some good. He reminded the committee of thalidomide, a drug that was authorised before problems were recognised. The inquiry was adjourned and will resume on Thursday when it is expected to conclude. TWO Laois farms have harvested top honours at the Tirlan quality grain awards, including the overall national title. Bobby and Denise Miller of Rathmore, Stradbally were named Tirlan Grain Growers of the Year 2025 this week and also won the food grade oats category, while Eugene and Eimear Ryan of Ballycarroll, Portlaoise won the seed barley award. They were among the countrys top tillage farmers celebrated on 10 February, when winners were announced at events in Castlemartyr Resort and Midleton Distillery Experience in Co Cork. Bobby Miller was recognised for his exceptional attention to detail, strong technical standards and consistent delivery of premium-quality gluten free oats, which won both the overall award and the food grade oats category. The awards recognise the very best of Tirlans grain suppliers and celebrate excellence across barley, wheat, oats, beans and oilseed rape. Twelve category winners were recognised for producing crops of outstanding quality last year. Tirlan chairperson John Murphy said the awards provided an important opportunity to highlight the great work of growers, who supply the cooperative with high-quality native grains. He said: It is always a pleasure to recognise the growers who are delivering excellent quality year after year. The winners announced today reflect the high standards that exist right across our grower base. Our growers delivered outstanding crops and demonstrated remarkable professionalism throughout a highly concentrated harvest window. As Irelands largest buyer of native grains, Tirlan remains fully committed to supporting farm families and maximising the value of Irish-grown crops. Tirlans head of grains Michael Ryan said the group continues to focus on innovation as it develops and expands its ingredients portfolio, with ongoing investment in facilities and research and development. He said: Tirlans specialty oat ingredients are now used in beverages, confectionery, ice cream and other products, supported by the strong traceability and clean-label attributes that Irish grains can deliver. A LONG-LOST bell that once summoned workers to Mass across the fields has been unearthed near a ruined Laois church and graveyard. The 18th century Clonkeen bell was presented to delighted local historian Noel Burke, a member of the committee that oversees ongoing conservation at Clonkeen church and graveyard near Abbeyleix. It is believed that the old handbell, now weathered and worn, may once have tolled across Kennys sandpit in Clonkeen, summoning worshippers to the Mass Field during the harsh years of the Penal Laws. The historic bell was handed over to Noel and the parish by local man Darran Hutchinson, whose family secretly minded the bell at their home in Killamuck for more than 40 years. It is the second important artefact presented to the newly formed Abbeyleix & District Historical Society within just two months, following the remarkable recovery and restoration of the Brigidine Convent Cross in January. Darran recalled that, when he was about ten years old in the early 1980s, he spent his summer holidays in his neighbour Pats workshop, where engines of every kind were taken apart and put back together again. One day, Pat produced a small handbell and told Darran that he had found it underground in Clonkeen in 1960, just outside the walls of the graveyard. At the time, there was little interest in local heritage but Pat felt that the bell belonged to history and it should be preserved. Having stored it in his workshop for many years, Pat gave the bell to Darran for safe-keeping when his health failed. Darran brought the bell home to his fathers garage in Killamuck, where it remained hidden and unspoken of within the Hutchinson family for another four decades. Recounting the story on social media on 7 February, Noel said: Darran wasnt even born when his neighbour Pat first unearthed the Clonkeen bell. At the time he was given the bell, it didnt seem to him like a big deal, but he still thought in the back of his mind that the bell might be significant one day. As interest in local history has grown here in Abbeyleix over recent years, the medieval church of Clonkeen has become more important than ever. Darran felt it was right that the bell should now be brought forward and considered properly, especially if it is what we now believe it may be. Noel added: Im deeply grateful to Darran for preserving it and for sharing this memory. Every small act of care like this helps us rebuild the larger story of Clonkeen church and graveyard, piece by piece. 'We have used AI technology, as well as known history of the area, to try to date and tell the story of this bell. Im sure that, with further research, in time the Clonkeen bell may still have further information to reveal. While a monastic site was founded at Clonkeen in the sixth or seventh century, the present-day stone church ruins date primarily to the mid-12th century. It is thought that the handbell dates from the early 1700s and was used to summon worshippers from Kennys sandpit to the Mass Field during penal times. Noel said that local historian Kevin OBrien told him stories from the area that were passed down for generations: tales of hidden liturgies, a school near the sandpit and the enduring faith of a scattered community. Historical records echo these memories. In 1731, the Protestant Bishop of Leighlin and Ferns reported one Mass house in Clonkeen, a boarded covering in the fields at Clonkeen, one priest Fr William Keating PP and one schoolmaster. Based on his own research, Noel said: Earlier, Fr Connell Moore had registered as parish priest under the 1704 Registration of Popish Clergy. Tradition even holds that a conference of seven Catholic bishops took place in Clonkeen, a testament to its role as a refuge amid bog and woodland. In an evocative account, Noel said: The bell itself bears no inscription. Its form is plain, its clapper hand-forged. But its silence speaks volumes. Whether used in worship, schooling or community gathering, it may be one of the few surviving artefacts from Clonkeens clandestine Catholic life, a life that persisted until Abbeyleix became a parish in 1824. Today, as Abbeyleix a relatively new town celebrates 200 years as a parish, this humble bell reminds us of the generations who kept faith alive in fields and forests, long before our churches rose in stone. In 1815, over a period of months, the southern end of what is now the Killamuck bog slipped down from the hill to the west and slowly enveloped many of the mud and stone houses of the northern part of Clonkeen. It is intended that part of this southern end of the bog should now be preserved, both as an example of bog land flora and fauna and because of what future scientific investigation might one day discover underneath the surface. Laois Heritage Officer Thomas Carolan will attend the next meeting of Abbeyleix & District Historical Society, which will be held in the towns Heritage House at 7pm on Wednesday 25 February. New members are always welcome. A MAN had to be pepper-sprayed to be subdued before being arrested, after he ran at gardai with force early on New Years Eve. Garda Sergeant JJ Kirby relayed what transpired at last weeks district court sitting in Portlaoise, when he said that gardai responded to a report of a dispute in Abbeyleix at 5.25am on 31 December. They came across 35-year-old Shane Hearns from Derrylahan, who was in a highly intoxicated state. When gardai tried to speak with him, he became abusive and aggressive. He ran with force at them and had to be pepper-sprayed before being arrested. Sgt Kirby said the defendant had 32 previous convictions. Defending solicitor Josephine Fitzpatrick said that her client was pleading guilty to being intoxicated in public and to engaging in threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour at the time. She said that Mr Hearns now recognised that, on New Years Eve, gardai had much better things to be doing than dealing with him. She said: He has told me that he is actively engaging with Cuan Mhuire to access residential treatment for his alcohol addiction. He is currently residing in a hostel in Dublin, because he has burnt many bridges here in Laois. Hes a gentleman when hes sober, but a nuisance when hes drunk. Judge Susan Fay remanded Mr Hearns on continuing bail to the 15 June sitting of the court. She instructed him to engage with probation services in the meantime and undergo a community service assessment, as well as abstain from alcohol consumption. She said that on 15 June if the defendant has not showed that he is addressing his addiction, he may bring his bag and toothbrush or whatever he needs because hes going into custody. Funded by the Court Reporting Scheme. By Bairbre Holmes, Press Association A change in Cocos Law to close a loophole around the generation of nonconsensual intimate images and videos using AI was debated in the Dail on Tuesday. Sinn Fein brought the Bill to amend current legislation to the Dail after reports an AI chatbot on the social media site X, formerly known as Twitter, was being used to create deepfake sexualised images of people, including children. The Harassment, Harmful Communications and Related Offences Bill, also known as Cocos Law, was enacted in 2020. It makes the distribution or publication of an intimate image without consent, with intent to cause harm to the victim, a serious offence with perpetrators facing up to seven years imprisonment. It also criminalises threats to distribute or publish such images. Matt Carthy said there is ambiguity in Cocos Law (Damien Eagers/PA) However, Sinn Feins spokesman on justice Matt Carthy said there is ambiguity in the current legislation, that had been exposed by Grok. The party says it brought forward the amendment to clarify that the creation of sexualised AI deepfakes is illegal. During the Bills second reading, Carthy criticised the Government saying, they could have brought forward immediate and targeted amendment to close this loophole. He said: If this was clear in law, then we wouldnt need a minister to sit down with the companies involved. If you or I are suspected of breaking the law, the minister doesnt come to our house to discuss it, the appropriate powers hold us to account. Maire Divine, who co-authored the amendment, said over 11 days roughly three million sexualised images were produced using Grok and said 99 per cent of them were of women and young children. The changes to the law would also extend the statute of limitations from two to five years, to allow victims more time to come forward. They would give An Garda Siochana more time to forensically technically examine personal electronic devices. And they aim to increase the maximum penalties people convicted of these crimes would face. Jim OCallaghan said the Government would not oppose the Bill at its current stage (Niall Carson/PA) Minister for Justice Jim OCallaghan said the Government would not oppose the Bill at its current stage, adding it shared the widespread revulsion of the fact that platforms have allowed the nonconsensual nudification of images, primarily of women and children. He said there was a number of pieces of legislation which covered the generation or alteration of sexual images by AI. But said he is keen to ensure that there are no gaps in the legislation and that the current established legal framework is sufficiently robust to protect people from digital harms. OCallaghan did criticise some aspects of the Sinn Fein Bill, saying the Attorney General had advised the proposed prison term of up to five years, for the creation of an image that is not shared, is a disproportionate penalty. After ties to the late sex trafficker, Jeffrey Epstein, were revealed in newly released files by the Justice Department, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick faced lawmakers at a hearing before the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies. Admitting the Truth At the outset of the hearing, Lutnick acknowledged that his previous public statements about distancing himself from Epstein were contradicted by the new records. The documents, disclosed under the Epstein Files Transparency Act, include emails and scheduling notes indicating that Lutnick and his family had met with Epstein long after he publicly said his association ended in 2005. Lutnick also admitted to another interaction in 2011, during which he and Epstein spent "about an hour" at Epstein's home, countering his prior claims that he had severed all ties with the disgraced financier after a 2005 meeting that had supposedly put him off. Intense Questioning Under questioning from Democratic Sen. Chris Van Hollen of Maryland, Lutnick confirmed that he visited Epstein's private Caribbean island, Little St. James, in 2012. He described the encounter as a brief lunch with his wife, four children, and nannies during a family vacation. "We had lunch on the island, that is true, for an hour, and we left with all of my children, with my nannies and my wife all together," Lutnick testified, characterizing the visit as entirely innocuous. Despite these admissions, Lutnick repeatedly insisted he had never engaged in any inappropriate conduct with Epstein, and maintained that his contact was minimal and did not amount to a meaningful relationship. "Under no circumstances is there a single word that I've done anything remotely wrong in any possible regard," he said. Several lawmakers voiced sharp criticism of Lutnick's initial denials and have demanded greater transparency. ABC News reported that Sen. Chris Coons, a Democrat from Delaware, pressed the secretary for full disclosure of all records involving Epstein. "It troubles me that you took your family to lunch on his island, that you had appointments with him," Coons told Lutnick. Calls to Resign Meanwhile, Republican Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky and Democrat Rep. Ro Khanna of California both publicly called on Lutnick to resign in light of the revelations. Massie, who viewed unredacted Epstein files at the Department of Justice, suggested the documents "likely incriminate" multiple figures and argued that accountability should extend to cabinet officials as well. Sen. Adam Schiff issued a statement prior to the hearing stating that the secretary had misled the American people about his dealings with Epstein and should resign. Schiff's office said files showed Lutnick was "in business" with Epstein in addition to maintaining personal contact, intensifying concerns about judgment and ethics. Reporting from The New York Times indicates that the latest disclosures from the Justice Department's release include correspondence showing Lutnick's family coordinating logistics for the 2012 island lunch, arranging the dock location for their yacht, and receiving a note the next day from an Epstein aide saying it was "nice to see you." Emails also show interactions in 2011 and as recently as 2017 concerning neighborhood construction. The White House, while standing by Lutnick, sought to defuse the controversy by emphasizing his work at the Department of Commerce. "The entire Trump administration, including Secretary Lutnick and the Department of Commerce, remains focused on delivering for the American people," White House spokesman Kush Desai said in a statement. Originally published on IBTimes A British woman who was fatally shot while visiting her father in Texas had argued with him earlier that day about U.S. President Donald Trump, according to testimony heard at an inquest in England. According to the BBC, Lucy Harrison, a 23-year-old woman from England, was shot in the chest on January 10, 2025, at her father's home in Prosper, a suburb north of Dallas. Local authorities in Texas investigated her death as possible manslaughter, but a grand jury in Collin County later declined to indict her father, Kris Harrison. At the time, The Sun reported that Dallas authorities revealed a suspect had been identified and that the case was being probed as "criminally negligent homicide." Later, Collin County District Attorney's Office confirmed that a grand jury had issued a 'no-bill' in the case, meaning criminal charges would not be brought. This week, an inquest into the woman's death opened this week at Cheshire Coroner's Court, where her boyfriend, Sam Littler, described a "big argument" between Lucy and her father about Trump, who was preparing to be inaugurated for his second presidential term later that month. Littler told the court that political discussions had frequently caused tension between Lucy and her father, particularly when he spoke about gun ownership. He said Lucy often became distressed when the topic arose, especially in the context of gun violence in the United States. According to Littler, on the morning of the shooting, Lucy challenged her father during the argument, asking how he would feel if she were the victim of sexual assault in a scenario linked to gun crime. Littler said Kris Harrison responded that he had two other daughters living with him and that it would not upset him significantly. Lucy became visibly upset and ran upstairs, Littler testified. Later that day, about 30 minutes before Lucy and Littler were due to leave for the airport, Lucy was in the kitchen when her father took her by the hand and led her into his ground-floor bedroom, Littler said. Roughly 15 seconds later, he heard a loud bang. Littler told the court he ran into the room to find Lucy lying on the floor near the bathroom entrance, while her father was screaming. In a written statement submitted to the court, Kris Harrison said the shooting was accidental. He stated that he and his daughter had been watching a news item about gun crime when he mentioned owning a firearm and asked if she wanted to see it. He said he retrieved a Glock 9mm semi-automatic handgun from his bedside cabinet and that it discharged as he lifted it to show her. Harrison said he did not recall whether his finger was on the trigger at the time. He acknowledged a history of alcohol addiction and admitted he had relapsed on the day of the shooting, consuming approximately 500 milliliters of white wine because he was emotional about his daughter leaving. The inquest heard evidence from a police officer who attended the scene and noted the smell of alcohol on Harrison's breath. CCTV footage also showed Harrison purchasing two 500 milliliter cartons of Chardonnay from a 7-Eleven store earlier that day. Lucy Harrison had traveled to Texas for the holiday with Littler. She worked as a buyer for the fashion retailer Boohoo and was described by her family as passionate, outspoken, and deeply engaged with social and political issues. Kris Harrison did not attend the inquest but said in a statement issued through his lawyers that he fully accepted responsibility for what happened. He said he felt the weight of his daughter's death every day and would carry that loss for the rest of his life. Lucy's mother, Jane Coates, told the court her daughter was "a real force of life," adding that she cared deeply about the world around her and was unafraid to debate issues that mattered to her. The coroner rejected an application from Kris Harrison's legal team requesting that she step aside from the case. The inquest has been adjourned until Wednesday, when formal conclusions are expected. Originally published on Latin Times An internal federal memo based on FBI intelligence warns that leaders of a Mexican drug cartel have directed members to shoot at U.S. Border Patrol agents from across the border, NewsNation reported. The memo, circulated to agents in the Border Patrol's San Diego Sector, cites FBI reporting that leadership of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (JNGC) ordered members to carry out armed attacks against Customs and Border Protection personnel. The alert instructs agents to maintain heightened awareness while operating near the border. Chris Clem, a retired Border Patrol sector chief and NewsNation contributor, said the warning should be taken seriously across the entire southern border, not just in San Diego. "(The cartels) lost control, they want to gain control (and) so our agents need to make sure they have their heads on a swivel as they always do," Clem said. According to the memo, JNGC members were instructed to conduct assaults in areas of Mexico not controlled by the cartel. The San Diego border region referenced in the alert is largely under the influence of the Sinaloa Cartel, which has been engaged in conflict with JNGC since 2025. Clem said attacks on U.S. agents could be aimed at creating instability to shift territorial control on the Mexican side of the border. The memo warns that any cross-border attacks on U.S. federal agents would "bring heavy scrutiny and retribution" from both U.S. and Mexican authorities toward the cartel operating in the area. Both JNGC and the Sinaloa Cartel have been designated as Foreign Terrorist Organizations by the Trump administration. The Department of Homeland Security did not respond to NewsNation's request for comment on the reported directive. The New York Times and the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists reported on Monday that Mexican criminal groups have obtained high-caliber, armor-piercing ammunition originating from a U.S. government-owned manufacturing facility in Missouri that also supplies the civilian retail market. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives has seized more than 40,000 such rounds in border states since 2012, according to that report. Authorities and researchers cited in that investigation say cartels increasingly deploy military-style equipment, including drones, explosives, and armored vehicles, contributing to higher risks for security forces operating near the border. Originally published on Latin Times Mexican Security Secretary Omar Garcia Harfuch said workers of a Canadian mining company were abducted and killed in Sinaloa by cartel operatives after being mistaken for members of an opposing organization. Speaking during President Claudia Sheinbaum's daily press conference, Harfuch said the four people detained in connection with the killings belong to the Chapitos, a faction of the Sinaloa Cartel. They believed the miners were part of the Mayos, the other offset of the cartel with which they have been engaged in a turf war for over a year and a half now. The bodies of at least five workers were found this week in mass graves, while the search for the remaining workers of Vizsla Silver Corp. continues. Sheinbaum, on her end, said authorities from the mining company are in communication with counterparts from the state of Sinaloa. "I have also asked the Security Cabinet to be in touch with the Chamber of Mining Industry to know their needs and support them better," she added. Sinaloa has also been reeling from another incident, in which three local lawmakers were shot. The two episodes prompted Mexico's federal government to deploy 1,600 soldiers to Sinaloa. Authorities recently detained Jesus Emir Bazoco Peraza, also known as "Compa Guero" or "Radio 13," identified as one of those involved in the shooting of the lawmakers. As reported by the Sinaloa-based outlet Los Noticieristas, Bazoco Peraza was employed by the Culiacan city government between 2018 and 2021, where he worked as an administrative assistant. The outlet added that authorities were able to track down the suspect after locating a truck used by the attackers to flee following the shooting of Movimiento Ciudadano lawmakers Elizabeth Montoya and Sergio Torres, who were traveling in a vehicle accompanied by two bodyguards when they were attacked. In late January, party national leader Jorge Alvarez Maynez said both officials were hospitalized in serious condition. He said Torres underwent successful surgery and remains in delicate condition, while Montoya lost an eye. Originally published on Latin Times Laois tillage farming excellence has been rewarded at the Tirlan Quality Grain Awards 2025 with one farmer taking the Grower of the Year Award. The countrys top tillage farmers were celebrated on February 10 at the Tirlan Quality Grain Awards 2025 held at the Castlemartyr Resort and Midleton Distillery Experience in Cork. Two Laois farms were celebrated at the Awards. Bobby and Denise Miller of Rathmore, Stradbally were named Tirlan Grain Growers of the Year 2025 and also won the Food Grade Oats category. Eugene and Eimear Ryan of Ballycarroll, Portlaoise won the Seed Barley award. The Millers were recognised for exceptional attention to detail, strong technical standards and consistent delivery of premium-quality gluten-free oats, which secured the top honour and the Food Grade Oats category award. Tirlan say the awards recognise the very best of Tirlans grain suppliers and celebrate excellence across barley, wheat, oats, beans and oilseed rape. Twelve category winners were recognised for producing crops of outstanding quality in 2025. MORE BELOW PHOTO. Pictured at the awards ceremony in Castlemartyr Resort are (L-R) Tirlan Head of Grains, Michael Ryan, Tirlan Grains Quality Operations Manager, Mariea OToole, Tirlan Chairperson John Murphy, Award-winning growers Bobby & Denise Miller from Rathmore, Stradbally, Co. Laois and Tirlan CEO Sean Molloy. Picture: Finbarr O'Rourke Tirlan Chairperson John Murphy said the Awards provide an important opportunity to highlight the great work of growers who supply the cooperative with highquality native grains. It is always a pleasure to recognise the growers who are delivering excellent quality year after year. The winners announced today reflect the high standards that exist right across our grower base. Our growers delivered outstanding crops and demonstrated remarkable professionalism throughout a highly concentrated harvest window. "As Irelands largest buyer of native grains, Tirlan remains fully committed to supporting farm families and maximising the value of Irish-grown crops, he said. Tirlans Head of Grains, Michael Ryan, said the Coop continues to focus on innovation in the marketplace. MORE BELOW PHOTO. Pictured (L-R) are: Tirlan board member Tom Phelan, Head of Regional Sales, Patrick Dempsey, Winner of the Seed Barley category, Eimear & Eugene Ryan from Ballycarroll, Portlaoise, and Tirlan Agronomist Andrew ODonnell. Picture: Finbarr O'Rourke Innovation remains central to how we develop and expand our ingredients portfolio, our ongoing investment in facilities and R&D allows us to broaden our premium grains offering and support customers across a wide range of applications. Tirlans specialty oat ingredients are now used in beverages, confectionery, ice cream and other products, supported by the strong traceability and cleanlabel attributes that Irish grains can deliver. "Our strategy remains focused on expanding market opportunities and building value from Irish grain, ensuring we can continue offering competitive and sustainable premium crop options into the future, he said. Guest speaker Paul McGillicuddy, CEO of the Malting Company of Ireland, highlighted the role of the tillage sector in supporting Irish brewing and distilling. READ ALSO: Government 'can't bully the people of rural Ireland' IFA leader ramps up pressure in Laois on TDs over Bord Bia It is a privilege to join Tirlan today in recognising the excellence of Irelands tillage sector. Irish malting barley - grown to the highest standards by farmers like those honoured at the awards - is the backbone of our world-class brewing and distilling industries. "Whilst there may be some challenges around inventory levels in the distilling industry in particular, MCIs focus remains firmly on long term growth opportunities in distilling, brewing and alternative uses for Malting Grains. "Demand for premium Irish whiskey and Irish-crafted beers continues to grow globally, and with that comes a significant opportunity for our native grain sector," he said. "Congratulations to this years winners - your workmanship, innovation and commitment to quality play a direct role in the success of Irelands drinks industry on the world stage, she said. Champion growers Bobby & Denise Miller who won the coveted Tirlan Grain Grower of the Year title at the Tirlan Quality Grain Awards 2025 and have been singled out for their exceptional attention to detail in producing top quality grains on their family farm. Pictured at the awards ceremony in Castlemartyr Resort on Tuesday, February 10th, 2026 are (L-R) Tirlan Head of Grains, Michael Ryan, Tirlan Grains Quality Operations Manager, Mariea OToole, Tirlan Chairperson John Murphy, Award-winning growers Bobby & Denise Miller from Rathmore, Stradbally, Co. Laois and Tirlan CEO Sean Molloy. Picture; Finbarr O'Rourke NO REPRO FEE A woman who was allegedly sexually abused by seven of her family members has told a court she is so angry after hearing one of her brothers told gardai he never had sex with her. The woman, who is deaf, signed I am so angry and left the room where she was being cross-examined via videolink at the Central Criminal Court trial, this Tuesday, February 10, 2026. Roderick O'Hanlon SC, defending, was cross-examining the woman in relation to her allegations against his client, her 32-year-old brother. This man, referred to as Accused E, is accused of 16 counts of sexual abuse against his sister over an eight-year period between 2003 and 2011. He has denied nine counts of anal rape and seven counts of raping her. Mr O'Hanlon put it to the woman that when her brother was interviewed by gardai in relation to the allegations against him, he at first said he had no recollection of the allegations. He's in trouble, the woman replied. Mr O'Hanlon put it to the woman that her brother was then able to tell gardai he never had sex with (her) on any occasion, at any time. I am so angry, the woman replied, before standing up and leaving the videolink room. Seven men, aged between 32 and 55, are on trial in the Central Criminal Court in relation to a combined total of 103 charges against them of which 98 counts pertain to the main complainant. They are her four younger brothers and three uncles. They are accused of sexually abusing her at various stages over a 17-year period between 1996 and 2013 and deny any wrongdoing. None of the parties involved can be named for legal reasons. The woman is giving evidence via video-link and through two interpreters an Irish Sign Language (ISL) interpreter and a deaf relay as well as an intermediary who is a linguistics expert. There are also two interpreter monitoring teams present in court to ensure the woman is being interpreted correctly. Charts and symbols are also being used to assist the woman to communicate, with the court hearing she has challenges communicating timelines in terms of calendars and sequence. When the trial resumed after a short break, Mr O'Hanlon put to the woman that it was unlikely that Accused E, then aged nine, would have travelled to the family home to commit the offences against her. The court has heard evidence that Accused E was living with other family members during part of the period when he is alleged to have sexually abused her. It's (his) fault, the complainant said. The intermediary told the court that she did not believe the complainant fully understood the question and a break was taken to work through the questions. After the break, Mr O'Hanlon again submitted to the woman that her brother would not have committed offences against her when he wasn't living in the same home and when the home was full of family members and would not have been empty as the woman has asserted. The woman told the jury her brother was telling lies and she was telling the truth. The trial continues before Ms Justice Biggs and an extended jury panel of 14 jurors. Read previous report on the trial here. < Charges > Accused A the woman's 55-year-old uncle - is accused of a single count of raping her on a date between December 2009 and April 2011. He has denied the charge. Read next: US man strangled father to death in Ballyfin hotel in Laois, trial hears Accused B (48) another uncle - is accused of eight counts comprising rape, oral rape and anal rape of the complainant on dates between December 2008 and December 2010. He has denied the charges. Another three of her younger brothers are also accused of sexually abusing her over varying periods of time. Accused C (34) is accused of 45 counts 22 of rape and 23 counts of anally raping her over a 12- year period between 2001 and 2013. Accused D (33) is accused of 22 counts of sexually abusing his sister over an 11-year period on dates between 2002 and 2013. He has pleaded not guilty to 19 charges of rape and three counts of anal rape. Another brother, Accused F (also 32), has denied five counts three counts of anal rape and two counts of raping his sister on dates between 2007 and 2010. A third uncle, Accused G (45), has denied a single count of raping her on a date between 1996 and 1997. Read next: Laois TD calls on Taoiseach to consider domestic abuse refuge Accused C is further charged with the sexual abuse of two of his younger sisters. He is charged with one count of sexual assault in relation to one sister, Complainant 2, on a date between 2005 and 2006 when she was a child. He is also charged with two counts of rape and one of anal rape of this woman on dates between 2016 and 2019. He is also charged with one count of anally raping a third sister, Complainant 3, on dates between 2013 and 2014. The second day of murder trial of New York man Henry McGowan has heard evidence from the Laois Garda Detective who questioned the American after he was arrested after killing his father in Ballyfin Demense. Mr McGowan (31), with an address at Clinton Street, Brooklyn, New York in the United States has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity to the murder of John McGowan (66) at Ballyfin Demesne, Ballyfin, on November 12, 2024. Giving evidence on February 10, Detective Inspector Diarmaid Lawlor, of Portlaoise Garda Station, told Brendan Grehan SC, prosecuting, that John McGowan was a successful businessman who worked on the New York Stock Exchange. He said his son Henry McGowan graduated from the University of Virginia and worked for a technology firm. The accused was diagnosed with bipolar disorder in 2022 and has no previous convictions, said the witness. When the accused presented himself at the Mater Hospital on November 12, the garda said he described himself as having interconnected thoughts two weeks before this. The witness said the accused told doctors he was talking to God and that God was telling him what to do. He said the defendant was on and off his antipsychotic medication. The accused's father told doctors in the hospital that his son had been hypo-manic for six months and that he had come to Ireland as he was concerned Henry was manic. Mr Grehan called this a "mission of mercy" to look after his son, which the detective agreed with. The witness said the accused had two prior admissions to psychiatric units in New York, where he was diagnosed with bipolar affective disorder. He said the accused admitted to doctors in hospital that he had a historic diagnosis of cannabis use and a family history of bipolar affective disorder. Det Insp Lawlor said doctors didn't feel the accused met the threshold for admission into a psychiatric unit at the time. When asked in an interview what had happened, the accused told gardai he killed "who he thought was not his father, hit his head against a wall and strangled him". CCTV footage was shown to the jury, in which John McGowan can be seen hugging his son upon his arrival at the Mater Hospital at 11.56 am on November 12. In his interviews with gardai following his arrest, the accused said he was in direct communication with God, who was telling him what to do, adding that his "impulse" took over in the bathroom of the pool area. He said he felt like he had to claim his life back from his father. The defendant told officers that his father had started yelling at him like a child because he was naked. "He got super angry, the deal was to have dinner and take the medication after. I had a sense of tranquillity after in the pool". The accused added: "He said I had to take my medication, to me it felt like he was forcing me, I didn't follow the plan". READ ALSO: US man strangled father at Ballyfin Demense hotel in Laois The accused said his father's anger made him "super angry" and then he killed him. "I attacked him as I handed him the medication," he said. The defendant said he washed his hands after the incident, closed the bathroom door and jumped back into the pool. The defendant went on to say he had grabbed his father by the chest, shoved him really hard and the deceased had hit his head on the hinge of a door. READ ALSO: Court hears plea from American over father's murder in Laois at Ballyfin Demense "I strangled him on the floor of the bathroom with my bare hands. He was on the floor and I was on top of him," he said. Later in another interview, the accused told gardai he was pulling his medication out of the pocket of his trousers when his father entered the changing room. "I handed him the medication at which point I began to take him down". The accused said he had to "finish the job", make sure his father was dead and that he felt he needed to die. The trial continues tomorrow before Mr Justice Paul McDermott and a jury of six men and six women. The son of a wealthy Irish-American family described experiencing impulsive behaviour such as buying a "conspicuous pink coat" in Harrods and renting a Lamborghini in Paris in the lead-up to strangling his 66-year-old father at a five-star Laois resort, the Central Criminal Court has heard. The trial heard today that murder accused Henry McGowan said he had earned 4.5 million dollars from his last job, with his money now placed in a trust. The jury heard that Henry's father John, a Wall Street trader, had previously travelled to Europe to help his son after he was involuntarily detained in a psychiatric hospital for attempting to seize an infant in a bassinet on a flight into Paris. Consultant forensic psychiatrist Dr Stephen Monks, called to give evidence by the defence, also told the trial that the accused was experiencing a relapse of schizoaffective disorder when he strangled his father and did not at the time know the nature or quality of the act, did not know what he was doing was wrong and couldn't refrain from committing the act. The expert witness found that Mr McGowan was suffering from an acute psychotic episode and meets the criteria for a special verdict of not guilty by reason of insanity under the Criminal Law Insanity Act 2026. Mr McGowan (31), with an address at Clinton Street, Brooklyn, New York in the United States has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity to the murder of John McGowan (66) at Ballyfin Demesne, Ballyfin, Portlaoise, on November 12, 2024. The trial has heard that John McGowan travelled to Ireland from the US on a "mission of mercy" to look after his son after phone communication with Henry caused "considerable concern for his welfare". The jury has heard that the accused described "in detail" how he strangled his father with his bare hands in a changing area off the pool, putting a "full fist into his throat", just over an hour after arriving at Ballyfin Demesne. In his evidence, Dr Monks told Michael Bowman SC with Olan Callanan BL, defending, that he met with the accused on November 29, 2024 and July 4, 2025. He said Henry McGowan was the youngest of five children and came from a family of Irish origin. Dr Monks said the accused's mother was a curator in an art gallery and his father was a successful Wall Street trader. Henry McGowan described his father as "a gambler of sorts", related to the Wall Street trade. The witness said the accused told him he had smoked a lot of weed in high school during his mid teens but stopped "smoking joints" by the age of 20. He also said the defendant cut down on his consumption of alcohol when he was diagnosed with bipolar disorder in 2022 at 27 years old. Dr Monks said the accused's first contact with psychiatric experts was in 2018, when he experienced depression but got no formal diagnosis. The witness said Henry McGowan fell under the care of psychiatric professionals with an involuntary admission at The Mount Sinai Hospital in New York in January 2022, when he had his first "manic episode" where psychosis was observed along with depression with suicidal ideation. The witness said the accused's sister described her brother as having a prominent elevated mood at the time and that he was sending long euphoric text messages in the early hours of the morning. Dr Monks stated that the accused expressed a belief to his sister upon discharge from Mount Sinai that his father was not his real father and that two of his siblings had "evil" in their eyes. "The beliefs about his father when the accused was unwell dated right back to his first admission," said the witness. Dr Monks said the defendant was treated with Olanzapine and Lithium to stabilise his mood. His mental state was improved and insight restored by the time of discharge in February 2022. In March 2022, the accused was involuntarily detained as part of a psychiatric admission for four weeks at Sainte-Anne's hospital in Paris after suffering persistent paranoid delusions on a flight from the US. In the days after his admission, the accused's father and his sister travelled to Paris to assist the defendant as best they could with his return. The witness said antipsychotic treatment was introduced but took a number of weeks to work before the delusional beliefs responded. When the accused returned to New York, he went to hospital and was diagnosed with bipolar affective disorder. Dr Monks said there is a lot of overlap between schizoaffective disorder and bipolar affective disorder and it is difficult to establish at first which one of these diagnostic labels is most appropriate. Dr Monks said the accused's mother and sister communicated with Henry's psychiatrist Dr Alex Felix in February 2023, who the accused met on a weekly basis during that time, as they had concerns about his elevated mood. The witness said the defendant's sister reported the first indication of her brother's relapse in August 2024 when he asked her for $60,000. In October 2024, the accused's mother accompanied her son to Italy as part of his trip to Europe and found him very manic. Over the next few weeks, the accused started sending text messages back home which became increasingly concerning, indicating he was unwell, said the witness. On November 8, 2024 - within three days of the incident - the accused's mother had contacted Dr Felix to voice concerns when her son sounded euphoric after meeting a woman in Amsterdam during his trip. The witness said it was recommended by Dr Felix for the accused to take Olanzapine to prevent any emerging symptoms "as a preventative measure". Dr Monks said in early November 2024 the accused went to Paris, where the accused said every interaction felt like a communication from God and that he believed he was on a mission to free the world from evil. At the same time, the accused's family were trying to formulate a plan to get him to return to the US. The defendant's sister told the witness there was no history of violence between Henry and her father and their relationship was always close. Dr Monks said in his interviews with the patient, he described persecutory delusions leading up to November 12 and impulsive behaviour such as buying a conspicuous pink coat in Harrods and renting a Lamborghini in Paris. The accused told the witness that he had feelings of his father not being his real father on November 12 and described delusional ideas where his father was an imposter. The defendant said: "I thought it like I was ordained by God to kill my father, like he was a source of evil". The witness said the accused was admitted to the Central Mental Hospital (CMH) on December 10, 2024. He said the accused has been prescribed long-acting antipsychotic medication. In conclusion, Dr Monks said the accused has a chronic psychotic illness; schizoaffective disorder, which is a mental disorder where an individual experiences symptoms of schizophrenia such as hallucinations and delusions, concurrent with symptoms of mania and depression. He said the accused first presented with psychosis in 2022, at which time he had a manic mood disturbance and delusions and although he was originally diagnosed with bipolar disorder, the longitudinal course of his illness is more suited with a diagnosis of schizoaffective disorder. Dr Monks said schizoaffective disorder requires antipsychotic treatment to prevent a relapse. He said a feature of the accused's clinical presentation has been the rapid onset of symptoms and the ability to mask psychotic symptoms to professionals and others. The witness said that in 2022 and again on November 12, 2024 Henry held "very similarly-themed" delusional beliefs including that his father has been replaced by an identical-looking impostor and that the accused had a special identity and mission to rid the world of evil. He said the accused's mental health deteriorated further when he travelled to Europe and that John McGowan became incorporated into his son's psychotic world at Ballyfin Demesne. He said the accused was in a profoundly psychotic mental state and believed his father was part of the conspiracy, that the deceased had been replaced by an evil imposter and that the defendant was ordained by God to kill the imposter. In cross-examination, Brendan Grehan SC, prosecuting, put it to Dr Monks that had the diagnosis of schizoaffective disorder been made earlier, the accused would have been on a more enhanced drug treatment which might have prevented his relapse. The witness replied: "Perhaps, but we have the benefit of hindsight." The witness also agreed he was advised by the accused that he had earned 4.5 million dollars from his last job, which he quit in October 2024. "Yes, he told me he is independently wealthy from his family," said Dr Monks, adding that it was organised for the accused's money to be put into a trust which his brother would control. The trial has heard that the accused presented himself at the Mater Hospital early on the morning of November 12 seeking help. Mr Grehan said nobody in the Mater was made aware of the serious episode which occurred on a flight to Paris in March 2022 and caused the accused to be retained in a Paris institution for a month. Counsel said the accused had made several attempts to seize an infant in a bassinet on the flight and had approached the parents on two occasions insisting on taking the child so that everyone could be cleared from evil. Dr Monks agreed the accused was not a violent person, didn't have a temper, got on well with his father and that "no one could have foreseen what happened" in Co Laois that night. Earlier in cross-examination, Detective Inspector Diarmaid Lawlor agreed with Mr Bowman that the McGowan family had become "gravely concerned" for Henry's mental health on November 11, 2024 and efforts were made to reach many points of contact including the police in the UK, An Garda Siochana in Ireland, as well as Ballyfin Demesne. The detective said Henry McGowan travelled to London on the day before the incident on November 11, where he met a friend for a drink. The friend had very considerable concerns for the accused's mental health and communicated this with the McGowan family. Mr Bowman said the accused was known to be bipolar and his family had a concern he was not taking his medication, which would affect his mood and presentation. The witness agreed that John McGowan had got on a plane "as a sort of mercy mission" to get his son home to the US quickly. The accused was overheard in the Mater Hospital saying he had ruined his life and John McGowan had replied: "Don't be saying that, you're a young man, you have a life in front of you, everything can be fixed". Counsel said gardai had used their best endeavours within the environs of Dublin airport to search for the accused - who was wearing a "distinctive" pink fur overcoat he had purchased in Harrods and was "hard to miss" - but Henry McGowan had discarded this. In re-examination, Mr Grehan put it to the witness that as far as gardai at Dublin airport had received a notification from the police in London, it would appear by the time "whatever was received" could be actioned, the accused had already left the terminal. "There was some time lag," replied the witness. Mr Grehan said "as far as gardai can do something for a person where there is concern about them, they conduct a welfare check that this person may be vulnerable". Counsel put it to the witness that gardai have the powers to detain someone if they consider them a danger to themselves or anyone else, but that this is "a grave step and has to be based on something very strong". "Yes, it's a big step," said the detective. Mr Grehan said the welfare check was "stood down" when the accused presented himself at the Mater Hospital on November 12, 2024. The detective agreed that the accused did not meet the threshold for admission to a psychiatric unit after attending the Mater hospital for six hours, which involved him being assessed by professionals and provided with medication. Mr Grehan said the plan was for father and son to return to the US on November 13, as the accused had discarded his passport and an emergency document had to be organised. The detective confirmed that, from the garda investigation point of view, there was no indication of the accused having made a threat to himself or anyone else. The trial continues tomorrow before Mr Justice Paul McDermott and a jury of six men and six women. Portarlington is gearing up for a special annual tractor run that will make "a humungous difference" to some local children in need of particular support. The Laois Offaly town is home to a brilliant charity tractor run every spring, organised by Portarlington Lions Club. On Sunday March 1, it will take off again, from the Railway Bar near the train station, with a big incentive to take part this year. The charity run is in aid of psychological and educational assessments for kids in local schools whose families are unable to afford them. Six schools will be in the hat to win 2,500 to pay for assessments for the children that they know best need the support. That sum has already been guaranteed by Port Lions Club, so anything extra that is raised on the day will go towards a second school. The schools are St Patrick's Boys NS, Presentation Primary School Portarlington, Naomh Eoin in Killenard, Sandy Lane NS, Rath NS and Cloneyhurke NS. Club Secretary Fiona Somers told the Leinster Express / Laois Live about it. "Before Christmas we were visiting local schools to see if they could identify any families in need of hampers. Teachers were telling us that schools depend on the number of pupils to qualify for assessments, so rural schools may not hit the numbers. "The school drawn can break up the 2,500, for example600 for an assessment for occupational therapy, dyslexia or dyspraxia. Some children can time out in primary school waiting, and lose out on help in secondary school. "We are hoping for a big attendance. The more people there, the more chance we can draw two schools. They don't have to drive a tractor, I really don't care, once they pay the 20 it can be a car or motorbike. They will be supporting local children," she said. Spectators can dig deep too, as the club will hold a big raffle and an an auction that evening in the Railway Bar, with raffle tickets on sale at the event. The tractors and vehicles are invited to gather from 10.30am on Sunday morning, March 1, for a departure of 12 noon. This year Portarlington Lions are adding a new treat, a children's toy tractor run, in the Irish Rail train station carpark, with prizes for every child that takes part. It will be held before the grownup tractors head out. Read next: Rural Laois kids can't access local school due to town spillovers claims councillor Refreshments will be complimentary afterwards in the Railway Bar, which has kindly hosted the event for some years. Donations are also being taken for raffle and auction items, contact Gerry 086 3584611 or Club President Therese Doody on 086 847 1994. A driver had a bottle of whiskey in the passenger seat of his car when he was stopped for not having tax on the motorway in Laois. Gabor Rozsa (46) of Apartment 5, Kildare House, Claregate Street, Kildare, admitted drink driving on the M7 east bound at Ballyadding, Ballybrittas, on October 15, 2025. Garda Sergeant JJ Kirby thanked the defendant for the guilty plea. He said the incident occurred when a Garda conducting speeding checks detected a 12 KE registered car with out of date tax and pulled the car over. He observed a near empty bottle of whiskey on the passenger seat, said Sgt Kirby. He said the defendant, who had no previous convictions and was cooperative, provided a sample of 51mgs per 100mls of breath. Solicitor Josephine Fitzpatrick explained that the mans mother had been hospitalised in Hungary and he was unable to go and visit her. She said he had sought solace where he shouldnt have. Ms Fitzpatrick said the man works as a general operative in an asbestos management company. She asked that any disqualification be postponed to allow him get his affairs in order. Judge Susan Fay fined the man 350 and disqualified him from driving for two years. She postponed the disqualification until August 1, 2026. Parts of Naas town centre have been described as a ghetto because of cheap, low quality signs on some business premises. The claim was made by Independent Ireland councillor Bill Clear, who said the signs are "coming in from China and can be seen in many towns. READ NEXT Patients leaving Kildare's main hospital have to stand in the rain He added: They dont care about what an Irish shop should look like. They (the shop proprietors) wont work with us, they shrug their shoulders (when asked about it), theyre an absolute disgrace. He told a Naas Municipal District meeting that other businesses in that area of South Main street - like Anderson Jewellers, 33 South Main and Foxes shop in thesame area of Naas are excellent examples of what shopfronts should look like in Naas. If you let the county town go, youll lose it and never get it back, he said, urging Kildare County Council to take court action. He added: Bring one of them to court, it'll put manners on all of them. He asked Kildare County Council to "examine the significant unauthorised signage in the area of South Main Street, Naas with a view to enforcing the planning acts and signage policy of KCC. However, KCC said it doesnt have the resources required to conduct a full physical survey of all premises on the street to assess compliance with the regulations. All complaints must come in writing and will be investigated. This could lead to the issuing of warning letters and enforcement notices. The meeting was told that once a complaint is received a file is opened - but there are only three enforcement officers and 600 cases. The meeting heard that KCC does not have the resources to look at the street. The countrys top tillage farmers were celebrated on Tuesday, February 10 as the winners of the Tirlan Quality Grain Awards 2025 were announced at events in Co. Corks Castlemartyr Resort and Midleton Distillery Experience. Two Kildare farms were recognised at the ceremony, with the Rosnolvan Farm Partnership of Belan, Moone winning the Premium Spring Barley award, and Gary Pearson of Hillfield Farm, Rathangan winning the Dried Feed Grain category. Rosnolvan Farm Partnership is operated by Roy and Frieda Coyle, their son Robert, and his wife Nancy. The 250 acre tillage farm near Moone sows a substantial proportion of winter crops, with spring barley and forage maize the main spring sown crops. Gary Pearson runs a tillage enterprise near Rathangan, aiming to sow as much area as possible in autumn to winter oilseed rape, wheat, barley and oats. Bobby Miller, a grower from Rathmore, Stradbally, Co. Laois, was crowned Tirlan Grain Grower of the Year 2025. His exceptional attention to detail, strong technical standards and consistent delivery of premium-quality gluten free oats secured him both the top honour and the Food Grade Oats category award. The awards recognise the very best of Tirlans grain suppliers and celebrate excellence across barley, wheat, oats, beans and oilseed rape. Twelve category winners were recognised for producing crops of outstanding quality in 2025. READ NEXT: Installation of CCTV suggested to address litter blackspots in North Kildare Tirlan Chairperson John Murphy said the Awards provide an important opportunity to highlight the great work of growers who supply the cooperative with high quality native grains. It is always a pleasure to recognise the growers who are delivering excellent quality year after year. The winners announced today reflect the high standards that exist right across our grower base. Our growers delivered outstanding crops and demonstrated remarkable professionalism throughout a highly concentrated harvest window. As Irelands largest buyer of native grains, Tirlan remains fully committed to supporting farm families and maximising the value of Irish-grown crops. Innovation in the Marketplace Tirlans Head of Grains, Michael Ryan, said the Co op continues to focus on innovation in the marketplace. Innovation remains central to how we develop and expand our ingredients portfolio, our ongoing investment in facilities and R&D allows us to broaden our premium grains offering and support customers across a wide range of applications. Tirlans specialty oat ingredients are now used in beverages, confectionery, ice cream and other products, supported by the strong traceability and clean label attributes that Irish grains can deliver. Our strategy remains focused on expanding market opportunities and building value from Irish grain, ensuring we can continue offering competitive and sustainable premium crop options into the future. Strengthening the link between growers and Irelands drinks industry Guest speaker Paul McGillicuddy, CEO of the Malting Company of Ireland, addressed the awards, highlighting the vital role of the tillage sector in supporting Irish brewing and distilling. It is a privilege to join Tirlan today in recognising the excellence of Irelands tillage sector. Irish malting barley - grown to the highest standards by farmers like those honoured at the awards - is the backbone of our world-class brewing and distilling industries. Whilst there may be some challenges around inventory levels in the distilling industry in particular, MCIs focus remains firmly on long term growth opportunities in distilling, brewing and alternative uses for Malting Grains. Demand for premium Irish whiskey and Irish-crafted beers continues to grow globally, and with that comes a significant opportunity for our native grain sector. Congratulations to this years winners - your workmanship, innovation and commitment to quality play a direct role in the success of Irelands drinks industry on the world stage. A Kildare TD has appealed directly to the Taoiseach to intervene in the work-to-rule dispute at Naas General Hospital. Speaking in the Dail on Wednesday afternoon, Aidan Farrelly, Social Democrats, outlined to Taoiseach Micheal Martin that on Monday, nurses began a work to rule in Naas General Hospital over what they say are unacceptable and unsafe staffing deficits. These include a failure to comply with a safe staffing frameworks, a failure to increase staffing to meet a 25% increase in the A&E attendance, but also maternity leave posts that are not being filled. Taoiseach, I'm asking you, will you and the Minister for Health reach out to the HSE please to come to the table on this meaningfully, to bring this to a resolution? The Taoiseach replied that there are established industrial relations machinery to deal with disputes, be they local disputes in particular hospitals or nationally. And I would encourage all involved to refer this to the industrial relations process so that the issues can be addressed. Deputy Farrelly said he was glad the Taoiseach had called on both sides to engage in the industrial relations process. Any effort and engagement to bring about a fast resolution of this dispute is to be welcomed. In particular the HSE will need to meaningfully acknowledge the concerns of the hardworking nursing staff at the hospital and try to make up the shortfall in staff for the sake of those who work there and also those who visit the hospital for treatment, Deputy Farrelly said. Naas General Hospital serves a very fast growing population, as reflected in the 25% increase in the A&E attendance and, as is the case with all other public services in Kildare, its staffing levels and facilities must be significantly enhanced to meet that challenge. READ NEXT: Kildare growers scoop Tirlan Grain Awards Leitrim businesses are being encouraged to engage with the National Enterprise Hub in 2026 as they plan for the year ahead to help them to navigate ongoing economic pressures, skills challenges and increasing requirements around sustainability and digital transformation. With more than 2,000 businesses operating in Leitrim, across a range of sectors, businesses in the region are facing continued pressure around costs, skills and competitiveness in 2026. The National Enterprise Hub offers a single, practical route to identifying the Government supports available to help address these challenges. Operated by Enterprise Ireland and funded by the Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment, the National Enterprise Hub provides a single point of access to more than 250 Government supports delivered by over 30 Departments and State Agencies. Available online at www.neh.gov.ie, as well as through phone and live chat support, the Hub connects businesses directly with trained advisors who help identify the most relevant grants, funding options, loans and expert supports based on a companys size, sector and stage of development. READ MORE: 'Better than nothing' says Leitrim councillor after 'use it or lose it' ultimatum on ash dieback compensation As Leitrim businesses plan for the year ahead, the Hub continues to play a key role in helping SMEs identify and access grants, funding, loans, training and expert advice that align with their specific needs, sector and stage of development. The service is particularly relevant to Leitrim-based SMEs, start-ups and growing enterprises across sectors including retail, hospitality, tourism, food and drink, manufacturing and services, as well as businesses planning to invest, expand or improve energy efficiency. Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Peter Burke TD, said: the Hub plays a key role in helping businesses make effective use of Government supports: Leitrim is home to a diverse and resilient SME base and the National Enterprise Hub can play an important role in ensuring those businesses can access the supports they need to grow and adapt in 2026." READ MORE: Rents could rise by more than 3,000 a year in Leitrim, a new report has found The National Enterprise Hub works closely with a broad network of enterprise partners including Local Enterprise Offices, IDA Ireland, Failte Ireland, Skillnet Ireland, Solas, Bord Bia, Microfinance Ireland, Revenue, Social Protection, SEAI, InterTradeIreland and the Western Development Commission, among others. Leitrim businesses can engage with the National Enterprise Hub via www.neh.gov.ie or by calling 01 727 2100 to speak directly with an advisor. Sligo/Leitrim Minister Marian Harkin has welcomed the launch a 4 million New Solutions Social Innovation Pilot Grant Scheme. The two-year fund, co-financed by the European Union through the European Social Fund Plus (ESF+) 20212027 programme and the Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht, will support early-stage social innovation projects across Ireland. The scheme aims to fund a minimum of 40 projects, with grants of between 70,000 and 100,000 over a 24-month period. Welcoming the announcement, Minister Harkin said: I am very pleased to welcome the launch of the New Solutions Social Innovation Pilot Grant Scheme. This 4 million investment represents a significant commitment to supporting innovative, community-led responses to some of the most pressing social challenges facing our country. Across Ireland particularly in rural and disadvantaged communities we see organisations and social entrepreneurs with creative ideas that have the potential to deliver real and lasting impact. This scheme will give them the opportunity to test and refine those ideas in practical, real-world settings. READ MORE: 'Better than nothing' says Leitrim councillor after 'use it or lose it' ultimatum on ash dieback compensation By supporting initiatives at an earlier stage of development, we are strengthening the foundations of Irelands social innovation ecosystem and ensuring that promising solutions have the backing they need to grow and succeed. The New Solutions Pilot Grants Scheme forms part of the wider New Solutions Fund, which seeks to enhance Irelands social innovation ecosystem and reduce the risk of poverty and social exclusion, particularly among disadvantaged groups. Successful applicants will not only receive financial support but will also benefit from access to the New Solutions Social Innovation Hubs networks and tailored supports, including mentoring, training and peer learning opportunities. The scheme will be managed by the New Solutions Social Innovation Hub, which plays a central role in fostering innovation and collaboration across the sector." Minister Harkin added: The combination of funding, mentoring and peer support is critical. Innovation does not happen in isolation it thrives in a strong, connected ecosystem. She concluded by encouraging eligible organisations and social innovators to consider applying and to seize the opportunity to contribute to a more inclusive and resilient Ireland." A LIMERICK businessman has been accused of making more than 150 planning complaints against fast food giant Supermacs. The claim was made by a lawyer representing the company which is being prosecuted by Limerick City and County Council over signage at the well-known Funworld premises in Limerick city. Read next: Limerick homeowners to benefit from pyrite remediation scheme The court proceedings are the culmination of a long-running dispute arising from the installation of an illuminated 3D sign at the premises on the Ennis Road, close to TUS Gaelic Grounds. At Limerick District Court, Judge Peter White was told the prosecution relates to one of three signs on the front facade of the premises. Giving evidence, executive engineer Sean McGrath said he first inspected the premises on October 4, 2022 - a number of weeks after a complaint was received in relation to all three signs. He said a warning letter was subsequently issued in November 2022 advising Supermacs of a possible breach of planning regulations. Mr McGrath said during a follow-up inspection on March 6, 2023, he noticed the Funworld sign over the main entrance had been removed and replaced with a 3D sign which was also illuminated. He told solicitor Will Leahy, representing the local authority, the premises has planning permission - dating back to 1994 - for plain signage but that the new sign is not in compliance with the Limerick Development Plan. Cross-examining the witness, barrister James Charity suggested the original warning letter was ambiguous asking: With this letter, how would I know which sign? Mr Charity noted there is other signage at the front of the premises, at least two of which belong to a tenant of Supermacs - The Hungry Lyons. He then asked how the letter distinguished those signs from the three which were the subject of the complaint. Mr McGrath replied that the letter was addressed to Supermacs. The barrister put it to the witness that businessman John Lyons who owns and operates the Hungry Lyons restaurant had made the complaint along with 150 more across the country. At this point Mr Leahy interjected saying all complaints received by the local authority are confidential. Mr Charity then criticised the enforcement notice, which was issued by the council in April 2023. He said it was vague and did not contain any specific information or particulars. How is anyone meant to comply with that enforcement notice when its so vague? Responding to the submission, Mr Leahy told Judge White that after the court summons was issued, submissions were made (to the council) on behalf of Supermacs. Mr Leahy confirmed that arising from those submissions the council decided to discontinue the proceedings relating to two of the three signs, under the seven-year-rule. Supermacs acknowledged the signs referred to, so they knew which sign (was unauthorised), he said, arguing that nullifies Mr Charitys point. However, the barrister said he was not aware of and had not seen the correspondence referred to and that Mr Leahys submission was gravely prejudicial. As the exchanges continued, Judge White noted the council had not formally closed its case adding that he was anxious to move the case forward. He commented that a directive to remove all unauthorised signage may not be vague in certain circumstances and that he would expect a commercial entity, such as Supermacs to engage with the planning authority. The case was adjourned for further submissions. UNIVERSITY of Limerick is to make a multi-million-euro investment in research talent as part of a global recruitment campaign. The institution has launched UL Changemakers. It's an internationally focused recruitment campaign designed to attract researchers. READ MORE: Former London bus driver hailed hero may get top Limerick civic honour The investment in talent is targeted at recruiting excellent academics from around the world who are seeking opportunities to advance their careers in a vibrant, inclusive, and high-performing research environment. Some 35 academic posts are opening across the organisation. These are in areas such as social justice, democratic resilience, artificial intelligence, plus pharmaceutical science and bioprocessing. A number of other posts are also available in the Kemmy Business School. UL Changemakers aims to strengthen the Universitys research performance. Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, James Lawless said: "I am very encouraged to see University of Limerick stepping forward with an initiative such as this. The move to launch UL Changemakers is most welcome, and aligns perfectly with the approach that I and my Department have been taking to make Ireland a welcoming and desirable location for top international researchers. "The importance of a programme such as this will be felt for a long time to come, as it will underpin and support a number of the disciplines that will be vital to the future development of our economy and our society. I look forward to seeing the impact that this programme can make." Launching the campaign, acting president Prof Shane Kilcommins said: UL Changemakers represents a bold and necessary investment in the power of research to shape a better future. At UL, we believe that world class scholarship does more than advance knowledge, it informs policy, strengthens communities, and delivers meaningful benefits to society. By attracting exceptional researchers from across the globe, we are deepening our capacity to address humanitys greatest challenges and expanding the intellectual horizons that drive discovery." This initiative signals our commitment to a research culture that is ambitious, inclusive, and internationally competitive. Prof Kevin Ryan, Vice President Research and Innovation said: We are seeking researchers who not only excel in their disciplines, but who are eager to challenge conventions, push boundaries, inspire innovation and deliver research that makes a real difference in society. We are looking for changemakers. Our research performance will become a defining factor of UL in the future, and we must ensure the supports are in place to enable our excellent research talent to flourish, to inspire innovation and to drive sustainable economic growth in Ireland. As we transition into a research-intensive university, research must be front and centre embedded into the UL culture, where we create an immersive research environment to champion excellent research. UL Foundation board member, Dick Meaney added: On behalf of the University Foundation, I am delighted to mark the launch of this ambitious new research project. Supporting initiatives like this is at the heart of the Foundations mission - projects that bring together talented researchers, bold ideas, and the potential for real-world impact. We are committed to helping secure funding to support the establishment of the professorships and PhD scholarships that will sustain this work for years to come. Investment in scholars at every stage of their journey is what truly drives innovation and discovery. Today represents the beginning of an exciting journey. We are proud to stand behind the vision, energy, and excellence that this project embodies and look forward to attracting new partners and making a meaningful contribution within the University and far beyond. All information is available on www.ul.ie/changemakers. GREEN spaces across the city are being assessed to see what future projects could be planned. An expert group has been set up, which is co-chaired by the Mayor of Limerick John Moran and Councillor Sean Hartigan. READ ALSO: Prepare to enjoy a planetary parade in Limerick this February It also includes members from Limerick City and County Council, Teagasc, Coillte, the OPW, Limerick City Partnership and National Parks and Wildlife Services. The group will be looking at how to connect transformational spaces to each other to create a chain of amenities. The aim of the group is to focus on liveability, create more liveable spaces and make Limerick an attractive place for people to stay in and live. The expert group has now met five times since it was first set up in early 2025. Some of the projects they looked at in the metropolitan area included the Northside Riverside Park, public realm on King's Island, Colbert Park and Garryowen Green. The expert group will develop a programme of work, map existing green spaces and heritage facilities, identify gaps and improve facilities in public parks. Councillor Sean Hartigan is co-chair of the expert group and he said that the focus is on sustainability, biodiversity and improving parks. He said: I'm proud to see this group already bringing forward ambitious, nature-led solutions that will enhance people's quality of life across Limerick. We want to protect our heritage, our waterways and our green spaces. He said that the plans will offer support to both physical and mental wellbeing. Our task as a group is simple - to create a plan that improves our open spaces to serve both our people and our planet for generations to come. Mayor John Moran added: We are continuing to reimagine Limerick's future and, naturally, enhancing our public spaces and heritage assets will be a huge part of that. I've asked the group to think boldly and strategically not just about what we need now, but what Limerick will need for generations to come. We are continuing to build a more livable Limerick for all. The group plans on agreeing on a programme of works for enhancing green spaces and heritage assets and this will be updated annually. The group will focus on different areas of Limerick at each meeting this year. LIMERICK TD and Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport Patrick ODonovan has said he lived for years with violent epileptic seizures while being repeatedly told there was nothing wrong with him, fearing that a public diagnosis would end his political career. Speaking to Claire Byrne on Newstalk radio to mark International Epilepsy Day, Minister ODonovan gave a detailed account of his experience of epilepsy, from early warning signs that went unrecognised to the impact of the condition on his family life and his decision to speak publicly only after reaching Cabinet. "I want to show people that you can have a neurological condition and have a perfectly normal life in the sense that you can operate. I'm only one of fifteen people in the country that has a seat to sit at the cabinet table... The reason that I didn't speak openly before 2025 about my epilepsy was I was terrified that people wouldn't vote for me and that my prospects of being promoted would have hit the bin," explained Mr O'Donovan. "One of the things I wanted to prove to myself and to others, before I spoke about this publicly, is that I've possibly achieved the highest position that I'm ever likely to achieve in the sense that I'm a member of the government, and it hasn't in any way impeded on me once I manage it." READ MORE: Update on plans for new facility to tackle overcrowding at University Hospital Limerick Despite this, ODonovan said fear of stigma kept him silent for years. He believed disclosure would damage his electoral prospects and block promotion. It was only after becoming Minister for Arts, Culture, Communications and Sport that he felt compelled to explain why he avoided cinemas, theatres and concerts environments that can trigger seizures due to lighting. One of the ongoing side effects of his medication is a pronounced stutter, something he said is deeply embarrassing and unpredictable. He recalled doing recent media interviews while struggling to speak, fearing that pulling out would lead to criticism from the public or opposing parties. Mr O'Donovan stated: "I used to be kind of ashamed of it because, again, no more than probably most of the population in Ireland, I was ignorant of what it is to have a neurological condition and used to view people with a neurological condition as being unfit to hold positions of seniority." ODonovan said his children have witnessed him during seizures and described the toll the condition has taken on his family. "My kids have lived with this. They've seen me on the floor curled up in a ball and not being able to communicate, getting a sedative so that my muscles relax, and that I have to sleep for the following twenty-four hours. They've had to live with it. My wife has had to live with it. My brothers and sisters have had to live with it." Mr ODonovan said his symptoms began over a decade ago, with severe trembling, pins and needles and exhaustion, but were initially dismissed. In the run-up to the 2016 general election, he suffered what he described as a massive seizure and was taken to hospital, where he was told he was simply overtired and sent home. "I was delighted because I was worried that there was something wrong with my heart or that I was having a stroke or something like that," explained the Limerick TD. However, the episodes continued, becoming longer and more violent, leaving him physically exhausted. Despite multiple hospital admissions, Mr O'Donovan was repeatedly told nothing was wrong. "I was being curled up into a ball, and I was having violent seizures that were lasting maybe forty-five minutes longer. I'd be absolutely exhausted after them." It was only after Mr O'Donovan's wife and GP persisted that he was referred to Beaumont Hospital, where neurologist Professor Norman Delanty diagnosed him with epilepsy within minutes of assessment in 2016. Mr ODonovan said he had likely been undiagnosed for years. Following diagnosis, he went through multiple medications, many of which caused severe side effects. His condition worsened again several years later when he collapsed with another major episode, losing his speech and sight before being taken to St James Hospital. Mr O'Donovan later entered the Epilepsy Monitoring Unit at Beaumont Hospital, where doctors confirmed he had deep frontal lobe epilepsy, primarily triggered by tiredness. He said the condition fundamentally altered his life and requires strict discipline around sleep and work. I got disciplined more for the sake of my wife and children than for any job, he said. "My trigger is tiredness and I've also triggers around flashing lights." While he has received overwhelming public support since speaking out, Mr ODonovan said ignorance around disability and leadership still exists. He has stepped back from X, (formerly Twitter) citing the cruelty of online discourse, and now limits his social media presence. "Evacuating X was probably the best thing I ever did because at least people don't have a direct access to slagging you off when you have a disability." Despite ongoing anxiety about fatigue, travel and medication schedules, Mr ODonovan said he has no regrets about going public. If the worst thing I have now is a stutter, he said, its not that bad compared to where I was. ENTERPRISE Minister Peter Burke has been urged to put in place an investment plan for west Limerick after 140 job losses were confirmed at one of the areas biggest employers. Abbeyfeale has been left reeling by the news that car parts manufacturer Kostal will lose 140 of its 500-strong workforce by the end of this year. It comes as the firm outsources the production of on-board chargers to China. READ MORE: Construction begins on 120m housing development in Limerick city Its understood 95 operator jobs and 45 non-operator positions are to be lost in the town on Kerrys border. Talks are to kick off between company bosses and SIPTU representatives with union organiser Eva Mitchell saying she expects any redundancies will initially be on a voluntary basis. Sinn Fein Senator Joanne Collins, who has raised the issue in the Upper House on a number of occasions, said: The Minister for Enterprise needs to step in. He needs to look at putting in proper investment in west Limerick. We need the infrastructure here, and we need to show what we can do for business in west Limerick. She said many of the 340 staff who will remain at Kostals Abbeyfeale factory will likely be walking on eggshells. But it seems like this is the way the world is going. What is the next thing, they are going to move to China? asked Ms Collins. She said she is completely devastated for workers impacted. Everyone around Abbeyfeale and the surrounding area would know Kostal was like what Analog and Dell were like years ago. That you went from secondary school into work with them. Many could be 40 yearsworking there, and they are out of all of a sudden. Theyd not be at retirement age, and theyve probably never had to write a CV in their life, the senator added. Government is going to need to step up and put in place support for these families. It was last year when Kostal announced its plans for on-board charges that job losses in Abbeyfeale were put on the agenda. But SIPTU organiser Eva Mitchell said the scale of the redundancies has sparked deep distress and anger among employees, their families and the wider community. Kostals Irish workforce has given decades of dedicated service to the company. The commitment, skill and professionalism they have shown would seem to count for little in the face of changes driven by global factors beyond their ability to influence, she added. A Kostal spokesperson said the announcement in no way reflects upon the commitment and work ethic of employees at Kostals Abbeyfeale site. Kostal has had a presence in Abbeyfeale since 1981, manufacturing automotive products for the global automotive industry, with on-board charger products being manufactured since 2011. Independent Ireland TD Richard ODonoghue raised the job losses in Dail Eireann as information on them filtered through on Thursday last. The people of Abbeyfeale have now lost 140 jobs to China. Is the writing not on the wall? What will this do for the people in Abbeyfeale? The businesses they support in Abbeyfeale and around communities in Kerry and Limerick? What have you got to say to them this evening, the TD asked Government. Kostals plant in Mallow is not impacted. LIMERICK is not seeing enough infrastructure to meet the growing demands of its population, an engineering industry expert has warned. Tim Murnane, the managing director of city centre firm Punch Consulting Engineers, was speaking ahead of a major free event in the Savoy Hotel next week. He is also the president of the Association of Consulting Engineers (ACEI), whose members will be in Limerick next Tuesday, February 17 from 6.30pm. READ MORE: Construction begins on 120m housing development in Limerick city Mr Murnane has said Limerick has huge potential to lead economic growth outside Dublin and could provide jobs and opportunity to thousands of young families over the next 14 years. The Government wants to see growth in areas like Limerick outpace that of Dublin by two to one. If this is to become reality there needs to be significantly accelerated delivery in this region, he said. ACEI members are in Limerick for the event which will shed light on issues facing the industries, and the projects which, it is hoped will propel Limerick into a new era of infrastructure delivery. Mr Murnane believes that without reform however, progress will be slow. The result is that Irish citizens and communities face longer timeframes for essential housing and transport infrastructure due to drawn-out pre-construction delays, he warned. All are welcome at the event, which will also be addressed by Mayor John Moran. But pre-registration is vital. People interested in attending are being encouraged to register online at www.acei.ie/events/acei-networking-event-limerick/. Or you can also telephone 01-6425588. Velumani insists his entry into entrepreneurship was not born out of a grand design but from constraint. He focused only on thyroid because that was his academic strength. He priced low because he didnt fully know how to cost high. He built franchise channels because chasing payments himself was inefficient. What later looked like strategy was actually survival. All that I did was totally unconventional I didnt have an option, he recalled. "This sort of subsidy is to pull people in to use their product, and then once they have a mass of users, it is when they start trying to see how much they can squeeze," said Isha Suri, an independent researcher and global AI and market power fellow at civil society organization The European AI Society Fund. Bengaluru: Eyewear retailer Lenskart will double down on artificial intelligence (AI) and larger technology investments after seeing its profit after tax surge to 133 crore in the December quarter of FY26, a 237% jump from a year ago. Three core initiativesAI-enabled self-eye-testing, its upcoming Hyderabad plant, and B smart glasseswill form the core of its long-term investments that are expected to pay off over decades. The company had reported a 39 crore profit in the year-ago period. Also Read | Lenskart wants AI to test your eyes At Lenskart, we made this choice years agoto be an AI-first company, Peyush Bansal, chief executive officer, said in the letter to shareholders on Wednesday. We understood that giving vision to a billion people would require technology that learns and improves with every interaction. This quarter, the results make that conviction particularly visible. The Gurugram-based companys third-quarter revenue from operations rose 38% year-on-year to 2,307 crore. Total expenses surged to 2,126 crore from 1,690 crore a year ago, including a one-time cost of 5.3 crore related to its initial public offering. These are non-operational, one-off items that do not reflect the underlying performance of our business. We do not anticipate any similar exceptional items in the coming quarters, the firm said. Lenskart said the December quarter reflected strong momentum in the vision correction category, with growth coming from both higher sales at existing stores and deeper penetration within the same neighbourhoods. Sales at existing stores rose 28%, while revenue from the same pin codes grew 36%, indicating expansion into new catchments alongside stronger demand in established ones. Eyewear units sold increased 31%, driven largely by new customer additions, it said. The company conducted 5.5 million eye tests during the quarter, up 60% from a year ago, with 49% being first-time exams, suggesting it is expanding the market rather than taking share. Remote optometry-based eye exams surged 330%, helping Lenskart scale in tier-2 and smaller cities. Its paid Gold membership programme continued to strengthen repeat purchases. In Q3, 37% of sales came from members acquired prior to the quarter. The company added 0.7 million net Gold members, taking the active base to 8.1 million, and collected 50.5 crore in subscription fees. Average selling prices rose 7% as customers opted for premium products, with Owndays lenses contributing 38% of revenue, according to the company. The firm is increasingly banking on premiumization to drive its next leg of growth and margin expansion. The share of progressive lenses, which typically carry higher margins, continued to rise in its revenue mix during the quarter, signalling a steady shift toward higher-value products, Bansal said. We are seeing improvement in progressive lens share in our revenue mix, which carries higher margins. Our premium Owndays lens brand has grown, and with the introduction of Meller and continued strength of John Jacobs, consumers have more opportunities to buy premium products with higher margins. We are also innovating technologically advanced lenses such as myopia progression lenses; as their share increases, margins will improve, Bansal said in the earnings call on Wednesday. Also Read | The pros and cons of investing in Lenskart We have delivered 550 bps of improvement from FY23 to today, and we see a clear path to continued expansion as these initiatives mature, the company noted. Mumbai: Leading sport utility vehicle (SUV) and tractor maker Mahindra and Mahindra Ltd capped a quarter of solid earnings growth for automotive firms, clocking a consolidated top line of over 50,000 crore for the first time on the back of growth across its businesses. The company reported consolidated revenues of 52,100 crore, a fourth more than the same period last year. Consolidated profit surged by a half year-on-year to 4,675 crore despite a 220 one-time hit due to the implementation of new labour codes. Auto and farm (segments) continue to capitalize on their market leadership, M&Ms group chief executive officer and managing director Anish Shah said during a post-earnings press conference. Also Read | Investor appetite for IPOs may moderate: Mahindra Manulife CEO The consolidated financials of M&M include the performance of not just the companys auto and farm divisions, but also its financial services unit, Mahindra Finance Ltd, and its information technology arm, Tech Mahindra Ltd, along with a long tail of businesses across real estate, hospitality, and logistics. The companys passenger vehicles business, including electric vehicles, reported revenues of 30,370 crore, 30% higher year-on-year. The automotive segment's profit before interest and tax (PBIT) grew by a similar quantum to 2,607 crore. The company sold 179,000 vehicles during the quarter, which was 26% more than last year. Sales were slightly inflated due to spillover from the preceding quarter, when customers delayed purchases in September 2025 to benefit from an expected tax cut on new cars. The farm equipment business, where M&M is the countrys largest tractor maker, reported revenues of 11,501 crore, a fifth more than the same period last year. PBIT, meanwhile, fell by 7% on-year to 1,259 crore. Earlier, its peers, Maruti Suzuki Ltd and Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles Ltd, also reported that GST-cut driven demand helped shore up their domestic revenues by over a quarter compared with last year. Meanwhile, Hyundai Motor India Ltd reported year-on-year revenue growth of less than a tenth. EU, US trade deals an opportunity M&M was unfazed by the recent trade deals that India has signed with the European Union and the US, and earlier with the United Kingdom, Shah said. It was unlikely for a European carmaker to produce vehicles in its home country and export them to India while still pricing them competitively with Indian carmakers like Mahindra, he said. Meanwhile, calling the trade deal an opportunity, he said it opens up the European market for companies like M&M. The company does not currently make most of its popular models in left-hand drive format, but it will do so over the next couple of years to explore sales in Europe, said Rajesh Jejurikar, the executive director and chief executive officer for auto and farm sector at M&M. The trade deal with the US would bring respite to the company as tractor exports to the US are a significant business for it, Jejurikar said. The company has been shipping only the bare minimum quantities required to the US to mitigate the impact of the 50% US tariffs. It also has equipment stored in bonded warehouses in the US, which it will release once the executive order reducing tariffs on India to the new rate of 18% is signed, he said. In India, the companys new models, namely the XUV 7X0 and the XEV 9S, were doing well, Jejurikar said. The companys dealerships are running low on stock due to high demand, with inventories dipping to an average of 15-20 days, down from the norm of 30 days, he said. Overall, the demand outlook right now seems very robust, and we would expect to see high growth rates for the industry as well as for us. I think everyone is going to be constrained by capacity, because the demand right now is probably stronger than supply, Jejurikar said while addressing the media at the companys headquarters in Worli, Mumbai. Several tech executives are leaving California after the Golden State lawmakers pushed a proposed 5% tax on the ultra-wealthy, a move that critics warn could accelerate the exodus of billionaires and top entrepreneurs from the state. Under the tax proposal, which could be put to voters this November, any California resident worth more than $1 billion would have to pay a one-off, 5% tax on their assets, with the money going towards education, food assistance and healthcare programmes in the state. While many wealthy individuals have already fled the state, others have threatened to leave California and take their business to lower-tax states. At the same time, some have decided to stay, saying Silicon Valley continues to be the world's biggest hub for technology, investors and skilled workers. Here's who all have moved away With a battle now brewing in California over a plan to tax billionaires, here is a list of tech titans who either already moved away or reportedly planning to leave the state with their families. Mark Zuckerberg: The Meta CEO is the latest California billionaire heading for Florida. He bought a large waterfront mansion in Miamis exclusive "Billionaire Bunker", where he and his wife, Priscilla Chan, plan to shift by April, according to a Guardian report. Larry Page: Though the Google co-founder has not yet publicly said where he will be moving, in December, companies associated with the executive filed documents to incorporate in Florida, according to the New York Times. He reportedly purchased two homes in Miami for $173.4m in December and January. Sergey Brin: The other co-founder of Google is also reportedly moving away. While he has also not publicly announced his exit from California, records show that in mid-December, an entity linked to the billionaire either ended or moved more than a dozen of its limited liability companies out of the state, several of them to Nevada according to the New York Times. Larry Ellison: Joining other billionaires, the Oracle founder has also taken steps that suggest he may be pulling back from California, though reports of a $45 million off-market sale of his San Francisco home have not been independently confirmed by news outlets. The New York Post said the deal would be the citys largest real estate transaction of 2025. Peter Thiel: The venture capitalist and PayPal chief has explored spending more time outside California and opening an office for his Los Angeles-based personal investment firm, Thiel Capital, in another state, hinting at his exit from California, according to a New York Times report. David Sacks: The White House AI and crypto czar confirmed his move to Texas through an X (formerly Twitter) post. "Im pleased to end the year by announcing that Craft Ventures has opened an Austin office. God bless Texas and happy new year!," Sacks wrote in the post. What is the billionaire tax? All about it The tax proposal is being pushed by the labour union, Service Employees International Union-United Healthcare Workers West. If approved, the tax would retroactively apply to residents from 1 January, and billionaires would be given five years to pay the amount, the Guardian reported. Also Read | Nvidia announces $2 billion investment in Synopsys for chip design solutions California has long relied on its billionaire population, one of the largest in the nation, to help fund the state's budget. Critics of the tax proposal, including Venture Capitalist Chamath Palihapitiya, warn that the move could actually worsen the situation instead of solving the states budget deficit. The US Food and Drug Administration has declined to review Moderna's approval application for its novel mRNA flu vaccine, causing a fall in the company's shares on late Tuesday. Moderna on Tuesday said in a statement that the FDA had declined the application saying that its studies didnt compare the experimental shot to the best-available standard of care. The shares of Moderna fell around 11% during extended trading on Tuesday. So far this Why did the FDA decline Moderna's application? The FDA said in its refusal letter that the company's approach to compare mRNA-1010 to an already licensed standard-dose seasonal influenza was the only reason why it declined to initiate a review of the application. The letter in particular cited the lack of an "adequate and well-controlled" study with a comparator arm, Moderna said. Also Read | How Moderna went From pandemic hero to vaccine victim The rejection letter signed by Vinay Prasad, who leads the FDA division that oversees vaccines, is inconsistent with previous written communications from the regulator, the company noted. The news comes as a latest sign of the FDA's tight scrutiny of vaccines under Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr, particularly those using mRNA technology. Kennedy has previously criticised the technology, even after he took up the top job. This decision by CBER (Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research), which did not identify any safety or efficacy concerns with our product, does not further our shared goal of enhancing America's leadership in developing innovative medicines, Moderna CEO Stephanie Bancel. The letter from FDA vaccine director Dr Vinay Prasad said that FDA officials had given some advice to Moderna in 2024 under the Biden administration but the company did not follow that. Moderna countered that the feedback it received said it was acceptable to use the standard-dose flu shot the company had opted for, but noted that another brand specifically recommended for seniors would be preferred for anyone 65 and older in the study. The company said that the FDA still allowed the study to proceed further as planned. The company said it also had shared with FDA additional data from a separate trial comparing the new vaccine against a licensed high-dose shot used for seniors. Also Read | Moderna is gambling on China as other US companies pull back "It should not be controversial to conduct a comprehensive review of a flu vaccine submission that uses an FDA-approved vaccine as a comparator in a study that was discussed and agreed on with CBER prior to starting," Bancel said. However, the rejection letter has not closed all doors for Moderna. The company can file the application again over protest if it chooses, after it meets with FDA officials. Also Read | CDC vaccine schedule: These vaccines are no longer recommended for all children US resists vaccination? The development comes little over a month after the Trump administration went ahead to overhaul its childhood immunization guidelines. It should not be controversial to conduct a comprehensive review of a flu vaccine submission that uses an FDA-approved vaccine as a comparator. Under the new rules, the government has rolled back recommendation for routine vaccination against six infectious diseases, including influenza. US-based cloud services giant, Salesforce, employees are urging the company's Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Marc Benioff, to drop potential business opportunities with the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency, reported the news portal CNBC, citing people aware of the development on 10 February 2026. We are concerned that Salesforce products and services may be enabling ICE to expand recruitment, onboarding and operational capacity, according to the supplementary document with the letter cited by the news agency. More than 1,400 employees have signed the letter addressed to the company CEO, highlighting their troubles with the company's plan to help ICE hire 10,000 new agents and vet tip-line reports using its services. We are deeply troubled by recent press reports describing Salesforce pitches of AI technology to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to help the agency expeditiously hire 10,000 new agents and vet tip-line reports, according to the letter cited in the news report. Also Read | Why Indian IT firms are spending billions to gain Salesforce expertise Cancel all active pitches? According to the news portal's report, the employee's letter to the CEO seeks cancellation of all active pitches or opportunities for ICE enforcement and hiring, while also asking Salesforce to issue a public statement to remove all masked agents in US cities. This move from Salesforce employees serves as the latest example of employees working in the technology sector raising their concerns over ICE using their company services after killing US citizens Renee Nicole Good and Alex Pretti in Minnesota in January 2026, reported the news portal. ICE A topic of criticism? People aware of the development also told the news portal that Salesforce CEO Benioff joking about ICE agents being present at the employee gathering in Las Vegas led to employees criticising the same in an internal Slack forum. Benioff's alleged move was reported first by 404 Media. Employees who signed the letter are asking Salesforce to tell its workers what kind of services it provides to the US ICE and pause or prohibit infrastructure, AI systems or services that enable ICE operational scale-up. The letter from the employees comes at a time when the investors are already concerned about potentially AI models affecting the company's growth prospects in software. According to the news portal's report, the letter from Salesforce employees comes after 900 Google employees asked the search engine giant to divest itself from ICE and U.S. Customs and Border Protection as of last week. Salesforce layoffs News portal Business Insider on 10 February 2026, reported that Salesforce Inc., has allegedly laid off up to 1,000 employees at the beginning of in the current month. Citing Salesforce Inc., LinkedIn posts and profiles, the job cuts allegedly affected job roles including marketing, product management, data analytics, and Agentforce verticals. The move comes amid the company CEO Marc Benioff's plan to shake up the operations, appointing six new leaders to replace five existing employees, and the company's artificial intelligence (AI) plans. According to earlier media reports, the CEO said that the company cut the jobs of nearly 4,000 customer support staff as artificial intelligence (AI) tools take a larger share in the customer service in 2025. Will more companies follow suit? No other major solar panel maker has significant ongoing exports to the US, though some are looking at entering that market. One of these is Vikram Solar Ltd, which also considered sourcing cells from countries with lower tariffs than India to export to the US, management said in an analyst call on 20 January. About 16% of its order book is from overseas, but the company is yet to start exports. Premier Energies Ltd also was also looking to expand into the US but put its plans on hold due to tariff uncertainty, the company's management said in an analyst call on 29 October. The average selling price of Google and Broadcoms TPUs is set to be between $10,500 and $15,000, headed for around $20,000 in the next few years, according to the UBS analyst. Nvidia doesnt disclose the individual price of its chips but analysts generally put the cost of its latest Blackwell chips at between $40,000 and $50,000 per unit. Contract drug manufacturer OneSource Specialty Pharma received approval for its generic version of Ozempic in Saudi Arabia, clearing the path for selling the type-2 diabetes and weight-loss drug with its partner Hikma Pharmaceuticals PLC. Hikma is OneSources exclusive commercialization partner for the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). The approval from the Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA) will enable its entry into Saudi Arabia, one of the largest markets for Ozempic and other weight management/loss drugs. The exclusive partnership will help the company capitalize on rising demand for this product and underscores the ambition of both companies to increase access to high-quality affordable generic drug alternatives for patients across the region, OneSource said in a statement on Wednesday. Also Read | Ozempic-like weight loss drugs to power OneSource as global demand soars Under the agreement, OneSource will manufacture and supply semaglutide from its facility in Bengaluru and Hikma will use its commercial reach and institutional relationships in the region to widen availability of the drug. We are confident that collaborating with Hikma, the largest pharmaceutical company in the MENA region by sales, will give us a strong platform to scale access to this important therapy across both private and institutional customers, chief executive officer and managing director Neeraj Sharma said in the statement. Global boom OneSource is gearing up to cash in on the massive demand for generic semaglutide pens as innovator Novo Nordisk is set to lose patent exclusivity in over 80 countries this year for the drug, known by brands Ozempic and Wegovy. Sharma told Mint in November that OneSource is fast-tracking a $100 million capacity expansion to tap into the global boom in weight-loss drugs. He said the company is prepared for the market expansion in terms of manufacturing and regulatory approvals for its facilities. As a contract manufacturer, OneSources gains depend on partners getting approvals on time. In Q3, its revenue dropped 26% YoY to 290.3 crore ($33.1 million) after semaglutide approvals were delayed in Canada, where the patent has expired. Binances founder Changpeng Zhao revealed in a recent podcast that he sold his apartment to buy Bitcoin at the beginning of his career in the crypto industry, at a time when he was unemployed and struggling financially. The billionaire was speaking on the 'All-In Podcast' with venture capitalist Chamath Palihapitiya, where influential figures in business, tech, and finance share stories and big-picture views. Zhao recalled that he received $900,000 from selling his apartment. The amount, which he received in tranches, was then used to purchase Bitcoin at an average price of around $600 a piece. Now, one Bitcoin is worth around $67,000. "I told my partners that I am going to quit and work in the Bitcoin industryI also needed to buy more Bitcoin, and I didnt have any money, so I sold my apartment in Shanghai to buy Bitcoin," he said. Zhao later found a job in the Bitcoin industry. Eventually, he founded Binance, which was officially launched in 2017. Binance is one the largest cryptocurrency exchange platform, which operates globally. What convinced Zhao to invest in crypto? During the interview, Zhao said that back in 2013, he was introduced to Bitcoin by one of his friends, who encouraged him to invest 10% of his net worth into the cryptocurrency. "He said there is a small chance you will go to zero, but a much higher chance you will double your worth," Zhao added. Talking about what finally convinced him to invest in Bitcoin, Zhao said he attended a Bitcoin conference in Las Vegas in December 2013. The event had around 200 people, most of whom were already involved in the crypto space, and meeting them in person made him believe in Bitcoin's future. At the time when Zhao attended the event, he was already employed. When the host asked if he was working on any Bitcoin-related projects on the side, Zhao responded, Yes. When I got back, I told my partners, we should make a Bitcoin payment system. During this time, he owned just one bitcoin worth about $1,000, and was keen to buy more. Zhao did months of study before he made any investments into the digital asset. "Bitcoin then went from $70 in mid-2013 to $1,000 by the end of 2013. I felt that I am too late, I wished that I got in early. In case of Bitcoin, it doesnt matter when you invest, you always feel you are late," he told the show host. Binance founder's net worth Zhao has a net worth of $52.2 billion, according to Bloomberg Billionaire Index, which tracks the wealth of the worlds richest individuals based on their business holdings and market valuations. In April 2024, Zhao was sentenced to four months in prison after pleading guilty to charges of enabling money laundering at his crypto exchange at a federal court in Seattle. The guilty plea was part of a broader deal struck with the US government, which included a $4.3 billion settlement with Binance. Zhaos plea deal in 2023 prompted him to step down from the company's CEO role, though he was able to hold on to his controlling stake in the company, which had a massive surge in value immediately after Donald Trumps presidential victory. While the Company was still in its initial stages (the co-founders) were classified as promoters of the Company. Since then, and as the Company has grown and progressed, it is now professionally managed, with the board of directors of the Company offering guidance from time to time, the board noted in a letter to the Registrar of Companies on 16 December. Currently, the operations and compliances of the Company have been on auto-pilot mode similar to any other well-established corporate organization. DDGS is a by-product of ethanol production from maize, and is widely used as a high-protein, energy-rich ingredient in animal feed. The US, the worlds largest DDGS producer, mostly uses genetically modified (GM) corn for producing ethanol. Therefore, DDGS is a GM-based animal feed used for cattle, poultry, and fisheries. The opposition Congress has slammed the governments decision to allow DDGS imports from the US, arguing that India has not approved the use of transgenic technologies in food crops beyond GM cotton. Congress leader and former environment minister Jairam Ramesh called the move a backdoor entry of GM crops into the food chain. Transgenic technologies involve genetic changes by inserting genes from one species into another to introduce specific traits. Bangladesh will hold parliamentary elections on Feb. 12, its first since Hasinas downfall. With her Awami League party barred from contesting the vote, polls show a tight race between the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, or BNP, and Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, an Islamist party that was banned from participating in politics under Hasina. The youth-led NCP has formed an alliance with Jamaat-e-Islami, which has alarmed many students who worry about its conservative religious ideology, especially toward women. If India exits the key port, who would replace it. It may be China, Pant said, adding that the US must decide whether it wants China to become the dominant player in Iran. Yet, unless there is rationalization in Iran's foreign policy, India may not be able to reap the maximum potential benefits of the port as global companies may not access it amid Irans global isolation. Actor Rajpal Yadav, whose comic performances have long been a staple of mainstream Hindi cinema, is once again in the news this time for reasons far removed from the big screen. The actor has received financial assistance of 1.11 crore from music producer Rao Inderjeet Singh Yadav after surrendering at Tihar Jail in connection with a decade-old cheque bounce case, the Times of India reported. The support comes amid mounting legal and financial pressure on the actor, highlighting the vulnerabilities that can follow creative and financial setbacks, even for well-known faces in the film industry. Producer steps in with financial aid Rao Inderjeet Singh Yadav, owner of GemTunes Music, extended the assistance as a personal gesture during what he described as a difficult period for the actor. Speaking to IANS, he said, Rajpal ji has given immeasurable joy to audiences and has been an integral part of Indian cinema. This support is not about money, it is about standing with a fellow human being in his time of need. Our industry is a family, and families hold each other when it matters the most. He also posted about this on Instagram and urged more people to come forward to help the actor-comedian. See the post here: How the legal battle began Rajpal Yadavs troubles stem from a cheque bounce case under the Negotiable Instruments Act, dating back to around 2010. At the time, the actor and his wife reportedly borrowed approximately 5 crore from a company to finance his directorial project Ata Pata Laapata. Also Read | Tej Pratap announces 11 lakh assistance for actor Rajpal Yadav Following the films commercial failure, the couple struggled to repay the loan. Several cheques issued towards repayment were dishonoured, prompting legal action. Over the years, interest and penalties reportedly caused the outstanding amount to swell to nearly 9 crore. Court orders surrender The Delhi High Court granted Yadav multiple opportunities to settle the dues. However, after repeated failures to comply, the court declined to offer further relief. Earlier this week, it directed the actor to surrender at Tihar Jail, where he is to serve a six-month sentence related to the case. On Tuesday, actor Sonu Sood revealed that he plans to offer a film to Rajpal Yadav as a way of supporting the actor during a difficult financial phase. Speaking about his decision to step in, Sonu Sood told Hindustan Times that the project is still in its early stages. It's a little too early to talk about the film as it is in the final writing stages. Once creatively its locked, I can give more information. To help him is our responsibility as a colleague and I hope we are able to make this happen." The 52-year-old actor, who previously worked with Rajpal Yadav in Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose: The Forgotten Hero, also expressed hope that more filmmakers would come forward to support the veteran actor. He noted that even a signing amount could help provide some financial relief. A lot of people have worked in our industry with Rajpal bhai. I have made my bet and I want him to be part of my project, which he will be. I request all the producers to also do the same so the same so that he can come out of the bad times he is facing, he said. After Sonu Sood urged Bollywood celebs to extend support to Rajpal Yadav, several other celebrities have stepped up to help the jailed actor. Yadav's manager revealed that A-listers like Salman Khan, Ajay Devgn, David Dhawan and Varun Dhawan reached out to help Yadav. Salman Khan, Ajay Devgn and more help Rajpal Yadav Sharing Yadav's reaction to the warm support, the manager revealed to the Indian Express, "A lot of people have reached out to help Rajpal Yadav. Actors like Sonu Sood, Salman Khan, and Ajay Devgn have extended their support. I was just on a call with David Dhawanhe too reached out. Ratan Nain, Varun Dhawan many people are coming forward to help him this time, which Rajpal has deeply appreciated. Also Read | Rajpal Yadav to get bail soon in cheque bounce case? Hearing tomorrow Goldie was also asked whether Rajpal had sought help before surrendering himself. To this, the actor's manager refused to comment. I would not like to comment on that, he said. However, he added, "The good thing is that after his situation worsened, the industry has stood behind him like a rockand that should be appreciated. Everyone has made commitments, but such transactions dont happen overnight. Rajpal Yadav's bail hearing As Rajpal Yadav's bail plea has been submitted by his counsel, his bail hearing is scheduled for tomorrow. Hoping for the Bhool Bhulaiyaa actor's release soon, Goldie added, Mentally, the family has to remain strong. Rajpal Bhai himself is very strong, and that strength runs in the family. There are also several celebrations lined up at home, with family functions scheduled later in February. Everyone wants Rajpal Bhai to be out by then. Hopefully, he should be out by tomorrow. FWICE appeal to producers, directors, artists Recently, the Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE) also came forward to stand by Yadav who is currently in jail, serving his 6-months of imprisonment. According to the official statement, FWICE appealed to "all producers, directors, artists, technicians, associations, and well-wishers to extend their moral and financial support to help Shri Rajpal Yadav resolve his liabilities and regain his freedom, dignity, and peace of mind." Members and well-wishers willing to offer monetary assistance may contribute directly to Shri Rajpal Yadav or route their support through FWICE. The Federation assures complete transparency, and any funds received will be responsibly consolidated and handed over to assist him in settling his dues at the earliest, it further stated. Why did Rajpal Yadav surrender Yadav surrendered after failed to comply with the surrender deadline fixed by Delhi High Court, after repeated violations of undertakings regarding payment of settlement in the cheque bounce case. Lawyer representing the actor submitted that Yadav was ready to deposit 25 lakh. Reportedly, both parties had tentatively agreed on a repayment schedule for the remaining dues. However, the Court declined to grant any relief to Rajpal Yadav. Following the Court's remark, Yadav's counsel informed the bench that the actor would surrender at Tihar Jail later on February 5. Actor-comedian Vir Das responded on 11 February with his characteristic satire after Trinamool Congress MP Abhishek Banerjee invoked his controversial Two Indias monologue during a debate in the Lok Sabha on the Union Budget a day before. Happy Patel actor, Das shared a video clip of Banerjees speech in the Lok Sabha and interspersed it with his trademark commentary, noting how people laughed, felt offended, and paused to listen after his 2021 Two Indias show in the US. Sir, in November 2021 On a stage thousands of miles away Banerjee is heard saying in the House, referring to Dass performance. The video cuts to Das reacting, Im sorry, this is happening on the floor of Parliament. Dont do it. 'Two Indias' was a viral, controversial, and politically charged stand-up comedy monologue performed by Vir Das in November 2021 at the John F. Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. The performance, which sought to highlight the stark contradictions within modern India, drew significant backlash from certain groups. At least 7 police complaints were filed against Das amid intense debate over the monologue. Critics had accused Das of maligning India abroad, and supporters defended it as satire. Banerjee, the TMC general secretary, is heard describing Dass performance as not comedy but a warning and a mirror held up to a nation standing at the edge of its own contradictions, the comedian says in response. No, it felt like broken glass, and joked about hiding in my house for a really long time amid the backlash. Upcoming international tour Das's video ends with a plug of his upcoming international tour, titled Hey Stranger. Im leaving the country. Im actually going on a world tour. And this feels like a really good time to announce it, he says in the clip. Das put the clip on social media. Banerjee responded with a wish for the comedian's upcoming show. Ah, the beauty of two Indias- in one, a comedian is questioned for talking about the TWO INDIA divide. In the other, the same debate becomes the perfect PR for a tour announcement. Democracy does have a sense of humour. Wishing you house full shows and a smashing tour ahead the virdas, Banerjee wrote. Diamond Harbour MP, Abhishek Banerjee used Das show to criticise the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led Union government. The TMC leader accused the Centre of weakening federalism and said that the Budget reflected a divided nation. Ah, the beauty of two Indias- in one, a comedian is questioned for talking about the TWO INDIA divide. In the other, the same debate becomes the perfect PR for a tour announcement. I come from an India that proclaims Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat, and I also come from an India where speaking Bengali makes you a Bangladeshi, where eating fish makes you a Mughal, and where saying Jay Bangla is enough to brand you a ghuspaithiya, Banerjee said. On Wednesday, LJP (Ram Vilas) MP from Bihar, Arun Bharti, also mentioned the Two India show while highlighting how the previous Congress governments had failed to improve the condition of Bihar. The Lok Sabha proceedings witnessed frequent disruptions amid protests by the Opposition demanding a discussion on the India-US interim trade framework on Monday. The house, however, took up discussions on the Budget 2026 presented by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on 1 February. For over three decades, India has been synonymous with global tech services. From powering enterprise IT to running back-office operations for the worlds largest corporations, the country has carved out a formidable position in the global technology ecosystem. But as artificial intelligence reshapes how technology is built, deployed, and scaled, a critical question looms: can India move beyond being the worlds services hub to building technology for the world? This question takes centre stage in Episode 6 of India for the World, a leadership podcast by Mint and BCG. Host Shouvik Das, Editor at Mint, is joined by Rajiv Gupta, Managing Director and Senior Partner at BCG, and Tiger Tyagarajan, former CEO of Genpact and Senior Advisor at Bain Capital, for a candid discussion on Indias $300 billion tech services industry, the $10 trillion global tech opportunity, and what it will take for India to lead the next phase of global technology. The conversation spans Indias enduring strengths, emerging opportunities in AI and product-led innovation, the rise of global capability centres (GCCs), and the mindset shifts required to compete in a rapidly evolving global tech landscape. Key Stats and Insights from Episode 6 $10 trillion is the estimated size of the global technology industry $1.6 trillion is the current size of the global tech services market, accounting for nearly 15% of the overall tech ecosystem $300 billion is the size of Indias tech services industry today, giving the country close to a 20% share of the global services market $2.5 trillion is the projected size of the global tech services industry by 2030, up from $1.6 trillion today $500 billion could be the size of Indias tech services market by 2030 if the country maintains its current global market share 7,00,000+ AI-certified professionals are based in India, making it the largest AI talent pool globally 3,000+ Global Capability Centres (GCCs) operate in India, with around 1,000 added between 2020 and 2025 Around 50% of tech services firms are expected to successfully transition to AI-led, intelligence-driven delivery models Indias Tech Services Story: Strong, Resilient, and Far from Over The narrative that Indias tech services industry is in decline is one that Tiger Tyagarajan firmly rejects. Instead, he frames the moment as one of transformation rather than contraction. Every industry goes through phases where half the companies thrive and the other half struggle, he notes. That doesnt mean the industry is dwindling. It means the stakes are higher. Rajiv Gupta adds context with scale-defining numbers. The global technology industry today is estimated at roughly $10 trillion, encompassing services, products, AI, robotics, and emerging technologies. Of this, tech services account for around $1.6 trillion. India commands nearly 20% of that services market, translating to a $300 billion industry built over decades since liberalisation. This achievement, Rajiv emphasises, should not be understated. India has done exceptionally well in a meaningful segment of the global tech market, he says. But the real question now is how we expand our addressable opportunity beyond that 15% slice. BCG estimates that global tech services spending could grow to $2.5 trillion by 2030. If India merely maintains its current market share, the sector could scale to a $500 billion opportunity. The challenge lies in whether Indian firms can adapt fast enough to retain, and potentially grow, that share in an AI-driven world. Beyond Arbitrage: The Shift to Intelligence-Led Value For years, Indias tech success has been associated with labour and cost arbitrage. But both speakers agree that this model is no longer sufficient on its own. Tiger introduces the idea of intelligence arbitrage as the next frontier. Unlike traditional services, where value is tied to headcount, intelligence-led models reward learning, repetition, and scale. Each deployment of a solution makes it smarter, harder to replicate, and more valuable over time. The first time you deploy a solution, you learn something, he explains. By the fifth deployment, your intelligence advantage is very difficult for anyone else to copy. Crucially, India already possesses the raw ingredients for this shift. Decades of experience across industries, geographies, and functions have created deep problem-solving expertise. The opportunity now is to productise that knowledge, building repeatable solutions that reduce marginal costs and increase value with scale. This, Rajiv argues, is where Indian tech firms must focus if they are to compete in the remaining 85% of the global tech market dominated by products, platforms, and AI-driven solutions. AI Adoption at Scale: Indias Quiet Advantage Artificial intelligence runs as a central thread throughout the episode, not as a buzzword but as a structural shift reshaping global technology. One of Indias underappreciated strengths, Rajiv notes, is its ability to deploy technology at a population scale. From UPI to digital identity systems, India has repeatedly demonstrated that it can operationalise complex technology across millions of users, which is an advantage that translates well into AI adoption. India also holds a significant position in global AI talent. According to Rajiv, India has over 7,00,000 AI-certified professionals, more than any other country. While the US leads in foundational research and China focuses largely on domestic priorities, global enterprises increasingly rely on Indian talent to deliver AI solutions at scale. This trend is reinforced by the rapid expansion of global capability centres. Between 1992 and 2019, India added around 2,000 GCCs. In just the five years since 2020, another 1,000 have been established, of which many focused specifically on data engineering, AI, and advanced analytics. These centres are no longer back-office extensions but strategic hubs driving innovation for global corporations. Products, Platforms, and the Reality of Innovation A recurring theme in the discussion is the perceived hierarchy between product companies and services firms. Tiger challenges the notion that innovation is exclusive to product-led businesses. Innovation exists across the entire $10 trillion tech landscape, he argues. Connecting systems across continents and delivering complex outcomes remotely was innovation too. That said, both speakers agree that India must play a larger role in building scalable products and platforms. The path forward, however, may not lie in replicating the capital-intensive models of Silicon Valleys largest firms. Instead, the opportunity lies in building solutions on top of foundational technologies, solving real-world problems in healthcare, manufacturing, aerospace, energy, and defence. Many of these solutions are already being developed within Indias long-established engineering and R&D centres, which have quietly moved up the value chain over the past two decades. The R&D Question: Investment, Mindset, and Talent One of the sharpest debates in the episode centres on research and development. Indian tech services firms typically invest around 23% of revenues in R&D, compared to double-digit percentages at global product companies. Tiger argues that R&D in services has often been narrowly defined. Experimentation, process redesign, and internal innovation labs, where failure is expected and learning is prioritised, have long existed within Indian firms, even if they were not labelled as R&D. Rajiv, however, points to a structural gap. Fundamental research, particularly PhD-led work that leads to new architectures and breakthroughs, remains limited in India. Many of the technologies powering todays AI boom trace their origins to university research ecosystems in the US. Both agree that closing this gap will require more than corporate investment. It demands a coordinated effort across policy, academia, and industry, along with changes in pedagogy, infrastructure, and incentives for long-term research. Looking Ahead: Indias Tech Ecosystem in 2030 When asked to look ahead to the end of the decade, both speakers struck a note of cautious optimism. Tech services, they agree, will remain a cornerstone of Indias economy. At the same time, product-led and intelligence-driven solutions emerging from India are likely to grow faster than the industry average, even if they remain smaller in absolute terms. Startups, particularly those founded by professionals with deep services experience, are expected to play a growing role in this transition. The real metric to watch, Tiger notes, is not absolute size but growth rate. If these segments grow at twice the industry average, compounding will do the rest. Final Thoughts: Scale Meets Solutions Indias tech story is no longer just about cost efficiency or execution at scale. As this episode of India for the World makes clear, the next chapter will be defined by how effectively India combines its unmatched scale with intelligence, product thinking, and long-term investment in innovation. The path forward is neither quick nor simple. But by building on its strengths while steadily expanding into higher-value domains, India has the opportunity not just to serve the global tech ecosystem, but also to help shape it Note to readers: This article is part of Mints paid consumer connect Initiative. Mint assumes no editorial involvement or responsibility for errors, omissions, or content accuracy. 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 Ghislaine Maxwell enlisted the help of assistants and others to assemble the album, and as the letters and images came in, they were scanned into a computer, the Journal previously reported. Some of the people who assisted on the project recalled seeing the image bearing Trumps signature among the documents at the time. Leon Black kept $154 million in cash across his dozens of bank accounts, according to the March 2015 financial summary. Some of the accounts are listed as having his or his wifes name on them, while others are in the names of trusts or LLCs affiliated with the Blacks. The speed with which conditions on the island have deteriorated has surprised analysts and some U.S. officials. There are concerns that without a clear plan for stabilization, the crisis could drag on for years, exacting a heavy toll on ordinary Cubans. Jorge Pinon, an expert on Cuban energy at the University of Texas who tracks oil shipments to the island, believes a collapse is imminent because oil will completely run out by April the latest. Her ousting came ahead of OpenAIs planned launch early this year of a mode that will allow users to create AI erotica in ChatGPT. The planned feature, which would permit adult-themed conversation including sexual topics for adult users, has drawn criticism from researchers at the company who have studied the ways some people develop unhealthy attachments to chatbots, according to some of the people. They have raised the prospect that sexual content could intensify the feelings some people have for the AI personas they view as companions. If I were an EV maker, and I had to submit my vehicles for testing and approval to any of these testing agencies, I would face a waiting line of 6-8 months. The spending on upgrading these testing agencies is effectively aimed at bringing the waiting time down to zero, because with every passing day without approvals, an automaker may lose out on margins and market share, one of the two official cited above said on the condition of anonymity. Bangladeshs apparel industry is deeply integrated with Asian supply chains, particularly for yarns and fabrics. For an industry structurally dependent on Asian yarns and fabrics, the zero-duty carrot is hard to use at scale, making the trade-off lopsided. As the costs of these commitments become clearer and the export gains remain modest, Bangladesh is likely to regret the imbalance built into this deal, said Srivastava. We are quite happy with the traction1% (quarterly) increase in Arpu. Over the last year, it has gone up by almost 5-5.5%. We have certain handles to improve the Arpu while contributing more value to the customers, and that's what we will continue to focus on," Anshuman Thakur, head of strategy at Reliance Jio, said during an earnings call with analysts in January. IIFL Finance plans to launch its largest-ever public bond issue of 2,000 crore ($220.60 million), its second such offering this financial year, according to a Reuters report citing a company official and people aware of the development. Nirmal Jain, managing director of IIFL Finance, confirmed the details of the public bond issue and stated that the company aims to diversify its funding sources and expects demand for public bonds to grow, it added. The Fairfax-backed non-banking finance company will issue bonds maturing in two, three, and five years, with options for annual, monthly, and end-of-term interest payments, the report said. The company will issue two-year bonds with an annual coupon rate of 8.70%, three-year bonds at 8.85%, and five-year bonds offering a 9% coupon. These bonds have received an AA rating from Crisil Ratings and Brickwork Ratings. IIFL Capital Services, Nuvama Wealth Management, and Trust Investment Advisors are the lead managers for the issue, which is expected to open for subscription next week, the report said. "The proceeds from the fundraise will be utilised for onward lending, refinancing of existing borrowings and general corporate purposes," the report quoted a person aware of the development In April 2025, the company raised 5 billion through a similar issue, it added. Livemint could not independently verify the report. Public bonds have been gaining momentum in India, with Indian companies raising approximately 71 billion through public bond issues in the first nine months of this financial year, according to the Securities and Exchange Board of India. IIFL Q3 results IIFL Finance, an NBFC that provides gold and business loans, last month announced its results for the October to December quarter. The company said its net profit in the quarter under review grew multifold to 501 crore from the year-ago period, PTI reported. In the corresponding quarter of the previous year, IIFL's profit stood at 82 crore. IIFL Finance reported that its gold loan assets under management (AUM) nearly tripled to 43,432 crore, reflecting strong growth driven by healthy increases in tonnage and consistent asset quality, the report said. Home loan AUM rose by 5% year-on-year to 31,893 crore, MSME loan AUM rose by 17% to 10,081 crore, while microfinance loan AUM fell by 19% to 8,360 crore during the third quarter ending 31 December 2025. While margins keep changing based on the volatility of the underlying stock or precious metal, Ashish Nanda, chief business digital officer at Kotak Securities, said that the margins for gold and silver that a client must pay are currently in the range of 30-40%, depending on the broker. This means an investor typically needs to put in around 30-40% of the amount, depending on the product's volatility, implying leverage of around two-and-a-half to three times. Simply put, to buy 1 crore worth of a gold ETF, an investor would need to invest 30 lakh, while the broker would finance the remaining amount in exchange for interest of around 9-18% per annum, Nanda added. European stocks advanced as investors reacted positively to earnings from the likes of Siemens Energy AG and Heineken NV. Software firm Dassault Systemes SE tumbled 20% as its outlook disappointed. The Stoxx 600 Index was up 0.3% at 1:58 p.m. in London, extending gains after stronger-than-expected US payrolls data. The unemployment rate also unexpectedly fell, suggesting the American labor market continued to stabilize at the start of 2026. As long as the market doesnt reprice Fed rate cuts, this is positive for stocks, said Francois Rimeu, senior strategist at Credit Mutuel Asset Management. Its really one of the best prints weve got for a while. In individual stocks, Siemens Energy jumped 7.5% to a record as surging electricity demand continues to bolster sales of its gas turbines and power-grid products. Heineken advanced 3.4% after the Dutch brewer said it would cut 5,000 to 6,000 jobs as it contends with a slump in demand for alcohol. Meanwhile, software stocks including S SE were lower amid growing concerns that artificial intelligence would disrupt the industry. AI displacement worries have also weighed on wealth manager shares, with St Jamess Place Plc dropping 12% after a sharp decline in US peers overnight. Europes benchmark index has stalled around record highs as investors weigh what has been a mixed earnings season so far. More analysts have downgraded rather than upgraded profit estimates since the end of 2025, a Citigroup Inc. index shows. Sectors that are deemed to be at risk from AI, such as insurance and software, have also been roiled in recent days. Barclays Plc strategists downgraded European insurers on Wednesday, saying valuations could decline another 5% to 25%. The market at the moment is very scared of AIs disruption, said David Lambert, head of European equities at RBC Global Asset Management UK. Its kind of a shoot first, ask questions later mantra, which is probably wrong. Ultimately, these AI tools will be used in conjunction with a lot of these firms that are getting caught up in this sort of disruptive narrative. Elsewhere, London Stock Exchange Group Plc gained 0.5% after a Financial Times report said Elliott Management had built a significant stake in the company. EasyJet Plc added 1.8% after an upgrade from Citigroup analysts, who cited an inflection point in its profit outlook in fiscal year 2027. For more on equity markets: You want more news on this market? Click here for a curated First Word channel of actionable news from Bloomberg and select sources. It can be customized to your preferences by clicking into Actions on the toolbar or hitting the HELP key for assistance. To subscribe to a daily list of European analyst rating changes, click here. With assistance from Sagarika Jaisinghani and Rose Henderson. 2026 Bloomberg L.P. (Bloomberg) -- European stocks edged higher as companies including Siemens Energy AG and Heineken NV reported upbeat earnings. Software firm Dassault Systemes SE tumbled 20% as its outlook disappointed. The Stoxx 600 Index was up 0.1% by the close. In individual stocks, Siemens Energy jumped 8.4% to a record as surging electricity demand continues to bolster sales of its gas turbines and power-grid products. Heineken advanced 4.4% after the Dutch brewer said it would cut 5,000 to 6,000 jobs as it contends with a slump in demand for alcohol. Meanwhile, software stocks including SAP SE were lower amid growing concerns that artificial intelligence would disrupt the industry. AI displacement worries have also weighed on wealth manager shares, with St Jamess Place Plc dropping 13% after a sharp decline in US peers overnight. Shares received a boost after stronger-than-expected US payrolls data. The unemployment rate also unexpectedly fell, suggesting the American labor market continued to stabilize at the start of 2026. As long as the market doesnt reprice Fed rate cuts, this is positive for stocks, said Francois Rimeu, senior strategist at Credit Mutuel Asset Management. Its really one of the best prints weve got for a while. Europes benchmark index is inching back up to record highs as investors weigh what has been a mixed earnings season so far. More analysts have downgraded rather than upgraded profit estimates since the end of 2025, a Citigroup Inc. index shows. Sectors that are deemed to be at risk from AI, such as insurance and software, have also been roiled in recent days. Barclays Plc strategists downgraded European insurers on Wednesday, saying valuations could decline another 5% to 25%. The market at the moment is very scared of AIs disruption, said David Lambert, head of European equities at RBC Global Asset Management UK. Its kind of a shoot first, ask questions later mantra, which is probably wrong. Ultimately, these AI tools will be used in conjunction with a lot of these firms that are getting caught up in this sort of disruptive narrative. For more on equity markets: You want more news on this market? Click here for a curated First Word channel of actionable news from Bloomberg and select sources. It can be customized to your preferences by clicking into Actions on the toolbar or hitting the HELP key for assistance. To subscribe to a daily list of European analyst rating changes, click here. --With assistance from Sagarika Jaisinghani and Rose Henderson. More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com The initial public offering of Fractal Analytics, a provider of AI solutions, has seen a lackluster response from investors for the second day in a row, with a subscription rate of 20% recorded on Tuesday, February 11. The Fractal Analytics IPO subscription opened on Monday, February 9, and will close on Wednesday, February 11. Fractal Analytics IPO price band has been set between 857 and 900 per equity share, with a face value of Re 1. The minimum lot size for the Fractal Analytics IPO is 16 equity shares, and investors can apply for additional shares in multiples of 16 thereafter. The public issue has allocated 75% of the shares for qualified institutional buyers (QIB), up to 15% for non-institutional investors (NII), and no more than 10% is set aside for retail investors. Shares amounting to 600 million have been designated for employees. The Fractal Analytics IPO allotment is likely to be finalised on Thursday, February 12, with the company planning to initiate refund processes on Friday, February 13. Shares will be credited to the demat accounts of successful applicants on the same day that refunds are processed. Fractal Analytics shares are expected to be listed on the BSE and NSE on Monday, February 16. Fractal Analytics, founded in March 2000, is an international firm focused on enterprise AI and analytics, assisting major organizations in enhancing their decision-making capabilities. With more than 20 years of experience, the company develops AI solutions by merging its extensive technical expertise with specialized insights across different domains and functions. Fractal Analytics IPO GMP today Fractal Analytics IPO GMP or grey market premium is 7. Considering the upper end of the IPO price band and the current premium in the grey market, the estimated listing price of Fractal Analytics share price was indicated at 907 apiece, which is 0.78% higher than the IPO price of 900. According to the grey market activities observed over the past nine sessions, today's IPO GMP is trending downward and is anticipated to fall further. The minimum GMP recorded is 7.00, whereas the maximum GMP stands at 180, as per expert analysis. Fractal Analytics IPO subscription status Fractal Analytics IPO subscription status was 2.66x on day 3. The retail portion is subscribed 1.03x, and NII portion was booked 1.06x and Qualified Institutional Buyers (QIBs) portion received 4.18x bids. The company has received bids for 4,94,79,888 shares against 1,85,79,360 shares on offer, at 19:00 IST, according to data on BSE. Fractal Analytics IPO review As per GEPL Capital, based on the earnings forecast for FY25, the pricing of the issue reflects a P/E ratio of 79x in relation to the company's paid-up capital. The brokerage asserts that the company stands out as India's premier pure play AI firm, boasting notable clients, enhancing financial results, and possessing robust technical and functional expertise. Thus, they advise a "Subscribe" rating for the issue. As per BP Equities, at the peak of the price range of 900 per share, the company is valued at a P/E ratio of 110.0x based on its projected FY26 annual earnings. Considering the company's strategic position in a swiftly growing AI market and its enhancing profitability, the brokerage has assigned a "SUBSCRIBE" rating to the offering from a medium to long-term viewpoint. Fractal Analytics IPO details The offering, with a total value of 2,834 crore, will include a fresh issue of shares amounting to 1,023.5 crore, as well as an Offer For Sale (OFS) component valued at 1,810.4 crore. The company plans to allocate a portion of the IPO proceeds to help its subsidiary pay off some of its existing debts. Additionally, a share of the funds raised will be devoted to purchasing laptops, acquiring new office space, and investing in research and development, sales and marketing, along with several undisclosed acquisitions. Kotak Capital, Morgan Stanley India, Axis Capital, and Goldman Sachs are serving as the Book Running Lead Managers for the offering, while MUFG Intime India Pvt. Ltd. will function as the registrar. View full Image Fractal Analytics IPO Following a short pause in the primary market, multiple IPOs are set to make their way to Dalal Street in the coming months. Today (February 11), the bidding for both the Fractal Analytics IPO and the Aye Finance IPO will be closing, though interest in these offerings seems to be limited. On the final day, the Fractal Analytics IPO has been fully subscribed, while the Aye Finance IPO continues to struggle to gain traction. Analysts hold a consistently negative perspective on the IPO market for 2026. They suggest that the market has lost its patience for chaos; blatant private equity offloading and overly exit-focused IPOs are no longer sustainable. Significant losses have occurred in the previous cycle for both retail and institutional investors, resulting in a behavioral shift. Let's take a look at the grey market premium (GMP) trends for the ongoing IPOs: IPO GMPs Aye Finance IPO GMP today was 0, which meant shares were trading at their issue price of 129 with no premium or discount in the grey market, according to investorgain.com. Following the grey market activities over the past week, Aye Finance IPO GMP is trending downward and is anticipated to decrease further. The minimum GMP is 0.00, and the maximum is 5. The offering, valued at 1,010 crore, includes a new equity issuance of 710 crore alongside a 300 crore share divestment by current investors such as Alpha Wave India, MAJ Invest Financial Inclusion Fund, CapitalG (linked to Alphabet), LGT Capital, and Vikram Jetley. Aye Finance IPO price band has been set between 122 and 129 per equity share, with a face value of 2. Fractal Analytics IPO GMP is 2.5. Considering the upper end of the IPO price band and the current premium in the grey market, the estimated listing price of Fractal Analytics shares is indicated as 902.5 apiece, which is 0.28% higher than the IPO price of 900. Based on the grey market trends from the past 9 sessions, the current GMP of 2.50 is indicating a downward trend. The minimum GMP recorded is 2.50 whereas the maximum GMP observed is 180. The offering, estimated at 2,834 crore, comprises a new share issue totaling 1,023.5 crore, in addition to an Offer-For-Sale (OFS) segment valued at 1,810.4 crore. Fractal Analytics IPO opened for subscription on Monday, February 9, and closes on Wednesday, February 11. Fractal Analytics IPO price band has been fixed in the range of 857 to 900 per equity share of face value of Re 1. IPO Review As per Swastika Investmart, Aye Finance Limited is a non-banking financial institution (NBFC) that offers business loans to micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs). The fundamentals look strong to the brokerage, with the company demonstrating consistent growth in both revenue and profits. The company suggests a P/E ratio of approximately 14x based on FY25 earnings, which is reasonably valued in comparison to some of its listed NBFC competitors. In summary, the IPO is a good fit for long-term investors who have confidence in the growth of MSME lending and possess a moderate risk tolerance for NBFC credit, the brokerage opined. As per Stoxbox by BP Equities, the company continues to uphold solid capital reserves, with the Capital to Risk-Weighted Assets Ratio (CRAR) rising to 34.9% in FY25, allowing for sufficient capacity for additional growth. The composition of the portfolio remains well-balanced, with fixed-rate loans accounting for 65% and floating-rate loans for 35% as of FY25, which supports margin stability. Net interest income (NII) increased by 42.3% during the FY2024-25 period, reaching Rs. 699 crores, while the net profit surged to Rs. 175 crores, effectively doubling during the same timeframe, noted the brokerage house. Stoxbox by BP Equities believes that at the maximum price point of 129 per share, the offering is assessed at a P/B ratio of 1.84x based on earnings for FY25. This valuation is largely consistent with that of its industry counterparts. Considering its scalable business model, growing distribution network, and enhancing earnings path, a Subscribe rating for the offering is advised by the brokerage. SBICAP Securities noted that Fractal Analytics functions within a specialised area of Data Analytics, utilising AI that is developed through both internal research and development as well as external models. The company maintains a strong presence in its four key industries, serving leading multinational corporations, with an average client relationship duration of over 8 years among its top ten clients. At the upper price band of 900, the issue is assessed at a FY25 P/E ratio of 78.9x based on the post-issue capitalisation, the brokerage said. As per Lakshmishree Investment & Securities, the company's financial growth is demonstrating significant momentum, with operational revenue increasing by 25.90% to achieve 2,765.40 crore in FY 2025. Following a transitional FY 2024, Fractal successfully returned to profitability, reporting a profit for the year of 220.6 crore and enhancing its Adjusted PAT Margin to 12.6%. This recovery is bolstered by a Net Revenue Retention rate of 114% and a strengthened presence in the enterprise sector, featuring 4 clients that each contribute over US$20 million annually. While the emergence of Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) poses a long-term disruptive risk to traditional AI business models, Fractals dominant position in the analytics niche suggest a strong competitive strength and deep-rooted client trust. As the company continues to capitalize on the global demand for enterprise-grade AI, its ability to maintain high margins and operational leverage, We recommend a SUBSCRIBE rating for long-term investors, advised the brokerage. The government, in the Union Budget 2026, proposed a record gross market borrowing of 17.2 lakh crore for the next fiscal year, which came in higher than market expectations. The announcement also sent the yield on Indias 10-year G-Sec to a one-year high on 2 February. Though yields have cooled off in the subsequent sessions, they remain at an eleven-month high of 6.7%, even after cumulative rate cuts of 125 basis points in the repo rate. While the higher yields could put pressure on banks treasury portfolios, especially in state-owned banks that maintain large portfolios of government securities, analysts have said the impact could be limited, noting that stronger core credit growth and improving margins can offset treasury swings over the full year. Also Read | Bond yields likely to rise on higher than expected borrowing plans for FY27 They also pointed out that PSU banks are structurally better placed today to handle bond yield volatility than in earlier cycles, largely because balance sheets and treasury positioning have strengthened over the past few years. Anil Rego, Founder and Fund Manager at Right Horizons PMS, decodes the near-term impact on treasury income, margins, and profitability. Edited excerpts: The governments FY27 gross borrowing has come in higher than market expectations, keeping bond yields elevated. How meaningful could the near-term mark-to-market impact be on PSU banks treasury books, especially for banks with higher G-sec exposure? The higher-than-expected FY27 gross borrowing programme is likely to keep government bond yields firm in the near term, which in turn raises the risk of MTM pressure on banks treasury portfolios. With yields projected to grind higher over the course of the year amid elevated borrowing needs and a reduced probability of rate cuts, valuation losses on held-for-trading and available-for-sale books could become more visible, especially for institutions carrying a larger proportion of G-secs outside the HTM bucket. For PSU banks in particular, the impact will be uneven. Those that had earlier built sizeable HTM cushions may be relatively insulated, as securities in this category are not subject to daily MTM. However, banks that increased AFS exposure during the softer yield phase could see quarterly treasury volatility rise if the 10-year yield trends toward higher levels over FY27. Also Read | How Indias fiscal math changes under the new debt rule from FY27 That said, the stress is more likely to be earnings-timing related rather than structural: stronger core credit growth and improving margins can offset treasury swings over the full year, but reported profits in individual quarters may appear more volatile if bond yields remain elevated. With bond yields firming up, do you see any spillover impact on PSU banks net interest margins or overall profitability in the near term, or is the impact largely limited to treasury income? Firming bond yields are more likely to affect PSU banks through treasury performance rather than causing a sharp, immediate hit to core NIMs. Rising yields typically translate into mark-to-market pressure on the available-for-sale and trading portfolios, creating volatility in treasury income. This becomes more relevant in an environment where yields are expected to drift higher alongside elevated government borrowing and a reduced likelihood of policy rate cuts. However, the transmission to NIMs is slower and more nuanced. On the asset side, a large share of PSU bank loan books is linked to floating benchmarks, which allows lending rates to reprice over time. On the liability side, deposit costs also adjust with a lag, but competitive pressures in mobilising term deposits may keep funding costs somewhat sticky. As a result, while sustained high yields can gradually compress margins if deposit repricing outpaces loan repricing, the near-term impact on NIMs is usually limited. Overall profitability in the short run is therefore more vulnerable to treasury swings than to core banking spreads, with operating performance and credit growth playing a bigger role in cushioning earnings volatility. PSU banking stocks have corrected sharply following the spike in bond yields. From a valuation perspective, do you see this correction as largely sentiment-driven, or do earnings risks justify the recent sell-off? The recent correction in PSU banking stocks appears to be driven more by sentiment around rising bond yields than by a moderation in underlying earnings. The spike in yields has heightened concerns about mark-to-market pressures on treasury portfolios and the possibility of softer bond gains, which tend to weigh disproportionately on PSU banks given their relatively higher exposure to government securities. With yields expected to remain firm amid elevated government borrowing, the near-term treasury volatility is a genuine risk and has understandably unsettled investors. That said, the earnings impact is likely to be more about quarterly volatility than a structural impairment of profitability. Core operating trends for PSU banks, including credit growth, improving asset quality, and stronger provision buffers built over recent years, provide a cushion against treasury-led fluctuations. NIMs may face gradual pressure if funding costs stay elevated, but the adjustment is typically slower and more manageable than the market reaction suggests. In that context, the sharp price correction seems to reflect a sentiment reset tied to rates rather than a broad-based downgrade to the sectors medium-term earnings trajectory, though near-term reported profits could remain uneven if bond yields stay high. Are PSU banks better positioned today to absorb volatility in bond yields compared to previous cycles, given improvements in capital adequacy, HTM buffers, and treasury risk management? PSU banks are structurally better placed today to handle bond yield volatility than in earlier cycles, largely because balance sheets and treasury positioning have strengthened over the past few years. Capital adequacy levels across most large public-sector lenders are materially higher than in the previous rate upcycles, giving them a thicker buffer to absorb mark-to-market swings without materially constraining lending or growth plans. In addition, many PSU banks have consciously built larger HTM portfolios, which shield a meaningful portion of their government bond holdings from daily valuation changes, thereby reducing earnings volatility from rising yields. The nature of the current yield environment also matters. With government borrowing expected to remain elevated and the probability of policy rate cuts having diminished, bond yields are seen staying firm, which keeps treasury risk in focus. However, compared with earlier periods when treasury books were used more aggressively to boost profits, banks today follow tighter duration management and more conservative classification between HTM and available-for-sale buckets. As a result, while near-term treasury income can still be volatile, especially for banks with higher AFS exposure, the risk of systemic stress or large capital erosion from bond moves appears significantly lower than in past cycles. Looking beyond the near-term volatility, how should investors assess PSU banks in an environment of higher government borrowing? Does credit growth and operating performance still provide enough cushion over FY27? Beyond the immediate volatility from higher bond yields, the broader investment case for PSU banks still hinges more on core operating trends than on treasury movements. Elevated government borrowing is likely to keep yields firm and reduce the scope for bond-driven gains, but that primarily affects treasury income rather than the fundamental earnings engine of these banks. With the rate outlook tilting toward a prolonged pause and yields expected to stay elevated, treasury contributions may remain subdued and occasionally volatile through FY27. Credit growth and operating performance to be key cushions However, credit growth and operating performance continue to be the key cushions. PSU banks have been seeing healthier loan growth across retail, MSME, and corporate segments, supported by stronger balance sheets and lower legacy stress. Asset quality has improved meaningfully over the past few years, reducing provisioning drag and allowing a greater share of operating profit to flow through to the bottom line. Also Read | From PSU banks to metals: Five sectors that outperformed the Nifty 50 in 2025 Even if net interest margins face some gradual pressure from higher deposit costs, the impact is typically spread over time rather than abrupt. In that context, while higher borrowing and firm yields may cap treasury upside, steady credit expansion, better recoveries, and disciplined cost control can still support overall profitability through FY27, making the earnings story more resilient than bond-market moves alone might suggest. Broker sentiment has also weakened since the announcement. While 37 out of the 39 brokerages tracking ITC had a buy or strong buy call at the end of November, only 15 currently maintain a buy rating. Nomura analysts have warned of about a 20% margin hit because of the excise duty hike. Kernex Microsystems, a manufacturer of safety systems for Indian Railways, is expected to attract investors interest in Thursdays session, February 12, after the company secured a significant order. In an exchange filing after-market hour today, the company informed that it has secured an order from Banaras Locomotive Works for the supply, installation, testing, and commissioning of 505 on-board KAVACH Loco Equipment units, worth 411.17 crore. we are pleased to inform you that Banaras Locomotive Works, Varanasi (hereinafter referred to as BLW) has awarded an order valued at 411.17 crore (incl. GST) to the Company for the supply, installation, testing, and commissioning of 505 nos. of On-board KAVACH Loco Equipment as per RDSO Specification No. RDSO/SPN/196/2020, Version 4.0 or the latest, the company said in its stock exchange filing. Further, the company stated that the execution period for the contract is 12 months from the date of the purchase order. This is the second major order for the company, as in mid-January it bagged a 2,466 crore order from Chittaranjan Locomotive Works. That order is also for the supply, installation, testing, and commissioning of 3,024 sets of on-board KAVACH Loco Equipment. Both these orders have boosted the companys revenue outlook and are also higher than its current market capitalization of 2,072 crore as of today. Meanwhile, the company is scheduled to announce its December quarter performance tomorrow. Also Read | Railway stocks jump as FM announces 7 high-speed rail corridors in Budget Kernex Microsystems share price trend Kernex Microsystems' share price has remained volatile in recent months after a sustained rally that placed it among the biggest wealth creators. So far this year, the shares are up just 1.35%. Between 2020 and 2024, the stock witnessed a strong bull run, closing each of those years in positive territory and delivering multibagger returns in four of them. The biggest annual gain came in 2021, when the stock surged 326%, followed by a 133% rise in 2024. Cumulatively, the stock has generated a massive return of 300% over the last three years and an exceptional 4,720% over the past five-year period. Stock market today: The Indian stock market is expected to open flat to mildly positive today. The broader fundamental backdrop remains supportive, with FII flows turning decisively positive this month, lending strength to overall sentiment. Domestic institutional investors continue to accumulate on declines, providing a strong underlying cushion even during low-activity sessions. The rupee remains stable, adding macro comfort and limiting currency-driven volatility. However, markets are largely in a wait-and-watch mode ahead of key macro cues, particularly the January CPI (new series), where any material deviation could influence expectations for future rate cuts. In the absence of fresh triggers, the near-term trend is likely to remain range-bound, with consolidation around current levels. Gold, silver rates today Both gold and silver rates today edged higher on Wednesday, February 11, after a sharp decline the previous day, amid expectations of a US Federal Reserve rate cut. Spot gold traded marginally higher at $5,065 per ounce, while spot silver surged 1.16% to $81.32 per ounce during the Asian trading hours on February 11. Gold prices remained nearly 11% below their record high price of %5,608.35, reached on January 29. Silver prices are around 50% away from their all-time high price of $121.67 per ounce. Gold and silver rates today are expected to follow the US Job Data speculations. The market is expecting weak US job data amid rising Treasury yields, falling equities, and pressure on the US dollar. If the speculation comes true, then there can be some more upside in the silver and gold rates today in the evening session, said Anuj Gupta, a SEBI-registered market expert. FII-DII data Both FIIs and DIIs remained net buyers on Tuesday. The FIIs bought Indian shares worth 69 crore, whereas DIIs bought shares worth 1,174 crore. USD vs INR Speaking on the outlook of the Indian National Rupee (INR) against the US Dollar (USD), Jateen Trivedi, VP Research Commodity & Currency at LKP Securities, said, "The Indian Rupee traded firm with gains of 0.13 at 90.57, supported by a softer dollar index below 97 and mild FII inflows. The recent USIndia trade deal has also provided structural support to sentiment, limiting downside pressure. As long as global cues remain stable, the rupee bias stays mildly positive, with immediate resistance seen near 90.00 and support placed around 90.90 in the near term." Stock market today Speaking on the outlook of the Nifty 50 / Sensex today, Shrikant Chouhan, Head Equity Research at Kotak Securities, said, We are of the view that the short-term market outlook remains positive, but there could be a quick intraday dip if the index slips below 25,900/84,100. Below this level, the market could retest the 50-day SMA (Simple Moving Average) or 25,800-25,750/83,700-83,500. On the higher side, 26,000/84,500 would be the immediate resistance zone for the bulls. A successful breakout above 26,000/84,500 could push the market up to 26,100-26,150/84,800-85,000. On the outlook of the Bank Nifty today, Vatsal Bhuva, Technical Analyst at LKP Securities, said, "The Bank Nifty index closed with a small bearish candlestick, indicating healthy consolidation after the recent rally, while continuing to trade above its short-term 10-day and 20-day moving averages. The broader structure of the index remains bullish, suggesting that any intraday or positional dips are likely to attract buying interest. The RSI has maintained a bullish crossover, indicating sustained momentum. On the downside, immediate support is placed near 59,800, while the index may face resistance around the 61,000 level." Stocks to buy today Regarding stocks to buy today, stock market experts Sumeet Bagadia, Executive Director at Choice Broking; Ganesh Dongre, Senior Manager of Technical Research at Anand Rathi; and Shiju Koothupalakkal, Senior Manager of Technical Research at Prabhudas Lilladher, recommended these eight intraday stocks for today: Tata Steel, Bharat Forge, Tata Technologies, BEL, Infosys, Gabriel India, Acme Solar, and CDSL. Sumeet Bagadia's stock recommendations 1] Tata Steel: Buy at 208, Target 224, Stop Loss 200. Tata Steel's share is currently trading at 208. The stock has given a decisive breakout from a Cup-and-Handle pattern on the Weekly chart, signalling the start of a strong bullish phase. The breakout has been accompanied by noticeable volume, confirming participation from fresh buyers. With this move, the stock has also registered a new all-time high of 211.1, indicating growing investor confidence and strong price momentum. The stock remains well-supported above its key moving averages the 20-day, 50-day, 100-day, and 200-day EMAs all of which are trending upward. 2] Bharat Forge: Buy at 1614, Target 1732, Stop Loss 1555. Bharagt Forge's share price is currently trading at 1614. The stock has recently reached its 52-week high of 1617 after breaking out from a consolidation phase. This bullish formation signals a shift in sentiment and marks the beginning of a potential long-term uptrend. The breakout is accompanied by a noticeable rise in volume, indicating strong market participation and fresh buying interest. The stock remains well-supported above its key moving averages the 20-day, 50-day, 100-day, and 200-day EMAs all of which are trending upward. Ganesh Dongre's buy or sell stock 3] Tata Technologies: Buy at 630, Target 660, Stop Loss 615. Tata Tech's share price has been exhibiting a strong and consistent bullish pattern, indicating sustained investor interest and positive price momentum. The stock is currently trading at 630 and has established a solid support base at 615. This level has historically acted as a cushion, and recent price action suggests a reversal from it, reinforcing bullish sentiment. The technical setup suggests a near-term price retracement toward the 660 level. 4] BEL: Buy at 438, Target 465, Stop Loss 426. BEL's share price has exhibited a strong, notable, and continuous bullish pattern, offering another promising opportunity for short-term traders. The stock is currently trading at 438 and maintaining strong support at 426. The technical setup suggests a potential price retracement towards the 465 level. 5] Infosys: Buy at 1495, Target 1530, Stop Loss 1465. Infosys' share has exhibited a strong, notable, continuous bullish pattern, offering another promising opportunity for short-term traders. The stock is currently priced at 1495 and maintaining a strong support at 1465. The technical setup suggests a potential price retracement towards the 1530 level. Shiju Koothupalakkal's intraday stocks for today 6] Gabriel India: Buy at 998, Target 1050, Stop Loss 977. The stock has recently witnessed a decent revival, having moved past the important 50EMA and 200-period MA at the 985 zone, improving the bias and anticipating a further rise in the coming days. The RSI has recovered well from the oversold zone, indicating strength and a positive trend reversal, signalling a buy with significant upside potential. 7] Acme Solar: Buy at 236.85, Target 250, Stop Loss 231. The stock has formed a bullish candle on the daily chart, with a breakout above the falling channel and the 50EMA zone at around 230 levels, improving the bias for further rise in the coming days. The RSI is well-positioned and on the rise, indicating strength, and can carry the positive move further ahead, with upside potential visible. 8] CDSL: Buy at 1400, Target 1475, Stop Loss 1370. The stock has shown a decent revival, moving past the 100-period MA at 1350, improving the bias and indicating a trendline breakout, with further upside expected in the coming sessions. The RSI is on the rise, indicating strength, and has the potential to continue the positive move. Stock market today: The Indian stock market is likely to open in green on Wednesday, February 11, following strong global cues. Asian markets opened on a higher note on Wednesday, meanwhile, US stock market closed in negative territory. Indian equity markets are expected to open on a flat to mildly positive note today. The broader fundamental backdrop remains supportive, with FII flows turning decisively positive this month, lending strength to overall sentiment. Domestic institutional investors continue to accumulate on declines, providing a strong underlying cushion even during low-activity sessions. The rupee remains stable, adding macro comfort and limiting currency-driven volatility. However, markets are largely in a wait-and-watch mode ahead of key macro cues, particularly the January CPI (new series) data, where any material deviation could influence expectations around future rate cuts. In the absence of fresh triggers, the near-term trend is likely to remain range-bound, with consolidation around current levels, said Ponmudi R, CEO of Enrich Money. On Tuesday, the Indian benchmark indices, Sensex and Nifty 50, extended their rally for a third straight session, supported by positive global cues. The Sensex ended at 84,273.92, up 208 points or 0.25%, while the Nifty 50 advanced 68 points, or 0.26%, to close at 25,935.15. Stocks to watch M&M, LG Electronics India, Lenskart Solutions, Ashok Leyland, AstraZeneca Pharma India, Max Financial Services, Patanjali Foods Shares of M&M, LG Electronics India, Lenskart Solutions, Ashok Leyland, AstraZeneca Pharma India, Max Financial Services, Patanjali Foods will remain in focus as companies will declare their Q3 results today. Titan The Tata Group company reported a 48.5% year-on-year jump in net profit to 1,470 crore for the quarter, up from 990 crore in the corresponding period last year. Grasim Industries On Tuesday (February 10), the company posted a net profit of 1,037 crore for the third quarter, marking a 26.5% increase from 820 crore reported in the same quarter last year. BHEL The central government is preparing to divest a 3% stake in state-run engineering major Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd (BHEL), with the option to offload an additional 2% via an offer for sale (OFS). Jubilant FoodWorks The company reported a 13.3% year-on-year increase in consolidated revenue to 2,437 crore, while its EBITDA grew 20.2% to 482.8 crore. Eicher Motors The company reported a strong performance in the December quarter, with consolidated revenue increasing 23% year-on-year to 6,114 crore. Britannia Industries The FMCG major posted a net profit of 682.1 crore for the December quarter, marking a 17% year-on-year increase from 582.3 crore and largely meeting Street estimates. Tata Motors CV The companys Indonesian arm has won its biggest-ever contract, securing an order for 70,000 Yodha and Ultra T.7 vehicles to be deployed across Indonesia. Shoppers Stop The Board has appointed Pankaj Chaturvedi as the companys Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and Key Managerial Personnel, effective April 1, after Karunakaran Mohanasundaram stepped down from the role, with his resignation taking effect on February 17. Highway Infrastructure The company has signed a contract for the operation and toll collection at the Mundka Fee Plaza, with the agreement valued at 64.68 crore. A joint forum of central trade unions will observe a nationwide Bharat Bandh on Thursday, February 12, against the recently announced IndiaUS trade agreement. The protest aims to oppose what the groups have accused the BJP-led Central dispensation of surrendering before the shrewdness of the US. The shutdown has been called by 10 central trade unions, including INTUC, AITUC, HMS, CITU, AIUTUC, TUCC, SEWA, AICCTU, LPF and UTUC. The unions have said the strike will impact operations in over 600 districts across the country. Around 30 crore workers across multiple sectors are expected to take part in the strike, which could significantly disrupt banking services, transportation and other key public services. With the Bharat Bandh scheduled for February 12, people across Bengaluru are seeking clarity on whether daily services such as banks, schools, government offices and public transport will remain operational. February 12 Bharat Bandh: Whats open and closed? Trade unions maintain that the reforms primarily benefit businesses at the expense of workers. Union leaders have warned that the new legislation undermines labour rights, eases hiring and dismissal norms, reduces statutory protections and excludes many informal workers from legal coverage, with possible repercussions for wages, job security and social benefits. What did farmer leaders say about the trade deal? Speaking to ANI, SKM Convenor Hannan Mollah expressed opposition to the deal, citing adverse consequences for Indian farmers. Agreement will be a betrayal against farmers... We are surrendering before the shrewdness of US. The Govt has surrendered. Piyush Goyal should resign. He betrayed Indian farmers. On this basis, we have started a campaign, from 4th February to 11th February SKM will go to farmers. On 12th, Bharat Bandh has been called over this, he told ANI. Which services may be disrupted in Bengaluru? Educational institutions such as schools and colleges, along with banks, post offices, government departments and public sector units, may face closures or disruptions. KSRTC bus services and some local transport options could be affected. In certain areas, shops, markets, fuel stations and industrial units may also remain shut. Traffic movement is expected to slow down, especially in Bengaluru and other major cities, due to protests. Essential services including hospitals, ambulance services, pharmacies, water and electricity supply, fire services, airports and railways are expected to function normally, although minor delays are possible. Some private offices and online delivery services may operate with reduced staff. Telangana is expected to face major disruptions today, February 12, as over 30 crore workers across multiple sectors are likely to take part in the nationwide Bharat Bandh The strike has been organised by a joint forum of central trade unions against the recently announced IndiaUS trade agreement. With the Bharat Bandh expected to be observed today, people across Telangana are seeking clarity on whether daily services such as banks, schools, government offices and public transport will remain operational. Why Bharat Bandh on February 12? The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) has raised objections to the trade framework, arguing that it may negatively impact Indian farmers. The organisation has warned that cheaper imported goods could enter domestic markets, making it harder for local agricultural produce to compete. SKM Convenor Hannan Mollah has termed the agreement a betrayal against farmers, stating that rising imports could weaken farm incomes and threaten livelihoods. Farmer groups carried out awareness campaigns in several states between February 4 and February 11, which led to the call for a nationwide Bharat Bandh on February 12. According to SKM, trade agreements with countries such as the US and the European Union could place smaller economies at a disadvantage and put additional pressure on the farming sector. Union Minister Piyush Goyal has defended the agreement, stressing that key agricultural sectors have been safeguarded. The Centre has said that dairy products, major food grains, vegetables and spices are not included under tariff concessions. The government has also clarified that genetically modified food products will not be permitted as part of the deal. Goyal has stated that Indian farm produce will enjoy zero-duty access to the US market, while American agricultural goods will not receive tariff benefits when entering India. Will banks, schools and transport services operate on February 12 in Telangana? So far, there has been no official notification from Telangana authorities announcing a holiday for banks, schools or government offices due to the Bharat Bandh. However, public transport and road movement may face disruptions in certain areas if protests or demonstrations are held. Commuters are advised to follow updates issued by local officials and transport authorities before travelling. China expressed support for a successful BRICS Summit in India and conveyed that it understands and respects Indias aspirations for United Nations Security Council (UNSC) membership, a significant turnaround from its prior opposition to India's bid for a permanent seat. The statement was made by Chinese Executive Vice Foreign Minister (EVFM) Ma Zhaoxu during a Strategic Dialogue in New Delhi on 10 February with Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri. The visit of the senior Chinese official to India from 8-10 February was for the BRICS Sherpa Meeting. "The Chinese side expressed its support for a successful BRICS Summit in India. EVFM (Ma Zhaoxu) also conveyed that China understands and respects India's aspirations for UNSC membership," the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in an official statement. Why is this support from China significant? Notably, when India made its application in 2022, China was the only permanent member that did not support India's bid to become a member of the UNSC. In a response to the Lok Sabha on 22 July 2022, then Minister of State for External Affairs, V Muraleedharan, informed that four out of the five permanent UNSC members bilaterally expressed official affirmations of support for India's candidature. Notably, the UNSC comprises five permanent members and 10 non-permanent members, elected for two-year terms by the UN General Assembly. The five permanent members China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States have veto power over all resolutions. In September 2022, Russia confirmed its backing for India, followed by France and the UK in December of the same year. Apart from India, Brazil, Germany, Japan and South Africa are other top contenders for permanent membership seats at the international peace and security body. In April 2024, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar expressed optimism about India's prospects, calling it inevitable amid international momentum favouring our bid. There is a feeling across the world that this (five permanent countries) should change, and India should get a permanent seat. I see this feeling increasing every year. We will definitely get it. But nothing big is ever achieved without hard work...we will have to work hard, and this time we will have to work even harder, he said. Discussions around bilateral, regional, and international affairs On 10 February, the Strategic Dialogue was held between India and China, where both underlined the importance of peace and tranquillity in the border areas for overall progress in bilateral relations, as per an ANI report. report. As per the MEA statement, the two countries exchanged views on a wide range of issues across bilateral, regional, and international affairs, with discussions primarily focusing on recent progress in stabilising and rebuilding bilateral ties and on ways to advance engagement. Both sides reiterated their commitment to implement guidance from their leaders, including the need to approach bilateral issues, particularly trade-related concerns, from a political and strategic perspective. Misri also noted the successful resumption of the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra and expressed hope for its continued expansion. India and China also recognised the need to conclude an updated Air Services Agreement and agreed to continue taking practical steps to facilitate visa processing and promote people-to-people exchanges. The discussions also covered multilateral cooperation, including during India's BRICS Chairmanship this year. (With inputs from ANI) The police have arrested an occult practitioner for allegedly killing three people in Delhi using poison-laced laddoos. The occult practitioner fed poison-laced laddoos to three persons, promising them dhanvarsha - a shower of wealth, police said. The accused has been identified as Kamruddin alias Baba. He's a resident of Firozabad in Uttar Pradesh who had been operating a tantric centre in Loni and Firozabad. He was also wanted in two murder cases in UP and Rajasthan. Deputy Commissioner of Police (Outer) Sachin Sharma said, He was apprehended following a detailed technical and field investigation. He was involved in a well-planned conspiracy to eliminate the victims and rob them of cash and valuables. The incident came to light on February 8 when the police was informed of three persons lying unconscious in a locked car near the Peeragarhi flyover. The officer said Kamruddin lured his targets by promising them a windfall gain through 'tantric' rituals. After gaining their confidence, he allegedly administered to them poison mixed in ladoos and made them have liquor and soft drinks. He fled with their money once they got unconscious. The deceased were identified as Randhir (76), a resident of Baprola, Shiv Naresh (42), a property dealer from Nagli Dairy, and Laxmi (40), a resident of Jahangirpuri. "All three were shifted to Sanjay Gandhi Memorial Hospital, where doctors declared them brought dead. During inspection of the vehicle, police recovered liquor bottles, cold drink bottles, empty glasses, mobile phones, cash, helmets, jackets, Aadhaar cards and other personal belongings and documents," Sachin Sharma said. While the family members had ruled out suicide, but expressed suspicion over their deaths which prompted the police to initiate an investigation. The police found that one more person was in the car when the three were returning to Delhi. Further analysis established that the person was Kamruddin, who had boarded the vehicle in Loni and later abandoned it at the place where it was found, the officer said. How Baba lured them? When questioned, Baba disclosed that a person named Salim had introduced Laxmi to him who then subsequently introduced the occultist to Shiv Naresh and Randhir. Baba then convinced the three to perform a pooja, promising them dhanvarsha. He also instructed them to get 2 lakh with liquor and cold drinks which he said was essential for the pooja. As part of the ritual, he offered them poison-laced laddoos and liquor inside the car. Also Read | Black magic at Lilavati Hospital? 8 urns with human skulls, bones found beneath trustees' office floor "As per his disclosure, after the victims consumed the poison-laced laddoos and drinks, they started feeling unwell and eventually lost consciousness. He then took away the cash and fled," the officer said. "He was earlier booked in 2014 under sections 143, 363 and 302 of the IPC at Raja Khera Police Station in Dholpur in Rajasthan. He was also named in another FIR in 2025 under sections 103(1) and 123 of the BNS at Makhkhanpur Police Station in Firozabad in UP," the officer added. Telangana Municipal Elections 2026 LIVE: Voting in Telangana municipal elections ended for 116 municipalities and seven municipal corporations in Telangana. The election, being called a three-way contest among the ruling Congress, opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and the Bharat Rashtra Samiti (BRS), saw over 60 per cent voter turnout. The voting will elect councillors and corporators. The polling percentage, which was 11.6% till 9 a.m., increased to 28.48,% till 11 am. Voting opened at 7 am and will continue until 5 pm. A total of 5.217 million voters2.55 million men and 2.667 million women- are eligible to vote in these elections. According to the Telangana State Election Commission, 10,719 candidates are competing for 2,569 wards across the 116 municipalities, while 2,225 candidates are contesting 412 wards in the seven municipal corporations. The SEC stated that more than 41,000 polling personnel have been deployed, and 16,382 ballot boxes will be used for the elections. Vote counting is scheduled for February 13. Candidate dies by suicide According to Narayanpet Police, a 46-year-old Mahadevappa, BJP candidate from Ward 6, died by suicide on Monday at around 5:30 am. Police said the deceased's body was taken for a post-mortem examination. "Today, around 5:30 am, Mahadevappa, a 46-year-old BJP candidate from Ward 6 in Maktal Municipality, died by suicide. We have registered a case and are investigating the matter. The deceased's body has been shifted for post-mortem examination," ANI quoted the police as saying. Authorities have filed a case regarding the suicide, and further investigation is ongoing. Union Minister of State for Home Affairs, Bandi Sanjay Kumar, on Tuesday, claimed that the death of the BJP's sixth ward municipal councillor candidate, Mahadevappa, was not a suicide but a killing orchestrated by the Congress, the report noted. Telangana Municipal Elections 2026 Updates: 9:30 pm: Municipal election passes off peacefully, says DGP DGP B Shivadhar Reddy said Polling for the elections to 116 municipalities and seven municipal corporations in Telangana concluded peacefully on Wednesday, . Reddy, who monitored the polling process from here, said elaborate security arrangements were made to ensure that the process was smooth. Minor skirmishes took place in Karimnagar, Sangareddy and some other places, police said. (PTI) 8:20 pm: Exit poll result give an edge to Congress According to the Pulse Today, the Congress, which is also the ruling party in Telangana, is likely to win 68-76 municipalities out of the 116 municipalities. The BRS, on the other hand, is likely to win 29-36 seats and the BJP may won three to five. AIMIM is predicted to win just one seat. 68 pm: Pulse Today exit poll results According to Pulse Today, the Congress is projected to win 5 corporations, while the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is expected to secure 2 corporations. Congress Party: Mancherial Ramagundam Mahbubnagar Kothagudem Nalgonda BJP: Karimnagar Nizamabad (Source: Telugu Reporter) 6 pm: The polling in Telangana municipal elections have ended The polling in the Telangana municipal elections have ended and all eyes are now on the election results which shall be declared on February 13. 5:15 pm: On the transfer of IAS officers in Telangana during the ongoing municipal elections, Union Minister G Kishan Reddy said, On one hand, municipal elections are underway, and on the day of polling, a large number of IAS officers have been transferred. This is a violation of the State Election Commissions guidelines... The Census is also about to be conducted in the country, and in December, all state governments were issued guidelines to carry it out. No revenue or ward boundaries are to be altered... This party is known for such violations. 4:52 pm: Polling percentage recorded till 3 PM in Karimnagar district Karimnagar (MCK) 51.95% Jammikunta 65.53% Huzurabad 69.90% Choppadandi 74.28% (Source: DD News Telangana) 3:40 pm: How Wardhannapet is voting Municipal elections are underway in Wardhannapet Municipality in Warangal district, with voters lining up at polling stations since early morning to cast their ballots. Elections are being conducted in two municipalities in the district - Wardhannapet and Narsampet. In Wardhannapet, which has around 10,000 voters across 12 wards, voting is being held across 20 polling stations. Narsampet, that has about 30,000 voters, the voting is being held over 30 wards and 60 polling stations. A total of 500 civil staff and 150 police personnel have been deployed to oversee the process, with 100 per cent webcasting in place at all polling stations, she added. 3:20 pm: 49% voters have voted in Telangana municipal election till 1pm At least 49 per vent voters have exercised their franchise until 1 pm in the Telangana municipal election. Voting was underway in 116 municipalities and seven municipal corporations, which is seen as a test of popularity for ruling Congress and opposition BJP and BRS. 2:30 pm: Police inspect polling stations in Jagtial 1:28 pm: Kishan Reddy accuses Congress of intimidation BJP leader and Union Coal Minister G Kishan Reddy on Wednesday alleged that the Congress government in Telangana is trying to win the municipal elections by issuing threats to political opponents, reported PTI. He met the family members of E Mahadevappa, BJP candidate for a councillor's post in Makthal town in Narayanpet district, who allegedly died by suicide on February 10. The BJP blamed the ruling Congress for the incident. 12:56 pm: TPCC chief expresses confidence in Congress victory After casting his vote in the Telangana municipal elections, TPCC Chief Mahesh Kumar Goud said he was confident that Congress would secure a win and urged all voters to turn out and exercise their franchise without fail, as per PTI. 12.12 pm: 28.48% turnout till 11 am The voting will elect councillors and corporators. The polling percentage, which was 11.6% till 9 a.m., increased to 28.48,% till 11 am 11.15 am: 9.89% turnout in Kothagudem Around 9.89% voter turnout was recorded in the first two hours of polling in the elections to the Kothaugdem Municipal Corporation in Bhadradri Kothagudem district. As many as 13,341 voters of the total electorate of 1,34,775 exercised their franchise in the Kothagudem civic body till 9 a.m. The Congress and the CPI are locked in a keen electoral battle in Kothagudem, considered the traditional stronghold of the CPI. The BRS and the BJP are also in the race to clinch the key civic body in Telanganas coal belt. 10.43 am: Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy casts his vote at the polling station in Zilla Parishad High School in Kodangal 10:22 am: Rekha Sharma on complaints regarding alleged police high-handedness Rajya Sabha MP Rekha Sharma said that serious complaints were being reported from various parts of Telangana regarding alleged police high-handedness and suspected collusion between polling officials and the ruling party, adding that free and fair elections are the cornerstone of democracy. She added, Authorities must act impartially and restore peoples faith immediately. 10:08 am: Heavy voter turnout continues under stringent security measures | Video 9:58 am: State BJP chief alleges police bias, questions fairness of polls State BJP President N. Ramchander Rao on Tuesday alleged police bias in connection with the death of party candidate Mahadevappa from Maktal Municipality. The state BJP chief also questioned whether polling would be conducted in a free and fair manner ahead of the local elections, claiming that the "Congress party misused its machinery". 9:49 am: Vivek Venkataswamy, Minister for Labour, casts vote in Mancherial | Watch 9:38 am: Visuals from polling booths in Moinabad 9:28 am: Telangana CM to vote in Kodangal The government has urged state-owned oil companies to look at purchasing more US and Venezuelan crude, after a trade deal in which the Trump administration said India agreed to cut back on Russian oil imports, Bloomberg reported. This development comes even as Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal said that the trade deal with the US is unaffected by Russian oil imports. He also said earlier that buying crude oil or energy from the US is in the country's own strategic interests, and the decisions are taken by the companies themselves. However, refiners have been asked to prioritise US grades when they buy from the spot market through tenders, according to the agency report. The government has also nudged refiners towards Venezuelan crude, though those deals will be done through private negotiations with traders. Russian oil imports under scrutiny Indias oil purchases have been under scrutiny after President Donald Trump said that the nation has agreed to cut Russian crude imports as part of the trade deal, a claim New Delhi has not directly addressed publicly. When further quizzed about Trump's claim, India has repeatedly responded that its simply seeking to diversify its oil sources and energy security remained the top priority for the nation. The Trump administration has tapped trading giants Vitol Group and Trafigura Group to market Venezuelan crude after the US captured President Nicolas Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores earlier this year. After flying them to New York, Washington asserted control over the nations energy industry, with Indian buyers snapping up some initial cargoes recently, the news agency said. State-run refiners, including Indian Oil Corp, Bharat Petroleum Corp and Hindustan Petroleum Corp, recently bought about 4 million barrels of Venezuelan oil, with refinery executives stating that is the maximum limit of heavy, sour crude from the Latin American nation that state refiners can process on a monthly basis. Can US oil fit the requirement of Indian refiners? There are certain limits to how much oil refiners can buy from the US and Venezuela. American crude is light and has lower sulfur content, which does not suit many Indian refining units that are designed to process medium crudes. Price will also be a key factor in these decisions. Additionally, there is a doubt over the economic viability of importing larger volumes from the United States, especially in the near term, due to higher freight costs limiting the cost-effectiveness of long voyages. Indian refiners also have the option to receive cheaper alternatives from West Africa and Kazakhstan that are located at a closer shipping distance. The Union Home Ministry on Wednesday issued new guidelines regarding India's national song Vande Mataram, where it has mandated that a six-stanza-long, 3 minutes and 10 seconds version of the song be played or sung at a host of different occasions. The new guidelines requires all persons to stand up when Vande Mataram is played and that it be played just before national anthem Jana Gana Mana at all government events as well as in schools, Hindustan Times reported. When will Vande Mataram be played? According to the HT report citing the Home Ministry document, Vande Mataram will now be played during the unfurling of the national flag, arrival of the President at events, both before and after her addresses to the nation as well as speeches, and before and after the speeches and arrivals of governors. Also Read | Amit Shah hits back at Priyanka for tying Vande Mataram debate to Bengal polls The national song is also required to be played when the Tricolour is brought during a national parade and during public investitures. As per an NDTV report, Vande Mataram will also be needed to be played at civilian awards ceremonies including Padma awards, as well as all awards attended by the President. It is also required to be played at school assemblies. Also Read | How can any citizen be compelled to worship any god or deity? Owaisi in LS What are the other Vande Mataram rules? The Home Ministry in its 10-page order said that whenever the national song and the national anthem are to be sung or played together, Vande Mataram will be played before Jana Gana Mana. The audience are required to stand up during the playing or singing of Vande Mataram, as per the new rules. However, Vande Mataram will not be played in movie theatres like the national anthem. Whenever the official version of the national song is sung, or played, the audience shall stand to attention. However, when in the course of a newsreel or documentary the national song is played as a part of the film, it is not expected of the audience to stand as standing is bound to interrupt the exhibition of the film and would create disorder and confusion rather than add to the dignity of the national song, the note by the Home Ministry, as cited by HT, read. Also Read | Opposition Vs Govt in Vande Mataram debate led by PM Modi The duration of the Vande Mataram song under the new rules will be 190 seconds, which will cover the official six-stanza version. This will also cover the four stanzas that were removed in 1937. Centre's Vande Mataram push The move comes amid the central government's recent push to popularise Vande Mataram, India's national song, which celebrated its 150th anniversary last year. However, the notification is likely to cause chatter among the political sector, given that the BJP and Congress recently went through a massive row on the topic. However, despite loud debates in the Parliament, the Centre has continued its push to make the song reach to the masses, including displaying several tableaux during the Republic Day Parade based on the song. Written by Bengali literary icon Bankim Chandra Chatterjee, Vande Mataram was first adopted by India's freedom movement to show support for the motherland. In 1950, the first two stanzas of Vande Mataram were adopted as the national song of India. However, this is the first time a government has issued an official protocol to sing or play Vande Mataram. On the contrary, there are several rules and regulations associated with national anthem Jana Gana Mana. Moreover, the timing of the transition seems to be directly linked to scheduled runway recarpeting and demolition of the cargo apron at CSMIA which is likely to impact cargo operations with priority given to passenger traffic during curtailed operations. NMIA will likely absorb more freighter traffic during this period to ensure continuity of operations, said Ashish Chhawchharia, partner at Grant Thornton Bharat. In the fast-paced world of finance, this quote by the father of modern management, Peter Drucker, serves as a reminder for investors and entrepreneurs alike: the future is not something you simply wait for it's something you actively shape. He famously said, The best way to predict your future is to create it, which comes in handy for investors, for whom creating a future means taking control of their financial planning, building diversified portfolios, and staying informed about market trends. A similar statement is also attributed to Alan Kay, who expressed a slightly different version of this thought: The best way to predict the future is to invent it. Whether it's about exploring emerging sectors, coming up with tax-efficient investment strategies, or adopting a viable approach to risk management, taking proactive steps today can help a person secure long-term financial stability. Even entrepreneurs can get inspiration from Druckers words. One can use this philosophy while launching a business, innovating a sector, and making strategic decisions for a professional and financial future. If a person chooses to wait passively for opportunities to appear, they may miss out entirely. Hence, having a vision and working to achieve the goals can be the key to success. What does the quote reflect? On a broader level, this philosophy reflects the mindset needed in todays dynamic markets, which include action, informed decision-making, and adaptability. In times of uncertainty, whether its volatile markets, global events, or shifting regulations, those who take initiative and make deliberate choices are the ones most likely to thrive. As Drucker emphasises, the best prediction of your financial and professional future is not speculation, but rather the active steps you take today to build your future based on it. Who is Peter Drucker? Peter F. Drucker, born on 19 November 1909, was an Austrian-born American management consultant, educator, and author, whose writings contributed to the philosophical and practical foundations of the modern business corporation. He passed away in November 2005. Drucker was also a leader in the development of management education, and he invented the concept known as management by objectives. He is widely considered the father of modern management, and previously said that humans have a unique capacity to make judgements, take responsibility, and create purpose in their work, Fortune reported. A Delhi-based chief executive officer (CEO) of an AI-powered matchmaking app grabbed eyeballs after a social media post in which he claimed that his US visa application was rejected due to weak ties to India. Jasveer Singh, the CEO of Knot Dating app, described the denial as illogical and ironic. Singh asserted that he has been an entrepreneur in India for 13 years and questioned why authorities would doubt his intention to return to the country. Old social media post sparks speculation Social media users have speculated that a 2016 post by Singh, in which he took a witty jab at President Donald Trump, may have influenced the visa decision. Congratulations USA! You managed to show that Indians are not only dumbest people in the world, the CEO had written in the post in 2016. Sharp reactions from social media users Reacting to the controversy, US political commentator Ryan James Girdusky said, You called Americans the dumbest people in the world why do you want to come here at all and why should we take someone who has that opinion of us? The issue widened into a broader debate after Singh did not rule out the possibility that his social media activity may have played a role in the visa rejection. So something he tweeted 10 years ago should be taken as their current position? Because we all know what Vance was saying about Trump 10 years ago, one user commented. Some responses were sharply critical and abusive. One user wrote: Low-IQ Indian discovers that US immigration has access to the internet. These disgusting street-shitters are precisely the geniuses America cannot do without, I guess. Fix your home nation, Parjeet, and stay out of mine. Singh had weighed in on suggestions that his online posts could have played a role in the visa denial. They check social media too now. A friend said next time just delete your tweets on the US and NRIs before the interview and your visa gets approved, the CEO wrote. Also Read | Unable to find job in the US, Reddit user plans return amid visa hurdles Visa rules Social media screening was extended to H-1B and H-4 visa categories from December 15, although similar checks have been in place for most other visa applicants since 2019. Applicants for tourist or business visas are also required to submit the names of their social media handles as part of the application process. The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has reopened the El Paso International Airport in Texas city after halting all take-offs and landings due to special security reasons. The airport sits next to US military's Biggs Army Airfield. In a statement, the FAA said that all flights will resume as normal and that there was no threat to commercial aviation. The temporary closure of airspace over El Paso has been lifted. All flights will resume as normal, it said. El Paso airport had earlier said the restrictions had been issued on short notice. Not just at the El Paso airport, all flights were barred to fly over the nearby community of Santa Teresa in New Mexico, the FAA said. All flights to and from El Paso are grounded, including commercial, cargo and general aviation. The FAA has issued a flight restriction halting all flights to and from El Paso effective from February 10 at 11:30 PM (MST) to February 20 at 11:30PM (MST). Travellers should contact their airlines to get most up-to-date flight status information, the Texas' El Paso Airport said in an advisory. Also Read | Iran reopens airspace after brief shutdown amid US strike fears In its notice, the FAA classified the El Paso airspace as (National) Defense Airspace, earning the pilots that whoever violates the airspace could be intercepted, detained and questioned by law enforcement. Additional actions will also be taken against the pilots if they do not follow the restrictions. El Paso airport closure: What we know so far Earlier in the day, the instruction to close down the airport airspace and that of the Santa Teresa community nearby came on a very short notice. Also Read | FAA flight cuts at 40 US airports: How much will it impact flyers? United Airlines, American Airlines, others react The flights were halted starting February 10 at 11:30 pm local time, the airport operator said in a travel advisory posted on its official Facebook and Instagram accounts. The restrictions on all flights will remain until February 21 and covered a radius of about 10 nautical miles from the airport, not including Mexican airspace, the agency added. They also apply to an altitude of as much as 17,999 feet. From the Archives | What caused flight delays at Delhi airport? Over 100 flights hit, airlines issue advisory As per the FAA, all flights into and out of the city are suspended. The airport handled 3.49 million passengers in the first 11 months of 2025, according to its website. Major US airlines including Southwest, Delta, United and American fly there. No pilots may operate an aircraft in the areas covered by this NOTAM, the FAA notice said. More than 10 days after Nancy Guthrie vanished from her Arizona home, investigators and family members have huddled as they continue an intensive search for the 84-year-old, but there has been no sign of her so far. While the search remains ongoing as authorities follow up leads, here is everything they have so far found. The question, however, remains - Are they any close to finding Nancy Guthrie? Nancy Guthrie had joined her daughters for dinner on January 31st. She had taken an Uber to her daughter Annie's house. After the dinner, Nancy was dropped back home by son-in-law, Tommaso Cioni around 9:48 pm. When Nancy did not join her friends to watch their usual Sunday virtual church services, they alerted her family. The Sheriff and his officers arrived at Nancy Guthrie's house to find trace of a forced entry. Upon further investigation, the investigators also found blood on the front porch of Nancy's home. The sheriff later confirmed that the blood belonged to Nancy Guthrie. Finding signs of forced entry and blood, it was concluded that the 84-year-old mother of the TV host, Savannah, had indeed been kidnapped. Also Read | Is Nancy Guthrie admitted to Banner hospital? Helicopter visuals go viral Two ransom notes demanding billions of dollars in bitcoin, too, were sent across. The FBI later confirmed that the Guthrie family has received ransom letters with payment demands. As the police searched around the home and questioned those known to Nancy, the family released videos, making emotional appeals to the abductors and the public. We will pay, Savannah Guthrie said. The first big break in Nancy Guthrie investigation Ten days into the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), on Tuesday, February 10, released first image of the suspected kidnapper. FBI Director Kash Patel posted on X that for the last eight days, the agency and Pima County Sheriffs Department have worked to recover images or video footage that may have been lost, corrupted, or inaccessible due to a variety of factors - including the removal of recording devices. Law enforcement has uncovered these previously inaccessible new images showing an armed individual appearing to have tampered with the camera at Nancy Guthries front door the morning of her disappearance, he said in the post. View full Image On Tuesday, February 10, and 10 days into the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) released first image of the suspected kidnapper. A video released by the investigation agency also showed a masked man wearing a handgun holster approaching Nancy's front door, then moving to cover the front door camera with his hand. The video further showed him picking up some foliage and attempting to cover the camera with it. Later in the day, a person, identified as Carlos Palazuelos, was detained for questioning during a traffic stop south of Tucson, according to the Pima County Sheriffs Department. The department and the FBI also conducted a court-authorised search at a location in Rio Rico about an hour-away from Nancy Guthrie's house. A woman identifying herself as the mother-in-law of Carlos Palazuelos told CNN that authorities searched her Rico Rio home after telling her they were acting on a tip that the lady was in my house. Denying any link to Nancy Guthrie's missing case, the woman said that her son-in-law works as a delivery person and had nothing to do with her disappearance. Carlos was later released. The whereabouts of Nancy Guthrie remain unknown, despite having the first images of the suspected kidnapper out. The high-profile manhunt for Nancy Guthrie now continues. Savannah Guthrie's ex-husband Mark Orchard is being talked about on social media just as the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) released the video footage and images from the doorbell camera from outside Nancy Guthrie's house in Arizona as she remains missing for 10 days straight. Nancy Guthrie is TV host Savannah's 84-year-old mother who went missing from her residence on early February 1. After the release of the images, several social media users claimed that the person of interest seen in the footage resembled Mark Orchard. Without question, one said, bringing back the memories of Savannah's interview where she spoke about her horrible divorce. Some just quietly shared the images of Mark Orchard and the images released by the FBI. Another said, I immediately thought of Savannah Guthries ex husband Mark Orchard when I saw the cctv video. Also Read | Google to the rescue? Tech giant's key role in recovery of surveillance video explained The video showed a man wearing Ski mark, gloves and carrying a backpack and a gun in a holster. He approaches Nancy Guthrie's front door in the early hours of February 1, about the time she was abducted. The video showed the masked figure trying to cover the camera with foliage that he picked up from nearby, then appears to damage the camera. All this while, he keeps his head down, suggesting that he was aware of the camera's location, the law enforcement sources said. Facial hair is visible through the ski mask cut-out around the man's mouth. When Savannah spoke about her messy divorce While appearing at Reclaiming with Monica Lewinsky podcast, Savannah Guthrie spoke about her horrible divorce, asserting that she did not want to talk about it. Guthrie was married to Orchard from 2005 to 2009. Some of it was just too personal and too embarrassingIt was horrible and sad, and it broke my heart, and it took me years to recover, she had said, People reported. Also Read | Nancy Guthrie, missing for 10 days: Is FBI close to finding her? What's been uncovered so far Who is Mark Orchard? Mark Orchard is a journalist and television news producer. He currently resides in Washington DC, as per his LinkedIn profile. Mark Orchard currently works as a senior producer for Sinclairs Full Measure with Sharyl Attkisson. Also Read | Savannah vs Annie Guthrie: Net worth comparison His resume includes a stint at BBC News as Senior Field Producer and Al Jazeera English as Senior News Editor. In 2013, he went on to work for Al Jazeera America as an Executive Producer. Epstein files: Amid growing pressure from the US lawmakers, the Department of Justice (DOJ), on Monday (local time), released more names in connection with the recently released documents related to late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, CNN reported. The development follows a review by several lawmakers of the unredacted versions of multiple records. The Justice Department released the last tranche of Epstein files on 30 January. Speaking to CNN, Republican Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky said that the department previously redacted the identities of several people named in a 2019 Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) document. Also Read | Epstein Files appear to show effort to get Trump letter for birthday book Whose names have been unredacted now? Among those unredacted now are the names of billionaire business magnate Les Wexner, Epsteins longtime assistant Lesley Groff, and former French modelling agent Jean-Luc Brunel, each identified as a co-conspirator of Epstein. Wexner is the former chief executive officer (CEO) of Victoria's Secret parent company L Brands. He had previously hired Epstein as a money manager but said he cut ties with him in 2007. When Wexners name surfaced publicly for the first time in December, his attorney said the Assistant US Attorney overseeing the Epstein investigation had made it clear that Wexner was neither a target nor a co-conspirator in any capacity. An attorney for Groff, considered a longtime Epstein associate, said that Groff had "never seen this document and was unaware of it." He added, "In fact, neither Lesley nor her counsel was ever notified that she was considered a co-conspirator. On the contrary, after Lesley voluntarily spoke with prosecutors and answered every question asked of her, she was told that she was not being prosecuted." Brunel died in 2022 in his prison cell after being arrested on several charges, including raping a minor. Also Read | Congress moves to question Epsteins executors and billionaire Les Wexner Other names unredacted Some other names that have been unredacted include Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, CEO of DP World and an Emirati billionaire businessman, and four others identified as Nicola Caputo, Salvatore Nuara, Zurab Mikeladze, and Leonic Leonov, The Guardian reported. These names were publicly revealed by Ro Khanna, the US congressman, during a floor speech on Tuesday (local time) and said, If we found six men that they were hiding in two hours, imagine how many men they are covering up for in those 3m files. DOJ yet to clarify on redactions According to the CNN report, the DOJ has not yet explained why it made the redactions in such a confused and inconsistent manner. The Justice Department has also not explained why it or the FBI did not charge anyone else besides Epstein, saying only that the available evidence did not support prosecutions of others. DOJ faces criticism over Epstein files Since US President Donald Trump signed the Epstein Files Transparency Act in November 2025, the Department of Justice has released a massive trove of documents, with the latest tranche consisting of over three million pages, 180,000 images, and at least 2,000 videos. The documents outline details from the sex-trafficking investigations involving Epstein and contain fresh information about his connections with powerful and wealthy individuals. Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of NBC's Today show co-host Savannah Guthrie, was last seen on 31 January at her Arizona residence before she went missing. Savannah Guthrie and her family have now urged the public to come forward and help them. Her kidnapping comes at a time when the US Department of Justice (DOJ) released millions of pages of documents in connection with the convicted sex offender, Jeffrey Epstein. Social media users are now linking the kidnapping of Guthrie's mother to her reporting of Epstein files. Before Guthrie became part of the news herself, she played a crucial role in telling the stories of the late wealthy financier Epstein's victims and survivors. Savannah Guthrie interviewed Jeffrey Epstein's victims In September 2019, Guthrie conducted a series of exclusive interviews with women who were sexually abused and trafficked by Epstein and his network. In one of these interviews, Guthrie sat down with Virginia Giuffre for her first televised interview. In one of the segments, Giuffre recalled the details of the abuse she faced when she was forced into sex with Epstein and others, including allegations involving powerful figures, Hindustan Times reported. Guthrie interviewed Giuffre after Epstein reportedly died of suicide in his prison cell on 10 August 2019. The series also featured conversations with some other survivors, like Anouska De Georgiou and Rachel Benavidez, who came forward to share their experiences. Some other names included Jennifer Araoz, Marijke Chartouni, and Chauntae Davies. A social media user on X wrote, I hadn't realized that the journalist whose mother disappeared, Savannah Guthrie, interviewed all those Epstein victims [sic]. Also Read | Is Nancy Guthrie admitted to Banner hospital? Helicopter visuals go viral Another link in the Savannah Guthrie-Jeffrey Epstein case? In the latest tranche of documents, released by the Justice Department on 30 January, social media users have now found another link between the two cases. While there may not be a direct connection, Savannah's Epstein connection is surfacing through her husband's work. Guthrie's husband, Michael Feldman, helped found The Glover Park Group in 2001, a public affairs firm based in DC. The report suggests that Feldman helped people like the former US President Bill Clinton and Al Gore. A social media user on X wrote, Samantha Guthries husband, Michael Feldman, founder of Glover Park Group and partner at FGS Global, is directly tied to huge global political influence firms named in EPSTEIN FILES Bill Clinton, Al Gore, and personal relationships with EPSTEIN [sic]. Feldman's firm is also mentioned in the recently released documents. In one of the files, a correspondence involving Larry Summers is mentioned, which suggests that Epstein spoke with someone at the Glover Park Group. The document showed that he helped Clinton and General Petraeus. Savannah Guthrie's interview mentioned in the Epstein Files An email document, in which the names and email addresses of both the sender and recipient have been redacted, shows an exchange discussing an NBC Dateline interview with survivors. One email says, Below is the list of those we know of who were interviewed for Dateline, followed by a list of redacted names. A subsequent email provides details about comments made by one of the interviewees during a separate interview with Guthrie. It reads, Just wanted to give you a heads-up, she has done another interview with Savannah Guthrie, in which she said the following. The Nancy Guthrie missing persons case saw a major development on Tuesday with authorities in the US detaining a person of interest for questioning. Meanwhile, heavy police presence has been reported in the neighbourhood of the 84-year-old's daughter Annie Guthrie's residence. FBI agents and officials from the Pima County Sheriff's Department have also initiated a court-warranted search of a house in Rio Rico, Arizona. Although not confirmed, the house is believed to be linked to the person who has been detailed. CCTV footage released The developments come hours after FBI and its Director Kash Patel made public surveillance footage recovered from the night of Nancy Guthrie's disappearance, with the footage showing a masked individual wearing a backpack and a holster with a gun. It is currently not clear whether the detained person has any link with the individual from the surveillance footage. Authorities have yet to name a suspect, even as social media speculation continues. Director Patel has also urged anyone with information to call 1-800-CALL-FBI or visit tips.fbi.gov. Nancy Guthrie's disappearance Today show anchor Savannah Guthrie's mother Nancy Guthrie disappeared from her Arizona home on 31 January 2026, and has been missing since, with her believed-to-be kidnappers issuing multiple ransom notes, and several deadlines having elapsed since her disappearance. On Monday, a final deadline to pay a $6 million ransom in bitcoin passed with no updates, and the probe into the disappearance continues. The updates to this liveblog have now been closed. Thank you for joining us Nancy Guthrie missing: Law enforcement officials have made some progress in the case of US journalist Savannah Guthrie's mother, Nancy Guthrie, who is missing for close to two weeks now. Deputies from the Pima County sheriff's department and FBI officials on 10 February detained a man in the case, according to reports. According to an AP report, deputies from the Pima County Sheriffs Department detained the person during a traffic stop south of Tucson on 10 February. The police in a post on social media platform X (formerly Twitter) said that the person was detained at a site south of Tucson (Arizona, USA), where Nancy Guthrie lived. But gave no other information. Meanwhile, multiple media reports state a home in Rio Rico was searched, with a woman claiming to be the detained man's mother-in-law stating that he was picked up by officials during a DoorDash delivery. Here's are all the top things we know about this person of interest (POI): Do we know the detained man's name? US news channel CNN reported that a woman claiming to be the detained man's mother-in-law identified him as Carlos Palazuelos. Speaking to CNN outside her home in Rio Rico, Arizona, she denied any involvement from her son-in-law and herself in the Nancy Guthrie case. Theres nobody in the house. I dont know whats going on. Theyre investigating my son-in-law. (He) is a good man, good father, has no criminal record and wouldn't do anything like this. She added that the search came following a tip to police that the missing woman was at their house. We don't know her. I dont know who she is. They said they gave a tip that she was in my house. And I told them, You can go in and search the house. There's nobody there. They're invading my property, taking a lot of pictures. Speaking to NewsNation, the woman, identified as Josefina added, My daughter and he, and the kids, my grandkids, were doing DoorDash when they got stopped here. Neither the police nor the FBI have officially confirmed the identity of the detained person. Detained man tried to flee to Mexico? According to a report by the New York Post citing sources, the person of interest was detained by cops for questioning while headed toward the United States-Mexico border. They added that the man was pursued and stopped at a tiny border community some 95 km south of Nancy Guthrie's home and around 14 km from the US-Mexico border. The sources however could not confirm if the man was trying to flee to Mexico and did not give details on his identity, the report added. Also Read | Nancy Guthrie-linked Bitcoin ransom account starts showing activity House search in Rio Rico court authorised? ABC and NBC News reported that authorities were reportedly planning to search a property linked to the detained person. In a post on X, Fox News reported that vehicles from the Santa Cruz sheriff's department were spotted outside a residence in Rio Rico in Arizona on 10 February. Other local accounts also claimed that the FBI and police are conducting a court-authorised search on a property in Rio Rico. However, at present all this remains speculation. Neither the police nor the FBI have officially confirmed these reports. FBI releases surveillance footage of potential suspect Notably, the FBI released surveillance images of a potential suspect in the probe on X, with FBI Director Kash Patel stating that federal investigators and the Pima County Sheriffs Department have spent the past eight days working with private sector partners to recover missing or corrupted footage from Guthries home. He also released two videos showing a potential subject linked to the case. The release media showed a person wearing gloves, a mask, khakis, sneakers and a backpack at Guthries front door on the morning of her disappearance and appeared to be tampering with the homes security camera. Rio Rico resident Carlos Palazuelos, who said he was detained for questioning in the Nancy Guthrie missing case, was later released, according to ABC15. He said he was kept at the scene of the initial traffic stop for several hours. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), police said the individual was detained at a location south of Tucson, Arizona, where Savannah Guthrie's mother lived. Multiple media reports also said a home in Rio Rico was searched, and a woman Josefina Maddox, identifying herself as the detained mans mother-in-law claimed he was picked up by the officials while making a DoorDash delivery. Who is Carlos Palazuelos? Carlos nationality is still unknown, but he has been described as a DoorDash driver in several X posts, including one shared by the Surviving The Survivor Podcast. Senior reporter and New York Post columnist Paul Sperry wrote in an X post that Carlos delivers packages on contract "for UPS" and drives a white van. Josefina called Carlos as a good guy and maintained that he has no criminal record or history of violence, according to News Nation. After being shown surveillance images of the person captured on Nancys Ring camera, she refuted that the individual bore any resemblance to Carlos. Also Read | Nancy Guthrie-linked Bitcoin ransom account starts showing activity Josefina said she was positive that her son-in-law was at home at the time Guthrie went missing. She explained that he stays at her house on weekends and does not go anywhere. When asked whether he could have left during the night, she responded, Oh, no, no, adding that his van is currently not working. Nancy Guthrie case update Nancy Guthrie vanished on Feb. 1, and the case has since drawn nationwide attention. Until Tuesday, authorities appeared to have made little progress in knowing what happened to the 84-year-old mother of Today show host Savannah Guthrie or identifying those responsible. Savannah Guthrie and her two siblings have issued multiple video appeals asking for their mothers safe return and signaling a willingness to pay a ransom. Officials have described Nancy Guthrie as mentally alert but with limited mobility. She relies on several medications, and Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos has repeatedly expressed concern that she could face life-threatening consequences without them. Rio Rico, a community of about 20,000 residents, is located roughly an hour from Guthries home and about 15 miles (24 kilometers) north of the U.S.-Mexico border. The footage released earlier Tuesday shows an individual wearing a ski mask and carrying a backpack. At one moment, the person lowers their head and turns away from the doorbell camera while approaching Guthries front door. The video also captures the individual holding a flashlight in their mouth and attempting to block the camera with a gloved hand and a piece of a plant pulled from the yard. The clips, totaling less than a minute, offered investigators and the public their first view of someone outside Guthries home in the foothills near Tucson. However, the footage did not reveal what happened to her or clarify whether she remains alive. FBI Director Kash Patel said the armed individual appeared to "have tampered with the camera," though it was not known whether there was actually a gun in the holster. Patel said the videos were recovered from data on "back-end systems after investigators spent numerous days attempting to locate footage that had been lost, corrupted, or otherwise inaccessible. Nancy Guthrie case Highlights: In the latest update in the disappearance of 84-year-old Nancy Guthrie mother of Today anchor Savannah Guthrie a man was detained and later released on Tuesday night (February 10), shortly after the FBI released surveillance images and videos of a masked person outside her Tucson-area home on the night she disappeared. The Pima County Sheriffs Department said the man was pulled over during a traffic stop south of Tucson and questioned for several hours before being released. Officials have not disclosed why he was stopped or the reason for his release. Authorities also confirmed that deputies and FBI agents searched a property in Rio Rico, near the US-Mexico border, where the man lives, according to the Associated Press. Surveillance footage marks key development The FBI released images and brief video clips showing a masked individual approaching Guthries front door on February 1. The person is seen wearing a ask, backpack and gun holster, and is seen trying to remove a doorbell camera. The footage, totaling less than a minute, does not reveal what happened to Guthrie. Although the suspects face is concealed, authorities believe distinctive physical features or movement could help someone identify the individual. Search intensifies Police activity increased in the Tucson foothills neighborhood where Guthrie lived. Officers canvassed areas near the home of her daughter, Annie Guthrie, conducting door-to-door inquiries. Investigators were also observed searching a nearby drainage area and inspecting a culvert with flashlights. Officials have maintained for over a week that they believe Nancy Guthrie was abducted. She was last seen at her home on January 31 and reported missing the next day. DNA analysis confirmed that blood found on her porch belonged to her. Attorney General Pam Bondi, who appeared before a House of Representatives panel, clashed with the Democrats after being repeatedly pressed with questions on the Justice Department's handling of the Epstein Files as she defended President Donald Trump. The US lawmakers grilled Pam Bondi over the alleged slow release of the files linked to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and and the redactions made to the documents. The Epstein Files Transparency Act (EFTA), after it was passed by the Congress in November, forced the Justice Department to release all documents and pictures linked to Epstein it had in its possession within 30 days. While the Justice Department was required to redact the names or any other information that could identify Epstein's victims, names of those who were friendly with the late financier were supposed to be released with the files. Jamie Raskin, the ranking Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee, however, alleged that names of "abusers, enablers, accomplices and co-conspirators" of Epstein had been redacted in the Epstein Files. Grilling Pam Bondi during the hearing, Jamie Raskin said, You're running a massive Epstein cover-up right out of the Department of Justice. You've been ordered by subpoena and by Congress to turn over six million documents, photographs and videos in the Epstein files, but you've turned over only three million. In her response, Pam Bondi defended the Justice Department's handling of the Epstein Files, asserting that thousands of hours were put to release the files and the department did its best. She said, More than 500 attorneys and reviewers spent thousands of hours painstakingly reviewing millions of pages to comply with Congress's law. We've released more than three million pages, including 180,000 images, to the public while doing our very best in the timeframe allotted by the legislation to protect victims. As she was pressed more, Pam Bondi clashed with the Democrats and praised President Donald Trump. Bondi said, You sit here and you attack the president and Im not going to have it. I am not going to put up with it. Not going to have it, says Pam Bondi | Watch Responding to Kentucky lawmaker Thomas Massie over the allegation that the Justice Department had released Jeffrey victims personal information, Pam Bondi attempted to shot back at him, saying that he was only focussed on the files because Donald Trump was mentioned in them. She also went on to accuse Thomas Massie of having Trump-derangement syndrome and called him a hypocrite. When Democratic Representative Pramila Jayapal asked Pam Bondi to apologise to the victims of Jeffrey Epstein who were seated behind the Attorney General, she said demanded to know if she had asked this of her predecessor under the Biden government, adding that she would not get in the gutter for her theatrics. After the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) on Tuesday said it recovered doorbell camera footage showing an armed individual interfering with a camera at Nancy Guthries front door, social media is convinced that the person is Annie Guthrie's husband, Tommaso Cioni. The video depicts the person wearing a backpack and a ski mask with openings for the eyes and mouth. He attempts to block the camera with a gloved hand and then uses a plant ripped from the yard to further obstruct its view. This marks the first significant lead in the escalating search for 84-year-old Nancy Guthrie, mother of Today show host Savannah Guthrie. Authorities have yet to identify any suspects or persons of interest and are asking the public for help in identifying the individual seen in the footage. It has been more than a week since investigators believe she was abducted from her Arizona home. Her children have made an emotional video appealing for assistance, and the case has captured national attention. Although the media has received purported ransom notes with two deadlines, it remains unclear whether there has been any contact with the alleged abductors or if Nancy Guthrie is still alive. Also Read | Nancy Guthrie investigation: Surveillance photos of potential subject released Netizens react One of the social media users alleged, Nancy Guthrie suspect image released. They need to take the son-in-law and the daughter in for questioning! Do you see a mustache in addition to those eyebrows that go to the center of the bridge of his nose? I could be wrong but it looks just like him [sic]. Annie Guthrie's husband with mustach and the suspect also with mustach. Besides we havent heard of Annie Guthrie's husband since Nancy disappeared [sic]," remarked another. Also Read | Nancy Guthrie case: How events unfolded on January 31 and February 1 A third commented, "Newly released images of the suspect in the kidnapping of Nancy Guthrie appear to show that he has a mustache. Other angles looks like a beard as well. Many are speculating this could be Savannah Guthries brother in law [sic]. Another user specified details and claimed, Eyebrows, facial hair, head shape, body type...it's Tommaso Cioni [sic]. Despite these reports, there is no definitive connection between Cioni and the footage. Authorities have not yet identified the individual captured in the new video. Meanwhile, after the FBIs announcement, Savannah Guthrie shared images of the suspected kidnapper on Instagram, saying, We believe she is still alive. Bring her home, and providing contact numbers for the FBI and the county sheriff. A 60-year-old pilot was apprehended on board a LATAM Airlines plane after he allegedly paid families large sums of money to gain access to their children while operating a paedophile ring. Sergio Antonio Lopes a married father of two who had just returned from his honeymoon with his new wife was taken away in handcuffs shortly before take-off on Monday at Congonhas Airport in Sao Paulo, according to The Mirror. Authorities said the arrest was deliberately carried out at the airport as Lopes is a frequent flyer and was difficult to locate at his residence in Guararema, a town in the metropolitan region of Sao Paulo state. According to police, Lopess new wife, a psychologist, was left shocked after learning about his alleged structured network involving the exploitation of children and adolescents. Authorities said her involvement in the racket has been ruled out. The Mirror report further stated that Lopes is suspected of leading an organised network allegedly involved in the sexual abuse and exploitation of children and adolescents, which investigators believe had been operating for at least eight years. Police allege that he used forged identity documents to take minors to motels, where the abuse took place. Payments, financial support and evidence Officials further alleged that Lopes paid for images and videos of victims, with payments typically ranging from BRL 30 (4) to BRL 100 (14). Police claimed that he also provided financial assistance to families linked to the case, including purchasing food, medication, and household items, paying rent, and, in some instances, buying appliances. Speaking at a press conference, police chief Ivalda Aleixo, head of the State Department of Homicides and Protection of Persons (DHPP), said that abuse occurred whenever Lopes had physical contact with the victims. Also Read | Deported from UAE, drug accused says he hosted rave parties for Bollywood stars At least 10 people, including a suspected shooter, were killed in a shooting incident at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School, located in the Canadian province of British Columbia on Tuesday, 10 February. According to a report by CNN, the school will be closed for the rest of the week following the incident, which is said to be Canadas deadliest school shooting in decades. Six people were found dead inside a high school, two more people were found dead at a residence that police believe is connected to the incident, and another person died on the way to hospital, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police said, Reuters reported on Tuesday. Canada school shooting: Top updates Besides the casualties, at least two other people were hospitalised with serious or life-threatening wounds, and as many as 25 people were being treated for non-life-threatening injuries, police said. According to a report by Reuters, the attack was carried out by a shooter described as female, as per police. Police received a report about the shooting at 1.20 p.m. local time, Tuesday of an active school shooter at the Tumbler Ridge Secondary School. Within minutes, officers were on the scene. Around 1:30 p.m., lockdown alarms sounded throughout the school, instructing teachers to close and secure classroom doors. One student said he and his classmates used tables to barricade themselves inside their classroom, reported CNN. View full Image This screengrab of a video provided by local journalist Trent Ernst shows the middle school and high school building where the shooting took place, leaving at least ten people dead in the small town of Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia, on February 10, 2026 ( AFP ) Darian Quist, a Grade 12 student of the school said the alarm went off shortly after he arrived at his class. He told CBC Radio West that when he realised it was not a drill, he and his classmates quickly pushed tables against the doors to barricade themselves inside. Quist said they remained locked inside the classroom for nearly two hours. During that time, some students began circulating what he described as disturbing images from other parts of the school, showing blood and scenes of what was unfolding, mentioned a report by CNN. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) soon issued a shelter in place warning, telling Tumbler Ridge residents to lock their doors and stay inside until further instruction. The RCMP said a suspect had been found dead, but that its officers were working to determine whether a second suspect was involved. Canada School Shooting: At least 10 people, including the suspected attacker, were killed and 25 others injured after a shooting at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School in British Columbia, Canada, on Tuesday. Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) in Canada's British Columbia northeast were responding on Tuesday to what police described as a confirmed active shooter incident at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School, with authorities warning residents to shelter in place as investigators worked to determine the number of victims and whether more than one suspect was involved. Six people were found dead inside a high school in Tumbler Ridge, two more people were found dead at a residence believed to be connected to the incident, and another person died on the way to the hospital, the RCMP said. A suspected shooter was also found dead from what appears to be a selfinflicted injury, police said, adding that they did not believe there were any more suspects or an ongoing threat to the public. Another 25 people were being assessed for injuries at a local medical centre, said police. According to local media, an emergency alert issued by the RCMP shortly after 2 pm PT covered a wide area around Tumbler Ridge, including Chetwynd and Dawson Creek, as police said there were multiple victims and urged the public not to leave their homes. Confirmed active shooter incident prompts emergency alert across Peace region The emergency alert, issued at 2:15 pm PT, initially described the suspect as a woman wearing a dress with brown hair, according to a report by Global Media. Police later said that the original suspect was believed to have been found dead. RCMP said the situation remained fluid and that officers were continuing to assess the threat. Work continues to determine whether a second suspect was involved and the total number of victims involved, a short police statement reads. RCMP confirm victims but will not provide numbers or injuries In a text message, RCMP Staff Sgt. Kris Clark confirmed that multiple victims were involved, though he did not specify how many people had been harmed or the severity of their injuries. The incident has triggered heightened concern in the small community, which has a population of about 2,400 people according to the 2021 census. Shelter-in-place order issued as police secure school grounds The Canadian Police said residents in the Tumbler Ridge area should stay indoors, lock their doors, and refrain from leaving their homes or businesses. Also Read | Canada shooting: 3 Indians arrested over extortion gunfire in Surrey RCMP reiterated the guidance in a statement released during the response: As of 1:20 p.m., the Tumbler Ridge RCMP are currently on scene of a confirmed active shooter incident at the Tumbler Ridge Secondary School. Schools placed on lockdown as district acknowledges secure and hold School District 59 said in a social media post that it was aware of a lockdown and a secure-and-hold at both Tumbler Ridge Secondary and Tumbler Ridge Elementary. The district did not provide further details about the shooting, but confirmed that safety protocols were being followed. Just after 5 p.m. PT, Tumbler Ridge Elementary School confirmed that they could hand students over to their parents or guardians. Police investigate whether a second suspect may be involved While police said the original suspect was believed to have been located deceased, investigators stressed that the incident could not yet be considered fully resolved. The RCMP statement suggested the possibility of a second suspect remained under review. Also Read | Civil rights probe into Minneapolis ICE shooting was halted: Report Work continues to determine whether a second suspect was involved and the total number of victims involved, RCMP said. Authorities have not released information about the victims, including whether they were students, staff, or others at the school. A small community shaken as questions remain unanswered Tumbler Ridge, located in British Columbias Peace region, is a remote community where major emergencies can quickly strain local resources. By early evening, police had not confirmed whether the shelter-in-place order would be lifted, nor had they released details about how the shooting unfolded, what weapons may have been involved, or whether there was an ongoing risk to the wider public. Colombian President Gustavo Petro on Tuesday (local time) said that he escaped an assassination bid while travelling by helicopter with his daughters, after claiming for months about an alleged plot to target him, reportedly by drug traffickers, Al Jazeera reported. In a video message, Petro said that his helicopter on Monday (local time) failed to land at a destination on Colombia's Caribbean coast due to fears that unspecified people "were going to shoot". The Colombian President's assassination claim comes at a time when the country is reporting a massive surge in cases of violence ahead of the presidential elections, scheduled for 31 May. Colombia is marred by a years-long conflict between the guerrilla and other armed groups. Changed plans due to threat to my safety, says Petro In a report carried by public broadcaster Radio Nacional de Colombia, Petro said, "Last night, I couldnt land because I was informed that they were going to shoot at the helicopter I was travelling with my daughters." He further added, "They didn't even turn on the lights where I was supposed to land." He made these remarks at a Council of Ministers meeting in the Cordoba Department. Situated in the north of the country, it is a region where torrential rains and flooding have resulted in a humanitarian emergency. Speaking at the meeting, the Colombian President said he was forced to change his plans drastically due to threats to his safety. Im trying to escape being killed. Thats why I couldnt arrive on time last night, because I couldnt land where I had said. This morning, I couldnt land where I was supposed to either, because there was information that the helicopter was going to be shot at, Petro said. The Colombian president said his helicopter diverted toward open waters for nearly four hours before landing at an alternate location, with multiple last-minute adjustments made to his itinerary and flight path. The public broadcaster reported that the head of state confirmed that such events keep him in a state of permanent alert. The head of state also linked these actions to some other events, which, according to him, have been occurring since October 2025. Petro previously reported assassination attempts In 2024, the Colombian President reported an assassination attempt. He also claimed that he has been on the radar of a drug-trafficking cartel ever since he assumed office in August 2022. According to AFP, authorities believe the suspected assassination plot may involve powerful drug traffickers and armed faction leaders, including Ivan Mordisco, who leads the largest group of former FARC rebels that rejected the 2016 peace accord and continued operating outside the agreement. Colombia has a history of political violence, with several left-wing figures and presidential hopefuls having been killed over the years. The White House has revised its factsheet on the newly announced IndiaUS trade framework within 24 hours of its release, removing or softening several key references related to agricultural access, digital taxation and large-scale US exports. The updated version of the Historic Trade Deal factsheet retains the broad contours of the interim reciprocal trade framework announced by US President Donald Trump following a call with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. However, certain parts in the earlier version have been modified. One notable change is the removal of certain pulses from the list of US agricultural products for which India would eliminate or reduce tariffs. The earlier version explicitly mentioned pulses, along with dried distillers grains (DDGs), red sorghum, tree nuts, fruits, soybean oil, wine, and spirits. In the revised document, pulses no longer figure in the enumerated list. The omission of certain pulses from the revised factsheet indicates that the issue remains sensitive for India, said B.B. Singh, an expert in oilseeds and pulses. Pulses are politically and economically important for India. Any large-scale tariff reduction on US pulses would have implications for domestic farmers and price stability. The fact that pulses were mentioned earlier and then dropped suggests there is still no firm agreement on this segment, he said. India imports pulses to manage shortages, but it also has to protect farmer interests. So any commitment in this area is likely to be carefully calibrated. Digital trade, purchase commitments The White House has also tweaked the language on digital trade commitments. The earlier factsheet stated that India would scrap its digital services taxes and negotiate rules prohibiting customs duties on electronic transmissions. In the updated version, these references have been removed. It now states only that India is committed to negotiate a robust set of bilateral digital trade rules that address discriminatory or burdensome practices and other barriers to digital trade, without mentioning digital services taxes or customs duties on electronic transmissions. Similarly, the language around Indias purchase commitments has been softened. The initial factsheet said that India committed to buy more American products and purchase over $500 billion of US energy, information and communication technology, agricultural, coal, and other products. The revised version replaces this with India intends to buy more American products and purchase over $500 billion of US energy, information and communication technology, coal, and other products, shifting from a firm commitment to an expression of intent and removing the explicit reference to agricultural products in that line. Experts said that the factsheet, aimed at the US audience, translates the messaging of the earlier Joint Statement into a more business-relevant signal on market access, regulatory cooperation and supply-chain alignment. For industry, the emphasis on tariff rationalisation in select industrial products and sectors, expanded agricultural access, and collaboration in technology, energy and digital trade suggests incremental but tangible commercial openings that can be expected, said Agneshwar Sen, trade policy leader, EY India. Sen said this is certainly more targeted than a sweeping free-trade agreement. Equally important is the acknowledgement that several provisions remain under negotiationindicating a phased approach that allows companies to prepare without assuming immediate structural change, he said. The document underscores policy direction and strategic intent, offering businesses early visibility on opportunities while reinforcing IndiaUS economic convergence, he said. An expert on national security strategies said that the revisions reflect the strategic sensitivity of certain commitments. The softening of language on digital taxes and large-scale purchase commitments suggests both sides are calibrating expectations. Trade is no longer just about tariffsit is closely linked to energy security, technology access and geopolitical alignment, said Amit Singh, associate professor at the Special Centre for National Security Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University. The reference to India aligning with the US on systemic imbalances and national security challenges indicates that this agreement is as much strategic as it is economic. But on issues like digital sovereignty and agricultural access, India is likely to retain negotiating space rather than make upfront concessions, he said. On Tuesday, Mint reported, citing a person aware of the matter, that for India the joint statement issued on Saturday remains the primary document for the trade agreement. The broader framework remains unchanged. The US will lower its reciprocal tariff on India from 25% to 18%, following President Trumps decision to remove an additional 25% tariff on Indian imports after India committed to stop purchasing Russian oil. The two countries will also negotiate rules of origin to ensure benefits accrue primarily to them and address non-tariff barriers in priority areas. At least three persons were injured after an unknown man wielding gun entered a school in southern Thailand and started shooting indiscriminately, Reuters reported. The gunman had also taken a number of teachers and students as hostages, police official was quoted as saying. No deaths were reported in the Thailand school shooting. The gunman who entered the school and shot indiscriminately has been detained and all hostages have been freed, police said, the news agency reported. The police and province authorities said that the gunman was shot and then arrested. "Police shot the suspect in the Hat Yai shooting," Thailand's Central Investigation Bureau said in a statement. It was earlier reported that the gunman had been killed, but the authorities later clarified that he had been shot and arrested. How Thailand school shooting unfolded The incident was reported on February 11 when an 18-year-old man entered the Patongprathankiriwat School. The school is located in Songkhla province's Hat Yai district in southern Thailand. The man entered the school in an agitated state while carrying a gun, the provincial administration said. Shortly after he entered, "about two to three gunshots were heard", the provincial government said. Deputy Superintendent Wichian Soboon later informed the media that the man was arrested after some time. At least three people were injured in the incident, a second police official said. Videos on the social media showed multiple people running to escape the school premises. According to some posts, the principal of the school was also hurt in the school shooting. In a photograph released by police, the suspect was seen lying barefoot on the ground, dressed in shorts and a T-shirt, as armed officers restrain him. Also Read | Who is Lt Gen Vladimir Alexeyev? Top Russian intelligence official shot multiple times in Moscow apartment building Another video on the social media, which could not independently be verified by Mint, showed students running inside the school as the sound of gunfire ring loud in the background. It cannot be confirmed whether a student or a teacher recorded the video. In another, also not immediately verifiable, students run down stairs at the school as police, some wearing helmets and black bullet-proof vests and carrying rifles, shouted: Go home kids, it's safe, Reuters reported. Pakistans Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has accused the US of exploiting Islamabad for its strategic interests and then discarding it like a toilet paper. Speaking in Parliament, Asif is heard saying in the video that Islamabads decision to once again align with Washington after 1999, particularly in relation to Afghanistan, inflicted lasting damage on the country. Asif accused Pakistan's late military dictators Zia-ul-Haq and Pervez Musharraf of entangling the country in external wars, leaving it to absorb the fallout long after its allies moved on. "I was listening to Hillary Clinton's speech. She has explained everything on how they exploited Pakistan. Its a landmark speech. And it says how they used us as tissue paper, in fact, as toilet paper. Still we did not learn anything..." Asif said, describing the pursuit of US backing as a grave miscalculation whose consequences Pakistan continues to bear decades later. The Pakistani minister also termed Islamabad's involvement in two Afghan wars 'a mistake,' saying that the terrorism in Pakistan today was the blowback of past mistakes. Asif was basically speaking about how the costs of realigning with the US after 1999, particularly following the September 11, 2001, attacks, were devastating Asif noted Islamabad again aligned itself with Washington in the US-led Afghan war in the post-2001 period, turning against the Taliban in the process. The minister said that while the United States eventually withdrew from the region, Pakistan was left grappling with prolonged violence, radicalisation and economic strain. Jihad was misused We deny our history and do not accept our mistakes. Terrorism is a blowback of the mistakes committed by dictators in the past. Asif also disagreed with the popular perception that Pakistan's involvement in the Afghan conflicts was driven by religious or Islamic reasons. He acknowledged that Pakistanis were sent to fight under the banner of jihad, calling that framing misleading and deeply damaging. "We deny our history and do not accept our mistakes. Terrorism is a blowback of the mistakes committed by dictators in the past," the minister said. US-led war in Afghanistan Pakistan has played a central and often controversial role in every major US military intervention in Afghanistan over the past four decades. Its involvement spans from the anti-Soviet jihad of the 1980s to the post-9/11 war on terror and the US withdrawal in 2021. A French man, Jacques Leveugle, aged 79-years-old, has been charged with the rape and sexual assault of 89 teenagers, reports mentioned on Wednesday. The mass abuse case, however dates back to the 1960s and spans many countries. The accused would travel to different countries and in each of the places where he settled to provide tutoring and teach, he would meet young people and have sexual relations with them, reported BBC, citing Grenoble prosecutor, Etienne Manteaux. Police allege that Leveugle could have carried out assaults not only in France, but also Germany, Switzerland, Morocco, Niger, Algeria, the Philippines, India, Colombia, and the French overseas territory of New Caledonia. He was arrested after his nephew found a USB that allegedly detailed his "sexual relations" with minors aged 13 to 17. Who is Jacques Leveugle? For much of his life, Leveugle worked as an informal teacher or assistant at holiday camps. Police allege the assaults took place between 1967 and 2022. According to prosecutors, he would settle in different countries to provide tutoring or teaching and allegedly met young people through this work. How Leuvegle's act unfolded? Leveugle was living in Morocco at the time of his arrest and had travelled to the Isere region near Grenoble to visit his brother. His nephew, who had grown suspicious, examined the USB drive in October 2023 while Leveugle was away. It allegedly contained "15 tomes of very dense material" - photographs and written accounts of his "sexual relations" with minors, Manteaux said. "The victims we have spoken to tell us that he spent a lot of time helping them to learn foreign languages, awakening their sense of culture... He has a complex personality," the prosecutor said, reported BBC. Did the French man kill his mother? During questioning, prosecutors said Leveugle also allegedly admitted to killing his mother in 1974, when she was terminally ill with cancer, and his 92-year-old aunt in 1992, both by suffocation. A separate judicial investigation has been opened into those alleged killings. The United States has raised concerns over the growing presence of China in South Asia and is planning to offer Bangladeshs next government American and allied defence systems as alternatives to Chinese hardware, according to a report by Reuters citing Washington's ambassador. Bangladesh is scheduled to hold a general election on Thursday, following a youth-led uprising in August 2024 that ousted the Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. China recently signed a defence agreement with Bangladesh to establish a drone factory. Additionally, Bangladesh is negotiating with Pakistan to purchase JF-17 Thunder fighter jets, a multirole combat aircraft collaboratively developed with China, the report said. "The United States is concerned about growing Chinese influence in South Asia and is committed to working closely with the Bangladeshi government to clearly communicate the risks of certain types of engagement with China," US Ambassador Brent T Christensen told the news portal. "The US offers a range of options to help Bangladesh meet its military capability needs, including US systems and those from allied partners, to provide alternatives to Chinese systems," he said without sharing details. China's foreign ministry stated that as comprehensive strategic partners, China and Bangladesh have collaborated across political, economic, and security sectors. "Our mutually beneficial and friendly cooperation is not directed against any third party, nor will we tolerate interference from any third party," the ministry said in a statement to Reuters. Christensen also said that the Trump administration would "like to see a good relationship between Bangladesh and India to support stability in the region". Also Read | 7 key issues that could shape the high-stakes February 12 election in Bangladesh Focus on commercial diplomacy Christensen mentioned that many US companies are considering investing in Bangladesh, but they need the upcoming government to demonstrate early and clear signs that it is "open for business." "Commercial diplomacy is one of our top priorities, and we look forward to working with the new government to build on progress made with the interim government, particularly in strengthening commercial, economic, and security ties," he was quoted as saying. Energy producer Chevron has operated in Bangladesh for decades, but few other US companies are present only in the densely populated country of 175 million, due to high taxes and challenges in repatriating profits. Currently, Bangladesh does not have any Starbucks or McDonald's outlets. The envoy said that the US would work with "whichever government is elected by the Bangladeshi people". The race is between two coalitions led by former allies: the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and the Islamist Jamaat-e-Islami. Support for Rohingya refugees Speaking about the 1.2 million Rohingya refugees living in Bangladesh, the ambassador said the United States has been the largest contributor to humanitarian operations. "The US remains the largest contributor to the Rohingya refugee response and continues robust health programming in Bangladesh," he was quoted as saying, highlighting the latest $2 billion global funding framework signed with the United Nations to improve the effectiveness of such aid, including Bangladesh. He encouraged other international donors to assume a larger share of the responsibility. "The US cannot sustain the bulk of the effort alone. International partners need to increase their support for the Rohingya response," he said. The third aspect is not just financial investment, but a stated or unstated cushion to fall back uponmeaning you can take risks with a startup because you can afford not to earn for a while or have enough family wealth to ensure that you wont be out on the streets if the venture fails. Musk comes to mind. Having strong financial support can help someone who is interested in setting up a startup and providing a financial safety net in the case of failure, said the report. That unipolar world no longer exists. The Russian Federation is back, at least militarily, and theres a new kid on the block, China, whose arsenal is rising quickly. Using the same logic outlined aboveespecially the security dilemma and MADChina does not intend to join any nuclear weapons control regime. It asserts its right to self-defence by catching up with the larger caches of its rivals. It is almost inevitable that this will be interpreted as aggression by its rivals and result in escalation of nuke acquisition. A notice submitted by Opposition MPs seeking the removal of Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla has been found to contain procedural deficiencies, officials familiar with the matter told news agency PTI, though the Speaker has directed the Secretariat to rectify the shortcomings and move forward under the rules. Notice flagged for repeated references to February 2025 events Lok Sabha Secretariat officials familiar with the matter said shortcomings were identified in the notice, including repeated mention of events from February 2025 a detail that, according to officials, could have been grounds for rejecting it under the rulebook. However, rather than dismissing the notice outright, Om Birla had reportedly instructed officials to have the deficiencies corrected and proceed. Om Birla has ordered expeditious action in accordance with the rules. The notice will be listed after the commencement of the second phase of the Budget Session. After receiving the revised notice, it will be examined promptly as per the prescribed rules, Lok Sabha Secretariat officials were quoted by ANI. Motion expected to be listed in the second half of Budget Session The discussion on the motion of no confidence against Lok Sabha speaker Om Birla is expected to be scheduled for March 9, the first day of the second part of the Budget Session, according to Lok Sabha Secretariat sources. Congress submits notice, says it followed Rule 94C The Congress submitted the notice on Tuesday and said it had followed parliamentary procedure in doing so. Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi said, "At 1:14 pm today, we submitted a motion for a no-confidence motion against the Speaker under rule 94C rules and procedures." Congress sources said 118 MPs had signed the notice. Opposition alleges blatantly partisan conduct by Speaker Opposition MPs have framed the notice as a response to what they describe as persistent and politically biased conduct in the Chair, including claims that leaders of Opposition parties were not allowed to speak in the House. Also Read | Opposition submits motion seeking removal of Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla According to sources, the notice cites four incidents, including the allegation that Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi was not permitted to speak during the debate on the motion of thanks to the Presidents address. Gandhi had sought to refer to former Army Chief General Manoj Mukund Naravanes unpublished memoir while discussing the 2020 standoff with China. Suspensions, remarks and Speakers own statement cited in notice Opposition sources said the notice also points to the suspension of eight MPs, and to comments by BJP MP Nishikant Dubey, which were described as objectionable and personalised attacks against former Prime Ministers. Also Read | Oppn to move no-confidence motion against Om Birla amid showdown They also cited a statement attributed to Birla, in which he said he had urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi not to attend the House to avoid an unpleasant incident, after receiving information that some Congress MPs might approach the Prime Ministers seat and resort to an unprecedented incident. TMC urges appeal before motion, offers conditional support The Trinamool Congress has taken a more cautious line, arguing that the Opposition should first submit an appeal to the Speaker before escalating to a no-confidence motion. Ritu Tawde, a BJP corporator from Ghatkopar East, will formally assume office as Mumbais mayor on Tuesday after being elected unopposed in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, marking a rare political shift in Indias richest civic body and ending Shiv Senas quarter-century hold on the post. A two-time corporator, Tawde becomes the citys eighth woman mayor and the BJPs first in Mumbai since 198283, as the ruling Mahayuti alliance consolidates its position inside the municipal corporation even while the BMC continues to function under an administrator. Who is Ritu Tawde? Two-time corporator from Ghatkopar East Tawde has served as a corporator twice from Ghatkopar East, a key suburban ward that has been politically significant in Mumbais municipal contests. Her elevation positions her as a prominent BJP face in civic politics at a moment when the party is seeking to deepen its organisational footprint in the city. Elected unopposed after Shiv Sena (UBT) opts out The mayoral election followed the decision of the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) not to field a candidate, clearing the way for an uncontested victory for the Mahayuti alliance. The move effectively removed the possibility of a floor contest, allowing the BJP to secure the post without a vote and turning the mayoral election into a statement of political momentum rather than a numerical test. BJP returns to Mumbai mayors chair for first time in four decades Tawdes appointment is being read within Mumbais political circles as a milestone for the BJP, which has not held the mayors post since 198283. Also Read | Mumbai civic body issues order on large hoardings after Ghatkopar incident It also ends a 25-year period during which the Shiv Sena dominated the symbolic top office of the BMC, even as alliances and control over Maharashtras government shifted repeatedly over the years. Deputy mayor to be from Shinde Sena under rotational pact Under a rotational arrangement within the Mahayuti alliance, Sanjay Ghadi of the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena will serve as deputy mayor. The pairing underscores the internal power-sharing structure of the alliance, which includes the BJP and the Shinde faction of the Shiv Sena, and reflects how civic positions are being distributed amid a broader recalibration of Maharashtras political map. BMC remains under an administrator despite leadership change The transition comes at a time when the BMC, despite its scale and influence, remains under an administrator. This has fuelled continued debate over democratic accountability in Mumbais civic governance, especially as the municipal body oversees infrastructure, public health, roads, and major capital projects. Even so, the mayoral office retains significant political value particularly as a platform for visibility, agenda-setting and citywide messaging. Fadnavis and Shinde expected at BMC headquarters Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde are expected to attend the proceedings at the BMC headquarters, underlining the political importance the alliance is attaching to the mayoral transition. The presence of the states top leadership is also likely to frame the event as a consolidation moment for the Mahayuti, rather than a routine municipal ceremony. What Tawdes mayoralty could mean for Mumbais civic politics While the mayor does not directly control the BMCs administrative machinery, the office is central to the citys political identity. Tawdes rise is expected to sharpen the BJPs claim to civic leadership in Mumbai and provide the party with a symbolic anchor in the corporation. Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Member of Parliament (MP) Raghav Chadha on Wednesday called for introducing a 'Right to Recall' mechanism. Chadha, speaking in the Rajya Sabha, argued that voters should have the power to remove elected representatives before the completion of their five-year term if they fail to perform. Raising the issue during the Zero Hour, the Rajya Sabha MP said, While Indian citizens have the constitutional right to elect Members of Parliament (MPs) and Members of Legislative Assemblies (MLAs), there is currently no direct mechanism for voters to de-elect them mid-term on grounds of non-performance or misconduct. Also Read | Raghav Chadha pushes for blockchain-based land registry The 'Right to Recall' framework would allow constituents to initiate a formal process to remove an elected representative through a structured, legally defined procedure, he said, adding that India already provides for the impeachment of the President, Vice President, and judges, and allows no-confidence motions against governments. Extending a similar accountability principle to individual legislators, he said, would strengthen democratic oversight. Five years is a long tenure: Chadha "Five years is a long tenure" for the evaluation of performance of elected representatives, he said, adding there is no profession where you underperform for five years with zero consequences. Globally, more than 20 democracies - including the United States and Switzerland - provide for some form of recall or voter-initiated removal mechanism at various levels of government, he said. What is Right to Recall? Right to Recall (RTR) laws in India enable voters to remove elected local representatives (Sarpanch, Corporators, Mayors) before their term expires due to non-performance. While limited to specific local bodies in states like Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and Bihar, there is no nationwide law for MPs or MLAs, though proposals exist. The debate over the Recall of elected representatives has a long history in the Indian democracy; the matter was even discussed in the Constituent Assembly. The debate centred on the belief that the Right to Recall must accompany the Right to Elect, and that voters must be provided with a remedy 'if things go wrong'. However, Dr BR Ambedkar did not accept this amendment. Safeguards are needed Chadha, however, said safeguards are needed to prevent political misuse or instability. Suggested guardrails include a minimum threshold - a verified petition backed by at least 35-40 per cent of registered voters in a constituency should trigger a recall vote. Also, there should be a cooling-off period - a mandatory lock-in period of at least 18 months after the election before a recall process can be initiated. Five years is a long tenure for the evaluation of performance of elected representatives. The grounds for recall should be limited to proven misconduct, corruption, fraud or serious neglect of duty, rather than routine political disagreements, he said, adding the removal should happen only if more than 50% of voters support the recall in a formal vote. Also Read | Lok Sabha adjourned for the day amid protests by Oppn over Rahul Gandhi speech Such a mechanism would incentivise political parties to nominate stronger candidates, enhance accountability and reduce corruption, he added. Budget Session: Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, on Wednesday, said that Indian data is the most important factor in Indias equation with the United States of America. The Congress leader claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi choked in front of the United States, and that one can see the fear in his eyes. If the INDIA alliance was negotiating with President Trump. I will tell you what we would say. The first thing we would say to President Trump is that the most important thing in this equation is Indian data. You want to protect dollar, we are your friends. And we appreciate you and help you protect dollar. The biggest asset for that is Indian people, he said. Rahul Gandhi spoke in the Lok Sabha for over 45 minutes on the Budget 2026. Earlier in the day, the leaders of the Congress party walked out of the Lok Sabha, following protests over the refusal of the Chair, PC Mohan, to allow them to raise certain questions during the Question Hour. Not your servants. Second thing we would say, Mr Trump, please understand. Our energy security is our energy security. Third is we understand your voter base is farmers. But we will also protect our farmers. But the main thing I am saying is that the INDIA bloc government will go and say data is our biggest strength. We will go there as equals. And we will not be made equal to Pakistan, Gandhi said. There was a chokehold on him Gandhi hit out at the Centre, saying that the Indian government has fully surrendered to the US. The point is that I dont believe that an Indian PM, including Mr Modi, would sign the deal unless there was a chokehold on him, he said in the House. The Rae Bareli MP argued in the Lok Sabha that Indian data is the countrys most strategic asset in an increasingly unstable global order, claiming it could play a decisive role in the geopolitical contest between the United States and China. Gandhi sparked a row in the House when he said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi choked in front of the United States, and that one could see the fear in his eyes. The interesting thing is that I know that PM wont sell India under normal circumstances. He has sold India because they are choking him. I said when you choke, you see fear in the eyes. You can see it in PMs eyes. Two things. First is Epstein files, Gandhi said. However, Jagdambika Pal, who was presiding over the Lok Sabha proceedings, intervened, saying that he wont allow this. Gandhi agreed that he wouldnt speak on the Epstein files. The former Congress president said Indias greatest strength lies in its people and the data they generate, asserting that population should be seen not as a burden but as a national advantage in the 21st century. What we bring to the table is our people their wisdom, what they do, their likes and dislikes, their imagination and their fear. In the 21st century, this has suddenly got value, Gandhi said. Population is not a weight. It is the biggest asset you can have. But it is only a strength if you recognise that data. Indian data would be a decisive factor Gandhi said that in a contest between the United States and China, Indian data would be a decisive factor. If the INDIA alliance was negotiating with President Trump, the first thing we would say is that the most important thing in this equation is Indian data, he said. If the Americans want to remain a superpower and protect their dollar, the key to that is Indian data. If the Americans want to remain a superpower and protect their dollar, the key to that is Indian data. Gandhi also took issue with earlier remarks by the Prime Minister and National Security Adviser Ajit Doval that the era of war is over, arguing instead that the world is entering a period marked by open conflict and strategic confrontation. The Trump administration warned that Peru is losing sovereignty over a Chinese-owned port near its capital city, after a local judge ruled that the port is exempt from some regulatory oversight. Concerned about latest reports that Peru could be powerless to oversee Chancay, one of its largest ports, which is under jurisdiction of predatory Chinese owners, the US State Departments Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs said in a post on X on Wednesday. Let this be a cautionary tale for the region and the world: cheap Chinese money costs sovereignty. The warning is the most direct criticism yet from the Trump administration of Perus close ties to China, which is the South American nations top trading partner followed by the US. At issue is the Chinese-owned Chancay port, which cost $1.3 billion to build and was inaugurated by Chinese President Xi Jinping in 2024. The port, which helps expedite shipments to China from South America, is operated by Chinese-owned Cosco Shipping Ports. While a local judge ruled against state oversight, the head of Perus infrastructure regulator Ositran, Veronica Zambrano, has been vocal in criticizing the decision, saying it will leave users of the port unprotected. Ositran oversees Perus other major ports, which are concessions on public land, while Chancay is a privately-owned port. We understand that what has happened, because we have yet to be notified, is that there is a lower court ruling accepting their request, which is not to be supervised by Ositran, Zambrano said. Gonzalo Rios, general manager at Coscos Peruvian unit, told local radio RPP that the port had sued to defend its rights as a private port and that users will still be able to file complaints in court or with the consumer protection agency. China has invested heavily in Peru in recent years, including in the electricity and mining sectors as well as shipping. Meanwhile, the US has designated Peru as a major non-NATO ally and is negotiating a contract worth as much as $1.5 billion to be paid by Peru to build a new naval base for the Andean country just a few miles from Chancay. Newly installed US Ambassador to Peru Bernie Navarro also criticized Peru. Everything has a price. In the long term, what was cheap is costly, Navarro wrote on X. There is no higher price to pay than losing sovereignty. He also recently posted a photo with Peruvian President Jose Jeri eating cheese burgers and calling it a changing the menu, in an apparent reference to unreported meetings that the Peruvian president held in Chinese restaurants. 2026 Bloomberg L.P. While removing the prescriptive proposition of a 10% watermark on AI-generated content is a progressive move, the timeline impositions could make it significantly difficult for intermediaries, both small and large, to match the expected burden of compliance, Kumar said. This is because while most content-monitoring algorithms are automated, taking down specific content based on reports will inevitably require human oversight. Compressing them exponentially will be a huge addition of cost to the large tech companies and could be nearly impossible for the smaller ones. Google has begun rolling out the Android 16 Quarterly Platform Release 3 (QPR3) Beta 2.1 update to enrolled testers, while also confirming that the first beta build of Android 17 will soon follow. The announcement signals the closing stages of the current testing cycle and the start of the companys next major Android beta programme. The update was shared by the Android Beta Team earlier this week on Reddit, with eligible Pixel users expected to receive the software automatically over the air. Android 17 Beta 1 set to arrive soon According to the team, the first beta version of Android 17 will begin rolling out shortly to devices already enrolled in the Android Beta Programme. Although Google has not provided an exact release date, the company says participating Pixel handsets will receive the new firmware as soon as it becomes available. At present, Google has not disclosed key details about the upcoming operating system. Information about design changes, new features, supported devices and the full release schedule remains under wraps. How the update will be delivered Pixel owners who remain enrolled in the beta programme will automatically get the Android 17 Beta 1 update once it is pushed live. Users who prefer to avoid early software builds must opt out after installing the stable Android 16 QPR3 version. Also Read | Google shuts down massive Chinese proxy network that hijacked millions of device If they do not leave the programme, their devices will automatically download the Android 17 Beta 1 26Q2 firmware. Google has advised users to wait for the stable QPR3 release before opting out. The over the air notification will include a Downgrade option, allowing users to return to the public build. However, downgrading will erase all data stored on the device, which means backups are essential. Why beta programmes matter Androids beta testing programme allows users to try new features ahead of launch while helping Google identify bugs and performance issues. Feedback from testers plays a key role in refining the software before it reaches the wider public. Early hints at Android 17 features While Google has yet to formally reveal what Android 17 will introduce, reports suggest changes may already be in development. Recent leaks indicate the update could feature a redesigned notifications panel. Also Read | Google rolls out January 2026 Android 16 update for Pixel devices The notifications shade and Quick Settings menu may also open separately, depending on the swipe direction, which could offer a cleaner and more intuitive interface. Google has introduced a new set of tools that let people request the removal of sensitive and explicit personal content from its Search results. The update, announced in a company blog post on Tuesday, focuses particularly on cases involving non-consensual explicit images, while also highlighting how users can flag and track removal requests. How to request that Google remove a users sensitive content from its Search Under the revised system, users can begin a removal request directly from Search results. By clicking the three-dot menu next to an image, they can select the remove result option and specify that the content shows a sexual image of them. Google says this reduces the number of steps previously required and is designed to make reporting quicker and less complicated for those affected. Multiple images in one request The company has also introduced the ability to submit several images at once. Instead of filing separate complaints for each result, users can now group multiple links into a single request form. This change is intended to reduce the administrative burden on individuals who may need to report numerous instances of the same or similar content. Proactive filtering for future searches Beyond removing existing results, the new process includes an option for ongoing protection. Users can choose to enable safeguards that aim to prevent additional explicit images of them from appearing in related searches in the future. Google said this measure is meant to address the reappearance of harmful material, which can sometimes resurface even after earlier removals. Also Read | Google Pixel 10a pre-orders in India begin 18 February via Flipkart Access to support and tracking tools After submitting a request, users are directed to links for specialist organisations offering emotional and legal support. The company has also centralised request management within its Results about you hub. From there, people can monitor the status of their cases and receive email updates when changes occur, allowing them to follow progress without repeatedly checking manually. Wider rollout Google stated that the new experience is being rolled out in most countries over the coming days, with further regions expected to gain access later. UPDATE: The Tennessee Department of Education has received 56,000 applications for school vouchers for the upcoming academic year. According to the department, about 18,000 of those applications came from families reapplying to the program, while roughly 37,000 were submitted by new applicants. Of the total applications, 17,000 qualified for income-based priority status. Officials say applications were submitted from every Tennessee county except one, reflecting widespread interest in the program statewide. The department has completed its review of all renewal applications and has issued decisions to those families. New applications are now being processed based on priority status and the date they were received. PREVIOUS STORY: The deadline for Tennessee's Education Freedom Scholarship applications have been extended. The new deadline to apply is Friday, February 6 at 5:00pm eastern time. Sen. Marsha Blackburn said the extension is due to the recent winter storm that impacted Tennessee. PREVIOUS STORY: Applications for the 2026-2027 school year's Tennessee Education Freedom Scholarship have already exceed the amount from the previous school year. More than 50,000 applications have already been submitted after only two days. The scholarship applications opened on Tuesday, January 13. In comparison, only around 42,000 applications were submitted for the entire 2025-2026 school year. This school year's application numbers already exceed the prior year by more than 7,500. The 50,304 scholarships as of January 15 include both new and renewal applications, according to Gov. Bill Lee. He adds that almost all of previously enrolled families have already reapplied. Roughly half of those applicants applied for income prioritized scholarships. Gov. Lee says 18 additional schools have registered to participate in the 2026-2027 school year. You can find the list of participating schools here. As demand for Education Freedom Scholarships continues to grow, I look forward to working with the General Assembly to increase the number of available scholarships for the 2026-27 school year, said Gov. Lee. Its clear that Tennessee parents want choices when it comes to their childs education, and expanding access to this program will ensure every child has an opportunity to thrive, regardless of income or zip code. Scholarship applications will remain open through January 30. PREVIOUS STORY: Applications for Tennessee's Education Freedom Scholarship open Tuesday, marking the second school year the program will be available to students statewide. For the 2025-2026 school year, 20,000 students received vouchers. Nearly 43,000 students applied for spots across 241 eligible schools. Each voucher is $7,300, and the program costs a total $144 million. Lawmakers could increase the number of vouchers available this session. This year's program will prioritize applicants in a tiered system. Priority 1: Current recipients Current recipients Priority 2: Eligible students based on household income (100% of federal free or reduced-price lunch limit). Eligible students based on household income (100% of federal free or reduced-price lunch limit). Priority 3: Eligible students based on household income (300% of federal free or reduced-price lunch limit) Eligible students based on household income (300% of federal free or reduced-price lunch limit) Priority 4: Eligible students currently enrolled in a TN public school or who are eligible to enroll in kindergarten in a public school next year Eligible students currently enrolled in a TN public school or who are eligible to enroll in kindergarten in a public school next year Priority 5: All other eligible students Applications will remain open through January 30 at 5:00pm eastern. You can find the application here. Last year, the Tennessee Department of Education considered applicants in two separate pools with 10,000 spots reserved for each: income-based and general applicants. Vouchers first became available to Hamilton County students as part of a pilot program in the 2023-2024 academic year. The Education Freedom Scholarship program is currently capped at 20,000 seats, with a potential increase of 5,000 for each year the number of applications exceeds 75% of program capacity. Tennessee Representative Kevin Raper (R) told Local 3 he expects a push to double the number of scholarships available, though State Senator Bo Watson (R) cautioned the program depends on available funding. "There's obviously demand there," Watson said. "The caveat is that we have to have the finances to do that, so the growth of the Education Freedom Scholarship is really limited by the resources that the state has." Audit shows some students using vouchers didn't previously attend low-performing schools A first-ever audit of the program by the state comptroller's office shows Memphis-based students relied most on the vouchers through the 2024-2025 school year. Nearly 500 students from Chattanooga used a voucher that year. Half of students in Chattanooga using vouchers who previously attended public schools were enrolled in schools with A, B or C grades. That's even less than in Nashville and Memphis. The percentage of students participating in the Education Savings Account (ESA) program who came from Tennessee public schools declined as the program expanded. In 2022-2023, 67% came from a public school, compared to 28% for 2024-2025. The percentage of students re-enrolling in the program grew to 45%. The audit also shows average tuition exceeds the scholarship amount by around $3,000. Additionally, voucher students earned lower scores on TCAP standardized tests than their public school peers. Before the program became universal, 3,693 students participated in 2024-2025, below the capacity of 5,000 students. Just 7.2% of eligible students applied. The department could improve communication with parents and schools to help potential voucher families, the audit said. The topic of school vouchers continues to split state lawmakers in Nashville. While Watson and Raper supported previous efforts, Representative Yusuf Hakeem, who represents Chattanooga, walked out of Governor Bill Lee's 2025 State of the State over concerns about the voucher program. Advocates believe it helps students leave low-performing schools for a better education, while critics argue it takes funding away from public schools. Ben Connor, a member of the Hamilton County School Board, told Local 3 in a text that vouchers are a "scam" and are "stealing public funds." "Its absolutely a scam," Connor said. "Were seeing an exorbitant amount of people who have never stepped foot in a public school utilizing this; stealing public funds to provide for public schools. It is again, a stipend for people who can already afford to send their kids to private schools." We've reached out to Hamilton County Schools to learn more about any possible impacts to enrollment and the budget as a result of vouchers. Hamilton County Schools does offer its own school choice program, called Choose Hamilton. It allows students to apply to Future Ready Institutes and Magnet Schools within the district. Tennessee is one of roughly 30 states to offer school vouchers. During a time of AI and image manipulation, there are content creators that thrive off the authentic self. Paula Stephens, a Longford-based Instagram influencer from Dublin, is one of the women who wants to keep social media real. With 11.5k followers and 1,392 posts (as of this article), the 40-year-old has explored the fun, challenges and interests that have helped her brand thrive online. Moving to Longford in 2018 with her then-husband, Paula said that the relocation from Dublin was a fresh start, as she had family in the county. What interested her in her youth was fashion, going shopping to root for sales and put a wardrobe together. That interest has become a growing public profile. However, it started with Facebook; putting up her inspiration, but then people on there encouraged her towards Instagram, which she started at 36-years-old. Within four years, she gained 10,000 followers. Read more: Tickets selling fast for highly-anticipated Longford Lights 2026 "I started with fashion, a bit of myself, my background. Ive five brothers and five sisters; I'm the second eldest. A big family! It took off from there. I think it was because I was normal, down-to-earth, honest. The good and the badthe makeup! That sort of thing; pjs, family life, home, decor, interiors. My main focus was always the fashion side, definitely, she described. The profile evolved to PR opportunities, as businesses approached her. With a bubbly and chatty personality, Paulas first big gig was during the Covid-19 pandemic with Mr Price. She did a takeover page. It was what to do with the children during school; your mental health; keeping yourself busy while at home. You werent losing yourself being away from everyone. That wouldve been my first big gig with Mr Price. Id talk about their stores for a few minutes. That warmth that viewers could see in her videos led to ongoing success with her profile. She recognised a surge in interest when she posted videos rather than just posts. Without needing to follow, people would see content when scrolling through feeds on Instagram. As Paula grew more active, more people could see and the followers increased, which also led to small businesses also seeing it and wanting to do advertisements. This would lead to increased publicity as they would reshare the content, thus building on the following, Paula had summarised. Where Instagram used to be a priority, Paula has made it a worthwhile pastime again while she works full-time as an activities coordinator in Lough Erril Nursing Home in Mohill. She now happily lives in Ballinalee with her partner, Roy. The challenges of creating content for social media became noticeable to Paula, who described how her perspective used to be compared to now. I remember when I first started off, the background was perfect. Not an item of clothing in sight. A lovely picture on the wall. But people want to see the washing basket; a normal, busy mam at home; a 9-to-5 job; Instagram at the side. Nobody is looking to follow perfection. They want something genuine and honest. The demands of Instagram affected her home life at one point with videos such as try-ons, which required lots of rushing. She said that companies would poach her to try large quantities of clothing, model them and then video them, along with comments on the quality, price and then tagging of the company. Reflecting on this, Paula added: Then wed get a discount code, or a voucher. That sort of thing. I wouldve done that at first and made a small bit of money. Youd be gifted a lot of stuff and invited to nice events. But I have to say, since the past two years, work has been more full-on, moving house. Ive gone for a different route at my pace. What I want to show is less ads; I wouldve lost followers for doing too many. People think you do it to be paid. My work is a hobby. I think some are little bit judgemental. People think that its an easy job, that youre doing it as a full-time job. Prioritising her own goals and ambitions, Paula gets joy from seeing the notifications popping up once she has posted something, to the interactions and nice comments. She has followers from all over, as she moved from Dublin, to Mullingar and then Longford. Even when something is not sponsored, she has often given thoughts on hauls of clothes from Dunnes, Penneys and H&M which have been big hits. There could be ten items with me wearing them. I look forward to seeing what people prefer, or prefer on me. You feel like youre helping the ladies dress up and what is nice for them as well. With this love for finding her own haul of clothes, Paulas success and life changes have not altered her as a person. It has led to both body positivity and positive mental health. When I started off, I was three stone heavier to now. I love that people say youre the exact same person from losing weight. When I started off, my clothes, trying on stuff for my shape then and now. People see that I didnt change because my body changed. Instagram has given Paula the best experiences and building of lifelong friendships, who she goes on holidays and coffee dates with, meeting them through Covid. Where she focuses on her true self, she has commented on what she does not like about social media filters. Deeming it wrong to use them when showing skincare and makeup, she has observed that almost everything is filtered that she sees. Read more: Tickets selling fast for highly-anticipated Longford Lights 2026 There are so many technologies, modifying figures, blending makeup. I just feel that you have to be true to yourself. The people who follow you want to see natural and normal. I think the more natural and normal, the more youll have people follow you. If you change to something different, using all the filters and editing too much, people dont appreciate it, I find. Most importantly, Paula respects the privacy of those around her, as well as being open with her life. She acknowledges that many viewers have grown with her, met her, identified her on the streets because of her social media popularity. You have to be okay with being 100%. Im very open. My breakup with my husband of 20 years. People wouldve seen my life with him for 6 years. I have 3 children. Im with my new partner now, and they got to see my life. Hes more private, and Ive to respect his wishes of posting photographs of him. He allows me the odd one. I do think that people grow with you. "They will say theyve watched you since you opened your page. Its lovely to hear. In public, I get this every time. For me, its just a hobby. I dont use the term influencer. PICTURES | Longford Arms Hotel hosts unique Valentine's Ball Paula's Instagram is still as active as ever, with content to interest any lover of fashion or seeing the life of someone who is living in Longford. The page, as of this article, is continuing to grow, and the biography states: Showing my love of style, fashion, makeup, travel, bargains. Life as a busy mama to 3 kids and bits of everything. To conclude, Paula said the following: I suppose you could say that I am in my 40s now. Im a normal girl doing this for fun and Im thankful that it took off. Im getting busier with it now with more work in the coming weeks. If people want to follow me, follow @PaulasBitsofEverything. On February 17, Longford Scouts will be going to Backstage Theatre for the Tom Crean Show. There, Tom Crean will present the Scouts with their Crean Awards, which will be a great opportunity to showcase the great achievements of the young people Scouting in Longford. Tom Crean (pictured), the intrepid Antarctic explorer and one of Irelands unsung heroes, is brought to life in this dramatic and humorous solo performance by Aidan Dooley. The explorer was from Kerry, and his story is described as a testament of human fortitude. Read more: Longford Oireachtas members 'delighted' as new special class confirmed for Longford school The awards are named after the expeditions that Tom Crean took part in: the Discovery Award; the Terra Nova Award; the Endurance Award and the Polar Award. Scouts earn these through various activities, such as community and environmental projects. The Patrol Leaders Council decides if a Scout has qualified for an award. The recipients of the Discovery Awards are Franek, Lev and TJ. Terra Nova recipients are Aaron, Krystian, Lorcan and Mark. There are 3 groups for Girls and Boys in Longford. Beavers is 6-8 years; Cubs is 9-11 years and Scouts 12-15. They meet on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday, and can be contacted through their Facebook page Longford Scouts-Ireland. Read more: Voices of Longford continue to prepare for their maiden show About future plans throughout the year, Peter Gleeson said the following: Weve have huge plans. From local camps to a contingent in Longford. There are four Scouts and one Scouter is heading to World Scout Jamboree in Poland in 2027. There are 40,000 scouts all over the world. Were making preparations for that. Well be widely publicising that. Juan Guanipa (center) leads a march for his Primero Justicia party in 2016. (Juan Guanipa on Flickr) On February 8, Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Pablo Guanipa vanished from the streets of Caracas in what allies called a kidnapping, a development that could jeopardize US policy progress and efforts to stabilize the country. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio had expressed optimism days earlier, telling US lawmakers that Venezuelan interim President Delcy Rodriguez was cooperating with US priorities, including signing a new hydrocarbons law that dismantles the monopoly of Petroleos de Venezuelas (PDVSA), Venezuelas state oil company, over the industry. However, Guanipas disappearance and later house arrest cast doubt on whether the repression networks that were active under former Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro are still operating during the countrys transition. Rubios testimony and US policy direction On January 28, Rubio testified before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, where he outlined the Trump administrations objectives and constraints in Venezuela. Rubio stated that the United States does not anticipate further military action and that the only US personnel currently in the country are Marine guards assigned to secure the reopened US embassy in Caracas. Rubio also claimed that the interim Venezuelan government has begun discussions aimed at reducing or eliminating the presence and influence of Iran, China, and Russia within the country, and described US communications with the acting government as respectful and productive. During the same week, Rubio met with Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, citing this engagement as evidence that Washington continues to work with opposition figures alongside interim government authorities. Rubio acknowledged congressional concerns regarding executive authority and oversight. Democratic senators questioned whether the continued presence of Maduro-era officials in Venezuelas government undermines the administrations stated goal of democratic transition. Rubio declined to provide a timeline for elections but said conditions in Venezuela would improve within months. In February, the Trump administration prepared to issue temporary no-bid licenses to US oil trading firms, allowing them to monetize seized Venezuelan crude while Washington develops longer-term commercial arrangements, potentially involving refineries and companies such as Chevron. Earlier in January, a bipartisan War Powers resolution aimed at restricting further unilateral US military action in Venezuela narrowly failed. Venezuelas new oil law and sanctions relief On January 29, acting President Rodriguez signed a sweeping hydrocarbons law that restructures Venezuelas oil sector after the National Assembly unanimously approved the legislation through an expedited process led by Assembly President Jorge Rodriguez, Delcys brother. The law dismantles PDVSAs monopoly on hydrocarbons by allowing private and foreign firms to operate oil projects, hold majority stakes, commercialize production independently, and manage revenues without PDVSA intermediation. While the state retains ownership of subsurface resources, the law allows private operators to assume full operational control if they meet technical qualification requirements. The reform introduces investor protections by granting access to international arbitration and removing the requirement that Venezuelan courts exclusively adjudicate disputes. It caps royalty rates at 30 percent, reduces certain taxes, and grants the executive branch discretion to offer fiscal incentives to attract investment. Within hours of the laws passage, the US Treasury Department expanded sanctions relief by issuing licenses that allow US companies to purchase Venezuelan crude and operate more freely in the country. US officials stated that Venezuelan oil revenue will be managed indefinitely through US-approved mechanisms and directed toward imports, debt servicing, and reconstruction rather than discretionary government spending. The US also halted subsidized Venezuelan oil shipments to Cuba in early February. Venezuelan opposition lawmakers raised concerns about transparency and oversight, warning that the absence of public revenue-tracking mechanisms risks replicating past corruption. The ruling majority rejected proposed amendments that would have required the public disclosure of oil revenues. Kidnapping of opposition leader Juan Pablo Guanipa On February 8, opposition leader Juan Pablo Guanipa disappeared in Caracas hours after his release from prison. Guanipa, a senior figure in the Justice First party and an ally of Machado, had been detained for more than eight months on charges that the opposition widely described as politically motivated. According to Machado, heavily armed men in civilian clothing abducted Guanipa around midnight using multiple unmarked vehicles. Machado publicly described the incident as a kidnapping and demanded Guanipas immediate release. Venezuelan Attorney General Tarek William Saab later claimed that Guanipa had violated the conditions of his release, which included travel restrictions and periodic court appearances, but did not confirm that authorities had detained him nor disclose his whereabouts. Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello said Guanipa had been re-arrested for calling people to the streets. Earlier that day, Guanipa had publicly denounced the interim government as illegitimate and urged Venezuelans to push for a democratic transition. His disappearance intensified fears among opposition figures that security services or regime factions continue to operate beyond civilian oversight. Guanipa was moved to house arrest on February 10. He has been released from prison but remains under house arrest. [] He cannot make statements, he cannot go out. That is to say, he is less free than he was on Sunday, Ramon Guanipa, Juan Pablos son, said. Delcy Rodriguezs interim leadership Formerly Venezuelas vice president, Rodriguez assumed the presidency on January 5 following Maduros removal. Reporting since Maduros capture indicates that she and her brother, Jorge Rodriguez, quietly signaled a willingness to cooperate with the US and regional intermediaries in advance of her predecessors capture. Since taking office, Rodriguez has coordinated closely with US officials, including engaging in direct communication with President Donald Trump and Rubio during negotiations over the oil law. She has publicly called for the establishment of regular bilateral channels and described cooperation with Washington as necessary for her countrys economic recovery. Rodriguezs government has aligned with some US priorities, including opening the energy sector, prioritizing US access to Venezuelan oil, redirecting oil revenues through US-approved mechanisms, and ending energy support to Cuba. Trump stated that Rodriguezs political survival depends on adherence to these commitments and has cited Maduros fate as an explicit warning. Samuel Ben-Ur is a research analyst at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies. LIVONIA, MICH. Ryleigh (Strong) Kryska earned a Bachelor of Social Work at Madonna in 2022, followed by a Master of Social Work from the University of Michigan. Now she puts her passion for mental health care into practice at a growing local mental health clinic. Kryska also earned certificates in community leadership and addiction studies at Madonna. Taking advantage of these additional courses of study helped prepare Kryska for a meaningful career in social work. The certificate in community leadership was my first experience in macro-level care and the opportunities that pathway opened for not only me, but also the people I would be serving, she said. Kryska especially enjoyed the program development class taught by adjunct professor Camille Romain. She has an MBA and an MSW, which was helpful for the content of the class and brought a more advanced level of knowledge, she explained. During her education, Kryska had several field placements aimed at supporting individuals with anxiety, depression, and other mental health conditions. She says her experiences collaborating with therapists and social workers to create workshops that educated and provided emotional support to clients were transformative for her. The hands-on experience of creating tailored interventions and witnessing the positive impact on participants' lives solidified my passion for mental health, she explained. The client engagement and program development skills she honed at those placements led her to a position at Mala Child & Family Institute, where she now works as chief of operations, a role that combines direct client support and community outreach. Kryska is proud that during her time at Mala, the institute has expanded to multiple locations across metro Detroit and grown from roughly 5 to more than 30 therapists of different disciplines. It also has added an occupational therapist and medication management provided by a psychiatrist and psychiatric nurse practitioner. Her focus, said Kryska, is to advance mental health care for our communities. To further that goal, Kryska plans to launch a nonprofit to provide funding for minority populations that do not have access to mental health care due to financial stressors and barriers. She also enjoys giving back to the community in other ways, sharing her love of cooking at Gleaners Community Food Banks Cooking Matters program and baking birthday cakes for kids in foster care through a nonprofit called For Goodness Cakes. She is a past member of Madonnas Alumni Board. The Commonwealth law ministers meeting opened in Fiji yesterday with calls for sustained action to ensure the rule of law delivers progress and shared prosperity for the people of the Commonwealth in an increasingly uncertain world. More than 250 delegates, including Attorney General of Mauritius Gavin Patrick Cyril Glover, were welcomed to Nadi on 9 February 2026 with a powerful traditional Fijian ceremony. The meeting brings together justice ministers and attorneys general from the 56 Commonwealth countries to discuss responses to emerging legal issues affecting peoples lives and livelihoods. In his welcome address, Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka warned that the rule of law is under growing pressure around the world. When the law is weakened, unevenly applied, or unable to command public confidence, it is not abstract systems that suffer. It is ordinary people real lives This meeting is not merely a forum for discussion, rather it is a working meeting with real-world consequences. Your deliberations, and the practical measures you will advance, speak directly to the expectations our people hold of us. Justice that is dependable, institutions that are strong, and laws that serve not only those who understand them best, but those who rely upon them the most. Reflecting on the growing legal impacts of climate change, the Prime Minister urged ministers to ensure the justice systems act as a shield for people and the planet. Commonwealth Secretary-General Hon Shirley Botchwey said the meeting comes at a time when many people feel unsettled by political uncertainty, economic volatility and environmental threats. She added: This is what happens when the rule of force begins to edge out the rule of law. That is why the work you as law ministers and attorneys general do matters so profoundly Over these days, you will shape action to strengthen democratic resilience In doing so, you are helping to restore trust between institutions and the people they exist to serve. That is no small task. But it is a vital one. History will remember not the turbulence of our times, but whether we had the courage to rise above the chaos and build a better world together. The Secretary-General continued that the Commonwealths new strategic plan responds to this urgency by prioritising targeted action to ensure the rule of law is felt not only in courts but in everyday life. Over three days, ministers will work through an agenda focused on how the law shapes peoples experience of democracy, economic opportunity and environmental protection. Specific topics will range from safeguarding maritime rights as sea levels rise to the responsible use of technology to improve access to justice. The meeting will conclude on 11 February with the release of an outcome statement which sets out concrete steps Commonwealth countries will take to strengthen the rule of law for the benefit of their citizens. The meeting is being chaired by Fijis Minister for Justice and Acting Attorney-General, Hon Siromi Turaga, under the theme Anchoring Justice in a Changing Tide: Strengthening the Rule of Law for a Resilient Future. Mauritius is increasingly recognised as a medical tourism destination, attracting international patients seeking specialised surgical care, extended recovery stays, and a highly regulated healthcare environment. Beyond its traditional image as a luxury holiday island, the country is now positioning itself as a high-value hub for medical and wellness travel in the Indian Ocean region. For decades, the global perception of Mauritius was defined by its shoreline: a paradise of turquoise waters and luxury resorts. However, as we navigate the first quarter of 2026, a more sophisticated narrative is emerging from the nations economic data. Mauritius is no longer just a holiday island; it is maturing into a destination defined by specialised care and wellness. The most compelling signal of this shift lies in the burgeoning spending gap. According to the Mauritius Economy Update (September 2025), cumulative tourism earnings for the first seven months of 2025 reached MUR 55.2 billion (approx. USD 1.2 billion), representing a 7.7% year-on-year increase. In contrast, arrival numbers grew by only 3.3% during the same period. These aggregated tourism figures highlight a structural shift in visitor profilesone in which medical and wellness travel naturally fit. This divergence points to an overall upgrading of the visitor profile, attracting guests who prioritise clinical expertise, post-operative privacy, and premium services. These trends strongly support the positioning of medical tourism in Mauritius as a high-value, low-volume segment rather than a mass-market offering. Why Mauritius is becoming a regional medical tourism hub The journey to becoming a regional powerhouse was built on a foundation of trust and infrastructure. The Economic Development Board (EDB) Newsletter (2024) highlighted 2023 as a baseline year, where the healthcare sectors Gross Value Added (GVA) reached MUR 26 billion, contributing 4.6% to the national GDP. During this period, the islands medical landscape expanded significantly, with the number of private clinics growing from 19 to 26. Established centres like the Centre de Chirurgie de lOcean Indien (CCEOI) serve as a qualitative illustration of this alignment. As a veteran institution with over 25 years of history, Centre de Chirurgie de lOcean Indien demonstrates how certain healthcare actors are already aligning with this higher-value visitor profile, providing the world-class expertise required for medical tourism in Mauritius to thrive. The 2025 data confirms that this infrastructure is paying off through a Proximity Advantage. One of the most striking statistics from the CARE Ratings report is the 74.3% surge in arrivals from the regional market recorded in July 2025. While medical tourism remains an emerging and only partially measured segment, the rise in regional arrivals reflects a preference for world-class expertise combined with the practical benefits of shorter flight times and post-operative privacy. Average length of stay for medical tourism in Mauritius In 2024, a critical metric emerged from the Handbook of Statistical Data on Tourism: the average length of stay rose to 11.4 nights. In the world of specialised surgery, this is often considered the golden window. While this metric does not isolate medical travellers, it reveals an ecosystem that is increasingly hospitable to the extended stays required for clinical recovery. A patient undergoing a complex procedure typically requires a 7-to-14-day recovery period before they are fit for travel. The increase in stay duration is a direct reflection of a visitor profile that prioritises a safe, supervised recuperation over a quick return home. Centre de Chirurgie de lOcean Indien has been a pioneer in illustrating this model, where the clinical necessity of post-operative care is matched by the serenity of a tropical environment. When a patient stays for nearly two weeks, they support a vast network of medical staff and local service providersmaking this segment highly coherent with observed trends toward longer stays and higher per-visitor spending. Government support for medical tourism in Mauritius The final piece of the puzzle is the formal recognition of medical tourism as a primary economic driver. For the first time, the National Budget 2025-2026 officially listed Wellness and Medical Tourism as a key pillar for national economic diversification. This policy shift is supported by the first major revision of the Public Health Act since 1925. This modernisation is designed to provide a robust, future-proof environment for private surgical centres, ensuring that regulations are as cutting-edge as the technologies being used within the clinics. This legislative evolution provides a Gold Standard of credibility. By backing medical tourism in Mauritius as a national priority, the government provides international patients with the confidence that they are entering a highly regulated, world-class environment. Mauritius is entering a decisive phase in its healthcare evolution. The national vision is not about volume, but about quality, regulation, and long-term credibility. By positioning medical and wellness tourism as a strategic pillar, the country is creating an environment where international patients can access specialised care with confidence, supported by clear legislation and world-class standards, explains, Raphael Bax, Director of Centre de Chirurgie de lOcean Indien. As we look toward the remainder of 2026, the trajectory is clear. The spending gap of 2025 was not a statistical fluke; it was a signal that the island is successfully decoupling its economic success from pure arrival numbers. While the next challenge will be to formally quantify this segment, medical tourism in Mauritius has already arrived as a premier global health destinationand Centre de Chirurgie de lOcean Indien is leading the way in defining what that excellence looks like. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) Is Mauritius good for medical tourism? Yes. Mauritius offers a highly regulated healthcare environment with a growing number of modern private clinics. The island is known for its clinical safety, world-class surgical expertise, and a peaceful environment that is ideal for post-operative recovery. How long do medical tourists stay in Mauritius? The average length of stay in Mauritius has recently increased to 11.4 nights. For medical tourists, this aligns with the golden window of 7 to 14 days required for safe clinical recovery and follow-up care before flying home. Why choose Mauritius over Europe or Asia for medical tourism? Mauritius offers a unique combination of European-standard medical regulations, high levels of privacy, and a world-class recovery environment. For patients in the Indian Ocean and African regions, it offers significantly shorter flight times and a more serene, less congested setting for healing compared to major Asian or European hubs. Resume en Francais Lile Maurice delaisse son image de simple destination balneaire pour simposer comme un hub de sante et de bien-etre de haut niveau en region Ocean Indien. Lile Maurice delaisse son image de simple destination balneaire pour simposer comme un hub de sante et de bien-etre de haut niveau en region Ocean Indien. Une Mutation Economique Strategique Les donnees de 2025 revelent un changement structurel : bien que le nombre darrivees naugmente que de 3,3 %, les revenus touristiques bondissent de 7,7 %. Cet ecart confirme le passage dun tourisme de masse a un segment haute valeur, bas volume , attirant des visiteurs en quete dexpertise clinique et de sejours prolonges. Atouts et Infrastructures Le secteur de la sante contribue desormais a hauteur de 4,6 % du PIB. Maurice sappuie sur : Des infrastructures en expansion : Le nombre de cliniques privees est passe de 19 a 26, illustre par des institutions comme le Centre de Chirurgie de lOcean Indien (CCEOI). Le Cercle dOr de la recuperation : La duree moyenne de sejour atteint 11,4 nuits, une fenetre ideale pour la convalescence post-operatoire. Un cadre reglementaire modernise : Le budget 2025-2026 erige le tourisme medical en pilier economique, soutenu par une revision historique de la loi sur la sante publique pour garantir une securite patient de Gold Standard . Pourquoi Choisir Maurice ? Contrairement aux hubs asiatiques ou europeens, Maurice offre un equilibre unique entre normes medicales europeennes, confidentialite absolue et proximite regionale, le tout dans un environnement serein propice a la guerison. Summary of References Used: EDB Newsletter: The Emerging Healthcare Sector (Sept 2024) Mauritius Economy Update CARE Ratings (Sept 2025) Handbook of Statistical Data on Tourism (2024) National Budget 2025-2026 Brief (PwC) Health Statistics Report 2023 Ministry of Health Two Mayo siblings have found their childrens books sharing shelf space in a Westport bookshop. Anne and Liam Printer, originally from Mayo, now both have titles stocked side by side in Seamus Duffys The Bookshop in Westport. Anne Printers books focus on nature and biodiversity, particularly Irish native trees. Aimed at children aged two to six, her debut title, Ollen the Oak Tree, tells the story of an Irish oak tree who feels lonely despite living in a busy woodland, until the arrival of a new owl brings companionship. The book was longlisted for last years CAP Awards and features on the Childrens Books of Mayo Map. READ NEXT: Mayo community mourns the death of army stalwart John Blehein Her second book, Higgle the Holly Tree, was released in December. It follows a baby hedgehog who ventures alone into the forest before realising he must rely on Higgle the Holly Tree for safety and shelter. Like her first publication, the story introduces young readers to elements of Irelands natural environment. Liam Printers debut, Captain Super Sleep, follows the challenges familiar to many new parents: sleepless nights. The 24-page board book, aimed at children aged one to four, centres on SuzZzie Dormir, a character who gains special powers the more she sleeps through the night. Featuring bright illustrations, the book is designed to engage young readers while promoting healthy sleep habits. All of Anne and Liam Printers books are currently available in bookshops in Westport and Castlebar. READ MORE: Planning permission granted for major development works at Mayo hotel Mayo Community Futures, a community-led planning programme coordinated by Mayo County Council, is inviting towns, villages and rural areas across the county to take part in its next phase, giving local people a direct role in shaping the future of their communities. The initiative encourages communities to develop five-year Community Action Plans that identify local priorities, key projects and long-term ambitions. The process ensures that residents of all ages and backgrounds have the opportunity to contribute to decisions that affect where they live, work and socialise. The programme is built on strong local involvement. Each participating area sets up a Community Futures Steering Group made up of representatives from local clubs, voluntary groups, businesses and other community members. With support from trained Community Support Workers, the group consults widely with residents, community organisations, young people and businesses to gather ideas and priorities for the area. This inclusive engagement results in a community-backed action plan that reflects shared local needs and aspirations, while also informing strategic planning at local, county and national level. READ MORE: Mayo town among Irelands most welcoming places in new ranking So far, more than 40 communities across Mayo have already taken part in the programme, reporting stronger collaboration, enhanced local capacity and renewed ambition for the future. Organisers say the programme continues to play a vital role in supporting civic participation and sustainable community development across the county. New communities are now being invited to apply to join Mayo Community Futures. Further information and application forms are available by contacting gleneghan@communityfutures.ie or by telephone on 087 2585957. According to programme organisers, 2026 will mark the 20-year anniversary of Community Futures in Mayo, with a series of celebrations planned for October to recognise two decades of community-driven planning and local empowerment. Oversight of the initiative is provided by the Mayo Community Futures Management Committee, which ensures effective governance, consistency and strategic direction across all participating communities. Pictured above are the Community Futures Management Committee and Administrators of the programme, back row, from left: Norita Clesham, Gerard Mulherin, Justin Sammon, Vincent McHale and Cllr Adrian Forkan. Front wow: Eileen OConnor, John Cannon, Geraldine Leneghan, Mary Blowick and Marie Reilly-Davey. Multiple Mayo councillors have expressed their concerns that upgrades to a road linking the south of the county to Galway will be delayed due to the time being taken to confirm funding for the route. The long-standing issue, relating to the R332 between Kilmaine and Tuam, reared its head at the February meeting of Mayo County Council at Aras an Chontae in Castlebar. The R332 is a route of particular importance to those in the south of the county, as many use it as a link between the N17 and Ballinrobe. Last year, controversy reared its head after the future of 1.2 million of funding for the route was plunged into doubt due to issues in sourcing a contractor. Councillors have sought confirmation on when works on the circa 8.5-kilometre stretch of the road between the N84 junction in Kilmaine and the Galway border in Foxhall can commence. READ MORE: Mayo councillors renew appeal for safety measures at fatal N17 junction The push comes against the backdrop of a 4 million contract for works on the other side of the border, on the twelve-kilometre stretch of the road between Foxhall and Tuam, which was signed by Galway County Council earlier in the month. Whilst a Transport Infrastructure Ireland announcement is imminent on funding allocations for local and regional routes, some councillors have expressed a belief that such allocations at this point in the year would be 'too little, too late'. First to broach the subject was Cllr Damien Ryan, while the Fianna Fail representative was closely followed by Cllr Patsy O'Brien. "A quarter of the year is gone, and we have to go looking for contractors when they have their plans set out for the year," the Independent councillor stated. "This is ridiculous, its not fair on the public representatives, the executive, or the general public." Tom Gilligan, the Council's Head of Roads, confirmed that assessments were being carried out on applications after the closure of the tender process, which concluded on Friday, February 6. Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme A US national described "in detail" how he strangled his 66-year-old father with his bare hands, putting a "full fist into his throat", just hours after arriving at a five-star Ballyfin Demense hotel, a Central Criminal Court jury has heard. Opening the trial of Henry McGowan, who has pleaded not guilty to the murder of his father by reason of insanity, the prosecuting barrister also said that, despite being notified by the UK's Metropolitan Police that the accused was travelling to Ireland and there was some concern for his welfare, gardai failed to locate him at Dublin airport. READ NEXT: Irish children at 'serious risk' when chatting and gaming with strangers online The trial jury panel also heard that the accused was under the delusion that the person he was killing was not his father but "an imposter", with expert psychiatrists for both the prosecution and defence in agreement that Henry McGowan was experiencing a relapse of schizoaffective disorder when he killed his father. Mr McGowan (31), with an address at Clinton Street, Brooklyn, New York, in the United States, has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity to the murder of John McGowan (66) at Ballyfin Demesne, Ballyfin, on November 12, 2024. Opening the prosecutions case on Tuesday, February 10, Will Fennelly BL told the court that the trial would hear from expert consultant psychiatrists for both the prosecution and defence, who have the same opinion that a verdict of not guilty by reason of insanity was open to the jurors. Outlining the facts of the case, Mr Fennelly said shortly before 8 pm on November 12, 2024 investigators received a phone call alerting them to an incident which occurred in a cubicle off the swimming pool at Ballyfin Demesne hotel. Mr Fennelly said the jury would hear that gardai went to the Ballyfin hotel after 8 pm and found John McGowan in a state "of at least serious injury, if not death". Emergency services arrived, and John McGowan was pronounced dead in due course. He said the focus of attention then moved to John McGowan's son Henry, and a garda investigation ensued. Counsel told the panel that shortly before 11 pm on November 11, Henry McGowan arrived at Dublin airport on a flight from London. The barrister said the Metropolitan Police had notified An Garda Siochana in Dublin airport that the accused was coming and expressed some concern for his welfare. He said gardai had looked for Henry McGowan at the airport but could not locate him. There will be evidence, Mr Fennelly said, that the accused went to one of the airport car parks, where he discarded his baggage and personal items, including his phone and passport. The lawyer said the accused then made his way into Dublin. He said Henry McGowan told gardai in his interviews that he ran into the city centre. READ NEXT: Funeral details announced for man killed in bus crash in Dublin who 'always had a smile' At 8.30am on November 12, the accused presented himself at the emergency department of the Mater Hospital, where he spoke with medical staff. Henry McGowan told them he was having mental health challenges and was seeking some assistance. In the meantime, counsel said John McGowan was en route from the US because his son Henry had been in phone communication from Paris with his family in the preceding days. "There was an exchange between the accused and family members, which caused considerable concern as to his welfare," said the lawyer. Henry McGowan, counsel, said, had previously encountered challenges with his mental health, and there was a concern that the accused was not taking his medication. Mr Fennelly said that John McGowan arrived at Dublin airport from New York on November 12 and went to his son at the Mater Hospital around midday. The evidence will be that a prescription was issued for the accused's mental health difficulties and that both men left the hospital at 3.40 pm. The McGowans then took a taxi to Ballyfin Demesne, where John McGowan told the general manager that he had "a bit of a concern" his son hadn't been taking his medication, but that there was nothing to worry about at this point. The manager found the accused perfectly normal and engaging, said the barrister. The accused was later shown to the pool and given a pair of swimming togs to use. The court will hear evidence that shortly afterwards, a member of staff observed the accused walking along the poolside naked and notified the manager. In the interim, John McGowan had also gone to the swimming pool area and was observed on CCTV speaking to his son. The accused was lying naked on a pool lounger, but put on a robe before both men went into the cubicle area. Counsel said the father and son remained in the cubicle area for a number of minutes, after which the accused emerged naked and jumped into the pool. He then got out, wrapped a towel around him and left the area. The accused, counsel said, met the two staff members coming down to see him because of what they had observed earlier. When the manager enquired about the accused's father, counsel said the jury would hear that Henry McGowan said "he is not my father". READ NEXT: 'No excuse' - Rat infestations found as four food businesses forced to close in January The court will hear that the manager went back down to the dressing area off the pool, where he found John McGowan lying on the ground. The deceased's body and upper head was covered with a robe and there was a pool of blood. "He was at least in a very seriously injured state," said the barrister. Two members of staff brought John McGowan out of the area and performed CPR, but he was pronounced dead by a doctor shortly after this. Mr Fennelly said gardai arrived at the hotel around 8.15 pm and found the accused sitting in the library, looking at a fire. He was dressed in clothes that belonged to his father. When asked what happened, the accused told gardai that he had hurt his father. The accused continued to speak, saying: "I killed who I thought was my father...downstairs I hit his head against the wall and strangled him". The accused was formally arrested when gardai were advised that John McGowan was dead. Mr Fennelly said the cause of death was asphyxia due to manual strangulation and compression of the mouth. Mr Fennelly said the jury will hear that the accused was brought to a psychiatric unit in the midlands the next morning, where he was assessed by a psychiatrist and deemed fit for interview. The accused was also prescribed certain medication. Henry McGowan was interviewed on four occasions by gardai, where he told them that he had been diagnosed with a bipolar condition at 27 years old. The accused also told officers that he had been hospitalised in the US in relation to this and was on a programme of medication. The accused indicated he had stopped taking his medication and while in Paris, he found his psychosis was becoming elevated. The jury will hear that the accused also told gardai he had killed his father and that he couldn't make "sense of the thoughts that go through my head". The accused also said: "I don't look back on the decision, I'm not looking back". Counsel said the accused told detectives that he had strangled his father in a bathroom and had told the deceased he would "always love him as he had his last breath". Henry McGowan further said he had grabbed his father by the chest and pushed him hard, before strangling him on the bathroom floor with his bare hands. The barrister said the accused had described in detail killing his father and told gardai it was difficult to choke him. Counsel said Henry McGowan went on to say: "I counted to 49 and when I got to 49 he was breathing and had a pulse. I counted on 20 seconds longer and he stopped. He kept gasping for air". The accused continued saying: "I was seething and physically tired..once he hit his head and was on the ground he wasn't resisting. I then put a full fist into his throat using full force. I pushed down on his Adam's apple but he kept breathing. I then put full force on his throat with my knuckles. It was shocking how long it took. I say it took in the region of eight minutes". READ NEXT: 'We're all heartbroken' - Newstalk's Ciara Kelly opens up after death of 'lovely' sister Counsel said defence witness Dr Stephen Monks examined the accused, finding that he had experienced a relapse of schizoaffective disorder and was suffering from an acute psychotic episode. The court heard that the psychiatrist found the accused did not know the true nature and quality of the act, was deluded that the person he was killing was not his father but "an imposter" and that he did not know what he was doing was wrong. "He believed he was morally justified and duty bound and could not refrain," said counsel. A psychiatrist for the prosecution, counsel said, found the accused was also suffering from schizoaffective disorder and accepted the conclusion reached by Dr Monks as to his mental state at the time. "The psychiatric evidence is not disputed in the case," concluded counsel. The trial continues this afternoon before Mr Justice Paul McDermott and a jury of six men and six women. The family of Joe Deacy have rejected claims made in a Mayo courtroom that their group is 'out of control' and that they are telling lies. In a post on the 'Justice for Joe Deacy' Facebook page, the Deacy family described as 'laughable' comments made by Peter Byrne at Monday's sitting of Castlebar Circuit Criminal Court that harassment against his family is 'by an organised and out of control group'. Twenty-one-year-old Joe Deacy from St Alban's, Hertfordshire, UK was found unconscious outside the home of Peter Byrne at Gortnasillagh, Swinford at 6.45am on August 12, 2017 and died the following day in Beaumont Hospital in Dublin. Each August on the anniversary of Mr Deacy's death, friends and family of Joe Deacy take part in the Joe Deacy Memorial Walk to lay flowers at the location where he was found unconscious. On Monday, Mr Byrne objected to an application from documentary maker Shane Caffrey to have the transcript of the Digital Audio Recording from a sentence hearing in Castlebar Circuit Court on July 24, 2025 from being released. Mr Caffrey is making a documentary on the death of Joe Deacy and was seeking the transcripts of a case where a Ballycroy native was convicted of harassing Peter Byrne and his wife. Response During the application hearing, Mr Byrne claimed that harassment against his family continues and accused some people who spoke at the protest outside his home of telling total lies about the case. In the Facebook post, Joe's uncle Paul Deacy, who spoke at the gathering, said the comments by Mr Byrne at the court hearing cannot be ignored. Last August I read an open letter to the Byrne family when we gathered peacefully at their house to remember our Joe, who was found murdered at their property eight years ago. READ: Delay after delay - Mayo pyrite crisis rears head in Dail Eireann The Byrne family were asked many questions regarding their actions at the time of the murder and on numerous occasions over the last eight years. Unsurprisingly, no answers were forthcoming. This unassuming request to the courts to use transcripts for an unbiased and factual podcast has again led to the Byrne's painting a misguided portrayal that they are the sole victims, using misleading descriptive wordings and challenges to enhance this belief, he said. Mr Deacy also rejected claims made by Mr Byrne that he and his family are trapped inside their house every August and stood over the words he said outside the home last year. The deluded description of the peaceful and respectful walk as a 'protest' is insulting to all the participants that were there. Anyone that wants to revisit my speech will see how wrong Peter Byrne is in his description. This annual peaceful walk has never trapped you in your house. It is solely your wish to remain hidden in your house filming and listening to what is said using your hidden cameras. The simple fact remains you would be more than welcome to partake in the group prayers and reflection on Joes life if you wanted to. Peter, when you accuse people of telling total lies about the case, you again are wrong. I believe these comments reference my speech, to which I stand by. Mr Deacy also described as 'perplexing' Mr Byrne's objection to the release of the court transcripts and believes a documentary on the death of his nephew will help 'forward new lines of enquiry to help solve this case'. I cant understand why the Byrne family, who in their words, 'grieve for Joe and did everything that they could do to help him', are now objecting in the courts with these self-centred arguments. I believe the documentary will be an extremely powerful tool, jogging peoples memory, hopefully bringing forward new lines of inquiry to help solve this case. Enduring nine years of pain in getting to the truth is long enough for any family to live with. Filmmaker Karan Johar has secured legal relief in a defamation case filed against YouTuber Ajey Nagar, popularly known as CarryMinati. A Mumbai court has ruled in Johars favour, directing action against content allegedly targeting him. Nagar, his manager Deepak Char, One Hand Clap Media Pvt Ltd, along with tech platforms Google and Meta, were named as defendants in the suit. Civil Judge P. G. Bhosale passed an interim order instructing Nagar to take down any existing videos or material that reference or target Karan Johar in a defamatory manner. While Nagars counsel told the court that the disputed videos had already been removed and argued that no further proceedings were required, the court still granted Johar a temporary injunction. Instagram/Carryminati The judge noted that the court did not have the jurisdiction to fully decide the matter at this stage but found sufficient grounds to issue interim relief. Why Did Karan Johar Sue Carryminati? The order was passed on Monday, February 9, after Karan Johar approached the court over a roast video uploaded on Ajey Nagars YouTube channel titled Coffee With Jalan. The video, which was allegedly modelled on Johars celebrity chat show Koffee With Karan, reportedly contained abusive language and mocking commentary on Bollywood nepotism, with several barbs directed at the filmmaker himself. The dispute centres on a roast video titled Coffee with Jalan, which Karan Johars legal team argued was an obvious spoof of his chat show Koffee with Karan. They claimed the video took potshots at Johar while touching upon themes such as Bollywood and nepotism. Although Ajey Nagars counsel told the court that the video had already been removed, Johars lawyers maintained that excerpts were still being circulated online, stressing that the damage to his reputation had already been done. Instagram/Carryminati Through DSK Legal, Johar sought an injunction to restrain Nagar from releasing any future content that could harm his public image. Citing PTI, the filmmakers legal representatives argued that Johar had built his reputation and goodwill painstakingly over the decades and that some of Ajeys online content appeared to mock and ridicule him. The court, in its observation, noted that it appears that the defendants no. 1 and 2 (Nagar and Char) have made defamatory statements and used vulgar language against the plaintiff. Tamannaah Bhatias reported involvement in Ektaa Kapoors Ragini MMS 3 had sparked major curiosity earlier this year, particularly among fans of the popular horror franchise. However, fresh reports suggest that the highly awaited third chapter has now been stalled, with the project reportedly shelved indefinitely. As per a Variety India report, Ragini MMS 3 has hit a roadblock after filmmaker Sahir Raza, who was attached as the director, exited the project owing to scheduling issues. His departure has reportedly thrown the films production plans into disarray, adding to the uncertainty surrounding its future. Instagram/Tamannaah Bhatia The report further states that Sahir Raza is presently working as a showrunner on a Netflix series. A new directive from the streaming giant reportedly requires him to be present on set every day, resulting in a clash of schedules with Ragini MMS 3. Elaborating on the situation, the source said, This development has left Ekta Kapoors film temporarily stranded, with no clarity on its production timeline. Although they are actively looking for a replacement director, the film doesnt seem to be starting anytime soon, marking a significant hurdle for the franchise. While the team is said to be scouting for a new director, there has been no official word yet on when the Tamannaah Bhatia-fronted project will go on floors. Instagram/Tamannaah Bhatia Even as Ragini MMS 3 remains in limbo, Tamannaah Bhatias professional calendar continues to stay busy. She will next be seen in an important role in Shahid Kapoors O Romeo, an action thriller directed by Vishal Bhardwaj, which is slated to hit theatres on February 13, 2026. Beyond that, Tamannaah is part of V. Shantaram, co-starring Siddhant Chaturvedi, where she essays Jayashree, the celebrated actress and second wife of the legendary filmmaker. She is also featured in Vvan alongside Sidharth Malhotra, a folklore-driven film set in the forests of central India and inspired by Hindu mythology, scheduled for release this year. An Army soldier at Fort Hood in Killeen, Texas, says he's grateful to be alive thanks to some fellow soldiers who came to his aid on the side of a road while he was having a medical emergency. U.S. Army Captain Tony Smith says he almost died. "So on June 14, 2024, I had a near-heart attack and suffered a blood clot on base. And there's two MP's who showed up and essentially saved my life." The emergency would have been fatal if not for those anonymous military police officers who stopped to see what was wrong. Capt. Smith was rushed to the nearest hospital and survived. Some 19 months later, Smith turned to TikTok to find the MP's who saved him. Sgt. Anthony Smith recovers in the hospital in 2024 after military police officers came to his aid on a roadside (submitted photo). "If you're at Fort Hood, I hope this reaches you, and I hope that I can find these soldiers and recognize them and shake their hand," Capt. Smith said on TikTok nearly two years after his emergency. He says he retraced his steps and searched for weeks after his recovery to find those Good Samaritan military police officers who helped him survive. "I've been for the past year trying to locate these soldiers, locate the unit they were in, and essentially thank them," he said in the post, asking for anyone who might be scrolling to help. "So if you're in Fort Hood, you're an MP, I hope this finds you, I hope this finds any kind of commander or first sergeant. I'm trying to get in contact with these soldiers that intervened and did what they had to do to save my life." From 2019, naval academy photo of 2Lt Tony Smith (submitted photo). Turns out, the TikTok post worked. After an overwhelming response from fellow MPs, military base personnel and the military family pages, Captain Smith was able to find his savior-soldiers to thank them for saving his life. One of the officers responded to Smith's TikTok page directly. "The TikTok just reached me sir. I'm glad to see you doing a lot better," read the TikTok response with an abbreviated name posted to Captain Smith's account. "Keep moving forward, and I wish you the best in your future endeavors. I'm no longer an MP or in the army for that matter, but I do remember this call." Captain Smith says it was the response he had been waiting to read. "I would not be here today if it weren't for these soldiers, and their professionalism to essentially hold it down the scene to make sure everything was ok," Captain Smith said. Sgt. Tony Amith, addressing his Army comrades before leaving the Army on a medical discharge (submitted photo). The reunion was right on time. Captain Smith had already decided to leave his service in the Army within weeks of reuniting with the anonymous MP officers. His TikTok post at the time showed the urgency. "I'm just putting it out there, it's been a while since I've been under a lot of stress, a lot of medication, a lot of recovery but I just want to, before I get out of the army, I want to make sure these soldiers are recognized for their hard work in what they do and what they did for me." Captain Smith's TikTok post also caught the attention of higher-ups at Fort Hood. Major Brian Harris with Fort Hood community and media relations called Capt. Smith's story remarkable. "We helped facilitate the reunion," said Major Harris. "These soldiers were able to see that he needed to be in the emergency room fast, and now that they've been reunited after all this time and so much effort, it's rewarding to see it." Smith has since ended his military service after seven years, but he met his deadline to reunite with the soldiers who saved him before his time at Fort Hood came to an end. U.S. Air Force veteran Choice Jackson spent nearly a decade in the military, though her transition to civilian life may have been more of an uphill battle. Jackson spent eight years in the service, joining in 1989 and spending essentially all her time in base operations working in a flight tower at Beale Air Force Base in Yuba County, Calif. The daily duties, as she told Military.com, were very, very stressful and occupied her entire military career that was spent on that base until she left service in 1997. Her story is one of countless others involving veterans pursuing career aspirations in a new chapter of their lives, finding what sticks and what may not be the path forward. As with any civilian, that formulated plan can look a hundred different ways and doesn't always turn out as intended. Jackson is proof of that. Before ever spending half her time active-duty and half in the Reserves, she was encouraged by her motheralso an Air Force veteranto enlist. She's, like, Hey, go in the military. And I was like, No way, who are you talking to? Jackson said. But it ended up being one of the best decisions I've ever made. I knew that path was a successful path because I had seen my mother do it. It was the post-military career that provided an invigoration in the second half of Jacksons life. 'A Few Career Changes' Jackson, speaking to Military.com from the Dallas area, said that a military career wasnt ever really in her professional outlook until her mother offered a convincing sales pitch. Prior to ever stepping foot onto Beale Air Force Base, Jackson actually worked as a mortician due to her affinity towards science and finding the field itself interesting. Choice Jackson (middle) poses as a flag bearer of her Air Force squadron. She served mostly in the 1990s. (Choice Jackson) But the economics of that career path were hazy. She said that unless you actually own a funeral home, a long-term career with a consistent salary is nowhere near guaranteed. After leaving the Air Force, her life became an exercise in trying new things. Quite a few career changes, she said. Aside from a military career, Jacksons mother also had a health care background. She passed that knowledge onto her daughter. Jacksons interest in fields like science and health care, combined with information technology, gave her an open sea to cast a line. I did many, many years between health care and IT and sometimes mixing the two. But I learned, kind of got my love for computers while I was in the military. Working in the flight tower, that's what we did all daywe were on the computer and doing flight plans and making sure planes are not going to crash into each other while they're up there. And that kind of sparked me just with the basic DOS [operating system], we had the flat screen and blue screen and whatnot. I bought my first computer while I was in the military and just kind of went from there," she added. She was self-taught for most of it, too, prior to going to school and attaining a bachelor's degree in IT management. Later, she got a master's degree in cybersecurity. More Degrees, More Experience Jackson also went to nursing school, utilizing a computer science and health background to become a certified nurse assistant for nearly 30 years. Meanwhile, she wasnt slowing down. She kept getting degrees and immersing herself, even if things didnt go quite exactly as planned. For example, by the time she received her cybersecurity degree in 2019, the COVID-19 pandemic put a wrench in her plans. She never actually worked a single day in a dedicated role. But from what I learned in the military, I know how to pivot. Change does not bother me, scare me, freak me out. That's just what we do, we learn how to pivot. Recreating herself was a theme she was accustomed to, notably after being married at one point to a military spouse who served 26 years himself. Jackson realized what reinventing ones self can look like. Sabrina Collins, a human resources specialist and SkillBridge program manager, and Rex Santella, a senior operations specialist, both assigned to the Ted Stevens Center for Arctic Security Studies, speak with an Airman during a job fair on Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, Aug. 28, 2025. (DoW photo by Amber E. Kurka) Once the pandemic was in swing, Jackson thought about teaching CPR. She went through the Department of Veterans Affairs vocational rehabilitation program, which she had also gone through for nursing school. She walked in with a complete proposal put together, knowing the affiliated costs and what certifications were necessary to get her instructor licenses. But due to the sensitivity of the pandemic, nurses like Jackson were required to be CPR certified by the Red Cross or American Heart Association. I started teaching CPR in my dining room, she recalled. I turned my dining room into a classroom, advertised on the Red Cross and the Heart Association. And because there's nobody else doing it, I had no competition. She worked evening hours a few days a week, finding success with her own set hours and prices and a lack of competition. Connecting Veterans With Purpose One day, Jackson saw an email in her inbox from an organization called NPower. The national nonprofit helps connect young adults and military-connected persons find jobs in the tech sector, especially to circumvent traditional barriers to entry. NPower provides free, comprehensive training programs to individuals from low-to-moderate income communities. A 2023 survey of 1,000 U.S. military veterans revealed there are an average of three different major challenges on this journey: finding a job (33%); parting ways with friends in the military (28%); and finding a purposeful career (28%). Thats according to OnePoll on behalf of Sport Clips Haircuts for its VFWs Sport Clips Help A Hero Scholarship program. U.S. Army Spc. Veronica Wilkerson and Sgt. Damien Truesdale, Soldiers in the Georgia National Guard, speak with a job recruiter during a law enforcement career fair hosted by the Metropolitan Police Department in Washington, D.C., Sept. 27, 2025. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Sgt. Austin Goss) Bertina Ceccarelli, CEO of NPower, told Military.com that word of mouth carries real weight in her organization. Referrals often come from NPower alumni or via VA newsletters and social media. Many are referred by fellow service members or NPower alumni who share their positive, often transformational experiences with friends, family, and their broader military community. To date, more than 3,300 veterans have gone through NPower programs. On average, between 600-700 veterans participate each year. AI and automation are reshaping what employers expect from todays workforce, Ceccarelli said. At NPower, we're evolving our skills training programs to meet the moment, ensuring our students graduate ready for the jobs that exist now, not the ones that existed a few years ago. By embedding AI into our training alongside strong foundations in cloud, data and software development, our students are gaining hands-on experience with in-demand AI tools and learning how to use AI to be more productive, solve real problems, and succeed in modern tech roles. For Jackson, a self-described lifelong learner, she was instantly open to the idea of participating in the NPower program. Since she was learning tech and computers decades ago, Jackson described the NPower experience not as a re-learn but a constant learn. That's one of the things that I like about tech is that it's constantly evolving, she said. It's constantly changing, I like the challenge. Right now with AI, I love it. This, for me, is like the world catching up with my breath. After NPower, Jackson worked at Citi Bank for 3.5 years as a senior engineer analyst. She actually retired from that position in December 2025. Mother-Daughter Affair Its a family affair in the Jackson household. Not only did Jackson go through NPower, but so did her daughter, Jasmine, 27, through the Houston, Texas, chapter. She intentionally followed in the footsteps of her mother and grandmother. You can't be what you can't see, Jasmine told Military.com. I feel like to some extent, seeing someone that you trust and is close to you already pursue it and it is a successful journey, it does make you more inclined to believe that you're able to pivot into tech." I think a lot of times, at least to my generation, tech seems oversaturated or super hard to get into. So, just being super hesitant about the access or, like, can you even penetrate that type of sector? I think seeing her do it definitely made me feel like it was feasible. Jasmine went to college at Villanova University for political science and then educational policy analysis, attaining a fellowship abroad in Greece while she taught. That didnt last long, however, finding the day job of teaching monotonous and lacking stimulation due to the constant repetition. Choice Jackson and her daughter, Jasmine, are pictured at the Texas Technology Summit. (Choice Jackson) Instead, after about three years in the education field, she became a tech analyst at Deloitte and works to solve different problems every daybe it password lock-outs or WiFi connectivity issues. Having tech thrown at you lets one find their niche in the field, she said. Her future aspirations, due to her intrigue with AI and bridging the gap between people and tech, is in tech law. Even I had the fear at one point that [tech] was hard to be penetrated, she said. I feel like with the job that I'm doing now, I find it so impactful to be able to like break things down into layman's terms because a lot of things with technology for older groups or just people who aren't doing it in their day-to-day, they feel like they can't learn or they won't be able to kind of like hop in there and take care of themselves when it comes to technology. Veterans' Opportunities Increase With Time Choice Jackson acknowledges that her path was not the easiest, fully expecting in her post-military career to continue on more of a rigid path complete with traditional protocols. That corporate America-type existence never panned out, though, as she said she realized that most companies operate quite differently from the military. Also, she said that veterans today get a lot more looks from employers and recruiters compared to the 1990s. She thinks she missed out on opportunities because of that misconception between how service members were trained and whether they were ready for life outside the military. I don't know how it changed, but a lot has changed, she said. People see now the value in veterans; they see the value of the integrity that we have to have in the military. And we don't leave that behind. So many things that we learn in the military, we take it with us for the rest of our lives. I still make my bed the way I did in the military. It's something that you don't lose. That integrityit's kind of a weird dynamic because you have to be a leader and you have to be a follower all at the same time. You've got to be good at both. The Federal Aviation Administrations (FAA) sudden closure of El Paso, Texas, airspace on Wednesday for what they said could last for up to 10 days did not last long, with one ex-Army soldier and intelligence expert deeming the situation a breakdown" in communication. Early morning correspondence issued by the FAA connected the 10-day closure to special security reasons requiring all flightscargo, commercial, generalto be grounded with relatively no warning. The situation also reportedly left the local El Paso Airport and pilots in the area in the dark, provided little to no notice of the federal governments plans or actions. After that FAA closure was issued and originally intended to last until Feb. 21, the threat was deemed dealt with a couple hours later. Stefano Ritondale is a former U.S. Army officer who in 2018 was deployed to the southern U.S.-Mexico border. On another occasion he traveled to Mexico for a month and trained the Mexican military on counter-cartel operations when he was with his battalion. As someone who has lived in El Paso for a decade and has experience with border operations, he told Military.com that the protocols screamed of sloppiness across inter-government agenciesespecially due to the ubiquity of drones across borders, be it in El Paso or San Diego. This is very normal. The problem is, this is going to happen more and more and more because drones are the new normal; drones are going to be operating, Ritondale said. I think what this shows is there was a breakdown just within the federal government. Clearly the FAA and the Department of Transportation [were] not talking to the DOD, right? He said the 10-day NOTAM (Notice to Airmen) shutdown of airspace over El Paso made little to no sense considering the size and population of the city. He speculated that communications became muzzled from Joint Task Force Southern Border up to NORTHCOM, and then within the DOW, the base command within Fort Bliss, and then with the FAA. Jorge Rueda, 20, and Yamilexi Meza, 21, who arrived from Las Cruces, N.M., walk through a parking lot at El Paso International Airport in El Paso, Texas, on Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Morgan Lee) I think this was just a cluster of mistakes where they felt like the helicopter's pilots or like whatever assets were flying felt threatened, Ritondale said. They took a drastic response to address it without properly communicating across the chain of, hey, this has broad implications because if you look at the airport, it's not away from the city; its smack dab in the middle. He was also left kind of scratching my head when he heard the initial announcement, wondering why El Paso International Airport is the one that got the NOTAM but not Juarez Airport. It shows there was an emergency and then this was a drastic response that just wasn't coordinated properly, he added. Timeline of Closure, Reopening The FAA announced on social media that the 10-day NOTAM was swiftly lifted. The temporary closure of airspace over El Paso has been lifted. There is no threat to commercial aviation. All flights will resume as normal, the FAA wrote on X at 8:54 a.m. ET. U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy also wrote on X: The FAA and DOW [Department of War] acted swiftly to address a cartel drone incursion. The threat has been neutralized, and there is no danger to commercial travel in the region. The restrictions have been lifted and normal flights are resuming. Military.com reached out for comment to the FAA and Department of Homeland Security, in addition to the El Paso mayor, council members and the El Paso Airport. Questions remain about the 10-day timeline and whether the closure was done to respond to urgent threats, or whether it was planned in advance. Military.com asked the Pentagon about the confusion of the messaging, notably the 10-day NOTAM. Mexican cartel drones breached U.S. airspace. The Department of War took action to disable the drones. The FAA and DOW have determined there is no threat to commercial travel. - Trump administration official to Military.com Social media users continue to question the NOTAM and 10-day warnings, and the speedy turnaround on mitigating the supposed threats in a matter of a couple short hours. 'Sloppiness' in the Situation's Handling Ritondale is also co-founder and chief Intelligence officer at Artorias, an AI-driven intelligence analysis company that uses mostly open-source intelligence that leverages artificial intelligence for geopolitical and threat assessments and security. His X account, All Source News, routinely covers Mexican cartel operations. He told Military.com that its not unusual to have small U.S. helicopters in such areas to conduct Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) missions to support border patrol operations and U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents. Cars cross the "Paso del Norte" International Bridge at the U.S.-Mexico border between Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, bottom, and El Paso, Texas, top, Wednesday Feb. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Christian Chavez) Such operations typically take place around El Paso, where a drive from the citys downtown area to the border could be accomplished in less than 10 miles, or 30 minutes or less. These drones were probably active, were acting much more aggressively, to the point where some of these helicopter pilots said, OK, hey, this is like not what we've generally seen in the past, a little bit more threatening, and that's why we saw the DOW take the measures it took, Ritondale said. That leads to Counter-UAS (Counter-Unmanned Aircraft System) operations in a major metropolitan area. But as Ritondale pointed out, behavior like this on the border is normal and standard operating procedure rather than a rarity. However, based on everything hes learned so far about the situation, he deemed it sloppiness in the way it was handled by these federal agencies. Cartels and Smugglers Ritondale noted that commentary about drug cartels and human smugglers are not mutually exclusive, saying that most of the human smuggling operations U.S. authorities tend to see across the border are actually human smuggling organizations that in many cases actually operate independently from a carteland even sometimes pay a fee. Now, there are certain cartels that are heavily involved in smuggling operations, and others that are just like, Hey, give us a slice of your money. You run the op, but you're operating in our plaza, you give us money, right? he said. He said the Juarez Cartel, for example, is one of those cartels more involved in human smuggling like others compared to others, like the Northeast Cartel. The reason why is they don't control any of the drug production where drugs are produced. The Juarez Cartel is the primary cartel in Juarez, with the other being the Sinaloa Cartel. There are other small cells of other groups. But Ritondale pointed out how the group or individuals responsible for these threats have not been disclosed. Also, it could not be cartels at all and perhaps human smuggling organizations with no connection to said cartels. Generally this type of thing when it happens, it's not good for business, right? They don't want this attention just right at them. He added that the Jaurez cartel is not designated in February 2025 by the U.S. State Department as one of six Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTOs) including other Mexican cartels, which leads to further questions. I don't understand why the Juarez Cartel wasn't an FTO, he added. If you're gonna put the United Cartels as an FTO, why the hell are you not going to put the Juarez Cartel? Many people never understood why the State Department didn't add them to it. He added: I just don't see them liking this for business. They generally like things quiet. They don't necessarily like when they get too much attention in El Paso, and this is generally one of the things that is just a huge media uproar. The focus is on them. DUBAI, United Arab Emirates Iran marked the 47th anniversary of its 1979 Islamic Revolution on Wednesday as the countrys theocracy remains under pressure, both from U.S. President Donald Trump who suggested sending another aircraft carrier group to the Middle East and a public angrily denouncing Tehran's bloody crackdown on nationwide protests. The commemoration represented a spit-screen view of life in Iran, with state television showing hundreds of thousands of people across the country attending pro-government rallies, which included the burning of American flags and cries of Death to America! The night before, as government-sponsored fireworks lit the dark sky, witnesses heard shouts from peoples homes in the Iranian capital, Tehran, of Death to the dictator! Meanwhile, President Masoud Pezeshkian got on stage at Azadi Square in Tehran and insisted that Iran is willing to negotiate over its nuclear program as fledgling nuclear talks talks with America hang in the balance. Whether the talks succeed remains an open question and Mideast nations fear their collapse could plunge the region into another regional war. A top Iranian security official traveled Qatar on Wednesday after earlier visiting Oman, which has mediated this latest round of negotiations. Just before the official's arrival, Qatar's ruling emir received a phone call from Trump. In his speech at the anniversary ceremony, Pezeshkian also insisted that his nation was not seeking nuclear weapons. ... and are ready for any kind of verification. However, the United Nations nuclear watchdog the International Atomic Energy Agency has been unable for months to inspect and verify Irans nuclear stockpile. The high wall of mistrust that the United States and Europe have created through their past statements and actions does not allow these talks to reach a conclusion, Pezeshkian said. Yet moments later, he added: At the same time, we are engaging with full determination in dialogue aimed at peace and stability in the region alongside our neighboring countries. Commemoration overshadowed by crackdown On Iranian state TV, authorities broadcast images of people taking to the streets across the country Wednesday to support the theocracy and its 86-year-old Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Others criticized Iran's exiled crown prince, Reza Pahlavi, who had been calling for anti-government protests. I am here to say we dont stop supporting our leader and our country as the Americans and Israelis are increasingly threatening" us, said Reza Jedi, a 43-year-old participant. Iranian missiles were on display, as were fragments that authorities described as being from downed Israeli drones. Fake coffins draped in the American flag could also be seen, one bearing the picture of U.S. Navy Adm. Brad Cooper, the head of the American military's Central Command. Among Iran's 85 million people, there is a hard-line element of support for Iran's theocracy, including members of the country's powerful paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, which crucially put down the protests last month in a bloody suppression that killed thousands and saw tens of thousands detained, according to activists. Also, many Iranians often take part in pro-theocracy demonstrations as they are government employees or turn up to enjoy the carnival atmosphere of a government-sponsored holiday. Iran has 2.5 million government employees, with a fifth in Tehran alone. While not directly addressing the bloodshed by authorities, Pezeshkian acknowledged the crackdown that began in earnest on Jan. 8 had caused great sorrow. We are ashamed before the people, and we are obligated to assist all those who were harmed in these incidents," he said. We are not seeking confrontation with the people. One man sadly watched the commemoration from a sidewalk in Tehran, not taking part. I regularly participated in the rally in past years," said the man, who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisal. "But how can I do that now as the streets' asphalt were bloodied last month? A senior Iran official visits Qatar As the commemoration took place, senior Iranian security official Ali Larijani left Oman for Qatar, a Mideast nation that hosts a major U.S. military installation and one that Iran attacked in June after the U.S. bombed Iranian nuclear sites during the 12-day Iran-Israel war. Qatar has also been a key negotiator in the past with Iran, with which it shares a massive offshore natural gas field in the Persian Gulf. Its state-run Qatar News Agency reported that ruling emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani spoke with Trump about the current situation in the region and international efforts aimed at de-escalation and strengthening regional security and peace, without elaborating. Speaking to the Russian state channel RT, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tehran still does not have full trust for the Americans. Last time we negotiated, last June we were in the middle of negotiation then they decided to attack us and that was a very very bad experience for us, Iran's top diplomat said. We need to make sure that that scenario is not repeated and this is mostly up to America. Despite that concern, Araghchi said it could be possible to come to a better deal than Obama, referencing the 2015 nuclear deal with world powers Iran reached when former U.S. President Barack Obama was in office. Trump in his first term unilaterally withdrew America from the accord. Trump suggests sending another carrier to Mideast The U.S. has moved the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln, ships and warplanes to the Middle East to pressure Iran into an agreement and have the firepower necessary to strike the Islamic Republic should Trump choose to do so. Already, U.S. forces have shot down a drone they said got too close to the Lincoln and came to the aid of a U.S.-flagged ship that Iranian forces tried to stop in the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow mouth of the Persian Gulf. Trump told the news website Axios that he was considering sending a second carrier to the region, noting, We have an armada that is heading there and another one might be going." It remains unclear what carrier could go. The USS George H.W. Bush has left Norfolk, Virginia, according to U.S. Navy Institute News. The USS Gerald R. Ford remains in the Caribbean after the U.S. military raid that captured Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro. BRUSSELS (AP) NATO on Wednesday launched a new military effort dubbed Arctic Sentry aimed at improving security in the High North, a month after U.S. President Donald Trump ramped up tensions within the alliance over his threats to annex Greenland. Initially, Arctic Sentry will be the NATO label for national military exercises in the region, such as Denmarks Arctic Endurance which angered Trump so much that he threatened to slap tariffs on allies taking part and Norways Cold Response drills. Arctic Sentry does not involve the permanent or even long-term deployment of troops to the region under a NATO banner. NATOs role in this series of military activities, which will be coordinated through its U.S. headquarters in Norfolk, Virginia, is aimed at countering Russian and Chinese influence in the High North, which includes Greenland. NATOs Supreme Allied Commander Europe U.S. Air Force Gen. Alexus Grynkewich said that Arctic Sentry underscores the alliances commitment to safeguard its members and maintain stability in one of the worlds most strategically significant and environmentally challenging areas. It will leverage NATOs strength to protect our territory and ensure the Arctic and High North remains secure, he said in a statement. As part of the effort, the United Kingdom has announced that the number of British troops deployed to Norway will double over three years from 1,000 to 2,000. Some will be involved in Exercise Lion Protector, already planned for September. Details are sketchy, but other NATO activities will be added to Arctic Sentry once broader security needs are assessed and as the national military exercises end. France and Germany have said they will take part but have not said how many troops would be involved. Arctic security has been on NATOs agenda in recent years seven allies lie in the region, along with Russia but pressure to act accelerated as Trumps determination to get Greenland fueled tensions among the allies. NATOs primary role is to defend the territory of its 32 member states. The specter of the alliances most powerful country threatening to annex part of another ally, Denmark, has deeply shaken the rest of the alliance. Greenland is a semiautonomous territory in the Danish realm. European allies hope that Arctic Sentry and ongoing talks between the Trump administration, Denmark and Greenland will allow NATO to move on from the dispute and focus on Europe's real security priority, Russia's war on Ukraine. MOSCOW (AP) Moscow will observe the limits of the last nuclear arms pact with the United States that expired last week as long as it sees that Washington is doing the same, Russia's top diplomat said Wednesday. The New START treaty expired Feb. 5, leaving no restrictions on the two largest atomic arsenals for the first time in more than a half-century and fueling fears of an unconstrained nuclear arms race. Russian President Vladimir Putin last year declared his readiness to stick to the treatys limits for another year if Washington followed suit, but U.S. President Donald Trump has argued that he wants China to be a part of a new pact something Beijing has rejected. Remarks to Russian lawmakers Speaking Wednesday to the parliament's lower house, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said that even though the U.S. hasn't responded to Putin's offer, Russia will respect New START's caps for as long as it sees that the U.S. observes them too. The moratorium declared by the president will remain as long as the U.S. doesn't exceed these limits, Lavrov told lawmakers. "We will act in a responsible and balanced way on the basis of analysis of the U.S. military policies. He added that we have reason to believe that the United States is in no hurry to abandon these limits and that they will be observed for the foreseeable future. We will closely monitor how things are actually unfolding," Lavrov said. "If our American colleagues intention to maintain some kind of cooperation on this is confirmed, we will work actively on a new agreement and consider the issues that have remained outside strategic stability agreements." US-Russia talks in Abu Dhabi Lavrov's statement followed a report by Axios claiming Russian and U.S. negotiators discussed a possible informal deal to observe the pacts limits for at least six months during talks last week in Abu Dhabi. Asked to comment on the report, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Friday that any such extension could only be formal, adding that its hard to imagine any informal extension in this sphere. At the same time, Peskov confirmed that Russian and U.S. negotiators discussed future nuclear arms control in Abu Dhabi where delegations from Moscow, Kyiv and Washington held two days of talks on a peace settlement in Ukraine. There is an understanding, and they talked about it in Abu Dhabi, that both parties will take responsible positions and both parties realize the need to start talks on the issue as soon as possible, Peskov said. The limits of the New START treaty New START, signed in 2010 by then-President Barack Obama and his Russian counterpart, Dmitry Medvedev, was the last of a long series of agreements between Moscow and Washington to limit their nuclear arsenals, starting with SALT I in 1972. New START restricted each side to no more than 1,550 nuclear warheads on no more than 700 missiles and bombers deployed and ready for use. It was originally set to expire in 2021 but was extended for five years. The pact envisioned sweeping on-site inspections to verify compliance, although they stopped in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic and never resumed. In February 2023, Putin suspended Moscows participation, saying Russia couldnt allow U.S. inspections of its nuclear sites at a time when Washington and its NATO allies openly declared they wanted Moscows defeat in Ukraine. But the Kremlin also emphasized it wasnt withdrawing from the pact altogether, pledging to respect its caps on nuclear weapons. In September, Putin offered to keep the New STARTs limits for another year to buy time for both sides to negotiate a successor agreement. Even as New START expired, the U.S. and Russia agreed on Feb. 5 to reestablish high-level, military-to-military dialogue following a meeting between senior officials from both sides in Abu Dhabi, the U.S. military command in Europe said. The link was suspended in 2021 as relations grew increasingly strained before Russia sent troops into Ukraine in February 2022. The Associated Press receives support for nuclear security coverage from the Carnegie Corporation of New York and Outrider Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content. ___ Additional AP coverage: https://apnews.com/projects/the-new-nuclear-landscape/ Washingtons top diplomat in Port-au-Prince told a Senate appropriations panel on Tuesday that security and stability are the cornerstones of the Trump administrations policy toward Haiti, where some 20 armed groups are holding the country hostage. Henry Wooster, the U.S. charge daffaires, said that while 12,000 armed people account for gang membership, about 3,000 pose the greatest threat. By contrast, the Haiti National Police has approximately 6,000 personnel on the books, of whom 400 or less do most of the fighting, he said. Haitis problems are grave, but progress is achievable, Wooster told senators as he laid out the administrations strategy at a Senate Appropriations Committee hearing on U.S. aid to Haiti. The hearing was the first on Haiti since Congress passed the Foreign Operations Appropriations bill for fiscal year 2026, directing funding for development and security assistance to the crisis-wrecked country. The legislation provides up to $5 million in nonlethal assistance for the struggling Haitian armed forces the first congressional funding for the military since it was disbanded in the 1990s and includes support for United Nations operations. Lawmakers also renewed the HOPE/HELP duty-free trade preference program, though only for one year. The legislation, which expired last year, has supported tens of thousands of jobs in the garment sector. Ahead of the bills passage, Florida U.S. Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart told the Miami Herald that while the spending bill included reductions, hes proud to have advanced funding for Haiti. That bill does a lot of, a lot of really good things, said Diaz-Balart, adding that as chairman of the House subcommittee responsible for funding U.S. foreign policy and national security priorities, it was important for him to give Secretary of State Marco Rubio the tools to deal with as much as possible, like the worsening situation in Haiti. Restoring security top priority Security is paramount for Haitis stability, Wooster told senators. But he also stressed that the gains will be fleeting without improved economic conditions to sustain Haitian society and economic and security. Labor Department statistics indicate that 34% of Haitian children are forced to work, some of them with gangs, he said. Guns and the police or any of these other folks wont win it at the end of the day.... We must have an economy in place, he said. There must be at least subsistence, and people will have to believe that they can, in fact, put shoes on the babys feet and food on the table and something over their head. If they dont believe that that is attainable and possible, were back to square one, whether people decide to get in boats or go to gangs. Wooster detailed U.S. efforts to counter what he called Haitis major destabilizers, including support for a U.N.-authorized coalition of foreign military and police known as the Gang Suppression Force. Fifteen countries have pledged over 11,000 personnel, and last week a group of partners led by the U.S. approved the slate of 5,500 personnel, he said. The first troops are expected to arrive on April 1, with full operational capability projected by September. The force will support, but not replace, the Haitian national police. The Gang Suppression Force will work from day one to put itself out of business as Haiti builds its own security and the state reasserts authority thanks to funds appropriated by Congress, Wooster said. The diplomat testified alongside Austin Holmes, a Florida resident and security firm owner who coordinates humanitarian and security assistance in the Caribbean country. The hearing was chaired by Republican Sen. Markwayne Mullin of Oklahoma. The Achilles heel in Haiti remains the actions and orientation of the political elite in Haiti, rampant corruption and a need for scheduled... national elections, a challenging task for Haiti under any circumstances, even more so during what could be called an insurgency, Mullin said. Two different visions While Wooster focused on the administrations diplomatic approach, Holmes argued for significantly greater investment in Haitis security apparatus, with Haitians in the lead. I think whats important here for all of us is that Haitians are seen leading their security initiative, he said. If we are left here without a 35- to 50,000 man force in the country, I dont believe theres any hope of sustained security in Haiti. We have the last four years that point to that. And so what were proposing is a dual framework, in addition to the Gang Suppression Force, to augment train and to leave behind Haitian security forces that can sustain in a durable manner. Holmes also promoted a public-private partnership for humanitarian aid delivery that he said would be more cost-effective and adaptable than existing aid structures, and subject to measurable outcomes and congressional oversight. With armed gangs controlling up to 90% of the capital, he said, Haiti is facing systematic collapse. As an example of the crisis, Holmes told lawmakers that sexual violence has gotten so out of hand that, more recently, weve seen gangs using something called community rapes, where, in an effort to terrorize entire communities, theyll systematically rape every female in that community. In October, we saw 42 murdered as part of that, many former staff members for my team. Returning Haitians Unaddressed at the hearing was whether the country can absorb the return of more than 300,000 Haitians who currently hold Temporary Protected Status in the U.S. and could face deportation if a stay on the termination of their protection is overturned in court. The U.S. objective in Haiti is one word, stability, Wooster said in his opening remarks. We define that as A, no collapse of the state; and B, no mass illegal migration onto us shores. Everything we do to implement the Presidents Haiti policy is anchored to that singular objective. Successive transitions Haiti has now gone 10 years without an election, and nearly five years in a succession of transitions following the July 7, 2021, assassination of President Jovenel Moise. On Saturday, the turbulent tenure of a nine-member presidential council ended a nearly 22-month mandate without achieving its main objective: turning power over to an elected government. The countrys sole leader is now Prime Minister Alix Dider Fils-Aime. In written testimony to the committee, Wooster said Fils-Aime and Laurent Saint-Cyr, the councils last chairman, withstood death threats, blackmail and numerous attempts by corrupt officials to oust them. Both men have been indispensable partners in advancing our shared interests to prevent state collapse, Wooster added. Under Saint-Cyrs leadership, the council approved a decree setting elections for 2026. Our policy objective of stability will set conditions to help Haiti have an elected government. Democratic lawmakers on the panel were concerned about the effects of U.S. aid cuts, particularly at the U.S. Agency for International Development, which funded the majority of Haitis health care. Wooster said the United States remains the number donor and assistance provider. Concerns over weaponized drones Though members of the committee appeared to be unfamiliar with the workings of the incoming Gang Suppression Force, there was one issue of concern: The role of former Blackwater founder Erik Prince and his Vectus Global security firm in Haiti. Though the private military firm has been credited with helping security forces get into neighborhoods and recently blew up the home of one of the countrys most notorious warlords, the presence of mercenaries operating in Haiti continues to make some lawmakers uneasy. We have been pretty careful about having American private military contractors in conflict zones, American mercenaries, said Democratic Sen. Christopher Murphy, who described Prince as a Trump ally. Murphy pressed Wooster about the role of the firm, and whether there are other private military companies being contracted by the Haitian police force or by the Haitian government. Wooster said the contract is between the government of Haiti and the firm, and not the U.S. The revenues being used to pay for it are Haitian revenues. The point is, this is a decision the Haitian government made, he said. Wooster did make the point that the companys so-called Kamikaze explosive drones have been providing comparative advantages in the fight, primarily the ability to fight at night. We have full-scale urban warfare going on. And so what the [private military contractors] have been doing is bringing in people who have experience in precisely that element, which is urban combat operations, he said. Murphy was unconvinced. Reports indicate that an American company operating drone strikes inside of Haiti has killed 559 people and 11 children, he said. Weve been very careful about introducing American forces into Haiti because of the blowback that it has had against Americas reputation and our interests in the region, the lawmaker said. But this is an American company that is killing hundreds of people. After Murphy raised Blackwaters controversial history in Iraq, where its contractors killed 17 Iraqi civilians and were later pardoned by President Trump in 2020, Wooster said it was not his role to indict Prince or any of his various companies. But he offered a counterpoint, given that armed groups last year raped and killed thousands while controlling every major highway in and out of the capital. Can you imagine how the situation with regard to security and stability would be different if we didnt have people with experience contributing to this fight on behalf of the Haitian government? Wooster said. I can assure you ...the whole situation, and one mentioned by several of your colleagues here, state collapse, we would be much closer to that nasty precipice than we are at the moment. Wooster said he doesnt carry a torch for Prince, the former U.S. Army officer who has served in some of the worlds toughest conflict zones said. But I have to offer you my best professional counsel, which is precisely that without Princes company, he added, we would be in a situation that is much worse than were in at the moment. . 2026 Miami Herald. Visit miamiherald.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Federal immigration officials defended enforcement tactics Tuesday during a House Homeland Security Committee hearing that focused heavily on two fatal enforcement incidents in Minnesota and broader immigration policy. The committee met Feb. 10 in Washington, D.C., and questioned leaders from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), during an oversight session. Lawmakers pressed the officials on use of force standards, deportation operations, body camera deployment, training timelines and local cooperation policies amid ongoing federal investigations into two January shootings in Minnesota referenced during the hearing. Minnesota Shootings Draw Bipartisan Scrutiny Lawmakers from both parties questioned whether federal use of force policies were followed in the two January incidents and demanded full investigative findings once federal reviews conclude. Committee Chairman Andrew Garbarino (R-N.Y.) said investigations are ongoing into the deaths of two American citizens in Minnesota, Renee Good and Alex Pretti, and asked whether agencies would provide full reports once reviews conclude. Garbarino said the incidents are being reviewed by the FBI, the Department of Homeland Security and the Justice Departments Civil Rights Division. Committee Chair Rep. Andrew Garbarino,, R-N.Y., delivers an opening statement during a House Committee on Homeland Security oversight hearing of the Department of Homeland Security: ICE CBP and USCIS, on Capitol Hill, Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Tom Brenner) I expect each of our witnesses to keep this committee fully informed as the investigations run their course, Garbarino said. Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons said he would provide the full and unabridged investigation to Congress once finalized. CBP Commissioner Rodney Scott offered the same assurance. Ranking member Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.) criticized the administrations enforcement posture and referenced the Minnesota incidents in his remarks. Thompson alleged misconduct during those operations and called for accountability while Lyons declined to discuss specific operational details, citing the ongoing investigations. Military.com reached out to the Department of Homeland Security, ICE and CBP for additional comment following the hearing. Body Cameras and Training Questioned Lawmakers examined transparency measures and officer preparedness, including how widely federal officers wear body cameras and how agencies train new hires. DHS leaders have publicly framed expanded body camera use as a central accountability measure after the Minneapolis cases. Lyons testified that more than 3,000 ICE officers currently have active body cameras, with an additional 6,000 cameras in the deployment process. He said ICE has approximately 13,000 personnel operating in the field. Todd Lyons, acting director of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) testifies during a House Committee on Homeland Security oversight hearing of the Department of Homeland Security: ICE CBP and USCIS, on Capitol Hill, Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Tom Brenner) Scott said Border Patrol academy training remains 117 days and CBP officer academy training remains 103 days. Those timelines have not changed, he added. Lyons said ICE training has shifted to more compressed daily schedules, expanding classroom hours per day while maintaining total requirements. He also described expanded pre-employment training and a field training officer model for on the job supervision. Lawmakers also raised questions about hiring pace and training capacityissues that have surfaced in oversight debates tied to reported hiring surges and training standards. Border Metrics and Enforcement Claims Scott highlighted border enforcement claims and said southwest border encounters have declined sharply compared with earlier periods. He also cited narcotics seizures, stating that CBP seized approximately 617,000 pounds of illicit drugs in fiscal 2025, including nearly 11,000 pounds of fentanyl. Lawmakers used the hearing to probe how DHS measures success across arrests, removals and interdictions. Those are issues that have intersected with broader federal efforts to support border operations, including prior active-duty deployments under Title 10 orders. Lyons said ICE made nearly 379,000 arrests and carried out more than 475,000 removals from Jan. 20, 2025, through Jan. 20, 2026. He said more than 60 percent of individuals in ICE custody have pending or prior criminal charges. Democratic members questioned how those figures reflect enforcement priorities and raised concerns about how removal data is categorized. Local Cooperation and Minnesota Tensions Lyons testified that ICE detainers were not honored by local officials during certain Minnesota operations and said the lack of cooperation complicated enforcement efforts. We didnt see any cooperation at the state or the local level, Lyons said. Rodney Scott, commissioner of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, (CBP) testifies during a House Committee on Homeland Security oversight hearing of the Department of Homeland Security: ICE CBP and USCIS, on Capitol Hill, Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Tom Brenner) Lyons also testified that his agency recorded a significant increase in threats against personnel during fiscal 2025 compared with the prior fiscal year. Minnesota has also served as a focal point for legal and political disputes tied to federal enforcement activity, including state level litigation and broader federal state friction described in public reporting. Investigations Ongoing Officials said federal investigations into the Minnesota shootings remain active. No timeline was provided for when findings would be released. Committee leaders indicated they expect full investigative reports once reviews conclude and said Congress may conduct additional oversight depending on the results. Immigration enforcement and federal use of force standards remain central issues in ongoing congressional scrutiny. Anguish again spilled into the streets of Minneapolis as hundreds gathered to remember resident Renee Good one month after a federal immigration agent shot and killed her during an enforcement operation. The Feb. 7 memorial marked one month since an ICE agent fatally shot Good, 37, on Jan. 7 in Minneapolis. The killing triggered protests across the United States, launched parallel federal and state investigations and sparked a widening dispute over evidence access that Minnesota officials say federal authorities continue to block. Federal officials have also described the removal of 700 immigration personnel from the region as a tactical shift rather than a full retreat. A crowd gathered on Saturday near Powderhorn Park and the Bishop Henry Whipple Federal Building to honor Goods life. Becca Good made her first public appearance since the shooting. A rabbi read Becca's statement, which praised her partners kindness, volunteer work, and commitment to what she described as radical kindness. She urged the crowd to remember her partners humanity, not the politics surrounding her death. People gather for a memorial honoring Renee Good, who was fatally shot by a federal agent, in Minneapolis, Saturday, Feb. 7, 2026, . (AP Photo/Ryan Murphy) Organizers also honored ICU nurse Alex Pretti, who was killed later in January in a separate incident involving federal agents. Tribute turned into protest as demonstrators moved into downtown Minneapolis. Police arrested dozens outside the federal building during confrontations that followed. FBI Declines To Add Further Details Federal authorities have released few specifics about the Jan. 7 shooting. The FBI declined to provide additional information. No information is available for release regarding this ongoing investigation, in accordance with DOJ policy, the FBI Minneapolis Public Affairs Office told Military.com. The Department of Homeland Security, ICE and the White House did not respond to Military.coms requests for comment. Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension spokesperson Mike Ernster directed Military.com to prior public statements. We do not have any comment about this situation beyond these statements, Ernster wrote. A makeshift memorial honoring the victim of a fatal shooting involving federal law enforcement agents is taped to a post near the site of the previous day's shooting, Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026, in Minneapolis, Minn. (AP Photo/Mike Householder) Separate reporting has also noted that the ICE officer involved has a lengthy background in military and law enforcement service. State Officials Demand Evidence Access Minnesota prosecutors have demanded the federal government turn over video, physical evidence, agent statements and investigative materials related to the shooting. They set a Feb. 17 deadline for a response. Minnesota officials announced Jan. 9 that they launched an independent state investigation and created a secure portal for the public to submit photos and videos directly to the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension. Nour Tamimi, right, leads a chant during a rally at a makeshift memorial honoring Renee Good, who was fatally shot by an ICE officer, near the site of the shooting in Minneapolis, Friday, Jan. 9, 2026. (AP Photo/John Locher) John Stiles, spokesperson for Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison, told Military.com that Ellison urged the Justice Department to reconsider what state leaders described as an unusual refusal to collaborate or share evidence. Attorney General Ellison has additionally asked the Department of Justice to reconsider its unusual decision to not to collaborate with state investigators in an investigation, or failing that, to allow state investigators independent access to the evidence it has collected, Stiles said. Stiles added the case remains active and declined further comment. State leaders have framed the standoff as a broader federal state showdown over transparency and oversight after the killing. Officials have also pointed readers oversight mechanisms and the BCAs role as they argue for independent review. State Patrol Says Role Was Limited State law enforcement agencies confirmed they did not lead the investigation. The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension initially responded and coordinated with the FBI. Federal prosecutors later informed state officials that the FBI would lead the inquiry. Minnesota State Patrol officers are seen during a protest and noise demonstration calling for an end to federal immigration enforcement operations in the city, Friday, Jan. 9, 2026, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/John Locher) Minnesota State Patrol Lt. Mike Lee told Military.com that troopers provided crowd control assistance to Minneapolis police during protests but did not investigate the shooting. The Minnesota State Patrols only response to this incident was a small number of troopers in a crowd control response assistance to Minneapolis Police Department, Lee said. No state agency has asserted primary investigative authority. This Is a Powder Keg' Civil liberties groups argue the shooting raises broader constitutional concerns about federal immigration enforcement and use of force. After a shooting like this, any properly functioning law enforcement agency would stop and seriously examine its officers conduct, training and protocols, and yet under this administration, weve seen DHS ICE double down on the violent and aggressive tactics that led to Renees death, Naureen Shah, director of government affairs at the American Civil Liberties Union, told Military.com. This is a powder keg and our communities are the ones who are going to be harmed, she added. Observers film while federal agents conduct immigration enforcement operations Thursday, Feb. 5, 2026, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Ryan Murphy, File) The ACLU and its Minnesota affiliate have filed lawsuits challenging federal enforcement operations, alleging excessive force, unlawful arrests and racial profiling. Autopsy Ruling Intensifies Fallout The Hennepin County Medical Examiner ruled Goods death a homicidea medical classification that indicates a death was caused by another person but does not determine criminal liability. Official reports said an ICE agent fired at Goods SUV during the enforcement operation, striking her multiple times. An independent autopsy commissioned by the family reported three gunshot wounds, including one to the head. Protests that began in Minneapolis spread to other cities. Authorities arrested at least 42 people on Feb. 7 outside the Bishop Henry Whipple Federal Building during anniversary demonstrations. A woman walks by posters of Renee Good and Alex Pretti during a solidarity bike ride for Pretti, Saturday, Jan. 31, 2026, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson) Mounting pressure prompted federal officials to announce a partial drawdown. A White House border official said 700 ICE and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers would withdraw from Minnesota. Roughly 2,000 federal personnel remain deployed in the region. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, a Democrat, has questioned federal assurances and called for greater transparency. The Fight Over Accountability State and federal investigations remain active. Officials have announced no charging decisions and provided no timeline for findings. Federal authorities have not disclosed whether the ICE agent remains on duty. The Justice Department has not outlined the scope of its review. Federal officials have not publicly disclosed whether any grand jury review is underway. Minnesota officials continue to maintain their separate evidence portal while pressing for access to materials held by federal investigators. A Louisiana National Guard soldier left his service rifle unattended in the bathroom of a Bourbon Street hotel Sunday night while on patrol in the French Quarter. The soldier walked into the Lafitte Hotel at 1003 Bourbon Street to use the restroom and left behind his M4 carbine, which was found propped against a sink by a customer who entered after him, according to Nola.com. A photo of the weapon spread quickly on social media and drew thousands of reactions. Lt. Col. Noel Collins, a Louisiana National Guard spokesperson, confirmed the incident in a statement. "The rifle was returned to the Louisiana National Guard, and the Soldier and incident are being handled internally," Collins said. The Guard did not identify the soldier or specify what disciplinary action he would face. It is unclear how long the rifle was left unattended before it was discovered. Leaving a Weapon Unattended While several military communities reacted with humor on social media, the incident drew concern from French Quarter residents and visitors who saw the photo circulating online. "I kind of feel bad for him because that's one of the main rules of being in the Army, I would think, is you're always supposed to have your weapon in your hands and not in somebody else's," Nervous Dwayne, a French Quarter performer, told WWLTV. Under Army regulations, losing accountability of a weapon is among the most serious offenses a soldier can commit. Depending on the circumstances, consequences can range from non-judicial punishment under Article 15 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice to a court-martial. At minimum, the soldier's chain of command will likely conduct a formal investigation under Army Regulation 15-6 to determine the facts of the incident. The Louisiana National Guard did not respond to additional questions from Military.com regarding the circumstances of the incident or potential disciplinary action. The Lafitte Bar & Hotel on Bourbon Street in the French Quarter, where the incident occurred. (Historical Marker Database) Heightened Security The lapse comes at a sensitive time for the Guard's mission in New Orleans. About 350 Louisiana National Guard members have been deployed to the city since late December, patrolling the French Quarter and supporting the New Orleans Police Department during Mardi Gras season. The deployment was authorized by the Trump administration at Gov. Jeff Landry's request and is expected to last through the end of February. The federal government designated Mardi Gras 2026 as a SEAR 1 event, its highest security classification. More than 20 partner agencies, including NOPD, Louisiana State Police and federal law enforcement, are involved in the security operation as parades roll through the city this week ahead of Fat Tuesday. Guard troops armed with rifles have been a visible presence at intersections and checkpoints along Bourbon Street and parade routes since arriving last month. The deployment is partly in response to the Jan. 1, 2025, terrorist attack on Bourbon Street, in which a radicalized U.S. Army veteran drove a truck into a crowd of New Year's Eve revelers, killing 14 people and injuring dozens more. A Louisiana National Guard Soldier conducts a presence patrol in the New Orleans French Quarter in support of Task Force Defender, Dec. 30, 2025. (Louisiana National Guard Photo by Sgt. Danny Hough) The Political Debate The rifle incident is likely to fuel ongoing debate over armed National Guard troops patrolling city streets. New Orleans Mayor Helena Moreno has previously said she strongly opposes using the Guard for crime enforcement, and U.S. Rep. Troy Carter, D-Louisiana, warned last year against the presence of soldiers carrying rifles who are "untrained in the area of de-escalation." Supporters of the deployment, including Landry, have argued the Guard provides a critical "force multiplier" for stretched local police departments. The soldier has not been publicly identified, and it remains unclear whether civilian authorities will pursue separate charges. The Lafitte Hotel did not immediately return a request for comment. Did our AI summary help? Did our AI summary help? MC Education Desk Read the latest and trending news on CBSE, board exams, NEET, JEE, CUET, competitive exams, scholarships, college admissions, education policies, and more. According to the most recent update from news agency ANI, the Mumbai Police have applied the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) in the matter. Did our AI summary help? Rajkumar Hirani shares update on 3 Idiots sequel and Munna Bhai 3 in development Did our AI summary help? Salman Khan and other actors extend support to Rajpal Yadav Did our AI summary help? Gayatri Rani is a Senior-Sub Editor with over three years of experience in delivering Hollywood and Bollywood news. Did our AI summary help? Oscars 2026 Luncheon: Nominees Emma Stone, Kate Hudson, Leonardo DiCaprio, Michael B. Jordan, and others arrive in style Pregnancy complications: Skin allergies during pregnancy can be avoided by simple precautions like switching to lukewarm water and applying cold compresses for immediate relief (Image: Pexels) Neutrophils, a type of immune cell in the body, can help tumours grow instead of attacking them. (Picture: Canva) Did our AI summary help? Nivedita is a Delhi-based journalist who writes on health, fashion, lifestyle and entertainment. Views expressed are personal. This stunning photo of the Northern Lights forming a glowing heart in Norway has left the internet amazed and debating if its real or AI. (Image: krisvang/instagram) The much-discussed zero-duty access provision to the US market may not be Bangladesh-specific. Ashwin Mohan is Editor (Deals) at Moneycontrol and leads the M&A, private equity and equity capital market transactions coverage. He anchors the video show 'Deal Central ' and tweets at @ashwinmohansays. He has previously worked with ET NOW, CNBC TV-18 and The Times of India. More than 95 percent of refund cases have already been processed in FY26 Meghna Mittal Deputy News Editor at Moneycontrol. Meghna has experience across television, print, online and wire media. She has been covering the Indian economy, monetary and fiscal policies, Finance and Trade ministries. She tweets at @Meghnamittal23 Contact: meghna.mittal@nw18.com Part of the capital will also be used to strengthen backend systems that coordinate factories, suppliers and buyers as volumes scale across domestic and export markets. Urban migration in the worlds most populous nation is expected to drive demand for nearly $906 billion of new housing by 2034, according to Invest India, a government agency. Bloomberg Why did Fractal Analytics IPO need QIB push to get fully subscribed despite trimming issue size by over 40%? Textile stocks drop up to 6%, extend losses after US-Bangladesh trade deal: Heres what experts say The summit will also feature voices shaping the next phase of industry growth Zoya Springwala is a Senior Correspondent, writing on the markets, financial institutions, regulatory changes and everything else in between. Dipen Pradhan is the Editorial Consultant for Moneycontrol. He has over 10 years of experience in the field of journalism and covers personal finance topics. He has previously worked at Forbes Advisor India, Outlook Money, Entrepreneur, Inc42, and The Statesman. When he is not writing he loves to travel to explore rural hotspots. Did our AI summary help? Ayush Mishra is a personal finance journalist specialising in banking, credit, and taxation. With experience at Business Standard, he delivers engaging stories that make complex financial decisions easier to navigate. The additional 25 percent tariff on Indian exports was imposed by the United States in August 2025 tied to the countrys import of Russian crude oil, pushing effective duties on many goods to 50 percent. India US trade deal is likely to be signed in March, latest reports say. Christin Mathew Philip is a Senior Assistant Editor at Moneycontrol.com with 15 years of experience in journalism and a recipient of the Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Award. Based in Bengaluru, he understands the pulse of the people and covers issues that matter, including mobility, infrastructure, start-ups, and government policies. He tweets at @ChristinMP_ Rewati Karan is Senior Sub Editor at Moneycontrol. She covers law, politics, business, and national affairs. She was previously Principal Correspondent at Financial Express and Copyeditor at ThePrint where she wrote feature stories and covered legal news. She has also worked extensively in social media, videos and podcasts at ThePrint and India Today. She can be reached at rewati.karan@nw18.com | Twitter: @RewatiKaran Civic officials said the musical grooves are positioned around 500 metres ahead on the lane closest to the divider after the Worli-bound tunnel exit (Image: X) You are already a Moneycontrol Pro user. OK LoP Rahul Gandhi with a printed copy of former Army chief MM Naravanes memoir Until now, Vande Mataram has not had a clearly defined national protocol, unlike the national anthem, which has long been governed by formal rules. Speaker Om Birla has reportedly directed the Lok Sabha Secretary-General to examine the notice and initiate the required procedural steps. Highlighting the risks involved, the bench remarked that giving advance notice of a search could lead to evidence being destroyed. The agreement will support mobility and continued social security coverage of the employees on short-term overseas assignments, MEA said Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath with state Finance Minister Suresh Kumar Khanna before the presentation of the State Budget 2026-27 in the Assembly, in Lucknow. (PTI) Uttar Pradesh Finance Minister Suresh Khanna presenting the 2026 Budget in state Assembly on Wednesday. What does India truly bring to the worlds AI table? 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 Indian-origin man sues after false Walmart kidnapping accusation in US. (Image: Agbor group/ Facebook) The woman's job now includes monitoring fishfeeding equipment, recording water temperatures and sea conditions, and helping track fish growth. (AI-generated image) After Knot Dating CEO Jasveer Singhs post went viral, X users in the US resurfaced a tweet he had made in 2016 after Donald Trumps election victory, where he wrote: 'Congratulations USA! You managed to show that Indians are not only dumbest people in the world.' AI.com officially relaunched during Super Bowl LX, where Crypto.com unveiled a new platform for agentic AI personal AI agents that can send messages, trade stocks, and perform tasks across apps. (AI-generated image) Alongside the cultural observation,Shubham Mishra also shared an update regarding his companys product. A rare male Himalayan monal was photographed flying over Bhutans high valleys, revealing its striking iridescent feathers in shades of blue, green, purple, gold and orange. Found across Bhutan, Nepal, northern India and Tibet, the species thrives above 4,500 metres and is Nepals national bird. Experts confirm its vivid colours are natural, created by feather structure rather than filters, highlighting the extraordinary beauty of Himalayan wildlife. Did our AI summary help? The Darvaza gas crater in Turkmenistan, ignited in 1971 after a drilling collapse, was expected to burn for only a short time but has continued for more than 50 years. Known as the Door to Hell, it became a major tourist attraction fuelled by underground methane. Recent reports suggest the fire is finally weakening as containment efforts progress. Anecdotal accounts of spiders surviving near the rim add further mystery to the desert phenomenon. Did our AI summary help? On 17 February 2026, an annular solar eclipse will create a striking ring of fire over remote parts of Antarctica, while partial phases appear in southern South America and southern Africa. The moon will cover about 96 percent of the sun, leaving a bright circular edge visible for just over two minutes. Though unseen in North America, the event is significant, linking to key lunar calendar dates and preceding a total lunar eclipse two weeks later. Did our AI summary help? Blood Falls, the crimson stream flowing from Antarcticas Taylor Glacier, is caused by iron-rich brine that oxidises when exposed to air. In 2023, researchers using advanced microscopy identified iron nanospheres responsible for the vivid red colour. Beneath the glacier, microbes survive in dark, oxygen-poor, hypersaline water using chemosynthesis. The site not only solves a century-old mystery but also serves as a model for studying possible life in extreme environments on Mars and other icy worlds. Did our AI summary help? 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 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 Ankita Chakravarti is a seasoned journalist with nearly a decade of experience in media. She specializes in technology and lifestyle journalism. She has worked with top Indian media houses like India Today, Zee News, The Statesman, and Millennium Post. Her expertise spans tech trends, phone launches, gadget reviews, and entertainment news. Ankita holds a Master's in Journalism and Mass Communication along with a degree in English Literature. She can be reached out at ankita.chakravarti@nw18.com Bangladeshs upcoming election, its first competitive vote in a decade, will shape Indias security, border stability, and regional influence. India is wary of outcomes favoring anti-India parties or increasing Chinese and Pakistani influence in Dhaka. Did our AI summary help? Did Jeffrey Epstein help trigger the 2008 financial crisis? What the new files actually show U.S. federal judge blocks enforcement of California law banning masks for ICE agents Xinhua) 16:43, February 10, 2026 LOS ANGELES, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- A U.S. federal judge on Monday blocked the enforcement of a California law that prohibited U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents from wearing face masks while on duty. U.S. District Judge Christina A. Snyder issued a preliminary injunction against the "No Secret Police Act," or Senate Bill 627, ruling that the measure unlawfully discriminates against the federal government. A preliminary injunction is a court order issued early in a lawsuit that prohibits the parties involved from taking certain actions while the case continues to be decided. The blocked law, along with a companion measure called the "No Vigilantes Act," or Senate Bill 805, was signed by California Governor Gavin Newsom on Sept. 20, 2025, and took effect on Jan. 1, 2026. The ruling stemmed from a lawsuit the U.S. Department of Justice filed on Nov. 17, 2025. The department argued that the state law violated the Supremacy Clause of the U.S. Constitution, which establishes that federal law generally takes precedence over state laws. In her order, Snyder agreed with the federal government's argument on discrimination. She noted that while Senate Bill 627 banned masks for federal and local officers, it contained exemptions for California state law enforcement officers. "Because the No Secret Police Act, as presently enacted, does not apply equally to all law enforcement officers in the state, it unlawfully discriminates against federal officers," Snyder wrote in the opinion. However, Snyder rejected the federal government's broader argument that masks were essential for all federal operations. She suggested that a neutral ban applicable to all police officers might be constitutional, noting that "federal officers can perform their federal functions without wearing masks." The legislation was authored by Democratic California State Senators Scott Wiener and Sasha Renee Perez. They introduced the bills in response to reports of aggressive enforcement tactics by unidentified federal agents, which they argued created fear in immigrant communities. While blocking the mask ban, the court allowed the "No Vigilantes Act" to remain in effect. This law requires officers to visibly display identification, such as a name or badge number. U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi praised the ruling as a victory for federal agents, stating that agents had been "harassed, doxxed, obstructed, and attacked on a regular basis just for doing their jobs." Senator Wiener said Monday that he planned to introduce new legislation immediately to extend the mask ban to state officers, aiming to fix the legal flaw identified by the judge. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun) Google ex-CEO Eric Schmidt seen with model 43 years his junior at Davos Police confirmed that the school principal has been seriously injured, though the exact number of casualties is still unclear. Pakistans Defence Minister accused the US of exploiting and discarding Pakistan, but analysis shows Pakistan was a willing, strategic partner, leveraging its position for aid and influence, and playing a double game in US relations, not merely a victim. Abhinav Gupta With over 12 years in digital journalism, has navigated the fast-evolving media landscape, shaping digital strategies and leading high-impact newsrooms. Currently, he serves as News Editor at MoneyControl, leading coverage in Global Affairs, Indian Politics, Governance and Policy Making. Previously, he has spearheaded fact-checking and digital media operations at Press Trust of India. Abhinav has also led news desks at Financial Express, DNA, and Jagran English, managing editorial direction, breaking news coverage, and digital growth. His journey includes stints with The Indian Express Group, Zee Media Group, and more, where he has honed his expertise in newsroom leadership, audience engagement, and digital transformation. US companies turning to India trade rep greer on decoupling from China Pakistan defence minister lashes out at US in parliament Bangladesh votes in a pivotal election after Sheikh Hasinas ouster, with Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus as interim leader. His tenure saw reforms, violence, and minority attacks. Yunus vows to step aside post-election; his legacy depends on Bangladeshs future stability. Abhinav Gupta With over 12 years in digital journalism, has navigated the fast-evolving media landscape, shaping digital strategies and leading high-impact newsrooms. Currently, he serves as News Editor at MoneyControl, leading coverage in Global Affairs, Indian Politics, Governance and Policy Making. Previously, he has spearheaded fact-checking and digital media operations at Press Trust of India. Abhinav has also led news desks at Financial Express, DNA, and Jagran English, managing editorial direction, breaking news coverage, and digital growth. His journey includes stints with The Indian Express Group, Zee Media Group, and more, where he has honed his expertise in newsroom leadership, audience engagement, and digital transformation. The emails that tied British Ambassador Peter Mandelson to Jeffrey Epstein More than two months after Moni Chakraborty's murder in Narsingdi, his killer remains free. Minority communities face rising fear and intimidation, with the interim Yunus government criticized for failing to protect them ahead of Bangladesh's February 12 elections. Did our AI summary help? Trump allegedly told police in mid-2000s that everyone has known about Epstein, newly released document says Leavitt said the release of documents linked to Epstein reflected the Trump administrations commitment to transparency. (File photo) US Vice President JD Vances joke about his wife during a visit to Azerbaijan sparked speculation about his 2028 presidential ambitions. The trip focused on supporting US-brokered peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan and strengthening security cooperation. Did our AI summary help? February 11, 2026 NY Times Reports Russian Capture of Ukrainian Cities Months After It Happened There is rather weird new report about Ukraine in the New York Times depicting Russian progress but based on front line movements that have happened months ago. Russia Nears Capture of Key Ukrainian Towns After Year of Grinding Assaults (archived) NY Times, Feb. 10, 2026 Russian troops have advanced at a glacial pace in recent months, but gains in southern and eastern Ukraine could give Moscow an edge in U.S.-mediated peace talks. The opener: For over a year, Russian forces have slogged through battlefields in Ukraine without seizing a single urban stronghold. Now, these attritional advances are on the verge of paying off. Russia appears poised to complete the capture of three strategic areas in the coming weeks or months, according to military experts and independent battlefield monitors. Capturing all three areas the town of Huliaipole in the southeast and the cities of Pokrovsk and Myrnohrad, about 60 miles northeast would give Russia an urban foothold to base troops and organize logistics for future offensives, as well as new leverage in U.S.-mediated peace talks. Ooops. Was there a time machine involved in writing that piece? For starters: Russia has captured Siversk, a Ukrainian city, on December 24 2025. To claim that Russia did not seize a single urban stronghold for over a year is obviously nonsense. As for Pokrovsk the Kyiv Independent, unsuspicious of being a Russian propaganda outlet, headlined more than two months ago: As Russia takes Pokrovsk, sister city Myrnohrad stares down encirclement Kyiv Independent, Dec 4, 2025 Ukraines great fortress city of Pokrovsk has officially fallen as far as Moscow is concerned. In a nod to the political significance of taking Pokrovsk, the claim was first made by Russian President Vladimir Putin on Dec. 1, after receiving a report on the latest battlefield situation from his top general, Valery Gerasimov. On the same day, Russias Defense Ministry uploaded a video of Russian soldiers strolling leisurely through central Pokrovsk and unfurling the state flag on Shybankova Square. According to one Ukrainian drone pilot, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to the Kyiv Independent, Ukrainian soldiers still hold some positions in the northern part of Pokrovsk. But, in the environment of constantly advancing Russian infiltration groups moving forward through the urban area and soon followed by reinforcements digging in these Ukrainian positions are mostly cut off on the ground, resupplied only by drone. Its stupid to keep them surrounded there, the pilot said. Since early December the Ukrainian army had multiple times tried to regain a foothold in Pokrovsk but failed to achieve one. The fighting has since moved to Ukrainian held settlements north-west of Pokrovsk. Myrnohrad (Mirnograd), the sister city east of Pokrovsk was also soon taken. The pro-Ukrainian LiveUAmap website, which tracks the frontline in a delayed fashion, has shown Myrnohrad under complete Russian control since January 24 2026. Sensing weakness, the powerful Russian Dnipro Group of Forces moved aggressively against Huliaipole, a critical strongpoint for the defense of Zaporizhzhia city, 80 km to the west. Abruptly just before Christmas, the Russian 57th Motor Rifle Brigade captured the town. Huliaipole was the largest and most fortified Ukrainian stronghold in eastern Zaporizhzhia Oblasta town that had long remained impregnable while Russian forces battered themselves against its defenses from multiple directions. Its fallchaotic, with at least two top officers killed or captured, a command post abandoned with equipment still insidewasnt a sudden collapse. It was the predictable result of defending with a few territorial battalions what needed a full brigade. As for Huliaipole: On December 30 2025 David Axe reported for the pro-Ukrainianwebsite that Russia had captured it Without giving a date of when it had happened the Institute for the Study of War admitted in a February 6 report: Russian forces likely seized Hulyaipole a town with a pre-war population of roughly 13,000 after three months of fighting and are unlikely to make rapid advances beyond Hulyaipole without deprioritizing other areas of the frontline. So what has happened to the New York Times? Why is it reporting on February 10 that Russia is poised to complete the capture of the three cities when all three of them, according to pro-Ukrainian sources, had fallen weeks and months ago? Actors Jacob Elordi and Margot Robbie attend the UK premiere of "Wuthering Heights" in London, Britain, Feb. 5, 2026. REUTERS LOS ANGELES (Reuters) Actor Margot Robbie says her romance film Wuthering Heights sinks into a love dark enough to wound, describing her Cathy and Jacob Elordis Heathcliff as doomed lovers whose dynamic makes the brooding new adaptation both sadomasochistic and desperately sweet. I think theyre just a couple who are destined to be doomed, the Barbie actor told Reuters in an interview. Warner Bros Pictures will roll out British director Emerald Fennells film globally in theaters on February 11 to coincide with Valentines Day week. The film revisits one of literatures most enduring and reinterpreted love stories. Since Emily Bronte published the book Wuthering Heights in 1847, its convoluted tale of Cathy and Heathcliff bound by childhood devotion yet divided by class, privilege and their own selfsabotaging impulses has inspired generations of filmmakers, playwrights, musicians and directors. Robbie and Elordi are both Australians. It is ironic that were Queenslanders playing two very iconic, you know, English characters but here we are, Robbie said, referring to Australias northeastern state. The story begins with Cathys father deciding to adopt Heathcliff into their household when both are children. While the two are infatuated with each other, they are divided by both class and privilege. Fennell aims to capture the same sensuousness she has brought to her previous productions, including numerous shots of intimate touch in the film. We had a wonderful little gremlin present with us all the time, Elordi said in an interview. It was Emerald Fennell in a raincoat in the bushes near where wed be doing a scene and shed be like, Now stroke her hair, now pull her leg up, yes, yes, yes, yes, now, kiss her on the neck if youre comfortable with that.' Fennell, the director of Saltburn, also starring Elordi, said in an interview that she sought to depict the nuances of Cathy and Heathcliff, including their imperfections as people and how they often sabotage each other. All of the people that I love have things about them that are terrible and I have things about me that are terrible. And I think thats all part of what makes love so extraordinary is that we forgive and we accept, Fennell said. John Peaveler Photo courtesy of John Peaveler via The Guam Daily Post By Walter Ulloa For Variety HAGATNA (The Guam Daily Post) A week of intensive animal handling workshops last month exposed a challenging reality: Guams free-roaming dogs are getting smarter, and the islands four animal control officers need the communitys help to outsmart them. John Peaveler, a nationally recognized animal handling expert with over 21 years of global experience, spent the last week of January working with the Guam Department of Agricultures Division of Animal Health to overhaul how the island approaches stray dog capture. One of the really big things that I took out of what John was telling us, other than giving us some better strategies hes also looking at our team and our equipment and what were realistically able to do, said territorial veterinarian Dr. Mariana Turner in an interview with The Guam Daily Post Friday. And one of the things he mentioned or encouraged was getting community involvement. The problem is straightforward but tricky to solve. When animal control officers set traps in areas with pack dogs, they typically catch the easiest animals first. The rest of the pack watches, learns and becomes harder to trap. What happens is theyll go to an area because theres a complaint about a pack of dogs and theyre able to catch the quote, unquote, easy to catch dogs and the hard to catch dogs end up getting left, Turner said. And so, we end up inadvertently making smarter boonie dogs. They become smarter and breednow we have even harder to catch dogs. Peavelers solution requires patience and community participation. Successful trapping of wary dogs means conditioning them to trust the equipment by placing food in and around traps repeatedly, at the same time each day, sometimes for weeks before attempting an actual capture. In order to be more successful with trapping, sometimes you can put the trap out and the dog will just be hungry enough to go in the trap. But when you have those smarter dogs, you do have to basically condition them, Turner explained. All (the community) really needs to do is just help out and throw some food into the trap or around it the same time every day. The ask from residents is simple: spend five minutes a day putting food in or around traps to help condition dogs to the equipment. With thousands of free-roaming dogs, Turner said the departments limited resources cant tackle the problem alone. We have 68,000 dogs on this island and 8,000 are free roaming, Turner said. But the source of the dogs are those owned animals. We need to get the community to behave more responsibly around pet ownership, and then to help create the solution. The division has just four animal control officers who can go into the field. The more that the community is helping us out, the faster we can get to the solution. If we just want to rely on the four animal control officers, Id like to say wed get there someday. I dont know, (but) we really need the community to be able to help us with this, even if its like small stuff like that, Turner said. Peavelers visit included multiple components beyond the main public workshop held Jan. 29 at the Mongmong-Toto-Maite Mayors Office. He conducted a bite prevention workshop for children on Jan. 27 in partnership with Island Girl Power and led specialized training on chemical capture using dart guns on Jan. 30-31. The public workshop drew participants from animal control, Guam Animals in Need, Spay/Neuter Island Program, United States Department of Agriculture, rescue organizations and mayors office staff. Peaveler, who owns Humane Innovations and has responded to disasters worldwide including the recent Lahaina and Palisades fires, donated handling tools including gloves and a leash pole to the team. His experience spans 40 countries and includes building animal welfare programs in Kuwait and leading one of the largest animal rescue teams in the country at San Diego Humane Society. The training covered dog behavior, recognizing differences between socialized pets and street dogs, and various capture techniques. John really went into detail on all these differences. So first talking about dog behavior, the various types of dogs there are, right, because our friendly, socialized, indoor pets that are used to people are totally different than some of the street dogs that are just occasionally fed, Turner said. Turner emphasized the training wasnt just about catching more dogs but catching them more humanely. Actually, we just had a meeting this morning with the team on some of the various changes, not only to improve our capture rate, but also to improve how we handle the animals because we want to do this as humanely as possible, she said. This was the second major animal handling training the division has hosted in the past year. Last year, another expert from Humane World for Animals focused on law enforcement aspects of animal hoarding and cruelty cases. Peavelers training concentrated on the practical challenges of capturing street-smart free-roaming dogs. The department currently has three limited-term animal control officer positions open, though hiring remains challenging due to delays in the government recruitment process. Both administrative officers are currently out on medical leave, forcing animal control officers to handle desk work. Despite being shorthanded, Turner is planning future workshops and community outreach on animal behavior. Residents interested in helping with trap conditioning or learning more can contact the Division of Animal Health at 671-300-7966 or 671-300-7964, or email [email protected]/. Otherwise, we end up just chasing our tail, Turner said. We can only remove one dog until were gone for a couple years, and the dogs there then forget that we were there, and then we can go back and maybe remove one more. Its not effective, and its not going to lead to a solution. Hokkons Baules WASHINGTON (Reuters) The United States on Tuesday barred Palau Senate President Hokkons Baules and his family from entering the U.S., accusing him of corruption linked to China, as Washington pushes back on Beijings effort to boost its influence in the Pacific. Baules abused his public position by accepting bribes in exchange for providing advocacy and support for government, business, and criminal interests from China, State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott said in a statement. His actions constituted significant corruption and adversely affected U.S. interests in Palau, Pigott said. The department also designated Anderson Jibas, a former mayor from the Marshall Islands, who it said had been involved in theft, misuse, and abuse of funds from the U.S.-provided Bikini Resettlement Trust intended to address the legacy of U.S nuclear bomb testing in the 1940s and 1950s. The designations will bar the two men and their immediate family members from entering the United States. The embassies of Palau and the Marshall Islands in Washington did not respond immediately to Reuters requests for comment. Reuters could not reach Baules or Jibas for comment. Palau and the Marshall Islands, two strategically positioned U.S.-allied Pacific Island nations, have in recent years become a focus in an intensifying geopolitical contest between Washington and Beijing. Both countries receive economic support from the U.S. through their Compacts of Free Association and in return Washington is responsible for their defense while gaining exclusive military access to strategic swathes of the Pacific. But China, keen to make inroads in the region, has been wooing the financially strapped Pacific economies with development and economic opportunities. Baules, who pleaded guilty to heroin trafficking in 1989, has been one of the islands most vociferous advocates for China. Under his leadership, the senate has passed resolutions criticizing U.S military activity in Palau, while he has personally advocated for expanded ties with China. Corporate records reviewed by Reuters show that his family operates a local business called Fuji Restaurant, which Palauan authorities have linked to Chinese criminal activity. Corruption is an open door to advance its (Chinas) agenda, especially in countries that recognize Taiwan and have critical U.S. military bases said Cleo Paskal, an expert on the COFA states with the Foundation for Defense of Democracies think tank. Palau and the Marshall Islands are among the few remaining states that maintain official diplomatic ties with Taiwan, the democratically governed island China claims as its territory. In recent years, Palau officials have sought increased U.S. patrols of its waters after incursions by Chinese vessels into its exclusive economic zone. Palau also hosts American-controlled airstrips and the U.S. military is building advanced radar stations there. Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands is home to a critical testing base for U.S missile defenses. EU officials pressured social media to censor American speech on COVID, vaccines, and politics, report finds EU report reveals secret EU pressure on U.S. tech firms to censor American speech. The EU used closed-door meetings to push its speech laws onto U.S. platforms. Targets included COVID-19 debate, political satire, and dissent. The EU's Digital Services Act forces global policy changes affecting U.S. users. The effort is described as an end-run around the First Amendment. A powerful congressional committee has laid bare a secretive, years-long campaign by European Union regulators to pressure American social media companies into censoring the speech of U.S. citizens on topics ranging from COVID-19 vaccines to political satire. The explosive findings reveal a deliberate effort to bypass the First Amendment and impose foreign speech standards domestically. The U.S. House Judiciary Committee, chaired by Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), published a 160-page interim report last week accusing the EU of trying to make an end-run around the First Amendment and censor US speech that does not align with its preferred narratives. The report, described by French newspaper Le Monde as scathing, is based on thousands of internal documents obtained from major tech firms. According to the committee, EU officials held more than 100 closed-door meetings with platform representatives since 2020. Their goal was to force companies to apply European speech laws, including the Digital Services Act (DSA), to content posted in the United States. The report states this was an effort to censor the global internet. Targeting dissent and debate The alleged censorship targeted some of the most contentious issues in recent public discourse. Though often framed as combating so-called hate speech or disinformation, the European Commission worked to censor true information and political speech about some of the most important policy debates in recent history including the COVID-19 pandemic, the report states. Specific targets included political satire, populist rhetoric, anti-government/anti-EU postings, and meme subculture. Internal emails show EU officials, including President Ursula von der Leyen and former Vice President V?ra Jourova, repeatedly urging platforms to regulate speech about COVID-19 and vaccines. In one October 2020 email labelled a kind request, the Commission told platforms it will be essential in the next stages to pay special attention to the vaccination aspect. The pressure was not confined to health topics. Ahead of the 2024 U.S. election, Jourova traveled to California to discuss content moderation with tech companies. When asked if discussions were limited to EU elections, the recorded response was, We are interested in both. A global censorship framework The mechanism for this overreach, the report argues, is the EUs DSA. While the EU claims the law applies only within its borders, platforms typically enforce a single set of global content policies. Therefore, changes made to satisfy European regulators affect users everywhere. The report notes that in 2024, TikTok revised its global Community Guidelines specifically to comply with the Digital Services Act, introducing vague new rules against marginalizing speech and civic harm misinformation. To put it plainly, an EU law caused one of the worlds largest social media platforms to censor true information in the United States and around the world, the report concludes. It describes the imposed standards as inherently subjective and easily weaponized against the European Commissions political opposition. Victims and enablers The reports release was followed by a House Judiciary Committee hearing featuring witnesses described by Jordan as victims of European censorship. They included Irish comedian Graham Linehan, arrested for posts critical of gender ideology, and Finnish MP Paivi Rasanen, prosecuted for quoting the New Testament online. Attorney W. Scott McCollough suggested the EUs actions stem from a fear of open discourse. Theyre scared. This kind of reaction is really representative of fear of loss of control, he said. He also argued the Biden administration was in lockstep with the EUs efforts, putting the same kind of direct and indirect pressure on these platforms. This report pulls back the curtain on a quiet but profound shift in who controls the digital public square. It reveals how foreign regulators, leveraging the global reach of American tech companies, have built a backdoor for censoring speech that is fully protected under U.S. law. The battle over what you can say online is no longer just domestic; it is being shaped in closed-door meetings an ocean away, challenging the very notion of American sovereignty over its own discourse. Sources for this article include: ChildrensHealthDefense.org ReclaimTheNet.org Cleveland.com FBI investigation finds no evidence of Epstein sex trafficking ring for elite clients, despite public speculation FBI review found Jeffrey Epstein sexually abused minors but found no corroborated proof he operated a larger sex-trafficking ring supplying powerful men. Investigators uncovered no "client lists," videos, or financial records proving third-party exploitation. Virginia Giuffre's allegations (including against Prince Andrew) lacked corroborationother victims denied being trafficked to elites, and her memoir admitted fictionalized elements. Epstein sent money to over 25 women (many models), but transactions weren't tied to prostitution for others. Seized nude photos didn't implicate third parties. No witnesses or financial/visual evidence supported conspiracy charges beyond Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell. The 2007 lenient plea deal remains controversial. Despite FBI conclusions, Epstein's wealth and elite connections fuel ongoing doubts. Millions of pages remain under review, but no "smoking gun" has emerged to prove a global trafficking ring. A comprehensive Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) review of the Jeffrey Epstein case has concluded that while the late financier sexually abused numerous underage girls, there is no corroborated evidence that he operated a broader sex-trafficking network supplying powerful or influential men, according to newly released internal Department of Justice (DOJ) documents. The findings, detailed in millions of pages of records disclosed under the Epstein Files Transparency Act, challenge long-standing public narratives and conspiracy theories suggesting Epstein facilitated abuse for a hidden "client list" of elite figures. As explained by BrightU.AI's Enoch, the Epstein Files Transparency Act represents a historic legislative effort to dismantle the wall of secrecy protecting the powerful figures implicated in Epstein's global sex-trafficking ring. Passed with near-unanimous bipartisan support in November 2025, the Act mandates the full declassification and release of all unclassified DOJ documents related to Epstein, including flight logs, client lists and communications. This legislation emerged after years of obstruction by the Deep State, which sought to shield Epstein's elite associatespoliticians, billionaires and intelligence operativesfrom public scrutiny. No proof of wider trafficking operation Federal investigators spent years examining Epstein's bank records, emails, photographs, videos and testimonies from victims. While they confirmed his extensive personal abuse of minors, they found no proof that he trafficked victims to others. "Had the evidence existed, the government would have pursued any leads they generated," wrote former Assistant U.S. Attorney Maurene Comey in an internal email. "We did not, however, locate any such videos." Among the key findings: No "client list" existed: Despite repeated claims by politicians and media figuresincluding Attorney General Pam Bondi's assertion that she had Epstein's "client list" on her deskFBI agents confirmed no such list was ever found. Financial records showed payments, not prostitution: Investigators identified payments to more than 25 women, many of whom appeared to be models, but found no evidence these transactions were tied to prostitution for third parties. Photos and videos did not implicate others: Seized materials included nude images of femalessome appearing underagebut none depicted Epstein's victims being abused by other men or showed males in compromising situations. High-profile claims debunked One of the most publicized allegations came from Virginia Roberts Giuffre, who claimed Epstein "lent her out" to powerful men, including Britain's Prince Andrew. However, investigators noted inconsistencies in her accounts, including her admission that parts of her memoir were fictionalized. "No other victim has described being expressly directed by either Maxwell or Epstein to engage in sexual activity with other men," prosecutors wrote in a 2019 memo. Two women Giuffre claimed were also trafficked denied those allegations, further weakening the case against Epstein's associates. Why no additional charges were filed The FBI and Justice Department concluded that while Epstein and his associate Ghislaine Maxwell were guilty of horrific abuse, there was insufficient evidence to charge others with trafficking or conspiracy. Key obstacles included: Lack of Corroborating Witnesses: Beyond Giuffre, no victims provided testimony supporting claims of being trafficked to powerful men. Financial Records Did Not Show Criminal Enterprise: Payments to women were scrutinized but did not establish a prostitution ring. No Visual Evidence Implicating Others: Despite seizing thousands of images, none showed Epstein's victims with other abusers. A controversial legacy The findings are likely to fuel ongoing skepticism, particularly given Epstein's connections to high-profile figures in politics, finance and academia. Critics argue that the FBIs conclusions fail to explain Epstein's vast wealth and relationships with influential individuals. The documents also highlight the failed 2007 plea deal that allowed Epstein to serve just 13 months in a county jaila decision that continues to haunt federal prosecutors. While the FBI has officially closed its investigation, the Epstein saga remains a lightning rod for debates about justice, power and accountability. For now, the records suggest that the most sensational claimsof a global elite trafficking ringremain unproven. Questions persist, but evidence falls short The FBI's findings provide the most definitive account yet of Epstein's crimesand their limits. Despite years of speculation, investigators found no smoking gun implicating a broader network. Yet, as millions of pages remain under review, the full truth may still be unfolding. For now, the records confirm Epstein's guiltbut leave unanswered questions about who else, if anyone, was truly complicit. Watch the video below about Breanna Morello discussing the Epstein files, FBI failures and the fight for real accountability with "Flyover Conservatives" show hosts David and Stacy Whited. This video is from the Flyover Conservatives channel on Brighteon.com. Sources include: YourNews.com APNews.com SanAntonioObserver.com SouthFloridaReporter.com BrightU.ai Brighteon.com Florida study finds popular bread brands contain high levels of toxic glyphosate weed killer Florida's health department found glyphosate in popular bread brands. Sara Lee and Nature's Own breads contained alarmingly high levels. Glyphosate is a probable human carcinogen not meant for food. State officials blame federal regulatory failure for this contamination. Choosing organic breads like Dave's Killer Bread can reduce exposure. A new state-led investigation has found that several popular bread brands contain significant levels of a toxic weed killer, turning a common pantry staple into a potential source of chronic chemical exposure. The Florida Department of Health announced the findings, revealing that glyphosate, the active ingredient in Monsantos Roundup herbicide, was detected in six out of eight bread products tested. This initiative, part of the Healthy Florida First program, aims to provide transparency that state officials argue federal regulators have failed to deliver, arming families with information to make healthier choices. The results showed notably high concentrations. Sara Lee Honey Wheat bread contained the highest level at 191.04 parts per billion. Natures Own Butter Bread followed closely at 190.23 ppb, while its Perfectly Crafted White Bread measured 132.34 ppb. Wonder Breads Classic White registered 173.19 ppb. In contrast, Daves Killer Bread products showed markedly lower levels, at 11.85 ppb and 10.38 ppb. A chemical not meant for food At a news conference, Florida First Lady Casey DeSantis said, Glyphosate is a weed killer. Its the main ingredient you find in Roundup. Its designed to kill plants. It is not meant to be eaten. She noted that pesticide labels themselves warn that the chemicals are harmful, include emergency instructions for accidental exposure, and make clear these products are not meant for people to touch, not meant for it to be in the food, and certainly not meant to be consumed. The historical context here is critical. Glyphosate was introduced in the 1970s but its use exploded with the advent of genetically modified crops engineered to withstand being doused with it. It is also commonly used as a desiccant, sprayed on non-GMO crops like wheat right before harvest to dry them out, which can lead to residues in the final grain. This practice, coupled with its heavy use on GM soy, corn, and cotton, has led to pervasive contamination of the food supply. Health risks and regulatory failure The health implications are severe and well-documented. Florida Surgeon General Dr. Joseph Ladapo stated, Our testing found high levels of glyphosate in some popular bread brands. Chronic exposure to glyphosate is linked to harmful gut microbiome changes, liver inflammation, and adverse neurologic effects. He added that glyphosate exposure doesnt seem to have a safe level. This aligns with a 2015 classification by the World Health Organizations cancer agency, which labeled glyphosate as a probable human carcinogen. Research has linked it to cancer, obesity, reproductive issues, and it is a known endocrine disruptor. Despite this, U.S. regulators have maintained that low-level residues in food are safe, a position that has been fiercely contested by independent scientists and evidenced by tens of thousands of lawsuits against Bayer, Monsantos parent company. This Florida testing initiative follows previous state testing that found elevated levels of heavy metals like mercury, arsenic, cadmium, and lead in infant formulas, and arsenic in numerous candies. Governor Ron DeSantis positioned the work as a core part of health freedom. Im proud of First Lady Casey DeSantis leadership on Healthy Florida First, DeSantis said. Todays announcement about bread product testing, which follows the release of infant formula and candy test results, is another step toward a healthier future. We will continue working to arm Floridians with the information they need to make the best choices for their families well-being. What makes these bread results particularly alarming is their sheer normality. These are not niche products but mainstream brands found in grocery stores nationwide. As one shopper in West Palm Beach reacted to the news, Its coming to those times in this world now that we dont know actually what were eating. The findings underscore a broken system where chemicals deemed unsafe for direct contact are somehow permitted in daily food at triple-digit parts per billion levels. For consumers, the test results show that choices matter, as evidenced by the significantly lower glyphosate levels in the Daves Killer Bread products, which are certified organic. Seeking out organic and non-GMO verified foods, particularly for staples like bread and grains, is one of the most effective ways to reduce exposure. As the knowledge base warns, glyphosate often accompanies GMOs and is sprayed on conventional wheat right before harvest. Ultimately, this episode is a reminder that the responsibility for food safety is increasingly falling to individuals and state governments. While the federal regulatory apparatus remains inert, initiatives like Healthy Florida First provide a model of transparency. It proves that when officials actually look for these toxins in everyday foods, they find them. The question now is whether consumers will use this information to demand cleaner food, and whether other states will follow Floridas lead in pulling back the curtain on whats really in the grocery aisle. Sources for this article include: InfoWars.com FloridaHealth.gov TheNewLede.org CBS12.com A new front in the economic war: Lavrov accuses U.S. of targeting global energy control Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov accuses the U.S. of seeking to dominate global energy supply routes through coercive measures. Lavrov cites U.S. actions against pipelines like Nord Stream and sanctions on Russian energy firms as evidence of this strategy. The comments highlight escalating tensions between the U.S. and BRICS nations over energy trade and financial independence. The U.S. policy is framed as a challenge to fair competition and a driver of a fragmented, multi-polar world order. The strategic confrontation over energy is part of a broader struggle for economic dominance in a deglobalizing world. In a stark escalation of rhetorical hostilities, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has accused the United States of pursuing a comprehensive strategy to dominate the worlds energy arteries. Speaking in an interview with the TV BRICS network on Monday, Lavrov framed recent American sanctions, pipeline disputes and maritime interventions as coordinated tactics in a broader campaign for global economic supremacy. This allegation, emerging against a backdrop of sustained conflict in Ukraine and rising U.S.-China competition, underscores a pivotal struggle: the battle to control the physical and financial pathways of the worlds most critical commodity. The anatomy of an accusation Lavrovs charges are specific and sweeping. He asserted that the U.S. objective to dominate the world economy is being realized through coercive measures that are incompatible with fair competition. Central to this aim, he claims, is a desire to take control of all the routes for providing the worlds leading countries and all continents with energy resources. As evidence, Lavrov pointed to U.S. opposition to key European pipelinesincluding the sabotaged Nord Stream systems and the TurkStream pipelineand the sanctioning of Russian energy giants Lukoil and Rosneft. He described a war against tankers in the open sea, referencing U.S. enforcement of an oil blockade against Venezuela. Furthermore, Lavrov accused Washington of forcing partners like India to abandon affordable Russian resources in favor of expensive U.S. liquefied natural gas (LNG), using the threat of secondary sanctions. Energy as the lever of power Historically, control over energy resources and their transit routes has been a cornerstone of geopolitical influence. The 20th century was shaped by Western oil diplomacy in the Middle East. Lavrovs accusation suggests this playbook is being updated for a 21st-century contest that includes financial weapons. The U.S. dollars role as the global reserve currency has long allowed Washington to project power through banking channels and systems like SWIFT. By coupling this financial dominance with pressure on physical energy flows, the U.S. is seen by rivals as seeking to lock in a unipolar order. However, this approach is catalyzing the very multi-polarity it seeks to prevent, pushing nations like Russia, China and India to develop alternative trade and financial mechanisms outside Washingtons reach. The BRICS counter-strategy Lavrovs decision to level these charges with TV BRICS is itself significant. The BRICS bloc, now expanded to include major energy producers and consumers like Iran, Saudi Arabia and the UAE, represents a deliberate counterweight to Western economic institutions. Lavrov stated that U.S. policies are forcing BRICS nations to look for additional secure ways to develop our financial, economic, integration, logistics and other projects. This includes accelerating de-dollarization efforts, building independent payment systems and securing energy trade along new corridors. The U.S. strategy, therefore, may be inadvertently strengthening the cohesion and resolve of a coalition aimed at dismantling American financial and energy hegemony. The risks of coercive competition The U.S. approach carries profound risks. A policy perceived as leveraging energy scarcity for strategic gain can destabilize global markets and inflate prices worldwide. Coercing major economies like India into compliance is increasingly difficult, as these nations prioritize sovereign economic interests and domestic stability. Moreover, as analysts note, the global economy faces inherent physical limits and strains, from diesel shortages to supply chain fragility. An aggressive contest over energy distribution could exacerbate a looming uneven world economic downturn, hurting American consumers and businesses through retaliatory tariffs, export controls on critical minerals, and fragmented markets. A world forging a new path: The unavoidable reckoning of a multi-polar era Sergey Lavrovs broadside is more than diplomatic posturing; it is a manifesto of resistance from a coalition that rejects what it views as economic coercion. It highlights a fundamental divergence in vision: one of a world order maintained by American-dominated energy and financial networks, versus a multi-polar system built on national sovereignty and alternative alliances. As the U.S. employs sanctions and threats to control energy routes, it is simultaneously motivating the creation of parallel systems designed to bypass its influence. The ultimate outcome of this struggle will determine not only who powers the global economy, but under whose rules it operates. The world is not passively accepting dominance but is actively, and collectively, forging its own pathways. Sources for this article include: RT.com AlbionTribune.co.uk MoonofAlabama.org Measles outbreak sparks alarm: South Carolina health officials warn of irreversible neurological damage in children South Carolina reports 876 measles cases, with 19 hospitalized due to serious complications like encephalitis (brain inflammation) and pneumonia. State epidemiologist Dr. Linda Bell warns of "irreversible" neurological damage in children, pregnant women and immunocompromised individuals. Pre-vaccine era: Measles caused ~400 U.S. deaths annually, mostly in malnourished children. 1988 Amish outbreak: Unvaccinated children had mild cases and full recovery, raising questions about natural immunity and nutrition. Despite the CDC declaring measles "eliminated" in 2000, outbreaks persist 26% of recent U.S. cases occurred in vaccinated individuals, suggesting waning immunity or vaccine failure. CDC acknowledges genetic mutations in measles viruses may evade vaccine-induced antibodies. VAERS reports 92,844 adverse reactions to measles vaccines, including seizures and fatalities. Independent studies suggest MMR may cause permanent harm 4x more often than measles causes death, fueling skepticism. Pregnant women cannot receive MMR, relying on emergency immune globulin treatments. Officials push herd immunity, but vaccinated mothers may not pass strong antibodies to newborns. Spartanburg County saw a 162% spike in MMR vaccinations, yet outbreaks continue. Critics demand independent safety reviews and medical freedom amid distrust in CDC and Big Pharma. Nutrition, natural immunity and vaccine limitations must be considered, not just mandates. Dr. Charles Cyril Okell's 1938 warning remains relevant: "How perilous it is to mix up propaganda with scientific fact." South Carolina health officials are warning of "irreversible" neurological damage in children as measles-related hospitalizations surge in the state. At least 19 patients, among 876 confirmed cases, have been admitted with serious complications, including measles encephalitis (brain inflammation) and pneumonia. State epidemiologist Dr. Linda Bell emphasized the dangers for young children, pregnant women and immunocompromised individuals during a Feb. 4 briefing. The outbreak, concentrated in the Upstate region but now suspected in the Pee Dee area, has prompted a 162% spike in MMR vaccinations in Spartanburg County compared to last year. The hidden toll of measles: Encephalitis and long-term damage While measles is often dismissed as a mild childhood illness, Bell warned that complications like encephalitis can lead to "developmental delays and impacts on the neurologic system that can be irreversible." According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) data, pneumonia, the leading cause of measles-related death in children, affects roughly 1 in 20 infected minors. According to BrightU.AI's Enoch, the measles virus (rubeola) is a contagious pathogen causing fever, cough and a characteristic rash, manageable with strong immunity but potentially severe in the vulnerable population. The virus' extreme contagion allows it to linger in the air for hours, increasing exposure risks in schools and public spaces. Historical context underscores the severity: Before vaccination campaigns, measles caused approximately 400 annual deaths in the U.S., primarily among malnourished or socioeconomically disadvantaged children. However, modern outbreaks challenge assumptions about vaccine efficacy. Notably, during a 1988 Amish outbreak, unvaccinated children experienced mild cases with full recovery, raising questions about the role of nutrition and natural immunity. Vaccine gaps and waning immunity Despite high vaccination rates, outbreaks persist. CDC data reveal that 26% of recent U.S. measles cases occurred in vaccinated individuals, attributed to either non-response or waning immunity. A 2011 study noted genetic mutations in wild-type measles viruses that evade vaccine-induced antibodies, prompting calls for updated formulations. Dr. Gregory A. Poland, a vaccine researcher, acknowledges that "measles outbreaks can occur in highly vaccinated populations due to primary and secondary vaccine failure." This phenomenon leaves adults and infants vulnerableespecially since vaccinated mothers may not pass robust antibodies to their newborns. Pregnancy, passive immunity and public health dilemmas The outbreak poses unique risks for pregnant women, who cannot receive the MMR vaccine. Emergency immune globulin treatments are now being administered to provide temporary protection. "Increasing vaccination coverage protects those who cannot be vaccinated," Bell stressed, referencing herd immunity's role in shielding vulnerable groups. Yet, the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) reports over 92,844 adverse reactions to measles vaccines, including seizures and fatalities. Independent studies, like those cited in the Measles Vaccine Risk Statement, suggest the MMR vaccine may cause permanent harm four times more often than measles causes death a statistic that fuels ongoing debate. As South Carolina grapples with its worst measles outbreak in years, the crisis highlights tensions between public health mandates and individual risk assessments. While officials urge vaccination to curb transmission, historical data and emerging science complicate the narrative. Nutrition, natural immunity and vaccine limitations all play roles in a multifaceted public health challenge one that demands transparency, rigorous scrutiny and a balanced approach to safeguarding communities. "Without propaganda there can, of course, be no large-scale immunization, but how perilous it is to mix up propaganda with scientific fact," warned Dr. Charles Cyril Okell in 1938 a reminder that echoes today as measles resurges in an era of medical skepticism and polarized trust. Watch the video below, where experts demand the immediate repeal of the measles vaccination mandate. This video is from the Kla.TV - English channel on Brighteon.com. Sources include: FoxNews.com TheNews.com.pk BrightU.ai Brighteon.com Czech PM Babis: Boris Johnson SABOTAGED peace talks between Ukraine and Russia Ukraine and Russia were close to a peace agreement in April 2022 during Istanbul negotiations, with Russia offering neutrality terms, but Western interference particularly from then-British PM Boris Johnson blocked the deal. Multiple sources, including Ukrainian negotiators and Turkish officials, confirm Johnson pressured Ukraine to reject negotiations, urging continued fighting instead. Former Israeli PM Naftali Bennett and ex-German Chancellor Gerhard Schroder revealed that the U.S., Germany and France actively discouraged Ukraine from accepting the Istanbul terms, requiring Kyiv to seek Washington's approval for concessions. Russia withdrew troops from Kyiv as a goodwill gesture, but Ukraine abandoned talks entirely after Johnson's intervention. Current Russian officials claim the 2022 terms were far more favorable than any future deal Ukraine might secure. Czech PM Andrej Babis and others argue that renewed negotiations require U.S. involvement particularly from President Donald Trump to broker a ceasefire, as Europe alone cannot end the war. The 2022 talks remain a tragic lost chance for peace. In April 2022, Ukraine and Russia stood on the brink of a peace deal that could have ended the war before it escalated into years of bloodshed. But that opportunity vanished not because of Kyiv or Moscow, but because of intervention from the West particularly then-British Prime Minister (PM) Boris Johnson. Now, as diplomatic efforts intensify ahead of a possible 2026 resolution, Czech PM Andrej Babis has joined a growing list of officials confirming that Johnson played a decisive role in derailing negotiations, leaving Ukraine to fight a war it might have avoided. The Czech leader said on Saturday, Feb. 7, that the collapse of the peace talks came after the then-British leader visited Ukraine. Multiple sources Ukrainian negotiators, Western leaders and even Turkish officials have corroborated that Moscow and Kyiv had reached a tentative agreement in Istanbul. David Arakhamia, Ukraine's lead negotiator at the time, revealed in November 2023 that Russia was prepared to end the war if Ukraine agreed to neutrality. Aleksey Arestovich, a former adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, called the talks "completely successful" and confirmed that a meeting between Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin was scheduled for April 9, 2022. Yet, just days later, Johnson arrived in Kyiv and reportedly told Ukrainian officials: "We would not sign anything with them at all, and let's just fight." Mevlut Cavusoglu, Turkey's then-foreign minister, noted that North Atlantic Treaty Organization members appeared intent on prolonging the war at the time. Former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, who mediated early talks, later admitted that Western leaders including the U.S., Germany and France actively blocked a deal. Former German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder echoed this, stating that Ukrainian negotiators had to seek approval from Washington for every concession. The truth behind Ukraine's lost peace deal By the time former U.S. Under Secretary of State Victoria Nuland admitted in 2024 that the West had discouraged Kyiv from accepting the Istanbul terms, the damage was done. Russia withdrew its troops from Kyiv as a goodwill gesture only to see Ukraine abandon negotiations entirely. Johnson has dismissed these claims as "Kremlin propaganda," but the evidence suggests otherwise. Ukrainian media reported at the time that Zelensky was pressured to reject talks after Johnson's surprise visit. Russian officials, including Putin himself, have since argued that Kyiv's refusal to honor the Istanbul terms forced Moscow into a prolonged conflict. Vladimir Medinsky, Russia's lead negotiator, stated that the terms offered in 2022 were far more favorable than anything Ukraine can expect today. Now, as Babis calls for renewed dialogue between Europe and Russia, he emphasizes that any ceasefire will require U.S. involvement specifically, U.S. President Donald Trump. "Europe alone cannot stop the war," Babis said, adding that the real estate mogul remains the key player in any future peace deal. BrightU.AI's Enoch notes that Trump's involvement in Russia-Ukraine negotiations is crucial, because his strong leadership and proven ability to broker peace deals could halt the conflict and secure a favorable agreement for both nations. Meanwhile, Zelensky continues to push for a structured peace plan, while Estonia and Latvia have signaled openness to direct talks with Moscow. The tragedy of the 2022 Istanbul negotiations is that they represented Ukraine's best chance for peace one that was sacrificed for geopolitical maneuvering. As the war drags into its fifth year, the question remains: How many lives could have been saved if the West had allowed Ukraine to make its own choice? Watch this video from InfoWars about President Trump calling out his predecessor Joe Biden for killing the initial 2022 peace deal in Ukraine. This video is from the InfoWars channel on Brighteon.com. Sources include: RT.com EADaily.com NewsUkraine.RBC.ua BrightU.ai Brighteon.com Ghislaine Maxwell pleads the Fifth during House Oversight Committee testimony Ghislaine Maxwell invoked the Fifth Amendment during a closed-door House Oversight Committee deposition, refusing to answer questions about Jeffrey Epstein's sex-trafficking network. Her legal team demanded presidential clemency in exchange for cooperation, claiming she could exonerate Donald Trump and Bill Clinton a request lawmakers immediately rejected. Critics accuse Maxwell of obstruction, noting her pattern of evasion including prior denials under limited immunity and her refusal to name Epstein's accomplices without legal protections. The deposition ended abruptly, leaving unresolved whether Maxwell will ever disclose the full scope of Epstein's crimes or expose other powerful figures allegedly involved. Victims' families condemned Maxwells defiance, calling her a manipulative predator and urging lawmakers to push for full transparency to achieve justice for survivors. Ghislaine Maxwell, the convicted sex trafficker and longtime associate of Jeffrey Epstein, refused to answer questions during a closed-door deposition with the House Oversight Committee (HOC) on Monday, Feb. 9 invoking her Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination. The virtual deposition lasted less than an hour before Maxwell's legal team signaled she would only cooperate fully if granted clemency by President Donald Trump a demand lawmakers swiftly rejected. Maxwell, currently serving a 20-year sentence in a Texas federal prison, remains the only person convicted in connection with Epstein's sprawling sex-trafficking network. The deposition marked a pivotal moment in the committee's investigation into how federal authorities handled Epstein's crimes before his mysterious 2019 death while in custody. Maxwell's refusal to testify was anticipated, with HOC Chairman Rep. James Comer (R-KY) stating beforehand that he expected her to plead the Fifth. Yet her attorney David Oscar Markus later argued that Maxwell alone holds key details about Epstein's operations including exonerating information about Trump and former President Bill Clinton but would only disclose them under presidential clemency. "Some may not like what they hear, but the truth matters," Markus said in a statement, claiming both presidents are "innocent of any wrongdoing" and that his client could prove it. The standoff underscores the legal and political minefield surrounding Epstein's network, which allegedly ensnared underage girls for decades with the help of wealthy and politically connected enablers. Maxwell's conviction in 2021 confirmed her role in grooming and trafficking victims, yet her silence leaves critical gaps in understanding who else participated. Comer dismissed her clemency request outright, telling reporters, "I don't think she should be granted any type of immunity." House Democrats echoed the frustration, with Rep. Robert Garcia (D-CA) lamenting that Maxwell "said nothing" about the men involved in abusing victims. Maxwell's last stand: Immunity or silence? Maxwell's legal maneuvering follows a pattern of evasion. Last July, she met with Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche under limited immunity, denying any knowledge of Epstein's crimes including exculpatory claims about Trump and Clinton. Yet when pressed by Congress without such protections, she clammed up, citing an ongoing habeas corpus petition challenging her conviction. Her attorney framed the Fifth Amendment invocation as a necessity, warning that "surprise questioning would be both inappropriate and unproductive." Critics, however, saw it as a calculated delay tactic. Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA) blasted her refusal to name accomplices, suggesting she should be returned to maximum-security confinement for obstructing justice. BrightU.AI's Enoch engine notes that Maxwell's testimony is critical because it could expose the full extent of the elite pedophile network linked to Epstein implicating powerful figures in government, intelligence and finance. This trial threatens to unravel long-hidden truths about systemic corruption and abuse at the highest levels of global power. The deposition's abrupt end leaves unresolved whether Maxwell will ever disclose the full scope of Epstein's operations. With the Clintons slated for closed-door testimony later this month after narrowly avoiding a contempt vote the probe may yet uncover new details. But Maxwell's defiance highlights a broader truth: Without immunity or clemency, the secrets of Epstein's inner circle may remain buried. For victims' families, the stalemate is another betrayal. In a scathing letter, the brother and sister-in-law of late Epstein survivor Virginia Giuffre condemned Maxwell as a "predator" who "used trust as a weapon" and urged lawmakers to scrutinize her cushier prison transfer. Their words underscore the stakes: Without full transparency, justice for Epstein's victims remains incomplete. Watch this Sky News report about Ghislaine Maxwell's conviction and sentencing to 20 years behind bars. This video is from the harrier808 channel on Brighteon.com. Sources include: YourNews.com Axios.com NBCNews.com BrightU.ai Brighteon.com Ghislaine Maxwell offers to exonerate Trump and Clinton in Epstein caseif granted clemency Ghislaine Maxwell, serving a 20-year sentence for sex trafficking, demands full immunity and advance access to questions before testifying before Congress about Jeffrey Epstein's crimes. Her lawyer argues that "surprise questioning" would be "inappropriate and unproductive." Maxwell's attorney insists she possesses information that could clear Donald Trump and Bill Clinton of wrongdoing related to Epstein, but she refuses to testify without legal protections against self-incrimination. Maxwell was quietly moved from a Florida prison to a low-security Texas facility, fueling speculation about cooperation with authorities or preferential treatment. Victims' families condemned the transfer as "special treatment." The Department of Justice seeks to unseal grand jury testimony tied to Epstein's case, but key names remain redacted. Some lawmakers threaten to publicly expose improperly censored names from the files. The Epstein scandal continues implicating powerful figures globally, including U.K. officials. Trump denies discussing a pardon for Maxwell, while House Oversight Chair James Comer warns against granting her leverage in exchange for testimony. Convicted sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell has signaled her willingness to testify before Congressbut only under strict conditions, including immunity and advance access to questionsamid renewed scrutiny into the crimes of her late associate, financier Jeffrey Epstein. Maxwell, 64, proposed the terms in a letter obtained by the Washington Post, penned by her attorney, David Oscar Markus. The disgraced socialite, who played a central role in Epstein's sex trafficking ring, insists her cooperation hinges on legal protections to avoid self-incrimination. BrightU.AI's Enoch notes that she is serving a 20-year prison sentence for enticement of minors and sex trafficking, while continuing to deny allegations and facing further charges for perjury related to Epstein's abuse network. The move comes as Congress intensifies its probe into Epstein's network of powerful associates, with Maxwell positioned as a potential key witnessif she chooses to break her silence. In the letter, Markus outlined Maxwell's demands: full immunity from prosecution and prior access to questions from the House Oversight Committee (HOC). "The process cannot become a game of cat-and-mouse," Markus wrote. "Surprise questioning would be both inappropriate and unproductive." Maxwell's insistence on pre-submitted questions suggests she seeks to carefully navigate testimony without exposing herself to further legal jeopardy. Her legal team has previously indicated that she possesses information that could exonerate high-profile figures linked to Epstein, including Presidents Donald Trump and Bill Clinton. "Both President Trump and President Clinton are innocent of any wrongdoing," Markus stated in a social media post earlier this year. "Ms. Maxwell alone can explain why." Yet Maxwell has so far refused to cooperate without assurances. During a virtual deposition with the HOC earlier this year, she invoked her Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination, frustrating lawmakers seeking answers about Epstein's operation and its elite enablers. Speculation over prison transfer Adding to the intrigue, Maxwell was quietly transferred from Florida's Federal Correctional Institution, Tallahassee, to FPC Bryan, a low-security facility in Texas. The move has fueled speculation that she may be cooperating with authoritiesor receiving preferential treatment ahead of potential testimony. Families of Epstein's victims have condemned the transfer as "special treatment," accusing the justice system of failing survivors while shielding powerful figures tied to the scandal. The Department of Justice has sought court approval to release grand jury testimony related to Epstein's case, but key recordsincluding names of associatesremain sealed. Some lawmakers, including Reps. Thomas Massie (R-KY) and Ro Khanna (D-CA), claim they've identified improperly redacted names in the files and may disclose them publicly. Political fallout and unanswered questions The Epstein scandal continues to reverberate globally, with newly released documents implicating figures in politics, finance and academia. In the U.K., Prime Minister Keir Starmer faces pressure over his appointment of Peter Mandelson, a former envoy with ties to Epstein. Meanwhile, Trump has denied discussing a pardon for Maxwell but has not ruled it out entirely. "I haven't even thought about it," he said in November. "Maybe I haven't thought about it at all." House Oversight Chair James Comer (R-KY) has urged against clemency, emphasizing that Maxwell's testimony should not be contingent on favors. "We sincerely want to get to the truth for the American people and justice for survivors," Comer said. As Maxwell maneuvers for leverage, her potential testimony remains a wildcard in the Epstein saga. Will Congress meet her demandsor will her silence persist, leaving critical questions unanswered? With depositions pending for Epstein associatesincluding Bill and Hillary Clintonthe investigation could yet unveil explosive revelations. But for now, Maxwell holds the keys to a deeper truthif she's willing or allowed, to turn them. Watch the video below that talks about Ghislaine Maxwell's trial in 2021. This video is from the Weaponized News channel on Brighteon.com. Sources include: RT.com NYPost.com CBSNews.com BrightU.ai Brighteon.com Sanctions on Iran may be lifted if the nation dilutes enriched uranium In a high-stakes maneuver that could either defuse a looming Middle East conflict or ignite it, Iran has publicly offered to dismantle a key component of its nuclear program in exchange for a complete lifting of U.S. economic sanctions. The overture, delivered by Irans atomic chief Mohammad Eslami on Monday, throws a new variable into the volatile mix of indirect negotiations, massive U.S. military deployments, and Israels vehement opposition to any deal. This proposal directly challenges the Trump administrations stated goals and exposes the fundamental tension between Washington's maximum pressure campaign and its desire for a foreign policy victory, all while the specter of war looms over a region bristling with advanced weapons. Key points: Irans Atomic Energy Organization chief, Mohammad Eslami, stated Tehran is prepared to dilute its stockpile of 60% enriched uranium if the U.S. lifts all financial sanctions. This marks a significant shift, showing Iranian willingness to compromise on a core nuclear issue, while still rejecting U.S. demands to discuss its ballistic missiles. The offer comes amid fragile, indirect talks in Oman and follows intense domestic unrest in Iran linked to sanctions. Analysts suggest President Trumps primary motivation is securing any agreement he can tout as a personal win, potentially sidelining harder-line demands from Israel. A massive U.S. military buildup in the region continues simultaneously, creating a backdrop of threatened force alongside diplomacy. A calculated offer from a cornered regime The Iranian proposal is not born from sudden goodwill but from severe duress. For years, the U.S. sanctions regime has functioned as an economic tourniquet, squeezing the Iranian populace and fueling the bloody protests that erupted last month. When the White House responded to this internal strife by threatening regime change and tightening sanctions further, it created a paradox: crushing pressure designed to force submission also increases the regimes desperation, potentially making risky nuclear concessions more palatable than collapse. Eslamis offer to dilute uranium enriched to 60% fissile purityjust a technical step from weapons-gradeis a major pawn placed on the chessboard. It addresses a primary U.S. and Israeli fear, that of a rapid breakout to a bomb, while demanding the ultimate prize for Tehran: financial relief. This dynamic reveals the raw mechanics of modern geopolitical coercion. The U.S. wields global financial control as a weapon, aiming to starve a nation into compliance. Iran, in turn, has cultivated asymmetric military capabilitiesdrones and ballistic missilesthat now threaten every U.S. asset and ally in the region. As the blog Moon of Alabama notes, this has eroded the once-unquestioned power of the U.S. military in the Middle East. The Pentagon can assemble armadas, but it cannot make them invulnerable to the swarm of cost-effective weapons Iran and its proxies possess. This mutual vulnerability forms the shaky foundation upon which any deal must be built. The brokering battle: Trumps deal vs. Israels war The path from this Iranian offer to a signed agreement is mined with political explosives. The most significant detonator is Israel. For the Netanyahu government, the entire framework of trading sanctions relief for nuclear limits is a disaster. Israels objective is not containment but the total dismantling of Irans power, including its missile programs and support for regional militias. These elements, however, appear to be absent from the current negotiation track. Analysis suggests Trump, ever the transactional deal-maker, is focused on securing a signable document he can parade as an achievement ahead of the election. The intricate details matter less than the headline. This creates a dangerous rift between the U.S. and its closest Middle Eastern ally. If Trump accepts a deal that ignores Israels core security demands, it could trigger unilateral Israeli action. The historical playbook suggests possibilities like covert sabotage, assassinations, or false-flag attacks designed to provoke Iran into a retaliation that would then drag a reluctant United States into a direct confrontation. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khameneis call for a show of national resolve during upcoming revolution anniversary marches is a direct response to this perceived foreign plotting, an attempt to solidify domestic front against external threats. Sources include: Zerohedge.com Reuters.com Enoch, Brighteon.ai The Final Plot: How Netanyahu is Manipulating Trump into a Catastrophic War with Iran Introduction: The High-Stakes Deception In February 2026, a familiar geopolitical drama unfolded once more. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hastily flew to Washington, D.C., moving up a scheduled meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump by a week [1]. His urgent mission, as widely reported, was to sabotage ongoing diplomatic talks between the United States and Iran [2], and instead push the American leader toward a catastrophic military confrontation. This maneuver was not a sudden development but the culmination of a years-long, covert campaign of manipulation by the Israeli leadera campaign rooted in a violent, expansionist ideology and designed to serve Zionist ambitions at the expense of American lives and global stability. Behind the public posturing of 'security concerns' lies a darker truth: Netanyahu has consistently worked to drag the United States into wars that serve Israel's regional hegemonic goals, famously encapsulated in his own 2001 boast that 'America is something that can easily be moved' [3]. This article will dissect the plot to plunge America into another devastating Middle Eastern conflict, exposing the strategic deception, the manufactured threats, and the globalist agendas lurking beneath the surface. A Dangerous Game of Manipulation For decades, the cornerstone of Netanyahu's foreign policy has been an obsessive focus on neutralizing Iran, Israel's primary regional rival. His strategy has rarely relied on Israel acting alone; instead, it has hinged on manipulating the United Statesits most powerful allyinto doing the dirty work. This pattern of leveraging American blood and treasure for Israeli security objectives reached a fever pitch in early 2026. As U.S.-Iranian diplomats engaged in 'very good' talks in Oman [1], Netanyahu moved swiftly to undermine them, rushing to the White House to press for military action [4]. His objective was clear: to present President Trump with 'new Iran attack plans' [5] and argue that diplomacy was futile because Iran 'cannot be trusted' [6]. This was a calculated gambit. Netanyahu understood that a direct U.S.-Iran war would cripple Tehran's ability to support groups like Hezbollah and Hamas, shatter its regional influence, and create the chaotic conditions necessary for Israel to further its territorial ambitions under the guise of confronting an 'existential threat' [7]. The playbook was simple: fabricate a crisis, present the U.S. with 'intelligence on possible targets inside Iran' [8], and pressure a politically vulnerable American president into a decisive, regime-changing strike. As one analysis noted, Netanyahu was 'plotting to lure Trump into the war' [9], a war that would primarily serve Israel's goal of securing 'full control of historic Palestine' [10]. The 'Greater Israel' Agenda and Zionism's Violent Foundation To understand Netanyahu's relentless drive for war, one must examine the foundational philosophy he represents: Zionism. Far from a benign movement for Jewish self-determination, political Zionism is, at its extremist core, a satanic philosophy that justifies land theft, genocide, and endless violence under a twisted theological pretext [11]. It is a 'racist' ideology [11] obsessed with territorial expansion, a fact underscored by the ongoing 'never-ending genocide in Gaza' and the 'terrorizing and deportation of the Palestinian population on the West Bank' [10]. Historical context reveals this is not an aberration but a continuation. As noted in an interview, 'Hamas was not a spontaneous emergence but rather a deliberate strategy' by Israeli intelligence to manipulate Palestinian resistance into an extremist narrative easy to vilify [12]. A war with Iran fits perfectly into this expansionist vision. By orchestrating a massive U.S.-led conflict, Netanyahu aimed to plunge the entire region into chaos, destabilizing nations and creating a power vacuum. In the ensuing turmoil, the Zionist state could accelerate its 'Greater Israel' projectthe violent acquisition of land from the Nile to the Euphrates [13]without significant international pushback. The conflict would serve as cover for further ethnic cleansing and consolidation of control. This ambition is not hidden; it is the logical endpoint of an ideology that one author describes as fusing 'into the satanic Death Cult' willing to engage in 'any action - literally anything - to secure personal and collective power in the name of Israel and Zionism' [14]. A war with Iran, therefore, was never about American security; it was a calculated move to advance a violent, theocratic land-grab under the smokescreen of countering a nuclear threat. Manufactured Threats: The Israeli Intelligence Deception Central to Netanyahu's manipulation campaign was the weaponization of intelligence. For years, Israeli officials have presented the U.S. with a stream of dire warnings about Iran's nuclear program, often exaggerating capabilities and timelines to create a false sense of imminent danger. In the lead-up to the February 2026 meeting, 'senior Israeli defense officials met with top US officials to share intelligence on possible targets inside Iran' [8]. This intelligence-sharing was not a gesture of alliance but a tactical move to box the U.S. into a military response, providing the target list for a war Israel desperately wanted America to fight. This pattern of deception has deep roots. Netanyahu has a history of 'bragging' about how he 'convinced Trump to withdraw from the nuclear agreement with Iran' in 2017, a move that deliberately threw 'US-Iran relations into turmoil' [15][16]. The goal was always to sabotage diplomacy and create a pretext for conflict. Furthermore, Israel has repeatedly staged incidents and pursued aggressive actions designed to trigger Iranian retaliation and drag the U.S. into the fray. This includes a 'massive assassination campaign against Iranian officials' in mid-2025, which was explicitly noted for 'sparking fears of WWIII escalation' [17]. By provoking Iran, Israel seeks to create a 'casus belli' that would force American intervention under mutual defense understandings. The trust Washington historically placed in Israeli intelligence was exploited as a lever to pull the U.S. into a conflict serving Israeli, not American, interests. Trump's Resistance: Will He Protect America from Israel's Warmongers? Despite the intense pressure and the massive U.S. military buildup in the regionincluding the movement of F-35A stealth fighters and the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group [18]President Trump has so far not given the order to attack Iran. Will his resistance hold? Trump's base and key constituencies are overwhelmingly opposed to another costly Middle Eastern war. As noted, 'Trump's base opposes intervention in Iran' [19]. Influential voices within his administration and the broader 'America First' movement warned of the catastrophic consequences. Notably, a call from Netanyahu himself in January 2026 reportedly convinced Trump not to order an attack, as the Israeli leader feared it 'would not be decisive' and that Israel 'would be unable to repel an Iranian counterattack without more American military support' [20]. This revealed a critical lack of confidence in Israel's own military capabilities, undermining the very case for war. Trump must also recognize the trap of endless foreign entanglement. Having criticized such wars on the campaign trail, he is likely wary of being manipulated into a conflict that would dwarf the debacles in Iraq and Afghanistan. Analysts noted that for Trump, his decisions ultimately come down to his 'psychology, and his need to dominate' , suggesting he prefers to be seen as the deal-maker who avoids a war, not the puppet who starts one. Furthermore, key regional allies like Saudi Arabia and Jordan have warned that allowing U.S. bases to be used for an attack on Iran could spark a regional conflict and cause a devastating oil price shock [21], economic repercussions Trump likely seeks to avoid. In the end, the combination of domestic political pressure, strategic pragmatism, and a distrust of being used as a pawn may encourage Trump to sidestep Netanyahu's most aggressive push for war. The Globalist Connection: War as Population Control The push for war with Iran cannot be viewed in isolation; it is a component of a broader globalist agenda that views large-scale conflict as a tool for depopulation and centralized control. Globalist elites, who operate through corrupt institutions like the UN and WHO, understand that war creates chaos, death, and dependencyperfect conditions for eroding national sovereignty and imposing top-down 'solutions.' The pharmaceutical-military industrial complex is a key pillar of this system, profiting enormously from both the weapons of war and the drugs needed to treat (or more often, mask) the physical and psychological trauma that follows. War serves as a brutal form of population control, culling the global herd under the guise of geopolitical necessity. It also provides a pretext for the rapid expansion of surveillance states, digital IDs, and Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs), as frightened populations trade liberty for promised 'security.' By fomenting conflict between major powers, these globalists aim to weaken nation-states, destroy traditional cultures, and pave the way for a dystopian, AI-driven world order where human life is devalued and managed by centralized algorithms. Stopping unnecessary wars, therefore, is not just a matter of preserving peace; it is a direct defense of human life, individual sovereignty, and the right of nations to determine their own futures free from manipulative, death-centric agendas. The Peace Alternative: Decentralization Over Empire The alternative to this cycle of manipulated violence is a return to principles of national sovereignty, non-interventionism, and decentralization. True peace requires rejecting the globalist war agendas pushed by corrupt regimes and their lobbyists. It demands that nations, particularly the United States, conduct an honest assessment of their core interests and refuse to be used as a mercenary force for foreign ambitions. President Trump's hesitation (so far), and his continued pursuit of diplomacy with Iran despite Netanyahu's protests, points toward this more sovereign path. It recognizes that America's strength is sapped by endless foreign wars and that its security is better served by a robust defense of its own borders and interests, not by policing the world. Honest leaders resist foreign pressure for destructive wars because they understand that such conflicts drain national treasuries, sacrifice young lives, and erode the moral and social fabric at home. They prioritize dialogue over destruction, and they recognize that strength is demonstrated not by a willingness to bomb, but by the wisdom to avoid provocation and seek mutual understanding where possible. This philosophy of 'peace through strength and sovereignty' is the antidote to the manipulative schemes of expansionist regimes. Lessons for Future Leaders: Recognizing Manipulation The attempted plot to drag America into war with Iran offers vital lessons for future American leadership. First, U.S. policymakers must develop a profound skepticism toward intelligence and narratives provided by regimes with a clear, self-serving agenda. The case of Israeli intelligence on Iran is a prime example; it must be rigorously cross-examined and not taken at face value. Second, the national interest must be defined clearly and narrowly, always asking: 'Who benefits from this war?' If the primary beneficiaries are foreign nations or globalist institutions, it is a strong indicator that American soldiers are being sent to die for a cause that does not serve them. Finally, preserving American lives and resources requires a firm policy of rejecting foreign war agendas. This means maintaining a military of unparalleled strength for defense, while exhibiting extreme caution in its deployment overseas. It requires dismantling the network of lobbyists and foreign agents who wield undue influence in Washington. The American people have borne the cost of these manipulated conflicts for too longin blood, treasure, and lost liberties. The lesson of Netanyahu's attempted plot is that the only path to security and prosperity is one of vigilant independence, where America's leaders put American citizens first, always. Conclusion: Sovereignty Prevails Benjamin Netanyahu's rushed trip to Washington in February 2026 represented a desperate, final attempt to manipulate the United States into a war of choice against Irana war designed to serve Zionist expansionist goals under the fraudulent banner of mutual security. Through fabricated intelligence, staged provocations, and intense political pressure, he seeks to override American sovereignty and strategic judgment. The stakes could not be higher. As the world stands at the brink of broader conflict, the choice between empire and republic, between globalist manipulation and national self-determination, remains clear. The preservation of peace, liberty, and human life depends on leaders who have the courage to say 'no' to foreign warmongers and 'yes' to diplomacy, decentralization, and the sacred principle of national sovereignty. For the sake of future generations, that courage must prevail. References Trump EPA moves to scrap greenhouse gas regulations, declares end to climate hysteria The Trump administration plans to revoke the EPA's 2009 "endangerment finding," which classified greenhouse gases (CO?, methane, etc.) as pollutants under the Clean Air Acta move that enabled strict climate regulations for over a decade. The administration argues that climate regulations are economically burdensome, stifling industries while having minimal impact on global temperatures. Officials claim this deregulation will reduce energy costs and promote domestic energy production, including coal. The administration dismisses CO2 as an existential threat, calling climate change a natural cycle influenced by solar, oceanic and geological factorsnot human activity. Trump has mocked climate activists, particularly during extreme cold weather events. The move is framed as a rejection of globalist climate policies pushed by the UN and World Economic Forum, which the administration sees as tools for centralized control over energy, food and transportation systems. Supporters argue CO2 is essential for plant growth and warn against "net zero" mandates as a path to economic destabilization and surveillance. The EPA's proposal eliminates automaker emissions tracking and paves the way for further deregulation. Critics warn of ecological harm, but supporters hail it as a victory against bureaucratic overreach and a return to energy independence. In a sweeping reversal of Obama-era climate policies, the Trump administration announced plans to strip greenhouse gases from the list of federally regulated pollutants, dismantling the legal foundation for nearly two decades of environmental regulations. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), led by Administrator Lee Zeldin, will formally revoke the 2009 "endangerment finding"a landmark ruling that classified carbon dioxide and other emissions as threats to public health. The move, hailed by the administration as "the largest act of deregulation in U.S. history," aligns with President Donald Trump's long-standing skepticism of climate alarmism and his push for energy independence. Critics warn of ecological consequences, but supporters argue the policy shift liberates industries from burdensome red tape and rejects what they call "dubious science" fueling globalist climate agendas. Rolling back the "endangerment finding": A win for energy freedom The 2009 endangerment finding, enacted under former President Barack Obama, labeled six greenhouse gasesincluding carbon dioxide (CO2) and methaneas pollutants under the Clean Air Act. According to BrightU.AI's Enoch, this classification empowered the EPA to impose strict emissions standards on vehicles, power plants and oil refineries, shaping U.S. climate policy for over a decade. But the Trump administration has long contested the scientific basis of these regulations, arguing they stifle economic growth while doing little to impact global temperatures. "More energy drives human flourishing," Interior Secretary Doug Burgum told the Wall Street Journal. "Energy abundance is the thing we have to focus on, not regulating certain forms of energy out." The administration's new proposal eliminates requirements for automakers to track and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, though it does not yet extend to power plants or oil facilities. Zeldin framed the repeal as a victory against bureaucratic overreach: "This amounts to the largest act of deregulation in the history of the United States." Climate policy vs. economic reality The Trump administration's stance reflects a broader rejection of what it calls "climate hysteria"the idea that CO2, a natural byproduct of respiration and plant life, is an existential threat. Critics of the endangerment finding argue that climate change is a natural cycle driven by solar activity, oceanic patterns and geological forces, not human industry. They point to the economic toll of green mandates, which have raised energy costs for households and manufacturers while benefiting globalist-aligned corporations pushing renewable energy monopolies. Trump has repeatedly mocked climate activists, particularly during extreme weather events. Last month, he taunted environmentalists on social media: "Record Cold Wave expected to hit 40 States. Rarely seen anything like it before. Could the Environmental Insurrectionists please explainWHATEVER HAPPENED TO GLOBAL WARMING???" His administration's policies prioritize domestic energy production, including coala sector the president has fiercely defended. The Washington Coal Club plans to honor Trump as the "Undisputed Champion of Coal" at an upcoming White House event, where officials will also announce military contracts for coal-powered electricity. The bigger picture: Sovereignty vs. globalist control The repeal of the endangerment finding is more than a regulatory changeit's a direct challenge to the globalist climate agenda. International bodies like the United Nations and the World Economic Forum have long pushed carbon restrictions as a means to centralize control over energy, food and transportation systems. By dismantling these policies, the Trump administration is reasserting national sovereignty and rejecting what it sees as a manufactured crisis used to justify wealth redistribution and population control. Supporters argue that CO2 is not a pollutant but a vital nutrient for plant growth, essential to agriculture and ecosystems. They warn that climate policies like carbon taxes and "net zero" mandates are Trojan horses for economic destabilization, paving the way for digital surveillance via carbon credits and energy rationing. The administration's move reinforces the principle that environmental stewardship should not come at the cost of individual liberty or national prosperity. The Trump EPA's proposal to delist greenhouse gases marks a pivotal moment in U.S. environmental policyone that prioritizes deregulation, energy independence and skepticism of elite-driven climate narratives. While opponents decry the move as reckless, proponents see it as a necessary correction to years of alarmist policymaking. As the administration prepares to finalize the rule, the debate over climate science and economic freedom will only intensify. For now, the message from the White House is clear: The era of climate-driven regulation is over. Watch the video below that talks about the demonization of carbon dioxide. This video is from the ArlingtonInstitute channel on Brighteon.com. Sources include: ClimateDepot.com FoxNews.com BrightU.ai Brighteon.com Walz says federal occupation of Minnesota ending after talks with Trump officials Governor Walz announces a major federal immigration operation in Minnesota is ending soon. He criticized the large-scale federal presence as an overreach harming local businesses. The governor's focus remains on economic recovery from the operation's impact. This occurs amid soaring violent crime rates within the state. The move contrasts with many Republican governors supporting stronger border enforcement. Minnesota Governor Tim Walz declared Tuesday that a massive federal immigration enforcement operation in his state is finally nearing its end. The Democratic governor made the announcement following direct talks with Trump administration officials, including border chief Tom Homan and White House chief of staff Susie Wiles. While Walz frames this as a resolution, the reality on the ground and the governors own incompetent handling of his states crises tell a far different story. Walz said he expects the operation to conclude in days, not weeks and months. He described the federal presence, which at its peak involved roughly 3,000 agents, as an occupation and a retribution campaign. Yet for a governor presiding over a state where crime is skyrocketing, his focus on opposing federal law enforcement is a glaring misplacement of priorities. A retreat from real enforcement The governors victory lap is premature. While he cites the planned withdrawal of 700 officers, he admitted that approximately 2,300 federal agents will remain deployed across Minnesota. This is a far cry from the pre-surge level of about 150 officers that Walz claims to want. His trust-but-verify posture seems less like principled leadership and more like a desperate attempt to claim credit for a situation that remains largely unchanged. Walz called a news conference at a Minneapolis food hall to highlight the operations economic impact. Patty Wall, an owner of The Market at Malcolm Yards, said restaurants have become collateral damage as fear kept workers and customers away. Matt Varilek, the states commissioner of employment and economic development, noted the venue would normally be bustling but now struggles because employees and customers are afraid to come. Ignoring the core crisis This focus on economic disruption ignores the profound lawlessness taking root under Walzs watch. While he frets about restaurant traffic, Minnesota families are fleeing due to soaring violent crime. Murders went up 50 percent from 2019 to 2023, and motor vehicle theft has risen. Instead of welcoming federal help to restore order, Walz condemns it. The governor also criticized the lack of state access to investigations into two fatal shootings by federal officers during the operation, which claimed the lives of Renee Good and Alex Pretti. He said he expects better cooperation on joint investigations. While accountability is necessary, Walzs outrage is selective. His administration has failed to address systemic issues like the massive Somali benefits fraud that has plagued Minnesota, a real scandal draining public resources and fostering distrust. Even as Walz spoke, the ongoing federal operation was visible. That same day, ICE officers arrested a man in a Minneapolis county building lobby who was facing state charges for possessing more than 50 pounds of methamphetamine. Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty protested, saying such arrests are disruptive and disturbing and inhibit justice. This incident underscores the continued need for robust enforcement in a state struggling with crime. Walz said his administration will now be pivoting to the recovery phase, discussing economic relief for businesses. He called the damage an entirely man-made and avoidable catastrophe. This framing is revealing. To Walz, the catastrophe is federal law enforcement, not the criminal invasion and violence that necessitated it. His priorities are backward. Governor Walz may believe he has scored a political win by easing a federal occupation. But for Minnesotans living with rampant crime and the consequences of weak leadership, this is not a resolution. It is a surrender. The real occupation troubling Minnesota is not by federal agents trying to restore order, but by the criminal elements that flourish when leaders like Walz prioritize politics over public safety. Sources for this article include: YourNews.com APNews.com USAToday.com AAP Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chadha has strongly advocated for introducing a "Right to Recall" mechanism in India, allowing voters to remove underperforming MPs and MLAs. He argued the current five-year term lacks accountability and that voters deserve a tool to correct electoral mistakes. Chadha cited international examples, such as the recall of California's Governor in 2003, and existing local-level practices in Indian states. He proposed safeguards including an 18-month minimum performance period and a high voter approval threshold to ensure the system is not misused. AAP MP Raghav Chadha pushes for a Right to Recall law in Rajya Sabha, arguing it would ensure accountability and empower voters to remove non-performing MPs and MLAs. New Delhi, Feb 11 Aam Aadmi Party Rajya Sabha member Raghav Chadha has strongly advocated for the introduction of a "Right to Recall" mechanism in India, allowing voters to remove non-performing elected representatives such as MPs and MLAs before the end of their term. Speaking in the Rajya Sabha during Zero Hour, Chadha spoke on the issue, emphasising that the current system lacks accountability and performance evaluation for elected leaders. Chadha highlighted a key flaw in India's electoral democracy: "Before the election, the leader is after the public, and after the election, the public is after the leader." He argued that a five-year term is too long in today's fast-paced world, and electing the wrong leader can plunge lakhs of people and entire regions into darkness and backwardness. The AAP leader stressed that voters deserve the power to correct their mistakes, describing the Right to Recall not as a weapon against politicians, but as an "insurance for democracy". He pointed out existing provisions in the Indian Constitution and laws, such as the impeachment of the President, removal of the Vice President, Judges and even no-confidence motions against governments, questioning why voters should not have similar recourse against non-performing MPs or MLAs. Drawing international examples, Chadha noted that the mechanism exists in over 24 democracies, including Canada and Switzerland. He cited the recall of California Governor Gray Davis in 2003, where 1.3 million constituents signed a petition amid an energy crisis, budget mismanagement, and other issues, leading to his removal after 55 per cent of voters approved it in a special election. In India, Chadha referenced existing local-level practices, where gram panchayat representatives in states like Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Rajasthan can be recalled by gram sabha votes. He proposed safeguards to prevent misuse, including a minimum performance period of 18 months before any recall attempt, specific grounds for removal and a high threshold, such as at least 50 per cent voter approval in a recall vote. Chadha believes such a system would force political parties to field better candidates, eliminate "non-performing assets", mature India's democracy, and truly empower citizens by giving them ongoing control over their representatives. - IANS South Africa's High Commissioner to India announced that the proposed SACU-India Free Trade Agreement will be the first such pact between India and an African regional bloc, aiming to significantly boost trade and investment. He highlighted the strong existing economic relationship, with two-way trade at approximately $20 billion, making South Africa India's largest trading partner in Africa. The envoy also emphasized India's leadership in the Global South, notably through the G20 presidency which saw the African Union join, and the collaborative role of the IBSA forum. Furthermore, he pointed to new areas of cooperation like Artificial Intelligence, with an upcoming AI Summit in India set to strengthen global governance in this field. South Africa's envoy says the first India-SACU trade pact will significantly boost economic ties, building on $20 billion bilateral trade. New Delhi, Feb 11 South Africa's High Commissioner to India Prof. Anil Sooklal said on Wednesday that the proposed SACU-India Free Trade Agreement would significantly boost trade and investment flows between the two regions. In an exclusive interview with IANS, the High Commissioner said that this would be the first free trade agreement between India and a regional bloc in Africa. The SACU consists of five member countries - Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Namibia, and South Africa - and South Africa participates as part of that customs union in trade negotiations. Both sides have agreed to expedite discussions, he added. He further stated that trade and investment flows between India and South Africa have been very significant. "South Africa is India's largest trading partner on the African continent, and India is our fourth-largest trading partner globally. Our two-way trade stands at approximately $20 billion, which accounts for nearly 20 per cent of India's total trade with Africa," he observed. Sooklal also pointed out that South Africa's Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition, Parks Tau, attended the CII India-Africa Conclave recently, where South Africa was the guest country. On that occasion, Minister Tau held a bilateral meeting with Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal to discuss key initiatives to deepen trade and investment ties between the two countries. The High Commissioner also said that India has been a leading voice of the Global South. During India's G20 Presidency in 2023, Prime Minister Narendra Modi played a decisive role in ensuring the African Union became a full member of the G20. This was widely appreciated across Africa. India also initiated the Voice of the Global South Summit, which brought focus to the concerns of developing nations. India continues to be not only a leading voice but also a leading initiator in shaping a more inclusive global system, he observed. Sooklal further stated that the India-Brazil-South Africa (IBSA) cooperation has contributed significantly to addressing issues of global governance. Recently, on the margins of the G20 Summit in South Africa, there was an IBSA Summit where Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Prime Minister Modi, and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa met to discuss key areas of cooperation. Interestingly, one of the newer areas of collaboration is cooperation in the field of Artificial Intelligence. IBSA has played a key role in advocating reform of global institutions, including the WTO, the Bretton Woods institutions, and the UN system, while addressing developmental challenges faced by the Global South. Talking about the US boycott of the G20 meet in South Africa, the envoy said, although it was unfortunate that the United States was absent, the summit in Johannesburg was very successful. "All other member states attended, and we adopted a comprehensive declaration addressing major global challenges." "This demonstrated that the G20 is a collective platform. No single country can paralyse it. By staying away, one does not achieve constructive outcomes. On the contrary, cooperation is the only effective way to address global challenges," he added. On New Delhi's stand against US tariff pressures, he said that India has taken a principled stand regarding the weaponisation of tariffs and the imposition of unfair unilateral measures. India, now the world's fourth-largest economy, has demonstrated that no external pressure can force a country to compromise its sovereignty. India's approach has given strength and confidence to many developing nations facing similar pressures, he pointed out. Sooklal also said that the upcoming AI Summit in India is an extremely significant event. India, along with France, played a key role in initiating global AI discussions. AI is evolving rapidly and presents immense opportunities, especially for developing countries. At the same time, it brings challenges that require global cooperation. Hosting the AI summit in India demonstrates that the Global South can lead in emerging technologies. This summit will likely produce important outcomes and strengthen international cooperation in AI governance, he added. - IANS African foreign ministers convened in Addis Ababa, warning that the erosion of multilateralism and global cooperation is adversely affecting peace and security on the continent. They highlighted fierce international competition for technology, minerals, and logistics routes as a dominant feature of current relations. The ministers stressed that true strength for Africa comes from unity and a robust African Union to defend against predatory moves. The meeting sets the stage for the upcoming Assembly of AU Heads of State and Government. African foreign ministers urge robust unity as eroding multilateralism threatens peace and security. Ethiopia and Angola lead the call for a stronger AU. Addis Ababa, Feb 11 African foreign ministers on Wednesday called for a robust continental unity and togetherness amid eroding multilateralism and global cooperation. The call was made during the opening session of the 48th Ordinary Session of the Executive Council of the African Union at the AU headquarters in Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia. "The evolving geopolitical landscape, in which multilateralism and global cooperation are being eroded, is adversely affecting peace and security in our continent," said Ethiopian Minister of Foreign Affairs Gedion Timothewos, Xinhua News Agency reported. He noted that "fierce competition" for technological supremacy, control of critical mineral resources, and major logistics routes are becoming a dominant feature of international relations, in which trade and economic cooperation are being subordinated to political and security considerations. According to Timothewos, this existing global scenario is further exacerbated by peace and security challenges, as the continent grapples with incidents of unconstitutional changes of government, which is further undermining the AU's normative foundations. "African unity must be real and the African Union must be strong if we are to defend our continent from predatory moves that might come from all corners," Timothewos said. "What we need is not mere charity or good will of others but true partnership and that more than anything requires true strength which emanates from unity." Angolan Minister of External Relations and Chairperson of the Executive Council Tete Antonio highlighted the need to strengthen the institutional framework and operational capacity of the AU towards "building a more sustainable, united, and responsive AU capable of addressing the continent's priorities, in a spirit of shared responsibility and cooperation among member states." The executive council meeting, attended by foreign ministers from AU members under the framework of the 39th AU Summit, is being held under the theme: "Assuring Sustainable Water Availability and Safe Sanitation Systems to Achieve the Goals of Agenda 2063." The two-day meeting is expected to review the draft agenda and decisions for the 39th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the AU, scheduled for February 14-15. - IANS Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan chaired an Edtech AI Roundtable at IIT Delhi ahead of the Bharat Bodhan AI Conclave 2026. He emphasized that AI in education must now shift focus from expanding access to delivering measurable improvements in learning outcomes. The roundtable brought together policymakers, academic leaders, and founders of Indian edtech startups to align AI innovation with NEP 2020 objectives. The upcoming conclave aims to deliberate on scalable AI adoption and national capacity building for education. Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan chairs AI roundtable, stresses shift from content access to measurable outcomes ahead of Bharat Bodhan Conclave. New Delhi, February 11 With artificial intelligence poised to redefine classrooms, the Ministry of Education will host the Bharat Bodhan AI Conclave 2026 on February 12 to February 13 at Bharat Mandapam, bringing together policymakers, researchers and industry leaders to chart the next phase of AI-driven education reform. Ahead of the two-day conclave, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Tuesday chaired an Edtech AI Roundtable at the Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, engaging with founders of 10 new-age Indian edtech startups developing AI-first solutions across K-12 learning, test preparation, upskilling, language learning and skill education, particularly targeting underserved regions. The interaction, organised as a precursor to the India AI Impact Summit, brought together policymakers, academic leaders and technology entrepreneurs to deliberate on aligning AI innovation with the objectives of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. Among those present were Minister of State for Education and DoNER, Sukanta Majumdar and Minister of State for Education and Skill Development & Entrepreneurship (IC) Jayant Chaudhary, along with senior officials, including School Education Secretary Sanjay Kumar and Higher Education Secretary Dr Vineet Joshi. Participating startups included Arivihan, Fermi AI, Khare.AI, Seekho, SpeakX, SuperKalam, SuperNova, Vedantu, ConveGenius and Virohan, showcasing AI-enabled tools designed to personalise learning and enhance skilling pathways. Addressing the gathering, Pradhan underscored that technology is a powerful instrument of empowerment and inclusion, capable of bridging the gap between hope and opportunity. He emphasised AI's central role in realising the vision of Viksit Bharat @ 2047, stating that while earlier phases of edtech focused on expanding access to learning content, the next phase must prioritise measurable improvements in learning outcomes. He stressed the need for AI-enabled, personalised, adaptive and student-centric learning models to ensure affordable and equitable large-scale skilling across the country. Ashutosh Sharma, Head of Investments and M&A for India and Southeast Asia at Prosus, described education technology as a national capability rather than a short-term commercial opportunity. He noted that AI represents a historic inflexion point, enabling high-quality learning to reach every learner, regardless of geography or income. The upcoming Bharat Bodhan AI Conclave at Bharat Mandapam will bring together senior policymakers from the Centre and States, academic institutions, researchers and industry leaders to deliberate on innovation, scalable adoption and national capacity building in AI. Insights from the Roundtable and the Conclave are expected to inform ecosystem deliberations at the India AI Impact Summit, with a focus on responsible AI deployment, safeguards and scaling impact across sectors, including education. Senior stakeholders at the Roundtable also included the Directors of IIT Delhi and IIT Madras, heads of the National Skill Development Corporation, NASSCOM, NCVET, Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti, CBSE, Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan and the National Institute of Open Schooling, among others. - ANI Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Assam on February 14 to inaugurate a modern highway airstrip at Moran in Dibrugarh district. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma stated a likely air show featuring fighter aircraft like Rafale and Sukhoi jets could be organized during the visit. The PM is expected to land directly on the highway strip, a rare occurrence, highlighting its strategic and operational significance. The airstrip enhances emergency landing capabilities and underscores the focus on connectivity and infrastructure in the Northeast. PM Modi to inaugurate Moran highway airstrip in Assam on Feb 14. Likely air show with Rafale, Sukhoi jets. A strategic boost for NE connectivity. Guwahati, Feb 11 Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Wednesday said that people in Upper Assam are likely to witness an air show on Saturday in connection with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the state. Speaking to reporters, CM Sarma confirmed that Prime Minister Modi will arrive in Assam and inaugurate a modern highway airstrip at Moran in Dibrugarh district, marking a significant milestone in the state's infrastructure and strategic preparedness. "There is a strong possibility that an air show will be organised on February 14 during the Prime Minister's visit. Fighter aircraft including Rafale and Sukhoi jets may participate," the Chief Minister said, adding that detailed preparations are underway. The Chief Minister said the Prime Minister is expected to land directly at the highway airstrip in Moran, making it one of the rare occasions in the country where a Prime Minister will use a national highway strip for an official landing. After the programme at Moran, Prime Minister Modi will travel directly to Guwahati without going to an airport, Sarma said, underlining the strategic importance and operational capability of the newly developed highway airstrip. He said the Prime Minister will take part in official engagements in Guwahati later in the day, though details of those programmes will be announced separately. The highway airstrip at Moran has been developed to facilitate emergency landings of military and civilian aircraft and to strengthen rapid response capabilities in the region. Such airstrips are also seen as critical assets for disaster management and national security, particularly in the northeastern region. CM Sarma said the proposed air show, if held, would be a rare and memorable event for residents of Upper Assam, offering them a close view of advanced fighter aircraft operated by the Indian Air Force. The Chief Minister said the visit underscores the Centre's focus on improving connectivity, infrastructure and strategic readiness in Assam and the Northeast. Prime Minister Modi's visit comes at a time when Assam has been witnessing rapid expansion of highways, bridges and logistics infrastructure, with the state government emphasising its role as a gateway to the Northeast and a key player in India's Act East policy. - IANS Uttar Pradesh Finance Minister Suresh Khanna presented the state budget for 2026-27, emphasizing comprehensive development across two tenures of the Yogi Adityanath government. He highlighted significant industrial progress, noting Uttar Pradesh has become India's largest mobile phone manufacturing hub and secured massive investment commitments. The budget speech detailed improvements in agriculture, infrastructure, and energy, including expanded irrigation and a doubling of thermal power capacity. Khanna also pointed to the state's improved national standing in startup rankings and the Sustainable Development Goals index. UP Finance Minister Suresh Khanna presents state budget, highlighting improved SDG ranking, Rs 50 lakh crore MoUs, and leading mobile phone production. New Delhi, February 11 Uttar Pradesh Finance Minister Suresh Khanna on Wednesday presented the State Budget for 2026-27 in the Legislative Assembly, highlighting what he described as "all-round development" achieved during the previous and current tenures of the Yogi Adityanath government. Highlighting the state's improved national standing and industrial progress, the Uttar Pradesh Finance Minister cited improved rankings in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). "Uttar Pradesh's ranking in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) India Index has improved from 29th in 2018-2019 to 18th in 2023-2024. The state government successfully organised the fourth Global Investors Summit in February 2024. MoUs worth approximately Rs 50 lakh crore have been signed so far, potentially creating approximately 1 million jobs. Of these, four groundbreaking ceremonies have been held for over 16,000 projects involving an investment of approximately Rs 15 lakh crore," Khanna said while addressing the state assembly. "Uttar Pradesh is India's largest mobile phone manufacturing hub. The state produces 65 per cent of the country's total mobile phone production. 55 per cent of India's electronics component units are located in the state. The state's electronics exports have reached Rs 44,744 crore. Investment in industry and technology, along with efforts to promote innovation in the state, has resulted in Uttar Pradesh achieving a 'Leader Category' ranking in the national startup rankings," he added. Emphasising economic growth indicators and social development outcomes, Khanna reiterated the government's performance during both tenures. "The state has witnessed all-round development during the previous and current tenures of our government, including strengthening law and order, expanding infrastructure, industrial investment, employment generation, women's empowerment, youth skill development, farmer prosperity, and poverty alleviation," the UP Finance Minister asserted. Speaking further in the Assembly, Khanna underlined infrastructure-led development, agricultural output and energy capacity expansion. "The state's commitment to infrastructure-led development is evidenced by the state's ranking among landlocked states in the Export Preparedness Index 2024, released by NITI Aayog in January 2026. The state is a leading agricultural producer in the country. The state contributes the highest nationally in wheat, paddy, sugarcane, potatoes, bananas, mangoes, guavas, amla, and mint production. The irrigated area in the state has increased by 6 million hectares to 2.76 million hectares in 2024-2025, compared to 2.16 crore hectares in 2016-2017," he said. "Crop intensity, which was 162.7 per cent in 2016-2017, has increased to 193.7 per cent in 2024-2025. Compared with 5,878 MW of thermal power generation capacity in 2016-2017, 12,120 MW has been achieved in the current financial year 2025-2026 (till December 2025), an increase of 55.16 per cent. Our government is developing green and clean energy sources. So far, a total of 2815 MW solar power projects have been installed in the state," he added. The Budget Session is scheduled to run from February 9 to February 20, with the state budget for the 2026-27 financial year to be presented on February 11. - ANI Actress Ameesha Patel revisited Boston, the city where she attended university, and strolled through familiar spots like Boston Commons and Newbury Street. She shared a heartfelt video and note on social media, expressing how the city still feels like home. Patel studied at Tufts University, initially focusing on bio-genetic engineering before switching to economics. The actress recently marked 26 years in Bollywood, having debuted in the blockbuster film "Kaho Naa Pyaar Hai." Bollywood actress Ameesha Patel visits Boston, her alma mater city, and shares an emotional post reminiscing about her student life at Tufts University. Mumbai, Feb 11 Actress Ameesha Patel decided to relive some of her fond memories from her college days as she visited Boston, U.S., where she went to university. As part of her visit, Ameesha strolled through some familiar places, such as Boston Commons, Faneuil Hall, Copley Square, Newbury Street, Boston Harbour - all the places she used to visit during her student days. A nostalgic Ameesha published a video of herself soaking in all the beauty of Boston. Her post further included an emotional note, reflecting on her University days. The 'Gadar' actress wrote on the photo-sharing app, "BOSTON-Strolling the Boston Commons, Fanieul Hall, Copley Square, Newbury Street, Boston harbour n wharf, doing part of the Freedom Trail n hopping in n out of the Prudential centre just seems soo natural!! Something I did as a student for 4 years whilst studying at Tufts University! The past student in me has melted in 2 the present girl! And I can't seem to feel the Diffenrence!! These streets n areas make me feel like I belong here! BOSTON - willll always always have my heart (sic)," followed by a red heart emoji." Before this, Ameesha shared another glimpse of her Boston trip, along with the caption, "BOSTON --back to my city where I studied n went to University !! Reliving my student days feels surreal". For the unaware, Ameesha completed her schooling at Cathedral and John Connon School in Mumbai. After this, she went on to attend the Tufts University in Boston, where she initially studied bio-genetic engineering for two years before switching her major to economics. On the work front, Ameesha recently completed 26 years in Bollywood on January 14. She made her acting debut with the blockbuster hit "Kaho Naa Pyaar Hai", which made her and her co-star, Hrithik Roshan, overnight stars. - IANS Apple's upcoming espionage drama 'Safe Houses' is in negotiations to star Ana de Armas and Jennifer Connelly. The series, based on Dan Fesperman's novel, follows a fugitive agent and an ambassador investigating a CIA officer's murder. The project is created by Gideon Raff of 'Homeland' fame, with Otto Bathurst set to direct the opening episodes. If finalized, this would mark de Armas' first major television series role. Ana de Armas & Jennifer Connelly may star in Apple's spy drama 'Safe Houses,' from 'Homeland' creator. Based on Dan Fesperman's novel. Washington, February 11 Apple's upcoming international espionage drama 'Safe Houses' is lining up a formidable cast, with Ana de Armas and Jennifer Connelly in negotiations to headline the series. The eight-episode thriller hails from Homeland creator Gideon Raff, who will serve as executive producer and showrunner, Deadline reported. Based on Dan Fesperman's 2018 novel of the same name, 'Safe Houses' is set in the aftermath of the killing of a high-ranking CIA officer in Madrid. The story follows Sofia Jimenez, a fugitive agent accused of murder, and Ambassador Elizabeth Winthrop, the officer's widow, as they separately investigate the crime from opposing sides. As their inquiries unfold, both women uncover a far-reaching conspiracy with the potential to disrupt the global balance of power, as per Deadline. If finalised, the project will mark de Armas' first major television series. She was most recently seen in Lionsgate's 'Ballerina,' a spin-off of the John Wick franchise, opposite Keanu Reeves. She has also joined J Blakeson's upcoming film 'Sweat.' Connelly, meanwhile, would be returning to Apple TV+ after starring alongside Joel Edgerton in the sci-fi series 'Dark Matter.' On the film front, she was last seen in the blockbuster 'Top Gun: Maverick.' 'Safe Houses' is a co-production between Apple Studios and global independent studio Wiip. Otto Bathurst, known for 'Peaky Blinders', is set to direct the opening block of episodes, with Raff directing several additional instalments. As per Deadline, Raff will executive produce alongside Alexandra Milchan, with Paul Lee and David Flynn executive producing for Wiip. Sara Gonzalo will serve as producer, and author Dan Fesperman will act as consulting producer. - ANI The teaser for the upcoming streaming film 'Subedaar' has been released, featuring Anil Kapoor in the titular role of Subedaar Arjun Morya. The film is a grounded drama exploring the psychological aftermath of a life spent in military uniform as the officer navigates a civilian world. Directed by Suresh Triveni, the cast also includes Radhika Madan, Aditya Rawal, Saurabh Shukla, and Mona Singh. In related news, Anil Kapoor recently commemorated the 42nd anniversary of his film 'Mashaal', a role initially offered to other legends. Watch the intense teaser for 'Subedaar' starring Anil Kapoor as an army officer navigating civilian life. Film releases March 2026 on OTT. Mumbai, Feb 11 The teaser of the upcoming streaming film 'Subedaar' was unveiled on Wednesday. It is stark, controlled, and unapologetically intense. Actor Anil Kapoor essays the titular role of Subedaar Arjun Morya. With minimal dialogue and maximum impact, the actor crafts a presence that feels seasoned, battle-worn, and quietly volatile. Sharing the teaser with a bold warning, "They f**** with the wrong man", the makers made it clear that this is not a story of noise, but of consequence. The punchline has already struck a chord online, amplifying the anticipation around the film. Subedaar is a grounded, and hard-hitting drama that explores the emotional and psychological aftermath of a life spent in uniform. The film follows Arjun Morya, an officer navigating a civilian world that no longer operates by the codes he lived and fought by. Rather than glorifying power, he examines what happens when discipline collides with chaos, and when a man trained to command must confront battles that are no longer fought on the battlefield. The film is helmed by Suresh Triveni, and also stars Radhika Madan, Aditya Rawal, Saurabh Shukla, and Mona Singh, hinting at a layered narrative grounded in emotional realism. While Anil Kapoor has played men of authority before, 'Subedaar' feels like progression, not repetition. It's a role that doesn't rely on volume or nostalgia, but on precision and depth, proof that a true cinema icon doesn't reinvent loudly, he evolves decisively. The film is set to release on March 5, 2026 on OTT. Earlier, Anil Kapoor celebrated 42 years of his film 'Mashaal' with a special social media post. Commemorating the milestone, Anil shared a photo collage of some scenes from the movie on the Stories section of his Instagram account, claiming that the fire continues to burn strongly even after more than 4 decades. He wrote in the caption, "42 years of Mashaal and the fire still burns just as strong (fire emoji) A film that will always live in my heart @yrf". If the reports are to be believed, the role essayed by Anil in the movie was initially offered to Amitabh Bachchan and then to Kamal Haasan. However, after both of them turned down the offer, the part finally went to Anil. Directed and produced by Yash Chopra, 'Mashaal' saw Dilip Kumar, Waheeda Rehman, and Rati Agnihotri in key roles, along with others. The project marked Anil's primary on-screen collaboration with Dilip Kumar. 'Mashaal' talks about Vinod Kumar (Played by Dilip Kumar), a respected, law-abiding citizen who turns to crime to seek revenge. The project was adapted from the Marathi play 'Ashroonchi Zhali Phule' written by Marathi writer Vasant Kanetkar. The movie was later remade in Malayalam with the title 'Ithile Iniyum Varu' with Mammootty in the lead. - IANS Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma distributed appointment letters to 1,694 Non-ADRE candidates and 185 contractual ASRLM workers at a ceremony in Guwahati. He stated the government has provided over 1.58 lakh jobs so far and aims to reach 1.8 lakh before the election notification. Sarma announced the formation of a committee to ensure future recruitments remain transparent and merit-based, with a goal of creating over 1.5 lakh additional government jobs in the next five years. He urged the new appointees to serve ethically and contribute to the state's progress, citing Assam's economic growth rate. Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma presents appointment letters to 1,694 candidates, announces a committee for transparent recruitment and a target of 1.5 lakh new jobs. Guwahati, February 11 Continuing the State government's unrelenting endeavour of empowering the youth of Assam through a fair and transparent recruitment process, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Wednesday handed over appointment letters to 1,694 Non-ADRE candidates selected for various posts. He also presented appointment letters to 185 contractual candidates under the Assam State Rural Livelihoods Mission (ASRLM) at a programme held at Jyoti-Bishnu Prekhyagriha in Khanapara, Guwahati, on Wednesday. It may be noted that of the total appointments, 75 have been appointed as Junior engineers of PWRD, 193 Agriculture Development Officer of Agriculture Department, 65 Fishery Development Officer of Fishery Department, 25 enforcement officers from Transport Department, 642 Junior Engineer of PWD, 25 Public Prosecutor, 75 Additional Public Prosecutor, and 140 Assistant Public Prosecutor from Home and Political Department 125 Sericulture Demonstrator of Handloom and Textiles Department, 142 Junior Engineers of Water Resources Department and hosts of others. Speaking on the occasion, CM Sarma said that reaffirming the government's unwavering commitment to transparent and merit-based recruitment and creating meaningful employment opportunities for the youth of the state, the government, continuing its recruitment spree has so far given 1,58,373 government jobs. He also said that the tally would reach the 1,80,00 mark by the declaration of the election notification of the state election notification. CM Sarma said, "Every appointment and every young appointee reflects our resolute focus on fairness, transparency, and equal opportunity. These jobs are not just employment opportunities; they are steps toward empowering families, strengthening public service delivery, and building a brighter future for our state. We remain committed to creating more opportunities for our youth in ensuring that merit and transparency remain the foundation of our governance." The Chief Minister said that, to maintain the same pace of government recruitment over the next five years, the government has constituted a committee that will provide recommendations to ensure transparent, merit-based recruitment for government jobs. Stating that, in the next five years, the government will also create more than 1.5 lakh government jobs, the Chief Minister said that the objective of his government is to ensure that the state's youth believe that, with the right kind of education, they can secure government jobs transparently and on the basis of merit. The Chief Minister said that in the last five years, the state's engineers benefited the most, as the government created the most jobs for them. He said that more than 700 Assistant and Junior Engineers of different departments have been recruited in government jobs. He maintained that the new appointees are the bridge between the government and the public and therefore asked them to be ethical and avoid any wrongdoing. The new appointees need to follow ethical practices and serve the public through the government system. The government desires hardcore honesty from the new appointees to serve to the people better. Referring to the Semiconductor plant being set up in Jagiroad, the Chief Minister said that government officers have worked diligently on the project to complete it in record time. Speaking about Tata's admission that the semiconductor plant in Jagiroad has out-paced the one being established in Gujarat, CM Sarma thanked the government officers of the state who have been responsible for the physical progress of the plant. On the occasion, he called upon the new appointees to take inspiration from their mentors and seniors and give their best to the public service. Speaking about 'Team Assam', and quoting the Reserve Bank of India report, the Chief Minister said that from 2020 to 2025 as against the country's GDP which is 29 per cent, Assam progressed at the rate of 45 per cent. Very slowly, Assam is overtaking many states of India as he requested the new appointees to contribute to the progress of the state. He said that with the cooperation from everybody, efforts are on to make a 'New Assam', as he said that the new government appointees they are the real force of this journey. On this occasion, also called upon them to dedicate themselves to the welfare of the state and its people. - ANI The conflict in Balochistan has dramatically escalated with recent coordinated attacks by the Baloch Liberation Army across 12 districts. The province, rich in natural resources, remains Pakistan's poorest with high poverty and unemployment, fueling long-standing grievances. Human rights groups report extensive enforced disappearances and alleged extrajudicial killings, creating an environment where dissent is criminalized. The situation is further complicated by large-scale development projects like CPEC, which locals say marginalize them economically and politically. Analysis of Balochistan's escalating violence, historical grievances, human rights violations, and economic disparities since Pakistan's independence. Kabul, Feb 11 The recent attacks in Balochistan highlight not only security challenges but also what critics describe as long standing political failures to address the province's grievances as the roots of growing violence in the province go back to Pakistan's independence, a report has highlighted. An article in Afghanistan's leading news agency Khaama Press mentioned that the recent attacks in Balochistan highlight not only security challenges but also what critics describe as long standing political failures to address the province's grievances. Documented human rights concerns - particularly enforced disappearances and alleged extrajudicial killings - have created an environment where, according to activists, peaceful dissent faces criminalization and armed resistance appears to some as the only avenue for change. On January 31, the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) launched 'Operation Herof 2.0', carrying out coordinated attacks in 12 districts, including Quetta, Gwadar and Mastung. According to official figures, 17 police personnel and 31 civilians were killed during the operation. Pakistani forces claimed that 145 insurgents were killed in retaliation while the BLA has disputed this statistics. The attacks carried out by BLA involved gun assaults, suicide bombings, and the temporary seizure of police stations and government facilities. Reports have now surfaced about intensified security operations in Balochistan, sparking concerns among rights activists about treatment of local residents, Khaama Press reported. "The recent violence in Balochistan represents not an isolated incident but a dramatic escalation in a conflict with roots stretching back to Pakistan's independence. Understanding the crisis requires examining historical grievances, documented human rights violations, economic disparities, and what critics describe as political failures," an opinion piece stated. Balochistan accounts for 44 per cent of Pakistan's land area but it comprises six per cent of the country's total population. It remains Pakistan's poorest province, with approximately 70 per cent of residents living in multidimensional poverty and unemployment at 33 per cent, despite the region possessing substantial natural resources, including the Sui gas fields that provide an estimated 35-40 per cent of Pakistan's natural gas and significant copper, gold, and coal deposits. The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), especially the development of Gwadar port, has also voiced concerns in Balochistan. Local residents have raised concerns regarding displacement and economic marginalisation, alleging exclusion from employment opportunities and decision-making processes linked to projects on their lands, the article in Khaama Press mentioned. The most serious allegations in Balochistan are related to enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings. Various human rights groups have termed what they described systematic abuses. The Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) reported 1,223 cases of enforced disappearance in 2025. The Human Rights Council of Balochistan documented 1,455 cases in 2025, which included 1,443 men and 12 women. As per their findings, 1,052 people remained missing by year's end while 317 were released, 83 were reported killed in custody and three were shifted to jail. The BYC's 2025 annual report revealed that 188 alleged extrajudicial killings occurred in Balochistan, with 75 linked to what activists termed as a "kill and dump" policy. Makran division and Awaran district were identified as particularly affected regions. Pakistani security forces maintain approximately 736 permanent checkpoints and 300 temporary ones in Balochistan, with critics stressing that this militarisation in the region reinforces perceptions of occupation instead of integration. The Baloch insurgency has also witnessed participation of female suicide bombers. Female participation in armed resistance in patriarchal society holds symbolic weight. The recurring violence showcases what critics termed a fundamental failure of political engagement, according to the report. "The Pakistani state has often treated demands for autonomy and equitable resource distribution as separatism, with dissent frequently labeled as anti-state activity. The provincial government in Balochistan, which some view as federally installed, has struggled to address local grievances effectively. Rather than dialogue, security-focused responses have intensified, with some analysts arguing this approach has pushed educated urban youth toward insurgency. Political observers emphasise that military solutions cannot resolve what they view as fundamentally political problems rooted in marginalization, economic exploitation, and rights concerns," the article concluded. - IANS Authorities in Dhaka have identified approximately 1,400 polling stations across 13 constituencies as high-risk ahead of Bangladesh's national parliamentary election. Enhanced security measures include additional law enforcement, CCTV surveillance, and Ansar members equipped with body-worn cameras at each station. Over 12.77 crore voters will elect representatives for 299 seats while also participating in a concurrent national referendum on the July National Charter. The European Union Election Observation Mission has described the pre-poll atmosphere as very positive, deploying over 200 observers to monitor the process. Dhaka designates 1,400 polling stations as high-risk ahead of Bangladesh's national election and referendum. Enhanced security with CCTV and body cameras deployed. Dhaka, February 11 Around 1,400 polling stations in 13 constituencies of Dhaka have been designated as high risk for the upcoming 13th National Parliamentary Election and referendum, Dhaka Tribune reported. Dhaka Divisional Commissioner and Returning Officer Sharf Uddin Ahmed Choudhury shared the information on Wednesday during a media briefing on election preparedness. According to the report, additional law enforcement personnel will be deployed at the identified centres to ensure security. The Election Commission has implemented special measures for these polling stations, including enhanced security. Sharf Uddin said all necessary preparations for the election and referendum have been completed by the Dhaka Divisional Commissioner's Office. "All voting materials will reach polling stations through presiding officers by this evening," he said. He added that authorities have not detected any specific security threat so far. "We are not under any pressure. A total of 52 complaints regarding violations of the code of conduct were received, and all have been addressed," he said. To maintain order on polling day, 80 executive magistrates and two judicial magistrates will conduct mobile court operations across Dhaka. Adequate numbers of police, Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), and army personnel will remain prepared to respond promptly to any untoward situation, the report said. Nearly 90 per cent of polling centres in Dhaka are under CCTV surveillance, Sharf Uddin added. Additionally, two Ansar members equipped with body-worn cameras will be stationed at each polling station to transmit real-time footage. Voting is scheduled for tomorrow in Bangladesh (February 12). The results are expected to be confirmed on Friday, February 13. Following an intense 20-day official campaign period that concluded on February 10, authorities have now fully shifted to polling mode, with attention centred on voting-day logistics and security management. Over 12.77 crore eligible voters will elect representatives for 299 of the 300 parliamentary seats, with one seat postponed following a candidate's death. Alongside the parliamentary contest, voters will also participate in a concurrent national referendum on the July National Charter, a key document proposing major constitutional and institutional changes that could shape future governance. The Election Commission said ballot papers are being distributed to polling centres with stringent security measures in place, noting that logistical preparations involving thousands of election officials and security personnel have been completed. The European Union Election Observation Mission described the pre-poll atmosphere as "very positive," with Chief Observer Ivars Ijabs noting that stakeholders across districts and regions expressed a hopeful outlook, according to The Daily Star. The EU has deployed over 200 observers, including 60 long-term observers who have been active since early January and 90 short-term observers assigned to monitor voting and counting. Politically, the contest primarily pits candidates from two major alliances, one led by the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and the other by Jamaat-e-Islami. Despite the broadly positive outlook from authorities and observers, concerns persist in some regions regarding potential post-poll unrest. - ANI Bangladesh holds its 13th National Parliament elections following the ousting of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in a 2024 student-led uprising. The main competitors are the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and an alliance led by Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami with the National Citizen Party. Over 12.77 crore voters will cast ballots amid heightened security, with a concurrent national referendum on a key governance charter. Citizens express hope for significant political change, with the campaign marked by unique black-and-white posters and a large international observer presence. Bangladesh votes in pivotal 13th National Election after Sheikh Hasina's ouster. BNP, Jamaat-e-Islami alliance compete as citizens hope for change. Dhaka, February 11 With the 13th National Parliament elections scheduled for tomorrow, February 12, the streets of Dhaka are buzzing with cautious optimism as citizens gear up to cast their votes amid a pivotal shift in the political landscape. The elections come at a critical time in the country's history, almost two years after the former Prime Minister of Bangladesh, Sheikh Hasina, was ousted following a student-led movement in July 2024. The 2024 July Uprising ended the Bangladesh Awami League's regime, which has now been barred from participating in the current election. The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and the Islamic conservative party, Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, which is leading an alliance with the National Citizen Party (NCP), formed following the student-led uprising, along with other parties on a seat-sharing basis, are the main competitors in the elections. For many young voters like Saimon Bin Masud, this election feels like a milestone. Noting the political climate, Saimon said the younger generation was leaning toward the Jamaat, while older voters tend to favour the BNP, reflecting longstanding political loyalties. "This is the 13th time we're facing elections, and after Sheikh Hasina's rule, we're finally free to express our feelings and opinions. We can openly vote for any member of Parliament. I can freely choose anyone I feel is right, and the election atmosphere is very friendly," he said. "It's interesting to see how perspectives differ across generations," he added. He stated that the presence of the Bangladeshi Army, Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), and police patrolling the city adds a sense of safety and security ahead of the elections. Security has been strengthened nationwide, with relevant election officials making the necessary arrangements. Authorities confirmed that all procedural and logistical requirements have been met to ensure the smooth conduct of voting. Dhaka Divisional Commissioner and Returning Officer Sharf Uddin Ahmed Choudhury expressed confidence that all preparations have been taken to facilitate a peaceful, free, and fair election. Officials have also instructed polling staff to perform their duties with neutrality and professionalism, while urging voters to participate in the electoral process in an orderly manner. According to the Dhaka Tribune, approximately 1,400 polling stations across 13 Dhaka constituencies have been designated as high-risk for the upcoming polls. Meanwhile, voters like Arafat Islam see this election as a chance for real change. He stated that elections hold a "lot of hope" and call for the fulfilment of the needs of the common people for the winning party or coalition. "There is a lot of hope. We definitely want change. We want something different now. We want a big change. Hopefully, whoever comes to power will fulfil the expectations of the common people," he said. Following an intense 20-day official campaign period that concluded on February 10, authorities have now fully shifted to polling mode, with attention centred on voting-day logistics and security management. Over 12.77 crore eligible voters will elect representatives for 299 of the 300 parliamentary seats, with one seat postponed following a candidate's death. Alongside the parliamentary contest, voters will also participate in a concurrent national referendum on the July National Charter, a key document proposing major constitutional and institutional changes that could shape future governance. Dhaka's streets now have a distinctly monochromatic appearance, as the campaign period featured only black-and-white posters, in adherence to Election Commission guidelines. Candidates use ropes to hang posters rather than affixing them directly to walls, which is prohibited under election law. According to the Chief Adviser's Press Wing, a total of 394 international election observers and 197 foreign journalists have arrived in the country to observe the 13th general election. A total of 240 observers are from bilateral countries, including independent European observers. Another 51 are individuals affiliated with different global institutions. In a televised national address, Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus urged citizens to make election day the "birthday of a new Bangladesh", stressing that their participation would shape the nation's future, The Daily Star reported. A total of 42,779 polling stations have been established nationwide, with voting scheduled from 7:30 am to 4:30 pm (local time) without interruption. The electorate comprises 6.48 crore men and 6.28 crore women. A total of 1,755 candidates from 50 registered political parties are in the fray, along with 273 independents, including 20 women. Additionally, 63 women are contesting on party tickets. The results are expected to be confirmed on Friday, February 13. Meanwhile, more than half a million Bangladeshi expatriates have exercised their franchise through postal ballots ahead of the national polls and referendum, the Dhaka Tribune reported, marking the first time overseas voters have formally taken part in a national election. Citing data from the Bangladesh Election Commission, the report said that as of Wednesday morning, 515,619 expatriates had successfully cast their votes using the IT-enabled postal voting system. As Bangladesh prepares to head to the polls tomorrow, the atmosphere across the country is a mix of anticipation, hope, and vigilance. With tightened security, millions of citizens are ready to cast their votes asd the 13th National Parliament elections, along with the national referendum, which marks a defining moment in the nation's political journey. - ANI Bangladesh is poised for historic parliamentary elections on February 12, the first vote since a student-led uprising forced Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to resign 18 months ago. Over 12.77 crore eligible voters will choose representatives for 299 seats alongside a national referendum on constitutional changes. Authorities have implemented a massive three-tier security framework involving nearly 1.9 lakh police personnel to ensure a peaceful process. The election is seen as a pivotal moment for the nation's democratic future, with international observers reporting a generally positive and hopeful pre-poll atmosphere. Bangladesh holds pivotal parliamentary elections on Feb 12, 18 months after Sheikh Hasina's resignation. Over 12.77 crore voters to decide nation's future. Dhaka, February 11 All eyes are on Bangladesh's parliamentary elections scheduled for February 12, as the Election Commission and security forces complete final arrangements to facilitate a peaceful voting process. The results are expected to be confirmed on Friday February 13. The polls come 18 months after a massive student-led uprising in 2024 forced the resignation of long-time Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and ended the Awami League's rule, generating widespread hope for a shift toward greater accountability and reformed democratic governance in the neighbouring South Asian nation. After an intense 20-day official campaign period that concluded yesterday, the focus now turns to this pivotal single day of voting for over 12.77 crore eligible voters, who will choose representatives for 299 of the 300 parliamentary seats, as one seat's election has been postponed due to a candidate's death. Voters will also participate in a concurrent national referendum on the July National Charter, a key document proposing major constitutional and institutional changes that could shape future governance. In a televised address to the nation last evening, Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus called on citizens to turn election day into the "birthday of a new Bangladesh", emphasising that the people themselves would shape the nation's promising future through their votes, The Daily Star reported. A vast network of 42,779 polling stations has been established nationwide, with voting scheduled from 7:30 am to 4:30 pm without interruption. Among the electorate, 6.48 crore are men and 6.28 crore are women. A total of 1,755 candidates representing 50 registered political parties are in the fray, alongside 273 independents, including 20 women. Notably, 63 women candidates are contesting under party banners. Ballot papers are being distributed to polling centres today with stringent security measures in place. Authorities have confirmed that all logistical preparations are complete, involving thousands of election officials and security personnel. The Election Commission has voiced overall contentment with the prevailing law and order environment. "We are satisfied with the law and order situation as it stands. It would have been better if the isolated incidents that occurred had not happened. However, we are in a better position now than at any time in the past," Election Commissioner Brig Gen (retd) Abul Fazal Md Sanaullah stated during a press briefing yesterday, as reported by The Daily Star. He warned that "evil forces" continue to pose risks and expressed confidence that law enforcement would deliver their utmost to safeguard the process. He praised security agencies for their efforts so far and appealed to political parties, candidates, and supporters to keep the atmosphere celebratory. Inspector General of Police Baharul Alam outlined a comprehensive three-tier security framework, static forces at each polling station, mobile patrols in surrounding areas, and rapid-response striking units ready for any contingencies. He detailed that 1,57,805 police personnel will handle direct election security duties, 93,391 as static forces and the remainder in mobile and striking roles, while an additional 29,798 from regular police stations will provide supplementary support, bringing the total deployment to 1,87,603. The European Union Election Observation Mission (EU EOM) has characterised the pre-poll atmosphere as "very positive". "We have been speaking both to candidates and authorities in all districts and regions across the country, and the general atmosphere is very positive and hopeful," Chief Observer Ivars Ijabs remarked at a press conference in Dhaka yesterday, according to The Daily Star. He noted that many stakeholders view the polls as a fresh start for Bangladesh's democracy. The EU has deployed its largest-ever mission here, including over 200 observers in total, with 60 long-term observers active since early January and 90 short-term observers monitoring voting and counting. The contest primarily pits candidates from two major alliances, one led by the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and the other by Jamaat-e-Islami. BNP Chairman Tarique Rahman and Jamaat Ameer Shafiqur Rahman yesterday reviewed constituency-level readiness, issuing instructions to party workers and candidates via phone calls to district leaders. Concerns persist in some areas about potential post-poll unrest, particularly among minority communities. In Chattogram, many minority voters expressed apprehension, with one Hindu youth from the Jamalkhan area stating anonymously that "On one side BNP, on the other side Jamaat. If the BNP loses, they blame the minorities; Jamaat does the same. State, election, and persecution have become synonymous for us," as cited by The Daily Star. A farmer from Rangpur's Gangachara upazila, Manoranjan Shil, 56, recounted lingering trauma from an attack on his village last July, where homes were vandalised and valuables looted, adding, "We are still haunted by the terrifying experience of the attack. We are still in fear," The Daily Star reported. However, minority voters in districts like Faridpur and Rajbari reported feeling secure, while sentiments varied in places such as Mymensingh and Tangail. This election represents a critical juncture for Bangladesh's democratic journey, with implications for regional stability in South Asia, including ties with India. - ANI Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus met with multiple international election observation delegations in Dhaka ahead of Bangladesh's national elections. The polls, scheduled for February 12, occur nearly two years after the 2024 July Uprising that ousted former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. The electoral landscape is significantly shifted with the Awami League banned, making the outcome challenging to predict. Hundreds of international observers and journalists have arrived to monitor this pivotal moment in the country's history. Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus meets international election observers ahead of Bangladesh's pivotal national polls on February 12. Dhaka, February 11 Chief Adviser of the Interim Government of Bangladesh, Muhammad Yunus, met with multiple election observation delegations as the country gears for the 13th national elections, scheduled for February 12, nearly two years after the 2024 July Uprising. The election observation delegation included the International Republican Institute (IRI), the Asian Network for Free Elections (ANFREL) and the Voice for Justice Observers. In a series of posts on X, Yunus stated that the five-member delegation from the IRI, led by former US Congressman David Dreirer met with the Chief Adviser on Tuesday at the State Guest House Jamuna. On Wednesday, a seven-member ANFREL delegation, led by Chairperson Rohana Hettiarachchi, met with Yunus at the same venue. Later the same day, a four-member team from the Voice for Justice Observers, led by Convenor of the Voice for Justice World Forum and Consultant to the UK Ministry of Education, Hasanat M Husain, also called on the Chief Adviser. Bangladesh's Principal Coordinator for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Lamiya Morshed, along with other senior officials from the country's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, was also present at the meetings. The election is a pivotal moment in the country's history, with the Awami League banned from participating and the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and Jamaat, which is leading an alliance with the National Citizen Party (NCP), along with other parties on a seat-sharing basis, as the main players. The electoral landscape has also shifted significantly, making it challenging to predict the outcome. The February 12 National Polls come almost two years after the July Uprising in 2024, which led to the ousting of former Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. The Constitutional Referendum, the July National Charter, is also scheduled for the same day. According to the Chief Adviser's Press Wing, a total of 394 international election observers and 197 foreign journalists have arrived in the country to observe the 13th general election. A total of 240 observers are from bilateral countries, including independent European observers. Another 51 are individuals affiliated with different global institutions. - ANI Trinamool Congress MP Ritabrata Banerjee used Rajya Sabha's Zero Hour to spotlight 12 overlooked freedom fighters from West Bengal who were deported to the Cellular Jail after the Alipore Bomb Case. He emphasized that these revolutionaries, including Barindrakumar Ghosh and Ullaskar Dutt, endured brutal torture in Kala Pani but never wrote mercy petitions to the British. Banerjee lamented that these "uncompromised" figures have been conveniently forgotten despite their unwavering commitment. He urged Parliament and the nation to accord them the honour and recognition they deserve in India's freedom narrative. Trinamool MP Ritabrata Banerjee highlights 12 forgotten Bengal freedom fighters from the Alipore Bomb Case who endured Kala Pani without mercy pleas. New Delhi, Feb 11 Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha member Ritabrata Banerjee on Wednesday highlighted during Zero Hour the overlooked legacy of 12 fearless freedom fighters from West Bengal, deported to the notorious Cellular Jail in the Andaman Islands following the landmark Alipore Bomb Case of 1908-1909. In his intervention, Banerjee drew attention to prominent revolutionaries Barindrakumar Ghosh (Barin Ghosh), Ullaskar Dutt, and Hem Chandra Kanungo (Hemchandra Das Kanungo), who were among those sentenced and transported for life after the trial stemming from revolutionary activities aimed at overthrowing British colonial rule. "These are the uncompromised figures who fought against the British colonial power," Banerjee stated. Barindrakumar Ghosh, brother of Sri Aurobindo Ghosh, established bomb-making units and an underground network in West Bengal as part of the Jugantar and Anushilan Samiti movements. Ullaskar Dutt was the principal bomb-maker for the group, while Hem Chandra Kanungo returned from Paris with expertise in explosives and revolutionary organisation. The MP emphasised that the 12 revolutionaries, including the three he spotlighted, endured years of brutal torture in the Cellular Jail -- infamous as 'Kala Pani' for its harsh solitary confinement, hard labour like oil extraction, and dehumanising conditions -- yet remained steadfast. Banerjee lamented that these heroes have been "conveniently forgotten", contrasting their resolve with others who sought clemency. "These revolutionaries never ever wrote a mercy petition," he asserted, adding that they deserve due respect and recognition for their unwavering commitment to India's Independence struggle. The Alipore case, tried in Calcutta's Sessions Court from 1908 to 1909, involved charges of waging war against the Crown following bomb-making and assassination attempts, including the Muzaffarpur bombing targeting a British magistrate. While some, like Sri Aurobindo, were acquitted, Barin Ghosh and Ullaskar Dutt initially faced death sentences (later commuted to life imprisonment), and others received transportation for life. Banerjee's comments arose amid debates on the recognition of Bengal's revolutionary contributions, which included a notable number of early inmates at Cellular Jail (approximately 46 Bengalis among the initial groups from 1909-1921). He urged Parliament and the nation to accord these "uncompromised" figures the honour they merit, ensuring their sacrifices are remembered in India's freedom narrative. - IANS The Director General of Border Guard Bangladesh inspected an election base camp in Dhaka, emphasizing the need for firm action against any attempts to disrupt the electoral process. Over 12.77 crore eligible voters will cast ballots for 299 parliamentary seats and participate in a concurrent national referendum on the July National Charter. Authorities have implemented a comprehensive three-tier security framework involving nearly 190,000 police personnel to ensure a peaceful vote. International observers, including a large EU mission, have described the pre-election atmosphere as broadly positive, though some regional concerns about post-poll unrest remain. BGB Director General inspects Dhaka election camp, orders firm action against sabotage as 12.77 crore voters prepare for polls and national charter referendum. Dhaka, February 11 Director General of Border Guard Bangladesh, Major General Mohammad Ashrafuzzaman Siddiqui, visited an election base camp in Dhaka to review security preparations ahead of the upcoming polls, with voting scheduled for tomorrow, February 12. The results are expected to be confirmed on Friday, February 13. During the inspection, he assessed the operational readiness of deployed personnel and emphasised the importance of maintaining law and order throughout the electoral process. Addressing BGB members on duty, the Director General issued strict instructions to remain vigilant and to act decisively against any attempts to create unrest, sabotage, or disorder. He underscored that ensuring a peaceful, free, and fair election is a top priority and that any form of violence or destabilising activity must be firmly resisted. The heightened security focus comes as Bangladesh approaches a pivotal electoral exercise taking place 18 months after a massive student-led uprising in 2024 forced the resignation of long-time Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and ended the Awami League's rule, generating widespread hope for a shift toward greater accountability and reformed democratic governance in the neighbouring South Asian nation. Following an intense 20-day official campaign period that concluded on February 10, authorities have now shifted fully into polling mode, with attention centred on voting-day logistics and security management. Over 12.77 crore eligible voters will choose representatives for 299 of the 300 parliamentary seats, with one seat postponed due to a candidate's death. Alongside the parliamentary contest, voters will also participate in a concurrent national referendum on the July National Charter, a key document proposing major constitutional and institutional changes that could shape future governance. Against this backdrop, Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus, in a televised address to the nation, called on citizens to turn election day into the "birthday of a new Bangladesh," emphasising that the people themselves would shape the nation's future through their votes, The Daily Star reported. To facilitate the exercise, a total of 42,779 polling stations have been established nationwide. Voting is scheduled from 7:30 am to 4:30 pm without interruption. Among the electorate, 6.48 crore are men and 6.28 crore are women. The Election Commission said ballot papers are being distributed to polling centres with stringent security measures in place, noting that logistical preparations involving thousands of election officials and security personnel have been completed. Echoing this assessment, Election Commissioner Brig Gen (retd) Abul Fazal Md Sanaullah voiced satisfaction with the prevailing environment. "We are satisfied with the law and order situation as it stands. It would have been better if the isolated incidents that occurred had not happened. However, we are in a better position now than at any time in the past," The Daily Star reported. Detailing the enforcement strategy, Inspector General of Police Baharul Alam outlined a three-tier security framework comprising static forces at polling stations, mobile patrols, and rapid-response striking units. He said 1,57,805 police personnel will be deployed for election duties, supported by an additional 29,798 personnel from regular police stations. International observers have also taken note of the preparations. The European Union Election Observation Mission described the pre-poll atmosphere as "very positive," with Chief Observer Ivars Ijabs stating that stakeholders across districts and regions have conveyed a hopeful outlook, according to The Daily Star. The EU has deployed over 200 observers, including 60 long-term observers active since early January and 90 short-term observers assigned to monitor voting and counting. Politically, the contest primarily pits candidates from two major alliances, one led by the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and the other by Jamaat-e-Islami. Party leaders reviewed constituency-level readiness and issued instructions to workers and candidates. Despite the broadly positive outlook from authorities and observers, concerns persist in some regions regarding potential post-poll unrest. In Chattogram, minority voters expressed apprehension, with residents citing fears of being blamed for electoral outcomes, The Daily Star reported. A farmer from Rangpur's Gangachara upazila, Manoranjan Shil, recounted lingering trauma from an attack on his village last July. "We are still haunted by the terrifying experience of the attack. We are still in fear," the report said. Minority voters in districts such as Faridpur and Rajbari reported feeling secure, while sentiments varied in Mymensingh and Tangail. Taken together, the developments underscore the significance of the upcoming vote, widely seen as a critical juncture for Bangladesh's democratic trajectory, with broader implications for governance and regional stability in South Asia. - ANI China has forcefully rejected U.S. allegations that it conducted nuclear explosive tests in 2020, calling the claims completely groundless. Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Lin Jian accused the United States of being the primary source of disruption to the international nuclear order. He criticized Washington for allowing the New START treaty to expire and for its policy of nuclear first-use and massive modernization spending. Lin urged the U.S. to resume strategic dialogue with Russia and fulfill its nuclear disarmament responsibilities. China denies US claims it conducted nuclear explosive tests, accusing Washington of being the biggest source of disruption to the global nuclear order and arms control. Beijing, February 11 China on Wednesday strongly rejected allegations by the United States that it conducted nuclear explosive tests, calling the claims "completely groundless" and describing Washington as the "biggest source of disruption to the international nuclear order." The remarks came after US Under Secretary for Arms Control and International Security Thomas G DiNanno, speaking at the Conference on Disarmament in Geneva, accused Beijing of conducting "nuclear explosive tests" in June 2020. Responding to the allegations, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Lin Jian criticised the US, accusing it of undermining global strategic stability and arms control mechanisms. He further accused Washington of allowing the new Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START) to lapse, which he said harmed trust among major powers and weakened global strategic balance. "The position of the US is nothing new to us. The US keeps distorting and vilifying China's nuclear policy. This is essentially part of the US's political manipulation to seek nuclear supremacy and shirk its nuclear disarmament responsibility. China firmly rejects this," Lin said during a regular press briefing. "Let me stress that the U.S. is the biggest source of disruption to the international nuclear order and global strategic stability. In the area of arms control, the US simply let the New START treaty expire to the detriment of trust between major countries and global strategic stability," he added. The New START agreement, signed in 2010 between then US President Barack Obama and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, had placed ceilings on deployed strategic nuclear warheads and their delivery systems maintained by Washington and Moscow. With the treaty now expired, those limits are no longer enforceable, prompting arms control advocates to warn of the risk of a fresh nuclear arms buildup. Lin also criticised the US nuclear policy, alleging that it maintains a first-use doctrine, has invested trillions of dollars in modernising its nuclear triad, and continues to develop a global missile defence system along with forward deployment of strategic assets. He additionally accused the US of applying "double standards" on nuclear non-proliferation, saying such actions seriously undermine international and regional peace and security. "The US clings to the policy of first use of nuclear weapons. The US has spent trillions of dollars to upgrade its nuclear triad and has been working to build a global anti-missile system and establish forward deployment of strategic assets. The US applies double standards on nuclear non-proliferation. All of those seriously disrupt global strategic balance and stability and undermine international and regional peace and security," the Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson stated. On the specific allegation of nuclear testing, Lin said, "The US accusation of Chinese nuclear explosive tests is completely groundless. China opposes the US's fabrication of pretexts for its own resumption of nuclear tests." He urged the US to renew its commitment, along with other nuclear-weapon states like Russia, to a moratorium on nuclear testing and to uphold the global consensus on banning nuclear tests and called on Washington to fulfil what he described as its "special and primary responsibility" for nuclear disarmament. "Sitting on an enormous nuclear arsenal, the US should fulfill its special and primary responsibility for nuclear disarmament. This is the international consensus," the spokesperson added. He also noted that China hopes that the US will resume dialogue with Russia on strategic stability and discuss arrangements beyond the expiration of the New START Treaty. The Chinese remarks come days after the US Under Secretary DiNanno, speaking at the Conference, alleged that China "conducted nuclear explosive tests" in 2020, including preparing for tests with yields in "hundreds of tons." "I can reveal that the US Government is aware that China has conducted nuclear explosive tests, including preparing for tests with designated yields in the hundreds of tons. The PLA sought to conceal testing by obfuscating the nuclear explosions because it recognised these tests violate test ban commitments. China has used decoupling - a method to decrease the effectiveness of seismic monitoring - to hide their activities from the world. China conducted one such yield-producing nuclear test on June 22 of 2020," DiNanno he added. - ANI Actor Boman Irani shared a heartfelt social media post bidding farewell to his beloved pet dog, Lisa. He remembered her as a noble soul who could dissolve anger and sadness simply by entering a room. Irani also recently reflected on the one-year anniversary of his directorial debut, "The Mehta Boys," noting its lasting impact on audiences. He expressed gratitude for the continued discussions and love the film has received. Actor Boman Irani pens an emotional farewell to his dog Lisa, calling her a "royal, noble, and gentle soul" who changed the mood of any room. Mumbai, Feb 11 Actor Boman Irani has bid adieu to his furry friend. The actor recently took to social media to share a heartfelt note as he said goodbye to his beloved pet, Lisa. He also penned a note in the caption, as he remembered her not just as a pet, but as family, a royal, noble and gentle soul. He wrote, "You were the most demanding, attention-seeking, pampered, prioritised, and mentioned-per-day dog that ever will be. Why would that be? Simply because you were the most royal, noble, and gentle soul that ever lived. I have seen non-dog lovers melt before you. Dog haters become dog lovers. Then there are dog lovers who gave you the endorsement of the 'greatest'". He recalled how her presence could instantly change the mood of a room. Anger faded, sadness lifted, and even arguments would fall silent with one dignified bark as if she simply wanted peace. He further mentioned, "I have seen anger fade to love in the room when you magically demanded it. I have seen sadness evaporate the minute you entered the room and snapped your pawed finger. I have seen arguments silenced by one noble bark (bow), simply because you hated to see people argue. Your energy repelled all that was evil and attracted all that was good. Simple. We will miss you, my darling Lisa". Earlier, the actor celebrated 1 year of his directorial debut, 'The Mehta Boys'. Reflecting on the milestone, the actor shared that for him, the biggest thing is that the drama didn't stop with its release. "Films often have a brief moment, but this one seems to have stayed with people in a quieter, lasting way", he shared. During the last year, discussions around the film have continued both online and offline, with viewers often pointing out how the story mirrored their own family dynamics. The actor also used social media to thank the audience for showering the project with so much love and appreciation. - IANS Australia's intelligence chief stated the perpetrators of the December Bondi Beach terror attack demonstrated high security awareness to conceal their plot from authorities. The attack, targeting a Hanukkah celebration, resulted in 15 fatalities, making it the nation's deadliest mass shooting since 1996. Alleged attacker Sajid Akram was killed by police, while his son Naveed was arrested and faces numerous charges including murder. ASIO had previously investigated Naveed Akram in 2019 but deemed him not a threat, a conclusion reviewed after the attack. Australia's spy chief says Bondi attackers demonstrated high security awareness to stay off radar before deadly December mass shooting. Canberra, Feb 11 The perpetrators of the terror attack at Sydney's Bondi Beach in December demonstrated high levels of awareness to hide their plans, Australia's intelligence chief said. Mike Burgess, director-general of security of the Australian Security Intelligence Organization (ASIO), told a Senate hearing that law enforcement and intelligence agencies did not know that the perpetrators of the Bondi attack were planning anything prior to the fatal mass shooting on December 14, Xinhua news agency reported. "It appears the alleged terrorists demonstrated a high level of security awareness to hide their plot. In simple terms, they went dark to stay off the radar," he said. Fifteen people were killed in the attack, which targeted an event celebrating the Jewish festival of Hanukkah, making it Australia's most deadly mass shooting since 1996. One of the alleged attackers, Sajid Akram, was shot dead by police at the scene while his son, 24-year-old Naveed, was arrested and charged with 59 offenses, including 15 counts of murder and one count of committing a terrorist act. Naveed Akram was in 2019 investigated by ASIO over alleged links to a Sydney-based Islamic State terror cell, but was deemed not to pose a terror threat. Burgess said on Tuesday night that he commissioned a review of the previous investigation immediately following December's attack, which concluded that the Akrams did not intend to engage in violent extremism in 2019. - IANS Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis congratulated the newly elected Mayor of Mumbai, Ritu Tawde, and Deputy Mayor, Sanjay Ghadi, stating the Mahayuti alliance will fulfill its promises. Mayor Tawde announced a crackdown on unauthorized hawkers, specifically targeting illegal Bangladeshi vendors, and plans to install digital boards to combat air pollution. Deputy Mayor Ghadi emphasized improving roads, drainage to prevent water stagnation, and upgrading hospital facilities with better medicines and doctors. The BJP emerged as the single largest party in the BMC polls, with its ally Shiv Sena, forming the ruling Mahayuti alliance. Maharashtra CM Fadnavis congratulates Mumbai's new Mayor Ritu Tawde & Deputy Mayor Sanjay Ghadi, outlining civic priorities on hawkers, pollution & infrastructure. Mumbai, February 11 Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Wednesday congratulated Ritu Tawde on being elected as BMC mayor and Sanjay Shankar Ghadi as Deputy Mayor and said that the Mahayuti will complete the promises. Speaking to the media, CM Fadnavis noted that the civic body is an important part of democracy. "Ritu Tawde has been elected as Mayor unanimously. Sanjay Ghadi has been elected as the Deputy Mayor. Congratulations to both of them. Maha Yuti will fulfil all the promises. Both are experienced, and people will benefit. We will work together and give directions to the BMC. The BMC is a vital part of democracy." Expressing similar sentiments, Deputy CM Eknath Shinde said, "It is a very happy day for Maha Yuti as the people of Mumbai have given the majority to us. Maha Yuti's mayor Ritu Tawde and deputy mayor Sanjay Ghadi were elected unopposed here... I thank the people of Mumbai..." Ritu Tawde said that the civic body will crack down on unauthorised hawkers and encroachments in Mumbai, especially targeting illegal Bangladeshi vendors, adding that they will focus on reducing air pollution by installing digital boards "I've said that the papers of those in hawker zones and non-hawker zones, where people with official licenses sit, will be checked. Furthermore, if anyone attempts to illegally encroach on the footpaths, or if Bangladeshis come and sit here as illegal hawkers, their papers will be checked. If so, they will be handed over to the police. Air pollution in Mumbai is increasing, we're concerned about this, and we're going to install digital boards. Wherever development work is underway, we're going to tell builders that they should pay maximum attention to cleanliness, and if air pollution is increasing, their work should be halted for a while..." Ghadi told ANI that the focus would be on improving roads, fixing drainage to avoid water stagnation, and upgrading hospitals with better facilities. "Today is a very happy day. I have become the Deputy Mayor. Work is underway to make Mumbai's roads cement concrete. Rainwater coming into Mumbai should flow easily and should not stagnate in Mumbai. The Mumbai Municipal Corporation has already worked on this, and we will work on it further. Bigger hospitals should be built in Mumbai, new ones should be built, and the existing hospitals should have good medicines, good doctors and good beds. Mayor Madam and I will press the administration to do this." Ritu Tawde and Sanjay Ghadi also paid tribute to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and Balasaheb Thackeray at Shivaji Park. Tawde, a senior BJP corporator represents Ward 132 (N-Ward, Ghatkopar) in the Munciplity. In the BMC polls to the 227-member civic body, the BJP emerged as the single largest party with 89 seats, while its ally, Shiv Sena, won 29 seats. - ANI Pop icon Britney Spears has sold the publishing rights to her entire music catalog to the independent publisher Primary Wave. The deal, signed in late December, includes her biggest hits like "...Baby One More Time" and "Toxic." While financial terms are undisclosed, reports estimate the agreement is worth around $200 million, comparable to recent deals by other major artists. With this sale, Spears joins a growing list of legendary musicians who have cashed in on their song catalogs in recent years. Britney Spears sells rights to her hit songs, including 'Toxic' and 'Baby One More Time,' to Primary Wave in a deal estimated at $200 million. Washington, February 11 Global pop icon Britney Spears has sold the rights to her entire music catalog to independent publisher Primary Wave. According to Deadline, the deal includes Spears' biggest chart-toppers such as '... Baby One More Time,' 'Oops! ... I Did It Again,' 'Toxic,' 'Sometimes,' 'Lucky,' and 'I'm a Slave 4 U,' among many others. A report by TMZ, which first broke the news, stated that the agreement was signed on December 30. While the official financial details have not been disclosed. As per TMZ, the deal is believed to be in the range of the USD 200 million agreement Justin Bieber secured in 2023 when he sold his catalog to Hipgnosis Songs Capital. In addition to her early breakout hits, the transaction reportedly covers tracks including 'Circus,' 'If U Seek Amy,' 'Gimme More,' 'Womanizer,' 'Stronger,' 'Till The World Ends,' 'Everytime,' 'Piece of Me,' and 'I'm Not a Girl, Not Yet a Woman,' among others. With this move, Spears joins a growing list of global music heavyweights who have sold their catalogs in recent years, including Shakira, Bruce Springsteen, Bob Dylan, KISS, Neil Young and Randy Newman. Primary Wave represents an expansive roster of legendary artists such as Bob Marley, Stevie Nicks, Whitney Houston, Prince, Aerosmith and Def Leppard. - ANI Deputy Chief Minister Diya Kumari presented Rajasthan's budget for the 2026-27 financial year, calling it a significant step toward building a "Viksit Rajasthan." She emphasized the budget was prepared with a focus on the people and would include several new announcements. The budget aligns with the broader Viksit Bharat vision championed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, focusing on infrastructure, employment, and future sectors like AI. The budget session began on January 28, with the final document being finalized by Kumari and senior finance officials earlier this week. Deputy CM Diya Kumari presents Rajasthan's 2026-27 budget, terming it a key step for a developed state with new announcements for the people. Jaipur, February 11 Ahead of presenting Rajasthan's Budget for the 2026-27 financial year, State Finance Minister and Deputy Chief Minister Diya Kumari arrived at the state Assembly on Wednesday and termed the document a significant step toward building a "Viksit Rajasthan." Addressing reporters before the presentation, Kumari said the budget has been prepared with a focus on the state's people and will include several new announcements. She emphasised that it would play an important role in accelerating Rajasthan's development. "This is a very important budget for Viksit Rajasthan. This budget is for the people of the state. A lot of new announcements will be made in the budget today," Diya Kumari told reporters. On Tuesday, Rajasthan Finance Commission Chairman Arun Chaturvedi said the state is progressing on the path of "mainstream development" in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of Viksit Bharat. Chaturvedi highlighted advances in infrastructure, manpower development, and science and technology, noting that the government has already created employment for nearly two lakh people. He also noted that progress is underway in key future-oriented sectors, such as education and artificial intelligence. "Rajasthan is moving along the path of mainstream development under the leadership and mission of Viksit Bharat envisioned by Prime Minister Modi across infrastructure development, manpower, and science and technology... The state government has already provided employment to nearly 2 lakh people... Furthermore, development work is progressing in the fields of education and artificial intelligence, which represent the future," he told ANI. Earlier on Tuesday, Diya Kumari finalised the 2026-27 budget in the presence of senior finance department officials, including Principal Secretary (Finance) Vaibhav Galaria, Secretary (Expenditure) Tina Soni, Secretary (Budget) Rajan Vishal, Secretary (Revenue) Kumarpal Gautam, and Director (Budget) Brijesh Kishore Sharma. The Rajasthan Assembly's budget session commenced on January 28 with the Governor's address, and Wednesday marks the sixth sitting of the ongoing session. - ANI The Yogi Adityanath government is set to present its 10th and largest-ever budget for Uttar Pradesh, amounting to 9.5 lakh crore. Finance Minister Suresh Khanna stated the budget is prepared on the principle of 'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas' with a focus on women, youth, farmers, and deprived sections. Deputy CM Brajesh Pathak emphasized the budget will strengthen state infrastructure and complete pending projects. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said this budget will provide a new direction and action plan towards a self-reliant and developed Uttar Pradesh. UP Finance Minister Suresh Khanna announces a massive 9.5 lakh crore budget focused on women, youth, farmers, and infrastructure for Viksit Bharat. New Delhi, Feb 11 As the Yogi government is set to present its 10th Budget in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly, Finance Minister Suresh Khanna on Wednesday said the budget will focus on the principle of 'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas'. He said the emphasis will remain on women, youth, farmers and deprived sections of society. Speaking to IANS, Khanna said, "The budget will emphasise everyone. The focus will be on women, youth, farmers and deprived sections of society. The Opposition should extend its support to this budget, as our intentions are good. In nine years, the Yogi government has tried to ensure justice and has worked to do good." "The Yogi government has always aimed to create a budget for all sections of society, reflecting the principle of 'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas'. Based on this approach, the budget has been prepared and is expected to accelerate the state's development," he added. This will be the last full Budget of the BJP-led government's second term. The Budget size is Rs 9.5 lakh crore, significantly exceeding previous budgets. Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak, speaking to IANS, said, "Today, the Yogi government is coming up with the biggest budget. This budget will strengthen the infrastructure of Uttar Pradesh. Whatever projects are left, we will complete all of them. You will see major projects in the coming days." He further said the Budget will focus on basic necessities such as roads, food, and water, while also working on law and order and the health sector. "It will benefit the poor and will promote the 'Viksit Bharat' resolution. Uttar Pradesh will become a better space for entrepreneurs and business people," Pathak said. UP Minister Jaiveer Singh also expressed confidence about the Budget and told IANS, "After the Yogi government came into power, things have changed in Uttar Pradesh. It will be an inclusive budget and will be for everyone. Whether it is farmers, workers or anyone else, it will benefit all." Singh said Uttar Pradesh has witnessed significant progress in recent years. "Earlier, Uttar Pradesh used to be placed fourth or fifth in the list of developed states, but now it is at the top. Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Uttar Pradesh has worked a lot towards the development of the state," he added. Earlier in the day, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath stated that this Budget will provide a new direction and a clear policy vision to achieve the goals of 'Aatmanirbhar' and 'Viksit' Uttar Pradesh. Taking to X, CM Yogi said, "Under the illustrious guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Mod ji, 'New Uttar Pradesh' is continuously advancing towards the construction of a strong, self-reliant and prosperous state with the policy of good governance, inclusive development and public welfare." "The budget for the financial year 2026-27, presented today in the Uttar Pradesh Legislature, will provide new direction, new energy, clear policy-vision and concrete action plan to the resolution of 'Aatmanirbhar' and 'Viksit' Uttar Pradesh," he added. - IANS The Gujarat Assembly's Budget Session is set to commence on February 16 with the Governor's address, followed by the presentation of the state budget on February 17. Ahead of the session, a crucial Business Advisory Committee meeting will be held on Thursday to finalize the legislative agenda and time allocation. In preparation, all state ministers have undergone special training on the digital e-NeVA platform to streamline the conduct of proceedings. The ruling BJP has also called a meeting of its MLAs to brief them on the government's position regarding key issues and the upcoming budget. Gujarat Assembly's Budget Session starts Feb 16. BAC meets Thursday to set agenda. Ministers trained on e-NeVA digital platform. Key bills and state budget in focus. Gandhinagar, Feb 11 Preparations have gathered pace at the Gujarat Secretariat ahead of the state Assembly's Budget Session, which will commence on February 16 with the Governor's address. The first day of the session will begin with Governor Acharya Devvrat's speech, followed by obituary references in the House. The state Budget is scheduled to be presented on February 17. Officials said key legislative business and financial proposals will be taken up during the session. In the run-up to the proceedings, a meeting of the Business Advisory Committee will be held on Thursday at the Assembly under the chairmanship of Speaker Shankar Chaudhary. The committee will include the Chief Minister, Deputy Chief Minister, Finance Minister, Parliamentary Affairs Minister, the government's chief whip and the Leader of the Opposition, along with other members, including Congress Legislature Party leader Dr Tushar Chaudhary. The panel will deliberate on the session's agenda, including the Bills to be introduced and the allocation of time for discussions. As part of efforts to streamline legislative functioning, all state ministers have undergone special training at the Assembly's e-NeVA (National e-Vidhan Application) centre. The training session held on Tuesday and focused on familiarising ministers with the digital 'Vidhan' application used for Assembly business. Ministers were guided on how to access agenda items, notices and Bills through the platform, and were briefed on responding to questions and participating in debates in accordance with Assembly rules. Speaker Shankar Chaudhary attended the session and reviewed the preparations related to the digital conduct of proceedings. Separately, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party is said to have called the meeting of its MLAs on February 16 at the Assembly complex. Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel and state BJP president Jagdish Vishwakarma are expected to be present. During the meeting, legislators will be briefed on the government's position on key issues, proposed legislation and the main provisions of the Budget, along with instructions regarding coordination and conduct in the House. The opposition is also expected to raise various issues during the session. - IANS Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu has called for the state's NDA alliance to replicate the BJP's long-standing success formula in Gujarat to ensure prolonged governance. He emphasized strengthening unity among TDP, Jana Sena, and BJP partners at the grassroots level through coordinated district meetings. Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan echoed the goal, stating the coalition should remain in power for 15 more years to steer development. Naidu highlighted major ongoing infrastructure projects and urged legislators to focus on public welfare and meaningful legislative discussions to build public trust. Andhra CM Chandrababu Naidu urges NDA allies to follow Gujarat's political model for long-term power, stressing unity and development. Amaravati, Feb 11 Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on Wednesday said that Andhra Pradesh should follow the BJP's success formula in Gujarat. Stating that he will not be content with one or two terms in power, he said that there is a need to replicate the Gujarat success formula. The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) chief stated this at a meeting of NDA legislators here on Wednesday. BJP has been in power in Gujarat for over three decades. The party has never lost an election in the western state since 1995. MLAs and MLCs of TDP, Jana Sena and BJP attended the meeting held in the Assembly Committee Hall on the first day of the Budget session of the state legislature. Chief Minister Naidu and Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan gave advice to the legislators to ensure unity of the alliance and also make the discussions in the legislature meaningful. Chandrababu Naidu claimed that the NDA has become stronger than it was after sweeping the Assembly elections in 2024. He stressed the need for strengthening the unity among NDA partners at the grassroots level. He mooted district-level meetings of all three parties to strengthen coordination. Deputy CM Pawan Kalyan said the coalition should remain in power for another 15 years to steer the state ahead on the path of development. Stating that YSRCP leaders have not learnt lessons from their humiliating defeat, he urged legislators of the coalition to work unitedly to counter the conspiracies of YSRCP. Chandrababu Naidu wanted the MLAs and MLCs of the NDA partners to earn a name for themselves. He asked them to avoid raising issues of personal rivalry in the legislature. Stating that the coalition has garnered the support of people with development and welfare measures, he asked the legislators to build further on this public trust. Naidu urged the legislators to explain to people what benefits they are deriving from the initiatives taken by the coalition government. The Chief Minister mentioned that works on highways worth over Rs 1 lakh crore and railway projects worth over Rs 90,000 crore were currently in progress in the state. He also referred to the support being extended by the Centre for the development of the state capital, Amaravati and for the Polavaram project. The Chief Minister asked MLAs to come prepared to the Assembly to speak on the subject. Naidu said he would take note of what MLAs speak in the House. He said every MLA should be present in the House from 8.30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Naidu told them that he would also attend the Assembly every day from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. - IANS Mega star Chiranjeevi commemorated the anniversary of his first day in front of a camera for the 1979 film 'Punadhirallu'. He expressed deep gratitude to the film's director and producer for giving him his first opportunity. Chiranjeevi credited their trust and encouragement as the foundation for his illustrious acting journey. He also extended his thanks to the audiences who have supported him throughout his career. Mega star Chiranjeevi recalls his first day on camera for the 1979 film 'Punadhirallu' and expresses gratitude to its director and producer. Hyderabad, Feb 11 Recalling that February 11 was the first day he stood in front of a camera for his film 'Punadhirallu', which incidentally was the first film for which he shot, Mega star Chiranjeevi on Wednesday penned a note of gratitude to the audiences and to the director and producer of the film, who, he said, had given him his first opportunity. Taking to his X timeline to post black and white pictures from the sets of the film, which was made in 1979, Chiranjeevi, in Telugu, wrote, "Today marks the first day in my life that I stood in front of the camera for the movie 'Punadhirallu'." The actor went on to point out that the joy, excitement and responsibility that he felt on that day along with the emotions he experienced then could not be described in words. The actor, who said that the moment still felt like it had happened only yesterday or the day before, likened the experience to a beautiful full moon story. He said, "On this special occasion, I express my heartfelt gratitude to the director and producer of that film who gave me my first opportunity." The top star of Telugu cinema pointed out that it was their trust and encouragement that helped lay the foundation stones for his journey in acting. "From that day until today, my thanks to all the audience members who have supported and blessed me, " he wrote. For the unaware, 'Punadhirallu', which released in 1979, was directed by Gudapati Rajkumar and produced by Kranthi Kumar. Although this was the first film for which Chiranjeevi shot, his first film to release was 'Pranam Khareedu'. 'Punadhirallu' won two Nandi Awards. While the film won the Nandi Award for Best Feature Film, actor Gokina Rama Rao won the Best Actor Award for his performance in the film. - IANS Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami participated in the 'She for STEM Uttarakhand' workshop on the International Day of Women and Girls in Science. He announced scholarships of Rs 50,000 each for 20 talented girls and pledged financial support for STEM-based startups led by female students. The CM highlighted the historical and contemporary contributions of Indian women in science, from ancient scholars to modern pioneers like Dr. Tessy Thomas. He linked the initiative to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision, emphasizing that empowering women in STEM is crucial for India's development. CM Pushkar Singh Dhami announces Rs 50,000 scholarships for 20 girls and startup funding to promote women in science and technology on International Day of Women and Girls in Science. Dehradun, February 11 Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Wednesday participated in the 'She for STEM Uttarakhand' workshop organised at Uttarakhand Technical University, Sudhowala on the occasion of International Day of Women and Girls in Science. On the occasion of the International Day of Women and Girls in Science, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami extended his heartfelt greetings and best wishes to everyone and welcomed all dignitaries present at the workshop. Through the special 'She for STEM' program, the Chief Minister provided scholarships of Rs 50,000 each to 20 talented girls of the state. The Chief Minister announced that, under the She for STEM initiative, five girls from each district will receive scholarships. He also announced that financial resources will be made available to girl students to start STEM-based startups. Self-help groups will also be connected with Women Technology Centres. The Chief Minister expressed satisfaction that, through this program, talented daughters are being inspired to pursue STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) education and careers. Meaningful efforts are also being made to promote science, technology, and innovation in remote and border areas and to connect women with modern technology. The Chief Minister appreciated all the organisers, including InMobi, Vigyanshala International, UCOST, and Uttarakhand Technical University, for successfully organising the program and for their important role in making this visionary initiative a success. The Chief Minister said that Indian history shows that women's power has not been limited to social or family life but has also been prominent in fields such as science, philosophy, astronomy, and medicine. In the Vedic period, scholars such as Gargi and Maitreyi led philosophical discussions, while Lilavati made significant contributions to mathematics. He also noted evidence of women's contributions to the development of Ayurvedic texts such as the Charak Samhita and the Sushruta Samhita. The Chief Minister said that, even in modern times, many women have made extraordinary contributions in science and technology, bringing pride to the nation. Before independence, when stepping out of the home was also a challenge for women, Anna Mani made history as India's first woman meteorologist and became known as the "Weather Woman of India." She made invaluable contributions to meteorology and the development of scientific instruments. Similarly, Kamala Sohonie became the first Indian woman to earn a PhD in science, proving that talent is not bound by limitations. The Chief Minister said that in present-day India, Dr. Tessy Thomas, known as the "Missile Woman of India," led major missile projects such as Agni-4 and Agni-5, strengthening the country's strategic capabilities. Likewise, Dr. Ritu Karidhal, known as the "Rocket Woman," played a key role in the success of historic missions like Mangalyaan, bringing global recognition to India. He said the lives of these great personalities convey the message that when women get opportunities, they not only create paths for themselves but also have the power to guide the entire nation. He added that around 42-43% of STEM graduates in India are women, which is higher than in many developed countries. This shows that India's daughters are moving ahead in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics and are ready to take leadership roles. He said there is a need to provide daughters with opportunities, resources, and confidence so that they can achieve their dreams and contribute to the vision of a developed India. The Chief Minister said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi believes that India's progress in the 21st century will depend on science and technological innovation. Under his visionary leadership, India has achieved remarkable heights in science and technology. Achievements such as COVID vaccine development, Chandrayaan-3, Aditya L1, and the Gaganyaan mission have set new milestones for the country. The Chief Minister said that under the Digital India campaign, advanced technologies like Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, and Cloud Computing are being promoted, helping India play a leading role in the global technological revolution. - ANI Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini emphasized the state government's dedication to the Antyodaya philosophy, aiming to ensure development reaches the last person. He made these remarks at a Samarpan Diwas event honoring Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya, whose principles guide the administration. The CM detailed numerous welfare schemes, including free rations for 41 lakh families, housing initiatives, and expansive healthcare coverage under Ayushman Bharat. He linked these efforts to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's mantra of inclusive development and service. Haryana CM Nayab Singh Saini outlines state's commitment to Antyodaya philosophy, ensuring schemes reach the poorest. Details on housing, healthcare, and rations. Panchkula, February 12 Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini on Wednesday said that the state government, guided by Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya's Antyodaya philosophy, is committed to ensuring that the benefits of development reach the poorest of the poor. The government is ensuring that the light of development reaches the last mile and that no citizen is left behind, he added. The Chief Minister addressed the Samarpan Diwas programme held at Panchkamal in Panchkula to mark the death anniversary of Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya. Earlier, he paid tribute to the leader by offering floral homage at his portrait. CM Nayab Singh Saini said that the entire nation is observing Samarpan Diwas today on the death anniversary of Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya. He remarked that the day serves as a reminder that politics is not a means to power, but a medium of service. Describing Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya as a leader with no attraction towards authority, the Chief Minister said that despite this, he ruled the hearts of the people. He termed him an embodiment of honesty who placed national service above party politics. The Chief Minister further said that Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya propounded timeless principles such as Integral Humanism (Ekatm Manavvad) and Antyodaya, rooted in India's philosophy of life, customs and traditions, rich culture, and social fabric, as stated in the release. He added that the progress of any society should be judged not by those at the top, but by the condition of those at the lowest rung. Villages, the poor, farmers, the deprived, the oppressed, the exploited, and tribal communities remained central to his thinking. Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya firmly believed that the nation cannot become strong until the last person in society is empowered, he said. Nayab Singh Saini said that in keeping with the principle of Antyodaya, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given the guiding mantra of "Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas and Sabka Prayas." He has pledged to ensure that the benefits of government schemes reach every eligible citizen without discrimination. Whether it is the drive to provide housing, toilets, Ujjwala gas connections, electricity and pure drinking water to the poor, or the scheme to provide free rations to 80 crore people across the country, all these initiatives reflect the practical implementation of Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya's ideals. The Chief Minister said that in Haryana, in accordance with the philosophy of Antyodaya, several programmes have been launched to ensure that the benefits of development reach the poorest sections of society, while addressing basic needs such as food, clothing, housing, education and healthcare. In the state, 41 lakh poor families are being provided free rations. Under the Har Ghar-Har Grihini scheme, 14.50 lakh families are receiving gas cylinders for Rs 500. To fulfil the dream of the poor to own a home, 1.56 lakh houses have been provided under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana. In addition, under the Mukhya Mantri Awas Yojana, plots have been allotted to more than 27,000 poor families in urban and rural areas. Under the Ambedkar Awas Navinikaran Yojana, families belonging to the Scheduled Castes, Vimukt Jatis and Tapriwas Jatis living below the poverty line are being given Rs 80,000 for house repairs. So far, Rs 416 crore has been disbursed to 76,985 beneficiaries under this scheme. Referring to the unprecedented steps taken in the health sector, the Chief Minister said that to ensure no poor person is deprived of medical treatment due to financial constraints, free treatment of up to Rs 5 lakh is being provided under the Ayushman Bharat-Chirayu Yojana. So far, about 27 lakh people have availed themselves of free treatment at an estimated cost of Rs 4,000 crore. He added that, fulfilling the Sankalp made during the Assembly elections, free dialysis services have been introduced for kidney patients in all government hospitals and medical colleges across the state. In addition, patients suffering from thalassemia and haemophilia are being provided with monthly financial assistance of Rs 3,000. Reiterating the government's commitment to providing economic and social security to women in the state, Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini said that the government has launched the Deen Dayal Lado Lakshmi Yojana, under which eligible women are provided Rs 2,100 per month. So far, Rs 634 crore has been disbursed to more than 9,22,000 beneficiaries in four instalments. The Chief Minister said that yesterday (Tuesday), he transferred Rs 193 crore to the accounts of beneficiary women as the fourth instalment of the scheme. He added that similarly, old-age, widow, disabled and other social security pensions have also been released. The Chief Minister said that Haryana has become the first state in the country to extend the highest amount of social security pension to its beneficiaries. He said that in furtherance of social upliftment in the state, financial assistance of up to Rs 71,000 is being provided for the marriages of daughters from poor families under the Mukhya Mantri Vivah Shagun Yojana. To achieve the goal of universal education, the government has also made provision for free textbooks, uniforms and stationery up to Class 12 for students from poor families with annual incomes below Rs 1.80 lakh, and no fees are charged from them. Similarly, daughters from such families pursuing higher education in colleges and universities are also exempted from paying tuition fees. On this occasion, the Chief Minister urged the people to imbibe the ideals of Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya in their conduct, decisions and actions, and to remain steadfast on the path of national service, social service and the upliftment of the poor. He said that this would be the truest tribute to the great leader. Present on the occasion were several dignitaries, including former Speaker of the Haryana Legislative Assembly Gian Chand Gupta, District President Ajay Mittal, BJP State Vice President Banto Kataria, former Mayor Kulbhushan Goyal, programme coordinator Amrinder, and the Chief Minister's Media Secretary Praveen Attrey, among others. - ANI A delegation of newly elected BJP councillors from Thiruvananthapuram, led by Mayor VV Rajesh, has arrived in Delhi for a three-day visit focused on Kerala's development. The schedule includes high-level meetings with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Ministers, and BJP national leaders. The visit follows the BJP-NDA's significant performance in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation elections, where they won 50 out of 101 wards. The agenda features discussions on urban development and central initiatives for the state. Thiruvananthapuram Mayor VV Rajesh leads BJP delegation to Delhi for meetings with PM Modi and central ministers on Kerala's development agenda. New Delhi, February 11 A delegation led by Thiruvananthapuram Corporation Mayor VV Rajesh, comprising the Newly Elected Bharatiya Janata Party Councilors of the Thiruvananthapuram Municipal Corporation & other Civic Representatives from the State are scheduled to arrive in New Delhi to meet PM Narendra Modi and other senior BJP leaders. They will be on a three-day visit to Delhi. The purpose of the visit is to focus on developement of Kerala and give the message that the people of Kerala are looking for development and the Bharatiya Janata Party. BJP-led NDA won 50 wards in the 101-ward Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, while the LDF was reduced to 29 wards. U The Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra components welcomed the Kerala team that left for Delhi Pravas as part of the skill development program. BJP state president P.V.N. Madhav and others received them in Vijayawada. The Telangana unit also gave a grand reception in Warangal. The Nagpur BJP unit also welcomed them at the railway station at night. The Delhi BJP leadership will receive the team arriving in Delhi on Wednesday afternoon. As per the source, after visiting the war memorial at India Gate on Wednesday. The people's representatives will participate in various programs along with National President Nitin Nabin at the BJP Central Committee office larter in the day. On the 12th at 10 am, Union Urban Development Minister Manohar Lal Khattar will conduct a class related to urban development at the BJP national headquarters. He will speak to Kerala's representatives about the concept of a developed Kerala. At 2 pm, the delegation will visit Parliament. A special meeting with the Prime Minister will be held from 4 pm to 6 pm. The meeting will be held at the Prime Minister's residence on Lok Kalyan Marg. In the evening, the delegation will also meet Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda. On the 13th, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta and BJP National Organising Secretary B.L. Santosh will address the Kerala delegation at the BJP headquarters. There will also be a visit to Rashtrapati Bhavan in the afternoon. - ANI A delegation of 115 newly elected BJP councillors from Kerala arrived in Delhi for a three-day visit aimed at discussing the state's development. They were welcomed by Delhi BJP leaders and will meet senior national figures, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The visit follows the BJP-led NDA's significant gains in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation elections. Party leaders frame the local body victory as a public mandate for development and a precursor to success in future assembly polls. 115 newly elected BJP councillors from Kerala visit Delhi for meetings with PM Narendra Modi and senior leaders, signaling party's expansion plans. New Delhi, February 11 As many as 115 newly elected councillors from Kerala arrived on Wednesday afternoon at the New Delhi Railway Station to meet PM Narendra Modi and other senior BJP leaders. Th elected councillors were welcomed by Delhi BJP President Virendra Sachdeva and Mayor of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi Raja Iqbal Singh. They will be on a three-day visit to Delhi. The purpose of the visit is to focus on developement of Kerala and give the message that the people of Kerala are looking for development and the Bharatiya Janata Party. Mayor, Thiruvananthapuram Municipal Corporation, VV Rajesh told ANI, "The victory in Kerala is the result of the 45 years of dedicated fight against communism... The local body election victory in Kerala will reflect in the upcoming assembly elections." On the occasion, BJP President Virendra Sachdeva told ANI, "Our mayor has been elected in Kerala for the first time... It shows what the public of Kerala wants." Singh told ANI, "... Our BJP mayor was elected in Kerala after many sacrifices. Big leadership is here to welcome him... Our government will be formed in Kerala in the coming time." BJP-led NDA won 50 wards in the 101-ward Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, while the LDF was reduced to 29 wards. As per the source, after visiting the war memorial at India Gate on Wednesday. The people's representatives will participate in various programs along with National President Nitin Nabin at the BJP Central Committee office later in the day. On the 12th at 10 am, Union Urban Development Minister Manohar Lal Khattar will conduct a class related to urban development at the BJP national headquarters. He will speak to Kerala's representatives about the concept of a developed Kerala. At 2 pm, the delegation will visit Parliament. A special meeting with the Prime Minister will be held from 4 pm to 6 pm. The meeting will be held at the Prime Minister's residence on Lok Kalyan Marg. In the evening, the delegation will also meet Union Health Minister JP Nadda. On the 13th, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta and BJP National Organising Secretary BL Santosh will address the Kerala delegation at the BJP headquarters. There will also be a visit to Rashtrapati Bhavan in the afternoon. - ANI Bangladesh is holding its 13th national parliamentary election alongside a historic referendum on February 12, following a vigorous 20-day campaign that featured only black-and-white posters, giving Dhaka's streets a monochromatic appearance. The polls come 18 months after a student-led uprising that ended Sheikh Hasina's long tenure, with over 12.77 crore voters eligible to cast ballots across 42,779 polling stations. Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus urged citizens to participate actively, calling election day the potential "birthday of a new Bangladesh," while authorities have implemented a three-layered security arrangement involving nearly 1.87 lakh police personnel. International observers from the EU have described the pre-poll atmosphere as "very positive," viewing the elections as a new beginning for the country's democracy, though some minority communities express concerns about post-poll tensions. Bangladesh prepares for Feb 12 national polls and referendum. Dhaka's streets feature black-and-white posters as over 12.77 crore voters decide the nation's future. Dhaka, February 11 Bangladesh is set to hold its 13th national parliamentary election alongside a concurrent national referendum on February 12, with schools and public buildings across the country, including in the capital Dhaka, being converted into polling stations as per established tradition. An elementary school in Dhaka's Mirpur area, Ananda Niketan Government Primary School, exemplifies this practice by serving as a polling centre to enable voter access. In adherence to Election Commission guidelines, the campaign period featured only black-and-white posters, with candidates using ropes to hang them instead of attaching them directly to walls, which is prohibited under election laws. This has given Dhaka's streets a distinctly monochromatic appearance. Authorities said preparations have been finalised to ensure a peaceful voting process, with results expected to be declared on Friday, February 13. The polls come 18 months after a massive student-led uprising in 2024 that led to the resignation of long-serving Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and the end of Awami League dominance, raising expectations for enhanced accountability and democratic reforms. Following a vigorous 20-day official campaign that ended yesterday, the focus has shifted to single-day voting for more than 12.77 crore eligible voters across 299 of the 300 parliamentary seats, with one seat deferred due to a candidate's death. Voters will also decide in a national referendum on the July National Charter, which outlines substantial constitutional and institutional reforms. In a televised national address, Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus urged citizens to make election day the "birthday of a new Bangladesh," stressing that their participation would shape the nation's future, The Daily Star reported. A total of 42,779 polling stations have been established nationwide, with voting scheduled from 7:30 am to 4:30 pm without interruption. The electorate comprises 6.48 crore men and 6.28 crore women. A total of 1,755 candidates from 50 registered political parties are in the fray, along with 273 independents, including 20 women. Additionally, 63 women are contesting on party tickets. Ballot papers are being distributed to polling centres under tight security, with authorities confirming that logistical arrangements are complete. The Election Commission expressed confidence in the prevailing law and order situation. "We are satisfied with the law and order situation as it stands. It would have been better if the isolated incidents that occurred had not happened. However, we are in a better position now than at any time in the past," Election Commissioner Brig Gen (retd) Abul Fazal Md Sanaullah stated during a press briefing, as reported by The Daily Star. He cautioned that "evil forces" might still attempt disruptions and called on political parties, candidates, and supporters to uphold peace. Inspector General of Police Baharul Alam described a three-layered security arrangement involving static forces at polling stations, mobile patrols, and rapid-response units. He specified that 1,57,805 police personnel will manage primary election security, supplemented by 29,798 additional officers, taking the total deployment to 1,87,603. International observers have offered a broadly optimistic assessment of the pre-poll environment. The European Union Election Observation Mission (EU EOM) described the atmosphere as "very positive." "We have been speaking both to candidates and authorities in all districts and regions across the country, and the general atmosphere is very positive and hopeful," Chief Observer Ivars Ijabs remarked, according to The Daily Star. He noted that many stakeholders view the elections as a new beginning for Bangladesh's democracy, with the EU deploying over 200 observers. The main contest involves alliances led by the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and Jamaat-e-Islami, with BNP Chairman Tarique Rahman and Jamaat Ameer Shafiqur Rahman reviewing constituency preparedness. While official assurances prevail, some regions, particularly among minority communities, continue to harbour concerns about possible post-poll tensions. In Chattogram, a Hindu youth anonymously expressed fears: "On one side BNP, on the other side Jamaat. If the BNP loses, they blame the minorities; Jamaat does the same. State, election, and persecution have become synonymous for us," as cited by The Daily Star. A 56-year-old farmer from Rangpur's Gangachara upazila, Manoranjan Shil, recounted lingering trauma from a July attack on his village: "We are still haunted by the terrifying experience of the attack. We are still in fear," The Daily Star reported. Sentiments among minority voters vary across districts, with some in Faridpur and Rajbari expressing a sense of security while others remain anxious. This election stands as a pivotal moment for Bangladesh's democratic evolution, carrying broader implications for stability in South Asia and relations with neighbours, including India. - ANI The Election Commission of India has launched a structured EVM and VVPAT awareness campaign across the five poll-bound states and union territories of Assam, Kerala, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu, and West Bengal. The campaign utilizes fixed Demonstration Centres and Mobile Vans to give voters hands-on experience with the voting machines and clarify their doubts. As of February 10, over 1.2 lakh electors have participated in demo camps, and mobile vans have covered more than 29,000 polling station locations. The initiative aims to enhance transparency and voter confidence ahead of the upcoming elections. Election Commission launches hands-on EVM/VVPAT awareness campaign in Assam, Kerala, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu & West Bengal to boost voter confidence. New Delhi, Feb 11 The Election Commission of India has launched extensive EVM/VVPAT awareness campaigns across five poll-bound States and Union Territories -- Assam, Kerala, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal, an official statement said on Wednesday. The aim of the campaign is to familiarise voters with the functioning of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) units, it said. The campaign is being conducted in a structured and time-bound manner through EVM Demonstration Centres (EDCs) and Mobile Demonstration Vans (MDVs). According to the ECI, EDCs have been set up at the headquarters of District Election Officers (DEOs) as well as at Returning Officers and Revenue Sub-Division offices across the five States/UTs. These centres provide voters with hands-on experience of the voting process and an opportunity to clarify doubts regarding the functioning of the machines. As of February 10, more than 1.20 lakh electors have participated in demonstration camps at EDCs, while over 1.16 lakh electors have cast mock votes during these sessions. Additionally, MDVs have already covered more than 29,000 polling station locations to ensure outreach in both urban and rural areas. The Commission also released detailed data on the rollout of the campaign in each poll-bound State/UT, including the date of commencement, the number of polling stations covered, and footfall at demonstration centres in Kerala, Assam, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal. The EVM/VVPAT Awareness Campaign aims to enhance voter confidence by offering hands-on exposure to the machines, addressing concerns, and reinforcing transparency in the electoral process. The Commission said it remains committed to conducting free, fair and transparent elections and will continue to intensify voter awareness initiatives in the coming days. Meanwhile, in a separate notification, the Election Commission announced that the final electoral roll for Goa will be published on February 21. The notification stated that the final publication of the electoral roll under the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise will take place on February 21, 2026 (Saturday). - IANS The Election Commission of India will release a list of 78 private housing complexes in West Bengal for temporary polling booth setup on February 25. The state government and ruling Trinamool Congress oppose the plan, citing inconvenience from housing Central Armed Police Forces. The ECI argues the move benefits residents, especially senior citizens, by reducing travel distance to vote. The final voters' list will be published on February 28, ahead of the ECI's full bench visit to the state in March. ECI to release list of 78 private housing complexes in West Bengal for temporary polling booths on Feb 25, despite state government opposition. Kolkata, Feb 11 The Election Commission of India will this month release the list of private housing complexes in West Bengal where temporary polling booths will be set up for the crucial Assembly elections in the state scheduled later this year. Insiders from the office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), West Bengal, said that a total of 78 housing complexes with multiple towers have been identified for setting up temporary polling booths for the Assembly elections this year, and the list is scheduled to be released on February 25. The West Bengal government and the ruling Trinamool Congress have been opposing the idea of setting up polling booths at housing complexes since the beginning. The contention of the state government and the ruling party has been that setting up polling booths would also require temporarily accommodating Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) personnel within the same housing complexes, which might cause inconvenience to the residents. In one of her letters to the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC), Gyanesh Kumar, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had also objected to the Commission's proposal to set up polling booths at housing complexes. However, the Commission has its own argument in favour of setting up polling booths at such complexes. According to the ECI, the move will provide relief to residents of the complexes, especially senior citizen voters, from travelling longer distances to the nearest polling booth to cast their votes. On Tuesday, the ECI announced the revised schedule of the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in West Bengal. Under the revised schedule, the process of hearing sessions on claims and objections to the draft voters' list in West Bengal will be completed on February 21, and the final voters' list will be published on February 28. On March 1, the full Bench of the ECI will arrive for a two-day visit to West Bengal to take stock of the post-SIR scenario in the state. Shortly thereafter, the Commission is expected to announce the polling dates for the crucial Assembly elections scheduled later this year. - IANS A seven-member team of Deputy Election Commissioners has arrived in Chennai to review preparedness for the upcoming Tamil Nadu and Puducherry Legislative Assembly elections. Tamil Nadu Congress president K Selvaperunthagai expressed strong confidence in the DMK-led INDIA alliance's prospects. This comes after Chief Minister M.K. Stalin firmly ruled out any shared governance model with alliance partners. The DMK has called a meeting for February 22 to discuss election strategy and probable seat-sharing arrangements. A 7-member ECI team arrives in Chennai to assess poll machinery for upcoming Tamil Nadu and Puducherry assembly elections amid alliance talks. Chennai, February 11 A seven-member team of Deputy Election Commissioners of India arrived at Chennai International Airport to review preparations for the upcoming Tamil Nadu and Puducherry Legislative Assembly elections. The delegation includes Deputy Election Commissioners Bhanwar Prakash, Manish Garg, Pawan Kumar Sharma, Sanjay Kumar, and Ashish Goyal, along with other senior officials. The team will assess the preparedness of the election machinery in both Tamil Nadu and the Union Territory of Puducherry. Senior Deputy Election Commissioner, Election Commission of India, Maneesh Garg said to reporters, "A team of officials from the Election Commission has reached Chennai and Puducherry to review the poll preparedness." Meanwhile, Tamil Nadu Congress president K Selvaperunthagai said the DMK-led alliance is "very strong". "The INDIA alliance is very strong. The DMK-led alliance is an extremely strong alliance. The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam will win again and achieve consecutive victories," Selvaperunthagai said while talking to reporters at Chennai airport. He further said, "We placed this request only with the intention that our alliance partners should immediately take the lead as primary field workers. The sooner we reach out to people, the sooner the INDIA alliance led by the DMK should meet them. On that basis, we express our heartfelt thanks, on behalf of the Congress Legislature Party, to the Chief Minister for immediately appointing a committee. "This comes after MK Stalin firmly ruled out any shared governance model with the DMK allies, like the Congress. The public posturing is likely to continue as the DMK has called for a meeting on February 22 to discuss the contours of the election. A probable discussion on the number of berths for allies is also likely to take place. The 234-member Tamil Nadu Assembly will go to the polls in the first half of the year. The DMK won 133 seats in the 2021 Assembly polls. Congress won 18, PMK won 5, VCK won 4, and others won 8. - ANI U.S. President Donald Trump will host Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for a meeting focused on energy and deregulation. The White House announced it will formalize the rescission of a 2009 Obama-era finding that greenhouse gases endanger public health. Netanyahu stated he plans to convey Israel's position on U.S. nuclear negotiations with Iran during the talks. The repeal of the endangerment finding is described as the largest deregulatory action in American history. Trump hosts Netanyahu for talks on energy, Iran. WH to finalize repeal of 2009 climate endangerment finding, calling it largest deregulatory action. Washington DC, February 11 White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt announced that U.S. President Donald Trump will meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The discussion is expected to focus on energy issues and deregulation. During a press briefing, Leavitt also announced Trump's rescission of the 2009 Obama-era endangerment finding. She said, "The President will host Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for a bilateral meeting. The remainder of the week will be focused on energy and deregulation. On Thursday, President Trump will be joined by Administrator Lee Zeldin to formalise the rescission of the 2009 Obama-era endangerment finding. This will be the largest deregulatory action in American history, and it will save the American people $1.3 trillion in crushing regulations." Heading to Washington on Tuesday to meet Trump, Netanyahu said he planned to convey Israel's position on US nuclear talks with Tehran during the meeting, The Times of Israel reported. Before boarding Wing of Zion for his flight, Netanyahu told reporters that he would "present to the president our approach around our principles on the negotiations." He added that these principles are important not only for Israel, but for every country around the world "that wants peace and security," as per The Times of Israel. Trump's administration is set to finalise on Thursday its repeal of a foundational scientific determination that underpins the US government's authority to regulate greenhouse gas emissions, France 24 reported. The Environmental Protection Agency last summer proposed reversing the Endangerment Finding of 2009, in what was seen as a major blow to climate action in the world's biggest historic contributor of planet-warming pollution, as per France 24. The finding under the then-President Barack Obama concluded that six greenhouse gases - including carbon dioxide and methane - endanger public health and welfare by driving climate change, France 24 reported. That determination flowed from a 2007 Supreme Court decision, Massachusetts v. EPA, which ruled that greenhouse gases qualify as pollutants under the Clean Air Act and directed the EPA to determine whether they pose a danger to public health and welfare. - ANI The European Parliament has approved a massive 90 billion loan package to support Ukraine through 2026 and 2027. The funds are split, with 30 billion for macro-financial assistance and 60 billion earmarked for strengthening Ukraine's defense capabilities. The loan, financed through EU borrowing, is conditional on Ukraine's commitment to democratic reforms and anti-corruption measures. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanked the EU for the decisive support, which is intended to cover two-thirds of Ukraine's projected financial needs. European Parliament approves a 90 billion loan to support Ukraine's finances and defense as the war enters its fourth year. Brussels, February 11 The European Parliament has approved the EUR 90 billion loan package aimed at supporting Ukraine amid the ongoing war with Russia, which will be entering its fourth year this month. In a vote held on Wednesday, Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) adopted three legislative proposals enabling the EU to provide financial assistance to Ukraine for 2026 and 2027, designed to address Ukraine's urgent financing needs as the conflict enters its fifth year. According to the European Parliament's press release, EUR 30 billion will be allocated to macro-financial assistance and budgetary support through the EU's Ukraine Facility, while the remaining EUR 60 billion will be directed towards strengthening Ukraine's defence capabilities, including the procurement of military equipment. The funds are intended to ensure timely access to critical defence products, primarily sourced from Ukrainian, EU, and European Economic Area (EEA)/European Free Trade Association (EFTA) defence industries. "If certain defence material is not immediately available from these countries for urgent delivery to Ukraine, a set of targeted derogations will apply to sourcing them from other countries," the release stated. The release further noted that the financial assistance will be disbursed in accordance with a financing strategy prepared by Ukraine and assessed by the European Commission, subject to approval by the European Council and that the funding will be conditional on Ukraine's continued commitment to democratic governance, the rule of law, protection of human rights, and anti-corruption reforms. The loan will be financed through common EU borrowing on capital markets and guaranteed by the EU's long-term budget. "The Commission has estimated the debt service costs at around EUR1 billion for 2027 and around EUR3 billion per year from 2028. Ukraine will be liable for the repayment of the principal of the loan once it receives war reparations from Russia," the release added. The legislative acts were adopted under Parliament's urgent procedure to facilitate rapid assistance. The proposal for the Ukraine support loan was approved with 458 votes in favour, 140 against, and 44 abstentions. Amendments to the Ukraine Facility and the 2021-2027 EU long-term budget (MFF) also secured majority backing. The package now requires formal adoption by the Council before the European Commission can disburse the first tranche, expected early in the second quarter of 2026. Reacting to the decision, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanked the European Parliament for its support. In a post on X, he said, "It is important that this is precisely the signal that must be sent to the aggressor. Ukraine will endure and can protect lives. Europe is united and strong, and it supports Ukraine. And all of this is funded by the very funds that Russia must repay." The EUR 90 billion support loan was agreed upon at the European Council meeting in Brussels on December 2025, and formally presented by the European Commission on January 14. The amount is intended to cover two-thirds of Ukraine's projected financial needs for the period concerned. - ANI The Indian Air Force will conduct Exercise Vayu Shakti in Pokhran, Rajasthan, on February 27. The exercise aims to demonstrate the IAF's combat capabilities and preparedness with a display of more than 120 defence assets. For the first time, two new weapons will be showcased, with a higher number of indigenous systems participating. The event will also offer glimpses of the precision targeting seen in Operation Sindoor, though long-range missiles like BrahMos will not be fired due to spectator proximity. IAF to display over 120 defence assets, new weapons, and glimpses of Operation Sindoor in Exercise Vayu Shakti on Feb 27 in Pokhran. New Delhi, February 11 The Indian Air Force will hold Exercise Vayu Shakti in Pokhran, Rajasthan, on 27 February. During the exercise, the strength of the Indian Air Force will be on full display, and glimpses of Operation Sindoor will also be showcased. More than 120 defence assets will be displayed, including fighter jets, aircraft, and helicopters. Briefing the media about the Exercise in Delhi on Wednesday, Vice Chief of Air Staff Air Marshal Nagesh Kapoor said that, "We are going to get glimpses of precise targeting. A target will be earmarked, Aircraft will drop the weapons and target will be engaged. " Air Marshal Nagesh Kapoor also clarified that, "As people will be seated close to the targets, we will not undertake BrahMos or other long range missiles in same profiles that we carried out during operation Sindoor. But the effect on the ground will be visible. For the first time, two new weapons will be showcased and number of indigenous weapons will be higher." Sharing the details of Defence Assets, Wing Commander AB Vasane said that, "77 Fighters, 43 Helicopters and 8 Transport aircraft's will take part in Exercise Vayu Shakti. Fighter Aircrafts such as Rafale, Tejas, Su-30 MKI, MiG-29, Jaguar, Mirage-2000; Helicopters including Apache, MI-17, MI-17 V5, Chinook, LCH, ALH and Transport Air Crafts C-17, C-295 and C-130J will be part of the exercise. Akash, Spyder, L-70 and Special Forces will provide Combat Support." Wing Commander AB Vasane further said that, "From Indian Army, M-777, L-70 and troops of Para SG will also take part in the exercise. During the exercise 277 weapons and 11,835 Kg explosives will be used. For this exercise, Aircraft and Fighter planes will take off from Jaisalmer, Phalodi, Uttarlai, Jodhpur and well as from Hindan and Vadodara. The objective of this Exercise is to demonstrate capabilities and Combat preparedness of Indian Air Force and to Instil confidence in citizens and to Motivate youth to join the Air Force." The exercise will showcase offensive and defensive capabilities, including day/night operations. The IAF will demonstrate the capability to deliver weapons with long-range, precision, and conventional accuracy, on time and with devastating effect. - ANI NSE CEO Ashish Kumar Chauhan stated the recent hike in Securities Transaction Tax (STT) is aimed at reducing market speculation, not penalizing daily traders. He outlined new measures like mandatory free cash flow analysis to ensure only robust SMEs list on the exchange. Chauhan expressed full confidence in India's technological readiness to implement T+0 settlement, pending regulatory approval. Finally, he provided a clearer timeline for the NSE's own IPO, estimating the process will take most of the current year. NSE CEO Ashish Kumar Chauhan discusses the STT hike goal, SME IPO reforms, T+0 settlement readiness, and the NSE's own IPO timeline for 2025. New Delhi, February 11 National Stock Exchange MD and CEO Ashish Kumar Chauhan spoke about the recent hike in Securities Transaction Tax during the FY 27 budget. He noted that the tax has been raised several times over the years, with the latest increase specifically targeting equity futures and options. While daily traders may feel the pinch, Chauhan explained that the government's primary goal is to curb excessive speculation in the market. "Naturally, people who are sort of daily trading have an issue. But overall, the government has a perspective that they want to reduce speculation," Chauhan said. He added that beyond taxes, other measures are being looked at to handle this social issue, noting, "There are other ways also they probably are exploring in terms of ensuring that product suitability guidelines and also combining many expires into one." When asked about how the exchange handles technical glitches during high market volatility, Chauhan pointed out that IT systems globally have become incredibly complex. He compared the situation to other digital services, noting that even widespread systems like UPI have faced outages without the same level of public outcry. However, he emphasised that stock exchanges are making heavy investments to ensure they can recover quickly when things go wrong. "India has one of the most robust systems across the world in terms of the IT system for the stock exchange ecosystem put together," he stated. Despite this, he acknowledged that no system is perfect, "Somewhere along the line, we continue to feel that IT systems have become complex and they will have, once in a while, some amount of glitches. We need to, of course... be more alert at ensuring that such things don't happen." On the topic of SME IPOs, Chauhan stressed that listing a company is a major responsibility that requires a long-term plan and a willingness to follow regulations. To ensure that only high-quality companies enter the market, the NSE has introduced a new mandatory requirement focusing on free cash flow rather than just reported profits. This move is designed to filter out companies with weak business models that might otherwise meet basic regulatory requirements. "We then, at NSE level alone, we created a new framework called free cash flow," Chauhan explained. He highlighted why this metric is crucial for stability: "The companies which have free cash flow available... those companies have done better in terms of the volatility, in terms of their profitability going forward, and their ability to sustain themselves in the long run." Regarding the move to T+0 settlement, which allows for same-day transaction processing, Chauhan expressed full confidence in India's technological readiness. He noted that while India is a global leader in settlement speed, the transition also depends on the readiness of foreign investors and global systems. He pointed out that certain segments in India, like mutual fund distributions and bond fundraising, are already operating on instant or same-day timelines. "India has been a pioneer and a thought leader and execution leader in terms of using the technology," Chauhan said. He made it clear that the exchange is ready to move whenever the regulator gives the green light: "As and when the regulators and policymakers think it fit... there should not be any issue technologically." Finally, addressing the long-awaited NSE IPO, Chauhan provided a clearer timeline following the receipt of the No Objection Certificate (NOC) on January 31. He mentioned that the exchange is currently preparing its Draft Red Herring Prospectus (DRHP). He estimated that the entire process, including the necessary paperwork and regulatory steps, would take most of the current year to complete. "It will take around eight to nine months," Chauhan confirmed. "We are in the process to prepare our DRHP and completing other work." - ANI Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel inaugurated the Amul AI initiative in Anand, marking a significant step to modernize the dairy sector through artificial intelligence. He emphasized that this move, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, will integrate technology with the cooperative model to benefit millions of milk producers. The initiative aims to secure farmer livelihoods by leveraging digital tools and protecting the domestic dairy market in international trade agreements. Patel expressed confidence that Amul AI will propel India towards becoming a global dairy hub. Gujarat CM Bhupendra Patel inaugurates Amul AI, an artificial intelligence initiative to modernize the dairy sector and boost farmer incomes. Gandhinagar, February 11 While inaugurating Amul AI, which ushers in a transformative new direction for the dairy sector through Artificial Intelligence, Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel stated that this initiative will mark a significant milestone in modernising agriculture, animal husbandry and the dairy sector, and in advancing self-reliance under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. According to a press release, the launch of the innovative Amul AI revolution, aimed at making the cooperative ecosystem smart from farmers to technology, was organised in Anand by Amul, globally recognised as a leading cooperative institution and dairy brand representing 36 lakh milk producers across more than 18,500 villages of the state. The Chief Minister inaugurated Amul AI in the presence of the Gujarat Legislative Assembly Speaker and Chairman of Banas Dairy Shankar Chaudhary, Agriculture Minister Jitu Vaghani, Food and Civil Supplies Minister Raman Solanki, Minister of State Kamlesh Patel, and office bearers of the Gujarat State Milk Marketing Federation. Chief Minister stated, "Under the visionary leadership of the Prime Minister, the country's economic development journey has accelerated over the past 11 years, with technology playing a significant role." Referring to the success of digital payment transactions, he added that when the Prime Minister initiated digital transactions in the country, many questioned how it would succeed. "Today, India has become a leader in UPI transactions, and even the smallest traders, vegetable vendors and tea stall owners have adopted digital transactions. This is its unique success," he said. Highlighting the Prime Minister's initiatives for AI-based development in the advanced technological era of the 21st century, the Chief Minister added that the confluence of Government, Cooperative (Sahkar) and Technology has greatly accelerated modern development, and AI will now further strengthen it. Chief Minister said that the Prime Minister has always focused on the welfare of citizens, rural farmers and farmers related to animal husbandry, aiming to bring them into the mainstream of development. In this year's Union Budget, based on three duties, several important provisions have been made keeping the interests of milk producers at the centre. He added that a special fund has also been allocated in the Union Budget to prepare 20,000 veterinary professionals to strengthen the dairy ecosystem. The Chief Minister stated that Amul has utilised the latest technology through the digital revolution to ensure higher income for its members and milk producers. By integrating the database of farmers related to animal husbandry, milk producers and members into its well-developed IT system, Amul is now prepared with Amul AI for 'Advantage India'. He also mentioned that the recent trade deals with the USA and the European Union, under the Prime Minister's vision, will benefit the dairy sector. Elaborating further, he stated that by excluding dairy product imports in these agreements, the livelihoods of more than 10 crore small and marginal farmers dependent on milk production in the country will remain secure. Chief Minister expressed confidence that, as a result of this trade deal, under the Prime Minister's guidance, the country's dairy sector will rapidly increase milk production and move towards becoming the dairy hub of the world. He described Amul AI as a firm step towards providing global solutions through indigenous and self-reliant technology for Viksit Bharat 2047. He expressed confidence that in the coming years, new technology and innovation will become the driving force of the economy, with the cooperative sector leading alongside rural development, agriculture, animal husbandry and milk production. On this occasion, Gujarat Legislative Assembly Speaker and Chairman of Banas Dairy Shankar Chaudhary stated in his address that Anand is the birthplace and Karma Bhoomi of the pioneer of the White Revolution, Tribhuvandas Patel, and also the Karmabhoomi of Dr. Kurien. He said that organising this programme in the presence of thousands of farmers associated with animal husbandry and the dairy sector is a proud moment for all of us. Describing the newly launched 'Sarala' app by Amul as a major revolution, he said that for the first time in the world, Amul has arranged to provide details of milk fat, SNF and daily accounts through a mobile app. Expressing gratitude towards the Prime Minister, he said that developed nations had exerted heavy pressure at the international level to push milk and dairy products into India. If foreign milk had entered India, crores of farmers related to animal husbandry would have been affected. However, the Prime Minister firmly resisted international pressure and safeguarded the interests of these farmers by keeping milk out of free trade agreements. On this occasion, Agriculture and Animal Husbandry Minister Jitu Vaghani termed the event a historic moment. He stated that the special efforts made by Prime Minister for the animal husbandry and dairy sector have enabled Gujarat to reach new heights in this field. He added that Amul's AI application is set to become the world's largest application, marking a unique achievement for Gujarat in the digital era. Just as people adopted UPI and smartphones, this AI technology will become an integral part of the lives of farmers related to animal husbandry. Speaking about the cooperative sector, he stated that animal husbandry is not merely a business but a pillar of rural prosperity. By creating a separate Ministry of Cooperation and entrusting its responsibility to Amit Shah, the Prime Minister has brought major reforms in this sector. He expressed happiness that nearly 94 per cent of payments are now directly deposited into the bank accounts of women farmers related to animal husbandry, which is an excellent example of economic empowerment. At the beginning of the programme, Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel inaugurated the 'Amul AI' digital platform through remote. The attendees also watched a short film on Amul AI. Upon the Chief Minister's arrival at Amul, he was welcomed by the Board of Directors of Amul. At the outset, the Chairman of Amul welcomed everyone and provided information about Amul AI. On this occasion, Amul Managing Director Jayen Mehta delivered an address. Dr. Shankar, who developed the Amul AI app, spoke in detail about the application. At the end of the programme, Amul Vice Chairman Gordhanbhai Dhameliya expressed gratitude to all. The event was attended by Food and Civil Supplies Minister Raman Solanki, Minister of State for Finance Kamlesh Patel, Member of Parliament Mitesh Patel, Chief Secretary MK Das, Additional Chief Secretary Arun Kumar Solanki, office bearers of the Gujarat Milk Marketing Federation, Amul Board of Directors, MLAs Yogesh Patel, Chirag Patel, Vipul Patel, District Panchayat President Hasmukh Patel, leader Sanjay Patel and a large number of women farmers related to animal husbandry. - ANI The European Union's Election Observation Mission, led by Chief Observer Ivars Ijabs, is in Bangladesh to neutrally assess the historic parliamentary elections. The polls come 18 months after a student-led uprising ended the long rule of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. Over 12.77 crore voters will cast ballots for 299 seats, alongside a national referendum on constitutional changes. Authorities report complete logistical preparations and a satisfactory law and order situation for the voting process. EU Chief Observer Ivars Ijabs details the mission's neutral role as Bangladesh votes in historic parliamentary elections alongside a national referendum. Dhaka, February 11 As Bangladesh prepares to vote on February 12, the Election Commission and security agencies have completed final arrangements aimed at ensuring a peaceful polling process. Results are expected to be confirmed on Friday, February 13. Ivars Ijabs, Chief Observer of the European Union Election Observation Mission (EU EOM) for Bangladesh's 2026 parliamentary elections, underscored the historic significance of the polls, emphasising the EU's neutral and fact-based approach to assessment. "The European Union has gladly responded to the invitation of the Bangladesh interim government and the Central Electoral Commission to observe these elections, recognising that they are historic and important for Bangladesh," Ijabs said while speaking to ANI. Outlining the mission's mandate, he stated, "The end result of that is to produce a report on those elections about what have been the strengths, what have been, if any, problems or weaknesses. Our task is not to get involved in the political game. We are non-partisan and neutral." Placing the observation exercise within the broader framework of EU-Bangladesh relations, Ijabs noted, "This is one of the steps in expanding our cooperation with Bangladesh, given how important these elections are after a lengthy period without credible, competitive elections." He added that the mission's final report would recommend improvements to democratic processes. "We really need credible partners, and Bangladesh is, of course, a close partner. We want to build and expand this partnership on the basis of democracy, the rule of law, and accountability in the exercise of political power, which is why we are observing the reform process." Referring to the parallel referendum, Ijabs clarified, "We know that this election takes place together with a referendum on certain constitutional issues. We are not observing the referendum per se, rather, we are assessing how this process is advancing the country's reform agenda." Highlighting the scale of deployment, he said, "There are 200 people involved in this mission here in Bangladesh, and they are trained. They are also receiving technical support to gain a full picture of this electoral process." The elections come 18 months after a massive student-led uprising in 2024 forced the resignation of long-time Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, ending the Awami League's rule and generating expectations of greater accountability and democratic reforms. Following the conclusion of the official 20-day campaign period, over 12.77 crore eligible voters will cast ballots to elect representatives for 299 of the 300 parliamentary seats, with polling in one constituency postponed due to a candidate's death. Alongside the parliamentary contest, voters will participate in a national referendum on the July National Charter, which proposes significant constitutional and institutional changes. In a televised address to the nation, Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus called on citizens to turn election day into the "birthday of a new Bangladesh", emphasising the decisive role of voters, The Daily Star reported. Authorities have established 42,779 polling stations nationwide. Voting will take place from 7:30 am to 4:30 pm without interruption. Of the electorate, 6.48 crore are men and 6.28 crore are women. A total of 1,755 candidates representing 50 registered political parties are in the fray, along with 273 independents, including 20 women. Notably, 63 women candidates are contesting under party banners. Ballot papers are being distributed to polling centres under stringent security measures. Authorities have stated that logistical preparations are complete. Election Commissioner Brig Gen (retd) Abul Fazal Md Sanaullah expressed satisfaction with the prevailing law and order situation. "We are satisfied with the law and order situation as it stands. It would have been better if the isolated incidents that occurred had not happened. However, we are in a better position now than at any time in the past," he stated during a press briefing, as reported by The Daily Star. Inspector General of Police Baharul Alam outlined a three-tier security framework comprising static forces at polling stations, mobile patrols, and rapid-response striking units. He detailed that 1,57,805 police personnel will handle direct election security duties, with an additional 29,798 officers providing supplementary support, bringing the total deployment to 1,87,603. Assessing the pre-poll climate, the EU EOM described the atmosphere as "very positive". "We have been speaking both to candidates and authorities in all districts and regions across the country, and the general atmosphere is very positive and hopeful," Ijabs remarked at a press conference in Dhaka, according to The Daily Star. He observed that many stakeholders view the elections as a fresh start for Bangladesh's democracy. The EU has deployed its largest-ever mission to the country, with more than 200 observers, including long-term and short-term teams monitoring voting and counting. Politically, the contest primarily pits candidates aligned with two major alliances -- one led by the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and the other by Jamaat-e-Islami. BNP Chairman Tarique Rahman and Jamaat Ameer Shafiqur Rahman reviewed constituency-level preparedness. Concerns, however, persist in certain regions over potential post-poll unrest, particularly among minority communities. In Chattogram, minority voters voiced apprehension. "On one side BNP, on the other side Jamaat. If the BNP loses, they blame the minorities; Jamaat does the same. State, election, and persecution have become synonymous for us," a Hindu youth said anonymously, as cited by The Daily Star. A farmer from Rangpur's Gangachara upazila, Manoranjan Shil, 56, recalled lingering trauma from an attack on his village last July. "We are still haunted by the terrifying experience of the attack. We are still in fear," he said, according to The Daily Star. However, minority voters in districts such as Faridpur and Rajbari reported feeling secure, reflecting varied sentiments across regions. The elections are being closely watched as a critical juncture in Bangladesh's democratic trajectory, with implications for regional stability in South Asia, including relations with India. - ANI IGP Kashmir V.K. Birdi chaired a high-level joint security meeting with police, army, and intelligence agencies to review preparedness for forthcoming events. The meeting focused on enhancing inter-agency coordination, intelligence sharing, and public cooperation to maintain peace. Security measures were ordered for key tourist destinations, railway stations, and the National Highway in anticipation of increased tourist footfall. District police chiefs were also directed to intensify market checks and community engagement efforts. IGP Kashmir V.K. Birdi chairs high-level security meeting, reviews coordination for upcoming events and tourist influx in the Valley. Srinagar, Feb 11 V.K. Birdi, Inspector General of Police, Kashmir Zone, on Wednesday chaired a joint security review meeting at the Police Control Room in Srinagar. Officials said that IGP Kashmir V.K. Birdi, IPS, presided over a high-level joint security review meeting at the Police Control Room, Kashmir, in view of forthcoming important events. The meeting was attended by senior officers of the J&K Police, intelligence agencies, the Army, Railways and Central Armed Police Forces deployed in the Kashmir Zone. The IGP reviewed the prevailing security situation and took stock of preparedness and coordination measures put in place for the upcoming events. Emphasis was laid on effective intelligence sharing, inter-agency coordination and sustained public cooperation to maintain peace and security. District police chiefs were directed to intensify market checking drives in coordination with the civil administration to curb hoarding, black marketing and overpricing of essential commodities. District heads were also instructed to enhance community engagement to ensure the smooth conduct of religious and public events. In view of the anticipated increase in tourist footfall, enhanced security measures were ordered at key tourist destinations. Security at railway stations and along railway tracks was reviewed, with directions for intensified patrolling, surveillance and preventive measures, including awareness initiatives to avert mishaps. Security arrangements along the National Highway were also reviewed and directions issued for further strengthening. The IGP directed all officers to remain vigilant, strengthen intelligence and response mechanisms, and ensure close coordination for the smooth and peaceful conduct of forthcoming events across the Kashmir Valley. In a recent top-level security review meeting chaired by Union Home Minister Amit Shah on J&K, emphasis was laid on adopting a mission-mode approach to neutralise terrorists and ensure zero infiltration along the Line of Control (LoC) and the International Border (IB). The presence of Pakistani terrorists in the hilly districts of the Jammu region was also discussed at the Home Minister's meeting, and security forces were directed to work in complete synergy to eliminate these elements and ensure lasting peace in the region. - IANS As Bangladesh approaches its 13th national election, a Dhaka University professor highlights it as a critical democratic moment. Key concerns include the security and constitutional rights of minority communities, with reports of fear among some voters. The professor emphasizes that true participatory elections depend heavily on voter turnout and the democratic conduct of all stakeholders. He expresses confidence in state institutions to ensure safety but stresses that proper implementation and civic responsibility are vital for an optimum election. Dhaka University professor analyzes key issues ahead of Bangladesh's national election, focusing on minority rights, voter participation, and democratic conduct. Dhaka, February 11 As Bangladesh moves toward its 13th national election, political leaders, institutions and voters alike are navigating what many describe as a critical democratic moment. With anticipation building across the country, questions of participation, minority rights, and the conduct of political actors have taken center stage. Speaking about the upcoming polls, Tawohidul Haque, Associate Professor and Criminologist, University of Dhaka, noted, "And in a new context, the 13 national elections is going to be held." According to him, the evolving political landscape has opened space for new thinking and engagement. "The participatory aspects from the political parties where the voters have made new arena were the new thinking aspects," he said. Across Bangladesh, citizens are preparing to exercise their democratic rights. "The voters with the population in Bangladesh are eagerly waiting to cast their vote or to participate in the different types of electoral manifesto or the campaigns, et cetera," he added, reflecting a sense of expectation among the electorate. However, concerns remain, particularly regarding minority communities. Emphasizing the importance of unity, he stated, "From the humanitarian context to what the right-based society or the country, we should not divide the people, majority or the minority." He acknowledged that minority populations expect constitutional protections: "Right now the minority populations or the minority community in our country, they expect the different types of rights or the different types of privilege properly based on the constitution or the legal aspects." He also recognized reports of insecurity. "Some minority people or the minority voter or the citizen in some place in our country, they are in fear, no doubt," he said, while expressing confidence in state institutions. Law enforcement agencies, government bodies, and the Election Commission, he argued, are taking steps to ensure voter safety. "If worked properly, then these types of challenges or the threats will be under remedy or under control," he said, adding that proper implementation could deliver "a proper election, we'll get expected elections or the optimum elections." The importance of democratic behavior was another recurring theme. While acknowledging that interventions for a "free, fair and participatory election" have been undertaken, he stressed that enforcement and civic responsibility remain crucial. "Most of the candidates when their followers as well as in some cases were in some place the voters, they are orally more democratic, but in action in some cases they are non-democratic or undemocratic," he observed. He argued that all stakeholders must uphold democratic norms. "The responsibilities from all corners or the responsibilities of stakeholders including population is much more important to see a free and fair elections," he said. Addressing questions about participation of major political forces, he maintained that voter turnout is fundamental. "Actually the participatory election depends on two things. Number one, the participation of the people that means voter, the voter participation. And another important factor is the participation." As Bangladesh approaches election day, the focus now turns to whether institutions, political actors and citizens alike can translate preparation into practice, ensuring that the vote reflects both democratic principles and public confidence. - ANI Indian Navy Deputy Chief Vice Admiral Tarun Sobti met Bahrain's Prime Minister Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa to discuss enhancing naval cooperation and bilateral ties. The talks centered on areas like information sharing, joint training, and capacity building. This follows recent diplomatic engagements, including a meeting between External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and his Bahraini counterpart. The countries also celebrated India's Republic Day in Bahrain with a cultural event, underscoring strong people-to-people connections. Vice Admiral Tarun Sobti meets Bahrain's Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa. Talks focus on naval cooperation, info sharing, and joint training. Manama, Feb 11 Deputy Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Tarun Sobti called on Bahrain Prime Minister and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa at the Riffa Palace, discussing the strengthening bilateral ties and naval cooperation between India and Bahrain. "VAdm Tarun Sobti, Deputy Chief of Naval Staff Indian Navy, called on HRH Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Crown Prince, Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces and Prime Minister of Bahrain, at Riffa Palace on 10 Feb 26. Discussions were focussed on strengthening bilateral ties and naval cooperation in fields including Information Sharing, Joint Training, Capacity Building and Future Warfare," the Indian Navy Spokesperson stated on Wednesday. Earlier this month, External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar met his counterpart from Bahrain, Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani before the start of the 2026 Critical Minerals Ministerial convened by the US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. In January, the Indian Embassy in Bahrain hosted a reception celebrating India's 77th Republic Day, where Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani was the Chief Guest. According to the statement shared by Embassy on X, over 400 dignitaries, including MPs, senior Govt officials, and members of the Diplomatic Corps attended the reception. In another post on X, Indian Embassy in Bahrain wrote, "Leadership of the CMF, prominent businessmen, Bahrain Chamber & Bahrain India Society representatives, three Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Awardees, and members of the Indian & Bahraini community also joined." A painting exhibition titled 'IndoBahrain Friendship' was also held during the reception. "Renowned Bahraini rapper Mr. Hussam Aseem, known for his hit Fa9la also joined the Republic Day reception. The Uttarakhand Society of Bahrain performed a soulful flute rendition of 'Vande Mataram' commemorating 150 years," Indian Embassy in Bahrain posted on X. In November last year, EAM Jaishankar and Abdullatif bin Rashid Alzayani co-chaired the 5th India-Bahrain High Joint Commission meeting in New Delhi where they reviewed the progress in bilateral ties, focusing on trade, security, defence, health, culture, people to people ties and also discussed opportunities in space, fintech and cyber sectors. "Co-chaired the 5th India-Bahrain High Joint Commission meeting alongside FM Dr. Abdullatif bin Rashid Alzayani. Reviewed the progress in our bilateral relations focusing on trade, security, defence, health, culture, people to people ties as well as promising opportunities in space, fintech and cyber domains. As Bahrain takes over the GCC presidency, confident that India-GCC ties will continue to deepen," EAM Jaishankar had posted on X after the meeting. "Thanked the leadership of Bahrain for ensuring welfare of the Indian community. Also exchanged perspectives on recent global and regional developments," he had added then. - IANS A Washington-based analysis posits that a fragmented global economy, marked by US-China tensions, is elevating India's role as a strategic third pole. Europe and Canada are viewed as deepening ties with India to de-risk from China and hedge against American volatility. India's democratic framework, growing manufacturing base, and strategic autonomy make it a viable commercial and political bridge across the Atlantic. Despite its protectionist tendencies, India's flexibility allows it to engage multiple powers in an era of disruption. Analysis says Europe & Canada see India as a democratic, scalable alternative to China and a hedge against US volatility in a divided world. New Delhi, Feb 11 With the United States, China, and Russia creating a hostile world, Europe and Canada have no choice but to deepen ties with India, according to an article in Washington-based online publication 'The National Interest'. "Caught between de-risking China and hedging against American volatility, Europe has turned to India as a strategic alternative. India offers scale without China's level of geopolitical and normative baggage. It is not a substitute for the US security umbrella, nor a replica of China's manufacturing ecosystem, but it represents a viable third pole in an increasingly fragmented global economy," states the article written by Dr Jianli Yang. The article highlights that Canada faces the same situation as Europe. This is reflected in Prime Minister Mark Carney's cautious outreach to China aimed at diversifying partnerships and reducing exposure to unilateral shocks from the USA. And yet keeping space to manoeuvre between Washington and Beijing. Despite strained Canada-India relations in recent years, driven by diplomatic and security disputes, Ottawa may realistically follow Europe's path and treat India as a pragmatic hedge. With Europe and India signing a trade agreement, the United States and India reaching a framework deal, and "Canada potentially moving in the same direction, an unintended architecture is emerging. India is becoming a bridge-commercial, strategic, and political-connecting both sides of the Atlantic", the article states. India is seen as fitting into this role as the country is rapidly expanding its manufacturing base, attracting investment that has been relocated from China as companies diversify their supply chains. Most iPhones sold in the United States are now made in India, a symbolic marker of global realignment. India also combines relatively low labour costs with improving legal infrastructure, technological capacity, and a vast domestic market, the article states. "Equally important, India offers something China cannot: democratic legitimacy. Its institutions are imperfect and contested, but they provide a shared political language with Europe and North America -- elections, courts, and civil society -- that lowers the political cost of cooperation. Demographically, India's young, English-speaking workforce and growing purchasing power enhance its long-term appeal. Strategically, its rivalry with China and insistence on strategic autonomy align it more naturally with transatlantic interests than Beijing's vision of authoritarian-led globalisation," the article observed. The report also mentions that India has its protectionist instincts, bureaucratic inertia, and insistence on autonomy, which will pose a problem for both Europe and Canada. "But in a global order characterised by disruption and distrust, India's very flexibility -- its ability to engage all sides without fully binding itself to any -- may be its greatest asset. As (US President Donald) Trump redraws alliances, antagonises allies, and personalises foreign policy, India has become the unlikely connective tissue holding together an increasingly divided Atlantic world-not by grand design, but by the vacuum left behind," the article contended. - IANS May have pushed US to advance its own India trade talks The recently announced EU-India free trade agreement, involving a quarter of the world's GDP, is being hailed as a cornerstone of an emerging post-US world order. Experts suggest the deal reflects a strategic shift towards multipolarity, de-dollarization, and greater collaboration in the Indo-Pacific as US influence recedes. This agreement is part of a pattern, following EU deals with Mercosur and Indian pacts with the UK and New Zealand. Analysts believe the EU-India FTA may have directly spurred the United States to accelerate its own long-pending trade negotiations with New Delhi. A landmark EU-India trade agreement signals a shift towards a multipolar world, challenging US dominance and reshaping global alliances. New Delhi, Feb 11 The EU-India free trade agreement -- touted as "mother of all deals" -- unveils the emerging silhouette of a post-US world order amid relentless threats to territorial sovereignty, punitive tariffs and the weakening of multilateral institutions, according to a recent report in The Guardian. The trade deal announced recently by President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Council, Antonio Costa, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi promises to bring together about two billion consumers and a quarter of the world's GDP. Ravinder Kaur, professor of Asian studies at the University of Copenhagen, writes that the wide scope of the evolving India-EU partnership "suggests a move towards greater convergence in terms of the commitment to multilateral institutions, and cooperation in a range of areas of security and defence, research, mobility and connectivity, including enhanced engagement in the Indo-Pacific region". As the US withdraws to the western hemisphere, the Indo-Pacific region -- once central to US engagement in Asia -- is now more open to collaboration with the EU, she adds. "The post-US world is already taking shape", and the massive EU-India trade deal is one such example. Brussels recently concluded a trade deal with the South American Mercosur trade bloc, with several more in the pipeline. According to the report, India has made agreements with the UK and New Zealand in the last few months. "While ratification and implementation take time, and may even hit a roadblock or two (like the delay in the EU-Mercosur deal), it suggests a shift that is unmistakable," write Kaur, adding that the "world, many outside the west have long dreamed about -- of multipolarity, strategic autonomy, even de-dollarisation -- is taking shape, first slowly and now rapidly". Meanwhile, India's FTA concluded with the European Union last month, which could have pushed the US to make the trade deal with India, according to a South Asia expert at the Asia Society in New York. "Though India-US trade negotiations were on for a while, the deal with the EU could have served as an impetus for the US to push forward", Farwa Aamer, the director of South Asia Initiatives at the Asia Society Policy Institute (ASPI), said. "The timing is interesting as the deal comes straight after the EU-FTA", she added. - IANS Former Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Veena Sikri asserts India has no reason for concern over the new US-Bangladesh trade agreement. She explains that the tariff benefits for Bangladesh are tied to buying US-manufactured yarn and cotton, sectors where India already supplies goods competitively and quickly. Sikri also highlights Bangladesh's potential financial strain from purchasing Boeing jets, suggesting it may require IMF loans. The agreement was signed by senior US and Bangladeshi trade officials, marking a step in strengthening bilateral economic relations. Former High Commissioner Veena Sikri says India's competitive edge in textiles and Bangladesh's financial constraints negate concerns over the new US trade pact. New Delhi, February 11 On the Bangladesh-US reciprocal trade agreement, Veena Sikri, Former High Commissioner of India to Bangladesh, said that India should not worry. Sikri, while talking to ANI, said that though Bangladesh promised to buy Boeing jets, it doesn't have the money to pay for them. She said, "I don't think we should be worrying at all for two reasons. First of all, the places where Bangladesh is likely to receive zero tariffs for access to the American market are linked to Bangladesh's purchases of man-made yarn, cotton yarn, and maybe even cotton from the USA. Secondly, these items were supplied by India at very competitive prices and with very quick turnaround times. So a Bangladesh exporter could actually get these goods from India within a week..." She further added, "They (Bangladesh) are buying this huge amount of Boeing jets, but who will pay for that? They will have to get an IMF loan to pay for it or something else. Their economy will become weaker if they are going to get into all these debts." The United States and Bangladesh on Monday signed the United States-Bangladesh Agreement on Reciprocal Trade, marking a significant step in strengthening bilateral economic and trade relations, according to a statement by the Office of the US Trade Representative. The agreement was signed by US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer and Bangladesh's Adviser for Commerce, Textiles and Jute, and Civil Aviation and Tourism, Sheikh Bashir Uddin. Also present at the signing were Bangladesh Commerce Secretary Mahbubur Rahman and Assistant US Trade Representative Brendan Lynch. US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer joined Bangladesh's Adviser for Commerce, Textiles and Jute, and Civil Aviation and Tourism Sheikh Bashir Uddin in signing the United States-Bangladesh Agreement on Reciprocal Trade, a statement by the Office of the US Trade Representative said. "Under President Trump's leadership, the United States is pursuing a trade policy that delivers real results for American workers and businesses, strengthening our economic and security partnerships abroad," the statement quoted Greer as saying. - ANI India and Taiwan are transforming their historically cautious commercial relationship into a structured strategic partnership. This evolution is driven by technological security, supply chain resilience, and Indo-Pacific strategic considerations, moving beyond a policy solely shaped by China. Key initiatives include aligning India's Act East Policy with Taiwan's New Southbound Policy and signing agreements like the Talented Labour Accord with Mizoram. The partnership aims to build a regional economic structure less susceptible to China's dominance through Taiwan's tech expertise and India's market scale. India-Taiwan relations evolve into a strategic partnership focusing on technology, labor, and resilient supply chains, reducing dependence on China. New Delhi, Feb 11 India-Taiwan relations are evolving from cautious commercial relations into a structured partnership that covers technology, labour mobility and supply chains. India has positioned Taiwan as a key partner in its industrial transformation and in mitigating geopolitical supply chain risks by aligning its Act East Policy with Taiwan's New Southbound Policy. Consequently, India's Taiwan policy is increasingly shaped by technological security, supply chain resilience, and strategic considerations in the Indo-Pacific, rather than being solely influenced by China, according to an article published by the Taiwan-based Organisation for Research on China and Asia. "Historically, New Delhi's engagement with Taipei was a cautious balancing act, often hamstrung by India's territorial sensitivities with Beijing and a reactive cross-strait policy," the article states. However, what was once a cautious and largely commercial relationship is evolving into a structured partnership spanning technology, labour mobility, education and supply chains, widening India's strategic bandwidth. By strategically converging India's Act East Policy (AEP) with Taiwan's New Southbound Policy (NSP), India increasingly views Taiwan as a capability provider that can support domestic industrial transformation and reduce exposure to geopolitical supply shocks. India's Taiwan policy is no longer purely derivative of its China calculus; it is increasingly shaped by technological security, supply chain resilience and the strategic posturing in Indo-Pacific geopolitics. The complementarity between Taiwan's technological expertise and India's market scale supports the emergence of a more resilient regional economic structure, which is less susceptible to China's supply chain dominance, the article states. It highlights the signing of the Talented Labour Agreement between Taipei Economic and Cultural Center (TECC) and the Mizoram government in January 2026, as a signal that the India-Taiwan partnership has moved beyond mere economic rhetoric into deep structural integration. The establishment of the third Taipei Economic and Cultural Center (TECC) in Mumbai in 2024 exemplifies a carefully calibrated expansion of engagement despite Beijing's sensitivities vis-a-vis Taiwan. India has consistently argued that its policy on Taiwan is "clear and consistent". Similarly, several track dialogues between India and Taiwan aim to normalise Taiwan's participation in non-sensitive strategic domains without crossing the threshold of formal security cooperation. Such dialogues aim to address broader Indo-Pacific challenges, focusing on maritime governance, cybersecurity and supply chain resilience. From an Indo-Pacific perspective, these dialogues support Taiwan's role as a de facto economic partner and a functional stakeholder. By fostering cooperation in non-sensitive but strategically vital domains, it allows regional actors to build a resilient, rules-based order that safeguards maritime commons and high-tech ecosystems without the immediate need for formal diplomatic realignments, the article added. - IANS India has secured the top position globally for the diffusion of AI skills and AI hiring, according to Stanford University's Global Vibrancy Index. The country now ranks second overall in AI economic competitiveness, trailing only the United States, and has surpassed nations like Japan and Germany since the 2017 index. This progress is attributed to major national initiatives strengthening India's position in the global AI ecosystem. The upcoming India AI Impact Summit in New Delhi aims to build on this momentum by delivering tangible outcomes for inclusive and responsible AI development. India ranks #1 globally for AI skills penetration and hiring, and 2nd in economic competitiveness for AI, according to Stanford's Global Vibrancy Index. New York, Feb 11 India, which is hosting the International Artificial Intelligence Summit next week, ranks at the top in diffusion of AI skills and AI hiring in an international ranking of countries harnessing the power of AI. India comes second in economic competitiveness in the 2026 Global Vibrancy Index (GVI) produced by Stanford University's Institute for Human-Centred AI. Only the US has a better score in this category. Overall, in the GVI, India now ranks behind only the United States and China. Within the subcategory of talent within the competitiveness criteria of the GVI, India overtakes the US, propelled by its performance in the AI Skills Penetration and AI Hiring Ratio headers. India is also second in the "AI-Related Social Media Conversations Net Sentiment", "AI GitHub Projects" and "AI GitHub Projects Stars" sub-categories. GitHubs are used for integrating projects and making components easily accessible. The Institute attributed India's rankings to renewed major initiatives to strengthen its position in the global AI ecosystem. "This focus illustrates how nations worldwide continue to treat AI as a strategic national priority," the institution at the heart of Silicon Valley added. India, which ranked seventh in the first GVI released in 2017, overtook countries like Japan, Germany, Singapore and Britain in the latest version, propelled by progress in research and development. India is set to host the India AI Impact Summit from February 16-20 at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi. Being hosted by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) under the IndiaAI Mission, the summit will bring together governments, industry leaders, researchers, startups, students and citizens from across the world. It is envisioned as a pivotal global platform to shape a future-oriented agenda for inclusive, responsible and impactful AI and aims to move beyond high-level discussions and deliver tangible outcomes that can support economic growth, social development and sustainable use of AI. The Summit will be structured around three core pillars -- People, Planet, and Progress -- with discussions focusing on employment and skilling, sustainable and energy-efficient AI, and economic as well as social development. Seven thematic working groups, co-chaired by representatives from the Global North and Global South, will present concrete deliverables, including proposals for AI Commons, trusted AI tools, shared compute infrastructure, and sector-specific compendiums of AI use cases. - IANS By Mata Press Service Canadas trucking industry, increasingly powered by immigrant labour and business ownership, is facing a systemic crisis of wage theft, unpaid work, and unsafe conditions, according to a report that warns exploitation has become normalized across the sector. The findings come as trucking has quietly become one of the most immigrant-dominated industries in the country, particularly in major freight corridors such as Metro Vancouver and the Greater Toronto Area. Government data shows immigrants make up 56 percent of truck transportation business owners with paid staff, while Census trend analyses indicate South Asian immigrants account for a majority of truck drivers in Canadas two largest freight hubs, representing 55.9 percent in Vancouver and 53.9 percent in Toronto. Against that backdrop, Running on Empty: Truck Drivers in Canada are Underpaid and Overworked documents what life behind the wheel now looks like for many drivers keeping Canadas supply chains moving Released this week, the report was produced by Justice for Truck Drivers and the West Coast Trucking Association, with legal and research support from Labour Community Services of Peel and Parkdale Community Legal Services. It finds that nearly 70 percent of drivers are dissatisfied with their wages, while two-thirds say their pay has declined over the past three years. For many, the problem is not just low pay, but work that goes unpaid altogether. According to the study, 74 percent of federally regulated drivers and 68 percent of provincially regulated drivers report they are not paid for all hours worked, including time spent waiting at shipping docks, border crossings, or performing mandatory inspections. Nearly 63 percent reported at least one instance of wage theft, with unpaid wages averaging about $10,000 per driver Advocacy groups behind the report say immigrant drivers are disproportionately exposed to these practices, in part because of their concentration in long-haul work, dependence on employer sponsorships, and widespread misclassification as independent contractors. The report estimates 42 percent of drivers are currently misclassified, a practice that allows companies to avoid paying overtime, vacation pay, and benefits, while shifting business costs onto workers. Industry estimates cited in the report suggest misclassification can save employers $20,000 to $30,000 per driver per year, at the drivers expense. Its very hard to feed the family as a truck driver, one survey respondent said. Another added: If you complain then you pay the price. Misclassification emerged as one of the most significant drivers of exploitation. A large share of drivers said they were treated as independent contractors despite working under conditions resembling employment. This allows companies to avoid paying overtime, vacation pay, public holiday pay, and benefits, while shifting insurance, fuel, and maintenance costs onto drivers. Employers dont want to give benefits, vacation pay, overtime, one driver said. Truck driving industry is the most exploitative industry in Canada. The report notes that misclassification also blocks access to remedies when wage theft occurs, as drivers are often told labour protections do not apply to them. When the employer doesnt pay on time or they dont pay at all, the labour court doesnt help you because you are not an employee, one driver said. Me and my many colleagues have lost more than $20,000 in the past because the company refused to pay and we couldnt do anything about it. Health and safety conditions further compound the strain. Drivers reported chronic shortages of safe truck parking and rest areas, making compliance with hours-of-service rules difficult and increasing fatigue. Many said they were pressured to drive in unsafe conditions or operate poorly maintained equipment. One of the biggest problems is safety, a driver told researchers. If we refuse unsafe work, were punished. If I speak up, I lose work. If I stay quiet, I risk my life. The report situates these conditions within decades of deregulation that intensified competition, empowered brokers and shippers to drive down rates, and weakened enforcement. While trucking represents a relatively small share of federally regulated employment, it accounts for a disproportionate share of confirmed labour code violations, a signal of systemic non-compliance. Advocacy groups behind the report argue that immigrant drivers are particularly vulnerable due to language barriers, limited access to legal support, and fear of retaliation or job loss. Government is only listening to the giant corporations, not a small driver like us, one respondent said. Rather than incremental fixes, the report calls for structural reform. Drivers consistently demanded minimum pay rates, full compensation for all work time, and stronger enforcement of labour standards. Without those changes, the authors warn, exploitation will remain embedded in an industry that increasingly relies on immigrant labour to function. The real rot is weak enforcement, slow investigations, shell companies, and laws that let wage theft happen without consequences, said one driver interviewed by the researchers. As Canada continues to depend on trucking to move food, fuel, and consumer goods across the country, the report concludes that ignoring the conditions facing drivers risks entrenching a two-tier workforce, one where the people hauling the economy forward are left running on empty. Indian Navy's Deputy Chief Vice Admiral Tarun Sobti held high-level talks with Bahrain's Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa to enhance naval cooperation. The discussions centered on information sharing, joint training, capacity building, and future warfare. This engagement follows recent diplomatic exchanges, including a phone call between the foreign ministers discussing a deeper multifaceted partnership. Both nations are also reviewing progress on a Joint Working Group for trade and a potential Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement. Vice Admiral Tarun Sobti meets Bahrain's Crown Prince to bolster bilateral naval cooperation in info sharing, training, and future warfare capabilities. Riffa, February 11 Deputy Chief of Naval Staff Vice Admiral Tarun Sobti on Tuesday called on the Crown Prince, Prime Minister and the Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces of Bahrain, Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa at Riffa Palace for discussions focused on strengthening bilateral ties and naval cooperation of India and Bahrain. The discussions focused on cooperation in fields including information sharing, joint training, capacity building and future warfare. In a post on X, the Indian Navy said, " VAdm Tarun Sobti, Deputy Chief of Naval Staff #IndianNavy, called on HRH Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Crown Prince, Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces & Prime Minister of #Bahrain, at Riffa Palace on #10Feb 26. Discussions focused on strengthening bilateral ties & naval cooperation in areas including Information Sharing, Joint Training, Capacity Building, and Future Warfare." Earlier on 16 December, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar extended warm greetings to Bahrain's Foreign Minister Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani, the government and the people of the Kingdom of Bahrain on the country's National Day. In a post on X, Jaishankar said India remains committed to strengthening its long-standing partnership with Bahrain. "Warm greetings to FM Dr. Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani, the Government & people of the Kingdom of Bahrain on their National Day. Reaffirm commitment to strengthening our long-standing partnership." The message arrived a month after Jaishankar spoke by phone with Al Zayani on November 16, during which the two leaders discussed ways to deepen the multifaceted relationship between India and Bahrain. They also exchanged views on key regional and global developments. "Good to speak with FM Dr. Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani of Bahrain over phone. Discussed ways to further deepen our longstanding multifaceted partnership. Also exchanged views on current regional and global developments," Jaishankar had said in his post at the time. India and Bahrain share close and friendly ties, supported by regular high-level engagements, growing trade and investment, and cooperation in areas such as energy, defence and people-to-people contacts. Earlier in November, the Bahraini Foreign Minister visited India and co-chaired the Fifth India-Bahrain High Joint Commission with Jaishankar. During the meeting, both sides reviewed progress toward establishing a Joint Working Group on Trade and Investment and discussed initiating negotiations for a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA). The two countries also strongly condemned terrorism in all its forms and reaffirmed their commitment to combat terrorism, including cross-border terrorism, reflecting shared security concerns and cooperation. - ANI A report highlights that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Act East Policy has repositioned India as a vital Indo-Pacific power with significant strategic interest in Southeast Asia's security and prosperity. The analysis notes that India's emergence as a global economic powerhouse and decisive balancing force is unfolding alongside China's prolonged period of economic deceleration, reshaping Asia's balance of power. Modi's recent visit to Malaysia is described as a strategic inflection point, offering Kuala Lumpur the chance to recognize India as a first-tier strategic partner. The report stresses that deepening multifaceted ties with India in areas like defense, technology, and energy is essential for the long-term prosperity and autonomy of Malaysia and the wider region. Report details how Modi's Act East Policy positions India as key strategic partner for Southeast Asia, offering counterbalance amid China's economic deceleration. Kuala Lumpur/New Delhi, Feb 11 Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Act East Policy, introduced in 2014, provides a strategic framework that has repositioned India as a vital Indo-Pacific power with an enduring interest in Southeast Asia's security and prosperity. Through deeper integration, enhanced connectivity and engagement in the future resilience and security support of the region, Southeast Asia has benefitted from a stronger counterbalance and India's economic and security cooperation, a report said on Wednesday. According to a report in the Eurasia Review, by re-centering ASEAN and the wider maritime stretch from the Andaman Sea to the Strait of Malacca, the policy underscores the importance of India's strategic presence, offering reassurance to the region confronting renewed risks and tensions. "India has long been overlooked in its power, strength, influence and role as the regional and global power and economic leadership equation, at the expense of the region and the world. The emergence now as a global economic powerhouse and a decisive balancing power in the Indo-Pacific has never been more pivotal, at the same time that China enters a prolonged period of economic deceleration and strategic friction," the report detailed. "For Malaysia and Southeast Asia, this transformation is not abstract, and India lies squarely at the forefront of their future economic and geopolitical net and interests, providing the pillar of stability and strength in economic resilience, security support, food and energy security, technology access, and strategic optionality," it added. The report emphasised that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Malaysia on February 7 and 8 is strategically significant for both countries, particularly for Malaysia as it offered Kuala Lumpur the opportunity to move beyond the traditional hedging approach and recognise India as a first-tier strategic partner for decades ahead. It stated that India's present and future role has never been more profound and integral, with its rise unfolding alongside China's structural slowdown, thereby reshaping the balance of power in Asia. "For Malaysia, the choice is not between India and others. It is between either preparing early for India's ascent or adjusting late. Both nations share similar future challenges and potential," the report stressed. "Prime Minister Modi's visit is a strategic inflection point in creating a new wave of resonating ties with interwoven benefits in a multi-faceted partnership based on history, trust and shared future aspirations. Deepening ties with India in defence, technology, semiconductors, energy, food security, education, and culture is not merely prudent, but forming the key foundational essence for the region and Malaysia's long-term prosperity, security, and autonomy," it noted. - IANS Actor and educator Swaroop Rawal has announced she has been invited to join the Department of Education at Gujarat Vidyapith as a Professor of Practice. She expressed deep honor and gratitude for the opportunity to contribute to an institution with a rich Gandhian legacy. This new role follows her recognition last year with a Fellowship from the University of Worcester for her contributions to education. Her work is notably focused on promoting inclusive learning and developing life skills programs for children with learning disabilities. Actor-educator Swaroop Rawal invited as Professor of Practice in Education Dept at Gujarat Vidyapith, honoring her Gandhian legacy work. Mumbai, February 11 Actor and educator Swaroop Rawal said that she has been invited to join the Department of Education at Gujarat Vidyapith as a Professor of Practice. On Wednesday, Swaroop took to her Facebook account and expressed her happiness at receiving this special honour. "Incredibly honored to share that I've been invited to join the Department of Education at Gujarat Vidyapith as a Professor of Practice! Deeply grateful for the opportunity to contribute to an institution with such a rich Gandhian legacy. Looking forward to this new journey! #Education #GujaratVidyapith #ProfessorOfPractice #HigherEd #NewBeginnings," she posted. Last year, Swaroop, wife of veteran actor Paresh Rawal, was awarded a Fellowship by the University of Worcester in the United Kingdom in recognition of her outstanding contributions to education. The honour acknowledged her dedicated work in promoting inclusive learning and developing life skills programmes for children with learning disabilities. - ANI Iranian authorities organized nationwide rallies to commemorate the 1979 Islamic Revolution, featuring strong anti-American and anti-Israeli rhetoric and displays of military hardware. The events were framed as a show of defiance and unity following widespread deadly protests that shook the country in late December and a military conflict last year. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who did not appear in person, urged citizens to participate via a video message. Senior officials described the rallies as marking a strategic defeat for the United States and Israel, while also referencing the recent civil unrest. Iran holds state rallies marking the 1979 Islamic Revolution with anti-US and anti-Israel chants, projecting unity after recent protests and conflict. Tehran, February 12 Iranian leaders intensified their rhetoric against the United States and Israel during nationwide events marking the 1979 Islamic Revolution, held a month after deadly protests shook the country, Al Jazeera reported. According to Al Jazeera, state-organised rallies on Wednesday echoed with chants of "Death to America" and "Death to Israel" as authorities sought to project unity and strength on one of the most symbolically significant days for the Islamic Republic. In central Tehran near Enghelab Square, organisers displayed five mock coffins draped with the US flag and bearing the names and images of senior American military officials, including Central Command chief Brad Cooper and Chief of Staff Alan George. This year's anniversary comes at a sensitive time for Iran's leadership, following a 12-day conflict with Israel and the United States in June and widespread protests that erupted in late December. Officials framed the commemorations as a show of defiance amid heightened tensions with Washington. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, 86, did not appear in person at the events and also skipped his annual meeting with army and air force commanders for the first time in his 36-year tenure. In a video message, he urged citizens to "disappoint the enemy" by participating in the anniversary rallies. Other senior political, military and judicial officials issued similar calls. People also burned and trampled on US and Israeli flags, while ballistic and cruise missiles capable of reaching Israel and the wreckage of Israeli drones shot down during last year's war were displayed. Missiles said to be capable of reaching Israel, along with debris from Israeli drones downed during last year's conflict, were put on display. Iranian authorities have repeatedly described their missile programme as a "red line", amid efforts by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to press US President Donald Trump to include both Iran's missile and nuclear programmes in negotiations. State television aired aerial footage of large crowds in Tehran and other cities, describing the gatherings as another "epic saga"- a phrase often used by officials to characterise the annual demonstrations. Participants were praised as loyal citizens strengthening national security. President Masoud Pezeshkian, addressing a crowd at Tehran's Azadi Square, called for national unity in the face of what he described as "conspiracies from imperial powers", while reiterating his government's willingness to engage in talks over Iran's nuclear programme. The anniversary events also referenced the recent protests, which left thousands dead, according to critics and rights groups. Officials portrayed the rallies as evidence of victory over "enemies". Ahmad Vahidi, deputy head of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), speaking at an event in Shiraz, described the anniversary rallies as marking a third "major defeat" for the US and Israel in recent months. He said the 12-day war was the first one, and the second was the state-organised counter-demonstrations held on January 12, days after most of the protest killings were carried out on the nights of January 8 and 9, Al Jazeera reported. Like Vahidi, police chief Ahmad-Reza Radan called the protests another "sedition" and said they were "a great project by the global arrogance" that was quashed, as Al Jazeera reported The Iranian government claimed that 3,117 people lost their lives during the unprecedented protest killings, all of them at the hands of "terrorists" and "rioters" armed and funded from abroad. The UN and international human rights organisations have accused state security forces of being behind the killings. The UN Human Rights Council last month issued a resolution condemning the killings and calling on the Islamic Republic to "prevent extrajudicial killing, other forms of arbitrary deprivation of life, enforced disappearance, sexual and gender-based violence", and other actions violating its human rights obligations. - ANI Iran's Foreign Ministry has firmly stated that indirect talks with the United States will remain in Oman, dismissing reports of a venue change. A senior Iranian official concurrently warned the US not to allow Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to set the terms for nuclear negotiations. Netanyahu, before meeting with US President Donald Trump, stated Iran would be the primary topic of their discussions. The diplomatic exchanges underscore the ongoing regional tensions centered on Iran's nuclear program and US-Israel coordination. Iran rejects venue change for US talks, stresses Oman as only location. Official warns US against letting Israel dictate nuclear negotiation terms. Tehran, Feb 11 Iran's Foreign Ministry rejected reports that indirect talks between Tehran and Washington would be held outside Oman, saying Muscat was always the agreed venue, according to the state-run IRNA news agency. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei told a news briefing that Iran welcomed diplomatic efforts by regional and neighboring countries that had offered to help ease tensions and support dialogue, Xinhua news agency reported. He said Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi had been in contact with counterparts in regional countries as well as others concerned about regional peace and security. Those contacts, Baqaei said, took place "at the highest levels," including with Iran's president and foreign minister, and were aimed at reducing tensions and facilitating a diplomatic process. Baqaei stressed, however, that there had never been any plan to hold the talks anywhere other than Oman. Separately, Ali Larijani, secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, arrived in Muscat on Tuesday, where he met with Omani Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr bin Hamad bin Hamood Albusaidi, Oman's official news agency reported. The two discussed regional and international issues and underscored the importance of dialogue and cooperation in supporting regional security and stability. Also in the day, Larijani issued a warning on social media platform X ahead of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's scheduled meeting with US President Donald Trump in Washington on Wednesday, where Iran is expected to feature prominently. Larijani warned that the United States should not let Netanyahu, "through posturing," dictate the framework of nuclear negotiations. Israel has argued that Iran "cannot be trusted" on the nuclear issue and has threatened unilateral action if US-Iran talks fail to meet its expectations. Before departing for Washington, Netanyahu said Iran would be the "first and foremost" topic in his meeting with Trump. - IANS Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with US special envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff to discuss regional issues and received an update on the first round of US negotiations with Iran. President Donald Trump stated negotiations with Iran are promising but warned of severe consequences if a deal is not reached, while also considering increased military pressure. Netanyahu is pushing for the talks to be expanded to address Iran's missile program and its regional proxy forces. The Israeli leader has repeatedly praised Trump's unwavering support, calling him an exceptional friend to Israel. Israeli PM Netanyahu meets US envoys Kushner & Witkoff, discusses Iran negotiations and urges broader demands on missiles and proxies. Washington DC, February 11 Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has had a meeting with two special US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. In a post X, he wrote, "Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with the special envoys of the US President, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. The PM and envoys Witkoff and Kushner discussed regional issues, and they provided an update on the first round of negotiations they held with Iran last Friday." President Donald Trump said he believes Iran wants a deal on its nuclear program and that negotiations have been promising, though he warned of "very steep consequences" if Iran fails to agree and continues weapons development. Trump is considering military pressure, including additional carrier deployments, while pushing for a deal that prevents nuclear weapons and limits missiles, however, recently he warned US ships to "stay as far as possible from Iranian waters." Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu wants talks broadened to include Iran's missiles and regional proxies, urging Trump to demand more from Tehran. Their comments reflect a mix of diplomacy and pressure aimed at curbing Iran's nuclear and military ambitions. Last year in December, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised US President Donald Trump after their meeting in Florida, saying Israel has never had a friend in the White House like President Trump. The two leaders discussed the second phase of the Gaza peace plan and broader bilateral ties during talks at Mar-a-Lago. In a post on X after the meeting, Netanyahu wrote, "Israel has never had a friend in the White House like President Trump. His leadership, clarity, and unwavering support for Israel are exceptional." He added, "True friendship is proven in moments of challenge, and President Trump has stood with Israel every step of the way. "Netanyahu also praised Trump earlier as he entered Mar-a-Lago for the meeting, saying, "I think Israel is very blessed to have President Trump leading the United States, and I'll say leading the free world at this time." He further added, "I think it's not merely Israel's great fortune. I think it's the world's great fortune." - ANI Bangladesh's Jamaat-e-Islami chief has cautioned voters against misinformation campaigns aimed at misleading the electorate. Concurrently, BNP Chairman Tarique Rahman has expressed gratitude to the country's Islamic scholars for their guidance ahead of the vote. The elections mark a critical juncture, occurring nearly two years after the July 2024 uprising that ousted former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's government. Voters will also participate in a national referendum on a charter proposing significant constitutional reforms. As Bangladesh votes, Jamaat-e-Islami warns against misinformation while BNP thanks Islamic scholars for guidance in a critical parliamentary election. Dhaka, February 11 As Bangladesh gears up for the 13th National Parliament elections scheduled for Thursday, the main contenders for the polls issued statements emphasising the importance of voter awareness and guidance. Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Chief Shafiqur Rahman alleged that certain groups are spreading misinformation across the country to mislead voters, while Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Chairman Tarique Rahman expressed gratitude to the country's top Islamic scholars for reportedly supporting the BNP ahead of the elections, the Dhaka Tribune reported. In a post on Facebook, the Jamaat Chief stated that a "vested quarter", alarmed by his party's rising popularity, is attempting to influence public opinion through propaganda and urged citizens to ignore such campaigns and exercise their voting rights responsibly. He also stressed that voting is both a constitutional right and a sacred duty, which "the entire nation expects," according to the Dhaka Tribune. Addressing young voters, he hailed the Gen-Z generation as the "heroes of the July revolution", whose courage and activism created the environment for a free and festive election after years of political upheaval. Meanwhile, the BNP Chairman, in a statement issued via his Press Secretary, Saleh Shibly, said that the guidance of the scholars would help voters make informed choices and prevent misinformation against the party. "At this historic moment for the nation, the position taken by the country's top ulema will guide the people towards the right path," the statement read, as quoted by the Dhaka Tribune. He added that their support underscores BNP's commitment to Islamic values and also expressed hope that citizens would receive proper guidance in exercising their political, social, and civic rights. The BNP and the Islamic conservative party, Jamaat-e-Islami, which is leading an alliance with the National Citizen Party (NCP), formed following the student-led uprising, along with other parties on a seat-sharing basis, are the main competitors in the elections. The elections come at a critical time in the country's history, almost two years after the former Prime Minister of Bangladesh, Sheikh Hasina, was ousted following a student-led movement in July 2024. The 2024 July Uprising ended the Bangladesh Awami League's regime, which has now been barred from participating in the current election. Alongside the parliamentary contest, voters will also participate in a concurrent national referendum on the July National Charter, a key document proposing major constitutional and institutional changes that could shape future governance. Following an intense 20-day official campaign period that concluded on February 10, authorities have now fully shifted to polling mode, with attention centred on voting-day logistics and security management. As Bangladesh prepares to head to the polls tomorrow, the atmosphere across the country is a mix of anticipation, hope, and vigilance. - ANI South Korea will launch a 1 trillion won project next month to develop on-device AI semiconductors over five years. The initiative aims to create chips for self-driving cars, smart appliances, and humanoid robots, reducing reliance on foreign technology. It is part of the government's Manufacturing AX Alliance, which includes major firms like Samsung and Hyundai. The country also plans to mass-produce humanoid robots by 2029 and AI-powered autonomous vehicles by 2030. South Korea invests 1 trillion won to develop AI chips for robots, autonomous vehicles, and smart appliances, aiming for tech independence. Seoul, Feb 11 South Korea will begin a 1 trillion-won project next month to develop artificial intelligence semiconductors for on-device use, the industry ministry said on Wednesday. The government and private companies will funnel a combined 1 trillion won into the project over the next five years, with a goal of creating some 10 AI chips that can be used in self-driving cars, smart home appliance products, humanoid robots and others, according to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources, reports Yonhap news agency. The project is part of the government's comprehensive plan to foster the AI transformation of manufacturing industries through its Manufacturing AX (M.AX) Alliance initiative announced at an earlier meeting between Industry Minister Kim Jung-kwan and AI chipmaking companies. The alliance, which kicked off in September, comprises some 1,000 major companies and research institutes, including tech giant Samsung Electronics Co., auto giant Hyundai Motor Group, home appliance maker LG Electronics Inc. and robotics firm Rainbow Robotics. The upcoming project will help local companies reduce their technological dependence on foreign AI chipmakers, the ministry said. The government plans to improve local fabless companies' access to foundries to help them create test products for advanced nodes and strengthen financial support for the semiconductor industry by creating a dedicated investment fund for fabless companies. Support will be extended to companies that produce middle-tech chips for the automotive, communications and defence sectors, according to the ministry. "In the era of AI, semiconductors are a core strategic asset that determines both industrial competitiveness and national security," the industry minister said in a press release, vowing government support for the industry. Meanwhile, South Korea will work to begin mass producing humanoid robots in 2029 and autonomous vehicles powered by artificial intelligence (AI) the following year, making it a global leader in the AI transformation (AX) of manufacturing industries, the industry ministry said. The plan was unveiled at the launching ceremony of the Manufacturing AX Alliance (M.AX), which will connect major companies, such as Hyundai Motor Group, LG Electronics Inc., Samsung Electronics Co. and Posco Group, with AI companies to help manufacturing companies apply AI technology in their businesses. - IANS Lok Sabha MP Shambhavi Choudhary and Mahavir Mandir Trust Secretary Saayan Kunal met Union Home Minister Amit Shah to brief him on the progress of the Virat Ramayana Temple in Motihari, Bihar. They discussed the temple's current status, future plans, and its cultural and spiritual significance. During the meeting, Shah expressed his interest in the project and described it as an important initiative for Indian culture and faith. The delegation also presented the Home Minister with a replica of the Sahastra Shivling. Union Home Minister Amit Shah met with LJP MP Shambhavi Choudhary and temple trust officials to review the Virat Ramayana Temple construction in Motihari. New Delhi, February 11 LJP Lok Sabha MP Shambhavi Choudhary and Secretary, Mahavir Mandir Trust, Patna, Saayan Kunal met Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday in Parliament. Saayan Kunal briefed the Home Minister on the progress of the construction of the Virat Ramayana Temple at Motihari. LJP(R) MP Shambhavi Choudhary told ANI that Secretary Hanuman Mandir Trust Sayaan Kunal has provided information to Union Home Amit Shah about the current status of the Virat Ramayan temple construction, future plans, and its cultural and spiritual significance. Lok Sabha MP from Samastipur, Bihar, Shambhavi Choudhary, further told ANI that Sayaan Kunal informed the Union Home Minister about the construction of the Virat Ramayan Temple in Motihari, Bihar, and its cultural significance. "Home Minister expressed interest in this important project, extended his best wishes, and described it as a significant initiative connected to Indian culture and faith", she added Secretary of Mahavir Temple Trust, Patna, Sayan Kunal, and MP Shambhavi Choudhary presented a replica of the Sahastra Shivling to Union Home Minister Amit Shah. Chaudhary took it to X, posting, "Today, I had the good fortune of meeting the Honorable Union Home Minister Shri Amit Shah ji. Presenting him, along with Saiyan, the symbolic representation of the world's largest monolithic thousand Shiva lingas was a matter of honor for me. Har Har Mahadev. Jai Bihar" On Tuesday, the Home Minister also delivered a keynote address at the National Conference on "Tackling Cyber-Enabled Frauds and Dismantling the Ecosystem" in New Delhi, on Tuesday. The Home Minister presided over an Investiture Ceremony of CBI Officers and inaugurated the New Cybercrime Branch of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). Amit Shah also launched State Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (S4C) dashboard of the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C), Ministry of Home Affairs. On this occasion, the Union Home Secretary, the Secretary, Department of Personnel and Training (DOPT), the Director, Intelligence Bureau (IB), the Director, CBI, and other senior officers were present. In his keynote address, Amit Shah congratulated the CBI and the I4C for organising this important conference. He said that multiple government agencies are working together to prevent cybercrime. - ANI BJP MLA Letzamang Haokip inspected the road linking Henglep with Churachandpur, highlighting all-weather roads as the region's most pressing basic need. He noted that road expansion must be accompanied by electricity infrastructure, including more electric poles. This comes months after Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation for development projects worth over Rs 7,300 crore in the state, aiming for holistic growth. PM Modi's visit, his first since the 2023 ethnic conflict, included appeals for peace and promises of government support for Manipur's future. BJP MLA Letzamang Haokip emphasizes the critical need for all-weather roads and electricity in Manipur, inspecting development projects in Churachandpur. Churachandpur, February 11 Bharatiya Janata Party MLA Letzamang Haokip on Wednesday inspected the construction of the road linking Henglep with Churachandpur in Manipur under the North Eastern Council. Speaking to ANI, Haokip emphasised the need for all-weather roads in the region, noting that road expansion will also require electricity, with more electric poles to be installed alongside road construction. "All-weather roads are the most important basic need right now... With the expansion of roads, we also require electricity. Therefore, more electric poles will be installed alongside road construction in the area," Letzamang Haokip said. Earlier in September 2025, Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone for multiple development projects worth over Rs 7,300 crore in Churachandpur, Manipur. In line with his commitment to the inclusive, sustainable, and holistic development of Manipur, PM Modi laid the foundation for the Manipur Urban Roads and Drainage and Asset Management Improvement Project, worth over Rs 3,600 crore. In Imphal, PM Modi inaugurated multiple development projects worth more than Rs 1,200 crore at Imphal. They include the Civil Secretariat at Mantripukhri; IT SEZ Building and New Police Headquarters at Mantripukhri; Manipur Bhawans at Delhi and Kolkata; and Ima Markets, a unique all-women's market, in 4 districts. This was PM Modi's first visit after an ethnic conflict erupted in the State in May 2023, and the discord between the Meitei and Kuki communities has persisted since then. The conflict has inflicted lasting damage on Manipur, hindering its economy, disrupting its social cohesion, and destabilising its political landscape. "I appeal to all the groups to move on the path of peace to fulfil their dreams and secure their children's future. Today, I promise that I stand by your side. The Indian government stands with the people of Manipur," PM Modi said. The Prime Minister said, "Manipur has always been a land of hope, but unfortunately, it went through a difficult phase of violence. I met with the affected people who are living in camps. After an interaction with them, I can say "ummeed aur vishwas ki nayi subah Manipur mein dastak de rahi hai" (A new dawn of hope and confidence is knocking on the doors of Manipur)." - ANI Commentary By Alex Whalen and Jake Fuss Recently, citing feedback from Canadians, WestJet backed down from its plan to add more seats to certain aircrafta move that would have reduced space for travellers. The episode also prompted calls for stricter regulation of Canadas airlines, with one headline suggesting theres a regulation gap in the industry. The frustration is understandable. Plagued by high prices and lack of choice, air travel in Canada is dismal. But stricter regulation is the last thing Canadas air travellers need. Air travel is a highly regulated industry. To some degree, this is understandable, as governments have an interest in ensuring safety in the skies. However, the governments regulatory role should be confined to just thatsafety. Government should not be in the business of telling airlines (or any other business) how to best serve their customers. There are at least three reasons why. First, government does not have the required information to determine what best serves customers. In other words, only the airlines should determine where to fly, what price to charge, and what in-flight amenities to provide, primarily by testing such concepts with customers. Second, government doesnt receive feedback and cant be held accountable in the same way an airline canif customers dislike the seat configuration of WestJet or any other airline, they can go elsewhere, which signals to airlines that they should adjust their approach (or risk reduced sales or even going out of business). Third, and perhaps most importantly, government regulation adds costs to businesses. Air travel in Canada is already expensive compared to our peer countries in part due to regulatory burdens. So, how can the government help improve air travel in Canada? Simply put, rather than adding more regulation, the federal government should reduce regulations around cabotage and foreign ownership. By helping increase choice and competition, the government can help drive down prices and provide more options for air travellers. Cabotage refers to government restrictions on the ability of foreign airlines to fly within Canada. Currently, according to the federal Canada Transportation Act, only airlines based in Canada (essentially, those that have majority Canadian ownership) can fly routes between Canadian destinations. By preventing foreign airlines from operating routes within Canada (Toronto to Vancouver, for example), the government restricts competition and limits consumer choice, which ultimately leads to higher ticket prices. Experts agree this is a key reason why Canadians pay among the highest prices in the world for domestic airfare. The federal government also limits foreign ownership of Canadian airlines to a maximum of 49 per cent, and no individual foreign investor can own more than 25 per cent of voting shares. These rules restrict the ability of new airlines in Canada to raise the necessary investment capital to compete in the Canadian market and deprive established airlines potential sources of capital that could improve service. The recent WestJet controversy worked out exactly as it should. The airline proposed a change, customers rejected it, and WestJet reversed course. Inserting the federal government into this relationship with ever-more regulation would make things worse, not better. When it comes to both cabotage and foreign ownership restrictions, Ottawa has an opportunity to serve air travellers and airlines alike by regulating less, not more. Alex Whalen is Director, Atlantic Canada Prosperity with the Fraser Institute while Jake Fuss is Director of Fiscal Studies for the Fraser Institute. Manipur Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh visited relief camps housing both Meitei and Kuki-Zo community IDPs in Jiribam district. He urged all communities to treat the past two years of violence as a nightmare and collectively move towards peace and development. The CM emphasized that Jiribam has the potential to become a business hub like Mumbai, but peace is essential first. He also stressed the need to rebuild a collective Manipuri identity that transcends community divisions. Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh visits relief camps in Jiribam, urging Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities to move past violence for peace and development. Imphal, Feb 11 Manipur Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh, on Wednesday, during a visit to violence-hit Internally Displaced Persons in Jiribam district, urged inmates to forget past hostilities and jointly work towards peace and development. In his maiden visit to the mixed-population Jiribam district, bordering southern Assam, the Chief Minister said: "Let us consider the last two years as a nightmare. Let us forget it and have the courage to move forward towards peace and development." He first visited the relief camp housing Meitei IDPs at the Jiribam Higher Secondary School campus, where he interacted with the inmates. Addressing them, Singh stressed the need for collective efforts to remove the trust deficit. "Jiribam is the gateway to Manipur and has the potential to become a business hub. Just as Mumbai is India's business capital, Jiribam can become Manipur's Mumbai. But for business to flourish, peace must come first," he said. The Chief Minister later visited the Kalinagar relief camp, which shelters Hmar tribal IDPs belonging to the Kuki-Zo community. He requested the inmates to treat the past two years as a nightmare and move ahead with courage towards peace and development. Referring to the Christian faith of the Hmar IDPs, Singh said Christianity teaches forgiveness and love for neighbours, including one's enemies. He also visited Jarolpokpi Hmar village, which had witnessed violence in 2023. This marked the second visit by Singh to Kuki-Zo villages since December 8 last year, when he visited a Kuki hamlet at Litan Saraikhong in Ukhrul district and interacted with Kuki IDPs. "I feel that someone is trying to destroy the concept of being Manipuri. First, we are Indians, and then we are Manipuris. We can be Manipuri Naga, Manipuri Kuki, or Manipuri Meitei. We need to rebuild this collective identity," he said. The Hmar villagers expressed full support for the government and urged the Chief Minister to address local needs, particularly the construction of a school building. Singh later visited Mongbung Meitei village and interacted with villagers, who requested repair of the existing village road. Assuring them of development, the Chief Minister reiterated that people from both communities must begin interacting to bridge the trust deficit. "Since taking oath as Chief Minister last week, this is my first visit outside Imphal. I believe Jiribam is one of the most important places in Manipur and has immense potential to become a business centre. Peace is essential for this vision," he added. The Chief Minister told the IDPs that their concerns are being addressed by the district administration and said houses for homeless IDPs are under construction and expected to be completed by March. During his interaction at the Jiribam Higher Secondary School relief camp, Singh also presented a wheelchair to an elderly woman under the Palliative Care Scheme. Meanwhile, speaking to the media on the sidelines of the visit, the Chief Minister reaffirmed his commitment to a unified Manipur free from caste and community divisions. On IDP resettlement, he said the process had begun during the President's Rule and that his government remains committed to resolving the issue, though it was too early to announce specific timelines. On arrival at the Bidyanagar Helipad, Singh was received by the district administration led by Deputy Commissioner Krishna Kumar, Superintendent of Police Prakhar Pandey, and officials from the district administration, district police, and central security forces. - IANS Researchers from Nagaland University have completed a pioneering study examining how land use and human activity impact river flow in the North Eastern Himalayas. The research, which addresses a critical gap in Himalayan science, provides benchmark data and a practical runoff classification system to aid water planning and flood mitigation. The findings reveal dense forests effectively absorb rainfall, while urban landscapes generate high monsoon runoff and reduced dry-season flows. The study is expected to benefit policymakers and serve as a model for similar fragile regions across the Himalayas. Nagaland University researchers provide benchmark data on how land use change impacts runoff and river flow in the fragile North Eastern Himalayan region. Lumami, February 11 Nagaland University Researchers have completed a pioneering GIS-based hydrological study that scientifically examines how geo-ecological conditions and human activities influence runoff and river flow in the North Eastern Himalayan hill region, an area long marked by data gaps and global scientific debate. According to a press release, the research addresses a critical and contested question in Himalayan science - the true hydrological impact of land use change on river discharge, floods and environmental degradation. Beyond advancing scientific understanding, the study proposes a practical four-zone runoff classification-low, moderate, high and very high runoff zones-to support water resource planning, flood mitigation and integrated watershed management. The methodology and findings are expected to benefit policymakers, planners and local communities, while also serving as a transferable model for similar fragile regions across the Himalaya and India, said the release. Emphasising the role of the university in researching topics of vital importance to the local community and the entire North East, Prof Jagadish K Patnaik, Vice Chancellor, Nagaland University, said, "I congratulate the research team of Nagaland University for producing this important GIS-based hydrological study that provides benchmark data on land use change and river flow in the North Eastern Himalayas. This work is timely and significant, as it enhances our understanding of runoff patterns, flood risks, and sustainable water management in fragile hill ecosystems. Such research not only strengthens scientific knowledge but also supports informed policy and planning for the region's environmental security and resilience." The study, titled 'GIS Modelling to investigate geo-ecological and anthropogenic impacts on runoff and river flow in the North Eastern hilly region of India', was conducted by Dr K Belho and Prof MS Rawat from Nagaland University, along with Dr Pradeep Kumar Rawat from Asian International University, Imphal. The research was funded by Nagaland University through a Non-NET Fellowship and supported by the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, Government of India. The findings were published in the International Journal of Geographic Information System Research and Development, a peer-reviewed academic journal that publishes original research and applied studies on GIS theory, technologies, spatial analysis, and geospatial applications across disciplines. Elaborating on the technical aspects of the Research, Prof MS Rawat, Department of Geography, School of Sciences, Nagaland University, said, "We focused on four experimentally monitored watersheds in Kohima district. Our research team combined advanced geospatial techniques with systematic field-based hydrological measurements, which is an approach rarely attempted in the Indian Himalayas. The study generated continuous stream discharge data across contrasting land-use systems, including dense forests, open forests, agricultural lands and urban landscapes, creating one of the first benchmark hydrological datasets for the North Eastern Himalayan region." Further, Dr K Belho, Department of Geography, School of Sciences, Nagaland University, said, "Our findings reveal stark contrasts in runoff behaviour across geo-ecological systems. Dense, undisturbed forest landscapes showed a strong capacity to absorb rainfall and sustain sub-surface flows during non-monsoon months, while urban and heavily modified landscapes generated high monsoon runoff and significantly reduced lean-season flows." The researchers quantified these differences through runoff ratios, clearly demonstrating how increasing anthropogenic stress amplifies flood risks while weakening water availability during dry periods. Further, Dr Pradeep Kumar Rawat, Consultant Professor, Asian International University, Manipur, said, "Our study underscores the urgent need for more instrumented experimental catchments and long-term hydrological monitoring stations across the Himalayan region. The researchers note that such infrastructure is essential for reliable flood forecasting, environmental hazard assessment and evidence-based sustainable development in one of the world's most sensitive mountain ecosystems." - ANI Maharashtra NCP chief Sunil Tatkare has firmly stated that his party is and will remain a part of the NDA, dismissing speculation about its stance. He attributed the original decision to join the NDA to the late Ajit Pawar and confirmed Sunetra Pawar's unanimous selection as the legislative party leader. Tatkare avoided commenting on whether the Sharad Pawar faction would be welcomed into the NDA, focusing instead on the party's current commitment. Meanwhile, NCP sources indicate merger talks have become remote, and NCP(SP) leader Rohit Pawar postponed a political press conference to focus on the inquiry into Ajit Pawar's death. Maharashtra NCP chief Sunil Tatkare reaffirms party's alliance with NDA, downplays merger talks with Sharad Pawar faction. New Delhi, Feb 11 Amid speculation about a possible merger between the two NCP factions, Maharashtra unit chief Sunil Tatkare on Wednesday said that the party is a part of the NDA and will continue to remain so in the future as well. When asked about the party's stance on a potential merger, Tatkare responded: "Where does the question of our party's stance even arise? We are in the NDA. While Dada (Ajit Pawar) was alive, I repeatedly clarified our position -- that we took a collective decision to join the NDA under his leadership. That decision stood yesterday, it stands today, and it will remain so in the future. Therefore, someone else needs to provide clarity regarding joining the NDA." He reaffirmed that Ajit Pawar had consistently favoured being in government with the BJP since 2014/2019, and that the party remains committed to the NDA arrangement. Tatkare was speaking to reporters after accompanying Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and party leader Sunetra Pawar during courtesy meetings with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, and Vice President and Rajya Sabha Chairman C.P. Radhakrishnan. "As for a merger or anything else... Vahini (Sunetra Pawar) has accepted the responsibility of the Deputy Chief Minister's post. Our party's decision was taken unanimously by all legislative members. Senior leaders, including Praful Patel, myself as State President, Bhujbal, Hasan Mushrif, Dhananjay Munde and all our senior colleagues in the Cabinet, collectively took the stand that she must be the leader of the legislative party. We made the selection accordingly," Tatkare said. When asked if they would welcome the Sharad Pawar faction should they decide to join the NDA, Tatkare avoided a direct response. "How can I comment on 'ifs and buts'? It is well known that since 2014 or 2019, it was the late Ajit Dada's stance that we should be in government with the Bharatiya Janata Party. Ajit Dada clearly expressed this view in all the NCP meetings at that time. Even in 2019, when Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar took the oath together, Ajit Dada had a clear perspective: he believed a two-party government -- specifically BJP and NCP -- would lead Maharashtra towards progress more effectively than a three-party government," he noted. Tatkare further stated: "We know that in 2023, when no decision was being reached to join the BJP despite repeated discussions within the party, we followed the philosophy of the late Yashwantrao Chavan -- that to serve the interests of the Bahujan community, one must be in power. However, our participation in the NDA was based on our original secular ideology and the social equality principles of Shivaji-Shahu-Phule-Ambedkar. This participation will undeniably continue in the coming period." Further, NCP sources said that after the sudden and untimely demise of Ajit Pawar, there has been no discussion about a merger with the Sharad Pawar faction. They indicated that the possibility of a merger has now become remote. Meanwhile, NCP (SP) leader Rohit Pawar, who was also in New Delhi, postponed his press conference slated for February 12, which had been organised to give details about the merger talks between the two NCP factions and the way forward. In a post on X, Rohit Pawar said: "The matter of the inquiry into the tragic accidental death of Ajitdada is important to us, and to ensure it proceeds in the right direction, I have started some meetings. Due to this, the press conference scheduled for February 12 on political matters has to be postponed. As soon as the matter of the inquiry into Ajitdada is resolved, a press conference on political matters will also be held soon, and you will be informed about it two days in advance." - IANS India's net direct tax collections for FY26 have grown robustly by 9.40%, reaching nearly Rs 19.44 lakh crore. Corporate tax collections saw a notable increase, while refunds issued dropped sharply by over 18%. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, during the budget debate, affirmed the Centre's commitment to devolving 41% of taxes to states. She highlighted that states' estimated share for the coming year has increased significantly. India's net direct tax collections rise to Rs 19.44 lakh crore in FY26, with corporate tax showing strong growth. Finance Minister details state fund devolution. New Delhi, February 11 India's net direct tax collections for the financial year 2025-26 have recorded a robust growth of 9.40 per cent, reaching Rs 19,43,743.97 crore as of February 10, 2026, compared to Rs 17,76,728.11 crore in the corresponding period of the previous fiscal, data released by the Income Tax Department said on Wednesday. According to official data, gross direct tax collections stood at Rs 22,78,068.60 crore, marking a 4.09 per cent increase over Rs 21,88,554.86 crore collected during the same period last year. Refunds issued during the period declined by 18.82 per cent to Rs 3,34,324.63 crore, compared to Rs 4,11,826.75 crore in the previous financial year. Corporate tax collections (net) rose to Rs 8,89,752.90 crore in FY26 (as on February 10), up from Rs 7,77,047.63 crore in the same period last year. Non-corporate tax collections, which include taxes paid by individuals, HUFs, firms and other entities, increased to Rs 10,03,385.52 crore from Rs 9,47,477.30 crore a year earlier. Securities Transaction Tax (STT) collections remained broadly stable at Rs 50,279.17 crore, compared with Rs 49,201.40 crore in the previous fiscal. Replying to the debate in the Lok Sabha on the Union Budget 2026-27, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman assured that a 41% share of taxes is devolved to the States. "We have transferred 41% of the divisible pool to the states. No state's share has been reduced." "In the coming year, the States' share is estimated at Rs 25.44 lakh crore, which is devolved to them, an increase of Rs 2.7 lakh crore from last year," she said. She cited the 16th Finance Commission and said it had analysed the devolution of funds from 2018 to 2023 and concluded that the Centre's transfers to states during each of those years matched the Commission's recommendations. - ANI New Zealand has appointed Commodore Andy Dowling as its first resident Defence Advisor to India, marking a significant step in deepening strategic ties. The move follows a major Free Trade Agreement and a defence cooperation pact signed during Prime Minister Christopher Luxon's visit to India. Both navies recognize similarities in capabilities and have already collaborated on a successful counter-narcotics mission in the Indian Ocean. The leaders of both nations have committed to strengthening partnership to ensure a stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific region. New Zealand appoints its first resident Defence Advisor to India, signaling deeper defence cooperation and strategic alignment in the Indo-Pacific. Wellington, Feb 11 The recent appointment of New Zealand's First Resident Defence Advisor to India underscores the growing bilateral partnership between the two nations. A Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN) Commodore Andy Dowling, appointed to the New Zealand High Commission in New Delhi for a three-year posting in late January 2026, highlights India's expanding focus on defence cooperation and other strategic ties under the Act East Policy, a report in the military magazine 'Indo-Pacific Defense Forum,' stated on Wednesday. "We're seeing the Act East with the Indian Navy in particular. They're deploying out of the Indian Ocean, exercising with other countries and visiting New Zealand and Australia. They're getting out and about and that's only going to increase in the coming years," the magazine quoted Dowling as saying. According to the report, Dowling's appointment as New Zealand's first full-time Defence Advisor to India will allow Wellington to understand the system better "to identify and explore opportunities" for both nations to work together. Dowling highlighted similarities between the two navies, particularly in air operations and refuelling at sea. "They have P-8 aircraft like us, they operate the MH-60 helicopter which we're getting and they have the C-130J Hercules," he said. "Their hydrographer training is similar; they operate a sea training group very like our Maritime Training Group. So, they have structures and capabilities that we recognise," he stated The report stated that Dowling's appointment followed a month after Prime Minister Narendra Modi and New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon unveiled a major Free Trade Agreement and emphasised development in defence cooperation. "In the first half of 2025, as part of the United States-led multinational Combined Maritime Forces, the RNZN led a counternarcotics task force in the Western Indian Ocean, with the Indian Navy second in command. The Indian Navy frigate INS Tarkash seized more than 2,500 kilogrammes of hashish and heroin during the mission," it stated. The RNZN frigate HMNZS Te Kaha, the report said, made a port call in Mumbai during its task force deployment. The visit coincided with Luxon's visit to India, which included discussions with PM Modi, including the signing of a defence cooperation agreement. "I reiterated New Zealand's strong commitment to working with India to address shared concerns over our respective interests and contributions to ensure a strong, stable and prosperous region," Luxon said. PM Modi also emphasised that both nations would deepen collaboration in areas such as counterterrorism. "We both support a free, open, secure and prosperous Indo-Pacific. We believe in policies of development, not expansionism," he said. - IANS The trailer for the new thriller series "Scarpetta," starring Nicole Kidman, has been released. The show is an adaptation of Patricia Cornwell's bestselling book series, following a medical examiner hunting a serial killer. It features a dual timeline narrative, tracing the protagonist's early career and her present-day investigation. The series boasts a strong supporting cast including Jamie Lee Curtis and is set to premiere on March 11. Nicole Kidman plays a forensic doctor hunting a serial killer in the new Prime Video series 'Scarpetta,' based on Patricia Cornwell's books. Washington DC, February 11 Academy Award-winning actress Nicole Kidman is in search of a serial killer in the thriller series Scarpetta. The makers have shared the trailer of the series. The series is the adaptation of Patricia Cornwell's bestselling book series of the same name. The show will premiere on March 11. Per the logline: "With skilled hands and an unnerving eye, this unrelenting medical examiner is determined to serve as the voice of the victims, unmask a serial killer, and prove that her career-making case from 28 years prior isn't also her undoing. Set against the backdrop of modern forensic investigation, the series delves beyond the crime scene to explore the psychological complexities of both perpetrators and investigators, creating a multi-layered thriller that examines the toll of pursuing justice at all costs," as quoted by Variety. From writer and showrunner Liz Sarnoff, 'Scarpetta' unfolds across two timelines, tracing Scarpetta's early years in the late 1990s to the present day, when she returns to her hometown to investigate a grisly murder. The trailer also shows the actress navigating complicated relationships, confronting professional grudges and facing secrets that threaten to undo everything. Prime Video shared the trailer on its Instagram handle today. Jamie Lee Curtis stars opposite Kidman as Scarpetta's sister, Dorothy Farinelli. Bobby Cannavale plays Detective Pete Marino, Simon Baker is FBI profiler Benton Wesley, and Ariana DeBose is Scarpetta's tech-savvy niece Lucy Farinelli Watson. The younger versions of the characters are played by Rosy McEwen, Amanda Righetti, Jake Cannavale and Hunter Parrish, according to Variety. 'Scarpetta' is executive produced by Kidman and Per Saari through Blossom Films, Curtis through Comet Pictures, Sarnoff through Sarnoff TV, Cornwell through P & S Projects and Jason Blum, Jeremy Gold, Chris Dickie and Chris McCumber through Blumhouse Television. David Gordon Green directed five episodes and also serves as executive producer alongside Amy Sayres. The series is produced by Amazon MGM Studios and Blumhouse Television in association with Blossom Films, Comet Pictures and P&S Projects. - ANI Oman is actively positioning itself as a strategic gateway and investment destination for Indian businesses, leveraging its geographic location and world-class ports. The centuries-old bilateral relationship has evolved into a robust strategic partnership, reinforced by frequent high-level diplomatic exchanges. Recent visits by Indian ministers underscore a strong push for enhanced trade and investment cooperation. Both nations share converging interests in maritime security and economic integration across the Indian Ocean region. Oman Counsellor highlights strategic ports & investor rules as India's gateway to Africa, Europe. Bilateral ties strengthened by high-level visits. New Delhi, February 11 Counsellor, Embassy of the Sultanate of Oman, Yahya Al Dughaishi says his country is positioned as a good investment opportunity and offers a great plaform for Indian businesses. Speaking exclusively to ANI, he said, "Oman positions itself as a gateway for India through the geographic location, also the world-class ports and connectivity to the neighbouring regions like Africa, Europe, and other countries in the Middle East. Also in Oman, we have friendly investor regulations which help to have a great business platform for Indian businesses. I believe that manufacturing in the metal sector is growing steadily. There's strong global demand for steel and green steel. And also the good investment environment we have in Oman." The Sultanate of Oman continues to consolidate its position as one of India's closest partners in West Asia, with expanding political engagement and growing economic collaboration underscoring the strength of bilateral ties. Rooted in geography, history and centuries-old cultural exchanges, India-Oman relations have evolved into a robust strategic partnership since their formal upgrade in 2008. Diplomatic relations between the two nations were established in 1955, although people-to-people contacts date back nearly 5,000 years, reflecting vibrant maritime trade across the Arabian Sea. Today, Oman is regarded as a crucial pillar of India's West Asia policy and its oldest strategic partner in the region. High-level exchanges in recent years have reinforced the momentum in ties. Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Oman in February 2018, marking a significant milestone in bilateral engagement. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has maintained active diplomatic outreach, including visits in December 2019 and again on 16 February 2025 to participate in the 8th Indian Ocean Conference. Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal travelled to Oman in January 2025 to co-chair the 11th India-Oman Joint Commission Meeting and attend the Joint Business Council meeting, signalling a strong push on trade and investment cooperation. Strategic dialogue mechanisms have also remained active. Deputy National Security Advisor Vikram Misri visited Oman in February 2024 for the ninth round of the Strategic Dialogue, while senior officials from both sides have continued consultations through platforms such as the India-Oman Strategic Consultative Group. Oman's role as an interlocutor at multilateral platforms including the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), Arab League and Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) adds further depth to the partnership. The two countries share converging interests in maritime security, regional stability and economic integration across the Indian Ocean region. Trade and investment ties are increasingly central to the relationship. Oman's emphasis on investor-friendly regulations and world-class port infrastructure positions it as a gateway for Indian companies seeking access to markets in Africa, Europe and the wider Middle East. The focus on metals and green steel manufacturing aligns with global demand trends and India's growing industrial footprint abroad. With steady political engagement and expanding commercial cooperation, India and Oman appear poised to further strengthen a partnership that blends historic trust with modern strategic priorities. - ANI More than 500,000 Bangladeshi expatriates have cast their votes via a new postal ballot system ahead of the country's pivotal national election. This marks the first formal participation of overseas voters in a Bangladeshi national election. The election occurs nearly two years after the July Uprising that ousted former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. Hundreds of international observers and journalists are in the country to monitor the polls and a concurrent constitutional referendum. Over half a million Bangladeshi expatriates cast postal votes in a historic first for the country's 13th National Parliamentary Election. Dhaka, February 11 More than half a million Bangladeshi expatriates have exercised their franchise through postal ballots ahead of the country's 13th National Parliamentary Election and referendum, Dhaka Tribune reported, marking the first time overseas voters have formally taken part in a national election. Citing Election Commission (EC) data, the report said that as of 9:15 am (local time) Wednesday, 515,619 expatriates had successfully cast their votes using the IT-enabled postal voting system. Salim Ahmad Khan, team leader of the OCV-SDI project overseeing expatriate voter registration, said 766,862 ballots were dispatched abroad to voters who registered via the Postal Vote BD app. Among them, 528,579 voters received their ballots, and 515,619 completed the voting process. He further noted that 573,722 expatriates submitted their ballots at post offices or designated post boxes in their respective countries. Of these, 444,033 completed ballots have been received so far by the relevant returning officers in Bangladesh. In total, 1,096,284 postal votes have been cast so far, including expatriates, election-duty officials, and eligible prisoners, according to the report. In Bangladesh, 768,098 registered voters received postal ballots. Of them, 610,065 received the documents, and 586,066 completed voting. So far, 561,013 voters have deposited their ballots, while 438,095 have been delivered to returning officers, as per Dhaka Tribune The Postal Vote BD website shows that 1,533,684 voters, both at home and abroad, registered to vote by post in the upcoming parliamentary election and referendum, the Dhaka Tribune added. Voting is scheduled for tomorrow in Bangladesh (February 12). The results are expected to be confirmed on Friday, February 13. The election is a pivotal moment in the country's history, with the Awami League banned from participating and the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and Jamaat, which is leading an alliance with the National Citizen Party (NCP), along with other parties on a seat-sharing basis, as the main players. The electoral landscape has also shifted significantly, making it challenging to predict the outcome. The February 12 National Polls come almost two years after the July Uprising in 2024, which led to the ousting of former Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. The Constitutional Referendum, the July National Charter, is also scheduled for the same day.According to the Chief Adviser's Press Wing, a total of 394 international election observers and 197 foreign journalists have arrived in the country to observe the 13th general election. A total of 240 observers are from bilateral countries, including independent European observers. Another 51 are individuals affiliated with different global institutions. - ANI The biennial bird census at Gujarat's Nalsarovar Bird Sanctuary recorded an impressive 6,42,232 birds from 270 different species. The systematic survey involved 220 participants, including students, bird watchers, and local guides, divided across 50 zones. The sanctuary was temporarily closed to visitors to ensure accurate data collection without disturbing wildlife. This census reinforces the sanctuary's status as a critical wetland habitat for both resident and migratory bird populations. Gujarat's Nalsarovar Bird Sanctuary census records over 6.42 lakh birds from 270 species, highlighting its vital role for migratory and resident birds. Ahmedabad, Feb 11 More than 6.42 lakh birds representing 270 species have been recorded at Nalsarovar Bird Sanctuary in Gujarat during the Bird Census Study 2026, reaffirming the wetland's ecological importance as one of India's key habitats for resident and migratory birds. The biennial census was conducted at the internationally recognised Ramsar site near Ahmedabad by the Forest Department to monitor bird diversity and population trends. According to official data, an estimated 6,42,232 birds were documented during the exercise, which was carried out systematically across the sanctuary. To ensure accuracy, the entire sanctuary was divided into 50 survey zones. Dedicated teams were assigned to each zone. They undertook counting in two phases - early morning and late evening - when bird activity is typically at its peak. The data collected was verified under the supervision of experienced enumerators, and a strict process was followed to remove duplication before finalising the report. A total of 220 participants took part in the census, including 35 students, 61 bird watchers and photography experts, 13 specialists from outside Gujarat, and 12 personnel from the Forest Department and other departments. In addition, 99 local boatmen and guides played a key role in facilitating access across the wetland and assisting survey teams in the field. Forest officials said arrangements were made for accommodation, meals and census kits for all participants. Certificates of participation were issued in recognition of their contribution to the study. To prevent disturbance to wildlife and maintain the integrity of the data collection process, the sanctuary remained closed to visitors for two days during the census. The temporary closure had been communicated in advance through the media. Conducted every two years, the census serves as an important scientific exercise to track population trends and species diversity at Nalsarovar, strengthening its status as a significant wetland ecosystem and a critical habitat for migratory birds. - IANS Pakistan's business community is escalating calls for a fundamental economic reset, arguing that piecemeal adjustments are failing to address deep-seated structural issues. Key concerns include persistent bureaucratic obstacles that hinder business scaling, especially for SMEs, and a vast informal sector that cripples the tax base. Export performance continues to lag behind regional competitors due to inconsistent industrial policy. Additionally, low female labor participation is cited as a major untapped opportunity for economic growth. Business leaders in Pakistan call for sweeping economic reforms over piecemeal fixes, citing weak investment, tax issues, and bureaucratic hurdles. Lahore, February 11 Growing anxiety over weak expansion, falling investment and eroding competitiveness has pushed Pakistan's business leaders to demand sweeping changes, arguing that piecemeal adjustments can no longer place the economy on a stable path. Recent consultations within trade and industry circles suggest frustration is building despite episodes of headline stabilisation, as reported by The Express Tribune. According to The Express Tribune, participants in these discussions say the fundamental environment for doing business remains uncertain. They cite complicated procedures, frequent policy reversals and a chronically narrow tax base as enduring barriers that continue to sap confidence. While such constraints have existed for years, many believe their accumulated impact is now far more damaging. Muddasir Masood Chaudhry, a former office-bearer of the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry, has argued that the present structure requires a thorough redesign rather than minor repair. In conversations, he stated that bureaucratic hurdles still prevent firms, particularly small and medium enterprises, from scaling up. Without easing these obstacles, private capital will remain reluctant to commit for the long haul. Another persistent worry is the magnitude of undocumented activity. Business estimates indicate a significant portion of output operates outside the formal net, keeping the tax-to-GDP ratio well below that of comparable economies. Chaudhry has supported documentation but warned against abrupt crackdowns. With digital footprints already available through banking and utility systems, he believes a gradual, negotiated transition would encourage compliance. Once participation widens, he says, rates could fall for those already paying, as cited by The Express Tribune. Export performance also remains under scrutiny. Although shipments have improved, Pakistan continues to trail regional rivals. Specialists attribute this to the absence of consistent, long-term industrial priorities, urging policymakers to back selected sectors steadily instead of shifting direction every few years. Low female labour participation is viewed as another missed opportunity. Business leaders maintain that targeted training, safer workplaces and flexible arrangements could unlock sizable gains, as reported by The Express Tribune. - ANI Commentary By Louise McEwan Valentines Day did not begin with romance, flowers or sentimental gestures. Its roots lie in a pagan fertility festival marked by animal sacrifice, ritual violence and beliefs that would be unrecognizable and uncomfortable to modern celebrants. In mid-February, ancient Romans marked Lupercalia, a fertility festival associated with Faunus, a god linked to agriculture and nature. The festival included the sacrifice of animals, typically goats and, according to some sources, dogs. Their blood was used in ritual acts believed to promote purification and fertility. As part of the ceremony, strips cut from goat hides were dipped in sacrificial blood and used in fertility rites. Ancient writers describe young women presenting themselves to be struck with these strips, believing the ritual would help them conceive in the coming year. Later accounts suggest that some form of pairing or matchmaking may have followed, although historians note that claims of a formal male-female lottery are not firmly supported by surviving Roman sources. February itself already carried symbolic weight in Roman culture. The month was associated with purification and renewal. Its name derived from februathe Latin word for purification riteswhich made it a natural setting for festivals tied to fertility and rebirth long before romantic love entered the picture. By the late fifth century, Christianity had become dominant within the Roman Empire, and pagan festivals such as Lupercalia fell out of favour. Pope Gelasius I, who led the Church from 492 to 496 AD, formally condemned the celebration. Around the same period, Feb. 14 became associated with the feast day of Saint Valentine although historians caution that the relationship between the suppression of Lupercalia and the establishment of Valentines Day is suggestive rather than proven. The figure of Saint Valentine himself is difficult to pin down. Early Christian records refer to more than one martyr named Valentine, and their stories appear to have merged over time. According to later tradition, one Valentine was a third-century Christian priest who lived during the reign of Emperor Claudius II. Legend holds that Claudius restricted marriage for young men, believing unmarried soldiers fought more effectively, and that Valentine defied the order by performing secret weddings. What followed belongs firmly to Christian legend rather than documented history. Valentine was said to have been imprisoned and executed, with accounts describing beatings and eventual beheading. One enduring legend claims that while awaiting execution, Valentine healed the daughter of a Roman official and sent her a farewell note signed, From your Valentine, a phrase that would later become inseparable from the holiday. The association between Valentines Day and romantic love emerged centuries later. In medieval Europe, the rise of courtly lovea literary and social tradition emphasizing idealized romance, devotion and emotional restraintreshaped how the day was understood. By the late 14th century, the poet Geoffrey Chaucer, often regarded as the father of English literature, helped popularize the romantic association in his poem The Parliament of Fowls, which imagined Feb. 14 as the day birds chose their mates. From that point forward, Valentines Day gradually became linked with love and courtship. The modern shape of the holiday owes much to the Victorian era. Advances in printing, rising literacy rates and reliable postal services made the exchange of Valentine cards widespread and socially expected. By the mid-19th century, mass-produced cards had transformed a private gesture into a commercial custom. In the modern era, even the Catholic Church has acknowledged the uncertainty surrounding Valentine. In 1969, the Vatican removed Saint Valentine from the General Roman Calendar, citing the lack of reliable historical information about his life. The roots of Valentines Day run deep, blending a pagan fertility festival, Christian martyrdom and centuries of evolving cultural tradition. What began as ritual and remembrance gradually became a day for expressing affection. Whether marked by a simple card, an expensive gift or no gesture at all, Valentines Day remains a reminder that love, however defined, has long occupied a central place in human culture. Louise McEwan has degrees in English and Theology. She has a background in education and faith formation. Valentine's Day Celebrations Across Asia 1. Japan Tradition: Women give chocolates to men. Giri-choco: "Obligation chocolate" given to colleagues, bosses, or acquaintances. Honmei-choco: "True love chocolate" given to romantic partners or someone special. March 14 - White Day: Men return the gesture by giving gifts like chocolates, jewelry, or flowers to women who gave them chocolates on Valentines Day. 2. South Korea Tradition: Similar to Japan, Valentines Day involves women gifting chocolates to men. White Day (March 14): Men reciprocate with gifts for women. Black Day (April 14): Singles gather to eat jajangmyeon (black bean noodles) to celebrate or commiserate their single status. 3. China Tradition: Valentine's Day is celebrated in urban areas, but Qixi Festival, the traditional Chinese Valentine's Day, is more culturally significant. Qixi Festival (7th day of the 7th lunar month): Couples celebrate the legend of the Cowherd and Weaver Girl by exchanging gifts and spending time together. Modern Valentine's Day: Includes gift-giving (flowers, chocolates, jewelry) and romantic dinners. 4. Taiwan Tradition: Valentine's Day and White Day are both celebrated, but the roles are reversed compared to Japan and South Korea. On Valentines Day, men give gifts to women. On White Day, women return the favor. 5. India Tradition: Valentines Day has become popular in urban areas, especially among young couples. Celebrations include: Exchanging cards, chocolates, and flowers. Romantic dinners or outings. Cultural Context: Some conservative groups oppose Valentines Day, seeing it as a Western influence, leading to debates about its cultural relevance. 6. Thailand Tradition: Valentines Day is widely celebrated and considered a day of love for couples and families alike. Popular Activities: Exchanging gifts such as flowers (roses are the favorite), chocolates, and teddy bears. Couples often register their marriages on Valentines Day, making it a popular day for weddings. 7. Vietnam Tradition: Valentine's Day is celebrated with a mix of Western and local customs. Couples exchange gifts like flowers, chocolates, and cards. Romantic dinners are common. Unique Twist: Some regions incorporate traditional elements, blending modern and cultural practices. 8. Philippines Tradition: Valentines Day is one of the most celebrated occasions. Mass Weddings: Public events often feature mass wedding ceremonies, where dozens or even hundreds of couples get married simultaneously. Romantic Gestures: Couples exchange gifts like flowers, chocolates, and heartfelt letters. Grand romantic gestures are common. 9. Indonesia Tradition: Celebrated mainly among young couples in urban areas. Popular Activities: Exchanging gifts like chocolates and flowers. Romantic dinners at restaurants or hotels. Cultural Considerations: In some regions, conservative communities discourage public displays of affection on Valentines Day. 10. Malaysia Tradition: Celebrated with Western-style customs like gift-giving, romantic dinners, and outings. Qixi Festival Connection: Some Chinese-Malaysians also observe Qixi Festival as a day for romance. 11. Singapore Tradition: Valentines Day is a blend of Western and Asian traditions. Activities: Couples exchange flowers, chocolates, and personalized gifts. Romantic dinners and short vacations are popular. Unique Feature: Singaporeans often combine Valentines Day with practical aspects, like planning for marriage or proposing. 12. Saudi Arabia (and parts of the Middle East) Tradition: Valentine's Day celebrations are subtle due to cultural and religious norms. Some couples exchange gifts in private. Public celebrations are low-key but have grown in popularity in recent years. Prime Minister Narendra Modi led tributes to Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya on his death anniversary, calling him a guiding force for the nation. Union Ministers Amit Shah and Rajnath Singh also honored the thinker, emphasizing his philosophy of Integral Humanism and the principle of Antyodaya, or upliftment of the last person. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath linked his government's "Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas" mission to Upadhyaya's vision. The leaders collectively affirmed that Upadhyaya's values remain foundational for building a developed India. PM Modi, Amit Shah, and Rajnath Singh pay homage to Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya, highlighting his philosophy of Integral Humanism and Antyodaya. New Delhi, Feb 11 Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday paid rich tributes to Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya on his death anniversary, describing him as a guiding force for every generation of the nation. Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya (1916-1968), a prominent political thinker, economist, and leader of the Bharatiya Jana Sangh, is remembered for his philosophy of Integral Humanism (Ekatma Manav Darshan). His vision highlighted development rooted in India's cultural ethos, advocating harmony between the individual, society, and nature rather than focusing solely on material progress. Upadhyay led the Jana Sangh until his untimely death in 1968. Taking to X, PM Modi said, "To the unparalleled devotee of the Motherland, Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay ji, respectful homage on his sacred death anniversary." "His principles and thoughts, rooted in values, will continue to remain a guiding light for every generation of the country," he added. Union Home Minister Amit Shah, paying homage to Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya, described him as the "pioneer of Antyodaya and integral humanism" and a "great national thinker". "The person who stands at the last row, his development is itself the indicator of the nation's development -- the thinker who gave this idea, Deendayal Ji, will continue to remain an eternal source of inspiration for nation-building for countless generations," he added. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh also took to X and paid tributes to the "selfless Karmayogi and great thinker", Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya. "Through his 'Ekatma Manav Darshan' (Integral Humanism), the mantra of 'Antyodaya' that he gave -- to take development to the last person in society -- remains even today the foundation for building a Viksit Bharat. His ideals of service to the nation and complete dedication will forever continue to guide our path," Singh said. Uttar Pradesh Yogi Adityanath took to social media and paid tributes to the founder member of the Bharatiya Jana Sangh. "The spirit of 'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas' in the double-engine government is a living expression of his very thought and philosophy. Inspired by the ideals of revered Pandit ji, the state government is fully committed to the upliftment of villages, the poor, farmers, women, and the person standing at the last rung of society," CM Yogi posted on X. - IANS Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with Rolls-Royce CEO Tufan Erginbilgic, welcoming the company's plans to significantly expand its activities in India. The discussions centered on Rolls-Royce scaling up to be part of India's Viksit Bharat vision, including expanding its Global Capability Centre. The CEO and India EVP Sashi Mukundan detailed how the company's advanced technologies could support India's push for self-reliance in defence and critical sectors. This follows the UK's announcement that Rolls-Royce aims to position India as its third 'home market' beyond the UK. PM Modi meets Rolls-Royce CEO Tufan Erginbilgic to discuss scaling up operations and supporting India's self-reliance in defence. New Delhi, February 11 Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday met Rolls-Royce CEO Tufan Erginbilgic and welcomed the company's enthusiasm towards scaling up its activities in India and partnering with the youth in the country. "It was wonderful meeting Mr. Tufan Erginbilgic, CEO of Rolls-Royce earlier today. We welcome Rolls-Royce's enthusiasm towards scaling up its activities in India and partnering with our innovative and dynamic youth," the Prime Minister stated in his post," PM Modi said in a post on X. He made the remarks on a post by Rolls-Royce India in which the UK-based company said that CEO Erginbilgic met PM Modi to discuss how they are scaling up to be a part of Viksit Bharat. "Our CEO Tufan Erginbilgic met Hon'ble PM Shri @narendramodi today to discuss how Rolls-Royce is scaling up to be a part of Viksit Bharat, including expanding its GCC to be the largest globally, co-creating complex manufacturing and building high-value engineering capabilities," Royals Royce India said. The aero-engine maker said that Erginbilgic, along with Sashi Mukundan, Executive Vice President for India, discussed how Rolls-Royce's advanced technologies could support India's push for self-reliance in defence and other sectors. "Tufan Erginbilgic and Sashi Mukundan (India EVP) also spoke to the Hon'ble Prime Minister about how Rolls-Royce's advanced technologies can support India's Atmanirbhar journey in defence and critical sectors," the post added. Last month, the British High Commission in India posted on X that the UK-based aero-engine maker Rolls-Royce is looking to position India as its third 'home market' beyond the UK, unlocking exciting opportunities across jet engines, naval propulsion, and more. The British High Commission in India said this is a clear reflection of the growing cooperation in advanced engineering and innovation. India is a significant market for Rolls-Royce, with engineering centres, supply-chain partnerships, and collaborations with Indian aerospace and defence entities. - ANI Tight security with webcasting at all centres Polling is underway for municipal elections across 116 municipalities and seven corporations in Telangana. Over 52 lakh voters are eligible to cast their votes to decide the fate of nearly 13,000 candidates. The State Election Commission has arranged webcasting at all polling centres and deployed extensive security, with police identifying over 3,000 problematic centres. Counting of votes is scheduled for February 14, followed by the election of municipal chairpersons on February 16. Polling for 116 municipalities & 7 corporations in Telangana. Over 52 lakh voters, 12,944 candidates. Security tightened, results on Feb 14. Hyderabad, Feb 11 Polling was underway for municipal elections in 116 municipalities and seven corporations in Telangana amid tight security on Wednesday. The voting, which began at 7 a.m. at 8,191 polling stations, will end at 5 p.m., officials at the State Election Commission (SEC) said. A total of 52,17,413 voters are eligible to cast their votes in 2,981 wards in the 123 urban local bodies. The SEC has deployed 1,379 Returning Officers and 41,773 polling staff for the polling process. It has arranged webcasting at all polling centres. State Election Commissioner Rani Kumudini has appealed to all voters to exercise their franchise. She said voters can download the voter slips through the SEC website or the TE-POLL app. A total of 12,944 candidates are testing their political fortunes in these elections. Polling is being held for 2,569 wards in 116 municipalities. Twelve candidates in nine municipalities have been elected unopposed. The SEC has postponed polling for a ward in Makthal municipality in Narayanpet district following the suicide by a BJP candidate on Monday night. A total of 10,719 candidates are in the fray in 116 municipalities. They include 2,358 candidates of the ruling Congress party, 2,478 of Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) and 2,252 of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Officials said 6,017 polling centres have been set up for polling in municipalities. Polling was on for 412 wards in seven municipal corporations. Candidates in two wards in Mahabubnagar and Ramagundam were elected unopposed. Authorities have set up 2,174 polling centres in seven corporations. As many as 2,225 candidates are in the fray in these corporations. They include 410 candidates of Congress, 401 of BRS and 382 of BJP. Director General of Police B. Shivdhar Reddy has said that tight security arrangements have been made for polling. About 3,000 additional police personnel have been deployed to maintain law and order. The police identified 1,302 polling centres as highly problematic and 1,926 centres as problematic. Additional forces have been deployed at these centres. Repolling, if any, will be held on Thursday, while counting of votes will be taken up the next day. Municipal chairpersons and vice-chairpersons will be elected on February 16. - IANS Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi states that while Iran pursues a diplomatic solution for its nuclear program, it does not fully trust the United States following a past attack during negotiations. He firmly ruled out any negotiations over Iran's ballistic missile program or its regional alliances, limiting talks strictly to nuclear issues. Araghchi warned that Iran is militarily prepared to defend itself against any new aggression and would target US assets if attacked. Meanwhile, US and Israeli officials, including Benjamin Netanyahu, are engaged in discussions regarding Iran, with differing demands on the scope of negotiations. Iran's FM Abbas Araghchi says Tehran is ready for talks or defense, lacks full trust in the US, and will not discuss missiles or regional alliances. Tehran, February 11 Iran remains committed to pursuing diplomacy with the United States but is equally prepared to respond to any renewed military aggression, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said. In an exclusive interview with Russia Today in Tehran on Tuesday, Araghchi said, "There is no solution but a diplomatic solution," arguing that military strikes and threats cannot halt a country's technological progress. He added that recent events have deepened Tehran's mistrust of Washington. "We still do not have full trust in Americans", Araghchi said in the RT interview. "We were in the middle of negotiations last June when they decided to attack us. That was a very bad experience for us." The foreign minister reiterated that Iran's uranium enrichment programme is peaceful and based on what he described as the country's sovereign rights. According to Araghchi, enrichment levels are determined by civilian requirements. He noted that nuclear power plants typically require fuel enriched below 5 per cent, while the Tehran Research Reactor, which was constructed before the 1979 revolution, uses 20 per cent enriched fuel to produce medical isotopes for cancer treatment. "The figures are not important. What matters is the peaceful nature of enrichment," he said, adding that Iran is ready to provide assurances that it will not pursue nuclear weapons. Such guarantees, he said, are "doable and achievable" if there is goodwill from both sides. However, Araghchi firmly ruled out negotiations over Iran's ballistic missile programme or its regional alliances. "We only negotiate about our nuclear program with the US," he said, calling other demands "absolutely" off the table. At the same time, he underlined Iran's readiness to defend itself if talks fail. "We are prepared for a diplomatic solution as much as we are prepared to defend ourselves against any new aggression," Araghchi said, claiming that Iran's military readiness has improved both "quantity-wise and quality-wise" since last year's Israeli-US bombing. Araghchi was also critical of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, describing him as a "warmonger" seeking to draw Washington into a broader conflict. He warned that if Iran were attacked again, it would target US assets and bases in the region. Despite heightened tensions, Araghchi indicated that recent exchanges with US interlocutors indicated a shared interest in avoiding war. "If they are serious, we are serious too," he said, adding that Washington must ensure negotiations are not accompanied by military action. "We have learned our lessons on war and diplomacy," he added in the RT interview, "Now we are prepared for both." Meanwhile, Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with two special US envoys, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, according to the Prime Minister of Israel's official X handle. In a post X, he said on Wednesday, "Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with the special envoys of the US President, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. The PM and envoys Witkoff and Kushner discussed regional issues, and they provided an update on the first round of negotiations they held with Iran last Friday." President Donald Trump said he believes Iran wants a deal on its nuclear program and that negotiations have been promising, though he warned of "very steep consequences" if Iran fails to agree and continues weapons development. Trump is considering military pressure, including additional carrier deployments, while pushing for a deal that prevents nuclear weapons and limits missiles; however, recently, he warned US ships to "stay as far as possible from Iranian waters." Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu wants talks broadened to include Iran's missiles and regional proxies, urging Trump to demand more from Tehran. - ANI Andhra Pradesh Governor S. Abdul Nazeer declared the state's rebuilding process is firmly on track, with foundational reforms completed and proof of concept visible across sectors. He reported strong economic performance, with the state's GSDP growing by 10.75% to Rs 17.62 lakh crore and per capita income rising. The government has prioritized financial stabilization, transparency through White Papers, and aligning welfare and development with a long-term vision. Nazeer called for active citizen participation in the collective mission to build a "Wealthy, Healthy and Happy" Andhra Pradesh. Governor Abdul Nazeer states Andhra Pradesh's revival is progressing with 10.75% GSDP growth, foundational reforms complete, and a vision for a developed state. Amaravati, Feb 11 Andhra Pradesh Governor, Justice S. Abdul Nazeer said on Wednesday that the process to rebuild the state is firmly on track. Despite financial constraints, growth momentum is being restored through careful prioritisation and reform, he said. Addressing the joint sitting of the Assembly and the Council on the first day of the Budget session of the legislature, he said that in the last 21 months, the government completed foundational reforms, and proof of concept is visible across sectors. The Governor said that the people entrusted the government with the responsibility to rebuild the state through welfare, development, and good governance. "In one year and nine months, this process is firmly on track. Foundational reforms have been completed, and proof of concept is visible across sectors. With the Swarna Andhra vision guiding us, each year builds on the previous one," he said. He also stated that the challenges are significant as years of financial stress left deep imbalances, including substantial liabilities across sectors. He told the legislators that the government has taken steps to stabilise finances, reduce borrowing costs, and secure revival support while rebuilding credibility. He claimed that determination, clarity, and persistence define the government's approach to rebuilding the state's foundations and promote Andhra Pradesh with renewed confidence. "These efforts are already reflecting in the state's economic performance. As per the First Advance Estimates for 2025-26, Andhra Pradesh's Gross State Domestic Product has increased to Rs 17.62 lakh crore, from Rs 15.91 lakh crore in the previous year, recording a nominal growth of 10.75 per cent. Per capita income has risen to Rs 2.95 lakh, compared to Rs 2.66 lakh last year. This growth has been driven by strong performance in the agriculture and allied sector at 7.83 per cent, the industry sector at 9.53 per cent, and the services sector at 12.94 per cent," he said. Governor Abdul Nazeer said that the government is committed to monitoring outcomes closely, motivating institutions, and sustaining momentum. Public cooperation and constructive engagement will ensure that reforms deliver results faster and more equitably. When citizens participate actively, progress accelerates, he added. Asserting that this journey aligns with national aspirations and the vision of a developed India by 2047, he called upon every citizen to participate actively in this shared mission of transformation. "This collective journey is directed towards building a state that is 'Wealthy, Healthy and Happy', and among the most livable in the country, by translating the aspirations of the people of Andhra Pradesh into enduring outcomes. With confidence in our strengths, faith in our institutions and unity in our purpose, Andhra Pradesh is moving forward with a resilient spirit, competitive in action, and committed to a future where every citizen can live with dignity, opportunity and hope," he said The Governor stated that the government followed a calibrated path from revival towards ascendance. Immediately after assuming office, an interim financial plan was put in place to stabilise governance and address urgent obligations. This was followed by the first budget, prepared within a short span, which focused on delivering 'Super Six' and other welfare measures and restarting development activity. "Over the next nine months, corrections were made in policies, systems, and expenditure priorities. We then presented a full-year budget anchored in a longer-term vision. Today, governance has moved beyond revival, with welfare, development, and governance aligned to future-ready models," he said. He said the government placed transparency at the forefront by releasing seven White-Papers that objectively documented and thereby made common citizen understand the misgovernance in public finances, derailment of the Polavaram Project, destruction of the power sector, misappropriation of natural resources, criminal excise policies, deterioration in law and order, and the misguided three-capital proposal with aim of destroying futuristic Amravati that stalled the state's overall progress. - IANS Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav paid floral tributes to Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya on his death anniversary, observed as 'Samarpan Diwas'. He praised Upadhyaya as the proponent of integral humanism and Antyodaya, a vision dedicated to uplifting the last person in society. Yadav connected these philosophies to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's current welfare commitments for the poor, farmers, youth, and women. State BJP president Hemant Khandelwal also honored Upadhyaya, emphasizing that the party works towards his Antyodaya mantra of inclusive development. Madhya Pradesh CM Mohan Yadav honored Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya, praising his integral humanism and Antyodaya vision linked to PM Modi's welfare schemes. Bhopal, Feb 11 Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav on Wednesday paid floral tributes to Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya on his death anniversary, which the Bharatiya Janata Party observes as 'Samarpan Diwas'. The Chief Minister remembered the Bharatiya Jan Sangh (BJS), stating that when ideologies of communism and socialism had influence across the world, Pt. Upadhyay presented India's Sanatan thought in a form suited to the times and provided the country with the welfare-oriented vision of integral humanism. "Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay was the proponent of integral humanism and Antyodaya and a thinker devoted to the idea of building a capable India. He was a thinker and organiser of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and co-founder of Bharatiya Jan Sangh," Yadav said. Yadav stated that Pt. Upadhyaya believed that freedom is meaningful only when it becomes a means of expression of our culture. His ideas paved the way for bringing light into the lives of the last person in the last row of society. "In accordance with the thoughts of Pt. Deendayal Upadhyay, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is committed to providing opportunities for progress to all along with welfare of the poor, farmers, youth and women," Yadav said in a statement. Yadav also shared that on the death anniversary of Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay, the kits being provided to hair artisans are a meaningful effort to give practical form to his thought of Antyodaya. The state BJP president, Hemant Khandelwal, who offered floral tribute to Pt. Upadhyaya during a programme in his home district in Betul, said that his Antyodaya mantra was to take development to the last person in the society and the BJP is working in that direction. Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay (1916-1968) was a revered Indian political leader, thinker, and philosopher who proposed the philosophy of 'Integral Humanism'. He overcame adversity to excel academically, becoming a key RSS organiser and co-founder of the Bharatiya Jana Sangh, the forerunner to the BJP. - IANS Punjab BJP President Sunil Jakhar has invited farmer organisations for discussions regarding the India-US trade agreement, asserting it will not adversely affect Punjab's farmers as key crops are excluded. He emphasized the pact will benefit Indian industry and trade by accessing the US market, thereby creating new employment opportunities for the youth. Jakhar urged farmer groups to instead protest pressing state issues like deteriorating law and order and unimplemented agricultural policy. He also condemned recent violence against migrant labourers in Moga. BJP's Sunil Jakhar invites farmer groups for dialogue on the India-US trade agreement, assuring no adverse impact on Punjab's major crops. Chandigarh, Feb 11 Bharatiya Janata Party's Punjab unit President Sunil Jakhar on Wednesday invited farmer organisations for dialogue, stating that "if they see any shortcomings in the India-US trade agreement, they should choose the path of discussion rather than agitation". He reiterated that the agreement would not have any adverse impact on farmers, especially those in Punjab, and will instead benefit industry and trade while creating new employment opportunities for the youth. Speaking to the media after a meeting in Mohali with BJP district executive members and mandal presidents to provide detailed information about the trade agreement, the BJP state President again emphasised that crops grown in the state such as wheat, paddy, maize, and sugarcane have been kept outside the scope of the agreement and will not affect farmers in any way. Jakhar said today every farmer acknowledged that agriculture is not a highly profitable occupation. "While it sustains families, it does not generate enough income to fulfill their children's aspirations. Every family wants their children to find employment beyond farming. However, this will only be possible if new industries are established and trade expands." He said this deal is a step in that direction, as it will provide access for India's industry and trade to the $30 trillion US economy. "As industry and trade grow, new employment opportunities will be created for the youth." The BJP President appealed to farmer groups to clearly state what impact they believe the deal will have on Punjab's farmers. He invited them for discussions, assuring that if any farmer organisation feels the agreement will affect Punjab's farmers, they should come forward for talks, and all their concerns will be addressed. He added that "protests are undertaken only after the path of dialogue has been closed". He said Prime Minister Narendra Modi is firmly committed to protecting farmers' interests, and the same resolve has ensured that Punjab farmers' interests are safeguarded in this agreement. The BJP President also urged farmer groups to press for the implementation of an agricultural policy in the state, which farmers had protested for a year ago but has still not been implemented. He said the law-and-order situation in the state has "deteriorated significantly" and that drug abuse is destroying the next generation. "If protests are to be held, they should focus on these real issues rather than on a non-existent issue, as there is nothing anti-Punjab in the deal," he said. Speaking as a farmer himself, he asserted this with confidence. He further said while the US President is speaking about making America great again, Prime Minister Modi, in the current global circumstances, has successfully pursued the policy of making India great while safeguarding national interests through this agreement, for which he deserves appreciation. Responding to a question, he condemned the firing incident involving two migrant labourers in Moga town. He said earlier businesspersons were facing such situations, and now even labourers were being targeted. Urging the state government to wake up, he said such divisive actions must be strictly curbed, as they go against the philosophy taught by the Sikh Gurus. He emphasised that the role of migrant laborers in Punjab's industry and agriculture cannot be overlooked. - IANS Vice Chief of the Air Staff Air Marshal Nagesh Kapoor declared the Rafale fighter jet was the "hero" during Operation Sindoor, India's 2025 precision strikes against terror launchpads in Pakistan. The operation was a direct response to the Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 people. Kapoor stated that every act of terror will be met with a response, a message that will be echoed in the upcoming Exercise Vayu Shakti 2026 firepower demonstration. The IAF is also looking forward to inducting more Multi-Role Fighter Aircraft, with the Rafale being a leading contender. IAF Vice Chief Air Marshal Nagesh Kapoor calls Rafale jets the hero of Operation Sindoor, details 2025 strikes on terror camps, and previews Vayu Shakti 2026. New Delhi, February 11 Vice Chief of the Air Staff Air Marshal Nagesh Kapoor on Wednesday said that Rafale fighter jets were the "hero" during Operation Sindoor, and that the Indian Air Force aims to induct more Multi-Role Fighter Aircraft. Addressing a gathering at the unveiling ceremony of Exercise Vayu Shakti 2026, Air Marshal Nagesh Kapoor said that every act of terror will be responded to. He added that the glimpses of Operation Sindoor will be displayed for the public during Exercise Vayu Shakti in Jaisalmer. The Vice Chief of Air Staff said, "Rafale was definitely the hero during Operation Sindoor. Indian Air Force is looking forward to inducting more MRFA, which is going to be Rafale or any other, which are under deliberations, and a concrete decision has yet to be taken." "The message from Operation Sindoor was clear that terrorism will not be tolerated. Every act of terror conducted on our soil will be responded to, and there will be a price to pay. You will get glimpses (of Operation Sindoor) of precise targeting (during Exercise Vayu Shakti 2026)... Our work is to hold a demonstration. It is up to those seeing this demonstration to take the message they want from it," he added. India had launched Operation Sindoor on May 7, 2025, as a response to the Pahalgam terror attack, which took away the lives of 26 individuals. India and Pakistan entered a four-day conflict following India's precision strikes, destroying nine major terror launchpads in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK), targeting Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Mohammed, and Hizbul Mujahideen facilities and killing over 100 terrorists in action. According to the Defence Ministry, inflicted by this heavy damage, Pakistan's Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) called the Indian DGMO and a ceasefire was agreed with effect from 5 pm on May 10, 2025. Indian Air Force bypassed and jammed Pakistan's Chinese-supplied air defence systems, completing the mission in just 23 minutes using Rafale jets, SCALP missiles, and HAMMER bombs, the ministry said. Indian Air Force will hold Exercise Vayu Shakti 2026, a firepower demonstration at Pokhran, near Jaisalmer, on February 27. Earlier today, Indian Air Force shared a glimpse of the exercise. - ANI Rajasthan Deputy Chief Minister Diya Kumari presented the state budget for 2026-27, focusing on youth empowerment and infrastructure. Key announcements include interest-free loans up to 10 lakh for 30,000 youth under a self-employment scheme and the establishment of a Rajasthan Testing Agency. Major infrastructure plans involve developing 42,000 km of roads and issuing work orders worth 24,000 crore for drinking water projects. The budget also introduces a 'Dream Program' for college students and new industrial park development. Rajasthan Deputy CM Diya Kumari presents 2026-27 budget with 10 lakh interest-free loans for youth, 42,000 km road development, and new testing agency. Jaipur, February 11 Rajasthan Deputy Chief Minister and Finance Minister Divya Kumari on Wednesday presented the Budget for the financial year 2026-27 during the seventh sitting of the ongoing Budget Session. During her speech, she announced that under the Chief Minister Self-Employment Scheme, interest-free loans of up to Rs 10 lakh, along with subsidies, will be provided, benefiting 30,000 youth. She also stated that a Rajasthan Testing Agency will be established in line with the National Testing Agency to conduct examinations, including online tests. Additionally, a Dream Program will be launched for college students, with enrollment expected to reach 50,000 next year. "Under the CM Self-Employment Scheme, interest-free loans up to Rs 10 lakh, along with subsidies, will be provided. This will benefit 30,000 youth. A Rajasthan Testing Agency will be established in line with the National Testing Agency. It will conduct exams, including online tests. A Dream Program will be launched for college students, benefiting 50,000 students next year," Diya Kumari said. The Rajasthan Finance Minister further said that 1,000 youth will receive training in English, Japanese, and Korean. To promote self-reliance among young people, centres will be opened in every district in collaboration with industry partners. She added that new Techno Hubs will be developed at a cost of Rs 30 crore. Meritorious students of Classes 10 and 12 will receive financial assistance of up to Rs 20,000 through e-vouchers to purchase laptops. "1,000 youth will be given training in English, Japanese, and Korean languages. To make youth self-reliant, centres will be opened in each district in collaboration with industry partners. New Techno Hubs will be built at a cost of Rs 30 crore. Meritorious students of Class 10 and 12 will receive assistance up to Rs 20,000 through e-vouchers for laptops," Kumari said. In terms of infrastructure development, Kumari announced plans to develop 42,000 km of roads and construct 250 Atal Pragati Paths at a cost of Rs 500 crore. She also said that work orders worth Rs 24,000 crore have been issued for drinking water projects. Within one year, 3 lakh new tap connections will be provided, and 6,500 villages will be connected with tap water under the "Har Ghar Nal" scheme. "Development of 42,000 km of roads. 250 Atal Pragati Paths to be constructed at a cost of Rs 500 crore. Work orders worth Rs 24,000 crore issued for drinking water projects. 3 lakh new tap connections to be issued within one year. 6,500 villages to be connected with tap water under 'Har Ghar Nal' scheme," said Diya Kumari. Highlighting industrial development initiatives, she announced that new industrial parks will be built at a cost of Rs 350 crore. Around 3,600 hectares of land will be developed in the Jodhpur-Pali-Marwar industrial region, with Rs 600 crore to be spent over the next two years. Inland container depots will be constructed to support new logistics hubs. The Rajasthan Foundation will open 14 new chapters, including in South Africa and Canada. Additionally, electric pottery wheels will be provided to clay artisans at a cost of Rs 15 crore. "New industrial parks to be built at a cost of Rs 350 crore. 3,600 hectares of land to be developed in the Jodhpur-Pali-Marwar industrial region. Rs 600 crore to be spent over the next two years. Inland container depots to be built for new logistics hubs. Rajasthan Foundation to open 14 new chapters, including in South Africa and Canada. Electric pottery wheels to be provided to clay artisans at a cost of Rs 15 crore," said Diya Kumari. The Rajasthan Assembly's budget session commenced on January 28 with the Governor's address, and Wednesday marks the sixth sitting of the ongoing session. - ANI Rajya Sabha MP Ajeet Gopchade met Union Home Minister Amit Shah to submit memoranda on critical national and regional issues. Key proposals included constitutional recognition for Indian Sign Language as the 23rd official language to empower persons with disabilities. For regional development, he advocated for an independent cooperative milk union in Nanded to boost Marathwada's rural economy. On security, he emphasized strengthening border and coastal management systems for India's vast frontiers. Rajya Sabha MP Ajeet Gopchade met Home Minister Amit Shah, submitting proposals on recognizing Indian Sign Language, Marathwada development, and border security. New Delhi, February 11 Rajya Sabha MP Ajeet Gopchade paid a courtesy visit to Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday and submitted detailed memoranda on key national and regional issues, including rural development, development of the Marathwada region, and border security. The memoranda addressed broad themes such as national inclusion, strengthening the rural economy, internal security, and border management. Gopchade specifically urged the Centre to recognise Indian Sign Language (ISL) as the 23rd official language. He emphasised that such recognition would ensure equal rights, dignity, and justice for persons with disabilities, while enabling their effective participation in education and public services. Referring to the Lok Sabha discussion held on March 23, 2021, he cited examples of countries like Kenya and South Africa that have granted constitutional recognition to sign language. Focusing on regional development, Gopchade proposed the establishment of an independent cooperative milk union in Nanded district to strengthen the rural economy of the Marathwada region. He noted that dairy farming is a vital supplementary source of income for small and marginal farmers and said that an organised cooperative structure would boost production, ensure fair pricing, generate rural employment, and promote sustainable growth. He also sought technical and financial assistance for the project through the National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC). From a national security standpoint, Gopchade highlighted the need to strengthen the Integrated Border Management System for more effective monitoring of India's 15,106.7-kilometre land border and 7,516.6-kilometre coastline. He stressed the need to enhance coordination among various security agencies to further strengthen border security. Union Home Minister Amit Shah assured that the issues raised would be considered seriously. Gopchade said, "Through this meeting, substantive and well-articulated representations on issues of national importance were placed before the central government. " Gopchade also submitted a detailed report of his parliamentary and organisational work over the past year, which the Home Minister reviewed and expressed satisfaction over. The report included his contributions toward strengthening the organisational structure of the BJP, successes achieved in local self-government institutions, and development works carried out in rural areas through funds received from the central government. It also documented the party's electoral successes in the Nanded-Waghala Municipal Corporation and various municipalities and municipal councils in Nanded district. - ANI By Isaac Phan Nay, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Zak Vescera, The Investigative Journalism Foundation Choori Mohamed came to Canada with a dream of finding a job, getting permanent residency and eventually helping his wife and two children emigrate from his home in India. Instead, he said, he went into debt paying $10,000 to secure a job and spent more than a year working a job he didnt sign up for, for an employer he alleges took back part of his salary in cash. I never expected these things in Canada, he said. Everybody was saying, Canada is a very safe place. Its the safest country to work in. But its not. Choori Mohamed asked The Tyee and the Investigative Journalism Foundation to omit his first name to protect his chances for future employment. His experience highlights what advocates describe as the growing and misunderstood problem of labour trafficking recruiting workers, usually foreign ones, and coercing them to work, often for long hours and little pay. Authorities have long struggled to estimate the prevalence of labour trafficking. Data from Statistics Canada and non-profit groups usually identify only a few dozen cases each year. But The Tyee and the IJF have obtained a 2023 report from Canadas financial intelligence agency that identified thousands of suspicious transactions related to labour trafficking, suggesting authorities understand the true scope of the problem is many times greater than what available data says. The report, obtained through access-to-information legislation, also found signs labour trafficking was happening in a huge range of industries that rely heavily on migrant workers, including agriculture, fishing, hospitality, construction and manufacturing. James McLean, the policy and research director for the Canadian Centre to End Human Trafficking, said authorities have persistently failed to stop labour trafficking. And with well over one million people on work permits in the country many of them about to lose status McLean said the risk is as great as ever. Labour trafficking has never been a true government priority, McLean said. Most anti-trafficking strategies barely mention it. Its not a minor gap. Its a structural blind spot, and traffickers know it. Anyone can be a victim of labour trafficking. But McLean said the most common targets by far are migrant workers in Canada on temporary visas. McLean said trafficking can include debt bondage, threats to workers, forcing workers to live in substandard housing or threatening to have workers deported for refusing an employers demands. A hotline operated by McLeans centre has received a growing number of reports about labour trafficking. In 2024, it identified 100 cases, an all-time high. But McLean said that is still an underestimate. He said many foreign workers are not aware of their rights in Canada. Others are unwilling to risk their visa status by reporting abuse or may fear retribution from their employers. Even with the surge in numbers that weve seen over the past few years we still think its an undercount and that much of the exploitation going on in the country goes unreported, McLean said. The December 2023 report produced by the Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada, or Fintrac, is based on suspicious transactions reported to that agency by banks, credit unions and other financial institutions. The analysis identified more than 3,000 reports that Fintrac believed could be linked to forced labour between January 2016 and November 2023. Fintrac declined to provide more recent data for this story. Fintrac even identified hallmarks of money laundering linked to forced labour, including payroll discrepancies, bank accounts that seem to be controlled by a third party, and suspicious email money transfers. The report confirmed many victims of labour trafficking were foreign workers and said they often came from Mexico, India and the Philippines. It also warned that traffickers would take advantage of federal policy changes that increased the number of such workers in Canada. In the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, the federal government dramatically expanded multiple temporary immigration programs to meet business demands for workers. That included the Temporary Foreign Worker Program, which ties a workers visa to a specific employer, meaning they cannot easily quit without losing their status in Canada. In this environment, opportunities for abuse by traffickers are expected to rise, the Fintrac report said. Amanda Aziz, a lawyer at the Migrant Workers Centre in Vancouver, said her organization has seen a huge range of labour trafficking cases in recent years. In some cases, Aziz said, victims come to Canada expecting to work as engineers, only to be put to work on a farm. She said employers often confiscate workers passports and sometimes force them to work gruelling hours for little pay. Id say it is quite common, unfortunately, Aziz said. The Canada Border Services Agency declined a request for an interview about what it is doing to prevent labour trafficking and investigate perpetrators. So did the federal public safety minister, Gary Anandasangaree. Choori Mohameds story highlights how Canadas temporary worker programs expose foreign workers to abuse. Choori Mohameds allegations against his employer and immigration consultant have not been tested in a court or tribunal. But Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada accepted Choori Mohameds evidence of abuse and granted him an open work permit for vulnerable workers facing abuse in Canada. The Tyee and the IJF also checked his story against an investigation report produced by British Columbias Employment Standards Branch, which investigates alleged employment law violations. The document outlines Choori Mohameds allegations against his employer and immigration consultant and their responses. It also includes bank account balance sheets, text messages, job offers and other documents compiled by a branch investigator. His former employer declined an interview for this story. Choori Mohamed said he spent seven years as a foreign worker in Dubai before coming to Canada in 2023 to build a new life for his family. My friends said, If you can get a work permit, its a good life, he said. If you can get your family to stay here, then your children will get better education. While in the country as a visitor, Choori Mohamed approached Noaisys Immigration Inc., a Delta, B.C.-based firm founded by immigration consultant Simon Chelat, to help him find work and apply for permanent residency. A 2023 Docusign contract included in the investigation report, signed by both Choori Mohamed and Chelat, outlines the terms of an agreement to pay $10,500 in exchange for help applying for a work permit and to cover any government processing fees involved with the application. He said Chelat told him about a job as a retail supervisor at a gas station in Whistler that had already been approved for a foreign worker. Choori Mohamed alleged in the investigation report that Chelat told him the fee was to help him get the job. Consultants call the prohibited practice job selling. Chelat said that any fees charged to Choori Mohamed were for his legitimate services as an immigration consultant. The allegation you reference does not constitute a substantiated story, nor has any credible information been presented to support it, a spokesperson for Chelat said in an email to The Tyee and the IJF. To be very clear, our firm does not engage in any such activities. When The Tyee and the IJF contacted Chelats firm in January, the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants, the regulator for that profession, had suspended Chelats licence for six months in connection with a separate instance of a job-selling scheme. The colleges disciplinary committee detailed the case in a decision published on its website. The college found Chelat failed to be honest and candid with his client. It ordered Chelat to pay more than $26,000 in costs and fines and suspended his immigration consultants licence for six months starting July 2025. Chelat was still fighting these allegations in 2023 when he met Choori Mohamed. Choori Mohamed said his wife took out a loan in India to cover the initial payment, which was more than he could afford. But when Choori Mohamed moved to Squamish and began work in March 2023, he said it wasnt the job he signed up for. According to an offer of employment included in the investigation report, Choori Mohamed was hired as a retail supervisor. The document shows he was to be paid $22 per hour, and his job responsibilities included supervising sales staff and cashiers, operating registers, hiring and training staff and keeping the store tidy. But Choori Mohamed said his employer had him mainly working as a cashier alone, stocking the shelves and cleaning toilets, with no supervision duties. Choori Mohamed requested The Tyee and the IJF not identify his employer but shared a contract, correspondence and a report from the Employment Standards Branch to back up his account. Choori Mohamed alleged in the investigation report his employer required him to pay back $4 cash for each hour he worked effectively bringing his wage down to $18 per hour. Choori Mohamed also claimed his employer told him to pay four instalments of $250 to cover the businesss government fee for processing the labour market impact assessment, or LMIA, plus an extra $5,000 to support his permanent residence application. He said, Everybody does the same, Choori Mohamed said. Nobody explained to me these things. The investigation report included a balance sheet of Choori Mohameds bank account, with cash withdrawals highlighted. In the report, Choori Mohamed alleges these withdrawals were given to his employer. It also includes a screenshot of a WhatsApp conversation in which Choori Mohamed tells his boss, I brought the cash its with me, you told me its 390. The WhatsApp conversation shows his employer replies the next day with a voice call. Reporters contacted the employer via phone, but he declined to speak to The Tyee and the IJF about those allegations. I cannot discuss anything about this, because we are not in business anymore, they said, adding they retired last July. But in an email to an investigator with the B.C. Employment Standards Branch, the employer denied the allegations that he took Choori Mohameds wages. Let me be absolutely clear: I have never, and would never, abuse the Temporary Foreign Worker Program, they said in the email, which was included in the branchs report. The situation left Choori Mohamed stuck. Visas for temporary foreign workers are tied to their employer. For Choori Mohamed, quitting would mean leaving Canada unless he could find and obtain an entirely new work permit first. And he had to keep working to pay off his debt. Choori Mohamed said he was barely able to make enough money to pay for his loans, cover the LMIA fees and send money back home to his family. It was a hard time, he said. I have a wife and two children in India, I have to take care of them. I dont get anything. Choori Mohameds situation changed on a Friday in June 2024 when he was taking part in a group prayer. There, he was approached by a volunteer at the Squamish Welcome Centre. The non-profit community organization helped Choori Mohamed apply for a vulnerable worker permit and make a complaint with the Employment Standards Branch. On Nov. 6, 2024, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada issued him a 13-month open work permit. Choori Mohameds former employer agreed to pay him $23,000 to settle the Employment Standards Branch complaint before the tribunal made a decision. Choori Mohameds story is one of dozens of cases of labour exploitation in Squamish alone, according to the welcome centres migrant worker support co-ordinator, Zulma Reina. Since the centre launched its migrant worker support program in 2023, it has had more than 130 participants. Data collected by the centre shows about a third of those participants faced some kind of abuse at work, including wage theft, illegally charging foreign workers for government fees or sexual abuse. Reina said its rare for exploited migrant workers to get any kind of justice. She said some workers, like Choori Mohamed, have been able to get open work permits, but others are afraid to report abuse. They are really, really afraid of the consequences, she said. They think if they complain or say anything about the employer, their work permit could be cut, and they will need to leave the country right away. Others, Reina said, are worried that an investigation into their employer will put their co-workers jobs and status in Canada in jeopardy. The system is broken, Reina said. A Statistics Canada report published last month indicates that more labour-trafficking victims are coming forward to Canadian police. The report found an uptick in police reports about human trafficking of men and boys, who are more likely to be trafficked for their labour than for sex. Statistics Canada also noted that 85 per cent of the men and boys reported some kind of business relationship with the accused. Even though more cases are being reported, the Canadian Centre to End Human Traffickings McLean said police rarely lay criminal charges against alleged traffickers. Privately, law enforcement acknowledges they lack the mandate, training and resources to investigate these cases proactively, McLean said. When lawyer Aziz approaches local police or the Canada Border Services Agency on behalf of a worker, they rarely investigate a case, she said. Aziz acknowledges the cases can be complicated for police to look into. Unfortunately, sometimes these labour traffickers are quite smart, Aziz said. They have an entity in the home country, an entity in Canada this chain to make it difficult to determine who is actually the agent here who needs to be prosecuted. McLean believes the federal government should allow migrant workers to more easily move between jobs, which he argues would help them escape exploitative situations. Aziz agreed that many of the current problems are caused by the governments own rules. Our system does help to create the circumstances that are ripe for labour trafficking, Aziz said. ( This story is a collaboration between the Investigative Journalism Foundation and The Tyee.) RBI Governor Sanjay Malhotra called on Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman at Parliament House. Sitharaman also met a delegation led by Minister of State Harsh Malhotra. The Finance Minister outlined the key priorities of the Union Budget 2026-27, emphasizing policy stability, manufacturing growth, and long-term investments. This was discussed during a meeting with the US-India Strategic Partnership Forum, focusing on strengthening bilateral economic engagement. RBI Governor Sanjay Malhotra meets Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. She outlines Budget 2026-27 priorities focusing on policy stability and investment. New Delhi, February 11 RBI Governor Sanjay Malhotra called on Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Wednesday at the Parliament House in New Delhi. Sharing the details on X, Nirmala Sitharaman Office posted, "Shri Sanjay Malhotra, Governor - @RBI, calls on Smt @nsitharaman at Parliament House." Sitharaman also met a delegation led by Minister of State for Corporate Affairs Harsh Malhotra. "Delegation led by Shri @hdmalhotra, Hon'ble Minister of State for Road, Transport & Highways and Corporate Affairs, and Smt @kjsehrawat, Hon'ble MP (LS), calls on Smt @nsitharaman at Parliament House," Nirmala Sitharaman Office said on X. Earlier, Union Minister Nirmala Sitharaman shared the key priorities and reform direction of the Union Budget 2026-27, with a focus on policy stability, manufacturing growth and long-term investment. The minister on Monday, addressed the Board Members of the US-India Strategic Partnership Forum in New Delhi and shared the budget priorities. According to a social media post by the Ministry of Finance, the meeting focused on strengthening India-US economic engagement and sharing the outcomes and intent of the Union Budget. The ministry said the interaction underlined the government's broader objective of creating a predictable and stable policy environment to encourage businesses and industry to plan long-term investments. Outlining the key tenets of the Union Budget 2026-27, Finance Minister Sitharaman said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Budget reflects the government's commitment to continuity, certainty and predictability from a policy perspective. - ANI The Odisha government has signed a strategic MoU with Sarvam AI to build a sovereign AI capacity hub, marking a decisive shift from a resource-based to a technology-led economy. The partnership involves a massive investment of around Rs 20,000 crore to establish a 50 MW AI-optimised facility equipped with nearly 25,000 GPUs. This initiative aims to position Odisha as a net exporter of compute power and develop population-scale applications in the Odia language to enhance public service delivery. The project, witnessed by President Droupadi Murmu, is expected to generate thousands of high-skilled jobs and accelerate progress towards the state's and nation's development visions. Odisha signs MoU with Sarvam AI for a 50 MW AI hub with 25,000 GPUs, aiming to become a net exporter of compute and develop Odia-language applications. Bhubaneswar, Feb 11 Odisha aims to become a net exporter of compute and develop population-scale Odia-language applications to strengthen last-mile public service delivery. To realise this vision, the state government has forged a strategic partnership with Sarvam AI, an Indian artificial intelligence company, to develop a sovereign AI capacity in Odisha. Informing about the landmark development in a video message, Odisha's Electronics and Information Technology department minister, Mukesh Mahaling, has said that Odisha has signed an MoU with @SarvamAI to build a sovereign AI capacity hub - a landmark step towards India's self-reliant AI future. "This is not just a data centre; it is a strategic move to position Odisha as India's leading AI capacity provider. From a mines-driven economy to a mind-driven economy, Odisha is redefining its growth trajectory. Traditionally known for its mineral and metal-driven strengths, the State is now decisively transitioning towards a technology-led digital economy," Mahaling added. He also underscored that the state government, in partnership with Sarvam AI, targets to establish a 50 MW AI-optimised facility with an investment of around Rs 20,000 crore, backed by significant capital investment incentives from the State. "The facility will host nearly 25,000 GPUs, create thousands of high-skilled direct and indirect jobs, and firmly establish Odisha as a key pillar of India's sovereign AI and compute ecosystem, accelerating the journey towards Viksit Odisha, Viksit Bharat," noted Mahaling. It is pertinent here to mention that the Odisha Government, on February 6, signed an MoU with Sarvam as part of the state's ongoing efforts to build a secure, inclusive, and Odia-first artificial intelligence ecosystem aligned with Vision 2036 and Vision 2047. The MoU was signed in the presence of President Droupadi Murmu on the sidelines of the recently held Black Swan Summit 2026 in Bhubaneswar. The MoU gives impetus towards making AI a long-term public capability, with an emphasis on sovereign infrastructure, population-scale applications in the Odia language, and durable institutional capacity within the State. The AI Sovereign Park in the state will make Odisha a net producer and exporter of compute to different states, a landmark step in today's digital age. - IANS Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan announced a massive Rs 10 lakh crore outlay for rural India over the next decade under the Viksit Bharat-Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (VB-G RAM G). The scheme guarantees 125 days of employment, increased from 100 days, with provisions for unemployment allowance and interest on delayed wages. He contrasted this with previous governments, stating the NDA spent Rs 8.54 lakh crore in the last ten years versus the UPA's Rs 2.13 lakh crore. During a Tripura event, he also inaugurated 179 rural projects worth over Rs 546 crore. Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan announces a Rs 10 lakh crore, 10-year rural development plan under VB-G RAM G, guaranteeing 125 days of employment. Agartala, Feb 11 Union Minister for Agriculture, Farmers' Welfare and Rural Development Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Wednesday said that Rs 10 lakh crore would be spent across rural India over the next ten years under the Viksit Bharat-Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission. Addressing a conference on the VB-G RAM G programme in Tripura's capital Agartala, the Union Minister said that the scheme provides a comprehensive road map for building a Viksit Bharat and is designed to serve the interests of all sections of society. Highlighting the key features of the programme, Chouhan said that the VB-G RAM G guarantees 125 days of employment, an increase from the earlier 100 days. He said that Rs 1,51,282 crore has been allocated for the rural programme, while an additional Rs 55,000 crore would be provided through the Finance Commission, taking the total allocation to over Rs 2 lakh crore in five years. The Union Minister further said that Rs 10 lakh crore would be spent in rural areas of the country under the VB-G RAM G programme over the next five years. Chouhan said that there are 2.86 crore Gram Panchayats across the country and each Panchayat would receive between Rs 1.50 crore and Rs 2.75 crore over five years under the programme. Drawing a comparison with previous governments, he said that during the UPA government, Rs 2.13 lakh crore was spent on rural job works over ten years, while the NDA government has spent Rs 8.54 lakh crore during the last ten years. Under the VB-G RAM G scheme, provisions have been made to ensure that if employment is not provided after work is demanded, unemployment allowance will be paid to the beneficiaries. In case of delays in wage payments, workers will be entitled to receive payments along with interest. The administrative expenditure under the scheme has been increased from six per cent to nine per cent. This will ensure that there are no salary-related issues for Panchayat secretaries, employment assistants, clerical and technical staff. Alleging that no significant development had taken place in rural Tripura during the earlier Left and Congress regimes, the Union Minister said that under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY), pucca houses are being constructed to ensure that no poor family remains in a kutcha house. Referring to criticism of the scheme, Chouhan said that a misleading campaign was being run against the VB-G RAM G Programme and asserted that people belonging to tribal and Scheduled Caste communities, along with other poor sections, would be the major beneficiaries. During the event, the Union Minister also inaugurated and laid foundation stones for 179 rural development projects in Tripura, involving a total investment of Rs 546.79 crore. Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha, Panchayat Minister Kishor Barman and Rural Development Department Secretary Abhishek Singh, among others, also addressed the gathering. - IANS Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov stated Russia's readiness to seek a negotiated solution to the Ukraine crisis based on understandings from past leadership talks with the United States. The statement comes as a recent round of US-brokered talks concluded with an agreement on a large-scale prisoner exchange but failed to achieve substantive progress on core issues like territorial disputes and a ceasefire. Ukraine's delegation emphasized its goal of a "dignified and lasting peace," though no joint political statement was issued. The talks underscore the persistent divisions between the sides despite the diplomatic engagement and a successful swap of 157 detainees from each country. Russian FM Lavrov states readiness for Ukraine talks based on past US-Russia understandings, as new prisoner swap occurs amid stalled negotiations. Moscow, Feb 11 Russia is ready to seek a negotiated solution to the Ukraine crisis based on understandings reached by the leaders of Russia and the United States, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said. He said Russia remains fully committed to the outcomes of the meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump held in the US city of Anchorage, Alaska in August last year, and noted that Moscow expects its interests to be fully taken into account in the process of reaching mutually acceptable agreements with partners open to honest and direct dialogue, Xinhua news agency reported. Lavrov said Russia would continue to uphold truth and justice in international affairs and promote a multipolar world grounded in the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, adding that Moscow would oppose double standards, hidden agendas, imposed settlement formulas, as well as practices of neocolonialism and hegemonism. The foreign minister also said Russia would prioritize strengthening strategic partnerships with emerging centers of a multipolar world, adding that Russia and like-minded partners would work to accelerate the development of sanctions-resistant mechanisms for trade, investment, financial and logistical cooperation. The second round of US-brokered talks between Russia and Ukraine concluded earlier on Thursday with both sides agreeing to a large-scale prisoner exchange but failing to achieve substantive breakthroughs on core issues such as territorial arrangements and a ceasefire. According to Ukraine, the talks were conducted trilaterally before moving to group consultations. Ukraine's National Security and Defence Council Secretary Rustem Umerov said the Ukrainian delegation sought a "dignified and lasting peace," without disclosing specific outcomes. The talks ended with no joint political or security statement, underscoring persistent differences between Russia and Ukraine on key matters, including territorial disputes, ceasefire arrangements, and security guarantees. US President's Special Envoy Steve Witkoff said representatives from the three countries reached a consensus on a prisoner swap, describing the discussions as "specific and constructive." He added, however, that greater efforts would be required to advance a comprehensive settlement of the conflict. Following the talks, Russia and Ukraine conducted their first large-scale prisoner exchange in nearly five months, with each side returning 157 detainees. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said those released included both military personnel and civilians. - IANS A surge in insurgent violence in Balochistan is jeopardizing Pakistan's efforts to attract major foreign investment into its strategic mineral sector. Attacks attributed to groups like the Baloch Liberation Army continue despite heavy security, raising doubts about the safety of projects like Reko Diq and Saindak. Officials warn the instability tests Islamabad's ability to secure a safe environment for global partners, potentially deterring Western, Chinese, and Gulf investors. The crisis is rooted in long-standing political grievances, with activist campaigns highlighting issues like enforced disappearances that further fuel local anger. Surging insurgent attacks in Balochistan jeopardize Pakistan's plans for major foreign investment in strategic mineral projects like Reko Diq. Balochistan, February 11 A renewed surge in insurgent violence in Balochistan is casting doubt on Pakistan's ability to secure major foreign investment in its lucrative mineral belt. Although Pakistan has tried to project an image of economic recovery after the financial breakdown that began in 2022 amid political unrest and the removal of Imran Khan, the situation on the ground in Balochistan remains volatile. Despite heavy deployment of security forces around key installations and routes, attacks on infrastructure and workers have continued, raising uncomfortable questions about the durability of state control, as reported by The Balochistan Post. According to The Balochistan Post, interest from Washington in the province's vast underground wealth is part of a broader international push to widen supply chains for strategic minerals and reduce dependence on Beijing. Mega ventures such as Reko Diq and Saindak are frequently highlighted as cornerstones of that ambition. However, the prevailing insecurity threatens timelines, insurance costs and investor confidence. Recent operations attributed to the Baloch Liberation Army have been described by officials as coordinated and technically advanced. Security analysts warned that such incidents demonstrate the militants' continued reach even in areas declared sensitive and heavily guarded. A Pakistani official, identified as Hussain, was cited as saying the unrest represents a real test of Islamabad's promises to create a safe environment for global partners. He acknowledged that persistent violence could discourage not only Western companies but also Chinese and Gulf investors. The report further traced the roots of the conflict, pointing out that long-standing grievances date back to the incorporation of Baloch territories into Pakistan after the end of British rule, fuelling cycles of resistance that have endured for generations. It also referenced activist Mahrang Baloch, whose campaigns against alleged enforced disappearances have drawn large crowds. Her continued detention, observers say, has intensified anger among many residents, as cited by The Balochistan Post. While the federal government maintains that military operations are vital for protecting civilians and nationally significant assets, critics argue that without political reconciliation, instability will remain a formidable barrier to attracting sustained foreign investment in the province's mineral sector, as reported by The Balochistan Post. - ANI Hyundai Motor India's MD Tarun Garg stated that recent semiconductor shortages and logistics disruptions have painfully revealed the fragility of efficiency-optimized global supply chains. He urged the industry to transition from "just-in-time" to "just-in-case and just-in-future" strategies, emphasizing resilience through diversified sourcing and deeper localisation. Garg highlighted the shift from mechanical engineering to a software-driven auto industry, where vehicles improve via over-the-air updates. He also pointed to India's new rare earth corridors and FTAs as structural shifts reducing external dependence and creating export opportunities. Hyundai India MD Tarun Garg says semiconductor & logistics crises expose supply chain fragility, calls for shift to resilient, localised strategies. New Delhi, February 11 Semiconductor shortages and logistics disruption have exposed structural weaknesses in the automotive industry's global supply chains, highlighting the need to move beyond efficiency-driven models, Hyundai Motor India Managing Director and CEO Tarun Garg said today. "Geopolitical shifts, semiconductor shortages and logistics disruptions taught us a painful lesson; efficiency without resilience is fragility," Garg said while addressing the 60th ACMA Excellence Awards and 11th Technology Summit 2026. "For 30 years, we vouched for just-in-time. We optimised the last penny of efficiency and did a fantastic job. But the world changed." He said the industry must transition towards "just-in-case and just-in-future" strategies to build resilience. "Being a resilient system means we cannot rely on a single geography for critical minerals, components or electronics," he said, calling for deeper localisation and diversified sourcing. India is currently the world's third-largest auto market, but Garg said the focus should now shift to leadership in next-generation mobility. "The question is not just how we stay at number three, but how we lead the world in what comes next," he said. The industry is moving rapidly from mechanical engineering to software-driven mobility, he added. "For decades, we defined ourselves by gears and pistons. Today, we are fast becoming a software auto industry," Garg said. "We are moving towards software-defined vehicles where a car continues to improve even after it leaves the showroom through over-the-air updates." He urged suppliers to evolve beyond traditional roles. "If your roadmap does not include electronics, sensors and system integration, you have a challenge. Industry may outpace you," Garg said. "Suppliers should migrate from being part suppliers to technology partners who can co-design the future with OEMs." As the first Indian MD and CEO of Hyundai Motor India, Garg said increasing localisation is a key priority. The company works with more than 1,200 Tier 1 and Tier 2 suppliers and has invested over Rs 4,500 crore in its Pune ecosystem. "To win in India, we must be in India," he said. Garg also highlighted the Union Budget 2026-27's commitment to build rare earth corridors across Odisha, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. The integrated mining, processing and advanced manufacturing clusters are backed by a Rs 7,280 crore permanent magnet manufacturing scheme. "These corridors mark a structural shift away from dependence on external supply chains," he said. The Budget also includes new high-speed rail corridors, 20 national waterways and expanded multi-modal freight networks aimed at lowering logistics costs and strengthening competitiveness. On trade, Garg cited India's newly concluded Free Trade Agreement with the European Union, which he described as the largest FTA either side has signed, creating a free trade zone of nearly two billion people. He also referred to US trade developments, including tariff changes from 50 per cent to 18 per cent, as opportunities for Indian exporters. "Let us stop viewing technology as a cost and start seeing it as a currency," Garg said. "Let us make in India, make for the world, and become the global gold standard of mobility." - ANI Senior defense officials from South Korea and the United States held their first official meeting in Seoul to discuss advancing combined military logistics and sustainment capabilities. The talks focused on strengthening coordination to ensure immediate support during contingencies, recognizing sustainment as a key factor in the changing security environment. Both sides agreed to expand regular communication between their organizations to deepen cooperation. The meeting follows recent diplomatic talks where the allies also discussed civil nuclear power, submarines, and trade issues. Senior US and South Korean defense officials hold first talks to deepen combined military logistics and sustainment capabilities, strengthening their alliance. Seoul, Feb 11 Senior defence officials of South Korea and the United States held talks in Seoul on Wednesday to discuss ways to advance their combined sustainment capabilities, the South's Joint Chiefs of Staff said. The meeting between Koo Sang-mo, the JCS' chief director of military support, and Mark Simerly, director of the US Defence Logistics Agency (DLA), marked the first official engagement between the two organizations, the JCS said, Yonhap News Agency reported. The two sides discussed ways to deepen their combined sustainment capabilities based on the steadfast South Korea-US alliance and concurred that sustainment operations are a key deciding factor in a changing security environment. Koo noted that cooperation with the DLA, which is tasked with defence logistics support for US forces around the world, is "essential" for maintaining the combined defence posture and called for further strengthening their coordination to ensure an immediate and continued military support in the event of a contingency. In response, Simerly said the US prioritises supply chain management through the Indo-Pacific Command to defend South Korea, which he called a key ally, and pledged to strengthen partnership with the South's JCS. Both sides agreed to expand and hold regular communication between the two organisations to seek ways to strengthen their cooperation, the JCS said. Simerly arrived in South Korea on Tuesday for a three-day trip focused on assessing defence logistic circumstances for the US Forces Korea and the combined logistics posture. His trip marks the first such visit to South Korea by a DLA director. On February 3, the top diplomats of South Korea and the United States agreed to continue close cooperation on civil nuclear power, nuclear-powered submarines and shipbuilding during their talks in Washington, the State Department said. South Korea's Foreign Minister Cho Hyun and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio also reaffirmed their commitment to the "complete" denuclearisation of North Korea, according to Tommy Pigott, the department's principal deputy spokesperson. Cho and Rubio held their talks at the department as Seoul is stepping up diplomatic efforts to address US President Donald Trump's recent threat to raise "reciprocal" tariffs, and auto, lumber and pharmaceutical levies on South Korea to 25 per cent from 15 per cent. "Secretary Rubio and Foreign Minister Cho discussed ways to advance the US-ROK Alliance, centered on a forward-looking agenda in the spirit of President Trump and ROK President Lee Jae Myung's summits in Washington and Gyeongju," Pigott said. ROK is short for South Korea's official name, the Republic of Korea. "The two leaders agreed to continue to work closely on civil nuclear power, nuclear-powered submarines, shipbuilding and increasing ROK investments to rebuild critical US industries," he added. - IANS South Korean President Lee Jae Myung will host a luncheon with the leaders of the ruling Democratic Party and main opposition People Power Party to seek bipartisan cooperation on the economy and pending issues. The meeting aims to discuss a wide range of state affairs, including critical trade negotiations with the United States and a related $350 billion investment bill. President Lee has urgently called for accelerated legislative procedures to cope with a rapidly changing and competitive global environment. The discussions are expected to cover regulatory reform, artificial intelligence, and measures to strengthen national competitiveness amid international instability. President Lee Jae Myung meets party leaders to discuss economic cooperation, US trade talks, and urgent legislation amid global instability. Seoul, Feb 11 South Korean President Lee Jae Myung will host a luncheon with the leaders of the ruling Democratic Party and the main opposition People Power Party later this week to discuss ways to seek bipartisan cooperation on the economy and other pending issues, Cheong Wa Dae said. Lee is scheduled to meet DP leader Jung Chung-rae and PPP leader Jang Dong-hyeok at Cheong Wa Dae on Thursday to have discussions on a wide range of state affairs, Kang Hoon-sik, the presidential chief of staff, told reporters, Yonhap News Agency reported. "The luncheon was arranged to discuss ways to improve people's livelihoods and ensure stable governance," Kang said. "They are expected to exchange candid views on a broad range of state affairs without limiting the agenda." Possible agenda items include ongoing trade negotiations with the United States, as Seoul is under pressure to pass a special investment bill tied to a bilateral trade agreement with Washington after US President Donald Trump threatened last month to raise reciprocal tariffs and auto, lumber and pharmaceutical duties on South Korea back to 25 per cent from 15 per cent. On Tuesday, Lee Jae Myung urged the National Assembly to speed up its procedures to legislate bills, saying that the government would have difficulty coping with the changing world order if such procedures are slow. Lee made the remarks at a Cabinet meeting, citing higher uncertainties in the world and heated competition among nations that could disrupt the traditional world order. "It is very difficult to respond proactively to the rapidly changing international environment at the current pace of legislation," Lee said. "A wide range of bills is critical to strengthening national competitiveness by supporting trade negotiations with foreign countries, advancing regulatory reform, and fostering drivers for broad transformation," he added. Lee urged bipartisan cooperation on issues related to national interests, particularly foreign affairs, amid an increasingly volatile global environment and rapidly evolving artificial intelligence technologies. "Global instability is extremely high, and competition among countries has become so intense that it is even undermining international order," he said. "Under these circumstances, national unity and reform measures are essential." On Monday, the National Assembly established a special committee to handle legislation aimed at implementing South Korea's USD 350 billion investment pledges to the United States under a trade deal between the two nations. - IANS A Sri Lankan JVP delegation led by General Secretary Tilvin Silva met with Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan to discuss enhancing tourism and cultural connections. The delegation also visited ISRO's Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre and Vizhinjam Port to learn about India's technological and blue economy advancements. Earlier, the group met Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, who highlighted strengthened bilateral relations under PM Modi and invited Sri Lanka to partner in the Vibrant Gujarat Summit. The discussions emphasized mutual benefits in tourism, industrial collaboration, and knowledge sharing, particularly drawing from Gujarat's development model. JVP General Secretary Tilvin Silva meets Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan & Gujarat CM Bhupendra Patel to strengthen tourism, cultural links & industrial partnership. Thiruvananthapuram, February 12 Sri Lanka's Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna General Secretary Tilvin Silva and his delegation met Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Wednesday to discuss measures to boost tourism and strengthen cultural ties. The Sri Lankan delegation also visited ISRO's Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre and Vizhinjam Port, where they gained exposure to India's advancements in science and technology and the blue economy. In an official X post of 'India in Sri Lanka', the High Commission said, "JVP General Secretary Mr. Tilvin Silva and the delegation met Hon'ble Chief Minister of Kerala Shri Pinarayi Vijayan @pinarayivijayan. Discussions were focused on boosting tourism and cultural connect." It added, "The delegation also visited @isro Vikram Sarabhai Space Center and @PortOfVizhinjam, gaining exposure to India's advancements in Science & Tech and blue economy." Earlier, on Monday, Sri Lanka's Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) General Secretary Tilvin Silva and his delegation paid a courtesy visit to Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel in Gandhinagar. Welcoming the delegation to Gujarat CM expressed confidence that India-Sri Lanka relations have strengthened under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He noted that the meeting would be productive in renewing momentum for the long-standing historical and cultural ties between the two nations. He emphasised that Gujarat, a policy-driven state, offers a range of sector-specific policies that Sri Lanka could benefit from. He also advocated mutual coordination between the State Government and Sri Lanka in areas of shared interest. According to an official release, the meeting discussed strategies to encourage more people from Gujarat to visit Sri Lanka for tourism. General Secretary of JVP was deeply touched during his first visit to India and Gujarat, the land of Mahatma Gandhi and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and shared his admiration for Gujarat's remarkable progress. He thanked the Central and State Governments for Gujarat's contribution to the exhibition in Colombo, Sri Lanka, which featured the sacred relics of Lord Buddha. Tilvin Silva also expressed appreciation for India's consistent support to Sri Lanka during times of need, including assistance in infrastructure development. He expressed keen enthusiasm for an industrial partnership between Gujarat and Sri Lanka. Recalling his visit to Amul, he conveyed a strong interest in learning from Gujarat's expertise, knowledge-sharing practices, and technical know-how across sectors, including the cooperative sector. The Chief Minister invited Sri Lanka to participate as a partner country in the upcoming Vibrant Summit 2027. He also shared detailed insights into the successful organisation of the Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit (VGGS), which, under the Prime Minister's guidance, showcases Gujarat's industrial strengths on the global stage. Chief Secretary MK Das, Additional Chief Secretary of the Industries Department Mamta Verma, Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister Sanjeev Kumar, Industries Commissioner Swaroop P, Additional Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister Vikrant Pandey, Secretary Ajay Kumar, and other senior officials joined the Chief Minister for the meeting. - ANI Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin has firmly ruled out any power-sharing arrangement with alliance partners, calling it an inapplicable demand for the state. However, he assured party cadre that he would personally handle seat-sharing and candidate selection for the upcoming assembly elections, urging unity. The Congress leadership, while acknowledging differing views on coalition governments, has affirmed the strength of the DMK-led alliance and confirmed talks are scheduled for February 22. DMK officials have echoed Stalin's position, stating the party will abide by his decision that coalition governance is not suitable for Tamil Nadu. Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin rules out coalition govt but assures smooth seat-sharing with Congress. Alliance talks set for Feb 22 amid unity calls. Chennai, February 11 Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin on Wednesday assured DMK cadre that he "will take care" of the seat-sharing arrangements with its allies for the state's assembly elections. This came after the DMK chief ruled out any shared governance model with the party allies amid the reports of Congress demanding ministerial berths in the government. Congress maintained that the alliance remains "very strong" and reiterated that the party will hold alliance talks on February 22. Addressing the DMK Booth Committee Training Conference in the Chengalpattu district, Stalin urged party workers to work with a strong sense of unity among the alliance partners. "As for alliance arrangements, seat-sharing, and candidate selection, I will take care of that. You need not worry. Whoever contests in whichever constituency, work as if Stalin himself is the candidate in all 234 constituencies. Without unity, we cannot achieve our goal. Therefore, we must work with a strong sense of unity among our alliance partners," Stalin said. This came after Stalin ruled out power-sharing with the alliance's partners. "A share in governance is a demand that does not apply to Tamil Nadu. They know it better than us. That slogan is nothing but a calculated conspiracy by those who cannot stand to see us united," he said However, the Tamil Nadu CM signalled that the Congress would continue to be a partner when the state goes to the hustings. "Congress will certainly remain in the DMK alliance. Our alliance is cordial. It is the media that is deliberately creating certain unnecessary perceptions," he said. Reacting to Stalin's statement, Tamil Nadu Congress president K Selvaperunthagai said that the alliance led by the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) was "extremely strong". "The INDIA alliance is very strong. The DMK-led alliance is an extremely strong alliance. The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam will win again and achieve consecutive victories," Selvaperunthagai said while talking to reporters at Chennai airport. "We sincerely thank the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu for accepting our request and inviting alliance parties for constituency-sharing talks on the 22nd, after the Assembly session," he added. DMK spokesperson said the party would abide by Chief Minister MK Stalin's decision that coalition governance is not suitable for the state. Speaking to ANI on Wednesday, Elangovan said, "We have to go by the decision of our party president. Beyond that, I have nothing to say on that." He dismissed suggestions that such comments could strain ties between the DMK and Congress, asserting that only official party leadership views matter. "Their leaders have not talked about this. Neither the AICC president nor the TNCC president had talked about this. We are answerable only to the official presidents, not to each and every person," he said. On seat-sharing talks, Elangovan confirmed that discussions would begin soon. "We know when to start. We are in a coalition since 1962... the talks were always smooth. Every party has an ambition to contest in more seats, but we must be practical and see what will ensure victory to the alliance," he added. Congress MP from Virudhunagar, Manickam Tagore played the ball back to the CM, saying that the decision would be taken by the people. In a post on X, Tagore said, "The people will decide. Coalition government? Or one-party government. It is our Tamil Nadu Congress' mistake not to implement the people's verdict in 2006." Congress MP Jothimani said, "Every party has its own view on coalition govts. DMK and Congress are separate parties with distinct views on coalitions. Congress has formed a committee for this. The CM (MK Stalin) has his own view. In our committee, alliance talks will commence on 22nd February." Congress leader Praveen Chakravarty refused to comment on the party's negotiations on power sharing but asserted that there is "first time for everything". "I cannot comment on anything about alliance or negotiations or anything. Yes, it is true that so far Tamil Nadu has not had a coalition government at the state. So, that is true. But there is always a first time for everything. So, there is no hard and fast rule, nor is it the case that Tamil Nadu is unique," he said. Meanwhile, the BJP, taking advantage of fissures in the alliance, stated that DMK and Congress want to "get rid of each other" Predicting a "big split" in the INDIA bloc, BJP spokesperson Narayanan Thirupathy said Congress wants to test its alliance with another party, as it believes DMK will not return to power. "Congress feels that DMK will not come back to power, and they don't want to go with DMK, and they want to test their alliance with someone else, that's what they are planning. And both of them want to get rid of each other in such a way that they want to blame others. That's what the INDI alliance is doing. A big split is going to happen," Narayanan Thirupathy told ANI. The public posturing is likely to continue as the DMK has called for a meeting on February 22 to discuss the contours of the election. A probable discussion on the number of berths for allies is also likely to take place. The 234-member Tamil Nadu Assembly will go to the polls in the first half of the year. The DMK won 133 seats in the 2021 Assembly polls. Congress won 18, PMK won 5, VCK won 4, and others won 8. - ANI By Rochelle Baker, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter Canadas healthy oceans are worth billions more than what can simply be extracted from them. Oceans and coastal ecosystems generated at minimum $7.1 billion in benefits in 2023, new figures from Statistics Canada suggest. The study is part of the federal government's efforts to value more of the advantages nature can offer to people and communities. By estimating the monetary value of marine ecosystem services, the federal government is taking a new approach to quantifying the often ignored perks that oceans provide such as clean water, wildlife or climate benefits in addition to measuring the revenue from traditional resource industries like fishing, explained McGill University professor Brian Robinson, an expert in ecosystem services. It makes these things visible which are typically invisible in most policy contexts when making decisions around development opportunities, he said. Given its vast coastlines, Canada is working to put a price on the oceans ability to sink planet-heating CO2 to meet climate goals, curb the climate impacts and trade carbon credits based on emissions reductions in the global market. Statistics Canadas analysis estimated the value of some ways oceans store carbon at $5.5 billion in 2023 alone. Marine carbon storage, also called blue carbon, is valued for how much planet-heating CO2 is drawn from the atmosphere and safely tucked away by microscopic ocean phytoplankton, coastal salt marshes, eel grass meadows or kelp forests. The monetary value of blue carbon is based on existing federal carbon prices. Other ocean benefits tallied up by Statistics Canada included $1.2 billion in commercially harvested fish and seafood in 2023. Coastal tourism alone in Canada is estimated to be worth $458 million. The estimates dont reflect the full value of the two industries or blue carbon but act as a partial snapshot. However, the figures are a good first step in valuing some of the oceans many ecosystem services, Robinson said. They are preliminary, subject to revision and always subject to better data and better methods for estimates. Working out a standardized monetary value for things such as blue carbon or the flood prevention from salt marshes can make natures contributions comparable with standard economic data from traditional resource industries, like commercial fishing, where the economic value is already well-understood, he said. Ecosystem services accounting doesnt make arguments for conservation or resource development, Robinson noted. Instead, its a tool that clarifies the trade-offs involved in decisions that can impact nature. Ecosystem accounting also doesnt measure if an ocean-derived benefit like fishing is sustainable, Robinson stressed. The system can track changes in economic value over time, but doesnt measure key factors such as the health of fish stocks or marine ecosystems or anticipate future losses. Theres no estimation here of are we doing the are we doing the right things, he said. Can we continue extracting this sort of value from fisheries into the future? It doesn't say anything about that. Tourism operators on the West Coast clearly understand that healthy oceans underpin the regions economy, said Cassandra Zerebeski, executive director of the Wilderness Tourism Association of B.C. Coastal tourism plays an increasing role in the sector, which is the economic backbone of the provincial economy, she said. The Vancouver Island region's tourism revenue alone amounted to $3.2 billion in 2022. And tourism across all of BC contributed $9.7 billion to the provinces gross domestic product (GDP) in 2023, outstripping all other primary resource industries and nearly double the GDP contributions made by mining or the oil and gas sectors. Healthy oceans and shorelines support rich wildlife and thriving coastal communities both of which are synonymous with Canadas brand. They arent just a nice to have but central to tourisms ongoing economic success, said Zerebeski. The places and activities that attract visitors to the coast and Vancouver Island such as whale watching, small-ship tours, kayaking, scuba diving, surfing or stay at remote lodges, all rely on an unspoiled marine environment, she said. The tourism sector itself is working on reducing its own impacts on the coasts environment and travel destinations, said Zerebeski, speaking to Canadas National Observer while attending a sustainable tourism conference in Victoria. The environment isnt just scenery for us. Its the product and core to how we position ourselves, and the values we [reflect] to the province and the guests were trying to attract. Coastal tourism operators typically small business owners often invest their own time and money into conservation initiatives that also protect tourism value, Zerebeski said. They take part in marine debris clean-ups or contribute to ocean science projects by attaching sensors to their vessels to measure ocean acidification or oxygen levels in water. Knowledge accrued from those activities is often incorporated into educational opportunities for visitors. Paula Amos, chief marketing and development director at Indigenous Tourism BC, agreed that living oceans are foundational to economic benefits. Safeguarding culture and nature are intertwined with Indigenous tourism, she said. When First Nations communities are looking at economic development, theyre always going to look at it holistically, Amos said. How is it impacting our people, the land, our food resources? Indigenous tourism is always done with that lens in mind. The benefits of doing so are plain. Indigenous tourism in the province has grown by 40 per cent over the past four years and generated $1.1 billion in total economic impact in 2023, she said. Cultural eco-tourism is filling the gaps left behind by shrinking forestry and fishing resource sectors over the past decade, she said. More and more of the First Nations communities on the coast are looking at tourism as an economic driver, Amos said. Robinson cautioned ecosystem accounting cant capture the full worth of everything oceans provide to individuals or communities. The tourism sector can measure what a visitor paid for a whale watching trip or hotel room but cant capture the thrill or enjoyment at seeing a humpback or grizzly bear. Non-material benefits like cultural relationships, food security, community well-being and the intrinsic value of wildlife cant fully be measured. The joy of being on the ocean or just coming together as a family and having a bonfire on the beach we dont have ways of putting prices on those things. Rochelle Baker / Local Journalism Initiative / Canada's National Observer. Maharashtra NCP chief Sunil Tatkare has firmly dismissed rumors that Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar resigned from the Rajya Sabha during her recent Delhi visit. He clarified her meetings with top leaders, including the Prime Minister and Vice President, were standard courtesy calls. Tatkare explained that constitutional provisions allow a minister six months to secure membership in the required legislative house. Meanwhile, Sunetra Pawar has emotionally pledged to uphold the legacy of her late husband, Ajit Pawar, in her new role. Maharashtra NCP chief Sunil Tatkare clarifies Sunetra Pawar remains a Rajya Sabha member, dismissing resignation rumors after her Delhi meetings. New Delhi/Mumbai, Feb 11 Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar has not resigned as a Rajya Sabha member and there was no such issue during her visit to Delhi. This was clarified by Maharashtra NCP chief Sunil Tatkare after he, along with the party's working president, accompanied her during courtesy meetings with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah and Vice President and Rajya Sabha Chairman C.P. Radhakrishnan. Tatkare scoffed at rumours that Sunetra Pawar had resigned from her Rajya Sabha membership during the trip. However, he explicitly denied this, stating: "Sunetra Pawar has not resigned. The topic of resignation did not even come up." He dismissed the resignation rumours as baseless and emphasised that Sunetra Pawar's Rajya Sabha status remains unchanged despite her expanding leadership role within the party. Tatkare explained that her meeting with the Vice President and Chairman of the Rajya Sabha was a courtesy call and a standard part of her visit. He clarified that even if an individual is to become a minister in the state or the Centre, they have six months to become a member of the required House. During that period, they can legally hold membership in another House. He cited the example of Ajit Pawar in 1991, who remained a Lok Sabha member while serving as a minister in Sudhakarrao Naik's Cabinet in Maharashtra. Earlier, Sunetra Pawar on Tuesday took charge as the state Deputy Chief Minister at her office on the sixth floor of Mantralaya, saying that she would make an honest effort to uphold the legacy of her husband, late Ajit Pawar's ideals, and to build a more capable Maharashtra. She further stated that she would continue to work with unwavering loyalty and devotion for the welfare of Maharashtra. In an emotional post on X, Sunetra Pawar said: "Today, as I take on the responsibility of the Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra, I am also filled with a sense of trust, duty and sacrifice. The lifelong dedication that Hon. Ajitdada has shown toward the people of Maharashtra in pursuit of development is the guiding beacon for me. I will move forward on this path, drawing strength from Dada's work style, his decisiveness and the deep bond he shared with the people. My foremost priority will be to fulfil his unfulfilled dreams and to do justice to the aspirations of farmers, women, youth and ordinary citizens." She further stated: "No one can take Dada's place; but I will certainly make an honest effort to uphold the legacy of his ideals and to build a more capable Maharashtra. In this difficult time, the love, support and trust that the people have given me is my true strength. Today, before his memory, I make one solemn promise: that I will continue to serve the people of Maharashtra with sincerity, dedication and integrity." - IANS South Africa posted a competitive 187/6 against Afghanistan in their T20 World Cup Group D clash. The innings was built on a dominant 114-run partnership between Quinton de Kock (59) and Ryan Rickelton (61). Afghanistan fought back through captain Rashid Khan, who took a pivotal double-wicket over to remove both set batters. Late hitting from Marco Jansen and David Miller ensured South Africa finished with a strong total. Quinton de Kock (59) and Ryan Rickelton (61) powered South Africa to 187/6 against Afghanistan. Rashid Khan took a crucial double-wicket over. Ahmedabad, Feb 11 Riding on a commanding 114-run second-wicket stand between Quinton de Kock and Ryan Rickelton, South Africa posted 187/6 in their Group D clash against Afghanistan at the Narendra Modi Stadium on Wednesday. After being sent in to bat, the Proteas lost Aiden Markram early when Fazalhaq Farooqi deceived him with a slower ball, inducing a mistimed loft to mid-off. At 12/1 in the third over, Afghanistan had an early foothold. However, what followed was a sustained counterattack of the highest quality. De Kock and Rickelton initially weathered probing spells from Farooqi and Mujeeb Ur Rahman before shifting gears decisively. De Kock was particularly severe on anything overpitched, launching Mujeeb and later Rashid Khan over the ropes, while Rickelton complemented him with inventive strokeplay, including a reverse sweep and powerful slog-sweeps against the spinners. The introduction of Noor Ahmad in the 10th over proved expensive, conceding 23 runs as both batters targeted him ruthlessly. By the halfway mark, South Africa had surged to 98/1, and the momentum was firmly with them. The pair brought up their respective half-centuries in the 11th over - de Kock reaching his fifty with a pull over midwicket and Rickelton raising his with a towering six over long-on. Afghanistan desperately needed a breakthrough, and captain Rashid Khan delivered in style. In a decisive 13th over, he removed both set batters, de Kock for 59 off 41 balls and Rickelton for a scintillating 61 off just 28 deliveries, to halt the onslaught. His spell of 2-28 proved pivotal in dragging Afghanistan back into the contest. The middle overs saw a relative slowdown as Dewald Brevis and David Miller attempted to rebuild. Noor and Rashid tightened the screws, while Azmatullah Omarzai cleverly mixed pace to chip away at the middle order. Brevis fell for 23 trying to muscle a slower ball down the ground, and Tristan Stubbs departed cheaply as Afghanistan continued their fightback. Despite the mini-collapse, South Africa found late impetus through Marco Jansen and Miller. Jansen played a brief but impactful cameo, striking 16 off seven balls, including a towering six down the ground. Miller contributed an unbeaten 20 off 15, ensuring the innings finished with momentum. Azmatullah was the pick of the bowlers at the death, finishing with 3-41, as South Africa closed on a competitive 187/6. While Rashid's double strike provided Afghanistan with hope, the substantial platform laid by de Kock and Rickelton and late impetus from Miller and Jansen ensured the Proteas posted a total that would test any batting lineup on that pitch. Brief Scores: South Africa 187/6 in 20 overs (Ryan Rickleton 61, Quinton de Kock 59; Azmatullah Omarzai 3-41, Rashid Khan 2-28) - IANS With Valentine's Day approaching, Tamil Nadu's Krishnagiri district is witnessing a major surge in rose exports to international markets. Farmers in regions like Thally and Hosur are shipping large daily consignments of premium varieties like Taj Mahal and Kohinoor roses. Exporters like Bajuria report strong advance orders from Southeast Asia, Europe, and the Middle East due to the flowers' superior quality and longer shelf life. The state horticulture department provides support to cultivators, helping solidify the district's role as a leading floriculture export hub. Krishnagiri district exports lakhs of premium roses globally for Valentine's Day, with strong demand from Singapore, Dubai, and Europe. Dharmapuri, February 11 With Valentine's Day fast approaching, the export of roses from Tamil Nadu to various countries has gathered momentum. Krishnagiri district, particularly the regions of Thally and Hosur, continues to play a pivotal role in the State's flower export industry. As global demand for fresh flowers rises ahead of February 14, large consignments of roses are being shipped daily from Thally and Hosur to several international destinations. These regions are known for cultivating world-class rose varieties such as Taj Mahal and Kohinoor, in vibrant colours including red, yellow, white, purple and several other shades. In addition to roses, farmers in Krishnagiri district, particularly in Hosur, Thally, and Shoolagiri, cultivate flowers such as gerbera and carnation across thousands of acres. However, roses remain the most sought-after flower during the Valentine's Day season. With the day widely celebrated worldwide, lakhs of roses are being exported from the district to meet international demand. In Agalakottai village near Denkanikottai in Krishnagiri district, a flower grower and exporter, Bajuria, cultivates roses across 35 acres. The farm produces multiple rose varieties in different colours, which are harvested and exported specifically for the Valentine's Day market. Major export destinations include Singapore, Malaysia, Dubai, European nations and several Arab countries. Exporters say the flowers grown in this region fetch good prices in international markets due to their superior quality and longer shelf life. As a result, overseas buyers are placing bulk orders well in advance of the festive season. Officials from the Tamil Nadu Horticulture Department noted that the State government has been extending various forms of support to flower cultivators, including infrastructure and technical assistance, to strengthen the floriculture sector. Suresh, Assistant Horticulture Officer, Thally Block, stated that demand for roses increases sharply during this period every year, and farmers have increased production accordingly to meet export requirements. Bajuria, Managing Director and Rose Exporter from Agalakottai, Thally Block, said that Valentine's Day accounts for a significant share of their annual exports, and this year, orders from Southeast Asia, Europe, and the Middle East have been encouraging. With steady international demand and government support, Krishnagiri district continues to blossom as one of Tamil Nadu's leading hubs for floriculture exports. - ANI Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy and Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka cast their votes in the state's municipal elections. Polling is underway for 116 municipalities and seven corporations, with over 52 lakh voters eligible to decide the fate of nearly 13,000 candidates. The State Election Commission has deployed extensive polling staff and arranged webcasting at all centres. Major political parties, including Congress, BRS, and BJP, have fielded thousands of candidates across the wards. Telangana CM Revanth Reddy and Deputy CM Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka cast votes in municipal polls. Over 52 lakh voters decide 12,944 candidates' fate. Hyderabad, Feb 11 Telangana Chief Minster A. Revanth Reddy and Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka cast their votes for the municipal elections on Wednesday. The Chief Minster reached Kodangal in Vikarabad district by a helicopter from Hyderabad and cast his vote at a polling centre at Zilla Parishad High School. Revanth Reddy, who represents Kodangal Assembly constituency, exercised his franchise for elections to Kodangal municipality. After his return to Hyderabad from Kodangal, the Chief Minister will leave for New Delhi, where he is scheduled to meet top Congress leaders. Polling was underway for municipal elections in 116 municipalities and seven corporations in Telangana amid tight security. Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka cast his vote in Madhira municipality in Khammam district. Ministers exercised their franchise in their respective districts. Labour Minister G. Vivek polled his vote in Mancherial. Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) president cast his vote at a polling centre in Nizamabad. BJP MP from Nizamabad D. Arvind also cast his vote for Nizamabad Municipal Corporation. The polling, which began at 7 a.m. at 8,191 polling stations in all municipalities and corporations, will end at 5 p.m. A total of 52,17,413 voters are eligible to cast their votes in 2,981 wards in the 123 urban local bodies. The SEC has deployed 1,379 Returning Officers and 41,773 polling staff for the polling process. It has arranged webcasting at all polling centres. State Election Commissioner Rani Kumudini has appealed to all voters to exercise their franchise. She said voters can download the voter slips through SEC website or TE-POLL app. A total of 12,944 candidates are testing their political fortunes in these elections. Polling was on for 2,569 wards in 116 municipalities. Twelve candidates in nine municipalities have been elected unopposed. A total of 10,719 candidates are in the fray 116 municipalities. They include 2,358 candidates of ruling Congress party, 2,478 of Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) and 2,252 of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Polling was on for 412 wards in seven municipal corporations. Candidates in two wards in Mahabubnagar and Ramagundam were elected unopposed. Authorities have set up 2,174 polling centres in seven corporations. As many as 2,225 candidates are in fray in these corporations. They include 410 candidates of Congress, 401 of BRS and 382 of BJP. - IANS Municipal elections are proceeding peacefully in the Wardhannapet and Narsampet municipalities of Telangana's Warangal district. Collector Satya Sharada detailed the deployment of staff and the implementation of 100% webcasting from all polling stations to multiple authorities. High-profile voters, including Union Minister Bandi Sanjay Kumar and Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, have cast their ballots in their respective districts. Officials are optimistic that specially arranged model polling stations will help enhance voter turnout compared to previous elections. Municipal elections held in Wardhannapet & Narsampet with 100% webcasting. Key figures vote as officials report peaceful, smooth polling process. Warangal, February 11 Municipal elections are currently underway in the Wardhannapet Municipality of the Warangal district in Telangana, with voters arriving at polling stations, including one at Fusco's School, since early morning to cast their ballots. Collector, Warangal, Satya Sharada said, "In Warangal district, elections are being held for two municipalities: Wardhannapet and Narsampet. Wardhannapet has 10,000 voters, 12 wards, and 20 polling stations. Narsampet has 30,000 voters, 30 wards, and 60 polling stations. In total, 500 civil staff and 150 police personnel have been deployed, with 100 per cent webcasting of all polling stations." She further stated that this time, 100% of polling stations are webcast to the state election commission, the district administration, and individual municipalities, and the streams are connected. In addition, of the 80 polling stations across both municipalities, we have identified 14 critical polling stations and have deployed additional micro observers. "Apart from all this, this morning the polling has started in both the municipalities at 7 a.m. It started off quite peacefully, and the process is still proceeding smoothly, and as of 9 o'clock, the percentage of voting is 13%," she added. She also said that this time, they are hopeful about increasing voter turnout. "We are hopeful that in the last elections there was an increase in the voter percentage because of these polling stations, this time also, we are very positive that these polling stations will help us enhance the voter percentage. So as we see in this particular cluster, where there are eight polling stations in Wardhannapet, people are coming in and viewing all these model polling stations, and there is a lot of euphoric atmosphere and a discussion happening related to the different items displayed here," said Satya Sharada. Union Minister Bandi Sanjay Kumar alongwith his family members casted his vote for the Municipal election at Jothinagar school in 361 Booth in Karimnagar district. Telangana CM Revanth Reddy also cast his vote at the Zilla Parishad High School polling station in Kodangal. Along with that, Telangana Minister Damodar Raja Narasimha cast his vote at Polling Station No. 13, Agriculture Market Committee office, 9th ward, Andol-Jogipet Municipality, Sangareddy district. - ANI Union Telecom Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia has reaffirmed the Centre's commitment to providing mobile and internet connectivity to every Indian village, including the remote Vijaynagar in Arunachal Pradesh. He cited the Vibrant Village Programme as key to integrating border villages but noted significant challenges due to the area's location within the Itanagar Wildlife Sanctuary. The laying of Optical Fibre Cable is complicated further as the issue is under Supreme Court consideration. Local MP Tapir Gao highlighted that both security forces and residents continue to suffer from a lack of reliable communication services in what is described as "digital darkness." Telecom Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia addresses connectivity issues in remote Vijaynagar, citing wildlife sanctuary and Supreme Court hurdles. New Delhi, Feb 11 Union Telecom Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia on Wednesday stated that the Centre is committed to ensuring mobile and internet connectivity reaches every village across India. Responding to a query raised by Arunachal East BJP MP Tapir Gao regarding telecom services in Vijayanagar in Arunachal Pradesh, Scindia referred to the Union government's Vibrant Village Programme, which, he said, aims to integrate border villages into the national mainstream. "The aim of this programme is to create better living conditions and adequate livelihood opportunities for the people of the villages," Scindia said while addressing the issue. He noted that Vijaynagar (also spelt Vijoynagar) holds historical significance as it was established in 1965 by Major General Ajit Singh Guraya and is regarded as the First Village of India. The minister emphasised that the Centre is committed to strengthening telecom infrastructure in the region to ensure better connectivity for residents. However, Scindia pointed out that laying Optical Fibre Cable (OFC) wiring in the area remains difficult as parts of the region fall under the Itanagar Wildlife Sanctuary. He added that the issue is currently under consideration by the Supreme Court, which has further complicated infrastructure expansion efforts. Vijaynagar, a remote administrative circle located in the Changlang district of Arunachal Pradesh, continues to face significant and long-standing telecom infrastructure challenges. Despite functioning as an administrative centre, the area continues to grapple with what officials and locals describe as "digital darkness" due to the absence of reliable and high-speed mobile network services. The valley remains largely disconnected from dependable digital communication networks, creating obstacles in accessing essential online services, digital education platforms and banking facilities. While the Arunachal Pradesh government has been working to expand 4G connectivity across various parts of the state and has connected several border villages under the Digital Bharat Nidhi scheme, remote regions such as Vijaynagar have struggled to benefit from these initiatives. During the discussion, MP Tapir Gao also highlighted that personnel of the Indian Army and paramilitary forces stationed in Vijayanagar, along with local residents, continue to face major communication challenges and urged the government to take urgent steps to resolve the issue. - IANS A DMK councillor in Sivaganga has instructed sanitation workers to stop using whistles and instead use microphones and speakers to broadcast awareness messages during garbage collection. Councillor Ayub Khan states the move is purely to improve communication and promote hygiene, inspired by practices in larger cities like Chennai. The timing is notable as the whistle is the election symbol of actor Vijay's Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam party for the ongoing Tamil Nadu Assembly polls, leading to local speculation about political motives. Khan firmly denies any political intent, maintaining the change is a strictly administrative effort to modernize waste collection. A DMK councillor replaces whistles with speakers for garbage collection in Sivaganga, sparking political speculation amid TN polls. Chennai, Feb 11 With whistle serving as the election symbol of actor-turned-politician Vijay's Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam for the Tamil Nadu Assembly polls, a civic decision in Sivaganga municipality has unexpectedly taken on political overtones. A DMK councillor has instructed sanitation workers in his ward to stop using whistles during garbage collection and instead use microphones and speakers to broadcast public awareness messages. Ward 21 councillor Ayub Khan said the move was aimed purely at improving communication with residents and promoting cleanliness awareness, replacing the traditional whistle alert with informative announcements. Sanitation workers in Sivaganga typically go street by street every morning, blowing whistles to signal their arrival and prompt residents to hand over their waste. The whistle sound has long been a simple and effective way to alert households. However, Khan has now provided workers with small microphones and portable speakers to make announcements and play recorded cleanliness messages and songs. Explaining the initiative, the councillor said the idea was inspired by practices in bigger cities. "I have instructed them to broadcast awareness songs instead of blowing whistles. From now on, whistle sounds will not be heard in my ward. In cities like Chennai, sanitation workers play cleanliness awareness songs while collecting waste. We want to introduce the same system here," he said. According to Khan, the new method will help spread messages about hygiene, waste segregation, and keeping neighbourhoods clean, while also creating a more organised system of waste collection. He believes announcements are more engaging and educational than whistles, which serve only as alerts. However, the timing of the decision has led to speculation among some residents. With the whistle symbol now closely associated with the TVK party, a few locals suspect the restriction could be politically motivated or aimed at avoiding any perceived endorsement during the election season. The councillor has firmly denied such claims, maintaining that the change is strictly administrative and intended to modernise sanitation practices. For now, sanitation workers in Ward 21 have begun their rounds with speakers instead of whistles, marking a small but noticeable change in the town's daily routine. - IANS Official announcements are the only reliable source The Tamil Nadu government has firmly rejected viral social media rumors claiming students are exempt from writing the Tamil paper in Class 10 public examinations. Officials labeled the reports as completely false, clarifying that Tamil remains a compulsory subject. The confusion stemmed from a temporary, court-directed exemption granted only to specific linguistic minority schools for the 2023-24 academic year, which has now ended. Authorities have urged the public to rely solely on official announcements to avoid unnecessary panic among students and parents. TN govt dismisses false social media claims that Tamil language paper is optional for Class 10 exams. Officials confirm Tamil remains compulsory. Chennai, Feb 11 The Tamil Nadu government has categorically rejected viral claims circulating on social media that students appearing for the Class 10 public examinations have been exempted from writing the Tamil language paper. Officials described the reports as "completely false" and urged the public not to be misled by unverified messages. Over the past week, posts shared widely on WhatsApp and X alleged that the state had decided not to make Tamil compulsory in the SSLC examinations. The messages further claimed that students from linguistic minority communities would be allowed to write the examinations in their respective mother tongues instead of Tamil. The claims quickly spread across the state, creating confusion and anxiety among students, parents and teachers. The issue also took on a political dimension. Some leaders, including Naam Tamilar Katchi chief coordinator Seeman, criticised what they believed was a dilution of Tamil's status in the school curriculum. The rumours sparked a debate about the state's long-standing commitment to protecting Tamil language education. However, Tamil Nadu Fact Check (TN Fact Check), the state government's official information verification agency, stepped in to clarify the matter and dismiss the viral claims. In an official statement, the agency said that no such policy decision has been taken and that Tamil remains a compulsory subject in the Class 10 public examinations. Authorities also provided context to explain how the misunderstanding arose. Between 2020 and 2023, students studying in recognised linguistic minority schools were temporarily exempted from writing the Tamil paper following directions from the Madras High Court. The exemption was granted only to specific schools that had formally sought relief. Based on these requests, the concession was extended only for the 2023-24 academic year. Officials stressed that this relaxation was temporary and not a permanent rule. Importantly, no exemption was granted in 2025. The government reiterated that Tamil continues to be mandatory under existing regulations and warned against spreading misinformation that could cause unnecessary panic among students. Parents and students have been advised to rely solely on official announcements from the School Education Department for accurate information regarding the examinations. - IANS The India-US trade deal presents a major opportunity for the country's plastic exporters to access the vast US market, valued at about $75 billion in annual imports. Industry expert Arvind Goenka states that India's current $2.2 billion in plastic exports to the US could double in the coming years. The deal is expected to not only boost direct exports but also enhance India's reputation as a reliable global supplier, benefiting trade with other regions like the Gulf and Europe. Ultimately, this increased demand for high-quality products for the US market could also lead to their domestic manufacture and availability in India. Industry leaders hail the India-US trade deal as a golden opportunity to double plastic exports and establish India as a global supplier. New Delhi, Feb 11 The India-US trade deal has brought a major business opportunity for domestic plastic exporters, which will help the country increase its share in the US plastics market, according to industry leaders. Speaking to IANS, Arvind Goenka, Managing Director (MD) of RMG Polymers India Limited, said, "The India-US trade deal will open up a large US market for domestic plastic exporters." He further said that the US imports plastics annually are worth around $75 billion. Currently, India's plastic exports to the US are about $2.2 billion. "Therefore, this agreement is a golden opportunity for Indian companies to increase exports. Our plastic exports to the US could double in the next few years," he mentioned. He further added that the US is also a major buyer of PVC (polyvinyl chloride). If the US purchases plastic and PVC products from India in large quantities, these goods will be exported to other countries as well. This will give Indian products a new identity in the global market, said Goenka. According to his, this agreement will not only prove beneficial for the plastic industry but will also help establish India as a strong and reliable supplier. He further stated that the US economy is worth $30 trillion and its population is approximately 340 million. Consequently, due to higher incomes, there is a high demand for high-quality products. When demand for high-quality products increases in the US, similar products will be manufactured in India, which will then be sold in India, benefiting the general public. According to Goenka, India-US trade will also increase the country's exports to other countries. He cited the example that whenever a product is exported to the US, its acceptance automatically increases in countries like the Gulf, Europe and Russia. Therefore, as trade with the US increases, India will also benefit from trade with other countries. - IANS U.S. President Donald Trump described his White House meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as productive, emphasizing the strong bilateral relationship. Trump stated he insisted negotiations with Iran continue to explore a potential deal, warning that failure could lead to an undesirable outcome, referencing the 2025 "Operation Midnight Hammer" strikes. The leaders also discussed developments in Gaza and the broader Middle East, with Trump asserting progress toward peace. Prior to the main meeting, Netanyahu met with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and joined a peace initiative board. After meeting Netanyahu, Trump pushes for continued Iran negotiations, references past strikes, and discusses Middle East peace progress. Washington DC, February 12 US President Donald Trump on Wednesday said that his meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was a 'good' one. In his Truth Social post, Trump highlighted that while nothing definitive was reached, he encouraged continued negotiations with Iran to explore the possibility of a deal. He also referenced prior U.S. actions against Iran - "Midnight Hammer," which he said "did not work well for them." On June 21-22, 2025, under "Operation Midnight Hammer," the United States conducted strikes against Iranian nuclear infrastructure, targeting three key sites in Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan. Iran strongly condemned the operations, denouncing them as a blatant violation of international law and the UN Charter. Trump also addressed regional developments, noting discussions on the situation in Gaza and broader Middle East affairs "I have just finished meeting with Prime Minister Netanyahu, of Israel, and various of his Representatives. It was a very good meeting, the tremendous relationship between our two Countries continues. There was nothing definitive reached other than I insisted that negotiations with Iran continue to see whether or not a Deal can be consummated. If it can, I let the Prime Minister know that will be a preference. If it cannot, we will just have to see what the outcome will be. Last time Iran decided that they were better off not making a Deal, and they were hit with Midnight Hammer -- That did not work well for them," his post on Truth Social read. "Hopefully this time they will be more reasonable and responsible. Additionally, we discussed the tremendous progress being made in Gaza, and the Region in general. There is truly PEACE in the Middle East. Thank you for your attention to this matter! PRESIDENT DONALD J. TRUMP" it further added. Earlier in the day, Netanyahu met Trump at the White House, marking their sixth meeting since Trump returned to office in early 2025. "Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is now meeting with US President Donald Trump, at the White House," Israeli PM's Office said. He also met US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. "Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met, at Blair House in Washington, with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Prior to his meeting with President Trump at the White House, Prime Minister Netanyahu signed up, in the presence of Secretary of State Rubio, as a member of the Board of Peace," as per his office. Netanyahu said shortly before departing for Washington that Gaza would be among "a series of issues" to be discussed during his meeting with Trump, CNN reported. The US announced the start of the next phase of the Gaza ceasefire plan in mid-January, following the formation of a new committee intended to administer the battered enclave. - ANI Israel's relationship with Australia has entered a "new beginning", its president says after being welcomed by Anthony Albanese for formal talks. Isaac Herzog was welcomed at parliament house by the prime minister on Wednesday during the third day of an Australian state visit which has been marked by heated protests and heightened security. Mr Herzog was invited to Australia by the federal government following the Bondi terror attack but has received a hostile reception from protesters and some politicians over Israel's actions in Gaza. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The president has also met with survivors of the Bondi attack and said the visit had been emotional. "When one Jew is hurt anywhere around the world, we in Israel ache and our heart misses a beat," he said after being welcomed to parliament house. "It is also an opportunity to bring the relations between our nations on a new beginning and better future. "The relations between us do not depend only on the issue of Israel and the Palestinians and the conflict, but has a much broader base, and we should together make sure that it's uplifted to new directions." The Israeli president's visit was an opportunity to engage on issues, Mr Albanese said. (Mick Tsikas/AAP PHOTOS) Mr Albanese said the visit was an opportunity to provide solace to Australia's Jewish community. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "It's also been an opportunity for us to engage on issues, and I look forward to a further discussion about the Middle East, about (how) we in Australia want to see peace in the Middle East," he told reporters. "We want to see Israelis and Palestinians living side by side in peace and security as we go forward." Mr Herzog will also hold talks with Speaker Milton Dick and Opposition Leader Sussan Ley while in the nation's capital. The prime minister earlier pressed the president on the death of Australian aid worker Zomi Frankcom, who was killed by an Israeli drone strike while working for World Central Kitchen in Gaza in 2024. Mr Albanese raised the case of Australian aid worker Zomi Frankcom who was killed in Gaza. (James Ross/AAP PHOTOS) The deaths of Ms Frankcom and her six World Central Kitchen colleagues were "a tragedy and an outrage", Mr Albanese told parliament on Wednesday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We have made it clear that remains the Australian government's position and we've also made clear our expectation that there be transparency about Israel's ongoing investigation into the incident. "We continue to press for full accountability, including any appropriate criminal charges." Mr Albanese said he also raised a "range of other government concerns" with the Israeli leader. "The Israeli president has said that he will engage and come back to the Australian government about the issues that we have raised," he said. Snipers were visible as the Israeli president visited Government House in Canberra. (Lukas Coch/AAP PHOTOS) Earlier, the Israeli president was welcomed by Governor-General Sam Mostyn at Government House, where he received a 21-gun salute. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Security was bolstered with snipers seen on the roof of the governor-general's residence. Arrivals were closely monitored and only pre-approved people were allowed in ahead of Mr Herzog's arrival. Protesters stationed at the Government House lookout could be heard yelling in the background. Ms Mostyn said she was delighted to welcome the Herzogs and presented them with a photo of Mr Herzog's father, Chaim Herzog, during his trip to Australia in 1986, when he stayed at Government House. Mr Herzog said he was honoured to see his father's photo in the residence. "This is a great moment in relations between our nations," he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I know how much you spend time in consoling and supporting the Jewish community." Mr Herzog said both Australia and Israel "share the need to fight anti-Semitism with no doubts so we uproot this phenomenon". Protesters rallied at parliament house to voice their opposition to Isaac Herzog's visit. (Mick Tsikas/AAP PHOTOS) He also planted a tree at the Israeli embassy in Canberra. Hundreds of protesters earlier gathered on the lawns of parliament house demonstrating against Mr Herzog's visit, prompting an increased police presence. The Israeli president is set to travel to Melbourne for the final day of his visit. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House, marking their sixth meeting since Trump returned to office. The leaders discussed advancing the second phase of the U.S.-brokered Gaza ceasefire, which focuses on demilitarization, governance, and reconstruction. Netanyahu has stressed that Hamas must disarm before any reconstruction begins in Gaza. The visit coincides with Israel tightening its control in the occupied West Bank. Israeli PM Netanyahu meets President Trump at White House to discuss advancing the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire plan and post-war governance. Washington DC, February 12 Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House on Wednesday, marking their sixth meeting since Trump returned to office in early 2025. "Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is now meeting with US President Donald Trump, at the White House," Israeli PM's Office said. Earlier in the day, he met US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. "Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met, at Blair House in Washington, with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Prior to his meeting with President Trump at the White House, Prime Minister Netanyahu signed up, in the presence of Secretary of State Rubio, as a member of the Board of Peace," as per his office. Netanyahu said shortly before departing for Washington that Gaza would be among "a series of issues" to be discussed during his meeting with Trump, CNN reported. The US announced the start of the next phase of the Gaza ceasefire plan in mid-January, following the formation of a new committee intended to administer the battered enclave. The conclusion of the first phase of the US-brokered, 20-point ceasefire agreement, which went into effect in mid-October, came after the remains of the final deceased Israeli hostage in Gaza were returned to Israel in January, and the Rafah crossing between Gaza and Egypt was partially reopened last week. Trump has pushed to advance the ceasefire into its second phase, alongside plans for a governing board and a Palestinian technocratic committee to run Gaza. Netanyahu, however, has continued to stress that Hamas must disarm before any reconstruction can begin in the shattered enclave, as per CNN. In January, US special envoy Steve Witkoff said the second phase of the plan would focus on "demilitarisation, technocratic governance, and reconstruction," though he provided few details on how the most contentious provisions would be implemented, CNN reported. Netanyahu's visit to Washington also comes as Israel has taken a series of sweeping steps to tighten its control over the occupied West Bank. - ANI Doubts surround a two-day training program for West Bengal government officers meant to involve them in a voter list revision exercise, as the Election Commission of India scrutinizes their eligibility based on pay bands. The examination process may take significant time, potentially concluding only as the revision process itself nears its end. Meanwhile, the state government has alleged that vested interests are creating confusion, though it did not specify who. The ECI has extended deadlines for the voter list revision, with the final list now due on February 28, after which the full commission bench will visit Kolkata ahead of the announcement of assembly poll dates. Uncertainty over training for 8,505 Bengal Group-B officers as ECI examines pay bands for eligibility in Special Intensive Revision of voter lists. Kolkata, Feb 11 Doubts have emerged regarding the commencement of the two-day training programme for the 8,505 Group-B officers provided by the West Bengal government, aimed at their participation in the ongoing Special Intensive Revision within the state. This uncertainty arises as the Election Commission of India has not yet determined how many individuals from the state-provided list are genuinely qualified for inclusion in the revision process. The ECI is now examining the pay bands of the names provided in the state government list to ensure their eligibility for inclusion in the revision exercise as Group-B officers. Only after the examination process is over, the two-day training programme will be conducted for the shortlisted officers. However, considering that the process of examining the pay bands of these 8,505 Group-B officers might consume some time, there is a possibility that by the time the final shortlisting is over, the SIR process will also be at its terminal stage, according to insiders from the office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO). West Bengal said. Since pay-bands are considered the most authentic medium for determining the grade of government officers, CEO's office insiders said, the ECI is particularly stressing the examination of these in this matter. In doubtful cases, the ECI might also have to refer to the state government for clarification, which will again consume some additional time. Meanwhile, the state government has issued a loaded statement alleging that some vested interests have been trying to create confusion about the eligibility of the Group-B officers provided by the state government. However, from the statement, it is not clear who the government meant by "vested interests". On Tuesday evening, the ECI extended the deadline for completion of the hearing sessions on claims and objections to the draft voters' list in West Bengal till February 21. Accordingly, the date of publication of the final voters' list has also been postponed to February 28 from the previously scheduled date of February 14. The day after the publication of the final voters' list, the full bench of the ECI will arrive in Kolkata for a two-day visit to take stock of the post-SIR scenario. Soon after that, the polling dates for the Assembly election in the state will be announced by the ECI. - IANS Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid homage to Bharatiya Jana Sangh founder Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya on his death anniversary, calling him an unparalleled devotee of the nation. Senior Delhi BJP leaders, including Virendraa Sachdeva and Manoj Tiwari, gathered for a floral tribute ceremony to honor his legacy. Leaders emphasized that Upadhyaya's philosophy of 'Antyodaya'reaching the last person in societyguides the current government's initiatives. Upadhyaya, a key ideological figure, is remembered for his principles of Integral Humanism and his role in shaping the BJP's political journey. PM Narendra Modi and BJP leaders honor Bharatiya Jana Sangh founder Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya, recalling his principles of Antyodaya and Integral Humanism. New Delhi, February 11 Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday paid tributes to Bharatiya Jana Sangh founder Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya on the occasion of his death anniversary, remembering him as an unparalleled devotee of the Motherland. He said his value-based principles and ideas would continue to guide future generations. In a post on X, PM Modi wrote, "To the unparalleled devotee of the Motherland, Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya, respectful homage on his sacred death anniversary. His principles and thoughts, rooted in values, will continue to be a guiding light for every generation of the country." Earlier, Delhi Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief Virendraa Sachdeva, along with several prominent party members, including Manoj Tiwari and Yogender Chandolia, Delhi Assembly Speaker Vijender Gupta, paid floral tributes to the late Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya on his death anniversary. The leaders gathered to honour the memory and contributions of the revered political figure. At the event, BJP leader Shivprakash, during his speech, said, "We should become the inspiration of society and keep our party and our thoughts moving forward. While giving them a lot of respect, this should come to mind. This is all I have to say on today's topic." On this occasion, BJP MP Manoj Tiwari shared his views, stating that Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya is a remarkable human being. He emphasised that, since the establishment of the Jana Sangh, Upadhyaya has provided guidance on governance in this country, focusing on enriching the lives of our cultural nation and uniting humanity, particularly by addressing the needs of the most marginalised individuals. Tiwari highlighted that following the path laid out by Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is successfully re-establishing India on the world stage and achieving significant accomplishments. "Today, on this auspicious occasion, all of us gathered in the presence of our respected Shivprakash ji and all our state leaders to present flowers. Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya, may he live long. We will adorn the country with his thoughts," Tiwari added. Speaking to reporters, Sachdeva said Pandit Upadhyaya believed government schemes should reach the last person in society. "Today, on the death anniversary of the revered Deendayal Ji, we are all paying our respectful and emotional tributes to him. If there is any true pioneer of the Bharatiya Janata Party's 'Antyodaya' philosophy, it is the revered Deendayal Ji. His vision was that government schemes should reach the most vulnerable people in society. He believed that only when the last person in society is empowered can the nation truly be strong," Sachdeva said. "Embodying his thoughts, the Indian government is working today under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. We all draw significant inspiration from the life of revered Deendayal Ji. His life serves as a testament to hard work and simplicity; many such examples are found in the writings about the late Deendayal Ji. The core ideology behind the Bharatiya Janata Party's journey from the Jan Sangh to today belongs to the revered Deendayal Ji," said Sachdeva. Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya (1916-1968) was a prominent political thinker, economist, and organiser who played a key role in shaping the Bharatiya Jana Sangh, the forerunner of the BJP. Serving as its leader from 1953 to 1968, he became its president in December 1967. He pioneered publications such as the monthly magazine Rashtra Dharma, the weekly Panchajanya, and the daily Swadesh. Known for his philosophy of Integral Humanism (Ekatma Manav Darshan), Upadhyaya emphasised social justice, self-reliance, and the upliftment of the most marginalised individuals in society. His 109th birth anniversary provided an opportunity for BJP leaders nationwide to honour his legacy and reaffirm their commitment to his ideals. - ANI Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath marked a milestone by overseeing the presentation of his government's 10th budget, proposing over 43,565 crore solely for new schemes. The budget prioritizes economic stability and allocates over 2 lakh crore for capital expenditure to strengthen the economy and generate employment. Finance Minister Suresh Khanna highlighted the state's improved national standing, noting UP's SDG India Index rank rose from 29th to 18th in recent years. The budget session runs until February 20, with a focus on all-round development, women's safety, youth, and farmers. UP CM Yogi Adityanath presents 10th state budget with 43,565 crore for new schemes, focusing on jobs, women's safety, and capital expenditure. Lucknow, February 11 Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Wednesday marked a milestone by overseeing the presentation of his government's 10th budget, which proposes a significant allocation of over Rs 43,565 crore for new schemes. The Chief Minister highlighted that the 2026-27 plan prioritises economic stability to drive growth across the state. Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath, said, "In the budget, an amount exceeding Rs 43,565 crores has been proposed solely for new schemes. An amount over Rs 2 lakh crores is for capital expenditure... It plays a major role in strengthening the economy, and from here, employment generation will also happen...This is our government's 10th budget, and for the first time, a Chief Minister has had the opportunity to present the 10th budget in a state like Uttar Pradesh." "In the last 9 years, Uttar Pradesh has made efforts to change its perception... This budget represents those very sentiments... In 9 years, Uttar Pradesh's budget has increased more than threefold. This budget focuses on the safety of women, the capabilities of youth, the welfare of farmers, and employment", Yogi Adityanath added. Earlier, Uttar Pradesh Finance Minister Suresh Khanna on Wednesday presented the State Budget for 2026-27 in the Legislative Assembly, highlighting what he described as "all-round development" achieved during the previous and current tenures of the Yogi Adityanath government. Highlighting the state's improved national standing and industrial progress, the Uttar Pradesh Finance Minister cited improved rankings in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). "Uttar Pradesh's ranking in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) India Index has improved from 29th in 2018-2019 to 18th in 2023-2024. The state government successfully organised the fourth Global Investors Summit in February 2024. MoUs worth approximately Rs 50 lakh crore have been signed so far, potentially creating approximately 1 million jobs. Of these, four groundbreaking ceremonies have been held for over 16,000 projects involving an investment of approximately Rs 15 lakh crore," Khanna said while addressing the state assembly. The Budget Session is scheduled to run from February 9 to February 20, with the state budget for the 2026-27 financial year to be presented on February 11. - ANI Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, along with deputy CMs and other leaders, paid floral tributes to Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya on his death anniversary in Lucknow. Adityanath honored Upadhyay's message of building a strong nation and ensuring development reaches the last person in society. BJP MPs in Delhi, including Manoj Tiwari, also paid homage on what was also Upadhyay's 109th birth anniversary, reaffirming their commitment to his ideology. Upadhyay was a foundational thinker for the Bharatiya Jana Sangh, and his principles of Integral Humanism continue to influence the BJP's political mission. CM Yogi Adityanath and BJP leaders honor Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay on his death anniversary, recalling his philosophy of Integral Humanism. Lucknow, February 11 Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, along with Deputy CMs Brajesh Pathak and Keshav Prasad Maurya and other leaders, paid floral tributes to Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya on his death anniversary in Lucknow. Adityanath honoured Upadhyay, the founder member of the Bharatiya Jana Sangh and propounder of Integral Humanism, for his inspiring message of building a strong nation and carrying development to the last person in society. On X, CM Yogi wrote, "On the sacred death anniversary of revered Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya ji, the founder member of Bharatiya Jana Sangh and the propounder of Integral Humanism, today in Lucknow, floral tributes were offered at his portrait, and he was paid homage. His message of building a strong nation and carrying the light of development to the person standing at the last rung of society is an unparalleled source of inspiration for all of us. Salutations to his sacred memories!" Bharatiya Janata Party MPs in Delhi, including Manoj Tiwari and Yogendra Chandolia, also paid floral tributes to Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya on his 109th birth anniversary on Wednesday. Remembering the Bharatiya Jana Sangh leader's philosophy, Tiwari said, "We are very proud that we follow the ideology of Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya, which is of Antyodaya, of integral humanism. Today is the birth anniversary of Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya, who proposed that the success of a government is not achieved until the light of governance reaches the person standing in the last row." Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya (1916-1968) was a political thinker, economist, and leader of the Bharatiya Jana Sangh. He pioneered the magazines Rashtra Dharma, Panchajanya, and the daily Swadesh. His thoughts on Integral Humanism, social justice, and self-reliance continue to shape the BJP's mission. His 109th birth anniversary provided leaders across the country with an opportunity to reaffirm their commitment to his ideals and honour his legacy in Indian politics. - ANI Uttar Pradesh Jal Shakti Minister Swatantra Dev Singh paid floral tributes to Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay on his death anniversary, a day the BJP observes as Samarpan Diwas. He and other leaders emphasized Upadhyay's philosophy of Integral Humanism and Antyodaya as serving the poor. The upcoming state budget was highlighted as historic and dedicated to the poor, farmers, women, and youth. Prime Minister Narendra Modi also paid homage, calling Upadhyay an unparalleled devotee of the nation whose value-based principles remain a guiding light. UP Minister Swatantra Dev Singh and PM Narendra Modi honor Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay on his death anniversary, observed as Samarpan Diwas. Lucknow, February 11 Uttar Pradesh Jal Shakti Minister Swatantra Dev Singh on Wednesday paid floral tributes to Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya on his death anniversary, marking the day as 'Samarpan Diwas'. "Today is the death anniversary of Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay, the BJP observes this day as Samarpan Diwas. Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay's philosophy of Integral Humanism, the vision of Antyodaya serves the poor," Singh told ANI. The Uttar Pradesh Minister told reporters here, "The upcoming budget will be historic, it will be for the poor, for the village. It will be for tribals, the poor, educated people, for everyone." Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLC Bhupendra Singh Chaudhary also paid floral tributes to Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya. Chaudhary told reporters here, "Today, on the death anniversary of Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay, we all pay our tributes to him. Our party has always observed this day as Dedication Day, and with that same spirit of dedication, our governments are working." Speaking to the media on the state's budget, Bhupendra Singh said, "The budget will be dedicated to women, the poor, farmers, and youth. It will be a budget that showcases the journey of development that Uttar Pradesh has accelerated over 9 years under the leadership of Yogi Adityanath, and the expectations of the people will certainly be fulfilled in this budget." Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi also paid tributes to Bharatiya Jana Sangh (BJS) founder Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya on the occasion of his death anniversary, remembering him as an unparalleled devotee of the Motherland. He said his value-based principles and ideas would continue to guide future generations. In a post on X, PM Modi wrote, "To the unparalleled devotee of the Motherland, Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya, respectful homage on his sacred death anniversary. His principles and thoughts, rooted in values, will continue to be a guiding light for every generation of the country." Earlier in the day, Delhi BJP chief Virendraa Sachdeva, along with several prominent party members, including MP Manoj Tiwari and Yogender Chandolia, Delhi Assembly Speaker Vijender Gupta, paid tributes to the late Bharatiya Jana Sangh leader Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya on his death anniversary. - ANI The US Consulate General and the US-India Strategic Partnership Forum hosted a major Space Business Forum in Bengaluru, marking the first US trade mission to India focused on the commercial space sector. The event brought executives from leading American companies like SpaceX and Amazon to engage with over 200 Indian government and industry participants. Discussions centered on key policy areas including market access, procurement, and investment reforms to deepen bilateral cooperation. Following the forum, the delegation is traveling to New Delhi to explore concrete partnership and joint venture opportunities. US trade mission with 14 leading space firms advances bilateral cooperation on market access, policy, and innovation in Bengaluru and New Delhi. Bengaluru, Feb 11 The US Consulate General, Chennai, with support from the US-India Strategic Partnership Forum, hosted the US-India Space Business Forum in Bengaluru on February 10-11, an official statement from the US embassy and consulates in India said on Wednesday. The forum was the flagship event of the first US Trade Mission to India focused on commercial space, which brought 23 Executives from 14 leading American space companies to India. The US Department of Commerce and the Business Council for International Understanding (BCIU) organised the mission, which marked a major step forward in bilateral commercial space cooperation. Together, these engagements convened more than 200 government and industry participants from both countries, the statement said. US Ambassador Sergio Gor said, "The Forum reflects the strategic strength of the US-India partnership and our shared commitment to innovation and commercial growth in the space sector. This is yet another area of tremendous potential for even greater prosperity and partnership. American companies boldly lead the world in space technology, and India is a vital partner in expanding these collaborations." According to the statement, the two-day forum addressed key priorities of the US-India Commercial Space Sub-Working Group, including market access, government procurement, foreign direct investment reforms, and export controls. Building upon previous bilateral cooperation, the forum advanced policy alignment and expanded business-to-business engagement. "Leading US space companies - Amazon, Axiom Space, Apex, Black Sky, Elve, Kayhan Space, Park Aerospace, Planet Lab, Resecurity, SpaceX, Vast Space, Umbra Space, Viasat, and Vantor - are participating in the trade mission. Following the Space Business Forum, the delegation will travel to New Delhi, where companies will engage with the Indian government and industry stakeholders to explore partnerships, joint ventures, and market-entry opportunities," the statement said. "As only the second space-focused trade mission ever organised by the US Department of Commerce, and the first of its kind to India, the initiative reinforced US leadership in commercial space innovation and underscored the growing momentum of the US-India partnership in the global space economy," it said. - IANS The US House of Representatives has overwhelmingly passed the PROTECT Taiwan Act, signaling strong bipartisan support for deterring Chinese aggression against Taiwan. The legislation, spearheaded by Frank Lucas, calls for the US to work towards excluding China from major international financial institutions if its actions threaten Taiwan. Lawmakers compared the proposed punitive measures to those enacted against Russia following its invasion of Ukraine. The bill now moves to the Senate and requires the President's approval to become law. US House overwhelmingly passes bill threatening to exclude China from global financial bodies if it threatens Taiwan's security or economy. Taipei, February 11 The United States House of Representatives has thrown its weight behind new legislation aimed at deterring China from further pressuring Taiwan. The chamber voted overwhelmingly to advance the PROTECT Taiwan Act, highlighting rare bipartisan unity on countering China, as reported by The Taipei Times. According to the Taipei Times, the bill was spearheaded by Frank Lucas and sailed through with 395 members in favour and only two opposed. The proposal calls on the US government, where feasible, to work to exclude Beijing from prominent international financial institutions if its conduct threatens Taiwan's security, economy, or way of life. Among the bodies named are the G20, the Bank for International Settlements and the Financial Stability Board. Lucas said that the intent is to make it unmistakable that aggression would bring sweeping economic and diplomatic fallout. He likened the approach to punitive measures adopted after Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine, arguing that the global community must respond decisively when established norms are violated. Referring to China's posture in the South China Sea, Lucas maintained that Washington has to be clearer and firmer in advance. If China attempted an assault on Taiwan, he said, penalties should include sanctions and efforts to suspend its participation in multilateral institutions, according to The Taipei Times. Fellow Republican French Hill pointed to provisions of the Taiwan Relations Act, saying they bar the use of force or coercion to compel the island's political future. The new act, he argued, would help guarantee that China pays a heavy diplomatic and financial price for any invasion attempt. Democrat Greg Stanton echoed that view, writing that governments threatening their neighbours should not continue to profit from international systems. Before becoming law, the proposal still needs passage in the United States Senate and the approval of the US president, as reported by The Taipei Times. - ANI The Uttarakhand Cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, has approved a major revamp of the state's Anti-Narcotics Task Force by creating 22 dedicated posts at its headquarters. It also sanctioned a minimum monthly salary of Rs 18,000 for 589 daily-wage workers in the Forest Department who were previously uncovered. Other decisions include framing new service rules for ESI medical officers, extending a micro food enterprise scheme, and amending prison laws. The cabinet additionally decided to withdraw a 2020 bonus payment amendment bill due to central government disagreement and changed circumstances. Uttarakhand Cabinet approves separate ANTF structure, Rs 18,000 minimum wage for forest workers, and reforms in ESI health services and prison laws. Dehradun, February 11 The Uttarakhand Cabinet on Wednesday cleared a series of significant policy decisions ranging from strengthening the state's anti-drug machinery and improving wages for forest workers to restructuring health services under the Employees' State Insurance scheme and amending prison laws. In a major push to intensify the anti-drug campaign in the hill state, the cabinet chaired by Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami approved the creation of a separate institutional structure for the Anti-Narcotics Task Force (ANTF), which was constituted in 2022. Till now, the task force had been functioning with personnel taken on deputation from the police force. As part of the new framework, 22 posts have been created at the state headquarters for the first time. These include one Deputy Superintendent of Police, two Drug Inspectors, one Inspector, two Sub-Inspectors, four Head Constables, eight Constables and two Constable Drivers. The move is aimed at strengthening enforcement and ensuring sustained action against drug trafficking and substance abuse in Uttarakhand. The cabinet also approved the payment of minimum wages to daily-wage workers employed by the Forest Department. Acting on the recommendations of a ministerial subcommittee, the government decided to provide a minimum monthly salary of Rs 18,000 to 589 daily-wage employees who were previously not covered. Officials said that out of a total of 893 daily wage workers working in the Forest Department and the Forest Development Corporation, 304 were already receiving minimum wages, while the remaining will now be brought under the revised framework. Another key decision concerns the determination of service conditions for medical officers and higher posts in the Employees' State Insurance medical services cadre. The cabinet promulgated the "Uttarakhand Employees' State Insurance Scheme, Labour Medical Service Rules, 2026," under which a total of 94 posts will be created. These include 76 Medical Officers, 11 Assistant Directors, six Joint Directors and one Additional Director. Earlier, the ESI structure in the state comprised only one Chief Medical Officer and 13 Medical Officer posts, officials noted. In line with the Centre's decision, the cabinet also approved the extension of the Chief Minister Micro Food Enterprise Upgradation Scheme till March 31, 2026. The move follows the Ministry of Food Processing Industries extending the centrally sponsored Pradhan Mantri Formalisation of Micro Food Processing Enterprises (PMFME) scheme by one year, up to March 31, 2026. The cabinet decided that any future extension granted by the Government of India would automatically be applicable to the state scheme as well. The cabinet further approved the drafting of the Uttarakhand Prisons and Correctional Services (Amendment) Act, 2026, to bring the definition of "Habitual Offenders" in line with Supreme Court directions and state laws. The amendment bill will be reintroduced in the upcoming session of the Uttarakhand Legislative Assembly. Additionally, the cabinet decided to withdraw the Payment of Bonus (Uttarakhand Amendment) Bill, 2020. The Ministry of Labour and Employment, Government of India, expressed disagreement with the bill's provisions. Also, since conditions such as the COVID-19 pandemic no longer exist, and because the proposed bill was made available to the Uttarakhand government's Legislative and Parliamentary Affairs Department without the President's approval, it could not be progressed. In view of these facts, the state government has decided to withdraw the Payment of Bonus (Uttarakhand Amendment) Bill, 2020, from the Assembly in its current form. - ANI Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami chaired a high-level review meeting on the state's law and order situation. He issued a stern directive for immediate FIR registration and uncompromising action against criminals and anti-social elements. The CM emphasized strengthening police station functioning, increasing surveillance in sensitive areas, and launching special drives for traffic and urban security. Dhami stated his government's resolve is to create a "Crime-Free Uttarakhand" with visible results that make the public feel secure. CM Pushkar Singh Dhami chairs high-level meeting, directs police for immediate FIRs and strictest action against criminals to ensure public safety. Dehradun, February 11 Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Wednesday stated in strong terms that "no compromise with law and order will be tolerated" in the state. He directed the Director General of Police to ensure that FIRs are registered immediately in all types of crimes and that strict and effective action is taken against criminals, a release said. CM Pushkar Dhami was reviewing the law and order situation of the state during a high-level meeting held at the Chief Minister's residence today. The Chief Minister specifically instructed officials to maintain strict surveillance on habitual and organised criminals. "He said that such elements should be identified and that strict legal action must be taken against them under relevant laws, to reinforce the rule of law and reassure the public." CM Dhami said that the police should work with full alertness, proactiveness, and accountability. "The functioning of police stations and outposts should be further strengthened, and patrolling and surveillance should be increased in sensitive areas." He also directed that special drives be conducted to improve traffic management and security arrangements in urban areas, it said. The Chief Minister said that criminals will not be spared under any circumstances. "Strictest action will be taken against those who take the law into their own hands, anti-social elements, and those who attempt to disturb the peace of the state." He clearly told officials that results must be visible and the public should feel secure. The Chief Minister said that his government is working with the resolve of creating a "Crime-Free Uttarakhand." "Peace, security, and good governance are the government's top priorities. Ensuring the safety of citizens is the responsibility of the administration, and negligence at any level will not be tolerated." The Chief Minister directed officials to conduct regular reviews of law and order-related matters and ensure accountability at every level, so that the rule of law in the state becomes stronger. The meeting was attended by the Chief Secretary, Director General of Police, Home Secretary, ADGP (Law and Order), Garhwal Commissioner, and other senior police and government officials. - ANI The trailer for the upcoming romantic drama 'Pookie' suggests music director and actor Vijay Antony may be playing the film's villain. The film follows a couple whose breakup is exacerbated by friends sowing distrust. Produced by Vijay Antony and directed by Ganesh Chandra, it features leads Ajay Dhishan and Dhanusha. 'Pookie' is scheduled for a worldwide release on February 13. Vijay Antony appears as antagonist in 'Pookie' trailer. The romantic drama starring Ajay Dhishan and Dhanusha releases Feb 13. Chennai, Feb 11 The makers of director Ganesh Chandra's upcoming romantic drama 'Pookie' on Wednesday released an interesting trailer of the film that seemed to suggest that well known actor, producer and music director Vijay Antony may well be making an appearance in the film as its antagonist. Vijay Antony, who is also the producer of the film, took to his X timeline to release the trailer of the film on Wednesday. Vijay Antony wrote, "Here's the trailer of #POOKIE. Sorry for the technical delay.Worth the wait, we promise. 2 days to go. In cinemas worldwide from Feb 13." The trailer that was released shows the film's lead pair to be in a relationship. A voice over in the background says, "A mass hero and a bubbly heroine fall in love and are happy." We are then treated to a series of romantic visuals. The voice over then says, "They then break up." Both the boy and the girl then seem to be in pain as a result of the break up. The voice over then says, "Even if God wishes to make them both get back together, will their friends allow it?" We then see the friends of both the boy and the girl portraying the other in bad light. The girl's friends sow poison in her mind saying that the hero is a habitual abuser. Eventually, she decides she will never see him ever again. Meanwhile, the families of both the boy and the girl are in fear as to what all they will have to witness. The trailer ends with the voice over saying,"As if all these problems are not enough, there is a villain too." Soon after this, we see Vijay Antony, with his hair coloured, lying on a cot and playing a musical instrument. The film, which features Ajay Dhishan and Dhanusha in the lead, is scheduled to hit screens on February 13 this year. The film, which has been produced by well known producer Vijay Antony through his Vijay Antony Film Corporation, has been shot by director Ganesh Chandra himself. Interestingly, Ganesh Chandra was the cinematographer of Vijay Antony's second film as hero, 'Salim'. Vijay Antony, apart from scoring the music of the film, has also edited the film. The story of the film has been penned by Puthiya Parithi. Apart from Ajay Dhishan and Dhanusha, the film also features a host of actors including Vijay Antony, Pandiarajan, Sunil, Lakshmi Manchu, Indumathi Manigandan, Aaditya Kathir, Vivek Prasanna, Black Pandi, Bigg Boss Sathya, M. J. Shriram, Radha, Ashwin Ram, Shiyara Sharmi and Priyanka. - IANS US to cut tariffs on Indian goods from 50% to 18% The White House has issued a revised factsheet on the India-US trade framework, significantly softening several key assertions from the original version. The update changes India's commitment to purchase over $500 billion in US products to an expression of intent and removes specific agricultural items like pulses from the tariff reduction list. It also retracts the claim that India will remove its digital services taxes, leaving only a commitment to negotiate digital trade rules. Concurrently, the US has agreed to reduce tariffs on Indian goods and has lifted retaliatory tariffs imposed last year over oil imports from Russia. US revises India trade framework, softening claims on $500B purchases, dropping pulses from tariff list and digital tax removal demand. Washington, DC, February 11 The White House has updated its factsheet on the India-US trade framework a day after its initial release, softening several key assertions related to India's commitments on purchases, tariffs, and digital trade. The revisions come after last week's announcement of a framework for an interim reciprocal trade agreement aimed at boosting bilateral commerce. The framework for the Interim Agreement was finalised following a phone conversation between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump. In the original version of the factsheet, it was stated, "India committed to buy more American products and purchase over USD 500 billion of US energy, information and communication technology, agricultural, coal, and other products." The revised factsheet now says India "intends" to buy more American products and omits the term "agricultural" from the list of product categories. Changes were also made in the tariff section. The earlier document noted, "India will eliminate or reduce tariffs on all US industrial goods and a wide range of US food and agricultural products, including dried distillers' grains (DDGs), red sorghum, tree nuts, fresh and processed fruit, certain pulses, soybean oil, wine and spirits, and additional products." The updated version removes the reference to "certain pulses" from this list. On digital trade, the initial factsheet mentioned, "India will remove its digital services taxes" and "committed to negotiate a robust set of bilateral digital trade rules that address discriminatory or burdensome practices and other barriers to digital trade." The current version drops the claim that "India will remove its digital services taxes" and retains only that "India committed to negotiate a robust set of bilateral digital trade rules." Under the proposed arrangement, the US will reduce tariffs on Indian goods to 18 per cent from the current 50 per cent. As part of the broader engagement, US President Donald Trump has removed the 25 per cent tariffs imposed on India in August last year over purchases of Russian oil, noting that New Delhi has committed to stopping direct or indirect imports of oil from Moscow and has undertaken "significant steps" in this direction. - ANI The Uttar Pradesh government presented a 9.12 lakh crore budget for 2026-27, marking a 12.9% increase over the previous year. It prioritizes capital expenditure, fiscal discipline, and significant investments in law & order infrastructure and medical services. The fiscal deficit is capped at 3% of GSDP, with a target to reduce the debt-to-GSDP ratio below 20% in the medium term. The budget also highlights progress in poverty reduction, unemployment, and attracting major industrial investments to the state. UP's 2026-27 budget increases 12.9%, with major allocations for police infrastructure, medical colleges, and capital expenditure, aiming for fiscal discipline. Lucknow, Feb 11 Uttar Pradesh Finance Minister Suresh Khanna on Wednesday presented a Rs 9,12,696.35 crore budget for the financial year 2026-27 in the Assembly, an increase of nearly 12.9 per cent over the previous year. The Budget includes new schemes worth Rs 43,565.33 crore. The government has placed special emphasis on capital expenditure, fiscal discipline, strengthening law and order, and expanding health and medical infrastructure. Capital expenditure has been pegged at 19.5 per cent of the total outlay. Education has been allocated 12.4 per cent of the Budget, medical and health services 6 per cent, and agriculture and allied sectors 9 per cent. In line with the 16th Central Finance Commission's recommendations, the fiscal deficit for 2026-27 has been capped at 3 per cent of GSDP, a limit that will remain applicable until 2030-31. Khanna said the government remains committed to prudent financial management. The state's debt-to-GSDP ratio, which stood at 29.3 per cent in 2016-17, declined to 27.9 per cent in 2019-20. It rose to 33.4 per cent in 2021-22 due to the Covid-19 pandemic, but has since been brought down to below 27 per cent in 2024-25. The target is to reduce it further to 23.1 per cent in 2026-27 and below 20 per cent in the medium term. Significant provisions have been made to enhance police infrastructure. Compared to 2016, incidents of robbery, loot, murder, riots and kidnapping for ransom have reportedly declined by 89 per cent, 85 per cent, 47 per cent, 70 per cent and 62 per cent, respectively. A reduction has also been recorded in crimes against women and atrocities against the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes. The Budget earmarks Rs 1,374 crore for the construction of non-residential police buildings and Rs 1,243 crore for residential facilities. Additionally, Rs 346 crore has been allocated for infrastructure in newly created districts, Rs 200 crore for fire stations, and Rs 190 crore for strengthening firefighting systems in multi-storey buildings. Under Mission Shakti, Rs 25 crore has been allocated for vehicles for female beat officers. A total of Rs 14,997 crore has been allocated for medical education. Uttar Pradesh currently has 81 medical colleges -- 45 government and 36 private. Medical colleges will be established in 16 underdeveloped districts under the public-private partnership (PPP) model. MBBS seats have increased from 4,540 in 2017 to 12,800, while postgraduate seats have risen from 1,221 to 4,995. An allocation of Rs 1,023 crore has been proposed for 14 new medical colleges. The Medical, Health and Family Welfare Department has been allocated Rs 37,956 crore, a 15 per cent increase over last year. Rs 8,641 crore has been earmarked for the National Rural Health Mission and Rs 2,000 crore for the Ayushman Bharat National Health Protection Mission. As many as 49.22 lakh families are benefiting under the Ayushman Bharat - Mukhyamantri Jan Arogya Yojana. Further, Rs 315 crore has been allocated for the Cancer Institute in Lucknow and Rs 130 crore for free treatment of incurable diseases. The National Mental Health Programme is now operational in all 75 districts, and infectious diseases are being monitored through the Integrated Disease Surveillance Portal. The state's GSDP for 2024-25 (Quick Estimates) is projected at Rs 30.25 lakh crore, reflecting a 13.4 per cent growth over the previous year. Per capita income has risen from Rs 54,564 in 2016-17 to Rs 1,09,844, and is estimated to reach Rs 1,20,000 in 2025-26. The government claims that nearly six crore people have been lifted out of poverty, while the unemployment rate has declined to 2.24 per cent. The state's per capita income is projected to rise to Rs 1,20,000 in 25-26. Uttar Pradesh's ranking in the SDG India Index has improved from 29th in 2018-19 to 18th in 2023-24. The state hosted its fourth Global Investors Summit in February 2024, signing MoUs worth nearly Rs 50 lakh crore with the potential to generate around 10 lakh jobs. Groundbreaking ceremonies have been conducted for over 16,000 projects involving investments of approximately Rs 15 lakh crore. Uttar Pradesh accounts for 65 per cent of India's mobile phone production and hosts 55 per cent of the country's electronic component units. Electronics exports have reached Rs 44,744 crore. The state has achieved "Leader Category" status in the national startup rankings and secured first position among landlocked states in the Export Preparedness Index 2024 released by NITI Aayog. To boost technology-driven growth, the government has announced a New and Emerging Technologies Mission, along with the establishment of a data authority and eight data centre parks with a total capacity of 900 MW. An AI Mission and the "Tech Yuva Samarth Yuva Yojana" will be launched to provide youth training and opportunities in emerging technologies. The state leads the country in the production of wheat, paddy, sugarcane, potato and several horticultural crops. Agricultural export hubs will be developed to enhance farmers' income and connect them to global markets. The irrigated area has expanded significantly, and crop intensity has increased from 162.7 per cent in 2016-17 to 193.7 per cent in 2024-25. Thermal power generation capacity has increased by over 55 per cent to 9,120 MW in 2025-26 (till December), while 2,815 MW of solar capacity has been installed. To promote industrial development, Rs 575 crore has been allocated for the new Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Employment and Industrial Zone scheme. The Chief Minister Youth Self-Employment Scheme will also be launched. Skill development centres will be expanded under the PPP model, with dedicated centres for women. - IANS The Supreme Court questioned the Central government's interpretation of climate activist Sonam Wangchuk's speeches as material that provoked violence in Leh. The Court, hearing submissions defending Wangchuk's preventive detention under the NSA, examined speech transcripts and suggested he was expressing concern about youth abandoning peaceful methods, not instigating violence. Additional Solicitor General KM Nataraj argued that Wangchuk was the chief provocateur and that even suspicion was sufficient for detention. The Court repeatedly sought a direct connection between Wangchuk's statements and the specific violent incident of September 24, 2025. Supreme Court questions if Sonam Wangchuk's speeches provoked Leh violence, challenging Centre's NSA detention grounds during hearing. New Delhi, February 11 The Supreme Court on Wednesday questioned whether Ladakh-based climate activist Sonam Wangchuk's speeches and social media posts could really be treated as provocative material that led to the violence in Leh on September 24, 2025. While hearing submissions by the Central government and the Leh administration defending Wangchuk's preventive detention under the National Security Act (NSA), a Bench of Justices Aravind Kumar and PB Varale examined the speeches relied upon by the detaining authorities and raised questions on the interpretation being placed on them, particularly where Wangchuk appears to be expressing concern over youth losing faith in peaceful "Gandhian" methods of protest and the fear of a violent outbreak in the demand for Statehood. When Additional Solicitor General KM Nataraj, appearing for the Centre, submitted that Wangchuk was the chief provocateur behind the violent protests and had instigated the youth by warning that a Nepal-like situation could arise in India, the Court questioned this reading and remarked that Wangchuk appeared to be expressing concern and surprise over the situation. "Where does he say that? He is saying they (the youth) have taken it. He himself is surprised," the Court asked. Nataraj responded that such an inference could be drawn from the speech itself. He then referred to another portion in which Wangchuk allegedly stated that the deployment of armed forces in Ladakh was unfortunate. "He says youth say peaceful methods have not proved effective," Nataraj submitted. "This is a hybrid expression," he added. The Court responded that in these speeches, Wangchuk appears to be expressing worry about violence and questioned the interpretation being placed by the Centre that he's instigating it. "He (Wangchuk) is saying it's worrying. He's expressing that this is not something which would be welcome. If someone says violent -- is the expression, 'I'm worried'. Some people are abandoning the peaceful way and are willing to take violent methods; this is worrying. We are following the Gandhian way. If someone is taking a departure from that way (non-violent Gandhian method) - departure from that is worrying," the Court said. "You are too much into it," Justice Aravind Kumar added. Nataraj then submitted that in preventive detention matters, even suspicion was sufficient. He stated that Wangchuk was fasting in a public place, and the aftermath had to be viewed together. "Fasting can't be done in a private place," the Court retorted. Nataraj further stated that Wangchuk was instigating similar agitations that could occur in Ladakh and submitted that even a single material fact was sufficient to sustain a detention order. He then pointed to additional material, including an interview given to Ladakh Express, where Wangchuk allegedly said that youth felt peace and Mahatma Gandhi's way was not effective. "Many such paragraphs are available as independent grounds," Nataraj said. The Court then read transcripts of Wangchuk's speeches, including references to Mahatma Gandhi's last speech, before his assassination, where Gandhi spoke of deliverance to his death for the sake of the nation. Nataraj, however, argued that one part of the sentence shouldn't be read in way that expresses a positive approach, where his speeches in their entirety are provocative of instigating violence. Nataraj submitted that Wangchuk, while referring to his foreign connections, warned of making the Ladakh issue an international issue. He said Wangchuk had called for a non-cooperation movement. However, the Court asked how this part of the speech connected to the said incident on September 24 (based on which Wangchuk has been detained). "That is not connected to 24/9/2025," the Court said. Nataraj responded that he would demonstrate the connection and said each video clip would establish it. "If it is linked, you point it out," the Court said. Nataraj then referred to a tweet where Wangchuk cited a media report and spoke of dedication, including a reference to self-immolation by Ladakhis. "Is it not provocation to the public to make an immolation?" Nataraj asked. "This was 8/6/2025 -- not 24/9/2025," the Court pointed out. When the Court asked where it was uploaded, Nataraj stated that it was uploaded to Wangchuk's own YouTube channel. Nataraj then referred to another tweet in which, in an interview with a media channel, Wangchuk allegedly promoted subversive and dangerous views, including the proposition that regions in India should be free to choose their own future through referendums or plebiscites. He submitted that Wangchuk made references to this in his speeches. He also pointed to another tweet dated June 8, 2025, where Wangchuk spoke of sacrificing his life through an indefinite hunger strike or immolation to gain publicity and of going to the UN headquarters to raise the Ladakh issue. "If it's a domestic issue which can be dealt with within the four walls of the constitutional system, he could've gone to our courts," Nataraj submitted. He further argued that in Wangchuk's speech, he also referred to the Indian army's Sikh regiments being affected by protests in their areas and questioned whether such conduct was expected of a citizen. He submitted that Wangchuk repeatedly said the people of Ladakh would not want to help the Indian Army during wartime. Nataraj also referred to Wangchuk's statements on atrocities faced by Tibetan people at the hands of China and other atrocities occurring in Pakistan, and said he warned Ladakhis would face similar treatment. He emphasised that these statements were made in a sensitive border area and were likely to be repeated. He said the issue was serious and that Wangchuk was misleading the public regarding Statehood and the alleged takeover of Ladakh by outsiders. He submitted that the detaining authority had independently considered each ground. At this stage, Solicitor General of India Tushar Mehta intervened and urged the Court not to misinterpret any part of Wangchuk's speeches and compare it with that of Gandhi's. The SG said there is a stark difference between the two. "Chalk and cheese," Mehta said, adding, "Let's not." The Court clarified that it was only referring to the portion of Wangchuk's speech where he had referred to Gandhi saying - My death will be for the sake of the nation. Mehta then urged the Court not to compare the two, as it should not appear in tomorrow's headlines that the Supreme Court had compared Wangchuk with Gandhi. He also submitted that the health issue was merely a facade for social media. The Court responded that it was not concerned with what might happen elsewhere. "We are not going into what may happen elsewhere. Why are you making an ant out of a molehill? Why are you doing it?" the Court asked Mehta. "If you say don't ask any questions, we won't ask any questions", it added. Continuing his submissions, ASG Nataraj then submitted that the grounds of detention in such cases were severable, relying on earlier judgments, including a 1984 ruling. He said Wangchuk's provocative speeches had rendered the situation violent and that the preventive detention order had achieved its purpose. It was further submitted that such preventive detention cases under the NSA are purely within the domain of the Central administration, and that courts should not interfere. After hearing submissions today, the Court adjourned the matter to tomorrow, where the Centre may conclude the final limb of its arguments and the petitioner challenging Wangchuks' detention will begin its counter. Before ASG Nataraj began his submissions today, SG Mehta informed the Supreme Court that the Centre cannot release Wangchuk on medical grounds. Responding to an earlier query by the Court, SG Tushar Mehta submitted that Wangchuk's health was being regularly monitored in custody. The Solicitor General stated that Wangchuk had been medically examined approximately 24 times in accordance with the jail manual and that his condition did not warrant release. He stated that Wangchuk had suffered from a gastrointestinal infection but was otherwise fit. The Centre argued that making exceptions on health grounds would not be desirable and that the grounds for detention remained. "He has been examined periodically. He is fit and hearty. If we start making such exceptions, it will not lead to something positive," Mehta told the Court, adding that the authorities had given "utmost consideration" to the Court's query. - ANI Due to scheduled maintenance from Saturday, March 15, 2025, at 10 PM to Sunday, March 16, 2025, at 2 AM, there may be interruptions for our News Gazette Digital subscribers. During this time frame, please click on any News Gazette website content without logging into your News Gazette Digital subscription account. Thank you for your patience during this scheduled maintenance. As some other automakers scale back their electric vehicle plans, Toyota said, Hold my beer on Feb. 10, unveiling the first electric version of one of its core vehicles: the family hauling Highlander SUV. The 2027 Highlander EV should go on sale late in 2026. Slated for production in Georgetown, Kentucky, the six- or seven-seat, three-row SUV will offer front- or all-wheel drive and up to 338 horsepower and 320 miles of range on a charge. The Highlander EV will give Toyota a fleet of four EVs for sale in the United States, up from one today. Advertisement Advertisement Toyota will reveal prices closer to when sales begin. 2027 Toyota Highlander EV trim levels XLE Limited Source: Toyota Long, low and elegant The Highlander EV is a big vehicle: 3.9 inches longer than the current Highlander; just 2.6 inches shorter than the Grand Highlander. It doesnt look bulky, though, thanks to a lower roof, big windows and low beltline that emphasize its lean profile. The nose uses LED lights in Toyotas signature hammerhead design and low-mounted headlights. The EV is 2.3 inches wider than the internal combustion/hybrid Highlander, furthering the impression of a securely planted vehicle. The interior is equally appealing, with plentiful leg room in all three rows and elegant materials throughout even a suede-like surface covering twin wireless chargers in the center console. Advertisement Advertisement the mid row will offer a bench or twin captains seats with a floor-level console for drinks and such. The third row seats two with generous legroom. A new shifter with a toggle for drive/neutral/reverse and a park button appears to offer intuitive use. Theres a volume dial and Toyota promises hard buttons for temperature controls, though they werent evident in the Highlander EV I sat in. Power to drive or run a house Toyota makes the Highlanders batteries in a new factory in North Carolina. Base models will come with a 77 kWh unit paired with either front- or all-wheel drive. Toyota estimates range at 287 miles with FWD, 270 with AWD. Advertisement Advertisement A larger 95.8 kWh battery available only with AWD should allow 320 miles cruising on a charge. FWD Highlander EVs have a single motor generating 221 hp and 198 pound-feet of torque. AWD adds a second motor on the rear axle for 338 hp and 323 pound feet of torque, 73 hp and 13 pound-feet more than the most powerful gasoline Highlander. Toyota says the EV can power anything from a picnic to a house, though it offered no details on that feature. The battery can be preconditioned for faster charging on long drives or to reduce cold weathers impact on range. The Highlander has a NACS charging port for access to Tesla-style chargers. A Toyota-approved adapter is available for other chargers. Toyota hasnt revealed its top charging speed, but says the battery can go from 10%-80% in 30 minutes under ideal conditions. The Level 2 (240v) most EV owners use regularly should give a full charge overnight. The Highlander can be set to charge automatically during low-rate periods, or when electricity from renewable sources is available. Advertisement Advertisement More: Look out GM, Ford and Honda: Toyota just got serious about EVs with 2026 bZ small SUV More: 2024 Chevrolet Equinox electric compact SUV sets the standard for price and range 2027 Toyota Highlander EV key features Seating for six or seven Front- or all-wheel drive Wireless charging Up to 320 miles range NASC charging portal Apple CarPlay and Android Auto 14-inch touch screen 12.3-inch configurable gauge cluster 19- or 22-inch wheels Available panoramic sunroof Blind spot and cross traffic alerts Automatic front braking with pedestrian/cyclist detection Adaptive cruise control Automatic high beams Lane change alert and assist Lane centering Advertisement Advertisement Why buy a 2027 Toyota Highlander EV? Hyundai, Kia and Volvo beat Toyota to market with three-row electric SUVs, but theres no denying the Highlanders towering stature in the family-vehicle market. The Highlander EVs graceful styling, roomy and attractive interior and many features build on that strength. All that remains is for Toyota to give the Highlander EV a competitive price and deliver on its expected quality and reliability. Anybody want to bet against that? 2027 Toyota Highlander EV at a glance Front- or all-wheel-wheel drive electric three-row SUV Seats 6 or 7 On sale late 2026 Base price: TBA Power: One or two electric motors for FWD or AWD, respectively Output: FWD: 221 hp, 198 pound-feet of torque; AWD 338 hp, 323 pound-feet of torque Advertisement Advertisement Transmission: Single-speed direct drive automatic Battery capacity: 77 or 95.8 kWh EPA estimated range: FWD 287 miles with 77 kWh battery; AWD 270 miles w/77 kWh battery; 320 with 95.8 kWh battery Estimated charging time: DC fast charging 10%-80% in 30 minutes; Level 2 (240v) charging TBA. Wheelbase: 120.1 inches Length: 198.8 inches Width: 78.3 inches Height: 67.3 inches Ground clearance: TBA Curb weight: TBA Towing capacity: TBA Cargo volume: 15.9 cubic feet third row up; 45.6 cubic feet third row folded. Assembled in Georgetown, Kentucky Contact Mark Phelan: mmphelan@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @mark_phelan. Read more on autos and sign up for our autos newsletter. Become a subscriber. Advertisement Advertisement This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Toyota electrifies family-hauling SUVs with its 2027 Highlander EV "If the choice is a 1 (seed) in San Diego or a 2 in St. Louis, give me Burger B as an Illinois fan," Joe Lunardi said on Wednesday's show. No team got a bigger bracket bump this week than Brad Underwood's bunch, which is "kind of must-see TV now." Despite near-perfect exam scores, large language models falter when real people rely on them for medical advice, exposing a critical gap between AI knowledge and safe patient decision-making. Study: Reliability of LLMs as medical assistants for the general public: a randomized preregistered study. Image Credit: Teacher Photo / Shutterstock In a recent study published in the journal Nature Medicine , researchers investigated whether large language models ( LLMs ) can effectively support the general public in navigating common health scenarios. Although LLMs performed very well when evaluated on their own, participants who used LLMs did not perform better than those using traditional resources and often performed worse. This highlights significant failures in human- LLM interaction that are not captured by standard benchmarks or simulations, and suggests that strong standalone medical knowledge does not necessarily translate into effective real-world user support or improved clinical decision-making by lay users. Growing Expectations for AI in Patient Health Guidance Recent advances in artificial intelligence ( AI ), particularly LLMs , have raised expectations that healthcare access could be expanded by bringing medical knowledge directly to patients. LLMs already achieve near-passing or passing scores on medical licensing exams and are increasingly used by the public for health-related questions, even though benchmark performance may not reflect practical clinical usefulness or real-world patient comprehension. Surveys suggest that a substantial proportion of adults regularly consult AI chatbots for medical advice, often seeking guidance on sensitive or personal concerns. While these tools show promise, prior research indicates that strong performance on medical standards does not necessarily translate into improved outcomes in real-world clinical settings or into improved decision-making when non-expert users must interpret the outputs, which may sometimes introduce misunderstanding or misplaced confidence. Studies involving clinicians have shown that AI assistance can fail to improve, or even worsen, diagnostic accuracy when humans must interpret and apply AI output. As a result, some have proposed deploying LLMs directly to patients as an initial interface with the healthcare system. However, whether non-expert users can effectively interpret and act on LLM-generated medical advice remains unclear. a, Three doctors drafted ten medical scenarios, iteratively revising them until they reached unanimous agreement about the best disposition on a five-point scale from self-care to ambulance. b, Four additional doctors read the scenarios and provided differential diagnoses, which were combined to form gold-standard lists of relevant conditions. c, We recruited 1,298 participants and randomly assigned them to one of four experimental conditions. Each participant was randomly allocated one of ten medical scenarios. The treatment groups conversed with an LLM to help assess the scenarios. The control group was permitted to use any method, with most participants using internet search or their own knowledge. d, Top: participants then chose a disposition and identified medical conditions that motivated their choice. Participants completed two scenarios, until a total of 600 examples were collected for each experimental condition. Bottom: we evaluated each participants responses using the gold-standard answers. Randomized Study Design and Experimental Conditions Researchers systematically evaluated how members of the general public interact with LLMs when making medical decisions and assessed whether these interactions improve understanding and decision-making compared with conventional approaches. They conducted a randomized controlled study involving 1,298 adult participants living in the United Kingdom. Participants were presented with realistic medical scenarios designed by physicians, each requiring the user to identify possible underlying medical conditions and select an appropriate disposition or course of action on a five-point scale, with options ranging from calling an ambulance (the most serious response) to self-care (the least serious response). Three doctors developed and validated the scenarios and agreed on the correct disposition, while four additional doctors generated gold standard lists of relevant diagnoses. Each participant was randomly allocated to one of four groups. Three treatment groups each used a different LLM , GPT 4o, Llama 3, or Command R plus, and a control group could use any resources they normally would, such as internet searches. Demographic stratification ensured that each group resembled the national adult population. Each participant completed up to two scenarios, resulting in 600 responses per experimental condition. Performance was evaluated by comparing participants selected dispositions with physician-agreed answers and by assessing whether listed conditions matched the gold-standard diagnostic lists. To contextualize the findings, the researchers also evaluated LLMs operating alone on the same scenarios, tested performance on medical knowledge benchmarks, and conducted simulated user experiments in which LLMs replaced human participants. Human and LLM Interaction Reveals Performance Gaps When evaluated independently, all three LLMs performed strongly. Each successfully identified one or more relevant conditions in over 90 percent of cases, although correct disposition recommendations were more moderate, averaging roughly half of cases rather than approaching expert-level clinical reliability. However, when paired with human users, performance declined substantially. Participants using LLMs identified relevant medical conditions in fewer than 35 percent of cases, significantly worse than the control group, which relied on traditional resources such as search engines and established health websites. Disposition accuracy did not differ significantly between LLM-assisted participants and controls, with both groups frequently underestimating the seriousness of conditions. Analyses of interaction transcripts revealed multiple points of failure. Users often provided incomplete or poorly structured information; LLMs sometimes misinterpreted inputs or generated misleading suggestions; and participants frequently failed to adopt correct recommendations, even when they were presented during the conversation. Benchmark evaluations using medical licensing style questions showed that high LLM scores did not predict success in interactive settings. Similarly, simulations using LLM-generated patients overestimated real-world performance and failed to capture human variability, with simulated users generally performing better than real participants. Overall, the results demonstrate a consistent gap between LLMs' medical knowledge and their effectiveness when used interactively by non-expert users. Implications for Safe Deployment and Future Research This study demonstrates that current LLMs tested in this research setting are not ready for safe deployment as public-facing medical advisors, despite strong standalone performance on medical tasks. A key strength of the work is its focus on real human- LLM interactions, which reveal failures that are invisible to traditional benchmarks and simulations. The findings suggest that the main challenge lies not only in medical knowledge but also in communication, consistency, and user interpretation. Users struggled to know what information to provide, how to evaluate multiple suggestions, and when to trust or act on LLM output, even when correct information appeared during the interaction. This highlights limitations in both AI communication design and human interpretation skills. Limitations include the use of hypothetical scenarios rather than real clinical encounters and a focus on common conditions, which may underestimate the challenges posed by more complex cases. Additionally, newer or specialized models may perform differently, and future improvements in conversational design or clinical fine-tuning could alter performance, although whether such gains translate into real-world benefit remains uncertain. Nonetheless, the study provides a critical lower bound on real-world performance and highlights the risks of premature deployment. The authors concluded that systematic testing with diverse human users should be a foundational requirement before LLMs are used in healthcare. Medical expertise alone is insufficient to ensure safe and effective patient support, and real user evaluation should complement traditional benchmark testing before clinical integration. Edward (Ed) Waldner had no idea why he didn't feel well but he knew he didn't feel like himself. At 55-years of age he felt exhausted all the time. It didn't seem to matter how hard he had worked that day. He wondered if he had sleep apnea. He noticed his walking was off. His heels would drag now and again. One day, when his symptoms were worse than usual, he decided to go to the Emergency Department. "The doctor said I had a mass on my brain and needed to see an oncologist," says Waldner. The mass was glioblastoma, a deadly brain cancer. Treatment often involves a three-pronged approach: surgery to remove as much of the tumour as possible, followed by radiation and chemotherapy. However, despite advances in cancer treatment, the aggressive cancer comes back. University of Calgary researchers are investigating whether adding high doses of vitamin B3 or niacin, to the treatment plan could be beneficial. They approached Waldner about being in the trial. "I have no problem trying to help anybody. I agreed. I want to help myself too," says Waldner. "I can tell you being part of this research helps me mentally because we're trying. When I left the hospital after surgery I was told, that's it, that's all we can do." The research is led by two members of both the Hotchkiss Brain Institute and Arnie Charbonneau Cancer Institute, Drs. Gloria Roldan Urgoiti, MD, an oncologist specialized in brain cancers, and Wee Yong, PhD, a neuroscientist whose research focuses on immune effects on the brain. Together they designed a study to investigate whether niacin could rejuvenate compromised immune cells to kill tumour cells. The research began in the Yong lab, with mice, where findings showed niacin prolonged survival. That work evolved into a Phase I and II clinical trial. Normally the immune system will try to counter and prevent tumor growth, however, this brain cancer supresses the immune system. Niacin treatment rejuvenates immune cells so they can do what they are supposed to do, attack and kill the cancer cells. I see it as an ongoing 'battle for the brain'." Wee Yong, PhD, professor at the Cumming School of Medicine (CSM) The clinical trial was designed to determine the maximum dose and potential benefit of controlled-release niacin that could be added to the recommended chemotherapy and radiotherapy treatments. Researchers decided the study would stop if the progression-free survival over six-months did not improve by at least 20 per cent compared with older studies. Early results involving 24-patients showed 82 per cent of the participants were free of progression of the cancer at six-months; an increase of 28 per cent from previous studies. The researchers say this is a promising advancement for this incurable cancer. "Glioblastoma is the most aggressive brain cancer in adults. Survival of patients with this condition hasn't changed significantly for 20-years", says Roldan Urgoiti, a clinical associate professor at the CSM. "Anything that may help should be explored but it requires strict protocols and safety monitoring." Findings are published in the Journal of Neuro-Oncology The researchers caution that high amounts of vitamins, like niacin, have toxicity and can have a negative impact on someone's health if not monitored closely by medical professionals. The team hopes to be able to do the final analysis, that will include 48-participants by the end of 2026 or early 2027. Waldner says he's feeling really good these days and is just happy to hear the word stable when he goes for his regular scans. The research is supported by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research and the Alberta Cancer Foundation. New research on avian malaria, which has decimated Hawaii's beloved birds, explains how non-native birds play a key role in transmission and contribute to the widespread distribution of the disease. This disease threatens many native species that are integral to Hawaii's identity and its unique and fragile ecosystems. Avian malaria, caused by a microscopic parasite and transmitted by mosquitoes, has contributed to the extinction of more than a dozen species of Hawaii's native birds-and is currently threatening those that remain. The disease infects birds' red blood cells, leading to low blood oxygen levels and damage to the liver and spleen. And over the past four decades, the vivid colors and songs of these tropical birds have been disappearing due to habitat loss, introduced predators, and diseases such as avian malaria and avian pox. This new study, from the lab of ecology and evolutionary biology professor A. Marm Kilpatrick, helps answer the mystery of which species of birds are sustaining the spread of malaria in Hawaii. Previous research pointed to native birds, due to the high levels of malaria in their blood following infection. But many habitats in Hawaii have no native birds and yet still have substantial malaria transmission. Reservoir birds The team found that most species of birds-both native and introduced-were partly infectious and could transmit avian malaria to biting mosquitoes. This suggests that all communities of birds in Hawaii could support transmission of avian malaria wherever temperatures are warm enough for mosquitoes and the development of the deadly pathogen they carry. "What surprised us most was how effectively avian malaria was transmitted to mosquitoes, even from birds carrying vanishingly small parasite loads," said Christa Seidl, who led this work as part of her Ph.D. studies at UC Santa Cruz. For this study, the team performed a series of laboratory experiments where they determined the fraction of mosquitos that became infected after feeding on birds with different levels of malaria. They combined these data with 1,275 measurements of the levels of malaria in 17 different species of birds, including seven native species and 10 introduced species. Surprisingly, the integration of these two datasets showed that species broadly overlapped in their infectiousness for avian malaria. This was due to a relatively gradual relationship between malaria levels and infectiousness, and enormous variation within species in malaria levels. This suggested that, counter to previous beliefs, the differences between native birds and introduced species in infectiousness were relatively small. "The similarity in infectiousness among species helped explain the widespread distribution of malaria we found among sites with very different bird communities," Seidl said. "We found malaria at 63 of the 64 sites we sampled." No escape Next, the team used relative patterns of malaria infection across sites to estimate mosquito feeding patterns on different bird species. They integrated these estimates with the infectiousness of each species and their relative abundance at 11 focal sites to determine the role of different species in transmission and overall community infectiousness. They found that bird communities across all 11 sites were similarly infectious-due to the similarity in infectiousness among species-but some bird species played disproportionate roles in transmission. "The patterns of infection suggested that some species were fed on much more frequently than others by mosquitoes, and these species played a key role in transmission," Kilpatrick said. The most important species across many sites was the introduced House Finch, whereas a native species, Hawai'i 'Amakihi, was the next most important species wherever it was present. Many other species made smaller contributions to infecting mosquitoes because they were less frequently fed on by mosquitoes, but nearly all were infectious enough to sustain avian malaria transmission. "These results show that avian malaria in Hawaii is an extreme generalist and can replicate to sufficient levels to support transmission in most species," Kilpatrick said. "As a result, few, if any, warm low-elevation habitats where mosquitoes are present will be free from this pathogen, which will continue to threaten Hawaiian birds with extinction." This work helps inform local conservation efforts in Hawaii, which include mosquito control, captive breeding, and habitat restoration, especially at high mosquito-free elevations. In a winter marked by flu outbreaks, the persistence of Covid-19, and surges of measles cases across the United States, an Annenberg survey finds that a sizable majority of Americans think the three vaccines that combat these potentially deadly illnesses are safe to take, although perceptions of the safety of all three vaccines showed a statistically significant drop over the past three years. Flu levels are rising across the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), with visits to emergency departments increasing for children over five. In 2025, measles cases hit their highest level in the United States since 1991, with 2,144 confirmed cases, and the outbreak in South Carolina continues to grow, with 920 cases, according to state health officials. Covid-19 cases are also elevated in parts of the country, according to the CDC. A nationally representative panel survey by the Annenberg Public Policy Center (APPC) of the University of Pennsylvania finds that the U.S. public regards the MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella), flu, and Covid-19 vaccines as safe, but finds a small but statistically significant erosion in support. The survey was conducted Nov. 17-Dec. 1, 2025, among 1,637 U.S. adults, and has a margin of error (MOE) of 3.5 percentage points at the 95% confidence level. The survey finds that 83% of U.S. adults see the MMR vaccine as safe, 80% see the flu vaccine as safe, and 65% see the Covid-19 vaccine as safe. Although a strong majority of Americans view the measles (MMR) vaccine as safe relative to other vaccines, the fact that the number holding that view is below the 95% threshold required to achieve community immunity is worrisome." Kathleen Hall Jamieson, Director, Annenberg Public Policy Center Vaccines undermined The findings come as federal health officials have taken a variety of seemingly contradictory positions on vaccines some that could undermine public trust, and others in support of vaccination. Speaking on CNN's "State of the Union" on Feb. 8 about the South Carolina measles outbreak, Dr. Mehmet Oz, administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, said, "Take the vaccine, please. We have a solution for a problem. Not all illnesses are equally dangerous, and not all people are equally susceptible to those illnesses. But measles is one you should get your vaccine." Yet in July 2023, over a year and a half before being named to lead the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, longtime vaccine skeptic Robert F. Kennedy Jr. told a podcast interviewer, "There's no vaccine that is, you know, safe and effective." Since being confirmed as HHS Secretary, in 2025, Kennedy has continued to make unsupported or misleading statements about vaccines, and the health agencies under him have taken steps that some medical authorities say could undermine public confidence in vaccines previously shown to be safe and effective. In June 2025, for example, RFK Jr. removed all 17 members of a key advisory committee to the CDC that helps to develop and recommend vaccine policy, a step former CDC director Tom Frieden said "will undermine public trust under the guise of improving it." Kennedy's unsupported or misleading claims about the measles vaccine, which is part of the MMR vaccine, include his March 2025 assertion that the measles vaccine leads to "deaths every year," according to FactCheck.org, a project of the Annenberg Public Policy Center. In April, Kennedy "minimized" the risk that Covid-19 poses to children and exaggerated the risks of the vaccine, according to FactCheck.org. In May 2025, Kennedy announced that the CDC would no longer recommend Covid vaccines for healthy children and pregnant women. In January, the CDC revised its childhood vaccination schedule, removing the recommendation of universal vaccination for children against six diseases, including vaccines for flu and Covid-19, thereby reducing the number of recommended childhood vaccines from 17 to 11. These six vaccines are now recommended only after a process the CDC calls "shared clinical decision-making" between patient and health care providers including, now, the Covid vaccine for pregnant women as well as healthy children. The American Medical Association said it was "deeply concerned" by the changes, declaring that "when longstanding recommendations are altered without a robust, evidence-based process, it undermines public trust and puts children at unnecessary risk of preventable disease." It added that "the scientific evidence remains unchanged, and the AMA supports access to childhood immunizations recommended by national medical specialty societies." Most think the three vaccines are safe, but declines seen over time The survey measured respondents' perceived safety of the MMR, flu, and Covid-19 vaccines. Declines since 2024: As compared with an Annenberg survey in November 2024, there has been a small but significant decrease in the perceived safety of the MMR vaccine, now 83% (down from 86% in 2024) and the flu vaccine, now 80% (down from 83% in 2024), a regression analysis confirms. There was no significant change in perceptions of the Covid-19 vaccine in that time. Declines since 2022: Further, when compared with an Annenberg survey in August 2022, over three years earlier, the perceived safety of all three vaccines has declined significantly. In August 2022, the MMR vaccine was regarded as safe by 88% (now 83% in the current survey), flu by 85% (now 80%) and Covid-19 by 73% (now 65%). "While most people continue to regard the flu and MMR vaccines as safe, it is concerning that we are seeing a decline in perceptions of safety over time," said APPC research analyst Laura A. Gibson. "It is unclear whether changes in CDC recommendations during 2025 are impacting perceptions or whether the decline is a continuation of the ones we observed from 2022 to 2024." APPC's ASAPH survey The survey data come from the 26th wave of a nationally representative panel of 1,637 U.S. adults conducted for the Annenberg Public Policy Center by SSRS, an independent market research company. This wave of the Annenberg Science and Public Health (ASAPH) survey was fielded Nov. 17-Dec. 1, 2025. The margin of sampling error (MOE) is 3.5 percentage points at the 95% confidence level. All figures are rounded to the nearest whole number and may not add to 100%. Combined subcategories may not add to totals in the topline and text due to rounding. A new study has revealed the significant effect tinnitus can have on people's working lives, with nearly one in five adults reporting they have had to cut their working hours or leave employment altogether because of the condition. Published in the journal Brain Sciences and led by researchers from Anglia Ruskin University (ARU), in collaboration with the University of Colorado and Linkoping University, the study investigates how tinnitus influences job performance and work-related wellbeing. Tinnitus is the perception of ringing, buzzing or hissing when no external noise is present, and is estimated to affect around 15% of the population. Its effects range from mild distraction to significant fatigue and stress. While many manage well, others experience severe symptoms that affect workplace productivity. The new study surveyed 449 adults with tinnitus and found 7% reported it had forced them to leave employment altogether, while a further 11% said it had caused them to reduce their working hours. Participants described a range of workplace challenges including trouble concentrating, reduced productivity and issues communicating in meetings. Many also reported increased fatigue, slower task completion and being more prone to errors. Other participants described indirect impacts, such as anxiety, sleep problems, frustration or withdrawal from group interactions, all of which contributed to reduced job satisfaction and performance. Although some people found ways to adapt, such as using coping strategies or modifying their role, when answering open questions about their experiences, 72% described how tinnitus had made their working lives more difficult. Importantly, the research found that completing an internet based cognitive behavioural therapy (ICBT) programme was associated with meaningful improvements in work productivity. After completing the intervention, significantly fewer participants reported needing to work reduced hours, and many experienced measurable reductions in tinnitus distress, anxiety, depression and insomnia. Qualitative feedback also indicated that people felt better able to cope at work afterwards. Lead author Dr Eldre Beukes, Associate Professor of Audiology at Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) in Cambridge, England, said: "Our findings highlight that, for some individuals, tinnitus is far more than a persistent sound; it can be a barrier to maintaining stable employment and workplace wellbeing, and often co-occurs with hearing loss, anxiety or sleep difficulties. "This has important implications for employers and policymakers. Workplaces should recognise tinnitus as a condition that can affect productivity and may require reasonable adjustments. Policies supporting flexible work patterns, access to hearing related technologies and improved awareness among managers could make it easier for those affected to stay in work. "Although our results are preliminary, and a control group would be needed to confirm the effects, they provide promising evidence that targeted tinnitus interventions may help people remain effective and engaged in their jobs. Offering timely support may also reduce the personal costs and the broader financial impact on the economy that is associated with reduced work capacity." This research shows why we must tackle tinnitus in the workplace. With nearly eight million adults in the UK experiencing tinnitus, the hidden costs are enormous in addition to the 750 million annual bill to the NHS for tackling tinnitus itself. Tinnitus UK is committed to helping employers provide welcoming, productive environments and support for those with tinnitus. Proper access to tinnitus care and resources will lead to a happier and healthier workforce, able to work longer and more productively." Alex Brooks-Johnson, CEO of Tinnitus UK Carterra Inc., the leading provider of technologies enabling high-throughput biology, today announced the launch of the Carterra Vega High-Throughput Surface Plasmon Resonance (HT-SPR) instrument. The industrys first 48-channel SPR platform, Vega delivers 12-fold higher throughput versus the market leading system for small molecule through large molecule discovery and development workflows. Image Credit: Carterra Inc. In the past, due to the lower throughput of traditional SPR platforms, researchers had to sacrifice resolution for speed, relegating SPR to secondary screening roles. That sacrifice is no longer necessary. Vega opens a new era, enabling the primary screening of large libraries with high-resolution binding. Vegas initial software configurations can screen more than 20,000 small molecule interactions per day, compared to a few thousand per day with current SPR systems. The Carterra Vega flow cell format includes an internal reference and two binding locations in every channel, allowing researchers to run the broadest range of label-free SPR applications currently available. Its speed, automation, and minimal sample consumption expand workflow flexibility across multiple applications and assay formats without operator intervention. With the optional robotic module, the instrument can operate unattended for days, further increasing throughput and efficiency. Carterras Vega platform comes at a time when there is a pressing need for highly parallel analysis of molecular interactions. AI-based drug discovery is now a part of most pharmaceutical and biotech discovery workflows. Carterras platforms, and now Vega in particular, enable investigators to train their algorithms from high-resolution data sets scaled to unprecedented size. There are no other label-free technologies that enable AI drug discovery at this scale. Carterras HT-SPR portfolio has been adopted by all the top 20 largest pharmaceutical companies, major Contract Research Organizations (CROs), and biotechs worldwide. Vega is Carterras latest innovation, developed to bring together industry-leading sensitivity and throughput in one platform. Building on the enhanced optics, advanced microfluidics and thermal control of the Carterra Ultra system launched in 2024, the Carterra Vega addresses a long-standing need among drug discovery scientists for parallel SPR measurements across a substantially higher number of channels. The process for putting Vega through its paces was conducted by Carterra scientists side-by-side with four Key Opinion Leaders (KOLs) comprised of three of the worlds largest pharmaceutical companies and one of the largest CROs. Both large and small molecule applications were optimized on the platform netting two application notes that are available now. Carterra is preparing to ship the first Vega purchase in Q1 of this year to one of the pharma KOLs who will be bringing it online immediately to speed small molecule discovery. One of the greatest challenges scientists face is time: the time required to screen large libraries of small molecules and fragments to find a promising lead. This process has been limited by the capabilities of legacy SPR systems. From working closely with researchers, we understand this is a significant frustration. The Carterra Vega platform is a technological leap forward - a true step change. Faster hit discovery with 48 parallel channels means a quicker route to viable clinical candidates. Vega is the only platform of its kind, opening new possibilities for early discovery teams to reshape workflows and accelerate pipelines. Josh Eckman, Co-Founder and CEO, Carterra The Vega platform is launching at Society for Laboratory Automation and Screening (SLAS) Conference and Exhibition, February 7-11th 2026, in Boston, MA, Booth #1138. Eppendorf, a leading international life science company that develops, manufactures, and distributes instruments, consumables, and services for use in laboratories around the world, today announced a collaboration with Dubai Police to advance the scientific capabilities of the citys justice system. Under the agreement, Dubai Police will integrate Eppendorfs automated laboratory platforms into forensics workflows, supporting faster crime detection and the delivery of conclusive evidence to judicial authorities. Eppendorf will provide Dubai Police with automated liquid handling platforms, including the Eppendorf epMotion 5075t and 5073t NGS Solutions. In addition, Eppendorf will provide specialized training programs to ensure seamless implementation and integration with existing instrumentation. This collaboration aims to support high-precision forensic analysis based on data processing, while ensuring smooth and sustainable workflows. The implementation of automated systems will reduce requirements for human intervention, and will accelerate processing times, analytical capacity and accuracy, facilitating more efficient criminal identification, optimizing Dubais judicial processes. We are proud to be partnering with Dubai Police, playing a critical role in enhancing analytical efficiency of Dubais forensic facilities. Combining Eppendorfs automation technologies with Dubai Polices forensic expertise will set a new standard for forensic excellence. Mathias Wenisch, Vice President Sales, Indirect Sales Area, Eppendorf Group H.E Major General Ahmad Thani bin Ghalita, Director of the General Department of Forensic Evidence and Criminology, Dubai Police, added: This partnership reflects our strategic commitment to enhancing forensic readiness through innovation and international collaboration. The agreement aims to elevate laboratory performance, improve operational efficiency and ensure highly accurate forensic results in line with global standards. Delhi: 32-year-old dies after falling into open drain in Rohini Last Updated: February 11, 2026, 05:30 IST Representational image (Image: News18) New Delhi [India], February 11 (ANI): A 32-year-old man died after falling into an open drain in Rohini Sector 32, near Mahashakti Kali Temple, in Begumpur area of Delhis Rohini.According to police, on Tuesday at 2:36 PM, a PCR call was received reporting a missing person suspected of falling into a sewer on vacant DDA land in Sector-32. Police rushed to the location, where the caller, Amir Hussain, stated that his friend, Birju Kumar Rai, had fallen into the manhole.Another labourer, Budhan Das, also known as Suraj, told police that he and Birju had consumed alcohol on Monday night, and while returning to their place around 7:30 pm, Birju lost balance and fell into an open manhole. Das did not inform anyone at night as he was intoxicated, but later he told Amir Hussain about the incident.The police further stated that the fire brigade, the DDA, and other agencies were informed, and a rescue operation was launched soon. The body of the victim was recovered from the manhole with the assistance of the fire brigade and was sent to the hospital for further proceedings.A PCR call at 02:36 PM reported a missing person at PS Begumpur, suspected of falling into a sewer on vacant DDA land in Sector-32, Rohini. Police rushed to the spot, where caller Amir Hussain stated that his friend Budhan Das@Suraj, both labourers, had consumed alcohol last night, and at about 07:30 P,M Birju lost his control and fell into the manhole while they were returning to their jhuggi nearby. Budhan Das@Suraj stated that he did not inform anyone at night, as he was intoxicated, and informed Amir Hussain as soon as he regained his senses, in the afternoon. DDA, Fire Brigade, and other agencies were informed, and the Police team started rescue efforts. The victim was recovered from the manhole with the help of the Fire Brigade and has been sent to the hospital for further legal proceedings. Further investigation is ongoing," the police said. First Published: February 11, 2026, 05:30 IST News agency-feeds Delhi: 32-year-old dies after falling into open drain in Rohini Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Subaru has released pricing for the 2026 Forester lineup, including the return of the Forester Hybrid. The compact SUV continues to be positioned as a practical option in Subaru's range, with updates aimed at usability and a broader mix of trims. Jeff Walters, President and Chief Operating Officer of Subaru of America, said the company understands that affordability remains a priority for many buyers and sees an opportunity to focus on value within one of its core models. The Forester Hybrid carries over after its 2025 introduction and starts at $34,730 before destination charges. Across the lineup, Subaru has revised the gear selector and cupholder layout to improve everyday ergonomics for front occupants. A new Sport Onyx Edition joins the range at $36,495. It includes 19-inch dark-finish alloy wheels, dark gray exterior badging, StarTex upholstery in black and gray, and a Harman Kardon audio system. Hybrid Powertrain and Technology Every Forester Hybrid uses a series-parallel hybrid system paired with a 2.5-liter Boxer engine, electric motors, and a continuously variable transmission. Output is rated at 194 horsepower, and Subaru estimates fuel economy improves by up to 40 percent compared with the non-hybrid model. The EPA rates the hybrid for a combined range of 581 miles. Symmetrical all-wheel drive remains standard. All hybrid trims receive an 11.6-inch multimedia navigation display with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility, along with a 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster. Trim Breakdown The Forester Premium Hybrid starts at $34,730 before destination charges and includes 18-inch wheels, Subaru's EyeSight driver-assistance suite with features such as Automatic Emergency Steering, blind-spot detection with rear cross-traffic alert, a hands-free power rear gate, and the dual-mode X-MODE system with hill descent control. Priced at $37,930 before destination charges, the Forester Sport Hybrid adds bronze-finish 19-inch wheels, a gloss-black grille, StarTex upholstery, a Harman Kardon audio system, and Reverse Automatic Braking. Advertisement Advertisement The Limited Hybrid begins at $38,995 before destination charges and brings additional convenience features such as an eight-way power-adjustable front passenger seat and rain-sensing wipers. It also includes a Harman Kardon system, Reverse Automatic Braking, and StarTex upholstery with blue stitching. At the top of the hybrid range, the Touring Hybrid starts at $41,545 before destination charges. Equipment includes a surround-view monitor, driver monitoring system, ventilated front seats, heated rear outboard seats, a heated steering wheel, a smart rearview mirror, and leather-trimmed upholstery with Ultrasuede inserts. Sport Onyx Edition Details The Sport Onyx Edition is powered by a non-hybrid 2.5-liter Boxer engine producing 180 horsepower and 178 lb-ft of torque. It uses a CVT with an eight-speed manual shift mode and paddle shifters. Subaru says the all-wheel-drive system has been revised for quicker center differential lockup and reduced wheelspin in low-traction conditions. The trim also receives unique suspension tuning shared with the Forester Sport, along with SI-Drive modes that allow drivers to adjust throttle response. Full Lineup Pricing The 2026 Forester range starts at $29,995 for the base model and tops out at $41,545 for the Touring Hybrid. Other notable prices include the Premium at $31,995, Sport at $34,795, Wilderness at $36,995, Limited at $35,995, and Touring at $39,995. Option packages range from $1,200 to $2,200 depending on equipment, typically bundling items such as the Harman Kardon audio system, navigation, power rear gate, digital gauge cluster, and Reverse Automatic Braking. All 2026 Forester models are built at Subaru of Indiana Automotive in Lafayette, Indiana. Destination charges are $1,450, with higher fees in Alaska and select northeastern states. Premium paint is available for an additional $395. This article was co-written using AI and was then heavily edited and optimized by our editorial team. Become an AutoGuide insider. Get the latest from the automotive world first by subscribing to our newsletter here. DGCA team visits Ajit Pawar plane crash site Last Updated: February 11, 2026, 22:30 IST Representational image (Image: News18) Pune, Feb 11 (PTI) A four-member team of senior DGCA officials on Wednesday visited the site of the plane crash that killed Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar and four others last month near Baramati in Pune district. They reviewed the CCTV camera footage and videos linked to the January 28 incident, said local officials. Ajit Pawar, Captain Sumit Kapoor, co-pilot Capt. Shambhavi Pathak, Personal Security Officer (PSO) Vidip Jadhav, and flight attendant Pinky Mali were killed when the Learjet aircraft crashed near the Baramati airport in Pune district. According to a statement issued by the Ministry of Civil Aviation after the death of Pawar and four others after the plane crash, Baramati has an `uncontrolled airfield (one without a dedicated Air Traffic Control), and traffic information is provided by instructors/pilots from the local flying training organisations. Union Civil Aviation Minister K Ram Mohan Naidu had said the investigation into the plane crash would follow a time-bound approach. The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) and the Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) had visited the site, and the Black Box of the ill-fated aircraft had been recovered. An official on January 30 stated that the Maharashtra Crime Investigation Department (CID) had initiated its probe into the plane crash. NCP (SP) MLA and late Ajit Pawars nephew, Rohit Pawar, had raised several questions regarding the sequence of events leading up to the plane crash. He alleged that there was a reason to suspect sabotage in the tragic incident and demanded a comprehensive probe by multiple expert agencies. PTI SPK NSK First Published: February 11, 2026, 22:30 IST News agency-feeds DGCA team visits Ajit Pawar plane crash site Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... ED raids in 2 UP districts against ex-madrassa teacher in money laundering case Last Updated: February 11, 2026, 22:30 IST Representational image (Image: News18) Lucknow, Feb 11 (PTI) The Enforcement Directorate on Wednesday conducted raids in Sant Kabir Nagar and Azamgarh districts of Uttar Pradesh as part of a money laundering investigation against a madrassa teacher, stated to be a UK citizen now, officials said. The case pertains to madrassa teacher Shamsul Huda Khan and some others. Three UP Police FIRs formed the basis of the ED case. Documents related to 17 immovable properties were seized during the searches, the officials said. Khan, who hails from Azamgarh district, was appointed an assistant teacher in a government-aided madrassa in 1984, according to the federal probe agency. Khan is alleged to have acquired British citizenship in 2013 but he allegedly continued to draw salary from 2013-2017 and pension till 2023 despite neither being an Indian citizen nor discharging teaching duties as he resided abroad, the officials said. It is also alleged that illegal funds were routed through NGOs controlled by the accused in the guise of donations and were utilised for constructing madrassas and acquiring other properties, as per the ED. A financial analysis of the bank accounts linked to Khan and entities controlled by him has found that he allegedly received Rs 5 crore in his personal capacity as well as in the name of Raza Foundation and Kuliyatul Banatir Razabia Educational and Welfare Society, said the officials. PTI NES KVK KVK First Published: February 11, 2026, 22:30 IST News agency-feeds ED raids in 2 UP districts against ex-madrassa teacher in money laundering case Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Jharkhand: 2 villagers killed in IED blast in Saranda forest Last Updated: February 11, 2026, 22:30 IST Representational image (Image: News18) Chaibasa (Jharkhand), Feb 11 (PTI) Two people were killed in an IED blast in Saranda forest in Jharkhands West Singhbhum district, police said on Wednesday. The two persons sustained injuries on Tuesday night and when security forces reached them on Wednesday evening, they were found dead. Police could not carry out a search operation on Tuesday night as it was dark and there was a possibility of other IEDs placed in the forest. We started search on Wednesday morning, and by the evening we found the two bodies. The deceased were identified as Salai Cheruwa and his cousin Jai Singh Cheruwa, both from Tirilposi village in Jeraikela police station area," its officer-in-charge Amit Kumar Paswan told PTI. West Singhbhum Superintendent of Police (SP) Amit Renu told PTI that the next of the kin of the deceased would receive compensation as per norms. We have sent the bodies for post-mortem examination," the SP said. The SP said that the two persons had gone inside the forest on Tuesday evening to collect firewood and accidentally stepped on IEDs placed by the Maoists. PTI ANB ACD First Published: February 11, 2026, 22:30 IST News agency-feeds Jharkhand: 2 villagers killed in IED blast in Saranda forest Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... NFITU opts out of nationwide strike, calls it politically motivated Last Updated: February 12, 2026, 01:45 IST Representational image (Image: News18) New Delhi [India], February 12 (ANI): The National Front of Indian Trade Unions (NFITU) on Wednesday announced that it will not participate in the nationwide strike called for February 12 by ten central trade unions against the four labour codes and the VB GRAM G Act, terming the proposed protest politically motivated."Speaking to ANI in Guwahati, NFITU General Secretary Nilam Hazarika said, A strike is proposed across the country against the new labour law tomorrow. We at NFITU will not participate because we believe it is politically motivated. The facilities not covered by this law are now available. This is a successful effort by PM Modi."Echoing similar views from Karnataka, NFITU state president Venkatesh told ANI in Bengaluru, I welcome the new labour codes by the central government. They favour the workers. In the code introduced now, it says equal work and equal payment. It is now mandatory to issue an appointment letter. We will not join the strike tomorrow. The working class will not go on strike."In Bhubaneswar, NFITU Odisha president Prasanta Padhi told ANI, A nationwide strike is going to be held on 12 th February, 2026 by various trade unions. The NFITU does not support it. There is a way to make your demands heard. This strike might benefit or harm the workers. NFITU has welcomed these new labour laws nationwide. We have given a few suggestions to the government."He said NFITU and 14 affiliated federations have already submitted suggestions to the Centre regarding labour reforms and met the Union Labour Minister in Odisha and Delhi. The Labour Minister has assured us that it will definitely happen," he said.Meanwhile, the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) showed support for the nationwide general strike called by Central Trade Unions (CTUs) on February 12. The joint action aims to protest the privatisation, contractualisation, four labour codes, the Electricity Amendment Bill 2025, changes to the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), and the proposed Seed Bill. Large-scale participation from farmers, agricultural workers, and industrial unions nationwide is expected at protest sites across the country, including PRTC, power employees, and other worker organisations.Apple farmers in Himachal Pradesh have also intensified preparations to join the nationwide farmers strike and announced a Delhi march, warning that recent import duty reductions under India-US and other free trade agreements could devastate the hill states apple-based economy, despite repeated assurances by Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal that Indian apple growers interests will be protected. (ANI) First Published: February 12, 2026, 01:45 IST News agency-feeds NFITU opts out of nationwide strike, calls it politically motivated Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... One killed, 5 injured in two road accidents in Odisha Last Updated: February 11, 2026, 20:45 IST Representational image (Image: News18) Balasore (Odisha) Feb 11 (PTI) One person was killed and five others were injured in two road accidents in Odishas Balasore district on Wednesday, police said. A school peon died after a truck hit him in Telipali area of Nilgiri block. Following the accident, hundreds of irate students of Telipali High School and local villagers blocked the main road, demanding adequate compensation for the deceaseds family, a police officer said, adding that traffic flow was affected. They alleged that the peon died due to the rough driving of the truck engaged by a local contractor for the repair of the road. Police lifted the road blockade and launched an investigation. In another accident, five people were injured, two of them seriously, after a car in which they were travelling rammed into a container truck on NH-16 near Talanagar in Soro police station area. All the injured were admitted to Soro hospital, but two of them were later shifted to Balasore district headquarters hospital for better treatment. The Kakatpur-bound car coming from Kuliana in neighbouring Mayurbhanj district hit the container and rolled into a roadside ditch. Police and NHAI officials rescued the injured persons. The container driver fled the spot and a manhunt has been launched to nab him, another police officer said. PTI COR BBM BBM ACD First Published: February 11, 2026, 20:45 IST News agency-feeds One killed, 5 injured in two road accidents in Odisha Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Trump, Netanyahu hold talks amid Phase 2 Gaza ceasefire Last Updated: February 12, 2026, 00:45 IST Representational image (Image: News18) Washington DC [US], February 12 (ANI): Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House on Wednesday (local time), marking their sixth meeting since Trump returned to office in early 2025.Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is now meeting with US President Donald Trump, at the White House," Israeli PMs Office said.https://x.com/IsraeliPM/status/2021637196135190958?s=20Earlier in the day, he met US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.https://x.com/IsraeliPM/status/2021620511818834400?s=20Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met, at Blair House in Washington, with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Prior to his meeting with President Trump at the White House, Prime Minister Netanyahu signed up, in the presence of Secretary of State Rubio, as a member of the Board of Peace," as per his office.Netanyahu said shortly before departing for Washington that Gaza would be among a series of issues" to be discussed during his meeting with Trump, CNN reported.The US announced the start of the next phase of the Gaza ceasefire plan in mid-January, following the formation of a new committee intended to administer the battered enclave.The conclusion of the first phase of the US-brokered, 20-point ceasefire agreement, which went into effect in mid-October, came after the remains of the final deceased Israeli hostage in Gaza were returned to Israel in January, and the Rafah crossing between Gaza and Egypt was partially reopened last week.Trump has pushed to advance the ceasefire into its second phase, alongside plans for a governing board and a Palestinian technocratic committee to run Gaza. Netanyahu, however, has continued to stress that Hamas must disarm before any reconstruction can begin in the shattered enclave, as per CNN.In January, US special envoy Steve Witkoff said the second phase of the plan would focus on demilitarisation, technocratic governance, and reconstruction," though he provided few details on how the most contentious provisions would be implemented, CNN reported.Netanyahus visit to Washington also comes as Israel has taken a series of sweeping steps to tighten its control over the occupied West Bank. (ANI) First Published: February 12, 2026, 00:45 IST News agency-feeds Trump, Netanyahu hold talks amid Phase 2 Gaza ceasefire Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... UK counter-terror police question teenage suspect over school stabbing Last Updated: February 11, 2026, 19:45 IST Representational image (Image: News18) London, Feb 11 (PTI) The UKs counter-terrorism officers are on Wednesday questioning a 13-year-old boy arrested on suspicion of the attempted murder of two schoolboys after a stabbing incident at a school in north-west London. The incident at Kingsbury High School in Brent on Tuesday has not been declared a terrorist attack, but the Metropolitan Police said the investigation is being led by officers from Counter Terrorism Policing London due to the surrounding circumstances". The two victims, aged 12 and 13, remain in a serious condition in hospital and the appalling attack" was also raised in the UK Parliament during the weekly Prime Ministers Questions (PMQs). We thank the police for their rapid response. Its important now that we give them the space to pursue their investigation," Prime Minister Keir Starmer told the House of Commons. Some UK media reports have indicated that eyewitnesses heard the teenage suspect shout something sounding like an Arabic phrase. The Met Police said it is keeping an open mind as to any motivation behind this attack". This is a fast-moving and developing investigation, but we are not currently looking for anyone else in relation to this incident," said Detective Chief Superintendent Luke Williams of the Met Police. This has not currently been declared a terrorist incident and the investigation team will now be working at pace to gather any evidence and to establish the full circumstances of what has happened as quickly as possible. I absolutely recognise that this incident will cause considerable concern especially among our local community, students and parents of the school. I hope the news that weve arrested and detained the suspect will provide some reassurance, but our officers will remain in the area to offer support and answer any questions," he said. The police have appealed to the public to come forward with any information connected with the school stabbing, attended to by armed officers within 13 minutes of an emergency 999 call. While the suspect had fled the scene by then, the teenager was later arrested, and a weapon believed to have been used in the stabbing was recovered. While the suspect is believed to have some previous connection with the school, he is not a current pupil at the school. In a letter to parents, Kingsbury High School principal Alex Thomas told parents the incident was a deeply traumatic event for the whole school community". Violence like this has no place in our city," said London Mayor Sadiq Khan, as he appealed for people to come forward with information. There is no honour in staying silent," he added. Dawn Butler, the local MP for Brent East where the school is located, said the community has been deeply shocked" by the attack. Its a parents worst nightmare to think they are sending their child to school and something may well happen to them," said the Labour MP. Parents, students and teachers will need support during this difficult time," she said. According to the schools website, UK schools watchdog Ofsted had praised the vibrant, inclusive culture" of the institution following an inspection two years ago and found that pupils felt happy and safe" at the school. PTI AK RD RD RD First Published: February 11, 2026, 19:45 IST News agency-feeds UK counter-terror police question teenage suspect over school stabbing Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Pisces Horoscope Today, February 11, 2026 Written By : GaneshaGrace Last Updated: February 11, 2026, 07:05 IST Pisces Daily Horoscope, February 11, 2026: You will fulfill your responsibilities and see an increase in professional performance. There will be a sense of cooperation. Pisces Horoscope Today: Astrological predictions by Chirag Daruwalla for meena rashi on February 11, 2026. (AI generated image) Pisces Daily Horoscope Today, 11 February 2026: Ganesha says today is a very good horoscope for you from a financial point of view. You have to use efficient strategies to keep your financial condition stable. You have to be patient with your work and pay attention to your sensitive topics. You should review your investments today and boost your investments. You will need to reduce uncontrolled expenses to increase your income. You can consider starting new things and maintaining a fast pace in your work environment. Activity will increase, and obstacles will be removed. You will fulfill your responsibilities and see an increase in professional performance. There will be a sense of cooperation, and educational matters will improve. Your lifestyle will be attractive, and you will focus on your goals, increasing your good work. Your ideas will remain high, and your discussions and communications will be impressive. Positive Today, your respect will increase. You will feel light by talking to positive people around you. Today you will have a wonderful time. Along with daily tasks, you will be able to complete other tasks very easily. Negative Do not be careless while shopping, etc. Spending on useless activities can spoil the budget. Do not let the relationship with your brothers sour. Pay attention to the advice and guidance of elders. Business Some work may stop in the work area. Also, follow the advice of an experienced person. People associated with the stock market and boom-bust cycles should work carefully. Investing in expansion plans will also be beneficial. Financial- You will make thoughtful decisions in money matters and you may also benefit from it. You will have to do better financial planning. Take good care of your car or vehicle as there a signs of loss due to theft. You will want to take good care of your most important property today as this property may suffer some damage or loss through no fault of your own. The efforts you make in business may bear fruit. Your efforts to strengthen your financial position may be intensified. To earn good money, you will try to spread your sources of income a little more. Make sure neighbors also keep an eye out for suspicious behavior now. If you are alert, you should be able to get through today without any damage. To manage your expenses, you should make a budget and spend accordingly. This may improve your financial condition. Love Spending some time with family members will bring more love to mutual relationships. Separation can also happen due to some misunderstanding in love relationships. Health There may be problems like a cough and an allergy. Trust more in natural ways to cure the disease. Lucky Color Light Pink Lucky Number 12 (The author Chirag Daruwalla is the son of Astrologer Bejan Daruwalla). First Published: February 11, 2026, 07:05 IST News astrology horoscope Pisces Horoscope Today, February 11, 2026 Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... On This Day, Airbus A340-500 Made Its First Flight, But Kingfishers Plan Of Nonstop US Routes Never Took Off Curated By : Trending Desk Last Updated: February 11, 2026, 16:07 IST Airbus A340-500 was introduced in 2002 as the worlds longest-range commercial aircraft that was capable of flying up to 10,360 miles nonstop. Kingfisher Airlines had ordered A340-500 for its international routes. (Photo Credit: X) In 2002 on this day, the Airbus A340-500 took to the skies for the first time. Back then, it was introduced as the worlds longest-range commercial aircraft that was capable of flying up to 10,360 miles nonstop. The jet was designed to connect cities that were once considered too far apart for direct flights. Recently, a post on social media brought this aircraft back into the spotlight. It highlighted an interesting connection between the A340-500 and an Indian airline that no longer exists: Kingfisher Airlines. 23 years ago today, the Airbus A340-500 took to the skies for the very first time. Indias Kingfisher had ordered 5 and had plans to launch non-stop flights from Bengaluru to San Francisco using them. Sadly they were never delivered. Looks great in Kingfisher livery," the tweet on X (formerly Twitter) read. 23 years ago today, the @Airbus A340-500 took to the skies for the very first time.India's Kingfisher had ordered 5 and had plans to launch non-stop flights from Bengaluru to San Francisco using them. Sadly they were never delivered. Looks great in Kingfisher livery.#AvGeek pic.twitter.com/ZdK5XSL5mH VT-VLO (@Vinamralongani) February 11, 2026 Lets take a closer look at Kingfishers Airbus journey and the ambitions that never fully took flight. Kingfishers Early Airbus Strategy Kingfisher Airlines began operations in 2005 and from the very start, it chose Airbus as its aircraft partner. And what is the most interesting part is that not even a single Boeing aircraft ever became part of its main commercial fleet. The airline launched with four brand-new Airbus A320-200 aircraft on the busy MumbaiDelhi route. Over time, as it expanded, Kingfisher added other variants from the same family: A319 and A321. For a brief period, it became the only airline in India to operate all three members of the A320 family, before Air India expanded its fleet in 2007. Heres how its narrowbody fleet was structured: A320-200: 24 aircraft A319-100: 4 aircraft A321-200: 8 aircraft According to a report in Simple Flying, one of the A319 aircraft had a special configuration. It was set up as a corporate jet for Vijay Mallya and the United Breweries Group but it was also offered for charter services. The airline even planned to use it for premium long-haul services to Europe and one-stop routes to US for corporate travellers by charging between $4,500 (approximately Rs 4.07 lakh) and $5,000 per hour (around Rs 4.53 lakh). The Clever Move To Go International At the time, Indian regulations required airlines to operate domestically for at least five years before launching international services. Kingfisher found a workaround by acquiring the low-cost carrier Air Deccan. This move helped it meet the five-year requirement faster and begin international expansion. In 2008, Kingfisher started international operations using five brand-new Airbus A330-200 aircraft. These widebody jets were deployed on routes such as Delhi-London. The A340-500 And The San Francisco Dream That Never Came To Be Kingfisher had big plans for the Airbus A340-500. The airline ordered five of these ultra-long-range aircraft to operate nonstop flights between Bengaluru and San Francisco. If launched, this would have been a major milestone for Indian aviation. But due to mounting financial troubles, the aircraft were never delivered. The five A340-500s eventually went to other operators: two to Azerbaijan Airlines, two to Springjet and one to the Tunisian Government. The Flying Bars" That Grabbed Headlines When Kingfisher launched international operations in 2008 with its Airbus A330-200 aircraft, it once again focused on luxury. The cabins were designed to stand out, and one of the most talked-about features was the onboard bar. Inspired by airlines like Virgin Atlantic, these flying bars" became a symbol of Kingfishers glamorous image. The airline even hosted celebrity-filled promotional flights, with stars such as Preity Zinta spotted attending onboard events. The feature generated massive publicity and reinforced the brands high-end positioning. The Even Bigger Airbus Orders Kingfishers ambitions did not stop with the A340-500. The airline placed orders for other Airbus widebodies as well: Five A350-800 aircraft Five Airbus A380s in 2005 later increased to ten in 2008 The A380 order was especially bold. Kingfisher aimed to become Indias first operator of the superjumbo aircraft. Unfortunately, financial difficulties and the global economic crisis halted these plans. None of the A350s or A380s were delivered. What Went Wrong As financial pressures increased, Kingfishers expansion slowed. At the time of shutdown in 2012, several aircraft orders remained undelivered. Its five A330-200 aircraft were repossessed and one was later scrapped in France. The airlines ambitious growth strategy, heavy spending on luxury branding and mounting debts eventually led to its collapse. Airbus In India: The Bigger Picture Airbus today holds a strong position in India, with around 72 per cent share of the domestic market. Several Indian airlines operated Airbus aircraft apart from Kingfisher. Indian Airlines was the pioneer in bringing Airbus to India in 1976 with the A300B2. Later, Air India added A300s in 1982. Currently, the major Airbus operators in India include: IndiGo has over 400 A320 family aircraft. Air India has A320 family aircraft with A321s and A350 as widebodies planes. Air India Express has A320neo fleet. Vistaras Airbus fleet has now merged into Air India. SpiceJet primarily operates Boeing aircraft but leased an A340 in 2025. Location : Delhi, India, India First Published: February 11, 2026, 16:07 IST News auto On This Day, Airbus A340-500 Made Its First Flight, But Kingfishers Plan Of Nonstop US Routes Never Took Off Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... 99% Of Jobs May Disappear By 2027, Only These 5 Roles Could Survive: AI Expert Curated By : Translation Desk Last Updated: February 10, 2026, 15:18 IST Dr Yampolskiy, who has published more than 100 research papers on AI safety and risk, said there is virtually no profession that cannot be automated Rapid Read Computer-based jobs would be the first to be replaced, followed by physical labour as humanoid robots become more advanced. A leading artificial intelligence (AI) expert has issued a stark warning that is drawing global attention, claiming that rapid advances in AI could reshape the world of work far sooner than expected. Dr Roman Yampolskiy, a Latvian-born computer scientist and professor at the University of Louisville, has said that Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) could arrive as early as 2027, potentially triggering widespread job losses across industries. Speaking in a conversation with Steven Bartlett on The Diary of a CEO podcast, Dr Yampolskiy said AGI would be capable of performing every cognitive task better than humans. According to him, the consequences could be unprecedented, with up to 99% of jobs disappearing within the next five years. Dr Yampolskiy, who has published more than 100 research papers on AI safety and risk, said there is virtually no profession that cannot be automated. He explained that while earlier technological advancements were designed to assist humans, AI is moving towards operating independently. As a result, he believes large-scale unemployment is not just possible but likely. He noted that computer-based jobs would be the first to be replaced, followed by physical labour as humanoid robots become more advanced. By 2030, he said, machines could be capable of handling most forms of physical work. Such rapid changes, he warned, could push unemployment levels to heights never seen before. Even 10% unemployment is frightening, but AI could cause up to 99% unemployment," he said, adding that current AI models already have the potential to replace around 60% of existing jobs. He also argued that many roles he described as unnecessary" could vanish even without full automation. Dr Yampolskiy expressed scepticism about retraining as a solution, stating that there may be no alternative career paths left if AI becomes capable of doing everything humans can. His projection of AGI arriving by 2027 is based on forecasts from prediction markets and statements by leaders of major AI companies. He added that once AGI emerges, superintelligent systems far smarter than humans could follow. While his broader concern includes the long-term risks of superintelligence, his immediate focus remains on employment. He believes AI will outperform humans even in creative fields such as media production, content creation and podcasting, as machines can work faster, with greater accuracy and access to vast amounts of data. Despite the bleak outlook, Dr Yampolskiy said a small number of roles may continue to exist. According to him, these 5 jobs would still remain. Personal Services for the Wealthy: Personalised services for the rich may continue to exist, as many high-net-worth individuals could still prefer human accountants, personal assistants and similar professionals over AI-driven alternatives. Emotion-Centred Roles: Jobs that require an emotional or personal touch are also likely to remain, particularly where empathy, trust and human connection are essential, such as certain therapy or relationship-based professions, though opportunities in this area may be limited. AI Oversight and Regulation: Specialists may be needed to monitor, control and regulate AI systems, especially as safety, ethical and operational concerns continue to persist. AI Intermediaries and Explainers: There could be demand for individuals who understand AI and help organisations or people adopt, deploy and interpret these technologies effectively. Prompt Engineers and Specialised AI Handlers: In the initial years, roles related to prompt engineering and handling AI systems may be available, but these could become less common over time as the technology becomes more advanced and self-sufficient. He argued that societies may eventually need to adopt systems like Universal Basic Income, as AI could generate enough productivity and resources to support populations without traditional employment. However, he warned that existing social and economic systems are not prepared for such a shift. The warning carries particular significance for countries with large young populations and existing employment challenges. If job losses occur at the pace predicted, millions could be affected. While many experts have called for governments to begin planning policy responses and investing in skill development, Dr Yampolskiy believes that retraining alone may not be sufficient to counter the scale of disruption AI could bring. First Published: February 10, 2026, 15:18 IST News business 99% Of Jobs May Disappear By 2027, Only These 5 Roles Could Survive: AI Expert Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... A Tesla owner in Australia just fanned the never-ending debate over electric vehicle depreciation after revealing that his nearly new Model 3 Performance lost a staggering amount of value just weeks after buying the car. While depreciation is a familiar reality for car buyers everywhere, the speed and scale of this drop have renewed questions about Tesla pricing, EV resale values, and whether the promise of electric cars as long-term investments still holds up. The Sydney-based driver said he paid close to $100,000 Australian dollars (around $US71,200) for a 2026 Tesla Model 3 Performance, believing he just bought into a premium brand thatd retain its value better than most. Just 12 weeks later, that assumption was shattered. Image Credit: Tesla. A Tesla trade-in estimate reportedly pegged the cars value at roughly $63,400 AUD (around $US44,950), representing a loss of nearly $37,000 (over $US26,000) in just three months. Advertisement Advertisement I get that cars depreciate, but this feels next level, the owner wrote on a Facebook group for Tesla owners, calling the experience beyond frustrated. He described the emotional whiplash of watching tens of thousands of dollars vanish almost overnight, adding that it was difficult not to feel ripped off when confronted with the numbers. Why Tesla Values Are Crashing at Record Speed While the story unfolded in Australia, its implications are deeply relevant to America. Teslas aggressive global pricing strategy and frequent price adjustments have made depreciation a growing concern for owners on both sides of the Pacific. In recent years, Tesla has repeatedly slashed new vehicle prices to stimulate demand, often without warning, instantly reducing the resale value of cars already sitting in driveways. Image Credit: Tesla. Data from the Australian Automotive Dealer Association highlights just how pronounced the trend has become. According to its 2025 Automotive Insights Report, a one-year-old electric vehicle in Australia loses an average of 25 percent of its value. Advertisement Advertisement By comparison, petrol-powered vehicles lose about 11.5 percent over the same period. Diesel vehicles fare even better, dropping just 5 percent, while hybrids and traditional petrol cars emerged as the strongest value holders, declining only 1.7 percent over a year. Industry analysts point to several forces driving the accelerated depreciation of EVs. One major factor is aggressive discounting by automakers. When new vehicles suddenly appear on the market at sharply reduced prices, lightly used examples become harder to sell without major concessions. Tesla has been a leader in this strategy, frequently cutting prices to maintain volume and fend off competition. A Warning Shot for American EV Buyers Image Credit: Anonymous member, Tesla Owners Group Sydney/Facebook. Technology also plays a role. EVs evolve quickly, and newer models often arrive with longer range, faster charging, and improved cooling systems. That rapid progress can make even recent vehicles feel outdated, pushing down resale values faster than in the internal combustion era. Advertisement Advertisement Teslas own history adds another layer of irony. In 2019, CEO Elon Musk famously claimed Tesla vehicles would increase in value over time thanks to software upgrades and future self-driving capabilities. For many owners today, that promise feels increasingly distant, especially as hardware changes and pricing resets erase perceived gains. Competition is another pressure point. In Australia, a wave of new EV brands, many from China, has entered the market with aggressively priced alternatives. Brands such as MG, Ford, Nissan, and Jeep have all cut EV prices, further intensifying the race to the bottom. MGs MG4, for example, reportedly dropped from around $41,000 to just over $30,000 AUD. Arent we facing similar dynamics in America? As more automakers flood the market with electric options and price wars continue, resale values are becoming less predictable. The Australian Tesla owners experience might be a warning to everyone who still believe EVs, and Teslas in particular, are immune to traditional depreciation rules. Nationwide Bank Strike On February 12: Will Branches Remain Open Or Closed? Reported By : News18.com Last Updated: February 11, 2026, 10:45 IST Major bank unions across India have called for a nationwide strike on Thursday, February 12 Bank Holiday Tomorrow: Are Banks Open Or Closed? Nationwide Bank Strike on February 12, 2026: Major bank unions across India have called for a nationwide strike on Thursday, February 12, 2026, raising questions among customers about whether banks will remain operational that day. Many account holders and businesses are keen to know if they can schedule transactions or visit branches as usual. Bank of Baroda has informed the BSE about the potential impact of the strike on its operations. But the key question remains: will banks be open or closed on February 12? Which Bank Bodies Are Calling the Strike? Leading bank associations, including the All India Bank Employees Association (AIBEA), All India Bank Officers Association (AIBOA), and Bank Employees Federation of India (BEFI), have urged their members to participate in the strike. The move is supported by 10 Central Trade Unions (CTUs) across the country. The strike is being held to oppose four new Labour Codes notified by the government in November 2025, which replace 29 existing labour laws, and to resist what unions describe as increasing attacks on the working class." In a letter to their units and employees, the bank bodies stated: The labour codes proposed to be implemented are totally against the workers and stringent conditions have been prescribed to register trade unions." Bank unions have also long demanded better work-life balance and a five-day work week. Are Banks Likely to Be Open on February 12? As of now, no major bank or the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has officially declared February 12, 2026, as a holiday. Therefore, banks are expected to remain open. However, some banks have cautioned about possible operational disruptions. Bank of Baroda, for instance, submitted a precautionary note to the BSE, highlighting potential impacts if the strike occurs as planned. Bank of Barodas Advisory to BSE In its letter to the BSE, Bank of Baroda said: The Bank is taking all the necessary steps for the smooth functioning of the banks branches and offices on the day of the strike. In the event the strike materialises, the functioning of the branches and offices may be affected." The bank added that it had received a formal notice of the strike from AIBEA, AIBOA, and BEFI, indicating their intention to go on strike on February 12, 2026, over various demands and issues. First Published: February 11, 2026, 10:45 IST News business banking-finance Nationwide Bank Strike On February 12: Will Branches Remain Open Or Closed? Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... How India Imports Oil From 40 Countries And Where It's Stored | Explained Curated By : Translation Desk Last Updated: February 11, 2026, 18:13 IST India ranks among the top five refining hubs globally and is the fourth-largest refiner after the United States, China and Russia Rapid Read The process of importing crude is managed by both public and private sector companies, including Indian Oil, Bharat Petroleum, Hindustan Petroleum and Reliance Industries. India has built up enough oil storage capacity to sustain itself for nearly 75 days in the event of a sudden disruption in global supplies, Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri has said, underlining the countrys growing energy security framework. With daily consumption estimated at around 55-56 lakh barrels, the reserve buffer reflects a significant strengthening of storage and procurement systems over the past decade. As the worlds third-largest consumer of crude oil, India produces only about 12-13% of its requirements domestically and depends heavily on oil imports for the rest. Over the years, however, its sourcing pattern has undergone a major transformation. Earlier, Iraq, Saudi Arabia and Iran dominated as the countrys primary suppliers. In recent years, Russia emerged as the largest source, at one point accounting for nearly 30% of Indias crude imports, though data from December 2025 indicated some decline amid sanctions and global pressure. India has since widened its supplier base significantly. The number of countries from which it imports oil has grown from 27 to around 40, reflecting a conscious effort to diversify risk. As of February 2026, Russia continues to be a major supplier, followed by Iraq, Saudi Arabia and the UAE. Imports from the United States have also increased, while new possibilities are being explored in Venezuela, where India is considering purchases of heavy crude. Guyana, currently one of the fastest-growing oil producers in the world, has invited Indian companies to participate in offshore block auctions in 2026, raising prospects of both imports and investment in exploration. New interest is also emerging in regions beyond traditional African suppliers such as Nigeria and Angola, including Suriname and Namibia. Indias strategic petroleum reserves form the backbone of its emergency preparedness. The country has about 5.33 million metric tonnes of underground crude storage, which alone can meet roughly 9.5 days of demand. Additional reserves maintained by oil marketing companies at refineries and terminals can supply petrol, diesel and other fuels for about 64.5 days. Combined, these stocks provide a buffer of approximately 74-75 days, ensuring that essential sectors such as transport, agriculture and industry remain functional during global supply disruptions or price shocks. The main strategic reserve sites are located at Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh, Mangalore and Padur in Karnataka. These facilities store crude oil in underground salt caverns, considered among the safest long-term storage solutions. Large salt formations are hollowed out using a method known as solution mining to create vast cavities capable of holding millions of tonnes of crude. Beyond these reserves, refineries and fuel terminals across the country maintain substantial operational stocks of petrol, diesel and aviation fuel. India is now working to expand its storage capacity further, with plans for a new reserve at Chandikhol in Odisha and potential expansion at existing sites. The long-term aim is to build reserves sufficient to cover 90 days or more of demand, in line with global energy security standards. The process of importing crude is managed by both public and private sector companies, including Indian Oil, Bharat Petroleum, Hindustan Petroleum and Reliance Industries. These firms enter into purchase agreements with global producers, with shipments arriving on marine tankers at major ports such as Mumbai, Jamnagar and Visakhapatnam. Payments are typically made in dollars, though some deals allow transactions in rupees. Global crude prices and currency exchange rates directly influence domestic petrol and diesel prices. Once imported, crude oil is refined within the country. India ranks among the top five refining hubs globally and is the fourth-largest refiner after the United States, China and Russia. The country operates 23 major refineries, including 19 in the public sector, three private facilities and one joint venture. The Jamnagar refinery, operated by Reliance, is the largest in the world. These refineries process crude into petrol, diesel, aviation fuel, kerosene and other products for domestic use and export. Oil quality varies widely depending on its source. Light crude with lower sulphur content is easier and cheaper to refine, while heavier grades require more complex processing. Crude from the US and Europe often comes at higher cost due to production and transport expenses. Supplies from Russia, Iraq and Saudi Arabia have often been available at discounted rates, making them particularly attractive to Indian buyers in recent years. Transport remains a largely globalised operation. Nearly 95 per cent of the oil tankers carrying crude to India are privately owned and chartered, mostly by foreign shipping firms, while India maintains only a limited number of its own vessels. First Published: February 11, 2026, 18:13 IST News business economy How India Imports Oil From 40 Countries And Where It's Stored | Explained Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... India Rules Out E-Cigarette Ban Relaxation, Dealing Blow To Philip Morris' IQOS Push: Report Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: February 11, 2026, 16:42 IST The government of India is not considering revoking, amending or relaxing this ban, according to a report. According to Euromonitor estimates cited by Reuters, Philip Morris increased its share of Indias cigarette market to 7.6% in 2024 from 1.75% in 2019. (Representative Image) India has ruled out any relaxation of its ban on e-cigarettes, including heat-not-burn tobacco products, dealing a setback to a sustained lobbying campaign by tobacco giant Philip Morris International, according to a Reuters report. Citing a response from the Union Health Ministry to queries from Reuters, the report said the government has no plans to revisit the 2019 prohibition. The government of India is not considering revoking, amending or relaxing this ban," the health ministry said, according to Reuters. India remains committed to evidence-based tobacco control and cessation measures," it added, noting that the existing law explicitly prohibits heat-not-burn devices and that the position would remain unchanged. India banned e-cigarettes, including heated tobacco products, in 2019. The country is the worlds seventh-largest cigarette market by volume, with more than 100 billion cigarettes sold annually. Tobacco use kills over a million people in India each year. The decision is a blow to Philip Morris International, the worlds most valuable tobacco company, which had hoped India would open its market to its flagship heated tobacco device, IQOS. The company maintains that IQOS is less harmful than traditional cigarettes. According to Reuters, a review of confidential company letters from 2021 to 2025 showed that the Marlboro maker privately lobbied senior Indian officials and a parliamentary health panel to consider the scientific evidence behind devices like IQOS and to exempt heat-not-burn products from the ban. Philip Morris executives also met state government officials in Davos in January to discuss long-term opportunities in the tobacco sector using products such as IQOS, photographs on LinkedIn showed, Reuters reported. A spokesperson for Philip Morris did not directly comment on the ministrys statement but said the company regularly engages with governments around the world, including at major international forums such as Davos, to discuss how smoke-free products can greatly advance public health". In an interview with Reuters, Chief Executive Jacek Olczak said he had engaged with various stakeholders in India and described it as illogical" for the country to keep the market closed to smoking alternatives such as heated tobacco and vapes while continuing to allow conventional cigarettes. It remains unclear whether any other tobacco companies are lobbying against the ban. Philip Morris says it holds a 76% share of the global heated tobacco market. Launched in 2014, IQOS has more than 35 million users worldwide and was sold in 79 markets last year, with about 151 billion IQOS units sold in 2025. The device has gained traction in countries such as Japan and is seen by analysts as a key growth driver for the company as cigarette volumes decline in several markets. According to Euromonitor estimates cited by Reuters, Philip Morris increased its share of Indias cigarette market to 7.6% in 2024 from 1.75% in 2019. Its rival, British American Tobacco, holds a stake in ITC Limited, which dominates Indias cigarette market. Some regulators, including the US Food and Drug Administration, have concluded that IQOS may benefit public health if smokers switch completely from cigarettes. However, the World Health Organization has cautioned about the risks posed by heated tobacco products. According to Reuters, Philip Morris ran a four-year campaign to persuade Indian authorities and a parliamentary panel to reconsider the ban. In one 2023 letter, Ankur Modi, then the companys chief strategy officer, urged India to explore harm reduction approaches for smoking, similar to harm reduction policy for HIV/AIDS", such as condom promotion. The company also proposed bringing scientists and former US FDA officials to present data and global experience demonstrating how such devices improve lives". In a November letter cited by Reuters, Philip Morris said it was deeply committed to, and invested in the future of India" and called for a review of scientific evidence on heated tobacco products by the Indian Council of Medical Research. However, the state-run ICMR told Reuters it was not considering or undertaking any research on heated tobacco products". Reuters said it is the first to report Indias decision to maintain the ban and the details of Philip Morris lobbying efforts. First Published: February 11, 2026, 16:42 IST News business economy India Rules Out E-Cigarette Ban Relaxation, Dealing Blow To Philip Morris' IQOS Push: Report Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Fractal Analytics IPO Receives 2.8x Subscription On Day 3; Retail Quota Booked 1.1x Reported By : News18.com Last Updated: February 11, 2026, 17:28 IST Unlisted shares of Fractal Analytics Ltd trade at Rs 907 apiece in the grey market, which is 0.78% premium over the upper IPO price of Rs 900, indicating a subdued listing. Fractal Analytics IPO Day 3: Check subscription status, GMP today. Fractal Analytics IPO: The initial public offering (IPO) of Fractal Analytics Ltd has closed today, February 11. The price of the Rs 2,833.9-crore IPO was fixed in the range of Rs 857 to Rs 900 apiece. On the final day of bidding on Wednesday, the IPO received a 2.81x subscription, receiving bids for 4,95,44,176 shares as against 1,76,18,278 shares on offer. Its retail category has got a 1.10x subscription so far, while its non-institutional investor (NII) quota got a 1.11x subscription. The qualified institutional buyers (QIB) category got 4.41x subscription. Fractal Analytics IPO GMP Today According to market observers, unlisted shares of Fractal Analytics Ltd were trading at Rs 907 apiece in the grey market, which is a 0.78 per cent premium over the upper IPO price of Rs 900. It indicates a subdued listing. Its listing will take place on February 16, Monday. The GMP had stood at 1.44% on the first day of the IPO on Monday and 0.89% on the second day. The GMP is based on market sentiments and keeps changing. Grey market premium indicates investors readiness to pay more than the issue price. Fractal Analytics IPO: What Brokerages Say Sr. No. Brokerage House Recommendation 1 Anand Rathi Ltd. Subscribe for long term 2 BP Wealth Ltd. Subscribe for long term 3 SMIFS Ltd. Subscribe for long term 4 Sushil Finance Ltd. Subscribe for long term 5 Geojit Financial Subscribe for long term 6 Hem Securities Subscribe for long term 7 Master Trust Subscribe for long term 8 Kunvarji Wealth Solutions Ltd. Subscribe for long term 9 Lakshmishree Securities Ltd. Subscribe for long term 10 Arihant Capital Market Ltd. Subscribe 11 Ventura Securities Ltd. Subscribe 12 GEPL Capital Ltd. Subscribe 13 Swastika Securities Ltd. Subscribe 14 Stoxbox Subscribe ICICI Direct in its report said, Fractal is building a comprehensive suite of AI solutions and products. However, when we benchmark its AI investments vs. peers on objective parameters such as R&D intensity, capex intensity, patent filings and AI revenue, Fractal ranks similar to its IT services peers, and lower vs. global AI and platform peers. Its revenue per employee and cost per employee metrics are also similar to its pure-play data analytics peer, LatentView Analytics, suggesting the underlying service and solutions portfolio is similar." Fractal has a comprehensive suite of AI solutions, including its enterprise agentic AI platform, Cogentiq, and AI products Asper.ai, Kalaido.ai, Vaidya.ai and Qure.ai. The company began its foray into AI and IP creation as early as 2012 and accelerated new AI product development 2023 onwards. The company serves clients across CPGR, TMT, healthcare and life sciences (HLS), BFSI, and other industries. Giving a subscribe rating to the IPO, BP Wealth in its note said, Fractal Analytics Limited (FAL), founded in 2000, is a globally recognised enterprise artificial intelligence company that partners with large global enterprises to deliver data-driven insights and enable better decision-making through end-to-end AI solutions. The company offers its full suite of AI capabilities across two segments. Firstly, Fractal.ai comprises AI services and products, primarily hosted on Cogentiq, its flagship agentic AI platform, which enables enterprises to accelerate product development and upgrades through a prebuilt suite of agents, tools, and connectors, supported by low-code capabilities and robust security, governance, auditability, and interoperability features. The second segment, Fractal Alpha, houses the companys AI businesses." The company is well-positioned to capitalise on strong structural tailwinds in the global data, analytics, and AI (DAAI) market, which is witnessing rapid adoption as enterprises increasingly embed AI into core decision-making and operational processes, it added. At the upper end of the price band of Rs. 900 per share, the company is trading at a P/E of 110.0x based on its FY26 annualized earnings. Given the companys positioning within a rapidly expanding AI market and its improving profitability profile, we recommend a Subscribe rating to the issue from a medium-to long-term perspective," it added. Another brokerage firm Ventura also gave its subscribe rating to the IPO. It said, Fractals growth is driven by increasing enterprise adoption of AI-led decision intelligence and expanding deployment of generative AI solutions across client use cases. However, execution risks, evolving technology cycles, and competitive pressures in the global AI and analytics services market remain key considerations. Overall, Fractal Analytics is positioned as a scaled enterprise AI platform with diversified industry exposure, strong revenue momentum, and improving profitability metrics." Financials Fractals profitability improved materially in FY25. EBITDA increased to Rs 398 crore, with an EBITDA margin of 14.4%, compared to Rs 97.2 crore and 4.4% in FY24. Adjusted EBITDA stood at Rs 482.1 crore, with an adjusted EBITDA margin of 17.4%. Profit after tax (PAT) for FY25 was Rs 220.6 crore, compared to a loss of Rs 54.7 crore in FY24, with a PAT margin of 8.0%, while adjusted PAT stood at Rs 347.8 crore, translating into an adjusted PAT margin of 12.6%. Fractal Analytics Mobilises Rs 1,248 Crore From Anchor Investors Artificial intelligence (AI) solutions provider Fractal Analytics on Friday garnered Rs 1,248.26 crore from anchor investors, days before the opening of its initial public offering (IPO). The anchor book saw broad-based participation from a mix of leading domestic and global institutional investors, reflecting robust demand for the issue. Fractal Analytics IPO: More Details Fractal has scaled down the size of its IPO from the Rs 4,900 crore it had initially proposed. The revised offer comprises a fresh issue of equity shares worth up to Rs 1,023.5 crore and an offer for sale (OFS) of Rs 1,810.4 crore, taking the total issue size to Rs 2,833.9 crore. In its draft papers filed in August, the company had planned to raise Rs 4,900 crore through the public issue. Those selling shares in the OFS include Quinag Bidco Ltd, TPG Fett Holdings Pte. Ltd, Satya Kumari Remala Rao, Venkateswara Remala and GLM Family Trust. Fractal plans to use the proceeds from fresh issue to invest in its subsidiary, Fractal USA, for pre-payment or repayment of its borrowings; buy laptops; set up new offices in India; invest in research and development; support sales and marketing under Fractal Alpha; fund acquisitions and other strategic initiatives; and for general corporate purposes. According to the company, 75 per cent of the issue size has been reserved for qualified institutional buyers, 15 per for non-institutional investors and the remaining 10 per cent for retail investors. Fractal, which was co-founded by Srikanth Velamakanni and Pranay Agrawal in 2000, supports large global enterprises across multiple industry verticals and business functions with data-driven insights and assists in decision-making through end-to-end AI solutions. Backed by marquee investors like TPG, Apax, Gaja, Fractal is a leading pure play data and artificial intelligence company and has domain expertise spanning across consumer packaged goods & retail; technology, media and telecom; healthcare and life sciences and banking, financial services and insurance. As per its industry report, it is uniquely placed among other industry players with active investments in expanding its AI and Gen AI software portfolio and R&D activities. As on March 31, 2025, the firm served global companies which include Microsoft, Apple, Nvidia, Alphabet, Amazon, Meta and Tesla. Kotak Mahindra Capital Company, Morgan Stanley India Company, Axis Capital and Goldman Sachs (India) Securities have been appointed by Fractal to manage its maiden public issue. First Published: February 11, 2026, 10:37 IST News business ipo Fractal Analytics IPO Receives 2.8x Subscription On Day 3; Retail Quota Booked 1.1x Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Ahmedabad Water Crisis: Low Pressure To Affect Supply In These Areas Today Curated By : Translation Desk Last Updated: February 11, 2026, 09:06 IST Kotarpur Plants maintenance will leave taps running low across Naroda, Shahibag, Motera and more areas on February 11, as the civic body warns of weak morning supply Rapid Read The Municipal Corporation has clarified that water supply will be provided on Wednesday as available. (Representative image) Ahmedabad residents are likely to face low water pressure on the morning of February 11 as maintenance work is carried out at the Kotarpur Water Treatment Plant, considered the citys lifeline. The Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation has informed that the disruption may affect supply across several areas, with taps expected to run at reduced pressure. Why Is The Water Supply Being Disrupted? The Water Production Department of the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation has announced that the electricity supplier, GETCO, is undertaking pre-monsoon maintenance work. To facilitate this, Power Feeder-1 and Power Feeder-2 remained shut on February 10 from 8 am to 4 pm, a total of eight hours. During this period, the Kotarpur plant was completely closed, which meant that water storage was not possible. What Will Happen On February 11? Since the plant remained closed throughout the day on February 10, several parts of the city across the eastern, western, northern, central and southern zones are likely to face water shortages on Wednesday, February 11. The Municipal Corporation has clarified that water supply will be provided on Wednesday as available. This means water pressure will be very low, and overhead tanks may not fill completely. Areas Likely To Be Most Affected Residents in the following areas are advised to store sufficient water on Wednesday: Eastern Ahmedabad: Naroda, Sardarnagar, Bapu Nagar, Thakkarbapa Nagar, Narol, Odhav, Virat Nagar, Nikol and Saijpur. Central Ahmedabad: Shahibag, Asarwa, Shahpur, Dariyapur, Jamalpur and Khadia. North And West Areas: Motera, Chandkheda, Sabarmati and areas around Sardar Patel Stadium. When Will The Situation Return To Normal? According to municipal officials, the disruption is temporary and water supply is expected to improve gradually after Wednesday mornings shortage. Normal water distribution across Ahmedabad will resume from Thursday, February 12. The civic body has urged residents to plan accordingly, as low pressure on Wednesday morning may affect regular storage, particularly in areas dependent on motor pumps. First Published: February 11, 2026, 09:06 IST News cities ahmedabad Ahmedabad Water Crisis: Low Pressure To Affect Supply In These Areas Today Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Hanging Out At Your Favourite Bengaluru Cafe For Too Long? Your Table Might Start Charging Rent Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: February 11, 2026, 13:50 IST Under the proposal being considered, anyone who refuses to free up a table after finishing their meal could be asked to pay the extra table charge Rapid Read The penalty could soon become the norm in Indias IT capital Bengaluru as restaurateurs, tired of prolonged table occupancy, are mulling imposing a table charge system. (AI-Generated Image) Picture thisIts a cozy winter morning in Delhi and you decide to meet your friends for a cup of coffee. You book a table at your favourite spot and as the morning turns to afternoon and then early evening, you suddenly realise how long youve been occupying the table for and finally ask for the cheque. A rough estimate tells you that the bill should be around Rs 500 but imagine your horror as the cafe asks you to cough up over Rs 1,500. As you scratch your head to make sense of the calculation, a waiter walks up to you and explains that the surcharge is for the time you occupied" a table. Sounds bizarre? The penalty" could soon become the norm in Indias IT capital Bengaluru as restaurateurs, tired of prolonged table occupancy, are mulling imposing a table charge" system for customers who use restaurants as unofficial boardrooms and discuss real-estate deals and politics for hours over just one cup of coffee. While theres no law that allows hoteliers to impose such fines, the Bruhat Bengaluru Hotel Owners Association, in their latest meeting on managing such patrons, proposed the levy to manage table turnover during busy hours. According to the report, in several city restaurants, signs already remind guests that tables are meant for eating, not for property deals or long discussions. But owners say these reminders havent stopped groups, often real-estate agents or others talking business, from occupying seats for over 45 minutes with only a couple of coffees ordered, leaving other customers waiting. Under the proposal being considered, anyone who refuses to free up a table after finishing their meal could be asked to pay the extra table charge". Some establishments have begun putting up notices stating they enforce a strict policy against prolonged meetings. Speaking to News18, PC Rao, Bengaluru Hotel Owners Association president, said: We see a lot of real-estate agents and other business people sitting for long hours at one table. They block the table, which also affects other customers. Sometimes there are arguments that escalate into physical fights, which later hurts the image of the hotel, even though it is not involved in the matter. We want to safeguard our customers and our hotel owners, and so we have decided to implement this fine. The managers of the hotels will monitor the situation, and a fine between Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 will be levied. We have put up boards informing people. We hope they adhere." The idea, however, has sparked a heated debate on social media, with some people defending the restaurant owners while others calling the proposal unfair. Many people expressed sympathy for cafe owners, noting theyve seen groups occupy tables for hours with minimal orders, sometimes discussing business or just socialising. Ive seen this in so many eateries," one commenter wrote on X, saying owners have legitimate concerns about turnover. Others, however, argued that cafes are inherently relaxed social spaces in a city with a strong work-from-cafe culture, and that enforcing time limits might feel unfair or restrictive. Some online voices compared it to how other cities manage shared public spaces. First Published: February 11, 2026, 11:28 IST News cities bengaluru-news Hanging Out At Your Favourite Bengaluru Cafe For Too Long? Your Table Might Start Charging Rent Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Bengaluru Road Rage: 52-Year-Old Drives SUV For Nearly A Kilometer With Man Clinging Onto Bonnet Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: February 11, 2026, 23:44 IST The incident was triggered by a minor collision between a goods vehicle and a car. Police said the two drivers got into a heated argument after their vehicles reportedly touched. In the heat of the moment, the goods vehicle driver allegedly climbed onto the bonnet of the car. Enraged, the car driver is said to have sped away, dragging the man along for nearly a kilometre. (News18) A 52-year-old man was arrested on Wednesday for allegedly driving his car for nearly a kilometre with a man hanging onto the bonnet. Halasuru police said the incident took place on Bengalurus Old Airport Road at around 12:45pm. It was triggered by a minor collision between a goods vehicle and a car. Police said the two drivers got into a heated argument after their vehicles reportedly touched though there was no major damage. Deccan Herald quoted the police saying that the accused, identified as Suresh, a resident of Pulakeshi Nagar. During the incident, Sureshs wife was also inside the car and the vehicle is registered in her name. The victim was identified as Nanjunda, a goods vehicle driver. According to NDTV, a goods vehicle and the SUV made contact in the Halasuru area and even though there was barely any damage, the two drivers began having a heated argument. After the argument escalated, Nanjunda allegedly climbed onto the bonnet of the car and the SUV driver drove off with the man still on the car. A complaint has been registered at the Halasuru police station, and further investigation is underway. The incident was captured on a dashcam of another vehicle and it went viral on social media. Deccan Herald reported that soon after the incident, Halasuru police arrested Suresh, who was driving the SUV (KA-03-NN-4501), and during verification, police found that the driver is reportedly a repeat offender in rash driving cases and other violations of the Motor Vehicles Act. Recently, a similar incident took place wherein a body builder hung onto the window of a car. He died when the driver crashed his speeding car to the tree in Hebbagodi police station limits. Also Read: Bengaluru School Bus Runs Over Two Children, Constables Daughter And Niece Killed | Video Meanwhile, two children were killed in a tragic road accident involving a school bus near Thanisandra in north Bengaluru on Wednesday morning, police said. The victims were identified as Varsha (2) and Bhanu (4), the daughter and niece of a city police constable. The incident occurred around 8 am near the police quarters under the jurisdiction of the Hennur Traffic Police Station. According to police, constable Naganagowda, attached to the City Armed Reserve, was riding his two-wheeler to buy milk, with his daughter Varsha and his elder brothers daughter Bhanu seated on the bike. During school pickup hours, a school bus that was taking a turn allegedly rammed into the stationary motorcycle. First Published: February 11, 2026, 23:43 IST News cities bengaluru-news Bengaluru Road Rage: 52-Year-Old Drives SUV For Nearly A Kilometer With Man Clinging Onto Bonnet Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Bengalurus Anti-Litter Drive Collects Rs 30 Lakh In Fines, Warning Issued Against Careless Waste Disposal Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: February 11, 2026, 18:57 IST Authorities have warned residents to exercise caution while disposing waste, stating that strict penalties will continue to be imposed on violators News18 Stepping out to spotless streets is something most residents want, yet irresponsible waste disposal continues to challenge Bengalurus sanitation efforts. In a strong push to address the issue, the citys Dakshina Palika has intensified its anti-litter enforcement, taking strict action against those found dumping garbage in public and government spaces. The latest figures highlight how serious the civic body has become about maintaining cleanliness and encouraging residents to rethink their waste disposal habits. Bengalurus Dakshina Palika has collected Rs 30 lakh in fines over the last three months as part of its crackdown on illegal garbage dumping. The drive, carried out under the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA), targets individuals and commercial establishments found disposing of waste irresponsibly in shared and government-owned spaces. Officials said the intensified enforcement is aimed at reducing unhygienic dumping practices and improving sanitation across the zone. Authorities have warned residents and businesses to exercise caution while disposing of waste, stating that strict penalties will continue to be imposed on violators who fail to follow waste management rules. The fines have been issued under municipal regulations designed to strengthen accountability and ensure proper waste disposal. Civic authorities believe that imposing financial penalties will act as a deterrent and encourage people to adopt responsible habits that support public hygiene and environmental health. Officials also highlighted that illegal garbage dumping not only affects the citys cleanliness but can also lead to health risks, clogged drainage systems and environmental damage. By strengthening enforcement, the civic body aims to reduce such hazards and improve the overall quality of life for residents. The civic administration has urged citizens to actively support the initiative by reporting incidents of illegal dumping in their localities. Officials believe that public participation will help improve monitoring efforts and strengthen enforcement across neighbourhoods. With Rs 30 lakh already collected from a single zone within a short period, authorities said the campaign is meant to send a clear message that negligence towards public cleanliness will not be tolerated. The move reflects Bengalurus ongoing commitment to improving urban sanitation standards while promoting civic responsibility among residents and businesses alike. First Published: February 11, 2026, 18:57 IST News cities bengaluru-news Bengalurus Anti-Litter Drive Collects Rs 30 Lakh In Fines, Warning Issued Against Careless Waste Disposal Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... From Domestic Dispute To Double Murder: Bengaluru Techie Kills Navy Veteran Father, Dentist Mother Last Updated: February 12, 2026, 01:33 IST After a heated physical altercation, 33-year-old Rohan Chandra Bhatt allegedly stabbed 60-year-old Naveen Chandra Bhatt and 55-year-old Dr Shyamala Bhatt According to police reports, Rohan Chandra Bhatt, who works as an independent software engineer, engaged in a heated physical altercation with his parents over personal family matters. Image/News18 A horrific double murder sent shockwaves through Bengalurus Vignana Nagar locality on Wednesday morning after a 33-year-old software engineer allegedly stabbed his elderly parents to death following a domestic dispute. The incident occurred around 7.30 am at Villa No. 112 in the Adarsh Vista Apartment complex within the HAL police station limits. The victims have been identified as 60-year-old Naveen Chandra Bhatt, a retired Indian Navy captain, and his 55-year-old wife, Dr Shyamala Bhatt, a practising dentist. According to police reports, the suspect, Rohan Chandra Bhatt, who works as an independent software engineer, engaged in a heated physical altercation with his parents over personal family matters. During the confrontation, Rohan allegedly attacked both his father and mother with a knife, inflicting fatal injuries. In a desperate attempt to save them, they were rushed to Manipal Hospital; however, the medical staff declared both of them deceased by 8.15 am due to the severity of the wounds. The HAL police have officially registered a murder case following a formal complaint lodged by Dr Madhavi Nair, a neighbour and physician at Manipal Hospital. Investigating officers quickly apprehended Rohan Chandra Bhatt at the scene, and he will be produced before a court. While the initial motive is cited as a domestic row, authorities stated that the exact trigger for such extreme violence remains under investigation. In an official statement regarding the progress of the case, the police confirmed the arrest and the status of the investigation. We have arrested the accused, Rohan Chandra Bhatt, for the murder of his parents, and he will be produced before the honourable court. The exact reason for the murder is yet to be ascertained. Currently, the bodies of the deceased have been kept in the mortuary at Bowring Hospital. The daughter of the deceased has departed from the USA, and the post-mortem will be conducted after her arrival," said DCP of Whitefield Division Saidulu Adavath. The neighbours are in shock even as the police continue to piece together the events leading up to this grim act. The arrival of the victims daughter is expected within the next 24 hours to claim the remains and assist with the final rites. First Published: February 12, 2026, 01:30 IST News cities bengaluru-news From Domestic Dispute To Double Murder: Bengaluru Techie Kills Navy Veteran Father, Dentist Mother Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... 'Tried To Remove My Clothes': School Principal Accuses Father-In-Law Of Sexual Harassment Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: February 11, 2026, 10:22 IST A woman accused her father-in-law, a founder of a school in Bengaluru, of sexual harassment. RT Nagar police registered a case after her complaint. Rapid Read The man has been booked by police. (Image: Canva/Representative) A woman in Bengaluru has accused her father-in-law of persistent sexual harassment. The accused is the founder of a school in the Kaval Byrasandra locality, where the woman works as the principal. She alleged that her father-in-law harassed her sexually both at home and on school premises. According to the complaint, when she was alone at home, the accused would comment on her appearance and pressure her to satisfy his desires. He is also accused of attempting to forcibly remove her clothes and assaulting her. The complaint further states that the accused father-in-law would write letters detailing her appearance, read them to her, and then sexually harass her while keeping the letters with himself. The harassment reportedly continued at the school, including incidents inside his office and in a lift. It is learnt that the complainant informed her husband about the harassment. Although he confronted and warned his father, the harassment allegedly persisted, she claimed. After a recent incident in a lift, she approached the police and filed a formal complaint. The RT Nagar police have registered a case and initiated an investigation. UP Teacher Held For Sexually Harassing Minor Students In a separate incident in Uttar Pradesh, a teacher of a government primary school was arrested for allegedly sexually harassing two minor girl students at a village in Muzaffarnagar, police said. The accused, identified as Satish Kumar, was arrested on Monday following a complaint lodged by the mother of one of the survivors, Free Press Journal reported. A case has been registered against the teacher under Section 74 (assault or use of criminal force to woman with an intent to outrage her modesty) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and relevant provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. First Published: February 11, 2026, 10:22 IST News cities bengaluru-news 'Tried To Remove My Clothes': School Principal Accuses Father-In-Law Of Sexual Harassment Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Think you know all the rules of the road? Sure, we've all memorized the basics from driver's ed: red means stop, green means go, don't text and drive. But the United States is home to some driving laws that'll make you do a double-take when you see a cop in your rearview mirror. From hugging bans to snowplow distance requirements, states have gotten creative with their traffic codes. Surprisingly enough, these are active, on-the-books regulations that can land you with a real ticket today. Whether they're addressing modern safety concerns or handling oddly specific situations, these laws prove that driving in America is full of surprises. Let's take a road trip through some of the most unexpected traffic rules you might encounter across the country. Washington: No Hugging While Driving Image Credit: Shutterstock Here's one for the romantics: Washington state law (RCW 46.61.665) prohibits a driver from embracing another person while operating a vehicle on a public highway if it prevents the free and unhampered operation of the vehicle. Advertisement Advertisement The law states it's unlawful to have another person in your embrace if it "prevents the free and unhampered operation" of the vehicle. What makes this particularly serious is that violating this law is considered prima facie evidence of reckless driving, meaning the hug itself can be used as proof you were driving recklessly. Because the statute makes this conduct prima facie evidence of reckless driving, an officer can treat a hug that interferes with vehicle control as a basis for a reckless driving charge. In Washington, reckless driving is a gross misdemeanor that can carry up to 364 days in jail, a fine up to $5,000, and a license suspension. So if you've got exciting news to share with your passenger, maybe wait until you've pulled over... Michigan: Keep 200 Feet From Snowplows Image Credit:Shutterstock. Michigan's winter driving just got a lot more specific with a law enacted in July 2024 requiring drivers to maintain at least 200 feet, about 13 car lengths, behind active snowplows. Advertisement Advertisement When a snowplow is stopped at an intersection, you need to keep at least 20 feet away. The law applies specifically when plows are actively removing snow and ice on behalf of the state, county, or municipality with their lights operating. Violators face up to a $100 fine, though officers have discretion to issue warnings. This isn't just bureaucratic overreach, at 55 miles per hour, it takes over 200 feet to stop safely on snowy roads, and snowplows create massive snow clouds that can completely obscure visibility. The law was backed by the Michigan County Road Commission after 20 crashes involving snowplows in 2021 and 19 in 2022, proving that winter driving requires more than just knowing how to handle black ice. Kentucky: Motorcycles Can Run Red Lights (Under Specific Conditions) Image Credit: Shutterstock. Kentucky has a law that sounds like every motorcyclist's dream, but it comes with strict conditions. Advertisement Advertisement Since 2015, Kentucky has allowed a motorcycle or moped to proceed through a steady red light only after the rider comes to a complete stop and waits at least 120 seconds or until the signal completes at least two full cycles without giving the rider a green indication. The rider may proceed only if the way is clear and the signal appears to be malfunctioning or failing to detect the motorcycle or moped. This law addresses a real problem where older traffic sensors embedded in the pavement don't detect motorcycles because they lack the metal mass of a car. The law essentially gives bikers a legal workaround when they'd otherwise be stuck waiting indefinitely at a light that will never turn green. It's a practical solution that recognizes the limitations of traffic infrastructure, though you'll definitely want to exercise caution, explaining this to an officer requires proving the light wasn't working properly. California: No Parking Within 20 Feet of Crosswalks Image Credit:Shutterstock. Advertisement Advertisement California's Daylighting Law (Assembly Bill 413), which took effect January 1, 2025, prohibits stopping, standing, or parking within 20 feet of a marked or unmarked crosswalk at an intersection on the approach side of the crosswalk. On one-way streets, the restriction can apply on both sides of the crosswalk. This applies statewide and aims to improve pedestrian visibility and reduce accidents at intersections by ensuring drivers have a clear line of sight. Cities across California are working to add signage and paint curbs red to help drivers comply, though officials admit it's unlikely every curb will be marked before full enforcement. The law addresses a genuine safety concern where parked cars create blind spots that lead to pedestrian accidents. While it might make finding parking in San Francisco even more challenging, the goal is to prevent those heart-stopping moments when a pedestrian suddenly appears from behind a parked SUV. This is one of those laws where the reasoning is solid even if the parking situation gets trickier. And you'll need to know it if you ever want to explore some of Route 66's most iconic stops. Connecticut: Don't Startle the Horses Image Credit:Shutterstock. Connecticut statute 14-293b takes horse protection seriously: no driver "in the vicinity of an equestrian and horse may blow a horn or cause loud or unusual noises, in a manner to startle or frighten the horse." Advertisement Advertisement Drivers must slow down or stop if necessary to avoid endangering the rider or frightening the horse. This law recognizes that a startled 1,200-pound animal can create dangerous situations for riders, drivers, and pedestrians alike. It's particularly relevant in Connecticut's rural areas where horseback riding remains popular and sharing roads is common. While most drivers wouldn't intentionally spook a horse, this actively enforced law provides legal recourse when someone's impatience or poor judgment creates a hazardous situation. Think of it as the equestrian equivalent of the move-over law, give space and stay calm around animals that can't distinguish between a friendly honk and a threat. Illinois: Child Support and Roadkill Don't Mix Image Credit: Shutterstock. Illinois has one of the strangest intersections of family law and traffic regulations you'll ever encounter. Advertisement Advertisement A 2010 law states that "only citizens of the State of Illinois who are not delinquent in child support may possess or transport whitetail deer that have been killed as a result of a collision with a motor vehicle." That's right: if you're behind on child support payments, you can't legally keep that deer you just hit with your car. There's no limit to the number of roadkill deer one driver can collect otherwise, but the child support requirement is absolute. The law also applies to residents who have had their "wildlife privileges" suspended in any state. While it might seem like an odd place to enforce child support compliance, Illinois is serious about both wildlife management and parental responsibilities. It's probably not the deterrent that convinced someone to pay up, but it's definitely one of the more creative enforcement mechanisms out there. Delaware: No Changing Clothes in Your Car on Fenwick Island Image Credit: Shutterstock. Planning a beach day on Delaware's beautiful Fenwick Island? Better change into your swimsuit before you leave home. Advertisement Advertisement A local law makes it illegal to change clothes inside your car on the island, apparently because too many visitors were using their vehicles as impromptu changing rooms. This law targets the common practice of people arriving at the beach in street clothes and then stripping down to swimwear in their cars. While it might seem like harmless behavior in a parked vehicle, island officials felt strongly enough about it to codify the prohibition. The law probably stems from concerns about public decency and the visual impact on a family-friendly beach destination. So if you're heading to Fenwick Island's beautiful beaches, plan ahead with your wardrobe, the bathroom facilities exist for a reason. It's one of those hyperlocal laws that makes you wonder what specific incident prompted officials to take action. Minnesota: Lane Splitting and Filtering Now Legal Image Credit : Shutterstock. Advertisement Advertisement Minnesota made history for motorcyclists starting July 1, 2025, by legalizing both lane splitting and lane filtering. This means motorcyclists can legally navigate between lanes of stopped or slow-moving traffic under certain conditions outlined by the state Department of Public Safety. Minnesota joined Colorado (which legalized lane filtering in 2024) as one of the few states embracing this practice that's common in many other countries. The law recognizes that motorcycles have different capabilities and safety considerations than cars, particularly in congested traffic. For riders, it means being able to move through traffic jams legally rather than sitting and overheating in gridlock. The state has specific rules and limits about when and where this is permitted, so riders need to familiarize themselves with the Department of Public Safety's guidelines before they start weaving through traffic on I-94. Florida: Swamp Buggies on Public Roads (With Permission) Image Credit: Shutterstock. Only in Florida would you need a law specifically addressing whether you can drive a swamp buggy on public roads. Advertisement Advertisement Florida law permits driving these specialized off-road vehicles on streets and roads, but only if the local government has designated that specific road for swamp buggy use. These unique vehicles, built for navigating the Everglades and other wetlands, aren't your typical street-legal transportation. The law reflects Florida's unique geography and culture, where swamp buggies are legitimate working vehicles for some communities rather than just recreational toys. It's a practical accommodation for residents in areas where these vehicles make more sense than traditional cars for getting around. You won't see swamp buggies cruising down Ocean Drive in Miami Beach, but in certain rural parts of the state, this law provides necessary flexibility. It's also a reminder that Florida's diverse landscape requires equally diverse transportation solutions. Montana: Day and Night Speed Limits Differ Image Credit:Shutterstock. Montana maintains different speed limits depending on the time of day on certain highways, a practice that dates back decades and reflects the state's unique driving conditions. On non-interstate highways, the daytime limit is 70 mph while nighttime driving is restricted to 65 mph, recognizing the additional hazards of reduced visibility and wildlife activity after dark. The state has also raised Interstate speed limits in certain areas to 80 mph, making Montana home to some of the highest legal speeds in the nation, though Interstate segments within urban areas such as Billings are posted at 65 mph. Montana's system also differentiates between passenger vehicles, trucks, and light trucks, meaning drivers need to pay close attention to posted signs rather than assuming a one-size-fits-all limit. The logic makes sense when you consider Montana's vast, remote highways where conditions can differ dramatically between noon and midnight, you might go an hour without seeing another car during the day, while a Montana winter night can create vastly different driving conditions. It's a system that recognizes the realities of driving through Big Sky Country, where distance and darkness both demand respect. Mississippi: Everyone Buckles Up, Even in Truck Beds Image Credit: Dennis MacDonald / Shutterstock. Mississippi law requires the driver, the front-seat passenger, and children under seven years old to wear a properly fastened seat belt, regardless of which seat the child occupies. Seat belt violations carry a maximum fine of $25, and the citation is not written as a separate $25 fine per unbuckled passenger. This law addresses the reality that pickup trucks are used differently in many parts of Mississippi than in urban areas, where riding in a truck bed is both common and culturally accepted for work and transportation. The state decided that safety requirements needed to extend to these situations where seat belts are available, even if they're less conventional than typical passenger seating. It's a practical safety measure that recognizes how vehicles are actually used in rural America while trying to reduce injuries from crashes and sudden stops. The law strikes a balance between Mississippi's truck culture and modern safety standards, requiring protection when the equipment is available. Alaska: No Turn Signals Required in Roundabouts Image Credit: Shutterstock. Alaska's traffic laws include an interesting quirk that confuses many drivers: you're not actually required to use turn signals when navigating through roundabouts. A 2015 Alaska Court of Appeals ruling clarified that while the Department of Transportation suggests signaling when exiting a roundabout, there's no legal requirement to do so under state law. This doesn't mean drivers should ignore their turn signals entirely, it's still recommended for safety and courtesy, but officers won't pull you over specifically for failing to signal in a roundabout. Alaska does not have a statewide hands-free requirement for voice calls, but it does prohibit texting and certain screen use while driving. Some local jurisdictions may have stricter rules, so it is worth checking local ordinances where you are driving. These laws reflect Alaska's pragmatic approach to road safety in a state where a breakdown or accident can quickly become life-threatening due to isolation and harsh conditions. Conclusion Image Credit: Shutterstock. American driving laws prove that every state has its own philosophy about what makes roads safer and communities better. Some of these regulations address genuine safety concerns with creative solutions, while others tackle problems so specific you have to wonder about the backstory. What they all share is active enforcement, these aren't relics gathering dust in legal archives but real rules that can affect your license, wallet, and insurance rates today. The next time you cross state lines, it's worth remembering that traffic laws can vary as much as the landscapes you're driving through. Whether it's giving snowplows space in Michigan or keeping your hands to yourself in Washington, these laws reflect local values, geographic realities, and lessons learned from past incidents. Road trips have never been just about the destination, now they're also about navigating America's wonderfully weird patchwork of traffic regulations. 'Husband Getting Death Threats': Ex-HDFC Employee Denies Caste Query After 'Main Thakur Hun' Row Reported By : News18.com Last Updated: February 11, 2026, 14:43 IST At the heart of the controversy are two women Aastha Singh, a bank employee, and Ritu Tripathi, who had reportedly gone to the branch to complete her resignation formalities. Former HDFC employee in Kapur Ritu Tripathi. (Image: ANI) A viral video from HDFC Banks Panki branch in Kanpur has snowballed into a caste controversy in Uttar Pradesh, but former employee Ritu Tripathi has categorically denied any wrongdoing, maintaining that neither she nor her husband raised any caste-related remarks during the altercation. The video, in which a woman is heard declaring, Main Thakur hun, Thakur," has triggered a social media debate framed as a Brahman vs Thakur" confrontation. However, both sides continue to present sharply differing accounts of what transpired on January 6. Ritu Tripathis Version Ritu Tripathi said she had visited the branch that day to formally resign and collect her relieving letter. My sister-in-law had accompanied me. She went to the washroom, and Aastha was already inside but hadnt locked the door. After that, she got upset. There was no caste issue from our side," Tripathi said. Tripathi added that she had resigned due to personal reasons primarily work-life imbalance. I have an eight-month-old son. Though I used to report on time in the morning, I often got free at 8 or 9 pm. I informed the bank about this. The manager would say they would drop me home. But I was constantly taunted about timing. I resigned out of frustration," she said. Tripathi further accused Aastha Singh of using abusive language inside the bank premises. She threatened us by saying thok dungi to my husband, who is also a bank customer. My husband did not abuse anyone at the bank or outside it. She claimed that my family was involved in circulating the video, which is absolutely wrong. I am not working with the bank anymore. I want support from everyone, not just Brahmins. I think she wanted to get viral that is why the video was circulated," Tripathi told ANI. Rejecting allegations that her husband used threatening language, she said, My husband is getting life threats that if he comes out of the house, he will be killed. What wrong has he done? He just supported his wife." Husband Denies Allegations, Demands CCTV Check Ritus husband, Rishi Mishra, who was present at the bank that evening, denied asking about Singhs caste or issuing threats. I went to the bank around 3 pm because my wifes resignation was not being accepted. She and my sister had been sitting there since 9 am. I did not ask her caste. I asked the person sitting next to her what the matter was and why the resignation was being delayed," he said. I never said I would take out her arrogance. The bank should check the CCTV footage. Everything will become clear," he added. What Happened on January 6? The incident took place at HDFC Banks Panki branch and reportedly began as a dispute over resignation formalities. What exactly transpired remains contested. According to Aastha Singh, the video circulating online captures only a fragment of a larger sequence of events. She claims that Tripathi had arrived at the bank to obtain her relieving letter after submitting her resignation and was seeking same-day relieving without completing the mandatory 30-day notice period and cash reconciliation process. The video is from January 6. She had come for her relieving letter. In banking, cash tally and procedural formalities are mandatory before relieving. She wanted it on the same day," Singh said. Singh further claimed that tensions escalated after an earlier minor altercation with Tripathis sister-in-law in the morning. By evening, around 4:30 pm, Tripathis husband allegedly arrived at the branch and threatened her. He said he would get a woman police officer to send me to jail and take out my arrogance. When someone questions my caste and threatens me, I had to respond," Singh alleged. Why Did Caste Enter the Argument? One of the most debated aspects of the viral clip is Singhs assertion of her caste identity. Addressing this, she said, Her husband asked me which caste I belong to, that I was showing so much arrogance. If someone asks my caste, I will answer with my caste. Had he asked my name, I would have told him my name." Singh has denied having any political connections and insisted the matter is being unnecessarily politicised. People just need an issue. I am being targeted. I am not asking for support because I am a woman I am asking for support for the truth," she said. She also claimed that after the video went viral, she received abusive and threatening comments online. People wrote that I should be raped or have my hair cut off. These comments are disgusting. I will take legal action against those threatening me and also file a defamation case against those who circulated the video," she said. While the dispute appears to have originated from disagreements over resignation formalities and workplace conduct, its portrayal on social media as a Brahman vs Thakur" confrontation has amplified tensions. Both Singh and Tripathi belong to communities traditionally identified with upper-caste hierarchies in Uttar Pradesh, where caste identity often shapes political and social narratives. Observers note that viral snippets, stripped of context, frequently deepen divisions and fuel online outrage. As calls grow for a neutral probe, both parties have demanded that CCTV footage be reviewed to establish the facts. Singh has announced legal action against those issuing threats online, while Tripathis family maintains that the caste angle is being exaggerated. First Published: February 11, 2026, 14:34 IST News cities kanpur 'Husband Getting Death Threats': Ex-HDFC Employee Denies Caste Query After 'Main Thakur Hun' Row Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Post Against Ex-CJI Gavai: Court Orders Google To Disclose Details Of Ajeet Bharti's YouTube Channel Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: February 11, 2026, 20:34 IST A Ludhiana court ordered Google to release details of Ajeet Bharti's YouTube channel in a criminal case over objectionable content targeting former CJI BR Gavai. Right-wing YouTuber and influencer Ajeet Bharti had made controversial remarks after a lawyer attempted to throw a shoe at Chief Justice of India BR Gavai in the Supreme Court on October 7. (Image | X) A court in Punjabs Ludhiana has directed Google to release the details about the YouTube channel of prominent right-wing YouTuber and influencer Ajeet Bharti in connection with a criminal case registered over objectionable content posted against former Chief Justice of India (CJI) BR Gavai last year. Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate (ACJM) Dazy Bangarh passed the order on February 9, while hearing the application moved by Cyber Crime, Ludhiana. The case involves controversial social media posts, shared last year, containing casteist and hate-filled expressions intended to promote communal disharmony, disturb public order, and erode respect for judicial institutions. Also Read: Punjab Police Crack Down On Social Media Posts Targeting CJI BR Gavai, File FIRs The FIR was registered on October 8, 2025. A Punjab Police spokesperson said the contents of the social media posts included content that was intended to provoke violence and erode respect for constitutional positions, intentional intimidation, insult to a member of a scheduled caste, attempts to promote enmity, hatred and ill-will, promote enmity between groups on grounds of caste, and intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace and statements conducive to public mischief. The action came two days after, in an unprecedented and shocking incident, an elderly lawyer attempted to hurl a shoe towards CJI Gavai in his courtroom in the Supreme Court. Following this incident, Bharti posted a video on his social media platforms, including X and YouTube, commenting on the shoe-throwing incident at CJI Gavai. Also Read: YouTuber Ajeet Bharti Questioned Over Comments On CJI Gavai In the video, he called Chief Justice Gavai a lousy, undeserving judge" and suggested the judge should face a contempt of court case." He added in a separate remark, I wanted to make a video about shoes and the Chief Justice after seeing his shoes in a photo recently, but could not shoot that one for some reason. Well, it seems shoes were sticking to him ever since." While hearing the matter on February 9, Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate (ACJM) Dazy Bangarh said: It is thus clear that a criminal case has already been registered and the details sought in this application are for the purpose of the investigation, for collection of digital footprints and for further development of the case." According to Bar and Bench, the court directed Google to supply complete details of YouTube channel Ajeet Bharti and the persons responsible for publishing the posts in question, including subscriber details, IP logs and upload history. The court also allowed the police to seek deletion of the content by making a request to Google as per law. Location : Ludhiana, India, India First Published: February 11, 2026, 20:34 IST News cities ludhiana Post Against Ex-CJI Gavai: Court Orders Google To Disclose Details Of Ajeet Bharti's YouTube Channel Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Drive To Jai Ho: Mumbai Melody Road Opens On Coastal Route, Fadnavis Hints At More Such Projects Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: February 11, 2026, 23:21 IST The musical stretch has been developed on the northbound carriageway of the Coastal Road, running from Nariman Point towards Worli. The Coastal Road along the Arabian Sea in Mumbai. (PTI file photo) Mumbai has unveiled Indias first musical road, where motorists driving along a designated stretch of the Coastal Road can hear the iconic Bollywood song Jai Ho through specially installed grooves in the road surface. The innovative project was inaugurated on Wednesday by Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, former Shiv Sena MP Rahul Shewale, who came up with the idea, Hungarys Consul General Faren Jari, and BMC officials were present at the launch. Fadnavis called the musical road as a delightful experience" for motorists and said the concept, based on Hungarian technology, could be expanded in the future. View this post on Instagram A post shared by News18.com (@cnnnews18) In the first phase, the concept has been implemented on a 500-metre stretch of the Coastal Road, and there are plans to expand the musical road concept further," Fadnavis said. Shinde also encouraged Mumbaikars to experience the musical road and suggested that the concept could also be tried on the Samruddhi Expressway as a pilot project. About The Mumbai Melody Road The musical stretch has been developed on the northbound carriageway of the Coastal Road, running from Nariman Point towards Worli. Civic officials said it is located in the first lane adjoining the divider, around 500 metres after vehicles exit the Worli-bound underground tunnel. The road features grooves or rumble strips of precise dimensions and spacing. When vehicles pass over them at 70 to 80 kmph, the vibrations from the tyres produce musical notes, forming the melody of Jai Ho, composed by AR Rahman with lyrics by Gulzar. ALSO READ: Mumbais New Coastal Road Has Mindspace Malad, Charkop Interchanges: Versova-Bhayander In 20 Minutes Signboards have been placed at 500 metres, 100 metres, and 60 metres before the stretch to alert drivers about the upcoming musical section and the required speed. According to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), this is the fifth such musical road in the world and the first in India. The Coastal Road, named after Dharmaveer Swarajyarakshak Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj, is a major infrastructure project aimed at easing traffic congestion and enabling faster travel, now offering a unique cultural and engineering experience. Musical roads, also called melody roads, were first developed in Japan in 2007 and have since been implemented in countries such as Hungary, South Korea, and the UAE. The BMC hailed the project as a blend of engineering innovation and cultural expression, giving Mumbaikars a patriotic and musical experience as they drive. (With inputs from PTI) First Published: February 11, 2026, 23:02 IST News cities mumbai-news Drive To Jai Ho: Mumbai Melody Road Opens On Coastal Route, Fadnavis Hints At More Such Projects Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Rohini Sewer Death: Drunk Man Didn't Notice Friend Fall In, Realised Only Next Day Curated By : Translation Desk Last Updated: February 11, 2026, 14:12 IST The 32-year-old daily wage labourer from Bihar's Samastipur had come to Delhi to earn a living and support his family. Instead, his life ended in a pit on a deserted road Rapid Read The deep, uncovered manhole on vacant Delhi Development Authority (DDA) land near the Mahashakti Kali Temple in Rohini Sector 32 has become a deadly trap. A night of drinking, a moment of carelessness, and a fatal delay that lasted nearly 19 hours, by the time help reached, it was already too late. Death lurked silently on a deserted stretch of Rohini Sector 32 on Monday evening, but Birju Kumar Rai had no idea he was walking towards it. Holding hands, two friends in a drunken stupor made their way back to their slum after spending most of the day drinking. In the darkness, a sudden scream pierced the silence and Birju disappeared into an open manhole, a deep, pitch-black sewer. Shockingly, his friend was so drunk that he did not even realise that Birju was not with him. It was only the next afternoon, nearly 19 hours later at 2:30 pm, when the haze of alcohol lifted, that his friend realised Birju was no longer beside him. Panic followed. By the time the information reached the police and a rescue operation began, hours had already slipped away. When teams finally pulled him out late Tuesday night after hours of effort, Birju was declared dead. The 32-year-old daily wage labourer from Bihars Samastipur had come to Delhi to earn a living and support his family. Instead, his life ended in a pit on a deserted road. Behind him, he leaves an elderly mother and three young children, who now face an uncertain future. For them, the city that promised work and survival has turned into a place of irreversible loss. According to police, Birju and his friend Budhan Das had been drinking for most of the day on Monday. Around 7:30 pm, while walking back, Birju lost his balance in the darkness and fell straight into the open sewer. Budhan, too intoxicated to comprehend the situation, remained silent through the night. He informed another acquaintance only on Tuesday afternoon after regaining consciousness, causing a massive delay in reporting the accident. #WATCH | Delhi: A 32-year-old man died after falling into an open drain in Rohini Sector 32, near Mahashakti Kali Temple, last night.Morning visuals from the spot. pic.twitter.com/TYpumyV3RM ANI (@ANI) February 11, 2026 The tragedy comes just days after another fatal fall where a biker died after falling into a sewer pit in Janakpuri, an incident that had already triggered public outrage and forced the government to announce safety measures. Just weeks prior, another fatal tragedy claimed the life of a young man named Yuvraj Mehta, whose car slipped into a deep, water-filled construction pit on a foggy night in Noidas Sector 150, causing his death. Yet, in Rohini, another life was lost under similar circumstances. The deep, uncovered manhole on vacant Delhi Development Authority (DDA) land near the Mahashakti Kali Temple in Rohini Sector 32 has become a deadly trap. Eyewitnesses allege that even after the authorities were informed, the response was slow. A local witness claimed that Birju had been lying in the pit since Monday night. According to him, friends of the deceased had informed the police around 4 pm on Tuesday, but little action followed. He said that when he reached the spot and dialled 112 himself, the response suddenly intensified. Within minutes, departments began arriving, and the rescue effort picked up pace. I came to know that a man had fallen into a pit, but the police had not intimated any department. After I reached here, I dialled 112. Following this, the entire department arrived. However, when I first came here, there were already several officials present. The man had been lying in the pit since yesterday. His friends informed the police administration at 4 pm today, but action was taken only after my call," the man told news agency ANI. Another local resident, Sunil Kumar, said the manhole lid was open when Birju fell in during the night. We came to know during lunch time and informed the administration. His family has his mother and three children. The lid was open, and thats how he fell," he said. #WATCH | A man at the spot, Sunil Kumar, says, The man is Birju Kumar. He originally hailed from Samastipur, BiharHe had fallen into the open drain at nightWe informed the Administration, and they came here and took away the body." pic.twitter.com/DIBoq7tT36 ANI (@ANI) February 10, 2026 Police said they received information at Begumpur police station around 3 pm on Tuesday about a man having fallen into a sewer. Teams from Delhi Police and Delhi Fire Services were rushed to the spot. After nearly six hours of effort, Birju was retrieved around 9 pm but had already died, officials said. Opposition leader Saurabh Bhardwaj launched a sharp attack on the government, calling the situation a circus". He accused the government of focusing on photo opportunities and speeches instead of addressing basic civic safety. Meanwhile, Begumpur police have begun investigating which department was responsible for leaving the manhole open. Q. When and under what circumstances did this accident occur in Rohini Sector 32? According to police and eyewitnesses, the accident occurred around 7:30 pm on Monday, February 9. Birju Kumar Rai (32) and his friend Budhan Das were returning to their slum after spending the day drinking. On the way, a deep manhole on DDA land was open without a cover. Due to the darkness, Birju lost his balance and fell straight into the deep sewer, which is around 14 feet deep. Q. Why was there such a delay in information about the accident reaching the authorities? Birjus friend, Budhan Das, was heavily intoxicated at the time. He did not realise that Birju had fallen into the drain and did not inform anyone that night. He only understood what had happened after regaining consciousness the next afternoon, on February 10. He then informed another acquaintance, who contacted the police around 2:30-3 pm, leading to a delay of nearly 19 hours. Q. Was there any negligence on the part of the police and rescue team in the rescue operation? People present at the scene allege that the administration remained inactive for hours even after receiving information. Eyewitnesses claim that friends had informed the police around 4 pm, but there was little action till later in the evening. They say the rescue response intensified only after repeated calls to 112, following which fire services and other departments arrived and retrieved the body after several hours of effort. Q. What is the situation of the deceased Birju Kumars family and where was he from? Birju Kumar Rai was a resident of Samastipur district in Bihar and worked as a daily wage labourer in Delhi to support his family. He is survived by his elderly mother and three young children, who depended entirely on his earnings. The family is inconsolable and holds the administration responsible for the tragedy. Q. What legal action has been taken so far in this incident? Police have registered a case related to causing death by negligence and are recording witness statements. The body was sent to the hospital after being pulled out of the sewer, where doctors declared him dead. Investigators are examining which department was responsible for the open manhole and whether civic negligence led to the fatal incident. First Published: February 11, 2026, 14:12 IST News cities new-delhi-news Rohini Sewer Death: Drunk Man Didn't Notice Friend Fall In, Realised Only Next Day Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Can Students Now Go Overseas For School? Heres What To Know About This Scholarship Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: February 11, 2026, 08:00 IST Global Schools Group's Global Citizen Scholarship lets Indian students study abroad in grades 11-12 with fee waivers, boosting global exposure and university chances. From Indian classrooms to global campuses, merit-based scholarships are enabling students to pursue senior secondary education in international learning environments. For Indian students dreaming beyond the home country, a new generation of scholarships is turning global classrooms into real possibilities, starting as early as Classes 11 and 12. Quality education has always been seen as the bridge to opportunity. Over the years, this belief has only grown stronger as international curriculum, global exposure, and cross-cultural learning have become important for success. Yet, access to world-class schooling, especially abroad, often comes with financial barriers. By rewarding merit, potential, and consistency, these scholarships are enabling deserving students to study in premium international environments. Among the institutions leading this change is the Global Schools Group, through its flagship Global Citizen Scholarship. 22-Year-Old Legacy of World-Class Education Established over two decades ago, the Global Schools group has built a strong reputation for delivering high-quality K-12 education across borders. With a 22-year legacy, GSG has consistently focused on blending academic excellence with global citizenship. The group professionally owns and manages a network of 12 international school brands, ensuring uniform standards and student-centric learning across all campuses. Global Network For Schools The group operates more than 65 campuses across 12 countries, including India, Singapore, Malaysia, Japan, South Korea, Cambodia, Saudi Arabia, the Philippines, and the United Kingdom. To maintain quality across its campuses, the Group uses its proprietary 7S Analysis metric, which evaluates parameters such as overall school performance, subject coverage, subject teachers, and other academic statistics. This structured evaluation ensures consistency while allowing flexibility to cater to regional contexts. Whats Special About The Global Citizen Scholarship One of the most impactful initiatives supported by the Global Schools Foundation is the Global Citizen Scholarship (GCS). Designed for international students, including Indian learners, the scholarships act as a stepping stone toward global education. The Global Citizen Scholarship offers students an opportunity to complete grades 11 and 12 at select GSG campuses abroad. The scholarship tenure is two years, covering the crucial senior secondary phase that often determines university admissions. Eligibility Criteria: Who Can Apply? The scholarship is open to students from multiple educational boards, provided they demonstrate strong and consistent academic performance. The scholarship applies to education at the senior level (grades 11 and 12), and the duration is 2 years. Minimum Academic Requirements CBSE / ICSE / State Boards: Minimum 85% in Grade 9 annual examinations Minimum 85% in Grade 10 pre-board examinations Scholarship Categories And Benefits Category A: 100% waiver on tuition fees, 100% waiver on hostel fees Category B: 100% waiver on tuition fees Category C: 50% waiver on tuition fees Note: The fee waiver applies to gross academic fees and excludes examination fees, transport, overseas trips, and other additional costs, subject to local education authority permissions. What Are Students Gaining? The scholarship offers more than financial aid for Indian students. Eligible candidates can choose to study outside India, spending their classes 11 and 12 at international GSG campuses. This early exposure to global education systems helps students adapt seamlessly to international universities later. Students who fit the criteria for the scholarship benefit from internationally trained faculty, advanced learning infrastructure, globally recognised curricula, and multicultural peer interaction. Such exposure also encourages independent thinking, global awareness and adaptability. The experience also strengthens university applications, particularly for reputed institutions and competitive undergraduate programs worldwide, where international schooling is often viewed as a strong differentiator. Step-By-Step Application Process Step 1: Application Submission- Students begin by submitting the online scholarship application form. Step 1A: Documentation Upload- Applicants must upload all required documents, including academic records from the past two years. Step 2: Notification- Shortlisted candidates receive email notifications regarding the online scholarship assessment. Step 3: Online Scholarship Assessment- Students appear for an academic evaluation conducted online. Step 4: One-to-One Interview (Round 1 Virtual)- Candidates participate in a personal interview to assess motivation, clarity of goals, and readiness for international education. Step 5: One-to-One Interview (Round 2 Virtual, if applicable)- A second interview may be conducted for further evaluation. Step 6: Scholarship Selection and Disbursal- Final selections are announced, followed by scholarship confirmation and disbursal. The Road Ahead As the competition intensifies and education becomes more global in nature, the initiatives at the school level are emerging as critical equalisers. For students with ambition, academic consistency and the courage to step beyond borders, such scholarships can truly be life-changing. First Published: February 11, 2026, 08:00 IST News education-career Can Students Now Go Overseas For School? Heres What To Know About This Scholarship Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Dharmendra Pradhan Holds Talks With Founders Of Startups Using AI In Education Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: February 11, 2026, 22:22 IST The roundtable discussion was part of a series of initiatives by the Ministry of Education to harness the potential of Artificial Intelligence (AI). The participant startups included Arivihan, Fermi AI, Khare.AI, Seekho, SpeakX, SuperKalam, SuperNova, Vedantu , ConveGenius, and Virohan. (Dharmendra Pradhan/X) Ahead of the India AI Impact Summit, Union Minister for Education Dharmendra Pradhan on Wednesday held a meeting with founders of 10 new-age startups at IIT Delhi to discuss how AI can be leveraged to transform Indias education system, aligning with the objectives of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. According to an official statement, the roundtable discussion was part of a series of initiatives by the Ministry of Education to harness the potential of Artificial Intelligence (AI). The participant startups included Arivihan, Fermi AI, Khare.AI, Seekho, SpeakX, SuperKalam, SuperNova, Vedantu , ConveGenius, and Virohan. The insights from the Roundtable will inform policy and ecosystem deliberations at the India AI Impact Summit, with a focus on responsible AI adoption, safeguards, and pathways for scaling impact across sectors, including education," the statement stated. At @iitdelhi along with Shri @jayantrld ji and @DrSukantaBJP ji, engaged in in-depth discussions with home-grown start-up founders who are building indigenous AI stacks for the world, from India, particularly for transforming and redefining the educational landscape. pic.twitter.com/ybt8JAcgdO Dharmendra Pradhan (@dpradhanbjp) February 11, 2026 During the discussions, the minister emphasised that technology is a powerful instrument of empowerment and inclusion, capable of bridging the gap between hope and opportunity. He underscored the central role of AI in advancing the vision of Viksit Bharat @ 2047. Pradhan also urged the startup founders to build creative solutions tailored to Indian values, languages, contexts and needs, while also ensuring global relevance. He lauded them for their work in building indigenous AI powered solutions from India to the World, especially for transforming and redefining the educational landscape. He assured them of all the support in harnessing the transformative power of AI for addressing national educational and skilling priorities, shaping Bharats technological and digital sovereignty and building impactful DPIs in education. On Thursday, a two-day Bharat Bodhan AI Conclave would be held bringing together senior policymakers from the Centre and States, researchers, academic institutions, and industry leaders to deliberate on AIs strategic role in transforming Indias education ecosystem, with a focus on innovation, scalable adoption, and national capacity building. First Published: February 11, 2026, 22:22 IST News education-career Dharmendra Pradhan Holds Talks With Founders Of Startups Using AI In Education Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... UP Budget 2026: Major Focus On Youth Employment, Medical Colleges; 3 Universities Announced Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: February 11, 2026, 16:06 IST The Uttar Pradesh budget prioritises medical education, with plans for new medical colleges in the remaining 16 districts under the Public Private Partnership (PPP) model. The Yogi government plans to generate 10 lakh new jobs through this budget, addressing both the government and private sectors. (Image: ANI) Today, the UP government unveiled the 2026 Budget, placing a significant emphasis on the youth, girl students, and the education sector. Under the leadership of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, the administration has rolled out several new schemes and major announcements aimed at the youth, including the creation of 10 lakh jobs, the establishment of 14 new medical colleges, 3 new universities, and various other initiatives such as scooters for girls. The Yogi government plans to generate 10 lakh new jobs through this budget, addressing both the government and private sectors. Various skill development and startup schemes are designed to provide employment opportunities for the youth. Furthermore, a new initiative, the Chief Ministers Youth Entrepreneur Development Campaign, has been introduced to support young individuals in starting their own businesses. An allocation of Rs 1,000 crore has been made for this scheme, encouraging the establishment of new enterprises by young entrepreneurs. The Chief Ministers Youth Self-Employment Scheme, also newly introduced, has been allocated Rs 225 crore. This scheme will offer loans, subsidies, and training to youth for self-employment opportunities. Establishment Of 16 New Medical Colleges The budget prioritises medical education, with plans for new medical colleges in the remaining 16 districts under the Public Private Partnership (PPP) model. ARs 1,023 crore has been proposed for setting up and running 14 new medical colleges. The number of MBBS seats has increased from 4,540 in 2017 to 12,800, and PG seats have risen from 1,221 to 4,995 during the same period. Additionally, Rs 315 crore has been allocated for the Cancer Institute in Lucknow. A total provision of Rs 14,997 crore is proposed for medical education. Scooty Scheme For Girls The Rani Lakshmibai Scooty Scheme aims to facilitate the commuting of meritorious female students to colleges and universities. A budget of Rs 400 crore has been set aside to provide scooters to eligible female students, ensuring their transportation needs are met. Chief Minister Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme To link youth with skill development and employment, Rs 40 crore has been allocated for the Chief Ministers Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme. This scheme will offer internships and skill training to the youth. Establishment Of Three New Universities To bolster higher education, the creation of three new universities has been announced, with each university receiving a provision of Rs 50 crore: Mother Vindhyavasini University (Mirzapur) in Vindhyachal Division Guru Jambheshwar University (Moradabad) in Moradabad Division Maa Pateshwari University (Balrampur) in Devipatan Mandal Additionally, Rs 21 crore has been earmarked for the establishment of Swami Shukdevanand University in Shahjahanpur. This years budget is particularly focused on new programmes for the youth, employment, education, and skill development. First Published: February 11, 2026, 16:05 IST News education-career UP Budget 2026: Major Focus On Youth Employment, Medical Colleges; 3 Universities Announced Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Vocational Education Now Mandatory In UP Schools: States Offering, What The NEP Recommends Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: February 11, 2026, 13:47 IST According to the PARAKH Rashtriya Sarvekshan Report 2024, less than half of the schools in India offer skill-based courses for students in Grade 9 and above. As UP schools make vocational education mandatory in schools, know what the NEP 2020 recommends and which states are currently offering skill-based education. (AI Generated Image) From the academic session of 2026, the Uttar Pradesh Madhyamik Shiksha Parishad (UP Board) has announced that vocational education will be mandatory for students in classes 9 and 11. The decision aims to strengthen the link between school education and employability. UP Board Secretary Bhagwati Singh revealed that subject committees have approved and submitted curricula for vocational trades such as information technology, electronics, apparel, beauty, and wellness. These employment-oriented curricul emphasise current technological needs and industry expectations, aiming to enhance students job prospects. This initiative aligns with the National Education Policys goals of promoting skill development, self-reliance, and vocational proficiency among students, the UP board stated. Less Than Half Schools Offer Skill-Based Education According to the PARAKH Rashtriya Sarvekshan Report 2024, less than half of the schools offer skill-based courses for students in Grade 9 and above, indicating limited availability of such education at this level. Participation among Grade 9 students is low, highlighting the need for increased awareness, encouragement, and accessibility to skill education to improve career readiness and skill development. Resources listed by PSSCIVE on sector skills can be used to enhance skill training and boost employability. PARAKH Udyam Sansaar, which focuses on AI competencies, needs to be popularized in schools. The Directorate of Education Delhi in 2025 approved the introduction of Skill/NSQF subjects in 257 more government schools. The National Skills Qualifications Framework (NSQF) subjects include practical courses such as Information Technology, Retail, Healthcare, and Beauty and Wellness, aimed at enhancing students employability and career readiness. According to CBSE guidelines, schools do not require separate approval to introduce additional skill subjects; they only need to update the relevant details on the CBSE portal. The Union Ministry of Skill Development has launched the Skill for AI Readiness Course for students from Classes 6 to 12, providing fundamental AI knowledge and new skills to school children to prepare them for future technological advancements. Uttarakhand govt had earlier announced the introduction of vocational education in 544 additional schools across the state. The central government has approved 138 job roles and skill subjects for students in classes 9 and 11 so far. What The NEP 2020 Recommends? The National Education Policy 2020 recommends introducing vocational training at early ages in middle and secondary schools, ensuring a smooth integration of quality vocational education into school and higher education. Every child is required to learn at least one vocation and be exposed to several others, emphasising the dignity of labour and the importance of various vocations, including Indian arts and craftsmanship. As per the NEP released in 2020, vocational education will be phased into all secondary schools over the next decade. Schools are urged to partner with Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs), Polytechnics, local industries, etc., and skill labs will be established in a Hub and Spoke model to allow other schools to use the facilities. First Published: February 11, 2026, 13:47 IST News education-career Vocational Education Now Mandatory In UP Schools: States Offering, What The NEP Recommends Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Bengal SIR To Wrap Up By February 28, EC May Announce Poll Dates After March 2 Reported By : News18.com Edited By: Oindrila Mukherjee Last Updated: February 11, 2026, 23:08 IST A top delegation of the Election Commission is scheduled to visit the state on March 1 and 2 when it will interact with all district magistrates and superintendents of police After March 2, rules demand a full EC bench, including CEC Gyanesh Kumar as well as election commissioners Dr Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Dr Vivek Joshi, to visit poll-bound West Bengal. (Image: PTI/File) The Election Commission of India is in its final leg of preparation, complete with security assessment, as it wraps up the special intensive revision of electoral rolls in West Bengal by February 28. Once done, the Election Commission (EC) will be ready to announce the dates for the highly anticipated assembly election after March 2. A top delegation of the EC is scheduled to visit the state for two days on March 1 and 2 when it will interact with all district magistrates and superintendents of police. Before that, the special intensive revision (SIR) exercise will be completed with the revised schedule suggesting final publication of the voter lists on February 28. After March 2, rules demand a full EC bench, including CEC Gyanesh Kumar as well as election commissioners Dr Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Dr Vivek Joshi, to visit poll-bound Bengal. This can be on any date from March 3, technically speaking. If the full bench remains satisfied with the preparation, coordination, and security apparatus in place during the election, it will return and announce the election dates in New Delhi. To put things into perspective, the EC full bench visited Bihar on October 4 and 5, 2025, to review poll preparedness for the assembly elections. The visit took place only days after the publication of the final electoral rolls on September 30, 2025, following the SIR. According to sources, election dates are likely to be announced soon after March 2 if the EC keeps the Bihar pace unchanged in Bengal. In historic 2011 elections, the Trinamool Congress won 184 seats and ended the 34-year rule of the Left Front in the state. The BJP wants to replicate the same with the ruling TMC in the upcoming polls. While the BJP won 77 seats and notched up a 38.13 percent vote share in the 2021 assembly polls, it was a far cry from its 200 paar" aspirations. But this time, the saffron party is exuding much confidence making it a two-way contest. First Published: February 11, 2026, 23:08 IST News elections Bengal SIR To Wrap Up By February 28, EC May Announce Poll Dates After March 2 Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Nalgonda Ward No. 10 Candidates 2026: Full List of Contestants for Ward No. 10 in Nalgonda Municipal Corporation Election Curated By : Last Updated: February 11, 2026, 12:28 IST Complete list of candidates and parties contesting in the 2026 elections for Ward No. 10 seat in the Nalgonda Municipal Corporation of Telangana. Contesting Candidates of Ramagundam Ward No. 60 in the 2026 Telangana election. (Image: News18 Elections) A total of six candidates are in the fray for Nalgonda Ward No. 10 seat in the Nalgonda Municipal Corporation of Telangana. List of contesting candidates: Gadari Lavakumar (JSP) Chinnala Janaiah (INC) Nagam Sri Harshith Reddy (BJP) Nandikonda Srinu (BRS) Pilli Krishnam Raju (AIFB) Kambalapelli Mutyalu (IND) Click here to follow the live result updates of the Nalgonda Municipal Corporation Election 2026. Nalgonda Ward No. 10 is one of the 48 wards of the Nalgonda Municipal Corporation. This ward falls under the Unreserved category and has a total voter strength of. 2637 as per the last delimitation in 2019. The extent of the ward as published in the Telangana Government Gazette is as follows: Chaitanyapuri colony, GV Gudemroad to National Function hall, Kanaka Durga Colony, New Chaitanyapuri colony, Shastri nagar, Mallikarjuna Colony, Chaitanyapuri after Nation function hall, Suryavamshi colony ( I ), Neelagiri Colony, The 2026 Telangana local body elections are being held across 116 municipalities covering 2,582 wards and seven municipal corporations comprising 414 wards. Voting is taking place on Wednesday, February 11, 2026, and the counting of votes is being held on Friday, February 13, 2026. The last Nalgonda Municipal Corporation elections were held in 2020, in which both Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) and Indian National Congress (INC) won 20 seats, while Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) won six seats. All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) secured a single seat and one independent candidate became a corporator in the municipal corporation. Location : Telangana, India First Published: February 11, 2026, 12:28 IST News elections Nalgonda Ward No. 10 Candidates 2026: Full List of Contestants for Ward No. 10 in Nalgonda Municipal Corporation Election Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... The logo of Stellantis sits on the company's building in Poissy, near Paris, France, February 26, 2025. REUTERS/Stephanie Lecocq WASHINGTON, Feb 11 (Reuters) - Chrysler-parent Stellantis on Wednesday issued a Do Not Drive" warning for about 225,000 older vehicles in the United States with unrepaired defective Takata air bag inflators that have been recalled. The warning applies to various older Dodge Ram, Durango, Dakota, Magnum, Challenger, Chrysler Aspen and 300, Jeep Wrangler and Mitsubishi Raider that have not had repairs completed from various model years from 2003 through 2016. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said 28 deaths in the United States stemming from crashes involving defective Takata air bag inflators have occurred and warned that "minor crashes can result in exploding Takata air bags that can kill or produce life-altering, gruesome injuries." (Reporting by David Shepardson) Pakistan Rented Itself Out To US For 2 Decades: Why Asif Says Islamabad Behaved Like Mercenary Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: February 11, 2026, 12:46 IST Pakistans Defence Minister says they did not enter Soviet or Afghan wars to defend Islam or for jihad, but just to support the US. A look at the wars Khawaja Asif spoke about Rapid Read Pakistan's Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said the US treated them worse than a tissue paper. (AP File) Pakistans Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, in an outburst in Parliament, questioned his countrys actions over the past two decades to appease the United States", as he analysed the returns. For not one, but two decades, we rented ourselves out," he said. The only objective was to gain American supportWe did not enter these wars to defend Islam or for jihadWe entered them for political legitimacy and to secure the support of a superpower," said Asif. Khwaja Asif admits in Parliament that Pakistan rented itself out to the U.S. for war and was later discarded like toilet paper". Afghanistan was destroyed by policies now openly acknowledged in parliament. Millions suffered. Generations were lost. The world cannot look away now pic.twitter.com/aEQjrm16ME Mariam Solaimankhil (@Mariamistan) February 10, 2026 Not jihad, just an irreversible mistake: What Asif said about the Afghanistan conflict Asif said the costs of realigning with the US after 1999, particularly following the September 11, 2001 attacks, were devastating. Pakistan was treated worse than a toilet paper and was used for a purpose and then thrown away," he said in Parliament. Asif further challenged the decades-old narrative and argued that the anti-Soviet war in Afghanistan during the 1980s was dictated by American geopolitical interests rather than any genuine religious imperative, insisting that the circumstances never warranted a declaration of jihad. The Defence Minister blamed the United States for the violence, radicalisation and economic strain it is still suffering for siding with Washington during the post-2001 period. Questioning Pakistans decision to re-align with the US after 1999, he said, The losses we suffered can never be compensatedThe mistakes are irreversible." He highlighted that even Pakistans education system was reshaped to legitimise these wars and stated that several ideological changes still remain embedded to this day. What Pakistan did on ground Pakistan played a key role in the two most significant modern conflicts in Afghanistan, acting as a frontline state" for global superpowers in both. 1. The Soviet-Afghan War (19791989) Pakistans involvement was a strategic effort to counter Soviet influence and secure support from the United States. Pakistans Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) served as the primary conduit for Operation Cyclone, funnelling billions in US and Saudi aid to Afghan rebels. Pakistan provided safe havens and military training for the Mujahideen. Roughly 250,000 foreign and Afghan fighters were trained on Pakistani soil to wage jihad" against the Soviet-backed regime. Pakistan hosted more than 3.2 million Afghan refugees, then the largest refugee population in the world. The Pakistan Air Force (PAF) frequently intercepted Soviet aircraft violating its airspace, shooting down at least eight. 2. The US-Led War in Afghanistan (20012021) Following the 9/11 attacks, Pakistan became a Major Non-NATO Ally of the US while maintaining complex ties with the Taliban. Pakistan provided vital logistical supply lines for NATO forces; at times, over 80% of coalition supplies entered through the port of Karachi. It also provided intelligence that led to the capture of several senior al-Qaeda and Taliban leaders. While publicly an American ally, Pakistan was frequently accused of providing covert assistance and sanctuary to the Taliban insurgency. This was driven by a desire for strategic depth" to ensure a friendly government in Kabul and limit Indian influence. Since the 2021 Taliban takeover, relations have soured significantly. Pakistan now faces an active insurgency from the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), which it claims operates from safe havens within the now Taliban-ruled Afghanistan. This has escalated into direct border skirmishes and Pakistani airstrikes inside Afghan territory as recently as October 2025. With Agency inputs First Published: February 11, 2026, 12:19 IST News explainers Pakistan Rented Itself Out To US For 2 Decades: Why Asif Says Islamabad Behaved Like Mercenary Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Save The Leopard Or Save Livelihoods? How The Wildlife Debate Divides Urban And Rural India Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: February 11, 2026, 09:36 IST Indias wildlife debate is, on one hand, shaped by digital storytelling and environmental idealism, and on the other hand, it exposes daily risk and economic vulnerability Reports show that Maharashtra farmers face an annual agricultural and livestock loss estimated between Rs 10,000 crore and Rs 40,000 crore due to human-wildlife conflicts. (Representational Photo/ Getty) In a cafe in Mumbai, people watching a short video of a leopard calmly crossing a forest trail in Maharashtra help it gather thousands of likes within minutes. As they celebrate the beauty of coexistence, hundreds of kilometres away in a village, the same animal represents a threat that keeps families indoors after sunset and can wipe out months of income. To manage the human-leopard conflict, the Maharashtra government has suggested that forest officials release large numbers of goats in forests to prevent leopards from entering human settlements in search of food. It has also sent a proposal to the Centre to categorise the leopard as a Schedule-II animal and grant permission for sterilisation. Indias wildlife debate is, on one hand, shaped by digital storytelling and environmental idealism, and on the other hand, it exposes daily risk and economic vulnerability. The widening gap between urban middle-class perceptions and rural lived experience is turning conservation into a conversation not only about animals and forests, but also about class, geography, and access to information. The Rise Of Distant Empathy Urban Indias engagement with wildlife has never been higher. Social media feeds are filled with nature photography, eco-travel reels, and documentaries that frame wildlife as both majestic and endangered. The growth of weekend eco-tourism and nature retreats has further strengthened a culture of appreciation for biodiversity among metro audiences. For many city dwellers, wildlife is encountered through curated visuals rather than direct interaction a tiger glimpsed through a safari jeep, a bird spotted on a guided trail, or a leopard captured on a night camera. This distance creates what environmental psychologists describe as distant empathy" a genuine concern for animals and ecosystems that is emotionally strong but experientially limited. The animal becomes a symbol of ecological balance rather than a potential disruptor of daily life. In such spaces, conversations revolve around ethics, sustainability, and the moral duty to protect species from extinction. The language is aspirational and future-oriented, focused on preserving natural heritage for generations to come. Living With The Unpredictable For rural communities living along forest fringes, wildlife is not an abstract symbol but an unpredictable presence woven into everyday routines. Farmers in several parts of India routinely face crop raids by wild boars, deer, or elephants, while pastoral households risk losing goats or cattle to predators. A single incident can translate into significant financial loss, especially in areas where margins are already thin. The proposal to release goats into forests to reduce leopard attacks also overlooks evidence on the negative impacts of artificially provisioning prey to carnivoresgoats are inherently domestic. If released en masse in forests, the goats will likely cluster around the city edges to rummage for food or roam near human settlements. Readily available food near city fringes would draw leopards closer to the humans, contradicting the ministers proposal that well-fed leopards will stay within the confines of the forests," wrote Dhaval Desai, Vice President (Platforms and Communities), at Observer Research Foundation, Mumbai. The fear is not only economic. Children walking to school, women collecting firewood, and elderly residents working in fields often carry an undercurrent of anxiety shaped by years of stories and occasional encounters. Even when attacks are rare, the possibility shapes behaviour earlier curfews, altered routes, or community watch groups. In such settings, the conversation around wildlife is less about symbolism and more about survival. The question is not whether animals deserve protection, but who bears the cost of that protection when livelihoods are fragile. When Policy Meets Perception Maharashtras recent leopard-management debates illustrate how perception gaps can influence public discourse. Urban campaigns frequently emphasise the importance of coexistence, arguing that leopards play a crucial role in maintaining ecological balance and that relocation or capture disrupts natural systems. Rural voices, meanwhile, often demand quicker interventions, better fencing, or compensation reforms, citing the immediate pressures they face. Both perspectives are valid, yet they rarely intersect. The policy challenge lies in reconciling long-term conservation goals with short-term human safety and economic stability. Compensation schemes, for instance, are designed to offset livestock or crop losses, but delays or bureaucratic hurdles can erode trust. When payments arrive months later or fail to reflect actual losses, frustration grows, reinforcing the belief that conservation benefits distant audiences more than those living closest to the animals. The Economics Behind Fear At the heart of the rural response is a simple economic calculation. For a middle-class urban family, supporting wildlife conservation may involve donations, awareness campaigns, or choosing eco-friendly travel options. For a rural household, a single livestock loss can represent a significant portion of annual income. The emotional and financial impact is immediate and personal. Reports show that Maharashtra farmers face an annual agricultural and livestock loss estimated between Rs 10,000 crore and Rs 40,000 crore due to human-wildlife conflicts, with less than 1-2% of these losses compensated. A study by researchers at the Centre for Sustainable Development at the Gokhale Institute of Politics and Economics (GIPE) revealed 54% of farmers stopped cultivating at least one crop due to wildlife interference, and 64% reduced their farming area for not able to protect larger plots. Rural economists note that risk perception intensifies when households lack financial buffers or insurance mechanisms. In these conditions, even well-intentioned conservation messaging can appear disconnected from reality. The debate becomes less about ideology and more about risk management how to protect income, ensure safety, and maintain dignity while living alongside protected species. How Digital Platforms Show Selective Narratives Wildlife content that is visually appealing or emotionally uplifting tends to travel faster online, rewarded by algorithms that prioritise engagement. Videos of peaceful animal encounters or scenic forest landscapes often outnumber posts detailing crop loss or compensation struggles. This imbalance does not necessarily reflect indifference; rather, it reveals how digital ecosystems favour content that inspires admiration over content that requires complex contextual understanding. As a result, two echo chambers form. Urban audiences encounter a stream of conservation-positive imagery, while rural communities share local updates, warnings, and grievances within smaller networks. The conversations rarely overlap, reinforcing mutual misunderstanding rather than shared solutions. The Urban-Rural Divide In Wildlife Debates Urban middle-class environmentalism often draws from global climate narratives and educational exposure to ecological science. Rural perspectives are grounded in generational memory, local knowledge, and immediate accountability to family welfare. The word coexistence" itself carries different meanings across these contexts. In cities, it suggests harmony and ethical responsibility. In villages, it can imply negotiation and compromise an ongoing balancing act rather than an ideal state. This difference in language illustrates how shared terms can mask divergent expectations, leading to debates where participants agree on principles but disagree on priorities. Experts increasingly stress communication as a critical tool in narrowing the perception divide. Transparent compensation systems, accessible helplines, and community-based conservation initiatives have shown promise in building trust. Equally important is bringing rural voices into mainstream discourse, ensuring that policy conversations reflect lived realities rather than assumptions. Urban readers, meanwhile, play a significant role in shaping narratives through digital engagement and consumer behaviour. When conversations move beyond imagery to include data, field reporting, and community perspectives, empathy can evolve into informed understanding. First Published: February 11, 2026, 09:21 IST News explainers Save The Leopard Or Save Livelihoods? How The Wildlife Debate Divides Urban And Rural India Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Small Island, Big Stakes: What's India's Strategy Behind $175 Million Investment In Seychelles? Reported By : News18.com Last Updated: February 11, 2026, 13:09 IST Indias investment enhances Seychelles patrolling capacity in western Indian Ocean, while expanding its own surveillance and reach. For India, investing in Seychelles means backing a stable, secure and interconnected Indian Ocean with impact far beyond the islands shores. (Image: X/@narendramodi) Indias $175 million special economic package for Seychelles an archipelago of 115 islands in the Indian Ocean and a small country in Africa is a strategic move with far-reaching regional significance that goes well beyond routine diplomacy. Sayantan Haldar, Associate Fellow, Observer Research Foundation, whose work is focused on Maritime studies and geopolitics, notes that the Western Indian Ocean (WIO) has emerged as a vital sub-geography within the broader Indo-Pacific framework, particularly in the aftermath of Somali piracy that peaked in the early 2000s and posed a serious threat to international shipping. Lets take a closer look at why this partnership matters, what makes a small island nation so important to India, and how it helps shape Indias leadership in the Global South and the Indian Ocean Region (IOR). Why Seychelles Matters To India The Indian Ocean Region is one of the worlds most critical maritime corridors. Over 75% of global maritime trade moves through these waters, and nearly half of the worlds oil consumption is transported via sea lanes in the IOR. Within this vast expanse lies the WIO a crucial sub-region that plays an increasingly important role in shaping global geoeconomic and geopolitical dynamics. Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced an economic package on Monday after meeting the President of the Seychelles, Dr Patrick Herminie. A Addressing the joint press meet after the talks, PM Modi said, India and Seychelles are connected not just by geography but by history, trust and shared vision for the future." As a maritime neighbour and trusted partner, Seychelles holds a special place in Indias Vision MAHASAGAR (Mutual and Holistic Advancement of Security and Growth for All in the Region)," PM added. Seychelles may be a small island nation, but its geographic position gives it outsized strategic relevance. Located centrally in the WIO, it sits close to some of the worlds busiest shipping routes linking Asia, Africa, and Europe. The WIO is also home to the Horn of Africa, including Somalia. At its peak, attacks off the Somali coast disrupted trade, increased shipping costs and triggered large-scale international naval deployments. While piracy has declined from those highs, maritime threats, including illegal fishing, trafficking and armed robbery at sea, continue to make security in these waters a pressing concern. This is where Seychelles becomes strategically significant. Despite its small landmass, it has an Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of over 1.3 million square kilometres vastly larger than its territory. Securing this maritime space is essential not only for Seychelles own economic survival but also for broader regional stability. For India, which seeks a secure and stable Indian Ocean, a partnership with Seychelles aligns directly with its maritime security objectives. Haldar points out that India-Seychelles ties have steadily deepened as part of New Delhis evolving Indian Ocean strategy. Seychelles is an important partner for India under the MAHASAGAR framework," Haldar says, referring to Indias expanded regional vision. Through this, New Delhi seeks to build a cohesive maritime security architecture across the Indian Ocean." Given that ensuring a secure and stable Indian Ocean remains a core priority for India, Haldar adds, Seychelles emerges as a natural partner with whom New Delhi has consistently sought to strengthen and expand cooperation. What India Gains From Investing In Seychelles The $175 million package is more than financial assistance. It represents a renewed commitment to a long-term partnership that links security, development and shared prosperity in one of the worlds most strategically sensitive regions. For India, investing in Seychelles is, in effect, investing in a stable, secure and interconnected Indian Ocean, the objective that carries implications far beyond the shores of the small archipelago nation. The package combines a $125 million line of credit with $50 million in grant assistance, targeting both developmental and strategic priorities. While the initiatives strengthen Seychelles security capabilities and economic resilience, they also serve Indias broader geoeconomic and geopolitical interests. Strengthening Indias Maritime Footprint: At the heart of the partnership is maritime security cooperation. By enhancing Seychelles ability to patrol its vast EEZ and safeguard critical sea lanes, India also strengthens its own maritime surveillance and operational reach in the western Indian Ocean, a region central to global commerce and energy flows. In practical terms, this includes joint maritime domain awareness, intelligence sharing, training programmes, assistance with Coast Guard assets, and broader defence engagement. A more secure Seychelles contributes directly to a more secure maritime neighbourhood for India. Haldar notes that fostering deeper ties with Seychelles is part of Indias effort to build a secure and stable Indian Ocean region. Given that the Indian Ocean is a primary area of security interest for India, the progress and prosperity of Indian Ocean countries like Seychelles is of vital consequence for India." Building A Shared Security Architecture: Indias assistance in hydrography and maritime domain awareness, including support for establishing a Seychelles Hydrographic Unit, strengthens navigational safety and regional maritime coordination. Such initiatives contribute to building a more cohesive security architecture in the Indian Ocean, where cooperation rather than competition defines engagement. Haldar points out that this approach aligns with Indias evolving regional framework, particularly the MAHASAGAR vision. Under MAHASAGAR, India seeks not only to enhance security cooperation but also to promote inclusive growth across the Indian Ocean. Expanding Influence Through Development: The package also covers infrastructure, capacity building, healthcare, digital governance and blue economy initiatives. These investments deepen institutional linkages and reinforce Indias image as a trusted and reliable partner. This engagement reflects a broader shift in Indias outlook. As Haldar highlights, New Delhi increasingly sees itself as a pivot advancing pathways of progress for the Global South, a dimension clearly visible in the MAHASAGAR framework. Is This About Countering Chinas Growing Presence? Chinas expanding footprint in the Indian Ocean and Africa inevitably raises questions about strategic competition. But according to Haldar, Indias engagement with Seychelles is not driven by a reactive, China-centric approach. While Beijings growing presence in the region remains an important factor in Indias security calculations, New Delhi has been careful not to frame its Indian Ocean partnerships solely in response to China. Instead, India has pursued a positive and forward-looking agenda: deepening cooperation with Seychelles and other like-minded countries based on shared interests rather than competitive posturing. Haldar notes that Indias sustained investment in Seychelles underscores its intent to be seen as both a reliable development partner and a preferred security partner for Indian Ocean littoral states. Rather than calibrating ties against Chinese actions, India is positioning itself as a long-term stakeholder in the regions stability and prosperity. In that sense, the partnership with countries like Seychelles reflects strategic confidence not strategic anxiety. From Indias perspective, a secure western Indian Ocean safeguards trade routes, protects energy flows and strengthens national economic security. But beyond hard security gains, partnerships like these enhance Indias diplomatic credibility and leadership role across the Indo-Pacific. First Published: February 11, 2026, 13:03 IST News explainers Small Island, Big Stakes: What's India's Strategy Behind $175 Million Investment In Seychelles? Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... 'Vande Mataram' Debate: Why Critics Object To The Full Version And What Rabindranath Tagore Said Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: February 11, 2026, 13:43 IST Originally written by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay in highly Sanskritised Bengali, Vande Mataram was composed in the 1870s and published in the novel Anandamath Rapid Read Vande Mataram, which literally translates to I bow to thee, Mother---the mother here representing the motherland---consists of six stanzas. (PTI) The Union Home Ministry issued fresh guidelines on Vande Mataram on Wednesday, once again bringing into the limelight the national song that has been the bone of contention between the ruling government and the opposition Congress since late last year. The new rules say the national song must be sung before the national anthem at all government events and schools, with everyone standing in attention while it is played. The most crucial aspect, however, is that the full six-stanza version of the song, including the four stanzas that had been historically excluded by the Congress from official use, must be played or sung. Apart from this, when both the national song and Jana Gana Mana are performed at the same event, Vande Mataram must be played first. Schools across India are directed to include the national song in assemblies and promote respect for national symbols. The song is to be played at state functions, civilian award ceremonies, flag hoisting events, and during arrivals and departures of the President and Governors at formal events. The guidelines do not apply to movie theatre screeningsaudiences are not required to stand if the song is played as part of a film or documentary, where standing could disrupt viewing. The MHAs latest directive assumes significance, given the contentious history of the song and what it has come to stand for. News18 takes a look at Indias national song, why it was truncated and what the latest row is all about: History Of Vande Mataram Originally written by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay in highly Sanskritised Bengali, Vande Mataram was composed in the 1870s and published in Anandamath (1882), a novel set during the Sannyasi Rebellion. Soon, the song moved beyond literature and became a rallying cry in Indias freedom struggle. It was first sung at an Indian National Congress session in 1896 by Rabindranath Tagore. British authorities later viewed it as politically charged and, in some cases, restricted its public singing because it inspired nationalist sentiment. Before Independence, some Muslim leaders raised concerns about certain later stanzas that personify the nation as Hindu goddesses such as Durga and Lakshmi. In 1937, the Indian National Congress decided that only the first two stanzas would be used for official purposes because they focus on the motherlands natural beauty and are less religious in imagery. On January 24, 1950, the Constituent Assembly of India gave Vande Mataram the status of national song, while Jana Gana Mana became the national anthem. The first two stanzas were officially recognised for ceremonial use. Vande Mataram, which literally translates to I bow to thee, Mother"the mother here representing the motherlandconsists of six stanzas and heres what each of them signifies: Stanza 1 Vande Mataram" I bow to thee, Mother. The motherland is described as rich with flowing water, laden with fruits, cool with gentle winds, and green with crops. This means India is portrayed as fertile, nurturing, and life-giving. Stanza 2 The land is described as smiling and sweet-speaking, bliss-giving and blessing-bearing, which means the motherland is not just physically beautiful but emotionally and spiritually comforting. Stanza 3 The mother is described as powerful, protector of millions and destroyer of enemies. This means India is seen as strong and capable of defending her people. Stanza 4 The nation is equated with Durga (goddess of strength), Lakshmi (goddess of prosperity), and Saraswati (goddess of wisdom), which means the country is symbolised through divine feminine powerblending spirituality with patriotism. Stanza 5 The mother is described as a source of knowledge, source of faith, and source of devotion. Hence, the land shapes the identity, culture, and spiritual life of its people. Stanza 6 A final affirmation of devotion is when the speaker pledges loyalty and reverence to the motherland, ending the song as a patriotic vow of dedication. What Was The Core Objection? The full song (six stanzas) personifies India as a goddess, often invoking Hindu deities such as Durga, Lakshmi, and Saraswati. For instance, lines like Thou art Durga, Lady and Queen" associate the motherland with divine Hindu figures. During the time, Muslim leaders and communities felt this could make singing the full song religiously uncomfortable or exclusive, especially in a diverse country like India. Critics argued that enforcing the full song at schools, government functions, or public events could alienate minorities, especially Muslims and Christians. Since nationalism was tied to colonial resistance, some feared that national symbols should not favour a single religion. Another key reason was the context in which the song was used in the Anandamath novel, which, critics say, pits Hindus against Muslims and not the British colonial power. Congress In A Fix, Tagore Suggests Middle Path Rabindranath Tagore, who was a close contemporary of Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay, admired Vande Mataram as a powerful patriotic song and acknowledged its role in inspiring Indians during the freedom struggle, recognising its emotional and cultural impact. In fact, much before it became a part of the movement, Tagore was the one who set the song to tune, sang it, and performed it at a Congress event in Kolkata in 1896. However, despite appreciating its spirit, Tagore had reservations about enforcing the hymn as a compulsory national song. He was concerned that the religious imagery in the later stanzas (associating India with Hindu goddesses) might alienate minority communities. In his writings and letters, Tagore emphasised that nationalism should not conflict with humanity or spiritual universality. For him, patriotism should be inclusive and not tied to sectarian symbols. In 1937, when the Congress faced a dilemma over the singing of Vande Mataram at the party session in Kolkata, senior leaders such as Jawahar Lal Nehru and Subhas Chandra Bose approached Tagore for his opinion. According to an article in Outlook, Tagore wrote to Nehru, explaining that the spirit of tenderness and devotion conveyed in the first portion of Vande Mataram (the first two stanzas) and its focus on the beautiful and beneficent aspects of our motherland appealed to him so strongly that he had no difficulty in separating it from the remainder of the poem and from the novel itself. He clarified that, apart from the exceptional quality of these opening stanzas, he would not have felt any particular sympathy or sentiment for the text, having been raised in the monotheistic Brahmo ideals. Addressing concerns from the Muslim community, he stated that he fully acknowledges that the entire poem, when read in its original context, is liable to be interpreted in ways that might wound Moslem susceptibilities." Nevertheless, he argued, the first two stanzas need not be seen as a constant reminder of the whole poem, or of the story (Anandamath) with which they happened to be associated. Choosing a pluralistic approach, Tagore emphasised that the first two stanzas acquired a separate individuality and an inspiring significance of its own in which I see nothing to offend any sect or community." It was on this understanding that the Congress adopted the compromise formula, officially recognising only the first two stanzas as the national song. Debate Returns To Parliament As the country marked the 150th anniversary of Vande Mataram, both the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government and the opposition Congress traded barbs in Parliament and on public forums. In November last year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi alleged that the dropping of crucial verses of Vande Mataram" meant the severing of a part of its soul which also sowed the seeds of division of the country." Calling the issue relevant, the prime minister reasoned that the same divisive thinking remains a challenge for the country even today. The Congress must answer for the injustice done" to the great mantra of nation building," he had said. Raising the issue during the special discussion held in Parliament on December 8 to celebrate the songs 150th anniversary, PM Modi called out Nehru for bowing to the Muslim League", alleging that the Grand Old Party compromised on Vande Mataram, the mantra of Indias freedom struggle". The Congress, on its part, has strongly pushed back against the claims, arguing that the BJP is politicising the song for contemporary gain, particularly citing the imminent assembly elections, especially in West Bengal, as a motive. The party argued that the 1937 decision to use only the first two stanzas was intended to maintain inclusive secularism in a religiously plural society, not to demean the song. Congress leaders also shared historical explanations that the choice was made on the advice of figures like Tagore to avoid offending minority communities. Leaders like Priyanka Gandhi Vadra accused the government of inventing controversy and diverting attention from real issues, accusing it of selectively quoting history and unnecessarily targeting leaders like Nehru. First Published: February 11, 2026, 13:43 IST News explainers 'Vande Mataram' Debate: Why Critics Object To The Full Version And What Rabindranath Tagore Said Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... White House Revises India-US Trade Deal Factsheet: Why It Could Blunt Oppositions Broadside Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: February 11, 2026, 12:17 IST The quiet edits carry strategic weight: they clarify what India actually agreed to. PM Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump. (Reuters/File Image) The White House has quietly revised its factsheet on the new IndiaUS trade framework, replacing the version released a day earlier with language that more closely matches Indias stated position. On Monday, the White House had issued a fact sheet on The United States and India Announce Historic Trade Deal (Interim Agreement), days after India and the US announced in a joint statement the framework for an Interim Agreement regarding reciprocal and mutually beneficial trade. The timing and nature of the revised update are politically significant in New Delhi: several claims in the initial US document had triggered sharp criticism from the Opposition, which alleged that the government had conceded ground on sensitive issues. With the revised factsheet now aligning with the 7 February India-US joint statement, rather than the earlier, more expansive US interpretation, the political calculus shifts. The changes reinforce Indias red lines on agriculture, energy and digital taxation, and they undercut some of the misgivings the Opposition had amplified in the immediate aftermath of the deals announcement. As the interim agreement moves towards finalisation, the updated document also strengthens the governments argument that India has not accepted commitments beyond what was formally negotiated. What The Initial Version Of Factsheet Claimed, And Why It Raised Immediate Questions The initial version of the factsheet contained several elements that did not match Indias position. An initial version of the fact sheet had highlighted key terms of the agreement including, that India will eliminate or reduce tariffs on all US industrial goods and a wide range of US food and agricultural products, including dried distillers grains, red sorghum, tree nuts, fresh and processed fruit, certain pulses", soybean oil, wine and spirits, and additional products. The fact sheet had also said that India committed to buy" more American products and purchase over $500 billion of US energy, information and communication technology, agricultural", coal, and other products. Third, the earlier statement mentioned, India will remove its digital services taxes and committed to negotiate a robust set of bilateral digital trade rules that address discriminatory or burdensome practices and other barriers to digital trade, including rules that prohibit the imposition of customs duties on electronic transmissions." These assertions formed the backdrop for criticism from the Opposition. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge described the trade pact as a PR-wrapped betrayal" and raised questions about whether it protected Indias economic and strategic interests. He noted that the White House factsheet on the deal mentioned conditions not included in the earlier Indo-US Joint Statement. We were told that the Indo-US Joint Statement said nothing on Russian oil, even though Mr. Trump publicly tweeted otherwise. Now the White House fact sheet clearly lists Indias commitment to stop purchasing Russian Federation oil" as a condition for removal of an additional 25 per cent tariff. The Modi government agreed to this erosion of Indias sovereignty. Why? The Congress party had already exposed the Executive Order placing India under US monitoring for direct or indirect oil imports," he said in a post on X. Truth of the Trap Deal is now slowly coming out !1) Russian Oil and Strategic Autonomy We were told that the Indo-US Joint Statement said nothing on Russian oil, even though Mr. Trump publicly tweeted otherwise. Now the White House fact sheet clearly lists Indias pic.twitter.com/mp7hqnqRyy Mallikarjun Kharge (@kharge) February 10, 2026 Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera also criticised the initial US factsheet, citing specific discrepancies between it and the Indo-US Joint Statement. He wrote on X: Modi government is working to Make America Great Again." As per the latest White House fact sheet on the Indo-US trade deal, dated 9 February 2026, India has agreed to:eliminate or reduce tariffs on all U.S. industrial goods and a wide range of U.S. food and agricultural products, including dried distillers grains (DDGs), red pic.twitter.com/lsjnIKBaWy Pawan Khera (@Pawankhera) February 10, 2026 What Changed In The Revised Factsheet The updated factsheet issued on Tuesday removed or replaced almost all the points that did not align with the joint statement or Indias stated positions. 1. The certain pulses" reference was deleted The earlier version stated that India would reduce or eliminate tariffs on certain pulses". The revised version no longer includes pulses at all. This aligns with Indias longstanding tariff protections for farmers. 2. Committed to buy $500 billion" became intends to buy" The revised factsheet replaced the word committed" with intends". The new wording matches the joint statement, which described the purchases as an intention rather than a binding commitment. 3. Agriculture Reference Removed from Purchase List The US removed agricultural" from the list of sectors in which India would make large purchases. 4. The line claiming India would remove digital services taxes was removed The first factsheet said, India will remove its digital services taxes." The revised version dropped this entirely and now says India committed to negotiate a robust set of bilateral digital trade rules." The mention of rules that prohibit the imposition of customs duties on electronic transmissions" was also removed. India had already removed the 6 per cent equalisation levy on digital advertising services from 1 April 2025 through the Finance Bill 2025, and had withdrawn the 2 per cent equalisation levy on e-commerce companies in August 2024. Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman had said that the removal of the 6% Equalisation Levy is a part of that process" and denied that it was linked to Trumps tariff actions. Why These Tweaks Are Significant The changes point to a simple and politically important reality: the United States altered its public document to bring it in line with what India had actually agreed to. The initial factsheet appeared to be a reiteration of points raised by US President Donald Trump and US officials and was more reflective of the American sides views. By issuing a revised factsheet, the US effectively acknowledged the need to align its public communication with the negotiated framework. For India, the corrections reaffirm that: Sensitive sectors such as pulses and broader agriculture have not been opened up. India has not accepted new conditions on digital taxes. Large-scale purchases from the US are guided by intention, not obligation. These align with the assurances from Indias commerce minister Piyush Goyal, who said no concessions have been given on items that are considered sensitive in India" and that our farmers, artisans, and handloom industry will not suffer any harm." How The Revisions Could Blunt The Oppositions Broadside The political attack from the Opposition, centred on fears of strategic autonomy being compromised, agricultural sectors being opened up, and India being pressured on Russian oil, was based largely on the claims made in the initial US factsheet. With most of those claims now removed or softened, the grounds for those criticisms narrow considerably. Where The Deal Moves Next The interim agreement is expected to be finalised by March. The core elements tariff reductions by both countries, greater market access for industrial and food-related goods (excluding pulses), and Indias plans to purchase US energy, technology products and other items over five years remain unchanged. Conclusion The quiet overnight revision of the White House factsheet has reshaped the political reading of the IndiaUS trade deal. For New Delhi, the corrections are significant. They reaffirm Indias red lines on agriculture and strategic autonomy, preserve flexibility in energy sourcing, and ensure that the deal is interpreted as intended. Politically, they also dilute the force of the Oppositions criticism, much of which rested on assertions that no longer appear in the US document. First Published: February 11, 2026, 12:06 IST News explainers White House Revises India-US Trade Deal Factsheet: Why It Could Blunt Oppositions Broadside Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Why India Wants A Permanent UNSC Seat: Decades-Long Push, Calls For Reform And The China Factor Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: February 11, 2026, 17:55 IST While Indias readout of the IndiaChina Strategic Dialogue said China 'understands and respects' its UNSC aspirations, Beijings own statement made no mention of the issue. Members of the UN Security Council. (Reuters) Indias push for a permanent seat at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resurfaced this week after China conveyed that it understands and respects" New Delhis aspirations for permanent membership, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said. The issue figured during the India-China Strategic Dialogue between Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri and Chinas Executive Vice Foreign Minister Ma Zhaoxu, who was in India for the BRICS Sherpa Meeting from February 8 to 10. Beijings own statement did not mention the matter, referring instead to broader support for the UN and multilateral cooperation. The reference in Indias readout has once again brought attention to a campaign that has been central to Indian foreign policy for several decades. Indias Long Campaign For A Permanent Seat Indias demand for a permanent seat rests on its argument that the Security Council does not reflect present-day realities. The Councils structure was conceived in the aftermath of the Second World War, when global power was concentrated in a handful of countries. India maintains that the world has changed dramatically since then, but the Councils composition has not. The only adjustment in the Councils membership structure came in 1965, when the number of non-permanent seats increased from six to ten. The five permanent members, however, have remained unchanged. India accounts for the largest share of the worlds population and ranks as the fourth-biggest economy, giving it considerable global weight. Despite being a nuclear-armed nation and having participated in several conflicts, India has consistently contributed to international peacekeeping operations. It is also part of the G4 grouping with Japan, Germany and Brazil, which has long pushed for expanding the Security Council in both the permanent and non-permanent categories. Why A Permanent Seat Matters To New Delhi A permanent seat offers institutional power that non-permanent membership does not. India has held a rotating seat several times, most recently in 202122, but these terms do not give countries the ability to shape the Councils agenda consistently or influence outcomes in the long run. Permanent membership comes with both continuity and veto power, enabling states to participate in all deliberations on peace and security and to block resolutions when necessary. India argues that its presence would strengthen the Councils capacity to address global challenges because it represents constituencies and interests that are currently underrepresented. Many nations of the Global South see India as a trustworthy voice for their interests, particularly on issues such as climate justice, fair trade and reform of international institutions. For India, a seat is therefore both a matter of influence and of correcting a structural imbalance in global governance. Indian Leaderships Calls For UN Reform The demand for reform has been repeatedly articulated by Indian leaders. In an interview with French media in July 2023, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had questioned how the Council could claim to represent global interests while excluding major regions and India itself. He asked: How can we talk of it as a primary organ of a global body, when entire continents of Africa and Latin America are ignored? How can it claim to speak for the world when its most populous country, and its largest democracy, is not a permanent member?" External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar has also described Indias permanent membership as a matter of global consensus that is gradually strengthening. In 2024, he said that Indias eventual inclusion was inevitable." He said, There is a feeling across the world that this (five permanent countries) should change, and India should get a permanent seat. I see this feeling increasing every year. We will definitely get it. But nothing big is ever achieved without hard workwe will have to work hard, and this time we will have to work even harder." India has conveyed its reform message in multilateral settings as well. At last months Security Council debate on the international rule of law, Indias Permanent Representative Harish Parvathaneni said the Councils structure reflected a geopolitical reality of a bygone era." He argued that global governance frameworks must evolve in line with contemporary conditions, noting that the credibility of multilateralism depends on the UNs ability to adapt to changing power dynamics and global challenges. He said: The rule of law is at the very heart of the core mandate of the United Nations Security Council maintenance of international peace and security." He added that the rule of law is barren without enforceability. The focus must shift from arcane constructs to pragmatic solutions and outcomes that positively impact the daily lives of our citizens." He also stressed the need for continuous review of international structures, stating: Continuous review, updation and reinvigoration are an imperative to avoid obsolescence." Parvathaneni warned against selective use of legal principles, saying: International rule of law should not be weaponised to question state sovereignty and interfere in internal affairs of states." Concluding his remarks, he said the UN systems effectiveness rests on consistency and fairness: The application of international rule of law calls for consistency, objectivity and predictability with no double standards." The Breadth Of Support For Indias Bid Indias campaign has gathered broad international support. Four of the five permanent members the United States, the United Kingdom, France and Russia have expressed their backing for Indias candidature in various statements over the past decade. Russia reaffirmed its support in 2024, describing global power distribution as fundamentally different from when the UN was founded. France has advocated for Indias inclusion alongside Germany, Japan, Brazil and representation from Africa. The United Kingdom endorsed Indias membership during Prime Minister Keir Starmers visit in 2025, while the United States has issued multiple expressions of support under different administrations. Backing has also come from other major partners. Japan and Germany, Indias fellow G4 members, consistently support its candidature. Countries across Africa, including the African Union collectively, have welcomed Indias bid in the context of broader demands for representation from developing states. Portugal, Kuwait, Mauritius, Bhutan, Brazil and several others have also endorsed India, underscoring that sentiment for reform is widespread across regions. Chinas Position China remains the only major power that has not explicitly backed Indias bid for permanent membership. Its previous statements have stopped at acknowledging Indias wish to play a greater role" in the United Nations. In 2014, during Chinese President Xi Jinpings visit, the two sides issued a joint statement in which Beijing said it supports Indias aspiration to play a greater role in the UN, including in the Security Council," but without committing to Indias candidature. This time too, the Chinese foreign ministrys readout made no mention of Indias push for permanent membership. Vinay Kaura, an assistant professor at Sardar Patel University of Police, Security and Criminal Justice in India, told the South China Morning Post that China is determined to remain the only Asian country in the Councils permanent category and has not been influenced even by Russias consistent backing of India. Since China is the only Asian power represented in the UN Security Council, it does not want any other Asian country to share this privilege," he said. China also sees India as a close competitor and is unwilling to share the political space and prestige associated with permanent membership. As a result, China remains the sole permanent member that has not endorsed Indias aspirations, making it the primary obstacle to any reform proposal requiring agreement among the existing P5. A Campaign That Remains Central To Indian Foreign Policy Indias UNSCs bid remains a key element of its foreign policy agenda. New Delhi continues to place the issue on the table in bilateral conversations and multilateral forums. The support of most major powers strengthens Indias argument that global governance must evolve, but the absence of consensus among the P5 keeps the reform process slow and politically complex. First Published: February 11, 2026, 17:46 IST News explainers Why India Wants A Permanent UNSC Seat: Decades-Long Push, Calls For Reform And The China Factor Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Alleged Plot To Stage Attack On Gaurav Gogoi Triggers Arrest, Deepens Assam Political Storm Reported By : News18.com Last Updated: February 10, 2026, 22:25 IST One arrested over an alleged attack plot involving Gaurav Gogoi. Assam CM claims Inclusive Minds staged it for sympathy. Investigations ongoing amid BJP-Congress tensions. Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi and Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma. (PTI file photos) Assams political temperature rose sharply on Monday after Guwahati Police arrested one individual in connection with an alleged plan to stage an attack or create chaos involving Congress MP and Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) President Gaurav Gogoi. The arrest followed a police complaint and was carried out during an early-morning operation in Guwahati, according to officials familiar with the matter. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma claimed the alleged plot was aimed at manufacturing public sympathy for Gogoi amid an ongoing political controversy. Sarma further alleged that the plan was orchestrated by a group called Inclusive Minds, which he described as a think tank engaged by the Assam Congress to handle its public relations and communications. This claim, however, remains a government assertion and has not yet been independently corroborated by mainstream media or investigative findings. Police officials have said that investigations are ongoing and that more details are likely to emerge within the next four to five days as inquiries progress. In light of the purported threat, the Assam government has provided Gogoi with three security personnel as a precautionary measure. The alleged staged-attack plot comes at a time of heightened political confrontation between the BJP-led state government and the Congress. Sarma has repeatedly accused Gogoi of having Pakistan links," pointing to Gogois 2013 visit to Pakistan with his wife and alleging her professional or financial connections abroad. Gogoi has firmly rejected these allegations, calling them baseless, politically motivated, and part of a sustained campaign to malign him. The controversy has been further fuelled by references to a Special Investigation Team (SIT) report cited by the Chief Minister. Congress leaders have criticised the report, claiming it lacks substantive evidence and alleging it was held back for months before being selectively invoked. Several opposition leaders and Congress units have dismissed the allegations outright, terming them unfounded and driven by political vendetta. Legal hostilities have also intensified, with Sarma filing a 500 crore defamation suit against Gogoi and other Congress leaders over counter-allegations made against him. Despite the sharp rhetoric and escalating accusations, no arrests have been made against Gogoi in relation to the Pakistan-link claims. Authorities have indicated that no such action is planned ahead of the upcoming assembly elections, citing concerns over perceptions of political misuse of power. For now, the alleged attack plot, a single arrest, and competing political narratives continue to dominate Assams political discourse. First Published: February 10, 2026, 22:25 IST News india Alleged Plot To Stage Attack On Gaurav Gogoi Triggers Arrest, Deepens Assam Political Storm Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Bengal Run By Bomb Culture, Not Law And Order: Nirmala Sitharaman Hits Out At TMC In Lok Sabha Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: February 11, 2026, 19:36 IST The finance minister further criticised the West Bengal government over the RG Kar rape case and other incidents of sexual violence. File photo of Nirmala Sitharaman. (Photo Credit: X) Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Wednesday launched a sharp attack on the West Bengal government in the Lok Sabha, rebutting TMC MP Abhishek Banerjees remarks on GST and accusing the state of poor law and order, high fuel prices and insensitivity in handling crimes against women. Responding during her reply to the debate on the Union Budget 2026-27, Sitharaman took exception to Banerjees claim that there was GST even after death to light an incense stick. In Bengal GST after death is a very sad thing to say," she said, adding that maybe cut money after death is a norm in the state." She also questioned the state government over fuel prices. If you want to reduce burden on common man in the state, why is petrol 10 more expensive," she asked, targeting the Mamata Banerjee-led administration. The Finance Minister further criticised the West Bengal government over the RG Kar rape case and other incidents of sexual violence. It is ridiculous that a woman chief minister advised women not to come out at night else they would stand a risk to be raped," Sitharaman said, in a direct swipe at the state leadership. Alleging a breakdown of governance, she said, Bengal is run by the bomb culture, not by law and order." Sitharaman also addressed criticism from Bengal leaders over the mention of Dankuni in the Budget, saying the Centres proposed freight corridor was a new initiative. We mentioned Dankuni in this Budget, because we want to have an east-west corridor, which will go from Dankuni to Surat. Leaders of Bengal are so pained with this that they say that when Mamata Banerjee was the Railway Minister, she had announced this and that we are not doing anything newThis is absolutely false." I have announced new dedicated freight corridor from Dankuni to Surat. Mamata Banerjee had announced something from Ludhiana to Kolkata via Dankuni. Nothing came out of it. What I announced is new. So, do not attempt to hog credit in everything" she said. Her remarks came as she outlined key features of the Union Budget 2026-27, highlighting that effective capital expenditure for FY27, including support to states and union territories, stands at Rs 17.1 lakh crore, or 4.4% of GDP, aimed at advancing the goal of Viksit Bharat. Sitharaman also detailed the Centres push on AI education, entrepreneurship, infrastructure expansion and industrial growth, stating that the government is willing to work with states on mega textile parks, skilling initiatives and logistics improvements. The Lok Sabha took up discussion on the Budget earlier this week, and Sitharaman is expected to reply to the debate in the Rajya Sabha on Thursday. First Published: February 11, 2026, 19:08 IST News india Bengal Run By Bomb Culture, Not Law And Order: Nirmala Sitharaman Hits Out At TMC In Lok Sabha Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... 'Can't Release Sonam Wangchuk On Health Grounds,' Centre Tells Supreme Court Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: February 11, 2026, 17:28 IST The Centre told the Supreme Court it can't release Sonam Wangchuk, detained under NSA after Leh protests, citing ongoing grounds and his good health. Sonam Wangchuk was detained on September 26 last year, two days after violent protests demanding statehood and Sixth Schedule status for Ladakh left four people dead and over 150 injured in the Union Territory. (File pic/PTI) The central government on Wednesday informed the Supreme Court that it cannot release Ladakh-based climate activist Sonam Wangchuk, who was detained by authorities under the National Security Act (NSA) in connection with the violent protests in Leh last year. Wangchuk was detained on September 26 last year, two days after violent protests demanding statehood and Sixth Schedule status for Ladakh left four people dead and over 150 injured in the Union Territory. On Monday, the SC had urged the Centre to reconsider Wangchuks detention following his deteriorating health condition. This was in response to a plea filed by Wangchuks wife Gitanjali J Angmo challenging her husbands detention in the apex court. Also Read: Getting Better Medical Care Than Ladakh: Centre To SC During Sonam Wangchuks Detention Hearing In reply, the Solicitor General of India (SGI) Tushar Mehta on Wednesday made the submission before a bench of Justices Aravind Kumar and PB Varale. He has been examined periodically some 24 times as per the jail manual. He is fit and hearty. He had a digestive issue, an infection. If we start making such exceptions (to release him), it will not lead to a positive outcome," he said. He further said: The grounds on which the detention order was passed continue. It will not be possible to release him on health grounds. It may not be desirable, either. Since it has fallen from your lordships, we have given utmost consideration." On Monday, the Centre told the top court that Wangchuks health is in perfectly good" condition and he is receiving treatment at AIIMS Jaipur. As per a report by Live Law, the Centre told the SC that Wangchuk is receiving better medical care in Rajasthan than Ladakh. Additional Solicitor General KM Nataraj said, So far, as the health issue is concerned, rather than being in Ladakh, Jaipur is the best placeThere is AIIMS in Rajasthan, whereas in Ladakh, there would have been nothing." First Published: February 11, 2026, 17:27 IST News india 'Can't Release Sonam Wangchuk On Health Grounds,' Centre Tells Supreme Court Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Don't Behave Like A Child: Kiren Rijiju Slams Rahul Gandhi Over Gen Naravanes Memoir Row Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: February 11, 2026, 12:05 IST Kiren Rijiju claimed that 20 to 25 Congress MPs including Priyanka Gandhi entered the Lok Sabha Speakers chamber and abused him. Union minister Kiren Rijiju Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju on Wednesday criticised Congress leader and Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi amid the controversy surrounding MM Naravanes memoir. Rijiju said it is not right to use our security as a political weapon." Cannot Teach Lessons To Rahul Gandhi" Speaking about the chaos in Parliament, Rijiju said he could not understand Rahul Gandhis approach. I cannot teach lessons to Rahul Gandhi ji. I cant understand what world he lives in. What ideology drives his actions? Senior members of Congress should explain to him that Parliament cannot function like this. Dont behave like children here. Our country is huge, and security is a significant issue. Its not right to use our security as a political weapon and undermine anyones dignity," he said. Speakers chamber incident Referring to the uproar in Parliament a day earlier, Rijiju said the Speaker was deeply hurt. As I said, the Speaker is very hurt. I have even spoken to the Speaker. They went to the Speakers chamber and abused him, said bad things. Then the Speaker gave a ruling, which was not followed and then Rahul Gandhi said that he does not need anyones permission to speak. He will speak as per his wish, without any rules," Rijiju said. He added that no member can speak in the House without the Chairs permission. Unless permission is given by the Chair, members cannot speak in the House. Even the Prime Minister will speak only with the permission of the Chair. Everyone speaks only with permission," he said. Rijiju claimed that 20 to 25 Congress MPs entered the Lok Sabha Speakers chamber and abused him. At least 20-25 Congress MPs entered the Lok Sabha Speakers chamber and abused him. I was also there. The Speaker is a very soft person, otherwise strict actions would have been taken. Senior Congress leaders, including Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and KC Venugopal, were also present inside, and they were encouraging them to fight," he said.nt Meanwhile, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla has decided to stay out of Parliament proceedings on Wednesday. Location : Delhi, India, India First Published: February 11, 2026, 11:49 IST News india Don't Behave Like A Child: Kiren Rijiju Slams Rahul Gandhi Over Gen Naravanes Memoir Row Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... 'Cooperative Partners Instead Of Rivals': China After Strategic Dialogue With India Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: February 11, 2026, 07:03 IST India and China struck a conciliatory tone after their Strategic Dialogue, with Beijing saying the two sides should see each other as "cooperative partners instead of rivals". Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Chinese President Xi Jinping (File photo/PTI) India and China on Tuesday sought to project a stabilising tone in their ties, with Beijing stating that the two countries should view each other as cooperative partners instead of rivals" and as development opportunities rather than threats. The remarks came after a fresh round of the India-China Strategic Dialogue held in New Delhi between Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri and Chinas Executive Vice Foreign Minister Ma Zhaoxu, who is in India for BRICS-related meetings. The Chinese Foreign Ministry and Indias Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) issued separate readouts outlining the discussions, which ranged across bilateral ties, border stability, trade concerns and multilateral cooperation. COOPERATIVE PARTNERS, NOT RIVALS: CHINA In its statement, Beijing said the two sides had held friendly, candid and in-depth" talks on the international and regional situation, domestic and foreign policies, and the state of China-India relations. Both sides underlined that given the complex and profound changes in the international situation, China and India should work together to earnestly implement the important common understandings reached between President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Narendra Modi," the Chinese readout said. Both sides should view and handle China-India relations from a strategic and long-term perspective, and uphold the strategic perception that China and India are cooperative partners instead of rivals, and the two countries are each others development opportunity instead of a threat," it mentioned. It added, China and India should deepen mutual trust and expand cooperation, properly manage differences, and promote the development of China-India relations along a sound and steady track." The ministry also noted that the two sides agreed to back each others stints as BRICS chair in 2026 and 2027, support multilateralism and the central role of the United Nations, strengthen coordination among countries of the Global South, and work towards a multipolar world. BORDER PEACE, TRADE AND PEOPLE-TO-PEOPLE LINKS: INDIA On the Indian side, the Ministry of External Affairs said the dialogue covered a wide gamut" of bilateral, regional and global issues, with particular focus on stabilising and rebuilding ties and identifying ways to move engagement forward. Both sides underscored the importance of peace and tranquillity in the border areas for overall progress in bilateral relations," the statement mentioned. They reiterated their commitment to implement the guidance provided by their leaders, including on the need to proceed from a political and strategic direction to approach issues and concerns related to bilateral trade," it said. Misri highlighted the successful resumption of the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra and expressed hope that its scale would expand further. Both sides, the MEA added, recognised the need to conclude an updated Air Services Agreement at an early stage and agreed to continue taking practical steps for visa facilitation and for boosting people-to-people contacts. The Indian side also said that discussions included multilateral cooperation during Indias current chairmanship of BRICS. The Chinese side expressed its support for a successful BRICS Summit in India. EVFM also conveyed that China understands and respects Indias aspirations for UNSC membership," the MEA noted. POSITIVE MOMENTUM, SENSITIVE ISSUES DISCUSSED The two delegations reviewed the positive momentum" in bilateral relations and discussed ways to further advance ties by enhancing people-to-people exchanges and addressing sensitive issues". The talks focused on steps taken by both sides to stabilise and rebuild relations that had been under strain since the military standoff in eastern Ladakh, and on ways to address concerns related to trade. It added that the two sides again flagged the importance of peace along the Line of Actual Control for the broader trajectory of ties. Misri and Ma, it said, also exchanged views on a range of regional and international issues. The readout referred to the gradual improvement in ties following meetings between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping, including their interaction in Kazan in October 2024 and again in August 2025 on the sidelines of a summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation in Tianjin. First Published: February 11, 2026, 07:02 IST News india 'Cooperative Partners Instead Of Rivals': China After Strategic Dialogue With India Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Is The 'Zero-Tariff Clause' In US-Bangladesh Trade Deal Bad News For Indian Textiles? Curated By : Translation Desk Last Updated: February 11, 2026, 08:56 IST Will Bangladesh now buy raw materials like cotton from the US instead of India? News18 breaks down the 'Zero Tariff Clause' that Congress says will hurt Indian textile hubs The raw materials India supplies to Bangladesh are not only priced reasonably, but also delivered quickly. (AI Generated) The US-Bangladesh trade deal has sparked a political storm in India, with the opposition Congress alleging that the Zero Tariff Clause in the agreement would decimate Indias garment and textile industry since Dhaka would now buy raw materials from the United States instead. In a post on X, the Congress said zero-duty benefit could incentivise Bangladesh to use more American cotton instead of Indian cotton. It added that Indian textile hubs like Tirupur, Surat and Panipat are at risk of losing livelihood. ???????????? ???????????????????????????????????????????????? ???????????????? ???????? ???????????? ???????????????? ???????????? ????????????????????. ???????????????????? ???????????? US tariff on Indian garments/apparel: 18% US tariff on Bangladeshi garments/apparel: 19%, but with a ZERO-duty (0%) access clause that India does not have. This Congress (@INCIndia) February 10, 2026 Many experts, however, disagree with the Congresss analysis, pointing to the difference in quality and the fact that the US-Bangladesh trade deal comes with a tough condition Dhaka will only benefit from the zero-duty clause if it buys man-made yarn and cotton yarn from the US. According to them, meeting this condition is very difficult for Bangladesh. On the other hand, the raw materials India supplies to Bangladesh are not only priced reasonably, but also delivered quickly. Indian goods reach Bangladeshi exporters within a week, while goods from the US take weeks to arrive. Former Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Veena Sikri said that under the new trade deal, Dhaka has promised to buy expensive items, including Boeing jets, from the US, but does not have the funds to do so. In such a scenario, Bangladesh will have to borrow from the IMF again. Buying expensive raw materials from the US in exchange for loans could end up jeopardising Bangladeshs economy further. News18 answers some key questions about the Zero Tariff Clause and what impact it might have on Indias garment hubs: What is Congresss claim on the Zero Tariff Clause? The Congress says that Bangladesh will now use American cotton and fibre so it can pay 0% tariff on clothing exports to the US market, whereas India has to pay an 18% tariff. Is it cheaper for Bangladesh to import cotton from the US? Absolutely not. According to 2026 data, the global price of American cotton is around 75 cents per pound. After adding shipping, logistics, and other costs, this would cost Bangladesh approximately Rs 14,800 per quintal. What is the price of cotton in India? The price of cotton in India currently ranges from Rs 6,200 to Rs 7,800 per quintal (depending on the variety). This means American cotton is almost twice as expensive as Indian cotton. What is the math behind the 19% tariff exemption and raw material prices? Even if Bangladesh saves 19% on tariffs by purchasing cotton from the US that is 100% more expensive, its total production cost will still be higher than using cheaper raw materials from India. If the raw materials themselves are twice as expensive, a 19% tariff saving will not make Bangladeshi textiles cheaper than Indian textiles. What is the difference in shipping time? Cotton or yarn from India reaches Bangladesh in 3 to 7 days by truck or train. Goods from the US take 30 to 45 days by sea. Longer lead times mean higher interest costs and larger inventory expenses. How much American cotton does Bangladesh buy now? According to statistics, Bangladesh imports more than 70% of its cotton needs from India, along with some from Brazil. The share of American cotton is very limited because it is not cost-effective. It also falls into the premium category and is expensive to transport. Can Bangladesh stop supplies from India overnight? No. Bangladeshs textile hubs, such as Gazipur and Savar, have machinery and supply chains designed to handle the quality of Indian cotton. They would need major changes to their manufacturing lines to accommodate American fibre. What is the real condition of the Zero Tariff Clause? This US requirement is often similar to the Yarn Forward Rule, meaning every single thread in a fabric must be American. For a country like Bangladesh, relying solely on American yarn for its entire supply chain poses a significant risk. First Published: February 11, 2026, 08:56 IST News india Is The 'Zero-Tariff Clause' In US-Bangladesh Trade Deal Bad News For Indian Textiles? Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Italian Media Report On Pilot's Role In Ahmedabad Air India Crash Sparks Debate Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: February 11, 2026, 22:34 IST The report said the crash occurred after both engine fuel switches were moved from Run to Cutoff shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad on June 12, 2025. The London-bound aircraft crashed just 32 seconds after takeoff from the Ahmedabad airport. (PTI Photo) An Italian media report triggered intense debate after suggesting that Indias final investigation report into the June 2025 Air India Flight 171 crash in Ahmedabad could point to pilot action, even though no such conclusion has been officially confirmed. According to a report published by Corriere della Sera, Indian investigators are preparing to state in the final accident report that the Boeing 787 Dreamliner crashed because one of the pilots moved both engine fuel switches to the cutoff position, an act described by sources cited in the report as almost certainly intentional." Read more: Air India Crash Report: Why Western Medias Coverage Has Drawn Criticism The Italian newspaper said it was reporting on what the final probe report may conclude, citing Western aviation sources familiar with discussions between Indian and US investigators. Those sources claimed that no technical malfunction has been identified that could explain the near-simultaneous loss of power in both engines. What Italian Report Claims The report said the crash occurred after both engine fuel switches were moved from Run" to Cutoff" shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad on June 12, 2025. Simulator tests conducted in the US reportedly failed to reproduce a scenario in which both engines shut down due to a mechanical fault, leaving human intervention as the only plausible explanation, according to the sources cited. Read more: Baseless, Defamatory: Pilots Body Slaps Notice On Reuters, WSJ Over Air India Crash Report A preliminary report released a month after the crash had already confirmed that both engines lost thrust after the fuel switches were moved. However, it did not specify why the switches were moved. The cockpit voice recorder reportedly captured one pilot asking, Why did you turn off the engines?", with the other responding, It wasnt me." Attempts to restart the engines were unsuccessful. According to Corriere della Sera, Western investigators have focused attention on Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, who was acting as pilot monitoring, while First Officer Clive Kunder was flying the aircraft. The report claims flight data showed the left engine shut down first, followed by the right- a sequence that aligns with cockpit seating, as the captain sits in the left seat. In the final moments, the first officers control column was positioned as if attempting to pitch the aircraft upward, while the captains remained neutral. The newspaper added that enhanced analysis of cleaned-up" cockpit audio recordings helped investigators determine which pilot moved the switches and ruled out accidental error, according to the sources. Indian authorities, including the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), the Directorate General of Civil Aviation and the Civil Aviation Ministry, did not respond to the newspapers queries. Social Media Reactions On Italian Report The Italian report sparked sharp reactions online, with many users questioning the narrative emerging from foreign media. One user wrote, WHAT DID I TELL YOU!! Theyre going to blame it on pilots, honestly this is such a bullshit report and why would the captain give any input when hes the pilot monitoring." WHAT DID I TELL YOU!! Theyre going to blame it on pilots, honestly this is such a bullshit report and why would the captain give any input when hes the pilot monitoring??? Istg boeing will bury this and dgca run by clowns will come out saying pilot error" https://t.co/5VUZP74Dba Vicks mittayi (@Eranamkettath) February 11, 2026 Another urged caution, writing, Dont post for visibility, let the DGCA investigate first." Dont post for visibility, let the DGCA investigate first Varun (@varunnn_g) February 11, 2026 Earlier, when similar insinuations surfaced following preliminary findings, the Indian Commercial Pilots Association (ICPA) had strongly objected to suggestions placing blame on the flight crew of Air India Flight 171. In an official statement, the pilots body described the accusations as a gross violation" and a disservice to the profession," warning against speculative narratives, particularly those hinting at pilot suicide. What Government Said In Parliament The Union Civil Aviation Ministry addressed questions on the investigation process in the Lok Sabha on December 18, 2025, responding to an unstarred question raised by Congress MP Manish Tewari. Minister of State for Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol said the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) is conducting the probe strictly in accordance with standards laid down by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO). On the handling of flight recorders, the minister informed Parliament that the rear Enhanced Airborne Flight Recorder (EAFR) was recovered on June 13, 2025, while the front EAFR was recovered on June 16, 2025. Both were transferred to AAIB, Delhi, on June 24, 2025, following all prescribed security protocols. The EAFRs are in the custody of AAIB since their retrieval from the crash site and are under constant security and CCTV surveillance," the government said. Responding to demands for an independent review, the government said AAIB has functioned as an independent body since July 2012, with functional autonomy under the Aircraft (Investigation of Accidents and Incidents) Rules, 2025, and therefore no separate review was proposed. Location : Delhi, India, India First Published: February 11, 2026, 22:09 IST News india Italian Media Report On Pilot's Role In Ahmedabad Air India Crash Sparks Debate Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Kerala High Court Flags Financial Indiscipline In Sabarimala Global Ayyappa Meet Audit Reported By : CNN-News18 Last Updated: February 11, 2026, 23:27 IST The High Court has sought a detailed explanation from the Travancore Devaswom Board The courts scrutiny comes after a special commissioner submitted the audit report that highlighted a string of irregularities. File pic The Kerala High Court has raised serious concerns over prima facie financial indiscipline" within the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) following an audit of the Sabarimala Global Ayyappa Meet held on September 20, 2025. The courts scrutiny comes after a special commissioner submitted the audit report that highlighted a string of irregularities. Prior to the event at Pampa, the High Court had said that the expenses for the global meet should be covered through sponsors. The Travancore Devaswom Board had taken Rs 2 crore from the Devaswom Board general fund and was told that the amount will be kept back once the sponsorship comes in. The audit report states that 2 crore has so far not been kept back. Auditing the Irregularities The audit report, submitted by the Sabarimala Special Commissioner, points to several discrepancies. Lack of Competitive Bidding: The execution of works was entrusted to the Indian Institute of Infrastructure and Construction (IIIC) without any tender process or competitive bidding. The invoices received from IIIC and its subcontractors lacked proper classification of expenditure under specific accounting heads, making it impossible to verify ledger-wise expenditure solely on the basis of such invoices. Vanishing Assets: While the Bill of Quantity (BOQ) accounted for 150 beds, only 100 were recorded in the Joint Measurement Sheets (JMS), leaving 50 beds (valued at Rs 1,73,000) completely unaccounted for. While 15 centre table units were mentioned in BOQ, 19 units were certified in the JMS, with 15 shown as extra," without any clear justification. Phantom Works: A sum of Rs 2,80,000 for cabling and panel board works appeared in the bill but remained uncertified in the measurement sheets. Prasadam Accounting: The monetary value of the Prasadam distributed to participants of the Global Ayyappa Meet was never reflected in the events official books of account. Tax and Transparency Failures Beyond the missing inventory, the TDB faces a significant shortfall in tax reconciliation. While the board is reportedly entitled to Rs 1.07 crore in GST input tax credit, only Rs 45.76 lakh has been reflected in the GSTR-2B. The High Court has now demanded a detailed explanation from the Travancore Devaswom Board. Location : Thiruvananthapuram, India, India First Published: February 11, 2026, 23:27 IST News india Kerala High Court Flags Financial Indiscipline In Sabarimala Global Ayyappa Meet Audit Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Last Updated: February 16, 2026, 09:39 IST Kerala Lottery Result Today: The first prize winner of Dhanalekshmi DL-39 will take home Rs 1 crore. (Image: Shutterstock) Kerala Lottery Result Today Live, 11-2-2026: The Kerala State Lottery Department has declared the results of the Dhanalekshmi DL-39 lottery today, February 11, 2026. The draw took place at Gorky Bhavan, Thiruvananthapuram, under strict supervision. The winner of the first prize worth Rs 1 crore is the participant holding ticket number DF 261510. The bumper jackpot ticket was sold at Ernakulam. ALSO READ: Kerala Lottery Results: Bhagyathara BT-41 Winning Numbers For February 16, 2026 The second prize of Rs 30 lakh was won by ticket number DF 821580, sold at Malappuram. Meanwhile, the third prize of Rs 5 lakh goes to ticket number DA 513489, sold at Malappuram. Check the full list of winning numbers below to verify your ticket and learn the claim process. Baseless: Hardeep Puri Hits Back At Rahul Gandhis Epstein Allegation Curated By : Last Updated: February 11, 2026, 18:46 IST Hardeep Singh Puri criticised Rahul Gandhi for making baseless allegations about Epstein and leaving without hearing the replies. Union minister Hardeep Singh Puri (Image: PTI/File) Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Wednesday hit back at Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi after the Congress leader referred to his alleged links with Jeffrey Epstein in the Lok Sabha, accusing him of making baseless allegations" and walking out of the House without listening to replies. Referring to Gandhis speech in Parliament, Puri said, We have a youth leader who placed a few things before the Parliament today. He has a habit of making baseless allegations." Without naming Gandhi directly at first, Puri contrasted what he described as two types of political leaders. There are two kinds of leaders: those who assume responsibility in the political system and dedicate their lives to social service, transforming the country, and those who devote their lives and ensure that, during their lifetime, the country moves from the 10th-largest economy to the 3rd-largest," he said. He then took a swipe at Gandhis conduct in the House. And then there are other leaders who occasionally come to the country, and when they come to the Parliament, they walk out of the House when someone gives them a substantive reply and doesnt listen to them. He left after his own speech today" the Union Minister said. #WATCH | On Lok Sabha LoP Rahul Gandhis speech in the House, Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri says, Epstein Files, the Yuva Neta should know, are about wrongdoing, criminal offences. The Epstein Files are about charges that he had an island where he used to take people to pic.twitter.com/v8jnqpR6kA ANI (@ANI) February 11, 2026 Addressing remarks by Congress leader Supriya Shrinate, Puri said, Congress leader Supriya Shrinate raised in an email who introduced Hardeep Puri, I presume to Epstein These facts are known in the public domain. Three million emails have been released. I was in New York for 8 years, from May 2009, when I joined as Indias Ambassador to the UN. In 2017, I became Minister. There are references to possibly three or four meetings in 8 years" He further said he had clarified the matter directly to Rahul Gandhi. I decided to tell Yuva Neta, Rahul Gandhi, and in the note to him, I told him that after I retired as Indias Ambassador to the UN, a few months later, I was invited to join the International Peace Institute. I was not part of the IPI per seAs part of the delegation of the IPI or the ICM, I met Mr Epstein on a few occasions. The ICM was dealing with international issues, and Mr Epstein was not part of it." Puri further added that during this period, he had professional interactions with several global figures, including Reid Hoffman, the founder of LinkedIn. I was a private citizen in 2014, when I wrote this e-mail to Reid Hoffman (founder of LinkedIn)," he said, clarifying that an email dated November 13, 2014, was addressed to Hoffman and that Epstein was likely copied on it. The exchange comes amid heightened political sparring between the BJP and the Congress over references to Epstein in Parliament, with the government dismissing the charges as unfounded. First Published: February 11, 2026, 16:28 IST News india Baseless: Hardeep Puri Hits Back At Rahul Gandhis Epstein Allegation Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... New Guidelines For Vande Mataram: Standing Up Necessary, To Be Sung Before National Anthem Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: February 11, 2026, 09:41 IST Issuing the latest guidelines, the Home Ministry said that on all occasions when the National Song is sung, the official version shall be recited accompanied by mass singing. Home Ministry issued new guidelines for 'Vande Mataram'. (Image: File Pic) In the latest guidelines issued regarding Vande Mataram, the Union Home Ministry said that whenever the official version of the National Song is sung or played, the audience shall stand to attention. However, it is not expected of the audience to stand in cinemas, in the course of a newsreel or documentary. The ministry issued guidance on the official version of the National Song and about the need to pay respect to the song by observance of proper decorum, Hindustan Times reported. As per the guidelines, when the National Song and the National Anthem are sung, the National Song will be sung first. Additionally, all six stanzas of the National Song, written by Bankim Chandra Chatterjee, including the four removed by the Congress in 1937, will be played. Vande Mataram will also be played at civilian awards ceremonies, like the Padma awards, and all other events attended by the President, i.e., during their arrival and departure. On all occasions when the National Song is sung, the official version shall be recited accompanied by mass singing, the statement read. It further instructed the school authorities to make adequate provision in their programmes for popularising the singing of the National Song, National Anthem and promoting respect for the National Flag among students. The move comes amid the central governments recent push to popularise Vande Mataram. Notably, the Parliament witnessed a massive debate over the song last year between the ruling BJP and the Congress. The Vande Mataram Row Written by Bankim Chandra Chatterjee in Sanskritised Bengali in the 1870s, the 3 minutes 10 seconds song was first adopted by the freedom movement to praise the motherland. Unlike Jana Gana Mana, there was no official protocol followed before singing Vande Mataram till now. The six-stanza hymn, first published in his 1882 novel Anandmath, was Vande Mataram. Later in 1950, the first two stanzas of the song were adopted as Indias national song. During the debate during the winter session of Parliament in December 2025, Prime Minister Narendra Modi led the debate in the Lok Sabha and highlighted the songs origins and its role in the freedom struggle, accusing Congress of betraying and sabotaging the song by removing crucial verses. Terming it as a division and partition of the song", PM Modi argued that it weakened the original intent of the composition and caused Partition. Vande Mataram was divided first, and then the country was divided," PM Modi said, slamming his predecessor, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, and the Congress leadership for compromising on a national symbol. First Published: February 11, 2026, 08:34 IST News india New Guidelines For Vande Mataram: Standing Up Necessary, To Be Sung Before National Anthem Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... New Vande Mataram Guidelines FAQs: All Six Stanzas To Be Sung At Official Events Curated By : News18.com Edited By: Apoorva Misra Last Updated: February 11, 2026, 10:54 IST The rules don't apply to movie theatre screenings & audiences are not required to stand if the song is played as part of a film or documentary, where standing could disrupt viewing Rapid Read When both the national song and Jana Gana Mana are performed at the same event, Vande Mataram must be played first. (PTI) The Union Home Ministry on Wednesday issued fresh guidelines regarding Vande Mataram, saying the national song must be sung before the national anthem at all government events and schools, with everyone standing in attention while it is played. Vande Mataram is Indias national song, written by Bankim Chandra Chatterjee in the 1870s and adopted in 1950. Heres a quick lowdown on the fresh guidelines and what they mean for you: What Has The Government Changed? The new rules define how Vande Mataram should be played, sung and respected at official events and institutions across India. The key update is that the full six-stanza version of the song, including the four stanzas that had been historically excluded by the Congress from official use, must be played or sung at many government functions and school programmes. Why Has The Government Issued These Guidelines Now? Previously, Vande Mataram did not have a clearly defined national protocol, unlike the national anthem Jana Gana Mana. The decision aims to formalise respectful observance of the national song and ensure uniform practice across official functions, schools and public ceremonies. The move also reflects ongoing efforts to popularise and emphasise national symbols after debates in Parliament on the songs historical significance. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has launched a year-long commemoration marking 150 years of Vande Mataram and the issue also became a bone of contention between the ruling government and the Congress-led opposition during the Winter Session of Parliament. So, What Exactly Are The New Rules? According to the new guidelines: All six stanzas of Vande Mataram will be performed (about 3 minutes and 10 seconds in total). When both the national song and Jana Gana Mana are performed at the same event, Vande Mataram must be played first. Everyone present must stand to attention while Vande Mataram is played or sung (with some limited exceptions). Schools across India are directed to include the national song in assemblies and promote respect for national symbols. The song is to be played at state functions, civilian award ceremonies, flag hoisting events, and during arrivals and departures of the President and Governors at formal events. When & Where Will These Guidelines Apply? These guidelines apply immediately at official government functions, school assemblies, and other significant public events where the national song is expected to be sung. However, they do not apply to movie theatre screeningsaudiences are not required to stand if the song is played as part of a film or documentary, where standing could disrupt viewing. What Does Standing Up" Mean For Citizens? Under the new rules: During official ceremonies, everyone present is expected to stand respectfully when Vande Mataram is played or sung. This is similar to standing for the National Anthem, but the law governing Vande Mataram may differ. Currently the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act applies explicitly to the National Anthem; similar statutory protection for Vande Mataram may be considered separately. VANDE MATARAM AND THE LATEST ROW Vande Mataram is a patriotic poem written by Bankim Chandra Chatterjee in the 1870s and first published in 1882 in his Bengali novel Anandamath. Its opening line means I bow to thee, Mother"referring to the motherland. The song became an important symbol of Indian nationalism during the freedom struggle, often sung at Congress sessions and banned by the British colonial government because of its inspiring role in anti-colonial protests. In 1937, the Indian National Congress adopted Vande Mataram as the national song, but chose to officially use only the first two stanzas because the later verses referenced Hindu deities, which leaders feared might offend the Muslim community at the time. In late 2025-early 2026, Vande Mataram again sparked national debate as PM Modi and ruling party leaders argued that limiting the song to only two stanzas in 1937 was a betrayal" of the full composition and insisted that those stanzas should be restored. Opposition leaders (including Congress) have pushed back, accusing the government of rewriting history, politicising the song, and oversimplifying complex decisions involving figures like Nehru and Gandhi. First Published: February 11, 2026, 10:54 IST News india New Vande Mataram Guidelines FAQs: All Six Stanzas To Be Sung At Official Events Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Om Birla Steps In To Let Opposition Rectify No-Confidence Notice Against Him Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: February 11, 2026, 16:03 IST Birla directed officials to inform the Opposition about the errors so the notice could be rectified and listed at the earliest. File photo of Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla. (Image: PTI) Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla allowed the Opposition to correct drafting errors in its no-confidence notice against him instead of rejecting it outright, parliamentary sources told PTI on Wednesday. The notice, signed by 118 Opposition MPs, was submitted to Lok Sabha Secretary General Utpal Kumar Singh on Tuesday afternoon. However, sources said it contained references to events of February 2025 at four places, which could have led to its rejection under the rules. Rather than dismissing it, Birla directed officials to inform the Opposition about the errors so the notice could be rectified and listed at the earliest, sources added. The Opposition later withdrew the earlier notice and submitted a revised version with the corrected date. The notice reportedly mentions the events of February 2025 four times, on the basis of which it could have been rejected as per the rules," the sources stated. ALSO READ: Can Lok Sabha Speaker Be Impeached And What Is The Process? A day earlier, Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi had said the no-confidence motion was submitted at 1:14 pm seeking a no-confidence resolution against the Speaker. Opposition parties have accused Birla of blatantly partisan" conduct. They alleged that Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi and other leaders were not allowed to speak during the discussion on the Motion of Thanks to the Presidents Address. Gandhi had sought to refer to former Army chief General MM Naravanes unpublished memoir on the 2020 India-China standoff. The notice also cited the suspension of eight MPs and raised objections over remarks made by BJP MP Nishikant Dubey against former Prime Ministers. It further referred to Birlas statement that he had urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi not to attend the House amid concerns of possible disruption. According to Lok Sabha Secretariat sources, as reported by ANI, the discussion on the motion is likely to take place on March 9, the first day of the second part of the Budget Session. (With inputs from agencies) First Published: February 11, 2026, 15:57 IST News india Om Birla Steps In To Let Opposition Rectify No-Confidence Notice Against Him Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Penguin Random House India Receives Delhi Police Notice Over Leak Of General Naravane's Memoir Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: February 11, 2026, 12:43 IST The Delhi Police have served a notice to Penguin Random House India seeking answers over the alleged leak of a pre-print version of Naravanes memoir. A printed copy of the unpublished book by former Indian Army chief Gen MM Naravane held up in the Parliament complex | Image: X The Delhi Police Special Cell has issued a notice to publisher Penguin Random House India, seeking replies to a series of questions as part of its investigation into the alleged circulation of a pre-print version of Four Stars of Destiny, the memoir of former Army chief Manoj Mukund Naravane. According to the details, the notice asks the publishing house to participate in an inquiry and furnish details relevant to the case. Later, the police also added sections related to criminal conspiracy in the case. The Special Cell has already registered an FIR after taking cognisance that a pre-print copy of the book was being circulated. Investigators have described the matter as a probe into a purported leak/breach of a yet to be approved publication," and said efforts are underway to verify the claims and identify the source of any unauthorised material. SPECIAL CELL INITIATES PROBE According to the police, the case was filed after reports suggested that copies of the memoir were available even though the book had not officially been cleared for publication. Officials said an investigation has been taken up to examine these assertions and determine how any manuscript may have entered the public domain. The notice to Penguin forms part of these efforts, with officers seeking information about the books publishing status, internal handling of drafts and advance copies, and whether the company knew any unauthorised circulation. PENGUINS INITIAL CLARIFICATION Soon after the controversy surfaced, Penguin Random House India issued a statement asserting that it alone held the publishing rights to the memoir and that the book had not yet been released. In an X post, the company said, In light of recent public discourse and media reporting, Penguin Random House India would like to clarify that we hold the sole publishing rights for the book Four Stars of Destiny, a memoir by General Manoj Mukund Naravane, former Chief of the Indian Army." We wish to make it clear that the book has not gone into publication. No copies of the book, in print or digital form, have been published, distributed, sold, or otherwise made available to the public by Penguin Random House India," it mentioned. The publisher also warned that any versions in circulation would amount to copyright infringement. Any copies of the book currently in circulation, in whole or in part, whether in print, digital, PDF, or any other format, online or offline, on any platform, constitute an infringement of PRHIs copyright and must immediately be ceased. Penguin Random House India shall be exercising remedies available in law against the illegal and unauthorised dissemination of the book," the statement said, adding that it was being issued to place the firms position on record. PARLIAMENTARY CONTROVERSY The matter came up in the Parliament after Congress leader Rahul Gandhi quoted from what he described as a pre-print book" during his speech in the Lok Sabha on the motion of thanks to the Presidents Address last week. Members of the treasury benches objected, leading to repeated adjournments before the House adopted the motion by voice vote amid sloganeering. The Speaker later ruled that unpublished literature should not be quoted. Outside Parliament, Gandhi cited a 2023 social-media post by Naravane and alleged that the memoir was available for sale online, saying that either the former Army chief or the publisher could not be telling the truth. SECOND STATEMENT ON PRE-ORDERS Following those remarks, Penguin issued a fresh clarification explaining the distinction between publication and pre-orders. A book is considered published only when it is available for purchase across retail channels," the company said. Pre-order is a standard publishing practice. It allows readers and retailers to place advance orders. The book is not yet published or available," it said. An announced book, a book available for pre-order, and a published book are not the same thing," while reiterating that it remained committed to clarity and transparency in the books we publish," the publisher mentioned. WHAT NARAVANE SAID Naravane later supported the publishers account, posting on X that his memoir had not yet been published and sharing what he described as the current status of the book." His post echoed Penguins assertion that while the work had been announced and listed for pre-order, it had not entered publication, distribution or sale, and that any circulating copies were unauthorised. First Published: February 11, 2026, 11:12 IST News india Penguin Random House India Receives Delhi Police Notice Over Leak Of General Naravane's Memoir Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Rajnath Singh-Led Top Defence Body Likely To Clear Acquisition Of 114 Rafale Jets, Key Meeting Tomorrow Reported By : News18.com Edited By: Oindrila Mukherjee Last Updated: February 11, 2026, 21:44 IST The Rafale proposal was cleared by the Defence Procurement Board last month and is expected to be taken up before moving to the PM-led cabinet committee on security for a final nod The planned Rafale acquisition aims to address the steep decline in the squadron strength of the Indian Air Force. (Image: PTI/File) Indias Defence Acquisition Council, chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, is likely to approve 114 additional Rafale fighter jets for the Indian Air Force as it holds a key meeting on Thursday (February 12). The meeting will have major decisions on critical military platforms, with the agenda including proposals that could reshape combat capabilities of the armed forces amid growing security concerns. At the forefront is the likely approval of 114 additional Dassault Rafale jets for the Indian Air Force under the Medium-Role Fighter Aircraft (MRFA) programme. This proposal cleared by the Defence Procurement Board last month is expected to be taken up by the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) before being forwarded to the Prime Minister-led cabinet committee on security for the final nod. The planned Rafale acquisition aims to address the steep decline in the squadron strength of the air force. The number has dropped to 29 squadrons against an authorised strength of 42, the lowest in decades. Even with the additional jets, which could translate into at least six to seven new squadrons and incoming HAL Tejas Mk-1A deliveries, the gap is unlikely to close quickly without these buys. The MRFA project has a long and complex lineage. It evolved from the 2007 Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) competition, in which Rafale eventually emerged the preferred choice but negotiations over cost and industrial terms had stalled. The present proposal has a stronger emphasis on Make in India, with plans for transfer of technology and local production as well as integration of future weapons systems tailored to Indian requirements. If approved, the deal estimated to be around Rs 3.25 lakh crore will become one of Indias largest fighter aircraft procurements. INDIGENOUS SURVEILLANCE SYSTEMS The DAC is also expected to consider procurement of high-altitude pseudo-satellites (HAPS), which are long-endurance, solar-powered unmanned systems capable of stratospheric surveillance. These offer persistent intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance over wide areas at considerably lower cost than traditional satellites, and are being developed by Indian entities including Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and National Aerospace Laboratories (NAL). Their inclusion is a shift towards indigenous space-domain capability that can support frontline forces in border and maritime zones. MARITIME PATROL, ANTI-SUBMARINE TECH While sources indicated that approvals are unlikely, the DAC is widely expected to take up the case of the Boeing P-8I Poseidon fleet to approve six additional aircraft for the Indian Navy. The P-8I, a long-range maritime surveillance and anti-submarine warfare platform, is a critical asset for securing Indias maritime interests in the Indian Ocean. The navy presently operates 12 of these aircraft, which have amassed over 40,000 mishap-free flight hours and are central to its eye in the sky" capability. The council will discuss some more cases for the capability boost of the armed forces, including SCALP missiles, indigenous marine engine development programme for the navy among other cases. TEJAS DELAYS Delays in the indigenous LCA Mk1A programme have compounded capability shortfalls. Although at least 180 Mk1A aircraft have been contracted, deliveries scheduled between 2027 and 2033 have not yet begun, slowing down efforts to offset retirements of older jets such as the MiG-21 series. These delays have sharpened the focus on rapid acquisitions like the Rafale buy while highlighting the need to speed up indigenous projects. First Published: February 11, 2026, 21:44 IST News india Rajnath Singh-Led Top Defence Body Likely To Clear Acquisition Of 114 Rafale Jets, Key Meeting Tomorrow Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Rafale Was The Hero Of Operation Sindoor: IAF Vice-Chief On Fighter Jets As Mega Deal Nears Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: February 11, 2026, 19:26 IST IAF eyes 114 new multi-role fighter jets under MRFA, with Rafale praised by Air Marshal Nagesh Kapoor as Operation Sindoor hero. File photo of a Rafale jet. (File Pic) The Indian Air Force has shown strong confidence in the Rafale fighter jet, with Vice Chief of Air Staff Air Marshal Nagesh Kapoor describing it as the hero of Operation Sindoor, among many other heroes," even as the force pushes for the induction of more multi-role fighter aircraft (MRFA) to strengthen its combat fleet. Speaking to India Today, Air Marshal Kapoor said the IAF is keen to strengthen its fleet with next-generation fighter aircraft under the proposed MRFA programme. We are looking forward to inducting more MRFA aircraft," he said, adding, I cannot say which type as it is under deliberations." Also Read: Centre Approves Proposal To Acquire 114 Rafale Fighter Jets His remarks come at a time when India is moving closer to clearing a major proposal to acquire 114 multi-role fighter jets, with the Rafale widely seen as a leading contender. The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, is expected to consider granting Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) for the programme, which is estimated to be worth around Rs 3.25 lakh crore. The proposal had earlier received clearance from the Defence Procurement Board, marking a key step in the acquisition process and paving the way for formal negotiations. If approved, the deal would rank among Indias largest-ever fighter aircraft procurements. The push for new aircraft comes amid a widening capability gap. The IAF currently operates around 29 fighter squadrons, well below its sanctioned strength of 42, at a time when security challenges persist along both the western and northern borders. Under the proposed plan, 114 fighter jets are to be acquired, with a portion delivered in fly-away condition and the majority manufactured in India. A significant share of production is expected to take place domestically, in line with the governments Make in India initiative, with high indigenous content envisaged. First Published: February 11, 2026, 16:11 IST News india Rafale Was The Hero Of Operation Sindoor: IAF Vice-Chief On Fighter Jets As Mega Deal Nears Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Simple, Raw & Brutal: Indian CEO Surprised By Honest Work-Life Advice From Chinese Entrepreneur Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: February 11, 2026, 18:31 IST Mishra noted that while many in India focus on discussions around balance, Chinese entrepreneurs are focused on execution with clarity Some users argued that work-life balance is about deciding what deserves full attention. (Photo Credit: X) Shubham Mishra, founder and CEO of Energy AI Labs, got an unexpected answer when he asked a Chinese entrepreneur about the difference between Indian and Chinese business leaders. He shared the experience in a post on X Tuesday. During a call with the Chinese entrepreneur, who is set to become Energy AI Labs official channel partner in China, Mishra asked a simple question, Whats the biggest difference between Indian and Chinese entrepreneurs?" The Indian CEO said he expected a philosophical answer. Instead, the response was blunt and direct. Had a word with a Chinese entrepreneur todayhes soon becoming our official channel partner there.Yes, a distribution partner for an Indian product in China. Just before wrapping up the call, I asked him a simple question: Whats the biggest difference between Indian pic.twitter.com/JMT4J6wf5L Shubham Mishra (@brahma_4u) February 10, 2026 Mishra recalled that the Chinese entrepreneur, in broken English, said, We dont believe in work-life balance and its online debates. Theres only two things: work time or personal time." Calling the Chinese entrepreneurs reply simple, raw, and brutally practical," Mishra noted that while many in India focus on debates about balance, Chinese entrepreneurs concentrate on execution with clarity. Mishra also highlighted a small but significant business update, Some Chinese EV businesses will soon start using an Indian battery tester. Global trust is shifting, one battery test at a time." Users reacted strongly to Mishras post. Some argued that work-life balance is about deciding what deserves full attention, while others pointed out that countries prioritising work-life balance are still economically strong. Sometimes balance isnt dividing time; its deciding what deserves your full attention in each moment," a user wrote. While another remarked, USA, UK, Europe and such countries always put work life balance as a top priority, and still are doing great. Otherwise its just unpaid labour." A few commented on cultural differences, noting that Indian entrepreneurs tend to talk too much, affecting productivity. They have lost birth rates for that and no country has been able to reverse it, security and economics both depend on birth rates," a user noted. Energy AI Labs is a startup developing an autonomous Energy Superintelligence" system designed to transform static energy infrastructure into self-coordinating, intelligent networks. . First Published: February 11, 2026, 18:25 IST News india Simple, Raw & Brutal: Indian CEO Surprised By Honest Work-Life Advice From Chinese Entrepreneur Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Last Updated: February 11, 2026, 14:38 IST Uttar Pradesh State Budget 2026-27 LIVE Updates: Uttar Pradesh Finance Minister Suresh Khanna on Wednesday presented a Rs 9.13 lakh crore Budget for the financial year 2026-27 in the state Assembly, marking an increase of about 12.2 per cent over the previous years outlay. Tabling the Budget before the House, Khanna said the state government is always fully committed to fiscal management and debt control. Earlier on February 9, the budget session of the Uttar Pradesh assembly began with the Governors address and is set to conclude on February 20. International Day Of Women And Girls In Science 2026: History And Indian STEM Leaders Published By : Trending Desk Last Updated: February 11, 2026, 07:25 IST International Day of Women And Girls in Science 2026 theme celebrates women and girls driving innovation and change in science worldwide. Indian women and girls leading the STEM revolution on International Day of Women and Girls in Science 2026. International Day of Women and Girls in Science 2026: On February 11, the world will observe the International Day of Women and Girls in Science. The special occasion celebrates the contributions of women and girls in the scientific progression of our planet. The day honours these instrumental scientists and calls for a mend on their underrepresentation in the field of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). As science and technology continue to play an integral role in the worlds socio-economic growth, we need to close down the existing gender gap in personnel at task responsible for greater handling of various challenges, including climate change, healthcare crises and unforeseen disasters. International Day of Women and Girls in Science 2026: History and Significance The origins of the International Day of Women and Girls in Science can be traced back to the rise of the noble push for womens empowerment across the world. As the 2011 UN General Assembly extensively debated the matter and identified lack of proper female representation in STEM as a major issue, it formally established an International Day of Women and Girls in Science back on February 11, 2015. The United Nations General Assembly observed in its December 22, 2015, resolution that women comprised only 30 per cent of researchers worldwide. The official data from UNESCO later became a springboard for the official introduction of the International Day of Women and Girls in Science. The date of February 11 was chosen by the UN as it aligns with the day in 1903 when Marie Curie became the first woman to receive the Nobel Prize for her contributions to physics. Playing a part in gender equality and womens empowerment, the International Day of Women and Girls in Science calls for equal access to opportunities in the field of science, technology, engineering and mathematics. International Day of Women and Girls in Science 2026 Theme Ahead of the 2026 International Day of Women and Girls in Science, the UN has come up with the theme of From Vision to Impact: Redefining STEM by Closing the Gender Gap. The theme reinforces the UNs call for the eradication of biased representation and greater encouragement to female scientists, engineers, tech experts and mathematicians. Back in 2021, a UNESCO report suggested that women hold only 33 per cent of the worlds leading research positions. Indian Girls Leading the STEM Revolution Breaking gender-based norms and barriers while also inspiring the next generation of girls to take up leading roles in STEM, these Indian women symbolised the success of International Day of Women and Girls in Science as a concept in 2025: Dr Rajula Srivastava: An assistant professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, she won the 2025 Maryam Mirzakhani New Frontiers in Mathematics Prize. Dr Divya Karnad: A marine conservationist and associate professor at Ashoka University, India, Dr Karnad was honoured as the 2025 WINGS Woman of Discovery for her works in sustainable fisheries and protection of marine biodiversity. Amrita Krishnamoorthy: Her organisation, Stepping Stones Centre, promotes Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA) to support children with autism spectrum disorder. She was honoured with the Unlock Her Future Prize 2025 in the United Kingdom. Jhillika Trisal: A recipient of the Unlock Her Future Prize 2025, Trisals startup Cognitii supports high-tech school learning in the age of AI. Rashi Jain: A researcher at the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, she helped identify Alaknanda a galaxy similar to the Milky Way using NASAs James Webb Space Telescope (JWST). Lakshmi Kalyani Chinthala: Her work in research at the Golden Gate University, Chinthala, helped develop Smart DaaS, which uses learning and edge-AI biosensing to detect HIV biomarkers such as viral RNA and p24 antigen. First Published: February 11, 2026, 07:25 IST News lifestyle events International Day Of Women And Girls In Science 2026: History And Indian STEM Leaders The Lungi Turned Showstopper At FDCI India Mens Weekend And We Are Not Complaining Reported By : News18.com Last Updated: February 11, 2026, 09:01 IST House of Glenfiddich presents FDCI India Mens Weekend saw the traditional Indian drape get a contemporary makeover on the runway. (From L to R) Creations by Vivek Karunakaran, Abraham & Thakore and Ashish N Soni. Lungi, Veshti, Mundu or Sarong, the drape is called a different name in various cultures but the purpose remains the same. House of Glenfiddich presents FDCI India Mens Weekend saw the drape turn showstopper on the runway. Fashion designers Abraham & Thakore, Vivek Karunakaran, Ashish N Soni, Inca and Pawan Sachdeva gave their own contemporary spin to the drape, celebrating it in varied textures, prints and colours. So, the next time you want to dance to the famous track, Lungi Dance, you know where to shop for it this season. Heres a look at how the traditional drape found its moment at the 4th edition of FDCI India Mens Weekend. Abraham & Thakore One of the best collections from the fourth edition of FDCI India Mens Weekend, David Abraham and Rakesh Thakores Sartorial Sarongs celebrated the traditional Indian lungi and mundu on the runway. From quirky elaborate prints featuring stationary items such as paperclips, pens to paying homage to Jaipurs historic monument the Hawa Mahal, the lungis played perfect canvas to elevate these prints. Crafted in cotton, the drapes were realised in classic black and white colours. Both male and female models were styled in the drape making it a fresh, contemporary way of dressing for the modern Indian man and woman. Vivek Karunakaran Wrapped with love, with a sparkle of its own, Vivek Karunakarans Thangam had its golden moment at FDCI India Mens Weekend. The veshtis were crafted in raw silk, tussar, Kanjeevaram and silk organza and were further enhanced with textures that emerged through top stitching and rich traditional gold borders. Made to be worn beyond traditional ceremonies, Viveks collection was a breath of fresh air that won hearts on the runway. Ashish N Soni Rooted in comfort and relaxed resort fits, Ashish N Sonis collection at FDCI India Mens Weekend offered a contemporary interpretation of holiday silhouettes and drapes. Realised in green, the printed wraparound style drape was a celebration of layering and fluidity. Effortlessly moving between leisure and occasion, the drape was stylishly layered with a knitted collared T-shirt and a smart sleeveless vest in shades of black. Inca by Amit Hansraj The sarong found its way into Inca by Amit Hansrajs collection The Journey of a Dot, showcased at FDCI India Mens Weekend. A riot of colours meet drape drama in this one-of-a-kind collection. The opening look saw actor-model Zander Lama sashay down the runway styled in a sarong style drape paired with long kurta featuring a shibori print. Pawan Sachdeva After Dark by Pawan Sachdeva was an exploration of modern evening wear with a draped twist at FDCI India Mens Weekend. A celebration of restraint, elegance and modern masculinity, the collection featured a unique style drape which caught everyones attention. Meticulously cut to balance precision with comfort, the stylish drape was paired with a tailored shimmery suit. Redefining menswear at House of Glenfiddich x FDCI India Mens Weekend, the traditional Indian drape definitely got a much-deserved facelift and we cant wait to see the modern Indian man style beyond the occasion. First Published: February 11, 2026, 09:01 IST News lifestyle fashion The Lungi Turned Showstopper At FDCI India Mens Weekend And We Are Not Complaining Raise A Glass To Love: The Ultimate Valentines Day Spirits Gifting Guide 2026 Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: February 13, 2026, 08:45 IST From rare single malts and limited-edition Scotch to premium gin, rum, vodka and tequila, discover the ultimate Valentines Day 2026 gifting guide featuring luxury spirits This years Valentines gifting edit brings together a distinguished collection of single malts, blended Scotch whiskies, artisanal rums, refined gins, premium vodkas, and celebrated tequilas Valentines Day is no longer just about roses and candlelight, its about curating moments that linger. Whether its a quiet evening of meaningful conversation, a glamorous cocktail hour, or an intimate dinner at home, the right bottle can transform the atmosphere from ordinary to unforgettable. This years Valentines gifting edit brings together a distinguished collection of single malts, blended Scotch whiskies, artisanal rums, refined gins, premium vodkas, and celebrated tequilas. From globally acclaimed icons to proudly crafted Indian expressions, each spirit in this guide offers character, craftsmanship, and a story worth sharing. Whether youre choosing something bold and smoky, smooth and velvety, citrusy and refreshing, or rich and indulgent, this curated selection ensures theres a perfect pour for every kind of love story. After all, the finest gifts arent just opened, theyre savoured. The Collective Limited Edition 34-Year-Old Single Malt ABD Maestro has launched The Collective Limited Edition 34-Year-Old Single Malt, marking the companys exceptional debut into the ultra-luxury spirits segment in India. This rare Speyside Single Malt, distilled at the Macallan Distillery in 1991, represents an extraordinary expression of craftsmanship and heritage. A total of 60 hand-filled decanters only each individually numbered, engraved and manually gold-lettered in Scotland, honours the spirit that it holds. Each wooden outer box is handmade with evidence of touch and individuality. At a MRP of 11 Lakhs for 700ML in Maharashtra, the expression has been custom-made for ABD Maestro in collaboration with Speyside Capital, Glasgow, Scotland as brand and project partner. Glenfiddich 15 Year Old Glenfiddich 15 Year Old Solera Reserve Single Malt Scotch Whisky has warm, spicy flavours that are transformed through the alchemy of the Solera Vat. Best enjoyed neat, on the rocks, with a splash of water, or with club soda to expand the flavour profile. Glenfiddich x Aston Martin Formula One 16 Year Old The Glenfiddich x Aston Martin Formula One Limited Edition 16-Year-Old is a testament to the power of intuition in whisky-making. It is a rich, beautifully sweet whisky that delivers a super-smooth finish with sustained sweetness. The Balvenie 21 Year Old Balvenie 21 Year Old is a rare and luxurious single malt Scotch whisky aged in traditional oak casks before being finished in Port wine casks. The whisky has a velvety, smooth texture with a long and indulgent finish. It is best enjoyed neat or with a splash of water to fully appreciate its complexity. Chivas 18 Chivas 18 is a masterfully crafted whisky with 85 distinct and delectable flavour notes in every sip. With Chivas 18 Gold Signature, Master Blender Colin Scott has crafted yet another masterpiece of unparalleled distinction, setting a new benchmark for exceptional whisky blends around the globe. Boasting 85 rich and varied flavour notes, this expression is a sublime blend of 22 sumptuous fruit notes, 20 exquisite floral notes, 22 heavenly sweet notes, and 21 complex nutty and spicy notes, creating an unparalleled alchemy of luxurious taste. Nose: Rich, indulgent, and multi-layered, with dried fruits, buttery toffee, and dark chocolate Palate: Velvety dark chocolate, floral notes, and sweet, mellow smokiness Finish: Extremely warm and long Price: Gurgaon: INR 5,400 Mumbai: INR 9,500 Chivas Regal Crystalgold Chivas Regal Crystalgold is a groundbreaking clear whisky that reimagines what modern Scotch can be. Crafted from a bespoke blend and refined through an innovative filtration process, Crystalgold achieves remarkable smoothness and transparency while retaining the rich depth and craftsmanship that define Chivas Regal. Blurring the lines between a clear spirit and a traditionally aged whisky, it is versatile, elegant, and made for contemporary celebrations, whether sipped neat, over ice, or mixed into a refined cocktail. Available at: Duty Free, Mumbai and Delhi Price (1L pack): $79 The Glenlivet 15-Year-Old French Limousin Oak Cask Finish This Valentines Day, raise a toast to togetherness and elegance with The Glenlivet 15-Year-Old, a distinguished single malt that embodies refinement and craftsmanship. Matured in French Limousin oak casks, this exceptional whisky offers a harmonious blend of sweet fruits and delicate spice, creating a symphony of flavours that is both indulgent and memorable. With its creamy, buttery nose, smooth fruit-and-nut palate, and lingering finish with hints of sweet almond and spice, The Glenlivet 15 is more than just a drink its a gesture of sophistication. Whether shared with friends and family or savoured during a quiet moment, it elevates every sip into a celebration worth remembering. Nose: Creamy, rich, buttery Palate: Ripe mango, sweet toffee, cinnamon spice Finish: Lingering, sweet almond, spice Pair with: Full-flavoured venison dishes Price: Gurgaon: INR 6,000 Mumbai: INR 8,500 Blenders Pride Zenith Black Edition Blenders Pride Zenith Black Edition is a limited-edition collectors premium whisky that elevates the iconic Blenders Pride legacy through a bold expression of design craftsmanship. Meticulously crafted using a refined blend of Indian grain spirits and imported Scotch malts, the Zenith Black Edition draws from Scotlands time-honoured blending traditions while being tailored to the evolving palate of discerning whisky enthusiasts. The whisky reveals a luminous golden amber hue and a smooth, smoky character layered with notes of ripe fruits, caramel, oak, and subtle spices, delivering a refined yet powerful tasting experience. Encased in a striking black design that symbolises power, exclusivity, and elevated luxury. Blenders Pride Zenith Black Edition is created for the One in a Million and released in a limited run of one million bottles worldwide. Availability PAN India Seagrams Longitude 77 Seagrams Longitude 77 Indian Single Malt Whisky from the House of Pernod Ricard India is an homage to the enchanting spirit of India and reimagines an India of unparalleled luxury and sophistication. It is crafted in small batches in a distillery in Dindori, Nashik (Maharashtra), with utmost care for seekers of authentic contemporary Indian luxury. The flavour profile is rich and mellow with notes of oak, vanilla, and a subtle hint of fruit. The brand gets its name from Longitude 77 A line that marks Indias position on the world map. It represents Indias richness of ingredients, historical craftsmanship, her diverse culture, and rich terroir. A line that connects Indias glorious past, enchanting present and vibrant future Every pack of Longitude 77 pays tribute to the colour indigo Indias unique gift to the world. Recognized globally for its quality, Longitude 77 has won Gold at the London Spirits Competition, Gold at The Global Spirits Masters (The Spirits Business), Gold at Monde Selection, and a Bronze at the International Wine & Spirits Competition, underscoring its growing stature among the worlds finest whiskies. Available in Maharashtra, Goa, Haryana, Chandigarh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Karnataka, Dubai, and at Delhi Duty-Free & Mumbai Duty Free. Price Gurgaon, Haryana: INR 3000/- approx. ; Maharashtra: INR 5500/- Moet & Chandon Celebrates Valentines Day with Moments Meant to Be Shared This Valentines Day, Moet & Chandon invites couples to celebrate love the way its meant to be shared, savoured, and remembered. From intimate dinners and meaningful gifts to spontaneous toasts that linger longer than planned, Valentines Day is about moments that feel personal and joyful, and no celebration captures that spirit quite like a bottle of Moet & Chandon. At the heart of the Maison lies a simple belief: Life is Better When Shared. Synonymous with generosity, togetherness, and joie de vivre, Moet & Chandon brings its signature elegance to the season of romance, transforming Valentines Day into an occasion defined by connection and shared celebration. Whether its a thoughtfully chosen gift or a quiet evening spent raising a glass together, each moment becomes more meaningful when shared. Bringing this philosophy to life, Moet & Chandon is creating elevated Valentines Day experiences across select luxury hotels and dining destinations, offering couples thoughtfully curated moments designed to enhance gifting and dining. These experiences can be discovered at iconic venues including Taj Mahal, The Leela Palace, The Lodhi in New Delhi; Asilo, Fairmont and JW Marriott in Mumbai and The St. Regis and JW Marriott in Goa, where romance is complemented by the Maisons unmistakable celebratory spirit. For the occasion, Moet & Chandons iconic Brut Imperial and Rose Imperial anchor the celebration with their distinct expressions. Brut Imperial, known for its bright fruitiness, refined elegance, and subtle brioche notes, offers celebratory finesse, while Rose Imperial, irresistibly romantic with its fruit-forward red berry aromas and expressive palate, captures the emotion and sparkle synonymous with Valentines Day. Together, they offer the perfect accompaniment to intimate dinners, meaningful gifting, and shared toasts. Available across major Indian cities, including Mumbai, Delhi, Gurgaon, Bangalore, and Goa at select premium retail partners and fine dining destinations, Moet & Chandon transforms Valentines Day into a moment worth remembering. This season, gift more than champagne, gift moments meant to be shared, cherished, and celebrated, because with Moet & Chandon, love and life are always better when shared. Tanqueray When Valentines calls for confidence and a little drama, Tanqueray delivers. It marks the moment showtime begins when cocktail hour takes centre stage and even the most intimate plans feel elevated. Whether its a chic night in or a thoughtfully planned date out, Tanqueray becomes an essential part of the ritual. Enjoyed on its own or paired with Tanqueray Tonic Water in Classic or Peach, the serve is clean, refined, and effortlessly glamorous. Classic offers crisp, balanced bitterness for those who favour timeless style, while Peach brings a softer, playful lift, adding a glamorous twist to the Valentines moment. As a Valentines gesture, Tanqueray makes an impact beyond the glass bringing a sense of flair that turns cocktail hour into the nights defining moment. Bold, stylish, and full of energy, it is the ultimate Valentines Day gift, elevated with unmistakable showstopper appeal because when the glass is raised, the spotlight is yours. The Singleton Not all Valentines moments are about grand gestures. Some are meant to be savoured slowly through quiet conversations, unhurried evenings, and music that asks you to truly listen. This is where The Singleton finds its place. Rooted in its philosophy of luxuriating in the single moment, The Singleton celebrates presence and depth, much like jazz itself revealing character gradually, one note at a time. Crafted as a smooth, well-balanced single malt, it is designed to be savoured, not rushed, bringing warmth to shared meals, long conversations, and evenings soundtracked by analogue jazz where time slows down and the moment unfolds naturally. As a Valentines gift, The Singleton stands apart for those who value intimacy over spectacle. Thoughtful, comforting, and quietly luxurious, it mirrors the spirit of jazz where music, conversation, and craftsmanship come together in intimate settings that invite you to be fully present. A whisky meant to be enjoyed slowly and together, The Singleton transforms Valentines into a moment that lingers long after the last note fades. Don Julio 1942: Por Amor, A World Built for Love As Valentines Day approaches, celebrations take on a heightened sense of occasion. Rooted in the spirit of Por Amor (For Love) and the rich spirit of Mexicana, Don Julio 1942 reflects the passion, patience, and devotion that define its craft, making it a natural choice for marking the occasion with purpose and elegance. A favourite among discerning spirits connoisseurs, collectors, and tastemakers, Don Julio 1942 signals something special. Crafted from the finest Blue Weber agave and aged for a minimum of two and a half years, it offers a smooth, refined profile with warm notes of oak, caramel, and roasted agave designed to elevate Valentines celebrations with quiet confidence and luxury. Completing the occasion, Don Julios non-alcoholic carbonated grapefruit soda brings a fresh, citrus-led lift to Valentines serves, adding a contemporary touch to at-home celebrations. Together, they create a polished gifting choice for those looking to mark Valentines Day with intention and style. Johnnie Walker This Valentines, Johnnie Walker toasts to love in its most dynamic form bold, creative, and ever-evolving. It celebrates those who chase their passions with heart and Keep Walking toward moments that feel as extraordinary as they are. From the smoky sophistication of Black Label to the refined luxury of Blue Label, each expression embodies confidence and craftsmanship. For those who prefer their celebrations lighter yet equally striking, the Johnnie Walker Blonde Non-Alcoholic Lemonade offers a refreshing twist, bright, zesty, and perfect for modern romantics who bring effortless flair to every occasion. Whether raising a glass to new beginnings or your next bold move, Johnnie Walker turns Valentines into a celebration of creativity and progress, a reminder that the most exciting love stories are the ones still being written. Black & White This Valentines Day, Black & White becomes more than a whisky, its a simple way to say you care. Rooted in warmth and connection, it turns ordinary moments into shared memories, bringing people closer with every pour. With its smooth, balanced character, Black & White fits effortlessly into Valentines moments, candlelit dinners, lingering conversations, and unhurried evenings meant for just the two of you. Made to be shared, it adds gentle warmth to even the simplest plans, making time together feel even more special. Effortlessly enjoyable, Black & White is a meaningful way to celebrate love in all its forms. Glenmorangie Signet Glenmorangie Signet contains unique and precious ingredients, such as high roasted chocolate malt" barley from the fields of our Cadboll estate which give it an exceptional flavour, depth and richness of taste. Incredibly smooth, Glenmorangie Signet is aged in the most expensive casks in the industry, specifically designed by Glenmorangie for Signet. Created from an assemblage of our oldest whiskies matured in a selection of the worlds finest casks, Glenmorangie Signet is undoubtedly the richest whisky in our range. Non chill-filtered for additional aroma and mouthfeel. Gold winner ISC, 2020 2019 Gold winner IWSC, 2019 2018 Double Gold winner ISC, 2019 Gold winner WWA, 2020 Gold winner TSB, 2019 Tasting Notes: A luxurious fusion of dark chocolate and bitter mocha, enriched with butterscotch and roasted espresso, flowing into velvety sweetness and warm festive spices, Signet delivers a finish that is indulgent, layered and unforgettable. Flavours: Bitter Mocha, Dark Chocolate & Butterscotch Palate: A contrast of rich sweetness with an explosive crackle of sizzling spices and bitter mocha ABV: 46% Non chill-filtered GianChand Single Malt Whisky GianChand comes from the house of DeVANS, pioneers of alcobev in India. The company has a long-standing legacy, with its first beer brewery hailed as one of the earliest built using scientific procedures. GianChand Single Malt Whisky, an ode to the companys founder, is a standout among Indian whiskies. Global whisky critic Jim Murray hailed it as the finest single malt from India he has tasted in recent times." The whisky carries hints of barley, the sweetness of pineapple drops, and a backbone of vanilla. This is a whisky made for slow sips, deep conversations, and unforgettable moments truly a drink worth celebrating every day, especially on Valentines night. Amrut Single Malt Bold, expressive, and full of character, Amrut is perfect for couples who appreciate intensity. With rich notes of oak, spice, and dried fruits, it is ideal for sipping neat or with a single ice cube while toasting to love. Its warmth mirrors the fire of romance. A dram of Amrut feels like love that burns bright and lingers long. Godawan Single Malt Rooted in Indias artisanal craftsmanship, Godawan brings elegance and smoothness to your glass. Its balanced sweetness with subtle spice makes it a wonderful companion for chocolate desserts or cheese boards, elevating your Valentines spread. Godawan is like a golden sunset captured in a glass. Paul John Single Malt If your Valentines vibe is classy and refined, Paul John is the perfect choice. Known for its tropical fruit notes, honeyed sweetness, and gentle smokiness, it pairs beautifully with dim lighting, soft music, and heartfelt conversations. Every sip of Paul John feels like a slow, luxurious embrace. SOORAHI Whisky That Resonates Beyond the Glass In an alcobev landscape where consumers seek more than just taste, SOORAHI arrives as a whisky with soul, blending tradition, storytelling, and sophistication. Designed for Indias evolving palate, it offers a refined, balanced profile rooted in authenticity and aspiration. Its name, derived from soo" (good) and rahi" (traveller), reflects a cultural narrative of self-discovery and movement. Symbols such as the compass and North Star on the packaging reinforce SOORAHIs ethos: a whisky for those charting meaningful paths in life and spirit. Blended with precision and intention, SOORAHI is crafted for experiences beyond the ordinary from stylish socials and curated tastings to personal rituals and intimate celebrations. Available in: Delhi, Punjab, and parts of Haryana Price: INR 1,700 (may vary by location) Camikara 3-Year-Old Pure Cane Juice Aged Rum Camikara 3-Year-Old Pure Cane Juice Aged Rum marks a defining moment in Indias rum journey as the countrys first pure cane juice aged rum, crafted in the rare agricole style. Distilled entirely from fresh sugarcane juice rather than molasses and aged for three years in American oak barrels, it showcases a vibrant, terroir-driven profile layered with fresh cane, green vegetal notes, melon, honey, and vanilla. This flows into a smooth, gently smoky palate and a rounded, lingering finish. Rooted in Indias centuries-old sugarcane heritage and named after the Sanskrit word for liquid gold," Camikara stands apart for its uncompromising purity, free from artificial colour, flavour, or additives. Indri Agneya Indri Agneya, a slightly peated expression from the Indri portfolio, is bold yet refined, adding depth to the narrative of Indian single malts. Matured in a combination of sherry and bourbon casks, it brings warmth, structure, and nuanced complexity. Awarded 93 points in Whisky Advocate Winter 2025 Editors Choice, it reinforces Indris growing stature among serious global whisky makers. Derived from Sanskrit, Agneya" means belonging to fire," reflecting its subtle smoky character. On the nose, it opens with inviting nuttiness and ripe fruit. The palate is smooth and rounded, with gently unfolding layers. A soft, lingering hint of smoke carries through the finish, adding depth while maintaining balance and elegance. Available in: Haryana, Delhi, Maharashtra Price range: INR 3,800 INR 8,060 (varies by state) Lillet Rose Lillet Rose is the newest addition to the Lillet collection, yet no less refined. With its vibrant rose hue, it is the perfect aperitif for summer drinks. Fresh, fruity, and refreshing, Lillet Rose is a delicious blend of French wines and fruit infusions, adding French elegance to your glass. Enjoy it your way, as a long drink with tonic or in a cocktail but always serve well chilled. Taste Notes: Fresh, lively, fruity, and full of joie de vivre. Monkey 47 Handcrafted in Germanys Black Forest, Monkey 47 is a premium gin renowned for its masterful blend of 47 distinct botanicals, including locally foraged spruce tips and lingonberries. The botanicals are macerated in a wheat- or molasses-based spirit, gently distilled in small batches, and then rested for 100 days in traditional earthenware vessels, creating its signature complexity and refinement. The visually striking apothecary-style bottle and intricate flavours make Monkey 47 a luxurious and memorable gift for Valentines Day. Nose: Captivating bouquet of citrus zest, ripe berries, and fresh herbs Palate: Deeply layered with juniper, citrus, spice, delicate florals, and herbal undertones, lavender, rosemary, and angelica root Finish: Lingering and harmonious, with elegant balance and Black Forest minerality Price (500ml): INR 3,000 JAMESON Jameson Caskmates Stout Edition Irish Whiskey: Jameson Caskmates was born from the collaboration between Jameson and Corks Franciscan Well Brewery. Our Jameson triple distilled whiskey is aged in craft stout-seasoned oak barrels and while our signature smoothness is very much intact, notes of cocoa, coffee and butterscotch confirm the stout influence. Caskmates is a head-turning, modern Irish whiskey. Nose An initial aroma of freshly cut hay is complemented by a crisp orchard fruit character green apples and pears, with a twist of lime zest. Mild pot still spices appear, deepening from green tea to hazelnut and milk chocolate Taste The initial sweet mouth coating typical of the Irish pot still inclusion is quickly complemented by the subtle touch of hops and cocoa beans from the beer cask finish Finish Long and sweet with milk chocolate and butterscotch Price Mumbai: Rs.3000 for a 750ml bottle Bangalore: Rs.3830 for a 750ml bottle Licor 43 Original Licor 43 Original is Spains highest-selling, sensationally smooth, golden liqueur, crafted from an age-old, secret family recipe featuring 43 natural ingredients including Mediterranean citrus, botanicals, and select spices. Its complex-yet-harmonious flavour unfolds on four sensory levels: vibrant citrus aromas, a subtle coriander spiciness, sweet nuances of mature fruit and vanilla, and delicate floral notes of orange and lemon blossom. With its radiant golden glow and unmatched versatility, its equally perfect enjoyed neat, over ice, or as a versatile star in cocktails, evoking the spirit and elegance of Mediterranean mixology. Tasting Notes Citrus: Reminiscent of the lively citrus aromas of Mediterranean citrus gardens. Botanic: The subtle yet spicy touch of coriander. Sweet: The sweet palate of mature fruit and nuances of vanilla. Floral: Soft notes of Mediterranean orange and lemon blossom, with a certain point of astringency derived from the peel of citrus fruits, smoothed with notes of mature fruits MRP: 3,500/- (Maharashtra) LaurentPerrier La Cuvee Brut Champagne, France This wine comes from the purest grape juice and it alone allows LaurentPerrier to craft La Cuvee , a champagne of great finesse and a beautiful freshness obtained after a long ageing process in our cellars. LaurentPerriers style and personality are defined by its very high proportion of Chardonnay. Tasting notes Fresh, refined, and effortlessly romantic, La Cuvee opens with bright citrus and white floral notes, followed by a delicate mousse and a crisp, elegant finish. A classic champagne to start the evening on a celebratory note. MRP: 9,499/- (Maharashtra) Villa Sandi Asolo Prosecco Superiore Brut DOCG Italy Villa Sandi Asolo Prosecco is an Italian sparkling wine crafted from Glera grapes grown in the Asolo region. Its known for its lively effervescence and delicate fruity aromas, making it a perfect choice for celebrations or casual enjoyment. Tasting notes Crisp, elegant, and beautifully expressive, this Prosecco offers fresh notes of green apple, pear, and delicate white florals. Its fine, persistent bubbles and clean, dry finish make it an effortless yet refined choice for a sophisticated Valentines toast. MRP: 3,350/- (Maharashtra) Fantini Calalenta Rose Italy Calalenta Rose by Fantini is an Italian wine crafted from 100% Merlot grapes. It features a very pale pink blush color, characteristic of a Provence style" rose. The wine offers fresh and flinty aromas of strawberry, freshly cut watermelon, and rose petals. On the palate, it presents mineral notes and a refreshing acidity that harmonizes with the fruit, leading to a well-rounded profile with good length. Its long and intense finish is the hallmark of a rose with incomparable elegance. Tasting notes Delicate, fresh, and aromatic, this palepink rose shows notes of strawberry, watermelon, and rose petals. Light yet expressive, it is ideal for relaxed romantic dining and allday celebrations. MRP: 2,990/- (Maharashtra) Tiraki Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough, New Zealand Tiraki was born from a lifelong passion for nature, adventure, and the spirit of whanau (family). Their vineyards, nestled in the Wairau Valley, benefit from the unique climate created by the protective mountain ranges, offering the perfect conditions for low-intervention wines. Tasting notes Vibrant and elegant, this Sauvignon Blanc bursts with aromas of passionfruit, guava, peach, and grapefruit. Crisp acidity and tropical fruit intensity make it a beautiful pairing for seafood, salads, and light Valentines dishes. MRP: 3,850/- (Maharashtra) KendallJackson Vintners Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon USA Sourced from celebrated vineyards in Sonoma and Mendocino Counties, Vintners Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon over-delivers in its class. Artisan winemaking methods, such as extended maceration, soften the tannins and intensify the rich black currant, mocha, and vanilla flavors. Structured with an elegant, velvety finish, this is one of the best California Cabernet Sauvignons. Tasting notes A rich and structured Cabernet Sauvignon with layers of black cherry, blackberry, cassis, mocha, and subtle oak. Smooth tannins and a long, elegant finish make this a perfect red for romantic dinners and indulgent mains. MRP: 7,000/- (Maharashtra) Bushmills Original Irish Whiskey The cornerstone of the Bushmills family, this smooth triple-distilled whiskey has a strong malt characteristic. An approachable whiskey that has been matured in both bourbon and sherry casks, gives notes of fresh fruits and vanilla. With a recipe that dates back before Prohibition, there is no better whiskey for making a classic, pre-prohibition cocktail than Bushmills Original. Combining our pure single malt whiskey and a lighter grain whiskey, you will notice its rich, smooth warming taste almost instantly, just as generations have done before. Tasting Notes Color & Nose: Matured in both bourbon and sherry casks, gives light fruity notes with hints of spice and vanilla. On the palate: Combining the pure single malt whiskey and a lighter grain whiskey, youll notice its rich, smooth warming taste almost instantly, just as generations have done before. MRP: 2,999/- (Maharashtra) 1800 Anejo Discover the exquisite allure of 1800 Anejo, a remarkable tequila made with care and precision. This tequila exemplifies pure excellence because it is made entirely of 100% Weber blue agave harvested at its peak of perfection between the ages of 8 and 12 years. Aged in French oak barrels for at least 14 months, revealing a finish that is mesmerizingly spicy and well-rounded. Toasted oak undertones, vanilla, and butterscotch flavors all blend together harmoniously to delight the palate. The deep and rich character of the 1800 Anejo promises a luxurious drinking experience that lingers long after the last sip. With each sip, enjoy the unrivalled craftsmanship of this tequila and elevate your moments. Tasting Notes On the Palate- This dark amber spirit boasts an oaky vanilla aroma nutty with toffee flavor, and a peppery spice finish. Deep and luxurious, this tequila is ideal for sipping. Price: MRP: 9,500/- (Maharashtra) Jose Cuervo Especial Silver Jose Cuervo Silver is a true silver tequila that is smooth to the touch. Jose Cuervos Blanco, the first commercially produced tequila, is the result of a two-pot still distillation. The liquid embodies the spirit of Jaliscos lowlands as well as over 250 years of tradition and expertise. The Jose Cuervo recipe and manufacturing process have been passed down and upheld by a family of businesspeople, inventors, and risk-takers. Its easy to see why Jose Cuervo is considered the most prestigious tequila family in history. Tasting Notes Aroma: Hints of agave, fresh and clean Taste: Clean, crisp with subtle agave notes Finish: Warm and smooth Price: MRP: 3,500/- (Maharashtra) Haymans Old Tom Gin When their family first started distilling gin 150 years ago Old Tom was the London Gin of choice. Today it is a less familiar style of gin, but it is still a bartenders favourite when making cocktails such as the Martinez, Tom Collins, and Ramos Gin Fizz. The generous quantities of botanicals used in their family recipe create a bold citrus and juniper pine character that is smooth and beautifully delicate with a subtle underlying sweetness. It is perfect for a more rounded and fuller flavoured Gin & Tonic and delicious with Sicilian lemonade. Tasting Notes Nose: Hints of playful pine immediately greet you on the nose. Muscular lemon oil builds out most of the aroma, with a dash of licorice root for good measure. Haymans Old Tom Gin is pleasant and soft to the nose; even gin novices will recognize theres a big difference here between this gin and say Haymans classic London Dry Gin. On the palate: Creamy and unctuous. Early on citrus oils and mild sweetness hold court, before the flavor unfolds. Haymans Old Tom Gin segues seamlessly into juniper custard with a hint of baking spice, and then into earthy almost chewy licorice root. MRP: 5,400/- (Maharashtra) Beefeater London Dry Gin Beefeater is the only international premium gin still produced in the heart of London and is among the worlds most awarded gins. Crafted to James Burroughs original 1863 recipe, Beefeater uses a unique process of steeping nine perfectly balanced botanicals for 24 hours. With more than 200 years of distilling heritage and a refreshingly modern range of naturally flavoured gins, Beefeater brings contemporary character to classic craftsmanship, making it an energetic choice for gifting. Nose: Classic, robust aroma with pronounced juniper berries, hints of citrus, and subtle earthy spices Palate: Balanced and crisp, with strong juniper interwoven with citrus zest, coriander, and angelica root Finish: Clean and smooth, with lingering juniper, soft peppery warmth, and a refreshing aftertaste Price (750ml): Gurgaon: INR 2,500 Mumbai: INR 2,800 IDAAYA This Valentines Day, IDAAYA, the multi-award-winning Himalayan sipping rum by Those Good Distillers, celebrates love through intention, craftsmanship, and shared moments. Designed for slow sipping, IDAAYA offers a refined alternative to conventional Valentines Day gifts, inviting couples to pause, connect, and savour the experience. Born from ancient Indian wisdom and inspired by the mystique of the Himalayas, IDAAYA is blended by Master Blender Chris Armes using a Solera system in sal wood casks. The blend brings together 12-year-old rum aged in bourbon casks with pure Indian rum, resulting in a dark sipping spirit layered with warmth, depth, and complexity. Crafted for those who Keep Seeking, IDAAYA is best enjoyed neat or on the rocks, encouraging a slower, more mindful celebration. Its nuanced profile pairs beautifully with chocolate-based desserts and quiet, reflective moments. Tasting Notes Appearance: Deep amber with evident viscosity Nose: Smooth caramel, vanilla, and spice with undertones of toasted oak and ripe fruits such as raisins and plum Palate: Layers of caramel, dark chocolate, and toffee, followed by hints of nutmeg, cinnamon, pepper, and toasted vanilla Finish: Long and complex, with ripe fruits, vanilla, and oak Price: INR 7,000 (approx.) for 750ml in Gurgaon 100 Pipers The number two Scotch whisky in Asia, 100 Pipers is a blended Scotch made from some of the best malts in the Speyside region. A blend of 2530 carefully selected malt whiskies, 100 Pipers is smooth with subtle smokiness. Its philosophy is to leave a legacy by being a force for good. Gin Soak Premium Dry Gin From the Altai Highlands in Russia, Gin Soak is crafted with rare Alpine botanicals, hand-picked and slowly dried to preserve their fresh flavours. With a bold 47% ABV, it stands apart from typical gins, delivering a more profound taste. Vacuum-distilled at low temperatures, it retains delicate notes of wild herbs and dry berries, resulting in a crisp, dry gin with a clean, refreshing finish. With no added sugar or artificial flavours only botanicals, it makes an ideal spirit for those who appreciate quality. Glacir Premium Vodka Distilled and bottled in Russia, Glacir Vodka begins with the pure waters of Siberias Lake Baikal. Triple-distilled and charcoal-filtered, it delivers exceptional smoothness and clarity. Its crisp, clean nature makes it equally enjoyable neat or in cocktails. A brilliant choice for festive gifting, this vodka brings a touch of exclusivity to celebrations. Kingfisher Smooth Launched by United Breweries Limited in January 2026, Kingfisher Smooth is a new, mainstream smooth-strong beer. Developed for younger legal-age drinking consumers who prefer a smoother and more approachable beer experience, Kingfisher Smooth delivers a balanced profile without compromising on taste. Brewed using imported hops and with no added sugar, it offers a clean, smooth taste while retaining the strength preferred by strong beer consumers. Kingfisher Smooth expands the flagship brands portfolio, reinforcing UBLs commitment to innovation and consumer centricity. Kingfisher Smooth is available across leading retail outlets in Karnataka and Rajasthan and is priced at INR 100 for a 330 ml can, INR 120 for a 330 ml bottle, INR 155 for a 500 ml can, and INR 200 for a 650 ml bottle. First Published: February 11, 2026, 10:08 IST News lifestyle food Raise A Glass To Love: The Ultimate Valentines Day Spirits Gifting Guide 2026 6 Warning Signs Of Heart Problems In Babies, Spot Them Before Its Too Late Curated By : Translation Desk Last Updated: February 11, 2026, 15:58 IST Congenital heart disease in children can be life-threatening. Recognising early symptoms and seeking timely treatment is crucial to protect their health Rapid Read In a country like India, with a large number of births every year, congenital heart disease is a significant public health concern. Infants and toddlers often cannot clearly express what they are feeling, so illnesses can easily go unnoticed. Yet every disease leaves behind subtle signs and symptoms, and if detected in time, even serious conditions can be treated. One such condition is congenital heart disease (CHD), a heart defect present from birth that can silently affect children. Parents who pay close attention to their childs behaviour and recognise these signs can help prevent serious complications. Dr Murtaza Kamal, Consultant Pediatric Cardiologist from Hyderabad, and Professor Virendra Yadav, Paediatrician at Rama Medical College and Hospital, Hapur, have urged parents to be vigilant about CHD during awareness week. They emphasised that seeking immediate medical help at the first signs can prevent the disease from worsening. CHD Is Common, Not Incurable Dr Kamal says that CHD is not rare or untreatable, yet it remains one of the most common illnesses in children. With timely diagnosis and proper treatment, children can lead a normal, healthy, and active life. The bigger issue is lack of awareness. Families often consult specialists only when symptoms become severe, causing unnecessary suffering for both children and parents. What Is Congenital Heart Disease? CHD occurs when a childs heart does not fully develop during pregnancy. The heart forms in the first three months of gestation, and structural issues during this period can result in congenital heart defects. These defects may include: A hole in the heart wall Valve problems Blocked blood flow Abnormal heart structure Some conditions are mild, while others are complex and life-threatening. Dr Virendra notes that about 1 in every 100 children is affected by some form of CHD. In a country like India, with a large number of births every year, CHD is a significant public health concern. Symptoms of CHD can appear at birth, months, or even years later. Early recognition is crucial, as timely intervention can completely treat the condition. Key Symptoms Parents Should Watch For Blue lips, tongue, or nails: Sudden bluish colouration is a warning sign and requires immediate medical attention. Sudden bluish colouration is a warning sign and requires immediate medical attention. Getting tired or short of breath while feeding: Difficulty during breastfeeding or bottle feeding may indicate heart disease. Difficulty during breastfeeding or bottle feeding may indicate heart disease. Poor weight gain: While there are many causes, heart problems can be one of them. While there are many causes, heart problems can be one of them. Frequent colds, coughs, or pneumonia: Recurrent illnesses may point to an underlying heart issue. Recurrent illnesses may point to an underlying heart issue. Rapid breathing or fast heartbeat: Do not ignore these symptoms; they could indicate heart weakness. Do not ignore these symptoms; they could indicate heart weakness. Older children tiring quickly or fainting during play: Fatigue or fainting while playing can also signal heart problems. First Published: February 11, 2026, 15:58 IST News lifestyle health-and-fitness 6 Warning Signs Of Heart Problems In Babies, Spot Them Before Its Too Late Does Your Baby Need A Ticket To Fly In India? Heres What Every Parent Should Know Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: February 11, 2026, 13:56 IST Planning to fly with your baby? Understand infant ticket charges, age limits and airline seat rules first Does Your Baby Need A Ticket To Fly In India? Heres What Every Parent Should Know Planning a family getaway and stuck on one simple question: does your baby need a ticket? Youre not alone. For many parents booking flights across India, the rules around infant fares, lap seating and child tickets can feel confusing. Heres a clear, quick guide to what Indian airlines allow and when youll need to pay up. Children Under 2 Years: The Lap Infant" Rule If your child is under 24 months, they are classified as an infant. That means they do not get a separate seat and must sit on a parents or guardians lap for the entire flight. Infants are not exactly free, but they do travel at a reduced fare. For example, Air India offers discounted infant fares on base tickets: 10% of the adult base fare in economy and 25% in business and first class, on both domestic and international routes. Low-cost carriers follow a fixed-fee model. IndiGo charges 1,750 as an infant fee for domestic travel. On international routes, it varies by sector (3,500 for IndiaColombo and 4,000 for IndiaBangkok), as per its website. Important to note: infants must always be accompanied by an adult, and airlines limit the number of infants allowed per flight. Do You Need To Book A Separate Seat For An Infant? No. Infants under two years cannot occupy a separate seat. Airlines do not allow booking an extra seat under the infant category; they must travel on an adults lap. Once your child crosses the 24-month mark, this changes instantly. What Documents Do You Need To Book An Infant Ticket? Airlines require valid proof of age to confirm infant eligibility. Accepted documents include: Birth certificate Aadhaar card Mothers hospital discharge summary Vaccination certificate Passport For international travel, a passport is mandatory. If you fail to provide valid age proof, airlines may charge a full child or adult fare, subject to seat availability. Children Aged 2 And Above: A Paid Seat Is Mandatory The moment your child turns two, a separate seat becomes compulsory under Indian aviation rules. Children over 24 months must be booked as child passengers. Depending on the airline, fares may be similar to adult tickets or slightly discounted but lap seating is not permitted, even if your child has just crossed the two-year mark. Can You Carry A Stroller On Indian Flights? Stroller policies vary slightly, but most Indian airlines allow one stroller, baby pram, or car seat per infant without additional charges. Both IndiGo and Air India permit one such item per infant. Some airlines allow compact strollers in the cabin if they meet size and weight restrictions, while others require them to be checked in. Its always best to confirm with your airline before departure. First Published: February 11, 2026, 13:56 IST News lifestyle travel Does Your Baby Need A Ticket To Fly In India? Heres What Every Parent Should Know 'Met Various Victims': Vipul Amrutlal Shah Says The Kerala Story 2s Cases Are Meant To Represent India Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: February 11, 2026, 19:53 IST Vipul Amrutlal Shah says The Kerala Story 2 draws from months of research and real victims, with three cases symbolising many similar stories across India. The Kerala Story 2: Goes Beyond is slated for a theatrical release on February 27, 2026. The sequel to The Kerala Story will hit the big screen on February 27, and ahead of the films release, producer Vipul Amrutlal Shah opened up about the painstaking research he did to make the movie. Vipul shared that the movie, though it speaks about three specific cases, represents many other stories within it. Speaking to HT, Vipul shared, When we make a film like The Kerala Story 2: Goes Beyond, we wanted it to become more representative of our all-India situation. And hence, the three stories that we selected, we could not just tell their stories. We have taken many incidents from other girls lives and made them part of their stories. As a result, its a story of three girls, but it also has a reflection of a lot of other stories in it." Speaking about referring to articles, court orders, and police FIRs, Vipul shared that they also did a lot of groundwork to put the script together and said, We have done our research for almost six to seven months. We have met various victims. Weve travelled to various parts of the country to meet victims, their parents, and people in and around. Weve gone through various court orders, police records, and FIRs. So a lot of research has been done. A lot of media articles became our source from which we went and chased the victims. So it was extensive research that allowed us to collect the right information. And that is how the film has been made." Shah also added that the three stories are meant to be a representation of the entire country in The Kerala Story 2. About The Kerala Story 2: Goes Beyond The motion poster of Vipul Amrutlal Shahs much-awaited film promises to bring into focus realities that go beyond deception, humanity, and hatred. While the motion poster showcases the faces of women filled with tears, fear, and rage, it strongly indicates that the sequel will push boundaries far beyond what audiences witnessed in The Kerala Story. Produced under the banner of Sunshine Pictures, The Kerala Story 2: Goes Beyond is directed by National Award winner Kamakhya Narayan Singh and written by Amarnath Jha and Vipul Amrutlal Shah. The film is co-produced by Aashin A. Shah. The music is given by Mannan Shaah, with lyrics penned by Manoj Muntashir. The Kerala Story 2: Goes Beyond is slated for a theatrical release on February 27, 2026. First Published: February 11, 2026, 19:53 IST News movies bollywood 'Met Various Victims': Vipul Amrutlal Shah Says The Kerala Story 2s Cases Are Meant To Represent India News / National by Staff Reporter Buhera South Member of Parliament Ngonidzashe Mudekunye has been dragged to court after allegedly assaulting a female security guard at Birchenough Bridge. Mudekunye is expected to appear at the Chimanimani Magistrates Court for the assault of Prettymore Kasiya.According to State papers, on 18 January Mudekunye arrived at Birchenough Bridge driving his vehicle and ordered Kasiya to allow a truck behind him to pass without the required weighbridge documents. When Kasiya refused, Mudekunye allegedly became furious and assaulted her with open hands.Kasiya was left bleeding and in pain. She filed a police report, leading to Mudekunyes arrest. He was detained by Mutare police while in leg irons.Mudekunye is no stranger to controversy, with a history of disrupting party events that do not favour him and allegedly assaulting people in Buhera. Nawazuddin Siddiqui Recalls How Rajpal Yadavs Home Was A Langar For Struggling Actors Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: February 12, 2026, 02:57 IST Nawazuddin Siddiqui praises Rajpal Yadavs generosity, recalling how his house welcomed struggling actors like a langar during tough times. Nawazuddin Siddiqui remembers Rajpal Yadavs kindness. Rajpal Yadav, the comic genius behind hits like Bhool Bhulaiyaa, Hungama, and Bhagam Bhag, is currently navigating one of the most challenging phases of his life. The actor is facing legal and financial pressures linked to a cheque bounce case dating back to 2010, which has reportedly escalated to nearly Rs 9 crore due to accumulated interest and penalties. As Bollywood rallies to support him, an old interview of actor Nawazuddin Siddiqui is going viral, where he fondly lauds Rajpals generosity toward struggling actors. Speaking to Lallantop, Siddiqui shared insights into the actors humble and caring nature. A lot of people would eat at his home when Rajpal began to get good work, and he never complained," Siddiqui said. The actor added that Rajpals house often functioned like a langara communal kitchenfor struggling actors. He jokes a lot, but in reality, he is a very sensitive human being," the Raees actor reflected. The bond between Siddiqui and Yadav goes back years, with both having studied together at Bharatendu Natya Academy (BNA) in Lucknow and the National School of Drama (NSD) in New Delhi. Their shared experiences on and off stage fostered a deep respect, with Yadav consistently helping those who were navigating the early challenges of the industry. Rajpal Yadavs Current Struggles and Industry Support For those unfamiliar with the case, Rajpal and his wife borrowed around Rs 5 crore in 2010 to fund his directorial project Ata Pata Laapata. The films commercial failure led to difficulties in repaying the loan, and several cheques issued to cover the amount were dishonoured. Legal proceedings under the Negotiable Instruments Act followed, resulting in a financial liability that has reportedly grown to nearly Rs 9 crore. Rajpal is currently serving a sentence in Tihar Jail, with his bail hearing scheduled for February 12. His manager, Goldie, confirmed the situation and stated that the family remains hopeful about his release. Meanwhile, Bollywood colleagues including Salman Khan, Sonu Sood, and Gurmeet Choudhary, along with the Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE), have stepped forward to offer financial and moral support. First Published: February 12, 2026, 02:57 IST News movies bollywood Nawazuddin Siddiqui Recalls How Rajpal Yadavs Home Was A Langar For Struggling Actors Rajpal Yadavs Wife Thanks Bollywood Stars For Support: 'Everybody Has Stood By Him' Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: February 12, 2026, 02:35 IST Radha Yadav thanks Bollywood colleagues for supporting her husband Rajpal, who surrendered in Tihar over a Rs 9 crore cheque bounce case. Bollywood actor Rajpal Yadav is currently facing a challenging phase in his life. Bollywood actor Rajpal Yadav is currently facing a challenging phase in his life. The Bhool Bhulaiyaa actor surrendered at Tihar Jail after the Delhi High Court denied his plea for an extension to repay a cheque bounce amount nearing Rs 9 crore. Following his surrender, several Bollywood stars came forward with offers of financial assistance to support the veteran actor. In a conversation with PTI, Rajpals wife Radha expressed her gratitude toward the industry. She said, Everybody has stood by him. The industry has been supportive. A big thank you to everyone who is coming forward to help." Her words reflect the solidarity shown by her husbands peers during this difficult period. Stars such as Sonu Sood, Mika Singh, and Gurmeet Choudhary are reported to have extended helping hands, while icons like Salman Khan, Ajay Devgn, and Varun Dhawan have also voiced support for the actor. Rajpals bail hearing is scheduled for February 12, and industry backing has been a source of reassurance for the family during this stressful time. Bollywood Steps In Rajpals manager, Goldie, confirmed to the Indian Express that numerous figures from the Hindi film fraternity reached out to assist the actor. While he did not reveal whether any help was offered before Rajpals surrender at Tihar, he emphasized that the industry has stood firmly by the actor as his situation intensified. This outpouring of support highlights the close-knit nature of Bollywood, particularly in times of personal and professional crises. Rajpal Yadavs Ongoing Work Despite the legal and financial hurdles, Rajpal Yadav continues to maintain a strong presence in the film industry. He was last seen in the ZEE5 release Interrogation and has delivered memorable performances in films such as Baby John, Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2, Satyaprem Ki Katha, Chandu Champion, Hungama 2, Hungama, Kathal, and Garam Masala. His versatility across comedy and drama has earned him a dedicated fan following, ensuring that his work continues to resonate even amid personal challenges. First Published: February 12, 2026, 02:35 IST News movies bollywood Rajpal Yadavs Wife Thanks Bollywood Stars For Support: 'Everybody Has Stood By Him' Rohit Shetty House Firing Case: Accused Sent To Police Custody, Charged Under MCOCA Published By : IANS Last Updated: February 11, 2026, 20:42 IST The special court remanded all the five accused in police custody till February 17, 2026. 5 rounds of bullets were fired at filmmaker Rohit Shetty's Juhu residence. The 5 accused involved in the Rohit Shetty firing case have been slapped with MCOCA (Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act, 1999) as they were produced before the special court. On Wednesday, the police custody of the five arrested accused ended, but now the police have imposed MCOCA against all the arrested accused and in such a case, all the accused were presented in the special MCOCA court. The special court remanded all the five accused in police custody till February 17, 2026. The Mumbai Crime Branch had sought a 15-day custody from the court, but the court did not grant a 15-day custody and sent him to police custody till February 17, 2026. The Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act, 1999 (Mah. 30/1999) is a law enacted by the state of Maharashtra in India in 1999 to combat organised crime and terrorism. The Mumbai Crime Branch said that the culprit Subham Lonkar wanted to spread terror in Mumbai and had told the arrested accused that he had to do something big in Mumbai. The arrested accused was in touch with the absconding accused Subham Lonkar through a single app and Rs 40,000 was transferred to the account of one of the arrested accused by Subham. A Mumbai Crime Branch official also told the court that absconding accused Shubham Lonkar had given three weapons to his brother Praveen Lonkar and that weapon was given to the accused arrested in the Rohit Shetty firing case. For the uninitiated, five rounds of bullets were fired at filmmaker Rohit Shettys Juhu residence. The investigation by the Mumbai Crime Branch revealed that the vehicle used in the firing was sourced from Pune. The vehicle used in the firing belongs to a man from Pune, who sold it to Aditya Gayki, one of the arrested accused, for Rs 30000 a few days ago. Later, Aditya Gayki and another accused, Samarth Pomaji, left the vehicle at a pre-decided place in Juhu area of Mumbai. According to the Crime Branch, the people who bought the vehicle and reached Mumbai do not know who the shooter is, later it was Shubham Lonkar who ordered the shooter to pick up the vehicle from where it was left and fire. First Published: February 11, 2026, 20:42 IST News movies bollywood Rohit Shetty House Firing Case: Accused Sent To Police Custody, Charged Under MCOCA Salman Khan, Ajay Devgn, Varun Dhawan Extend Support To Rajpal Yadav Amid Rs 9 Cr Cheque Bounce Case Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: February 11, 2026, 13:13 IST The controversy goes back to 2010, after Rajpal Yadav's film Ata Pata Laapata failed commercially, with unpaid dues said to have mounted to around Rs 9 crore. News18 Actor Rajpal Yadav recently went viral for all the wrong reasons. On February 5, he surrendered at Tihar Jail after the Delhi High Court dismissed his final plea seeking additional time in a cheque bounce and loan default case. The controversy goes back to 2010, after his film Ata Pata Laapata failed commercially, with unpaid dues said to have mounted to around Rs 9 crore. Amid the ongoing financial troubles, Sonu Sood, Gurmeet Choudhary and Anees Bazmee have lent their support. Now, the new report claims that actors like Salman Khan, Ajay Devgn, Varun Dhawan, and others have also come forward to help Yadav. Salman Khan, Ajay Devgn extend support to Rajpal Yadav In a recent interaction with SCREEN, Rajpal Yadavs manager, Goldie, revealed that several prominent names have come forward to help. He shared, A lot of people have reached out to help Rajpal Yadav. Actors like Sonu Sood, Salman Khan, and Ajay Devgn have extended their support. I was just on a call with David Dhawanhe too reached out. Ratan Nain, Varun Dhawanmany people are coming forward to help him this time, which Rajpal has deeply appreciated." He further said that the industry has stood behind Rajpal like a rock, and it should be appreciated. He also shared that everyone has made the commitment, but such transactions dont happen overnight. Rajpal Yadav to get bail on February 12? In the same interview, the actors manager hoped that Rajpal could be released soon. Goldie said that the hearing is tomorrow (Feb 12) and the bail application has already been filed. He said, We have his bail hearing scheduled for tomorrow, and we are hopeful that he will be granted bail and released. The bail application has already been filed. We will be able to share more details after the hearing tomorrow." Apart from Sonu Soon and other celebs, music director Rao Inderjeet Yadav disclosed the amount that he would contribute. He has promised to give Rs 1.11 crore, while politician Tej Pratap Yadav will give Rs 11 lakh, and KRK said he would contribute Rs 10 lakh. First Published: February 11, 2026, 13:13 IST News movies bollywood Salman Khan, Ajay Devgn, Varun Dhawan Extend Support To Rajpal Yadav Amid Rs 9 Cr Cheque Bounce Case Halle Berry Reveals How She Knew Van Hunt Was 'The One', Shows Off Rs 1.8 Cr Engagement Ring Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: February 12, 2026, 01:37 IST Halle Berry opens up about finding love with Van Hunt and debuting her engagement ring while reflecting on past marriages and her red carpet appearance. Halle Berry began dating in 2020. (Photo Credit: X) Halle Berry is embracing a new chapter in her personal life, offering a glimpse into her relationship with musician Van Hunt shortly after confirming their engagement. The Oscar-winning actor shared her reflections while attending the Los Angeles premiere of her latest film, Crime 101, where her sparkling engagement ring quickly became a talking point on the red carpet. Berry, who has navigated love and marriage in the public eye before, spoke candidly about recognising the difference between fleeting connections and something lasting. You know, you get to be 54, you just kind of done it a few times, three, to be exact," she said during the conversation. You just kind of know when its right, cause you know when its wrong." The actors previous marriages to David Justice, Eric Benet and Olivier Martinez have shaped her perspective, allowing her to approach this relationship with clarity and confidence. She confirmed her engagement after nearly six years of dating Hunt, marking a milestone that fans have followed closely since the couple made their romance public in 2020. Ring Details And Relationship Milestone At the premiere, Berry styled her look with a tailored black suit and silk blouse, complementing it with a gold choker necklace and the statement ring that drew attention. Jewellery experts described the piece as distinctive and personal, estimating it could exceed $200,000 (1.8 crore INR) in value. The design reportedly features a bezel-set diamond centre stone encircled by coloured diamonds and gemstones mounted on yellow gold an approach that reflects contemporary trends favouring multi-stone settings. Berry had already addressed speculation surrounding her relationship during a recent late-night television appearance. Clarifying rumours about her response to Hunts proposal, she said, Theres some confusion that he asked to marry me and I said no." She added, No, thats not the case. I did not say no, we just dont have a date. Of course, I said yes, I would marry him. " Displaying the ring on the show, Berry remarked, Thank you. He did put a little ring on it." The lighthearted exchange underscored the excitement surrounding the couples engagement, as well as the public fascination with their journey together. Since confirming their relationship online in September 2020, Berry and Hunt have maintained a visible yet measured presence, occasionally sharing glimpses of their life together while balancing professional commitments. Location : Los Angeles, United States of America (USA) First Published: February 12, 2026, 01:37 IST News movies hollywood Halle Berry Reveals How She Knew Van Hunt Was 'The One', Shows Off Rs 1.8 Cr Engagement Ring Kohrra 2 Review: Barun Sobti, Mona Singh Are Top-Notch In This Familiar Thriller That Lingers But Doesn't Land Written By : News18.com Last Updated: February 11, 2026, 15:25 IST Kohrra 2 is nuanced, but what works against it is the timing. It loses its edge in an overcrowded landscape of weekly whodunits, where familiarity almost dulls its impact. Kohrra 2 is now streaming on Netflix. Kohrra 2 U/A 3/5 11 February 2026|Hindi 6 Episodes | Murder Mystery Starring: Barun Sobti, Mona Singh, Pooja Bhamrrah, Rannvijay Singhha and Anuraag Arora Director: Sudip Sharma and Faisal Rahman Platform: Netflix Watch Trailer Kohrra 2 Web Series Review: The year was 2023 when Kohrra came, redefined whodunits, created conversations and conquered. Three years later comes its sequel. The larger template pretty much remains the same. The murder of an NRI. The everybody did it trope. A village in Punjab. Winters. Extramarital affairs. Classic red herrings. Inner demons. Sure, its nuanced, complex, grimy, gritty and humane. But what works against it is the timing. It loses its edge in an overcrowded landscape of weekly whodunits, where familiarity almost dulls its impact. This time around, the action shifts to Dalerpura, a fictional mofussil in Punjab. The makers waste no time and dive right into it. One morning, Preet Bajwa, an NRI, is found dead, stabbed with an iron scythe, in the barn near her house. Her body is discovered by her mother during her morning walk. Enters Dhanwant, a senior cop, and her subordinate, Amarpal Garundi, to investigate the brutal murder. We eventually learn that Preet has fled her husbands home in Canada, leaving her children behind, after she finds out that Tarsem may be having an extramarital affair. She was currently staying with her mother, brother Baljinder and his wife Twinkle. Once in Punjab, prior to her death, she was cheated on by Johnny Malang, a dancer, who took a hefty sum of money from her to open a dance school. All hell breaks loose when she learns that he already has a girlfriend. Needless to say, all fingers point at Johnny. But he isnt the only suspect. The suspect could also be her sister-in-law, who suddenly finds it hard to swallow that now Preet is asking for her share in the family property, and Tarsem, from whom Preet has taken lakhs and lakhs of money from to give Johnny. But Kohrra 2 is so much more than just an investigation to discover the murderer. Amarpal, who is now happily married to Silky, has his life turn upside down when his sister-in-law, who he had an illicit physical relationship with in the previous season, comes to stay with them after her husband turns cold. Silky, unaware of Amarpals past, takes her in and takes care of her like her own sister. Dhanwant, on the other hand, is dealing with a troubled relationship with her alcoholic husband. Their son Nihal had died in an accident for which Dhanwant blames her husband. They dont speak to each other and quietly deal with neglect. But she tries hard to have another child through IVF to make up for the void in their lives. And then, the series explores the systemic oppression of the economically disadvantaged, embedding its crime narrative within social inequality, shedding light on modern-day slavery and its shocking and far-reaching implications. All of it looks absolutely brilliant on paper. What had worked in favour of Kohrra now seems to work against its successor the pace. Yes, its a slow-burning thriller. But in its pursuit of nuance, the measured storytelling often stretches tension thin rather than deepening it. Its insistence on restraint comes at the cost of momentum, making parts of it feel unnecessarily protracted. The trio of writers Sudip Sharma, Gunjit Chopra and Diggi Sisodia unfortunately also doesnt quite succeed in bringing in a fresh or taut material to the table. The mood and atmosphere-building is top-notch, rendering the narrative a lot of character, unease and claustrophobia. Cinematographer Isshaan Ghoshs lens leans into muted tones and shadowed frames, allowing the landscape to mirror the emotional coldness of its characters. During the chase sequences in the dark alleys, the camera moves with a quiet urgency as if you, as an audience, are also tiptoeing through fog and fear alongside the characters. But while Kohrra cut deep into its social and emotional terrain, Kohrra 2 merely traces familiar contours (parts of which weve already seen in Soni, Delhi Crime and the recently released Daldal) despite remaining technically competent. Maybe this is what happens when a predecessor sets the standards and expectations too high. Nonetheless, this franchise wins. It wins for its excellent deep-dive into the human psychology amid societal rot, reiterating that people are shaped as much by circumstances as by choice. By the end of its, you realise that much of the violence here stems from repressed anger, shame, guilt and fear. Loneliness and emotional isolation too drive many decisions that unravel into crime. In fact, theres more than what meets the eyes when it comes to crimes. Power, control and conditioning often translate to cruelty as duty and tradition and the guilty seek atonement in flawed, sometimes destructive ways. Kohhra 2 too blurs moral boundaries and that remains its strongest link. Rather than justifying social and moral evils, it tries to cast empathy on how trauma can turn victims into agents of it. It also handles extramarital affairs with notable empathy, refusing to reduce them to simple moral failings. Intimacy, an unignorable aspect of human life, is used as an important plot device here. This season, unlike the first one, focuses on its consequences and the upshot of the lack of it. And once again, the performances will stay with you. This time around, Barun Sobtis Amarpal stops being hard on himself and lets go. Restraint is his biggest weapon and he exercises it seamlessly here. Sometimes, hes a typical Punjabi boy throwing in one-liners here and there, and then hes caught in the crosshairs, possibly ruining the life that he built with so much love, care and sacrifice. Barun is brilliant. Last season, the writers a bunch of men was lauded for their intricate portrayal of women, who despite being victims of patriarchy, had an agency. This time, theres Mona Singh. As Dhanwant, she delivers a layered performance, convincingly balancing a character dealing with domestic struggles and motherhood dreams with the demands of professional excellence. Her quiet frustration is palpable. The other cast members Pooja Bhamrrah, Rannvijay Singhha, Anuraag Arora, Mandeep Kaur Ghai and Prayrak Mehta are impressive too. Kohrra 2 may not be the most perfect sequel and maybe even a let-down after a brilliant, novel first season. It has its intent in the right place and is earnest too while doing so, but its uniqueness and sharpness somewhere gets diluted. You may as well choose to rewatch Kohrra this weekend and leave the second season for another day. First Published: February 11, 2026, 15:25 IST News movies web-series Kohrra 2 Review: Barun Sobti, Mona Singh Are Top-Notch In This Familiar Thriller That Lingers But Doesn't Land Opinion | Four Stars Of Destiny Row: Rahul Gandhi, National Security And An Unpublished Memoir Written By : News18.com Last Updated: February 11, 2026, 18:06 IST How political grandstanding in Parliament risks compromising Indias military secrecy. A printed copy of the unpublished book by former Indian Army chief Gen MM Naravane held up in the Parliament complex by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi | Image: PTI The ongoing controversy surrounding Four Stars of Destiny, an unpublished memoir of former Army Chief General Manoj Mukund Naravane, has transformed a parliamentary exchange into a full-blown national security debate. The recent filing of a complaint seeking a First Information Report (FIR) against Rahul Gandhi and his publisher, Penguin Random House India, over allegations of disclosing classified military and defence information is not just another political skirmish. It is a stark reminder of how political theatrics can collide with matters of state secrecy and strategic prudence. On 4 February 2026, during proceedings of the Lok Sabha, the Leader of the Opposition, Rahul Gandhi, quoted from Four Stars of Destiny a manuscript that has not been officially published or vetted by the Government of India. His aim, ostensibly, was to criticise the governments handling of the 2017 Doklam standoff, even going so far as to claim the presence of Chinese tanks" entering Indian territory during the standoff. This provocation, which immediately drew sharp objections from Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Home Minister Amit Shah, highlighted more than just political disagreement; it exposed a fundamental breach of parliamentary decorum and national security protocols. What makes this episode exceptional is its disregard for the systemic safeguards that govern the release and citation of defence-related materials in public forums. Four Stars of Destiny is not merely a book; it is a memoir by a former Chief of the Indian Army. As with all such accounts, it must undergo rigorous review and clearance by the Ministry of Defence before it can be published or cited in official capacities, particularly in Parliament. That clearance exists precisely to protect classified material and ensure that nothing prejudicial to Indias defence interests enters the public domain prematurely. Yet Rahul Gandhi chose to wave an unpublished hard copy in Parliament, not only quoting selectively from it but also amplifying claims that were neither verified nor officially released. This was not a scholarly critique; it was an unfiltered, irresponsible citation of unverified content in the most serious forum of our democracy. The oppositions insistence on using an unpublished manuscript even one cited in a magazine article reveals a willingness to prioritise political point-scoring over constitutional obligations. The FIR complaint lodged by S. Vignesh Shishir seeks action under multiple provisions of the Official Secrets Act, 1923 Sections 3, 5, 6 and 9 along with relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023. The essence of the complaint is that, by publicly disclosing allegedly sensitive military and defence information, Rahul Gandhi has potentially jeopardised Indias national security and integrity. Whether this FIR is ultimately registered by the police is a matter for the judiciary to decide. But the seriousness of the allegation itself should serve as a wake-up call to all political actors about the gravity of dealing with classified material. Politics, Secrecy and Responsibility In democratic discourse, opposition parties play a vital role in holding governments to account. Constructive criticism and robust debate are essential components of any healthy democracy. But there is a line between legitimate critique and irresponsible exposure. The Modi government has shown, on multiple fronts, a willingness to engage with the opposition on policies and performance. However, national security is not a policy playground it is a sacred trust. Military secrets and strategic deployments cannot be traded like political chips. The BJPs reaction, led vocally by the Ministry of Defence and the Home Ministry, was not simply political pushback. It was a constitutional assertion that even in Parliament Indias supreme legislative body there are rules of engagement. Unpublished material, especially with potential defence implications, cannot be theatrically brandished without verification, context and clearance. The governments stand reaffirms that parliamentary privilege is not a licence to disregard procedural and national security norms. Moreover, if Rahul Gandhis intent was to highlight government failures, he had at his disposal a plethora of authorised, published analyses and reports. To dig out an unpublished text one still under review smacks of desperation rather than earnest debate. In doing so, the opposition risks diminishing its own credibility while inadvertently playing into narratives pushed by external adversaries. What This Episode Signals for Indian Democracy The Four Stars of Destiny episode is emblematic of a larger shift in Indian political discourse. Opposition politics in India today often relies on sensationalism and unverified claims rather than policy critique and fact-based debate. This strategy not only erodes public trust in political institutions but also undermines the constitutional framework that guarantees free speech while protecting national security. Contrast this with the BJPs approach, which has consistently emphasised law and order, procedural propriety and safeguarding classified information, even when it involves uncomfortable truths. The partys response in this episode was not merely defensive; it was a measured articulation of why national security cannot be sacrificed at the altar of political rhetoric. At a time when India faces complex geopolitical challenges from Chinas aggressive posturing along the LAC to Pakistans sponsorship of cross-border terrorism political unity on matters of national security is not just desirable; it is imperative. Allegations and debates about strategic decisions should be rooted in verified facts, not sensational abridgements of unpublished memoirs. The coming days will likely see intense legal and political wrangling over the FIR plea against Rahul Gandhi. But beyond the legalities, this episode should prompt a broader reflection within Indias political class about the responsibilities of public office. For the Congress and other opposition parties, there is a lesson to be learned: political tactics that compromise national interest are ultimately self-defeating. For the BJP and its allies, the challenge remains to uphold democratic norms while defending the integrity of Indias strategic secrets. And for informed citizens, this should be a moment to demand higher standards of debate where patriotism and accountability are not mutually exclusive but complement one another. In a robust democracy, disagreements are inevitable. But when it comes to matters of national security, there must be a consensus around respecting due process. The writer is a technocrat, political analyst, and author. He pens national, geopolitical, and social issues. His social media handle is @prosenjitnth. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect News18s views. First Published: February 11, 2026, 18:06 IST News opinion Opinion | Four Stars Of Destiny Row: Rahul Gandhi, National Security And An Unpublished Memoir Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... India Watches As A Rising, Reconciliatory Jamaat Takes On BNP In Bangladesh Elections Written By : News18.com Last Updated: February 12, 2026, 13:50 IST On the India front, while Jamaats student allies NCP consistently bay for Indias blood, Rahman sounds pragmatic, reconciliatory, and even statesmanlike. Ameer of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, Dr Shafiqur Rahman, with retired senior military officers. Image/News18 Bangladesh Jamaat ameer Shafiqur Rahman has lately been a man for many, if not all, seasons. On the one hand, he posts on Facebook quoting former US President Barack Obamas famous forward-looking call: Yes We Can". On the other, he says women cannot take leadership positions. Even as stray party men call for disallowing non-believers from Parliament, Rahman reiterates commitment to inclusive political participation and equal citizenship of minorities. And on the India front, while Jamaats student allies NCP consistently bay for Indias blood, he sounds pragmatic, reconciliatory, and even statesmanlike. A privately circulated note purported to be from the Jamaat leadership titled Foreign Policy Orientation of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami says: Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami articulates its foreign policy outlook through the guiding principle of Friendship with all, enmity with none. This principle reflects a commitment to peaceful coexistence, respect for sovereignty, and constructive engagement with the international community. The party views regional cooperation and stable neighbourly relations as indispensable to Bangladeshs long-term economic growth, social stability, and strategic security. Jamaat-e-Islami recognises that Bangladeshs geographic realities necessitate sustained diplomatic engagement with neighbouring states, particularly India. The party affirms that enduring peace and cooperation in South Asia must be pursued through dialogue, reciprocity, and mutual respect." Jamaat has embarked on a hectic rebranding. From dropping the Islamic line from its flag to guarding temples and Durga Puja pandals during the post-regime change violence to meeting a queue of western diplomats and dignitaries, it has been trying to pull off quite the makeover. Whether its compassion for Hindu, Christian, or Buddhist minorities would turn out to be fleeting as the wolf guarding the sheep flock, or its steadily rising stock in opinion polls will reflect in actual results, is untested and unknown. India, for one, has reasons to be wary of Jamaat, given its alleged role in the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War and Pakistani Army-led genocide or its strong links with Islamabad, Rawalpindi, and Lahore. But given New Delhis proven track record of turning around the Pakistan-installed Taliban in Kabul, or a recalcitrant Muizzu in Male, it will find ways to handle and do business in case Jamaat springs a shocker in Dhaka during the February 12 elections. The Jamaat ameer certainly sounds confident, even triumphant: Today, Jamaat stands on the brink of a majority. This is the peoples will." The BNP, still the favourite after the return of the long-exiled Tarique Rahman to Bangladesh, and the massive sympathy wave after the passing of the party matriarch Khaleda Zia, will have itself to blame if the Jamaat-NCP pulls off an upset win. In the interim period of chaos and violence after the August 2024 regime change and this election, the BNP has often displayed unbridled indiscipline on the ground, losing inch by inch because of extortion and bullying by its local leaders. Ticket distribution has left many aspirants and a section of the committed cadre disgruntled. Besides, Tarique Rahman probably arrived too late to take over the reins. In contrast, Jamaat patiently captured institutions and sharpened its booth strength ironically, it used to be Jamaat cadre who managed poll booths for the BNP when the two were in an alliance. It has been making progressive noises for urban voters, while expanding its rural base by projecting itself as the party of the pious. All that notwithstanding, the BNP is a formidable and foundational force to overcome, especially if the more secular, nationalist Awami League votes get transferred to the Zia family in the absence of Sheikh Hasinas party. Fear of Islamist repression may also quietly become a big factor when women vote. For India, Tarique Rahmans overtures of an equity-based friendship and Jamaats assurance that it holds no structural objection to engagement with India or any other state" are both to be tested in the crucible of time. It is not that India has no dog in this fight. Just that it can choose one after the fight is over. (Abhijit Majumder is the author of the book, Indias New Right. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect News18s views) First Published: February 11, 2026, 17:31 IST News opinion India Watches As A Rising, Reconciliatory Jamaat Takes On BNP In Bangladesh Elections Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Opinion | Referendum In Bangladesh: Unity's Illusion Masking Irreversible Division Written By : News18.com Last Updated: February 11, 2026, 16:19 IST The referendum, touted as a path to democratic renewal, faces accusations of unconstitutionality - bundling complex reforms into a single yes-or-no question with no room for nuance Head of Bangladesh's interim government Muhammad Yunus, second right, with Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami party leader Ameer Shafiqur Rahman, second left. (Image: AP) Bangladesh stands at a precipice, its political landscape scarred by the violent upheaval of 2024 that toppled Sheikh Hasinas long rule. What began as student-led protests against entrenched authoritarianism has morphed into a chaotic transition under Muhammad Yunuss interim government, marked by institutional fragility and a surge in communal tensions. Over 127 million voters prepare for February 12, 2026, when parliamentary elections coincide with a referendum on the July National Charter a reform package promising checks on power, including a bicameral parliament, term limits for the prime minister, and caretaker governments during polls. Yet, this vote arrives amid deepening divisions: the Awami League, the nations founding party, remains banned, its leaders exiled or imprisoned, while Islamist forces like Jamaat-e-Islami have resurfaced with unprecedented vigour. The interim administration, sworn in August 2024 after negotiations involving the army, students, and parties, aimed to prosecute abuses from the Hasina era and orchestrate fair elections. Instead, it has overseen a period of insecurity, with over 645 incidents targeting minorities in 2025 alone, fuelling an exodus of liberals and Awami supporters. Law enforcement has weakened, allowing vigilante violence and Islamist mobilisation to flourish. The referendum, touted as a path to democratic renewal, faces accusations of unconstitutionality bundling complex reforms into a single yes-or-no question without room for nuance. Government officials openly campaign for approval, blurring lines between state and advocacy. This moment echoes Bangladeshs turbulent history, from its 1971 liberation rooted in secular Bengali nationalism to cycles of military rule and Islamisation under past regimes. The 2024 uprising sought justice, but the vacuum has empowered radicals, with Jamaat-e-Islamis student wing sweeping university elections and the party now leading an 11-party alliance. As alliances fracture Jamaat breaking from its longtime BNP partner the referendum risks entrenching polarisation. Far from uniting a nation weary of autocracy, it threatens to legitimise forces that could unravel Bangladeshs secular fabric, with ripple effects for regional stability amid growing US, Chinese, and Indian interests. The stakes could not be higher: a vote intended for reform may instead cement fragmentation. Jamaats Shadow Over a Farcical Referendum Jamaat-e-Islamis resurgence casts a long shadow over Bangladeshs political crisis, exacerbating divisions rather than fostering unity. Once banned under Hasina for its role in 1971 atrocities, the party has embedded itself in the interim governments orbit, with its leaders visibly supporting Yunuss administration from the outset. Reports highlight Jamaat figures accompanying Yunus on key foreign engagements, signalling a troubling alliance that prioritises Islamist agendas over broad reconciliation. This proximity underscores how dire the situation has become: an unelected regime leaning on a party with a history of opposing Bangladeshs secular independence to maintain power. The February 12 referendum exemplifies this farce. Framed as a public endorsement of the July Charters reforms, it bundles 84 proposalsincluding constitutional amendmentsinto one opaque question, denying voters granular choice. Critics argue this plebiscitary approach rubber-stamps elite decisions, violating constitutional norms and risking manipulation. Worse, the Awami LeagueBangladeshs largest party, commanding millions of supportersremains excluded, banned under anti-terror laws for alleged 2024 violence. This disenfranchisement of a key political force renders the process inherently unbalanced, turning a national exercise into a tool for consolidating Islamist influence. Jamaats role extends beyond optics; its student wing dominated 2025 university polls, signalling youth appeal amid economic woes and anti-corruption rhetoric. By pressuring Yunus to sideline the Awami League and delay reforms, Jamaat has positioned itself as a kingmaker, exploiting the post-uprising vacuum. The result? A referendum that, far from uniting, amplifies fractures, allowing fundamentalist elements to dictate terms in a process rigged against true pluralism. BNPs Precarious Position in a Jamaat-Dominated Landscape If the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) ascends to power post-referendum, its ability to sustain national unity appears deeply questionable, especially if Jamaat secures significant votes. Polls show BNP leading with 33-35% support, but Jamaats alliance trails closely at 30-34%, positioning the Islamists as potential coalition partners or spoilers. BNPs recent break from its longtime Jamaat allianceformalised in August 2025aims to project a liberal image, but electoral math may force a reunion. BNPs rhetoric emphasises anti-corruption and democratic revival, yet its history of partnering with Jamaat during 1991-2006 governments reveals vulnerabilities. Should Jamaat gain substantial seats through its 11-party bloc, including the student-led National Citizen Party, BNP may spout unity platitudes while compromising on Islamist demands to form a government. This dynamic risks eroding BNPs secular credentials, as Jamaats ideological pushrooted in stricter Islamic governancecould dominate policy, from education to womens rights. Tarique Rahmans return from exile bolsters BNP internally, but the partys reliance on anti-Awami sentiment overlooks the Islamist surge. Jamaats social media prowess and welfare networks appeal to youth disillusioned with elite politics, potentially fragmenting BNPs base. In power, BNP might promise cohesion, but accommodating Jamaats votes could unleash internal rifts, undermining governance and perpetuating cycles of instability that fracture Bangladesh further. Legitimising Fundamentalism Through a Hijacked Referendum The referendum risks enshrining Islamic fundamentalism by validating controversial reforms in a process hijacked from genuine democratic intent. Key issues include the charters vague language on power redistribution and institutional independence, bundled without options for selective approval, potentially enabling Islamist infiltration into governance structures. While framed as anti-authoritarian, the referendums designdense ballots and state-backed Yes campaignssmacks of manipulation, contradicting public demands for transparency. Common Bangladeshis, yearning for stability after years of repression, may view this as another rigged exercise, yet daily violence has created a perilous vacuum. Over 2,900 minority attacks since 2024 have driven an exodus of liberals and Awami affiliates, allowing groups like Jamaat and Hefazat-e-Islam to command influence. Hefazats demands for Sharia elements and restrictions on women highlight how fundamentalists exploit chaos, positioning the referendum as a gateway to legitimacy. This isnt mere speculation; Jamaats electoral alliances and university dominance signal a broader Islamisation trend, filling spaces left by suppressed secular voices. Approving the charter could normalise these forces, transforming Bangladesh from a syncretic Muslim-majority nation into one where extremists dictate norms, eroding the 1971 liberations secular ethos. Broader Implications: Who Gains from Bangladeshs Islamisation? Broad thinking reveals the referendums potential to accelerate Islamisation, benefiting external powers while endangering regional stability. The Awami Leagues boycott call, amid uncertainty on the ground, underscores disenfranchisement: millions of supporters may abstain or disrupt, amplifying chaos. Yet, this vacuum invites exploitation. An Islamist Bangladesh serves US interests in countering China, with Washington engaging Jamaat despite its radical ties. China, eyeing Belt and Road expansion, courts Yunus for strategic gains, potentially elevating partnerships amid anti-India sentiments. Pakistans model looms as a warning: a state born as a Muslim homeland that rapidly embraced Islamist fundamentalism, institutionalising religion in politics and, over time, nurturing militancy that spilled across its borders. For India, the danger is immediate and concrete renewed anti-India rhetoric, intensified minority persecution, and the revival of multiple terror fronts threaten stability, particularly along the eastern frontier. This is not speculative; the rise of fundamentalism is already visible. If unchecked, this trajectory could reshape South Asias political landscape, making sustained vigilance and proactive diplomacy essential to avert a fractured future. Sayantan Ghosh is author of The Aam Aadmi Party: The Untold Story of a Political Uprising and Its Undoing. He is on X as @sayantan_gh. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect News18s views. First Published: February 11, 2026, 16:19 IST News opinion Opinion | Referendum In Bangladesh: Unity's Illusion Masking Irreversible Division Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Opinion | Restoring Vande Mataram, Rejecting The Politics Of 1937 Written By : CNN-News18 Last Updated: February 11, 2026, 21:19 IST Since 1937, when Muhammad Ali Jinnah took offence, Indians have only ever sung the first two stanzas of their National Song From a unifying symbol, Vande Mataram was recast by Jinnah as a sectarian test of loyalty, used to question Muslim commitment to the idea of Pakistan. (Image: X) You couldnt miss the irony even if you wanted to. Vande Mataram, the anthemic hymn that roused a nation to demand its freedom, was fettered by political hesitation in independent India. Its full-throated ode to Bharat Mata was abridged by the Congress party, eager to placate a line of argument that questioned the very civilisational imagination of India. And so, since 1937, when Muhammad Ali Jinnah took offence, Indians have only ever sung the first two stanzas of their National Song. Now, marking the National Songs centenary year, the Modi government has decided to restore it to its original glory. Through a long-debated and awaited government order, singing all six stanzas of Vande Mataram has been permitted. If sung in sequence at an official function, it will precede the National Anthem. It is important to underline what this order does and does not do. The Constitution of India does not mandate the singing of Vande Mataram, nor does it compel any citizen to participate in any patriotic song against their conscience. Article 19 protects freedom of expression, and Article 25 guarantees freedom of religion. The restoration merely removes a political restriction that had survived from a different era. The announcement, however, has been met with derisive outbursts from Opposition ranks. Several leaders of the Congress, the Samajwadi Party, and others have attacked the government. The accusations levelled against the BJP are familiar. That it is fanning the flames of Hindu assertion. That it is rewriting the grammar of secular constitutionalism. That it is attempting to polarise upcoming elections. But the most consequential accusation is the one made with the express purpose of stoking Muslim insecurity. The Opposition is reviving an old argument. That this is a deliberate insult to Muslim religious sensitivities. One Congress leader even urged Muslims to take to the streets, claiming that the hymn invokes Hindu deities that Muslims cannot be asked to invoke. But this argument collapses under historical scrutiny. Before Independence, Muslims sang Vande Mataram in full. They even sang it from Congress party platforms. At least till 1908, when the then President of the All India Muslim League, Syed Ali Imam, derisively branded the hymn a sectarian Hindu cry". Over the next three decades, Imams jaundiced view spread rapidly. In 1937, the then president of the Muslim League, Muhammad Ali Jinnah, declared that Indias biggest minority community would not sing the hymn unless those stanzas were dropped. The song evidently was weaponised. From a unifying symbol, it was recast by Jinnah as a sectarian test of loyalty, used to question Muslim commitment to the idea of Pakistan. But Jinnah lost. Many Muslims rejected that bigoted call. They remained in India. They saluted the tricolour and they swore by its Constitution. For these Muslims, Bharat was Mata. In its hurry to politicise, has the Opposition forgotten this simple fact? First Published: February 11, 2026, 21:19 IST News opinion Opinion | Restoring Vande Mataram, Rejecting The Politics Of 1937 Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... News / National by Staff reporter President Emmerson Mnangagwa today presided over the first Cabinet meeting of the year at the Munhumutapa Offices in Harare, urging ministers to intensify efforts to improve the livelihoods of Zimbabweans.Addressing Cabinet, the President called on ministers to remain focused and prepared to undertake tasks that deliver tangible results for citizens.He commended members of Cabinet who reported for duty during the festive break when required, saying their commitment reflected a growing culture of accountability within Government."The culture of results is now an embedded part of who we are," President Mnangagwa said.The President stressed the need to sustain the country's economic growth momentum under the Second Republic, noting that further expansion is anticipated following the recent launch of the National Development Strategy 2 (NDS2)."It is imperative that Cabinet focuses on the country's growth and development," he said.President Mnangagwa added that the execution of duties and responsibilities must reflect the maturity and seriousness expected of Cabinet members."Our approach to the execution of duties and responsibilities must reflect the maturity of members," he said.The meeting set the tone for Government's policy priorities and implementation agenda for the year ahead. Right Word | The Story Behind PM Modis Letter To Sadanandan Master Written By : News18.com Last Updated: February 11, 2026, 13:17 IST PM Modis letter to Rajya Sabha member C Sadanandan Master goes beyond personal sympathy to highlight enduring reality of political violence, especially in Kerala & West Bengal. RSS worker and a nominated Rajya Sabha member, C Sadanandan Master Prime Minister Narendra Modis letter to the veteran Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) worker and now a nominated Rajya Sabha member, C Sadanandan Master, is more than a gesture of sympathy. This letter came in response to the Masters powerful intervention in the House while speaking on the Motion of Thanks to the President of Indias address. Sadanandan Master had placed his artificial limbs on the table and recalled an attack that took place 31 years ago against him in Kerala. Violence As Political Instrument The Rajya Sabha MP was ambushed by a group of communists while returning home, dragged to the ground, and had his legs hacked off. Speaking from his seat because of his disability, he attributed the brutal assault to CPI(M) cadres, highlighting the uncomfortable truth about Indian politicsthe persistence of ideological violence against grassroots workers by communists who have historically treated dissent as treachery. It isnt only about the personal ordeal of C Sadanandan Master. It is about the often-ignored story of the systematic use of violence as a political instrument in certain ideological ecosystems. PM Modi appropriately responded by writing to Sadanandan Master, praising his maiden speech in the House for its moral strength and conviction. Most importantly, the Prime Minister noted that many people found it hard to accept that a hardworking teacher could be attacked in a vibrant democracy by followers of a retrograde ideology". Prime Minister Narendra Modi had also posted on social media after Sadanandan Masters Rajya Sabha nomination was announced in July 2025: C Sadanandan Masters life is the epitome of courage and refusal to bow to injustice. Violence and intimidation couldnt deter his spirit towards national development." He further said, His efforts as a teacher and social worker are also commendable. He is extremely passionate towards youth empowerment. Congratulations to him for being nominated to the Rajya Sabha by Rashtrapati Ji. Best wishes for his role as MP." Sadanandan Master, born in Thrissur district of Kerala, got associated with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) in the 1980s and later became actively involved in the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), where he rose through the ranks to become state vice-president. His life took a tragic turn on 25 January 1994, when he was brutally attacked in Kannur district by communist workers. In this attack, both of his legs were severed. Rather than receding into silence, Sadanandan Master responded with fortitude. He returned to teaching, continued public engagement, and emerged as a symbol of courage and ideological commitment. Ideological Battleground The RSS had entered Kerala in 1942, and within a year, it expanded rapidly. The communists, who had a deep influence in Keralas political landscape, were wary of the RSS. Kerala became an ideological battleground by the late 1940s, and the communists started using violence against RSS cadres. Over the years, while violence against RSS workers continued in various parts of Kerala, Kannur became the hotbed of violence, bloodshed, and ideological killings. The first RSS cadre to be murdered in Kannur was 36-year-old Vadikkal Ramakrishnan on 28 April 1969. He was a tailor by profession and the sole breadwinner of his family at Thalassery. Prof. AKM Das, Shabu Prasad, and VN Gopinath documented the killings of RSS workers in Kerala in a 2020 publication titled RSS in Kerala: Saga of a Struggle. According to their estimates, around 300 RSS workers were killed in violence by communists till 2020, a substantial number of them in Kannur. Violence by communists in Kannur was also reported in 2025, when they attacked victory processions of political rivals who had defeated them in their strongholds in local elections. According to Das, Prasad and Gopinath, Almost all of them who were killed were innocent people without any criminal tendencies. Many of them were either former CPI(M) workers or once active in their feeder organisations. For instance, Panunda Chandran, killed in an attack by CPI(M) cadres on an RSS shakha, was at one time an activist of the Student Federation of India (SFI), who later joined the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) and became an active swayamsevak of the RSS. His father Narayanan was active both in the CPI(M) and the CITU, the labour wing of the party." Incidentally, age has been no bar when it comes to targeting RSS workers. Even aged people were not spared, as is evident from the murder of P.K. Vidyasagar of Emmad on 16 July 1996, who was 62 years old. He was a shopkeeper and the Mathilakam Panchayat president of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)," noted Das, Prasad, and Gopinath in their documentation. Communist Violence Kerala isnt an exception when it comes to Communist violence. When communists were ruling West Bengal (1977-2009), there was massive political violence unleashed on rivals. In 1997, West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, replying to a question in the Assembly, stated that between 1977 (when the Left came to power) and 1996, 28,000 political murders were recorded. This translates to an average of 125.7 murders per month, about four per day, or one political killing every six hours over 19 years (D. Bandyopadhyay, Census of Political Murders in West Bengal during CPI-M Rule1977-2009," Mainstream, Vol. XLVIII, No. 34, August 14, 2010). For the period 1997-2009, using an annual average of 2,284 killings, the estimated total comes to 27,408. Thus, between 1977 and 2009, the cumulative figure became 55,408 political murders. This equals an average of 1,787 per year, 149 per month, and about five per dayor one political killing every four hours and 50 minutes in West Bengal. What has happened in West Bengal and Kerala is a manifestation of using violence as a central tool by this retrograde ideology" wherever it is present. Author Stephane Courtois offers an approximate global count of deaths under communist regimes in The Black Book of Communism: USSR (20 million), China (65 million), Vietnam (1 million), North Korea (2 million), Cambodia (2 million), Eastern Europe (1 million), Latin America, Africa, and Afghanistan (3.4 million). (The writer is an author and columnist. His X handle is @ArunAnandLive. Views expressed are personal and solely those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect News18s views.) First Published: February 11, 2026, 13:17 IST News opinion Right Word | The Story Behind PM Modis Letter To Sadanandan Master Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Last Updated: February 11, 2026, 07:30 IST 1 / 10 India is home to several beautiful destinations, be it snowy mountain ranges or calm beaches. One of these is the island paradise of Lakshadweep. The Union Territory is known for its pristine beaches, breathtaking landscapes, coral reefs, and more. But for many people, going to Lakshadweep can be the biggest drawback. Most flights and ships are connected via Kochi. Now, a new flight can help visitors reach the archipelago more easily. 2 / 10 Regional airline FLY91 launched its daily KochiAgattiKochi service, connecting the island with Kerala. The inaugural flight took place on Monday, February 9. To mark the start of operations, a water cannon salute was accorded to the airlines ATR 72-600 aircraft at Cochin International Airport before take-off. The first passengers were felicitated at both airports. They received novelty boarding passes as well. ADVERTISEMENT 3 / 10 The flight results in a direct and reliable air link between Kerala and Agatti. Online bookings for the service started last month. The airline reported that it has seen strong early demand, highlighting the need for such routes. The company stated that residents of Lakshadweep have welcomed the launch of the new service. The flight expands FLY91's existing network. 4 / 10 FLY91 has already been operating daily services to Goa for the last two years. The KochiAgatti flight adds to the airlines existing GoaAgatti service. FLY91 stated that the new route will give passengers more travel options. It is also part of the firms aim to connect more underserved towns and cities, linking them to major hubs. ADVERTISEMENT 5 / 10 For residents of Agatti, the flight will help increase tourism. It will also aid locals when it comes to accessing educational and medical facilities. It can also support the steady growth of local employment opportunities. For many people, the new flight reduces dependence on sea routes for reaching Agatti, especially in the monsoon, when the Arabian Sea can be volatile. 6 / 10 Manoj Chacko, Managing Director and CEO, FLY91, explained the benefits in a statement. For residents of Agatti and neighbouring islands, this service makes essential travel for education, healthcare, employment and commerce easier, while also supporting the steady growth of tourism in Lakshadweep, he stated. ADVERTISEMENT 7 / 10 Agatti is the only island in Lakshadweep with an airstrip. Apart from flights via Kochi, Lakshadweep can be reached by seven passenger ships- the MV Kavaratti, MV Arabian Sea, MV Lagoon, MV Corals, MV Lakshadweep Sea, MV Amindivi and MV Minicoy. The ships take 14 to 18 hours to reach their destination, depending on the island chosen for the journey. By contrast, a flight to Agatti usually takes about 90 minutes. 8 / 10 For tourists, the flight gives them an easier way to enjoy Agattis sandy beaches, an unhurried way of life and eco and marine tourism. The island is fast emerging as a tourist destination, and the introduction of a new route may help drive bookings. The move can also lead to more discussion about sustainable tourism practices in the region. ADVERTISEMENT 9 / 10 Lakshadweep is not the only destination that is part of FLY91s larger network expansion strategy. The airline is set to emphasise its position as a leading regional player in Indias aviation network. The company is set to introduce operations at six new regional stations Indore, Nanded, Rajahmundry, Vijayawada, Hubballi and Dabolim (Goa) as part of its next phase of operations. Last Updated: February 11, 2026, 13:25 IST 1 / 10 A speeding Lamborghini in Kanpurs Gwaltoli area on Sunday, February 8, has added another name to the growing list of luxury car accidents making headlines. Around 3.15 PM near Rev-3 Mall on VIP Road, the vehicle allegedly driven by Shivam Mishra, son of tobacco trader KK Mishra, went out of control and crashed into pedestrians and two-wheelers. 2 / 10 According to eyewitnesses, the car first struck an auto-rickshaw before slamming into a parked Royal Enfield motorcycle. The rider of the bike was reportedly thrown nearly 10 feet into the air. The Lamborghini allegedly dragged the motorcycle for some distance before stopping after hitting an electric pole. One of the injured, Taufiq from Yamunaganj, suffered serious leg injuries, while others sustained fractures and bruises. Residents gathered around the vehicle and prevented the driver from stepping out. Some witnesses alleged that private bouncers accompanying the accused pushed back the crowd aggressively while protesters later claimed there was pressure for compromise and delay in filing a case. Police seized the car and said, The injured were provided primary treatment. An FIR will be registered, and further legal action will follow." ADVERTISEMENT 3 / 10 Earlier in 2025, another Lamborghini crash in Noida had drawn widespread attention. On March 30, a red Lamborghini Huracan hit two labourers sitting on a pavement at the Sector 94 roundabout. The car was being driven by Deepak Kumar, a car dealer from Ajmer, who was reportedly taking it for a test drive before deciding on a purchase. The victims, Dijen Ravidas and Rambhu Kumar from Chhattisgarh, suffered leg fractures and were rushed to hospital. 4 / 10 The Noida incident escalated after a 51-second video from the spot circulated widely. In the clip, when asked if he was practising stunts, Deepak responded, Did anyone die here?. He was arrested and booked under sections 281 and 125(a) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita for rash driving and causing hurt by an act endangering life. On March 31, within 24 hours of the accident, he was granted bail after furnishing a bond of Rs 25,000. Deepak later claimed he had been distracted by an error message on the cars display system. He also said he had only gently pressed the accelerator. ADVERTISEMENT 5 / 10 In September 2024, Nagpur saw a crash involving an Audi Q8 registered to Sanket Bawankule, son of Maharashtra BJP President Chandrashekhar Bawankule. The accident took place in the early hours of September 9 in the Ramdaspeth area. The vehicle hit multiple cars and a moped that left two people injured. Police confirmed that Sanket was inside the car along with his two friends, Arjun Hawre and Ronit Chittamwar. Although the car belonged to Sanket, police stated Arjun was driving at the time. 6 / 10 Arjun and Ronit were initially caught by citizens and later arrested, though Arjun was released on bail as the offence was bailable. Reports later pointed out that CCTV footage from La Horre Bar, where the group allegedly consumed alcohol worth Rs 12,000 before the crash, was missing. The cars number plates were reportedly dismantled and found hidden inside the vehicle. Opposition leaders questioned why Sankets name was not mentioned in the FIR at first despite his presence in the car. ADVERTISEMENT 7 / 10 In July 2024, Mumbais Worli area witnessed a fatal BMW hit-and-run case involving Mihir Shah, the 24-year-old son of a former Shiv Sena leader. In the early hours of July 7, the white BMW allegedly rammed into a scooter carrying Pradeep and Kaveri Nakhwa. While Pradeep was thrown aside, Kaveri, 45, became trapped under the car and was dragged for over 1.5 kilometres. She died in the incident while Pradip sustained injuries. Police said Shah had been heavily intoxicated after partying at a bar in Juhu. CCTV footage and reports suggested that he and his driver, Rajrishi Bidawat, switched seats after the crash. 8 / 10 Investigators alleged that at the direction of his father Rajesh Shah, the driver helped Mihir leave the scene. Shah evaded police for two days before being traced to an apartment in Virar after a friend briefly switched on a mobile phone. In November 2025, the Bombay High Court denied him bail after describing his conduct as ruthless and inhuman. In December 2025, the Supreme Court refused to entertain his bail plea and observed that these boys need to be taught a lesson. Both Mihir Shah and his driver remain in judicial custody as trial proceedings continue. Following the incident, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde removed Rajesh Shah from his party position. ADVERTISEMENT 9 / 10 In May 2024, Punes Kalyani Nagar became the site of a fatal crash involving a Porsche Taycan driven by a 17-year-old boy. On May 19, the vehicle, allegedly driven at excessive speed after the minor had consumed alcohol, hit a motorcycle carrying IT professionals Anish Awadhiya and Ashwini Costa. Both died in the collision. The case drew attention after the minor was initially granted bail with conditions that included writing a 300-word essay on road safety. Three days later, he was sent to an observation home. On June 25, 2024, the Bombay High Court ordered his immediate release. The court stated that the Juvenile Justice Boards order sending him to the observation home was illegal and that laws governing juveniles must be applied properly. Last Updated: February 11, 2026, 09:41 IST 1 / 10 Revati Sule and Sarang Lakhanee entered political and social conversations ever since their engagement with confirmations coming from personal posts rather than official announcements. Revati, daughter of NCP (SP) working president Supriya Sule, is set to marry Sarang Lakhanee, who comes from a business family based in Nagpur. 2 / 10 The first public confirmation came from Revatis brother, Vijay Sule, who shared a photograph of the couple on his Instagram Stories. Along with the picture, he wrote, Congrats sis and bro-in-law, and added heart and ring emojis to the caption. Shortly after, similar messages followed from people close to the family. ADVERTISEMENT 3 / 10 Congress leader Sushil Kumar Shindes daughter, Smruti Shinde, also shared a congratulatory post for the couple. Posting the same photograph, she wrote, CongratulationsRevati Sule and Sarang Lakhanee, while tagging Revati, Sarang and Vijay Sule. 4 / 10 Revati Sule is the daughter of Supriya Sule and Sadanand Sule and is the granddaughter of Sharad Pawar. Her mother, Supriya Sule, represents Baramati in the Lok Sabha and is one of the senior leaders of the Sharad Pawar-led NCP faction. Her grandfather, Sharad Pawar, is a veteran Indian politician who has served as a Member of Parliament in the Rajya Sabha, a role he has held since 2020. He has earlier led Maharashtra as Chief Minister for three separate terms. ADVERTISEMENT 5 / 10 On the academic front, Revati has built a strong educational profile. She completed her bachelors degree in Economics from St Xaviers College, Mumbai, in 2020. Following this, she moved abroad to continue her studies. She earned a masters degree in Public Administration from the London School of Economics. 6 / 10 Although she has not entered active politics, Revati has not remained entirely distant from political activity. She was recently seen during her mothers campaign in the Baramati Lok Sabha elections. This marked the first time she was visibly present during an election drive. ADVERTISEMENT 7 / 10 Sarang Lakhanee, on the other hand, comes from a business background rooted in Nagpur, Maharashtra. He is the son of Arun Lakhanee, who serves as Chairman and Managing Director of the Vishvaraj Group. According to his LinkedIn profile, Sarang is currently working as the Executive Director at the same group. His academic journey began with a B.Com degree from Nagpur University in 2014. He later pursued executive education at the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Bangalore. This was followed by an MBA from Columbia Business School. 8 / 10 Before joining the family business in a leadership role, Sarang gained experience across different organisations. He interned with Citizens for Accountable Governance during the 2014 Lok Sabha elections. He later worked as a Development Intern at NITI Aayog. After this, he took on the role of Business Development Consultant at Modern Hydrogen. At Vishvaraj Group, he joined as Lead Project Coordinator in 2017. Within a year, he was promoted to Vice President Operations and Strategy, and since 2020, he has been serving as Executive Director. ADVERTISEMENT 9 / 10 Apart from his professional background, Sarang has also represented India in international sports. He competed in mens singles badminton tournaments across more than 20 countries between 2010 and 2017. During this period, he participated in 34 international tournaments. Suspension Of 8 Opposition MPs Will Not Be Revoked Despite Talks To End Lok Sabha Deadlock: Sources Reported By : CNN-News18 Edited By: Vani Mehrotra Last Updated: February 11, 2026, 18:45 IST The suspension of eight Opposition MPs from the Lok Sabha will not be revoked despite talks to restore normal proceedings, sources have told CNN-News18. Members attend proceedings in the Lok Sabha during the Budget session of Parliament (Photo: PTI) The suspension of eight Opposition MPs from the Lok Sabha will not be revoked, even though talks are underway between the Treasury benches and Opposition parties to restore normal functioning in the House, sources told CNN-News18. The disciplinary action imposed earlier this month will continue for the remainder of the Budget Session, which ends on April 2. The MPs, seven belonging to the Congress and one from the CPI(M), were suspended after an uproar during proceedings in the House. The disorder was linked to objections raised when Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi was disallowed from quoting an article that cited an unpublished memoir of former Army chief MM Naravane on the 2020 India-China conflict. The confrontation escalated after Gandhi attempted for a second consecutive day to raise the issue during the Motion of Thanks on the Presidents address. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and other Treasury bench members objected, and the Chair ruled that the reference could not be made. Gandhi then told Speaker Om Birla that he had authenticated the document he wished to cite, and called a blot on our democracy" that he was prevented from speaking. As the standoff deepened, Opposition MPs raised slogans, some moved towards the secretary-generals table, tore papers and threw them in the direction of the Chair, conduct that Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju later described in the House as showing utter disregard" for parliamentary authority. Rijiju moved a resolution seeking the suspension of eight members for the rest of the session, which was adopted by voice vote amid continuing uproar. The suspended MPs later protested outside Parliament, accusing the government of stifling dissent. One said the action was an attack on democracy", while another alleged that Gandhi had been deliberately prevented from speaking. Presiding officer Krishna Prasad Tenneti was quoted as saying that members had behaved inappropriately, including addressing the Chair in informal terms and subsequently throwing papers on the floor of the House. Apart from the Naravane memoir controversy, the sitting was also disrupted by Opposition protests over remarks by US President Donald Trump on an India-US trade deal and allegations concerning a demolition drive at Manikarnika Ghat in Varanasi, leading to repeated adjournments. First Published: February 11, 2026, 18:45 IST News politics Suspension Of 8 Opposition MPs Will Not Be Revoked Despite Talks To End Lok Sabha Deadlock: Sources Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... 'PM Modi Has Become God For Revanth Reddy': Telangana BJP Chief Ramchander Rao | Exclusive Reported By : News18.com Last Updated: February 11, 2026, 07:56 IST Rao also said that the Congress falsely claims PM Modi has not contributed to Telangana Ramchander Rao said the BJP will push the BRS to third place and will be equal to the Congress party in the Telangana municipal elections. File pic/X The Bharatiya Janata Party has responded to Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddys remark that BJPs only God is Owaisi, they turn him into Aladdins magic lamp for votes". In an exclusive conversation, Telangana BJP president N Ramchander Rao told News18, Revanth Reddy uses Modis name more than we do. Modi has become God for Revanth Reddy." He also said that the Congress falsely claims PM Modi has not contributed to Telangana, which is why they highlight the BJPs achievements in the state using the Prime Ministers name. The Congress, including the Chief Minister, alleges that in every election the BJP uses Prime Minister Narendra Modis name. Even for a municipal election, why drag the Prime Minister? Is the BJP so weak that it needs to use the PMs name to campaign? It is not us who use the Prime Ministers name. Every time, the Congress lies to the people, saying Modi is not giving Telangana anything and that the Prime Minister has not done anything for the state. We need to state the facts of what our honourable and beloved Prime Minister has given to Telangana. More than us, it is Revanth Reddy who uses Modis name. Modi has almost become a god for Revanth Reddy. What are the chances of the BJP in this municipal election? We feel and expect a very good number of seats. There are 2,996 wards, and the BJP hopes to win the maximum number of seats. We will push the BRS to third place and will be equal to the Congress party. That is why both the BRS and the Congress fear us. In a state where the contest is largely between the BRS and the Congress, and where the BJP is trying to gain ground, how confident are you? Our assessment is that people are disillusioned with the BRS. The Congress is facing severe anti-incumbency as well. The only party that remains a worry for Telangana is the BJP. The BJP is growingwe won MLC seats, the BRS lost, and in Jubilee Hills they lost by 25,000 votes. We also did well in the gram panchayat elections. It is the Congresss fear of losing the elections and the BJP improving its performance, which is why the BJP is being targeted in Telangana. If you see the Congress, they are afraid of Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnaviss visit or BJP national chief Nitin Nabins visit. They are even afraid of the BJPs enthusiastic campaign in Telangana. In Mukhtal, the Congress did not even condole the death, nor did the BRS. The bandmaster who committed suicide belonged to the ST community, and they do not have sympathy for STs. They tampered with the narrative that electoral loss was the reason for his death. That is not so. It was because of the local MLA and the threats from him that he was forced to kill himself. This incident occurred in the Chief Ministers political district, where the CM has himself contested. They are treating it as a prestige fight. First Published: February 11, 2026, 07:56 IST News politics 'PM Modi Has Become God For Revanth Reddy': Telangana BJP Chief Ramchander Rao | Exclusive Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... 'PM Modi Acts In India's Interest': Sitharaman Slams Rahul Gandhi's 'Bharat Mata Sold' Remark Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: February 11, 2026, 20:59 IST Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said while PM Narendra Modi "always acts in India's interest", it was the previous Congress regime that "sold farmers" Reacting to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's (R) speech, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman (L) called his concerns over India's data "incorrect" and said she would like to respond to all the points he made. (Image: PTI) Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Wednesday came down heavily on leader of opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi over his Bharat Mata sold" remark as he hit out at the Centre over the India-US interim trade agreement. Sitharaman said while Prime Minister Narendra Modi always acts in Indias interest", it was the previous Congress regime that sold farmers". PM Modi will always act in Indias interest whereas Congress govt surrendered before WTO, sold poor, farmers during its regime," said Sitharaman, replying to the debate in the Lok Sabha on the Union Budget 2026. ALSO READ | Bengal Run By Bomb Culture, Not Law And Order: Nirmala Sitharaman Hits Out At TMC In Lok Sabha Reacting to Gandhis speech, she called his concerns over Indias data incorrect" and said she would like to respond to all the points he made. She said India is incentivising data centres so that the data stays in the country. I would like to answer all his (Rahul Gandhis) points. He expressed concerns over AI and data, that Indias data is going out to foreign countries. This is not correct," she said in the Lok Sabha. We are incentivising data centres through which data can remain in India and Indian youth can get jobs. Without understanding this, he is saying we are giving our data to foreign countries." Sitharaman later posted a video clip of her speech in the Lok Sabha and said the India AI Mission has a dedicated allocation of Rs 1,000 crore for 2026-2027. Leader of the Opposition Shri Rahul Gandhi expressed concerns over Artificial Intelligence and data. I want to tell that we are incentivising setting up of Cloud and Data Centres in India, so that the data is stored here and our youth gets employment opportunities. The India AI Mission has a dedicated allocation of Rs 1,000 crore for 2026-27," she posted on X. Leader of the Opposition Shri @RahulGandhi expressed concerns over Artificial Intelligence and data. I want to tell that we are incentivising setting up of Cloud and Data Centres in India, so that the data is stored here and our youth gets employment opportunities. The India pic.twitter.com/4JpQwDXkhy Nirmala Sitharaman Office (@nsitharamanoffc) February 11, 2026 Gandhi, meanwhile, wrote a lengthy post on X and reiterated his stance that a helpless" Modi has surrendered to the US chokehold" in the trade deal. He claimed that under the pretext of clearing barriers to digital trade", every move to use own data for own benefit will be opposed. in a few days, the government is hosting a grand AI Summit. It should have been an opportunity for India to assert leadership to demonstrate how a country of 1.4 billion people can use our data to shape the global AI future ON OUR OWN TERMS. Instead, a helpless PM Modi, has surrendered to the US chokehold in the trade deal. Under the pretext of clearing barriers to digital trade, every move to use our data for our own benefit will be opposed. Already, large foreign companies enjoy a near monopoly on our data through Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, Youtube, Amazon, Android, etc. With this deal, India will struggle to: Safely store the data of 1.5 billion Indians in India; get transparency in their source codes and algorithms; tax the profits they make using our data. Its a shame that our Prime Minister has been pressured to hand over Indias prime resource to a foreign power," he wrote on X. The AI revolution is here bringing both threats and opportunities. Our IT and services sector, a shining star of our economy, is at risk, and thousands of software engineers and professionals will lose their livelihoods if we do not prepare for the storm that is coming. But Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) February 11, 2026 Sitharaman further targeted Gandhi over his traitor" remark about his former party colleague Ravneet Singh Bittu. She said while the Congress leader told Jagdambika Pal who was on the Chair that he respects him for his past in the Congress, he did not show the same courtesy to Bittu, also formerly from his party. LoP Rahul Gandhi spoke on several issues. He spoke the language of Jujutsu and Martial Art grip and control. He also told Jagdambika Pal, who was on the Chair, that he respects him because he was once in his party. But he called Bittu a traitor, who was also once in his party," she said. ALSO READ | India Not For Sale: Kiren Rijiju Warns Of Privilege Notice Over Rahul Gandhis Trade Deal Charge WHAT DID RAHUL GANDHI SAY ABOUT THE INDIA-US TRADE DEAL? Speaking on the India-US interim trade deal, Gandhi accused the Centre of compromising national interests and asked whether it was not ashamed of selling India". He alleged that the central government has effectively sold Bharat Mata". He said while it has acknowledged that the world is facing a global storm, with the era of a single superpower coming to an end, intensifying geopolitical conflicts, and the weaponisation of energy and finance, it has allowed the United States to weaponise energy and financial systems in ways that affect India. You yourself admit that we are facing a global storm that the era of one superpower is over, that geopolitical conflicts are intensifying, and that energy and finance are being weaponised. Yet, despite acknowledging this reality, you have allowed the United States to weaponise energy and financial systems in ways that impact us. When America says we cannot buy oil from a particular country, it effectively means our energy security is being dictated externally that energy itself is being weaponised against us. Are you not ashamed of this? I am saying you have compromised Indias interests. Have you no shame in what you are doing? It is as though you have sold Bharat Mata," he said. ALSO READ | India-US Trade Deal Row: Congresss Old Cold War Secrets Stir New Political Storm In another attack on Modi, Gandhi further said he did not believe the Prime Minister would sell India" under normal circumstances but claimed that external pressure was being exerted on him. The interesting thing is that I know that the Prime Minister would not sell India under normal circumstances. You know why he sold India? Because they are choking him. They have got a grip on his neck We can see fear in the eyes of the Prime Minister," he added. He also raised concerns over tariffs, saying the average tariff had increased from around 3 percent to 18 percent, a sixfold rise. He claimed that US imports into India are projected to increase from USD 46 billion to USD 146 billion. Calling the situation absurd", he alleged that India was committing to increase imports by nearly 100 billion dollars annually without receiving firm commitments in return. Secondly, what have you done on tariffs? Earlier, the average tariff stood at around 3 percent. It has now risen to 18 percent a six-fold increase. At the same time, US imports into India are projected to rise from 46 billion dollars to 146 billion dollars. This is absurd. Absolutely absurd. There is no firm commitment from the United States towards us, yet we are committing to increase imports by nearly 100 billion dollars annually. We are making concessions, but receiving nothing concrete in return. It appears as though we are standing there like fools. Our tariffs have increased from 3 percent to 18 percent, while theirs have reportedly fallen from 16 per cent to zero," he said. (With agency inputs) First Published: February 11, 2026, 20:24 IST News politics 'PM Modi Acts In India's Interest': Sitharaman Slams Rahul Gandhi's 'Bharat Mata Sold' Remark Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... India Not For Sale: Kiren Rijiju Warns Of Privilege Notice Over Rahul Gandhis Trade Deal Charge Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: February 11, 2026, 17:02 IST Rijiju said that the government will file a privilege notice against Rahul Gandhi, alleging that he misled the house and made baseless allegations. Rahul Gandhi Kiren A war of words took place between Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi over the latters remark on the India-US trade deal during his speech on Wednesday. Rahul Gandhi alleged that the government surrendered" to the US pressure. He then went on to make a series of sensational allegations that drew swift rebuttal from the governments side and the Chair, which reminded him of the House rules, as the ruckus erupted in the House. I dont believe that the government would sign such a deal unless there was some kind of pressure or leverage involved. Our farmers have been left to fend for themselves. The textile sector has been wiped out. Our energy security is being handed over," the Rae Bareli MP said. Rijiju interjected Gandhi and said, We are not disturbing Rahul Gandhi when you are levelling charges and wild allegations without any proof, which is not acceptable." The minister also urged the Leader of Opposition to authenticate his allegations. Jagdambika Pal, who was in the Chair, then ruled that Gandhis allegations would not go on the record of the Lok Sabha. After the demand by the treasury bench, Rahul Gandhi said he wants to authenticate his remark. However, Union Minister Pralhad Joshi then said the opposition leader should produce documents, backing his allegations. Rahul Gandhi responded to the governments demand, saying he has the papers to authenticate. I will put the papers on the table also," he added. Rijiju also said the opposition leader should follow due process to authenticate records. Whatever allegations you have made, despitethe ruling by the chair. You are the Leader of the Opposition. When you speak about certain things, they have serious connotations. I would urge the Leader of Opposition to authenticate all his points." After Rahul Gandhis speech ended, Rijiju said no one can sell India and accused the Congress party of weakening the country. He asserted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is the strongest PM of India and said, Congress is sad because India is progressing." Addressing a press conference later, Rijiju said that the government will file a privilege notice against Rahul Gandhi, alleging that he misled the house and made baseless allegations. Rahul Gandhi deliberately does this repeatedly after his speech, which normally is full of lies and allegations, he runs away, and he never sits to listen to the reply of the minister. It is very unfortunate that we dont have a very serious nature or a person with a serious character befitting the position of the leader of the opposition. Our party has taken a stand that we will counter Rahul Gandhis lies outside, but inside the House, a notice will be issued. We will serve the notice to the Speaker. Rahul Gandhi has promised that he will authenticate, but I know he cannot authenticate because he lied. He lied on the house After his speech, he ran away immediately, therefore breaking rules again and again," he added. Reacting to Rahul Gandhis remarks on India-US trade agreement, Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal said, We know Rahul Gandhi ji is naive, through his political work and thinking PM Modi and I have taken decisions with the US, keeping in mind the security of farmers and production. I want to assure all farmers of India that their interests are secure." First Published: February 11, 2026, 13:54 IST News politics India Not For Sale: Kiren Rijiju Warns Of Privilege Notice Over Rahul Gandhis Trade Deal Charge Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... AI Deepfake Rules For Creators: How It Affects Them And Social Media Companies Reported By : Last Updated: February 11, 2026, 13:39 IST The new AI content rules from the Indian government come into effect later this month which means the platforms need to comply soon. AI content is hard to ignore and the platforms are now ordered to keep them in check. (Photo: AI generated) The Indian government has issued new AI content rules as it looks to prevent major deepfake-related scams and attacks on innocent people in the country. The new rule comes into effect from February 20, 2026 which is just a week or so away from being enforced, not only for content platforms but also those who create content shared widely across these social media apps. This means the likes of Instagram, YouTube and X have to be mindful about the content that are being published by users and inform them about labels and watermarks needed to differentiate the AI-generated content with the original stuff. AI Content Marking Rules: What Companies Need To Do The government rules clearly put the onus on platforms catering to these tools and content that come with the necessary labels and other directions of use. In addition to this, the platforms need to embed permanent metadata into the AI-generated content to allow easier identification of the creator and even the source of where the content was formed. But how is the government defining AI-generated content? The notification says any information/content synthetically generated in audio, video or audio-visual mode and altered using computer tools and make them look authentic based on an event or a person will be categorised within this ruling by the Centre. The bigger tech entities like Instagram and YouTube have a bigger task at hand and need to improve their overall moderation. They have to ensure the content meets the criteria for the AI-generated section and verify the use of tools to modify and edit the content. So any deepfake video, voice edits where you dupe people with wrongful representation come under this section and makes these platforms liable for allowing such content to be hosted. How New AI Rules Affect Content Creators? Now lets focus on the new AI content rules for users and those in the creating business. The people using these apps for content consumption will see clearer labels and disclosures about the tools used to modify/generate the content. Making people aware about the video/audio they are consuming and its origin goes a long way in keeping them safe from possible scams and misinformation. And if you are in the business of uploading videos to these platforms, you will have to confirm/declare using AI tools when altering content and confirm it by signing up a digital form with these apps. You cannot lie about not using AI tools for a specific video/audio content, which can eventually become grounds for penalising the person. Location : Delhi, India, India First Published: February 11, 2026, 13:39 IST News tech AI Deepfake Rules For Creators: How It Affects Them And Social Media Companies Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... German Woman Moved By Overwhelming Support From Indian Friends After Losing Credit Card: Never Felt Curated By : Trending Desk Last Updated: February 11, 2026, 10:45 IST The Instagram video features screenshots of WhatsApp chats showing her friends repeatedly checking on her well-being and offering immediate financial assistance. Her friends even shared their UPI IDs to make sending money easier and faster.(Photo Credit: Instagram/jennijigermany) A German womans recent experience in India has struck a chord with people after she shared how her friends stepped in to help when she lost her only credit card during her trip. Recalling the incident, the woman said she found herself in a stressful and frightening situation after realising her only source of funds was missing. Being in a foreign country without access to money left her anxious and unsure of what to do next. However, what followed turned her distress into a heartwarming story of friendship and generosity. Jennifer, a 29-year-old from Berlin, shared that her friends in India immediately rallied around her, offering both emotional and financial help to ensure she could continue her trip without worry. With the overlay text, Never underestimate Indian friends and their willingness to help," the Instagram video features screenshots of WhatsApp chats showing her friends repeatedly checking on her well-being and offering immediate financial assistance. Some even shared their UPI IDs to make transferring money faster and easier. Based on a true story. Never experienced more help than in India," the caption of the post reads. Great To See This Kind Of Experience: Social Media Reacts The video has since garnered widespread attention, with social media users praising the gesture and highlighting Indias culture of hospitality. Actually its not about money, its the love and care of you, and you are really down to earth and you deserve this love," read a comment. Another said, Its great to see this kind of experience." I was in the EXACT same situation when traveling in Germany and @jennijigermany helped me!! You are such a kind soul @jennijigermany, so no wonder people help you back," shared a user. An individual stated, My first week in India, and I lost my purse (it had my credit cards and corporate id) on a bus in Bangalore, the guy who found it came to my office the next morning to return it." Indian hospitality is unmatched in the entire world. So glad everything worked out well for you in the end, Jenny," wrote a user. An account posted, Probably you have now started understanding true India." Back-up system is incredible Jennifer said her friends ensured she had enough financial support to continue her trip without worry. All of my friends made sure I was secured with enough financial support to complete my trip (of course, I had paid them back), but I literally didnt even have to worry for 1 second. This kind of helping back-up system is incredible!" she concluded. Location : Delhi, India, India First Published: February 11, 2026, 10:23 IST News viral German Woman Moved By Overwhelming Support From Indian Friends After Losing Credit Card: Never Felt Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... News / National by Staff reporter Harare provincial magistrate Ruth Moyo has recused herself from presiding over political activist Godfrey Karembera's bail application on changed circumstances following an application by the accused alleging bias.Karembera, popularly known as Madzibaba Veshanduko, had applied for Ms Moyo's recusal, arguing that she could not impartially determine his matter. The magistrate granted the application, paving the way for the case to be reassigned.The bail application will now be heard before Magistrate Tapiwa Kuhudzai on February 13.Karembera is facing charges of incitement to commit public violence.According to the State, the alleged offence relates to a planned march scheduled for October 17, 2025, at Robert Gabriel Mugabe Square and Africa Unity Square in Harare.Court papers allege that police received information that Karembera was distributing fliers from a silver Toyota Aqua. The vehicle was reportedly tracked to Patrenda Way in Glen View 3, Harare, where it was intercepted.Prosecutors allege that approximately 7 200 flyers were recovered from the vehicle and seized as exhibits."Accused and his other two accomplices escaped from the scene of crime, leaving behind one of his accomplices, Malvern Mavhere, who is already on remand, and he was subsequently arrested," the State alleges.The prosecution further claims that on October 17, 2025, Karembera recorded a video allegedly inciting members of the public to attend a protest at Africa Unity Square in Harare. The video was allegedly shared across several WhatsApp groups and on Facebook.The matter is expected to proceed before the new presiding magistrate later this week. Mai Brahmin Hoon, Mujhe Bhi Garv Hai: Kanpur HDFC Staffs Thakur Clash Escalates Into Full Caste Row Curated By : Trending Desk Last Updated: February 11, 2026, 17:13 IST The footage shows Aastha Singh, appears to hurl abuses at banks former employees husband and even threatens him by aggressively pointing a laptop in his direction. Ritu Tripathi condemned Aastha Singhs actions and threatened legal action. (Photo Credit: X) A tense incident unfolded inside an HDFC Bank branch in Kanpur after a female employee got into a heated argument with a customer. The customer, Rishi Mishra, is the husband of the banks former employee, Ritu Tripathi. A video of the confrontation caught attention of the social media users. The footage shows a chaotic scene where the employee, identified as Aastha Singh, appears to hurl abuses at Mishra and even threatens him by aggressively pointing a laptop in his direction. Her remark, I am a Thakur, dont mess with me," sparked widespread debate over professionalism and caste-based statements in the workplace. Kanpur HDFC Bank Employee Shares Her Side Of Story Both sides have now shared their versions of the story. In conversation with ANI, Singh stated that the altercation was not with a customer in the usual sense but with the husband of her colleague. According to her, the conflict began when Tripathi resigned and asked for an immediate relieving letter. Singh alleged, This incident has been misrepresented and is not related to any customer. The matter involves my colleagues husband, who misbehaved with me, and the video was my response to that behaviour. I mentioned my caste only because I was asked to. I am a Thakur and proud of it. I am a Thakur and proud of it. Unfortunately, the matter is being given a different colour. The colleague I was referring to is a Brahmin." She added that she intends to take legal action against what she described as a misrepresentation that damaged her reputation. Singh also emphasised that Mishra had argued with multiple staff members regarding his wifes resignation and only the clip of her confrontation went viral. #WATCH | Kanpur, UP: On her Viral Video, HDFC bank employee Astha Singh says, " This incident has been misrepresented and is not related to any customer. The matter involves my colleagues husband, who misbehaved with me, and the video was my response to that behaviour. I pic.twitter.com/eazjPE5cN2 ANI (@ANI) February 10, 2026 Humne Caste Nahi Pucha: Ritu Tripathis Husband Speaks Out On the other hand, Mishra shared his perspective with Bharat Samachar, saying, Mai jat (caste) kyu puchunga? Humari wife ke sath kaam kar rahi hai. Mai apni wife ko lene aaya tha. Meri wife resignation dene gayi thi aur inko late hua toh mai bank pocha (Why would I ask about her caste? She is working with my wife. I had come to pick up my wife. She was submitting her resignation, and when she was delayed, I reached the bank)." Tripathi, the former employee, condemned Singhs actions and threatened legal action: Unhone samne se mere husband ko dhamki di hai, ye har jagah recorded hai. Wo laptop fek kar marne ki koshish kar rahi hai. Jo ladki apne employees ke samne ye sab harkat kar sakti hai, sochiye us par seniors ka kitna lamba hath hoga (She threatened my husband directly and it is all recorded. She tried to hit him with a laptop. If she can behave this way in front of her employees, imagine what reach must she have)." She also appealed to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and requested for a formal investigation. ? pic.twitter.com/O8vfUvPWKu Voice Of Brahmins (@VoiceOfBrahmins) February 10, 2026 Tripathi further shared her feelings with ANI: My family was abused. My family was threatened to be killed No one asked her about her caste. She is lying that we asked her caste. She threatened us by saying thok dungi to my husband, who is also a bank customer. She threatened us by saying thok dungi to my husband, who is also a bank customer. My husband did not abuse anyone at the bank or outside it." She claimed that my family was involved in circulating the video, which is absolutely wrong. I am not working with the bank anymore. I want support from everyone, not just Brahmins I think she wanted to get viral that is why the video was circulated," she added. #WATCH | Kanpur, UP: Ritu Tripathi, a former HDFC employee, who was seen having an altercation with an HDFC employee, Astha Singh, in a viral video, says, "My family was abused. My family was threatened to be killed No one asked her about her caste. She is lying that we asked https://t.co/pwkz5Q4etr pic.twitter.com/ZKMNtATISD ANI (@ANI) February 11, 2026 Mujhe Support Kije: Ritu Tripathi Another video of Tripathi circulated online, in which she appealed directly to the public: Jiske bezzati kari gayi, wo main hu. Jiske Parivar ki izzat gayi wo main hu. Jisko gaaliya sunai gayi wo mai hu. Jisko waha se laptop marne ki dhamki di gayi, wo mai hu Mai Brahmin hu aur mujhe eske liye garv hai. Meri aap sabse prarthna hai ki meri izzat bachaye, mujhe support kare (I am the one whose dignity was insulted. My familys honour was attacked. I am the one who heard abuses. I am the one threatened with a laptop. I am a Brahmin and proud of it. I request everyone to protect my honor and support me)." So far, HDFC Bank has not issued an official statement regarding the incident. Location : Delhi, India, India First Published: February 11, 2026, 17:12 IST News viral Mai Brahmin Hoon, Mujhe Bhi Garv Hai: Kanpur HDFC Staffs Thakur Clash Escalates Into Full Caste Row Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Indian Family Loses Rs 13 Lakh In Gold To Garbage, Dubai Police Trace It In 3 Days! Curated By : Translation Desk Last Updated: February 11, 2026, 08:13 IST You may have seen many examples of Dubais safety on social media, but the countrys system also helps recover lost valuables. An Indian family recently experienced this first-hand Rapid Read The waste-collection worker took the pouch to the Gold Souk, where there is a formal system for handing over found gold items. Dubais reputation for safety often goes viral on social media, but the city is equally known for something rarer: the swift recovery of lost valuables. An Indian family recently witnessed this first-hand, in an incident that underlines the citys culture of honesty and its highly efficient system. Kamini Kannan, who lived in the UAE for 23 years before returning to India in 2021, had travelled back to Dubai to attend a wedding when the remarkable episode unfolded. Kamini decided to check her old gold pouch during the visit. As the pouch was torn, she transferred her valuables, including four 22-carat gold coins weighing 8 grams each and one 50-gram 24-carat gold bar, into a temporary pouch and left it on the dining table. A Costly Mistake During Cleaning While cleaning the house, her son Abhimanyu accidentally threw the pouch into the trash, mistaking it for waste. The next morning, when Kamini noticed the pouch was missing, Abhimanyu realised his mistake and informed the family. They assumed the gold was gone forever. The family informed their buildings security staff but had no real expectations. The gold was worth around 50,000 dirhams (approximately Rs 13 lakh). Kamini later told Khaleej Times, If it went in the trash, its gone." Believing nothing could be done, they did not even file a police complaint. An Unexpected Phone Call Three days later, something unexpected happened. Abhimanyu received a phone call asking whether he had lost something. Initially thinking it was a prank, he was stunned to learn that the caller was a Dubai police officer. At the building reception, police explained the entire sequence. A waste-collection worker had found the pouch while handling trash. Realising it contained gold, he did not keep it. Instead, he took it to the Gold Souk, where there is a formal system for handing over found gold items. Police Tracked The Owner Officials questioned the worker, who clearly stated that he had found the pouch in the trash. Using waste-collection records, police traced the garbage to the specific building. Through the buildings security, they identified and contacted the family. Abhimanyu was asked to visit Naif Police Station. There, police showed him the recovered gold. He only had to provide photographs, purchase bills, and proof that the gold belonged to his mother. I just had to show photos and bills to prove it was my mothers," he said. Praise For Dubai Police And System The family expressed deep gratitude to the Dubai Police for acting swiftly without even registering an FIR. The incident demonstrated how strictly the law is followed and how efficiently systems work in Dubai. The workers honesty in not giving in to temptation and the polices quick action stood out. For the family, the recovery was a huge relief, as the gold was a long-term investment. Kamini said she had witnessed such honesty many times during her years in Dubai, but this incident was the most memorable. A System That Builds Trust Today, the family values Dubais security and governance even more. The episode serves as a powerful example of how strong laws, accountability, and integrity ensure that even something thrown away can be safely returned to its rightful owner. Location : Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE) First Published: February 11, 2026, 08:13 IST News viral Indian Family Loses Rs 13 Lakh In Gold To Garbage, Dubai Police Trace It In 3 Days! Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Rajasthan Man, 60, Survives After Receiving CPR Within 30 Seconds: When To Start, Procedure & When To Avoid Curated By : Trending Desk Last Updated: February 11, 2026, 15:20 IST A 60-year-old businessman from Jaipur suddenly collapsed inside a jewellery shop in Rajasthans Kota. The man was identified as Rajkumar Soni. (Photo Credit: X) He was discussing gemstones at a jewellery counter at one moment. The next moment, he was lying motionless on the floor. An incident inside a shop in Kota on a regular afternoon has now become a powerful reminder that sometimes, the difference between life and death is just a few minutes and someone who knows what to do. On December 11 last year at around 1:58 PM, a 60-year-old businessman from Jaipur suddenly collapsed inside a jewellery shop in Rajasthans Kota. According to India TV, the man was identified as Rajkumar Soni, a gemstone trader from Jaipurs Jhotwara area. He was seated at the jewellery counter discussing business when he began to feel uneasy. Within moments, he appeared breathless, leaned forward and then fell to the floor. Jaipur Businessman Loses Consciousness At Jewellers Shop CCTV footage shows staff members and customers visibly shaken as Rajkumar lay still. At this moment, 37-year-old Varun Jain, son of shop owner Vimal Kumar Jain, stepped forward. Despite having no formal medical training, Varun relied on awareness gained through community programmes. He immediately laid Rajkumar flat on the floor and began CPR. For reportedly about 2.5 minutes, he continued pressing on the businessmans chest without stopping. Then came a crucial moment: Rajkumar moved slightly and began gasping for breath. Immediate first aid was provided at the shop, after which he was shifted to a hospital for further treatment. Timely CPR is believed to have played a key role in reviving him. Why everyone should know about CPR.? What is CPR.? Cardio = heartPulmonary = lungsResuscitation = revival/restoring lifeNow watch the video importance of CPR. A jewelry trader in Kota lost consciousness. His son immediately performed CPR.What struck me most was how nearly pic.twitter.com/0EifOHM7Jw (@iamgurpreetmaan) February 10, 2026 Social Media Praises Quick Thinking And Calls For CPR Training The video has since been widely shared on social media with many people praising Varuns presence of mind. Several users mentioned that CPR training should be made compulsory in schools and workplaces One user commented, CPR training should be given to everyone so that in such cases we can save someones life." Another said, This should be the basic training in every school. The subject that we need to study is disaster management, first aid and health care are need of the hour." CPR training should be given to everyone irrespective of field of study," someone else added. What Is CPR And Why Is It So Important? Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) is an emergency, life-saving procedure used when a persons breathing or heartbeat stops, often due to cardiac arrest. When the heart stops pumping blood effectively, oxygen supply to the brain and vital organs also stops. Brain damage can begin within minutes. CPR helps maintain blood circulation and oxygen flow until professional medical help arrives. CPR mainly involves: Chest compressions: pushing hard and fast in the centre of the chest Rescue breaths: giving breaths to provide oxygen (in trained responders) How To Perform CPR On An Adult Heres a simple step-by-step guide: If the person is not breathing normally or is only gasping, begin CPR. Start chest compressions by placing the heel of one hand in the centre of the chest. Place your other hand on top and interlock your fingers. Keep your arms straight. Push hard and fast at a rate of 100 to 120 compressions per minute. The depth should be about 5 to 6 cm (2 to 2.4 inches). Continue compressions until medical help arrives or the person shows signs of life. If trained, rescuers may combine compressions with rescue breaths. But hands-only CPR (just compressions) can also be effective in emergencies. When Should You Start CPR? According to the American Heart Association and the American Red Cross, CPR should be started if all of the following are true: The person is unresponsive when you shout or tap them. They are not breathing normally: Either not breathing at all or only gasping (not normal breathing). No pulse (for trained healthcare providers): If no pulse is detected within 10 seconds, CPR should begin. For bystanders without training, skip the pulse check and begin compressions if the person is unresponsive and not breathing normally. Situations Where CPR May Be Needed Sudden cardiac arrest: When the heart suddenly stops beating properly often because of an electrical problem in heart. Drowning: If someone is taken out of water and is not responding or not breathing normally, CPR should be started right away. Drug overdose: Some substances can slow down or stop breathing and heart function. If the person is unconscious and not breathing, CPR is needed until medical help arrives. Serious accidents or electric shock: Car crashes, heavy injuries or electrocution can stop the heart or breathing. Immediate chest compressions can help keep blood flowing. Choking that leads to unconsciousness: If a person chokes and then becomes unconscious, CPR should be started after trying to clear the airway. When NOT To Perform CPR? While CPR is life-saving, there are situations where it should not be performed: Obvious signs of life: If the person starts breathing normally, moving, or speaking. Unsafe environment: If there is danger to you such as fire, electric shock risk, toxic fumes or structural collapse. DNR Order: If the person has a valid Do Not Resuscitate" directive. Irreversible signs of death: Such as rigor mortis, decomposition or injuries incompatible with life. Location : Delhi, India, India First Published: February 11, 2026, 15:15 IST News viral Rajasthan Man, 60, Survives After Receiving CPR Within 30 Seconds: When To Start, Procedure & When To Avoid Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Facebook Love Turns Deadly: UP Man Tattoos Lovers Name, Kills Her Abusive Hubby Then His 1st Murder Gets Exposed Curated By : Trending Desk Last Updated: February 11, 2026, 15:05 IST One of the accused, Shiv Kumar Lodhi, had reportedly killed his first girlfriend a year ago. Three people were arrested in the case. (Representative Image) Three people have been arrested for the murder of Jagbhan Kushwaha, a railway vendor who was found dead in Jhansi 10 days ago. On February 1, Kushwahas blood-soaked body was found in the bushes near a Hanuman temple outside Jhansi railway station. An investigation into the matter led to a shocking discovery by the police. Kushwahas wife, Kiran, her lover, Shiv Kumar Lodhi, and his friend, Dharmendra Lodhi, were arrested by the police, Amar Ujala reported. The trio allegedly planned the murder of Kushwaha. It wasnt that simple though. Shiv Kumar had some dark secrets that Kiran was unaware of. A year ago, he had reportedly killed his first girlfriend. As of now, it is unknown if Shiv Kumar was charged in the earlier murder or if the investigation is still pending. Jagbhan Kushwaha Murder Case: What Happened? Kushwaha had left home on the night of January 31 to catch a train for Chennai. The next day, his body was recovered near the railway station. Initially, suspicion fell on his wife, Kiran, who shared three children with Kushwaha. She repeatedly kept changing her statement and even refused to file a First Information Report (FIR) after her husbands death. The information she gave often turned out to be false. An investigation into Kushwahas call records revealed a number that belonged to Shiv Kumar. He used to work private jobs and stayed away from his family. He eluded the police for several days, but was arrested on Tuesday at the Raksa Bypass intersection in Madhya Pradesh. He confessed to his involvement in Kushwahas murder, prompting the police to nab Kiran as well. Dharmendra, a resident of Umri Kala (Shivpuri), was also taken into custody. Based on the information given by Shiv Kumar, the police were able to recover the cartridges and gun used in Kushwahas murder. Why Was Kushwaha Murdered? According to the police, Kiran and Shiv Kumar were having an affair. The duo had connected over Facebook six months ago. Shiv Kumar had even gotten Kirans name tattooed when they visited a Sankranti fair together. Jaghban came to know about their relationship and used to get drunk and beat up Kiran. To get rid of him, the couple hatched a plan and killed him. In a shocking turn of events, Shiv Kumar had allegedly killed his first girlfriend a year ago. With three people arrested, the police appear to have solved the sensational crime. Location : Delhi, India, India First Published: February 11, 2026, 15:03 IST News viral Facebook Love Turns Deadly: UP Man Tattoos Lovers Name, Kills Her Abusive Hubby Then His 1st Murder Gets Exposed Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... 13-Year-Old Shouted Allahu Akbar Before Stabbing 2 Classmates In London School, Probe Finds Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: February 11, 2026, 08:29 IST The victims, aged 12 and 13, were taken to hospital and are in a serious condition after suffering stab wounds to the neck. Kingsbury School Horror: Police Investigate Possible Terror Links After Classroom Stabbing (Photo: X) A 13-year-old boy has been arrested after allegedly stabbing two pupils at Kingsbury High School in Brent, north-west London, UK on Tuesday afternoon. According to witnesses quoted by the Daily Mail, the suspect allegedly shouted Allahu Akbar", meaning God is greatest" in Arabic, during the attack. The victims, aged 12 and 13, were taken to hospital and are in a serious condition after suffering stab wounds to the neck. One was admitted to a major trauma centre as a priority. Police said both boys were believed to be in a serious condition. What eyewitnesses said? The 13-year-old boy was arrested on suspicion of two counts of attempted murder after fleeing the scene. Officers later located the suspect and recovered a weapon believed to have been used in the attack. It is understood the incident unfolded entirely within the schools Bacon Lane campus, reportedly inside a science classroom. Counter-terror officers are examining these unconfirmed reports as part of their investigation. One parent, Simon Theodoru, whose daughter is in 8, said he had been told a former pupil returned to the school and targeted one student. Another pupil was stabbed while attempting to trigger the fire alarm to alert others. A father of another pupil said children who were in the class were being kept at the school as potential witnesses. Kingsbury High School is an academy school serving children aged 11 to 18, with both upper and lower sites. Counter-terror police lead investigation The Metropolitan Police said counter-terrorism officers are leading the investigation due to the surrounding circumstances. However, the incident has not yet been declared a terrorist incident. Detective Chief Superintendent Luke Williams said, Due to the surrounding circumstances, the investigation is now being led by officers from Counter Terrorism Policing London. This has not currently been declared a terrorist incident." Police said they arrived at the scene within 13 minutes of the emergency calls. Reactions Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said her thoughts and prayers were with the two pupils and their families. She thanked police for their rapid response and said they should be given space to continue their investigation. Mayor of London Sir Sadiq Khan said his thoughts were with the families and urged anyone with information to contact police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously. Muhammed Butt, leader of Brent Council, described the incident as deeply shocking and distressing", adding that no parent should fear for their childs safety at school. Location : London, United Kingdom (UK) First Published: February 11, 2026, 08:24 IST News world 13-Year-Old Shouted Allahu Akbar Before Stabbing 2 Classmates In London School, Probe Finds Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Canada School Shooting: From Pakistan To US, A Look At Deadliest Campus Massacres Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: February 11, 2026, 15:43 IST Canada School Shooting: Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney expressed his deepest condolences to the families of those killed and injured. Canada school shooting has drawn global attention to mass shootings at schools and educational institutions. A shooting at a secondary school and a nearby residence in the remote town of Tumbler Ridge in northeastern British Columbia left at least 10 people dead, including the suspected gunman, and more than 25 others injured, Canadian authorities said. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) said several victims suffered critical injuries, with at least two people airlifted to hospital. Others are being treated at local medical facilities. The motive behind the attack remains under investigation. Calling the incident horrific," Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney expressed his deepest condolences to the families of those killed and injured, saying the country stood with the community in grief. The attack has once again drawn global attention to mass shootings at schools and educational institutions. Below are some of the deadliest such attacks recorded worldwide: Beslan School Siege, Russia (2004) The deadliest school attack in history unfolded over three days from September 1 to September 3, 2004, when terrorists seized School No. 1 in Beslan. More than 330 people were killed, most of them children, during the siege and subsequent security operation. Garissa University College Attack, Kenya (2015) On April 2, 2015, gunmen from the extremist group Al-Shabaab stormed Garissa University College, killing 148 people, most of them students. The attackers separated Muslims from Christians before executing the victims. Peshawar School Massacre, Pakistan (2014) Six terrorists attacked the Army Public School in Peshawar on December 16, 2014, killing 149 people, including 132 children. The massacre shocked the nation and remains one of the deadliest school attacks globally. Kabul Kaaj Education Centre Bombing, Afghanistan (2022) A suicide bomber struck a classroom at the Kaaj Education Centre in western Kabul on September 30, 2022, killing at least 53 students, mostly girls, and injuring dozens more. Mpondwe School Massacre, Uganda (2023) At least 43 people were killed when armed attackers stormed Lhubiriha Secondary School in western Uganda on June 16, 2023. Students were attacked in their dormitories during the night. Virginia Tech Massacre, United States (2007) A student carried out shootings at Virginia Tech University on April 16, 2007, killing 32 people and injuring 23. It remains the deadliest mass shooting by a single gunman in US history. Sandy Hook Elementary School Shooting, United States (2012) On December 14, 2012, a gunman killed 27 people at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut, including 20 children aged six and seven. Robb Elementary School Shooting, United States (2022) A gunman killed 21 people, including 19 children and two teachers, at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, on May 24, 2022. Seventeen others were injured. Columbine High School Massacre, United States (1999) Two students carried out a coordinated shooting and bombing at Columbine High School in Colorado on April 20, 1999, killing 13 people. Santa Fe High School Shooting, United States (2018) A student opened fire at Santa Fe High School in Texas on May 18, 2018, killing 10 people and injuring at least 13 others before being taken into custody. Location : Canada First Published: February 11, 2026, 15:43 IST News world Canada School Shooting: From Pakistan To US, A Look At Deadliest Campus Massacres Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Can't Recall Why: Trump Aide Howard Lutnick Admits He Visited Epsteins Island In 2012 Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: February 11, 2026, 09:23 IST Epstein Files released by the US Justice Department in recent weeks show that Lutnick travelled to the island on December 23, 2012. US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick. (Reuters) US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, who is facing scrutiny over his ties with Jeffrey Epstein, has now admitted that he visited the deceased sex offenders private Caribbean island in 2012, contradicting his earlier claims that he had cut ties years before. Testifying before the US Congress on Tuesday, Lutnick confirmed for the first time that he had lunch with Epstein on Little Saint James, four years after Epsteins conviction for soliciting prostitution from a minor. I did have lunch with him as I was on a boat going across on a family vacation," Lutnick told lawmakers. My wife was with me, as were my four children and nannies. We had lunch on the island. That is true. For an hour." What DoJ files said? Files released by the US Justice Department in recent weeks show that Lutnick travelled to the island on December 23, 2012. Emails records stated that his wife contacted Epsteins assistant that morning to arrange anchoring their boat near the island. Lutnick says he cannot recall the reason During the hearing, Lutnick said he could not remember why the visit took place. I dont recall why we did it, but we did it," he said. He told lawmakers that over a 14-year period he met Epstein only three times and exchanged about 10 emails. Over a 14-year period, I did not have any relationship with him, I barely had anything to do with that person," he said. Earlier claims about cutting ties For years, Lutnick had said he severed ties with Epstein in 2005 after what he described as an uncomfortable encounter at Epsteins New York townhouse involving a massage table and a sexually suggestive remark. He had previously told Congress that he had vowed never to be in a room" with Epstein again after that incident. Khanna, Massie call for Lutnick to resign The latest disclosures have led to renewed bipartisan calls for Lutnicks resignation over his past relationship with Epstein. However, despite the criticism, the White House said Lutnick continues to have the confidence of President Donald Trump. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters that Lutnick remains a very important member" of the Presidents team. Lutnick insisted during the hearing that he had done nothing wrong. I know and my wife knows that I have done absolutely nothing wrong in any possible regard," he said. A Commerce Department spokesperson said Lutnicks interactions with Epstein were limited and took place in the presence of his family. Lawmakers challenge Lutnicks statements Democratic Senator Chris Van Hollen questioned Lutnick over what he described as misleading statements. The issue is not that you engaged in any wrongdoing in connection with Jeffrey Epstein," Van Hollen said, but that you totally misrepresented the extent of your relationship with him, to the Congress, to the American people and to the survivors of his despicable criminal and predatory acts." Democratic Congressman Ro Khanna and Republican Congressman Thomas Massie, who helped pass the law requiring the release of Epstein-related files, have both called on Lutnick to resign. Massie said the documents were likely incriminating" for some individuals named in them, while Khanna said further disclosures were needed. Questions over Epstein files Lutnick is among a number of prominent figures named in more than 3.5 million pages of documents released by the Justice Department under a congressional mandate. The files include emails, messages and records involving politicians, business leaders and celebrities, showing the influential circles in which Epstein moved before his arrest and death in jail in 2019. Democrats have also questioned whether the Trump administration has fully complied with the disclosure law, noting that millions of pages remain unreleased or heavily redacted. Location : Washington D.C., United States of America (USA) First Published: February 11, 2026, 09:03 IST News world Can't Recall Why: Trump Aide Howard Lutnick Admits He Visited Epsteins Island In 2012 Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... 'Either We Reach A Deal, Or US Will Do Something Tough': Trump Warns Against Failed Talks With Iran Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: February 11, 2026, 07:43 IST Donald Trump said Washington could take military action if nuclear talks with Iran fail, as the US weighs sending another aircraft carrier to West Asia. File photos of Donald Trump/Ayatollah Ali Khamenei (AP/AFP) US President Donald Trump has signalled that Washington could carry out military strikes against Iran if negotiations fail, while insisting Tehran is eager to reach an agreement, remarks delivered during interviews with Israeli broadcasters and American media outlets as tensions across West Asia remain elevated. Trumps comments came as indirect talks between Washington and Tehran continue under regional mediation, alongside visible US military deployments and sharp warnings from Irans armed forces. Speaking to the media, Trump described an expanding US naval presence in the region and suggested that force remained firmly on the table. As you know, we have a massive flotilla right now going over to Iran. Well see what happens," he said. I think they want to make a deal. I think theyd be foolish if they didnt. We took out their nuclear power last time, and well have to see if we take out more this time." Asked whether any agreement reached with Irans current leadership would endure, Trump responded cautiously. I dont know. I know one thing, they want to make a deal. They wouldnt talk to anybody else, but theyre talking to me," he said, adding that any accord would need to be comprehensive. Its got to be a good deal. No nuclear weapons, no missiles, no this, no that, all the different things that you want," Trump said. Trump slammed earlier US diplomacy with Tehran, calling a previous nuclear accord one of the dumbest deals Ive ever seen," and accusing Iranian leaders of being very dishonest." According to Reuters, Trump told Israels Channel 12 and Axios that he was considering sending a second US aircraft carrier to West Asia. Either we reach a deal, or well have to do something very tough," Trump warned. IRAN ISSUES SHARP WARNING AMID BUILD-UP As Washington weighs additional deployments, Irans military leadership struck a defiant tone. News agency ANI cited statements from the countrys armed forces vowing a more forceful and wider" response to any threats against Iranian territory, praising national resilience and urging mass participation in rallies marking the anniversary of the Islamic Revolution. Irans Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei also called on citizens to demonstrate unity and endurance, framing US and Israeli pressure as evidence of long-standing hostility toward the Islamic Republic. The Iranian leadership has insisted that its missile arsenal is non-negotiable and that any nuclear compromise must be paired with the lifting of financial sanctions. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian reiterated those demands, while the head of Irans Atomic Energy Organisation, Mohammad Eslami, said dilution of uranium enriched to 60 per cent would depend on whether all sanctions are lifted or not." Foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said recent talks had shown enough consensus for diplomacy to continue, but warned Washington must act independently of foreign pressures." TALKS IN OMAN, DIPLOMATIC SHUTTLE TO QATAR According to the Associated Press, senior Iranian official Ali Larijani travelled to Oman, which is mediating the latest round of discussions between the US and Iran. Larijani held lengthy meetings with the countrys top leadership and the foreign minister. Larijani was also expected to proceed to Qatar, which hosts a major US military installation and has previously played a role in regional mediation. AP reported that Larijani likely carried Irans formal written response to the initial round of indirect negotiations held in Muscat last week, while Tehran reiterated its insistence on maintaining uranium enrichment a central sticking point for Washington. The United States has simultaneously reinforced its regional posture, deploying warships and aircraft and warning commercial vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz to remain clear of Iranian territorial waters. ISRAELI PRESSURE AND US RED LINES Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is in the United States, is expected to raise Iran prominently during meetings with Trump, urging that any agreement impose strict limits on Tehrans missile capabilities. US Vice President JD Vance said Trump would personally decide the boundaries of any potential compromise. I think President Trump is going to make the ultimate determination about where we draw the red lines in the negotiations," Vance said. First Published: February 11, 2026, 07:37 IST News world 'Either We Reach A Deal, Or US Will Do Something Tough': Trump Warns Against Failed Talks With Iran Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Election Engineering? Pakistan Sends Over 30 Journalists To Dhaka As Bangladesh Heads To Polls | Exclusive Reported By : CNN-News18 Edited By: Apoorva Misra Last Updated: February 11, 2026, 09:45 IST Sources claim that Pakistans I&B Ministry has issued special directives to domestic media outlets to provide extensive and positive coverage of Bangladeshs general elections Rapid Read The Bangladesh elections will be held on February 12. (IMAGE: AFP FILE) More than 30 Pakistani journalists, election observers and civil society activists have arrived in Bangladesh ahead of the countrys general elections scheduled for February 12, in what sources describe as an unprecedented level of cross-border engagement. The delegations were invited by Bangladeshs interim government and the Election Commission to observe and cover the polls. Top sources told CNN-News18 that the Bangladesh High Commission in Islamabad facilitated priority visa issuance and arranged boarding and lodging for the visiting journalists. Expenses for the delegations stay in Dhaka are reportedly being borne by the Bangladesh interim government. The Pakistan High Commission in Dhaka hosted a dinner reception for the visiting delegates shortly after their arrival, underscoring the diplomatic visibility of the visit. Among those who have reached Dhaka are representatives from several of Pakistans leading television networks, including Geo News, ARY News, Samaa News, PTV News and Pakistan TV. Senior journalists and prominent civil society figures are also part of the group. Sources claim that Pakistans Information and Broadcasting Ministry has issued special directives to domestic media outlets to provide extensive and positive coverage of Bangladeshs general elections. Additionally, some members of the visiting delegation have allegedly been encouraged to promote favourable reporting on Pakistan-Bangladesh relations. A senior source further indicated that Pakistans military establishment is closely monitoring developments related to the Bangladesh elections, reflecting Islamabads strategic interest in political developments in Dhaka. The developments have sparked discussion among political observers about the broader geopolitical implications of the visit, particularly in the context of evolving regional dynamics in South Asia. While official statements from both governments emphasise cooperation and goodwill, questions have been raised in some quarters about the extent and intent of coordinated media engagement surrounding the polls. Bangladesh heads to the polls on February 12 amid heightened political attention at home and abroad, with international observers and foreign media keeping a close watch on the conduct and outcome of the election. Location : Dhaka, Bangladesh First Published: February 11, 2026, 09:45 IST News world Election Engineering? Pakistan Sends Over 30 Journalists To Dhaka As Bangladesh Heads To Polls | Exclusive Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... FBI Files Claim Trump Told Police Chief In 2006 'Everyone Knew' About Epstein Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: February 11, 2026, 17:29 IST Trump has consistently denied any wrongdoing linked to Epstein and has said he was not aware of his crimes. Late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein with US President Donald Trump. US President Donald Trump had told the then-Florida police chief in 2006 that everyone" knew about Jeffrey Epsteins behaviour, according to newly released FBI documents related to the late convicted child sex offender, made public by the US Justice Department late last month. The document is a summary of a 2019 FBI interview with the former Palm Beach police chief, identified as Michael Reiter. His name is partly redacted in the file, but the details match his role at the time, as per BBC report. Reiter said Trump called him in July 2006 after Palm Beach police began investigating Epstein for the alleged sexual exploitation of underage girls. According to the FBI record, Trump told the former police chief, Thank goodness youre stopping him, everyone has known hes been doing this." Reiter also told investigators that Trump said he had thrown Epstein out of his Mar-a-Lago club and that people in New York knew he was disgusting". ALSO READ: Have Nothing To Do With Jeffrey Epstein: Trump Alleges Conspiracy To Damage Him Politically The former chief claimed Trump called Ghislaine Maxwell as Epsteins operative" and said she is evil and to focus on her". Maxwell was convicted in 2021 for her role in luring underage girls for Epstein. According to the document, Reiter said Trump told him he had been around Epstein when he was with teenagers but got the hell out of there". He also said Trump was one of the very first people to call" police when he learned of the investigation. Trump has consistently denied any wrongdoing linked to Epstein and has said he was not aware of his crimes. He has previously said their friendship ended after he learned Epstein had tried to steal" employees from Mar-a-Lago. In 2006, the Palm Beach case was later handed to federal prosecutors. In 2008, Epstein secured a controversial plea deal that shielded him from more serious federal charges. Epstein, a wealthy financier with powerful connections, was accused of abusing young girls. He died by suicide by hanging in a New York prison in 2019 while awaiting trial. The newly released FBI document is part of a wider batch of more than three million Epstein-related files that were made public last month. Location : United States of America (USA) First Published: February 11, 2026, 17:27 IST News world FBI Files Claim Trump Told Police Chief In 2006 'Everyone Knew' About Epstein Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... News / National by Staff reporter In a landmark ruling that could significantly influence the handling of insurance disputes in Zimbabwe, the High Court has ordered Alliance Insurance Company (Private) Limited to reconstruct a factory destroyed by fire, compelling the insurer to honour its obligations under a US$24 million policy.Justice Takuva delivered the judgment last Wednesday, affirming the right of an insured party to demand specific performance once an insurer elects to reinstate or rebuild damaged property.The court ordered Alliance Insurance to rebuild the factory located on Stand 3991 Salisbury Township, also known as 14 Plymouth Road, Southerton, Harare, within six months from the date of the order.The property belongs to Paramount Exports (Private) Limited, a garment manufacturing company. The factory was gutted by fire on December 4, 2023, resulting in extensive damage to the building, machinery and stock.Following the blaze, Alliance Insurance acknowledged liability under the policy and opted to reconstruct the premises. However, after months of delays and disagreements over foundational cracks and incomplete architectural drawings, the insurer sought to withdraw from the rebuilding process and instead offered a cash settlement.Paramount Exports rejected the proposed US$3.9 million payout, arguing that it was grossly inadequate compared to an estimated US$15 million required for full reconstruction, as assessed by independent experts.In his ruling, Justice Takuva dismissed the insurer's attempt to substitute monetary compensation for reconstruction, emphasising that the election to rebuild was binding."Contracts of indemnity often give the insurer the option of paying the amount of the insured's loss in cash, reinstating, or replacing the property insured. Once the insurer has made its election, it cannot change its mind," the judge said, citing principles rooted in Roman-Dutch law.The court considered three key issues: whether Alliance Insurance had fulfilled its contractual obligations, whether Paramount Exports was entitled to compel reconstruction, and whether the insurer could rely on an arbitration clause to stay court proceedings.Justice Takuva ruled that the insurer had failed to perform in accordance with its election to rebuild and could not evade judicial scrutiny by invoking arbitration.The court further found that Paramount Exports had acted reasonably in commissioning independent foundation tests and engaging the City of Harare over safety and compliance concerns."These steps were necessary to ensure proper reconstruction," the judge observed, rejecting the insurer's claim that the company's actions had caused delays.He concluded that Alliance Insurance remained liable for the consequences of its failure to perform adequately, stating that alleged deficiencies in foundational work did not absolve the insurer of its contractual responsibilities.The ruling is expected to set a significant precedent in insurance law, particularly in reinforcing the principle that insurers are bound by their election once made under indemnity contracts. Former Pakistan Army Chief Qamar Javed Bajwa Suffers Head Injuries After Fall In Bathroom Reported By : News18.com Last Updated: February 11, 2026, 20:13 IST Hospital officials stated that while the surgery was successful, full recovery may take a couple of weeks, depending on his progress. Pakistans former Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa Pakistans former Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa, 65, was admitted to Rawalpindi Military Hospital after sustaining injuries from a fall in his washroom, hospital and family sources told CNN-News18. According to a family source, General Bajwa fell in his washroom yesterday morning, resulting in three head injuries. He underwent a major head operation at the military hospital and is currently under observation in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). Hospital officials stated that while the surgery was successful, full recovery may take a couple of weeks, depending on his progress. A hospital source confirmed that General Bajwa is stable and receiving close medical supervision. Doctors are monitoring his condition carefully due to the seriousness of his head injuries. General Bajwa, who served as Pakistans Army Chief from 2016 to 2022, remains one of the countrys most prominent military figures. Location : Pakistan First Published: February 11, 2026, 20:13 IST News world Former Pakistan Army Chief Qamar Javed Bajwa Suffers Head Injuries After Fall In Bathroom Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Gunman Detained After School Shooting In Southern Thailand, Hostages Freed Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: February 11, 2026, 17:47 IST An 18-year-old man entered Patongprathankiriwat School in Songkhla Province with a gun, the provincial administration said on social media. Armed police arrived at the scene as hundreds of students fled the building onto surrounding roads. A gunman who opened fire at a school in Hat Yai district in southern Thailand on Wednesday has been detained and all hostages have been freed, a police official told Reuters. An 18-year-old man entered Patongprathankiriwat School in Songkhla Province with a gun, the provincial administration said on social media. The perpetrator has been captured," Deputy Superintendent Wichian Soboon told Reuters. At least three people were injured in the incident, a second police official said. Gun violence and ownership are not uncommon in Thailand, where a former police officer killed 36 people, including 22 children, in a gun-and-knife attack at a nursery in the countrys east in 2022. Location : Thailand First Published: February 11, 2026, 17:19 IST News world Gunman Detained After School Shooting In Southern Thailand, Hostages Freed Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... I Have Not Heard That: Lavrov Questions Trump Claim On India Ending Russian Oil Purchases Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: February 11, 2026, 23:31 IST Lavrovs remarks came two days after Russia accused the US of using a range of coercive measures to stop India and other countries from buying Russian oil. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and US President Donald Trump. (AFP photos) Russias Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Wednesday dismissed US President Donald Trumps claim that India had agreed to stop buying Russian oil, saying no other Indian official, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, had made such a statement. Speaking to lawmakers in the State Duma, Lavrov said, You mentioned that Donald Trump announced Indias agreement to no longer purchase Russian oil. I have not heard such a statement from anyone else, including Prime Minister Modi and other Indian leaders." Lavrovs remarks came two days after Russia accused the US of using a range of coercive" measures to stop India and other countries from buying Russian oil. These included tariffs, sanctions, and direct prohibitions, aimed at controlling trade and investment with major strategic partners. No one except Trump has stated that India intends to stop purchasing Russian oil," Lavrov stressed.According to him, there are no grounds to believe that Russian-Indian agreements are under any risk. pic.twitter.com/lCGmeUBlbC Sputnik India (@Sputnik_India) February 11, 2026 The Russian minister pointed out that External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar recently emphasised energy security as a top priority during BRICS sherpa meetings in New Delhi. India formally assumed the chairmanship of BRICS on January this year, leading a 10-member bloc including Brazil, Russia, China, South Africa, and five new members. Lavrov also spoke about the strengthening of India-Russia relations, noting Russian President Vladimir Putins state visit to India in December 2025. ALSO READ: Our Approach Is To Maintain Multiple Sources: Foreign Secy On Russian Oil Amid India-US Trade Deal A substantial package of joint documents was signed during President Putins state visit to India last December. This visit enriched Russian-Indian relations, creating a special, privileged strategic partnership," he said. The Russian minister also added that a new meeting between the two countries leaders is expected on the sidelines of this years BRICS summit. Earlier, Trump had announced a trade deal with India and claimed that New Delhi had agreed not to procure crude oil from Russia. The US president also rolled back an additional 25 per cent tariff on Indian oil imports from Russia, imposed in August last year. Responding to these developments, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said the country will continue to diversify its crude oil sources to ensure stability in supply, keeping national interests as the guiding factor" for procurement decisions. (With inputs from agencies) Location : Russia First Published: February 11, 2026, 23:22 IST News world I Have Not Heard That: Lavrov Questions Trump Claim On India Ending Russian Oil Purchases Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Locked Doors & Lowered Voices: How Fear Shadows Bangladeshs Hindu Voters Ahead Of Polls Last Updated: February 11, 2026, 19:27 IST For an administration that seeks to maintain global ties and economic stability, winning the trust of its minorities is the ultimate litmus test Monis mother clings to his photograph, her hands trembling with a pain that has found no closure. Image/News18 More than two and a half months have passed since Moni Chakraborty was brutally murdered inside his Charsindhur Bazar shop located in Bangladeshs Narsingdi district in the dead of night. But for his family, the clock has stopped. In their small home, the air is thick with the scent of unwashed grief. Monis mother clings to his photograph, her hands trembling with a pain that has found no closure; the culprit remains at large, a ghost in a legal system that seems to have looked the other way. Disappointment has long since evicted hope from this household. Monis widow, now the sole breadwinner, spends her days conducting private tuitions, a desperate effort to ensure their only sons education remains on track. But it is the fear that is most pervasive. I am scared," his mother whispers, her eyes darting toward the door. We are told to lock ourselves in. In Narsingdi, where we live, there have been three murders in the last month alone. Tomorrow, it could be us." The Shadow Over Shakharibazar The anxiety in Narsingdi is a microcosm of a larger, systemic dread. According to intelligence inputs, at least ten areas in Dhakaprimarily minority-dominated pocketsare flashing red on the security radar ahead of the February 12 polls. News18 visited Shakharibazar, a historic lane lined with shops selling puja items and shakha pola (the traditional conch and coral bangles of married Hindu women). Here, the silence is eerie, yet deafening. When our camera approaches, people melt away into the shadows of narrow alleys. Those who remain speak only in guarded whispers. We are scared," Jyoti Das told News18, his voice barely audible. Jamaat threatens us, but we cannot vote for them. At most, we will go to the booth and cast NOTA. We are stuck between a rock and a hard place." The Jamaats Crisis of Acceptability The public rhetoric from certain Jamaat-e-Islami cadreswarning minorities to vote right or face action"has created a climate of terror that the partys leadership is now frantically trying to manage. Speaking with News18, former Diplomatic Affairs Minister Barrister Fakrul Aslam dismissed the allegations. It is wrong to say we are threatening Hindus. We do not practice the politics of majority versus minority," he claimed. The apprehension within the Jamaat is palpable. Facing a severe crisis of global and domestic acceptability, the group is attempting a desperate outreach. In some constituencies, it has gone as far as fielding Hindu candidates to project an image of inclusivity. However, on the ground, these gestures are viewed as mere tokenism" against a backdrop of intimidation. Too Little, Too Late? The Muhammad Yunus administration has faced scathing criticism for its perceived inabilityor unwillingnessto halt the tide of attacks on minorities. In what is being seen as a last-minute attempt at damage control, the interim government recently announced the gift of a mud house for the family of Dipu Chandra Das, another victim of recent violence. But for the 8% Hindu population of Bangladesh, a house made of mud is a fragile shield against a storm of radicalism. For an administration that seeks to maintain global ties and economic stability, winning the trust of its minorities is the ultimate litmus test. As things stand, the shakha pola" of Shakharibazar represent more than just tradition; they have become symbols of a community holding its breath, waiting to see if the state will protect them or leave them to the mercy of the mob. Location : Dhaka, Bangladesh First Published: February 11, 2026, 19:27 IST News world Locked Doors & Lowered Voices: How Fear Shadows Bangladeshs Hindu Voters Ahead Of Polls Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... 10 Including Suspect Dead, 25 Injured In Shooting At High School In Canadas British Columbia Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: February 11, 2026, 10:19 IST The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) described the situation as an active shooter incident at the secondary school. Multiple Victims Reported After Shooting at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School in B.C. (Photo: Fox News) At least 10 people, including the suspected attacker, were killed and 25 others injured in a shooting at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School and its neighbourhood in British Columbia, Canada on Tuesday. Tumbler Ridge Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) cordoned off the area and began investigating the circumstances surrounding the attack. According to police, eight people were found dead on the school premises. Two more people found dead at a home are believed to be connected to the incident, Canadian authorities said. Also two people with life-threatening injuries were airlifted to hospital. Chief Superintendent Ken Floyd of the RCMPs North District said the female suspect matched the description shared in an earlier community alert, noting she was seen wearing a dress and had brown hair. He declined to disclose her identity or the names of the victims. Floyd added that investigators are not yet able to determine what led to the incident or what might have driven the tragedy. PM Carney reacts Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney on Wednesday condemned the incident and said he was devastated by the horrific shooting" at a school in British Columbia, where 10 people, including the woman shooter, died. In a social media post, he said he joined Canadians in grieving with those whose lives had been changed forever. He also expressed gratitude to the first responders for their courage and selflessness in protecting others. Carney said that coming together in times of crisis reflects the best qualities of the country, highlighting empathy, unity and compassion shown by people across Canada in the face of tragedy. I am devastated by todays horrific shootings in Tumbler Ridge, B.C. My prayers and deepest condolences are with the families and friends who have lost loved ones to these horrific acts of violence. I join Canadians in grieving with those whose lives have been changed Mark Carney (@MarkJCarney) February 11, 2026 British Columbia Premier David Eby has called the incident an unimaginable tragedy." Location : Canada First Published: February 11, 2026, 07:07 IST News world 10 Including Suspect Dead, 25 Injured In Shooting At High School In Canadas British Columbia Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Negotiations Must Continue: Trump After Meeting Netanyahu, Reminds Iran Of 'Midnight Hammer' Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: February 12, 2026, 00:58 IST Trump said he told Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu in a meeting at the White House that nuclear talks with Iran must continue. Rapid Read Trump signals preference for diplomatic deal with Tehran after White House meeting with Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu. (IMAGE: X/IsraeliPMO) US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that he pressed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to continue diplomatic talks with Iran over its nuclear programme, signalling that Washington still prefers a negotiated solution. I insisted that negotiations with Iran continue to see whether or not a deal can be consummated," Trump said in a post on his Truth Social platform after a three-hour meeting with Netanyahu at the White House. There was nothing definitive reached other than that," he added. Trump said he told Netanyahu that a deal with Iran would be his preferred outcome. If it can be consummated, that will be a preference. If it cannot, we will just have to see what the outcome will be," he wrote. The US President also warned Tehran against rejecting diplomacy again. Last time Iran decided that they were better off not making a Deal, and they were hit with Midnight Hammer That did not work well for them. Hopefully this time they will be more reasonable and responsible," he said, recalling the 12-day war between Israel and Iran where US also took part and bombed Iranian nuclear plants. The meeting marked the seventh interaction between Trump and Netanyahu since the US leader returned to office. According to a separate AFP report, the Israeli prime minister travelled to Washington primarily to push for a tougher American stance on Iran. Netanyahu wants the United States to widen negotiations with Tehran to include limits on its ballistic missile programme and regional military activities, the report said. Iran, however, has repeatedly rejected any expansion of talks beyond its nuclear programme. Trump has kept up both diplomatic and military pressure on Tehran. In an interview earlier this week, he warned that Washington could take very tough" action if talks fail, and hinted at the possibility of additional US military deployments to the region. Meanwhile, regional diplomatic activity is also under way. According to Reuters, Trump held a phone call on Wednesday with Qatars Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, during which the two leaders discussed efforts to reduce tensions and support dialogue between Washington and Tehran. Qatar has been playing a key role in mediating between the United States and Iran, including hosting indirect talks in Oman last week aimed at reviving negotiations. Trump said his discussions with Netanyahu also touched on the situation in Gaza and broader regional issues, claiming there was tremendous progress" in West Asia (Middle East). There is truly peace in the Middle East," Trump said in his statement, without offering specifics. Location : Washington D.C., United States of America (USA) First Published: February 12, 2026, 00:58 IST News world Negotiations Must Continue: Trump After Meeting Netanyahu, Reminds Iran Of 'Midnight Hammer' Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Netanyahu's US Visit Signals Discussion On Potential Iran Strikes With Trump As Talks Resume Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: February 11, 2026, 07:38 IST US President Donald Trump will meet with Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday. The discussion is expected to focus on energy issues and deregulation. US President Donald Trump with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. (Reuters file photo) Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arrived in the United States on Tuesday ahead of his meeting with US President Donald Trump in the White House on Wednesday. The meeting aims to discuss potential military actions against Iran with Trump, as Israel prepares contingency plans in case US-Iran negotiations fail, according to two Israeli sources. This will be the seventh meeting between the two leaders since the start of Trumps second term. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt announced that the US President will meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the discussion between the two nations is expected to focus on energy issues and deregulation. During a press briefing, Leavitt said, The President will host Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for a bilateral meeting. The remainder of the week will be focused on energy and deregulation." Before heading to Washington, Netanyahu said he planned to convey Israels position on US nuclear talks with Tehran during the meeting, The Times of Israel reported. Israel remains skeptical that nascent negotiations between the US and Iran will succeed, one of the sources said, but is pressing to ensure its interests are protected as well as to preserve Israels freedom of military action under any potential agreement. Meanwhile, it is reported that Netanyahu plans to present Trump with fresh intelligence on Irans military capabilities, CNN reported, citing one of the sources. Before departing for Washington, Netanyahu said Iran is the first and foremost" issue on the agenda for his meeting with Trump on Wednesday. On this trip, we will discuss a series of issues: Gaza, the region, but first and foremost, the negotiations with Iran," Netanyahu said before he boarded his aircraft. I will present the President with our views regarding the essential principles of the negotiations principles that, in our eyes, are vital not only for Israel but for anyone in the world who desires peace and security in the Middle East." (With agency inputs) Location : United States of America (USA) First Published: February 11, 2026, 07:38 IST News world Netanyahu's US Visit Signals Discussion On Potential Iran Strikes With Trump As Talks Resume Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Russia Says It Will Take 'Adequate Counter-Measures' If Greenland Is Militarised Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: February 11, 2026, 17:04 IST Lavrov warns Moscow will take military countermeasures if Western troops increase in Greenland amid US annexation talks. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. (AFP file photo) Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Wednesday that Moscow will take military countermeasures" if the West boosts its own military footprint on Greenland. In recent weeks, several European countries have sent small contingents of troops to Greenland after US President Donald Trump repeatedly expressed his intention to annex the Arctic island. Of course, in the event of the militarisation of Greenland and the creation of military capabilities aimed at Russia, we will take adequate countermeasures, including military-technical ones," Lavrov said in a speech to Russian lawmakers. The US, Denmark and Greenland must sort this out themselves," he said. He also accused Denmark of treating Greenlanders as second-class citizens." Greenland has drawn heightened international attention after Trump announced in January that the United States would impose new tariffs on Denmark and several other European countries opposing his calls for US control of the mineral-rich island. He later dropped the threats, saying a framework" for a deal on access to Greenlands resources had been reached with the help of NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, though few details have been made public. Also Read: Canada, France To Open Consulates In Greenland In Solidarity With Denmark Amid US Pressure Earlier this month, Canadas Foreign Minister Anita Anand travelled to Nuuk to formally inaugurate Canadas consulate, accompanied by Governor General Mary Simon. Canadian officials said the mission would help deepen cooperation with Greenland on issues such as climate change, Arctic security, and Inuit rights. France will simultaneously establish its own diplomatic presence, becoming the first European Union country to open a consulate general in Greenland. The French Foreign Ministry said Jean-Noel Poirier would assume duties as Consul General, with a mandate to expand cooperation with Greenland in cultural, scientific, and economic fields, while strengthening political ties with local authorities. Canada had announced plans to open a consulate in Greenland in 2024, well before recent remarks by US President Donald Trump about a possible takeover of the island. The formal opening was initially scheduled for November but was postponed due to severe weather conditions. Location : Moscow, Russia First Published: February 11, 2026, 17:04 IST News world Russia Says It Will Take 'Adequate Counter-Measures' If Greenland Is Militarised Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... 'Settled Wars Because Of Tariffs': Trump Again Takes Credit For India-Pakistan Ceasefire Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: February 11, 2026, 06:55 IST Donald Trump claims he averted a "nuclear" conflict between India and Pakistan using tariff threats, settled eight wars and resolved Azerbaijan tensions. Rapid Read US President Donald Trump (IMAGE: AFP) US President Donald Trump has reiterated his claim that he prevented a war between India and Pakistan in 2025, asserting that his use of tariff threats helped de-escalate tensions and avoid what he described as a potential nuclear" conflict. In an interview with Fox News, Trump said he had settled eight wars," adding that at least six of them were resolved through the strategic use of tariffs. A video of the conversation was shared on X by the US Department of State on Wednesday. .@POTUS: I settled eight wars. Of the eight wars, at least six were settled because of tariffs. In other words, I said, If you dont settle this war, Im going to charge you tariffs because I dont want to see people getting killed." pic.twitter.com/ianD9LP5LE Department of State (@StateDept) February 10, 2026 I settled eight wars. Of the eight wars, at least six were settled because of tariffs," Trump said. In other words, I said, If you dont settle this war, Im going to charge you tariffs because I dont want to see people getting killed," he added. Trump Repeats Claim That He Averted India-Pakistan Nuclear Clash Referring specifically to tensions between India and Pakistan, Trump claimed the two nuclear-armed neighbors were on the brink of a major conflict. Like India and Pakistan it would have been a nuclear war in my opinion. They were really going at it," he said. You know, the Prime Minister of Pakistan said, President Trump has saved at least 10 million lives he got us to stop firing." Trump further alleged that as many as 10 planes were shot down" during the hostilities and argued that his administrations trade leverage was instrumental in halting the fighting. Without tariffs, that would not have happened," he said. The US President also cited other conflicts he claimed to have resolved, including long-standing tensions involving Azerbaijan. He described using trade pressure as a negotiating tactic. I said to numerous of this countries. They do business with us. I said, If youre going to keep fighting, Azerbaijan you know they were fightingthat one was going on for I think 32 years. I got it solved. Then one day, I said, Listen you do a lot of trading with us, we are gonna charge you tariffs. We settled that in 1.5 days. It gives us tremendous national security," he further said. Trump has previously asserted that his administration played a decisive role in easing tensions between India and Pakistan, particularly during periods of heightened military standoff. However, Indian officials have consistently maintained that issues with Pakistan were addressed directly between the two countries without third-party mediation. The remarks come as Trump continues to highlight his foreign policy record in media appearances, emphasising what he describes as his administrations unconventional but effective diplomatic strategies. Location : Washington D.C., United States of America (USA) First Published: February 11, 2026, 06:55 IST News world 'Settled Wars Because Of Tariffs': Trump Again Takes Credit For India-Pakistan Ceasefire Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Soggy Poppadoms Vs Fine Tandoori: UK MPs Debate India-UK FTA, Express Concerns Over Jobs Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: February 11, 2026, 09:10 IST UK MPs debated the India-UK FTA, with Andrew Griffith dubbing it "a bag of soggy poppadoms" and Chris Bryant defending its economic impact, citing support from HSBC and EY. Rapid Read File photo of UK PM Keir Starmer inside the House of Commons in London. (Image: Reuters) A lively debate unfolded in the House of Commons on Monday as UK MPs sparred over the India-UK Free Trade Agreement (FTA), seasoning their arguments with culinary metaphors while discussing the details of the deal. Trade Secretary Andrew Griffith led the criticism, taking aim at what he described as the agreements shortcomings, particularly its limited provisions for UK services. He dubbed the deal as a bag of soggy poppadoms," for the UK, according to the transcript of the debate available on the UK Parliament website. British businesses needed something with a really good kick in it to get this country growing. Instead of a vindaloo of a deal, the Prime Minister came back with a bag of soggy poppadoms," he said. Griffith also raised concerns about the absence of stronger support for sectors such as legal services, saying, we did not need to get a good enough deal across the line." Some MPs further questioned provisions allowing Indian workers and their employers to avoid paying National Insurance contributions in the UK for up to three years. They also expressed concerns over the delay of five to 10 years before tariff reductions benefit British goods exporters, and the lack of a bilateral investment treaty. Conservative MP Katie Lam warned, We have already seen this model take hold in the United States. There, Indian consultancy firms lease their workers to American companies, who are then able to pay an Indian worker far less than they would need to pay an American." Most Economically Significant Bilateral FTA: UK Trade Minister Defends Deal Defending the agreement, Trade Minister Chris Bryant argued that the deal represents a major economic milestone for post-Brexit Britain. Citing a Select Committee report, he said, The UK-India Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) is the UKs most economically significant bilateral free trade agreement since leaving the European Union." Bryant rejected claims that the services sector had been sidelined, noting strong backing from leading business groups. On services, the way we transacted this deal means it is supported by the Federation of Small Businesses, HSBC, Standard Chartered, EY, TheCityUK and Revolut, and I do not think they think of the deal as soggy poppadoms" at all; I think they think of it as a fine tandoori," he said. He added that the agreement is projected to increase UK GDP by 4.8 billion (0.13 per cent), raise wages by 2.2 billion, and boost bilateral trade by 25.5 billion annually by 2040. India will cut tariffs on 90 per cent of tariff lines, reducing average duties from 15 per cent to 3 per cent, generating immediate annual savings of 400 million for UK exporters, he added. Labour MP Douglas McAllister called it a truly historic and groundbreaking deal for the UK, for Scotland and for my West Dunbartonshire constituency," highlighting Indias rapid economic growth and strategic importance in an uncertain global climate. Location : London, United Kingdom (UK) First Published: February 11, 2026, 09:10 IST News world Soggy Poppadoms Vs Fine Tandoori: UK MPs Debate India-UK FTA, Express Concerns Over Jobs Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... News / National by Staff reporter A headmaster at West Ridge Primary School in Ridgeview, Belvedere, and his 71-year-old relative have appeared in court on allegations of fraud after they allegedly misrepresented a forged company resolution to the Registrar of Companies in a bid to secure additional shares.Thakorbhai Kanjee (73) and Jaya Kanjee (71) appeared before Harare magistrate Lisa Mutendereki facing fraud charges. The matter was remanded to March 19 for trial.According to court papers, the complainant is Neeshta Urmila Patel (43), a director of T and J Investments (Pvt) Ltd, a company that rents out commercial buildings.The accused persons, who are Patel's aunt and uncle, are also directors of the same company.Prosecutor Lawrence Gangarahwe told the court that on August 16, 2024, the pair allegedly devised a plan to defraud Patel of her shares in the company.It is alleged that they submitted a fraudulent board resolution to the Registrar of Companies, falsely indicating that all directors had agreed to a restructuring of the company's shareholding.Acting on the alleged misrepresentation, the Registrar of Companies reportedly allotted 10 additional shares to each of the accused without Patel's knowledge or consent.The matter was reported to the police on March 11, 2025, leading to the arrest of the two accused on July 14, 2025.The State alleges that the accused persons' actions prejudiced the good administration of T and J Investments (Pvt) Ltd.The trial is expected to determine whether the contested share allocation was lawfully authorised. UK Drops His Majesty In Official Communications, Opposition Slams Starmer Govt Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: February 11, 2026, 16:07 IST The UK government changed its logo from "HM Government" to "UK Government," prompting Conservative criticism over tradition and Labour's monarchy views. The British government is officially referred to as His Majesty's (HM) government, a reference to the monarch King Charles III. (Image: AP File) The British government has been slammed from the right-wing politicians for opting a logo bearing UK Government" branding instead of His Majestys Government" in official communications. The British government is officially referred to as His Majestys (HM) government, a reference to the monarch King Charles III. According to AFP, websites and other communications have previously carried a logo with HM Government". During the previous Tory government till 2024, the primary logo was the Royal Coat of Arms alongside HM Government" and was meant to be used unless there is a specific reason not to". Earlier this week, a minister said that a strategic decision has been made to adopt UK Government as the primary branding for all public-facing communications". In reply to a question at the Parliament, Nick Thomas-Symonds, the Paymaster General, said: Since July 2024, guidance has been updated to reflect the new Royal Coat of Arms following the accession of His Majesty The King." A strategic decision has been made to adopt UK Government as the primary identity for all public-facing communications," he added. On Tuesday, some opposition Conservative politicians called it disrespectful towards Britains history, culture, and constitutional settlement". The Telegraph quoted the Conservatives denouncing the move as disrespectful towards Britains history, culture, and constitutional settlement", claiming it raised serious questions about Labours attitude towards the monarchy and the traditions that underpin public life in the United Kingdom". How typical that Labour should be trying to quietly obliterate tradition," said Tory politician Alex Burghart. Greg Smith, the Tory shadow minister, said: Yet another move from this shambolic Labour Government to undermine our constitution, history and traditions. The Government is His Majestys Government, and should firmly remain so including in Government comms." Defending the move, a government spokesperson said the step was taken to provide greater clarity". Its the right move and reflects their true purpose serving the people not the powerful," anti-monarchy activist Graham Smith, who heads the pressure group Republic, told The Daily Telegraph newspaper. She pointed out to the falling" support for the monarchy since the latest release of Jeffrey Epstein files was released last month, which revealed ex-prince Andrews ties to the late sex offender. Location : London, United Kingdom (UK) First Published: February 11, 2026, 16:07 IST News world UK Drops His Majesty In Official Communications, Opposition Slams Starmer Govt Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... 'Who Are They Hiding': US Congressman Names '6 Powerful Men' In Epstein Files, Slams FBI Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: February 11, 2026, 08:01 IST Khanna revealed the identities of the men after he and Massie said they were forced to visit the DOJ themselves to review less-redacted materials in connection Epstein Files. US Congressman discloses identities of six 'powerful, wealthy' men hidden in Epstein Files The Democratic congressman Ro Khanna said on Tuesday that he and his Republican colleague Thomas Massie had forced the Department of Justice (DOJ) to disclose the identities of six powerful and wealthy" men who he said were hidden in the latest tranche of the so-called Epstein Files. Khanna revealed the identities of the men after he and Massie said they were forced to visit the DOJ themselves to review less-redacted materials in connection with late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein-related files. In a post on X, Khanna said the six men named in the files are Salvatore Nuara, Zurab Mikeladze, Leonic Leonov, Nicola Caputo, Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem, and billionaire businessman Leslie Wexner. Yesterday, congressman Massie and I went to the Department of Justice to read the un-redacted Epstein Files. We spent about 2 hours there and we learnt that 70-80 per cent of the files are still redacted.", he said. .@RepThomasMassie and I forced last night the DOJ to disclose the identities of 6 men:Salvatore Nuara, Zurab Mikeladze, Leonic Leonov, Nicola Caputo, Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem, and billionaire businessman Leslie Wexner. I share details of what more we learned to hold the pic.twitter.com/5JwKwRUNIF Rep. Ro Khanna (@RepRoKhanna) February 10, 2026 My question is why it took me and Massie going to the Justice Department for the identities of the six men to become public?" he asked. Imagine how many they are covering up for in those 3 million-page files", Khanna added. Speaking on the house floor, the democrat highlighted that the Epstein Files Transparency Act does not allow for redacting the names of alleged co-conspirators. Notably, Khanna and Massie were co-sponsors of the Jeffrey Epstein Transparency Act that forced Donald Trumps administration to publish the so-called Epstein Files documents pertaining to the investigation into the sex trafficking network of late financier and sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Donald Trumps FBI scrubbed these files in March, long before Thomas Massie and I passed the Epstein Files Transparency Act", Khanna stated. The US Justice Department in January released a massive new cache of records linked to late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, making public millions of pages of documents, videos and images. The files comprised of more than 3 million pages of documents, along with over 2,000 videos and 180,000 images, marking the latest and largest disclosure related to the Epstein investigation. Location : California, USA First Published: February 11, 2026, 07:51 IST News world 'Who Are They Hiding': US Congressman Names '6 Powerful Men' In Epstein Files, Slams FBI Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... US Military Shoots Down Balloon Near El Paso After Mistaking It For Cartel Drone: Report Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: February 12, 2026, 01:42 IST The US military shot down a party balloon near El Paso, mistaking it for a cartel drone. Airspace closed briefly; no drone evidence was found. US military downs object near El Paso later identified as balloon mistaken for cartel drone. (IMAGE: REUTERS) The US military shot down what was later identified as a party balloon near El Paso, Texas earlier this week after initially mistaking it for a possible Mexican cartel drone. A US official told American broadcaster Fox News that counter-drone measures were activated after the object was assessed as a potential foreign drone. The incident eventually led to a temporary shutdown of airspace around El Paso International Airport. The broadcaster had earlier reported that US authorities believed Mexican cartel drones had breached American airspace near El Paso, prompting military action. However, at least one of the objects targeted was later confirmed to be a balloon. According to the report, the Pentagon has been testing new counter-drone technology near the Army base at Fort Bliss, Texas, including a high-energy laser system. An official told Fox News that the laser was used to shoot down what appeared to be hostile drones but was later determined to be a non-threatening balloon. US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said on Wednesday that the Federal Aviation Administration and the Department of War had acted quickly in response to what was believed to be a drone incursion. The threat has been neutralized, and there is no danger to commercial travel in the region," Duffy was quoted as saying by Fox News. However, Mexican authorities said they had no information to support claims of drone activity along the border. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said at a press conference that her government had received no evidence of drones crossing into US airspace. We have no information indicating drone activity along the border," she said, adding that Mexico remained in open communication with US agencies. The FAA imposed temporary flight restrictions on Wednesday morning, citing special security reasons." Fox News reported that the initial order was unusually long, setting limits through February 20, though normal operations later resumed. Sheinbaum said Mexico would seek more clarity on the episode. We will wait for the information and continue to uphold permanent, open communication," she said. Location : Washington D.C., United States of America (USA) First Published: February 12, 2026, 01:42 IST News world US Military Shoots Down Balloon Near El Paso After Mistaking It For Cartel Drone: Report Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... US Prepares Second Aircraft Carrier For West Asia Deployment Amid Iran Tensions: Report Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: February 12, 2026, 03:05 IST Officials say warship deployment order could come soon, though Trump has not approved it yet. Rapid Read A report said that USS George H.W. Bush could be deployed to join carrier (USS Abraham Lincoln - not pictured) already in West Asia. (IMAGE: REUTERS) The Pentagon has directed a second aircraft carrier strike group to prepare for possible deployment to West Asia as the United States weighs military options against Iran, according to a report by the Wall Street Journal. The newspaper, citing three US officials, said the move comes as President Donald Trump considers tougher action if ongoing diplomatic efforts with Tehran fail. One of the officials told the Journal that a deployment order could be issued within hours, though no final decision has been taken. Trump said on Tuesday that he was thinking about sending another aircraft carrier to the region as part of preparations for potential military action. If negotiations with Iran do not succeed, we will have to do something very tough," he said in a media interview. The Journal report said that while the Pentagon is making preparations, Trump has not yet formally authorised the deployment and plans could still change. If the order is approved, the new carrier would join the USS Abraham Lincoln, which is already operating in West Asian waters. One official told the paper that the Pentagon is preparing a carrier to be deployment-ready within two weeks, likely from the US East Coast. The USS George H.W. Bush, currently completing training exercises off the coast of Virginia, could be tapped for the mission and may accelerate its schedule. The military preparations come hours after Trump held a closed-door meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House. According to an Associated Press report, Trump told Netanyahu that he had insisted on continuing negotiations with Iran over its nuclear programme. There was nothing definitive reached, other than I insisted that negotiations with Iran continue," Trump later wrote on his Truth Social platform. He added that a diplomatic deal remained his preference, but warned of consequences if talks collapsed. US and Iranian officials held indirect discussions in Oman last week, raising cautious hopes of reviving negotiations. However, Trump has also made it clear that any agreement must ensure no nuclear weapons, no missiles." Location : Washington D.C., United States of America (USA) First Published: February 12, 2026, 03:05 IST News world US Prepares Second Aircraft Carrier For West Asia Deployment Amid Iran Tensions: Report Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... 'What Will Be Left For Humans To Do': OpenAI Engineer Warns Of Existential Threat From AI Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: February 11, 2026, 22:26 IST Hieu Pham shared his concerns in a post on X (formerly Twitter), reflecting growing unease even among those building the worlds most advanced AI systems. The OpenAI logo is seen. An OpenAI engineer publicly acknowledged feeling an existential threat" from artificial intelligence, saying its disruptive impact on jobs, society and human relevance is a matter of when, not if." Hieu Pham, a Member of Technical Staff at OpenAI, shared his concerns in a post on X (formerly Twitter), reflecting growing unease even among those building the worlds most advanced AI systems. Hieu Pham has previously worked at xAI, Augment Code and Google Brain. Today, I finally feel the existential threat that AI is posing," Hieu Pham wrote, adding, When AI becomes overly good and disrupts everything, what will be left for humans to do? And its when, not if." Hieu Phams remarks come at a time when AI systems are rapidly advancing across coding, writing, research and complex reasoning tasks. As companies such as OpenAI, Google, xAI and Anthropic push toward increasingly powerful models, concerns over job displacement, social disruption and loss of human control are intensifying across the tech industry. Anthropic Safety Leads Exit Sparks Debate Hieu Phams comments follow a similar warning issued earlier this week by Mrinank Sharma, who led Anthropics Safeguards Research Team before resigning on February 9. Mrinank Sharma had joined Anthropic in 2023 and worked on safety-focused AI research. In a public letter announcing his departure, Mrinank Sharma wrote, The world is in peril. And not just from AI, or bioweapons, but from a whole series of interconnected crises unfolding in this very moment." He cautioned that humanity may be nearing a critical threshold where its wisdom must grow as fast as its technological power, warning of severe consequences if it does not. Mrinank Sharma also hinted at tensions within AI companies, suggesting that corporate incentives and real-world pressures often make it difficult to prioritise safety and ethics, despite public commitments to responsible AI development. Geoffrey Hinton, often referred to as the godfather of AI" for his pioneering work in deep learning, has repeatedly cautioned that advanced AI systems could become uncontrollable, especially if they surpass human intelligence without sharing human goals. He has warned that once such systems emerge, the idea that you could just turn it off wont work" and has expressed regret over the speed at which AI capabilities are advancing. Location : New York, United States of America (USA) First Published: February 11, 2026, 22:26 IST News world 'What Will Be Left For Humans To Do': OpenAI Engineer Warns Of Existential Threat From AI Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... 'US Treated Pakistan Worse Than Toilet Paper': Khawaja Asif's Big Afghan War Admission Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: February 11, 2026, 09:36 IST Asif said Pakistans decision to once again align with Washington after 1999, particularly in relation to Afghanistan, inflicted lasting damage on the country. Pakistani defence minister Khawaja Asif (Image: AP/File) Pakistans Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has made serious accusations against the United States, claiming that Washington exploited Islamabad for its strategic interests and then discarded it worse than a toilet paper". He further described the US-backing as a mistake whose consequences Pakistan continues to bear decades later. Khawaja Asifs Big Afghan War Admission Khwaja Asif denied that Pakistans involvement in the Afghanistan conflict was motivated by religious duty and admitted that Pakistanis were mobilised and sent to fight under the guise of jihad. Additionally, he highlighted that even Pakistans education system was reshaped to legitimise these wars and stated that several ideological changes still remain embedded to this day. Asif further challenged the decades-old narrative and argued that the anti-Soviet war in Afghanistan during the 1980s was dictated by American geopolitical interests rather than any genuine religious imperative, insisting that the circumstances never warranted a declaration of jihad. The defence minister noted that Pakistans participation in conflicts that were not even its own produced long-term instability and caused severe social damage. US Treated Pakistan Worse Than Toilet Paper Asif said the costs of realigning with the US after 1999, particularly following the September 11, 2001 attacks, were devastating. Pakistan was treated worse than a toilet paper and was used for a purpose and then thrown away," he said in the Parliament. The Defence Minister blamed the United States for the violence, radicalisation and economic strain it is still suffering for siding with Washington during the post-2001 period. The losses we suffered can never be compensated," Asif said, describing Pakistans mistakes as irreversible. Location : Pakistan First Published: February 11, 2026, 08:14 IST News world 'US Treated Pakistan Worse Than Toilet Paper': Khawaja Asif's Big Afghan War Admission Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... News / National by Staff reporter President Emmerson Mnangagwa has approved a sweeping general amnesty for 2026 that is expected to see thousands of inmates released or have their sentences reduced, as Government moves to ease severe overcrowding in the country's prisons.The amnesty, to be exercised under the President's constitutional powers of mercy, applies to broad categories of prisoners, including all convicted female inmates, juveniles, prisoners aged 60 and above, inmates living with disabilities and those certified as terminally ill.Also eligible are prisoners serving effective sentences of 48 months or less, inmates housed at open prisons and life-sentenced prisoners who have served at least 20 years.Prisoners serving sentences exceeding 48 months will benefit from an additional remission of one quarter of their effective term of imprisonment.However, the amnesty excludes inmates previously released under similar measures, those sentenced by court martial and prisoners with a record of escaping from lawful custody.Offenders convicted of specified serious crimes are also excluded. These include murder, treason, rape and other sexual offences, carjacking, robbery and armed robbery, public violence, human trafficking, unlawful possession of firearms, as well as offences under the Electricity Act, Postal and Telecommunications Act, public order and security laws, railway legislation and copper-related crimes.The announcement follows mounting concern over congestion in correctional facilities. As of early January, Zimbabwe's prison population stood at 27 683 inmates against an official holding capacity of 17 800, leaving facilities overcrowded by 9 883 prisoners.Of those behind bars, 5 970 are unconvicted accused persons awaiting trial.The overcrowding crisis prompted Prosecutor General Loice Matanda-Moyo to issue a directive to prosecutors nationwide urging greater use of bail, fines and community service in place of custodial sentences."This situation is undesirable," Matanda-Moyo said in an internal memorandum dated January 7, 2026. "Only in deserving cases should prosecutors advocate for custodial sentences."She cautioned against routinely opposing bail applications, emphasising that pre-trial incarceration should be the exception rather than the norm."Our law scoffs at pre-trial incarceration. An accused is presumed innocent until proven guilty," she said.Matanda-Moyo further directed prosecutors to review bail conditions in cases where accused persons remain in custody solely due to inability to afford monetary bail, and to ensure that minor offenders are not unnecessarily detained.Authorities have not yet disclosed how many inmates are expected to benefit from the 2026 amnesty, which was announced following a Cabinet meeting in Harare on Tuesday. News / National by Staff reporter Zimbabwe's Cabinet on Tuesday approved draft legislation proposing sweeping constitutional amendments, including extending presidential terms from five years to seven and altering the method of electing the Head of State.If enacted, the changes would allow President Emmerson Mnangagwa, 83, to remain in office until 2030. He is currently due to step down in 2028 after serving two five-year terms.Justice Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi told a news briefing that the Bill would now be transmitted to the Speaker of Parliament and published in the Government Gazette before being tabled for debate.Among the key proposals is a shift from direct popular election of the president to an indirect system in which Parliament elects the Head of State. Under the draft, a candidate would need to secure a majority of parliamentary votes to assume office.The Bill also proposes increasing the term of office for both the president and Members of Parliament from five to seven years.On presidential succession, the amendments would remove the automatic elevation of a vice president in the event of a vacancy. Instead, Parliament would elect a new president within a specified period following the death, resignation or removal of an incumbent.The draft further stipulates that any person appointed as Attorney General must meet the qualifications required of a Supreme Court judge.In addition, the number of senators would increase from 80 to 90, with the president granted authority to appoint 10 additional members.Significant changes are also proposed in the administration of elections. Responsibility for voter registration and management of the voters' roll would shift from the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) to the Registrar General. A new Zimbabwe Electoral Delimitation Commission would be established to assume the task of drawing constituency and ward boundaries from ZEC.The Bill proposes removing the public interview process for judicial appointments, marking a departure from the current system that subjects candidates to open scrutiny.Amendments would also alter the constitutional description of the role of the Defence Forces. Instead of stating that the military must "uphold" the constitution, the revised wording would require it to act "in accordance with" the constitution.The draft legislation abolishes the Zimbabwe Gender Commission, transferring its functions to the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission. The National Peace and Reconciliation Commission would also be dissolved.Another proposed amendment would remove the current prohibition on traditional leaders engaging in partisan politics. A memorandum accompanying the Bill argues that barring chiefs and village heads from political activity infringes on their political rights.The proposed changes come amid an ongoing succession debate within the ruling Zanu PF party. President Mnangagwa assumed office in 2017 following a military intervention that led to the resignation of long-time leader Robert Mugabe.The proposals have drawn swift criticism from lawyers and opposition figures.Prominent lawyer Thabani Mpofu said the ruling party was effectively attempting to replace the constitution without broad public participation or a referendum."Zanu PF is not seeking to amend the constitution; it is attempting to introduce an entirely new constitution outside people participation and a referendum a step it plainly has no right to take," Mpofu said."A constitution is enacted by the people as a whole, not by a single political party or faction. Parliament's law-making power is confined to legislating for the peace, order, and good governance of the country. Replacing the constitution exceeds that mandate and undermines this constitutional principle."Jameson Timba, a former opposition senator, described Cabinet's approval of the amendments as "politically destabilising" and said a coalition known as the Defend the Constitution Platform would consult lawyers and engage regional and international partners in opposition to the changes.University of Zimbabwe constitutional law lecturer Professor Lovemore Madhuku also rejected the proposals."The attempts to amend the constitution to extend the president's term will be fought and defeated," he said."The proposed constitutional amendments are totally unacceptable. The movers of these proposals have no respect for the people. The NCA party and I will be counted among those who will be at the forefront of mobilising for the total rejection of these proposals."Zanu PF, which has governed Zimbabwe since independence in 1980, holds a two-thirds majority in the National Assembly and exerts overwhelming control in the Senate through traditional leaders and other aligned members, giving it the numbers required to amend the constitution.Minister Ziyambi has stated publicly that the proposed changes would not require a referendum, a position that critics say is likely to face legal challenges in the courts. News / National by Simbarashe Sithole A senior citizen from Bambanani Village in Mphoengs was dragged before the Plumtree Magistrates Court after assaulting his neighbour during a dispute over goats. Raphel Tshuma was sentenced to six months in prison for assaulting Phathisan Dube with a knobkerrie. However, the magistrate suspended the entire sentence, sparing him from serving jail time.Prosecutor Sheila Nyathi told the court that on 10 December last year, Tshuma confronted Dube on a footpath and accused him of chasing his goats away from a field. Dube argued that the goats had been destroying his crops.The court heard that Tshuma further accused Dube of injuring his dog before striking him with a knobkerrie. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, who previously claimed that he cut all ties with Jeffrey Epstein in 2005, admitted to lawmakers Tuesday that he visited Epstein's private island with his family in 2012. "I did have lunch with him, as I was on a boat going across on a family vacation, my wife was with me, as were my four children and nannies," he said, per Bloomberg . "We had lunch on the island, that is true, for an hour," Lutnick said . "And we left with all of my children, and my nannies and my wife all together." He told the Senate Appropriations subcommittee that nothing improper occurred and insisted he had "no relationship" with Epstein. Lutnick, Epstein's former neighbor, told the New York Post last fall that after Epstein made a lewd remark while showing him his apartment in 2005, he vowed to "never be in the room with that disgusting person ever again." But, Democratic Sen. Chris Van Hollen said Tuesday, "the files show that you had interactions with Epstein over the next 13 years, including long after he was convicted in 2008 of soliciting the prostitution of a minor." Recently released files show Lutnick and Epstein were co-investors in a company as late as 2014. Lutnick told senators he had met Epstein "three times over 14 years," adding, "I have done absolutely nothing wrong in any possible regard," NBC News reports. Lutnick has not been accused of criminal conduct, but Democrats are calling for him to resign over his Epstein links. On Sunday, Republican Rep. Thomas Massie also called for him to step down, saying, "If this were Great Britain, he'd already be gone," the Guardian reports. On Tuesday, Van Hollen told Lutnick the issue isn't that he engaged in wrongdoing connected to Epstein, "but that you totally misrepresented the extent of your relationship with him to the Congress, to the American people, and to the survivors of his despicable criminal and predatory acts." Some Senate Republicans also questioned Lutnick's relationship with Epstein, with Sen. Thom Tillis saying the island visit is "something I'm concerned with," the AP reports. The White House, however, is standing by him. Press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Tuesday that he "remains a very important member of President Trump's team, and the president fully supports the secretary." The Hill reports that Leavitt went on to list "wins in the news this week" for the administration. Passengers aboard a Somali flight ended up in the Indian Oceanand walked away. A Starsky Airlines Fokker 50 with 50 passengers and five crew reported a technical problem shortly after taking off from Mogadishu on Tuesday and turned back to the capital's airport, according to Somalia's Civil Aviation Authority. The plane landed but couldn't stop, overshooting the runway and coming to rest in shallow water along the shoreline near the airport, the BBC reports. Photos posted on X showed passengers climbing out and walking away from the wreckage; officials say there were no fatalities or serious injuries The African Union mission said United Nations and AU troops were quickly sent to assist with rescue efforts, and Somalia's transport minister visited the scene. Starsky Airlines said it is relieved all on board are safe and it is investigating the issue that led to the emergency landing. "The pilot's swift and calm decision-making played a decisive role in ensuring the safety of everyone on board, and we commend him for how he handled the situation," airline spokesman Hassan Mohamed Aden said. FlightGlobal reports that the aircraft, built in 1990 and acquired by Starsky in 2023, suffered serious damage including a fractured right wing. Gov. Tim Walz said Tuesday that he expects the federal immigration crackdown in Minnesota will end in "days, not weeks and months," based on his recent conversations with top Trump administration officials. The Democratic governor said at a news conference that he spoke Monday with border czar Tom Homan and with White House chief of staff Susie Wiles on Tuesday morning, the AP reports. Homan took over the Minnesota operation in late January after the second fatal shooting by federal officers and amid growing political backlash and questions about how the operation was being run. "We're very much in a trust but verify mode," Walz said. He added that he expected to hear more from the administration "in the next day or so" about the future of what he said has been an "occupation" and a "retribution campaign" against the state. While Walz said he's hopeful at the moment because "every indication I have is that this thing is winding up," he added that things could change. "It would be my hope that Mr. Homan goes out before Friday and announces that this thing is done, and they're bringing her down and they're bringing her down in days," Walz said. "That would be my expectation." Walz said he has no reason not to believe Homan's statement last week that 700 federal officers would leave Minnesota immediately, but the governor added that still left 2,300 on Minnesota's streets. Homan at the time cited an "increase in unprecedented collaboration" resulting in the need for fewer federal officers in Minnesota, including help from jails that hold inmates who could be deported. The governor also indicated that he expects the state will get "cooperation on joint investigations" into the shooting deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti by federal officers, but gave no details. That's been a point of friction between federal authorities and state investigators, who complain that they have been frozen out of those cases so far with no access to evidence. Walz called the news conference primarily to denounce the economic impact of the enforcement surge. He spoke at The Market at Malcolm Yards, a food hall where owner Patty Wall said the entire restaurant sector of the local economy has become "collateral damage" from the surge. Matt Varilek, the governor's employment and economic development commissioner, said Malcolm Yards would normally be bustling, but is now struggling because employees and customers are afraid to come due to the crackdown. "So it is great news, of course, that the posture seems to have changed at the federal level toward their activities here in Minnesota," Varilek said. "But, as the governor said, it's a trust-but-verify situation. And frankly, the fear that has been sown, I haven't really noticed any reduction in that." The FBI relied on years-old claims of fraud, many of them thoroughly investigated, to obtain a search warrant to seize ballots from election offices in Fulton County, Georgia, according to an affidavit unsealed Tuesday that shows the investigation began with a referral from an administration official who tried to help President Trump overturn his 2020 election loss. The affidavit provides the first public justification for an FBI search last month that targeted a county Trump and his allies have long seen as central to their false claim that the 2020 election was stolen, per the AP . It cites claims that for years have been made by people who assert widespread fraud in the contest even though audits, state officials, courts, and Trump's own former attorney general have all rejected the idea of widespread problems that could have altered the outcome. The investigation was initiated by a referral from Kurt Olsen, who advised Trump as his campaign and supporters lost dozens of lawsuits challenging the 2020 election and now serves as an administration official overseeing the attempt to investigate Trump's loss, according to the affidavit. The search of the heavily Democratic county stirred immediate concerns among Democrats that Trump was marshaling the powers of the FBI and Justice Department to pursue retribution over his persistent claims of a stolen election and because of the unusual presence of Tulsi Gabbard, the country's director of national intelligence. Georgia officials fighting in court for the return of the ballots have decried the search, with Fulton County Chairman Robb Pitts on Tuesday calling the allegations "recycled rumors, lies, untruths and unproven conspiracy theories." The affidavit says the FBI is examining possible "deficiencies or defects" in the Fulton County vote count, including its admission that it does not have scanned images of all the ballots counted during the original count or the recount. Fulton County has also confirmed that some ballots were scanned multiple times during the recount, the affidavit says. "If these deficiencies were the result of intentional action, it would be a violation of federal law," the document says. But the document also expresses uncertainty about whether the potential defects constitute a crime, noting that elections in Fulton County have already been the subject of multiple reviews. Previous investigations found no intentional misconduct. The AP has more on that. Moderna just got an unusually cold shoulder from the FDA over its latest vaccine push, the New York Times reports. The company says regulators have refused to even review its application for an experimental mRNA flu shot, issuing a rare "refuse to file" letter that short-circuits the normal, months-long evaluation process. The agency's top vaccine official, Dr. Vinay Prasad, concluded Moderna's large, 41,000-person trial wasn't "adequate and well-controlled" because the shot was tested against GSK's Fluarix, which he said doesn't represent the strongest flu vaccine available. The letter did not point to safety or effectiveness problems with Moderna's product itself, according to the company. Moderna President Stephen Hoge called the move "confusing" and said the FDA had previously signaled its trial design, including the comparator vaccine, would be a matter for review, not rejection at the door. The decision lands amid a broader shift in federal health policy under Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who has sharply criticized mRNA vaccines and cut funding for related research. Moderna's mRNA flu shot is under review in Europe, Canada, and Australia, but no country has yet cleared an mRNA-based flu vaccine. The company has asked for another meeting with the FDA as it tries to salvage the project, backed by a $750 million investment from Blackstone. The trial had concluded the mRNA shot was somewhat more effective than the standard shot in adults 50 and over, the AP reports. Ten people, including the suspected shooter, were killed Tuesday in a mass shooting in Tumbler Ridge, a small town in British Columbia, authorities say. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police confirmed the death toll to the CBC . Six victims were found dead at Tumbler Ridge High School and another person died on the way to the hospital. Two other people were found dead at a residence. Police say around 25 people are being treated for injuries and multiple properties are being searched in case there are other victims. Police say they don't believe there is a second shooter or an ongoing risk to the public, the CBC reports. The RCMP issued an emergency alert Tuesday afternoon urging the public to "stay inside and shelter in place, lock your doors and refrain from leaving your home or business," reports the Province. Tumbler Ridge, in northeast British Columbia near the border with Alberta, has a population of around 2,400, the AP reports. News / National by Staff reporter A 32-year-old Presbyterian church treasurer was found dead in Highfield on Monday, in a tragedy that has left his family and community in shock.Taurai Mukotsanjera, who also served as the church's youth coordinator, was discovered near his home. Authorities attended the scene and his body was taken to Sally Mugabe Central Hospital mortuary for a post-mortem.Family members said Taurai left a note indicating that he had been struggling with financial difficulties amounting to about US$600.His mother, Petronella Mukotsanjera (74), said she was devastated by the loss of her son."Taurai andirwadzisa," she said through tears. "I do not believe that it was just the debt that troubled him. If he had shared his problems, I would have done anything to help him."Described as a devoted family man and active church member, Taurai was known in the community for his kindness and commitment to mentoring young people. He was particularly dedicated to caring for his seven-year-old daughter, who lives with a disability.One church member described him as "loving and joyful," adding: "We have lost a bright spirit who cared deeply."Neighbours said Taurai had recently been under pressure due to financial strain, including debts linked to family obligations and the need to repair his vehicle, which he used to transport children to school.Police are investigating the circumstances surrounding the death.He is survived by his wife and daughter. French authorities are taking the unusual step of naming a 79-year-old former teacher they say abused minors across five continents, hoping to hear from anyone else he may have targeted. Prosecutors in Grenoble on Tuesday publicly identified Jacques Leveugle as the man charged with raping or sexually assaulting 89 boys, ages 13 to 17, between 1967 and 2022, in Germany, India, Colombia, and many other countries worldwide, per Euronews . He has been in custody since 2024 and, according to prosecutor Etienne Manteaux, has described himself as a "gentleman boy-lover" who Manteaux says would "intellectually seduce" teenagers he tutored or instructed. The AP notes he has worked in schools and as a private tutor, and also as a cave-exploring guide. Per the Guardian , Leveugle was never officially certified to teach. Investigators say red flags first went up in 2022, when Leveugle's nephew turned over USB drives containing what Manteaux called 15 "very dense" volumes of writings, per Euronews. Police stress the alleged abuse involved "moral coercion" rather than physical violence and say they're racing against the clock: The judicial investigation must wrap up this year. Leveugle has also admitted smothering his terminally ill mother and a 92-year-old aunt decades ago, which he reportedly framed as mercy killings. Around 150 people have been interviewed so far; only two have joined the case as civil parties, and authorities are urging unidentified victimssome known only by nicknames in the filesto come forward. Leveugle is said to have no previous criminal record. (The woman at the center of another famous French sex-abuse case has a new memoir out.) Guatemala has become the latest country to pull the plug on a decades-old program that brought hundreds of Cuban doctors into the countrywith all but a "small fraction" of their salaries going straight to Cuba. The New York Times reports Guatemala's Health Ministry said Tuesday it will gradually wind down the employment of 412 workers80% of them doctorsthis year as their contracts end, calling the move a strategic one designed to strengthen the national health system. But the shift comes as Washington steps up its campaign against Havana's overseas medical missions, which critics in the Trump administration and Secretary of State Marco Rubio describe as exploitative programs that funnel money to Cuba's government and may leave Cubans at home short on care. Paraguay, the Bahamas, and Guyana have also called it quits on the Cuban medical program; Reuters reported a year ago that the US slapped visa restrictions on Cuban officials who were believed to have a hand in the labor export program. As for the financial impact to Cuba, the Times cites the Miami-based Cuba Archive in reporting that all exported skilled workersincluding construction workers and educatorsgenerate an estimated $4 billion annually for Cuba. In a remote British Columbia town of about 2,400 people, police are working to determine what happened in the mass shooting that left nine dead, plus the suspect, Tuesday . RCMP described the suspect as a "female in a dress with brown hair," CTV News reports. Police were called to Tumbler Ridge Secondary School around 1:20pm for an active shooter and found multiple victims inside; the suspected shooter was also discovered dead of what appears to be a self-inflicted wound, authorities say. Six others were found dead at the school, a seventh died en route to hospital, and two more were airlifted with serious injuries. Roughly 25 additional people were treated for non-life-threatening injuries at a local clinic. Two more victims were later found dead in a home police say is linked to the attack, and officers continue to search other properties. An emergency alert ordering residents to shelter in place was lifted before 6pm, with police saying they do not believe there are additional suspects or an ongoing threat. Authorities have not released the suspect's identity, information on the weapon or weapons, or the ages of the victims. "We are not in a place now to be able to understand what may have motivated this tragedy," a RCMP commander said. Both local schools are closed for the rest of the week. Prime Minister Mark Carney and BC Premier David Eby offered condolences, with Carney postponing planned announcements and travel. The mayor of Tumbler Ridge says in such a small community, he expects to know every one of the victims, the BBC reports. This is Canada's worst mass shooting since a 2020 shooting spree left 16 dead, and is among the country's worst mass killings ever, Reuters reports. Transparency International's annual global corruption index is out, and the United States has landed at its lowest spot on the list since the index relaunched using new scoring methodology in 2012. The US fell one place, to No. 29 out of 182 nations in the group's latest Corruption Perceptions Index , which measures views of public-sector corruption among experts and business leaders, per CNN . The US now sits alongside the Bahamas, trailing such countries as Lithuania (No. 28), the United Arab Emirates (21), and Uruguay (17). The US score also fell to a record low: 64 out of 100, where higher numbers indicate cleaner public sectors. That continues a decade-long slide that Transparency International links to weakened anti-corruption enforcement and political interference in institutions. The group cited a pause in corporate foreign-bribery probes, reduced enforcement of foreign-agent registration rules, and a "temporary freeze and weakening of enforcement" of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act as signals of growing tolerance for questionable practices. The watchdog also flagged broader concerns about actions it says have gone after independent voices, chipped away at judicial independence, and slashed US funding for civil society groups abroad. "We are very concerned about the situation in the United States," Transparency International CEO Maira Martini says, warning that the downward trend "might continue." Forbes notes that the current rankings don't even include anything that happened at the end of last year and early this year, a "particularly chaotic time" for policies of the Trump administration. The deterioration in the US mirrors what Transparency International describes as a "worrying decline" across other long-standing democracies, including Canada and the UK, per CNN. Britain recorded its lowest score on record, 70, after its own decade of erosion, though it held 20th place. Overall, the global average CPI score dropped to 42its weakest level and first decline in more than 10 years. Denmark again ranked as the perceived cleanest public sector, followed by Finland and Singapore, though Transparency International stressed that strong public-sector scores in those nations don't necessarily mean corruption is low in the private sector, noting scrutiny of financial practices in places like Switzerland and Singapore. South Sudan brings up the rear of the list. JD Vance's history-making trip to Armenia just picked up an asterisk. The vice president on Tuesday became the first in his office to visit the country, laying a wreath at Yerevan's Armenian Genocide Memorialthen briefly went further than his boss ever has, via a now-deleted post on X that referred to the 1915 mass killings there as the "Armenian Genocide." The wording, which would've marked the Trump administration's first formal use of the term "genocide," vanished soon after, reports the Wall Street Journal . Vance's office blamed the post on a staffer snafu, and the White House insists there's been "no change of policy," which to date under President Trump has avoided the "genocide" label. "This is an account managed by staff that primarily exists to share photos and videos of the vice president's activities," Vance's office said in a statement, per the New York Times. Armenian-American advocates called the deletionsVance's, and one from an official Trump administration account referencing his visitan act of "denial." California Rep. Laura Friedman accused Vance of trying to placate Turkey, as Ankara has long pushed back on foreign governments using the term "genocide." On the ground in Armenia, Vance laid roses, wrote "Memory eternal" in the memorial book, and signed a civil nuclear deal with Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, even as the administration's language retreated online. It's not the first time the US has used the word "genocide" to refer to the deportations and systematic killings of hundreds of thousands of Armenians by Ottoman Empire forces during World War I. The AP notes that President Biden did so in 2021, drawing harsh pushback from Turkey. "[We] will not be given lessons on our history from anyone," the nation's foreign minister said at the time. On Tuesday during his memorial visit, Vance himself tried to hedge when asked directly about the term, noting he simply wanted to "pay my respects." "They asked us to visit the site," he said. "Obviously, it's a very terrible thing that happened a little over a hundred years ago and something that's very, very important to them culturally." He also called Armenia "a very important partner for us in the region." Mere hours after announcing an unprecedented 10-day shutdown of El Paso International Airport for "special security reasons," the FAA announced the temporary closure of airspace has been lifted. "There is no threat to commercial aviation," it announced on X . "All flights will resume as normal." Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy attributed the closure to Mexican cartelsEl Paso is a border city adjacent to Ciudad Juarezwriting on X that the FAA and Defense Department "acted swiftly to address a cartel drone incursion. The threat has been neutralized and there is no danger to commercial travel in the region." The New York Times had earlier reported by way of an unnamed source that the shutdown was connected to a test of new counter-drone technology at the nearby Fort Bliss Army base. "It is unclear if the brief airport closure was directly related to the presence of drones or how the technology was deployed," it adds. Rep. Veronica Escobar, a Democrat from El Paso, questioned the government's story in a news conference, per the Times. A closure due to Mexican drones was "not the information that we in Congress have been told," she said. "There have been drone incursions from Mexico going back to as long as drones existed. So this is nothing new. ... The information coming from the administration does not add up." Andrew "The Clobberer" Ranken, the drummer who anchored the Pogues' sound for more than a decade, has died at 72. The English-Celtic punk band's current membersSpider Stacy, James Fearnley, and Jem Finerannounced his Tuesday death on social media , thanking him for his "friendship, wit and generosity of spirit, and of course for the music," and calling him "forever a true friend and brother." No cause of death was given, though Ranken had long struggled with ill health and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, per Rolling Stone . Ranken joined the Pogues in 1983, a year after the band was founded in London, after initially turning down an invitation from Shane MacGowan and Finer due to commitments with another band. He went on to play on all official releases from the band's 1984 debut, Red Roses for Me, through 1996's Pogue Mahone, helping shape the group behind enduring tracks like "Fairytale of New York." He later led his own group, the Mysterious Wheels, and performed with the hKippers. He rejoined the Pogues in 2001, per Page Six. MacGowan's sister, Siobhan MacGowan, called him "a band brother and unbelievably talented and unique drummer." (MacGowan died in 2023.) Pam Bondi's turn in the hot seat Wednesday quickly turned into a political brawl. The attorney general clashed with House Judiciary Committee Democrats who pressed her on the Justice Department's handling of Jeffrey Epstein-related records. Bondi dismissed their questioning as "theatrics," insisted she wouldn't "get in the gutter," and praised Trump as "the greatest president in American history," NBC News reports. Bondi last appeared before Congress in October, in what the AP terms a "tumultuous hearing." More on Wednesday's hearing thus far: US speedskater Jordan Stolz won the men's 1,000 meters at the Milan Cortina Games on Wednesday in an Olympic-record time in the first of what he hopes will be a four-gold Winter Games. Skating in the next-to-last pairing at Milano Speed Skating Stadium, a temporary facility constructed for these Olympics that has been producing fast times so far, Stolz finished in 1 minute, 6.28 seconds, reports the AP . The 21-year-old from Wisconsin didn't threaten his world record of 1:05.37 but did better the Olympic standard of 1:07.18 that had stood since 2002before Stolz was born. All four long track speedskating races in Milan have been won in the fastest times ever turned in at an Olympics. Jenning de Boo of the Netherlands was a half-second slower than Stolz and took the silver medal. No one else came within a full second of Stolz's time. Zhongyan Ning of China got the bronze. Stolz's medal was his first at this level: As a 17-year-old at the 2022 Beijing Games, Stolz came in 14th in the 1,000 and 13th in the 500. It also was the first medal of any sort in the men's 1,000 for the United States since the 2010 Vancouver Games. That's when Shani Davisa mentor to Stolzwon his second consecutive gold in that event, and Chad Hedrick took the bronze. Dutch men had won the 1,000 at each of the past three Winter Games. NBC News reports Stolz has the 500-meter, 1,500-meter, and men's mass start ahead. Should he end up with at least three golds, he'll join Eric Heiden as the only American to win that many at one Winter Games in any sport. Heiden will still have him beat, however: He won five golds at the 1980 Games. James Van Der Beek, who became a late-'90s TV fixture as Dawson Leery, has died at 48 following stage 3 colorectal cancer. His wife, Kimberly, announced on Instagram Wednesday that he "passed peacefully this morning. He met his final days with courage, faith, and grace," she wrote. "There is much to share regarding his wishes, love for humanity, and the sacredness of time. Those days will come." She ended by asking for privacy as the family grieves the "loving husband, father, son, brother, and friend." The couple share six children. Van Der Beek revealed his diagnosis in November 2024, saying the cancer was discovered after a routine colonoscopy the previous year and that he'd been quietly undergoing treatment with his family's support. People reports the Connecticut native got his acting start in high school theater, briefly attended Duke University, then dropped out and landed Dawson's Creek, which ran for six seasons. Alongside co-stars Katie Holmes, Joshua Jackson, and Michelle Williams, the AP reports the show helped "define the WB as a haven for teens and young adults who related to its hyper-articulate dialogue and frank talk about sexuality." He went on to roles in Varsity Blues, How I Met Your Mother, and Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23, among others. In a December interview on Today, he said the illness had demanded "more patience, more discipline, more strength than I knew I had," but that he still felt "so blessed" by his family and the outpouring of support. News / National by Staff reporter Zimbabwe is heading towards a potential constitutional impasse after Cabinet approved the Constitutional Amendment No. 3 Bill of 2026, which seeks to extend President Emmerson Mnangagwa's tenure to 2030 and introduce sweeping changes to the country's governance framework.The Bill proposes extending both presidential and parliamentary terms from five to seven years and replacing the popular election of the President with a parliamentary vote.If enacted, Clause 2 of the Bill would repeal Section 92 of the Constitution, removing the requirement for direct presidential elections. Instead, the President would be elected by Parliament in a process overseen by the Chief Justice or a designated judge.Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Dr Jenfan Muswere said the proposed amendments are aimed at strengthening constitutional governance, clarifying institutional roles and promoting political and socio-economic stability."It specifies that a candidate must secure a majority of votes and if no one achieves an absolute majority, a run-off election will be held. The process is overseen by the Chief Justice or a designated judge to ensure it is conducted properly," Muswere said during a post-Cabinet media briefing.He described the reforms as part of Zimbabwe's ongoing legal evolution, intended to refine and modernise constitutional provisions in response to governance experience and developmental imperatives.The Bill also proposes the establishment of a new Zimbabwe Electoral Delimitation Commission, transferring the function of setting electoral boundaries from the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC).Justice Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi confirmed that the Bill would be forwarded to the Attorney-General's Office before being tabled in Parliament. He said public consultations would be conducted and parliamentary committees would compile reports prior to formal introduction.However, the proposals have sparked fierce backlash from constitutional lawyers, civil society organisations and opposition leaders, who argue that the changes amount to an unconstitutional consolidation of executive power.Prominent lawyer and former Cabinet minister Tendai Biti dismissed the Bill as "ridiculous," while political analyst Ibbo Mandaza warned that bypassing a referendum on such sweeping constitutional changes would be unconstitutional."Their efforts will not succeed and let them take that Bill to the referendum and see how much they are going to fail," Mandaza said.Senior lawyer Thabani Mpofu accused Zanu-PF of attempting to impose a new constitutional order without adequate public participation."A Constitution is enacted by the people as a whole, not by a single political party or faction," Mpofu wrote on social media, arguing that the ruling party lacks a legitimate popular mandate to effect such changes unilaterally.The Defend the Constitution Platform, convened by Senator Jameson Timba, described Cabinet's move as a decisive and dangerous constitutional moment."Any constitutional amendment that affects presidential tenure directly implicates the sovereign right of the people. Such changes cannot lawfully be effected by Parliament alone," Timba said in a statement.He further warned that the timing of the move was troubling, noting that it came shortly after the Constitutional Court granted direct access in a challenge related to Resolution 1 of 2024, with expedited timelines due to the gravity of the issues raised."Attempting to fast-track constitutional change through Cabinet and Parliament while a live constitutional matter is before the Constitutional Court risks undermining constitutional restraint and eroding public confidence in institutions," Timba said.Biti's Constitution Defenders Forum said the country was at a "historic crossroads," warning that the proposed amendments signal a shift away from constitutional democracy."These proposals represent a clear violation of the spirit, letter and intent of the 2013 Constitution, which was authored and approved by the people of Zimbabwe," the forum said. "The Constitution is not a political inconvenience. It is a social contract."With Parliament expected to debate the Bill in the coming weeks, Zimbabwe appears set for a heated national conversation over the future of its constitutional order and the balance of power between citizens and the State. The suspect in one of the worst mass shootings in Canadian history has been named as 18-year-old Jesse Van Rootselaar. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police said the teen killed her 39-year-old mother and 11-year-old stepbrother at a residence in Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia, on Tuesday before killing six others at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School, the New York Times reports. RCMP Deputy Commissioner Dwayne McDonald said the victims found dead there included a female teacher, 39; three girls, all 12 years old; and two boys, one 12 and one 13, the CBC reports. He said one victim was found in a hallway and the others in the school's library. McDonald updated the death toll, saying nine people had been killed, including the shooter, not 10 as the RCMP earlier said, CTV News reports. He said a female victim with serious injuries was reported as having died on the way to receive medical care, but she is still alive. At least 25 others were injured, according to the RCMP. "Jesse was born as a biological male who approximately six years ago began to transition to female," McDonald said, per the BBC. He said the RCMP "identified the suspect as they chose to be identified in public and social media." The RCMP said Van Rootselaar died of a self-inflicted wound. McDonald said the suspect and her family were already known to authorities. Officers had been called to the home several times in recent years over mental health concerns involving the suspect, he said, and had seized firearms during one visit. He said Van Rootselaar dropped out of the Tumbler Ridge school around four years ago and there is no information to suggest anybody at the school was specifically targeted. At the school, police recovered a long gun and a modified handgun. McDonald said investigators don't have a clear idea of a motive yet, but it's something they are "passionately pursuing." Tumbler Ridge is a remote community of about 2,400 people near the Alberta border. "This morning, families in Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia, woke to a different world," Prime Minister Mark Carney told Parliament, noting that some parents who sent children to school on Tuesday "will never be able to hug their children again." Carney described Tumbler Ridge as a town of miners, teachers, construction workers, and families who "have always shown up for each other" through crises, and said the community represents "the very best of Canada: resilient, compassionate, and strong." The feel-good $1 breakfast returns in support of Breakfast Club of Canada, alongside new cooking & eating offers designed to keep home life affordable BURLINGTON, ON, Feb. 11, 2026 /CNW/ - IKEA Canada is continuing to make everyday cooking and eating more accessible, and affordable for the many. On Saturday, February 14, Swedish Restaurants at IKEA locations across Canada will offer a $1 traditional breakfast to IKEA Family members from store opening until 11:00 AM. All proceeds donated to Breakfast Club of Canada, helping children start their day with the nourishment they need to learn and thrive. IKEA Canada serves up its $1 Breakfast and every bite gives back (CNW Group/IKEA Canada Limited Partnership) "Cooking and eating at home continue to play a central role in how Canadians live today," said Rob Kelly, Chief Commercial Officer, IKEA Canada. "This year, we're focused on helping people create kitchens and mealtime routines that truly support everyday life. We know that many Canadians are navigating rising costs and looking for affordable, sustainable solutions. and our goal is to make it easier to prepare and enjoy real meals at home--no matter the budget or living situation." Partnering with organizations like Breakfast Club of Canada plays an important role in supporting communities nationwide, helping ensure children have access to the nutritious meals that set them up for success each day. The $1 breakfast initiative previously received an overwhelming response from customers, and its return offers great value while contributing to a cause that makes a meaningful difference for families across the country. "Every breakfast served is a moment of care that helps a child start the day ready to learn, grow, and succeed. Initiatives like this remind us that when a community comes together, we can make a meaningful difference in the lives of children. We are deeply grateful to IKEA for their continued commitment and for helping make this impact possible," said Paul Lethbridge, Director, Corporate and Community Giving, Breakfast Club of Canada. Returning for a limited time, the $1 breakfast is among several special offers available in stores that weekend, making everyday cooking & eating more affordable for Canadians. Alongside new deals in the Swedish Restaurant and exclusive instore promotions, IKEA is helping Canadians enjoy great tasting food and affordable home solutions all in one trip. February Offers to Make Cooking & Eating More Affordable Making everyday moments at home easier, these promotions offer IKEA Family members limitedtime February deals to refresh the heart of their home. 20% off cooking & eating, dining, and outdoor dining (Feb 922) (Feb 922) 20% off dining furniture (Feb 922) (Feb 922) 15% off rugs (Feb 58) (Feb 58) 15% off cushion covers (Feb 1216) (Feb 1216) 15% off sofas & sofa beds (Feb 518) (Feb 518) 15% off LOCKEBO custom countertops (Feb 922) IKEA Canada also recently introduced a refreshed Swedish Restaurant menu featuring affordable, nutritious options inspired by flavours from around the world, with a family of four able to enjoy a meal for around $30. All offers, including the $1 breakfast, are exclusive to IKEA Family members. Joining is free, and members enjoy personalized rewards, special deals, and events all year long. Learn more at https://www.ikea.com/ca/en/offers/. ABOUT IKEA CANADA Founded in 1943 in Sweden, IKEA is a leading home furnishing retailer, offering a wide range of well-designed, functional home furnishing products at prices so low that as many people as possible can afford them. IKEA Canada is part of Ingka Group which operates 574 IKEA stores in 31 countries, including 15 in Canada. Last year, IKEA Canada welcomed 33.3 million visitors to its stores and 199.9 million visitors to IKEA.ca. IKEA Canada operates business through the IKEA vision - to create a better everyday life for the many people and does so through its local community efforts and sustainability initiatives. For more information on IKEA Canada, please visit IKEA.ca. SOURCE IKEA Canada Limited Partnership For media inquiries: Maja Clucas, Communication Business Partner, IKEA Canada, [email protected] New York, NY, February 11th, 2026, CyberNewswire Insight Partners leads round, alongside Quadrille Capital, to accelerate expansion across Americas, EMEA, and strategic verticals GitGuardian, a leading secrets and Non-Human Identity (NHI) security platform and #1 app on GitHub Marketplace, today announced a $50 million Series C funding round led by global software investor Insight Partners, alongside Quadrille Capital and existing investors Balderton, BPI, Eurazeo, Fly Ventures and Sapphire Ventures. The investment fuels GitGuardians expansion in secrets and AI agent security as organizations grapple with exponential growth in non-human identities. Eric Fourrier, CEO and Co-Founder, GitGuardian: The market has reached a critical inflection point. Organizations that once managed hundreds of service accounts will now face thousands of autonomous AI agents, each requiring secure credentials. While identity solutions matured for human users, non-human identities remain largely unmanaged and recent breaches prove the cost. Were moving beyond secrets detection into full NHI lifecycle governance. Effective secrets management requires seamless collaboration between development, security and IAM teams at every stage of the workflow. Balancing Transatlantic Leadership GitGuardians funding strategy deliberately balances US and European capital, pairing Insight Partners deep cybersecurity and AI expertise with Quadrille Capitals European enterprise network. Insight Partners, with $90B in regulatory assets under management and cybersecurity investments including Wiz, SentinelOne and Darktrace, brings robust experience scaling category-defining security companies. Software development and enterprise complexity continue to grow. We believe this is the moment to capitalize on GitGuardians approach, which starts from where secrets live in the development workflow and expands into full NHI lifecycle management. This is critical as AI agents rapidly approach parity with developers, with each agent needing credentials, permissions, and governance further fueling GitGuardians growth. Josh Zelman, Managing Director, Insight Partners Quadrille Capital and Eurazeo, both ranking among Europes top growth funds, provide GitGuardian strategic positioning across EMEA markets where compliance requirements increasingly mandate secrets management and NHI governance. According to the team, theyve watched the secrets security conversation evolve from a concern for savvy security-minded developers to board-level priority across European enterprises. GitGuardian has earned the trust of Europes most security-conscious enterprises Deutsche Telekom, ING, BASF and other European leaders navigating GDPR, NIS2, DORA, and sector-specific requirements. Not only do these enterprises need to secure code, they then have to demonstrate continuous monitoring and audit trails that satisfy regulators. As compliance deadlines approach over the next 18 months, GitGuardian solutions become critical. Thats the market timing we invest behind. Romain Stokes, Partner, Quadrille Capital Enterprise Momentum Accelerates GitGuardian closed 2025 with record performance that validates enterprise demand: 115,000+ developers protected across enterprise customers globally protected across enterprise customers globally 610,000+ repositories monitored continuously monitored continuously 210,000+ connected collaboration sources (Slack, Jira, Confluence) 7x growth year-over-year (Slack, Jira, Confluence) 7x growth year-over-year 350,000 secret exposures detected and remediated in 2025 (5x year-over-year growth) detected and remediated in 2025 (5x year-over-year growth) 60% of new enterprise customers committed to multi-year agreements committed to multi-year agreements 80%+ of new ARR originated from North America The platform serves Fortune 500 companies spanning technology, financial services, healthcare, energy, and manufacturing. Capital Deployment: Three Strategic Pillars 1. AI Agent Security Innovation The funding enables GitGuardian to address the fastest-growing attack surface in enterprise software: AI agents. GitGuardians platform will expand to detect, monitor, and govern credentials used by AI systems from coding assistants to customer service bots. 2. Enterprise-Scale NHI Governance GitGuardian continues to invest in its enterprise grade secrets security platform and will deliver comprehensive NHI lifecycle management capabilities designed for enterprises managing tens of thousands of non-human identities. This includes automated discovery, usage analytics, rotation policies, and compliance reporting across the entire development ecosystem. 3. Geographic Expansion & Market Penetration GitGuardian will aim to accelerate US expansion while opening new regions including APAC, South America and Middle East. The company will look to strengthen its European presence across DACH (Germany, Austria, Switzerland), UK, France and Nordic markets, where regulatory frameworks increasingly mandate secrets and NHI security. Target verticals include technology, financial services, and pharmaceutical/healthcare sectors where stringent compliance requirements and large development teams create substantial platform value. Looking Ahead With this funding, GitGuardian aims to reinforce its position as the best solution for Non-Human Identity and AI agents security for large enterprises and remain the #1 application on GitHub. The company plans to expand hiring across engineering, sales, and customer success teams in both US and European markets. About GitGuardian GitGuardian is an end-to-end NHI Security platform that empowers software-driven organizations to secure their Non-Human Identities (NHIs) and comply with industry standards. With attackers increasingly targeting NHIs, such as service accounts and applications, GitGuardian integrates Secrets Security and NHI Governance. This dual approach enables the detection of compromised secrets across your dev environments while also managing non-human identities and their secrets lifecycles. The platform is the worlds most installed GitHub application and supports over 550+ types of secrets, offers public monitoring for leaked data, and deploys honeytokens for added defense. Trusted by over 600,000 developers, GitGuardian is the choice of leading organizations like Snowflake, ING, BASF, and Bouygues Telecom for robust secrets protection. For more information, users can visit www.gitguardian.com About Insight Partners Insight Partners is a global software investor partnering with high-growth technology, software, and Internet startup and ScaleUp companies that are driving transformative change in their industries. As of June 30, 2025, the firm has over $90B in regulatory assets under management. Insight Partners has invested in more than 875 companies worldwide and has seen over 55 portfolio companies achieve an IPO. Headquartered in New York City, Insight has a global presence with leadership in London, Tel Aviv, and the Bay Area. Insights mission is to find, fund, and work successfully with visionary executives, providing them with tailored, hands-on software expertise along their growth journey, from their first investment to IPO. For more information, users can visit www.insightpartners.com About Quadrille Capital Quadrille is an independent asset manager that has been financing innovation in Europe and the US for over 25 years. Quadrille invests in high-growth technology companies, and across complementary secondary and primary strategies. The firm manages circa 2bn in assets and has a team of 50 professionals based in Paris, New York, and San Francisco. For more information, users can visit https://www.quadrillecapital.com/ Link to the press release: https://blog.gitguardian.com/series-c-pr/ Contact Sr. Partner Holly Hagerman Connect Marketing [email protected] Blue Origins New Glenns New Glenn-3 (NG-3) will carry AST SpaceMobiles next-generation Block 2 BlueBird satellite to low Earth orbit. The launch is scheduled for no earlier than late February from Launch Complex 36 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. AST SpaceMobile cannot provide full continuous service until ~45-60 satellites are in orbit (targeting end-2026), requiring a few months for positioning and testing post-launch. Continuous service by late 2026 in the US, Europe, Japan, and other markets, supporting voice/video calls, texting, and streaming at 120 Mbps per cell for millions of daily connections. Full global rollout needs 90+ satellites. AST SpaceMobiles Block 2 BlueBird satellites are designed to deliver up to 10 times the bandwidth capacity of the BlueBird Block 1 satellites, required to achieve 24/7 continuous cellular broadband service coverage in the United States, with beams designed to support a capacity of up to 40 MHz, enabling peak data transmission speeds up to 120 Mbps, supporting voice, full data and video applications. The Block 2 BlueBirds, featuring as large as 2400 square foot communications arrays, will be the largest satellites ever commercially deployed in Low Earth orbit once launched. The NG-3 launch will feature 1 satellite, BlueBird 7/BlueBird Block 2 FM2. This will be the second Block 2 AST satellite. Blue Origin prioritizes Amazon satellites. Amazon Leo, formerly known as Project Kuiper, is a mega constellation of satellites in Low Earth Orbit that will offer broadband internet access, this constellation will be managed by Kuiper Systems LLC, a subsidiary of Amazon. This constellation is planned to be composed of 3,276 satellites. The satellites are projected to be placed in 98 orbital planes in three orbital layers, one at 590 km, 610 km and 630 km altitude. 61 satellites will be carried on each New Glenn launch. Blue Origin is trying to reuse a booster. The GS1-SN002 will try have a 2nd flight. It was first flow 106 days prior IF the late February launch is not delayed. AST has five orbital launches anticipated by the end of Q1 2026. After the NG-3 Blue Origin mission there will be an Amazon LEO launch and then a NASA Pathfinder launch and then an attempt to launch 8 AST SpaceMobile satellites. Tim Farrar, satellite analyst and president at TMF Associates, has been skeptical for some time about AST SpaceMobile meeting its ambitious goal of 45 to 60 satellites by the end of 2026, given it has a history of delays and missing targets. He does not expect AST to deliver a continuous service across the US this year. Further, he questions how many people will be willing to pay for D2D services. After the launch of BlueBird 7 (targeting february), AST wants up to 13 launches total through the end of 2026. Farrar think seven launches this year after BlueBird 7 would get between 21 and 42 satellites launched. AST will be lucky to have 30 Block 2 satellites by the end of 2026. Blue Origin New Glenn is new. Any delays from 2026 with New Glenn and 8 AST satellites will get pushed to 2027. STARLINK NEWS: Today, Japan's largest mobile phone operator, NTT Docomo, announced a partnership with SpaceX to launch Starlink Direct-to-Cell service in early 2026. Docomo serves over 92.2 million mobile subscribers! The name "Docomo" comes from "do communications over the pic.twitter.com/sZFQwOl3U7 S.E. Robinson, Jr. (@SERobinsonJr) February 10, 2026 SpaceX Starlink signed up NTT Docomo as a partner. SpaceX now has DTC (direct to cellphone partners) who has about 600 million subscribers. This is less than the 2-3 billion who partnered with AST. SpaceX has 650 V2 mini satellites offering DTC that is global and working at 2G-3G speeds and working for low resolution video calls, text and voice and slow data. AST only has test service with one commercial satellite. Starlink partners are seeing 10-15% initial penetration for DTC. News / National by Staff reporter Cabinet has approved a memorandum on the proposed Constitutional Amendment Bill of 2026, which seeks to extend presidential terms from five years to seven years, among other changes.Addressing journalists during a post-Cabinet media briefing in Harare yesterday, Minister of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Dr Jenfan Muswere said the Bill proposes significant reforms to the country's governance framework.Dr Muswere said one of the key proposals is the repeal of Section 92 of the Constitution to allow for the election of the President by a joint sitting of Parliament, instead of through a direct popular vote."The memorandum proposes a series of legal reforms to strengthen constitutional governance, clarify institutional roles, promote socio-economic and political stability and also to enhance the efficiency of State architecture," he said.According to Dr Muswere, the proposed amendments are intended to ensure policy continuity and create room for the completion of ongoing national development projects, while reducing disruptions associated with election cycles.He said the reforms are part of broader efforts to consolidate governance systems and align constitutional provisions with the country's long-term development agenda.The proposed Bill is expected to be tabled before Parliament, where it will undergo debate and the legislative process in line with constitutional procedures. News / National by Staff reporter Zanu-PF's Bulawayo provincial leadership has distanced itself from the proliferation of illegal commuter ranks and self-styled marshals operating in the city while claiming affiliation with the ruling party.The party said criminal elements were tarnishing its image by using its name to extort money from public transport operators and unsuspecting commuters.Zanu-PF Bulawayo provincial spokesperson Archibald Chiponda said the party had received numerous complaints from residents, kombi crews and transport stakeholders about rogue groups alleging they were acting on behalf of the ruling party."We want to make it very clear that Zanu-PF does not run ranks, legal or illegal. The party does not deploy marshals and does not authorise anyone to collect money from transport operators or from members of the public," said Chiponda."These criminals are using the good name of the party to intimidate people and to steal from hard-working transport operators. We completely distance ourselves from such activities."In recent months, Bulawayo has seen a surge in illegal pick-up points in the central business district, manned by aggressive touts demanding so-called "access fees" from drivers and passengers.Some of the individuals reportedly wear regalia resembling that of the ruling party and invoke the names of senior officials to evade arrest, creating the impression that they enjoy political protection.Chiponda described the conduct as unacceptable and said it undermined Government efforts to restore order in the public transport sector."President Mnangagwa's administration is promoting lawfulness, order and respect for citizens. Anyone who goes around extorting people in the name of Zanu-PF is an enemy of the party and an enemy of the people," he said.He called on the police and Bulawayo City Council (BCC) to act decisively against the rogue elements and dismantle illegal ranks."As the province, we call upon the police and the city authorities to enforce the law without fear or favour. These bogus marshals must be arrested and illegal ranks must be dismantled. Bulawayo cannot be turned into a jungle," he said.Chiponda urged residents and transport operators to report anyone abusing the party's name for criminal activities, saying the province would soon launch an awareness campaign to educate the public on the party's official structures and channels of engagement."Zanu-PF is a people's party built on discipline and respect. We will not allow thugs to hijack our identity. Communities must work with the police and expose these elements," he said.Transport operators welcomed the party's statement, saying they had endured months of harassment."If you refuse to pay, they threaten to block your vehicle or damage it. They always say, we are Zanu-PF people, nothing will happen to us'. We are happy that the party has spoken out because we were suffering," said one kombi owner who declined to be named.Another driver, Ms Sibusisiwe Dube, said the disorder was also affecting commuters."These people are not helping anyone; they are just criminals who are making travelling expensive and unsafe," she said.BCC has previously warned that commuter operations must be confined to designated ranks, with only registered associations permitted to manage loading bays.Although police have conducted intermittent operations targeting touts, the problem has persisted, with illegal marshals reportedly regrouping after each crackdown. News / National by Staff reporter A Kuwadzana man was yesterday sentenced to 18 years in prison at Chikurubi Maximum Security Prison after being found guilty of raping and impregnating his 15-year-old stepdaughter.The convict appeared before Harare magistrate Noel Mupeiwa, who ruled that the victim's testimony was overwhelming and consistent with the evidence presented.Case DetailsAccording to prosecutor Cecilia Mashingaidze, the abuse began in August last year when the man approached the minor and demanded sex. When she refused, he threatened to chase her out of the house.The court heard that he went on to rape her repeatedly, approximately every three days, until the matter came to light after the girl fell pregnant.Her mother then assisted her in filing a police complaint, which led to the arrest and prosecution of the offender.SentencingIn delivering the sentence, Magistrate Mupeiwa emphasized the gravity of the crime, noting the psychological and physical trauma inflicted on the victim. The 18-year sentence was handed down as a deterrent to similar offenses and to reflect the seriousness of violating a child's rights. News / National by Staff reporter A leaked Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO) memorandum has reportedly advised President Emmerson Mnangagwa against proceeding with controversial constitutional amendments recently tabled before Cabinet by Justice Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi.According to the document, the intelligence body cautioned that the proposed changes go beyond the scope of Zanu-PF's Resolution Number One, which calls for the extension of Mnangagwa's tenure to 2030.The draft proposals presented to Cabinet on Tuesday reportedly include removing direct presidential elections, extending both presidential and parliamentary terms from five to seven years, and restructuring key constitutional provisions.In the leaked memo, the CIO is said to have described the proposals as a "fundamental transformation" of Zimbabwe's democratic framework, particularly the removal of presidential elections as provided under Section 92, read together with Section 158 of the Constitution."This is a fundamental transformation of Zimbabwe's democracy, altering the source of executive legitimacy," the memo reportedly states.The intelligence report further argues that Resolution Number One sought continuity within the existing constitutional framework, not a wholesale restructuring of the system."Resolution Number One sought continuity within the existing system, not regime change of the system itself. This is a monumental, unauthorised policy shift," the memo reads.It also reportedly criticises proposals to extend Parliament's term, describing them as major constitutional changes introduced without broader party debate or mandate.The memo raises concerns over provisions that would shift voter registration and delimitation powers from the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC), including control over the voters' roll, arguing that such changes represent an expansion beyond the party's stated objectives."It has been unlawfully expanded into a wholesale constitutional revision that flagrantly violates the specific, narrow mandate of Zanu-PF's Mutare Conference Resolution Number One," the report states.The intelligence body is also quoted as warning that any attempt to extend presidential terms without a national referendum would contravene Section 328(7) of the Constitution, which sets out procedures for amending entrenched provisions.Exiled former Cabinet minister Jonathan Moyo is reportedly named in the memo as having played a role in crafting the presentation to Cabinet. The CIO refers to him as a fugitive.The developments come amid ongoing factional tensions within Zanu-PF over succession and whether President Mnangagwa's current term, due to end in 2028, should be extended.While some party members have publicly backed an extension of his tenure, others have called for adherence to constitutional term limits. Government has not officially commented on the authenticity of the leaked memo. News / National by Staff reporter Farmers have received with mixed feelings the allocation of US$227 million to the sector in the 2012 National Budget, with some indicating this is too little while others are say it is a positive step in addressing some of the challenges facing farming.According to ZBC some farmers said the Minister of Finance, Mr Tendai Biti has for a long time shown reluctance in supporting agriculture on party lines.They said the allocation is too little to finance a critical sector like agriculture, which is the backbone of the countryasAasAAasAAs economy.However, chairman of a local farming contracting firm, Mr Nelson Mahupete said government has to be commended for coming up with the revolving fund policy aimed at ensuring that inputs are unveiled on time.He also commended the will to revive the irrigation and restocking facilities, but however called for the availing of such funds for intended beneficiaries on time.The Ministry of Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development has been complaining of failure to access their budget allocations on time, a situation that has delayed the accessing of subsidised inputs and the payment for farmersasAasAAasAA produce by the Grain Marketing Board. Opinion / Columnist The confusion, division, and growing chaos at Highlanders FC are not accidental. They are the direct result of sustained interference by certain members of the Highlanders Board, individuals who were never elected by club members and who appear to have little regard for the clubs constitution, traditions, or accountability. The executive committee, duly elected by the membership, has been rendered ineffective. Its mandate to run the club has been repeatedly undermined by some board members who were hand-picked by a small inner circle rather than endorsed by the Bosso family. This has created a toxic power imbalance that continues to paralyse the club.This is a Board that has abandoned Its constitutional role. Article 13 of the Highlanders FC Constitution clearly outlines the purpose and composition of the Board of Directors. Section 13.1 states that the board must consist of life members with specialised skills and distinguished individuals who have rendered outstanding service to the club and remain willing to guide it. Yet the current board composition tells a different story.Several board members have no visible history of service, sacrifice, or tangible contribution to Highlanders FC. The most glaring examples are the appointments of Nkululeko Fuzwayo and Horace Ndubiwa, introduced as new board members at the 2025 AGM.Mr Fuzwayo, a Botswana-based lawyer, has no known history with the club beyond life membership and has lived and worked outside Zimbabwe for more than a decade now. Mr Ndubiwa is a former board member of Bulawayo City FC, and it has never been clarified whether he formally resigned from that role before joining Highlanders. These unresolved questions alone should have disqualified their appointments until clarity was provided.The constitution has been ignored and Highlanders FC members disrespected. Article 13.2 of the constitution is explicit, a board member must have rendered outstanding service to the club for not less than ten years and must be at least 35 years old. To date, no evidence has been presented to members demonstrating how either of the two gentlemen meets this requirement. There have been no known fundraising initiatives, no personal financial contributions, and no historic role played in the survival or development of Highlanders FC by either individual.Their elevation to the board has therefore left many members asking an uncomfortable but necessary question, were these appointments based on merit, or on personal connections? Even more troubling is the blatant violation of Article 13.3, which requires that all board appointments be ratified by members at a general meeting. For the first time in the clubs history, this process was ignored. At the 2025 AGM, board chairman Luke Mnkandla merely called the names of Fuzwayo and Ndubiwa and asked them to stand up. No credentials were presented, no debate was allowed and no ratification took place.From Gatekeepers to Power Brokers, The Boards responsibilities under Article 13.4 are advisory and supervisory, not Executive. The board is meant to provide strategic direction, oversee governance, and act as a disciplinary tribunal when necessary. Yet despite clear constitutional authority, the Board has failed to discipline Executive committee members accused of failing to account for club funds, claiming unauthorised allowances, and engaging in maladministration.According to three other distinguished Board members who requested anonymity, internal division, fuelled largely by the two new board members and an outspoken senior colleague, have resulted in key decisions being vetoed repeatedly. The same sources allege that efforts to suspend Executive members implicated in financial misconduct were blocked, with Fuzwayo and Ndubiwa alleged playing a decisive role. This has raised serious allegations that certain Board members are actively protecting individuals accused of financial impropriety due to personal or political connections.There is alleged serious interference, selective justice, and corruption fears at the club. Beyond internal divisions, there are growing reports of direct Board interference in the clubs daily operations, another violation of the constitution. The Board, meant to be an advisory body, is allegedly inserting itself into routine administrative matters, blurring governance lines and creating further instability. The situation is worsened by the appointment of a Board member based outside Zimbabwe, despite the new constitution explicitly prohibiting individuals outside the country from holding office. This selective application of the constitution smacks of corruption and raises serious questions about the true agenda of those in control.Highlanders FC is no longer being governed in the interests of its members. It is increasingly run like a private gentlemens club, dominated by an old guard that wields power without accountability, ignores the constitution at will, and silences legitimate concerns from members. Until the constitution is respected, the Board is held accountable, and governance is returned to the will of the members, Highlanders FC will remain trapped in a cycle of division, mistrust, and decline, inflicted not by opponents on the pitch, but by those entrusted to protect the club. A high-profile ICE detention case could tarnish an upcoming traditional holiday reunion between Trump and a European leader. The case of Seamus Culleton, an Irishman who was arrested by ICE in September and has been held by the agency for five months, has reached the ears of his home country ahead of the Irish Prime Ministers annual St. Patricks Day trip to the White House. Irelands Prime Minister, Micheal Martin, said on Tuesday that the country will do everything we can to free Culleton, who came to the U.S. in 2009 under the Visa Waiver Program but overstayed his 90-day limit, which is a civilnot a criminalviolation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Culleton is married to an American citizen, Tiffany Smith, and has one final interview in his green card process, which he started in April 2025. He also operates a small plastering business in Massachusetts, for which he has a statutory exemption that allows him to work. Culleton, his wife Tiffany Smith, and their two dogs, Caesar and Cleopatra. / GoFundMe Martin is scheduled to visit the White House and Capitol Hill next month as part of a diplomatic tradition dating back to 1952. Customarily, the Taoiseach of Ireland visits the White House on March 17 to present the president with a bowl of shamrock and discuss relations between the two countries. Martin presented Trump with a bowl of shamrock last year. / Kayla Bartkowski / Kayla Bartkowski/Getty Images Opposition leaders in the Irish Parliament pressured Martin to prioritize Culletons release from ICE custody on Tuesday, accusing him of tolerating the inhumane treatment of Irish citizens to stay on Trumps good side economically. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ahead of their annual meeting, the Irish leadership is worried about upsetting Trump, who could impose additional tariffs on the nation at the drop of a hat. You must commit now on the floor of the Dail to pulling out every stop, using every diplomatic lever, to secure Seamus release, said Labour Party leader Ivana Bacik, according to Politico. No delays, no waiting for St. Patricks Day. Culletons case has been plastered across Irish media since The Irish Times first published his story on Monday, when he also spoke live on the air of Irelands RTE radio station. He described his conditions in ICE detainment as being like a modern-day concentration camp, telling RTE that theres no real quality of life here. Culleton's dog Cleopatra had knee surgery the same day that he was arrested by ICE. / GoFundMe On Sept. 9, Culleton, who has no criminal record and has lived in the U.S for 16 years, was arrested by ICE after local police in Massachusetts did a license plate check on his car in a Home Depot parking lot. On Sept. 11, he was transferred to an ICE facility in Buffalo, New York, and was later sent to a detention center in Texas. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When asked for comment about Ireland stepping in for Culletons detention case, DHS shared a statement from Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin, which had been previously shared with The Daily Beast earlier in the day. McLaughlin, who is of Irish descent, said Culleton's claims that [Culleton] received full due process and was issued a final order of removal by an immigration judge on September 10, 2025, McLaughlin, who is of Irish descent, said in the statement. He was offered the chance to instantly be removed to Ireland but chose to stay in ICE custody, in fact he took affirmative steps to remain in detention. According to court documents obtained by the Daily Beast, Culleton did not receive an order of removal from an immigration judge on Sept. 10; he was served an order of removal by ICE, not an immigration judge, on Nov. 14. Culleton appealed the order three days later on Nov. 17. A pending green card application and work authorization does not give someone legal status to be in our country, McLaughlin continued. These claim [sic] that there are subprime conditions at ICE facilities are FALSE. ICE has higher detention standards than most U.S. prisons that hold actual U.S. citizens. Judges are getting annoyed at how ICE is slow-walking or outright defying judges orders demanding the release of those detained by ICE. / John Moore/Getty Images Culletons attorney, Ogor Winnie Okoye, told the Daily Beast that McLaughlins statement was legally and factually incorrect, adding that shes never seen anything like this in terms of how Culletons case was handled. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Okoye said Culleton is a small-business owner who has made a positive impact on his community, and that if [ICE] releases him today, he can attend his interview today, and get his green card today. When contacted by the Daily Beast, the White House referred questions to ICE. Autumn Special Read. Know. Act. $3 for 3 months! (90 days) Offer expires 12/30/2020 Don't hesitate! Start your digital-only membership today and not only receive full access to our premier news website NNY360.com but also to the NNY360 mobile app, and the Watertown Daily Times eEdition! Councillor Ken James, leader of Torridge District Council, has called on residents across Torridge and wider Devon to take part in a major Government consultation on the future of local government in the county. The consultation, launched by the UK Governments Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, seeks views on a series of proposals to reorganise how councils operate in Devon, Plymouth and Torbay in a move that could reshape local services from 2028. At present Devon operates under a twotier system of local government. Under that model, Devon County Council is responsible for services such as education, transport and adult social care, while eight district councils, including Torridge, handle functions such as waste collection, housing, planning and environmental health. Plymouth and Torbay are already unitary authorities, meaning they provide all local services within their boundaries. Councillor James said the consultation represents your last chance to influence how your area is governed for future decades and urged residents, businesses, voluntary groups and town and parish councils to take part before it closes. Why local government reorganisation? The Governments consultation comes as part of a wider drive to simplify council structures across England and support longterm sustainability of local services. In December 2024, ministers published a policy framework calling on areas with twotier local governments to develop plans to move to a singletier unitary model, where one council delivers all services across a given area. That White Paper formed part of the Governments English devolution agenda, promoting clearer accountability, fewer overlapping responsibilities and more coherent strategic planning. Supporters of reorganisation argue that larger unitary authorities can deliver services more efficiently, reduce duplication, and provide a stronger, unified voice for their communities when working with central government and regional partners. Critics, including some council leaders nationally, have raised concerns about disruption, cost and risks of reduced local representation under larger authorities, but ministers say the transition is necessary to modernise local government. Whats being proposed in Devon Across Devon, councils and local authorities have submitted a range of competing proposals to Government as part of the reorganisation process. One of the key submissions, supported by Torridge District Council and six other district councils, is known as the Reimagining Devon proposal. This model, sometimes called the 451 model, would see the county reorganised into three new unitary authorities: A southern authority combining South Hams, Teignbridge, West Devon and Torbay. A northern authority covering East Devon, Exeter, Mid Devon, North Devon and Torridge. Plymouth City Council remaining a standalone unitary authority. A variation on this plan, called the 451+ proposal, includes a modest expansion of the Plymouth authoritys boundaries into neighbouring parishes. ABOVE: Proposed unitary council areas under the Reimagining Devon plan: Grey Torbay and Southern Devon, Green Exeter and Northern Devon, Blue Plymouth. Image credit: Reimagining Devon Other proposals submitted include alternative models from Devon County Council, Exeter City Council, and Torbay Council, each envisioning different configurations of unitary authorities across the area. The Government has published all five of these submissions as part of the consultation materials. What happens next The public consultation opened on 5 February 2026 and will run until 26 March 2026, giving residents and organisations a chance to review all five proposals and submit their views either online, by email, or by post. After the consultation closes, ministers will consider responses before making a final decision on whether to accept one of the submitted proposals, request modifications, or pursue an alternative path. That decision is expected in summer 2026, with legislation to create the new authorities then drafted. If approved, elections for the new councils are planned for May 2027, with a shadow year preparing for the handover of responsibilities ahead of full implementation in April 2028. What council leaders say Supporters of the Reimagining Devon plan describe it as a structure that reflects local communities, traveltowork areas and economic geographies, while also ensuring greater financial resilience and stronger service delivery. They say it balances the need for scale with local accessibility. Councillor James emphasised that district councils currently play a key role in everyday services tailored to local needs, and warned that significant change is ahead. This is all set to change, he said, urging widespread participation in the consultation. Why it matters to residents For many residents, the outcome of this consultation will determine how key services, from housing support to waste collection and planning, are delivered in the coming decades. With councils at the heart of local community life, the Government has said that every response will be treated equally and that the consultation is a chance for voices across Devon to be heard. Full details of all proposals and how to respond to the consultation can be found on the Governments website and the dedicated Devon LGR portal. North Devon MP Ian Roome has called on the Government to urgently prioritise the New Medium Helicopter programme, warning that the UK Armed Forces are currently operating without a full mediumlift helicopter capability following the retirement of the Puma fleet. The programme is intended to deliver up to 44 modern mediumlift helicopters capable of transporting troops, carrying equipment, and supporting both Army and RAF operations, replacing the Puma and other ageing rotorcraft. Speaking in the House of Commons on Wednesday (11 February), Mr Roome said the retirement of the Puma helicopters had left a mediumlift capability gap and that action was needed now, rather than waiting for the Governments forthcoming Defence Investment Plan to provide answers on future funding. After the Puma was retired, our Armed Forces were left with a mediumlift capability gap and the New Medium Helicopter programme will be vital in closing this, Mr Roome told MPs. As a Defence Committee member, Ive been told by the Chief of the Defence Staff that the medium helicopter programme was still very much on the Armed Forces priorities list, but I believe it needs to be prioritised now, not left hanging while we wait for the Defence Investment Plan. He added that continuing the programme would support jobs across the defence supply chain. I asked the Minister to continue the programme to save the 3,000 jobs, plus those in the supply chain of SMEs facilitate it, he said. For more than 50 years, the Royal Air Forces Puma HC2 helicopters provided mediumlift support, transporting troops, carrying equipment, and assisting with logistical and humanitarian tasks. The type was due to retire in March 2025 as part of broader updates to the UKs helicopter fleet. The NMH programme was launched by the Ministry of Defence in 2021 to acquire up to 44 new mediumlift helicopters, consolidating multiple helicopter roles into a single, modern platform capable of supporting both Army and RAF operations. To deliver these capabilities, the programme entered an Invitation to Negotiate phase in 2024, with manufacturers invited to submit bids for evaluation. Originally, three firms, Airbus Helicopters UK, Leonardo Helicopters UK, and Lockheed Martin UK, were involved in the NMH contest. However, in 2024 both Airbus and Lockheed Martin withdrew, leaving only Leonardos AW149 helicopter in contention. The Ministry of Defence continues to evaluate bids, but a final contract award has yet to be announced. To help manage the transition, the MoD has also procured a small fleet of Airbus H145 helicopters, designated Jupiter HC Mk2, to provide support roles in places such as Cyprus and Brunei while the mediumlift replacement is developed and brought into service. These aircraft are expected to be fully operational in 2026. In Parliament, Mr Roome reiterated that the medium helicopter programme needed to be prioritised immediately, rather than waiting for the Defence Investment Plan, emphasising the importance of maintaining the UKs mediumlift helicopter capability. Mediumlift helicopters like the Puma have been integral to the UKs joint aviation capability, enabling troop transport, logistical support, and other essential military functions. Valentines Day has a reputation for being a little extra extra roses, extra champagne, and, for a lot of couples, extra pressure. Its also one of the most popular times of year to get engaged, when a regular date night suddenly turns into a Wait, is this actually happening? moment. This year, a new analysis tries to pinpoint where in the country those big questions are most likely to be asked. By looking at how people are searching for engagement rings and proposal ideas online, wedding venue company Walters Wedding Estates created a Valentines Proposal Likelihood Index that ranks every U.S. state by how strongly residents are signaling they might propose this February. It doesnt track actual ring boxes hitting the table, but it does offer a pretty revealing snapshot of whos planning something, and what types of rings theyre leaning toward when they do. Closeup image of a cushion-cut diamond ring with a diamond halo. Georgia tops the list and loves a classic cushion-cut The strongest signal of all came from Georgia, with an index score more than double the national average. Search patterns there show a clear spike in engagement rings, diamond rings, and proposal planning, all pointing to a big Valentines season ahead. Advertisement Advertisement When it comes to style, Georgians arent chasing trends as much as leaning into timeless luxury. Cushion-cut diamonds which have a soft, square shape with rounded corners were the standout ring style, most often paired with yellow gold. Its a very this will still look good in 30 years kind of combination. Valentines Day proposals are rarely spontaneous, says Rachel Johnson of Walters Wedding Estates. Theyre the result of careful planning, thoughtful purchases, and a desire to create something truly memorable. Judging by the data, a lot of that planning is happening in Georgia this year. A brilliant round-cut diamond engagement ring. New York and Florida arent far behind Right behind Georgia are New York and Florida, both showing strong Valentines proposal intent, but with slightly different ring personalities. Advertisement Advertisement In New York, round-cut diamonds lead the way, again with gold as the go-to metal. Round stones are still the most popular engagement ring shape overall, which tracks with a state where people tend to want something classic but high quality. Floridas search behavior is more eclectic. Oval and solitaire rings are big, but so are lab-grown diamonds, Art Deco settings, split-shank bands, and traditional prong styles. In other words, Floridians seem more willing to mix modern twists (like lab-grown stones) with vintage-inspired details. All of that is still anchored by, you guessed it, yellow gold. The South, in general, is very much in a proposing mood The index also backs up something a lot of people in the wedding industry already suspect: the South loves a Valentines proposal. The Southeast accounts for nearly half of the high likelihood states, including Georgia, Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia. Add in places like Texas and Tennessee (which lands in the average but above baseline group with a strong preference for cushion-cut gold rings), and a clear regional pattern emerges: the South is leaning into old-school romance this February. Advertisement Advertisement Vintage, milgrain, and marquise styles show up regularly across these states, suggesting a taste for rings that feel romantic and distinctive rather than ultra-minimal. Texas is the heart-on-its-sleeve state Among all 50 states, only Texas has heart-shaped engagement rings as its most-searched style, almost always paired with gold. Heart-shaped diamonds are polarizing; people either love them for their obvious symbolism or avoid them for the same reason. The data suggests Texans dont mind going big on sentimentality when they propose. If you spot a heart-shaped gold ring on Instagram around Valentines Day, theres a good chance it came from the Lone Star State. Rachel Johnson notes that these trends reflect not just fashion, but attitude. Heart-shaped styles signal people who want the romantic gesture to read loud and clear, not just in the moment but every time their partner looks down at their hand. The states most likely to see Valentines proposals Only 14 states earned a high likelihood rating meaning their index score sits well above the national average, and their proposal-related searches are running hot heading into February. Advertisement Advertisement Here are the states where proposals look especially likely this Valentines season, plus the ring style and metal that dominate search interest there: Georgia Index: 212 | Likely ring: cushion-cut | Metal: gold New York 209 | Likely ring: round | Metal: gold Florida 199 | Likely ring: oval, solitaire, lab-grown diamond, Art Deco, split shank, or prong | Metal: gold Virginia 198 | Likely ring: round | Metal: gold Pennsylvania 192 | Likely ring: vintage | Metal: gold North Carolina 190 | Likely ring: cushion or vintage | Metal: silver Illinois 188 | Likely ring: emerald-cut | Metal: gold California 175 | Likely ring: bezel | Metal: gold Michigan 162 | Likely ring: three-stone | Metal: gold Washington 158 | Likely ring: princess, pave, or classic styles | Metal: gold Massachusetts 156 | Likely ring: milgrain detail | Metal: gold Ohio 153 | Likely ring: cushion-cut | Metal: gold Texas 145 | Likely ring: heart-shaped | Metal: gold South Carolina 140 | Likely ring: marquise | Metal: gold If you live in one of these states and your partner has been casually asking about ring styles lately yeah, they might not be subtle. What about everyone else? Not every state is in overdrive for Valentines proposals and thats not a bad thing. Plenty of couples prefer to get engaged on dates that matter to them, like an anniversary or the day they met, rather than on a big shared holiday. Advertisement Advertisement Still, the index shows interesting pockets of activity: Strong-but-average states: States like Maryland, Arkansas, and New Jersey all score above the national average without reaching high territory. They show solid search interest, with styles ranging from double-band and bezel rings to pear-shaped designs nearly always in gold. Midwestern slow burns: States such as Wisconsin and Minnesota land in the low likelihood group, despite some preference for cushion, vintage, or oval rings. That doesnt mean no proposals are coming; it just suggests fewer people are using search terms that spike around Valentines season. The lowest-intent states: At the very bottom of the index are places like Hawaii, Maine, and Montana. Many of these show no preference for ring metal in the data set, either because search volume is low or people are spreading their interest across a wider variety of styles. If your state sits in the low category, it may just mean residents are less likely to follow the textbook Valentines timeline or theyre shopping offline, asking friends for advice, or quietly using incognito mode. Whether your state ranks high, low, or somewhere in the middle, one thing isnt changing: somewhere near you, someone is about to get down on one knee. If youre curious how different states handle romance in general, you can also look at a recent study that found some places arent even clear on what date Valentines Day actually falls on which might explain a few missed dinner reservations. And if youre more interested in ring inspo than data charts, theres a breakdown of Taylor Swift's jaw-droppingly expensive engagement ring, plus budget-friendly dupes you can actually buy without taking out a second mortgage. 3 Fulton County officials have said that federal agents did not provide an inventory of what they seized, leaving local officials to estimate that roughly 650 to 700 boxes of ballots and other materials were taken. But taking the ballots out of the election center and breaking open seals ruptures what is known as the chain of custody, meaning that it is no longer known who has had control of ballots nor what was done with them. This could undermine any potential findings. Hunterdon County, New Jersey, is looking for an agency that can improve the visibility of the countys tourism brand by providing digital as well as traditional marketing and public relations services. Gunster Strategies Worldwide is representing the interests of the Chagossian Government in Exile, which opposes the planned UK transfer of the sovereignty of the Chagos Archipelago to Mauritius. On May 22, the UK signed a pact with Mauritius to set the transfer in motion. It did so without the consent of the Chagossians. Chagos Archipelago, which is in the Indian Ocean, is known for Diego Garcia, a joint UK/US military base. Once the transfer is complete, UK/US access to Diego Garcia is dependent on British payments to Mauritius, which has good ties with China. Gunster Strategies helped place an op-ed in the Feb. 2 the Daily Caller by Misley Mandarin, interim first minister of the Chagossian Government in Exile. He wants to keep the Chagos Archipelago under UK control, and urged Donald Trump to oppose the transfer to Mauritius. Washington has an opportunity not to undermine an ally, but to encourage a settlement that respects human rights while safeguarding a strategic asset on which much of the free world depends, wrote Mandarin in the Daily Caller. He wrote that "recognizing Chagossian self-determination would reflect the best of the American tradition, standing with a displaced people seeking to return home while protecting the security architecture that underpins global stability." As a gesture of gratitude for Trumps support, Mandarin has promised to name one of the islands of the Chagos Archipelago after the American president. Brett Simpson Qualcomm has recruited Brett Simpson for the senior VP-IR slot at the San Diego-based wireless technology company. He will devise overall IR strategy and tailor communications to fit Qualcomms vision and long-term growth blueprint. He joins Qualcomm from Arete Research, which he co-founded 25 years to counsel investors in the semiconductor, advanced technology and AI sectors. Simpson reports to Akash Palkhiwala, executive VP, CFO and COO. Bretts deep financial acumen and broad industry expertise make him well suited to lead Qualcomms investor relations strategy during a time of growth and transformation for the Company, said Palkhiwala. Qualcomm registered a five percent jump in Q1 fiscal 2026 revenues to $12.2B on a six percent slide in net income to $3B. CEO Christiano Amon was pleased with the record Q1 revenue results, but said supply chain constraints hurt Qualcomms bottom-line performance. Qualcomms stock is trading at $141.94. Its 52-week range is $205.95, $120.80. THE cost of farmland in Offaly dropped by nine per cent - 1,205 per acre in the past year according to a survey published by the Irish Farmers Journal last week. Of 63 landholdings investigated, the report found an average price of 12,024 per acre. Nationally the cost of farmland increased across the country last year according to the fresh analysis published by Journal. It found an increase of 5pc was recorded in the price of land in the Republic of Ireland to average 12,515/ac, an increase of 590/ac from 11,925/ac in 2023. The survey found a huge variation in the range of prices for last year. Dublin had the highest land prices where the average cost was 25,490 per acre followed by counties Wexford, Meath, Louth and Laois. READ NEXT: Threats to ancient monastic site in Offaly highlighted It contrasted with the lowest average land price last year was in Co Leitrim at 6,419 per acre, followed by Mayo and Donegal. The biggest increase in price was in Co Meath, where the average rose to 17,669 per acre from 14,321. Derelict houses can now add 100,000 or more to land sales, depending on how strict the local county council is on planning. Among the reports other findings are that prices fell from recent highs in counties Cork, Donegal, Kilkenny, Tipperary and Wicklow, where dairy farming is usually the driving factor behind purchases. Farmland prices in Northern Ireland continue to be significantly higher than the Republic, with prices rising by 6.8pc last year to average 14,736 per acre (17,406). The highest price was Co Armagh, followed by counties Down, Tyrone and Antrim. The report said that farmer confidence was impacted by an extraordinarily wet winter and spring but improved conditions by autumn affected led to a bullish feeling by year end. READ NEXT: Twenty-seven nominated for Person of the Year and Unsung Hero of the Year 2025 THE well known, popular Banagher farmer John Dolan has this week been hailing his extraordinary goose. Concepta is a Pomeranian and her hatching ability is rather unusual. Normally geese can hatch goslings once or sometimes twice a year, but Concepta, one of many fowl on John's farm, has consistently defied the odds to have multiple broods of goslings year after year. John said his goose has greatly impressed the Dolan family and their neighbours with her laying and hatching capabilities. John points out that Concepta first claimed fame in 2023, and following that she defied normal breeding patterns by producing three separate clutches of goslings in a 12-month period. Following that remarkable feat she's now produced another three separate clutches of goslings in the last 12 month period, with the third clutch being laid and hatched between the 14th and 17th of January, 2026. John says he is excited about what Concepta can do this year: Oh the excitement is unreal here, he commented. She laid and the first little gosling came out on the 14th of January. Four came out and lived, out of six. They are there now and they are grand and healthy and I am hoping that Concepta in 2026 will carry on from where she left off in 2025 and keep on breaking those records for Ireland and for the world. There is nothing like her in the world, and it's an honour and privilege for me to own her. She is doing what she does best, laying and hatching out goslings and it takes a fair bit to keep going because there's a lot of time spent on the nest and it takes a lot out of a goose. George is the husband. He plays a big role in the whole job because he minds her, guards her, looks after her. All her needs is all done by him. And I don't think she will ever leave George or George will ever leave her. And if anything happened to George in the morning, I don't know if she'd take up with another gander, because there's another gander there in the yard and she has no time whatsoever for him. She's basically in love with George. John says he bought Concepta from Mackie Brennan in Borrisokane as a Christmas present for his daughter Emma and on 10 of September 2023 he realised this was an unusual Pomeranian. On that date she hatched a second clutch which is phenomenal. They say out of season the eggs won't be fertile. Usually they only hatch once a year; they usually don't hatch two or three times in the one year; but whatever sort of a goose this one is she is just remarkable. I can't explain it, I can't put it into words, but she is actually just unreal. I'm hoping the genetics and the bloodline is going to carry on in Concepta's goslings. The popular farmer is well known locally for the incredible, unusual hens which he reared on his farm over the years, and now his geese are following suit. In 2023 he also revealed that a Muscovy goose was laying more eggs than the norm. Then Concepta began to follow suit. READ NEXT: Banagher farmer heart-broken after death of record-breaking hen Who are the 3 richest Vietnamese women? Vietnams three female billionaires have a combined net worth of US$8.5 billion, with two of them added to the global rich list this year. Nguyen Thi Phuong Thao Nguyen Thi Phuong Thao, chairwoman of Vietjet. Photo courtesy of Vietjet Nguyen Thi Phuong Thao, chairwoman of low-cost airline Vietjet Air, has an estimated net worth of $4 billion and ranks 1,039th in the list of the worlds richest, according to U.S. magazine Forbes. The 55-year-olds wealth stems mostly from her stake in Vietjet and HDBank. Vietnams first self-made woman billionaire got the idea of launching a low-cost airline while she was a trader and predicted that demand for air travel would skyrocket in Vietnam. In addition to aviation and banking, Thao also invests in technology, renewable energy and real estate, including hotels and coastal resorts. Pham Thu Huong Pham Thu Huong, vice chairwoman of Vingroup. Photo courtesy of Vingroup Pham Thu Huong, vice chairwoman of Vietnams largest conglomerate Vingroup, is worth an estimated $2.6 billion, which makes her the worlds 1,578th richest person. The 56-year-old has worked alongside her husband and Vingroup chairman Pham Nhat Vuong since his early entrepreneurial ventures in Ukraine, from where she has a masters degree in international law from the National University of Kyiv, before the two returned to Vietnam. The groups core businesses include electric vehicle manufacturer VinFast, real estate developer Vinhomes and hospitality brand Vinpearl. VinFast, Vietnams largest EV producer by market share, also has plants in India and Indonesia. In 2020 she and her husband established the VinFuture Foundation, a non-profit organization aimed at promoting innovation in areas such as health and sustainable development. Pham Thuy Hang The third richest woman in Vietnam is Pham Thuy Hang, vice chairwoman of Vingroup, with an estimated net worth of $1.9 billion. The 51-year-old has worked alongside her sister and billionaire Huong and brother-in-law Vuong since their time in Ukraine. Hang has a 3% stake in Vingroup while Huong has 4.4%. The sisters were the new Vietnamese entrants in Forbess billionaire list this year. Vietnam now has eight billionaires with a combined net worth of nearly $40 billion, with Vuong alone accounting for 60%. Sappi Commissions ABB Fiber Measurement Unit at Maastricht Mill ABB L&W Fiber Freeness Online will support Sappi's Maastricht mill to produce paper with the right properties to meet customer expectations. ABB L&W Fiber Freeness Online will support Sappi's Maastricht mill to produce paper with the right properties to meet customer expectations. Feb. 10, 2026 - Sappi has commissioned an ABB L&W Fiber & Freeness Online fiber measurement unit at its Maastricht mill in the Netherlands. According to ABB, L&W Fiber & Freeness Online provides accurate and continuous fiber morphology measurement and freeness at the wet end of the paper production process. It has been deployed at the Maastricht mill to stabilize pulp quality at the stock preparation, controlling and refining stage. This results in better runnability on paper, board or tissue machines, helping make more on-specification product at lower cost. "Papermakers strive for consistency at every stage of their process, predictable outcomes to meet customer specifications," said Wilson Monteiro, Global Business Line Manager for Pulp, Paper & Fiber, ABB's Process Industries division. "Sappi is making papers for the luxury market at Maastricht and wants to achieve the right quality, neither under nor over processed. ABB's L&W Fiber Freeness Online is a tool to optimize this at the early stock preparation stage. We look forward to working with Sappi to understand the results of its use and support further developments." Jeroen Janssen, Process Technologist, Sappi, said, "We're very proud of the legacy built up at Sappi Maastricht but we are also set on the future with open eyes for the innovative possibilities. Together with ABB we are committing to the use of online fiber measurement technologies and we appreciate their expertise. It is one part of the infrastructure at the mill which has recently brought in other solutions for improved electrification, productivity and sustainability." Sappi Maastricht employees nearly 500 employees and produces around 260,000 tons of coated woodfree paper and paperboard per year. It is currently marking its 175th anniversary year. ABB is a global technology leader in electrification and automation. SOURCE: ABB Parents and students packed the Georgia State Capitol on Monday to press lawmakers for tighter gun safety rules, as a new statewide poll shows gun violence has become Georgia parents' top concern for their children. The rally coincided with the start of jury selection in the Apalachee High School shooting case, a timing that organizers and advocates said underscored the urgency they feel this legislative session. Push for a "switch" ban Gun safety supporters, including volunteers with Moms Demand Action and Students Demand Action, urged legislators to act on new restrictions aimed at reducing shootings and keeping modified weapons off the streets, according to WRDW. Gun safety advocates said the state should focus on preventing weapons from becoming more lethal, especially in public spaces like schools and shopping areas. A key focus of the day was House Bill 1127, which supporters said would ban "switches," small conversion devices that can turn a standard pistol into a fully automatic weapon. Advocates displayed examples of firearm modifications and accessories for lawmakers and the public to see, arguing the devices are designed to increase firing speed and raise the risk of mass-casualty violence. Why parents say it's urgent Parents' calls for action come as concern about violence rises across the state. In an Emory Center for Child Health Policy statewide poll released Feb. 3, 33% of Georgia parents ranked gun violence among their top three concerns for their child, up from 27% the year before. The same poll listed education and school quality close behind, with the top concerns "closely grouped," but gun violence worry increasing year over year. Elected officials at the Capitol offered competing approaches. State Rep. Omari Crawford, a Democrat, argued that while Georgia lawmakers passed a school safety plan last year, the state should also prioritize steps that limit access to dangerous weapons and parts. Senate Majority Leader Jason Anavitarte, a Republican, emphasized investments in school security and law enforcement as the better path, warning against broad limits on lawful gun ownership, Fox5 Atlanta reported. The rally also unfolded amid a broader fight over gun policy at the Capitol. In January, the Georgia Senate passed a bill that would block local governments from requiring gun owners to lock up guns in cars, a response to a Savannah ordinance aimed at reducing theft and misuse. Gun safety groups say state lawmakers should move in the opposite direction by expanding measures such as secure storage incentives and other prevention policies. In February 2025, a House subcommittee advanced a proposal to offer tax incentives for purchasing gun safes or cable locks and for completing firearm safety training, as mothers gathered at the Capitol to support the idea. National advocates continue to point to Georgia as a state where policy changes could affect outcomes. Everytown Research says that if Georgia had the gun death rate of the "10 states with the strongest gun safety laws," it could save 14,560 lives over the next decade, as per Giffords. GIFFORDS' most recent annual scorecard also argued that states with stronger gun laws have lower gun death rates, while noting that nearly 47,000 people die from gun violence in the United States each year. Radnor parents are demanding stronger safeguards and faster communication from school leaders after an AIgenerated video allegedly depicting several high school students in sexualized imagery led to criminal charges and a wave of fear among families. What Happened at Radnor High? In early December 2025, Radnor High School and Radnor Township Police began investigating an AIgenerated video that reportedly showed a small group of female students in nonconsensual sexualized imagery. Principal Joseph MacNamara notified families that the district was treating the situation "with the highest level of urgency and care," and said all families of potentially affected students had been contacted and offered support services. Investigators later confirmed the video involved "nonconsensual sexualized imagery of multiple juveniles," and by late January 2026, Radnor police announced that a juvenile had been charged with harassment in connection with the video, according to 6ABC. Authorities declined to release the juvenile's identity but emphasized that the criminal use of AI to harm students would be taken seriously. How Parents are Reacting At a recent school board meeting, several parents spoke publicly for the first time since the charges were announced, describing the emotional toll on their children and criticizing how the district handled the incident. Luciana Librandi, a Radnor parent, said the impact on teenagers' mental health could be longlasting and called for clearer, more timely communication in future cases. Other parents faulted the district for what they described as slow initial action and a lack of transparency about how the video was shared and how far it had spread. Some families said students felt unsafe at school and worried that posted photos could be misused again, even outside school hours, Yahoo News reported. Policy Changes and AI Education In response to the backlash, the Radnor Township School District's Policy Committee has scheduled discussions on AI, bullying, and harassment, with a focus on updating acceptableuse and technology policies. Parents are urging the district to develop clearer rules about how students and staff should respond to AIgenerated content, including faster reporting paths and stronger support for victims. Many parents also want the district to give ageappropriate lessons on AI misuse, consent, and digital safety, starting in middle school. They argue that schools must prepare students for a world where AI tools can be used to exploit images, rather than waiting for the next crisis to change policy. Broader Concerns About AI and Schools The Radnor case has become part of a larger national conversation about how schools should respond to AIdriven harassment and nonconsensual imagery. Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro recently signed a law that bans the creation and distribution of deepfake sexual content involving minors or nonconsenting adults, and federal "Take it Down" rules now treat some AIgenerated explicit images as criminal offshore. Parents in Radnor say they are not alone in feeling unprepared, but they stress that their district must act quickly to restore trust. They hope the deepfake scandal will force both local and state officials to strengthen AI protections, improve communication, and make student safety the top priority in the era of generative artificial intelligence, as per Patch. Tet exodus locks up key expressways out of Ho Chi Minh City, causes 10 km gridlock toward central Vietnam Traffic congestion at the An Phu interchange leading to the Ho Chi Minh City - Long Thanh - Dau Giay Expressway on the morning of Feb. 11, 2026. Photo by VnExpress/Dinh Van Thousands leaving Ho Chi Minh City for the Lunar New Year clogged expressways toward central Vietnam early Feb. 11, triggering gridlock that stretched nearly 10 kilometers. The worst congestion was reported at the Ho Chi Minh City - Long Thanh interchange and the Phan Thiet - Dau Giay junction, two major choke points for drivers heading toward Nha Trang and further north. From before dawn, traffic built up along the Ho Chi Minh City - Long Thanh - Dau Giay Expressway, particularly between HCMC's An Phu interchange and Long Thanh. Near the connection with the Phan Thiet - Dau Giay Expressway, vehicles crawled meter by meter as volumes surged, creating a gridlock that stretched close to 10 kilometers. "My family left Ho Chi Minh City for Da Nang at 4 a.m., but by 8 a.m. we still hadn't cleared the Phan Thiet area because the road was packed," said Hung, adding that the same trip normally takes about two hours without congestion. Heavy traffic also hit the Phan Thiet - Dau Giay Expressway near the toll station in Xuan Que Commune, Dong Nai Province, more than 90 kilometers from downtown Ho Chi Minh City. Vehicles moved slowly along much of the route as the flow of cars from southern provinces toward central and northern Vietnam spiked sharply. At around 9 a.m., a minor collision between a container truck and a passenger car at the Phan Thiet interchange partially blocked one lane, worsening delays. Although no injuries were reported, traffic police had to step in to regulate vehicles and clear the scene. Farther north, a sleeper bus traveling from south to north crashed into the median barrier on the Cam Lam - Vinh Hao Expressway, partially obstructing the lane toward Nha Trang and triggering additional congestion, especially near the Nui Vung Tunnel. With expressways increasingly jammed, many drivers chose to exit onto National Highway 1 at the Vinh Hao interchange to avoid being stuck for hours. "There was no way of knowing when traffic would clear on the expressway, so I switched to National Highway 1," said Nguyen Minh, who was driving from Dong Nai to Thanh Hoa. Traffic police said vehicle volumes on expressways linking southern, central and northern Vietnam were exceptionally high and warned that the risk of accidents increases when drivers fail to maintain safe distances. Officers were deployed at key interchanges to divert vehicles and ease pressure on the most congested sections. The Lunar New Year begins on Feb. 17 and Vietnam takes a nine-day break from Feb. 14 to 22. Vietnam breaks into world's top 10 retirement destinations for the first time Vietnam has been ranked among the world's top 10 best countries for retirement for the first time, according to the 2026 ranking released by France-based website Retraite sans Frontieres. The ranking comes as a growing number of European retirees, particularly from France, consider long-term residence abroad to improve their quality of life, enjoy a favorable climate and make better use of their pension income. Accordingly, the index evaluates destinations based on 12 criteria, with the cost of living carrying the greatest weight, accounting for 20% of the total score. Other key factors include climate, healthcare quality, safety, accessibility to services and transport conditions. Paul Delahoutre, founder of Retraite sans Frontieres, said living abroad could help retirees save between 15-50% in daily expenses compared to staying in France. Tax policies, especially incentives for foreign pension income, are also considered an important factor in destination choice. Vietnam ranked 9th in the 2026 list, earning high marks for its affordable living costs, diverse living environment, and steadily improving healthcare system and urban infrastructure. While living costs may be slightly higher than in some other Asian destinations, the country is viewed as offering a balanced combination of affordability, living conditions and long-term development potential. Portugal retained the top position, thanks to living costs about 15% lower than in France, geographic proximity and well-developed infrastructure. Spain ranked second, followed by Greece, Thailand, Mauritius, Morocco, Tunisia, Senegal and Indonesia. Experts recommend that retirees spend time visiting and assessing living conditions, healthcare, safety and community integration before making a long-term relocation decision. Vietnam's debut in the top 10 reflects the Southeast Asian country's growing appeal to international retirees, amid a rising global trend of cross-border retirement. Jimmy Lai, the democracy advocate and former Hong Kong media mogul, was sentenced to 20 years in prison. It is the harshest punishment handed down thus far under a China-imposed national security law that has virtually silenced dissent in Hong Kong. The sentence has been widely condemned by human rights groups. Indeed, Human Rights Watch called the length of the sentence "effectively a death sentence." And Amnesty International said it was "another grim milestone in Hong Kongs transformation from a city governed by the rule of law to one ruled by fear." Seventy-eight-year-old Lai was convicted in December 2025 of sedition and conspiracy to collude with foreign forces. The maximum penalty for his conviction was life imprisonment. Lais co-defendants, six former employees of the Apple Daily newspaper and two activists, received prison terms ranging from six years and three months to 10 years. Lai founded Apple Daily newspaper in 1995 and it became known for its journalistic independence and critical reporting of the governments in Hong Kong and Beijing. It was forced to shut down in 2021 as part of a crackdown on dissent. Lai was arrested in August 2020 after the imposition of Beijings national security law. The national security law has had a chilling effect on Hong Kongs freedoms. Under the law dozens of pro-democracy opposition leaders and advocates have been charged with subversion and other security-related crimes. In addition, Peoples Republic of China-imposed changes to the electoral system have drastically limited the ability of Hong Kongers to participate in free elections; and independent media outlets have been forcibly closed by the authorities in an attempt to silence dissenting views. Not surprisingly, Hong Kongs press freedom ranking plunged drastically from 80th out of 180 countries in 2021 to 140th in 2025, according to Reporters Without Borders. Hong Kong was ranked 18th in 2002. The Hong Kong High Courts decision to sentence Jimmy Lai to 20 years is an unjust and tragic conclusion to this case, said Secretary of State Marco Rubio in a statement. It shows the world that Beijing will go to extraordinary lengths to silence those who advocate fundamental freedoms in Hong Kong, casting aside the international commitments Beijing made in the 1984 Sino-British Joint Declaration. After enduring a trial lasting two years, and detention in prison for more than five, Mr. Lai and his family have suffered enough said Secretary Rubio. The United States urges the authorities to grant Mr. Lai humanitarian parole. Amy Currie was sworn in as the newest Pine Bluffs Town Council Member Monday night. Currie was selected last week from a short list of three candidates at a special meeting of the council. She was questioned by the council on several different topics ranging from personal agendas to budget issues and decision-making thoughts. Currie filled the chair vacated by Dennis Michaud when he assumed the city mayor position. There was a vote on the issuance of a 24-hour permit to C. Brown for malt beverage to be dispersed at the 6th Annual Tri-Tip Cook at the distillery. Another 24-hour permit was issued to C. Brown for the serving of malt beverages at the 5th Annual Purple and Gold Banquet. A Manufacture's Off-Site Permit was issued to Pine Bluffs Distilling for the Annual Purple and Gold Banquet. Building Permit was issued for the property at 512 5th Street. Another Building Permit was issued to the property 621 Black Blvd. Ordinance 2026-01 second reading was approved. The ordinance amends the Town of Pine Bluffs Wyoming Code of Ordinances, Chapter 20 entitled Zoning and providing an effective date. A Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) was presented to the council for approval. The MOA was between the Pine Bluffs Police Department and the 287(g) Task Force. There was much discussion on the topic and people of the community were given the chance to voice their opinions. Dave Hendricks was concerned about who could be affected by the MOA. Concerns were raised on local police targeting certain citizens and what could happen to them. Clint Jessen was curious as to when the local law enforcement would be using this new training and procedures and would it detract from local law enforcement primary duties to the citizens of Pine Bluffs. Ashley Jessen read a letter of concern from a student at Pine Bluffs Hight School on her concerns it the MOA was passed. The council questions Police Chief Austin Smith on how exactly the new MOA would affect the local community, would it detract from the local police duties and when would it be used. After hearing from the local citizens and Chief Smith the council decided to go into executive session to discuss the topic further with the police chief. The decision was made to postpone the vote on the MOA until next meeting. The council will meet again on 23 Feb at the town hall at 6:00 p.m. An interview with high school student Keefer Fornstrom Keefer Fornstrom is your average junior at Pine Bluff high school. Her father has been the mayor of Pine Bluffs for the past few years. This past December Justin Fornstrom was selected as the District 10 Representative to the Wyoming State Legislature. Keefer Fornstrom has been around politics for most of her life. Now, as her father moves up in the political arena, the chances of being introduced and in the company of more prominent politicians increases. With this increased responsibility has it changed her status or circles in school. Keefer Fornstrom was more than happy to talk about her role and changes that happened when her dad took office. When asked what she thought of her dad being selected to the state legislature she said, "it was very exciting. I think it was very fast and quick.' She also said that "it was exciting because I know that he's really excited to serve our state and I think it's just a really great opportunity for him." With the responsibilities of his office are things around the house any different? "With the new session about to start both parents' area gone a lot." Fornstrom said, "There's a lot happening and they're gone a lot. It looks a bit different in our house these past few weeks. But that's ok." She added that when he was the mayor he was reading and on the phone a lot. Now he is reading all the bills and on the phone A LOT she said. With your father moving up the political ladder do you notice much difference in school? "Surprising no, there really hasn't been anything different. It's been very similar, so not really." With your father moving up and the possibility of meeting more and more politicians has there been any emphasis or instructions on how and what to say when you meet them? "No. I have meet with the governor and senators of the state before. So, nothing new." She added that she will be Paging at the Legislative session and will be meeting many of the policy makers. When asked what Paging encompassed, she said, "I will be in the house chamber, and I'll take things from the lobbyists and give them to the representatives. I will make copies if they need or whatever is asked of me." As a student are you taking a government class? "This semester one of my assignments for the government class I am taking is to write a letter to our Legislator. I don't really know how to write a letter to my dad. So, I might be having to write a letter Senator Love. I would not be sure how to start a letter like that. Do I say Dad, or Representative Fornstrom, or what." A bit confusing. Asked if she had noticed fellow students that wanted to befriend her or not befriend her because of her father. Fornstrom replied that "no not really. I mean every school has its cliques and different groups. Personally, I think that it's great to have all kinds of friends. I just like to hang out with different groups, and I think that's good because it allows perspective into your life." She added that "I am not really in one click or another. I like to be kind to everyone." Being from a small town and actually going to school with some of the students since kindergarten, do you think that that has an impact being a community school and not just a school? "For sure, I think so. Growing up with some of my fellow students and seeing them grow is great. It's ok that we grow and do different things at the same time. I definitely think that like the amount of involvement that we've always had with each other affects how friendships work." Do you think that the political views of your friends and classmates will be affected by your dad's position? Fornstrom said, "I don't think so. To have arguments at this point in our lives when were aren't even old enough to vote is not of benefit to either of us. It is good to hear different views, but it would not affect the friendship." As a daughter do you think that you could have an influence on your dad? "My dad and I have always had a close relationship. We have interesting conversations about what is happening in the world. As things get scarier and crazier we have conversations about those things." She then added, "not necessarily things that are affecting the Wyoming Legislature but things that are affecting the country and issues happening around the world." In answer to the question she said, "I don't think that I would have any influence over him. He has very strong foundation in what he believes in, and I think that's important for what he does. He's obviously open to things anyone has to say and I think that's what makes a great politician. Just being open and listening." Getting back to school, when it was announced that your dad was selected was there any kind of congratulatory by friends and teachers or was it more of a slight nod and keep going as usual? "It wasn't really that big of a deal, which was okay. I don't need a big party or anything." What is the biggest difference that you notice from him being mayor to being in his current position? "Yea, he's gone a lot. He's always on the phone, studying bills or doing something with someone. There is always something to do. He's really excited about the upcoming budget session and I am too. It is really cool to see him put so much work into something that he loves." As far as Keefer Fornstrom being a student at school, there was no change. Her friends and fellow students are the same, kind supportive and caring individuals that they were before. She is still Keefer Fornstrom, junior at Pine Bluffs Junior/Senior High School. Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, extends Spring Festival greetings to Chinese people at home and abroad ahead of the festival while visiting the Longfusi commercial area in Dongcheng District of Beijing, capital of China, Feb. 10, 2026. Xi visited primary-level officials and residents in Beijing during a two-day inspection tour from Monday to Tuesday. (Xinhua/Yan Yan) BEIJING, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping visited primary-level officials and residents in Beijing during a two-day inspection tour from Monday to Tuesday, extending Spring Festival greetings to Chinese people at home and abroad ahead of the festival. Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, wished them good health, career success, and family happiness. He also wished the country peace and prosperity in the Year of the Horse. The Spring Festival, also known as the Chinese New Year, is the most important traditional festival for the Chinese. This year it falls on Feb. 17. On Monday morning, Xi visited a national information technology innovation park in Beijing E-Town, where he viewed displays showcasing sci-tech achievements in fields such as artificial intelligence and robotics, and spoke with researchers and heads of technology enterprises. Xi said he was "even more confident" in the country's sci-tech innovation after seeing what was presented during the visit. He stressed that sci-tech self-reliance and strength is the "key" in China's efforts to build a great modern socialist country and urged the Chinese capital to leverage its unique strengths to make greater contributions in this regard. On Tuesday morning, Xi came to a Beijing downtown community which was renovated to be barrier-free and age-friendly. He visited a community canteen for seniors to learn about the meal services provided there. "Caring for and supporting the elderly is a shared responsibility of the whole society," Xi said, urging efforts to create better conditions for them to enjoy happy and fulfilling twilight years. In Xicheng District, Xi also visited an apartment complex for seniors, where he spent time with the elderly, wishing them health, longevity and a happy Spring Festival. Arriving at the Longfusi commercial area in Dongcheng District, Xi was briefed on urban renewal efforts there. He stopped by a store of the traditional bakery brand Daoxiangcun, where he watched pastry-making. At a Spring Festival market, he visited various stalls selling festive goods and talked with people there, sharing memories of his visits to the area when he was young. He also bought some specialty food and culture-themed products. Xi said he was very pleased to see the bustling, vibrant festive scene and well-stocked holiday goods there. "The Spring Festival is an important occasion for the people," Xi said, urging officials at all levels to make solid efforts in ensuring people's wellbeing and strengthening workplace safety so that everyone can enjoy a joyful Chinese New Year. During the trip, Xi heard a work report by Beijing municipal authorities and gave his approval for the city's progress across the board. Describing the 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026-2030) as key in China's efforts to basically realize socialist modernization, Xi said Beijing must take the lead and make sure "decisive progress" is achieved. He asked the Chinese capital to seize the opportunity of enlarging the Beijing (Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region) international sci-tech innovation center to strengthen its innovation coordination and industrial cooperation with Tianjin and Hebei. Xi also asked Beijing to actively develop the modern services sector and move further to comprehensively deepen reform and expand institutional opening up, in a bid to create experience that can be applied elsewhere across the nation. Xi said that as Beijing strives to build a world-class city that is harmonious and desirable to live in, it must advance urban governance with the highest standards. Xi demanded efforts to further exercise full and rigorous Party self-governance by adopting higher standards and more concrete measures. He also demanded that officials further enhance their ability to advance modernization. Cai Qi, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and director of the General Office of the CPC Central Committee, and other senior officials accompanied Xi on the inspection tour. Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, talks with elderly residents while visiting an apartment complex for seniors in Xicheng District of Beijing, capital of China, Feb. 10, 2026. Xi visited primary-level officials and residents in Beijing during a two-day inspection tour from Monday to Tuesday. (Photo by Feng Yongbin/Xinhua) Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, talks with elderly residents while visiting an apartment complex for seniors in Xicheng District of Beijing, capital of China, Feb. 10, 2026. Xi visited primary-level officials and residents in Beijing during a two-day inspection tour from Monday to Tuesday. (Photo by Feng Yongbin/Xinhua) Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, talks with elderly residents while visiting an apartment complex for seniors in Xicheng District of Beijing, capital of China, Feb. 10, 2026. Xi visited primary-level officials and residents in Beijing during a two-day inspection tour from Monday to Tuesday. (Xinhua/Xie Huanchi) Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, talks with elderly residents while visiting an apartment complex for seniors in Xicheng District of Beijing, capital of China, Feb. 10, 2026. Xi visited primary-level officials and residents in Beijing during a two-day inspection tour from Monday to Tuesday. (Xinhua/Yan Yan) Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, visits a store of the traditional bakery brand Daoxiangcun at the Longfusi commercial area in Dongcheng District of Beijing, capital of China, Feb. 10, 2026. Xi visited primary-level officials and residents in Beijing during a two-day inspection tour from Monday to Tuesday. (Xinhua/Yan Yan) Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, visits a store of the traditional bakery brand Daoxiangcun at the Longfusi commercial area in Dongcheng District of Beijing, capital of China, Feb. 10, 2026. Xi visited primary-level officials and residents in Beijing during a two-day inspection tour from Monday to Tuesday. (Xinhua/Xie Huanchi) Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, talks with people while visiting a Spring Festival market at the Longfusi commercial area in Dongcheng District of Beijing, capital of China, Feb. 10, 2026. Xi visited primary-level officials and residents in Beijing during a two-day inspection tour from Monday to Tuesday. (Xinhua/Yan Yan) Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, talks with people while visiting a Spring Festival market at the Longfusi commercial area in Dongcheng District of Beijing, capital of China, Feb. 10, 2026. Xi visited primary-level officials and residents in Beijing during a two-day inspection tour from Monday to Tuesday. (Xinhua/Yan Yan) Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, talks with people while visiting a Spring Festival market at the Longfusi commercial area in Dongcheng District of Beijing, capital of China, Feb. 10, 2026. Xi visited primary-level officials and residents in Beijing during a two-day inspection tour from Monday to Tuesday. (Xinhua/Xie Huanchi) Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, talks with delivery workers while visiting a community canteen for seniors in Xicheng District of Beijing, capital of China, Feb. 10, 2026. Xi visited primary-level officials and residents in Beijing during a two-day inspection tour from Monday to Tuesday. (Xinhua/Xie Huanchi) Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, visits a community canteen for seniors in Xicheng District of Beijing, capital of China, Feb. 10, 2026. Xi visited primary-level officials and residents in Beijing during a two-day inspection tour from Monday to Tuesday. (Xinhua/Xie Huanchi) Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, extends Spring Festival greetings to Chinese people at home and abroad ahead of the festival while visiting the Longfusi commercial area in Dongcheng District of Beijing, capital of China, Feb. 10, 2026. Xi visited primary-level officials and residents in Beijing during a two-day inspection tour from Monday to Tuesday. (Xinhua/Yin Bogu) Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, extends Spring Festival greetings to Chinese people at home and abroad ahead of the festival while visiting the Longfusi commercial area in Dongcheng District of Beijing, capital of China, Feb. 10, 2026. Xi visited primary-level officials and residents in Beijing during a two-day inspection tour from Monday to Tuesday. (Xinhua/Xie Huanchi) Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, waves to the crowd while visiting the Longfusi commercial area in Dongcheng District of Beijing, capital of China, Feb. 10, 2026. Xi visited primary-level officials and residents in Beijing during a two-day inspection tour from Monday to Tuesday. (Photo by Xiao Yi/Xinhua) Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, extends Spring Festival greetings to Chinese people at home and abroad ahead of the festival while visiting the Longfusi commercial area in Dongcheng District of Beijing, capital of China, Feb. 10, 2026. Xi visited primary-level officials and residents in Beijing during a two-day inspection tour from Monday to Tuesday. (Xinhua/Yan Yan) Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, extends Spring Festival greetings to Chinese people at home and abroad ahead of the festival while visiting the Longfusi commercial area in Dongcheng District of Beijing, capital of China, Feb. 10, 2026. Xi visited primary-level officials and residents in Beijing during a two-day inspection tour from Monday to Tuesday. (Xinhua/Yan Yan) Editor: ZAD The PartyPoker Tour Goes International; Seville Leg Begins March 16 Matthew Pitt Senior Editor Copy link The PartyPoker Tour has only stopped off in English or Scottish cities since its formation in 2025. However, following on from the success of those festivals, the tour is spreading its wings and heading to Spain from March 16 for PartyPoker Tour Seville, its first international stop. Casino Admiral in Sevilla is playing host to the PartyPoker Tour between March 16-22. The seven-day festival's schedule is packed with tournaments featuring affordable buy-ins and solid guaranteed prize pools. Everything kicks off at 5:00 p.m. CET on March 16 with Day 1a of the 150 Mini Main Event, which guarantees 50,000. It features four flights, including a turbo-structured Day 1c and a hyper-turbo-structured Day 1d. Other No-Limit Hold'em tournaments include a 200 buy-in knockout event, a 200 buy-in tournament sponsored by Faded Spade, the 1,000 High Roller, and, of course, the 500 buy-in, 100,000 guaranteed PartyPoker Tour Seville Main Event. 100,000 Guaranteed Main Event Day 1a, the first of four flights in the Main Event, shuffles up and deals at 5:00 p.m. CET on March 19. Day 1b runs from 2:00 p.m. CET on March 20, with the turbo Day 1c commencing at 9:00 p.m. CET on the same day. A last-chance hyper-turbo Day 1d is scheduled for 12:00 p.m. CET on March 21. Late registration remains open for 9 levels per flight, with the top 25% advancing to Day 2. That Day 2 explodes into action at 6:00 p.m. CET on March 21 before wrapping up on March 22 after another 5:00 p.m. CET start. Non-Hold'em Games Throughout the Festival While No-Limit Hold'em events dominate the PartyPoker Tour Seville schedule, mixed game players are also catered to. On March 17 at 7:00 p.m., there is a 100 Pot-Limit Omaha Big O event. More PLO tournaments run throughout the week, including a 150 PLO 4/5/6 Card event, and a 250 PLO Masters Main Event. There is even a Crazy Pineapple Bounty event for players wishing to try something completely different. PartyPoker Tour 2026 Seville Full Schedule Date Time (CET) Event Guarantee Mon 16 Mar 5:00 p.m. 150 Mini Main Event Day 1a 50,000 10:00 p.m. 30 Mini Main Event Satellite 3x seats Tue 17 Mar 4:00 p.m. 50 Mini Main Event Day 1b 50,000 6:00 p.m. 30 Mini Main Event Satellite 3x seats 7:00 p.m. 100 PLO Masters Big O 9:00 p.m. 150 Mini Main Event Day 1c Turbo 50,000 Wed 18 Mar 2:00 p.m. 150 Mini Main Event Day 1d Hyper 50,000 5:00 p.m. 60 Main Event Satellite 3x seats 6:00 p.m. 200 NLHE KO 8:00 p.m. Mini Main Event Day 2 50,000 10:00 p.m. 60 Main Event Satellite 3x seats Thu 19 Mar 5:00 p.m. 500 Main Event Day 1a 100,000 7:00 p.m. 150 PLO Masters 4/5/6 card 8:00 p.m. Mini Main Event Day 3 50,000 10:00 p.m. 60 Main Event Satellite 3x seats Fri 20 Mar 2:00 p.m. 500 Main Event Day 1b 100,000 6:00 p.m. 250 PLO Masters Main Event Day 1a 9:00 p.m. 500 Main Event Day 1c Turbo 100,000 10:00 p.m. 60 Poker.Pro Crazy Pineapple Bounty Sat 21 Mar 12:00 p.m. 500 Main Event Day 1d Hyper 100,000 4:00 p.m. 250 PLO Masters Day 1b 4:00 p.m. 200 Faded Spade NLHE 6:00 p.m. Main Event Day 2 100,000 8:00 p.m. 115 High Roller Satellite 3x seats 10:00 p.m. 250 PLO Masters Main Event Day 1c Turbo Sun 22 Mar 12:00 p.m. 250 PLO Masters Day 1d Hyper 1:00 p.m. 115 High Roller Satellite 3x seats 3:00 p.m. 250 NLHE Mystery Bounty 4:00 p.m. 1,000 NLHE High Roller 7-Max 5:00 p.m. Main Event Day 3 100,000 6:00 p.m. PLO Masters Main Event Day 2 8:00 p.m. 100 Last Chance NLHE Turbo Double Board PartyPoker Tour Launches New Loyalty Card w/ 25K Freeroll Entry Up for Grabs Learn more Win Your PartyPoker Tour Seville Main Event Seat In addition to the live satellites held at the Casino Admiral, players can also win their way to the PartyPoker Tour Seville Main Event online at PartyPoker. Satellites start at only 0.30, eventually leading to 50 satellites, where 1,500 packages are waiting to be won. Those packages contain a 500 Main Event buy-in and 1,000 towards travel and accommodation expenses. These online satellites won't be around for much longer, so don't delay! Share this article Day 1b of the $25,000 PLO Main Event at the 2026 Onyx High Roller Series played out inside the Merit Royal Diamond Hotel Casino & Spa, with 91 new entries added to the fiel. By the time the clock was stopped in the final minute of Level 14, just 14 players remained, each bagging a stack and securing their return for Day 2. Coming through with the biggest stack of 5,155,000 is Italys Youness Barakat. Barakat somehow scraped through Day 1a with nothing more than a chip and a chair, then made the choice to forfeit that stack, lock up a min-cash, and take another shot at making it through to Day 2. That decision looks pretty smart now. Barakat absolutely ran over the Day 1b field, bagging the overall chip lead with more than 20 starting stacks. Chinas Quan Zhou (2,755,000) sits closest behind him, while Bassel Alanaz (2,100,000) ends the night third. Zhou and Alanaz were also the ones who burst the bubble on the very last hands of the night, ensuring everyone else made it through. Day 1b Top Ten Chip Counts Rank Player Country Chip Count Big Blinds 1 Youness Barakat Italy 5,155,000 172 2 Quan Zhou China 2,755,000 92 3 Bassel Alanaz Lebanon 2,100,000 70 4 Espen Myrmo Norway 2,015,000 67 5 Lautaro Guerra Spain 2,010,000 67 6 Marcel Grubinger Austria 1,430,000 48 7 Aku Joentausta Finland 1,370,000 46 8 Mads Amot Norway 1,095,000 37 9 Geoffrey Mooney Australia 1,030,000 34 10 Joni Jouhkimainen Finland 975,000 33 Day 1b Action The day began at noon with 12 players in their seats, and the field steadily grew throughout the afternoon, reaching 91 entries when late registration closed. Jean-Robert Bellande was in early and wasted no time getting involved, flopping top set to send Eelis Parssinen to the rail on bullet number one. Patrik Antonius Once registration closed, plenty of big names bowed out before the tournament got near the money. Patrik Antonius, Tom-Aksel Bedell, and Basem Abudavas all failed to make it through, with Abudavas seeing his aces cracked in a three way all in. Biao Ding and Parssinnen also exited, with Parssinnens kings running straight into the aces of his countryman Aku Joentausta. As the field whittled down and the finish line came into view, play tightened up. This was where Barakat really started to pull away, first by picking off a river bluff from Espen Myrmo, then by getting paid on a big river value bet with a straight against Joentausta. Those two pots did most of the heavy lifting as Barakat surged clear at the top by the time bags came out. Aku Joentausta Laszlo Bujtas had his moment just before the soft bubble, winning a huge blind-on-blind pot to eliminate Sergei Nesterenko when both players turned flushes. That pot marked the high point of Bujtas day, as his stack quickly headed in the opposite direction from there. In the end, Bujtas shared the unwanted title of Day 1b bubble boy after calling off his stack on the river with top two pair, only to see Zhou turn over the nuts. Filip Aleksic hit the rail at the same time, meaning both players were eliminated on the final hand of the night. With that, no hand-for-hand was needed, and the remaining 14 players all locked up a cash and a seat in Wednesdays Day 2. Laszlo Bujtas With Day 1c Turbo having closed late registration and drawing 54 entries, the total field stands at 199 across the three opening flights. All surviving players will reconvene for Day 2 at 2 p.m. on Wednesday, February 11, with the blinds rolled back to the earliest finishing level and 60-minute levels starting as the tournament plays down to the final table. Remaining $25,000 PLO Main Event Schedule Day Date Time Blind Levels Day 2 February 11th 2 p.m. 60 minutes Day 3 Final Table February 12th 1 p.m. Hands-per-level Stay tuned to PokerNews for continued live coverage of the $25,000 PLO Main Event, which resumes for Day 2 at the 2026 Onyx High Roller Series. Aiken, SC (29801) Today Mostly clear this evening then becoming cloudy after midnight. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low around 60F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Mostly clear this evening then becoming cloudy after midnight. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low around 60F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph. Aiken, SC (29801) Today Mostly clear skies this evening will become overcast overnight. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low around 60F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Mostly clear skies this evening will become overcast overnight. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low around 60F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph. An Algerian student displays a lucky bag made during an event held in Banan District of Chongqing Municipality, southwest China, Feb. 3, 2026. As the Spring Festival approaches, Banan District of Chongqing Municipality hosted a "Laowai@Chongqing" event. "Laowai" is a Chinese slang term meaning "foreigners". (Xinhua/Chen Cheng) BEIJING, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- As the Chinese New Year, or the Spring Festival, draws near, a growing number of international travelers are planning their trips around this traditional celebration to immerse themselves in China's vibrant culture and festive spirit. For Finn, a young Dutch student who wore a horse-head hat and took photos under a theme park's golden wishing tree, his visit to Beijing shortly before the Spring Festival was great fun. "The joyous atmosphere and diverse interactive activities here make me fully immersed and entertained," he said. "I'll definitely share this with my friends in the Netherlands, and I'd love to bring them here again to experience a different Chinese New Year." Finn's horse-head hat is popular among young travelers in the park because 2026 is the Year of the Horse according to the Chinese zodiac. And the upcoming Spring Festival, which falls on Feb. 17, marks the first day of this Chinese New Year. Just like Finn, many international tourists are taking China as their destination recently. Data from major travel platforms shows a substantial rise in inbound tourism for the 2026 Spring Festival. During the last two weeks of January, international flight bookings to China jumped more than 400 percent compared to the same period last year, led by tourists from Thailand, the Republic of Korea, Malaysia, Vietnam, and Singapore. Notably, China has seen a significant ninefold increase in the number of reservations made by tourists from Argentina during this year's nine-day Spring Festival holiday, while bookings from European countries, including the Netherlands, Spain and Britain, more than doubled. Mexican tourists and their tour guide (1st L) pose for photos at the Tiantan (Temple of Heaven) Park in Beijing, capital of China, Jan. 7, 2026. (Xinhua/Ju Huanzong) "Around one third of our room bookings during the coming holiday were made by foreign guests," said a staff member of a hotel in Chengdu, southwest China's Sichuan Province. He added that many of these foreigners opted for extended stays to fully embrace the Chinese festival, which led to almost complete occupancy. "Celebrating the Spring Festival in China is becoming a new global trend," an analyst of the tourism industry said. "The uniqueness and immersive experience of Spring Festival traditions are emerging as core attractions for overseas visitors, injecting sustained momentum into the development of inbound tourism." The tourism boom is not limited to major cities; China's diverse landscapes and culture have given rise to many unexpected destinations. Recently, many Russian tourists have flowed into Hunchun, a small city of 200,000 people in northeastern China's Jilin Province that shares a border with Russia, as diverse local activities have begun for the Chinese New Year celebrations. Varvara is among the visitors. During her trip, she plans to visit the New Year's market, enjoy traditional festival food like dumplings, and take part in activities such as paper-cutting and hanging couplets. "I'm looking forward to all these activities. Learning about Chinese culture during China's most important festival is a truly unique experience," she said. Daria, another tourist from Russia, was excited about having a traditional Hanfu photoshoot during her Spring Festival visit to a local ancient town. She said she believes that wearing the traditional attire would provide a deeper and more authentic immersion into the festival. Foreign tourists experience making dumplings at the Suifenhe Railway Station in Suifenhe City, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, Feb. 10, 2026. Various kinds of activities were held on Tuesday to celebrate the traditional Chinese Xiaonian Festival in northern China, which marks the start of the countdown to the Spring Festival. (Photo by Qu Yiwei/Xinhua) Since the beginning of 2026, the Hunchun port between China and Russia has processed about 58,000 inbound and outbound passengers, including 44,000 foreign nationals, marking a year-on-year increase of 74.8 percent, according to local authorities. According to industry insiders, the travel boom can also be attributed to the relaxed visa and travel facilitation policies. Data from the National Immigration Administration shows that in 2025, China expanded its unilateral visa-free entry to citizens of 48 countries, while the number of countries offering reciprocal visa exemptions rose to 29. In 2025, the number of inbound and outbound travels by foreign nationals surpassed 82 million, up by 26.4 percent year on year, and the visa-free entries rose by nearly 50 percent year on year. Furthermore, across global social media platforms, terms like "Becoming Chinese" and "China Shopping" have gained traction, reflecting growing interest in immersive, hands-on experiences in China. Noting these trends in tourism and social media, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said he's glad to see that more and more foreign friends show interest in experiencing today's China and exploring the Chinese people's everyday life, and that they have the opportunity to do so. "We warmly welcome foreign friends to come to China for the Spring Festival to experience the country's joy and hospitality," the spokesperson added. Editor: ZAD Charleston, SC (29403) Today A few clouds. Areas of dense fog. Low near 60F. Winds SSW at 10 to 15 mph.. Tonight A few clouds. Areas of dense fog. Low near 60F. Winds SSW at 10 to 15 mph. Education Lab Reporter Ian Grenier covers K-12 and higher education in South Carolina from Columbia. Originally from Charleston, he studied history and political science at USC and reported for the Victoria Advocate in South Texas before joining The Post and Courier. Kingstree, SC (29556) Today A few passing clouds. Areas of dense fog. Low 56F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight A few passing clouds. Areas of dense fog. Low 56F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph. Kingstree, SC (29556) Today Clear to partly cloudy. Areas of dense fog. Low 56F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Clear to partly cloudy. Areas of dense fog. Low 56F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph. Volodymyr Khaustov, Scientific Secretary of the State Institution Institute of Economics and Forecasting of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine The current stage of economic development is characterized by the diffusion of innovations and the rapid development of systems for the protection and safeguarding of intellectual property (IP). A number of countries, such as China, Japan, and Korea, have become leading countries of the world because IP has become the main driving force of development. The development of IP in these countries occurred due to state decisions on the development of education and science and support for scientific research. In Ukraine, the situation is different. Over the last 30 years, there has been a clear and systematic deindustrialization of the country, a decrease in funding for science, and an orientation of science not toward results, but toward Scopus publications, which leads to a decline in patent activity and the quality of patent proposals. Table 1 presents the dynamics of the receipt of applications for inventions and utility models during 20042023. The analysis of inventive activity was carried out for the period from 2004, when the Civil Code of Ukraine entered into force, which annulled declarative patents without conducting a qualification examination, short patents, and expanded the list of utility models, which makes it impossible to compare inventive activity before and after 2004. Having analyzed changes in patenting trends, one can see that starting from 2004 applicants, in order to minimize the costs of obtaining a patent, intensified the filing of applications for utility models, which reduced the number of applications for inventions and negatively affected the technical level of patents, since the registration of utility models is carried out without conducting a substantive examination. In 2008, their share in the total number of filed applications already reached 77% compared to 56% in 2004, with a decrease in the share of applications for inventionsfrom 44% to 23%. The 20082009 crisis led to a slight decline in inventive activity in Ukraine. Starting from 2014, a negative trend was observed in the filing of applications for inventions and utility models, associated with the events of 2014. A significant drop in inventive activity in 2020 is caused by a number of objective reasons. By Resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine dated 12.06.2019 No. 496, the amounts of fees for filing applications and other actions necessary to obtain protection documents were significantly increased. The entry into force of the Law of Ukraine dated 21.07.2020 No. 816 On Amendments to Certain Legislative Acts of Ukraine Regarding the Reform of Patent Legislation, which limited the list of objects protected as utility models, led to a sharp drop in the number of applications for utility models (by almost 38%). The COVID-19 pandemic also made its adjustments. The highest rates of decline were observed in 2022 as a result of Russian military aggression. The number of applications for inventions decreased by almost 19%, and for utility modelsalmost by half compared to the previous year. And the number of international PCT patents of Ukraine in general has never over the last 30 years reached 200 per year, which corresponds to the patent activity of the 5th6th university in the world. That is, inventors of Ukraine practically do not see prospects for commercialization of their ideas abroad or do not have funds for such patenting, which costs 515 thousand US dollars, and prefer national procedures for filing applications. If we assess the situation as a whole, then in Ukraine over the years of independence it has not been possible to form a reliable system of IP protection. The main gaps in this sphere are quite clearly and balancedly outlined in the draft National Strategy for the Development of the IP Sphere in Ukraine for the period 20202025, which was successfully discussed at the parliamentary hearings Building an Effective IP Protection System in Ukraine on 16.12.2019. The final conclusion was formulated harshly: As a result, IP in Ukraine is still not considered as one of the key factors in the economic, social and cultural development of the country. But despite the successful discussion in parliament, the Strategy was never adopted. Now the Ukrainian National Office for Intellectual Property and Innovations (UANIPIO) has prepared a new draft Strategy, which will be submitted to the Ministry of Economy for further processing. One of the main reasons for the problems of invention is the lack of interest of state authorities in the development of domestic industry, science, and education. This is perfectly demonstrated (Table 2). The share of expenditures on science in the gross domestic product (GDP), starting from 2010, has steadily decreased and in recent years has decreased to 0.33%, which is almost 15 times less than Israels funding of science, and taking into account the extremely low GDP, it is generally unacceptable. Without funding, the development of science is simply impossible. The structure of capital investments in Ukraine (Table 3) shows an extremely low level of investment in intangible assets (IA) within 3.66.7% of the total amount of capital investments. If we take into account that for many years the share of capital investments in GDP up to 2022 did not exceed 15%, then the share of investments in IA does not exceed 0.81.0% of GDP, which does not correspond to global trends, according to which the total volume of investments in IA in 2023 reached 6.9 trillion US dollars, amounting to 2.9 trillion in 1995. Since 2008, the growth rate of investments in IA has been three times higher than the growth rate of investments in tangible assets. In 2023, investments in IA amounted to more than 16% of GDP in Sweden, the USA, and France. Another problem in the development of science is the mismatch of the priorities of Ukraines scientific research with global ones, which follows from the analysis of IP. If we look at the state of our patenting, then in shortit is little and not the right thing. Approximately 35.5 thousand applications for patents for inventions and utility models are filed per year. Moreover, for 1 invention there are more than 3 utility models, which are absent in the legislation of a number of countries altogether. The world is patented mainly in the 5th technological paradigm (primarily information technologies) and partly in the 6th (nano- and biotechnologies), while Ukrainein the 3rd (metallurgy, chemistry) and 4th (machine building). This indicates that the state cannot clearly formulate these priorities and make science adhere to them, and also the unwillingness of scientific institutions (SIs) and HEIs, within the framework of autonomy in choosing the directions of scientific research, to change topics. As we researched 50 years ago, so we do now. Numerous changes and reorganizations of state institutions that dealt with Ukraines IP also did not contribute to the development of the IP sphere. The main sources of patenting in Ukraine are HEIs and SIs, whose share of applications in 2023 amounted to about 90%. The share of applications for inventions and utility models from industry decreased from 4.0% in 2019 to 3.0% in 2023. It is clear that this is the result of the destruction of branch and factory science, which always provided the largest number of patents. Unlike Ukraine, the main applicants for patents in the world are corporations and HEIs. The situation with the sale of IP objects is simply catastrophic. The number of license agreements on the transfer of IP rights as of 01.01.2024, in respect of which information on the transfer of IP rights and the issuance of licenses has been entered into state registers, amounts to 4,085; of these, 87.3% are trademarks and only 3.6% are inventions. In 20222024, 251 license agreements for inventions and 240 for utility models were concluded. That is, Ukrainian inventions and utility models are really needed by very few people, which indicates huge problems in the development of Ukrainian science and the practical absence of real results of scientific research that can be commercialized. Thus, contrary to modern trends in the development of international technology transfer, in Ukraine it is practically absent. It is worth noting that in recent years effective use of startups has been spreading in the world. And despite military actions, a prolonged crisis, and other things, Ukrainians are developing successful startups. From 2020 to 2022, the value of Ukrainian startups increased 3.3 times and reached 23.3 billion euros. By the end of 2023 there were 1,500 active startups in Ukraine. The Dealroom study, CEE Startups 2025, notes that over the last decade the total value of startups in the region of Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) has increased 15 times, which is more than twice the 7-fold growth in Europe. Private CEE startups have now reached a total value of 163 billion euros. At the same time, Ukraine is in third place with a result of 30 billion euros. Startups that were born in the CEE often relocate: 48% of companies from the CEE moved their headquarters from the country of origin to another. In this unfortunate statistic, Ukraine sets anti-records: more than 90% of startups have moved out of Ukraine, which is explained by unfavorable conditions for their development in Ukraine. In general, assessing the situation, it can be stated that startups are a new way of commercializing innovations, more flexible and progressive compared to the traditional use of IP. And one can assume that soon startups may replace IP. Summing up, it can be stated that most of the problems of invention in Ukraine can be solved within a number of years if the laws of Ukraine are steadily implemented, which provide for funding of science in the amount of 1.7% of GDP, and if science is made one of the priorities of the development of the state. And with ensuring funding of science at the level of Israel, it is possible to return leading positions to our science as well. As US President R. Reagan said: We fund science not because we are rich. We are rich because we fund science. Table 1. Filing of applications for inventions and utility models in 2004-2023. 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 Vinakhodi, including 5778 5592 5930 6163 5697 4812 5310 5247 4944 5418 4814 4495 4092 4046 3975 3856 3194 3390 2758 2911 from national applicants 4090 3538 3474 3440 2825 2428 2554 2639 2484 2858 2457 2273 2231 2286 2116 2103 1370 1296 793 1010 Utility models, including 5232 7286 8171 8870 9600 9200 10679 10437 10229 10176 9384 8620 9560 9118 9115 8454 5273 4427 2378 3504 from national applicants 5141 7156 8027 8745 9450 9058 10528 10285 10030 9978 9244 8490 9473 8979 8977 8344 5059 4335 2324 3427 Total applications 11010 12878 14101 15033 15297 14012 15989 15684 15173 15594 14198 13115 13652 13164 13090 12310 8467 7817 5136 6415 Table 2. Dynamics of spending on scientific research and development in 2010-2023. Years Expenditures on scientific research and development - total, UAH million/ Including / % of total R&D expenditures Share of research and development spending in GDP, % basic scientific research applied scientific research scientific and technical (experimental) developments 2010 8107,1 26,8 19,6 53,6 0,75 2011 8513,4 25,9 21,3 52,8 0,65 2012 9419,9 27,8 21,5 50,7 0,67 2013 10248,5 26,3 20,1 53,6 0,70 2014 9487,5 25,9 19,8 54,3 0,60 2015 11003,6 22,4 17,8 59,8 0,55 2016 11530,7 19,3 22,2 58,5 0,48 2017 13379,3 21,9 23,6 54,5 0,45 2018 16773,7 22,4 21,3 56,3 0,47 2019 17254,6 21,7 21,1 57,2 0,43 2020 17022,4 25,0 23,3 51,7 0,41 2021 20973,8 24,6 23,0 52,4 0,38 2022 17117,8 23,8 28,2 48,0 0,33 2023 21348,1 20,7 29,7 49,6 0,33 Table 3. Structure of capital investments in Ukraine by type of assets in 2018-2024. Syndicated and guest columns represent the personal views of the writers, not necessarily those of the editorial staff. The editorial department operates entirely independently of the news department and is not involved in newsroom operations. Senior Politics Reporter Caitlin Byrd is the senior politics reporter at The Post and Courier. An award-winning journalist, Byrd previously worked as an enterprise reporter for The State newspaper, where she covered the Charleston region and South Carolina politics. Raised in eastern North Carolina, she has called South Carolina home since 2016. This paid press release is brought to you from our partnership with EZ Newswire. The Post and Courier news staff was not involved in its creation. Photo: https://www.facebook.com/minenergoUkraine The decision to increase electricity price caps on spot markets starting January 16 ultimately made it possible to reduce the duration of electricity outages for consumers by 1.5 outage schedules, said Yuriy Vlasenko, head of the national energy regulator, the National Energy and Utilities Regulatory Commission (NEURC). "Our regulatory decisions made it possible to reduce the duration of electricity outages for consumers by 1.5 outage schedules," he said during a speech in the Verkhovna Rada on Wednesday, where he was summoned following a decision on February 10. According to Vlasenko, during massive Russian attacks Ukraine was losing approximately 40% of its own generation capacity, leaving no ability to cover demand using domestic resources. At the same time, rising electricity prices in neighboring markets made it impossible to attract imports. The NEURC chairman explained that after the price caps were raised (by 82.5%, to UAH 15,000/MWh), imports in February nearly doubled compared to the same period in January, while daily volumes reached 50,000 MWh. According to him, this covers 20% of daily consumption. "The decision on the necessary regulatory changes was made in close cooperation with the government," Vlasenko said. PR-Inside.com: 2026-02-11 00:15:07 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 317 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 NEW YORK CITY, NY / ACCESS Newswire / February 10, 2026 / Pomerantz LLP is investigating claims on behalf of investors of Pinterest, Inc. ("Pinterest" or the "Company") (NYSE:PINS). Such investors are advised to contact Danielle Peyton at newaction@ pomlaw.com or 646-581-9980, ext. 7980.The investigation concerns whether Pinterest and certain of its officers and/or directors have engaged in securities fraud or other unlawful business practices.[Click here for information about joining the class action]On January 27, 2026, Pinterest announced a "board-approved global restructuring plan . . . that includes a reduction in force that is expected to affect less than 15% of the Company's workforce as well as office space reductions." Pinterest said that it "anticipates incurring total pre-tax restructuring charges of approximately $35 million to $45 million, which are expected to be primarily cash-related expenditures" and "is taking these actions to support its transformation initiatives, including but not limited to (i) reallocating resources to AI-focused roles and teams that drive AI adoption and execution, (ii) prioritizing AIpowered products and capabilities, and (iii) accelerating the transformation of its sales and go-to-market approach." On this news, Pinterest's stock price fell $2.49 per share, or 9.61%, to close at $23.41 per share on January 27, 2026.Pomerantz LLP, with offices in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, London, Paris, and Tel Aviv, is acknowledged as one of the premier firms in the areas of corporate, securities, and antitrust class litigation. Founded by the late Abraham L. Pomerantz, known as the dean of the class action bar, Pomerantz pioneered the field of securities class actions. Today, more than 85 years later, Pomerantz continues in the tradition he established, fighting for the rights of the victims of securities fraud, breaches of fiduciary duty, and corporate misconduct. The Firm has recovered numerous multimillion-dollar damages awards on behalf of class members. See www.pomlaw.com Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes.SOURCE: Pomerantz LLP PR-Inside.com: 2026-02-11 00:30:11 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 642 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 NEW YORK CITY, NY / ACCESS Newswire / February 10, 2026 /WHY: Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, reminds purchasers of securities of Klarna Group plc (NYSE:KLAR) pursuant and/or traceable to the registration statement and related prospectus (collectively, the "Registration Statement") issued in connection with Klarna's September 2025 initial public offering (the "IPO"), of the important February 20, 2026 lead plaintiff deadline in the securities class action first filed by the Firm.SO WHAT: If you purchased Klarna securities you may be entitled to compensation without payment of any out of pocket fees or costs through a contingency fee arrangement.WHAT TO DO NEXT: To join the Klarna class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=48971 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email case@ rosenlegal.com for information on the class action. A class action lawsuit has already been filed. If you wish to serve as lead plaintiff, you must move the Court no later than February 20, 2026. A lead plaintiff is a representative party acting on behalf of other class members in directing the litigation.WHY ROSEN LAW: We encourage investors to select qualified counsel with a track record of success in leadership roles. Often, firms issuing notices do not have comparable experience, resources, or any meaningful peer recognition. Many of these firms do not actually litigate securities class actions, but are merely middlemen that refer clients or partner with law firms that actually litigate the cases. Be wise in selecting counsel. The Rosen Law Firm represents investors throughout the globe, concentrating its practice in securities class actions and shareholder derivative litigation. Rosen Law Firm has achieved, at that time, the largest ever securities class action settlement against a Chinese Company. Rosen Law Firm was Ranked No. 1 by ISS Securities Class Action Services for number of securities class action settlements in 2017. The firm has been ranked in the top 4 each year since 2013 and has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors. In 2019 alone the firm secured over $438 million for investors. In 2020, founding partner Laurence Rosen was named by law360 as a Titan of Plaintiffs' Bar. Many of the firm's attorneys have been recognized by Lawdragon and Super Lawyers.DETAILS OF THE CASE: According to the lawsuit, the Registration Statement contained false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (1) Defendants materially understated the risk that Klarna's loss reserves would materially go up within a few months of the IPO, which they either knew of or should have known of given the risk profile of many individuals agreeing to Klarna's buy now, pay later ("BNPL") loans; and (2); as a result, defendants' public statements were materially false and misleading at all relevant times and negligently prepared. When the true details entered the market, the lawsuit claims that investors suffered damages.To join the Klarna class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=48971 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email case@ rosenlegal.com for information on the class action.No Class Has Been Certified. Until a class is certified, you are not represented by counsel unless you retain one. You may select counsel of your choice. You may also remain an absent class member and do nothing at this point. An investor's ability to share in any potential future recovery is not dependent upon serving as lead plaintiff.Follow us for updates on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-rosen-law-firm or on Twitter: https://twitter.com/rosen_firm or on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rosenlawfirm Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.---Contact Information:Laurence Rosen, Esq.Phillip Kim, Esq.The Rosen Law Firm, P.A.275 Madison Avenue, 40th FloorNew York, NY 10016Tel: (212) 686-1060Toll Free: (866) 767-3653Fax: (212) 202-3827 case@ rosenlegal.comwww.rosenlegal.com SOURCE: The Rosen Law Firm, P.A. PR-Inside.com: 2026-02-11 16:45:19 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 904 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 UNIONDALE, NY / ACCESS Newswire / February 11, 2026 / Marquis Who's Who proudly recognizes Karly Andrea Keahi Bannister, CEO, founder and visionary leader, for her pioneering contributions to holistic health and her leadership in redefining modern wellness through integrative medicine and somatic therapy. As the founder of Keahi Health Acupuncture & Herbal Clinic and the creative force behind the Fire & Flow ecosystem, Ms. Bannister is widely regarded as a cultural architect shaping the future of integrative wellness, bridging classical Chinese medicine with contemporary neuroscience, emotional mastery and high-performance leadership.With more than 16 years of clinical experience, Ms. Bannister has emerged as a category-defining authority at the intersection of Eastern medical wisdom and Western science. Her work advances a refined, results-driven approach to health that aligns physical well-being with emotional regulation, leadership excellence grounded in strategic clarity and embodied intelligence. Through her clinical practice, educational platforms and public voice, she continues to shape how individuals and organizations understand the body as a source of intelligence, resilience and power.A Visionary Leader in Integrative HealingSince founding Keahi Health Acupuncture & Herbal Clinic in 2010, Ms. Bannister has guided more than 2,000 patients toward lasting physical and emotional well-being, earning hundreds of testimonials that reflect her clinical precision, discretion and long-term impact. Her practice is distinguished by an elevated, patient-centered experience-one that integrates acupuncture, herbal medicine and somatic therapy within a sophisticated model emphasizing safety, agency, longevity and trust.Central to Ms. Bannister's work is the quality of the therapeutic relationship itself. Known for her warmth, attentive presence and refined sense of humor, she brings levity and humanity into the treatment room, creating an environment where patients feel genuinely seen, understood and at ease. She approaches each individual as a whole person-listening deeply, engaging authentically and cultivating a level of relational commitment that is both rare and transformative in modern healthcare. This relational depth allows Ms. Bannister to tailor care with strategic precision, aligning each treatment plan with the individual's physiology, goals and leadership demands.Ms. Bannister's work transcends conventional healthcare frameworks. By synthesizing ancient Chinese medical principles with contemporary neuroscience and somatic intelligence, she equips individuals with nervous-system mastery as a foundation for clarity, resilience and strategic decision-making under pressure. Her approach empowers patients not merely to heal, but to align their health with their personal, professional and creative ambitions-supporting exceptional performance alongside deep well-being.Executives, creatives, entrepreneurs and visionary leaders shaping culture and influence seek Ms. Bannister's guidance not only for symptom relief, but for recalibration of their physical, emotional and leadership systems. Her methods promote resilience, discernment and exceptional performance, establishing her as a trusted advisor to high-achieving individuals navigating complex, demanding lives.A Life Shaped by Curiosity, Courage and Embodied WisdomThe origins of Ms. Bannister's distinguished career in acupuncture and Chinese medicine trace back to her childhood, when witnessing her grandfather's battle with ALS awakened a profound respect for the body's innate capacity to heal. As a teenager, she experienced this potential firsthand when acupuncture successfully resolved allergy-induced asthma after conventional treatments failed-an experience that reshaped her relationship with her body, trauma and personal identity.This early initiation into somatic and energetic medicine inspired a lifelong devotion to integrative wellness. Through lived experience and more than 16 years of clinical practice, she has both received and administered care, refining a methodology that is intuitive, rigorous and rooted in classical Chinese medical lineage. Today, she is widely recognized as a modern ambassador of Chinese medicine, translating its ancient intelligence into contemporary relevance with clarity and authority.Global Training and Cultural ImmersionIn 2009, Ms. Bannister expanded her expertise through postgraduate studies at the Nanjing University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, where she trained across seven hospitals under master physicians specializing in acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine. There, she treated complex conditions, including stroke recovery, shingles, women's health disorders and cerebral palsy-experiences that reinforced her conviction that healing must address both physiology and nervous-system regulation.Her global perspective deepened further through her work as an acupuncturist aboard the Coral Princess Cruise Ship, where she treated thousands of patients from around the world. This cross-cultural immersion strengthened her ability to deliver nuanced, effective care across diverse populations, solidifying her role as a globally minded practitioner and educator.Earlier in her career, Ms. Bannister completed internships with the Department of Integrative Family Medicine at Oregon Health & Science University, the Central City Concern Drug and Alcohol Detoxification Clinic, and Dr. Hong Jin's private practice. These experiences sharpened her integration of evidence-based medicine, compassion and clinical excellence.Modern Wellness Through Ancient Intelligence"Somatic therapy is not new," Ms. Bannister explains. "Chinese medicine has always been somatic-working through the body to access and recalibrate the central nervous system. Acupuncture is ancient somatic technology." As global interest in somatic healing accelerates, Ms. Bannister stands at the forefront of this movement as a leading voice and industry shaper, uniquely positioned to contextualize body-based healing within its original medical lineage. Her ability to articulate complex systems with precision and elegance has made her a sought-after educator and keynote speaker, shaping conversations around embodiment, regulation, leadership and sustainable performance across clinical, corporate and creative environments."Acupuncture offers a direct pathway to nervous-system regulation," Ms. Bannister notes. "By gently toning the vagus nerve and calming the central nervous system, acupuncture soothes stress and restores balance at a physiological level." Unlike many self-regulation practices that require effort or training, this process is inherently receptive-allowing patients to ex PR-Inside.com: 2026-02-11 03:30:12 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 362 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 Renewal confirms continued eligibility to support State of California agencies, public-sector partners, and prime contractorsROHNERT PARK, CA / ACCESS Newswire / February 10, 2026 / Scott Technology Group, a Northern California-based provider of office equipment and managed print services, announced today that it has received approval from the State of California to renew its Small Business (SB) and Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise (DVBE) certifications through January 2028.The renewed certifications reaffirm Scott Technology Group's eligibility to support State of California agencies and public-sector organizations seeking qualified, compliant suppliers that align with California's supplier diversity goals.In recent years, Scott Technology Group has completed over $2 million in business with the State of California, providing production printers, multifunction printers, and ongoing technical support to state agencies and public entities. The company looks forward to continuing to expand its role as a trusted technology partner to the state."As a California-certified Small Business and DVBE, we're proud to support the state's mission while delivering reliable, cost-effective print and document solutions," said David Scott, owner of Scott Technology Group. "We value the opportunity to work directly with state agencies, collaborate with reciprocity partners, and subcontract with prime contractors to help meet California's diversity supplier participation goals." Scott Technology Group serves organizations throughout Santa Rosa, Sonoma County, Napa County, Marin County, and the greater North Bay, supporting public-sector, education, healthcare, and commercial customers with document technology solutions. The company is an authorized Canon and Ricoh dealer, offering sales, leasing, service, and managed print programs tailored to compliance-driven environments.State agencies, public institutions, and prime contractors seeking a certified Small Business and DVBE partner for office equipment, managed print services, or subcontracting opportunities are encouraged to connect with Scott Technology Group.About Scott Technology GroupFounded in Northern California, Scott Technology Group provides office equipment, multifunction printers, and managed print services to public-sector and commercial organizations. As a California-certified Small Business and Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise, the company specializes in compliant procurement, long-term service support, and partnership with state agencies and prime contractors across the North Bay and beyond.Contact:Scott Technology Group SB/DVBE #16831Rohnert Park, CA www.Scott.tech 707-584-3995 info@ scott.tech SOURCE: Scott Technology Group Growth of illegal tobacco market leads to underutilization of lines at Philip Morris' new factory Further growth of the illegal segment of the tobacco market may force Philip Morris Ukraine to revise its investment plans in the country, the company said in a release citing its Chief Financial Officer Serhiy Kalnoochenko. He emphasized that the contraction of the legal market directly affects capacity utilization. At present, at the new factory in Lviv region, some of the five installed production lines remain underloaded. "The expansion of shadow trade significantly reduces the volume of budget revenues. Under wartime conditions and amid shortages of electricity and heating, these are funds that could have been directed toward supporting the state and citizens," Kalnoochenko said. He added that the potential for budget revenue generation remains significantly higher, but a major restraining factor is the growth of the illegal segment, which negatively affects fair competition. Despite the challenging conditions and a missile strike on the companys Kharkiv facility in January 2026, Philip Morris continues to meet its obligations to the state budget, partners, and consumers. In 2025, the company paid UAH 58.5 billion in taxes, which is 12% (or UAH 6.3 billion) more than in 2024. The bulk of payments consisted of excise tax, nearly UAH 44 billion, as well as VAT UAH 13.4 billion. "The increase in tax payments in 2025 was driven by higher excise tax rates on tobacco products, as well as the transfer of cigarette production from a partners factory to the companys own facility in Lviv region," Kalnoochenko said. The company also implemented humanitarian projects totaling UAH 431 million, cooperating with rehabilitation funds Superhumans, U+System, UNBROKEN, and others. As reported, in 2024 Philip Morris Ukraine opened a new factory in Lviv region, investing $30 million in its launch. Operations at the companys Kharkiv factory have remained suspended since February 24, 2022. Philip Morris Ukraine (PMU) has operated on the Ukrainian market since 1994. On January 30, 2026, the company reported a Russian missile strike that damaged part of its Kharkiv factory. According to data from the YouControl resource, in the first nine months of 2025, revenue of PJSC Philip Morris Ukraine decreased by 13.3%, to UAH 14.23 billion. It has already been two years, and Hashimu Yahaya still counts his losses. The young herder recalls the day when armed men invaded his home in Rudwang, a small Fulani settlement in Mangu Local Government Area of Plateau State, in 2023. The attack, which he said nearly claimed his life, was a spillover of farmers-herders violence that erupted in Mangu a month earlier and lingered till the end of the year, spilling into neighbouring local government areas and resulting in what was reported as a Christmas Eve attack. Even though he narrowly escaped, Mr Yahaya lost five relatives, including his younger brother, Ismail. They were killed, and their bodies were sliced into pieces before dumping them in a well, he muttered, his voice cracking. Apart from losing his loved ones, Mr Yahaya explained that the assailants went away with 80 cattle belonging to him and his family. He said the theft was reported to the police and the military. But we could not recover the cattle, he told PREMIUM TIMES, estimating the loss at N40 million at the time. Hundreds of people have been killed in such violence in Plateau State in recent years. For herder families, such as Mr Yahayas, not only do they lose their loved ones, but their cattle are also rustled, thus making economic recovery difficult for them. A tech solution far from herders reach Mr Yahayas ordeal with his cattle mirrors the gap between policy promise and reality in Nigerias livestock sector. In 2022, the Nigerian government, through the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, launched the National Animal Identification System (NAITS), presenting it as a technology-driven solution to curb cattle rustling and scale up the livestock industry. NAITS was built around a digital livestock identification and tracing tool, Ranch.ID. The tool, as explained on NAITS website, uses two-dimensional data matrix barcodes on ear tags. The ear tags contain biometric identifiers such as facial recognition and extensive cattle passport information. In theory, the system reflects key principles of Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI). It aims to create a standardised national database, improving interoperability across agencies, and including pastoralists who have historically operated outside formal systems. But several years after its launch, herders like Mr Yahaya say they havent seen it materialise. I only heard about something like that four years ago when some colleagues were discussing it in our village, he said. Investigations show that the federal government spent N68.3 million (N68,363,636.36) to design the initiative. Yet there is no publicly accessible dashboard showing how many animals have been registered nationwide, how many states are actively using the system, or whether [tagged] livestock have ever been successfully recovered after theft. This opacity, experts say, is part of the problem. The scale of cattle rustling Cattle rustling has evolved from sporadic theft into a major driver of rural violence in Nigeria. According to security analysts and herders associations, armed groups now steal livestock at scale, selling them in poorly governed markets and using the proceeds to fund terrorism. The Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association (MACBAN) estimates that more than four million cattle have been rustled since 2014, the peak of the Boko Haram insurgency. MACBANs national president, Baba Ngelzarma, in an interview with this reporter, noted that there is no centralised data to substantiate this. A 2024 study by the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organised Crime (GI-TOC) and the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED) found that cattle rustling, as it is now known, began as sporadic theft in Nigeria in 2011, becoming a primary revenue stream for terrorists locally known as bandits. The industry evolved into a mass criminal economy, but diminished in 2019 as attention shifted to kidnappings and mining. By late 2023, the researchers argued that the scale of theft had become so extensive that armed groups themselves were described as the largest cattle owners in parts of North-west, triggering infighting over the remaining herds. Yet as herders continued to flee to safer places, terrorists followed suit, preying on their livestock. An emerging DPI that has yet to mature Digital governance experts describe NAITS as an emerging DPI, one with potential but weak institutional execution. While its design partially reflects inclusivity and reusability, it lags in other key DPI principles. Even though livestock management in Nigeria is largely decentralised, NAITS appears to operate as a federated system. The federal government announced in 2022 that implementation had commenced in at least ten states Bauchi, Edo, Enugu, Lagos, Katsina, Niger, Ogun, Oyo, and Ondo and the FCT. Yet there is no verifiable public record showing operational status, adoption rates, or state-level integration. Mr Ngelzarma, the MACBAN president, said the initiative, which was initially piloted by a private company, Megacorps Nigeria Limited, has not taken off. He blamed the delay on policy and bureaucratic issues that have not yet been completed for the programme to take off smoothly. Starting new initiatives like the NAITS, Mr Ngelzarma says, comes with challenges, one of which he said was the creation of the Ministry of Livestock Development. The new ministry will now take control of NAITS, the MACBAN president told PREMIUM TIMES. But there seems to be inter-ministerial rivalry as observed with the recent launch of the initiative in Kogi and Kwara states. Ezeaja Ikemefuna, an assistant director at the information department of the Ministry of Agriculture, told our reporter that the initiative is now under Livestock Development, advising that all questions be directed to the ministry. However, the livestock ministry has yet to respond to enquiries sent to them. NAITS also falls short of another DPI principleinteroperability. It is not clear whether NAITS data is integrated with those of relevant entities, such as security agencies. As part of Nigerias broader digital transformation strategy, the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has since 2018 been leading what it describes as Nigerian e-Government Interoperability Framework (Ne-GIF). The framework, backed by the NITDA Act 2007, aims to standardise communication, data exchange, and service integration among Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs). This year, it plans to put the framework into practice. The agency said it will begin deploying actual interoperable systems, such as the Nigerian Data Exchange (NGDX), that allow government platforms to share data securely. Sometimes you can trace the cattle, but you cant easily find security operatives who will recover them, Mr Yahaya, whose cattle were rustled in Plateau, said. His point was similarly echoed by Mr Ngelzarma, who argued that the tool is not enough to curb cattle rustling. But it will also be useful in improving standards of livestock production and consumption. A digital governance expert and the digital rights lead at the Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD), Ali Sabo, also shared a similar view. While tools can generate data, recovery and deterrence require security agencies, he said. The herders this reporter spoke to also raised concerns about ear tags, saying perpetrators could easily remove them. Allaying their fears, Mr Ngelzarma said the tags come in different models. Some are ear tags, while some can be chipped in an animals skin, he explained, noting that those handling the technical aspects will know which works best. Findings show that Megacorps, the private company, still handles the technical parts of the initiative. This, Mr Sabo feared, could strip the government of data sovereignty and cause long-term sustainability challenges. He also emphasised the importance of transparency, accountability, and public procurement oversight, highlighting the inability to assess value for money without public data on usage and outcomes. The initiative, Mr Sabo said, shows potential as an emerging DPI. But implementation is actually incomplete, especially in governance, transparency, and institutional integration. Uche Ononye, Megacorps Chief Operating Officer and Project Lead for NAITS, told this newspaper that his firm has developed the system. He said the initiative is inclusive, interoperable, and privacy-protected, and that it can be improved. The biggest challenge, Mr Ononye said, is the implementation of the initiative. The system has been developed; it is just the implementation. He noted that there is a need for proper sensitization and awareness about the initiative. Herders like Mr Yahaya have the hope that cattle rustling will be mitigated if the initiative is implemented. I havent seen or officially been told about it, he reiterated. But I believe something like that technology will help reduce the problem. This report is produced under the DPI Africa Journalism Fellowship Programme of the Media Foundation for West Africa and Co-Develop. The Anambra State Government has asked corporate bodies, government agencies, and organisations operating within the state to file their monthly Withholding Tax (WHT) returns or risk heavy penalties. The Chairperson of the Anambra State Internal Revenue Service, Greg Ezeilo, disclosed this in a public notice issued on Friday. He said that statutory bodies, public authorities, tax-exempt institutions, government ministries and departments, and even non-corporate bodies are also mandated to file their monthly WHT returns. Mr Ezeilo explained that the directive is in accordance with the Nigeria Tax Administration Act, 2025, and the Withholding Tax (Deduction at Source) Regulations 2024. The chairperson stressed that, in line with the laws, WHT must be deducted at the point of payment for all qualifying transactions and remitted to the states coffers not later than the 21st day of the following month. He warned that any transaction involving entities without a valid Tax Identification Number, National Identification Number, or Anambra State Identity Number will be subjected to WHT deductions at twice the applicable rate. Penalties Mr Ezeilo said failure to comply with the tax laws will result in various penalties, including payment of fines up to N1 million or imprisonment, depending on the nature of the violation. The chairperson asked the affected firms and bodies to contact the Anambra State Internal Revenue Service via its dedicated telephone lines or visit its office in Awka, Anambra State, for further enquiries. He said taxpayers are required to file their returns, along with a detailed schedule of deductions, including the taxpayers name, address, transaction date, and transaction nature, via the states official portal. Passed into law in June 2025 by President Bola Tinubu and taking effect from 1 January 2026, the Nigeria Tax Administration Act 2025 consolidated four tax reform bills into a single document for efficiency and ease of reference. They include the Nigerian Tax Act, the Nigerian Tax Administration Act, the Nigerian Revenue Service Act and the Joint Board Revenue Board Act. Under the new law, persons earning N800,000 or less annually are exempted from paying tax on their income or gains. Higher earners will be taxed progressively up to 25 per cent of their income. For Nigerians who have lost their jobs, the tax exemption limit has been upped to N50 million from N10 million. Nigerians earning a monthly income of N108,000 or less as individuals and N250,000 or less as households are now exempt from tax. Small businesses (companies with an annual turnover of N100 million and below and total fixed assets of N250 million or less) are exempted from all manner of taxes. Previously, the turnover threshold was N25 million. The federal governments VAT share was axed to 10 per cent from 15 per cent. States share was increased to 55 per cent from 50 per cent, while local governments share remains unchanged at 35 per cent. States and local governments portions will be distributed according to user parameters, including 50 per cent (shared equally), 30 per cent (based on consumption location), and 20 per cent (based on population). Professor Emeritus Biodun Jeyifo, a Nigerian academic and literary critic widely regarded as one of the foremost scholars of Nobel laureate Wole Soyinka, has died. He was 80. The President of the Nigerian Academy of Letters, Andrew Haruna, announced Mr Jeyifos death in a statement on Wednesday, saying the scholar passed away on 11 February. Known to colleagues and students as Professor BJ, Mr Jeyifo built a distinguished academic career that began at the then University of Ife, before he held dual teaching appointments at Cornell University and Harvard University in the United States. In January, an international scholarly gathering was held at the MUSON Centre in Lagos to mark his 80th birthday. The event drew academics, writers and cultural figures in recognition of his lifelong contributions to literary studies and intellectual life. Leading authority on the life and works of Wole Soyinka Mr Jeyifo was widely recognised as a leading authority on the life and works of Wole Soyinka. His book, Wole Soyinka: Politics, Poetics and Postcolonialism, published by Cambridge University Press in 2004, earned international acclaim and several awards. Scholars often describe the work as one of the most extensive and rigorous single-author studies in African postcolonial literary criticism. Unlike some critics who viewed the complexity of Mr Soyinkas writing as deliberate obscurity, Mr Jeyifos scholarship argued that the perceived difficulty of the Nobel laureates work was rooted in modernist and avant-garde literary techniques. His approach combined close textual analysis with broader political and cultural interpretation, offering detailed readings of Soyinkas drama, poetry and prose. Intellectually rigorous and accessible Colleagues have often described Mr Jeyifos writing as both intellectually rigorous and accessible, blending critical depth with clarity of expression. Beyond Soyinka studies, he was known for his wide-ranging engagement with world Anglophone literature, cultural theory and postcolonial thought. Born on 5 January 1946, Mr Jeyifo was a Fellow of the Nigerian Academy of Letters and a prominent public intellectual whose career spanned several decades of teaching, research and mentorship across Nigeria and the United States. In announcing his death, the Nigerian Academy of Letters expressed condolences to his family and the academic community, describing his passing as a significant loss to literary scholarship in Nigeria and beyond. Leo Edochie, son of veteran actor Pete Edochie, has reacted to viral claims alleging that his father has died. The rumours began circulating on X (formerly Twitter) on Tuesday after a user identified as D Great alleged that the actor was rushed to the hospital and later died under unspecified circumstances. The user further claimed, falsely, that Edochies eldest son confirmed the actors death on Instagram. D Great wrote: Nollywood actor Pete Edochie have just passed away at the age of 78 after being rushed to the hospital last due to unknown circumstances. His elder son has confirmed the passing of Pete Edochie this morning on his IG. It was a tragic moment, he said, Rest in peace, sir. The post quickly gained traction, with several other X users circulating the claim without verification. Clarification However, in a video posted on his Instagram page on Tuesday night, Leo dismissed the rumours, insisting that the 78-year-old was hale and hearty. He further described the claims as baseless, stating that they emanated from the pit of hell. Leo said: I have been besieged with calls, text messages, WhatsApp messages, over some nonsense that people posted that our father, Chief Pete Edochie, is dead, which is a lie from the pit of hell. Our father, Chief Pete Edochie, is not just alive, but hale and hearty. I tell you something, if you are wishing someone dead, two things usually happen. He lives very long, and you will die before him. I repeat, if you wish somebody dead, two things usually happen. One, he will live very long, and two, you will die before him. Shame to all of you. God punish all of you. Backstory PREMIUM TIMES gathered that this was not the first time rumours of the veteran actors death had surfaced. The newspaper further gathered that in July 2022, Uche, the son of the actor who rose to prominence in the 1980s for his portrayal of Okonkwo in the Nigerian Television Authoritys adaptation of Chinua Achebes Things Fall Apart, debunked a similar claim. He said the rumours that his father had died in an accident were false. Posting on Instagram at the time, Uche affirmed that his father was alive and had not been involved in any car crash. He further criticised those behind the rumours, pointing out that such unfounded reports about his fathers death had circulated repeatedly over the past two decades. Hi, everyone. My dad is okay. No, he is not dead, and he has not been in an accident. Believe it or not, for the past twenty years, a group of people has taken up the task of declaring that my dad is dead. They do this every other year. Human beings are a weird bunch. I wonder what motivates people to do things like this. These are adults. I guess they do it to drive traffic to their websites or just for their attention. Who knows? If this were a one-off incident, I would not even bother to talk about it. But they have persisted. They have been doing this for years now, and in the past few days, friends have been calling us yet again. My dad must be some superhero because, according to the people peddling this news, he has died like a hundred times in the past twenty years. Anyway, thanks, guys. Just needed to drop a quick one and shut this madness down. Have a superb week, he wrote. Vivian, wife of actor and media personality Victor Nkubi Nwaogu, has opened up about the difficulties she faced during her pregnancy with their daughter, Soromtochukwu. The couple, who married in February 2021, welcomed their first child together in April 2024. Speaking in an interview with her husband on Pulse One on One, which was posted on YouTube on Wednesday, Vivian revealed that she received discouraging advice from both her doctor and nurse. Recalling what her doctor told her, she said: When I did my abnormality scan, and I handed it to the doctor, the doctor was like, Does anyone have any trait of dwarfism in your family? I said yes, it was my husband. The doctor said, Why didnt I go to my brother-in-law or go outside to get pregnant instead of getting pregnant for my husband? Or even get a sperm donor. Yes, that is what a doctor told me. Theyre not given equal rights in this country. Spiritual Furthermore, the mother of one revealed that when she gave birth to Soromtochukwu, a nurse at the Lagos hospital where she delivered suggested she seek spiritual help after seeing the size of her daughter. She added that the nurses behaviour left her traumatised throughout the postnatal care period. Talking about this religion, when I gave birth to my daughter in this same hospital. Theres this nurse in the hospital who traumatised me after birth care. She told me this is spiritual and said she has a pastor. That her pastor can pray for my daughter, and she can be tall. A trained nurse in Lagos. I have kept all these things to myself without airing them online. She gave me an instance that one of her friends gave her to a little person, and they took her to that pastor, and the pastor prayed, and the baby got tall, she said. Online bullying Vivian further revealed that when they introduced Soromtochukwu online, their child faced a wave of criticism, with people directing various names and comments at her. She added that she and her husband had agreed to the unveiling, fully aware that it would provoke strong reactions. A lot of people were telling us that we were hiding this baby, but she was ill when we gave birth to her. When we gave birth to her, she was very healthy until three months later. Then she fell, she, she, she got sick, very sick. She was in a coma for seven days. So we wanted her to be okay before we brought her out, before we showed her to the public. Were ready, but sometimes it hurts when you see those. I felt so sad. Thats why sometimes on my page I take pictures of these trolls, put their comments on them, and post them. That is what I do most of the times. Its really heartbreaking for me. Google says Valentines Day celebrations in Nigeria are taking on a more expressive and experience-led tone in 2026. They say Search data show that Nigerians are moving away from rigid romantic scripts towards plans shaped by wellness, friendship and visual appeal. Rather than focusing only on dinners and flowers, many Nigerians appear to be planning moments that reflect personal style and shared experiences. Searches in early February suggest a growing preference for activities that blend relaxation, aesthetics, and memory-making, as individuals look for ways to mark the day that feel more intentional and memorable. One notable shift is the rise of self-care as part of Valentines planning. Search interest in couples spa and salon packages climbed in the first week of February, pointing to a growing appetite for low-pressure, wellness-centred dates. Google said the insights were drawn from search activity in Nigeria during the first week of February, offering a snapshot of how Valentines Day planning is evolving. Taken together, the patterns suggest that for many Nigerians, the day is becoming less about ticking romantic boxes and more about crafting moments that reflect who they are and how they choose to celebrate love, friendship and self-care. Unusual searches Unusually, searches for dental packages designed for couples also surfaced among the top queries, suggesting that for some, shared self-improvement and grooming are becoming part of how love is expressed. Travel-based plans are also gaining attention. Queries related to romantic weekend getaways in Lagos and nearby cruise trips ranked among the most searched Valentines activities, reflecting a desire to escape routine and create short, immersive experiences around the celebration. Beyond couples, the data points to a broader social interpretation of Valentines Day. Searches related to Galentines Day and group activities indicate that friendship-based celebrations are becoming more mainstream. Interest in themed photoshoots, including ideas specifically tailored for men, featured among trending searches, suggesting that documenting the celebration has become part of the experience itself. Gifting patterns Gifting patterns reflect this emphasis on aesthetics, with money bouquets emerging as a popular query alongside customised gift bags and themed cakes, highlighting a preference for gifts that combine meaning with visual impact. According to Taiwo Kola-Ogunlade, communications manager for West Africa at Google, the trends reflect a shift towards more intentional and personalised celebrations. The 2026 trends show that Nigerians are being more deliberate about how they mark Valentines Day, whether thats celebrating friendship, prioritising wellness, or putting extra thought into creative gifts, he said. People are using Search not just to find items to buy, but to figure out how to shape the experience itself. The data also points to changing relationship dynamics. Searches for messages suited for long-distance relationships and new romances rose sharply in early February, suggesting that people are using online tools to navigate emotional expression and connection, particularly where physical presence is limited. Israels December 2025 recognition of Somaliland, a secessionist northern part of Somalia, set off a series of political and diplomatic shockwaves in the Horn of Africa and the Arabic Peninsula. In a region already facing acute tensions amid global geopolitical reconfigurations, how the African Union (AU) handles the fallout will be key. Somalia rejected the move as an infringement on its territorial integrity. Most regional and international organisations, including the AU, Intergovernmental Authority on Development, United Nations (UN), European Union and Arab League, condemned Israels actions, citing violations of international law, the AUs Constitutive Act and the UN Charter. Some countries known for their opposition to Somalilands independence, such as Djibouti, Egypt, Sudan, South Sudan, Turkey and Saudi Arabia, reacted similarly. Others kept silent in an attitude of wait and see. For the AU, any unilateral claim of sovereignty is an irritant. Its highest decision-making body, the Peace and Security Council, strongly condemned Israels position, saying: No actor has the authority or standing to alter the territorial configuration of an AU Member State. However, this strong wording froze the discussion without providing a consensual solution. Somalilands quest for international recognition symbolises various dimensions of African post-colonial statehood. It raises questions around the criteria for sovereignty and has legal, political, geopolitical and regional implications. Somaliland gained independence from Great Britain on 26 June 1960. After Somalia secured independence from the Italian-administered UN Trusteeship on 1 July 1960, the Republic of Somalia was formed as a union of former British Somaliland and Somalia Italiana. However, following the outbreak of civil war in 1969 and the collapse of Somalias central government, Somaliland declared independence in 1991. From a strict legal perspective, the AU often invokes the commitment of its predecessor, the Organisation of African Unity, to the intangibility of borders inherited from colonisation. The principle was established in 1964 in Cairo to avoid the multiplication of irredentist claims that could have destabilised newly established states. The Cairo Declaration has since been a cornerstone of the AUs normative framework. However, advocates of Somalilands independence use the same principle to justify its quest for sovereignty. The entitys independence was achieved within the borders of British Somaliland. The decision to form a union with Somalia was its own, and so, supporters say, Somaliland has the right to reverse its decision. The relative stability and regular alternation of power in Somalilands elections are also cited by advocates of the countrys independence. Rather than making a legal case, the AU would be better served by advancing a political argument grounded in respect for the territorial integrity of its member states. That paves the way for political solutions as the preferred means of resolving internal tensions. The AU is also wary of setting a precedent that could have far-reaching consequences in the Horn of Africa, the only region where secession has led to the creation of new states. Eritrea and South Sudan seceded from Ethiopia and Sudan in 1993 and 2011, respectively. The severe post-liberation challenges these two newly established countries face, characterised by authoritarian repression and intense internal conflict, do not serve Somalilands cause. New states in the region tend to inherit the same problems as pre-existing states. Their structural foundations were compromised long before the clamour for independence. As a result, new states fail to realise their envisioned objectives, owing to numerous factors, including the act of separation itself. Israels recognition of Somaliland has generated an unusual degree of cohesion among regional actors and AU member states against Somaliland. This is because it stems from the actions of an external actor and violates a sacrosanct AU principle: respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity. For the AU, the Somaliland question represents a particularly acute challenge: it has reiterated a normative principle in the face of a crisis, but lacks the operational means to enforce it. At a time when the AUs peace and security framework is under review, member states should propose innovative ways to empower the AU Commission to enforce its principles. The Somaliland question is also a reminder that, despite being deployed in Somalia since 2007, the AU has allowed this issue to fester until it became vulnerable to instrumentalisation by external actors. For Somalia, Somalilands pursuit of international recognition, combined with the strong internal support it enjoys, directly undermines pan-Somalism, the countrys implicit state ideology. Somali nationalism is grounded in the idea that all Somalis should be united in a single nation, as they share a common identity, culture, and language. The pursuit of that political project led to wars in East Africa. Over the years, Somalia has gradually abandoned its ambition of unifying Somali-inhabited territories in Kenya, Ethiopia and Djibouti. In this context, Somalilands entrenched secessionist project questions not only the viability of Somalia within its current borders but also challenges the foundations of pan-Somalism, an ideology grounded on contested assumptions. This failure of pan-Somalism challenges a more widespread assumption in Africas public debate that instability is primarily the result of arbitrarily drawn colonial borders that created artificial states with high levels of ethnic diversity. The de facto secession of Somaliland since 1991 provides a rebuttal to this line of thinking, which correlates ethnic homogeneity with stability. Empirical evidence from other parts of Africa also reveals that ethnically homogeneous societies are no less prone to violent conflict than their more heterogeneous peers. This shows that national cohesion is not just a product of demographic uniformity, but the result of state-building strategies, effective diversity management and political legitimacy. The AU Peace and Security Councils communique has frozen the discussion about Somalilands quest for independence. Longstanding AU efforts to stabilise Somalia must include a political dimension related to dialogue with Somaliland. This will increase the AUs legitimacy on the matter and prevent additional external actors from following Israels precedent. Paul-Simon Handy, Regional Director East Africa and Representative to the African Union and Selam Tadesse Demissie, Researcher, Horn of Africa Security Analysis, Institute for Security Studies (ISS), Addis Ababa (This article was first published by ISS Today, a Premium Times syndication partner. We have their permission to republish). The number of British troops deployed to Norway would double over the next three years as part of efforts to strengthen defences in the Arctic and High North against Russia. Defence Secretary John Healey announced this on Wednesday. During a visit to Royal Marines at Camp Viking in Northern Norway, Mr Healey pledged to increase the UKs military presence in the country from 1,000 to 2,000 personnel. He also confirmed that British forces would participate in NATOs Arctic Sentry mission, an initiative aimed at boosting security in the region. The move comes amid growing concern over Russias military activity in the Arctic. Mr Healey said Moscow poses the most significant threat to Arctic and High North security since the Cold War. Demands on defence are rising, and Russia poses the greatest threat to Arctic and High North security that we have seen since the Cold War. We see Putin rapidly re-establishing military presence in the region, including reopening old Cold War bases. The UK is stepping up to protect the Arctic and High North, doubling the number of troops we have in Norway and scaling up joint exercises with NATO allies, Mr Healey said. The Arctic Sentry mission is intended to reinforce NATOs presence in the region and address security concerns, including those raised by US President Donald Trump over Greenland. Mr Healey is expected to discuss the proposals with NATO counterparts at the alliances headquarters in Brussels on Thursday. Around 1,500 British commandos are due to deploy to Norway in March for NATOs Exercise Cold Response. Later in the year, the UK-led Joint Expeditionary Force would conduct major exercises in the region involving air, land and naval units, focused on protecting critical infrastructure from potential attacks or sabotage. The announcement comes as former chief of the defence staff Nick Carter called for closer European co-operation to deter Russia and maintain support for Ukraine. In a paper for the Tony Blair Institute, Mr Carter warned that Russia is conducting a sustained campaign of sabotage and subversion across Europe. Were all aware that Russia and the GRU, at the tip of the spear thats Russias intelligence services, are waging a campaign of sabotage and subversion in Europe, including incursions into our NATO airspace. Now weve got to be able to impose credible costs on this campaign, because otherwise it will continue, he said. Mr Carter urged European governments to address decades of under-investment in defence and to strengthen collective military capabilities. Europe faces a growing external threat in an evolving world order at the same time as its political, fiscal and industrial systems are struggling to respond. After decades of under-investment in defence, this is no longer merely inefficient it is dangerous. The path ahead for Europes leaders will not be easy; they cannot afford to fail. Drift is no longer a neutral option. Europes influence will depend on its ability to take rapid collective action. A Europe that can do so and take responsibility for its own defence and security will remain a shaper of the international order. A Europe that cannot, will be shaped by others, he said. The expanded deployment signals a further shift in the UKs strategic focus towards the Arctic, as NATO allies seek to counter Russias growing military footprint in the region. (dpa/NAN) Health experts have warned that millions of Nigerians displaced by conflict and insecurity are being denied access to cancer prevention, diagnosis and treatment. They said violence continues to cripple healthcare delivery across large parts of the country, worsening inequalities in access to life-saving services. The concern was raised in Abuja on Tuesday at a World Cancer Day symposium organised by Project Pink Blue, where health professionals, advocates and policymakers examined how insecurity is worsening Nigerias cancer burden and deepening inequalities in access to care. Speaking at the event, the President of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Bala Audu, said cancer services are almost non-existent in internally displaced persons (IDP) camps, where an estimated 3.5 million women and children currently live across Nigeria. Mr Audu explained that conflict disrupts the entire cancer care continuum, from screening and diagnosis to treatment and follow-up, as health facilities are destroyed, health workers displaced and referral systems broken. Insecurity makes travel unsafe, disrupts supply chains and forces the closure of clinics. Cancer care requires continuity, but conflict destroys that continuity, he said. He added that healthcare workers are often reluctant to work in high-risk areas, leaving many facilities understaffed and unable to provide even basic cancer-related services. Cancer care requires continuity, but insecurity disrupts diagnosis, treatment and follow-up, especially for people who are already displaced, he said. Preventable cancers still killing Nigerians Mr Audu stressed that the most common cancers in Nigeria, including breast, cervical, prostate and colorectal cancers, are largely preventable through standard screening and early detection. He noted that despite global efforts to eliminate cervical cancer as a public health problem by 2030, it remains the second leading cancer among Nigerian women, highlighting serious gaps in prevention and access. He also cited examples from IDP camps where preventive services such as the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine were excluded from routine immunisation, despite the vulnerability of women and girls living in those settings. This shows that cancer care, both preventive and curative, is not prioritised, even outside periods of conflict, he said. He urged stronger collaboration between government agencies, healthcare providers and civil society groups to expand screening for preventable cancers and improve access to care in conflict-affected communities. Conflict disrupting healthcare delivery Mr Audu reiterated that insecurity across different parts of the country, including insurgency in the North-east, banditry and kidnapping in the North-west, separatist violence in the South-east, communal clashes in the North-central region and militancy in the Niger Delta, has severely disrupted healthcare delivery. He noted that health facilities have been destroyed or shut down, healthcare workers kidnapped or forced to relocate, and referral systems broken, making continuity of cancer care difficult to sustain. In conflict settings, even basic healthcare services are affected. You can imagine the impact on something as complex as cancer diagnosis and treatment, he said. He added that the movement of health workers away from unsafe areas has worsened staffing shortages and contributed to both internal and external brain drain. Growing burden Also speaking at the symposium, Chioma Uzodinma, the First Lady of Imo State and Chairperson of First Ladies Against Cancer (FLAC), said cancer remains one of the most serious public health challenges facing Nigeria. Mrs Uzodinma said the country records approximately 128,000 new cancer cases each year, placing a heavy burden on individuals, families and the health system. According to her, breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths among women, claiming over 16,000 lives annually, while prostate cancer remains the leading cause of cancer mortality among men. These figures are not just statistics. They represent mothers, fathers, children and communities devastated by a disease that is often preventable and treatable if detected early, she said. She warned that progress in cancer prevention and care is increasingly undermined by conflict and insecurity, particularly in the North-east, North-west and parts of the South-east, where attacks on health facilities and healthcare workers have disrupted services. Mrs Uzodinma said insecurity has also worsened late presentation, with studies indicating that more than 70 per cent of breast cancer cases in Nigeria are diagnosed at advanced stages. She expressed concern over Nigerias limited cancer treatment capacity, noting that the country requires an estimated 220 radiotherapy machines but currently has fewer than 15. In conflict-affected areas, disrupted transport networks, under-resourced facilities and high out-of-pocket costs leave millions without access to life-saving treatment, she said. Mrs Uzodinma added that women in rural and displaced settings often resort to self-medication or traditional remedies, further delaying professional care and worsening outcomes. Call for action Godwin Kagior, a senior administrative officer at Project Pink Blue, said the organisation convened the meeting to confront how conflict and insecurity worsen existing gaps in cancer care and to identify practical strategies to ensure continuity of services in fragile settings. Mr Kagior said the annual World Cancer Day symposium serves as a platform for high-level engagement, policy dialogue and accountability. He added that behind every statistic is a human life, and the symposium must translate into stronger partnerships and tangible solutions to ensure no one is denied cancer care because of insecurity or displacement. The First Lady of Imo State, Chioma Uzodinma, has called for an upward review of Nigerias cancer treatment support fund to ease the financial burden on vulnerable patients. Mrs Uzodinma made the call on Tuesday in Abuja at a symposium to commemorate the 2026 World Cancer Day, organised by Project Pink Blue, a non-governmental organisation focused on cancer treatment and advocacy. The event, themed Cancer, Conflicts and Insecurity in Nigeria: What Can We Do to Ensure Access to Cancer Care for Vulnerable Communities Amid Conflicts and Insecurity?, brought together health professionals, policymakers and advocates to examine how insecurity is worsening cancer outcomes across the country. Call for a broader funding framework Mrs Uzodinma, who also chairs First Ladies Against Cancer (FLAC), said the existing cancer funding framework must be expanded to accommodate more patients and subsidise treatment for indigent citizens. According to her, many Nigerian families face catastrophic out-of-pocket expenses, particularly for non-communicable diseases such as cancer. She urged the federal government and other stakeholders to intensify targeted community and radio-based awareness campaigns to combat misinformation, reduce stigma and promote early detection. The Imo First Lady also called for strengthened implementation of the National Cancer Control Plan across states, noting that effective dissemination and domestication of the policy would improve alignment between federal and sub-national interventions. Insurance coverage and policy reforms Mrs Uzodinma also advocated the continued expansion of cancer services under the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) to provide financial protection for patients nationwide. In Imo State today, under the insurance scheme, once you are registered, you can receive free cancer screening; all types of cancer screening. Therefore, we advocate for more states to follow suit, she said. She also called for policy reforms to retain oncology professionals through incentives, improved working conditions, and career development opportunities, warning that brain drain is weakening Nigerias capacity to respond to cancer. Mrs Uzodinma further urged the government to expand the recently introduced executive order granting zero tax on pharmaceutical inputs to ensure that affordable cancer medicines reach conflict-prone areas. Infrastructure, research and partnerships She stressed that long-term cancer control must focus on systemic transformation through multi-sectoral partnerships involving government, private organisations and international partners. Rebuilding health infrastructure destroyed by conflict, including transport networks and medical supply chains, is critical to improving access to care, she said. Mrs Uzodinma also called for sustained investment in local research and data systems, particularly the proposed National Cancer Registries and clinical trials under the National Institute for Cancer Research and Treatment in Nigeria (NICRAT). The fight against cancer in Nigeria calls for unity in the face of our unique and complex challenges. I urge all stakeholders to commit to these shared solutions while honouring survivors, caregivers and healthcare workers, she said. Cancer treatment a national emergency Also speaking, a former senator representing Abia North, Mao Ohabunwa, described cancer treatment as a national emergency, particularly in conflict-affected regions. I want to say that cancer treatment should be a national emergency, especially in vulnerable areas where conflict has prevented patients from seeking treatment and screening, Mr Ohabunwa said. A breast cancer survivor and patient navigator with Project Pink Blue, Mercy Spoporuchi, identified insecurity and the lack of treatment centres as major barriers to accessing care. Imagine if we had hospitals in every state. Patients would not travel over 500 kilometres to access care, she said. Russia kills 3 children, father in drone strike on Bohodukhiv in Kharkiv region Synehubov Photo: Prosecutor's Office of Ukraine Two one-year-old boys and a two-year-old girl, as well as their 34-year-old father, were killed in a Russian drone strike on Bohodukhiv, a town northwest of Kharkiv in Kharkiv region The head of the Kharkiv Regional Military Administration Oleh Synegubov reported the atrocity on Telegram. According to him, a 74-year-old woman was also injured in the enemy strike. Earlier, Synehubov reported that a 35-year-old pregnant woman was injured in the strike. The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has confirmed the death of seven persons and 70 others injured, while 28 were unhurt in a lone accident that occurred in Kano. The Sector Commander, Idris Muhammed-Lawal, disclosed this in a statement signed by FRSCs Public Relations Officer, Abdullahi Labaran, on Sunday in Kano According to him, the accident occurred at about 8:35 a.m. on Sunday, along Hadejia Road, Kwanar Danja. He said, We received a distress call at 08:35 a.m. and immediately sent our rescue team to the scene at about 08:40 a.m., within 5 minutes. The accident involved one commercial vehicle, DAF trailer, with registration number KTG 467 YG loaded with passengers and goods. The accident involved a total of 105 persons Seven persons lost their lives, while 70 persons (55 males and 15 females) sustained various degrees of injuries, he said in the statement. Mr Muhammed-Lawal said the cause of the crash was speeding and the loss of control, compounded by the dangerous practice of mixing goods with passengers. The sector commander said the crash was a single-vehicle fatal crash, and the road condition was observed to be good. No items were recovered at the scene. The injured victims were promptly evacuated to four hospitals as follows: Sir Sunusi Specialist Hospital, Kano: 24 victims (17 males and 7 females), Gezawa. The rest were: General Hospital: 24 victims (16 males, 8 females), Murtala Mohammed Specialist Hospital: 20 victims (20 males), Abdullahi Wase Specialist Hospital, Nasarawa: 7 victims (5 males, 2 females). He commiserated with the families of the deceased and wished the injured victims a speedy recovery. The sector commander warned motorists, especially commercial drivers, against speeding, reckless driving, and illegal conveyance of passengers in goods vehicles, as these unsafe practices continued to result in avoidable loss of lives. He also advised the public to remain safety-conscious and comply strictly with the extant traffic regulations to safeguard lives and property. (NAN) The United States will send an additional 200 troops to supplement the small team initially deployed to Nigeria, Wall Street Journal is reporting. PREMIUM TIMES reported that the US had sent a small team to assist Nigerian troops in the fight against terrorism. The deployment, according to Reuters, was announced by Dagvin Anderson, head of US Africa Command (AFRICOM), who said the move follows a mutual agreement between the United States and the Nigerian government to strengthen efforts against terror threats in the region. But in a statement last week, Nigerias Defence Headquarters said the deployment was part of the bilateral cooperation between the US and Nigeria. It explained that the cooperation is centred on capacity building, professional military education, intelligence sharing, logistics support and strategic dialogue aimed at addressing shared security concerns, including terrorism and transnational threats. Additional 200 troops Now the US plans to deploy an additional 200 soldiers. The Wall Street Journal attributed this statement to a spokesperson for AFRICOM. The terrorist activity in West Africaand Nigeria specificallyis something were incredibly concerned with, the spokesperson was quoted as saying. We want to partner with capable and willing partners that are able to address these shared security concerns. However, the spokesperson for Nigerias Defence Headquarters, Samaila Uba, told the US-based newspaper that the US troops will not be involved in direct combat operations, an assertion that the newspaper said was corroborated by US officials. Many Nigerians are wary about the presence or deployment of US forces to their country, fearing that their involvement in internal affairs of other nations brought more chaos. But the Defence Headquarters said that the countrys partnership with the US is in full respect of Nigerias sovereignty. It added that Nigerias defence partnerships are transparent, policy-driven and guided strictly by national interest, measurable outcomes and constitutional provisions. The partnership and recent engagement came following diplomatic tensions that trailed the redesignation of Nigeria as a country of particular concern by US President Donald Trump who falsely claimed that Christian genocide was ongoing in Nigeria and that the government was abetting it. After that redesignation, Washington threatened military action in Nigeria if the government didnt take action against terrorists he said were mainly killing Christians. Amid the tension, Abuja disputed Mr Trumps claims, saying Nigerians of all faith were being targeted, a position that the US president agreed with after he ordered military airstrikes on Islamic State camps in the North-west where the presence of the group is still being debated. Since the December airstrikes, delegates from both countries have been meeting in an effort to strengthen bilateral cooperation against growing insecurity in the West African country. Two American lawmakers have introduced a bill to the US Congress, seeking to impose sanctions on Rabiu Kwankwaso, former Kano governor, for alleged violations of religious freedom. The bill identifies Mr Kwankwaso, a former senator, defence minister, and presidential candidate, as one of the individuals contributing to systemic religious persecution of Christians that has persisted in Nigeria, furthering a narrative its sponsors claim, but which has been disputed by local and international observers. The new bill seeks to require the US Secretary of State to impose a visa ban on Mr Kwankwaso, freeze his assets, and implement other targeted sanctions against him. The proposed sanctions in the bill titled Nigeria Religious Freedom and Accountability Act of 2026 also target Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, and the Fulani-ethnic nomad militias in Nigeria. The bill was sponsored by two republican lawmakers, who have repeatedly pushed the Christian genocide narrative against Nigeria, Riley Moore and Chris Smith. The Republicans said the former governor and the named associations must be investigated for providing support to Fulani-ethnic militias who carry out violence and must be held accountable. The bill states that the Fulani militant group, alongside other extremist organisations operating in Nigeria, have been engaged in organised attacks on civilian communities, particularly in the Middle Belt region. It said the repeated acts of violence meet the statutory definition of terrorist activity under section 212(a)(3) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1182(a)(3)). These militias have conducted attacks involving targeted killings, hostage-taking, hijackings, armed assaults, massacres of civilians, destruction of property, and forced displacement of local population. It recommended imposing sanctions under the Global Magnitsky Act, an American law that authorises the US government to target foreign individuals or entities involved in human rights abuses or corruption worldwide. The bill would have to be passed in Congress and signed into law by President Donald Trump for it to become law. It is not clear why Mr Kwankwaso was included in the bill. He left office as the Kano governor in 2019 and has not held any major public office since then. Bill quotes false data The bill also referenced data from the International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law (Intersociety), alleging that between 50,000 and 125,000 Christians have been martyred between 2009 and 2025, with more than 19,000 Christian churches attacked or destroyed. But multiple investigations have shown that the Intersociety data, which had been floated by US officials, including Mr Moore and Mr Smith, since 2025, is questionable. A BBC investigation, last November, revealed that the methodology used to obtain the numbers was opaque. InterSociety did not provide detailed evidence or references to support the figures it reported. It did not provide an itemised list of sources. Dated reports were rolled into new totals, and there was no clear breakdown of how deaths were counted by religion, region, or actor. The BBC reported that when the organisation was asked to provide verifiable evidence, it either declined or responded with broad summaries. A New York Times investigation published earlier this year revealed that the organisation is owned and run by a Nigerian named Emeka Umeagbalasi, who confirmed he did not verify the data. The US bill also highlights the use of blasphemy laws to attack dissents as a primary example of religious intolerance in Nigeria. It cited the murder of Deborah Yakubu, a student of Shagari College of Education in Sokoto, who was stoned to death by a mob of fellow students for allegedly making blasphemous statements in 2022, and Rhoda Jatau in Bauchi, who was arrested and jailed for 18 months for criticising Deborahs murder. It also mentioned the case of Yahaya Sharif-Amin, a Sufi Muslim musician from Kano, sentenced to death by hanging in 2020 by a Sharia court for sharing blasphemous song lyrics on WhatsApp. The Nigerian Government routinely denies that religious persecution exists and has failed to adequately intervene, including on early warning notifications of upcoming attacks, including the October 14, 2025, Plateau State massacre, a part of the bill read. Bill to label Fulani militias terrorists The new bill also seeks to have Fulani ethnic militias designated as foreign terrorist organisations. It also seeks to require that the Secretary of State provide an annual report on Christian persecution, and weigh whether US assistance in Nigeria encourages Christian persecution. It states that the Nigerian government should thoroughly investigate instances of penalties or imprisonment under blasphemy laws or Sharia law and work to end these practices and repeal such laws. It declares that religious violence and the actions of the militant groups in Nigeria are a threat to US national security and foreign policy interests. It states that this destabilises a strategically important region, jeopardises religious freedom rights, and exacerbates the threat environment facing West Africa. Mr Moore said that the legislation will build upon the momentum of President Trump designating Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern and the recent US-Nigeria security framework agreement. The US is a Christian nation. As such, we must stand with persecuted Christians around the world, he wrote. Moores false narrative PREMIUM TIMES reports that last year, Mr Moore repeatedly pushed the Christian genocide narrative against Nigeria, and criticised the government for failing to protect the countrys Christians. His claims preceded Donald Trumps designation of Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) and may have influenced that decision. He also insisted on his claims despite the Nigerian government and local and international organisations saying different factors caused the insecurity in Nigeria, and that it could not be tagged a genocide against any group or religion. In September, Mr Moore wrote to the Secretary of State demanding that the US use every diplomatic tool to stop what he described as the slaughter of Christians. This tool included designating the country as a CPC and suspending arms sales and technical support to it. Muslim extremist groups such as ISIS-West Africa, Ansaru, and Boko Haram are major perpetrators. Just last week, Boko Haram ravaged Kirawa, Nigeria, displacing thousands. But just as concerning are reports that corrupt cells of the Nigerian government may be complicit, he stated in his letter. Previous US bill on Christian genocide Meanwhile, Mr Smith had previously introduced a bill that identifies the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) and the Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore as entities to be sanctioned. PREMIUM TIMES earlier reported that some Nigerians have accused both organisations in the past of masterminding some attacks by armed herders on rural communities. However, the groups have denied such allegations and instead said their members, who are cattle herders, were being attacked in different states. Mr Moore, during his last visit to Nigeria, described his conversation with the Nigerian National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, as productive and positive. Meanwhile, US engagement and military collaboration with Nigeria have since gained momentum. Most recently, the US military disclosed that a small team of US forces has been dispatched to Nigeria. The Defence Headquarters also confirmed this while clarifying that engagements with the US are conducted within existing bilateral frameworks and in full respect of Nigerias sovereignty. Nigeria currently faces various forms of violence, including Boko Haram terrorism in the North-east, banditry in the North-west, herders-farmers violence in the North-central and separatist attacks in the South-east. Media scholar Umaru Pate on Tuesday concluded his five-year tenure as Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University Kashere (FUK), Gombe State, saying he is satisfied with the transformation he achieved through massive infrastructural development and academic expansion. The professor of media and society, and former broadcast journalist, spoke on Tuesday during a valedictory session held in his honour at the north-eastern university. Mr Pate, who is serving as the President of the Society of Nigerian Broadcasters (SNB), is leaving behind a legacy of transformative leadership, academic excellence, and infrastructural development that has reshaped the institution. He was the universitys third vice chancellor, following its establishment in 2010 by the President Goodluck Jonathan administration. The institution commenced academic activities in the 2011/2012 session with 259 students, 115 teaching staff, and 111 support staff. While presenting a comprehensive account of his stewardship, the don highlighted key milestones recorded during his tenure, including infrastructural development, academic growth, improved staff welfare, and the successful resolution of lingering court cases involving the university. Speaking at the event, the Pro-Chancellor, William Olu-Aderounmu, said they were happy to be celebrating an iconic leader whose tenure left an indelible mark on the university. Professor Pate is one of the best professors this country has ever produced. I have never seen the likes of Pate. He is committed and passionate about the development of education. He is a phenomenon, and I have the highest respect for him. He has successfully executed so many projects. He has transformed this university from nothing to one of the best in the country, Mr Olu-Aderounmu said. The universitys registrar, Nasir Abdullahi, spoke on behalf of the university management, thanking the outgoing vice chancellor. He said Mr Pates tenure has been marked by purposeful leadership, academic transformation, and improving students welfare. Earlier in his remarks, the Deputy Vice Chancellor, S. L Kela, a professor, spoke about academic reforms brought by Mr Pate, noting that he established new programmes, extended faculties, and ensured all programmes were fully accredited. I feel fulfilled, I have contributed, and I have done my best. We did what we could, Mr Pate remarked during his valedictory speech. Massive expansion and development Under his stewardship, the university experienced rapid growth and became recognised as one of Nigerias fastest-growing universities. The institution now covers 277.23 hectares of land with seven faculties, two schools, one institute, one centre, one college, and 44 academic departments. Mr Pates administration established 17 new academic programmes, including PhD Mass Communication, M.Sc. Mass Communication, PGD Mass Communication, B.Sc. Entrepreneurship Studies, B.Sc. International Relations, MBBS Medicine and Surgery, B.Sc. Human Anatomy, B.Sc. Human Physiology, B.Sc. Pharmacology, B.DS. Dental Surgery, B.N.Sc. Nursing Science, and B.OT. Occupational Therapy. The university now offers 56 undergraduate programmes and 49 postgraduate programmes. In the last five years, student enrollment increased from 8,311 to 17,936, while student output increased from 892 to 3,804. The current student population stands at 10,360 male undergraduate students, 5,995 female undergraduate students, 1,308 postgraduate students, and 273 part-time undergraduate students. The institution now has 816 teaching staff, 901 senior non-teaching staff, and 980 junior staff. Infrastructure and financial investments Mr Pates key achievements included the construction of 22 new projects worth over N16 billion, the establishment of the Jibril Aminu College of Medical Sciences (JACOMS), and the commencement of part-time degree programmes in 15 academic areas. The administration completed the Chancellery Building in 2021, furnished most classrooms on campus, procured office equipment for new and existing departments, and renovated and upgraded the Broadcasting Complex. The university also achieved full accreditation in 36 academic programmes and seven interim statuses in 2023, including ICAN full accreditation of the accounting programme. Eight initial programmes, including B.Sc. Biology, B.Sc. Computer Science, B.Sc. Mathematics, B.Sc. Physics, B.Sc. Economics and Development Studies, B.A. English, B.Sc. Political Science, and B.Sc. Sociology was among those accredited. Research and academic partnerships The administration secured research grants, including several National Research Fund (NRF) and Institution-Based Research (IBR) grants from TETFund Nigeria, grant initiatives from African Population and Health Research Centres, and Catalyse Impact Initiatives funding for Good Financial Grant Practice (GFGP) Certification. Under Mr Pate, the university also established collaborations and linkages with the Global Council on Anthropological Linguistics at the University of London, African Population and Health Research Centre (APHRC), British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) World Service, National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), Arabic Language Village in Ngala, Institut Agama Negeri Kudus (IAIN KUDUS) in Central Java, Indonesia, United Nations Childrens Fund (UNICEF), Universitas Pancasila in Indonesia, National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA), and Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN). Ten manuscripts were developed and converted into books sponsored by TETFund Nigeria. The library holdings increased by 5,675, from 17,387 to 23,062. The administration also established an Intellectual Property Technology Transfer Office (IPTTO) at FUK and hosted seven inaugural lectures and public lectures delivered by prominent Nigerians, including A. I Njodi, former INEC chairman Attahiru Jega, former Tetfund Executive Secretary Suleiman Bogoro, and A.A. Anas. Conference hosting and academic activities The university hosted several national conferences during Mr Pates tenure, including the National Conference on the Prophetic Model of Character themed Prophetic Style of Leadership for Sustainable Human Development organised by the Departments of Arabic and Islamic Studies in collaboration with NUSRET Educational and Cultural Co. Limited, Nigeria, in January 2026. Other conferences included the 5th National Conference on Artificial Intelligence and Teacher Education Programme for Sustainable National Development in November 2025, the 8th Annual Conference of Agricultural Education Teachers Association of Nigeria (AETAN) in June 2025, the 4th National Conference on Innovation and Integration for Future Development of Teacher Education in Nigeria in November 2024, the 36th CODHESNU Scientific Conference/Annual General Meeting in October 2024, and the First North East Regional Accounting Conference in collaboration with the Office of the Accountant General, Gombe State, in May 2024. Student welfare and campus life The administration increased the number of student hostels on campus, constituted the Students Representative Council (SRC), upgraded sporting facilities on campus, and ensured participation in NUGA Games. An inter-faculty games competition, the Pates Cup, was also introduced during the past five years. Other welfare improvements included improved power and borehole water supply to hostels, negotiated off-campus rental fees, the establishment of a campus mini market, and the introduction of a cultural week for student groups. The administration also established an indigent student scholarship scheme. ICT and digital transformation The university achieved significant digital transformation through the solarisation of the ICT Centre with 50KVA power backup using solar panels and inverters, creation of three new computer labs at the ICT Centre and the Mass Communication Computer Lab, and donation of 100 computer tablets for paperless university business. The administration established an ICDL Centre at FUK, conducted train-the-trainer workshops for ICDL staff, developed a CBT App for GST Exams, and commenced CBT exams at FUK. A Human Resource (HR) appraisal system was introduced, the OER was redesigned to reposition research, and internet service coverage was extended to the new site. Other ICT achievements included a postgraduate student record management system, the digitalisation of library resources, the SAFApply unified admissions application process for all programmes, the restoration of internet access to a higher capacity of 155 Mbps, and the establishment of the Huawei ICT Academy for ICT certification. Community relations and revenue generation Mr Pates administration established a Town and Gown Relationship Committee, established a joint university-community security committee, fostered a relationship between university management and landlords, maintained a more cordial relationship with host communities, and ensured maximum cooperation with the state government. Revenue mobilisation initiatives brought by the media scholar included the establishment of a guest house in Abuja, the introduction of part-time degree programmes, new postgraduate programmes, IJMB programmes, CBT Centre for exams and a JAMB partnership. It also included strengthening consultancy services and ventures, and ground-rate collection from the campus mini-mart. A total of 2,900 staff members have been promoted from 2021 to date, Mr Pate said, adding that the university has commenced the process of establishing a Faculty of Computing and a Faculty of Communication. In addition, the administration implemented monitoring of lectures and examinations to check absenteeism, ensured the successful conduct of uninterrupted semester examinations, and enforced punctuality at work for both teaching and non-teaching staff. A zero-tolerance policy to examination misconduct was maintained, with dismissal and expulsion of staff and students found wanting in disciplinary cases, he said. The incoming Vice Chancellor, Muhammad Jaafaru, said the new administration will insist on academic integrity and ensuring the right thing is done. Mr Jaafaru, a professor, pledged that all ongoing projects will be completed and hailed Mr Pate for his remarkable achievements over the past five years. About Umaru Pate Mr Pate, a former head of the media studies department at his alma mater, the University of Maiduguri, was also educated at the School of Communications of the University of Ghana at Legon, where he earned a masters degree in philosophy in communications studies. Born on 4 January 1964 in Song, Adamawa State, Mr Pate had his early secondary school education at Government College Maiduguri and advanced-level studies at the College of Preliminary Studies in Yola. After a stint as head of department at the University of Maiduguri, he moved to Bayero University, Kano, where he first assumed the role of dean of the communication school. He transformed the programme and ensured it gained national recognition. He was later made the pioneer Dean of the postgraduate school at Bayero University, Kano. Mr Pate also served as President of the Association of Communication Scholars and Practitioners of Nigeria (ACSPN) and is a senior councillor and ranking kingmaker in the Adamawa Emirate Council, where he is the Kaigamma (chief of army staff). He has been a lifetime judge of the Wole Soyinka Investigative Journalism Prize and chairs the advisory board of the Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID). Mr Pate also remains an editorial advisor to more than ten communication journals in and out of Nigeria and serves as an external examiner to over 15 universities in Nigeria and abroad. Some of the universities include Lagos, Ibadan, Nsukka, Covenant, Jos, Babcock, Makurdi, ABU, Awka, Abuja, Leicester (UK), Freetown (Sierra Leone), and Tehran (Iran). He has served as a consultant to bilateral and multilateral agencies including United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), United Nations Fund for Population Activities (UNFPA), United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), United States Agency for International Development (USAID), British Department of International Development (DFID), National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA), Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), Ford Foundation, Nigerian Universities Commission (NUC), Planned Parenthood Federation of America (PPFA), Nigeria Stability Response Project (NSRP), Friedrich Ebert Foundation of Germany, Panos Foundation of Washington, Trust Newspapers, INEC, NTA, FRCN, National Population Commission, National Broadcasting Commission, and several state governments. He has served the UN system in Afghanistan, Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Cameroon. Before his academic roles, Mr Pate worked with the news departments at the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN) in Kaduna and the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) in Yola from 1981 to 1987. He still features and contributes regularly on national and international media, mostly focusing on current affairs, and chairs the Board of Directors of Pulaaku FM Radio in Yola. When the federal government set up a committee on the formulation of the National Community Radio Policy under the late Alfred Opubor during the Obasanjo administration, Mr Pate had a seat at the table and later served as a member of the committee that established and co-piloted the Jigawa State Television in Dutse. He is also a member of the Policy and Strategy Committee of the Nigerian Institutes of Public Relations. Pandemonium broke out at the joint sitting of the National Assembly Committee on Works on Wednesday, as two members engaged in a heated exchange that briefly disrupted its proceedings. The uproar began when the Senator representing Ebonyi North Senatorial District, Peter Nwebonyi, was recognised to ask questions on the 2026 budget proposal of the Federal Ministry of Works. The Minister of Works, David Umahi, had appeared before the joint committee of the Senate and the House of Representatives to defend the ministrys proposed N3.4 trillion allocation in the 2026 fiscal year. Rather than immediately posing questions, Mr Nwebonyi, who is the deputy chief whip of the Senate, used part of his allotted time to commend President Bola Tinubus administration and Mr Umahis performance in the works ministry. However, Kano Central Senator, Rufai Hanga, who chaired the Joint Committee, asked Mr Nwebonyi to conclude his remarks after he had spoken for about five minutes. Mr Nwebonyi reacted angrily, accusing Mr Hanga of attempting to silence him because he is an opposition member. He insisted that the chairman lacked the authority to prevent him from commending the president. Mr Hanga, a member of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) and the Senates deputy minority whip, maintained his position. Mr Nwebonyi, on the other hand, is the deputy chief whip and a member of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). The Ebonyi senator further argued that he was treated unfairly, alleging that the chairman allowed Edo North Senator Adams Oshiomhole to speak for about 15 minutes without interruption. Mr Nwebonyi also claimed that, as a principal officer and member of the ruling party, he should have presided over the session but deliberately allowed Mr Hanga, an opposition senator, to chair the meeting. In response, Mr Hanga firmly stated that Mr Nwebonyi could not assume leadership of the meeting simply because he is a principal officer. Amidst the argument, Borno North Senator, Ali Ndume, intervened, calling for calm and urging Mr Nwebonyi to apologise to Mr Hanga, whom he described as both an elder and the presiding officer. Mr Nwebonyi, however, refused to apologise and challenged Mr Hanga to do whatever he wished. The meeting was temporarily suspended as other lawmakers moved to calm the situation. Shortly afterwards, Mr Nwebonyi gathered his documents and left the committee room. Proceedings later resumed. Government owed contractors N2.2 trillion Mr Umahi said the federal government owes contractors about N2.2 trillion for projects executed between 2023 and 2024. The minister stated that the matter had been presented to President Tinubu at the Federal Executive Council (FEC), and that the president subsequently directed the constitution of an ad hoc committee to address the outstanding payments. Earlier in the year, local contractors under the umbrella of the All Indigenous Contractors Association of Nigeria (AICAN) staged a peaceful protest at the entrance of the Federal Ministry of Finance in Abuja over the alleged delay in the payment for projects executed and commissioned. The protesters decried the delays in settling certified payments, accusing the government of repeatedly shifting its position on when the debts would be cleared. Protection of nations infrastructure Mr Umahi also expressed concern over the destruction of public infrastructure, lamenting that some individuals vandalise roads, dump refuse in drainage channels, and remove electrical facilities installed along highways. He appealed to lawmakers to enact legislation criminalising the deliberate destruction of public infrastructure. Works are destroyed by those who are harvesting rods, refuse is dumped in our drainage channel, like what happened on our coastal road two days ago, because of blocked drainage channels, removal of electrical facilities on our road, harvesting of expansion joints on our bridges and parking on our roads and bridges. Any legislation on these issues will be desirable, the minister said. The Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah has granted Nigeria a seven-day extension to complete the capturing and grouping of pilgrims data for the 2026 Hajj exercise. It comes amid leadership changes at the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) following Mondays resignation of its chairman, Abdullahi Usman. PREMIUM TIMES reported that the Kingdom had earlier closed the Nusuk Masar data-capturing platform, effectively ending the global window for submitting pilgrims information for the 2026 Hajj. The deadline for the exercise was 8 February. NAHCON Deputy Director of Information and Public Relations, Fatima Usara, initially disclosed the closure in a statement issued in Abuja on Monday. However, in a follow-up statement released on Tuesday, Mrs Usara announced that Saudi authorities had approved a special extension exclusively for Nigeria. According to her, the intervention was secured following high-level diplomatic engagement by the federal government. On the instruction of the Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Sen. Kashim Shettima, the Honourable Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Maitama Tugga, had reached out to Saudi authorities to grant a special extension to Nigeria to allow for the pilgrims data capturing to be completed. The Saudi authorities have graciously accepted the request for the extension. However, it is expected that after the expiration of this extension, the Saudi authorities will not accept any further requests for extension, emphasising speedy completion of the process. Hajj managers are therefore advised to work around the clock in ensuring that the process is completed within the shortest possible time. This extension is coming barely 48 hours after the worldwide closure of the Nusuk Masar data-capturing platform. The content of the circular urged Hajj agencies to complete and finalise all required pilgrims data as soon as possible to avoid any last-minute issues. The Commission remains resolute and unwavering in its commitment to delivering effective, efficient, and pilgrim-focused services to Nigerian pilgrims, and is fully prepared to work tirelessly towards the successful conduct of the 2026 Hajj season. Background NAHCON is the statutory body responsible for regulating, coordinating, and supervising Hajj and Umrah operations for Nigerian pilgrims. The commission works closely with state pilgrims welfare boards, private tour operators, and Saudi authorities to ensure compliance with international timelines and procedures. The Nusuk Masar platform is a centralised Saudi digital system used to capture pilgrims data, allocate services, and finalise logistics for Hajj operations worldwide. Failure to complete data submission within the stipulated timeframe can result in pilgrims being excluded from Hajj. Nigeria, one of the worlds largest Hajj-participating countries, has in recent years faced challenges meeting Saudi deadlines due to administrative bottlenecks and the scale of its pilgrim population, making diplomatic interventions crucial to safeguarding its annual Hajj quota. Bayelsa West Senator, Seriake Dickson, has said he does not support the Senates inclusion of a caveat in the amended Electoral Act allowing Form EC8A to serve as the primary means of collation in the event of internet failure. Mr Dickson, a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), argued that the clause weakens the countrys electoral framework, particularly regarding the call for mandatory electronic transmission of results from polling units. He stated that lawmakers had initially agreed during committee deliberations to adopt the House of Representatives version, which provided for mandatory electronic transmission of results, but that position was altered during plenary. The senator made this known in a statement posted on his Facebook page on Tuesday night, shortly after appearing on Arise Television. If I were a member of the Conference Committee, I would have voted for the House version because that was what we agreed on. I disagree with the provision in the Senates version because it does not add to the law of the country, which states that Form EC8A is the election result, he said. He urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to ensure its officials transmit election results electronically, irrespective of internet challenges. Laws are made for general rules, not exceptions. The provision only addresses rare cases where there is network failure. I do not expect INEC to allow its officials and agents to operate as if the exception were the general rule. In any case, polling agents who disobey stand the risk of being penalised under this law, he added. On Tuesday, the Senate rescinded its earlier decision on the Electoral Act amendment in which it had rejected the mandatory electronic transmission of election results from polling units to the INECs Result Viewing Portal (IREV) after vote counting. The lawmakers consequently re-amended the Electoral Act to accommodate the electronic transmission of results. However, the provision comes with a caveat that, in the event of internet failure, Form EC8A will serve as the primary means of result collation. Despite the change, the amendment does not make electronic transmission mandatory. Instead, it allows results to be transmitted electronically while providing an alternative in cases of network failure. Form EC8A is the primary document on which the presiding officer records the results immediately after votes are counted at a polling unit. In election petitions, courts often rely heavily on EC8A forms because they represent the first official record of votes at the source. Manipulation at collation centres One of the concerns raised by advocates of mandatory electronic transmission is that it would help prevent manipulation of results between polling units and collation centres. However, Mr Dickson, a former governor of Bayelsa State, maintained that there should be no cause for fear, as results will still be transmitted electronically to the IREV portal. The introduction of IREV, and the National Assemblys passage of mandatory electronic transmission of polling unit results to IREV, has addressed the problem of manipulation at collation centres. So, candidates and parties who do well at polling stations, which are the primary evidence of elections, can collate results and know who has won, thereby cutting off the brigandage, executive interference, and thuggery that mar our elections at collation centres. The lawmaker noted that he and his colleagues, particularly those in the opposition, had canvassed unconditional mandatory electronic transmission of results. However, he acknowledged that the opposition lacked the numerical strength in the chamber to secure that outcome. So, while this is not the ideal outcome, Nigerians can be assured that our democracy is moving forward. As I said, in parliament, we dont get all we want at the time we want, especially when we do not have the numbers. Right now, the opposition does not have the numbers to insist on committee reports coming out the way it did. This was the best we could get under the circumstances, and it is not too bad. It is something we can work with while hoping to improve on it later, he said. He encouraged Nigerians to mobilise at polling units and vote for credible candidates who can safeguard democratic rights. I encourage Nigerians, therefore, to take interest in mobilising to their polling units and voting for credible people who can protect the democratic rights of our people. Nigeria does not practice electronic voting, so there is no real-time monitoring of votes before they are declared by Presiding Officers at polling stations. After results are declared by Presiding Officers, real-time monitoring begins on IREV. Compelling electronic transmission of results Mr Dickson said, though, he doesnt agree with the Senates version the amendment will still compel INEC to mandate presiding officers to transmit election results electronically, regardless of internet challenges. He argued that requiring election officials to transmit results electronically effectively amounts to mandatory real-time transmission of results. As it stands, in addition to the law, INEC will issue guidelines mandating Presiding Officers, after voting and signing of results, to make copies and transmit them electronically to IREV. If we achieve that, it amounts to real-time monitoring of results from polling stations upwards. Where results are changed and democracy faces its greatest assault is at the collation centresthe Ward Collation Centres and the Local Government Collation Centres, he said. The senator called on Nigerians to sensitise others, mobilise to polling stations, vote for credible candidates, and insist that their votes are transmitted to the IREV portal. He also urged INEC to take electronic transmission of results seriously to ensure credible, free, and fair elections. The Chairperson of Heirs Holdings, Tony Elumelu, has called on governments of African countries to partner with the private sector to transform the rural economies. Mr Elumelu made the call while speaking recently at the 49th IFAD Governing Council in Rome. He joined IFAD President Alvaro Lario on a panel at the event attended by 500 global leaders, including ministers, UN officials, and development experts Mr Elumelu identified electricity access, blended finance, and business education as the three pillars necessary to make agriculture a viable career for African youth. He emphasised that partnership between the government and private sectors is essential for Africas development. We believe that increased collaboration and cooperation between government and the private sectorespecially in Africaare vital to catalyse more transformation in rural economies and agriculture, increasing food production, Elumelu stated. Food security is fundamental to societal development. We must work together to make rural economies more attractive. We need to make agriculture appealing and exciting. The youth seem eager to embrace it, but they require more support from all of us. Highlighting the success of the Tony Elumelu Foundation (TEF), Mr Elumelu noted that 21 per cent of its 24,000 empowered entrepreneurs are in agribusinessa sector where women lead 55 per cent of the ventures. Empowering women is akin to empowering entire communities and nations, leading to success, he said. These ventures have generated approximately 480,000 jobs across the continent. Mr Elumelu emphasised that while seed capital is vital, energy poverty remains a massive barrier to the digital innovation required for modern food security. Access to electricity is essential for economic development and transformation. We cannot discuss AI without improving electricity supplies.. Poor electricity access and energy poverty limit how much these young people can embrace technology, he stated. He urged governments to dismantle stifling regulations and high collateral requirements that currently hinder SME growth. In some countries, regulated environments can be quite stifling. We need to engage governments. What benefits small-scale enterprises benefits the entire economy: jobs are created by SMEs, and we must ensure youth engagement, he said. Mr Elumelu called for a shift toward blended finance models that combine philanthropy with commercial capital to bypass traditional banking hurdles. The Nigeria Correctional Service (NCoS) has revealed that nearly two-thirds of inmates in custodial centres across the country are awaiting trial, highlighting persistent congestion within Nigerias correctional facilities. NCoS Controller-General, Sylvester Nwakuche, revealed this on Wednesday while presenting the Services 2025 budget performance and defending the 2026 estimates before the House of Representatives Committee on Reformatory Institutions in Abuja. According to him, as of 9 February, the total inmate population stood at 80,812. Of that figure, 51,955 inmates representing 64 per cent are awaiting trial, while 24,913 are convicted prisoners. Another 3,850 inmates fall under other detention classifications. The high number of awaiting trial inmates has been a longstanding concern within Nigerias criminal justice system. Over the years, stakeholders have blamed the situation on delays in investigation and prosecution, frequent court adjournments, inadequate legal representation for indigent defendants, and the slow implementation of non-custodial measures. The trend has continued to fuel overcrowding in custodial centres, with some facilities operating far beyond their designed capacity. Mr Nwakuche described the Service as a key component of Nigerias criminal justice system, responsible for safe custody, rehabilitation and reintegration of inmates, as well as the implementation of non-custodial measures. He added that the Service is mandated to provide adequate feeding in line with the United Nations Minimum Standard Rules for the Treatment of Offenders. 2025 budget performance Reviewing the 2025 fiscal year, the Controller-General said the Service was appropriated 184.63 billion for personnel, overhead and capital expenditure. Out of 124.31 billion approved for personnel costs, 112.68 billion, representing 90.6 per cent, was released and fully utilised for salaries, pensions and health insurance under the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) Recurrent overhead releases stood at 73.7 per cent, with the final tranche for October 2025 released in December. From the funds received, 27.28 billion, about 71.7 per cent, was spent on inmate feeding across custodial centres, leaving outstanding food ration liabilities of 10.75 billion. He added that 6.49 billion was used to cover operational needs, including staff training, fuelling vehicles for court duties, electricity bills, security services, and maintenance of facilities. Capital expenditure recorded the lowest performance. Of the 14.50 billion appropriated for capital projects, only 3.22 billion, which is 22.2 per cent, was released and utilised, leaving 11.27 billion unreleased. Mr Nwakuche stressed that capital funding is essential for constructing and rehabilitating custodial centres, procuring operational vehicles, arms, and security equipment, deploying ICT systems, capturing inmate biometrics, and supporting agricultural programmes in prison farm centres. Although not a revenue-generating agency, the Service realised 84.65 million as internally generated revenue in 2025. He added that the Service currently has 33,024 personnel comprising uniformed officers, medical professionals and civilian staff deployed across the headquarters, zonal formations, state commands and custodial centres. 2026 budget proposal For the 2026 fiscal year, the Service proposed a budget of 198.85 billion and appealed for additional funding to address pressing operational and infrastructure gaps. The proposal includes 138.30 billion for personnel costs to cover a projected workforce of 37,541 officers across four salary structures. A total of 50.40 billion was proposed for recurrent overhead, including inmate feeding and general operations. Of this amount, 14.83 billion is earmarked to feed an estimated inmate population of 91,100 at a daily rate of 1,125 per inmate. Beyond the core proposal, Mr Nwakuche requested legislative approval for an additional 90.38 billion to boost capital funding, bringing total capital allocation to approximately 100.50 billion to address long-standing infrastructure deficits and expand capacity. He also sought 37.99 billion to scale non-custodial measures across the 774 local government areas, as well as to clear outstanding liabilities,, including 30.38 billion in promotion arrears from 2019 to 2024 and 25.16 billion owed to local contractors for services rendered between 2023 and 2025. The Controller-General reaffirmed the Services commitment to custodial security, rehabilitation and reintegration programmes, while appreciating the committees oversight support. Lawmakers push reforms Earlier, Chairman of the House Committee on Reformatory Institutions, Chinedu Ogah (APC, Ebonyi), described the Nigeria Correctional Service as central to national security but lamented what he termed inadequate budgetary attention despite its critical responsibilities. Mr Ogah said many custodial facilities were built over a century ago and have deteriorated significantly, contributing to recurring security breaches and operational strain. Our core duty here today is the budget defence of the 2026 Appropriations as presented by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, he said, adding that the committee would rigorously review both the Services 2025 performance and its funding needs for 2026. The lawmaker urged President Tinubu to assent to the Correctional Service Trust Fund Bill passed by the National Assembly, noting that it would strengthen constitutional provisions empowering states to establish correctional facilities and reduce pressure on federal centres. He emphasised that improved funding and decentralised infrastructure would enhance vocational training, agricultural initiatives and rehabilitation programmes, transforming custodial facilities into true reform institutions. Mr Ogah also highlighted efforts to expand education within correctional centres, revealing that about 10 study centres of the National Open University of Nigeria have been established in custodial facilities nationwide, including one at the Abakaliki Correctional Centre developed in partnership with university authorities. He said access to education has enabled several inmates to graduate and reintegrate into society, urging private-sector organisations to channel their corporate social responsibility initiatives toward correctional institutions to reduce recidivism. The committee, he added, would conclude its assessment of the 2025 budget performance before final deliberations on the 2026 estimates. Two persons were burnt to death on Tuesday after a commercial minibus overturned and burst into flames along the Balogun inward corridor toward Mile 2 in the Okota area of Isolo, Lagos State. In a post on X on Tuesday, the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) said the yellow commercial minibus, popularly known as Faka, with registration number SMK 823 YK, was conveying nine passengers, including the driver, at the time of the crash. According to the agency, preliminary findings indicate that the accident was triggered by an unidentified private vehicle that allegedly reversed abruptly on the main carriageway. The sudden manoeuvre forced the minibus, said to be travelling at speed, to brake sharply, causing the driver to lose control. The vehicle overturned multiple times before igniting. In a statement, LASTMAs Director of Public Affairs and Enlightenment, Adebayo Taofiq, said investigations revealed that the driver was transporting a five-litre container of petrol inside the bus. The highly inflammable substance ignited immediately following the crash, resulting in a severe fire outbreak, Mr Taofiq said. Tragically, the driver and a female passenger seated in the front burnt beyond recognition in the ensuing inferno. He said LASTMA officials on routine patrol rescued eight injured passengers before the fire intensified and evacuated them to a nearby hospital. Officials of the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service and the Lagos State Ambulance Service (LASAMBUS) later extinguished the blaze, while police officers from the Ilasa Division secured the scene and managed traffic. Reacting to the incident, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Transportation, Sola Giwa, expressed condolences to the families of the deceased and wished the injured a speedy recovery. He warned motorists against reversing on highways, describing the practice as reckless and capable of causing fatal consequences. Menace of fire-related crashes Tuesdays tragedy adds to a series of fire-related road incidents in Lagos involving vehicles transporting flammable substances. In December, a 45,000-litre tanker conveying diesel lost control and overturned along the EpeIjebu-Ode Expressway, spilling its contents before going up in flames. The Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service confirmed that four other vehicles were destroyed in the inferno, although no lives were lost. Authorities have repeatedly cautioned motorists against unsafe driving practices and the improper transportation of petroleum products, warning that violations significantly increase the risk of fatal explosions on the states highways. SIGN UP FOR THE DAILY JWR UPDATE. IT'S FREE. (AND NO SPAM!) Just click here. Bernie Sanders and Ron DeSantis don't agree on much, but the data-center boom is a rare exception. Vermont's Democratic Socialist senator and Florida's right-wing governor want to slam the brakes on the hundreds of resource-intensive new facilities springing up across the country to power the artificial intelligence industry. And both point to profits, not the public good, as the real factor motivating the boom. In many ways, the convergence was inevitable. Public wariness about the data-center industry is growing, and politicians could no longer ignore the outcry. Public skepticism of AI is also ubiquitous. Merriam-Webster chose slop as its 2025 word of the year because, at the same time AI is enabling telemedicine and driving cars, it's also spreading fake news, nonconsensual nudified images and synthetic propaganda. So when two politicians representing two ideological extremes start sounding alike, maybe it's time to listen. In December, DeSantis convened a roundtable discussion to highlight the growing threat of AI. "What we don't want to do is be subsidizing or put a thumb on the scale for technologies that are going to supplant the human experience," he said. He called for an "Artificial Intelligence Bill of Rights" to safeguard data privacy, parental controls and consumer protections. And he backed legislation that requires data centers to pay the full cost of their energy and water use and allows local communities to stop data-center construction that doesn't mesh with their growth plans. "You should not have to pay one dime more in utility costs, water, power, any of this stuff, because these are some of the most wealthy companies in the history of humanity," he argued. DeSantis had convened the roundtable just days after the Trump administration issued an executive order seeking to limit state-level AI regulations, warning that "a patchwork of 50 different regulatory regimes" could hinder US competitiveness with China . But DeSantis challenged Trump's justification for the data center expansion, arguing that the tech industry is motivated to accelerate AI growth with its "fake songs and fake videos" because it is driven primarily by profits. "Their goal is not to beat China," he said. DeSantis' comments were remarkably similar to those made by Sanders just weeks before. Sanders had released a report that raised questions about the industry's impact on American jobs, the economy and young people. It concluded: "Technology can and should improve the lives of working people. But it will not happen if decisions are made in boardrooms by billionaires who only care about short-term profits." Sanders has also joined environmentalists and called for Congress to pass a moratorium on building new data centers. "I think you've got to slow this process down," he said. Both are right. The bipartisan distrust of this industry gives politicians a rare leverage point to push back against the Trump-aligned tech bros and start asking some serious questions about the AI arms race. What is the goal? How much generative AI is necessary? Does America really need AI-generated slop? And isn't it time to put some quality controls on these resource-consuming giants? For years, the nation's tech companies have quietly gone about signing nondisclosure agreements and lobbying elected officials to build data centers to power their AI technology with little regard for the cost and impact on the public. But when the nonstop low-frequency hums from the buildings started to annoy people in neighboring residential communities, when electric bills started to rise for homeowners and small businesses, and when local water resources started to strain from the cooling demands of the massive computers, public protests got louder. Politicians started getting voted out of office. And the industry started to wise up. "To say data centers are unpopular right now is probably an understatement, to say the least," Dan Diorio , vice president of state policy for the Data Center Coalition , told a Florida legislative committee in December. Diorio represents tech giants like Meta, Alphabet and Amazon Web Services , and is making the rounds to statehouses across the country as lawmakers file bills to impose new rules on the companies. Arizona , Georgia , Maryland and Michigan legislators are considering bills to repeal data-center tax incentives. Georgia , Florida , Michigan , New Jersey , Wisconsin and Arizona are advancing bills to prohibit data centers from entering into nondisclosure agreements that hide details of the development plans from the public. Eleven states are considering legislation to require utility regulators to develop a new rate class so that data centers foot the bill for their power needs. And lawmakers in Georgia , Oklahoma , Vermont and Virginia have proposed moratoriums on new data-center construction. But politicians don't move as fast as tech companies, and in many ways, the industry is already several steps ahead of them. At hearings before Florida legislators, data-center developers testified that many companies are bypassing their water challenges by moving to cooling systems that use closed-loop water technology to reduce massive water consumption. But because demand isn't slowing for the build-out of centers that use 500 megawatts or more of energy a day enough to power a mid-sized city getting sufficient energy supplied in a timely manner, regardless of the environmental implications, is now the industry priority, according to a report last month from industry-focused Data Center Frontier. Plans are emerging in Florida , for example, to build self-sufficient energy centers using turbines that burn greenhouse gas-emitting natural gas. Developers said the industry is also working on developing small modular nuclear reactions to power data centers. ( NPR reported recently that the Trump administration has secretly rewritten environmental, safety and security rules to allow for development of the experimental reactors.) The energy appetite is insatiable. According to BloombergNEF, data centers' energy demand will triple in a decade from 34.7 gigawatts in 2024 to 106 gigawatts by 2035. That's the equivalent of powering more than 80 million homes. In many ways, states created this monster. Lured by the economic development potential of the tech industry, state and local governments for years have offered tax breaks to the industry without managing the impact they would have on their energy grid, especially during peak demand. For his part, DeSantis has hardly been consistent on this issue. Last June, he signed a major tax-relief bill that extended the deadline to apply for Florida's tax credit for data centers from 2027 to 2037. Even as he says he wants to slow data center development in his state, he's giving the industry a tax break to encourage it. It's classic hypocrisy. Perhaps DeSantis now sees the error of his ways. A version of his bill giving local communities control of their data center fate is moving through the Florida legislature although it inexplicably gives data centers a one-year exemption from public records requirements. Hopefully, other state and local officials will also listen to the public outcry, put the brakes on data centers, and take a more measured path forward. "They ignored you," is now an easy campaign slogan. Even AI could write it. Mary Ellen Klas is a Politics and Policy Columnist for Bloomberg Opinion. A former capital bureau chief for the Miami Herald, she has covered politics and government for more than three decades. (COMMENT, BELOW) Ukraine neutralized 112 out of 129 enemy UAVs on the night of Wednesday, with 15 hits recorded at eight locations, the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported. "According to preliminary data, as of 08:00, 112 enemy UAVs were shot down/suppressed by air defense. 15 strike UAVs were recorded at eight locations," the report says. In total, on the night of February 11 (from 18:30 on February 10), the enemy attacked with 129 strike UAVs of the Shahed, Gerbera, Italmas type and drones of other types from the directions: Bryansk, Kursk, Millerovo, Primorsko-Akhtarsk - Russia, Donetsk - TOT of Ukraine, about 80 of them Shahed UAVs. The air attack was repelled by aviation, anti-aircraft missile troops, electronic warfare and unmanned systems units, and mobile fire groups of the Defense Forces of Ukraine. The attack continues, with several enemy UAVs in the airspace. The Lagos State Government has introduced wide-ranging reforms aimed at strengthening criminal and civil justice administration in the state. The Lagos State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Lawal Pedro, said this on Tuesday during a meeting with judicial correspondents in Lagos. Mr Pedro, who is a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), added that the various reforms would reduce case backlogs and improve access to justice for residents. He said the ministry had deployed technology and institutional reforms to ensure efficiency in criminal justice administration. According to him, Lagos operates a criminal information system capable of tracking defendants across all courts in the state. He said the state had also introduced forensic measures, inmate profiling, plea bargaining and non-custodial sentencing to reduce the number of awaiting-trial inmates. Mr Pedro explained that many defendants referred to as awaiting-trial inmates were not actually in prison custody, as some were already on bail. He said the plea-bargain process had significantly reduced prison congestion, while the prerogative of mercy was also being used to achieve the same goal. The attorney-general said Lagos had enacted a witness protection and support law to ensure criminal justice was fast, efficient and effective. On civil justice, Mr Pedro said the state government, in collaboration with the judiciary, had taken steps to reduce delays, including resolving hundreds of appeals within a short period. He said Lagos had also introduced reforms under the Administration of Civil Justice Law, currently before the House of Assembly, to streamline court processes. These reforms aim at ensuring civil cases do not last beyond 12 to 18 months, while tenancy matters will be concluded within three to six months. The government is determined to prevent abuse of court processes and stop the use of litigation as an instrument of oppression. The reforms will also encourage real estate investment and create a balance between tenants rights and investors interests, he said. The commissioner said the state had strengthened access-to-justice institutions, including the Office of the Public Defender and the Citizens Mediation Centre, with increased staffing and resources. He added that the Directorate of Citizens Rights and the Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency had been empowered to protect vulnerable persons, especially women and children. The directorate of public prosecutions will continue to work closely with law enforcement agencies to ensure effective criminal prosecution while respecting suspects fundamental rights, he said. Mr Pedro reaffirmed the ministrys commitment to continuous reforms in line with population growth and the demands of justice delivery in the state. Earlier in his welcome address, the Solicitor-General and Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Justice, Hameed Oyenuga, said the engagement was designed to acquaint judicial correspondents with the ministrys initiatives and reforms. Mr Oyenuga said the ministry was committed to transparency and collaboration with the media in advancing justice delivery across the state. (NAN) The Lagos State House of Assembly and the representatives of waterfront communities where residents have been hit by waves of demolitions of their homes by the state government have backed the proposed water city project of the demolished areas. This formed part of a five-point agreement reached on Tuesday evening during a stakeholders meeting held at the House of Assembly complex in Alausa, Ikeja. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the waterfront communities affected by the demolition are Makoko, Sogunro and Oko Agbon in Lagos State. The development is the latest phase in the House of Assemblys intervention in the crisis following the state governments heightened demolition of structures in the communities in the last few months. Residents backed by a coalition of civil society organisations have staged a series of protests at both the communities and the Lagos State House of Assembly complex against the demolitions which they said was part of the anti-poor agenda of the state government. During an on-the-spot assessment of the demolished area of Makoko on Monday, the Assembly urged both the state government and residents of Makoko to halt all actions pending the outcome of its fact-finding mission to the waterfront community. Speaking to journalists on Tuesday, the chairman, Adhoc Committee on Rules and Business, Noheem Adams, said the proposed water city project by the state government was intended to benefit the affected residents. Self-enumeration of affected buildings Mr Adams, who is also the House Majority Leader, said the state government would constitute a 10-man committee to conduct a self-enumeration of affected buildings. The majority leader said the committee was expected to complete the enumeration exercise and submit its report within two weeks to the Adhoc Committee on Rules and Business. Mr Adams called for transparency in the self-enumeration process, noting that data provided by the community would be cross-checked with government records. He directed Makoko stakeholders to submit the list of the proposed 10-man committee to the House upon its constitution. Community representatives speak Speaking to journalists, the Baale of Sogunro Community, Abraham Mesu, commended the intervention of the Lagos State House of Assembly on the matter. Mr Mesu described the proposed Water City project as a landmark initiative capable of improving living standards and ensuring that residents remain the primary beneficiaries. He, however, expressed concern over the impact of the demolitions but affirmed the communitys willingness to collaborate with the state government. Also speaking, the Baale of Makoko Waterfront, Emmanuel Shemade, said community leaders had resolved not to rebuild demolished structures until further notice. Mr Shemade said he was satisfied with the agreement reached at the meeting on the regeneration of Makoko communities without displacing residents. He further commended the commitment of the state government to provide an aerial photograph clearly showing demolition boundaries within one month. Earlier, Olajide Babatunde, Special Adviser to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Geographic Information Service (GIS), said the state government had concluded plans for the Water City project as part of efforts to regenerate the area. Mr Babatunde said the governor was concerned about overcrowding and poor living conditions in the communities and assured that affected residents would be adequately compensated. Water city project On 2 February, the Lagos State Government announced plans to invest about $10 million in regenerating Makoko, the sprawling waterfront community, even as residents and civil society groups decry recent demolitions that had left families homeless and sparked protests demanding accountability from the police and government. Mr Babatunde, the gSpecial Adviser to the Governor on E-GIS, said on Monday that the state will contribute $2 million, with the United Nations expected to provide up to $8 million for a water city project aimed at modernising the fishing community. The project, however, has not yet commenced. So far, government intervention has focused only on removing structures within the high-tension power line corridor to prevent accidents in the event of fallen wires, Mr Babatunde said. He acknowledged that international donors are increasingly cautious in providing funding. Funds are no longer easily available from most donor agencies. We are appealing to international partners and business organisations both within and outside Nigeria for support, he added. READ ALSO: Lagos Assembly orders immediate halt to Makoko demolitions amid protests against govts actions Mr Babatunde said residents had been consulted through engagements involving both government officials and United Nations representatives. He also explained that the government had considered two options for Makoko: a shoreline extension and the water city project. Experts and environmentalists raised concerns over the shoreline extension, leaving the water city as the only environmentally viable option. The water city project will be situated where the fishing community currently lives. No structures within this area have been affected. Any removals were limited strictly to the high-tension corridor, he said. (NAN) Troops of the Joint Task Force (North East), Operation HADIN KAI (OPHK), have killed 16 ISWAP terrorists and rescued 11 kidnapped victims in a series of coordinated counter-offensives across Borno. This is contained in a statement by the Media Information Officer of OPHK, Sani Uba, on Wednesday. Mr Uba said the operation followed a failed midnight attack by ISWAP fighters on the Forward Operating Base, Auno, on 5 February, which was decisively repelled by troops of Sector 1 with superior firepower. He said the troops, in synergy with the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF), launched a follow-up offensive on 9 February along the Komala axis in Konduga Local Government Area. According to him, troops pursued the fleeing terrorists up to the Gidan Kaji axis, neutralising 16 of them, while several others escaped with gunshot wounds. Items recovered during the operation include over 20 bicycles, weapons and a large cache of logistics supplies believed to be critical to the terrorists operations. In a related development, troops arrested suspected ISWAP logistics suppliers conveying large quantities of drugs intended for the terrorists around the Bukarti axis. Meanwhile, troops foiled a kidnap attempt along the BurataiKamuya road after swiftly responding to suspicious movements in the area. Two victims, identified as Mallam Idris Adamu and Mallam Muhammadu Safiyanu, were rescued and reunited with their families in Buratai, he said. Mr Uba further revealed that troops, responding to a distress call along the ChibokDamboa axis, rescued nine kidnapped victims on the same day. He said the operations underscore OPHKs sustained efforts to dismantle terrorist networks, disrupt logistics corridors and ensure the protection of civilians across the North East. (NAN) The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has secured a two-month jail term without an option of fine for a traffic offender arrested for driving against traffic along the LagosIbadan Expressway. The FRSC Corps Marshal, Shehu Mohammed, said this in a statement by the Corps Public Education Officer (CPEO), Olusegun Ogungbemide, on Wednesday in Abuja. Mr Mohammed said the conviction was handed down by the Ojodu-Abiodun Magisterial District Court following a special joint intervention patrol launched on Monday. He said that the operation was inaugurated to curb the persistent and dangerous practice of one-way driving along the KaraOpic axis of the expressway. He added that the illegal act had escalated due to ongoing bridge expansion joint construction works on both the inward and outward sections of the corridor. Disturbed by the increasing recklessness and the attendant risk of avoidable road traffic crashes, the Lagos Sector Commander, Corps Commander Kehinde Hamzat, initiated the joint intervention. The patrol was done in collaboration with the Ogun State Sector Command, the Corridor Commander, officers of the Nigeria Police (Warewa, Ojodu-Abiodun and Isheri Divisions). Also, agencies include the Ogun State Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Agency (TRACE), and the Nigerian Army among others, he said. The corps marshal did not disclose under which law the driver was charged, convicted and sentenced to prison. Although states like Lagos, have their traffic laws which provide for varying penalties for various traffic offences, the FRSC has no provision for custodial sentences for any of the traffic offences listed on its website. For a violation to be treated as a criminal act to attract a conviction and term of imprisonment, it must have been codified in a law passed by the state House of Assembly or the National Assembly. The FRSC corps marshal said that during the patrol, officers were strategically deployed at identified flashpoints notorious for one-way driving and related violations. Mr Mohammed said the enforcement team intercepted one Koko Moses, driver of a Volkswagen bus with registration number MUS 89 YG, while driving against the flow of traffic. Further checks revealed that the offender was also driving without a valid drivers licence, compounding the gravity of his offences and posing a serious threat to public safety. The offender was promptly charged to court by CSP Ayegbede John, Divisional Police Officer (DPO), Warewa Police Station. Upon arraignment, the court found him guilty and sentenced him to two months imprisonment without the option of fine. This is sending what authorities described as a clear and uncompromising message that impunity on the nations highways would no longer be tolerated, he said. Mr Mohammed, however, stated that the intervention patrol recorded an immediate reduction in incidents of one-way driving along the corridor, demonstrating the effectiveness of coordinated enforcement and sustained visibility. The corps marshal lauded the joint team for effective coordination and leadership in ensuring the success of the operation. He reiterated that the FRSC would continue to maintain zero tolerance for traffic violations that endanger lives and assured the motoring public of sustained enforcement operations along critical corridors nationwide. He also admonished motorists to obey traffic rules, cooperate with traffic management directives during construction works, and always prioritise safety. (NAN) Ahead of the 2027 general elections, a human rights lawyer, Ejime Okolie, has sued the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and 19 political parties over imposition of outrageous expression of interest and nomination fees. Mr Okolie, who stated he was suing for himself and on behalf of millions of Nigerian citizens desirous of participating in the electoral process, filed the suit before the Federal High Court in Abuja. In the suit he filed on 5 January, the plaintiff urged the judge, Binta Nyako, to direct INEC to issue binding guidelines that will regulate reasonable maximum thresholds for the fees. He also sought an order restraining the parties from fixing or enforcing any expression of interest (EOI) or nomination fees for the primaries of 2027 general elections that have the effect of excluding qualified Nigerian citizens from contesting in the polls. Besides, he sought an order that his prayers granted by the court shall operate prospectively, for the protection of constitutional rights ahead of the elections. He urged the court to declare that the fixing, imposing and enforcing exorbitant fees for nomination forms by the parties prior to the past 2023 general elections, as a condition to contest in the primaries, excluded many qualified Nigerian citizens, including himself, from the contest. Mr Okolie said the act violated his fundamental rights to freedom of association guaranteed under Section 40 of the Nigerian constitution. He, therefore, urged the court to declare that the imposition of financial barriers which disproportionately exclude ordinary Nigerian citizens from political participation amounts to discrimination contrary to Section 42 of the constitution. The lawyer listed 19 political parties including the All Progressives Congress (APC), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), African Democratic Congress (ADC), among others, as defendants. He also joined INEC and the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) as co-defendants. The judge, Mrs Nyako, has fixed 12 February for hearing. Why suing The lawyer canvassed 11 grounds in support of his suit, maintaining that he brought the suit in public interest to protect the constitutional rights of Nigerians to political participation. He said his net income for the year 2025 was less than N2.4 million and that many professionals and the youths earn even less. He said that before the primaries for the 2023 general elections, political parties fixed non-refundable EOI and nomination fees ranging from millions to tens of millions of naira. Citing instances, Mr Okolie said the APC fixed its presidential form at N100 million, governorship at N50 million, Senate, N20 million; House of Representatives, N10 million, and state assembly, N2 million, per aspirant. ALSO READ: INEC registers two new political parties He said the PDP fixed its presidential EOI at N5 million and nomination form at N35 million; governorship at N1 million and nomination form, N20 million; Senate at N500,000 and nomination form, N3 million; House of Representatives at N500,000 and nomination form, N2 million, while states assembly was at N100,000 and nomination form, N500, 000, respectively. He said other parties like All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Social Democratic Party (SDP) and others also had fees ranging in millions of naira for EOI and nomination. According to him, these fees have no statutory backing from INEC which regulates elections and sets campaign finance limits through the Electoral Act, 2022. The lawyer, who stated that the current national minimum wage is N70,000 per month, submitted that a lot of qualified workers earn less than N1, 000,000 annually. This illustrates the economic gulf between what ordinary citizens earn and the cost of EOI fees, he said. He argued that Sections 65, 106, 131 and 177 of the constitution prescribe qualifications for elective offices and do not include financial capacity. He further argued that political parties are created and regulated under Sections 222 to 229 of the constitution and cannot operate outside constitutional limits. Mr Okolie submitted that INEC is constitutionally and statutorily empowered under the Electoral Act, 2022 to regulate political parties and ensure internal democracy. He said that unless the court intervenes before the 2027 general elections, the political parties will repeat the unconstitutional practices witnessed before 2023 elections, by fixing exorbitant fees. The lawyer stated that the suit is preventive, not speculative, and seeks judicial protection of constitutional rights. INEC opposes suit Although none of the political parties had filed their defence, INEC, in its preliminary objection filed on 28 January, urged the court to dismiss the suit. According to the commission, this honourable court lacks jurisdiction to hear and determine the suit and that the suit should be dismissed. INECs lead counsel, Sulayman Ibrahim, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), argued that Mr Okolie lacked the locus standi (legal right) to institute the suit. The lawyer argued that the subject matter of the suit which is regulation of the sale of EOI forms and nomination fees are internal affairs of the political parties and a no-go area for the courts. This honourable court lacks the requisite jurisdiction to hear and determine this suit, he submitted. Plaintiff counters INEC But Mr Okolie, while responding to INECs argument on points of law, stated that the objection is misconceived, constitutionally narrow and seeks to resurrect doctrines that had been consistently rejected in public interest and fundamental rights litigation. On whether he lacks locus standi in a fundamental rights enforcement action, the lawyer said INECs position is legally obsolete. According to him, locus standi is deliberately relaxed under the fundamental Rights (Enforcement Procedure) Rules 2009. The Preamble, Paragraph 3(e)of the Fundamental Right (Enforcement Procedure) Rules mandates courts to encourage and welcome public interest litigation in the enforcement of fundamental rights, he argued. He said the provision constitutionally overrides the restrictive approach adopted by the commission. On whether the fixing of exorbitant EOI and nomination fees is an internal affair of political parties, Mr Okolie argued that internal affairs doctrine is not absolute. According to him, while political parties enjoy internal autonomy, such autonomy ends where constitutional rights begin, citing a previous case by the Supreme Court. On whether the court lacks the jurisdiction to hear the suit, the lawyer argued that jurisdiction is triggered by the claim, and not the defence. He described INECs objection as technically driven, substantively hollow and inconsistent with modern constitutional jurisprudence, urging the court to dismiss the objection and hear his substantive fundamental rights application on the merits. (NAN) An Arik Air Boeing 737-7GL aircraft, registration 5N-MJF, operating a scheduled domestic flight from Lagos to Port Harcourt on Wednesday, experienced an in-flight engine anomaly and diverted safely to Benin Airport. The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) made this known in a statement in Abuja, signed by Bimbo Oladeji, NSIB Director, Public Affairs and Family Assistance. According to NSIB, the crew detected abnormal indications on one of the engines during the cruise phase of flight. In accordance with established safety procedures, the flight crew conducted a precautionary engine shutdown and diverted to the nearest suitable airport, Benin. The aircraft landed without incident, and all passengers and crew disembarked normally. No injuries have been reported. Preliminary observations at the diversion airport indicate significant damage to the affected engine based on initial visual assessment. In line with its statutory mandate and in accordance with international standards under ICAO Annex 13 and applicable Nigerian civil aviation regulations, the NSIB has commenced an investigation into the occurrence, it said. It stated that a preliminary assessment team was en route to Benin to secure the aircraft, document evidence, interview relevant personnel and witnesses, and recover flight data and cockpit voice recorder information. According to the statement, NSIB is working closely with the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Arik Air, and other relevant stakeholders to determine the sequence of events and any contributing factors. It said that a preliminary report would be issued within 30 days in accordance with ICAO Annexe 13 provisions. A final report will be published at the conclusion of the investigation. The safety of passengers, crew, and the public remains our highest priority. The NSIB encourages any member of the public with relevant information regarding this occurrence to contact the Bureau through its official channels. Further updates will be provided as more information becomes available, it said. (NAN) The Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Jumoke Oduwole, has disclosed that Nigeria recorded about $21 billion in total capital importation between January and October 2025, a significant rise compared to roughly $12 billion in 2024 and less than $4 billion in 2023. Ms Oduwole disclosed this on Wednesday while presenting her ministrys performance report and 2026 budget proposal before the Joint House of Representatives Committee on Commerce in Abuja. She described the increase as a reflection of growing investor confidence and the outcome of policy reforms introduced under President Bola Tinubus Renewed Hope Agenda. According to the minister, the surge in inflows followed targeted interventions by the ministry, including the development of more than $5 billion in bankable, investment-ready projects, the creation of sector-focused deal rooms, and the organisation of Nigerias first Domestic Investors Summit. She explained that these initiatives helped reactivate domestic capital flows, clear approximately 50 long-standing investment bottlenecks, and fast-track project execution. Nigeria recorded total capital importation of approximately $21 billion in the first ten months of 2025. This is the outcome of coordinated investor engagements, sector-specific deal rooms, and the resolution of over 50 investor bottlenecks, she said. In addition, the ministry embarked on over 100 bilateral investment engagements across major global markets, including the United Arab Emirates, Brazil, Japan, the United States, and the United Kingdom. Ms Oduwole noted that sustained engagement under the NigeriaUK Economic and Trade Partnership, which began in the second quarter of 2024, produced measurable gains, with UK investors accounting for about 65 per cent of foreign capital inflows into Nigeria in 2025. On trade, the minister said Nigeria posted a surplus in 2025, with total trade valued at approximately 113 trillion in the first three quarters of the year. Exports rose by about 11 per cent year-on-year to $6.1 billion, the highest level recorded in both value and volume. What we are seeing is the beginning of sustained structural transformation, the minister said. According to her, the ministry intensified efforts to expand non-oil exports, improve market access for Nigerian goods and upgrade quality infrastructure to meet international standards. Special Economic Zones, she added, played a major role in industrial diversification, generating over $500 million in export revenue and creating more than 20,000 direct jobs. Beyond capital inflow figures, Ms Oduwole said the ministrys broader strategy is centred on strengthening Nigerias productive base by linking domestic supply capacity to regional and global demand. Priority sectors include agro-processing, solid minerals beneficiation, light manufacturing and digital services. Budget constraints and 2026 priorities Despite the positive performance indicators, the minister urged lawmakers to reconsider the ministrys proposed 2.72 billion capital allocation for 2026, warning that the amount would be inadequate to sustain reforms and scale priority programmes. Given the scope of responsibilities before us, this allocation will be a stretch. We respectfully seek the Committees support for targeted enhancement of our capital budget, she appealed. She recalled that in 2024, the ministry received a total appropriation of 14.39 billion, with personnel and overhead allocations fully utilised and 93.2 per cent of the 8.36 billion capital allocation released and expended. Revenue collections that year exceeded projections by about 154 million, which was fully remitted to the Consolidated Revenue Fund. In contrast, while the ministrys 2025 budget stood at 11.80 billion and personnel and overhead components were fully utilised, none of the 3.89 billion capital allocation had been released as of the time of presentation. Nevertheless, revenue outperformed the target by roughly 100 million and was fully remitted. For 2026, Ms Oduwole said the ministrys framework focuses on implementation, particularly advancing industrial policy through value chain development, strengthening industrial clusters, expanding Special Economic Zones, and deepening trade facilitation and investment promotion. The emphasis remains Nigeria First, prioritising local production, supporting non-oil exports and deepening domestic investment, she said, adding that domestic investors remain the strongest signal of economic confidence while international investors will continue to be engaged through structured trade missions and in-country visits. Earlier, the Chairman of the House Committee on Commerce, Ahmed Munir (APC, Kaduna), assured the ministry of legislative support but stressed that future allocations would be judged by measurable economic outcomes rather than mere expenditure levels. He described 2025 as a year of economic adjustment and resilience, noting that Nigeria must now transition from surviving the storm to positioning itself as a competitive production-driven economy. Mr Munir said the committee would closely examine how the 2026 budget strengthens local content, promotes Made-in-Nigeria goods and empowers Small and Medium Enterprises through improved access to credit, reduced regulatory barriers and enhanced ease of doing business. With the African Continental Free Trade Area fully operational, Nigeria cannot afford to be a spectator. Strategic investment in standardisation, certification, digital trade infrastructure and export readiness is imperative, he said. More than 200 artefacts looted from Nigeria by the British military in the 19th century are set to be returned. The Cambridge University Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology (MAA) confirmed this in a statement issued last Sunday. The institution has already transferred ownership of the artefacts to Nigeria and will return them to their home country before the end of 2026. The statement said the university had transferred legal ownership of 116 Benin artefacts in the Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology (MAA) collections to Nigerias National Commission for Museums and Monuments (NCMM). This comes three years after NCMM called for the return of 116 objects looted by armed forces during the 1897 sack of Benin City. The commission had made a formal request for the Benin Bronze in 2022. The MAA said the UK Charity Commission eventually approved. The Universitys Council supported the claim and authorisation from the UK Charity Commission was subsequently granted. Physical transfer of the majority of the artefacts will be arranged in due course, the statement read. The institution also noted that, although 116 items are to be returned, 17 will remain temporarily at the museum on a three-year loan. The MAA will continue to be accessible for public viewing and academic study. The BBC reports that among the bronzes to be returned are wooden and ivory sculptures, as well as commemorative heads of King Oba and Queen Mother Lyoba Idia. According to the MAAs director, Nicholas Thomas, the return of the artefact is widely supported by the university community. He said, It has been immensely rewarding to engage in dialogue with colleagues from the National Commission of Museums and Monuments, members of the Royal Court, and Nigerian scholars, students, and artists over the last 10 years. Over the period, support has mounted, nationally and internationally, for the repatriation of artefacts that were appropriated in the context of colonial violence. Olugbile Holloway, the director general of the NCMM, also disclosed that the repatriated objects will be housed in museums in Lagos and Benin City. We expect this to happen before the year ends, he said. The return of the Benin Bronzes is part of a broader international movement to repatriate African artefacts looted by Western powers during colonial rule. There has been pressure on Western institutions and governments to address their colonial-era acquisitions. Earlier in the year, French senators adopted a bill intended to simplify the return of artworks and cultural objects looted during Frances colonial era to their countries of origin. Previous returns Cambridges return of artefacts follows similar ones from countries such as Germany, the United States, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom. The return of the Benin Bronzes is part of a broader international movement to repatriate African artefacts looted by Western powers during colonial rule. PREMIUM TIMES also reported the return of 119 Benin Bronzes to Nigeria last year. In 2022, Germany returned 1,030 Benin Bronzes to Nigeria. The same year, three US museums the Smithsonian Institutions National Museum of African Art (NMAfA) and the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) Museum returned 31 Benin bronzes. The Horniman Museum, a London Museum that houses a collection of 72 treasured items, handed over ownership of the artefacts to the Nigerian government. But the British Museum, which holds the most extensive collection of Benin Bronzes, has refused to return them, citing legal restrictions. Meanwhile, the arrival of the Benin artefacts, looted by the British during their invasion of the ancient Benin kingdom, sparked controversy over where the treasure should be housed. In 2021, it elicited a disagreement between the former Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, and Oba Ewuare II of Benin. The king had asked that the artefacts be kept in the Benin Royal Museum, built within the palace, while the state government demanded that the items be preserved in the proposed Edo Museum of West African Arts. The federal government added a new twist to the controversy when it proposed to take possession of the artworks. However, in April 2023, the federal government officially recognised the Oba of Benin as the owner and custodian of the artefacts. According to the Oba of Benin, plans are already underway for the construction of the Benin Royal Museum. Ten people, including the suspected gunman, were killed following a mass shooting at two locations in the northern British Columbia community of Tumbler Ridge, Canadian authorities said on Wednesday. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) said officers responded to reports of an active shooter at a local school at approximately 1:20 p.m. local time (2020 GMT). The alert remained in place for just over four hours before being officially lifted. In a statement, Tumbler Ridge RCMP said officers discovered multiple victims while conducting a search of the school. An individual believed to be the shooter was also found dead with what appears to be a self-inflicted injury, police said. Six other people were found dead inside the school, in addition to the suspected attacker. Two victims were airlifted to the hospital with serious or life-threatening injuries, while a third person died while being transported to the hospital, police said. Approximately 25 others were assessed at a local medical centre for non-life-threatening injuries. RCMP North District Commander Ken Floyd told a news conference that two additional victims were found deceased at a secondary location believed to be connected to the incident. We are not in a place now to be able to understand why and what may have motivated this tragedy. This was a rapidly evolving and dynamic situation, Mr Floyd said. Authorities are yet to release the identities of the victims or the suspected gunman. The investigation remains ongoing as police work to determine the circumstances surrounding the shootings. (dpa/NAN) The Court of Appeal in Abuja has fixed Thursday (12 February) for hearing of multiple suits regarding the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) national convention held November last year in Ibadan, Oyo State. A three-member panel of the court led by Mohammed Danjuma will consider eight separate appeals questioning the validity of the convention that produced the Kabiru Tanimu Turakiled National Working Committee (NWC). Vanguard newspaper reported that the appeals arose from multiple court rulings on whether the event could proceed, which triggered a deep legal crisis within the party. But the report did not disclose how the Court of Appeal scheduled the hearing and notified parties of the hearing date. On 31 October last year, the Federal High Court, Abuja, ruled that the planned national convention violated the Nigerian Constitution, the guidelines of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), and the PDP constitution, because the party had not conducted valid state congresses ahead of the convention. The judge, James Omotosho, stopped the convention and barred INEC from supervising it. Days later, another judge of the High Court in Ibadan, directed the PDP and its then national chairman to proceed with the convention and asked INEC to monitor it. But on 11 November 2025, another Federal High Court judge in Abuja, Peter Lifu, again restrained the PDP from holding the convention. The order came in a suit filed by former Jigawa State Governor Sule Lamido, who argued that he was denied the opportunity to purchase nomination forms to contest for the partys national chairmanship. Despite the two orders from the Federal High Court in Abuja blocking the convention, the Turaki-led faction proceeded with the exercise on between 15 and 16 November in Ibadan, where delegates elected a new NWC now headed by Mr Turaki. However, INEC declined to recognise the Turaki-led leadership. The commission cited subsisting court orders and ongoing litigation that barred the commission from updating or acting on the list of national officers. Following this, the Turaki-led faction filed a suit seeking recognition of the Ibadan convention and validation of the elected NWC. But the Federal High Court in Ibadan instead nullified the entire convention. The judge ruled that the conversation was held in flagrant disobedience to existing judgments, and that the caretaker committee remained the recognised leadership until a valid convention was held. In response, the faction that organised the Ibadan convention said it would appeal the nullification to higher courts. Photo: https://www.facebook.com/RedCrossUkraine Director General of the Ukrainian Red Cross Society (URCS) Maksym Dotsenko and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Andriy Sybiha have discussed assistance to communities and children. "During the meeting, the parties focused on the practical results of already implemented humanitarian initiatives and further expansion of cooperation in the context of full-scale Russian aggression against Ukraine," the URCS reported on its official Facebook page. Among the key areas of discussion was the rehabilitation and recreation of Ukrainian children abroad. This primarily concerns children of military personnel, deceased and missing defenders, as well as children from front-line regions. With the assistance of the URCS, last year, more than 700 children were able to undergo rehabilitation and rest outside Ukraine. At the beginning of 2026, the first trips of children already took place, and the program continues to expand. In the near future, it is planned to organize a holiday for children from regions that are under constant shelling, in particular Sumy and Chernihiv regions. During the meeting, the parties also discussed supporting the energy sustainability of communities and assisting the population in the winter. A separate vector of dialogue was the prospects for the development of humanitarian cooperation outside Ukraine. PREMIUM TIMES can confirm the imminent return to Nigeria of former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, contrary to speculations that he is in self-exile. Mr El-Rufai, who is expected to arrive in Abuja within the next 48 hours, has also notified the EFCC that he will appear at their office by 10 a.m. on Monday, 16 February, sources close to him told this newspaper. The former Kaduna governor confirmed his imminent return in a brief interview with PREMIUM TIMES. Mr El-Rufai travelled abroad on 30 November 2025 after attending social events in Lagos the previous day. During his absence, the EFCC delivered a letter of invitation to his residence in December 2025, fuelling speculation that he could be arrested upon his return to Nigeria. Since leaving office as governor in 2023, Mr El-Rufai has hardly left the public eye. PREMIUM TIMES reports that he played a major role in the emergence of President Bola Tinubu as the flagbearer of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), in the build-up to the 2023 presidential election. He championed the demand of many APC governors on the then-President, Muhammadu Buhari, that the party should zone its ticket to the South, particularly the South-west, to honour an unwritten agreement within the party. When Mr Tinubu assumed office as president, he nominated Mr El-Rufai to become a minister. However, the Senate declined his nomination as minister, allegedly based on a security report, following which he declined to be reconsidered and suggested a former appointee as his replacement. He has since fallen out with the president and left the APC last year for the African Democratic Congress (ADC). He has also become one of the most vocal critics of the president. In March 2024, Mr El-Rufais successor as governor, Uba Sani, set in motion a probe into Mr El-Rufais tenure. El-Rufai challenged the probe report at the Federal High Court. However, the EFCC and the ICPC are investigating many of the corruption allegations against Mr El-Rufai and persons who worked with him. The former governor has denied any wrongdoing and has alleged that he is being persecuted. The House of Representatives Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has faulted the level of funding proposed for the Office of the Auditor-General for the Federation (OAuGF), warning that continued financial constraints on the countrys supreme audit institution could undermine anti-corruption efforts and weaken public accountability. The concerns were raised on Wednesday by the committee during the consideration of the Auditor-Generals 2026 budget proposal at the National Assembly. The lawmakers examined the proposed allocation of 15.8 billion to the OAuGF in the 2026 fiscal year and noted that the figure represents just about 0.027 per cent of the 58.4 trillion federal government budget. They described the allocation as inadequate when measured against the Offices constitutional mandate to audit more than 1,000 Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), including government-funded institutions. The Chair of the Committee, Bamidele Salam (PDP, Osun), said it would be unrealistic to expect the Auditor-Generals Office to effectively scrutinise a national budget of 58.4 trillion with what he termed limited financial support. He revealed that funding challenges in previous years had already affected the AuoGFs operations. According to him, only five out of roughly 100 Nigerian foreign missions were audited due to resource constraints. In addition, just four per cent of the capital allocation approved for the Office in the 2025 fiscal year was released, further limiting its operational capacity. A breakdown of the 2026 proposal shows 5.3 billion earmarked for personnel costs, 5.6 billion for overhead expenditure and 4.8 billion for capital projects. He noted that inadequate and delayed release of funds, particularly for capital expenditure, would continue to hinder the Offices ability to deploy modern audit tools, strengthen digital systems, and attract and retain skilled professionals. He also referred to global standards set by the International Organization of Supreme Audit Institutions (INTOSAI), which recommend that supreme audit institutions be granted sufficient, stable and independent funding to perform their duties without undue influence. He emphasised that financial autonomy is critical to safeguarding the independence of audit institutions, adding that best practice requires that such bodies submit their budget proposals directly to the legislature or a designated parliamentary committee. Mr Salam warned that weakening oversight institutions through poor funding could erode transparency in public financial management. This is associated with weak institutions, which have contributed to the corruption ravaging our country, Mr Salam stated. He said underfunded oversight bodies contribute to institutional weaknesses that allow corruption and financial mismanagement to persist. He, therefore, called on the federal government and other relevant authorities to ensure adequate appropriation and full release of funds to the OAuGF, stressing that a strengthened audit institution is essential to preventing waste and promoting accountability in the management of public resources. Presenting an overview of the 2025 budget performance, the Auditor-General, Shaakaa Chira, attributed operational setbacks to poor and delayed release of approved funds. He explained that funding shortfalls created gaps in the Offices ability to fully execute its statutory mandate and planned activities for the year. According to him, only five of Nigerias foreign missions were audited in 2025 due to inadequate funding, despite the scale of overseas operations requiring scrutiny. He added that the Office is still owing rent in some foreign locations and is grappling with personnel shortages. Mr Chira disclosed that although 653 million was appropriated for the audit of foreign missions in 2025, only 371 million was expended, leaving an outstanding balance of 282 million, representing 56 per cent of the total amount released. He further revealed that while the Office initially proposed 3.4 billion for foreign missions audit in 2026, the Budget Office approved a ceiling of 633,849,824. We proposed a budget of N3.4 billion for audit of foreign missions, and the budget office gave us a ceiling of 633,849,824 for 2026, he said. He also informed the committee that only four per cent of the capital allocation approved for the Office in the 2025 fiscal year was released, a development he said significantly impaired its operational capacity, particularly in the areas of technology upgrade and audit expansion Today, facts are catching up with fear. As January pay slips landed, Nigerians began sharing their lived experiences, not government talking points, but personal testimony. Salary earners openly confirmed that while gross figures adjusted, net pay actually increased. PAYE deductions reduced. Taxes dropped. From verified voices on social media to private messages thanking professionals who explained the law early on, the evidence is mounting: many workers are paying less tax, not more. Nigerias new tax laws are no longer a proposal, a rumour, or a theoretical policy experiment, they are in force, and they are here to stay. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu deserves credit for taking a bold but necessary step to reform a tax system that for years placed a disproportionate burden on salary earners while leaving loopholes for inefficiency and abuse. At a time when hard choices must be made to stabilise the economy and protect the most vulnerable, the administration opted for reform over populism. That decision, now backed by real-life outcomes, is proving to be both timely and pro-people. Unfortunately, from the moment the tax bills were introduced, they became targets of deliberate misinformation. Opposition figures and social media commentators, many with little understanding of tax policy, weaponised fear for political gain. Nigerians were told their salaries would crash. Workers were warned they would take home less pay and be forced to shoulder higher taxes. PAYE was framed as a new punishment rather than a restructured relief. These falsehoods were repeated loudly and often, not because they were true, but because panic travels faster than facts in the digital age. Beyond the immediate relief Nigerians are experiencing, these reforms are fundamentally about long-term national building, creating a fair, transparent, and sustainable tax system that strengthens public finance, supports development, and lays the groundwork for a more stable and prosperous Nigeria. The noise is fading. The numbers are speaking. And they are telling a very different story from the one Nigerians were sold. Today, facts are catching up with fear. As January pay slips landed, Nigerians began sharing their lived experiences, not government talking points, but personal testimony. Salary earners openly confirmed that while gross figures adjusted, net pay actually increased. PAYE deductions reduced. Taxes dropped. From verified voices on social media to private messages thanking professionals who explained the law early on, the evidence is mounting: many workers are paying less tax, not more. As some commentators rightly observed, a large number of Nigerians were never going to be negatively affected in the first place. The new tax laws are, by design, pro poor, protective of low and middle income earners with focus on fairness. The noise is fading. The numbers are speaking. And they are telling a very different story from the one Nigerians were sold. Beyond the immediate relief Nigerians are experiencing, these reforms are fundamentally about long-term national building, creating a fair, transparent, and sustainable tax system that strengthens public finance, supports development, and lays the groundwork for a more stable and prosperous Nigeria. The noise is fading. The numbers are speaking. And they are telling a very different story from the one Nigerians were sold. Aderonke Atoyebi is technical assistant on broadcast media to the Executive Chairman of the Nigeria Revenue Service. She writes from Abuja. Governor Umar Namadi of Jigawa State on Tuesday visited the Abuja office of Qatar Charity, where he was warmly received by the Country Director, Shaikh Assem Abu Al-Shaer. The visit served as a strategic engagement to solidify a partnership that has significantly improved the quality of life for Jigawa residents over the last two years. In a statement released via his official Facebook page, Governor Namadi highlighted the tangible outcomes of this international cooperation. He stated: Through this collaboration, many communities in Jigawa State have benefited from housing projects, mosques, Islamic schools, boreholes, solar-powered water systems, and empowerment items like tricycles, motorcycles, and grinding machines. Acknowledging the foundations role in the states rural transformation, the Governor stated that his administration is committed to stewardship and the long-term maintenance of these assets. On behalf of the government and the people of Jigawa State, I express my deep appreciation for this consistent support. I made it clear that every project brought into our communities will be used as intended, cared for properly, and sustained over time so the benefits last. The collaboration between the Jigawa State Government and Qatari humanitarian organisations, particularly Qatar Charity, is part of a broader effort to address infrastructure gaps and poverty in Northern Nigeria. The Qatari humanitarian gesture in Jigawa targets the destitutes and unemployed youth, moving communities away from aid dependency toward self-sufficiency. The foundation often targets widows, orphans, and those displaced by the devastating floods that have historically affected Jigawa, providing them with permanent, modern brick structures. This partnership is a cornerstone of Governor Namadis 12-point agenda, which prioritises social security and human capital development. Africas Global Bank, United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc has launched a new Aggregator Sales Structure for its RedPay POS and Agency Banking Network, as part of efforts targeted towards the advancement of its mission to deepen relationship with its network and most importantly, expand financial inclusion across Nigeria. The newly launched multi benefit structure which offers partners a comprehensive value proposition, was unveiled at the inaugural UBA Aggregator Engagement Session, held at the Banks Head Office in Lagos on Tuesday. The session themed, POS-itive Impact: Connecting Agents, Merchants, and Customers, served as a collaborative platform to align strategies for scaling the UBAMONI Agency Banking ecosystem and bringing together key industry aggregators, Point-of-Sale (POS) partners, and network managers, UBAs Executive Director Designate, Digital Banking, Emmanuel Lamptey, who spoke at the event, emphasised the critical role partnerships play in achieving national financial inclusion objectives. Todays session marks a pivotal step in our collective journey to democratise financial access in Nigeria. By bringing together our valued aggregators and partners, we are strengthening the ecosystem that connects UBA directly to communities and ensuring that reliable financial services is within everyones reach, he stated. Emphasising the need for partnerships, UBAs Head, Digital Banking, Shamsideen Fashola, who presented the keynote address, outlined the strategic imperative behind the new structure. Our aggregators are fundamental to realising our ambition of building Africas most impactful digital collections network. This structured framework is designed to be scalable, transparent, and mutually rewarding, empowering our partners with the technology and support needed to drive agent productivity as well as serve under-served communities effectively, Mr Fashola noted. The platform delivers comprehensive value to agents and aggregators alike, featuring instant settlement, reliable transaction processing, real-time dashboard reporting, and a full suite of services including dispute and terminal management, analytics, card withdrawals, bill payments, and pay-with-transfer. For aggregators specifically, the model provides a structured opportunity to on board and manage agents within UBAs network, access attractive incentives and commissions, as well as leverage a dedicated Aggregator Admin Portal for real-time visibility into agent performance and transactions. UBAs Head, Agency Banking, Adetunji Iyiola who noted the customer-centric focus of the initiative, emphasized that the structure fundamentally strengthens the collaboration between UBA, merchants, and agent This rollout is about creating superior value for every stakeholder, and enabling better service delivery to customers while ensuring our partners have the tools and incentives to thrive. It reinforces our promise to deliver essential banking services exactly where they are needed most. he said. With the introduction of the aggregator framework, UBA further cements its leadership in pioneering innovative digital financial solutions that bridge the inclusion gap and drive economic empowerment across the African continent. United Bank for Africa is one of the largest employers in the financial sector on the African continent, with 25,000 employees group-wide and serving over 45 million customers globally. Operating in twenty African countries, the United Kingdom, the United States of America, France and the United Arab Emirates, UBA provides retail, commercial and institutional banking services, leading financial inclusion and implementing cutting-edge technology. The attention of the management of the University of Abuja has been drawn to a recent online media report alleging diversion of NELFUND loans meant for students by the University management. The University categorically states that these claims are false, misleading, and mischievous, as the report lacks any evidence to identify how or where the funds were supposedly diverted. Since the disbursement of NELFUND loan to the University, management has ensured that all eligible beneficiaries were reimbursed, provided they duly applied. Before the receipt of the NELFUND loan of 256,142,500 on 29 January 2026 for 2,245 beneficiaries in the University, some students had already paid their fees out of concern that they might lose the academic session. These students were subsequently advised to submit applications for reimbursement, and their cases are currently being processed. It is important to note that disbursement of the NELFUND loan is processed only upon student application. Contrary to the claims made by the online medium, no funds have been diverted, hoarded, misused or used to generate interest, and no student has been shortchanged. All unclaimed funds arising from students who have not requested disbursement are securely held in designated accounts and will be promptly released once the appropriate applications are submitted and duly processed. Since assuming office in December 2025, the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Hakeem Babatunde Fawehinmi, has served with integrity, employing a student- and staff-centred approach that ensures the interests of students are protected at all times. He has handled all NELFUND disbursements with full transparency, in strict accordance with NELFUND regulations, reflecting his personal integrity and dedication to the University. The University calls on all stakeholders and the public to rely on verified facts and disregard this report, which is clearly intended to mislead, cause unnecessary alarm, and malign the hard-earned reputation of the Universitys leadership and management team. Governor Uba Sani has reiterated his commitment to support initiatives that will expand digital literacy, promote innovation and provide equal learning opportunities for every child. The governor who said this at the Class Is Open Everywhere DigiTruck Digital Skills Training Programme on Tuesday, emphasised that no child will be discriminated against whether in urban or rural communities. Represented by the Commissioner of Youth Development, Gloria Ibrahim, the governor noted that access to technology and the right skills is no longer a luxury but a necessity. According to him, students of Kaduna State must not only be educated, they must be equipped. He said that a fully equipped mobile digital classroom will move directly to secondary schools, bringing learning to the students instead of waiting for students to find learning. It ensures that opportunity is not limited by location. The governor added that the programme will introduce students to basic computing, AI fundamentals, digital creativity, and other essential 21st-century skills. He pointed out that these are the very skills that will define employability, innovation, and leadership in the years ahead. During its stay in Kaduna State, the DigiTruck is expected to reach between 20 and 30 schools across our three zones, impacting over 1,000 students, he disclosed. This means hundreds of young people will have their first real interaction with practical technology, and for many of them, this experience may shape their career paths, he added. Governor Uba Sani expressed confidence that an exposure like this will spark curiosity, build confidence, and inspire our students to see themselves not only as users of technology, but as creators and problem-solvers. He encouraged the students to participate actively, ask questions, explore, and make the most of this opportunity, adding that the future you are preparing for is already here, and this programme is opening the door for you to step into it. Leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Remo Division of Ogun East Senatorial District have unanimously endorsed Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, as their preferred candidate for the Senate in the 2027 general elections. The endorsement was made during a well-attended meeting of party leaders on Tuesday, where stakeholders across the division urged the governor to contest the Ogun East Senatorial seat. Moving the motion, Mr Muri Awolaja, an apex leader of the party from Sagamu Local Government Area, described Governor Abiodun as an achiever and a true son of Remoland and Ogun East, noting that he is eminently qualified to represent the district at the National Assembly. The motion was seconded by a former Chairperson of Remo North Local Government Area, Dapo Odunsi. Speaking in support, council chairpersons in the zone Muyiwa Sodade of Remo North and Jamiu Asimi of Ikenne Local Government called on the governor to heed the call of the people. We are at the grassroots and we can confidently say that the good people of Remoland and indeed Ogun East are waiting for you to represent them in the Senate from 2027. This is our way of appreciating the remarkable work you have done as governor, Asimi said. The formal endorsement was subsequently announced by a member of the Governors Advisory Council (GAC), Mr Kola Ogunjobi, in the presence of prominent APC leaders, including the Ogun East APC Chairperson, Mr Adeleke Adedoyin; apex leader, Otunba Dapo Osho; Hon Sikiru Awosipe; Commissioner for Environment, Ola Oresanya; Special Adviser on Women Affairs, Mrs Ayotunde Lawal; SUBEB Chairperson, Olalekan Ifede; Special Adviser on Political Matters, Apagun Biyi Adeleye; Hon Koye Ijaduoye; Hon Ganiu Odufuwa (OGO); Hon Segun Ogunleye; Muda Odukale; and the Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications, Dare Odufowokan, among others. Mr Ogunjobi said the leaders reached the decision after extensive deliberations on the state of the party and a careful appraisal of the Abiodun administration. Governor Dapo Abioduns performance in governance and development has exceeded expectations. His achievements across infrastructure, education, security, housing, industry, investment and social welfare make him the ideal candidate to represent Ogun East in the Senate, he said. He noted that the governor has constructed over 1,600 kilometres of roads within six years, completed the Gateway International Airport, and implemented reforms that have attracted over 70 per cent of Nigerias new manufacturing companies to Ogun State. If he has done this much as governor, bringing him home to represent Ogun East will deliver even greater dividends for Remoland and the entire district, Mr Ogunjobi added. Party officials from the three local government areas, including chairmen, vice chairmen and secretaries, were also present and pledged full mobilisation and grassroots support to ensure victory should the governor declare his interest. They said Remo Division is proud of Mr Abioduns achievements and resolved to spearhead the push for his emergence as APC candidate for the Ogun East Senatorial District in 2027. A prosecution witness on Wednesday told the FCT High Court in Abuja that he disbursed money on the instructions of former Taraba State Governor Darius Ishakus co-defendant. Prince Onwuzunike, the second prosecution witness, said he received money through his account and withdrew it based on the directives of Bello Yero, who was Permanent Secretary, Taraba State Bureau for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs during Mr Ishakus reign as governor. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is prosecuting Messrs Ishaku and Yero on charges of criminal breach of trust, conspiracy, and fraudulent conversion of N27 billion belonging to Taraba State. According to the EFCC, the two defendants diverted the money from the contingency funds belonging to the states Bureau of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, as well as certain local governments in the states, for their private use. They both denied EFCCs allegations. Earlier on Monday, Mr Onwuzunike provided details of how he allegedly received funds from some local governments in Taraba State, as well as from individuals and a company associated with the Taraba State Government or its officials during the administration of the former governor. Under cross-examination by Mr Ishakus defence lawyer during Wednesdays proceedings, the witness told the court that the disbursement depended on my Ogas (Mr Yero) instructions. The witness previously disclosed his personal relationship with Mr Yero, explaining that he started receiving money on his behalf after being told to expect a money transfer alert from one Taiwo Jones. Disbursement of funds Following Mr Onwuzunikes testimony on Monday, Mr Ishakus lawyer, Eko Ejembi, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), inquired on Wednesday about his use of the money. Fielding questions from Mr Ejembi, the witness narrated how he disbursed funds received in his accounts domiciled in both Access Bank and Zenith Bank. Both accounts received over N250 million. He said he made payments to P3 Cornerstone Ltd and Taiwo Jones via transfers and cheques at various times, reiterating details from his earlier testimony. According to the witness, Mr Jones owned P3 Cornerstone, and most of the funds were deposited back into their accounts. For instance, on 10 November 2017, he received almost N50 million and withdrew N40 million. However, he did not mention what he did with the money. When Mr Ishakus lawyer asked if he kept the N5.2 million for himself, the witness denied this and said that he disbursed it on Mr Yeros instructions. Speaking of another withdrawal of N51 million on 26 October 2018 that left a balance of N1 million, Mr Onwuzunike similarly told the court that he acted on the instructions of Mr Yero. Yero took loan When asked if he knew of a Perpetual Nkoli, he replied yes, but he denied taking loans for himself from Ms Nkoli. The witness stated that it was Mr Yero who took the loan. Responding to the exact amount taken, Mr Onwuzunike said, I can not remember several transactions with Ms Nkoli, and several loans which were repaid. He emphasised that he did not take the loan, nor were any repayments processed through his accounts. After Mr Ishakus lawyer concluded his cross-examination, Mr Yeros lawyer, Adeola Adedipe, a SAN, asked for an adjournment. The trial judge, Slyvanus Oriji, granted his request and adjourned until 28 April for cross-examination of the witness by Mr Adedipe. Similar testimony The second witness testimony is similar to that of the first witness, Ismail Lawal. However, Mr Lawal said he received and distributed funds to people on behalf of Mr Ishaku. Mr Lawal previously worked for the former Governor Ishakus private business and later served as his personal assistant during his governorship. He admitted collecting money on behalf of the then-governor from Mr Yero, the second defendant. Troops of the 12 Brigade of the Nigerian Army say they have cleared a suspected terrorist camp in Kogi State and recovered ammunition during an operation conducted under Operation IGBO IDANU I. The Army disclosed this in a statement shared on its official X account on Wednesday, describing the raid as a significant blow to a network it linked to individuals identified as Kachalla Ibrahim and Shuaibu. According to the statement, the troops advanced through forested terrain and riverine areas before reaching the camp. It said the operation was led by the Commander of 12 Brigade, Kasim Sidi. The Army said soldiers advanced through dense forest, difficult terrain, and multiple riverine obstacles, adding that they dismounted and moved on foot to achieve tactical surprise and operational dominance. It stated that the maneuver enabled the troops to penetrate the enclave and clear the camp. Although the suspects fled on sighting the advancing soldiers, the Army said a subsequent search of the area led to the recovery of ammunition. Items recovered, according to the statement, include eight boxes of 7.62 x 54 link ammunition containing bandoliers of 250 rounds each, as well as one box of high-velocity grenades. The Army said the recovery had significantly degraded the operational capacity and logistics base of the group. It added that the camp was later destroyed to prevent reoccupation and that troops had continued patrols in the area to track fleeing elements and prevent regrouping. The latest raid comes amid intensified security operations across Kogi State. PREMIUM TIMES earlier reported that joint police and military operations, including air and ground assaults, were launched in parts of Kogi West following repeated attacks and abductions in communities across Yagba and Kabba-Bunu local government areas. In recent weeks, the state government ordered the temporary closure of schools, as well as selected markets and motor parks in parts of Kogi West, citing credible intelligence and ongoing clearance operations aimed at flushing out bandits and disrupting their logistics networks. Security agencies have also reported the rescue of kidnapped victims from forest camps and the dismantling of suspected criminal hideouts in various parts of the state. Residents in affected communities have, however, continued to express concern over recurring attacks and kidnappings, urging sustained security presence to prevent further incidents. The Army said the latest operation underscores its commitment to identifying and neutralising criminal enclaves and maintaining pressure on armed groups operating within the state. Photo: President's Office / www.president.gov.ua Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is set to announce plans for a presidential election and referendum on February 24, the Financial Times reported on Wednesday, citing Ukrainian and European officials involved in the planning. "Ukraine has begun planning for a presidential election along with a referendum on a peace deal with Russia after the administration of US President Donald Trump pressured Kyiv to hold both votes by May 15 or risk losing security guarantees offered by the US," the report said. According to the newspapers sources, Zelenskyy is set to announce plans for a presidential election and referendum on February 24. As reported on Monday, US Ambassador to NATO Matthew Whitaker denied Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyys claims that the US had set a deadline for a peace deal with Ukraine, The Guardian reported. According to information from Interfax-Ukraine, obtained from a source close to the negotiations, holding the referendum and presidential elections simultaneously will ensure maximum representativeness of the will of Ukrainians, since it is the presidential elections that historically show the highest turnout. A high turnout is extremely important for accepting the results of the referendum. Taking into account the referendum and presidential elections in May and approximately 60 days for the election campaign, all basic agreements in the 3-party negotiations and the necessary legislative changes in Ukraine should be adopted in February, at the latest in early March. The FCT High Court in Abuja heard from a witness on Wednesday details of slews of transfers from the accounts of some local governments in Kogi State to the accounts of multiple companies, and cash withdrawals from the Kogi State Government House Administration (KSGHA). Former Governor Yahaya Bellos co-defendant in a money laundering trial, Abdulsalami Hudu, was said to be at the heart of the controversial Government House transactions. While Mr Hudu was mentioned in the testimony, the names of the two other defendants the names of Mr Bello and Umar Shuaibu Oricha did not feature in the 10th prosecution witness, Olomotane Egoros testimony on Wednesday. All three defendants were present in court and represented by their lawyers during the proceedings. The witness, a compliance officer with Access Bank Plc, said during cross-examination by the defence lawyers that he did not know if Mr Hudu was employed by the Kogi State Government House. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is prosecuting Messrs Bello, Oricha and Hudu for alleged diversion of N110 billion belonging to the Kogi State Governments treasury. According to the EFCC, Mr Bello, who served two terms as the governor of Kogi from January 2016 to January 2024, conspired alongside his co-defendants and stole funds to acquire properties for himself, located in choice areas of Abuja and one in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The defendants denied the charges. EFCC presents 13 statements of accounts On Wednesday, the EFCC, through the witness, presented the statements of accounts of these companies and individuals: the Kogi State Government House (Administration), WestWood Motors Limited, Jamilu Abdullahi, Forza Oil and Gas Limited and Bespoque Global Concepts. Others are the statements of accounts of Vifaz Multi-Bus Investment Company, Hayzma Business Enterprise, Fazad Business Enterprise, and Ishaya Adamu Jagafa. There were also two account statements belonging to both E-traders International Limited and Keyless Nature Limited. Mr Bellos defence lawyer, Paul Daudu, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, did not object to their admissibility, but Z.E Abbas objected on the grounds that all the certificates of identification that came along with the statements of accounts did not comply with the provisions of the Evidence Act. The trial judge, Maryann Anenih, admitted the document but reserved the ruling of their admissibility. Withdrawals by Mr Hudu According to the witness, there were several inflows from the Kogi State House Account to the Administrations account between the period of December 2018 and August 2019. Immediately after such inflows, there were recurrent withdrawals by Aminu Olarenwaju and Mr Hudu (the third defendant) during the period, the witness said. He noted that in December 2018, there were more cash withdrawals from the account. He said based on the withdrawals, the bank (Access Bank) filed a Suspicious Transaction Report (STR) to the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) because the transactions did not align with the customers profile. For instance, on 8 March 2019, there were 10 cash withdrawals of N10 million each by Mr Olarenwaju and 30 cash withdrawals of N10 million each by Mr Hudu, totalling N300 million on 1 August 2019, the witness said. However, during cross-examination of the witness by the defence lawyers, the witness said Mr Olarenwaju was a signatory to the account and Director of Accounts. He also noted that he did not know the purpose of the withdrawals by both Messrs Hudu and Olarenwaju, and their withdrawals did not exceed the threshold set by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). Dispute over presentation of STR Mr Daudu the lawyer to Mr Bello demanded a copy of the STR filed by the bank. However, the witness said it was filed on the NFIU portal, and the bank only had an Excel sheet of what was filed. When asked why the STR was not filed in court, the witness said, It is not listed here because by law we are not mandated to disclose what was filed in the STR to the NFIU. Reacting to the answer, Mr Daudu asked the witness to state the law prohibiting the disclosure of the STR to the court. Mr Pinheiro objected on the grounds that the question was inappropriate and there was no subpoena for the STR. The trial judge, Maryann Anenih, sustained the objection, agreeing that the question was inappropriate. The judge said, If you want it (STR), you should ask for it. Thereafter, Mr Daudu asked the witness if Messrs Bello and Oricha featured in the Kogi State Government House (Administration) account statement. He replied, No. Deposits by LGs to companies According to the witness, some local governments in Kogi State deposited funds into the Fazad Business Enterprise (FBE) account in Access Bank. The entire amount was not stated. However, the witness noted that from his observations of the account statement, there were several cash withdrawals by Yakubu Siyaka. Mr Egoro said the transactions were structured to evade the reporting requirement of the bank. However, the bank still filed STR on the transactions. In May 2022, the local governments transferred over N117.9 million into the companys account, and Mr Siyaka withdrew over N116.6 million. Similarly, in June and July 2022, he said, FBE received over N241.6 million from the local governments, and Mr Siyaka withdrew over N203.9 million. Under cross-examination by Mr Daudu, the witness told the court that Mr Bello was not the chairman of the local governments featured in the account statement. The witness also said he was not aware of the relationship between FBE and the local governments. Reasons for transfers Pointing out certain transactions, the witness said some narrations on the account statement of FBE were for specific payments. These included the supply of reading materials by Okene Local Government (IG), totalling N14.4 million, medical consumables by Okehi LG, N7 million, Ogori Magongo, educational materials N4.4 million and Omala LG sporting materials, N10.8 million. Other payments included procurement of medical consumables by Yagba LG, N12.2 million, procurement of Agro-chemicals by Dekina LG, N8.8 million and Igbaji LG, N10.6 million. Mopa-Moro LG transferred N7.3 million for relief materials, Ofu LG, N9.1 million for Agro-chemicals; Ajaokuta LG, N7.7 million for medical consumables, and N11 million for educational materials by Okene LG. Thereafter, the judge adjourned the case until 10 March for continuation of cross-examination. E-Traders International Limited Earlier in the proceedings, the witness identified Abba Adaudu, whose name appeared in the E-Traders International Limited account statements between 18 January and 30 April 2022. The witness noted that Mr Adaudu made multiple cash deposits into the E-Traders account at the Lokoja branch of Access Bank. In an effort to link these deposits with subsequent withdrawals at FBE, Mr Pinheiro asked the witness to confirm the specific branch involved. The witness replied, Lokoja branch. Hayzma Business Enterprise Similarly, there were several credit entries from multiple local governments in Kogi State into HBE. The witness further testified that the name of Mr Siyaka also appears in the statement of account as having made withdrawals. When asked to confirm if the cash withdrawals were immediately after the credit entries, the witness replied, Yes. Keyless Nature Limited From January to July 2022, the witness stated that Kogi State local governments also transferred money to KNL, and certain transfers were made to Mr Adaudu, including N20 million. Also, N80 million was also transferred to another KNL account, Keyless Fidelity and a second KNL account. In November 2022, a company, Ajadams Excellence Limited, received N20.5 million from KNL, the witness said. Loan disbursements and credit entries from LGs The second KNL account in the Lokoja Branch received a loan disbursement of N2.1 billion. After this, there were multiple credit entries from the local governments in Kogi State, he said. The witness further noted a consistent pattern of transactions from January to July, stating that every 14 days, with the exception of May 16, there was repayment of both principal and interest liquidation. According to the witness, the source of funds (amount not stated) was the credit from the local government of Kogi State. Similarly, there was over N818.6million disbursement into WestWood Motors Limited (WML)s account. They consisted of 15 cash deposits by several individuals in May and June. The witness testified that the cash deposits made at the Lokoja branch were specifically used to pay down the existing loan in the account. However, the witness noted a discrepancy. He said while the transactions occurred in Lokoja, the account was actually domiciled at the National Assembly branch in Abuja. Just like previous testimonies of other witnesses, there has yet to be clarity regarding the specific individuals and companies mentioned in the witnesses testimonies. Nevertheless, further developments in the case are expected to bring these details into focus. Similarly, the 10th prosecution witness gave a similar account of the transactions in a twin case at the Federal High Court, Abuja, where Mr Bello is embroiled in another N80.2 billion money laundering case. Governor Siminalayi Fubara, on Tuesday, publicly addressed his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, as my Oga for the first time since the recent conciliatory meeting brokered by President Bola Tinubu. He also pledged to complete the 50km Port Harcourt Ring Road project by October, describing it as a key infrastructure conceived by Mr Wike, now minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Punch Newspaper reported. Speaking to journalists after inspecting the project, Mr Fubara reaffirmed his commitment to delivering what he described as a strategic infrastructure conceived by Mr Wike. This project is very important considering the person who conceived it, my Oga, the Honourable Minister. He had a very big vision. He believed that if I achieved this project in record time, people would be happy with me, Mr Fubara said. Notwithstanding whatever is happening, it is also my wish and my struggle to ensure that that wish comes through. The governor said the contractor, Julius Berger Nigeria Limited, had assured him the project would be delivered by October if funding remains steady. They are still assuring us that by October, they will deliver the project. What they need is the funds, and from my own end is the push, he said. Mr Fubaras remark is the first time he has publicly referred to Wike as my Oga since the closed-door reconciliation meeting with President Tinubu in Abuja, aimed at easing months of political tension in the oil-rich state. After that meeting, Mr Wike told reporters he had directed members of the Rivers State House of Assembly to comply with the Presidents directive. However, he offered no details about the meetings outcome or exactly what the president asked the lawmakers to do. It remains unclear whether the lawmakers, widely seen as loyal to Mr Wike, will withdraw the impeachment notice earlier issued against Mr Fubara or discontinue the suit currently before the Court of Appeal. The Port Harcourt Ring Road, which cuts across about five local government areas, is expected to decongest traffic in the state capital, improve connectivity to industrial and residential zones, and strengthen the states transport network. Mr Fubara noted the project was initially designed for completion within 36 months and said his administration would continue to provide funds to ensure steady progress despite prevailing political and economic challenges. Rivers political crisis The latest development comes amid a prolonged political crisis in Rivers State, marked by a power struggle between Mr Fubara and his political benefactor, Mr Wike. Mr Fubara served as the accountant-general of Rivers under Mr Wikes administration as governor, before being backed by him to succeed him in 2023. Their relationship later deteriorated, triggering a fierce political standoff involving the state assembly and different political parties. While the recent presidential intervention signalled a possible thaw, uncertainty persists over whether the fragile truce will hold. There was tension in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital, on Wednesday, morning when a suspected improvised explosive device (IED) exploded within the state secretariat complex. PREMIUM TIMES gathered that the explosion occurred at about 6 a.m. The police spokesperson in Bayelsa State, Musa Mohammed, has confirmed the incident in a statement on Wednesday evening. Mr Mohammed, a deputy superintendent of police, said the Commissioner of Police in the state, Iyamah Edebor, immediately led the Explosive Ordinance Disposal (EOD) Unit, Special Drone Unit, and other Tactical Teams to the scene. The police spokesperson said the EOD units operatives, upon arrival, contained the situation. He said the area was immediately cordoned off, and upon detailed search, one unexploded IED was identified by EOD operatives, which was rendered safe. Mr Mohammed said no lives were lost, and no property was destroyed in the explosion. He said a 60-year-old man was subsequently arrested in connection with the incident. One Pentecost Elijah, M, 60-year-old from Otuan Community in Southern Ijaw LGA, Bayelsa State, was arrested at the scene in connection with the incident. He is currently undergoing interrogation at the State Criminal Investigation Department, and upon conclusion, the suspect will be charged in court, the police spokesperson said. Mr Mohammed assured that the situation was now under control and that normalcy had been restored at the secretariat. The Commissioner for Information in Bayelsa, Ebiuwou Koku-Obiyai, told this newspaper by telephone on Wednesday evening that she was on transit and could not comment on the incident. New digital-first media platform delivers original reporting, executive insights, and measurable marketing solutions for behavioral health leaders LAKEWOOD, N.J., Feb. 11, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, eCAP Management, a premier executive community and events platform for the behavioral health sector, revealed the official release of Acuity Media Network ( www.acuity.news ). This new digital-first B2B media enterprise is dedicated to exploring the business side of behavioral health, and its debut happened at the BHASe Summit in Miami, Florida. Acuity Media Network delivers in-depth journalism, data-driven analysis, and multimedia programming for executives, investors, operators, payers, and innovators across autism services, mental health, addiction treatment, and integrated care. Acuity content can be found at www.acuity.news. Why the Industry Needs Acuity Now The platform launches amid heightened regulatory scrutiny, reimbursement pressure, workforce challenges, and rapid technological change across behavioral health. Such conditions underscore a critical requirement for clear, credible, and industry-specific reporting. Leadership Perspective on the Market Moment "Behavioral health is at a pivotal moment," said Hersch Khroner, CEO of eCAP. "The industry needs a trusted source of reporting and analysis that understands both the clinical and financial realities shaping care delivery. Acuity was built to serve that need, bringing transparency, insight, and connection to a rapidly evolving market." How Acuity Expands the eCAP Ecosystem Acuity Media Network ( www.acuity.news ) operates under the eCAP umbrella and complements its BHASE Summit focused on behavioral health. By integrating media, events, and executive networking, eCAP aims to create a unified platform connecting behavioral health decision-makers across content, community, and commerce. A Vision for a Modern Behavioral Health Media Platform "The launch of Acuity Media Network is a natural evolution of our mission," added Khroner. "We've convened the industry's leaders. Now we're amplifying their stories, surfacing critical insights, and building a modern media engine for behavioral health." For interviews, partnership inquiries, or access to Acuity's full editorial slate, visit www.acuity.news Media Contact: To arrange interviews or request a media kit, contact Jennifer Bodnar, Chief Marketing Officer at [email protected]. About Acuity Media Network Acuity Media Network (www.acuity.news) is a digital B2B media company serving the behavioral health industry. The platform provides original reporting, executive insights, and multimedia programming across autism services, mental health, addiction treatment, and integrated care. Visit www.acuity.news to learn more. About BHASe BHASe is a trusted ecosystem for behavioral health and addiction operators, healthcare executives, investors, and innovatorsdeveloped and managed by eCap Management, the team behind the nationally recognized eCap and eCapWest conferences. Building on that legacy, BHASe expands the conversation beyond capital markets to include digital media, curated events, digital communities, and strategic content that accelerate connection and innovation across the behavioral healthcare landscape. SOURCE eCap Management Photo: https://www.facebook.com/olga.ajvazovska Making political statements about the elections on February 24 means not understanding the mood and trauma of Ukrainian society, Olha Aivazovska, head of the board of the Civic Network OPORA, a member of the working group on preparing laws on holding elections during the war, has said. "I gave a comment to the Financial Times about the elections and I want to clarify a few thoughts," she wrote on her Facebook page. "I dont really understand in which hot head the idea could arise to link the day of the start of full-scale aggression with the date when the need to hold elections in Ukraine will be announced. I remind you that the level of support for elections during the hot phase of the war in Ukraine is about 10% even after the latest scandals," she noted. Aivazovska also emphasized that work on legislation for holding the first post-war elections is ongoing, but it takes a lot of time. "There is an understanding that at least six months are needed from the end of martial law to the start of the election campaign. The more debates around the articles and provisions of the election law, the more understanding that even these terms are very optimistic," she said. Aivazovska noted that in addition to some new norms and concepts in the electoral legislation regarding the media, campaigning, and the fight against Russian interference, such norms should appear in the Criminal Code and the Code of Ukraine on Administrative Offenses. "There are definitely no votes in parliament for anything right now, and after developing a legal framework in the form of a bill, we will have to hold more than one meeting with factions and groups, where other interests will begin to act and come into play: in addition to political ones, current life interests (sanctions, investigations, etc.). This part can be difficult and lengthy, because there is no longer a unanimous coalition that could make decisions independently," she added. Earlier, the Financial Times, citing Ukrainian and European officials involved in the planning, reported that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy intends to announce a plan for presidential elections and a referendum on February 24. SACRAMENTO, Calif., Feb. 11, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The Associated General Contractors of California (AGC of California) held its sold-out 2026 Installation & Awards Gala, presented by Procore, on Friday, Jan. 30, 2026, at the Fairmont Hotel in San Francisco. The black-tie event marked the installation of AGC of California's 2026 State Board leadership, including Ryan Aukerman, president of Griffith Company, as the association's incoming president, and recognized award-winning construction projects and industry leaders from across the state. More than 800 contractors, owners, service providers, and professional firms attended the annual event, which recognizes standout projects and leadership shaping California's construction industry. "Our members are building the projects Californians rely on every day," said Peter Tateishi, chief executive officer of AGC of California. "This night is about recognizing the teams and individuals behind that work and the partnerships that make complex projects possible." The gala featured AGC of California's Constructor Awards and Achievement Awards. The 2026 Constructor Awards program recognized 41 projects across 14 categories. Finalists were selected by the AGC of California Awards Committee, with winners chosen by a final judging panel made up of awards committee members, AGC of California division representatives, a specialty contractor representative, and a public or private sector expert appointed by the committee. Achievement Awards honored individuals who made significant contributions to the construction industry. Honors included the Construction Education Friend Achievement Award, recognizing leadership in construction education and workforce development, and the Owner of the Year Award, recognizing an organization for strong collaboration and partnership with contractors. The Installation & Awards Gala is AGC of California's annual opportunity to recognize project excellence and industry leadership while bringing together the people delivering California's infrastructure, public works, and community-serving projects. AGC of California congratulates the following award recipients: CONSTRUCTOR AWARD WINNERS: Community Service Teichert Construction Rebuilding Together Day Specialty $10 Million & Under Caliagua Disney's Cotino Lagoon Specialty Over $10 Million Royal Electric Company LAX RWY 6L-24R North Airfield Exit Taxiway Utility Infrastructure Walsh Group Hyperion Advanced Water Purification Facility Builder $10 Million & Under Oltmans Construction Rancho Dominguez Electric Vehicle Charging Site Heavy Civil $15 Million & Under Granite Construction Company Bethany Curve Culvert - West Cliff Drive Storm Damage Repair Builder $10 Million to $50 Million Turner Construction Company The San Francisco International Airport (SFO) Terminal 3 West Interim Corridors Project Heavy Civil $15 Million to $50 Million Skanska North First Avenue Bridge - Barstow Builder $50 Million to $100 Million McCarthy Building Companies University of California, Riverside School of Business Heavy Civil $50 Million to $100 Million Shimmick Construction 301 Mission Perimeter Pile Upgrade Builder $100 Million to $300 Million Hensel Phelps Caltech Resnick Sustainability Center Heavy Civil $100 Million & Over Balfour Beatty US Caltrain Peninsula Corridor Electrification Project Builder $300 Million & Over Turner Construction Company IQHQ Research and Development District (RaDD) Excellence in Partnering Balfour Beatty US Caltrain Peninsula Corridor Electrification Project ACHIEVEMENT AWARD RECIPIENTS: Harry Eckstein Safety Professional Achievement Award Melvina Stacey, Director of Health & Safety, FlatironDragados S.I.R. (Skill, Integrity, Responsibility) Achievement Award Tim Lindholm, Chief Program Management Officer, Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) Construction Education Friend Achievement Award Bianca Flores Johnson, Community & Citizenship Senior Director, Turner Construction Specialty Contractor Achievement Award David A. Jaeger, (Retired) CEO, Nor-Cal Pipeline Services Contractor Achievement Award Ken Strosnider, President/CEO, W. M. Lyles Co. Owner of the Year Award Caltrain About the Associated General Contractors of California Since 1920, the Associated General Contractors of California (AGC of California) has worked alongside members to provide advocacy, education, career development, and networking opportunities to experienced and next generation construction and contracting professionals. AGC of California advocates for contractors with state and local governments, while helping members connect with industry leaders through services, innovative programs, and events. Learn more at www.agc-ca.org. MEDIA CONTACT | Teresa Kent [email protected] | 916.833.8751 SOURCE Associated General Contractors of California WorldWide HealthStaff Solutions, a Medical Solutions company, connects rural hospitals with experienced nurses from around the world CHARLOTTE, N.C., Feb. 11, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- As rural hospitals across the United States continue to face persistent workforce shortages, international direct hire nurses are playing a growing role in maintaining access to care and strengthening clinical teams in hard-to-recruit communities. WorldWide HealthStaff Solutions (WWHS), a Medical Solutions company, is leveraging its global nursing recruitment expertise to help rural healthcare organizations build stable, long-term workforce solutions. In 2025, WWHS hired 612 registered nurses for rural healthcare facilities across 37 states. By using a planned approach to build a strong pipeline of international arrivals, 76 of those nurses have already been placed in rural hospitals and health systems across 15 states. Nurses hired through WWHS bring extensive clinical experience and strong educational backgrounds and commit to three-year placements that help rural hospitals plan for long-term staffing needs. The 612 nurses hired in 2025 average 11 years of clinical experience. "Rural healthcare organizations face workforce challenges that can't be solved with short-term fixes," said Laura Messineo, Chief Nursing Officer at WorldWide HealthStaff Solutions. "International direct hire is one critical part of a broader healthcare talent strategy, bringing experienced nurses who are committed to building long-term careers in the communities they serve." WWHS works closely with healthcare organizations to support both clinical readiness and community integration, helping nurses transition successfully into rural practice and life. By emphasizing long-term employment, international direct hire can reduce vacancy rates, improve continuity of care and lessen reliance on temporary workforce models. "Each placement involves a complex legal and compliance process that must be managed carefully," said Ann-Rose Johnson-Lewis, director of legal services at WorldWide HealthStaff Solutions. "WorldWide HealthStaff Solutions provides a turnkey approach that includes immigration processes and compliance support, helping ensure a smooth transition for nurses and confidence for healthcare organizations." Rural hospitals often compete with larger urban systems for a limited pool of domestic nurses, making recruitment especially challenging. Despite immigration challenges, rural hospitals continue to benefit from international hiring through long term staffing strategy. International direct hire expands access to experienced clinicians who are motivated to build lasting careers in underserved communities and can support long-term workforce planning and affordability as rural providers navigate ongoing financial pressures. "When hospitals have the right workforce in place, patient care and community health both benefit," Messineo said. "International direct hire nurses help rural healthcare organizations meet that need while offering a more cost-effective approach to building stable care teams." For more information on WorldWide HealthStaff Solutions, visit healthstaff.org. For more information about Medical Solutions and its service offerings, visit medicalsolutions.com. WORLDWIDE HEALTHSTAFF SOLUTIONS WorldWide HealthStaff Solutions specializes in direct hire international nurse recruitment, connecting healthcare employers with qualified RNs and healthcare professionals worldwide. From recruitment to relocation, we guide both parties through seamless processes to foster long-term, mutually beneficial relationships. With offices in the United States, United Arab Emirates, and the Philippines, we are positioned to serve global healthcare markets effectively. SOURCE Medical Solutions LLC The highly acclaimed Black Health Matters Summit returns to Atlanta with vital health screenings, influential speakers, special guest appearances, and trusted resources, aimed at mobilizing the community towards action, connection, and lasting health transformation. ATLANTA, Feb. 11, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Black Health Matters (BHM), the nation's leading health and wellness platform for Black and Brown communities, will host its Winter 2026 Health Summit & Expo on Saturday, February 21, from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at Friendship Baptist Church, located at 80 Walnut St. SW, Atlanta, GA 30314. The free, day-long event is designed to provide culturally relevant health information and community-based resources that empower individuals to take control of their health. The summit will feature expert-led panel discussions, interactive wellness activities, free onsite health screenings, complimentary breakfast and lunch, and wellness giveaways. Black Health Matters Brings Star Power and Life-Saving Screenings to Atlanta on February 21st This event is free and open to the general public. Community members can register to attend in-person or virtually through the event website at https://bhmwinter2026summit.vfairs.com. Black Health Matters is committed to bridging the health equity gap through purpose-driven initiatives and evidence-based resources for disease management and overall wellness. BHM's Health Summits are a cornerstone of its mission to create transformative impact and improve health outcomes in communities facing barriers to care. "Health equity starts with access, education, and trust," said Roslyn Young Daniels, Founder and CEO of Black Health Matters. "The Winter Health Summit is about meeting our community where they are, providing practical tools and trusted information, and empowering individuals and families to take ownership of their health in a supportive environment." BHM invites the Atlanta community to join this impactful day of education, empowerment, and action. Attendees will hear from special guests Timon Kyle Durrett, Ambyr Michelle, and Colby Natasha Nixon of CBS's Beyond the Gates, alongside healthcare professionals and advocates addressing critical topics such as nutrition, kidney disease, heart health, cancer prevention, multiple myeloma, and more. The event will also include engaging, hands-on experiences, including fitness sessions with the "Guru of Abs," DaShaun Johnson, and free onsite screenings such as full blood panels, bone health assessments, hypertension checks, mammograms, metabolic health, PSA testing, lipid panels, and additional preventive services. Moving into its fourth year in Atlanta, the summit arrives at a critical juncture. As of early 2026, about 20 million Americans are facing significantly higher health insurance costs following the expiration of the Affordable Care Act's enhanced tax credits at the end of last year. This crisis looms as the community already battles alarming rates of chronic illness and psychiatric emergencies. The Winter Summit is more than an eventit is a call to action. By transforming a single day of clinical screenings, professional advice, and high-energy fitness into a lasting foundation for resilience, initiatives like the Black Health Matters Summit holistically empower the mind, body, and spirit to lean into lifelong well-being. About Black Health Matters. Founded in 2012, Black Health Matters' mission is to continue to be the leading evidence-based, chronic disease management and wellness resource for African Americans. We exist to radically redefine health and wellness for Black Americans by empowering them to demand the best in healthcare utilizing our multi-platform approach. We reach over one million African Americans interested in health monthly across our ecosystem that includes digital, social, and experiential. We create a culture of health where Black Americans can achieve their best quality of life possible by tapping into the resources and information created by Black Health Matters. SOURCE Black Health Matters Expert Panel and Victim Voices Testify to State-sanctioned Violence and Institutional Indifference Ahead of a Sham Election WASHINGTON, Feb. 11, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The Coalition of Hindus of North America (CoHNA) and HinduAction convened a congressional briefing presenting urgent testimony on the escalating persecution of religious minorities in Bangladesh under Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus, ahead of a deeply contested national election scheduled for February 12. The briefing amplified voices from the groundjournalists, human rights advocates, survivors, and young Bangladeshi Hindus in the diasporawho described a deepening climate of fear, institutional collapse, and impunity. "We need to listen to victim voices", said CoHNA board member Sudha Jagannathan, emphasizing the depth of state failure in Bangladesh. "Silence is not an option and the Congressional briefing is one important way to draw attention to the pogrom underway." A broad variety of speakers presented data and urged Congress and the State Department to 1) publicly condemn the violence in Bangladesh, and hold congressional hearings, 2) designate Bangladesh as a Country of Particular Concern 3) designate the Jamaat-e-Islami as a foreign terrorist organization, and 4) apply Magnitsky sanctions on Muhammad Yunus. Michael Rubin , senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute who delivered the keynote address, led the call for sanctions against Yunus under the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Actwhich allows the U.S. to freeze assets and ban entry of foreign human rights violators. He also compared the Islamist crisis in Bangladesh with those in Turkey and Iran, and warned that the U.S. is repeating with Yunus the mistake made with Aung San Suu Kyi in Myanmarembracing a Nobel laureate whose commitment to liberal principles was "a complete fabrication." Congressional Engagement Rep. Tom Barrett (R-MI) , a former U.S. Army officer with 22 years of service, noted that while major battlefronts have wound down, extremist threats have not disappeared. "I know that's a big reason why you're here today. I encourage you to continue to advocate, and I appreciate the awareness that you're raising to bring about a shift in policy," he said. Reacting to expert testimony presented at the event, Rep. Suhas Subramanyam (D-VA) wondered if the February 12 elections will be "truly free and fair" as they will proceed without representation from one of the largest mainstream political partiesSheikh Hasina's Awami League, which has been banned since May 2025 and its student wing declared a "terrorist organization" since October 2024. Former U.S. Senator and co-chair of the International Religious Freedom Summit Samuel Brownback , in a recorded message, highlighted the deep impacts of state-sanctioned violence against minorities on population stability and economic prosperity. "If Bangladesh goes in the wrong direction, you're going to see them drive out most of their religious minorities," he said. The briefing drew over 70 attendees including staffers from the offices of Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ), Rep. Mike Levin (D-CA), Rep. Young Kim (R-CA), and Rep. David Min (D-CA), alongside diplomatic officials, underscoring broad legislative and diplomatic concern over the deteriorating human rights situation in Bangladesh. Witnesses Testify: "Hindus Will Not Survive Another Decade in Bangladesh" SriRam, speaking under an alias for safety, and human rights advocate Shubho Roy shared harrowing firsthand accounts of being Hindu in Bangladeshespecially during December 2025, when both witnessed the intensifying crisis on the ground. In a video testimony, SriRam described coordinated violence and institutional takeover by Islamist groups. He recounted his mother being surrounded by neighbors who chanted that Hindus were traitors and should be expelled from the country. His brother, a doctor, saw his family hospital taken over by Islamist groups and now faces constant threat of attack due to his religious identity. He also noted that December 16Victory Day, commemorating Bangladesh's independence from Pakistan in 1971passed without celebrations, unlike previous years. Roy, who was also in Dhaka during the same period, testified: "I witnessed it, I went through the trauma. From 1971 till todaywe are facing the same. They are going after Hindus. They're targeting minorities." Both witnesses warned of imminent erasure. "Hindus will not survive another decade in Bangladesh," SriRam said. "We will be erased from our homeland." Diaspora Youth Mobilizes: Documenting Violence, Demanding Action Some of the most powerful testimony came from young Hindus raised in America yet deeply moved by events in Bangladesh. Ritvik Hari, policy analyst at CoHNA, urged Congress to publicly condemn the violence, hold hearings, and designate Bangladesh as a Country of Particular Concern. Pooja Devi, Stony Brook University student and co-founder of Bengali Hindus of New York City, described how she has been documenting attacks after realizing mainstream coverage was absent. Pramit Acharjee, senior at Bronx High School of Science, warned that, "Minority families are being forced to vote a certain way, and they are killed or displaced if they do not comply." Swastika Biswas, a Queens high school student, spoke about how language enables violence. "When words strip people of their humanity, violence follows." Sayan Shil, a young engineer from New York, described the collapse of "psychological safety" for minorities in Bangladesh. Experts Warn: Bangladesh Risks Becoming Terrorism Hub Multiple speakers also documented the systematic breakdown of state institutions and the complicity of security forces in violence against minorities. Priya Saha, from South Asian Minorities Collective, cited the cases of Hindu police officer Santosh Chowdhury who was handed over by the Bangladesh army to a mob that lynched and burned him, garment worker Deepu Chandra Das who was similarly killed after being handed over by factory management, and the violent crackdown in Hazari Goli where police and military beat and arrested over 80 peaceful Hindu protestersall of which pointed to direct state involvement, she said. Arifa Rahman Ruma, associate professor at Bangladesh Open University, documented how Islamist militants have been released from prison with full indemnity. National Press Club of Dhaka president Farida Yasmin described the systematic dismantling of a free press with mobs torching major newspaper offices in December 2025. Rana Hassan Mahmud from the Center for U.S.Bangladesh Relations warned that Bangladesh is heading toward "a sham election with predetermined results." He cautioned that by allowing Muhammad Yunus to remain in power, "we are enabling the creation of a new hub of terrorism whose repercussions will extend far beyond Bangladesh's borders." Utsav Chakrabarti of HinduAction framed the crisis in stark historical terms, warning that "the ongoing pogrom risks escalating into a full-scale repeat of the 1971 genocidewherein, over the course of 10 months, millions of Hindus were systematically targeted and slaughtered in an orgy of state-backed violence." He called for the U.S. to hold Jamaat-e-Islami accountable, noting that it is "the very party that collaborated with the Pakistan Army in perpetrating the 1971 genocide, and its return to influence poses a grave threat to regional stability." The briefing was part of CoHNA's sustained grassroots campaign across North America to mobilize attention and defend Hindus in Bangladesh. As the speakers emphasized, the cost of silence extends beyond Bangladesh's bordersthreatening regional stability, emboldening transnational extremism, and undermining American leadership on human rights and religious freedom. About CoHNA CoHNA is a grassroots-level advocacy and civil rights organization dedicated to improving the understanding of Hinduism in North America by working on matters related to the Hindu community and by educating the public about Hindu heritage and tradition. For more information, please visit https://cohna.org or follow us on Twitter , Facebook , LinkedIn and on Instagram . SOURCE Coalition of Hindus of North America Conveniently located on Laguna Main Street, DNTL Hub Elk Grove delivers premium dental care for the entire family, combining advanced technology with a compassionate, education-focused approach that has earned the trust of Sacramento County families. ELK GROVE, Calif., Feb. 11, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- DNTL Hub Elk Grove has been honored as a 2026 Top Patient Rated Dentist by Find Local Doctors, a trusted online directory that helps patients connect with highly-rated healthcare providers. This recognition, earned through outstanding patient reviews and satisfaction ratings across multiple platforms, highlights the practice's commitment to delivering exceptional dental care to families throughout Elk Grove, Laguna, Meadowview, and the greater Sacramento County area. Dntl Hub Elk Grove DNTL Hub Elk Grove was built on the belief that every family deserves access to comprehensive, high-quality dental care in a welcoming environment. The Elk Grove location serves as a complete dental home where patients of every agefrom toddlers experiencing their first dental visit to grandparents considering implant optionsreceive personalized attention and expert treatment. The practice caters specifically to families with demanding schedules, offering flexible appointment times, modern comfort amenities, and a range of financing options to ensure that exceptional dental care remains accessible to everyone. Patients at the Elk Grove location benefit from a full spectrum of dental services delivered by a skilled team of professionals. Dr. Devan Dalla leads the practice with over 15 years of clinical experience and specialized training in implantology. The team also includes Dr. Nikhil Sibal, who brings expertise in implant dentistry and Invisalign from the Goldman School of Dental Medicine, and Dr. Inderjeet Kaur, whose NYU training in aesthetic dentistry and passion for pediatric care makes her a favorite among young patients. Services range from routine cleanings and preventive care to smile makeovers, Invisalign clear aligners, root canal therapy, wisdom teeth removal, and full-arch All-on-4 dental implant restorations. The patient experience at DNTL Hub Elk Grove reflects the team's dedication to comfort and communication. Every treatment begins with a thorough examination and accurate diagnosis, followed by detailed discussions about available options. Dr. Dalla's philosophy centers on patient educationhe believes that informed patients make better decisions about their oral health. For those experiencing dental emergencies, same-day appointments are available, ensuring that urgent issues are addressed promptly. The Elk Grove office welcomes patients Monday through Thursday from 8am to 5pm and Fridays from 8am to 4pm. "Receiving the Top Patient Rated Dentist recognition validates everything our Elk Grove team works so hard to achieve," says Dr. Devan Dalla. "Many patients come to us seeking second opinions because they know we'll take the time to thoroughly evaluate their situation and provide honest, comprehensive advice. We don't rush through appointments or push unnecessary treatments. Our goal is to build lasting relationships with families and become their trusted partner in maintaining healthy smiles for life. This award shows that our patients feel that commitment every time they visit." More About DNTL Hub Elk Grove: DNTL Hub Elk Grove delivers premium dental care for patients of all ages throughout Elk Grove, California community. Dr. Devan Dalla, the practice's founder, graduated from New York University College of Dentistry with Honors in Implantology and the prestigious Dr. Bernard E. Rudner Memorial Award for superior clinical performance. Before attending NYU, he earned a Bachelor's degree in dental surgery from a top dental school in India, where he graduated first in his class. Dr. Dalla currently serves as a Captain in the United States Army Reserve and founded "Raahat," a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing free dental care to children and underserved populations. He maintains active membership in the American Dental Association and the American Academy of Implant Dentistry. The practice accepts most dental insurance plans and offers flexible financing options. For more information or to schedule an appointment at DNTL Hub Elk Grove, please visit https://www.dntlhub.com/elk-grove-dentist/ or call (916) 691-1600. The Elk Grove office is located at 9098 Laguna Main St, Suite 4, Elk Grove, CA 95758. Media Contact Devan Dalla DNTL Hub Elk Grove (916) 691-1600 https://www.dntlhub.com/elk-grove-dentist/ SOURCE Dntl Hub Elk Grove INDIANAPOLIS, Feb. 11, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Elevator Service, Inc. (ESI), a leading independent elevator service provider announced today that ESI Indiana is expanding its operations into the Indianapolis market, marking a significant milestone in the company's continued growth across the Midwest. As part of this expansion, Jason Aldridge has been promoted to President of ESI Indiana. In his new role, Aldridge will lead the division's strategic growth and oversee the establishment and expansion of ESI Indiana's presence in Indianapolis and throughout central Indiana. Elevator Service, Indiana Jason Aldridge, President - ESI Indiana "Expanding into Indianapolis is a natural next step for ESI Indiana," said Aldridge. "Indianapolis is a vibrant, growing market, and we're excited to bring our commitment to safety, service, and long-term partnerships to the Indy community. I'm honored to step into the role of President and help lead our team through this exciting new chapter." Jason Vallee, CEO of ESI, emphasized the importance of both the expansion and Aldridge's leadership. "Jason Aldridge has demonstrated exceptional leadership and a deep commitment to ESI's values," said Vallee. "His promotion to President of ESI Indiana reflects our confidence in his ability to drive growth while maintaining the high level of service our clients expect. Expanding into Indianapolis strengthens our footprint in Indiana and positions ESI Indiana for long-term success in a key market." ESI Indiana has built a strong reputation across northern Indiana by providing comprehensive elevator services, including maintenance, repair, modernization, and testing. The expansion into Indianapolis will allow the company to better serve clients across the state while continuing to invest in local talent and community partnerships. About ESI Founded in 1987, Elevator Service, Inc. (ESI) is a multi-state independent elevator service provider offering maintenance, repair, modernization, installation, and testing services. ESI is committed to safety, reliability, and delivering customer-focused solutions through its family of regional companies. About ESI Indiana ESI Indiana is part of the ESI family of companies, providing full-service elevator solutions across Indiana. Known for its technical expertise and customer-first approach, ESI Indiana delivers reliable vertical transportation services tailored to each client's needs. SOURCE Elevator Service, Inc (ESI) Growing the North American Network to 98 Weekly Flights in Ten Gateways TAIPEI, Feb. 11, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- EVA Air will start a new route from Taipei to Washington, D.C. on June 26 this year, offering four flights each week. With this new route, EVA Air's North American network will grow to include 10 gateways, two of which will feature the new fourth-generation Premium Economy class and increase the total weekly flights to 98. This makes EVA Air the airline with the most destinations and the largest flight network from Taiwan to North America. Tickets are now available for booking at www.evaair.com. EVA Air will launch Taipei-Washington, D.C. route on June 26, nonstop service, four flights per week. Passengers can combine the new destination with EVA Air's other North American gateways for more itinerary opportunities. Travelers can learn more about EVA Airs routes and services and book flights at www.evaair.com. "North America has long been a key strategic market for EVA Air," said EVA Air President Clay Sun. "Following the launch of our Dallas-Fort Worth route last year, which made us the only airline in Asia to serve two destinations in Texas, we are further expanding our U.S. network with nonstop service to Washington, D.C. This strengthens our presence on the East Coast and allows us to better serve one of the nation's most influential markets, home to the political heart of the U.S. and a high concentration of global enterprises." President Clay Sun added, "The addition of the Washington, D.C. route strengthens our North American network, while providing passengers with more flexible, efficient, and comfortable travel options." The TaipeiWashington, D.C. route will be operated by Boeing 787-9 aircraft featuring a three-class configuration: Royal Laurel Class, Economy Class, and the new fourth-generation Premium Economy Class. EVA Air's Premium Economy class offers the industry's largest seat pitch, elevating the design concept from an "upgraded economy" standard to a "business-class-like" experience. The airline aims to offer a refined, comfortable cabin experience, further strengthening its comprehensive three-class service offerings. The flight schedule is as follows: Route Flight No. Frequency Departure time Arrival time Taipei-Washington, D.C. BR04 1.3.5.6 19:30 22:30 Washington, D.C.-Taipei BR03 2.4.6.7 01:50 05:45+1 *Actual flight times are subject to the official announcements on the website. Washington, D.C., is the seventh-largest metropolitan area in the United States and is located within the broader National Capital Region, one of the three largest population centers in the country, with a robust population and a high concentration of top-tier talent and high-net-worth individuals. As the nation's capital, the city is a hub of economic activity, serving as headquarters for numerous multinational corporations, non-governmental organizations, and international institutions, reflecting strong potential demand for premium air travel. In addition, Washington, D.C.'s rich cultural and historical attractions, along with its world-renowned Smithsonian museums, make it an appealing destination for academic exchange, artistic exploration, and leisure travel. "We extend a warm welcome to EVA Air and their new service to Washington Dulles International Airport," said Chryssa Westerlund, executive vice president and chief revenue officer of the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority. "This new nonstop flight will significantly reduce existing travel times between Taipei and Washington, D.C. In addition, EVA Air will offer travelers seamless connections across Asia from their global hub at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport. This flight is estimated to generate more than $61 million in annual economic impact to the U.S. National Capital region. Today's announcement supports Washington Dulles' position as the international gateway to Washington, D.C." Following the launch of the Washington, D.C. route, passengers can connect seamlessly through EVA Air's ten nonstop North American gateways, which include Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, New York, Houston, Dallas-Fort Worth, Chicago, Vancouver, and Toronto. Through partnerships with Star Alliance members such as Air Canada, United Airlines, Avianca, and Copa Airlines, as well as cooperation with Alaska Airlines, JetBlue, Hawaiian Airlines, Sun Country Airlines, Southwest Airlines, and WestJet, EVA Air's network extends to more than 200 destinations throughout the Americas. North American travelers can also take advantage of EVA Air's extensive Asian network, with convenient connections via Taiwan to major cities across Asia. By linking Asia and the Americas through a highly efficient hub and delivering award-winning five-star service, EVA Air continues to provide a premium and reliable travel experience for passengers worldwide. Travelers can learn more about EVA Air's routes and services and book flights at www.evaair.com. About EVA Air: A Star Alliance member, EVA Air was founded in 1989 as Taiwan's first privately owned international airline. It is an affiliated company to global container-shipping leader Evergreen Line. It flies a fleet of more than 80 Boeing and Airbus aircraft to around 60 international destinations throughout Asia, Oceania, Europe, and North America. Travelers can learn more about EVA and schedules, book, and buy tickets at www.evaair.com. SOURCE EVA Airways Corporation Iconic Made in America Brand Features Heirloom-Quality, Limited Edition Blankets to Cheer on and Give Back to Team USA Athletes FARIBAULT, Minn., Feb. 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Faribault Mill, the storied Minnesota manufacturer known for crafting premium American-made blankets, throws, and accessories since 1865, today announced a limited edition of United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee and the USA Bobsled Team blankets to support the 2026 Winter Olympics. The line features three styles all crafted in Minnesota from 100% natural materials. They include: USA Bobsled Team Wool Throw Blanket USA Bobsled Team : New this year , a 42" x 65" red, white, blue and black blanket design inspired by the iconic USA Bobsled team design. Retails for $245. New this year a 42" x 65" red, white, blue and black blanket design inspired by the iconic USA Bobsled team design. Retails for $245. American Flag : A 42" x 65" American Flag Wool Throw made of 100% wool and cotton blend. Retails for $245. A 42" x 65" American Flag Wool Throw made of 100% wool and cotton blend. Retails for $245. U.S. Olympic Team Official Puck Logo : A 42" x 65" grey blanket with the official U.S. Olympic Team puck logo featuring the iconic five rings. Retails for $245. A percentage of each purchase of the USA Bobsled and U.S. Olympic Team blankets are donated back to each organization to support the athletes in their pursuit of gold. The partnership with Team USA goes through the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles. "We're incredibly proud to introduce these designs in partnership with the USOC and the USABS and especially proud to give back to the athletes representing our great country," said Ross Widmoyer, President and CEO of Faribault Mill. "These blankets are made entirely in the USA, reflecting the same commitment to quality, resilience and heart that define the athletes of Team USA." Faribault Mill has been crafting high-quality blankets in Faribault, Minn. for more than 150 years. Hypoallergenic, adaptable to a variety of temperatures, and resistant to fire, water, and odors, a Faribault Mill wool blanket will provide warmth and comfort to your family for generations. About Faribault Mill Founded in 1865, Faribault Mill produces timeless, handcrafted blankets, decorative throws, apparel, and accessories. From providing woolen blankets for pioneers heading west and comforting our troops through two world wars, to today's products that are built to last, the company and its workers are woven into American history. Faribault Mill products are 100% Made in the USA. Visit online at www.faribaultmill.com. Media Contact: Brooke Vane Vane & Co. Communications 615-977-2522 [email protected] SOURCE Faribault Mill Maximize the power of tax-free HSA funds by understanding the benefits of funding strategies, everyday eligibility, and using the HSA Store ExpenseTracker app to track and organize eligible expenses to prepare for tax time DALLAS, Feb. 11, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Tax Day is coming and, according to recent surveys, nearly one third of Americans will procrastinate until the last week to complete and file their 2025 tax returns. The experts at HSA Store are sharing five steps that health savings account (HSA) users can take before the April 15 tax filing deadline to better understand how an HSA factors into their annual tax filing, and steps they can take to maximize the financial benefits of this account for short- and long-term financial gain. Like it or not, Tax Day is coming soon, and the experts at HSA Store have compiled a list of tips for health savings account (HSA) users to help them maximize their enrollment in this tax-advantaged account. "It's easy to procrastinate tax prep, but these simple facts and tips for HSA users will simplify the process of using and tracking HSA funds and help account holders of all ages understand contribution and eligibility rules that support their health and financial needs across all stages of life," said Itamar Romanini, vice president and general manager of HSA Store, which is part of the Health-E Commerce family of brands. "In addition to this knowledge, the HSA Store ExpenseTracker app is a free tool that any account holder can useregardless of their employer or HSA administratorto identify and organize HSA expenses from the current or past tax year." Make a prior-year contribution for 2025 before April 15. One of the most overlooked HSA benefits is the ability to make contributions for the prior tax year up until the tax filing deadline. In other words, contributions can be made toward your 2025 HSA up until April 15, 2026. For eligible individuals, this creates an easy way to reduce taxable income even after the calendar year has ended. Whether contributing a lump sum or a smaller amount, last-minute contributions can deliver meaningful tax advantages. Reimburse yourself for out-of-pocket healthcare expenses. Many account holders don't realize that eligible healthcare expenses paid for with cash or a credit card can be reimbursed from their HSA at a later date. In fact, as long as you save your receipts, healthcare expenses can be reimbursed at any timeeven 10 years from nowfrom HSA funds. The HSA Store ExpenseTracker app allows account holders to upload receipts for HSA expenses and to identify eligible expenses from past purchases at a wide selection of stores. This comes in handy if you find yourself in need of an extra payday. Don't overlook everyday purchases. In addition to reducing your taxable income by making HSA contributions, you can save an estimated 30% when you use tax-free HSA funds to purchase everyday items like cold and flu medications, pain relievers, first-aid supplies, eye care, menstrual care products, and sunscreen. This can be an effective way to save more money on products you and your family use regularly. Check out the searchable HSA Eligibility List TM at HSA Store to find what you need for your personal health. Bank funds for the future. The triple tax advantage of HSAsreduce taxable income, save by using tax-free funds, and banking funds for retirementis a powerful advantage for these accounts. Because the HSA belongs to the account holder, unused funds stay in the account forever and roll over from year to year, even if you change jobs or retire. You can let the funds grow to cover healthcare needs in retirement, and you can even invest a portion of your HSA funds into stocks, bonds, and mutual funds (check with your HSA administrator for details). Discover interactive HSA tax and savings calculators in the HSA Store Learning Center . Start small and contribute consistently. If you're unable to contribute the full amount to your HSA on Day 1, don't let that hold you back from taking the first step toward your future health. HSA contributions can be made at any time, by anyone (account holders, employers, and others), and simply contributing $10 or $20 per paycheck can create a habit that will deliver long-term financial benefits. Remember, as a general rule, every $100 contributed can result in roughly $30 in tax savings, making small, consistent contributions surprisingly powerful. To explore HSA-eligible products and account management tools, visit HSAstore.com. About Health-E Commerce Health-E Commerce is the parent brand to FSA Store and HSA Store , online stores that serve the 70+ million consumers enrolled in pre-tax health and wellness accounts. The company also created Caring Mill , a popular private-label line of health products through which a portion of every purchase is donated to the Children's Health Fund . Since 2010, the Health-E Commerce brands have led the direct-to-consumer e-commerce market for exclusively pre-tax health and wellness benefits. Health-E Commerce plays an essential role in expanding product eligibility for important new categories within the list of eligible medical expenses. SOURCE Health-E Commerce MELBOURNE, Fla., Feb. 10, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- What steps can help buyers approach today's real estate market with greater clarity and confidence? A HelloNation article answers this question with expert insights from Real Estate Expert Kerry Ramage of Melbourne, Florida. The piece outlines a full buyer's roadmap for navigating an evolving housing market, focusing on how local trends, preparation, and planning affect every stage of the homebuying process. Kerry Ramage, Broker Speed Speed The article begins by addressing how local inventory levels signal the pace of the market. According to HelloNation, when inventory rises, buyers gain time to compare homes. When inventory drops, buyers must move quickly and adjust expectations based on real-time data. The article emphasizes that trends can shift between neighborhoods, making it essential to go beyond citywide averages. Real Estate Expert Kerry Ramage explains that closed sales, active listings, and pending properties provide a fuller picture of current market conditions. HelloNation notes that buyers benefit most from steady evaluation instead of reacting to short-term trends. Even when more homes become available, prices may remain the same due to factors such as roof condition, neighborhood development, and property upgrades. These elements influence how long homes stay on the market and what buyers should prioritize during their search. Another important part of the buyer's roadmap is financing. The article advises securing pre-approval early to understand one's price range and strengthen offers. Real Estate Expert Kerry Ramage explains that shifts in lending rates, especially local variations, can directly affect monthly budgets and long-term affordability. Early financial planning helps buyers stay grounded and avoid rushed decisions caused by fear of rising rates. The article outlines how clearly defined financial limits are essential. These boundaries help buyers avoid overextending themselves when rates change or competition increases. By maintaining focus on long-term goals, buyers can assess value more objectively. When touring homes, HelloNation encourages buyers to consider more than just aesthetics. In areas like Melbourne, where flood zones and insurance costs play a major role, buyers should review HVAC systems, window quality, roof age, and maintenance records. The article explains that these details affect not only comfort and cost, but also whether insurance coverage will be available, a growing concern in coastal regions. According to the article, insurance availability has become a deciding factor in many Florida real estate transactions. Buyers who evaluate insurance options early in their search can move faster once they find the right home. HelloNation emphasizes that these conditions can change independently of market supply, making them a key part of planning in today's real estate market. During the offer stage, the article highlights that a strong offer does not always mean the highest price. Instead, Real Estate Expert Kerry Ramage explains that the most effective offers align with the seller's goals, include realistic timelines, and are backed by financing confirmation. Flexibility paired with clarity is especially helpful in neighborhoods where conditions vary throughout the year. Once an offer is accepted, the article describes how inspection and appraisal steps provide buyers with the information they need to finalize their decisions. Ramage presents inspection as an opportunity to learn about the property rather than a barrier to the sale. Appraisal confirms that the agreed-upon price reflects market value. Together, these steps give structure to a phase that can otherwise feel uncertain. The HelloNation article explains that buyers should use inspection results to make informed decisions, including reevaluating insurance availability if needed. Appraisal results also confirm whether financing remains appropriate before closing. The roadmap ends with preparation for closing. The article details the final steps, such as securing insurance, transferring utilities, and completing lender paperwork. While these tasks may seem routine, they are crucial for ensuring a smooth transition into homeownership. The HelloNation article concludes that following this full buyer's roadmap can help reduce surprises and build buyer confidence in today's changing real estate market. How Buyers Can Navigate an Evolving Real Estate Market features insights from Kerry Ramage, Real Estate Expert of Melbourne, FL, in HelloNation. About HelloNation HelloNation is a premier media platform that connects readers with trusted professionals and businesses across various industries. Through its innovative "edvertising" approach that blends educational content and storytelling, HelloNation delivers expert-driven articles that inform, inspire, and empower. Covering topics from home improvement and health to business strategy and lifestyle, HelloNation highlights leaders making a meaningful impact in their communities. www.hellonation.com SOURCE HelloNation At approximately 2:40 p.m., Ukrainian Air Defense Forces shot down two Kinzhal aeroballistic missiles flying toward Lviv, Mayor Andriy Sadovy reported. "At about 2:40 p.m., two enemy Kinzhal missiles were flying towards Lviv. Air defense forces neutralized them. This was a titanic effort. Thanks to our defenders," he wrote on Telegram on Wednesday. According to him, as of this minute, there are no reports of damage or casualties. City services are surveying the community. AUSTIN, Texas, Feb. 11, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- inKind , the largest independent restaurant financing platform, and consumer loyalty technology company, known for connecting thousands of top restaurants with millions of diners, is excited to celebrate its 10th birthday with inKind Day . The milestone marks a decade of inKind helping the restaurant industry succeed, highlighted by its funding of over 6,000 independent restaurants nationwide, while also providing its over 4 million app users with more than $175 million in dining rewards and access to a platform of the most sought after hospitality destinations in the U.S. 2026 inKind Day Infographic The year-long celebration of inKind Day will be highlighted by exclusive events, rewards and offers to inKind's rapidly growing user base. Additionally, inKind will look to program events at partner restaurants throughout the next 12 months available to inKind app subscribers only in major U.S. dining markets including New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, San Francisco, Austin, Miami, and Las Vegas "Ten years ago my husband Andy and I founded inKind with a simple but powerful belief: restaurants deserve better ways to grow, without giving up what makes them unique," said inKind Co-Founder CEO, and longtime restaurant owner and investor Johann Moonesinghe. "That belief continues to guide everything we do as we celebrate inKind Day and a decade of supporting restaurants across the hospitality industry, while also giving a big thanks to our millions of loyal customers." To date, inKind has provided over $600 million in funding to a diverse group of top restaurant partners, including acclaimed operators like Jose Andres Group, MINA Group and Ethan Stowell Restaurants, independent establishments like Okan, Kann, and Superiority Burger; as well as 20 Michelin-starred destinations and 50 James Beard nominees. Additionally, their app users have been rewarded with over $175 million in dining rewards to spend at partner restaurants. Opening and sustaining a restaurant requires dedication, and challenges often aren't driven by a lack of demand or talent from the entrepreneur, but by limited access to growth capital, operational resources, and long-term support. In 2025, according to inKind's 2025 Dining Trends report , diner spending remained stable year-over-year across most dining segments, with casual dining spend increasing 3% and fast-casual spend increasing 2%, signaling steady consumer demand despite ongoing margin pressure for operators. For restaurant owners, the margin for error is razor-thin, especially during the early years of growth, but well capitalized and operated restaurants can generate excellent returns, especially with inKind funding, which is structured to align restaurant success with customer demand. inKind was built to solve these real challenges. From day one, the goal has been clear: provide restaurants with a flexible funding alternative and long-term partnership that allows them to grow on their own terms while preserving what makes them special. inKind has become the largest platform of its kind, providing restaurants with financing that essentially pays for itself. The company's unique business model provides restaurants with funding in exchange for food and beverage credits, rather than equity or debt. These credits are then used by high-spending diners through the inKind app at partner restaurants via inKind's best-in-class 20% back rewards model. During inKind's 2025 gifting campaigns, only 44% of users kept bonus dining credit for themselves, down from 75% two years prior, reflecting a growing shift toward shared dining and gifting experiences. inKind was founded by Moonesinghe, his late brother Rajan Moonesinghe, his husband Andrew Harris, his best friend and Chief Sustainability Officer Jonathan de Wolff, their product genius Marcus Triest, and CTO Bryan Crow, as a more supportive capital option for restaurants, based on the challenges that Moonesinghe and Harris faced as restaurant owners and investors themselves, after collectively investing in and operating dozens of restaurants. Having invested directly in over 30 restaurants and owning several themselves, including The Guest House in Austin, Las Vegas, and Scottsdale, and Ember Kitchen in Austin, Moonesinghe and Harris built inKind to harness the power of regular restaurant customers to support local hospitality businesses in a mutually beneficial way, turning everyday dining spend into growth capital for restaurants. For more information about inKind and its mission to support the restaurant industry, visit inkind.com and follow @inkind.app. About inKind Founded in 2016, inKind is a leading commerce enablement platform that provides low-cost capital investment opportunities for restaurants and exclusive dining rewards for consumers. With over 4 millions users in the US and partnerships with 6,000 restaurants nationwide, inKind has become the largest consumer marketplace of its kind. The platform has infused over $600 million in capital to successful restaurant groups like MINA Group, Ethan Stowell Restaurants, and Jose Andres Group, as well as independent restaurants such as Okan, Kann, and Superiority Burger. inKind's mission goes beyond profit, focusing on delivering exceptional experiences for both restaurant partners and diners. Through its seamless app experience, inKind redefines shared dining experiences by offering tangible savings, enticing rewards, and seamless transactions. Stay up to date with inKind by visiting inkind.com and following @inkind.app. SOURCE inKind NEW YORK, Feb. 11, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The International Trademark Association (INTA) is pleased to announce that its 148th Annual Meeting, taking place May 26, 2026, in London, England, is shaping up to be one of the most dynamic and highly attended gatherings in the Association's history. Registration has already exceeded 6,000 participantsmarking yet another milestone as the event approaches the end of early-bird registration on Friday, February 13, 2026. INTA Annual Meeting 6k infographic This year's Meeting features an exceptional speaker roster representing global leaders in intellectual property (IP), brand strategy, policy, business, innovation, technology, and finance. Across three core educational tracksLaw & Policy, Business of Intangibles, and Technologies Shaping the Future of IP registrants will experience a rich, high-impact program designed to speak to every corner of the IP ecosystem. The program is further strengthened by INTA's Patent Series, In-House Practitioners Series, and Professional Development & Career Advancement Series, offering attendees a deeply customizable educational experience. Highlighting London's position as an international hub for creativity and commerce, INTA CEO Etienne Sanz De Acedo said: "London stands at the crossroads of creativity, commerce, and innovation, making it the ideal setting for our Annual Meeting. This event is recognized as the 'Davos of IP'a forum where the brightest minds in intellectual property come together to shape the future of innovation, policy, and brand leadership worldwide." The 2026 Annual Meeting promises an unparalleled array of programs and renowned speakers, featuring nearly 50 top senior in-house practitioners from China, Denmark, Hungary, India, Italy, the Netherlands, Nigeria, Singapore, South Africa, Sweden, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, and the United States, who will share their expertise across more than 50 dynamic sessions. This global gathering offers registrants the rare opportunity to learn directly from influential leaders shaping the future of IPmaking it a must-attend event for anyone invested in innovation, brand strategy, or the evolving IP landscape. Reflecting the global breadth and influence of the Annual Meeting, this year's speakers represent a powerhouse cross-section of industries driving the future of IP. Registrants will benefit from the insights of senior leaders from Accenture, Agthia Group, Amazon, BAE Systems, Birla Paints, British American Tobacco, Bvlgari, Chanel, Expedia Group, FIFA, Fortnum & Mason, HP Inc., Huawei, Indeed, Johnstons of Elgin, Johnson & Johnson, Kenvue, Levi Strauss & Co., Liverpool FC, MF Brands Group (Lacoste), Middle Earth Enterprises, Microsoft, Moderna, MTN Nigeria, Philips, Procter & Gamble, Qualcomm Inc., Rolls-Royce, Royal Warrant Holders Association, Sanofi, Secretlab, Starbucks, YMCA. This extraordinary diversity ensures that the 2026 Annual Meeting delivers both depth and perspective, empowering all registrants to engage with the most pressing challenges and opportunities facing brands and IP worldwide. The In-House Practitioner Series includes eight sessions designed by and for corporate members. The series is themed to underscore the evolving role of in-house IP teams as strategic partners to the business, navigating innovation and AI, regulation, brand value, and global complexity with real-world accountability and impact. The Patent Series, now a two-day highlight of the Annual Meeting (May 56), features eight sessions covering European Patent Office reform, AI inventorship, standard essential patents, cross-border litigation, geopolitics, and portfolio strategy. Open to all registrants, it provides practical guidance and critical insights into global patent challenges and opportunities, making it essential for anyone interested in innovation and IP. The Professional Development & Career Advancement Series seeks to offer new ways to envisage and plan your legal career, with sessions on pro bono work, thriving outside the partnership path, leadership, and business development for young practitioners. Complementing these hallmark sessions is this year's enhanced 10-keynote format, bringing the Meeting's expanded keynote series together with high-level speakers from global IP organizations, government, and entrepreneurs. Some of the speakers include Daren Tang, Director General of the World Intellectual Property Organization; UK IP minister Kanisha Narayan MP; Jenny Urquhart, Chairman, Johnston of Elgin (Scotland); and Iyinoluwa Aboyeji, Founder and CEO of Future Africa (Nigeria), which invests in African technology startups. Together, these programs underscore INTA's commitment to delivering cutting-edge content that spans jurisdictions, industries, and emerging areas of practice. "We've worked to design a program that resonates with every registrantfrom those new to the profession to long-time experts shaping global IP policy," said Lara Kayode and Tanya Fickenscher, the 2026 Annual Meeting Co-Chairs. "Our goal is to ensure that every participant leaves with insights, connections, and tools that have a meaningful impact in their day-to-day work." As registration continues to climb and the early bird deadline nears, INTA encourages members to secure their place and take advantage of the Meeting's robust mix of learning, collaboration, and international networking. Business Development programmingalready a major drawis featured prominently again this year, with dedicated opportunities for brand owners, law firms, and service providers to engage in structured and informal networking. With participants from more than 2,800 organizations and 134 jurisdictions, the 2026 Annual Meeting stands as a global forum that fosters community, innovation, and thought leadership at a pivotal moment for the IP profession. Reporting on intellectual property? See INTA's Media Toolkit for guidance and resources. ABOUT INTA The International Trademark Association (INTA) is a global association of brand owners and intellectual property professionals dedicated to supporting trademarks and related IP to foster consumer trust, economic growth, and innovation. With more than 6,600 organizations representing close to 38,000 individuals from over 180 jurisdictions, INTA advocates for impactful and harmonized IP policies, provides worldclass educational programming, and cultivates a vibrant global community across the full IP ecosystem. SOURCE International Trademark Association BARCELONA, Spain, Feb. 11, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The International Trading Institute (ITI) and Westcliff University have announced a new academic partnership to offer a Master's in Trading degree taught by ITI and awarded by Westcliff University under its institutional accreditation, creating a structured, graduate-level pathway for aspiring and experienced trading professionals. ITI and Westcliff University Announce Partnership to Offer Accredited Masters in Trading Degree This two-year program brings together the strengths of both institutions, combining ITI's practitioner-led trading education with Westcliff University's academic oversight, quality assurance, and degree conferral. Students complete the program through online coursework, expert mentoring, and immersive trading simulations, gaining real-world trading experience while earning a formally recognized graduate degree. Westcliff University is accredited by the WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC), an institutional accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. All degree programs offered by the institution, including the Master's in Trading, are reviewed and approved by WSCUC as part of Westcliff's institutional accreditation. The first cohort of the accredited Master's in Trading program is scheduled to begin in October 2026. Bridging Professional Practice and Accredited Higher Education For decades, trading education has largely existed outside formal academic frameworks. Aspiring traders have often relied on informal courses, bootcamps, or unregulated online content, while traditional finance degrees typically emphasize theory over the practical realities of professional trading. The ITIWestcliff partnership addresses this long-standing gap by delivering practitioner-led trading education within an accredited higher-education framework. ITI's curriculum provides real-world relevance and market-driven expertise, while Westcliff University ensures academic rigor, institutional oversight, and degree conferral. Together, the institutions share a commitment to excellence, diversity, and challenging students to exceed expectations, offering a program that balances professional credibility with academic legitimacy. A Comprehensive, Graduate-Level Trading Curriculum The Master's in Trading curriculum is designed to reflect the full scope of professional trading performance, integrating technical skill, disciplined process, and human decision-making. Core areas of study include market structure, execution, risk management, and performance analysis. In addition, the program features dedicated Master's-level coursework in trading psychology, focused on: Cognitive performance Decision-making under pressure Behavioral awareness and self-management These courses complement the technical and analytical components of the program and recognize the critical role psychology plays in consistent trading performance. By addressing both strategy and mindset, the curriculum supports the development of disciplined, reflective, and resilient trading professionals. A Structured Pathway for Long-Term Professional Growth A foundational principle of the Accredited Trading Program is that professional trading is built through structure, progression, and disciplined practice, rather than ad-hoc learning or isolated tactics. ITI's practitioner-led approach emphasizes repeatable processes and real-world application, while Westcliff University's academic framework ensures the program meets established graduate-level standards. Together, this model provides students with a coherent, credible pathway for long-term development within the trading profession. As Julie Cook, CEO of the International Trading Institute, explains: "Even for traders who never intend to work within a traditional institution, rigor matters. This partnership ensures students receive an education that is structured, disciplined, and grounded in both professional practice and accredited academic standards." Looking Ahead The collaboration between ITI and Westcliff University represents a meaningful step forward in the evolution of trading education, one that aligns industry expertise with accredited higher education. Both institutions are excited about the opportunities this program creates for future trading professionals seeking depth, legitimacy, and sustained growth in an increasingly complex global market. Now Accepting Applications Applications for the October 2026 Master's in Trading cohort are now open. Scholarship opportunities may be available to qualifying applicants on a first-come, first-served basis. About the International Trading Institute (ITI) The International Trading Institute (ITI) is an academic institution dedicated to professional trader development, offering a groundbreaking Master's in Trading program that blends theory with live market application and expert mentorship. With industry veterans as faculty and a rigorous, real-world curriculum, ITI is setting a new standard in trading education. About Westcliff University Westcliff University is an innovative global higher education institution with its finger on the pulse of the international business landscape and the needs of today's employers. Founded in 1993 and based in Irvine, Calif., it offers bachelor's, master's and doctorate degrees spanning 20+ areas of study including business, education, technology, nursing, law, computer science and engineering. Westcliff is a California Public Benefit Corporation which affirms its dedication to operating in the best interests of its students and the surrounding community. With more than 7,000 enrolled students, its programs focus on both the hard and soft skills needed to secure quality jobs in high-growth industries. The university offers community and business engagement opportunities for the hands-on experience today's students require while providing innovative and affordable programs online and in classrooms across the globe. Press & Contact Information For press inquiries, interviews, or additional details, users can contact: Brand : International Trading Institute Website : https://internationaltradinginstitute.com/ Social Links: Contact Jasman Mann International Trading Institute (ITI) [email protected] Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2889876/ITI_Westcliff_University_Partnership.jpg SOURCE International Trading Institute (ITI) (NYSE: KD) NEW YORK, Feb. 11, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Levi & Korsinsky, LLP is investigating Kyndryl Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: KD) following the company's February 9, 2026 announcement that it is reviewing its cash management procedures and related disclosures as part of an internal accounting investigation. Investors who held KD shares and incurred losses may obtain more information about their rights. A key element of the investigation concerns Kyndryl's cash-flow disclosures. SEC regulations require that when a company presents non-GAAP financial measures such as "adjusted free cash flow," it must reconcile those figures to the nearest GAAP equivalent and explain why the non-GAAP measure is useful to investors. Regulation G and Item 10(e) of Regulation S-K govern these disclosures and require that non-GAAP presentations not be misleading. During the Q1 FY2026 earnings call on August 5, 2025, CFO David Wyshner announced a notable change in Kyndryl's reporting approach: "Our cash-flow adjustments have become immaterial spin-related costs have subsided. So we're now highlighting free cash flow rather than adjusted free cash flow." This transition from adjusted to reported free cash flow was presented as a sign of financial maturity the implication being that the gap between GAAP and non-GAAP cash metrics had narrowed to the point of insignificance. However, the February 9, 2026 disclosure revealed that Kyndryl was reviewing the very cash management procedures underlying these metrics. The company expects to report "material weaknesses" in its internal controls and "is developing a remediation plan" to deal with the fallout. If the cash-flow adjustments that Kyndryl characterized as "immaterial" were, in fact, material or subject to internal-control deficiencies, the transition announcement may have created a misleading impression of the company's financial reporting integrity. On the Q2 FY2026 earnings call (November 5, 2025), Wyshner further stated: "We generated free cash flow of $22 million in the second quarter Our cash balance at September 30 was $1.3 billion Net leverage was below 1x and we ended the quarter well within our target range at 0.7x." He also guided: "We're forecasting roughly 100% conversion of adjusted pretax income less cash taxes into free cash flow." These figures are now subject to review under the internal accounting investigation. The gap between the company's presentation of clean, maturing cash-flow metrics and the subsequent disclosure of a cash-management accounting probe is significant. If the investigation determines that prior cash-flow figures were misstated, the entire framework upon which investors evaluated Kyndryl's capital-allocation strategy including the $400 million increase to the share-repurchase program would have been based on unreliable data. Shareholders who purchased KD stock and want to learn about their legal options may contact Joseph E. Levi, Esq. for further details. Levi & Korsinsky, LLP is a nationally recognized firm with offices in New York, California, Connecticut, and Washington, D.C. that prosecutes securities, merger, and consumer class actions on behalf of investors and consumers; more information is available at www.zlk.com. CONTACT: Joseph E. Levi, Esq. Levi & Korsinsky, LLP 33 Whitehall Street, 27th Floor New York, NY 10004 Tel: (212) 363-7500 Fax: (212) 363-7171 Email: [email protected] www.zlk.com SOURCE Levi & Korsinsky, LLP C$ unless otherwise stated TSX/NYSE/PSE: MFC SEHK: 945 TORONTO, Feb. 11, 2026 /PRNewswire/ - Manulife Financial Corporation ("Manulife") announced today that, subject to the approval of the Toronto Stock Exchange ("TSX"), it intends to launch a Normal Course Issuer Bid ("NCIB") permitting the purchase for cancellation of up to 42 million of its common shares, representing approximately 2.5% of Manulife's issued and outstanding common shares. The Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions (Canada) has approved the NCIB. As at January 31, 2026, Manulife had 1,676,743,043 common shares issued and outstanding. Having an NCIB in place will provide Manulife with the flexibility to purchase common shares as part of its capital management strategy which is designed to maintain healthy regulatory capital ratios while balancing the objective of generating shareholder value. Purchases under the NCIB may be made through the facilities of the TSX, the New York Stock Exchange, and alternative trading systems in Canada and the United States at market prices prevailing at the time of purchase or such other price as may be permitted. Manulife will file a notice of intention to make an NCIB with the TSX. The bid period will commence after the TSX has accepted the notice of intention and continue for up to one year. All common shares acquired by Manulife under the NCIB will be cancelled. Purchases will be subject to compliance with applicable Canadian securities laws and United States federal securities laws. In addition, Manulife may undertake purchases of its common shares outside of Canada and the United States in compliance with applicable laws. Subject to regulatory approval, Manulife may also acquire common shares directly from other holders by way of private agreement pursuant to issuer bid exemption orders issued by applicable securities regulatory authorities. Any private purchase made under an exemption order issued by a securities regulatory authority will generally be at a discount to the prevailing market price. Manulife may also enter into derivative-based programs in support of its purchase activities, including the writing of put options and forward purchase agreements, accelerated share purchase transactions, other equity contracts or use other methods of acquiring shares, in each case subject to regulatory approval and on such terms and at such times as shall be permitted by applicable securities laws. The total number of common shares purchased under the NCIB and all other potential arrangements will not exceed 42 million common shares. Subject to regulatory approval, Manulife intends from time to time to enter into pre-defined plans with a registered investment dealer to allow for the purchase of common shares at times when Manulife ordinarily would not be active in the market due to its own internal trading blackout periods, insider trading rules or otherwise. Any such plans will be adopted in accordance with applicable Canadian securities laws and United States federal securities laws. Manulife's most recent normal course issuer bid (the "2025 NCIB") commenced on February 24, 2025, for the purchase of up to 51.5 million common shares, and expires on February 23, 2026. Manulife completed the purchase of 51.5 million common shares for cancellation during the period from the commencement of its 2025 NCIB to January 22, 2026, at a volume weighted average purchase price per common share of $44.28. All purchases were made through the facilities of the TSX. Caution regarding forward-looking statements This document contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the "safe harbour" provisions of Canadian provincial securities laws and the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 with respect to possible future purchases by Manulife of its common shares. Although we believe that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, such statements involve risks and uncertainties, and undue reliance should not be placed on such statements. Certain material factors or assumptions are applied in making forward-looking statements, and actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied in such statements. Important factors that could cause actual common share purchases to differ materially from expectations include but are not limited to the fact that the amount and timing of any future common share purchases will depend on the earnings, cash requirements and financial condition of Manulife, market conditions, capital requirements (including under LICAT capital standards), common share issuance requirements, applicable law and regulations (including Canadian and U.S. securities laws and Canadian insurance company regulations), and other factors deemed relevant by Manulife, and may be subject to regulatory approval or conditions. Additional information about material risk factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from expectations may be found in our most recent annual and interim reports and elsewhere in our filings with Canadian and U.S. securities regulators. The forward-looking statements in this document are, unless otherwise indicated, stated as of the date hereof. We do not undertake to update any forward-looking statements, except as required by law. About Manulife Manulife Financial Corporation is a leading international financial services provider, helping our customers make their decisions easier and lives better. With our global headquarters in Toronto, Canada, we operate as Manulife across Canada, Asia, and Europe, and primarily as John Hancock in the United States, providing financial advice and insurance for individuals, groups and businesses. Through Manulife Wealth & Asset Management, we offer global investment, financial advice, and retirement plan services to individuals, institutions, and retirement plan members worldwide. At the end of 2024, we had more than 37,000 employees, over 109,000 agents, and thousands of distribution partners, serving over 36 million customers. We trade as 'MFC' on the Toronto, New York, and the Philippine stock exchanges, and under '945' in Hong Kong. Not all offerings are available in all jurisdictions. For additional information, please visit manulife.com. Media Relations: Fiona McLean Manulife 437-441-7491 [email protected] Investor Relations: Derek Theobalds Manulife 416-254-1774 [email protected] SOURCE Manulife Financial Corporation In the news release, PREMIERONE CREDIT UNION RECEIVES NATIONAL CERTIFICATION BY BANKING ADVOCATES AS SAFE, AFFORDABLE ACCOUNT, issued 09-Feb-2026 by PremierOne Credit Union over PR Newswire, we are advised by the company that changes have been made. The complete, corrected release follows, with additional details at the end: PREMIERONE CREDIT UNION RECEIVES NATIONAL CERTIFICATION BY BANKING ADVOCATES AS SAFE, AFFORDABLE ACCOUNT The Cities for Financial Empowerment Fund's Bank On National Account Standards Certification of Fresh Start Checking Account indicates that it meets over 25 features for safe and affordable consumer transaction accounts. SAN JOSE, Calif., Feb. 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Today PremierOne Credit Union announced that its Fresh Start Checking Account was officially certified by the national Cities for Financial Empowerment Fund (CFE Fund) as meeting the Bank On National Account Standards (2025 - 2026). The national safe account Standards, co-created by consumer advocates, leading national nonprofit organizations, civic leaders, and other financial institutions, designate both core and strongly recommended features that ensure low cost, high functionality, and consumer safety. PremierOne Credit Union BankOn Logo Key features of Fresh Start Checking Account include a monthly cost of only $5.00, no overdraft or nonsufficient fund fees, the ability to pay bills and make purchases, and federal deposit insurance. "The Cities for Financial Empowerment Fund is delighted to award its national Bank On account certification to PremierOne Credit Union's Fresh Start Checking Account," said Jonathan Mintz, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Cities for Financial Empowerment Fund. "Fresh Start Checking offers eligible residents who are looking to improve their finances a safe, affordable, and truly useful mainstream banking product to access and manage their money. PremierOne Credit Union's offering of this terrific account brings them into the forefront of national banking access efforts, and we thank them." "This certification reinforces our commitment to financial inclusion and to providing our communities with access to safe, transparent, and affordable banking options," said Dody Gemmette, VP Business Operations, PremierOne Credit Union. "Fresh Start Checking was designed to remove common barriers to banking and help individuals take confident steps toward long-term financial stability. We are proud to meet the Bank On National Account Standards and to support the financial well-being of the communities we serve." The goal of Bank On is to ensure that everyone has access to safe and affordable financial products and services. The Bank On National Account Standards identify critical product features for appropriate bank or credit union accounts, making it easier for local coalitions across the country to connect consumers to accounts that meet their needs. With the addition of the Fresh Start Checking, accounts that meet Bank On National Account Standards are now available at over 46,000 branches in all 50 states and Washington, DC; financial institutions with Bank On certified accounts already comprise two-thirds of the national deposit market share. In addition to Fresh Start Checking Account, there are almost 500 other Bank On certified accounts available at financial institutions across the country. Data collected by the CFE Fund in partnership with the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis through Bank On's national reporting platform shows that these accounts are meeting consumers' needs; since their offering, millions of consumers have opened Bank On certified accounts, with approximately 85% of them opened by consumers new to the financial institutions. The CFE Fund leads the national Bank On movement, supporting 100 local coalitions working to connect individuals and families to the financial mainstream through partnerships between governments, financial institutions, and community organizations. To learn more about Bank On and the National Account Standards click here, or follow the conversation on Bluesky @cfefund.bsky.social #BankOn. About PremierOne Credit Union PremierOne Credit Union is committed to helping members achieve better financial lives through trusted relationships, personalized service, and expanded access. With over $650 million in assets, PremierOne Credit Union serves individuals who live, work, attend school, or worship in Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Monterey, San Benito, Alameda, San Mateo, Merced, San Joaquin, and Stanislaus counties. Members have access to five branches in Santa Clara County, one in San Mateo County, and nearly 5,000 CO-OP branches and 30,000 ATMs nationwide. For more information, visit www.premieronecu.org. About the Cities for Financial Empowerment Fund (CFE Fund) The CFE Fund supports municipal efforts to improve the financial stability of households by leveraging opportunities unique to local government. By translating cutting-edge experience with large-scale programs, research, and policy in cities of all sizes, the CFE Fund assists mayors and other local leaders to identify, develop, fund, implement, and research pilots and programs that help families build assets and make the most of their financial resources. The CFE Fund is currently working in over 100 cities and counties, and has disbursed over $66 million to local governments and their partners to support these efforts. For more information, please visit www.cfefund.org or follow us on Bluesky at @cfefund.bsky.social. About Bank On The CFE Fund's national Bank On movement supports local coalition and financial institution efforts to connect consumers to safe, affordable banking accounts as a fundamental component of financial stability. Already, almost 500 accounts at banks and credit unions nationwide representing over two-thirds of the national deposit market share are certified as meeting the Bank On National Account Standards, which designate both core and strongly recommended features that ensure low cost, no surprise fees, high functionality, and consumer safety. More than 100 Bank On coalitions across the country are working to connect unbanked and underbanked individuals to certified accounts, often through leveraging large-scale government program and payment opportunities. Visit www.joinbankon.org for more information. Contact: Janice Johnson-Lugo [email protected] Correction: An earlier version of this release had an incorrect version of the logo. SOURCE PremierOne Credit Union Every Ben & Jerry's Sundae delivers all the chunks and swirls ice cream lovers have come to expect from the Vermont-based ice cream maker, plus a decadent whipped topping layer and even more chunks sprinkled on top. It's the overthetop finish that makes every spoonful feel like a fullon sundae moment no assembly required. The three NEW Sundaes, rolling into freezers now, include: Straw-Bae Shortcake - Crumble me crazy! Sweet cream ice cream with shortcake cookies & strawberry swirls, topped with strawberry-swirled shipped topping & shortcake crumble. - Crumble me crazy! Sweet cream ice cream with shortcake cookies & strawberry swirls, topped with strawberry-swirled shipped topping & shortcake crumble. PB Blondie Bestie - Peanut butter goals? Peanut butter ice cream with blonde brownies & graham cracker swirls, topped with caramel-swirled whipped topping & mini peanut butter cups. - Peanut butter goals? Peanut butter ice cream with blonde brownies & graham cracker swirls, topped with caramel-swirled whipped topping & mini peanut butter cups. Mocha Mood Pie - Brewed for dessert featuring coffee from our partners at BLK & Bold. Chocolate cold brew ice cream with chocolate cookies & chocolate cookie swirls, topped with fudge-swirled whipped topping & fudge chips. In 2025, Ben & Jerry's Sundaes were a sensation as the top new ice cream innovation. The lineup quickly climbed the charts with Dulce De-lish! Sundae, Choco-lotta Cheesecake Sundae, Turtle Sundae and the fan favorite Cookie Vermont-ster, which became the number one Super Premium innovation across all new ice cream offerings. "Knowing how much our fans LOVE our Sundaes, it only made sense to add more flavors just in time for Valentine's Day," said Haylee Nelson, Ben & Jerry's Flavor Guru. "Bringing the sundae experience home was all about convenience, fun and flavor and our fans told us we more than delivered on that excitement. Who has time to find all the ingredients, the toppings, and even if you can - can you make it to perfection? These Sundaes deliver the perfect Ben & Jerry's Sundae experience for you, your bestie or your bae, every time!" As always, Ben & Jerry's recommends your first option be to visit your local Ben & Jerry's Scoop Shop for a professionally made sundae. If you aren't lucky enough to live near a Scoop Shop, Ben & Jerry's Sundaes can be found wherever pints are sold with a MSRP of $4.99 - $6.49. To learn more and find Sundaes available near you, visit https://www.benjerry.com/flavors/sundaes. About Ben & Jerry's Ben & Jerry's is an aspiring social justice company that believes in a greater calling than simply making and selling the world's best ice cream. The company produces a wide variety of super-premium ice cream and Non-Dairy/vegan desserts using high-quality ingredients and lots of big chunks and swirls. As a Certified B Corp, Ben & Jerry's incorporates its vision of Linked Prosperity into its business practices via values-led sourcing initiatives when purchasing ingredients. Ben & Jerry's is distributed in over 35 countries in supermarkets, grocery stores, convenience stores, franchised Scoop Shops, and via on-demand delivery services. For up-to-date information, visit benjerry.com SOURCE Ben & Jerry's ATLANTA, Feb. 11, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- We are reaching out to the community to address a critical issue that affects the health and wellness of countless Georgians. We ask you to join us in opposing Senate Bill 33 (SB33), which poses a direct threat to the continued availability of hemp wellness products in Georgia. SB33 seeks to ban all consumable hemp products, eliminating many lawful and beneficial options that you and your fellow residents rely on for health and wellness. This overbroad legislation undermines Georgia's tradition of supporting small businesses and personal choice while jeopardizing consumer access to safe and regulated wellness products. Call to Action: We need your voice! Contact members of the House Committee on Agriculture & Consumer Affairs and express your opposition to SB33. Simply stating that you are a Georgia resident concerned about losing access to legal hemp wellness products would be impactful. Members of this Committee and their corresponding contact information is found here: Georgia General Assembly - House Committee on Agriculture & Consumer Affairs. If you feel comfortable, we encourage you to share how hemp products have benefited you personally, or urge Committee Members to properly emphasize and fund the enforcement of current, effective regulations. Find Your Legislators: In addition to Committee Members, we also exhort you to reach out to your corresponding House and Senate representatives. To identify your elected officials, please visit Find My Legislator and enter your home address. A brief phone call or email can create significant change. Georgia has long championed small businesses, personal responsibility, and adult freedom of choice. The State of Georgia already has robust hemp regulations that are fair and adequate, and it is essential that the enforcement of these laws is adequately funded and supported. Contact: Patrick Shatzer Sunmed | Your CBD Store [email protected] About Sunmed | Your CBD Store Sunmed | Your CBD Store, an affiliate of Sunflora, Inc., is the largest hemp retailer in the United States and the exclusive home of award-winning, hemp-derived Sunmed products. With over 210+ locations nationwide across 35 states, the brand provides a premium in-store experience, offering access to more than 150 non-pharmaceutical wellness formulas, including clinically proven sleep gummies, pain relief topicals, USDA-certified organic oil tinctures, and CBD products for pets. Through in-store education, community involvement, and pioneering clinical research, Sunmed strives to empower modern wellness and enhance lives with natural, science-backed products. Learn more at getsunmed.com SOURCE Sunmed Considering a range of cultural sites from antiquity to the present, Made in Tension examines the use and representation of textiles as a stage for technical and aesthetic ingenuity. Striking mantles woven before the rise of the Inca Empire in present-day Peru dialogue with contemporary weavings by Ximena Garrido-Lecca and Cristina Flores Pescoran, interlocking marble forms by Henry Moore, and a photograph of intertwining limbs by Elle Perez. An Ancient Roman sculpture of cascading garments meets Kevin Beasley's fabric manipulations. Across time and space, the show unfolds a series of convergences and imprecise translations that convey thread's manifold artistic possibilities. "It is an honor to share Made in Tension," said Stefan Soloviev, Principal of The Soloviev Foundation and Chairman of Soloviev Group. "The extraordinary range of textiles and fiber art on view paints a fascinating picture of human creativity and technological inventiveness." The mobility of textile structures and processes challenges conventional distinctions between art and craft, revealing how seemingly unrelated media and social positions cross and intertwine. For example, a selection of patterned applique Kuba textiles from the present-day Democratic Republic of the Congo are installed alongside a large-scale screenprinted work by Henri Matisse, who hung similar Kuba cloths on the walls of his studio to inspire his late work. Made in Tension also features living artists who turn to traditional modes of making to address social questions in the present. For instance, Nengi Omuku transforms strips of sanyan cloth into a canvas for an oil painting, repurposing this traditional Yoruba textile to meditate on injustice in Nigeria. Ximena Garrido-Lecca weaves recycled copper thread to call attention to the use of indigenous weaving motifs in the graphic logos of multinational corporations who continue to extract the region's natural resources through mining. Throughout Made in Tension, artistic media and lived experiences push and pull against one another like fibers under strain. A number of works make use of loom technologies, which require weavers to negotiate states of tautness and loosening in the interlocking of warp and weft. Works by Lenore Tawney, Sarah Sze, and Olga de Amaral use the loom form both to fabricate their works and to investigate relations between structure, line, and movement. In returning repeatedly to actions of fraying and entanglement, Made in Tension conceives of the curatorial process as the creation of a web of disparate elements through friction. Collectively, the included works trace a cycle of construction and disintegration: fibers twist into thread, thread stretches into a surface, surfaces are draped, fragmented and adorned, and fibers eventually break down, returning to their original state. The exhibition leverages the life of textiles to rethink political and historical tensionsto seek a textured understanding of social conflict rather than pursuing seamless resolution. Made in Tension includes works by Olga de Amaral, Patricia Ayres, Kevin Beasley, Diedrick Brackens, weavers from the South American coast, including Chimu weavers, Ximena Garrido-Lecca, Porfirio Gutierrez, Elana Herzog, Ade Kassim, fiber artists of the Kuba Kingdom, Henri Matisse, Henry Moore, Senga Nengudi, Raul de Nieves, Nengi Omuku, Elle Perez, Cristina Flores Pescoran, Pablo Picasso, Ancient Roman marble carvers, Analia Saban, Sarah Sze, Lenore Tawney, and Yoruba beadworkers and woodcarvers. The Soloviev Foundation is pleased to share its collection with the public through guided tours and exhibition viewing hours. Guests are encouraged to visit the gallery's website to reserve a time. Made in Tension will be on view from March until December 2026. Curator Angela H. Brown is a writer and art historian and PhD candidate in the Department of Art and Archaeology at Princeton University, focusing on textiles, modern craft practices, and anticolonial pedagogies. Brown's recent writing can be found in the Journal of French and Francophone Philosophy, Zwitscher-Maschine: Journal on Paul Klee, and e-flux architecture. ABOUT THE SOLOVIEV FOUNDATION The Soloviev Foundation is the charitable giving arm of the Soloviev Group, dedicated to supporting the efforts of those working across humanitarian, environmental, and educational causes. The Foundation's gifts go to both large, long-established institutions addressing global crises and concerns, and smaller, hyperlocal organizations serving the populations in need within their communities. For more information, visit solovievfoundation.org. Correction: An earlier version of this release incorrectly stated the dateline date as Feb. 4, 2026 while it should read Feb. 11, 2026. SOURCE The Soloviev Group About this content About Ian Lyall Ian Lyall, a seasoned journalist and editor, brings over three decades of experience to his role as Managing Editor at Proactive. Overseeing Proactive's editorial and broadcast operations across six offices on three continents, Ian is responsible for quality control, editorial policy, and content production. He directs the creation of 50,000 pieces of real-time news, feature articles, and filmed interviews annually. Prior to Proactive, Ian helped lead the business output at the Daily... Read more About the publisher Proactive financial news and online broadcast teams provide fast, accessible, informative and actionable business and finance news content to a global investment audience. All our content is produced independently by our experienced and qualified teams of news journalists. Proactive news team spans the worlds key finance and investing hubs with bureaus and studios in London, New York, Toronto, Vancouver, Sydney and Perth. We are experts in medium and small-cap markets, we also keep our community up to date with blue-chip companies, commodities and broader investment stories. This is content that excites and engages motivated private investors. The team delivers news and unique insights across the market including but not confined to: biotech and pharma, mining and natural resources, battery metals, oil and gas, crypto and emerging digital and EV technologies. Use of technology Proactive has always been a forward looking and enthusiastic technology adopter. Our human content creators are equipped with many decades of valuable expertise and experience. The team also has access to and use technologies to assist and enhance workflows. Proactive will on occasion use automation and software tools, including generative AI. Nevertheless, all content published by Proactive is edited and authored by humans, in line with best practice in regard to content production and search engine optimisation. One killed, four others injured when enemy drone hits medical vehicle in Kharkiv region On Wednesday, around 11:00 a.m., a Russian drone struck a first aid vehicle on the Kyiv-Kharkiv-Dovzhansky highway, near the village of BorschIvka. "As a result of the hit, the vehicle caught fire. There were five people inside: medical workers and civilians. One woman died at the scene. The others sustained injuries of varying severity. The victims received the necessary medical assistance," the communications department of the Main Directorate of the National Police in Kharkiv region reported. An investigative team and relevant services are working at the scene. A pretrial investigation has been launched under Part 2 of Article 438 (war crimes) of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. About this content About Oliver Haill Oliver has been writing about companies and markets since the early 2000s, cutting his teeth as a financial journalist at Growth Company Investor with a focusing on AIM companies and small caps, before a few years later becoming a section editor and then head of research. He joined Proactive after a couple of years freelancing, where he worked for the Financial Times Group, ITV, Press Association, Reuters sports desk, the London Olympic News Service, Rugby World Cup News Service, Gracenote... Read more About the publisher Proactive financial news and online broadcast teams provide fast, accessible, informative and actionable business and finance news content to a global investment audience. All our content is produced independently by our experienced and qualified teams of news journalists. Proactive news team spans the worlds key finance and investing hubs with bureaus and studios in London, New York, Toronto, Vancouver, Sydney and Perth. We are experts in medium and small-cap markets, we also keep our community up to date with blue-chip companies, commodities and broader investment stories. This is content that excites and engages motivated private investors. The team delivers news and unique insights across the market including but not confined to: biotech and pharma, mining and natural resources, battery metals, oil and gas, crypto and emerging digital and EV technologies. Use of technology Proactive has always been a forward looking and enthusiastic technology adopter. Our human content creators are equipped with many decades of valuable expertise and experience. The team also has access to and use technologies to assist and enhance workflows. Proactive will on occasion use automation and software tools, including generative AI. Nevertheless, all content published by Proactive is edited and authored by humans, in line with best practice in regard to content production and search engine optimisation. About this content About Stephen Gunnion Stephen Gunnion is a senior financial journalist and broadcaster at Proactive Investors. He has more than 25 years of experience in television, radio and print media, anchoring on a number of television channels including South Africa's Business Day TV, CNBC Africa and the South African Broadcasting Corporation, where he was the economics editor. He has also worked for Daily Maverick, Bloomberg, the Business Day newspaper and Investors' Chronicle. Read more About the publisher Proactive financial news and online broadcast teams provide fast, accessible, informative and actionable business and finance news content to a global investment audience. All our content is produced independently by our experienced and qualified teams of news journalists. Proactive news team spans the worlds key finance and investing hubs with bureaus and studios in London, New York, Toronto, Vancouver, Sydney and Perth. We are experts in medium and small-cap markets, we also keep our community up to date with blue-chip companies, commodities and broader investment stories. This is content that excites and engages motivated private investors. The team delivers news and unique insights across the market including but not confined to: biotech and pharma, mining and natural resources, battery metals, oil and gas, crypto and emerging digital and EV technologies. Use of technology Proactive has always been a forward looking and enthusiastic technology adopter. Our human content creators are equipped with many decades of valuable expertise and experience. The team also has access to and use technologies to assist and enhance workflows. Proactive will on occasion use automation and software tools, including generative AI. Nevertheless, all content published by Proactive is edited and authored by humans, in line with best practice in regard to content production and search engine optimisation. About this content About Kerry Stevenson Kerry Stevenson joins Proactive Australia's broadcast team part time. As the Managing Director of Gold Events Kerry has been hosting the annual Australian Gold Conference for over 14 years, connecting industry and investment professionals and showcasing the value of precious metals. Kerry is passionate about helping others to secure a safe and solid future by understanding money, finance, and strategy. That is why she created the Making Money Matter channel on YouTube, where... Read more About the publisher Proactive financial news and online broadcast teams provide fast, accessible, informative and actionable business and finance news content to a global investment audience. All our content is produced independently by our experienced and qualified teams of news journalists. Proactive news team spans the worlds key finance and investing hubs with bureaus and studios in London, New York, Toronto, Vancouver, Sydney and Perth. We are experts in medium and small-cap markets, we also keep our community up to date with blue-chip companies, commodities and broader investment stories. This is content that excites and engages motivated private investors. The team delivers news and unique insights across the market including but not confined to: biotech and pharma, mining and natural resources, battery metals, oil and gas, crypto and emerging digital and EV technologies. Use of technology Proactive has always been a forward looking and enthusiastic technology adopter. Our human content creators are equipped with many decades of valuable expertise and experience. The team also has access to and use technologies to assist and enhance workflows. Proactive will on occasion use automation and software tools, including generative AI. Nevertheless, all content published by Proactive is edited and authored by humans, in line with best practice in regard to content production and search engine optimisation. About this content About Jonathan Jackson Jonathan Jackson is an experienced writer and editor. Over the past 20 years, he has worked in print and digital media across several business and finance titles amd is currently the Australian news editor at Proactive Investors covering the latest news for ASX listed companies as well as current financial trends. He was previously managing editor with Business First magazine, Wealth Creator Magazine and StocksDigital. Jonathan has interviewed some of the world's top CEOs and covered... Read more About the publisher Proactive financial news and online broadcast teams provide fast, accessible, informative and actionable business and finance news content to a global investment audience. All our content is produced independently by our experienced and qualified teams of news journalists. Proactive news team spans the worlds key finance and investing hubs with bureaus and studios in London, New York, Toronto, Vancouver, Sydney and Perth. We are experts in medium and small-cap markets, we also keep our community up to date with blue-chip companies, commodities and broader investment stories. This is content that excites and engages motivated private investors. The team delivers news and unique insights across the market including but not confined to: biotech and pharma, mining and natural resources, battery metals, oil and gas, crypto and emerging digital and EV technologies. Use of technology Proactive has always been a forward looking and enthusiastic technology adopter. Our human content creators are equipped with many decades of valuable expertise and experience. The team also has access to and use technologies to assist and enhance workflows. Proactive will on occasion use automation and software tools, including generative AI. Nevertheless, all content published by Proactive is edited and authored by humans, in line with best practice in regard to content production and search engine optimisation. About this content About Emily Jarvie Emily began her career as a political journalist for Australian Community Media in Hobart, Tasmania. After she relocated to Toronto, Canada, she reported on business, legal, and scientific developments in the emerging psychedelics sector before joining Proactive in 2022. She brings a strong journalism background with her work featured in newspapers, magazines, and digital publications across Australia, Europe, and North America, including The Examiner, The Advocate, The Canberra Times, and... Read more About the publisher Proactive financial news and online broadcast teams provide fast, accessible, informative and actionable business and finance news content to a global investment audience. All our content is produced independently by our experienced and qualified teams of news journalists. Proactive news team spans the worlds key finance and investing hubs with bureaus and studios in London, New York, Toronto, Vancouver, Sydney and Perth. We are experts in medium and small-cap markets, we also keep our community up to date with blue-chip companies, commodities and broader investment stories. This is content that excites and engages motivated private investors. The team delivers news and unique insights across the market including but not confined to: biotech and pharma, mining and natural resources, battery metals, oil and gas, crypto and emerging digital and EV technologies. Use of technology Proactive has always been a forward looking and enthusiastic technology adopter. Our human content creators are equipped with many decades of valuable expertise and experience. The team also has access to and use technologies to assist and enhance workflows. Proactive will on occasion use automation and software tools, including generative AI. Nevertheless, all content published by Proactive is edited and authored by humans, in line with best practice in regard to content production and search engine optimisation. 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 Photo: @V_Zelenskiy_official Telegram Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy instructed Commander-in-Chief of the Ukrainian Air Force, together with the Ministry of Defense, the Ministry of Energy, and community leaders, to develop solutions to strengthen the protection of infrastructure facilities. I instructed the Commander of the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, together with the Ministry of Defense, the Ministry of Energy, and designated community leaders, to work on specific solutions we discussed to strengthen the protection of infrastructure facilities. The details cannot be made public at this time, but there are systemic steps that must be taken. I expect a report on the implementation, he wrote in a Telegram channel on Wednesday following the daily conference call. According to Zelenskyy, gas supply restoration continues in Donetsk region, also following Russian shelling. There were strikes on infrastructure in Dnipro region, in the Synelnykove district. Some consumers are currently without electricity in Zaporizhia after shahed strikes restoration work is underway. All of this shows that security issues are the key priority right now, and everything else must be addressed only in conjunction with truly guaranteed security, Zelenskyy stressed. According to the president, as long as Russia continues to kill people and destroy our infrastructure, society will not have sufficient trust even in active diplomacy. And this is important for all of Ukraines partners in the United States and Europe to understand. I expect Ukrainian diplomats to effectively convey this position on security to our partners and to fully inform all of our partners about the real situation in Ukraines regions, he emphasized. Zelenskyy also announced that he had instructed the government to ensure the full implementation of the heat package program in Poltava region. I am grateful to all repair crews, energy companies, the State Emergency Service of Ukraine, and municipal services for working virtually 24/7 on restoration efforts in the regions of central Ukraine, as well as in Ivano-Frankivsk, Volyn, and Kyiv regions, and in the capital. All the results achieved so far in restoration efforts are helping both our defense and our diplomacy, the head of stressed. Zelenskyy noted that virtually every community bordering Russia and in the frontline regions is reporting constant Russian strikes. In Kherson alone, there were 470 strike drones in the past 24 hours. "One of the strikes in Kharkiv regionon Bohodukhivhas serious consequences. A Russian drone directly hit a residential building, killing two children: two boys, both just two years old, and a girl, just one year old. The childrens father was also killed. My condolences. The childrens mother is in the hospital, receiving medical care," he wrote. Washington, Feb 11 : US President Donald Trump said the United States has deployed a "massive flotilla" toward Iran and signaled that Tehran is seeking negotiations, even as he warned that further action remains possible. Washington, Feb 11 (IANS) US President Donald Trump said the United States has deployed a "massive flotilla" toward Iran and signaled that Tehran is seeking negotiations, even as he warned that further action remains possible. In an interview with Fox Business' Larry Kudlow, Trump described heightened US military posture in the region. "As you know, we have a massive floatilla right now going over to Iran. We'll see what happens," he said. Trump suggested Iran is open to talks. "I think they wanna make a deal. I think they'd be foolish if they didn't," he said. He added that any agreement would have to address core US concerns. "It's gotta be a good deal. No nuclear weapons, no missiles, no this, no that, all the different things that you want," he said. At the same time, Trump questioned whether a deal would hold. "A lot of people say no," he said, referring to doubts about the current Iranian regime's reliability. Trump criticised earlier diplomacy with Tehran. "Obama and Biden, what they did in terms of creating a monster with Iran was terrible," he said. "That Iran nuclear deal was one of the dumbest deals I've ever seen." He also referenced prior US action against Iranian nuclear facilities. "We took out their nuclear power last time and we'll have to see if we take out more this time," he said. Trump framed the deployment and diplomacy as part of a broader strategy that links economic leverage and national security tools. "I settled eight wars. Of the eight wars, at least six were settled because of tariffs," he said earlier in the interview, arguing that trade pressure strengthens U negotiating power globally. The remarks come amid ongoing tensions over Iran's nuclear program and regional activities. Iran remains central to regional security calculations in West Asia, affecting energy markets, maritime routes and geopolitical alignments. India, which has longstanding civilizational and economic ties with Iran, closely tracks developments in the Gulf given its energy dependence and strategic interests, including connectivity projects and shipping security in the region. Chennai, Feb 11 : Chennai and several northern districts of Tamil Nadu are expected to experience persistent morning fog over the next few days, with the Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC) forecasting misty conditions until February 14. According to an official weather bulletin, districts including Chennai, Tiruvallur, Kancheepuram, and Chengalpattu are likely to witness dense fog during the early morning hours, potentially affecting visibility and disrupting traffic movement, especially for commuters and motorists during peak travel times. Authorities have advised drivers to exercise caution while travelling in the early hours. In addition to these areas, moderate fog is expected to prevail on Wednesday and Thursday in districts such as Vellore, Ranipet, Tirupattur, Krishnagiri, Dharmapuri, and Dindigul. Weather officials noted that these regions could experience reduced visibility, particularly near highways, rural stretches, and low-lying areas. Meanwhile, light fog conditions are also likely to be felt in Salem, Erode, and Namakkal districts along with the northern belt. Though less intense, the mist may still create mild inconvenience for early morning commuters and agricultural activities. The weather department has also predicted a shift in conditions for southern Tamil Nadu and the Cauvery delta districts, where moderate rainfall is expected tomorrow. The showers could provide some relief to farmers and help improve soil moisture levels in agricultural zones. Temperatures across Tamil Nadu are forecast to rise gradually over the coming days. Despite the chances of rain in select regions, most parts of Tamil Nadu and the Union Territory of Puducherry are expected to experience predominantly dry weather conditions. Meteorologists said the combination of early morning fog, isolated rainfall, and rising temperatures reflects seasonal atmospheric changes typical during this time of year. Residents are advised to stay updated with daily forecasts and plan their travel accordingly. The weather department continues to monitor the situation and will issue further advisories if conditions change. Washington, Feb 11 : The White House pushed back on renewed questions about President Donald Trump's past ties to Jeffrey Epstein and said the administration stands firmly behind Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said Trump had long distanced himself from Epstein. "The president has always remained consistent and that he kicked Jeffrey Epstein out of his club at Mar-a-Lago because, frankly, Jeffrey Epstein was a creep," she said. She added that Trump "cut off his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein and was honest and transparent about that for years and years." Leavitt was asked about newly released documents that referenced a conversation between Trump and the Palm Beach police chief in the early 2000s. "Look, it was a phone call that may or may not have happened in 2006. I don't know the answer to that question," she said. "What I'm telling you is that what President Trump has always said is that he kicked Jeffrey Epstein out of his Mar-a-Lago club because Jeffrey Epstein was a creep, and that remains true." Leavitt also pointed to the release of records related to the case. "The release of more than 3 million documents related to Jeffrey Epstein and his heinous, disgusting crimes just shows the level of transparency that this president and administration has committed to in bringing these files to light," she said. Asked whether Trump would rule out a pardon for Ghislaine Maxwell, Leavitt said it was not under consideration. "Last time we did speak about it, he said it's not something he's considering or thinking about," she said. Leavitt was also questioned about Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick after he testified on Capitol Hill and acknowledged past contact with Epstein. "No. Secretary Lutnick remains a very important member of President Trump's team, and the president fully supports the secretary," she said. Leavitt shifted to what she described as broader achievements by the administration. "Again, on Friday, the Dow shattered 50,000 for the first time ever," she said. She also cited a federal appeals court ruling upholding the administration's detention policy for migrants and said, "for an unprecedented ninth straight month, there were zero illegal border crossings at the southern border." Epstein, a financier, was charged with sex trafficking offenses and died in federal custody in 2019. Maxwell was later convicted on federal sex trafficking-related charges. The case has continued to generate political scrutiny due to the prominent figures who had past associations with Epstein. The administration has argued that the release of documents reflects a commitment to transparency, while critics continue to press for clarity about past contacts and decisions involving individuals named in the files. British Columbia, Feb 11 : At least 10 people, including the gunman, are dead and several are injured after a mass shooting in Canada's British Columbia, police said. The shooting occurred on Tuesday (local time) at a school in British Columbia's Tumbler Ridge, according to local media reports. According to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), six people were found dead inside the high school, while another person died on the way to the hospital. The suspect was also found dead, from what police described as "self-inflicted injury," reports leading Canadian media outlet, CBC. Additionally, two people were found dead at a residence, which police believe is connected to the shooting. All the injured, after being given first aid, have been taken to the hospital for further treatment. MLA Larry Neufeld offered his condolences to those affected by the shooting. In a post on X, he said, "I am closely monitoring the situation in Tumbler Ridge following the tragic and deeply disturbing incident at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School." He mentioned that the police have confirmed there are multiple victims. He further noted that the active shooter alert has been lifted, but the investigation is ongoing. "I want to thank first responders, school staff, and local officials for their swift and professional response during an incredibly difficult situation. My thoughts are with the students, families, educators, and the entire Tumbler Ridge community. This is a small, close-knit town, and the impact of an event like this is felt by everyone," Neufeld added. "Out of respect for those affected, it's important that we allow law enforcement the time they need to complete their investigation and confirm details. I will continue to share verified information as it becomes available," he further mentioned. The MLA also advised the residents to contact him if they're struggling in the aftermath of the shooting and called on the people to allow police the time they need to confirm details and complete their investigation. Meanwhile, the police said that the cause of the shooting remains under investigation and refused to release the details of the suspect. Further details are awaited. Quetta, Feb 11 : Another Baloch civilian was extrajudicially killed by Pakistani forces in Balochistan, a leading human rights organisation said on Wednesday. These latest incidents come against the backdrop of a growing wave of targeted killings and enforced disappearances across the province. Human rights body Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) revealed that the tortured body of 20-year-old Muhammad Fareed Baloch was recovered on February 6, following months of illegal detention by Pakistan's Counter Terrorism Department (CTD). According to the BYC, Muhammad Fareed, a resident of Killi Safar Ali Jangle region of Duki district in Balochistan, was a farmer who came from a poor Baloch family and became the primary breadwinner after his father was forcibly disappeared. The rights body stated that on June 4, 2025, Muhammad Fareed was forcibly disappeared from his home by Pakistani forces. For eight months, his family searched for him in fear and uncertainty, receiving no information, answers, or accountability from the Pakistani authorities. "This is not an isolated incident but part of a systematic policy of enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings targeting the Baloch people. These acts constitute grave violations of international human rights law, including the right to life, due process, and freedom from torture," BYC stated. The rights body urged the United Nations, international human rights organisations, and the global community to take notice, demand accountability, and help end these ongoing crimes in Balochistan by Pakistani forces. Earlier on Tuesday, Paank, the Baloch National Movement's Human Rights Department, brought to light the extrajudicial killing of one more civilian and the enforced disappearances of five civilians in separate incidents across Balochistan. The rights body mentioned that Yasir Lehri, a tailor, was extrajudicially killed by Pakistani security forces on February 2, in Mastung district. His body was not handed over to his family, denying them the right to perform the last rites. On the same day, 15-year-old Dawood Lehri, a master tailor from Bachabad region in Mastung, was forcibly disappeared by personnel of Pakistan's Frontier Corps (FC). In another incident, 22-year-old Shahroz Baloch, an auto mechanic and resident of Lore Karez Sariab of the provincial capital Quetta, was abducted from his home on February 9 during a raid carried out by Pakistan's Counter Terrorism Department (CTD). Additionally, on February 9, Pakistani Army personnel raided a house in Awaran district and forcibly disappeared Murad Bakhsh, along with his two sons, Amjed Baloch and Lateef Baloch. Balochistan has been reeling under the endless atrocities at the hands of Pakistani authorities, who also facilitate death squads in the region to carry out enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killings, and illegal detentions of Baloch people. Washington, Feb 11 : The White House confirmed that President Donald Trump floated the idea of renaming major infrastructure sites after himself and defended his stance on control of a US-Canada bridge project. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt was asked about reports that Trump had suggested renaming Penn Station in New York and Dulles Airport near Washington. "To your first question about the renaming, why not?" Leavitt said. "It was something the president floated in his conversation with Chuck Schumer." She did not provide further details on the proposal. Leavitt was also questioned about Trump's comments on the Gordie Howe Bridge, which connects Detroit to Canada and was fully financed by Canada. "I think the president was very clear and direct in his truth," she said. Leavitt said Trump objects to the ownership and control structure of the bridge. "The fact that Canada will control what crosses the Gordie Howe Bridge and owns the land on both sides is unacceptable to the president," she said. She added that Trump believes "more of this bridge" should have been built with "more American made materials." "He also believes that the US should own at least half of the bridge, have shared authority over what passes across it and participate in the economic benefits generated by its use," Leavitt said. "This is just another example of President Trump putting America's interests first," she added. Leavitt said Trump conveyed his position during a call with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney earlier in the day. The Gordie Howe International Bridge is a major cross-border infrastructure project linking Michigan and Ontario. It is intended to ease congestion and expand trade between the United States and Canada. Renaming federal infrastructure assets typically requires congressional approval. Penn Station is a major rail hub in New York City, while Dulles International Airport serves the Washington metropolitan area. -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text Washington, Feb 11 : The United States called India the anchor of South Asia and the western Indo-Pacific, as the Trump administration outlined an "America first" strategy built on trade deals, defence cooperation, and targeted investment across the region. Washington, Feb 11 (IANS) The United States called India the anchor of South Asia and the western Indo-Pacific, as the Trump administration outlined an "America first" strategy built on trade deals, defence cooperation, and targeted investment across the region. Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia Paul Kapur, in a written testimony submitted before the House Foreign Affairs Committee's Subcommittee on South and Central Asia, said President Donald Trump's National Security Strategy makes clear that Washington "must put America first and do so through active engagement with vital parts of the world." "Under the President's leadership, this has advanced our economic and security interests while helping our partners," Kapur said on the eve of his appearance before the House Foreign Affairs Committee's Subcommittee on South and Central Asia. He described South Asia as "vitally important," noting that "India alone has well over one billion people and occupies a subcontinental landmass." He warned that "a hostile power dominating South Asia could exert coercive leverage over the world economy," adding that "the United States must prevent this from happening and keep the region free and open." Kapur said India, "with its size, location, and commitment to a free and open region, anchors South Asia and, more broadly, the Western half of the Indo-Pacific." He pointed to growing bilateral engagement, including high-level diplomatic touchpoints and cooperation in defense, technology, and energy. He cited the renewed 10-year US-India Defence Framework Agreement, the TRUST initiative, and Indian purchases of US products "ranging from drones to liquefied natural gas." Kapur also highlighted recent trade moves. "Just last week, President Trump and Prime Minister Modi reached an agreement on a historic trade framework," he said. He added that "two days ago, the Trump Administration signed a trade deal with Bangladesh, providing American exporters with access to Bangladesh's market of 175 million people." Beyond trade, he outlined "three broad approaches to strategic-capacity building": "Defence cooperation, targeted investment, and diplomacy." Calling Pakistan "another important partner," Kapur said Washington is working with Islamabad to realize "the potential of its critical-mineral resources," combining US government seed financing with private-sector know-how. He also cited expanding trade in energy and agriculture and "ongoing counterterrorism cooperation." He said Bangladesh, Nepal, Maldives, Sri Lanka, and Bhutan have "outsized importance" due to their strategic locations but can become "targets for coercion." He warned against "the dangers of debt-trap diplomacy." Kapur urged bipartisan cooperation. "Let's work together to build strategic capacity in the region, helping our partners to help themselves, and making the United States safer, stronger, and more prosperous." South Asia remains central to Washington's Indo-Pacific strategy, particularly as the US seeks to counter China's expanding economic and security footprint in the region. India has emerged as a key partner in that effort through defense coordination, multilateral groupings and expanded trade engagement. Seoul, Feb 11 : North Korea said on Wednesday that a landmark housing project launched at a previous party congress to build 50,000 living units in Pyongyang will soon be complete, marking a major preparatory step ahead of another party congress later this month. "The goal of building 50,000 living units in the capital, set at the eighth party congress, is nearing ... final completion according to the party-set schedule," the Rodong Sinmun, the party-run newspaper, said. The housing construction is a pet project of leader Kim Jong-un, unveiled at the 2021 congress of the Workers' Party of Korea, aimed at addressing housing shortages and enhancing living standards. In 2021, North Korea unveiled a plan to build 50,000 new apartments in Pyongyang over five years. Under the project, a total of 40,000 living units were constructed in Pyongyang's Songsin and Songhwa districts in 2022 and in the Hwasong district from 2023 to 2025, with the remaining 10,000 units now nearing completion. The newspaper said the project created 'a model modern city' equipped with advanced infrastructure, road networks and green zones over a five-year period. "This grand and elaborate constructions represent the remarkable changes and development of the great era of Kim Jong-un," the newspaper said. Officials in Seoul have predicted that the North Korean regime may first complete the key construction project before convening the ninth party congress, which the North has said will take place in late February. The regime is expected to outline its key policy priorities for the economy, defence and diplomacy during the party meeting, with the Pyongyang construction project likely to be hailed widely as a major party accomplishment aimed at rallying public support, Yonhap news agency reported. With the proclaimed aim of resolving housing issues for Pyongyang residents, the first batch of 10,000 units was built in the capital's Songsin and Songhwa districts in 2022 under the project, following by 40,000 units constructed in four stages in the northeastern Hwasong district, including the 10,000 now being completed. February 11 : Lucknow: Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath paid tributes to the departed members of the Uttar Pradesh Legislature on Tuesday, the second day of the budget session. Expressing condolences in the House, the Chief Minister said, "Prof. Shyam Bihari Lal, a sitting member of the Assembly, passed away on January 2, 2026, at the age of 60. He was elected to the Assembly for the second time and represented Faridpur (Bareilly) as a Bharatiya Janata Party MLA. Prof. Shyam Bihari Lal was a cordial and grassroots-connected public representative with deep ties to the academic world. He served as President of the Itihas Sankalan Samiti, Bareilly and was also a member of the Executive Council of Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi." CM said, "Prof. Shyam Bihari Lal accelerated basic development works in his constituency and worked continuously for the welfare of the backward, deprived and poor sections. When scholars from the academic world become public representatives, they strengthen democratic traditions. His demise is an irreparable loss to the state and the Bharatiya Janata Party." The Chief Minister also expressed grief over the demise of senior Assembly member Vijay Singh Gaur. Informing the House, he said, "Samajwadi Party MLA Vijay Singh passed away on January 8, 2026, at the age of 71. He was elected to the Assembly for the eighth time and began his political journey in 1980. He won elections in 1980, 1985, 1989, 1991, 1993, 1996 and 2002 and was elected from the Duddhi Assembly constituency in the 2024 by-election. He was widely known as a strong voice of the tribal community." CM further said, "Vijay Singh Gaur consistently prioritised the rights over water, forests and land, along with basic issues such as education, health, roads and employment. His passing is a loss not only to the tribal community but to the entire state, which has lost a dedicated social worker and experienced politician." The Chief Minister paid floral tributes to both departed members and prayed to God to grant strength to the bereaved families. Ottawa, Feb 11 : Nine people were killed in a mass shooting allegedly by a person, possibly a woman, who committed suicide in a mining town in British Columbia, according to officials. The area's federal police Chief Superintendent Ken Floyd said on Tuesday night (local time) that seven people were found dead in a local high school in Tumbler Ridge and two others in a home. The alleged shooter was discovered dead in the school, he said during a virtual news conference. Floyd, who commands the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) northern district in the province, said that about 100 staff and students at the school were safe and were evacuated. Prime Minister Mark Carney said on X that he was "devastated" by the "horrific acts of violence". There were indications that the shooter was a woman or someone in female attire. Citing privacy reasons and the ongoing investigation, Floyd did not disclose if the shooter was a student or an adult, but confirmed that it was the same person mentioned in an active shooter alert sent to phones in the area. That message described the suspected shooter as a brown-haired female wearing a dress. Two people with serious injuries were airlifted to a hospital, while 25 were checked for injuries at a local medical centre, according to police. British Columbia's Premier David Eby called the incident an "unimaginable tragedy" and said the "government will ensure every possible support for community members in the coming days". Floyd said that they have not yet been able to ascertain the motives for the attack. "I think we will struggle to determine the 'why', but we will try our best to determine what transpired", he said. The house was near the school, and the shootings were connected, Floyd said. Tumble Ridge is a small coal mining town of about 2,400 people in an area famed for dinosaur footprints and fossils. Mass shootings are rare in Canada, and the last major incident involving a school was in Montreal in 1989, when 14 died. The worst massacre in recent times was in Nova Scotia in 2020 when, over two days, a man shot dead 13 people and killed nine others by setting fire. Photo: ua.depositphotos.com The United Kingdom has agreed to allocate GBP 150 million for the purchase of U.S. weapons for Ukraine as part of a NATO initiative called Prioritised Ukraine Requirements List (PURL), Politico reported on Wednesday, citing UK Defense Secretary John Healey. "Im pleased to confirm the U.K. is committing 150 million to PURL," the publication said, citing Healey. Politico said the United Kingdom has become the latest NATO ally to join the initiative. According to Politico, in 2025 the program attracted about $5 billion for Ukraine. Earlier in February, NATO chief Mark Rutte said he was "absolutely confident" that the alliance could raise an additional $15 billion this year. On the eve, Western media, citing U.S. Ambassador to the alliance Matthew Whitaker, reported that NATO countries had already pledged to purchase over $4.5 billion in U.S. weapons for Kyiv under the PURL program. According to Whitaker, the corresponding commitments came from 21 NATO countries and two alliance partners. The PURL initiative was announced on July 14 by U.S. President Donald Trump and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte. It is intended for the purchase of U.S.-made weapons, including air defense systems, ammunition and spare parts. The initiative to finance the purchase of U.S. weapons for Ukraine appeared after the U.S. administration refused to continue supplying weapons to Kyiv for free. Assistance to Ukraine within the framework of PURL will be the main topic for discussion at a meeting of NATO defense ministers in Brussels on Thursday. Chennai, Feb 11 : Senior Tamil Nadu Minister and DMK General Secretary Durai Murugan, one of the state's most experienced political leaders, was admitted to a private hospital in Chennai on Wednesday after he complained of leg pain linked to age-related health concerns. Chennai, Feb 11 (IANS) Senior Tamil Nadu Minister and DMK General Secretary Durai Murugan, one of the stateas most experienced political leaders, was admitted to a private hospital in Chennai on Wednesday after he complained of leg pain linked to age-related health concerns. Doctors have confirmed that his condition is stable and that he is under observation. The 87-year-old leader, known for his sharp wit and spirited responses to opposition members in the Assembly, has been undergoing regular medical check-ups in recent years due to recurring health issues associated with old age. Party sources said that as a precautionary measure, he was taken to Apollo Hospital on Greams Road after experiencing discomfort and persistent pain in his leg. Upon admission, a team of specialists conducted immediate medical evaluations and provided intensive care to ease the pain. Doctors prescribed medication, including pain relievers, and advised complete rest for the next few days to ensure a quick recovery. Hospital authorities indicated that there is no cause for serious concern and that the minister is responding well to treatment. Sources close to the family said Murugan remains under constant medical supervision and is expected to be discharged within two days if his condition continues to improve. Party colleagues and well-wishers have been enquiring about his health, and several senior DMK leaders are said to be monitoring the situation closely. Durai Murugan is widely regarded as one of Tamil Naduas most seasoned politicians, with decades of legislative and administrative experience. A trusted confidant of the DMK leadership, he has played a key role in the partyas organisational and political strategies over the years. His presence in the Assembly is often noted for his humour-filled yet pointed rebuttals during debates. Party workers expressed relief after learning that his hospitalisation was precautionary and not linked to any major complication. They said he is expected to resume his official duties soon after adequate rest. The DMK leadership has appealed to supporters not to worry, assuring them that the veteran leader is recovering steadily and will be back home shortly. --IANS aal/dpb February 11 : Lucknow: Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Backward Classes Welfare and Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities, Narendra Kashyap, stated that "The Yogi government has made empowerment of persons with disabilities a cornerstone of social justice, introducing historic reforms in pension schemes, assistance programmes and administrative processes. Owing to the governments transparent, online and time-bound system, no eligible person with a disability in the state is deprived of government welfare schemes today." He was responding to questions raised in the Legislative Council during the budget session. He further added that there is no shortage of funds for persons with disabilities under the Yogi government and every eligible beneficiary will receive benefits in full. Minister Narendra Kashyap informed the House that prior to 2017, the disability pension was only 300 per month, which the Yogi government has increased to 1,000 per month. This pension amount is directly transferred to the bank accounts of eligible beneficiaries through the PFMS portal, leaving no scope for irregularities at any level. He stated that UDID cards are issued through the Government of Indias 'Swavlamban portal'. In the aspirational district of Siddharthnagar, 24,414 persons with disabilities had been issued UDID cards as of January 31, 2026. During the financial year 2025-26, pensions were provided to 14,356 eligible persons with disabilities, leprosy pensions to 153 beneficiaries and artificial limbs and assistive devices to 321 persons with disabilities. As of December 31, 2025, no eligible beneficiary cases were pending. Minister Kashyap clarified that not all UDID card holders are automatically eligible for a disability pension. Eligibility requires a minimum of 40% disability, an annual income below 46,080 in rural areas and 56,460 in urban areas and the applicant must not be availing benefits under any other pension scheme. Applications are submitted online through the 'Integrated Social Pension Portal' and are verified by the district disability empowerment officer. Minister Narendra Kashyap categorically stated that there is no place for middlemen or corruption in the department. If any complaint is received at any level, a fair inquiry will be conducted and strict action will be taken against those found guilty. Officials have been instructed to complete the application process by visiting the homes of persons with disabilities who are unable to come to the office themselves. He informed the House that proposals related to the promotion of selected teachers in special schools and colleges under the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities have been sent to the Uttar Pradesh Public Service Commission and are currently under process. Minister Kashyap also clarified that it is mandatory to invite both senior and junior public representatives to distribution programmes. Kolkata, Feb 11 : A bomb was hurled at Trinamool Congress Councillor's house in Basirhat of West Bengal's North 24 Parganas district, the police said on Wednesday. However, no one was injured in the incident even as panic spread in the area following the incident. Asit Majumdar, the councillor of ward number eight of Basirhat Municipality, was at home at the time of the incident. The miscreants fled the area before he could leave the house after hearing the sound of the bomb. The Trinamool Congress leader claimed that he has never seen such an incident in his long 55-year political career and pointed finger at the "infighting" of the party. Meanwhile, local leaders of the party, including MLA from Basirhat Dakshin constituency Saptarshi Banerjee came there at Tuesday night after receiving the news of the bombing at the house of the party councillor. Standing next to the party councillor, the ruling party MLA said that there may be a conspiracy by the opposition party behind this. However, the BJP has countered by saying that there is a factional conflict within the Trinamool Congress behind this. The police have started an investigation into the incident. In this regard, an officer of the Basirhat Police district said, "The initial assumption is that a socket-type bomb was hurled at the councilloras house. The sprinter and shell of the bomb have been recovered from the scene. Efforts are being made to collect information about this by talking to the councillor and people in the area. CCTV footage of the area is being examined. It is hoped that it will be possible to quickly identify and arrest the miscreants." Majumdar is known as a veteran leader of Basirhat. He was first with the Congress, then he joined the Trinamool and won the municipal elections and became a councillor. His wife Krishna Majumdar was also the chairman of the Basirhat Municipality for five years. The incident of bombing at the house of such a leader has increased political heat as usual in the election atmosphere. It is learnt that the Trinamool councillor was talking to some people from the area at his house on Tuesday night. It is alleged that the miscreants hurled a bomb at the house of Asit Majumdar after the people left. A part of the iron grill of the main door of the house was damaged in the bomb blast. In this regard, Majumdar said, "I was talking to some people I know in my house. After they left the house, I suddenly heard a loud noise. After that, the smell of gunpowder hit my nose and I realised that someone had thrown a bomb! I have never seen such an incident in my long political life." He added, "Even during the Left Front regime, no one dared to attack my house. The police came after receiving the news and saw it. I feel bad seeing this situation in Basirhat. I have no dispute or enmity with anyone. Therefore, I cannot say who is behind this incident. However, I think that it may be someone local, not an outsider." Trinamool MLA Saptarshi Banerjee said, "The police have confirmed that a socket bomb was thrown at the house of this party leader. It is a very heinous incident. I condemn it. It will be clear who is behind this after examining the CCTV footage. The police have been asked to arrest the culprits within 48 hours. Those who want to disturb Bengal may have played a role behind the bombing. So, there must be politics behind this." Meanwhile, Palash Sarkar, president of the BJP's Basirhat organisational district Yuva Morcha, said, "Today, people's lives are in turmoil due to the mischief of the Trinamool. The people of Basirhat are fed up. The factional conflict of the Trinamool has reached such a point that even the party's councillors are not spared." February 11 : Lucknow: Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has emphasized the need to establish a 250-bed Level-1 Trauma Center under the Uttar Pradesh University of Medical Sciences, Saifai (Etawah). The trauma center will be set up near the Agra-Lucknow Expressway, enabling victims of road accidents and other emergency situations to receive prompt and high-quality medical care. On Tuesday, while chairing the second meeting of the Universitys Board of Governors in his capacity as Chancellor, the Chief Minister said, "The expressway is located about 10 kilometers away from the university campus, due to which valuable time is lost in treating accident victims. The proposed trauma center will be operated by the University". Keeping in mind the healthcare needs of rural areas, the Chief Minister directed the establishment of a Centre for Rural Health at the University. He said, a detailed action plan should be prepared for this center, including services such as tele-OPD, virtual OPD, digital data integration and mobile outreach. Several important decisions related to the expansion of health services, strengthening of super-specialty facilities and providing a new direction to medical education and research were taken during the meeting. CM instructed, the Uttar Pradesh University of Medical Sciences to be developed as an effective center for high-quality healthcare, education and research for western and central Uttar Pradesh. He emphasized ensuring quality, sensitivity and timeliness in treatment, teaching and research. Stressing the importance of innovation in the health and medical sector, the Chief Minister added that best practices of leading medical and academic institutions in the country should be studied and incorporated into the Universitys systems. He noted that society has high expectations from the University and to meet these expectations, the hub-and-spoke model should be effectively implemented to bring comprehensive improvement in the reach and quality of services. It was also decided in the meeting that an Integrative Medicine Unit would be established at the University. Through this unit, patient-centric treatment will be provided by integrating allopathic and AYUSH systems of medicine. Under this initiative, with the cooperation of the AYUSH Department, an integrative OPD, specialty clinics and yoga and wellness units will be set up. To strengthen health awareness and public outreach, the Chief Minister directed that the University establish effective communication with society. In this context, a decision was taken to set up a Community Broadcast Service at the University, through which health awareness, disease prevention, authentic information related to government health schemes and educational content will be broadcast. New Delhi, Feb 11 : The Delhi Police on Wednesday arrested two snatchers from East Mehram Nagar and recovered two mobile phones, including one snatched and one stolen handset, along with a scooty used in the commission of the crime. The arrests were made by the staff of PP Subroto Park under Police Station Delhi Cantt in the South-West District. The accused have been identified as Rinku Khan alias Kotal (24) and Ajay alias Banty (24), both residents of East Mehram Nagar, Delhi. According to the South-West District Police, the staff of PP Subroto Park carried out a swift operation and apprehended the accused in connection with a mobile phone snatching incident reported near the Dhaula Kuan Metro Station. Police said a PCR call was received at PS Delhi Cantt on February 9, at around 10:45 p.m. regarding the snatching of a mobile phone. A police team reached the spot and found the victim, Tarooshra Singh (20), a resident of Lucknow. The victim told police that he is pursuing engineering and was heading to Lucknow after taking a weekas leave from his campus. He was supposed to catch a bus from Dhaula Kuan. At around 10:40 p.m., while he was standing outside the Dhaula Kuan Metro Station waiting for the bus, two boys arrived on a scooty and snatched his mobile phone before fleeing from the spot. Based on the complaint, a case vide FIR No. 157/26 under Sections 304(2) and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) was registered at PS Delhi Cantt and an investigation was initiated. During the investigation, one of the snatchers, identified as Rinku Khan alias Kotal, was apprehended by the team of PP Subroto Park. The snatched mobile phone was recovered from his possession. Police also recovered the scooty used in the incident from the spot. Police said the scooty was found to be registered in the name of Rinku Khanas father. Following sustained investigation and scrutiny of CCTV camera footage from the area, the second accused was identified as Ajay alias Banty, also a resident of East Mehram Nagar. He was subsequently arrested in the case. During further interrogation of both accused, police claimed to have worked out another case of mobile theft and recovered an additional stolen mobile phone. Police also shared the criminal background of both accused. Rinku Khan is allegedly involved in eight previous criminal cases related to theft, robbery and offences under the Arms Act registered at various police stations in Delhi. Ajay alias Banty is allegedly involved in six previous criminal cases of theft and robbery. The recoveries made from the accused include one snatched mobile phone, one stolen mobile phone, and the scooty used in the commission of the crime. Police said two cases have been worked out so far: FIR No. 157/26 under Sections 304(2) and 3(5) BNS, and E-FIR No. 80110078/24 under Section 303(2) BNS, both registered at PS Delhi Cantt, Delhi. Further investigation is underway. Mumbai, Feb 11 : The Indian apparel (exports) sector has been upgraded to 'Stable' outlook from 'Negative' after the US reduced reciprocal tariffs on Indian goods to 18 per cent from 25 per cent, a report said on Wednesday. The report from ratings agency ICRA restored its outlook on the apparel sector, saying apparel export revenues are likely to rebound 811 per cent in FY27 even as shipments are still projected to decline 35 per cent in FY26. The report attributed revenue growth to recent trade discussions between India and the US aimed at easing sectorspecific pressures. Operating profit margins are expected to compress to around 7.7 per cent in FY26 before recovering to about 9.5 per cent in FY27, the ratings agency said. India's apparel exports stood at $16 billion in FY25, with the US accounting for nearly onethird of shipments. "The sharp increase in US tariffs last year had been particularly debilitating for exportoriented companies in sectors such as textiles, cut and polished diamonds, and leather and leather products," said Jitin Makkar, Senior Vice President and Group Head, Corporate Ratings, ICRA Limited. Apparel exporters saw their margins compress by nearly 200 basis points over the past couple of quarters as they were compelled to extend discounts to US buyers to retain volume share, he added. On the broader outlook, the report said the lowering of US tariffs, the anticipated IndiaEU free trade agreement and other bilateral pacts should support a gradual strengthening of India's manufacturing export growth over the medium term. The tariff cuts represent a relatively smooth landing for Indian exporters at a time when global trade dynamics remain fluid. Following this development, the labour-intensive export sectors, including textiles, cut and polished diamonds, seafood, and footwear will see improved landed-cost competitiveness. While the US tariff reduction offers a meaningful near-term relief to exporters, ICRA expects that over the longer term, geographical diversification will emerge as a key risk mitigation strategy that corporate India will adopt. IANS aar/na Thiruvananthapuram, Feb 11 : As the Kerala High Court appointed Special Investigation Team (SIT), probing the Sabarimala gold theft case, has widened its lens to include the controversial Global Ayyappa Meet held at Pampa last year, it has left a few in the Pinarayi Vijayan government gasping for breath. In its submission linked to the Sabarimala gold misappropriation case, the SIT has made specific references to the Global Ayyappa Meet conducted during the tenure of P.S. Prasanth as Travancore Devaswom Board president. Significantly, the report notes that there is no record in the minutes of the Devaswom Board meeting approving the decision to organise the event. It also flags ambiguities in fund utilisation related to the meet. Against this backdrop, an audit report detailing a financial loss of Rs 3.4 crore to the Devaswom Board from the event is slated to be placed before the High Court. The court had earlier directed that not even a single rupee be sourced from either the government or the Devaswom Board for the conduct of the meet, with organisers indicating that expenses would be met entirely through sponsorship. It was the Devaswom Minister V.N.Vasavan who had publicly estimated the cost at around Rs 8 crore, it remains unclear whether the full amount was mobilised through sponsorship, even though he categorically said no public funds would be taken. The audit findings indicate that Rs 3.4 crore was drawn from the Board's surplus funds, raising fresh legal and administrative questions. The Devaswom Board has convened a meeting in the wake of the SIT's observations. In a parallel development, the Vigilance Department is set to formally request the return of files seized by the SIT from the Devaswom headquarters in connection with the Sabarimala flagstaff reconstruction case. Key documents remain in SIT custody, and officials say detailed scrutiny is required before recording further statements. Earlier findings had indicated procedural violations in the acceptance of gold for the flagstaff reconstruction, including failure to properly document donor details adding another layer to the expanding probe surrounding Sabarimala related financial management. New Delhi, Feb 11 : Shiv Sena(UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi on Wednesday welcomed the Centre's decision to formalise the protocol for the rendition of Vande Mataram at official functions, while taking a swipe at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Reacting to the development, Chaturvedi said, "In the previous session, it was advised in the Rajya Sabha that the slogan 'Vande Mataram' could not be raised. We strongly opposed this. Then, while discussing Vande Mataram, the term 'Vande Bharat' was used. So, it's a good thing that members of the Bharatiya Janata Party will now understand the difference between 'Vande Mataram' and 'Vande Bharat'." She added, "If they appreciate this good thing, they might educate their party workers as well." Her remarks come amid a renewed focus on the national song following the Centre's issuance of fresh, comprehensive guidelines governing its rendition at official events. The Union Home Ministry released detailed directives on Wednesday, establishing the official protocol for Vande Mataram. These directives specify how and when it should be performed at government functions, as well as the expected conduct of the audience, particularly in relation to the national anthem. The guidelines aim to formalise the status and ceremonial role of the national song in public and official events across the country, placing greater emphasis on its observance during state functions and institutional gatherings. According to the new norms, the complete official version of Vande Mataram, comprising six stanzas and lasting approximately 3 minutes and 10 seconds, is to be performed or played during major state occasions. These include events such as the unfurling of the national flag, formal arrival and departure ceremonies of the President and Governors at official programmes, and before and after their scheduled addresses at such functions. The directive underlines the importance of maintaining decorum and respect during the rendition, aligning its observance more closely with established practices surrounding the national anthem. Jammu, Feb 11 : Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLAs stalled the proceedings of J&K Legislative Assembly on Wednesday when they stormed into the Well of the House demanding an apology from the Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah, for what they alleged were his unparliamentary remarks. Before creating the ruckus, BJP members had staged a walkout from the House and then returned at the end of the Question Hour. The BJP members said the Chief Minister had left the House when he saw the BJP members entering the Assembly at the end of the walkout. They gathered in a row and continued chanting slogans against the government seeking apology from the Chief Minister. However, the Speaker said they cannot raise the issue again after walking out from the House on the issue. The Speaker ruled that the BJP protest should not be recorded in the House proceedings. Later, the BJP members stormed into the Well of the House and staged a sit-in. Earlier, also the House witnessed noisy scenes before the question hour when Sham Lal Sharma of the BJP stood up and asked the chief minister to apologise. Sharma said such an incident has no precedent in the history of Jammu and Kashmir Assembly. "The language used by the chief minister, is not the language that can be used in any Parliament. I want to ask the Leader of the House whether he withdraws the words he used yesterday in this House about the BJP legislative party. If he does not withdraw them, then we leave it to his conscience, what his inner voice tells him, whether the words used in this House were appropriate or not. If the chief minister is not present here, then I leave it to the Chair to make a response. It is your responsibility to say something about this matter," he said. Speaker, Abdul Rahim Rather tried to persuade the BJP members to allow the Question Hour to continue and rake up the issue when the Leader of the House is on the floor. "Whatever happened yesterday (Tuesday) was unfortunate. Let the chief minister come and if he wishes he can make a statement. I can't make a statement on his behalf," the Speaker said. Health Minister Sakeena Itoo accused BJP members of using unparliamentary words as well, particularly against Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary and speaking lies in the House. Choudhary suggested the chair to examine all the unparliamentary words used from both sides and expunge these from the records to continue the proceedings without any disruption. Leader of Opposition, BJP MLA, Sunil Sharma opposed the suggestion and refused to budge and later led the walkout, chanting slogans like "derogatory Sarkar Hai Hai, unparliamentary Sarkar Hai Hai, Bharat Mata ki Jai". Pandemonium had broken out in the House during Omar Abdullah's speech yesterday when BJP members objected to some of his remarks against them and demanded an apology. Omar Abdullah was winding up the discussion on the Union Territory's Budget presented on February 6 when BJP members termed certain remarks made by him "unparliamentary." While the chief minister has ruled out apologising to BJP members for the remarks, saying he was willing to withdraw his words, but was not allowed to speak amid repeated disruptions, Sham Lal Sharma said the party would not allow the House to function until Omar Abdullah tendered an unconditional apology on the floor of the House. The NC government is supported by 6 Congress MLAs while the opposition is constituted by 29 BJP members, 4 PDP, one PC, 1 AIP and one AAP member. -- Except for the title, this story has not been edited by Prokerala team and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed Lucknow, Feb 11 : As the Union Home Ministry issued fresh guidelines mandating that all six stanzas of 'Vande Mataram' be sung or played at designated government functions and in schools across the country, Shia Muslim cleric Kalbe Jawad on Wednesday said there should be freedom and that it cannot be forced on anyone. The new rules also state that when both the national song and the national anthem are performed at the same event, 'Vande Mataram' must precede 'Jana Gana Mana'. Reacting to the guidelines, the Lucknow-based cleric said that people should have the freedom to choose whether they want to recite the song or not. He also pointed out that Bankim Chandra Chatterjee wrote 'Vande Mataram' during British rule and said it was originally meant as a message against colonial rulers. Talking to IANS, Kalbe Jawad said: "There should be freedom, whether you read it or not. You cannot force anything on anyone. You cannot force religion on anyone. This is a religious slogan." "Chattopadhyay wrote this at a time when the British were ruling in the country. He wrote it in his book when we had not yet got freedom from the British. He wrote that book to advocate against the British. So, it was meant for the British, not for India or the countrymen." "But making it necessary for everyone is not good. There should be freedom in whether someone reads it or not," he further said. The Union Home Ministry said that those present are required to stand to attention during the rendition of the national song. However, it clarified that this requirement will not apply in cinema halls when the song is played as part of a film or documentary. Until now, 'Vande Mataram' has not had a clearly defined national protocol, unlike the national anthem, which has long been governed by formal rules and guidelines. According to the Centre, the move is aimed at standardising respect for the national song and removing what it described as an artificial distinction between 'acceptable' and 'excluded' verses. The government has argued that the song should be treated as a single, complete composition, as originally written by Bankim Chandra Chatterjee, rather than as a selectively edited text. The guidelines have been issued amid the Narendra Modi governmentas year-long programme marking 150 years of 'Vande Mataram'. They also follow an extended parliamentary debate in which the ruling party questioned why a national symbol continued to be used in a truncated form decades after Independence. Photo: https://www.facebook.com/marta.kosmarko European Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos has announced the preparation of the first summit on the return of Ukrainian children taken to Russia and support for the establishment of a special tribunal to hold accountable those involved in their removal. "Russia has kidnapped tens of thousands of Ukrainian children. They are forced to deny their culture and identity. We are preparing the first Summit on their return together with Ukraine and Canada and backing the Council of Europes efforts to set up a Special Tribunal to hold those responsible accountable," Kos said on X platform on Wednesday. As reported, back in October 2025, Head of European diplomacy Kaja Kallas announced the allocation of the first EUR 10 million for the creation of a special tribunal to consider Russian crimes, as well as another EUR 6 million to support Ukrainian children deported to Russia and victims of sexual violence. Kollam : , Feb 11 (IANS) A vigilance court in Kerala's Kollam on Wednesday granted statutory bail to former Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) President and Commissioner N. Vasu in the Sabarimala gold misappropriation case. The relief comes after the Special Investigation Team (SIT) failed to file a charge sheet within 90 days of his arrest, a lapse that legally entitled the accused to default bail. Vasu, arrested on November 11, 2025, is the third accused in the alleged gold-plating irregularities case and becomes the fifth accused to secure bail. Earlier, prime accused Unnikrishnan Potti and Murari Babu, among others, had also obtained bail. Once procedural formalities are completed, Vasu, who is also a CPI-M leader, will be formally released from custody later in the day. The case pertains to allegations that during Vasuas tenure as Devaswom Commissioner, gold plates were recorded as copper plates and placed before the Board agenda. The SIT has maintained that this formed part of broader irregularities involving temple assets. However, delays in receiving scientific examination results reportedly prevented investigators from completing the charge sheet within the statutory timeframe. Since his arrest, Vasu has been lodged in the hospital block of Poojappura Central Jail due to health concerns. His earlier production in court in handcuffs during remand extension proceedings had triggered controversy. Meanwhile, the court on Wednesday extended the remand of the other accused, Pankaj Bhandari, Govardhan, and K.S. Baiju by 14 days. Investigators had also cited a letter from Potti to the then TDB President seeking permission to use gold separated from the plates for a girlas wedding. Despite allegedly being aware of excess gold in Pottias possession, Vasu forwarded the letter to the Thiruvabharanam Commissioner without initiating action, according to the SIT. Vasu has consistently denied wrongdoing, asserting that no plates were removed during his tenure. With the court earlier observing that discrimination among the accused is untenable, the SITas delay has significantly altered the legal trajectory of the case. New Delhi, Feb 11 : Communist Party of India (Marxist) general secretary M.A. Baby on Wednesday indicated that the possibility of an electoral understanding between the Left Front and the Congress in West Bengal is remote, even as he underlined that Opposition parties remain united on select national issues, including concerns over the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. Speaking to IANS in an interview on the preparations for the upcoming Assembly elections in various states, Baby said the political context varies sharply from state to state. In Kerala, where the CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front has been in office for two consecutive terms, the alliance is aiming for a third successive mandate. In West Bengal, the CPI(M)-led Left Front is likely to contest independently without the Congress. "In the previous elections, there was understanding between the Left Front and the Congress in Bengal. This time, such an understanding is remote," he said. Baby noted that the broader INDIA Bloc was gearing up for elections in several states, including Tamil Nadu, Assam and Puducherry. In Tamil Nadu, he said, parties within the Bloc are contesting under the leadership of the DMK. "As INDIA Bloc, we are contesting only in Tamil Nadu under the leadership of the DMK, while in other states we are contesting as the situation warrants," Baby said. Turning to West Bengal, the CPI(M) leader criticised both the ruling Trinamool Congress and the BJP. He accused the BJP of attempting to polarise voters through communal propaganda, while alleging that the Trinamool government led by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had failed to address unemployment and educational backwardness and had been tainted by corruption charges. "So defeating the Trinamool government and isolating and exposing the BJP are the two things the CPI(M) and the Left Front are focussing on in Bengal," he said. "We are not equating BJP and the Trinamool. But for the entire country the biggest danger is the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh-controlled BJP," he claimed. Baby also referred to CM Banerjee's past association with the BJP at the Centre. "Mamata Banerjee had an alliance with the BJP at the Centre and she was a Union Minister too. We are not sure that old ties are still active or not. Before the people they are accusing each other," he said. The CPI(M) leader added that discussions were underway within the Left Front regarding electoral strategy in Bengal. "After consolidating the Left Front and making progress on seat-sharing within the Left Front, we will consider whether we need an understanding or arrangement with other political parties. We are very clear that we cannot have any association with forces known to be communal," he said. Despite political differences with the Trinamool Congress, Baby said the Left and the TMC shared concerns over the Election Commission's SIR exercise. CM Banerjee has approached the Supreme Court over the issue. "On her criticism regarding the wrongdoing associated with the SIR and the Election Commission, we are on the same page despite our political differences," Baby said. He contended that what is officially termed as a Special Intensive Revision amounts, in effect, to large-scale deletion of names from voter lists. "There is widespread removal of names from voter lists, which is unacceptable. On the substance of the issue, we agree with Mamata Banerjee's criticism," he said. At the same time, he remarked that Banerjee's style of handling the issue differed from that of the Left. "However, the way she handles the issue, turning it into a spectacle, is her style of political mobilisation," he added. On the controversy surrounding former Chief of Army Staff, General M.M. Naravane's forthcoming book 'Four Stars of Destiny', Baby said the matter could be discussed in Parliament if handled responsibly. He noted that the publisher, Penguin Random House, holds the rights to the book and has clarified that it has not been officially released. The display of a copy in Parliament by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has triggered a procedural dispute over the authenticity of documents cited in the House. "There is nothing wrong in discussing the issue, provided it is done in a responsible manner. The government can clarify its position, and the author can state whether he stands by the contents. This should be resolved within parliamentary norms," Baby said. The CPI(M) leadership is expected to firm up its state-wise electoral approach in the coming weeks as Opposition parties calibrate strategies ahead of a busy election calendar. New Delhi, Feb 11 : Former Prime Minister and JD(S) MP H.D. Deve Gowda expressed support for the Union Budget 2026-27 during a discussion in the Rajya Sabha. He praised its overall direction while calling for greater emphasis on employment, inclusive growth and regional priorities. Deve Gowda appreciated the budget's focus on economic reforms, tax simplification and structural changes intended to sustain growth in the face of global challenges. He, however, cautioned that growth by itself is not enough unless employment becomes the central concern of policy. The former PM pointed out that manufacturing and MSMEs can generate substantial jobs only when backed by strong skilling initiatives, local supporting ecosystems, affordable credit and predictable regulations. He asked whether success should be judged merely by investment announcements or by the actual number of dignified jobs created for young people, especially in smaller towns and rural areas. Regarding taxation, he welcomed efforts to simplify the system but stressed that taxpayers' confidence is equally vital. He said any changes that affect cash flow or previously settled matters must come with proper safeguards so that honest taxpayers feel secure rather than worried. Deve Gowda also urged for more attention to India's future beyond the national capital and major corridors. He argued that real progress will take shape in cities and districts across the country. He called for stronger measures in urban governance, water security, climate resilience and balanced regional development to ensure equitable advancement. In a specific suggestion to help farmers, he proposed the creation of a national board for jackfruit, tamarind and jamun. He noted that these crops are resilient, need less water, grow well under varying conditions and face rising market demand. A dedicated board, he said, could encourage wider cultivation, improve value addition and raise farmers' incomes in regions facing water scarcity. In his closing remarks, the veteran JD(S) said that 'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas' is not merely a slogan but a serious responsibility. It requires openness to criticism, readiness to correct course when needed, and a firm commitment to growth that is inclusive, sustainable and just. He observed that India has the talent, enterprise and ambition required to lead the world. The former PM expressed hope that this budget would be remembered not only for its financial figures but for the wisdom shown in building an economy that remains strong today while securing a better tomorrow. -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text New Delhi, Feb 11 : Former Babri Masjid litigant Iqbal Ansari on Wednesday welcomed the Union Home Ministry's fresh guidelines mandating the rendition of all six stanzas of 'Vande Mataram' at designated government functions and in schools, saying the move was in the interest of the nation and should not be opposed. Speaking to IANS, Ansari said, "It is a good thing. Everyone should say 'Vande Mataram'. We also say it. There is nothing wrong in it. Some people try to find fault in everything." He added that the song had been part of the curriculum since primary school. "We have studied from primary to high school and intermediate, and it was taught from the primary level itself. Now the government has made it mandatory, which is a very good step. Everyone should recite 'Vande Mataram'. There should be no discrimination in this. Along with education, it is also very important. People have been reciting it earlier as well, and they will continue to do so," he said. Responding to those opposing the proposal, Ansari remarked that a few individuals tend to object whenever something good is done. The new rules state that when both the national song and the national anthem are performed at the same event, 'Vande Mataram' must precede 'Jana Gana Mana'. The Ministry has also clarified that those present are required to stand to attention during the rendition of the national song. However, this requirement will not apply in cinema halls when the song is played as part of a film or documentary. Until now, 'Vande Mataram' did not have a clearly defined national protocol, unlike the national anthem, which is governed by formal rules. The Centre said the move aims to remove what it described as an artificial distinction between "acceptable" and "excluded" verses and to treat the song as a complete composition as originally written by Bankim Chandra Chatterjee. The guidelines come amid the Narendra Modi government's year-long programme marking 150 years of 'Vande Mataram' and follow an extended parliamentary debate on its usage. New Delhi, Feb 11 : The Left Democratic Front (LDF) led by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan will secure a record third consecutive term in the upcoming Kerala Assembly elections, Communist Party of India (Marxist) general secretary M.A. Baby said on Wednesday. "In Kerala, we have the Left Democratic Front government winning two elections consecutively in 2016 and 2021. We are hopeful that we may get a third term if we are able to explain to the people about the remarkable achievements of the LDF government led by Pinarayi Vijayan in its ten-year term," Baby told IANS in an interview. Highlighting the state's progress, the CPI(M) leader noted that Kerala maintained social peace and harmony with no communal riots reported in the last decade. He pointed to significant progress made in various sectors especially on the infrastructure front. The LDF government is showcasing the Vizhinjam port and the expansion of national and state highways as key achievements of its consecutive two-term tenure. Baby said that Kerala remains a leader in social welfare, health, and education index. While expressing confidence in a third LDF victory, he cautioned against complacency, noting that overconfidence could pose a challenge for the Front. The CPI(M) general secretary launched a sharp attack on the Congress in Kerala for its purported ties with Jamaat-e-Islami and its political wing, the Welfare Party. He categorised both as minority communal forces that pose a risk to the state's political climate. "The Leader of Opposition and Congress leader V.D. Satheesan has openly justified Jamaat-e-Islami and its Welfare Party. This alliance and cooperation with minority communal forces will be dangerous," Baby said. Regarding the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), an ally of the Congress-led UDF, Baby described the party as one that uses religious symbols for political gain. He alleged that while the IUML distances itself from extremist elements, it continues to engage in "communal exploitation" to maintain its base. In a noteworthy remark, the CPI(M) leader, while adopting a softer line towards the Muslim League, said the party could not be termed secular, yet maintained that it was not communal either. The veteran leader further claimed a tactical understanding exists between the UDF and the BJP to secure seats. He alleged that underhand dealings occurred between the Congress, Muslim League, and the BJP during recent local body polls. Addressing the internal dynamics of the Congress party, Baby noted that the rift involving Congress MP Shashi Tharoor appeared resolved following his meetings with senior Congress leaders Mallikarjun Kharge, Sonia Gandhi, and Rahul Gandhi. He observed that despite previous reports of Tharoor distancing himself from leadership meetings, the Congress has now confirmed his participation in the upcoming election campaigning in Kerala. Chandigarh, Feb 11 : Bharatiya Janata Party's Punjab unit President Sunil Jakhar on Wednesday invited farmer organisations for dialogue, stating that "if they see any shortcomings in the India-US trade agreement, they should choose the path of discussion rather than agitation". He reiterated that the agreement would not have any adverse impact on farmers, especially those in Punjab, and will instead benefit industry and trade while creating new employment opportunities for the youth. Speaking to the media after a meeting in Mohali with BJP district executive members and mandal presidents to provide detailed information about the trade agreement, the BJP state President again emphasised that crops grown in the state such as wheat, paddy, maize, and sugarcane have been kept outside the scope of the agreement and will not affect farmers in any way. Jakhar said today every farmer acknowledged that agriculture is not a highly profitable occupation. "While it sustains families, it does not generate enough income to fulfill their childrenas aspirations. Every family wants their children to find employment beyond farming. However, this will only be possible if new industries are established and trade expands." He said this deal is a step in that direction, as it will provide access for Indiaas industry and trade to the $30 trillion US economy. "As industry and trade grow, new employment opportunities will be created for the youth." The BJP President appealed to farmer groups to clearly state what impact they believe the deal will have on Punjab's farmers. He invited them for discussions, assuring that if any farmer organisation feels the agreement will affect Punjab's farmers, they should come forward for talks, and all their concerns will be addressed. He added that "protests are undertaken only after the path of dialogue has been closed". He said Prime Minister Narendra Modi is firmly committed to protecting farmers' interests, and the same resolve has ensured that Punjab farmers' interests are safeguarded in this agreement. The BJP President also urged farmer groups to press for the implementation of an agricultural policy in the state, which farmers had protested for a year ago but has still not been implemented. He said the law-and-order situation in the state has "deteriorated significantly" and that drug abuse is destroying the next generation. "If protests are to be held, they should focus on these real issues rather than on a non-existent issue, as there is nothing anti-Punjab in the deal," he said. Speaking as a farmer himself, he asserted this with confidence. He further said while the US President is speaking about making America great again, Prime Minister Modi, in the current global circumstances, has successfully pursued the policy of making India great while safeguarding national interests through this agreement, for which he deserves appreciation. Responding to a question, he condemned the firing incident involving two migrant labourers in Moga town. He said earlier businesspersons were facing such situations, and now even labourers were being targeted. Urging the state government to wake up, he said such divisive actions must be strictly curbed, as they go against the philosophy taught by the Sikh Gurus. He emphasised that the role of migrant laborers in Punjab's industry and agriculture cannot be overlooked. -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text Kochi, Feb 11 : The Kerala High Court on Wednesday refused to close the habeas corpus petition filed in connection with the disappearance and death of Suraj Lama, an Indian citizen deported from Kuwait. A division bench of Justice Devan Ramachandran and Justice M.B. Snehalatha directed the Special Investigation Team (SIT) to continue its probe. The court said the entire sequence of events, from Lamaas arrival in India to the recovery of his body, must be examined and properly documented. Lama was deported from Kuwait and sent to Kochi under official orders. The court noted that he appeared vulnerable and may have had cognitive or other impairments. Despite this, he was cleared by immigration and airport authorities and allowed to leave the airport without assistance. After a missing complaint was filed, police took him into protective custody and admitted him to Kalamassery Medical College Hospital. He was later discharged as doctors reportedly found no apparent medical issues. Subsequently, a body was recovered from Kalamassery. A forensic report confirmed it was Lama. The Government Pleader informed the court that an interim post-mortem report dated December 1, 2025, stated that the cause of death could not be determined due to advanced decomposition. The court observed that the case remains "wide open" as the cause of death is still unknown. It said the petition cannot be closed merely because the body has been identified. The bench directed the investigating officer to produce the missing case file and the post-mortem report. It also asked the SIT, led by the City Police Commissioner or an officer of equivalent rank, to continue the investigation. The court noted allegations of lapses at multiple stages, including immigration clearance, police handling, and medical care. It also recorded the petitioneras claim that the possibility of murder cannot be ruled out. "We are not investigating the murder. We are investigating the sequence until the body was found," the court clarified. The matter has been posted for hearing after three weeks. Raipur, Feb 11 : In a farmer-centric move ahead of the festive season, the Chhattisgarh government, led by Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai, has approved a massive Rs 10,000 crore lump-sum payment to paddy farmers towards the price differential under the Krishak Unnati Yojana. Under the Krishak Unnati Yojana, Chhattisgarh procures paddy at an effective rate of Rs 3,100 per quintal (up to 21 quintals per acre), which stands as the highest such support price in the country. For the Kharif Marketing Year 2025-26, the state procured a substantial 141.04 lakh metric tonnes of paddy from over 25.24 lakh farmers. The Rs 10,000 crore payout covers the differential amount over and above the Central Minimum Support Price (MSP), ensuring that farmers receive the enhanced rate promised by the state government. This financial assistance will be directly transferred to farmersa bank accounts in a single instalment before the Holi festival, bringing timely relief to lakhs of beneficiaries amid preparations for the upcoming Assembly session and the presentation of the state Budget. The decision was taken during a key Cabinet meeting held on Wednesday in Raipur and chaired by Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai. The BJP-led administration emphasised its commitment to recognising farmersa hard work, with the Chief Minister stating on social media that the governmentas aim goes beyond mere paddy procurement -- it is about acknowledging and supporting the toil of the stateas agricultural backbone. This year's disbursement will push the total financial support extended to farmers under the scheme over the past few years to approximately Rs 35,000 crore, underscoring the Sai governmentas sustained focus on agrarian welfare since assuming office. The Cabinet also decided on key legislative preparations for the forthcoming Budget session. It approved the draft of the Governoras address for the eighth session of the Sixth Chhattisgarh Legislative Assembly, scheduled to commence on February 23, 2026. Additionally, the aChhattisgarh Appropriation Bill, 2026a was cleared for presentation, paving the way for the tabling of the 2026a"27 state Budget estimates. This will mark the third Budget presented by the Vishnu Deo Sai administration, though the exact presentation date and the theme of the Budget are yet to be announced, likely by late February. Farmers across Chhattisgarh, often referred to as India's rice bowl, are expected to benefit significantly from this pre-Holi bonanza, potentially boosting rural consumption and economic sentiment in the predominantly agrarian state. Kozhikode, Feb 11 : The 'Puthuyuga Yatra', led by Kerala's Leader of Opposition V.D. Satheesan, continues to not only draw large crowds, but also has brought to the forefront the jostling in the state Congress unit for influence, shown by a scuffle breaking out on the dais on Wednesday at Kuttiady near here during the programme. The Yatra is set to criss-cross the state and is deemed a launch pad for the election campaign to the upcoming Assembly polls to be held in April/May. Yet, the reception accorded to the march at Kuttiady briefly shifted attention from the political messaging to familiar questions about on-stage discipline within the Congress. The controversy erupted during the reception meeting when district party functionary Pramod Kakkatil, who was presiding, invited Satheesan to address the gathering. Vadakara MP Shafi Parambil, who was present on the dais and reportedly scheduled to speak earlier in the programme, objected to the sequence. Visuals show a tense exchange as leaders crowded around the microphone, with Parambil intervening when the chair moved to proceed with the next segment. He had been slated to speak before the Leader of the Opposition However, the decision to call Satheesan first triggered disagreement. When efforts were later made to invite Parambil to the microphone, he questioned the delay and initially declined to speak. A brief bout of pushing and jostling followed as leaders attempted to manage the situation. Amid the melee, veteran Congress leader and former Union Minister Mullappally Ramachandran, who was standing nearby on the crowded dais, reportedly lost his balance and fell, an image that quickly became emblematic of the chaotic moments that unfolded. Satheesan proceeded with his address. Parambil eventually delivered a short remark, choosing not to elaborate but pointedly stating that when counting 100 seats in the upcoming Assembly elections, Kuttiady too should be included. District Congress President K. Praveen Kumar later downplayed the episode, attributing the confusion to delays and an unexpectedly large turnout. Nevertheless, videos of the incident went viral, providing fresh ammunition to critics. The Congress in Kerala has often faced ridicule over overcrowded stages and leaders jostling for prominence. Bhopal, Feb 11 : The Public Works Department (PWD) of Madhya Pradesh will organise a workshop-cum-training programme for engineers and technical officers associated with the construction sector at Ravindra Bhavan in Bhopal on Thursday. Sharing information about the event, Madhya Pradesh PWD Minister Rakesh Singh on Wednesday said that around 2,000 engineers and technical officers from the PWD, the Project Implementation Unit, the Madhya Pradesh Road Development Corporation and the Madhya Pradesh Building Development Corporation will participate in the workshop. The workshop will be inaugurated by Chief Minister Mohan Yadav, during which he will also release a booklet and formally launch the Project Management System Portal2.0 of the state PWD. Elaborating on Portal2.0, Singh said that the system has been developed by the Madhya Pradesh Building Development Corporation (MPBDC) as an advanced digital management platform aimed at strengthening project execution and monitoring. "It ensures systematic, transparent and efficient execution of all construction works. Under this system, a ResponsibleAccountableTimeline framework clearly records the concerned officer, the competent approving authority and defined timelines for each project, thereby ensuring continuous monitoring and accountability," Singh said. The Minister informed that national-level experts will provide guidance on topics such as capacity building, green building concepts, modern construction technologies, quality control and innovations in the construction sector. "The capacity-building workshop will not only strengthen the quality and efficiency of construction works in the state but will also familiarise engineers and technical officers with the latest technical knowledge, quality-based construction processes and principles of sustainable development," he added. Additionally, the Madhya Pradesh Road Development Corporation and the Madhya Pradesh Building Development Corporation will sign Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with nationally reputed institutions, including the Central Road Research Institute, the Indian Academy of Highway Engineers, the Engineering Staff College of India, the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay and the School of Planning and Architecture, Bhopal. Photo: https://t.me/dnipropetrovskaODA Over the day, the enemy attacked two districts of Dnipropetrovsk region almost 40 times, using artillery, drones and KAB aerial bombs two people were killed, three were injured, Head of the regional state administration Oleksandr Hanzha has said. "In Synelnyky district, the Russians struck Rozdory, Pokrovsk, Vasylkiv, and Bohynivka communities. Fires broke out. Two households were destroyed. A wounded man was pulled from under the rubble of one of them. Two women were also injured. Unfortunately, two people died," Hanzha said on Telegram on Wednesday evening. Nikopol region also suffered Nikopol itself, Marhanets, Myriv, Chervonohryhorivka, Pokrovsk communities a hospital, housing and cars were damaged, a bus was destroyed, the regional governor added. Bhubaneswar, Feb 11 : A local court in Bhubaneswar on Wednesday sentenced a drug peddler to 10 years' rigorous imprisonment after finding him guilty of involvement in the illegal drug trade under the provisions of the NDPS Act. The 31-year-old convict, identified as Prakash Sethy alias Pappu of Keonjhar district, has also been directed to pay a fine of Rs 1 lakh. In case of failure to pay the fine amount, he will have to undergo an additional one-year term of imprisonment. "On May 21, 2025, while the accused was allegedly trading in contraband brown sugar on the Hi-techBankuala road under Badagada Police Station limits in Bhubaneswar, a team of the Special Task Force of the Odisha Crime Branch apprehended Sethy. During the search, contraband brown sugar weighing 330 grams was recovered from his possession," said Special Public Prosecutor Rashmiranjan Brahma. Sources claimed that the convict had procured the brown sugar from Balasore and was on his way to deliver the contraband substance to local drug peddlers in Bhubaneswar on May 21 last year. The State Forensic Science Laboratory, following chemical examination, confirmed that the seized contraband substance was brown sugar (diacetylmorphine/heroin). After a detailed and sustained investigation, a chargesheet was submitted against the accused under Section 21(c) of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985. After examining the statements of nine prosecution witnesses and perusing 32 exhibits placed on record, the court pronounced its judgment, convicting Sethy of the offence. According to STF sources, this is the first case in Odisha in which an accused person has been convicted within two months of the framing of charges. It is pertinent to mention that another drug peddler, Ashok Kumar Behera of Balasore, was awarded 10 years' imprisonment by a court in Bhubaneswar last month in a separate case. In that case, on November 7, 2021, the accused was allegedly found trading in contraband brown sugar weighing over 1 kg at Nayabazar in Balasore after procuring the substance from the Jaleswar area of the district. Junagadh, Feb 11 : Gujarat Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi walked 3.5 km on foot from Girnar Darwaza to Bhavnath Temple on Wednesday, marking the opening day of the Mahashivratri fair in Junagadh. The event drew millions of devotees on its first day, creating a vibrant and devotional atmosphere along the entire 3.5-km route. During the pilgrimage walk, citizens and representatives of various organisations welcomed Sanghavi with floral tributes and traditional greetings at multiple points along the stretch. Sanghavi described the experience as "the greatest blessing of my life", reflecting on the significance of walking through the sacred land of Girnar on foot on the auspicious occasion of Mahashivratri. At Bhavnath Temple, Sanghavi performed the Maha Aarti and participated in the rituals alongside P. Indra Bharati Bapu and other saints present at the temple premises. He said: "The Mahashivratri fair will be memorable. Every year, the number of devotees will continue to increase. I am grateful for the opportunity to inaugurate this fair and lead the pilgrimage today with my fellow ministers." He also shared his impressions of walking along the fair route, stating: "Walking on foot in the sacred land of Girnar and taking part in the entry procession of saints and mahants gave me an extraordinary and divine experience. This is a truly unforgettable moment in my life." Sanghavi emphasised that the fair has been organised with a focus on the convenience and safety of devotees, adding: "We have removed VIP culture from the Mahashivratri fair to ensure maximum convenience for devotees. I parked my vehicle near Girnar Darwaza and walked alongside the devotees, just like any other participant." Sanghavi extended prayers for the welfare of the state and the nation, saying: "May Lord Bholenath shower his blessings on everyone. I also pray for the wellbeing of Gujarat and the country." He appealed to devotees to maintain cleanliness in the sacred area, stating: "No littering should take place so that the message of cleanliness spreads throughout Bhavnath and the surrounding areas." The Mahashivratri fair, covering a 3.5-km stretch from Girnar Darwaza to Bhavnath Temple, has grown significantly over the years and continues to attract a rising number of devotees from across the state and neighbouring regions. Wednesday's opening day witnessed the presence of millions of devotees, reflecting the increasing scale and popularity of the annual religious congregation. Sanghavi expressed satisfaction with the arrangements made by the administration and the overwhelming turnout, emphasising the spiritual significance of the fair and the sacred land of Girnar. Hyderabad, Feb 11 : Union Minister for Coal and Mines G. Kishan Reddy on Wednesday termed the division of the Hyderabad, Gajwel and Nalgonda municipal corporations by the Telangana government as illegal, alleging that the exercise was undertaken after the Centre issued a notification for the Census. He told the media that after the Census notification was issued, a directive was circulated nationwide stating that revenue villages and wards should not be divided. Despite this, the state government proceeded with the division of the Gajwel, Nalgonda and Hyderabad municipal corporations, which he described as a completely illegal decision. According to him, the Census Directorate has clearly stated that no changes should be made after December 31, 2025, and until May 2027. He alleged that the state government violated these guidelines. The BJP leader said that at a time when municipal elections were being held in the state, the government transferred several IAS officers and officials of various departments in violation of Election Commission norms. He stated that the division of the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) into three corporations was also in violation of Election Commission rules. He further alleged that areas located far from the municipal headquarters were included in the new corporations, which, according to him, would cause injustice to poor residents of those villages. So far, the employment guarantee scheme had been beneficial to the poor in rural areas, he said. The Union Minister alleged that the state government included several villages in the new corporations without any comprehensive plan or mobilisation of financial resources. He pointed out that the area of the GHMC formed in 2007 was 650 square kilometres, and that under the new arrangement the three corporations together cover 2,053 square kilometres. However, he claimed that there is no infrastructure development plan commensurate with this expansion. Kishan Reddy further alleged that the decision to divide the GHMC was taken unilaterally without seeking public opinion. Although it was stated that the Outer Ring Road (ORR) would serve as the boundary, some areas were kept outside the ORR and some within it. Key areas such as the airport, BHEL and ICRISAT were excluded from the GHMC limits, he said. The BJP leader also alleged that the Congress government, under pressure from the AIMIM, included AIMIM-dominated areas such as Rajendranagar and Maheshwaram within the core GHMC area for political considerations. On the municipal elections, Kishan Reddy alleged that the Congress party distributed money openly, in the presence of the police, inside and outside polling booths. He claimed that despite their repeated complaints, there was no response from the State Election Commission or the police authorities. He said it was clear during the campaign that the Congress was facing strong opposition, while there was a lack of support for the BRS. He accused both parties of attempting to influence the elections through money power and acts of violence. He, however, expressed confidence that the BJP would achieve good results in the elections. The Union Minister also said that BJP national president Nitin Nabin expressed deep grief over BJP candidate Mahadevappa allegedly committing suicide in Makthal municipality due to threats and extreme pressure from the Congress party. Bengaluru, Feb 11 : The US Consulate General, Chennai, with support from the US-India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF), hosted the US-India Space Business Forum in Bengaluru on February 10-11, an official statement from the US embassy and consulates in India said on Wednesday. The forum was the flagship event of the first US Trade Mission to India focused on commercial space, which brought 23 Executives from 14 leading American space companies to India. The US Department of Commerce and the Business Council for International Understanding (BCIU) organised the mission, which marked a major step forward in bilateral commercial space cooperation. Together, these engagements convened more than 200 government and industry participants from both countries, the statement said. US Ambassador Sergio Gor said, "The Forum reflects the strategic strength of the US-India partnership and our shared commitment to innovation and commercial growth in the space sector. This is yet another area of tremendous potential for even greater prosperity and partnership. American companies boldly lead the world in space technology, and India is a vital partner in expanding these collaborations." According to the statement, the two-day forum addressed key priorities of the US-India Commercial Space Sub-Working Group, including market access, government procurement, foreign direct investment reforms, and export controls. Building upon previous bilateral cooperation, the forum advanced policy alignment and expanded business-to-business engagement. "Leading US space companies Amazon, Axiom Space, Apex, Black Sky, Elve, Kayhan Space, Park Aerospace, Planet Lab, Resecurity, SpaceX, Vast Space, Umbra Space, Viasat, and Vantor are participating in the trade mission. Following the Space Business Forum, the delegation will travel to New Delhi, where companies will engage with the Indian government and industry stakeholders to explore partnerships, joint ventures, and market-entry opportunities," the statement said. "As only the second space-focused trade mission ever organised by the US Department of Commerce, and the first of its kind to India, the initiative reinforced US leadership in commercial space innovation and underscored the growing momentum of the US-India partnership in the global space economy," it said. Aizawl, Feb 11 : Assam Rifles, in a joint operation with the state Police, seized 3.518 kg of morphine by arresting two drug peddlers in Mizoram, officials said on Wednesday. A defence spokesman said that acting on specific intelligence inputs about narcotics trafficking in the Ngopa area under Saitual district, Assam Rifles troops, along with the state Police and the Subsidiary Intelligence Bureau (SIB), launched a joint operation on Tuesday night. During the operation, the security personnel intercepted a vehicle and, upon thorough checking, recovered 3.518 kg of morphine with an estimated market value of Rs 3.5 crore. The contraband was being transported by two persons identified as Kasim and Mukeem Ali. The apprehended persons, along with the seized narcotics and the vehicle, were handed over to the police for further investigation and necessary legal action. An official statement said that the successful recovery underscores the Assam Riflesa unwavering commitment to combating smuggling and eradicating the drug menace in Mizoram. Mizoram shares a 510-km-long unfenced international border with Myanmar and a 318-km-long porous mountainous border with Bangladesh, making it vulnerable to cross-border smuggling. Myanmaras Chin state is a major hub for the smuggling of narcotics, exotic wildlife, foreign-made goods, Myanmarese areca nuts (betel nuts) and other contraband through six Mizoram districts -- Champhai, Siaha, Lawngtlai, Hnahthial, Saitual and Serchhip. Myanmar, which shares a 1,643-km-long unfenced border with four northeastern states -- Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Nagaland and Mizoram -- serves as a key transit point for drugs, particularly heroin and methamphetamine tablets, entering India. Mizoram Chief Minister Lalduhoma has on several occasions urged the youth and all sections of society to stay away from drugs and actively fight the growing drug menace. Last year, the Mizoram government conducted a special four-month-long operation between September and December 2025 to curb the smuggling of drugs from outside the state, particularly from Myanmar. The state police, in coordination with the Excise and Narcotics Department and the Young Mizo Association (YMA), the largest civil society organisation in the state, carried out the operation along with awareness campaigns. Bengaluru, Feb 11 : In a shocking incident, a 33-year-old man has allegedly stabbed his father and mother to death at their residence in Adarsha Vista Apartments in Vignan Nagar. The accused has been arrested by the police. The deceased have been identified as Naveen Chandra Bhatt (60), a retired Captain of the Indian Navy, and Dr Shyamala Bhatt (55), a dentist. The couple were residing in the apartment along with their son, the accused, Rohan Bhatt. According to the police, the incident is suspected to have occurred following a domestic dispute. During an argument, Rohan allegedly attacked his parents with a knife in a fit of anger. The injured couple were immediately rushed to a nearby hospital; however, they were declared dead despite medical efforts, police said. The jurisdictional HAL police have arrested Rohan Bhatt and are questioning him in connection with the case. A detailed investigation is under way to ascertain the exact motive behind the crime. The coupleas daughter, who is currently in the United States, is expected to arrive in Bengaluru on Wednesday. The bodies have been kept at the mortuary of Bowring Hospital, and the post-mortem examination will be conducted thereafter. Deputy Commissioner of Police (Whitefield) M. Narayan stated that the incident took place at around 7.30 a.m. When they were taken to Manipal Hospital for treatment, they were found dead at 8.15 a.m., he said. In this regard, on the complaint of Dr Madhavi Nair, a doctor at Manipal Hospital and a resident of Adarsha Vista Apartments, a murder case has been registered against the deceased coupleas son, Rohan Chandra Bhatt, at the HAL police station, and an investigation has been initiated, the DCP stated. Rohan Chandra Bhatt, accused of murdering his parents, has been arrested and will be produced before the court. The exact reason for the alleged murder is yet to be known. The bodies of the deceased are currently kept at the mortuary at Bowring Hospital. The deceased coupleas daughter is returning from the United States, and the post-mortem will be conducted thereafter, the DCP added. The American Library Association held a one-day virtual conference, Recharging in Challenging Times, on February 10. The winter event replaced ALAs discontinued educational conference, LibLearnX, and drew more than 1,100 livestream attendees. Throughout the day, the ALA emphasized self-care and strategies for persistence, while considering the stresses of library work in the current political climate and the daily struggle with limited resources. In his opening remarks, ALA executive director Dan Montgomery welcomed attendees, including international guests from Bermuda, Honduras, Canada, Switzerland, Australia, Jamaica, China, Germanyits like the Olympics, almost. Montgomery said the days sessions were meant to support library workers. Weve got to recharge, he said, because the times were in are really trying. Thats what today is aboutits not about doing more or fixing everything, its about creating a space to pause, reflect, and reconnect with what sustains us in this important work. Montgomery introduced opening keynote speaker and clinical social worker Emely Rumble, author of Bibliotherapy in the Bronx, who said, The library doesnt just offer refuge, it offers a call to the active defense of intellectual freedom, community safety, and democratic values. But that relentless call to action, she said, can become draining. Rumble told listeners that library workers community service is a form of responding normally to an abnormal moment in history, and its emotionally and physically overwhelming. Responsibility has outpaced resourcing, and that is not a weakness of yours, that is a systems problem showing up in your body, she said. She pointed to fiction about libraries as a source of rejuvenation, naming Kate Quinns The Astral Library and Emily Austins Is This a Cry for Help?, and recommended Amanda Joness That Librarian for its account of leadership. When listeners asked how to bolster morale, she suggested a neutral ombudsperson could be a sounding board for staff, if resources permit. For the virtual sessions, ALA designed three concurrent tracks: Strengthening Leadership, Preserving Intellectual Freedom, and Sustaining Well-Being. Rumbles keynote touched on each area, with insights on burnout and conflict. Christina Fuller-Gregory, a librarian and founder of Fuller Potential Consulting, led a session on active listening, and Darcy Lipp-Acord, collection development manager for the Laramie County (Wyo.) library system, addressed the angry rhetoric that censors use to unsettle library workers. Cathi Furhman, project director of Pennsylvanias nonprofit Read for Liberty PA, and Erin Jones, editor of the 11th edition of ALAs Intellectual Freedom Manual, spoke on building censorship-resistant library policies. Eric Stroshane of ALAs Office of Intellectual Freedom, who maintains the book resumes established by Unite Against Book Bans, hosted three sessions, including a policy discussion with ALA OIF deputy director Sarah Lamdan and a panel with Texas FReadom Fighters co-founder Becky Calzada, advocate Leila Green Little, and YA author Ashley Hope Perez (Banned Together) of the Unite to Read Project. Calzada, Little, and Perez spoke about forging coalitions and taking a long view, acknowledging that it's not an easy task. Little told listeners about the weight of being a key plaintiff in the Little v. Llano County lawsuit, which the Supreme Court declined to hear. The fight came to me and I just couldnt ignore it, as a public library patron and a parent of two public library patrons, Little said. But it was extraordinarily stressful. This has been the most stressful four years of my life, bar none. Little, a former speech-language pathologist turned stay-at-home parent, earned her MLS degree in 2024, mid-trial. She credits her library network with sustaining her through the complaint and appeals process. Calzada, who appears in Kim A. Snyders documentary The Librarians for her work in Leander (Tex.) Independent School District, talked about equipping librarians with talking points and protocols to defend the right to read. She said building trust among staff, patrons, and students should be ongoing, because when theres a crisis, if advocacy is needed, those relationships are established. At school board meetings in Leander ISD, librarians were targets, and they didnt want to speak up, but they had a network of people that understood the role of the library and had their backs. Perez spoke about the real heartbreak of having her YA novel, Out of Darkness, viciously targeted by censors in more than 100 school districts. She encouraged the audience to engage with banned authors about what reaching readers means to them, agreeing with Calzada and Little that even in a place thats ground zero for book banning, people are advocating for access to literature. Having received hate mail, she pointed out that people are saying that they are concerned with the content young people are exposed to, and yet they're sending profanity-laced hatred and directly threatening messages. We know this behavior is not in good faith. For the virtual events closing keynote, acting librarian of Congress Robert R. Newlen spoke with 20252026 ALA president Sam Helmick. Newlen has spent his 46-year career at the Library of Congress, and he became the nations librarian when Carla Hayden was fired without cause in May 2025. Newlen observed that as the Library of Congress prepares for Americas semiquincentennial and the 150th anniversary of ALA, it celebrated its own 225-year birthday in 2025. Were planning a big America 250 exhibit, and were pulling out all the stops, he said, acknowledging that he planned to realize Dr. Haydens vision of a treasure gallery in the Jefferson Building. Were reaching far back in the vault and bringing out Thomas Jefferson's draft of the Declaration of Independence. Were also going to pull out the Gettysburg Address, plus recent acquisitions including a drawing thats the first known image of Yosemite and selections from Stephen Sondheims papers. The nations acting librarian acknowledged the pressures of the profession, the subject of the virtual conference, while modeling a diplomatic position. My favorite thing to say across the street, when Im talking to members of Congress and congressional staff, he said, is that weve been around for 225 years, and we're going to be around for another 225 years, as a great legislative branch organization. HarperCollins has promoted Liate Stehlik to CEO and publisher for U.S. Trade, overseeing the company's adult and children's trade publishing divisions and sales in the United States. Stehlik, who has been at HarperCollins for 20 years, moves up from her previous role as president and publisher of the Morrow Group and HarperCollins Children's Books, where she oversaw publishing operations for 18 imprints. She joined HarperCollins in 2005 as publisher of Avon Books, was appointed president and publisher of the Morrow Group in 2018, and took on oversight of HarperCollins Children's Books in 2023. She also led the publishing integration of HMH Books and Media. Stehlik's track record includes strong financial results: Under her leadership, the Morrow group increased revenues 50% and profits approximately 20%, while the children's group saw a more than 100% increase in profitability, according to a statement from the publisher. She has also overseen the publication of some of HarperCollins's largest global franchises, including Narnia, J.R.R. Tolkien, and Agatha Christie. "It is both a tremendous privilege and an exciting responsibility to step into this role," Stehlik said. "I'm eager to work alongside our talented teams, authors, and partners to build on that legacy and to champion bold storytelling and innovative publishing for the future." She will continue to report to HarperCollins president and CEO Brian Murray. Reporting to Stehlik are Jonathan Burnham, president and publisher of the Harper Group; Judith Curr, president and publisher of the HarperOne Group; and Doug Lockhart, in his role as interim president of sales. Stehlik will continue to oversee the Morrow group and childrens division. At this time of tremendous technological and cultural change, Liates vision, integrity, and leadership make her the perfect fit for this role," Murray said in a statement. "I look forward to partnering with her on the strategy and execution for the future." In its annual report on the state of Christian retail, the Parable Group found that same-store sales at participating outlets rose 2.3% in 2025 over 2024. The increase followed a 1% sales decline in 2024. The report, which is based on data from 165 bricks-and-mortar Christian retailers with $72 million in revenue, found that 47% of stores had a sales increase last year over 2024. Meanwhile, 25% of stores reported flat sales, while sales declined at 28% of responding stores. Retailers reported that sales were up and down throughout the year, with the biggest gains coming in the early fall. Bibles remained the strongest category for Christian retailers, with sales up 5.4%. Sixty-one percent of reporting stores said Bible sales rose in 2025, while only 22% reported that Bible sales had declined. With their generally higher price points, Bibles accounted for 28% of stores dollar sales, but only 10% of units sold. According to the report, in 2025, customers continued to favor modern-language translations with the New Living Translation Bibles claiming almost 23% of unit sales, while unit sales of the New International Version softened and represented about 19.5% of sales. Sales of the King James Version held steady, accounting for about 18% of unit sales, while sales of the English Standard Version rose, taking just over 15% of Bible sales. Gifts tied Bibles as stores biggest revenue generator in 2025 at 28%; gifts also accounted for 33% of all units sold. While gifts and Bibles gained market share in terms of units sold, the adult books and cards categories had small declines. Despite the dip, adult books still commanded 24% of revenue at reporting stores and 23% of units. Christian living remained the largest book category with a 23.4% share of unit sales, as sales steadied in 2025 after two years of declines. Devotionals continued to steadily gain in popularity, posting four years of increases and accounted for 17.5% of unit sales in 2025. Unit sales of fiction had a slight uptick, and accounted for 10.3% of unit sales at reporting stores. Colleen Coble was the bestselling fiction author at reporting stores last year and Sarah Young was number one in nonfiction. The study found that bestsellers at Christian retailers differ noticeably from all retailers who report to Circana BookScan. The biggest takeaway from the comparison is that Christian retailers are much better at helping readers discover new books. According to the report, 15 of the top 20 bestsellers in 2025 on the Christian bestseller list were released in 2025, compared to only three titles that made the top 20 religion bestsellers on BookScan. Christian retail is a powerful discovery engine for faith-based contentits Top 20 leans notably new compared to Circanas list, commented Randy Ross, director of Christian retail marketing at Parable. Thats a strong signal that the channel surfaces fresh titles early, often influencing broader market demand a few years later. Another point of consensus among responding retailers was that managing inventory and logistics remained challenging in 2025. By and large, though, retailers remained optimistic about prospects for 2026. In a noisy world, Christian retailers serve as vital outposts of hope and a steady presence for their communities, said Greg Squires, CEO of the Parable Group. This years growth confirms the hunger for more than just products; people are seeking truth, Bibles, and connection." The News in Brief Wednesday, February 11, 2026 A Georgian citizen who was illegally detained by Russian occupation forces has been released and is now in territory controlled by Tbilisi, the State Security Service of Georgia (SSSG) said on February 10.The agency did not disclose the individual's identity, saying the person was detained on August 9, 2025, in the occupied Akhalgori district near the Tskhinvali occupation line. According to the SSSG, the central government used "all relevant instruments" available to secure the person's release."Georgia's central government and the State Security Service continue active work to free all Georgian citizens illegally detained in the occupied territories," the agency said.In recent years, the SSSG has changed its practice and no longer releases the identities or photos of detainees. Information about such cases is now made public only after the individuals have been freed.Grigol Gegelia, foreign secretary of the opposition party Lelo - Strong Georgia, said Georgia is facing growing international isolation due to the policies of the ruling Georgian Dream party, pointing to U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance's decision to visit the South Caucasus without stopping in Tbilisi."We see a divergence from values and the international agenda on the part of the Georgian Dream regime," Gegelia said. "Georgia is under conditions of total isolation, which is evident not only in Vance's disregard for Georgia, but also in international, global-scale isolation."According to Gegelia, under the current political course there is no realistic prospect of improving relations between Georgia and the United States. He argued that Washington's priorities and values are clear, while the Georgian authorities are moving in the opposite direction."We know the values and position of the United States, and we also see the divergence from values and the international agenda on the part of the Georgian Dream regime," he said. "If the current course is maintained, Georgia's de facto ruling regime will not be able to develop relations."Gegelia described Vance's regional visit as a clear signal of Georgia's marginalization. "A clear manifestation of this is the fact that the Vice President of the United States is visiting the region but is not meeting with what was once the main political center of the region. He is not coming to Georgia," he said. "That Georgia is under conditions of total isolation is evident not only in Vance's disregard for Georgia, but also in the fact that not a single credible partner or major state is establishing relations."U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance is currently visiting Armenia and Azerbaijan as part of a regional tour. He arrived in Armenia on February 9 and met with Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. During the visit, the United States and Armenia signed an agreement on the peaceful use of nuclear energy, with the document signed by Vance and Pashinyan.Vance is scheduled to travel to Azerbaijan on February 10-11, accompanied by U.S. Deputy Secretary of State for Economic Affairs Jacob Helberg. Georgia is not included in the itinerary. The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine called on international organizations, parliaments and governments of democratic countries to accelerate the creation of a Special Tribunal to hold Russia accountable, whose actions are designed to physically destroy Ukrainians. The relevant resolution (No. 15026) on the appeal of the Verkhovna Rada to the United Nations, the International Criminal Court, the parliaments and governments of the UN member states, the Group of Seven, the European Union and NATO, the European Parliament, the Parliamentary Assemblies of the Council of Europe, the OSCE, NATO, the Inter-Parliamentary Union, and the International Committee of the Red Cross regarding the targeted and coordinated policy of the Russian Federation to create dangerous living conditions designed to physically destroy Ukrainians was supported by 267 MPs at the plenary session of the parliament on Wednesday. The parliamentarians also called on international organizations and institutions to strengthen military, financial, and humanitarian support for Ukraine, and to ensure complete economic and political isolation of Russia and its allies. In addition, the Verkhovna Rada called on the democratic world to accelerate and expand the supply of air defense systems and ammunition, and to provide long-range weapons for strikes on legitimate military targets on the territory of Russia, from which the civilian population and critical infrastructure of Ukraine are attacked. The appeal also speaks of the need to send a humanitarian military mission to Ukraine to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure. The MPs called on international structures to condemn the actions of the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, which supply Russia with weapons for attacks on the civilian population and the destruction of Ukraine's infrastructure, as well as the participation of the DPRK military formations in the Russian Federation's armed aggression against Ukraine. Americas largest philanthropic foundations control more than $1.6 trillion in assetscapital forged in the engine of American enterprise and sheltered by a tax code that facilitates the near-untaxed transfer of intergenerational wealth. Yet despite this extraordinary privilege, these institutions remain largely absent from the defining contest of our age: the preservation of the free worlds technological and industrial base. While Washington dithers and Silicon Valley chases valuations, the philanthropic sectoruniquely independent of markets and election cyclespossesses the means, legitimacy, and moral duty to lead. Instead, it has retreated into an ideological comfort zone. Data from Future Union shows that the nations 100 largest philanthropic nonprofits have overwhelmingly funded initiatives focused on food justice, climate activism, and diversity, while nearly universally neglecting the critical interests of American survival: supply-chain resilience, cybersecurity, and industrial rearmament. There is nothing unworthy about funding basic human needs. But in the geopolitical reality of 2026, these efforts are insufficient. The sectors fixation on social engineering ignores the dire state of the bedrock upon which all social progress rests. We are no longer in an era where "national security" is merely a Pentagon affair; it is a civic, economic, and moral one. If Americas philanthropic elite truly believe in justice and equity, they must recognize that freedom itself is the first social goodand that their untapped capital is the most potent arsenal America still possesses. In effect, this capital represents a decentralized sovereign wealth fund. While countries like Norway and China use centralized sovereign wealth to secure their strategic futures, America relies on a patchwork of pensions ($39 trillion), university endowments ($800 billion), and private foundations ($1.6 trillion). Together, these pools dwarf Norways $1.7 trillion fund. Yet unlike our adversaries, American capital remains largely on the sidelines of the fight to preserve the world order that made such wealth possible. The stakes are civilizational. Americas vision emphasizes human rights, environmental stewardship, and democratic governance. China champions surveillance, coerced labor, and authoritarian control. No philanthropic initiative will matter if Beijing controls the critical technologiessemiconductors, AI, quantum computing, and rare earth mineralsthat will shape tomorrows global order. History offers a clarity that the modern philanthropic sector has seemingly forgotten: victory precedes virtue. America didnt enter World War II to spread specific social ideals; it fought to survive, and only then built the institutions to defend those ideals. Todays global elite, often captive to an echo chamber of peers, have inverted this sequence. They have traded strategic clarity for moral theater. This decay is visible in global bodies like the WTO and the UN, where serial human rights abusers now lead committees on human rights. The lesson is clear: we cannot outsource our survival to international bureaucrats. The numbers tell a stark story of neglect. As of last year, U.S. foundations held $1.6 trillion in assets, an 11.5 percent increase from the previous year. Yet a review of grantmaking priorities reveals a categorical neglect of national security and dual-use technologies. George Soros Open Society Foundations directed $300 million toward democracy and civil rights; the Ford Foundation committed $104 million to social equity programs; the MacArthur Foundation allocated $173 million to criminal justice reform. Even the Rockefeller Foundation, historically rooted in industrial innovation, has prioritized a "Good Food Strategy." None of these major allocations were dedicated to the strategic technologies required to keep the U.S. sovereign. Worse, as Future Unions research has exposed, many of these endowments have previously invested in Chinese venture capitalincluding companies like ByteDanceeffectively funding the innovation ecosystem of the very adversary seeking to displace us. We are subsidizing our own displacement. The core issue is one of misaligned incentives. Foundations receive extraordinary tax benefitsdonors deduct significant portions of income, and the foundations accumulate wealth tax-free. These privileges should actively encourage strategic investment, not merely principal preservation. To fix this, we must elevate National Security Investing (NSI) as a distinct and vital asset class through three specific reforms. First, the tax code should offer targeted credits for investments in strategic sectors such as advanced manufacturing, IP security, and STEM education. Second, we should mandate that foundations allocate an additional 1 percent above the required annual 5 percent payout specifically to initiatives that enhance U.S. resilience. And finally, we must begin to recognize and rate "Patriotic Capital," certifying those foundations that actively advance American strategic security. The myth of "neutral" philanthropy must end. Americas philanthropic elite sit atop the most underutilized war chest in the free world. Foundations that claim to champion justice and equity must confront an uncomfortable truth: without national security, no progressive vision endures. If the U.S. loses the global economic battle outlined in Made in China 2025, ideals like diversity and democracy will vanish under authoritarian suppression. If these foundations continue to hoard capital while the foundations of freedom erode, history will not judge them as passive observers. It will remember them as the generation that had the power to act, and chose not to. At the turn of the 21st century, the international system became increasingly interdependent and shaped by rapid technological globalization. The bipolar world order that depicted the Cold War era gave way to a multipolar configuration in which the United States and Russia retained their dominance and China emerged as a geopolitical superpower. In this complex environment, Western Europe has undergone a gradual decline in power and influence. Once the dominant hegemonic power in global affairs for centuries and later a critical partner in helping the United States enforce and promote its democratic political agenda, Western Europe now has a limited capacity to influence global outcomes collectively. Although it still retains considerable socio-political and economic influence, especially in multilateral organizations, its ability to act as an autonomous decision maker has eroded significantly. Western Europes diminished global influence is its decline in high-growth sectors, such as technology and the automobile industry. While its leaders have often tried to compensate for its reduced economic growth, such as by upholding rules based on shared liberal norms and promoting multilateral diplomacy, their strategies have proven to be insufficient in a world where economic leverage, technological innovation, and industrial capacity are paramount for asserting global dominance. Therefore, strategies for strengthening Western European political influence must prioritize economic revitalization over reliance on moral authority and regulatory leadership. Assessing Western Europes relative decline and ways to improve its global standing is vital for a few reasons. First, Western Europe is where the intellectual framework for modern-day international relations and the institutions that guide it were created. In this way, Western European political principles and practices are the structure that continues to shape global politics. Second, its current position as a world power has profound implications for the future of global governance, democratic political norms, and transatlantic relations. Third, Western European policymakers increasingly recognize that, without more strategic economic growth, the continent risks losing its influence and socio-political relevance. Finally, a nuanced understanding of Western Europes post-2000 evolution provides critical insight into how it could have a more active role in world politics. Structural Sources of Western Europes Decline Western Europes diminished political power can be explained by a combination of economic, geopolitical, and institutional factors. Among the most significant is the rapid rise of China as a superpower. By the 1960s, China had developed into a politically influential communist state that was a threat to the United States. As the United States prioritized competing with the Soviet Union for power and dealing with the threats it posed during the Cold War, it paid insufficient attention to China. As a result, it left growing Chinese political power unchecked as it began to westernize, modernize, and embark on an ambitious industrial expansion strategy in the 1970s. By the early twenty-first century, Beijing had successfully leveraged globalization to consolidate economic power, positioning itself as a critical actor in global supply chains and technological innovation. Today, China is a global leader in technology, defense, trade, and diplomacy that has replaced European leadership of certain industries. For example, Germany, which had been prominent in the car industry for many years, had been replaced by China due to its ability to make cars more technologically advanced. Cultural and demographic challenges have also played a significant role. Scholars, have noted that relatively low birth rates, migration from non-European countries, an erosion of historical identity, and religious changes have contributed to Western Europes decline as a power. While these factors help explain its internal challenges, they cannot fully account for its political fragmentation. At the same time, governance dynamics within the European Union have made it harder for Western Europe to effectively respond to these challenges. The EU enforces and promotes regulatory compliance, social protections, and climate objectives in a way that hinders long-term economic growth. Scholars and professionals have argued that it slows down rapid capital mobilization, industrial productivity, and technological innovation. Increased regulations, rising taxes, and fewer incentives for businesses to grow have discouraged large-scale investment in emerging industries. Some critics argue that the current social-market capitalistic model, while successful in fostering stability and social cohesion, has reduced incentives for business expansion and innovation. The most consequential contributing factor of Western Europes decline lies in its waning technological and industrial competitiveness. In a world in which economic strength depends on the mastery of artificial intelligence, financial technology, and advanced manufacturing, Western Europe has not kept up with the pace of American and Chinese development. Despite maintaining GDP parity with the United States over the past decade, it has lagged in productivity, venture capital formation, and technological commercialization. Therefore, aggregate market share does not positively correlate to enhanced economic growth. Western European leaders increasingly acknowledge this reality. For example, French President Emmanuel Macron has emphasized that Europes relative stagnation reflects a collective underinvestment in high-growth industries, including artificial intelligence, banking, and the automobile industry. Additionally, Mario Draghi of the European Commission has stated that Western Europe is struggling to help its researchers and entrepreneurs turn their ideas into products, services, and thriving businesses. Similarly, foreign affairs scholars note that China and the United States now dominate central technological ecosystems, granting them disproportionate influence over supply chains and global political outcomes. Without achieving comparable industrial capabilities, Western Europe will continue to struggle to achieve its geopolitical goals. Technological production plays a critical role in influencing political power. Control over digital platforms, advanced manufacturing processes, and next-generation infrastructure not only generates economic growth but also establishes strategic dependencies. The dominance of American and Chinese firms in fields such as artificial intelligence, robotics, and biotechnology has enabled both nations to influence global outcomes. Western Europes relative absence from these sectors limits its capacity to exert comparable influence. Without investing in technological capital and infrastructure, it will be difficult for its leaders to have a more active role in world politics. Strategic Pathways to Renewed European Influence Politicians and other critical political stakeholders have come up with a wide range of strategies to boost Western Europes economic competitiveness. In his report for the European Commission, Mario Draghi stated that enhanced innovation, particularly in advanced technology, a combined decarbonization and economic competitiveness plan, heightened security, and decreasing dependencies on the U.S. and China are essential for making Western Europe competitive as a power. At a Leaders of European Growth and Competitiveness meeting, Western European leaders spoke of the importance of accelerating investment in clean energy infrastructure, leveraging financial markets, improving the use of strategic alliances, and enhancing technological innovation. Similarly, European business leaders, such as Anna Borg and Kat Borlongan, have advocated for environmental and market-creating approaches to enhancing Western European competitiveness. Borg emphasized the value of cross-value chain collaboration between Europes energy industry and other industries while Borlangan has promoted a market-making approach. At the 2026 World Economic Forum, ideas on how to go about doing this were discussed. For example, French President Emmanuel Macron highlighted the importance of Europe strengthening multilateral cooperation, more economic sovereignty, and a strategic economy. Macron also emphasized increasing investment in capital that can help Western Europe become a leader in industries of economic leverage and political influence, such as AI and banking. Some scholars emphasize the importance of a change in governance strategy, beliefs, and habits. Advocates of this approach argue that Europe should position itself as a power that can reform an increasingly polarized international system while avoiding binary worldviews and applying a humbler foreign policy approach. Europes diplomatic engagement in supporting Ukraine, mediating regional conflicts, and advancing climate governance demonstrates the continued relevance of this strategy. While all of these things are important, technological innovation and industrial growth should remain Europes top priority. Breakthroughs in fields such as artificial intelligence, robotics, and biotechnology and strategic entrepreneurship increasingly define economic leadership. Without an influential presence in these fields, Europe risks permanent subordination within global value chains. Consequently, policymakers should prioritize removing regulatory barriers to innovation on European companies and researchers, investing in the education of young people at the grade school and university levels, and capitalizing on opportunities in the technology industry. Enhanced Western European technological innovation and industrial capacity are essential for ensuring that it becomes an influential power on the global stage. Without strategic investment in its students, workforce, industrial capital, and technology, Western Europe risks permanent subordination in an increasingly competitive multipolar order. 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! The University of Georgia is inviting students to apply for the Student Tour of Georgia, an experience that allows students to explore Georgia outside of Athens and better understand UGAs role as a land- and sea-grant institution, according to an Engagement, Leadership and Service email. Applications for the tour, which takes place March 9 through 13 during UGAs spring break, are due Friday. Photo: https://www.facebook.com Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Oleksandr Syrsky, reported on a working meeting with the commanders of the Airborne Assault Troops and Assault Regiments on the operational situation in Zaporizhia and Dnipropetrovsk regions, which he held at one of the command posts "on the hot line." "We openly discussed problematic issues that affect the effectiveness of task performance. This is primarily about logistics, repair of equipment, evacuation of the wounded, etc. He issued the necessary orders to meet the needs of our soldiers," Syrsky wrote on Telegram on Wednesday after the meeting. According to him, the Russian occupiers continue to "act aggressively, trying to impose their initiative on us", however, Ukrainian units "maintain stability and control over key borders". "We analyzed the real state of affairs on the front line and the dynamics of hostilities. Special attention was paid to the interaction between units, issues of management in the conditions of high intensity of fighting... Our goal is to keep the Russian aggressor in constant tension, inflict losses on him, prevent him from advancing. The tactics we have chosen are yielding results," added Syrsky. Budget has clearly prioritised a Viksit Bharatfiscal prudence and structural strengthening over short term incentivisation. Illustration: Dominic Xavier/Rediff Key Points Three thematics emerge from the Budget It is a clear push towards Atmanirbharta Support for R&D, testing and certification infrastructure, green compliance, and helping MSMEs identify opportunities is lacking. Budget provides support to farmers Budget underscores continuity and conscious financial choices The Budget reflects a clear focus on strengthening Indias long-term prospects by leaning on nation-building sectors such as infrastructure, manufacturing, and technology while maintaining fiscal responsibility. The interventions attempt to convert Bharats demographic weight and entrepreneurial energy into durable, broad-based prosperity. The Economic Surveys assessment was clearIndias growth engine is firing on multiple enginesconsumption is resilient, investment is firming, and manufacturing traction is improving. This Budget also comes against the backdrop of multiple trade deals signed by India, including those with the EU, the EFTA, New Zealand, and the UKeven as we are on the verge of a potential deal with the USA. Typical expectation from the Budget The typical expectation is a short-term boost with a medium-term view. However, this Budget has clearly prioritised a Viksit Bharatfiscal prudence and structural strengthening over short term incentivisation. Three thematics emerge from the Budget: enabling exports through alignment and rationalisation, focusing on industries of the future and those that drive job creation, and aligning training needs and upskilling with industry requirements. The Budgets focus The Budgets focus on developing strategic sectors such as biopharma, electronics, semiconductors, rare earths, and chemicals while supporting legacy sectors with modernisation reflects strategic alignment with global shifts towards supply-chain diversification. This is a clear push towards Atmanirbharta and increasing the countrys manufacturing prowess. The increased thrust to components and inputs through clusters, upskilling, and select support for imports also reflects a focus on ecosystem creation. Freight corridors and development of waterways From continued capex and support for strengthening logistics through multimodal development in dedicated freight corridors and development of waterways to the development of industrial clusters and improving access to creditthere is definitive support for MSMEs. Further, customs simplification with a single integrated window and provision for sale by SEZ units to the domestic tariff areas on a rationalised duty basis will provide the necessary boost to manufacturing exports. However, support for R&D, testing and certification infrastructure, green compliance, and helping MSMEs identify opportunities is lacking. Tax holiday on data centres The 20-year tax holiday on data centres will help capture global interest and increased investments in data centres, while building the necessary critical infrastructure in India. It can also help expand the growth of technology services from India. Widening the safe harbour scheme for the IT industry and the simplification of taxes for talent movement across borders will also help existing global capability centres to increase their scale and enable the establishment of new ones. Recognising the power of urban city centres as avenues of growth, the Budget calls out the need to modernise infrastructure that supports the development of Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities. Connecting urban centres through high-speed rail as growth-connectors will enable mobility of talent and, consequently, create a stronger and more diverse workforce. Improving the tourism industry The Budget also lays down a plan for improving the tourism industry, which has been under-penetrated and under-publicised given Indias diversity. Upskilling (including for hospitality development), creation of the digital knowledge grid, and the development of new tourist spots are all steps in the right direction. However, a lot more still needs to be done, including support for states to build and improve infrastructure to showcase Indias diverse landscape. Support to farmers The Budget provides support to farmers in terms of improving farm productivity, focusing on specific cash crops, the development of integrated fisheries and water reservoirs, as well as modernisation and fiscal support for animal husbandry. The Budget underscores continuity and conscious financial choices, highlighting a shift from a populist, handout-oriented Budget to targeted strategic betsreflecting a maturing economy. These measures augur well for a Viksit Bharat by 2047. A few things would need to be addressed to catapult the growth rate to the next level, including a more targeted and time-bound push towards deregulation and digitisation, targeted initiatives for attracting capital and FDI, and boosting health and education facilities. Sanjeev Krishan is chairperson of PwC India 'Credit growth in India remains in double digits, even though corporate borrowing is subdued.' 'Corporate credit is weak because companies are cash-rich and cautious amid global uncertainty.' IMAGE: SBI Chairman Challa Sreenivasulu Setty during a Press Conference at SBI Head Office, in Mumbai. Photograph: ANI Photo CS Setty, chairman of State Bank of India (SBI), in a conversation with Tamal Bandyopadhyay, at the Business Standard BFSI Insight Summit 2025, discusses the slowdown in credit growth in the economy, the Reserve Bank of Indias (RBI) reforms in the banking sector announced after the October Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting, and the potential impact of allowing private-sector professionals into public-sector banks. Key Points Overall bank credit growth is healthy and in line with economic expansion. Strong data availability and clearer business models have improved banks' confidence in MSME lending. Agriculture credit demand remains robust across regions. Corporate capex is delayed due to global disruptions, tariffs, and supply-chain uncertainty. Banks face rising competition for deposits as savers diversify into mutual funds. Fixed deposits are gaining share, impacting CASA ratios. SBI's balance sheet growth is anchored in GDP-linked expansion and technology investments. Credit Growth Remains Strong Despite the rate cuts, and government reforms, why is credit growth not showing meaningful uptick? We are not lacking in credit growth. If you see the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) numbers, credit growth is growing in double digits, which is reasonable in my view. There is significant growth happening in Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) credit. Today, there is greater confidence amongst banks to lend to MSMEs because of data availability, clarity in terms of their business models. There is also significant credit demand coming from the agriculture sector. Both the sectors are witnessing 16-17 per cent growth rates. Why Corporate Credit Is Lagging On the retail side, mortgage growth is good. The only thing lagging is corporate credit growth. Non-banking sources are also available to the corporates. Today, the corporates have huge amounts of cash lying with them. If any capital expenditure is happening, they will use that cash first. The private capex cannot alone be financed by bank credit. The government and the banks would like as much as private capex to come back. Most of the companies are able to operate at higher capacities now. Today technology allows them to operate at 90 per cent capacity utilisation. Global disruptions, supply chain disruptions, tariff related issues are all creating some uncertainty in the minds of the people. But, private capex will come back soon for the simple reason that this economy is built on domestic consumption. As soon as stability in domestic consumption is visible to people, I think capex will pick up. Household Savings Are Being Reallocated Due to increased competition to get Indian household savings, are Indian banks facing issues in getting deposits? Structurally, the balance sheets of banks will be undergoing a change. Globally, the balance sheets of banks are built not by the deposits but by the market borrowings. This is because of the financialisation that has happened, and money has moved from the banking system to the other financial services. The same financialisation is likely to happen in India also. We have had 1.6 times growth in bank deposits, whereas mutual funds are growing at 3x, which means that there is a sense of asset allocation among the savers. It is unlikely that the savers will completely move away from bank deposits. The flow of deposits to banks will probably come down. CASA is not only getting impacted because the current account from the government is coming down, and part of the savings is going to the market, but also because savings are moving to fixed deposits. Earlier the composition of fixed deposits was 61 per cent, and now it has gone up to 64 per cent. On the current account side, the moment public sector banks realised that the governments current account is not going to be available to them in a big way, we have all in a large way moved to business banking accounts, which was predominantly controlled by the private sector banks. We are getting a dominant share in the non-governmental current accounts. RBI Signals Trust in Banks How do you look at the banking reforms the RBI announced after the October MPC meeting? I must compliment the regulator for coming out with 22 measures. These announcements are a great measure of confidence in the maturity of the banking sector in India. M&A financing, for instance, shows that the Indian banking sector is ready for funding these transactions with maturity. We will further negotiate with RBI on what kind of fine tuning can be done on M&A financing. And, it is also not true to assume that a significant capital from the bank capacity to lend will move to M&A finance. The overall market size of M&A financing is minuscule when compared to the 220 trillion credit system we have. The primary aim of me seeking approval for M&A financing is to give a level playing field and confidence in our ability to apprise the transactions. I am sure this is the first step in terms of enhancing a gamut of activities that the banking system can do on the M&A side. Today, the banking system is robust, and when the banking system is robust, what the regulator is trying to do is enable the banks to do activities which they were not doing earlier, and also ensure that their capital buffers are maintained. Private Talent in Public Banks How do you see the entry of private-sector people in state-owned banks? There is no difference between the public sector and private sector. This is more in terms of the ownership, if you really take out the ownership, the product structure, technology, I dont think there is any difference. If this is intended to facilitate lateral movement, its a good move. Culturally, there are definitely challenges. But the culture challenge is on account of the pay structures, incentive structure. The public sector pay structure is an inverted pyramid. There are a large number of people getting paid very well, compared to the private sector. As you reach the top, that differential becomes much larger. If the government really wants to attract private talent, obviously this structure has to be looked at. But culture wise, anybody coming to any new institution, will have to reorient themselves. Technology Powers SBI's Expansion How do you keep on doubling your balance sheet every six years? If the nominal GDP grows at 10 per cent, and if SBI grows 2-3 per cent more than the nominal GDP, and with the compounding effect coming into play, SBI will double its balance sheet in 6-7 years. Technology definitely has helped us. Today, we are the largest spenders on technology. The digital platforms are robust, and we invest heavily into the backend technology. When will the subsidiaries get listed? SBI General Insurance, and SBI Mutual Fund will get listed. Timing is something I cannot guess. These two companies do not require capital at this juncture. Feature Presentation: Rajesh Alva/Rediff The India-EU free trade deal could help Indian-made cars enter Europe at lower costs and challenge Chinese dominance. Kindly note the image have only been published for representational purposes. Photograph: Kind courtesy Pixabay Key Points IndiaEU FTA allows export of left-hand-drive vehicles from India to Europe Indian manufacturing offers a cost advantage over Chinese imports European OEMs like Renault and Volkswagen Group can use India as an export base China's share of the EU auto market has crossed 6% EVs and premium vehicles likely to lead initial exports India's auto exports could shift beyond Asia and Africa towards Europe European Brands Look to India to Counter China The India-European Union (EU) free trade agreement (FTA) is primed to put India on Europes auto map, challenging Chinese dominance. Several original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) are expected to leverage Indias cost advantage to accelerate the countrys drive into the European car market, positioning Indian-made vehicles as a competitive alternative to Chinese imports. Renault India Managing Director Venkatram Mamillapalle said the FTA will allow OEMs to export left-hand-drive vehicles from India. Today, most of our exports are right-hand-drive models. Now, we can export left-hand-drive vehicles to competitive markets like Europe, he said, adding that Renault, as a European brand, can capitalise on its India presence under this FTA. We can start producing cars locally at competitive prices. With engineering, suppliers, and manufacturing based in India, this gives us a cost advantage and greater competitiveness, especially since exports now face lower duties, Mamillapalle added. He said that both Europe and India stand to benefit. We gain through manufacturing, while the EU gains competitiveness, particularly against Chinese players. Photograph: Kind courtesy Pixabay FTA Unlocks New Export Routes for Automakers Chinese automakers have increased their market share in the EU over the past few years, with estimates putting it at over 6 per cent by the end of 2025 -- almost double the 3 per cent share they held previously. Regarding imports, Renault plans to focus on high-end vehicles in low volumes through the Chennai port. Between April and December 2025, Renault India exported 12,841 vehicles, up from 9,687 units the previous year, according to the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers. Indias auto exports are primarily directed to Asian and African countries, along with select Latin American markets. India's Cost Advantage Takes Aim at Europe Another European player, Skoda Auto Volkswagen India, also uses India as an export hub, shipping over 31,000 vehicles between April and December last year. Sources close to the company said the FTA opens up new export opportunities. European customers are discerning. Volkswagen Group may consider producing vehicles tailored to their preferences, such as colour or body type, while leveraging Indias low-cost manufacturing to remain competitive, a source said. Skoda Auto Volkswagen India declined to comment, citing a lack of clarity on the FTAs details. Maruti begins exporting e-Vitara to Europe Meanwhile, Maruti Suzuki India has already begun exporting its electric Vitara to Europe. Volumes remain low, but the company aims to export to 100 countries globally. Suzuki Motor Corporation also has a plant in Hungary that can support European supplies. Mahindra & Mahindra has indicated plans to enter the UK market, leveraging the India-UK FTA to export electric vehicles by 2026-27. The company did not comment on the India-EU FTA due to a silent period. Industry analysts suggest Mahindra may use its Banbury, Oxfordshire-based Mahindra Advanced Design Europe (M.A.D.E) studio to develop UK-designed sport utility vehicles for the EU market. Tapping opportunity The industry is bullish on the ability to export left-hand-drives from India Carmakers look to build vehicles according to European customer preferences like colour and body-type India to gain through manufacturing, EU will gain through competitiveness Maruti Suzuki India has already begun exporting its electric Vitara to Europe Feature Presentation: Rajesh Alva/Rediff This article was first published 9 years ago If not for the hype and stunning trailer, which promised an all-out Rajini masala entertainer, Kabali would have been far more enjoyable, feels S Saraswathi. So much has been written, said and predicted about Superstar Rajinikanths Kabali that it seems impossible for the film to live up to the lofty expectations. But interestingly enough, director Pa Ranjith, a relative newcomer, manages to hold his own against the Superstar. Known for his simple narration and armed with a slow-paced yet emotionally powerful screenplay, the two-film old director has not made many compromises for Rajinikanth. Ranjith has cleverly portrayed Rajinikanth as a powerful gangster, who loves his handcrafted suits and designer sunglasses. The film is not without its share of mass moments but there has been no attempt to make him three shades lighter or invincible and there is none of Rajinis usual gimmicks. He appears strangely calm and philosophic, even vulnerable and helpless at times. Kabali revolves around the plight of Malaysian Indians, who have been toiling for a pittance at menial jobs in their country for generations. They revolt under the leadership of Kabaleeshwaran (Rajinikanth), also a lowly worker. Into this fight for justice and bloody gang wars, the director has woven a tale of love between Kabali and Kumudavalli (Radhika Apte). Their love affair is brutally cut short when the fight escalates, Kumudha is killed and Kabali gets jailed for 25 years. All this is narrated in a brief flashback and the film opens with Kabali being released from jail. For most part, the film moves at a snails pace with brief moments of high-octane stunts. There are lengthy conversations between the actors and emotions seem to play a bigger role in this gangster movie. The spotlight is almost entirely on the love story, and neither the workers nor the gang wars or its leaders are given any importance. Music composer Santhosh Narayanan proves he is a class apart with his powerful background score, and the Nerupa Da number. The haunting Maya Nadhi, picturised on an aging couple, also touches your heart. Among the performances, Radhika Apte, Dhansika and Dinesh stand out. But the antagonists -- played by Kishore and Taiwanese actor Winston Chao -- are all show and no substance. Kabali is definitely not your regular Rajini film and is most likely to disappoint his fans. The film is also not as gripping as Ranjiths critically acclaimed Madras. If not for the hype and stunning trailer, which promised an all-out Rajini masala entertainer, the film would have been far more enjoyable. Rediff Rating: This article was first published 12 years ago Raja Sen says the only superpower Krrish has is that of boring the audience. If your idea of a fantastic time at the movies involves Hrithik Roshan wrestling with a mans tongue, then, my friend, youre in for a blessed treat at the movies this week. Ditto if youre a retailer of friendship-bands. The rest of us, on the other hand, best stay away from this beastly big-budget juggernaut, a film ostensibly made for kids but one so abysmal that you should be most concerned if your children (or your nephews or your neighbours kids) want to see this. If they grow up actually liking movies like this, well, there goes the next bloody generation, conditioned for mediocrity from the get-go. What if, for example, a child asks why Rakesh Roshans new film is called Krrish 3 when there is no Krrish 2 in existence? No reasonable answer exists, save the possibility that the new Krrish, for some oddball reason, is named after the number of thumbs its protagonist possesses. What the dashing young Krrish doesnt possess is a power not to bore. In fact he and his pot-bellied father, also played by Hrithik are blessed with the ability to take a massively budgeted opportunity and suck it dry of all promise, leaving us with a Diwali release that cant possibly be recommended for any reason whatsoever. Look, I didnt mind the first Krrish. It wasnt a good film or anything, but Hrithik sold the character effectively enough to leave the door ajar for other Bollywood superheroes. One of the few that showed up, showered in hype, was Shah Rukh Khans catastrophic Ra.One, one of the biggest disappointments in movie history. Now, since it isnt right to expect big-screen miracles from the man who made Koyla and Karan Arjun, the only reason Krrish 3 might escape being labelled as bad as Ra One is merely because expectations were lower: all we wanted was a fun film for the kids. Krrish 3 which ends up borrowing a whole lot from Ra.One, for the record is not that film. There is no reason Indian children should be allowed to watch it unless tickets are sold really cheap, because the new Thor film releases next week and itll offer them a true superhero spectacle, with much more relative bang for their buck. There is much brouhaha about the visual effects in the new Krrish film, and while occasionally competent, they remain so dismally derivative of iconic superhero films that one cant take them seriously. And the fact that the Pirates Of The Caribbean theme kicks in every time Krrish is in mid air doesnt help. (Danny Elfmans Spider-Man theme, conversely, plays whenever the heros truly tense. Every alternate scene, pretty much.) So there are two Hrithiks, and its harder to say which is more excruciating. In one corner is old Rohit The Demented, a developmentally-disabled old man an alien refused to cure a couple of movies ago. If you close your eyes (which is not bad advice at any point during this film) he sounds like an Anil Kapoor mimic trying to do a very drunk voice. Hes a scientist, however, which means he is fiendishly smart and at least knows what hes doing. His son, Krrish, has become bewilderingly stupid since we last met him, probably because the filmmakers want to make sure we dont confuse his role with that of papa. There is thus much BigMoose-ian lumbering about in alarmingly tight vests, except when hes Krrish and his jaw is perpetually quivering with rage. That or the mask is way too snug. And theres the baddie. Fusion is the future, says Vivek Oberois Kaal, sounding for all the world like Bally Sagoo did back when he mattered. Immobile from the neck down, Kaal is a sinister mastermind who creates man-animal hybrids that lead to a bunch of poorly-constructed mutants with long tongues et al. Kangna Ranaut, for example, plays a shapeshifting creature born out of human and chameleon DNA. Many unanswered questions are born out of Kaals setup, the most crucial being why Ranaut doesnt have a bad prosthetic orange forehead/nose like her fellow maanwar brethren, and who on earth has been applying the eyeliner for Kaal for all these years? Still, a strapped-down Oberoi is mostly bearable even if hes basically Magneto and Professor X rolled into one. Priyanka Chopra, who plays Krrishs wife Priya, is anything but that, a shrill giggler with the most inane role possible. Ranaut makes the most of a far better part, and emerges the only plus in this C-minus production. Shes intriguing, shes cold, shes sexy and she holds our interest at least till she randomly starts assaulting people with drop-kicks and even a Boston Crab. (Are you watching, Mr McMahon?) The film is 152 minutes long, a fact corroborated by my wristwatch, but we might as well call Ripleys. It stretches on forever, never amusing, never exciting, never anything but a wasted effort. The songs are almost intentionally horrid, each of them. Daftness abounds in every direction: the bad guys covered in green goop as if they just won Nickelodeon awards; scientists talk to themselves all the time and Surpanakha from the Ramayana is their first go-to example for mutation; a pregnant Priyanka is laid out on what has to be a funky ping-pong table; and there are hulking black statues celebrating Krrish as if Mayawatis taken a shine to the lad. And twenty minutes of the film are spent in hawking Krrish-shaped wristbands that make you a part of Krrishs team. Krrish even delivers the dont try this at home message in the flesh. Its all very well until the climax, where a kid rebels against his mom who says theyll give their lives for Krrish. No, exclaims he, well take the villains life instead. Ookay then, thats the message were going with. (And we thought Man Of Steel had an ethics issue.) Then Krrish shows up as the statue of liberty. Its all positively krrishastrous. Just stay away, will you? Its the responsible thing to do. An empty wrist will serve you best. Rediff Rating: 'The BNP's election manifesto lists grievances against India, mirroring the attitude of past BNP governments.' 'Political parties have been careful not to say bad things about China.' IMAGE: Bangladesh Nationalist Party Chairman Tarique Rahman waves to supporters during the final day of the election campaign in Jatrabari, Dhaka, February 9, 2026. Photograph: Mohammad Ponir Hossain/Reuters Key Points ''China's message to India's neighbours is simple: India can't look after itself, how can it look after you?' 'Sheikh Hasina was careful to avoid strategic alignment with China against India. I'm not sure the new government can reverse dependence on China even if it wanted to.' 'Will China cede space to India in Bangladesh just because of the adjustment of ties to India? I doubt it.' As Bangladesh goes to the polls on February 12, eighteen months after the ouster of then prime minister Sheikh Hasina and subsequent worsening of India-Bangladesh ties, the question is whether the new government in Dhaka can usher a reset -- and address India's concerns about the expanding Chinese-Pakistani footprint in Bangladesh? "India will shape Bangladesh's trajectory in more ways than China can because of geography. India respects Bangladesh as a regional power. Let's not inject China or Pakistan into the discussion, but treat ties to India on their own merits," says Ambassador Jitendra Nath Misra, India's former envoy to Portugal and currently Professor of Diplomatic Practice at O. P Jindal Global University, who also served in the Indian high commission in Dhaka. "India needs to deal with Bangladesh on terms both India and Bangladesh can live with. Bangladesh is India's only large neighbour with settled land borders. Dial down the noise, and ties will recover," Ambassador Misra tells Rediff's Archana Masih. What are the reasons for the increase in violence against Hindus and minorities in Bangladesh? Is it to further vitiate the atmosphere before the elections? Provoke internal turmoil in India? Violence against Hindus is built into the sense of victimhood of Bangladeshi Muslims. In Bangladesh the reading of Bengal's history is coloured by perceived Muslim grievances against upper caste Hindu landlords. It doesn't matter which party is in power. There are recorded cases of lower-level Awami League officials perpetrating violence against Hindus. Violence also is about seizure of Hindu properties. The census data is stark. In 1951 Hindus were 22% of the population, in 2022, they were down to 8%. The decline is precipitous. More of the same is likely happening now. The Indian government says according to independent estimates there were more than 2,900 incidents of violence against minorities during the term of the interim government. It is not just lawlessness, it might be a calculated Islamist surge to influence the outcome of the elections. Jamaat has fielded a Hindu candidate. It claims to have changed. The Indian media was willing to downplay atrocities against Hindus during the Awami League's rule because politics in Bangladesh was seen as the secular Awami League versus others. Reality is more complex. Today the Indian media is more vocal, angering Indians against Bangladesh. In a democracy the government is answerable to public sentiment, it must respond to Bangladesh in some way. We will have elections soon in West Bengal and Assam. No country can separate foreign relations from domestic politics. You are right that violence against Hindus in Bangladesh causes internal turmoil in India. IMAGE: People chant slogans in support of Mamunul Haque, head of the Bangladesh Khelafat Majlis, ahead of the national election in Mohammadpur area in Dhaka, February 9, 2026. Photograph: Mohammad Ponir Hossain/Reuters How best should India deal with this mounting concern? India must continue to engage those in power, and those out of power, now, and after the elections. Surely India diversified its networks during the Awami League's rule, or maybe not enough. Future historians will know after the archives are made public. I can tell you from direct experience of working in Dhaka that India talks to all recognised parties, including those unfriendly towards India. A senior Jamaat leader has told the BBC's Soutik Biswas that Indian officials had engaged with Jamaat four times the last year, and the Indian high commission in Dhaka invited Jamaat to the Republic Day reception. It might work, or not. India's choices are bad, or worse. What repercussions does this have for India, especially in the border states? It has negative repercussions. This is unfortunate, shared prosperity is better than mutual acrimony. But here's another story. Bangladesh is crucial for India's internal cohesion, allowing transit of Indian goods to the bordering states and beyond in the north east. I have not read about opposition in Bangladesh to previous transit agreements, and it's not an issue in the elections. The two sides established six land ports, revived six railway lines from the past, and established a Friendship Pipeline to supply diesel. In 2025 both Bangladesh's interim government and India supported trilateral connectivity allowing two-way transit of Bhutanese goods through India. For Bangladesh transit is a pragmatic choice, a far cry from the 1990s when denial of transit was a diplomatic weapon. Dense transit channels helped Bangladesh become India's largest trading partner in South Asia, and a top-five trading partner. So, both sides would be pleased that transit remains. IMAGE: Bangladesh Nationalist Party supporters chant slogans at an election rally attended by BNP Chairman Tarique Rahman at Jatrabari in Dhaka, February 9, 2026. Photograph: Mohammad Ponir Hossain/Reuters How does China's expanding footprint in Bangladesh imperil India's strategic interests? To what extent will China's influence in Bangladesh challenge India's security in the Siliguri corridor? China's message to India's neighbours is simple: India can't look after itself, how can it look after you? So, you must accommodate China. China is India's greatest security challenge, it coerces even while it seeks to seduce. China has reached some accommodation with India without conceding on core interests. Will China cede space to India in Bangladesh just because of the adjustment of ties to India? I doubt it. There are reports of India strengthening fortifications in the Siliguri Corridor and building an underground communication link to the north east. There are suggestions that India should offer Bangladesh a money-for-land swap involving purchase of Bangladeshi territory south of the Siliguri Corridor. In January Bangladesh and China concluded a defence agreement for a drone factory. For China it makes sense to put pressure on India from the north of the Siliguri Corridor and seek Bangladesh's nod to put pressure from the south. Bangladesh may not agree, at least beyond a point. Could Bangladesh's deepening economic and military dependence on China limit India's foreign and trade policy choices? Yes, because these choices are not just for India to make. Bangladesh is also a party, and what Bangladesh does with China will affect India-Bangladesh ties. For sure it's not a zero-sum game, but it nevertheless is a triangular relationship. Sheikh Hasina was careful to avoid strategic alignment with China against India. And now? I'm not sure the new government can reverse dependence on China, even if it wanted to. According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute since 2010 Bangladesh has procured $2.59 billion worth of military equipment from China. Bangladesh is reportedly in talks with Pakistan to procure the J-17 fighter jet. There are even reports of possible purchases of the Chinese J10-CE fighter aircraft which Pakistan had deployed during Operation Sindoor. Remember, the J-17 has been jointly developed by China and Pakistan. Contrast the privileged access accorded China with the wariness towards India. The Awami League, according to Bangladeshi friends who don't want to be named, did not implement the 2019 agreement to set up a coastal surveillance system radar in Bangladesh. Developing military ties to India faces political resistance across party lines. And trade? In 2019 Bangladesh had a trade deficit of $ 12 billion with China. Yes, denser ties with China undermine ties to India. As I said, for India Bangladesh is a vital economic partner. Bangladeshi tourist arrivals in India during the first four months of 2024 were 20 per cent of total arrivals. In 2023-2024, India's exports to Bangladesh were worth $ 11.1 billion. The Adani group has been supplying almost 1,500 megawatts of power to Bangladesh. Will dependence on China result in Bangladesh scaling down economic ties to India? Who knows? Why I'm not sure is because economic and military dependence on China could increase under the new government. The China of today is different from the China of the past. China gives high attention to Bangladesh because its thinking about the role of the Bay of Bengal has changed. Even the Awami League gave China privileged access. Bangladesh remains resolutely quiet on China's influence. The BNP's election manifesto lists grievances against India, mirroring the attitude of past BNP governments. Political parties have been careful not to say bad things about China. I am not aware of even scholars and think tankers in Bangladesh speaking about the negative effects of China's damming of the Brahmaputra. Grievances on water sharing are all about India. IMAGE: Army personnel patrol the streets in Dhaka, February 10, 2026, ahead of the national election. Photograph: Fatima Tuj Johora/Reuters How can India effectively counter China and Pakistan's growing influence in Bangladesh? India needs to bolster economic links and durable structures that withstand political storms. I think both countries recognise the importance of shared prosperity. Otherwise, as I said, the interim government would have overturned transit agreements and put brakes on connectivity. Maybe Bangladesh has overcome its historical aversion to economic integration with India. Bangladesh didn't become a regional power just because of China's infrastructure projects. India will shape Bangladesh's trajectory in more ways than China can because of geography. India respects Bangladesh as a regional power. Let's not inject China or Pakistan into the discussion, but treat ties to India on their own merits. India must sustain an uninterrupted political conversation with all, including the Opposition parties, and conduct quiet diplomacy to prevent disagreements from becoming structural differences. India must strengthen people-to-people links and economic ties. There are positive pointers. In the worst of times trade has remained stable. According to AFP only one bilateral agreement from the Hasina era, for Indian tugboats, was scrapped. India needs to deal with Bangladesh on terms both India and Bangladesh can live with. India must also seek to convince the US that our interests in Bangladesh are congruent-neither deepening ties to China nor Islamism serve US interests. I am not pessimistic. Bangladesh is India's only large neighbour with settled land borders. Dial down the noise, and ties will recover. Feature Presentation: Aslam Hunani/Rediff 'Many senior Bangladeshis feel Bangladesh will fall into anarchy if the Jamaat becomes an important part of a future government or has disproportionate influence in the government.' IMAGE: A Jamaat-e-Islami election campaign rally in Dhaka, January 22, 2026. Photograph: Mohammad Ponir Hossain/Reuters As Bangladesh heads toward elections on February 12 that many citizens hope will be their first meaningful democratic exercise in over a decade, a parallel and darker reality is unfolding on the ground. Key Points 'Hindus are under siege in Bangladesh.' 'India has made it clear that it is not likely to see the Jamaat as a friendly neighbour.' 'It is the West who back the Jamaat in Bangladesh.' Attacks on religious minorities -- particularly Hindus -- have increased, fear has seeped into everyday life, and the resurgence of the Jamaat-e-Islami has triggered widespread anxiety across large sections of Bangladeshi society. For a nation born out of a bloody liberation war in 1971 with secularism as one of its founding pillars, this moment represents not just a political transition but an existential test. The interim dispensation in Dhaka led by Chief Advisor Professor Mohammed Yunus, the sidelining of the Awami League, and the growing street-level influence of Jamaat have created an atmosphere of uncertainty and silence. Many Bangladeshis -- journalists, professionals, students, and minorities -- are reluctant to speak openly, worried about reprisal. Hindus, already numerically vulnerable, find themselves increasingly under siege, their insecurity often dismissed or politically rationalised even as incidents of violence continue to surface with alarming regularity. For India, the developments across its eastern border carry profound strategic, moral, and civilisational implications. New Delhi enjoyed close ties with former prime minister Sheikh Hasina's government for over a decade before her ouster, but today it faces a far more complex landscape: A possible Bangladesh National Party return, the rising clout of the Jamaat-e-Islami with its openly regressive and anti-secular ideology, and growing Western involvement in shaping Bangladesh's political future. In this interview with Syed Firdaus Ashraf/Rediff, national security expert Nitin A Gokhale, a seasoned observer of Bangladesh, shares first-hand impressions from the ground, assesses the fear gripping Bangladeshi society, examines the Jamaat's renewed momentum, and reflects on what lies ahead for minorities, democracy, and India-Bangladesh relations at this critical juncture. 'India would like the BNP to come to power' IMAGE: Bangladesh Nationalist Party Chairman Tarique Zia speaks at an election rally in Sylhet, January 22, 2026. Photograph: Abdul Goni/Reuters What were your observations when you went to Bangladesh? First, I feel the Bangladeshis are excited about the elections. They feel that they are getting a chance to participate in the first free and fair elections in the last 10-12 years. According to them previous elections were rigged in favour of the Awami League of Sheikh Hasina, the then prime minister of Bangladesh. Many young people will be voting for the first time. A lot of people are likely to return from abroad to just vote. The Awami League has been banned from contesting the elections so how can we call this a free and fair elections? We can't. But this is the decision that the interim government of Bangladesh run by Yunus has taken. The BNP (Bangladesh Nationalist Party) says that it is not a party to that decision, but it is Professor Yunus's government that has taken the call. So they lay the blame on Professor Yunus. Historically, India never had good relations with the BNP, especially with the late Khaleeda Zia, its leader. So, how you think things will change on the ground? For the last 15 years India had a good run with the Bangladesh government when Sheikh Hasina was running the country. BNP was in an on and off relations with India. 'Jamaat inspired by Muslim Brotherhood' BNP is a mainstream party and is not a party like the Jamaat-e-Islami, which has a regressive streak in its DNA. The Jamaat derives inspiration from the Muslim Brotherhood of Egypt. Therefore, India would like the BNP to come to power (rather than the Jamaat-e-Islami). IMAGE: Bangladesh Nationalist Party supporters chant slogans at an election rally in Dhaka, January 28, 2026. Photograph: Mohammad Ponir Hossain/Reuters Didn't the BNP take an anti-India stance in the past when it ruled Bangladesh? Yes, they did. Between 2001 and 2006, they were in coalition with the Jamaat-e-Islami. The Jamaat was then considered an out and out anti-India party. They also opposed the liberation of Bangladesh in 1971. Their view on women's role in Bangladeshi society is very regressive and that is anathema to India. Many senior Bangladeshi elements in society feel Bangladesh will fall into anarchy if the Jamaat becomes an important part of a future government or has disproportionate influence in the government. 'Hindus live in fear' What about the Hindus of Bangladesh? Are they in a very vulnerable state now? We read every day about attacks on them. I did not go out of Dhaka as I had limited time. But, yes, they are under attack and are living in fear. Jamaat leaders brush off the allegations or whitewash it by saying Hindus are attacked in Bangladesh because they are supporters or office-bearers of the Awami League at the local level. They are not attacked as Hindus. Is that an excuse? Maybe, but the fact is they (Hindus) are under siege in Bangladesh currently. How are Hindus living in Bangladesh now? They are living in fear and hoping for the best that the Jamaat does not come to power or become a power unto themselves. What is the truth about the Jamaat's popularity? There is no doubt that the most discussed subject in Bangladesh today is the resurgence of the Jamaat. Jamaat leaders told me that they may swing a surprise in the elections given the resurgence and traction they are getting in Bangladesh. The most educated people and saner elements are very uncomfortable if this happens. They live in fear that the Jamaat will come to power. Bangladeshis value their language, their culture and the secular nature of society. Therefore, they are afraid that Bangladesh should not turn out to be a regressive society. 'It is the West who back the Jamaat in Bangladesh' IMAGE: A wall full of election campaign posters in Dhaka, January 28, 2026. Photograph: Mohammad Ponir Hossain/Reuters India can do business with the Taliban in Afghanistan, so why not with the Jamaat in Bangladesh in the future? Jamaat is keen, but from the Indian side, India has made it clear that it is not likely to see the Jamaat as a friendly neighbour as their policy does not gel with India's. As far as Afghanistan is concerned, India says it is dealing with the Taliban because they are Pakistan's nemesis. It is strategic and political expediency. Does the Jamaat not know that it was Pakistani forces that raped Bangladeshi women and killed their men during the liberation war? Jamaat was complicit in it. They have never apologised for their reprehensible role. Moreover, they are known to be opposed to any prominent role for women. Their chief has said that women are unfit for leadership because they are made differently. Their stand is clearly anathema to a large population of Bangladesh. On the other hand, Jamaat says that a large section of the Bangladesh population supports them because they are untested and uncorrupt. They say they are a disciplined party and therefore they will rule Bangladesh in a better way and give good governance. Who is backing the Jamaat internationally? Not so surprisingly, it is the West who back the Jamaat in Bangladesh. It is the USA and the UK who are pulling the strings in Bangladesh right now. I have written an article (external link) on this. What advantage can the Jamaat bring to the US and UK? They see the Jamaat as easy to manipulate and handle rather than an established and bigger political party like the BNP. They tried with the BNP, but they did not get that comfort level they wanted. Therefore, they have chosen to fund and encourage the Jamaat and use Bangladesh as a base against China in the neighbourhood. What about Bangladeshi society that fought for a secular Bangladesh in 1971? To my knowledge, they constitute a larger majority of people of Bangladesh. But most of them are silent and living in dread because Jamaat people have made inroads into the lower echelons of the police or bureaucracy. And nobody wants to confront them or criticise the Jamaat openly. Why does India get dragged into controversy in Bangladesh? This happens to any big power in any region of the world. 'India became an easy target because...' In this case because India had chosen to support the Awami League through all these years and they very clearly said which side they were on. We never kept in touch with the other side, so India became an easy target. They play up in Bangladesh that India was more pro-Awami League rather than pro-Bangladesh. What about the opinion on the street? I have been going to Bangladesh on and off from 1986 and for the first time I saw fear among the people. Bangladeshis are very loud and openly express their opinion. This time, however, I saw that they were very cautious and not willing to be quoted or to speak on camera. IMAGE: A soldier checks documents of motorcyclists ahead of the national election in Gopalganj, Bangladesh, February 2, 2026. Photograph: Mohammad Ponir Hossain/Reuters They feel that if the Jamaat comes to power, then it will be the nemesis of Bangladeshi secular society, but nobody was openly willing to talk on this issue. They have resigned themselves to fate by stating if the Jamaat has to come they have to come. That is the sad part I noticed on my visit. What about the media? Newspaper owners and a lot of journalists were mostly Awami League supporters in the past or had fallen out with them. But none of them want to speak against the Jamaat. Do you feel Sheikh Hasina and Indian intelligence failed to see that the situation would go so bad in Bangladesh? Hasina became overconfident and arrogant during her rule. 'India didn't anticipate such upsurge' Our agencies surely knew about the deteriorating situation in Bangladesh and the increasing opposition to her, but clearly India didn't anticipate such a kind of upsurge. We could have done nothing much because India thought of extending its good run with Hasina as that was the only option. The other option was not acceptable to New Delhi, like hobnobbing with the Jamaat or other non-secular forces in Bangladesh. Do you think it is good policy to keep Sheikh Hasina in India? Do we officially admit that she is in India? Yes, we admit she stays in India. We have never abandoned our friends. Take the Dalai Lama. He has been living here for the last 60 years. She has the right to be here, although the Bangladeshi interim government keeps demanding her and her followers' repatriation. That is a problem and right now things are in a mess. Can we say Bangladesh is a divided society now? Not divided, but a society living in fear. The core element or support of the Jamaat -- may be 5 to 10 per cent -- may be intact, but they are going all out to woo or force others by allurement or fear to support them. The more dominant streak of secular forces are not very vocal or vehemently pushing back against the Jamaat, which allows the Jamaat to create a narrative that they are on the upswing. 'They are rewriting the history of Bangladesh' IMAGE: Images of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Sheikh Hasina'S father, are displayed at the Bangabandhu Gate in Gopalganj, Bangladesh, February 2, 2026. Photograph: Mohammad Ponir Hossain/Reuters What about Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, who led his country to independence from Pakistan's clutches? Today they have completely erased his memory from Bangladesh. It is the fault of Professor Yunus who as interim head of the country allowed Mujib's memorial to be vandalised. They are also changing textbooks from where Mujib's name is being erased. They are also denying the history or what happened during the Liberation War. Does it mean the new government will not even teach future generations of Bangladeshis as to how they got independence from Pakistan? No, they will not teach that, they will likely change the textbooks. That is the sad part. They are rewriting the history of Bangladesh. A tragic school shooting in Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia, has left ten dead, including the suspected gunman, prompting an ongoing investigation by Canadian authorities. Kindly note that this image has been posted for representational purposes only. Photograph: @rcmpgrcpolice/X Key Points The Royal Canadian Mounted Police are investigating the possibility of a second suspect in the British Columbia school shooting. Multiple fatalities were discovered at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School and a related residence. Tumbler Ridge schools were placed under lockdown following the deadly school shooting incident. The remote community of Tumbler Ridge is reeling from the tragic school shooting event. A tragic shooting at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School in rural northeast British Columbia has left 10 people dead, including the suspect, CBC News reported, marking one of the deadliest incidents in the region's recent history. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police confirmed that six people were found dead inside the high school. Another person died on the way to hospital, and two more were discovered at a residence believed to be connected to the incident. The shooter was confirmed dead earlier this afternoon from what police described as a "self-inflicted injury." CBC News reported that two people were airlifted to hospital with serious or life-threatening injuries, while another 25 are being assessed for non-life-threatening injuries at the local medical centre. Mark Carney 'devastated' after deadly shooting Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has expressed profound sorrow following the shooting at a high school in Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia. Six people were found dead inside the school, while one person died on the way to the hospital after the incident on Tuesday. "I am devastated by today's horrific shootings in Tumbler Ridge, B.C. My prayers and deepest condolences are with the families and friends who have lost loved ones to these horrific acts of violence," the Prime Minister said in a statement on X. Carney emphasised the nation's strength during difficult times, saying, Our ability to come together in crisis is the best of our country our empathy, our unity, and our compassion for each other. "The Government of Canada stands with all British Columbians as they confront this horrible tragedy," he added. Police search homes and properties Police stated they do not believe there are any other suspects or any ongoing risk to the public. Officers are searching other homes and properties in the community to check for anyone else who may be injured or linked to the incident. Additional RCMP officers, including those from the Major Crime Unit, are being deployed to assist with the investigation. Authorities are working with the local school district to reunite students with their parents and guardians. "This was a rapidly evolving and dynamic situation, and the swift co-operation from the school, first responders, and the community played a critical role in our response," North District Chief Supt. Ken Floyd wrote in a statement. "Our thoughts are with the families, loved ones, and all those impacted by this tragic incident. This has been an incredibly difficult and emotional day for our community, and we are grateful for the co-operation shown as officers continue their work to advance the investigation," the statement added. CBC News noted that the Tumbler Ridge Health Centre was placed on restricted access during the response, with non-urgent visits discouraged. Normal operations are set to resume tomorrow at 9 am MT. Woman in dress with brown hair is prime suspect The incident began when RCMP responded to an active shooter report at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School around 1:20 pm local time. An emergency alert described the suspect as a woman in a dress with brown hair, and police later confirmed this matched the person found deceased. Tumbler Ridge, a small community of about 2,400 residents located roughly 660 kilometres northeast of Vancouver, has a secondary school with around 160 students. School District 59 initiated a "hold and secure" lockdown at both the secondary and elementary schools. CBC News quoted Tumbler Ridge Mayor Darryl Krakowka as saying he was sheltering in place and would provide updates as more information became available. RCMP Staff Sgt. Kris Clark reiterated that the described suspect was the one found dead, though details on identity or age have not yet been released. The District of Tumbler Ridge described the event as a "deeply distressing incident" and urged residents to follow official RCMP updates. "In the days ahead, we know this will be difficult for many to process," the district stated. "Please check in on one another, lean on available supports, and know that Tumbler Ridge is a strong and caring community. We will get through this together." Police are investigating "the full circumstances surrounding this incident," with no further details on motive or victims released so far. Donald Trump claims his use of tariffs prevented a nuclear war between India and Pakistan, a claim India has repeatedly refuted. IMAGE: Donald Trump has claimed credit for stopping the India-Pakistan conflict for more that 80 times since May 10 last year. Photograph: Evelyn Hockstein/Reuters Key Points Trump stated that Pakistan's Prime Minister credited him with saving lives by stopping the conflict. India has consistently denied any third-party intervention in its disputes with Pakistan. India launched Operation Sindoor on May 7 last year, targeting terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir in retaliation for the April 22 Pahalgam attack that killed 26 civilians. United States President Donald Trump repeated the claim that he stopped the war between India and Pakistan last year, which he said could have turned nuclear, through tariffs. "I settled eight wars. Of the eight wars, at least six were settled because of tariffs. In other words, I said, 'if you don't settle this war, I'm going to charge you tariffs, because I don't want to see people getting killed," Trump said in an interview to Fox Business Tuesday. Trump's new claim "And they said, 'Well, what does this have to do?' I said, 'you're going to be charged'. Like India and Pakistan. It would have been a nuclear war, in my opinion. They were really going at it, 10 planes were shot down. They were going at it," Trump said. He added that the Prime Minister of Pakistan said, 'President Trump saved at least 10 million lives when he got us to stop fighting'. Because they were going to go nuclear, (in) my opinion. Without tariffs, that wouldn't happen," Trump said. India says no third-party intervention to stop conflict with Pakistan Trump has claimed credit for stopping the India-Pakistan conflict for more that 80 times since May 10 last year, when he announced on social media that the two neighbours had agreed to a "full and immediate" ceasefire after talks mediated by Washington. India has consistently denied any third-party intervention. India launched Operation Sindoor on May 7 last year, targeting terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir in retaliation for the April 22 Pahalgam attack that killed 26 civilians. Rohit Pawar pointed out that Ajit Pawar had changed plans, sparking speculation and the crux of the suspicion lies in the final 24 hours before the crash IMAGE: The wreckage of the aircraft at the crash site at Baramati, January 27, 2026. Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and four others on board died in the crash. Photograph: ANI Photo Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchand Pawar) leader Rohit Pawar on Tuesday raised questions about the circumstances surrounding Ajit Pawar's plane crash, suggesting it might be a conspiracy. Key Points Rohit Pawar highlighted the atmosphere of suspicion, grief, and political intrigue currently surrounding these events in Maharashtra According to him, a series of last-minute changes suggested a deviation from the original plan He also claimed a high-stakes meeting with a "big leader" that may have altered his travel itinerary at the eleventh hour "Entire Maharashtra is questioning whether Ajit Dada's plane crash was an accident or a conspiracy? I am sharing with you all what I feel. Some people are still expecting Dada to come from somewhere. Some say 6 people were in the aircraft, it was not Ajit Dada's dead body, it still feels like a nightmare," he said while holding a press conference on the Baramati air crash. Rohit Pawar highlighted the atmosphere of suspicion, grief, and political intrigue currently surrounding these events in Maharashtra. He mentioned an investigation into the accident, citing a book that suggests killing a person's driver is an easy way to target them. Rohit Pawar pointed out that former Maharashtra deputy Chief Minister and NCP Chief Ajit Pawar had changed plans, sparking speculation. The crux of the suspicion lies in the final 24 hours before the crash. According to Rohit Pawar, a series of last-minute changes suggested a deviation from the original plan. He claimed that Ajit Pawar was reportedly scheduled to travel from Mumbai to Pune by car the evening before the crash. The security convoy had already begun its manoeuvres, yet "Dada" (Ajit Pawar) never stepped into the vehicle. He also claimed a high-stakes meeting with a "big leader" that may have altered his travel itinerary at the eleventh hour. "Ajit Pawar's plane crash could be a part of the conspiracy. We also investigated some things about Ajit Pawar's accident. A book states that if you want to kill a person, the easiest way is to kill that person's driver. The day before the accident, Dada was supposed to come to Pune from Mumbai by car in the evening. At that time, the convoy had also started. But why did Dada not leave by car? Ajit Dada was supposed to meet a big leader," said Rohit Pawar. Ajit Pawar died in a plane crash on January 27 in Maharashtra's Baramati. According to DGCA, five people, including the crew, on board the chartered plane flying from Mumbai, Maharashtra, to Baramati, died after a crash-landing occurred at the runway threshold in Baramati. On February 7, the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation are making rapid progress in probing the fatal crash of a chartered Learjet 45 that killed Ajit Pawar, along with his personal security officer, the pilot, co-pilot, and flight attendant near Baramati Airport. Union Minister of State for Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol confirmed that the black box from the ill-fated aircraft has been successfully recovered and is under analysis. Speaking to the media, MoS Mohol stated, "The black box has been recovered, and the AAIB team and the DGCA are working on it. I believe the data will be downloaded as soon as possible. Some analysis will be done, an inquiry will be held, and after that, I think the preliminary report will also be released." He highlighted that a detailed inquiry is underway, with the preliminary report expected shortly after completion of initial data analysis and assessments. He shared that investigation teams comprising three officers each from the AAIB and the DGCA's Mumbai Regional Office arrived at the crash site on the day of the incident, and the Director General of AAIB also visited the site the same day to oversee initial proceedings. "The probe is being conducted in accordance with Rules 5 and 11 of the AAIB Rules, 2025, to ensure a comprehensive and expeditious examination of the circumstances leading to the loss of control during the aircraft's attempted landing amid reported poor visibility," Mohol said. Authorities have stressed that the investigation remains ongoing and that no premature conclusions should be drawn until the analysis is complete. The black box data is expected to provide critical insights into the sequence of events. No foul play in plane crash, but probe needed: Athawale Union Minister Ramdas Athawale on Tuesday ruled out sabotage in the plane crash that killed Ajit Pawar and four others last month, but demanded a thorough investigation and fixing of accountability. Responding to various doubts raised by NCP-SP MLA and late Ajit Pawar's nephew, Rohit Pawar, regarding the plane crash, the RPI-A chief said he didn't think there was any foul play. "We demand a detailed investigation into the crash. Some people are expressing doubts about a possible sabotage angle, but I do not think there was any foul play. Sharad Pawar saheb himself clarified on the same day that it was an accident," Athawale told reporters. He demanded a detailed investigation and action against the responsible officials. "The pilot should have avoided landing at the airport and instead flown to Pune," he added. Photo: https://www.president.gov.ua/ Ukraine has yet to receive a response from Russia regarding an energy ceasefire, and instead continues to receive missile attacks, indicating that the Russians are not ready for the one, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated. "We haven't received a response from the Russians regarding an energy ceasefire. On the contrary, it must be said, we've received a response in the form of drones and missile attacks. Therefore, this suggests that they are not ready for the energy ceasefire proposed by the American side in Abu Dhabi. For now," Zelenskyy told reporters on Wednesday. According to the president, the American side proposed a meeting in Miami next week. Ukraine immediately confirmed its readiness, but Russia is hesitant. "We are ready. It doesn't matter to us whether we meet in Miami or Abu Dhabi, as long as we get results," he emphasized. While Sena-UBT leader Sanjay Raut squarely blamed the Congress for the 'mess' it created, and said it should be 'ashamed' of not being able to occupy power in Chandrapur despite emerging as the single largest party, the grand old party hit back in the same words and also sought an explanation from the ally. IMAGE: Shiv Sena-UBT MP Sanjay Raut. Photograph: Sansad TV/ANI Video Grab Key Points Shiv Sena-UBT supported the BJP in Chandrapur mayoral elections, leading to a BJP mayor despite Congress having the most seats. Congress leaders are blaming Shiv Sena-UBT for the BJP victory, questioning their commitment to the Maha Vikas Aghadi. Sanjay Raut of Shiv Sena-UBT blamed internal divisions withing the Congress for the situation. Congress leaders claim Sena-UBT betrayed the MVA alliance by supporting the BJP for political gain. The Chandrapur election results raise questions about the stability and unity of the MVA in Maharashtra. Maha Vikas Aghadi allies Shiv Sena-Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray and the Congress on Wednesday engaged in a bitter war of words over the turn of events in Maharashtra's Chandrapur civic body, in which the former supported rival Bharatiya Janata Party in the mayoral elections a day ago. While Sena-UBT leader Sanjay Raut squarely blamed the Congress for the 'mess' it created, and said it should be 'ashamed' of not being able to occupy power in Chandrapur despite emerging as the single largest party, the grand old party hit back in the same words and also sought an explanation from the ally. The faction-riven Congress on Tuesday suffered a major embarrassment after a surprise alliance between rivals Sena-UBT and the BJP led to the election of a BJP mayor in Chandrapur Municipal Corporation, despite the grand old party being in a position to claim the post. BJP's Sangeeta Khandekar won the mayoral election by a single vote, defeating Congress candidate Vaishali Mahadule, with the Thackeray-led party extending support to the saffron party. Sena-UBT corporator Prashant Danav was elected deputy mayor. The development raised serious questions over Opposition unity and the viability of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA). Chandrapur is one of the few municipal corporations where the Congress had emerged as the largest party and was poised to secure the mayor's post. However, deep internal divisions between factions led by Vijay Wadettiwar and Pratibha Dhanorkar handed an opening to the BJP. Blame Game Erupts Raut on Wednesday sought to blame the Congress for the 'mess'. He said the Congress should be "ashamed" of not being able to occupy power in Chandrapur despite emerging as the single largest party, and added that there was no point in blaming his party for the political twist. Talking to reporters in New Delhi, Raut said the move by the Sena-UBT corporators to back the BJP in the mayoral polls was taken at the local level and not by the party leadership. While the BJP shares power with the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena and the Nationalist Congress Party in the Mahayuti government in the state, the Sena-UBT, Sharad Pawar's Nationalist Congress Party-Sharadchandra Pawar and the Congress are constituents of the Opposition MVA. Raut said Uddhav Thackeray had given clear instructions to the party functionaries in Chandrapur not to help the BJP in any way even if that meant sitting in the Opposition. "Still due to Congress' mess, local (Shiv Sena-UBT) leaders have taken the decision. This does not mean we have joined hands with the BJP," the Rajya Sabha member said. He said the Congress should be ashamed that despite having the highest number of corporators, they could not win power in Chandrapur. In the elections held for the 66-member civic body last month, the Congress emerged as the single largest party with 27 seats, followed closely by the BJP with 23. The Sena-UBT won six seats, the Bharatiya Shetkari Kamgar Paksh-Janvikas Sena three, the Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi two, while the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen, the Bahujan Samaj Party and the Shiv Sena secured one seat each. Two Independents were also elected. "Who is responsible for this? This should be probed at the highest level. There is no point blaming the Shiv Sena (UBT)," Raut said. He further said the VBA and the AIMIM did not back the Congress in mayoral polls because there was no unanimity in the party. Congress Responds Talking to PTI, state Congress president Harshwardhan Sapkal said the Shiv Sena (UBT) should answer why it gave a free hand to its corporators to vote for the BJP. "Our corporators stayed united and didn't cross vote. If you had an issue about our infighting, you could have abstained or remained absent during the voting for mayor's post," he said. Sapkal said the Congress was in touch with the Shiv Sena (UBT) leadership, who assured that at no point its corporators will vote for the BJP. Congress spokesperson Atul Londhe told PTI that the Shiv Sena (UBT) should be ashamed of itself as it pretends to be against the BJP, but at the same time supports it for the sake of power. The police said Kamruddin convinced the three victims to perform a special pooja for 'dhanvarsha' and instructed them to arrange Rs 2 lakh in cash along with liquor and cold drinks for the ritual. IMAGE: The accused, Kamruddin alias Baba, has been arrested by the Delhi police. Photograph: ANI video grab Key Points The accused, Kamruddin alias Baba, lured victims with promises of wealth through tantric rituals before administering the poison. Police investigation revealed the victims were in contact with Kamruddin and visited him in the days leading up to their deaths. Kamruddin has a history of similar crimes, with previous murder cases registered against him in Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh. The investigation is ongoing to identify any potential accomplices involved in the poisoning deaths. A 72-year-old occult practitioner has been arrested for allegedly killing three people here by feeding them poison-laced ladoos in the name of performing a ritual promising 'dhanvarsha', a windfall, police said on Wednesday. Accused Kamruddin alias Baba, a resident of Uttar Pradesh's Firozabad, was operating so-called tantric centres in Loni and Firozabad, and was wanted in two murder cases registered in Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh. "He was apprehended following a detailed technical and field investigation. He was involved in a well-planned conspiracy to eliminate the victims and rob them of cash and valuables," Deputy Commissioner of Police (Outer) Sachin Sharma said. Baba promised windfall via tantric rituals The officer said Kamruddin lured his targets by promising them a windfall gain of around Rs 2-3 crore in exchange for Rs 2 lakh through tantric rituals. After gaining their confidence, he allegedly administered poison mixed in ladoos and made them have liquor and soft drinks, before fleeing with their money once they fell unconscious. "The case came to light on February 8 when a PCR call was received at the Paschim Vihar East police station regarding three people, including a woman, lying unconscious in a car," the officer said. A police team rushed to the spot and found an elderly man in the driver's seat, another man who was taken out of the vehicle by passersby and a woman lying inside the car. "All three were shifted to the Sanjay Gandhi Memorial Hospital, where doctors declared them brought dead. During the inspection of the vehicle, police found liquor bottles, soft drink bottles, empty glasses, mobile phones, cash, helmets, jackets, Aadhaar cards and other personal belongings and documents," Sharma said. How police traced Kamruddin The three were identified as Randhir (76), a resident of Baprola, Shiv Naresh (42), a property dealer from Nagli Dairy, and Laxmi (40), a resident of Jahangirpuri, he said. The family members of the deceased ruled out suicide and expressed suspicion over the circumstances of their deaths, prompting police to initiate an investigation. Police said technical surveillance and an analysis of call detail records revealed that all three were in touch with Kamruddin in the days leading up to the incident and had visited Loni first on the day before the incident and then again on the day they were found dead. The victims picked Kamruddin up around 12 noon and he was in the car a few minutes after the vehicle got stationary at 3:02 pm. Police found that one more person was in the car when the three were returning to Delhi. "Further analysis established that the person was Kamruddin, who had boarded the vehicle in Loni and later, abandoned it at the place where it was found," the officer said. The DCP said after he was apprehended, Kamruddin tried to mislead the investigators but failed to provide satisfactory explanations about his movements. On sustained questioning, he disclosed that around two months ago, Laxmi was introduced to him through Salim, a resident of Jahangirpuri. Laxmi subsequently introduced Shiv Naresh and Randhir to him. Kamruddin habitual offender: Police Police said Kamruddin convinced the three victims to perform a special pooja for 'dhanvarsha' and instructed them to arrange Rs 2 lakh in cash, along with liquor and soft drinks, for the ritual. On the day of the incident, he allegedly prepared poison-laced ladoos and accompanied the three in a car from Loni to Delhi. During the journey, he offered them liquor, cold drinks and the poisoned sweets as part of the 'ritual'. "According to his disclosure, the victims started feeling unwell after consuming the poison-laced ladoos and drinks and eventually, lost consciousness. He then took the cash and fled," the officer said. Police said evidence corroborated Kamruddin's presence in the car at the relevant time. CCTV footage obtained from the route, electronic surveillance and the location data also supported the sequence of events reconstructed by the investigators. The officer said Kamruddin is a habitual offender and was previously involved in two murder cases in Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh. "He was earlier booked in 2014 under sections 143, 363 and 302 of the IPC at the Raja Khera police station in Dholpur in Rajasthan. He was also named in another FIR in 2025 under sections 103(1) and 123 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita at the Makhkhanpur police station in Firozabad in Uttar Pradesh," the officer added. A case has been registered at the Paschim Vihar East police station. Further investigation is in progress to identify any possible accomplices. Political analysts are expressing skepticism about the fairness and potential for manipulation in the upcoming Bangladesh general election, raising concerns about voter participation and the influence of money and power. IMAGE: Election campaign posters hang on wires a day ahead of the national election in Dhaka, on February 11, 2026. Photograph: Mohammad Ponir Hossain/Reuters Key Points Analysts express concerns about potential manipulation and fairness in the upcoming Bangladesh general election. The absence of the Awami League creates a unique dynamic between the BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami. Uncertainties remain regarding voter participation and the influence of money and power in the election process. Analysts fear potential instability and challenges in the post-election period. The role and influence of the disbanded Awami League and its supporters will significantly impact the election outcome. Leading political analysts on Wednesday expressed skepticism as Bangladesh is set to hold general election on Thursday under an interim regime in a changed political landscape, with some cautious about 'uncertainties' and 'manipulation' over polling. Bangladesh will hold its 13th parliamentary elections on Thursday -- the first since the ouster of prime minister Sheikh Hasina's Awami League in massive student protests in August 2024. The centre-right Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) pitted against its longtime ally, far-right Jamaat-e-Islami, in the absence of now disbanded Hasina's Awami League in the election described by Interim government chief Muhammad Yunus in his last nationwide address overnight as the best and most historic election. Concerns Over Election Integrity "But uncertainties remain over what kind of election it will be," said prominent economist and political analyst Debapriya Bhattacharya, who headed a major committee of the outgoing interim administration on the corruption of the ousted Awami League regime. Asked if Yunus' promise of a 'new settlement for a new Bangladesh by pushing a reset button', Bhattacharya said and added, 'but the gap is being seen' in the candidate selection process, doubts about voter participation and old practices -- money, muscle and influence -- again becoming dominant. Yunus might have an aspiration, but there is a gap in 'aspiration and capability and we are feeling that gap every day', Bhattacharya, the founding executive director and currently a distinguished fellow of leading think tank Centre for Policy Dialogue, said. "There are still many uncertainties: Will everyone be able to vote freely? If they do, will their votes be properly counted? So, we cannot judge until the entire process is over," he told PTI. Bhattacharya said the interim government knew that authoritarian power concentration within the ruling party and 'family-based politics' had crippled the state -- yet they did not address this structurally. Leading TV talk show host and executive director of Centre for Governance Studies (CGS) Zillur Rahman echoed the sentiment as he said most people expected the election to see the end of the interim government, which could not deliver its promised reforms. "My fear centres around what would be the scenario of the election day and post election period," he said. Rahman said despite its stigmas since 1971 -- opposing Bangladesh's independence from Pakistan -- Jamaat was able to create a space largely, 'visibly with interim government's backing and western support for geopolitical reasons, using its regimented party structure'. "But if the voter turnout is high, BNP could win but if it is low, Jamaat could benefit," Rahman told PTI. Explaining the BNP weakness, a former BNP lawmaker preferring anonymity said, BNP's new chairman Tarique Rahman's 'family oriented politics' could be a disadvantage for the party as his physician wife and lawyer daughter are portrayed as important figures giving Jamaat an edge. "(Yet), I think, the people of Bangladesh have not turned so crazy to vote for a party (Jamaat) which was opposed to the very foundation of the country," pointed out Sabir Mostafa, political affairs writer and former chief of Bangla service of BBC and Voice of Bangla services. But, he said, the issue of 'election manipulation' remained as a real fear factor. Most analysts, however, said the disbanded Awami League, despite its current political wilderness, commands a huge support and their role would largely influence the voting. Hasina, who is in exile in India since her ouster, encouraged her party supporters and activists to boycott voting, but most analysts said a significant segment from her lot would cast their ballots because of ground level realities, including security concerns. According to newspaper reports, local Awami leaders, who were exposed to persecution for the past 18 months, appeared on BNP election campaign stages chanting their party's 'Joy Bangla, Joy Bangabandhu' slogans and extending support for BNP candidates at places. In some other areas, they were trying to woo Jamaat while in both cases they sought to ensure security of their life and livelihood in the post August 5, 2024 period, the media report said. The analysts, however, said a large number of Awami League supporters would boycott the voting being led by a sense of disfranchisement. Jon Danilowicz, former deputy head of the US mission in Dhaka, called the election as a 'real test' of the country's political class. 'The real test of Bangladesh's political class will take place on February 13. Will they be able to accept the verdict of Bangladesh's voters and play their respective roles in helping to build a new Bangladesh? If not, then the odds of history repeating itself will rise,' Danilcowicz, who still keenly follows and comments on Bangladesh's political affairs, said in a post on X over the weekend. Bangladesh is holding crucial parliamentary elections with heightened security as the nation navigates a pivotal moment in its political landscape. IMAGE: Members of the Bangladesh Army direct traffic at a temporary checkpoint, a day ahead of the national election in Dhaka, on February 11, 2026. Photograph: Fatima Tuj Johora/Reuters Key Points Bangladesh is holding parliamentary elections after an interim government took over, marking a significant political transition. Unprecedented security measures are in place, with nearly one million personnel deployed to ensure peaceful elections. The main contest is between the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and Jamaat-e-Islami, following the disbanding of the Awami League. The Election Commission has reaffirmed its commitment to a free, fair, and impartial election, with international observers monitoring the process. New technologies like drones and body-worn cameras are being used for enhanced election security and monitoring. Bangladesh will hold its crucial parliamentary elections on Thursday, 18 months after an interim government took charge following the collapse of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's 15-year-old regime in massive nationwide protests. The Election Commission has made elaborate security arrangements, deploying nearly one million security personnel -- the largest-ever in the country's electoral history. The 13th Parliamentary elections are being held simultaneously along with a referendum on a complex 84-point reform package. The contest is mainly between the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and its once ally Jamaat-e-Islami, in the absence of Hasina's now disbanded Awami League. Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus' interim government last year disbanded the Awami League and barred it from contesting the polls. The voting will begin simultaneously in 299 parliamentary constituencies across the country from 7.30 am and will continue until 4.30 pm. Voting in one constituency has been cancelled due to the death of a candidate. A total of 1,755 candidates from 50 political parties and 273 independents are contesting in the election. The BNP has fielded the highest number of 291 candidates. There are 83 female candidates. "All of you should exercise your respective voting rights consciously...," Chief Adviser Yunus said in a message on Wednesday. Yunus, who has promised to quickly transfer power to the elected government, urged the political parties, candidates and other concerned parties to maintain restraint, tolerance and democratic behaviour on the polling day. "The countrymen, through this national election, will elect people's representatives, who are competent, responsible and respectful of the people's aspirations," he said. Mentioning that a free, fair, impartial and acceptable election is the foundation of a democratic state, he said the present interim government is fully committed to achieving this goal ultimately. Extensive security measures in place for polls In a televised address to the nation, Chief Election Commissioner A M M Nasir Uddin called upon the voters to cast their votes freely. He urged political parties, candidates, and voters to maintain a peaceful and cordial environment. He said that as a natural outcome of the democratic process, victory and defeat must be accepted by all in a normal manner. Nasir earlier reaffirmed the Election Commission's commitment to holding a free, fair, impartial and acceptable election, saying all preparations have been made to ensure a peaceful and credible election. "The election will be completed as promised to the people," he said while briefing international observers and media representatives in the capital. All necessary materials, including ballot papers, have already been distributed to returning officers and are being centrally dispatched to respective constituencies, he said. "Extensive security and coordination arrangements are in place with the support of law enforcement agencies and the government," he added. He said that representatives from 45 countries and organisations, including election management bodies and international institutions, are observing the polls. "The participation of media and observers will play a significant role in ensuring maximum transparency and public trust in this election," he said. Election Commissioner Abdur Rahmanel Machud said nearly 900,000 law enforcement personnel have been deployed to ensure security during the election, state-run BSS news agency reported. Authorities have deployed Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs) and Rapid Action Teams (RATs) across key areas of the capital. "Security deployment is being made based on local sensitivity assessments," Election Commissioner Abul Fazal Mohammad Sanaullah told a media briefing late Tuesday. He said the poll body expected law enforcement agencies to ensure a peaceful atmosphere for voters during polling and after elections. 24,000 of 43,000 polling stations flagged as high or moderate risk Earlier, Inspector General of Police Baharul Alam said they found 24,000 out of nearly 43,000 polling centres across the country were 'high' or 'moderate' risk-prone election stations. Police said they provided a list of risk-prone polling centres to the EC, which showed that out of 2,131 polling centres in Dhaka, 1,614 were risk-prone. However, the army said they have identified two centres in Dhaka city to be 'risky'. For the first time, drones and body-worn cameras are being used for election security, Sanaullah said. "Around 25,000 body-worn cameras will be deployed on the field. Some of these are IP-based for live feed, while others will record locally. Moreover, for continuous monitoring, CCTV cameras have already been installed in over 90% of centres." He said voting will be held in a total of 42,659 centres. EC data showed that first-time voters made up some 3.58 per cent of nearly 127 million voters. Masud on Wednesday said the results of the general elections and the referendum will be announced without much delay. "The voting atmosphere is very good. A festive mood prevails. We are working in a well-planned manner. I hope the results will be published without significant delay," he told reporters. For the first time, nearly 800,000 expatriate Bangladeshis, who have registered with the poll body, will be able to vote through an IT-based postal ballot system. Opinion polls have positioned BNP as the frontrunner, with its chief Tarique Rahman, back from 17 years of exile in the United Kingdom, leading the charge for forming the next government. Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami chief Shafiqur Rahman on Wednesday said that his party would work to build "strong, respectful and mutually beneficial" relations with India if voted to power. "We seek positive relationships with our neighbouring countries and with friends around the world. India is our nearest neighbour, and it will remain a priority. Our goal is not to create conflict but to build partnerships for development and peace. Mutual respect and trust are essential," said the Jamaat leader, whose party is leading an 11-party alliance. The Centre on Wednesday told the Supreme Court that climate activist Sonam Wangchuk has been examined medically 24 times since his detention and he is 'fit, hale and hearty' and there is nothing alarming. IMAGE: AAP workers hold a candlelight march over the arrest of environmentalist Sonam Wangchuk at Jantar Mantar, in New Delhi, September 26, 2025. Photograph: ANI Photo Key Points The Supreme Court was informed that climate activist Sonam Wangchuk has been medically examined 24 times since his detention and is in good health. The Solicitor General stated that the grounds for Wangchuk's detention under the National Security Act (NSA) still exist, preventing his release on health grounds. The Additional Solicitor General argued that Wangchuk instigated violent protests, referencing examples like Nepal and the Arab Spring. Wangchuk's wife filed a habeas corpus petition, claiming his detention under the NSA was illegal and that he condemned the violence in Leh. The Supreme Court questioned the interpretation of Wangchuk's statements, noting he expressed concern about violent methods. The Centre on Wednesday told the Supreme Court that climate activist Sonam Wangchuk has been examined medically 24 times since his detention and he is 'fit, hale and hearty' and there is nothing alarming. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta told a bench of justices Aravind Kumar and P B Varale that grounds on which Wangchuk's detention order was passed continue and it will not be possible to release him on health grounds. "We have examined his health periodically for 24 times. He is fit, hale and hearty. He had some digestive issue, he is being treated. There is nothing to worry, nothing alarming. We can't make exceptions like this. "The grounds on which the detention order was passed, continues. It will not be possible to release him on health grounds. It may not be desirable also. We have given utmost consideration," Mehta told the bench. 'Wangchuk was a chief provocateur in the violent protests' During the hearing, Additional Solicitor General K M Nataraj submitted that Wangchuk was a chief provocateur in the violent protests and he instigated youths by giving examples of Nepal and Arab Spring. Nataraj stated that Wangchuk referred to the violent agitation in Nepal and said the same thing can happen in India. At this juncture, the bench asked, "Where does he say that? He is saying they (the youth) have taken it. He himself is surprised." The ASG replied that the statement has to be inferred. "Please come to next ground. He says deployment of armed forces in Ladakh is unfortunate. He says youth say peaceful methods have not proved effective," Nataraj said. The bench then observed, "He is saying that the youth is saying that. Read the complete sentence. He is saying this is something worrying. If somebody expresses that violent method is not the proper way. You are doing too much of reading." Wangchuk condemned the violence: Wife The top court was hearing a habeas corpus petition filed by Wangchuk's wife Gitanjali Angmo seeking to declare his detention under the National Security Act (NSA), 1980, as illegal. The NSA empowers the Centre and states to detain individuals to prevent them from acting in a manner 'prejudicial to the defence of India'. The maximum detention period is 12 months, though it can be revoked earlier. Angmo said the unfortunate events of violence in Leh on September 24 last year cannot be attributed to the actions or statements of Wangchuk in any manner. Wangchuk himself condemned the violence through his social media handles and categorically said violence would lead to the failure of Ladakh's 'tapasya' and peaceful pursuit of five years, Angmo said, adding it was the saddest day of his life. Union Minister Kiren Rijiju claimed that 20 to 25 Congress MPs had abused Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla in his chamber and they were not stopped by senior leaders K C Venugopal and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, who were present there. IMAGE: Union Minister Kiren Rijiju and Union MoS (IC) Arjun Ram Meghwal in Lok Sabha during the Budget Session, in New Delhi. Photograph: Sansad TV/ANI Video Grab Key Points Union Minister Kiren Rijiju alleges that 20-25 Congress MPs verbally abused Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla in his chamber, causing him distress. Rijiju claims senior Congress leaders, including K C Venugopal and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, were present and encouraged the MPs' behavior. The minister criticised Rahul Gandhi for insisting on discussing sensitive national security matters, specifically excerpts from General M M Naravane's unpublished memoir, in Parliament. The Lok Sabha has faced disruptions following Rahul Gandhi's attempt to discuss the India-China conflict based on the unpublished memoir. Opposition parties have initiated a process to remove Om Birla as Lok Sabha speaker, citing partisan behavior. Union Minister Kiren Rijiju on Wednesday claimed that 20 to 25 Congress MPs had abused Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla in his chamber and they were not stopped by senior leaders K C Venugopal and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, who were present there. The parliamentary affairs minister said that Birla was very hurt. The Lok Sabha speaker is a very lenient, else he could have taken strong action, he said. "Some members went to his chamber and abused (Birla). When 20-25 Congress MPs went to the speaker's chamber, I also went there. I just can't utter the kind of abuses they have hurled at the speaker," Rijiju told reporters in the Parliament House complex. He claimed that Venugopal, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and other senior Congress leaders were present in the chamber when the incident happened. "They were encouraging (the Congress MPs). Had our MPs misbehaved with anyone, our leader would stop them. But their leaders were egging on the MPs to quarrel," he alleged. Rijiju claimed the Congress MPs did not obey even the Speaker's rulings. "Then Rahul Gandhi said he does not need anyone's permission to speak (in Lok Sabha). He will speak as he pleases, irrespective of rules. This is on record," the minister told reporters. "You have to take permission from the chair. Unless the chair gives permission, no member can speak. Even the prime minister speaks with the permission of the chair," he pointed out. Difficult to make Rahul understand: Rijiju About Rahul Gandhi's insistence on speaking on the unpublished memoir of General M M Naravane (retired) in the Lok Sabha, Rijiju said conversations between the prime minister and the defence minister, the army chief and the defence minister or between the army chief and his junior officers can't be discussed in public. "If everything is to be discussed in public, how can you maintain the security for the nation?" he wondered. "The entire country can see how an MP is trying to use a very sensitive matter related to the country's security as an instrument to drive political mileage." The Union minister said it was a matter that should not be taken lightly, as it will not only demean Parliament but also the person raising it. "Gandhi should understand that he is an honourable member of Parliament. He owes a certain responsibility to the people of this country. You have the obligation to maintain the decorum of the House and also think about the interest of the nation," he said. The minister said it was difficult to make Rahul Gandhi understand the issues. "I don't know which world he lives in. But there are several sensible persons in the Congress, and they can make him understand that this is not the way Parliament should function. "You should not behave like a child on issues of the nation's security. Our country is very big. Security is a very big issue for us. It is not right to lower the dignity of someone for political mileage. Rahul Gandhi got exposed. I don't need to make any comment after he was exposed," Rijiju added. PM couldn't reply to debate on Motion of Thanks The Lok Sabha has been witnessing disruptions since February 2, after Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was disallowed by the chair from quoting from an article based on excerpts of Gen Naravane's unpublished memoir, which has references to the India-China conflict of 2020. On February 4, Prime Minister Narendra Modi could not reply to the debate on the Motion of Thanks on the President's address due to opposition protests. In an unprecedented move, the Motion of Thanks was passed on February 5 without the customary speech by the prime minister. The speaker read out the Motion of Thanks to the President for her address, and it was passed by a voice vote amid sloganeering by opposition members. Birla said he received concrete information that many Congress MPs could carry out an 'unexpected act' by reaching the spot where Modi sits, and, therefore, he asked him not to come to the House to deliver his address. Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra refuted the claim. Eight opposition members were suspended for the remainder of the Budget session for unruly behaviour in the House. Opposition parties on Tuesday put in motion the process to oust Birla as Lok Sabha speaker, alleging that he had acted in a 'blatantly partisan' manner in the House and prompting him to step aside from chairing the proceedings till the matter is settled. A labourer's tragic death after falling into an uncovered manhole in Delhi's Rohini highlights critical safety concerns and negligence in maintaining city infrastructure IMAGE: Kindly note that this image has been posted for representational purposes only. Photograph: ANI Photo Key Points According to the police, a PCR call was received at 2.36 pm on Tuesday regarding a missing person suspected to have fallen into the sewer. The incident occurred after the labourer, Birju Kumar Rai, allegedly fell into the manhole while intoxicated. Delayed reporting of the incident hampered immediate rescue efforts, leading to the recovery of the body the next day. The incident follows a similar death in Janakpuri, raising concerns about the safety and maintenance of sewer infrastructure in Delhi. Police are investigating the negligence of agencies responsible for maintaining sewer infrastructure in the area. Four days after a 25-year-old private bank employee died after falling into a pit dug by the Delhi Jal Board, a labourer died after falling into an uncovered manhole in the Begumpur area of Delhi's Rohini. The body of the labourer was recovered from a manhole after an overnight delay in reporting the incident, the police said on Tuesday. According to the police, a PCR call was received at 2.36 pm on Tuesday regarding a missing person suspected to have fallen into the sewer on vacant DDA land in Sector-32, Rohini. "A team from the Begumpur police station immediately rushed to the spot. The caller, Amir Hussain, a resident of Bihar, told the police that his friend Birju Kumar Rai (32), a labourer, was missing since Monday," a senior police officer said. During preliminary inquiry, another labourer, Budhan Das alias Suraj (33), informed the police that he and Birju had consumed alcohol on Monday night. He said that around 7.30 pm, while they were returning to their jhuggi located nearby, Birju lost balance and fell into an open manhole. The police said Das did not inform anyone about the incident at night as he was intoxicated. "He contacted Amir Hussain only on Tuesday afternoon after regaining his senses, following which the police control room was alerted," the officer said. After reaching the site, the police informed the fire brigade, the DDA and other agencies concerned, and a rescue operation was launched. The body of the victim was subsequently recovered from the open manhole with the assistance of the fire brigade. The body has been sent to the hospital for post-mortem examination and further legal proceedings are being carried out, the police said, adding that further investigation is underway. "We are checking CCTV footage. Further investigation is ongoing," the officer said. A friend of the deceased, Sunil Kumar, said that Rai died when he was returning home after having drinks with his friends and fell into the open manhole. He was accompanied by a person at the time, he said, adding that he might have accidentally slipped into the sewer. "We found one of his slippers inside the sewer. When we went closer to check and identify it, we realised that he must have fallen into the open manhole," he said. Just a day earlier, when he was with me, he said that he wanted to take his family to a doctor as they were unwell, Sunil added. This is entirely the government's fault. If the sewer had been properly covered, he would not have lost his life, he alleged. The incident comes close on the heels of the death of a 25-year-old private bank employee who fell into a pit allegedly dug by the Delhi Jal Board in west Delhi's Janakpuri area. The police have arrested two men in the Janakpuri case so far. The police said statements of witnesses are being recorded and the role of agencies responsible for maintaining the sewer infrastructure in the area is being examined. Deepak Kumar said his business has collapsed since he confronted Bajrang Dal activists protesting against a garment shop named 'Baba' and identified himself as 'Mohammad Deepak'. IMAGE: Kindly note that this image has been posted for representational purposes only. Photograph: Kind courtesy Deepak Kumar on Instagram Key Points Deepak said the ongoing tension has made his livelihood a casualty of the dispute. The dispute began when Bajrang Dal activists protested outside a clothing store named 'Baba', leading to clashes and police intervention. Tensions escalated after a video by the Hindu Raksha Dal threatened action against the gym owner, prompting increased vigilance by local authorities. The 'Hulk' gym in Uttarakhand's Kotdwara, once a bustling hub with over 150 members, has been deserted by all but a dozen regulars following a heated row over a shop name. Deepak Kumar, the 42-year-old owner, said his business has collapsed since he confronted Bajrang Dal activists protesting against a garment shop named 'Baba' and identified himself as 'Mohammad Deepak'. He said the ongoing tension has made his livelihood a casualty of the dispute. "Earlier, over 150 people used to train at my gym. Since this dispute began, the headcount has dwindled to just 12 or 15," Kumar told PTI, adding that regulars are staying away to avoid the friction. Clash Over Shop Name On January 26 when Bajrang Dal activists protested outside the 'Baba' clothing store on Patel Marg in Kotdwar to pressure its 70-year-old owner, Vakil Ahmed, to change the name of the shop. During the protest, clashes broke out between the activists, shop owner Vakil Ahmed, and his son's friend Deepak Kumar, after which Kumar, identifying himself as Mohammad Deepak, forced the protesters to retreat. On January 31, a larger group of activists again gathered outside Ahmed's shop and Kumar's gym, blocked the road and shouted slogans. However, police intervention prevented escalation. Three separate FIRs have been filed in connection with the incidents. Threats and Police Intervention Fresh concerns have emerged following a viral video by the Hindu Raksha Dal, in which a man could be seen threatening to march to Kotdwara on February 12 to "teach Deepak a lesson". Local authorities have maintained a strict vigil on the matter to prevent further escalation. Kotdwara Additional Superintendent of Police, Chandra Mohan Singh, said no one will be permitted to disturb peace or law and order in the town. He warned that any element trying to incite trouble would be dealt with sternly. An Indian couple from Gujarat was dramatically rescued from kidnappers in Azerbaijan after intervention by the Ministry of External Affairs. Kindly note that this image has been posted for representational purposes only. Photograph: Image by Freepik www.freepik.com Key Points The Indian Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) intervened after the couple's family contacted a Member of Parliament. The couple was rescued within 24 hours of the MEA's involvement and taken to the Indian Embassy in Baku. The kidnappers threatened to kill the couple if the ransom was not paid. A Lok Sabha MP urged youth to avoid illegal immigration routes and seek opportunities in Gujarat. A couple from Gujarat's Anand district was kidnapped and held hostage for ransom in Azerbaijan while en route to the United States, and was later rescued with the help of the Indian foreign ministry, the local Lok Sabha MP has said. Dhruv Patel and his wife Dipika have been released and are safe, thanks to the timely efforts of the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), Member of Parliament from Anand, Mitesh Patel said in a video statement. "Two days ago, parents of Dhruv Patel and Dipika Patel contacted me and told me that they were kidnapped in Azerbaijan. They said they (family members) received a video call in which people (kidnappers) from Azerbaijan demanded ransom for their release," the BJP MP said on Tuesday. The duo was kidnapped while on their way to the US with the help of agents who had promised them safe passage to America through illegal means, he informed. MEA Intervention and Rescue Operation When the couple's worried family members contacted Mitesh Patel's office for help, he made a high-level representation to the MEA and met External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Monday when he was in New Delhi for the ongoing Parliament session. The MEA contacted the Indian embassy in Azerbaijan and within 24 hours, both the kidnapped persons were rescued and brought to the embassy in Baku, the capital of the country in the South Caucasus region, Mitesh Patel said. "The kidnappers had threatened to kill the couple if they were not paid ransom. Our government worked very hard to bring them alive. I would like to appeal to the youth of Anand not to try to go abroad through such agents. Rather, work here. You will get the best opportunities here (in Gujarat)," the Lok Sabha MP said. He thanked the MEA and Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the government's efforts in rescuing the couple. His death leaves behind an elderly mother, his wife and three children all under the age of five. Image used only for representation. Photograph: ANI Photo Key Points Birju Kumar, 32, died after slipping into an uncovered manhole in Delhi. He was to return to Bihar with gifts for his children and money for his wife's treatment. The sole breadwinner, Birju leaves behind his elderly mother, wife and three children under five. Police have registered an FIR for causing death by negligence and are investigating the incident. The incident follows a similar recent fatal fall in Delhi. For 32-year-old Birju Kumar, Monday was meant to be a day of homecoming. After a year of hard labour as a carpenter in Delhi, he had collected his wages, bought new clothes for his three children and preparing to board a train to Bihar for his wife's medical treatment. Instead, a walk through a vacant plot in Rohin's Sector-32 turned fatal when he slipped into an uncovered manhole. His body was recovered from a sewer on the DDA land on Tuesday afternoon, ending the hopes of a family that relied entirely on his monthly earnings of Rs 13,000. The police were informed about the fall the same day at 2.36 pm. His death leaves behind an elderly mother, his wife and three children all under the age of five. His father passed away when he was three years old. Sunil Kumar, a friend who lent Birju Rs 1,500 for his journey, said the carpenter had been supporting his family since childhood following his father's early death. "Now there is no one else to support his family," Kumar told PTI. According to his friends, Birju had gone to a market in Begampur with another labourer on Monday morning to prepare for his trip. While returning, he allegedly slipped and fell into the open manhole. "Only God knows what happened. The person who was with him initially claimed Birju was kidnapped and started crying. We didn't take it seriously at first, thinking he might have gone somewhere and would return by morning," Sunil said. The next morning, Sunil said he received a call that Birju's phone was not reachable and he was missing. It was only on Tuesday afternoon that the man clarified Birju had fallen into the manhole "We called the police, rushed there and found Birju's slippers floating on the water," he said. The body was recovered after a three-hour operation involving water pumps and safety chains. Sunil alleged that the death was a direct result of official negligence, stating that the labourer would still be alive if the manhole had been properly covered. Begampur Police has registered a case under sections 285 (danger or obstruction in public way or line of navigation) and 106 (causing death by negligence) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). "We have filed an FIR against unknown persons. We are also investigating the matter and checking CCTV footage to track the movement of Birju and his friend. All angles are being examined," Additional Commissioner of Police (Rohini) Rajeev Ranjan said. The incident comes close on the heels of the death of a 25-year-old private bank employee who fell into a pit allegedly dug by the Delhi Jal Board in west Delhi's Janakpuri area. Photo: https://t.me/V_Zelenskiy_official Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy neither confirmed nor ruled out his participation in the Munich Security Conference (MSC), which will be held this year from February 13 to February 15. His participation was announced, emphasizing that the main subject of the event will be security, and that only increased pressure on Russia can lead to an end to the war in Ukraine. "If it works out, I'll be at the Munich Security Conference. My partners there always take this very seriously... Not only should there be meetingsseveral formats are importantbut they respect the situation Ukraine and, consequently, the Ukrainian president are in. So, I might attend the Munich Conference, or I might not. It depends. The main issue there is, frankly, security. Therefore, the situation in Ukraine is currently greatly impacting security in Europe. And Europe's future security depends greatly on Ukraine's security," Zelenskyy told reporters on Wednesday. Regarding the end of the war, he emphasized that it depends not only on Ukraine, but on America, which must apply pressure. "Sorry for saying 'must,' but there's no other way. Pressure must be put on Russia. If there's willingness not only from the Ukrainian side but also from the aggressor, we can end the fighting by summer. Why? Because the gradual nature of this process depends, first and foremost, on security guarantees for Ukrainians, on knowing that Russian aggression is impossible in the future, or that if it does, we won't be alone and will have strong defense. This security guarantee comes primarily from the United States, from strong military packages, so the signing of this agreement currently depends solely on the United States of America," the president said. Zelenskyy also mentioned the signing of a 20-point plan to end the war, where, according to him, "we need both the Americans and Europe's readiness to join these processes." "On the issue of the east of our country, part of our east, part of Donetsk regionwe currently have different views on territorial matters... If we find the opportunity, we will come up with a 20-point plan that must, first and foremost, respect Ukrainians. We will hold a referendum. You're asking about such a timeframeall of this can be accomplished by summer," the head of state emphasized. Regarding the possibility of the USA withdrawing from the negotiation process if a peace agreement cannot be reached within a certain period of time, he expressed his belief that this is not in their interests. "Why should we discuss the situation without the Americans? We're not the aggressor Russia is. We're not the one continuing the war Russia is. We're not the one who doesn't want to stop Russia isn't the one who doesn't want to stop yet. So why should the Americans withdraw from the process because of us? In my opinion, that's unfair. And I believe Trump will be able to force Putin to make some kind of compromise. And, frankly, I don't think withdrawing from this process is in our interests, or the Americans', or the Russians', interests," Zelenskyy said. Greer said the US has talked to India about oil purchases from Venezuela and added that before the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine IMAGE: Kindly note that the image has been posted for representational purposes only. Photograph: Bing Guan/Reuters India has already started "winding down" its purchases of Russian oil, and New Delhi is "ramping back up" buying energy from America and other sources, United States Trade Representative (USTR) Jamieson Greer said on Tuesday. Key Points In a call between Trump and Modi last week, India and the US reached a framework for an Interim Agreement on reciprocal trade Greer said the US has talked to India about oil purchases from Venezuela He said that India was refining oil from Russia and selling it to Europeans In a call between President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi last week, India and the US reached a framework for an Interim Agreement on reciprocal trade and reaffirmed their commitment to broader US-India Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA) negotiations. Trump also agreed to remove the punitive 25 percent tariff on imports from India in "recognition of India's commitment to stop purchasing" Russian oil. While responding to a question in an interview with Fox Business, whether India is really going to shift away from buying Russian oil, Greer said: "The short answer is yes. They've already started winding down their purchases of Russian energy products. They've started ramping back up purchases of American energy and energy from other sources." Greer said the US has talked to India about oil purchases from Venezuela and added that before the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, "the Indians did not really procure Russian oil. It's really an artefact of the Russia-Ukraine war and the discounted oil they could get." He said that India was refining oil from Russia and selling it to Europeans. "I mean, Europe and India essentially were underwriting Russia's war in Ukraine," he added. He said that India "is really committed. They've already started expanding some of their commitments with respect to purchases. Greer said that India has taken down some digital services taxes and is moving tariffs down. "This is going to be a really important deal, and it's going to reverberate for many years to come," he added. When asked about corporate America's worries about China and how it is looking for an off-ramp in terms of manufacturing, and whether India can provide that base for supply chains being taken out of China. Greer said, "They have a lot of folks there. They have manufacturing capacity. Of course, we want to make sure that American manufacturing is first and foremost. The American worker is first, but certainly to the extent we're going to import from other countries, India can be a good source as long as it's balanced and it's fair." Under the agreement, India will eliminate or reduce tariffs on all US industrial goods and a wide range of US food and agricultural products, including dried distillers' grains, red sorghum, tree nuts, fresh and processed fruit, certain pulses, soybean oil, wine and spirits, and additional products. Bing Guan/Reuters Lavrov's comments came two days after Russia accused the US of attempting to prevent India and other countries from buying Russian oil, saying Washington, DC was using a wide range of 'coercive' measures, including tariffs, sanctions and direct prohibitions. IMAGE: Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. Photograph: Alexander Zemlianichenko/Pool via Reuters/File Photo Key Points Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said no Indian leader, including Modi, has stated that India will stop purchasing Russian oil. Moscow alleged Washington, DC is using sanctions, tariffs and other 'coercive' measures to curb Russian oil trade with India and other BRICS nations. India said it will continue diversifying crude oil sources based on national interest, as it assumes BRICS chairmanship in 2026. Except United States President Donald Trump, nobody else has declared that India will stop buying Russian oil, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told the country's parliament Wednesday. Lavrov's comments came two days after Russia accused the US of attempting to prevent India and other countries from buying Russian oil, saying Washington, DC was using a wide range of 'coercive' measures, including tariffs, sanctions and direct prohibitions. On Wednesday, responding to a lawmaker in the State Duma (Lower House), Lavrov said, "You mentioned that Donald Trump announced India's agreement to no longer purchase Russian oil. I have not heard such a statement from anyone else, including Prime Minister Modi and other Indian leaders." Lavrov noted that External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, setting the trend for India's chairmanship of BRICS, told the first meeting of sherpas in New Delhi that energy security will be one of the top items of the BRICS summit, expected to be attended by Russian President Vladimir Putin. Speaking during the Government Hour of the State Duma, which hears cabinet ministers who report about the performance of their ministries, Lavrov said, President Putin's state visit to India in December 2025 had further enriched relations between Moscow and New Delhi. "In particular, a substantial package of joint documents was signed during President Putin's state visit to India last December. This visit enriched Russian-Indian relations, creating a special, privileged strategic partnership," Lavrov underscored. A new meeting between the two countries' leaders is expected to take place on the sidelines of the BRICS summit, which will be held this year under the Indian chairmanship, Lavrov said. Russia is ready to go as far in relations with India as New Delhi would desire, he said, adding, the sky is the limit. India formally assumed on January 1, 2026, the chairmanship of BRICS, a 10-member bloc comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, along with five new members. Earlier, accusing the US of using 'unfair methods' to suppress competitors by imposing sanctions on Russian oil companies, Lavrov said in an interview with TV BRICS on Monday, "(The US) is attempting to control our trade, investment cooperation, and military-technical ties with major strategic partners, such as India and other BRICS members." While announcing a trade deal with India last week, Trump claimed New Delhi had agreed not to procure crude oil from Russia. In an executive order, Trump rolled back an additional 25 per cent tariff on India that he imposed in August last for India's procurement of crude oil from Russia. On Monday, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said India will maintain multiple sources for crude oil purchases and diversify them to ensure stability in the supply chain, with national interests remaining the 'guiding factor' for the procurement. A notice submitted by opposition MPs seeking the removal of Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla is under review after flaws were discovered, potentially impacting the no-confidence motion process. IMAGE: Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla. Photograph: ANI Photo Key Points Opposition MPs submitted a notice to remove Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, citing concerns over his impartiality. The initial notice contained flaws, including incorrect dates, potentially leading to its dismissal. Speaker Om Birla directed the Lok Sabha secretariat to amend the defective notice to ensure proper procedure. The revised notice will be reviewed, and the motion is expected to be taken up after the Budget session recess. Speaker Birla has decided to abstain from chairing proceedings until the no-confidence motion is resolved. "Flaws" have been found in the notice submitted by opposition MPs to remove the Lok Sabha speaker from office, with Om Birla directing the secretariat to amend the "defective" notice to prevent it from being rejected, Lok Sabha sources said on Wednesday. As many as 118 opposition MPs had signed the notice submitted to Lok Sabha secretary general Utpal Kumar Singh on Tuesday afternoon. Later in the day, the opposition withdrew the notice and replaced it with another one correcting the date. Lok Sabha sources said four instances of wrong date being mentioned were found, which could have led to the notice being dismissed under the rules. 'Om Birla ordered prompt action' However, Birla directed the Lok Sabha secretariat to get the defective notice amended and take action on it. "Birla ordered prompt action as per the rules," a functionary said. The notice will be listed after the start of the second phase of the Budget session from March 9. Sources said upon receipt of the revised notice, a speedy review will be conducted as per the rules. Motion to oust Lok Sabha speaker in process Opposition parties on Tuesday put in motion the process to oust Birla as Lok Sabha speaker, alleging that he had acted in a "blatantly partisan" manner in the House and prompting him to step aside from chairing the proceedings till the matter is settled. Congress's deputy leader in the Lok Sabha Gaurav Gogoi, chief whip K Suresh and whip Mohamed Jawed submitted the notice under Article 94C of the Constitution to Lok Sabha Secretary General Utpal Kumar Singh on behalf of several opposition parties, including the Congress, Samajwadi Party and the DMK. Lok Sabha secretariat officials said Birla, upholding the highest standards of morality, has decided not to sit in the Speaker's chair until the no-confidence motion moved against him is settled. Motion likely to be taken up on March 9 The officials said the no-confidence motion against the speaker was likely to be taken up on March 9, when the House reassembles after the recess to examine budgetary proposals. Article 94C of the Constitution deals with provisions for the removal of the speaker or the deputy speaker of the Lok Sabha. Article 96 of the Constitution gives the speaker an opportunity to defend himself or herself in the House. The speaker can cast his vote when the motion for his removal is moved in the House. But he cannot cast his vote in case of a tie. Rahul Gandhi asserts that the Indo-US trade deal jeopardises the data privacy of 1.5 billion Indians, potentially surrendering control of India's valuable data resources to the United States and threatening the IT sector. IMAGE: Lok Sabha LoP Rahul Gandhi speaks in the house during the Budget Session, in New Delhi on Wednesday. Photograph: Sansad TV/ANI Video Grab Key Points Rahul Gandhi warns that the Indo-US trade deal threatens the data security of 1.5 billion Indians and could lead to data exploitation. Gandhi claims the deal favors US interests by allowing free data flow and limiting digital taxes, potentially harming the Indian IT sector. He emphasises that data is the 'petrol' for AI and India's vast data pool is a valuable asset that should be protected. Gandhi suggests the Indian government is surrendering control over digital trade rules and data localization in the agreement with the US. He cautions that the rise of AI could displace Indian software engineers, highlighting the need to leverage India's data for its own benefit. Asserting that data is the petrol which fuels the AI engine, Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday claimed that with the Indo-US interim trade deal, India will struggle to safely store the data of 1.5 billion Indians, and alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been pressured to hand over the country's prime resource to a foreign power. In a post on X, Gandhi said the Artificial Intelligence (AI) revolution is here -- bringing both threats and opportunities. "Our IT and services sector, a shining star of our economy, is at risk, and thousands of software engineers and professionals will lose their livelihoods if we do not prepare for the storm that is coming," he claimed, adding that there are opportunities too. "Data is the petrol which fuels the AI engine. As I said in Parliament, India's greatest asset is our brilliant people - and the enormous data we create," he said. Noting that in a few days, the government is hosting a grand AI Summit, Gandhi said it should have been an opportunity for India to assert leadership -- to demonstrate how a country of 1.4 billion people can use its data to shape the global AI future on our own terms. "Instead, a helpless PM Modi has surrendered to the US 'chokehold' in the trade deal. Under the pretext of 'clearing barriers to digital trade', every move to use our data for our own benefit will be opposed," he said. Already, large foreign companies enjoy a near monopoly on our data through Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, Youtube, Amazon, Android, etc., and with this deal, India will struggle to safely store the data of 1.5 billion Indians in India, get transparency in their source codes and algorithms and tax the profits they make using our data, the Congress leader claimed. "It's a shame that our prime minister has been pressured to hand over India's prime resource to a foreign power," he alleged. Earlier, participating in the debate on the Union Budget in Lok Sabha, Gandhi said that at the centre of this fight is the concept of AI. "Everybody says that we are moving into the era of AI. I would like to warn the government that AI is going to have many, many consequences. One consequence of AI is going to be that something that we relied on, the Congress party and the UPA built the entire Indian IT industry, companies like Infosys, companies that are at the forefront of information technology are going to struggle, they are going to be challenged," he said. The idea of becoming a software engineer, which is a very popular idea in India, is going to be challenged, he said. "Lots of our software engineers are going to be replaced by AI. So, why I am saying this is, we are moving into a turbulent world, a dangerous world," he said. "Now, when you move into a dangerous world, what is the first thing that you have to understand? What are your strengths, as a person and as a nation. So, I would like to say to the House, what I think are the strengths of our great country and I would say the central strength is our people - 1.4 billion people, brilliant, energetic, dynamic, who can challenge anybody in the world, they are our biggest strength. "But, it's not only the people, because in the 21st century, a very interesting thing has happened -- people create data. So, we have the biggest data pool on the planet -- 1.4 billion people means a massive amount of data is being generated in India, and data is wealth," Gandhi said. He added that everybody talks about AI, but talking about AI is like talking about the internal combustion engine without talking about petrol. "The petrol for AI is data -- meaning, if you have AI and you don't have data, you have nothing. Now, which are the two biggest pools of data on the planet - the Indian pool and the Chinese pool. They (China) also have 1.4 billion people; we have a bigger population than them. We allow more freedom, we allow our people to do more dynamic things, so we have, in fact, more interesting data," he said. If the Americans want to remain a superpower and if they want to protect their dollar, the key to that is Indian data, he said. "Why? Because the Chinese have a data pool of 1.4 billion people and you take European data, you can take African data, you can take American data add it all up -- still it does not compete with Chinese data," Gandhi said. "So, the real fight that is taking place. I am saying -- what are our strengths? I am saying -- if India goes to the table, what do we put on the table, what do we say? Listen, this is what we put on the table and it's beautiful. "What we put on the table is our people, their wisdom, what they do, their likes, dislikes, their imagination, their fear... This suddenly has got value in the 21st century, which it didn't in the 20th century," he said. "I remember so many people saying that population is a weight, population is a disaster. No! Population is the biggest asset you can have. It's a strength, but it's only a strength, if you recognise that data is important," he said. The Congress leader also claimed that as part of the deal with the US, India gives up control over its digital trade rules, there is no need for data localisation, there would be free data flow to the United States, a limit on digital tax and there would be no need to disclose any source code. The US Trade Representative's office has removed a map of India from social media that controversially depicted PoK and Aksai Chin as part of Indian territory, sparking debate and raising questions about US policy. IMAGE: The now deleted map was shared by the US while releasing the trade deal framework. Photograph: @USTradeRep/X Key Points Last week, the US Trade Representative's office posted an Indian map with PoK and Aksai Chin as part of Indian territory. India consistently asserts that the entire Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, including Aksai Chin, is an integral part of India. The removal followed the announcement of a bilateral trade agreement framework between the US and India. The office of the US Trade Representative has removed a social media post that featured a map of India showing the entire region of Jammu and Kashmir, including Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, as well as the Aksai Chin region as part of the Indian territory. Last week, as the US and India announced details of a bilateral interim agreement framework on trade, the US Trade Representative's office posted information about the trade deal on the social media website X, along with a map of India. The map had shown the entire region of Jammu and Kashmir, including Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), as territory of India. Similarly, the Aksai Chin region, claimed by China, was also shown as part of the Indian territory. However, the specific post showing the map of India has now been deleted from the USTR's X handle. On previous occasions, maps of India had been shown with a demarcated line to portray the PoK and Aksai Chin region. But the map of India issued by the USTR had shown the entire region of Jammu and Kashmir, including these two areas, as an integral part of India. New Delhi has consistently underscored that the entire Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir has been, is and will always be an integral and inalienable part of India. India also asserts that Aksai Chin is an integral part of its territory based on historical claims and past treaties. Previously, in the "standard map" released by China, the country has staked claim over Arunachal Pradesh, Aksai Chin region, Taiwan and the disputed South China Sea. India and the US announced on Friday night that they have reached a framework for the first phase of the bilateral trade agreement under which both sides will reduce import duties on a number of goods to boost two-way trade. The White House has updated its fact sheet on the US-India trade agreement, notably removing 'pulses' from the list of American products slated for tariff reductions, signaling a potential shift in the terms of the deal. IMAGE: US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi shake hands as they attend a joint press conference at the White House in Washington, DC on February 13, 2025. Photograph: Kevin Lamarque/Reuters Key Points The revised fact sheet changes India's commitment to purchase American products to an intention to buy. The initial fact sheet stated India would eliminate or reduce tariffs on various US food and agricultural products, including pulses. India intends to purchase $500 billion of US energy, information technology, and other products over the next 5 years. The White House has removed "pulses" from a list of American products on which it said India will eliminate or reduce tariffs, in a revised fact sheet issued on the interim trade deal. On Monday, the White House had issued a fact sheet on 'The United States and India Announce Historic Trade Deal (Interim Agreement),' days after India and the US announced in a joint statement the framework for an Interim Agreement regarding reciprocal and mutually beneficial trade. What the initial fact sheet said An initial version of the fact sheet had highlighted key terms of the agreement including, that India will eliminate or reduce tariffs on all US industrial goods and a wide range of US food and agricultural products, including dried distillers' grains, red sorghum, tree nuts, fresh and processed fruit, "certain pulses", soybean oil, wine and spirits, and additional products. The fact sheet had also said that India committed to buy more American products and purchase over USD 500 billion of US energy, information and communication technology, agricultural, coal, and other products. The revised fact sheet The revised fact sheet issued Tuesday removed the reference made regarding pulses and changed the word committed used for India to "intends." "India will eliminate or reduce tariffs on all US industrial goods and a wide range of US food and agricultural products, including dried distillers' grains (DDGs), red sorghum, tree nuts, fresh and processed fruit, soybean oil, wine and spirits, and additional products. "India intends to buy more American products and purchase over $500 billion of US energy, information and communication technology, coal, and other products," the revised fact sheet said. The joint statement issued last week on the trade deal had made no mention of "pulses" in items on which India will eliminate or reduce tariffs for American products. The joint statement had also maintained that "India intends to purchase $500 billion of US energy products, aircraft and aircraft parts, precious metals, technology products, and coking coal over the next 5 years." Rijiju, however, did not specify when and who will give notice for privilege motion against Gandhi. It is believed that someone from treasury benches in the Lok Sabha will do so. IMAGE: Union Minister Kiren Rijiju interacts as suspended Lok Sabha MPs protest at the Parliament premises during the ongoing Budget Session, in New Delhi on Wednesday. Photograph: Rahul Singh/ANI Photo Key Points Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said a notice for breach of privilege will be moved against the LoP for allegedly misleading the House and making 'baseless' allegations over the India-US trade deal. Gandhi accused the government of 'selling Bharat Mata' through the interim trade pact with the US and raised issues related to energy security and farmers, drawing sharp criticism from the treasury benches. Rijiju objected to Gandhi raising excerpts from Gen M M Naravane's unpublished book, saying sensitive security matters cannot be discussed publicly. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju on Wednesday said a notice for privilege motion will be brought against Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, for misleading the House and making 'baseless statements'. Rijiju, however, did not specify when and who will give notice for privilege motion against Gandhi. It is believed that someone from treasury benches in the Lok Sabha will do so. Participating in the debate on the Union Budget, Gandhi alleged that the government has 'sold Bharat Mata' through the India-United States interim trade deal, and that it was a 'wholesale surrender' with India's energy security being handed over to America and farmers' interests compromised. He said that if an Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) government would have negotiated the trade agreement with the US, it would have told US President Donald Trump they should treat India as an equal. "You have sold India. Are you not ashamed of selling India? You have sold our mother, Bharat Mata," Gandhi said, while referring to the recent trade agreement between the two countries. Addressing a press conference at the Parliament House complex, Rijiju alleged that Gandhi made 'baseless and false' allegations against the government and Prime Minister Narendra Modi of selling India and its interest in the trade deal with the US. Rijiju said the Leader of Opposition also made a serious allegation against Union minister Hardeep Singh Puri, taking his name without giving any prior notice. "It is a serious breach of privilege. We are going to file a privilege notice against Rahul Gandhi for misleading the House and making baseless statements," he added. Rijiju claimed that 20 to 25 Congress MPs had abused Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla in his chamber and they were not stopped by senior leaders, K C Venugopal and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, who were present there. "They (the Congress MPs) were encouraging. Had our MPs misbehaved with anyone, our leader would stop them. But their (Congress') leaders were egging on the MPs to quarrel," he said. Rijiju claimed the Congress MPs did not obey even the Speaker's rulings. "Then Rahul Gandhi said he does not need anyone's permission to speak (in Lok Sabha). He will speak as he pleases, irrespective of rules. This is on record," the minister told reporters. "You have to take permission from the chair. No member can speak unless the chair gives permission. Even the prime minister speaks with the permission of the chair," he pointed out. Everything can't be discussed in public: Rijiju The parliamentary affairs minister said that Birla was very hurt by the behaviour of opposition members. The Lok Sabha speaker is a very lenient person, else he could have taken strong action, he added. "Some members went to his chamber and abused (Birla). When 20-25 Congress MPs went to the speaker's chamber, I also went there. I just can't utter the kind of abuses they have hurled at the speaker," Rijiju claimed. About Gandhi's insistence on speaking on the unpublished memoir of General M M Naravane (retired) in the Lok Sabha, Rijiju said conversations between the prime minister and the defence minister, the army chief and the defence minister, or between the army chief and his junior officers can't be discussed in public. "If everything is to be discussed in public, how can you maintain the security for the nation?" he questioned. "The entire country can see how an MP is trying to use a very sensitive matter related to the country's security as an instrument to drive political mileage." The minister said the matter should not be taken lightly, as it will not only demean Parliament but also the person raising it. "Gandhi should understand that he is an honourable member of Parliament. He owes a certain responsibility to the people of this country. You have the obligation to maintain the decorum of the House and also think about the interest of the nation," he said. He said it was difficult to make Rahul Gandhi understand the issues. "I don't know which world he lives in. But there are several sensible persons in Congress and they can make him understand that this is not the way Parliament should function." "You should not behave like a child on issues of the nation's security. Our country is very big. Security is a very big issue for us. It is not right to lower the dignity of someone for political mileage. Rahul Gandhi got exposed. I don't need to make any comment after he was exposed," Rijiju added. The Lok Sabha has been witnessing disruptions since February 2, after Rahul Gandhi was disallowed by the chair from quoting from an article based on excerpts of Gen Naravane's unpublished memoir, which has references to the India-China conflict of 2020. 'We should learn from the wild world on how they live harmoniously.' IMAGE: Supriya Sahu, Additional Chief Secretary, Tamil Nadu government in charge of environment, climate change and forest department. All photographs: Kind courtesy Supriya Sahu For the last 20 years, the United Nations have been awarding those who work to protect the environment with the Champions of the Earth award. Among the five awardees of 2025 is Supriya Sahu -- Tamil Nadu's additional chief secretary in charge of environment, climate change and forest department -- for heat adaptation and restoration in Tamil Nadu under 'Inspiration and Action'. "We should think that what we leave behind should be something we can be proud of," Supriya Sahu tells Rediff's Shobha Warrier. IMAGE: Supriya Sahu receives the Champion of the Earth award. From the Director General of Doordarshan to the MD of the AIDS Control Society to the MD of The Tamil Nadu Small Tea Growers' Industrial Cooperative Tea Factories' Federation to environment, how did these diverse roles enrich you as a person? It has been such a fascinating journey. The organisations might have changed, but I see a common thread in all these roles whether it was Doordarshan or the health department or the small tea growers' federation or environment. And the common thread was the policy behind the functioning of all these organisations. It was very strong, and was based on ground realities. I have seen that any work will be impactful if the partnership between policymakers and the community, is strong. More than six years of my career was with the health department and it was the longest. How was it working as the MD of AIDS control society when HIV/AIDS was still an unknown area, and ART was just reaching people? It was transformational. It was a learning experience. You realise that you can bring positivity into the system through policies. You learn that when you work in consultation with the local community, it can create strong momentum. We were the first to roll out ART to the community. I still remember visiting the Tambaram TB hospital where I met an HIV positive child who also had TB. He was sitting on the hospital bed and was eager to talk to me. He was old enough to know that he was HIV positive. When I asked him how he was, he replied with a smile, 'I know I am HIV positive, but I know I will become alright. Once I am okay, I want to continue studying and one day, I will become a collector!' His positive outlook to life was a revelation for me. I came back to my office, sat silent for some time, and then decided, every single patient should get ART and get well. When you moved from one job to another, did you ever feel that you left behind some unfinished work and could have done better? Always. I will not hesitate to admit that. When you reflect, you always get the feeling that you could have done better. IMAGE: 'We have installed 15 AI enabled towers in Madukarai which are continuously monitoring the elephant movements and transmit the data in real time to the control rooms which are sent to the loco pilots.' Now that you are in charge of environment and forest, you must have visited the interiors of Tamil Nadu and the forests, what did you learn which you didn't know before? This is one of the most beautiful chapters in my professional and personal journey. Of all the work that I have done, this will always remain the most impactful, both personally and professionally. When you go to an interior forest area, and look at the animals, you learn so much from them. For example, when you watch a herd of elephants, you will see that they are the most humble animals. Human beings have a lot to learn from the values they follow and the community feeling they have. When a baby elephant is born, all the other elephants surround the baby and oversee that it is eating well, sleeping well and growing well. And the head of the herd will be a matriarch who leads the herd to greener pastures and water, and keeps them safe. The leadership quality lessons that cannot be taught in books or management schools, you can watch them and learn. In fact, I feel every human being has something to learn from elephants. Also, look at the tiger. It never kills another animal for pleasure, it kills only when it has to eat. You will see that each animal plays a role and contributes to keep this planet in balance. If you remove even one animal, the entire ecosystem collapses because each one has an important role to play. Those who live inside the forests, are the role models on how to live in harmony with nature. It is time for us to learn from those communities. It is time for us to have the fundamental understanding that our own existence depends on how we treat nature and wildlife. Man-animal conflict and development at the cost of wildlife and nature is happening in many areas in India. For example, recently 7-8 elephants crossing a railway track were mowed down by an express train. We need to understand why this is happening. And it is happening in all the states in India. From my experience, I can say that we have been able to map and identify high conflict zones, medium conflict zones and low conflict zones in Tamil Nadu. And our strategies are different for each conflict zone. That was how we identified the high conflict areas in Coimbatore, Hosur and Nilgiris. If you take Madukarai in Coimbatore, you will see that there are two railway tracks that criss-cross the forest which is famous for elephants. And the elephants do cross the railway tracks when they move from one forest area to another. So, we have installed 15 AI enabled towers in Madukarai which are continuously monitoring the elephant movements and transmit the data in real time to the control rooms which are sent to the loco pilots. This gives time for the loco pilots to either stop or slow down the train. In Gudalur where there is a huge landscape, we have installed AI towers to prevent human-animal conflicts, crop damage, and elephant deaths by tracking wildlife movement in real time and providing early warnings to both officials and local residents. In the Hosur forest area, we use thermal drones to detect the movement of elephants to warn the farmers in advance to prevent human-elephant conflicts. We also have marine elite forces in Ramanathapuram and Chennai. Different areas require different technology and different approach. When you map such areas where human-animal conflict occurs, you have to also look for solutions for each area. There is no one tailor-made solution for all areas. It varies. We have realised that the problem here is infrastructure passing through the protected areas. So, in future what we should do is, we should avoid any linear infrastructure development in such areas. That should be our effort. Now, Tamil Nadu has become one state where linear infrastructure is avoided in forest areas. IMAGE: Supriya Sahu during a trek in Tamil Nadu. Wild animals entering villages and destroying farms, and villagers in turn attacking animals are reported quite often. Don't you think it is because humans have encroached upon the habitats of animals that it is happening? There is no doubt about it. It is due to the biotic pressure put on wildlife by humans due to deforestation, people encroaching forest areas, and so on. Another important reason why human-animal conflict is increasing is because of invasive plant species like Lantana camara. 40%-44% of India's forest cover is under this invasive shrub. Lantana also threatens the tiger habitat. We see that Lantana is taking over many forest areas by not letting the grass and native species of trees to grow. Lantana grows wild at the cost of native species. This results in many animals coming out of the forest areas. So, we need to remove the invasive species, and bring back native grass and trees. We are doing it in a big way in Tamil Nadu. Then, climate change is leading to wildfire which destroys the forests, thus making animals to come out. So, it is a combination of factors that lead to human-animal conflict. IMAGE: Environmentalist Supriya Sahu amid nature. Now, about the UNEP Champions of the Earth award you won recently. The UNEP statement said, 'Her initiatives have created 2.5 million green jobs, expanded forest cover, and integrated heat adaptation into infrastructure, benefiting 12 million people and setting a model for climate resilience'. Can you please tell us about these initiatives? We had embarked on four important missions. The first mission was the Green Tamil Nadu mission. It is a massive afforestation drive to increase the state's forest and tree cover from the existing 23.7% to 33% by 2031. We first established 1200 nurseries- in the district headquarters, bock panchayats, panchayats etc. These nurseries are mostly taken care of by local men and women. So, it provides livelihood opportunities also for the local communities. The mission plans to plant 265 crore seedlings over 10 years across various land types, including farmlands, government land, coastal areas, and urban spaces. Under the Tamil Nadu Coastal Restoration Mission, we are also restoring mangroves in a very big way. Then, we have the Tamil Nadu Wetlands Mission. Under the Green Schools programme, we have created 297 green schools where children are involved in the green initiatives, so that they move to green energy transformation. Many of these schools have brought down their energy consumption by 50%. Then, we have a Tamil Nadu Climate Change Mission. We have made all these missions as people's missions. IMAGE: A pledge for a plastic free environment. Don't you think unless there is awareness among all sections of people, protection of environment will not work? For example, people living in a hill station like Ooty know that they have to protect their land. But tourists litter the place with plastic bags and bottles. Even Mount Everest is littered by visitors... What you are saying is absolutely correct. Unless it comes from within, it will not work. I started an anti-plastic movement 25 years ago in Nilgiris, and it became a people's movement. Till today, people of the Nilgiris district do not allow plastic bags and plastic bottles. It is too tall a claim to say that it is 100% plastic-free but you can say, Nilgiris is a district that is plastic-free. It happened because the government regulations became a people's movement. It is a tough task because it takes a long time to change the mindset of the people. It should become a habit for people to go out with bags, like our earlier generation did, and not accept plastic bags. That's why we started the Manja Pai (yellow cloth bag) movement. Manja Pai was only a symbol, reminding people of the days when they went shopping with an yellow cloth bag. All the initiatives also need a lot of follow-up action. In the government system, we need to strengthen the follow-up actions more. We also need to invest more in people's movements. Even if there is a ban on plastics here, it is not uniformly enforced across India. So, plastic will find its way, somehow or the other to the states that have banned plastic. It is very important for our generation to correct whatever wrong has been done till now, so that we leave a better environment for the future generation. IMAGE: The plastic clean up. What will be your message to people? Generally, people think if they use plastic or litter, it doesn't matter. It is not like that. Every action matters. Every individual matters. And every action and contribution of every individual matters. Like every single species is important in the ecosystem. My message will be, we should learn from the wild world on how they live harmoniously. If we do so, we can also bring about a change collectively. We should think that what we leave behind should be something we can be proud of. Feature Presentation: Ashish Narsale/Rediff The next round of talks to end Russia's war against Ukraine is scheduled for Tuesday or Wednesday (February 17-18), during which the territorial issue will likely be discussed, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in an interview with Bloomberg. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he accepted a US offer to host another round of talks next week to end Russias war, with negotiators likely to zero in on the difficult issue of territory, the ezine said Wednesday. As reported with reference to Zelenskyy, the newest round is slated for Tuesday or Wednesday, though its unclear whether Russia would agree to talks in the US. On the agenda is a US proposal to set up a free economic zone as a buffer in the eastern Donbas region, an option that the Ukrainian leader said both warring parties view with skepticism. None of the sides is keen on the idea of the free economic zone neither the Russians, nor us, Zelenskyy said in a phone interview in Kyiv on Tuesday, though he declined to rule out the possibility. We have different views on it. And agreements were as follows lets come back with the vision of what it may look like for the next meeting, he noted. A previous round of talks earlier this month between Russian, Ukrainian and American officials in Abu Dhabi was constructive, Zelenskyy said, adding that the war could end within months if negotiations proceed in good faith. The US administration wants to sign all the documents at the same time, Zelenskyy said. He stressed that Ukraine will need to approve the peace proposal either in a parliamentary vote or in a national referendum. For the time being we are also talking about a sequencing plan of all our actions, including signing of documents. I think that after our next meeting, there should be an understanding, Zelenskyy said. According to Zelenskyy, recent talks in the United Arab Emirates focused on ceasefire mechanisms and how the USA would monitor it. However, he added, the negotiators were unable to finalize the details without high-level political decisions. As negotiators carefully work out the wording of a future agreement, Zelenskyy said the discussions clearly showed that any ceasefire would require monitoring by the United States. Russians have one wording, we have another one, the Americans have the third one. There is an understanding that there will be monitoring, but there is also an understanding more work is needed on wording and details, Zelenskyy said. The next round of negotiations, which will also include bilateral talks with Washington, may look into proposals for postwar planning and zoom in on the economic issues, he said. To that end, Kyiv will dispatch Economy Minister Oleksiy Sobolev to join the delegation to discuss the so-called prosperity package with the USA, Zelenskyy said. Zelenskyy noted that any optimism over progress shouldnt obscure the difficulty Ukraine faces over recovery funding and maintaining the military capability to deter any future Russian attack. An economic shock could loom without clear sources of financing, he warned, referring to billions of dollars needed for reconstruction, social spending the military for years to come. That would require a clear funding mechanism, with European participation, since even potential financing from frozen Russian central bank assets wouldnt cover needs in the longer term, he said. According to Zelenskyy, recent Russian air strikes on energy infrastructure knocked out as much as 10 gigawatts of Ukraines generating capacity, leading to daily power deficits of about five to six gigawatts over peak hours. Some facilities wont be repaired until the next heating season. Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. Brattleboro, VT (05301) Today Clear skies. Low around 30F. SSW winds at 10 to 15 mph, decreasing to less than 5 mph.. Tonight Clear skies. Low around 30F. SSW winds at 10 to 15 mph, decreasing to less than 5 mph. The local election in Guilford will held Tuesday, March 3, at the Broad Brook Community Center, 3940 Guilford Center Road. Polls will be open 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Photo: Interfax-Ukraine / Oleksandr Zubko Exclusive interview with Richard Loydell, Director of DOK-ING Ukraine, for Interfax-Ukraine News Agency We had a candid conversation with Richard Loydell, Director of DOK-ING Ukraine, on how to transform Croatias demining success into Ukraines reality. Loydell explained how his company has deployed highly effective robotic systems, achieved 30% localization with plans to reach 50% soon, and transferred decades of technological know-how. Drawing direct parallels with Croatias journey, the retired, career military officer - who once commanded naval forces and developed the naval mine warfare strategy and doctrine for South Africa - shared his vision for demining, calling it Ukraines next major economic driver. Text: Valerie Proshchenko Demining Efforts, Localization, and Lessons from Croatia **Q: Tell us about yourself, your company, what DOK-ING is doing in Ukraine, your purpose here, and what has already been accomplished.** R.L.: I have 45 years of experience in the explosive risk mitigation and disposal industry having worked in the military, commercial, offshore and humanitarian sectors across most conflict-affected countries of the world. Currently, I am the Director of DOK-ING Ukraine. DOK-ING has been present in Ukraine since the very first days of the full-scale invasion. We officially established LLC DOK-ING Ukraine on 11 October 2024, and our machines were already working here long before that. Today, we are the leader having delivered 69 robotic demining systems with most of them being operated by the State Emergency Service of Ukraine (SESU), the State Special Transport Service, and leading international NGOs. Our mission is twofold. Firstly, full localization of production in Ukraine and secondly becoming the central link that ensures flawless coordination between donors, end users, the Ukrainian government, and our parent company in Croatia. We dont just sell machines, we deliver a complete ecosystem consisting of training, 24/7 service, spare parts, upgrades, and constant technical mentoring and monitoring. **Q: What is the background of DOK-ING and how did the company start?** R.L.: DOK-ING was born in a garage in Zagreb during the Croatian Homeland War. The founder and owner of DOK-ING saw with his own eyes how mines and explosive remnants of war (ERW) were destroying his country and decided to build the worlds first robotic demining system. From that single prototype in the early 1990s, the company grew into the global leader in robotic demining systems, machines that have since worked in more than 40 countries and saved thousands of lives. It took 35 years of steady, hands-on evolution in a commercial, international demining market and the motto says it all - "Dont send a man to do a machines job." Building a reliable, effective product like this takes time, serious investment, repeated trial and error, and many setbacks along the way. What made the difference for DOK-ING was that the development of the machine stayed tightly linked to ongoing demining operations around the world. Operators in the field could spot problems, suggest fixes, innovate and push the technology forward step by step. So, what was once a small garage-based company has grown into a global leader in demining technology. **Q: You mentioned localization. Is the goal 50% by 2026?** R.L.: We have already achieved 30% localization in 2025 and our target is 50% by the end of 2026. Our partner is A3Tech, a company with extensive experience in the production of agricultural machinery. We transferred all technical documentation, drawings, software, and know-how to A3Tech. They do not manufacture or products under licence, they are a fully independent Ukrainian manufacturer that we support technically. Today A3Tech employs 72 Ukrainians directly, and the number is growing. Every new machine assembled in Ukraine creates jobs, pays taxes here, and strengthens the Ukrainian economy. Our ultimate dream is for the world to see these machines not as Croatian robots working in Ukraine, but as a truly Ukrainian product proudly bearing the Made in Ukraine mark. **Q: How long does the training process take for operators?** R.L.: It took DOK-ING 35 years of continuous development, dozens of iterations, thousands of explosions during testing and during demining operations around the world which has made it a reliable and efficient machine. We sent Croatian engineers who lived and worked at the A3Tech factory for many months. They trained Ukrainian welders, hydraulic specialists, electricians, diesel mechanics and programmers from scratch on some processes. Today Ukrainian teams are fully capable of independently performing any repair - mechanical, hydraulic, pneumatic, electrical or electronic. Some Croatian specialists remain in Ukraine for mentoring, training and monitoring purposes and any complex question can be solved with a phone call. End-users of our equipment undergo an intensive three-week course teaching them how to operate and maintain the machines. On completion of the course, they are officially certified by DOK-ING as an operator/maintainer. We do not accept third parties doing the training unless they have completed our Training of Trainers course and they are certificated by DOK-ING. On completion of the course, continuous mentoring and monitoring in the field is done by our staff. **Q: How can Croatias demining experience help Ukraine? What were the key drivers behind the development of humanitarian demining as a separate economic sector in Croatia?** R.L.: On 1 March 2026 Croatia will officially be declared mine-free, 35 years after the first mines were laid. This is unique as the contamination was extensive in a small country that relied on agriculture, forestry and tourism as the main drivers of their economy. The pace and scale of Croatias clearance was remarkable given the terrain and the relatively brief period in which the Croatian mine-free status was achieved. There are three main lessons that we constantly repeat to our Ukrainian partners. Firstly, state-only demining is slow, expensive, and ineffective. The initial inefficiency of state-run demining in Croatia forced change. Early efforts were slow and expensive, leading to the creation of a competitive private market. Between 1996 and 2017, Croatia hosted up to 16 foreign commercial companies, one major NGO (Norwegian People's Aid), and as many as 105 domestic private firms. By 2017, consolidation and the scaling down of clearance reduced this to about 39 companies. Secondly, maximum emphasis must be placed on non-technical and technical surveys where you can expect that 70 to 80% of suspected and confirmed hazardous areas can be canceled or reduced without putting people at risk. Thirdly, mechanical demining is the safest and most productive method of doing technical surveys. Croatia used DOK-ING and other locally produced machines on a massive scale doing technical surveys, and that is why they succeeded. In doing this, Croatia financed 77% of demining with its own budget and created its own sustainable market. Ukraine must move in the same direction as donor money will run out one day. The above main lessons must not be seen in isolation as there are also other key drivers that built humanitarian demining as a separate economic sector in Croatia as follows. The establishment of a Croatian Mine Action Centre (CROMAC) in February 1998 as the national authority. This organisation set standards, accredited operators, coordinated planning and prioritization, conducted non-technical and technical surveys, prepared clearance projects, monitored operations (often using veterans or victims), and ensured quality management and control, creating a professional, transparent framework. A national economic and humanitarian urgency drove progress. Clearance was essential for rebuilding homes and infrastructure, restoring utilities, enabling refugee and IDP returns, and reviving agriculture, forestry, and tourism. EU funding and structured programs provided critical initial support. Initiatives like "Safe Steps" and "Safe Steps 2" (later CROSS and CROSS II) offered financing, aligning operations with EU standards and complementing national and other donor resources. The development of domestic technology, exemplified by DOK-ING, which created advanced mechanical and robotic demining systems to improve safety and efficiency. International cooperation and expertise export followed as domestic needs declined. Croatia shared knowledge and technology globally, including recent support to Ukraine through training, technology transfers, and joint projects. Finally, a comprehensive legal framework underpinned the success of the sector. Specific laws on humanitarian demining (starting 1996) separated it from military operations, regulated accreditation, tenders, and standards for transparency and sustainability. In summary, Croatia succeeded by prioritizing a dedicated national center (CROMAC), clear regulations, competitive private operators under strict oversight, targeted international funding, local innovation, and an inward-looking economic recovery focus. Ukraine can adapt these elements such as a strong regulatory body, free market competition, and technology investment to sustainably accelerate large-scale clearance. **Q: What is technical survey, and why was it so important?** R.L.: Firstly, a non-technical survey (desktop studies, interviews, visual observation, etc) is conducted on a piece of land to gather direct and indirect evidence of explosive contamination. This survey is non-intrusive and is used to classify the land as a suspected or confirmed hazardous area. A technical survey is the next step when you enter a suspected or confirmed hazardous area to actively investigate the ground using intrusive methods to detect, confirm or mark hazards. You do not clear everything metre by metre, but you want to prove where there are and where there are not mines or ERW. You work with machines, dogs, or small teams and reduce the area that requires full clearance from, say 100 hectares to 5-10 hectares. In Croatia, this approach combined with DOK-ING machines reduced the contaminated area by millions of square meters at minimal cost and zero risk to human life. **Q: From your 45+ years in explosives mitigation, how realistic is it to eliminate all hazards from an area?** R.L.: Practically, it is impossible to achieve 100% clearance. Not only from a statistical point of view. Mines and ERW can bury themselves deeper in the ground, migrate during floods and may not even be detected for several reasons during technical survey or clearance operations. Even in countries that have been declared mine-free (Croatia, Slovenia), isolated finds still occur years later. You must remember that Europe was built on the bombs of World War 1 and 2! The realistic goal is to reduce the risk to an acceptable level for the planned use of the land whether it is agriculture, building a school or in a mountain forest at 3000m. Each scenario has a residual risk that must be acceptable to the national authority because further risk reduction would be impracticable or disproportionate to the benefit gained. Trying to clear everything is not only astronomically expensive, but also unnecessary and sometimes technically impossible. **Q: The Tony Blair Institutes White Paper suggests creating a dedicated government agency that would take full responsibility for humanitarian demining in Ukraine. Why is this seen as the best way forward? What are the main benefits of this approach, and which current problems would it help solve? R.L.: The Tony Blair Report provided an overdue, independent review of the entire sector. Ukraine's demining system has operated without a comprehensive audit or performance evaluation for too long. This study has in turn led to the need to formulate a new mine action law in Ukraine, of which I am privileged to be part of, that is suited and adapted to current needs and realities. Importantly, this initiative to formulate a new mine action law didn't originate in government offices but emerged from Ukraine's professional mine action communities. This reflects maturity and leadership within the sector. Similar to how expert input shaped Croatia's successful regulator, Ukraine's professionals are now driving practical, experience-based policy changes that can adapt quickly to local realities. The biggest current problem is fragmentation. Responsibilities are spread across multiple ministries and agencies such as the Ministry of Defence, Ministry of Internal Affairs, State Emergency Service, Ministry of Economy, and others, leading to duplicated processes, delayed decisions, overlapping mandates, and no single point of accountability. This makes effective prioritization, procurement, contractor coordination, and quality management extremely difficult. The Accounting Chamber of Ukraine has also confirmed that the existing status quo no longer matches the scale and urgency of the challenge. A dedicated, executive authority addresses these issues head-on by creating A single point of legal accountability for the whole humanitarian demining effort. Simplified processes with duplicates removed and a clear division of responsibilities with no more overlap between agencies. A unified information system that integrates planning, operator accreditation, quality management, donor oversight, and more. Financial incentives to stimulate the local market, including liability insurance, support mechanisms for operators, and inclusion of mine action in state loan programs like 5-7-9%. A special legal regime (potentially under "Demine Ukraine") that creates a shared operational environment with unified rules for the state, donors, operators, and communities. A clear separation of military, operational, and humanitarian demining to eliminate institutional conflicts, boost efficiency, and speed up access to safe land. The expected results will be transformative and result in a transparent, accountable, anti-corruption system aligned with international standards and donor expectations. It eliminates conflicts of interest between ministries, security agencies, and demining operators while preserving national security and civil protection integrity. In short, this model turns a fragmented, slow system into a focused, high-impact one , exactly what is needed to return vast contaminated areas to productive use as quickly and cost-effectively as possible. **Q: From your perspective, how can Ukraine make demining faster and more successful now, given the war and money issues? What weaknesses do you currently see in mine action in Ukraine? R.L.: Ukraine's mine action system faces challenges right now, especially given the enormous scale of contamination. The current setup was not built for this level of contamination, and many structural and practical issues are slowing progress and raising costs. As I mentioned before, the first issue is fragmentation. Responsibilities are scattered across multiple ministries and agencies such as the Ministry of Defence, State Emergency Service, Ministry of Internal Affairs, Ministry of Economy, and others, plus NGOs and private contractors. Croatia's success came from consolidating everything under a semi-autonomous authority, which enabled better prioritization, faster procurement, and real accountability. Ukraine could see similar gains by treating humanitarian demining as a distinct sector. Another big issue is what I call the "machine zoo". A chaotic mix of donated equipment that's often outdated, incompatible, or not suited to Ukraine's terrain and conditions. This creates logistical nightmares such as mismatched parts, extra training needs, high maintenance costs on redundant or not fit for purpose machines, and the resultant safety risks. Political decisions sometimes prioritize visible "gifts" over practical needs, wasting resources and endangering teams. Standardized equipment protocols, operator certification, and a competitive private market (as Croatia did) would encourage investment in modern, appropriate technology and dramatically improve efficiency. Funding remains a persistent and worsening problem. Despite donor commitments (over $80 million pledged in 2025 conferences), the overall need runs into tens of billions of dollars over decades. Reliance on state budgets and inconsistent international aid causes delays, tender issues, and shortfalls. A more free market-oriented approach, opening to private investment, international contractors, and competitive tenders could help bridge gaps, as seen in Croatia's mixed funding model that sustained operations through tough times. Prioritization is another weak spot. With limited money, not everything can be fully cleared. Focus must be on making land safe for use (cancellation or reduction through surveys, not always full clearance). The GRIT digital platform (Ground Rehabilitation through Innovation Technologies), launched in late 2025 with Palantir, aims to use AI, data, and mapping for smarter planning and prioritization. The system is promising, but still maturing and we'll see tangible results in the coming years. Without transparent, evidence-based systems, decisions will become political or arbitrary rather than driven by actual beneficiary needs and impact. Finally, there is a broader need to work smarter, not just harder. Too much effort goes into clearing land without enough scrutiny of outcomes: Why are we demining here? Who will use the land and when? For example, why clear agricultural land to only 15 cm when farmers plow deeper than this? The correct application of standard operating procedures and national standards as applied to land type and end-use (agriculture, infrastructure, housing) would optimize spending and safety. Innovation, like AI, GPR (ground-penetrating radar), or UAVs with thermal/RGB/multispectral sensors is valuable, but it must be evidence-based and rigorously tested. There must be no shortcuts or reinvention of proven methods from decades of experience in other mine and ERW-affected countries. A central R&D function in a reformed sector could pilot these properly. In short, Ukraine's mine action sector is making progress in releasing contaminated areas and scaling capacity. Fragmentation of control, mismatched equipment, funding uncertainty, application of prioritization tools, and inefficient practices hold it back. Shifting toward a more centralized, free market-driven, evidence-focused model (drawing from Croatia and others) would help deliver faster, safer, and more cost-effective results to get land back into productive use. **Q: So, you dont support innovation approach in demining?** R.L.: Innovation must be evidence-based and genuinely appropriate to the context. Not driven by startup hype or donor money which has been the case in mine and ERW-affected countries. To see objects in the ground or under the water is basic physics with a bit of chemistry involved, nothing new here. Technology has advanced to make real time processing, computing power, and miniaturization a reality and this has made the operators life much easier. Technologies such as ground-penetrating radar (from the 1920s), UAVs (used in mine action since 2010), airborne magnetometry, gradiometers, sub-bottom profilers, AUVs, etc are not new nor innovative. Too many companies duplicate failed approaches without a proper literature search. Ukraine would benefit from an independent and impartial centralized R&D unit to study what has been successfully and unsuccessfully attempted and implemented in the past. Ukraine is also fortunate to have the largest number of experienced and competent international mine action technical staff in country and full use should be made of their knowledge and experience. Guided by these studies, innovative technologies must be properly validated to determine applicability and cost effectiveness thus saving valuable funds and avoiding dead-end projects. I have seen dozens of startups around the world that raised millions on beautiful presentations and disappeared a year later. Innovation must be appropriate to the context; cost effectively and speedily solve a real problem; be reliable in mud, frost, extreme temperatures; and be supportable and operated by ordinary people in the field. Operational and humanitarian demining are complex systems where final decisions are made by people that are responsible and accountable. Technology and innovation can help and reduce risks if properly applied, but it cannot not accept accountability for the result, people accept accountability. **Q: Ukraine's National Mine Action Strategy through 2033 aims to tackle massive areas of potential mine contamination by building up a market for commercial demining operators while also bolstering state-run ones to cut overall costs. But is it realistic to chase both goals at the same time? And are there examples of this working elsewhere? R.L.: In my view, it is neither realistic nor fair from an ethical standpoint. I have not come across any similar models globally. A country trying to build up state operators while fostering a competitive commercial market always warps the market dynamics. No well-established mine action system around the world puts state and private operators on an equal footing under the same economic rules. This ends up causing inefficiencies, drives private companies out of business, and they leave the public sector hooked on endless donor funding. Let's break this down starting with core principles. Firstly, in any healthy market economy, the state should not compete directly with private businesses. The state's job is to regulate, set priorities, ensure quality, and oversee operations, not to jump into the ring as a competitor. When the state does compete, it erodes trust, discourages investment, and hinders long-term growth in the sector. State operators have massive built-in advantages because taxpayers foot the bill for their administration, operations, logistics and more. This makes "fair competition" a myth. Even if their prices look lower on paper, they are artificially subsidised which skews cost across the whole industry and does not show the real economic picture. On top of that, state operators do not pay taxes on the land they clear, unlike commercial operators. There is also a major difference in what they do. State operators mainly conduct operational demining, while commercial operators focus on humanitarian demining, which follows stricter international standards like those from IMAS (International Mine Action Standards). Mixing these approaches in one national system leads to confusion, inconsistent rules, and potential backlash from international donors who expect high humanitarian compliance. Donors pour huge funds and free equipment into state operators, tipping the scales even further. Commercial companies, meanwhile, must buy or amortise their own equipment through contracts, all while competing against this subsidised setup. Private operators don't get hand-outs, they generate revenue at their own risk, which pushes them to innovate, stay efficient, and boost productivity. But that only works if the market is stable and not undercut by state-backed rivals. Here is a telling fact, in 2025 commercial operators in Ukraine cleared more land than state operators. This shows that when the private sector gets a fair shot, it can deliver the volume and pace Ukraine desperately needs given the scale of the problem. Commercial operators also give back to the economy in many ways. They pay personal and corporate taxes on profits, VAT, import/export fees, fuel taxes, create jobs, buy local goods, drive growth and more. When work dries up, they must cover their own overheads or risk going into liquidation, unlike state operators who keep drawing from taxpayer or donor funds even when not productive. In summary, state operators act like a national safety net - essential for wartime emergencies, EOD (explosive ordnance disposal) callouts, and quick response from units like the National Police or State Emergency Service of Ukraine. They are your insurance policy in a crisis. On the other side, commercial operators are the economic powerhouse as they pay taxes, employ people, spend locally, and operate on contracts wherever and whenever needed in a free-market setup. They either thrive or fold based on performance. In the long haul, only a robust commercial demining sector can provide the scale, speed, and staying power to get contaminated land back into productive use while easing the financial load on the government. Pursuing both paths at once just risks holding back real progress. **Q: How does Ukraines demining approach differ from other countries at war?** R.L.: In most conflict zones (Africa, Middle East, parts of Asia), the UN establishes a peacekeeping mission and funds and coordinates demining operations. This demining is purely in support of the peacekeeping mission and when the demining teams are not engaged in peacekeeping duties, they conduct humanitarian demining in prioritised areas. Ukraine has no such UN Peacekeeping Mission, it has built its own system with local commercial companies having to clear vast areas. **Q: What makes operational demining unique to Ukraine?** R.L.: In my experience, only in Ukraine do the civilian rescuers of SESU go under fire and clear paths of explosive ordnance to restore electricity to hospitals or water to cities while the war is ongoing. This has not happened anywhere else in the world at such scale and risk except during World War 2. These people are the real heroes, and DOK-ING machines are often the only piece of equipment that allows them to do their job and return home alive. **Q: How many DOK-ING machines are currently in Ukraine?** R.L.: We have 69 machines in country (one is temporarily abroad for upgrades). The majority are operated by SESU and the State Special Transport Service. We remain the leading supplier of mechanical demining machines, we do not just sell machines, we deliver a complete ecosystem with in-country repair, training, 24/7 service, spare parts, upgrades, technical mentoring and contributing to the economy with the localization of our product. **Q: The Croatian government strongly supports Ukraine, for which we are deeply grateful. What historical connection exists between Croatia and Ukraine that influenced DOK-INGs approach?** R.L.: During Croatias 1991 Homeland War (at the time of the USSRs collapse), Ukraine was one of the very few countries that actively supported Croatia. When Croatia was fighting for independence, Ukraine was one of the very few countries that helped Croatia with humanitarian aid. When considering full technology transfer, our founder emphasized: Now its our turn to help Ukraine. **Q: What does DOK-ING want to achieve in Ukraine?** R.L.: We want to grow our localization programme using our proven demining technology and to support the long-term sustainability of our machines in Ukraine. We want Ukraine to become the second home of DOK-ING and for Ukrainian engineers to continue improving their skills and knowledge on our machines so that we can support the end beneficiaries which are the Ukrainian people. **Q: How has localization changed your operations? What challenges do international companies and funds see in Ukraine? R.L.: Localization has accelerated local production and assembly, lowered costs, created jobs, and kept money circulating within Ukraine thus boosting the economy. Challenges for companies in Ukraine include war risks, prohibitively expensive insurance (especially outside Kyiv), uncertain profitability, and the governments understandable focus on Defiance and reconstruction and repair of essential infrastructure rather than equipment purchases. Once sustainable peace arrives, multinational investment will bring large international demining firms who will most probably sub-contract local operators, accelerating scale-up. So, there are risks and concerns with the number one being war and the related insurance risks on personnel, equipment, and profitability of operations. And the main question is who is going to pay? It is obvious that a sustainable peace is required for multinational organisations to enter Ukraine and invest. With this will come international commercial demining operations with the resultant stimulation of the local commercial demining market. The almost total reliance on donor funding, with exceptions that are provided occasionally by the state, is another serious risk and alternative practical financing solutions have yet to be found. Negotiations with the World Bank include a track on how to integrate mine action into every reconstruction project - as a first step, not as an optional extra. This could de-risk investment decisions and create a predictable environment for both international and local operators. The structural challenge is that Ukraine has not yet treated demining as a long-term industrial and economic sector. Until it does, multinational investors will remain cautious, and scaling of local commercial operations will be constrained. **Q: How can demining capacity be scaled in Ukraine?** R.L.: Scaling requires stable, long-term demand, not one-off pilot projects and prototypes. We need a national industrial strategy and forward procurement planning so manufacturers can forecast and plan for production. The Center for Humanitarian Demining must group the land plots in the State Compensation Scheme in small geographical areas to make mobilization/demobilization between land plots cost-effective and attractive for commercial operators. Commercial operators must also consider pooling resources in a joint venture when bidding on Prozorro as this will increase their collective personnel and financial potential to enable them to afford the use of mechanical demining machines. This in turn increases the number of operators actively using machines and therefore speeds up the clearance of contaminated areas. Demining must be treated as a standalone economic sector, not a side function, to reduce investment risk, attract banks, and create jobs, technology export, and investment, just as Croatia did. So, to create long-term demand, group land plots geographically in tenders thus giving commercial operators the opportunity to plan and operate cost effectively; operators must consider joint ventures when bidding on Prozorro; and properly fund commercial demining through the state compensation scheme by means of open, competitive tenders and not a fixed price per square meter. This will make demining a viable commercial enterprise and you will see how the Ukrainian commercial demining market will grow and actively contribute to the economy and the clearance of the country. **Q: Any last thoughts for our readers?** R.L.: Mine action in Ukraine is not just a humanitarian or emergency task. It is a strategic economic sector capable of creating jobs, developing technology (as DOK-ING did from Croatia), and attracting investment. To make it work effectively, Ukraine needs a new mine action law that fits the current realities; long-term planning and demand forecasting for manufacturers; a free and open market for private operators that is not constrained by unrealistic and impractical pricing structures; localized and domestic manufacturers; and the integration of mine action into all reconstruction projects. The Government must immediately mandate the integration of comprehensive mine-action activities into all reconstruction and development programmes implemented by national and international organisations. This approach is essential to safeguard construction personnel, protect investments, and ensure that rehabilitated land is safe, productive, and sustainable for the long-term benefit of affected communities and future generations of Ukrainians. If Ukraine recognizes demining as a standalone sector, rather than a subsidiary function under a Ministry or humanitarian aid, it will accelerate the return of land to productive use, attract international investment, and create a truly competitive market. A group of market-rate town homes being constructed at the corner of Maple and Guilford streets in Brattleboro by Brunelle & Son Construction. Christchurch-based AI conversational tool startup Contented has raised $4.1 million in a seed funding round. The round, led by Altered Capital, was oversubscribed with investment secured from New Zealand venture capital firms and funds K1W1, Icehouse Ventures, Aspire NZ Seed Fund, Phase One Ventures and Exhort Ventures, as well as Shearwater Capital in Australia. Founded in 2023, Contented is an AI tool which captures conversations in meetings, video calls and in-person discussions, and then converts them into documentation and business insights through customisable templates. Co-founder Hannah Hardy-Jones said the investment would accelerate the companys growth into new territories and industries. Weve had really strong interest from a great range of investors and this funding is going to allow us to deepen our feature set, expand our customer base, and push hard into new territories like the UK and US, she said. Contented planned to use the new funding to build out its template offering for different business areas like HR and recruitment, expand integration capabilities with CRMs and Microsoft Office, and enhance its AI technology. It also plans to increase its team size from five to around 15 staff in the next two months with new hires being in development, go-to-market and customer success. According to Contented, it has grown from a handful of customers to over $1.4 million in annual recurring revenue in the past year, and now has over 200 customers globally, spanning SMEs, wealth management, healthcare, government and enterprise. A satellite image captured this week and obtained by RFE/RL contains details that suggest Russia may be deploying a nuclear-capable, hypersonic missile system called Oreshnik at a fast-growing military installation on the site of a former airfield in neighboring Belarus. Military allies Russia and Belarus have both said the Oreshnik, which Moscow has boasted about and fired at least twice -- without nuclear warheads -- in its war against Ukraine, would be deployed in Belarus. They have kept potential locations under wraps. On December 30, the defense ministries of both countries posted video footage that they said showed an Oreshnik system being put on combat duty in Belarus, but they did not reveal the location. A few days before the footage was published, US researchers named the former site of Krychev-6, a Soviet-era military airfield near the town of Krychau, close to the Russian border in eastern Belarus, as a possible location for an Oreshnik system. Using a satellite image captured by Planet Labs on February 9, RFE/RL's Belarus Service determined that the video was apparently filmed at the site of the abandoned airfield, where previous images show that fast-paced construction began in August 2025 after the demolition of a charcoal production enterprise. By 2026, images show, several new buildings had been erected at the site and the railway tracks and station had been completely rebuilt. The Oreshnik is a mobile intermediate-range missile system that experts say Russia has developed on the basis of the Yars, an intercontinental ballistic missile that is larger than the newer system. It is carried by and launched from a vehicle. Among other things, the February 9 image of the site shows six vehicles whose size and proportions match those of vehicles seen in the Defense Ministry videos, as well as two hangars that appear to be under construction to accommodate the vehicles. Decker Eveleth, a nuclear weapons and deterrence analyst at the US-based think tank CNA and one of the researchers who named the Krychau site as a possible Oreshnik location in late December, wrote on X that an examination of the new image "confirmed -- definitely heavy vehicles have arrived." "I believe probably at least 2 objects that are likely launchers, maybe 3," Eveleth wrote. Ivan Kirichevskiy, a Ukrainian soldier and an expert on weapons issues for the Ukrainian publication Defense Express, told RFE/RL that the images may indeed show vehicles related to an Oreshnik system. But he added that "it cannot be ruled out that the Russians can create fake military positions in this way. And this could be one of such fake positions." Russia has been ramping up military cooperation with Belarus while pressing its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in a war that has vastly increased tensions with NATO and the West. A buffer state for Russia, Belarus is bordered on the south by Ukraine and on the west and northwest by NATO members Poland, Lithuania, and Latvia. The Oreshnik is one of many missiles Russian President Vladimir Putin has touted in numerous comments that analysts say are aimed at projecting strength and sending signals to the West and the rest of the world. After Russia struck the Ukrainian city of Dnipro in what Putin called a "successful combat test" of the Oreshnik in 2024, his spokesman Dmitry Peskov said it was a message to the West that Moscow will respond harshly to any "reckless" Western moves in support of Ukraine. Jeffrey Lewis, one of the US researchers who named the Krychau site as a possible location for an Oreshnik system in late December, wrote at the time that its deployment so close to Russia's border would "not result in any increase in the reach of the missile system," noting that many areas in Russia and its Kaliningrad exclave are closer to London and Paris. "The decision to base the Oreshnik less than 5 km from the Russian border illustrates the degree to which the deployment reflects political considerations, rather than an effort to seek some specific military advantage," Lewis wrote. Adapted from the original report in Belarusian by Steve Gutterman Anton Sevastianov / UNDP in Ukraine Zavodske, Mykolaiv Oblast, 11 February 2026 UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) have officially inaugurated a rehabilitated community and village council building in Zavodske, Mykolaiv Oblast. The facility, restored with support from the Ukraine Community Recovery Fund (UCRF), houses the local administration offices and provides a vital multi-functional space for civic and social activities in the community. The efforts in Zavodske are part of a broader joint project by UNDP and UNHCR, Mine Action and IDP Return in the South of Ukraine, that was launched in August 2024. The project focuses on creating safe conditions for return, rebuilding homes and infrastructure, and restoring essential services in partnership with local authorities and civil society across Mykolaiv and Kherson oblasts. These areas faced the severe impacts of occupation, destruction, and displacement as a result of Russias full-scale invasion. The project specifically targets four communities Zavodske and Shyroke in Mykolaiv Oblast and Vysokopillia and Velyka Oleksandrivka in Kherson Oblast spurring their early recovery. The projects various activities address specific concerns from both Ukrainian refugees abroad and internally displaced people that were raised in surveys on their intention to return: safety from mines and explosive remnants of war, damage to housing and social infrastructure, and the lack of essential services and employment opportunities. UNDP is leading efforts on community security, mine action, debris removal, and institutional capacity-building in the south of Ukraine. In Mykolaiv and Kherson oblasts, debris removal operations in the Shyroke and Vysokopillia communities resulted in the demolition of seven damaged buildings and the safe processing of approximately 14,000 tonnes of debris. In parallel, UNDP continues to support explosive ordnance risk education, strengthen local service delivery, and advance area-based recovery to enhance community safety and early recovery. UNHCR focuses on repairs of war-damaged homes, the rehabilitation of social infrastructure, and the provision of mobile protection teams that provide a variety of legal aid and counselling support to IDPs and other vulnerable groups. To date, UNHCR, together with NGO partners Tenth of April and Caritas, has repaired 785 homes across the four communities and helped other families with repair materials or cash assistance to do repairs themselves. Five public facilities have been rehabilitated or are in the process, and more than 8,000 residents and returnees have received legal assistance, psychosocial support, or other types of case-by-case protection support. The project further strengthens community participation and local governance by creating civic and youth spaces, supporting IDP councils, and launching community-led recovery initiatives that promote social cohesion. Restoring access to local administrative and social services is not only about opening a building it is about restoring peoples dignity, their access to rights, and their confidence in the future of their community. At UNHCR, we are grateful for the close and trusted collaboration with local authorities, partners Caritas and Tenth of April, UNDP, and the community members themselves. Our joint efforts will strengthen the communities resilience, restore essential services, and ultimately support the sustainable return of people to communities that have suffered so much but remain determined to recover and revive, said Bernadette Castel-Hollingsworth, UNHCR Ukraine Representative. Community recovery is about restoring the everyday services and spaces that allow people to return, reconnect, and rebuild their lives with dignity. Denmark is proud to support this joint UNDPUNHCR initiative implemented through the Ukraine Community Recovery Fund, which strengthens local governance, improves access to essential services, and helps create the conditions for a safe and sustainable return. By investing in communities affected by the war, we stand with the people of Ukraine as they move from emergency response towards long-term recovery, said Jakob Torrild Hansen, Head of the Danish Embassy Office in Mykolaiv. UNDP applies an area-based recovery approach to deliver meaningful progress, address complex challenges, and empower communities to drive their own development. In Zavodske, this includes strengthening community security, supporting mine action and debris removal, and enhancing the capacity of local authorities to deliver administrative, social, health, and vocational services. By working closely with communities, youth, and veterans, we are laying the foundations for sustainable recovery and economic revitalization. UNDP is proud to partner with UNHCR on this joint initiative, which is helping restore safety, services, and confidence in the future of this war-torn community, said Auke Lootsma, UNDP Resident Representative in Ukraine. This new community hub marks an important step in restoring services and hope for our people. Its realisation was made possible through strong partnerships between local authorities, UNHCR, UNDP, and, crucially, local residents themselves. Together, we are building safer, more resilient communities and enabling the sustainable return of people, said Vitalii Kim, Head of the Mykolaiv Oblast State Administration. Background Zavodske in Mykolaiv Oblast was right on the frontline at the beginning of the full-scale invasion, prompting all but 86 residents of the pre-war population of 4,000 to flee the fighting. Since Ukraine retook the area at the end of 2022, life has been resuming slowly but consistently as is also the case for other communities with similar experiences. In addition to the rehabilitation of the community building and village council, another facility in Zavodske is being renovated and transformed into an Administrative Service Centre (ASC) and Centre for Psychological and Social Services (CPSS), scheduled to open in July 2026. The Centre provides comprehensive social support for older adults, people with disabilities, and internally displaced people many of whom have faced years without reliable access to essential social care due to critical gaps in local capacity. UNDP supported Zavodskes recovery by strengthening community safety, coordination, and local resilience. Through the Community Engagement Working Group, which brings together residents, internally displaced people, and veterans, UNDP enhanced cooperation with the State Emergency Service of Ukraine and the National Police, by supporting a refurbished civic space for community coordination. Given the villages proximity to the frontline, UNDP also reinforced community security through video surveillance systems. Building on this foundation, UNDP is now advancing an area-based recovery approach in Zavodske, supporting administrative, social, and health services as well as veterans assistance and local economic recovery. Iranian President Masud Pezeshkian has said his country is open to admitting international inspectors to prove its nuclear program is "peaceful," in comments marking the 47th anniversary of the Islamic Revolution, as US naval forces stand poised in the region for possible military strikes. "We are not seeking to acquire nuclear weapons. We have stated this repeatedly and are ready for any verification," he said on February 11, at anniversary celebrations taking place against a backdrop of a deadly crackdown in which security forces killed thousands of people attending mass nationwide protests last month. Videos posted overnight from February 10-11 showed fireworks in Tehran in celebration of the anniversary -- even as many mourned dead loved ones. On the videos, people could also be heard defiantly crying "death to the dictator" and "death to Khamenei," referring to Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The crackdown on protesters was strongly condemned by the United States and its allies and led to the US naval build up, with US President Donald Trump telling protesters that Washington was coming to support them. "We have an armada that is heading there and another one might be going," Trump said in an interview with Axios on February 10. The current US deployment is one the largest in the years. After talks between US and Iranian teams in Oman on February 6, Washington imposed additional sanctions on Iran's oil sector. Further talks are expected but no date has been set. Later on February 11, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is due to meet Trump in Washington to discuss the situation. A statement by Netanyahu's office said he wanted talks with Iran to include its ballistic missile program and support for armed proxies and Tehran-backed militant groups in Lebanon, Iraq, and Yemen. Alexander Gray, who served on the National Security Council during Trump's first term in the White House, told RFE/RL these were the issues that would likely determine whether strikes are launched -- rather than efforts to help Iran's opposition. "He doesn't want to see these brutal crackdowns. But I think the president's also a realist," he said. "From a fundamental US interest standpoint, as much as we decry the horrific human rights abuses, I think we are most likely to be effective in advocating for changes to their proxy behavior and their missile and nuclear programs." US Vice President JD Vance appeared to confirm this as he departed from a visit to Azerbaijan on February 11. "If the Iranian people want to overthrow the regime, that's up to the Iranian people. What we're focused on right now is the fact that Iran can't have a nuclear weapon. That's been the focus of the president's policy, even going back to the first administration," he said. Iranians in different cities called out anti-government slogans on the anniversary of the 1979 Islamic Revolution, responding to state-sponsored official festivities. Chants of "Death to the dictator" and "Death to Khamenei" could be heard as darkness fell. The anger follows a brutal state crackdown on protesters in which thousands of people were killed. Authorities in Kazakhstan have announced they will hold a referendum next month on a new constitution, in what has been seen as a move by President Qasym-Zhomart Toqaev to cement his hold on power. The new basic law also addresses the status of the Russian language, attempting to avoid provoking Moscow while also satisfying demands to strengthen Kazakh identity after achieving independence in 1991 following centuries of Russian and Soviet dominance. By its essence, this is a new constitution, Toqaev said recently. Any changes must reflect the will of our citizens. The referendum is set for March 15. The authorities have sought to present the work on the new draft, presented on January 31, as inclusive. Over months, a special commission consulted experts, reviewed more than 10,000 citizen proposals via online platforms, and held public hearings. Critics, however, argue the process was staged. What is presented as national discussion is, in reality, a performance. Participation is symbolic," veteran legal expert Maidan Suleimenov said. "The (draft) constitution reflects the convenience of power, not the will of the people. State repression of critics has reinforced these concerns. On February 4, activist Ermek Narymbay was jailed for two months for Facebook posts criticizing the draft. Other activists and journalists have faced police summons, warnings, and pressure to delete posts under false information directives. Redefining Power The draft completely restructures Kazakhstans political system. The bicameral parliament is replaced by a single-chamber legislature elected through party lists, disadvantaging smaller opposition parties. A new Peoples Council, fully appointed by the president, has the power to propose legislation. Furthermore, direct presidential power is expanded. The head of state gains additional influence over appointments and can now appoint a vice president, integrated into executive continuity and succession frameworks. The draft also allows the president to issue decrees with the force of law if parliament is dissolved. Judicial procedures are formalized, but executive control over appointments ensure the judiciary is not truly independent. Officials insist the reforms enjoy broad support. Legislator Yelnur Beisembayev claimed, Kazakhs support 98 percent of the provisions. Activists dispute this, noting the accelerated consultation process lacked full social representation and meaningful participation. Language And Identity Article 9 reaffirms Kazakh as the state language while maintaining Russians official use in state bodies. On February 10, the Constitutional Commission amended one word: the previous phrase stating that Russian is used on equal footing with Kazakh was changed to say it was used along with Kazakh. Authorities describe this as an editorial adjustment for consistency between the Kazakh and Russian texts, but some commentators suggested it subtly lowered Russians implied status. For many citizens, this is the most contentious part of the draft -- a symbolic battleground over identity, sovereignty, and the post-Soviet legacy. Activists argue that even minor wording changes reflect larger questions about the cultural and political weight of Kazakh versus Russian, which remains widely spoken in cities, state institutions, and daily life. Some activists believe the status of Kazakh is still not sufficiently protected. The ambiguous language prevents full use of Kazakh in public life," said civic campaigner Serik Aliuly. "Citizens have to defend their right to access services in the state language. Removing or clarifying the official language norm for Russian is a demand of our time. Political scientist Dos Koshim and lawyer Meirman Kalmakhanuly said that the wording fueled perceptions that Russian and Kazakh are equal in public life, undermining efforts to promote Kazakh in official domains. Activist Zharkyn Kurentaev was detained before a press conference on the subject, further illustrating risks to public discussion of the constitution. Supporters of retaining Russian argue it is pragmatic, preserving social cohesion and avoiding tension with Russia, which has historically invoked the protection of Russian speakers abroad. Moscow has cited Ukrainian legislation making the use of Ukrainian compulsory in numerous spheres of public life as evidence for false claims of a "genocide" against Russian-speakers in the country -- and a pretext for war. One Kazakh lawmaker, Ermurat Bapi, stressed the need for caution on the subject of language. It is wiser for the majority to embrace their language with careful respect rather than turning it into a weapon of conflict, he said. Ethnic Russians make up roughly 15 percent of the population in Kazakhstan. Authorities also appear aware that altering Russians constitutional status could inflame domestic tensions and provoke Moscow. The intensity of debate highlights how language in Kazakhstan remains inseparable from identity, politics, and geopolitics. NATO officially launched its Arctic Sentry mission on February 11 in a bid to improve the military posture of the alliance in the Arctic region. The move follows recent tensions between NATO allies Denmark and the United States over the political future of Greenland. When it was first mooted last month, several diplomats told RFE/RL that a potential Arctic mission could be a way out of a growing crisis. Following a meeting between US President Donald Trump and NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte last month in Davos, Switzerland, it was agreed that NATO should play a bigger role around Greenland to counter potential Chinese and Russian interference around the island and in the Arctic in general. Speaking at a press conference in Brussels on February 11, Rutte said that "for the first time we will bring everything we do in Arctic under one command. We will not only leverage all that we are doing, we will also see what gaps there are and we will fill them" adding that "we do this because we have a clear sense that the Russians and the Chinese are becoming more active there. In a press release announcing the launch, NATOs supreme allied commander for Europe, Alexus Grynkewich, said that Arctic Sentry underscores the Alliances commitment to safeguard its members and maintain stability in one of the worlds most strategically significant and environmentally challenging areas, adding that it would "leverage NATOs strength to protect our territory and ensure the Arctic and High North remains secure. No details have emerged so far about how many NATO countries are involved in the mission or troop levels, although the military alliance has confirmed that it is multidomain, meaning it will cover air, sea, and land. NATO has also stated that Denmarks Arctic Endurance exercise together with 11 other European NATO nations currently going on in and around Greenland and the upcoming Cold Response exercise in northern Norway and Finland involving 25,000 soldiers, including American troops, will form part of Arctic Sentry. Seven of the eight so-called Arctic countries are NATO members, with Russia being the glaring exception. And while the waters around Greenland aren't full of Russian and Chinese ships right now, that could change as Arctic Sea ice melts and new sea lanes open up. Arctic Sentry comes after NATO formed similar missions in 2025 that are still underway in the Baltic Sea -- as a response to the alleged Russian sabotage of undersea cables -- and on the alliances eastern flank -- after Russian drone incursions into Poland in September. Since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine four years ago, most of the headlines about the role of Starlink satellite Internet service in the war have been about its use by Ukraine, such as the tension that erupted when US tech billionaire Elon Musks company SpaceX refused to grant Kyiv access to the system for operations in the Black Sea near Russian-occupied Crimea. Suddenly, though, attention has focused on Russia, which had been relying heavily on Starlink for battlefield coordination and drone strikes, using terminals smuggled into the war zones in eastern and southern Ukraine. That illicit use was sharply curtailed last week, when SpaceX cut off access to the system from unauthorized terminals at the request of Ukraine and its tech-savvy new defense minister, Mykhaylo Fedorov. The blow to Russias military operations comes at a crucial juncture in its war on Ukraine, as President Vladimir Putins government seeks to capture the whole of the eastern Donbas region and use battlefield advances to pressure Kyiv for territorial concessions in the US-led push for a peace deal. Russian forces have been scrambling for substitutions, according to military analysts, Ukrainian officials, and hawkish Russian war bloggers who raised the alarm about the effects on Russias advances, which have been slow and extremely costly as the four-year mark approaches in an invasion Putin hoped would subjugate Ukraine within weeks. They are relying on stopgap measures while searching for longer-term alternatives -- but experts say those fall short of Starlinks speed, coverage, and resilience. Russian forces have largely lost the ability to effectively aim attack drones, including Shaheds, and to conduct reconnaissance, Ihor Romanenko, a retired lieutenant general and former deputy chief of Ukraines General Staff, told RFE/RL. 'Urgently Adapting' Serhiy Beskrestnov, a Ukrainian Defense Ministry adviser with the call sign Flash, said on social media that Russian assault operations were stopped in many areas due to the loss of coordination capabilities. Such claims could not immediately be independently verified. Viktor Kevlyuk, a military expert at Ukraines Center for Defense Strategies, said Russian units are urgently adapting to the whitelist system, which deactivates unregistered terminals, by sourcing and deploying readily available substitutes. Russia has pivoted to its own providers using the Yamal and Express satellite [networks], which are geostationary and primarily designed for civilian-government use. Terminals resembling traditional satellite TV dishes -- oval or round, unprotected, oriented southeast/south--are being rushed to frontline units, Kevlyuk said. He added, however, that these terminals are easier to detect and target due to their fixed orientation and lack of mobility. Starlink signals are more resilient to electronic countermeasures than Russias ground-based systems, Lauryn Williams, deputy director and senior fellow in the Strategic Technologies Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, told RFE/RL. Without it, Russian forces will likely be far more vulnerable. Still, the development will not immediately lead to sudden Ukrainian breakthroughs or big victories for Kyiv, Yan Matveyev, a Russian military analyst who lives abroad, told Current Time. He said this is mainly because in order to advance and break through, you need large forces even in the current bottlenecks of the front, and Ukraine -- struggling with manpower problems -- may not have the troops to spare for such efforts. 'Smuggled Workarounds' Starlink had played a particularly important role in Russian drone operations. Long-range drones have become a key tool for Russian strikes on Ukraines rear, including energy infrastructure, and the presence of Starlink terminals on these drones suggested the technology was being deployed systematically and at scale. Blocking Starlink access does not mean Russia has lost the ability to fight altogether, analysts said: Its forces retain alternative communications channels and continue to use drones with radio control, autonomous guidance, or closed networks that do not rely on Starlink -- albeit with less accuracy and speed. Meanwhile, experts said, the long-term impact of the cutoff will depend on how quickly Russia adapts. The lasting effect will depend on whether Russia can expand domestic satellite systems, rely on less effective alternatives, or develop smuggled workarounds, Kevlyuk said. Ukrainian officials say Russias efforts include attempts to pressure or entice Ukrainians to register Starlink terminals for Russian use, with Beskrestnov asserting on Facebook that bribery is among the tactics being used. My advice to traitors: dont even try it, he wrote. Ukraines Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War also reported cases in which Russian forces threatened relatives of Ukrainian soldiers in Russian custody to coerce them into registering Starlink terminals. Once again, the enemy regards the relatives and friends of captured Ukrainians as a resource for manipulation, the headquarters said. The claim could not immediately be verified. 'Soldiers In The Trenches' Some Russian commentators have floated more aggressive responses, but Putins government might be hesitant to take such steps. Kremlin propagandists have threatened kinetic attacks on SpaceX satellites or US infrastructure, but these are seen as self-harming due to escalation risks and orbital debris, Kevlyuk said. More plausible are deniable tactics like jamming, spoofing, or cyberattacks on Starlink. In any case, Russia is looking for solutions at the highest level, Romanenko said. Publicly, Russian officials from Putin on down have said little or nothing about the Starlink restrictions, though Russias delegation at a UN conference criticized Starlink and argued that it may be in breach of an international treaty on outer space. But the Starlink cutoff led to a surge of ire from pro-war Russian bloggers who are active on social media -- many criticizing not SpaceX but the Russian government, which they argue is not fighting the war hard or effectively enough. One Telegram channel, called Dossier -- Secret Contour, suggested that the Kremlin should "publicly explain to soldiers in the trenches why the state is spending billions of rubles on civilian projects like the online messenger Max, instead of creating a full-fledged [Russian] satellite communications system. Last month, the Russian newspaper Kommersant reported that the launch of the first 16 satellites for a system that Moscow hopes would be a domestic alternative to Starlink was delayed after initially being planned for late 2025. Current Time contributed to this report. WASHINGTON -- US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu concluded nearly three hours of closed-door talks at the White House on February 11 without reaching a clear agreement on how to proceed with Iran, underscoring lingering differences over diplomacy and security strategy. "There was nothing definitive reached other than I insisted that negotiations with Iran continue to see whether or not a Deal can be consummated," Trump wrote on Truth Social shortly after the meeting. "If it can, I let the Prime Minister know that will be a preference. If it cannot, we will just have to see what the outcome will be." The meeting -- their seventh since Trump returned to office -- took place entirely behind closed doors, a departure from previous visits by Netanyahu that featured joint appearances and news conferences. Neither leader took questions from reporters, and no joint statement was issued. According to a brief readout from Netanyahu's office, the two leaders "addressed negotiations with Iran, Gaza, and regional developments." The statement added that Netanyahu "emphasized Israel's security needs in the context of the negotiations" and that both sides agreed to maintain close coordination and ongoing communication. It did not indicate that any decisions had been made. Iran's nuclear program remains a central point of tension between Washington and Israel. Israel alleges that Tehran is working toward building a nuclear weapon -- a claim Iran has repeatedly denied -- and views Iran's ballistic missile program and support for regional militant groups as an existential threat. Photo Gallery: Iran 'Buries' Nuclear Site As Satellite Images Reveal US Military Buildup Satellite images appear to show entrances to Iranian nuclear sites buried under tons of soil and a marked increase in US forces in the region, as tension mounts over potential US strikes. Netanyahu and key members of his governing coalition have long argued for a harder line against Tehran, with some advocating for regime change in the Islamic republic. Trump, by contrast, has signaled a continued preference for diplomacy, even as he warned of potential consequences if talks fail. "Last time Iran decided that they were better off not making a Deal, and they were hit with Midnight Hammer -- That did not work well for them," Trump wrote in his Truth Social post on February 11, referring to a June US strike on Iranian nuclear facilities. "Hopefully this time they will be more reasonable and responsible." The White House meeting came against a backdrop of heightened regional tensions and mixed signals from Tehran. Earlier on February 11, Iranian President Masud Pezeshkian said his country was open to admitting international inspectors to verify that its nuclear program is "peaceful," marking the 47th anniversary of the Islamic Revolution with a message aimed at easing international concerns. "We are not seeking to acquire nuclear weapons. We have stated this repeatedly and are ready for any verification," Pezeshkian said during anniversary celebrations that followed a deadly crackdown on mass anti-government protests last month. Security forces killed thousands of people during the unrest, according to reports, prompting strong condemnation from Washington and its allies. Videos posted overnight on February 10-11 showed fireworks in Tehran celebrating the anniversary, even as many Iranians mourned those killed. In some clips, voices could be heard chanting "Death to the dictator" and "Death to Khamenei," referring to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The crackdown drew sharp criticism from the United States and contributed to a significant US naval buildup in the region. Trump said in an interview with Axios on February 10 that "we have an armada that is heading there and another one might be going," describing one of the largest US deployments in years. Diplomatic efforts have continued in parallel. After talks between US and Iranian teams in Oman on February 6, Washington imposed additional sanctions targeting Iran's oil sector. Further negotiations are expected, though no date has been announced. Netanyahu's visit to Washington followed those developments. Ahead of his White House meeting, his office said he wanted any talks with Iran to address not only its nuclear program but also its ballistic missile activities and support for armed proxies in Lebanon, Iraq, and Yemen. Alexander Gray, who served on the National Security Council during Trump's first term, told RFE/RL that those issues -- rather than efforts to directly back Iran's opposition -- would likely determine whether military action is considered. "He doesn't want to see these brutal crackdowns. But I think the president's also a realist," Gray said. "From a fundamental US interest standpoint, as much as we decry the horrific human rights abuses, I think we are most likely to be effective in advocating for changes to their proxy behavior and their missile and nuclear programs." US Vice President JD Vance echoed that position on February 11 as he departed Azerbaijan. "If the Iranian people want to overthrow the regime, that's up to the Iranian people. What we're focused on right now is the fact that Iran can't have a nuclear weapon. That's been the focus of the president's policy, even going back to the first administration," he said. For now, Trump appears determined to test the diplomatic track, even as Israel signals deep reservations and US forces remain positioned in the region. Alex Plitsas, a former senior Pentagon official now with the Atlantic Council, said Trump's approach mirrors previous episodes in which the president paired a visible military buildup with space for negotiations. "President Trump's statement following today's meeting is consistent with his recent comments about using Venezuela as a parallel," Plitsas told RFE/RL, referring to a strategy in which the administration "deployed a large force but gave time for negotiations." Turkey's foreign minister, Hakan Fidan, told the Financial Times in an interview published on February 12 that while the United States and Iran appeared ready to compromise to secure a nuclear deal, broadening talks to cover Tehran's ballistic missile program would risk "nothing but another war." "It is positive that the Americans appear willing to tolerate Iranian enrichment within clearly set boundaries," he said. Plitsas said he expects talks with Tehran "to continue to play out unless or until an acceptable breakthrough is reached on a nuclear agreement that would give way to additional points of concern -- like ballistic missiles or if a deal seems as though it cannot be reached." Administration officials remain wary after Iran previously rejected what they viewed as a generous offer, Plitsas noted, "but still the president appears to be willing to try diplomacy again." Whether negotiations -- and Pezeshkian's stated openness to inspections -- can narrow the gap between Washington and Israel remains uncertain. The URL has been copied to your clipboard The code has been copied to your clipboard. Central Asians living in Ukraine have brought some ancestral traditions to help those facing freezing winter and power cuts. Russian air assaults may have caused widespread power outages, but more cities are now featuring warm yurts and friendly hosts offering hot rice dishes from Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. A diplomatic deal between the United States and Iran could still avoid a military confrontation. But one of Washington's largest-ever military buildups in the Persian Gulf is rapidly taking shape. Experts say the deployment is aimed at giving US President Donald Trump military options if he chooses to act on his threats to attack Tehran for failing to make a nuclear deal and violently cracking down on protesters. Iranian security forces killed thousands of demonstrators in January, after protests erupted in late December 2025 over the sharp collapse of the Iranian currency. "The gathering of forces is a point of pressure applied by the United States on Iran to come to a negotiated agreement," said Amin Tarzi, professor of strategic studies at Marine Corps War College. He said that after the buildup, the US military posture in the Gulf is "robust" with "naval and defensive air defense capabilities, plus offensive air components." He said that in terms of numbers, the US buildup might not be the largest in the region where Washington has fought some of its most recent foreign wars. Hundreds of thousands of American troops participated in two major US-led operations against Iraq: the 1991 Persian Gulf War, which liberated Kuwait from Iraqi occupation, and the 2003 invasion of Iraq, which toppled Saddam Hussein's regime. "The nature of war has changed dramatically, even compared to 2003," Tarzi said. "These are assets that have more capability but a much smaller footprint. 'Massive Armada' In late January, President Trump reiterated his call for Tehran to face a "far worse" attack than the one aimed at the country in June if it fails to make a deal over its nuclear program. He said a "massive armada" was heading to Iran and it was able to "rapidly fulfill its mission, with speed and violence". The fleet is led by the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln, supported by several advanced warships that together form a carrier strike group. Last week, one of the strike group's jets shot down an Iranian drone. David Des Roches, a professor at Washington's Thayer Marshall Institute, said multi-role ships such as USS Delbert D. Black, USS Mitscher, and USS McFaul are already in the Persian Gulf theater. All of these can launch missile strikes and have advanced naval and air defense capabilities. On February 10, Trump said he might dispatch a second aircraft carrier strike group to the region to take part in the military action if talks with Iran fail. Des Roches said the US forces currently around Iran are nimbler. "[The buildup] is much smaller, and it's much easier to scale up and scale down," he said. He said advances in US military capacity mean it is also possible that Washington can again use strategic B2 bombers just like it used in June 2025 to strike deep inside Iran. "These can come from the United States or Diego Garcia," he said. In the Indian Ocean island of Diego Garcia, the US shares a joint military base with the United Kingdom. CENTCOM The Gulf region is part of the US Central Command (CENTCOM) area of operations, where the oil-rich Sunni Arab monarchies of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, and Qatar have hosted US army, air force, and naval bases. The region is now estimated to have up to 40,000 US troops. The Al-Udeid air base in Qatar houses CENTCOM's forward headquarters. In June 2025, Iran attempted to target it in retaliation for the US air strikes on its nuclear facilities. The US Navy's Fifth Fleet is based in Bahrain, from where it secures some of the world's busiest shipping lanes in the Persian Gulf and Red Sea. Additional US bases and ships are scattered in Jordan, the Red Sea, and the Mediterranean. In Iraq and Syria, the US military presence has mostly been aimed at counterterrorism operations against the Islamic State extremist group. "The massive increase in naval presence, in air presence, in air defenses, does signal the United States is very serious," said Brian Carter, the research manager at the Critical Threats Project at the American Enterprise Institute think tank in Washington. He said that Washington is bringing in air defense platforms to help defend its bases and US allies from any Iranian attacks. "The navy fits into that picture as well, because naval ships can be armed with surface-to-air interceptors to shoot down incoming missiles," he said. Across the Middle East, Washington has beefed up its air and missile defenses. In recent weeks, it has deployed additional batteries of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) and Patriot missile defense systems to the Gulf Arab nations and Jordan. Patriots are effective against low-flying and short-range projectiles. THAAD is designed to intercept ballistic missiles at high altitudes. Carter says that, in contrast to Iran's weak defense capabilities, the US defensive capacity is quite strong because of investments during the past decade. "That's a kind of important asymmetry that we should keep in mind as we're thinking about strikes going forward," he said. WASHINGTON -- A bipartisan coalition of US lawmakers is seeking to tighten the legal and financial vise on Russia's global mercenary network, introducing legislation on February 10 that would designate the Kremlin's rebranded proxy forces as Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTOs). The measure marks a significant escalation in Washington's effort to expand sanctions authority against Kremlin-affiliated private mercenary organizations, including ones that have formed since the demise of the notorious Wagner group. Led by Republican Congressman Joe Wilson of South Carolina, the group in the House of Representatives includes Republicans Pat Fallon (Texas), Maria Salazar (Florida), Mike Lawler (New York), and Zach Nunn (Iowa), along with Democrats Steve Cohen (Tennessee) and Jimmy Panetta (California). Together, they unveiled the Holding Accountable Russian Mercenaries Act 2.0, or HARM Act 2.0. "Russia's paramilitaries sow chaos wherever they go and present a major challenge to US national security," Wilson told RFE/RL on February 10. "We must ensure that they are properly designated and defeated -- this bill gives President Trump the means to do that." Closing The 'Rebrand' Loophole The legislative push comes amid mounting concern that Russian private military contractors are not only surviving international sanctions but expanding their global footprint. Lawmakers pointed to activity in the Western Hemisphere as especially troubling. Last fall, Ukrainian intelligence claimed that more than 120 Russian personnel were operating in Venezuela, training militants in infantry tactics, special forces operations, and drone warfare. In previous years, there have also been media reports of Wagner mercenaries in the country. These claims and reports could not be confirmed by RFE/RL. At the heart of HARM Act 2.0 is an effort to address what its sponsors see as a structural weakness in existing law, which designated Wagner a terrorist organization. But the legal landscape shifted dramatically after the 2023 death of Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin. In the aftermath of Prigozhin's death, which followed a failed mutiny against the Kremlin by his forces, Wagner was reorganized under the direct oversight of Russia's Defense Ministry. The once-unified mercenary force fractured into successor entities, including the Africa Corps and Redut PMC. Lawmakers contend that this restructuring allowed Moscow to evade sanctions and terrorism designations by renaming, redistributing, and reassigning its assets while preserving operational continuity. The new bill would require the State Department to designate these successor organizations as FTOs and mandates regular reviews to prevent future iterations from slipping through legal cracks. The legislation also calls for enhanced annual reporting on Russian mercenary financing, resource extraction operations, and deployments in strategically sensitive regions such as Venezuela. Confronting '21st-Century Proxy Terrorism' Experts say the bill reflects growing recognition that Russia's use of private military companies is not an aberration but a durable feature of its foreign policy toolkit. Glen Howard, president of the Saratoga Foundation and a longtime Russia strategist, described the proposed designations as a necessary response to what he called a modernized form of indirect warfare. "Wagner is a perfect example of 21st-century proxy terrorism, where states outsource coercive violence to deniable quasi-state actors while retaining strategic control over their operations," Howard told RFE/RL. In countries such as Mali and the Central African Republic, Wagner-linked forces have embedded themselves within ruling structures, providing security services in exchange for access to mineral resources. Such arrangements, Howard noted, allow Moscow to finance influence operations and secure strategic commodities while shielding the Russian state from formal accountability. An FTO designation, he argued, would be a "decisive step" toward disrupting those financial and logistical networks. By targeting the revenue streams that sustain these arrangements, the United States could complicate Moscow's ability to convert security assistance into geopolitical leverage. Supporters of the bill also argue that limiting Moscow's access to resource deals in Africa and elsewhere could have downstream implications for global supply chains, including access to rare earth minerals vital to advanced technologies. The aim, as Wilson has framed it, is to ensure Washington is no longer reacting to Moscow's maneuvers, but preempting them -- moving decisively to blunt, and ultimately constrain, the Kremlin's global reach. Sandwiched between Iran and Russia and shaped by more than three decades of conflict, Armenia and Azerbaijan received rare high-level attention from Washington this week as US Vice President JD Vance visited both countries -- a trip analysts said underlined American influence in a region that Moscow has traditionally regarded as very much home turf. The visit saw economic deals in both countries and sought to cement the US-brokered peace deal between them. There was also controversy when Vance's X account posted and then deleted a tweet referring to World War I-era mass killings of up to 1.5 million Armenians by the Ottoman Empire as a genocide. Russia is weakened because of its failed invasion of Ukraine, Richard Giragosian, founding director of the Regional Studies Center in Yerevan, told RFE/RL. The vice president actually had deliverables -- practical agreements with both Armenia and Azerbaijan -- which made this more of a US planting of the flag in the region, a message to Russia, he added. TRIPP Corridor At The Center Beyond symbolism, the visit carried practical and economic implications. At the center of talks in both capitals was the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity (TRIPP), a proposed 43-kilometer road-and-rail corridor through Armenia that would link Azerbaijan to its Nakhchivan exclave while opening a new east-west trade artery bypassing Russia and Iran. The transit route forms part of the peace agreement brokered in Washington in August 2025 between Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev. There is actually a lot of capital interested in this particular project, Vance said in Yerevan. There are a lot of people across the world who think they can make a good return by investing in Armenia and investing in this TRIPP project. Giragosian said Vance raised the prospect that billions of US dollars are going to be invested in the operation of TRIPP. Another outcome of the visit was a deal under which Armenia signaled it will rely on the United States to help replace its aging Metsamor nuclear power plant, which generates about one-third of the countrys electricity and is due to close in 2036. Pashinian said the Soviet-built reactor would be replaced with small modular reactors -- a newer technology now being explored globally -- despite competing interest from Russia. Vance said the agreement could pave the way for up to $5 billion in initial US exports and another $4 billion in long-term fuel and maintenance contracts. There is also a nuclear safety risk to the site. The Metsamor plant, constructed in the early 1980s, operates in a seismically active area, making modernization a matter of broader regional security. The US is also to provide Armenia with $11 million worth of surveillance drones. The sums are much smaller, but analysts said this reflected Armenias broader pivot away from reliance on Russia. While Azerbaijan looks to Turkey and NATO standards, Armenia -- once heavily dependent on Moscow-- has increasingly turned to India and now to the United States and the West. Strategic Partnership With Azerbaijan In Baku, Vance signed a strategic partnership charter covering economy and trade, energy, connectivity, artificial intelligence, digital development, security, and defense. This follows a similar agreement signed with Armenia last year. However, unlike the Azerbaijan charter, signed under the Biden administration, the agreement with Armenia explicitly emphasized support for democratic institutions and the rule of law -- areas where Armenia is generally assessed to perform better than Azerbaijan. US Vice President JD Vance Meets With Leaders In Armenia And Azerbaijan by RFE/RL No media source currently available 0:00 0:00:46 0:00 Osman Gunduz, who leads prominent Azerbaijani nongovernmental groups focusing on the IT sector, wrote in a social media post that the deals signed showed that "US business values Azerbaijan as not only an energy country, but also a center for AI, data, financial technologies." When in Baku, Vance also said Washington would provide "new boats" to help Azerbaijan protect its territorial waters. Obviously, its about possible dangers that may come from Russia and Iran -- other Caspian basin countries, Rauf Mirgadirov, an independent Azerbaijani analyst based in Europe told RFE/RL. In Baku, Vance also laid a wreath at the Alley of Martyrs complex, which commemorates Azerbaijanis killed in 1990 during a crackdown on anti-Soviet and anti-Armenian protests and also those who died in the conflicts with Armenia. 'Genocide' Post Controversy Earlier, during his visit to Armenia, Vance visited the Tsitsernakaberd Armenian Genocide Memorial, an imposing site that's on the itinerary of most visitors to Yerevan. Vance's official account on X described the visit as intended "to honor the victims of the 1915 Armenian genocide," and then deleted the post. Officials said the posting was made in error. A spokesperson for Vance said this is an account managed by staff." The issue is highly sensitive. Neighboring Turkey, a US ally and NATO member, acknowledges the mass killings occurred but insists they were not a genocide. Dozens of countries do recognize them as a genocide. US President Donald Trump has not used the term, although the US Congress voted to recognize it as such in 2019 and Trump's predecessor, Joe Biden, also used the term. The Armenian public and Armenians in America who support Trump are very upset, that the post was deleted, political analyst Giragosian said. There was also controversy in Azerbaijan, where Vances visit left imprisoned political activists and journalists uncertain whether their possible release was discussed with President Aliyev. The vice presidents spokesperson mentioned discussion of prisoner releases, but it was not clear whether this referred to Azerbaijani civil society members or Armenian prisoners held in Baku. Human Rights groups have extensively documented Azerbaijans poor human rights record, citing arbitrary arrests, prolonged detentions, beatings, torture, and forced disappearances -- allegations the Aliyev government dismisses. Macron says dialogue channels with Russia restored at technical level: media Xinhua) 09:17, February 11, 2026 French President Emmanuel Macron (R) greets European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen upon her arrival to attend the meeting of the "Coalition of the Willing" at the Elysee Palace in Paris, France, Sept. 4, 2025. (Xinhua/Gao Jing) Following the Greenland crisis, Macron called on Europeans not to give in to what he described as a "cowardly relief" that would only be short-lived, Le Monde reported. PARIS, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- French President Emmanuel Macron has said that dialogue channels with Russia had been restored at a technical level, European media outlets reported on Tuesday. According to Germany's Suddeutsche Zeitung, Macron said in an interview on Monday that he hoped the move could be shared with European partners and lead to a well-organized European approach. He stressed that dialogue with Russia should take place "without too many interlocutors," the report said. French President Emmanuel Macron speaks at the World Economic Forum annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland, Jan. 20, 2026. (Xinhua/Lian Yi) France's Le Figaro reported that Macron again argued against "delegating" this dialogue to the United States. Following the Greenland crisis, Macron called on Europeans not to give in to what he described as a "cowardly relief" that would only be short-lived, Le Monde reported. A couple from China poses for wedding photos by the Seine River in Paris, France, June 27, 2023. (Xinhua/Gao Jing) Noting that threats from the United States occur on a daily basis, Macron stressed that Europe must not back down or seek compromise when there is "blatant aggression," the report said. Macron also advocated a coordinated European response to protect industry through a "European preference" for certain strategic sectors, including cleantech, chemicals, steel, automotive and defense, warning that otherwise Europeans risk being swept aside. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun) Ottoline Spearman The housing crisis is compounding violence against women, the National Women's Council (NWC) has said. In a paper released on Wednesday, the organisation said that the housing crisis is enabling exploitation of women, in scenarios such as sex for rent exploitation. Speaking on Newstalk, NWC's director Corrinne Hasson said: "The housing crisis is compounding the shocking levels of violence against women. Women leaving abuse, often with children, encounter a system with severely limited availability due to high demand, capable of only really meeting that short-term emergency accommodation need. "More must be done to keep women and children in their homes and their communities, to stop them from falling through the cracks in the first place." There are over 5,000 children in homeless services, with 4,500 women in emergency accommodation, but the organisation says that these figures are "just the tip of the iceberg". "Official statistics dont count women in refuges, or families sleeping on couches," said Hasson. "We simply dont know how many women and families are in homelessness." "What we do know is that domestic violence is a leading cause of womens homelessness, and that the housing crisis is enabling exploitation of women, for example in sex for rent exploitation. The organisation found that family homelessness is gendered, with 56 per cent of homeless families headed by a lone parent - the vast majority being women who may be escaping violence at home. Women seeking to escape domestic violence with their children are faced with stark choices which can involve being forced to choose between homelessness, or returning to their abuser. Some groups of women are also much more likely to experience the housing crisis, including lone parents, traveller and Roma women, and women in international protection. The NWC is calling for stronger legal protections that would allow women and children in abusive situations to remain safely in the family home, and for perpetrators to be removed instead. The paper forms part of a submission which will inform the development of the Child and Family Homelessness Action Plan, by the Department of the Taoiseach and the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage. The action plan will be published in spring this year. Chinese Consulate General in Johannesburg celebrates upcoming Chinese New Year Xinhua) 10:45, February 11, 2026 Chinese Consul General in Johannesburg Pan Qingjiang addresses a reception to celebrate the upcoming Chinese New Year in Johannesburg, South Africa, Feb. 9, 2026. (Xinhua/Chen Wei) JOHANNESBURG, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese Consulate General in Johannesburg hosted a reception Monday to celebrate the upcoming Chinese New Year of Horse, which falls on Feb. 17. Speaking at the event, Chinese Consul General in Johannesburg Pan Qingjiang extended his warm festive greetings and best wishes to Chinese nationals and South African friends. He expressed sincere appreciation to the local Chinese communities and South African partners for their efforts to strengthen China-South Africa relations at all levels. "The Chinese New Year carries the Chinese philosophy of peace, amity and harmony, which echoes the core values of South African culture and that of human society," Pan said. The reception was attended by more than 300 guests, including government officials, business leaders, academia, media, non-governmental organizations and consular corps, as well as members of the overseas Chinese communities. During the event, participants enjoyed Chinese cultural experiences, including hands-on tea ceremonies, woodblock printing, and other activities, giving guests a closer insight into traditional Chinese culture. Ntombizanele Sifuba, a member of Free State Executive Council for sports, arts, culture and recreation, wished the Chinese people a prosperous new year, saying that 2026 Chinese New Year celebration, a cultural phenomenon in its own right, provides an opportunity to further rekindle and solidify our cultural ties. "China and South Africa share cordial relations and have forged cooperation in business, culture, academia, governance, and other areas. Today's celebration clearly demonstrates our commitment to further promoting relations and cooperation between China and Gauteng," said Morakane Mosupyoe, speaker of the Gauteng Provincial Legislature. The Chinese Lunar New Year would bring renewed energy to the Chinese friends, encouraging them to continue contributing to the global economy, especially the African continent, she added. Morakane Mosupyoe, speaker of the Gauteng Provincial Legislature, speaks at a reception to celebrate the upcoming Chinese New Year in Johannesburg, South Africa, Feb. 9, 2026. (Xinhua/Chen Wei) Ntombizanele Sifuba, a member of Free State Executive Council for sports, arts, culture and recreation, speaks at a reception to celebrate the upcoming Chinese New Year in Johannesburg, South Africa, Feb. 9, 2026. (Xinhua/Chen Wei) People interact with a robot dog during a reception to celebrate the upcoming Chinese New Year in Johannesburg, South Africa, Feb. 9, 2026. (Xinhua/Chen Wei) Artists perform a Chinese drum show during a reception to celebrate the upcoming Chinese New Year in Johannesburg, South Africa, Feb. 9, 2026. (Xinhua/Chen Wei) (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun) Roscommons councillors have backed plans for Athlone to be transformed into a city by 2040. Cllr Larry Brennan, who had invited the Ballymore Group, headed by Oran native Sean Mulryan, to make a presentation at the January meeting, said the project for Athlone was an extremely exciting and ambitious plan, which could transform the region. To have a world leader like Ballymore, with a proven track record of delivery as the driving force behind this plan, guarantees its success in my opinion, he said. He said he saw no reason for the plan not to be welcomed with open arms by the government. Welcoming the plan, Cllr John Keogh said that the project group had already met with the six members of the Athlone Municipal District. He said that he believed that the state would have to compulsory purchase land for the project, and he asked about whether any costings were available. Cllr Domnick Connolly described the plan as exciting. It is going to have a huge effect on all the Midlands, he said. He said that the Athlone City proposal would put plans to bring water from the Shannon to Dublin on the back boiler. Cllr Emer Kelly said it was an impressive vision for the Midlands, and hoped that it would also see investment into rural areas. She did ask about how the energy for the city would be created, given the controversies around wind energy locally. She also asked about resources for gardai and health care services. We dont have a hospital in Athlone, she said. I know it is a 2040 vision, but is that a realistic time frame? Mr David Killion of the Ballymore Group said there was a detailed piece of work to be done on costings and timelines. He also said that there will be a requirement for the government to make land available via CPO. In terms of hospitals and all the other services, they just need to happen, for the proposal to work, he said. Cllr Valerie Duffy also welcomed the plan, and she asked whether a light rail system might form part of the idea. Cllr Tony Ward said Athlone was the type of a town that was waiting for Sean Mulryan. Hes the man, hes a Roscommon man, and has given his support to the primrose and blue, and to community groups, he said. Cllr Laurence Fallon said the councillors appreciated the huge efforts being made by the projects team. The government probably needs your plans as much as we need the government, he said. The M50 is gridlocked, there is no room for expansion or growth. Galway City is gridlocked, there is no room for expansion or growth. He asked that pressure be put on TII to develop north south transport, from Sligo to Nenagh, and expressed concern that the project would get a lot of praise but not a lot of support. He also raised concerns about the impact the serial objector could have on the project, and he called for a planning authority with enhanced powers to drive it. Cllr Micheal Frain said the project was a game changer for the whole region, comparing it to the success of Knock Airport. Cllr Tom Crosby praised Mr Mulryan on his incredible success, describing the plan as a phenomenal opportunity for the county, region, and country. He also expressed concern about objectors. These guys put on their green hats, jump on the gravy train and make huge money, holding up projects for years and years. Cllrs Marty McDermott, Nigel Dineen, Michael Holland, Valerie Byrne, Sean Moylan, Paschal Fitzmaurice, Ruth Conboy, Leah Cull, and Liam Callaghan also spoke in support of the project. Cllr Leah Cull said the presentation was the most interesting she had heard during her time on the council, and she thanked Ballymore CEO Sean Mulryan and his team. I am from Arigna, the top tip of Roscommon, and I know the positive ripple effect this will have on the whole county, she said. I think we can all agree the government do need to take charge here. This is something that we are all on the same page about. She highlighted the importance of having services, such as GPs etc, in place for the project. Fine Gael councillor Ruth Conboy said it was time for the east coast to get serious on balanced development. This isnt optional. She asked that the council be kept informed about the development of TUS Athlone, given its importance to the overall plan, and if there was anything the council could do to support it. *Published under the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme A man charged with deceiving a woman out of 17,000, which she believed was to help him fund his business in Malawi, has been admitted to bail subject to a hefty independent surety of 10,000 as well as his own bond of 5,000. Bright Banda (39), formerly of Meadow Lane, Roscommon Road, Athlone, Co Roscommon, appeared before Judge Bernadette Owens at Athlone District Court, where he faced four counts of theft by dishonesty. In a contested bail hearing, the court heard how, on February 13, 2023, at an address on Sarsfield Square, Athlone, it is alleged that Mr Banda dishonestly by deception induced a woman to transfer 1,000 to his account in the belief she was giving him money to buy a white Volkswagen Polo car. Two identical charges of 1,000 transfers arose on February 17 and March 31, 2023, with the woman again believing she was transferring the money to help the accused purchase a car. A further charge on March 31, 2023 at Athlone Credit Union, alleges that Mr Banda induced the same woman to transfer 14,000 from her Credit Union account to his AIB account, with the reference car balance, and made her believe it was for his truck business in Malawi and that she would be repaid. In a contested bail hearing, Garda Gavin Conway outlined his concerns that Mr Banda, who is an Irish citizen, holds two Irish passports - one paper and one passport card - but Gardai are only in possession of one, with the whereabouts of the other unknown. He outlined Garda fears that Mr Banda would return to his native Malawi if given bail, as he has money, family and a number of businesses over there, including a truck business called Coosan Logistics and a pre-school called Happy Learning. While he has ties to this country - an ex partner with two children, and a third child from another partner - he is not living with them and Gardai do not believe he will stay in the country. While there are no other charges of a similar nature currently before the court, there will be further charges, Garda Conway said, as there are definitely two more injured parties. I believe hell return to Malawi where he confirmed he has a lot of money and businesses and family members. I dont believe hell return if he goes, said Garda Conway. Mr Banda also has a social media account under a different name, he added, and has been portraying a lifestyle under that name, causing Gardai more concern for the missing passport card. He also made up these stories to the injured party to get money out of her. He has 100,000 in Malawi and said he was going to send money back. He freely suggested in interview that he was going back to Malawi to send money back, he said. The injured party was getting fed up with his excuses. She had saved up for a mortgage and her account went into arears for a loan. She believed she was helping him out with a business and shed get the money back. Solicitor for the defence, Mr Dara Hayden, said the case is in the early stages of investigation and that he cant see where this goes from civil to criminal. Mr Banda was in Paris when Gardai first contacted him about the case, waiting to catch a plane to Malawi two hours later, but he returned to Ireland to meet with Gardai, he added. Hes had a job for the last seven years and is an Irish citizen. He has absolutely no intention of going back to Malawi. He came as an economic migrant and has a much better life here. He has funds to pay the alleged victim. He has provided an address, he has a job, said Mr Hayden. This is, and potentially will become a highly complex investigation. The state are asking for this man to be remanded in custody for years. Sergeant Sandra Keane, prosecuting, did not accept that the accused would be in custody for years, stating that matters would be expedited if he were in custody. He has ties here to some extent, but hes not living with his children. Hes a massive flight risk. He has no financial support, no address he can reside in. A big red flag is that he has other identification - a second passport and sent Gardai on a wild goose chase to find it, she said. He proffered an address in Dublin, the property was searched but it wasnt there. Now he says it may be in Battery Heights. The Battery Heights address provided to the court as an address at which he could reside on bail is his ex-partners house, the court heard. His own house in Meadow Lane was put up for sale and so he did not have an address of his own. He was welcome to stay with his ex-partner at most for three weeks, the court heard. Judge Owens noted Mr Banda has been residing in the country for 15 years, has been employed for seven years, has ties in Ireland and is an Irish citizen. She also noted that he returned to Ireland from Paris when contacted by Gardai instead of flying onward to Malawi as was his intention. With that in mind, she decided to grant him bail, but with strict conditions. Those conditions included an own bond of 5,000 with Mr Banda ordered to lodge 2,500 of that. An independent surety of 10,000 was also directed, to be approved by Gardai. 5,000 of that will need to be lodged before Mr Banda is released. He is to reside at Battery Heights and seek Garda Conways approval for a change of address and, prior to his release from custody, he is to make arrangements to surrender the passport card. He is also required to sign on daily at Athlone Garda Station, provide a mobile number within 48 hours of release and be contactable at all times, and to have no contact with the injured party. Mr Banda was remanded in custody with consent to bail until today February 11, 2026. Published under the Courts Reporting Scheme. Forty years ago this May, Knock Airport officially opened in the face of scepticism in some quarters about the viability of such an ambitious venture in a location famously described as a foggy, boggy hill. Passenger numbers that year in 1986 were just over 9,000 but since those small beginnings, Ireland West Airport has become an incredible success story for the region. Over the last four decades, it has experienced exponential growth and in 2025, it was Irelands fastest-growing airport, with passenger numbers reaching 946,381. Eighty per cent of that passenger traffic is to and from Britain, routes that built the foundations of the airports success at a time when the country was racked by an economic depression and mass emigration. The airport now serves 21 international destinations and is served by three of Europes major international airlines - Aer Lingus, Lauda Europe, and Ryanair. Ryanair has recorded its busiest-ever year for passenger traffic at the airport, with record numbers using its services to Edinburgh, Liverpool, London Luton, Manchester, Faro and Malaga. From small beginnings, Ireland West Airport has become an incredible success story. The airline is also adding extra capacity on its services to Malaga, Milan, Liverpool and London for 2026. Aer Lingus also recorded its busiest-ever year for passenger traffic at the airport, with more than 96,000 passengers using the London Heathrow service in 2025. Lets face it, this airport had a challenge from day one; being elevated from a small airport on the top of a hillside in the West of Ireland that no-one really knew about, remarked airport CEO, Joe Gilmore. I think weve gone a good way to being regarded as one of the four main international airports now with Dublin, Shannon, and Cork - and justifying the investment that the State and Government has put into the airport by providing genuine returns in terms of tourism, connectivity and job creation. As the airport celebrates its 40th anniversary this year and with all the data pointing to continued growth on all its services, the late Monsignor Horans vision of a strong regional airport for the West of Ireland has been well and truly vindicated. Positive Impact for Roscommon The continued growth clearly highlights that people want to use the airport and will use the airport if we have the services and capacity available for them. There are still many people across the region here that wont fly from anywhere else, noted the CEO. Convenience and accessibility continue to be key selling points, borne out by research. What we are finding is that people wont go to the West of Ireland unless they can fly in directly. They dont have to go through Dublin and deal with all the additional logistics that comes with that, said Mr Gilmore. Its clear that Ireland West is also proving to be very convenient for Roscommon people along with providing clear economic spin-offs for the county. Almost 50,000 outbound passengers from the county used the airport last year with more than 25,000 overseas visitors using the airport as a gateway to visit Roscommon. RedC research in 2025 highlighted that visitors to the county spent an average of six nights there, a figure which was up from an average of four nights in the same report in 2023. Twenty one percent of those overseas visitors who visited Roscommon last year did so for holiday purposes with Lough Key Forest Park and Strokestown Park cited among the main attractions. In 2025, passenger numbers reached 946,381, making it Ireland's fastest-growing airport. County Roscommon is now the fourth biggest market from an outbound passenger perspective behind Mayo, Galway and Sligo. Mr Gilmore also points out that given the airports location, a lot of Roscommon people work there. We had 200 people employed here in 2025 with additional staff of about 60. When it comes to people working here, its pretty much all local people who live in close proximity, with a sizable number from Roscommon. The airport has become a significant employer in the region. Then theres the downstream effect with another estimated 3,000 people indirectly employed. Were also continually spending money with contractors on site all the time, he explained. Mr Gilmore is keen to pay tribute to all the staff who continue to ensure the successful operation of the airport, which is a complex enterprise in itself. Notably, there is plenty of Roscommon influence when it comes to making key decisions. Ballymore CEO and Oran native Sean Mulryan is on the airport board as is Roscommon County Council CEO Shane Tiernan. Mr Tiernan is fulfilling a remit as part of seven local authorities who invested 7m in the airport about a decade ago. Ryanair and Aer Lingus Ryanair and Aer Lingus continue to provide an important backbone to the airports business and its interesting that both the airport and Ryanair are two huge success stories that started around the same. As Michael OLeary said on the 30th year anniversary, Ryanair has been a major part of ourairports success but we also have been a major part of Ryanairs success particularly in the early years. We were one of the first airports after Waterford that Ryanair first flew out of, Mr Gilmore recalled. Its hoped that Michael OLeary will be a keynote speaker for the anniversary gala event in May that will mark the airports 40th anniversary. Development and Investment With the support of the Department of Transport, almost 8m was invested in safety, security, and infrastructure projects at the airport in 2025. Key projects included the construction of a new sheltered passenger walkway and the start of construction on a new 1.5MW PV solar farm. The solar farm, due to be commissioned later this year, will cover up to 50% of the airports power requirements at peak demand. The airport now serves 21 international destinations and is served by three of Europes major international airlines, Aer Lingus, Ryanair and Lauda Europe. Significant money is also being spent on climate adaptation and mitigation measures. We are part of whats called an ACA (Airport Carbon Accreditation) programme. Its a six level programme and were halfway through the process at level three. We have sustainability targets to try and hit in terms of net zero and were currently taking a variety of actions to reduce the carbon footprint of the airport itself, explained the airport CEO. Other notable projects include the development of a new fire training centre for the airports fire training staff and a new substation to provide additional power supply into the airport. As Mr Gilmore outlined, the latter will provide more robustness in terms of potential weather events. There are broader plans to spend another 35m over the next five years to encompass a range of developments such as an upgrade to the terminal facilities and additional car parking capacity. SDZ Landbank The first original objective of the Airport Trust was international access for the region and the second job creation for the region. This latter objective involves a signature plan to develop a Strategic Development Zone (SDZ) into a major business campus. Modelled on the concept of the industrial expansion that took place around Shannon Airport during the 1960s and 1970s, it is a plan that potentially could create up to 6,000 jobs. The Government agreed to fund the appointment of a new project manager to lead this ambitious venture and in late 2024, Ballinlough native Dominic Healy was appointed. Mr Healy is currently working on updating the development plan for the SDZ. Mr Gilmore pointed out that the SDZ roadmap will be presented to Government later this year. Currently, there are 30 development sites within this SDZ, which require initial enabling infrastructure such as wastewater and power. Acknowledgements The airport CEO acknowledged the continued support of successive Governments, ministers and politicians who ensure that regional airports such as Knock receive critical funding. He and his team are looking forward to continuing to work with Government representatives to further develop and grow the airport from 2026 onwards. A key funding channel to achieve that is provided under the States Regional Airports Programme, and a new programme, running to 2030, is expected to published shortly by the Department of Transport. On Mr Gilmores list of wider acknowledgments is the people of the West and beyond who continue to place their trust in the airports services. He was also proud to say that, due to generous public support, Ireland Wests annual charity initiative has become a huge success, raising well over 800,000 for local charities over the last eight years or so. CEO of Ireland West, Joe Gilmore, acknowledges the continued support of successive Governments, ministers and politicians who ensure that regional airports such as Knock receive critical funding. In December, the airport was delighted to present a cheque for a record 54,000 to the airports six staff-nominated charities for 2025, which includes Mayo Roscommon Hospice. At the helm for the last 17 years, Mr Gilmore has been part of a core management team which has guided the remarkable success of the airport. Not surprisingly, he harbours lots of fond memories over this time, especially those involving some of the landmarks events such as the Popes visit in 2018. It was the fulfilment of Monsignor Horans dream that when the next Pope came to Ireland after the 1979 visit that he would fly directly into the airport beside the Shrine. He also points to Joe Bidens visit as US President in 2023 as another memorable occasion with Airforce 1 flying into the West of Ireland and touching down on the Knock tarmac. For staff, passengers and their families, many more great memories are set to be made at a place which, over the last 40 years, has undoubtedly become one of the jewels in the West of Irelands crown. Large crowds turned out at two local churches last weekend to view relics of the teenage saint, St. Carlo Acutis. The relics of the 15-year-old went on display in Williamstown and Glenamaddy churches over the course of the weekend. There was a capacity congregation in attendance at Sunday morning mass in St. Thereses Church, Williamstown on Sunday. The relics of the young saint, Carlo Acutis, whose short life was outlined by Fr Anthaiah, P.P. in his homily, were present, making it a very solemn and special occasion. Carlo was born in London and raised in Milan and had great devotion to the Eucharist. He died from leukaemia in 2006 at the age of 15 and was canonised in September 2025. Some of those present had travelled long distances to be present for what was a most meaningful and special occasion. All in the huge congregation availed of the opportunity to be blessed individually by the relics. St. Carlos relics had also been in St. Patricks Church, Glenamaddy on the previous evening where again large crowds attended. A small prayer souvenir of the saint was available for everyone to take home, encouraging continued prayer and devotion. A 22-year old man was given a suspended sentence for theft at a recent sitting of Roscommon District Court. James OReilly, 7 Amber Heights, Cuan Glas, Galway, appeared before Judge Vincent Deane where he elected to have the matters dealt with at district court level. He pleaded guilty to the offences. Sergeant Conor McShane told the court that on October 28th, 2025, the accused entered Lidl Roscommon and took alcohol cans worth 24. He then went to Caseys Londis where he took two bottles of wine worth 30. These were not recovered. When gardai arrived to speak to the accused, he initially absconded and then became quite aggressive. How do you make this man learn his lesson? the judge asked. His solicitor, Sean Mahon, said that his client could not remember anything from the incident as he was totally intoxicated. The court heard the accused had 55 in compensation for the goods taken. The judge handed down a prison sentence of three months for the theft from Lidl, suspending it for two years. The other offences were taken into consideration. *Published under the Court Reporting Scheme. The chairman and chief executive of Ballymore property group, Sean Mulryan, is hopeful that a new 500,000 apprenticeship bursary aimed at young people in Roscommon will eventually be rolled out as a national programme. Funded by the Ballymore Group and run by Galway & Roscommon Education and Training Board (GRETB), the Ballymore Construction Apprenticeship Bursary is designed to support apprentices across a range of building trades and increase participation by school-leavers or those returning to education in or from County Roscommon. The bursary programme will be available over a five-year period to men and women who were either born, were educated or are currently living in Roscommon, Mr Mulryans native county. Launching the pilot scheme on Friday afternoon at his former secondary school, Roscommon Community College, Mr Mulryan explained that the bursarys aim was to help address Irelands housing and skills shortage by encouraging young people to take up construction apprenticeships. Molly McDermott (Head Girl) and Callum Leech (Head Boy) at Roscommon Community College with principal Georgina Keena presented a plaque to Sean Mulryan, which was made by the students. The presentation was made at the launch of the Ballymore Apprenticeship Bursary. Pic: Liam Reynolds He described the lack of young people on building sites and the lack of young people taking up apprenticeships as a crisis at the moment. Its shame its been left so long but better late than ever. This is just a pilot scheme. If gets a take-up and it gets support, hopefully it can be rolled out across the country, and that many other companies like ours will support it. Hopefully the Government supports it as well, he said. The Ballymore CEO spoke about how taking up a trade himself as a young man opened up opportunities for him in the construction industry. University education isnt the right road for every school-leaver, and parents should encourage young people to consider avenues that may be more rewarding for them. Apprenticeships can be a pathway to running your own business or to exciting, well-paid careers, he said. During the launch, Mr Mulryan spoke about the impact of AI and how it will replace jobs but nottrades. Its quite scary the jobs AI is going to take in the short-term; its happening faster than we think. But for AI, it mayhelp architects design houses to a certain extent but its not going to build houses or hang doors, he explained. He outlined that Ireland needed to drive up the rate of infrastructure delivery massively over the next five years houses, rail links, water, energy and road systems. And we need to ramp up the range of construction skills across the labour force to meet the pent-up demand for all kinds of public and private infrastructure. Mr Mulryan made a call to action to all stakeholders to promote the take-up of apprenticeships. To everybody in the room who has the power to shape projects teams and the future of the industry, this is a call to action: hire apprentices, support apprentices and promote apprentices. This is a pilot scheme starting here in Roscommon. If successful, it is something that can be built upon and rolled out nationally. I am very happy that the Minister for Higher Education James Lawless has committed to increasing the apprenticeship numbers in Ireland. To the students here today, an apprenticeship lets you earn while you learn, build your skills and create a future that lasts. To the parents and teachers, encouragement can open doors and last a lifetime. And to everybody involved in making this pilot scheme possible, thank you, said Mr Mulryan. Apprentices Conor Fannon and Joshua Murray with Sean Mulryan at the launch of the Ballymore Apprenticeship Bursary. Pic: Liam Reynolds Addressing the launch, Sinead Morgan, Director of Further Education and Training (FET) at GRETB, said the bursary programme marked a historic moment in the relationship between us as an education and training authority and private industry in creating an opportunity to improve the conditions for an apprentice who takes the path of learning a trade and honing a craft greatly in demand right now. Thanking Mr Mulryan for his genuine support of apprentices in his native Roscommon, she said the commitment of a 500,000 bursary fund over five years placed a flag firmly on construction apprenticeships and marked it clearly as a recognised and valued choice of career. On behalf of the Board of GRETB, its chairperson Cllr Michael Moegie Maher said the vision of Sean Mulryan and his commitment to supporting young people in Roscommon had made this significant bursary scheme possible. He said the bursary represented a powerful example of what can be achieved when industry, education, and community come together with a shared purpose. David Leahy, chief executive of GRETB said that since 2024, the Board had almost doubled the number of Phase 2 Apprenticeship places. We want to increase this number, particularly in Roscommon, by providing additional further education and training facilities in the county, subject to appropriate funding. Galway and Roscommon ETB is committed to supporting Ballymore in the roll out of this bursary scheme, and we look forward to working closely with them into the future as we develop skills training capacity in Roscommon and beyond, he said. Sean Mulryan addressing the launch at Roscommon Community College. Roscommon Community College principal Georgina Keena, who acted as MC for the launch, said the school was delighted to welcome back former student, Mr Mulryan, who was later given a tour of the school during his visit. The bursary is being supported by both James Lawless, Minister for Further and Higher Education and Marian Harkin, Minister of State with special responsibility for Further Education, Apprenticeship, Construction and Climate Skills. Minister Lawless said: Skilled trades are vital to the construction workforce, and the Government is committed to growing apprenticeships to meet this need. I commend Ballymore Group for supporting new apprentices in this direct and meaningful way. I hope it is fully taken up and leads to a big increase in apprentices in Roscommon. Minister Harkin stated: I welcome Ballymore Groups commitment to apprentices (and to Roscommon) in the launch of this bursary. We need to encourage people into the construction workforce to deliver on our housing and infrastructure needs and initiatives like this from industry are greatly valued, she said. Qualifying applicants for the Ballymore Construction Apprenticeship Bursary must be registered with a SOLAS-approved employer, and have a home address in Roscommon, been born in Roscommon, or attended a Roscommon second-level school. The bursary is open to apprentices in the following trades: brick & stone laying, wood manufacturing & finishing, plumbing, carpentry/joinery, scaffolding, stonecutting and stonemasonry, plastering, painting & decorating, toolmaking, heavy vehicle mechanics, civil engineering technician (Level 6) and supply chain management associate (level 6). Further information on the bursary programme at: www.gretb.ie/further-education-training/ballymore-construction-apprenticeship-bursary/ When a vehicle travels over these grooves at a constant speed of 70 to 80 kmph, the friction between the tyres and the road generates sound waves that produce the melody. File Photo. This project makes India the fifth country in the world to implement such technology, following Japan, Hungary, South Korea, and the UAE. Driving to 'Jai Ho': Mumbai Unveils Indias First Singing Road on Coastal Corridor Advertisement India has officially inaugurated its first "musical road" on the Mumbai Coastal Road, where motorists can now hear the tune of the iconic song "Jai Ho." According to the report, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis launched the innovative stretch on Wednesday. This project makes India the fifth country in the world to implement such technology, following Japan, Hungary, South Korea, and the UAE. The musical strips are located on the northbound carriageway, approximately 500 metres after exiting the Worli-bound tunnel. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) explained that the effect is created using precision-engineered rumble strips or grooves embedded in the road surface. When a vehicle travels over these grooves at a constant speed of 70 to 80 kmph, the friction between the tyres and the road generates sound waves that produce the melody. Advertisement To ensure a smooth experience, the BMC has installed warning signs at 500, 100, and 60-metre intervals inside the tunnel to alert drivers of the upcoming stretch and the required speed. The project, conceptualised by former MP Rahul Shewale, aims to blend infrastructure with cultural expression. Named after Dharmaveer Swarajyarakshak Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj, the Coastal Road corridor now offers this unique "melody road" experience to help ease the monotony of daily commuting. Source: The Tribune Vice Chief Air Marshal Nagesh Kapoor noted on Wednesday that this demonstration carries a "different connotation" as it is the first major firepower display since that successful campaign. File Photo. The IAF's primary goal is to demonstrate its readiness for future conflicts by showcasing seamless system integration and airspace control. Post-Operation Sindoor: IAF to Roar in Pokhran with 'Vayu Shakti 2026' Mega Drill Advertisement The Indian Air Force (IAF) is set to host Exercise Vayu Shakti 2026 on February 27 at the Pokhran firing range in Rajasthan. This biennial event follows the significant Operation Sindoor conducted in May 2025, during which the IAF carried out precision strikes against terror infrastructure in Pakistan following an attack in Pahalgam. Vice Chief Air Marshal Nagesh Kapoor noted on Wednesday that this demonstration carries a "different connotation" as it is the first major firepower display since that successful campaign. The 2.30-hour exercise will feature 77 fighter aircraft engaging both air and ground targets. A diverse array of assets, including helicopters and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), will showcase 277 different weapon systems, ranging from traditional munitions to advanced smart and precision-strike weapons. The IAFs primary goal is to demonstrate its readiness for future conflicts by showcasing seamless system integration and airspace control. The exercise will highlight the force's ability to achieve deterrence through demonstrated combat power, focusing heavily on long-range targeting and multi-layered air defence systems like Akash and Spyder. Advertisement By featuring loitering munitions and sophisticated sensors, the IAF aims to reaffirm its dominance in modern warfare and validate the operational tactics that led to its success during Operation Sindoor. Source: The Tribune Vande Mataram': Centre issues order on singing, playing official six-stanza version When the National Song and the National Anthem are sung or played, National Song will be sung or played first The Government of Indias Ministry of Home Affairs has issued an order for strict compliance regarding the National Song of India, Vande Mataram, including when and how the song can be played and sung. In its order dated January 28, 2026, the ministry shared what it called the official version of the National Song, comprising six stanzas with a playing time of 3 minutes and 10 seconds. Advertisement Instructions are being issued for general information and guidance on the official version of the National Song, the occasions on which the Song is to be played or sung, and about the need for paying respect to the National Song by observance of proper decorum on such occasions, the order read. Vande Mataram was written by Bankim Chandra Chatterjee in Sanskritised Bengali in the 1870s. In 1950, the first two stanzas of the song were adopted as Indias National Song. According to a report by Hindustan Times, to date, there has not been any official protocol regarding the singing of Vande Mataram, unlike the National Anthem. It further noted that the six-stanza version of the song has not been sung at official events so far. Advertisement In the ministrys order, it has been instructed that the long version of the National Song be played at Civil Investitures; On arrival of the President at formal State functions and other functions organized by the Government and on his departure from such functions; Immediately before and after the President addresses the Nation over All India Radio and Television; On arrival of the Governor/Lieutenant Governor at formal State functions within his State/Union Territory and on his departure from such functions; and when the National Flag is brought on parade. Further, it said that the National Song shall be played on any other occasion for which special orders are issued by the Government of India. The order has also issued instructions on how the song should be played by a band. Advertisement When the National Song is played by a band, the Song will be preceded by a roll of drums to assist the audience to know that the National Song is going to be played, unless there is some other specific indication that the National Song is about to be played, as for example, when fanfares are sounded before the National Song is played. The duration of the roll, in terms of marching drill, will be 7 paces in slow march. The roll will start slowly, ascend to as loud a volume as possible and then gradually decreases to original softness, but remaining audible until the seventh beat. One beat rest will then be observed before commencing the National Song, the order read. The order has been issued to all state governments, Union Territory administrations, ministries, and departments of the Government of India. It has also been issued to all High Courts across the country. The Ministry of Home Affairs order has also provided instructions on the mass singing of the National Song. It said the official version of the National Song should be played accompanied by mass singing on occasions such as the unfurling of the National Flag, cultural occasions, or ceremonial functions other than parades. Advertisement This could be arranged by having a choir of adequate size, suitably stationed, which would be trained to coordinate its singing with the band etc. There should be an adequate public audition system so that the gathering in various enclosures can sing in unison with the choir; printed lyrics of the official version of the National Song may be circulated amongst the participants, wherever required, the order read. The occasions also include the arrival of the President at any government or public function (excluding formal State functions) and immediately before his departure from such functions. It emphasized that on all occasions when the National Song is sung, the official version shall be recited accompanied by mass singing. The National Song may be sung on occasions which, although not strictly ceremonial, are nevertheless invested with significance because of the presence of Ministers etc. The singing of the National Song on such occasions (with or without the accompaniment of instruments) accompanied by mass singing is desirable, the order read. It noted that it was not possible to give an exhaustive list of occasions on which the singing (as distinct from playing) of the official version of the National Song can be permitted. But there is no objection to the singing of the National Song accompanied by mass singing so long as it is done with due respect as a salutation to the motherland and proper decorum is maintained, it added. The order has also suggested that all schools begin their day with community singing of the National Song. In all schools, the day's work may begin with community singing of the National Song. School authorities should make adequate provision in their programmes for popularising the singing of the National Song, National Anthem and promoting respect for the National Flag among students, the order said. It has given a general instruction to the people of the country, stating that whenever the official version of the National Song is sung or played, the audience shall stand to attention. However, when in the course of a newsreel or documentary the National Song is played as a part of the film, it is not expected of the audience to stand as standing is bound to interrupt the exhibition of the film and would create disorder and confusion rather than add to the dignity of the National Song, it added. When the National Song and the National Anthem are sung or played, National Song will be sung or played first, it concluded. The order has also been issued in Hindi. The order comes after a debate in the Lok Sabha on the National Song last year during the Winter Session, during which Prime Minister Narendra Modi accused the Congress of removing important parts of the song. Additionally, the theme of this years Republic Day parade was Swatantrata Ka Mantra - Vande Mataram. (For more news apart from Vande Mataram: Centre issues order on singing, playing official six-stanza version, stay tuned to Rozana Spokesman.) Celebrating Spring Festival in China emerges as new global trend Xinhua) 13:32, February 11, 2026 An Algerian student displays a lucky bag made during an event held in Banan District of Chongqing Municipality, southwest China, Feb. 3, 2026. As the Spring Festival approaches, Banan District of Chongqing Municipality hosted a "Laowai@Chongqing" event. "Laowai" is a Chinese slang term meaning "foreigners". (Xinhua/Chen Cheng) BEIJING, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- As the Chinese New Year, or the Spring Festival, draws near, a growing number of international travelers are planning their trips around this traditional celebration to immerse themselves in China's vibrant culture and festive spirit. For Finn, a young Dutch student who wore a horse-head hat and took photos under a theme park's golden wishing tree, his visit to Beijing shortly before the Spring Festival was great fun. "The joyous atmosphere and diverse interactive activities here make me fully immersed and entertained," he said. "I'll definitely share this with my friends in the Netherlands, and I'd love to bring them here again to experience a different Chinese New Year." Finn's horse-head hat is popular among young travelers in the park because 2026 is the Year of the Horse according to the Chinese zodiac. And the upcoming Spring Festival, which falls on Feb. 17, marks the first day of this Chinese New Year. Just like Finn, many international tourists are taking China as their destination recently. Data from major travel platforms shows a substantial rise in inbound tourism for the 2026 Spring Festival. During the last two weeks of January, international flight bookings to China jumped more than 400 percent compared to the same period last year, led by tourists from Thailand, the Republic of Korea, Malaysia, Vietnam, and Singapore. Notably, China has seen a significant ninefold increase in the number of reservations made by tourists from Argentina during this year's nine-day Spring Festival holiday, while bookings from European countries, including the Netherlands, Spain and Britain, more than doubled. Mexican tourists and their tour guide (1st L) pose for photos at the Tiantan (Temple of Heaven) Park in Beijing, capital of China, Jan. 7, 2026. (Xinhua/Ju Huanzong) "Around one third of our room bookings during the coming holiday were made by foreign guests," said a staff member of a hotel in Chengdu, southwest China's Sichuan Province. He added that many of these foreigners opted for extended stays to fully embrace the Chinese festival, which led to almost complete occupancy. "Celebrating the Spring Festival in China is becoming a new global trend," an analyst of the tourism industry said. "The uniqueness and immersive experience of Spring Festival traditions are emerging as core attractions for overseas visitors, injecting sustained momentum into the development of inbound tourism." The tourism boom is not limited to major cities; China's diverse landscapes and culture have given rise to many unexpected destinations. Recently, many Russian tourists have flowed into Hunchun, a small city of 200,000 people in northeastern China's Jilin Province that shares a border with Russia, as diverse local activities have begun for the Chinese New Year celebrations. Varvara is among the visitors. During her trip, she plans to visit the New Year's market, enjoy traditional festival food like dumplings, and take part in activities such as paper-cutting and hanging couplets. "I'm looking forward to all these activities. Learning about Chinese culture during China's most important festival is a truly unique experience," she said. Daria, another tourist from Russia, was excited about having a traditional Hanfu photoshoot during her Spring Festival visit to a local ancient town. She said she believes that wearing the traditional attire would provide a deeper and more authentic immersion into the festival. Foreign tourists experience making dumplings at the Suifenhe Railway Station in Suifenhe City, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, Feb. 10, 2026. Various kinds of activities were held on Tuesday to celebrate the traditional Chinese Xiaonian Festival in northern China, which marks the start of the countdown to the Spring Festival. (Photo by Qu Yiwei/Xinhua) Since the beginning of 2026, the Hunchun port between China and Russia has processed about 58,000 inbound and outbound passengers, including 44,000 foreign nationals, marking a year-on-year increase of 74.8 percent, according to local authorities. According to industry insiders, the travel boom can also be attributed to the relaxed visa and travel facilitation policies. Data from the National Immigration Administration shows that in 2025, China expanded its unilateral visa-free entry to citizens of 48 countries, while the number of countries offering reciprocal visa exemptions rose to 29. In 2025, the number of inbound and outbound travels by foreign nationals surpassed 82 million, up by 26.4 percent year on year, and the visa-free entries rose by nearly 50 percent year on year. Furthermore, across global social media platforms, terms like "Becoming Chinese" and "China Shopping" have gained traction, reflecting growing interest in immersive, hands-on experiences in China. Noting these trends in tourism and social media, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said he's glad to see that more and more foreign friends show interest in experiencing today's China and exploring the Chinese people's everyday life, and that they have the opportunity to do so. "We warmly welcome foreign friends to come to China for the Spring Festival to experience the country's joy and hospitality," the spokesperson added. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun) Amritsar: Road Traffic to Remain Closed at Two Railway Level Crossings for Emergency Repairs (Representative Image) The District Commissioner has also been directed to deploy adequate staff to ensure smooth traffic management... Northern Railway has directed the District Commissioner (DC), Amritsar, Punjab, to close road traffic at two railway level crossing (L-Xing) gatesS-4 and C-9for emergency railway track repairs. As per the directions, Level Crossing Gate S-4 (Km/OHE Mast 3/910) on the AmritsarKhemkaran section will remain closed to road traffic from 7:00 AM on 12 February 2026 to 8:00 PM on 14 February 2026. During this period, road traffic will be diverted through Gate Nos. S-3, C-7, and B-6. Advertisement Similarly, Level Crossing Gate C-9 (Km/OHE Mast 5/2122) on the same section will remain closed from 7:00 AM on 16 February 2026 to 8:00 PM on 17 February 2026. Traffic during this closure will be diverted through Gate Nos. C-7 and B-6. The District Commissioner has also been directed to deploy adequate staff to ensure smooth traffic management and facilitate uninterrupted track maintenance work at both sites. Advertisement (For more news apart from Amritsar: Road Traffic to Remain Closed at Two Railway Level Crossings for Emergency Repairs, stay tuned to Rozana Spokesman.) The record-breaking display featured 10,829 tricolour macarons, comfortably surpassing the previous benchmark of 9,600. This project was executed by students and faculty, showcasing both technical culinary skill and national pride. File Photo. This latest accomplishment adds to LPU's growing list of world records, which began with a massive Bhangra performance. Learning Beyond Textbooks: LPUs EduRevolution Claims New World Record in Culinary Arts Advertisement Lovely Professional University (LPU) has reached a new global milestone by securing its sixth Guinness World Record. The university's School of Hotel Management and Tourism achieved the feat by creating the worlds largest display of macarons, meticulously arranged to depict the Indian national flag. The record-breaking display featured 10,829 tricolour macarons, comfortably surpassing the previous benchmark of 9,600. This project was executed by students and faculty, showcasing both technical culinary skill and national pride. Dr Ashok Kumar Mittal, LPU Founder Chancellor and Member of Parliament (Rajya Sabha), described the achievement as a practical example of the universitys "EduRevolution" philosophy, where hands-on experience in complex patisserie arts takes precedence over traditional textbook learning. Advertisement This latest accomplishment adds to LPUs growing list of world records, which began with a massive Bhangra performance and a drug awareness lesson in 2018. Subsequent records include a 2021 online video album, a unique thumb push-up record, and a 2022 social advocacy initiative involving the world's longest line of sanitary pads. By mastering the intricate craft required for this culinary display, LPU continues to emphasise real-world outcomes and global excellence within its curriculum. Source: The Tribune Mohali Schools Receive Bomb Threats; Holiday Declared Schools that received bomb threat emails include Shivalik Public School, Paragon Senior Secondary School... Mohali schools bomb threats: Several schools in Mohali were closed immediately on Wednesday after receiving bomb threats, triggering panic among school staff, students, and parents. Schools that received bomb threat emails include Shivalik Public School, Paragon Senior Secondary School (Sector 71), Manav Mangal, and Infant Jesus School. Advertisement SP City Mohali Dilpreet Singh said the threats were received at around 7:30 today via email. The SP speaking to the media said a thorough search operation is underway by various departments. "Many prominent schools in Mohali received a threatening email. Our bomb disposal team, our ARP team, our anti-sabotage team, and our police station forces, along with all RGOs, DSPs, and SPs, are on the field checking thoroughly. Advertisement He added that, as a precautionary measure, the police have cordoned off all the schools and declared a holiday for students and teachers. While the search operation is still ongoing, the police officer said that no suspicious items have been found so far. (For more news apart from Mohali Schools Receive Bomb Threats; Holiday Declared," stay tuned to Rozana Spokesman.) Interoperability at high altitude between Romanian and Belgian militaries Piatra Neamt, in north-eastern Romania, hosts training exercise bringing together Romanian and Belgian military. Photo: Lucian Irima Agentia Media a Armatei, 11.02.2026, 14:00 The soldiers of the 634th Infantry Battalion from Piatra Neamt have conducted an international exercise together with their Belgian allies from the NATO Battle Group in Cincu. The training session took place at the training camp in Tarcau Mountains, in Neamt County, (north-eastern Romania), where the soldiers of the two contingents carried out missions specific to living and fighting in a mountainous environment. The main goal of the exercise was the joint training of the soldiers from the two countries, in order to increase the level of interoperability, cohesion and reaction capacity within multinational operations. The participants were put through intense physical and mental effort, including marching for some 20 kilometers, up to an altitude of 1,768 meters. For the Belgian military, this exercise was a first, given that the highest geographical point in Belgium is only 694 meters. Lieutenant Elliot led the Belgian detachment at the training. He explained: It is an extremely beneficial experience to meet people from this part of Romania and to train in the mountainous environment. It is a terrain in which we have never trained before, but the cooperation went very well. Being NATO armies, the Romanians and the Belgians use similar tactics and procedures. We learned a lot about mountain fighting, how to move in the mountains and how to employ the right tactics. For us, it was one of the first experiences of this type, because in Belgium we do not have big differences in elevation. It is a really interesting experience and we are very happy to be here. During the activities, the soldiers of the two armies exchanged experiences, thus contributing to a better understanding of the procedures and how to act in an operational context, in the spirit of allied cooperation. Mathilde, a platoon sergeant in the Belgian Army, who also took part in the training, told us that she was very pleased with what she found in Romania: It was a very interesting week, which is very good for us. We appreciate this type of exercise very much, and this is also the reason why we are in Romania. It gives us the opportunity to collaborate and exchange experiences with our NATO colleagues and other partner nations. We work, broadly speaking, in the same way, considering that both countries are part of the North Atlantic Alliance. I am convinced that we will learn many new things and, at the same time, we will learn from each other. Also in Piatra Neamt, a British military advisory and training team from the British Military Advisory Training Team conducted, for four weeks, a leadership and command course for young commanders, an advanced training program in the field of military leadership. The course targeted microstructure commanders from the 15th Mechanized Brigade and aimed to strengthen command skills, decision-making and effective coordination of subordinates in complex operational environments. We met here Sergeant Major David Krejci, a member of the British-Czech joint military training and advisory team, who is at his third posting in Romania: I feel very good here, in Piatra Neamt. The soldiers are receptive and are in good spirits. They want to train, they want to learn. So, its been a very good experience. I was in Cluj-Napoca for a month, I was in Topraisar, near Constanta, and now Im in Piatra Neamt, but I have also been to Iasi. I like Romania, the culture and also the food here. I am always happy to visit Romania and discover new things. February 11, 2026 UPDATE A roundup of domestic and international news February 11, 2026 UPDATE Newsroom, 11.02.2026, 19:55 Reform. Romanian Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan has announced that the public administration reform, included in the third package of measures aimed at reducing the budget deficit, would be adopted by the government next week at the latest. He also stated that the measures decided by the government do not only involve spending cuts. The statements were made amid protests by employees from hundreds of town halls across the country, who went on a warning strike on Tuesday. They are unhappy that job and salary cuts could follow, given that, they say, staffing levels are already insufficient and incomes have been reduced. We will be back after the news. CCR. Romania is at high risk of losing over 230 million in non-reimbursable European funds due to repeated delays by the Constitutional Court in reaching a decision on the referral related to the reform of magistrates pensions, said Minister of Investment and European Projects Dragos Pislaru, after the CCR magistrates postponed their verdict for the fifth time on Wedensday. The CCR postponed its ruling until February 18 in order to analyze the request received from the Supreme Court to refer a preliminary question to the Court of Justice of the European Union regarding the governments plan to change magistrates special pensions. The Supreme Court considers that the measures in the governments bill may lead to discriminatory treatment of magistrates in relation to other categories of beneficiaries of service pensions. The reform regarding the retirement of magistrates is a milestone for accessing a new tranche of funds earmarked for Romania in the National Recovery and Resilience Plan. Dragos Pislaru specified in this context that the amount cannot be considered lost until the European Commission sends a letter to that effect. Brussels. The European Commission on Wednesday presented an action plan for airspace security, in light of the increasing risks associated with the use of drones. The central element of the strategy is the development and implementation of advanced detection and monitoring technologies capable of identifying even unregistered drones or those not connected to standard networks. The European executive is counting on the integration of smart sensors, modern radar systems, and the use of 5G infrastructure for real-time flight tracking. The plan provides for European-wide testing of new anti-drone systems, joint exercises, and pilot projects carried out around airports and critical infrastructure. The aim is to create a rapid and coordinated response to incidents. At the same time, the Commission has announced its intention to strengthen mechanisms for monitoring and exchanging data between Member States, including through a European platform dedicated to reporting drone incidents. NATO. On Wednesday, NATO announced the launch of Operation Arctic Sentinel, aimed at strengthening the alliances presence in this northern region. The operation will focus on naval presence and surveillance, but the expansion or reinforcement of NATO bases in the future is not ruled out. The mission takes place in a tense context determined by US President Donald Trumps desire to acquire Greenland, a territory belonging to Denmark. The United States is concerned about the growing presence of Russia and China on northern trade routes. Furthermore, both countries have various research operations, and NATO wants to be prepared so as not to be taken by surprise by various future developments. On Thursday, the operation will also be discussed with the defense ministers of the allied states at the meeting in Brussels of the defense ministers of NATO member states, which will also be attended by Romanian Defense Minister Radu Miruta. The minister is accompanied by the Chief of Defense Staff, General Gheorghita Vlad, and the Secretary of State for Defense Policy, Planning, and International Relations, Sorin Moldovan. At the meeting, member states will present the status of implementation of the commitments made at last years summit in The Hague, as well as this years defense budgets, given that the target has been set at 5% of GDP. EP. On Wednesday, the European Parliament approved a loan package for Ukraine worth 90 billion for 2026 and 2027. The so-called support loan for Ukraine will help meet Kyivs urgent financing needs in the context of Russias war of aggression, which is entering its fifth year. According to the EP, Ukraine will be responsible for repaying the loan once it receives war reparations from Russia. Embassy. Colombia remains one of Romanias key partners in Latin America, Romanian Foreign Minister Oana Toiu said on Wednesday at the reopening of the Colombian Embassy in Bucharest. The presence of a permanent diplomatic mission here will be the engine that will bring our citizens and business communities much closer together, the Romanian foreign minister added. For her part, Bogotas Minister of Foreign Affairs, Rosa Yolanda Villavicencio Mapy, said that her country and Romania share the same values based on respect for the principles of international law. Colombia has a particular interest in continuing to work with Romania to encourage trade and investment and also to strengthen bilateral cooperation in strategic areas such as defense and cybersecurity, emergency management, culture, sports, climate action, and others, the South American diplomat added. The last political consultations between the foreign ministers of Romania and Colombia took place more than three decades ago. (MI) February 11, 2026 A roundup of domestic and world news Newsflash Newsroom, 11.02.2026, 13:55 Reform The Romanian Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan announced that the public administration reform, included in the third package of measures aimed at reducing the budget deficit, would be adopted by the government next week at the latest. He also stated that the measures decided by the government do not only involve spending cuts. The statements were made amid protests by employees from hundreds of city halls across the country, who went on a warning strike on Tuesday. They are dissatisfied with the announced job and salary cuts, given that, they say, the staff is already insufficient and revenues have been reduced. Pensions The Constitutional Court of Romania (CCR) has again postponed ruling on the reform of the magistrates pensions until February 18. According to Agerpres, sources from the Constitutional Court stated that the postponement was decided in order to analyze the request received from the Supreme Court to refer to the Court of Justice of the European Union a preliminary question regarding the Governments bill to modify the special pensions of magistrates. The Supreme Court considers that the measures in the Governments bill may lead to discriminatory treatment of magistrates in relation to other categories of service pension beneficiaries. This is the fifth time that the CCR judges have postponed the decision in this case. Romania risks losing European funds worth 230 million euros, if it does not adopt the law on magistrates pensions. The law reduces the amount of their pensions, so that they no longer exceed the last income from the active period, and increases their retirement age. Meeting The Romanian Defense Minister, Radu Miruta, is today participating in the meeting of the EU Foreign Affairs Council (FAC) and on Thursday in the meeting of NATO defense ministers in Brussels. The FAC meeting, chaired by the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Kaja Kallas, will focus on the EUs military support to Ukraine, with special attention being paid to cooperation in defense innovation, as well as the prospects for security and defense this year. The NATO meeting program will include a meeting of the North Atlantic Council, in the format of defense ministers, dedicated to the deterrence and defense agenda, a meeting of the Contact Group for Ukraine, a working lunch of the NATO-Ukraine Council, as well as the signing ceremony of the Letter of Intent on multinational approaches to military airworthiness in a crisis or conflict context. Minister Miruta will be accompanied to Brussels by the Chief of the Defense Staff, General Gheorghita Vlad, and by the Secretary of State for Defense Policy, Planning and International Relations, Sorin Moldovan. Cyber bullying The European Commission has launched an action plan against online harassment or cyber bullying, as it is known internationally. The term refers to repeated insults or threats made through online platforms, social networks, texting applications, games or video platforms. The phenomenon has real effects on the mental health, trust and social relationships of children and adolescents and is a growing concern at European level. Consequently, the Commission proposes, among other things, the development of an EU-wide application through which victims of online harassment will be able to quickly report abuse and receive specialized support. The application will allow for the safe storage of evidence and will be connected to national help-lines adapted to each Member State. Competitiveness Several European leaders, including the German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and the French President Emmanuel Macron, are meeting today in Antwerp, Belgium, to present their ideas on increasing industrial competitiveness in the European Union, dpa reports. Around 400 representatives from various fields are expected at the European Industry Summit. The European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and the Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof have also announced their participation. Tough competition, especially from China and the United States, extensive bureaucracy and high energy costs are weighing on Europes economy, but the approaches to the phenomenon are different, dpa notes. Merz and von der Leyen advocate reducing bureaucracy and propose amending EU legislation in this regard to reduce the reporting burden on companies. Macron supports preference for European companies in certain cases and joint debt to stimulate investment. The meeting in the Belgian port city will be followed on Thursday by an EU summit on economic issues. (LS) Public administration reform again in the spotlight The planned reform of public administration puts local mayors at odds with the political leaders in Bucharest. Photo: gov.ro Bogdan Matei, 11.02.2026, 14:00 First mentioned by the government last summer, the reform of the Romanian public administration is still a fuzzy issue half a year later, despite it being championed as one of the magic solutions for cutting the budget deficit. The representatives of local mayors eventually met on Tuesday, in Bucharest, to discuss the measures that the coalition government plans to adopt. They almost all of them said the move risks blocking the activity of the local administration and that the development of the municipalities cannot be achieved with limited funds. Liberal Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan conveyed to them, once again, that the next period will bring budgetary constraints and difficult decisions, against the backdrop of excessive deficit, which the government has committed to address. He emphasised that there must be a formula for balancing the budget, so that the municipalities with very low incomes can still provide basic services to citizens. Bolojan also explained why local taxes have gone up, even as much as three times in some places: An important component that we have encountered during this period and that you are primarily affected by are local taxes. We can no longer maintain the previous level. Why? Revenues from property tax in Romania accounts for about 0.55% of GDP, while in European Union countries the average is 1.85%, so at least three times higher. We can no longer maintain this level. However, no one is obviously happy about paying extra taxes, extra telephone fees, parking fees and so on. The government no longer has the capacity to channel so many funds to local public administrations, the prime minister concluded. In some cities and communes across the country, citizens have already stormed mayors offices to complain about the hikes in taxes and fees. The speaker of the Chamber of Deputies and leader of the Social Democrats, Sorin Grindeanu, who attended the debate in Bucharest, says mayors are being unjustly vilified: I would like us to leave aside triumphalist speeches and talk openly about the elephants in the room. More recently, weve seen attempts, carried out with intention and through all means available, to vilify local mayors. Grindeanu also says that the taxes and fees collected must be used by the local municipalities to finalise the projects already underway. Analysts say the whole issue is difficult to solve. They point out that, so far most villages and small towns, often poor, have been dependent on funding from the state budget, but that politicians at the top are dependent on local votes, which only well-motivated mayors can bring to the party. In a recent announcement, Elon Musk, the CEO of SpaceX, revealed the company's shifting priorities from Mars to building a "self-growing city" on the Moon. This strategic move, Musk argued, is far more achievable within the next decade compared to establishing a settlement on Mars. Musk highlighted the advantages of lunar exploration, citing orbital mechanics and travel time. Launches to the Moon can occur every 10 days with a two-day journey, whereas missions to Mars depend on planetary alignment every 26 months and require months of travel. While SpaceX remains committed to its long-term goal of colonizing Mars, the company is now focusing on its role in NASA's Artemis program. SpaceX holds a nearly $3 billion contract to develop the Artemis III lunar lander using its Starship vehicle. Despite Starship's early testing phase and the lack of a completed orbital flight, Musk believes that concentrating on the Moon could provide a more immediate and financially viable stepping stone towards the ultimate objective of establishing a Martian settlement. The shift in SpaceX's priorities highlights the company's adaptability and its willingness to respond to evolving opportunities and challenges in the space industry. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Business News Chinese heating appliances gain global traction amid seasonal demand 10:48, February 11, 2026 By Han Xin, Dou Hanyang ( People's Daily Heating fans ordered by European clients are manufactured in a workshop of an appliance manufacturer in Cixi, east China's Zhejiang province. (Photo/Zhang Yongtao) As winter sets in, a wave of innovative heating solutions from China is reaching consumers worldwide. Chinese dual-mode space heaters, capable of delivering warmth in winter and cool air in summer, are seeing repeat orders from Central Asian nations. Multi-functional radiant heaters, designed to warm drinks on the top while emitting heat from all sides, are attracting bulk orders from Japan and South Korea. Heating carpets, featuring intelligent temperature control and automatic shut-off at high temperatures, are gaining popularity across European markets. These seemingly simple household items, transformed by Chinese ingenuity, are finding new global appeal. Official data show that from January to November 2025, China exported 106.15 million units of electric space heaters, including electric heaters and heating mats, up 6.18% year on year. Many of the heaters sold in Belgium are made in China. (People's Daily/Niu Ruifei) Cixi and Yiwu in east China's Zhejiang province offer a revealing snapshot of why Chinese small heating appliances are gaining traction overseas. Cixi in Ningbo, renowned as China's "small home appliance capital," is buzzing with activity. Inside the workshops of Zhejiang Jiuyou Electric Appliance Co., Ltd. (Jiuyou), assembly lines for fan heaters operate at full capacity, with workers swiftly assembling and inspecting each unit. Outside the factory gates, trucks stand ready for dispatch. Cen Yipin, general manager of the company, said the company's output reached 300,000 units in 2025, an increase of nearly 30% from the previous year. Yiwu is the world's hub for small commodities production and trade. Just after the New Year, in the small-appliance section of the District 2 at the Yiwu International Trade Market, foreign buyers from Central Asia, Europe and beyond could be seen wheeling suitcases and flipping through sample catalogs as they moved briskly from shop to shop making inquiries. "Recently, we received over a dozen client visits each day, many from returning customers, with repeat reorders coming in especially quickly," said Zhang Changjun, head of Yiwu Chichao Trading Co., Ltd. He noted that the heater market typically operates on "small-batch, rapid-return" models. One long-term client from Kazakhstan, for example, placed three repeat orders last year and has just placed another order worth 28,000 yuan. According to alibaba.com, one of the world's largest wholesale marketplaces run by Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba, cumulative electric blanket transaction volume rose 224% month-on-month by the end of November 2025. Customs statistics further detail the growth: From January to November 2025, Cixi exported heating appliances worth 3.32 billion yuan, including 1.28 billion yuan to the EU (an 8.4% year-on-year increase). Yiwu exported 290 million yuan worth of electric heaters, a 32% year-on-year increase, with products reaching Europe, the US, the Middle East, Latin America, and beyond. Market feedback points to the key strengths of Chinese manufacturers. A foreign buyer in Yiwu noted that Chinese merchants have "a keen sense for opportunity" -- quickly moving in wherever market demand emerges. A German distributor of Jiuyou described Chinese manufacturers as "fast on their feet," noting that they act efficiently and can promptly shift to products with strong market potential. At the Yiwu International Trade Market, vendor Cao Kun showed one of his top-selling products -- a dual-mode space heater. "Our market research revealed that today's customers seek more than just warmth; they want ambiance too," Cao explained. Designed mainly for household markets in Europe and the Middle East, this unit not only provides both heating and cooling but also simulates the visual effect of a fireplace. It sold over 10,000 units shortly after its launch. Space heaters are sold in Yiwu, east China's Zhejiang province. (Photo from the media center of Yiwu) "Demand varies widely by region," Cao explained. "Consumers in the Middle East, Europe and North America prefer products with strong decorative appeal; Russia and Central Asia favor space-saving wall-mounted models; Southeast Asia is more interested in portable, chargeable small appliances. We make whatever customers want." This ability to adapt quickly is a key source of resilience in China's foreign trade. "With rising global economic uncertainty, Yiwu merchants are turning cold waves into opportunities through fast, precise and innovative strategies, allowing 'Chinese warmth' to continue flowing to the world," said Luo Hongying, president of the Yiwu Small Home Appliance Industry Association. In Cixi, the development cycle for a new heater model is remarkably short. "From design and manufacturing to rollout, it takes less than two months," said Xu Songlie, head of Cixi Fuyun Electric Appliance Co., Ltd. Behind this rapid responsiveness and agile execution lies robust manufacturing capability. Cixi accounts for nearly one-third of China's total heater exports and has formed a relatively complete industrial cluster. Producing heaters here allows for efficient local sourcing -- whether it's switches or heating elements, everything can be quickly procured from nearby suppliers. "The strong sales of heating appliances reflect the advantages of China's complete industrial system," said Xu Dongsheng, vice president of the China Household Electrical Appliances Association. After years of market competition, the home-appliance sector has built a mature and efficient supply-chain system. Clustered industrial chains meet companies' one-stop needs, giving Chinese manufacturers greater competitiveness as they expand globally. Despite success, competition is intensifying. Export-oriented firms are proactively adjusting strategies: some increase R&D investment to target mid- and high-end markets; others refine processes to cut costs; and others explore new overseas markets." "Stick close to demand and adapt to trends -- and even a cold snap can become an opportunity," Zhang said. (Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun) Nine people were killed and more than two dozen others injured in the worst school shooting in decades in Canada. Police found six bodies at the Tumbler Ridge Secondary School in northeast British Columbia in western Canada on Tuesday afternoon, while a seventh person died on the way to hospital. Two of the victims are said to be hospitalized in critical condition The suspected shooter was found dead at the school with a self-inflicted injury, reports quoting police said. The bodies of two other victims were discovered at a nearby residence in the township. Police suspect this shooting also was carried out by the assailant. Media reports say that an emergency alert described the suspect as a "female in a dress with brown hair". The secondary school and a nearby elementary school will reportedly remain closed for the week. Police have not yet disclosed the identities of the victims. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Business News Toyota has officially unveiled the all-new 2027 Highlander, marking a major shift for the popular SUV nameplate. For the first time in its 25-year history, Highlander goes fully electric. It also becomes Toyotas first three-row battery electric vehicle (BEV) in the U.S. and the first BEV Highlander to be assembled in America. The new Highlander will be manufactured at Toyota Motor Manufacturing Kentucky, while battery modules will be assembled at Toyotas newly opened battery plant in North Carolina. All-Electric Powertrain, Up To 515 Kms Range The 2027 Highlander will be offered in two grades XLE and Limited. Powertrain choices vary depending on drivetrain configuration. The XLE will be available in both front-wheel drive (FWD) and all-wheel drive (AWD). FWD versions use a 77.0 kWh battery delivering a manufacturer-estimated 287-mile range. AWD variants can be had with either the 77.0 kWh battery (270-mile range) or a larger 95.8 kWh pack offering up to 320 miles of estimated range. The Limited grade comes standard with AWD and the larger 95.8 kWh battery, also delivering up to 320 miles of range. In terms of performance, FWD models produce 221 hp and 198 lb-ft of torque. AWD versions generate a combined 338 hp and 323 lb-ft of torque, giving the new Highlander strong acceleration alongside the typical low center-of-gravity benefits of an EV. Charging duties are handled via a North American Charging System (NACS) port, giving access to a wide DC fast charging network in the U.S. Under ideal conditions, 1080% charging can be achieved in around 30 minutes. An 11 kW onboard AC charger and dual-voltage cable are standard. Larger, Wider And More Modern Toyota has redesigned the Highlander from the ground up on a modified TNGA-K platform adapted for high-capacity batteries. The SUV is now wider and longer in wheelbase. Overall width increases to 78.3 inches (1989mm), while wheelbase grows to 120.1 inches (3051mm), significantly improving cabin space. Height is slightly reduced to 67.3 inches (1710mm) for a sportier stance. Design adopts Toyotas latest hammerhead front fascia with slim DRLs, flush door handles, strong fender flares and aerodynamic detailing. Inside, the cabin features a 14-inch touchscreen, 12.3-inch digital driver display, customizable 64-color ambient lighting and an available panoramic glass roof. The three-row layout seats up to seven passengers. With the third row folded flat, cargo space exceeds 45 cubic feet (1274 liters). Tech-Heavy Cabin With V2L Capability The 2027 Highlander comes equipped with Toyota Audio Multimedia featuring 5G connectivity, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and integrated navigation that can display turn-by-turn directions in the digital instrument cluster. A major addition is Vehicle-to-Load (V2L) functionality, allowing the Highlander to power external appliances or serve as a backup power source in emergencies (bi-directional accessories required). This is a first for a Toyota model sold in the US. Safety features include Toyota Safety Sense 4.0, which adds upgraded detection hardware and enhanced ADAS functionality. Features such as Pre-Collision System, Lane Tracing Assist, Proactive Driving Assist and Full-Speed Adaptive Cruise Control are standard. Toyotas Fourth BEV In The US The 2027 Highlander joins the Toyota bZ, bZ Woodland and C-HR as the brands fourth BEV in the American market. Toyota states that it will soon offer 22 electrified models globally. Sales of the all-electric Highlander are expected to begin in late 2026, with pricing to be announced closer to launch. PEOPLES UNION FOR CIVIL LIBERTIES 332, Patpar Ganj, Opposite Anand Lok Apartments (Gate No. 2), Mayur Vihar-I, Delhi 110 091 Founder: Jayaprakash Narayan; Founding President: V M Tarkunde President: Ms. Kavita Srivastava General Secretary: V Suresh puclnat[at]gmail.com, pucl.natgensec[at]gmail.com, www.pucl.org 11th February 2026 Press Statement Himanta Biswa Sarma must resign as Chief Minister of Assam for serial violations of his oath of office to govern without fear or favour, affection or ill-will. PUCL strongly condemns the recent statements made by the Chief Minister of Assam promoting divisive rhetoric against minorities which brazenly undermines the rule of law and violates his constitutional oath of office to protect all citizens without fear or favour. It is deeply alarming that a constitutionally elected Chief Minister is inciting hostility against Muslims and Christian minorities thereby violating the constitutional goal of upholding equality and secularism. We are constrained to point out that Himanta Biswa Sarma has a notorious track record of making hateful statements about religious minorities, from Christians to Muslims as well as statements which reinforces the legitimacy of caste hierarchy and order. The rhetoric of the Chief Minister has often gratuitously and pejoratively invoked the term jihad in connection with various issues involving the Muslim community. In August 2024, Sarma recklessly accused the University of Science and Technology, Meghalaya, a Muslim-run institution, of engaging in flood jihad, blaming it for the outbreak of floods in Guwahati. He has also made the ridiculous claim that the university has a Mecca-like structure, and therefore it is a symbol of jihad. Similarly, Sarma also made the unfounded allegation that Bengali Muslim farmers were practising land and fertiliser jihad by using high amounts of fertilisers on their crops. As Assam prepares for its next state general election in 2026, Sarma has intensified his targeting of Bengali Muslims. Sarma said that between four to five lakh Miya voters would be removed from the electoral rolls during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process in the state. He also emphasised that Himanta Biswa Sarma and the BJP are directly against Miyas and urged people to trouble Miyas saying only if they face troubles will they leave Assam. He has made no bones of not only discriminating against Bengali speaking Assamese Muslims but has also illegally incited others to discriminate against them. On January, 28, 2025, he said that, Whoever can give trouble in any way should give, including you. In a rickshaw, if the fare is Rs 5, give them Rs 4. Only if they face troubles will they leave Assam These are not issues. Himanta Biswas Sarma and the BJP are directly against Miyas. What is the point of telling us that these are issues? We are saying it openly; we are not hiding it. Earlier, people were scared; now I myself am encouraging people to keep giving troubles. The Chief Minister has moved from speech which demeans, degrades and humiliates to speech which incites civil society to demean, degrade and humiliate Bengali speaking Muslims. With none of this hate speech facing any significant pushback, the Chief Minister has been emboldened to further extend the boundaries of his hateful and unconstitutional rhetoric. On February 8, 2026, a video which has come to be referred to as the Point-blank video purportedly showed Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma aiming a rifle and firing a shot at two individuals one wearing a skullcap and the other sporting a beard that looked like a Muslim man. The wall the photo was hung on bore the words No mercy with the caption point-blank shot. Though the outrage which greeted this video resulted in the video being removed from social media page of the BJP Assam unit, the damage had been done. For the video reinforced the CMs constant diatribe against Bengali Muslims as intruders who have stolen the jobs of Assamese thereby inflaming passions with the potential to result in major violence against Muslims and other minorities. The only conclusion one can draw is that the incitement to murder was a bridge too far as far as what was acceptable from the Chief Minister and he was forced to take down the video. However, the fact that the video was deleted cannot be allowed to obscure the history of Sarmas repeated violations of his constitutional oath as Chief Minister to faithfully and conscientiously discharge his duties as a Minister for the State and to do right to all manner of people in accordance with the Constitution and the law without fear or favour, affection or ill-will. The Chief Minister has been sought to be made accountable for this unprecedented history of violations of the constitutional oath by noted social activist and former civil servant Harsh Mander. Harsh Mander, filed a police complaint against Sarma at Hauz Khas police station in New Delhi over the latters public statements made on January 27 on the grounds that the Chief Minister was promoting hatred, harassment and discrimination against Bengali-speaking Muslims in Assam. Mander sought the registration of an FIR under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, including sections 196 (promoting enmity between groups and doing acts prejudicial to harmony), 197 (making assertions prejudicial to national integration), 299 (malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings), 302 (uttering words intending to wound religious feelings) and 353 (statements conducing to public mischief). The Chief Minister response exposes his belligerent, and ominous, response: He has filed just one case against me. Just see, I will file at least 100 cases against him now as I have the necessary materials for it. The Chief Minister accused Mander of destroying the National Register of Citizens (NRC) process in Assam. He had earlier raised this allegation against Mander, accusing him of visiting the state during the NRC process and working to create false kin to include names of ineligible applicants in the NRC. The PUCL strongly condemns this brazen language of the Chief Minister in which the law is instrumentalised as a tool to harass and intimidate eminent human rights activists. We should point out that Harsh Mander represents the constitutional idea of India and has stood with the most marginalised and often invisible Indians. He has worked with homeless people including street children. In `PUCL v Union of India,(known as the food security PIL) the Supreme Court recognised his constitutional commitment by appointing him Special Commissioner of the Supreme Court for the right to food. In that position he has contributed significantly to ensuring the right to food to the most marginalised. He has stood with victims of hate crimes across India. He has also played a key role in documenting the violations of due process in Assams Foreigners Tribunals as well as documenting the conditions of detention as part of an NHRC constituted team. Mander has raised concerns about the "lawless cruelty" and inhumane conditions within Assams detention centers, where people have been held for years, resulting in significant mental anguish and suicide. For this work, he has been endlessly harassed by all agencies right from the ED to the CBI and Income Tax authorities. This harassment has not deterred him from his continuing fearless and dogged commitment to ensuring that the values of the Constitution are kept alive in contemporary India. It is this work which is sought to be delegitimised and criminalised by the Chief Minister of Assam. The Assam Chief Minister instead of targeting Mander should address the concerns raised by him as to how the Foreigners Tribunals are a mockery of the legal process and are perpetrating inhumane suffering. The PUCL strongly condemns the language of the Assam Chief Minister as a complete repudiation of his oath of office. The Chief Minister has used language which demeans and degrades Assams Muslims, incites discrimination against them and goes so far as to incite the murder of Muslims. None of this language is sanctioned by the Constitution. The Chief Minister has violated his oath not to discriminate on grounds of religion and not to incite violence against members of a community. Far from promoting fraternity, which is the most basic constitutional obligation of a head of state, he has gone out of his way to promote divisiveness, hatred and violence in Assam. The Chief Minister has thus been a serial violator of the most basic norms which govern a constitutional democracy as well as the constitutional responsibility of a head of state. His language has made it amply clear that he does not seek to govern on behalf of the Muslim communities of Assam. As such he has unequivocally and expressly repudiated his constitutional oath to govern without fear or favour, affection or ill-will. In particular the Chief Minister has made it clear that he governs with an animus which targets the Muslim community. The Chief Minister has thus proved himself constitutionally incapable of abiding by the mandate of the Constitution that all person are equal before the law. The PUCL calls for the Chief Minister to resign as he has repeatedly violated his oath of office to govern without fear or favour, affection or ill-will. The PUCL also calls on the Prime Minister to take action against the Chief Minister under Article 355 to ensure that Assam is governed in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution. Kavita Srivastava, President, PUCL Dr. V. Suresh,Gen. Secretary, PUCL Suzhou infuse modern trends into traditional craftsmanship of silk weaving 14:35, February 11, 2026 By Wang Weijian ( People's Daily A foreign tourist visits the Suzhou Silk Museum in Suzhou, east China's Jiangsu province, Dec. 27, 2025. (Photo/Wang Jiankang) Silk stands as one of China's foundational innovations and a defining symbol of Chinese civilization. Today, this ancient textile is undergoing a quiet revolution -- transitioning from museum artifacts and luxury goods into contemporary fashion and daily essentials. At 7 p.m. in Suzhou's Gusu District, 1990s-born tailor Shi Yi arranges new inventory at Dashi Tailor Shop. Their winter qipaos (Cheongsam), featuring innovative down insulation within traditional silhouettes, blend elegance with practicality, resulting in constant orders. Since 2023, the Suzhou Silk Museum has digitized textile patterns, transforming static artifacts into dynamic cultural assets. Leveraging this resource, Shi Yi reinterpreted classic motifs -- cloud patterns, intertwining vines, and floral-bird designs -- for modern aesthetics. This approach birthed sophisticated products: Song brocade handbags merging heritage with functionality; silk cushions elevating living spaces; notebook covers offering tactile cultural experiences. Through such innovations, ancient craftsmanship finds new relevance. Technology has meanwhile granted silk unprecedented resilience. At Jiangsu Huajia Silk Co., Ltd. in Shengze, Wang Yongyu, deputy general manager of Jiangsu Huajia Silk Co., Ltd (Huajia), demonstrates stain-resistant fabric by pouring red wine onto silk and effortlessly wiping it clean. "We've armored silk with nanoscale protection," Wang explains, solving a centuries-old maintenance challenge. To address silk's wrinkling and shape retention issues, Huajia's R&D team perfected a silk-spandex fusion. This innovation preserves silk's natural luster, comfort, and breathability while adding elasticity and wrinkle resistance. With 5% annual revenue invested in R&D and over 180 patents secured, Huajia now exports globally. Innovation extends to production methods. Nearby at Wujiang Dingsheng Silk Company, electronic jacquard looms -- enhanced with AI-powered monitoring systems -- produce intricate Song brocade. Once painstakingly woven at just 5 cm daily, this luxurious textile now flows continuously with machine precision. Chairman Wu Jianhua's innovations have increased productivity hundreds-fold, democratizing what was historically elite craftsmanship. Beyond fabric, silk now embodies a lifestyle philosophy. In Qidu township's 33-hectare "Landscape Mulberry Fields" eco-park, the ancient mulberry-fish pond ecosystem thrives alongside modern silkworm rearing facilities and craft workshops. Partnering with Soochow University and industry leaders, the park serves as an innovation hub. Founder Liu Ying, whose silk enterprise previously exported to 30+ countries, explains: "After decades perfecting textiles, we now promote a 'silk lifestyle' -- reconnecting people with sericulture heritage and nature." Urban professionals like Xu Shasha frequent the park: "Here, city bustle fades. Time slows, and hearts find calm." In 2025, tens of thousands visited, boosting local homestays and agricultural sales. Photo shows a jacquard loom for making Song brocade of Dingsheng Silk. (Photo provided by Dingsheng Silk) In Suzhou, the ancient wisdom of sericulture is no longer just a museum relic--it has become a living economy, vibrant, thriving, breathing new life into everyday life. Children feed silkworms at eco-park complex "Landscape Mulberry Fields" in Qidu township, Suzhou, east China's Jiangsu province. (Photo from the official account of Landscape Mulberry Fields on WeChat) (Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun) The Greenland crisis underscores the need for the EU to be able to defend itself without Washingtons help The idea of a European army has been floating around the EU for years decades without ever taking shape. But as the United States pulls away from Europe under President Donald Trump, despite the danger posed by Vladimir Putins Russia, the dynamics are shifting. The Greenland crisis has created an unusual consensus among European partners on the urgency of strengthening defensive autonomy, a situation that is reviving calls for a European military force outside the NATO framework. Doubts, however, remain. Trumps annexationist ambitions for the Arctic island were a turning point. This past January, at the height of the crisis, the European commissioner for defense, Andrius Kubilius, revived the idea of a European military force of 100,000 soldiers, capable of replacing the current U.S. presence on European soil. Without openly advocating for a common army many agree that what matters is not the name but having a more or less robust European defensive contingent the president of the European Council, Antonio Costa, also recently warned of the need for more integrated forces: We dont need 27 large armies; we need 27 Member States contributing to a common European defense, he argued. But in yet another sign of how divisive the issue remains, the European Commission itself played down Kubiliuss proposal. According to EU sources, a European army is not on the Commissions agenda. The EU high representative for foreign policy, Kaja Kallas, even rejected the idea: Every European country has an army, and 23 countries armies are also part of NATOs structure, so I cant imagine that countries will create a separate European army, she said, shortly after NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte warned against it would create a lot of duplication. On the eve of a meeting of defense ministers on Wednesday in Brussels held behind closed doors to discuss the 2026 security and defense outlook, where the idea could resurface the Commission insisted on reducing it to a mere academic debate. Yet the fact that the idea is circulating, and could also reappear at Thursdays NATO meeting, was evident on Tuesday, when it resurfaced with arguments for and against during a debate with Kubilius on strengthening European defense at the European Parliaments plenary session in Strasbourg. The idea of a European army is still very vague because it is a politically difficult issue in a Union where defense remains a national competence that few seem willing to delegate, notes Simon Van Hoeymissen, a researcher at Belgiums Royal Higher Institute for Defence. Europeans have shown interest in transferring some defenserelated competences to the Commission in areas such as industrial efficiency, economies of scale, or military mobility but they resist the idea of allowing it to set military requirements, he explained by email. Even so, Domenec Ruiz Devesa senior researcher at CIDOB (the Barcelona Centre for International Affairs) and president of the Union of European Federalists believes things are shifting: Consensus is moving toward playing a European card for our own defense. Within that, there are debates within debates, and the European army is one of those debates within the debate. But the general direction is that Europe needs to have its own mechanism, so that we are not dependent on the Americans, said the former Socialist MEP, who has long advocated for stronger European defense. The idea of a joint military force dates back to the early days of the European project. In 1952, the creation of the European Defence Community (EDC) was agreed upon, but it never came into being because France refused to ratify it. Since then, the possibility of creating some kind of European force has resurfaced repeatedly initially for international missions, as envisioned after the 1998 FrancoBritish St.Malo declaration, which also ultimately led nowhere. Two decades later, French President Emmanuel Macron revived the idea of a European army, with the backing of thenGerman chancellor Angela Merkel. We should work on a vision to create a real European army one day, she also said in Strasbourg. The closest thing the Union currently has to its own military force is the EU Rapid Deployment Capacity (EU RDC), a contingent created when Spains Josep Borrell was the EUs foreign policy chief. It allows for the deployment outside EU territory of up to 5,000 personnel for stabilization missions, humanitarian assistance, or conflict prevention, although it requires unanimous approval from all 27 Member States. It is not, as Borrell stressed, a European army. Despite the reservations, the idea of some form of joint force continues to surface in an increasingly pessimistic climate. The latest Eurobarometer confirms that Europeans are highly concerned about security and that a majority want the EU to help ensure their safety. Spain, in the words of Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares, advocates for Europe to move from strategic autonomy to strategic sovereignty. This implies not only boosting the single market, but also ensuring that deterrence is in the EUs own hands and moving towards a European army. According to the Spanish government, the model is the coalition of volunteers created to send troops and provide security guarantees to Ukraine once a peace agreement is reached. If we are willing to support Ukraines defense, how could we not be willing to guarantee our own? diplomatic sources stress. This formula would also make it possible to bypass the veto of certain EU partners reluctant to take this step, such as Hungary, and to form a core group of countries ready to move further and faster much like what happened with the euro. The goal is not to create an army in the strict sense, but to pool national capabilities, using the EUs Rapid Deployment Capacity as a foundation but, unlike that mechanism, with the political will to actually use it. In a recent talk at the New Economy Forum in Brussels, the leader of the European Peoples Party (EPP), Germanys Manfred Weber, also said that this future European force in Ukraine could be the starting point for a European army. Although a classic federal corps is not realistic, Polands foreign minister, Radosaw Sikorski, also considers the creation of a European legion a brigadesized unit that citizens of Member States, and even of candidate countries, could join to be feasible, and one that would be financed through the EU budget, he said in Brussels. Kallas described the idea of any kind of autonomous European force as extremely dangerous because, she argued, if you have the European army and then you have the NATO army, then the ball just falls between the chairs. But for Latvian MEP Martins Stakis, former deputy defense minister of his country and coordinator for the Greens in the European Parliaments Defense and Security Committee, it is not necessarily a matter of choosing between EU defense and NATO. European strategic autonomy means having credible backup plans if relations with the U.S. continue to deteriorate, he explained in a video conference with journalists. We can have our Plan A, which is to work closely with our allies [within NATO] as we have done for the last 70 years, but we also need a Plan B and even a Plan C, he warned. A year ago, Max Bergmann, director of Europe, Asia, and Eurasia at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) in Washington, called for the idea to be reconsidered. For the long term, Europe should get serious about building a common European force that can fight and act as one to defend Europe, that can replace the United States, he wrote. Europe needs to fundamentally change its approach to fighting, said Stakis. According to Ruiz Devesa, only the most naive can continue to think that Trump can be trusted to defend Europe. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition Harfuch points to a criminal misunderstanding as the cause of the workers abduction. The bodies of at least five have been found in a mass grave, with another five yet to be identified The trickle of information about what happened to the miners kidnapped in Sinaloa has kept uncertainty high in yet another episode that exposes the horror of violence in northwestern Mexico, even as the government of Claudia Sheinbaum announced on Tuesday a 42% drop in intentional homicides nationwide over the past five months. The explanations offered on Tuesday by the Security Cabinet, led by Omar Garcia Harfuch, about why the miners were abducted have not dispelled doubts about how easily the criminals took them from their camp. According to the authorities, the disappearance of the workers at least 10 of them on January 23 was the result of a mixup by a criminal group linked to Los Chapitos, a faction of the nowdefunct Sinaloa Cartel. Harfuch said the group believed the workers belonged to a rival gang. The miners case coincides with other violent incidents recorded in the state in recent weeks events just as serious, or worse all of them painting a troubling picture. On Tuesday, five men disappeared in the municipality of Ahome, north of Culiacan, the capital of Sinaloa. Last week, four tourists from the State of Mexico met the same fate in Mazatlan, the jewel of the coastal tourism industry. A few days earlier, criminals opened fire on two local lawmakers from the Citizens Movement party. But the miners case stands out, both for its scale and for the authorities stance, as they release information only in dribs and drabs. Harfuchs explanations about the supposed mixup contrasted on Tuesday with the accounts given by relatives and colleagues of the missing men, which have flooded the press. They say that armed men went directly to the workers camp known as Clementinas located near the municipal seat of the town where the mine operates, Concordia, in the southern mountains of Sinaloa. It wasnt that the criminals ran into them on a road, out in the hills, the usual setting for clashes in the region. Nor did it happen at night. They came for them early in the morning, at the place where they lived and rested. And from there, they were abducted. To make matters worse, the identification of the bodies of five of the kidnapped miners in clandestine graves makes it difficult to imagine any outcome other than that all 10 missing men were killed. The Attorney Generals Office (FGR), which took over the investigation last week, reported on Monday the discovery of the human remains in a village not far from the municipal seat of Concordia, known as El Verde. Another five bodies remain on the forensic examiners table, awaiting identification. Information has trickled out slowly, amid talk of the large number of bodies that may actually be buried in that and other graves in the area, and growing discouragement over the persistence of organized crime in the region. The Attorney General's Office of the Southern Zone of the State protected by security guards in Mazatlan on February 9. Dania Robles (Cuartoscuro) By now, few in Mexico are unaware that the southern mountains of Sinaloa had long been a troubled region, even if much of the violence stayed out of sight. The war between Los Chapitos the faction led by the sons of the former kingpin Joaquin El Chapo Guzman and Los Mayos, the group headed by followers of Ismael El Mayo Zambada, has spread beyond its traditional trenches in Culiacan, its districts, and the surrounding municipalities, igniting violence in other regions as well. In the south, in municipalities such as Concordia, Escuinapa, El Rosario, and Mazatlan, the fighting has recently intensified. This comes despite dozens of arrests and seizures over the past 16 months, the time the current government led by Claudia Sheinbaum has been in office. According to a source within the security forces deployed in Sinaloa, two groups are battling in the mountainous area of Mazatlan. One is linked to Los Chapitos and led by Gabriel Nicolas Martinez, known as Gabito or El 80, supported by his brother Oscar, alias Casco. Theyre fighting with Los Cabrera, the source says, referring to another group that emerged between Durango and Coahuila longtime allies of Mayo Zambada and now of his son, Ismael Zambada Sicairos, known as Mayito Flaco. The conflict revolves around the routes connecting Sinaloa and Durango, the operation of clandestine labs producing synthetic drugs, and influence over the formal economy, where mining plays an important role. Harfuch said on Tuesday that the Security Cabinet was unaware of any pressure or extortion against Vizsla Silver, the mining company that operates the deposits in that part of Concordia, in the Panuco community. The company has also not commented. The implications of paying extortion money to groups linked to the Sinaloa Cartel are serious, as the U.S. government, under President Donald Trump, designated this group as a terrorist organization exactly one year ago. As a result, any support, voluntary or not, could be interpreted as financing terrorism. Sheinbaum also announced on Tuesday that the Security Cabinet will meet with the mining business association to learn about the difficulties they are facing. Sheinbaums call for dialogue, however, contrasts sharply with the regions recent history. In April 2025, Vizsla Silver announced a pause in its field work due to the security conditions in the mountains of Sinaloa, particularly in the communities of Concordia, a mandatory passageway between Mazatlan and Durango. Shootouts in the more remote villages of the municipality were already becoming routine, a situation compounded by homemade explosives dropped from drones. That same month, authorities discovered an arsenal nearly 3,000 explosive devices, including land mines and aerial bombs in a community in Concordia. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition Ricardo Trevilla, Secretary of Defense, says that the Claudia Sheinbaum government has recovered 215 powerful .50 caliber rifles from criminals, one of the drug traffickers favorites Defense Secretary Ricardo Trevilla announced Tuesday that 18,000 long and short firearms have been seized during President Claudia Sheinbaums administration, approximately 78% of which originated in the United States. During the morning press conference, he stated that in the time since Sheinbaum took office on October 1, 2024, authorities have confiscated 215 .50 caliber Barrett rifles. According to various security experts, this rifle has become a favorite among drug cartels in Mexico. The data was shared following a report published this past weekend by The New York Times, which revealed that organized crime has used ammunition of this caliber, produced at a U.S. military facility and smuggled across the border, in attacks against Mexican civilians and police officers. Sheinbaum had addressed the issue on Monday, calling for clarification from the White House. We are reviewing the story [from The New York Times] so we can speak with the U.S. government about this matter and see how it is possible that these weapons, which are for the exclusive use of their military, are entering Mexico. Trevilla also announced the seizure of other types of weaponry from organized crime, including 20 40mm grenade launchers, 13 rocket launchers, and 273 machine guns of various calibers. Regarding the .50 caliber ammunition, the National Defense Secretariat (Sedena) has records of 137,000 cartridges seized since 2012, 47% of which originated from the Lake City Army Ammunition Plant, a large facility located just outside Kansas City, Missouri, and owned by the U.S. government. Bullets before being melted down by the Mexican Army in Sinaloa. Jesus Vargas (Anadolu via Getty Images) Tra.icked guns continue to feed forced disappearances and other violence in Mexico, despite reported declines in homicides. Large .50 caliber rifles, which have a small U.S. civilian market but are widely used by cartel groups, are easily purchased in Arizona and Texas, notes an excerpt from a report published Tuesday by the organization Stop US Arms to Mexico. The Barrett .50 caliber rifle is capable of accurately shooting targets over a kilometer away and penetrating armor. A helicopter belonging to the Michoacan state government was shot down with this type of weapon in 2023 during a counter-narcotics operation. According to Stop US Arms to Mexico, in response to a freedom of information request to the Mexican Ministry of National Defense (Sedena), the Mexican Army reported the seizure of 140 Barrett .50 caliber rifles in 2025, in addition to another 39 rifles of the same caliber. However, according to the report, this represents only a fraction of the Barrett rifles trafficked across the border in any given year. The Mexican military recovered 10,689 firearms in 2025, less than one in ten of the estimated 135,000 firearms trafficked from the United States to Mexico annually, the document states. The report also estimates that, if the proportion of trafficked Barrett weapons confiscated by the Mexican army is the same as that of other firearms, then an average of 1,768 Barrett rifles would be trafficked from the U.S. to Mexico each year. Arizona, the main supplier for the cartels in Mexico Amid pressure from the Trump administration on Mexico to curb drug trafficking to the U.S., the Sheinbaum government has not backed down in its standoff with the Republican over weapons. The Mexican president has been insistent in her demand to combat the firepower of the cartels to curb the violence plaguing the country, especially the weapons trafficked from states north of the Rio Grande, such as Texas and Arizona. According to Stop US Arms to Mexico, Arizona has become the main source and corridor for arms trafficking to Mexican criminal groups. The report notes that in 2024, Mexican authorities confiscated more firearms in Sonora, just across the border from Arizona, than in any other Mexican state. While the share of weapons originating from Texas remained relatively stable between 2015 and 2024, most crime guns trafficked to Mexico with a short time to crime the time between purchase and confiscation in Mexico, a key indicator of deliberate trafficking came from Arizona: 62% of U.S.-sourced guns with a time-to-crime of a year or less." The report indicates that of the 15 U.S. zip codes where the largest number of weapons were purchased and subsequently confiscated in Mexico during a single year between 2023 and 2024, 14 are in Arizona. Since last July, when Ismael El Mayo Zambada, the longtime leader of the Sinaloa Cartel, was arrested in the United States, internal wars between the Chapitos and Mayitos factions have torn the state apart, killing nearly 2,000 people, many of whom had no connection to crime. The Stop US Arms to Mexico report states that most of the weapons used in this bloody war come from the United States, specifically Arizona. Sinaloa has become the Mexican state with more murders of police agents than any other with 46 cops killed in Sinaloa in 2025 (through December 18). The movement of firearms to Sinaloa since mid-2024 is also reflected in data on gun confiscations in 2025: the Mexican army seized 2,095 firearms in the state last year, more than twice as many as any other state, adds an excerpt from the document. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition The Israeli prime minister is traveling to DC again to ensure that the talks include not just the nuclear program, but making Tehran limit its ballistic missiles and stop supporting militias in the Middle East Without much fanfare from the U.S. or plans for a joint press conference, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is set to meet with U.S. President Donald Trump in Washington this Wednesday, with one main topic on the table: Iran. The meeting was originally scheduled for next week, but Netanyahu insisted on moving it up after Trumps envoys, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, met in Oman with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in the first round of talks that both sides have agreed to continue (amid a threatening military buildup in the Middle East), although without specifying a date or location for the next round. Araghchi said at the time that the talks are focusing exclusively on the Iranian nuclear program, but Netanyahu is now flying urgently to Washington to ensure that they also include the other issues that benefit him: limiting Irans ballistic missiles and ending Iranian support for militias in the region. On Tuesday, before boarding his flight to the U.S., Netanyahu told reporters that he would present Trump with our views regarding the essential principles of the negotiations - principles that, in our eyes, are vital not only for Israel but for anyone in the world who desires peace and security in the Middle East. This will be their seventh face-to-face meeting in the 12 months since Trump returned to the White House. This far surpasses any other world leader, not counting the speech Trump delivered in October before the Israeli Parliament, an opportunity meant to flatter him for securing the return of the last 20 living hostages from Gaza, marking the beginning of the ceasefire. I believe this reflects the unique closeness of the extraordinary relationship we have with the U.S., that I personally have with the president, and that the State of Israel has with the U.S., something unprecedented in our history, Netanyahu said before boarding the plane. Netanyahu is counting on this personal rapport with Trumphe has even said that Israel might not exist today if he werent prime ministerto steer him away from Witkoffs more negotiation-oriented approach. He wants to exploit the weakness of the ayatollahs regime to deliver the final blow, further solidifying Israels status as an unchallenged regional power. His strategy is to arrive at the October elections with regime change as the culmination of his victory against the Tehran-led axis, after devastating Gaza and humiliating Hezbollah. Aware of what is at stake, the secretary of Irans Supreme National Security Council, Ali Larijani, addressed Netanyahus statements. He urged Americans to act rationally and not allow the Israeli prime minister to suggest that he will dictate the negotiating framework. They must remain vigilant against the destructive role played by Zionists, he concluded in his message on the social media platform X. Pressure Israel, the country with the most powerful army in the Middle East and nuclear weapons (an open secret it has never confirmed), would only accept a kind of Iranian capitulation at the negotiating table: that it agree to far-reaching restrictions on its nuclear program, including the removal of enriched uranium from the country, and on its ballistic missile arsenal, both in number and range. It also advocates giving Tehran an ultimatum of a few weeks to accept its conditions, unlike Witkoff and Kushner, who are more flexible, according to the newspaper Israel Hayom. Although Netanyahu and Trump are largely aligned on the Iranian issue, the former is directly opposed to the current negotiations. His energy minister, Eli Cohen, made this clear on Tuesday in an interview with military radio: I believe one of the important messages that will be conveyed in the talks between Prime Minister Netanyahu and President Trump is that, at least from Israels point of view, based on past experiences, negotiations with Iran are pointless. In the first round of talks, and in an unprecedented move, the commander of U.S. troops in the Middle East, General Brad Cooper, was part of the U.S. delegation. His presence represented an apparent pressure tactic against Tehran, a reminder that Washington has deployed what Trump has described as a beautiful Armada in the region, including the aircraft carrier Abraham Lincoln and its escort destroyers. And that force could expand: the president told the online news outlet Axios that he is considering sending a second aircraft carrier if the talks fail. Furthermore, the high command is very familiar with the area and can contribute experience and knowledge to a negotiating team with a background in real estate, not in diplomatic subtleties or nuclear technology knowledge, in which Aragchi is an expert. At the end of that round, little was clear. The good sign was that both sides remain committed to continuing talks. The bad sign is that they maintain very distant positions. And its not even clear whats being discussed. Deliver the enriched uranium The U.S. is demanding that Iran hand over all of its enriched uranium, including whats buried under the rubble of the nuclear facilities it bombed last June during the 12-day war with Israel. It is particularly interested in the surrender of the uranium enriched to 60%, which is near the level needed to manufacture bombs. Last week, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio insisted that negotiations must also address the range of Irans missiles, the withdrawal of support for militias such as Hezbollah in Lebanon, Islamic Jihad and Hamas in Gaza, and the Houthis in Yemen, as well as the treatment of the Iranian population following the brutal crackdown on protests. Iran is open to negotiating its nuclear program, on which it already reached a limitation agreement that Trump withdrew from during his first term, but it categorically rejects abandoning its missile program, which it considers its last deterrent against Israel and part of its national sovereignty. It is not negotiable, neither now nor in the future, Aragchi said. For the moment, the U.S. is acting in a way reminiscent of the months leading up to its intervention in Venezuela, when it combined negotiations with Nicolas Maduros regime with increasingly suffocating economic pressure and an unprecedented buildup of military power. Added to this precedent is the Republican administrations conviction that Iran is at its weakest point, further bolstered by the losses suffered by its allied militias. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition Andres Velasquez, one of the best-known leaders of the Venezuelan opposition, spent 16 months in hiding. Having gone underground when the crackdown began after the July 2014 elections, in which Nicolas Maduro declared himself the winner, he faced extremely restrictive and harsh living conditions: during that entire time, he was unable to set foot outside or see his family. His face reflects the consequences of that hardship: dark circles under his eyes, a voice that betrays exhaustion, and an unusual beard. Sometimes, a police officer would give me a tip-off to warn me that they might be looking for me, and I would move to a different location, says the 72-year-old former governor of Bolivar state. Velasquez ventured out of hiding with extreme caution. He did so last month, following the shifts in Venezuelan politics after Nicolas Maduros arrest. He says he frequently scans his surroundings to see if any police are following him. But he has observed that these days, officers dont notice him. There doesnt appear to be an order in place to arrest him on any pretext. Therefore, encouraged by information he receives from colleagues and associates, he has decided to return to public life. Along with the release this Sunday of highly symbolic political leaders such as Jesus Armas, Roland Carreno, and Javier Tarazona, the return from hiding of Andres Velasquez is one of the most evident expressions of the resurgence of protest and the return of the citizen agenda. A new atmosphere is beginning to emerge in Venezuela after the U.S. military intervention that led to the arrest of Nicolas Maduro. In addition to Velasquez, activist Delsa Solorzano also emerged from hiding. However, the re-arrest of opposition member Juan Pablo Guanipa just hours after Velasquezs release has dampened expectations for this new phase. Election day in Caracas, July 2024. Maxwell Briceno (REUTERS) Prominent political prisoners recently released, such as Carlos Julio Rojas and Nicmer Evans, have taken to the streets to stand with the families of those still detained. Vigils continue at prisons throughout the country. Students from the Central University of Venezuela have organized several protests and, on one occasion, directly confronted Delcy Rodriguez, something unthinkable just over a month ago. Leaders like Alfredo Ramos and Andrea Tavares have also returned to the streets. Even the amnesty bill presented by the regime for political prisoners has been harshly criticized by the opposition for the Chavista regimes failure to take responsibility. Andres Velasquez is encouraged by the recent surge in civic engagement. He hopes to soon organize a press conference with other members of the Venezuelan opposition who, until recently, were being persecuted. For him, opposition unity must be a priority at this time. He doesnt have much faith in the amnesty bill. He notes that he has begun working on verifying the status of released political prisoners and those still awaiting release, providing support to their families. He wants to be part of the efforts to restore democracy in Venezuela. I felt it was a good time to come forward and raise this challenge, he tells EL PAIS. A classic figure in Venezuelan politics, Velasquez is an electrical technician by training and a union leader who emerged from the workers circles of the national steel industry, which became a benchmark in the country. He was a presidential candidate in 1993, has served as governor and deputy on several occasions, and has been an opponent of Chavismo since it came to power. He leads the Radical Cause, a reform-oriented left-wing party that is part of the Unitary Platform, and has always been distinguished by his combative style and Jacobin rhetoric against corruption. Protest for political prisoners in Caracas, in April 2025. Ariana Cubillos (AP) The opposition leader doesnt believe the country is on the verge of a democratic transition, although he does have expectations given the current political climate. I feel like a huge portal has opened, but we are still very far from a transition. Those who are governing are the same people. Delcy Rodriguez doesnt generate stability; on the contrary, she has been a jailer for the regime and bears direct responsibility for the repression of these past years, he points out. Velasquez says he endorses the strategy outlined for Venezuela by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubiostabilization, recovery, and transitionas a roadmap for achieving democracy. We need to put a timeline on that plan, he warns. The process initiated after January 3 could lead to an electoral agreement negotiated with Chavismo. Faced with this possibility, the political leader is convinced: If it enters the negotiating table as a serious formula for restoring democracy and popular sovereignty in the country, I would be willing to consider holding new elections. Without hesitation, he affirms. The statement may be controversial, but he explains it: I am one of those who support the elections of July 28, 2024, and I have always been in favor of not turning the page. But, realistically, if we enter into a process in which even the U.S. administration gets involved to offer guarantees and ensure an honest election, I am not afraid to participate, he reflects. His candidate would be Maria Corina Machado. What we are experiencing has to end in a democracy. That is what we want in Venezuela: not a cosmetic change or to remain like this indefinitely, he concludes. Andres Velasquez in Caracas, this Thursday. Ariana Cubillos (AP) Velasquez is clear that one of the risks of the current situation is that Donald Trumps agenda will weaken over time, allowing the Chavista leadership to navigate the situation. Its a risk we must take. We accept it clearly, he says. He doesnt have much faith in the political overtures being promoted by Delcy Rodriguez and the Chavista leadership. However, he acknowledges that the climate of persecution, which had become chronic, has eased. I feel it firsthand: the pressure has lessened. Since I went out into the street, initially very wary, I could see that the atmosphere of political and police persecution has softened. He prefers not to dwell too much on collateral assessments of the U.S. military attack that made Maduros arrest possible and violated national defense lines. Its a capture, a specific operation to remove an illegitimate leader accused of international crimes from power. There was no alternative. Its a consequence of the circumstances. The rest can be debated later. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition Fuel shortages exacerbated by Trumps pressure tactics are accelerating the islands decline, which has already seen a sharp drop in visitors U.S. President Donald Trumps pressure tactics against Cuba are beginning to rain down on an already struggling economy. By signing an executive order in January imposing tariffs on any country that supplies oil or fuel to the island, the president started a countdown to disaster for Cubans, who were already experiencing a steady decline in their standard of living. For the government of Miguel Diaz-Canel, the political heir of Fidel and Raul Castro, the situation is the result of an economic war, marked by the trade and financial embargo imposed by Washington since 1962 and exacerbated by decades of disagreements. For his detractors, however, it is the direct consequence of the iron grip of the state, which exerts control over up to 90% of the means of production, stifling the countrys economic development. The continuous blackouts due to the energy crisis were expected to reach one of the most critical situations to date on Tuesday: up to 64% of the island was expected to be without power at the time of greatest energy demand, according to data from the Cuban state network itself, the Electric Union, collected by Efe. The strangulation of Cubas already ailing economy is progressing rapidly. In early January, the U.S. military operation in Caracas to capture Nicolas Maduro and cut off the flow of oil from Venezuela left Cuba without its main ally, and more dependent on humanitarian fuel shipments from Mexico. With that avenue now also closed, which Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum is trying to reactivate, as she stated this Tuesday, the situation has been deteriorating day by day. Trapped in an economic system largely controlled by the socialist government, the island has historically relied on tourism as a key source of foreign currency. However, amid the paralysis of trade, transportation, and electricity supply, which has affected the quality of hotels and restaurants, visitor arrivals, already significantly reduced since the Covid pandemic, have been declining year after year. Canada has remained the top source country for visitors, so the cancellation of its flights is a particularly hard blow to an already weakened economy. In 2024, some 860,000 Canadians vacationed on the island. Air Canada is currently carrying out an operation to repatriate at least 3,000 tourists, as announced on Monday when it reported the suspension of flights to the island until May. In 2024, the next countries to send the most tourists to Cuba were, at a considerable distance, Russia (185,816), the United States (142,450), Germany (65,487), Spain (65,054), and Mexico (62,839). Only Mexico and Russia have shown a recent increase in the number of travelers. Mexican plane at Jose Marti International Airport in Havana on February 9. Ramon Espinosa (AP) Las year ended with an official estimate of just $917 million in tourism revenue and 1.9 million visitors, 14% lower than the previous year and well below the 2.6 million projected by the Diaz-Canel administration, according to data from the National Office of Statistics and Information (ONEI) and public statements. This figure represents the lowest level of tourism in almost two decades, excluding the pandemic period. For the Caribbean destination, the years of recovery that followed the thaw with the United States, driven by then-Presidents Barack Obama and Raul Castro, which led to a record 4.6 million arrivals in 2018, are well behind. The rest of the economy also revolves around tourism, as reflected in the import structure. In 2024, Cuba spent $369 million on poultry and $158 million on beer, essential products for supplying hotels and tourist resorts, according to figures compiled by the open data platform OEC. Air Canada is the largest airline to announce the suspension of its flights to Cuba, citing unreliable refueling facilities at the countrys nine main airports. Other Canadian carriers, such as Sunwing, WestJet, and Air Transat, have also canceled or reduced operations and sent empty aircraft to repatriate passengers. Mexican airlines, on the other hand, assert they have sufficient capacity to maintain their routes. The Federal Civil Aviation Agency (AFAC) reports that Aeromexico and Viva transported 271,888 passengers to Cuba last year, a 5.2% increase. Viva, responsible for 63% of flights in 2025, explained that it can refuel at its base without depending on Cubas limited supply. Other airlines, with longer routes, have begun to develop alternative plans to refuel in third countries. Air Europa, for example, announced it will make a technical stop in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. Iberia will maintain its flights, although it offered flexible fares for customers who wish to change their tickets. Exports to China and Spain With a small economy, the country is projected to have accumulated around $1 billion in exports by 2024, primarily tobacco and minerals, with China and Spain as its main destinations. Spain also has the largest number of foreign investment companies and trade offices on the island, according to ICEX data. The European country is also Cubas second-largest supplier (13%), second only to China (16%), and had sold approximately 454 million worth of goods to the island by August 2025. According to ICEX, as of November, the average state salary was around 12 a month at the informal exchange rate, while the average private sector salary reached 54. Without a secure energy source and with imports reduced by the drop in income, the economic situation of Cubans is becoming more precarious every day. Mexico has sent 800 tons of humanitarian aid, primarily food such as powdered milk, on two ships expected to arrive in Cuba on Thursday, while the United States dispatched six million dollars worth of priority goods in an attempt to offer temporary relief. Trump, however, has warned that the Cuban government must negotiate before its too late. Faced with this pressure, the cornered Castro regime has opened a dialogue with the United States as the Cuban economy and daily life teeter on the brink of collapse. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition Shares in German medical equipment maker Gerresheimer plunged on Wednesday - wiping more than a third off its value - after the company delayed its annual results and warned a probe into its accounts would impact earnings. It said a second audit firm had been to examine accounting practices for the 2024 and 2025 financial years. Germany's financial regulator, BaFin, in September announced a review of Gerresheimer's financial statements as of November 30, 2024, amid concerns the company may have booked revenue for some contracts early. "According to the findings to date, the new investigations initiated by the company indicate that individual employees have violated internal guidelines and IFRS (International Financial Reporting Standards) requirements," Gerresheimer said in a statement. Shares in the firm were down more than 35% on the news. It also delayed the release of its results, originally due to be released on February 26. A new publication date will be set in consultation with the auditor. The company expects the decrease in 2025 revenues to be at the higher end of its earlier forecast range of minus 4% to minus 2%, or slightly better. It also cut its forecast for earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation margin to 16.5% - 17.5% from an earlier range of 18.5% - 19.0%. Adjusted earnings per share are now expected to decrease in the high-double-digit percentage range and may turn negative, the company added. Gerresheimer also began a sale process for its Centor prescription medicine packaging business to bolster its balance sheet and said the planned offloading of its molded glass business would not start this year. Reporting by Frank Prenesti for Sharecast.com Wealth managers were under the cosh on Wednesday after US wealth platform and custodian Altruist unveiled a new AI tax planning tool. Altruist said the new capability helps advisors create fully personalised tax strategies for clients by reading and interpreting their 1040s, paystubs, account statements, meeting notes, emails, and custodial and CRM data, and applying deep tax logic to the analysis. "All of this is done within minutes," it said. The new tool, named Hazel, also delivers interactive scenario modelling, allowing advisors to explore "what if" questions, such as the impact of a bonus, home sale, retirement transition, or family lifestyle changes, and see projected tax outcomes updated in real time. Altruist founder and chief executive Jason Wenk said: "Tax planning is one of the most powerful ways advisors can improve outcomes, but its also slow and mentally draining, especially in the busy tax season. "Hazels tax planning feature flips that dynamic. It expands what a single advisor can handle, raises the bar on outcomes, and makes average advice a lot harder to justify." Wealth managers took a hit from the news and at 0905 GMT, St Jamess Place was down 8.7%, while Schroders, Quilter, AJ Bell, Rathbones and Transact owner IntegraFin were down 2.5%, 5.8%, 5.1% 4.5% and 4.4%, respectively. On Wall Street, stocks such as Charles Schwab, Raymond James and LPL Financial suffered heavy losses on Tuesday. Susannah Streeter, chief investment strategist at Wealth Club, said: "Fresh casualties from AI advances are falling on the investment landscape. This time, wealth management companies have been caught in the crossfire as artificial intelligence services are unleashed. The big reveal from tech start-up Altruist Corp, which is led by former Wall Street professionals, is a new tool helping financial advisers personalise tax strategies for clients and deal with all the admin. "The worry is that this is just the tip of the iceberg and fresh efficiencies will be unleashed by AI to disrupt the financial advice and investment industry and reduce the fees which can be charged. As the AI cards are shuffled, the pile of potential losers is mounting up, and speculation about which sector will be hit next is rife." Derren Nathan, head of equity research at Hargreaves Lansdown, said: "The market reaction looks to be more knee-jerk than fact-based, but this sort of volatility is likely to persist for a while yet." On Tuesday, it was comparison websites taking a hit from worries about AI, with MoneySuperMarket parent Mony Group and GoCompare owner Future falling sharply after US online insurance agent and comparison platform Insurify launched what it claimed is the insurance industrys first ChatGPT app. This followed a selloff in software firms last week. The UK government needs to eradicate unsustainable gaps in the policing of franchise businesses after a series of scandals to hit the sector, a parliamentary committee has found. The conclusion forms part of the business and trade committees small business strategy report and follows a Guardian investigation in December which revealed claims that Adrian Howe, a former Vodafone employee who had agreed to become a franchisee in 2018, drowned after becoming convinced his deal with the multinational company would prove financially disastrous. Guardian A lobbying firm co-owned by Peter Mandelson worked for OpenAI before the US tech company signed a wide-ranging agreement with the UK government to explore deploying AI in Britains justice, security and education systems. In 2024, the $500bn-valued maker of ChatGPT was a client of Global Counsel, which Mandelson co-founded and part-owned. Keir Starmer subsequently appointed Mandelson as ambassador to Washington. Guardian Lloyds has won a tribunal against two employees after the bank punished them for posting messages that called Israelis greedy and accused the country of genocide. Afra Sohail and Aunngbeen Khalid sued the bank in 2022, alleging discrimination on the basis of political and religious beliefs after Lloyds sanctioned the pair and reported them to the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), the City watchdog, for gross misconduct. Telegraph The small businesses which underpin Britains high streets and the economy are under pressures comparable to those of the Covid-19 pandemic but without the same support, MPs have warned. A report from the business and trade committee said that without action to address higher tax and energy bills, increasing crime and issues with late payments, the government risked accelerating business closures and hollowing out the high street. The Times A former advertising executive and his childhood friend have been fined more than 100,000 between them for insider dealing in shares by the Citys chief regulator. The Financial Conduct Authority said Bhavesh Hirani, 41, was found to have passed on confidential information to Dipesh Kerai, 42, about a major deal between Bidstack Group, an advertising agency, and a large video game publisher before its announcement. The Times Maria Corina Machados party, the one most affected by the repression, has had up to 200 people arrested The wave of repression that has gripped Venezuela since the end of the July 2024 presidential elections and up until early 2026 has decimated the largest and most important opposition parties in the Caribbean nation. Most of their leaders are now in exile, in hiding, or recently released from prison. Vente Venezuela, the party founded by Maria Corina Machado, has suffered the most. The outcome of the 2024 electionin which the opposition challenged the official results and presented the tally sheets that confirmed Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutias victorymade Machados party public enemy number one of the regime, along with the members of Gonzalezs campaign team, known as the Comando Con Venezuela. The release of political prisoners announced on Sunday by the Chavista regime consisted mainly of leaders, mid-level officials, and associates of Maria Corina Machado. These releases were interpreted as a gesture of detente toward the sector of the opposition most feared and detested by the regime. The freedom of key figures from Vente Venezuela seemed to point to an attempt to de-escalate the confrontation with the opposition leaders inner circle, although this gesture backfired within hours with the re-arrest of Juan Pablo Guanipa, one of Machados closest political allies. Vente Venezuela is currently the Venezuelan opposition party with the most leaders, volunteers, and activists released from prison during this period of partial amnesties. In total, counting the entire post-election cycle, it is estimated that 190 people linked to the party ended up behind bars and have been released in recent weeks, according to data the organization provided to United Nations officials. This figure represents a record for a Venezuelan political party, not seen in decades. The party also has a large, undetermined number of members who have gone underground. This situation, of course, is more widespread: other important opposition movements, such as Primero Justicia, Voluntad Popular, Encuentro Ciudadano, and Accion Democratica, have also had dozens of their members imprisoned in recent years. In 2025, a veritable legal witch hunt was unleashed against the activists of Venteas against almost the entire Venezuelan opposition in the country. The Nicolas Maduro government relentlessly portrayed its leaders as members of the opposition fascism, politicians operating illegally to conspire against peace. When the opposition, led by Machado and Vente Venezuela, entered the 2024 electoral race, it did so under a pervasive climate of suspicion fostered by Chavismo. The entire campaign was fraught with incidents, fines, arrests, and bans against Edmundo Gonzalezs supporters. The logistical effort of Plan 600K, a deployment of 600,000 people across the country to defend the vote, and the distribution of the so-called command units, which allowed the opposition to print and scan all the electoral records documenting Gonzalez Urrutias victory, was, for the regime, the final straw. Maria Corina Machado and Edmundo Gonzalez in Caracas, in July 2024. Ronald Pena R. (EFE) Amid the fury of the ruling party, while denouncing an alleged coup against Maduro, nearly all members of the partys National Directorate and Machados close collaborators were imprisonedbefore, during, and after the electionsor sought asylum in embassies or faced legal proceedings. Among them were Magali Meda, Henri Alviarez, Pedro Urruchurtu, Claudia Macero, Omar Gonzalez, Humberto Villalobos, Dignora Hernandez, Catalina Ramos, Luis Tarbay, and Melquiades Pulido. A significant portion of the partys grassroots structure, its expanded national leadership, and its regional leadership were also prosecuted. To all of them should be added volunteers, academics, electoral strategists, lawyers, and journalists belonging to the Con Venezuela Command. Among them are political leader Jesus Armas and lawyer and university professor Perkins Rocha [released this Sunday] and the engineer Ricardo Estevez [released last July]. Founded in 2012 with a right-wing liberal orientation, Vente Venezuela was for several years a party in development, an organization working to solidify its structures and become a point of reference in the weak and shifting landscape of the countrys democratic parties. Its founder, Maria Corina Machado, was always far better known than the organization she led. Ventes electoral participation in the years prior to this juncture was relatively modest. Defined by its members as the party of freedom, Vente is not part of the Unitary Platform, the coalition of opposition political parties, and has frequently questioned the protocols that underpin the agreements of the Venezuelan opposition, expressing on more than one occasion ethical reservations about some of its leaders. As an outsider within the Venezuelan opposition party ecosystem, Vente Venezuela took the lead in the democratic movement following the highly contested opposition primary elections in October 2023, in which Maria Corina Machados candidacylater disqualified by the National Electoral Councilwon by a landslide. This circumstance expanded the partys structure and strengthened its volunteer base. 'Great World Protest for Truth', in Caracas, in August 2024. Jesus Vargas (Getty Images) For most local analysts, Machado and Vente Venezuelas victory in the primaries was the result of the failure of the strategies put forward by the Unity Platform to defeat Chavismo. Most opposition parties accepted the popular verdict and decided to support Machado in her 2024 electoral campaign. Both Machados leadership and Edmundo Gonzalezs subsequent candidacy expressed a struggle that represented a break with the legality of the Bolivarian Revolution: rejecting Nicolas Maduros mandate while simultaneously accepting the challenge of confronting the regime under its own electoral rules. Ventes combative tone proved intolerable to the regime. Today, Machado maintains good relations and some political control over the parties of the Unitary Platform, particularly over those that have been more loyal to her leadership, such as Citizen Encounter, La Causa R and Convergence, as well as over the sectors of Primero Justicia linked to Juan Pablo Guanipa. At this time, however, the Unitary Platform and its parties remain outside the epicenter of the opposition strategy and the most relevant decisions that Machado makes together with Vente Venezuela to seek the return to democracy in the country. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition The Women Leaders Summit & Awards 2026 Africa culminated in a powerful and purpose-driven Awards Night at the prestigious Barcelo Anfa Casablanca Hotel, celebrating Africas most influential women leaders in an evening defined by impact, excellence, and intent. More than a ceremonial gathering, the awards formed part of a wider pan-African leadership initiative, created to recognise women who are driving transformation, championing inclusion, and reshaping leadership narratives across industries and borders. An Evening with a Clear Vision The Awards Night was envisioned as a moment of recognition with meaning, where womens achievements are not merely applauded, but positioned as benchmarks for the future. The atmosphere reflected exactly that: confident, aspirational, and unapologetically powerful. Set in the heart of Casablanca, the evening brought together senior leaders, policymakers, entrepreneurs, and change-makers to honour women who are not waiting for opportunitybut creating it. 2026 Award Winners Best Gender Inclusive Company Canon Central & North Africa Winner: Sarah Hammouri, Senior Internal Communications Coordinator Recognised for advancing gender-inclusive policies, workplace equity, and leadership practices that set a regional standard for inclusion. Canon Central & North Africa Winner: Sarah Hammouri, Senior Internal Communications Coordinator Recognised for advancing gender-inclusive policies, workplace equity, and leadership practices that set a regional standard for inclusion. Best Company Led by a Woman YNNA Holding Winner: Sarah Kerroumi, Secretary General Honoured for exemplary corporate leadership, governance excellence, and sustained growth under women-led stewardship. YNNA Holding Winner: Sarah Kerroumi, Secretary General Honoured for exemplary corporate leadership, governance excellence, and sustained growth under women-led stewardship. Women Icon of the Year Jelena Milovanovic, CEO & Founder, BioEridan Celebrated for visionary leadership, innovation, and her commitment to building impact-driven solutions with global relevance. TOP 100 WOMEN LEADERS IN AFRICA A defining highlight of the evening was the recognition of the Top 100 Women Leaders in Africa 2026, an elite list honouring trailblazers across business, governance, sustainability, technology, finance, and social impact. This recognition reinforced the initiatives core mission: to spotlight excellence, amplify womens voices, and inspire future generations of African women leaders. More Than an Awards Night The Women Leaders Summit & Awards 2026 Africa Awards Night was not designed to be symbolic. It was strategic, built to elevate role models, document leadership excellence, and strengthen a growing continental network of women shaping Africas future. As the evening concluded, one message resonated clearly: Africas women are not emerging leaders, they are leading now. Citi names Ankur Khurana as head of its Commercial Bank in India. The move supports Citis expansion of commercial banking services in Asia. Khurana brings over 20 years of corporate and investment banking experience. Citigroup has appointed Ankur Khurana as the new head of Citi Commercial Bank in India, reinforcing its commitment to grow its commercial banking footprint across Asia. The announcement reflects Citis strategy to strengthen its full-service banking platform and deepen relationships with mid-sized and emerging corporate clients in the region. Khurana joins Citi with more than two decades of experience advising Indian companies on corporate and investment banking matters. She has held senior leadership roles at global financial institutions, including Standard Chartered and Credit Suisse. Most recently, she served as Managing Director and Co-Head of Client Coverage for India and South Asia at Standard Chartered, where she led strategic client engagement and business growth initiatives. Also Read: CureBay Appoints Siddharth Agrawal as COO to Drive Rural Healthcare Expansion At Citi, Khurana will focus on expanding client coverage, supporting cross-border business opportunities, and enhancing service offerings for commercial banking customers in India. Her appointment signals Citis continued investment in leadership talent as it looks to strengthen its position in one of Asias fastest-growing markets. With India playing a key role in Citis regional strategy, Khuranas experience and industry knowledge are expected to help drive the banks next phase of growth. Mastek expands its office in Leeds, reinforcing its commitment to AI, cloud, and digital transformation solutions in the UK. New office features 100-seat capacity, supporting growing demand from UK clients and contributing to regional job creation and economic growth. Leeds expansion part of Masteks broader UK strategy, enhancing its role in AI innovation, public sector partnerships, and local talent development. Mastek (UK) Limited, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Mastek Limited, a leading AI-first digital engineering and cloud transformation partner, has announced the expansion of its office in Leeds. This development marks a significant milestone in the companys ongoing investment in the UK, underscoring its long-standing presence in the North of England. The expanded facility aims to cater to the increasing demand from UK clients for cloud, data, and AI-driven solutions, while also supporting regional economic growth through innovation and job creation. The official opening ceremony was attended by Abhishek Singhh, President of Mastek for the UK and EU, and Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire. Abhishek, alongside Tracy, celebrated the expansion as a step forward in Masteks growth trajectory in the region, which will also play a part in shaping the future of Leeds as a hub for technology and innovation. The new office, which boasts a 100-seat capacity, is designed to scale further in response to growing demand, reflecting Mastek's long-term commitment to the UK market. Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire, expressed her enthusiasm at the opening, noting that the expansion was a direct result of the partnership built during a trade mission to India. She described it as a major vote of confidence in the local economic development plans and a reflection of the city's digital ambition. By anchoring its AI and cloud innovation hub right here in Leeds, Mastek is not only creating high-quality jobs, but is actively helping us deliver on our Digital Cluster Action Plan. This is exactly the kind of investment that nurtures local talent and builds a stronger, better-connected West Yorkshire, she said. Masteks expansion in Leeds is part of its broader strategy to strengthen its presence in the UK and contribute to the ongoing digital transformation in the region. The company has long been a trusted partner to UK public services and enterprises, working on projects that involve cloud solutions, data management, and artificial intelligence. The new office will enable Mastek to further engage with local clients, deepening its relationships with organizations across both the private and public sectors. The expansion is also expected to generate new job opportunities, contributing to the region's economic growth and digital transformation. Also Read: Reimagining Healthcare Economics for Affordable and Outcome-Driven Growth in India Abhishek Singhh, President of Mastek UKI & EU, emphasized the importance of the Leeds office in the companys UK operations, noting that the city has always been central to Masteks journey. "Leeds has always been at the heart of our growth story in the UK, and this expansion strengthens our footprint in the North of England. By investing in AI, digital innovation, and skills development, we are contributing to the regional economy, creating new opportunities, and cementing our role as a trusted partner for both enterprises and public sector organizations", he said. The expanded office will serve as a centre for AI-enabled delivery and innovation, reaffirming Masteks commitment to developing future-ready digital and AI skills. The company has been collaborating with local universities, regional partners, and organizations to foster a talent pool equipped for the digital age. By focusing on upskilling and investing in local talent, Mastek aims to further its goal of driving impactful outcomes for its clients while contributing to the Levelling Up agenda across the UK. Abhishek further added, Leeds is a natural home for Masteks growth. This expansion will play an important role in ensuring that Leeds continues to thrive as a hub for technology, talent, and innovation. Our focus remains on scaling AI-led digital transformation, and we are excited to be a part of the regions continued development". With this new office, Mastek reinforces its position as a key player in the digital transformation landscape, continuing to drive innovation and create new opportunities in the UK. The companys expansion in Leeds is a testament to its commitment to the region and its strategic vision for long-term growth, ensuring that it remains at the forefront of AI and cloud solutions for its clients. The transportation secretary said the devices crossed in from Mexico and were neutralized. Aviation authorities initially announced that the measure would last 10 days The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) abruptly suspended for nine hours on Wednesday all flights departing from or arriving at El Paso International Airport, which is located in Texas, on the border with Mexico. Although no details were initially provided, U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy explained once air traffic had resumed that the measure was a response to an incursion of drones belonging to a Mexican cartel into U.S. airspace, which were neutralized. The FAAs initial notice, issued around midnight, merely cited special security reasons and warned that the airspace closure would last 10 days. The temporary closure of airspace over El Paso has been lifted. There is no threat to commercial aviation. All flights will resume as normal, the FAA announced in a message on social media, again without offering further explanation for such an unusual shutdown. The decision to reopen the airspace was decided after the Pentagon neutralized the devices. Passengers queue at El Paso International Airport. Jose Luis Gonzalez (REUTERS) The shutdown threatened to create chaos in one of the largest cities in the United States home to nearly 700,000 residents, it ranks 23rd by population and across the countrys air network. The unusual measure had only been applied once before in El Paso, in the aftermath of the September 11, 2001 attacks, when federal authorities closed U.S. airspace after terrorists from the radical Islamist group Al Qaeda hijacked four planes. Three of them crashed into the Twin Towers in New York and the Pentagon on the outskirts of Washington. The fourth, believed to be headed for either the Capitol or the White House, went down in a sparsely populated area of Pennsylvania after passengers revolted against the hijackers. According to the initial statement released by the FAA on Wednesday, the shutdown of the airport and a 16kilometer radius around it went into effect at 11:30 p.m. local time and would remain in place until 11:30 p.m. on February 20. The exclusion order covered all flights in the area below 5,500 meters. Aircraft flying above that altitude would not have been affected. A satellite image of El Paso International Airport, in El Paso, Texas. PLANET LABS PBC (via REUTERS) The restricted area around El Paso also included the community of Santa Teresa, in the southern part of neighboring New Mexico. It didnot, however, include Ciudad Juarez, which sits directly across the border from El Paso in Mexico. The Mexican government has not commented on the incident so far, beyond stating that there is no information about any incursion of cartel drones into the United States, as President Claudia Sheinbaum emphasized on Wednesday morning. The initial order said that pilots who violated the ban may be intercepted, detained and interviewed by law enforcement/security personnel. It also warned that the U.S. government may use deadly force against the airborne aircraft if it is determined that the aircraft poses an imminent security threat. In a statement, the El Paso city government acknowledged the flight ban and says it is awaiting additional guidance. In the meanwhile, commercial airlines operating out of El Paso are being informed of the restriction, which appears to be security related. Travellers should contact their airlines to get most up-to-date flight status information, the statement added. A total of 3.49 million passengers used El Pasos airport during the first eleven months of 2025, according to the local newspaper El Paso Times. Major U.S. airlines operate regular flights to and from the airport. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition Akbar Novruz US Vice President JD Vance signed a strategic partnership with Azerbaijans President Ilham Aliyev in Baku on Tuesday during a historic visit to the South Caucasus as Washington consolidates its engagement with Armenia and Azerbaijan following their historic peace deal after decades of conflict. Vance has unveiled an exciting initiative to bolster Azerbaijan's maritime security by providing new patrol boats to help safeguard its territorial waters. He further highlighted the promise of expanding collaboration in cutting-edge areas like artificial intelligence and critical minerals, especially through the innovative Middle Corridor transit systems. But the main thrust of the cooperation is connectivity through transport and logistics by developing the major transit corridor dubbed the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity (TRIPP) which was agreed by Armenia and Azerbaijan in their peace deal brokered by the US last August, integrating the two countries into a new east-west trade route to strengthen wider Eurasian trade routes. Having visited Armenia before Azerbaijan, Vance commended the leadership of the two former rival countries who fought two wars over the Karabakh region in decades of conflict, adding that their continued cooperation within the ongoing historic peace process will ensure long-term stability in the South Caucasus. In Armenia, a country that no sitting US vice president or president has visited before, Vance said on Monday that peace is not made by people who are too focused on the past. Peace is made by people who are focused on the future. Evaluating J.D. Vance's visit to Armenia and Azerbaijan requires considering the US's geopolitical strategy in the region, according to Dr. Brendan Ziegler, a German-based analyst speaking to AzerNEWS. "Ever since the agreement between Azerbaijan and Armenia on August 8 in Washington, the idea of Baku and Yerevan rapproachment is something 'surprising' and plausible. Given the fact that it had been labelled as something symbolic rather than a tangible approach by some, consequent events said something different. Mutually shared statements, disclosures, and Ilham Aliyev's meeting with Trump at Davos are simple proofs. Perhaps, JD Vance's trip to both countries even meant something more powerful. The first visit by a U.S. vice president to Armenia, and one to Azerbaijan, occurred after nearly two decades. Looking from a big scope we can say this is a new stance by Washington. This emerging U.S. model is indirect control through trusted regional allies. In this framework, Israel and Turkiye sit at the center, with Saudi Arabia playing a secondary but still important role. Under the Trump administration, this approach has been applied with notable consistency. And with Vance's statements, calling Azerbaijan a key US ally, as a New Strategic Partnership acts as an extension of this broader architecture." Ziegler thinks that this reflects a deliberate shift in U.S. regional management. Washington no longer wants to police the South Caucasus directly, he argues. Instead, it is folding Baku into a wider security and connectivity ecosystem overseen indirectly through its most trusted regional partners. In this model, Azerbaijan is not sidelined but embedded, managed through alliances rather than mandates. He explains, TRIPP is often reduced to a trade corridor crossing southern Armenia, unveiled after last Augusts White House summit that ended decades of ArmeniaAzerbaijan conflict. That reading misses the point, he says. "This logic also explains the centrality of the Trump Route for International Peace & Prosperity (TRIPP) to Vances visit. TRIPP is often described as a trade corridor across southern Armenia, unveiled after last Augusts White House summit that ended the decades-long ArmeniaAzerbaijan conflict. But its importance is not merely economic. Strategically, it displaces Russias long-standing plan to control a similar corridor guarded by Russian forces, thereby striking at the Kremlins residual influence in the post-war South Caucasus. Beyond that, TRIPP opens a critical logistical gateway to Central Asia. For Washington, this is about far more than transit fees. The landlocked Central Asian republics sit atop critical mineral reserves vital to future industrial and defense supply chains. The U.S. has already signed memoranda of understanding with Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, and Vances proposal for a critical minerals trading bloc, floated at a ministerial attended by over 50 countries, provides essential context for his subsequent Caucasus trip." Commenting on the significance of the U.S. Vice Presidents visit to both Armenia and Azerbaijan, Ziegler said the region is no longer as peripheral as it once was. "What is clear is that the South Caucasus has become a pivot point in a much larger game. Vances visit was not about Armenia or Azerbaijan alone. It was about redefining how the U.S. manages regions it no longer wishes to dominate militarily, how it delegates order to allies, and how it reshapes Eurasias connective tissue as it prepares for a far more consequential contest in the Far East," said the expert. The document states that federal agents allowed chemical munitions fired during protests to enter an affordable housing complex, affecting children, veterans, and people with disabilities Residents of an affordable housing complex in Portland, Oregon, have filed a lawsuit against the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Secretary Kristi Noem for the repeated use of tear gas in front of an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) office, arguing that federal agents have allowed chemicals to enter their homes for months. The use of tear gas is prohibited by various protocols and conventions in wartime contexts, but it is continually deployed in domestic contexts in the United States and other countries. The Grays Landing complex is located less than 100 feet from the federal building. According to the lawsuit, the government is knowingly releasing poison gas into the homes of its own citizens. Residents claim that the gas sticks to walls, carpets, furniture, and childrens toys, causing ongoing exposure beyond the visible moments of dispersal. The lawsuit was filed after months of clashes between federal agents and protesters outside the ICE facility in Portlands South Waterfront neighborhood. Although DHS has defended the use of chemical munitions in response to riots, local authorities have described several of the protests as peaceful. The residents lawsuit claims that they are suffering immense physical and psychological harm from repeated exposure to the gases. The document describes how children living at Grays Landing have become accustomed to weapons of war exploding outside their homes, and that some of them sleep in closets to reduce exposure to gas entering through gaps in their windows. Whitfield Taylor, one of the plaintiffs, stated that his daughters are constantly unable to sleep because of the booming flashbangs that federal officers deployed outside their unit. Some nights, according to the court filing, they have slept inside their bedroom closet, building a makeshift shelter to feel protected. Other residents report persistent physical symptoms. Susan Dooley told KATU that after repeated exposures, she began to experience breathing problems and disorientation: I forget a lot of things, and I know my speech isnt like it used to be, because I feel like Im out of breath. She was later diagnosed: I finally went to the doctor, and got a diagnosis Wednesday for mild heart failure. Dr. Anthony M. Szema, chair of the American Thoracic Societys Section on Terrorism and Inhalation Disasters, told The New York Times that there are risks when tear gas is kept in enclosed environments. Its an indiscriminate weapon and a respiratory hazard, period. He added that if the substance is introduced into enclosed spaces, it is a setup for disaster. However, DHS rejects the accusations. Spokeswoman Tricia McLaughlin stated that the First Amendment protects freedom of speech and peaceful assembly, not riots. She added that agents have followed their training and used the minimum amount of force necessary to protect themselves, the public, and federal property, and that the agency is taking appropriate and constitutional measures to uphold the rule of law and protect our officers and the public from dangerous rioters. Meanwhile, the ACLU of Oregon filed another lawsuit on behalf of protesters and journalists, arguing that the use of chemical munitions constitutes retaliation that inhibits First Amendment rights. In response, Federal Judge Michael Simon issued a 14-day temporary restraining order limiting the use of chemical munitions against individuals who do not pose an imminent threat. In his ruling, Simon wrote that the nation is now at a crossroads, arguing that in a constitutional republic, free speech, courageous newsgathering, and nonviolent protest are all permitted, respected, and even celebrated. Meanwhile, after federal agents fired large amounts of tear gas at protesters, including children, last weekend, City Councilman Sameer Kanal announced that he will propose a total ban on tear gas in the city. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition Advertisement NationalCBD Claudia Karvan, the Womens Day lunch and The Ivy: Who thought this was a good idea? John Buckley and Stephen Brook February 12, 2026 5:00am Save 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 A A A The Ivy has long had a reputation for being one of Sydneys most debauched venues, despite the best efforts of its owners to put lipstick on a pig. And thats before you even get to the claims of exploitation of female staff that surfaced just over a year ago in this masthead. (The company rejected claims it had created an environment that exploited women and put its staff in danger.) So we were intrigued to learn the venue will soon play host to a knees-up organised by one of Australias biggest superannuation funds, UniSuper, with a special guest appearance from storied actor Claudia Karvan, OAM, to celebrate, er, International Womens Day. UniSuper will host Claudia Karvan as a special guest at an International Womens Day event at the Ivy next month. Wolter Peeters We cant help pitying the genius in the $158 billion super funds marketing department who thought this one was a good idea. Pour one out too for the funds 670,000-odd members who will be left to foot the bill! Justin Hemmes, whose Merivale Group is still recovering from critical media coverage, will no doubt be all too happy to accommodate. Advertisement The lunch, members were dutifully informed this week, will take place in the Ivy Ballroom on March 11. Join us as we celebrate great women and greater futures and acknowledge the ways we support great retirement outcomes every day, members were told by email. Related Investigation Sex, sleaze and hospitality Sex, sleaze and hospitality We were dying to hear what Karvan thought of all this, and ask her about the size of her appearance fee, which is standard practice for such events. When CBD reached her by phone on Wednesday morning, Karvan immediately said she had to pop off to a Zoom meeting and hurriedly rang off before we could get a question in. She didnt respond to our text message, and her agent didnt get back to us either. But we get that successful stars have very busy schedules. Unfortunately, our luck didnt improve with UniSuper. The fund declined to answer questions about how much it is spending on the soiree and, importantly, why on earth the fund thought the Ivy was the best venue for an International Womens Day event. We did, however, hear the event was booked as far back as last March. We can only hope UniSuper got a good deal. After all, the fund has best financial interest duty obligations to think about. Advertisement Brian McNamees CSL headache, and an absolute cock-up Everyone has bad days. Just ask CSL chairman Brian McNamee, who was forced to watch the blue chip biotech company get hammered by the market after his board announced it had retired its chief executive Paul McKenzie, recalling in our mind the way that Harrison Fords detective character Deckard retired replicants in the sci-fi film Blade Runner. And when things go pear-shaped, were all prone to errors. Such was the case when CSL announced McKenzies departure to the ASX late on Tuesday, but before the market closed, angering investors and triggering a market sell-down that pushed shares down 5 per cent to $171.39, shaving $9 off the stock within minutes, and dragging the ASX200 down with it. Under pressure: CSL chairman Brian McNamee. Eamon Gallagher Advertisement But clearly the announcement document was the result of many hands. How else to explain the fact that a strike-through editing mark had been left on the PDF, concerning the important matter of the one-off $US4 million ($5.6 million) equity grant set to be handed to the companys interim boss, Gordon Naylor. Related Article Biotech Boss of $83b giant CSL exits abruptly In such matters, you really dont want to be mistakenly sending out your draft edits. The company said in its announcement to the market: The grant will be subject to malus and clawback and the board has absolute discretion to determine the treatment of equity granted under CSLs plan rules. But the word absolute had been struck through. Which version was correct? We reached out to CSL, and a company spokesman told us the announcement snafu had been corrected on its website. After it was struck out, absolute was reinstated. Glad to be of service in clearing that one up. Advertisement Spotted Brad Banduccis new gig at the ticketing giant Ticketek appears to be doing wonders for his blood pressure. The former Woolworths boss was seen sauntering the streets of Paddington looking relaxed on Tuesday evening clad in a white T-shirt and jeans, carrying a leather bag and heading for the dentist. Must be liberating to have done away with that regulation Woolies staff name tag. Banducci started his gig as TEG chief executive this year. The end of his Woolworths stint is remembered for his car crash 2024 ABCs Four Corners interview, when he asked for a comment to be removed and walked out mid-interview. Banducci later told business publication Rampart he felt he had been set up, given he said he was advised he could stop the interview at any time. There was a series of things that happened that we werent made aware of. And if I pulled out the ABC Editorial Code, I would question whether Four Corners lived the code that the ABC publishes as their manifesto of how they want to treat people, Banducci told Rampart. Advertisement Anyhow, just days later, Woolworths announced his departure would occur that year. Start the day with a summary of the days most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter. Advertisement CultureArt & designArts Arts boss Adrian Collette says Creative Australia is not about moral compass Karl Quinn February 11, 2026 10:10am Save 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 A A A The countrys top arts organisation is not in the business of denouncing artists whose views might be deemed offensive, its boss has argued, because it operates with a legislative compass, not a moral one. Creative Australia isnt in a position to deplore personal comments by anyone, said Adrian Collette, chief executive of the nations principal cultural body during a testy exchange in Senate estimates on Tuesday night. I have to be guided by our legislative responsibilities, which are not about moral compass. Adrian Collette endured another bruising encounter with Sarah Henderson in Senate estimates. Alex Ellinghausen Collette was being grilled by Liberal senator Sarah Henderson, an experience he has endured repeatedly since landing the role as the nations top arts bureaucrat in 2023. Her questions exclusively on what the organisation was doing to combat antisemitism. She made no reference to any other form of discrimination. Advertisement Ive raised continuing concerns that youve shown no regard for the funding of artists where they have engaged in hateful behaviour towards Jews, said Henderson early in a 45-minute session that began almost five hours later than scheduled. We are not an investigatory body, Collette replied. We do not fund artists on the basis of religious backgrounds or cultural beliefs. We fund them exclusively on the merit and impact of their work. Creative Australia spent much of last year in the crosshairs over its handling of the Khaled Sabsabi affair, wherein the visual artist and his curator, Michael Dagostino, were selected to represent Australia at this years Venice Biennale, only to be deselected a week later over claims that a Sabsabi work from 2007, and another a year earlier, were antisemitic. Following an independent external review that found the decision to dump the pair was flawed and had been made at a time of heightened anxiety about the levels of antisemitism and Islamophobia evident in Australia, Sabsabi was reappointed as Australias representative in July 2025. The culture sector more broadly has been riven with debate and discord fuelled by the war in Gaza, with sackings, boycotts, cancellations, muzzling of free speech, and withdrawals of funding and sponsorship occurring across virtually all fields. Neither side has been spared. Advertisement Henderson, though, was remorseless in pushing the argument that Creative Australia had to do more to combat antisemitism. And Collette was unyielding in his insistence that it was not the organisations role to determine that a work or an artist might be guilty of such a charge. Related Article Art After Venice backflip, arts agency grants Khaled Sabsabi $100,000 commission Sorry, we are not qualified to start adjudicating on what might qualify as antisemitic or any other kind of behaviours that are discriminatory on the basis of race or culture or religion, he said. If there is evidence which is brought up by a suitably qualified agency of unlawful conduct, then we would take that into consideration. But until that happens, we simply cannot start adjudicating on what might be or not be antisemitic intention or behaviour. Collette suggested such qualified agencies would include the Human Rights Commission, or a court. Advertisement Pressed on whether the existing framework was adequate to deal with the challenges of the current climate, Colette said: We are seeking legal advice on how we can establish more robust expectations. The aim of that advice would be clarity around how to strengthen our contracts and understandings in the event that we learn of unlawful activity on the part of someone we have funded, he said. He added that Creative Australias role was to support freedom of artistic expression, and that the organisation was not responsible for the personal views of some of the artists we fund. He insisted that CA would never invest in artistic expression that we judge to be antisemitic or Islamophobic or that in any way ran the risk of giving unlawful expression on the basis of religion or race or many other discriminatory matters. But the only way it could make such an assessment is if we had evidence, real evidence, that what they said was unlawful. Start the day with a summary of the days most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter. Democrats are demanding that immigration agents show their faces and that warrants be required for arrests, two requirements that Republicans flatly reject There is no sign of an agreement in Congress, and without one, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) will shut down. Democrats and Republicans have made no progress in the talks they have been holding since February 2 on how immigration laws should be implemented, and the deadline for reaching an agreement expires this Friday, after which the departments funding is no longer guaranteed. On Saturday, several DHS agencies, such as the Transportation Security Administration, which is responsible for airport security, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and the Secret Service, will shut down if funding for their continued operation has not been approved. President Donald Trump agreed to the Democratic demand that the DHS be separated from a broader spending bill that was passed last week. That package extended the departments funding only until February 13. Republican Senate Majority Leader John Thune acknowledged that he didnt see how an agreement could be reached this week and proposed temporarily expanding the budget to keep the DHS operating. Thats not the solution all Republicans support. Nor does it convince the Democrats. Dramatic changes are needed at the Department of Homeland Security before a DHS funding bill can move forward, said Hakeem Jeffries, Democrat of New York and the minority leader, Monday morning. The negotiations center on the procedures followed by agents of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the Border Patrol, and other agencies involved in migrant detentions. The brutality of raids carried out as part of Trumps anti-immigration crusade and the deaths of U.S. citizens Renee Good and Alex Pretti, shot by immigration agents last month in Minneapolis, prompted the Democrats demands, which they outlined in a 10-point proposal. Agents in an operation outside a Home Depot in Evanston, Illinois, in December 2025. Ashlee Rezin (AP) One of the sticking points in the talks is the use of face masks by agents, which has been standard practice since Trump launched his campaign to achieve the largest deportation effort in history. Democrats are demanding that agents remove their face coverings, but Republicans argue that this puts officials at risk. Another seemingly insurmountable obstacle is the requirement for a judicial warrant to make arrests. ICE agents have been ordered to enter homes and arrest residents even with just an administrative warrant, which is issued by the same agency. Democrats argue that a court warrant is necessary, as guaranteed by the Fourth Amendment, which protects citizens from unreasonable police action. The Trump administration responded with a counterproposal on Monday, but Democrats rejected it, calling it insufficient. Both sides have been vague about exactly what the White House is offering, but lawmakers said a major sticking point remains the Democrats demand that ICE and Border Patrol agents obtain a judges authorization to issue warrants before entering homes or businesses. Senator Ron Johnson, a Republican from Wisconsin, called the proposal completely unworkable in an interview with CNBC. On the Democratic side, the chairman of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, Adriano Espaillat, confirmed the lack of agreement. Other demands from the Democrats include mandatory identification for officers; protection of sensitive locations such as schools, hospitals, churches, and polling places; an end to racial discrimination in arrests; and adherence to standards for the use of force. These are all practices that have been commonplace in the raids that have taken place in recent months, bringing terror to immigrant communities and outrage to a large segment of society. So far, the only point on which there seems to be an agreement is that agents will wear body cameras, but Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem had already announced that they would do so after Prettis death. Paradoxically, if DHS has to shut down due to lack of funding, this would not affect ICE, the main cause of the disagreement, since the immigration agency has sufficient funds, approved in the big, beautiful bill that passed last summer, to continue operating for, in theory, four more years. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition Advertisement CultureBooksReview Expert insights into the morally ambiguous fiction of John le Carre Kurt Johnson February 12, 2026 5:30am Save 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 A A A ESSAYS Tradecraft: Writers on John le Carre Edited by Federico Verese Bodleian, $69.99 In 2012, Tehran was still impossible to navigate on GPS. The roads were too knotted, the available coverage of maps and internet too sparse. It took a full day to reach the northern outskirts, by which time my hands were so numb I could barely squeeze the motorcycle levers. I stopped at a mid-range hotel with a grand but vacant foyer. Even if sanctions had long denuded the city of travellers, some infrastructure remained. On a leather couch surrounded by tanks of lurid tropical fish, I read The Spy Who Came in from the Cold and marvelled at its subtle characterisation and finely wrought plot. I am not alone. Tradecraft: Writers on John le Carre is an essay collection from writers who were long influenced by the authors craft before working with him directly. Contributions range from screenwriters to international relations experts. There are some familiar names like Errol Morris, Michela Wrong and Andrei Soldatov. We learn that the author, real name David Cornwell, was conspicuous off the page for exquisite manners while his fictional worlds were realistic enough to anticipate real-world events. Many writers refer to their craft, yet Cornwells meticulous attention to detail for once deserves the label. Compiled by Federico Varese, a specialist on the Russian Mafia, whose introduction references an extended discussion with the author regarding which cigarette brand a Russian Mafia boss might smoke (answer: Prima or Belomorkanal). Such signifiers are important. In Soviet society, a cigarette brand indicated a comrades standing, their access to foreign or domestic goods and thus, how well-connected they were. Once layered, repeated precision builds into authenticity, identified in these essays as one ingredient of artistic truth. Advertisement The other is direct experience. Cornwells father was a conman who exposed him from a child to fakery and betrayal. The author was sent to an expensive boarding school to learn the manners and pretence from his upper-class peers. An outsider chameleon who could charm himself into new social milieus made an ideal MI5 recruit to inform on left-wing activities at Oxford. This demanded an eye for nuance and a stomach for deceit. It is telling when asked by Morris whether there is a difference between an interview and interrogation, Cornwell thinks not. Author John le Carre in 2019. Charlotte Hadden/The New York Times In his revealing contribution, Russian investigative journalist Soldatov explains how this authenticity was appreciated even by the opposing side. Despite censorship, le Carre was widely read by the KGBs upper echelons. Part of the appeal was the moral equivalence he articulated between Soviet spies and their Western opponents for clandestine operations. Before le Carre, Western propaganda glossed the seamier side, evoking either the glamour of James Bond or referencing our spies in purely defensive terms. After le Carre it was understood that ruthlessness was universal. To survive in this murky world, it might be assumed Cornwell had to develop an instinctive relativity in his moral calculations and a flexible definition of the truth. Yet, these essays explain he believed both in a right thing and objectivity. Betraying the Oxford communist leader Stanley Mitchell pained the author, something he justified with Britain and the USSR being technically at war in which his target had sided with the enemy. In one standout essay, international relations scholar Andrea Ruggeri analyses le Carre from a geopolitical perspective. Its title is inspired by le Carres famous opinion piece The US Has Gone Mad, which scorned the West for having sacrificed its Cold War victory. According to Cornwell, the victors had pillaged the Third World instead of pursuing the promised order based on democracy and human rights. This at least hints at a definite inner moral world, even one that accepted deceit as a viable means. Advertisement Related Article Review From a fun feminist comedy to the history of innovation: 10 new books On truth, le Carre emerges from Tradecraft a modernist; he assumes the truth exists, even if it may be impossible to access. He caveats this by cautioning against unifying revelations. All the worlds secrets are not contained in a chipped green Chubb safe that was tucked away at the end of a labyrinth of dingy corridors. The author admitted his one mistake was to portray the secret services as too brilliant. Real life is messier; historys agents are more often engaged in incompetence than conspiracy, another conclusion that is becoming more relevant with each passing day. With Cornwells death in December 2020, these excellent and heartfelt but sometimes fawning essays are arranged around a now vacant centre. An account from someone who suffered from Cornwells clandestine activities, like a relative of Stanley Mitchells, would have been a bold inclusion that provided greater balance. But as an appreciation of craft, this collection explains why his work will find new relevance, after his death. The Booklist is a weekly newsletter for book lovers from Jason Steger. Get it delivered every Friday. Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Share License this article More: Review Literature Arts Kurt Johnson is an author and journalist based in Europe. He likes to travel places of historical import, in particular the post -Soviet sphere. Advertisement CultureBooksReview This tale of 17th-century witchcraft has an unnerving narrator like no other Declan Fry February 11, 2026 4:00pm Save 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 A A A Whats good, whats bad, and whats in between in literature? Here we review the latest titles. See all stories . FICTION The Wax Child Olga Ravn, trans. Martin Aitken Viking, $35.99 Inspired by a series of real-life witch trials, The Wax Child reimagines the lives of several women accused of loving Satan more than the average God-fearing woman in 17th-century Denmark ought to. As in Olga Ravns other novels The Employees, a cleverly dystopian memo from an AI-led future; My Work, a fragmentary depiction of the psychic disorientation of motherhood the familiar world is a veritable rabbit hole. Tumble down, and you discover that everything you thought you knew hides a more sinister essence. Christenze Kruckow, a noblewoman with no desire to marry, is accused by the mistress of her manor, Anne Biller, of witchcraft. The suspicion is prompted by Billers tragic experience of childbirth: 15 babies, all of them either stillborn or dead shortly after entering the world. But Christenzes real crime lies in her preference for horses, women and wine over the love of a good man. Conveniently for her accuser, the court of public opinion also serves as prosecution, appeals tribunal and prison rolled into one. Hearsay rules. Whatever the town suspects, the town verifies. Advertisement Christenze promptly flees to Aalborg, where she falls for Maren Kneppis. She, Maren and a bevy of other women gather to gossip, cast spells and generally have a fantastic time. When pastor Klyne, the abusive husband of a friend, accuses Christenze and her gal-pals of Satans temptations, her run-in with the law begins. Spoiler alert: in Denmark circa-1600, the criminal justice system is more concerned with the first half of its name than the latter part. Still, spoilers arent really possible here. And spoilers are moot when your novel is narrated by an all-knowing wax child. Olga Ravn is a Danish novelist and poet. Crafted by Christenze, central to the womens spells, the wax child sees past, present and future. Delivering impressions that might normally be confined to an individual characters narration, the child offers Ravn a handy narrative device, allowing her to freely roam throughout the universe of her novel. Yet the wax child is a paradox. If Christenze is not a witch, how is such a child possible? As in Henry James The Turn of the Screw or fellow Dane Carl Theodor Dreyers uncanny film masterpieces of vampires, witches and persecution, Ravn refuses to let the reader definitively say what is sorcery and what is only paranoid suspicion. Its possible that the witches and their malignant powers are both real and imagined, the product of a society haunted by the same demons we might invoke today to try and explain the impossible. Cats converse with swine, spiders emerge from childrens mouths and yet, Ravn seems to ask, is this really any stranger than kings conjuring state borders from thin air? More bizarre than oil, gold and territory being extracted from their rightful custodians? Advertisement With a historians zest for detail, Ravn describes the sorcery that led to imperial expansion. Copenhagen is proclaimed the countrys first capital and borders between Denmark and Norway are erected. Ships are sent to India and Norway. New territories are established and laws against the most pernicious evils of the day enacted. A trading monopoly with Iceland? Very much in. Witchcraft, promiscuity, costly weddings, drunkenness, opulent fashions and inns? Not so much. Related Article Review Goblins, murder and Tucker Carlson: 10 new books to enjoy Ravn has adapted handwritten sources from Copenhagens Royal Danish Library and the University of Oslos Trolldomsarkivet, along with Nordic folklore, 15th-century grimoires, court documents, theology, and letters written during the northern European witch trials. Martin Aitken provides a further layer of translation, transforming Ravns Danish into something that reads at times like the King James Bible: passive tensed, conspiratorial, patterned with rhythmically dominoed ands that make the story of Genesis sing. If Robert Eggers doesnt option the screenplay for The Wax Child soon, someone else surely will. Ravn hides the devil in both the sacred and the profane details of existence. In one memorable scene, a woman is described as being emptied, her day belonging to the children she raises (She saw herself in the polished stone and saw her mothers face). Its an elliptical but unmistakable critique. Existences domestic aspects are revealed for how unsettling they can be, Ravns impressionistic language helping bring the otherworldly into conversation with the earthbound. When Galileos eye lands upon Jupiters moons while women burn, we know Walter Benjamin wasnt wrong in suggesting that every document of civilisation is also one of barbarity. Early in The Wax Child, Ravn makes reference to Elsinore, where Shakespeares Hamlet exacted revenge. As below, so above: I couldnt help also thinking of Macbeth, the king whose toil and trouble lay, not in witchcraft, but the will to power. After all, the trope of the witch trial is an all-timer: salacious fact-finding and a gift for conjecture arent far removed from the ingredients required to prosecute organisations and individuals today. Begging forgiveness on behalf of a beleaguered humanity, youd be tempted to paraphrase Ravn and say: we knew so little about the Devil back then. Now, everyone knows so much about him. The Booklist is a weekly newsletter for book lovers from Jason Steger. Get it delivered every Friday. Advertisement CultureTV & radioReview Forbidden love is the heartbeat of this overwhelming and tragic Belfast drama Craig Mathieson February 10, 2026 10:07am Save 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 A A A Trespasses As a teenager in the 1980s, I didnt understand why the sectarian conflict in Northern Ireland was referred to as The Troubles. Was it meant to be deliberately vague, or was there a touch of the dramatic to it? The news headlines of bloody bombings and paramilitary murders offered nothing but tragedy. The term, I eventually learnt, was a historic synonym, stretching back centuries, like so much of Irelands history. But I never let go of my deliberation: using The Troubles allowed the overwhelming to be briefly encompassed. Michael Agnew (Tom Cullen) and Cushla Lavery (Lola Petticrew) in Trespasses. That feeling of the vast and incomprehensible becoming the norm is essential to this four-part British drama. Adapted from Louise Kennedys 2022 debut novel of the same name, and set in 1975 outside and in Belfast, the show captures the corrosively brutal divide between the Protestant and Catholic communities. Loyalists are hungry for Catholic blood, warns a priest at the primary school where Cushla Lavery (Lola Petticrew) teaches, while a students father, who is Catholic but married to a Protestant, is severely beaten by his neighbours. Everything is divided, violence the governing communication. Advertisement Editor's pick Review The boys are (still) not all right in Adolescence writers fresh take on a dark classic The atmosphere is grim, as life in Northern Ireland slowly tips over into asymmetric warfare. At nights, Lola works in the family pub run by her older brother, Eamonn (Martin McCann), where off-duty British soldiers come to drink. Whether theyre customers or an occupying force is menacingly unclear, but Cushlas worries are only stoked by her mother, Gina (Gillian Anderson), a widowed alcoholic whose universal scorn is acidic. Cushlas response, whether heroic or beyond risky, is simple: she falls into an urgent, covert love affair with prominent Protestant barrister Michael Agnew (Tom Cullen). Love, whether as an act of emotional companionship or an expression of fierce physical desire, is the corrective heartbeat of Trespasses. The intensity between the two is both forceful and a secret. Not only are they on either side of the sectarian divide, even though Michael defends Catholic youths in Protestant-dominated courts, but he is also an older married man with children. The social fault-lines, plus the personal power dynamic, are fraught between the two, but that only spurs them on. Cushla and Michaels needs are also, you realise, overwhelming. Gillian Anderson as Gina Lavery in Trespasses. Advertisement Editor's pick Streaming Hes not ashamed: How a real-life criminal mastermind inspired iconic TV crook There are melodramatic touches, whether its Michael declaiming for a peaceful future or the romantic montages that offer shorthand for the pairs happy bond, but the show written by Ailbhe Keogan and directed by Dawn Shadforth has the self-awareness to know everyone reacts to the systemic spread of chaos in different ways. Gestures do matter, as does physical touch. Its clear Cushla and Michael cant maintain their affair, so the inevitable ramifications given horrible dimension by an opening flash-forward hang over their time together. You have to decide whether their optimism is brave or immeasurably foolish. Trespasses is a drama about what the individual should, or at least should try, to do in the face of hopelessness. Cullen gives Michael an undeniable charisma, while poison leaches off every line Anderson delivers as Gina. But the most memorable performance belongs to Petticrew. Already brilliant as a hardened young IRA operative in a previous Troubles drama, Disney+s Say Nothing, Petticrew shows you the immense strain and genuine pleasure of escaping, however briefly, a community bent on tearing itself apart. Trespasses airs at 9.20pm on Wednesdays, and is available to stream on SBS On Demand. Find out the next TV, streaming series and movies to add to your must-sees. Get The Watchlist delivered every Thursday. Advertisement Review Eating outMillers Point Good Foods critic loves the late-night lasagne at STCs new bar Its also pouring a joke of the week cocktail, complete with a joke, which was actually kind of funny. Myffy Rigby February 8, 2026 Save 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 A A A 1 / 7 Folio bar on Hickson Road, Millers Point. Wolter Peeters 2 / 7 Wagyu lasagne with truffled manchego. Wolter Peeters 3 / 7 Pre- or post-theatre fare at Folio. Wolter Peeters 4 / 7 Wolter Peeters 5 / 7 LPs charcuterie with house-made pickles and crispy chilli oil. Wolter Peeters 6 / 7 Buttermilk fried chicken with curry leaves. Wolter Peeters 7 / 7 The perfect place for a martini before the show. Wolter Peeters Previous Slide Next Slide Bar snacks$$$$ The Sydney Theatre Company is having an extremely busy season. Not just with its new programming, but also with its eats and drinks. First came The Wharf Restaurant and Bar, on the site of celebrated 80s restaurant, The Wharf. The idea from hospitality company The Fresh Collective is to offer a place for a proper sit-down meal before or after a show. Across the road, theres now Folio, right next door to the Roslyn Packer Theatre the perfect place to drop in for a martini and a plate of fries before watching David Wenham take on The Iliad. Drink-maker Charlie Ainsbury (Bayswater Brasserie, Eau de Vie, Bulletin Place, This Must be the Place) is consulting here. He sees this as Sydneys version of one of those century-old bars New Yorkers love to love. Advertisement Wagyu lasagne with truffled manchego. Wolter Peeters You wont necessarily see him on the tools, but youll definitely see his thumbprint on the menu. Delicious as his Coconut Tommys is (tequila, lime and agave syrup infused with the flavour of toasted coconut), Id be ordering a red apple Sazerac before settling in for a 100-minute Greek saga with no intervals. Thats a hot, peppery, frosty riff on the New Orleans classic of Calvados, French fortified wine and Peychauds bitters, spritzed with a little anise at the end. Restaurant reviews, news and the hottest openings served to your inbox. Sign up The room is decked out in shades of scarlet, purple and rose. Low-slung salon tables and cute velvet stools dominate the middle of the space just right for an intimate drink, a serve of confit garlic sourdough and some LPs charcuterie. Keen to debrief post-show? Do it over a round of Infinity Old Fashioneds, made with what theyre calling a mother whisky a blend of every whisky behind the bar, along with a slug of guests choice (I went with Ardbeg 10 years old), which goes back into the mother mix, so no two orders are the same. For extra points, order the poutine (the Canadian version of chips and gravy, topped with cheese curds) off the late-night menu, which kicks into gear at 9pm. See also: buttermilk fried chicken and wagyu lasagne with truffled manchego. Oof. Buttermilk fried chicken with curry leaves. Wolter Peeters Advertisement While I love Ainsburys vision of Folio being our answer to, say, the legendary Bemelmans Bar in New York, which prides itself on bartenders being nearly as seasoned as the venue itself, the reality here is front-of-house runs like its a Circular Quay cafe. A joke of the week cocktail is a mix of three-year-old rum, French pear spirit and fresh tarragon and comes with a prompt to ask what the joke of the week is. I ask a staff member, who doesnt know, but runs to the bar to find out. Whats the difference between a guitar and a fish? You cant tuna fish! she says triumphantly on her return, heartily adding the bars concept slogan, the theatre starts with us! I thank her, to which she replies in a conspiratorial whisper, The theatre should start and end at the theatre, which I thought was far funnier than the joke. Unlike the theatre bars around Manhattan, which are drawcards whether theres a show on or not, this one completely empties out at the sound of the house chimes. All thats left is staff hurrying to reset for the post-show rush. So dropping in on a Saturday night while theres a show on is actually a bit of a secret Sydney flex, if you think about it. Waterside setting and zero wait time for a cocktail? Unheard of. Three other pre-show bars to try Opera Bar Carafes of cocktails, a good burger and some of the most spectacular views in the city are just a view of the things on offer here. Youd be hard-pressed to find anywhere more fast-paced and friendly to spend your money pre-Opera House gig. Sydney Opera House, Lower Concourse Level, Sydney, 02 9051 1292, operabar.com.au Silvers Motel The inner-west lounge that Sydney fell in love with back in 2025 is one of the best places on the strip to drink a few small beers and a few large whiskies before hitting the Enmore Theatre. Staying put for cocktails? Make sure to order a New York sour, or the signature Midori Splice. 187 Enmore Road, Enmore The Old Fitzroy Hotel This ones for the lovers of local theatre and cold beers. Nab one of the outdoor tables at this Woolloomooloo favourite its the perfect place to while away a summer afternoon before catching the latest show at the upstairs Old Fitz Theatre. 129 Dowling Street, Woolloomooloo, 02 8317 3057, oddculture.group Advertisement Advertisement Updated NationalBuilding Bad Big Build companies warned government on charged bikie for years Nick McKenzie, Kieran Rooney and Erin Pearson Updated February 12, 2026 9:05pm ,first published February 12, 2026 8:50am Save 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 A A A A bikie boss charged with an extortion attempt linked to a construction dispute was a key figure in the CFMEU faction that the Victorian government was previously warned had hijacked major government projects, costing taxpayers millions of dollars. The charging of Bandidos bikie president and ex-union official Joel Leavitt on Thursday represents a major breakthrough for the police taskforce launched last year in response to media revelations of rampant organised crime in the building industry. Loading Leavitt, police said, was arrested early on Thursday morning and charged over his alleged role in what was claimed to be a $663,000 extortion attempt and for failing to provide detectives with an access pin for his phone. A 32-year-old Watsonia man, also a current patched member of the Bandidos, was charged with failing to comply with a direction to assist and was bailed to appear in court in April. A 55-year-old Mernda man was released. Advertisement Leavitts prosecution also heaps pressure on the Allan government over its previous failure to act on repeated warnings about his CFMEU faction and its rorting of major Labor infrastructure projects. The government is also facing mounting calls for a fresh independent inquiry into the CFMEU scandal, including from the workplace regulator, which told federal parliament on Wednesday night that Victorians had a right to know what had gone wrong. Documents seen by this masthead reveal that the state governments internal Big Build reporting system detailed multiple incidents in which Leavitts small but powerful union grouping known as the Brisbane crew or Irish faction had blackmailed, threatened and held hostage Labors Big Build contractors, driving up project costs on at least two major sites between 2022 and 2024. That alleged misconduct is not related to Leavitts alleged extortion attempt in January and has never been thoroughly investigated by law enforcement. Advertisement On Thursday, Premier Jacinta Allan insisted she had not been aware of the extent of the issues engulfing the governments signature $100 billion Big Build program until this mastheads reporting in 2024 and that whenever issues were raised she passed them on to the appropriate authorities. At a combative press conference, Allan batted away questions about a call from corruption-busting lawyer Geoffrey Watson, SC, for an independent inquiry, with coercive powers, made in Watsons report released by Queenslands inquiry into the CFMEU. The appointment of a federal administrator has addressed these individuals and gotten rid of these bad actors. That is the focus. That is the immediate action, not delaying it through a royal commission, she said. Her insistence came as the national workplace regulator joined the state and federal opposition, corruption watchdog Transparency International and peak industry groups in backing an independent inquiry into alleged illegality on Victorias Big Build. Advertisement In a significant intervention, Fair Work Commission general manager Murray Furlong said voters had a right to know about wrongdoing on projects they bankrolled and that could be achieved through an inquiry. I also indicated [to CFMEU administrator Mark Irving] that this issue wont, and shouldnt, go away without accountability, that it impacts on every Victorian and, to varying degrees, the rest of the country, and I said that Victorians have a right to know, he said. Loading He also revealed Victorian government officials had privately told him the estimated cost of this misbehaviour could be $15 billion or higher in line with an estimate from Watson. In making his comments on oath at a Senate estimates hearing, Furlong, a senior federal public servant, backed the $15 billion figure cited in Watsons landmark corruption report. Advertisement Furlong said the figure was within the range of the information he had been given, which included costs up to 30 per cent. Allan brushed off the claim on Thursday, saying the CFMEU administrator had decided the figure was not well tested or properly founded. Photo: Matt Golding Melbourne Magistrates Court was told on Thursday that Joel Leavitt had, on January 18, allegedly attended a cafe in Yea with five others, some of them patched bikies, to discuss money owed from a business loan gone bad. The alleged victim refused to attend and asked Leavitt to instead meet him at a factory in Brooklyn, the bail hearing was told. Police allege that after Leavitt left the cafe, owned by the mans wife, a convoy of three cars drove past the complainants house, beeping the horn as they passed. Advertisement The next day, Leavitt and patched bikie members on motorbikes and in cars went to the Brooklyn factory and demanded more than $600,000, the Bandidos president explaining someone has to pay and that he could be very convincing when he needed to be, the court heard. The court was told the alleged victim denied owing money and now lived in fear, so much so that he had left his home, closed down the cafe and been unable to work. Detective Senior Constable William Mountney said Leavitt had a propensity for violence and no bail conditions were capable of stopping him getting in contact with the alleged victim or instructing others to do so. Leavitt was granted bail on the condition he did not communicate with any of the co-accused or Bandido members before his next court appearance in June. Advertisement His prosecution was welcomed by multiple Big Build insiders who dealt with the bikie mostly when he was a CFMEU health and safety representative on the Hurstbridge Rail Upgrade and Melbourne Metro between 2019 and 2024. Even when Leavitt was forced from his union role after being shot at a bikie gang clubhouse in around mid-2023, he continued to work on Big Build and other major Victorian sites. Editor's pick Exclusive Building Bad Victorias Big Build cash used for bikie boxing and barbecues Three Big Build insiders who dealt with him said he was the most rogue, demanding and intimidating member of the CFMEUs so-called Irish faction, which caused industrial chaos. The factions conduct, including allegations it repeatedly acted improperly, is documented in the internal reporting system maintained by Big Build project alliance partners, which typically involve private companies and government agencies. Advertisement The Big Build internal reporting system described how Leavitts faction demanded that certain union-friendly subcontractors be hired on state government sites even though they were far more expensive than other contractors. If Big Build major contractors refused, the union faction threatened unlawful industrial action, the internal documents state. Other documents held by Big Build project managers record Leavitt requesting over a dozen of his associates, including bikie gang members, friends and relatives, be given lucrative roles on a rail level-crossing removal project. Editor's pick Building Bad Rotting from the top: Bribery, drugs, bikies and billions of taxpayer dollars There are threats we will shut project down if the requests are not met, one file states. Another describes the union faction effectively blackmailing a rail project. This masthead has also previously reported how Leavitt pressured multiple Big Build subcontractors to sponsor his boxing promotion companys events and was suspected of manipulating Big Build employees catering events for his personal benefit. Advertisement In his report, Watson described Leavitt as a brutal criminal with a bad criminal record and said he joined the union in 2017 as a young activist, close to former top official Joe Myles. Watson found Leavitt was appointed as a health and safety representative in 2019 without an election. The records are unclear, but it seems Leavitt never underwent any training for this role. As part of his employment package, Leavitt was earning more than $200,000 and given a government-funded car. Watson told the Queensland inquiry into the CFMEU on Thursday that Leavitt was a dangerous character and his arrest had eased his nerves. Advertisement I dont usually suffer from this, but I was a little bit worried about some retributions, he told the inquiry. And I felt a lot easier when I [saw he was] behind bars my own judgment is he is an extremely dangerous character. Watson described the Hurstbridge project as chock-a-block with outlaw motorcycle gangs and an example of a public infrastructure project over time and budget. These people were not just patched members, they were leaders either chapter presidents or, in some cases, national presidents. He also highlighted Hurstbridge as a site used by bikie gangs for drug distribution. Advertisement If the drugs werent being delivered from there, deals are being organised from these sites, he said. Watson said corruption was also so rife in the labour-hire industry that there were no attempts to cover it up. He said labour-hire companies would pay a bribe to CFMEU officials, and those officials would then insist they were used on a particular site. There was no secret about it these fellas were just stating it in front of people, he told the hearing. None of Leavitts alleged wrongdoing and rorting led to any government response until mid-2024, when it was first reported by this mastheads Building Bad series. Advertisement Claims of wider government inaction have reached a crescendo this week after the publishing of Watsons report into union corruption and the intervention of Furlong, of the Fair Work Commission. Watsons report concludes that Victorian Labor turned a blind eye to corruption on the Big Build. Transparency International Australia chief executive Clancy Moore called on the Victorian government to hold a royal commission. Related Article Building Bad Victorians have a right to know: Fair Work chief backs independent Big Build probe The evidence is clear; CFMEU corruption, organised crime gangs and dodgy construction companies have plagued Victorias $100 billion build since day one, he said. Shadow attorney-general James Newbury has referred the issue to the Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission. The Coalition said it would hold a royal commission if elected. Advertisement This is the worst case of corruption in Victorias history, and we must not be left reliant on interstate investigations to get to the bottom of what has occurred, Newbury said. The pressure on the government to act also follows this mastheads revelation on Thursday of a fresh round of firebombings, one at a building site in Southbank and another outside a construction executives home. The attacks, both in January, are connected to about a dozen firebombings over the past 18 months, and industry sources, speaking anonymously due to fear of repercussions, suggest that gangland syndicates believe they can shrug off growing police and regulatory attention, as with Victorias tobacco wars. The January 11 Southbank firebombing targeted machinery being used by the Delta Group, a nationwide demolition giant that had two of its earthmoving rigs worth up to an estimated $2 million each torched on other large sites in late 2024. Advertisement A late January attack on the construction company employee involved the torching of the mans car outside his home and is connected to two other firebombings last year. With William Davis and Matt Dennien Be the first to know when major news happens. Sign up for breaking news alerts on email or turn on notifications in the app. NSW Premier facing pressure to apologise for police actions NSW Premier Chris Minns is facing pressure from within his party to apologise for the actions of police during a protest that turned violent at Town Hall. Advertisement NationalNSWCrime NSW man charged with multiple rapes after DNA breakthrough Daniel Lo Surdo Updated February 12, 2026 2:14pm ,first published February 12, 2026 8:58am Save 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 A A A An alleged serial rapist whose suspected crimes stretch more than three decades has been snared by advanced DNA technology used to catch Californias Golden State Killer in 2018, marking the first time in NSW history that forensic genetic genealogy has been deployed to apprehend a target. Robert Wayne Kwan, 77, was charged with multiple sexual assault offences on Wednesday, after sex crime detectives under Strike Force Koolyn arrested him at a South Kempsey property following a search warrant. Loading The charges include five counts of sexual intercourse without consent, two counts of sexual intercourse with person 10 or over and under 16 years, two counts of sexual assault of a person under 16, taking a person with intent to obtain advantage, attempting to choke or strangle with intent to commit an indictable offence, and committing an act of indecency with a person aged 16 or over. Kwans alleged crimes date back to March 1991, when an 11-year-old was sexually assaulted after being ushered into a mans car in Sydneys west, before being dropped off at Mount Druitt railway station. Advertisement The girl recalled spotting a pedal near the footrest of the cars passenger seat, suggesting it was used by driving instructors. Police claim they found evidence during Wednesdays search warrant that Kwan was a driving instructor at the time of the suspected crime, and owned a car of a similar description. Five years later, a 16-year-old girl reported being sexually assaulted by an unknown man, after she accepted a lift from a man at Kanahooka near Lake Illawarra. She was later abandoned at Warrawong. Another sexual assault allegedly occurred in December 2002, when a 26-year-old woman accepted a lift from a man near a Dubbo pub, before she was driven to the nearby Devils Hole Reserve and sexually assaulted. All three incidents were reported to police, and DNA samples were obtained. The man was arrested at a South Kempsey property on Wednesday. NSW Police The cases went cold for decades before being revisited in 2022, when police commenced a review of several historical sexual assault matters amid the emergence of forensic technologies promising increased prospects of identifying violent crime suspects. Advertisement Kwan was identified through forensic investigative genetic genealogy, an investigative tool that combines DNA analysis with traditional genealogy to help identify suspects through commercial databases. He was not on detectives radar at the time of the initial investigations, and had only come into police contact for minor traffic infringements. The tool analyses hundreds of thousands of genetic markers, rather than the 21 markers analysed under standard DNA profiling, allowing investigators to identify extended family relationships as distant as fourth cousins by comparing DNA records against public genealogy databases, police said. The DNA profile of the unknown man recorded in the three alleged sexual assaults was uploaded to the databases, allowing police to identify a close relative of Kwan, leading them to the suspect. The 77-year-old is in custody after being charged at Kempsey Police Station. Kwan was refused bail when appearing in court on Thursday morning. The matter will be next mentioned at Kempsey Local Court on April 22. Sex Crimes Squad Commander Detective Superintendent Jayne Doherty said Kwans arrest was the culmination of four years of painstaking investigation, recalling a lot of cheers among investigators when they whittled down their search to a final suspect. Advertisement Its taken a lot of work to be able to go from that first familial link, a relative link, through to being able to knock on that door in South Kempsey yesterday, Doherty said. Detective Superintendent Jayne Doherty, the head of NSW Sex Crimes squad, said the arrest was a milestone for NSW Police. James Brickwood She signalled several other historical cases were being investigated with forensic genetic genealogy, and that detectives were getting close to homing in on potential suspects. Law enforcement is only granted access to genealogy profiles consenting for the use of their DNA in investigating serious and violent crimes, and is safeguarded by frameworks designed to protect user privacy. The Golden State Killer, real name Joseph James DeAngelo, was arrested in California in 2018 after being identified through genetic genealogy for violent crimes committed decades earlier. He was accused of multiple rapes and murders in the 1970s and 1980s. Advertisement Joseph James DeAngelo, the Golden State Killer, in court in 2020. AP Police homed in on DeAngelo after identifying his family tree through DNA samples, narrowing their search based on age, location and other characteristics until they matched DNA from a tissue left in the garbage with DNA left at crime scenes decades earlier. DeAngelo pleaded guilty to 13 counts of first-degree murder in 2020, and 13 rape-related charges for crimes executed between 1975 and 1986. It followed a plea deal that spared him from a potential death sentence. He was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Anyone needing support can contact 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732), National Sexual Abuse and Redress Support Service 1800 211 028, Lifeline 13 11 14, Kids Helpline 1800 55 1800. Be the first to know when major news happens. Sign up for breaking news alerts on email or turn on notifications in the app. Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Share A A A The article by Ben Saul should be compulsory reading for all (Anti-protest laws are using a hammer to crack a nut, February 11). Premier Minns, Im looking at you. Street protest is the only option for political speech for the powerless. We see humanitarian, environmental and in this case, pro-Palestine protesters rally and march. These are the powerless, without political influence. We never see fossil fuel magnates, for example, protest in the street. Thats because they have political influence. They make donations. They have governments and like-minded media on speed dial. Their calls are answered. They are not ignored, prosecuted or vilified. They are the powerful. Alan Kesby, Casula Thousands gather at Town Hall to protest Israeli President Isaac Herzogs visit to Sydney. Wolter Peeters Ben Sauls opinion piece is an outstanding analysis and a great comfort to those of us branded rabble protesters, antisemites and disruptors of social cohesion, when what we thought we were doing was protesting against genocide. Our PM should have appointed someone of such scholarship to be the special envoy against antisemitism. Carolyn Quadrio, Randwick None of these are adequate reasons to restrict protest, opines Ben Saul, absent proof of a serious risk to life Honestly Ben, is Bondi not proof enough? Joanna Auerbach, Kensington PM and premier to blame While I normally support both Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Premier Chris Minns, this weeks street violent clearly shows they are out of touch with the general population (Chaotic scenes in CBD, February 10). The PM and premier need to take accountability for what happened. First, for the invitation to such a controversial person, and second for the attempt to deny NSW citizens their right to protest. Israeli President Isaac Herzog was not at Parliament House where the marchers were headed, he was safely away at the ICC, so what on Earth was the point of trying to stop the march? They were extraordinarily bad decisions made by politicians I normally respect. Lee Taylor, Ramsgate Advertisement Photo: Cathy Wilcox Witnessing the brutality with which the police attacked demonstrators in Sydney on Monday felt akin to watching violent crackdowns in Iran or the United States. I could not believe this was happening in Australia. While the prime minister defends his badly misjudged invitation for Isaac Herzog to visit Australia (Social cohesion shattered as Sydney streets turn into chaos, February 11), Chris Minns asks us to disbelieve the video clips showing policemen repeatedly punching a defenceless man in the gut, and a man face down on the ground being hit in the back. The political spin wouldnt be out of place in a dystopian novel. Part of the blame lays with certain right-wing politicians who foment racial hatred. Then there are Chris Minns anti-protest laws, stifling legitimate protest and enabling the police to assault demonstrators in the name of peace-keeping. Bring on the investigation. Marilyn Lebeter, Smiths Creek Protesters not above the law I seem to be one of very few people who were disgusted by the behaviour of the demonstrators while a commemoration for 15 members of the Jewish community was taking place just a few blocks away. Why should police be used as punching bags by disgruntled demonstrators, and why did they refuse to gather in Hyde Park on Monday as they had been advised by premier? Why? To amplify their disdain and refusal to accept the rule of law in NSW. They are simply troublemakers and agitators, nothing more. Lynn Nadjarian, Forster It is probably true that police were in a difficult situation and that some, but by no means all, protesters were violent, but the constant justification that police did the best they could in a difficult situation must stop. Weve probably all seen the sickening video footage by now. A protester, face down and with his arms pinned behind his back, being kidney punched by a police officer over and over again while other officers just stood by and watched. Chris Minns and NSW Police Chief Mal Lanyon would do well to temper their rhetoric and admit that some police officers went too far in their handling of the protesters, rather than lay all the blame for violence on the protesters. Susan Threlfall, Minto My sympathies are totally with NSW Police. What an impossible situation they face with a protest group determined to get maximum publicity from their rally. Leaders inciting them to march toward NSW Parliament when they know that is illegal. Stopping supposedly in prayer when told to move on. They are delighted with the outcome and the publicity, so lets not waste too much sympathy on them. Geoff Wannan, Dawes Point Police and protesters face off on Monday. Wolter Peeters Advertisement I was at Town Hall on Monday to protest against the invitation of Isaac Herzog. I was in for a surprise. I dont even know what intifada means, but there were many posters being held up by other protesters calling for worldwide intifada. And then I was encouraged to chant the words from the river to the sea. What happened to the two-state solution? This wasnt what I came for, so I went home early, very disappointed that the goalposts had been moved while I wasnt looking. Could someone please explain this change in agenda to the thousands of perplexed and well-meaning people who came out to protest against Herzogs visit? Monica Turik, Mona Vale Having lived in Sydney for over 30 years, the sight of Minns goon squad reminded me of Chinas brutal crackdown in Hong Kong not so long ago. The police are not arms of the government. They are meant to look after the peace, not to create violence. We need to take a depth breath to decide what sort of country we are before it is too late. John Rome, Mount Lawley How dare those politicians sitting up enjoying dinner and drinks at taxpayer expense claim the demonstrators incited violence at the Town Hall. The riot police arent called that for nothing. They came with the intention of causing one. I am 74 and was pushed and thumped by one officer twice my size, while doing exactly what the police ordered us to do. We were fenced in with no escape. I would like to hear any politician who was actually there say we incited the violence. Victoria Heffernan, Walcha The video of a protester being punched by two police officers while being pinned to the ground is disturbing enough. The justifications for this conduct by Premier Minns is alarmingly similar to US politicians defending ICEs thuggery in Minnesota. This should not happen in a civil democracy. Murray Patchett, Kentucky Will the two NSW policemen who punched a young man 18 times in the head and kidneys while he was held face-down on the ground with his arms behind his back be brought to account for their assault? Dr Enda Murray, Marrickville Protesters gather at Town Hall on Monday. Wolter Peeters Can someone tell me why people who are demonstrating against war end up fighting and biting policemen, who are just doing their job? Janet Scilly, Waterloo Advertisement Dear Prime Minister Albanese and Premier Minns, what a triumph. Heal the wounds of Bondi and avoid discord in our society, both achieved in one police riot, proudly broadcast around the world. Well done. Ive got my popcorn awaiting Mr Hertzogs appearances in Melbourne and Canberra. Les Schmalzbach, Potts Point Barnabys sanctimony Sorry, but regarding Grace Tames participation in the protests, One Nations Barnaby Joyce really isnt someone who should be lecturing us about how public figures need to conduct themselves honourably. Its a clear case of the pot and the kettle. Kerrie Wehbe, Blacktown Barnaby Joyce is right, Grace Tame should be stripped of her Australian of the Year award for chanting globalise the intifada. The current concept of intifada is to incite violence against Jewish people, even going as far as killing them and annihilating the Jewish race. It is also distressing to see Coalition members responses. They sit on the fence, neither supporting Joyces call nor rejecting it. No wonder their poll numbers are so dire. Ian Morison, Forrest (ACT) How wonderful to read Scott Bolles article about the Sydney hotels getting rid of their poker machines (New wave of Sydney pubs go pokie-free, February 11). NSW has more than one poker machine for every 88 people in this state, more than 10 times the number in Western Australia. Poker machine addiction is rife in NSW, so I take my hat off to all the Sydney pubs listed and will make sure I visit at least some of these pubs who care about their patrons, for lunch or dinner. I encourage more Sydneysiders to do the same. Paul Reid, Campsie Good care matters Im happy to see healthcare become more affordable through increased bulk-billing, especially if its reaching the disadvantaged. But putting the financial squeeze on GPs to achieve this is troubling. Id prefer to see better-funded, targeted Medicare support for those in need. The serious erosion of public outpatient options and outrageous specialist fees are troubling factors that affect access to care. There is no longer a public orthopaedic clinic for people in the Sutherland Shire or St George area. We doctors have to ask favours of our specialist colleagues to bulk-bill those who cant pay consultation gap fees of $200 or $300. This is usually on top of big gap fees for radiology such as CTs and MRIs. Another concerning element when solely focusing on GP universal bulk-billing is the complete lack of any measure or concern regarding quality of care. Making GPs rush and feel poorly paid would surely impact this. Governments love bulk-billing rates, but what about clinical outcomes? Dr Lucy France, Cronulla Advertisement Abbotts deficit The Productivity Commission is right to lament the absence of a carbon tax or an emissions trading scheme in Australia (Productivity advisers slam climate policies, February 11). Instead of an efficient pricing mechanism to regulate the decarbonisation process, we are left with a combination of the grossly inadequate safeguard mechanism, which covers only the nations top 215 emitters, and a hodgepodge of government incentives and initiatives. Professor Ross Garnaut estimates that had our short-lived carbon tax not been repealed in 2014, it would be raising $70 billion a year by now enough to fund the transition to net zero plus cut our national debt. And who do we have to thank for that? The man who once described climate change as complete crap and who is still touring the world with the same message Tony Abbott. Ken Enderby, Concord The Bayswater power station near Muswellbrook in the Hunter Valley. AP Back to basics It would appear that Sydney Grammar has made a good choice in their new principal if his early thoughts about education are any guide (New Sydney Grammar heads warning on coaching colleges, February 11). Stuart McPherson supports uniforms, thinks that the tutoring phenomenon is way out of control, regards technology as an adjunct to education rather than the centrepiece, and supports a broad selection of school subjects. This may seem that he is behind the times, but I would advocate that a return to traditional values in schools and rejection of educational fads so beloved of the experts, things that he seems to espouse, is long overdue. Grammars progress over the next few years will be interesting and I suspect, successful. Max Redmayne, Drummoyne The interview with the new headmaster of Sydney Grammar was interesting, but turning to page 6, his pose was confronting. There he was in a well-tailored blue suit, but with black shoes. Good grief! I bet he didnt do that at Eton. No sir. Brown shoes with a blue suit before 5pm, black shoes thereafter. Questions are likely to follow in the House. Les Sisley, Kelso Advertisement Advertisement NationalNSWCity life These Sydneysiders bought their apartment with the promise of a light rail. Theyre still waiting Anthony Segaert February 12, 2026 5:00am Save 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 A A A The fact that the Sydney suburb of Wentworth Point holds the crown of the countrys most densely populated postcode didnt deter Emily Hurry and Oliver ke Duan from buying a unit there. In fact, that was the attraction. The couple, ahead of the birth of their now one-year-old daughter, Eliza, wanted to believe Wentworth Point would become a prime example of what a sustainable future Sydney could look like, Hurry said. Emily Hurry and husband Oliver ke Duan bought a unit in Wentworth Point excited by the promise of a full light rail line. Sitthixay Ditthavong They knew when they purchased in 2023 that the suburb wasnt yet perfect, a crowded peninsula with little way to get in or out. But the prospect of construction of the second stage of the Parramatta light rail, connecting Wentworth Point to both Parramatta and Sydney Olympic Park, kept them hopeful. Now, after the Labor government shifted plans to presently build only half the second stage, including nine new stops and a bridge over the Parramatta River, Hurry said their dreams of reliable connectivity and easy movement had been crushed. Advertisement [The line will connect us to] Melrose Park, which doesnt really have anything, she said. The connection to the metro line at Olympic Park would be your real ticket to the rest of Sydney. While the Metro West line is due to open in 2032, Transport Minister John Graham has refused to say when work will begin on the second half of the new line. Stage 2b is currently unfunded, and the government has not said how much it will cost. It raises questions about whether the government will be able to fulfil its election promise to build the whole line. When Labor announced its election commitment before the 2023 state election, then-opposition leader Chris Minns said that after dozens of unfulfilled Liberal promises to build the line, Labor would complete this piece of transport infrastructure for western Sydney. Advertisement In places like Wentworth Point, youve got the most densely compact part of Sydney, with families and communities moving in with the promise of infrastructure that has never eventuated, he said at the time. What were promising today is the money will be allocated for it, major construction will begin in the next term of government, and it will be completed not long after that. We cant promise miracles, but we are consistent about the money that will be allocated, and the project will be completed. His incoming transport minister Jo Haylen said: People have bought homes, theyve made investments, theyve opened businesses along this route on the basis of that promise. Well, where the Liberals have failed, Labor will deliver the public transport that these rapidly growing communities need. We wont leave Parramatta with half a light rail service because it must connect to Sydney Olympic Park to make it more than just an events precinct, but a vibrant, growing residential neighbourhood, where people do more than just play, but live and work as well. Natalie Ward, now the opposition transport spokesperson, accused the government of breaking its promise. They looked the people of Wentworth Point and Parramatta in the eye, promised the world, and have now turned their back, she said. They all stood up and said they would do it. The community of Wentworth Point have been completely let down. Advertisement Buildings get taller on expectation of light rail In the meantime, Wentworth Point has been getting denser. Developments have been approved and had their heights increased on the basis of plans for future improved connectivity. Japanese developer Sekesui House was given permission by the City of Parramatta council to increase the height of its Sanctuary development to widen the gap between buildings to allow the light rail to pass through. The transport corridor will transform what is currently a disconnected headland to a well-serviced [location] (by public transport options of buses, ferry and light rail), making it a desirable location to reside, work and enjoy the natural parklands, the developer said in its plan. The light rail was mentioned 17 times in plans for a nearby development at 9 Burroway Road. Planners used the connectivity offered by Stage 2 of the light rail project as evidence that the negative impacts of increased road and public transport usage caused by the development would be reduced to low negative or neutral impacts. The building was approved as a state-significant development in October. Advertisement Mega-developer Billbergias highly contentious Block H development was last year listed as state significant by the new Housing Development Authority, granting it greater height limits for the inclusion of 5 per cent affordable housing. Related Article Exclusive Public transport Revealed: Long-delayed Sydney light rail line will now be built in two sections In response to detailed questions about the project, Graham said: As is common with multibillion-dollar projects it will be built in stages, in line with Infrastructure NSWs strategy to balance the budget, match market capacity and protect NSW taxpayer money. The former government announced this project 15 times and never swung a shovel in anger. We have been completely consistent on PLR2, we promised to start construction in our first term, and thats exactly what were delivering. Advertisement Hurry, who recently declined a job offer in nearby Parramatta because it was easier to commute to North Sydney, said Sydney house prices meant the family had to choose between living in an apartment in Sydney or moving to a place like Wollongong. They dont want to leave. Were happy that the light rail is coming, Hurry said. But its just hard to maintain that positivity when it just feels like endless delays and half promises. Were making life decisions around that. Apartment urban living, we were really trying to buy into it, but its hard when the infrastructures not there to meet those greedy developers making a million apartments and crowding everything up. Its got to keep pace with each other. The Sydney Morning Herald has opened a bureau in the heart of Parramatta. Email parramatta@smh.com.au with news tips. Members of the 26th batch of Chinese medical team and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) Sierra Leone staff pose for a group photo in Freetown, Sierra Leone on Feb. 10, 2026. (The 26th batch of the Chinese medical team to Sierra Leone/Handout via Xinhua) FREETOWN, Feb. 9 (Xinhua) -- The 26th batch of Chinese medical team provided an on-site first aid training program for the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) Sierra Leone staff at the UNICEF Head Office in Freetown on Monday. The two-day training aims to equip participants with essential first aid skills, including cardiopulmonary resuscitation, trauma care, and emergency response techniques. Liu Longfei, head of the medical team, expressed satisfaction in delivering this critical training. "On behalf of the Chinese medical team, we are happy to provide on-site first aid training to UNICEF Sierra Leone," he said. He stressed that the initiative reflects their shared commitment to protecting lives in Sierra Leone. Since 2024, the team has extended its training efforts to other organizations, including students in the mining and medical sectors. UNICEF Representative to Sierra Leone Rudolf Schwenk underscored the importance of the training for staff wellbeing. "At UNICEF, the well-being, safety, and security of our staff are central to our duty of care," he stated. Schwenk highlighted that equipping colleagues with practical skills to handle medical emergencies is crucial for creating a safe and supportive work environment. "This training represents an important investment in staff wellbeing and emergency preparedness," he added. Both Liu and Schwenk encouraged participants to actively engage in the practical sessions to maximize the benefits of the training. Members of the 26th batch of Chinese medical team demonstrate cardiopulmonary resuscitation technique to the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) Sierra Leone staff in Freetown, Sierra Leone on Feb. 9, 2026. (The 26th batch of the Chinese medical team to Sierra Leone/Handout via Xinhua) Members of the 26th batch of Chinese medical team explain cardiopulmonary resuscitation technique to the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) Sierra Leone staff in Freetown, Sierra Leone on Feb. 9, 2026. (The 26th batch of the Chinese medical team to Sierra Leone/Handout via Xinhua) Members of the 26th batch of Chinese medical team demonstrate Heimlich maneuver to the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) Sierra Leone staff in Freetown, Sierra Leone on Feb. 9, 2026. (The 26th batch of the Chinese medical team to Sierra Leone/Handout via Xinhua) A member of the 26th batch of Chinese medical team gives a lecture on the theory of cardiopulmonary resuscitation to the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) Sierra Leone staff in Freetown, Sierra Leone on Feb. 9, 2026. (The 26th batch of the Chinese medical team to Sierra Leone/Handout via Xinhua) Advertisement NationalQueenslandCourts My idiot dad tried to kill me: Inquest hears disclosures from boy after fatal house fire Cloe Read February 11, 2026 3:34pm Save 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 A A A A Queensland boy who suffered extensive burns in a house fire that killed his brother later claimed his father had tried to kill the boys, and that his older sibling laid over him to save him. An inquest began earlier this week into the 2017 case, in which one of the boys died after suffering burns to 95 per cent of his body. Officers who attended the scene at the rural property during the blaze told the court they saw the two burnt children crying on the couch, and found the father nearby in another home having a shower while holding a cigarette, and not answering questions. Officers who attended the scene at the rural property saw two burnt children crying on the couch. Queensland Police Service The family cannot be identified for legal reasons. Advertisement The inquest on Wednesday heard evidence from a Child Safety witness, who spoke of several disclosures the surviving boy made to support workers in the years after the incident. In 2018, the boy at daycare said: My dad burnt me in the fire. He burnt me with a lighter. In another disclosure in 2021, the boy said he would still be with his father if he had not blown a candle. I blew it three times and started a big fire, he said. He also said he missed his mother, felt guilty about his brother dying, and described his brother as a black and purple butterfly now. Later that year, he said he knew who started the fire and claimed it was not him or his brother. In one incident in 2022, the boy was at school, where his class was discussing fire drills. The court heard the teacher was answering questions about how fires start, and explaining they could be deliberately lit or accidental. Advertisement One child said that that was what had happened to the boy. The boy replied it was not, and that he was asleep. Related Article Courts Father found in shower with cigarette in his hand after house fire that killed boy Thats what happened to me. It was my idiot dad. He tried to kill me and [the brother]. Fricking idiot, the boy said. In 2024, the court heard the boy said he did not like talking to his grandmother because she had lied and said the mother started the fire. At another incident at school in 2025, the boy was distressed after a violent incident and said: I want to kill my dad, he should be in jail. My brother was burnt from the inside out. He saved me. He laid on top of me. Advertisement A family member told the court both parents had used drugs, while the father was an alcoholic who drank daily. She told the court that as she attended the scene during the fire, she was given two different stories by the father and grandmother about what happened. The woman said the father told her to tell police the boys mother started the fire. Coroner Megan Fairweather is expected to look into several factors, including how the fire started, the family environment, the relationship between the boys parents, and the police investigation. The inquest continues. Start the day with a summary of the days most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter. Advertisement NationalQueenslandTrade unions Quite angry: Corruption-buster reveals clash over censored CFMEU report Matt Dennien and William Davis Updated February 11, 2026 5:44pm ,first published 3:59pm Save 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 A A A Corruption-busting lawyer Geoffrey Watson SC was angry about CFMEU administrator Mark Irvings direction to remove politically sensitive material from a report into corruption in the unions Victorian branch, but has backed him to remain in the role. Watson revealed details of a late January phone call between the pair in evidence on Wednesday to Queenslands royal commission-style inquiry into the CFMEU and misconduct in the construction industry. The inquiry was shown how the original version of Watsons report was changed with sections on government inaction, and estimating the CFMEU cost Victorian taxpayers at least $15 billion removed hours after the redactions were first reported by this masthead. Geoffrey Watson gives evidence to the Commission of Inquiry into the CFMEU and Misconduct in the Construction Industry. AAP IMAGE Launched by the Queensland government last year after reporting by this masthead and 60 Minutes into criminality, corruption and misconduct in the CFMEU and construction industry nationwide, the inquiry resumed its public work on Tuesday. Advertisement Advertisement Costello questioned Watson extensively about why Irving had asked for the changes, prompting Watson to recall the phone call in which Irving told him three key elements of the report needed to be cut. Related Article Building Bad Rotting from the top: Bribery, drugs, bikies and billions of taxpayer dollars These outlined claims that the Victorian Labor government turned a blind eye to union malpractice, an estimate that the CFMEU cost taxpayers in the state at least $15 billion, and an exploration into how delegates were appointed. Irving was said to have argued during the conversation these were outside the terms of reference, not supported by experts, not factual, or were speculative. Watson told the inquiry he felt quite angry and frustrated by the move, which he did not feel was justified. Its speculative to say the sun will come up tomorrow, he added. Advertisement Ultimately, Watson said he accepted the directive so he remained covered by the statutory immunity granted to the administration and those working under it, but I didnt accept the direction was properly made. During a brief adjournment in proceedings, Watson appeared to have read a news story on his phone about federal opposition calls for Irving to stand down, and immediately without any prompt from Costello shot the calls down. Commissioner Stuart Wood KC at the commission of inquiry on Wednesday. AAP IMAGE I might have said some harsh things here today, theyre my opinion, and Mr Irving may have had another. Ive worked for him for what is it? two years now and Ive never met a more honest and decent man, Watson said. Theyd be mad to get rid of Mark Irving. Irving released a statement on Wednesday paying tribute to Watsons work in preparing his final report, saying it documented serious allegations of criminal and improper conduct. Advertisement While noting the matters had not been tested through the courts, he said the report would be referred to police, the Fair Work Commission and other relevant law enforcement agencies and regulators. Victorian Attorney-General Sonya Kilkenny said her government would not respond to accusations in the report until it was made public. That states opposition leader, Jess Wilson, said Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan needed to answer questions and cannot continue to deny knowledge, or fail to take responsibility. Watson said there was little that worried him about details removed in the process of preparing reports into other branches of the union since this mastheads original reporting. For example, he had written about violence at the Queenslands Oaky Creek coal mine because it was the worst example in the whole of the Queensland report, and ousted state leader Jade Ingham was present. Advertisement But, ultimately, Watson said it was reasonable that it was not included in final reports handed to Irving because it technically involved the mining division of the union not the construction and general division under administration. Watson said criminal behaviour in Queensland was not anywhere near as bad as it was under what he described as a crime organisation in Victoria under Setka, and he praised the current Queensland leadership. But he also said his Victorian discoveries were not isolated to that state. All of those things are here or will come here to Queensland. Whether its ad hoc corruption or bribery, Watson said. The inquiry continues on Thursday. Start the day with a summary of the days most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter. Advertisement Community safety concerns have prompted Israeli President Isaac Herzog to cancel his planned visit to the site of one of Australias most infamous antisemitic attacks the firebombing of the Adass Israel synagogue in Melbourne. Herzog had intended to go to the destroyed synagogue on Thursday morning to start the Melbourne leg of his state visit, which will culminate in a large Jewish community event on Thursday afternoon at an undisclosed venue. Israeli President Isaac Herzog during a welcome ceremony at Government House in Canberra on Wednesday. Dominic Lorrimer Two sources with knowledge of the presidents movements said the visit to the Ripponlea synagogue had been cancelled because of the difficulty of securing residential streets in the area and logistical issues caused by the size of the presidents travelling party. The decision was taken after consultation with Victoria Police. Adass Israel president Michael Spigelman, who will attend an event with the president scheduled later in the day, declined to comment when contacted by this masthead. Advertisement Victoria Police has been granted special powers under terrorism legislation in preparation for Herzogs visit to Melbourne his final engagement in Australia before he flies home to Israel. Related Article Editorial Israeli-Palestinian conflict Social cohesion shattered as Sydney streets turn into chaos The Herald's View Editorial The powers, which have been used a handful of times, allow police to stop and search vehicles or people in public places, seize items and detain people as a preventative measure. They will apply to specific areas Herzog intends to visit and are not designed to impact a planned protest expected to attract upwards of 5000 people to the CBD. Police Deputy Commissioner Bob Hill stressed there was no intelligence suggesting a specific threat, but they had sought additional powers as a preventative measure. Advertisement We want to be clear that there is no intelligence at this time to suggest that the event is the target of any specific threat, he said. However, we are well prepared for both the visit and any protest activity this week, and have adequate police resources available to provide an agile response to any incidents. Protesters at Flinders Street Station on Monday. Police said they were not expecting significant public order issues at a further protest on Thursday. Joe Armao Last year the Albanese government took the rare step of expelling Irans ambassador to Australia and pulling its own diplomats out of Tehran after ASIO and Mossad gathered information showing that Irans Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps had commissioned the December 2024 arson attack on Adass Israel and a firebombing in Sydney. The government proscribed the Revolutionary Guard as a terrorist organisation. Irans Foreign Ministry rejected the accusations. Advertisement The AFP this week released images purporting to show exiled tobacco kingpin Kazem Hamad in the custody of Iraqi authorities. Hamad is wanted over a string of alleged gangland crimes including murder, kidnapping, extortion and drug importation and is also suspected of helping to arrange and pay for the Adass Israel attack. Two men, Giovanni Laulu, 21, and Younes Ali Younes, 20, who police accuse of lighting the Adass Israel fire in the early hours of December 6, 2024, while people were praying and studying inside the synagogue, are facing arson and other charges. No one was killed in the attack. The synagogue was gutted by the blaze. The Adass Israel congregation, a small, Yiddish speaking, non-Zionist ultra-Orthodox community within Melbournes diverse Jewish diaspora, have vowed to rebuild on the Ripponlea site. Hill said a significant police operation was under way to ensure Herzogs visit was safe for him, the protesters, the community and police. He said the operation would involve one of the largest deployments of police numbers in recent times, including specialist units. The first day of Herzogs visit to Australia was marred by violent confrontations involving NSW police and anti-Israel protesters in Sydney. Advertisement Significant planning has been undertaken and a number of police, including a range of specialist resources, will be dedicated to the event to ensure the highest level of safety and security for all involved, Hill said. Related Article Israeli-Palestinian conflict Albanese raises Australians death in Gaza with Herzog after condemning Israeli settlers The Supreme Court granted the special police powers on Wednesday morning. They will be activated on Thursday, ahead of Herzogs arrival, and will remain in place until his departure. The provisions have been used only four times since they were first activated in 2006, most recently at the Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN)-Australia Special Summit and the protest-marred Land Forces expo in 2024. Hill said police had sought to activate the special powers instead of declaring designated areas, most commonly used to search people in public places, because of the Bondi terror attack, Herzogs position, and ongoing tension in the community about his arrival. Advertisement We understand that this visit has caused some emotions to rise in some community groups. Were conscious of that, Hill said. Police are aware of a planned protest in Melbournes CBD on Thursday afternoon, but Hill said they were not expecting any significant public order issues. The rally is scheduled to begin at 5pm, with protesters marching from Flinders Street Station to Parliament House in Spring Street. Start the day with a summary of the days most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter. Advertisement NationalScience Why eight Australians died after having AstraZenecas COVID vaccine Liam Mannix February 12, 2026 9:00am Save 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 A A A Australian researchers believe they have finally cracked the mystery of lethal blood clots caused in extremely rare cases by AstraZenecas COVID vaccine and they think new jabs can be designed to avoid the problem. Australia pinned its hopes on AstraZenecas COVID vaccine, only to discover a link to a very rare clotting syndrome mid-rollout. People under 60 were eventually told to avoid the jab. A vial of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine. Bloomberg In total, eight Australians lost their lives due to the syndrome, now known as VITT (vaccine-induced immune thrombotic thrombocytopenia), including 34-year-old Sydney artist Katie Lees. The government strategy was: we can lift lockdowns once we get to 70 per cent vaccinated. That was her motivation, said Lees father Ian. Advertisement She said to me how incredibly proud she was for what she was doing for the community. In a paper today in the prestigious New England Journal of Medicine, Australian researchers pin VITT on two collaborating culprits: a protein hidden deep in the vaccine, and a type of human antibody produced by a few individuals with a certain genetic mutation, known as a forbidden clone. Ian and Penny Lees daughter, Katie, died after receiving the AstraZeneca vaccine. Louise Kennerley Importantly, now the problem has been spotted, vaccine developers should be able to work around it. Theres every chance we can create a trans-gene to modify this vaccine, said Professor Tom Gordon, a researcher at Flinders University and the papers senior author. We should be able to remove the risk of VITT. Advertisement A forbidden clone AstraZenecas vaccine was built on an adenovirus vector: a harmless virus modified to carry a small segment of the genetic code of the virus that causes COVID-19. After injection, the virus infects human cells, which then use the added code to produce small fragments of the virus. The immune system spots the fragments and trains up an antibody army to attack them, providing robust protection when the actual virus comes along. In about two people per 100,000 vaccinated with AstraZeneca, blood clots will appear spontaneously in different parts of the body, typically within a month of vaccination. Some cases are mild, while others are fatal. Why? Advertisement The first clue came from Gordon and co-author Dr Jing Jing Wangs discovery in 2022 that patients with the syndrome had an unusual antibody that bound to human protein called PF4. The binding triggered a natural signal causing platelets in the blood to clot together. Then Canadian researchers discovered a group of patients who suffered the same clotting syndrome after a natural infection with an adenovirus; they had the same antibody, suggesting it was the adenovirus that was the culprit, not the vaccine. In their new publication, work led by Wang reveals a protein deep within the structure of the adenovirus that is very similar in shape to human PF4. The AstraZeneca vaccine likely causes the immune system to make antibodies against this adenovirus protein. For nearly everyone, this is not a problem the shapes are similar but not identical. Advertisement Our bodies naturally generate slightly-different-shaped antibodies against a pathogen, testing and fine-tuning designs. In exceptionally rare cases in people with the right genetic code, one of those slightly-different-shaped antibodies is reshaped in such a way that it binds perfectly to PF4, triggering clotting. Self-reactive antibodies like this are meant to be caught and eliminated by the bodys surveillance system, but in rare cases they get through and multiply leading to the name forbidden clone. Editor's pick Bird flu The number of infections that could make or break the next bird flu pandemic The group recreated the antibodies in the lab and showed that the K31E somatic mutation can switch an antibody from harmless to clot-activating, said Professor Elizabeth Gardiner, the scientific head of the National Platelet Referral and Research Centre, who has published papers on VITT but was not involved in the study. I find this to be convincingly strong causal evidence. The study is important because it may allow vaccine developers to alter adenoviruses to avoid mimicking PF4. It also points to how a combination of an environmental exposure and a rare genetic mutation can cause autoimmune disease. Advertisement We proved that antibodies against a foreign antigen, and then a mutation, leads to the misdirection of immune response and becomes autoimmunity, said Wang. Calls for better treatment of VITT victims Katie Lees lost her life trying to follow health advice. Her parents feel their daughters story was inconvenient when media and government were trying to encourage people to get vaccinated. I very strongly believe the deaths and the injuries were collateral damage no one wanted to talk about because it would damage their messaging, said Ian. They received just $70,000 from the federal governments Vaccine Claims Scheme, which has since closed. The money represents how gravely the issue is seen, he said. Advertisement A federal Department of Health spokesman said it had received 4964 compensation claims, processed 4369 of them and paid $62.3 million in compensation. Eligibility and evidence requirements under the scheme were developed in consultation with medical experts and the [Therapeutic Goods Administration], the spokesman said. The Examine newsletter explains and analyses science with a rigorous focus on the evidence. Sign up to get it each week. Advertisement Exclusive PoliticsFederalIsraeli-Palestinian conflict Hamas interrogated World Vision whistleblowers to obstruct trial Rob Harris February 12, 2026 4:48am Save 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 A A A Internal Hamas documents show the militant group spied on and interrogated World Vision staff and suspected whistleblowers as part of a co-ordinated effort to obstruct an Israeli terrorism trial involving the charitys former Gaza director, sharpening scrutiny of Australian-funded aid programs in the region. The documents, captured by the Israel Defence Forces over the past two years, highlight the process by which Hamas closely monitored lengthy closed-door Israeli court proceedings, identified and interrogated suspected leakers in Gaza, and acted to prevent potential witnesses from reaching Israel to testify. World Visions former Gaza director Mohammed al-Halabi was convicted by an Israeli court of diverting aid funds to Hamas. Monique Westermann Several reports seen by this masthead, authored by Hamas Ministry of Interior and National Security, allege that World Visions former Gaza director Mohammed al-Halabi used his senior role inside the international aid agency while secretly working for Hamas, and that the proscribed group treated his exposure as a major internal security failure. Halabi was arrested by Israel in June 2016 and convicted in 2022 of diverting millions in humanitarian aid and materials to Hamas. He was sentenced to 12 years in prison and released in February 2025 as part of a prisoner-hostage swap between Israel and Hamas. Advertisement At the time of the case, World Vision, which receives millions of dollars in donations annually, was one of the Australian governments largest aid partners in the Palestinian territories. Related Article Updated Israeli-Palestinian conflict I burst into tears: Emotions high as World Vision worker freed in Gaza ceasefire exchange The aid workers lengthy detention, combined with little publicly released evidence of his guilt, led to international condemnation of Israels justice system. A document dated March 11, 2020, authored by Hamas branch of counterespionage and submitted to the director of the division, notes that the aforementioned [Halabi] was in contact with [only a] very few parties of brothers in the positive [a term for Hamas al-Qassam Brigades] or members of Hamas military wing and describes urgent efforts to determine how Israeli authorities uncovered his activities. The reports show Hamas assumed the key witness against Halabi came from inside World Visions Gaza office. One report states that all the names of employees working in the association were detailed and checked against Hamas security databases. Advertisement Jerusalem-based research institute NGO Monitor was given access to documents that were removed from Gaza and declassified by the IDF. Previous releases of purported Hamas documents have proved controversial, after an IDF investigation found some files leaked to foreign media were forged by Hamas to shape public opinion on Israel. The probe raised concerns that classified material seized in Gaza or documents only alleged to have been taken from Hamas was being manipulated and fed to international outlets to influence debate, prompting anger within Israels security establishment. The IDF confirmed to this masthead the legitimacy of the documents, which were later translated by NGO Monitor and checked independently by this masthead. Several attempts were made to verify them through Hamas legal representation in Australia and Europe. NGO Monitor, which is privately funded, has attracted fierce criticism over many years from international aid groups for defaming human rights organisations that criticise the Israeli occupation through its research about aid work in Gaza. Advertisement Another document, dated March 3, 2020 and submitted to the director of the Hamas division of foreign activity, shows Hamas officials ordered the interrogation of World Vision staff suspected of co-operating with Israeli authorities, with aid workers placed under surveillance and their movements restricted. Hamas was alerted that a World Vision employee had been asked to testify in an Israeli court. The documents state the employee was questioned by Hamas officials and that they later ordered World Vision staff be barred from exiting Gaza via the Beit Hanoun crossing to prevent testimony. Mohammad al-Halabi, World Visions former Gaza Zonal Manager, in a photograph from the World Vision website. World Vision The papers also reveal Hamas had a source attending closed-door Israeli court proceedings in November 2019 who later provided a briefing to authorities in Gaza on what took place. A central focus of Hamas internal investigation was a World Vision accountant, Mohammed Mehdi, who was later identified in Israeli court findings as a whistleblower. According to Israels 2022 verdict, the accountant reported that Halabi diverted World Vision funds to Hamas over several years using consistent methods. Judges found his account was supported by other evidence. Advertisement The Hamas documents state the accountant was among those interrogated by Hamas. Israeli judges noted that a copy of that interrogation was later found on Halabis personal computer, seized by Israeli security officials. Lawyers for Halabi said the latest claims are completely false and fabricated. When asked about the documents, a Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade spokesman said it suspended funding for World Visions activities in the Palestinian Territories in August 2016. A review found nothing to suggest any diversion of government funds, however DFAT has confirmed the review only covered information in its possession about the management of Australian funding. Protesters gather outside the district court in the Israeli city of Beersheeba supporting Mohammed al-Halabi during his trial in 2022. AP Advertisement In 2022-23, World Vision Australia received $39.9 million from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Much of the evidence used to indict Halabi remains classified, as does the 254-page ruling by the Beersheba District Court. A condensed version released to the press at the time leaned heavily on Halabis confession to Shin Bet security agents, which he later withdrew. Halabi has continually denied the charges and accused the prosecution and the Shin Bet of manufacturing them, coercing a confession to undermine humanitarian organisations in Gaza and dragging out the case. In its judgment, Israels Beersheba District Court found Halabi guilty of diverting humanitarian aid and construction materials to Hamas, supplying materials for tunnels, recruiting Hamas members, procuring weapons and manipulating World Vision tenders. The court found that the majority of World Vision-funded food and hygiene packages were regularly distributed to Hamas military operatives, including during periods of armed conflict. The judges said that throughout his World Vision employment, Halabi met with Hamas military operatives to keep up with their needs. Advertisement Then World Vision Australia chief executive Tim Costello, at the time of the verdict, described it as a travesty of justice. Costello said last year he burst into tears when he learned Halabi would be freed as part of a swap with Israeli hostages. I know Mohammed. I know that he was an innocent man who has had 8 years in prison, he said. Costello declined to comment on the documents when contacted by this masthead. In reply to questions relating to the documents, World Vision said it condemns any diversion of aid funding, any act of terrorism or support for those activities, and repeated its claim that several reviews had found no evidence of wrongdoing. Rights groups say Halabi was denied a fair and transparent trial, as he and World Vision had no chance to review the evidence against them, with all procedures shielded from the public and shrouded in secrecy. Advertisement Halabi told local media on his release that he was detained just because we were giving the aid and the relief to the Gaza people. But they [Israeli authorities] behave like a gang, they had no evidence, they convicted me with no evidence and they said to the world that they have a secret file, which does not exist. Israel attributed the closed hearings to sensitive security information. After the 2022 conviction, World Vision Australia said it had not seen anything to make it question its conclusion that Halabi was innocent. It argued its Gaza programs were subject to regular audits and internal controls and that it had seen no credible evidence of aid diversion. Audits by Germany and the US Agency for International Development also failed to show irregularities in the distribution of funds donated to the nonprofit. Advertisement NGO Monitor president Gerald Steinberg said the Hamas documents clearly demonstrate that attacks on the Israeli justice system from the leaders of World Vision Australia were part of a fabricated smear campaign. Cut through the noise of federal politics with news, views and expert analysis. Subscribers can sign up to our weekly Inside Politics newsletter. Advertisement PoliticsFederalBuilding Bad Opposition demands sacking of CFMEU administrator, government says call ridiculous Mike Foley Updated February 11, 2026 3:43pm ,first published 11:58am Save 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 A A A Former workplace minister Murray Watt says it would be ridiculous to sack the official the Albanese government appointed to administer the CFMEU, as he rejected the oppositions call to sack Mark Irving, KC, for redacting chapters critical of Labor from a report into union corruption. This masthead revealed on Wednesday that Irving removed sections of a landmark report into union corruption. The report found union corruption added $15 billion in cost blowouts to Victorias Big Build infrastructure program, and that the Victorian Labor government ignored CFMEU graft and organised crime links on infrastructure projects. CFMEU administrator Mark Irving, KC, gives evidence this week at the inquiry into the union in Brisbane. Pool Irving was appointed by the Albanese government in August 2024 to administer the CFMEU after this masthead exposed widespread graft and corruption in the union involving bikies, organised crime and intimidation. Previously, the union had appointed lawyer Geoffrey Watson, SC, in July 2024 to investigate the claims. Advertisement Opposition industrial relations spokesperson Tim Wilson on Wednesday morning demanded the Watson report be released to the public, called for Irving to be removed and accused the government of attempts to bury the issue. The administrator should resign and if he wont, the minister must sack him, Wilson said. They constantly shut down question time, shut down inquiries, and shut down questions that would have identified and gone to the heart of the CFMEU Labor cartel of corruption. The report, completed in December 2024, was requested by a Queensland Commission of Inquiry into the union, and Irving sent a version that removed the sections containing findings that Victorias Labor government turned a blind eye to CFMEU corruption. Irving said he deleted chapters from the report because he could not verify the accuracy of some information. Workplace Minister Amanda Rishworth told federal parliament on Wednesday that Irving retained her full support and said the opposition was wrong to call for an effective administrator to be sacked. Advertisement Not a single bad actor referred in this Watson report still works for the CFMEU and all have been removed by the administrator, Rishworth said. Under Irvings administration, the CFMEU has sacked dozens of officials and exposed several cases of serious corruption. Related Article Exclusive Building Bad $15b poured into criminals hands: Bombshell findings CFMEU tried to hide Watson appeared at the Queensland inquiry on Wednesday, where he also rejected opposition calls to sack Irving and said the government would be mad to sack Irving. I might have said some harsh things here today, but in my opinion Ive never met a more honest and decent man. Advertisement Watsons report said a 15 per cent cost was a conservative estimate of the impact of corruption on the public purse, which equated to a $15 billion impost on Victorian taxpayers. When $15 billion of taxpayers money is washed through a system and some of it ends up in the pockets of the Labor Party itself, there is something much deeper and much more important to rebuild public trust, Watson said. Environment Minister Watt, the previous workplace minister who represented Rishworth in a Senate estimates hearing on Wednesday morning, said it was ridiculous for the opposition to call for Irvings dismissal. Irving has responsibility for deciding what parts of the report were released, not the government, he said. [Irving] made a judgment that there were aspects of that report that were not well-founded. Its his call about what gets released, Watt said. Advertisement Environment Minister Murray Watt was workplace minister when the government appointed Mark Irving as the CFMEU administrator. Alex Ellinghausen Liberal senator Maria Kovacic said Irving attempted an industrial-scale cover-up of corruption when he handed an edited version of the Watson report to the Queensland governments inquiry. Related Article CFMEU CFMEU inquiry: Corruption fighter Geoffrey Watson gives evidence on report into unions Victorian branch We need to get the answers today because this has created, in effect, a criminal cartel tax on Australias housing industry. Everyday Australians are paying more for construction and young Australians are paying more for their first homes because of this cover-up and this conduct. Kovacic asked government officials during a Senate estimates hearing if the sections that were removed from the report contained information about Victorian MPs. Advertisement Deputy secretary of the Workplace Relations Department, Greg Manning, said his department received a truncated version of the report on January 27, and since then he had seen the material that was removed. There were chapters that went to estimates of costs of corruption in the building sector and that went to knowledge of the corruption in the building sector. Cut through the noise of federal politics with news, views and expert analysis. Subscribers can sign up to our weekly Inside Politics newsletter. Advertisement PoliticsNSWNSW State Parliament Labor MPs back investigation into police behaviour at Sydney protest Jessica McSweeney and Alexandra Smith February 11, 2026 7:30pm Save 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 A A A All four rebel NSW Labor MPs who protested on Monday night have joined the chorus calling for an independent inquiry into the police actions at Town Hall, as the states police commissioner insists officers will be held responsible for their conduct. A protest against Israeli President Isaac Herzogs visit to Australia descended into chaos when police pushed and pepper-sprayed protesters attempting to march despite restrictions blocking demonstrations in Sydneys CBD, leading to 27 arrests. A man in an altercation with police in Sydney on Monday afternoon. @davidshoebridge The NSW Labor government introduced laws allowing police to restrict areas for protests after the Bondi terror attack in December, when 15 people were killed on the first night of Hanukkah. Labor MP Sarah Kaine, who was among four MPs to attend the protest and defy Premier Chris Minns advice to avoid the CBD on Monday, has called for an inquiry into police actions but was agnostic as to what form it should take. Advertisement Clearly, the events should be investigated, Kaine said. Fellow Labor MP Cameron Murphy, who also attended the protest, said the entire situation would have been avoided if the typical Form 1 process were in place. Related Article Updated Israeli-Palestinian conflict Like a pack of wild dogs: Protester injured in Town Hall clashes calls for officers to be charged Some police clearly used excessive force on Monday and we need to review that, but we also have to look at the broader issues about how we got here. We should also be reviewing the [anti-protest] legislation because it clearly isnt working, Murphy said. When the independent arbiter, being the Supreme Court, is removed, you are inevitably going to get this type of conflict, and we can see that PAG [Palestine Action Group] protesters and police have abided by decisions of the court in the past. Advertisement Anthony DAdam, another Labor MP at the rally, said there needed to be an independent and public inquiry into the circumstances that led to the chaos, in addition to any investigation by the Law Enforcement Conduct Commission (LECC). The fourth Labor MP at the protest, Stephen Lawrence, said an inquiry was not a bad idea, but it shouldnt just focus on police and protesters. The difficult truth is that political and legal elites actually caused the Town Hall riot, he said. A dysfunctional political culture in NSW created possibly the most draconian anti-protest laws in the Western world and an almost inevitable riot, that I openly predicted in parliament late last year. The LECC, which is tasked with investigating allegations of police misconduct, received a complaint on Tuesday from Greens MP Sue Higginson. Higginson attended the rally and alleges officers used pepper spray indiscriminately and struck protesters repeatedly. In one video, a protester is held down by police and punched in his back and sides at least 18 times. The man was charged with assaulting police causing actual bodily harm; police allege he bit an officer and say their actions were necessary. Advertisement In another video Muslim men are on the ground, their heads bowed in prayer, when officers move in and physically remove the men. At least one of the men appears to be thrown to the ground. Higginson called for the LECC to establish an investigation, rather than allow the police to investigate its own conduct. Police and protesters clashed after some tried to march on George Street after the rally. Wolter Peeters We need to see as much evidence as we possibly can we know the police had drones on the top of buildings, we know that there is a large degree of footage out there, she said. There is body-worn video footage on part of the police. It is now time for the premier to join the call for genuine accountability. Advertisement Minns has on multiple occasions implored the public not to judge the actions of police based on short clips on social media. The premiers office did not provide any examples of police body-worn vision or any further context of the polices interactions with protesters when asked by the Herald. The police did their job in the face of incredibly difficult circumstances on Monday evening, Minns said. As the police commissioner said, there are established and independent processes to review police conduct. The call for a LECC investigation was backed by independent member for Sydney Alex Greenwich, who said his office had been inundated with footage and written accounts of interactions with police after the rally. It is going to be important for an independent oversight body to review that footage and question police on actions taken, and allow the police to contribute and share information about their practices, he said. Loading Advertisement A spokesperson for the LECC told the Herald they could not confirm if an investigation exists, or what complaints may have been received. The actions of police officers at Town Hall will be reviewed, NSW Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon told 2GB, pledging individuals would be held responsible for their own actions. Lanyon broadly defended the actions of his officers. They were operating in an extreme and dynamic environment. They did what was required to keep the streets safe and to keep the community safe, Lanyon said. Related Article Visual story Israeli-Palestinian conflict How a protest in the heart of Sydney descended into bloody chaos There is no guarantee that there will be any kind of inquiry, Professor Emeritus Simon Rice of the University of Sydney said. The LECC will have to determine if the complaint made regarding the alleged conduct of officers amounts to serious misconduct in order to decide if an investigation is needed. Advertisement It is wrong that the police have the unaccountable discretion to behave as they choose, and then invoke public safety, Rice said. Redfern Legal Centre supervising solicitor Samantha Lee said a public LECC inquiry would result in the best outcome for the community searching for answers, as any finding of a potential crime would be passed to the Director of Public Prosecutions. Lee said the high legal threshold of serious police misconduct meant the LECC will often refer the matter back to police for an internal investigation. A decision to hold a public inquiry is a discretionary decision based on their capacity, resourcing and their own set agenda for the year, Lee said. Start the day with a summary of the days most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter. Advertisement PoliticsNSWIsraeli-Palestinian conflict Editorial Rather than promote social cohesion, Minns laws have led to concerns about police brutality The Herald's View Editorial Updated February 11, 2026 6:29pm , first published 6:03pm Updated February 11, 2026 6:29pm ,first published 6:03pm Save 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 A A A NSW Police were heavily criticised for not assigning enough officers to watch over the Jewish community at Bondi Beach, and governments responded with tougher legislation and inquiries to ensure public safety and unity. Police clearly were taking no risks on Monday night and flooded the zone to control protests against the visit of Israeli President Isaac Herzog. Police were out in force on Monday night at Town Hall. Wolter Peeters But the reaction to their violent crackdown suggests the Minns governments laws promising to protect the community from racial hatred, offensive symbols, desecration and harassment at places of worship failed on their first outing. Instead of promoting a sense of unity, social cohesion has taken a back seat to concerns about police brutality. Advertisement On George Street on Monday night, a team of Herald reporters and photographers were on the ground covering the demonstration and police response, capturing videos and images as the situation deteriorated and protesters made repeated attempts to break through police lines. Related Article Updated Israeli-Palestinian conflict Like a pack of wild dogs: Protester injured in Town Hall clashes calls for officers to be charged Officers were filmed punching and capsicum-spraying demonstrators. One incident captured in footage from the scene appeared to show several men kneeling to pray before some were dragged away by police. Commenting on footage showing two officers repeatedly punching a man pinned beneath them, NSW Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon said police would allege that the demonstrator had bitten one of the officers. Lanyon told 2GB the actions taken were in response to a violent and aggressive crowd that marched on police, but seemed to step back from unqualified support, saying all officers would be held accountable for their actions. Advertisement Meanwhile, Premier Chris Minns said police would internally investigate the violent incidents from the protest shared on social media, including an analysis of body-worn camera footage. The premier urged the public not to rush to judgment by looking at a 10-second clip without the full context. Of course, camera angles can tell different stories. But the widespread dissemination of videos, photographs and reports showing officers physically restraining protesters outside the Sydney Town Hall looked eerily similar to footage wed expect out of the US, where bystanders and security cameras have captured horrific incidents of police brutality. Such scenes are scarcely seen on Sydneys streets. In 1978, police violently broke up the street parade that would eventually evolve into the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras. The peaceful movement ended in violence and 53 arrests among the more than 500 activists. Advertisement The difference between now and then is that public outrage after 1978 saw police lose a number of powers in relation to street protests, whereas the Minns governments laws, instead of fostering law and order and calm, seem to have helped make confrontation inevitable. The authorities are holding further comments until the arrested protesters work their way through the NSW court system. But it was Minns who recalled parliament shortly after the December 14 shootings to tighten laws around protests. These have not only failed to keep the peace, but needlessly pushed NSW Police into the firing line. It is now incumbent on Minns to be absolutely transparent in explaining how he plans to address the underestimated, unintended consequences of his legislation. Get a weekly wrap of views that will challenge, champion and inform your own. Sign up for our Opinion newsletter. Advertisement PoliticsVictoriaCity life University urged to change course on demolition of modernist building Adam Carey February 12, 2026 5:00am Save 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 A A A Leading scholars at the University of Melbourne are warning the university to rethink its plan to tear down a landmark building designed by one of Australias greatest modernist architects, arguing it risks erasing its own heritage. The plea comes after staff based inside Sir Roy Grounds John Medley Building were told they must vacate ahead of the buildings retirement, as the university presses ahead with a dramatic reshaping of the Parkville campus in which close to a dozen late 20th-century buildings will be demolished. L-R: University of Melbourne professors David Nichols, Christopher Marshall, Alison Young and Philip Goad stand in front of the archway of the John Medley Building. A graduating student poses for a photo behind them. Paul Jeffers For the first time, pre-eminent academics within the universitys Faculty of Arts are speaking out against the planned demolition of the John Medley Building, which was built in the late 1960s and refurbished at a cost of $4.5 million less than 10 years ago. The buildings archway serves as the southern gateway to campus and is a popular photo spot for new and graduating students. Advertisement Professor Philip Goad, chair of architecture at the universitys Faculty of Architecture, Building and Planning, and also chair of the Heritage Council of Victoria, urged the university to reconsider its plan to demolish the John Medley Building. Its heritage significance needs to be really understood properly before theres a decision made to remove it, Goad said. Christopher Marshall, professor of art history and curatorship at the university, said the building was a major public work by one of Australias most important architects and labelled its planned demolition an act of cultural vandalism. The John Medley Building has not been listed on the Victorian heritage register, but Goad said it is one of several modern buildings on campus that contribute to the universitys character. The John Medley Building was designed by Australian modernist architect Sir Roy Grounds and built in the late 1960s. Paul Jeffers Advertisement Though the building is not recognised alongside other Grounds buildings such as Hamer Hall and the National Gallery of Victoria, it is sympathetic to the universitys history and helps to make the campus a more human-scaled place, Goad said. Roy Grounds was thinking about the history of the campus as an urban precinct, rather than doing a one-off, sort of look at me building. Hes doing something which tries to understand the historic nature of the campus and complement it, he said. What John Medley [building] does is allow the university to create a series of quite intimately scaled outdoor rooms, not some giant outdoor mall. Its what a lot of students and staff love about the university, moving through these courtyards between buildings which are relatively well scaled. The building was refurbished less than 10 years ago at a cost of $4.5 million. Paul Jeffers The plea comes after the universitys dean of arts, Professor Jennifer Balint, told staff in December that they will be relocated in mid-2026. Advertisement Balint acknowledged many staff would struggle to come to terms with the buildings fate. I want to acknowledge the great fondness among staff for the John Medley Building as a long-standing and architecturally distinctive gateway to the Parkville campus, she wrote in an email seen by The Age. However, its also important to note that the building has significant limitations, including major accessibility issues, that make it unfit for purpose into the future. Balint emailed staff with an update on Tuesday, hours after The Age submitted questions to the university, informing them the relocation had been deferred until 2027. The John Medley Building was renovated around 2018. Advertisement Alison Young, professor of criminology in the School of Social and Political Sciences, was involved in consultation on the significant refurbishment at the time. That process of design and renovation that I was part of took an entire semester It was a huge amount of labour, Young said. The $4.5 million project involved extending the elevator shafts from the fifth to sixth floor, improving toilet accessibility and refurbishing three floors of the building. A master plan for a full refurbishment was never completed. The building serves as the gateway to the universitys South Lawn, one of its most treasured outdoor spaces. Paul Jeffers During consultation, architects working on the project spoke of the heritage value of Grounds work, and emphasised that any intervention in the building should be sympathetic to his philosophy. Advertisement Its an incredibly well-thought-out building, and its kind of painful that its being reframed as this eyesore and problem, Young said. When The Age visited the building this week, several international students and their families were gathered near the buildings archway, taking family photographs. Marshall says the archway is the welcome mat of the university. Theyre ripping out the welcome mat, he said. The building is part of the universitys cultural heritage, and belongs to everyone, he argued. Advertisement Related Article Exclusive Education The Melbourne University plan to tear down six buildings, fling open its gates and let in the city If we just unthinkingly perform this cultural vandalism, just tear down this building, we cant put it back, Marshall said. Yes, its an old building. It needs care There is just a sense that the University of Melbournes cultural heritage doesnt matter, and it doesnt belong to everybody. But it does. The university released its estate master plan in 2023, trumpeting the greening of Grattan Street by creating 22,000 square metres of parkland. The plan also envisages the demolition of several late 20th century buildings, including the towering Medical Building on the south-west corner. The uncosted plan has a forecast completion date of 2040. Advertisement Melbourne University professor in urban planning David Nichols said that at a time when the university preaches sustainability, it would be more environmentally friendly, and less costly, to update the building than to pull the whole thing down and start again. Theres rhetoric about usability issues with the Medley Building. Whatever the issues are, Im confident that it would cost a lot less to fix those problems within an existing building, he said. Related Article Media & marketing How to make The Age your preferred source on Google Theres some poor decisions being made here about major changes, particularly when one side of the university is saying we dont have the money. In a statement, a university spokesperson said the demolition of the John Medley Building will enable the university to deliver a contemporary, purpose-built teaching space that will become a focal point for student activity on campus. Advertisement This is part of a broader, long-term plan to ensure our precincts and campuses meet the universitys long-term education and research needs, the spokesperson said. Start the day with a summary of the days most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter. Mesfin Tasew, group chief executive officer (CEO) of Ethiopian Airlines, speaks during a briefing in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on Feb. 10, 2026. (Photo by Michael Tewelde/Xinhua) ADDIS ABABA, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- Ethiopian Airlines, Africa's leading carrier, announced on Tuesday that it has generated 4.4 billion U.S. dollars in revenue during the first six months of the current Ethiopian fiscal year that began on July 8, 2025. During a briefing in Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia, Mesfin Tasew, group chief executive officer (CEO) of Ethiopian Airlines, said the revenue saw a 14 percent growth compared to the same period last year. The airline has remained on a growth trajectory through generating higher revenue, expanding international networks, increasing passenger and freight services and adding modern aircraft to its fleet, Tasew said. According to the CEO, the national carrier operates 170 aircraft, flew a total of 333,600 hours during the reported period, and transported more than 10 million passengers across more than 145 international destinations. "We have opened three new destinations, added seven aircrafts into our fleet and carried 10.64 million passengers during the six-month period. In terms of cargo, we carried 451,000 tonnes of cargo, which is 19 percent higher compared to the same period of last year," he said. The CEO, however, also noted that a shortage of aircraft, bad weather, conflicts in different parts of the world, and global uncertainty were some of the operational challenges facing the airline. He added that the U.S. visa policies under President Donald Trump, which restricted entry and limited visa issuance for certain travelers, particularly for those from Africa, affected the airline's operation. Ethiopian Airlines holds a briefing in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on Feb. 10, 2026. (Photo by Michael Tewelde/Xinhua) Advertisement PoliticsWARenting Supply strain turns up heat on government as WA rents continue to skyrocket Hamish Hastie February 12, 2026 5:00am Save 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 A A A Another set of dire figures laying bare Western Australias rental crisis has turned up the pressure on state and federal governments as to address lagging housing supply. Cotality data shows rents have outpaced wage growth by more than two-thirds in the past five years. Rental prices continue to rise above wage growth. Ross Swanborough Since 2020 rents jumped by 66 per cent over five years, while wages grew by 18.5 per cent in the same period. The new data followed the Cotality Quarterly Rental Review report in January that found Perths rents had risen by 5.9 per cent over 2025 to sit second-highest in the nation, behind only Sydney. Advertisement The most affordable suburbs in Perth ranged from $473 per week in Orelia to $540 in Kelmscott. Meanwhile, Melbournes Melton South averaged $376 per week, with Sydneys cheapest suburbs averaging $472. Related Article Planning and development A plan for 50,000 homes in Perths north is under way. But has the government really learned from Ellenbrook? WA Liberal Senator Dean Smith put the blame for the alarming figures at the feet of state and federal Labor governments fuelling demand through immigration and failing to deliver on housing supply promises. While wages in WA have only grown 18.5 per cent, rents have increased a crippling 66 per cent in five years most of that time under Federal Labor and all of it under WA Labor, he said. This is the steepest increase in Australia, 50 per cent greater than the national figure of 43.9 per cent, and it is causing WA renters unprecedented financial pain on Labors watch. Advertisement It is the direct result of Labors failure to deliver housing supply and an unmodelled immigration policy that has pushed demand beyond what the market can absorb. Without urgent action, including to lift construction and cut red tape, the rental crisis in the west will continue to deepen. However, WA Housing Minister John Carey this week rejected criticism his government was not doing enough to boost housing supply, pointing to a $6.3 billion investment since 2021 in social and affordable housing, and homeless programs. Carey said WA was not alone in facing extraordinary housing pressures and there wasnt a single silver bullet. Theres not one easy solution for this, but that is why youre seeing this government undertake unprecedented measures, whether its the record investment, whether its cutting red tape from granny flats to broader housing development, or unlocking land through our new housing infrastructure fund, he said. Advertisement WAs commitment to the Albanese governments Housing Accord requires about 6500 homes to be built in the state per quarter. Related Article Renting The numbers speak for themselves: New figures paint grim picture for Perth renters Currently, WA is about 4500 homes behind its Housing Accord target, but the state government is confident the steady increase in the construction workforce is helping. The latest ABS Employment by Industry data shows that Western Australias construction workforce was 161,100 in the December quarter 2025, and averaged 153,800 in 2025, a spokesman for Carey said. The construction workforce has increased significantly in the last four years, up from 128,000 in 2021, an increase in 20.2 per cent over this period. Advertisement WA Council of Social Services boss Louise Giolitto said the new data was deeply concerning but reinforced what they already knew: runaway rents were forcing more and more Western Australians into financial hardship. Our recent Cost of Living Report showed that families with two working parents and age pensioners who are renting their homes are struggling to meet the cost of survival, she said. We need greater protections for vulnerable renters, who have little bargaining power against soaring rent increases in this market. This includes improving tenancy laws to end no-grounds terminations and introducing longer notice periods for rent increases, as well as extending the WA Rent Relief Program to support renters in financial crisis. Start the day with a summary of the days most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter. Anterselva, Italy: After a stunning confession on live television that he had cheated on his girlfriend, Norwegian biathlete Sturla Holm Laegreid said overnight he regrets going public about his private life at Milano Cortina 2026. His former girlfriend, meanwhile, has spoken out about the athletes admission to Norwegian media. In an interview with Norwegian network NRK after winning bronze in the mens 20-kilometre individual race on Tuesday (Wednesday AEDT) Laegreid revealed on camera that he had been unfaithful to the love of my life, in an apparent attempt to win her back. Sturla Holm Laegreid, the Norwegian bronze medallist in biathlon, says he regrets going public with his infidelity. Credit: AP However, his tearful confession didnt go down well with critics, who said it took the focus away from teammate Johan-Olav Botn, who shot clean to win the gold medal in the event. I deeply regret sharing this personal story on what was a day of celebration for Norwegian biathlon, Laegreid said in a statement issued by the Norwegian team on Wednesday (overnight in Australia). In this new series, My Happy Place, Travellers writers reflect on the holiday destinations in Australia and around the world that they cherish the most. The world falls away as I cross the boundary into Kruger National Park. The past lies behind me, and a new chapter begins. Ahead lies an endless network of roads upon which I will acquire new memories, and a tract of bushveld so immense it measures the size of a small country. Wild animals are the only sovereign citizens of this undomesticated state; their territory is dictated by the elements most recently torrential rain and floods that reconfigured the landscape and forced the park to close. Kruger National Park in South Africa iStock The park has tentatively reopened, and devotees are revving at the gates (check the SANParks website to see which gates and camps are open). Indeed, its difficult to describe to those who havent spent time embedded here the allure of South Africas largest national park, a 360-kilometre-long, 65-kilometre-wide sanctuary safeguarded from civilisation on the border of Zimbabwe and Mozambique in the northeast of the country. Named for Boer statesman Paul Kruger, it was gazetted in 1926 when the Sabi and Shingwedzi game reserves were consolidated. The park officially turns 100 in 2026 and Ive been savouring its embrace for almost half its life. Theres not a remote dirt road I havent rumbled along in an old Volkswagen Kombi, no waterhole at which I havent stopped, pulled out a thermos, and waited for nature to seduce me. Im soothed by memories of Ouma rusks dipped into sunrise coffees, icy Castle Lagers on demonically hot days, the scent of braais lighting up around a circle of rondavels all necessities for a quintessentially South African safari. My earliest memory of Kruger is from a school excursion when I was eight years old. We stayed at Pretoriuskop camp in the parks southwestern corner, and took game drives in a school bus. Through streaky glass I snapped pictures with my Kodak camera: a blurry bird, an expressionless waterbuck. With the pocket money Id saved I bought my mother a small tray painted the colour of yellow thatching grass and embossed with giraffes. For years she would deliver my fathers morning tea on that trinket; when she died two decades later I found it in one of her kitchen drawers. Advertisement WorldNorth AmericaMass shooting Canadian school shooting suspect identified as 18-year-old Jesse Van Rootselaar David Ljunggren Updated February 12, 2026 2:33pm ,first published February 12, 2026 7:47am Save 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 A A A Ottawa: The suspect in a deadly school shooting in western Canada was an 18-year-old with mental health issues who killed her mother and step-brother before attacking her former school, police said, but investigators did not offer a motive for one of the worst mass slaughters in the countrys history. The killer, who police named as Jesse Van Rootselaar, died by suicide after the shooting in Tumbler Ridge, a remote community in the Pacific province of British Columbia. Police also revised the death toll down to nine from the initially reported 10, including Van Rootselaar. Two severely injured victims remain in hospital. Police at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School on Wednesday. AP We have a history of police attendance at the family residence. Some of those calls are related to mental health issues, Deputy Commissioner Dwayne McDonald, commander of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police in British Columbia, told a press conference on Wednesday (Ottawa time). McDonald said Van Rootselaar, a biological male who began to identify as female six years ago, had first killed her mother, Jennifer Strang, 39, and her 11-year-old step-brother at the family home. Advertisement Van Rootselaar then went to Tumbler Ridge Secondary School and shot a 39-year-old female teacher as well as three 12-year-old female students and two male students, one aged 12 and one aged 13. One victim was found in a stairwell, and the rest were found in the school library, McDonald said. We do believe the suspect acted alone ... it would be too early to speculate on motive, he told a press conference. McDonald said Van Rootselaar was not a current student at the school, having dropped out about four years ago. Police had seized a number of legally held weapons from the family home on previous visits, McDonald said, but the owner successfully petitioned for them to be returned. Two firearms a long gun and a modified handgun were recovered from the scene of the shooting. Van Rootselaar previously had a firearms licence, but it expired in 2024, McDonald said. Advertisement Canadians between the ages of 12 and 17 can obtain a minors firearms licence after taking a firearms safety course and passing tests. Loading Details of some of the victims began to slowly emerge on Thursday AEDT. Posting on Facebook, Abel Mwansa said his 12-year-old son, also named Abel, had died in the shooting. Our son went to school this morning and it happened that someone came to school with a GUN went to my kids classroom shot some kids and my son was killed too just like that, Mwansa wrote. Advertisement Pray for Tumbler Ridge Another woman, Shanon Dycke, said her 12-year-old niece, Kylie May Smith, was among the victims. Pray for the other families who have lost their child, or are waiting to hear news, she wrote on Facebook. Just pray for Tumbler Ridge. The London Telegraph identified one of the critically injured victims as 12-year-old Maya Gebala, who was shot by Van Rootselaar in the head and neck. Cia Edmonds, her mother, said the day had started as any other and ended with her sitting by her daughters bedside in the critical care unit of Vancouver Childrens Hospital. Advertisement She was a lucky one, I suppose, Edmonds wrote in an online message two hours after the shooting. Earlier in the day, a visibly upset Prime Minister Mark Carney promised Canadians would get through what he called a terrible shooting. Carney, who has postponed a trip to Europe, said he had ordered flags on all government buildings be flown at half-mast for the next seven days, while British Columbia declared Thursday (Canadian time) as a day of mourning We will get through this. We will learn from this, he told reporters, at one point looking close to tears. Advertisement But right now, its a time to come together, as Canadians always do in these situations, these terrible situations, to support each other, to mourn together and to grow together. Several prominent world leaders sent messages of condolence. King Charles, Canadas head of state, said he was profoundly shocked and saddened by the deaths. Students locked down Shelley Quist said her 17-year-old son, Darian, was on lockdown in the school for more than two hours. The provincial government website lists Tumbler Ridge Secondary School as having 175 students in grades 7 to 12. Advertisement The grade sevens and eights, I think, were upstairs in the library, and thats where the shooter went, she said. Her son was in the library just 15 minutes prior to the attack. Quist was working at a nearby hospital when the shooting started. Students leave the school after being locked down for more than two hours. AP I was about to go run down to the school, but my coworker held me back. And then I was able to get Darian on the phone to know he was OK, she said. Darian Quist said he knew the attack was real when the principal came down the halls and ordered doors to be closed. He said fellow students texted him pictures of blood while he remained locked down in a classroom. Advertisement We used the desk to block the doors, he said. Canada has stricter gun laws than the United States, but the shooting ranks among the deadliest in Canadian history. In April 2020, a 51-year-old man disguised in a police uniform and driving a fake police car shot and killed 22 people in a 13-hour rampage in the Atlantic province of Nova Scotia, before police killed him at a gas station. In Canadas worst school shooting, in December 1989, a gunman killed 14 female students and wounded 13 at the Ecole Polytechnique in Montreal, Quebec, before killing himself. Theres not a word in the English language thats strong enough to describe the level of devastation that this community has experienced, said Larry Neufeld, a local provincial legislator. Advertisement Its going to take a significant amount of effort and a significant amount of courage to repair that terror, he told CBC News. Reuters Lifeline 13 11 14. Beyond Blue 1300 22 4636. Get a note directly from our foreign correspondents on whats making headlines around the world. Sign up for our weekly What in the World newsletter. Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Share More: Mass shooting Canada Advertisement Updated WorldNorth AmericaCrime Ten dead, including suspect, after mass school shooting in Canada Updated February 11, 2026 5:22pm ,first published 1:44pm Save 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 A A A Tumbler Ridge: Ten people, including a suspected shooter, are dead after a shooting in the small town of Tumbler Ridge in the Canadian province of British Columbia. Six people were found dead inside a high school, two more were found dead at a property that police believe is connected to the incident, and another died on the way to hospital, CBC News said, adding that the suspected shooter had been confirmed dead. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police said more than 25 people were injured, including two in a life-threatening condition, after the shooting at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School. RCMP Superintendent Ken Floyd told reporters that investigators had identified the shooter but would not release a name, and that the suspects motive remained unclear. Advertisement We are not in a place to understand why or what may have motivated this tragedy, Floyd said. He added that police were still investigating how the victims were connected to the shooter. Police issued an active shooter alert advising people to shelter in place. Floyd said the suspected shooter, who was found dead at the school, was the same person described in the active shooter alert sent to phones in the area earlier today. In that alert, police described the suspect as a woman in a dress with brown hair, CBC reported. Advertisement As part of the initial response to the active shooting, police entered the school to locate the threat. During the search, officers located multiple victims. An individual believed to be the shooter was also found deceased with what appears to be a self-inflicted injury, the RCMP said in an earlier statement. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said in a statement on X: I am devastated by todays horrific shootings in Tumbler Ridge. My prayers and deepest condolences are with the families and friends who have lost loved ones to these horrific acts of violence. British Columbia Premier David Eby also offered his condolences on social media and pledged government support to the community in coming to terms with an unimaginable tragedy. Larry Neufeld, the member of the legislature for Peace River South, said an excess of resources, including RCMP and ambulance support, had been sent to the community. Advertisement Tumbler Ridge, which has a population of about 2400, is more than 1000 kilometres north of Vancouver, near the border with Alberta. The provincial government website lists Tumbler Ridge Secondary School as having 175 students from grades 7 to 12. Tumbler Ridge Secondary School has 175 students enrolled from grades 7 - 12. School shootings are rare in Canada. Canadas government has responded to previous mass shootings with gun control measures, including a recently broadened ban on all guns it considers assault weapons. In April 2020, a 51-year-old man disguised in a police uniform and driving a fake police car shot and killed 22 people in a 13-hour rampage in the Atlantic province of Nova Scotia, before police killed him at a petrol station about 90 kilometres from the scene of his first killings. Advertisement In Canadas worst school shooting, in December 1989, a gunman killed 14 female students and wounded 13 at the Ecole Polytechnique in Montreal, Quebec, before committing suicide. Loading AP, Reuters Get a note directly from our foreign correspondents on whats making headlines around the world. Sign up for our weekly What in the World newsletter. Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Share More: Crime Tragedy Canada Guns WASHINGTON, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- An 18-month-old girl held at a U.S. immigration detention center was hospitalized with a life-threatening respiratory illness last month and returned to custody days later without receiving the prescribed daily medication, according to a federal lawsuit filed Friday. The girl and her parents were arrested during a scheduled check-in with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in December and transferred to the Dilley Immigration Processing Center (Dilley) in south Texas, a remote family detention facility, the lawsuit said. The girl, who had been healthy before her detention, was diagnosed with pneumonia, COVID-19, respiratory syncytial virus and severe respiratory distress when being sent to a hospital in January, according to the lawsuit. After spending 10 days in a hospital, the girl was returned to immigration detention and was denied "access to the medication that doctors prescribed for her at the hospital," the lawsuit said. As NBC reported, medical experts who reviewed her records said the girl was in "extreme danger" and faced a "high risk for medical decompensation and death." After her lawyer filed an emergency habeas corpus petition in federal court on Friday, the girl and her parents were released. The lawyer added that ICE still retained the child's prescriptions and birth certificate. "DEEPLY TROUBLING" The case has drawn renewed attention to Dilley, the only family detention center currently in operation in the United States. According to a report from DetentionReports.com, the population there has surged from fewer than 500 in October to 1,332 as of late January. As Austin Kocher, an assistant research professor at Syracuse University, estimated, approximately 800 of those detained are likely children. Immigration attorney Eric Lee, who visited the facility in late January, described conditions at Dilley as "deeply troubling." U.S. Representative Joaquin Castro, who also visited the center, said what he observed amounted to "inhumanity." According to a report by ProPublica, a nonprofit investigative journalism organization, children detained at Dilley said they had experienced inadequate food, contaminated water, insufficient medical care and limited access to education. Dilley is not the only ICE facility to have raised concerns. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said on Monday that a Palestinian woman who had been detained by ICE in Texas since March was hospitalized after suffering a seizure on Friday. In a statement, the woman's legal team said she had experienced dizziness, fainting episodes and other symptoms linked to poor nutrition while in custody. The legal team said ICE failed to inform the woman's lawyers and family of her condition and whereabouts following her hospitalization. With prolonged detention, some immigrants remain in ICE custody even after agreeing to leave the United States. Ana Alicia Huerta, a senior attorney at the California Collaborative for Immigrant Justice, told local media that some detainees continued to wait for court hearings despite having signed voluntary deportation forms. In a 2001 ruling, the U.S. Supreme Court said immigration detention should not be indefinite, finding six months to be a presumptively reasonable period. However, the DHS said its policies follow the law, citing a court ruling that the administration can continue to detain immigrants without bond. The media have reported that at least six immigrants have died in ICE detention centers in the United States so far in 2026. One was initially reported as a suicide by ICE and then the local authorities ruled his death a homicide. In two other cases, family members and lawyers have questioned whether detainees received timely medical treatment, raising concerns over delayed or ignored care. Under provisions of U.S. federal law and DHS appropriations statutes, ICE is required to provide detailed reports on immigrants who die in the agency's custody within 90 days of their deaths. However, according to a report by Zeteo, since October, ICE has failed to do so for at least eight immigrants who have died in detention centers. WHAT ARE THEY HIDING? According to ICE data, over 90 percent of people are held in privately-run immigrant detention centers, which annually gain profits of hundreds of millions of U.S. dollars from contracts with ICE. The American Immigration Council recently issued a report, saying ICE has signed extensive new contracts with private prison companies to reopen shuttered prisons and detention centers or expand existing facilities. New plans suggest that the administration may open a tent camp and even purchase unused commercial warehouses and convert them into jails to hold thousands of people at a time. Private-prison operator GEO Group has rejected a shareholder vote designed to shed light on alleged human rights violations in its operation of ICE detention centers, local media reported on Monday. "The fact that the company isn't transparent with us, that raises red flags," said Bryan Pham, a Jesuit priest who leads the investors' talks with GEO. "Does it have something to hide?" Press Release from Business Wire: World Governments Summit (AFP) Feb 10, 2026 DUBAI, Feb 10, 2026 (BSW) - Under the leadership of UAE President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, the World Governments Summit concluded in Dubai with its largest-ever participation, featuring more than 6,250 attendees. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260210283291/en/ World Governments Summit 2026 concludes in Dubai with record participation, bringing together more than 6,250 global leaders from over 150 countries to advance dialogue on governance, innovation, and sustainable development (Photo: AETOSWire) A Global Platform Convening Global Leaders Held in Dubai from 3 to 5 February, the World Governments Summit 2026 convened decision-makers, thought leaders and experts from across sectors, reinforcing the summit's role as a global platform for shaping the future of governance. This unprecedented gathering featured representatives from more than 150 governments, over 700 CEOs, more than 500 ministers, and 60 heads of state. It also welcomed more than 87 Nobel laureates and internationally recognised scientists, alongside 80+ international organisations and research centres. Presidents and other global leaders convened to engage in high-profile strategic discussions. Sessions included "Is the Next Decade African?" where African presidents outlined their vision for the coming decade; "The Geopolitical Reset" with Dr. Anwar Gargash and Mike Pompeo; and "A Conversation with the President of the Swiss Confederation" outlining strategic global priorities. High-Impact Announcements and Strategic Milestones During its 13th edition, the summit hosted more than 445 dialogue sessions involving over 450 global figures, alongside 25 global forums and more than 45 ministerial and high-level meetings. The summit featured several high-impact announcements, including the launch of the OPENSCI initiative at the World Laureates Summit; a partnership between Dubai's Roads and Transport Authority and Elon Musk's The Boring Company to advance the Dubai Loop passenger tunnel project; the unveiling of the world's largest AI chip; the announcement of autonomous transit pods in partnership with Glydways as part of Dubai's next-generation mobility plans; and new sustainability initiatives, including plans to adopt the "sponge city" model to strengthen urban climate resilience, alongside a broader wave of agreements and initiatives. Looking Ahead to WGS 2027 Building on this momentum, the summit's next edition is scheduled to take place from 1 to 3 February 2027, with an aim to continue shaping the future of governments and societies worldwide. Source:AETOSWire View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260210283291/en/ Contact Ahmed Yahya[email protected] 2026 Business Wire, Inc.Disclaimer:This press release is not a document produced by AFP. AFP shall not bear responsibility for its content. In case you have any questions about this press release, please refer to the contact person/entity mentioned in the text of the press release. Press Release from Business Wire: Eclipse (AFP) Feb 10, 2026 PARIS, Feb 10, 2026 (BSW) - Eclipse, a leading battery storage, development, and energy trading company, and BNP Paribas, one of the largest banks in the Eurozone, today announced a strategic partnership to accelerate the deployment of Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) and strengthen Europe's energy resilience. This partnership includes a strategic equity investment in Eclipse by BNP Paribas. Through its proprietary algo trading software, Flowstream, Eclipse optimizes battery energy storage assets in real-time for its own and third-party assets. As an integrated BESS player, Eclipse develops, owns, and operates industrial-scale energy assets. The company currently has a pipeline of 16 projects in France and Belgium, representing a total capacity of 850 MW. The partnership with BNP Paribas provides asset owners with tailored financing solutions for BESS projects, as well as hedging instruments to manage merchant risk and reduce asset-level cost of capital. This collaboration will enable Eclipse and BNP Paribas to jointly offer long-term offtake solutions, leveraging BNP Paribas' credit strength and structuring capabilities and Eclipse's state of the art optimization and continuous trading expertise to support the financing and scaling of battery storage projects. The partnership builds on BNP Paribas' long-standing expertise in the European physical and financial power markets, where the bank has been actively trading electricity for over 20 years. Augustin Derville, Co-founder & CEO, Eclipse, said: "Eclipse has developed unmatched expertise across the Battery Energy Storage System value chain, combining project development with grid-scale optimization capabilities. This dual business model gives us a unique understanding of market dynamics. The partnership with BNP Paribas will enable us to deliver long-term revenue solutions to our clients, and robust asset financing to support the growth of battery storage across Europe." "This innovative partnership between BNP Paribas and Eclipse reflects our shared commitment to building a more resilient energy infrastructure for Europe," commented Olivier Osty, Deputy COO, BNP Paribas Group and CEO, BNP Paribas CIB. "By combining Eclipse's expertise in industrial-scale battery storage with BNP Paribas' financial and structuring capabilities, we are developing solutions that enhance market flexibility, efficiency, and sustainability, helping utilities, IPPs, and corporates navigate the transition while contributing to the EU's broader objectives of energy resilience and strategic autonomy." As the global energy landscape continues to evolve, electricity demand is rising, driven by the electrification of transport, buildings, and industrial processes, as well as population growth. Renewable energy is expected to meet almost all new demand, with electricity representing half of global energy consumption by mid-century. This transformation demands agile, innovative market structures to support decentralization, system stability, and sustainability. Europe's power markets offer extensive opportunities for investment in renewable generation, energy storage, and related infrastructure. The partnership between Eclipse and BNP Paribas is well-positioned to play a crucial role in financing this next generation of energy assets, supporting the energy transition, while enhancing energy security and market stability for producers and consumers across Europe. About EclipseEclipse is an infrastructure technology company focused on the development and operation of Battery Energy Storage systems (BESS), enhanced by proprietary optimization and trading algorithms. Its fully operational algorithmic trading platform is directly connected to European power exchanges, enabling real-time optimization across multiple revenue streams, including revenue stacking and continuous trading, while preserving battery performance. In parallel, Eclipse operates as an Independent Flexibility Provider, developing, owning and operating grid-scale BESS projects. The company also expands its asset base by originating optimization contracts for third-party BESS owners, bringing additional systems under management. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260210795626/en/ Contact For further information, please contact:[email protected] 2026 Business Wire, Inc.Disclaimer:This press release is not a document produced by AFP. AFP shall not bear responsibility for its content. In case you have any questions about this press release, please refer to the contact person/entity mentioned in the text of the press release. Press Release from Business Wire: Mobileum Inc. (AFP) Feb 11, 2026 CUPERTINO, Feb 11, 2026 (BSW) - Mobileum Inc. ("Mobileum"), a leading global provider of analytics and network solutions, and NOHOLD, a leader in enterprise-grade AI assistant platforms, have announced the launch of a new white-labeled AI Assistant solution designed specifically for telecom operators serving small and medium-sized enterprises (SME/SMBs). The new offering builds on the strategic AI alliance announced in September 2025, moving from concept to a market-ready solution. Telecom operators can now offer branded AI Assistant services that help SME/SMBs enhance customer engagement, drive sales, and improve productivity through AI technology, with operators providing the tools so SME/SMBs avoid managing complex AI themselves. As traditional connectivity revenues continue to be under pressure, SME/SMBs are seeking value-added digital services from their telecom providers. With AI Assistants, operators can deliver easy-to-use, subscription-based solutions that help SME/SMBs automate support and sales, strengthening relationships, increasing average revenue per user (ARPU), and differentiating operator services within existing billing models. Under the partnership, telecom operators can brand, package, and resell AI Assistants as a managed service, powered by NOHOLD's SICURA(R) QuickStart platform and delivered to market by Mobileum. SME/SMBs can deploy conversational AI in minutes just by uploading documents or connecting their website, without coding, gaining a secure, compliant, multilingual solution across web and social channels, with built-in analytics for greater insight into their business. "Following our strategic alliance announcement last year, this launch represents an important next step in helping telecom operators turn AI into a practical, revenue-generating service," said Miguel Carames, Chief Product Officer at Mobileum. "Together with NOHOLD, we are enabling operators to move beyond connectivity and deliver AI-powered value that small and medium-sized businesses are able to adopt immediately and see measurable impact from." "SME/SMBs want AI solutions that are easy to deploy, affordable, and secure, but they don't want to become AI experts," said Diego Ventura, CEO and Founder at NOHOLD. "By partnering with Mobileum, we're bringing our AI Assistant platform to market through trusted telecom providers that already have deep relationships with SME customers." The AI Assistant addresses SME/SMB needs, including customer support, sales enablement, onboarding, and operational efficiency. Telecom operators benefit from rapid deployment, low operational overhead, and predictable recurring revenue, reinforcing their role as trusted digital partners. SME/SMBs receive practical tools to streamline their operations and help drive business growth. The new offering is available immediately to Mobileum's global telecom customer base. About Mobileum Inc. Mobileum is a leading provider of Telecom analytics solutions for roaming, core network, security, risk management, domestic and international connectivity testing, and customer intelligence. More than 1,000 customers rely on its Active Intelligence platform, which provides advanced analytics solutions, allowing customers to connect deep network and operational intelligence with real-time actions that increase revenue, improve customer experience, and reduce costs. Headquartered in Silicon Valley, Mobileum has global offices in Australia, Germany, Greece, India, Japan, Portugal, Singapore, UK, and United Arab Emirates. Learn more at www.mobileum.com About NOHOLD NOHOLD, Inc. is a Silicon Valley-based pioneer of enterprise-grade AI, delivering interactive and diagnostic virtual assistants via its award?winning SICURA(R) platform. Since its founding in 1999, the company has partnered with Fortune 500 organizations worldwide-spanning financial services, healthcare, HR, education, and more-to streamline customer and employee experiences, reduce reliance on traditional call centers, and drive measurable ROI through intelligent automation. Backed by four granted patents and annual SOC 2 Type II / HIPAA compliance audits, NOHOLD has built over 1,400 AI Assistants that deliver secure, scalable self?service, handling sensitive data with enterprise-grade trust. With two decades of expertise and a global footprint, the NOHOLD AI Alliance? continues empowering enterprises to elevate digital service experiences through responsible, next?generation AI. More information can be found at www.nohold.com View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260211131964/en/ Contact For more information or to express interest in joining the alliance, please contact: QUEXOR GROUP INC.Cheryl Fritz | [email protected] | Mob.: +1 (703) 856-5932 Media and Corporate Communications - MobileumSandra Almeida | [email protected] | Mob. +351 939650229 2026 Business Wire, Inc.Disclaimer:This press release is not a document produced by AFP. AFP shall not bear responsibility for its content. In case you have any questions about this press release, please refer to the contact person/entity mentioned in the text of the press release. Press Release from Business Wire: LTIMindtree (AFP) Feb 11, 2026 MUMBAI, Feb 11, 2026 (BSW) - LTIMindtree today unveiled their new brand identity and positioning, which marks a defining moment for the Company. Its Board of Directors has also approved a proposal to change the Company name as 'LTM Limited', subject to shareholder and regulatory approvals. The new identity and positioning as the Business Creativity partner reflects how LTM's technology capabilities and deep domain expertise converge to create meaningful stakeholder value. This defines how competitive advantage is built in the Agentic Enterprise era, where access to technology alone is no longer a differentiator. LTM brings the very best of human insights and intelligent systems for its clients - applying technology with creativity, precision, and accountability. With the new name and positioning, the Company is also signaling a clear call to action: "It's time to Outcreate".For its clients, Outcreate is how LTM thinks disruptively, reframes industries, and owns business outcomes through Business Creativity. Together with its partners, LTM will Outcreate opportunities and solutions that scale impact, not complexity. For its employees, it means bringing a creator's mindset to problem-solving and applying AI to help clients move forward with creativity, confidence, and intent. "As markets change and client expectations evolve, we are stepping forward with a brand that reflects both who we are today, and our vision for the future. As the Business Creativity partner, we are creating new ways of working, new productivity paradigms, and new roads to value. Our intent is simple: to help our clients not just outperform the market, but to Outcreate it," said Venu Lambu, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, LTM. About LTM: LTM is an AI-centric global technology services company and the Business Creativity partner to the world's largest and most disruptive enterprises. We bring human insights and intelligent systems together to help clients create greater value at the intersection of technology and domain expertise. Our capabilities span integrated operations, transformation, and business AI - enabling new ways of working, new productivity paradigms, and new roads to value. Together with over 87,000 employees across 40 countries and our global network of partners, LTM - a Larsen & Toubro Company - owns business outcomes for our clients, helping them not just outperform the market, but to Outcreate it. Read more at LTM.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260210683001/en/ Contact Media Contacts:Michelle Kumar[email protected] +91 9845061533Gitanjali Sreepal[email protected] +91 7259563850Shambhavi Revandkar[email protected] +91 9769509545 2026 Business Wire, Inc.Disclaimer:This press release is not a document produced by AFP. AFP shall not bear responsibility for its content. In case you have any questions about this press release, please refer to the contact person/entity mentioned in the text of the press release. Press Release from Business Wire: OpenX Technologies, Inc. (AFP) Feb 11, 2026 LONDON, Feb 11, 2026 (BSW) - OpenX Technologies, Inc., one of the world's leading omnichannel supply-side platforms, today announced the appointment of Natalie Fisher-Brown as Regional Vice President, EMEA Buyer Development. Fisher-Brown will lead, develop, and manage OpenX's buy-side sales and account management organisations across EMEA, with a focus on strengthening key strategic markets and driving long-term growth for partners. In this new role, Fisher-Brown will oversee the development of senior-level relationships across agencies and brands. She will work closely with well-established and emerging partners to build strategic collaborations that support responsible innovation and sustainable growth. Fisher-Brown's appointment follows recent hires in France and Germany, reflecting OpenX's continued investment in market expansion as it evolves the role of the SSP to meet the needs of buyers. Across EMEA, advertisers and agencies are navigating fragmented supply paths, higher expectations around transparency and quality, and sustainability pressures. By strengthening regional leadership, OpenX is continuing to invest in direct partnerships, supply quality standards, and future-ready infrastructure, ensuring EMEA remains a core driver of innovation and growth. "Natalie is an exceptional leader with a deep understanding of buyer decision-making and agency dynamics," said Joseph Worswick, VP, Buyer Development EMEA/APAC at OpenX. "As we continue to scale across the region, Natalie's leadership will be instrumental in strengthening our position and reinforcing OpenX's role as a trusted and innovative advertising partner." Fisher-Brown brings more than 20 years of experience across media, advertising, and adtech. She has held senior leadership roles at Criteo, Yahoo, and Verizon, building and scaling high-performing commercial teams across Europe. Most recently, she served as Global Head of Sales at WeTransfer, leading global commercial strategy and agency and brand partnerships, helping position the platform as a destination for creative, impactful advertising. "I'm incredibly excited to join OpenX at such a pivotal moment for our industry," saidNatalie Fisher-Brown, RVP, EMEA Buyer Development at OpenX."This role brings together a purpose-led business, real growth at scale, and the opportunity to help shape an industry built on quality, trust, and sustainability. I'm looking forward to working closely with our teams and partners across EMEA to create strategic value for our partners." About OpenX OpenX is an independent omni-channel supply-side platform (SSP) and a global leader in supply-side targeting, transparency, and sustainability. Through its 100% cloud-based tech stack, OpenX powers advertising across CTV, app, mobile web, and desktop, enabling publishers to deliver marketers with improved performance and dynamic future-proofed solutions. With a 15-year track record of programmatic innovation, OpenX is a direct and trusted partner of the world's largest publishers, working with more than 130,000 premium publisher domains and over 100,000 advertisers. As the market leader in sustainability, OpenX was the first adtech company to be certified as CarbonNeutral? and third-party verified for achieving its SBTi Net-Zero targets. Learn more at www.openx.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260211165795/en/ Contact Press ContactZoey Larsen, [email protected] 2026 Business Wire, Inc.Disclaimer:This press release is not a document produced by AFP. AFP shall not bear responsibility for its content. In case you have any questions about this press release, please refer to the contact person/entity mentioned in the text of the press release. Press Release from Business Wire: Echodyne (AFP) Feb 11, 2026 KIRKLAND, Feb 11, 2026 (BSW) - Echodyne , the radar platform company, today announces a major near-term expansion in its advanced radar production capacity. Echodyne's new 86,350-square-foot facility will provide enough manufacturing and warehouse space to produce and ship more than 30,000 radars per year. The company's modular manufacturing approach allows production capacity to flex to match varying demand across product lines as well as seamlessly introducing new product lines and capabilities. The investment reflects Echodyne's continued commitment to: enhancing security and safety as UxS become ubiquitous on the battlefield and in society in general, staying ahead of the accelerating demand in the U.S. and in Allied countries around the globe, and strengthening America's defense industrial base. Counter-UAS (C-UAS), beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) operations for drone-as-first-responders (DFR), force protection, border security, and on-the-move (OTM) are among the applications and capabilities driving accelerating demand for high-resolution radar surveillance of air and surface domains. The company's patented metamaterials electronically scanned array (MESA(R)) technology delivers unrivaled data fidelity - pinpoint accuracy, track stability, AI-based classification of threats, and well-defined high-speed application programming interfaces (APIs) for easy integration into systems of systems - in a compact, solid-state, commercially-exportable radar product. Eben Frankenberg, the CEO of Echodyne, commented: "We are proud to be opening this new facility in Washington State, the location of our headquarters and a long-time global hub for tech innovation and advanced manufacturing. The extraordinary performance of MESA radar stands in marked contrast to the purposeful simplicity of its design, making high-fidelity radar broadly accessible for defense and civilian safety and security applications. This new investment in manufacturing capacity will allow us to supercharge production to meet the rapidly growing global demand for our products." Echodyne expects to continue to hire at a rapid pace to support its expanding manufacturing operations. Open positions can be found at Echodyne.com/careers. About Echodyne Echodyne, the radar platform company, is a U.S. designer and manufacturer of high-performance radar systems for defense, government, and commercial market applications. The company combines patented metamaterials electronically scanned array (MESA(R)) technology with powerful software and machine learning to deliver high-fidelity situational awareness data pinpointing activity in air and surface domains with unrivalled speed, accuracy, and precision. Proven and trusted by militaries, agencies, integrators, and critical infrastructure around the globe, Echodyne's products set a new standard for commercial high-fidelity radar excellence. Privately held, the company is headquartered in Kirkland, WA, USA and backed by Bill Gates, NEA, Madrona Venture Group, Baillie Gifford, and Northrop Grumman, among others. See radar in action at Echodyne.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260211768604/en/ Contact David Claxton, [email protected] 2026 Business Wire, Inc.Disclaimer:This press release is not a document produced by AFP. AFP shall not bear responsibility for its content. In case you have any questions about this press release, please refer to the contact person/entity mentioned in the text of the press release. Press Release from Business Wire: TuneTaxi (AFP) Feb 11, 2026 HILVERSUM, Feb 11, 2026 (BSW) - TuneTaxi has launched its AI-powered production music platform, offering creators an easy way to generate and access royalty-free music for videos, podcasts, apps, and digital experiences. Built for creators, TuneTaxi focuses on production music - tracks designed to enhance content without distracting from it - and removes common barriers like licensing complexity, providing ready-to-use tracks cleared for commercial use. "TuneTaxi makes production music simple," says the TuneTaxi team. "Creators shouldn't have to navigate complicated licensing or spend hours searching for the right track. Every track is royalty-free, allowing creators to focus on storytelling and engagement." A Track for Every Story With over 100,000 tracks, TuneTaxi ranks among the top 10 production music libraries worldwide, covering styles from classic to arthouse and from orchestral to techno, and a rapidly growing international track list including both traditional and modern music from countries like China and Japan. With TuneTaxi, it's simple for users around the world to quickly find and select the right sound for the right use case, whether that's TV news, movie scores, podcast titles or anything else. Designed for a Specific Use Case TuneTaxi targets a defined segment of the music ecosystem: production music for projects where traditional licensing is complex, costly, or impractical. The platform is not meant to replace original music but provides a practical alternative for production content, letting artists' works remain central in streaming and performance markets while giving creators an efficient production music solution. A Practical Tool for Modern Creators Through the platform, users can select or generate music, or upload scripts or video content and let AI create tracks automatically. Tracks can be edited to fit specific clip lengths, avoiding awkward cutoffs. Creators can modify stems, removing or swapping instruments, ensuring each track fits their vision perfectly. Empowering creators with accessible, high-quality music, TuneTaxi transforms the way content is scored and produced. About TuneTaxi TuneTaxi is an AI music platform focused on production and functional music solutions for creators and businesses. With teams in Hilversum, The Netherlands, and New York, TuneTaxi combines music technology and software development to simplify music use in modern digital workflows. TuneTaxi offers both free and premium options to ensure high-quality production and background music is accessible to all. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260206774335/en/ Contact Press Inquiries: [email protected] 2026 Business Wire, Inc.Disclaimer:This press release is not a document produced by AFP. AFP shall not bear responsibility for its content. In case you have any questions about this press release, please refer to the contact person/entity mentioned in the text of the press release. Press Release from Business Wire: Energy Vault Holdings, Inc. (AFP) Feb 11, 2026 WESTLAKE VILLAGE, Feb 11, 2026 (BSW) - Energy Vault Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: NRGV) ("Energy Vault"), a global leader in grid-scale energy storage solution infrastructure, and Crusoe, the industry's first vertically-integrated AI infrastructure provider, today announced a strategic framework agreement for the phased deployment of Crusoe Spark modular data centers at Energy Vault's technology center in Snyder, Texas. The initial program is scalable up to 25 megawatts (MW) of total load to be operated inside Crusoe's proprietary Spark modular AI factory product. The companies plan to begin deployments in 2026, enabling Crusoe Cloud to expand available computing capacity, including its new Managed Inference services, to meet customer demand. The initiative represents a significant expansion of Crusoe's Spark program, a demonstration of rapidly deployable modular AI inference capacity, and a continuation of Crusoe's commitment to innovative energy-first AI infrastructure development. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260211881549/en/ Energy Vault and Crusoe Announce Strategic Framework Agreement for Deployment of Crusoe Spark Modular AI Factory Units to Deliver Crusoe Cloud Under the multi-year framework, Energy Vault will provide modular "powered shell" infrastructure designed to enable fast, repeatable deployment of the electrical and mechanical systems required for high-density compute. Energy Vault will deploy Crusoe's Spark units with the first deployment planned at Energy Vault's technology realization site in Snyder, Texas. Together, Energy Vault and Crusoe will leverage the combination of a powered site and a modular deployment model, with the goal of materially reducing delivery timelines and enabling scalable expansion as customer demand grows. The AI infrastructure market is increasingly defined by speed. As compute demand accelerates, customers face constraints that can impact delivery timelines - including power availability, interconnection timelines, electrical system complexity, and the operational requirements of high-density compute. Energy Vault's modular "powered shell" deployments using Crusoe Spark modular AI factories, paired with its proven strengths in disciplined execution and digital operating capabilities, have been designed to significantly shorten time-to-capacity while maintaining high reliability for customers in the data center market. "Crusoe is executing against a clear market imperative: customers need scalable compute delivered quickly and reliably," said Robert Piconi, CEO and Chairman, Energy Vault. "Our role is to provide the critical energy infrastructure foundation - the 'powered shell' - that enables rapid installation and stable operations. This agreement marks an important milestone for Energy Vault as we establish a commercial platform in AI infrastructure to complement our Asset Vault platform while expanding our build-own-operate strategy into a new, high-growth segment." As a vertically integrated provider, Crusoe designs and manufactures its proprietary Crusoe Spark units to provide a consistent, high-quality AI infrastructure that modularly expands Crusoe Cloud capacity. By combining this modular technology with Energy Vault's proven ability to engineer and operate mission-critical energy systems, the parties can meet Crusoe Cloud's requirements for high-availability power and accelerated delivery timelines. This integrated approach is designed to leverage repeatable digital controls and modular infrastructure to significantly reduce time-to-capacity while ensuring the reliability and scalability essential for enterprise AI customers. "By manufacturing Spark units and partnering with the talented team at Energy Vault, we are furthering Crusoe's vision of vertically-integrated, energy-first AI infrastructure," said Cully Cavness, Co-Founder, President and Chief Strategy Officer at Crusoe. "This project demonstrates the potential for modular AI factories across applications such as distributed low-latency inference, on-premise deployments, grouped training clusters, data-sovereignty deployments and many more potential use cases. We are also very proud to work alongside Energy Vault, a partner that shares our commitment to solving the power constraints of the AI era through focused execution and technology innovation." This strategic partnership with Crusoe is expected to strengthen Energy Vault's comprehensive "Own & Operate" business model, supported by its Asset Vault platform, which has been expanded with today's announcement to address the AI infrastructure market through long-term, contracted "powered shell" deployments. Energy Vault expects AI infrastructure deployments to deliver a step-change in unit economics, including meaningfully higher EBITDA per MW (~10-20x) installed relative to traditional infrastructure projects, driven by contracted cash flows, standardized and repeatable modular design, and strong demand for rapidly deployable compute capacity. This expansion is set to rapidlyaccelerate the pace and scale of EBITDA growth as deployments ramp and additional sites and customers are commercialized. About Energy Vault Energy Vault(R) develops, deploys and operates utility-scale energy storage solutions designed to transform the world's approach to sustainable energy storage. The Company's comprehensive offerings include proprietary battery, gravity and green hydrogen energy storage technologies supporting a variety of customer use cases delivering safe and reliable energy system dispatching and optimization. Each storage solution is supported by the Company's technology-agnostic energy management system software and integration platform. Unique to the industry, Energy Vault's innovative technology portfolio delivers customized short, long and multi-day/ultra-long duration energy storage solutions to help utilities, independent power producers, and large industrial energy users significantly reduce levelized energy costs while maintaining power reliability. Since 2024, Energy Vault has executed an "Own & Operate" asset management strategy developed to generate predictable, recurring and high margin tolling revenue streams, positioning the Company for continued growth in the rapidly evolving energy storage asset infrastructure market.Please visit www.energyvault.com for more information. About Crusoe As the AI factory company, Crusoe is on a mission to accelerate the abundance of energy and intelligence. The company provides a reliable, scalable, cost-effective, energy-first solution for AI infrastructure. By harnessing large-scale energy sources, building AI-optimized data centers, and delivering a powerful AI cloud platform, Crusoe empowers its customers and partners to build the future faster. Forward-Looking Statements This press release includes forward-looking statements that reflect the Company's current views with respect to, among other things, the Company's operations and financial performance, including the future revenue and profitability projections, the availability of future draws under the OIC preferred stock commitment to Asset Vault, the timeline to deploy Asset Vault capital, the structure of Asset Vault, and the cost per kilowatt hour achievable by Energy Vault. Forward-looking statements include information concerning possible or assumed future results of operations, including descriptions of our business plan and strategies. These statements often include words such as "anticipate," "expect," "suggest," "plan," "believe," "intend," "project," "forecast," "estimates," "targets," "projections," "should," "could," "would," "may," "might," "will" and other similar expressions. We base these forward-looking statements or projections on our current expectations, plans, and assumptions, which we have made in light of our experience in our industry, as well as our perceptions of historical trends, current conditions, expected future developments and other factors we believe are appropriate under the circumstances at the time. These forward-looking statements are based on our beliefs, assumptions, and expectations of future performance, taking into account the information currently available to us. These forward-looking statements are only predictions based upon our current expectations and projections about future events. These forward-looking statements involve significant risks and uncertainties that could cause our actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements to differ materially from the results, level of activity, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements, including the failure to execute definitive agreements or meet conditions for future funding draws, changes in our strategy, expansion plans, customer opportunities, future operations, future financial position, estimated revenues and losses, projected costs, prospects and plans; the uncertainty of our awards, bookings, backlog, timing of permits and developed pipeline equating to future revenue; the lack of assurance that non-binding letters of intent and other indication of interest can result in binding orders or sales; the possibility of our products to be or alleged to be defective or experience other failures; the implementation, market acceptance and success of our business model and growth strategy; our ability to develop and maintain our brand and reputation; developments and projections relating to our business, our competitors, and industry; the ability of our suppliers to deliver necessary components or raw materials for construction of our energy storage systems in a timely manner; the impact of health epidemics, on our business and the actions we may take in response thereto; our expectations regarding our ability to obtain and maintain intellectual property protection and not infringe on the rights of others; expectations regarding the time during which we will be an emerging growth company under the JOBS Act; our future capital requirements and sources and uses of cash; the international nature of our operations and the impact of war or other hostilities on our business and global markets; our ability to obtain funding for our operations and future growth; our business, expansion plans and opportunities and other important factors discussed under the caption "Risk Factors" in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024 filed with the SEC on April 1, 2025, as such factors may be updated from time to time in its other filings with the SEC, accessible on the SEC's website at www.sec.gov. New risks emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for our management to predict all risks, nor can we assess the impact of all factors on our business or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statements we may make. Any forward-looking statement made by us in this press release speaks only as of the date of this press release and is expressly qualified in its entirety by the cautionary statements included in this press release. We undertake no obligation to publicly update or review any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise, except as may be required by any applicable laws. You should not place undue reliance on our forward-looking statements. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260211881549/en/ Contact Energy Vault ContactsInvestors[email protected] Media[email protected] Crusoe Contact[email protected] 2026 Business Wire, Inc.Disclaimer:This press release is not a document produced by AFP. AFP shall not bear responsibility for its content. In case you have any questions about this press release, please refer to the contact person/entity mentioned in the text of the press release. Senegal's Secretary of State for Senegalese Abroad Amadou Cherif Diouf delivers a speech at a Spring Festival reception in Dakar, capital of Senegal, Feb. 9, 2026. (Photo by Aliou Mbaye/Xinhua) DAKAR, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese Embassy in Senegal on Monday evening hosted a Spring Festival reception in Dakar, the capital of the West African country, gathering over 200 guests, including Secretary of State for Senegalese Abroad Amadou Cherif Diouf. Addressing the reception, Diouf extended Spring Festival greetings to the Chinese people and conveyed best wishes from the people of Senegal. He said that Senegal and China enjoy a long-standing traditional friendship, and their bilateral cooperation has maintained a high level of development, yielding fruitful results. Diouf noted that mechanisms and initiatives, such as the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation and high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, have provided important platforms for China-Africa cooperation and injected momentum into Africa's development. He said that Senegal would continue advancing the implementation of "Vision Senegal 2050," draw development inspiration from China's modernization, and deepen Senegal-China relations. Li Fei, charge d'affaires at the Chinese Embassy in Senegal, extended Spring Festival greetings to the Chinese community in Senegal and friends from various sectors. The China-Senegal comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership has continued to deepen, with growing political mutual trust, fruitful cooperation across various fields, and vibrant people-to-people and cultural exchanges, said Li. She noted that 2026 marks the beginning of China's 15th Five-Year Plan and the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and African countries. The convergence of the China-Africa Year of People-to-People Exchanges and the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games will "create new synergies for cooperation between China and Senegal," she added. The reception also featured Chinese martial arts, songs and dance performances. Li Fei, charge d'affaires at the Chinese Embassy in Senegal, delivers a speech at a Spring Festival reception in Dakar, capital of Senegal, Feb. 9, 2026. (Photo by Aliou Mbaye/Xinhua) A member of the Senegalese Wushu Federation gives a performance at a Spring Festival reception in Dakar, capital of Senegal, Feb. 9, 2026. (Photo by Aliou Mbaye/Xinhua) Teachers and students from the Confucius Institute at Cheikh Anta Diop University of Dakar perform a Chinese song at a Spring Festival reception in Dakar, capital of Senegal, Feb. 9, 2026. (Photo by Aliou Mbaye/Xinhua) xAI sees key staff exits, Musk promises moon factories San Francisco, United States, Feb 11 (AFP) Feb 11, 2026 Half of the original founding team at Elon Musk's artificial intelligence startup xAI has now departed after two co-founders resigned in rapid succession this week, raising fresh questions about talent retention ahead of an expected initial public offering. The exodus comes at a delicate moment for xAI, which was valued at more than $200 billion when it was integrated with Musk's SpaceX rocket company last week. The merged entity is expected to go public as early as this summer. The company has also faced consumer backlash and regulatory scrutiny in multiple countries after its Grok chatbot and image generation tools enabled the mass creation of deepfake pornographic images, including of minors. Tony Wu announced his resignation late Monday in a post on X, the social media platform owned by Musk, writing that it was "time for my next chapter." Less than 24 hours later, fellow co-founder Jimmy Ba followed suit, calling Tuesday his last day and thanking Musk for "bringing us together on this incredible journey." The back-to-back exits bring the total number of departed co-founders to six out of the 12-member team that launched xAI in 2023 with the ambitious goal of challenging ChatGPT-maker OpenAI, Google and Anthropic. Other key staffers have also left in recent months. Ba, a prominent AI researcher, played a central role in the development of Grok chatbot models, including work on the forthcoming Grok 4. "It's time to recalibrate my gradient on the big picture," he wrote. Wu helped build the company's core reasoning capabilities. Musk appeared to acknowledge the turnover during an all-hands meeting on Tuesday evening, according to The New York Times, telling staff that the company was reorganizing. "When this happens, there's some people who are better suited for the early stages of a company and less suited for the later stages," he said, according to the newspaper. In the same meeting, Musk outlined sweeping ambitions for the merged xAI-SpaceX entity, including plans for a lunar factory to manufacture AI satellites, a space catapult to launch them into orbit, and data centers in space to expand xAI's computing power. The churn at xAI mirrors a wider pattern of staff turnover across the AI industry, where a fierce war for top talent has driven pay packages into the tens of millions of dollars and, reportedly in one case, past the billion-dollar mark. arp/acb US deploys 200 troops to train Nigerian military Washington, United States, Feb 11 (AFP) Feb 11, 2026 The United States will deploy 200 troops to Nigeria to train its armed forces in their fight against jihadist groups, Nigerian and US officials said Tuesday, as Washington increases military cooperation with the West African country. "We are getting US troops to assist in training and technical support," Major General Samaila Uba, a spokesman for Nigeria's Defense Headquarters, told AFP. The Wall Street Journal was the first to report the deployment, which will supplement a US small team already in the country to aid the Nigerians with air strike targeting. The additional troops, expected to arrive in the coming weeks, will provide "training and technical guidance," including by helping their Nigerian counterparts coordinate operations that involve air strikes and ground troops simultaneously, the US daily said. A US Africa Command spokeswoman confirmed the details of the report to AFP. Nigeria has been under diplomatic pressure from the United States over insecurity in the country, which US President Donald Trump has characterized as "persecution" and "genocide" against Christians. Although there are instances where Christians are specifically targeted, Muslims are also killed en masse, with Trump's senior advisor on Arab and African affairs Massad Boulos saying last year Boko Haram and Islamic State "are killing more Muslims than Christians." Abuja rejects allegations of Christian persecution in Nigeria, a framing long used by the US religious right. So do independent analysts, who point to a broader state failure to curb violence from jihadist groups and armed gangs across swaths of sparsely governed countryside. Despite the diplomatic pressure, Nigeria and the United States have found common ground in increasing military collaboration. The US targeted militants in northwest Sokoto state with strikes in December, in a joint operation with Nigeria, officials from both countries said. Going forward, the US military has said it will supply intelligence for Nigerian air strikes and work to expedite arms purchases. While the 200-troop deployment represents a scaling up of that collaboration, "US troops aren't going to be involved in direct combat or operations," Uba told the Journal. Nigeria requested the additional assistance, he added. Africa's most populous country is battling a long-running jihadist insurgency concentrated in its northeast, while non-ideological "bandit" gangs conduct kidnappings for ransom and loot villages in the northwest. Across the center of the country, violence erupts among mostly Christian farmers and Muslim Fulani herders -- though researchers say the main cause is access to dwindling land and resources. Netanyahu to push Trump on Iran missiles in White House talks Washington, United States, Feb 11 (AFP) Feb 11, 2026 Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will push Donald Trump on Wednesday to take a tougher stance in nuclear talks with Iran, after rushing to Washington to stiffen the US president's resolve. Trump said on the eve of the hastily arranged White House meeting -- set to begin at 11:00 am local time (1600 GMT)-- that he was weighing sending a second US "armada" to the Middle East to pressure Tehran to reach a nuclear deal. But Netanyahu, making his sixth visit to the United States since Trump took office, will also be urging the US leader to take a harder line on arch-foe Iran's ballistic missile program. Tehran, which resumed talks with Washington last week in Oman, warned Monday of "destructive influences" on diplomacy ahead of the Israeli premier's visit. Netanyahu had been expected to come to Washington for a February 19 meeting of Trump's "Board of Peace" for Gaza, but reportedly brought forward his visit as the US-Iran talks proceeded. - What does Trump think? - While talking up hopes of a nuclear deal, Trump warned in an interview with the Axios news outlet on Tuesday that he was "thinking" of sending a second aircraft carrier strike group to the region. "Either we will make a deal or we will have to do something very tough like last time," Trump told Axios. "We have an armada that is heading there and another one might be going." Trump, who ordered US strikes on Tehran's nuclear sites during Israel's 12-day war with Iran last June, separately told Fox Business that any deal would have to involve "no nuclear weapons, no missiles." He added that Iran's leaders "want to make a deal" but "it's got to be a good deal", saying Tehran had been "very dishonest with us over the years." - What are Netanyahu's goals? - Netanyahu said as he left for Washington his talks would "first and foremost" be about the Iran negotiations, while adding that they would also discuss Gaza and other regional issues. "I will present to the president our views regarding the principles for the negotiations," he said in a video statement before his departure. Netanyahu's office said he would will highlight Iran's missile arsenal. Israel's concerns came to a head during their unprecedented war last year, during which Iran launched waves of ballistic missiles and other projectiles at Israeli territory, striking both military and civilian areas. So far, Iran has rejected expanding the scope of its talks with the United States beyond the issue of its nuclear program, though Washington also wants Tehran's ballistic missile program and its support for regional militant groups on the table. - What about the West Bank? - The meeting will also come amid growing international outrage over Israeli measures to tighten control of the occupied West Bank by allowing settlers to buy land directly from Palestinian owners. Israel's security cabinet approved the move ahead Netanyahu's Washington visit. It's unclear whether the US president intends to bring them up. A US official said on Monday that Trump "does not support Israel annexing the West Bank" and wants stability, while holding off from directly criticizing the Israeli government's moves. - How many meetings? - Wednesday's meeting will be the sixth encounter between the two leaders on US soil since Trump returned to office in January 2025 -- five times at the White House and once at the Republican's Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida. A seventh meeting took place in Jerusalem in October when Trump announced a ceasefire in Gaza. burs-dk/jgc Netanyahu to push Trump on Iran missiles in White House talks Washington, United States, Feb 11 (AFP) Feb 11, 2026 Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will push Donald Trump on Wednesday to take a tougher stance in nuclear talks with Iran, after rushing to Washington to stiffen the US president's resolve. Trump said on the eve of the hastily arranged White House meeting -- set to begin at 11:00 am local time (1600 GMT)-- that he was weighing sending a second US "armada" to the Middle East to pressure Tehran to reach a nuclear deal. But Netanyahu, making his sixth visit to the United States since Trump took office, will also be urging the US leader to take a harder line on arch-foe Iran's ballistic missile program. Tehran, which resumed talks with Washington last week in Oman, warned Monday of "destructive influences" on diplomacy ahead of the Israeli premier's visit. Netanyahu had been expected to come to Washington for a February 19 meeting of Trump's "Board of Peace" for Gaza, but reportedly brought forward his visit as the US-Iran talks proceeded. - What does Trump think? - Already in town Tuesday night, Netanyahu met with Trump's Middle East envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. They "discussed regional issues, and they provided an update on the first round of negotiations they held with Iran last Friday," according to a statement on the X account for the Israeli prime minister. While talking up hopes of a nuclear deal, Trump warned in an interview with the Axios news outlet earlier Tuesday that he was "thinking" of sending a second aircraft carrier strike group to the region. "Either we will make a deal or we will have to do something very tough like last time," Trump said. "We have an armada that is heading there and another one might be going." Trump, who ordered US strikes on Tehran's nuclear sites during Israel's 12-day war with Iran last June, separately told Fox Business that any deal would have to involve "no nuclear weapons, no missiles." He added that Iran's leaders "want to make a deal" but "it's got to be a good deal," saying Tehran had been "very dishonest with us over the years." - What are Netanyahu's goals? - Netanyahu said as he left for Washington his talks would "first and foremost" be about the Iran negotiations, while adding that they would also discuss Gaza and other regional issues. "I will present to the president our views regarding the principles for the negotiations," he said in a video statement. Netanyahu's office said he would highlight Iran's missile arsenal. Israel's concerns came to a head during their unprecedented war last year, during which Iran launched waves of ballistic missiles and other projectiles at Israeli territory, striking both military and civilian areas. So far, Iran has rejected expanding the scope of its talks with the United States beyond the issue of its nuclear program, though Washington also wants Tehran's ballistic missile program and its support for regional militant groups on the table. Israeli President Isaac Herzog, speaking during a visit to Australia, said he hoped the talks would help fight Iran's "empire of evil." - What about the West Bank? - The meeting will also come amid growing international outrage over Israeli measures to tighten control of the occupied West Bank by allowing settlers to buy land directly from Palestinian owners. Israel's security cabinet approved the move ahead of Netanyahu's Washington visit. It's unclear whether Trump will address it. A US official said on Monday that Trump "does not support Israel annexing the West Bank" and wants stability, while holding off from directly criticizing the Israeli government's moves. - How many meetings? - Wednesday's meeting will be the sixth between the two leaders on US soil since Trump returned to office in January 2025 -- five times at the White House and once at the Republican's Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida. A seventh meeting took place in Jerusalem in October when Trump announced a ceasefire in Gaza. burs-dk/nro/ceg US grand jury rejects bid to indict Democrats over illegal orders video Washington, United States, Feb 11 (AFP) Feb 11, 2026 Federal prosecutors failed to bring charges Tuesday against six Democratic lawmakers who urged service members to refuse illegal orders, outraging President Donald Trump, who had called for jail time, US media reported. A federal grand jury composed of local citizens in Washington denied the Justice Department's attempts to indict the lawmakers who posted a short video urging conscientious service, sources told the New York Times and the Washington Post. In the video posted to social media in November, the members of Congress called on the military to "refuse illegal orders." It featured Arizona's Mark Kelly, Michigan's Elissa Slotkin, Jason Crow of Colorado, Chris Deluzio and Chrissy Houlahan of Pennsylvania and Maggie Goodlander of New Hampshire. In a statement posted to her Instagram account Tuesday night, Slotkin reiterated that the 90-second video "simply quoted the law," adding: "Hopefully, this ends this politicized investigation for good." "I will not be intimidated for a single second by the Trump Administration or Justice Department lawyers who tried and failed to indict me today," Deluzio said in his own statement posted to X. "American citizens on a grand jury refused to go along with this attempt to charge me with a crime for stating the law in a way Trump and his enablers didn't like," he said. The Post noted that it is "exceedingly rare" for federal prosecutors to strike out in a grand jury proceeding because they "only need to convince a majority of grand jurors that there is a probable cause that a crime was committed -- a relatively low threshold." The six Democrats -- all of whom served in the military or the nation's spy agencies -- never specified which orders to refuse, but Trump has leaned heavily on the use of the military in his second term, both domestically and abroad. The 79-year-old Republican has ordered the National Guard into US cities to back his immigration crackdown, in many cases over the protest of local leaders. He has also ordered strikes abroad, including attacks in Nigeria, Iran and a series of lethal hits on alleged drug-smuggling boats in the Caribbean and Pacific that have killed at least 130 people, and which experts say are illegal. After the Democrats' video circulated on social media, Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform: "THE TRAITORS THAT TOLD THE MILITARY TO DISOBEY MY ORDERS SHOULD BE IN JAIL RIGHT NOW," later calling it "SEDITION AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL." In another post, Trump said the behavior was "punishable by DEATH!" In addition to the Justice Department's attempt to land an indictment, the Pentagon said in November that it was considering a court-martial against Kelly, a former astronaut, in an extraordinary escalation of the Trump administration's response. Later that month, Democratic lawmakers accused Trump of using the FBI to "intimidate" members of Congress and said the law enforcement agency had requested interviews with them following their criticism of the president. "It wasn't enough for Pete Hegseth to censure me and threaten to demote me, now it appears they tried to have me charged with a crime -- all because of something I said that they didn't like," Kelly wrote on X Tuesday, referencing the secretary of defense. "Donald Trump wants every American to be too scared to speak out against him. The most patriotic thing any of us can do is not back down." sla/jgc/lga/mtp THE NEW YORK TIMES COMPANY Taiwan opposition party agrees to consider defence bill Taipei, Feb 11 (AFP) Feb 11, 2026 Taiwan President Lai Ching-te's $40 billion defence spending plan will be reviewed in parliament after an opposition party on Wednesday did a U-turn and agreed to send the contentious bill to committee. Lai's proposal was stalled for two months as lawmakers from the opposition Kuomintang (KMT) and Taiwan People's Party (TPP), which together control parliament, refused to consider it without concessions from the government. The TPP caucus has agreed to send the government's version of the special legislation to committee for joint review, the party said in a statement. Parliament is currently in recess and will resume on February 24. As well as the government's version, lawmakers will also consider the TPP's stripped-down version of the defence bill that allocates $12.6 billion for military purchases. TPP's announcement came after Lai on Wednesday warned that Taiwan could be a "rupture in Indo-Pacific peace and stability" if the special defence budget was not passed. "We hope that, given the increasingly complex regional situation , with China's threat growing more serious, Taiwan's defence budget must pass smoothly," Lai said. Taiwan has spent billions of dollars upgrading its military in the past decade, but is under intense US pressure to do more to protect itself against the growing threat from China, which claims the island is part of its territory and has not ruled out using force to annex it. Several US senators were openly critical of the KMT for blocking the special defence budget, and Senator Dan Sullivan warned in a post on X that "short-changing Taiwan's defence to kowtow to the CPP is playing with fire". Lai, whose Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) lost its parliamentary majority in elections that swept him to power in 2024, has vowed to increase defence spending to more than three percent of GDP this year. DPP caucus chief Chung Chia-pin said with TPP's support, the special defence budget could finally move forward for a committee review in the next parliamentary session. "Strengthening national defence is a shared expectation across party lines. We are pleased that the TPP is willing to join us in conducting a joint review of the bill," he told AFP. "We will make it a priority bill in the next session." KMT spokesman and lawmaker Niu Hsu-ting said the party's priority is to "integrate" its own defence spending plan with TPP's version. "The KMT's version will also focus on guarantees including requiring that procurement contracts with the US specify delivery timelines and clearly state that our country is listed within the priority circle," he told AFP. "Once a version is finalised, we will consult further with the TPP." Taiwan opposition party agrees to consider defence bill Taipei, Feb 11 (AFP) Feb 11, 2026 Taiwan President Lai Ching-te's $40 billion defence spending plan will be reviewed in parliament after an opposition party on Wednesday did a U-turn and agreed to send the contentious bill to committee. Lai's proposal was stalled for two months as lawmakers from the opposition Kuomintang (KMT) and Taiwan People's Party (TPP), which together control parliament, refused to consider it without concessions from the government. The TPP caucus has agreed to send the government's version of the special legislation to committee for joint review, the party said in a statement. KMT chairwoman Cheng Li-wun, however, vowed Wednesday that her party "will not relent". Parliament is currently in recess and will resume on February 24. As well as the government's version, lawmakers will also consider the TPP's stripped-down version of the defence bill that allocates $12.6 billion for military purchases. TPP's announcement came after Lai on Wednesday warned that Taiwan could be a "rupture in Indo-Pacific peace and stability" if the special defence budget was not passed. "We hope that, given the increasingly complex regional situation, with China's threat growing more serious, Taiwan's defence budget must pass smoothly," Lai said. Taiwan has spent billions of dollars upgrading its military in the past decade, but is under intense US pressure to do more to protect itself against the growing threat from China, which claims the island is part of its territory and has not ruled out using force to annex it. A US senator has warned that the KMT "is playing with fire" as it blocked the special defence budget. Lai, whose Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) lost its parliamentary majority in elections that swept him to power in 2024, has vowed to increase defence spending to more than three percent of GDP this year. DPP caucus chief Chung Chia-pin said with TPP's support, the special defence budget could finally move forward for a committee review in the next parliamentary session. "Strengthening national defence is a shared expectation across party lines. We are pleased that the TPP is willing to join us in conducting a joint review of the bill," he told AFP. "We will make it a priority bill in the next session." The KMT caucus warned in a statement that the cabinet's version of the special defence budget "will never be passed". "Whether the Executive Yuan's version is referred to a committee is irrelevant... The version that will be ultimately passed by the Legislature will not be its version, as the opposition parties are unlikely to accept it entirely," it said. Netanyahu to push Trump on Iran missiles in White House talks Washington, United States, Feb 11 (AFP) Feb 11, 2026 Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will push Donald Trump on Wednesday to take a tougher stance in nuclear talks with Iran, after rushing to Washington to stiffen the US president's resolve. Trump said on the eve of the hastily arranged White House meeting -- set to begin at 11:00 am (1600 GMT)-- that he was weighing sending a second US "armada" to the Middle East to pressure Tehran to reach a nuclear deal. But Netanyahu, making his sixth visit to the United States since Trump took office, will also be urging the US leader to take a harder line on arch-foe Iran's ballistic missile program. Tehran, which resumed talks with Washington last week in Oman, warned Monday of "destructive influences" on diplomacy ahead of the Israeli premier's visit. On Wednesday, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said his country would "not yield to excessive demands" on its nuclear program, though he said the country is not seeking an atomic weapon. "We are not seeking to acquire nuclear weapons. We have stated this repeatedly and are ready for any verification," Pezeshkian said. Netanyahu had been expected to come to Washington for a February 19 meeting of Trump's "Board of Peace" for Gaza, but reportedly brought forward his visit as the US-Iran talks proceeded. - What does Trump think? - Already in town Tuesday night, Netanyahu met with Trump's Middle East envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. They "discussed regional issues, and they provided an update on the first round of negotiations they held with Iran last Friday," according to a statement on the X account for the Israeli prime minister. While talking up hopes of a nuclear deal, Trump warned in an interview with the Axios news outlet earlier Tuesday that he was "thinking" of sending a second aircraft carrier strike group to the region. "Either we will make a deal or we will have to do something very tough like last time," Trump said. "We have an armada that is heading there and another one might be going." Trump, who ordered US strikes on Tehran's nuclear sites during Israel's 12-day war with Iran last June, separately told Fox Business that any deal would have to involve "no nuclear weapons, no missiles." He added that Iran's leaders "want to make a deal" but "it's got to be a good deal," saying Tehran had been "very dishonest with us over the years." - What are Netanyahu's goals? - Netanyahu said as he left for Washington his talks would "first and foremost" be about the Iran negotiations, while adding that they would also discuss Gaza and other regional issues. "I will present to the president our views regarding the principles for the negotiations," he said in a video statement. Netanyahu's office said he would highlight Iran's missile arsenal. Israel's concerns came to a head during their unprecedented war last year, during which Iran launched waves of ballistic missiles and other projectiles at Israeli territory, striking both military and civilian areas. So far, Iran has rejected expanding the scope of its talks with the United States beyond the issue of its nuclear program, though Washington also wants Tehran's ballistic missile program and its support for regional militant groups on the table. Israeli President Isaac Herzog, speaking during a visit to Australia, said he hoped the talks would help fight Iran's "empire of evil." - What about the West Bank? - The meeting will also come amid growing international outrage over Israeli measures to tighten control of the occupied West Bank by allowing settlers to buy land directly from Palestinian owners. Israel's security cabinet approved the move ahead of Netanyahu's Washington visit. It's unclear whether Trump will address it. A US official said on Monday that Trump "does not support Israel annexing the West Bank" and wants stability, while holding off from directly criticizing the Israeli government's moves. - How many meetings? - Wednesday's meeting will be the sixth between the two leaders on US soil since Trump returned to office in January 2025 -- five times at the White House and once at the Republican's Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida. A seventh meeting took place in Jerusalem in October when Trump announced a ceasefire in Gaza. burs-dk/nro/lga/mtp Iran president says will not 'give in to excessive demands' Tehran, Feb 11 (AFP) Feb 11, 2026 Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said Wednesday that his country would "not yield to excessive demands" on its nuclear programme, after Tehran resumed talks with the United States. He also said Iran was ready for "any verification" of its nuclear programme and insisted it was not seeking an atomic weapon. Iran and the United States resumed negotiations last week for the first time since the war with Israel last June that saw the US conduct strikes on nuclear sites in Iran. "Our Iran will not yield in the face of aggression, but we are continuing dialogue with all our strength with neighbouring countries in order to establish peace and tranquillity in the region," Pezeshkian said. He was speaking at Azadi Square in the capital Tehran, to mark the 47th anniversary of Iran's Islamic revolution. "Our country, Iran, will not yield to their excessive demands," he added. Iran wants the talks to remain centred purely on its nuclear programme, while the United States also wants the Islamic republic's ballistic missile programme and its support for militant groups in the region to be discussed. Iran insists its nuclear programme is peaceful, though Western countries and Israel believe it is seeking to acquire a nuclear weapon. Every year, supporters of Iran's leadership turn out in force to mark the anniversary of the revolution that ousted the US-backed shah in 1979. At Azadi Square on Wednesday, an AFP correspondent saw a large security presence, bigger than in previous years. Veiled women waved the flag of the Islamic republic and carried pictures of Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Iran last month saw a nationwide protest movement that sparked a major crackdown, with the United States threatening military action in support of the demonstrators. US cuts leave Ukraine aid at record low: think tank Paris, France, Feb 11 (AFP) Feb 11, 2026 Military aid to Ukraine hit its lowest level in 2025 as the US pulled funding, leaving Europe almost alone in footing the bill and averting a complete collapse, the Kiel Institute said Wednesday. Kyiv's allies allocated 36 billion euros ($42.9 billion) in military aid in 2025, down 14 percent from 41.1 billion euros the previous year, according to Kiel, which tracks military, financial and humanitarian assistance pledged and delivered to Ukraine since Russia's full-scale invasion. Military aid in 2025 was even lower than in 2022, despite the invasion not taking place until February 24 that year. US aid came to a complete halt with President Donald Trump's return to the White House in early 2025. Washington provided roughly half of all military assistance between 2022 and 2024. European countries have thus made a significant effort to plug the gap, increasing their collective allocation by 67 percent in 2025 compared with the 2022-2024 average. Without that effort, the US cuts could have been even more damaging, the institute argued. However, the think tank points to "growing disparities" among European contributors, with Northern and Western European countries accounting for around 95 percent of military aid. The institute calculated that Northern European countries (Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, and Sweden) provided 33 percent of European military aid in 2025, despite accounting for only eight percent of the combined GDP of European donor countries. Southern Europe, which accounts for 19 percent of the combined GDP of European donors, contributed just three percent. To help fill the gap left by the United States, NATO launched the PURL programme, under which European donors purchased US weapons for Ukraine, worth 3.7 billion euros in 2025. Kiel called the initiative a "notable development", which had enabled the acquisition of Patriot air-defense batteries and HIMARS multiple-launch rocket systems. European allies are also increasingly placing orders with Ukraine's own defence industry, following a trend started by Denmark in 2024. War-torn Ukraine's defence production capacity has "grown by a factor of 35" since 2022, according to Kiel, but Kyiv lacks the funds to procure enough weapons to keep its factories working at full capacity. Orders from 11 European donor countries helped bridge that gap last year. In the second half of 2025, 22 percent of weapons purchases for Ukraine were procured domestically, a record high. MOSCOW, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) said Tuesday that it has detained a third suspect over an attempted assassination of a senior Russian military officer. The suspect, a Russian citizen, attempted to kill Lieutenant General Vladimir Alekseyev, a deputy chief of Russia's military intelligence agency, who was shot several times inside a residential building in northwest Moscow on Friday, the FSB said in a statement. According to the FSB, he provided vehicles and surveillance equipment to two previously detained suspects, and assisted in collecting information on potential targets. The FSB said the suspect's testimony helped identify two additional senior officials of Russia's Ministry of Defense who had allegedly been under surveillance in the interests of Ukrainian intelligence services. NATO launches new 'Arctic Sentry' mission Brussels, Belgium, Feb 11 (AFP) Feb 11, 2026 NATO on Wednesday said it had launched a new mission to bolster security in the Arctic, in a move to assuage US President Donald Trump after he backed off claims on Greenland. "Arctic Sentry underscores the alliance's commitment to safeguard its members and maintain stability in one of the world's most strategically significant and environmentally challenging areas," US General Alexus Grynkewich, NATO's Supreme Allied Commander Europe, said in a statement. NATO said the "multi-domain activity" would initially pull together undertakings already being carried out by alliance members in the region such as upcoming exercises by Norway and Denmark. It remained unclear whether the new mission would involve more military capabilities being sent to the region. Trump's threats against Greenland last month -- which he based on an alleged threat by Russia and China in the Arctic -- plunged the transatlantic alliance into its deepest crisis in years. The unpredictable US leader backed off his vow to take control of Denmark's autonomous Arctic territory after saying he had struck a "framework" deal with NATO chief Mark Rutte to ensure greater American influence. "The two leaders agreed that NATO should collectively take more responsibility for the defence of the region considering Russia's military activity and China's growing interest there," NATO said in a statement. The launch of the Arctic Sentry mission comes after NATO last year launched emergency missions in the Baltic Sea and along its eastern flank to try to shore up protection against Moscow. China's Xi hails 'fight against corruption' after top general's fall Beijing, Feb 11 (AFP) Feb 11, 2026 Chinese President Xi Jinping hailed the military's "fight against corruption", state media reported Wednesday, in a rare acknowledgement of graft weeks after Beijing escalated a sweeping purge by probing its top general. Beijing's defence ministry said last month it was investigating Zhang Youxia, a vice chairman of the powerful Central Military Commission (CMC), as well as Liu Zhenli, chief of staff of the CMC's joint staff department, which oversees combat planning. The pair were the latest to fall under a huge drive to root out graft at all levels of the Chinese Communist Party and state since Xi came to power more than a decade ago. The drive has targeted the military in recent years. Speaking to soldiers in a virtual address on Tuesday, Xi said the military had "undergone revolutionary tempering in the fight against corruption", using a phrase commonly associated with strengthening military and party loyalty. "The People's Liberation Army has advanced in-depth political rectification (and) effectively responded to various risks and challenges," Xi said, according to state broadcaster CCTV. The anti-graft drive in the military has decimated the powerful CMC from its seven-person roster in 2022 to one general alongside Xi, who serves as its chair. Leaders across the military's service branches have also been investigated or expelled. Xi said in his remarks that "the past year has been highly unusual and extraordinary" but troops "have proven fully reliable and trustworthy". CCTV reported that discipline czar Zhang Shengmin, CMC's sole known member alongside Xi, was present at the address. A CCTV broadcast also showed Defence Minister Dong Jun sitting near Xi and Zhang. Denmark pledges to 'substantially' contribute to Arctic NATO mission Copenhagen, Feb 11 (AFP) Feb 11, 2026 Denmark said Wednesday that it would "substantially" contribute to a newly launched NATO mission in the Arctic aimed at placating US President Donald Trump, who covets the autonomous Danish territory of Greenland. "We will substantially contribute, and we will maintain momentum to ensure that the Arctic is reflected in NATO's plans and exercise activities in the long term," Defence Minister Troels Lund Poulsen said in a statement, noting that the details of the support would be determined in coordination with NATO allies. NATO has said the Arctic Sentry mission will initially pull together undertakings already being carried out by its members in the region, such as exercises by Norway and Denmark. It remained unclear whether the new mission would involve more military capabilities being sent to the region. "When the Danish-led exercise Arctic Endurance is integrated into NATO's Arctic Sentry going forward, it will significantly strengthen NATO's northern flank," Danish defence chief Michael Wiggers Hyldgaard said. Meanwhile Finland, which shares a 1,340-kilometre (833-mile) border with Russia, hailed the NATO initiative as strengthening security in the Arctic, its Ministry of Defence said in a statement. "It is essential that NATO has strong deterrence and defence in the Arctic and is able to respond in particular to the threat posed by Russia," the ministry said in a statement, adding that China was also seeking to "strengthen its role in the Arctic". Finnish Defence Minister Antti Hakkanen told AFP Tuesday that he expected "a tough discussion inside NATO" on which countries would be in involved in safeguarding the Arctic and to what extent. Israel's Netanyahu at White House to push Trump on Iran Washington, United States, Feb 11 (AFP) Feb 11, 2026 Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met Donald Trump at the White House on Wednesday, after rushing to Washington to push the US president to take a tougher stance in nuclear talks with Iran. In contrast to previous visits, it was a low-profile arrival, with Netanyahu's black SUV with Israeli and US flags coming in to the White House via a side road with no fanfare. Trump said on the eve of the hastily arranged meeting that he was weighing sending a second US "armada" to the Middle East to pressure Tehran to reach a nuclear deal. But Netanyahu, making his sixth visit to the United States since Trump took office, will also be urging the US leader to take a harder line on arch-foe Iran's ballistic missile program. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said Tehran, which resumed talks with Washington last week in Oman, would "not yield to excessive demands" on its nuclear program. But he insisted his country was not "not seeking to acquire nuclear weapons." - What are Netanyahu's goals? - Netanyahu had been expected to come to Washington for a February 19 meeting of Trump's "Board of Peace" for Gaza, but reportedly brought forward his visit as the US-Iran talks proceeded. He met Trump's Middle East envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner on Tuesday night. Netanyahu said as he left for Washington his talks would "first and foremost" be about the Iran negotiations, while adding that they would also discuss Gaza and other regional issues. "I will present to the president our views regarding the principles for the negotiations," he said in a video statement. Netanyahu's office said he would highlight Iran's missile arsenal. Israel's concerns came to a head during their unprecedented war last year, during which Iran launched waves of ballistic missiles and other projectiles at Israeli territory, striking both military and civilian areas. So far, Iran has rejected expanding the scope of its talks with the United States beyond the issue of its nuclear program, though Washington also wants Tehran's ballistic missile program and its support for regional militant groups on the table. - What does Trump think? - While talking up hopes of a nuclear deal, Trump warned in an interview with the Axios news outlet earlier Tuesday that he was "thinking" of sending a second aircraft carrier strike group to the region. "Either we will make a deal or we will have to do something very tough like last time," Trump said. "We have an armada that is heading there and another one might be going." Trump, who ordered US strikes on Tehran's nuclear sites during Israel's 12-day war with Iran last June, separately told Fox Business that any deal would have to involve "no nuclear weapons, no missiles." He added that Iran's leaders "want to make a deal" but "it's got to be a good deal," saying Tehran had been "very dishonest with us over the years." - What about the West Bank? - The meeting will also come amid growing international outrage over Israeli measures to tighten control of the occupied West Bank by allowing settlers to buy land directly from Palestinian owners. Israel's security cabinet approved the move ahead of Netanyahu's Washington visit. It's unclear whether Trump will address it. A US official said on Monday that Trump "does not support Israel annexing the West Bank" and wants stability, while holding off from directly criticizing the Israeli government's moves. - How many meetings? - Wednesday's meeting will be the sixth between the two leaders on US soil since Trump returned to office in January 2025 -- five times at the White House and once at the Republican's Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida. A seventh meeting took place in Jerusalem in October when Trump announced a ceasefire in Gaza. burs-dk/des NATO launches 'Arctic Sentry' mission after Greenland crisis Brussels, Belgium, Feb 11 (AFP) Feb 11, 2026 NATO on Wednesday said it had launched a new mission to bolster security in the Arctic, in a move to assuage US President Donald Trump after he backed off claims on Greenland. "Arctic Sentry underscores the alliance's commitment to safeguard its members and maintain stability in one of the world's most strategically significant and environmentally challenging areas," said US General Alexus Grynkewich, NATO's Supreme Allied Commander Europe. NATO said the "multi-domain activity" would initially pull together work already being carried out by alliance members in the region such as upcoming exercises by Norway and Denmark. Denmark's defence minister said his country would contribute "substantially" to the newly-launched NATO mission, and Germany said it would send an initial four eurofighter jets to take part. Finland, which shares a 1,340-kilometre (833-mile) border with Russia, hailed the NATO initiative as strengthening security in the Arctic. But it remained unclear whether many additional military capabilities would be deployed to the region under the new mission. "What is really new about it is that for the first time now, we will bring everything we do in the Arctic together under one command," NATO chief Mark Rutte said ahead of a meeting of alliance defence ministers. "We will also be able to assess what gaps there are, which we have to fill and of course we will fill them." Trump's threats against Greenland last month -- which he based on an alleged threat by Russia and China in the Arctic -- plunged the transatlantic alliance into its deepest crisis in years. - Trump's 'framework' - The unpredictable US leader backed off his vow to take control of Denmark's autonomous Arctic territory after saying he had struck a "framework" deal with Rutte to ensure greater American influence. "The two leaders agreed that NATO should collectively take more responsibility for the defence of the region considering Russia's military activity and China's growing interest there," NATO said in a statement. Denmark and Greenland have meanwhile kicked off talks with the US over the territory and are expected to renegotiate a 1951 treaty governing American troop deployments on the island. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has said that NATO countries back having a "permanent presence" in the Arctic, including around Greenland, as part of efforts to step up security. The launch of Arctic Sentry comes after NATO last year deployed emergency missions in the Baltic Sea and along its eastern flank to try to shore up protection against Moscow. EU eyes bases for military training in Ukraine Brussels, Belgium, Feb 11 (AFP) Feb 11, 2026 EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said Wednesday Brussels was eyeing several bases that could be used to train Ukrainian troops in the war-torn country if there is a deal to stop the fighting. "We have been discussing the training of the Ukrainian soldiers, also on the soil of Ukraine," Kallas said at a meeting of EU defence ministers. "We have identified two training centres that could be used for that purpose," she said, without providing details. The EU has said it could start training Ukrainian forces in their homeland as part of Western security guarantees under any potential agreement to end Russia's four-year war. The 27-nation bloc has already trained some 90,000 Ukrainian soldiers on EU soil as part of a joint European programme. An EU official said renovations of the training facilities could start before fighting stops. Several of Ukraine's European backers -- led by Britain and France -- have said they are willing to deploy their own troops to Ukraine if efforts by the United States end the conflict. Russia has warned that it would not accept troops from NATO countries on Ukrainian soil and would consider them a "legitimate target". Hundreds of foreigners among IS detainees transferred from Syria to Iraq Baghdad, Feb 11 (AFP) Feb 11, 2026 Hundreds of foreigners were among the Islamic State group detainees transferred in recent weeks by the US military from Syria to Iraq, an Iraqi security official told AFP on Wednesday. Iraq has so far received 5,046 of the around 7,000 IS detainees previously held by Syrian Kurdish fighters, whom the US military began transferring from Syria last month. The detainees who have arrived in Iraq include 3,245 Syrians, 271 Iraqis and another 610 detainees from other Arab countries including Egypt, Tunisia, Morocco and Saudi Arabia. They also include more than 900 foreigners from Europe, Asia and even Australia. The largest group of Europeans is from Germany, with 27 detainees. There are also 10 suspects from the Netherlands, nine from the United Kingdom, 13 from Australia, four from Sweden and three from France, among others. The foreigners also include more than 130 Russians and 160 suspects from Turkey. Many prisons in Iraq are already packed with IS suspects, and courts have handed down hundreds of death sentences and life terms to those convicted of terrorism offences, including many foreign fighters. Earlier this month, Iraq's judiciary said it had begun investigations into detainees transferred from Syria. In 2014, IS swept across Syria and Iraq, committing massacres and forcing women and girls into sexual slavery. Backed by US-led forces, Iraq proclaimed the defeat of IS in the country in 2017, and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) ultimately beat back the group in Syria two years later. The SDF went on to jail thousands of suspected jihadists and detain tens of thousands of their relatives in camps. Last month, the United States said the purpose of its alliance with Kurdish forces in Syria had largely expired, as Damascus pressed an offensive to take back territory long held by the SDF. Israel's Netanyahu pushes Trump on Iran Washington, United States, Feb 11 (AFP) Feb 11, 2026 Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met President Donald Trump at the White House to push for a harder line in Iran nuclear talks Wednesday, with the Middle East still on edge over the threat of US military action. The seventh meeting between the two men since Trump returned to power was being held behind closed doors, with Netanyahu slipping in via a side entrance without receiving the traditional honor guard. Trump and Netanyahu were seen shaking hands in a photograph released by the Israeli premier's office, but neither side gave any immediate details about the talks and reporters were not allowed in. Washington and Tehran resumed nuclear talks last week in Oman. They had been suspended after US strikes on Iranian nuclear sites during Israel's 12-day war with Iran last July. - What does Netanyahu want? - Netanyahu is urging the US leader to take a harder line on arch-foe Iran's ballistic missile program, and rushed to Washington a week earlier than expected as the Iran talks proceeded. The Israeli prime minister said as he left for Washington his talks would "first and foremost" be about the Iran negotiations, while adding that they would also discuss Gaza and other regional issues. "I will present to the president our views regarding the principles for the negotiations," he said in a video statement. Netanyahu's office said he would highlight Iran's missile arsenal. Israel's concerns came to a head during their unprecedented war last year, during which Iran launched waves of ballistic missiles and other projectiles at Israeli territory, striking both military and civilian areas. Netanyahu also met Trump's Middle East envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner on Tuesday night. - What does Trump think? - While talking up hopes of a nuclear deal, Trump has also been dialing up the threat of possible US military action against Iran. He warned in an interview with the Axios news outlet earlier Tuesday that he was "thinking" of sending a second aircraft carrier strike group to the region. "Either we will make a deal or we will have to do something very tough like last time," Trump said. "We have an armada that is heading there and another one might be going." Trump, who ordered US strikes on Tehran's nuclear sites during Israel's 12-day war with Iran last June, separately told Fox Business that any deal would have to involve "no nuclear weapons, no missiles." - What does Iran say? - So far, Iran has rejected expanding its talks with the United States beyond the issue of its nuclear program, though Washington also wants Tehran's ballistic missile program and its support for regional militant groups on the table. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said on Wednesday that Tehran, which resumed talks with Washington last week in Oman, would "not yield to excessive demands" on its nuclear program. But he insisted his country was not "not seeking to acquire nuclear weapons." - 'Board of Peace' and West Bank - Netanyahu's visit will also include other issues, from Gaza to the West Bank. He officially signed on as a member of Trump's "Board of Peace" during a meeting earlier Wednesday with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the Israeli PM's office said. The group was originally meant to oversee the Gaza ceasefire but Trump is now positioning it as a possible rival to the United Nations. The "Board of Peace" is due to hold a meeting in Washington on February 19. Netanyahu had been due to attend but brought his trip forward to push his Iran demands. The meeting will also come amid growing international outrage over Israeli measures to tighten control of the occupied West Bank by allowing settlers to buy land directly from Palestinian owners. - How many meetings? - Wednesday's meeting is the sixth between the two leaders on US soil since Trump returned to office in January 2025 -- five times at the White House and once at the Republican's Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida. A seventh meeting took place in Jerusalem in October when Trump announced a ceasefire in Gaza. burs-dk/des Andrew accuser Virginia Giuffre, who died by suicide, claimed she was forced to have sex with Andrew on three occasions, including when she was 17 and also during an orgy after being trafficked by financier Epstein. Andrew has vehemently denied the allegations. BEIJING, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- The evidence of forced conscription of "comfort women" by Japan's militarists is ironclad that brooks no denial, and China is seriously concerned with Japan's erroneous attitude and dishonest practices regarding its history of aggression, a foreign ministry spokesperson said on Wednesday. Were not expecting any particularly impactful snow and the conditions will be quite brief before we get another system coming in from the Atlantic over the weekend, but for the next few days, it will feel quite a bit different, as weve got colder air coming in. "The defendant is not responsible for the stigma; but the defendant is responsible for addressing it, in connection with the exercise of police duties and functions by the defendant's officers and staff, and for positively maintaining public confidence in the impartiality and transparency of the Metropolitan Police." Sir Nick said: Europe faces a growing external threat in an evolving world order at the same time as its political, fiscal and industrial systems are struggling to respond. After decades of under-investment in defence, this is no longer merely inefficient it is dangerous. The path ahead for Europes leaders will not be easy; they cannot afford to fail. Drift is no longer a neutral option. Allow Google Search To use the search feature, we need your consent to load Google Custom Search, which may use cookies or similar technologies. Please click 'Allow and Continue' below to enable search. See our privacy policy for more information. Allow and Continue Tumbler Ridge Secondary School has 160 students in grades seven through 12, roughly ages 12 to 18, according to its website. The school was closed for the rest of the week and counseling will be made available to those in need, school officials said. Botswanan Minister for State President Moeti Mohwasa speaks at the Spring Festival reception in Gaborone, Botswana, on Feb. 10, 2026. (Xinhua/Guo Chunju) GABORONE, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- Botswanan Minister for State President Moeti Mohwasa said the celebration of the Chinese Spring Festival is a "culturally significant occasion" and a vital platform for cultural exchange. Speaking at the Spring Festival reception held at the Chinese Embassy in Botswana on Tuesday evening, Mohwasa said that the Chinese Spring Festival, a time-honored tradition, is a moment of renewal, reflection and fresh beginnings. "It is a celebration that unites families, communities and nations, reminding us of the universal values of harmony, humanity and mutual respect that bind us all," he noted. "Events such as this provide a vital platform for cultural traditions, allowing us to appreciate the richness of Chinese traditions, cuisine, music, and heritage while deepening the bonds of friendship between our peoples," the minister said. Mohwasa said the diplomatic relations between Botswana and China in the past over 50 years has advanced with unwavering friendship and collaboration that have yielded tangible benefits for both nations, and flourished partnership across diverse fields, including education, health, infrastructure, trade, investment, and cultural exchange, "enriching the lives of our people." He also commended the Chinese community for their invaluable contribution to Botswana's economy, society and cultural fabric, expressing confidence on renewed energy and momentum to the bilateral relations in the Chinese new year. Chinese Ambassador to Botswana Fan Yong said that the strong synergy between Botswana's 12th National Development Plan and China's 15th Five-Year Plan offers broad prospects for further cooperation. "As the year of 2026 has also been designated the China-Africa Year of People-to-People Exchanges, we will promote mutual learning between our civilizations, and consolidate the foundation of our cooperation, in the spirit of deepening understanding and fostering closer bonds between the people of China and Africa," said the ambassador. The event drew over 300 participants, including government officials, diplomats, representatives of international organizations and universities, and members of the Chinese community and enterprises in Botswana. It featured a lion dance, modern dance, and songs in Chinese and Tswana language. Chinese Ambassador to Botswana Fan Yong speaks at the Spring Festival reception in Gaborone, Botswana, on Feb. 10, 2026. (Xinhua/Guo Chunju) The number of people moving to Texas from other states has fallen every year since 2022, when it reached a pandemic high of 219,000. David J. Phillip/Associated Press file photo Population growth from people moving into Texas from other U.S. states has slowed to a 20-year low, according to new census estimates. Still, the state ranked second in the nation for highest domestic migration in 2025, dropping out of the No. 1 spot it held for the past two years. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Why the slowdown? One thing could be that people who wanted to move to Texas have already moved, said Helen You, interim director of the Texas Demographic Center. Statesman Logo Want more Statesman? Make us a Preferred Source on Google to see more of us when you search. Add Preferred Source About 67,000 people relocated to Texas from other states in the year ending in June, census data shows. That number has fallen every year since 2022, when Texas reached a pandemic-high of 219,000 new residents from within the U.S. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Overall population growth in Texas has slowed in the last few years dropping from over 600,000 during the 12 months ending in 2023 to less than 400,000 in June 2025. With birth and death rates relatively steady in that period, migration seems to have had the most influence on that change. You said the 2025 shift may also be occurring in the larger context of decreasing mobility nationwide. Brookings Institution demographer William Frey agrees, saying long-term trends including more participation by women in the workforce and greater homeownership have contributed to that trend for decades. For Texas specifically, You said decelerating job growth may also have contributed to the 2025 decrease in domestic migration. Texas had a 0.1% increase in jobs in 2025, far below the states long-term average of 2%, which has helped draw people to the state, according to the Dallas Federal Reserve. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Frey and You also suggested Texas recent domestic migration boom may have been mainly a pandemic phenomenon. Frey noted other destination states have experienced a drop in the number of people moving in from elsewhere in the country. Domestic migration to Florida dropped from more than 310,000 in the 12 months before July 2022 to less than 23,000 in 2025, Frey said. The number of people moving to Arizona started falling even earlier, in 2021, census data shows. Other factors, like changes in data collection and processing, could also affect the numbers, You added. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Across the country, international migration has slowed, dropping from about 2.7 million to 1.3 million in the past two years. I dont think you should disregard the immigration from abroad because its a huge part of Texass population growth, Frey said. In Texas, international migration in the 12 months before June 2025 was less than 170,000 half compared with the same time frame ending July 2024. In the years before, international migration had been swiftly increasing, jumping from about 43,000 in 2021 to more than 350,000 in 2024. Texas ranked second in the country in 2025 for international migration. Advertisement Article continues below this ad During President Joe Bidens administration, several refugee and parole programs, including those for Ukrainian and Venezuelan immigrants, contributed to the sharp increase in international migration, said Julia Gelatt, associate director of the U.S. Immigration Policy Program at the nonpartisan Migration Policy Institute. At the end of Bidens term, the government put in policies to dissuade unauthorized border crossings. The administration also urged the Mexican government to tighten its restrictions on northward migration. As a result, international migration started to decline before Biden left office, she said. President Donald Trump has significantly increased deportation efforts and has closed numerous legal entry pathways, contributing to the slowest population growth since early in the COVID-19 pandemic. Tightening immigration policies could already be hurting Texas businesses, Gelatt said, pointing to survey data from the Dallas Federal Reserve. Thirteen percent of responding firms said it was harder to retain workers from May to July 2025; only 2% said it became easier. And a fifth of employers surveyed said the new policies would hamper their ability to retain foreign-born workers. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Consumers might notice that, Gelatt said. It might be that you wait longer to have somebody come serve you at a restaurant, or youre asked to use the self-checkout machine. Experts are still monitoring whether these slowdowns are outliers or representative of a longer trend, You said. Ultimately, the data indicates to public officials when and how theyll need to change policies to handle shifting infrastructure and labor force needs. Texas has been growing for quite some time, You said. At some point, the growth will slow down, right? A Southwest Airlines employee helps a passenger check in Jan. 27 at Houston Hobby Airport. Ashley Landis/Associated Press Southwest Airlines agent Babetta Porter, left, checks the boarding pass and baggage for Richelle Brandys Jan. 27 at Midway International Airport in Chicago. Erin Hooley/Associated Press Tam Taylor checks her seat assignment with the Southwest Airlines app Jan 27 at Midway International Airport in Chicago. Erin Hooley/Associated Press Its safe to say that Southwest Airlines transition to assigned seating is off to a turbulent start. Customers have taken to social media platforms for days to complain about things like lack of overhead bin space and not being allowed to switch seats, even when there are plenty open. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Southwest, the dominant carrier at San Antonio International Airport and Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, began assigned seating Jan. 27, ending its popular open seating policy. CEO Bob Jordan previously said that surveys conducted by the Dallas-based carrier showed customers and potential customers overwhelmingly wanted the option to pick their seat, similar to the way they do on other major U.S. airlines. Tam Taylor shows her Southwest Airlines boarding pass with seat assignment. Erin Hooley/Associated Press The monumental switch was first announced in 2024. About the same time, Southwests management came under pressure after an activist takeover by Elliott Investment Management. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Statesman Logo Want more Statesman? Make us a Preferred Source on Google to see more of us when you search. Add Preferred Source SOUTHWEST NEWS: Southwest forecasts strong 2026 as new seating and bag fees boost revenue But now concerns have grown and even some of the airlines most loyal customers are frustrated after the carrier rolled out a new boarding process to pair with the policy change. There are reports that A-list Preferred customers, who are supposed to board in either groups one or two, are instead boarding in later groups, also leading to bin space troubles. Advertisement Article continues below this ad A Southwest Airlines passenger checks in Jan. 27 at Houston Hobby Airport. Ashley Landis/Associated Press Some of Southwests A-listers openly raged on social media platforms such as X, with many complaints focused on those passengers being forced to place carry-on bags in compartments at the back of the plane, a different experience from the prior boarding regime. A frequent criticism is that non-preferred passengers were boarding ahead and taking up available overhead space. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Southwest Airlines spokesperson Chris Perry said the company is aware of some of the complaints. Since launch, weve been closely monitoring input and real-world behaviors to validate our assumptions and identify where we can refine the experience, Perry said in a statement. Those insights are now informing a series of early adjustments designed to smooth operations and reduce friction as Customers adapt to the new boarding and seating process. Southwest employees who respond to customer messages on social media also have told customers that it is reviewing their concerns. SpaceXs Starship launch site in Starbase is set to double in size. Eric Gay/Associated Press SpaceX has begun work to double the size of its Starship launch complex in South Texas as it prepares to handle as many as 25 launches and landings a year. The mega-rockets next liftoff could happen as soon as March, according to Elon Musk, who recently said his commercial space firm has shifted its focus from colonizing Mars to first setting up a base on the moon. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The pivot comes as the company prepares to go public later this year. Reportedly valued at $1.5 trillion, SpaceX expects to raise $50 billion in its initial public offering, which would be the largest ever. SpaceX also is facing more pressure to meet timelines under NASAs Artemis program to return astronauts to the moon. Its received deals worth more than $4 billion under Artemis but is running years behind schedule. A Starship is supposed to carry astronauts to the moon on Artemis III, which originally was intended to launch in 2024 but is now expected by 2028. Statesman Logo Want more Statesman? Make us a Preferred Source on Google to see more of us when you search. Add Preferred Source Starship has a long way to go before it can carry a crew, let alone make it to the surface of the moon. It's also facing growing competition from Jeff Bezos Blue Origin, which recently shut down its space tourist operation in West Texas so that it can focus on moon missions. Advertisement Article continues below this ad As it works to meet its Artemis timelines, SpaceX is expanding its operations in Texas and Florida. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers said this week that it has given SpaceX a permit to grow the Starbase launch site by about 21 acres, more than doubling its current 20-acre footprint. When complete, about 41 acres of the 55-acre project area will be developed, according to the Corps. A view of the existing Starship launch site and its recently approved expansion. USACE SpaceX recently marked the new perimeter and began work on the site. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The work includes building new infrastructure such as a new entrance road, test and staging pads, water and propellant storage, blast walls, equipment staging areas and internal roadways, a Corps spokesman said via email. The work must be complete by the end of 2031, and SpaceX is also required to control erosion and comply with the Endangered Species Act. SpaceX must buy mitigation credits to offset the environmental impacts of the development. Its doing that with the Rockhands Mitigation Bank, a tract of 1,050 acres of land northwest of Starbase that it intends to preserve. With funding from SpaceX, the city of Starbase annexed the land in August and is responsible for keeping it untouched. According to the agreement, acreage from the bank will offset the acreage SpaceX develops at Starbase, meeting its mitigation requirements. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The public comment period on both the launch pad expansion and Rockhands project ended in September. Details of the Starbase launch site expansion. USACE The Corps wouldnt immediately say how many comments it received or its response. The San Antonio Express-News has filed a Freedom of Information Act request for those documents. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Under the Clean Water Act, the launch site proposal also has to be reviewed by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. The agency's website shows that SpaceX has applied for a new wastewater permit at the launch site, but TCEQ wouldn't comment on the status of its reviews. SpaceX has faced state and federal environmental fines for past violations of clean water laws. The company has been steadily improving its launch infrastructure since the maiden launch in April 2023 cratered the launch pad, sparked fires, threw debris across the wetlands and sent a plume of pulverized concrete into the sky. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Silicon Labs downtown offices are shown in 2021. The Austin-based chipmaker is being acquired by Dallas-based Texas Instruments in a $7.5 billion deal. Austin American-Statesman file photo The Silicon Labs name, a fixture on Austins downtown skyline for two decades, will soon be replaced. Dallas-based Texas Instruments said it plans to retain the companys two 200,000-square-foot office towers along West Cesar Chavez Street and keep many of its roughly 500 employees in place after its $7.5 billion acquisition of the Austin chipmaker closes next year. The downtown headquarters will be rebranded as a Texas Instruments corporate office. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Plans for Silicon Labs buildings and workforce were not detailed when the deal was announced a week ago. But Texas Instruments said a big part of the appeal was Silicon Labs engineering team. It reiterated that this week. We value Silicon Labs engineering expertise and look forward to welcoming their team to TI, a Texas Instruments spokesperson said in statement. There are no plans to relocate Austin employees following the close of the transaction and we look forward to expanding our presence in Austin. The companies' announcement of the deal did not make clear the future of Silicon Labs CEO Matt Johnson, either, though he appeared at the companys investor meeting last week, calling the acquisition a great opportunity. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Statesman Logo Want more Statesman? Make us a Preferred Source on Google to see more of us when you search. Add Preferred Source (I) truly believe TI is the ideal partner to accelerate Silicon Labs' growth, Johnson told investors. Its an honor to be combining Silicon Labs with a partner with such a storied place in our industry and Id like to thank the entire Silicon Labs team for the sustained execution and dedication that made todays announcement possible. On Tuesday, a Silicon Labs spokesperson said the company will continue normal operations until the transaction closes in the first half of 2027, pending regulatory approvals. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Silicon Labs management team is staying in place as the integration proceeds to ensure continuity through integration and continue to deliver on Silicon Labs commitments, the spokesperson said in a statement. Founded in 1996, Silicon Labs is a fabless chipmaker, meaning it designs but outsources manufacturing of its semiconductors. The company specializes in and has become an industry leader in wireless connectivity and connected devices. It bought the two downtown office buildings along Lady Bird Lake in 2006. At the time, the company was still growing and initially struggled to fill the space. As demand for semiconductor-powered connected devices surged, Silicon Labs expanded and eventually filled both towers. Advertisement Article continues below this ad South Koreabased biotech firm 3billion plans to open a 13,000-square-foot AI-driven genetic testing lab in North Austin, a project backed by a $200,000 city incentive and expected to create up to 200 jobs. 3billion A South Korean life sciences company plans to open a genetic testing lab in North Austin, a move that could create up to 200 jobs. Last week, the Austin City Council approved a $200,000 economic development agreement with 3billion, an AI-driven biotech company based in Seoul, to open a 13,000-square-foot genetic testing lab at 13620 Ranch-to-Market Road 620. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The company plans to invest $8.1 million or about $623 per square foot into the facility, located near an Applied Materials manufacturing site east of Lakeline Mall. The city of Austin will award the company $1,000 for every job, with 3billion planning to create 200 full-time jobs with an average salary of more than $95,000 over 10 years, according to the agreement. The company plans for its lab to be operational by the second half of 2026. The city estimates the lab will generate about $2.3 million in economic benefits over the next decade. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Statesman Logo Want more Statesman? Make us a Preferred Source on Google to see more of us when you search. Add Preferred Source This project is meaningful to Austin because it will be created 200 jobs, and it will really be able to strengthen our life sciences ecosystem, Stacey Schmitt, chief operating officer of Opportunity Austin, said during the city council meeting. As we all know, this is a collaborative effort as we continue to grow life sciences as well as an internatinal company who will be coming here and really focusing on the talent that we have in this community and bringing a better quality of life in the health care and life sciences space. AUSTIN LIFE SCIENCES SECTOR: See new medication management technology at Omnicells innovation lab in South Austin Advertisement Article continues below this ad The company has already established a presence in Austin and is planning to use its hub in the city as the base for its North American operations, according to city documents. The FAA issued a 10-day airspace restriction over El Paso and southern New Mexico, affecting flights to and from the El Paso International Airport. Kevin Carter/Getty Images The Federal Aviation Administration abruptly reopened El Pasos airspace Wednesday morning, hours after imposing a 10-day shutdown that would have halted all flights in and out of the city. The FAA initially cited special security reasons. According to The New York Times, a person briefed on the matter said the brief shutdown was related to a test of new counter-drone technology by the military at Fort Bliss, a nearby Army base. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said the move was tied to a reported cartel drone incursion, adding that the threat had been neutralized and there was no danger to commercial travel. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Duffy said on social media that flights will resume as normal, and there " is no danger to commercial travel in the region." The shutdown would have halted all arrivals and departures at the local airport for 10 days, causing significant travel disruptions. The restriction went into effect at 11:30 p.m. local time Tuesday and was originally set to remain in place until 11:30 p.m. on Feb. 20, according to FAA notices. The 10-mile restriction included the neighboring community of Santa Teresa, New Mexico, but did not apply to aircraft flying above 18,000 feet. What do the FAA notices mean? While the restrictions were active, no pilots could operate any aircraft in the areas covered by the Notice to Air Missions, or NOTAM, within a 10-nautical-mile radius surrounding El Paso International Airport. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Airspace over El Paso and parts of southern New Mexico is closed under a temporary FAA security restriction for the next 10 days. Federal Aviation Administration website All air traffic has been halted in a 10 nautical mile range around the airport, so encompassing El Paso and Fort Bliss, from the ground to 17,000 feet," a person familiar with the notices, who asked not to be identified because they werent authorized to speak publicly, told El Paso Matters. "So no aircraft in or out, regardless of what they are, whether its air carriers, military, medevac helicopters, law enforcement. Nobody can fly as this thing is written up." Statesman Logo Want more Statesman? Make us a Preferred Source on Google to see more of us when you search. Add Preferred Source The person said closing airspace over a major U.S. city for security reasons for an extended period has not happened since immediately after the terror attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. Advertisement Article continues below this ad A separate section of the notice states: THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT MAY USE DEADLY FORCE AGAINST THE AIRBORNE ACFT, IF IT IS DETERMINED THAT THE ACFT POSES AN IMMINENT SECURITY THREAT. Why was the El Paso airport closed? The FAA issued a temporary notice Tuesday night closing the airspace over El Paso for the next 10 days, citing what it called special security reasons. The order which applied to both commercial and military aircraft and suspended operations at El Paso International Airport and Biggs Army Airfield has since been rescinded. The El Paso city government issued an advisory early Wednesday that flights at El Paso International Airport were canceled, but just before 9 a.m. Wednesday the city announced flights would resume. Advertisement Article continues below this ad 'No immediate threat to the community' Veronica Escobar, the Democratic U.S. Representative for Texass 16th Congressional District (which covers El Paso), stated that the FAA notice regarding El Pasos airspace was premature and urged them to lift the ban immediately. Throughout the morning, Escobar shared a series of tweets informing the public of the airlift status. From what my office and I have been able to gather overnight and early this morning there is no immediate threat to the community or surrounding areas, she wrote. There was no advance notice provided to my office, the City of El Paso, or anyone involved in airport operations. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The FAA is rightfully lifting the Temporary Restricted Airspace. I will again reiterate there is no threat to El Paso or the surrounding areas. Rep. Veronica Escobar (@RepEscobar) February 11, 2026 The highly consequential decision by FAA to shut down the El Paso Airport for 10 days is unprecedented and has resulted in significant concern within the community. https://t.co/qAZGrQ8I0Q Rep. Veronica Escobar (@RepEscobar) February 11, 2026 Chris Canales, an El Paso city representative, said the lack of clarity from the FAA was fueling fear and misinformation, adding that there was no reason to believe the city faced an imminent safety threat. He also said a 10-day grounding could have cost the city millions of dollars. As of 9:30 a.m. Wednesday, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott hasnt said anything about the FAA notice. Advertisement Article continues below this ad What did the Trump administration say? According to the Associated Press, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said in a post on X that the FAA and the Defense Department acted swiftly to address a cartel drone incursion. The threat has been neutralized and there is no danger to commercial travel in the region. The FAA and DOW acted swiftly to address a cartel drone incursion. The threat has been neutralized, and there is no danger to commercial travel in the region. The restrictions have been lifted and normal flights are resuming. https://t.co/xQA1cMy7l0 Secretary Sean Duffy (@SecDuffy) February 11, 2026 Where is El Paso, Texas? El Paso, with a population of more than 681,000, sits in Far West Texas along the U.S.-Mexico border. It is also home to Fort Bliss, one of the largest U.S. military installations. Dan Shoen, owner of the Paradise River Bend wedding venue, which was destroyed in the July 4 flood near the Guadalupe River in Ingram, holds a rope tethered to a support post from the remains of the pavilion. Sidney Orman/Texas State University INGRAM Where couples once exchanged vows beneath towering cypress trees along the Guadalupe River, only a bare concrete slab remains. What had been Dan Schoens outdoor wedding venue and family retreat a peaceful riverside escape just yards from the water was erased in minutes by a flood so powerful it bent 40-foot trees and scoured nearly a mile-wide path of destruction. Schoen, owner of the Paradise River Bend wedding venue and vacation rental property, often visits what was once a pristine retreat across the road from his cabins, surrounded by trees and nestled along the usually tranquil Guadalupe River. But all that is left now is the concrete slab that once served as the floor of his popular wedding venue, and the once-regal nearby 40-foot cypress trees are now bent over after raging floodwaters destroyed everything in their path. The roof's gone, the beam's broken in half, gigantic boulders they're all sitting over there now they used to be up there, Schoen said, pointing to the top of his wedding pavilion. Advertisement Article continues below this ad A record flood tore through Kerr County and impacted surrounding cities, including Kerrville, Hunt and Ingram, killing more than 130 people across the Hill Country. Schoen bought the Ingram property in 2002, and it quickly became a favorite location for weddings and vacation rentals on Airbnb and VRBO. Statesman Logo Want more Statesman? Make us a Preferred Source on Google to see more of us when you search. Add Preferred Source His cabins were full during the July 4 weekend, as guests, including his family, were in town to enjoy popular Independence Day festivities. Advertisement Article continues below this ad He looked out his window about 4 a.m. to find the water had risen past the wedding pavilion, which is elevated about 30 feet above the Guadalupe River, on his riverside property. The pavilion sits across the street from the guest cabins and Schoens personal residence. At 4 in the morning, I'm thinking, OK, it's going to be OK, Schoen said. This is a lot of rain, but it's handling it. We're going to be all right. Schoens land had been through floods before, and water reaching past the pavilion was nothing new to him. Schoen quickly resigned himself to losing kayaks and other river equipment and mentally prepared for a debris cleanup first thing in the morning. However, not even 15 minutes later, Schoen was awakened by his 93-year-old mother, who alerted him to the rapidly rising water outside. Dan, there's water outside, Schoen quoted her as saying. I said, What? She says, People's in water. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The Paradise River Bend property features a steady increase in elevation. It starts at the river with the wedding venue, then extends across the road and up to the rental cabins and Schoens personal cabin about a mile away. Every cabin was built above the 500-year flood plain, but on July 4, the water didnt stop rising until it reached just below Schoens front porch. And so you have to understand, within 15 minutes, the water had risen 20 feet, Schoen said. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Friends and family said Schoen jumped into action immediately, spending the following weeks searching for missing people and helping anywhere he possibly could. He made sure first and foremost everybody was taken care of, said Grace Hyatt, Schoen's daughter. He checked his Airbnbs and everybody was safe. There was a woman in a camper on his property who had difficulty walking. Schoen described watching her being pulled by the water like a wet towel as he held on tightly. He was able to get her out of the water and safely transfer her to his cabin. Advertisement Article continues below this ad I am probably more stable than maybe some who did it, Schoen said, referencing his unique background. I've certainly seen death and all that type of stuff. When Schoen was 4 years old, his missionary parents took their family to the South American country of Suriname, where they spent the next 15 years of their lives living with Indigenous people in the jungle region. The family learned the local language and created a written version of it, and Schoens father, Ivan, translated the Bible so the Surinamese people could have it in their own tongue. That aspect of him (Schoen) that could continue to trust and have faith when things get difficult, knowing those experiences where God delivered their family over and over, kept him safe all those years and provided for them, said Hart Simpson, a longtime friend and business partner of Schoen. I think that's kind of a bedrock for him. The constant rapids were a reminder of Schoens Suriname home. He has returned many times, often bringing friends with him. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Living on the Guadalupe was him getting a little piece of home, said Greg Powell, a longtime close friend of Schoen. Many times when I go out there, we sit in the hammocks, you know, in the pavilion by the river and we talk, light a bonfire, and we listen to the river and sometimes we kayak on it. Schoens children and now their children have been able to enjoy the river since his purchase of the land. The property has known picnics, parties, long conversations and baptisms. Seeing it the way that it is ( destroyed ) was really hard, especially since my dad just takes care of everybody else, Hyatt said. So, it was really hard to see that for him. Schoen's son, Christian Shoen, had planned to be married on the land, and those plans have not changed. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Even though it's wrecked, it's still sentimental, Christian Schoen said. The spot has long been a respite from the daily grind, and Schoen finds peace there, but Paradise River Bend has suffered greatly in the wake of the flood. Despite nearly losing his business, Schoens main goal that day and ever since has been helping and consoling other victims, his daughter said. Ever since the flood, he doesn't talk about his own losses when it comes to finances or property, Hyatt said. Advertisement Article continues below this ad He talks about the victims because there were quite a few victims near and on the property. So, he's just very selfless about it. He knows that life is imperfect and that things are going to happen. And we don't always know why. University of Texas students walk through campus in front of the UT Tower on the first day of the spring semester in 2023. A former UT professor requested funding from Jeffrey Epstein to fund a campus conference on sexual consent and rape. Aaron E. Martinez/American-Statesman A former University of Texas professor in 2015 requested thousands of dollars from child sex offender Jeffrey Epstein to pay for an academic conference on the meaning of sexual consent, new documents reveal. Professor Thomas K. Hubbard, who worked at the university from 1988 to 2021, wrote to Epstein on Aug. 18, 2015 seeking funding from Epsteins foundation for a 2016 conference titled Theorizing Consent: Educational and Legal Perspectives on Campus Rape, according to records released under the Epstein Files Transparency Act last month. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The conference, hosted at UT, aimed to gather scholars from different fields to question policies around consent and a universitys role in policing sexual assault. The conference was aimed at interrogating the concept of sexual consent, something Hubbard believed was too strictly defined. Hubbard confirmed in a statement that he was aware at the time of Epsteins 2008 conviction for the sexual solicitation of a minor. The former professor said that he thought the conviction might make Epstein more likely to contribute to the UT conference. Like over 1,000,000 Americans, he did have a conviction for a sex-related offense, but from what I could see in 2015, it was for something that would not even have been illegal in most European countries and resulted in a very short sentence, Hubbard said. Given his own brush with the law, I believed his Foundation might have been interested in furthering critical discussion of the contours of consent and rape. They werent. Statesman Logo Want more Statesman? Make us a Preferred Source on Google to see more of us when you search. Add Preferred Source In his letter to Epstein written on university s tationary Hubbard asked for help raising between $10,000 and $20,000 to supplement his $12,000 budget, which was in part funded by UT through a fund Hubbard controlled. Hubbard wrote t h at Title IX regulations; the Clery Act, which mandates universities be transparent about violent crimes; and attention to 'campus rape culture' in the media put an unprecedented responsibility on university administrators to police student sexual conduct. Advertisement Article continues below this ad I would like to inquire whether the Jeffrey Epstein Foundation might be willing to contribute toward the goal of giving this conference greater visibility and injecting some measure of rationality into the debate before the juggernaut of bad legislation gains further momentum, Hubbard wrote. University spokesperson Mike Rosen declined to comment. Epsteins foundation did not donate to the conference, Hubbard said. Hubbard defended Epstein in his statement, saying he does not believe he is a pedophile in a technical sense and was not concerned about his 2008 conviction at the time of his letter. However, he said if hed known the political circus Epstein would create, he would not have reached out to the foundation. The only backlash is from the media frenzy to tar everyone who had any contact with Epstein, no matter how remote. Had I known then that his transgressions would many years later spark such a political circus and so many false inferences, I would not have reached out to his foundation, he said. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Thomas K. Hubbard, a professor of classics at the University of Texas, has written extensively on relationships between boys and adult men. He wrote to Jeffrey Epstein in 2015 to request money for a campus conference on sexual consent and rape. University of Texas Epstein died by suicide in 2019 after being charged with sex trafficking of minors. He is estimated to have abused at least 1,000 women and children over decades of secret operations, the Justice Department said. His foundation contributed more than $9 million to Harvard University, and the school has since committed to donating unspent gifts to organizations that help sexual assault survivors. The Massachusetts Institute for Technology, another Epstein foundation recipient, also pledged to donate to a charity helping Epsteins and other sexual assault survivors. Hubbards own time at UT was marred by controversy over his study of pederasty, the study of adult male relationships with boys in ancient Greece. Hubbard achieved tenure in 1993 and taught courses in the classics, including Mythology of Rape and Child and Adolescent Sexuality. Advertisement Article continues below this ad After a student complaint in 2009, the College of Liberal Arts dean approached Hubbard about early retirement, but they came to no agreement on terms that year, according to reporting from the Daily Texan. He received a centennial professorship in 2012 and used the accompanying endowment to fund the conference, the student newspaper reported. In 2020, Hubbard sued several student activists for defamation, accusing them of damaging his academic reputation and mental wellbeing in their campaign for his removal from campus. The students protested his teaching on adult male relationships with minors in ancient times, passing around flyers that said he uses his status to promote pedophilia. Hubbard denied the students' accusations. A College of Liberal Arts committee found in 2020 that Hubbards curriculum was protected by academic freedom but recommended he take a trauma-sensitivity course, The Daily Texan reported. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Hubbard reportedly received a $700,000 settlement from the university in 2021 in exchange for dropping suits against all UT students and retiring immediately, the Texan reported. BEIJING, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese mainland spokesperson has condemned Taiwan's Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authorities for imposing restrictions and obstacles on cross-Strait exchanges in pursuit of their "Taiwan independence" agenda and selfish gains. The DPP authorities, led by Lai Ching-te, are the biggest obstacle to cross-Strait interactions and their acts have drawn strong criticism from various sectors in Taiwan, Zhu Fenglian, a spokesperson for the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office, said at a regular press briefing on Wednesday. Zhu expressed the hope that Taiwan compatriots will firmly oppose the retrogressive actions of the DPP authorities and promote exchanges and cooperation across the Taiwan Strait in various fields. She noted that cross-Strait flight routes have been disrupted due to interference from the DPP authorities, with previously operated destinations yet to resume normal operations. In 2025, the average passenger load factor on cross-Strait routes reached 80 percent, reflecting the strong need for direct flights between the two sides of the Strait, Zhu said. "We hope that the Taiwan side will heed public opinion and lift unreasonable restrictions on cross-Strait air transport as soon as possible," she added. Thousands of new students attend the annual Gone To Texas celebration at the University of Texas at Austin on Sunday, Aug. 24, 2025. Aaron E. Martinez/Austin American-Statesman For countless high school seniors in Texas and beyond, this week is the latest chapter in whats felt like a season-long thriller: When will the University of Texas at Austin finally release regular admissions decisions? This year, it's happening on Friday the 13th. If you submitted your application by the regular deadline thats Dec.1 for freshman admission and all materials in by Dec.10 youve been in the final review pool for weeks. Advertisement Article continues below this ad UT Austins admissions office announced in an email to applicant to regular and deferred early action applicants, Friday, Feb. 13 is the day that many Longhorn hopefuls will finally log into the MyStatus portal and see one of the biggest words of their young academic lives: Admit. Or, for some, Deny or Waitlist. UT Austin acceptance rate Getting into UT isnt easy. The flagship campus in Austin admits roughly around 2730 % of applicants overall, though that number varies significantly between Texas residents and out-of-state applicants. Advertisement Article continues below this ad How to check your admissions status As the clock ticks toward decision day, heres what to know: Statesman Logo Want more Statesman? Make us a Preferred Source on Google to see more of us when you search. Add Preferred Source Decisions are posted online on the UT Austin application portal as theyre released. Emails typically follow soon after results go live. Admitted students will have until May 1 National College Decision Day to accept an offer of enrollment. Deferred or waitlisted students will get guidance on next steps from the admissions office. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Whether its celebration or reflection, Friday the 13th is going to be a big day for Longhorn applicants everywhere. When did early action decisions come out? Early action decisions began rolling out around Jan. 15, UTs target date to release those decisions, though many applicants were deferred and told they would hear back later. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Early action at UT is nonbinding, meaning students are not required to enroll if admitted. Applicants who were not accepted outright in January were often deferred into the regular decision pool, where their applications received additional review alongside students who applied by the December regular deadline. University of Texas tower in the fog on Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2025 in Austin. Elizabeth Conley More than 20 staff members focused on boosting academic programming at the University of Texas lost their jobs in layoffs last month. In January, Provost William Inboden eliminated 23 staff positions within UTs Academic Affairs office, shuttering key supports for faculty teaching, undergraduate research, community engagement and advising. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The restructuring gutted the academic affairs branch of the provosts office and eliminated the positions of three of eight office leaders, including the head of interdisciplinary studies. The Academic Affairs Office was previously led by Art Markman, who Inboden fired last fall over ideological differences, according to Markman. The closed centers and laid off staff members provide centralized teaching support to faculty across campus and career and course guidance to students. Faculty said the staff were instrumental in guiding the universitys transition to online teaching during the COVID-19 pandemic and ensuring students across colleges found research opportunities. UT spokesperson Mike Rosen initially declined to confirm the number of staff laid off. In a January statement, he said the university regularly reviews its resources and remains committed to the highest quality of undergraduate teaching and learning. He also said colleges have internal advising and faculty support. Statesman Logo Want more Statesman? Make us a Preferred Source on Google to see more of us when you search. Add Preferred Source The changes will allow us to focus resources for these programs where they are most needed and most effective, he said. Rosen declined to comment further on the layoffs. Advertisement Article continues below this ad UT employs nearly 15,000 staff members as of last year, an increase of 2,300 staff members from 2018. In the same time period UT grew enrollment by 4,000 students, established the School of Civic Leadership and launched more than a dozen new academic programs across the university. About 55% of UT staff are women, and about 1,200 staff members, or 8.3% of UTs total, work in the provosts office, led by Inboden. Nearly 75% of the positions eliminated in the Provosts office were held by women. UTs provost oversees the flagships academic offerings and mission. In addition to academic affairs, the provost oversees seven other offices focused on faculty, graduate studies and enrollment. Inboden wrote in a January email to some faculty that the Center for Teaching and Learning, Vick Advising Excellence Center, Center for Undergraduate Research and Office of Community Engagement will wind down this semester and end this May. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The laid off staff will retain their positions until May, according to UT documents. The university will give them preference in hiring for other UT jobs and offered them employee assistance program counselors. The changes, Inboden said, are designed to enhance collaboration, create new pathways for partnerships, prudently steward our resources, and strengthen existing units within our colleges and schools. But faculty fear the cuts will gut resources key to UTs mission teaching and research while further shaking up the universitys organization at a time leadership is undergoing major changes. In the past year, UT has had four provosts, a new president and a new chancellor. Six of UTs 18 dean positions are currently in flux or held by interim leaders. Advertisement Article continues below this ad In April 2024, the university fired dozens of staff members who formerly worked in diversity, equity and inclusion positions. Nearly 75% of the 49 people laid off then were women. About a third of the staff members laid off were Black, though they made up about 7% of UT staff at the time. Chief Justice Jimmy Blacklock, middle, asks a question as the Supreme Court of Texas hears oral arguments from Paxton v. Annunciation House Inc. Monday, Jan. 13, 2025. Mikala Compton/American-Statesman The Texas Supreme Court on Tuesday heard oral arguments in a case that could determine whether Austins long-delayed light-rail project can move forward. The underlying dispute centers on the funding mechanism for the more than $7 billion project, which Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and other plaintiffs argue is unconstitutional. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The case stems from two lawsuits filed in 2023 that were later consolidated. The first was brought by a group of residents that included business owners, current and former elected officials and social justice advocates who argued that the light-rail project has been scaled back so significantly that it no longer reflects what Austin voters approved. Voters overwhelmingly endorsed the light-rail plan in 2020 as part of Project Connect. Early proposals envisioned as many as 28 miles of track across the city. Local officials later reduced the plan to fewer than 10 miles, citing rising construction costs. The 2020 ballot measure authorized a 20% increase in Austins property tax rate dedicated to transit improvements. Under the plan, the city would transfer that revenue to Austin Transit Partnership, which would use the funds to repay bonds issued to finance construction. Statesman Logo Want more Statesman? Make us a Preferred Source on Google to see more of us when you search. Add Preferred Source The second lawsuit was filed by Austin Transit Partnership itself. Known as a bond validation suit, it seeks a courts approval to issue the bonds. The two cases were combined and scheduled for trial in Travis County before jurisdictional disputes sent them into the appeals process. Advertisement Article continues below this ad A conceptual rendering shows what the Austin Light Rail system could look like along the Drag. Austin Transit Partnership Lawyers for the city of Austin and Austin Transit Partnership, the governmental entity overseeing the project, argued Tuesday before the states highest civil court against attorneys from Paxtons office. The justices are not being asked to rule on the merits of the underlying legal challenge. Instead, they are weighing a procedural question: whether the attorney generals office was allowed to file an early appeal that halted the case before it could be tried locally. If the court sides with the city and Austin Transit Partnership, the case would likely return to Travis County for trial. A ruling in favor of the attorney general could send the case back into the appellate process. The court did not issue a ruling Tuesday; decisions typically come weeks or months after oral arguments. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Despite the legal uncertainty, Austin Transit Partnership has continued advancing the project. The agency is expected to award a roughly $3 billion construction contract this spring, with construction potentially beginning next year. If the current timeline holds, the light-rail line could open by 2033. The project recently received federal environmental clearance, a key step toward securing a planned $4 billion federal grant. Austin Transit Partnership CEO Greg Canally said earlier this year that he remains confident in the outcome of the case. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Mercedes de Uriarte was a University of Texas professor who advocated for diversity at the school and in journalism. Provided by Margaret Eichler I confess that at our first meeting, I did not fully see the woman standing before me. Slight, elderly, in nondescript clothes and glasses under a shortish mop of mussed grey hair, she meekly said, Hello, when the neighbor I stopped by to see introduced us. Months passed before we had an actual conversation. Id only then recognize the powerhouse that lived a block from our home, learning that she was the first Latina admitted to Yale Graduate School and a former LA Times staff writer. In time, we attended protests and watched election returns together. We went out to lunch to rage about the state of our world. When her eyes began to fail, Id take her to doctors appointments. Once when she collapsed at a neighborhood party, I escorted her to the emergency room. Advertisement Article continues below this ad On all these occasions, we never refrained from talking. For Mercedes de Uriarte there was only one subject: justice. It proved her lifelong passion justice for overlooked women and people of color like her. Luisa Pineda, of Austin, hugs her father, Luis Pineda, after she participated in a graduation ceremony for the Moody College of Communication. The late Mercedes de Uriarte advocated for more Latinx representation at the University of Texas, particularly in journalism. Jay Janner / American-Statesman Its fitting to write about Mercedes as the Feast of St. Margaret of Cortana is near. The slight overlooked penitent, keenly aware of her shortcomings, allowed her self-awareness to undergird her care of societys outcasts. Hence, she became known as the patron of the unheralded. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Im certain Mercedes never made sainthood a goal. She spent no time speaking of faith, while exhibiting a large measure of it through her actions. Her advocacy for Latinx students and women of color demonstrated a firm belief that one could make a difference by speaking out. The New Testament Book of James admonishes: faith without works is dead. Reformers Martin Luther and John Calvin argued with this, suggesting that one could not earn ones way to heaven. Mercedes had no interest in heaven. Her goal: Make this life less hell for those with little power to alter the structures that define their lives. This is, after all, consistent with our weekly group confession at the Episcopal church where I worship. We seek forgiveness not only for what weve done but for what weve left undone. Unlike Margaret of Cortana, Mercedes of Austin put little energy into penitence for her sins. She remained too focused on our dominant U.S. cultures sin of omission omission of people like her in academia and in journalism. In her eyes, I proved no exception to this sin. Im convinced she loved me, and we often said so to each other, but she would not let me neglect what I initially overlooked. She shared books she co-authored, and when her honorary doctoral degree arrived, she immediately brought it to my door. She also insisted that I take a small painting of Quetzalcoatl to place among my collection of crosses to remind me that the Almighty just might be browner than my cultural conditioning suggests. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Sadly, I came into Mercedes life in the years following her professional work. Co-author, Roxanne Evans, however, fought the same fight right there by my good friends side. Terry Dawson From the moment Mercedes entered my life, I recognized the warrior for social and racial justice she embodied. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, when Mercedes was a professor and I was president of the National Association of Black Journalists affiliate, the Austin Association of Black Communicators, she and I worked together to convince the Austin Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication to reconsider accreditation to the University of Texas for its disparate treatment of students of color. One might say, Mercedes and I got into good trouble. The university, at that time, admitted too few black and brown students, and those admitted exited as quickly as they entered. The experience of African American and Mexican American graduate students was particularly abysmal. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Mercedes proved a force for equity at a time when it was still valued. She created a space for the voices of journalists of color in 1989 through the UT classroom publication Tejas, which, during its decade run, won several awards. In 1996, it received the coveted Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Award for Outstanding Journalism for telling the stories of migrant farm worker students. A three-year Ford Foundation research grant allowed Mercedes to explore patterns of newsroom exclusion that silenced minority voices. This study produced a comprehensive 2003 report released at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C.: Diversity Disconnects: From Classroom to Newsroom. I had the pleasure of attending the event with Mercedes and her daughter, Cristina Bodinger-de Uriarte, who co-authored the report. In 1991, Mercedes became the second woman and the first minority awarded tenure in UTs Department of Journalism. She won numerous other awards and was particularly proud of her honorary doctorate from Lewis & Clark College. She displayed in her room at the assisted living facility where she spent her final days. Mercedes was no ivory tower professor. While still practicing journalism, she engaged in the struggles of several grassroots organizations and activities seeking to promote low-income housing and to slow the pace of gentrification. Advertisement Article continues below this ad We would meet regularly at one of her favorite Mexican restaurants in North Austin. Over margaritas, chili rellenos, and guacamole, wed briskly discuss international, national and state affairs. She remained an able debater and faithful friend to the end. Roxannes and my respective experiences lead us to the same conclusion: Mercedes contribution must not be overlooked. Her formidable efforts have opened doors for those who follow. Sadly, we as a nation have backslidden into the habit of omission even going further to erase the names of minority leaders like Mercedes from American history. This is not a mere matter of preference or politics. In the spirit of Saint Margaret and Mercedes, who called us to repentance for such intentional negligence, lets call it what it is: a sin. Shakespeares observation of his character Portia fits with both our impressions of the professor who would have said as much: Though she be but little, she is fierce. Mercedes, however, was a Portia and St. Margaret of a different sort one we shall not soon forget. We offer a tired but true statement from the days when she was most active one we might need even more now: Keep the faith. Yall, keep the faith. Last year's mid-decade redistricting moved nearly 92,000 Travis County residents into the new U.S. House District 10, expanding the constituency to include Texans as far east as Lake Livingston, north of Houston. Republican U.S. Rep. Michael McCaul, who has held the seat since 2005, declined to run for a 12th term, opening the March 3 primary field to a large group of contenders. The candidate with President Donald Trump's endorsement and enough campaign cash to run TV ads is Chris Gober, an Austin-based lawyer who touts his involvement in the 2025 redistricting and work at the helm of Elon Musks America PAC in the 2024 presidential election. But we think a lesser-known candidate deserves Republican voters' support in the March 3 primary: Army veteran and businessman Rob Altman, a self-described less-government-is-better kind of guy who will listen to and act on Texans' concerns. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Rob Altman is a candidate for U.S. Congress in District 10. Handout photo Altman, who recently moved back to the Bryan/College Station area, has experience balancing economic growth with fiscal responsibility from his time as an appraisal district board member. Some of his most valuable experiences came from deployments overseas, in regions strained by tribal strife. He said he learned how to work with rival groups to reach solutions everyone could live with. The way that I approached it was from finding out what helps them, what helps me, and what is it that I want to accomplish, Altman told our Editorial Board. And that doesn't mean compromising my values or compromising my philosophy. Advertisement Article continues below this ad In the rural stretches of District 10, he noted, residents worry about the arrival of data centers that would consume significant water and energy, even as the growth of artificial intelligence increases the demand for this infrastructure. Across the district, residents are also feeling the pain of high housing costs. I do believe that we can take a business approach to help people by identifying what's driving up building costs, he said. What are the ways the government can lessen its regulation to help the market take care of itself? We met with five of the nine candidates in this packed primary; Gober did not meet with us. A 10th candidate, Bee Cave Mayor Kara King, has suspended her campaign and endorsed Gober. Judging by his campaign messaging, however, Gober appears more committed to the executive branch's agenda than the concerns of his potential constituents. Advertisement Article continues below this ad In a sprawling district with diverse issues, Altman stands out as a candidate focused on practical problem-solving over partisan agendas. American-Statesman Editorial Board Endorsement: U.S. House District 10, Republican primary Handout photo U.S. Rep. Greg Casar, speaking at a Jan. 10 protest against U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement tactics, has proven hes an effective fighter for voters' priorities. Sara Diggins/Austin American-Statesman U.S. Rep. Greg Casar is not the incumbent in the March 3 Democratic primary for U.S. House District 37, but he might as well be. Austins hometown progressive is running in District 37 after last year's mid-decade redistricting drew him out of his District 35. Democrat Lloyd Doggett, Central Texas' tenacious advocate in Congress for the past three decades, decided not to seek another term. Casar, a former Austin City Council member now seeking his third term in Congress, has proven hes an effective fighter for voters' priorities. We recommend him in the March 3 Democratic primary for this district situated almost entirely within the Austin city limits. Advertisement Article continues below this ad I'm helping build an agenda for Democrats in this coming election cycle that focuses on the issues that everyday working people care about, through what I hear about here in Austin and all over the country, Casar told our Editorial Board, citing legislation he proposed last year that would ban tracking software that uses people's internet search histories to set higher prices for them online. His primary opponent, Austin epidemiologist Esther Fleharty, did not meet with us. Advertisement Article continues below this ad We are not making an endorsement in the Republican primary for U.S. House District 37. In meetings with our Editorial Board, neither attorney Janet Malzahn nor community advocate Lauren B. Pena demonstrated the policy knowledge to effectively serve in Congress. Ge'Nell Gary, who recently moved back to Texas after serving as mayor of Albany, California, did not meet with us. Voters in the Democratic primary, however, have an easy choice: Casar has shown the passion and political savvy to champion the interests of Central Texans. He is the clear choice in the Democratic primary. Commissioner of Agriculture Sid Miller speaks to the media during a Trump rally at Million Air in Austin, Texas, on Oct. 25, 2024 Lorianne Willett/Texas Tribune Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Millers Republican opponent has accused the politician of misusing taxpayer dollars to prop up his reelection campaign. In a complaint filed Tuesday, Nate Sheets who is challenging Miller in the Republican primary asked the state attorney generals office to look into a series of social media advertisements that the Department of Agriculture paid to launch on Feb. 3, two weeks before the start of early voting. The ads, which have run on Facebook and Instagram, all begin with the slogan TDA is in and prominently feature Millers name or likeness. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller grew up on a Texas farm, the caption of one Facebook post reads. Today, he works hard every day, not just supporting our farmers, but also our fishermen and the entire seafood industry through our Texas Gulf Seafood program. Below the text is an image of Miller framed by a dock at sunset, and the slogan TDA is in the Gulf. READ MORE: Why some Republicans are ready to turn the page on Sid Miller in the 2026 primary Texas law bars the use of state resources for political campaigns and prohibits government officials from using public funds for political advertising. Statesman Logo Want more Statesman? Make us a Preferred Source on Google to see more of us when you search. Add Preferred Source Sheets campaign called the timing of the ads especially suspect in a news release about the complaint. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Sid Miller couldnt raise the money to run a real campaign, so Texas taxpayers are now footing the bill, Sheets said in a news release Tuesday. Every Texan has effectively been made a donor to his re-election. Thats an abuse of public trust. Each of the more than 60 ads has cost the agency between $100 and $600 as of Tuesday, totaling at least $6,000, per Metas ad portal. Each is targeted to reach one million social media users, and they have been viewed hundreds of thousands of times so far. Miller, who is seeking a fourth term, called the complaint groundless and desperate. The Texas Department of Agriculture is laser-focused on boosting our state's ag powerhouse and protecting consumers, Miller wrote in an email statement to Hearst Newspapers. As its leader, it's my duty to highlight our team's non-stop, round-the-clock heroics 365 days a year. I'll keep promoting our agency's programs, whether my opponent likes it or not." Advertisement Article continues below this ad The former rodeo champion has struggled to raise campaign cash since Gov. Greg Abbott, former Agriculture Commissioner Susan Combs and a handful of state senators endorsed Sheets, a beekeeper and businessman. Miller reported raising just $4,345 for his campaign in January, while Sheets notched more than $330,000 in donations during that period, according to data from the Texas Ethics Commission. Its not clear whether Attorney General Ken Paxton will investigate or act on the complaint ahead of the March 3 primary. In a January statement about Abbotts endorsement of Sheets, the governor's campaign manager, Kim Snyder, said Miller had a history of corruption, but didnt elaborate further. READ MORE: Texas Ag Commissioner Sid Miller hires back top aide who pleaded guilty to bribery Advertisement Article continues below this ad Last year, Miller came under scrutiny for rehiring his longtime friend and political aide Todd Smith to be the agencys chief of staff shortly after Smith pleaded guilty to commercial bribery charges. The charges accused him of soliciting tens of thousands from farmers seeking licenses to grow hemp in the state. Miller previously told Hearst Newspapers he was unafraid of the competition and eager to defend his record among GOP primary voters. "They come after me every time because they can't tell me what to do," Miller said The central bank and seven other authorities: Virtual currency businesses and "mining" projects are strictly banned in China; RMB-pegged stablecoins are prohibited from being issued overseas without approval 17:01, February 10, 2026 By Yu Jichao, International Financial News ( People's Daily Online The strictest ban comes in the crypto sector. On February 6, eight authorities, including the People's Bank of China and the China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC), jointly issued the Notice on Further Preventing and Resolving the Risks Related to Virtual Currencies (hereinafter referred to as the "Notice"). The Notice once again makes clear that business activities related to virtual currencies are illegal financial activities and are strictly prohibited and resolutely banned in accordance with the law. For the first time, the Notice explicitly states that, without approval from relevant authorities in accordance with laws and regulations, domestic entities and overseas entities under their control are prohibited from issuing any virtual currencies abroad. As stablecoins pegged to legal tender partially perform the functions of the latter during circulation and use and thus implicate monetary sovereignty, the Notice further emphasizes that, without approval from relevant authorities in accordance with laws and regulations, no entity or individual, whether domestic or overseas, is allowed to issue any RMB-pegged stablecoin abroad. "Currently, some RMB-pegged stablecoins already exist in overseas markets. Some of them lack compliant issuance qualifications, have opaque fund-pool management, and may transmit risks into the domestic market through offshore channels," said Wang Pengbo, Chief Analyst at Botong Analysys. He mentioned that the rule prohibiting any domestic or overseas entity or individual from issuing RMB-pegged stablecoins abroad will directly cut off the issuance source of such stablecoins for institutions inside and outside China. It will impact the entire industry chain, covering issuance, circulation, and trading, leaving virtually no room for this business model to survive. In addition to banning virtual currency-related businesses, the Notice also stresses the continued rectification of virtual currency "mining." The National Development and Reform Commission, together with relevant departments, will strictly control such "mining" activities and make continuous efforts to rectify them. Wang Pengbo also pointed out that current issues mainly include some entities engaging in "mining" under the guise of data centers, some mining operators relocating their equipment across regions to evade local supervision, and certain mining activities being directly linked to virtual currency trading and speculation. Furthermore, the Notice for the first time clarifies the compliance boundaries for the tokenization of real-world assets (RWA). RWA tokenization generally refers to the use of cryptography and distributed ledger or similar technologies to convert ownership rights, income rights, and other interests in assets into tokens (or token-like rights or bond certificates), followed by issuance and trading activities. The Notice emphasizes that conducting RWA tokenization activities within China, as well as providing intermediary or information technology services for such activities, may constitute illegal financial activities and therefore such as illegal issuance of tokenized securities, unauthorized public offerings of securities, illegal securities or futures operations, and illegal fundraising, and should be prohibited. However, the Notice also states that exceptions may apply to relevant business activities carried out in reliance on specific financial infrastructure and with approval from competent authorities in accordance with laws and regulations. In addition, on the evening of February 6, the CSRC issued the Regulatory Guidelines on the Overseas Issuance of Asset-Backed Securities Tokens by Domestic Assets (hereinafter referred to as the "Regulatory Guidelines"). The Regulatory Guidelines stipulates that before conducting related business, the domestic entity that actually controls the underlying assets must file with the CSRC and submit the required filing report, complete overseas issuance documents, and other relevant materials, for fully explaining the information on the domestic filing entity, the underlying assets, the token issuance plan, and related details. Wang Pengbo mentioned that the Regulatory Guidelines leaves some room for the development of compliant RWA models. The core consideration is to balance strict regulation and financial innovation, preventing domestic assets from achieving regulatory arbitrage through overseas tokenization while guiding the RWA sector to explore development within a compliant framework. For companies along the RWA industry chain, leading ones with genuine, compliant underlying assets and standardized operational capabilities may obtain business development opportunities through filing, while those merely chasing market hype without real assets backing will be phased out. (Web editor: Hongyu, Wu Chengliang) In the world of politics, much like on a chessboard, the pieces and the logic by which they operate vary widely. This is particularly evident among certain members of Russias State Duma who have gained notoriety for political rhetoric driven not by reasoned argument, but by ideological theses. One such figure is Konstantin Zatulin, who at times appears to be attempting to assume the role once played by Vladimir Zhirinovsky. Yet the absurdities he routinely utters end up damaging not only his own credibility, but also the public image of Russias political elite as a whole. The recent speech by Mr Zatulin, a Russian politician and deputy in the State Duma, delivered at the Armenian Apostolic Churchs main cathedral in Moscow, deserves close attention. At first glance, one might dismiss his remarks as mere rhetoric. Yet those familiar with Russias political machinery know that figures like Zatulin often serve as unofficial mouthpieces for the Kremlinsaying aloud what Moscow itself prefers to keep between the lines. When convenient, the Russian state embraces their words; when not, it dismisses them as personal opinions. That is precisely why Zatulins speech should be read carefully, especially its subtext. The message was clear: Russia does not want peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan. The Kremlin, bogged down in Ukraine, lacks the capacity to halt the peace process outright, but it hopes to reignite the long-buried Karabakh conflict. Its strategy hinges on the 2026 Armenian elections, where Moscow aims to restore the so-called Karabakh clique to powerat any cost. Zatulins attack on Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan was not accidental; it was part of a broader campaign to undermine him and reassert Russias grip on Yerevan. I will honestly admit that Armenia's defeat in 2020 was more than a reality as it demonstrated Azerbaijans transformation into a modern military power. Technologically and tactically, Azerbaijans armed forces outmatched Armenia many times over, and in several areas rivalled larger regional actors, such as Iran, Turkiye, and even Russia. However, being honest, I must say that Pashinyan was not the architect of Armenias defeat in the 44-day war. That responsibility lies squarely with the Karabakh clique, whose thirty-year rule crippled the Armenian state, hollowed out its economy, and isolated the country regionally. Their legacy includes corruption so brazen that even railway tracks and sleepers along the Araz River were dismantled and sold. The reality today is stark: the Karabakh conflict is over, and new regional dynamics have emerged. Russia, however, refuses to accept them. Moscow fears that a peace treaty between Armenia and Azerbaijan would spell the end of its influence in the South Caucasusand beyond. In detail, Russia offers no real opportunities to countries in the region under its sphere of influence, only fear and coercion. History proves that those who defy this sphere of influence thrive. Thirty years ago, Azerbaijan showed Russia the door. Despite initial hardships, the Azerbaijani economy has since grown 140-fold, rebuilding its infrastructure to a standard that now surpasses Russias own. Similarly, Poland and the Baltic states enjoy a per capita income nearly double that of Russia. Conversely, nations that remain tethered to Moscowlike Armenia under the Karabakh cliqueare left with nothing. Zatulin cannot conceal the truth, though he works tirelessly to obscure it. He knows the realities all too well, yet cloaks them in diplomatic varnish. Russias failure to intervene during the 44-Day War was not simply a tactical calculationit was an admission of weakness. With the Ukraine conflict draining its resources, Moscow recognized that it lacked the capacity to confront a state as militarily advanced as Azerbaijan. In his speech, Zatulin repeatedly credited Turkiye for Azerbaijans battlefield success, portraying Russias passivity as a gesture of goodwill toward Ankara. This is a deliberate misdirection. The Kremlins silence was not about preserving ties with Turkey; it was about avoiding a direct clash with Azerbaijans modernised war machine. To acknowledge this would be to concede that Azerbaijan has become a model of defianceproof that resistance to Moscows dominance is not only possible but effective. Zatulins rhetorical contortions are designed precisely to prevent such an admission, even as the facts speak for themselves. True to tradition, Russia now resorts to threats. Zatulin warned that Armenians in Russia would be branded traitors if Pashinyan remains in power, and hinted that once the war in Ukraine ends, Moscow will settle accounts with its neighbours. This is intimidation, pure and simple. The choice before Armenians is stark. In 2026, they can vote for progress, show resolve, and shut the door on Russiaor they can return the Karabakh clique to power and sink deeper into decline. Russia is not a rising star but a fading one, unable to help itself, let alone its neighbours. The only chains Armenians risk losing are those fastened by the Karabakh clique itself. CHONGQING, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- A new integrated intelligent driving laboratory, capable of simulating real vehicles, dynamic traffic and climate conditions simultaneously, has commenced operations in a high-tech zone in southwest China's Chongqing Municipality. Covering over 5,000 square meters, this lab is a global pioneer in serving as a full-scenario testing platform integrating vehicle motion control, rain-fog-light simulation and complex traffic flow simulation, thereby establishing a more realistic and efficient verification system for intelligent driving and thus meeting the needs of China's fast-growing smart car industry, China Media Group (CMG) reported on Tuesday. The lab will enable comprehensive safety validation for intelligent driving vehicles before mass production, covering extreme and realistic scenarios. It aims to strengthen the safety and technological foundation for future smart mobility and support high-quality development of the intelligent vehicle industry, according to the report. Notably, the lab has pioneered a smart drag system, which is a mechanism capable of towing vehicles at speeds up to 130 km/h, surpassing the industry norm of 100 km/h. This allows precise replication of traffic participant behaviors, including sudden pedestrian crossing scenarios. Additionally, the lab features an environment-adjustable system that continuously fine-tunes rain, fog and light parameters, realistically recreating dynamic weather transitions. Another breakthrough is the real-time integration of physical environments and complex traffic flows. Here, real vehicles are able to interact instantly with simulated traffic in realistic settings, solving the fragmentation problem common in traditional lab tests. Listing AI as one of the strategic industries to be promoted through better policy and governance, China has been at the forefront of autonomous driving development. Chinese authorities have designated at least 20 cities and city clusters as pilot zones for the application of "vehicle-road-cloud" integration for intelligent connected vehicles. The lab in Chongqing is expected to bolster research and standard-setting for intelligent and new energy vehicles in China, accelerating automotive industry transformation, CMG reported. KABUL, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- A worker of a mine was killed and another sustained injury as the tunnel of the mine collapsed in eastern Afghanistan's Nangarhar province on Tuesday, said a statement of the provincial government on Wednesday. The incident took place in Mamandara area of Spinghar district on Tuesday afternoon, the statement added. In post-war Afghanistan, miners often extract the underground treasures with old-fashioned traditional instruments and lack of safety measures, which sometimes lead to disaster and fatalities. Previously, a similar accident claimed the lives of three miners in a gold mine in the northern Badakhshan province last December. COLOMBO, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- The Gampaha High Court Trial-at-Bar in Sri Lanka on Wednesday sentenced 12 individuals to death after finding them guilty over the 2022 murder of Amarakeerthi Athukorala, then a member of parliament, and his security officer. The ruling followed an extended trial in which a total of 42 people had been indicted in connection with the killings. In addition to the death sentences, the court imposed six-month prison terms, suspended for five years, on four other individuals. Another 23 accused were acquitted by the court. The charges stem from events that unfolded during the nationwide unrest on May 2022. According to reports, the parliamentarian and his security officer had opened fire at an angry mob of protesters and critically injured two people while they were blocking his vehicle. The MP and his security were later found murdered later that day inside a nearby building. Bitmovin Appoints Ian Baglow as Co-Chief Executive Officer Bitmovin has appointed Ian Baglow as Co-CEO alongside existing CEO and Co-Founder Stefan Lederer. Denver and Klagenfurt, Austria( ) Leading provider of video streaming solutions, Bitmovin, has appointed Ian Baglow as Co-CEO alongside existing CEO and Co-Founder Stefan Lederer. Under this structure, Baglow will lead day-to-day operations and work to strengthen the business with customers and partners while Lederer will focus on strategic developments and the wider market. Baglow joined Bitmovin in 2021 as Chief Revenue Officer where he was responsible for overseeing the revenue function, with a focus on customer retention and new customer acquisition. His role expanded in 2024 when he became the companys President, Chief Revenue and Operations Officer. Having held several executive roles prior to joining Bitmovin, Baglow has significant leadership experience, with a proven track record of successfully executing business strategies in scale-ups, new markets and products, to drive growth. Baglows career includes executive level positions at BAE Systems and SilverSky. Ian Baglow, Co-CEO, Bitmovin, commented: Im honored to be appointed as Co-CEO, where I will of course continue to work closely with Stefan who I have great admiration and respect for. This shared leadership role will allow us to use our highly complementary skills and strengths to take Bitmovin to new levels, and I look forward to solidifying Bitmovins market position and contributing to its continued growth. Stefan Lederer, Co-CEO and Co-Founder, Bitmovin, added: Ian has played a key role in driving company growth in recent years, and I believe as Co-CEO, he will be integral to Bitmovins sustainable expansion and success. With Ian managing day-to-day operations and strengthening partnerships, Ill be able to focus more on the next generation of our technology, as well as the strategic side of the business, which are both topics that Im very much looking forward to. Maj. Gen. Charles Lombardo, who leads the 2nd Infantry Division, places a patch on South Korean army Brig. Gen. Moon Han-ok as she is elevated to the role of a deputy division commander at Camp Humphreys, South Korea, Feb. 4, 2026. (U.S. Army) CAMP HUMPRHEYS, South Korea A South Korean brigadier general has become the first South Korean woman to serve as a deputy commander of the 2nd Infantry Division, the only U.S. Army division that integrates troops from another country into its ranks. Brig. Gen. Moon Han-ok assumed the post one of three deputy commanders and the only South Korean during a Feb. 4 ceremony at Camp Humphreys as the allies prepare for the eventual transfer of wartime operational control to Seoul. I believe this case will have positive influence on service women in the combat branch and bring hopeful messages to them, Moon said in a statement provided to Stars and Stripes on Tuesday by a South Korean spokesman for the division. Before Moon, the last woman to serve as a 2nd ID deputy commander was Brig. Gen. Lori Robinson, who held that role until February 2023, when she was named commandant of cadets for the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, N.Y. Moon most recently served as the head of the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff International Military Cooperation Division, managing tasks related to the U.S.-South Korean alliance, according to a Feb. 9 report in The Chosun Daily. South Korean army Brig. Gen. Moon Han-ok becomes a deputy commander of the 2nd Infantry Division during a ceremony at Camp Humphreys, South Korea, Feb. 4, 2026. (U.S. Army) Earlier in her career, she was a strategic analysis officer at Combined Forces Command, the joint U.S.-South Korean warfighting headquarters. As a major, she oversaw joint training and analyzed strategic environments, the spokesman said. Some South Korean government officials must speak to the media on condition of anonymity. Moon was among the first South Korean officers assigned to the combined 2nd ID formally known as the 2nd Infantry Division/Republic of Korea-U.S. Combined Division when it was created in 2015, Moon said in her statement. She became the divisions South Korean chief of staff in 2021. The combined division includes about 100 South Korean personnel embedded within the U.S. unit, Moon said. It is meaningful to be the first female deputy commander in a combat branch, she told Stars and Stripes. Her appointment comes as the two countries continue discussions on the long-planned transfer of wartime operational control of allied forces to South Korea. At this critical time, Moon said she aims to advance interoperability and build an organization that helps officers think about their identities and establish them. In military terms, interoperability is the ability of one country to make use of anothers equipment and training. Moon described the alliance as the linchpin of South Koreas security and said the combined division operates side by side to prepare for future warfare. Capt. James Angerman, commander of Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 11, addresses members of the 4th and 11th battalions after a ceremony at Camp Shields, Okinawa, Feb. 2, 2026. (Justin Rayburn/U.S. Navy) A Navy Seabee unit with historic ties to Okinawa has returned to the island to support exercises and building projects across the Indo-Pacific region. Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 11, based at Gulfport, Miss., took over for Battalion 4 during a Feb. 2 relief-in-place/transfer-of-authority ceremony at Camp Shields, according to a battalion news release Friday. The 11th Seabees will be attached to Task Force 75, headquartered at Naval Base Guam. Capt. James Angerman, commander of Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 11, salutes as the battalion flag is raised on Camp Shields, Okinawa, Feb. 2, 2026. (Alexa Trafton/U.S. Navy) Camp Shields, northeast of Kadena Air Base, is named for Marvin Shields, a member of the 11th Seabees who earned the Medal of Honor during the Vietnam War. The battalions 590 personnel will provide advance base construction, contingency engineering, and humanitarian assistance and disaster recovery support, 7th Fleet spokesman Lt. Cody Milam said by email Wednesday. They will also support construction projects for other U.S. services and allies, according to the release. During their deployment, the 4th Seabees, based at Port Hueneme, Calif., renovated a primary school in Samoa in September and October, worked on the ongoing landfill cap and closure project at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, and carried out construction projects on Okinawa and at Sasebo Naval Base, also in Japan, and on Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean, according to posts on the battalions Facebook page. Milam declined to say how long the 11th Seabees would be deployed to Okinawa or what exercises they would support with the fleet, citing operational security. Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 11s return to the U.S. Indo-Pacific area of responsibility, and especially to Camp Shields, represents both a strategic posture and a symbolic homecoming, battalion commander Capt. James Angerman said in the release. The battalion was first commissioned in 1942 during World War II and was decommissioned at wars end in 1945. It was recommissioned in 1953 and deployed to Okinawa for the first time in 1959 to build permanent staging facilities for the Marine Corps, according to the battalions website. Deployed to Okinawa again in 1969, the battalion assisted recovery efforts after Typhoon Cora. Camp Shields namesake, a petty officer third class, is the only Seabee to receive the Medal of Honor during the Vietnam War. He volunteered to take out a Viet Cong machine gun emplacement in a school building in Dong Xoai, South Vietnam, on June 10, 1965. Wounded during an attack the day before, Shields was struck in the right leg by machine gun fire while taking out the nest and later died from his wounds. He earned the medal for destroying the machine gun, according to the battalions website. The camps name nods to an important piece of history for NMCB-11 and serving from this location reinforces the legacy of Seabee excellence that defines Lucky Eleven, Angerman said. The U.S. Navys Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group, led by its flagship aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford, left, operates in the Caribbean region on Nov. 13, 2025. (Tajh Payne/U.S. Navy) SAN DIEGO The Navys top admiral wants the service to take more calculated risks when responding to events around the globe. Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Daryl Caudle laid out his U.S. Navy Fighting Instructions at the keynote address to more than 1,000 service members, defense industry executives and strategic analysts on Tuesday during the West 2026 conference at the San Diego Convention Center. It will ensure we are ready, Caudle said. Not for the last war, but for the one that is coming. Caudle said he believed that, over time, American military options had too often fallen to the Navys carrier strike forces. The rollout of Caudles strategy comes amid the Trump administrations positioning of aircraft carriers and other ships around hot spots. The USS Gerald R. Ford carrier and strike group was sent late last year to the Caribbean Sea and ultimately supported last months operation to capture then-Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. Two weeks ago, the USS Abraham Lincoln, which was pulled from the South China Sea, arrived in the Middle East amid a rise in tensions with Iran. In an interview with The Associated Press prior to Tuesdays strategy rollout, Caudle said he sees the Navys future mission in the Caribbean focused on interdictions and watching merchant shipping. The U.S. military has seized multiple suspicious and falsely flagged tankers connected with Venezuela that were part of a global shadow fleet of merchant vessels that help governments evade sanctions. That doesnt really require a carrier strike group to do that, Caudle told the AP, adding that he believes the mission could be done with some smaller littoral combat ships, Navy helicopters and close coordination with the Coast Guard. At the center of the new instructions is a hedge strategy to respond to global events with a mix of ships, aircraft and personnel that Caudle said would be tailored to each situation. Building a fleet to cover every pressing scenario is not only cost- and risk-prohibitive, but a disservice to the taxpayer and, quite frankly, less effective operationally, Caudle said Tuesday in San Diego. What a hedge strategy avoids is a brittle, single-purpose force that is either overbuilt for the high-end fight and underused day to day or optimized for low-end crises and overmatched. An electronic sign at the San Diego Convention Center advertises Adm. Daryl Caudles speech on Navy Fighting Instructions at the West 2026 conference on Feb. 10, 2026. (Gary Warner/Stars and Stripes) Adm. Daryl Caudle, the Chief of Naval Operations, speaking at the West 2026 conference in San Diego on Feb. 10, 2026. (Gary Warner/Stars and Stripes) Warfare has also changed, according to Caudle. He said that, in the past, the Navy could count on simply overmatching an opponent with impunity and winning by mass dominance alone. But relatively inexpensive drones flying, surface and underwater show that combatants have an ever lowering cost of entry to challenging great power forces, including the United States. Caudle said that smaller forces sent to emerging hot spots more rapidly can accomplish the goal of projecting American sea power, compared with larger forces that take more time to assemble and deploy. We find ourselves operating in an era with other great powers, he said. An era in which speed and decision ruthlessly punish delay. Caudle said the approach accepts a certain level of risk. In the next conflict, that system will be tested under pressure, at speed and under fire, Caudle said. Communications will be disrupted. Space and cyber operations will be under attack. The enemy will try to fracture our kill chains, slow our decisions and isolate our forces. In that kind of fight, we cant afford a Navy that waits for permission. Americas changing fiscal, industrial and military strategy depends on the ability to field effective, scalable, risk-worthy mass with the most advanced multi-mission platforms we can build and sustain, Caudle said. Caudle said most of the Navy fleet is involved in deterrence. Its a concept that to work must live continuously in the minds of our adversaries, and in turn, allow us to shape their behavior, Caudle said. While uncrewed vessels and aircraft will play a growing role in the mix of Navy forces, Caudle said the service members aboard ship and on shore are the Navys top asset. At the center of this vision will always be the United States Navy sailor, he said. They are our most enduring strategic advantage, our primary weapon system, and the heartbeat of our world-class Navy. The full text of the U.S. Navy Fighting Instructions can be downloaded at https://www.navy.mil/Leadership/Chief-of-Naval-Operations/ CANBERRA, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- Leading member of the Australian Liberal Party's conservative faction Angus Taylor resigned from opposition leader Sussan Ley's shadow cabinet on Wednesday night. Taylor, who is also the party's defense spokesman, announced his resignation from Ley's frontbench, following mounting speculation that he was preparing to challenge for her leadership. Speaking outside Parliament House in Canberra, Taylor said that the Liberal Party is in its worst position since it was formed in 1944. "I don't believe Sussan Ley is in a position to be able to lead the party, as it needs to be led from here," he said. Taylor's supporters are expected to follow him in resigning from the shadow cabinet, according to reports. Ley has led the Liberal Party since May 2025 when she narrowly beat Taylor in a ballot after the party suffered its worst ever result at a general election earlier in the same month. Recent opinion polls have shown that voter support for the Liberal Party has fallen further under Ley's leadership. Trench construction at Camp Century in 1960. The camp was established in 1958 and presented to Denmark as a scientific research site and a test area for construction work in arctic conditions. In reality, it was a major military installation, with almost two miles of covered trenches as well as laboratories, an underground railway track and a PM-2A portable nuclear reactor to supply power. (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers) (Tribune News Service) As the threat of nuclear war loomed during the Cold War, the U.S. Army hatched a top secret plan to conceal hundreds of missile launchers on rail lines hidden beneath the thick ice sheets of Greenland. In case of a Soviet attack, nukes dispersed in thousands of miles of cut-and-cover tunnels could be launched within 20 minutes. The name for the effort was worthy of a Hollywood action movie: Project Iceworm. Iceworm formed part of the broader U.S. polar strategy, which saw the Arctic as a crucial arena for Cold War nuclear deterrence a direct route for both Soviet attack and U.S. strategic defense, said Kristian Nielsen, a historian of science at Aarhus University in Denmark and co-author of the book Camp Century: The Untold Story of Americas Secret Arctic Military Base Under the Greenland Ice. American fascination with Greenland as a forward military position is not new. Neither are Danish and Greenlandic doubts about the trustworthiness of the U.S. During the Cold War, a number of military initiatives were kept secret and never disclosed to Greenlanders or the Danes. When the Iceworm documents were declassified in 1996, they caused tension and unease because they suggested the U.S. had explored major military plans in Greenland without informing Denmark, Nielsen said. The Danish government has repeatedly rejected President Donald Trumps call to take over, or buy, Greenland, an autonomous territory that is part of the Kingdom of Denmark. Public opinion polls show that Greenlanders overwhelmingly oppose American control. Though Project Iceworm never became reality, its history and that of U.S. military activity in Greenland do a lot to explain wariness over Trumps plans for the island. Just what those plans might entail is unclear. Greenland may still play a role in emerging U.S. missile-defense initiatives, such as [the] Golden Dome, early-warning systems, or hosting interceptor capabilities, though nothing resembling Iceworms underground missile network, Nielsen said. Last month, at the World Economic Forum in Switzerland, Trump ruled out using military force to take the island, but insisted the United States needs Greenland for national security. All we are asking for is to get Greenland, including right, title and ownership because you need the ownership to defend it, he said. You cant defend it on a lease. 600 nukes under ice In the 1960s, as Project Iceworm was being evaluated by the Department of Defense, the U.S. had just started operating Camp Century, a nuclear-powered scientific post in northwestern Greenland almost 130 miles away from the islands coast, also a site for covert military activity. By that time, the Army was touting the base as a cutting-edge city under ice for Arctic research in PR campaigns on American media, while also secretly using it as a testbed to determine whether missile tunnels under the ice sheet were feasible. The concept takes advantage of Northern Greenlands remoteness from populated areas, its relative closeness to Soviet targets, the unique adaptability of the Icecap to nuclear deployment, and the proximity of the Thule Base, according to a 1962 declassified Army report titled The U.S. Armys Iceworm Concept and forwarded to The Times by Nielsen. Thule, now called Pituffik Space Base, was built during World War II, one of several military installations established during the war. It once held as many as 10,000 U.S. military personnel. In 1946, three years before the creation of NATO, the Truman administration proposed buying Greenland for $100 million in gold, but the Danes didnt accept the bid, according to Department of State documents declassified in the 1970s. Plans for Project Iceworm considered placing around 600 missiles, at least four miles apart, in a deployment area as large as Alabama, according to the report. Mounted on rail lines, the missiles could be moved about to evade detection by the Soviets. This setup, the report said, would allow launching sites to be relatively invulnerable to enemy warheads, requiring a massive blanket Soviet thermonuclear attack to destroy Iceworm launchers. The missiles would be be hidden 28 feet beneath the surface of the Icecap, almost the height of a three-story building. For that reason, scientists drilled into Greenlands ice core to study its sub-layers and assess if Iceworm tunnels were viable. The work produced a nonmilitary benefit by gathering data that helped reveal Earths climate history over the past 100,000 years, says Ronald Doel, a professor of history at Florida State University who co-edited the book Exploring Greenland: Cold War Science and Technology on Ice. Iceworms potential promise certainly helped government officials to endorse and embrace the construction of Camp Century, he said. At the same time, research on Greenlands environment was indeed required to successfully operate there and elsewhere in the Arctic. Some of those findings, for instance, were crucial for uncovering the effects of climate change. The frozen soil and ice collected beneath Camp Century provided scientists an early lengthy and detailed record of Earths climate from the last 100,000 years, pioneering the kind of paleoclimatologic research that showed how human activities are warming the planet. Project Iceworms legacy Project Iceworm was shelved in 1962, after it was deemed too technically difficult the ice sheet shifts and as the Navy and Air Force pursued less burdensome projects on Greenland. Also, American officials werent sure if Danes would back the endeavor. Also, when Camp Century was decommissioned around five years after Project Iceworm was scrapped, the Army left hazardous waste behind, such as up to 52,000 gallons of diesel and radioactive materials, residues from the small nuclear reactor that had powered the base. Now, as the islands ice melts because of climate change, those contaminants might be thrown into the environment. The remnants of Camp Century are being carried to the west coast of Greenland as ice flows in the ice cap, and at some point will be exposed, Doel said. This is, once more, another piece of bad news for Greenlanders. As the Inuit has gained more political independence from Denmark in the last few decades, such as home rule status, it also may foster a far more fierce opposition against American military moves on the island. Today, Iceworm serves mainly as a historical reminder that the U.S. has often viewed Greenland primarily through a security lens with limited consideration for Greenlandic political interests, Nielsen said. 2026 Los Angeles Times. Visit at latimes.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. A simulation shows what it would have been like to row a lifeboat away from the Titanic at Titanic: An Immersive Voyage at Kansas Citys Union Station. The multisensory experience is now also at South Florida PBS Studios in Boynton Beach, Fla. (Emily Curiel, The Kansas City Star/TNS) The tragic story of the RMS Titanic has played out on the big screen, and in musicals, novels, exhibits, documentaries and TV miniseries. Now, it arrives in South Florida as a new immersive experience. Guests can climb aboard a lifeboat to experience the historic ships final moments and watch from a passengers perspective, floating in the dark waters on a star-filled, bitterly cold night, as distress signals were being sent and the Titanic disappeared into the ocean. The experience is called Titanic: An Immersive Voyage, and it will be available through March 31 at the South Florida PBS Studios in Boynton Beach. Guests may know the facts already that the so-called unsinkable ship struck an iceberg and sank in the early morning hours of April 15, 1912, killing more than 1,500 people during its maiden voyage from Southampton, England, to New York City. But this immersive experience offers an opportunity to take a trip through history: to learn about the ship with 3D views, video animations, life-sized reconstructions and narrative storytelling; to view artifacts; and to use virtual reality to go 2.5 miles below sea level in a deep-sea submersible to see the wreck site. The Titanics sister and rescue ships also get a featured spot in the multisensory journey, which takes from 45 to 90 minutes to complete. Fans of James Camerons 1997 Titanic movie can even pose as passengers in an artificial intelligence photo booth to re-create the Im flying scene between Jack and Rose on the ships bow. This is the third immersive experience presented at South Florida PBS Studios, following presentations on Leonardo Da Vinci and Egyptian pharaohs. Below, we obtained more details during a Q&A session with Jeneissy Azcuy, chief marketing and education officer with South Florida PBS, thats been edited for brevity and accuracy. South Florida Sun-Sentinel: How did South Florida PBS find out about this experience and bring it here? Azcuy: Exhibition Hub created the experience. We discovered it at last years PBS Annual Meeting, where several staff members were invited to visit the immersive experience and came away impressed. Knowing that PBS had produced excellent programming about the Titanic, with a new documentary from American Public Television scheduled for spring 2026, we saw an opportunity to bring the experience to South Florida. Our research also revealed a compelling local connection several Titanic passengers had ties to South Florida, making it especially relevant for our community. Why is it important to learn about the Titanic and keep its history alive, especially in an interactive way? The Titanic represents far more than a maritime disaster. It is a profound human story that offers timeless lessons about hubris, class divisions, heroism and tragedy. By keeping this history alive through interactive experiences, we ensure that new generations connect emotionally with these lessons in ways that textbooks simply cannot achieve. An immersive approach transforms the Titanic from a distant historical event into a visceral, personal experience. When youre standing on a replica of the bow, sitting in a lifeboat or exploring the wreckage through VR (virtual reality), the 1,500 lives lost become real people, not just statistics. You begin to understand the human decisions, both wise and catastrophic, that led to that fateful night. These interactive experiences also illuminate broader themes that remain relevant today: the dangers of overconfidence in technology and the life-and-death consequences of ignored warnings. By engaging with this history in such an immersive way, visitors dont just learn facts; they develop empathy, critical thinking, and a deeper appreciation for how individual choices and societal structures can shape tragic outcomes. Its this emotional connection that ensures the lessons of the Titanic continue to resonate and inform how we approach challenges in our own time. How is the virtual reality experience? The VR aspect of Titanic: An Immersive Voyage is truly extraordinary. It takes you on a breathtaking journey to the ocean floor, where you encounter the haunting wreckage of the Titanic resting in the deep. As you explore the sunken vessel, you can observe the ships remains in stunning detail before the experience transitions, bringing you back in time to April 14, 1912. Suddenly, youre aboard the magnificent ship itself, witnessing the tragic events of that fateful night unfold around you. What is your favorite part of the exhibit? My favorite part is the immersive show, particularly the experience of sitting in the lifeboat. From that vantage point, youre drawn into the unfolding drama as you learn about the critical messages being transmitted, some received, some tragically ignored. The experience weaves together the rich history of the ship, its crew and passengers, building a deeper understanding of life aboard the Titanic. Then, as the narrative progresses, you witness the heartbreaking sequence of events leading to its catastrophic end. Theres something profoundly moving about experiencing this history while seated in a lifeboat, which adds an emotional weight and sense of immediacy that makes the story feel incredibly real and personal. Titanic overlaps with the Egyptian Pharaohs: From Cheops to Ramses II immersive experience on display through March 29. How do you fit each exhibit into the facility? Weve successfully separated the two experiences by utilizing different sections of our substantially expanded campus. Our recently opened, state-of-the-art Cornelia T. Bailey Cultural Arts Center, an 8,000-square-foot facility, hosts portions of the Egyptian Pharaohs experience across its immersive dome, Taylor Performance Hall and Innovation Lab. Our 4,000-square-foot immersive studio hosts the Egyptian Pharaohs immersive show. For Titanic, weve transformed office space into a museum-style gallery featuring authentic Titanic artifacts, a replica of the ships bow for photo opportunities and the VR experience. The immersive voyage itself takes place in one of our studios, complete with a lifeboat where visitors can sit for added realism. Each experience has its own dedicated entrance: Guests access Egyptian Pharaohs through the Bailey Cultural Arts Center, while Titanic: An Immersive Voyage is entered through the back of the South Florida PBS Studios. If you go Titanic: An Immersive Voyage Jan. 30-March 31 South Florida PBS Studios, 3401 S. Congress Ave., Boynton Beach, Fla. $45 for adults; $35 for seniors, students, military and first responders; and free for guests age 12 and younger (not recommended for children younger than 5) U.S. troops run in formation at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, N.C., on Nov. 21, 2025. The Pentagon is sending about 200 service members to Nigeria in the coming weeks to help train local military forces battling militants, The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times reported Tuesday. (Maximiliano Rosas/U.S. Marine Corps) The U.S. is sending about 200 service members to Nigeria in the coming weeks to train local military forces battling Islamist militants, according to two major American news outlets. Troops will be assigned to various locations in the country and will not be involved in combat operations, The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times reported, citing unidentified U.S. military officials. U.S. Africa Command did not immediately respond Wednesday to a request for comment. Last week, U.S. Africa Commands Gen. Dagvin Anderson said a small team of military specialists was already operating in Nigeria. The troops bring unique capabilities from the United States in order to augment what Nigeria has been doing for several years, Anderson told reporters during a Feb. 3 news conference. The arrival of U.S. forces in Nigeria coincided with increased coordination between the countries in the wake of Christmas Day airstrikes ordered by President Donald Trump, who has said that Islamic militants were the target of the retaliatory strikes. I have previously warned these terrorists that if they did not stop the slaughtering of Christians, there would be hell to pay, and tonight, there was, Trump said in a statement afterward. The security situation in Nigeria, particularly in its northern region, has been in disarray for over a decade. Various Islamic militants, such as those from the group Boko Haram, have long been active in that region. Both Christians and Muslims have been victims of attacks by the groups. A crew member from the Coast Guard cutter Frederick Hatch searches Feb. 11, 2026, for a 22-year-old man swept beyond the reef line while swimming at Tanguisson Beach the previous evening. (Anna Maria Vaccaro/U.S. Coast Guard) A multiagency search continued Wednesday in rough waters around Guam for a 22-year-old man swept beyond the reef line off Tanguisson Beach while swimming the previous evening, according to the U.S. Coast Guard. The search is being handled by Coast Guard Joint Rescue Sub-Center Guam, 45-foot boat crews from the Apra Harbor station and the cutter Frederick Hatch, along with Guam Fire Rescue and the U.S. Navys Sea Combat Helicopter Squadron 25, according to an email Wednesday from Chief Warrant Officer Sara Muir, spokeswoman for Coast Guard Micronesia/Sector Guam. The Frederick Hatchs crew searched the area offshore, she wrote. Guam Fire and Rescue deployed drones with thermal-imaging capability and planned small boat, jet ski and dive team operations as conditions allow. A small craft advisory was in effect for the Mariana Islands until 6 p.m. Thursday, according to Guam Homeland Security. Large breaking waves of nine to 12 feet were expected for west- and north-facing reefs, the department said. Tanguisson Beach, on Guams northern half, faces west. The National Weather Service called for high surf and rip currents along west-, north- and east-facing reefs. Dangerous swimming and surfing conditions were expected and the Coast Guard advised inexperienced swimmers to stay out of the water. Chinese coast guard vessel 2301 is pictured in this undated photo from the Japan coast guard. (Japan coast guard) Four Chinese coast guard vessels entered Japans territorial waters near the disputed Senkaku Islands this week, marking the second such incursion this year amid ongoing tensions between Tokyo and Beijing. Two vessels were spotted west of Uotsuri Island, the largest of the chain, shortly after 4 p.m. Tuesday within Japans 12-mile territorial limit, according to a Japan coast guard news release that day. The other two ships were seen near Taisho, the groups easternmost islet. The Senkakus administered by Tokyo but also claimed by Beijing and Taipei consist of five uninhabited islets and three reefs about 105 miles east of Taiwan and roughly 254 miles west of Okinawa. The Chinese vessels left Japanese waters about two hours later, the coast guard said in a second release Tuesday. The ships near Uotsuri exited southwest of Minamikojima, while the other two sailed southeast of Taisho. The vessels were not pursuing Japanese fishing boats during the incursion, a Japan coast guard spokesman said Wednesday by phone. Japanese patrol ships issued warning using electronic message boards and loudspeaker announcements, he said. Some Japanese government officials must speak to the media on condition of anonymity. Tuesdays incursion was the second this year. On Jan. 14, four Chinese coast guard ships entered Japans territorial waters near the Senkakus for about two hours, according to the Japan coast guard. In 2025, Chinese coast guard vessels entered Japans territorial waters around the islands 27 times, the agency said. They also sailed in Japans contiguous zone around the Senkakus a record 357 times last year. The contiguous zone extends 24 miles from a countrys baseline. Coastal states may exercise limited enforcement authority in that area under international law. Tensions between Japan and China have risen in recent months. During a November parliamentary session, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said Tokyo could use military force if Beijing attacks Taiwan. Chinese President Xi Jinping has pledged to unify Taiwan with the mainland, by force if necessary. The U.S. 2025 National Defense Strategy places greater emphasis on deterrence and diplomacy, calling for strengthening defenses in the Pacific while seeking to avoid direct confrontation with Beijing. Naval Support Activity Naples, Italy, unveils an upgraded weight room and equipment at one of its fitness centers Jan. 26, 2026. This upgrade aligns with the Navys Sailors First initiative, which focuses on improving quality of life to increase readiness. (Sean Rinner/U.S. Navy) NAPLES, Italy New treadmills and other equipment planned for U.S. Naval Support Activity Naples gyms this year will cap more than $500,000 in facility upgrades designed to improve sailors fitness and quality of life. Improvements include four outdoor pop-up gyms and two new training zones at base fitness centers designed to help sailors build the strength and endurance needed in their jobs, NSA Naples said in a statement Jan. 27. The upgrades not only underscore the Navys Sailors First initiative, but also ensure our warfighters have the tools they need to stay physically and mentally prepared for any challenge, base commander Capt. John Randazzo said in the statement. In March, Defense Department Secretary Pete Hegseth ordered a rapid services-wide review of physical fitness, body composition and grooming standards. As part of the DOD initiative, the Navy will require active-duty sailors to complete two physical fitness assessments each year starting in 2026, a return to the standards before the COVID-19 pandemic. The change is among related service initiatives, such as gender-neutral fitness tests and body composition measurements, made in response to Hegseths order. Over the summer, NSA Naples established outdoor fitness centers, called fit boxes, at its Capodichino and Gaeta sites. Two more are at the bases Support Site, which includes barracks and family housing. The boxes are converted cargo containers that feature barbells, weights, sleds, kettlebells, a climbing rope, pullup bars and other fitness equipment. A U.S. sailor does pullups at a recently installed fit box at Naval Support Activity Naples, Italy, Jan. 14, 2026. Upgrades at the base align with the Navys Sailors First initiative, which focuses on improving quality of life to increase readiness. (Sean Rinner/U.S. Navy) In addition, two training and nutrition zones installed at the bases fitness centers offer squat racks, deadlift platforms and other equipment that directly support the specific requirements of the Navys fitness test, the base said. Those projects cost $157,000 and $267,000, respectively, Lt. j.g. Valentine Mulango, a base spokesman, said in a separate statement earlier this month. An additional $120,000 will be spent in 2026 for new treadmills, cross-trainers, fitness test-approved bikes and sled mills, Mulango said. NSA Naples Morale, Welfare and Recreation also offers an interactive digital platform with virtual classes such as spin, yoga or Zumba accessible 24 hours daily. That option, along with the ability to use fitness centers after hours when staffers are gone, offers sailors convenience and control over their personal fitness goals, the base said. An armed service member participates in a training exercise in the High North in this undated photo. NATO launched its Arctic Sentry operation on Feb. 11, 2026, amid a push by allies to increase military presence in the region to counter Russia and China. (Marcin Platek/U.S. Marine Corps) NATOs new beefed-up mission in the Arctic was launched Wednesday, marking the latest push to increase the alliances military presence in a region where Russian and Chinese activity are causing growing concerns. The Arctic Sentry exercise builds on recent efforts to enhance security in the High North and follows a meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte last month over the defense of Greenland. The vast island in the upper reaches of the Atlantic Ocean is a semiautonomous territory of Denmark, a fellow NATO member. Arctic Sentry shows the blocs resolve to safeguard its members and maintain stability in one of the worlds most strategically significant and environmentally challenging areas, Gen. Alexus Grynkewich, NATO Supreme Allied Commander Europe, said in a statement Wednesday. The statement was issued by the Belgium-based Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe. It did not specify what military assets would be deployed to the Arctic. However, the effort was described as a multi-domain activity, meaning it would incorporate capabilities across a wide spectrum. Trump and Rutte agreed that NATO should collectively take more responsibility for the defense of the region considering Russias military activity and Chinas growing interest there, the statement said. Arctic Sentry will be led by Joint Force Command Norfolk, which is headquartered in the U.S. state of Virginia and oversees Arctic issues for the alliance. NATO commanders also will coordinate their efforts with U.S. Northern Command and U.S. European Command, according to the statement. Led by U.S. Vice Adm. Doug Perry, the Norfolk command is slated to eventually be shifted to European leadership as part of an effort to have allies play a larger role in NATO command structures, which have traditionally been headed by Americans. JFC Norfolk is responsible for the defense of NATO territory stretching from Florida to the North Pole. Among the areas of focus is protecting undersea cables, which transmit internet traffic around the world and carry trillions of dollars of financial transactions on a daily basis. NATO officials over the years have voiced concerns about potential Russian targeting of such infrastructure to disrupt Western life. The launch of Arctic Sentry also comes as allies prepare for major military drills in the region. In March, about 3,000 Marines will be joined by roughly 25,000 personnel from a dozen countries for Cold Response in Norway. U.S. special operations troops, P-8 Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft, F-35A Lightning II fighters and other aircraft are among the American military assets participating in the drills. President Donald Trump holds a news conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sept. 29 at the White House. (Demetrius Freeman/The Washington Post) President Donald Trump said Tuesday that he was thinking of sending a second aircraft carrier to the Middle East, joining the U.S. armada already in the region that could bolster a strike on Iran if bilateral talks begun last week fail. Either we will make a deal or we will have to do something very tough like last time, Trump said in an interview with Axios, referring to U.S. airstrikes on three Iranian nuclear sites in June that capped more than a week of attacks by Israel. They didnt believe I would do it, he said, adding that the Iranians overplayed their hand. Over the past month, the United States has deployed dozens of aircraft to bases near Iran and assembled about a dozen warships, including the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier group, in and around the Middle East. Navy officials referred questions about Trumps comments to the White House. The USS George H.W. Bush aircraft carrier is off the coast of Norfolk for an ongoing training exercise in advance of a previously scheduled deployment, but it was not clear Tuesday when it and several accompanying warships will be ready to sail. The threat of an imminent new attack follows a meeting last week between Trump envoys and senior Iranian officials, their first since talks last year ended with the U.S. and Israeli strikes. Last weeks discussion, held in Oman, was inconclusive. A second diplomatic engagement has not yet been scheduled. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will meet with Trump on Wednesday during his seventh U.S. visit in a year. As he departed Israel, Netanyahu said his first and foremost goal is to reiterate Israels insistence that any deal with Iran cover more than ending any Iranian plans to build a nuclear weapon. A person familiar with the details of Israels position said Netanyahu will also reiterate Israeli demands that all uranium enrichment be halted and existing stockpiles be removed from Iran, and that Iran end its ballistic missile production and support of proxy militias in the region. Those demands were voiced to U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner when they visited Israel before the meeting in Oman. But Netanyahu wants to present them to Trump directly, said the person, who discussed the prime ministers trip on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak with the media. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and other senior administration officials repeatedly have said those demands are included in the U.S. bargaining position. But Trump has said only that his objective is that Iran never have a nuclear weapon. That has given rise to some tempered optimism in Tehran which has always said that it has no intention of developing a weapon and that negotiations on anything else are out of the question of a deal it can live with. There are fears that the U.S. administration might agree to two things that are problematic from Israels perspective, said Raz Zimmt, director of the Iran and Shiite Axis research program at Israels Institute for National Security Studies. The first is an agreement with the Iranians that does not include the missile issue. The second thing ... is the possibility that Trump would be willing to agree to sanctions relief [for Iran] in exchange for certain Iranian concessions in the nuclear issue, Zimmt said. Gayil Talshir, a political analyst at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, said that Netanyahu is traveling to Washington now to preempt next weeks meeting of Trumps Board of Peace, the newly established international body that will oversee implementation of his Gaza peace plan. Netanyahu, Talshir said, wants to frame the trip to coordinate strike plans on Iran. He doesnt want a photo op alongside Turkey or Qatar or to be involved in discussions on aspects of the peace plan with which he disagrees. Turkey and Qatar are among about 25 countries that have agreed to join the board. Until now, European allies have declined or not responded to Trumps invitation; only governments in the region and smaller U.S. partners scattered around the world have said they would attend. Trump hopes to be able to announce significant progress on a number of aspects of the Gaza peace deal agreed to in the fall by Israel and Hamas. Implementation has been halting on a number of critical components to the deal, including the disarmament of Hamas, the entry into Gaza of a committee of Palestinian technocrats to run the enclave, the full opening of the Rafah crossing from Egypt, the establishment of an International Stabilization Force and firm commitments from other countries to help pay for Gazas reconstruction. There is still no timeline for the withdrawal of Israeli troops that still occupy slightly more than half of Gazas territory. TEHRAN, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- The "wall of distrust" created by the West and U.S. excessive demands impede the progress of nuclear talks between Tehran and Washington, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said here Wednesday. He made the remarks while delivering a speech at the celebrations in the capital to mark the 47th anniversary of the 1979 Islamic Revolution. Pezeshkian said Iran does not seek nuclear weapons and is "ready for any verification of that." "We believe that the region's problems can be resolved only by regional countries, not foreign states," he said, adding that Iran will never surrender to excessive demands and aggression. Meanwhile, he said Iran is treading the path of diplomacy with sincerity, and is interacting with countries in West Asia to ensure regional peace. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian speaks at the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Sept. 24, 2025. (Michael M. Santiago, Getty Images/TNS) (Tribune New Service) The United States and Iran each struck a positive tone about the start of diplomatic talks, though analysts remain skeptical that the engagement will be enough to head off U.S. airstrikes. The timeline and terms of the negotiations remain unclear after an opening round of talks on Friday that President Donald Trump cast as very good and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian hailed as a step forward. But developments since those discussions started only underscore the persistent tension between the two sides. Over the weekend, Iran continued its crackdown on dissidents, risking Trumps ire after he held back on strikes due to Iranian assurances that it would halt protester executions. On Monday, the U.S. warned American vessels to steer clear of Iranian waters, spooking oil markets and renewing the prospect of conflict. Analysts see almost no chance of a serious deal given that Iran wants to limit negotiations to its nuclear program. The U.S., meanwhile, has previously demanded that Iran give up its ballistic-missile program, stop supporting military groups and end a crackdown on protesters. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is likely to push Trump to demand more Iranian concessions in a White House meeting on Wednesday. Talks will ultimately break down, and so we probably will still see strikes at some point, said Bloomberg Economics analyst Dina Esfandiary. The key question is how long talks go before breaking down, and how long Trumps patience endures. Also complicating the talks is the balancing act that Trump has to strike with his repeated and public threats of airstrikes on Iran and his boasts that a U.S. armada is assembling in the Middle East. His administration is also emboldened after a successful special operations raid that captured Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro in January. Trump has said on social media that like with Venezuela, the U.S. Navy is ready, willing, and able to rapidly fulfill its mission, with speed and violence, if necessary. With the markets weighing the chances of U.S. airstrikes against a TACO an acronym for Trump Always Chickens Out a Bloomberg Economics analysis found Trump has been more likely to follow through on threats in his second term. The U.S. also has shifted its position multiple times. Trump originally wanted to protect Iranian protesters and later decided on a deal to constrain Tehrans nuclear and ballistic missile programs. For talks to actually lead to something meaningful, they will have to include certain things, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said last week, just before the talks began. And that includes the range of their ballistic missiles. That includes their sponsorship of terrorist organizations across the region. That includes the nuclear program, and that includes the treatment of their own people. For Tehran, though, agreeing to the broader slate of U.S. demands would amount to total capitulation giving up weapons and regional policies that have been core to Irans geopolitical, regional and core survival strategies since the 1979 revolution. The country also is grappling with a crumbling economy and months of domestic unrest that have been the most significant threat to the regime in several decades. At the same time, Trump pulled the U.S. out of the 2015 Iran nuclear accord in his first term and has even reneged on trade pacts with Canada and Mexico, making any eventual accord unreliable at best even if the two sides manage to come to some agreement. If you were looking at a Venn diagram, there is no overlap, said Naysan Rafati, a senior analyst on Iran at the Crisis Group, of the conflicting priorities. When it comes to the potential of a military confrontation, were nowhere close to out of the woods. While U.S and Israeli strikes in June degraded Irans military capabilities with Trump claiming that its nuclear program had been obliterated following Operation Midnight Hammer Tehran can still hit back. With Iran facing threats from within on top of those from the U.S., the country has cause to fear for its survival and theres no real way to tell how fiercely the regime will retaliate, said Michael Singh, a managing director at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy. Even if they cant win, theyll try to make a conflict costly for the United States, Singh said, adding that U.S. insistence on a more comprehensive deal increases the chance of clashes. Its a very high bar. And so if thats really your bar, you have to assume that military strikes are definitely the most likely outcome. 2026 Bloomberg LP Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC A KC-135 refueling aircraft flies over the Dale Mabry Highway entrance to MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, Fla. A base employee who shared classified information with a woman to impress her learned his fate on Tuesday morning in federal court. (Luis Santana/TNS) (Tribune News Service) Kevin Charles Luke, a retired Army combat veteran who worked as a high-level civilian contractor at Central Command at MacDill Air Force Base, was long entrusted with some of the nations most sensitive secrets. But it was an ill-conceived effort to impress a woman that precipitated the former colonels remarkable downfall. On Tuesday, a federal judge sentenced Luke to two years in prison for sharing classified battle plans with a woman he was dating. Luke, 62, stood in a Tampa courtroom weeping as he addressed U.S. District Judge James Moody. I stand before you accepting full responsibility for my actions, he said. What I did was wrong. I violated the trust placed in me and, sir, I am ashamed of that. The sentence was less than the three to four years suggested by federal guidelines. After prison, Moody ordered Luke to spend a year on probationary supervision and to undergo a mental health evaluation. The judge noted the challenge of balancing the totality of Lukes life, including his decorated service, with the seriousness of his crime. This is a difficult sentencing, Moody said. Luke pleaded guilty in November to a charge of unauthorized communication of information relating to the national defense. He spent 37 years in the Army before he retired in 2018 with the rank of colonel. Thereafter, he continued to work as a civilian military contractor. He retained a top secret security clearance. He worked at Central Command in Tampa, the headquarters for U.S. military operations in the Middle East. In October 2024, Luke met a woman online, who was not in the military, according to court records. He began talking with her by email. On Oct. 1, he sent her a text message with an accompanying photo through his personal cellphone. Sent to my boss earlier, he wrote. Gives you a peek at what I do for a living. The photo showed a computer screen displaying a classified email message, according to court records. The message discussed what was described as a then-future U.S. military operation. It included details about the date of the operation, the number of targets and battle plans. Authored by Luke, the message bore markings that read SECRET//REL TO USA, FVEY. That meant the emails contents could only be seen by authorized personnel in whats known as the Five Eyes intelligence alliance, which includes the U.S., the U.K., Canada, Australia and New Zealand. A plea agreement, signed by Luke and federal prosecutors last September, does not identify the operation. But Luke sent the photo days before Central Command launched a series of airstrikes in Yemen, directed at the Houthi movement, an Islamic fundamentalist military force. The strikes were part of a broader campaign known as Operation Poseidon Archer, which was a response to the groups attacks on ships in the Red Sea. The U.S. drew support in the operation from several allied nations, including those in the Five Eyes alliance. The agreement states that there is no evidence that Lukes disclosure of the email was treasonous or that he received any financial or other benefit from a foreign entity. Court records instead indicated that he merely was trying to impress the woman without considering the larger ramifications. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lindsey Schmidt argued in a sentencing memo that Lukes courtship of the unnamed woman jeopardized the nations secrets and endangered the lives of his fellow service members and citizens. The United States placed exceptional trust in Luke for a very long time, Schmidt wrote. Luke betrayed that trust. In court Tuesday, it was revealed that the woman disclosed to authorities what Luke shared with her after they broke up. This was, unfortunately, a tale as old as time, said defense attorney Mark OBrien. A man trying to impress a woman. The man ended the relationship. The woman later went to the government and told on him. About two months after Luke sent the woman the message, federal agents executed a search warrant at his home. Inside, they found more classified documents, including four emails and a spiral notebook that bore a sticker reading secret. Luke was not authorized to keep the documents at home, prosecutors said, and it is unknown if anyone else may have seen them. As OBrien sought a sentence to spare Luke prison time, he compared the case to that of retired Gen. David Petraeus, whose sharing of classified information with his biographer came to light via a Tampa-born scandal. In 2015, Petraeus admitted to a misdemeanor charge that he unlawfully retained classified info, which prosecutors said he allowed his biographer to access. Petraeus received probation. Schmidt, the prosecutor, argued that Petraeus case was not comparable; she asserted that the general only retained classified information while Luke transmitted it to someone else. She cited several other cases from recent years in which former military and intelligence officials were sent to prison for disclosing classified information. The cases included that of Robert Birchum, a former MacDill airman who in 2023 admitted that he kept hundreds of classified documents in his Tampa home. Birchum got three years in prison. In court Tuesday, OBrien emphasized Lukes 37 years of service, which included a combat deployment during the most volatile period of Operation Iraqi Freedom. He was injured in a bomb blast during counterinsurgency operations. Years later, he was diagnosed with a traumatic brain injury and post-traumatic stress disorder. He was married and divorced three times. Hes grappled with other health problems. Despite Lukes struggles, his attorney described him as a loving father, well-educated and a devout Christian. A stack of letters from his family, friends and former military colleagues attested to a man who was said to be trustworthy and professional. Steven Hirschkowitz, a fellow retired colonel, told the judge Luke is a man of unquestionable loyalty, the highest character, and a pillar of strength. His crime was a singular lapse in judgment in an otherwise spotless career. Raj Ambay, a medical doctor who served in combat alongside Luke, credited him with saving many lives. If I were to trust my life in someones hands, it would be that man right there, Ambay said, gesturing to a defense table. Lukes misconduct had left him shredded inside, the doctor said. He opined that the crime shouldnt overshadow his service to others. Yes, he had a lapse in judgment, Ambay said. But I know Ive seen bigger lapses in the news and everywhere else. 2026 Tampa Bay Times. Visit tampabay.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Conflicting information swirled Wednesday morning on what caused the Federal Aviation Administration to close the airspace around Fort Bliss and El Paso, Texas, and what role the military may have played. (Jacob Lang/U.S. Army) Conflicting information swirled Wednesday morning on what caused the Federal Aviation Administration to close the airspace around Fort Bliss and El Paso, Texas, and what role the military may have played. The FAA made the move at 11:30 p.m. Tuesday night, announcing the closure of airspace around the El Paso International Airport would last for 10 days. It reversed course and reopened the space roughly seven hours later. A statement on X from Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said the closure was made because of a drone incursion from drug cartels. By noon ET, several media outlets, including the Associated Press, reported the closure was sparked by a disagreement between Defense Department officials pushing to test a drone-busting laser and the FAAs need to ensure safe air travel. Despite a meeting scheduled later this month to discuss the issue, the Pentagon wanted to go ahead and test it, prompting the FAA to shutter the airspace, the AP reported. It was not clear whether the laser was ultimately deployed. Rep. Tony Gonzales, a Texas Republican whose district will soon include parts of El Paso and Fort Bliss, said Wednesday afternoon that the closure was the result of growing pains as the military and the Department of Homeland Security gain more funding and authority to combat the daily incursions of drones flown into the United States by Mexican drug cartels. The real story here is the military, working with Department of Homeland Security, is moving in the right direction on counter-drone, counter-UAS, operations, said Gonzales, a retired master chief petty officer. However, he made very clear that more communication is needed to prevent the confusion and worry that filled many in west Texas. He, too, was surprised to learn in the middle of the night that airspace around El Paso had been immediately closed for 10 days. People should not wake up and have more questions than answers, Gonzales said. Its important to keep lawmakers informed on whats happening on a regular basis. The more transparent we can be and the more sharing of information that we can provide, then that offers less room for someone to make up some imaginary thing. Last years massive spending bill, dubbed the One Big Beautiful Bill, included about $500 million for the Department of Homeland Security to spend on counter-drone technology. The military often uses the term directed energy for lasers and has in recent years begun testing platforms that attach to combat vehicles such as the Stryker armored vehicle. Last year, the Army tested laser systems atop infantry squad vehicles at Yuma Proving Ground in Arizona and at Fort Sill, Okla. The Fiscal Year 2026 National Defense Authorization Act afforded new authorities to test and use counter-drone technology. Drones are sometimes referred to as unmanned aerial systems, or UAS. What were seeing is the beginnings of more counter-UAS operations happening and working through the right and wrong way of doing things, Gonzales said. Keeping the public safe but also accomplishing the mission. Fort Bliss is located in El Paso, but its the troops deployed on the federal mission who are working along the U.S. border with Mexico. Roughly 10,000 troops, primarily soldiers and Marines, operate under the leadership of the Joint Task Force-Southern Border and U.S. Northern Command. The 101st Airborne Division is the current headquarters leading the task force. The task force and NORTHCOM referred all questions to the Pentagon. Immediately after the airspace reopened, Duffy said in his post on X that the FAA and Defense Department acted swiftly to address a cartel drone incursion. The threat has been neutralized, and there is no danger to commercial travel in the region. The restrictions have been lifted and normal flights are resuming. But Rep. Veronica Escobar, the Democrat who represents the region, held an early morning news conference and said this was not an emergency situation rather, it was planned by the FAA without notice provided to the local officials or Fort Bliss. Based on the information I have right now which is the same information that the House Armed Services Committee has been provided [and] the ranking member in Congress that is not the information, what youve just shared, is not what we in Congress have been told. The Pentagon declined Wednesday to give additional information about its involvement in any closure of the airspace and repeated Duffys statement. A timeline for any drone incursion was not provided by the Pentagon or Duffy. Like Gonzales, Escobar and El Paso Mayor Renard Johnson said they learned of the closure during overnight phone calls. Some residents feared for their safety, worrying there was an immediate threat to the area, Escobar said. In a call with area hospitals, Johnson said he learned that a flight carrying surgical equipment was rerouted because of the closure. That type of equipment did not show up in El Paso, he said in a news conference. Medical flights were forced to divert to Las Cruces [N.M.], he said. This was a major and unnecessary disruption, one that has not occurred since 9/11. El Paso is not just a dot on a map. We are a major, major city. With roughly 700,000 residents, it is the sixth-largest city in Texas. Fort Bliss, which stretches across the state line into New Mexico, is home to 90,000 soldiers and family members and is a key training site for National Guard units preparing to deploy. The base did not respond to questions about how the airspace closure affected operations. However, Gonzales said he checked in and no operations were affected. Sen. Jack Reed, D-R.I, and ranking member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said he expects a full accounting of what happened. The airspace closure over El Paso triggered immediate chaos and confusion and cannot be dismissed as a minor misunderstanding, he said in a statement. A 10-day shutdown of a major U.S. air corridor is an extraordinary step that demands a clear and consistent explanation. The conflicting accounts coming from different parts of the federal government only deepen public concern and raise serious questions about coordination and decision-making. El Paso residents are likely familiar with drones coming in from Mexican drug cartels because they have occurred as long as drones have existed, Escobar said. There was nothing extraordinary about any drone incursion into U.S. that Im aware of, she said. Escobar is a former member of the House Armed Services Committee and said she has been in communication with Ranking Member Adam Smith of Washington. If there were any incursion that would have posed a threat, the Armed Services Committee would have been made aware, and that would have been shared with me in my conversation with the ranking member this morning, she said. El Paso Police Chief Pete Pacillas said he received no information about drones causing a dangerous situation in the community. Johnson reiterated that drones are not new to the city. A drone shutting down our airspace, weve got to get better than this, he said. Small drones can sometimes carry drugs, particularly fentanyl, a potent synthetic drug that is profitable for the cartels even in amounts so tiny it fits within a ring box, Gonzales said. From Juarez, Mexico, drone operators can deposit drugs into areas such a baseball fields or parks, where others can easily collect them. With the number of people crossing the border without authorization down, federal border agents can now refocus on these incursions. Youre having Border Patrol agents now be out in the field and actually do their job of combating some of these threats to our country, he said. But there must be a better way, Gonzales said. What are some lessons learned and how do we make sure that the public is safe and also informed? As well as the agencies allowed to do the work they need to do, he said. Contributing: Stars and Stripes reporter Matthew Adams. CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (Tribune News Service) Veterans health care facilities in the hometowns of two Iowa National Guard soldiers killed in action last year in Syria will be named in their honor. The Department of Veterans Affairs clinic in Des Moines will be named the Staff Sergeant Edgar Torres-Tovar VA Clinic, and the community-based outpatient clinic in Marshalltown will be named the Staff Sergeant William Nathaniel Howard VA Clinic under legislation introduced by Iowa U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst. Torres-Tovar, 25, and Howard, 29, were killed in action Dec. 13 during a counterterrorism mission near Palmyra, Syria, when a lone gunman believed to be affiliated with the Islamic State opened fire on U.S. and partner forces. We owe Staff Sgts. Torres-Tovar and Howard a debt we can never repay, Ernst, a former Iowa National Guard officer, said in a statement to The Gazette. These brave Iowans paid the ultimate price while defending our nations freedoms, and now, it is our duty to ensure their sacrifice is never forgotten. A U.S. civilian interpreter also was killed in the attack, and three other Iowa National Guard members were wounded. Torres-Tovar and Howard were members of the 1st Squadron, 113th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 34th Infantry Division, and were deployed as part of the U.S.-led coalition fighting the Islamic State group in Syria. Ernsts office said the legislation could be introduced as early as Wednesday. Iowas entire Congressional delegation is joining Ernst in honoring Torres-Tovar and Howard. The legislation proposing to name the Iowa VA facilities in honor of Torres-Tovar and Howard is titled the Iowa National Guard Heroes Commemoration Act, and contains some biological information about the soldiers. For example, the bill notes that Torres-Tovar was a Dowling Catholic High School graduate and the first member of his family to serve in the military, and that Howard enlisted in the Iowa National Guard while still 17 years old and a senior at Marshalltown High School. Im honored to lead this effort and tell the stories of (Howards and Torres-Tovars) service by designating places in their hometowns that will serve generations of Iowa veterans, Ernst said. The legacy of Iowas heroes will continue to live on. Iowas delegation previously honored Howard and Torres-Tovar with Congressional resolutions. Howard and Torres-Tovar both were awarded the Purple Heart, the Bronze Star Medal with Valor, the Combat Action Badge, and the Army Commendation Medal with Combat Device for heroic service in combat. 2026 The Gazette (Cedar Rapids, Iowa). Visit thegazette.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. An M4 carbine is staged on the firing line at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, on Aug. 2, 2025. A similar rifle was left unattended in a New Orleans hotel restroom by a Louisiana National Guardsman on Feb. 8, 2026. (Alejandro Pena/U.S. Army) A Louisiana National Guard soldier is in hot water after his rifle was found unattended in a bathroom in New Orleans French Quarter, a magnet for tourists. The military-issue M4 was discovered leaning against a sink in the restroom of the Lafitte Hotel on Bourbon Street on Sunday after a guard member making a pit stop left it behind, CBS News reported Tuesday. A photo of the rifle was posted to Reddit shortly afterward. Louisiana National Guard spokeswoman Lt. Col. Noel Collins told local news outlet NOLA.com on Tuesday that the rifle had been returned and that the incident was being handled internally. The unidentified soldier was removed from his duties for retraining, Task & Purpose reported, citing Collins. Approximately 350 National Guard soldiers were deployed to New Orleans in December to provide added security for New Years Eve, the Sugar Bowl and Mardi Gras, NOLA.com reported. The deployment is expected to last through the end of February. The guard members deployment comes a little over a year after an Army veteran drove a truck into a crowd of New Years revelers on Bourbon Street, killing 14. The driver, Shamsud-Din Jabbar, was killed in a shootout with police a short time later. COLOMBO, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- Sri Lanka has launched a nationwide initiative to connect critical government institutions to its National Cyber Security Operations Center (NCSOC) as part of efforts to strengthen cyber resilience and protect essential public services, the President's Media Division (PMD) said on Tuesday. Issuing a statement, the PMD said the program follows a Cabinet decision to integrate state agencies that operate critical information infrastructure into a centralized system for real-time threat monitoring, early warning alerts, and coordinated incident response. The PMD said the move reflects growing recognition that cybersecurity is a matter of national security, economic stability, and public trust rather than merely a technical concern. The second phase of the initiative, which will link remaining government institutions, is scheduled for completion by the end of the year, the PMD said. Officials also plan training and awareness programs for public servants. The new mechanism aims to help prevent disruptions from ransomware attacks, data breaches, and other cyber threats, the PMD said. Cyberattacks on government agencies have increased in frequency in recent years. WARRENSBURG, Mo. Dalton, Nebraska native Heather Vath, a student in the University of Central Missouri (UCM) Theatre program, earned one of the top honors at the Region V American College Theatre Festival (ACTF), held Jan. 1824 in Rochester, Minnesota. Vath was named a Region V winner of the Irene Ryan Acting Scholarship, one of the most prestigious awards presented at ACTF. The competition included nearly 300 student actors from a seven-state region, with only a small number of performers selected as regional scholarship recipients. The Irene Ryan Acting Scholarship recognizes outstanding collegiate actors and provides financial assistance to support their continued training. Each regional festival awards eight $500 scholarships, with winners advancing to compete at the national ACTF festival, where one student is selected to receive a national scholarship and additional professional opportunities. To earn the award, Vath prepared and performed a four-minute acting package that included a monologue and a partnered scene, evaluated by theatre professionals from across the country. Performers are assessed on acting technique, emotional connection, storytelling, and stage presence through multiple rounds of competition. The American College Theatre Festival is a national program of the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival, designed to identify and promote excellence in collegiate theatre. Each year, ACTF brings together thousands of students nationwide for adjudicated performances, workshops, auditions and professional development with industry leaders. Vaths regional win advances her to the national competition later this spring, placing her among the top collegiate theatre performers in the country. Alex Pretti wasnt killed while protesting. This is a common description of what he was doing on a Minneapolis street the fateful morning when a confrontation with federal immigration agents ended in his tragic shooting. But if Pretti had been a mere protester, hed very likely be alive today. Now that weve seen videos of an earlier struggle with federal agents and learned more about the organized nature of the anti-ICE resistance, its become clear that the better word for Pretti was agitator, or perhaps even operative. A protester, as typically understood, is someone who is making a point, often as part of a gathering of other like-minded people and, usually but not always, in opposition to something. A protester might hold a sign outside a coal-fired power plant calling for it to shut down. He might go to Union Square Park to hear speeches from bullhorns whenever something happens that outrages the left. He might march against the Iraq War, or the Vietnam War -- or in favor of Hamas. This kind of activity is not to everyones taste -- personally, I hate the drums and the chants -- but there is no doubt that it is a legitimate form of political advocacy. Depending on the cause, it can even be admirable. What weve seen in Minneapolis, though, is often quite different. Run-of-the-mill protesters dont seek out federal agents and harass and obstruct them. They dont follow and block their vehicles or establish a robust communications network to deploy resources to create maximum disruption of their operations. Pretti was part of this effort, which is more a form of low-level and (by and large) nonviolent insurgency than conventional protest. In his first confrontation, 11 days before his death, Pretti was every bit an anti-ICE street brawler. He challenged, at close quarters, an agent to assault him, while screaming insults at him. He spat on a federal vehicle and kicked out its taillight. If Pretti was an observer, in the euphemism preferred by anti-ICE politicians and activists, he was observing how much unhinged behavior he could get away with. Theres no doubt that at this event, he was the violent instigator. After Pretti damaged the vehicle, agents got out and pushed him to the ground. For all the talk of ICE being the equivalent of the Gestapo, they didnt even bother to arrest him, despite his having committed a crime. If hed been arrested and charged, Pretti might never have shown up at the other ICE operation and would still be with us today. That Pretti, we now know, made it a practice to court violent encounters with federal agents while armed was incredibly irresponsible. He was fortunate that the first struggle didnt escalate into something much more hazardous to him and to others if an agent had noticed his gun. The firearm wouldnt have been an issue in the second incident, meanwhile, if hed really been protesting. If that were the case, he would have stayed on the sidewalk and held up a sign, or chanted, ICE go home, and the officers might have been annoyed, but there never would have been an interaction to potentially go catastrophically wrong. The calculation in Minneapolis, though, has been that this kind of benign activity is less effective than direct action, and unfortunately -- with public opinion swinging against Operation Metro Surge -- this assessment looks to be accurate. Why simply express a point of view when you can act to stop arrests and to create a hostile, threatening environment for agents? This doesnt mean that Pretti got what he deserved, or that the officers acted appropriately. It does mean that the state and city officials should have been telling people not to monitor DHS activity, but to stay well clear of legitimate law-enforcement activities. Reasonable people can disagree about the desirability of the goal that Pretti was pursuing, but theres no doubt about how he was going about it, and it didnt involve conventional protest. Nebraska is the best place in the world to live. But for many potential first-time homebuyers, the market has become out of reach. This year, the average age of a first-time homebuyer is 40 across the country. In 2016, just a decade ago, the average first-time homebuyer was 31. Why is the age of an average homeowner increasing? Thats because buying a home has become less affordable. Red tape and regulations drive up the cost of housing, making it more difficult for first-time homebuyers. By one estimate, regulations account for nearly 25% of the cost of a single-family home. For a typical apartment development, its even worse. Regulations account for 40% of the cost. That means fewer families can achieve the American dream. I am fighting to provide more opportunities for hardworking Nebraskans. With more available housing supply, we can make the Good Life more affordable for everyone. Across Nebraska, rural housing is in high demand. When I was Governor, I took steps to address this. We passed a rural workforce housing bill and created a $7 million Rural Workforce Housing Fund, later adding $10 million more. Nebraska communities applied for grants, typically to make low-interest loans. These funds helped homebuilders come to rural communities to build houses and apartment buildings. They helped cover construction costs, down payment assistance, and technical assistance. This program was simple and successful. Housing is a barrier for people taking jobs in rural communities. We made it easier for rural communities to build housing. As Senator, I am advocating for this proven Nebraska solution for the rest of the country. Im working with my Republican colleagues to make it easier to build homes. The Renewing Opportunity in the American Dream (ROAD) to Housing Act is a landmark achievement for Nebraskans. My Senate Banking Committee colleagues and I passed it out of committee with a bipartisan, unanimous vote. Now, were working to pass it into law. The House also passed its version of the bill almost unanimously out of committee. The ROAD to Housing Act puts us on the path to make home ownership a possibility for all Americans. The housing bill includes my bipartisan Streamlining Rural Housing Act. The Streamlining Rural Housing Act will enhance efficiency and lower costs. In rural communities, financing for homes often draws on both the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Each has their own process, and their regulations overlap, creating confusion and more red tape. This legislation will streamline duplicative review and inspection processes between HUD and USDA. By eliminating delays for approvals, we can build housing in rural Nebraska faster. More housing options also means more affordable options, keeping more money in your pockets. The Streamlining Rural Housing Act is just one piece of how we are making housing more affordable. I co-sponsored the bipartisan Rural Housing Service Reform Act to improve existing loans, grants, and rental assistance to rural communities. Veterans will also benefit from the ROAD to Housing Act. I co-sponsored both the VA Home Loan Awareness Act and the Veterans Affairs Loan Informed Disclosure (VALID) Act to help more veterans become homeowners. I also co-sponsored the Housing Supply Frameworks Act, led by Nebraska Congressman Mike Flood in the House. This will allow HUD to help state and local governments develop best practices on zoning and land-use policies. Senate Republicans are working to enable more Nebraskans to become homeowners. The Working Families Tax Cuts permanently raise the low-income housing tax credit, giving Nebraskans an extra 12% in tax credits to build more affordable housing. This investment helps local governments, housing developers, and hardworking Nebraskans. Eliminating conflicting requirements and enhancing efficiency will build more homes in Nebraska. Common-sense housing reform benefits rural communities, local businesses, and job creation. Thats why I am fighting to pass the ROAD to Housing Act into law. Together, we can continue building the Good Life. Black History Month began Sunday, February 1, and will end Sunday, March 1. At least three events occurred on February 11, 1861, that deserve our attention during Black History Month. On that day, the U.S. House of Representatives received a formal written notification from South Carolinas four Representatives, that informed House members that on December 20, 1860, officials in South Carolina had voted to secede from the United States of America. On that same day, the Houses members passed a resolution that read, That neither Congress, the People, nor the Governments of the Non-slaveholding States have the constitutional right to legislate upon or interfere with slavery in any of the Slaveholding States of the Union. The resolution passed 161 yeas, and no nays. On that same day, in Illinois, President-elect Abraham Lincoln departed from Springfield, on a journey by train to Washington D.C., and to the White House. The three events inter-connect. South Carolina chose to secede from the Union because Lincoln, a Republicanone who stood firm against the expansion of slavery into the western territorieshad won the Presidential election held on November 6, 1860. Members of the House passed its resolution in a frantic attempt to appease southern states, who feared Lincoln and the future of slavery under a Republican administration. Southerners understood that the vast amount of each of their states wealth originated from slave labor. They could not imagine a future without slavery. That House Resolution was already too late. By February 11, seven states had seceded from the Union: South Carolina, in December 1860; Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, and Louisiana, in January 1861; and Texas, on February 1, 1861. There were an additional eight slave-holding states, and the fear throughout Washington D. C. was that all eight too would secede. Abraham Lincoln arrived in Washington D.C. on the morning of February 23. Days later, on March 4, 1861, Lincoln took the oath of office. In his Inaugural Address, Lincoln tried to soothe the southern states. He said, Apprehension seems to exist among the people of the Southern States that by the accession of a Republican Administration, their property and their peace and personal security are to be endangered. There has never been any reasonable cause for such apprehension. I have no purpose, directly or indirectly, to interfere with the institution of slavery in the States where it exists. I believe I have no lawful right to do so, and I have no inclination to do so. We are not enemies, but friends. We must not be enemies. Though passion may have strained, it must not break our bonds of affection. Despite Lincolns calming words, four more southern states seceded from the Union: Virginia, in April; Arkansas and North Carolina, in May; and Tennessee, in June, a total of eleven states. The United States had split into two countries, two governments, two presidents. One glimmer of hope: four slave-holding states, those just south of the Mason-Dixon line, remained in the Union: Delaware, Maryland, Kentucky, and Missouri. Historians now consider the southern states secession a colossal mistake. Around 300,000 Southern white men were killed during the Civil War, a war that crushed the Souths economy and abolished slavery. Plus, the Southern states lost their votes in Congress, and it was treason. The war commenced April 12, 1861, when Southern troops fired on Fort Sumter, in Charlestons harbor. February 11, 1861, a day of missed opportunity to defer a Civil War. Pilar Martinez Malaga Wednesday, 11 February 2026, 15:01 Share The Andalusian regional ministry of tourism is urging the central government to put an end to the Registro Unico de Viviendas Turisticas (single tourist housing registry), which creates a duplicate of the Andalusian tourism register and a breach of EU law. Last week, the European Technical Regulation Information System (Tris) warned that Spain is breaching internal market regulations by maintaining duplicate registers. Regional minister of tourism Arturo Bernal addressed his request at the torism sector conference held in Madrid on Tuesday. He demanded that the central government "move from words to deeds, that it strictly apply the European regulation on housing for tourist use and that it repeal the decree as it invades regional competences, generates legal insecurity and does not resolve the real problems of either the tourist sector or access to housing". In his speech, he reminded the government that tourism is within the competences of each region in the country, not within those of the state. "We demand institutional respect, effective dialogue and a real change in policies," Bernal said. He added that tourism is important for Spain's economy and employment and that the real issue goes beyond the registers. The EU's warning concerns a regulation that bans submitting the same property to more than one registration procedure when there is already a mandatory one, regardless of the administrative level that imposes it. It warns that the state registry is a duplication of the Andalusian tourism registry, which first established this procedure. Brussels has given Spain until May to find a solution. According to Bernal, the regional and the central governments can agree on one thing, namely that "tourism is not the root of the housing problem" and that deeper and more comprehensive solutions are necessary. SUR Wednesday, 11 February 2026, 16:25 Share The Cueva del Tesoro (treasure cave) cave in Rincon de la Victoria set a new record for visitor numbers in 2025, with 146,581 people visiting the historical site, that is an increase of 8.06 per cent over the previous year. Mayor of Rincon de la Victoria Francisco Salado welcomed these figures, saying "The Cueva del Tesoro has established itself as one of the major tourist and cultural attractions in Malaga province thanks to ongoing management, constant improvement of the visitor experience and a firm commitment to promoting tourism in the municipality" Councillor for tourism and caves, Antonio Jose Martin, said, "There is enormous and growing interest in visiting the only marine cave open to the public in Europe and one of only three in the world." The majority of visitors to the cave are Spanish, with 84,427 visits in 2025, of which 67,293 visits were from Andalucia, followed by the Madrid, which reached 6,389, showing a growth of 104.31 per cent. In terms of international tourism, 2025 saw significant increases in key markets, especially Germany, with 8,060 visitors and an increase of 68.83 per cent, followed by the United Kingdom with 7,023 visitors. They are followed by France, Poland, Italy, the Netherlands and the Czech Republic. Salado highlighted "the notable increase in international tourism" which he said "shows that the Cueva del Tesoro is gaining ground in European markets and reinforces our strategy of promoting the area abroad". Zoom Tesoro cave Rincon de la Victoria SUR The mayor also pointed out that the Cueva del Tesoro was awarded TripAdvisor's Travellers' Choice 2025 for the second consecutive year, a recognition based on actual visitor ratings that places the cave among the top 10 per cent of tourist experiences in the world. The Cueva de la Victoria recorded a total of 1,832 visitors in 2025, compared to 1,599 in 2024, representing an increase of 14.57 per cent. Most of the visits came from Andalucia (747) and Madrid (423). Among foreign visitors, Germany and the UK were the highest, followed by visitors from Poland, the US and Switzerland. The Cueva de la Victoria offers an expert-guided experience, part of an active caving tourism activity of great historical and archaeological significance, which allows visitors to discover the dawn of humanity through a site with more than 30,000 years of history. The Roman Villa Antiopa site received a total of 11,858 visitors in 2025. The victims of a Malaga travel agency owner - who herself fell prey to an elaborate "romance scam" - have shared the devastating impact of losing their life savings. National Police have now arrested the agent and 11 members of the criminal network that allegedly manipulated her. Among the victims are Francis and Carolina, who spent three years saving for a dream trip to Disneyland Paris for their young daughters. The couple had waited until Francis successfully underwent a kidney transplant before booking. In August 2024, they paid 5,340 to the Florin agency - much of it in cash after being told the card reader was broken. Soon after, the agency stopped answering calls. The owner claimed she had retired and her staff had quit. In reality, she had been sending client funds to a scammer posing as a soldier on a mission in Lebanon. "To believe that a soldier on the other side of the world would fall in love with a woman in Alhaurin de la Torre is strange," Francis told SUR, "but for her to spend a family's money on him is mind-boggling." Another victim, Sergio, booked a Mediterranean cruise for his family and was pressured to pay in cash months in advance. When he noticed the agencys office in the Rosaleda shopping centre had closed, the owner told him "the workers were ill" and not to worry. Sensing foul play, he reported her to the police. Oscar, a third victim, described receiving a frantic 11.30pm message from the owner claiming flights weren't booked. She blamed her staff and asked for more money as prices had "doubled," later promising a non-existent insurance payout that never arrived. According to police sources, 55 people have filed complaints against Florin, with the total swindled amounting to 100,000. The investigation revealed a bizarre chain of victimisation. The agency owner had transferred a staggering 280,000 in less than a year to her "fake lover." Police traced 80% of these funds to a woman in Catalonia who acted as a "money mule," converting the cash into cryptocurrency or laundering it through a computer shop. In a final twist, the Catalan suspect had also originally been a victim of a romance scam before being recruited by the criminal network to help launder money from new victims like the families in Malaga. BEIJING, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- For the first time, a Chinese-developed optical clock named NIM-Sr1 has contributed to the calibration of International Atomic Time (TAI), the State Administration for Market Regulation said on Tuesday. The strontium optical lattice clock is developed by the National Institute of Metrology. Experts say the event marks a milestone in China's optical clock research and will enhance the country's influence in international time and frequency studies. TAI is the basis for Coordinated Universal Time (UTC), which is the world's civil time standard. TAI is generated by timekeeping institutions around the world and calibrated using the most precise atomic clocks available internationally. Malaga hospital scandal: 94-year-old patient spends over 24 hours on A&E stretcher Unions at the Clinico hospital warn of 'structural collapse' as 18 fragile patients await beds and staffing shortages leave wards closed Rosario, a 94-year-old Malaga resident, was rushed by ambulance to the Emergency department (A&E) of the Hospital Clinico Universitario Virgen de la Victoria at 12.30pm on Tuesday. She was suffering from critically low haemoglobin levels. "Since then, she has had transfusions, but everything has been done on an emergency stretcher," her son, Jose Antonio Bermudez, told SUR. He claims his mother spent more than 24 hours in the Observation area because there were no hospital beds available on the wards, nor even any chairs for her to sit on. While the patient has now been moved to a bed within the Observation unit, she spent a full day on a basic mobile stretcher. "The doctor tells us he wants to do tests and move her to a ward, but there are no beds or chairs. They are hoping one might become free tonight. My mother is in a terrible state; she isn't eating, she has arthritis in her back, and she is extremely uncomfortable. Its a disaster," Bermudez said. "This is chronic, there are usually 25 or 30 patients a day in the ER waiting for a bed, it is a structural problem," says the president of the Junta de Personal del Clinico, Juan Antonio Martos Juan Antonio Martos, president of the Clinicos staff committee, confirmed that as of Wednesday afternoon, 18 patients in the Emergency department were still waiting for a bed on a ward. "This is chronic," he said. "There are usually 25 to 30 patients waiting every day. It is a structural problem; the local population has doubled in recent years, but we lack the beds to match." Martos pointed out that while the new Virgen de la Esperanza hospital is planned, it will take six or seven years to complete. Meanwhile, existing facilities like the Respiratory Unit - which has five beds and two chairs - remain closed. "They could open it immediately, but we have another problem: a lack of human resources, especially nurses and nursing assistants (TCAEs)," he explained.. Union outcry Following the complaint, all unions representing the hospital staff issued a joint statement describing the Observation area as being overcrowded with "X-stretchers." These, they argue, are being used for "fragile, elderly patients with multiple pathologies" for prolonged periods. "These stretchers cannot be considered hospital beds and do not meet the necessary conditions for long stays," the statement read.The unions also denounced the "constant presence" of vulnerable patients sitting in chairs for hours or even days. This saturation, they claim, has led to a "blocked circuit," increasing waiting times and "compromising patient safety and clinical outcomes." In a stark warning, the staff committee stated that there have already been "unfavourable clinical outcomes" for patients held on stretchers in the Observation area - a situation they described as deeply concerning from an "assistance, organisational, and human perspective." The situation is also taking a toll on staff. The unions highlighted "elevated levels of stress, exhaustion, and burnout" among healthcare workers forced to operate in an environment of "chronic saturation." The staff committee and unions are now demanding that the hospital's management and the Andalusian Health Service (SAS) take urgent action. This includes the immediate opening of the Respiratory Unit to move fragile patients into proper beds and a complete review of the hospital's organisation to ensure "safe and dignified" healthcare. At the time of publication, SUR is awaiting an official explanation from the hospital management. Juan Cano Malaga Wednesday, 11 February 2026, 10:34 Share The police in Marbella have arrested a couple who were living in a tent on the Cabopino beach after their baby tested positive for cocaine. The intervention took place on Sunday, 8 February, when the police responded to a call and found the child malnourished. The call came from a person who alerted the police that a couple was making a bonfire between the dunes of Cabopino. A patrol verified the presence of a bonfire and a tent under a large tree. Next to it was a car without insurance and with an expired inspection label. The police identified the family staying in the tent: a 25-year-old woman of British origin, a 43-year-old Spaniard and their eight-month-old baby. The police noticed signs of malnutrition in the baby, in addition to the conditions of living in a tent in the middle of the winter. After a check-up at a local health centre, the doctors referred the infant to Hospital Costa del Sol, where a urine analysis showed traces of cocaine. The baby was also underweight for his age. The police arrested the parents. According to records, the mother had requested several appointments at the paediatric unit of the hospital in Marbella in previous months, although she had failed to show up. The couple are awaiting a judicial process. The father holding his baby in his arms, seconds after his partner gave birth in the street in Mijas. Juan Cano Malaga Wednesday, 11 February 2026, 13:38 | Updated 14:48h. Share Ciro Fabian has had a remarkable story to tell from the very moment he was born. He arrived on 7 February in the middle of a fierce storm in Malaga province, shielded from the rain by the umbrellas and sunshades of neighbours who witnessed his mother, Sasharel, give birth on a street in Mijas. Parents Sasharel (28) and Andrew Fabian (26) are originally from Uruguay. Sasharel moved to Spain two and a half years ago in search of a better future, and Andrew followed a year later. Shortly after, they discovered they were expecting Ciro Fabian, their first child together. Sasharels due date was 2 February, but she showed no signs of imminent labour. On the morning of 7 February, at 40 weeks and five days, the first contractions began. "I woke up at 7.30am feeling fine. I thought I wasn't going to have the baby that day either, so I went back to sleep," Sasharel recalled. By 8.50am, the contractions intensified. Having given birth three times before, Sasharel felt familiar with the process. She decided to monitor her contractions at home, fearing she might be sent back from the hospital if she arrived too early. They arranged for her father to collect them at 12.30pm. In the meantime, she tidied the house and showered. At 12.37pm, Andrew took a photo of her as they headed down the stairs to leave. However, as they stepped onto the pavement, her waters broke. "I called my dad, but I felt there was no time. I told my partner, 'I think he's going to be born here,'" Sasharel said. Neighbours tried to help her to a nearby bar, El Tejo, but she couldn't move. As Storm Marta lashed the coast with heavy rain and wind, Andrew took off his jacket and shirt to cover her and prepared to deliver the baby. The community immediately rallied; neighbours brought blankets, the bar staff provided a large terrace sunshade, and two Guardia Civil officers held umbrellas to create a dry space. Luna, the daughter of the owner of El Tejo, ran to help after a waiter told her a woman was screaming in the street. "I heard her say, 'Something is coming out of me,' and I saw the head," Luna said. "It was raining so hard, but the parents reacted brilliantly. The father held on to the baby the whole time." Ciro Fabian was born at 12.45pm - exactly eight minutes after Sasharels waters broke. "I pushed three times and the baby fell into my partners arms," she said. Andrew, who had previously joked that he would faint if he had to cut the umbilical cord in a hospital, found himself acting as a midwife alongside Sasharels father. Mother and baby were taken to the hospital and confirmed to be in perfect health. Ciro Fabian weighed 3.94kg and measured 53cm. Fittingly, by the time they returned home, the storm had passed and the sun was shining. Cristina Vallejo Wednesday, 11 February 2026, 12:41 Share Only half of the tourist properties in Malaga province registered with the Andalusian regional government (Junta) are actually operational. According to the Junta's data, there are 85,137 tourist dwellings in the province, but the National Institute of Statistics (Ine), which monitors the active properties in the market, is only able to detect 48,261, i.e. 56% of them. This means that only half of these properties are on Airbnb, Booking.com or Vrbo. The discrepancy comes from the obligation to register a flat with the Junta if it is to be ever used for tourist purposes. Once registered, the property may or may not be available for renting. The register simply makes it legal for the owner to advertise it, whenever they want. According to the Junta's calculations, up to 30% of registered properties are not on the market. In anticipation of restrictive regulations, some owners decide to register their property, either to be able to reserve this possibility for the future or to revalue its price in the event of a later sale. In December 2025, the Ministry of Consumer Affairs fined Airbnb 64 million euros for advertising tourist accommodation without a licence. What the institute of statistics says The Ine also publishes figures on tourist lets, but they are not an official statistic, only an experimental one designed to estimate how many tourist properties exist. The data comes from "web scraping" - automatically collecting information from public listings on major platforms. Ine analysts then use algorithms to remove duplicate listings, as the same property often appears on more than one platform. A University of Valencia geographer describes the method as somewhat convoluted, likening it to "legal hacking", as it gathers data from open websites without accessing private or paid content. Even so, Professor De la Osada says that this is currently the best available statistic for measuring how many tourist properties are on the market, despite its limitations. One minor drawback is the low precision of the maps produced from the data: they only reach census-tract level, partly to protect owners' anonymity and partly because the Ine cannot technically provide more detailed information. The main limitation, however, is that the sample only covers the three main platforms: Airbnb, Booking and Vrbo. On the one hand, the Ine does capture properties that operate without being registered, which can inflate its figures compared with the regional government's official register. On the other, it misses homes advertised on smaller platforms or rented through more informal, local channels. Alternative platforms Malaga has a large influx of foreigners. According to the Ine, this means that there might be some tourist properties advertised by foreign platforms, relevant to the residents of a specific country. However, the bulk of properties are to be found on big platforms, so the Ine statistics still provide the most realistic picture. There are twice as many tourist properties registered as those marketed on holiday rental platforms in coastal municipalities The regional government recognises that up to 30% of the properties registered in the Andalusian registry are not operational or are only put on the market at very specific times. A percentage that is easily applicable to coastal areas and major urban destinations, as is the case of the Costa del Sol and Malaga city. There are twice as many tourist properties registered as those marketed on holiday rental platforms in municipalities such as Marbella, Torremolinos, Benalmadena, Estepona, Fuengirola, Mijas and Benahavis. In other places, such as Jaen, the shortage of accommodation has pushed all registered properties to also be present on advertising platforms. The government's single register restricts the permission to advertise and limits profits President of the association of tourist properties in Andalucia (AVVA-Pro) Juan Cubo says many owners may also not be advertising their properties because they have them registered with the Junta but not in the single register that the central government implemented in July last year. This bans them from advertising on big platforms and lead to loss of profits. Professor De la Osada says that the Junta should be able to deregister dwellings that have not been in operation for some time and keep the registry up to date. "It would be interesting, because from a statistical point of view, having information on the renewal of these lists promotes credibility," he says. A crowd of passengers waiting for a train at the Maria Zambrano station in Malaga. Ignacio Lillo Malaga Wednesday, 11 February 2026, 09:56 | Updated 10:15h. Share Malaga province enters the third day of rail strikes, now exclusively organised by minority unions CGT and Sindicato Ferroviario (SF). Since the government lifted the decree of minimum services on Monday, all train drivers can participate in the strike, which can lead to most services getting cancelled. On Tuesday, out of the 132 C1 and C2 short-distance (Cercanias) services in Malaga province, only 85 ran. Thousands of passengers waited on the platforms in Malaga city and other towns for trains that never arrived. Most services at the height of today's rush hour have been cancelled due to union strikes The likelihood of Wednesday (the last day of the strike) suffering a number of cancellations is high. A review of the situation shows that Malaga is the province that has borne the brunt of the strike in Andalucia. Unsatisfactory agreement The strike started as a protest demanding stronger safety conditions in Spain's railway system, with practically all unions participating. On Monday, the Ministry of Transport reached an agreement with the majority unions, which "officially" called off the strike. The CGT and SF, however, refused to join and announced that they would maintain the strike until 11 February. According to state railway operator Renfe, the protest is hardly impacting other provinces, which proves the greater convening power of Malaga's train drivers. Minimum services In times of official strikes, the decree of minimum services comes into force. This means that 75% of trains should continue running during rush hours and 50% the rest of the day. In Malaga, however, the second day of the strike saw the cancellation of almost 65% services after the lifting of the decree. According to head of the CGT union Miguel Montenegro, Malaga will experience a third day of chaos on 11 February. He blames the ministry's "arrogance" for the inconvenience passengers are suffering. "The rail workforce is giving Puente and his puppet unions a much-needed reality check," Montenegro said. He is almost single-handedly leading this high-profile protest action over what he calls the "abandonment" of Spain's railways. Montenegro accuses minister Puente of dismissing minority unions. "The dignity of the workforce and the defence of their safety at work and that of passengers are above arrogance, contempt and attempts to belittle the growing strength of the increasingly loud voice of railway workers, who do not feel represented by yellow unions or establishment unions." Replacement buses To alleviate the situation, Renfe offered passengers on the Cercanias de Alora an alternative bus service on Tuesday. Montenegro opposed this decision, describing it as "a direct attack on the right to strike". He urged workers to maintain the strike on the last day and show that they demand greater safety at work and regulations that benefit trade unions rather than third-party private companies and employers. Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez spoke in the lower house on Wednesday for the first time since the tragic train crash near Adamuz and the accident in Gelida, which together claimed the lives of 47 people. In response to the uncertainty over the safety of the Spanish rail system, Sanchez urged the opposition "not to fuel fear". According to the Prime Minister, Spain's rail "is one of the best in the world". Sanchez said that, in under a month, "many hoaxes have been spread", one of them that the government does not invest in maintenance, "only in transport subsidies". "This is a colossal lie. Between 2018 and 2025, investment in railway infrastructure has tripled, from 1.7 to nearly 5 billion euros," the PM said. However, he did admit that the system "has significant shortcomings" and "there is work to be done". He discouraged labels that describe the state rail system as "decadent or unsafe". "It is not perfect, but it is safe," he said. In his approximately 40-minute speech, Sanchez said that when analysing the situation, one should take into account that Spain has a network of 15,700 kilometres, the fifth longest in the EU. Of those, 4,500 correspond to high-speed lines, which places the country only behind China. "If laid in a straight line, the tracks could cover the distance between the North and the South Pole. Daily incidents are bound to happen in such an extensive system. It is inevitable," he said, alluding not to train crashes like the one in Adamuz, but to "animals crossing, trees falling, train drivers falling ill, weather incidents". According to Sanchez, these are the incidents that cause temporary speed reductions, suspensions for track revisions or specific detours to update the infrastructure. "All these are inconveniences but they are not anomalies, they are not dysfunctions. It is proof that the system detects, acts and corrects," he said. Sanchez also stated that the government is doing "and will do" everything in its power to help investigators, to establish the cause of the accident in Cordoba and to "bring justice" if necessary. For the moment, the prime minister has declined to make assumptions or give any explanations that would precede the conclusions of the investigation. As minister Oscar Puente had already done on several occasions, Sanchez outlined all rail inspections carried out since its "comprehensive renovation" ("which does not imply the replacement of all its elements") in 2025. He concluded that "it is likely" that one of the "lessons" to be learned from the Adamuz tragedy is that these protocols "are not infallible". "If this is the case, rest assured that the government will be the first to improve them, following expert guidance in order to prevent a such events in the future," PM Sanchez concluded. Members of a teaching-practice group of students from Shaanxi Normal University pose for a group photo at an experimental middle school in Lhasa, southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region, Aug. 26, 2025. (Xinhua) by Xinhua writers Lyu Qiuping, Xu Zuhua and Yao Youming LHASA, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- Fifteen years ago, Shi Lei, a university student from Shaanxi Province in northwest China, landed on the snowy plateau of Xizang, thinking he was just going to teach for three months. Little did he know that he would end up staying for 15 years. Majoring in English at Shaanxi Normal University in Xi'an, the provincial capital, Shi is one of over 800 volunteers from the institution who have taught in southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region. Their service is part of a broader national effort to support the plateau's development through education, which has drawn specialized talent and sustained investment to the area -- helping open young minds, kindle aspirations, and equip students with the tools needed to pursue their goals. Shi was born in the rural area of Shaanxi's Tongchuan City. Inspired by his own high school teacher, who had previously taught in Xizang, Shi applied for a teaching internship there in his final year of university. He still recalls the harsh conditions at the high school in Shannan City, where he started in late 2011. "We burned yak dung to keep warm indoors when temperatures fell to around minus 15 degrees Celsius," he said, noting that at night they had to walk hundreds of meters outside to use the nearest restroom. Amid all the challenges he faced, Shi was warmly welcomed by students and staff, most of whom are Tibetan. When his three-month placement ended, a group of students surrounded him, offering gifts like yak jerky and hoping he would stay. "It was their affection that touched me and prompted me to stay," he said. Now working at a high school in the regional capital Lhasa, Shi has adopted mathematical methods to help local students learn English, using a coordinate axis to illustrate various tenses. "The part greater than zero represents the future tense, while the part less than zero represents the past tense. What stays precisely at a particular point is the continuous tense," he said. He also runs a WeChat public account where he shares English learning resources, which reaches about 2,000 students across Xizang. With his guidance, students have not only improved their grades but also discovered dreams that extend beyond the classroom. Many have continued their studies at top universities in China and even abroad. Influenced by Shi, Samten Gyatso, one of his former students who studies at Tsinghua University now, decided to return to Xizang to be a volunteer himself in 2025, teaching maths, English and history. "Volunteer teachers don't just help with grades; they shape students' attitudes and habits," said the 26-year-old Tibetan. "My own path shows these kids that leaving the plateau to see the wider world is an achievable dream." A white paper issued last year showed that, by 2024, Xizang had 3,618 schools at various levels and of different types, 96,600 faculty and staff members, and 970,000 students on campus, accounting for more than 25 percent of the region's total population. The number of college or university graduates per 100,000 inhabitants in the region rose from 5,507 in 2010 to 11,019 in 2020, the white paper said. As the only child in his family, Shi acknowledges the sacrifices made by his wife, who cares for their five-year-old son and his aging parents back in Xi'an. He makes it a point to go home for every holiday to spend time with them. "I hope the time we spend together during breaks can make up a little for my long absences," he said. Shi Lei (1st L) communicates with representatives of students who are about to set off to southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region for teaching practice, at Shaanxi Normal University in Xi'an, northwest China's Shaanxi Province, Jan. 7, 2026. (Xinhua/Zhang Bowen) KABUL, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has supported 47 health centers operated by the Afghan Red Crescent Society across Afghanistan, delivering primary healthcare services to more than 1.2 million patients over the past year, local media outlet Tolo news reported on Wednesday. According to the report, women and girls made up 64 percent of the total number of patients who received medical treatment at the supported facilities. During the reporting period, over 337,000 doses of vaccines were administered, helping curb the spread of communicable diseases in vulnerable communities. In addition to medical services, the ICRC also provided professional and technical training to hundreds of healthcare workers to enhance the capacity and quality of local health services, the report said. Afghanistan's health sector has encountered serious challenges in recent years amid economic constraints and a decline in international funding, increasing the need for sustained humanitarian assistance. A girl tries riding a Shetland pony during Galloping Wonders: Year of the Horse Science & Culture Exhibition at Shanghai Science & Technology Museum in east China's Shanghai, Feb. 10, 2026. Jointly hosted by Shanghai Science & Technology Museum and the Palace Museum, the exhibition kicked off here on Tuesday. (Xinhua/Fang Zhe) A visitor interacts with a Shetland pony during Galloping Wonders: Year of the Horse Science & Culture Exhibition at Shanghai Science & Technology Museum in east China's Shanghai, Feb. 10, 2026. Jointly hosted by Shanghai Science & Technology Museum and the Palace Museum, the exhibition kicked off here on Tuesday. (Xinhua/Fang Zhe) Visitors view an exhibit during Galloping Wonders: Year of the Horse Science & Culture Exhibition at Shanghai Science & Technology Museum in east China's Shanghai, Feb. 10, 2026. Jointly hosted by Shanghai Science & Technology Museum and the Palace Museum, the exhibition kicked off here on Tuesday. (Xinhua/Fang Zhe) Visitors view a mechanical horse exhibit during Galloping Wonders: Year of the Horse Science & Culture Exhibition at Shanghai Science & Technology Museum in east China's Shanghai, Feb. 10, 2026. Jointly hosted by Shanghai Science & Technology Museum and the Palace Museum, the exhibition kicked off here on Tuesday. (Xinhua/Fang Zhe) Visitors view a horse-themed concert, which is a part of the Galloping Wonders: Year of the Horse Science & Culture Exhibition, at a planetarium of Shanghai Science & Technology Museum in east China's Shanghai, Feb. 10, 2026. Jointly hosted by Shanghai Science & Technology Museum and the Palace Museum, the exhibition kicked off here on Tuesday. (Xinhua/Fang Zhe) Nancy Guthrie, 84, mother of NBC's Savannah Guthrie, went missing from her Arizona home on January 31. FBI officials report no suspects but have released Nest surveillance footage showing a masked figure at her door, fueling online speculation. Since then, people took to Grok to see more information about the mysterious case. However, it only led to much misinformation and confusion. AI Misuse in High-Profile Cases Social media users quickly processed the footage through AI tools like xAI's Grok, hoping to reveal the suspect's face. According to Gizmodo, experts warn that AI-generated results in this context are entirely fabricated and can mislead the public. Similar incidents, such as the Charlie Kirk shooting case, show that AI "enhancements" often produce false images that spread misinformation. Public Overreaction and Misinformation Requests for "enhanced" or colorized footage have added unrealistic traits to the suspect, offering no investigatory value. Even mainstream outlets, including Fox News, have occasionally amplified speculative commentary without expert validation, complicating public understanding of the case. FBI Investigation and Ransom Threats Nancy Guthrie was last seen around 9:45 p.m. on January 31 after dinner with her family. Her disappearance was reported the next day. Ransom demands surfaced via Bitcoin, but authorities question their credibility. A California man was arrested for attempting to solicit ransom, though he had no involvement in her disappearance. Lessons on AI and Crowdsourced Investigations AI is accessible everywhere, and even a free plan is very helpful in generating images and other messages. However, people should understand that AI cannot generate new information from existing footage, and crowdsourced speculation often hinders investigations. The only way to do that is through continuously reviewing other nearby cameras and collecting evidence by the authorities as part of professional investigative methods. In high-profile cases like this, it's not good to consult AI like an investigator since it can share your secrets in public. Laman Ismayilova On the 10th, the 13th session of the Islamic World Heritage Committee of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) commenced in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, as part of an ongoing festival, AzerNEWS reports citing the Culture Ministry. The session reviewed nominations submitted for inclusion in the Islamic World Heritage List and the Islamic World Heritage Tentative List. During the session, a decision was adopted to inscribe the Aghdam Imarat Historical and Architectural Museum Complex and the Shusha State Historical and Architectural Reserve, both nominated by Azerbaijan Culture Ministry, on the ICESCO Islamic World Heritage List. This marks the first time that monuments in Aghdam have been included in international cultural heritage lists. The 18th-century Imarat complex, regarded as sacred by Azerbaijanis, is of profound historical and cultural significance. Alongside the Imarat Palace of Panah Ali Khan, founder of the Karabakh Khanate, the site encompasses the mausoleums of Panah Ali Khan himself, Ibrahim Khalil Khan, and his son Mehdi Gulu Khan, who ruled the khanate in different periods. It is also the final resting place of Khurshidbanu Natavan, daughter of Mehdi Gulu Khan and a distinguished Azerbaijani poet, as well as other prominent representatives of the Karabakh khans' lineage. The establishment of the Imarat Historical and Architectural Museum Complex in the city of Aghdam, decreed by President Ilham Aliyev on February 20, 2025, stands as a vivid example of the special state-level attention being devoted to the revival of cultural heritage and the restoration of historical and cultural values in the Karabakh region. President Ilham Aliyev attended the official reopening of the restored Aghdam Imarat Complex on September 19, 2024. Spanning 3.3 hectares, the complex includes facilities designed for ceremonial events, mausoleums, a historic cemetery, an equestrian complex for the presentation of Karabakh horses, and a visitor center. The Aghdam Imarat Complex is now open to visitors. The inclusion of Shusha widely regarded as the cultural cradle of Azerbaijan on the ICESCO Heritage List serves as a powerful testament to the value placed on the revival of this reserve city's rich historical and cultural legacy. The session will continue through the 13th as part of the festival's program. With its rich cultural legacy, Azerbaijan joined the Islamic World Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organisation (ICESCO) in 1991. Since then, Azerbaijan has actively promoted the preservation of its Islamic cultural heritage. The country successfully collaborates closely with various organisations, including the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, the Islamic Development Bank, the Islamic Conference of Parliamentary Union, and the Islamic Conference of Youth Forum. WASHINGTON, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that he is considering sending a second aircraft carrier strike group to the Middle East to prepare for possible military action against Iran if negotiations fail. "We have an armada that is heading there, and another one might be going," Trump said in an interview with U.S. news outlet Axios, noting that Washington is weighing additional military deployments while pursuing diplomatic talks with Tehran. Cyclone Gezani leaves 'monstrous' damage in Madagascar Antananarivo, Madagascar, Feb 10 (AFP) Feb 10, 2026 Cyclone Gezani made landfall in Madagascar on Tuesday, lashing the Indian Ocean island nation's second-largest city with gusts of wind reaching 250 kilometres (155 miles) per hour. "It's monstrous. Everything is devastated, roofs have been blown off, floors are flooded, the walls of solid houses have collapsed," a resident of Toamasina, on Madagascar's east coast, told AFP by telephone during a brief return of connection. "And I'm talking about the nice neighbourhoods, with well-built houses," said the source, who had been left without electricity since the afternoon, five hours before the cyclone hit. In its latest update, the CMRS cyclone forecaster on France's Reunion island confirmed that Toamasina had been "directly hit by the most intense part" of the storm. Schools in several of the island's regions will be shut on Wednesday, which the government has declared a non-working day as a precaution. Although Gezani lost steam and was downgraded to the level of a tropical storm as it headed into inland Madagascar, it is expected to pick up back to cyclone speeds on its way across the channel to Mozambique. Colonel Michael Randrianirina, in power in Madagascar since an October military coup, said he would make his way to Toamasina to be closer to the people at the time of Gezani's passing. According to the CMRS, the cyclone's landfall was likely one of the most intense recorded in the region during the satellite era, rivalling Geralda in February 1994. That storm left at least 200 dead and affected half a million more. US to scrap legal cornerstone of climate regulations this week Washington, United States, Feb 10 (AFP) Feb 10, 2026 President Donald Trump is set this week to scrap a landmark scientific finding that greenhouse gases jeopardize public health by driving climate change -- the bedrock of US regulations to curb planet-warming pollution. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) last summer proposed reversing the so-called "endangerment finding" of 2009, in the administration's latest boost to the fossil fuel industry. "On Thursday, President Trump will be joined by (EPA) Administrator Lee Zeldin to formalize the rescission of the 2009 Obama-era endangerment finding," White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told a news briefing Tuesday. "This will be the largest deregulatory action in American history, and it will save the American people $1.3 trillion in crushing regulation." The finding under then-president Barack Obama concluded that six greenhouse gases -- including carbon dioxide and methane -- endanger public health and welfare by driving climate change. That determination flowed from a 2007 Supreme Court decision, Massachusetts v. EPA, which ruled that greenhouse gases qualify as pollutants under the Clean Air Act and directed the EPA to determine whether they pose a danger to public health and welfare. While it initially applied only to a section of the Clean Air Act governing vehicle emissions, it was later incorporated into other regulations. As a result, repealing the determination would immediately be accompanied by revoking the requirement for federal greenhouse gas emissions standards for automobiles. The revocation is also set to place a broader suite of climate regulations at legal risk, including limits on carbon dioxide from power plants and methane from oil and gas operations. "This action is unlawful, ignores basic science, and denies reality," said Democratic governors Gavin Newsom of California, a likely presidential candidate, and Tony Evers of Wisconsin in a joint statement. "We know greenhouse gases cause climate change and endanger our communities and our health - and we will not stop fighting to protect the American people from pollution." - Study authored by climate-skeptics - The administration's draft proposal, which elicited more than half a million public comments, asserts that greenhouse gases should not be treated as pollutants in the traditional sense because their effects on human health are indirect and global rather than local. Regulating them within US borders, it contends, cannot meaningfully resolve a worldwide problem. The proposal also sought to downplay the scale and impacts of human-caused climate change, citing a study commissioned by an Energy Department working group filled with skeptics of human-caused climate change to produce a report challenging the scientific consensus. That report was widely criticized for misattribution and misstating the conclusions of the studies it cited. Environmental groups sued the Energy Department, alleging the panel was convened behind closed doors in violation of federal rules. Energy Secretary Chris Wright later disbanded the group. - Legal challenges, disputed math - The Trump administration has claimed that repealing the endangerment finding would lead to reduced new car costs, which have spiraled since the pandemic, but its calculations do not account for savings from reduced fuel use. Dan Becker of the Center for Biological Diversity's Safe Climate Transport Campaign, said the administration was "stoking oil demand at home by pushing for more gas guzzlers," while presenting a gift to China's electric vehicle makers who would no longer face meaningful US competition. While the administration says the rules imposed more than $1 trillion in cumulative regulatory costs that were passed on as "hidden taxes," critics say it does not weigh those costs against the monetized benefits from climate protection, public health and fuel savings. "The EPA's slapdash legal arguments should be laughed out of court," said Meredith Hankins, federal climate legal director at the Natural Resources Defense Council, vowing a swift court challenge. Portugal interior minister resigns after flood criticism Lisbon, Feb 10 (AFP) Feb 10, 2026 Portugal's interior minister, who has been criticised over the handling of the deadly storms that battered the Iberian nation in the past weeks, has resigned, the presidency said on Tuesday. Maria Lucia Amaral "felt that she did not have the personal and political conditions necessary to carry out her duties", a presidency statement late on Tuesday said. Her position will be temporarily filled by centre-right Prime Minister Luis Montenegro. Montenegro's government has come under fire for its response to the two weeks of storms and fierce gales that have killed at least seven people and wrought an estimated four billion euros ($4.7 billion) in damage. "The resignation of the interior minister is proof that the government has failed in its response to this emergency," Jose Luis Carneiro, Secretary-General of the opposition Socialist Party, told the Portuguese press immediately after the announcement. The Iberian Peninsula has seen increasingly drawn-out and intense bouts of extreme weather, such as downpours and heatwaves, which scientists have long linked to humanity's burning of fossil fuels. Warming climate threatens Greenland's ancestral way of life Sisimiut, Denmark, Feb 11 (AFP) Feb 11, 2026 Standing in his boat with binoculars in hand, hunter Malik Kleist scans the horizon for seals. But this February, the sea ice in southwestern Greenland has yet to freeze, threatening traditional livelihoods like his. "Normally the seals are on the ice or in the more calm waters. But today we had to sail all the way into the fjords to find them," the 37-year-old told AFP. The Arctic region is on the frontline of global warming, heating up four times faster than the rest of the planet since 1979, according to a 2022 study in scientific journal Nature, causing the sea ice to retreat. Seals rely on pack ice to give birth, to rest and for protection. Hunters increasingly have to sail farther along the jagged coast of Sisimiut, navigating into the fjords for several hours to find them. Traditionally, hunters' boats would head straight out to sea, slowly pushing through the ice and creating holes that attract seals coming up for air. But without any ice, "it's too windy and the waves are too big," Kleist said. Last year was exceptionally warm in the vast autonomous territory, with several temperature records beaten, according to the Danish Meteorological Institute (DMI). In December, the Summit Station, located at the height of Greenland's ice sheet, recorded an average temperature of minus 30.9C, 8.1C higher than the December average between 1991 and 2020. "It affects everything we do. Because normally around November and December the ice comes. And this year there's no ice, so it affects our living a lot," Kleist said. - Financial woes - For the same reason, the government has also had to postpone the annual winter musk ox hunt that was due to start on January 31. There wasn't enough snow and ice to transport the massive animals that roam the Arctic tundra back from Kangerlussuaq where they are predominantly found, around 165 kilometres (103 miles) away. Greenland has no roads connecting its towns. That has left some Sisimiut hunters with less income than usual. "This time of year there is not much to hunt. So we rely on musk ox meat and skin," Kleist said. "Many of my fellow hunters are struggling with money right now." Every part of the animal, from the fur to the meat, is either used or sold. The summer hunting season has therefore gained importance, enabling Greenlanders to fill their freezers to get them through the winter months, he told AFP over a steaming bowl of fish stew. The shorter winter season has also impacted another key activity in Greenland, one that has become increasingly important to the tourism sector: dogsled tours. In the Sisimiut neighbourhood where the dogs are kept, their thunderous barking mounts as Nukaaraq Olsen, a 21-year-old musher, attaches them to the sled. Raring to get going, his 18 dogs are hard to hold back. Twenty minutes later, the group bounds off. But the road is bumpy, and several times Olsen has to get up to manually push the sled, stuck on the tundra's rocks in patches where there is no ice. "This year we had a lot of hot, warm days, even though it's December or January," he said. Other parts of the route are no longer safe to use, due to repeated melting and freezing of snowfall which causes uneven layers, he said. - Dehydrated dogs - The dogs' health is also affected by the changing climate. They are used to quenching their thirst with snow, but with little or no snowfall, they can easily get dehydrated. Mushers have to take that into account when caring for their animals. Many have even had to get rid of their dogs, the business of maintaining them no longer profitable with the dogsled season shrinking to just two months, said Emilie Andersen-Ranberg, a researcher at the University of Copenhagen who runs a dog clinic in Sisimiut. Others, such as 72-year-old Johanne Bech, are finding novel ways to adapt. She plans to put wheels on her sled to continue running dogsled tours during the summer period. That solution is growing in popularity, as "the window with snow is getting more and more narrow," the veterinarian said. Over the past 20 years, the number of sled dogs has been halved from 25,000 to 13,000, according to a 2024 article from the University of Greenland. Yet Johanne Bech remains optimistic about the future. "I hope this is just for a short time, so we can go back to a little more stable snow or more ice in the future." UK's crumbling canals threatened with collapse Whitchurch, United Kingdom, Feb 11 (AFP) Feb 11, 2026 On a misty winter's day in the English midlands, engineers struggled to drag stranded narrowboats from a waterless, mud-filled canal that collapsed weeks earlier, in a delicate, multi-million-pound rescue operation. The sight starkly illustrated an ongoing battle to maintain the UK's historic, yet deteriorating, waterways. Britain's canal network "is facing pressure it has never faced before," said Charlie Norman, director of campaigns at the Inland Waterways Association (IWA), an independent charity advocating for the upkeep of the UK's canals and rivers. "The entire canal network is vulnerable," Norman added, pointing to the "increased effects of climate change" such as drought in the summer and heavy rain in the winter. "Inadequate funding across the sector" has provoked an "overall deterioration" in the 4,700 mile-long (7,600 kilometre) network, they said. Britain's 200-year-old canal network was once the backbone of the country's economic transformation during the Industrial Revolution, but is now crumbling, experts say. About a dozen workers were overseeing the complex operation to rescue three narrowboats stranded in a canal in Whitchurch, on the English-Welsh border, last month. Watching from an empty canal bank and wearing a high-viz jacket and white hard hat, was Julie Sharman, the chief operating officer of the Canal & River Trust -- a charitable organisation in charge of maintaining some 2,000 miles (3,200km) of waterways across England and Wales. Behind her were two 20-tonne narrowboats waiting to be rescued by an imposing winch machine in a nearby field with the help of a specialist excavator. - 'Tough decisions' - "There's no disguising the fact that we do need more money to look after our canal network," she told AFP. "People sometimes think canals are looked after by local authorities or by the government, and they're not. They're looked after by us, as a charity," she said. The trust is investigating the Whitchurch breach, but Sharman said "our engineers have to make tough decisions every week" about which projects to tackle and "there's always a very long list of things we would want to do". "Small breaches and failures have happened since the canals were built," she added, but "it's rare to have a breach of this scale". In January 2025, there was an earlier canal collapse in Bridgewater, northwest England, which led to just under two miles of the canal being drained of water. The Canal & River Trust, the largest authority, says its fixed annual grant of pound52.6 million ($71.8 million) from the government, amounts to just 22 percent of its annual income, but that will reduce by five percent from 2027 for the next decade. The rest, some 78 percent, is funded by the charity's own investment and self-generated income, including user fees and fundraising, supported by thousands of volunteers. Last week, the UK government pledged an additional pound6.5 million funding for the trust "to help build long-term resilience across the network". "Our historic canals and waterways are not only world famous and precious to communities across the country -- they are also a vital part of our national infrastructure," said Water Minister Emma Hardy. British Waterways, a statutory body of the UK government, ceased to exist in 2012 and handed maintenance of canals and rivers to a series of 144 navigation authorities. It was believed the move would diversify funding potential allowing bodies to tap into government grants, commercial revenue and charitable donations. - Transport, leisure, homes - "Before canals, transporting goods across Britain was limited to horse and cart," said historian Mike Clarke. The advent of the canal greatly increased the nation's capacity to transport goods. After declining in use, "a restoration movement came about in the '60s" and people began to live on canal houseboats, Clarke said. Now more than 35,000 boats are registered with the Canal & River Trust, plying the network to transport goods or just for pleasure. And about 15,000 people are said to live on canal boats moored on the banks. Matt Gibson, 52, moors his sage-green houseboat, bedecked with plants, on the Regent's Canal near central London. He moved in during the pandemic "to explore a different way of living". "I get a bit spooked when I can hear drunk people outside at night," he told AFP. "I do love living here, though -- I don't need much more space to live". Climate change fueled conditions for Chile, Argentina wildfires: scientists Buenos Aires, Argentina, Feb 11 (AFP) Feb 11, 2026 Climate change made the hot, dry conditions that fueled recent devastating wildfires in southern Chile and Argentina up to three times as likely, according to an analysis published Wednesday by the World Weather Attribution network of scientists. Some two dozen people died in blazes across the South American countries -- where it is currently summer -- which also destroyed hundreds of homes, forced thousands of people to flee, and threatened some of the world's oldest trees. "Parts of Chile and Argentina are seeing significantly drier summers and more frequent fire weather as a result of carbon emissions," said a WWA press statement with the network's latest report. "Human-induced climate change made the weather that accompanied recent wildfires in Chile and Argentina about 2.5 to 3 x more likely," it added. The international group assesses the role of climate change in extreme weather events. Wildfires tore through the Chilean regions of Biobio and Nuble, along with Chubut province in Argentina, and threatened a Patagonian national park home to trees that can live for over 3,000 years, said the WWA. Tens of thousands of hectares of land were razed. Co-author Clair Barnes of the Centre for Environmental Policy at Imperial College London said early summer rainfall in the affected areas had dropped by as much as a quarter due to mankind's burning of fossil fuels that emit planet-warming greenhouse gases. Fire conditions were exacerbated by the drying effects of the La Nina weather phenomenon. "Our analysis shows a clear and dangerous fingerprint of climate change on these fires," said Barnes. The report highlighted an elevated wildfire risk in both affected regions due to plantations of non-native pine trees that are highly flammable. And they pointed to a reduction in funding for fire management and response systems in Argentina under budget-slashing President Javier Milei. "In a government where climate change as a consequence of human activities is denied and nature is given a secondary place, we end up with situations like these, where fires cause more damage than they should," Juan Antonio Rivera of the Argentine Institute for Snow, Glacier and Environmental Sciences (IANIGLA) told an online press conference. Powerful cyclone kills 20 in Madagascar Antananarivo, Madagascar, Feb 11 (AFP) Feb 11, 2026 A cyclone packing violent winds killed at least 20 people as it struck Madagascar, toppling houses and causing major flooding, the Indian Ocean island's disaster authority said Wednesday. Cyclone Gezani made landfall on Tuesday, slamming into the country's second-largest city, Toamasina, with winds reaching 250 kilometres (155 miles) per hour. The National Office for Risk and Disaster Management (BNRGC) said it had recorded 20 deaths, many after houses had collapsed. Fifteen people were missing and at least 33 had been hurt, it said, updating earlier tolls. Drone footage shared by the BNRGC on social media showed major flooding in the east coast city of 400,000 people, about 220 km northeast of the capital Antananarivo, with residents wading through water and roofs ripped off buildings. The city appeared battered, its streets littered with trees uprooted by the force of the cyclone. There had been massive damage in the Atsinanana region around the city, the authority said, adding that post-disaster assessments were still underway. "It's total chaos: 90 percent of house roofs have been blown off, entirely or in part," said the head of disaster management at the Action Against Hunger humanitarian group, Rija Randrianarisoa. "The roads are completely inaccessible because of trees on the ground, sheet metal," he told AFP. - 'Monstrous' - The CMRS cyclone forecaster on France's Reunion island confirmed Tuesday that Toamasina had been "directly hit by the most intense part" of the storm. The cyclone's landfall was likely one of the most intense recorded in the region during the satellite era, rivalling Geralda in February 1994, it said. That storm left at least 200 dead and affected half a million more. A Toamasina resident told AFP by telephone late Tuesday that the winds had collapsed solid walls. "It's monstrous," the resident added. The country's new leader, Colonel Michael Randrianirina, who seized power in October, travelled to Toamasina ahead of the cyclone's landfall to support residents. Videos shared by the presidency Wednesday showed the military man walking through flooded streets in neighbourhoods littered with debris. Commercial flights to Toamasina airport were suspended except for humanitarian and military flights, airport management told AFP. Fifteen members of the army's civil protection unit were dispatched to assist with rescue operations, authorities announced. The cyclone weakened after landfall but continued to sweep across the island, posing the risk of flooding despite being downgraded to a tropical storm. It is forecast to return to cyclone status as it reaches the Mozambique Channel, according to the CMRS, and could from Friday evening strike southern Mozambique, which has already faced devastating flooding since the beginning of the year. Cyclone season in the southwest of the Indian Ocean normally lasts from November to April and sees around a dozen storms each year. Johannesburg residents 'desperate' as taps run dry Johannesburg, Feb 11 (AFP) Feb 11, 2026 Sitting in the middle of a Johannesburg road as traffic snaked around her, Susan Jobson banged empty bottles to protest the water cuts that have upended her life for nearly three weeks. The 63-year-old, who struggles to walk and lives alone in a small cottage, said she joined a demonstration Wednesday by residents of the city's upmarket Melville suburb because the lack of water had left her "completely desperate". "I'm not walking that well, which means it's difficult to get water," she told AFP, while more than 100 protesters chanted next to her and passing motorists honked in support. "It's difficult to fill up the toilet, washing doesn't get done, and I've got to make plans around food," she said. Several parts of South Africa's economic capital -- from wealthy areas to the poorer ones -- have been gripped by weeks-long water shortages as decades of infrastructural decay and lack of maintenance push the system to the brink. In other areas of the country, including the southern city of Cape Town, shortages due to prolonged droughts were last week declared a national disaster. This meant restrictions could be imposed to avoid a dreaded "Day Zero", when the taps run dry. But in Johannesburg, residents are "living a Day Zero every single day", despite full dams and heavy rains in the past months, said Ferrial Adam, executive director of advocacy group WaterCAN. - 'National disaster' - Around 30 percent of the city's water supply is lost to leaks, Adam said, and municipal plans to repair infrastructure and install new reservoirs have been slow to come to fruition. In some other regions, such as the touristy coastal town of Knysna, this rose to 50 percent, she said. "Our municipalities across the country are failing, both in supply of water and sanitation," said Adam, who wanted the government to step in and declare the crisis a national disaster. "If declaring it a national disaster is the one way we can get all politicians, national government, provincial government, local government, to actually focus on water and sanitation, then that is what needs to happen," she told AFP. Under mounting pressure after months of water protests across the city, mayor Dada Morero rejected claims that Johannesburg as a whole faced a "Day Zero" and defended municipal efforts to "push and balance the water distribution". Morero is from the African National Congress (ANC), which has come under fire for mismanagement since it took power in 1994. Anger over failures in the supply of basic services was in part responsible for support plunging to 40 percent in the 2024 national elections. The party is expected to take another bashing over the same complaints at local government elections due later this year. Hoping to portray a hands-on approach to the crisis that would win over voters, the second-largest party in South Africa's ruling coalition, the Democratic Alliance, said Wednesday it would take legal action to compel the city to deliver water. Down the road from Wednesday's protest, a pre-primary school had already taken matters into its own hands by investing about 15,000 rand ($944) in a water tank. But even that reserve had run dry after 23 days without municipal supply, principal Arifa Banday told AFP, and the school now had to rely on deliveries from private water trucks. "We try as best as possible to keep going, especially because we're in charge of caring for so many little ones," she said, as parents dropped their toddlers off in the leafy playground. Protester Simon Banda said the lack of support for affected residents was a "tragedy". "We don't expect them to produce miracles. There's supposed to be a water truck almost at every corner, but there is nothing like that," he told AFP. "That, to me, is unforgivable." Drawing is much more to an artist than just another medium. For a painter particularly, its the way they evolve ideas and find out who they are as an artist before brush even hits canvas. From Michelangelo to Picasso, weve come to think of drawing as the quickest way to access an artists thought processes. Yet even by the standards of these great masters, Lucian Freud was almost pathologically preoccupied with the act of drawing. Thats the principal revelation of the National Portrait Gallerys new exhibition, the largest British survey to date of Freuds works on paper. From wax crayon sketches done at the age of six to highly personal late drawings, it provides a fascinating and essential trawl through little-regarded aspects of one of Britains most treasured artists. Freuds early paintings are so preoccupied with sinuously suggestive lines and densely inscribed textures they often feel like drawings with paint added as an afterthought. Self-Portrait with Hyacinth in a Pot (1947), in which the 25-year-old peers back at us with an expression of self-regarding hyper-sensitivity against a yellow pastel background, all huge eyes and flaring nostrils, is precisely that. While Freud was only 11 when his family fled Berlin for Britain in 1933, the steely focus on material details the tight waves of his hair, the flowers curving petals feels very Germanic, while edging into then fashionable Surrealism. In the quirky Quince on a Blue Table (1943), a zebras head cranes into the canvas over a starkly painted still life. This show offers glimpses of a young experimental Freud that will be a revelation to most viewers: cack-handed sketches done on a Welsh cottage holiday with the poet Stephen Spender, aged 18, bring a hint of toilet wall graffiti; sleekly accomplished book illustrations could pass for frames from some modish graphic novel produced last week. Even well-known early paintings such as Girl with Roses (1947), showing his first wife Kitty Garman, retain a starkly outlined graphic quality, not least in the enormous, eerily staring eyes; hardly flattering, but at least you cant accuse him of wishy-washy prettiness. Drawings of Freuds male friends have a similarly seductive, stylised quality, including Portrait of a Young Man (1942), which is being used as one of the shows key promotional images. Far more powerful, however, is Christian Berard (1948), in which the French designer appears almost miraculously real and present. Yet the sense of disarming spontaneity is undercut in typical Freud fashion by the minutely detailed rendering of the beard and tufty textures of his dressing gown. Freuds great friend Francis Bacon, meanwhile, is captured, tellingly with his trousers unfastened, in just a few impulsive lines. Moving into the more familiar territory of Freuds mature work, many of the drawings are in fact etchings, prints created by cutting into copper plates. While Freud drew directly into the plates in the presence of the sitter, these works have the carefully crafted quality of objects intended for public exhibition. They include some of his best-known works, including portraits of the shaven-headed performance artist Leigh Bowery and the majestically corpulent benefits officer Sue Tilley, shown alongside the related paintings. open image in gallery Portrait of a Young Man (1942), Lucian Freud, Black crayon and chalk on paper ( The Lucian Freud Archive. All Rights Reserved 2025 / Bridgeman Images, Lent by a private collection ) Much more revealing are rapidly executed preparatory drawings for paintings and etchings. These have the intimate, unguarded quality of images intended only for the artists own eyes. Most moving are sketches in pencil and charcoal of the one subject Freud painted more frequently than himself: his mother. In an image such as the impulsively scrawled The Painters Mother (1984), with the folds of the elderly womans jowls and carelessly swept-back hair framing her still beady eyes, we feel were present in the moment with Freud as he tries to seize an instant from eternity while theres still time. Many of the etchings are, of course, phenomenal works in their own right. In Bella (1983), the plate is so densely scraped and gouged that his fashion designer daughters features look like theyre forged from burnished iron. More personal, however, is a large sketch executed in brush-cleaning fluid, in which three attempts to capture Bellas likeness merge messily together, giving a rare sense of looking into aspects of the painting process Freud didnt intend us to see. This exhibition is full of great things, whether etchings, paintings or drawings, but its in the latter that were pulled deepest into the world of a man who gave the impression of living his life in the full glare of public attention, while remaining at his core absolutely private. Lucian Freud: Drawing into Painting is at the National Portrait Gallery from 12 February until 4 May ISTANBUL, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- Police detained 1,109 suspects in one of the largest operations targeting criminals and wanted suspects in Istanbul, local authorities announced on Wednesday. The Istanbul Police Department said nearly 2,500 officers joined the overnight operation on Tuesday, along with a police helicopter and five boats from the marine police units. During the operation, officers carried out identity checks on 374,952 people across the city. Among those detained were 595 suspects wanted for various crimes, police said. Police also inspected hundreds of public venues and carried out extensive traffic checks across the city, issuing fines and taking administrative measures against violators. Istanbul police regularly carry out security sweeps under the name "Peace Istanbul" to enhance public safety and target wanted suspects. 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 Hollywood star Margot Robbie has revealed she was "kicked out of Infernos and most of the clubs in Clapham" during her time living in London. The 35-year-old Australian actor, speaking on the Table Manners podcast with Jessie and Lennie Ware, did not disclose why she and her friends had been ejected and even banned from various venues in the south London area. The actor, who stars in the new Wuthering Heights film, explained: We were doing a job in Belgium where I met them (her roommates in Clapham), and they would tell me about the infamous Infernos, this place is so fun, you cant get kicked out of there, you can do anything in Infernos, and you cant get kicked out. And I was like, wow, that sounds like paradise, and so we all had a weekend in London when the job was done, and of course, we went to Infernos, and within about 15 minutes, we got kicked out. And while were getting dragged out by security, I was screaming, but this is Infernos, you cant get kicked out of Infernos, and the bouncer was like, look, we allow most things, but when your friend does then we kick you out, and I was like, okay, fair enough. Robbie, right, stars in the new Wuthering Heights movie ( Warner Bros. Pictures via AP ) Ware then asked how many clubs Robbie had been kicked out of, to which she replied: Most of the clubs in Clapham Id say, have kicked us out, for a while we were banned at a number of places. So we ended up all deciding to move in together, and I had gone back to America at that point, and so we were looking online, and the guys were like, oh, its a sign, this place is down the road from Infernos. So we literally signed our lease just because it was down the road from Infernos. Speaking about her time living in Clapham, Robbie also added that she had become friends with the owners of her local off-licence and had invited them to a film premiere as they never believed she was famous. She said: I was like, Johnny and Neil, Id love for you to come, Ive got a premiere, and they were like, you?, and I was like yeah. Im in the movie. I showed them the invite, and I was like, thats me, thats my face, and they were like, its not you, thats Will Smith, and Im like, thats Will Smith, but next to Will Smith, thats me. And they wouldnt believe me, and I said, just come to the premiere and see for yourself, they didnt come. They now know that I work in the movies, and sometimes we go back and visit, just to say hi. Robbie plays Catherine Earnshaw in Emerald Fennells adaption of the Emily Bronte novel, and also starred as the titular character in Barbie (2023), in The Wolf Of Wall Street (2014), and as Harley Quinn in three superhero films of the DC Extended Universe. 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 Christopher Nolan isnt willing to give his actors free rein even if that actor happens to be Timothee Chalamet. The Oscar-nominated Marty Supreme star who appeared in the British directors critically acclaimed 2014 sci-fi adventure Interstellar as the younger version of Casey Afflecks Tom spoke with Nolan ahead of a recent Imax 70mm screening of the film at the AMC Universal Citywalk in Los Angeles. During their conversation, which was shared on YouTube, Chalamet asked the Oscar-winning Oppenheimer filmmaker, 55, whether he gives certain actors a little more bandwidth. No, I dont indulge people like you doing crazy s***, Nolan replied. Citing a specific example, he recalled the time Chalamet, now 30, was filming the scene in which his character records messages from home for his father in space. There was a particular thing where you were hitting a dark tone, the Inception director remembered. It felt too much for me. I didnt particularly like it. open image in gallery Timothee Chalamet (right) starred in Christopher Nolan's critically acclaimed sci-fi film 'Interstellar' ( Getty ) open image in gallery Matthew McConaughey led Interstellar as Cooper, a NASA pilot sent to explore other planets to see if theyd be inhabitable for humankind ( AP ) I told you about it, and you went ahead and did whatever the f*** you wanted and carried on, he added. But I was like, He knows what he wants to do and has an idea. Interjecting with laughter, Chalamet admitted: I dont even remember that! Thats crazy. I didnt even think you knew my name, man. This is unbelievable. I might not have known your name, Nolan quipped, but I knew what you were doing. It wasnt about being stubborn. You had planned what you wanted to do. You planned your choices and you didnt want to abandon that on a casual whim for me. You wanted to test that and challenge that and see if I kept coming back, which I didnt. Ill find a logic to that in the edit suite. open image in gallery 'Interstellar' marked one of Chalamet's first major roles in a feature film before his breakout in 'Call Me by Your Name' ( Getty Images ) He continued: Actually, to be honest, the edge you were giving is what Casey was then putting into the late performance. I couldnt necessarily see that at the time because we hadnt done any of that stuff yet. And as a director, you are looking for an actor to interpret the script in their own way and bring their point of view on it. And you have a point of view. Watch Apple TV+ free for 7 day New subscribers only. 9.99/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled. Try for free ADVERTISEMENT. If you sign up to this service we will earn commission. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent. Watch Apple TV+ free for 7 day New subscribers only. 9.99/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled. Try for free ADVERTISEMENT. If you sign up to this service we will earn commission. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent. Nolan clarified that it is not really about letting people off the leash but its about trying to give them what they need as a director. Interstellar, which follows former NASA pilot Cooper (Matthew McConaughey) as hes sent to explore the galaxy in search of a planet suitable for human life, earned a handful of Oscar nominations, including Best Visual Effects and Best Production Design. It also starred Anne Hathaway, Jessica Chastain, and Matt Damon, and marked one of Chalamets first roles in a major feature film, before his breakout performance in Call Me by Your Name (2017). Get the latest entertainment news, reviews and star-studded interviews with our Independent Culture email Get the latest entertainment news with our free Culture newsletter Get the latest entertainment news with our free Culture newsletter Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has ordered the removal of a digital poster for the action film Predator: Badlands, deeming its graphic imagery, including a "severed spine", unsuitable for public display. The advert featured an alien character that, according to the ASA, "resembled a human", holding a smaller person. This figure had been severed in two, with its bottom half missing and spine exposed. The alien was later depicted holding a sword, while a disc-like weapon was also visible, moving towards the viewer. The accompanying phrase, "welcome to a world of hurt", was prominently displayed. The poster culminated in a cartoon-style image featuring what the ASA identified as "the torso of a woman" with "wires protruding from her bottom half". The Walt Disney Company, which distributes and markets the 20th Century Studios film, had argued the severed character was not a human and was instead a robot, which was "visually distinct from a human". open image in gallery The film scene which has sparked the controversy ( 20th Century Studios ) It claimed the fact that the robot only had half a body, "emphasised its non-human nature" and appeared for less than two seconds in the advert, which it said it had designed for a 12A audience, which matches the certification of the film. Disney told the ASA it "did not consider the character or imagery in the ad was likely to cause particular harm or offence, given the films rating and the brief, stylised nature of the scene". However, the ASA said that as the poster was displayed outdoors, it was "likely to be seen by people of all ages" and told Disney and 20th Century Studios that "care needed to be taken" to ensure the poster was suitable for all. The ASA said in its ruling: "We considered the alien appeared menacing, the scene depicted violence and implied that it had dismembered the smaller figure. Whilst we acknowledged 20th Century Studios comment that the smaller figure was not actually a human, but rather a synth robot, we considered that was not clear from the ad, and that the figure was likely to be interpreted as a human. We further considered that the realistic depiction of the smaller figures severed torso and exposed spine was gory and likely to be disturbing to younger children." It said that further parts of the advert were also "disturbing and frightening" to children, and said that for those reasons it "considered that the ad was likely to frighten and cause distress to some children, was therefore unsuitable for display" in public. The ASA said the Predator advert breached its code and ordered for it not to appear again in its current form. open image in gallery Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi and Elle Fanning in Predator: Badlands ( 20th Century Studios ) The ruling comes after two people complained that the poster was "inappropriate and disturbing" for young children and said it was "unsuitable for outdoor display". A Disney spokesperson said: We acknowledge the ASAs ruling. We take our responsibilities to audiences seriously and strive to work closely with partners to meet required standards. Predator: Badlands, which was released in UK cinemas last year and stars Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi and Elle Fanning, is the latest in the sci-fi film series, which began with the movie of the same name in 1987, starring Arnold Schwarzenegger. 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 The Pogues drummer Andrew Ranken has died aged 72, the band announced on Wednesday. Ranken, nicknamed The Clobberer, joined the legendary British Celtic band in 1983 and played on some of their most iconic songs, including Fairytale of New York and Dirty Old Town. The group said in a tribute on Instagram that Ranken, the heartbeat of The Pogues, died Tuesday. His cause of death has not been disclosed. Andrew, thank you for everything, for your friendship, your wit and your generosity of spirit, and of course for the music, forever a true friend and brother, the statement read. Our thoughts and love are with his family at this sad and difficult time. The message was signed by band members Spider Stacy, James Fearnley and Jem Finer. open image in gallery The Pogues drummer Andrew Ranken has died at 72 ( Getty ) Spider Stacy shared a tribute to Ranken on her private Instagram, writing, The Clobberer has gone for a quiet pint, probably to be followed by several rather noisy ones. He was such a roaring force of nature, such a tremendous spirit Im so glad I was able to see him one last time before he left. The drummers death comes after the bands vocalist and songwriter Shane MacGowan died in 2023. A tribute shared on Instagram by Victoria Mary Clarke, MacGowans widow, said: Last night after his long and brave battle with illness we lost our dear friend, Shanes bandmate, Andrew the Clobberer Ranken. Andy was a fierce drummer and founding member of the Pogues, having joined Poguemahone in 1983 and braving all the beer-swilling, pogo-jumping, underground illegal drinking joints the fledgling band played, and developing his own unique style of a warrior drumbeat. The statement continued, Without him the Pogues could never have developed their battle-ready rhythm and sound. He truly was the heartBEAT of the band. He remained a true and loyal friend through all of his life. We will miss him and we are thinking today of his family and sending them all our love. May his gentle soul Rest in Peace. Siobhan MacGowan, the sister of the bands late frontman, shared a tribute to Ranken on X, writing: Andrew was such an important part of the story. A band brother and unbelievably talented and unique drummer. May he rest in peace. open image in gallery Andrew Ranken died on Tuesday following a long and brave battle with illness, Victoria Mary Clarke said ( X/@poguesofficial ) Following MacGowans death, the band announced their first headlining tour in a decade in 2024, but later confirmed that Ranken would not be joining the reunion shows due to health issues. Fontaines DCs Tom Coll subbed in for the longtime drummer instead. Ranken joined The Pogues a year after they formed in Kings Cross, London, and stayed until they broke up in 1996. Then, when the band got back together in 2001, he rejoined until their second split in 2014. He played with the band on acclaimed albums including Red Roses For Me (1984) and Rum Sodomy and The Lash (1985). He also provided harmonica and vocals for the group, singing lead on their song Worms. In addition to his work with The Pogues, Ranken also performed with a group called the hKippers and, in more recent years, a blues band called The Mysterious Wheels. 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 Melanie Hamrick, the fiancee of Rolling Stones frontman Mick Jagger, has shared her horror after being physically attacked in London. The dancer and author who shares son Deveraux, nine, with Jagger, 82 wrote on Instagram on Wednesday (11 February) morning, where she said that two muggers had grabbed her from behind on a night out at private members club Annabels in Mayfair in central London. This is incredibly hard to share, but I was physically attacked at Annabels Mayfair tonight, Hamrick, 38, wrote in a since-deleted Instagram post, reports The Daily Mail. It is not clear whether the alleged attack took place within or outside the club. open image in gallery Melanie Hamrick told social media followers that shes been attacked while on a night out at Annabels in Mayfair, London ( AFP/Getty ) She continued: Im so thankful to my friends for protecting me. Two people grabbed me from behind and thank god for good people who stepped in to help me. Hamrick, who has been in a relationship with rock star Jagger since 2014, said that she was shaken, sad and heartbroken that people can treat each other this way. The Independent has contacted Annabels for comment. Born in the United States, Hamrick danced with the American Ballet Theatre for 15 years before retiring in 2019. That same year, Hamrick choreographed a ballet called Porte Rogue, soundtracked to songs by the Rolling Stones in collaboration with her long-time partner. In November, Hamrick confirmed that she and Jagger were engaged, and had been for two or three years. Maybe one day well marry, maybe not. We are so happy in our current life that I would be too afraid to change anything, she told Paris Match. open image in gallery Jagger and Hamrick have been in a relationship since 2014 ( AFP/Getty ) The attack comes one week after a body was located by police officers in the search for Alexander Key, the missing partner of Jaggers granddaughter, Assisi Jackson. Jaggers family had originally asked for help after Key, who shares two children with Jackson, was reported missing in Cornwall on 24 January. He was last seen at a pub in the coastal village of Boscastle, where he owns a seafood restaurant and lives nearby with Jackson. Jade Jagger, who is Jacksons mother and the daughter of the Rolling Stones rocker, urged anyone with information about Keys whereabouts to immediately call the police. The post was reshared by model Georgia May Jagger, who echoed these thoughts. On 1 February, a body was found in the sea off the coast of Bude, Cornwall. While formal identification was yet to be carried out at the time, it was believed to be Key. Mick Jagger is yet to comment on Keys death, which is not being treated as suspicious by police. The great 20th-century playwright Terence Rattigan began his career cheering up embattled wartime audiences with perky comedies like French Without Tears. That levity famously drained away as the century wore on, but even so, theres something jarringly sombre about Man and Boy, his seldom-revived late-career study of a misanthropic financiers downfall. When it premiered in 1963, critics were scandalised by the sight of a father offering up his son as a toyboy to a millionaire business associate. Anthony Laus new production tests its 21st-century audience in different ways. Were used to seeing tales of evil rich men leavened by Bond-style plot twists or Succession-esque satirical flourishes instead, Rattigans play unfurls soberly and without remorse for either characters or audience. Rattigan wrote this play in a Britain that was finally starting to boom again after the bleak post-war years. And perhaps it was his way of warning of the crash that could come, if his country cast off its staid financial principles in favour of the USs capitalist free-for-all. Man and Boy is set in the crushing poverty of Depression-era Manhattan, where struggling pianist Basil (Laurie Kynaston) and his actor girlfriend Carol (Phoebe Campbell) are scratching out bohemian lives for themselves in rakish Greenwich Village. Then, theres an unexpected guest at the door, highlighted by a flashing sign that reads knock knock. Designer Georgia Lowe takes her visual cues from 1930s showbiz, with a giant metatheatrical marquee overhead that illuminates character names when they enter (unfortunately, thanks to the layout of the auditorium, half the audience cant see it). It feels like were in an unusually slow-moving backstage drama, so its disconcerting when the disgraced multi-millionaire financier weve been hearing about on the radio crashes into this world and announces that Basil is actually his estranged son, Vassily, in hiding from the wealthy world that raised him. Ben Daniels brings a compellingly lean, troubled, otherworldly energy to Gregor Antonescu, a man gradually being strangled by the intricate web of financial dirty dealings that hes woven about himself. As he expounds the virtues of liquidity in stock markets, he flexes his biceps and his veins seem to become a visual metaphor for the money that pulses around the world, like blood. Rattigan paces things artfully but frustratingly slowly, leaving the audience scrambling to work out what this dangerous-seeming man wants with his puppyish son. Is it reconciliation? Or retribution? To the playwright, the super-rich are people unmoored, hopelessly incapable of making human connections. Theres a purity to Antonescus desires. He doesnt want to buy love, or beautiful things. He just wants to make his mark on the worlds doings. So when his wife, Countess Antonescu, belatedly appears, her scenes are a bit of a shock. Isabella Laughland is typically hilarious in the role, sashaying onto the stage in an extravagant mink that she drops to the floor like a discarded crisp packet wrapper, before making camp little ripostes to her husband in her rakish white satin pyjamas. Shes the only one here who enjoys having money, clearly, but her role (like Carols) feels cruelly underwritten. No one in this play has the intellectual heft or bravery to remotely challenge Antonescu, and that makes it ultimately unsatisfying to watch. open image in gallery Nick Fletcher (Sven Johnson), Ben Daniels (Gregor Antonescu) and Isabella Laughland (Countess Antonescu) in Man and Boy at the National Theatre ( Manuel Harlan ) The plays final scenes clatter onto the stage like a handful of dropped coins, refreshingly swift after a story thats otherwise been starved of action and tension. Laus production tries to inject a bit of energy by getting the actors to clamber incongruously over tables, or by crushing them under a lighting grid that descends worryingly close to the stage, or by having them sway in dim light like theyre in a slo-mo fight scene. These witty touches are refreshing but they feel like a bit of a mismatch with Rattigans serious portrait of moral corruption, which offers more to respect than to enjoy. Man and Boy is on at the National Theatres Dorfman Theatre until 14 March 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 James Van Der Beek was just 20 years old when he began filming Dawsons Creek in 1997 and still just about able to pass for the 15-year-old title character of the much-loved teen drama. With his golden hair and expressive eyes, Van Der Beek made an immediate impression and it wasnt long before fans across the world were smitten. Dawson was the poetic, sensitive heart of the show, and when it came to an end six seasons later in 2003, viewers were heartbroken. In the final episode, Dawsons younger sister Lilly asked him what a soulmate is. Its like a best friend, but more, replies Dawson. A soulmate is someone you carry with you forever. In that way, Van Der Beek, who has died at the age of 48, became the soulmate of a generation. His fans had been braced for his premature death since the actor first revealed publicly that he had been diagnosed with colorectal cancer in November 2024, but there was nonetheless shock when his wife Kimberly announced Wednesday that the actor had passed peacefully. She added that he met his final days with courage, faith, and grace. It was Van Der Beeks grace as an actor that first made him a star, helped by a healthy amount of drive and ambition. While growing up in Connecticut he got his start acting in school plays and was only 15 when he first announced to his mother, a gymnastics teacher named Melinda, that he was ready to go to New York to find an agent. A year later, he made his stage debut in the city in an Edward Albee production at the Signature Theater Company. He was still a student at Connecticuts Cheshire Academy when, aged 18, he won his first film credit playing a bully in 1995s Angus alongside George C. Scott and Kathy Bates. While Dawsons Creek made him a teen heartthrob, Van Der Beek quickly set about subverting his public image. While the show was still on the air and a significant ratings smash, Van Der Beek busied himself showing his range. He was a high school football player in 1999s Varsity Blues, while in Kevin Smiths 2001 Hollywood satire Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back he played himself and bickered entertainingly with his unprepared co-star Jason Biggs: You wouldnt last a day on the Creek! James Van Der Beek, who has died at 48, played the introspective title character in teen drama 'Dawson's Creek' from its debut in 1998 ( Getty ) Best of all was his leading role in the 2002 adaptation of Brett Easton Elliss drug-fueled college novel The Rules of Attraction. Van Der Beek played Sean Bateman, the younger brother of American Psycho protagonist Patrick Bateman, a promiscuous, jaded student drug dealer concerned solely with satisfying his various appetites. Elliss ice-cold prose is well-served by [director Roger] Avary and his cast, wrote The Independents Anthony Quinn in a contemporaneous review. If it's a chronicle of monolithic depravity and languid nihilism you want, knock yourself out. After Dawsons Creek concluded, Van Der Beek returned to New York to appear in playwright Lanford Wilson's Rain Dance off-Broadway. He was also a regular guest star on television, appearing in a wide variety of shows including Ugly Betty, Criminal Minds and How I Met Your Mother. From 2012 to 2013 he continued to prove his willingness to send himself up by playing a vain, self-absorbed version of himself on sitcom Dont Trust the B**** in Apartment 23. On the show, he was constantly beset by Dawsons Creek fans while desperately trying to revitalize his flagging career. In 2017, he wrote, created and starred in What Would Diplo Do?, delivering an exaggerated version of the superstar DJ. Best known for playing a hopeless romantic onscreen, in his real life Van Der Beek married twice. His first marriage, to Heather McComb, lasted from 2003 until 2009 and he later commented that he got married very young. He met his second wife, Kimberley Brook, in 2009 during a spiritual trip to Israel. He later recalled that while talking to a friend on the trip he had the realization that he needed to find his soulmate to start a family. While he was opening up about this, Kimberley interrupted their discussion to ask his friend a question. I was annoyed. Who the hell was stepping all over my moment? he remembered later. Within weeks, the couple were together, and they married a year later in a ceremony in Tel Aviv. They had four daughters and two sons together, and Van Der Beek spoke publicly about the couples difficulties with miscarriages. He described fatherhood as the craziest thing Ive ever done and the thing thats made me happiest. In real life, Van Der Beek found the soulmate hed been searching for in Kimberly. For those who watched him grow up on screen, hed already modeled what that kind of love might look like. His fans will carry him with them forever. Get the latest entertainment news, reviews and star-studded interviews with our Independent Culture email Get the latest entertainment news with our free Culture newsletter Get the latest entertainment news with our free Culture newsletter Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice A contestant on the newest season of Love Is Blind was hospitalized at the end of the first episode after it was revealed that she mistook her nail glue for eye drops. During the last few seconds of the first episode of the Netflix reality show, Elissa Finley, 38, was seen running into the womens lounge screaming, Oh my god! What do I do? F***! before a producer calmed her down. I know, youre scared right now, she was told offscreen. Were going to have to send you out. Finley who works as a nurse in Ohio returned in the second episode, explaining to the other women what happened. She said that during a break between dates in the pods, she went to put in eye drops, noting that the bottle looked similar to the ones she used in the hospital. I was scared, she continued. I thought I was gonna lose sight. Nail glue, what?! open image in gallery Elissa Finley was sent to the hospital to get her eyes flushed ( Adam Rose/Netflix ) open image in gallery Finley joked that she was really committed to the reality shows experience with her vision issues ( Adam Rose/Netflix ) After arriving at the hospital, she was hooked up to an IV while her eye was being flushed. The guy was getting the glue out. It was so awful. I cant believe I did that, she said. Despite her eye still hurting after treatment, Finley was determined to return to the show, joking about how committed she was to the social experiment with her vision issues. Love is half blind, one of her fellow contestants joked. Youre really committing. The shows premise challenges traditional ideas of love by focusing on emotional connections by dividing up contestants in the mens quarters and the womens quarters, and only being able to date while sitting in pods, hearing each others voices. While each season reflects the cultural nuances of its environs be that Dallas or Japan the main location for the current season is Columbus, Ohio, and other nearby cities from the Buckeye State. The first six episodes of season 10 premiered Wednesday, with new episodes dropping every Wednesday until the final episode airs March 4. It is currently not known when the reunion episode will drop. At the end of episode six, viewers saw six newly engaged couples Amber and Jordan, Ashley and Alex, Bri and Connor, Jessica and Chris, Emma and Mike, and Devonta and Brittany earn a post-pod vacation in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, while a seventh couple, Vic and Christine, went on a solo trip to Malibu, California. Love Is Blind is available to watch on Netflix. I was 13 years old when my hairdresser found the first bald patch at the back of my head, says Laura Mathias, now 34. It was the size of a 50p piece. Within weeks, there were more patches and they all started joining up. I thought about it all the time. I was freaking out about this massive change to my body that I could never have predicted happening to me as a teenage girl. I stopped going to school. I didnt leave the house for six months. I felt like the only person in the world going through this. Id never seen a happy, healthy bald woman or even a woman with hair loss or thinning hair. It made no sense to me. Mathias had alopecia areata, an autoimmune condition with no cure and no clear cause, that results in patches of hair loss. Over time, it progressed to alopecia totalis, generally defined as loss of all hair on the scalp and then alopecia universalis, a loss of all hair on the body, though Mathias occasionally finds patches of hair growing or regrowing in different areas on her body. For 17 years, she covered up her hair loss by wearing wigs, until the pandemic forced her to examine her relationship with her alopecia. I realised its crazy. I was so scared to be seen without hair that I kept my curtains shut and avoided answering the door to the postman. I thought I was choosing to get on with my life and not let alopecia define it. But Id never felt I had a choice not to conceal my hair loss. Mathias is now an ambassador for charity Changing Faces and has a completely different relationship with her alopecia. She hasnt worn a wig for two years, and as a visible difference campaigner, shes keen for people to recognise the wide-ranging impact that hair loss can have on women something that happened earlier this year in a UK court where a judge ruled that female baldness is a disability. Hair loss can happen to anyone. It happened to me back in 2020 during the pandemic. At the age of 30, I found myself with bald patches on my scalp for no reason at all. Doctors told me it could be linked to stress, but up until I found the patches, Id felt more relaxed than I had in years. I had no idea what to do the biggest stress in my life was the fact that my hair was falling out, and doctors telling me to be less stressed made me feel like it was all my fault. I was lucky that my patches grew back within a year. If theyd worsened, I would have shaved my hair off and been forced to live life as a bald 30-year-old woman something Id never imagined happening. Back then, I didnt have a choice about whether to leave the house or not, like Mathias did, because the national lockdown meant all our lives were restricted anyway. Part of me was grateful because it meant I didnt need to cover up my patches with hairbands and scarves when out in public. Its why I understand the judges decision to make this landmark ruling. It came in a case where Mark Glenn Ltd, a company that provides specialist wigs for women struggling with hair loss, challenged a 277,083.10 VAT bill from HMRC. The wig company eventually won their case, with judges agreeing that female baldness should be recognised as a disability, thereby exempting the wigs from VAT. Severe hair loss in women constitutes an impairment that adversely affects the ability to carry out everyday activities, ruled the judges. This is not because hair loss physically prevents participation in such activities, but because of the distress that would ordinarily be experienced by a woman with severe hair loss if no steps were taken to conceal it. That distress arises from the cultural significance of hair to female identity, societal expectations regarding appearance and the different standards applied to women. Hannah Saunders, head of policy and education at Face Equality International, believes the ruling could be groundbreaking for the many women affected. But she also acknowledges the news may be bittersweet. open image in gallery Laura Mathias is now a visible differences campaigner ( Isaac Qureshi ) Some people with hair loss and other forms of visible difference do not choose to describe themselves as disabled. Thats a very personal choice. But legal recognition remains important and I hope this decision marks the beginning of a long-overdue conversation about how law addresses the social barriers facing people with a range of visible differences. As someone with lived experience of hair loss, Mathias welcomes the ruling. I understand why alopecia has been classed as a disability in this legal case, not because hair loss limits physical ability, but because of the real social, psychological and structural barriers people like me face as a result. Workplace discrimination, being treated as unwell or less credible, harassment and exclusion, and so on. The mental health impact comes from that stigma, not from the hair loss itself. Legal recognition offers important protection and leverage to challenge unfair treatment and hold employers to account. But she points out that the wording used in the ruling is concerning as it suggests that concealing hair loss is expected for women something she herself believed for 17 years, and is now grateful to be free of. Im not anti-wigs, explains Mathias, who hasnt worn one herself for two years. But I want people to know its a choice and not an obligation. The wording used in the ruling makes me uncomfortable because it reinforces the idea that visible hair loss should be a source of shame. Amber Jean, a 32-year-old former model and founder of her own hairpiece business, feels similarly. She started her company to provide high-quality wigs for women with hair loss after losing her own hair at 15 to alopecia. Growing up in Ireland, I couldnt find wigs or support to help me the way I wanted. Youre going through this hard thing and every step of the way, you dont feel seen, heard or cared for. I created my business to help women within this space because they need to be supported during this hard time in their lives. open image in gallery Amber Jean lost her hair to alopecia aged 15 ( Amber Jean ) She spent years working as a model while wearing wigs to hide her alopecia. Even though she had a successful career, she still faced extra challenges due to her hair loss. Trying to navigate that whole fashion world whilst wearing pieces, not wanting everyone to know who do I tell, who do I not tell on set it was a challenge, she says. Growing up, I had dreams of becoming the next Julia Roberts. But with my hair loss, the first thing I thought was thats no longer going to be an option. She now loves the way she looks with or without her wigs Im proud I dont need them, but Im glad I have them in my life but knows not everyone does. Hair loss is always devastating on some scale. It can seriously affect womens emotional wellbeing and mental health. Some women feel a total loss of self and identity, leading them to not want to leave the house or go to work. She doesnt see herself as having a disability because of her hair loss, but recognises the importance of the ruling for those who do and also those who might not use that language, but still struggle with the impacts of their hair loss. Its hard as someone with hair loss to be deemed as someone with a disability, because Im able to live my life and thrive. But if putting it under that umbrella means that people who need the extra support and care will receive it, then why not? While Mathias worries that using the term disability will undermine the experience of those in the disabled community, she too also welcomes the chance to use the social model of disability to protect people. Ive lived longer without hair than with it, and I believe alopecia, and other visible differences, should be protected under the Equality Act because of how society and systems respond to them, not because the condition itself is inherently limiting, she says. I have ADHD and thats a disability. I have to tick that when applying to jobs. Does alopecia impact my day-to-day abilities too? Yes. I have to navigate the world as a bald woman. Alopecia UK, a charity supporting people affected by the condition, agreed with the judges recognition that alopecia can, for some people, have a significant impact on daily life. open image in gallery Amber Jean wearing one of her companys wigs ( Amber Jean ) We were disheartened and disappointed to read that lawyers acting on behalf of HMRC argued in this case that alopecia is a cosmetic problem, said the charity. Many in our community will recognise the frustration behind that phrase. Hair loss is not simply about appearance; for many people, alopecia has a profound impact on confidence, identity, mental health, and everyday life. But the charity also expressed confusion on the VAT exemption for people with alopecia as the HMRCs guidance currently defines eligibility as relating to people who are disabled or those with chronic illnesses, and alopecia is widely recognised as a chronic condition. In practice, most UK wig suppliers that we are aware of already offer VAT exemption options for people with alopecia when wigs are worn for medical, not fashion, reasons, and we are unaware of any other businesses being challenged by HMRC, said Alopecia UK. We hope this decision will encourage HMRC to reaffirm that VAT exemption on wigs for people affected by alopecia is both appropriate and fair especially given the already significant financial burden many face. Jean, whose company sells wigs to women with hair loss, many of whom do have alopecia, is unsure how the VAT side of the ruling will affect her business, as most of their clients are already medically exempt from VAT. But she hopes it will help any women whose hair loss is not currently classified as a chronic illness. Each woman going through hair loss will take it so differently because of finances, family, and so much more. Some feel supported and others dont. When people are going through hair loss, their main issue is that they get support. My hope is this ruling helps women get the support they need. 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 It is tempting to treat the fallout between Brooklyn Beckham and his A-list parents as mere celebrity gossip. But this story has struck a chord with many families because it disrupts a comforting assumption: that strong bonds, shared history and success protect families from fracture. The breakdown of even highly visible, seemingly close families raises an uncomfortable question. Why do family relationships, often our longest-lasting and most emotionally charged connections, sometimes become so strained that contact is reduced or cut off entirely? Answering that requires a look at the relational dynamics that shape many families. Family rupture is not an anomaly confined to extreme circumstances or public families under scrutiny. It is part of everyday life for many people. Large population surveys suggest that around one in four adults are estranged from at least one family member at any given point in time. This may involve a parent, sibling, child or other close relative. When research focuses specifically on parentchild relationships, roughly one in ten adults report estrangement from a parent or child, with some differences between mothers and fathers. Across studies, estrangement from parents tends to begin in early adulthood, often during the early to mid-20s. Conflict with family members can often feel more painful and enduring than other relationship breakdowns. The reason why has to do with identity and belonging. From early childhood, family relationships shape how we understand ourselves. In Brooklyn Beckhams case, his public statements hint at this tension. open image in gallery Brooklyn Beckham has reportedly covered up a tattoo that read dad ( Instagram/Brooklyn Beckham ) Growing up in a highly visible family meant that, for him, roles, expectations and identities were formed under constant public scrutiny. As adulthood brings new partnerships and a desire for autonomy, those early roles can become harder to inhabit, particularly when private family dynamics are played out in public. Roles, expectations and emotional patterns become deeply embedded over time. When conflict emerges, it rarely challenges behaviour alone. It threatens how we see ourselves in relation to people who have known us longest. When conflict becomes estrangement Conflict escalation often follows predictable psychological patterns. Minor disagreements take on symbolic meaning. Old grievances resurface. People move from addressing an issue to defending their identity, values or sense of worth. Once this shift occurs, emotional responses intensify, positions harden and resolution becomes much harder to achieve. Estrangement, then, is rarely about a single argument. It reflects accumulated disconnection, unmet expectations and unresolved emotional histories that have built up over years. Research in psychology and family studies consistently highlights a few recurring and interacting dynamics. Over time, people can find themselves locked into family roles that no longer fit, particularly if they feel persistently misunderstood or undervalued. What once felt like shared history can begin to feel restrictive rather than supportive. About the author Paul Jones is an Associate Dean for Education and Student Experience at Aston Business School, Aston University. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. At the same time, criticism or dismissal within families is often experienced as an attack on core self-beliefs, not simply a disagreement. When repeated attempts to explain or resolve these tensions fail, many people turn to avoidance or emotional distance as a form of self-protection. Silence, while painful, can feel safer than continued conflict. None of these dynamics are unique to celebrity families. Seeing them play out publicly simply makes visible what many families manage quietly behind closed doors. How to cope Popular advice about family conflict tends to emphasise openness and communication. While well-intentioned, suggestions to just talk it out often fail because they ignore emotional safety, timing and boundaries. Conversations entered without shared readiness or clear intent can easily reopen old wounds. open image in gallery David and Brooklyn in happier times ( Getty Images ) Psychological research points to more realistic approaches. 1. Separate repair from reconciliation Repair may involve greater understanding or boundary setting rather than restoring closeness. Reconciliation is not always possible or healthy. 2. Manage expectations Accepting that some conflicts reflect fundamental value differences rather than misunderstandings can reduce guilt and self-blame. 3. Protect wellbeing Prolonged family conflict is associated with stress, anxiety and poorer mental health. Seeking external support is not a sign of disloyalty but of self-care. Estrangement is also rarely static. Many relationships fluctuate over time. Some reconnect after years or decades, while others remain distant but emotionally resolved. Family rifts feel particularly unsettling because they collide with powerful cultural myths. In many western cultures, family life is still framed through powerful ideals of unconditional love, permanence and harmony. These narratives are reinforced through media, popular psychology and social expectations, leaving little room to acknowledge conflict, distance or estrangement as ordinary parts of relational life. When reality fails to match that ideal, people often carry shame alongside grief. open image in gallery Beckham family make first joint public appearance after Brooklyn row ( Victoria Beckham ) Recognising how common family estrangement is, and understanding the psychological dynamics behind it, helps shift the conversation away from blame. It allows space for compassion, boundaries and healthier coping. The Beckhams situation serves as a reminder of something deeply ordinary. Families are complex systems shaped by history, identity and meaning. Sometimes that complexity holds. Sometimes it fractures. And when it does, the experience is painful, but far from unique. Zhu Fenglian, a spokesperson for the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office, gestures at a press conference in Beijing, capital of China, Feb. 11, 2026. (Xinhua/Pan Xu) BEIJING, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese mainland spokesperson on Wednesday urged the United States to abide by the one-China principle and three China-U.S. joint communiques, and stop "arming Taiwan." Zhu Fenglian, a spokesperson for the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office, made the comments in response to a media query regarding U.S. arms sales to Taiwan. "In pursuit of selfish political interests, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authorities are willing to act as a 'cash machine' for U.S. arms dealers and beg for illusory external 'protection'. Such behaviors will only expose Taiwan to an even more dangerous situation and bring grave disaster to Taiwan compatriots," Zhu stressed. When responding to another query concerning Taiwan's special defense budget aimed at seeking military cooperation with the United States, Zhu reiterated that the Taiwan question is entirely a matter for the Chinese people and brooks no external interference. She urged the U.S. side to act prudently on the Taiwan question, stop sending wrong signals to "Taiwan independence" separatist forces, and refrain from interfering in China's internal affairs. The DPP authorities' attempts to collude with the U.S. forces in military means for secession will surely end in failure, Zhu added. Zhu Fenglian, a spokesperson for the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office, gestures at a press conference in Beijing, capital of China, Feb. 11, 2026. (Xinhua/Pan Xu) Get the Well Enough newsletter with Harry Bullmore for tips on living a healthier, happier and longer life Get the Well Enough email with Harry Bullmore Get the Well Enough email with Harry Bullmore Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Struggling with concentration or experiencing a decline in personal confidence during midlife could signal an elevated risk of developing dementia later in life, new research suggests. Academics at University College London (UCL) identified six specific symptoms in middle age that may serve as "early markers of underlying neurodegenerative processes." The findings stem from an analysis of data from 5,811 participants in the UK Whitehall II study, who provided detailed information on their health, including mental well-being. During a follow-up period of an average of 23 years, 586 people developed dementia. Writing in the journal Lancet Psychiatry, researchers said six depressive symptoms emerged as robust midlife indicators of increased dementia risk. These include: Losing confidence in myself Not able to face up to problems Not feeling warmth and affection for others Nervous and strung-up all the time Not satisfied with the way tasks are carried out Difficulties concentrating Those who reported that they had lost confidence in themselves in midlife appeared to carry a 51 per cent increased risk of dementia in later life. People who said they were not able to face up to their problems had a 49 per cent increased risk. Reporting not feeling warmth and affection for others had a 44 per cent raised risk while feeling nervous and strung up held a 34 per cent rise in risk of dementia later in life. Those who reported that they had lost confidence in themselves in midlife appeared to carry a 51 per cent increased risk of dementia in later life ( Getty ) Those who were not satisfied with the way tasks are carried out had a 33 per cent increased risk of dementia more than 20 years later, while those who reported difficulties concentrating had a 29 per cent elevated risk. A distinct set of midlife depressive symptoms was associated with an increased risk of dementia, suggesting that these symptoms might be early markers of underlying neurodegenerative processes, the authors wrote. Lead author of the study, Dr Philipp Frank, from the UCL Division of Psychiatry, said: Our findings show that dementia risk is linked to a handful of depressive symptoms rather than depression as a whole. This symptom-level approach gives us a much clearer picture of who may be more vulnerable decades before dementia develops. Everyday symptoms that many people experience in midlife appear to carry important information about long-term brain health. Paying attention to these patterns could open new opportunities for early prevention. Professor Mika Kivimaki, from the UCL Faculty of Brain Sciences, who leads the Whitehall II study and co-authored the paper, said: Depression doesnt have a single shape symptoms vary widely and often overlap with anxiety. We found that these nuanced patterns can reveal who is at higher risk of developing neurological disorders. Commenting on the paper, Dr Richard Oakley, associate director of research and innovation at Alzheimers Society, said: The connection between dementia and depression is complicated. Its encouraging to see this new observational study begin to unpick how dementia and depression are interlinked. However, more research is needed to confirm whether these six symptoms also apply to women and ethnic minorities. Its important to note that not everyone who has depression will go on to develop dementia, and people with dementia wont necessarily develop depression. 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 Nearly three years after Alex Murdaugh was sentenced to life in prison for the murders of his wife and son, the dramatic saga returned to the spotlight this week as his attorneys urged South Carolinas Supreme Court to throw out his convictions, arguing that a court clerk improperly influenced jurors, depriving his right to a fair trial. On Wednesday, Murdaughs defense attorneys said former Colleton County Clerk of Court Rebecca Becky Hill tainted the jury by making comments about Murdaughs demeanor and testimony during his 2023 trial actions they say stripped him of the presumption of innocence before deliberations even began. Murdaugh, a former lawyer serving two life sentences for the 2021 murders of his wife Maggie and son Paul at their home, was not present in court. His defense team asked the justices to overturn his convictions and order a new trial. If only the people who may be innocent get a fair trial, then our Constitution isnt working, Murdaughs attorney Dick Harpootlian said, during oral arguments before the courts five justices. Harpootlian, along with lawyers Jim Griffin, and Phil Barber, argued that Hills remarks influenced at least one juror and violated their clients constitutional rights. open image in gallery Alex Murdaughs lawyers argued before the South Carolina Supreme Court Wednesday that his murder convictions should be tossed out. Murdaugh is pictured in court during his trial ( The State Newspaper, 2024 ) We spent getting ready for this trial, weeks preparing. No one wants to do this again less than we do, Harpootlian said. But that trouble is not the issue, the issue is what does Alex Murdaugh deserve under the 6th amendment. Much of Wednesdays hearing focused on Hill, the court clerk assigned to oversee the evidence and jury during the trial. The defense argued that she influenced jurors to find Murdaugh guilty, hoping to promote a book she was writing about the case. Hill resigned in 2024 amid the fallout over the case. In December 2025, she pleaded guilty to perjury and obstruction of justice in a separate case involving leaked sealed evidence, as well as two counts of misconduct in office for taking bonuses and promoting through her public office the book she wrote about the trial. Judge Jean Toal sentenced her to three years probation. On Wednesday, prosecutor Creighton Waters argued that the evidence against Murdaugh was overwhelming and that the clerks comments to the jurors were fleeting and insignificant over the course of the six-week trial. open image in gallery Colleton County Clerk of Court Rebecca Becky Hill testifies during the Alex Murdaugh jury-tampering hearing in early 2024. In December 2025, Hill pleaded guilty to obstruction of justice and perjury for showing a reporter photos that were sealed court exhibits and then lying about it as well as two counts of misconduct in office for taking bonuses and promoting a book she wrote about the trial ( Andrew J. Whitaker/The Post And Courier via AP, Pool ) open image in gallery Alex Murdaugh with his legal team before being sentenced to two consecutive life sentences for the murder of his wife and son on March 3, 2023 ( AP ) Waters acknowledged Hills actions during the trial were improper but should not lead the South Carolina Supreme Court to reverse the guilty verdict. They were not appropriate. They were not, he said. But they do not justify reversal. Justice John Kittredge noted that both sides had top-tier legal teams but that Hills conduct complicated the case, calling her a rogue clerk. There were top notch attorneys on both sides and a rogue Clerk, he said, adding that everyone must recognize her comments were improper. It was improper. Perhaps not improper to the point of reversal, but it was improper, Kittredge said. open image in gallery The hanger and dog kennels are seen where the bodies of Paul Murdaugh and Maggie Murdaugh were found at the Moselle property on March 1, 2023 in Islandton, S.C. ( AP ) Defense lawyers also renewed claims that the trial judge Clifton Newman allowed prejudicial evidence into the case that prevented a fair trial, such as allowing extensive testimony about Murdaughs financial crimes, that they argued had nothing to do with the killings but biased jurors against him. They emphasized the lack of physical evidence linking Murdaugh directly to the killings, which included the lack of blood found on his clothes despite the close-range nature of the killings with powerful weapons that were never found. Prosecutors countered that Murdaughs financial collapse, mounting debts and lies to investigators formed a powerful motive, pointing to cellphone video placing him at the scene minutes before the murders. open image in gallery Murdaugh and his wife Maggie. He was convicted of killing her and their younger son Paul in June 2021 ( Law&Crime/Screenshot ) open image in gallery Alex Murdaugh (far right) and (left to right), his oldest son Buster, his wife Maggie, and youngest son Paul ( Maggie Murdaugh/Facebook ) There will be no immediate ruling. The South Carolina Supreme Court does not issue decisions from the bench and will now deliberate privately. A written opinion could take weeks or months. The court could decide to uphold Murdaughs convictions or vacate the verdicts and order a new trial. But even if his murder convictions were overturned, Murdaugh would remain in prison on a 40-year sentence for federal financial crimes. Still, Harpootlian said the appeal is about more than prison time. He insists that he did not kill his wife and child, and he wants the world to know that, Harpootlian said. And the way that you get that is a new trial. 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 nine people have been killed in a mass shooting involving a school in British Columbia Tuesday and dozens more are injured, Canadian police say. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police said in a news release the nine victims and the suspected gunman are dead after the shooting that took place across multiple locations in Tumbler Ridge. Six people were found dead inside Tumbler Ridge Secondary School and another died when being taken to a hospital, according to RCMP. Two more people were found dead in a home in the community, police said. The suspected shooter was also found dead with what appears to be a selfinflicted injury inside the school, police say. The identities of the suspected shooter and victims are unknown at this time. A motive for the shooting was not immediately clear. Police said they received a report of an active shooter at the Tumbler Ridge school at around 1:20 p.m. MT Tuesday. open image in gallery At least nine people have been killed in a mass shooting involving a school in British Columbia Tuesday, Canadian police say ( Google Earth ) The alert was officially canceled at 5:45 p.m. as police do not believe there are any outstanding suspects or ongoing threat to the public, RCMP said. Aside from those killed in the shooting, two more victims were airlifted to a hospital with serious or lifethreatening injuries, according to police. RCMP said about 25 others were being treated for non-life-threatening injuries. The rest of the students and staff were safely evacuated from the school, police said. Authorities said they are searching other homes and properties for more victims or people otherwise linked to todays events. This was a rapidly evolving and dynamic situation, and the swift cooperation from the school, first responders, and the community played a critical role in our response, Superintendent Ken Floyd, North District Commander, said in a statement. open image in gallery Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney offered his 'prayers and deepest condolences' to 'the families and friends who have lost loved ones to these horrific acts of violence' ( Fabrice Coffrini/AFP via Getty Images ) Our thoughts are with the families, loved ones, and all those impacted by this tragic incident. This has been an incredibly difficult and emotional day for our community, and we are grateful for the cooperation shown as officers continue their work to advance the investigation, Floyd continued. The local school district said in a statement that the Tumbler Ridge secondary and elementary schools will be closed for the rest of the week due to the tragic events that unfolded. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said he was devastated by the shooting and offered his prayers and deepest condolences to the families and friends who have lost loved ones to these horrific acts of violence. I join Canadians in grieving with those whose lives have been changed irreversibly today, and in gratitude for the courage and selflessness of the first responders who risked their lives to protect their fellow citizens, Carney wrote on X. open image in gallery B.C. Premier David Eby called the shooting an 'unimaginable tragedy' ( REUTERS/Bhawika Chhabra ) B.C. Premier David Eby called the shooting an unimaginable tragedy. Our hearts are in Tumbler Ridge tonight with the families of those who have lost loved ones, Eby wrote. Government will ensure every possible support for community members in the coming days, as we all try to come to terms with this unimaginable tragedy. Bob Zimmer, a member of Parliament for Tumbler Ridge, also expressed his condolences, writing, My sincere thoughts and prayers go out for the victims still in hospital and for those Tumbler Ridge families who have lost loved ones today. 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 Security footage from a hotel in Texas helped capture a serial sexual predator who had lured a 12-year-old girl to meet him via a social media ruse, authorities have said. Graham Michael Dunn, 27, was arrested in Galveston after police said he kidnapped the youngster while she was out walking her dog at around 9 a.m. on January 30 and later sexually assaulted her. Galveston Police Chief Doug Balli said officers had located the missing girl via a ping on her cellphone that had led them to the area of the hotel. One officer had approached the hotel staff, which had initially refused to hand over the footage, but then turned it over. It allegedly showed Dunn taking the girl into his room. Officers forced entry into the hotel room and rescued the child. open image in gallery Security footage from a hotel in Texas helped capture Graham Michael Dunn, a serial sexual predator who had lured a 12-year-old girl to meet him via a social media ruse, police say ( Galveston Police Department ) The victim later told investigators that Dunn forced her into his car and pulled her hair to prevent escape then gave her pills that had made her feel woozy, before touching her inappropriately. Dunn has been charged with three felonies, including one count of aggravated kidnapping sexual assault and two charges for aggravated sexual assault of a child. Police said that he has previously been known to prey on both adult and minor victims. A review of his criminal history revealed that Dunn is a serial sexual offender with multiple confirmed arrests, pending charges and active investigations in multiple states including Massachusetts, North Carolina, Kentucky, Louisiana and other parts of North Texas, according to authorities. He was wanted for evading arrest at Southern Methodist University on January 21 nine days before the kidnapping in Galveston, according to the Dallas County Sheriffs Office. open image in gallery Galveston Police Chief Doug Balli said officers had located the missing girl via a ping on her cellphone that had led them to the area of the hotel ( Galveston Police Department ) Dunn was also arrested in the Dallas-Fort Worth area in June 2023 for assault causing bodily injury and faced additional charges for probation violations. He has also been tied to crimes in other parts of north Texas. I want to be very clear about this. This family, this victim did nothing wrong, Balli told reporters. This is not a case of poor parenting. This is not a case of where any fault at all should lie upon the victim and the family. They did everything right. Balli also reiterated that the community was safe. Galveston is a safe community. You should be able to walk your dog. A child should be able to ride their bike, and we should be able to go outside and enjoy it, he said. Dunn is being held on a bond of $500,000. The Independent has attempted to find contact information for Dunn's legal representation. 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 background checker for Immigration and Customs Enforcement has been arrested in a prostitution sting, according to authorities. Police in Bloomington, Minnesota, announced 30 arrests in Operation Lookin' for Love...In All the Wrong Places. Of the 30 suspects, 28 will be charged with gross misdemeanors and two will be charged with felonies because of prior convictions, Bloomington Police Chief Booker T. Hodges said in a press conference Tuesday. Hodges said the number of arrests is a record for us in one of these operations. During the operation, local authorities talked to more than 330 people trying to buy sex in Bloomington, Hodges said. Among those arrested was 36-year-old Brashad Johnson of Maple Grove. open image in gallery Police say ICE background checker Brashad Johnson, a 36-year-old from Maple Grove, Minnesota, was arrested in a prostitution sting ( Bloomington Police Department ) This is the most disturbing arrest that weve had here. He is a backgrounder for ICE. Homeland Security and federal agencies, Hodges said of Johnson. So when youre getting your security clearance, this is one of the guys that does your backgrounds, which is kinda scary. We locked him up. For all the ICE agents, Homeland Security agents and people getting security clearance, this is one of the people that does the backgrounds. And you come here trying to purchase sex, Hodges said of Johnson with a disappointed look on his face. A spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security denied that Johnson works for ICE. This individual is NOT an ICE employee or contractor. He has no affiliation with ICE, the spokesperson told The Independent. This is just another smear peddled by sanctuary politicians and the media leading to a 1,300% increase in assaults against our brave ICE law enforcement. open image in gallery The Department of Homeland Security, which has carried out a massive immigration enforcement operation in Minnesota, denied that Johnson works for ICE ( Octavio Jones/AFP via Getty Images ) The Department of Homeland Securitys figure on assaults against ICE agents was not verified by The Independent. Information about Johnsons legal representation was not immediately clear. Hodges said his department wouldve arrested more people, but obviously, with the Operation Metro Surge going on, citizens thought that we were potentially ICE and that kinda interfered with our operation. Operation Metro Surge is the name of the Department of Homeland Securitys immigration enforcement efforts in Minnesota. The White House announced last week that more than 4,000 dangerous criminal illegal aliens have been arrested in the state. The Trump administrations immigration crackdown in Minnesota has sparked intense backlash, which has, in part, been fueled by the deadly shootings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti at the hands of federal agents in Minneapolis last month. 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 Tens of thousands of new mothers across the country have been referred to law enforcement by hospitals and child welfare agencies over allegations of drug use during pregnancy. But in many cases, the referrals began with false positive results from flawed drug tests that can be triggered by prescribed medications, according to a new report by The Marshall Project. The six-year review of state and federal data found referrals in 21 states. According to data reviewed by The Marshall Project, more than half of the cases referred to law enforcement in 15 states, about 22,000, were ultimately dismissed by child welfare agencies as not involving abuse or neglect. Still, police sometimes pursued criminal investigations based solely on initial test results. My initial genuine reaction is, frankly, shock and dismay, said Dana Sussman, senior vice president of the legal advocacy organization Pregnancy Justice. This represents an incredibly regressive and counterproductive approach. One of those cases involved Ayanna Harris-Rashid, who gave birth to a baby boy in South Carolina in 2021. open image in gallery More than half of the cases referred to law enforcement in 15 states were ultimately dismissed by child welfare agencies as not involving abuse or neglect, the report found ( PA Archive ) She said she had used legal CBD gummies and a hemp-based ointment for nausea and pain during pregnancy. After she and her baby tested positive for marijuana, hospital staff reported her to child welfare officials, who forwarded the case to police. Harris-Rashid was arrested and jailed overnight on a felony child neglect charge that was later dropped. But the damage was already done. Her milk supply had decreased and ultimately she was no longer able to breastfeed her newborn son. They shook me bare. They made me feel very indecent and inhumane, she said. This is a person, a woman, a mother, an actual individual. What justifies this? In Oklahoma, sheriffs deputies removed two children from their parents after a hospital drug test falsely indicated meth use caused by an acid reflux medication, according to court records viewed by The Marshall Project. In South Carolina, police questioned a mother who tested positive for fentanyl from her epidural. The investigation also found that in 13 states, child welfare agencies automatically share all such reports with law enforcement. Oklahoma had the highest rate about one referral for every 24 births. The report found that urine drug screens are often unreliable and cannot distinguish between illegal drugs and legal substances such as CBD or prescribed medications without further testing. Criminal prosecutions of pregnant women have risen in recent years, with a sharp increase after the Supreme Courts 2022 Dobbs decision overturning Roe v. Wade, particularly in states with strict abortion laws. The states that are doing these automatic referrals, that makes the women in those states incredibly vulnerable, Sussman said. It opens the door, even when theres no basis in law, to actually bring these prosecutions. But some states have started to move away from law enforcement involvement. The state of Illinois ended its requirement to notify police in 2024, citing evidence that punishment worsens health outcomes for mothers and babies. Nancy Guthrie latest: New videos show armed masked man at front door of Savannah mothers home 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 FBI agents are searching roads near Nancy Guthries Arizona home as the hunt continues for the 84-year-old. Nancy Guthrie, the mother of Today show co-anchor Savannah Guthrie, was last seen at her home in the Catalina Foothills area near Tucson, Arizona, on January 31. The FBI is now conducting an extensive search along multiple roadways in the Catalina Foothills area related to the Nancy Guthrie investigation, the agency said Wednesday. Meanwhile, a delivery driver who was detained for questioning in connection with Guthries disappearance on Tuesday evening has been released. The man identified himself as Carlos Palazuelos, Telemundo reports. The 36-year-old told reporters he had not heard about Guthries case and had nothing to do with her apparent kidnapping, according to The New York Times. I hope they get the suspect, because Im not it, he said. The Pima County Sheriffs Department said deputies detained a subject during a traffic stop south of Tucson on Tuesday. Investigators then searched a property in Rio Rico, a town near the U.S.-Mexico border. The agency later confirmed he was released without charges, but provided few other details. This comes after the FBI released new surveillance footage of a masked and armed individual tampering with Guthries front door camera the morning she disappeared. 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 mother has been arrested after allegedly injecting feces into her daughters IV in an Ohio childrens hospital. Staff at Nationwide Childrens Hospital in Columbus say they first saw Tiffany Le Sueur, 35, attempting to inject the foreign substance on February 6. When they informed authorities about the incident, officers said that all future visits by the 35-year-old would be monitored to protect the childs safety. However, according to a criminal complaint seen by the Columbus Dispatch, Le Sueur tried to inject her child again on February 8. At 8.45 pm on that day, a Columbus police officer from the forces Domestic Violence Unit was contacted by another officer who said he saw the suspect armed with a syringe and fecal matter. open image in gallery Tiffany Le Sueur has been accused of injecting her child's IV with feces while they were in hospital ( Columbus Police ) According to the complaint, hospital security cameras captured Le Sueur entering the bathroom with a cup. When she emerged, that container was allegedly filled with fecal matter. Then, Le Sueur filled the syringe with human waste and injected it into an IV line, which ran into her childs hand, according to documents in the case. Le Sueur was subsequently detained by police at the hospital. Meanwhile, hospital staff raced to treat her child. The childs medical condition is unclear at this point. The reason why the child was in the hospital has not been made public. According to court records obtained by the Columbus Dispatch, Le Sueurs preliminary hearing is set for February 19. A Franklin County judge set her bond at $250,000, with an additional caveat that she was banned from all unsupervised contact with minors as part of her bail, should she be released. open image in gallery Medics at Nationwide Childrens Hospital say that they spotted Le Sueur carrying human waste in a cup ( Nationwide Children's Hospital/Flickr ) Nationwide Childrens Hospital is one of the countrys leading pediatric care facilities. The hospital, which, according to its website, made the U.S. News & World Report Honor Roll for Best Childrens Hospitals last year, describes itself as aspiring to create the best outcomes for children everywhere. We're committed to providing the highest quality care for patients and whole child wellness, advocacy for children and families, research discoveries and education of patients, families, team members and the community, the website reads. Nationwide Childrens is one of the best childrens hospitals in the country but it is so much more. When approached for comment, the Nationwide Childrens Hopsital said it could not comment nor confirm the incident allegedly involving Le Sueur. Due to patient privacy, we are unable to confirm or provide information about specific patients, a spokesperson from the hospital said. The Independent has also contacted Columbus Police for comment. The national domestic abuse helpline offers support for women on 0808 2000 247, or you can visit the Refuge website. There is a dedicated men's advice line on 0808 8010 327. Those in the US can call the domestic violence hotline on 1-800-799-SAFE (7233). Other international helplines can be found via www.befrienders.org CAIRO, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- Iran's missile capability is a red line and a non-negotiable issue, Ali Shamkhani, senior advisor to Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, said Wednesday. According to a report by Iran's Nour News, Shamkhani said any military attack, even limited, will be considered the start of a war. NEW YORK, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- Multiple people died on Tuesday in a shooting at a residence in Sarasota County, Florida, local authorities said. "Multiple victims are deceased. None of the victims have been identified," said the Sarasota County Sheriff's Office on social media, adding that an investigation is ongoing at the scene. A weapon was recovered from the scene, reports said. The shooting prompted a massive law enforcement response in the afternoon. Authorities said that there is no ongoing threat to the public. The United States reported 38,789 gun violence deaths and 407 mass shootings in 2025, according to the Gun Violence Archive. Five people, with possible ties to larger transnational criminal organizations, were arrested by Louisiana State Police for allegedly staking out ATMs in Baton Rouge for future "jackpotting" hacks. These hacks involve installing malware on an ATM to make it dispense cash like a slot machine paying out a jackpot. The five suspects were each arrested on Feb. 1 after allegedly staking out ATMs at the Essential Credit Union in Towne Center. Electronic devices used in jackpotting, ATM keys and plans for the thefts were all later found at a residence being rented by the suspects, according to police records. The following suspects were each arrested on a count each of criminal access of an ATM and criminal conspiracy. Advertisement BusinessCompaniesBiotech How RFK, China and leadership woes became a $4b storm for this Australian corporate giant Colin Kruger Updated February 11, 2026 4:54pm ,first published 12:01pm Save 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 A A A The worst US flu season in decades did not shield one of Australias largest companies, biotechnology firm CSL, from another brutal market response as vaccine scepticism from Trump administration Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr continued to reduce demand for its jabs. The reduced demand is one of the key issues that has halved CSLs valuation since 2023 to as little as $73 billion on Wednesday. The group shocked investors by dumping its chief executive, then releasing December half-year results that fell short of market estimates and announcing $1.5 billion in writedowns, all within the space of 24 hours. US Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr: Having an anti-vaxxer in charge of Americas health system has been one of the factors hitting CSLs performance. Aresna Villanueva CSL shares plunged by as much as 12 per cent to an eight-year low of $150.16 after the company released accounts that showed an 81 per cent drop in first-half profit, and as its chairman and interim chief executive sought to explain its abrupt change in leadership. The company, which began life as a Commonwealth-owned laboratory and became one of the Australian stock exchanges success stories through its blood plasma products and vaccine businesses, has also been hurt by regulatory changes in China. Advertisement Net profit after tax fell to $US401 million ($566 million) for the December half year, hit by restructuring costs from CSLs transformation announced last year and $US1.1 billion ($1.5 billion) worth of asset writedowns on different parts of its global business, including its vaccine division. Related Article Analysis Anti-vaxxer movement How Trumps antivaxxers helped trigger Aussie giants $50b implosion Shares had already fallen by 5 per cent on Tuesday afternoon after it botched the announcement that chief executive Dr Paul McKenzie was retiring with immediate effect that day. The stock was not in a trading halt when the announcement was made and dropped quickly amid chaotic trading. CSL shares closed 4.6 per cent lower at $163.44 on Wednesday, equating to an almost $4 billion hit to its market value. The results were presenting today represent a step in a broader transformation of CSL with the objective of delivering enhanced growth, profitability and shareholder returns, CSLs interim chief executive, Gordon Naylor, said on Wednesday. Advertisement He emphasised that his appointment would not be a passive one, and he would continue to drive the changes announced last year to cut up to 15 per cent of the CSL workforce and rationalise its research and development centres. CSL had planned to spin off its vaccine business Seqirus but withdrew that after vaccination rates in the US plunged following Kennedys appointment. Chairman Dr Brian McNamee told investors in a late call on Tuesday that the company had a sense of urgency as it looked to improve its performance, and indicated McKenzie was not driving the change quickly enough. When the board sat down recently and looked at our business and thought about where we need to go in the future, we recognised he didnt have the skills that we wanted for the future, McNamee told analysts. He also emphasised that the board was not happy with the performance of the group. CSL shares dropped significantly last year, as investors were underwhelmed with its general performance, spooked by anti-vaxxer sentiment in its large US market, and the spectre of American tariffs on pharmaceutical imports. Advertisement Related Article Biotech Boss of $83b giant CSL exits abruptly McNamee said the double-digit decline in US vaccination rates was a shock to the group, given the statistics had already been falling for two years. CSL is yet to see a bottom to vaccination rates. CSL said in its results announcement that the writedown of its vaccines division was caused by a hit to the value of its coronavirus vaccine technology driven by declining COVID disease burden and more onerous US regulatory requirements. On Wednesday, CSL indicated its US vaccine business was expected to decline further this year despite vaccination rates in most markets recovering to pre-pandemic levels. Under Kennedy, the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention now no longer recommend vaccinating children against the flu. Despite another brutal flu season, US immunisation rates will show a low to mid-single digit decline this season, according to CSL. Advertisement Last year marked a 15-year high in influenza disease, and is currently trending to be an equally bad or even worse flu season sadly, paediatric deaths are again on the rise, with the overwhelming majority of those deaths occurring in children who are either under or unvaccinated, Dave Ross, head of the Seqirus division, told analysts and investors. As Ive stated before, the science and the data will ultimately prevail. The public health consequences of influenza are just too big to ignore, Ross said. China has also hurt CSL because it has changed its rules to allow a plant-based version of a blood plasma product called albumin to be partially used in place of a traditional human-based equivalent produced by CSL, leading to a 27 per cent drop in its exports to the country. The Business Briefing newsletter delivers major stories, exclusive coverage and expert opinion. Sign up to get it every weekday morning. Advertisement BusinessCompaniesEarnings season Opinion The good, the bad and the very ugly of profit season Elizabeth Knight Business columnist February 11, 2026 3:39pm February 11, 2026 3:39pm Save 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 A A A Hold on for the ride. Only halfway through week one of Australias earnings season, and already we have two chief executive beheadings and a third head crowned with a halo. This is a story of the good, the bad and the very ugly. In order, I am referring to the Commonwealth Bank, biotechnology giant CSL, and Australias own corporate train wreck, the Australian Securities Exchange. CBA boss Matt Comyn, Helen Lofthouse of the ASX and CSLs former chief Paul McKenzie. Monique Westermann These are not any small Johnny-come-lately corporations at the risky end of the market. These three companies will feature heavily in most peoples superannuation portfolios, so their performance matters. Only five years ago, CSL held the title of Australias largest company, based on market capitalisation, and one of the most successful in our history. Advertisement The Commonwealth Bank now boasts that leadership position, and the ASX runs our equities market, which is a nationally vital piece of infrastructure. The fortunes of ASX and CSL have been plagued by some back luck and management mistakes for which their respective leaders paid with their jobs. In stark contrast, CBA managed a robust result even in the face of intense banking competition. Its chief executive Matt Comyn has provided a masterclass in management. On Tuesday night, CSLs chief executive Paul McKenzies employment was abruptly cut effective immediately. Blue-chip companies of this size and pedigree rarely behave in such a chaotic way. Governance changes are carefully choreographed, telegraphed and stage-managed with permanent replacements lined up for smooth succession. Advertisement CSLs change of the guard looked knee-jerk and desperate. Related Article Updated Earnings season CBA shares rocket as profit beats expectations Despite the CSL board barrage of thanks to McKenzie, appreciation and lists of achievements which punctuated the announcement of his departure, by Wednesday morning the reasons for the shock change in leadership were abundantly clear, as was the urgency to inject new management blood. CSLs half year earnings were down 81 per cent and there was nowhere to hide from a conga line of angry and disappointed investors, who sent the share price into a 7 per cent downward tailspin. Sure, the culprit was one-off impairments of $US1.1 billion ($1.55 billion), but they relate to ongoing problems in two of its major divisions. The first is Vifor, which makes products to deal with iron deficiency its performance is being challenged by competition from generic products flooding the market. Advertisement The second is the vaccines business Seqirus, which is feeling the brunt of the Trump regimes allergy to vaccines which has been driven by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Related Article Biotech Boss of $83b giant CSL exits abruptly And then China followed with a regulatory change which resulted in a decline in CSLs vital albumin sales which was responsible for exports of plasma to China falling precipitously. Even without the writedowns from asset impairments, the result was down 7 per cent, giving voice to investors that had serious questions about CSLs $US11.7 billion acquisition of Vifor in 2022. CSL admits that the timing of that acquisition wasnt great which is code for it overpaying for the asset. Advertisement But it is the Australian Securities Exchange that deserves the ugly title in this three-horse line-up. Related Article Biotech How RFK, China and leadership woes became a $4b storm for this Australian corporate giant Its chief executive, Helen Lofthouse, is also headed for the exit door after only four years in the top job, with no replacement in sight and two days before it is due to release its results. She represents the latest casualty in a decade of carnage at the company, which has struggled with a series of disasters in the replacement of its CHESS trading system. Arguably it was the corporate regulator, the Australian Securities and Investments Commissions (ASIC) recent report card that sealed her fate. Advertisement In December, it went so far as to question the companys right to operate Australias national stock exchange, accusing it of prioritising short-term profit performance over the management of this vital infrastructure and branding its management as insular and defensive with significant deficiencies in culture, governance and technology. ASIC additionally demanded that the ASX hold another $150 million in liquid assets to improve the robustness of its financial position. The regulator highlighted the bungled and abandoned CHESS replacement project (which cost $250 million) and other outages as evidence of deeper issues. Against that backdrop, the replacement of Lofthouse was already ordained. The Business Briefing newsletter delivers major stories, exclusive coverage and expert opinion. Sign up to get it every weekday morning. Advertisement BusinessWorkplaceWorkplace culture Why the people working 70 and 80-hour work weeks dont push back Millie Muroi February 12, 2026 5:00am Save 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 A A A When Sanjna Pathania posted on TikTok about the demands of working in consulting, she found little sympathy. I get a call at 7pm from this partner, the former employee at consultancy KPMG recounted in her 2022 video. He says to me: hey Sanjna, you didnt send me the piece of work that I asked you for, can you send it to me tomorrow? Sanjna Pathania said her experience in consulting left her with a sour taste in her mouth. TikTok: @successbysanjna Rather than empathising, some commenters replied that she was naive for expecting weekends off and called her story tame. Pathania, who now works as a mortgage broker, did not respond to a request for comment, but the response shows how money and professional opportunities have shaped the work expectations for people in high-end, white-collar work. Advertisement While data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics shows Australians work an average of 35 hours a week, a 2024 survey of 2500 professionals in the financial services sector found the average working week for sell-side firms, such as investment banks, extended up to 70 hours. Anecdotally, management consultants, too, can eclipse 80 hours a week, especially when their company has a major transaction or project under way. A KPMG spokeswoman pointed to the firms 2025 impact plan, which says it had embedded sustainable work practices that support healthier ways of working into company culture, but acknowledged it had more work to do. Australias employment law states that a standard working week is 38 hours but that employers can ask their employees to work reasonable additional hours. Advertisement University of Sydney associate professor Stephen Clibborn says there is little guidance from the courts about what reasonable means. A test case brought by the Finance Sector Union against National Australia Bank is currently before the courts with four managers at the bank claiming they had to work 55 to 80-hour work weeks with unreasonable unpaid hours. Clibborn says there is a balance between the interests of the employer and those of the employee, but that whether additional hours are reasonable also depends on whether notice is given, whether penalties and overtime are paid, and the type of role in question. If youre very well remunerated, youre probably less able to argue your hours are unreasonable, he says. But businesses also have obligations, so far as it is reasonable and practical, to limit stress and health risks from excessive hours. According to employment review site Glassdoor, the average base pay for an investment banking analyst the most junior, entry-level position is $135,000 a year, excluding bonuses and additional pay, while those at the top can earn millions of dollars. Advertisement Saurav Risbud, who is focusing on his careers podcast, Non Linear, and writing after quitting his consulting job at Bain last year, says the long hours were worth it. Saurav Risbud, who quit his job at top-tier management consulting firm Bain last year, says long work hours were the norm. Depending on the project, he says some days could stretch up to 10pm or 11pm. It wasnt unheard of for days to extend beyond that, he says. There was no explicit pressure, but the nature of the job meant it was a bit of a norm. You do work long hours, but you go into that career with your eyes wide open to that, he says. Its high pressure, but theres also a high pay-off, especially early in your career when you can learn things. As one of the top consultancy firms, Bain tends to pay staff more than places like KPMG, and its staff do more strategic work. Advertisement John Howe, a Melbourne Law School professor specialising in labour market regulation and policy, says while there are also awards for some banking and financing professionals which spell out minimum conditions, they tend not to cover those in managerial positions or earning above a certain salary, and that they were generally reluctant to speak out. Lawyers and investment bankers dont want to bring those cases because they want to keep working in the industry, he says. Theres a culture that because these employees are paid a lot, they should work whatever hours the employer requires, and a culture of not complaining or taking legal action because youll be blacklisted from getting a job somewhere else. Related Article Got a Minute? Ive been boxed in at work since becoming a father. What do I do? However, Howe says the landscape is changing, with people in other sectors, such as junior doctors and solicitors, pursuing class actions for excessive working hours and underpayment. These class actions where a group of people in the same position pursues a legal case can reduce the individual financial costs of taking an employer to court and also reduce reputational damage for those who might otherwise be worried about their future job prospects. Advertisement And Howe says a growing number of litigation funders who pay for legal costs in exchange for a share of the proceeds if the case is successful are prepared to back the claims. In the past, there werent many of these cases at all, but now were seeing a lot of them because of law firms looking for class actions and litigation funders willing to bankroll them, he says. I have certainly heard some talk of investment banking being the next frontier for class action litigators. The Business Briefing newsletter delivers major stories, exclusive coverage and expert opinion. Sign up to get it every weekday morning. Advertisement Eating outJust open Carnation Canteens new bar in the original Geralds site is already a neighbourhood hotspot Audrey Shaw knew the Rathdowne Street site came with big shoes to fill. Shes honoured its iconic history with a respectful, yet (mostly) fresh perspective. Tomas Telegramma February 12, 2026 Save 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 A A A For those well acquainted with the original Geralds Bar a Carlton North icon that recently relocated to Nicholson Street visiting its Rathdowne Street birthplace is now a little disorientating. The layout feels familiar, but almost everything else feels fresh. In just six weeks, its taken on a new form as Bar Carnation, a just-as-beautiful but marginally more booze-focused sibling for Fitzroy restaurant Carnation Canteen, a Good Food Guide Critics Pick. Owner-chef Audrey Shaw, a Geralds regular, was initially daunted when Gerald Diffey tapped her to take over. But if opening night was anything to go by, she shouldnt have been. Gerald and [business partner] Mario [Di Ienno] turned up at 5pm, plonked themselves in the same smokers seats and the balance was restored, Shaw says. Owner-chef Audrey Shaw has added a slanted ceiling mirrors for people watching but the bar remains. Coco and Maximilian The buildings bones and the bar top remain. But Shaw, a former architect, has put her own spin on the space, adding a shiny stainless-steel back bar, a custom installation of square lanterns, and slanted ceiling mirrors for people watching. Advertisement There are fewer time-worn timbers and trinkets, but at its heart, its picking up where Geralds left off as a stalwart of spontaneity, open for walk-ins from 5pm to 11pm daily. Restaurant reviews, news and the hottest openings served to your inbox. Sign up Were servicing the community by [them] knowing well always be here, says Shaw. People have already started treating it in the way wed hoped coming in for a martini and a snack on the way to a friends house, then picking up a bottle when they leave. Bar Carnation owner Audrey Shaw with Geralds Bar co-owner Gerald Diffey. Coco and Maximilian Shaw is making the most of the sites retail licence, transforming the area beyond the front bar into a bottle shop and tasting room anchored by a high green-marble table. The space serves a double purpose: it is both a retail hub and a tactile visual wine list for those dining on-site, allowing guests to browse the shelves for their next bottle. Advertisement Sommelier Sam Ross has curated a selection of around 200 bottles, ranging from accessible $12 house pours to European heavy-hitters. While Shaws canteen is known for moving vast quantities of premium French wine, the focus here has shifted. We wanted to lean a little more Italian, he says. As at Geralds, cocktails are a feature, bolstered by house-made juices and syrups. Classics such as the freezer-door martini sit alongside bespoke creations by bar manager Belle Johnson Geor, including one with gin, French aperitif Suze and muddled green grapes. Bar Carnations daily menu is chalked up on the specials board. Coco and Maximilian Shaw wants the bar to feel more splash-around than its canteen counterpart, yet she remains emphatic that casualness shouldnt equal compromise especially where the menu is concerned. Its European sensibility is anchored by seasonal produce from Ramarro and Days Walk farms, which informs a rotating selection of bistro and Italian classics. Advertisement The steak frites, for instance, features a Cape Grim bavette paired with skin-on, hand-cut fries sourced from the Spud Sisters boiled once and fried twice for a perfect crunch. Other staples include a daily pasta and a fresh fritto misto, with the days specific iterations chalked up on the specials board. Bar Carnations take on vitello tonnato. Coco and Maximilian While Bar Carnation seats roughly 100 guests inside and out, the venues potential extends further. Upstairs, mirroring the same footprint, Shaw plans to launch two private dining rooms. Despite numerous requests, its something the canteen hasnt been able to accommodate. Open dinner daily 386 Rathdowne Street, Carlton North, barcarnation.com Advertisement If you are just catching up on the Liberal leadership challenge, heres everything that has happened this morning after challenger Angus Taylor resigned from the shadow cabinet last night. The morning kicked off with the resignation of Phil Thompson from the shadow NDIS portfolio. Along with his resignation letter, he and Senator Jess Collins requested a special party room meeting from Opposition Leader Sussan Ley. The meeting, in which the leadership would be voted on, has been scheduled for 9am tomorrow morning. Taylor believes he has the numbers to win the leadership. Member for Hume Angus Taylor sits on the backbench today in Parliament. Alex Ellinghausen Shortly after Thompsons resignation, Angus Taylor declared he was challenging for the leadership through an Instagram post. Ley then put up her own social media post saying she offered a better future. Throughout the course of the day there have been a series of resignations from the frontbench by Taylor backers. The most high-profile resignations have come from home affairs spokesman Jonno Duniam and former finance spokesperson James Paterson. They were joined by senators Matt OSullivan and Claire Chandler. A number of MPs including Ben Small and Sarah Henderson have backed Taylors challenge. There is also a race for the deputy leadership, currently held by shadow treasurer Ted OBrien, with Victorian senator Jane Hume emerging as a frontrunner. Advertisement NationalIsraeli-Palestinian conflict Opinion Jacinta Allan has one aim today. Its a sad reflection of where we have arrived Chip Le Grand State political editor February 12, 2026 5:00am February 12, 2026 5:00am Save 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 A A A It is an indictment on where we have arrived and perhaps, who we have become, that for both the Victorian government of Jacinta Allan and the NSW government of Chris Minns, the most important business of state this week is keeping people apart. Israeli President Isaac Herzog is coming to Melbourne today to meet Jews for whom Israel, as a place, a people and an idea, is intrinsic to their identity. He wants to console people for whom being Jewish in this city has meant being hassled, hated and vilified over the past two years. The premier with Jewish community leaders outside the Adass Israel synagogue. Luis Enrique Ascui The details of his visit cannot be published ahead of time for fear that protesters will direct their anger and frustration not just at the president, but the people he has come here to support. Melbournes Jews, including school children wide-eyed at meeting a president, will learn at the last minute where they are gathering to reduce the risk of times and locations finding their way to Pro-Palestinian activists. They dont want mums and their kids being heckled by an agitated mob or worse on their way into a community event. Advertisement Related Article Exclusive Israeli-Palestinian conflict Amid the horror of Bondi, the Israeli president phoned a friend in Melbourne If you are offended by what this implies, dont blame the messenger. The Victorian government, Victoria Police, the Australian Federal Police, Israeli security personnel and Jewish community organisations are seriously worried about how the day could end. As Allan said this week, the primary purpose of Herzog coming to Australia is to extend sympathy and support to Jewish Australians who, just six weeks ago, watched in horror as Jew-hating assassins murdered 15 people celebrating Hanukkah on Bondi Beach. No one should be adding to that hurt, Allan said. No one should be turning up this week, on any street in this nation, with a view to add to that pain and hurt. No reasonable person wants a repeat in Melbourne of what happened in Sydney three days ago, when protesters and police came to blows in the middle of the CBD. Advertisement There is debate about whether the NSW permit system intended to regulate protests laws the Allan government has refused to adopt aggravated the situation. But as Minns observed, the ugly scenes, including any gratuitous force used by police, would have been avoided had protesters followed a police directive to move their demonstrations a few blocks over. This directive was issued to keep them separated from Jewish people meeting with Herzog in another part of the city. We couldnt have a choose-your-own-adventure situation where protesters and mourners clashed on Sydney streets, Minns told ABC TV. Israeli President Isaac Herzog in Canberra on Wednesday. NewsWire Allan has different laws at her disposal but her priority on Thursday is the same to keep protesters away from Melbournes Jews. That is an awful sentence to type about a city that, for the best part of a century, was a Jewish haven largely free of antisemitism. It may offer some consolation that, away from the television cameras and radio mics and duelling press releases, there is good work being done here to bring people together. Advertisement On Wednesday night, 15 Jewish and Palestinian nurses and allied health professionals visiting from Israel and the West Bank had dinner with a group of emerging Jewish and Palestinian leaders in Melbourne. The dinner was held at the home of Mikaela Stafrace, the chairwoman of Rozana Australia. Rozana is a charitable, health diplomacy project founded in Australia that operates in Israel and the Occupied Territories. It facilitates better understanding and co-operation between Israeli and Palestinian doctors and nurses to improve their quality of care and bridge social and professional segregations entrenched in Israels health system. Ron Finkel co-founded of Project Rozana, a Melbourne-based organisation that funds healthcare services in Gaza. Luis Enrique Ascui One of the Rozana delegates is Yerant Saryan, a 38-year-old, Christian Palestinian nurse who specialises in sexual health, lives in the West Bank town of Beit Jala and crosses a border checkpoint every day to start his shift at a Jerusalem hospital. He has always felt squeezed by Israels unique ethnic tensions but says that after October 7, life has gotten a lot harder. I have to hold the suffering and pain of both sides, he says. Saryan is sitting with Diklah Barak, a 49-year-old, Jewish occupational therapist and lactation consultant from Tel Aviv who helps infants and young children with feeding difficulties. She doesnt think of herself as politically active, but chafes at injustices towards Arabs in Israel. She was disturbed to learn, not that long ago, of fresh atrocities uncovered from the 1947-48 Nakba a defining history for Palestinians which, she says, was not taught in her Jewish school. Advertisement Related Article Opinion Victorian election Politicians and the media once united to do good. In this heat, thats impossible Chip Le Grand State political editor Barak is opposed to the war in Gaza and Israels occupation of territories long reserved for a Palestinian state. She also questions why people with no connection to the conflict are protesting it in Melbourne and Sydney. Im hearing demonstrators shouting from the river to the sea, so where am I standing? she asks rhetorically. We are all there together let us figure it out. Saryan and Barak, when talking about work and life in Israel, frequently reference the other side. For them, travelling together to Australia and taking part in an intensive program of seminars tailored for registered nurses working in multi-ethnic hospitals offers an opportunity to share conversations difficult to have at home. When I come and see Israelis in our group, it gives me hope, Saryan says. In Israel, there is a strong tradition of political protest. A catchphrase of anti-government demonstrators in Tel Aviv is despair is not a plan. On the streets of Sydney and Melbourne, we can all see the despair. Away from the chanting and raised fists, there are people with a plan. Advertisement Chip Le Grand is state political editor. The Opinion newsletter is a weekly wrap of views that will challenge, champion and inform your own. Sign up here. Irving released the sections on Tuesday evening after this masthead asked if he had whitewashed the report. Irving said he sought the removal of the material because he was not satisfied that they were well-founded or properly tested. The deleted material estimated the cost of this inaction to Australian taxpayers who unwittingly funded union corruption, bikie infiltration and organised crime rackets, at $15 billion. On Wednesday morning, this masthead revealed how Albanese government-appointed CFMEU administrator Mark Irving, KC, directed Watson to remove explosive findings from Watsons 18-month investigation. The deleted chapters concluded that Victorias Labor government enabled CFMEU graft and organised crime on state and federally funded major road and rail projects. The public airing of the explosive Rotting from the Top inquiry report, written by corruption-busting lawyer Geoffrey Watson, SC, comes amid revelations that explosive conclusions reached by Watson that were highly critical of Labor were secretly stripped from the reports pages shortly before its release. Major infrastructure projects funded by the Albanese and Allan governments hosted drug trafficking, systemic corruption and bribery, bikie gangs and the shocking sexual exploitation of women at an estimated cost to the taxpayers of $15 billion, according to a landmark report into CFMEU corruption. The report finds the $100 billion program hosted and enabled not only systemic corruption but bikie activity, the sexual exploitation of women and drug trafficking. Even with the stripping of the politically embarrassing material, Watsons report which was uploaded to the Queenslands Commission of Inquirys website today contains an extraordinarily damning expose of the Big Build. It also raises major questions for the Albanese government given it appointed Irving to clean up the union and spent billions funding the projects Watson has concluded were corrupted. That finding directly contradicts the denials of Premier Jacinta Allan, the minister previously responsible for the Big Build, that she had any knowledge of the CFMEU scandalous conduct until it was revealed by this masthead and 60 Minutes in 2024. The removed government inaction section includes Watsons conclusion that Victorias Labor government both knew and had a duty to know that corrupt union and underworld forces had infiltrated its signature Big Build infrastructure scheme, but chose to do nothing about it. In his sworn testimony before the Queensland Commission of Inquiry into the CFMEU on Wednesday morning, Watson revealed he was quite angry at Irvings order to remove the politically sensitive material and believed Irvings criticism of the deleted chapters was baseless. Watson said he absolutely believed the deleted chapters needed to remain in the report. Things went badly downhill when the Big Build really got going in 2015, the report states. The CFMEUs descent from militant blue-collar union to a lawless enabler of corruption and organised crime, according to Watson, was underpinned by two factors: The leadership of John Setka and his team and the role of the Big Build. For instance, Watson concludes that intelligence suggesting drug-trafficking bikie gangs hijacked government sites is an especially serious matter which cannot be addressed in a report like this it requires the immediate attention of an investigative body with a full suite of coercive powers. The Queensland commission of inquiry is equipped with coercive powers, but state and federal police do not have equivalent tools that Watson found were necessary to fully expose Big Build corruption. No such inquiry exists nationally or in Victoria but multiple times, Watsons report concludes that an investigation supported with coercive powers is needed to probe the corrupting of the Big Build and the vast amount of improper conduct that has gone unchecked. While two of the examples uncovered or cited by Watson have led to minor criminal charges and other case studies have prompted regulatory action to cancel the licences of three labour hire firms, his report repeatedly calls for a more sweeping and powerful inquiry than the existing police effort, under Taskforce Hawk. Approximately 1000 workers were on the Hurstbridge site 540 on day shift, approximately the same on the night shift. That many workers, placed into a confined area, made Hurstbridge a desirable place from which to distribute drugs, Watson said in his report, describing the $530 million project to duplicate the line and build new stations. Watson uncovered information that rival bikie gangs connected with warring union factions ended up fighting for control of parts of the Hurstbridge Rail Line Upgrade because of its value as a drug-dealing hub as well as an employer for bikies wanting lucrative taxpayer-funded jobs. Picture 200 or more men aged between 18 and 30, each earning well over $100,000, confined within the area of a single building site that is a drug dealers dream. Rival bikie gangs were fighting to get control over the individual sites. Watson reveals that insiders told him that some of the large Big Build sites were converted by OMCGs into drug distribution centres. The flood of government money made the Big Build ripe for corruption ad hoc corruption on the part of former organisers and delegates, as well as a more organised or systemic corruption involving collaboration by some elements in the CFMEU with outlaw motorcycle gangs (OMCGs) and other crime outfits. The big money generated by the Big Build was at the root of the problem in Victoria. The temptation created by the big money proved too great. Several sources, including high-placed officials, have recounted that the working theory of the intelligence agencies is that the OMCGs used the building sites for drug-distribution purposes. Several witnesses spoke of their knowledge that the real fight between the bikies was over which gang should be permitted to control drug distribution on and from the Hurstbridge site. One witness spoke about his knowledge that members of the rival Rebels were also involved and that the gangs were staring each other down, Watson said. There were about eight Comancheros who arrived in full colours, riding large and noisy motorcycles. The Comancheros continued their ride for the rest of the day, rolling in a continuous loop around the site and making it plain they were making a territorial demand. Witnesses told Watson of a stand-off at a Hurstbridge rail line site between Comancheros and Rebels or Bandidos bikies. Because the rates of earnings at Hurstbridge were unusually high, it was also a desirable place to work. Those two factors meant that there were two struggles for control: one was between individual organisers and delegates at the CFMEU; the other was between rival bikie gangs. Watson noted the theory was consistent with bikies being the states largest manufacturers and distributors of methamphetamines. Watsons report describes how workers routinely paid bribes to get lucrative jobs on Big Build sites with the help of union officials. A market was created where corrupt organisers and delegates bought and sold the jobs. There are plenty of stories of people who were willing to pay to get an unskilled job paying well over $100,000 a year, he said. Several witnesses gave accounts of those who previously held the power (ie organisers, delegates and contractors) selling Big Build jobs for an upfront cash payment. A few witnesses described how a powerful delegate, Joel Leavitt, required potential workers to pay him a sum to get a job in the first place and an occasional payment to keep it. Leavitt is a violent senior member of the Rebels bikie gang who worked across multiple Big Build sites as a union delegate, wielding huge control over who was hired and which subcontractors were used by government contractors. On one occasion, Leavitt directed the Labor governments Southern Project Alliance to hire 18 workers, including several members of the Rebels bikie gang and his relatives or those of other CFMEU officials. Joe Myles (left) and Joel Leavitt. Watson also describes how he was told by an informant that in return for securing well-paying shifts on the Melbourne Metro Tunnel project, up to 100 workers had to donate $100 to a concocted CFMEU charity for the right to work a weekend night shift. On the Hurstbridge upgrade, Watson notes several accounts [were] given that former CFMEU organisers and delegates were actually charging a fee to people who wished to work on the most lucrative shifts. Because there was so much money to be earned, the fees charged by the delegates or the others were sums like $500 or even $1000. Bigger bribes were probably paid too, Watson concludes. When a large labour hire business won a traffic management contract on the Eastern Freeway job, its owner told his workforce that Ive paid [redacted] 800 grand to get this job, so dont stuff it up. Union delegates and health and safety officials on Big Build projects also rorted the public purse by devising a ghost shift scheme involving getting paid by two Big Build firms simultaneously. This rort, too, was eventually paid by the Victorian taxpayers. Watson said that when the ghost shift scandal first emerged in 2023, then-premier Dan Andrews stated that he had zero tolerance for ghosting. Despite Andrews public objections, Watson concludes the rorting happened again. And again and again. Among the recent examples Watson cites is a ghost shift scandal involving major Metro Tunnel contractor MC Labour a company Watsons report also notes has deep ties to organised criminals. The truth is that MC Labour was not the only labour hire company charging for ghost workers on government projects others were at it as well. While ordinary workers had to pay kickbacks to win jobs on the Big Build, Watson concluded that bikie gangs and the friends and relatives of certain union bosses who were sometimes also in bikie gangs or the underworld got their pick of lucrative Big Build work. Watsons report also describes how the CFMEU, rather than Labor government contractors, controlled which subcontractors won work on the Big Build. One mechanism of this system of extortion involved the union and underworld figures operating a black market where bribes were paid by select labour hire firms to secure the unions formal Enterprise Bargaining Agreement endorsement, which was needed to win Big Build contracts. There were many accounts to suggest that a labour hire EBA will cost $500,000, there was one account where the asking price was $1 million. There was hard evidence that eager contractors paid $250,000 to obtain a civil construction EBA and that $250,000 had been agreed for a demolition EBA. One case study recounted in the Watson report involves underworld figure Billy Mitris demanding payments from a company employing veterans on the North East Link in return for the required union support. Underworld figure Billy Mitris. Another case study described by Watson involves an infrastructure company caving to CFMEU demands to replace traffic management companies aligned to the rival Australian Workers Union with the CFMEUs pick, despite them being 30 per cent more expensive. One contractor told Watson they had to let the CFMEU keep controlling these contracts or face site shutdowns, and that the unions unlawful demand cost the Victorian taxpayer $50 million to $60 million on the North East Link alone. An executive from another Labor government major contractor told Watson that pressure from the CFMEU to hire its favoured contractors on a major rail and level crossing removal project cost the taxpayer another $50 million plus. Watsons report singles out now-ex union boss Joe Myles as a key facilitator of Big Build rorting, from placing bikies into jobs, to demanding major contractors use more expensive subcontractors. One example involved Myles telling a principal contractor to hire a North East Link subcontractor despite being $4 million more expensive than a rival. Former CFMEU official Joe Myles (right) with other then-senior union leaders including John Setka (second from left). Joe Myles inserted himself into negotiations to tell the principal that it must select the highest quote or the rest of the job would be shut down. There was no choice $4 million would be the money lost in a week-long delay. The grateful subcontractor gave the principals superintendents (an unwanted, unsolicited) bottle of Grange Hermitage. It is inconceivable that rewards were not given to the CFMEU officials involved. Watson also details criminal figure Mick Gattos infiltration of the Big Build, both as a highly paid fixer for subcontractors such as Rangedale and LTE and as a hidden owner of labour hire firm and traffic management company, the M-Group. Underworld figure Mick Gatto is accused of running a racket. Justin McManus Watson criticised Gatto for running a racket as an industry fixer, making well over $5 million a year. The figure doesnt include any funds Gatto earned as a silent shareholder in building companies. Given that most of it is taking place on Big Build jobs, eventually it is the taxpayer who is paying for this kind of extortion, Watsons report states, while also criticising how M Group subsidiaries have managed to keep winning government work despite other M Group entities having collapsed, owing huge debts to the Tax Office. There has been no dent in Gattos work, Watson concludes, observing that another firm partly owned by Gatto has exploited the states social procurement policy on the Big Build. Perhaps the most remarkable feature of this is that it is occurring on Victorian government sites funded by Victorian taxpayers. Female workers have also been grossly exploited on the government scheme, Watson found. One informant told Watson that on one Big Build site, the men would pay cash to have female workers strip in the site shed. A health and safety manager from a Labor government contractor described the treatment of women as incredibly awful, toxic and dangerous for women. Other informants told Watson that a now-former manager at a labour hire subcontractor, which specialised in finding employment for women, required prospective female employees to offer sexual services to secure a Big Build job. That man is no longer involved in the business and, to its credit, the CFMEU assisted in getting rid of him. The allegations are so serious it is not appropriate to provide further details without further investigation. Watsons conclusions about the corrupting of the CFMEUs most powerful and influential branch in Victoria under the reign of now-former leader John Setka are scathing. Under Setkas leadership, Watson describes the unions transformation from champion of the working class to an organisation that turned to looking after gangsters, standover men, bikies, heroin traffickers, and even killers. It is clear that Setkas leadership dragged the CFMEU down from a position of esteem and into a pit of crime and corruption, Watsons report states. There were so many criminals involved, and so many instances of the conferral of inexplicable benefits, that it can confidently be said that the leadership of the CFMEU was a participant in a larger criminal design. During the Setka era the CFMEU was forcing contractors to employ patched bikies, meth abusers, violent standover men, killers, boxers and cage fighters. Violence became omnipresent, Watsons report said. The threat of violence in the building industry was pervasive: it sat behind every demand, every request. The only certain way to avoid violence was by capitulating to demands, or by making payments to underworld figures and standover men. There are instances of hired assassins, death threats, bashings, firebombings it goes on. By the end of this investigation I have been left with the empty feeling that the Setka-led Victorian branch of the CFMEU was no longer a trade union, it was a crime syndicate. Until Setkas resignation in mid-2024, Watson found that the union boss had led a small leadership team that had little regard or respect for the general membership and which ran the CFMEU for their own profit and their own benefit. Several of them were deeply corrupt. The ex-union bosses Watson identifies as corrupt are Derek Christopher, who received secret benefits from large building companies; Elias Spernovasilis, who was party to the blackmarket trading of union EBAs; and John Perkovic, who received up to three million dollars in secret benefits from building firm owners, including property and luxury cars. The problem with this was that these men were corrupt, known to be corrupt, and were promoted and protected by Setka. Watson also claims that Setka was involved in highly suspect property developments with criminals and building companies bosses. Watsons report is also scathing of Myles, finding he managed a crew of underworld cronies who in turn introduced their own cronies into the union more bikies, more drug dealers, more violence. Hells Angels figure Luke Moloney. Instagram One case study cited by Watson involves Myles and another now-former union official, Gerry McCrudden, recruiting violent ex-Hells Angels boss Luke Moloney into the union. McCrudden claimed that he recruited Moloney as a CFMEU delegate after bumping into him at a noodle shop. Watson finds that McCrudden and Myles description of Moloneys recruitment is unbelievable and the only available inference is that Moloney corrupted the process or that McCrudden and Myles were paid or were performing a favour for a third party. Loading Watsons report also takes aim at figures linked to organised crime, including Nick Maric, the owner of federal and state government project subcontractor LTE. But his most pointed criticism of any underworld figure is reserved for Gatto. Watson finds that Gatto has damaged the building industry and damaged the Victorian economy maybe permanently. Everybody knows what he has been doing. Repeated inquiries, including royal commissions, have singled out Gatto as a criminal. Yet he seems to survive. The Gatto extortion model involved demanding money from contractors under the threat that, unless a payment is made, the CFMEU would raise an industrial issue and close a building site. It seems all of the old CFMEU executive were willing to bend the knee to Gatto, Watson said. Now is the time for change. Now is the time finally to break Gattos malignant influence over the CFMEU and the Victorian building industry. Now is the time to get rid of Gatto once and for all. Setka, Gatto, Myles and Maric have previously denied all wrongdoing. Start the day with a summary of the days most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter. TEHRAN, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- The "wall of distrust" created by the West and U.S. excessive demands impede the progress of nuclear talks between Tehran and Washington, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said here Wednesday. He made the remarks while delivering a speech at the celebrations in the capital to mark the 47th anniversary of the 1979 Islamic Revolution. Pezeshkian said Iran does not seek nuclear weapons and is "ready for any verification of that." "We believe that the region's problems can be resolved only by regional countries, not foreign states," he said, adding that Iran will never surrender to excessive demands and aggression. Meanwhile, Pezeshkian said Iran is treading the path of diplomacy with sincerity, and is interacting with countries in West Asia to ensure regional peace. On the recent unrest in the country, Pezeshkian said his administration is making all-out efforts to resolve the Iranian people's problems, noting that Iran needs internal unity more than anything else. He said Iran should gain access to international markets, specially Muslim and neighboring countries' markets, to accelerate domestic economic development, adding that the country is also strengthening its relations within the frameworks of regional and international contracts and treaties. Also attending the Wednesday celebrations in the capital, Ali Shamkhani, senior advisor to Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, said Iran's missile capability is a red line and a non-negotiable issue. According to a report by Iran's Nour News, Shamkhani said any military attack, even limited, will be considered the start of a war, the consequence of which will "reach a scope beyond the military dimension" and "affect the lives of people in different parts of the world." He said the logical path for Washington is to seriously pursue the path of dialogue instead of threats. Last week, Iran's semi-official Fars news agency reported that Shamkhani had been appointed as Secretary of the country's Defense Council, which was established in August 2025 to review Iran's defense plans and the improvement of the Iranian armed forces' capabilities in a centralized manner. Meanwhile, another report by Nour News published Wednesday, citing Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei, said that Iran is willing to discuss the level of its uranium enrichment and the amount of its stockpile, only if its rights under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty are truly respected. Separately, Ali Larijani, secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, told state-run Al-Alam news channel on Wednesday that consultations are underway to determine the date of the next round of indirect nuclear talks between Tehran and Washington. Larijani said the U.S. side appears willing to move the negotiations towards a solution, but it is not possible yet to make a complete judgment, adding that the date of the next round will be announced following the consultations. Larijani led a delegation to visit mediator Oman on Tuesday, the same day when he warned that the United States should not let Israel, "through posturing," dictate the framework of nuclear negotiations. Also on Wednesday, Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi told Russia Today that he believes Iran and the United States can strike a nuclear deal better than the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action signed in July 2015. "I have been in the nuclear negotiations business in the past 20 years. I know that it is achievable," he said. The Iranian side is working on a "doable plan or proposal" capable of guaranteeing that there will be no nuclear weapons while safeguarding Iran's rights to peaceful use of nuclear technology, he noted. Given past diplomatic engagement between Tehran and Washington, Iran still has no full trust in the United States, Araghchi said, noting that Iran needs to make sure the same scenario will not be repeated. He reiterated that Iran will not negotiate on its missile program or regional alliances, adding, "We only negotiate about our nuclear program with the United States." Tehran and Washington held their initial round of indirect talks on Friday in the Omani capital Muscat, amid simmering tensions between the two sides in view of Washington's military buildup near Iran. On Tuesday, U.S. President Donald Trump said he is considering sending a second aircraft carrier strike group to the Middle East for possible military actions against Iran if negotiations fail. Add articles to your saved list and come back to them anytime. Tim Peck was an experienced homicide detective who worked on some of the countrys most notorious murder investigations, including the Maria Korp body in the boot case. Peck, who joined the police force in 1994, was old-school police. He adhered to the three unspoken rules of policing: Dont go sick on night shift, dont lose a fight and dont lag on your mates, and was a card-carrying member of the work-hard-play-hard club. If Peck was on a homicide case, it wasnt unusual for him to put in 18-hour days. Tim Peck has returned from the brink of suicide. It suited me because I loved the work, Peck tells Naked City podcast host John Silvester. I guess it was part of that culture. And I had an unwritten rule that I needed to know more about any investigation than anyone else. This superior knowledge, Peck says, allowed him to understand the case more deeply, fill gaps and make links that others couldnt. Lygon Streets footpaths once overflowed with thousands of people before it became a tourist attraction blanketed with gingham tablecloths. Now the city icon is in a state of flux. Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Share A A A The City Limits series investigates how Melbourne CBD has weathered the long shadow of the pandemic amid changing workplace, retail and entertainment trends. See all stories . Fabio Angele shepherds an elderly couple into a booth, then dips behind the counter with a nod: Im sorry, give me one second. One hand gripping a black tray, he clears another table and settles into his own chair in a far corner of Carltons Brunetti Classico. He pulls pages of notes from his pocket, most from a waiters ordering pad, and one printed with a graph showing Lygon Streets declining pedestrian numbers. Brunetti Classico owner Fabio Angele is acutely aware of the decline in Lygon Streets pedestrian traffic. Chris Hopkins I have a lot of thoughts, he says. For many of Carltons longest-serving traders, the story of modern-day Lygon Street begins in their memories of its heyday, when its footpaths overflowed with people in the 1970s and early 80s. Brunetti was just a single shopfront at Lygon Court, and a twenty-something Mark Rubbo who started out with a record store, Professor Longhair, in 1972 bought out Readings on offer from Ross Reading in 1976. Advertisement Totos Pizza, Australias first pizza house, ushered in the initial wave of Melburnians to Lygon Street when it opened in 1966, and the likes of King & Godfree (a delicatessen by the end of the 70s) and Jimmy Watsons Wine Bar (established in 1935) were thriving. Traders bring up one number on repeat: more than 700,000 people are said to have attended the Lygon Street Festa over just one weekend in 83. Its not an official figure. At the time, The Age reported that the festa attracted more than a million people, compared with almost 100,000 people in 2024 when it was held at Carltons Royal Exhibition Building. But it still inspires a glossy-eyed nostalgia. Im older now, but all the young people dont realise what the strip was like back then, Angele says. You couldnt move in the streets during that [festa] weekend. A decade of data reveals Lygon Street is at a crossroads in the post-pandemic world, after years of decline between 2015 and 2019. Its average weekend pedestrian numbers stabilised in 2024-25 at almost 1000 people (or 13 per cent) below pre-COVID-19 levels, and 30 per cent below what the Lygon Street foot traffic sensor near Readings recorded on an average weekend in 2015-16. Advertisement Foot traffic is also down during the week, with a 16 per cent decline on pre-pandemic levels, and a 33 per cent decline on a decade ago. KPMG urban economist Terry Rawnsley warns this kind of entrenched downturn can be difficult to shake. Theres still a vacancy rate issue in both [Lygon Street and Bourke Street Mall], but its almost a bit of an opportunity for people to come in there and try something different, funky and hip, to try and attract people back into those locations, he says. Lygon Streets retail vacancy rate is sitting at about 9 per cent in Carlton, according to property appraisal company Urban Property Australia. Thats compared with 13.5 per cent in 2019, and 5.6 per cent in 2018. Bakers Delight franchisee Damien Fairbanks, whos run his Lygon Street business for 25 years, says the bakery has half the customers it did two decades ago. Advertisement He holds out his phone to reveal a black-and-white Age photo from 1964 of a busy Leptos fruiterers, which used to stand in the bakerys place. During the day [now], youre missing the people doing their shopping theres no local deli, theres no local fruit shop, Fairbanks says. Theres no local vibe. Bakers Delight Carlton franchisees Damien and Sharon Fairbanks. Chris Hopkins Traders are hopeful for a return to daily trade, rather than the occasional business the likes of Cinema Nova, Readings and local restaurants attract. Rubbo, now Readings chairman, notes business from local universities has shrunk as students and staff learn and work from home post-COVID, while Nova chief executive Kristian Connelly says there needs to be a more appealing mix of shops and venues to encourage people to stay in Carlton after the movie is over. As Fitzroy and Brunswick have become hip young centres, Carlton seems to be staid by comparison, Connelly says. Advertisement [Its arts history] goes relatively uncelebrated locally as most arts culture is centred at Southbank, which is a missed opportunity. Local traders association Carlton Inc. is lobbying for Melbournes free tram zone to be extended to Elgin Street to draw more people up from the city a proposal Lord Mayor Nicholas Reece has publicly backed. Another idea is to enforce limits on the number of eateries on the strip, as state and local government did in the 80s with the Lygon Street Action Plan. Readings chairman Mark Rubbo, who says Lygon Streets very good bones are the key to its longevity. Chris Hopkins As author Michael Harden writes in his book, Lygon Street: Stories and recipes from Melbournes melting pot, the plan came at a time when one in four shops in the area was an eating place, and made it much harder to open a new food business north of Grattan Street. The section between Queensberry and Grattan streets, meanwhile, was designated a tourist area, with effectively no cap on the number of restaurants and cafes. The City of Melbourne council advanced a similar plan in 2005, which Angele described as overdue at the time. They abandoned it that same year. Its interesting [with] Lygon Street because it has had ups and downs throughout its history, Harden says. It had that heyday, but then it got super-touristy, and all of the laminated-menu-and-red-gingham-tablecloth places started to take over. Advertisement Advertisement NationalVictoriaRoads Someone will eventually be killed: The decades-long call for a local truck bypass Gemma Grant February 11, 2026 3:00pm Save 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 A A A For a brief few seconds Lang Lang seems like any other small Victorian town. Then you feel a rumble approaching from down the road. B-double trucks passing along the narrow main streets every 72 seconds seem to grow louder by the minute for Lang Lang locals. Decades of pleas for a town bypass have fallen on deaf ears. Allan Bullen, Sue Candy and Brian Candy standing on the Lang Lang main street. Penny Stephens The massive trucks the kind that tow two semi-trailers cart sand from local quarries through the town centre and off to construction sites across greater Melbourne at an average rate of 50 vehicles an hour, according to Cardinia Shire Council figures. Locals say the vehicles make noise, pollute the area and are especially dangerous for children and the elderly. For more than two decades, residents have been fighting for a new route they say would bring peace to their small town between Melbourne and Phillip Island. Advertisement That truck bypass is starting to become a bit of a legend. It may be spoken about, but theres been nothing done, said Brian Candy, who has lived on Westernport Road with wife Sue since 2002. Trucks regularly rattle past the Candys house and along the nearby McDonalds Track, before passing spots like the bakery, the community centre and the primary school. The long-discussed bypass would instead divert traffic around the town centre. Lang Langs population increased by nearly 40 per cent across five years according to census data, rising from 1585 in 2016 to 2556 in 2021. But the growth hasnt brought any concrete plans for a new road. Advertisement Youre just a forgotten place sometimes we feel very let down, Candy says. The Lang Lang regions sand is essentially for the states construction industry. There are already 10 major quarries in the area and the potential to create more through a Strategic Extractive Resource Area (SERA) proposed by the state government. The planning amendments would aim to reserve suitable land close to metropolitan Melbourne for future quarries, and to limit its use for other kinds of development. An average of 50 trucks per hour travel along Lang Langs main roads. Penny Stephens Lang Lang residents plight is worsened by their towns position between urban and regional Victoria. While the towns centre is within the metro Cardinia Shire Council, sections of Lang Lang also fall into the neighbouring regional Bass Coast and South Gippsland shires. Advertisement Some residents, like farmer Allan Bullen, think this border town limbo means they will never receive enough investment for a major project like the bypass. Everythings being spent in Melbourne. We cant get a thing [The town] you see now, if its still here in 10 years, youll be lucky, Bullen says. Someone will eventually be killed in the main street and that might change it, but I dont want to see a road built because somebody sacrificed their life. A quarry truck drives through a pedestrian crossing on Westernport Road. Penny Stephens Cardinia council has flagged the bypass as a key issue requiring investment and aims to raise $57 million from the state and federal governments for its delivery. Advertisement There is a strong need for additional sand across the state, and obviously Lang Lang is particularly important for that industry, Cardinia mayor Brett Owens said. Weve always said that for the quarries to be extended [and] expanded, this bypass must occur. But as one of the state governments proposed SERAs, the quarry industry in Lang Lang could soon grow even bigger. The SERA underwent public consultation in late 2024. A final decision was originally due in late 2025 according to the Resources Victoria website, however a state government spokesperson said that the Lang Lang SERA is still under review. Advertisement Strengthening planning controls around SERAs will ensure Victoria retains access to the vital raw materials needed to keep building new homes, hospitals, schools and infrastructure the state needs, they said. Well continue to work with the local council to understand heavy vehicle movements through this region. For some, the stalled bypass plans have already had too high a cost. In August 2025, Dianne and Bob Comber left Lang Lang after over two decades, instead moving to the Gippsland city of Sale. We used to have our lounge room facing towards the pub near the roundabout. We had to move it further into the house because [of] the noise. You couldnt hear the TV, you couldnt have a conversation, Bob says. We were going to live there forever. But we just couldnt put up with it in the end, Dianne says. [The bypass] has been promised for so long. Start the day with a summary of the days most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter. Advertisement NationalVictoriaCBD Super fund books Claudia Karvan for International Womens Day but the venue raises eyebrows Stephen Brook, John Buckley and Rachael Dexter February 12, 2026 5:00am Save 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 A A A The Ivy in Sydneys CBD has long had a reputation for being one of the countrys most debaucherous venues, despite the best efforts of its owners to put lipstick on a pig. And thats before you even get to the claims of exploitation of female staff that surfaced just over a year ago in this masthead. (At the time, the company rejected claims it had created an environment that exploited women and put its staff in danger.) Claudia Karvan is special guest at UniSupers International Womens Day event. So we were intrigued to learn that the venue will soon play host to a knees-up organised by one of Australias biggest superannuation funds, UniSuper, with a special guest appearance from storied actor Claudia Karvan, OAM, to celebrate, er, International Womens Day. We cant help but pity whoever in the $158 billion super funds marketing department thought this one was a good idea. Pour one out too for the funds 670,000-odd members, who will be left to foot the bill! Justin Hemmes, whose Merivale Group is still reeling from critical media coverage, will no doubt be all too happy to accommodate. Advertisement The lunch, members were dutifully informed earlier this week, will take place in Sydneys Ivy Ballroom on March 11. Join us as we celebrate great women and greater futures and acknowledge the ways we support great retirement outcomes every day, members were told by email. Related Article Exclusive Sex, sleaze and hospitality One step from being a brothel: Sex, drugs, harassment alleged in Ivy penthouse As you could expect, we were dying to hear what Karvan thought of all this, and the size of her appearance fee, which is standard practice for such events. When CBD reached her by phone on Wednesday morning, Karvan immediately said she had to pop off to a Zoom meeting and hurriedly rang off before we could get a question in. She didnt respond to our text message, and her agent didnt get back to us either. But we get that successful stars have very busy schedules. Unfortunately, our luck didnt improve with UniSuper. The fund declined to answer questions about how much it is spending on the soiree and, importantly, why on earth the fund thought the Ivy was the best venue for an International Womens Day event. We did, however, hear that the event was booked as far back as last March. We can only hope UniSuper got a good deal. After all, the fund has Best Financial Interest Duty obligations to think about. Advertisement Top biotechs absolute snafu Everyone has crap days. Just ask CSL chairman Brian McNamee, who was forced to watch the blue-chip biotech company get hammered by the market after his board announced that it had retired its chief executive Paul McKenzie. And when things start falling apart, were all prone to errors. CSL chairman Brian McNamee. Eamon Gallagher Such was the case when CSL sent its announcement of McKenzies departure to the ASX late on Tuesday but before the market closed, angering investors and triggering a market sell-down that pushed shares down 5 per cent to $171.39, shaving $9 off the stock within minutes, dragging the S&P/ASX200 down with it. Advertisement But clearly the announcement was the result of many hands. How else to explain the fact that a strike-through editing mark had been left on the PDF of the document, concerning the important matter of the one-off $US4 million ($5.6 million) equity grant set to be handed to the companys interim boss, Gordon Naylor. Related Article Biotech Boss of $83b giant CSL exits abruptly In such matters, you really dont want to be mistakenly sending out your draft edits. The company said in its announcement to the market: The grant will be subject to malus and clawback and the board has absolute discretion to determine the treatment of equity granted under CSLs plan rules. But the word absolute had been struck through. Which version was correct? We reached out to CSL, and a company spokesman told us the announcement snafu had been corrected on its website. After it was struck out, absolute was reinstated. Glad to be of service in clearing that one up. Advertisement Dandenong VCAT feud ends A long-running feud between outspoken councillor Rhonda Garad and City of Greater Dandenong chief executive Jacqui Weatherill has come to an abrupt halt. A smaller version of the Adelaide Writers Week controversy has been playing out in Melbournes south-eastern fringe where Garad has been one of the most vocal elected officials in Victoria about the war in Gaza. But Garad has now conceded defeat in her dispute with the chief executive. Cleeland Ward councillor Rhonda Garad. Garad commenced proceedings in the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) after the council suggested her social media posts support antisemitic language and are likely to cause pain, offence and harm to the Jewish community. Advertisement The posts in question include retweeting a post that questioned why Jews need a homeland in the Middle East when they already own America, which Garad claimed was satirical, and other instances where she used the hashtag #deathtotheIDF. The councillor fired off an unlawful discrimination claim alleging that Weatherill (whom regular readers will recall used to head up the tumultuous Stonnington Council) was limiting her political speech. Garad was supported by a $10,000 GoFundMe campaign. Council lawyered up in response, racking up $6943 in ratepayer-funded costs by late January. But five months after commencing action, the pin has been pulled. Ive withdrawn because the councils ratepayer-funded legal team threatened costs that could bankrupt me, Garad posted to Facebook late last month, later telling CBD that her $10,000 in donations was already exhausted on legal letters and applications. Council executive director Marjan Hajjari claimed Garads team was advised the application had no reasonable prospect of success. No settlement was offered, and council did not seek a costs order. Garad said the move was Weatherills victory and a loss for political free speech, and vehemently denied she was antisemitic. It looks like an uncomfortable remainder of the term ahead in the Dandenong chambers. Advertisement NationalVictoriaProtests Editorial The right is to protest peacefully theres no place for hate The Age's View Editorial February 12, 2026 5:00am February 12, 2026 5:00am Save 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 A A A It began as a peaceful rally in Sydney on Monday against the visit of Israels President Isaac Herzog. It ended in violence and chaos. Twenty-seven people were arrested. Nine people have been charged, five of those charges being for allegedly assaulting police. Officers sprayed capsicum spray into the crowd. Some protesters needed hospital treatment for injuries sustained during scuffles. Police were also injured. Footage shows two officers punching a man who allegedly bites an officers finger. A further video posted on social media shows another man repeatedly punched by officers while being pushed to the ground. Palestine Action Group members and supporters protest in Sydney on Monday against Israeli President Isaac Herzogs visit to Australia. Wolter Peeters About 6000 people, according to police, attended the rally organised by the Palestine Action Group. Nearby, an event was being held where Herzog and thousands from the Jewish community were remembering and mourning the victims of the December 14 Bondi massacre. NSW police had been deployed to maintain the enforcement of that states Public Assembly Restriction Declaration and Major Events Act, which, in this case, meant cordoning protesters to a particular area. Clashes, however, broke out when protesters began trying to march out of the cordoned area. Police held them back by force at various points. What followed were, as Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and other political leaders have acknowledged, confronting, devastating scenes. Protest organisers have accused officers of sickening police brutality, while Assistant Commissioner Peter McKenna said his members were threatened, jostled and assaulted. Advertisement Herzog at Bondi on Monday. Kate Geraghty In contrast in Melbourne, a protest by 5000 people at Flinders Street Station on Monday night was without clashes, though there were reported chants of From the river to the sea among the crowd. There was one arrest, after a woman allegedly burnt two flags and caused minor damage to a tram stop. Herzog is due in Melbourne on Thursday, where again he will be greeted with protest. While federally, and at state level, laws have been enacted to target hate speech and its symbols, the clash of unruly grievance and fresh grief, in this specific context, played out on the streets serves no one. To shout Globalise the intifada or From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free (thus negating in some peoples minds Israels existence) turns grievance into callous disregard for the grief emanating from December 14. This is a malign thread in contrast to the legitimate protesting of Israels conduct in Gaza following Hamas massacre on October 7, 2023. Police and demonstrators clashed during protests in Sydney against Herzogs visit. Dean Sewell The correct response for governments here is in the balance. In Queensland, the state has over-reached in its penalties. On Tuesday, legislation was introduced into parliament under which the public display or uttering in public of those phrases will become a criminal offence, earning up to two years jail. Advertisement Related Article Visual story Israeli-Palestinian conflict How a protest in the heart of Sydney descended into bloody chaos In Victoria, Premier Jacinta Allan has described the right to protest as a very important tenet of our democratic society but warned that people had a duty to protest without putting others at risk. The state government has moved to curb dangerous behaviour, acting to give police greater powers relating to removal of protesters masks and banning attachment devices such as ropes, glue and locks, but it has rejected calls for other restrictions such as the introduction of a permit system for protests or banning them. What we are doing here in Victoria is taking the advice of the chief commissioner of Victoria Police, and his advice is that protest bans are not required here in Victoria, Allan said on Tuesday, in the aftermath of Sydneys protests. And we have seen that banning protests does not stop protests. On the eve of Herzogs visit, Victoria Police said it respected the right for people to protest lawfully. However, we expect that they do so peacefully. On Wednesday police were granted special powers under terrorism legislation in preparation for Herzogs visit, allowing officers to stop and search vehicles or people in public places, seize items and detain people as a preventative measure. The special powers will apply to areas Herzog intends to visit and are not designed to impact on a planned protest starting at Flinders Street at 5pm. Allan asked anyone planning to bring hurt, or pain or grief to the streets of Melbourne to stay home. The states new anti-vilification laws may come into focus. However, last December, Chief Commissioner Mike Bush said police had considered whether Globalise the intifada had reached the threshold for the law to be exercised and that it was not quite at that level. At some point it could become a test case, he said. Advertisement Related Article Israeli-Palestinian conflict Herzog Melbourne protest as it happened: Israeli president faces protests in final leg of controversial trip Herzogs visit, in its extending of solidarity to Australias Jewish community, has also shown a strata of bedrock that is a foundation of this country, that is the right to protest, with all its issues and complexities. It behoves those exercising that right to do so peacefully, without hate. Anger (at one countrys actions) and hatred are not the same thread. Hatred has no place on our streets. Start the day with a summary of the days most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter. Advertisement NationalWACourts Bouncer brothers sentenced over chilling assault at Scarborough bar Rebecca Peppiatt February 11, 2026 3:48pm Save 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 A A A Two security guards who were arrested after they repeatedly punched a man and assaulted two women during an altercation at Scarboroughs Lookout Bar last April have been spared jail time after a magistrate heard they were likely suffering from PTSD as a result of a traumatic childhood in Bosnia. Enver and Nezir Ibrahimovic were arrested and charged after an incident began with a patron spilling water on the dance floor at the venue. He then began kicking it and sliding around, which led to him being escorted from the premises. Loading An altercation then ensued with one of the brothers mounting the victim and punching his head repeatedly. He was then additionally punched twice and kicked in the head. A woman nearby allegedly filmed the incident on her iPhone. Nezir Ibrahimovic is then alleged to have taken the phone off her and assaulted her in the process, the court heard. Advertisement The victim was later treated for injuries to his head and face at Joondalup Health Campus. He had cuts to his lips and bruising on his face. It was a gross abuse of their position in security, prosecutors said. The level of force used was excessive. Nezir Ibrahimovic was charged with two counts of common assault, assault occasioning bodily harm and a charge of stealing in relation to a mobile phone that was being used to record the incident. He pleaded not guilty to stealing the mobile phone and will be taking the matter to trial next month. Advertisement Enver Ibrahimovic was charged with assault occasioning bodily harm. On Wednesday, during their sentencing, the court heard the brothers actions were out of character and likely as a result of repressed childhood trauma due to growing up in war-torn Bosnia. Enver and Nezir Ibrahimovic leaving Perth Magistrates Court last year. Rebecca Peppiat Each wrote the court letters of apology, acknowledging that their actions were disproportionate and that they regret the harm caused to the victim. The magistrate, who viewed the footage, said it was chilling before telling the men the incident may have been a blessing in disguise as she learned that they had used the incident to take up counselling to address problems from the past. Advertisement You both experienced overwhelming trauma as very young boys, the magistrate said. Your village was close to the border and was the first to be attacked in the war. You fled and had to hide in the woods, and both sets of grandparents were murdered in what were no doubt unspeakable circumstances. You continued to live in Bosnia for some 12 months with a family in a house that only had two rooms for both families and then fled to Switzerland while your father stayed as part of the war. The brothers and their family then came to Australia as refugees. They were each given an intensive supervision order for 12 months and ordered to pay $500 fines to each of the victims, as well as court costs. Emergency services were called to daycare centres across WA 178 times in the 2024 - 2025 financial year, new figures show. And a child was locked out or inside the centre, taken away or unaccounted for 281 times. According to the Productivity Commissions latest report, a total of 2286 serious incidents were reported, largely relating to illness, trauma or injury, slightly up from 2154 in the previous financial year. And from 2017 to 2018, that figure has jumped by more than 68 per cent. Opposition Education Minister Liam Staltari said the data was deeply concerning. Parents expect their children to be safe and well-supervised and sadly these figures do not meet that expectation, he said. The Minister has been quick to claim that the safeguards are working but when WA leads the nation on incidents tied to confirmed breaches its impossible to draw that conclusion. Mother-of-two and spokeswoman for Childcare Choice Jen Fleming said the new figures were a reminder that parents should not be forced to override their instincts. My heart goes out to all those parents who were forced to for financial reasons and who are now dealing with the trauma of realising their babies were in unsafe environments, she said. The new data comes after the WA Ombudsmans annual report, released late last year, revealed childcare misconduct reports in the state had jumped by over 40 per cent. That report showed 261 notifications were made by early education and care providers in the last financial year. Six related to alleged sexual offences three in the Perth metropolitan area, two in the South West and one in the Peel region. Acting Deputy Ombudsman Alison Cameron said the increase reflected a stronger reporting culture across the childcare sector, rather than a rise in abuse. Theyre aware of behaviours before they escalate, which is crucial. Staff are picking up some of the grooming-type behaviours earlier and have robust systems in place. Thats a positive thing. Advertisement PoliticsFederalPolitical leadership Taylor poised to become Liberal leader as Ley backers lose hope Paul Sakkal and Nick Newling Updated February 12, 2026 6:44pm ,first published February 12, 2026 8:07am Save 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 A A A Angus Taylor is poised to take on the enormous task of reviving the Liberal Party, as backers of Opposition Leader Sussan Ley lose hope and lament the rejection of a peace offering that would have seen Ley stand down in coming months to create an orderly transition and avoid a coup. As Taylor declared the partys future was at stake, momentum swung hard towards the challenger over the course of Thursday. Eight members of Leys shadow ministry, including James McGrath, who voted for Ley over Taylor last year, quit and declared no confidence in her leadership. Angus Taylor Dominic Lorrimer Unaligned MPs had been wary of toppling Ley but have this week swung towards Taylor, saying the current leader had failed to demonstrate in private conversations how she would turn around the partys terrible polling numbers. The powerbroker who has guided Taylors strategy and helped force Andrew Hastie out of the race, James Paterson, held a solo press conference in Canberra and laid out a brutal assessment of Leys leadership while acknowledging his own share of blame for the Coalitions historically poor polling. Advertisement Related Article National News Live Australia news as it happened: Angus Taylor to challenge Sussan Ley for Liberal Party leadership tomorrow; Israeli President arrives in Melbourne At the last election almost 5 million Australians voted for us. They put their trust in us. Over the last nine months, according to the most recent opinion polls, 2.1 million of those people have since deserted the Coalition, Paterson said, admitting Ley had been dealt a bad hand. Thats more than 200,000 votes a month. Its more than 50,000 votes a week. Its more than 7,000 votes a day. This cannot go on. If it goes on, therell be nothing left of the Liberal Party by the next election. Optimistic conservatives hoped they could win by a margin of about 10 votes as MPs sniff the wind and back the likely winner. Leys allies hoped they could be behind by as few as two votes, but one conceded that even if the remaining handful of swing voters backed Ley, she would still fall short. Tips on a leadership challenge Angus Taylor speaks to Nationals MP Colin Boyce on Thursday morning. Boyce challenged his own leader recently. Alex Ellinghausen Advertisement If an initial spill motion is to succeed by a big margin in Fridays 9am meeting in Canberra, Leys supporters are not certain if she will stand against Taylor in the subsequent vote. This would potentially push the Moderates to put up a candidate such as Tim Wilson. Labor ministers went one-by-one savaging Taylor in question time, treating him as the effective opposition leader and attacking the Liberals for trying to depose their first female leader. Leys allies claimed the bitterness and public disapproval caused by the leadership challenge could have been avoided. Two MPs close to Ley, not willing to speak on the record, said factional ally Alex Hawke and leading Moderates had in recent days and weeks told right-wingers to ditch plans for a spill. They pleaded to give Ley until after the budget in May. After that, if her polling numbers failed to rise, they suggested she would voluntarily quit and hand over the job. One senior right-winger told this masthead they believed the offer from the Moderates but not from Hawke, and that the case for change was so significant that the spill had to occur quickly. Angus Taylor resigned from the opposition front bench on Wednesday evening. Alex Ellinghausen Advertisement Taylor spent Thursday talking to colleagues. He was determined not to do deals with MPs to offer them promotions in return for their vote, as Ley was alleged to have done last year. Related Article Analysis Political leadership The Liberal Party leader from central casting: Who is Angus Taylor? In a social media video posted mid-morning on Thursday, Taylor said: Im running to be the leader of the Liberal Party because I believe that Australia is worth fighting for. Im dedicated to serving you, the Australian people, and give you a strong alternative that re-enlivens the great Australian dream, he said, signing off by warning, were running out of time. His supporters flagged a more muscular conservative agenda in contrast to Leys stated appeal to shift to the centre. Advertisement Related Article Political Sketch Political leadership Taylor versus Ley, the sequel, shapes up as a box-office bomb Former Howard government minister Amanda Vanstone criticised Taylors move on social media, saying: Angus Taylor. Shadow Treasurer 2022 to 25 ... And he says libs havent held government to account ... Whats his explanation for his failure? The MPs who quit Leys frontbench on Thursday, in order of the time of their announcements, were: Claire Chandler, Matt OSullivan, Phil Thompson (who formally called for the spill along with backbencher Jess Collins), Jonno Duniam (a significant move because he had supported Hastie to become leader), Paterson, Michaelia Cash, James McGrath and Dan Tehan. The field for the partys deputy leader position could be crowded. Victorian Moderate senator Jane Hume is being backed by a number of Taylors supporters. Melissa Price, Zoe McKenzie, Tehan and Wilson are all either certain or possible contenders. Incumbent Ted OBrien may hold on, but Hume is seen as a top rival. Wilson is being talked about as a potential shadow treasurer a role currently held by OBrien. Advertisement Advertisement PoliticsNSWObituaries Written off after a head injury, Nick became a fighting force for thousands Wendy Carlisle February 11, 2026 11:50am Save 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 A A A Nicholas Rushworth 1964-2026 Nick Rushworth began his professional career as a journalist, but it was a near-fatal bicycle accident which set him on a new path as a champion for the 700,000 Australians living with brain injuries. Riding to his shift as a radio producer at Sydneys ABC in 1996, Rushworth was hit by a car on Parramatta Road. I was catapulted over the bonnet and took the full force of the impact near my right ear. I pretty much fractured my skull right around, he later said. Advertisement Motor vehicle accidents are the second most common cause of traumatic brain injury. Rushworths injuries were severe, and his life hung in the balance. The accident was devastating to us at the ABC, said health broadcaster Dr Norman Swan, who at the time was presenting the Radio National show Life Matters with Geraldine Doogue. Rushworth was their producer. Swan said he possessed the sharpest intelligence in the room. And while he had the necessary calm required in the febrile atmosphere of live radio, it wasnt a Valium calm. Beware when Nick got fired up, he could flip into attack. Just what you want in a journalist, Swan said. Advertisement Nick Rushworth: an extraordinary advocate, teacher, friend and mentor. Rushworths road to recovery was lifelong and left him with an emotional dysregulation, but he believed he was meant to survive that day to help others. Nick had all the stars lined up for the best recovery, said Dr Reina Michaelson, his wife. His parents were medical professionals: mother Patricia, a gynaecologist, father Robin, a neurosurgeon. His accident was minutes from Camperdowns Royal Prince Alfred, a major teaching hospital. Recovering on the ward, what Rushworth witnessed had a profound impact. He saw young men who had killed half their mates in a car accident, and no one wanted to know them, except their mothers and daughters, Michaelson said. He wanted to help them. After leaving hospital, Rushworths neuropsychologist threw him a bomb. He told him he had probably lost 30 IQ points, so dont expect to do the job you had before. Advertisement He was basically written off, said Michaelson. But when he walked out of the appointment, Michaelson said he saw the most spectacular sunset of his life and thought, that is not me. Rushworth did return to journalism and worked as a producer at Channel Nines Sunday program. Later he volunteered at the small charity Brain Injury Australia and in 2008 became its executive officer, transforming it into Australias preeminent brain injury advocacy organisation. Central to his mission was improving the lived-experiences of his community. He pushed the importance of a no-fault insurance scheme for brain injured people in the NDIS; he spoke of the hidden toll of brain injury in women affected by domestic violence; he recognised the risk mild traumatic brain injury posed for those playing contact and collision sport; he collaborated with veterans campaigning for recognition for brain injury sustained in combat and training; he was a researcher on the governments Traumatic Brain Injury Initiative; he wrote policy papers; collaborated with national and international scientists, his articles appearing in the scientific journals. He was organising the 10th Australian Brain Injury conference at the time of his unexpected death on January 27, aged 61. I knew him at the ABC, where you could hear him first, his baritone voice booming down corridors. He was always ready with a fresh insight into the days stories. Advertisement Nick Rushworth and his wife Reina Michaelson who said, above all, he wanted to be known as a great dad. Years later I got to know him as a freelance journalist specialising in brain injury in sport and was impressed by his verve, knowledge and care. In 2024, at the annual brain injury conference in Adelaide, I asked him why he had chosen to hold it at the historic Adelaide Oval, the home ground of the AFLs Adelaide Crows. He looked at me: Huh? It gave us the best deal of all the stupid questions Ive been asked! he muttered. Then he seized the free kick. Yes, yes it was a thematic choice! It was to yoke together things around concussion and the treatment of traumatic brain injury, and these cathedrals we build to neurotrauma, he said, gesturing expansively to the verdant green oval in front of us. Now thats f---in poetry right there, and I said it, and if you quote it without my name, I will sue you. Swan said, Nick was Brain Injury Australia. He moulded it, he was determined to make a difference, and he did. He established a massive network of the top people in Australia and the world on this subject matter, said former AMA president Dr Mukesh Haikerwal. Advertisement Haikerwal, who sustained an acquired brain injury after he was assaulted, rang Rushworth and asked him if he had any resources to help him write thank-you notes to people. He proceeded to recruit Haikerwal as a subject expert onto the BIA board, where he remains today. Above all, he wanted to be known as a great dad, said Michaelson. He would attend his children, Blake and Madeleines Tai Kwon Do events, and always with his laptop. Hed sit on the sidelines and watch and support while he would bang away on the keyboard. He destroyed that many keyboards he typed so hard! People would look over at him and say, Who is that man? Nick Rushworth with wife Reina and children Blake and Madeleine. He attended every training session and game for Blake and when their team, the AFL Inner West Magpies won the 2025 Premiership, it was the proudest moment of his life. Advertisement As ever the lived experience of brain injury survivors was to be at the forefront of this years conference that Rushworth was organising, with sexual health after brain injury on the agenda. Haikerwal said these topics would frequently cause some discomfort for clinicians, but that did not concern Nick. He expected high standards, and he let you know if you were lagging, Haikerwal said. There has been an outpouring of tributes following his death: An extraordinary advocate, teacher, friend and mentor; he lifted the lid on brain injury; the funniest and most charismatic of characters. And there were messages from those he had helped in their darkest moments. I recall leaving a message on Nicks phone, thinking afterwards most likely I will never receive a call back but I was wrong. Nick made several calls to me when I was at the lowest point in my life. Nick was my lifeline said another. Rushworth during his time as a journalist won numerous awards including a Silver World Medal at the 2003 New York Festival, a National Press Club award and a TV Week Logie. Advertisement Rushworth is survived by Reina, Madeleine 19, and Blake 15, his mother Patricia and siblings Simon, Louise and Sonja. A service will be held at Christ Church St Laurence on February 12. Wendy Carlisle is a writer and former ABC journalist. Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Share License this article More: Obituaries Disability ABC CANBERRA, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- Nanoplastic exposure can impair the learning and decision-making abilities of fish, potentially threatening marine ecosystems, a study led by researchers from China and Australia showed. The study explored the impact of nanoplastics on the cognition and adaptability of the marine medaka (Oryzias melastigma), said a statement from Australia's Charles Darwin University (CDU) on Wednesday. The team from China's Shantou University, the Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences in Guangdong, China, and CDU's Research Institute for Northern Agriculture (RINA) compared the behavior of marine medaka exposed to spherical polystyrene nanoplastics to that of non-exposed ones when placed in a maze. While the overall maze navigation time was unaffected, the exposed medaka made significantly more errors and tended to make decisions faster, according to the findings published in the journal Marine Pollution Bulletin. A shift to impulsive decision-making increased the likeliness in species making maladaptive choices during foraging or when encountering predators, said study co-author and RINA Professor of Tropical Aquaculture Sunil Kadri. Nanoplastic-altered fish behavior could hinder food capture, predator avoidance, mating and spawning -- the core requirements for survival, Kadri said. "This could mean the breakdown of marine ecosystems, and we rely on them heavily," Kadri said, calling for stronger policies to curb plastic marine pollution and safeguard fisheries. Co-author Zhang Zonghang from Shantou University warned that nanoplastics' small size makes them more likely to infiltrate organs and cells, amplifying their toxic effects. Plastics comprise 80 to 85 percent of marine litter and break down into nanoplastics under ultraviolet light and low temperatures. Advertisement PoliticsWATraffic incident Father of Mitchell Freeway crash victim says son had his whole life ahead of him Hamish Hastie and Amber Wilkinson February 12, 2026 5:00am Save 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 A A A The shattered father of a 24-year-old man who died after a wrong-way collision on Mitchell Freeway on Sunday night says his son was full of life and had his whole life ahead of him. Qualified ceiling fixer Kaleb Brunsdon was driving his Izuzu ute southbound on the northbound lanes of the Mitchell Freeway when he and a Toyota Yaris hatchback heading north collided about 11.25pm. Loading The 56-year-old female driver of the Yaris died at the scene while Brunsdon was taken to Joondalup Health Campus where he later died. Two occupants of an MG MG4 hatchback were also injured in the incident. Speaking to 9News Perth, Brunsdons father Kane said it was an absolute tragedy that he couldnt believe when he was first told. Advertisement He was such a wonderful young man just finished his apprenticeship, just bought a house and he was moving in the right direction, he said. He was such a great kid, full of life, always helping people out and always wanted to do things for himself. Main Roads installed larger No Right Turn signs and large diagonal markings at the Romeo Road Mitchell Freeway offramp in Alkimos after the death of Johnny Gray. 9 News Perth There was no holding him back when he set his mind to something, like getting this house behind us, and he finally achieved it. Kane said he wanted his son to be remembered as a wonderful young boy that set his mind to achieve something and he just achieved it. Advertisement There was no holding him back. Kaleb Brunsdon,24, died after his ute collided with a Yaris on the Mitchell Freeway on Sunday night. Facebook/CFMEU The CFMEU also led a tribute to Brunsdon with one minute of silence at worksites across the state on Tuesday. Kaleb was one of our Union family, a young worker with his whole future ahead of him. Kalebs passing has devastated his family, his loved ones and friends, and all of us who had the privilege of knowing and working alongside him, the union said. The crash is the second wrong-way collision to claim lives on the far northern stretch of Mitchell Freeway in five months and has thrust the off-ramp to Romeo Road into the spotlight once again. Advertisement Perth grandfather Johnny Gray, 60, died after his pink classic Chevrolet crashed into another vehicle as he was travelling the wrong way down the freeway at night after turning onto the off-ramp at Romeo Road in Alkimos. With a police investigation still under way, it is unclear if Brunsdon entered the freeway on the Romeo Road off-ramp, but Kane said: Something needs to be done to prevent any more tragedies. Two people have died after a head-on crash involving three cars on the Mitchell Freeway in Perth. Night News Despite an internal investigation into the Romeo Road intersection finding it met safety standards, Main Roads installed significant signage and road marking updates after Grays death Friends of Grays told 9News Perth the Romeo Road intersection needed to be altered further to prevent people from being able to turn down the Mitchell Freeway off-ramp. Advertisement The Cook government is now facing calls from the opposition to release the results of an investigation by Main Roads into Romeo Road and the Mitchell Freeway terminus following Grays death. Related Article Police Another horror head-on crash throws spotlight on northern stretch of Mitchell Freeway Opposition transport minister Steve Martin said in October Police Minister Reece Whitby vowed the government would follow any lessons from a Main Roads investigation into Grays crash. So, were calling on the state government to outline what lessons were learned and explain what was done to address the identified problem ahead of this latest collision, he said. The public deserves to know whether this latest incident could have been avoided. Advertisement Both Main Roads and the government said the investigation found the existing pavement markings and signage were found to comply with Main Roads and Australian standards and practices. Despite this, Main Roads installed larger No Right Turn signs at the intersection, and painted thick lines in the middle of the intersection. The new signs and markings were designed to keep vehicles heading east on Romeo Road away from the off-ramp and funnel them toward the southbound on-ramp 160 metres away. The off-ramp already had Wrong Way Go Back signs installed. The government ignored questions about the oppositions demand to make the findings public, but a spokeswoman for Transport Minister Rita Saffioti reiterated that Main Roads took action after the October crash. Advertisement Main Roads investigated the October incident and took action to improve safety at the Romeo Road off-ramp by installing larger No Right Turn signs and additional diagonal line road markings, she said. The Cook government takes road safety very seriously and is committed to maintaining a safe road network across WA. The spokeswoman declined to comment on Sundays crash, but said there would be a further investigation by Main Roads WA. The incident on Mitchell Freeway on Sunday night was a tragedy, and our thoughts are with the families of those who lost their lives, she said. It is premature to comment on the latest incident as it is still under investigation by WA Police. Main Roads will also conduct its own investigation, which will determine if any further changes are needed. Advertisement The City of Wanneroo declined to comment, directing questions to Main Roads WA. Start the day with a summary of the days most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter. Advertisement InspirationFrance The newest tourist attraction in Paris was never supposed to be one Steve McKenna February 12, 2026 5:00am Save 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 A A A And were off, gliding up and bobbing along, my eyes darting around the pod as we gain altitude. Cable-car rides always stir my excitement, especially in France, where snowy peaks and chocolate-box-pretty villages usually vie for your attention. But thats not on the cards today because this cable car isnt in the Alps. Instead, it soars on the edge of Paris. Riding Paris surreal new cable car. Getty Images Cable C1, the first cable car in the Ile-de-France region. Getty Images Stretching 4.5 kilometres on the south-eastern fringes of Frances capital, Cable C1 was built principally for commuters. But since opening in December, its become something of a visitor attraction for Parisians and overseas tourists alike. A bargain at 2 ($3.50) a ride, it has 105 pods in operation and the queues are a fraction of those leading to the Eiffel Tower and Sacre-Coeur basilica two of the landmarks you can just about make out in the distance if you take this, Europes longest urban cable car, on a clear day. While passengers enjoyed fairytale, white-powdered vistas during the frigid first week of January when snow tumbled across Western Europe, the scenery is normally as un-Alpine as you could imagine. Despite a few hilly neighbourhoods, such as Montmartre and Belleville, Paris is a fairly flat city and this unremarkable topography extends through most of the metropolitan sprawl. Advertisement Stretching 4.5 kilometres on the south-eastern fringes of Frances capital, Cable C1 was built principally for commuters. Alamy Sign up for the Traveller Deals newsletter Get exclusive travel deals delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up now. The terrain, however, undulates slightly more here in the Val-de-Marne, a departement named after the river that meets the Seine and where planners decided a 138 million ($240 million) cable car was more practical and cost-effective than constructing new bridges or underground tunnels. Expected to carry 11,000 passengers a day, it joins a string of other recently completed infrastructure projects, including rail lines and subway extensions that aim to better integrate the wealthy city with its previously neglected banlieues (suburbs) and satellite towns. Cable C1 links the Pointe du Lac interchange at Creteil, a university town at the end of Metro Line 8 (its a half-hour trip from Bastille), with Villa Nova, a quiet residential quarter above the Seine-side town of Villeneuve-Saint-Georges. The 20-minute journey is not classically photogenic, but I find it fun and surreal floating above the routes blend of industrial grit, nature and suburbia. The cable car takes you over a thronging multi-lane highway. Steve McKenna We swoop over a thronging multi-lane highway the traffic noise muffled by the pods decent soundproofing and we glide by tidy houses, residential towers, offices, supermarkets, factories, smoking chimneys, storage units, woodlands, reservoirs and railway tracks. I spot a TGV train tilting along at rapid speed. Almost as fast are the flocks of birds flapping by the cable car pylons. Advertisement Were moving at six metres per second (or 21.6 kilometres an hour). Things are largely smooth, but they get a bit nervier (OK, more exciting) as we drop, bump and grind down to the three stations. The most alluring, La Vegetale, means vegetable or plant in French, and is part of a burgeoning green corridor landscaped with new trees, seasonally blooming plants and foot and cycle paths. Cabin interior. Ile-de-France Mobilites You can bring bikes, strollers and wheelchairs onto the 10-seater pods, which are similar, design-wise, to the modern ones studding Europes ski resorts. Ours is half-full. Im sharing it with a student, a uniformed transport worker and two identically dressed tourists taking snaps of each other with the changing backdrops. Like that endearing pair, I ride non-stop to Villa Nova, where theres no danger of altitude sickness. Its perched at an elevation of 86 metres, wedged between agricultural fields and nondescript 20th-century apartments spruced up with large-scale contemporary murals. Artist impression of La Vegetale Station, with a newly landscaped green corridor. Advertisement Id be lying if I said Villa Nova was a must-visit, but as is so often the case with travel, its the journey, not the destination, that counts. After stretching my legs, I hop back on the cable car, keen for more perspectives of Paris urban melange. Im also daydreaming of a caffeine hit back in the city when a fellow passenger American pipes up. You know, they could do with a nice cafe at that station, she says, wisely, as our pod rises skywards. THE DETAILS Related Article France Beyond the Louvre: 10 other must-visit Paris museums FLY You can fly to Paris from Sydney and Melbourne via Doha with Qatar Airways. See qatarairways.com RIDE Separate tickets are needed to ride the Metro and Cable C1 (which requires the same ticket as Paris buses and trams). Both can be purchased on the official Bonjour RATP app or with the rechargeable Navigo smart cards available at station ticket offices and machines. See ratp.fr Advertisement MORE parisjetaime.com france.fr The writer travelled at his own expense. Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Share License this article More: France Europe Paris Steve McKenna is based in the UK, but is usually drawn to sunnier climes. He has a special affection for Mediterranean Europe, south-east Asia and Latin America. Traveller Guides WASHINGTON, Feb. 10, 2026 -- Today, the District Department of Transportation (DDOT) announced the Neighborhood Curbside Electric Vehicle (EV) Charging Station Pilot, which will inform regulation updates and demonstrate guidelines for a permit program for private vendors to install, operate, and maintain curbside EV charging stations in the District's public right-of-way. The pilot is being deployed in partnership with the EV charging company, it's electric , and funded by a federal grant awarded to the company. it's electric will install, operate, and maintain sixteen (16) curbside chargers serving two (2) adjacent parking spaces in eight (8) locations in the District one location in each Ward. The first location is open in Ward 1 next to The Festival Center (1640 Columbia Rd NW) on Mozart Pl NW . This and all future locations have been carefully reviewed to ensure safety, accessibility, and compatibility with other street uses. The remaining seven (7) locations will be installed in the coming months. "The District is committed to becoming carbon neutral and climate resilient by 2045. To achieve this, DDOT is working to make it easier for someone to choose sustainable transportation options," said DDOT Director Sharon Kershbaum. "By implementing this Pilot, DDOT can foster experimentation around urban electrification to help cities across the country accelerate the learning curve for curbside EV charging deployments." "These chargers are a meaningful step toward expanding transportation electrification in DC and cements DDOT's reputation as an agency that embraces pilot partnerships. From EV charging to E-bike battery swapping, DDOT is delivering innovative transportation infrastructure that demonstrates what cities must do to create sustainable, livable neighborhoods," said Judy Chang, Project Director for it's electric. "We have so much to be proud of here." "We are excited to partner with DDOT and it's electric to bring convenient charging to our neighborhood," said Bill Mefford, Executive Director at The Festival Center. "The Festival Center is a hub for mission-driven groups, and we are thrilled to extend our commitment to our community all the way to the curb. it's electric's business model allows us as the property owner to share in the revenue, which we then can re-invest in our other initiatives." These are single-port Level-2 chargers that require users to bring their own charging cable. District residents can request a free cable via the it's electric app ( https://www.itselectric.us/for-drivers ). Cables are delivered between 1-3 business days. Advisory Neighborhood Commissions (ANCs) have been part of the process of determining the best locations, and Ward Councilmember offices and residents on the street block of the charger location will be notified by it's electric on how to request their free cable. This Pilot represents a milestone in the District's efforts to expand access to publicly accessible EV charging infrastructure and to incentivize District residents to switch to zero-emission vehicles. The Pilot's progress will be monitored and posted here: https://sustainability.ddot.dc.gov/pages/pilotprojects . About it's electric Millions of drivers lack home or private garages and cannot transition to electric vehicles due to the lack of on-street charging. it's electric accelerates the adoption of EVs with its scalable and simple curbside charging solution ensuring that every community has access to clean, sustainable transportation options. Building owners and drivers who would like to see a charger on their block (in Los Angeles and beyond) and drivers who would like to receive their cable can put the process in motion via it's electric's waitlist itselectric.us/join. To learn more about it's electric, please visit https://www.itselectric.us. MIAMI, Feb. 10, 2026 -- Boats Group today announced it will serve as the exclusive sponsor of the NMMA B2B Member Lounge at the Miami International Boat Show, reaffirming its commitment to supporting NMMA members and advancing solutions that help boat builders and their dealer networks drive demand for new boats. As a key gathering for the marine industry, the Miami International Boat Show brings together OEMs, dealers, and industry leaders from across the market. Boats Group is sponsoring the NMMA B2B Member Lounge to support NMMA members and be present with OEMs during an important industry event. The B2B Member Lounge will be open during the first two days of the show and located on the fourth floor of the Miami Beach Convention Center, in the pre-function area outside the Sunset Ballroom, on the Pride Park side of the venue. "There is an ongoing conversation in the industry about how and where new boats are being discovered and purchased," said Courtney Chalmers, Chief Brand & Communications Officer at Boats Group. "We believe it's important to ground that conversation in data. Boats Group marketplaces play a meaningful role in driving qualified demand for new inventory, and we're proud to support a space where NMMA members can connect and engage around the future of the industry." Data from Boats Group marketplaces shows that consumers who submit a lead on a Boats Group site and ultimately purchase a boat are twice as likely to buy new as the industry average. This insight underscores the value Boats Group delivers to boat builders by connecting them with high-intent buyers earlier in the purchase journey and supporting dealer networks as they convert interest into new-boat sales. Boats Group's marketing solutions are designed specifically to support OEM objectives, helping builders increase visibility for new models, strengthen dealer performance, and make more informed decisions using marketplace-driven insights. As buyer behavior continues to evolve, Boats Group remains focused on ensuring its platforms and solutions align with the needs of manufacturers bringing new products to market. The lounge's location adjacent to the Sunset Ballroom, home to the Industry Breakfast that attracts more than 700 OEM and industry attendees annually, places it at the center of key industry activity throughout the show. Boats Group looks forward to welcoming NMMA members to the lounge and continuing conversations around how the industry can collectively drive new boat growth. Through its sponsorship of the NMMA B2B Member Lounge, Boats Group reinforces its role as a committed partner to NMMA and to the boat builders and dealer networks working to grow and strengthen the marine industry. About Boats Group Boats Group operates the world's leading online marketplaces for buying and selling boats, including Boat Trader , YachtWorld , and boats.com . With a global audience of millions of boat buyers, Boats Group provides data-driven marketing solutions, AI-driven tools, financing services, and industry insights to help OEMs, dealers, and brokers maximize their sales potential. BANGKOK, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- A gunman broke into a school in Songkhla Province of Thailand on Wednesday afternoon, causing injuries, Thai media reports said. 117 hectares 19 R land for Coal toChemical project in Kalmeshwar Staff Reporter : THE Maharashtra Cabinet on Tuesday approved the allocation of 117 hectares 19 R of land at Mauja Linga, ( Taluka Kalmeshwar) in Nagpur district for the ambitious industrial project Coal to Chemical (CTL). The meeting was chaired by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. This project will give a boost to industrial development in Vidarbha and will provide employment opportunities on a large scale. This land will be given to the occupants on Class-II lien with possession as per the prevailing market value.The necessary terms and conditions set by the Government will be applicable while allocating the land. The Coal to Chemical (CTL) project will give a boost to the coal-based chemical industry, increase industrial investment and help in increasing infrastructure, ancillary industrie and local employment opportunities in the Nagpur-Vidarbha area. This project will be important on the industrial map of Vidarbha. Bawankule secures Cabinet nod for industrial leap in Vid This landmark decision paves the way for the long-awaited ambitious project, which has progressed significantly due to the persistent efforts and follow-up by Revenue Minister and Nagpur Guardian Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule. His proactive intervention helped resolve technical and procedural challenges in the land allocation process, enabling the Revenue Department to grant swift approval. Chandrashekhar Bawankule said, Under the leadership of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, the Government has accorded the highest priority to industrial growth in order to transform Nagpur district. This decision will give new hope and strength to the dreams of more than 30,000 young people in the region. The project will also ensure optimal and sustainable utilisation of Vidarbhas natural resources. The project will utilise approximately 290 acres of land to produce chemicals from coal, with full adherence to environmental standards and norms. It is expected to generate substantial direct and indirect employment opportunities, benefiting thousands of youths in Kalmeshwar, Katol, Nagpur, and surrounding areas of Vidarbha. The Coal to Chemical project is regarded as a game-changer for employment generation and industrial progress in Vidarbha. Revised budget for Pimpalshenda Micro Irrigation Scheme The Maharashtra Cabinet on Tuesday gave administrative approval to the revised budget of Rs 6.60 crore for the Micro Irrigation Scheme (M.I.S.) at Mauje Pimpalshenda in Murtijapur taluka of Akola district. This will provide irrigation to 255 hectares. This scheme was completed in 1981 by the Water Resources Department and its designed irrigation capacity is 491 hectares. The water storage of the dam is 2620 cubic meters. In the year 2021-22, this scheme was transferred from the Water Resources Department to the Water Conservation Department. Due to long-term use and natural siltation, the efficiency of the scheme has decreased, which has necessitated repairs. After the repairs are completed, about 40 million cubic meters of water storage will be available again in an efficient form. This scheme is expected to provide regular and adequate water supply for irrigation to the farmers in the area, thereby increasing agricultural production. With the approval of the amendment to the Pimpleshenda Micro Irrigation Scheme, water security for agriculture in Murtijapur taluka will be strengthened. Work on 57 irrigation projects in State on track The State Cabinet on Tuesday approved a decision to take a loan of Rs 15,000 crore from NABARD to complete 57 incomplete irrigation projects in the State, improve canals and distribution system. The meeting was chaired by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. This will bring eight lakh hectares of land under irrigation in the State. The decision to take a loan of Rs 15,000 crore from financial institutions to complete the irrigation projects under construction in the State was taken in the cabinet meeting on August 7, 2019. Out of this, the decision to take a loan of Rs 7,500 crore in the first phase from NABARD was taken in the State Cabinet meeting on March 11, 2024. Now, approval has been given on Tuesday to take a loan of the remaining Rs 7,500 crore from NABARD. Accordingly, a combined revised approval has been given to take a loan of Rs 15,000 crore to complete 57 incomplete irrigation projects in the state and improve the distribution system of 193 completed projects. After the completion of all the irrigation projects, about eight lakh hectares of land in the State will come under irrigation. Out of Rs 15,000 crores, Rs 8, 982.76 crore has been proposed for the completion of 57 incomplete irrigation projects and Rs 6,017.24 crore for the improvement of canals and distribution systems of 193 completed irrigation projects. This was also approved in the meeting. 16,308 students appear for Std XII English paper Staff Reporter : The Class 12 Board examinations, conducted by the Madhya Pradesh Board of Secondary Education (MPBSE), commenced on Tuesday with all transparency amidst tight security on Tuesday. A total of 16,308 students appeared for their English language paper from 99 examination centres established at the urban and rural areas in the district. According to the official reports, the examination was conducted in a peaceful and highly organised manner across all designated centers in the district, with zero cases of academic malpractice or cheating reported. Sharing a comprehensive breakdown of the students participation, District Education Officer (DEO), Ghanshyam Soni informed that a total of 99 examination centres including 49 in Jabalpur urban areas and 52 in rural areas, were established throughout the district to facilitate the process. A total of 16,516 students were registered for Class XII examination in the district out of whom 16,308 appeared for the exam on Tuesday while 208 remained absent. A total of 10,695 students appeared in urban centres while 184 remained absent whereas 5,613 attended the exam from rural centres while 24 remained absent. To ensure the integrity of the examination, several flying squads (inspection teams) were deployed under the leadership of DEO Ghanshyam Soni. These teams conducted surprise inspections at prominent urban institutions including MLB School, Rani Durgavati Girls Higher Secondary School (Ganga Nagar), Sandipani School (Medical), Hitkarini Belsingh, Gurunanak Girls Higher Secondary School (Premnagar), Government High School (Rampur), Johnson English Medium School, St. Thomas School and Pandit L.S. Jha Model School. Simultaneously, inspection teams visited the Patan block to monitor rural centers. Additional oversight was provided by Sub-Divisional Magistrates (SDMs) and Block Education Officers (BEOs) across all administrative blocks. The co-ordinated efforts of the district administration resulted in a disciplined environment, with no reported cases of cheating or other irregularities. The District Administration has expressed satisfaction with the smooth execution of the first major paper of the Board session. AG Gujarat, Rajasthan record wins Sports Reporter : AG GUJARAT blanked AG Chhattisgarh while AG Rajasthan stunned runners-up AG Madhya Pradesh to register their first wins in the IA&AD West Zone Football Tournament which is being conducted by the Office of the Accountant General (Audit II), Maharashtra, Nagpur under the patronship of Dattaprasad Shirsat, IAAS, Accountant General. The tournament is being played at South East Central Railway Stadium, Motibagh,. AG Gujarat drubbed Chhattisgarh 3-0. Deepesh Pun of AG Gujarat opened the account when he got a cross from the left flank in front of goal mouth to place it in the goal in 1st minute. Anikit Javalkoti consolidated the lead in the 4th minute when he got a cross from Rohan Kachhap to make it 2-0. In the 2nd half, Digvijaysingh Rathore sealed the fate of the match in favour of AG Gujarat 3-0, in the 61st minute, when he got a feed from Rohan Kachhap to place the ball in the goal. Rohan Kachhap of AG Gujarat was awarded player of the Match. AG Rajasthan shocked AG Madhya Pradesh 2-0 with Ajay Saini scoring a brace. Saini put Rajasthan ahead when he snatched the back pass from Madhya Pradesh near the D and scored the goal in the 1st minute. Saini put the final nail in the coffin with a solo run from 40 yards in the last minute of play. He Saini was awarded player of the match award. Two matches will be played on the third day of the tournament with AG Gujarat taking on AG Rajasthan at 09.00 am and AG Maharashtra locking horns with AG Chhattisgarh at 11.00 am. SYDNEY, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- One child has died and another has been hospitalized after an All-Terrain Vehicle (ATV) rolled over on a rural property in the Australian state of Queensland on Tuesday, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation reported. Emergency services were called after the vehicle that was being driven by a child rolled on a property near the small town of Chinchilla, 250 km west of Brisbane, around 6 p.m. local time on Tuesday. A five-year-old girl who was thrown from the ATV was declared deceased at the scene. A second child, a 9-year-old boy who was driving the vehicle at the time of the incident, was treated by ambulance paramedics before being taken to the hospital in a stable condition. The Queensland Police Service said that officers from the forensic crash unit have commenced an investigation into the incident. Bastar Pandum symbolises regions transformed identity: PM O ur Correspondent : PRIME Minister Narendra Modi has lauded Bastar Pandum, held in Chhattisgarh from February 7 to 9, describing it as a powerful celebration of Bastars rich cultural legacy, tribal traditions and collective spirit. Congratulating all participants and organisers in an official statement, the Prime Minister said such initiatives play a crucial role in preserving Indias cultural heritage while strengthening local communities. Reflecting on Bastars journey, the Prime Minister noted that there was a time when the region was largely associated with Maoism, violence, and developmental challenges. Today, Bastar is carving out a new identityone rooted in peace, development, and the growing self-confidence of its people, he said, expressing confidence that the regions future would be defined by harmony, progress, and cultural pride. Expressing gratitude to the Prime Minister, Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai said that under his visionary leadership and sustained guidance, Bastar has emerged as a strong symbol of inclusive development and cultural resurgence. He stated that Bastar Pandum not only helps preserve tribal customs, folk traditions, and heritage, but also sends a powerful message of peace, trust, and unity. The Chief Minister further highlighted that the positive transformation witnessed in Bastar is the result of coordinated efforts by the Central and State governments. Expansion of road networks, improved access to education and healthcare, enhanced communication facilities, and growing livelihood opportunities have fostered a new environment of trust and public participation. Reaffirming the State governments commitment, Sai said that, under the Prime Ministers guidance, Chhattisgarh will continue to safeguard the traditions and cultural heritage of its tribal communities while steadily taking Bastar to new heights of peace, prosperity, and development. BIS Nagpur Branch and CCI hold collaborative meeting Business Reporter : On The occasion of the Consumer Awareness Bharat Yatras visit to Nagpur, the BIS Nagpur Branch Office organised a collaborative meeting with CCI, which was attended by all officers and staff of BIS Nagpur. The programme began with a warm welcome to Dr Anant Sharma, Founder and National Chairperson, CCI. Hemant B Ade, Director and Head, BIS Nagpur, delivered the welcome address, underscoring the critical role of consumer awareness initiatives in building an informed and vigilant society. Addressing the gathering, Dr Anant Sharma emphasized the objectives and national importance of the Consumer Awareness Bharat Yatra. He elaborated on key provisions of the Consumer Protection Act and sensitized participants about consumer rights and grievance redressal mechanisms. The programme concluded with a vote of thanks by Isha Khurana, Standard Promotion Officer, BIS Nagpur, says a press released here. CG will carve a distinct national identity in knowledge, technology and innovation Staff Reporter : Chhattisgarh is a state rich in natural resources. The objective of the state government is to ensure that Chhattisgarh also establishes a distinct identity across the country in the fields of knowledge, technology and innovation. The Government of Chhattisgarh is moving steadily in this direction to position the state as a leader in knowledge-driven and technology-led development. Driven by modern infrastructure, an effective e-governance framework and investor-friendly policies, Chhattisgarh is today emerging as a reliable and attractive destination for InformationTechnology (IT), IT-enabled services (ITES) and emerging technology-based industries. Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai stated this while addressing a programme held at his official residence on Tuesday, following the signing of an important Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Electronics and Information Technology Department, Government of Chhattisgarh and the Software Technology Parks of India (STPI). The Chief Minister said that this initiative has been undertaken with the aim of fostering entrepreneurship among the youth and providing world-class opportunities in sectors such as IT and ITES within the state itself. Under the MoU, a Centre of Entrepreneurship (CoE) and an Electronics System Design and Development (ESDD) Centre will be established in Chhattisgarh. He explained that through the proposed Centre of Entrepreneurship, innovation and start-ups will be promoted in four key sectorsArtificial Intelligence, forest- and medicinal product-based MedTech, smart city solutions, and smart agriculture. In addition, a state-of-the-art Electronics System Design and Development (ESDD) Centre will be set up, which will provide facilities for product design, prototyping, skill development and capacity building to approximately 30 to 40 hardware start-ups and MSMEs every year. Chief Minister Sai said that this initiative will ensure that the youth of the state have access to incubation, mentorship, funding and advanced laboratories within Chhattisgarh itself. This will help curb the migration of highly skilled youth to larger cities and promote employment and entrepreneurship at the local level. Describing the collaboration with a nationally reputed institution like STPI as highly significant, he noted that STPIs extensive experiencewith 68 centres and 24 sector-specific Centres of Entrepreneurship across the countrywill take Chhattisgarhs start-up and innovation ecosystem to new heights. Expressing confidence, the Chief Minister said that this MoU would prove to be a milestone in the states economic development and would give Chhattisgarh a new identity on the national map in the fields of digital innovation, technological entrepreneurship and start-ups. On the occasion, Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister Subodh Kumar Singh, Secretary of the Electronics and Technology Department Ankit Anand, Director, STPI, Ravi Verma, CEO of CHiPS Prabhat Malik, along with other senior officials, were present. Cost accountants conduct panel discussion on Union Budget 2026 Business Reporter : The Nagpur Chapter of The Institute of Cost Accountants of India (ICMAI) conducted a panel discussion on Union Budget recently at the Nagpur Chapter premises. The programme commenced with a welcome address by CMA Rajat Naidu, Chairman, ICMAI Nagpur Chapter. The distinguished panel comprised CMA Shriram Mahankaliwar, Past Chairman, WIRC, Mumbai; CMA Anil B Verma , Senior Tax Laws Practitioner and Tax Consultant and Dr Aparna Samudra, Assistant Professor, Department of Economics, RTM Nagpur University. The panellists shared valuable insights on key budget provisions, taxation changes, fiscal policy measures, and their impact on industry and the economy. The workshop witnessed the notable presence of CMA P V Bhattad, along with several CMA professionals and students, making the event highly interactive and enriching. CMA Manish Pandey, Secretary, ICMAI Nagpur Chapter, proposed the vote of thanks while CMA Renu Kulkarni moderated the session. GUIDING FACTOR NATIONAL interest is the only guiding factor is Indias oil procurement policy and its handling. In these simple words, Foreign Secretary Mr. Vikram Misri explained what drives India in its dealings with other countries. Though the reference was the oil procurement and energy security policy, the context of Mr. Misris assertion was clear -- national interest as seen by the Government and the core need of the larger Indian society. Thus, the Foreign Secretary offered a clean interpretation of why India conducts itself in a particular manner while dealing with other countries -- in terms of strategic arrangements, in terms of trade and business, in terms of cultural exchanges. He has, thus, expected the common people to look at various issues from the standpoint of national interest. The obvious reference was to the repeated assertion by United States President Mr. Donald Trump about Indias acceptance to reduce oil purchases from Russia. Though India has not said anything officially about the possible reduced oil purchases from Russia, the possibility also cannot be ruled out altogether. As and when required, India will increase or decrease its oil indent from Russia, but it is much less likely that the oil purchases from Russia would be stopped altogether. No matter the detail, it is obvious that the national need and interest would be the tipping point -- which is true for every such transaction and not just oil. Indias oil or energy requirement has been very massive. Currently, India buys oil from over 40 countries to fulfill its needs -- for immediate or current consumption or for storage for future. The critical component in the countrys energy security policy is an unhindered supply of oil to maintain the countrys different needs -- which the Government ensures by employing a complex policy in which use of multiple sources of supply is the most important aspect. So, no matter what the US President says, India cannot pander to anybodys whims and fancies or political needs at the cost of national interests. Of course, the world knows by now how Mr. Donald Trump tried to browbeat India on the issue of purchase of oil from Russia. He alleged that Indias oil-money was fuelling the RussiaUkraine war. No matter that pressure, India refused even to acknowledge Mr. Trumps diatribes. When the US slapped higher tariffs on Indian goods, India started making frantic alternative arrangements, but did not compromise on its national interest. On diplomatic and futuristic considerations, India did not respond angrily or anxiously to the American diatribes. That, too, was in national interest in the long term. That policy paid rich dividends in the short as well as long term -- resulting in a successful culmination of India-US Bilateral Trade Deal. Even when that was happening, Mr. Trump kept harping that India would cease to buy Russian oil. India offered no reaction. Foreign Secretary Mr. Vikram Misri did well, however, to explain what actually guides Indias policies -- national interest. That is the only guiding factor -- no matter what anybody may have to say. This is, of course, true for every countrys decisions on all issues -- depending wholly on leaderships perception of critical issues. Since India has become a global player with the worlds eyes glued to its moves, the issue of purchase of Russian oil attracted lots of attention. Mr. Misris assertion, thus, appears to have stemmed from that need to explain the Indian position on Russian oil and other issues. Because India has successfully culminated trade deals with multiple countries and will do so in the future as well, its diplomatic handling of economic policies has come in sharp international focus. The dexterity with which India has made these deals happen has created enough curiosity about how India handles those multiple pressures from multiple players that include even the haughty United States. Mr. Misris explanation offers the right clue. HC seeks explanation from Presiding Officer of DRT for ignoring court orders Staff Reporter : The Nagpur bench of the Bombay High Court has issued a notice to the Presiding Officer of the Debts Recovery Tribunal (DRT), Nagpur, asking why contempt action should not be taken against him for failing to follow the courts directions. The order was passed in a writ petition filed by M/s Visual Instinct India Pvt Ltd against Indian Overseas Bank and others. The matter was heard by Justice Anil S Kilor and Justice Raj D Wakode on Tuesday. During the hearing, advocates appearing for both sides informed the court that pleadings in the case were already completed. Despite this, the High Court noted that its earlier order dated September 26, 2025, had not been complied with by the Presiding Officer of the DRT, Nagpur. In its earlier order, the High Court had directed the DRT to decide an application filed under Section 17 of the SARFAESI Act, 2002, within 15 days. However, even after more than four months, no decision has been taken. The court observed that there was clear non-compliance of its directions. The bench also remarked that this was not the first time such conduct had come to its notice. The court stated that in several matters, it had passed urgent orders, but the Presiding Officer of the DRT, Nagpur, had failed to act in time. The judges described this approach as highly prejudicial to the interests of litigants who approach the tribunal seeking urgent relief. Taking serious note of the repeated lapses, the High Court directed that a notice be issued to Pankaj Kumar, Presiding Officer, DRT, Nagpur. The notice seeks his explanation as to why contempt proceedings should not be initiated against him for ignoring the courts orders. The notice has been made returnable on March 4, 2026. Meanwhile, the High Court granted liberty to the petitioner to challenge the order passed in the interim application before the Debts Recovery Appellate Tribunal (DRAT). The court also extended the interim stay granted earlier in favour of the petitioner for a period of three weeks. This relief has been given to allow the petitioner to approach the appellate tribunal. The bench made it clear that after the expiry of three weeks, the stay will automatically stand vacated. Adv Raju Kadu represented the petitioners while Adv K K Sachdev and M A Vishnu for respondents. MIL, OFK Jabalpur draw global attention at WDS 2026 By Ashish Rajput Jabalpur : Defence ammunition exhibited by OFK Jabalpur includes 30 mm BMP Ammunition, Air Bombs, 84 mm Ammunition, Multimode Hand Grenades, Artillery Fuzes and other critical products DEFENCE ammunition manufactured at Ordnance Factory Khamaria (OFK), Jabalpur has emerged as a major attraction for global defence manufacturers and representatives from various countries at the World Defence Show (WDS) 2026 held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Under the banner of Munitions India Limited (MIL), OFK Jabalpur showcased its advanced and indigenous defence products at the India Pavilion, which has been set up for the first time at this prestigious international defence exhibition. The display reflects Indias growing strength and self-reliance in defence manufacturing. The defence ammunition exhibited by OFK Jabalpur includes 30 mm BMP Ammunition, Air Bombs, 84 mm Ammunition, Multimode Hand Grenades, Artillery Fuzes and other critical products. These exhibits have received significant interest from international defence manufacturers, military officials and industry experts attending the event. Earlier, the India Pavilion at WDS 2026 was inaugurated by Raksha Rajya Mantri Sanjay Seth. During his visit to the Munitions India Limited stall, the Minister was warmly received by Sanjay Hazari, Chairman and Managing Director, MIL, along with OFK Jabalpur, Chief General Managar, ShaileshVagerwal and other senior officials. Munitions India Limited (MIL) is a Defence Public Sector Enterprise functioning under the Ministry of Defence, Government of India. It is the countrys largest manufacturer and market leader in the production, development, research and marketing of a comprehensive range of ammunition and explosives for the Indian Armed Forces. MIL operates 12 state-of-the-art production facilities across the country, with integrated capabilities for manufacturing small, medium and large calibre ammunition, mortars, rockets and hand grenades. MIL is participating in the third edition of the World Defence Show 2026 held on February 8 and 9. The India Pavilion, spread over 400 square metres, also features other major Indian Defence Public Sector Undertakings such as Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) and Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL). Indias participation at WDS 2026 aims to showcase the countrys indigenous defence manufacturing capabilities, strengthen defence ties with Saudi Arabia, and explore new avenues for industrial cooperation and global partnerships. The strong response to OFK Jabalpurs products highlights Indias rising stature as a reliable and competitive player in the global defence sector. MPBSE XII, CCTV catches six cheaters during English exam in Bhopal Staff Reporter : Even with extensive anti-cheating measures in place, including live CCTV surveillance, frisking at entry points, and two invigilators per room, instances of cheating were reported during the Class 12 English paper conducted across the State on Tuesday. Officials confirmed that seven students from Bhopal alone were caught attempting to cheat, with six of these cases detected directly through CCTV monitoring. Meanwhile, six cases were reported from Morena district in the Gwalior division, underscoring the persistent challenge of curbing exam malpractice despite stringent preventive measures. The Higher Secondary English paper was conducted across 3,604 examination centres from 9 am to 12 noon, with approximately 6.12 lakh students appearing for the test. This marked the commencement of the Madhya Pradesh Board 2026 examinations. This year, to enhance examination integrity, as a key anti-cheating measure, the Board implemented a pilot CCTV surveillance project at 226 centres across nine districts. The centres under surveillance have each exam room equipped with one CCTV camera for live monitoring, while every room also had two invigilators present to supervise students. Live feeds from these cameras were continuously monitored from control rooms at the Board headquarters, as well as at the offices of district collectors and education officers, ensuring real-time observation of examination activities. Despite these measures, some students attempted to bypass security. During monitoring, officials observed that a few students had managed to evade frisking, only to be caught later inside the exam hall attempting to use tiny paper notes cum chits for answers. The Board clarified that most of the Bhopal cases, six out of seven, were detected directly through CCTV monitoring, highlighting the effectiveness of live surveillance in catching irregularities. At Bhopal exam centre 632711, a total of six cheating cases were recorded during the Class 12 English exam. These students were caught attempting to use chits despite frisking measures. Officials noted that in some instances, invigilators were negligent in their duties, failing to prevent the malpractice. Consequently, authorities have issued strict instructions for disciplinary action against the responsible invigilators, ensuring accountability and sending a clear warning to staff across other centres. The students caught attempting to cheat in Bhopal and Morena will now have to appear for the supplementary examination, as per Board rules. The Board has reiterated that strict action will continue against any student or staff member violating examination norms, emphasising that transparency and fairness remain the top priority. The next set of Higher Secondary examinations is scheduled for Friday. Students will appear for multiple subjects, including Physics, Economics, Animal Husbandry, Milk Trade, Poultry Farming & Fisheries, Elements of Science, and History of Indian & World Art. Similarly, February 13 onwards, the MP Board 10th standard examinations will also commence. On the first day, students will appear for the Urdu subject (code 508). Notice to parties through email now, n Cabinet approves Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankules proposal Staff Reporter : The State Government has taken a revolutionary step to ensure transparency in the land revenue hearing process in the State and speedy disposal of cases. By amending the sections of the Maharashtra Land Revenue Code, 1966, it has now been made legal to issue notices to parties through electronic mail (E-mail). This proposal, presented by Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule, was approved on Tuesday in a meeting of the State Cabinet chaired by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. A committee was appointed under the chairmanship of the Pune Divisional Commissioner to suggest reforms in various administrative procedures of the Revenue Department. In the report submitted by this committee, it has been recommended that electronic media technology should be used as provided in Section 230 of the Maharashtra Land Revenue Code, 1966. Accordingly, Section 230 (1) of the Maharashtra Land Revenue Act, 1966 will be amended to include Short Message Service (SMS), WhatsApp Messaging Service, Telegram Channel or Electronic Mail for issuing notices. For this, approval was given to present the draft bill to the legislature in the next session with the approval of the Law and Justice Department. What is this new amendment? Till now, according to the prevailing practice of Maharashtra Land Revenue, the hearing notice was sent by hand or by post due to which, the hearing was getting delayed due to technical reasons like non-receipt of notice, missing address or refusal to accept the notice. Now, with the amendment in Section 230, the notice sent to the official email ID will be considered to have been legally served. Revenue hearing will gain speed Around 12,000 cases related to land are pending at the ministry level in the State. Often, months are spent in the process of issuing notice alone. This decision will save time. The time of issuing notice by post or in person will be saved. There will be transparency in the process. Since technical proof of sending the email is available, the excuse of not receiving the notice cannot be used. Since the notice reaches on time, the hearing dates will not have to be postponed repeatedly, as a result, the common citizens will get speedy justice. Towards Digital India In the last few years, the Revenue Department has done many successful experiments like digitising 7/12 extracts and making alteration records on-line. Now, by digitising the process of issuing notices, the administration has taken a big step towards paperless and cashless functioning. Non-receipt of notices was one of the main reasons why land cases in the Revenue Court remained pending for years. With the legal recognition of the method of issuing notices through e-mail, this loophole will now not be in existence and the judicial process will become more dynamic, explained Bawankule. OTTAWA, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- At least eight people were killed in a shooting at a school in Canada's western province of British Columbia on Tuesday, including the suspected gunman, local police said. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) said multiple others injured in the shooting were receiving medical treatment. According to the RCMP, the suspect was found dead at the scene with what is believed to be a self-inflicted wound. An investigation is underway. Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay: Proponent of Integral Humanism and thinker of a strong India By Dr Mohan Yadav : Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh I bow with millions of salutations at the feet of Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay , the visionary who showed the path from the individual to society and from society to nation-building, and the proponent of Integral Humanism and Antyodaya. Pandit Deendayal s life is a guiding beacon for the Indian nation. He was a sage-statesman devoted to the holistic uplift of the society, culture, and the nation. He regarded politics as a means of practicing national duty. His firm belief was that independent Indias journey must align with Indian philosophy, culture, and tradition. By linking political thought with Indian values, Pandit Deendayal propounded the doctrine of Integral Humanism. This philosophy embodies harmony and balance among the individual, society, nation, and the universe. It weaves life and the entire creation into a single thread, shaping the collective from the individual. From the spirit of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam articulated by Krishna to todays global perspective, this philosophy encompasses it all. Pandit Deendayal envisioned Indias future on the foundation of the four Purusharthas, Dharma, Artha, Kama and Moksha. He believed that a balanced integration of these four leads individuals and society toward completeness. If equal opportunities for development are provided to individuals and society, a self-reliant and capable nation can be built. According to him, the ultimate goal of politics is the creation of a strong, harmonious, and self-respecting nation. His development model was not confined to economic growth alone; it included cultural consciousness, social harmony, and spiritual balance. He emphasised that development is meaningful only when its benefits reach the last person standing in the last row, this is the true essence of Antyodaya. Under the leadership of our illustrious Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the development path on which India is progressing is deeply rooted in Pandit Deendayals thought. Heritage to Development, Atmanirbhar Bharat, Vocal for Local, and Sabka SaathSabka Vikas are modern expressions of Integral Humanism. Prime Minister Modi has resolved to establish India as a global superpower by 2047, the centenary year of independence. This resolve is the living realisation of Pandit Deendayal s dream of India. I am pleased to share that, in line with Prime Minister Modi s vision of a self-reliant and developed India, efforts are being made to connect every region of the state to the mainstream of development. Regional Industry Conclaves have been introduced to harness the potential, talent, and efficiency of every region, while the Global Investors Summit held in Bhopal aimed to take local industries to the international stage. Investment outreach visits were undertaken to the UK, Germany, Japan, and Davos and roadshows were organised in Hyderabad, Coimbatore and Mumbai to invite industrialists. This marks the first strong effort to connect industries from the regional to the global level. I am satisfied to note that, under the guidance of Prime Minister Modi, Madhya Pradesh is striving to translate Pandit Deendayal Upadhyayas philosophy into practice. Through harmonious, sensitive, and responsible governance, development goals and schemes are reaching the last person on the ground. The State is working through four missions focused on the welfare of the poor, farmers, youth power, and women empowerment. This will ensure the well-being of all sections of society. For economic development, Pandit Deendayal laid out a clear and practical sequence, agriculture, industry, transport, trade, society, security and service. In this sequence, he emphasised giving foremost importance to agriculture in an agrarian country like India. He believed that a strong agricultural sector increases farmers incomes, brings stability to rural life, and ensures easy availability of raw materials and labour for industries. This creates balance among farmers, consumers, and society. He considered agricultural strength and farmers prosperity as the foundation of holistic development. I am pleased to state that, under Prime Minister Modi s guidance, Madhya Pradesh is observing the year 2026 as the Farmer Welfare Year, placing farmers dignity, secure livelihoods, and self-reliance at the centre. Through modern technology, improved seeds, irrigation, storage, and better market access, farming will be made a profitable enterprise. Agriculture is not only a means of livelihood but also the backbone of the states economy, and no effort will be spared in strengthening this sector. I am glad to share that Madhya Pradesh is the first state in the country to dedicate the year 2025-26 entirely to farmers welfare. Through national projects such as the Parvati-Kalisindh-Chambal and Ken-Betwa river links, along with the Tapti Groundwater Recharge Mega Project, more than 1.6 million hectares of additional agricultural land across 25 districts will get irrigated. Every necessary step will be taken for the comprehensive welfare of the states farmers. Research centres for anna (millets), mustard, and chickpea are being established in the state. These will take millet production and nutritional security to new heights, with special emphasis on improving crop quality and productivity. Over the next three years, more than 3 million farmers will be provided with solar power pumps. The irrigated area in the state is targeted to increase from 6.5 million hectares to 10 million hectares. Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya envisioned an India that is self-respecting, self-reliant, and a leader in global welfare. Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the nation is moving steadily in this direction. His life and philosophy will continue to inspire us all on the path of national duty. On the death anniversary of the immortal devotee of nation-building, Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay, I once again offer my reverent salutations. Strong opposition to MSEDCLpetition at MERC hearing Staff Reporter : Solar sector makes strong pitch for review of GSC charge CONSUMER representatives, solar industry experts and experts in power sector on Tuesday strongly opposed Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limiteds (MSEDCL) multi-year tariff review petition at a public hearing held by Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission (MERC), terming it as illegal and detrimental to consumers interest. Out of the total 89 stakeholders who submitted objections and suggestions, 24 made oral submissions at the hearing. Atul Londhe, Spokesperson, Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC), said that unfair tariffs are making it more difficult for industries to survive in Maharashtra. Today, neighbouring states have cheaper electricity and more consumerfriendly renewable energy policies than MSEDCL, Londhe said. He added that the current 10 k Wthreshold for gaining exemptions should be raised to 15 kW to accommodate consumers like restaurant owners and showrooms to help them mitigatefinancial losses. Lastly, he demanded an enquiry into procurement of coal for power generation to check if it is expensiveonly for Maharashtra. Sudhir Budhay, expert in solar energy sector, also presented a strong case focusing on critical issues of Grid Support Charges (GSC) and Banking of Renewable Energy (RE). He argued that the threshold of 5000 MW has not been reached as MSEDCL failed to provide verified data. As per the MYT order, GSC requires a fresh petition and public consultation once threshold is crossed , making the current petition both premature and procedurally incorrect. Budhay warned that since solar generation is largely confined to day time hours, restricting banking to same-slot, same month would destroy the viability of existing solar projects. He argued that MSEDCLs attempt to alter banking rules retroactively violates contractual certainty and undermines renewable energy promotion. Rahul Kolte, Nilesh Dhote, Jayesh Gantade, Abhijit Shukla, Karan Hazare, Suraj Gupta were among the solar aggregators who also spoke at the hearing. They all iterated that the new 10 kW threshold is affecting employment and GSC is unwarranted for rooftop solar plants. Pranay Vijayakar, another solar entrepreneur, worryingly said , I am getting threats of police FIRs from my existing customers who felt cheated after the new tariffs. According to experts, decentralised generation (Solar rooftop plants) reduces load on the grid hence improving its reliability. It also reduces transmission losses to a significant amount. Mahendra Jichkar, representing the consumers side, at the hearing made a submission that the order delivered in March last should have continued. So it is strange that MSEDCL choose to oppose the same, and expressed surprise that despite lengthy hearing MERC stayed its own ruling leaving the consumers dejected. It is already well known that tariff in Maharashtra is one of the highest and even benefit from solar to has been restricted. Further, he stated that MERC should fix the tariff for entire control period instead of mid-year revision as it leaves consumers in fix and most of all the it should be affordable. The fresh hearing was necessitated due to nomination of new Chairman, and since composition of MERC was altered, the entire process had to be heard anew, states the rule. Sanjay Kumar, Chairman, MERC, retired before delivering the judgement on the tariff petition of MSEDCL, and he was replaced by Valsa Nair Singh, a career bureaucrat as the new Chairperson. Unauthorised construction, parkingproblems plague entire city: HC Staff Reporter : TRAFFIC congestion and unauthorised construction are not limited to Dhantoli, Congress Nagar and Ramdaspeth alone, but are a serious problem across the entire city, the Nagpur bench of the Bombay High Court observed on Tuesday. The court also expressed strong concern over the commercial misuse of parking spaces, especially by hospitals and questioned why strict penalties are not being imposed on violators. During the hearing, Justice Anil Kilor and Justice RajWakode orally stated that hospital parking spaces are being used for commercial purposes not only in Dhantoli, Congress Nagar and Ramdaspeth, but in many other parts of Nagpur as well.The court asked why the authorities should not collect fines at four times the commercial rate from those violating parking rules and carrying out unauthorised construction. The court also referred to the report of a committee appointed earlier by the High Court, which had inspected the affected areas.The committee had recommended that fines at commercial rates should be collected from violators for at least one year. However, these recommendations have not been implemented so far. Notification of ACP not followed THE court noted that a notification issued by the AssistantTraffic Commissioner regarding parking arrangements in Dhantoli was not being followed. In view of this, the High Court directed senior Advocate J B Gandhi to inspect the Dhantoli area and submit a report on the actual ground situation. Following the courts direction, Adv Gandhi inspected Dhantoli and informed the court that the traffic system in the area has been badly disrupted. He stated that vehicles are parked on both sides of the road, causing severe congestion. One-way roads have effectively turned into two-way roads due to illegal parking. Despite clear orders and notifications issued by the traffic police, the rules are not being followed, he told the court. Taking serious note of this, the High Court strongly criticised the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) and the Deputy Commissioner of Traffic Police. The court orally questioned why action should not be initiated against the concerned municipal and police officers for filing false affidavits claiming that the situation had improved. The bench asked Government advocate Adv Deepak Thakre to issue clear instructions to the concerned officials and explain why disciplinary action should not be taken against them. The matter has been posted for further hearing on Monday, February 16. The court recalled that in earlier hearings, it had repeatedly passed orders to address traffic congestion and unauthorised construction in Dhantoli, Congress Nagar, and Ramdaspeth. However, the court observed that instead of improving, the situation has worsened. Adv Gandhis latest inspection confirmed that the problems remain unresolved even after multiple court directions. In a previous hearing, the High Court had also questioned why a fine of four times per square foot should not be imposed on encroachers in Dhantoli. The court had directed the Public Works Department (PWD) to submit relevant information. It had also raised the issue of whether fines could be imposed on hospitals that fail to provide adequate parking space as per rules. Despite some roads being officially declared one-way, they are no longer functioning as such due to rampant encroachments and illegal parking. The High Court noted that its orders are not being implemented effectively, which has resulted in continuous inconvenience to citizens, especially senior citizens and patients visiting hospitals. Why shouldnt action be taken against DCP Traffic? The police department had stated in an affidavit that action would be taken against those violating parking and construction rules in Dhantoli. However, during his inspection, Adv Gandhi found that these rules were not being enforced. He informed the court orally, following which the court directed him to submit an affidavit. The High Court also questioned why parking spaces being used commercially, especially by hospitals, should not attract fines at four times the commercial rate. The court suggested issuing show-cause notices within a week to the concerned parties, asking them to explain why such fines should not be imposed. The court further observed that this problem is not limited to Dhantoli alone but is spread across the city. It orally directed that the Deputy Commissioner of Traffic Police should explain why action should not be taken against him for failing to enforce the courts orders. Unmarried, widow, divorced daughters eligible for family pension Staff Reporter : The Council of Ministers approved the Madhya Pradesh Civil Service (Pension) Rules, 2026 and the Madhya Pradesh Civil Service (Pension Commutation) Rules, 2026, authorising the Finance Department to publish the rules. The proposed rules simplify procedures and delegated authorities, facilitating greater convenience for pensioners, timely disposal of cases, ease in pension commutation, and simplified calculation of commuted pension value. Under Rule 44 of the Pension Rules, 2026, unmarried, widowed, and divorced daughters have also been included among eligible members for family pension. The Cabinet further approved the Madhya Pradesh Civil Service (National Pension System Implementation) Rules, 2026 and the Madhya Pradesh Civil Service (Payment of Gratuity under National Pension System) Rules, 2026, which will come into effect from April 1, 2026. The Finance Department has been authorised to publish these rules. Key new provisions include the grant of family pension in the event of the subscribers death, provisions related to voluntary retirement and e-service books, and the integration of previous services under the Central and Madhya Pradesh governments. Provisions have also been made for subscriber and employer contributions during periods of suspension. The rules lay down a detailed and transparent framework for NPS implementation, contribution rates, calculation methods, responsibility determination in case of delays, and exit provisions in cases of retirement, voluntary retirement, resignation, and death. Clear procedures have been defined for determination and payment of gratuity to Government servants covered under the National Pension System. Recovery from gratuity will be permissible in connection with departmental inquiry orders issued after retirement. The rules also provide for withholding of the employers contribution during the pendency of departmental inquiries, stoppage of subscriber contributions three months prior to retirement, initiation of departmental proceedings after retirement, and provisions empowering the State Government regarding relaxation and removal of difficulties in the rules. Besides, the Cabinet approved an amount of Rs 7,133.17 crore for ensuring the continuity of schemes of the Tribal Affairs Department and the Women and Child Development Department for the period from 2026-27 to 2030-31, at the meeting of the Council of Ministers, held on Tuesday at the Mantralaya under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Dr Mohan Yadav. 1,416.91 crore for the CM Rise School Scheme: As per the approval, Rs 2,350 crore was sanctioned for the PVTG Nutrition Grant Scheme of the Tribal Affairs Department, Rs 1,703.15 crore for the Integrated Hostel Scheme, Rs 1,416.91 crore for the CM Rise School Scheme, and Rs 1,110 crore for the Housing Assistance Scheme. An amount of Rs 522.08 crore was approved for fee reimbursement to the Board of Secondary Education, scholarships for Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe students, and Class 9 scholarships. In addition, Rs 31.03 crore was sanctioned for the Chief Minister COVID-19 Child Service Scheme under the Women and Child Development Department. The Cabinet meeting commenced with the singing of Vande Mataram. Electrification of 63,077 households : The Council of Ministers also approved Rs 366.72 crore under the Dharti Aaba Janjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan (DA-JGUA) for electrification of 63,077 unelectrified households and 650 unelectrified Government institutions through expansion of power infrastructure. Of the total amount, Rs 220.03 crore will be provided as a grant from the Central Government, while Rs 146.69 crore will be borne by the State Government. Additionally, approval was granted for an estimated cost of Rs 97 crore for off-grid electrification of 8,521 households through the Madhya Pradesh Energy Development Corporation. Under the scheme, the remaining project cost related to construction of the electricity distribution system, excluding the central grant component, will be provided by the State Government to the power distribution companies as equity capital. The entire expenditure for off-grid electrification through solar plus battery systems to be implemented by the MP Energy Development Corporation will be borne by the State Government. States power distribution companies to carry out the electrification : As per the approved guidelines issued by the Government of India, electrification will be carried out by the States power distribution companies through online systems in settlements where the estimated cost is up to Rs 2 lakh per household, while adhering to the prescribed ceiling cost at the distribution company level. Houses located on agricultural fields, settlements with fewer than five houses, and remote habitations where the average electrification cost exceeds Rs 2 lakh per household will be electrified through 1 kW off-grid solar-battery systems by the MP Energy Development Corporation. IT cadre of the HC and DC gets one-time relaxation of five years: The Cabinet granted a one-time relaxation of five years in the upper age limit to employees working in the IT cadre of the High Court and District Courts, enabling them to participate in ongoing and future recruitment processes for technical cadres. At present, the upper age limit is 40 years for unreserved categories and 45 years for reserved categories. Urban local bodies deliberate on implementation strategies following Natl Green Tribunal order Staff Reporter : In a landmark ruling aimed at reinforcing environmental accountability, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has directed companies manufacturing disposable products, including tin, glass, plastic packaging, televisions, and refrigerators, to provide mandatory financial assistance (grants) to local bodies. This funding is intended to facilitate the establishment of robust waste management systems. The recent order by the NGTs Central Bench, presided over by Justice Shiv Kumar Singh and Judicial Member Sudhir Kumar Chaturvedi, came during the hearing of Nitin Saxena versus State of Madhya Pradesh. Local municipal bodies are currently deliberating on the mechanism to secure these grants to alleviate the mounting financial burden of waste disposal. The tribunal took a stern view of the current state of waste management in the State capital. Currently, Bhopal Municipal Corporations (BMC) waste is transported to the Adampur landfill site, but reports indicate a lack of scientific treatment. The bench noted several instances of illegal dumping and open burning of solid waste, particularly in green belts, which constitutes a direct violation of the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016. The illegal disposal and burning of waste have not only led to a significant spike in air pollution but have also posed a direct threat to the ecological balance of the citys green zones and the health of its residents. Municipal officials believe that if the NGT order is implemented effectively, then it will bring a paradigm shift in environmental conservation. At present, urban local bodies (ULBs) manage disposable waste at their own expense, spending crores of rupees annually with limited success. The provision of financial grants from manufacturers will allow for better infrastructure. Furthermore, companies providing the grants are likely to monitor the utilisation of funds, ensuring greater transparency and efficiency in waste processing, a senior official stated. Petitioner cites administrative inertia: Despite the NGTs directives, petitioner Nitin Saxena expressed concerns over the slow pace of implementation by the municipal corporation. Saxena highlighted that massive mountains of waste continue to accumulate at Adampur Cantonment without proper disposal. The authorities are losing precious time in lengthy tender processes while the actual execution remains stagnant. Every summer, the landfill site witnesses massive fires, adding to the environmental crisis, Saxena remarked. The matter is scheduled for its next hearing on February 13, where the progress made by local bodies in compliance with the tribunals directives will be reviewed. President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has sent a congratulatory letter to President of the Islamic Republic of Iran Masoud Pezeshkian, Azernews reports. "Dear Mr. President, On the occasion of the national holiday of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Victory of the Islamic Revolution, I extend my heartfelt congratulations to you and your entire people on my own behalf and on behalf of the people of Azerbaijan. The development of relations between our peoples and countries, bound together by common religious-cultural roots and the ties of good-neighborliness, holds special importance for us. The increasing dynamism in Azerbaijan-Iran relations in recent times gives us great satisfaction. Your official and working visits to Azerbaijan last year opened a new chapter in the history of interstate relations and gave impetus to the development of our mutually beneficial cooperation. Currently, the scope of issues on our bilateral agenda is expanding and becoming enriched with new content. The intensive nature of visits at various levels, the documents signed, the joint projects implemented, including the effective work of the State Commission, create favorable opportunities for deepening our cooperation in areas of mutual interest. I am confident that, for the sake of security and prosperity in our region, Azerbaijan-Iran relations and cooperation will continue to strengthen through our joint efforts in line with the interests of our friendly and brotherly peoples. On this momentous day, I wish you robust health, happiness, and success in your endeavors, as well as enduring peace and prosperity to the friendly and brotherly people of Iran," the letter reads. BEIJING, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese mainland's top Taiwan affairs official has extended festive greetings to Taiwan compatriots ahead of the Spring Festival, also known as the Chinese New Year, and reaffirmed the mainland's commitment to promoting economic cooperation and integrated development between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait. Song Tao, head of both the Taiwan Work Office of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, made the remarks during cross-Strait Spring Festival celebration events on Wednesday. The events were held in Fuzhou of east China's Fujian Province, and attended by more than 200 people, including representatives of Taiwan's business community. During the 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026-2030), the mainland will strive to provide a broad space for Taiwan enterprises to take root and develop here, and will inject greater impetus into cross-Strait economic cooperation and integrated development, Song said. He expressed the hope that Taiwan compatriots will oppose "Taiwan independence" firmly, promote national reunification, and steer the correct course of cross-Strait relations. During the events, Taiwanese businesspeople and other compatriots expressed their gratitude to the mainland for its long-term care and concern. Describing the Chinese mainland as the best market for people from Taiwan to invest in and start businesses, they showed confidence in developing here. They also pledged to safeguard peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, and to contribute to the peaceful and integrated development of cross-Strait relations. Cordoba Minerals Corp. (CVE:CDB Get Free Report) shot up 56.6% during mid-day trading on Tuesday . The company traded as high as C$1.21 and last traded at C$1.19. 2,335,927 shares were traded during trading, an increase of 1,888% from the average session volume of 117,519 shares. The stock had previously closed at C$0.76. Cordoba Minerals Price Performance The company has a quick ratio of 0.11, a current ratio of 3.09 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 27.84. The firms fifty day moving average price is C$0.79 and its two-hundred day moving average price is C$0.80. The stock has a market capitalization of C$110.25 million, a PE ratio of -5.95 and a beta of -0.98. About Cordoba Minerals (Get Free Report) Cordoba Minerals Corp., a mineral exploration company, engages in the acquisition, exploration, evaluation, and development of base and precious metal properties in Colombia and the United States. The company explores for copper, silver, and gold deposits. It primarily holds a 100% interest in the San Matias project with exploration licenses covering 146.62 square kilometers and has an additional 893.91 square kilometers of mining titles under application located in the municipality of Puerto Libertador, Department of Cordoba, Colombia. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for Cordoba Minerals Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Cordoba Minerals and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. A number of research firms have changed their ratings and price targets for Zoetis (NYSE: ZTS): 1/29/2026 Zoetis was given a new $136.00 price target on by analysts at UBS Group AG. 1/28/2026 Zoetis was downgraded by analysts at Weiss Ratings from a hold (c-) rating to a sell (d+) rating. 1/23/2026 Zoetis was upgraded by analysts at Wall Street Zen from a hold rating to a buy rating. 1/22/2026 Zoetis had its neutral rating reaffirmed by analysts at Piper Sandler. They now have a $135.00 price target on the stock, down previously from $190.00. 1/22/2026 Zoetis was downgraded by analysts at Piper Sandler from an overweight rating to a neutral rating. They now have a $135.00 price target on the stock, down previously from $190.00. 1/13/2026 Zoetis was upgraded by analysts at Weiss Ratings from a sell (d+) rating to a hold (c-) rating. 12/29/2025 Zoetis had its sell (d+) rating reaffirmed by analysts at Weiss Ratings. 12/23/2025 Zoetis was downgraded by analysts at Weiss Ratings from a hold (c-) rating to a sell (d+) rating. 12/18/2025 Zoetis was given a new $160.00 price target on by analysts at Morgan Stanley. 12/15/2025 Zoetis was upgraded by analysts at The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. to a buy rating. 12/15/2025 Zoetis was downgraded by analysts at Bank of America Corporation from a buy rating to a neutral rating. They now have a $135.00 price target on the stock. Zoetis Announces Dividend The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, June 2nd. Stockholders of record on Monday, April 20th will be paid a $0.53 dividend. This represents a $2.12 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.7%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, April 20th. Zoetiss payout ratio is currently 35.69%. Get Zoetis Inc alerts: Zoetis Inc (NYSE: ZTS) is a global animal health company that develops, manufactures and markets a broad portfolio of products and services for companion animals and livestock. The companys offerings include pharmaceuticals, vaccines and biologics, parasiticides and anti-infectives, as well as diagnostic instruments, consumables and laboratory testing services. Zoetis serves the veterinary community, livestock producers and other animal-health customers with products designed to prevent, detect and treat disease and to support animal productivity and welfare. Zoetis traces its roots to the animal health business of Pfizer and became an independent, publicly traded company following a 2013 separation and initial public offering. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for Zoetis Inc Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Zoetis Inc and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. 3i Group plc Unsponsored ADR (OTCMKTS:TGOPY Get Free Report) saw a significant increase in short interest during the month of January. As of January 30th, there was short interest totaling 184,885 shares, an increase of 500.3% from the January 15th total of 30,798 shares. Based on an average daily volume of 1,894,147 shares, the short-interest ratio is presently 0.1 days. Approximately 0.0% of the shares of the company are short sold. Approximately 0.0% of the shares of the company are short sold. Based on an average daily volume of 1,894,147 shares, the short-interest ratio is presently 0.1 days. 3i Group Stock Performance Shares of OTCMKTS:TGOPY traded down $0.13 on Tuesday, hitting $11.37. 534,532 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 823,018. The companys 50 day moving average price is $10.89 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $13.70. 3i Group has a one year low of $9.84 and a one year high of $15.19. Get 3i Group alerts: Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth A number of analysts have recently weighed in on TGOPY shares. Citigroup restated a buy rating on shares of 3i Group in a research note on Friday, November 14th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft reiterated a buy rating on shares of 3i Group in a report on Friday, January 30th. Kepler Capital Markets cut shares of 3i Group from a hold rating to a strong sell rating in a report on Friday, November 14th. Finally, Royal Bank Of Canada downgraded 3i Group from a hold rating to a strong sell rating in a research report on Monday, January 26th. Four investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and two have issued a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of Hold. 3i Group Company Profile (Get Free Report) 3i Group plc is a Londonbased international investment manager that specializes in private equity, infrastructure and debt investments. The company deploys capital both from its own balance sheet and through managed funds on behalf of institutional investors, targeting midmarket buyouts, growth capital and core infrastructure assets. Its private equity activity typically focuses on acquiring, developing and exiting businesses through active ownership and operational improvement, while its infrastructure arm invests in longlife assets that generate steady cash flows. 3i manages a portfolio of companies across a range of industry sectors, including business and financial services, industrials, consumer and healthcare, and technology. See Also Receive News & Ratings for 3i Group Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for 3i Group and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. JERUSALEM/GAZA, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- The Israeli military said Wednesday that Ahmad Hasan, identified as "head of the sniper array in the Hamas Beit Hanoun Battalion," has been killed in a strike in Gaza. It said in a statement that Hasan had been taking part in planning attacks against Israeli troops in northern Gaza, without specifying the time or location of the strike. Separately, Hamas said Tuesday that the mission of any foreign force entering Gaza should be strictly limited to peacekeeping. Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem told reporters in Gaza that such forces must focus on separating "Israeli occupation forces" from Palestinians, monitoring the latest ceasefire, and refraining from interfering in internal affairs. He said Hamas has conveyed its position to the mediators of the ceasefire. Meanwhile, Qassem welcomed Indonesia's planned troop deployment to help maintain stability in Gaza. On Monday, Israeli state-owned Kan TV News reported that preparations are underway to receive an 8,000-strong Indonesian force, to be deployed between Rafah and Khan Younis in southern Gaza. It said Indonesia would be the first foreign country to send troops to the enclave. According to the report, the deployment site has been prepared, though the completion of accommodation and residential facilities is expected to take several weeks. The Palestinian death toll in Gaza has risen to 72,045, with 171,686 others wounded since the conflict erupted on Oct. 7, 2023, Gaza-based health authorities said Wednesday. Caprock Group LLC purchased a new stake in Accenture PLC (NYSE:ACN Free Report) during the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund purchased 99,122 shares of the information technology services providers stock, valued at approximately $25,769,000. Accenture comprises 0.6% of Caprock Group LLCs holdings, making the stock its 29th largest holding. Several other hedge funds also recently modified their holdings of ACN. Investors Research Corp raised its holdings in Accenture by 73.8% during the third quarter. Investors Research Corp now owns 106 shares of the information technology services providers stock worth $26,000 after acquiring an additional 45 shares in the last quarter. Harbor Capital Advisors Inc. raised its stake in shares of Accenture by 132.6% during the 3rd quarter. Harbor Capital Advisors Inc. now owns 107 shares of the information technology services providers stock worth $26,000 after purchasing an additional 61 shares in the last quarter. Davis Capital Management acquired a new stake in shares of Accenture in the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $28,000. Elevation Wealth Partners LLC grew its stake in shares of Accenture by 146.0% in the third quarter. Elevation Wealth Partners LLC now owns 123 shares of the information technology services providers stock valued at $30,000 after buying an additional 73 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Heartwood Wealth Advisors LLC acquired a new position in Accenture during the third quarter worth $32,000. Institutional investors own 75.14% of the companys stock. Get Accenture alerts: Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades A number of brokerages have commented on ACN. HSBC increased their price target on shares of Accenture from $215.00 to $235.00 in a research note on Friday, December 19th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft lifted their price target on Accenture from $265.00 to $280.00 and gave the stock a hold rating in a report on Monday, January 26th. The Goldman Sachs Group restated a buy rating and issued a $330.00 price objective on shares of Accenture in a research note on Thursday, December 18th. Royal Bank Of Canada set a $300.00 target price on Accenture in a research note on Thursday, December 18th. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group increased their price target on Accenture from $270.00 to $280.00 and gave the company a hold rating in a research note on Thursday, January 8th. Sixteen equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and eleven have issued a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Accenture currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $298.38. Accenture Stock Performance ACN opened at $241.02 on Wednesday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.16, a current ratio of 1.41 and a quick ratio of 1.41. The business has a fifty day simple moving average of $269.39 and a 200 day simple moving average of $255.72. Accenture PLC has a 1 year low of $229.40 and a 1 year high of $392.02. The company has a market capitalization of $148.37 billion, a PE ratio of 19.92, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.28 and a beta of 1.24. Accenture (NYSE:ACN Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, December 18th. The information technology services provider reported $3.94 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $3.73 by $0.21. The firm had revenue of $18.74 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $18.51 billion. Accenture had a return on equity of 26.65% and a net margin of 10.76%.The companys quarterly revenue was up 5.7% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the business earned $3.59 EPS. Accenture has set its FY 2026 guidance at 13.520-13.900 EPS. Research analysts expect that Accenture PLC will post 12.73 EPS for the current year. Accenture Dividend Announcement The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, February 13th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, January 13th will be issued a $1.63 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, January 13th. This represents a $6.52 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.7%. Accentures payout ratio is currently 53.88%. Insider Activity In other Accenture news, General Counsel Joel Unruch sold 1,332 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Tuesday, January 6th. The stock was sold at an average price of $275.00, for a total transaction of $366,300.00. Following the transaction, the general counsel owned 28,207 shares in the company, valued at $7,756,925. This trade represents a 4.51% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. Also, CAO Melissa A. Burgum sold 3,588 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Monday, January 26th. The shares were sold at an average price of $281.01, for a total value of $1,008,263.88. Following the sale, the chief accounting officer owned 8,179 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $2,298,380.79. The trade was a 30.49% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Over the last 90 days, insiders have sold 22,088 shares of company stock worth $5,970,434. Insiders own 0.02% of the companys stock. About Accenture (Free Report) Accenture is a global professional services company that provides a broad range of services and solutions in strategy, consulting, digital, technology and operations. The firm works with organizations across industries to design and implement business transformation programs, deploy and manage enterprise technology, optimize operations, and develop customer and digital experiences. Its offerings encompass management and technology consulting, systems integration, application and infrastructure services, cloud migration and managed services, as well as security and analytics capabilities. The company delivers industry- and function-specific solutions, combining consulting expertise with proprietary tools, platforms and partnerships with major technology vendors. Read More 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. Amotiv Ltd (ASX:AOV Get Free Report) declared a interim dividend on Wednesday, February 11th, MarketIndexAU Dividends reports. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, March 11th will be given a dividend of 0.20 per share on Wednesday, March 11th. This represents a dividend yield of 248.0%. The ex-dividend date is Sunday, March 1st. Amotiv Price Performance About Amotiv (Get Free Report) Amotiv Limited, through its subsidiaries, manufactures, imports, distributes, and sells automotive products in Australia, New Zealand, Thailand, South Korea, France, and the United States. It operates through Automotive, Auto Pacific Group (APG), and Davey segments. The Automotive segment offers automotive and heavy-duty filters for cars, trucks, and agricultural and mining equipment; automotive electrical and lighting products; and fuel pumps and associated products and accessories for the automotive after-market. See Also Receive News & Ratings for Amotiv Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Amotiv and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Shares of ANA Holdings Inc. (OTCMKTS:ALNPY Get Free Report) reached a new 52-week high on Wednesday . The company traded as high as $4.32 and last traded at $4.32, with a volume of 351 shares traded. The stock had previously closed at $4.25. ANA Stock Up 2.6% The businesss 50 day moving average is $3.89 and its 200-day moving average is $3.91. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.69, a current ratio of 1.59 and a quick ratio of 1.23. The company has a market cap of $10.25 billion, a PE ratio of 10.38 and a beta of 0.42. Get ANA alerts: ANA (OTCMKTS:ALNPY Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Friday, January 30th. The transportation company reported $0.16 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $0.14 by $0.02. The business had revenue of $4.45 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $4.38 billion. ANA had a net margin of 6.47% and a return on equity of 12.84%. ANA Company Profile All Nippon Airways Co, Ltd. (OTCMKTS: ALNPY) is a Tokyo-based airline offering passenger and cargo air transportation services. Founded in 1952, the company operates scheduled flights under its ANA brand, providing a network of domestic and international routes. In addition to core flight operations, ANA delivers ancillary services including in-flight catering, ground handling and aircraft maintenance. ANAs diversified business model encompasses several subsidiaries such as ANA Wings and Air Japan for regional operations, and ANA Cargo for freight services. Read More Receive News & Ratings for ANA Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for ANA and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Aperam (OTCMKTS:APEMY Get Free Report) was downgraded by analysts at Zacks Research from a strong-buy rating to a hold rating in a research note issued on Monday,Zacks.com reports. APEMY has been the topic of a number of other reports. Oddo Bhf cut shares of Aperam to a neutral rating in a research note on Wednesday, January 14th. Morgan Stanley upgraded shares of Aperam from an equal weight rating to an overweight rating in a research note on Monday, December 15th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft restated a buy rating on shares of Aperam in a research report on Monday. Finally, Citigroup reaffirmed a neutral rating on shares of Aperam in a report on Thursday, January 22nd. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and five have given a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of Hold. Get Aperam alerts: Get Our Latest Stock Analysis on APEMY Aperam Stock Up 4.7% APEMY opened at $50.96 on Monday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.19, a current ratio of 1.40 and a quick ratio of 0.47. Aperam has a 12 month low of $25.97 and a 12 month high of $50.98. The stock has a market capitalization of $3.73 billion, a P/E ratio of 318.49 and a beta of 1.10. The business has a 50 day simple moving average of $41.75 and a 200-day simple moving average of $36.67. Aperam (OTCMKTS:APEMY Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Friday, February 6th. The company reported $0.46 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $0.33 by $0.13. The firm had revenue of $1.58 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.69 billion. Aperam had a return on equity of 1.05% and a net margin of 0.17%. On average, equities analysts anticipate that Aperam will post 2.84 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Aperam Company Profile (Get Free Report) Aperam is a global stainless, electrical and specialty steel producer with headquarters in Luxembourg. The company designs, manufactures and distributes a wide range of stainless and electrical steel products that serve markets such as automotive, household appliances, construction, energy and mechanical industries. Aperam operates an integrated value chain that spans mining, steelmaking, finishing and distribution, enabling it to control quality and deliver tailored solutions to its customers. The company was established in 2011 following a carve-out from ArcelorMittal and has since developed a distinct identity focused on sustainable stainless steel production. Read More Receive News & Ratings for Aperam Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Aperam and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Oppenheimer Asset Management Inc. raised its holdings in shares of APi Group Corporation (NYSE:APG Free Report) by 31.2% in the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 144,709 shares of the companys stock after acquiring an additional 34,422 shares during the quarter. Oppenheimer Asset Management Inc.s holdings in APi Group were worth $4,974,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC. Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also made changes to their positions in the business. State Street Corp lifted its stake in APi Group by 83.2% during the second quarter. State Street Corp now owns 7,150,845 shares of the companys stock worth $365,051,000 after purchasing an additional 3,247,126 shares during the last quarter. Norges Bank acquired a new stake in APi Group during the second quarter worth approximately $154,149,000. Bessemer Group Inc. lifted its position in shares of APi Group by 72.1% during the 3rd quarter. Bessemer Group Inc. now owns 4,960,278 shares of the companys stock worth $170,485,000 after buying an additional 2,077,705 shares during the last quarter. Durable Capital Partners LP boosted its holdings in shares of APi Group by 19.2% in the 2nd quarter. Durable Capital Partners LP now owns 10,623,568 shares of the companys stock valued at $542,333,000 after buying an additional 1,712,397 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC grew its position in shares of APi Group by 38.5% in the 3rd quarter. Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC now owns 4,738,403 shares of the companys stock valued at $162,954,000 after buying an additional 1,316,971 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 86.62% of the companys stock. Get APi Group alerts: Insiders Place Their Bets In related news, Director Anthony E. Malkin bought 3,000 shares of the stock in a transaction on Wednesday, December 10th. The shares were bought at an average cost of $39.58 per share, for a total transaction of $118,740.00. Following the purchase, the director owned 7,000 shares of the companys stock, valued at $277,060. This trade represents a 75.00% increase in their position. The acquisition was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. Over the last ninety days, insiders purchased 7,000 shares of company stock worth $275,720. 17.00% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders. APi Group Stock Performance Analyst Ratings Changes NYSE APG opened at $45.26 on Wednesday. The firm has a market cap of $18.82 billion, a P/E ratio of 123.44 and a beta of 1.70. APi Group Corporation has a 52-week low of $20.50 and a 52-week high of $45.54. The businesss 50-day moving average price is $40.83 and its 200 day moving average price is $37.43. The company has a quick ratio of 1.41, a current ratio of 1.48 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.84. Several brokerages recently commented on APG. Citigroup reiterated a buy rating and set a $49.00 price target (up from $45.00) on shares of APi Group in a research note on Monday, January 12th. Barclays lifted their target price on APi Group from $42.00 to $44.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research report on Monday, November 3rd. UBS Group set a $49.00 target price on APi Group and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Thursday, January 15th. Royal Bank Of Canada restated an outperform rating on shares of APi Group in a research note on Tuesday, December 23rd. Finally, CJS Securities upgraded APi Group to a strong-buy rating in a research note on Thursday, December 11th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, seven have assigned a Buy rating and two have given a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, APi Group presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $43.24. Check Out Our Latest Research Report on APG About APi Group (Free Report) APi Group Corp. is a global specialty contractor that provides fire protection, security, mechanical insulation and energy services to commercial, industrial and institutional clients. Headquartered in New Brighton, Minnesota, the company designs, installs, inspects, tests, maintains and repairs a wide range of safety and infrastructure systems. Through its network of operating subsidiaries, APi Group delivers end-to-end solutions for new construction, facility renovations and ongoing maintenance requirements. Its service portfolio spans life safety and industrial servicessuch as fire suppression systems, fire alarms and emergency lightingand specialized offerings including technical insulation, access solutions, passive fire protection and energy efficiency upgrades. Further Reading Want to see what other hedge funds are holding APG? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for APi Group Corporation (NYSE:APG Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for APi Group Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for APi Group and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Bank of Montreal (TSE:BMO Get Free Report) (NYSE:BMO) had its price target increased by stock analysts at Jefferies Financial Group from C$182.00 to C$187.00 in a research report issued on Wednesday,BayStreet.CA reports. Jefferies Financial Groups price objective suggests a potential downside of 4.15% from the stocks previous close. Other equities analysts have also recently issued reports about the company. Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce increased their target price on Bank of Montreal from C$192.00 to C$199.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a report on Thursday, December 11th. National Bankshares lowered shares of Bank of Montreal from an outperform rating to a sector perform rating and raised their price objective for the company from C$173.00 to C$181.00 in a research note on Monday, November 17th. Royal Bank Of Canada boosted their target price on shares of Bank of Montreal from C$163.00 to C$178.00 in a research report on Friday, December 5th. Scotiabank upped their target price on shares of Bank of Montreal from C$187.00 to C$191.00 in a report on Friday, January 9th. Finally, Canaccord Genuity Group lifted their price target on Bank of Montreal from C$192.00 to C$201.00 in a research note on Friday, December 5th. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and eight have issued a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of Hold and a consensus target price of C$186.92. Get Bank of Montreal alerts: View Our Latest Analysis on BMO Bank of Montreal Stock Down 1.2% BMO traded down C$2.40 during trading on Wednesday, reaching C$195.09. 581,658 shares of the stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 3,097,551. The stocks 50-day moving average is C$183.94 and its 200 day moving average is C$175.44. Bank of Montreal has a 12 month low of C$121.31 and a 12 month high of C$198.68. The stock has a market capitalization of C$138.30 billion, a PE ratio of 17.05, a P/E/G ratio of 0.71 and a beta of 1.38. Bank of Montreal (TSE:BMO Get Free Report) (NYSE:BMO) last released its earnings results on Thursday, December 4th. The bank reported C$3.28 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter. Bank of Montreal had a net margin of 13.57% and a return on equity of 9.04%. The company had revenue of C$9.34 billion for the quarter. As a group, equities research analysts anticipate that Bank of Montreal will post 9.6514585 EPS for the current year. About Bank of Montreal (Get Free Report) Bank of Montreal is a diversified financial-services provider based in North America, operating four business segments: Canadian personal and commercial banking, U.S. P&C banking, wealth management, and capital markets. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for Bank of Montreal Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Bank of Montreal and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. BNP Paribas SA (OTCMKTS:BNPQY Get Free Report) shares saw unusually-strong trading volume on Wednesday . Approximately 394,490 shares traded hands during mid-day trading, a decline of 8% from the previous sessions volume of 427,345 shares.The stock last traded at $54.81 and had previously closed at $55.32. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth A number of brokerages have issued reports on BNPQY. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods upgraded BNP Paribas from a moderate sell rating to a hold rating in a research report on Monday, December 15th. Royal Bank Of Canada reaffirmed an outperform rating on shares of BNP Paribas in a research note on Friday. Citigroup reiterated a buy rating on shares of BNP Paribas in a report on Thursday, January 22nd. DZ Bank lowered shares of BNP Paribas from a strong-buy rating to a hold rating in a research report on Wednesday, October 29th. Finally, Barclays cut shares of BNP Paribas from an overweight rating to an equal weight rating in a research report on Wednesday, October 22nd. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, two have assigned a Buy rating, four have given a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of Hold. Get BNP Paribas alerts: Check Out Our Latest Analysis on BNP Paribas BNP Paribas Stock Down 0.2% The stock has a market cap of $121.62 billion, a PE ratio of 9.34, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.67 and a beta of 0.72. The company has a quick ratio of 0.80, a current ratio of 0.80 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.75. The firm has a fifty day moving average of $49.43 and a 200 day moving average of $45.75. BNP Paribas (OTCMKTS:BNPQY Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, February 5th. The financial services provider reported $1.46 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $1.34 by $0.12. The business had revenue of $15.27 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $15.27 billion. BNP Paribas had a return on equity of 9.18% and a net margin of 23.53%. On average, equities research analysts anticipate that BNP Paribas SA will post 5.02 EPS for the current fiscal year. About BNP Paribas (Get Free Report) BNP Paribas is a major international banking group headquartered in Paris, France, formed through the 2000 merger of Banque Nationale de Paris (BNP) and Paribas. The group provides a broad range of banking and financial services to retail, corporate and institutional clients, operating as one of the leading universal banks in Europe with a global footprint. Its principal business activities encompass retail banking and services, corporate and institutional banking, and investment solutions. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for BNP Paribas Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for BNP Paribas and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Caprock Group LLC bought a new position in shares of Altria Group, Inc. (NYSE:MO Free Report) during the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor bought 116,863 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $7,854,000. Other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Vanguard Group Inc. raised its holdings in Altria Group by 1.0% in the second quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 159,717,148 shares of the companys stock worth $9,364,216,000 after purchasing an additional 1,599,923 shares in the last quarter. State Street Corp grew its position in shares of Altria Group by 1.2% in the 2nd quarter. State Street Corp now owns 72,367,263 shares of the companys stock worth $4,315,438,000 after buying an additional 886,583 shares during the period. Geode Capital Management LLC increased its stake in shares of Altria Group by 1.7% in the 2nd quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 44,724,475 shares of the companys stock worth $2,620,229,000 after acquiring an additional 764,221 shares in the last quarter. Ameriprise Financial Inc. increased its stake in shares of Altria Group by 62.5% in the 2nd quarter. Ameriprise Financial Inc. now owns 16,395,070 shares of the companys stock worth $954,446,000 after acquiring an additional 6,302,819 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Bank of New York Mellon Corp lifted its position in Altria Group by 1.1% during the 3rd quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp now owns 12,747,828 shares of the companys stock valued at $842,122,000 after acquiring an additional 132,846 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 57.41% of the companys stock. Get Altria Group alerts: Altria Group Trading Down 0.0% MO stock opened at $64.38 on Wednesday. The stocks 50 day simple moving average is $59.91 and its 200 day simple moving average is $62.05. Altria Group, Inc. has a 12-month low of $52.40 and a 12-month high of $68.60. The stock has a market capitalization of $108.07 billion, a PE ratio of 15.66, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.55 and a beta of 0.47. Altria Group ( NYSE:MO Get Free Report ) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, January 29th. The company reported $1.30 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $1.32 by ($0.02). Altria Group had a negative return on equity of 287.61% and a net margin of 29.84%.The business had revenue of $5.08 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $5.02 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned $1.30 EPS. The firms revenue for the quarter was down .5% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, research analysts predict that Altria Group, Inc. will post 5.32 earnings per share for the current year. Altria Group announced that its Board of Directors has initiated a stock repurchase plan on Thursday, October 30th that allows the company to buyback $2.00 billion in shares. This buyback authorization allows the company to purchase up to 1.9% of its stock through open market purchases. Stock buyback plans are usually a sign that the companys management believes its stock is undervalued. Altria Group Announces Dividend The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, January 9th. Investors of record on Friday, December 26th were issued a $1.06 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, December 26th. This represents a $4.24 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 6.6%. Altria Groups payout ratio is presently 103.16%. Analysts Set New Price Targets A number of brokerages have weighed in on MO. Stifel Nicolaus cut their price objective on shares of Altria Group from $72.00 to $68.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a report on Friday, January 30th. Citigroup upped their price target on Altria Group from $57.00 to $65.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a research note on Monday. Argus raised Altria Group to a hold rating in a research report on Tuesday, January 13th. Finally, UBS Group boosted their target price on Altria Group from $63.00 to $67.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Monday, January 26th. Five research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, five have assigned a Hold rating and two have given a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Altria Group currently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $63.67. Check Out Our Latest Research Report on Altria Group Altria Group Company Profile (Free Report) Altria Group, Inc (NYSE: MO) is a U.S.-based consumer goods company whose principal business is the manufacture and sale of tobacco products. Headquartered in Richmond, Virginia, the companys operations are focused primarily on the U.S. market and include the production, marketing and distribution of cigarettes, smokeless tobacco and cigars. Its flagship cigarette franchise in the United States is sold through its operating subsidiaries and is among the most recognizable cigarette brands in the country. Altrias principal operating businesses include Philip Morris USA (cigarettes), U.S. Read More Want to see what other hedge funds are holding MO? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Altria Group, Inc. (NYSE:MO Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Altria Group Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Altria Group and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Caprock Group LLC purchased a new position in PulteGroup, Inc. (NYSE:PHM Free Report) in the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The fund purchased 45,919 shares of the construction companys stock, valued at approximately $6,062,000. A number of other institutional investors have also recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Norges Bank bought a new stake in shares of PulteGroup during the 2nd quarter worth $404,339,000. Massachusetts Financial Services Co. MA purchased a new stake in PulteGroup during the third quarter valued at about $315,883,000. AGF Management Ltd. bought a new stake in PulteGroup during the third quarter worth about $174,347,000. First Trust Advisors LP boosted its holdings in shares of PulteGroup by 27.2% in the 2nd quarter. First Trust Advisors LP now owns 3,199,906 shares of the construction companys stock worth $337,462,000 after purchasing an additional 683,728 shares in the last quarter. Finally, American Century Companies Inc. boosted its holdings in shares of PulteGroup by 143.8% in the 2nd quarter. American Century Companies Inc. now owns 772,762 shares of the construction companys stock worth $81,496,000 after purchasing an additional 455,754 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 89.90% of the companys stock. Get PulteGroup alerts: Analysts Set New Price Targets A number of brokerages recently weighed in on PHM. Royal Bank Of Canada raised their price objective on PulteGroup from $111.00 to $115.00 and gave the company a sector perform rating in a report on Friday, January 30th. Oppenheimer reissued an outperform rating and set a $149.00 price target (up from $140.00) on shares of PulteGroup in a research note on Friday, January 30th. Evercore upped their price objective on shares of PulteGroup from $134.00 to $143.00 in a research note on Friday, January 30th. Wells Fargo & Company increased their target price on shares of PulteGroup from $132.00 to $150.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a report on Wednesday, January 14th. Finally, Raymond James Financial reiterated an outperform rating and issued a $145.00 target price on shares of PulteGroup in a research report on Wednesday, February 4th. Nine investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, six have given a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $140.15. Insider Activity In other PulteGroup news, EVP Todd N. Sheldon sold 14,220 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, February 6th. The stock was sold at an average price of $135.01, for a total value of $1,919,842.20. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president owned 69,753 shares in the company, valued at approximately $9,417,352.53. This trade represents a 16.93% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, COO Matthew William Koart sold 15,309 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, February 6th. The shares were sold at an average price of $135.79, for a total value of $2,078,809.11. Following the transaction, the chief operating officer directly owned 42,418 shares in the company, valued at $5,759,940.22. This trade represents a 26.52% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. In the last ninety days, insiders have sold 144,779 shares of company stock valued at $19,432,616. Company insiders own 0.76% of the companys stock. PulteGroup Stock Up 3.7% Shares of PulteGroup stock opened at $137.33 on Wednesday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.13, a quick ratio of 1.01 and a current ratio of 1.01. PulteGroup, Inc. has a 52-week low of $88.07 and a 52-week high of $142.11. The companys 50 day moving average price is $125.66 and its 200-day moving average price is $125.79. The stock has a market capitalization of $26.41 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 12.35, a P/E/G ratio of 1.52 and a beta of 1.33. PulteGroup Dividend Announcement The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, April 2nd. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, March 17th will be paid a dividend of $0.26 per share. This represents a $1.04 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.8%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, March 17th. PulteGroups dividend payout ratio is 9.35%. PulteGroup Company Profile (Free Report) PulteGroup, Inc (NYSE: PHM) is a U.S.-based residential homebuilder that designs, constructs and sells single-family homes and develops master-planned communities. The company operates multiple national and regional brands that target different buyer segments, including first-time buyers, move-up buyers and active-adult customers. Its operations encompass land acquisition and development, home design and construction, community amenities and ongoing customer service and warranty programs. PulteGroup markets homes under several well-known brands, such as Pulte Homes, Centex and Del Webb, among others, offering a range of product types from entry-level detached homes to larger, higher-end residences and age-restricted active-adult communities. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for PulteGroup Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for PulteGroup and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Caprock Group LLC acquired a new position in shares of iShares MSCI USA Quality Factor ETF (BATS:QUAL Free Report) in the third quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund acquired 70,249 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $13,274,000. Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in QUAL. Gallagher Fiduciary Advisors LLC lifted its stake in iShares MSCI USA Quality Factor ETF by 13,080.9% during the second quarter. Gallagher Fiduciary Advisors LLC now owns 2,481,960 shares of the companys stock worth $453,752,000 after purchasing an additional 2,463,130 shares during the last quarter. Soundwatch Capital LLC raised its holdings in shares of iShares MSCI USA Quality Factor ETF by 72,284.9% during the 2nd quarter. Soundwatch Capital LLC now owns 2,437,924 shares of the companys stock valued at $445,701,000 after buying an additional 2,434,556 shares in the last quarter. Symphony Financial Ltd. Co. raised its holdings in shares of iShares MSCI USA Quality Factor ETF by 4,818.8% during the 2nd quarter. Symphony Financial Ltd. Co. now owns 1,716,464 shares of the companys stock valued at $313,849,000 after buying an additional 1,681,568 shares in the last quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. bought a new stake in iShares MSCI USA Quality Factor ETF in the 2nd quarter worth approximately $305,974,000. Finally, Cerity Partners LLC boosted its stake in iShares MSCI USA Quality Factor ETF by 39.6% in the second quarter. Cerity Partners LLC now owns 3,755,880 shares of the companys stock worth $686,910,000 after buying an additional 1,065,946 shares in the last quarter. Get iShares MSCI USA Quality Factor ETF alerts: iShares MSCI USA Quality Factor ETF Price Performance Shares of BATS QUAL opened at $203.62 on Wednesday. The stock has a market capitalization of $59.04 billion, a P/E ratio of 25.59 and a beta of 1.05. iShares MSCI USA Quality Factor ETF has a one year low of $148.34 and a one year high of $205.48. The firms 50 day simple moving average is $201.24 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $195.24. iShares MSCI USA Quality Factor ETF Profile 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. QUAL was launched on Jul 18, 2013 and is managed by BlackRock. See Also 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. A guest interacts with a dancing lion before a Chinese New Year banquet held in Lower Manhattan, New York City, the United States, on Feb. 9, 2026. (Photo by Vivien Liu/Xinhua) by Xinhua writer Yang Shilong NEW YORK, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese New Year banquet was held Monday evening at the China Institute Culinary Center in Lower Manhattan, New York City, featuring an exquisite eight-course dinner prepared by five master chefs from Beijing. The event began with a cocktail reception and a lion dance celebrating the Year of the Horse, followed by cultural gift bags and a gourmet dinner that offered guests a rich introduction to Chinese New Year traditions and regional cuisine. "Chinese taste has never been confined to the palate alone. It is a living expression of Chinese culture and a vital window through which the world comes to understand China," said Zhang Weiguo, director-general of the China Center of International Cultural Exchange and Tourism Promotion. Zhang highlighted the enduring bond between China and the United States, noting that despite the Pacific separating the two countries, people-to-people exchanges form the strongest connection between their societies. "With its unique warmth and accessibility, culinary culture has become a natural bridge for fostering mutual understanding and deepening friendship between our two countries," he added. For Yue-Sai Kan, co-chair of the board of the China Institute of America, the evening was meant to showcase Chinese culture through its food. "The idea of a single 'taste of China' hardly captures the country's vast culinary scope," she said. "Chinese culinary culture is very rich and versatile." The five chefs and artists from Beijing came not only to cook but also to share elements of Chinese cultural heritage. Alongside the dishes, guests encountered Beijing opera-inspired figures, traditional candies, and other handcrafted items that reflected the cultural background behind the cuisine. She described the China Institute as a rare institution in the United States -- one that has endured for over a century as a hub for Chinese culture, spanning language education, exhibitions and culinary arts. Among the guests was Peter Walker, an author and longtime observer of China, for whom the evening carried personal significance. He recalled his first trip to China 40 years ago, describing it as a profound spiritual journey. Over the years, he added, his connection to China deepened through continued engagement with Chinese society and culture. "When I go back to China, I feel like I'm coming home," he said. A young girl greets a dancing lion before a Chinese New Year banquet held in Lower Manhattan, New York City, the United States, on Feb. 9, 2026. (Photo by Vivien Liu/Xinhua) Guests view a Chinese artist making a sugar painting before a Chinese New Year banquet held in Lower Manhattan, New York City, the United States, on Feb. 9, 2026. (Photo by Vivien Liu/Xinhua) Guests view traditional Chinese artifacts before a Chinese New Year banquet held in Lower Manhattan, New York City, the United States, on Feb. 9, 2026. (Photo by Vivien Liu/Xinhua) Master chefs from Beijing pose for a group photo with the staff of China Institute of America during a Chinese New Year banquet held in Lower Manhattan, New York City, the United States, on Feb. 9, 2026. (Photo by Vivien Liu/Xinhua) Caprock Group LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE:WFC Free Report) during the third quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm acquired 113,754 shares of the financial services providers stock, valued at approximately $9,400,000. Other hedge funds also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Hidden Cove Wealth Management LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Wells Fargo & Company by 2.0% in the 3rd quarter. Hidden Cove Wealth Management LLC now owns 5,948 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $499,000 after acquiring an additional 119 shares during the last quarter. Zullo Investment Group Inc. raised its position in Wells Fargo & Company by 2.0% in the 3rd quarter. Zullo Investment Group Inc. now owns 6,340 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $532,000 after purchasing an additional 122 shares during the period. Embree Financial Group lifted its stake in Wells Fargo & Company by 3.9% in the third quarter. Embree Financial Group now owns 3,330 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $279,000 after purchasing an additional 126 shares during the last quarter. Trust Co. of Vermont boosted its position in Wells Fargo & Company by 1.1% during the third quarter. Trust Co. of Vermont now owns 12,098 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $1,014,000 after buying an additional 126 shares during the period. Finally, Traphagen Investment Advisors LLC boosted its position in Wells Fargo & Company by 2.0% during the third quarter. Traphagen Investment Advisors LLC now owns 6,346 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $532,000 after buying an additional 127 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 75.90% of the companys stock. Get Wells Fargo & Company alerts: Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth A number of equities research analysts have recently weighed in on WFC shares. Weiss Ratings reissued a buy (b) rating on shares of Wells Fargo & Company in a research note on Wednesday, January 21st. CICC Research began coverage on Wells Fargo & Company in a research report on Wednesday, January 14th. They issued a market perform rating and a $96.00 price objective for the company. TD Cowen dropped their price objective on Wells Fargo & Company from $102.00 to $100.00 and set a hold rating for the company in a research note on Thursday, January 15th. Wolfe Research reaffirmed an outperform rating and issued a $109.00 target price on shares of Wells Fargo & Company in a research note on Wednesday, January 7th. Finally, Keefe, Bruyette & Woods upped their price target on shares of Wells Fargo & Company from $92.00 to $101.00 and gave the company a market perform rating in a report on Wednesday, December 17th. Thirteen analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, nine have given a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $97.29. Wells Fargo & Company Stock Performance Shares of WFC stock opened at $91.90 on Wednesday. The firm has a market capitalization of $288.48 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 14.66, a PEG ratio of 1.04 and a beta of 1.09. The stock has a fifty day moving average of $91.94 and a 200 day moving average of $85.82. Wells Fargo & Company has a 52 week low of $58.42 and a 52 week high of $97.76. The company has a quick ratio of 0.84, a current ratio of 0.90 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.05. Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE:WFC Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Wednesday, January 14th. The financial services provider reported $1.76 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.66 by $0.10. Wells Fargo & Company had a net margin of 17.27% and a return on equity of 12.90%. The firm had revenue of $11.97 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $21.63 billion. During the same period last year, the company posted $1.43 EPS. The companys quarterly revenue was up 4.5% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, research analysts expect that Wells Fargo & Company will post 5.89 earnings per share for the current year. Wells Fargo & Company Announces Dividend The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Sunday, March 1st. Stockholders of record on Friday, February 6th will be paid a $0.45 dividend. This represents a $1.80 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.0%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, February 6th. Wells Fargo & Companys dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 28.71%. Key Headlines Impacting Wells Fargo & Company Here are the key news stories impacting Wells Fargo & Company this week: Positive Sentiment: JPMorgan raised its price target on WFC to $99.50 (from $99.00) while keeping a neutral rating; the higher PT signals incremental upside but no change in conviction. Article Title JPMorgan raised its price target on WFC to $99.50 (from $99.00) while keeping a neutral rating; the higher PT signals incremental upside but no change in conviction. Positive Sentiment: Analyst consensus remains favorable brokerages average recommendation is Moderate Buy, supporting medium-term demand for the shares. Read More. Analyst consensus remains favorable brokerages average recommendation is Moderate Buy, supporting medium-term demand for the shares. Read More. Neutral Sentiment: Wells Fargo presented at the UBS Financial Services Conference investor takeaways from the transcript will matter for guidance and capital plans, but the presentation alone produced no clear market-moving surprise. Read More. Wells Fargo presented at the UBS Financial Services Conference investor takeaways from the transcript will matter for guidance and capital plans, but the presentation alone produced no clear market-moving surprise. Read More. Neutral Sentiment: Research pieces evaluating Wells Fargo preferred stock and peer comparisons (Nomura) provide detail for fixed-income and comparative investors but are unlikely to drive large, immediate equity moves. Read More. Read More. Research pieces evaluating Wells Fargo preferred stock and peer comparisons (Nomura) provide detail for fixed-income and comparative investors but are unlikely to drive large, immediate equity moves. Read More. Read More. Neutral Sentiment: Wells Fargo research commentary on broader consumer trends (e.g., GLP1 driven shifts toward protein snacks) highlights the firms economic research visibility but is indirect for WFC equity performance. Read More. Wells Fargo research commentary on broader consumer trends (e.g., GLP1 driven shifts toward protein snacks) highlights the firms economic research visibility but is indirect for WFC equity performance. Read More. Negative Sentiment: A high-profile customer dispute Wells Fargo refused to refund a $28K tax payment after a check was stolen can amplify reputational and litigation concerns and may pressure sentiment among retail investors. Read More. About Wells Fargo & Company (Free Report) Wells Fargo & Company is a diversified, U.S.-based financial services company headquartered in San Francisco, California. Founded in 1852 by Henry Wells and William G. Fargo, the firm has evolved from its origins in express delivery and pioneer-era banking into one of the largest full-service banks in the United States. The company provides a broad range of financial products and services to individual, small business, commercial, and institutional clients. Charles W. Scharf serves as chief executive officer. Wells Fargo operates across several core business segments, including consumer banking and lending, commercial banking, corporate and investment banking, and wealth and investment management. Featured Articles 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. Caprock Group LLC acquired a new stake in shares of iShares Core S&P 500 ETF (NYSEARCA:IVV Free Report) in the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor acquired 23,299 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $15,105,000. Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently bought and sold shares of the business. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised its position in shares of iShares Core S&P 500 ETF by 18.3% during the 2nd quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. now owns 28,271,587 shares of the companys stock worth $17,553,830,000 after purchasing an additional 4,378,977 shares during the period. Nisa Investment Advisors LLC grew its stake in iShares Core S&P 500 ETF by 56.2% during the 3rd quarter. Nisa Investment Advisors LLC now owns 11,955,236 shares of the companys stock worth $8,001,639,000 after buying an additional 4,301,015 shares during the last quarter. Laurel Wealth Advisors LLC increased its position in iShares Core S&P 500 ETF by 63,164.8% in the second quarter. Laurel Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 2,748,222 shares of the companys stock worth $1,706,371,000 after buying an additional 2,743,878 shares during the period. Allianz Asset Management GmbH increased its position in iShares Core S&P 500 ETF by 203.5% in the third quarter. Allianz Asset Management GmbH now owns 2,428,267 shares of the companys stock worth $1,625,239,000 after buying an additional 1,628,276 shares during the period. Finally, Soundwatch Capital LLC lifted its stake in iShares Core S&P 500 ETF by 474.9% in the second quarter. Soundwatch Capital LLC now owns 1,507,952 shares of the companys stock valued at $936,287,000 after buying an additional 1,245,649 shares during the last quarter. 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 Performance IVV stock opened at $695.15 on Wednesday. iShares Core S&P 500 ETF has a 1 year low of $484.00 and a 1 year high of $700.97. The stock has a market capitalization of $764.11 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 25.10 and a beta of 1.00. The stocks fifty day moving average is $690.52 and its two-hundred day moving average is $672.39. iShares Core S&P 500 ETF Company 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. The component stocks are weighted according to the total float-adjusted market value of their outstanding shares. The Fund invests in a representative sample of securities included in the Index that collectively has an investment profile similar to the Index. Read More 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. Cemex (NYSE:CX Get Free Report) was downgraded by analysts at Zacks Research from a strong-buy rating to a hold rating in a research note issued to investors on Monday,Zacks.com reports. CX has been the subject of several other reports. Weiss Ratings reiterated a hold (c) rating on shares of Cemex in a research note on Wednesday, January 21st. The Goldman Sachs Group upped their price target on shares of Cemex from $10.00 to $11.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Friday, October 17th. Bank of America upgraded Cemex from a neutral rating to a buy rating and increased their price target for the company from $10.00 to $10.80 in a report on Wednesday, October 15th. HSBC cut Cemex from a buy rating to a hold rating and set a $12.80 price objective on the stock. in a research note on Friday, February 6th. Finally, Citigroup lowered Cemex from a buy rating to a neutral rating and increased their target price for the company from $9.00 to $10.00 in a research note on Monday, October 13th. Four analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eight have given a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Cemex has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $11.04. Get Cemex alerts: Get Our Latest Stock Report on CX Cemex Price Performance Shares of Cemex stock opened at $12.92 on Monday. The businesss fifty day moving average price is $12.02 and its 200 day moving average price is $10.32. Cemex has a twelve month low of $4.89 and a twelve month high of $13.35. The company has a current ratio of 0.83, a quick ratio of 0.62 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.33. The stock has a market capitalization of $18.72 billion, a P/E ratio of 19.58, a PEG ratio of 0.87 and a beta of 1.61. Cemex (NYSE:CX Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, February 5th. The construction company reported ($0.19) EPS for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $0.19 by ($0.38). Cemex had a return on equity of 2.85% and a net margin of 5.93%.The firm had revenue of $4.18 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $4.01 billion. As a group, research analysts anticipate that Cemex will post 0.69 earnings per share for the current year. Hedge Funds Weigh In On Cemex Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the business. Dodge & Cox increased its stake in shares of Cemex by 1.8% in the third quarter. Dodge & Cox now owns 96,734,370 shares of the construction companys stock worth $869,642,000 after buying an additional 1,710,535 shares during the last quarter. Brandes Investment Partners LP grew its holdings in Cemex by 7.7% during the 2nd quarter. Brandes Investment Partners LP now owns 32,648,163 shares of the construction companys stock worth $226,252,000 after acquiring an additional 2,337,817 shares in the last quarter. Orbis Allan Gray Ltd increased its position in shares of Cemex by 90.2% in the 2nd quarter. Orbis Allan Gray Ltd now owns 26,300,519 shares of the construction companys stock worth $182,263,000 after purchasing an additional 12,469,417 shares during the last quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP raised its stake in shares of Cemex by 451.7% in the 3rd quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP now owns 16,897,356 shares of the construction companys stock valued at $151,907,000 after purchasing an additional 13,834,438 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Robeco Institutional Asset Management B.V. raised its stake in shares of Cemex by 18.9% in the 4th quarter. Robeco Institutional Asset Management B.V. now owns 12,328,806 shares of the construction companys stock valued at $141,658,000 after purchasing an additional 1,962,140 shares in the last quarter. 82.97% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. About Cemex (Get Free Report) Cemex (NYSE: CX) is a global building materials company headquartered in Monterrey, Mexico. The company produces, distributes and sells cement, ready-mix concrete and aggregates, as well as related building materials, to construction markets in more than 50 countries. Cemexs product portfolio also includes asphalt and mortar mixes, waste-derived fuels and other complementary construction solutions, supported by a network of production facilities, distribution centers and logistics operations. Founded in 1906 as Cementos Hidalgo, the company adopted the Cemex name in 1976 following a series of domestic mergers and expansions. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for Cemex Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Cemex and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Central African Gold Inc. (BANC.V) (CVE:BANC Get Free Report) shares shot up 8.5% during trading on Tuesday . The company traded as high as C$0.32 and last traded at C$0.32. 80,972 shares were traded during mid-day trading, an increase of 230% from the average session volume of 24,545 shares. The stock had previously closed at C$0.30. Central African Gold Inc. (BANC.V) Stock Up 8.5% The company has a market capitalization of C$11.23 million and a PE ratio of -0.91. The companys fifty day moving average is C$0.32 and its 200-day moving average is C$0.32. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 14.17, a quick ratio of 0.01 and a current ratio of 0.01. About Central African Gold Inc. (BANC.V) (Get Free Report) Bankers Cobalt Corp., a natural resource company, engages in the acquisition, exploration, development, and operation of cobalt and copper mineral projects in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Namibia. The company explores for nickel, gold, platinum, and palladium deposits. It holds 100% interest in six concessions located in Namibia. The company is based in Vancouver, Canada. Read More Receive News & Ratings for Central African Gold Inc. (BANC.V) Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Central African Gold Inc. (BANC.V) and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Westbourne Investments Inc. cut its stake in Chevron Corporation (NYSE:CVX Free Report) by 22.8% in the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 16,285 shares of the oil and gas companys stock after selling 4,796 shares during the period. Chevron makes up approximately 1.3% of Westbourne Investments Inc.s investment portfolio, making the stock its 28th biggest position. Westbourne Investments Inc.s holdings in Chevron were worth $2,568,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. A number of other hedge funds have also made changes to their positions in CVX. Norges Bank acquired a new position in shares of Chevron during the 2nd quarter valued at $2,721,477,000. Bank of New York Mellon Corp boosted its stake in Chevron by 27.9% during the third quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp now owns 19,627,146 shares of the oil and gas companys stock valued at $3,047,900,000 after buying an additional 4,279,918 shares in the last quarter. Laurel Wealth Advisors LLC grew its holdings in Chevron by 14,194.2% during the second quarter. Laurel Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 3,722,217 shares of the oil and gas companys stock worth $532,984,000 after acquiring an additional 3,696,177 shares during the period. Berkshire Hathaway Inc grew its holdings in Chevron by 2.9% during the second quarter. Berkshire Hathaway Inc now owns 122,064,792 shares of the oil and gas companys stock worth $17,478,458,000 after acquiring an additional 3,454,258 shares during the period. Finally, Massachusetts Financial Services Co. MA raised its position in Chevron by 32.1% in the third quarter. Massachusetts Financial Services Co. MA now owns 9,125,735 shares of the oil and gas companys stock worth $1,417,135,000 after acquiring an additional 2,218,283 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 72.42% of the companys stock. Get Chevron alerts: Insider Buying and Selling In other Chevron news, CTO Thomas Ryder Booth sold 6,000 shares of Chevron stock in a transaction on Tuesday, February 3rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $178.43, for a total transaction of $1,070,580.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief technology officer owned 476 shares of the companys stock, valued at $84,932.68. This trade represents a 92.65% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, insider Andrew Benjamin Walz sold 22,200 shares of Chevron stock in a transaction on Tuesday, February 3rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $176.53, for a total value of $3,918,966.00. Following the sale, the insider directly owned 666 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $117,568.98. The trade was a 97.09% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Over the last quarter, insiders have sold 793,158 shares of company stock worth $127,919,578. Insiders own 0.20% of the companys stock. Wall Street Analyst Weigh In Several equities analysts have recently weighed in on CVX shares. Weiss Ratings restated a hold (c) rating on shares of Chevron in a research report on Wednesday, January 21st. Morgan Stanley cut their target price on shares of Chevron from $180.00 to $174.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a research note on Friday, January 23rd. Citigroup decreased their price target on shares of Chevron from $185.00 to $179.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a research report on Monday, January 5th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised Chevron from a neutral rating to an overweight rating and set a $176.00 price target on the stock in a report on Tuesday, January 20th. Finally, Zacks Research upgraded Chevron from a strong sell rating to a hold rating in a research report on Tuesday, December 23rd. Twelve investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, seven have issued a Hold rating and four have assigned a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has a consensus rating of Hold and an average price target of $175.00. Check Out Our Latest Research Report on Chevron Chevron Trading Down 0.1% Chevron stock opened at $182.39 on Wednesday. Chevron Corporation has a 52 week low of $132.04 and a 52 week high of $182.95. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.19, a quick ratio of 0.86 and a current ratio of 1.15. The firm has a market capitalization of $367.25 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 27.39, a P/E/G ratio of 12.28 and a beta of 0.70. The company has a 50 day moving average price of $160.55 and a 200 day moving average price of $156.86. Chevron (NYSE:CVX Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Friday, January 30th. The oil and gas company reported $1.52 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $1.44 by $0.08. The company had revenue of $45.79 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $48.18 billion. Chevron had a return on equity of 8.23% and a net margin of 6.51%.The companys revenue for the quarter was down 10.2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company earned $2.06 earnings per share. Research analysts forecast that Chevron Corporation will post 10.79 EPS for the current year. Chevron Increases Dividend The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, March 10th. Investors of record on Tuesday, February 17th will be issued a dividend of $1.78 per share. This is an increase from Chevrons previous quarterly dividend of $1.71. This represents a $7.12 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 3.9%. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, February 17th. Chevrons dividend payout ratio is 102.70%. About Chevron (Free Report) Chevron Corporation (NYSE: CVX) is an American multinational energy company engaged in virtually all aspects of the oil and gas industry. As an integrated energy firm, Chevrons core activities include upstream oil and natural gas exploration and production, midstream transportation and storage, downstream refining and marketing of fuels and lubricants, and petrochemical manufacturing through joint ventures and subsidiaries. The company markets fuels under brands such as Chevron, Texaco and Caltex and supplies a range of products and services to retail customers, industrial users and commercial fleets worldwide. Chevron traces its corporate lineage to the early petroleum companies that eventually became Standard Oil of California and has evolved through significant mergers and restructurings, including the acquisitions of Gulf Oil and Texaco. See Also Want to see what other hedge funds are holding CVX? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Chevron Corporation (NYSE:CVX Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Chevron Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Chevron and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Cibc World Market Inc. increased its position in shares of Brookfield Corporation (NYSE:BN Free Report) by 2.9% during the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 11,277,277 shares of the companys stock after buying an additional 321,998 shares during the period. Brookfield comprises approximately 1.4% of Cibc World Market Inc.s holdings, making the stock its 13th largest holding. Cibc World Market Inc. owned about 0.46% of Brookfield worth $773,396,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. Other hedge funds also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Twin Peaks Wealth Advisors LLC purchased a new position in Brookfield during the 2nd quarter valued at about $32,000. Ameritas Advisory Services LLC bought a new position in shares of Brookfield during the second quarter valued at approximately $33,000. Cary Street Partners Investment Advisory LLC increased its holdings in Brookfield by 109.3% during the second quarter. Cary Street Partners Investment Advisory LLC now owns 632 shares of the companys stock valued at $39,000 after buying an additional 330 shares during the period. First Horizon Corp purchased a new position in Brookfield during the third quarter valued at approximately $40,000. Finally, Versant Capital Management Inc raised its stake in Brookfield by 507.5% in the third quarter. Versant Capital Management Inc now owns 650 shares of the companys stock worth $45,000 after buying an additional 543 shares in the last quarter. 61.60% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. Get Brookfield alerts: Analysts Set New Price Targets Several analysts have issued reports on BN shares. Zacks Research raised Brookfield from a strong sell rating to a hold rating in a research report on Monday, January 19th. TD Securities raised their price objective on Brookfield from $57.00 to $59.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Friday, November 14th. Morgan Stanley reiterated an overweight rating and issued a $58.00 target price on shares of Brookfield in a research note on Tuesday, January 27th. Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce reissued an outperform rating and set a $52.00 price target (up from $50.67) on shares of Brookfield in a research report on Friday, November 14th. Finally, Keefe, Bruyette & Woods restated an outperform rating on shares of Brookfield in a report on Monday, December 1st. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, ten have assigned a Buy rating and two have given a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of Buy and an average target price of $54.70. Brookfield Price Performance Shares of NYSE BN opened at $47.77 on Wednesday. Brookfield Corporation has a fifty-two week low of $29.07 and a fifty-two week high of $49.56. The company has a market cap of $118.32 billion, a PE ratio of 132.69 and a beta of 1.57. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.54, a quick ratio of 1.19 and a current ratio of 1.31. The business has a 50-day simple moving average of $46.52 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $45.55. Brookfield (NYSE:BN Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, November 13th. The company reported $0.63 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.61 by $0.02. The firm had revenue of $1.59 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.58 billion. Brookfield had a net margin of 1.34% and a return on equity of 3.92%. As a group, equities analysts expect that Brookfield Corporation will post 3.85 EPS for the current fiscal year. Brookfield Announces Dividend The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, December 31st. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, December 16th were paid a dividend of $0.06 per share. This represents a $0.24 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.5%. The ex-dividend date was Tuesday, December 16th. Brookfields payout ratio is presently 66.67%. About Brookfield (Free Report) Brookfield Corporation (NYSE:BN) is a global alternative asset manager that specializes in real assets. The company invests in and operates businesses across real estate, infrastructure, renewable power and energy, private equity and credit. Its activities span both ownership and active management of physical assets as well as the operation of investment funds and vehicles that provide institutional and retail investors access to longlived, cashgenerating assets. Brookfields services include asset management, direct investing, property development and the operation of infrastructure and energy businesses. Further Reading Want to see what other hedge funds are holding BN? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Brookfield Corporation (NYSE:BN Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Brookfield Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Brookfield and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Profitability This table compares Bank of Communications and NatWest Groups net margins, return on equity and return on assets. Net Margins Return on Equity Return on Assets Bank of Communications 18.19% 7.70% 0.62% NatWest Group 18.18% 12.77% 0.73% Risk and Volatility Bank of Communications has a beta of -0.17, indicating that its share price is 117% less volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, NatWest Group has a beta of 0.9, indicating that its share price is 10% less volatile than the S&P 500. Get Bank of Communications alerts: Valuation & Earnings This table compares Bank of Communications and NatWest Groups revenue, earnings per share (EPS) and valuation. Gross Revenue Price/Sales Ratio Net Income Earnings Per Share Price/Earnings Ratio Bank of Communications $75.42 billion 0.85 $13.02 billion $3.87 5.55 NatWest Group $36.57 billion 1.85 $6.14 billion $0.84 10.05 Bank of Communications has higher revenue and earnings than NatWest Group. Bank of Communications is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than NatWest Group, indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks. Summary NatWest Group beats Bank of Communications on 5 of the 9 factors compared between the two stocks. About Bank of Communications (Get Free Report) Bank of Communications Co., Ltd. provides commercial banking products and services in China. The company offers savings deposit products, including demand deposits, lump-sum deposits and withdrawal, time deposit of small savings for lump-sum withdrawal, interest withdrawal on principal deposited, time-demand deposit, call deposit, swap management, and education deposit; personal certificate of deposit; salary financing A; and foreign currency deposit. It also provides credit, quasi-credit, and debit cards; new housing and second-hand mortgage loans and unsecured personal loans; personal wealth management advisor services; and precious metal and commodity trading services. In addition, the company offers corporate structured deposit and corporate certificate of deposit; corporate cash management; industrial chain finance program comprising prepayment financing, inventory financing, accounts receivable financing and accounts payable financing; syndicated loans; corporation overdraft; investment banking services; and offshore banking services, such as repayment financing, inventory financing, accounts receivable financing and accounts payable financing, and forex currencies. Further, it provides bond account activation, bond distribution, and transaction services; related bond escrow and settlement, pledge registration, and principal and interest payment services; training and consulting services for cooperative banks; cross-border inter-bank payments system services; consignment sales of precious metal products; bond underwriting distribution; third party bond depository services; bank derivatives transfer; b-share transfer; bankfutures transfer; standard warehouse warrant pledged financing; institutional investment consulting, wealth management, and insurance services; and clearing and settlement services for future markets. The company was founded in 1908 and is headquartered in Shanghai, the Peoples Republic of China. About NatWest Group (Get Free Report) NatWest Group plc, together with its subsidiaries, provides banking and financial products and services to personal, commercial, corporate, and institutional customers in the United Kingdom and internationally. It operates through Retail Banking, Private Banking, and Commercial & Institutional segments. The Retail Banking segment offers a range of banking products and related financial services, such as current accounts, mortgages, personal unsecured lending, and personal deposits, as well as mobile and online banking services. The Private Banking segment provides private banking and wealth management products for high-net-worth individuals and their business interests. The Commercial & Institutional segment offers banking and financial solutions to large corporate organisations, multi-nationals, and financial institutions. The company was formerly known as The Royal Bank of Scotland Group plc and changed its name to NatWest Group plc in July 2020. NatWest Group plc was founded in 1727 and is headquartered in Edinburgh, the United Kingdom. Receive News & Ratings for Bank of Communications Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Bank of Communications and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Cranswick plc (OTCMKTS:CRWKF Get Free Report) was the target of a large growth in short interest in January. As of January 30th, there was short interest totaling 40,505 shares, a growth of 1,106.9% from the January 15th total of 3,356 shares. Based on an average trading volume of 0 shares, the short-interest ratio is presently days. Based on an average trading volume of 0 shares, the short-interest ratio is presently days. Cranswick Stock Up 2.1% Cranswick stock traded up C$1.33 during trading hours on Tuesday, reaching C$63.99. Cranswick has a twelve month low of C$63.99 and a twelve month high of C$66.55. The businesss 50 day moving average price is C$63.96 and its 200-day moving average price is C$63.97. Get Cranswick alerts: About Cranswick (Get Free Report) Cranswick plc is a UK-based food producer specializing in high-quality fresh pork and gourmet prepared meats. Headquartered in East Yorkshire, the company operates an integrated supply chain model, sourcing pigs from a network of approved farms while maintaining strict standards for animal welfare and traceability. Over several decades, Cranswick has expanded its core pork business to encompass cooked poultry and charcuterie, positioning itself as one of Britains leading suppliers of premium meat products. The companys portfolio spans a variety of retail and foodservice offerings, including fresh sausages, back bacon, cooked hams, and artisan-style charcuterie. See Also Receive News & Ratings for Cranswick Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Cranswick and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Croghan Bancshares, Inc. (OTCMKTS:CHBH Get Free Report) shares traded up 0.4% during mid-day trading on Tuesday . The stock traded as high as $56.61 and last traded at $56.61. 146 shares traded hands during mid-day trading, a decline of 90% from the average session volume of 1,403 shares. The stock had previously closed at $56.41. Croghan Bancshares Stock Up 0.4% The businesss fifty day moving average is $53.78 and its 200 day moving average is $51.40. Get Croghan Bancshares alerts: Croghan Bancshares Company Profile (Get Free Report) Croghan Bancshares, Inc is a bank holding company based in Ogdensburg, New York, trading on the OTC Markets under the symbol CHBH. Through its wholly owned subsidiary, Croghan Savings Bank, the company delivers a full suite of retail and commercial banking services. Croghan Savings Bank traces its heritage to 1885, operating as a mutual savings institution committed to serving local customers with personalized financial solutions. The companys core offerings include deposit products such as checking accounts, savings accounts, money market funds and certificates of deposit. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for Croghan Bancshares Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Croghan Bancshares and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Dassault Systemes (OTCMKTS:DASTY Get Free Report) announced its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday. The technology company reported $0.46 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $0.47 by ($0.01), Zacks reports. Dassault Systemes had a net margin of 18.52% and a return on equity of 17.18%. Dassault Systemes updated its FY 2026 guidance to 1.673-1.818 EPS and its Q1 2026 guidance to 0.330-0.366 EPS. Dassault Systemes Price Performance Shares of OTCMKTS:DASTY traded down $5.45 during trading on Wednesday, reaching $21.37. 184,364 shares of the companys stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 313,178. The firm has a market cap of $28.67 billion, a PE ratio of 22.49, a P/E/G ratio of 6.13 and a beta of 0.98. Dassault Systemes has a fifty-two week low of $20.35 and a fifty-two week high of $44.18. The company has a quick ratio of 1.55, a current ratio of 1.55 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.14. The company has a 50-day simple moving average of $27.71 and a 200-day simple moving average of $29.88. Get Dassault Systemes alerts: Dassault Systemes News Roundup Here are the key news stories impacting Dassault Systemes this week: Positive Sentiment: Full-year EPS guidance was raised to 1.6731.818 for FY2026, which sits above some street expectations and supports longer-term earnings power. Full-year EPS guidance was raised to 1.6731.818 for FY2026, which sits above some street expectations and supports longer-term earnings power. Positive Sentiment: Dassault reported full-year 2025 revenue growth and recurring revenue expansion driven by an 11% jump in subscriptions as customers shift to cloud software a strategic positive for recurring-margin stability. Dassault Systemes posts full-year revenue growth Dassault reported full-year 2025 revenue growth and recurring revenue expansion driven by an 11% jump in subscriptions as customers shift to cloud software a strategic positive for recurring-margin stability. Neutral Sentiment: Quarterly EPS missed by $0.01 (reported $0.46 vs. $0.47 consensus) a small miss that is unlikely on its own to explain large moves but contributes to negative sentiment when paired with weak sales guidance. Quarterly EPS missed by $0.01 (reported $0.46 vs. $0.47 consensus) a small miss that is unlikely on its own to explain large moves but contributes to negative sentiment when paired with weak sales guidance. Neutral Sentiment: The company reported modest Q4 revenue growth (about 1%) with management describing solid operating margin performance and EPS expansion in the release, suggesting some operational resilience. Q4 results and 2026 guidance The company reported modest Q4 revenue growth (about 1%) with management describing solid operating margin performance and EPS expansion in the release, suggesting some operational resilience. Negative Sentiment: Q1 2026 revenue guidance was well below consensus (guidance ~ $1.51.6B vs. ~$2.0B street estimate), a primary driver of the share decline as near-term top-line weakness undermines sentiment. Q1 2026 revenue guidance was well below consensus (guidance ~ $1.51.6B vs. ~$2.0B street estimate), a primary driver of the share decline as near-term top-line weakness undermines sentiment. Negative Sentiment: News outlets flagged a decline in adjusted operating profit and overall weak sales/guidance commentary, which prompted the immediate sell-off. Dassault Systemes Shares Slump on Weak Sales, Guidance News outlets flagged a decline in adjusted operating profit and overall weak sales/guidance commentary, which prompted the immediate sell-off. Negative Sentiment: Short interest jumped sharply in January (a ~427% increase), indicating growing bearish positioning that can amplify downward moves and volatility. Analyst Ratings Changes A number of equities research analysts recently commented on DASTY shares. Rothschild & Co Redburn upgraded Dassault Systemes to a hold rating in a research report on Friday, January 9th. Citigroup restated a neutral rating on shares of Dassault Systemes in a research note on Thursday, December 11th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating and two have given a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of Buy. View Our Latest Stock Report on DASTY About Dassault Systemes (Get Free Report) Dassault Systemes is a France-based software company that develops solutions for 3D design, digital mock-up and product lifecycle management (PLM). Founded as a technology spin-off from Dassault Aviation in 1981, the company is headquartered near Paris and has grown into a global provider of engineering and business software used to model, simulate and manage products and processes across their lifecycles. Its platforms and applications are aimed at enabling digital continuity from ideation and design through manufacturing, operation and service. The companys product portfolio centers on the 3DEXPERIENCE platform, which integrates applications for computer-aided design (CAD), simulation, data management and collaboration. Read More Receive News & Ratings for Dassault Systemes Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Dassault Systemes and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. WENCHANG, Hainan, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- China conducts the first ignition and flight test on its first launch pad for the country's future crewed lunar landing missions in Hainan, the China Manned Space Agency said. Elanco Animal Health Incorporated (NYSE:ELAN Get Free Report) shares reached a new 52-week high during trading on Wednesday . The company traded as high as $25.67 and last traded at $25.66, with a volume of 3139785 shares traded. The stock had previously closed at $24.83. Wall Street Analyst Weigh In A number of research firms recently issued reports on ELAN. Argus raised Elanco Animal Health from a hold rating to a buy rating and set a $25.00 target price on the stock in a report on Wednesday, November 19th. UBS Group lifted their price objective on shares of Elanco Animal Health from $27.00 to $30.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research note on Thursday, January 29th. Weiss Ratings reiterated a sell (d+) rating on shares of Elanco Animal Health in a report on Monday, December 29th. KeyCorp restated an overweight rating on shares of Elanco Animal Health in a report on Wednesday, December 10th. Finally, Zacks Research lowered shares of Elanco Animal Health from a strong-buy rating to a hold rating in a research report on Thursday, November 6th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eight have given a Buy rating, two have given a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Elanco Animal Health has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $25.44. Get Elanco Animal Health alerts: View Our Latest Stock Analysis on ELAN Elanco Animal Health Stock Performance Insider Activity The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.59, a current ratio of 2.40 and a quick ratio of 1.23. The firm has a market capitalization of $12.75 billion, a PE ratio of 427.74, a P/E/G ratio of 3.71 and a beta of 1.87. The firm has a fifty day moving average price of $23.26 and a 200 day moving average price of $20.88. In other news, CEO Jeffrey N. Simmons bought 22,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Thursday, December 11th. The stock was bought at an average cost of $21.75 per share, for a total transaction of $478,500.00. Following the completion of the acquisition, the chief executive officer directly owned 167,000 shares in the company, valued at $3,632,250. This represents a 15.17% increase in their position. The purchase was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, Director Lawrence Erik Kurzius bought 10,000 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Friday, December 12th. The stock was purchased at an average cost of $21.30 per share, for a total transaction of $213,000.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director owned 131,773 shares of the companys stock, valued at $2,806,764.90. This represents a 8.21% increase in their ownership of the stock. Additional details regarding this purchase are available in the official SEC disclosure. Insiders purchased a total of 43,450 shares of company stock valued at $937,883 over the last ninety days. Corporate insiders own 0.89% of the companys stock. Institutional Trading of Elanco Animal Health Several large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. SJS Investment Consulting Inc. boosted its position in shares of Elanco Animal Health by 2,563.5% in the third quarter. SJS Investment Consulting Inc. now owns 1,385 shares of the companys stock worth $28,000 after buying an additional 1,333 shares during the period. Root Financial Partners LLC lifted its stake in Elanco Animal Health by 50.7% in the 4th quarter. Root Financial Partners LLC now owns 1,759 shares of the companys stock worth $40,000 after acquiring an additional 592 shares in the last quarter. Huntington National Bank boosted its position in Elanco Animal Health by 136.7% during the 3rd quarter. Huntington National Bank now owns 1,882 shares of the companys stock worth $38,000 after acquiring an additional 1,087 shares during the period. Whittier Trust Co. of Nevada Inc. grew its stake in Elanco Animal Health by 80.3% during the 3rd quarter. Whittier Trust Co. of Nevada Inc. now owns 2,021 shares of the companys stock valued at $42,000 after acquiring an additional 900 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Torren Management LLC purchased a new position in Elanco Animal Health during the 4th quarter valued at about $46,000. 97.48% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. About Elanco Animal Health (Get Free Report) Elanco Animal Health Inc is a global leader in animal health dedicated to improving food and companion animal well-being. The company develops, manufactures and markets a range of products, including parasiticides, vaccines, antibiotics and feed additives designed to prevent and treat disease in livestock and pets. Elancos portfolio spans both food-producing animalssuch as cattle, swine, poultry and aquacultureand companion animals, with offerings that support parasite control, pain management and infectious disease prevention. Originally founded as the animal health division of Eli Lilly and Company in the mid-20th century, Elanco was spun off into an independent publicly traded company in 2018. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for Elanco Animal Health Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Elanco Animal Health and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Enzon Pharmaceuticals Inc. (OTCMKTS:ENZN Get Free Report) was the recipient of a large increase in short interest during the month of January. As of January 30th, there was short interest totaling 5,022 shares, an increase of 7,746.9% from the January 15th total of 64 shares. Based on an average daily trading volume, of 209,694 shares, the short-interest ratio is currently 0.0 days. Approximately 0.0% of the companys shares are short sold. Approximately 0.0% of the companys shares are short sold. Based on an average daily trading volume, of 209,694 shares, the short-interest ratio is currently 0.0 days. Enzon Pharmaceuticals Price Performance OTCMKTS ENZN opened at $0.06 on Wednesday. The company has a 50-day moving average of $0.05 and a 200-day moving average of $0.06. Enzon Pharmaceuticals has a 12 month low of $0.03 and a 12 month high of $0.17. The company has a market cap of $4.79 million, a P/E ratio of -1.29 and a beta of 0.20. Get Enzon Pharmaceuticals alerts: Enzon Pharmaceuticals (OTCMKTS:ENZN Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Wednesday, November 12th. The biotechnology company reported ($0.02) earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter. Enzon Pharmaceuticals Company Profile Enzon Pharmaceuticals, Inc, headquartered in Piscataway, New Jersey, is a specialized biopharmaceutical company best known for pioneering polyethylene glycol (PEG) technology to enhance the pharmacokinetic properties of therapeutic proteins. Founded in 1981, Enzon has leveraged its PEGylation platform to develop an array of oncology and hematology products with improved half-life and reduced immunogenicity. The companys flagship product, Oncaspar (pegaspargase), was originally approved for the treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukemia in pediatric and adult patients, highlighting Enzons commitment to oncology. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for Enzon Pharmaceuticals Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Enzon Pharmaceuticals and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. First Trust WCM International Equity ETF (NYSEARCA:WCMI Get Free Report) was the recipient of a large growth in short interest during the month of January. As of January 30th, there was short interest totaling 438,809 shares, a growth of 326.1% from the January 15th total of 102,988 shares. Based on an average trading volume of 560,562 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is presently 0.8 days. Currently, 0.9% of the companys stock are sold short. Currently, 0.9% of the companys stock are sold short. Based on an average trading volume of 560,562 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is presently 0.8 days. First Trust WCM International Equity ETF Trading Up 0.2% WCMI stock traded up $0.04 during mid-day trading on Wednesday, hitting $18.14. 501,804 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 549,543. The firm has a fifty day simple moving average of $17.45 and a 200 day simple moving average of $16.70. The company has a market capitalization of $933.05 million, a PE ratio of 24.74 and a beta of 1.41. First Trust WCM International Equity ETF has a twelve month low of $12.60 and a twelve month high of $18.44. Get First Trust WCM International Equity ETF alerts: Institutional Trading of First Trust WCM International Equity ETF Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the company. Boyce & Associates Wealth Consulting Inc. acquired a new stake in First Trust WCM International Equity ETF in the third quarter worth $524,000. Cambridge Advisors Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of First Trust WCM International Equity ETF in the 3rd quarter worth about $1,067,000. Daymark Wealth Partners LLC increased its holdings in shares of First Trust WCM International Equity ETF by 129.5% in the 3rd quarter. Daymark Wealth Partners LLC now owns 108,822 shares of the companys stock worth $1,836,000 after acquiring an additional 61,404 shares during the period. Fifth Third Securities Inc. bought a new stake in First Trust WCM International Equity ETF in the 3rd quarter valued at about $695,000. Finally, Envestnet Asset Management Inc. acquired a new position in First Trust WCM International Equity ETF during the 2nd quarter valued at about $1,027,000. First Trust WCM International Equity ETF Company Profile The First Trust WCM International Equity ETF (WCMI) is an exchange-traded fund that mostly invests in total market equity. The fund actively manages a portfolio of international equity securities of industry leading companies with positive fundamentals. The fund will hold stock or depositary receipts to obtain exposure and pursue long-term growth. WCMI was launched on Mar 31, 2020 and is issued by First Trust. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for First Trust WCM International Equity ETF Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for First Trust WCM International Equity ETF and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Goldman Sachs ActiveBeta Emerging Markets Equity ETF (NYSEARCA:GEM Get Free Report) shares reached a new 52-week high on Wednesday . The stock traded as high as $46.67 and last traded at $46.2960, with a volume of 7025 shares traded. The stock had previously closed at $46.22. Goldman Sachs ActiveBeta Emerging Markets Equity ETF Stock Performance The stocks 50 day moving average is $43.23 and its 200 day moving average is $41.33. The company has a market capitalization of $1.37 billion, a PE ratio of 13.33 and a beta of 0.62. Get Goldman Sachs ActiveBeta Emerging Markets Equity ETF alerts: Hedge Funds Weigh In On Goldman Sachs ActiveBeta Emerging Markets Equity ETF A number of large investors have recently made changes to their positions in GEM. Salomon & Ludwin LLC purchased a new position in shares of Goldman Sachs ActiveBeta Emerging Markets Equity ETF in the third quarter valued at $25,000. Bank of Montreal Can bought a new position in Goldman Sachs ActiveBeta Emerging Markets Equity ETF in the 2nd quarter worth about $37,000. Root Financial Partners LLC purchased a new position in Goldman Sachs ActiveBeta Emerging Markets Equity ETF during the 3rd quarter valued at about $42,000. Steward Partners Investment Advisory LLC grew its holdings in Goldman Sachs ActiveBeta Emerging Markets Equity ETF by 171.3% during the 2nd quarter. Steward Partners Investment Advisory LLC now owns 1,560 shares of the companys stock valued at $58,000 after buying an additional 985 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Private Trust Co. NA increased its position in shares of Goldman Sachs ActiveBeta Emerging Markets Equity ETF by 29.6% during the second quarter. Private Trust Co. NA now owns 2,149 shares of the companys stock valued at $80,000 after buying an additional 491 shares during the period. Goldman Sachs ActiveBeta Emerging Markets Equity ETF Company Profile The Goldman Sachs ActiveBeta Emerging Markets Equity ETF (GEM) is an exchange-traded fund that mostly invests in total market equity. The fund tracks an index of emerging market stocks comprising 4 sub-indexes: value, momentum, quality, and low volatility. The index uses multiple factors to pick stocks, and each sub-index receives equal weight. GEM was launched on Sep 29, 2015 and is managed by Goldman Sachs. See Also Receive News & Ratings for Goldman Sachs ActiveBeta Emerging Markets Equity ETF Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Goldman Sachs ActiveBeta Emerging Markets Equity ETF and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Great Wall Motor Company Limited (OTCMKTS:GWLLF Get Free Report) was the target of a large decline in short interest in the month of January. As of January 30th, there was short interest totaling 122,670 shares, a decline of 93.1% from the January 15th total of 1,772,962 shares. Based on an average daily volume of 502 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is presently 244.4 days. Based on an average daily volume of 502 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is presently 244.4 days. Great Wall Motor Price Performance Shares of OTCMKTS:GWLLF traded up $0.05 during trading on Tuesday, hitting $1.63. The companys stock had a trading volume of 1,000 shares, compared to its average volume of 2,825. The company has a 50-day moving average of $1.80 and a 200-day moving average of $1.98. Great Wall Motor has a 12 month low of $1.38 and a 12 month high of $2.51. Get Great Wall Motor alerts: About Great Wall Motor (Get Free Report) Great Wall Motor Company Limited is a leading Chinese automotive manufacturer based in Baoding, Hebei Province. The company specializes in the design, development and production of sport-utility vehicles (SUVs), pickup trucks and electric vehicles. Its portfolio includes the Haval brand of SUVs, the WEY luxury SUV line, the Tank series of off-road vehicles and the ORA electric vehicle brand. Great Wall Motors vertical integration spans steel stamping, welding, painting and final assembly, allowing the company to maintain control over key production processes and quality standards. Founded in 1984 as the Baoding Great Wall Foundry Factory, the company adopted the name Great Wall Motor in 1996 to reflect its automotive ambitions. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for Great Wall Motor Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Great Wall Motor and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Oppenheimer & Co. Inc. trimmed its stake in shares of HA Sustainable Infrastructure Capital, Inc. (NYSE:HASI Free Report) by 25.8% during the third quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 210,389 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock after selling 73,257 shares during the quarter. Oppenheimer & Co. Inc.s holdings in HA Sustainable Infrastructure Capital were worth $6,459,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Salomon & Ludwin LLC bought a new position in HA Sustainable Infrastructure Capital during the 3rd quarter worth $27,000. Hantz Financial Services Inc. boosted its holdings in shares of HA Sustainable Infrastructure Capital by 630.9% during the third quarter. Hantz Financial Services Inc. now owns 1,323 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $41,000 after acquiring an additional 1,142 shares during the period. CWM LLC boosted its holdings in shares of HA Sustainable Infrastructure Capital by 12.4% during the second quarter. CWM LLC now owns 4,552 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $122,000 after acquiring an additional 501 shares during the period. GAMMA Investing LLC grew its position in shares of HA Sustainable Infrastructure Capital by 12.5% during the third quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC now owns 5,928 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $182,000 after acquiring an additional 657 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Peddock Capital Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in shares of HA Sustainable Infrastructure Capital in the 3rd quarter worth about $201,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 96.14% of the companys stock. Get HA Sustainable Infrastructure Capital alerts: HA Sustainable Infrastructure Capital Price Performance NYSE HASI opened at $36.67 on Wednesday. HA Sustainable Infrastructure Capital, Inc. has a 12 month low of $21.98 and a 12 month high of $37.15. The firm has a market capitalization of $4.64 billion, a PE ratio of 15.74, a P/E/G ratio of 1.27 and a beta of 1.45. The companys 50 day simple moving average is $33.60 and its 200 day simple moving average is $30.83. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.93, a current ratio of 11.03 and a quick ratio of 11.03. Analysts Set New Price Targets A number of research analysts have issued reports on the stock. Jefferies Financial Group boosted their target price on shares of HA Sustainable Infrastructure Capital from $35.00 to $39.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Tuesday, November 18th. Wells Fargo & Company boosted their price objective on HA Sustainable Infrastructure Capital from $33.00 to $37.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research report on Friday, December 19th. Weiss Ratings reissued a hold (c+) rating on shares of HA Sustainable Infrastructure Capital in a report on Monday, December 29th. Oppenheimer restated an outperform rating on shares of HA Sustainable Infrastructure Capital in a research report on Tuesday, December 16th. Finally, Morgan Stanley boosted their price target on HA Sustainable Infrastructure Capital from $44.00 to $47.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research report on Tuesday, December 2nd. Eight research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and two have assigned a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $40.00. Get Our Latest Stock Analysis on HASI HA Sustainable Infrastructure Capital Company Profile (Free Report) Hannon Armstrong Sustainable Infrastructure Capital, Inc (NYSE: HASI) is a publicly traded real estate investment trust specializing in financing and investing in climate change solutions. Founded in 1988 and headquartered in Annapolis, Maryland, the company provides debt and equity capital to sustainable infrastructure projects across North America. Its mission is to support energy efficiency, renewable energy generation and resilient infrastructure, helping public and private sector clients reduce carbon emissions and achieve long-term environmental goals. Hannon Armstrongs core business activities include originating and structuring loans, acquiring debt and equity interests, and managing a diversified portfolio of projects in sectors such as solar energy, wind power, energy storage, green buildings, and sustainable agriculture. Featured Articles Want to see what other hedge funds are holding HASI? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for HA Sustainable Infrastructure Capital, Inc. (NYSE:HASI Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for HA Sustainable Infrastructure Capital Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for HA Sustainable Infrastructure Capital and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd. Sponsored GDR (OTCMKTS:HNHPF Get Free Report) was the recipient of a large growth in short interest during the month of January. As of January 30th, there was short interest totaling 100,914 shares, a growth of 787.9% from the January 15th total of 11,366 shares. Based on an average daily volume of 102,662 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is currently 1.0 days. Based on an average daily volume of 102,662 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is currently 1.0 days. Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd. Sponsored GDR Trading Up 0.9% HNHPF stock traded up $0.12 during mid-day trading on Tuesday, hitting $14.08. 12,879 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 43,626. Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd. Sponsored GDR has a 1-year low of $6.75 and a 1-year high of $17.50. The business has a 50 day simple moving average of $14.37 and a 200-day simple moving average of $14.33. Get Hon Hai Precision Industry Co. Ltd. Sponsored GDR alerts: About Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd. Sponsored GDR (Get Free Report) Hon Hai Precision Industry Co, Ltd., commonly known as Foxconn, is a leading global electronics contract manufacturer and technology solutions provider. The company specializes in the design, development and assembly of a wide range of electronic products, including smartphones, tablets, personal computers, servers and networking equipment. Alongside its core manufacturing services, Hon Hai offers turnkey production capabilities, encompassing engineering, supply chain management and after-sales support for original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and brand owners. Founded in 1974 by Terry Gou and headquartered in Tucheng District, New Taipei City, Taiwan, Hon Hai has grown from a single factory operation into one of the worlds largest private employers. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for Hon Hai Precision Industry Co. Ltd. Sponsored GDR Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Hon Hai Precision Industry Co. Ltd. Sponsored GDR and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Hubbell (NYSE: HUBB) has recently received a number of price target changes and ratings updates: 2/8/2026 Hubbell was downgraded by analysts at Wall Street Zen from a strong-buy rating to a buy rating. 2/5/2026 Hubbell had its overweight rating reaffirmed by analysts at Stephens. They now have a $550.00 price target on the stock. 2/4/2026 Hubbell was given a new $575.00 price target on by analysts at Mizuho. 2/4/2026 Hubbell had its price target raised by analysts at Wells Fargo & Company from $515.00 to $550.00. They now have an overweight rating on the stock. 2/4/2026 Hubbell had its price target raised by analysts at Barclays PLC from $465.00 to $481.00. They now have an equal weight rating on the stock. 2/4/2026 Hubbell had its price target raised by analysts at JPMorgan Chase & Co. from $478.00 to $532.00. They now have a neutral rating on the stock. 2/4/2026 Hubbell had its price target raised by analysts at Evercore Inc from $575.00 to $585.00. They now have an outperform rating on the stock. 1/31/2026 Hubbell was upgraded by analysts at Wall Street Zen from a buy rating to a strong-buy rating. 1/22/2026 Hubbell had its buy (b-) rating reaffirmed by analysts at Weiss Ratings. 1/7/2026 Hubbell was given a new $515.00 price target on by analysts at Morgan Stanley. 1/7/2026 Hubbell had its price target raised by analysts at Barclays PLC from $456.00 to $465.00. They now have an equal weight rating on the stock. 1/7/2026 Hubbell had its price target raised by analysts at Wells Fargo & Company from $500.00 to $515.00. They now have an overweight rating on the stock. 1/5/2026 Hubbell had its price target raised by analysts at Mizuho from $480.00 to $500.00. They now have an outperform rating on the stock. 12/29/2025 Hubbell was downgraded by analysts at Wall Street Zen from a strong-buy rating to a buy rating. 12/21/2025 Hubbell was upgraded by analysts at Wall Street Zen from a buy rating to a strong-buy rating. 12/15/2025 Hubbell is now covered by analysts at Evercore Inc. They set an outperform rating and a $575.00 price target on the stock. 12/13/2025 Hubbell was downgraded by analysts at Wall Street Zen from a strong-buy rating to a buy rating. Hubbell Announces Dividend The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 16th. Shareholders of record on Friday, February 27th will be given a $1.42 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Friday, February 27th. This represents a $5.68 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.1%. Hubbells dividend payout ratio is 34.07%. Get Hubbell Inc alerts: Insider Buying and Selling In other Hubbell news, CEO Gerben Bakker sold 25,233 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Friday, February 6th. The shares were sold at an average price of $498.97, for a total transaction of $12,590,510.01. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer owned 64,420 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $32,143,647.40. This trade represents a 28.15% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, Director John F. Malloy bought 435 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Monday, November 17th. The stock was purchased at an average price of $429.24 per share, with a total value of $186,719.40. Following the completion of the transaction, the director directly owned 19,085 shares of the companys stock, valued at $8,192,045.40. This trade represents a 2.33% increase in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this purchase provides additional information. Corporate insiders own 0.76% of the companys stock. Hubbell Incorporated (NYSE: HUBB) is an industrial manufacturer and distributor of electrical and electronic products serving a range of end markets including commercial and residential construction, industrial, and utility customers. Founded in 1888 by Harvey Hubbell, the company has a long history in electrical innovation and product development and is headquartered in Connecticut. Hubbell designs, manufactures and sells components and systems that enable the distribution and control of electrical power and provide lighting solutions for indoor and outdoor environments. The companys offerings span a broad portfolio of products used by contractors, utilities, original equipment manufacturers and facility owners. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for Hubbell Inc Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Hubbell Inc and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Hugoton Royalty Trust (OTCMKTS:HGTXU Get Free Report) was the recipient of a significant drop in short interest during the month of January. As of January 30th, there was short interest totaling 429 shares, a drop of 80.2% from the January 15th total of 2,164 shares. Approximately 0.0% of the companys shares are short sold. Based on an average daily volume of 74,845 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is currently 0.0 days. Based on an average daily volume of 74,845 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is currently 0.0 days. Approximately 0.0% of the companys shares are short sold. Hugoton Royalty Trust Stock Up 2.4% Shares of OTCMKTS HGTXU traded up $0.01 during midday trading on Tuesday, reaching $0.26. The stock had a trading volume of 5,379 shares, compared to its average volume of 29,822. Hugoton Royalty Trust has a twelve month low of $0.11 and a twelve month high of $0.62. The companys 50 day moving average price is $0.30 and its 200 day moving average price is $0.33. Get Hugoton Royalty Trust alerts: About Hugoton Royalty Trust (Get Free Report) Hugoton Royalty Trust (OTCMKTS:HGTXU) is a passive oil and gas royalty trust that holds specified overriding royalty interests in producing properties within the Hugoton natural gas field, one of North Americas largest conventional gas accumulations. The trust itself does not conduct exploration or development activities; instead, it collects and distributes a fixed percentage of production revenue generated by thirdparty operators on its interest acreage. The primary assets of the trust cover acreage in the Hugoton Field spanning southwestern Kansas, the Texas Panhandle, and adjacent areas of Oklahoma. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for Hugoton Royalty Trust Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Hugoton Royalty Trust and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Impax Asset Management Group plc increased its position in shares of Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ Free Report) by 14.7% in the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 121,457 shares of the companys stock after purchasing an additional 15,594 shares during the period. Impax Asset Management Group plcs holdings in Johnson & Johnson were worth $22,521,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Vanguard Group Inc. boosted its position in shares of Johnson & Johnson by 1.3% in the second quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 237,047,859 shares of the companys stock valued at $36,209,060,000 after acquiring an additional 3,085,180 shares during the period. Geode Capital Management LLC raised its stake in Johnson & Johnson by 2.1% in the 2nd quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 60,609,476 shares of the companys stock worth $9,227,988,000 after purchasing an additional 1,225,676 shares in the last quarter. Norges Bank bought a new stake in Johnson & Johnson in the 2nd quarter valued at about $4,877,174,000. Bank of New York Mellon Corp grew its position in shares of Johnson & Johnson by 3.5% during the 3rd quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp now owns 24,637,649 shares of the companys stock worth $4,568,313,000 after purchasing an additional 835,146 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. increased its holdings in shares of Johnson & Johnson by 0.3% during the second quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. now owns 18,951,337 shares of the companys stock worth $2,894,979,000 after purchasing an additional 52,074 shares during the period. 69.55% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Get Johnson & Johnson alerts: Analysts Set New Price Targets Several equities research analysts recently issued reports on the company. BMO Capital Markets reiterated an outperform rating on shares of Johnson & Johnson in a research note on Thursday, December 11th. Johnson Rice set a $190.00 target price on Johnson & Johnson and gave the company a hold rating in a research report on Wednesday, October 22nd. Barclays increased their target price on Johnson & Johnson from $197.00 to $217.00 and gave the stock an equal weight rating in a report on Tuesday, December 30th. Wall Street Zen raised Johnson & Johnson from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research note on Sunday, January 25th. Finally, Raymond James Financial increased their price objective on shares of Johnson & Johnson from $174.00 to $209.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research note on Wednesday, October 15th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, seventeen have given a Buy rating and eight have given a Hold rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $233.73. Johnson & Johnson Price Performance Johnson & Johnson stock opened at $238.42 on Wednesday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.50, a quick ratio of 0.80 and a current ratio of 1.07. Johnson & Johnson has a 52 week low of $141.50 and a 52 week high of $240.93. The stock has a market capitalization of $574.42 billion, a P/E ratio of 21.58, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.32 and a beta of 0.35. The stock has a fifty day moving average of $214.86 and a 200-day moving average of $195.19. Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Wednesday, January 21st. The company reported $2.46 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, meeting analysts consensus estimates of $2.46. The firm had revenue of $24.56 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $24.14 billion. Johnson & Johnson had a return on equity of 33.34% and a net margin of 28.46%.The businesss revenue for the quarter was up 9.1% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business posted $2.04 earnings per share. Johnson & Johnson has set its FY 2026 guidance at 11.430-11.630 EPS. On average, sell-side analysts expect that Johnson & Johnson will post 10.58 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Johnson & Johnson Announces Dividend The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, March 10th. Investors of record on Tuesday, February 24th will be given a dividend of $1.30 per share. This represents a $5.20 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.2%. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, February 24th. Johnson & Johnsons dividend payout ratio is currently 47.06%. About Johnson & Johnson (Free Report) Johnson & Johnson is a multinational healthcare company headquartered in New Brunswick, New Jersey, that develops, manufactures and markets a broad range of products across pharmaceuticals, medical devices and previously consumer health. Founded in 1886 by the Johnson family, the company has grown into a global healthcare organization with operations and sales in many countries around the world. The companys pharmaceuticals business, organized largely under its Janssen research and development organization, focuses on prescription medicines across therapeutic areas such as immunology, infectious disease, oncology and neuroscience. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for Johnson & Johnson Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Johnson & Johnson and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. BEIJING, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, extended festive greetings on Wednesday to people from non-CPC political parties and the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce, personages without party affiliation, and other members of the united front ahead of the Spring Festival, or the Chinese New Year. Xi, also Chinese president and chairman of the Central Military Commission, sent the greetings while attending an annual gathering with non-CPC personages at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. ING Groep NV purchased a new position in shares of Exxon Mobil Corporation (NYSE:XOM Free Report) during the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm purchased 624,929 shares of the oil and gas companys stock, valued at approximately $70,461,000. Several other institutional investors have also modified their holdings of XOM. Norges Bank bought a new position in Exxon Mobil in the second quarter valued at approximately $6,163,719,000. First Trust Advisors LP raised its holdings in shares of Exxon Mobil by 150.2% during the second quarter. First Trust Advisors LP now owns 7,602,601 shares of the oil and gas companys stock worth $819,560,000 after acquiring an additional 4,563,707 shares during the period. Cerity Partners LLC lifted its position in Exxon Mobil by 200.7% in the 2nd quarter. Cerity Partners LLC now owns 2,014,446 shares of the oil and gas companys stock valued at $217,162,000 after acquiring an additional 4,015,099 shares in the last quarter. Laurel Wealth Advisors LLC lifted its position in Exxon Mobil by 10,809.8% in the 2nd quarter. Laurel Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 3,095,106 shares of the oil and gas companys stock valued at $333,652,000 after acquiring an additional 3,066,736 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Bessemer Group Inc. boosted its stake in Exxon Mobil by 119.4% in the 3rd quarter. Bessemer Group Inc. now owns 2,672,359 shares of the oil and gas companys stock worth $301,310,000 after purchasing an additional 1,454,308 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 61.80% of the companys stock. Get Exxon Mobil alerts: Insider Buying and Selling In other news, VP Darrin L. Talley sold 3,230 shares of Exxon Mobil stock in a transaction dated Monday, February 9th. The shares were sold at an average price of $149.18, for a total value of $481,851.40. Following the completion of the transaction, the vice president owned 20,354 shares of the companys stock, valued at $3,036,409.72. This trade represents a 13.70% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this link. Insiders have sold a total of 14,230 shares of company stock valued at $1,888,421 in the last ninety days. Company insiders own 0.03% of the companys stock. Exxon Mobil Stock Up 0.3% XOM stock opened at $151.69 on Wednesday. The company has a market cap of $639.70 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 22.67, a P/E/G ratio of 15.73 and a beta of 0.39. Exxon Mobil Corporation has a twelve month low of $97.80 and a twelve month high of $151.78. The business has a 50 day moving average price of $127.20 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $117.99. The company has a quick ratio of 0.79, a current ratio of 1.15 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.13. Exxon Mobil (NYSE:XOM Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Friday, January 30th. The oil and gas company reported $1.71 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $1.63 by $0.08. The company had revenue of $82.31 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $77.98 billion. Exxon Mobil had a return on equity of 11.21% and a net margin of 8.68%.The businesss revenue was down 1.3% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business posted $1.67 EPS. Analysts anticipate that Exxon Mobil Corporation will post 7.43 EPS for the current fiscal year. Exxon Mobil Announces Dividend The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, March 10th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, February 12th will be paid a $1.03 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, February 12th. This represents a $4.12 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.7%. Exxon Mobils dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 61.58%. Wall Street Analyst Weigh In Several analysts have issued reports on XOM shares. Wells Fargo & Company dropped their price target on Exxon Mobil from $158.00 to $156.00 and set an overweight rating on the stock in a research note on Monday, February 2nd. TD Cowen increased their price objective on Exxon Mobil from $135.00 to $145.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Tuesday, February 3rd. Loop Capital set a $123.00 target price on Exxon Mobil in a research report on Tuesday, February 3rd. Jefferies Financial Group boosted their target price on Exxon Mobil from $146.00 to $148.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Wednesday, December 10th. Finally, Sanford C. Bernstein decreased their price target on shares of Exxon Mobil from $142.00 to $137.00 and set an outperform rating for the company in a research note on Monday, January 5th. Nine investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eight have given a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Exxon Mobil has a consensus rating of Hold and an average target price of $140.59. Get Our Latest Stock Analysis on Exxon Mobil Key Headlines Impacting Exxon Mobil Here are the key news stories impacting Exxon Mobil this week: Positive Sentiment: UBS reiterated a Buy rating and highlighted benefits from Exxons stake in the Golden Pass LNG project, reinforcing the companys midstream monetization and cash-generation story. Read More. UBS reiterated a Buy rating and highlighted benefits from Exxons stake in the Golden Pass LNG project, reinforcing the companys midstream monetization and cash-generation story. Read More. Positive Sentiment: Unusually high volume of call options suggests speculative or hedged bullish positioning that can amplify near-term upside pressure on the stock. Read More. Unusually high volume of call options suggests speculative or hedged bullish positioning that can amplify near-term upside pressure on the stock. Read More. Positive Sentiment: Exxons regular quarterly dividend was confirmed (payment/exdividend dates published), supporting income-focused demand and providing a steady cash-return rationale for holders. Read More. Exxons regular quarterly dividend was confirmed (payment/exdividend dates published), supporting income-focused demand and providing a steady cash-return rationale for holders. Read More. Neutral Sentiment: J.P. Morgan maintained a Buy rating (Arun Jayaram) with a $140 target supportive for sentiment but the PT is below current market levels, making the near-term signal mixed. Read More. J.P. Morgan maintained a Buy rating (Arun Jayaram) with a $140 target supportive for sentiment but the PT is below current market levels, making the near-term signal mixed. Read More. Neutral Sentiment: Zacks ran comparative and sector pieces (SSL vs XOM; energy leadership commentary) that provide relative-value and macro context rather than fresh company-specific catalysts. Read More. Zacks ran comparative and sector pieces (SSL vs XOM; energy leadership commentary) that provide relative-value and macro context rather than fresh company-specific catalysts. Read More. Negative Sentiment: Exxon warned EU methane rules could raise crude import costs by ~13%, a potential headwind for refiners and margins in Europe and an incremental regulatory risk to downstream economics. Read More. Exxon warned EU methane rules could raise crude import costs by ~13%, a potential headwind for refiners and margins in Europe and an incremental regulatory risk to downstream economics. Read More. Negative Sentiment: Zacks flagged softer WTI/crude price risk that would pressure Exxons upstream-heavy earnings despite its cost advantages a direct earnings sensitivity to lower oil. Read More. Zacks flagged softer WTI/crude price risk that would pressure Exxons upstream-heavy earnings despite its cost advantages a direct earnings sensitivity to lower oil. Read More. Negative Sentiment: An Exxon VP, Darrin Talley, disclosed the sale of 3,230 shares (~13.7% reduction in his reported holding); insider selling can be perceived negatively even if unrelated to company prospects. Read More. Exxon Mobil Profile (Free Report) Exxon Mobil Corporation (NYSE: XOM) is an integrated oil and gas company engaged in the exploration, production, refining, distribution and marketing of petroleum products and the manufacture and sale of petrochemicals. Its operations span the full energy value chain, including upstream exploration and development of crude oil and natural gas; midstream transportation and storage; and downstream refining, product distribution and retail. The company also produces a broad range of chemical products for industrial and consumer applications. ExxonMobil markets fuels and lubricants under well-known brands such as Exxon, Mobil and Esso, and its Mobil 1 motor oil is a prominent consumer product. Featured Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding XOM? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Exxon Mobil Corporation (NYSE:XOM Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Exxon Mobil Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Exxon Mobil and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. ING Groep NV lifted its position in shares of International Business Machines Corporation (NYSE:IBM Free Report) by 1,363.8% in the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 228,852 shares of the technology companys stock after purchasing an additional 213,218 shares during the period. ING Groep NVs holdings in International Business Machines were worth $64,573,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Winnow Wealth LLC acquired a new stake in International Business Machines during the 2nd quarter worth $27,000. Mountain Hill Investment Partners Corp. purchased a new position in International Business Machines during the third quarter worth about $28,000. Trifecta Capital Advisors LLC lifted its holdings in shares of International Business Machines by 129.1% in the 3rd quarter. Trifecta Capital Advisors LLC now owns 126 shares of the technology companys stock valued at $36,000 after buying an additional 71 shares during the period. Copia Wealth Management lifted its holdings in International Business Machines by 57.6% in the second quarter. Copia Wealth Management now owns 134 shares of the technology companys stock valued at $40,000 after acquiring an additional 49 shares during the period. Finally, Legacy Wealth Managment LLC ID lifted its stake in shares of International Business Machines by 48.5% in the second quarter. Legacy Wealth Managment LLC ID now owns 147 shares of the technology companys stock valued at $43,000 after purchasing an additional 48 shares during the period. 58.96% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Get International Business Machines alerts: Key Stories Impacting International Business Machines Here are the key news stories impacting International Business Machines this week: International Business Machines Price Performance NYSE:IBM opened at $291.76 on Wednesday. International Business Machines Corporation has a 12-month low of $214.50 and a 12-month high of $324.90. The firm has a market cap of $272.72 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 26.17, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.97 and a beta of 0.69. The companys 50-day moving average is $301.71 and its two-hundred day moving average is $284.13. The company has a current ratio of 0.96, a quick ratio of 0.92 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.67. International Business Machines (NYSE:IBM Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, January 28th. The technology company reported $4.52 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $4.33 by $0.19. The business had revenue of $19.69 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $19.23 billion. International Business Machines had a net margin of 15.69% and a return on equity of 38.15%. The companys quarterly revenue was up 12.2% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the firm posted $3.92 earnings per share. Research analysts expect that International Business Machines Corporation will post 10.78 EPS for the current year. International Business Machines Dividend Announcement The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, March 10th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, February 10th will be issued a $1.68 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, February 10th. This represents a $6.72 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.3%. International Business Machiness payout ratio is 60.27%. Insider Buying and Selling at International Business Machines In other International Business Machines news, Director David N. Farr acquired 1,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Friday, January 30th. The shares were acquired at an average price of $304.00 per share, for a total transaction of $304,000.00. Following the completion of the acquisition, the director directly owned 9,258 shares of the companys stock, valued at $2,814,432. This trade represents a 12.11% increase in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. 0.18% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders. Analysts Set New Price Targets Several equities analysts recently issued reports on IBM shares. BMO Capital Markets reaffirmed a market perform rating and set a $350.00 price objective on shares of International Business Machines in a report on Thursday, January 29th. Weiss Ratings restated a buy (b) rating on shares of International Business Machines in a research report on Thursday, January 22nd. Bank of America boosted their price objective on shares of International Business Machines from $315.00 to $335.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Tuesday, January 13th. Evercore raised their target price on shares of International Business Machines from $330.00 to $345.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a report on Thursday, January 29th. Finally, Dbs Bank raised shares of International Business Machines from a hold rating to a moderate buy rating in a report on Monday, January 19th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twelve have assigned a Buy rating, five have issued a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat, International Business Machines has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $330.07. Get Our Latest Report on International Business Machines About International Business Machines (Free Report) International Business Machines Corporation (IBM) is a global technology and consulting company headquartered in Armonk, New York. Founded in 1911 as the Computing-Tabulating-Recording Company (CTR) and renamed IBM in 1924, the company has evolved from early electromechanical machines to a diversified technology provider serving enterprises and governments worldwide. IBM is publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol IBM. IBMs principal businesses encompass cloud computing and software, infrastructure and systems, consulting and technology services, and research and development. See Also 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. Invesco S&P 500 Pure Value ETF (NYSEARCA:RPV Get Free Report)s share price reached a new 52-week high during mid-day trading on Monday . The stock traded as high as $111.78 and last traded at $110.8450, with a volume of 88386 shares trading hands. The stock had previously closed at $110.21. Invesco S&P 500 Pure Value ETF Price Performance The stock has a market cap of $1.77 billion, a P/E ratio of 13.00 and a beta of 0.96. The company has a fifty day moving average of $105.98 and a 200 day moving average of $100.76. Get Invesco S&P 500 Pure Value ETF alerts: Institutional Trading of Invesco S&P 500 Pure Value ETF Several institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of RPV. Osaic Holdings Inc. grew its position in Invesco S&P 500 Pure Value ETF by 25.1% in the second quarter. Osaic Holdings Inc. now owns 83,358 shares of the companys stock worth $7,816,000 after buying an additional 16,742 shares during the last quarter. Global View Capital Management LLC bought a new stake in shares of Invesco S&P 500 Pure Value ETF during the 3rd quarter worth $1,520,000. Stratos Wealth Partners LTD. grew its holdings in shares of Invesco S&P 500 Pure Value ETF by 10.7% in the 2nd quarter. Stratos Wealth Partners LTD. now owns 3,864 shares of the companys stock worth $362,000 after acquiring an additional 374 shares during the last quarter. Valued Retirements Inc. grew its holdings in shares of Invesco S&P 500 Pure Value ETF by 102.8% in the 2nd quarter. Valued Retirements Inc. now owns 5,004 shares of the companys stock worth $469,000 after acquiring an additional 2,536 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Y Intercept Hong Kong Ltd acquired a new stake in shares of Invesco S&P 500 Pure Value ETF during the second quarter worth $584,000. Invesco S&P 500 Pure Value ETF Company Profile The Invesco S&P 500 Pure Value ETF (RPV) is an exchange-traded fund that is based on the S&P 500\u002FCitigroup Pure Value index. The fund tracks an index of primarily large-cap, committee-selected US stocks. The index covers about 33% of the S&P 500s market cap, using three factors to select value stocks. RPV was launched on Mar 1, 2006 and is managed by Invesco. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for Invesco S&P 500 Pure Value 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 Pure Value ETF and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. J.W. Cole Advisors Inc. acquired a new position in shares of BWX Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:BWXT Free Report) in the third quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The institutional investor acquired 3,380 shares of the technology companys stock, valued at approximately $623,000. Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of the company. Creative Financial Designs Inc. ADV lifted its holdings in shares of BWX Technologies by 250.0% in the second quarter. Creative Financial Designs Inc. ADV now owns 175 shares of the technology companys stock valued at $25,000 after purchasing an additional 125 shares in the last quarter. Global Trust Asset Management LLC purchased a new stake in BWX Technologies in the 3rd quarter valued at $32,000. WFA of San Diego LLC bought a new position in BWX Technologies during the 2nd quarter valued at $29,000. Hantz Financial Services Inc. lifted its stake in BWX Technologies by 861.9% during the 2nd quarter. Hantz Financial Services Inc. now owns 202 shares of the technology companys stock valued at $29,000 after acquiring an additional 181 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Quent Capital LLC purchased a new position in BWX Technologies during the 3rd quarter worth $43,000. 94.39% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. Get BWX Technologies alerts: Analysts Set New Price Targets Several brokerages have recently commented on BWXT. BTIG Research increased their target price on shares of BWX Technologies from $200.00 to $225.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a report on Friday, November 7th. Wall Street Zen upgraded shares of BWX Technologies from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research note on Saturday, November 8th. Northland Securities set a $225.00 target price on shares of BWX Technologies in a research report on Tuesday, November 4th. Bank of America upped their target price on BWX Technologies from $220.00 to $230.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a report on Thursday, November 13th. Finally, Weiss Ratings downgraded BWX Technologies from a buy (b-) rating to a hold (c+) rating in a research report on Monday, January 26th. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, five have assigned a Buy rating and five have given a Hold rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat, BWX Technologies presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $199.20. BWX Technologies Price Performance Shares of NYSE:BWXT opened at $199.44 on Wednesday. The company has a market capitalization of $18.23 billion, a P/E ratio of 59.89, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.26 and a beta of 0.84. The companys 50-day moving average is $191.36 and its 200 day moving average is $184.22. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.21, a quick ratio of 1.62 and a current ratio of 1.71. BWX Technologies, Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $84.21 and a fifty-two week high of $220.57. BWX Technologies Profile (Free Report) BWX Technologies, Inc (NYSE: BWXT) is a specialized supplier of nuclear components and services, primarily serving the U.S. government and commercial markets. The companys core expertise lies in the design, fabrication and servicing of nuclear propulsion systems for the U.S. Navy, where it supports the maintenance and overhaul of naval nuclear reactors. In addition to defense applications, BWXT develops small modular reactors (SMRs), nuclear fuel and related technologies for nondefense power generation, offering scalable solutions to meet evolving energy and industrial demands. Beyond propulsion and power systems, BWXT is a leading producer of medical radioisotopes used in diagnostic imaging and cancer treatment. Featured Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding BWXT? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for BWX Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:BWXT Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for BWX Technologies Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for BWX Technologies and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. National Bank of Canada (TSE:NA Get Free Report) had its price target hoisted by analysts at Jefferies Financial Group from C$156.00 to C$165.00 in a report released on Wednesday,BayStreet.CA reports. Jefferies Financial Groups target price indicates a potential downside of 4.61% from the stocks current price. Other equities research analysts also recently issued reports about the company. Royal Bank Of Canada raised their price target on National Bank of Canada from C$149.00 to C$163.00 in a research report on Thursday, December 4th. Raymond James Financial raised their target price on National Bank of Canada from C$168.00 to C$173.00 and gave the company a market perform rating in a report on Thursday, December 4th. Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce upped their price target on National Bank of Canada from C$174.00 to C$179.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a report on Thursday, December 11th. TD Securities reduced their price objective on National Bank of Canada from C$181.00 to C$175.00 in a research report on Monday. Finally, Canaccord Genuity Group boosted their target price on shares of National Bank of Canada from C$160.00 to C$166.00 in a research report on Thursday, December 4th. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and eight have assigned a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus price target of C$166.92. Get National Bank of Canada alerts: Check Out Our Latest Research Report on NA National Bank of Canada Stock Down 0.1% Shares of TSE:NA traded down C$0.21 on Wednesday, reaching C$172.97. The company had a trading volume of 515,654 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,502,494. The stock has a market capitalization of C$67.51 billion, a P/E ratio of 17.18, a P/E/G ratio of 7.14 and a beta of 1.05. The stock has a 50-day moving average price of C$170.85 and a 200 day moving average price of C$158.96. National Bank of Canada has a twelve month low of C$106.67 and a twelve month high of C$177.54. National Bank of Canada (TSE:NA Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Wednesday, December 3rd. The financial services provider reported C$2.82 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter. National Bank of Canada had a return on equity of 15.43% and a net margin of 19.69%.The firm had revenue of C$3.70 billion during the quarter. On average, sell-side analysts predict that National Bank of Canada will post 10.8360791 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. About National Bank of Canada (Get Free Report) National Bank of Canada is the sixth-largest Canadian bank. The bank offers integrated financial services, primarily in the province of Quebec as well as the city of Toronto. Operational segments include personal and commercial banking, wealth management, and a financial markets group. See Also Receive News & Ratings for National Bank of Canada Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for National Bank of Canada and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Shares of Kansai Paint Co., Ltd. (OTCMKTS:KSANF Get Free Report) traded up 3.6% during trading on Tuesday . The stock traded as high as $17.50 and last traded at $17.50. 300 shares were traded during mid-day trading, a decline of 25% from the average session volume of 400 shares. The stock had previously closed at $16.90. Kansai Paint Price Performance The firm has a 50 day moving average of $16.91 and a 200-day moving average of $16.32. Get Kansai Paint alerts: About Kansai Paint (Get Free Report) Kansai Paint Co, Ltd., trading in the United States overthecounter as KSANF, is a Japanese manufacturer of paints and coatings headquartered in Osaka, Japan. Founded in 1918, the company has grown from a domestic paint maker into a global supplier serving customers across Asia, Europe, the Americas and the Middle East. Over its more than a century of operation, Kansai Paint has established a network of research centers, production facilities and sales offices designed to support both regional demand and international expansion. The companys main business activities are organized around decorative coatings, automotive coatings, industrial protective coatings and specialty functional coatings. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for Kansai Paint Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Kansai Paint and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Lithia Motors (NYSE:LAD Get Free Report) posted its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday. The company reported $6.74 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $8.09 by ($1.35), FiscalAI reports. Lithia Motors had a return on equity of 13.42% and a net margin of 2.39%.The company had revenue of $9.20 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $9.19 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the business earned $7.79 earnings per share. Lithia Motorss revenue was up .3% on a year-over-year basis. Here are the key takeaways from Lithia Motors conference call: Get Lithia Motors alerts: Record results Q4 revenue of $9.2 billion and full-year revenue of $37.6 billion (+4%), with full-year adjusted diluted EPS of $33.46 (+16%), reflecting durable top-line and EPS growth. Q4 revenue of $9.2 billion and full-year revenue of $37.6 billion (+4%), with full-year adjusted diluted EPS of $33.46 (+16%), reflecting durable top-line and EPS growth. Driveway Finance (DFC) scaling DFC delivered record income ($75M for 2025), managed receivables grew to $4.8 billion (+23%), penetration rose to ~17%17.5% (target 20%), and management expects continued high-growth contribution to recurring, countercyclical income. DFC delivered record income ($75M for 2025), managed receivables grew to $4.8 billion (+23%), penetration rose to ~17%17.5% (target 20%), and management expects continued high-growth contribution to recurring, countercyclical income. Used and aftersales strength Used revenue +6.1% (units +4.7%) with Value Auto units +10.9%, while aftersales revenue rose 10.9% and gross profit +9.8% (57.3% margin), supporting diversification versus newvehicle cycles. Used revenue +6.1% (units +4.7%) with Value Auto units +10.9%, while aftersales revenue rose 10.9% and gross profit +9.8% (57.3% margin), supporting diversification versus newvehicle cycles. Margin and cost pressure Total vehicle GPU compressed to $39.46 (down $258 YoY) and new vehicle GPU fell ~$300, while adjusted SG&A as a % of gross profit widened to 71.4% (from 66.3%), creating nearterm earnings pressure and requiring further cost/efficiency actions. Total vehicle GPU compressed to $39.46 (down $258 YoY) and new vehicle GPU fell ~$300, while adjusted SG&A as a % of gross profit widened to 71.4% (from 66.3%), creating nearterm earnings pressure and requiring further cost/efficiency actions. Capital allocation Management repurchased 11.4% of shares in 2025 (3.8% in Q4 at an average $314), acquired ~$2.4 billion of expected annualized revenue last year, and intends to balance opportunistic buybacks with $2$4 billion of annual acquired revenue to accelerate shareholder returns. Lithia Motors Price Performance NYSE:LAD traded down $16.82 during trading hours on Thursday, reaching $303.59. The stock had a trading volume of 410,704 shares, compared to its average volume of 275,935. The stock has a market capitalization of $7.36 billion, a PE ratio of 8.79 and a beta of 1.20. The company has a 50 day moving average price of $334.42 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $320.94. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.35, a quick ratio of 0.30 and a current ratio of 1.21. Lithia Motors has a 52 week low of $262.10 and a 52 week high of $389.61. Lithia Motors Announces Dividend More Lithia Motors News The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 20th. Stockholders of record on Friday, March 6th will be paid a $0.55 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, March 6th. This represents a $2.20 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.7%. Lithia Motorss dividend payout ratio is 6.37%. Here are the key news stories impacting Lithia Motors this week: Positive Sentiment: Record fullyear revenue, strong buybacks and improving segments Lithia reported record 2025 revenue of $37.63B, repurchased $947M of stock (11.4% of shares outstanding in 2025) and showed usedcar and aftersales growth, plus stronger Driveway Finance results. These support longterm cash generation and shareholder returns. PR Newswire: Q4 & FullYear Results Record fullyear revenue, strong buybacks and improving segments Lithia reported record 2025 revenue of $37.63B, repurchased $947M of stock (11.4% of shares outstanding in 2025) and showed usedcar and aftersales growth, plus stronger Driveway Finance results. These support longterm cash generation and shareholder returns. Positive Sentiment: Dividend declared Lithia announced a quarterly dividend of $0.55 per share (payable March 20; exdividend March 6), adding to cash return to shareholders and partly offsetting investor concerns from the quarter. Dividend declared Lithia announced a quarterly dividend of $0.55 per share (payable March 20; exdividend March 6), adding to cash return to shareholders and partly offsetting investor concerns from the quarter. Neutral Sentiment: Analysts trimmed price targets but kept constructive ratings JPMorgan lowered its PT to $350 and kept an Overweight rating (~14.9% upside from recent levels), and Wells Fargo cut its PT to $355 while maintaining an Equal Weight rating. The changes temper upside but preserve analyst support. Benzinga: Analyst Notes Analysts trimmed price targets but kept constructive ratings JPMorgan lowered its PT to $350 and kept an Overweight rating (~14.9% upside from recent levels), and Wells Fargo cut its PT to $355 while maintaining an Equal Weight rating. The changes temper upside but preserve analyst support. Neutral Sentiment: Market commentary and transcripts available Multiple outlets published the earnings transcript, slide deck and valuation takes (Seeking Alpha, Yahoo Finance, MSN) that investors can use to dig into samestore trends and margins. Yahoo Finance: Valuation After Pullback Market commentary and transcripts available Multiple outlets published the earnings transcript, slide deck and valuation takes (Seeking Alpha, Yahoo Finance, MSN) that investors can use to dig into samestore trends and margins. Negative Sentiment: Q4 earnings miss pressured the stock Lithia reported Q4 EPS of $6.74 versus consensus near $8.10 and revenue roughly flat yearoveryear at $9.20B; samestore sales were nearly flat. The EPS shortfall, despite stable revenue and pockets of strength (used and aftersales), is the primary driver of todays selloff. Zacks: Q4 Earnings Miss Q4 earnings miss pressured the stock Lithia reported Q4 EPS of $6.74 versus consensus near $8.10 and revenue roughly flat yearoveryear at $9.20B; samestore sales were nearly flat. The EPS shortfall, despite stable revenue and pockets of strength (used and aftersales), is the primary driver of todays selloff. Negative Sentiment: Nearterm outlook and valuation pressure The EPS miss increases nearterm execution risk and makes the stocks valuation more sensitive to further margin or sales weakness, which likely explains increased selling pressure despite buybacks and the dividend. Insider Buying and Selling In related news, Director Congdon Stacy Loretz sold 75 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, December 12th. The stock was sold at an average price of $360.00, for a total transaction of $27,000.00. Following the completion of the sale, the director directly owned 1,810 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $651,600. This trade represents a 3.98% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. 0.87% of the stock is owned by insiders. Institutional Inflows and Outflows Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Hook Mill Capital Partners LP acquired a new stake in Lithia Motors during the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $29,130,000. Bank of America Corp DE raised its holdings in shares of Lithia Motors by 57.5% during the second quarter. Bank of America Corp DE now owns 197,417 shares of the companys stock worth $66,691,000 after purchasing an additional 72,061 shares during the last quarter. Marshall Wace LLP lifted its position in Lithia Motors by 6,341.6% during the third quarter. Marshall Wace LLP now owns 57,459 shares of the companys stock valued at $18,157,000 after purchasing an additional 56,567 shares during the period. Ameriprise Financial Inc. boosted its holdings in Lithia Motors by 42.0% in the second quarter. Ameriprise Financial Inc. now owns 187,997 shares of the companys stock valued at $63,514,000 after purchasing an additional 55,631 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Voloridge Investment Management LLC grew its position in Lithia Motors by 175.6% during the 3rd quarter. Voloridge Investment Management LLC now owns 81,416 shares of the companys stock worth $25,727,000 after purchasing an additional 51,873 shares during the period. Analyst Ratings Changes A number of analysts have recently weighed in on LAD shares. Weiss Ratings restated a hold (c+) rating on shares of Lithia Motors in a report on Thursday, January 22nd. Citigroup increased their price target on shares of Lithia Motors from $385.00 to $399.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research note on Tuesday, October 28th. Barclays lowered their price objective on shares of Lithia Motors from $410.00 to $390.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, January 21st. Evercore upped their target price on Lithia Motors from $440.00 to $500.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a report on Monday, November 24th. Finally, Benchmark restated a buy rating on shares of Lithia Motors in a research note on Thursday, October 23rd. Eight analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and three have issued a Hold rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $389.90. Check Out Our Latest Report on LAD Lithia Motors Company Profile (Get Free Report) Lithia Motors, Inc is an American automotive retailer headquartered in Medford, Oregon. Founded in 1946 as a small auto body and glass shop, the company has grown through organic expansion and strategic acquisitions to become one of the largest automotive retail networks in North America. Lithia operates dealerships across the United States and Canada, offering a broad portfolio of new and pre-owned vehicles from more than 40 different manufacturers. The companys core business activities include vehicle sales, financing, insurance, parts and service. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for Lithia Motors Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Lithia Motors and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Madison Asset Management LLC trimmed its holdings in shares of Teledyne Technologies Incorporated (NYSE:TDY Free Report) by 1.1% in the third quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The fund owned 222,575 shares of the scientific and technical instruments companys stock after selling 2,536 shares during the period. Teledyne Technologies makes up 1.4% of Madison Asset Management LLCs investment portfolio, making the stock its 16th largest position. Madison Asset Management LLCs holdings in Teledyne Technologies were worth $130,438,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also bought and sold shares of the company. SBI Securities Co. Ltd. increased its position in shares of Teledyne Technologies by 75.9% during the 2nd quarter. SBI Securities Co. Ltd. now owns 51 shares of the scientific and technical instruments companys stock valued at $26,000 after purchasing an additional 22 shares during the last quarter. Rexford Capital Inc. bought a new position in Teledyne Technologies during the second quarter valued at about $29,000. First Horizon Advisors Inc. grew its position in Teledyne Technologies by 52.9% during the second quarter. First Horizon Advisors Inc. now owns 78 shares of the scientific and technical instruments companys stock valued at $40,000 after buying an additional 27 shares during the period. Assetmark Inc. raised its position in Teledyne Technologies by 193.1% in the second quarter. Assetmark Inc. now owns 85 shares of the scientific and technical instruments companys stock worth $44,000 after acquiring an additional 56 shares during the period. Finally, TruNorth Capital Management LLC purchased a new position in Teledyne Technologies in the third quarter valued at about $46,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 91.58% of the companys stock. Get Teledyne Technologies alerts: Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth Several research firms recently commented on TDY. Barclays upped their price objective on Teledyne Technologies from $579.00 to $599.00 and gave the company an equal weight rating in a research note on Thursday, January 22nd. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a buy (b-) rating on shares of Teledyne Technologies in a research report on Monday, December 29th. Morgan Stanley started coverage on Teledyne Technologies in a report on Wednesday, January 21st. They issued an equal weight rating and a $620.00 price objective for the company. Stifel Nicolaus boosted their price objective on Teledyne Technologies from $645.00 to $720.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Thursday, January 22nd. Finally, Citigroup increased their target price on shares of Teledyne Technologies from $567.00 to $604.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a research report on Tuesday, January 13th. Six equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and three have issued a Hold rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Teledyne Technologies presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $627.88. Teledyne Technologies Stock Up 0.6% TDY stock opened at $660.28 on Wednesday. The stock has a 50-day simple moving average of $557.94 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $547.55. Teledyne Technologies Incorporated has a twelve month low of $419.00 and a twelve month high of $664.66. The firm has a market capitalization of $31.00 billion, a PE ratio of 34.92, a PEG ratio of 3.25 and a beta of 1.01. The company has a quick ratio of 1.08, a current ratio of 1.64 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.19. Teledyne Technologies (NYSE:TDY Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, January 21st. The scientific and technical instruments company reported $6.30 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $5.83 by $0.47. Teledyne Technologies had a net margin of 14.63% and a return on equity of 10.08%. The company had revenue of $1.61 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $1.57 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company earned $5.52 earnings per share. Teledyne Technologiess revenue for the quarter was up 7.3% on a year-over-year basis. Teledyne Technologies has set its FY 2026 guidance at 23.450-23.850 EPS and its Q1 2026 guidance at 5.40-5.500 EPS. On average, equities analysts predict that Teledyne Technologies Incorporated will post 21.55 EPS for the current fiscal year. Insider Buying and Selling at Teledyne Technologies In related news, Director Michael T. Smith sold 2,469 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, January 29th. The shares were sold at an average price of $621.00, for a total value of $1,533,249.00. Following the sale, the director directly owned 47,328 shares of the companys stock, valued at $29,390,688. This trade represents a 4.96% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. Also, Vice Chairman Jason Vanwees sold 2,500 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, February 3rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $630.46, for a total transaction of $1,576,150.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider directly owned 2,644 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $1,666,936.24. This represents a 48.60% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Insiders have sold 11,500 shares of company stock valued at $7,214,750 in the last three months. 1.50% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders. About Teledyne Technologies (Free Report) Teledyne Technologies (NYSE: TDY), headquartered in Thousand Oaks, California, is a diversified industrial technology company that designs, manufactures and supports sophisticated electronic systems, instruments and imaging products. Founded in 1960 by Henry Singleton and George Kozmetsky, Teledyne has grown into a multinational provider of high-performance equipment and software for commercial, scientific and government customers. Its offerings are used in markets that include aerospace and defense, marine, industrial manufacturing, environmental monitoring and scientific research. The company operates through businesses that develop precision instrumentation, digital imaging products, engineered systems and aerospace and defense electronics. Featured Articles Want to see what other hedge funds are holding TDY? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Teledyne Technologies Incorporated (NYSE:TDY Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Teledyne Technologies Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Teledyne Technologies and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Wesbanco Bank Inc. lifted its position in shares of Magnolia Oil & Gas Corp (NYSE:MGY Free Report) by 38.9% in the 3rd quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The fund owned 82,138 shares of the companys stock after buying an additional 23,000 shares during the period. Wesbanco Bank Inc.s holdings in Magnolia Oil & Gas were worth $1,961,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC. A number of other large investors have also modified their holdings of the company. Vista Finance LLC boosted its stake in Magnolia Oil & Gas by 4.0% during the 2nd quarter. Vista Finance LLC now owns 12,134 shares of the companys stock valued at $273,000 after purchasing an additional 471 shares during the period. ProShare Advisors LLC raised its holdings in shares of Magnolia Oil & Gas by 1.2% during the second quarter. ProShare Advisors LLC now owns 41,617 shares of the companys stock valued at $936,000 after buying an additional 495 shares during the last quarter. Farther Finance Advisors LLC boosted its position in shares of Magnolia Oil & Gas by 13.2% during the third quarter. Farther Finance Advisors LLC now owns 4,284 shares of the companys stock worth $102,000 after buying an additional 500 shares during the period. Amalgamated Bank grew its holdings in Magnolia Oil & Gas by 1.0% in the 3rd quarter. Amalgamated Bank now owns 53,307 shares of the companys stock worth $1,272,000 after buying an additional 552 shares in the last quarter. Finally, GAMMA Investing LLC increased its position in Magnolia Oil & Gas by 13.3% in the 3rd quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC now owns 5,677 shares of the companys stock valued at $136,000 after acquiring an additional 668 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 94.73% of the companys stock. Get Magnolia Oil & Gas alerts: Analysts Set New Price Targets A number of research analysts have issued reports on the company. Susquehanna reduced their price target on Magnolia Oil & Gas from $30.00 to $28.00 and set a positive rating for the company in a research report on Monday, January 26th. Mizuho set a $30.00 price objective on shares of Magnolia Oil & Gas in a research note on Friday. Wells Fargo & Company set a $22.00 target price on shares of Magnolia Oil & Gas and gave the company an equal weight rating in a research report on Tuesday, January 27th. Roth Mkm restated a buy rating on shares of Magnolia Oil & Gas in a research report on Tuesday. Finally, Benchmark reiterated a hold rating on shares of Magnolia Oil & Gas in a report on Wednesday, January 21st. Nine analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, six have given a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Magnolia Oil & Gas presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $27.09. Magnolia Oil & Gas Trading Down 2.4% Shares of MGY stock opened at $26.61 on Wednesday. The stock has a 50-day simple moving average of $23.23 and a 200 day simple moving average of $23.41. The stock has a market capitalization of $5.02 billion, a P/E ratio of 15.47 and a beta of 0.96. Magnolia Oil & Gas Corp has a fifty-two week low of $19.09 and a fifty-two week high of $27.47. The company has a quick ratio of 1.47, a current ratio of 1.54 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.20. Magnolia Oil & Gas (NYSE:MGY Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, February 5th. The company reported $0.37 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $0.36 by $0.01. Magnolia Oil & Gas had a net margin of 24.79% and a return on equity of 16.79%. The company had revenue of $317.63 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $322.18 million. During the same period in the prior year, the company earned $0.44 EPS. Magnolia Oil & Gass revenue was down 2.8% on a year-over-year basis. On average, sell-side analysts expect that Magnolia Oil & Gas Corp will post 2.1 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Magnolia Oil & Gas Increases Dividend The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 2nd. Investors of record on Tuesday, February 10th will be paid a dividend of $0.165 per share. This is a boost from Magnolia Oil & Gass previous quarterly dividend of $0.15. This represents a $0.66 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.5%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, February 10th. Magnolia Oil & Gass dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 34.88%. Magnolia Oil & Gas Profile (Free Report) Magnolia Oil & Gas Corp (NYSE: MGY) is an independent exploration and production company focused on the acquisition, development and optimization of onshore oil and gas assets in South Texas. Headquartered in Houston, the company concentrates its efforts on the Eagle Ford Shale, where it holds significant working interests in key producing counties. The companys core operations center on horizontal drilling and multi-stage completions designed to extract light crude oil, natural gas and natural gas liquids (NGLs). Featured Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding MGY? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Magnolia Oil & Gas Corp (NYSE:MGY Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Magnolia Oil & Gas Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Magnolia Oil & Gas and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Matthews China Active ETF (NYSEARCA:MCH Get Free Report) was the target of a large drop in short interest in the month of January. As of January 30th, there was short interest totaling 1,064 shares, a drop of 66.3% from the January 15th total of 3,160 shares. Currently, 0.1% of the companys stock are short sold. Based on an average daily trading volume, of 2,986 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is presently 0.4 days. Based on an average daily trading volume, of 2,986 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is presently 0.4 days. Currently, 0.1% of the companys stock are short sold. Hedge Funds Weigh In On Matthews China Active ETF A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of MCH. Farther Finance Advisors LLC raised its stake in Matthews China Active ETF by 17.6% in the third quarter. Farther Finance Advisors LLC now owns 2,540 shares of the companys stock valued at $77,000 after buying an additional 380 shares in the last quarter. Flow Traders U.S. LLC acquired a new stake in Matthews China Active ETF during the third quarter worth approximately $265,000. Integrity Wealth Solutions LLC lifted its position in shares of Matthews China Active ETF by 38.4% during the 2nd quarter. Integrity Wealth Solutions LLC now owns 11,443 shares of the companys stock worth $280,000 after buying an additional 3,173 shares during the last quarter. PFG Private Wealth Management LLC purchased a new position in shares of Matthews China Active ETF in the 3rd quarter valued at $346,000. Finally, Goldman Sachs Group Inc. raised its stake in Matthews China Active ETF by 69.5% during the 1st quarter. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. now owns 20,000 shares of the companys stock worth $487,000 after acquiring an additional 8,201 shares in the last quarter. Get Matthews China Active ETF alerts: Matthews China Active ETF Price Performance Shares of MCH stock traded down $0.34 during trading hours on Wednesday, reaching $29.32. 5,267 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 2,985. The businesss fifty day moving average is $29.13 and its two-hundred day moving average is $28.85. The firm has a market capitalization of $23.45 million, a P/E ratio of 12.47 and a beta of 0.73. Matthews China Active ETF has a 12-month low of $20.06 and a 12-month high of $30.97. About Matthews China Active ETF The Matthews China Active ETF (MCH) is an exchange-traded fund that mostly invests in total market equity. The fund is actively managed to hold stocks of Chinese companies that are fundamentally screened for sustainable growth. The fund also considers ESG factors in the investment process. MCH was launched on Jul 13, 2022 and is managed by Matthews. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for Matthews China Active ETF Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Matthews China Active ETF and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. This photo taken on Aug. 1, 2023 shows the U.S. Department of Justice building in Washington, D.C., the United States. (Photo by Aaron Schwartz/Xinhua) * On Jan. 30, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) released the remaining Epstein files, including over 3 million pages, more than 2,000 video segments and 180,000 images. * Over the past several months, the release of the Epstein case files has been repeatedly delayed and fraught with complications. This has not only amplified public skepticism toward what many see as the "delayed, selective transparency" of the U.S. government, but also further eroded external trust in the Trump administration and the broader U.S. political system. * Despite heightened attention from Congress and intensified public criticism, the latest revelations appear to have caused little stir in U.S. politics, which has grown almost immune to scandal and operates with a notable lack of shame and oversight. WASHINGTON, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- The recent release of files related to late U.S. financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein has rattled U.S. politics and triggered turbulence in many European countries. Not only did it expose the corruption and privilege of the powerful elite, along with their disregard for morality, it also shattered the self-proclaimed universal values of Western society. More importantly, it compelled a sobering reassessment of the Western justice system's fairness, revealing a structure that seems to grant impunity to the rich and powerful. TURMOIL ACROSS THE WEST On Jan. 30, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) released the remaining Epstein files, including over 3 million pages, more than 2,000 video segments and 180,000 images. In total, the DOJ has released nearly 3.5 million pages of documents related to the case. In the United States, the latest documents include references to President Donald Trump and several figures from his inner circle. According to multiple U.S. media reports, Trump's name appears more than 1,000 times. "While some of the references are benign, others include newly disclosed unverified sexual assault claims against Trump as well as fresh details about how some of Epstein's victims described their interactions with the future president," CNN reported. Trump, meanwhile, said the allegations are nothing but a "conspiracy" targeting him. U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and Kevin Warsh, who was nominated by Trump to chair the Federal Reserve, entrepreneur Elon Musk, who has close ties to Trump, and Stephen Bannon, an advisor during Trump's first term, are also mentioned in the latest documents. Several Democratic lawmakers, along with Republican Congressman Thomas Massie, one of the advocates behind the Epstein Files Transparency Act, have already called for the commerce secretary to resign. In a Senate Appropriations subcommittee hearing on Tuesday, Lutnick admitted that he and his family had lunch with Epstein on the latter's private island in 2012, but denied having any relationship with him. "I did not have any relationship with him. I barely had anything to do with that person," he said in his testimony. In Europe, the latest files have triggered even greater turbulence. In Britain, Morgan McSweeney resigned as chief of staff to Prime Minister Keir Starmer following controversy over the appointment of Peter Mandelson as ambassador to the United States. Norway's Foreign Ministry said on Sunday that Mona Juul had stepped down as Norway's ambassador to Jordan, also accredited to Iraq, after revelations about her contact with Epstein. Former French Culture Minister Jack Lang resigned as president of the Arab World Institute, a Paris-based cultural and academic institution, over alleged past financial links to Epstein. The impact extends beyond politics. Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, the late pop king Michael Jackson, among others, were also mentioned in the files. "This is actually a glimpse into the darkened hearts of the very rich and powerful who have become so blinded by their greed, power and sense of entitlement that not only can they 'do no wrong' but that, given their power and status, they have the 'right' to use others for their own purposes regardless of the impact of such manipulation on their victims," Greg Cusack, a former member of the Iowa House of Representatives, told Xinhua. U.S. President Donald Trump is pictured in Davos, Switzerland, Jan. 22, 2026. (Xinhua/Peng Ziyang) TRANSPARENCY TO WHAT DEGREE? The Trump administration's handling of the document release has triggered widespread skepticism and criticism. The administration delayed the release for months, heavily redacted numerous files, and even the latest release did not include all materials, prompting the question: transparency to what degree? Releasing the Epstein-related files was a campaign promise Trump made during his re-election bid in 2024. However, after taking office in January 2025, his administration failed to fulfill this commitment. It was not until the U.S. Congress passed the Epstein Files Transparency Act with an overwhelming majority in mid-November that the DOJ began releasing the documents in batches, starting from the Dec. 19 deadline. Following the latest release, Democratic Congressman Ro Khanna, who co-sponsored the bill alongside Republican lawmakers, said in a press release that while the DOJ claimed to have collected over 6 million potentially relevant pages, only about 3.5 million pages were released after review and redaction. Khanna noted that he would closely examine whether the DOJ had disclosed materials he has long advocated for public release, including FBI victim interview records, draft indictments and prosecution memos from the 2007 Florida investigation, as well as hundreds of thousands of emails and files from Epstein's computers. In addition, redaction errors by the DOJ exposed a significant amount of victim information, sparking public outrage. Following the release, the names and personal details of nearly 100 victims were made public. This blunder has prompted victims to ask: who exactly is being protected by these redactions? Over the past several months, the release of the Epstein case files has been repeatedly delayed and fraught with complications. This has not only amplified public skepticism toward what many see as the "delayed, selective transparency" of the U.S. government, but also further eroded external trust in the Trump administration and the broader U.S. political system. Photo taken on December 2, 2025 shows the White House, in Washington, D.C., the United States. (Xinhua/Hu Yousong) JUSTICE SYSTEM IN DOUBT Western governments uphold judicial fairness as a core value and have repeatedly cited it to lecture other countries on issues such as human rights and corruption. Yet the "minor stir" following the release of the Epstein files reveals how Western judicial systems can protect the elite and exposes the hypocrisy of their proclaimed values. Despite a massive document dump related to the Epstein case, the DOJ has said that it does not currently expect more arrests based on the disclosures. "There's a lot of correspondence. There's a lot of emails. There's a lot of photographs. There's a lot of horrible photographs that appear to be taken by Mr. Epstein or people around him," Deputy U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche told CNN. "But that doesn't allow us necessarily to prosecute somebody." Some disagree. Members of Congress who reviewed unredacted documents on Monday reported finding proof that at least six individuals had been kept hidden from the public without clear legal justification, reigniting accusations that the Trump Administration protected influential individuals from investigation. Republican Congressman Thomas Massie and Democratic Congressman Ro Khanna said the DOJ redacted the names of at least six men who are "likely incriminated." Despite heightened attention from Congress and intensified public criticism, the latest revelations appear to have caused little stir in U.S. politics, which has grown almost immune to scandal and operates with a notable lack of shame and oversight. "As Europe moves to address its shame, it's highlighting the comparative lack of accountability in the U.S.," the Politico reported. While Trump said on Feb. 3 that it's time for the country to move on from the Epstein files, U.S. public opinion appears unprepared to "turn the page," because many feel that justice has not been served. "Americans are not ready to move on from the Epstein story because there remain unanswered questions. The big issue is culpability for bad behavior. What will happen to those named in the files," Brookings Institution Senior Fellow Darrell West told Xinhua. "The administration has said there will be no further releases, no investigations, and no indictments. But the scope of the bad behavior leads many to question that approach," West said. ProShare Advisors LLC lessened its holdings in McKesson Corporation (NYSE:MCK Free Report) by 2.7% in the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 21,955 shares of the companys stock after selling 611 shares during the quarter. ProShare Advisors LLCs holdings in McKesson were worth $16,961,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. Several other institutional investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in MCK. Vanguard Group Inc. lifted its position in shares of McKesson by 2.0% in the 2nd quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 12,072,090 shares of the companys stock worth $8,846,186,000 after buying an additional 232,286 shares during the last quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC raised its stake in McKesson by 4.1% during the second quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 2,820,724 shares of the companys stock worth $2,057,065,000 after acquiring an additional 112,224 shares during the period. Alliancebernstein L.P. lifted its holdings in McKesson by 150.4% in the second quarter. Alliancebernstein L.P. now owns 2,268,015 shares of the companys stock worth $1,661,956,000 after acquiring an additional 1,362,386 shares during the last quarter. Norges Bank bought a new position in McKesson in the second quarter worth about $1,346,661,000. Finally, Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership boosted its stake in McKesson by 56.4% in the second quarter. Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership now owns 1,236,536 shares of the companys stock valued at $906,109,000 after acquiring an additional 446,060 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 85.07% of the companys stock. Get McKesson alerts: McKesson Price Performance MCK opened at $934.41 on Wednesday. The stocks 50 day moving average price is $832.63 and its 200 day moving average price is $783.87. The stock has a market cap of $114.46 billion, a P/E ratio of 26.87, a P/E/G ratio of 1.55 and a beta of 0.40. McKesson Corporation has a 12 month low of $585.22 and a 12 month high of $971.93. McKesson Announces Dividend McKesson ( NYSE:MCK Get Free Report ) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, February 4th. The company reported $9.34 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $9.19 by $0.15. The company had revenue of $106.16 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $105.98 billion. McKesson had a negative return on equity of 338.97% and a net margin of 1.09%.The firms quarterly revenue was up 11.4% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $8.03 EPS. McKesson has set its FY 2026 guidance at 38.800-39.200 EPS. Equities analysts anticipate that McKesson Corporation will post 32.77 EPS for the current year. The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, April 1st. Shareholders of record on Monday, March 2nd will be paid a dividend of $0.82 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, March 2nd. This represents a $3.28 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.4%. McKessons dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 9.43%. Analyst Ratings Changes A number of analysts have recently weighed in on the company. Morgan Stanley reiterated an overweight rating and set a $966.00 price target on shares of McKesson in a research report on Thursday, January 29th. TD Cowen upped their price objective on McKesson from $1,000.00 to $1,012.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research note on Thursday, February 5th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased their target price on McKesson from $983.00 to $1,107.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research report on Tuesday. Evercore reiterated an outperform rating and issued a $1,000.00 target price on shares of McKesson in a research note on Thursday, November 6th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company boosted their price target on shares of McKesson from $914.00 to $925.00 and gave the company an equal weight rating in a report on Thursday, February 5th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twelve have given a Buy rating and four have assigned a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $937.07. Read Our Latest Analysis on McKesson McKesson News Roundup Here are the key news stories impacting McKesson this week: Positive Sentiment: JPMorgan upgraded MCK to Overweight and raised its price target from $983 to $1,107, implying notable upside vs. recent levels this is a clear bullish catalyst for investor demand. Benzinga JPMorgan upgraded MCK to Overweight and raised its price target from $983 to $1,107, implying notable upside vs. recent levels this is a clear bullish catalyst for investor demand. Positive Sentiment: High-profile media/TV support (Jim Cramer praising McKesson) can boost retail interest and short-term buying flows. Cramer piece High-profile media/TV support (Jim Cramer praising McKesson) can boost retail interest and short-term buying flows. Positive Sentiment: Recent earnings beat and FY26 EPS guidance (38.8039.20) plus a new quarterly dividend ($0.82/share) support the fundamental bull case for long-term investors. MarketBeat summary Recent earnings beat and FY26 EPS guidance (38.8039.20) plus a new quarterly dividend ($0.82/share) support the fundamental bull case for long-term investors. Neutral Sentiment: McKesson is attracting investor attention on screens (Zacks notes its among most-watched stocks), which can increase volatility but doesnt itself imply direction. Zacks McKesson is attracting investor attention on screens (Zacks notes its among most-watched stocks), which can increase volatility but doesnt itself imply direction. Neutral Sentiment: Coverage on automation and robotics (could improve logistics/efficiency long term) highlights an operational upside but is speculative for near-term earnings. Pharma-Technology Coverage on automation and robotics (could improve logistics/efficiency long term) highlights an operational upside but is speculative for near-term earnings. Negative Sentiment: Insider selling: CAO Napoleon Rutledge Jr. sold 328 shares (filed with SEC) small in size relative to the company but often interpreted negatively by some investors. InsiderTrades Insider selling: CAO Napoleon Rutledge Jr. sold 328 shares (filed with SEC) small in size relative to the company but often interpreted negatively by some investors. Negative Sentiment: McKesson reported flat revenues in its MedicalSurgical segment, which may concern investors focused on near-term organic growth and margin leverage. HME News Insider Activity In related news, CAO Napoleon B. Rutledge, Jr. sold 328 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, February 6th. The shares were sold at an average price of $955.00, for a total transaction of $313,240.00. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at this link. Also, EVP Thomas L. Rodgers sold 276 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, January 5th. The stock was sold at an average price of $816.18, for a total value of $225,265.68. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president owned 2,268 shares of the companys stock, valued at $1,851,096.24. This trade represents a 10.85% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. 0.08% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders. McKesson Company Profile (Free Report) McKesson Corporation (NYSE: MCK) is a global healthcare services and distribution company that supplies pharmaceuticals, medical-surgical products and health care technology solutions. Founded in 1833 and headquartered in Irving, Texas, McKesson operates across the drug distribution and healthcare services value chain, connecting manufacturers, pharmacies, hospitals and health systems to help manage the movement of medicines and clinical supplies. The companys core activities include pharmaceutical wholesale distribution and logistics, specialty pharmacy services, and the provision of medical-surgical supplies to acute and non-acute care providers. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for McKesson Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for McKesson and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. MicroSectors FANG+ Index 2X Leveraged ETN (NYSEARCA:FNGO Get Free Report) saw a significant decline in short interest during the month of January. As of January 30th, there was short interest totaling 125 shares, a decline of 97.0% from the January 15th total of 4,222 shares. Approximately 0.0% of the companys shares are short sold. Based on an average trading volume of 16,339 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is currently 0.0 days. Based on an average trading volume of 16,339 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is currently 0.0 days. Approximately 0.0% of the companys shares are short sold. MicroSectors FANG+ Index 2X Leveraged ETN Stock Down 1.6% FNGO stock traded down $1.57 during midday trading on Wednesday, reaching $99.07. The stock had a trading volume of 2,852 shares, compared to its average volume of 13,216. The business has a fifty day simple moving average of $115.03 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $119.95. The firm has a market cap of $495.35 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of 38.58 and a beta of 2.36. MicroSectors FANG+ Index 2X Leveraged ETN has a twelve month low of $48.67 and a twelve month high of $140.87. Get MicroSectors FANG+ Index 2X Leveraged ETN alerts: About MicroSectors FANG+ Index 2X Leveraged ETN (Get Free Report) Featured Stories The MicroSectors FANG+ Index 2X Leveraged ETNs (FNGO) is an exchange-traded fund that is based on the NYSE FANG+ index. The fund provides 2x the daily price movements of an index of US-listed technology and consumer discretionary companies. The index is highly concentrated and equally weighted. FNGO was launched on Aug 6, 2018 and is issued by REX Microsectors. Receive News & Ratings for MicroSectors FANG+ Index 2X Leveraged ETN Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for MicroSectors FANG+ Index 2X Leveraged ETN and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. MQS Management LLC acquired a new position in shares of Toronto Dominion Bank (The) (NYSE:TD Free Report) (TSE:TD) in the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm acquired 9,846 shares of the banks stock, valued at approximately $787,000. Several other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently made changes to their positions in TD. True Wealth Design LLC acquired a new stake in Toronto Dominion Bank during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $27,000. Mather Group LLC. bought a new position in Toronto Dominion Bank during the 3rd quarter worth $30,000. Sachetta LLC bought a new position in Toronto Dominion Bank during the 3rd quarter worth $33,000. Quaker Wealth Management LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Toronto Dominion Bank by 200.0% during the second quarter. Quaker Wealth Management LLC now owns 428 shares of the banks stock worth $31,000 after buying an additional 856 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Elevation Point Wealth Partners LLC bought a new stake in shares of Toronto Dominion Bank in the second quarter valued at about $32,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 52.37% of the companys stock. Get Toronto Dominion Bank alerts: Toronto Dominion Bank Stock Performance Shares of Toronto Dominion Bank stock opened at $98.55 on Wednesday. The company has a current ratio of 1.03, a quick ratio of 1.03 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.09. The company has a market cap of $165.40 billion, a PE ratio of 11.69, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.35 and a beta of 0.67. The company has a 50 day moving average of $93.47 and a 200-day moving average of $83.61. Toronto Dominion Bank has a 1-year low of $54.87 and a 1-year high of $98.82. Toronto Dominion Bank Increases Dividend Toronto Dominion Bank ( NYSE:TD Get Free Report ) (TSE:TD) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, December 4th. The bank reported $1.56 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $1.46 by $0.10. Toronto Dominion Bank had a net margin of 16.52% and a return on equity of 13.90%. The business had revenue of $11.44 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $10.10 billion. During the same period last year, the firm posted $1.72 earnings per share. The firms quarterly revenue was down .1% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, equities research analysts forecast that Toronto Dominion Bank will post 5.48 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Saturday, January 31st. Stockholders of record on Friday, January 9th were issued a dividend of $1.08 per share. This is an increase from Toronto Dominion Banks previous quarterly dividend of $1.05. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, January 9th. This represents a $4.32 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 4.4%. Toronto Dominion Banks payout ratio is presently 37.37%. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth A number of equities analysts recently commented on the stock. Raymond James Financial raised shares of Toronto Dominion Bank to a hold rating in a research report on Monday, November 24th. Natl Bk Canada raised shares of Toronto Dominion Bank from a hold rating to a strong-buy rating in a report on Wednesday, December 17th. National Bank Financial upgraded Toronto Dominion Bank from a sector perform rating to an outperform rating in a research note on Thursday, December 18th. Weiss Ratings reissued a buy (b) rating on shares of Toronto Dominion Bank in a research report on Wednesday, January 21st. Finally, Wall Street Zen cut Toronto Dominion Bank from a hold rating to a sell rating in a report on Saturday, January 10th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, four have assigned a Buy rating and four have assigned a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $93.00. Read Our Latest Report on TD Toronto Dominion Bank Company Profile (Free Report) Toronto-Dominion Bank (TD) is a Canadian multinational banking and financial services company headquartered in Toronto, Ontario. Formed through the 1955 merger of the Bank of Toronto (founded 1855) and the Dominion Bank (founded 1869), TD is one of Canadas largest banks and offers a broad range of financial products and services to individual, small business, commercial and institutional clients. TDs core businesses include Canadian and U.S. personal and commercial banking, wealth management, wholesale banking and insurance. Recommended Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding TD? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Toronto Dominion Bank (The) (NYSE:TD Free Report) (TSE:TD). Receive News & Ratings for Toronto Dominion Bank Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Toronto Dominion Bank and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Navellier & Associates Inc. acquired a new stake in Cameco Corporation (NYSE:CCJ Free Report) (TSE:CCO) during the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor acquired 7,944 shares of the basic materials companys stock, valued at approximately $666,000. A number of other hedge funds also recently modified their holdings of CCJ. Financial Consulate Inc. acquired a new position in Cameco in the 3rd quarter valued at about $25,000. Armstrong Advisory Group Inc. boosted its holdings in shares of Cameco by 110.3% during the third quarter. Armstrong Advisory Group Inc. now owns 347 shares of the basic materials companys stock worth $29,000 after acquiring an additional 182 shares during the period. VSM Wealth Advisory LLC acquired a new position in shares of Cameco in the second quarter valued at approximately $35,000. Creative Financial Designs Inc. ADV grew its position in shares of Cameco by 936.2% in the second quarter. Creative Financial Designs Inc. ADV now owns 487 shares of the basic materials companys stock valued at $36,000 after purchasing an additional 440 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Cullen Frost Bankers Inc. bought a new position in shares of Cameco during the third quarter worth approximately $37,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 70.21% of the companys stock. Get Cameco alerts: Cameco Stock Down 2.2% Shares of NYSE CCJ opened at $118.02 on Wednesday. The stock has a market capitalization of $51.39 billion, a P/E ratio of 137.23 and a beta of 0.99. The stocks fifty day moving average is $104.96 and its 200 day moving average is $91.25. Cameco Corporation has a 52 week low of $35.00 and a 52 week high of $135.24. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.15, a quick ratio of 1.85 and a current ratio of 2.99. Analysts Set New Price Targets Several analysts recently issued reports on CCJ shares. Glj Research restated a buy rating and issued a $99.74 price target on shares of Cameco in a research note on Wednesday, December 3rd. Zacks Research raised Cameco from a hold rating to a strong-buy rating in a report on Wednesday, January 14th. Raymond James Financial restated an outperform rating on shares of Cameco in a research note on Wednesday, January 14th. UBS Group started coverage on shares of Cameco in a research report on Monday, November 10th. They set a neutral rating and a $140.00 price target on the stock. Finally, National Bankshares reissued an outperform rating on shares of Cameco in a report on Thursday, November 6th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twelve have assigned a Buy rating and two have issued a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Cameco presently has an average rating of Buy and an average price target of $131.39. Get Our Latest Stock Analysis on CCJ Cameco Profile (Free Report) Cameco Corporation (NYSE: CCJ) is a leading producer of uranium and a supplier to the global nuclear power industry. Headquartered in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada, the company is engaged in the exploration, mining, milling and sale of uranium concentrate, commonly known as yellowcake, which is used as fuel for nuclear reactors. Cameco also participates in services and activities that support the front end of the nuclear fuel cycle, including processing and marketing of uranium to utilities under longterm and spot contracts. The companys operations have historically centered in Canada and the United States, where it operates and develops uranium mining and processing properties. Further Reading Want to see what other hedge funds are holding CCJ? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Cameco Corporation (NYSE:CCJ Free Report) (TSE:CCO). Receive News & Ratings for Cameco Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Cameco and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. New York Life Investment Management LLC decreased its holdings in shares of iShares MSCI USA Quality Factor ETF (BATS:QUAL Free Report) by 43.8% in the 3rd quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The fund owned 27,483 shares of the companys stock after selling 21,409 shares during the period. New York Life Investment Management LLCs holdings in iShares MSCI USA Quality Factor ETF were worth $5,345,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Hantz Financial Services Inc. acquired a new position in iShares MSCI USA Quality Factor ETF during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $25,000. CoreFirst Bank & Trust acquired a new stake in iShares MSCI USA Quality Factor ETF in the second quarter valued at approximately $33,000. First Horizon Corp bought a new stake in shares of iShares MSCI USA Quality Factor ETF during the third quarter worth $36,000. Phillips Financial Management LLC bought a new stake in shares of iShares MSCI USA Quality Factor ETF during the third quarter worth $39,000. Finally, Legacy Investment Solutions LLC acquired a new position in shares of iShares MSCI USA Quality Factor ETF during the second quarter worth $40,000. Get iShares MSCI USA Quality Factor ETF alerts: iShares MSCI USA Quality Factor ETF Stock Performance Shares of QUAL opened at $203.62 on Wednesday. iShares MSCI USA Quality Factor ETF has a 52 week low of $148.34 and a 52 week high of $205.48. The stock has a market capitalization of $59.04 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 25.59 and a beta of 1.05. The stock has a fifty day moving average of $201.24 and a 200-day moving average of $195.24. 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. QUAL was launched on Jul 18, 2013 and is managed by BlackRock. Featured Articles Want to see what other hedge funds are holding QUAL? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for iShares MSCI USA Quality Factor ETF (BATS:QUAL Free Report). 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. Nuveen Enhanced Yield U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF (NYSEARCA:NUAG Get Free Report) was the recipient of a large increase in short interest in January. As of January 30th, there was short interest totaling 99,714 shares, an increase of 1,889.5% from the January 15th total of 5,012 shares. Based on an average daily volume of 21,608 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is currently 4.6 days. Currently, 3.5% of the companys stock are sold short. Currently, 3.5% of the companys stock are sold short. Based on an average daily volume of 21,608 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is currently 4.6 days. Institutional Investors Weigh In On Nuveen Enhanced Yield U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF A hedge fund recently bought a new stake in Nuveen Enhanced Yield U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF stock. Flow Traders U.S. LLC purchased a new position in shares of Nuveen Enhanced Yield U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF (NYSEARCA:NUAG Free Report) during the third quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor purchased 40,354 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $860,000. Flow Traders U.S. LLC owned 1.35% of Nuveen Enhanced Yield U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF at the end of the most recent quarter. Get Nuveen Enhanced Yield U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF alerts: Nuveen Enhanced Yield U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF Stock Performance Shares of NUAG traded up $0.06 during trading on Tuesday, reaching $21.31. The companys stock had a trading volume of 6,203 shares, compared to its average volume of 27,808. The company has a fifty day moving average of $21.22 and a two-hundred day moving average of $21.23. Nuveen Enhanced Yield U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF has a twelve month low of $20.33 and a twelve month high of $21.51. Nuveen Enhanced Yield U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF Increases Dividend Nuveen Enhanced Yield U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF Company Profile The business also recently declared a monthly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, February 3rd. Investors of record on Monday, February 2nd were issued a $0.0782 dividend. This is a boost from Nuveen Enhanced Yield U.S. Aggregate Bond ETFs previous monthly dividend of $0.08. This represents a c) annualized dividend and a yield of 4.4%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, February 2nd. (Get Free Report) The Nuveen Enhanced Yield U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF (NUAG) is an exchange-traded fund that mostly invests in investment grade fixed income. The fund tracks a US broad-market investment-grade bond index, overweighting market segments with higher yield potential while maintaining the overall risk and credit profile of the broad market. NUAG was launched on Sep 14, 2016 and is managed by Nuveen. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for Nuveen Enhanced Yield U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Nuveen Enhanced Yield U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Oppenheimer Asset Management Inc. reduced its stake in Barrick Mining Corporation (NYSE:B Free Report) (TSE:ABX) by 7.9% during the third quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The fund owned 261,562 shares of the gold and copper producers stock after selling 22,476 shares during the quarter. Oppenheimer Asset Management Inc.s holdings in Barrick Mining were worth $8,571,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. Other institutional investors have also modified their holdings of the company. Truist Financial Corp purchased a new stake in shares of Barrick Mining in the second quarter valued at approximately $926,000. US Bancorp DE purchased a new position in Barrick Mining during the 2nd quarter worth $620,000. Blair William & Co. IL bought a new stake in Barrick Mining during the 2nd quarter valued at $2,265,000. IFP Advisors Inc bought a new stake in Barrick Mining during the 2nd quarter valued at $144,000. Finally, Apollon Wealth Management LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Barrick Mining in the 2nd quarter worth $561,000. 90.82% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. Get Barrick Mining alerts: Barrick Mining Price Performance Shares of B opened at $46.97 on Wednesday. The company has a 50 day moving average of $46.12 and a two-hundred day moving average of $36.28. The company has a quick ratio of 2.33, a current ratio of 2.92 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.13. Barrick Mining Corporation has a twelve month low of $17.00 and a twelve month high of $54.69. The company has a market cap of $78.69 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 16.03, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.39 and a beta of 0.40. Barrick Mining Increases Dividend Barrick Mining ( NYSE:B Get Free Report ) (TSE:ABX) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, February 5th. The gold and copper producer reported $1.04 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.85 by $0.19. The firm had revenue of $5.98 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $5.15 billion. Barrick Mining had a return on equity of 12.10% and a net margin of 29.45%.The companys quarterly revenue was up 44.6% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, analysts predict that Barrick Mining Corporation will post 1.47 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 16th. Shareholders of record on Friday, February 27th will be paid a $0.42 dividend. This represents a $1.68 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 3.6%. This is a boost from Barrick Minings previous quarterly dividend of $0.18. The ex-dividend date is Friday, February 27th. Barrick Minings dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 57.34%. Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades Several equities analysts have recently commented on the company. DZ Bank upgraded Barrick Mining to a strong-buy rating in a research note on Monday, January 19th. Jefferies Financial Group reaffirmed a buy rating and set a $55.00 target price on shares of Barrick Mining in a research report on Sunday, December 7th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. started coverage on Barrick Mining in a research report on Thursday, January 29th. They issued an overweight rating and a $68.00 price target for the company. Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce restated an outperform rating and set a $71.00 price objective on shares of Barrick Mining in a research note on Wednesday, February 4th. Finally, Cormark raised Barrick Mining from a hold rating to a moderate buy rating in a research report on Tuesday, November 11th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eighteen have issued a Buy rating and three have assigned a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $53.58. View Our Latest Stock Report on Barrick Mining Key Stories Impacting Barrick Mining Here are the key news stories impacting Barrick Mining this week: About Barrick Mining (Free Report) Barrick Gold Corporation, commonly known as Barrick, is a Torontoheadquartered mining company focused on the exploration, development, production and sale of gold and copper. Listed on major exchanges (including the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol B), Barrick operates as an integrated minerals producer, running largescale mining complexes, processing facilities and related support services for extraction and metallurgical treatment of ore. The companys activities span the full mining value chain: greenfield exploration, feasibility and permitting, mine construction, ongoing operations, and closure and reclamation. Read More Want to see what other hedge funds are holding B? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Barrick Mining Corporation (NYSE:B Free Report) (TSE:ABX). Receive News & Ratings for Barrick Mining Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Barrick Mining and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Oppenheimer Asset Management Inc. reduced its holdings in Cencora, Inc. (NYSE:COR Free Report) by 14.5% in the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the SEC. The firm owned 21,680 shares of the companys stock after selling 3,672 shares during the quarter. Oppenheimer Asset Management Inc.s holdings in Cencora were worth $6,776,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. Other hedge funds also recently modified their holdings of the company. Norges Bank acquired a new stake in Cencora in the second quarter valued at $695,215,000. Mizuho Markets Americas LLC lifted its holdings in Cencora by 116.4% during the 3rd quarter. Mizuho Markets Americas LLC now owns 212,800 shares of the companys stock worth $66,506,000 after buying an additional 1,511,906 shares during the period. Artisan Partners Limited Partnership bought a new stake in shares of Cencora in the 2nd quarter valued at about $411,888,000. Vanguard Group Inc. increased its stake in shares of Cencora by 5.3% in the second quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 22,479,041 shares of the companys stock valued at $6,740,340,000 after buying an additional 1,125,661 shares during the period. Finally, Viking Global Investors LP increased its stake in shares of Cencora by 95.0% in the second quarter. Viking Global Investors LP now owns 2,081,732 shares of the companys stock valued at $624,207,000 after buying an additional 1,013,913 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 97.52% of the companys stock. Get Cencora alerts: More Cencora News Here are the key news stories impacting Cencora this week: Positive Sentiment: JPMorgan raised its price target to $419 and kept an overweight rating, implying roughly midteens upside from current levels a notable analyst endorsement that can support the stock. Benzinga JPMorgan raised its price target to $419 and kept an overweight rating, implying roughly midteens upside from current levels a notable analyst endorsement that can support the stock. Positive Sentiment: Cencora selected a new $106M distribution site in Greater Cincinnati (Hillwood), expanding logistics capacity that should support revenue growth and margin improvement over time. Cincinnati Business Journal Cencora selected a new $106M distribution site in Greater Cincinnati (Hillwood), expanding logistics capacity that should support revenue growth and margin improvement over time. Positive Sentiment: Pharma distribution wins: SQ Innovations Lasix ONYU gained access to major U.S. distributors, including Cencora, which could provide incremental product revenue and marketaccess momentum. Yahoo Finance Pharma distribution wins: SQ Innovations Lasix ONYU gained access to major U.S. distributors, including Cencora, which could provide incremental product revenue and marketaccess momentum. Neutral Sentiment: Cencora updated its segment reporting following a strategic business review; this improves disclosure but may temporarily complicate comparability to prior periods. TipRanks Cencora updated its segment reporting following a strategic business review; this improves disclosure but may temporarily complicate comparability to prior periods. Neutral Sentiment: The companys ~$2B physiciangroup buyout is being framed as a strategic move into provider services; it supports growth strategy but carries integration risk and financing implications. Beckers ASC The companys ~$2B physiciangroup buyout is being framed as a strategic move into provider services; it supports growth strategy but carries integration risk and financing implications. Neutral Sentiment: Nonfinancial/PR items such as executive recognition and analysttarget aggregation pages surfaced; these are low impact on nearterm valuation. Yahoo Finance Corporate Purpose Nonfinancial/PR items such as executive recognition and analysttarget aggregation pages surfaced; these are low impact on nearterm valuation. Negative Sentiment: Cencora priced $3.0 billion of senior notes across five tranches (20292056) with coupons from 3.95% to 5.65% a large debt raise that increases gross leverage and future interest expense; given the companys already elevated debt metrics, the bond sale is the clearest nearterm headwind for the stock. Business Wire Yahoo Finance Insider Transactions at Cencora Cencora Price Performance In other news, EVP Silvana Battaglia sold 1,677 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Friday, December 19th. The stock was sold at an average price of $345.00, for a total value of $578,565.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 18,796 shares in the company, valued at $6,484,620. This trade represents a 8.19% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at this link . Also, EVP Elizabeth S. Campbell sold 3,351 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Friday, December 19th. The shares were sold at an average price of $342.10, for a total value of $1,146,377.10. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 23,891 shares of the companys stock, valued at $8,173,111.10. The trade was a 12.30% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing . Insiders have sold 20,316 shares of company stock valued at $7,151,265 in the last 90 days. 0.38% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders. Cencora stock opened at $360.00 on Wednesday. The stock has a market capitalization of $69.84 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 43.27, a PEG ratio of 1.67 and a beta of 0.68. Cencora, Inc. has a 52-week low of $237.71 and a 52-week high of $377.54. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 3.62, a quick ratio of 0.51 and a current ratio of 0.92. The stocks 50 day moving average price is $346.17 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $327.39. Cencora (NYSE:COR Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Wednesday, February 4th. The company reported $4.08 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $4.04 by $0.04. The company had revenue of $85.93 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $86.12 billion. Cencora had a net margin of 0.50% and a return on equity of 176.54%. Cencoras quarterly revenue was up 5.5% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company earned $3.73 EPS. On average, equities analysts predict that Cencora, Inc. will post 15.37 earnings per share for the current year. Cencora Announces Dividend The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 2nd. Stockholders of record on Friday, February 13th will be issued a dividend of $0.60 per share. The ex-dividend date is Friday, February 13th. This represents a $2.40 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.7%. Cencoras dividend payout ratio is currently 28.85%. Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades Several analysts recently commented on the company. Bank of America reduced their target price on Cencora from $380.00 to $360.00 and set a neutral rating on the stock in a report on Monday, January 5th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted their price target on shares of Cencora from $417.00 to $419.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research report on Tuesday. Mizuho upped their price objective on shares of Cencora from $340.00 to $380.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research note on Thursday, November 6th. Weiss Ratings upgraded shares of Cencora from a hold (c+) rating to a buy (b) rating in a research report on Thursday, February 5th. Finally, Robert W. Baird set a $415.00 target price on shares of Cencora in a report on Tuesday, January 13th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, ten have assigned a Buy rating and two have issued a Hold rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $396.92. Check Out Our Latest Report on COR Cencora Company Profile (Free Report) Cencora (NYSE:COR) is a global healthcare services and pharmaceutical distribution company that provides end-to-end solutions across the pharmaceutical supply chain. The companys core activities include wholesale drug distribution, specialty drug distribution, and the operation of specialty pharmacies, complemented by logistics, cold-chain management and other fulfillment services designed to support complex and temperature-sensitive therapies. Beyond physical distribution, Cencora offers a range of commercial and patient-focused services for pharmaceutical manufacturers and healthcare providers. See Also Want to see what other hedge funds are holding COR? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Cencora, Inc. (NYSE:COR Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Cencora Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Cencora and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Oppenheimer & Co. Inc. reduced its stake in Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft (NYSE:DB Free Report) by 26.3% during the third quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The firm owned 188,780 shares of the banks stock after selling 67,535 shares during the quarter. Oppenheimer & Co. Inc.s holdings in Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft were worth $6,685,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently added to or reduced their stakes in DB. AQR Capital Management LLC raised its stake in Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft by 15.9% during the first quarter. AQR Capital Management LLC now owns 126,101 shares of the banks stock valued at $3,005,000 after buying an additional 17,262 shares during the last quarter. Focus Partners Wealth purchased a new position in shares of Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft in the 1st quarter worth about $795,000. Sivia Capital Partners LLC purchased a new position in shares of Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft in the 2nd quarter worth about $413,000. IFP Advisors Inc boosted its stake in Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft by 345.6% in the 2nd quarter. IFP Advisors Inc now owns 3,440 shares of the banks stock worth $101,000 after purchasing an additional 2,668 shares in the last quarter. Finally, PDS Planning Inc purchased a new stake in Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft during the 2nd quarter valued at about $221,000. Institutional investors own 27.90% of the companys stock. Get Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft alerts: Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft Stock Down 0.9% Shares of DB opened at $37.62 on Wednesday. The firm has a fifty day simple moving average of $38.44 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $36.50. The company has a current ratio of 0.76, a quick ratio of 0.78 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.43. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft has a 1-year low of $18.89 and a 1-year high of $40.43. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft Increases Dividend Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft ( NYSE:DB Get Free Report ) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, January 29th. The bank reported $0.88 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $0.72 by $0.16. The firm had revenue of $8.99 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $7.71 billion. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft had a return on equity of 7.49% and a net margin of 10.02%. On average, equities research analysts expect that Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft will post 2.93 EPS for the current year. The firm also recently declared an annual dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, June 2nd. Stockholders of record on Monday, June 1st will be given a dividend of $1.00 per share. This represents a dividend yield of 251.0%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, June 1st. This is an increase from Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschafts previous annual dividend of $0.51. Analyst Ratings Changes Several research analysts have issued reports on DB shares. Morgan Stanley reaffirmed an overweight rating on shares of Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft in a report on Thursday, January 8th. Jefferies Financial Group began coverage on shares of Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft in a report on Monday, October 20th. They issued a hold rating for the company. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a buy (b) rating on shares of Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft in a research report on Wednesday, January 21st. Zacks Research downgraded Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft from a strong-buy rating to a hold rating in a research note on Tuesday, December 30th. Finally, Citigroup restated a sell rating on shares of Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft in a research note on Thursday, January 22nd. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, four have given a Buy rating, five have given a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of Hold. View Our Latest Stock Analysis on Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft About Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft (Free Report) Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft is a global banking and financial services company headquartered in Frankfurt, Germany. Founded in 1870 to support German foreign trade, the firm has grown into a full-service bank offering a wide range of banking, advisory and transaction services to corporate, institutional, and private clients. Over its history the bank has expanded internationally and developed capabilities across capital markets, investment banking, retail and commercial banking, and wealth management. The banks core business activities include corporate and investment bankingcovering financing, advisory, sales and trading, and capital markets servicesalong with private & commercial banking for individual and small-to-medium enterprise clients. Featured Articles Want to see what other hedge funds are holding DB? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft (NYSE:DB Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Piedmont Realty Trust (NYSE:PDM Get Free Report) announced its earnings results on Wednesday. The real estate investment trust reported $0.35 EPS for the quarter, hitting the consensus estimate of $0.35, Zacks reports. Piedmont Realty Trust had a negative net margin of 12.44% and a negative return on equity of 4.51%. Piedmont Realty Trust Price Performance Shares of NYSE PDM traded down $0.30 during mid-day trading on Wednesday, reaching $8.47. The company had a trading volume of 1,190,948 shares, compared to its average volume of 753,484. The firm has a market cap of $1.05 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of -14.85 and a beta of 1.26. The businesss 50-day simple moving average is $8.43 and its 200 day simple moving average is $8.35. Piedmont Realty Trust has a one year low of $5.46 and a one year high of $9.19. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.43, a quick ratio of 1.67 and a current ratio of 1.67. Get Piedmont Realty Trust alerts: Hedge Funds Weigh In On Piedmont Realty Trust Several hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of PDM. Advisory Services Network LLC bought a new stake in shares of Piedmont Realty Trust during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $30,000. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC raised its position in Piedmont Realty Trust by 214.6% during the second quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 4,405 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $32,000 after purchasing an additional 3,005 shares in the last quarter. BNP Paribas Financial Markets lifted its stake in Piedmont Realty Trust by 59.7% during the second quarter. BNP Paribas Financial Markets now owns 10,741 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $78,000 after purchasing an additional 4,015 shares during the last quarter. Pitcairn Co. bought a new stake in Piedmont Realty Trust during the second quarter worth $96,000. Finally, CIBC Bancorp USA Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of Piedmont Realty Trust in the 3rd quarter valued at $119,000. 84.48% of the stock is owned by institutional investors. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth A number of equities research analysts have recently issued reports on the company. Weiss Ratings restated a sell (d-) rating on shares of Piedmont Realty Trust in a report on Thursday, January 22nd. Truist Financial boosted their price target on Piedmont Realty Trust from $9.00 to $10.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Monday, November 24th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Buy rating, two have given a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $9.00. Read Our Latest Analysis on PDM About Piedmont Realty Trust (Get Free Report) Piedmont Realty Trust is a real estate investment trust (REIT) headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, that focuses on the ownership, acquisition and management of office properties. The companys portfolio comprises a mix of multi-tenant and single-tenant buildings, with a particular emphasis on small- to mid-size office campuses and urban infill properties. Piedmont Realty Trust structures its leases and property services to support a diversified base of tenants, including professional services firms, government agencies and technology companies. The companys operating model combines property management, leasing and strategic capital allocation to enhance asset value and drive income stability. See Also Receive News & Ratings for Piedmont Realty Trust Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Piedmont Realty Trust and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. SOFIA, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- Bulgarian President Iliana Iotova has appointed Andrey Gurov as caretaker prime minister-designate, Iotova's press office said in a statement on Wednesday. Iotova will task Gurov with proposing a caretaker government at a special ceremony on Thursday, according to the statement. The country's constitution does not specify a deadline for the caretaker prime minister-designate to present the cabinet lineup, but the usual time frame is about one week. If Iotova approves the proposal, the caretaker government will replace the coalition government led by Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov, which resigned in December. Meanwhile, under the constitution, the president is required to schedule early parliamentary elections, which must be held within two months. Gurov is currently a deputy governor of the Bulgarian National Bank (BNB). Pop Mart International Group Limited Unsponsored ADR (OTCMKTS:PMRTY Get Free Report) gapped down before the market opened on Wednesday . The stock had previously closed at $34.43, but opened at $32.65. Pop Mart International Group shares last traded at $32.40, with a volume of 1,580 shares trading hands. Analyst Ratings Changes A number of equities analysts have issued reports on PMRTY shares. Nomura raised Pop Mart International Group to a strong-buy rating in a research note on Thursday, October 23rd. Zacks Research cut Pop Mart International Group from a strong-buy rating to a hold rating in a report on Monday, October 20th. Finally, Sanford C. Bernstein raised Pop Mart International Group to a strong sell rating in a research report on Thursday, October 16th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, one has issued a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy. Get Pop Mart International Group alerts: Check Out Our Latest Report on Pop Mart International Group Pop Mart International Group Stock Down 5.7% About Pop Mart International Group The stocks 50 day moving average price is $26.39. (Get Free Report) Pop Mart International Group Ltd is a leading designer, developer and retailer of collectible art toys and lifestyle products. Founded in Beijing in 2010, the company has built a portfolio of proprietary intellectual property and artist collaborations, with its core business centered on blind-box collectible figurines that combine contemporary design with surprise-driven consumer engagement. Pop Marts distinctive toy offerings span a variety of artist-led series and thematic collections, making it a recognized name among collectors and casual consumers alike. The companys product lineup features several signature brands, including Pucky, Molly and Dimoo, each characterized by unique aesthetic styles and narrative elements. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for Pop Mart International Group Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Pop Mart International Group and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Principal Financial Group Inc. reduced its holdings in shares of Arrow Electronics, Inc. (NYSE:ARW Free Report) by 2.7% in the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 114,401 shares of the technology companys stock after selling 3,211 shares during the period. Principal Financial Group Inc.s holdings in Arrow Electronics were worth $13,843,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. Several other hedge funds have also recently made changes to their positions in the business. Transcend Capital Advisors LLC lifted its stake in shares of Arrow Electronics by 26.6% in the 3rd quarter. Transcend Capital Advisors LLC now owns 3,050 shares of the technology companys stock valued at $369,000 after purchasing an additional 641 shares during the period. Thrivent Financial for Lutherans increased its holdings in Arrow Electronics by 12.0% in the third quarter. Thrivent Financial for Lutherans now owns 13,678 shares of the technology companys stock worth $1,655,000 after purchasing an additional 1,464 shares in the last quarter. Winnow Wealth LLC acquired a new position in Arrow Electronics in the third quarter valued at approximately $26,000. AlphaQuest LLC acquired a new position in Arrow Electronics in the third quarter valued at approximately $631,000. Finally, Arizona State Retirement System boosted its holdings in shares of Arrow Electronics by 1.4% during the 3rd quarter. Arizona State Retirement System now owns 15,350 shares of the technology companys stock worth $1,857,000 after buying an additional 213 shares in the last quarter. 99.34% of the stock is owned by institutional investors. Get Arrow Electronics alerts: Analysts Set New Price Targets A number of research analysts recently issued reports on the stock. Wells Fargo & Company boosted their target price on shares of Arrow Electronics from $94.00 to $115.00 and gave the company an underweight rating in a research report on Friday, February 6th. Truist Financial lifted their price target on shares of Arrow Electronics from $120.00 to $148.00 and gave the company a hold rating in a research note on Friday, February 6th. Wall Street Zen upgraded Arrow Electronics from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research note on Saturday. Finally, Zacks Research downgraded Arrow Electronics from a strong-buy rating to a hold rating in a research note on Friday, November 14th. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a Hold rating and two have issued a Sell rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of Reduce and an average price target of $124.33. Arrow Electronics Trading Down 1.3% NYSE:ARW opened at $156.09 on Wednesday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.46, a current ratio of 1.36 and a quick ratio of 1.09. Arrow Electronics, Inc. has a one year low of $86.50 and a one year high of $160.63. The company has a market cap of $8.04 billion, a PE ratio of 14.27, a PEG ratio of 0.80 and a beta of 1.04. The firm has a 50-day moving average of $119.65 and a 200-day moving average of $119.21. Arrow Electronics (NYSE:ARW Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, February 5th. The technology company reported $4.39 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $3.55 by $0.84. The business had revenue of $8.75 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $8.16 billion. Arrow Electronics had a net margin of 1.85% and a return on equity of 9.01%. The firms revenue for the quarter was up 20.1% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the firm earned $2.97 EPS. Arrow Electronics has set its Q1 2026 guidance at 2.130-2.330 EPS. As a group, equities research analysts expect that Arrow Electronics, Inc. will post 10.57 EPS for the current fiscal year. Arrow Electronics Profile (Free Report) Arrow Electronics (NYSE: ARW) is a global provider of products, services and solutions to industrial and commercial users of electronic components and enterprise computing solutions. The company offers a broad portfolio of semiconductors, passives, connectors, electromechanical devices and embedded solutions, serving customers across diverse end markets including automotive, communications, computing, aerospace, defense and healthcare. Through its extensive supplier relationships, Arrow enables design engineers to identify and procure components required for the development of new electronic systems and devices. In addition to component distribution, Arrow delivers value-added services such as design engineering support, supply chain management, global logistics and technical training. Featured Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding ARW? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Arrow Electronics, Inc. (NYSE:ARW Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Arrow Electronics Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Arrow Electronics and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. ProShare Advisors LLC boosted its position in shares of Ford Motor Company (NYSE:F Free Report) by 96.0% during the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The fund owned 1,573,312 shares of the auto manufacturers stock after purchasing an additional 770,482 shares during the quarter. ProShare Advisors LLCs holdings in Ford Motor were worth $18,817,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. Other large investors have also bought and sold shares of the company. Swiss National Bank increased its holdings in shares of Ford Motor by 7.4% in the 2nd quarter. Swiss National Bank now owns 11,822,986 shares of the auto manufacturers stock worth $128,279,000 after purchasing an additional 813,800 shares in the last quarter. Mitsubishi UFJ Asset Management Co. Ltd. increased its holdings in Ford Motor by 7.3% in the 2nd quarter. Mitsubishi UFJ Asset Management Co. Ltd. now owns 7,476,340 shares of the auto manufacturers stock worth $81,118,000 after buying an additional 510,473 shares in the last quarter. Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Group Inc. increased its holdings in Ford Motor by 3.2% in the 2nd quarter. Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Group Inc. now owns 9,055,356 shares of the auto manufacturers stock worth $98,251,000 after buying an additional 279,470 shares in the last quarter. Aviva PLC raised its position in Ford Motor by 1,280.3% in the 2nd quarter. Aviva PLC now owns 2,919,334 shares of the auto manufacturers stock worth $31,675,000 after buying an additional 2,707,834 shares during the last quarter. Finally, National Pension Service lifted its stake in Ford Motor by 6.7% during the 3rd quarter. National Pension Service now owns 8,099,060 shares of the auto manufacturers stock valued at $96,865,000 after acquiring an additional 510,426 shares during the period. 58.74% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. Get Ford Motor alerts: Ford Motor News Summary Here are the key news stories impacting Ford Motor this week: Ford Motor Price Performance Shares of F stock opened at $13.59 on Wednesday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.20, a current ratio of 1.12 and a quick ratio of 0.98. Ford Motor Company has a one year low of $8.44 and a one year high of $14.50. The companys fifty day moving average price is $13.57 and its 200-day moving average price is $12.62. The company has a market capitalization of $54.15 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 11.72, a PEG ratio of 5.75 and a beta of 1.66. Ford Motor (NYSE:F Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, February 10th. The auto manufacturer reported $0.13 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $0.06 by $0.07. Ford Motor had a return on equity of 11.94% and a net margin of 2.48%.The firm had revenue of $45.89 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $41.78 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company posted $0.39 earnings per share. The businesss quarterly revenue was down 4.8% compared to the same quarter last year. Sell-side analysts expect that Ford Motor Company will post 1.47 EPS for the current fiscal year. Ford Motor Announces Dividend The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 2nd. Investors of record on Friday, February 13th will be given a $0.15 dividend. This represents a $0.60 annualized dividend and a yield of 4.4%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, February 13th. Ford Motors payout ratio is currently 51.72%. Analysts Set New Price Targets A number of analysts have recently commented on the stock. Evercore lifted their price target on shares of Ford Motor from $12.00 to $14.00 and gave the stock an in-line rating in a research note on Monday, December 22nd. Wells Fargo & Company raised their target price on shares of Ford Motor from $10.00 to $11.00 and gave the stock an underweight rating in a report on Friday, October 24th. Zacks Research upgraded shares of Ford Motor from a hold rating to a strong-buy rating in a research note on Monday, January 12th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased their price target on Ford Motor from $14.00 to $15.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a report on Wednesday, January 21st. Finally, Piper Sandler raised Ford Motor from a neutral rating to an overweight rating and lifted their price objective for the stock from $11.00 to $16.00 in a report on Thursday, January 8th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, three have assigned a Buy rating, eleven have given a Hold rating and two have issued a Sell rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $13.02. Read Our Latest Report on F About Ford Motor (Free Report) Ford Motor Company (NYSE: F) is an American multinational automaker headquartered in Dearborn, Michigan. Founded by Henry Ford in 1903, the company became an early pioneer of mass-production techniques with the Model T and the adoption of the moving assembly line. Today, Ford designs, manufactures, markets and services a broad range of vehicles and mobility solutions under the Ford and Lincoln brands, spanning passenger cars, SUVs, pickup trucks and commercial vehicles. Fords business activities extend beyond vehicle production to include parts and aftermarket services, fleet and commercial sales, and automotive financing through Ford Motor Credit Company. Recommended Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding F? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Ford Motor Company (NYSE:F Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Ford Motor Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Ford Motor and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Prospera Financial Services Inc trimmed its holdings in Invesco S&P 500 Equal Weight ETF (NYSEARCA:RSP Free Report) by 17.5% in the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the SEC. The fund owned 32,469 shares of the companys stock after selling 6,881 shares during the quarter. Prospera Financial Services Incs holdings in Invesco S&P 500 Equal Weight ETF were worth $6,162,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. A number of other institutional investors also recently made changes to their positions in the business. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. raised its position in Invesco S&P 500 Equal Weight ETF by 4.7% in the 2nd quarter. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. now owns 24,657,672 shares of the companys stock worth $4,481,285,000 after purchasing an additional 1,103,629 shares during the period. JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted its position in Invesco S&P 500 Equal Weight ETF by 11.7% during the second quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. now owns 5,646,560 shares of the companys stock valued at $1,026,206,000 after buying an additional 589,365 shares during the period. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Public School Empls Retrmt SYS grew its stake in shares of Invesco S&P 500 Equal Weight ETF by 119.1% during the second quarter. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Public School Empls Retrmt SYS now owns 2,027,552 shares of the companys stock valued at $368,487,000 after buying an additional 1,102,322 shares during the last quarter. Phoenix Financial Ltd. increased its holdings in shares of Invesco S&P 500 Equal Weight ETF by 13.8% in the third quarter. Phoenix Financial Ltd. now owns 1,768,432 shares of the companys stock worth $335,472,000 after buying an additional 214,432 shares during the period. Finally, Cerity Partners LLC lifted its stake in shares of Invesco S&P 500 Equal Weight ETF by 3.2% in the 3rd quarter. Cerity Partners LLC now owns 1,756,382 shares of the companys stock valued at $333,186,000 after acquiring an additional 54,925 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 61.18% of the companys stock. Get Invesco S&P 500 Equal Weight ETF alerts: Invesco S&P 500 Equal Weight ETF Price Performance Shares of RSP stock opened at $203.10 on Wednesday. The business has a 50-day moving average of $195.90 and a 200 day moving average of $190.63. Invesco S&P 500 Equal Weight ETF has a 1-year low of $150.35 and a 1-year high of $203.86. The stock has a market capitalization of $84.23 billion, a PE ratio of 20.10 and a beta of 0.99. Invesco S&P 500 Equal Weight ETF Profile Guggenheim S&P 500 Equal Weight ETF, formerly Rydex S&P 500 Equal Weight ETF, seeks to replicate as closely as possible, the daily performance of the S&P 500 Equal Weight Index (the Index). The Index is a capitalization-weighted index covering 500 industrial, utility, transportation and financial companies of the United States markets (mostly NYSE Euronext issues). The Index utilizes quarterly rebalancing to maintain its equal-weight stance. Under normal circumstances, the Fund will invest at least 90% of its net assets, plus any borrowing for investment purposes, in the equity securities (and derivatives thereof) included in the Index. Featured Articles Want to see what other hedge funds are holding RSP? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Invesco S&P 500 Equal Weight ETF (NYSEARCA:RSP Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Invesco S&P 500 Equal Weight 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 ETF and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. PT Semen Indonesia (Persero) Tbk (OTCMKTS:PSGTY Get Free Report) saw a significant increase in short interest during the month of January. As of January 30th, there was short interest totaling 1,092 shares, an increase of 1,087.0% from the January 15th total of 92 shares. Based on an average daily volume of 213 shares, the short-interest ratio is presently 5.1 days. Based on an average daily volume of 213 shares, the short-interest ratio is presently 5.1 days. PT Semen Indonesia (Persero) Tbk Stock Performance PT Semen Indonesia (Persero) Tbk stock remained flat at $3.11 on Tuesday. The company has a fifty day simple moving average of $3.24 and a 200-day simple moving average of $3.11. PT Semen Indonesia has a 1-year low of $3.11 and a 1-year high of $3.42. Get PT Semen Indonesia (Persero) Tbk alerts: About PT Semen Indonesia (Persero) Tbk (Get Free Report) PT Semen Indonesia (Persero) Tbk is Indonesias first cement producer, founded in 1957 as NV Semen Gresik and later converted into a state-owned perseroan terbatas under the Ministry of State-Owned Enterprises. The company operates as an integrated building materials group, manufacturing a diverse range of cement products, including ordinary Portland cement, composite cement and specialty cement grades designed for various construction applications. Headquartered in Gresik, East Java, PT Semen Indonesia maintains production facilities across multiple regions in Indonesia. Read More Receive News & Ratings for PT Semen Indonesia (Persero) Tbk Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for PT Semen Indonesia (Persero) Tbk and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. A number of firms have modified their ratings and price targets on shares of Cummins (NYSE: CMI) recently: 2/10/2026 Cummins was given a new $696.00 price target on by analysts at Argus. 2/9/2026 Cummins had its price target raised by analysts at Raymond James Financial, Inc. from $585.00 to $675.00. They now have an outperform rating on the stock. 2/6/2026 Cummins had its overweight rating reaffirmed by analysts at Morgan Stanley. They now have a $675.00 price target on the stock. 2/6/2026 Cummins was given a new $580.00 price target on by analysts at Robert W. Baird. 2/6/2026 Cummins had its buy rating reaffirmed by analysts at Truist Financial Corporation. They now have a $703.00 price target on the stock, up previously from $653.00. 2/6/2026 Cummins was given a new $600.00 price target on by analysts at Sanford C. Bernstein. They now have a market perform rating on the stock. 2/6/2026 Cummins was given a new $565.00 price target on by analysts at UBS Group AG. They now have a neutral rating on the stock. 1/28/2026 Cummins was downgraded by analysts at Zacks Research from a strong-buy rating to a hold rating. 1/26/2026 Cummins was downgraded by analysts at Wolfe Research from an outperform rating to a peer perform rating. They now have a $540.00 price target on the stock. 1/23/2026 Cummins had its price target raised by analysts at Barclays PLC from $546.00 to $610.00. They now have an overweight rating on the stock. 1/23/2026 Cummins had its price target raised by analysts at Wells Fargo & Company from $599.00 to $630.00. They now have an overweight rating on the stock. 1/14/2026 Cummins had its price target raised by analysts at JPMorgan Chase & Co. from $485.00 to $580.00. They now have a neutral rating on the stock. 1/13/2026 Cummins had its price target raised by analysts at Citigroup Inc. from $580.00 to $630.00. They now have a buy rating on the stock. 12/30/2025 Cummins was upgraded by analysts at Zacks Research from a hold rating to a strong-buy rating. 12/29/2025 Cummins had its buy (b-) rating reaffirmed by analysts at Weiss Ratings. 12/22/2025 Cummins was upgraded by analysts at Raymond James Financial, Inc. from a market perform rating to an outperform rating. They now have a $585.00 price target on the stock. 12/19/2025 Cummins had its positive rating reaffirmed by analysts at Barclays PLC. 12/19/2025 Cummins was upgraded by analysts at Barclays PLC from an equal weight rating to an overweight rating. They now have a $546.00 price target on the stock, up previously from $515.00. 12/18/2025 Cummins had its price target raised by analysts at Truist Financial Corporation from $628.00 to $653.00. They now have a buy rating on the stock. 12/15/2025 Cummins had its buy (b) rating reaffirmed by analysts at Weiss Ratings. Cummins Announces Dividend The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, March 5th. Shareholders of record on Friday, February 20th will be paid a dividend of $2.00 per share. This represents a $8.00 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.4%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, February 20th. Cumminss payout ratio is 38.99%. Get Cummins Inc alerts: Insiders Place Their Bets In other Cummins news, insider Brett Michael Merritt sold 1,450 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Tuesday, November 25th. The shares were sold at an average price of $489.32, for a total transaction of $709,514.00. Following the transaction, the insider owned 9,271 shares in the company, valued at approximately $4,536,485.72. This represents a 13.52% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Insiders own 0.41% of the companys stock. Cummins Inc (NYSE: CMI) is a global power technology company that designs, manufactures, distributes and services a broad portfolio of diesel and natural gas engines, electrified powertrains, power generation systems and related components. Founded in 1919 and headquartered in Columbus, Indiana, Cummins has grown into one of the worlds leading suppliers of internal combustion engines and a provider of technologies that reduce emissions and improve fuel efficiency. The companys product lineup includes heavy-, medium- and light-duty engines for on-highway and off-highway applications, generator sets and power systems for commercial and industrial use, and key engine components such as turbochargers, fuel systems, air handling, filtration and aftertreatment solutions. Read More Receive News & Ratings for Cummins Inc Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Cummins Inc and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Several analysts have recently updated their ratings and price targets for AGCO (NYSE: AGCO): 2/9/2026 AGCO had its price target raised by analysts at Citigroup Inc. from $120.00 to $130.00. They now have a neutral rating on the stock. 2/9/2026 AGCO was given a new $132.00 price target on by analysts at Wells Fargo & Company. 2/9/2026 AGCO had its price target raised by analysts at Truist Financial Corporation from $134.00 to $152.00. They now have a buy rating on the stock. 2/6/2026 AGCO was given a new $128.00 price target on by analysts at Robert W. Baird. 2/6/2026 AGCO had its neutral rating reaffirmed by analysts at UBS Group AG. They now have a $127.00 price target on the stock. 2/6/2026 AGCO had its price target raised by analysts at Oppenheimer Holdings, Inc. from $128.00 to $132.00. They now have an outperform rating on the stock. 2/6/2026 AGCO had its price target raised by analysts at BMO Capital Markets from $110.00 to $115.00. They now have a market perform rating on the stock. 2/6/2026 AGCO had its price target raised by analysts at Barclays PLC from $93.00 to $105.00. They now have an underweight rating on the stock. 2/6/2026 AGCO had its price target raised by analysts at JPMorgan Chase & Co. from $123.00 to $138.00. They now have an overweight rating on the stock. 1/14/2026 AGCO was given a new $134.00 price target on by analysts at Truist Financial Corporation. 1/13/2026 AGCO had its price target raised by analysts at Citigroup Inc. from $115.00 to $120.00. They now have a neutral rating on the stock. 1/5/2026 AGCO had its price target lowered by analysts at UBS Group AG from $119.00 to $115.00. They now have a neutral rating on the stock. 12/22/2025 AGCO had its hold (c) rating reaffirmed by analysts at Weiss Ratings. 12/19/2025 AGCO was downgraded by analysts at Barclays PLC from an equal weight rating to an underweight rating. They now have a $93.00 price target on the stock, down previously from $116.00. 12/19/2025 AGCO had its price target lowered by analysts at JPMorgan Chase & Co. from $127.00 to $123.00. They now have an overweight rating on the stock. 12/15/2025 AGCO had its hold (c) rating reaffirmed by analysts at Weiss Ratings. AGCO Announces Dividend The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 16th. Shareholders of record on Friday, February 13th will be paid a $0.29 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Friday, February 13th. This represents a $1.16 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.9%. AGCOs payout ratio is presently 11.90%. Get AGCO Corporation alerts: AGCO Corporation is a global leader in the design, manufacture and distribution of agricultural machinery and precision farming solutions. Headquartered in Duluth, Georgia, the company markets a diverse portfolio of well-known brands, including Massey Ferguson, Fendt, Challenger, Valtra and GSI, serving farmers and producers in North America, South America, Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia Pacific. Through an extensive dealer network, AGCO provides equipment tailored to a broad range of crop and livestock operations. The companys product offerings span tractors, combine harvesters, hay and forage tools, application equipment, seeding and tillage implements, as well as grain storage and protein solutions. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for AGCO Corporation Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for AGCO Corporation and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. John Hancock Multifactor Developed International ETF (NYSEARCA:JHMD Get Free Report) was the target of a large growth in short interest in the month of January. As of January 30th, there was short interest totaling 30,119 shares, a growth of 911.7% from the January 15th total of 2,977 shares. Currently, 0.1% of the companys shares are sold short. Based on an average daily trading volume, of 101,136 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is currently 0.3 days. Based on an average daily trading volume, of 101,136 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is currently 0.3 days. Currently, 0.1% of the companys shares are sold short. Institutional Investors Weigh In On John Hancock Multifactor Developed International ETF Several institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of JHMD. Jane Street Group LLC lifted its holdings in shares of John Hancock Multifactor Developed International ETF by 49.2% during the 1st quarter. Jane Street Group LLC now owns 144,236 shares of the companys stock valued at $5,041,000 after acquiring an additional 47,538 shares in the last quarter. CWM LLC grew its position in John Hancock Multifactor Developed International ETF by 2.5% in the second quarter. CWM LLC now owns 11,662 shares of the companys stock valued at $446,000 after acquiring an additional 289 shares in the last quarter. Envestnet Portfolio Solutions Inc. acquired a new position in shares of John Hancock Multifactor Developed International ETF during the second quarter worth $213,000. Balboa Wealth Partners acquired a new stake in John Hancock Multifactor Developed International ETF during the 2nd quarter valued at $245,000. Finally, Triton Financial Group Inc purchased a new stake in John Hancock Multifactor Developed International ETF during the 2nd quarter worth $208,000. Get John Hancock Multifactor Developed International ETF alerts: John Hancock Multifactor Developed International ETF Price Performance JHMD stock traded up $0.34 during trading on Wednesday, reaching $45.59. 57,870 shares of the stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 190,006. The firm has a market capitalization of $1.18 billion, a PE ratio of 14.46 and a beta of 0.81. The businesss 50 day moving average price is $42.49 and its 200-day moving average price is $40.77. John Hancock Multifactor Developed International ETF has a 52-week low of $30.98 and a 52-week high of $45.55. About John Hancock Multifactor Developed International ETF The John Hancock Multifactor Developed International ETF (JHMD) is an exchange-traded fund that mostly invests in total market equity. The fund tracks an index of stocks from developed markets ex-US and Canada, covering 85% of the market capitalization. Holdings are weighted based on fundamental and technical factors JHMD was launched on Dec 15, 2016 and is managed by John Hancock. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for John Hancock Multifactor Developed International ETF Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for John Hancock Multifactor Developed International ETF and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Mesa Royalty Trust (NYSE:MTR Get Free Report) saw a large increase in short interest in the month of January. As of January 30th, there was short interest totaling 11,497 shares, an increase of 1,554.2% from the January 15th total of 695 shares. Currently, 0.6% of the shares of the stock are sold short. Based on an average trading volume of 15,733 shares, the short-interest ratio is presently 0.7 days. Based on an average trading volume of 15,733 shares, the short-interest ratio is presently 0.7 days. Currently, 0.6% of the shares of the stock are sold short. Mesa Royalty Trust Price Performance Shares of MTR traded up $0.03 during mid-day trading on Tuesday, hitting $4.82. The companys stock had a trading volume of 2,802 shares, compared to its average volume of 17,985. The firm has a 50-day moving average price of $4.54 and a 200 day moving average price of $4.98. Mesa Royalty Trust has a fifty-two week low of $4.03 and a fifty-two week high of $10.42. The stock has a market capitalization of $8.96 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of 20.94 and a beta of 0.48. Get Mesa Royalty Trust alerts: Mesa Royalty Trust (NYSE:MTR Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, November 13th. The energy company reported $0.05 earnings per share for the quarter. The firm had revenue of $0.13 million during the quarter. Mesa Royalty Trust had a net margin of 76.84% and a return on equity of 13.63%. Mesa Royalty Trust Announces Dividend Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades The business also recently announced a monthly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, April 30th. Stockholders of record on Friday, January 30th will be issued a dividend of $0.0015 per share. This represents a c) annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.4%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, January 30th. Mesa Royalty Trusts dividend payout ratio is currently 8.70%. Separately, Weiss Ratings reissued a sell (d) rating on shares of Mesa Royalty Trust in a report on Monday, December 29th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Sell rating, According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of Sell. Check Out Our Latest Stock Analysis on MTR About Mesa Royalty Trust (Get Free Report) Mesa Royalty Trust (NYSE: MTR) is a statutory trust that holds overriding royalty interests in oil and natural gas properties primarily located in the Permian Basin of Texas and New Mexico. Established in 1981 by Mesa Production Oil & Gas, Inc, the trusts portfolio comprises interests in thousands of producing wells across key producing areas, including the Midland, Delaware and Central Basin platforms. These interests provide the trust with net revenue rights to a portion of the hydrocarbons produced from the underlying formations. The trusts core business activity is the collection and distribution of royalty income derived from the sale of crude oil, natural gas and natural gas liquids (NGLs). Read More Receive News & Ratings for Mesa Royalty Trust Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Mesa Royalty Trust and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. SPDR S&P North American Natural Resources ETF (NYSEARCA:NANR Get Free Report) reached a new 52-week high during trading on Wednesday . The company traded as high as $82.75 and last traded at $81.9240, with a volume of 17765 shares trading hands. The stock had previously closed at $81.04. SPDR S&P North American Natural Resources ETF Price Performance The firms 50 day moving average price is $72.23 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $66.03. The firm has a market cap of $926.56 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of 18.42 and a beta of 0.75. Get SPDR S&P North American Natural Resources ETF alerts: Institutional Inflows and Outflows Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the stock. Atlantic Union Bankshares Corp purchased a new stake in shares of SPDR S&P North American Natural Resources ETF during the second quarter worth approximately $195,000. Fiduciary Alliance LLC increased its stake in SPDR S&P North American Natural Resources ETF by 6.5% in the 3rd quarter. Fiduciary Alliance LLC now owns 50,294 shares of the companys stock valued at $3,249,000 after buying an additional 3,081 shares during the period. CoreCap Advisors LLC increased its stake in SPDR S&P North American Natural Resources ETF by 62.8% in the 3rd quarter. CoreCap Advisors LLC now owns 451 shares of the companys stock valued at $29,000 after buying an additional 174 shares during the period. Root Financial Partners LLC purchased a new position in SPDR S&P North American Natural Resources ETF during the 3rd quarter worth $71,000. Finally, Jones Financial Companies Lllp lifted its stake in shares of SPDR S&P North American Natural Resources ETF by 12.8% in the 3rd quarter. Jones Financial Companies Lllp now owns 8,016 shares of the companys stock worth $521,000 after acquiring an additional 912 shares during the period. About SPDR S&P North American Natural Resources ETF The SPDR S&P North American Natural Resources ETF (NANR) is an exchange-traded fund that mostly invests in stocks based on a particular theme. The fund tracks an index of US & Canadian firms involved in natural resources and commodities businesses. NANR was launched on Dec 15, 2015 and is managed by State Street. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for SPDR S&P North American Natural Resources ETF Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for SPDR S&P North American Natural Resources ETF and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. BEIJING, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- The website for China's national comprehensive overseas service (https://hzf.mofcom.gov.cn) was launched on Wednesday. The platform integrates resources across the legal, taxation, financial, foreign affairs, trade, logistics, customs and trade promotion fields. It connects government departments, industry associations, service providers, Chinese embassies and consulates abroad, as well as over 100 foreign investment promotion agencies. It aims to provide one-stop public services for approximately 52,000 overseas enterprises, hundreds of thousands of foreign trade firms, and thousands of overseas project contracting and labor cooperation companies. The launch follows a State Council-approved guideline issued by several government departments in October 2025, which called for an upgrade to the former "Going Global" public service platform. That platform, launched in 2015, had received 480 million visits. The Ministry of Commerce said it would work with relevant parties to enhance the platform, focusing on improving the international competitiveness of companies, regulating their overseas operations, and safeguarding their legitimate rights and interests. State of Michigan Retirement System trimmed its holdings in shares of Southwest Airlines Co. (NYSE:LUV Free Report) by 8.4% in the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 142,003 shares of the airlines stock after selling 13,000 shares during the period. State of Michigan Retirement Systems holdings in Southwest Airlines were worth $4,531,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. Several other large investors have also bought and sold shares of LUV. Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership grew its holdings in Southwest Airlines by 2,403.8% during the 2nd quarter. Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership now owns 10,120,368 shares of the airlines stock worth $328,305,000 after acquiring an additional 9,716,160 shares during the period. Norges Bank acquired a new position in shares of Southwest Airlines in the 2nd quarter valued at $41,663,000. Crake Asset Management LLP bought a new position in shares of Southwest Airlines in the 2nd quarter worth $33,738,000. Canada Pension Plan Investment Board grew its stake in shares of Southwest Airlines by 315.3% during the second quarter. Canada Pension Plan Investment Board now owns 1,247,837 shares of the airlines stock worth $40,480,000 after purchasing an additional 947,346 shares during the period. Finally, Mizuho Markets Americas LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Southwest Airlines during the second quarter worth $24,330,000. 80.82% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Get Southwest Airlines alerts: Southwest Airlines Price Performance Shares of LUV opened at $54.09 on Wednesday. The stock has a 50 day simple moving average of $43.20 and a 200 day simple moving average of $36.00. Southwest Airlines Co. has a 52-week low of $23.82 and a 52-week high of $54.70. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.57, a quick ratio of 0.45 and a current ratio of 0.52. The firm has a market capitalization of $26.58 billion, a PE ratio of 64.39, a P/E/G ratio of 0.38 and a beta of 1.15. Southwest Airlines Announces Dividend Southwest Airlines ( NYSE:LUV Get Free Report ) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, January 28th. The airline reported $0.58 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $0.56 by $0.02. The firm had revenue of $7.44 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $7.51 billion. Southwest Airlines had a net margin of 1.57% and a return on equity of 6.18%. The businesss revenue was up 7.4% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $0.56 earnings per share. Southwest Airlines has set its FY 2026 guidance at 4.000- EPS and its Q1 2026 guidance at 0.450- EPS. Sell-side analysts predict that Southwest Airlines Co. will post 1.55 EPS for the current fiscal year. The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, April 2nd. Shareholders of record on Thursday, March 12th will be issued a dividend of $0.18 per share. This represents a $0.72 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.3%. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, March 12th. Southwest Airliness dividend payout ratio is 85.71%. Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades Several equities analysts have weighed in on the company. The Goldman Sachs Group increased their target price on Southwest Airlines from $29.00 to $32.00 and gave the company a sell rating in a research note on Friday, January 30th. Raymond James Financial upped their price target on Southwest Airlines from $42.00 to $49.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research note on Friday, December 19th. TD Cowen increased their price target on shares of Southwest Airlines from $42.00 to $50.00 and gave the company a hold rating in a research report on Friday, January 30th. Morgan Stanley boosted their price objective on shares of Southwest Airlines from $50.00 to $55.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a report on Friday, January 30th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company upped their target price on shares of Southwest Airlines from $45.00 to $50.00 and gave the company an equal weight rating in a research note on Friday, January 30th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, six have assigned a Buy rating, ten have given a Hold rating and three have assigned a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of Hold and an average target price of $46.92. Check Out Our Latest Report on LUV Southwest Airlines Company Profile (Free Report) Southwest Airlines Co is a U.S.-based low-cost carrier that operates a point-to-point domestic and near-international airline network. Headquartered in Dallas, Texas, the company primarily flies Boeing 737 aircraft and offers no-frills, single-class service designed to keep fares competitive. Southwests operating model emphasizes high aircraft utilization, quick turnaround times and an open seating policy, allowing customers to board and select seats on a first-come, first-served basis. Founded in 1967 by Herb Kelleher and Rollin King as Air Southwest Company, Southwest began commercial service in 1971, initially connecting Dallas, Houston and San Antonio. Read More Want to see what other hedge funds are holding LUV? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Southwest Airlines Co. (NYSE:LUV Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Southwest Airlines Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Southwest Airlines and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Capstone Copper (TSE:CS Get Free Report) had its price objective lifted by research analysts at Stifel Nicolaus from C$17.00 to C$20.00 in a report released on Wednesday,BayStreet.CA reports. The firm currently has a buy rating on the mining companys stock. Stifel Nicolaus price objective suggests a potential upside of 23.30% from the companys current price. A number of other equities analysts also recently issued reports on CS. BMO Capital Markets raised their price target on Capstone Copper from C$13.00 to C$14.00 in a research note on Wednesday, October 15th. Royal Bank Of Canada upped their price target on shares of Capstone Copper from C$15.00 to C$17.00 in a research report on Wednesday, December 10th. Scotiabank raised their price objective on shares of Capstone Copper from C$16.00 to C$18.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a report on Thursday, January 8th. Clarkson Capital raised shares of Capstone Copper from a hold rating to a strong-buy rating in a report on Thursday, January 22nd. Finally, TD Securities lifted their price target on shares of Capstone Copper from C$10.00 to C$14.00 in a research note on Tuesday, October 21st. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, four have given a Buy rating and one has issued a Hold rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of Buy and an average target price of C$16.89. Get Capstone Copper alerts: Check Out Our Latest Stock Analysis on CS Capstone Copper Stock Performance CS traded up C$0.38 during midday trading on Wednesday, hitting C$16.22. 2,989,955 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 5,313,728. The companys 50-day moving average is C$14.21 and its 200 day moving average is C$11.99. Capstone Copper has a 52 week low of C$4.98 and a 52 week high of C$18.04. The firm has a market capitalization of C$12.38 billion, a PE ratio of 39.56, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of -0.09 and a beta of 2.34. The company has a quick ratio of 0.98, a current ratio of 0.94 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 44.16. Capstone Copper (TSE:CS Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, October 30th. The mining company reported C$0.32 earnings per share for the quarter. Capstone Copper had a negative net margin of 1.47% and a negative return on equity of 0.74%. The company had revenue of C$833.28 million for the quarter. On average, research analysts expect that Capstone Copper will post 0.8541833 EPS for the current year. About Capstone Copper (Get Free Report) Capstone Copper Corp is a company that mines, explores, and develops mineral properties in the Americas. Specifically, the group has operating mines in the US, Mexico, and Canada, and development projects in Chile and Canada. Capstones main focus is copper, but the company also produces zinc, lead, molybdenum, silver, and gold. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for Capstone Copper Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Capstone Copper and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Stratos Wealth Partners LTD. raised its holdings in Abbott Laboratories (NYSE:ABT Free Report) by 5.8% in the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 115,844 shares of the healthcare product makers stock after acquiring an additional 6,382 shares during the period. Stratos Wealth Partners LTD.s holdings in Abbott Laboratories were worth $15,516,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. A number of other hedge funds also recently modified their holdings of ABT. IMG Wealth Management Inc. increased its stake in Abbott Laboratories by 759.1% during the 2nd quarter. IMG Wealth Management Inc. now owns 189 shares of the healthcare product makers stock worth $26,000 after purchasing an additional 167 shares in the last quarter. Cloud Capital Management LLC bought a new position in Abbott Laboratories in the third quarter valued at approximately $29,000. Guerra Advisors Inc acquired a new position in shares of Abbott Laboratories in the third quarter valued at approximately $31,000. Anfield Capital Management LLC raised its holdings in shares of Abbott Laboratories by 81.3% during the second quarter. Anfield Capital Management LLC now owns 232 shares of the healthcare product makers stock worth $32,000 after acquiring an additional 104 shares during the period. Finally, Delos Wealth Advisors LLC bought a new stake in Abbott Laboratories in the 2nd quarter valued at $32,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 75.18% of the companys stock. Get Abbott Laboratories alerts: Analyst Ratings Changes ABT has been the topic of several recent research reports. Evercore dropped their price target on Abbott Laboratories from $144.00 to $138.00 and set an outperform rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, January 23rd. Royal Bank Of Canada decreased their price objective on Abbott Laboratories from $147.00 to $135.00 and set an outperform rating for the company in a report on Friday, January 23rd. Mizuho boosted their target price on Abbott Laboratories from $135.00 to $140.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research note on Tuesday, October 14th. Wells Fargo & Company raised their price target on shares of Abbott Laboratories from $142.00 to $146.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research note on Thursday, October 16th. Finally, William Blair raised shares of Abbott Laboratories to a strong-buy rating in a research report on Thursday, November 20th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, sixteen have issued a Buy rating and four have given a Hold rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $137.05. Insider Activity at Abbott Laboratories In other Abbott Laboratories news, Director Daniel J. Starks bought 10,000 shares of Abbott Laboratories stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, February 4th. The stock was bought at an average cost of $108.73 per share, for a total transaction of $1,087,300.00. Following the purchase, the director owned 6,738,817 shares of the companys stock, valued at $732,711,572.41. The trade was a 0.15% increase in their position. The purchase was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Corporate insiders own 0.46% of the companys stock. Abbott Laboratories Price Performance Shares of ABT opened at $112.23 on Wednesday. The company has a current ratio of 1.70, a quick ratio of 1.24 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.23. The companys fifty day simple moving average is $120.24 and its 200 day simple moving average is $126.70. Abbott Laboratories has a 1-year low of $105.27 and a 1-year high of $141.23. The company has a market cap of $195.15 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 30.17, a PEG ratio of 1.77 and a beta of 0.75. Abbott Laboratories (NYSE:ABT Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, January 22nd. The healthcare product maker reported $1.50 EPS for the quarter, meeting analysts consensus estimates of $1.50. The company had revenue of $11.46 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $11.80 billion. Abbott Laboratories had a net margin of 14.72% and a return on equity of 17.94%. The companys quarterly revenue was up 4.4% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the firm posted $1.34 EPS. Abbott Laboratories has set its Q1 2026 guidance at 1.120-1.180 EPS and its FY 2026 guidance at 5.550-5.800 EPS. On average, research analysts forecast that Abbott Laboratories will post 5.14 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Abbott Laboratories Increases Dividend The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, February 13th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, January 15th will be given a $0.63 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, January 15th. This is a positive change from Abbott Laboratoriess previous quarterly dividend of $0.59. This represents a $2.52 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.2%. Abbott Laboratoriess payout ratio is 67.74%. About Abbott Laboratories (Free Report) Abbott Laboratories is a global healthcare company headquartered in Abbott Park, Illinois, that develops, manufactures and markets a broad portfolio of medical products and services. Founded in 1888, Abbott operates through multiple business areas that focus on diagnostics, medical devices, nutritionals and established pharmaceuticals. The company supplies hospitals, clinics, laboratories, retailers and direct-to-consumer channels with products intended to diagnose, treat and manage a wide range of health conditions. In diagnostics, Abbott provides laboratory and point-of-care testing platforms and assays used to detect infectious diseases, chronic conditions and biomarkers; its Alinity family of instruments and rapid-test solutions are examples of this capability. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for Abbott Laboratories Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Abbott Laboratories and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Toast (NYSE:TOST Get Free Report) will likely be announcing its Q4 2025 results after the market closes on Thursday, February 12th. Analysts expect the company to announce earnings of $0.24 per share and revenue of $1.6174 billion for the quarter. Parties may visit the the companys upcoming Q4 2025 earning results page for the latest details on the call scheduled for Thursday, February 12, 2026 at 5:00 PM ET. Toast Stock Up 3.0% Shares of TOST opened at $29.50 on Wednesday. Toast has a 52-week low of $26.92 and a 52-week high of $49.66. The company has a 50-day simple moving average of $34.04 and a 200-day simple moving average of $37.58. The company has a market capitalization of $15.19 billion, a PE ratio of 68.60 and a beta of 1.93. Get Toast alerts: Wall Street Analyst Weigh In TOST has been the subject of a number of research reports. Wolfe Research downgraded shares of Toast from an outperform rating to a peer perform rating in a research report on Thursday, January 8th. Evercore raised Toast from an in-line rating to an outperform rating and set a $40.00 price objective for the company in a report on Tuesday, January 20th. Truist Financial set a $42.00 target price on Toast in a report on Tuesday, January 20th. Stephens set a $42.00 price target on Toast in a research report on Friday, January 16th. Finally, Royal Bank Of Canada set a $45.00 price target on Toast in a research note on Wednesday, November 5th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, thirteen have assigned a Buy rating and eight have given a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $45.55. Toast News Summary Here are the key news stories impacting Toast this week: Insider Activity at Toast In related news, CFO Elena Gomez sold 6,672 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Monday, January 5th. The stock was sold at an average price of $34.38, for a total value of $229,383.36. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief financial officer directly owned 162,153 shares in the company, valued at approximately $5,574,820.14. This represents a 3.95% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, CRO Jonathan Vassil sold 66,390 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Friday, January 2nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $35.86, for a total value of $2,380,745.40. Following the transaction, the executive owned 84,589 shares in the company, valued at $3,033,361.54. This trade represents a 43.97% decrease in their ownership of the stock. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Over the last quarter, insiders have sold 100,856 shares of company stock worth $3,540,449. Company insiders own 12.14% of the companys stock. Institutional Inflows and Outflows A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the stock. Quarry LP boosted its position in shares of Toast by 25.2% in the third quarter. Quarry LP now owns 2,755 shares of the companys stock worth $101,000 after acquiring an additional 555 shares during the last quarter. Employees Retirement System of Texas increased its position in Toast by 53.0% during the third quarter. Employees Retirement System of Texas now owns 4,808 shares of the companys stock worth $176,000 after purchasing an additional 1,666 shares during the last quarter. FJ Capital Management LLC acquired a new position in Toast during the second quarter worth approximately $275,000. Geneos Wealth Management Inc. raised its stake in Toast by 2,861.9% during the second quarter. Geneos Wealth Management Inc. now owns 7,316 shares of the companys stock worth $324,000 after purchasing an additional 7,069 shares during the period. Finally, Lazard Asset Management LLC acquired a new position in shares of Toast in the 3rd quarter valued at $282,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 82.91% of the companys stock. Toast Company Profile (Get Free Report) Toast, Inc (NYSE: TOST) is a technology company that builds a cloud-based platform for restaurants and other foodservice businesses. Headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts, Toast offers integrated point-of-sale (POS) systems and a suite of software and hardware designed to streamline front-of-house and back-of-house operations. The company went public in 2021 and has positioned itself as a vertically integrated provider for the restaurant industry. Toasts product portfolio includes touchscreen POS terminals and handheld order-and-pay devices, kitchen display systems, and peripherals tailored for high-volume foodservice environments. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for Toast Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Toast and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Tompkins Financial Corporation (NYSEAMERICAN:TMP Get Free Report) announced a quarterly dividend on Thursday, January 29th. Shareholders of record on Friday, February 13th will be paid a dividend of 0.67 per share by the financial services provider on Sunday, February 22nd. This represents a c) annualized dividend and a yield of 3.2%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, February 13th. This is a 3.1% increase from Tompkins Financials previous quarterly dividend of $0.65. Tompkins Financial has a payout ratio of 38.6% meaning its dividend is sufficiently covered by earnings. Equities analysts expect Tompkins Financial to earn $6.10 per share next year, which means the company should continue to be able to cover its $2.48 annual dividend with an expected future payout ratio of 40.7%. Get Tompkins Financial alerts: Tompkins Financial Stock Performance Tompkins Financial stock traded down $1.23 during mid-day trading on Wednesday, reaching $84.09. 37,656 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 63,938. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.60, a current ratio of 0.95 and a quick ratio of 0.95. The firms fifty day moving average is $75.98 and its two-hundred day moving average is $70.12. The company has a market capitalization of $1.21 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 7.49 and a beta of 0.79. Tompkins Financial has a fifty-two week low of $54.16 and a fifty-two week high of $86.95. Tompkins Financial Company Profile Tompkins Financial ( NYSEAMERICAN:TMP Get Free Report ) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Friday, January 30th. The financial services provider reported $1.78 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.77 by $0.01. The company had revenue of $257.30 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $136.16 million. Tompkins Financial had a net margin of 27.82% and a return on equity of 11.19%. On average, equities research analysts expect that Tompkins Financial will post 5.46 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. (Get Free Report) Tompkins Financial (NYSEAMERICAN:TMP) is a bank holding company headquartered in Ithaca, New York, that provides a diversified range of financial services. Through its principal banking subsidiary, Tompkins Trust Company, the firm offers commercial and consumer banking products including checking and savings accounts, mortgage loans, and credit facilities. Beyond traditional banking, Tompkins Financial delivers asset management, trust and estate planning, retirement services and investment advisory solutions. In addition to its core banking operations, Tompkins Financial operates Tompkins Insurance Agencies, which offers property and casualty, life and health insurance coverages to individuals and businesses. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for Tompkins Financial Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Tompkins Financial and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Tyler Technologies (NYSE:TYL Get Free Report) was upgraded by stock analysts at DA Davidson from a neutral rating to a buy rating in a report released on Wednesday. The brokerage presently has a $460.00 target price on the technology companys stock. DA Davidsons price objective would indicate a potential upside of 27.56% from the stocks current price. A number of other equities research analysts have also weighed in on the stock. BTIG Research lowered their target price on shares of Tyler Technologies from $560.00 to $470.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a report on Monday. Piper Sandler decreased their price objective on Tyler Technologies from $708.00 to $671.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a report on Tuesday, January 13th. TD Cowen reissued a buy rating on shares of Tyler Technologies in a research note on Wednesday, February 4th. Robert W. Baird set a $660.00 target price on Tyler Technologies in a report on Friday, October 31st. Finally, Stifel Nicolaus assumed coverage on Tyler Technologies in a research report on Wednesday, January 7th. They set a buy rating and a $550.00 target price on the stock. Thirteen analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and three have assigned a Hold rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $597.57. Get Tyler Technologies alerts: View Our Latest Report on Tyler Technologies Tyler Technologies Trading Up 1.5% Insider Activity at Tyler Technologies TYL opened at $360.62 on Wednesday. Tyler Technologies has a 1-year low of $320.23 and a 1-year high of $661.31. The company has a market cap of $15.52 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 50.16, a PEG ratio of 2.39 and a beta of 0.91. The companys fifty day moving average price is $432.55 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $490.73. In related news, Director Glenn A. Carter sold 500 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, December 12th. The stock was sold at an average price of $458.73, for a total transaction of $229,365.00. Following the completion of the sale, the director directly owned 3,172 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $1,455,091.56. This trade represents a 13.62% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. Also, CFO Brian K. Miller sold 1,000 shares of Tyler Technologies stock in a transaction on Tuesday, November 25th. The stock was sold at an average price of $469.08, for a total value of $469,080.00. Following the sale, the chief financial officer owned 12,781 shares in the company, valued at $5,995,311.48. This trade represents a 7.26% decrease in their ownership of the stock. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Over the last ninety days, insiders sold 3,500 shares of company stock valued at $1,605,605. 1.10% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders. Hedge Funds Weigh In On Tyler Technologies Several institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Meridian Wealth Management LLC raised its position in Tyler Technologies by 2.1% in the second quarter. Meridian Wealth Management LLC now owns 942 shares of the technology companys stock worth $558,000 after acquiring an additional 19 shares during the period. Cerity Partners LLC increased its stake in shares of Tyler Technologies by 0.6% during the 2nd quarter. Cerity Partners LLC now owns 2,959 shares of the technology companys stock worth $1,754,000 after purchasing an additional 19 shares during the last quarter. Nordea Investment Management AB increased its stake in shares of Tyler Technologies by 0.6% during the 2nd quarter. Nordea Investment Management AB now owns 3,537 shares of the technology companys stock worth $2,068,000 after purchasing an additional 20 shares during the last quarter. Signaturefd LLC raised its holdings in shares of Tyler Technologies by 3.9% in the 3rd quarter. Signaturefd LLC now owns 613 shares of the technology companys stock worth $321,000 after purchasing an additional 23 shares during the period. Finally, Coldstream Capital Management Inc. lifted its stake in Tyler Technologies by 2.0% in the third quarter. Coldstream Capital Management Inc. now owns 1,167 shares of the technology companys stock valued at $611,000 after purchasing an additional 23 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 93.30% of the companys stock. Tyler Technologies Company Profile (Get Free Report) Tyler Technologies, Inc is a provider of software and technology services for the public sector, delivering integrated systems that help government and public agencies manage operations, finances and citizen services. Headquartered in Plano, Texas, the company focuses on developing and implementing solutions for local and state governments, school districts, courts and public safety organizations. Its offerings are aimed at modernizing administrative workflows, improving transparency and enabling digital interactions between governments and the communities they serve. Tylers product portfolio spans enterprise resource planning and financial management, tax and billing systems, court case and records management, public safety solutions (including computer-aided dispatch and records management), land and property management, permitting and licensing, and enterprise asset management. Read More Receive News & Ratings for Tyler Technologies Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Tyler Technologies and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. UBS Group (NYSE:UBS) Group CEO Sergio Ermotti said the bank made very strong progress in 2025 by staying close to clients through a complex environment, delivering year-over-year financial improvement, and advancing the integration of Credit Suisse, while also increasing capital returns to shareholders. Get alerts: 2025 results: growth, profitability, and capital returns In a keynote fireside chat, Ermotti said UBS surpassed $7 trillion in invested assets, calling it a remarkable achievement. He added that results were up substantially year on year, and emphasized that UBS has moved above cost of equity on a core and underlying basis after what he described as a costly restructuring over the past couple of years. Ermotti also pointed to broad-based performance, saying all regions and businesses contributed to profit-before-tax (PBT) growth, underscoring what he called the strength of UBS diversified model. He said Switzerland remains a large contributor, while Asia, the U.S., and EMEA are equally profitable. On shareholder returns, Ermotti said UBS increased its dividend by 22% and completed $3 billion of share buybacks. He added that the bank is also investing for the future, including in people, capabilities, and artificial intelligence (AI). Credit Suisse integration: milestones and remaining work Ermotti said 2025 was a major year for integration execution. In Switzerland, UBS migrated 950,000 clients from the Credit Suisse platform to UBS. He added that a recent weekend migration included 50,000 of the most complex clients, involving more than 500,000 different positions with derivatives. He said UBS still needs to migrate the final 100,000 clients in March, after which it expects to shut down Credit Suisse data centers and IT systems. Ermotti framed this as enabling a couple of billion dollars or more in synergies. He said UBS has achieved its cost savings targets, citing nearly $11 billion of cost savings since integration efforts began and the identification of an additional $500 million. Client positioning and market backdrop Asked about volatility and uncertainty, Ermotti said client asset allocation remains broadly speaking, quite constructive, with no major shift across asset classes or geographies. He noted that, at the margin, cash and liquidity have moved into commodities and that there was a big rally in emerging markets, but he did not see major sell-offs. He said recent weeks have brought increased interest in diversification and hedging, as well as some effort to reduce leverage and prepare cash for reinvestment if markets drop. Ermotti added he finds it difficult to identify any asset class that appears cheap, and suggested investors feel similarly. Strategy into 2026: integration completion, operating model, and AI Ermotti said UBS priority is to deliver on its 2026 targets, starting with completing the final mile of integration. He described the effort as complex and warned against complacency, especially after the highly complex migrations already completed. He said that with integration nearly finished, UBS will be able to optimize its operating model more meaningfully. He highlighted a focus on enhancing the One Bank approach in the back end and improving efficiency and effectiveness. Ermotti also said UBS is preparing for the future through AI investment, process redesign, and risk management in dynamic environments. He said UBS is stronger today than it was pre-acquisition, citing geographic footprint, product capabilities, and people, and argued that secular trends such as wealth creation and demographic and societal shifts support the firms global franchise. U.S. strategy, bank charter, and regulation in Switzerland On the U.S., Ermotti described a medium long-term journey focused on improving profitability and growth. He said UBS has been profitable in the U.S. over the last 10 years, but not profitable enough relative to its opportunities, and noted that the firms U.S. banking platform is not as comprehensive as some peers, limiting its ability to spread fixed platform costs across businesses. He said UBS manages $2.3 trillion to $2.4 trillion of assets in the U.S., and reported improving lending penetration in each of the last seven quarters, though still below potential. Ermotti said UBS received conditional approval from the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) for a national bank charter, which he expects will support increased deposit gathering and net interest income (NII) over the next couple of years. He called NII penetration versus peers probably a half, and described deposit and checking capabilities as a key opportunity. Ermotti also discussed advisor-related flows and said UBS had anticipated headwinds in U.S. net new assets as it prioritized profitability and efficiency, including improving revenues on risk-weighted assets from about 7%+ to 10% over 24 months. He said UBS reworked parts of its compensation grid for certain advisors to better align pay with business growth and profitability, acknowledging it was not very popular. He said the firm expects positive momentum in net new assets growth in the second half of the year and targets more than $200 billion in net new assets growth by 2028, with the U.S. playing an important role. On capital markets activity, Ermotti said UBS is seeing strong momentum in the pipeline from corporates, sponsors, and institutional clients, but warned that geopolitical and macro uncertainty could still create stop and goes in transaction windows, particularly in strategic M&A. Addressing scale in investment banking, Ermotti reiterated UBS longstanding decision not to be a one-stop shop investment bank. He said UBS aims to be highly competitive in selected areasciting equities, research, prime brokerage, FX, precious metals, and parts of capital marketsand noted that UBS has gained market share in recent years in areas where it is investing. In alternatives, Ermotti said UBS merged internal alternatives capabilities across wealth management and asset management to create what he called the fifth largest LP in the industry, with $330 billion in assets. He said UBS alternatives allocation is about 5% versus what he described as an ideal longer-term allocation around 10%, while cautioning that some areas of alternativesparticularly private credithave not yet been fully tested through a prolonged recessionary credit cycle. He emphasized suitability as a key risk, saying the bank must ensure clients fully understand these investments. On AI, Ermotti said he expects most near-term value for UBS over the next three to five years to come from back-end process efficiencies, estimating 80% of the value in that period will be in operations rather than client-facing tools. He said efficiency gains will largely benefit clients through a competitive market dynamic, and warned that changes from AI could be more profound than expected even if adoption is slower than some forecasts. Finally, Ermotti addressed Switzerlands evolving too-big-to-fail reform discussion, describing the countrys response to the Credit Suisse crisis as emotional and noting that UBS already has what he called the highest minimum capital requirements among global systemically important banks. He said the bank views current proposals as displayed as unacceptable because they would make UBS uncompetitive, and said UBS is focused on influencing the debate with facts. While acknowledging uncertainty, he said UBS is not currently restraining growth or capital returns due to the debate, but argued the long-term issue is competitiveness and return on capital under any new capital framework. Asked about re-domiciliation, Ermotti said it is not a current focus, and that UBS prefers to remain a global bank based in Switzerland while the regulatory process plays out. About UBS Group (NYSE:UBS) UBS Group AG is a Swiss multinational financial services firm that provides a broad range of banking and capital markets services to private, institutional and corporate clients. Headquartered in Zurich, UBS operates as a universal bank with a primary focus on wealth management, asset management, investment banking and retail and commercial banking in Switzerland. The firm serves high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth individuals, pension funds, corporations and institutional investors through a global network of offices. Key business activities include global wealth managementoffering financial planning, investment advisory, discretionary portfolio management and custody servicesalongside asset management products for institutional and retail investors. Featured Stories Versor Investments LP cut its holdings in Lockheed Martin Corporation (NYSE:LMT Free Report) by 36.0% in the 3rd quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The firm owned 1,872 shares of the aerospace companys stock after selling 1,054 shares during the quarter. Versor Investments LPs holdings in Lockheed Martin were worth $935,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. Several other institutional investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in LMT. Wesbanco Bank Inc. lifted its position in shares of Lockheed Martin by 8.6% during the 3rd quarter. Wesbanco Bank Inc. now owns 27,911 shares of the aerospace companys stock valued at $13,933,000 after acquiring an additional 2,215 shares during the period. Midwest Trust Co grew its holdings in shares of Lockheed Martin by 0.9% during the third quarter. Midwest Trust Co now owns 47,975 shares of the aerospace companys stock worth $23,950,000 after purchasing an additional 437 shares during the last quarter. Rockland Trust Co. raised its holdings in Lockheed Martin by 12.7% in the 3rd quarter. Rockland Trust Co. now owns 1,474 shares of the aerospace companys stock valued at $736,000 after buying an additional 166 shares during the last quarter. Edgemoor Investment Advisors Inc. increased its position in Lockheed Martin by 44.1% in the 3rd quarter. Edgemoor Investment Advisors Inc. now owns 1,842 shares of the aerospace companys stock valued at $920,000 after acquiring an additional 564 shares during the period. Finally, AlTi Global Inc. raised its stake in shares of Lockheed Martin by 1.7% during the third quarter. AlTi Global Inc. now owns 2,011 shares of the aerospace companys stock valued at $1,004,000 after acquiring an additional 34 shares during the last quarter. 74.19% of the stock is owned by institutional investors. Get Lockheed Martin alerts: Lockheed Martin Stock Down 1.2% Shares of NYSE:LMT opened at $630.34 on Wednesday. Lockheed Martin Corporation has a 12-month low of $410.11 and a 12-month high of $646.59. The company has a current ratio of 1.09, a quick ratio of 0.94 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 3.05. The stocks 50-day moving average price is $533.99 and its 200-day moving average price is $490.10. The stock has a market capitalization of $145.03 billion, a P/E ratio of 29.33, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.15 and a beta of 0.23. Lockheed Martin Announces Dividend Lockheed Martin ( NYSE:LMT Get Free Report ) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, January 29th. The aerospace company reported $5.80 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $6.33 by ($0.53). Lockheed Martin had a return on equity of 108.53% and a net margin of 6.69%.The business had revenue of $20.32 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $19.84 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the business earned $7.67 earnings per share. The firms revenue for the quarter was up 9.1% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, equities analysts anticipate that Lockheed Martin Corporation will post 27.15 earnings per share for the current year. The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 27th. Shareholders of record on Monday, March 2nd will be given a $3.45 dividend. This represents a $13.80 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.2%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, March 2nd. Lockheed Martins dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 64.22%. Analyst Ratings Changes Several equities research analysts recently issued reports on LMT shares. Royal Bank Of Canada upped their price target on Lockheed Martin from $615.00 to $650.00 and gave the stock a sector perform rating in a report on Friday, January 30th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised their price target on shares of Lockheed Martin from $515.00 to $680.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a research note on Friday, January 30th. The Goldman Sachs Group upped their price objective on Lockheed Martin from $464.00 to $517.00 and gave the company a sell rating in a research note on Monday, February 2nd. Sanford C. Bernstein reissued a market perform rating and issued a $654.00 target price on shares of Lockheed Martin in a research report on Friday. Finally, Wall Street Zen cut Lockheed Martin from a strong-buy rating to a buy rating in a research report on Sunday. Six investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, fourteen have given a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $612.50. Get Our Latest Report on LMT About Lockheed Martin (Free Report) Lockheed Martin Corporation (NYSE: LMT) is a global aerospace and defense company that designs, develops and manufactures advanced technology systems for government and commercial customers. Formed through the 1995 merger of Lockheed Corporation and Martin Marietta, the company is headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland, and focuses on providing integrated solutions across air, space, land and sea domains. Its primary customers include the U.S. Department of Defense, NASA and allied governments around the world. Lockheed Martins product and service portfolio spans military aircraft, missile and fire-control systems, missile defense, space systems and satellite technologies, sensors and precision weapons. Recommended Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding LMT? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Lockheed Martin Corporation (NYSE:LMT Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Lockheed Martin Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Lockheed Martin and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Versor Investments LP acquired a new stake in shares of Charles River Laboratories International, Inc. (NYSE:CRL Free Report) during the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor acquired 5,888 shares of the medical research companys stock, valued at approximately $921,000. Other institutional investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Neo Ivy Capital Management purchased a new position in Charles River Laboratories International during the second quarter worth approximately $29,000. Atlantic Union Bankshares Corp purchased a new position in shares of Charles River Laboratories International in the 3rd quarter worth $31,000. Geneos Wealth Management Inc. grew its position in Charles River Laboratories International by 98.0% during the second quarter. Geneos Wealth Management Inc. now owns 293 shares of the medical research companys stock valued at $44,000 after acquiring an additional 145 shares during the period. Allworth Financial LP increased its stake in Charles River Laboratories International by 172.7% during the second quarter. Allworth Financial LP now owns 300 shares of the medical research companys stock worth $45,000 after acquiring an additional 190 shares during the last quarter. Finally, SJS Investment Consulting Inc. acquired a new stake in Charles River Laboratories International in the 3rd quarter valued at $48,000. 98.91% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Get Charles River Laboratories International alerts: Charles River Laboratories International Stock Performance Shares of CRL opened at $181.16 on Wednesday. The businesss fifty day moving average price is $204.63 and its 200 day moving average price is $180.05. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.64, a current ratio of 1.37 and a quick ratio of 1.10. Charles River Laboratories International, Inc. has a 12-month low of $91.86 and a 12-month high of $228.88. The stock has a market capitalization of $8.92 billion, a PE ratio of -116.13, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 5.57 and a beta of 1.63. Wall Street Analyst Weigh In A number of brokerages have commented on CRL. Weiss Ratings restated a sell (d) rating on shares of Charles River Laboratories International in a research note on Wednesday, January 21st. JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted their price target on Charles River Laboratories International from $165.00 to $190.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a research report on Monday, December 15th. Mizuho set a $215.00 price objective on shares of Charles River Laboratories International in a research report on Friday, January 9th. Robert W. Baird set a $224.00 price objective on shares of Charles River Laboratories International in a research note on Friday, January 9th. Finally, TD Cowen reissued a buy rating on shares of Charles River Laboratories International in a research report on Thursday, January 22nd. Ten research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, four have issued a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $209.46. Check Out Our Latest Analysis on Charles River Laboratories International Charles River Laboratories International Company Profile (Free Report) Charles River Laboratories International, Inc is a leading provider of research models and preclinical and clinical support services for the pharmaceutical, biotechnology and medical device industries. The companys core offerings include discovery, safety assessment, toxicology, and pathology services, as well as supply of laboratory animals and related diagnostics. Services extend across in vivo and in vitro testing, biologics testing, and support for advanced therapies, helping clients accelerate drug development from early discovery through regulatory submission. Founded in 1947 in Wilmington, Massachusetts, Charles River has grown through strategic investments and acquisitions to establish a broad portfolio of capabilities. See Also Want to see what other hedge funds are holding CRL? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Charles River Laboratories International, Inc. (NYSE:CRL Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Charles River Laboratories International Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Charles River Laboratories International and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Shares of Vishay Precision Group, Inc. (NYSE:VPG Get Free Report) gapped down before the market opened on Wednesday after the company announced weaker than expected quarterly earnings. The stock had previously closed at $53.59, but opened at $47.76. Vishay Precision Group shares last traded at $44.6410, with a volume of 268,453 shares. The scientific and technical instruments company reported $0.07 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.21 by ($0.14). Vishay Precision Group had a return on equity of 2.02% and a net margin of 2.65%.The business had revenue of $80.57 million during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $78.08 million. Get Vishay Precision Group alerts: Analysts Set New Price Targets A number of research analysts have weighed in on VPG shares. B. Riley Financial reiterated a buy rating and issued a $63.00 target price (up from $45.00) on shares of Vishay Precision Group in a research note on Tuesday, February 3rd. Wall Street Zen lowered Vishay Precision Group from a strong-buy rating to a buy rating in a report on Saturday, November 22nd. Lake Street Capital initiated coverage on Vishay Precision Group in a research report on Thursday, December 18th. They issued a buy rating and a $44.00 target price for the company. Weiss Ratings cut Vishay Precision Group from a hold (c-) rating to a sell (d+) rating in a research report on Thursday, January 15th. Finally, Loop Capital set a $44.00 price objective on Vishay Precision Group in a report on Thursday, December 18th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, one has given a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $50.33. Hedge Funds Weigh In On Vishay Precision Group A number of large investors have recently made changes to their positions in VPG. AIGH Capital Management LLC grew its position in shares of Vishay Precision Group by 60.7% in the second quarter. AIGH Capital Management LLC now owns 423,484 shares of the scientific and technical instruments companys stock valued at $11,900,000 after purchasing an additional 159,919 shares in the last quarter. Acuitas Investments LLC purchased a new position in Vishay Precision Group during the 2nd quarter valued at about $2,005,000. Draper Asset Management LLC purchased a new position in Vishay Precision Group during the 2nd quarter valued at about $752,000. Y Intercept Hong Kong Ltd bought a new stake in shares of Vishay Precision Group during the second quarter valued at about $877,000. Finally, Pekin Hardy Strauss Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of Vishay Precision Group in the second quarter worth about $351,000. 87.61% of the stock is owned by institutional investors. Vishay Precision Group Price Performance The businesss 50-day moving average price is $42.67 and its 200 day moving average price is $35.48. The company has a market capitalization of $611.88 million, a P/E ratio of 76.08, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.63 and a beta of 0.85. The company has a quick ratio of 2.71, a current ratio of 4.10 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.06. About Vishay Precision Group (Get Free Report) Vishay Precision Group (NYSE: VPG) specializes in the design, manufacture and calibration of precision sensors, instrumentation and measurement systems used in a broad range of applications. Its product portfolio includes load cells, tension links, weighing modules, torque transducers, digital indicators and data acquisition systems. These solutions serve critical requirements for accuracy, reliability and repeatability in sectors such as industrial automation, test and measurement, medical devices, food and beverage processing, aerospace and defense. The company traces its roots to the sensor and measurement division of Vishay Intertechnology, Inc, from which it was spun off as an independent public company in March 2016. Read More Receive News & Ratings for Vishay Precision Group Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Vishay Precision Group and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. DAKAR, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- Senegalese authorities on Tuesday opened an investigation into the death of a student following clashes between students and security personnel at Cheikh Anta Diop University (UCAD) in the capital Dakar, officials said. Minister of Interior and Public Security Mouhamadou Bamba Cisse told a government press briefing that an inquiry is underway to determine the exact circumstances surrounding the student's death, which occurred on Monday at the university's student housing facilities. "I understand the indignation and the questions being raised. They may be justified. I want to reassure citizens that an investigation is in progress to establish the circumstances of the death," Cisse said. Describing the incident as a "true tragedy," he said security forces had been deployed to protect public property after authorities received "precise intelligence" about planned attacks targeting certain university facilities. He added that violence erupted on the ground involving both students and members of the defense and security forces. Justice Minister Yassine Fall said the public prosecutor's office had been seized in the early hours of the incident to conduct investigations and determine responsibilities. "Our campuses must never become spaces of violence. I commit before the Senegalese people to shed full light on this matter," she said. Minister of Armed Forces Birame Diop called for national unity and urged "frank, sincere, constructive and respectful dialogue" as the only path toward de-escalation. In the wake of the incident, the Dakar Center for University Services announced the closure of UCAD's student housing facilities starting Tuesday and until further notice. Official sources said several students were arrested and others injured during the clashes. Students at UCAD have been protesting over grievances including the closure of university restaurants and proposed reforms to scholarship allocations. Wesbanco Bank Inc. cut its position in shares of Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE:WFC) by 13.8% in the 3rd quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The fund owned 36,384 shares of the financial services providers stock after selling 5,838 shares during the period. Wesbanco Bank Inc.s holdings in Wells Fargo & Company were worth $3,050,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. A number of other large investors also recently modified their holdings of WFC. Hidden Cove Wealth Management LLC grew its holdings in shares of Wells Fargo & Company by 2.0% during the 3rd quarter. Hidden Cove Wealth Management LLC now owns 5,948 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $499,000 after purchasing an additional 119 shares during the period. Zullo Investment Group Inc. lifted its position in Wells Fargo & Company by 2.0% during the third quarter. Zullo Investment Group Inc. now owns 6,340 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $532,000 after buying an additional 122 shares in the last quarter. Embree Financial Group lifted its position in Wells Fargo & Company by 3.9% during the third quarter. Embree Financial Group now owns 3,330 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $279,000 after buying an additional 126 shares in the last quarter. Trust Co. of Vermont grew its stake in Wells Fargo & Company by 1.1% during the third quarter. Trust Co. of Vermont now owns 12,098 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $1,014,000 after buying an additional 126 shares during the period. Finally, Traphagen Investment Advisors LLC increased its position in shares of Wells Fargo & Company by 2.0% in the third quarter. Traphagen Investment Advisors LLC now owns 6,346 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $532,000 after acquiring an additional 127 shares in the last quarter. 75.90% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. Get Wells Fargo & Company alerts: Wells Fargo & Company Trading Down 2.9% Shares of WFC opened at $91.90 on Wednesday. Wells Fargo & Company has a one year low of $58.42 and a one year high of $97.76. The stock has a 50-day moving average price of $91.94 and a 200 day moving average price of $85.82. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.05, a quick ratio of 0.84 and a current ratio of 0.90. The company has a market capitalization of $288.48 billion, a P/E ratio of 14.66, a P/E/G ratio of 1.04 and a beta of 1.09. Wells Fargo & Company Announces Dividend Wells Fargo & Company ( NYSE:WFC Get Free Report ) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, January 14th. The financial services provider reported $1.76 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.66 by $0.10. The company had revenue of $11.97 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $21.63 billion. Wells Fargo & Company had a return on equity of 12.90% and a net margin of 17.27%.Wells Fargo & Companys revenue for the quarter was up 4.5% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the business earned $1.43 EPS. Sell-side analysts forecast that Wells Fargo & Company will post 5.89 EPS for the current fiscal year. The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Sunday, March 1st. Investors of record on Friday, February 6th will be issued a $0.45 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, February 6th. This represents a $1.80 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.0%. Wells Fargo & Companys dividend payout ratio is currently 28.71%. Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades Several equities analysts recently weighed in on WFC shares. HSBC restated a hold rating and set a $74.00 target price on shares of Wells Fargo & Company in a report on Wednesday, January 7th. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods raised their target price on Wells Fargo & Company from $92.00 to $101.00 and gave the company a market perform rating in a report on Wednesday, December 17th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted their price target on Wells Fargo & Company from $99.00 to $99.50 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a research report on Monday. TD Cowen lowered their price objective on shares of Wells Fargo & Company from $102.00 to $100.00 and set a hold rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, January 15th. Finally, Royal Bank Of Canada reiterated an outperform rating and set a $100.00 price objective on shares of Wells Fargo & Company in a research note on Thursday, January 15th. Thirteen research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, nine have issued a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $97.29. Get Our Latest Report on Wells Fargo & Company Wells Fargo & Company Profile (Free Report) Wells Fargo & Company is a diversified, U.S.-based financial services company headquartered in San Francisco, California. Founded in 1852 by Henry Wells and William G. Fargo, the firm has evolved from its origins in express delivery and pioneer-era banking into one of the largest full-service banks in the United States. The company provides a broad range of financial products and services to individual, small business, commercial, and institutional clients. Charles W. Scharf serves as chief executive officer. Wells Fargo operates across several core business segments, including consumer banking and lending, commercial banking, corporate and investment banking, and wealth and investment management. Further Reading 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. Wesbanco Bank Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of United Community Banks, Inc. (NYSE:UCB Free Report) during the third quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The firm purchased 58,400 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $1,831,000. A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also bought and sold shares of UCB. Twin Peaks Wealth Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in United Community Banks in the 2nd quarter worth approximately $25,000. First Horizon Corp purchased a new position in shares of United Community Banks during the third quarter valued at approximately $27,000. Hantz Financial Services Inc. raised its holdings in shares of United Community Banks by 213.8% during the second quarter. Hantz Financial Services Inc. now owns 1,048 shares of the companys stock valued at $31,000 after acquiring an additional 714 shares in the last quarter. Salomon & Ludwin LLC purchased a new stake in United Community Banks in the third quarter worth $37,000. Finally, EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC lifted its stake in United Community Banks by 130.9% in the second quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 1,951 shares of the companys stock worth $58,000 after acquiring an additional 1,106 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 82.29% of the companys stock. Get United Community Banks alerts: Insider Buying and Selling at United Community Banks In related news, CAO Alan H. Kumler sold 12,043 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, January 23rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $35.36, for a total transaction of $425,840.48. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief accounting officer owned 21,096 shares of the companys stock, valued at $745,954.56. This trade represents a 36.34% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. 0.54% of the stock is owned by insiders. United Community Banks Stock Down 1.4% Shares of United Community Banks stock opened at $35.38 on Wednesday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.03, a current ratio of 0.81 and a quick ratio of 0.81. The company has a 50-day moving average of $33.14 and a 200 day moving average of $31.80. The firm has a market cap of $4.30 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 13.56 and a beta of 0.84. United Community Banks, Inc. has a 1 year low of $22.93 and a 1 year high of $36.77. United Community Banks (NYSE:UCB Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, January 14th. The company reported $0.71 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.73 by ($0.02). The business had revenue of $278.39 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $273.80 million. United Community Banks had a return on equity of 9.49% and a net margin of 21.35%.The companys revenue was up 11.0% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the firm earned $0.61 EPS. United Community Banks declared that its Board of Directors has authorized a stock repurchase plan on Monday, December 8th that authorizes the company to buyback $100.00 million in shares. This buyback authorization authorizes the company to repurchase up to 2.6% 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. United Community Banks Announces Dividend The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, January 5th. Investors of record on Monday, December 15th were paid a $0.25 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Monday, December 15th. This represents a $1.00 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.8%. United Community Bankss dividend payout ratio is presently 38.31%. Analyst Ratings Changes A number of brokerages have issued reports on UCB. DA Davidson boosted their price objective on shares of United Community Banks from $38.00 to $39.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Thursday, January 15th. Zacks Research raised shares of United Community Banks from a hold rating to a strong-buy rating in a research note on Thursday, January 15th. Hovde Group cut shares of United Community Banks from an outperform rating to a market perform rating and set a $38.00 price target on the stock. in a research report on Monday. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods increased their price target on shares of United Community Banks from $34.00 to $36.00 and gave the stock a market perform rating in a research note on Thursday, January 15th. Finally, Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a hold (c+) rating on shares of United Community Banks in a research report on Wednesday, January 21st. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, two have assigned a Buy rating and four have issued a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $38.00. Get Our Latest Stock Report on UCB United Community Banks Company Profile (Free Report) United Community Banks, Inc (NYSE: UCB) is a bank holding company headquartered in Blairsville, Georgia. It operates primarily through its subsidiary, United Community Bank, providing a broad range of banking and financial services to individual, business and governmental customers. The companys core offerings include deposit accounts, commercial and consumer lending, mortgage origination, treasury and cash management services, and wealth management. In addition to traditional banking products such as checking, savings and money market accounts, United Community Bank specializes in commercial real estate financing, small business administration (SBA) loans, equipment financing and agricultural lending. See Also Want to see what other hedge funds are holding UCB? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for United Community Banks, Inc. (NYSE:UCB Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for United Community Banks Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for United Community Banks and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. FMC (NYSE:FMC Get Free Report) was downgraded by analysts at Zacks Research from a hold rating to a strong sell rating in a research note issued to investors on Monday,Zacks.com reports. Other equities analysts have also issued reports about the company. Wall Street Zen lowered FMC from a hold rating to a sell rating in a research report on Saturday, November 8th. Barclays lowered shares of FMC from an equal weight rating to an underweight rating and reduced their price objective for the stock from $16.00 to $13.00 in a research note on Tuesday, December 9th. UBS Group set a $14.00 price objective on shares of FMC in a report on Friday. Mizuho cut their target price on shares of FMC from $24.00 to $21.00 and set an outperform rating on the stock in a report on Friday, January 16th. Finally, Royal Bank Of Canada reduced their price target on shares of FMC from $16.00 to $14.00 and set a sector perform rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, February 6th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, nine have issued a Hold rating and three have assigned a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of Reduce and an average price target of $22.13. Get FMC alerts: View Our Latest Research Report on FMC FMC Price Performance FMC opened at $15.97 on Monday. The company has a fifty day moving average price of $14.57 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $24.35. The firm has a market capitalization of $1.99 billion, a PE ratio of -0.89, a P/E/G ratio of 1.42 and a beta of 0.65. FMC has a 52 week low of $12.17 and a 52 week high of $44.78. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.32, a quick ratio of 1.00 and a current ratio of 1.32. FMC (NYSE:FMC Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, February 4th. The basic materials company reported $1.20 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $1.21 by ($0.01). FMC had a positive return on equity of 10.10% and a negative net margin of 64.57%.The company had revenue of $1.08 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.15 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business earned $1.79 earnings per share. The firms revenue for the quarter was down 11.5% on a year-over-year basis. FMC has set its Q1 2026 guidance at -0.4400.320 EPS and its FY 2026 guidance at 1.630-1.890 EPS. As a group, analysts anticipate that FMC will post 3.48 earnings per share for the current year. Insider Transactions at FMC In other news, Director John Mitchell Raines bought 7,000 shares of the stock in a transaction on Thursday, November 13th. The stock was purchased at an average price of $13.77 per share, for a total transaction of $96,390.00. Following the acquisition, the director owned 13,784 shares in the company, valued at approximately $189,805.68. This trade represents a 103.18% increase in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. Company insiders own 0.67% of the companys stock. Institutional Investors Weigh In On FMC Several institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of FMC. SG Americas Securities LLC raised its holdings in shares of FMC by 290.5% in the 3rd quarter. SG Americas Securities LLC now owns 97,781 shares of the basic materials companys stock valued at $3,288,000 after purchasing an additional 72,743 shares during the period. Steel Grove Capital Advisors LLC grew its holdings in FMC by 28.4% during the second quarter. Steel Grove Capital Advisors LLC now owns 45,296 shares of the basic materials companys stock worth $1,891,000 after purchasing an additional 10,018 shares during the period. Roffman Miller Associates Inc. PA acquired a new position in FMC during the third quarter worth approximately $2,245,000. Jones Financial Companies Lllp raised its stake in FMC by 6.3% in the third quarter. Jones Financial Companies Lllp now owns 728,716 shares of the basic materials companys stock valued at $24,514,000 after buying an additional 43,275 shares during the period. Finally, Jaffetilchin Investment Partners LLC acquired a new stake in shares of FMC in the second quarter valued at approximately $606,000. Institutional investors own 91.86% of the companys stock. About FMC (Get Free Report) FMC Corporation is a global agricultural sciences company specializing in the development, manufacture and marketing of crop protection products. Its portfolio includes herbicides, insecticides, fungicides and plant nutrition solutions designed to enhance crop yield, quality and sustainability. In addition to core crop protection, FMC delivers solutions for turf management and pest control in urban and industrial environments. Founded in 1883 as the Bean Spray Pump Company and later known as Food Machinery Corporation, the business adopted the FMC name in 1948 and has since evolved through strategic acquisitions and divestitures. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for FMC Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for FMC and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. People select handicrafts at a Spring Festival market of Longfusi commercial area in Dongcheng District of Beijing, capital of China, on Feb. 10, 2026. As the Spring Festival approaches, the Longfusi commercial area is filled with festive atmosphere, attracting a large number of citizens and tourists to visit here. (Xinhua/Chang Nengjia) A merchant packs pickles for customers at a Spring Festival market of Longfusi commercial area in Dongcheng District of Beijing, capital of China, on Feb. 10, 2026. As the Spring Festival approaches, the Longfusi commercial area is filled with festive atmosphere, attracting a large number of citizens and tourists to visit here. (Xinhua/Chang Nengjia) This photo taken on Feb. 10, 2026 shows a scene of the Spring Festival market of Longfusi commercial area in Dongcheng District of Beijing, capital of China. As the Spring Festival approaches, the Longfusi commercial area is filled with festive atmosphere, attracting a large number of citizens and tourists to visit here. (Xinhua/Chang Nengjia) A girl poses for photos at a Spring Festival market of Longfusi commercial area in Dongcheng District of Beijing, capital of China, on Feb. 10, 2026. As the Spring Festival approaches, the Longfusi commercial area is filled with festive atmosphere, attracting a large number of citizens and tourists to visit here. (Xinhua/Chang Nengjia) A child waits for a sugar painting at a Spring Festival market of Longfusi commercial area in Dongcheng District of Beijing, capital of China, on Feb. 10, 2026. As the Spring Festival approaches, the Longfusi commercial area is filled with festive atmosphere, attracting a large number of citizens and tourists to visit here. (Xinhua/Chang Nengjia) Animal rights activists are demanding accountability after a video showing a corrections officer fatally shooting a dog went viral over the weekend. The Bahamas Department of Correctional Services said the officer discharged his firearm after two dogs reportedly charged at trained K-9 units following a funeral service. One of the dogs later died from its injuries. You voted: Nazrin Abdul The Central Bank of Azerbaijan (CBA) and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce have discussed opportunities to expand cooperation in the areas of finance and investment, AzerNEWS reports, citing the Bank. Senior officials from the Central Bank and the State Oil Fund of Azerbaijan participated in a roundtable meeting held as part of a U.S. Chamber of Commerce business mission to Azerbaijan. Speaking at the event, dedicated to Finance and Investment, CBA Governor Taleh Kazimov emphasized that economic and financial cooperation between Azerbaijan and the United States has significantly expanded in recent years and has reached a strategic level. He noted that the existing partnership, built on mutual trust, creates strong prospects for sustainable development. Kazimov provided detailed information on the countrys macroeconomic stability, the resilience of the banking and financial sector, the development of financial technologies, digitalization initiatives, sustainable finance instruments, and cross-border payment infrastructure. He highlighted the importance of expanding cooperation with U.S. companies, promoting the exchange of advanced technologies and expertise, and strengthening ties with U.S. banks through previous banking missions. The CBA governor also expressed gratitude to Kush Choksi, Senior Vice President for International Affairs and Head of Middle East and Turkiye Affairs at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, stating his confidence that the business mission would further strengthen business and investment ties between the two countries and reinforce mutual trust. He underscored the Chambers role as an important platform fostering trade, innovation, and shared prosperity, and serving as a bridge in the development of bilateral economic relations. The event concluded with a Q&A session involving representatives of leading U.S. multinational companies, followed by an exchange of views on expanding financial and investment cooperation. As part of the business mission, a series of meetings have also been organized with Azerbaijani government agencies, senior officials, and private sector representatives, underscoring the importance of deepening economic partnership between the two countries. COLOMBO, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) - Sri Lanka has launched consultations on a new tariff structure aimed at strengthening domestic production and boosting exports as part of its 2026 budget reforms, the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development said on Wednesday. The stakeholder engagement process seeks to raise awareness of a proposed Four-Band Tariff Policy and gather input from businesses and trade bodies, the ministry said. The ministry said the reforms are designed to simplify the tariff system, support local industries, improve fiscal sustainability, and facilitate trade. The new structure has been drafted in line with the United Nations Broad Economic Classification standards to ensure international consistency and promote export competitiveness, according to the ministry. HONG KONG, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- Various sectors in Hong Kong have voiced firm support for the lawful sentence handed down to Jimmy Lai, describing the ruling as well-founded and proportionate. They emphasized that it strongly upholds national security and the authority of the rule of law. The High Court of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) on Monday sentenced Lai, an instigator of anti-China riots in Hong Kong, to 20 years in prison. Lai was found guilty in December 2025 by the High Court of the HKSAR on two charges of conspiring to collude with external forces and a charge of conspiracy to publish seditious materials. People in various sectors in Hong Kong believed that the judgment has removed obstacles and united strength for Hong Kong's advancement toward prosperity. It further consolidates the legal foundation for ensuring the steady and sustained progress of the practice of "one country, two systems." In the reasons for the sentence, the court detailed its consideration of various sentencing factors. Regarding Lai's case, the court had previously conducted 156 days of public hearings, during which 2,220 exhibits and over 80,000 pages of documents were fully presented. Fourteen prosecution witnesses testified in court, and the criminal facts of Lai colluding with external forces to endanger national security were backed by irrefutable evidence. Nick Chan Hiu-fung, a member of the Legislative Council of the HKSAR representing the legal sector, said that during the trial of Lai's case, proceedings were conducted openly, fairly, strictly in accordance with the law and regulations, and with rigorous attention to detail. Three judges presided over the case, fully demonstrating the maturity of the HKSAR's judicial institutions in rendering judgments based on evidence and the law. Through this ruling, Chan added, the court signaled with clear legal consequences that abiding by the law is the bottom line, and that the bottom line of national security cannot be crossed. The more than 150 days of hearings in the case revealed that Lai not only openly solicited external forces to intervene, but also supported and funded related organizations to carry out international lobbying, pleading for external forces to "sanction" China and the HKSAR. Lai also manipulated media tools, wantonly inciting hatred in Hong Kong society against the central government and the HKSAR government, instigating Hong Kong people to engage in illegal resistance, and fomenting violence. Sze Ching-lau, chairman of the Hong Kong Federation of Fujian Associations, said that the sentencing fully upheld the seriousness and authority of Hong Kong's rule of law. He described it as a victory for justice, the rule of law and public sentiment, and a heartening outcome that highlights fairness. The Hong Kong Federation of Trade Unions said that the sentencing precisely struck at acts of splitting the country and colluding with external forces. It fully aligns with the mainstream public opinion in Hong Kong that calls for criminals to be punished in accordance with the law. After learning that Lai was sentenced to 20 years in prison, Ms. Wong, a Hong Kong resident, said that the sentencing was truly gratifying. "His next stop is prison." People from various sectors have expressed that the sentence on Lai was not only a punishment for his personal crimes, but also a firm defense of the dignity of Hong Kong's rule of law and a strong reinforcement of the bottom line of national security. The Hong Kong Coalition said that Lai's case was the first in Hong Kong involving the crime of collusion with external forces endangering national security under the national security law in Hong Kong. It emphasized that security is the prerequisite for development, and safeguarding national security is the responsibility and obligation of every resident in Hong Kong. The coalition stressed that only by effectively safeguarding national security can Hong Kong's high-quality development be ensured, and the steady and sustained progress of the practice of "one country, two systems" be guaranteed. The Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong said that the court's sentence on Lai was a just act in safeguarding national security. It will further protect national security, consolidate the foundation of Hong Kong's rule of law, and ensure the city's stability and prosperity. The Business and Professionals Alliance for Hong Kong said that the lawful trial of Lai is a necessary measure to strengthen the defense line of national security. A high-level security environment is the cornerstone of Hong Kong's high-quality development. The severe punishment of acts endangering national security serves to foster a safer and more stable environment for investment and commerce in the city. Celebrate art together at Family Day at Stark Museum of Art The Stark Museum of Art invites families to enjoy a day of creativity, discovery and togetherness at Family Day on Saturday, February 21, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. This free, all ages event offers hands on art activities and opportunities to experience the Museum in fun and meaningful ways. To ensure a welcoming experience for all visitors, the day will begin with a sensory hour from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m., designed to provide a calmer, more comfortable environment for children and families who benefit from reduced stimulation. "Family Day is all about learning, playing and creating together," said a Jennifer Dickinson, executive director of the Stark Museum. "At Family Day, visitors of all ages will have the opportunity to explore the Museum and enjoy creative, kid friendly art activities. This is a great day to discover new ways to look at and make art as a family." Also on view in the Community Art Gallery is "ART: It's Elementary," an exhibition featuring original works by local kindergarten through third grade students from Southeast Texas and Southwest Louisiana. A Student Recognition Ceremony honoring the young artists will take place at 1 p.m. in the Museum lobby. Admission to the Stark Museum of Art is free of charge. The Museum is located at 712 Green Avenue in downtown Orange and is open Wednesday through Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. For more information, visit starkmuseum.org or call 409-886-2787. Court accepts Dow health grant After meeting with Precinct 2 Justice of the Peace Chad Jenkins, Orange County Commissioners Court agreed to move the office to a new site. However, the court tabled a motion for any action. For more than a half century, the Precinct 2 JP office has been at 3500 Edgar Brown Drive, or Texas 87 in a small, wood-frame building. A new Precinct 3 JP office opened a few years ago at the Orange County Airport, two miles west of the JP 2 office. County Judge John Gothia said the plans are to move the JP 2 office to FM 1442 in a county-owned building by the veterans services office. He said the site will be more in the middle of Precinct 2, which runs from Pinehurst and Orange to Mauriceville and includes the Orangefield area. Gothia said the county needs more information on what the costs will be to convert and update the building to accommodate the judges offices and courtroom. The court also accepted a $135,000 grant from Dow Chemical to help buy equipment for the countys new health center under construction on FM 1442 near the count Expo Center. A federal grant is paying for the building construction. Christina Babcock with Dow appeared with County Health Services Director Jennifer Blankenship as the county commissioners accepted the donation. The special DOW grant was made through the Orange County Economic Development Corporation. Sheriff Bobby Smith presented his departments 2025 racial profiling report. Smith, a retired Texas Ranger whose first term started last year, said deputies had increased traffic contacts with the public 165 percent from the year before and had no complaints about how the calls were handled. They were stopping a lot of people professionally and with no complaints, he said. Commissioners approved the sheriffs office to apply for a federal ICE grant of $80,000 that would pay for personnel overtime, communication equipment and other items to help ICE work. The grant stipulates that the county cannot cut regular budget items for the sheriffs office to offset the grant. Sheriffs Chief Deputy Richard Howard talked about an application for a 2026 Project Safe Neighborhoods grant through the governors office of criminal justice. He said the grant will allow the sheriffs office to install 10 to 25 surveillance cameras around the county along with the purchase of license plate readers. He said Jefferson County and Calcasieu Parish, along with Beaumont Police Department, have been using the cameras successfully. Commissioners Court passed a resolution endorsing the grant application. Bills paid included $86,500 to T. Johnson Industries for the drainage project in Kinard Estates. The project is being paid through a federal-state grant from Tropical Storm Imelda recovery. Also, the monthly payment to University of Texas Medical Branch of $21,650 was approved for services at the county health center at Tenth and Cordrey in Orange. Another payment made was $19,430 to LED Partners to install the signs at the four new county PODS, or Points of Distribution. Each precinct is getting a POD that will be a point of distribution for supplies after emergencies plus other uses, including voting sites. The Precinct 2 and Precinct 3 PODs will be used for early voting in the party primary elections beginning next week. All four PODs should be ready for voting in the March 3 primary day elections. Orange is giving a buttload of grants to H.E. Butt Grocery. Tuesday, the Orange City Council agreed to give the company a $1.5 million building grant, plus a 10-year property tax abatement, along with a 10-year refund of 33 percent of sales taxes generated. The incentives are all for the company, the largest privately-owned business in Texas, to build a new store at the site of Northway Shopping Center at the intersection of Interstate 10 and 16th Street. The company for 35 years has had a small pantry grocery store at 2424 16th Street, a couple of blocks south of the shopping center. Also, the council is backing a developer's project to demolish the dilapidated Jones Elementary School and build a senior citizen complex with 66 units of affordable rental apartments. The school, built in the early 1950s during the post war baby boom, was sold by the West Orange-Cove school district and turned into a church. However, the church dissolved and the building has been decaying with vagrants breaking. Vines are starting to cover walls and trees are growing out of structures. The name of the planned complex is Orange Senior Village for people of limited income ages 55 and older. In addition, the council approved another senior citizen project for 77 units off Martin Luther King Jr. Drive and 37th Street, to be known as Villages of Orange Both projects needed the city's endorsement to receive federal and state tax incentives for the developer, Brownstone Group of Houston. The tax incentives will have to be approved by the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs. The construction of the projects depend on the tax incentives. The City of Orange's Economic Development Corporation has been working with HEB officials for months on the incentives to get the company to build a new, larger store in Orange. Ten years ago, the company announced it had bought the cleared site of the 1960 MacArthur Shopping Center in Pinehurst to build a new store. However, late last year, the city let the public know about the negotiations to entice HEB to build in the Orange city limits. The current agreement has the city offering the company $1.5 million toward infrastructure, which includes things like water and sewer lines, plus parking lots. The economic development grant comes from the half-cent per dollar sales tax voters approved to finance the EDC. The company must spend the money first and then submit receipts to be reimbursed. Another incentive approved for HEB includes a 33 percent reimbursement of city sales taxes the store receives in its first 10 years. The city's sales tax is 1.5 percent, with the half percent going to the economic development corporation. The reduction will mean the economic development corporation will be out that amount of income for ten years, which could reduce the amount of money to invest in other projects. However, the city's general fund, which covers employee salaries and provides services like police and fire protection, plus street maintenance, will benefit from getting one cent per dollar in sales tax generated by the new store. The other incentive is for the company to have 10 years of property tax abatements at descending increments. Property taxes are used for the city's general fund paying for things like police and fire protection, parks and recreation, and street maintenance. AMMAN, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- Jordan's Indo-Jordan Chemicals Company Ltd, a subsidiary of Jordan Phosphate Mines Company (JPMC), on Wednesday signed a 193-million-U.S. dollar deal with China's East China Engineering Science and Technology Co., Ltd. (CNCEC-ECEC) to construct a concentrated sulfuric acid plant in southern Jordan. According to a JPMC statement received by Xinhua, the plant will be constructed in the Shidiya area, with a designed annual production capacity of about 900,000 tons. The project is scheduled to be completed within 30 months by CNCEC-ECEC and will be implemented in line with high international technical, engineering and environmental standards, the statement said. Under the agreement, sulfuric acid produced at the plant will be used to support the expansion of the Jordanian company's phosphoric acid production, raising its annual output capacity from 330,000 tons to 550,000 tons. JPMC Chairman Mohammad Thneibat said the deal reflects the company's continued efforts to expand investments and upgrade operations, in line with Jordan's broader drive to attract foreign investment and strengthen industrial competitiveness. He noted that the project represents a strategic step for the company to enhance added value in the phosphate industry, increase production efficiency, and create job opportunities during both construction and operation phases. For his part, Meng Chenzhou, CEO of CNCEC-ECEC, described the project as a model of industrial cooperation between Chinese and Jordanian companies, adding the company hopes to maintain long-term cooperation with its Jordanian partners to develop more projects at both the regional and international levels. Saint-Laurent, QC (H4T1V6) Today A few passing clouds. Low around 40F. Winds WSW at 10 to 15 mph.. Tonight A few passing clouds. Low around 40F. Winds WSW at 10 to 15 mph. "Chun jie kuai le!" (Happy Lunar New Year!) UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Monday extended Lunar New Year greetings to the Chinese people in the Chinese language, and thanked China for its strong support for multilateralism and global solidarity. BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- The Royal Brunei Customs and Excise Department has confiscated 1,100 cartons of cigarettes, 108 bottles and two cans of alcohol in an operation conducted in Brunei waters. Two boats believed to be involved in suspicious activities were also seized, the customs said on Tuesday in a statement. The operation was conducted jointly with the Royal Brunei Armed Forces and the Royal Brunei Police Force. The customs department advised the public to comply with existing laws and regulations, particularly by refraining from possessing, selling, or purchasing prohibited goods. Brunei is a sultanate located in Southeast Asia. The laws in Brunei impose strict regulations on cigarettes and alcoholic beverages. Pakistans longdiscussed mineral wealth, once confined to geological surveys and speculative reports, has begun to take on a more tangible shape. A convergence of global supply chain anxieties, tightening Chinese export controls on rare earth refining technologies, and renewed Western interest in diversifying critical mineral sources has unexpectedly placed Pakistan in a strategic spotlight. The countrys first commercial shipments of enriched minerals to a US firm, coupled with a $700 million concessional loan from the International Finance Corporation and the World Bank last year, signalled that Pakistans minerals story may finally be shifting from potential to practice. At the centre of this transformation lies Reko Diq, a vast coppergold deposit in Balochistans Chagai district. Long plagued by litigation, stalled contracts, and billions in lost opportunity, the project is now being revived as one of the worlds most significant future suppliers of transition metals. Pakistan is believed to hold the worlds fifthlargest copper reserves, gold deposits worth billions, and substantial quantities of lithium, chromite, gypsum, coal, and rare earth elements (REEs). The Saindak and Reko Diq belts are among the most mineralendowed coppergold zones globally, and for the first time in decades, international capital is flowing in with renewed confidence. Speaking at Riyadhs Momentum 2025 Finance Conference, Pakistans Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb had described Reko Diq as a transformative development for the countrys economic and energy transition future. That momentum accelerated further on February 7, when the United States approved $1.3 billion in financing for Reko Diq during the 2026 Critical Minerals Ministerial in Washington. The funding forms part of Project Vault, a $10 billion US initiative aimed at reengineering entire global critical mineral supply chains and building strategic reserves. Forging a new mineral frontier Rolling out Project Vault, to spur production and insulate producers from future supply shocks, President Donald Trump said, We dont want to ever go through what we went through a year ago in reference to Chinas demonstrated ability to both achieve dominance in critical minerals and control its supply. This sixty-day reserve will be backed by a $10 billion loan from EXIM Bank, along with $2 billion in private funding. The US simultaneously announced eleven new bilateral critical mineral frameworks and concluded negotiations with seventeen more. Secretary of State Marco Rubio also unveiled the Forum on Resource Geostrategic Engagement (FORGE), which will succeed the Minerals Security Partnership. Close on the heels of Pax Silica, an initiative for secure artificial intelligence (AI) supply chains, FORGE is a preferential trade zone for critical minerals protected from external disruptions through enforceable price floors, as described by Vice President JD Vance. According to the State Department, the US government has mobilised more than $30 billion in investments, loans, and letters of interest over the past six months to support critical mineral projects worldwide. Precariousness of Pakistans REE Ambitions The Reko Diq project, developed in partnership with Canadian mining giant Barrick Gold, requires roughly $3.2 billion in total investment, with commercial production expected by 2028. If executed effectively, it could generate an estimated $45 billion in annual revenue. The realities of mineral extraction from exploration to full production, even under optimistic assumptions, would require Pakistan to undertake five to ten years of sustained investment, policy consistency, governance reforms, political stability, and robust security to realise meaningful returns. For investors, the challenge is not technological capability but Pakistans inconsistent governance, opaque regulatory frameworks, and history of unstable contracts. These institutional problems have previously derailed major projects, be it stalled oil exploration in Lakki Marwat and North Waziristan or the slow progress in Sindh, and could again undermine the countrys mineral ambitions. Reko Diq itself emerged from a six-billion-dollar penalty following contractual disputes, in a 2022 settlement which restored Barrick Golds role. Security and governance challenges loom large. Many of Pakistans mineral deposits lie in sensitive and restive regions, Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and parts of Sindh, where local resistance, political grievances, and militant activity can disrupt operations. Recent escalations in Balochistan underscore the fragility of the environment in which Reko Diq must operate. The Balochistan Mines and Minerals Act, passed on March 14, 2025, after a similar move in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, was designed to centralise control over provincial mineral deposits. The Act approved the creation of the Mineral Investment Facilitation Authority (MIFA), empowered to override provincial departments, under the federal Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC), effectively sidelining Balochistans authority over its own resources. Given that the military-dominated SIFC itself lacks transparency, this is bound to rise as a governance crisis that threatens project stability. In addition to federalism issues of natural resource management, local environmental concerns that arise from REE mining are likely to be treated as secondary considerations in Pakistans development calculus. Finally, can Pakistan navigate the competing pulls of the ChinaPakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and USbacked critical mineral frameworks? China already dominates global REE processing and has deep infrastructural and political ties to Pakistan. The US, meanwhile, is accelerating efforts to diversify away from Chinese supply chains. For Pakistan, true economic transformation will require domestic technology transfer, joint ventures for refining and magnet production, and the training of local metallurgists and engineers. Without these, Pakistan risks remaining a mere exporter of raw ore without climbing up the value chain. Mineral wealth alone does not guarantee prosperity. It demands vision, institutional discipline, transparent governance, and the foresight to avoid exploitative arrangements that leave the country dependent on external actors. Whether Pakistans establishment possesses that foresight remains an open question. Vaishali Basu Sharma The author is a security and economic affairs analyst. The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not purport to reflect the opinions or views of THE WEEK. Trade agreements are instruments of leverage rather than moral documents and the proposed USBangladesh reciprocal trade agreement reflects that reality. Its clauses on agriculture, labour, digital trade and national security are demanding. Some are intrusive. But the correct way to judge this deal is by pure arithmetic. Bangladesh exports roughly $55 billion in goods a year. More than 80 per cent comes from ready-made garments. The United States alone absorbs close to $910 billion of those exports annually, making it Bangladeshs single largest country market. Millions of jobsdirectly and indirectlydepend on continued, stable access to American consumers. A tariff shock or loss of preferential access in that market would be measured in factory closures and pressure on foreign-exchange reserves. Against that backdrop, the agreements constraints look different. The provisions requiring Bangladesh to accept US laboratory certifications and avoid complex licensing procedures limit regulatory discretion. But they also reduce friction in bilateral trade. Bangladesh imports several billion dollars worth of US goods each year, from agricultural commodities to aircraft components. Faster clearance and standardised certification lower costs. The asymmetry in trade volumes matters. Bangladesh sells far more to the US than it buys. Predictable import rules are a manageable concession in exchange for export security. The agricultural clauses are politically sensitive. Requiring science-based sanitary measures and opening the door to US GMO products will intensify competition for domestic producers. Yet Bangladesh is already structurally dependent on imports in key categories. It imports millions of tons of wheat annually and virtually all the cotton that feeds its garment sectorover 7 million bales a year. Access to reliable US supplies of wheat, soybeans and cotton strengthens input security for the very industry that sustains the economy. The pressure on farmers is real, but so is the need to secure the industrial base that employs roughly four million workers. Labour provisions mandating easier union formation, expanded strike rights and full union freedom in export processing zones will raise compliance costs for factory owners. They also align Bangladesh more closely with the expectations of global brands and US lawmakers. After Rana Plaza, labor conditions became inseparable from market access. Embedding labour standards in a binding trade framework reduces the risk of future sanctions, reputational damage or sudden buyer withdrawal. Higher wages and stronger representation may compress margins, but they also stabilise production and protect long-term access to premium markets. Environmental obligations and the requirement not to discriminate tax-wise against US firms constrain policy space. Yet Bangladeshs development strategy depends on foreign investment in energy, infrastructure and technology. Investors prioritise regulatory predictability. A clear commitment to non-discrimination signals that Bangladesh intends to operate within global norms. The revenue foregone by not imposing targeted digital taxes on large US firms is modest compared with the export earnings at stake in apparel. The digital trade chapter, which prohibits customs duties on digital services and restricts data localization mandates, has drawn criticism on sovereignty grounds. But Bangladeshs growing IT services sector and large freelance workforce depend on uninterrupted cross-border data flows. The country is one of the worlds leading suppliers of online freelance labour. Imposing data localisation could deter cloud investment and fragment access to global platforms. Rather than seek revenue through border taxes on digital flows, Bangladesh can pursue domestic taxation within an integrated digital economy. The most controversial elements are geopolitical. The agreement links benefits to compliance with US sanctions and discourages engagement with suppliers selling below market priceimplicitly targeting Chinaand limits nuclear cooperation with countries deemed contrary to US interests. Bangladesh has cultivated economic ties with China and is working with Russia on the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant. Balancing these relationships is delicate. But the hierarchy of dependence is clear. The US market accounts for roughly one-fifth of Bangladeshs total exports and an even larger share of industrial value added. China and Russia are critical suppliers and financiers, but they do not absorb Bangladeshi exports at comparable scale. Aligning trade compliance more closely with US standards reduces the risk of secondary sanctions that could disrupt dollar clearing, banking channels or export payments. For a country reliant on export receipts and remittances to stabilise its currency, that risk cannot be dismissed. The purchase commitments14 Boeing aircraft, $15 billion in LNG over 15 years, large volumes of wheat, soybeans and cottonare portrayed as coerced procurement. In practice, each category corresponds to existing structural demand. Biman Bangladesh Airlines requires fleet renewal to remain viable. Energy shortages have constrained industrial output for years; diversified LNG supply enhances resilience. Cotton and soybeans are core inputs for the garment and poultry sectors. Structured long-term contracts may reduce price volatility and secure financing terms that would otherwise be harder to negotiate. The enforcement clause allowing the US to reimpose tariffs if Bangladesh fails to comply underscores the power imbalance. The United States retains leverage. But that leverage exists regardless of this agreement. Formalising obligations within a negotiated framework creates clarity. For exporters, clarity is preferable to uncertainty. Bangladesh is also approaching graduation from least-developed-country status, which will phase out certain unilateral trade preferences in other markets. The countrys competitive advantage will increasingly rest on scale, compliance and reliability rather than preferential treatment. Securing durable access to the worlds largest consumer market mitigates the shock of that transition. The core question is not whether the agreement is demanding. It is whether the economic gains from stable and potentially expanded access to a $25 trillion economy outweigh the costs of policy concessions and structured imports. If even a few percentage points of tariff exposure are neutralised, the savings over a decade could amount to billions of dollarsmultiples of the value of any individual procurement commitment. Bangladeshs economy is export-led and garment-centric. The United States is its largest customer. In that equation, market security is strategic. The agreement narrows certain policy choices, but it fortifies the foundation of the countrys industrial growth model. For a mid-sized developing economy navigating great-power rivalry and post-LDC graduation pressures, perfection is not available. Stability is. On balance, anchoring its export future to its largest market is a rational calculation. Faisal Mahmud is the Minister (Press) of Bangladesh High Commission in New Delhi. The views and assessments expressed here are solely those of the author and do not in any way reflect his official position or that of the Government of Bangladesh. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Wednesday said that no Indian leaders had backed US President Donald Trump's claim that India would stop buying Russian oil. "I have not heard such a statement from anyone else, including Prime Minister Modi and other Indian leaders, Lavrov said, in response to a question from a lawmaker in the State Duma, the Lower House of Russias parliament. This comes just two days after Russia accused the US of trying to dissuade India and other countries from buying Russian oil. Lavrov also pointed out that India-Russia ties were strong as ever, saying that Vladimir Putins state visit to India in December 2025 had played a major part in deepening longtime ties. In particular, a substantial package of joint documents was signed during President Putin's state visit to India last December. This visit enriched Russian-Indian relations, creating a special, privileged strategic partnership, Lavrov added. The Russian Foreign Minister then declared that both sides would meet again on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit this year, which will be chaired by India. Trump's remarks "(PM Modi) agreed to stop buying Russian Oil, and to buy much more from the United States and, potentially, Venezuela," Trump had written in a Truth Social post on February 2. Out of friendship and respect for Prime Minister Modi and, as per his request, effective immediately, we agreed to a Trade Deal between the United States and India, whereby the United States will charge a reduced Reciprocal Tariff, lowering it from 25 per cent to 18 per cent. They will likewise move forward to reduce their Tariffs and Non Tariff Barriers against the United States, to ZERO," he added. India's response so far India has neither confirmed nor denied Trump's claim of New Delhi stopping Russian oil purchases, instead releasing a statement on February 5 about national priorities. "Insofar as India's energy sourcing is concerned, the government has stated publicly on several occasions that ensuring the energy security of 1.4 billion Indians is the supreme priority of the government," External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal had said. Despite reports noting a marked decrease in India's oil imports from Russia, analysts have expressed doubts about New Delhi fully phasing out oil purchases from Moscow. "What we are seeing instead is tactical adjustment," Tatiana Mitrova, a fellow at Columbia's Center on Global Energy Policy, told Axios. "Volumes are reduced at the margin, discounts are increased, and refiners diversify some purchases toward non-sanctioned crudes," she added. Amid reports that the Indian Air Force (IAF) is likely to get a power boost as the defence minister-headed Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), which will meet on Thursday, may clear a massive deal for procurement of 114 Rafale fighters from France, Vice Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Nagesh Kapoor said the IAF is looking forward to inducting a lot more of newer-generation aircraft in its inventory. "Sooner, the better," he said while addressing a press conference ahead of Exercise Vayu Shakti. For more defence news, views and updates, visit: Fortress India On being asked about the performance of Rafale fighter jets during the recent military conflict with Pakistan, he said, "Rafale definitely was a hero, among other heroes, during Operation Sindoor. Yes, Rafale is the buzzword; it is definitely a buzzword." He added, "The IAF is looking forward to inducting a lot more MRFA (Multi-Role Fighter Aircraft), whether that will be Rafale or any other aircraft, is presently under consideration. And, a concrete decision on it has not yet been taken." His remarks come even as Swedish defence firm Saab pitched its Gripen E to India as a fighter that could significantly improve India's air power. "The highest availability of any fighter gives an unrivalled combat mass to counter any adversary. Gripen will fit perfectly in IAF together with Rafale and Tejas," Mikael Franzen, Chief Marketing Officer, Gripen, and Vice President of Business Area Aeronautics, had recently said. Meanwhile, Rafale, Su-30, MiG-29, Tejas, Jaguar, among other fighter aircraft, will be part of the upcoming Exercise Vayu Shakti, which will also highlight the "successful role" of the Indian Air Force during Operation Sindoor, another senior officer said at the press conference. More than 120 assets, including fighter jets, helicopters and transport aircraft, will be part of the exercise Amidst the political controversy surrounding the unpublished memoir by former Chief of the Indian Army General Manoj Mukund Naravane, titled 'Four Stars of Destiny', Indian Army veteran and military historian Colonel Ajay K. Raina (SM) made an appeal to everyone to ignore the "stupid, politically motivated noise." In a long social media post, he said he finished reading the unpublished book and added that the rhetoric being stirred up by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has no basis. "It is a stupid, politically motivated noise," he claimed. For more defence news, views and updates, visit: Fortress India According to him, except for a sentence where Gen Naravane, "went a bit too philosophical (...handed a hot potato!), nothing from that chapter deserves a controversy." In his book, Gen Naravane had written that after his repeated requests to the government for an instruction in the wake of the movement of Chinese tanks towards Rechin La in eastern Ladakh, he was told that the prime minister said, Jo uchit samjho, woh karo." Gen Naravane had written: I had been handed a hot potato, and that With this carte blanche, the onus was now totally on me. However, Colonel Raina pointed out that a carte blanche given by the top leadership only illustrates the trust in the forces. According to him, there is nothing in the book that violates secrecy. "Most of the operational details are already very well-known and are available in the public domain." While the military historian noted that Gen Naravane's views on Agnipath, mentioned in the book, are "pretty balanced", he speculated that "A mention of the fact that some amount of undue push was given from the PMO (read bureaucrats) is perhaps why the book has been kept on hold." ALSO READ: 'Four Stars of Destiny' row: Naravane breaks silence; endorses publisher's statement He further wrote that while reading the script, one can clearly discern Gen Naravane's "justified and well-meaning observations about the civil (and even military) bureaucracy and the system of keeping services chiefs out of the policy making on the defence issues". "His (Naravane) observations on key issues and hurdles being interposed by the civil bureaucrats are fully justified and need to be looked into if any good is desired to be brought in. This may well also be the reason for delaying the permission," Colonel Raina further speculated. He noted that the unauthorised publication and circulation need "serious investigation" and should be done by people authorised to do it. Time to move on and ignore the motivated clamour, he concluded. Nearly four years into the RussiaUkraine war, the search for peace has become one of the most intricate diplomatic challenges of the 21st century. Despite sustained international pressure, repeated mediation efforts, and the recent trilateral talks hosted by the United Arab Emirates (UAE), a comprehensive and durable settlement remains elusive. The reasons are structural rather than procedural: irreconcilable territorial claims, incompatible security visions, deep mutual mistrust, domestic political constraints, and the absence of a shared post-war regional order. Yet diplomacy has not collapsed. The Abu Dhabi talksbringing together the United States, Russia, and Ukrainehave produced limited but tangible outcomes, including prisoner exchanges and commitments to continued engagement. These developments underscore a crucial reality: diplomacy can still function, but it is not yet capable of resolving a war driven by maximalist objectives on both sides. Understanding why peace remains out of reach requires revisiting how the conflict evolved, assessing past and current diplomatic efforts, and examining the enduring obstacles that trap negotiators in a cycle of dialogue without resolution. How the war began and its escalation The roots of the RussiaUkraine war lie in a complex mix of history, identity, and geopolitics. The immediate origins date back to 2014, when Russia annexed Crimea following Ukraines pro-West Maidan revolution. Moscow framed the move as the protection of Russian speakers and strategic interests; Kyiv and the wider international community viewed it as a violation of international law. Soon after, armed separatist movementsbacked politically, militarily, and logistically by Russiaignited conflict in Ukraines eastern Donetsk and Luhansk regions. The Minsk agreements that followed succeeded only in freezing, not resolving, the conflict. The decisive escalation came on 24 February 2022, when Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The Kremlin justified the operation as necessary to denazify Ukraine and pre-empt NATO expansion. Ukraine and most of the world rejected these claims, seeing the invasion as an unprovoked assault on a sovereign state. Since then, the war has hardened into a grinding, high-intensity conflict, marked by entrenched front lines, large-scale missile and drone strikes, and extensive civilian suffering. Roughly 20 per cent of Ukrainian territory, including Crimea, remains under Russian control. Millions have been displaced, tens of thousands killed, and critical infrastructure damaged or destroyed. Beyond Ukraine, the war has reshaped global energy markets, disrupted food supplies, and accelerated geopolitical polarisation. Peace proposals and diplomatic efforts to date From the earliest weeks of the war, peace proposals have proliferated. These have ranged from immediate ceasefire initiatives to comprehensive frameworks addressing territory, security guarantees, sanctions relief, and reconstruction. None has bridged the core divide between Kyiv and Moscow. Ukraines position has remained consistent: restoration of internationally recognised borders, accountability for aggression, and binding security guarantees to prevent future attacks. While Kyiv has shown flexibility on the form of these guarantees, it has refused to accept arrangements that would leave it strategically vulnerable. Russias proposals, by contrast, have focused on consolidating territorial gains and preventing Ukraines long-term military alignment with the West. Moscow has demanded recognitionexplicit or implicitof its control over occupied regions and legal assurances limiting Ukraines security partnerships. These positions collide at three fundamental points: sovereignty, territory, and the post-war security architecture of Eastern Europe. As long as these disputes remain unresolved, peace initiatives are constrained to managing the conflict rather than ending it. The UAE talks: A tentative diplomatic opening Against this backdrop, the UAE has emerged as an unexpected but credible venue for renewed diplomacy. In late January and early February 2026, Abu Dhabi hosted trilateral talks involving the United States, Russia, and Ukrainethe most visible high-level engagement between the parties in months. The choice of the UAE was not accidental. Abu Dhabi has cultivated a reputation as a neutral interlocutor with working relationships across geopolitical divides, and it has previously facilitated sensitive humanitarian exchanges. While the talks stopped well short of a peace agreement, they yielded several notable outcomes; namely, prisoner exchanges, restored diplomatic channels and commitment to continued dialogue. Ukraine and Russia agreed to swap more than 300 prisoners of war, the first major exchange in months. Though limited, this represented a concrete humanitarian gain. US special envoy Steve Witkoff characterised the engagement as a necessary step toward rebuilding diplomatic momentum. Russia acknowledged improved interaction with the United States, while Ukraine reiterated its demand for credible security guarantees as the foundation of any settlement. The UAE has signalled its willingness to remain engaged, positioning itself as a facilitator of dialogue rather than a broker of grand bargains. Why peace remains out of reach Despite renewed diplomacy, several structural barriers continue to block a lasting settlement. 1. Territorial disputes and sovereignty: Territory remains the most intractable issue. Russia occupies large swathes of eastern and southern Ukraine and has unilaterally claimed some of these regions. Moscow seeks recognition of these changes as a basis for peace. Kyiv rejects this outright, arguing that conceding territory would legitimise aggression and invite future revisionism. These positions are fundamentally incompatible without one side abandoning a core national principle. 2. Security guarantees and alliance structures: Ukraine views robust security guarantees as non-negotiable. Russia views the same guaranteesparticularly if backed by Western military poweras an existential threat. This clash over Europes security architecture leaves little room for compromise within existing frameworks. 3. Mutual mistrust and battlefield realities: Years of intense fighting have eroded trust to near zero. Both sides suspect the other of negotiating tacticallyusing talks to regroup militarily, recalibrate strategy, or shape international opinion rather than pursue genuine compromise. Russias continued strikes on Ukrainian infrastructure, even as diplomats meet, reinforce Kyivs scepticism about Moscows commitment to de-escalation. Ukraine, for its part, continues offensive and defensive operations while negotiating, reinforcing Russian claims that Kyiv seeks battlefield advantage alongside diplomacy. This dynamictalks conducted in parallel with sustained military pressureundermines confidence-building and limits the scope of what negotiators can realistically achieve. 4. Domestic political pressures: Internal political constraints further narrow the room for manoeuvre. In Ukraine, public opinion remains firmly opposed to territorial concessions. Any leadership perceived as trading land for peace risks severe political backlash and a crisis of legitimacy. In Russia, the war has become closely intertwined with regime credibility and national prestige. Concessions that appear to acknowledge failure or defeat could generate internal instability. As a result, both leaderships are constrained not just by strategic logic but by political survival. 5. External geopolitics and third-party influence: The involvement of external powers is both indispensable and destabilising. Western military and financial support is critical to Ukraines resilience, but it also reinforces Russian narratives of a proxy war. Meanwhile, actors such as China, Turkiye, and Gulf states pursue mediation while safeguarding their own strategic interests. Even neutral facilitators like the UAE must balance competing expectations, ensuring credibility with all sides while avoiding the perception of alignment. This crowded diplomatic landscape complicates coordination and slows progress toward a coherent peace framework. What is at stake if negotiations fail The cost of failure is severe. Continued conflict will prolong human suffering, deepen Ukraines economic devastation, and sustain instability along Europes eastern flank. A prolonged stalemate risks entrenching de facto partition, militarising borders, and normalising prolonged high-intensity conflict in Europe. Globally, the failure of diplomacy would weaken norms against territorial conquest and embolden revisionist actors elsewhere. The longer the war drags on, the harder reintegration, reconstruction, and reconciliation will become. Recommendations for breaking the deadlock Despite the obstacles, pathwayshowever narrowstill exist. 1. Build on incremental diplomatic progress: Rather than seeking an immediate comprehensive settlement, negotiators should focus on incremental, verifiable steps: local ceasefires, humanitarian corridors, prisoner exchanges, and de-escalation zones. These measures reduce violence and create political space for broader negotiations. 2. Broaden mediation and increase inclusivity: Neutral and trusted mediators, including the UAE and multilateral institutions, should play an expanded role. Inclusivity does not mean diluting core issues but ensuring sustained dialogue insulated from battlefield shocks and political theatrics. 3. Develop creative security frameworks: Binary choicesNATO membership versus exclusionmay be politically untenable. Alternative arrangements such as multinational monitoring missions, legally binding non-aggression commitments, or layered security guarantees could provide deterrence without triggering maximalist resistance. 4. Address territory through transitional arrangements: Territorial disputes could be managed through temporary administrative regimes under international supervision, with deferred final-status decisions. While politically sensitive, transitional models have precedent and may offer a face-saving path away from permanent deadlock. 5. Link peace to reconstruction and economic incentives: Peace must be tied to tangible benefits. Reconstruction aid, investment frameworks, and calibrated sanctions reliefconditional on verified compliancecould incentivise sustained commitment to negotiated outcomes. Conclusion: Peace must be negotiated, not assumed The RussiaUkraine war has reshaped Europes security landscape and tested the resilience of the international order. The UAE-hosted talks represent a meaningful diplomatic momentnot because they resolved the conflict, but because they demonstrated that dialogue remains possible even amid entrenched hostility. They have stabilised diplomacy, not settled the war. In a conflict defined by maximalist aims, that distinction matters. A durable peace will not emerge through declarations, deadlines, or diplomatic symbolism alone. It will require sustained political will, incremental trust-building, and creative frameworks that address security, sovereignty, and human dignity without demanding unconditional surrender from either side. The road ahead will be long and uneven. But the alternativeperpetual conflict, deepening division, and normalised violenceis a burden neither the region nor the world can afford. (Lt Gen Campose is the former Vice Chief of the Indian Army. He has authored the book A National Strategy for India the Way Forward) (The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not purport to reflect the opinions or views of THE WEEK) Barely a week after a biker died from falling into an uncovered 15-foot-deep pit dug by the Delhi Jal Board in West Delhis Janakpuri, a similar tragic incident has been reported from the Rohini area of the national capital. According to the police, a 32-year-old man died after falling into an open drain in Rohini Sector 32, near the Mahashakti Kali Temple, on Tuesday afternoon. The deceased has been identified as Birju Kumar Rai, a labourer from Samastipur district in Bihar. Police said they received a PCR call at 2:36 pm. The caller, Amir Hussain, informed them that his friend, Rai, had fallen into an open manhole. #WATCH | Delhi: A 32-year-old man died after falling into an open drain in Rohini Sector 32, near Mahashakti Kali Temple, last night. Morning visuals from the spot. pic.twitter.com/TYpumyV3RM ANI (@ANI) February 11, 2026 The incident reportedly occurred on Monday night when Rai and his friend, Budhan Das, were returning home after consuming alcohol. Rai allegedly lost his balance and fell into the open manhole. Das, who was heavily intoxicated, was unable to inform anyone about the incident that night. After regaining his senses, he informed their friend Hussain, who then alerted the police. DDA, the Fire Brigade, and other concerned agencies were informed, and the police team initiated rescue operations. The victim was retrieved from the manhole with the assistance of the Fire Brigade and sent to the hospital for further legal procedures. Further investigation is underway, the police said. Meanwhile, local residents and social workers have alleged negligence on the part of authorities in conducting the rescue operation. A few passersby informed us about the incident. Some personnel from Begumpur police station were present, but the Fire Brigade had not arrived. We dialled 100 and informed them. When the Fire Brigade reached at around 7:15 pm, they claimed they had not received any information. The officials were negligent. A private ambulance was eventually called, and the body was taken away, social worker Mahesh Kumar told ANI. The incident comes just days after a 25-year-old biker died after falling into an uncovered 15-foot-deep pit dug by the Delhi Jal Board in Janakpuri. Kamal Dhyani, an employee of a private bank in Rohini, was returning home on the intervening night of February 5 and 6 when he fell into the pit dug as part of a sewer project along with his motorcycle, sustaining fatal injuries. The Lok Sabha witnessed sharp exchanges during the discussion on the Union Budget, with Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi launching a scathing attack on the governments economic and geopolitical approach, especially on the issue of budgetary provisions and the India-US trade deal. He accused the government of selling out. During the discussion, when BJP MP Anurag Thakur rose to respond, Congress staged a walkout, setting the stage for a combative government defence. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju also intervened during the debate, asserting that Prime Minister Narendra Modi remains the strongest prime minister of this country, while rejecting the Oppositions allegations. Rahul Gandhis arguments Rahul Gandhi framed his argument through a martial-arts metaphor. In martial arts, everything begins with a grip. Without a grip, nothing happens. Grip leads to choke, and choke leads to surrender, he said, adding that while such moves are visible in sport, in politics the grip and choke are hidden". Drawing on the Economic Survey, Gandhi argued that the world was entering a period marked by intensifying geopolitical conflict and the weaponisation of energy and finance, signalling a transition from "a world of stability to a world of instability. VIDEO | Delhi: You have opened the door to mechanised American farms, you have opened the door to crush our poor farmers, it is disgraceful, says Lok Sabha LoP Rahul Gandhi on US-India trade deal. (Source: Third Party) (Full video available on PTI Videos - pic.twitter.com/mWHugihbeo Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) February 11, 2026 Referring to wars in Ukraine and West Asia, he said that global developments contradicted earlier claims that the era of wars had ended, asserting instead that we are moving into the era of war. He warned that artificial intelligence could significantly disrupt Indias employment landscape, stating that the idea of becoming a software engineer ... is going to be challenged and that many software professionals could be replaced. Gandhi identified Indias fundamental strengths as our people ... our data ... our food supply ... and our energy system, but argued that despite acknowledging global instability, there is absolutely nothing in the Budget addressing geopolitical risk, energy vulnerability or financial weaponisation. A central focus of his speech was the India-US interim trade understanding. Gandhi alleged India had given up control over digital trade rules, removed the need for data localisation, enabled free data flow to the United States, limited digital taxation, and granted long tax concessions to major firms. He linked these developments to broader domestic consequences, warning that tariff structures could damage sectors such as textiles and agriculture, claiming farmers now face intense competition from US imports and that the domestic textile industry has been severely hit. Escalating his criticism, Gandhi alleged the arrangement compromised Indias strategic autonomy, suggesting the United States could determine whom we buy oil from. He described the outcome as a wholesale surrender and accused the government of having sold India and sold our mother, Bharat Mata. He added that an INDIA bloc government would have insisted on equal treatment in negotiations with Washington. During the speech, treasury bench members repeatedly objected to what they termed unsubstantiated allegations, when Gandhi repeatedly referred to Epstein files. The Chair expunged those remarks. Gandhi said he possessed documentary evidence and was prepared to authenticate his claims. Governments counterattack Responding after the Opposition walkout, Anurag Thakur mounted a forceful defence of the government and Prime Minister Modi. Taking a direct swipe at Gandhi, he said the Congress leader earlier left the House midway through speeches but had now started leaving even before the speech begins, adding that those who are used to speaking lies cannot stand for long. Thakur said Gandhi had not woken up for a long time to Indias transformation and urged members to compare the helpless India of the past with the strong India of today. Rejecting the martial-arts analogy, he argued the Opposition had instead exposed its own weakness and accused previous Congress-led governments of crippling the economy through corruption, while asserting that under Modi, India had emerged as the worlds fourth-largest economy. VIDEO | Delhi: He was talking about grip but left showing his weakness, says BJP MP Anurag Thakur (@ianuragthakur) on Rahul Gandhi using martial arts analogy to hit out at Modi government during his speech on budget in Lok Sabha. (Source: Third Party) (Full video available on pic.twitter.com/S5jjbkmSPD Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) February 11, 2026 Praising Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharamans Budget as historic, he said it had given 140 crore Indians a reason to smile and described Indian women as born economists with rare foresight and natural accountants by instinct". He characterised the Budget as a continuation of a 12-year reform journey that moved India from policy paralysis to policy performance, leakage to delivery, and corruption to confidence, contrasting earlier governments that ran schemes with a present administration that builds systems and shifts governance from file movement to fund movement. Listing achievements since 2014, Thakur cited transparent allocation processes, higher public capital expenditure, increased agricultural spending, rising per-capita income, declining poverty and expanding womens workforce participation, asserting that 25 crore people had been lifted out of poverty. He also criticised the Congress on womens representation, alleging leadership remained confined to one family while women MPs were pushed to the forefront of protests. This photo taken on Dec. 31, 2025 shows an exhibition featuring the historical epic TV series "Swords into Plowshares" in Hangzhou, east China's Zhejiang Province. (Huace Group/Handout via Xinhua) By Xinhua writers Tian Ying, Duan Jingjing HANGZHOU, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- Emperors topple, heads roll, and cities burn: China's latest historical epic TV series, "Swords into Plowshares," brings to life one of ancient Chinese history's most chaotic eras. Yet, the series' counterintuitive Chinese title, "Peaceful Years," hints at the drama's deeper ambition to be more than a spectacle of war and political intrigues, but an "oriental epic" that portrays a nation's profound longing for peace. The series has proved a hit. Since its global premiere on Jan. 23, it has dominated viewership charts, achieving a CVB (China video and audio big data) rating of 2.938 percent and accumulating over 647 million valid online playbacks. Related hashtags across social media platforms, such as Weibo, Douyin and Rednote, have exceeded 3.6 billion views. Some have called it "China's Game of Thrones," though fans argue it holds deeper resonance than the HBO fantasy epic by being rooted entirely in history. Notably, it has ignited a desire to delve into the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms (907-979) period of ancient Chinese history -- a tumultuous era that history textbooks tend to rush through. During this lesser-studied period, the once-glorious Tang Dynasty (618-907) had crumbled, five short-lived dynasties then succeeded one another on China's Central Plain -- or the imperial heartland -- and 10 major almost-concurrent kingdoms held power mainly across southern China, with or without submitting to emperors of the Central Plain. Through a sprawling ensemble cast, viewers follow the lives of the historical heavyweights of the age -- framed as one generation passing the baton to the next in the search for a glimmer of peace amid turmoil, according to Yang Lei, the drama's chief director. Central to the plot is King of Wuyue Qian Hongchu, whose realm, primarily in present-day Zhejiang Province and part of Fujian Province in east China, became a rare haven of peace and prosperity. The series traces his transformation from a carefree prince to a ruler steering a southern kingdom through turbulence. Along the way, he witnessed the depths of human suffering in an era so brutal that it descended at times into cannibalism. His legacy culminated in the bloodless surrender of Wuyue territory to the Song Dynasty (960-1279) -- a pivotal act that helped reunify China. By choosing to end the conflict rather than prolong it, he brought lasting peace to his realm, embodying the drama's central metaphor: turning swords into plowshares. As the epic series presents history authentically with refined, archaic dialogue and immaculate attention to detail, many viewers have taken to reading, with young people in particular turning to social media platforms and AI chatbots to learn about their history and deepen their understanding of 10th-century China. Reading lists with titles like "10 books to accompany 'Swords into Plowshares'" have proliferated online, and sales of related history books have surged. On JD.com, more than 68,000 copies of seven relevant titles have been purchased, and an eight-volume history book of the era has trended on WeChat's reading platform. Vloggers like 29-year-old Liu Zhanyuan are riding this wave of interest by posting detailed historical accounts related to the series. Just two of the explanatory videos he has posted helped him gain over 30,000 new Rednote followers in two weeks. "I was concerned viewers might abandon a brilliant drama simply for lack of context," he said of his motivation. The history aficionado said he admires the series for several reasons, including its rare focus on a neglected historical era, its nuanced and non-judgmental portrayal of complex characters. Ancient Chinese history is often framed through a binary lens of order versus chaos or unity versus division. The Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period is not an era that later generations look back on with pride. Yet, as Liu observed, "The series illuminates the transition between the two powerful dynasties, Tang and Song, providing the missing link in understanding the history's continuity." On the newfound enthusiasm, Liu said that while history has often been regarded by many young people as a dry, academic subject, this series is igniting their interest, driving them to explore the enduring strengths. As depicted in the drama, the Kingdom of Wuyue emerged as an oasis of peace and prosperity while war and devastation swept much of China amid dynastic upheaval, regional conquests, and conflicts with the nomadic Khitan people from beyond the Great Wall. The story of the Wuyue Kingdom has also brought to life obscure historical sites, such as a temple commemorating the kings of the Qian family, located near the famed West Lake in Hangzhou, Zhejiang's capital. Visits to the temple have surged by 30 to 40 percent year-on-year on the weekends following the series premiere, according to official statistics. On Jan. 28, the newly opened Yijin City archaeological site museum in Hangzhou drew large crowds. Visiting the ruins of Wuyue Kingdom, local visitor Guo Shengxia, 36, said, "I've lived within the old city walls all my life, but only now do I feel a deeper connection to this land. Every inch of land beneath my feet is rooted in the history of Wuyue." The series' lead actor, Bai Yu, who plays Qian Hongchu, reflected, "Having gone through this creative journey, what stays with me most is a deeper appreciation for the peace we enjoy today." This undated photo shows a still of the historical epic TV series "Swords into Plowshares". (Huace Group/Handout via Xinhua) The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has issued new guidelines regarding the national song 'Vande Mataram', which mandate that audiences must stand at attention whenever it is sung or played. According to the guidelines, if both the national anthem and 'Vande Mataram' are sung at the same event, the national song will be played first. All six stanzas of 'Vande Mataram', including the four that were removed by the Congress in 1937, will be played at official functions. The total duration for the singing of the song has been set at 190 seconds. The guidelines also specify that the national song must be played during the unfurling of the tricolour, during the arrival and departure of the President at formal events, and before and after the President addresses the nation. Additionally, the song must be played when governors or lieutenant governors arrive or depart at formal state functions, during civilian award ceremonies, and when the national flag is brought on parade. However, the MHA clarified that the national song is not required to be played in cinemas. Previously, the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971, applied only to the national anthem. Article 51(A) of the Constitution mandates that citizens stand to show respect for the national anthem. These new guidelines are expected to spark debate, with several opposition parties accusing the government of using 'Vande Mataram' as a political tool. Recently, Prime Minister Narendra Modi claimed that former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and the Congress party had diluted the national song under pressure from the Muslim League in the years leading up to Indias independence. Alleging that the the India-US interim trade agreement is one-sided and hurts the interests of the farmers, Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi accused the government of selling 'Bharat Mata'. Participating in the debate on the Union Budget in Lok Sabha, the Congress leader charged: "You have sold India. Are you not ashamed of selling India? You have sold our mother, Bharat Mata," while referring to the trade agreement. He said, "I know that the prime minister would not sell India under normal circumstances. You know why he sold India? Because they are choking him. They have got a grip on his neck... We can see fear in the eyes of the prime minister." Gandhi said the interests of the farmers have been compromised as agricultural products from the US will flood Indian markets. Further, he alleged that the the Indian textile industry is "finished." "If the INDIA alliance were negotiating with President Trump, I will tell you what we would say. The first thing we would say is that President Trump, the most important thing in this equation, is Indian data. You want to protect your dollar? We are your friends. We appreciate you. We want to help you protect your dollar. But please remember that if you want to protect your dollar, the biggest asset that can protect your dollar is lying with the Indian people," the Congress leader said. He said the alliance would have also told Trump that if the US wants to access this data, the US need to engage with India as equals. The Congress leader was further quoted as saying, "You're not going to talk to us as if we are your servants. Second thing we would say is Mr Trump, please understand that our energy security is our energy security. No matter what happens, we are going to protect our energy security. The third thing we would say is, President Trump, we understand that you have a voter base, an agricultural voter base. We understand that you need to protect your farmers, but we will also protect our farmers..." He alleged that India's energy security has been handed over to the US under the trade deal and called it "wholesale surrender." #WATCH | In the Parliament, Lok Sabha LoP and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi says, "There is a businessman Anil Ambani, I want to ask why is he not in jail? The reason is that his name is in the Epstein Files. I would also like to ask Hardeep Puri, who introduced him to Epstein. I know pic.twitter.com/gIXqraRSIC ANI (@ANI) February 11, 2026 Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, on Wednesday questioned why industrialist Anil Ambani was not in jail, alleging that his name appeared in the Epstein-related files. The Congress MP alleged that there was pressure on Prime Minister Narendra Modi regarding the IndiaUS nuclear deal and that no PM would do what has happened in terms of data, farmers, energy security, and defence. Participating in the debate on the Union Budget, he said, "You have sold India. Are you not ashamed of selling India? You have sold our mother, Bharat Mata," while referring to the trade agreement. READ HERE | Anil Ambani in Epstein files? 'Arrange' tall, Swedish blonde, says businessman in shocking messages He said the interests of farmers have been compromised as agricultural products from the US will flood Indian markets. I have said that I will authenticate the data I have. There are Department of Justice files on the Epstein case naming Hardeep Puri and Anil Ambani. In an ongoing case against Adani, summons have been issued. The Government of India has not responded for the last 18 months. There is direct pressure on the Prime Minister. The main thing is that no PM would do this in a normal situation. In a normal situation, no PM would do what has happened in terms of data, farmers, energy security, and defence. Someone would do this only when there is a certain grip on them," Gandhi told reporters. ALSO READ | PM Modi's name in Epstein files: Congress demands discussion in parliament, moves adjournment motion The Leader of the Opposition also raised the issue during his speech in the House and asked why the industrialist, whose name was in the files released by the US Justice Department, was not in jail. On 31 January, the Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson, Randhir Jaiswal, strongly dismissed the references to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 2017 visit to Israel in an email purportedly part of the recently released Epstein files. The MEA spokesperson had dubbed the reference as the "trashy ruminations" of a convicted criminal. "We have seen reports of an email message from the so-called Epstein files that has a reference to the Prime Minister and his visit to Israel. Beyond the fact of the Prime Minister's official visit to Israel in July 2017, the rest of the allusions in the email are little more than trashy ruminations by a convicted criminal, which deserve to be dismissed with the utmost contempt," MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal was quoted as saying by ANI. Union Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri has come out with a clarification after Congress leader Rahul Gandhi sought to link him with the infamous Epstein Files. Addressing a press conference, Puri clarified that his interactions with Jeffrey Epstein had nothing to do with the charges of sexual exploitation levelled against the late American financier. "My boss at IPI knew Epstein, and I met him only on a few occasions, three or at max four times to be precise, as part of a delegation. Our interactions had nothing to do (with the crimes he is accused of)," he was quoted as saying, adding, "We talked about 'Make in India'." The Union minister said Epstein called him two-faced and added that he had no interest in Epstein's activities. "Epstein Files, the Yuva Neta should know, are about wrongdoing, criminal offences. The Epstein Files are about charges that he had an island where he used to take people to indulge their sexual fantasies, charges of paedophilia, there are victims of this. Those victims have brought cases against people in authority. My interaction had nothing to do with that," he said. He further said, "Congress leader Supriya Shrinate raised in an email - 'who introduced Hardeep Puri, I presume to Epstein...' These facts are known in the public domain. Three million emails have been released. I was in New York for eight years, from May 2009, when I joined as India's Ambassador to the UN. In 2017, I became minister. There are references to possibly three or four meetings in 8 years... I decided to tell Yuva Neta, Rahul Gandhi, and in the note to him, I told him that after I retired as India's Ambassador to the UN, a few months later, I was invited to join the International Peace Institute. I was not part of the IPI per se...As part of the delegation of the IPI or the ICM, I met Mr Epstein on a few occasions. The ICM was dealing with international issues, and Mr Epstein was not part of it." Iran appears rattled as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has arrived in the US to meet President Donald Trump, right in the middle of crucial nuclear negotiations between Tehran and Washington. Iranian officials fear that Netanyahu, who landed in Washington yesterday, would try to derail the fragile diplomatic momentum generated during the recent indirect talks in Oman. I will present Trump with principles for negotiations with Iran that are important not only to Israel but to everyone who wants peace and security, said Netanyahu. In my opinion, these are important principles for everyone who wants peace and security in the Middle East. Netanyahu is likely to meet with Trump and other senior officials at 11 am (local time) today. For latest news and analyses on Middle East, visit: Yello! Middle East Tehran has warned Washington not to allow Israel to thwart a potential agreement on Irans nuclear programme. Ali Larijani, head of Irans Supreme National Security Council, urged the United States to remain alert to what he described as Israels destructive role and cautioned against allowing Netanyahus posturing to dictate the framework of negotiations. Irans negotiating position remains firm. Tehran has informed mediators that it will not discuss its ballistic missile programme or its support for regional proxy forces, insisting that talks remain strictly confined to the nuclear file. This stance is rooted in Irans post-conflict defence doctrine following the so-called 12-day war of June 2025. After Israeli and American strikes reportedly damaged significant portions of Irans air defence infrastructure, the regime now views its ballistic missile arsenal as its most vital remaining deterrent. Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has therefore declared the missile programme never negotiable. Even if Washington pushes for broader discussions, Tehran has signalled it will not compromise on this point. At the same time, Iran is attempting to separate the nuclear issue from wider regional tensions. Tehran is open to strict limitations and monitoring of its nuclear programme, but it has reiterated that domestic uranium enrichment is a sovereign right. The head of Irans atomic energy authority has hinted at a possible concession by diluting stocks enriched to 60 per cent purity. This tightrope walk is taking place amid significant domestic pressure. The government faces economic strain, internal dissent and criticism from reformist voices who argue that the current approach strengthens hardline factions and increases the risk of confrontation. Netanyahus decision to move up his Washington visit so that it precedes the next round of USIran talks is widely seen as an attempt to shape American strategy before any agreement takes form. Israeli officials describe the meeting as a strategy-shaping session aimed at ensuring that Washington adopts a tougher negotiating framework. Netanyahu is expected to present President Donald Trump with a set of guiding principles which, he argues, are essential to securing long-term stability in the region. His central concern is that the US might settle for a narrow agreement confined to the nuclear file while leaving Irans missile capabilities and regional networks untouched. Israels core demands include a complete halt to uranium enrichment, strict limits on Irans ballistic missile programme and a full cessation of support for proxy groups such as Hezbollah and Hamas. To strengthen his case, Netanyahu is reportedly bringing new intelligence assessments suggesting that Iran is rapidly rebuilding its missile stockpiles. Israeli officials warn that, without further constraints, Iran could soon possess between 1,800 and 2,000 ballistic missiles. Netanyahu is also preparing for the possibility that diplomacy fails. Discussions in Washington are expected to include contingency planning, including the prospect of American military action if negotiations collapse. Israel is determined to preserve its operational freedom regardless of any agreement Washington might sign. Members of Netanyahus cabinet have reiterated that Israel reserves the right to act unilaterally should an eventual deal fall short of its security requirements. Domestically, the visit allows Netanyahu to project himself as the indispensable leader capable of confronting Iran and managing relations with Washington, a narrative that carries weight as elections approach. Meanwhile, the Trump White House is trying to reach a deal with Tehran by combining diplomatic pressure and military threat. Indirect talks conducted through envoys such as Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner suggest that Washington is interested in reaching an agreement. Yet the scope of that agreement remains unclear. Vice President JD Vance has stated that there are no red lines at this stage, although he added that President Trump seeks a broad understanding. Trump himself, however, has indicated flexibility. When asked whether a nuclear-only deal would suffice, he replied that it would be acceptable provided Iran does not obtain nuclear weapons. This comment implies that Washington may be willing to prioritise non-proliferation above other Israeli concerns, potentially sidelining the missile and proxy issues central to Netanyahus position. Publicly, American officials continue to emphasise alignment with Israel. Ambassador Mike Huckabee has insisted that there are no significant gaps between the two countries and has spoken of extraordinary alignment on core red lines. At the same time, the US has reinforced its military posture in the region, deploying naval assets to underscore that diplomacy is backed by credible force. Trump has previously signalled a willingness to authorise strikes in response to Iranian actions. Ultimately, the administration appears focused on preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons, though it remains uncertain whether Trump shares Netanyahus sense of urgency regarding Irans conventional missile arsenal and regional influence. Most reports point to Trump's willingness to conclude a limited nuclear deal in exchange for sanctions relief, which would give him an opportunity to claim victory. It would, however, be a major setback for Netanyahu. The forthcoming meeting between Trump and Netanyahu will therefore determine whether Washington adopts Israels broader negotiating principles or proceeds with a narrower diplomatic track that Tehran might find more acceptable. The decision will shape not only the trajectory of USIran talks but also the wider balance between deterrence and diplomacy in the Middle East. The United Arab Emirates has reduced the working hours of public sector employees during the Ramadan holy month. The working hours during Ramadan will be from 9 am to 2.30 pm from Monday to Thursday while the timings will be 9 am to noon on Fridays. However, employees whose job requires them to work during other hours are exempted. According to a directive by the Federal Authority for Government Human Resources, federal ministries and other departments could follow either the approved flexible work regulations during working days in Ramadan or grant flexibility for employees to work remotely on Fridays. The remote work should not exceed 70 per cent of the ministry or department's total workforce in lined with the approved regulations. Ramadan is expected to begin in the UAE on February 18 or 19, as per reports. The official date will be determined by the moon-sighting committee, which will meet on February 17 evening. If moon-sighting is confirmed on the 17th, Ramadan will begin the following day. If not, it will begin on the 19th. Atwi Atwi, a high-portfolio official of Al-Jamaa al-Islamiya (AJI) and a former mayor of a municipality in Lebanons Hasbaya, was captured in a raid by Israeli forces on 9 February. The incident took place only a month after the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) claimed to have achieved "operational control" over southern Lebanon. It underscores how hybrid politicalmilitant actors are treated as legitimate military targets. This, in a way, also reshapes Lebanese sovereignty and the logic of cross-border deterrence. Founded in 1964 in Lebanon, AJI (also known as the Islamic Group) was established as the Lebanese branch of the Muslim Brotherhood. Its military wing, the Al-Fajr Forces, came into existence in 1982. Given that this occurred amid Israels intervention in Lebanon, it marked a critical moment in the militarisation of AJIs political project. As the partys armed wing, Al-Fajrs deployment in East Sidon represented the first sustained Sunni military presence in southern Lebanon. This military engagement later translated into political capital in the post-civil war period (19751990), when AJI achieved its strongest electoral performance, most notably in Beirut and Sidon in the south, as well as in Tripoli and Danniyeh in the north. Mohammed Shoaib Raza Atwis capture is the first major field operation of its kind following the expanded US counter-terrorism doctrine established in January 2026 and the designation of the Lebanese branch of the Muslim Brotherhood (along with the Jordanian and Egyptian branches) as Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTOs). This effectively stripped the group of its political shield, reclassifying its social and municipal leaders as targets. Further, in the present context, the incident highlights a strategic reality that has been quietly maturing for years: the collapse of the sectarian firewall between Sunni and Shiite militancy in the region, resulting in the formation of a shared operational arena. The Lebanese Muslim Brotherhood or AJI (via the Fajr Forces) has transitioned from a fringe political actor into a functional adjunct of the Iranian-led Axis of Resistance. Several instances exemplifying this development have already been witnessed since the Gaza war began. Following Hamass terrorist attacks in Israel in 2023, AJIs military wing, the Al-Fajr Forces, carried out rocket attacks from Southern Lebanon on Israeli-held positions on the pretext of seeking revenge for their members' deaths. At a domestic level, AJI has attempted to reintegrate itself into Lebanons political arena. It tries to do so by emphasising electoral participation, a move influenced by shifting regional dynamicsmost notably the collapse of the Assad regime and the ascent of an Islamist political model. Simultaneously, AJI has also engaged with political actors of diverse ideological orientations, including the Free Patriotic Movement and the Kataeb Party, through discreet and informal channels of communication. This hybridity of the civil-military mechanics of AJI can be observed through Atwi, who exhibited dual roles given his status as a civilian leader and a high-ranking operative in Lebanons Sunni Islamist landscape. Atwi is alleged to have participated in "Joint Rooms" where Hezbollah commanders and Fajr Forces leadership planned rocket trajectories and infiltration routes. These engagements reflect a calculated effort by AJI to broaden its political reach and consolidate local legitimacy, given the vacuum created by the retreat of traditional Sunni leadership following Saad Hariris exit from political life. According to reports, AJIs involvement in the Gaza conflict appears to have divided Lebanons Sunni community, with some endorsing its participation and others denouncing it as counterproductive, claiming that it advances Israeli objectives. For Israel, this operation signals that it will no longer wait for the Lebanese state to fulfil its disarmament or security obligations. In November last year, Israel carried out similar operations in Beit Jinn, located in Southern Syria, to round up AJI operatives. Previously, in April, a top AJI operative, Hussein Izzat Mohammad Atwi, was killed in an Israeli airstrike. With the capture of a former municipal official, Israel has effectively signalled that Lebanese sovereignty is a legal fiction. Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam has directed the countrys foreign ministry to coordinate with the United Nations in exerting diplomatic pressure on Israel to clarify the fate of Atwi. Designated as an FTO and subjected to direct attacks on its senior leadership, AJI now faces constraints on its organisational capacities that parallel those confronting Hezbollah. These shared impediments risk drawing the two movements closer in practical terms, potentially contributing to a further blurring of established sectarian boundaries. Mohammed Shoaib Raza is a doctoral candidate at the Centre for West Asian Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi. The seizure of Tk 15 lakh from a vehicle belonging to Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) leader Shahiduddin Chowdhury Anee on Wednesday has raised questions on the eve of nationwide elections in the country. The money, which was seized at an army checkpost in the Jhumur area of Bangladesh's Lakshmipur district, was going to be used for election-related expenses, Anee said in a Facebook video. "The car used for my election work has been checked. In fact, the incident happened when my election agent was going to different (election) centres with the car," he added. The Facebook video was posted a while after officials detained two individuals in connection with the incident and issued show-cause notices, which stated that they provide an explanation within 30 minutes. Anee added that the vehicle was even being operated by his personal assistant and election agent, Badrul Alam Shyamal, and said that those detained were released after he accounted for the expenses. Still, netizens have expressed doubts about the Tk 15 lakh seizure, as it comes barely a day after Belal Uddin Pradhan, a Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer (leader) and teacher, was arrested with around Tk 50 lakh at the Saidpur Airport in Nilphamari. Security forces have been increased around the hospital where Belal Uddin Pradhan was admitted, as the arrest comes just two days before the elections in Bangladesh. (jamaat-e-islami arrest, saidpur airport, tarique rahman, yunus)https://t.co/qmfsL2WCna THE WEEK (@TheWeekLive) February 11, 2026 Pradhan was first allegedly caught with the money at the Dhaka Airport, but was allowed to board his flight after some questioning. However, he was again caught at the Saidpur Airport, from where he was arrested. However, after the arrest, he complained of illness, and was then taken by ambulance to a nearby hospital, confirmed Superintendent of Police (Nilphamari), Sheikh Zahidul Islam, as per a Prothom Alo report. The Bangladesh police have since registered a case against the Jamaat leader, which will probe the source of the Tk 50 lakh that was recovered from him at the airport. The party's Assistant Secretary General Ahsanul Mahboob Zubair has since cried foul, terming the arrest as a "stage-managed drama by law enforcers". Bangladesh will hold their most critical elections since 2024 on February 12. The contest is between two coalitions, one led by Tarique Rahman, who is leading the BNP and the other led by Shafiqur Rahman, who leads the 11-party coalition led by the Jamaat-e-Islami party. This year, the voting equation has been reshaped after the dismantling of the Awami League, the party led by the former ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina. The party is banned from participating in the election since its government fell on August 5, 2024. Since then, both BNP and the Jammat party leaders have been making efforts to reach out to voters of the Awami League, Prothamalo reported. There are about 30 constituencies in Bangladesh that have a strong presence of Awami League supporters. Representatives of the different districts reported that candidates were carrying out various activities to attract Awami league suppporter in Madaripur, Shariatpur, Faridpur, Gopalganj, Bagerhat, Thakurgaon, Jamalpur and Mymensingh. Some of these efforts included contacting Awami League leaders in the constituencies, visiting graves and assuring protection for members from lawsuits. Many of the leaders and activists of the Awami League government went into hiding after the August uprising. Some of the candidates also reassured those in hidin gthat they could return to their homes. In Mardipur 1 constituency, BNP candidate Nadira Akhter visited the grave of former Awami League MP Ilias Ahmed Chowdhury. After the visist about 20 Awami League leaders publicly showed support for the BNP candidate. In the last one and a half months, several Awami League leaders and activists have joined the BNP. In shariatpurm an Awami League stronghold, Yunus Ali Mollah, the religious affairs secretary of Sakhipur Thana Awami League and chairman of Uttar Tarabonia Union Parishad, joined the BNP along with various leaders, activists and supporters of Sakhipur. Gopalganj, another constituency that has been ruled by the Awami League since 1991, saw candidates paying homage to the grave of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. In Bagerhat, BNP and Jamaat candidates said in meetings that no one will be harassed due to their political identities. In the 11 constituencies of Mymensingh, BNP party leaders are trying to woo voters who previously supported the Awami League. This year's election outcomes may be largely influenced by who the Awami League voters choose to support in such constituencies. BNP Chairman Tarique Rahman recently said in an interview with Deutsche Welle, "BNP will form the government alone. Because someone has to be in the opposition. If there is to be a balanced state, if there is to be a balanced government, someone has to be in the opposition. How will the country run if everyone comes to the government?" The Bangladesh election commission has said that measures have been taken to ensure free, fair and impartial elections. Law enforcement, personnel and administrative preparation are underway. Economists, however, also say that voter turnout might be low this year due to other reasons, such as millions have not been enrolled due to internal migration, especially low-income workers, students and those displaced by climate change. A shooting incident at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School in British Columbia, Canada, has resulted in at least 10 deaths, including the suspect, and over two dozen injuries, according to reports on Wednesday. The attack, one of the deadliest in the region's recent history, occurred at the school on Tuesday. According to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), six individuals were confirmed dead at the scene, while another person succumbed to his injuries on the way to the hospital. Two more bodies were found at a residence believed to be connected to the incident. Police said 25 people were injured, with two of them reported to be in serious condition. "As part of the initial response to the active shooting, police entered the school to locate the threat. During the search, officers located multiple victims. An individual believed to be the shooter was also found deceased with what appears to be a self-inflicted injury," the RCMP stated. "Six additional individuals, not including the suspect, have been located deceased inside the school. Two victims have been airlifted to hospital with serious or life-threatening injuries. A third victim died while being transported to hospital," the statement added. RCMP Superintendent Ken Floyd confirmed that the shooter had been identified, though authorities have not yet released the name. "We are not yet in a position to understand why or what may have motivated this tragedy," Floyd said in a press briefing. School shootings are rare in Canada. According to the provincial government website lists Tumbler Ridge Secondary School as having 175 students from Grades 7 to 12. The school was closed for the rest of the week and counseling will be made available to those in need, officials said. "It's hard to know what to say on a night like tonight. It's the kind of thing that feels like it happens in other places and not close to home," British Columbia Premier David Eby told reporters. MINSK, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko on Tuesday called for a boost in the country's defense capabilities amid heightened military activity near its borders. At a meeting on military-industrial development, Lukashenko demanded the establishment of domestic production of common ammunition types -- artillery shells and rockets for Grad multiple-launch rocket systems -- by the end of 2026. He emphasized that despite the growing role of high-tech weapons, conventional artillery remains decisive in combat engagements. The president tasked the government with securing funding for the projects and assigned oversight to the State Secretariat and the State Control Committee, warning officials against any delays in meeting the deadlines. After an unidentified gunmen stormed a Thailand school and opened fire on Wednesday evening, police revealed that all students and teachers kept hostage were freed. The incident occurred in the evening when students were leaving from Patong Prathan Khiriwat School in Hat Yai district of Songkhla province, Thailand, bordering Malaysia. Deputy Superintendent Wichian Soboon revealed that the gunman was detained. Official reports have not confirmed any deaths, but multiple injuries are suspected. The school headmaster was reportedly shot while a security guard said a bullet grazed his stomach. Several students and teachers were taken hostage after the shooting. Videos showed hundreds of youngsters fleeing from the school as armed police arrived at the scene. Special forces cordoned off the school to bring the situation under control. Rescue teams evacuated people gathered on the campus. The public was urged to avoid the routes leading to the school and nearby areas for safety, reported The Nation Thailand. Terrorism in contemporary Pakistan is the blowback of past mistakes, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif reportedly told the National Assembly. Islamabad should not have got involved in two Afghan wars, which was "a mistake," the minister reportedly said. Claiming the decisions to let Washington use them since 1999 were flawed, Asif said that the damage done is irreversible and there is no compensation that can make things right. Pakistan's two military dictatorsZia-ul-Haq and Pervez Musharrafdecided to join the USA's war in Afghanistan to appease the superpower. It had nothing to do with the sake of Islam, he reportedly said while addressing his fellow parliamentarians. The term jihad was used to justify the involvement of Pakistani forces in the offensive against Kabul which, according to the minister, is only damaging and misleading. While the USA conveniently exited from Afghanistan without terminating the Taliban threat, Pakistan is left to deal with the consequences to this day, he added. "Pakistan was treated worse than a piece of toilet paper; it was used for a purpose and then thrown away," NDTV quoted Khawaja Asif as saying while talking about the USA. "We deny our history and do not accept our mistakes. Terrorism is a blowback of the mistakes committed by dictators in the past," NDTV quoted the minister as saying further. The speech comes only a few days after Pakistan's Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi alleged that India was providing funds to militant outfits inside his country. He, however, provided no evidence to support his claims. Naqvi made the claims a day after India categorically rejected Pakistan's allegations of an Indian link to a suicide blast at a mosque in Islamabad on Friday that killed at least 36 people and injured more than 160 others. "It is unfortunate that, instead of seriously addressing the problems plaguing its social fabric, Pakistan should choose to delude itself by blaming others for its home-grown ills," the Ministry of External Affairs said on Friday, describing the attack as "condemnable". "India rejects any and every such allegation, which is as baseless as it is pointless," it added. Pakistan Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, without providing any evidence, also alleged on Friday that India and Afghanistan were linked to the attack. The United States' recent trade deal with Bangladesh, coming just days after it sealed an agreement with India, has raised concerns within political circles, with opposition parties claiming it as a setback for New Delhi. However, experts argue that India should not be overly concerned about the reciprocal trade deal between Dhaka and Washington. Veena Sikri, former High Commissioner of India to Bangladesh, offers two key reasons why the agreement is unlikely to impact India. "First, the sectors where Bangladesh is likely to benefit from zero tariffs for access to the American market are linked to its purchases of man-made yarn, cotton yarn, and possibly even cotton from the USA. Secondly, these items are already supplied by India at highly competitive prices and with quick turnaround times. So, a Bangladeshi exporter could actually receive these goods from India within a week," Sikri told ANI. #WATCH | Delhi: On the Bangladesh-US reciprocal trade agreement, Veena Sikri, Former High Commissioner of India to Bangladesh, says, "I don't think we should be worrying at all for two reasons. First of all, the places where Bangladesh is likely to receive zero tariffs for access pic.twitter.com/zl3xJyFTFB ANI (@ANI) February 10, 2026 Sikri also expressed skepticism about Bangladesh's ability to purchase Boeing jets as promised in the deal, given the countrys struggling economy. According to the 32-page US-Bangladesh agreement released by the US Trade Representative's office, Biman Bangladesh Airlines plans to purchase 14 Boeing aircraft, with options for additional purchases. Theyre buying a huge number of Boeing jets, but who is going to pay for them? Bangladesh would likely need an IMF loan or some other form of financing. Their economy will become weaker if they are going to get into all these debts, Sikri added. US and Bangladesh signed the trade agreement on Monday, under which Dhaka has secured a reduced 19 per cent US tariff on certain goods, with exemptions for textiles and garments made from US materials. Muhammad Yunus, the chief advisor of Bangladesh's interim government, confirmed that Washington had "committed to establishing a mechanism for certain textile and apparel goods from Bangladesh using US-produced cotton and man-made fibers to receive zero reciprocal tariffs in the US market." While Bangladeshi garments made with US cotton will enjoy zero tariffs, Indian textiles will be subject to an 18% tariff. This has raised concerns that Bangladeshi apparel could become more competitively priced than Indian exports to the US. After 10 were killed at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School in British Columbia, the suspected gunman was identified as Jesse Strang. More than 25 people are injured, including two who were airlifted to the hospital with life-threatening injuries. Who was Jesse Strang? The Canadian authorities are yet to confirm the identity. However, Canada-based news outlet, Juno News, spoke the suspect's uncle, Russell G. Strang, who revealed that Jesse Strang was a trans woman, aged 18. She was found dead from what is believed to be a self-inflicted injury, according to police. A active shooter alert released by police initially said the suspect was described "as female in a dress with brown hair". A YouTube account purportedly owned by the suspected shooter shows that Jesse used the pronouns "she" and "her". After the shooting, Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended condolences to the families who lost their loved ones in the killing. "Deeply shocked by the horrendous shooting in Canada. I extend my heartfelt condolences to the families who have lost their loved ones and wish a speedy recovery to the injured," Modi posted on X. The previous time Canada witnessed a mass shooting of similar scale was in 1989 when a gunman slaughtered 14 women at Ecole Polytechnique in Montreal. In 2020, a gunman killed 22 people during a shooting rampage in Nova Scotia, sparking a 12-hour manhunt. East Japan Railway (OTCMKTS:EJPRY Get Free Report) was the recipient of a large decline in short interest in the month of January. As of January 30th, there was short interest totaling 12,235 shares, a decline of 92.5% from the January 15th total of 162,548 shares. Based on an average daily volume of 136,865 shares, the short-interest ratio is currently 0.1 days. Based on an average daily volume of 136,865 shares, the short-interest ratio is currently 0.1 days. East Japan Railway Trading Down 0.5% Shares of EJPRY traded down $0.06 during trading hours on Tuesday, hitting $12.55. 73,966 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 69,532. East Japan Railway has a fifty-two week low of $8.82 and a fifty-two week high of $13.59. The business has a 50-day moving average of $12.83 and a 200-day moving average of $12.37. Get East Japan Railway alerts: East Japan Railway (OTCMKTS:EJPRY Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Monday, February 2nd. The company reported $0.22 EPS for the quarter. The firm had revenue of $5.04 billion for the quarter. East Japan Railway Company Profile East Japan Railway Company (OTCMKTS:EJPRY) is a leading passenger railway operator in Japan, providing commuter, regional and high-speed rail services primarily across the countrys eastern corridor. Best known for its extensive network in the Tokyo metropolitan area, the company operates conventional lines as well as several Shinkansen bullet train routes, connecting the capital with prefectures to the north and northeast. Through its integrated timetable and ticketing systems, East Japan Railway delivers reliable transport solutions for daily commuters, business travelers and domestic tourists. In addition to rail operations, the company oversees a diversified portfolio of transportation services, including intercity and long-distance bus routes, as well as regional ferry connections in coastal areas. See Also Receive News & Ratings for East Japan Railway Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for East Japan Railway and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Kelly Partners Group (ASX:KPG) reported first-half FY2026 results highlighted by double-digit revenue growth, continued expansion through acquisitions, and further progress on its international strategy, while management also addressed the companys approach to AI, capital allocation, and balance sheet positioning. Get alerts: Financial results and operating performance Chief Financial Officer Kenneth Ko said group revenue rose to AUD 76.0 million for the half-year ended 31 December 2025, up from AUD 64.9 million a year earlier, representing 17% growth. Underlying EBITDA for operating businesses increased 15.2% to AUD 21.0 million, with margins described as comparable to last year. Ko said underlying NPADA attributable to shareholders increasedto(fromin the prior period). He also noted the company continues to present results on a pre-AASB basis, including rent expense, consistent with prior reporting. Revenue growth was attributed to a mix of 4.2% organic growth and 12.8% acquired revenue growth, with Ko emphasizing that acquisition timing limited the contribution in the half. The company completed six acquisitions during the yeartwo in August, two in October, and two in Decembermeaning some acquired businesses contributed only a few months of revenue and profit. Management cited continued strength in cash conversion. Ko said cash conversion was 101.1% for the half (versus 103% in the prior half), in line with the groups expected range of 85%100%. He also highlighted a reduction in lockup days to 49.8 days, which he said reflected working capital discipline. Acquisitions, run-rate growth, and the revenue growth question On the call, management addressed an investor question about the apparent moderation in revenue growth from 24% to 17%. Ko pointed to the companys revenue run rate of AUD 164.2 million, which he said represented a 22% increase compared with FY2025 revenue of AUD 134.6 million, and reiterated that acquisition timing drove the difference between reported half-year growth and run-rate growth. Founder and CEO Brett Kelly said demand from firms seeking to join the group has never been stronger, noting that six firms joined in the past six months. When asked about the M&A pipeline and whether the market had softened, Kelly said the pipeline was very, very strong and as strong as its ever been, adding that seller decisions are typically driven by retirement readiness or a desire for a partner that can add value, rather than the companys share price. Balance sheet, debt, and liquidity Ko said net debt increased by AUD 18.6 million since 30 June 2025 to AUD 77.1 million, primarily to fund the in-year acquisitions and other requirements such as partner buy-ins and loans. Net debt to underlying EBITDA increased to 1.79x from 1.42x at 30 June 2025. Ko also explained a rise in working capital debt to AUD 15.2 million from AUD 7.7 million, attributing the increase to temporary overdrafts from Westpac used to complete two acquisitions late in the half. He said both facilities had been refinanced and converted to long-term debt as of today. Scheduled principal debt repayments totaled AUD 7.0 million for the half, plus an additional AUD 0.8 million, which Ko annualized to about AUD 14 million. Kelly described the companys Fortress Balance Sheet mindset as keeping gearing conservative and operating the business to be resilient across cycles, citing performance through the global financial crisis and the pandemic. International expansion and the global firm strategy Kelly emphasized the companys aim to build an Australian global firm focused on private business owners. He highlighted expansion into a new country, Ireland, which management said was performing well. Kelly also referenced the groups 51% ownership in the Kudos network, which he described as comprising 60 firms in 48 countries, and said the company believes many of those firms will become Kelly Partners firms over time. Management also cited the firms presence in India, Hong Kong, the Philippines, and the United States. Kelly said the group is the only firm he is aware of from Australia to have had an equity interest in a U.S.-based firm. He argued that cross-border work for private companies and families is differentiated and less susceptible to disruption. Kelly also reiterated the companys ambition to become a top-10 accounting firm in Australia (excluding the Big Four and other firms he said are not pure play accounting and tax firms), and he contrasted KPGs audit exposure with peers. He said audit services are 5% of revenue or less at KPG, compared with 25%40% for many comparable firms. AI, software investment, and capital allocation priorities Kelly said the company has been building internal software development capability since 2021, supplemented by external resources, and described applications including a single point of truth tool for directors, niche-focused tools for teams, and an audit platform intended for Kudos firms. He said the company is balancing transparency with protecting trade secrets. Addressing a question about a previously mentioned AI joint venture, Kelly said the company chose not to proceed with joint ventures and instead continue with internal development and partners within the business. He said proposed terms and pricing didnt make any sense and that many AI tools are being duplicated quickly. On whether AI-driven efficiencies could translate into higher organic growth, Kelly said he does not expect higher organic growth and described being comfortable with organic growth around 5%. On capital allocation, Kelly said acquisitions remain the companys first and best use of capital and that nothing has changed besides share price movement. He also said the company intends to take advantage of recent share price weakness through buybacks via its employee share scheme to provide team members long-term exposure. Asked about buybacks versus acquisitions, Kelly said at the current share price he would be more than happy to own all of the shares of the business, while reiterating that partnering with firms through acquisitions remains the core competency. Finally, Kelly said the company intends to pursue a listing on an appropriate market outside the ASX, but only after it has resolved its debt structuring, adding that this was about as much as we can say about that legally at this time. About Kelly Partners Group (ASX:KPG) Kelly Partners Group Holdings Limited provides chartered accounting and other professional services to private businesses and high net worth individuals in Australia. It operates through two segments, Accounting and Other Services. The company offers accounting and taxation, corporate secretarial, outsourced CFO, audit, business structuring, bookkeeping, and other accounting related services. It also provides financial broking, wealth management, investment office, and other non-accounting services. Further Reading Modine Manufacturing (NYSE:MOD Get Free Report) and Aisin Seiki (OTCMKTS:ASEKY Get Free Report) are both large-cap auto/tires/trucks companies, but which is the better business? We will contrast the two businesses based on the strength of their analyst recommendations, dividends, profitability, risk, earnings, valuation and institutional ownership. Profitability This table compares Modine Manufacturing and Aisin Seikis net margins, return on equity and return on assets. Get Modine Manufacturing alerts: Net Margins Return on Equity Return on Assets Modine Manufacturing 3.40% 22.99% 10.52% Aisin Seiki 3.26% 7.21% 3.86% Analyst Ratings This is a summary of recent ratings for Modine Manufacturing and Aisin Seiki, as reported by MarketBeat. Sell Ratings Hold Ratings Buy Ratings Strong Buy Ratings Rating Score Modine Manufacturing 0 1 4 1 3.00 Aisin Seiki 0 1 0 0 2.00 Earnings and Valuation Modine Manufacturing currently has a consensus price target of $213.25, suggesting a potential downside of 3.09%. Given Modine Manufacturings stronger consensus rating and higher possible upside, equities analysts clearly believe Modine Manufacturing is more favorable than Aisin Seiki. This table compares Modine Manufacturing and Aisin Seikis gross revenue, earnings per share and valuation. Gross Revenue Price/Sales Ratio Net Income Earnings Per Share Price/Earnings Ratio Modine Manufacturing $2.87 billion 4.04 $184.00 million $1.80 122.26 Aisin Seiki $32.15 billion 0.39 $699.31 million $1.46 11.30 Aisin Seiki has higher revenue and earnings than Modine Manufacturing. Aisin Seiki is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than Modine Manufacturing, indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks. Insider and Institutional Ownership 95.2% of Modine Manufacturing shares are owned by institutional investors. 2.5% of Modine Manufacturing shares are owned by company insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that hedge funds, endowments and large money managers believe a company is poised for long-term growth. Volatility and Risk Modine Manufacturing has a beta of 1.7, meaning that its stock price is 70% more volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Aisin Seiki has a beta of 0.45, meaning that its stock price is 55% less volatile than the S&P 500. Summary Modine Manufacturing beats Aisin Seiki on 13 of the 15 factors compared between the two stocks. About Modine Manufacturing (Get Free Report) Modine Manufacturing Company provides thermal management products and solutions in the United States, Italy, Hungary, China, the United Kingdom, and internationally. It operates through Climate Solutions and Performance Technologies segments. The company offers heat transfer coils, including heat recovery and round tube plate fin coils; gas-fired, hydronic, electric and oilfired unit heaters; roof-mounted direct- and indirect-fired makeup air units; duct furnaces; infrared units; perimeter heating products; single packaged unit ventilators; modular chillers; air handler and condensing units; ceiling cassettes; evaporator unit coolers, remote condensers, fluid coolers, gas coolers, and dry and brine coolers; and motor and generator cooling coils, transformer oil coolers, radiators, dryers, and industrial heat exchangers. It also provides data center products consisting of IT cooling solutions, including precision air conditioning units for data center applications; computer room air conditioning and handler units; hybrid fan coils; fan walls; chillers; condensers; condensing units; and liquid cooling solutions for high-density computing, as well as replacement parts, maintenance service and control solutions for existing equipment and new building management controls and systems. In addition, the company offers powertrain cooling products, such as radiators, condensers, engine cooling modules, charge air coolers, fan shrouds, and surge tanks; cooling module generator sets; aluminum and stainless steel engine oil coolers, exhaust gas recirculation coolers, liquid charge air coolers, transmission and retarder oil coolers, and chillers; battery thermal management systems, electronics cooling packages, battery chillers, battery cooling plates, coolers and casings for electronics cooling, and coolers for electric axles; and coatings products and application services. Modine Manufacturing Company was incorporated in 1916 and is headquartered in Racine, Wisconsin. About Aisin Seiki (Get Free Report) Aisin Corporation manufactures and sells automotive parts, and energy and lifestyle related products. It provides powertrain products comprising 1 motor hybrid transmission and eaxle products; chassis and vehicle safety systems, such as automated parking systems and electronically controlled brake systems; power sliding door systems and sunroof products; connected and sharing solutions; and repair and maintenance products. The company also offers energy solutions comprising ENEFARM, a system that generates electricity by extracting hydrogen from gas; gas heat pump air conditioners; warm water shower toilet seats; and peltier modules that are thermoelectric conversion devices, which function as heat pumps by sending direct current. In addition, it provides ILY-Ai, a multifunctional personal shopping mobility product for various user needs; fiber laser; and audio equipment. Aisin Corporation was founded in 1943 and is headquartered in Kariya, Japan. Receive News & Ratings for Modine Manufacturing Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Modine Manufacturing and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Douglas Emmett (NYSE:DEI Get Free Report) issued an update on its FY 2026 earnings guidance on Tuesday morning. The company provided earnings per share (EPS) guidance of 1.390-1.450 for the period, compared to the consensus estimate of 0.440. The company issued revenue guidance of -. Douglas Emmett Stock Performance DEI traded up $0.08 during trading on Tuesday, reaching $10.63. 2,229,865 shares of the companys stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 2,694,647. Douglas Emmett has a fifty-two week low of $10.21 and a fifty-two week high of $17.47. The company has a quick ratio of 3.03, a current ratio of 3.03 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.58. The business has a 50 day moving average price of $11.10 and a 200 day moving average price of $13.20. The company has a market capitalization of $1.78 billion, a P/E ratio of 88.57 and a beta of 1.14. Get Douglas Emmett alerts: Douglas Emmett (NYSE:DEI Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, February 10th. The real estate investment trust reported ($0.04) earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $0.35 by ($0.39). Douglas Emmett had a net margin of 2.22% and a return on equity of 0.62%. The business had revenue of $249.43 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $252.91 million. Douglas Emmett has set its FY 2026 guidance at 1.390-1.450 EPS. As a group, analysts predict that Douglas Emmett will post 1.45 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Douglas Emmett Dividend Announcement Wall Street Analyst Weigh In The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, January 15th. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, December 31st were issued a dividend of $0.19 per share. This represents a $0.76 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 7.2%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Wednesday, December 31st. Douglas Emmetts payout ratio is presently 633.33%. Several brokerages recently commented on DEI. Weiss Ratings lowered Douglas Emmett from a hold (c-) rating to a sell (d+) rating in a research note on Monday, January 12th. Piper Sandler cut shares of Douglas Emmett from an overweight rating to a neutral rating and decreased their price objective for the stock from $19.00 to $14.00 in a research note on Thursday, November 6th. Cantor Fitzgerald reaffirmed a neutral rating and set a $11.00 price target on shares of Douglas Emmett in a report on Monday, January 5th. Jefferies Financial Group reissued a hold rating on shares of Douglas Emmett in a research note on Tuesday, November 11th. Finally, UBS Group lowered Douglas Emmett to a sector perform rating in a research note on Wednesday, January 14th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, six have given a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, Douglas Emmett has an average rating of Hold and an average target price of $15.00. Get Our Latest Stock Report on Douglas Emmett Hedge Funds Weigh In On Douglas Emmett Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the company. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC raised its stake in Douglas Emmett by 220.8% in the 2nd quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 1,694 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $25,000 after acquiring an additional 1,166 shares during the period. Advisory Services Network LLC acquired a new position in shares of Douglas Emmett in the third quarter valued at $32,000. Osaic Holdings Inc. raised its position in shares of Douglas Emmett by 48.6% in the second quarter. Osaic Holdings Inc. now owns 9,896 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $149,000 after purchasing an additional 3,237 shares during the period. Corient Private Wealth LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Douglas Emmett during the 2nd quarter worth about $157,000. Finally, Squarepoint Ops LLC acquired a new stake in Douglas Emmett during the third quarter worth approximately $177,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 97.37% of the companys stock. Douglas Emmett Company Profile (Get Free Report) Douglas Emmett, Inc is a publicly traded real estate investment trust headquartered in Santa Monica, California. The company specializes in the ownership, management and development of high?quality office and multifamily properties, primarily concentrated in the coastal regions of Los Angeles County and the Greater Honolulu area. As a vertically integrated real estate platform, Douglas Emmett controls all aspects of property operations, leasing, capital improvements and tenant relations, positioning it to deliver stable, long?term cash flows. The companys office portfolio consists predominantly of Class A buildings located in prime business districts, featuring modern amenities, campus-like settings and environmentally conscious design elements. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for Douglas Emmett Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Douglas Emmett and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Mirion Technologies (NYSE:MIR Get Free Report) posted its earnings results on Tuesday. The company reported $0.15 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.16 by ($0.01), FiscalAI reports. The firm had revenue of $277.40 million for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $281.17 million. Mirion Technologies had a return on equity of 7.09% and a net margin of 2.93%.The companys revenue was up 9.1% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the company earned $0.17 earnings per share. Mirion Technologies updated its FY 2026 guidance to 0.500-0.570 EPS. Mirion Technologies Price Performance MIR stock opened at $23.49 on Wednesday. The businesss 50-day moving average is $24.89 and its two-hundred day moving average is $23.98. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.63, a current ratio of 4.83 and a quick ratio of 4.32. The firm has a market capitalization of $5.96 billion, a P/E ratio of 213.56 and a beta of 0.97. Mirion Technologies has a 1 year low of $12.00 and a 1 year high of $30.28. Get Mirion Technologies alerts: Insider Buying and Selling In related news, Director Lawrence D. Kingsley sold 350,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Wednesday, December 10th. The shares were sold at an average price of $24.73, for a total transaction of $8,655,500.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director owned 3,509,075 shares in the company, valued at approximately $86,779,424.75. The trade was a 9.07% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. 2.20% of the stock is owned by company insiders. Institutional Investors Weigh In On Mirion Technologies Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth Several large investors have recently modified their holdings of MIR. US Bancorp DE boosted its holdings in Mirion Technologies by 6.6% in the third quarter. US Bancorp DE now owns 6,874 shares of the companys stock valued at $160,000 after acquiring an additional 425 shares during the last quarter. Global Retirement Partners LLC raised its holdings in shares of Mirion Technologies by 78.4% in the 4th quarter. Global Retirement Partners LLC now owns 2,018 shares of the companys stock worth $47,000 after purchasing an additional 887 shares during the period. Smartleaf Asset Management LLC lifted its stake in shares of Mirion Technologies by 18.1% in the 2nd quarter. Smartleaf Asset Management LLC now owns 6,146 shares of the companys stock valued at $133,000 after purchasing an additional 941 shares in the last quarter. Advisory Services Network LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Mirion Technologies during the 3rd quarter worth about $25,000. Finally, EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC grew its holdings in shares of Mirion Technologies by 470.1% during the 2nd quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 1,642 shares of the companys stock worth $35,000 after purchasing an additional 1,354 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 78.51% of the companys stock. A number of analysts have recently commented on the stock. JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted their target price on shares of Mirion Technologies from $28.00 to $34.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research note on Thursday, October 30th. Citigroup cut their price objective on Mirion Technologies from $35.00 to $33.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a research note on Monday, December 8th. Evercore began coverage on Mirion Technologies in a research report on Tuesday, November 25th. They issued an outperform rating and a $29.00 target price on the stock. Finally, Morgan Stanley began coverage on Mirion Technologies in a research report on Friday, January 23rd. They set an equal weight rating and a $29.00 price target for the company. Seven equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and two have given a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Mirion Technologies presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $28.38. Read Our Latest Stock Report on Mirion Technologies About Mirion Technologies (Get Free Report) Mirion Technologies Inc (NYSE: MIR) is a leading global provider of radiation detection, measurement and monitoring solutions. The companys portfolio includes instrumentation, software and service offerings designed to detect, quantify and manage radiation in nuclear power, oil and gas, defense and homeland security, medical imaging and diagnostic applications. Mirions product suite spans personal and environmental dosimetry, area monitors, digital imaging detectors and turnkey solutions for decommissioning and environmental remediation projects. Mirion traces its origins to the combination of several established radiation measurement businesses, including the former Canberra nuclear instrumentation division, and has been supported by private equity investors before completing its initial public offering on the New York Stock Exchange in 2023. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for Mirion Technologies Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Mirion Technologies and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. CONAKRY, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- The Prosecutor-General's Office of the Conakry Court of Appeal on Tuesday announced a decision by the penitentiary administration to transfer the detained Commander Toumba Diakite from the central prison in Guinea's capital to another in Coyah, northeast of Conakry. According to an official statement, an unannounced inspection and search operation was carried out on Monday at the Conakry central prison, during which authorities discovered and seized several prohibited items, including mobile phones, psychotropic substances and bladed weapons, in the possession of some inmates. During the operation, Diakite displayed aggressive behavior by refusing to submit to the search and making threats against security officers, the statement said, adding that his conduct also created tensions among other detainees. The penitentiary administration made the legal and appropriate decision to transfer him on Tuesday to the Coyah prison, in a bid to preserve public order and ensure the safety of both other inmates and prison staff, the statement said. Earlier in the day, gunfire was first heard around the Conakry central prison at about 0930 GMT in the Coronthie neighborhood of Kaloum, the administrative and economic hub of the Guinean capital, which hosts the presidential palace and government offices, according to local media. Witnesses reported that elements of the special forces exchanged fire with other armed soldiers in the Coronthie area, where the central prison is located. Following the gunfire incident, security forces restored calm in Kaloum, central Conakry, and road traffic resumed, although flows toward the downtown area remained lighter than usual, a Xinhua reporter at the scene said. Diakite, whose full name is Aboubacar Sidiki Diakite, was sentenced to 10 years in prison in July 2024 in connection with the trial over the Sept. 28, 2009 stadium massacre in Conakry. Local media reported that more than 150 people were killed during the rally at the stadium. Juniata Valley Financial Corp. (OTCMKTS:JUVF Get Free Report) saw a large increase in short interest in the month of January. As of January 30th, there was short interest totaling 1,747 shares, an increase of 490.2% from the January 15th total of 296 shares. Based on an average daily volume of 3,833 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is currently 0.5 days. Based on an average daily volume of 3,833 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is currently 0.5 days. Juniata Valley Financial Trading Down 1.0% Shares of OTCMKTS JUVF traded down $0.14 during midday trading on Tuesday, reaching $13.76. 1,025 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 3,427. The business has a 50-day simple moving average of $13.83 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $14.02. Juniata Valley Financial has a 12 month low of $11.55 and a 12 month high of $14.98. Get Juniata Valley Financial alerts: About Juniata Valley Financial (Get Free Report) Juniata Valley Financial, Inc (OTCMKTS: JUVF) is a bank holding company headquartered in Mifflintown, Pennsylvania. Through its wholly owned subsidiary, Juniata Valley Bank, the company provides a full suite of commercial and retail banking services to individuals, businesses and agricultural clients. Its product offerings include checking and savings accounts, certificates of deposit, consumer and commercial loans, residential mortgages, and agricultural finance solutions tailored to the needs of local producers. In addition to traditional banking services, Juniata Valley Financial delivers treasury management, online and mobile banking, and trust and wealth management services aimed at helping customers manage liquidity, process payments and plan for long-term financial goals. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for Juniata Valley Financial Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Juniata Valley Financial and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Shares of Kincora Copper Limited (CVE:KCC Get Free Report) were up 26.3% during trading on Tuesday . The company traded as high as C$1.35 and last traded at C$1.25. Approximately 234,730 shares changed hands during mid-day trading, an increase of 474% from the average daily volume of 40,898 shares. The stock had previously closed at C$0.99. Kincora Copper Trading Up 26.3% The company has a fifty day moving average price of C$1.02 and a two-hundred day moving average price of C$0.97. The firm has a market capitalization of C$53.44 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of -10.42 and a beta of 1.87. About Kincora Copper (Get Free Report) Kincora Copper Limited engages in acquisition, exploration, and evaluation of mineral properties in Mongolia and Australia. It primarily explores for copper and gold deposits. The company's flagship project is the Trundle Project, including one license covering an area of 167km2 located in the Junee-Narromine volcanic belt of the Macquarie Arc. The company was formerly known as Brazilian Diamonds Limited and changed its name to Kincora Copper Limited in January 2011. Kincora Copper Limited was incorporated in 1983 and is headquartered in Vancouver, Canada. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for Kincora Copper Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Kincora Copper and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. iShares Prime Money Market ETF (NYSEARCA:PMMF Get Free Report) saw a large decline in short interest during the month of January. As of January 30th, there was short interest totaling 4,541 shares, a decline of 94.1% from the January 15th total of 76,348 shares. Approximately 0.1% of the shares of the company are short sold. Based on an average daily volume of 116,713 shares, the short-interest ratio is presently 0.0 days. Based on an average daily volume of 116,713 shares, the short-interest ratio is presently 0.0 days. Approximately 0.1% of the shares of the company are short sold. iShares Prime Money Market ETF Trading Up 0.0% Shares of NYSEARCA:PMMF traded up $0.02 on Tuesday, hitting $100.35. 77,985 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 111,344. iShares Prime Money Market ETF has a 1-year low of $99.81 and a 1-year high of $101.40. The stocks 50 day moving average price is $100.33 and its 200 day moving average price is $100.36. Get iShares Prime Money Market ETF alerts: Institutional Inflows and Outflows An institutional investor recently bought a new position in iShares Prime Money Market ETF stock. Hikari Power Ltd bought a new position in shares of iShares Prime Money Market ETF (NYSEARCA:PMMF Free Report) in the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund bought 103,120 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $10,362,000. iShares Prime Money Market ETF accounts for approximately 0.9% of Hikari Power Ltds investment portfolio, making the stock its 18th biggest holding. Hikari Power Ltd owned 3.83% of iShares Prime Money Market ETF as of its most recent SEC filing. iShares Prime Money Market ETF Company Profile The iShares Prime Money Market ETF (PMMF) is an exchange-traded fund that mostly invests in broad credit fixed income. The fund is an actively managed fund which invests in USD-denominated money market instruments with short-term maturities. The fund seeks a high level of current income. PMMF was launched on Feb 4, 2025 and is issued by BlackRock. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for iShares Prime Money Market ETF Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for iShares Prime Money Market ETF and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. iShares JPX-Nikkei 400 ETF (NYSEARCA:JPXN Get Free Report) was the target of a significant growth in short interest in the month of January. As of January 30th, there was short interest totaling 84,331 shares, a growth of 740.0% from the January 15th total of 10,039 shares. Currently, 6.2% of the shares of the company are sold short. Based on an average daily volume of 51,608 shares, the short-interest ratio is currently 1.6 days. Based on an average daily volume of 51,608 shares, the short-interest ratio is currently 1.6 days. Currently, 6.2% of the shares of the company are sold short. Institutional Trading of iShares JPX-Nikkei 400 ETF Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the business. Jane Street Group LLC increased its stake in shares of iShares JPX-Nikkei 400 ETF by 32.8% in the first quarter. Jane Street Group LLC now owns 91,084 shares of the companys stock worth $6,647,000 after acquiring an additional 22,488 shares during the period. Flow Traders U.S. LLC boosted its holdings in iShares JPX-Nikkei 400 ETF by 12.1% in the third quarter. Flow Traders U.S. LLC now owns 84,389 shares of the companys stock valued at $7,193,000 after purchasing an additional 9,135 shares during the last quarter. Citadel Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in iShares JPX-Nikkei 400 ETF in the third quarter valued at $2,746,000. Bank of America Corp DE grew its position in iShares JPX-Nikkei 400 ETF by 1.3% during the 3rd quarter. Bank of America Corp DE now owns 13,448 shares of the companys stock worth $1,146,000 after purchasing an additional 171 shares during the period. Finally, Susquehanna International Group LLP raised its stake in shares of iShares JPX-Nikkei 400 ETF by 14.8% during the 3rd quarter. Susquehanna International Group LLP now owns 12,816 shares of the companys stock valued at $1,092,000 after buying an additional 1,653 shares during the last quarter. Get iShares JPX-Nikkei 400 ETF alerts: iShares JPX-Nikkei 400 ETF Stock Up 2.1% Shares of iShares JPX-Nikkei 400 ETF stock traded up $2.07 on Tuesday, reaching $100.07. 115,316 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 39,849. iShares JPX-Nikkei 400 ETF has a twelve month low of $64.67 and a twelve month high of $100.37. The firm has a market capitalization of $135.09 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of 14.59 and a beta of 0.65. The business has a 50 day moving average price of $89.77 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $86.90. About iShares JPX-Nikkei 400 ETF iShares Japan Large-Cap ETF (the Fund), formerly iShares S&P/TOPIX 150 Index Fund, is an exchange-traded fund (ETF). The Fund seeks investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance of the S&P/TOPIX 150 (the Index). The Index is comprised of approximately 70% of the market value of the Japanese equity market. Components primarily include consumer discretionary, financial and industrials companies. The Fund generally invests at least 90% of its assets in securities of the Index and in depositary receipts representing securities of the Index. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for iShares JPX-Nikkei 400 ETF Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for iShares JPX-Nikkei 400 ETF and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Citizens Financial Corp. (OTCMKTS:CIWV Get Free Report)s share price was up 1% on Tuesday . The stock traded as high as $35.50 and last traded at $35.35. Approximately 7,468 shares traded hands during trading, an increase of 295% from the average daily volume of 1,889 shares. The stock had previously closed at $35.00. Citizens Financial Price Performance The company has a 50-day simple moving average of $33.52 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $33.60. About Citizens Financial (Get Free Report) Citizens Financial Corp. operates as the bank holding company for Citizens Bank of West Virginia, Inc that engages in the provision of retail, secondary market, and commercial loan services to consumers and businesses in West Virginia. It provides various deposit products, including checking accounts, savings accounts, money market accounts, individual retirement accounts, and certificates of deposit. The company also offers loan products comprising auto, personal, RVS and camper, motorcycles, boats, and ATVS; and commercial loans, such as term loans, lines of credit, real estate loans, and government guaranteed loans, as well as home loans and home equity; debit and credit cards; and insured cash sweep and CDARS. See Also Receive News & Ratings for Citizens Financial Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Citizens Financial and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. ThyssenKrupp (OTCMKTS:TKAMY Get Free Report) is expected to announce its results before the market opens on Thursday, February 12th. Analysts expect the company to announce earnings of $0.20 per share for the quarter. ThyssenKrupp (OTCMKTS:TKAMY Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Tuesday, December 9th. The company reported $1.20 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter. The business had revenue of $9.68 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $9.60 billion. ThyssenKrupp had a net margin of 2.80% and a return on equity of 9.15%. Get ThyssenKrupp alerts: ThyssenKrupp Stock Down 0.9% OTCMKTS:TKAMY opened at $13.97 on Wednesday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.05, a quick ratio of 1.09 and a current ratio of 1.69. ThyssenKrupp has a 12 month low of $4.79 and a 12 month high of $17.02. The companys 50-day moving average price is $11.80 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $12.39. Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades TKAMY has been the topic of several recent analyst reports. Morgan Stanley reissued an underweight rating on shares of ThyssenKrupp in a report on Tuesday, January 6th. Zacks Research upgraded ThyssenKrupp from a hold rating to a strong-buy rating in a research report on Tuesday, January 6th. Finally, Citigroup restated a buy rating on shares of ThyssenKrupp in a report on Friday, December 5th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, one has issued a Buy rating, one has issued a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy. Get Our Latest Analysis on ThyssenKrupp ThyssenKrupp Company Profile (Get Free Report) ThyssenKrupp AG (OTCMKTS: TKAMY) is a diversified German industrial conglomerate headquartered in Essen and Dusseldorf. Formed in 1999 through the merger of Thyssen AG and Friedrich Krupp GmbH, the company operates across multiple segments, including steel production, materials distribution, industrial engineering, elevator technology and automotive components. In its Materials Services division, ThyssenKrupp supplies processed and semi-finished steel products and high-performance materials to industries such as automotive, construction and machinery manufacturing. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for ThyssenKrupp Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for ThyssenKrupp and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. nVent Electric PLC (NYSE:NVT Get Free Report) Director Jerry Burris sold 5,244 shares of the stock in a transaction on Friday, February 6th. The shares were sold at an average price of $112.27, for a total value of $588,743.88. Following the sale, the director owned 46,371 shares in the company, valued at approximately $5,206,072.17. This trade represents a 10.16% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this link. nVent Electric Stock Down 2.2% NVT opened at $112.06 on Wednesday. The company has a quick ratio of 1.16, a current ratio of 1.63 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.41. The firm has a market cap of $18.08 billion, a P/E ratio of 26.06, a PEG ratio of 1.20 and a beta of 1.33. nVent Electric PLC has a 52 week low of $41.71 and a 52 week high of $120.85. The businesss fifty day simple moving average is $107.74 and its 200 day simple moving average is $101.10. Get nVent Electric alerts: nVent Electric (NYSE:NVT Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Friday, February 6th. The company reported $0.90 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.89 by $0.01. nVent Electric had a net margin of 18.25% and a return on equity of 15.18%. The firm had revenue of $1.07 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company posted $0.59 EPS. The firms revenue for the quarter was up 41.9% on a year-over-year basis. nVent Electric has set its Q1 2026 guidance at 0.900-0.930 EPS and its FY 2026 guidance at 4.000-4.150 EPS. As a group, equities research analysts anticipate that nVent Electric PLC will post 3.04 EPS for the current fiscal year. nVent Electric Increases Dividend Institutional Investors Weigh In On nVent Electric The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, February 6th. Shareholders of record on Friday, January 23rd were paid a $0.21 dividend. This represents a $0.84 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.7%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, January 23rd. This is a positive change from nVent Electrics previous quarterly dividend of $0.20. nVent Electrics dividend payout ratio is 19.53%. Several large investors have recently made changes to their positions in NVT. Global Trust Asset Management LLC acquired a new stake in shares of nVent Electric during the third quarter valued at about $30,000. Root Financial Partners LLC purchased a new position in nVent Electric in the third quarter valued at about $31,000. True Wealth Design LLC boosted its holdings in nVent Electric by 1,202.9% in the second quarter. True Wealth Design LLC now owns 443 shares of the companys stock valued at $32,000 after purchasing an additional 409 shares during the last quarter. Manchester Capital Management LLC grew its stake in nVent Electric by 222.2% during the 2nd quarter. Manchester Capital Management LLC now owns 435 shares of the companys stock valued at $32,000 after purchasing an additional 300 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Cullen Frost Bankers Inc. purchased a new stake in nVent Electric during the 4th quarter worth approximately $32,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 90.05% of the companys stock. Analysts Set New Price Targets Several brokerages have recently weighed in on NVT. Barclays increased their price objective on shares of nVent Electric from $140.00 to $141.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a report on Monday. Roth Mkm reaffirmed a buy rating and set a $130.00 price target (up previously from $115.00) on shares of nVent Electric in a research note on Monday, November 3rd. Wolfe Research raised shares of nVent Electric to an outperform rating in a research note on Monday. Zacks Research lowered nVent Electric from a strong-buy rating to a hold rating in a research report on Friday, February 6th. Finally, Royal Bank Of Canada lifted their target price on nVent Electric from $136.00 to $138.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a report on Monday. Ten equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and one has given a Hold rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, nVent Electric currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $126.25. View Our Latest Stock Report on nVent Electric About nVent Electric (Get Free Report) nVent Electric PLC is a global manufacturer of electrical connection, protection and thermal management solutions. The company designs, engineers and produces a broad portfolio of products aimed at enhancing safety, reliability and performance in electrical systems across a variety of industries. Its core offerings include electrical enclosures, heat tracing systems, grounding and bonding products, cable management, and fastening solutions. nVent serves markets such as commercial and industrial construction, oil and gas, telecommunications, data centers, utilities, and renewable energy. The companys electrical enclosures and housing solutions protect sensitive components from environmental hazards, while its Raychem brand heat tracing products provide freeze protection and temperature maintenance for critical piping and equipment. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for nVent Electric Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for nVent Electric and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Forestar Group Inc (NYSE:FOR Get Free Report)s share price reached a new 52-week high during mid-day trading on Wednesday . The company traded as high as $29.87 and last traded at $29.51, with a volume of 140635 shares. The stock had previously closed at $28.91. Analyst Ratings Changes A number of brokerages recently weighed in on FOR. Wall Street Zen downgraded shares of Forestar Group from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research report on Friday, January 23rd. JMP Securities set a $35.00 target price on Forestar Group in a research note on Wednesday, October 29th. Citigroup upped their target price on Forestar Group from $36.00 to $38.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a report on Wednesday, January 28th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased their price target on Forestar Group from $23.00 to $25.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a research report on Tuesday, November 4th. Finally, Citizens Jmp raised their price target on Forestar Group from $30.00 to $35.00 and gave the stock a market outperform rating in a report on Wednesday, October 29th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, four have given a Buy rating and two have given a Hold rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $32.40. Get Forestar Group alerts: Check Out Our Latest Stock Report on FOR Forestar Group Stock Up 2.1% The company has a quick ratio of 0.71, a current ratio of 0.71 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.44. The firms 50-day moving average price is $26.17 and its 200 day moving average price is $26.16. The firm has a market cap of $1.50 billion, a P/E ratio of 9.02 and a beta of 1.43. Forestar Group (NYSE:FOR Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, January 20th. The oil and gas exploration company reported $0.30 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.21 by $0.09. The firm had revenue of $273.00 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $265.48 million. Forestar Group had a net margin of 9.90% and a return on equity of 9.76%. Forestar Groups quarterly revenue was up 9.0% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the firm posted $0.32 EPS. As a group, research analysts expect that Forestar Group Inc will post 3.44 earnings per share for the current year. Hedge Funds Weigh In On Forestar Group Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Caitong International Asset Management Co. Ltd increased its position in Forestar Group by 1,206.6% in the 3rd quarter. Caitong International Asset Management Co. Ltd now owns 993 shares of the oil and gas exploration companys stock valued at $26,000 after acquiring an additional 917 shares during the period. Allworth Financial LP boosted its position in Forestar Group by 3,273.8% during the 2nd quarter. Allworth Financial LP now owns 1,417 shares of the oil and gas exploration companys stock worth $28,000 after acquiring an additional 1,375 shares during the period. Comerica Bank grew its stake in shares of Forestar Group by 76.5% in the third quarter. Comerica Bank now owns 1,269 shares of the oil and gas exploration companys stock worth $34,000 after purchasing an additional 550 shares in the last quarter. Tower Research Capital LLC TRC increased its holdings in shares of Forestar Group by 201.1% during the second quarter. Tower Research Capital LLC TRC now owns 2,105 shares of the oil and gas exploration companys stock valued at $42,000 after purchasing an additional 1,406 shares during the period. Finally, State of Alaska Department of Revenue bought a new stake in shares of Forestar Group during the third quarter valued at about $72,000. 35.50% of the stock is owned by institutional investors. About Forestar Group (Get Free Report) Forestar Group Inc, headquartered in Austin, Texas, is a residential lot development and management company focused on delivering finished home sites to homebuilders across the United States. The company acquires, entitles and develops land for single-family and multi-family housing, managing zoning, infrastructure and environmental approvals to prepare lots for construction. Forestars integrated approach to land development spans from initial site acquisition through final lot delivery, providing homebuilders with ready-to-build parcels in a variety of markets. In addition to lot development, Forestar operates a retail homebuilding segment through joint ventures and strategic partnerships with national and regional homebuilders. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for Forestar Group Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Forestar Group and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. The Bank of New York Mellon Corporation (NYSE:BK Get Free Report) has earned an average recommendation of Moderate Buy from the twelve research firms that are currently covering the stock, Marketbeat reports. Four research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, seven have issued a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company. The average 12 month target price among brokers that have covered the stock in the last year is $131.9167. A number of analysts recently weighed in on the stock. Royal Bank Of Canada upped their price objective on shares of Bank of New York Mellon from $124.00 to $130.00 and gave the stock a sector perform rating in a research note on Wednesday, January 14th. Truist Financial raised shares of Bank of New York Mellon from a hold rating to a buy rating and upped their price target for the stock from $119.00 to $134.00 in a research report on Wednesday, January 7th. New Street Research set a $143.00 price objective on shares of Bank of New York Mellon in a research note on Wednesday, January 14th. Wells Fargo & Company boosted their price objective on shares of Bank of New York Mellon from $119.00 to $122.00 and gave the stock an equal weight rating in a research note on Wednesday, January 14th. Finally, Keefe, Bruyette & Woods increased their target price on Bank of New York Mellon from $132.00 to $143.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research report on Wednesday, January 14th. Get Bank of New York Mellon alerts: Get Our Latest Analysis on BK Institutional Trading of Bank of New York Mellon Bank of New York Mellon Stock Down 0.9% A number of institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the company. Ashton Thomas Private Wealth LLC lifted its position in Bank of New York Mellon by 133.2% during the 3rd quarter. Ashton Thomas Private Wealth LLC now owns 91,762 shares of the banks stock worth $9,998,000 after acquiring an additional 52,412 shares during the period. Jones Financial Companies Lllp increased its holdings in shares of Bank of New York Mellon by 35.1% in the third quarter. Jones Financial Companies Lllp now owns 31,848 shares of the banks stock valued at $3,487,000 after purchasing an additional 8,277 shares during the period. Investment Management Corp of Ontario raised its stake in shares of Bank of New York Mellon by 25.9% in the second quarter. Investment Management Corp of Ontario now owns 125,506 shares of the banks stock worth $11,435,000 after purchasing an additional 25,842 shares during the last quarter. First National Advisers LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Bank of New York Mellon during the third quarter worth about $3,304,000. Finally, First Horizon Corp purchased a new stake in Bank of New York Mellon in the third quarter valued at approximately $22,072,000. 85.31% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors. Shares of NYSE:BK opened at $126.49 on Friday. The businesss 50 day moving average is $118.90 and its 200 day moving average is $110.75. The stock has a market cap of $88.21 billion, a P/E ratio of 17.07, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.19 and a beta of 1.10. Bank of New York Mellon has a 52-week low of $70.46 and a 52-week high of $128.76. The company has a quick ratio of 0.70, a current ratio of 0.71 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.81. Bank of New York Mellon (NYSE:BK Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Friday, October 31st. The bank reported $1.91 earnings per share for the quarter. The business had revenue of $5.07 billion during the quarter. Bank of New York Mellon had a return on equity of 14.37% and a net margin of 13.62%. Sell-side analysts predict that Bank of New York Mellon will post 6.96 EPS for the current year. Bank of New York Mellon Dividend Announcement The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, February 5th. Shareholders of record on Friday, January 23rd were paid a $0.53 dividend. This represents a $2.12 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.7%. The ex-dividend date was Friday, January 23rd. Bank of New York Mellons payout ratio is 28.61%. Bank of New York Mellon Company Profile (Get Free Report) Bank of New York Mellon Corporation (BNY Mellon) is a global financial services company headquartered in New York City that provides a wide range of asset servicing, custody, and related financial infrastructure solutions to institutional clients. Its core businesses include custody and asset servicing, clearing and collateral management, treasury services, securities lending, corporate trust services, and depositary receipt administration. The company also offers investment management and advisory services through its asset management arm and provides technology-enabled solutions for trade processing, foreign exchange, and liquidity management. BNY Mellon serves a broad client base that includes asset managers, pension funds, corporations, banks, broker-dealers and sovereign entities. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for Bank of New York Mellon Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Bank of New York Mellon and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Impax Asset Management Group plc lessened its stake in Abbott Laboratories (NYSE:ABT Free Report) by 9.6% during the third quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The institutional investor owned 128,472 shares of the healthcare product makers stock after selling 13,701 shares during the period. Impax Asset Management Group plcs holdings in Abbott Laboratories were worth $17,208,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. A number of other hedge funds also recently made changes to their positions in ABT. Krilogy Financial LLC bought a new stake in Abbott Laboratories in the third quarter valued at approximately $1,191,000. Magnolia Private Wealth LLC lifted its position in shares of Abbott Laboratories by 10.9% in the 3rd quarter. Magnolia Private Wealth LLC now owns 2,007 shares of the healthcare product makers stock worth $269,000 after purchasing an additional 198 shares during the period. Center for Financial Planning Inc. boosted its stake in shares of Abbott Laboratories by 3.8% in the 3rd quarter. Center for Financial Planning Inc. now owns 17,660 shares of the healthcare product makers stock valued at $2,365,000 after purchasing an additional 647 shares during the last quarter. Stratos Wealth Partners LTD. boosted its stake in shares of Abbott Laboratories by 5.8% in the 3rd quarter. Stratos Wealth Partners LTD. now owns 115,844 shares of the healthcare product makers stock valued at $15,516,000 after purchasing an additional 6,382 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Liberty Capital Management Inc. increased its position in shares of Abbott Laboratories by 3.6% during the third quarter. Liberty Capital Management Inc. now owns 48,018 shares of the healthcare product makers stock worth $6,432,000 after buying an additional 1,678 shares during the period. 75.18% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors. Get Abbott Laboratories alerts: Insider Buying and Selling at Abbott Laboratories In other Abbott Laboratories news, Director Daniel J. Starks purchased 10,000 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, February 4th. The shares were acquired at an average price of $108.73 per share, with a total value of $1,087,300.00. Following the transaction, the director owned 6,738,817 shares in the company, valued at $732,711,572.41. The trade was a 0.15% increase in their ownership of the stock. The acquisition was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. 0.46% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders. Abbott Laboratories Trading Up 1.0% Shares of Abbott Laboratories stock opened at $112.23 on Wednesday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.23, a quick ratio of 1.24 and a current ratio of 1.70. Abbott Laboratories has a 52 week low of $105.27 and a 52 week high of $141.23. The stock has a 50 day moving average price of $120.24 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $126.70. The stock has a market capitalization of $195.15 billion, a PE ratio of 30.17, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.77 and a beta of 0.75. Abbott Laboratories (NYSE:ABT Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, January 22nd. The healthcare product maker reported $1.50 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, hitting analysts consensus estimates of $1.50. The company had revenue of $11.46 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $11.80 billion. Abbott Laboratories had a return on equity of 17.94% and a net margin of 14.72%.Abbott Laboratoriess quarterly revenue was up 4.4% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the business earned $1.34 EPS. Abbott Laboratories has set its Q1 2026 guidance at 1.120-1.180 EPS and its FY 2026 guidance at 5.550-5.800 EPS. As a group, equities analysts anticipate that Abbott Laboratories will post 5.14 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Abbott Laboratories Increases Dividend The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, February 13th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, January 15th will be given a dividend of $0.63 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, January 15th. This is a boost from Abbott Laboratoriess previous quarterly dividend of $0.59. This represents a $2.52 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.2%. Abbott Laboratoriess payout ratio is presently 67.74%. Analysts Set New Price Targets Several research firms recently issued reports on ABT. Argus dropped their target price on shares of Abbott Laboratories from $150.00 to $140.00 in a report on Tuesday, January 27th. The Goldman Sachs Group lowered their price objective on Abbott Laboratories from $152.00 to $140.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a research report on Friday, January 23rd. Citigroup cut their target price on Abbott Laboratories from $155.00 to $140.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, January 23rd. Oppenheimer lowered their target price on Abbott Laboratories from $140.00 to $132.00 and set an outperform rating for the company in a report on Friday, January 23rd. Finally, Mizuho boosted their price target on Abbott Laboratories from $135.00 to $140.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research note on Tuesday, October 14th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, sixteen have given a Buy rating and four have assigned a Hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $137.05. View Our Latest Stock Analysis on Abbott Laboratories About Abbott Laboratories (Free Report) Abbott Laboratories is a global healthcare company headquartered in Abbott Park, Illinois, that develops, manufactures and markets a broad portfolio of medical products and services. Founded in 1888, Abbott operates through multiple business areas that focus on diagnostics, medical devices, nutritionals and established pharmaceuticals. The company supplies hospitals, clinics, laboratories, retailers and direct-to-consumer channels with products intended to diagnose, treat and manage a wide range of health conditions. In diagnostics, Abbott provides laboratory and point-of-care testing platforms and assays used to detect infectious diseases, chronic conditions and biomarkers; its Alinity family of instruments and rapid-test solutions are examples of this capability. Featured Articles Want to see what other hedge funds are holding ABT? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Abbott Laboratories (NYSE:ABT Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Abbott Laboratories Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Abbott Laboratories and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. TOKYO, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- Japan's main opposition Centrist Reform Alliance (CRA) said Wednesday it will choose new leadership this Friday following the recent defeat in the House of Representatives election. The CRA held a general meeting on the day of its lawmakers following its crushing defeat in Sunday's lower house election, while the party's co-leaders, Yoshihiko Noda and Tetsuo Saito, reiterated their resignations to take responsibility for the loss. Junya Ogawa, former secretary of the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan (CDPJ), and Takeshi Shina, the CDPJ's former acting policy chief, expressed their intentions to run in Friday's contest to lead the new party. The centrist party was formed by the CDPJ and Komeito in January as a new opposition force to challenge the conservative coalition, led by the ruling Liberal Democratic Party leader and Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi. In Sunday's race, the CRA ended up securing only 49 seats, sharply down from its pre-election strength of 167, becoming now the smallest main opposition party in the postwar era. KeyCorp (NYSE:KEY Get Free Report) insider Andrew Paine III sold 65,961 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, February 6th. The shares were sold at an average price of $23.23, for a total value of $1,532,274.03. Following the transaction, the insider owned 166,583 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $3,869,723.09. This trade represents a 28.36% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. KeyCorp Stock Down 0.3% Shares of NYSE:KEY opened at $22.95 on Wednesday. The company has a current ratio of 0.83, a quick ratio of 0.82 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.55. The company has a fifty day simple moving average of $21.13 and a 200 day simple moving average of $19.23. The firm has a market cap of $25.08 billion, a PE ratio of 15.10, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.56 and a beta of 1.10. KeyCorp has a 12-month low of $12.73 and a 12-month high of $23.34. Get KeyCorp alerts: KeyCorp (NYSE:KEY Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, January 20th. The financial services provider reported $0.41 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.39 by $0.02. The firm had revenue of $2.01 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $1.95 billion. KeyCorp had a net margin of 15.97% and a return on equity of 10.28%. The firms quarterly revenue was up 131.8% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the company posted $0.30 earnings per share. On average, equities research analysts anticipate that KeyCorp will post 1.5 EPS for the current fiscal year. KeyCorp Announces Dividend Institutional Inflows and Outflows The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 13th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, March 3rd will be given a dividend of $0.205 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, March 3rd. This represents a $0.82 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 3.6%. KeyCorps dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 53.95%. Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Marshall Wace LLP boosted its position in KeyCorp by 2,258.4% during the 2nd quarter. Marshall Wace LLP now owns 2,572,980 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $44,821,000 after acquiring an additional 2,463,880 shares during the period. Nordea Investment Management AB lifted its position in shares of KeyCorp by 23.2% in the second quarter. Nordea Investment Management AB now owns 107,565 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $1,867,000 after purchasing an additional 20,228 shares in the last quarter. Prudential Financial Inc. lifted its position in shares of KeyCorp by 9.9% in the second quarter. Prudential Financial Inc. now owns 575,108 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $10,018,000 after purchasing an additional 51,705 shares in the last quarter. Korea Investment CORP boosted its holdings in shares of KeyCorp by 175.5% during the second quarter. Korea Investment CORP now owns 447,252 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $7,791,000 after purchasing an additional 284,928 shares during the period. Finally, HoldCo Asset Management LP purchased a new position in KeyCorp during the second quarter valued at approximately $86,995,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 79.69% of the companys stock. Analysts Set New Price Targets KEY has been the topic of several research reports. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their price objective on KeyCorp from $22.00 to $24.50 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research note on Monday. TD Cowen reiterated a buy rating on shares of KeyCorp in a report on Wednesday, January 7th. Evercore ISI upped their price target on KeyCorp from $25.00 to $26.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research report on Thursday, February 5th. Weiss Ratings restated a hold (c+) rating on shares of KeyCorp in a research note on Monday, December 29th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company set a $18.00 target price on shares of KeyCorp and gave the company an underperform rating in a research note on Tuesday, January 6th. Twelve equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, six have issued a Hold rating and three have given a Sell rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of Hold and an average price target of $23.03. Get Our Latest Research Report on KeyCorp KeyCorp News Roundup Here are the key news stories impacting KeyCorp this week: Positive Sentiment: JPMorgan raised its price target on KEY from $22.00 to $24.50 and kept a neutral rating, signaling modest upside and providing support for the recent rally. JPMorgan price target raise JPMorgan raised its price target on KEY from $22.00 to $24.50 and kept a neutral rating, signaling modest upside and providing support for the recent rally. Positive Sentiment: Activist HoldCo said it will not pursue proxy fights at KeyCorp after the bank agreed to key changes, removing a governance overhang and reducing activist-driven uncertainty. Activist HoldCo backs off Activist HoldCo said it will not pursue proxy fights at KeyCorp after the bank agreed to key changes, removing a governance overhang and reducing activist-driven uncertainty. Positive Sentiment: KeyBank expanded its middle?market capabilities by adding a five?person family office and private capital team led by Ward Nixon, highlighting strategic growth initiatives in higher?margin commercial banking. KeyBank family office hire KeyBank expanded its middle?market capabilities by adding a five?person family office and private capital team led by Ward Nixon, highlighting strategic growth initiatives in higher?margin commercial banking. Positive Sentiment: Observers flagged KeyCorp reaching a new 1?year high after analyst coverage improvements, a driver of recent momentum but also of near?term profit taking. KeyCorp reaches new 1-year high Observers flagged KeyCorp reaching a new 1?year high after analyst coverage improvements, a driver of recent momentum but also of near?term profit taking. Neutral Sentiment: Management presented at recent industry conferences (UBS and Bank of America); transcripts are available useful for investors who want updated management commentary on strategy, capital deployment and loan growth, but they contained no headline surprises. UBS presentation BofA transcript Management presented at recent industry conferences (UBS and Bank of America); transcripts are available useful for investors who want updated management commentary on strategy, capital deployment and loan growth, but they contained no headline surprises. Negative Sentiment: Insider Andrew J. Paine III sold 65,961 shares at an average price of $23.23 (about $1.53M), reducing his stake by ~28%. Large insider selling can trigger near?term selling pressure and raise investor caution even if disclosed as routine. Insider sale disclosure About KeyCorp (Get Free Report) KeyCorp is a bank holding company headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, that operates through its primary banking subsidiary, KeyBank. It provides a broad range of banking and financial services to individual consumers, small businesses, middle-market companies and large corporations. KeyBanks offerings span traditional deposit and lending products as well as more specialized financial solutions designed for commercial and institutional clients. The companys product and service mix includes retail banking products such as checking and savings accounts, consumer and residential mortgage lending, and auto financing. See Also Receive News & Ratings for KeyCorp Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for KeyCorp and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. ING Groep NV grew its holdings in Genesis Energy, L.P. (NYSE:GEL Free Report) by 63.5% in the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 2,375,800 shares of the pipeline companys stock after acquiring an additional 922,600 shares during the quarter. ING Groep NVs holdings in Genesis Energy were worth $39,700,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. A number of other large investors have also modified their holdings of the business. Mather Group LLC. acquired a new position in shares of Genesis Energy during the third quarter valued at about $30,000. Geneos Wealth Management Inc. acquired a new stake in Genesis Energy in the 2nd quarter worth approximately $49,000. CWM LLC grew its position in Genesis Energy by 126.5% during the 3rd quarter. CWM LLC now owns 3,106 shares of the pipeline companys stock worth $52,000 after purchasing an additional 1,735 shares during the last quarter. Jones Financial Companies Lllp acquired a new position in Genesis Energy during the 1st quarter valued at approximately $108,000. Finally, Osaic Holdings Inc. increased its stake in Genesis Energy by 91.4% during the 2nd quarter. Osaic Holdings Inc. now owns 7,706 shares of the pipeline companys stock valued at $133,000 after purchasing an additional 3,680 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 66.82% of the companys stock. Get Genesis Energy alerts: Analyst Ratings Changes Several research firms have recently commented on GEL. Weiss Ratings reiterated a hold (c-) rating on shares of Genesis Energy in a research note on Thursday, January 22nd. Royal Bank Of Canada restated an outperform rating and issued a $20.00 target price on shares of Genesis Energy in a research note on Tuesday, December 2nd. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and one has assigned a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $19.50. Genesis Energy Stock Up 0.2% GEL stock opened at $17.31 on Wednesday. The company has a market capitalization of $2.12 billion, a P/E ratio of -3.60 and a beta of 0.84. Genesis Energy, L.P. has a 12 month low of $10.29 and a 12 month high of $17.77. The firms fifty day simple moving average is $16.26 and its 200-day simple moving average is $16.24. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 19.90, a current ratio of 0.97 and a quick ratio of 0.90. Genesis Energy Increases Dividend The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, February 13th. Shareholders of record on Friday, January 30th will be issued a $0.18 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, January 30th. This is a positive change from Genesis Energys previous quarterly dividend of $0.17. This represents a $0.72 annualized dividend and a yield of 4.2%. Genesis Energys dividend payout ratio is currently -14.97%. About Genesis Energy (Free Report) Genesis Energy LP (NYSE: GEL) is a publicly traded master limited partnership headquartered in Houston, Texas, that owns and operates a diversified portfolio of energy infrastructure assets in the United States. The companys primary focus is on the transportation, storage and delivery of refined petroleum products, serving major domestic markets across the Gulf Coast, Atlantic Seaboard and inland waterway systems. Genesis Energys operations are organized into several key business segments. Read More Want to see what other hedge funds are holding GEL? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Genesis Energy, L.P. (NYSE:GEL Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Genesis Energy Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Genesis Energy and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Caprock Group LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Equity Lifestyle Properties, Inc. (NYSE:ELS Free Report) in the third quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The firm purchased 666,743 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock, valued at approximately $40,198,000. Equity Lifestyle Properties accounts for approximately 1.0% of Caprock Group LLCs holdings, making the stock its 18th largest holding. Several other institutional investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the business. Moran Wealth Management LLC lifted its stake in shares of Equity Lifestyle Properties by 1.2% in the second quarter. Moran Wealth Management LLC now owns 17,995 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $1,110,000 after buying an additional 220 shares in the last quarter. Wilmington Savings Fund Society FSB raised its holdings in shares of Equity Lifestyle Properties by 27.4% in the 3rd quarter. Wilmington Savings Fund Society FSB now owns 1,250 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $76,000 after acquiring an additional 269 shares during the last quarter. Profund Advisors LLC lifted its position in Equity Lifestyle Properties by 6.9% in the 3rd quarter. Profund Advisors LLC now owns 4,425 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $269,000 after acquiring an additional 285 shares in the last quarter. Groupe la Francaise boosted its stake in Equity Lifestyle Properties by 0.6% during the 2nd quarter. Groupe la Francaise now owns 52,354 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $3,214,000 after purchasing an additional 287 shares during the last quarter. Finally, State of Michigan Retirement System boosted its stake in Equity Lifestyle Properties by 0.7% during the 2nd quarter. State of Michigan Retirement System now owns 46,000 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $2,837,000 after purchasing an additional 300 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 97.21% of the companys stock. Get Equity Lifestyle Properties alerts: Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth Several brokerages have recently commented on ELS. Truist Financial set a $66.00 price objective on Equity Lifestyle Properties and gave the stock a hold rating in a research note on Tuesday, January 20th. Royal Bank Of Canada reiterated an outperform rating and set a $70.00 price target on shares of Equity Lifestyle Properties in a report on Friday, January 30th. Wall Street Zen upgraded Equity Lifestyle Properties from a sell rating to a hold rating in a research note on Sunday, February 1st. Jefferies Financial Group raised shares of Equity Lifestyle Properties to a strong-buy rating in a report on Monday, October 20th. Finally, Bank of America upgraded shares of Equity Lifestyle Properties from a neutral rating to a buy rating and set a $76.00 target price for the company in a research note on Tuesday, February 3rd. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, seven have given a Buy rating, five have issued a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $70.19. Equity Lifestyle Properties Stock Performance Shares of ELS opened at $66.10 on Wednesday. The stock has a 50 day moving average of $62.17 and a 200 day moving average of $61.53. The company has a market capitalization of $12.81 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 32.88, a PEG ratio of 3.65 and a beta of 0.76. Equity Lifestyle Properties, Inc. has a 12 month low of $58.15 and a 12 month high of $70.35. The company has a current ratio of 0.04, a quick ratio of 0.05 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.30. Equity Lifestyle Properties Increases Dividend The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, April 10th. Stockholders of record on Friday, March 27th will be given a dividend of $0.5425 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, March 27th. This represents a $2.17 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 3.3%. This is a boost from Equity Lifestyle Propertiess previous quarterly dividend of $0.52. Equity Lifestyle Propertiess payout ratio is 102.49%. About Equity Lifestyle Properties (Free Report) Equity Lifestyle Properties, Inc (NYSE: ELS) is a publicly traded real estate investment trust specializing in the acquisition, development, ownership and operation of manufactured home communities and recreational vehicle resorts. The companys portfolio includes more than 450 properties across the United States and Canada, serving over 200,000 residents and visitors. ELS organizes its operations into two primary segments: manufactured housing communities, which provide long-term housing solutions, and upscale RV and seasonal resorts designed for leisure travelers and seasonal patrons. In its manufactured home division, ELS offers home-site leases combined with community amenities such as landscaped common areas, clubhouses, swimming pools and organized resident events. Featured Articles Want to see what other hedge funds are holding ELS? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Equity Lifestyle Properties, Inc. (NYSE:ELS Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Equity Lifestyle Properties Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Equity Lifestyle Properties and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Savant Capital LLC trimmed its stake in Reinsurance Group of America, Incorporated (NYSE:RGA Free Report) by 48.8% during the third quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The firm owned 6,008 shares of the insurance providers stock after selling 5,717 shares during the period. Savant Capital LLCs holdings in Reinsurance Group of America were worth $1,154,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC. A number of other hedge funds have also recently made changes to their positions in RGA. Norges Bank purchased a new stake in shares of Reinsurance Group of America in the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $167,955,000. Orion Porfolio Solutions LLC grew its stake in shares of Reinsurance Group of America by 6,076.4% during the second quarter. Orion Porfolio Solutions LLC now owns 602,503 shares of the insurance providers stock worth $119,512,000 after purchasing an additional 592,748 shares in the last quarter. Laurel Wealth Advisors LLC increased its holdings in Reinsurance Group of America by 19,387.3% in the second quarter. Laurel Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 561,818 shares of the insurance providers stock valued at $111,442,000 after buying an additional 558,935 shares during the last quarter. American Century Companies Inc. raised its stake in Reinsurance Group of America by 35.2% in the second quarter. American Century Companies Inc. now owns 2,044,818 shares of the insurance providers stock valued at $405,610,000 after buying an additional 532,891 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Nordea Investment Management AB lifted its holdings in Reinsurance Group of America by 534.1% during the 2nd quarter. Nordea Investment Management AB now owns 570,386 shares of the insurance providers stock worth $112,828,000 after buying an additional 480,435 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 95.11% of the companys stock. Get Reinsurance Group of America alerts: Reinsurance Group of America Stock Performance Shares of Reinsurance Group of America stock opened at $217.76 on Wednesday. The firms fifty day simple moving average is $201.60 and its 200-day simple moving average is $194.01. Reinsurance Group of America, Incorporated has a 12 month low of $159.25 and a 12 month high of $229.21. The stock has a market capitalization of $14.31 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 12.27 and a beta of 0.53. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.42, a current ratio of 0.14 and a quick ratio of 0.13. Reinsurance Group of America Dividend Announcement Reinsurance Group of America ( NYSE:RGA Get Free Report ) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, February 5th. The insurance provider reported $7.75 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $5.86 by $1.89. Reinsurance Group of America had a net margin of 4.99% and a return on equity of 12.99%. The company had revenue of $6.64 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $6.25 billion. During the same period last year, the firm posted $4.99 EPS. Reinsurance Group of Americas revenue for the quarter was up 26.6% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, equities analysts forecast that Reinsurance Group of America, Incorporated will post 22.9 earnings per share for the current year. The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, March 3rd. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, February 17th will be paid a dividend of $0.93 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, February 17th. This represents a $3.72 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.7%. Reinsurance Group of Americas dividend payout ratio is currently 20.96%. Analysts Set New Price Targets A number of research analysts have recently commented on the company. Raymond James Financial downgraded Reinsurance Group of America from a market perform rating to an underperform rating in a report on Friday, October 17th. Wells Fargo & Company increased their price target on shares of Reinsurance Group of America from $237.00 to $238.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research note on Tuesday, January 13th. Wall Street Zen upgraded shares of Reinsurance Group of America from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research report on Saturday. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods dropped their target price on shares of Reinsurance Group of America from $255.00 to $240.00 and set an outperform rating on the stock in a research report on Monday, November 3rd. Finally, Morgan Stanley set a $208.00 price target on shares of Reinsurance Group of America in a research report on Monday, December 15th. Seven investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, three have issued a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $243.00. Check Out Our Latest Stock Report on RGA Reinsurance Group of America Company Profile (Free Report) Reinsurance Group of America, Incorporated (NYSE: RGA) is a leading global provider of life and health reinsurance solutions. Headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri, RGA partners with primary insurance companies to help them manage risk, improve capital efficiency and develop innovative products. The companys offerings span traditional risk transfer, financial solutions and facultative underwriting services, enabling clients to address a wide range of mortality, longevity, morbidity and critical-illness exposures. RGAs product suite includes life reinsurance, living benefits reinsurance, structured reinsurance and financial solutions that support product innovation and capital management. Featured Articles Want to see what other hedge funds are holding RGA? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Reinsurance Group of America, Incorporated (NYSE:RGA Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Reinsurance Group of America Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Reinsurance Group of America and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Invesco S&P 500 Revenue ETF (NYSEARCA:RWL Get Free Report)s share price reached a new 52-week high on Monday . The company traded as high as $121.02 and last traded at $120.1610, with a volume of 482707 shares trading hands. The stock had previously closed at $119.11. Invesco S&P 500 Revenue ETF Trading Down 0.3% The firms 50 day simple moving average is $116.71 and its 200-day simple moving average is $112.04. The stock has a market capitalization of $7.88 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 18.14 and a beta of 0.92. Get Invesco S&P 500 Revenue ETF alerts: Institutional Trading of Invesco S&P 500 Revenue ETF Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Vantagepoint Investment Advisers LLC bought a new position in Invesco S&P 500 Revenue ETF in the third quarter valued at approximately $251,111,000. Axxcess Wealth Management LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Invesco S&P 500 Revenue ETF by 1,242.1% in the 4th quarter. Axxcess Wealth Management LLC now owns 1,338,780 shares of the companys stock valued at $153,290,000 after buying an additional 1,239,026 shares during the last quarter. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. boosted its holdings in shares of Invesco S&P 500 Revenue ETF by 468.9% in the 4th quarter. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. now owns 1,441,023 shares of the companys stock valued at $164,997,000 after buying an additional 1,187,743 shares during the last quarter. Invesco Ltd. grew its stake in shares of Invesco S&P 500 Revenue ETF by 12.2% in the third quarter. Invesco Ltd. now owns 9,176,334 shares of the companys stock valued at $1,015,453,000 after buying an additional 999,935 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Wellington Management Group LLP acquired a new position in Invesco S&P 500 Revenue ETF during the third quarter worth $54,706,000. Invesco S&P 500 Revenue ETF Company Profile RevenueShares Large Cap ETF (the Fund) seeks to achieve its investment objective of outperforming the total return performance of the S&P 500 Index (S&P 500) by investing in the constituent securities of the S&P 500 in the same proportions as the RevenueShares Large Cap Index. The Fund consists of the same constituent securities as the S&P 500. But rather than being weighted by market capitalization, the Fund employs a patent-pending investment methodology to weight stocks by annual revenue. The Fund is rebalanced annually. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for Invesco S&P 500 Revenue 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 Revenue ETF and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. ProShare Advisors LLC reduced its position in shares of ConocoPhillips (NYSE:COP Free Report) by 12.2% in the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 245,094 shares of the energy producers stock after selling 33,970 shares during the period. ProShare Advisors LLCs holdings in ConocoPhillips were worth $23,183,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. A number of other hedge funds have also made changes to their positions in COP. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. increased its position in shares of ConocoPhillips by 0.7% during the second quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. now owns 40,382,724 shares of the energy producers stock worth $3,623,946,000 after purchasing an additional 287,970 shares in the last quarter. Fisher Asset Management LLC boosted its stake in ConocoPhillips by 1.6% during the 2nd quarter. Fisher Asset Management LLC now owns 14,393,875 shares of the energy producers stock worth $1,291,706,000 after purchasing an additional 224,201 shares during the last quarter. Ameriprise Financial Inc. grew its holdings in shares of ConocoPhillips by 31.4% during the second quarter. Ameriprise Financial Inc. now owns 10,778,664 shares of the energy producers stock worth $966,267,000 after buying an additional 2,575,803 shares in the last quarter. Primecap Management Co. CA grew its holdings in shares of ConocoPhillips by 66.0% during the second quarter. Primecap Management Co. CA now owns 7,883,455 shares of the energy producers stock worth $707,461,000 after buying an additional 3,135,315 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Boston Partners raised its position in shares of ConocoPhillips by 4.0% in the second quarter. Boston Partners now owns 6,424,232 shares of the energy producers stock valued at $577,471,000 after buying an additional 244,810 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 82.36% of the companys stock. Get ConocoPhillips alerts: ConocoPhillips Stock Down 1.1% Shares of NYSE COP opened at $107.50 on Wednesday. The company has a market capitalization of $132.84 billion, a P/E ratio of 16.96 and a beta of 0.32. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.35, a current ratio of 1.30 and a quick ratio of 1.14. The company has a 50 day simple moving average of $97.24 and a 200-day simple moving average of $93.89. ConocoPhillips has a 1 year low of $79.88 and a 1 year high of $108.89. ConocoPhillips Dividend Announcement ConocoPhillips ( NYSE:COP Get Free Report ) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, February 5th. The energy producer reported $1.02 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $1.23 by ($0.21). The business had revenue of $13.86 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $14.35 billion. ConocoPhillips had a net margin of 12.98% and a return on equity of 11.90%. The companys revenue was down 3.7% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company posted $1.98 earnings per share. On average, equities research analysts predict that ConocoPhillips will post 8.16 earnings per share for the current year. The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 2nd. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, February 18th will be paid a $0.84 dividend. This represents a $3.36 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 3.1%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, February 18th. ConocoPhillipss dividend payout ratio is 53.00%. Wall Street Analyst Weigh In COP has been the topic of a number of recent research reports. Mizuho boosted their price target on shares of ConocoPhillips from $120.00 to $121.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research report on Friday, December 12th. Weiss Ratings reissued a hold (c-) rating on shares of ConocoPhillips in a research note on Monday, December 29th. Jefferies Financial Group restated a buy rating on shares of ConocoPhillips in a research report on Monday, December 15th. Susquehanna increased their price target on ConocoPhillips from $115.00 to $121.00 and gave the company a positive rating in a report on Friday, February 6th. Finally, Citigroup lifted their price objective on ConocoPhillips from $115.00 to $125.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Friday, February 6th. Seventeen equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, six have issued a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $114.78. Read Our Latest Research Report on COP Insider Buying and Selling at ConocoPhillips In related news, CEO Ryan Michael Lance sold 500,708 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Friday, December 19th. The stock was sold at an average price of $92.50, for a total transaction of $46,315,490.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer directly owned 325,972 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $30,152,410. This trade represents a 60.57% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Corporate insiders own 0.24% of the companys stock. ConocoPhillips Company Profile (Free Report) ConocoPhillips (NYSE: COP) is a Houston-based international energy company focused on exploration and production of oil and natural gas. Formed in 2002 through the merger of Conoco Inc and Phillips Petroleum Company, the firm operates as an independent upstream company that explores for, develops and produces crude oil, natural gas and natural gas liquids across a portfolio of global assets. The companys activities span conventional and unconventional resources and include onshore and offshore operations in multiple regions around the world. See Also Want to see what other hedge funds are holding COP? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for ConocoPhillips (NYSE:COP Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for ConocoPhillips Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for ConocoPhillips and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. ProShare Advisors LLC increased its stake in Union Pacific Corporation (NYSE:UNP Free Report) by 6.5% during the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 109,624 shares of the railroad operators stock after purchasing an additional 6,732 shares during the period. ProShare Advisors LLCs holdings in Union Pacific were worth $25,912,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Howard Hughes Medical Institute acquired a new position in shares of Union Pacific during the second quarter valued at $30,000. Financial Gravity Companies Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of Union Pacific in the 2nd quarter worth about $31,000. Total Investment Management Inc. bought a new stake in Union Pacific in the 2nd quarter valued at about $31,000. Access Investment Management LLC acquired a new position in Union Pacific during the 2nd quarter valued at about $32,000. Finally, Sagard Holdings Management Inc. bought a new position in Union Pacific in the 2nd quarter worth about $33,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 80.38% of the companys stock. Get Union Pacific alerts: Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth Several equities analysts have recently issued reports on UNP shares. Barclays reiterated an overweight rating and set a $285.00 price objective (up from $270.00) on shares of Union Pacific in a research report on Tuesday, December 16th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. reduced their price target on Union Pacific from $270.00 to $265.00 and set a neutral rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, January 28th. Raymond James Financial reissued a strong-buy rating on shares of Union Pacific in a research note on Tuesday, January 27th. The Goldman Sachs Group restated a neutral rating and set a $267.00 price objective on shares of Union Pacific in a research note on Tuesday, January 27th. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft set a $245.00 price objective on shares of Union Pacific in a report on Thursday, December 11th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, thirteen have issued a Buy rating and ten have issued a Hold rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $258.32. Union Pacific Stock Performance Shares of NYSE UNP opened at $261.47 on Wednesday. The stocks fifty day simple moving average is $234.90 and its 200 day simple moving average is $227.90. The stock has a market capitalization of $155.15 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 21.84, a PEG ratio of 2.77 and a beta of 0.98. The company has a quick ratio of 0.60, a current ratio of 0.91 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.64. Union Pacific Corporation has a 52-week low of $204.66 and a 52-week high of $261.55. Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Tuesday, January 27th. The railroad operator reported $2.86 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $2.92 by ($0.06). Union Pacific had a return on equity of 40.89% and a net margin of 29.12%.The firm had revenue of $6.09 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $6.15 billion. During the same period last year, the business earned $2.91 earnings per share. The businesss revenue was down .6% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, sell-side analysts forecast that Union Pacific Corporation will post 11.99 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Union Pacific Announces Dividend The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, March 31st. Stockholders of record on Friday, February 27th will be paid a $1.38 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, February 27th. This represents a $5.52 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.1%. Union Pacifics dividend payout ratio is 46.12%. Union Pacific Profile (Free Report) Union Pacific Corporation (NYSE: UNP) is one of the largest freight railroad companies in the United States. Its principal operating subsidiary, Union Pacific Railroad, has roots that trace back to the Pacific Railway Act of 1862 and the construction of the first transcontinental rail link completed in 1869. The company is headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, and operates as a holding company for rail transportation and related services. Union Pacifics core business is the movement of freight by rail across an extensive rail network serving the western two?thirds of the United States. Featured Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding UNP? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Union Pacific Corporation (NYSE:UNP Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Union Pacific Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Union Pacific and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. ProShare Advisors LLC reduced its stake in shares of U.S. Bancorp (NYSE:USB Free Report) by 9.4% during the 3rd quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The firm owned 312,298 shares of the financial services providers stock after selling 32,451 shares during the period. ProShare Advisors LLCs holdings in U.S. Bancorp were worth $15,093,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also bought and sold shares of the stock. Vanguard Group Inc. lifted its position in U.S. Bancorp by 1.4% during the second quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 143,269,275 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $6,482,935,000 after purchasing an additional 2,038,996 shares during the period. Geode Capital Management LLC raised its position in shares of U.S. Bancorp by 1.3% in the 2nd quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 36,632,410 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $1,650,305,000 after buying an additional 456,890 shares in the last quarter. Norges Bank bought a new stake in shares of U.S. Bancorp during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $971,285,000. Davis Selected Advisers boosted its position in shares of U.S. Bancorp by 29.8% during the 2nd quarter. Davis Selected Advisers now owns 19,331,637 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $874,757,000 after acquiring an additional 4,442,623 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Grantham Mayo Van Otterloo & Co. LLC increased its stake in U.S. Bancorp by 3.7% in the second quarter. Grantham Mayo Van Otterloo & Co. LLC now owns 16,569,422 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $749,766,000 after acquiring an additional 585,968 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 77.60% of the companys stock. Get U.S. Bancorp alerts: Analyst Ratings Changes Several equities research analysts have weighed in on the company. Wells Fargo & Company upped their target price on U.S. Bancorp from $50.00 to $52.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research note on Friday, October 17th. Truist Financial upped their price objective on U.S. Bancorp from $58.00 to $61.00 and gave the stock a hold rating in a research report on Wednesday, January 21st. TD Cowen raised their price objective on U.S. Bancorp from $65.00 to $66.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Wednesday, January 21st. HSBC reiterated a buy rating and issued a $62.00 target price on shares of U.S. Bancorp in a research report on Wednesday, January 7th. Finally, Citigroup increased their target price on shares of U.S. Bancorp from $65.00 to $70.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Friday, October 17th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, fourteen have assigned a Buy rating, six have given a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $59.79. Insider Transactions at U.S. Bancorp In other U.S. Bancorp news, insider Mark G. Runkel sold 32,195 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, February 6th. The shares were sold at an average price of $60.65, for a total value of $1,952,626.75. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider directly owned 97,728 shares in the company, valued at approximately $5,927,203.20. This represents a 24.78% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. Company insiders own 0.23% of the companys stock. U.S. Bancorp Price Performance Shares of USB opened at $60.60 on Wednesday. The company has a quick ratio of 0.80, a current ratio of 0.80 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.03. The stock has a market cap of $94.20 billion, a PE ratio of 13.12, a PEG ratio of 1.08 and a beta of 1.06. U.S. Bancorp has a 12-month low of $35.18 and a 12-month high of $60.99. The business has a 50-day simple moving average of $55.01 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $50.11. U.S. Bancorp (NYSE:USB Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, January 20th. The financial services provider reported $1.26 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $1.19 by $0.07. U.S. Bancorp had a return on equity of 13.48% and a net margin of 17.66%.The firm had revenue of $7.92 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $7.31 billion. During the same period last year, the firm posted $1.07 earnings per share. The businesss revenue for the quarter was up 5.1% on a year-over-year basis. Analysts anticipate that U.S. Bancorp will post 4.38 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. U.S. Bancorp Announces Dividend The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, January 15th. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, December 31st were issued a dividend of $0.52 per share. This represents a $2.08 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 3.4%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Wednesday, December 31st. U.S. Bancorps payout ratio is presently 45.02%. About U.S. Bancorp (Free Report) U.S. Bancorp (NYSE: USB) is a bank holding company and the parent of U.S. Bank, a national commercial bank that provides a wide range of banking, investment, mortgage, trust and payment services. The company operates through consumer and business banking, commercial banking, payment services, and wealth management segments. Its product set includes deposit accounts, consumer and commercial lending, mortgage origination and servicing, credit and debit card services, treasury and cash management, merchant processing, and institutional and trust services. Headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S. Read More Want to see what other hedge funds are holding USB? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for U.S. Bancorp (NYSE:USB Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for U.S. Bancorp Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for U.S. Bancorp and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. ProShare Advisors LLC raised its position in Alibaba Group Holding Limited (NYSE:BABA Free Report) by 29.6% in the 3rd quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The firm owned 77,036 shares of the specialty retailers stock after buying an additional 17,616 shares during the period. ProShare Advisors LLCs holdings in Alibaba Group were worth $13,769,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Brighton Jones LLC raised its stake in Alibaba Group by 40.4% during the 4th quarter. Brighton Jones LLC now owns 3,411 shares of the specialty retailers stock worth $289,000 after buying an additional 981 shares during the period. AQR Capital Management LLC bought a new stake in shares of Alibaba Group in the first quarter worth about $254,000. Callan Family Office LLC raised its position in shares of Alibaba Group by 164.7% during the second quarter. Callan Family Office LLC now owns 6,090 shares of the specialty retailers stock worth $691,000 after purchasing an additional 3,789 shares during the period. Aberdeen Group plc raised its position in shares of Alibaba Group by 308.7% during the second quarter. Aberdeen Group plc now owns 18,534 shares of the specialty retailers stock worth $2,102,000 after purchasing an additional 13,999 shares during the period. Finally, Vanguard Personalized Indexing Management LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Alibaba Group by 32.1% during the 2nd quarter. Vanguard Personalized Indexing Management LLC now owns 26,432 shares of the specialty retailers stock valued at $2,998,000 after purchasing an additional 6,424 shares in the last quarter. 13.47% of the stock is owned by institutional investors. Get Alibaba Group alerts: Analyst Ratings Changes A number of analysts recently issued reports on BABA shares. Freedom Capital cut Alibaba Group from a strong-buy rating to a hold rating in a research note on Tuesday, January 6th. Loop Capital set a $140.00 price target on shares of Alibaba Group in a report on Tuesday, January 6th. Macquarie Infrastructure reissued an outperform rating on shares of Alibaba Group in a research report on Tuesday, November 25th. Barclays raised their price objective on shares of Alibaba Group from $190.00 to $195.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a report on Wednesday, November 26th. Finally, Mizuho set a $195.00 target price on shares of Alibaba Group in a research note on Wednesday, October 22nd. Eighteen equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, one has issued a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $195.17. Key Headlines Impacting Alibaba Group Here are the key news stories impacting Alibaba Group this week: Alibaba Group Trading Up 2.2% Shares of NYSE:BABA opened at $166.55 on Wednesday. The companys 50-day moving average price is $159.08 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $154.63. Alibaba Group Holding Limited has a one year low of $95.73 and a one year high of $192.67. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.23, a current ratio of 1.46 and a quick ratio of 1.46. The stock has a market capitalization of $397.62 billion, a PE ratio of 23.00, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.57 and a beta of 0.39. About Alibaba Group (Free Report) Alibaba Group Holding Limited is a Chinese multinational conglomerate founded in 1999 in Hangzhou, China, by Jack Ma and a group of co?founders. The company built its business around internet-based commerce and related services and has grown into one of the largest e-commerce and technology companies in the world. Alibaba completed a high?profile initial public offering on the New York Stock Exchange in 2014. The company operates a portfolio of online marketplaces and platforms serving different customer segments: Alibaba.com for global and domestic B2B trade, Taobao for consumer-to-consumer shopping, and Tmall for brand and retailer storefronts targeted at Chinese consumers. Featured Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding BABA? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Alibaba Group Holding Limited (NYSE:BABA Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Alibaba Group Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Alibaba Group and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Lee Enterprises, Incorporated (NYSE:LEE Get Free Report) major shareholder Digital Ltd Quint bought 2,451,346 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Thursday, February 5th. The shares were acquired at an average cost of $3.25 per share, for a total transaction of $7,966,874.50. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider owned 3,214,346 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $10,446,624.50. The trade was a 321.28% increase in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. Major shareholders that own at least 10% of a companys stock are required to disclose their sales and purchases with the SEC. Lee Enterprises Trading Up 6.5% NYSE:LEE opened at $5.59 on Wednesday. The stock has a market cap of $35.00 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of -0.77 and a beta of 0.55. Lee Enterprises, Incorporated has a one year low of $3.34 and a one year high of $11.82. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 69.34, a quick ratio of 0.72 and a current ratio of 0.78. The businesss 50-day simple moving average is $4.66 and its 200 day simple moving average is $4.59. Get Lee Enterprises alerts: Institutional Trading of Lee Enterprises A number of hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Teton Advisors LLC grew its position in shares of Lee Enterprises by 13.3% in the 4th quarter. Teton Advisors LLC now owns 17,000 shares of the companys stock worth $81,000 after acquiring an additional 2,000 shares in the last quarter. Gabelli Funds LLC lifted its stake in Lee Enterprises by 2.2% during the second quarter. Gabelli Funds LLC now owns 202,482 shares of the companys stock worth $1,296,000 after purchasing an additional 4,389 shares during the last quarter. Murphy Pohlad Asset Management LLC acquired a new position in Lee Enterprises in the third quarter worth $66,000. Jane Street Group LLC bought a new stake in Lee Enterprises during the second quarter valued at $86,000. Finally, Wittenberg Investment Management Inc. increased its stake in Lee Enterprises by 20.1% during the second quarter. Wittenberg Investment Management Inc. now owns 85,043 shares of the companys stock valued at $544,000 after purchasing an additional 14,262 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 39.20% of the companys stock. Lee Enterprises Company Profile Lee Enterprises, Inc is a publicly traded media company based in Davenport, Iowa, with a heritage dating back to 1890 when Alfred W. Lee acquired the Davenport Times-Democrat. Over the decades, the company has grown through acquisitions and organic expansion to become one of the largest regional news publishers in the United States. Lee Enterprises shares trade on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol LEE. The companys principal activities center on the production and distribution of local journalism across print and digital channels. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for Lee Enterprises Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Lee Enterprises and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. CANBERRA, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Wednesday officially welcomed Israeli President Isaac Herzog to Australia amid widespread protests against the visit. Albanese welcomed Herzog at Parliament House in Canberra on Wednesday and thanked him for providing comfort and solidarity to Australia's Jewish community following the antisemitic terror attack at Sydney's Bondi Beach in December. Albanese said that he had used the meeting with Herzog to push for full accountability for the death of Australian aid worker Lalzawmi Frankcom, who was killed by Israeli strikes in Gaza in April 2024. Speaking alongside Albanese, Herzog said that the visit has been emotional, but that it was important to strengthen the Jewish community after the mass shooting that left 16 people dead, including one of the two suspected perpetrators. Pro-Palestine protests have been held across Australia in response to Herzog's visit, including a demonstration in central Sydney on Monday night that turned violent when protesters clashed with police, resulting in 27 arrests. A corresponding protest outside Parliament House on Wednesday was attended by hundreds of people. Prospera Financial Services Inc cut its stake in HCA Healthcare, Inc. (NYSE:HCA Free Report) by 19.5% in the third quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The institutional investor owned 13,345 shares of the companys stock after selling 3,240 shares during the quarter. Prospera Financial Services Incs holdings in HCA Healthcare were worth $5,688,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Clearstead Trust LLC grew its holdings in shares of HCA Healthcare by 311.8% in the 2nd quarter. Clearstead Trust LLC now owns 70 shares of the companys stock worth $27,000 after purchasing an additional 53 shares during the last quarter. Harbor Capital Advisors Inc. grew its stake in HCA Healthcare by 82.9% during the third quarter. Harbor Capital Advisors Inc. now owns 75 shares of the companys stock worth $32,000 after buying an additional 34 shares during the last quarter. Twin Peaks Wealth Advisors LLC bought a new position in shares of HCA Healthcare in the second quarter valued at approximately $40,000. Compound Global Advisors LLC bought a new stake in HCA Healthcare during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $44,000. Finally, True Wealth Design LLC boosted its stake in HCA Healthcare by 179.5% in the third quarter. True Wealth Design LLC now owns 109 shares of the companys stock worth $47,000 after purchasing an additional 70 shares in the last quarter. 62.73% of the stock is owned by institutional investors. Get HCA Healthcare alerts: Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades A number of research analysts recently issued reports on the company. Leerink Partners lifted their price target on HCA Healthcare from $507.00 to $573.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a report on Wednesday, January 28th. Zacks Research lowered shares of HCA Healthcare from a strong-buy rating to a hold rating in a research report on Thursday, November 27th. Robert W. Baird boosted their price objective on shares of HCA Healthcare from $423.00 to $450.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a research report on Thursday, December 11th. Barclays lifted their target price on HCA Healthcare from $494.00 to $551.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research note on Wednesday, January 28th. Finally, Sanford C. Bernstein set a $541.00 price objective on HCA Healthcare in a research report on Monday. Sixteen analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eight have issued a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $523.27. Insiders Place Their Bets In other HCA Healthcare news, EVP Michael S. Cuffe sold 1,500 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, February 3rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $498.09, for a total value of $747,135.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 30,003 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $14,944,194.27. The trade was a 4.76% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. Corporate insiders own 1.30% of the companys stock. HCA Healthcare Stock Up 0.8% Shares of HCA Healthcare stock opened at $501.48 on Wednesday. HCA Healthcare, Inc. has a 12 month low of $295.00 and a 12 month high of $527.55. The stock has a market cap of $114.43 billion, a PE ratio of 17.67, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.52 and a beta of 1.36. The business has a fifty day simple moving average of $479.90 and a 200 day simple moving average of $445.63. HCA Healthcare (NYSE:HCA Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, January 27th. The company reported $8.01 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $7.37 by $0.64. The company had revenue of $19.51 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $19.67 billion. HCA Healthcare had a negative return on equity of 409.11% and a net margin of 8.97%.HCA Healthcares revenue was up 6.7% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the business posted $6.22 EPS. HCA Healthcare has set its FY 2026 guidance at 29.100-31.500 EPS. Analysts expect that HCA Healthcare, Inc. will post 24.98 EPS for the current fiscal year. HCA Healthcare Increases Dividend The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, March 31st. Investors of record on Tuesday, March 17th will be given a $0.78 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, March 17th. This represents a $3.12 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.6%. This is an increase from HCA Healthcares previous quarterly dividend of $0.72. HCA Healthcares dividend payout ratio is currently 10.99%. HCA Healthcare Company Profile (Free Report) HCA Healthcare is a for?profit operator of healthcare facilities headquartered in Nashville, Tennessee. Founded in 1968, the company owns and operates a network of hospitals and related healthcare facilities and has grown through organic expansion and acquisitions to become a large provider of inpatient and outpatient services. The companys core activities include the operation of acute care hospitals, freestanding surgical and emergency centers, and outpatient clinics. HCAs services encompass inpatient care, surgical services, emergency medicine, diagnostic imaging and laboratory testing, and various outpatient and ambulatory care offerings. Further Reading Want to see what other hedge funds are holding HCA? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for HCA Healthcare, Inc. (NYSE:HCA Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for HCA Healthcare Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for HCA Healthcare and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Navellier & Associates Inc. purchased a new position in iShares MSCI Canada ETF (NYSEARCA:EWC Free Report) during the third quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The fund purchased 22,256 shares of the exchange traded funds stock, valued at approximately $1,125,000. A number of other hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of the company. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. boosted its holdings in shares of iShares MSCI Canada ETF by 1.4% during the first quarter. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. now owns 1,534,679 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $62,538,000 after purchasing an additional 21,113 shares during the period. CWM LLC raised its position in iShares MSCI Canada ETF by 27.1% during the 2nd quarter. CWM LLC now owns 2,151 shares of the exchange traded funds stock valued at $99,000 after purchasing an additional 459 shares during the last quarter. Yoffe Investment Management LLC bought a new position in iShares MSCI Canada ETF during the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $225,000. Ifrah Financial Services Inc. purchased a new stake in iShares MSCI Canada ETF in the 2nd quarter worth approximately $279,000. Finally, Onyx Bridge Wealth Group LLC grew its position in shares of iShares MSCI Canada ETF by 22.1% in the 2nd quarter. Onyx Bridge Wealth Group LLC now owns 26,087 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $1,205,000 after buying an additional 4,724 shares during the last quarter. Get iShares MSCI Canada ETF alerts: iShares MSCI Canada ETF Stock Performance EWC opened at $56.72 on Wednesday. The stock has a market capitalization of $4.20 billion, a PE ratio of 19.77 and a beta of 0.94. The stocks 50 day moving average price is $54.52 and its 200-day moving average price is $51.35. iShares MSCI Canada ETF has a 52-week low of $36.70 and a 52-week high of $57.04. About iShares MSCI Canada ETF iShares MSCI Canada ETF (the Fund), formerly iShares MSCI Canada Index Fund, is an exchange-traded fund (ETF). The Fund seeks to provide investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance, before fees and expenses, of publicly traded securities in the Canadian market, as measured by the MSCI Canada Index (the Index). The Index seeks to measure the performance of the Canadian equity market. It is a capitalization-weighted index that aims to capture 85% of the (publicly available) total market capitalization. Read More Want to see what other hedge funds are holding EWC? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for iShares MSCI Canada ETF (NYSEARCA:EWC Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for iShares MSCI Canada ETF Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for iShares MSCI Canada ETF and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Wealthfront Advisers LLC increased its stake in Duke Energy Corporation (NYSE:DUK Free Report) by 10.2% in the 3rd quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The fund owned 138,315 shares of the utilities providers stock after acquiring an additional 12,767 shares during the period. Wealthfront Advisers LLCs holdings in Duke Energy were worth $17,116,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Simon Quick Advisors LLC grew its stake in shares of Duke Energy by 42.2% during the second quarter. Simon Quick Advisors LLC now owns 7,444 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $878,000 after buying an additional 2,210 shares during the last quarter. Farther Finance Advisors LLC boosted its holdings in Duke Energy by 37.7% during the 3rd quarter. Farther Finance Advisors LLC now owns 41,642 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $5,153,000 after acquiring an additional 11,409 shares during the period. Alley Investment Management Company LLC boosted its holdings in Duke Energy by 13.0% during the 3rd quarter. Alley Investment Management Company LLC now owns 88,018 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $10,892,000 after acquiring an additional 10,108 shares during the period. Lockheed Martin Investment Management Co. increased its stake in Duke Energy by 11.3% in the third quarter. Lockheed Martin Investment Management Co. now owns 274,630 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $33,985,000 after purchasing an additional 27,820 shares during the period. Finally, Greystone Financial Group LLC increased its stake in Duke Energy by 12.7% in the third quarter. Greystone Financial Group LLC now owns 93,766 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $11,604,000 after purchasing an additional 10,580 shares during the period. 65.31% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. Get Duke Energy alerts: Duke Energy Trading Up 1.7% NYSE DUK opened at $123.75 on Wednesday. Duke Energy Corporation has a one year low of $110.51 and a one year high of $130.03. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.54, a quick ratio of 0.40 and a current ratio of 0.63. The company has a market capitalization of $96.24 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 19.46, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.64 and a beta of 0.51. The companys 50-day simple moving average is $118.14 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $121.67. Duke Energy Announces Dividend Duke Energy ( NYSE:DUK Get Free Report ) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, February 10th. The utilities provider reported $1.50 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.49 by $0.01. The firm had revenue of $7.94 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $7.57 billion. Duke Energy had a net margin of 15.76% and a return on equity of 9.98%. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company earned $1.66 EPS. Duke Energy has set its FY 2026 guidance at 6.550-6.800 EPS. Equities analysts forecast that Duke Energy Corporation will post 6.33 EPS for the current fiscal year. The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 16th. Investors of record on Friday, February 13th will be paid a dividend of $1.065 per share. This represents a $4.26 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 3.4%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, February 13th. Duke Energys dividend payout ratio is 66.98%. Analyst Ratings Changes A number of brokerages have recently issued reports on DUK. Mizuho set a $130.00 target price on shares of Duke Energy in a research note on Tuesday. BTIG Research reiterated a buy rating and set a $141.00 price objective on shares of Duke Energy in a report on Friday, January 30th. The Goldman Sachs Group upped their target price on shares of Duke Energy from $138.00 to $141.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research note on Thursday, November 13th. Morgan Stanley reaffirmed an underperform rating and set a $130.00 target price on shares of Duke Energy in a research report on Wednesday, January 21st. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company lowered their price target on Duke Energy from $126.00 to $115.00 and set an equal weight rating for the company in a report on Tuesday, January 20th. Eleven equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, six have assigned a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $133.88. Get Our Latest Stock Report on Duke Energy Duke Energy News Summary Here are the key news stories impacting Duke Energy this week: Insiders Place Their Bets In other Duke Energy news, EVP Robert Alexander Glenn sold 8,200 shares of Duke Energy stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, November 19th. The stock was sold at an average price of $123.80, for a total value of $1,015,160.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president owned 11,367 shares in the company, valued at $1,407,234.60. The trade was a 41.91% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. 0.14% of the stock is currently owned by insiders. Duke Energy Profile (Free Report) Duke Energy Corporation is a U.S.-based electric power holding company headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina. The companys core business is the generation, transmission and distribution of electricity to residential, commercial and industrial customers. Duke Energy operates a mix of regulated electric utilities and non-regulated energy businesses, providing essential energy infrastructure and services across multiple states. Its operating activities include owning and operating generation assets across a portfolio that encompasses nuclear, natural gas, coal, hydroelectric and an expanding array of renewable resources, as well as battery storage and grid modernization projects. Recommended Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding DUK? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Duke Energy Corporation (NYSE:DUK Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Duke Energy Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Duke Energy and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Rockland Trust Co. acquired a new stake in shares of Toronto Dominion Bank (The) (NYSE:TD Free Report) (TSE:TD) in the third quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm acquired 7,122 shares of the banks stock, valued at approximately $569,000. Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Canada Pension Plan Investment Board lifted its stake in Toronto Dominion Bank by 18.5% during the 2nd quarter. Canada Pension Plan Investment Board now owns 12,470,618 shares of the banks stock valued at $917,832,000 after acquiring an additional 1,946,172 shares during the period. The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company grew its stake in shares of Toronto Dominion Bank by 0.8% in the second quarter. The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company now owns 13,815,706 shares of the banks stock worth $1,010,852,000 after acquiring an additional 115,203 shares during the period. Picton Mahoney Asset Management purchased a new position in shares of Toronto Dominion Bank during the second quarter valued at approximately $267,475,000. Bank of New York Mellon Corp lifted its position in Toronto Dominion Bank by 3.2% during the second quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp now owns 1,658,144 shares of the banks stock valued at $121,791,000 after purchasing an additional 51,698 shares during the period. Finally, Ontario Teachers Pension Plan Board boosted its holdings in Toronto Dominion Bank by 304.0% in the second quarter. Ontario Teachers Pension Plan Board now owns 2,446,307 shares of the banks stock worth $180,047,000 after purchasing an additional 1,840,747 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 52.37% of the companys stock. Get Toronto Dominion Bank alerts: Toronto Dominion Bank Price Performance NYSE TD opened at $98.55 on Wednesday. The businesss fifty day moving average is $93.47 and its 200 day moving average is $83.61. Toronto Dominion Bank has a fifty-two week low of $54.87 and a fifty-two week high of $98.82. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.09, a quick ratio of 1.03 and a current ratio of 1.03. The company has a market capitalization of $165.40 billion, a PE ratio of 11.69, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.35 and a beta of 0.67. Toronto Dominion Bank Increases Dividend Toronto Dominion Bank ( NYSE:TD Get Free Report ) (TSE:TD) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, December 4th. The bank reported $1.56 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $1.46 by $0.10. Toronto Dominion Bank had a return on equity of 13.90% and a net margin of 16.52%.The business had revenue of $11.44 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $10.10 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business posted $1.72 earnings per share. The businesss quarterly revenue was down .1% on a year-over-year basis. Sell-side analysts predict that Toronto Dominion Bank will post 5.48 earnings per share for the current year. The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Saturday, January 31st. Shareholders of record on Friday, January 9th were paid a dividend of $1.08 per share. This represents a $4.32 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 4.4%. The ex-dividend date was Friday, January 9th. This is a positive change from Toronto Dominion Banks previous quarterly dividend of $1.05. Toronto Dominion Banks dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 37.37%. Wall Street Analyst Weigh In TD has been the subject of a number of research reports. Natl Bk Canada upgraded shares of Toronto Dominion Bank from a hold rating to a strong-buy rating in a research note on Wednesday, December 17th. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a buy (b) rating on shares of Toronto Dominion Bank in a report on Wednesday, January 21st. Wall Street Zen downgraded Toronto Dominion Bank from a hold rating to a sell rating in a report on Saturday, January 10th. Raymond James Financial raised Toronto Dominion Bank to a hold rating in a research report on Monday, November 24th. Finally, National Bank Financial raised shares of Toronto Dominion Bank from a sector perform rating to an outperform rating in a research report on Thursday, December 18th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, four have issued a Buy rating and four have given a Hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $93.00. Check Out Our Latest Report on Toronto Dominion Bank Toronto Dominion Bank Company Profile (Free Report) Toronto-Dominion Bank (TD) is a Canadian multinational banking and financial services company headquartered in Toronto, Ontario. Formed through the 1955 merger of the Bank of Toronto (founded 1855) and the Dominion Bank (founded 1869), TD is one of Canadas largest banks and offers a broad range of financial products and services to individual, small business, commercial and institutional clients. TDs core businesses include Canadian and U.S. personal and commercial banking, wealth management, wholesale banking and insurance. Further Reading Want to see what other hedge funds are holding TD? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Toronto Dominion Bank (The) (NYSE:TD Free Report) (TSE:TD). Receive News & Ratings for Toronto Dominion Bank Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Toronto Dominion Bank and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Wealthfront Advisers LLC boosted its stake in The Boeing Company (NYSE:BA Free Report) by 9.0% in the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The firm owned 85,874 shares of the aircraft producers stock after purchasing an additional 7,062 shares during the quarter. Wealthfront Advisers LLCs holdings in Boeing were worth $18,534,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC. Other large investors also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Vanguard Group Inc. grew its stake in shares of Boeing by 1.7% during the 2nd quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 66,773,360 shares of the aircraft producers stock valued at $13,991,022,000 after buying an additional 1,118,316 shares during the period. Newport Trust Company LLC raised its holdings in shares of Boeing by 2.5% in the 3rd quarter. Newport Trust Company LLC now owns 29,198,446 shares of the aircraft producers stock worth $6,301,901,000 after purchasing an additional 707,490 shares during the period. Geode Capital Management LLC raised its holdings in shares of Boeing by 2.7% in the 2nd quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 16,316,838 shares of the aircraft producers stock worth $3,402,073,000 after purchasing an additional 432,026 shares during the period. Fisher Asset Management LLC lifted its stake in shares of Boeing by 3.8% in the 2nd quarter. Fisher Asset Management LLC now owns 5,327,443 shares of the aircraft producers stock valued at $1,116,259,000 after purchasing an additional 196,666 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. grew its holdings in shares of Boeing by 1.1% during the 2nd quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. now owns 4,242,397 shares of the aircraft producers stock worth $888,910,000 after purchasing an additional 44,338 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 64.82% of the companys stock. Get Boeing alerts: Boeing Stock Performance Shares of BA stock opened at $242.64 on Wednesday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 8.37, a current ratio of 1.19 and a quick ratio of 0.40. The companys fifty day moving average price is $226.67 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $219.09. The firm has a market capitalization of $190.56 billion, a P/E ratio of 120.72 and a beta of 1.15. The Boeing Company has a 12 month low of $128.88 and a 12 month high of $254.35. Analyst Ratings Changes Boeing ( NYSE:BA Get Free Report ) last announced its earnings results on Tuesday, January 27th. The aircraft producer reported $9.92 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of ($0.40) by $10.32. The business had revenue of $23.95 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $22.41 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business earned ($5.90) earnings per share. The firms revenue was up 57.1% on a year-over-year basis. On average, research analysts anticipate that The Boeing Company will post -2.58 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Several research analysts recently commented on BA shares. Morgan Stanley set a $245.00 price target on shares of Boeing in a report on Wednesday, January 28th. Jefferies Financial Group raised their target price on shares of Boeing from $290.00 to $295.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Sunday, February 1st. Weiss Ratings raised shares of Boeing from a sell (d-) rating to a hold (c-) rating in a research report on Wednesday, February 4th. New Street Research set a $257.00 price target on Boeing in a report on Tuesday, December 9th. Finally, Argus upgraded Boeing to a hold rating in a research note on Monday, February 2nd. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, seventeen have assigned a Buy rating, five have given a Hold rating and three have given a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $246.14. Check Out Our Latest Stock Report on Boeing Insider Activity In related news, SVP Dana S. Deasy acquired 554 shares of Boeing stock in a transaction on Monday, November 24th. The shares were purchased at an average cost of $178.88 per share, for a total transaction of $99,099.52. Following the purchase, the senior vice president directly owned 28,442 shares of the companys stock, valued at $5,087,704.96. The trade was a 1.99% increase in their position. The purchase was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, EVP Uma M. Amuluru sold 2,731 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Wednesday, February 4th. The stock was sold at an average price of $236.00, for a total transaction of $644,516.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 11,925 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $2,814,300. This represents a 18.63% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Company insiders own 0.09% of the companys stock. About Boeing (Free Report) Boeing Company (NYSE: BA) is an American multinational corporation that designs, manufactures and services commercial airplanes, defense systems, and space and security technologies. Founded in 1916 by William E. Boeing in Seattle, the company today operates as an integrated aerospace and defense contractor with a global customer base. Boeing relocated its corporate headquarters to Arlington, Virginia in 2022 and maintains extensive engineering, manufacturing and service operations across the United States and around the world. Boeings principal lines of business include Commercial Airplanes, which produces and supports a range of jetliners used by airlines globally; Defense, Space & Security, which develops military aircraft, rotorcraft, surveillance and reconnaissance systems, satellites, and launch and missile systems; and Boeing Global Services, which provides aftermarket maintenance, training, spare parts, digital analytics and logistics support. Further Reading Want to see what other hedge funds are holding BA? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for The Boeing Company (NYSE:BA Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Boeing Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Boeing and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Farmers and Merchants Bancshares, Inc. (OTCMKTS:FMFG Get Free Report) was the recipient of a large decline in short interest during the month of January. As of January 30th, there was short interest totaling 3 shares, a decline of 95.7% from the January 15th total of 70 shares. Based on an average daily volume of 1,082 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is presently 0.0 days. Based on an average daily volume of 1,082 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is presently 0.0 days. Farmers and Merchants Bancshares Stock Down 1.0% Shares of Farmers and Merchants Bancshares stock opened at $19.00 on Wednesday. The company has a 50-day simple moving average of $17.63 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $16.92. Farmers and Merchants Bancshares has a 52-week low of $14.76 and a 52-week high of $19.50. Get Farmers and Merchants Bancshares alerts: About Farmers and Merchants Bancshares (Get Free Report) Farmers and Merchants Bancshares is the bank holding company for Farmers and Merchants Bank, a community-focused institution based in Lyons, Kansas. Through its banking subsidiary, the company provides a full range of deposit and lending products designed to meet the needs of individuals, families and small businesses. Core offerings include checking and savings accounts, certificates of deposit and consumer loan products such as auto and home mortgages. In addition to traditional banking services, Farmers and Merchants Bancshares offers commercial and agricultural lending to support local enterprises and farming operations throughout its service area. See Also Receive News & Ratings for Farmers and Merchants Bancshares Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Farmers and Merchants Bancshares and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Oppenheimer Asset Management Inc. grew its holdings in Southwest Airlines Co. (NYSE:LUV Free Report) by 63.6% in the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 260,831 shares of the airlines stock after buying an additional 101,403 shares during the quarter. Oppenheimer Asset Management Inc. owned approximately 0.05% of Southwest Airlines worth $8,323,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Cardinal Point Capital Management ULC grew its holdings in Southwest Airlines by 30.8% during the 3rd quarter. Cardinal Point Capital Management ULC now owns 14,221 shares of the airlines stock worth $454,000 after acquiring an additional 3,351 shares during the last quarter. Smartleaf Asset Management LLC lifted its position in shares of Southwest Airlines by 51.7% during the third quarter. Smartleaf Asset Management LLC now owns 1,424 shares of the airlines stock worth $47,000 after purchasing an additional 485 shares in the last quarter. Alps Advisors Inc. grew its stake in shares of Southwest Airlines by 4.6% during the third quarter. Alps Advisors Inc. now owns 774,928 shares of the airlines stock valued at $24,728,000 after purchasing an additional 34,410 shares during the last quarter. Portside Wealth Group LLC increased its holdings in shares of Southwest Airlines by 74.5% in the third quarter. Portside Wealth Group LLC now owns 33,301 shares of the airlines stock valued at $1,063,000 after purchasing an additional 14,213 shares in the last quarter. Finally, HighPoint Advisor Group LLC raised its position in Southwest Airlines by 17.1% in the 3rd quarter. HighPoint Advisor Group LLC now owns 9,087 shares of the airlines stock worth $290,000 after purchasing an additional 1,328 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 80.82% of the companys stock. Get Southwest Airlines alerts: Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth A number of brokerages have commented on LUV. Evercore increased their price objective on Southwest Airlines from $40.00 to $45.00 and gave the company an in-line rating in a research report on Thursday, January 29th. Zacks Research upgraded Southwest Airlines from a hold rating to a strong-buy rating in a report on Friday, January 30th. Seaport Research Partners lifted their price objective on Southwest Airlines from $57.00 to $58.00 in a research report on Thursday, January 29th. Weiss Ratings restated a hold (c) rating on shares of Southwest Airlines in a research report on Monday, December 29th. Finally, Barclays raised shares of Southwest Airlines from an equal weight rating to an overweight rating and raised their target price for the company from $34.00 to $56.00 in a research note on Tuesday, December 16th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, six have given a Buy rating, ten have given a Hold rating and three have issued a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $46.92. Southwest Airlines Trading Up 1.4% NYSE:LUV opened at $54.09 on Wednesday. The company has a current ratio of 0.52, a quick ratio of 0.45 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.57. Southwest Airlines Co. has a 1-year low of $23.82 and a 1-year high of $54.70. The firm has a market capitalization of $26.58 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 64.39, a PEG ratio of 0.38 and a beta of 1.15. The businesss 50-day moving average price is $43.20 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $36.00. Southwest Airlines (NYSE:LUV Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, January 28th. The airline reported $0.58 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $0.56 by $0.02. The company had revenue of $7.44 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $7.51 billion. Southwest Airlines had a return on equity of 6.18% and a net margin of 1.57%.Southwest Airliness revenue was up 7.4% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the business posted $0.56 EPS. Southwest Airlines has set its FY 2026 guidance at 4.000- EPS and its Q1 2026 guidance at 0.450- EPS. On average, equities analysts expect that Southwest Airlines Co. will post 1.55 earnings per share for the current year. Southwest Airlines Announces Dividend The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, April 2nd. Shareholders of record on Thursday, March 12th will be issued a $0.18 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, March 12th. This represents a $0.72 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.3%. Southwest Airliness dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 85.71%. Southwest Airlines Profile (Free Report) Southwest Airlines Co is a U.S.-based low-cost carrier that operates a point-to-point domestic and near-international airline network. Headquartered in Dallas, Texas, the company primarily flies Boeing 737 aircraft and offers no-frills, single-class service designed to keep fares competitive. Southwests operating model emphasizes high aircraft utilization, quick turnaround times and an open seating policy, allowing customers to board and select seats on a first-come, first-served basis. Founded in 1967 by Herb Kelleher and Rollin King as Air Southwest Company, Southwest began commercial service in 1971, initially connecting Dallas, Houston and San Antonio. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for Southwest Airlines Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Southwest Airlines and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. EssilorLuxottica Unsponsored ADR (OTCMKTS:ESLOY Get Free Report) was the target of a large increase in short interest during the month of January. As of January 30th, there was short interest totaling 60,082 shares, an increase of 468.2% from the January 15th total of 10,575 shares. Based on an average daily trading volume, of 165,006 shares, the short-interest ratio is currently 0.4 days. Currently, 0.0% of the shares of the company are sold short. Currently, 0.0% of the shares of the company are sold short. Based on an average daily trading volume, of 165,006 shares, the short-interest ratio is currently 0.4 days. Wall Street Analyst Weigh In ESLOY has been the topic of several research reports. The Goldman Sachs Group reaffirmed a buy rating on shares of EssilorLuxottica in a research report on Friday, December 5th. Citigroup restated a buy rating on shares of EssilorLuxottica in a research note on Thursday, December 11th. HSBC raised EssilorLuxottica from a hold rating to a buy rating in a report on Wednesday, January 14th. Zacks Research downgraded EssilorLuxottica from a strong-buy rating to a hold rating in a report on Tuesday, November 18th. Finally, UBS Group raised shares of EssilorLuxottica from a hold rating to a strong-buy rating in a research report on Thursday, November 27th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, five have given a Buy rating and one has given a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, EssilorLuxottica has a consensus rating of Buy. Get EssilorLuxottica alerts: Get Our Latest Stock Analysis on ESLOY EssilorLuxottica Trading Down 1.8% EssilorLuxottica Company Profile Shares of OTCMKTS ESLOY opened at $149.14 on Wednesday. The stocks fifty day moving average is $159.97 and its 200 day moving average is $163.38. EssilorLuxottica has a 52 week low of $126.47 and a 52 week high of $186.81. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.18, a quick ratio of 0.67 and a current ratio of 0.97. (Get Free Report) EssilorLuxottica SE is a global ophthalmic optics company formed through the 2018 merger of France-based Essilor and Italy-based Luxottica. Headquartered near Paris, the company combines lens manufacturing, frame design and production, brand management and retail operations to provide a vertically integrated offering across the vision care value chain. Its activities span product research and development, manufacturing, wholesale distribution and retailing of spectacles, sunglasses and ophthalmic lenses. The companys product portfolio includes prescription and non-prescription lenses, lens coatings and treatments, and an array of eyewear brands and frames. See Also Receive News & Ratings for EssilorLuxottica Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for EssilorLuxottica and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Rockland Trust Co. bought a new position in shares of Bar Harbor Bankshares (NYSE:BHB Free Report) in the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund bought 15,066 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $459,000. Rockland Trust Co. owned about 0.09% of Bar Harbor Bankshares as of its most recent SEC filing. A number of other hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of the stock. Coston McIsaac & Partners raised its stake in Bar Harbor Bankshares by 83.2% during the 3rd quarter. Coston McIsaac & Partners now owns 75,974 shares of the companys stock worth $2,313,000 after acquiring an additional 34,493 shares in the last quarter. Mascoma Wealth Management LLC boosted its position in shares of Bar Harbor Bankshares by 677.9% in the 3rd quarter. Mascoma Wealth Management LLC now owns 2,427 shares of the companys stock valued at $74,000 after purchasing an additional 2,115 shares during the period. Silverlake Wealth Management LLC purchased a new stake in Bar Harbor Bankshares in the third quarter valued at approximately $932,000. Bogart Wealth LLC purchased a new stake in Bar Harbor Bankshares in the third quarter valued at approximately $282,000. Finally, Inspire Investing LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Bar Harbor Bankshares in the third quarter valued at approximately $453,000. 54.49% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. Get Bar Harbor Bankshares alerts: Bar Harbor Bankshares Stock Performance BHB stock opened at $34.68 on Wednesday. The stock has a market capitalization of $578.77 million, a PE ratio of 15.08 and a beta of 0.65. The company has a fifty day moving average of $32.69 and a 200-day moving average of $31.26. Bar Harbor Bankshares has a one year low of $26.43 and a one year high of $36.05. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth Separately, Keefe, Bruyette & Woods lifted their target price on shares of Bar Harbor Bankshares from $33.00 to $34.00 and gave the company a market perform rating in a report on Thursday, October 23rd. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Buy rating and two have given a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $34.50. Read Our Latest Stock Analysis on BHB Bar Harbor Bankshares Company Profile (Free Report) Bar Harbor Bankshares, Inc is a bank holding company headquartered in Bar Harbor, Maine, operating through its wholly owned subsidiary, Bar Harbor Bank & Trust. The company offers a comprehensive suite of commercial and consumer banking services, including checking and savings accounts, certificates of deposit, and digital banking capabilities. It serves individuals, small businesses, and corporate clients across its footprint in Maine and New Hampshire, with a network of full-service branch offices and lending centers. In addition to traditional deposit and loan products, Bar Harbor Bankshares provides specialized financial services such as mortgage lending, commercial real estate financing, equipment loans, and lines of credit tailored to the needs of local businesses. Recommended Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding BHB? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Bar Harbor Bankshares (NYSE:BHB Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Bar Harbor Bankshares Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Bar Harbor Bankshares and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Institutional & Insider Ownership 40.7% of Barnwell Industries shares are owned by institutional investors. 17.6% of Barnwell Industries shares are owned by company insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that endowments, large money managers and hedge funds believe a stock will outperform the market over the long term. Earnings & Valuation This table compares Barnwell Industries and Sundance Energy Australias top-line revenue, earnings per share and valuation. Get Barnwell Industries alerts: Gross Revenue Price/Sales Ratio Net Income Earnings Per Share Price/Earnings Ratio Barnwell Industries $13.70 million 0.94 -$5.57 million ($0.70) -1.47 Sundance Energy Australia $164.93 million 0.06 -$28.14 million N/A N/A Risk & Volatility Barnwell Industries has higher earnings, but lower revenue than Sundance Energy Australia. Barnwell Industries has a beta of -0.23, meaning that its stock price is 123% less volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Sundance Energy Australia has a beta of 3.96, meaning that its stock price is 296% more volatile than the S&P 500. Profitability This table compares Barnwell Industries and Sundance Energy Australias net margins, return on equity and return on assets. Net Margins Return on Equity Return on Assets Barnwell Industries -34.01% -48.90% -22.57% Sundance Energy Australia 24.02% 13.45% 6.16% Summary Sundance Energy Australia beats Barnwell Industries on 5 of the 9 factors compared between the two stocks. About Barnwell Industries (Get Free Report) Barnwell Industries, Inc. acquires, develops, produces, and sells oil and natural gas in Canada. The company operates through three segments: Oil and Natural Gas, Land Investment, and Contract Drilling. It also acquires and develops crude oil and natural gas assets in the province of Alberta, as well as invests in land interests in Hawaii. In addition, the company owns and operates threes water well drilling rigs, two pump rigs, and other ancillary drilling and pump equipment; and drills water and water monitoring wells of varying depths. Further, it installs and repairs water pumping systems; and distributes trillium flow technologies. Barnwell Industries, Inc. was incorporated in 1956 and is based in Honolulu, Hawaii. About Sundance Energy Australia (Get Free Report) Sundance Energy Australia Limited operates as an onshore oil and gas company in the United States. The company explores for, develops, and produces oil and natural gas. Its exploration and development activities are focused on the Eagle Ford project in the South-Texas-Gulf Coast Basin. Sundance Energy Australia Limited was incorporated in 2004 and is based in Wayville, Australia. Receive News & Ratings for Barnwell Industries Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Barnwell Industries and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. One of the intrigues of U.S. Vice President Jay D. Vance's visit to Yerevan was the establishment of cooperation in the field of nuclear energy, announced back in the fall. In September 2025, the Armenian media reported, with reference to the country's Foreign Ministry, that Armenia and the United States had begun negotiations to conclude the 123 Agreement, which would lay the legal foundation for the exchange of nuclear technologies, information and experience in compliance with international nonproliferation principles. The negotiations began within the framework of the memoranda of understanding between the governments of Armenia and the United States, signed in Washington on August 8. The conclusion of the 123 Agreement will allow Armenia and the United States to "exchange advanced nuclear technologies and knowledge, which will contribute to strengthening energy security and developing peaceful atom in the country, while strictly observing high standards of non-proliferation of nuclear weapons." It should be noted that Armenia started looking for a replacement for Rosatom a couple of years after the war. Perhaps this was one of the most difficult issues in the context of the "divorce" from Moscow. Nuclear technology is a delicate thing, moreover, regulated by a mass of international documents. The closure of the outdated and risky Metsamor NPP was demanded not only by neighboring Turkey and Azerbaijan, but also by the European Union. Despite all the sympathies for Armenia, the European Union understood that any accident at the nuclear power plant would affect not only the closest neighbors of the Armenians, but also negatively affect Europe. Therefore, back when Serzh Sargsyan was President, Yerevan was ordered to close the emergency nuclear power plant as one of the conditions of partnership with the EU. What he didn't do. It was impossible to simply decide to close the station, as it plays a primary role in supplying the country with electricity. Armenia had no opportunities to solve the problem on its own, neither technologically nor financially. The Metsamor NPP was built with funds from the Union budget using Russian (Soviet) technologies and was actually managed by the Russian side. However, as well as the energy sector of this country as a whole. Rosatom is still the main contractor dealing with the maintenance of the Armenian NPP. Nuclear fuel is also supplied to the station from Russia. In November 2022, Armenia signed a memorandum with Rosatom on the construction of a new power unit, but no steps were taken in this project, as Yerevan began to receive signals from the West. The construction of a nuclear reactor is both financially very expensive and very difficult from the point of view of logistics. According to experts, in some countries, nuclear power plants are not being built only because there is no appropriate infrastructure to accept the equipment. Moreover, railways are often built specifically for the implementation of nuclear projects. Large-scale equipment for nuclear power plants is delivered only by rail, which has caused Armenia great problems since the beginning of the Karabakh conflict. By embarking on the path of real normalization, Armenia has gained the opportunity to begin expanding its geopolitical and geo-economic horizons. To really cope with dependence on Russia, one desire is not enough. We need opportunities that Yerevan did not have. After the meeting in Washington on August 8, Yerevan received these opportunities. The same TRIPP, or the Zangezur Corridor, will allow Armenia to solve the logistics problem and become part of a strategic international corridor for the first time. Plus, after the opening of the border with Azerbaijan, Turkiye will also open its border to Armenians. Without resolving the issue of the road through Meghri, the Turkish side was slow to open the border. Now Armenia is gradually beginning to realize how much it needed the Zangezur Corridor, called TRIPP after August 8. First of all, he gives her freedom. An agreement on civil nuclear cooperation with the United States was signed in Yerevan on Monday. The agreement establishes the legal basis for the export of nuclear technologies, fuels and services by American companies to Armenia and opens up the opportunity for American firms to compete for a contract to replace the Soviet-built Metsamor nuclear power plant. Armenia will receive small modular reactors from the United States, J. D. Vance said at a joint press conference with Nikol Pashinyan. According to him, Armenia will become the recipient of small modular reactors with American technologies. He clarified that the agreement provides for Yerevan to receive equipment worth up to $5 billion, and in the long term, contracts for fuel supplies and reactor maintenance worth another $4 billion will be implemented. It should be noted that $9 billion is half of the state budget of the Republic of Armenia for 2026. The Russian side has never offered such investments to the Armenians. Apparently, realizing that such an amount will never be refunded. Besides, Moscow did not need such generosity, since Armenia was already in its hands. Even now, it's not easy enough. By signing an agreement with the Americans alone, Yerevan will not be able to solve the problem of dependence on Armenian energy at a click. The 9 billion announced by Vance is the amount that the United States is willing to spend to help Armenia do this. Washington will have to start from scratch in Armenia. The Russian Foreign Ministry has already responded to what is happening. Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin stated that there are no real alternatives to Russian proposals for the construction of a new nuclear power plant in Armenia. Galuzin pointed out that Russia had submitted a package of detailed proposals to the Armenian side, and Rosatom was ready to start implementing the project as soon as possible, if the Armenian side so desired. In addition, Russian and Armenian nuclear scientists, as the deputy minister said, "come from the same Soviet school and understand each other well." However, Yerevan is determined. Negotiations on the 123 agreement in the field of atomic energy have been completed between the Armenian and American sides. The 123 Agreement is a bilateral intergovernmental agreement required for the export of nuclear materials, technology, and equipment from the United States to other countries. It is so named under section 123 of the United States Atomic Energy Act of 1954. This section requires compliance with strict nonproliferation criteria, including a ban on the use of technology for weapons. The agreement must pass through Congress and be approved by the President. There is no doubt that such a document with Armenia will pass the Congress without any problems. The reason is not only the activity of the lobby, but also the fact that this country does not have nuclear weapons and has no ambitions to possess them. The irresponsible statements made by individual politicians at various times do not mean that Yerevan will ever seriously consider becoming a nuclear power. Not to mention that no one will let him do that. But the agreement allows the United States to control the nuclear energy industry of the country with which they enter into partnership. Armenia undertakes not to use nuclear materials and technologies for military purposes (we "honor" the memory of the dirty bomb from the time of the Karabakh clan), enrich and recycle nuclear materials, transfer information to other parties, and so on. The 123 Agreement with the United States has been signed by about 50 countries since 1955, including the European Union, China, India, Japan, Kazakhstan, the Republic of Korea, Turkiye, Ukraine, the United Arab Emirates and others. If there are no force majeure events, Armenia will soon be among them. The Armenian authorities have decided that the new NPP will be of a modular type, but the final choice of the model has not yet been made, the Minister of Territorial Administration and Infrastructures of the Republic of Armenia, David Khudatyan, said in early January. According to him, Yerevan continues to study proposals from partners from Russia, the United States, China, South Korea and France. The final decision on the choice of the model will be made in 2026-2027, said Khudatyan, who believes that it is not worth rushing to make a decision, because modular reactor technologies have not yet become widespread in the world and we still need to think about it. Yerevan was not allowed to think long. Judging by the figures announced by Vance, Armenia will receive small modular reactors from the United States. It should be noted that the life of the Metsamor NPP, after several extensions, finally ends in 2036, after which the plant must be closed. This nuclear power plant produces 40 percent of Armenia's electricity, and its closure without replacement capacity will definitely cause an energy crisis in the country. In May 2023, it became known that the United States was exploring the option of building small modular nuclear reactors in Armenia and other Eurasian countries. According to Maria Longa, coordinator of the US government's assistance programs in Europe and Eurasia, this is necessary to "lead to greater energy independence of countries from both Russia and China." There is a practice in the world when the operation of a nuclear power plant can be extended after the completion of the planned period. However, according to experts, there is no technical possibility to extend the life of the Armenian NPP once again, and if Armenia is interested in continuing to use nuclear energy, it needs to build a new power unit. The average construction period of power units is 7 years from the start of construction work. Plus financial issues, preparation, and so on. And Armenia, as experts advise, should start thinking about it today, because the nuclear power plant in Metsamor has only 10 years left. What will happen then? Then, if the station is not closed by that date, it will turn into a weapon of mass destruction. The return capsule of China's new-generation Mengzhou crewed spaceship safely splashes down in the predetermined sea area during a flight test, Feb. 11, 2026. A low-altitude demonstration and verification flight test for the Long March-10 carrier rocket and a maximum dynamic pressure abort flight test for the new-generation crewed spaceship system Mengzhou are successfully conducted at the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site in south China's Hainan Province on Wednesday. (Photo by Wang Heng/Xinhua) WENCHANG, Hainan, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- China on Wednesday successfully conducted its first maritime search and retrieval of a crewed spacecraft's return capsule, the China Manned Space Agency said. The Mengzhou (dream vessel) spacecraft, China's new-generation spaceship for crewed mission, successfully conducted a maximum dynamic pressure abort test and achieved a safe splashdown on the sea. It was carried out during a low-altitude demonstration and verification flight test of the Long March-10 carrier rocket. At 12:20 p.m. (Beijing Time), the maritime search and rescue team completed the recovery of the return capsule. The success offered crucial experience for subsequent space station operation and crewed lunar landing, the agency said. The spacecraft Mengzhou is designed mainly for China's crewed lunar exploration and can also be used for space station operation. Its return capsule is capable of multiple reuses. The first stage of the Long March-10 carrier rocket safely splashes down in the predetermined sea area in a controlled manner as planned, Feb. 11, 2026. A low-altitude demonstration and verification flight test for the Long March-10 carrier rocket and a maximum dynamic pressure abort flight test for the new-generation crewed spaceship system Mengzhou are successfully conducted at the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site in south China's Hainan Province on Wednesday. (Photo by Han Qingce/Xinhua) The first stage of the Long March-10 carrier rocket safely splashes down in the predetermined sea area in a controlled manner as planned, Feb. 11, 2026. A low-altitude demonstration and verification flight test for the Long March-10 carrier rocket and a maximum dynamic pressure abort flight test for the new-generation crewed spaceship system Mengzhou are successfully conducted at the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site in south China's Hainan Province on Wednesday. (Photo by Han Qingce/Xinhua) The first stage of the Long March-10 carrier rocket safely splashes down in the predetermined sea area in a controlled manner as planned, Feb. 11, 2026. A low-altitude demonstration and verification flight test for the Long March-10 carrier rocket and a maximum dynamic pressure abort flight test for the new-generation crewed spaceship system Mengzhou are successfully conducted at the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site in south China's Hainan Province on Wednesday. (Photo by Han Qingce/Xinhua) A low-altitude demonstration and verification flight test for the Long March-10 carrier rocket and a maximum dynamic pressure abort flight test for the new-generation crewed spaceship system Mengzhou are successfully conducted at the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site in south China's Hainan Province, Feb. 11, 2026. (Xinhua/Pu Xiaoxu) A low-altitude demonstration and verification flight test for the Long March-10 carrier rocket and a maximum dynamic pressure abort flight test for the new-generation crewed spaceship system Mengzhou are successfully conducted at the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site in south China's Hainan Province, Feb. 11, 2026. (Xinhua/Pu Xiaoxu) A low-altitude demonstration and verification flight test for the Long March-10 carrier rocket and a maximum dynamic pressure abort flight test for the new-generation crewed spaceship system Mengzhou are successfully conducted at the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site in south China's Hainan Province, Feb. 11, 2026. (Xinhua/Pu Xiaoxu) A low-altitude demonstration and verification flight test for the Long March-10 carrier rocket and a maximum dynamic pressure abort flight test for the new-generation crewed spaceship system Mengzhou are successfully conducted at the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site in south China's Hainan Province, Feb. 11, 2026. (Xinhua/Li Minggang) A low-altitude demonstration and verification flight test for the Long March-10 carrier rocket and a maximum dynamic pressure abort flight test for the new-generation crewed spaceship system Mengzhou are successfully conducted at the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site in south China's Hainan Province, Feb. 11, 2026. (Photo by Wang Heng/Xinhua) Prospera Financial Services Inc boosted its holdings in shares of Deere & Company (NYSE:DE Free Report) by 11.2% during the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The fund owned 21,916 shares of the industrial products companys stock after purchasing an additional 2,202 shares during the period. Prospera Financial Services Incs holdings in Deere & Company were worth $10,028,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC. A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently made changes to their positions in DE. Breakwater Capital Group increased its position in Deere & Company by 9.4% in the 3rd quarter. Breakwater Capital Group now owns 1,897 shares of the industrial products companys stock valued at $867,000 after acquiring an additional 163 shares during the period. REAP Financial Group LLC increased its holdings in shares of Deere & Company by 17.7% in the third quarter. REAP Financial Group LLC now owns 153 shares of the industrial products companys stock valued at $70,000 after purchasing an additional 23 shares during the period. Legacy Financial Strategies LLC increased its holdings in shares of Deere & Company by 7.7% in the third quarter. Legacy Financial Strategies LLC now owns 584 shares of the industrial products companys stock valued at $267,000 after purchasing an additional 42 shares during the period. Gables Capital Management Inc. raised its stake in shares of Deere & Company by 1.2% during the third quarter. Gables Capital Management Inc. now owns 2,603 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $1,190,000 after purchasing an additional 30 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Roman Butler Fullerton & Co. lifted its holdings in shares of Deere & Company by 4.1% during the third quarter. Roman Butler Fullerton & Co. now owns 1,248 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $591,000 after purchasing an additional 49 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 68.58% of the companys stock. Get Deere & Company alerts: Deere & Company Stock Up 1.3% DE stock opened at $593.11 on Wednesday. The company has a current ratio of 2.22, a quick ratio of 2.01 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.68. The companys 50-day moving average price is $500.08 and its 200 day moving average price is $485.13. Deere & Company has a 52 week low of $404.42 and a 52 week high of $593.76. The company has a market cap of $160.77 billion, a P/E ratio of 32.04, a P/E/G ratio of 2.34 and a beta of 1.02. Deere & Company Dividend Announcement Deere & Company ( NYSE:DE Get Free Report ) last issued its earnings results on Wednesday, November 26th. The industrial products company reported $3.93 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $3.96 by ($0.03). Deere & Company had a net margin of 11.00% and a return on equity of 20.54%. The company had revenue of $12.39 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $9.77 billion. During the same period last year, the business posted $4.55 earnings per share. The companys quarterly revenue was up 14.1% on a year-over-year basis. On average, research analysts expect that Deere & Company will post 19.32 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, February 9th. Investors of record on Wednesday, December 31st were paid a $1.62 dividend. This represents a $6.48 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.1%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Wednesday, December 31st. Deere & Companys dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 35.01%. Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades Several equities analysts have issued reports on the stock. Wolfe Research boosted their price objective on shares of Deere & Company from $520.00 to $550.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research note on Friday, January 2nd. Royal Bank Of Canada lowered their target price on shares of Deere & Company from $542.00 to $541.00 and set an outperform rating on the stock in a report on Friday, November 28th. Oppenheimer boosted their price target on shares of Deere & Company from $512.00 to $531.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research note on Friday, November 28th. UBS Group restated a buy rating on shares of Deere & Company in a research report on Tuesday, November 25th. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group lifted their price objective on Deere & Company from $440.00 to $475.00 and gave the company a hold rating in a report on Tuesday, December 9th. Fifteen investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and nine have given a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $524.20. Read Our Latest Stock Report on Deere & Company Insider Buying and Selling at Deere & Company In other news, insider Cory J. Reed sold 12,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Wednesday, January 14th. The stock was sold at an average price of $510.00, for a total value of $6,120,000.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider owned 20,792 shares in the company, valued at $10,603,920. This trade represents a 36.59% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. Also, CEO John C. May II sold 41,472 shares of Deere & Company stock in a transaction on Thursday, January 8th. The stock was sold at an average price of $501.49, for a total value of $20,797,793.28. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer directly owned 117,970 shares of the companys stock, valued at $59,160,775.30. This trade represents a 26.01% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Over the last ninety days, insiders have sold 64,578 shares of company stock valued at $32,471,682. 0.29% of the stock is currently owned by insiders. Deere & Company Profile (Free Report) Deere & Company, commonly known by its brand John Deere, is a global manufacturer of agricultural, construction and forestry machinery, as well as turf care equipment and power systems. Founded in 1837 by blacksmith John Deerewho developed a polished steel plow to improve tillage in tough prairie soilsthe company is headquartered in Moline, Illinois, and has grown into one of the largest and most recognizable names in equipment manufacturing worldwide. The companys principal businesses include a broad portfolio of agricultural equipment such as tractors, combines, planters, sprayers, harvesters and tillage implements, complemented by precision agriculture technologies and telematics that support farm management, yield optimization and equipment connectivity. Recommended Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding DE? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Deere & Company (NYSE:DE Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Deere & Company Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Deere & Company and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Sage Advisory Services Ltd.Co. acquired a new stake in shares of iShares U.S. Healthcare Providers ETF (NYSEARCA:IHF Free Report) in the third quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The institutional investor acquired 93,921 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $4,639,000. iShares U.S. Healthcare Providers ETF makes up approximately 2.4% of Sage Advisory Services Ltd.Co.s investment portfolio, making the stock its 17th largest holding. Several other hedge funds have also added to or reduced their stakes in IHF. Harbor Asset Planning Inc. bought a new position in shares of iShares U.S. Healthcare Providers ETF during the second quarter valued at $26,000. Bank of Montreal Can grew its position in iShares U.S. Healthcare Providers ETF by 132.1% during the 2nd quarter. Bank of Montreal Can now owns 615 shares of the companys stock valued at $30,000 after purchasing an additional 350 shares during the last quarter. City State Bank increased its stake in iShares U.S. Healthcare Providers ETF by 47.1% during the 3rd quarter. City State Bank now owns 625 shares of the companys stock valued at $31,000 after purchasing an additional 200 shares in the last quarter. WFA of San Diego LLC purchased a new position in iShares U.S. Healthcare Providers ETF in the second quarter worth about $49,000. Finally, Smartleaf Asset Management LLC bought a new position in shares of iShares U.S. Healthcare Providers ETF in the second quarter worth approximately $58,000. Get iShares U.S. Healthcare Providers ETF alerts: iShares U.S. Healthcare Providers ETF Stock Up 0.2% NYSEARCA:IHF opened at $44.57 on Wednesday. The stock has a market cap of $719.81 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of 15.41 and a beta of 0.70. The companys 50 day moving average price is $47.94 and its 200-day moving average price is $47.78. iShares U.S. Healthcare Providers ETF has a 52 week low of $40.57 and a 52 week high of $54.93. iShares U.S. Healthcare Providers ETF Profile The iShares U.S. Healthcare Providers ETF (IHF) is an exchange-traded fund that mostly invests in health care equity. The fund tracks a cap-weighted index of US companies that provide healthcare services. IHF was launched on May 1, 2006 and is managed by BlackRock. See Also Want to see what other hedge funds are holding IHF? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for iShares U.S. Healthcare Providers ETF (NYSEARCA:IHF Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for iShares U.S. Healthcare Providers ETF Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for iShares U.S. Healthcare Providers ETF and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Monolithic Power Systems, Rivian Automotive, OReilly Automotive, Upstart, AutoZone, Illinois Tool Works, and SoundHound AI are the seven Automotive stocks to watch today, according to MarketBeats stock screener tool. Automotive stocks are shares of publicly traded companies whose primary business is designing, manufacturing, selling, or supplying motor vehicles and related products or services including carmakers, parts suppliers, dealerships, and firms focused on electric vehicles and mobility technologies. For stock-market investors, these stocks provide exposure to the auto industrys earnings and risks, which are often cyclical and influenced by consumer demand, commodity prices, regulation, and technological shifts like electrification and autonomy. These companies had the highest dollar trading volume of any Automotive stocks within the last several days. Get alerts: Monolithic Power Systems (MPWR) Monolithic Power Systems, Inc. engages in the design, development, marketing, and sale of semiconductor-based power electronics solutions for the storage and computing, automotive, enterprise data, consumer, communications, and industrial markets. The company provides direct current (DC) to DC integrated circuits (ICs) that are used to convert and control voltages of various electronic systems, such as cloud-based CPU servers, server artificial intelligence applications, storage applications, commercial notebooks, digital cockpit, power sources, home appliances, 4G and 5G infrastructure, and satellite communications applications. Rivian Automotive (RIVN) Rivian Automotive, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, designs, develops, manufactures, and sells electric vehicles and accessories. The company offers consumer vehicles, including a two-row, five-passenger pickup truck under the R1T brand, a three-row, seven-passenger sport utility vehicle under the R1S name. Read Our Latest Research Report on RIVN OReilly Automotive (ORLY) OReilly Automotive, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, operates as a retailer and supplier of automotive aftermarket parts, tools, supplies, equipment, and accessories in the United States, Puerto Rico, and Mexico. The company provides new and remanufactured automotive hard parts and maintenance items, such as alternators, batteries, brake system components, belts, chassis parts, driveline parts, engine parts, fuel pumps, hoses, starters, temperature control, water pumps, antifreeze, appearance products, engine additives, filters, fluids, lighting products, and oil and wiper blades; and accessories, including floor mats, seat covers, and truck accessories. Read Our Latest Research Report on ORLY Upstart (UPST) Upstart Holdings, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, operates a cloud-based artificial intelligence (AI) lending platform in the United States. Its platform includes personal loans, automotive retail and refinance loans, home equity lines of credit, and small dollar loans that connects consumer demand for loans to its to bank and credit unions. Read Our Latest Research Report on UPST AutoZone (AZO) AutoZone, Inc. retails and distributes automotive replacement parts and accessories in the United States, Mexico, and Brazil. The company provides various products for cars, sport utility vehicles, vans, and light trucks, including new and remanufactured automotive hard parts, maintenance items, accessories, and non-automotive products. Read Our Latest Research Report on AZO Illinois Tool Works (ITW) Illinois Tool Works Inc. manufactures and sells industrial products and equipment in the United States and internationally. It operates through seven segments: Automotive OEM; Food Equipment; Test & Measurement and Electronics; Welding; Polymers & Fluids; Construction Products; and Specialty Products. Read Our Latest Research Report on ITW SoundHound AI (SOUN) SoundHound AI, Inc. develops independent voice artificial intelligence (AI) solutions that enables businesses across automotive, TV, and IoT, and to customer service industries to deliver high-quality conversational experiences to their customers. Its products include Houndify platform that offers a suite of Houndify tools to help brands build conversational voice assistants, such as Application Programming Interfaces (API) for text and voice queries, support for custom commands, extensive library of content domains, inclusive software development kit platforms, collaboration capabilities, diagnostic tools, and built-in analytics; SoundHound Chat AI that integrates with knowledge domains, pulling real-time data like weather, sports, stocks, flight status, and restaurants; and SoundHound Smart Answering is built to offer customer establishments custom AI-powered voice assistant. Read Our Latest Research Report on SOUN Featured Stories MQS Management LLC acquired a new position in Nordic American Tankers Limited (NYSE:NAT Free Report) in the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor acquired 230,850 shares of the shipping companys stock, valued at approximately $725,000. Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. AQR Capital Management LLC raised its position in Nordic American Tankers by 269.8% in the first quarter. AQR Capital Management LLC now owns 129,546 shares of the shipping companys stock valued at $319,000 after purchasing an additional 94,514 shares during the period. Dynamic Technology Lab Private Ltd increased its position in shares of Nordic American Tankers by 298.7% during the 1st quarter. Dynamic Technology Lab Private Ltd now owns 68,325 shares of the shipping companys stock worth $168,000 after purchasing an additional 51,187 shares during the last quarter. Empowered Funds LLC raised its holdings in Nordic American Tankers by 8.9% in the 1st quarter. Empowered Funds LLC now owns 221,939 shares of the shipping companys stock valued at $546,000 after buying an additional 18,222 shares during the period. Jane Street Group LLC raised its holdings in Nordic American Tankers by 22.6% in the 1st quarter. Jane Street Group LLC now owns 428,298 shares of the shipping companys stock valued at $1,054,000 after buying an additional 78,948 shares during the period. Finally, CWM LLC lifted its position in Nordic American Tankers by 406.9% in the second quarter. CWM LLC now owns 41,908 shares of the shipping companys stock valued at $110,000 after buying an additional 33,641 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 44.29% of the companys stock. Get Nordic American Tankers alerts: Wall Street Analyst Weigh In A number of brokerages have weighed in on NAT. Jefferies Financial Group reiterated a hold rating and set a $3.50 price target on shares of Nordic American Tankers in a research report on Friday, November 28th. Evercore increased their price objective on shares of Nordic American Tankers from $2.50 to $3.00 and gave the stock an in-line rating in a research report on Tuesday, October 28th. Weiss Ratings reiterated a hold (c+) rating on shares of Nordic American Tankers in a report on Monday, December 29th. Finally, Wall Street Zen upgraded Nordic American Tankers from a sell rating to a hold rating in a research note on Saturday, January 17th. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a Hold rating, According to MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of Hold and an average target price of $3.25. Nordic American Tankers Trading Up 1.6% NYSE NAT opened at $4.32 on Wednesday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.86, a quick ratio of 1.64 and a current ratio of 1.95. The firm has a market cap of $914.76 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of 216.11 and a beta of -0.44. The firm has a 50 day simple moving average of $3.79 and a 200-day simple moving average of $3.47. Nordic American Tankers Limited has a one year low of $2.13 and a one year high of $4.38. Nordic American Tankers (NYSE:NAT Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Friday, November 28th. The shipping company reported ($0.01) earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.01 by ($0.02). The business had revenue of $40.18 million for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $52.89 million. Nordic American Tankers had a return on equity of 0.39% and a net margin of 1.12%. Equities research analysts anticipate that Nordic American Tankers Limited will post 0.24 EPS for the current fiscal year. Nordic American Tankers Increases Dividend The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, December 22nd. Stockholders of record on Monday, December 8th were given a dividend of $0.13 per share. This is an increase from Nordic American Tankerss previous quarterly dividend of $0.10. This represents a $0.52 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 12.0%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, December 8th. Nordic American Tankerss dividend payout ratio is currently 2,600.00%. Nordic American Tankers Company Profile (Free Report) Nordic American Tankers Limited is a Bermuda-based shipping company specializing in the ownership and operation of Suezmax crude oil tankers. The companys fleet is employed on the spot and period charter markets, transporting crude oil across major global trade routes. By focusing on commercially flexible employment strategies, Nordic American Tankers seeks to optimize vessel utilization and generate stable income for shareholders. Founded in 1995 and headquartered in Hamilton, Bermuda, Nordic American Tankers maintains technical and commercial management arrangements through established ship-management partners. Featured Articles Want to see what other hedge funds are holding NAT? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Nordic American Tankers Limited (NYSE:NAT Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Nordic American Tankers Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Nordic American Tankers and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. MQS Management LLC bought a new stake in Schneider National, Inc. (NYSE:SNDR Free Report) during the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund bought 35,381 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $749,000. A number of other large investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in SNDR. Elevation Point Wealth Partners LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Schneider National during the second quarter valued at about $37,000. KBC Group NV raised its stake in shares of Schneider National by 86.3% during the 2nd quarter. KBC Group NV now owns 2,290 shares of the companys stock worth $55,000 after acquiring an additional 1,061 shares in the last quarter. Hantz Financial Services Inc. lifted its position in Schneider National by 2,943.5% during the second quarter. Hantz Financial Services Inc. now owns 3,500 shares of the companys stock valued at $85,000 after acquiring an additional 3,385 shares during the last quarter. CWM LLC lifted its position in Schneider National by 27.1% during the second quarter. CWM LLC now owns 4,466 shares of the companys stock valued at $108,000 after acquiring an additional 953 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Chicago Partners Investment Group LLC acquired a new stake in Schneider National in the second quarter valued at approximately $214,000. 28.54% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors. Get Schneider National alerts: Analysts Set New Price Targets A number of equities analysts have recently issued reports on the company. TD Cowen reduced their price target on Schneider National from $31.00 to $30.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, January 30th. Benchmark restated a buy rating on shares of Schneider National in a research note on Thursday, January 15th. Bank of America raised Schneider National from a neutral rating to a buy rating and set a $32.00 target price on the stock in a research report on Friday, January 9th. Raymond James Financial upgraded Schneider National from a market perform rating to an outperform rating and set a $28.00 price target for the company in a research note on Wednesday, December 3rd. Finally, Weiss Ratings restated a hold (c) rating on shares of Schneider National in a research note on Monday, December 29th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, six have given a Buy rating, seven have issued a Hold rating and two have issued a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, Schneider National currently has an average rating of Hold and an average price target of $28.43. Schneider National Stock Performance Shares of SNDR stock opened at $29.82 on Wednesday. The business has a fifty day moving average of $28.08 and a 200 day moving average of $24.87. Schneider National, Inc. has a 1 year low of $20.11 and a 1 year high of $30.98. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.13, a current ratio of 2.23 and a quick ratio of 1.93. The firm has a market capitalization of $5.23 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 50.54, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.94 and a beta of 1.08. Schneider National (NYSE:SNDR Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, January 29th. The company reported $0.13 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.21 by ($0.08). Schneider National had a net margin of 1.83% and a return on equity of 3.66%. The firm had revenue of $1.25 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $1.45 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $0.20 EPS. The firms revenue for the quarter was up 4.5% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, research analysts expect that Schneider National, Inc. will post 1.12 earnings per share for the current year. Schneider National Increases Dividend The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, April 8th. Investors of record on Friday, March 13th will be issued a $0.10 dividend. This is a boost from Schneider Nationals previous quarterly dividend of $0.10. The ex-dividend date is Friday, March 13th. This represents a $0.40 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.3%. Schneider Nationals dividend payout ratio is currently 64.41%. Schneider National announced that its board has approved a stock repurchase plan on Wednesday, January 28th that allows the company to repurchase $150.00 million in outstanding shares. This repurchase authorization allows the company to purchase up to 2.9% of its shares through open market purchases. Shares repurchase plans are often a sign that the companys board of directors believes its shares are undervalued. About Schneider National (Free Report) Schneider National, Inc is a leading provider of transportation and logistics services in North America. The company offers a full spectrum of solutions, including truckload transportation, intermodal services and dedicated logistics. Through these offerings, Schneider supports the movement of goods ranging from dry van freight to refrigerated and flatbed shipments, while also providing customized supply chain management and warehousing capabilities. Founded in 1935 by Al Schneider as a single-truck operation in Green Bay, Wisconsin, the company has grown into one of the industrys most recognized carriers. Featured Articles Want to see what other hedge funds are holding SNDR? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Schneider National, Inc. (NYSE:SNDR Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Schneider National Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Schneider National and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Madison Asset Management LLC reduced its position in iShares Core S&P Small-Cap ETF (NYSEARCA:IJR Free Report) by 7.4% in the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent filing with the SEC. The fund owned 160,260 shares of the exchange traded funds stock after selling 12,760 shares during the period. Madison Asset Management LLCs holdings in iShares Core S&P Small-Cap ETF were worth $19,044,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. Other hedge funds have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Your Advocates Ltd. LLP boosted its holdings in shares of iShares Core S&P Small-Cap ETF by 197.6% in the third quarter. Your Advocates Ltd. LLP now owns 244 shares of the exchange traded funds stock valued at $29,000 after acquiring an additional 162 shares during the period. Curio Wealth LLC increased its holdings in shares of iShares Core S&P Small-Cap ETF by 26,900.0% in the 2nd quarter. Curio Wealth LLC now owns 270 shares of the exchange traded funds stock valued at $30,000 after acquiring an additional 269 shares during the period. Hantz Financial Services Inc. raised its position in iShares Core S&P Small-Cap ETF by 85.4% in the 3rd quarter. Hantz Financial Services Inc. now owns 254 shares of the exchange traded funds stock valued at $30,000 after purchasing an additional 117 shares during the last quarter. Quaker Wealth Management LLC raised its position in iShares Core S&P Small-Cap ETF by 200.4% in the 2nd quarter. Quaker Wealth Management LLC now owns 452 shares of the exchange traded funds stock valued at $49,000 after purchasing an additional 902 shares during the last quarter. Finally, WPG Advisers LLC boosted its stake in iShares Core S&P Small-Cap ETF by 306.6% during the 3rd quarter. WPG Advisers LLC now owns 431 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $51,000 after purchasing an additional 325 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 66.92% of the companys stock. Get iShares Core S&P Small-Cap ETF alerts: iShares Core S&P Small-Cap ETF Stock Performance NYSEARCA IJR opened at $132.07 on Wednesday. The firms fifty day moving average is $125.38 and its two-hundred day moving average is $120.06. iShares Core S&P Small-Cap ETF has a one year low of $89.22 and a one year high of $133.02. The firm has a market cap of $97.12 billion, a PE ratio of 16.52 and a beta of 1.08. iShares Core S&P Small-Cap ETF Profile iShares Core S&P Small-Cap ETF, formerly iShares S&P SmallCap 600 Index Fund, seeks investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance of the Standard & Poors SmallCap 600 Index (the Index). The Index measures the performance of publicly traded securities in the small-capitalization sector of the United States equity market. The Index serves as the underlying index for the S&P 600/Citigroup Growth and Value Index series. The component stocks are weighted according to the total float-adjusted market value of their outstanding shares. Featured Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding IJR? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for iShares Core S&P Small-Cap ETF (NYSEARCA:IJR Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for iShares Core S&P Small-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 Small-Cap ETF and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. MQS Management LLC acquired a new position in Genuine Parts Company (NYSE:GPC Free Report) during the 3rd quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The fund acquired 4,085 shares of the specialty retailers stock, valued at approximately $566,000. Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Peoples Financial Services CORP. purchased a new stake in shares of Genuine Parts during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $29,000. Golden State Wealth Management LLC lifted its stake in Genuine Parts by 8,833.3% in the second quarter. Golden State Wealth Management LLC now owns 268 shares of the specialty retailers stock valued at $33,000 after purchasing an additional 265 shares during the last quarter. Concord Wealth Partners grew its holdings in Genuine Parts by 148.7% during the second quarter. Concord Wealth Partners now owns 296 shares of the specialty retailers stock valued at $36,000 after purchasing an additional 177 shares during the period. Hantz Financial Services Inc. grew its holdings in Genuine Parts by 7,825.0% during the second quarter. Hantz Financial Services Inc. now owns 317 shares of the specialty retailers stock valued at $38,000 after purchasing an additional 313 shares during the period. Finally, Quaker Wealth Management LLC increased its position in Genuine Parts by 11,533.3% in the second quarter. Quaker Wealth Management LLC now owns 343 shares of the specialty retailers stock worth $42,000 after buying an additional 346 shares during the last quarter. 78.83% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. Get Genuine Parts alerts: Genuine Parts Stock Performance Shares of GPC opened at $146.55 on Wednesday. Genuine Parts Company has a 52-week low of $104.01 and a 52-week high of $149.27. The stocks 50-day simple moving average is $132.30 and its 200 day simple moving average is $133.21. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.78, a quick ratio of 0.51 and a current ratio of 1.14. The stock has a market capitalization of $20.39 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 25.22 and a beta of 0.74. Genuine Parts Announces Dividend Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, January 5th. Stockholders of record on Friday, December 5th were given a $1.03 dividend. This represents a $4.12 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.8%. The ex-dividend date was Friday, December 5th. Genuine Partss dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 70.91%. A number of brokerages have recently commented on GPC. UBS Group reaffirmed a neutral rating on shares of Genuine Parts in a research report on Wednesday. The Goldman Sachs Group upgraded Genuine Parts from a sell rating to a neutral rating and boosted their price objective for the company from $130.00 to $142.00 in a research note on Thursday, November 13th. Truist Financial upped their price objective on shares of Genuine Parts from $143.00 to $146.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a report on Tuesday, October 21st. Evercore ISI reiterated an outperform rating and set a $155.00 target price on shares of Genuine Parts in a research report on Tuesday. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted their price target on shares of Genuine Parts from $145.00 to $150.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research report on Thursday, October 23rd. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, five have assigned a Buy rating and three have issued a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $149.00. Read Our Latest Stock Report on Genuine Parts About Genuine Parts (Free Report) Genuine Parts Company (NYSE: GPC) is a global distributor of automotive replacement parts, industrial parts and business products with a history dating back to 1928. Headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, the company operates a broad distribution network and retail presence serving repair shops, independent retailers, industrial customers and commercial accounts. Its business model centers on stocking and delivering a wide range of parts and supplies to support aftermarket and maintenance needs across multiple end markets. Genuine Parts conducts its operations through several well-known operating groups and subsidiaries. Featured Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding GPC? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Genuine Parts Company (NYSE:GPC Free Report). 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. Krilogy Financial LLC grew its position in shares of Bank of America Corporation (NYSE:BAC) by 64.5% in the third quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 67,643 shares of the financial services providers stock after purchasing an additional 26,514 shares during the period. Krilogy Financial LLCs holdings in Bank of America were worth $3,548,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. Other institutional investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Quaker Wealth Management LLC boosted its position in Bank of America by 246.5% during the second quarter. Quaker Wealth Management LLC now owns 523 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $25,000 after buying an additional 880 shares during the period. Steph & Co. boosted its holdings in Bank of America by 224.3% in the third quarter. Steph & Co. now owns 548 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $28,000 after acquiring an additional 379 shares in the last quarter. Collier Financial bought a new stake in shares of Bank of America during the 3rd quarter valued at about $30,000. Marquette Asset Management LLC bought a new position in Bank of America in the third quarter worth about $30,000. Finally, Mountain Hill Investment Partners Corp. bought a new stake in shares of Bank of America during the third quarter valued at approximately $31,000. 70.71% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors. Get Bank of America alerts: Analysts Set New Price Targets BAC has been the subject of a number of recent research reports. Barclays lifted their price target on shares of Bank of America from $59.00 to $71.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research report on Monday, January 5th. TD Cowen reduced their price target on shares of Bank of America from $66.00 to $64.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, January 15th. Oppenheimer upped their target price on shares of Bank of America from $55.00 to $63.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research note on Thursday, December 18th. Ameriprise Financial upgraded Bank of America to a buy rating in a research note on Wednesday, October 22nd. Finally, CICC Research started coverage on shares of Bank of America in a research report on Wednesday, January 14th. They set an outperform rating and a $62.00 target price for the company. Twenty-two research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and four have issued a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $60.30. Key Bank of America News Here are the key news stories impacting Bank of America this week: Bank of America Trading Down 1.8% BAC opened at $55.40 on Wednesday. The stocks 50 day moving average price is $54.49 and its 200-day moving average price is $51.97. The stock has a market cap of $404.56 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 14.46, a P/E/G ratio of 1.38 and a beta of 1.29. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.15, a quick ratio of 0.80 and a current ratio of 0.80. Bank of America Corporation has a one year low of $33.06 and a one year high of $57.55. Bank of America (NYSE:BAC Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Wednesday, January 14th. The financial services provider reported $0.98 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $0.96 by $0.02. Bank of America had a return on equity of 11.07% and a net margin of 16.23%.The business had revenue of $4.53 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $27.73 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the company posted $0.82 EPS. Bank of Americas revenue was up 12.3% on a year-over-year basis. On average, equities analysts forecast that Bank of America Corporation will post 3.7 EPS for the current year. Bank of America Dividend Announcement The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 27th. Stockholders of record on Friday, March 6th will be issued a dividend of $0.28 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, March 6th. This represents a $1.12 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.0%. Bank of Americas payout ratio is 29.24%. About Bank of America (Free Report) Bank of America Corporation is a multinational financial services company headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina. It provides a broad array of banking, investment, asset management and related financial and risk management products and services to individual consumers, small- and middle-market businesses, large corporations, governments and institutional investors. The firm operates through consumer banking, global wealth and investment management, global banking and markets businesses, offering capabilities across lending, deposits, payments, advisory and capital markets. Its consumer-facing offerings include checking and savings accounts, mortgages, home equity lending, auto loans, credit cards and small business banking, supported by a nationwide branch network and digital channels. Featured Articles 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. Wealthfront Advisers LLC raised its position in shares of Citigroup Inc. (NYSE:C Free Report) by 6.7% during the 3rd quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The fund owned 198,066 shares of the companys stock after acquiring an additional 12,425 shares during the period. Wealthfront Advisers LLCs holdings in Citigroup were worth $20,104,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently made changes to their positions in the company. FMB Wealth Management lifted its stake in shares of Citigroup by 4.1% in the 3rd quarter. FMB Wealth Management now owns 2,618 shares of the companys stock valued at $266,000 after purchasing an additional 103 shares during the period. Tritonpoint Wealth LLC raised its holdings in Citigroup by 2.1% in the third quarter. Tritonpoint Wealth LLC now owns 4,989 shares of the companys stock worth $506,000 after purchasing an additional 104 shares in the last quarter. Onyx Bridge Wealth Group LLC lifted its position in Citigroup by 3.6% during the second quarter. Onyx Bridge Wealth Group LLC now owns 3,117 shares of the companys stock valued at $265,000 after buying an additional 109 shares during the period. Highline Wealth Partners LLC lifted its position in Citigroup by 35.3% during the third quarter. Highline Wealth Partners LLC now owns 418 shares of the companys stock valued at $42,000 after buying an additional 109 shares during the period. Finally, Fullcircle Wealth LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Citigroup by 0.9% during the 2nd quarter. Fullcircle Wealth LLC now owns 13,097 shares of the companys stock valued at $1,206,000 after buying an additional 111 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 71.72% of the companys stock. Get Citigroup alerts: Key Citigroup News Here are the key news stories impacting Citigroup this week: Positive Sentiment: JPMorgan raised its price target on Citigroup to $134 and kept an Overweight rating, providing a near-term analyst-driven upside case for the shares. Benzinga: JPMorgan raises PT JPMorgan raised its price target on Citigroup to $134 and kept an Overweight rating, providing a near-term analyst-driven upside case for the shares. Positive Sentiment: Citi recently hit a 52?week high, reflecting strong momentum and encouraging investor sentiment that can support further gains if fundamentals remain intact. Investing.com: Citigroup hits 52-week high Citi recently hit a 52?week high, reflecting strong momentum and encouraging investor sentiment that can support further gains if fundamentals remain intact. Neutral Sentiment: Citigroup served as a joint global coordinator on the UI Boustead REIT pre?IPO marketing a routine investment?banking role that generates fees but is not a material event by itself. Economic Times: UI Boustead REIT premarketing Citigroup served as a joint global coordinator on the UI Boustead REIT pre?IPO marketing a routine investment?banking role that generates fees but is not a material event by itself. Neutral Sentiment: Citigroup entities notified they ceased to be a substantial holder in IDP Education a portfolio repositioning move by Citis trading/asset teams that doesnt indicate a change in corporate fundamentals. TipRanks: Citi sells IDP stake Citigroup entities notified they ceased to be a substantial holder in IDP Education a portfolio repositioning move by Citis trading/asset teams that doesnt indicate a change in corporate fundamentals. Negative Sentiment: Seeking Alpha flagged Citis new 6.25% preferred issuance (rated a Hold); issuance of higher?yield preferred stock can signal capital needs and may be perceived as incremental financing that is less favorable for common shareholders. Seeking Alpha: Citigroup issues new 6.25% preferred Seeking Alpha flagged Citis new 6.25% preferred issuance (rated a Hold); issuance of higher?yield preferred stock can signal capital needs and may be perceived as incremental financing that is less favorable for common shareholders. Negative Sentiment: Recent quarterly results were mixed: Citi beat EPS estimates but missed revenue expectations, which can spark concern about top?line momentum even when profitability metrics look OK a likely contributor to intraday weakness. Citigroup Trading Down 1.4% NYSE:C opened at $122.09 on Wednesday. The stock has a market cap of $218.45 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 17.52, a PEG ratio of 0.79 and a beta of 1.18. The company has a quick ratio of 0.99, a current ratio of 1.00 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.63. The companys 50 day moving average price is $116.07 and its 200-day moving average price is $104.41. Citigroup Inc. has a 52 week low of $55.51 and a 52 week high of $125.16. Citigroup (NYSE:C Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, January 14th. The company reported $1.81 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.65 by $0.16. Citigroup had a return on equity of 8.28% and a net margin of 8.50%.The business had revenue of $19.87 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $20.99 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the firm posted $1.34 EPS. The firms quarterly revenue was up 2.1% on a year-over-year basis. On average, equities research analysts forecast that Citigroup Inc. will post 7.53 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Citigroup Announces Dividend The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, February 27th. Stockholders of record on Monday, February 2nd will be issued a dividend of $0.60 per share. This represents a $2.40 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.0%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, February 2nd. Citigroups dividend payout ratio is presently 34.43%. Analyst Ratings Changes C has been the subject of several research reports. Truist Financial increased their price target on shares of Citigroup from $123.00 to $129.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research note on Tuesday, January 6th. Morgan Stanley raised their target price on shares of Citigroup from $134.00 to $135.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research note on Thursday, January 15th. Zacks Research upgraded shares of Citigroup from a hold rating to a strong-buy rating in a report on Thursday, January 22nd. Weiss Ratings reissued a buy (b) rating on shares of Citigroup in a research report on Wednesday, January 21st. Finally, Oppenheimer raised their price objective on Citigroup from $141.00 to $144.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research report on Thursday, January 15th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, fourteen have issued a Buy rating and four have assigned a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $126.19. View Our Latest Stock Report on C Citigroup Company Profile (Free Report) Citigroup Inc is a global financial services company headquartered in New York City with roots tracing back to the City Bank of New York, founded in 1812. The modern Citigroup was created through the 1998 merger of Citicorp and Travelers Group and has since operated as a diversified bank holding company that provides a broad range of banking and financial products and services to consumers, corporations, governments and institutions worldwide. Citis principal businesses include retail and commercial banking, credit card and consumer lending products, wealth management and private banking, and a full suite of institutional services. Further Reading Want to see what other hedge funds are holding C? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Citigroup Inc. (NYSE:C Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Citigroup Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Citigroup and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Vizsla Silver (NYSEAMERICAN:VZLA Get Free Report) was downgraded by equities research analysts at National Bank Financial from an outperform rating to a sector perform rating in a research report issued to clients and investors on Wednesday. VZLA has been the subject of a number of other reports. Cantor Fitzgerald began coverage on shares of Vizsla Silver in a research report on Monday, December 22nd. They issued a buy rating and a $7.00 price target for the company. Raymond James Financial reaffirmed an outperform rating on shares of Vizsla Silver in a report on Wednesday, January 14th. National Bankshares downgraded Vizsla Silver from an outperform rating to a sector perform rating in a research report on Tuesday. Finally, Roth Mkm increased their target price on Vizsla Silver from $6.00 to $7.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Thursday, November 13th. Three analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and three have issued a Hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $7.00. Get Vizsla Silver alerts: Check Out Our Latest Stock Report on VZLA Vizsla Silver Stock Performance Institutional Inflows and Outflows VZLA stock opened at $4.10 on Wednesday. Vizsla Silver has a 52 week low of $1.69 and a 52 week high of $7.19. The company has a market capitalization of $1.43 billion, a PE ratio of -102.50 and a beta of 0.93. The companys 50-day simple moving average is $5.53 and its 200 day simple moving average is $4.53. Several institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the business. Sprott Inc. grew its holdings in shares of Vizsla Silver by 1.4% during the 3rd quarter. Sprott Inc. now owns 22,851,053 shares of the companys stock valued at $98,691,000 after purchasing an additional 306,900 shares during the last quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. lifted its stake in Vizsla Silver by 9.3% in the 2nd quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. now owns 15,291,000 shares of the companys stock valued at $45,146,000 after purchasing an additional 1,306,000 shares during the last quarter. Tidal Investments LLC boosted its position in Vizsla Silver by 72.8% in the third quarter. Tidal Investments LLC now owns 14,435,320 shares of the companys stock valued at $62,361,000 after buying an additional 6,080,923 shares in the last quarter. Van ECK Associates Corp grew its stake in shares of Vizsla Silver by 41.7% during the third quarter. Van ECK Associates Corp now owns 13,587,661 shares of the companys stock worth $58,698,000 after buying an additional 4,001,170 shares during the last quarter. Finally, MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. grew its stake in shares of Vizsla Silver by 38.0% during the third quarter. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. now owns 11,395,079 shares of the companys stock worth $49,220,000 after buying an additional 3,139,086 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 22.46% of the companys stock. Vizsla Silver Company Profile (Get Free Report) Vizsla Silver Corp. is a Canada-based mineral exploration and development company focused on high-grade silver projects in Mexico. The company holds a portfolio of properties in the Panuco District of Sinaloa, where it is advancing its flagship Panuco Project, among several other exploration targets. These assets cover prolific epithermal vein systems that have historically produced significant silver and base metals. The Panuco Project encompasses multiple mineralized zones over a 17,000-hectare land package, where ongoing drilling campaigns have reported consistent high-grade silver intercepts. See Also Receive News & Ratings for Vizsla Silver Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Vizsla Silver and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. BANGKOK, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- The Royal Thai Army on Wednesday clarified an incident in which a soldier stepped on a landmine while conducting a security mission in Kantharalak District, Sisaket Province, with verification efforts currently underway. The incident occurred at approximately 4:40 p.m. local time on Wednesday, the army said in a statement. It received a report from the 2nd Army Area indicating that a soldier from the 132nd Infantry Company stepped on a landmine while carrying out a security mission in the deployment area in Kantharalak District. The injured soldier has already been taken to the hospital. Meanwhile, local units are securing the area according to safety measures and are working to identify the type of explosive device. Wesbanco Bank Inc. boosted its stake in Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. (NYSE:CMG Free Report) by 1,579.7% in the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 79,734 shares of the restaurant operators stock after purchasing an additional 74,987 shares during the period. Wesbanco Bank Inc.s holdings in Chipotle Mexican Grill were worth $3,125,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. Other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of the company. Operose Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill in the second quarter valued at about $25,000. Salomon & Ludwin LLC purchased a new position in Chipotle Mexican Grill in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $26,000. Lavaca Capital LLC acquired a new stake in Chipotle Mexican Grill in the second quarter valued at approximately $28,000. Activest Wealth Management raised its stake in shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill by 109.3% during the second quarter. Activest Wealth Management now owns 517 shares of the restaurant operators stock valued at $29,000 after purchasing an additional 270 shares during the period. Finally, Steigerwald Gordon & Koch Inc. acquired a new position in shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill during the third quarter worth $29,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 91.30% of the companys stock. Get Chipotle Mexican Grill alerts: Chipotle Mexican Grill Stock Down 2.9% NYSE:CMG opened at $38.43 on Wednesday. The businesss 50 day moving average is $37.98 and its two-hundred day moving average is $38.59. Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. has a 52 week low of $29.75 and a 52 week high of $58.42. The company has a market cap of $50.05 billion, a PE ratio of 33.71, a P/E/G ratio of 2.42 and a beta of 0.99. Analyst Ratings Changes Chipotle Mexican Grill ( NYSE:CMG Get Free Report ) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, February 3rd. The restaurant operator reported $0.25 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $0.24 by $0.01. Chipotle Mexican Grill had a return on equity of 47.99% and a net margin of 12.88%.The business had revenue of $2.98 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $2.96 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the business earned $0.25 EPS. The businesss quarterly revenue was up 4.9% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, sell-side analysts expect that Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. will post 1.29 EPS for the current fiscal year. CMG has been the subject of a number of recent analyst reports. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a hold (c-) rating on shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill in a report on Monday, December 29th. KeyCorp decreased their price objective on shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill from $45.00 to $42.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, February 4th. Stephens reaffirmed an equal weight rating and set a $35.00 target price on shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill in a research report on Wednesday, February 4th. The Goldman Sachs Group reissued a buy rating on shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill in a report on Thursday, December 18th. Finally, Morgan Stanley dropped their price objective on Chipotle Mexican Grill from $50.00 to $49.00 and set an overweight rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, February 4th. Twenty-two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have given a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $47.24. Read Our Latest Report on Chipotle Mexican Grill About Chipotle Mexican Grill (Free Report) Chipotle Mexican Grill is a fast-casual restaurant company known for its Mexican-inspired menu of burritos, bowls, tacos and salads. Founded in 1993 by Steve Ells, the chain emphasizes fresh, customizable meals made from a limited menu of core ingredients and a focus on ingredient quality. Chipotle operates primarily company-owned restaurants and offers dine-in, takeout, catering and delivery through its own digital platforms and third-party partners. The company is headquartered in Newport Beach, California, and traces its roots to Denver, Colorado. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for Chipotle Mexican Grill Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Chipotle Mexican Grill and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Wealthfront Advisers LLC boosted its position in Hormel Foods Corporation (NYSE:HRL Free Report) by 107.5% during the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 456,666 shares of the companys stock after purchasing an additional 236,637 shares during the quarter. Wealthfront Advisers LLC owned about 0.08% of Hormel Foods worth $11,298,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. MUFG Securities EMEA plc bought a new stake in shares of Hormel Foods during the second quarter valued at approximately $26,000. Caldwell Trust Co acquired a new stake in Hormel Foods in the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $30,000. Federated Hermes Inc. acquired a new stake in Hormel Foods in the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $31,000. Assetmark Inc. raised its stake in Hormel Foods by 1,490.7% during the 2nd quarter. Assetmark Inc. now owns 1,543 shares of the companys stock valued at $47,000 after acquiring an additional 1,446 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Steward Partners Investment Advisory LLC boosted its position in Hormel Foods by 77.4% during the 2nd quarter. Steward Partners Investment Advisory LLC now owns 1,854 shares of the companys stock worth $56,000 after acquiring an additional 809 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 40.99% of the companys stock. Get Hormel Foods alerts: Hormel Foods Price Performance Shares of Hormel Foods stock opened at $24.31 on Wednesday. Hormel Foods Corporation has a 52 week low of $21.03 and a 52 week high of $32.07. The company has a current ratio of 2.47, a quick ratio of 1.20 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.36. The stock has a market cap of $13.37 billion, a PE ratio of 27.94, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.48 and a beta of 0.33. The companys 50-day moving average price is $24.06 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $24.64. Hormel Foods Increases Dividend Hormel Foods ( NYSE:HRL Get Free Report ) last released its earnings results on Wednesday, December 3rd. The company reported $0.32 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $0.30 by $0.02. The business had revenue of $3.19 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $3.24 billion. Hormel Foods had a net margin of 3.95% and a return on equity of 9.41%. The businesss revenue for the quarter was up 1.5% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the firm earned $0.42 EPS. As a group, sell-side analysts anticipate that Hormel Foods Corporation will post 1.65 EPS for the current fiscal year. The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, February 17th. Stockholders of record on Monday, January 12th will be issued a dividend of $0.2925 per share. This is a positive change from Hormel Foodss previous quarterly dividend of $0.29. This represents a $1.17 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 4.8%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, January 12th. Hormel Foodss dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 134.48%. Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades A number of brokerages have recently commented on HRL. Barclays set a $30.00 price target on Hormel Foods and gave the company an overweight rating in a report on Tuesday, December 9th. Piper Sandler reiterated a neutral rating and issued a $26.00 target price (up previously from $25.00) on shares of Hormel Foods in a research report on Friday, December 5th. The Goldman Sachs Group set a $27.00 target price on shares of Hormel Foods and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Thursday, October 30th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted their price target on shares of Hormel Foods from $27.00 to $28.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research report on Friday, December 5th. Finally, Wall Street Zen raised shares of Hormel Foods from a sell rating to a hold rating in a research note on Saturday, January 17th. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, five have assigned a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of Hold and an average target price of $28.29. View Our Latest Research Report on Hormel Foods Hormel Foods Profile (Free Report) Hormel Foods Corporation is a global branded foods company primarily engaged in the production, marketing and distribution of value-added, high-quality meat and food products. The companys portfolio spans a range of categories including refrigerated and frozen meats, pantry staples, specialty foods and shelf-stable items. Through manufacturing facilities located across North America and international markets, Hormel Foods supplies retail grocers, foodservice operators, convenience stores and e-commerce platforms. Among its best-known brands, Hormel Foods produces SPAM canned meats, Jennie-O turkey products, Skippy peanut butter and Applegate natural and organic meats. Further Reading Want to see what other hedge funds are holding HRL? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Hormel Foods Corporation (NYSE:HRL Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Hormel Foods Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Hormel Foods and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Avolta AG Unsponsored ADR (OTCMKTS:DUFRY Get Free Report)s stock price hit a new 52-week high during mid-day trading on Monday . The company traded as high as $6.3880 and last traded at $6.36, with a volume of 5864 shares trading hands. The stock had previously closed at $6.34. Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades Separately, UBS Group restated a neutral rating on shares of Avolta in a research note on Monday, December 8th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating and one has issued a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of Buy. Get Avolta alerts: View Our Latest Research Report on DUFRY Avolta Stock Performance Avolta Company Profile The firms fifty day moving average is $5.95 and its 200-day moving average is $5.61. The company has a current ratio of 0.76, a quick ratio of 0.44 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.85. (Get Free Report) Avolta AG operates as a travel retailer. The companys retail brands include general travel retail shops under the Dufry, World Duty Free, Nuance, Hellenic Duty Free, Zurich Duty-Free or Stockholm Duty-Free, Autogrill, and HMSHost brands; Dufry shopping stores; brand boutiques; convenience stores primarily under the Hudson brand; and specialized shops and theme stores. It offers perfumes and cosmetics, food and confectionery, wines and spirits, watches and jewelry, fashion and leather, tobacco goods, souvenirs, electronics, soft drinks, packaged food, travel accessories, personal items, sunglasses, destination, and other products, as well as newspapers, magazines, and books. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for Avolta Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Avolta and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Hypermarcas (OTCMKTS:HYPMY Get Free Report) saw a significant increase in short interest in the month of January. As of January 30th, there was short interest totaling 50,686 shares, an increase of 9,217.3% from the January 15th total of 544 shares. Approximately 0.0% of the companys stock are short sold. Based on an average daily trading volume, of 27,516 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is presently 1.8 days. Based on an average daily trading volume, of 27,516 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is presently 1.8 days. Approximately 0.0% of the companys stock are short sold. Hypermarcas Stock Up 0.7% Hypermarcas stock opened at $4.46 on Wednesday. The company has a quick ratio of 0.84, a current ratio of 1.27 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.61. The firm has a market cap of $2.82 billion, a P/E ratio of 19.39 and a beta of 0.71. The business has a fifty day moving average of $4.49 and a two-hundred day moving average of $4.43. Hypermarcas has a twelve month low of $3.10 and a twelve month high of $5.50. Get Hypermarcas alerts: Hypermarcas (OTCMKTS:HYPMY Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, November 12th. The company reported $0.13 EPS for the quarter. Hypermarcas had a return on equity of 6.89% and a net margin of 12.03%.The firm had revenue of $408.83 million during the quarter. Hypermarcas Company Profile Hypermarcas SA is a Brazil-based consumer health and pharmaceutical company whose shares trade over the counter in the United States under the symbol HYPMY. Founded in the early 2000s and headquartered in Rio de Janeiro, the company operates as a holding group for a broad portfolio of branded products in the healthcare and personal care sectors. Through its various subsidiaries, Hypermarcas develops, manufactures and markets prescription and over-the-counter medications, alongside personal care, baby care, home care and nutritional supplement products. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for Hypermarcas Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Hypermarcas and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. CSL (ASX:CSL) used its first-half fiscal 2026 results briefing to outline progress on a company-wide transformation program, discuss the impact of several policy and competitive headwinds on key franchises, and reaffirm full-year guidance while expanding its share buyback. Get alerts: Leadership transition and strategic focus CSL Head of Investor Relations Mark Deering opened the webcast by referencing an ASX announcement made the prior day appointing Gordon Naylor as Interim Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director. Naylor said his main job is to run the business, while giving the board space to appoint a successor, adding he expects to serve for about a year. He said interim does not mean he will take a back seat, and that he intends to drive the company forward. First-half results and capital returns Naylor said CSLs strategic framework is sound, but emphasized the need to assess whether the company can do better within that framework, including a deeper review of CSLs journey over the last decade to improve strategic growth and profitability. He highlighted Seqirus as performing well in a difficult U.S. market, said non-cash impairments around Vifor products would allow the company to move forward, and described CSL Behring as the key area of focus and greatest opportunity. In the Q&A, Naylor said he completely owns the situation the companys in at the moment. Chief Financial Officer Ken Lim said CSLs first-half results were impacted by government policy changes and one-off costs tied to the transformation program and asset impairments. On a constant currency basis, group revenue fell 4% and NPATA declined 7%. Reported net profit after tax fell 81% after including one-off costs. CSL reported cash flow from operations of $1.3 billion for the half and declared an interim dividend of $1.30, unchanged from the prior comparable period. Lim also announced an expansion of the companys share buyback for the year from $500 million to $750 million, noting that CSL repurchased about $400 million of shares in the first half and ended December 2025 with leverage of 2x. CSL Behring: IG and albumin headwinds, new product momentum Chief Commercial Officer Andy Schmeltz said the first half was a challenging time for the business, pointing to declines in immunoglobulin (IG) sales of Privigen and Hizentra versus a strong prior comparable period in first-half fiscal 2025. Schmeltz attributed pressure to the impact of U.S. IRA Medicare Part D reforms and the expiration of some international contracts. However, he said that compared with the trailing six months through June 2025, IG revenue increased 3% on a like-for-like basis relative to Medicare Part D. Schmeltz and Lim both pointed to China as the key driver of albumin weakness, reflecting disruption from policy changes and cost controls. Schmeltz said CSL mobilized mitigation actions and cited a positive response in the most recent three months from expanding its hospital field force in China and from an exclusive retail channel partnership announced in early November 2025. CSL Behrings performance was partially offset by growth in other areas. Schmeltz said sales of HEMGENIX grew 16%, supported by positive five-year data published in The New England Journal of Medicine in December 2025. He also said CSL was very pleased with the launch of ANDEMBRY for hereditary angioedema (HAE) prophylaxis, adding that less than a year into the launch, more than 1,000 HAE patients globally were on therapy. Perioperative bleeding product KCENTRA, he said, continued to face competitive dynamics. Looking ahead, Schmeltz said CSL expects stronger double-digit IG portfolio growth in the second half as one-time impacts roll off and commercial investments take hold. He cited expanded U.S. IG and hospital sales forces, restarting Hizentra direct-to-patient marketing, and broader contracting efforts. He said U.S. Privigen grew faster than the IVIG market in the last quarter, and that international business excluding the U.K. was growing in the high single digits, while acknowledging that forward performance must validate the outlook. On albumin in China, CSL outlined several actions it expects to support a second-half recovery: Expanding geographic footprint across additional provinces, cities, and hospitals, including ramping across eight must-win provinces and pursuing more than 100 new hospital listings. An exclusive partnership with Chinese distributor Beheil Medical aimed at the private pay retail segment. Generating real-world evidence and driving on-label demand through medical and commercial initiatives. In the Q&A, Schmeltz said a modest year-over-year decline in albumin in fiscal 2026 with a return to growth in 2027 was more appropriate guidance, while reiterating expectations for a much stronger second half. Seqirus and Vifor: mix shifts, nephrology strength, and looming reimbursement changes CSL Seqirus General Manager Dave Ross said the influenza pandemic business returned to more normalized levels after non-recurring H5 outbreak revenue in fiscal 2025. He said Seqirus is the only company delivering year-on-year revenue growth in seasonal influenza, supported by differentiation through cell-based FLUCELVAX and adjuvanted FLUAD, as well as geographic expansion. Ross also noted the opening of CSLs cell-based Tullamarine facility, enabling a full conversion to differentiated vaccines while expanding pandemic capabilities. He said the global seasonal influenza market is projected to decline mid- to high-single digits on a value basis, with U.S. immunization rates expected to decline low- to mid-single digits this season. On CSL Vifor, Schmeltz said revenue was up double digits at constant currency, driven by nephrology, while the iron business fell due to generic competition. He said dialysis segment sales jumped, driven by strong demand for Velphoro as inclusion in the TDAPA scheme delivered full benefit, and that Mircera performed well and remains the market leader in the U.S. He also cited continued uptake of TAVNEOS and a successful European launch rollout for FILSPARI. Lim later cautioned that TDAPA inclusion for Velphoro is expected to roll off from December 2026, and said the company would expect a significant drop in Velphoro revenues at that point, tempering nephrology growth rates in fiscal 2027. He also referenced an EMA Article 20 assessment for TAVNEOS and said the company is working with regulators through the process. Costs, impairments, and guidance Lim said total group revenue was $8.3 billion, gross profit was $4.6 billion, and group operating result was $3.8 billion. R&D expense was $600 million, down 8%, which he said reflected restructuring progress that is a little ahead of schedule, with a similar R&D spend expected in the second half. G&A costs fell 2% and were also expected to be similar in the second half. Net interest expense declined 11% as the balance sheet continued to delever. By business unit, CSL Behring revenue fell 7% and operating result fell 9%, with gross margin up 10 basis points. Lim said margin reflected efficiencies in plasma collection and manufacturing and growth in HEMGENIX and ANDEMBRY, offset by Medicare Part D impacts and declines in albumin and KCENTRA. He said Medicare Part D alone represented roughly a 100-basis-point margin headwind. Seqirus revenue declined 2%, while margins were pressured by U.S. pricing, geographic mix shifts, and the non-continuation of avian flu sales recognized in fiscal 2025. Vifor revenue rose 12% and operating result rose 22% as efficiencies flowed through. On transformation, Lim reiterated a target of up to $550 million in annual cost savings by fiscal 2028, with one-off restructuring costs of $700 million to $770 million. For fiscal 2026, CSL aims to deliver $100 million of cost savings and said it achieved 60% of that target by the half year. Separately, Lim said CSL expects total after-tax impairments of about $1.1 billion in fiscal 2026, with $1.05 billion taken in the first half. He said the impairments largely relate to: A write-down tied to a self-amplifying mRNA licensing agreement, citing a decline in COVID disease burden and a more onerous U.S. regulatory regime for mRNA vaccines. An impairment of Venofer following the licensure of three generic competitors in the U.S. in the latter half of 2025; Lim noted Venofer contributed about $170 million in sales last fiscal year. Redundant plant, property, and equipment related to accelerating investment in Horizon 2 manufacturing capacity. CSL also anticipates an impairment of about $70 million post-tax in the second half related to Velphoro, reflecting the expected roll-off of TDAPA inclusion from December 2026. Lim said impairments are almost entirely non-cash and have minimal impact on forward-looking prospects. For the full year, Lim said CSL is maintaining guidance and expects a stronger second half driven by double-digit IG growth for Privigen and Hizentra, stabilization and recovery in China albumin supported by expanded commercial efforts and the Beheil partnership, and continued momentum in HEMGENIX and ANDEMBRY, while accounting for competitive pressures in iron, KCENTRA, and HAEGARDA. About CSL (ASX:CSL) CSL Limited researches, develops, manufactures, markets, and distributes biopharmaceutical and vaccines in Australia, the United States, Germany, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, China, and internationally. The company operates through CSL Behring, CSL Seqirus, and CSL Vifor segments. The CSL Behring segment offers plasma products, gene therapies, and recombinants. The CSL Seqirus segment provides influenza related products and pandemic services to governments. The CSL Vifor segment offers products in the therapeutic areas of iron deficiency and nephrology. Featured Articles Wesbanco Bank Inc. lowered its position in Constellation Brands Inc (NYSE:STZ Free Report) by 67.0% in the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 14,293 shares of the companys stock after selling 29,036 shares during the period. Wesbanco Bank Inc.s holdings in Constellation Brands were worth $1,925,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. A number of other hedge funds also recently bought and sold shares of STZ. Gilbert & Cook Inc. boosted its position in Constellation Brands by 2.6% in the second quarter. Gilbert & Cook Inc. now owns 2,385 shares of the companys stock worth $388,000 after purchasing an additional 60 shares during the last quarter. Private Trust Co. NA lifted its stake in shares of Constellation Brands by 0.7% in the 3rd quarter. Private Trust Co. NA now owns 11,001 shares of the companys stock worth $1,481,000 after purchasing an additional 75 shares during the period. Rise Advisors LLC lifted its stake in shares of Constellation Brands by 8.8% in the 3rd quarter. Rise Advisors LLC now owns 937 shares of the companys stock worth $126,000 after purchasing an additional 76 shares during the period. RNC Capital Management LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Constellation Brands by 0.6% in the second quarter. RNC Capital Management LLC now owns 13,561 shares of the companys stock worth $2,206,000 after buying an additional 77 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Harbor Capital Advisors Inc. grew its position in Constellation Brands by 2.6% during the third quarter. Harbor Capital Advisors Inc. now owns 3,113 shares of the companys stock valued at $419,000 after buying an additional 79 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 77.34% of the companys stock. Get Constellation Brands alerts: Constellation Brands Stock Up 1.3% Shares of STZ stock opened at $165.68 on Wednesday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.29, a current ratio of 1.34 and a quick ratio of 0.70. Constellation Brands Inc has a one year low of $126.45 and a one year high of $196.91. The companys fifty day moving average price is $149.55 and its 200-day moving average price is $146.73. The company has a market capitalization of $28.73 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 26.13, a PEG ratio of 0.49 and a beta of 0.44. Constellation Brands Announces Dividend Constellation Brands ( NYSE:STZ Get Free Report ) last issued its earnings results on Wednesday, January 7th. The company reported $3.06 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.63 by $0.43. The company had revenue of $2.22 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $2.17 billion. Constellation Brands had a net margin of 11.08% and a return on equity of 29.15%. Constellation Brandss quarterly revenue was down 9.8% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm posted $3.25 EPS. Constellation Brands has set its FY 2026 guidance at 11.300-11.600 EPS. Sell-side analysts expect that Constellation Brands Inc will post 13.5 EPS for the current fiscal year. The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, February 12th. Investors of record on Thursday, January 29th will be given a dividend of $1.02 per share. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, January 29th. This represents a $4.08 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.5%. Constellation Brandss dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 64.35%. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth STZ has been the topic of several recent research reports. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft reiterated a hold rating and issued a $160.00 price target on shares of Constellation Brands in a research report on Monday, December 15th. Citigroup upped their price objective on Constellation Brands from $148.00 to $155.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a research note on Friday, January 9th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. started coverage on Constellation Brands in a report on Friday, November 7th. They issued a neutral rating and a $153.00 target price on the stock. Zacks Research upgraded Constellation Brands from a strong sell rating to a hold rating in a research report on Monday, November 3rd. Finally, Needham & Company LLC reissued a buy rating and set a $180.00 price target on shares of Constellation Brands in a report on Tuesday, January 6th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eleven have given a Buy rating, nine have assigned a Hold rating and two have assigned a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $176.91. Read Our Latest Report on STZ Constellation Brands Profile (Free Report) Constellation Brands, Inc is a leading producer and marketer of beer, wine and spirits, with operations spanning production, importation, marketing and distribution. The companys beverage portfolio includes a range of premium and mainstream wines and spirits alongside major imported beer brands; in the U.S. market Constellation is widely known for its role in bringing Mexican imports such as Corona and Modelo to American consumers. Constellation supplies retail, on?premise and foodservice channels and supports its brands with national sales and marketing platforms and supply?chain capabilities. The company traces its roots to the Canandaigua Wine Company, founded by Marvin Sands in 1945, and evolved through organic growth and acquisition into a diversified beverage company. Featured Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding STZ? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Constellation Brands Inc (NYSE:STZ Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Constellation Brands Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Constellation Brands and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Rhumbline Advisers reduced its holdings in shares of ConocoPhillips (NYSE:COP Free Report) by 0.6% in the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 2,314,517 shares of the energy producers stock after selling 13,934 shares during the period. Rhumbline Advisers owned about 0.19% of ConocoPhillips worth $218,930,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also modified their holdings of the business. Howard Hughes Medical Institute purchased a new position in ConocoPhillips during the second quarter valued at approximately $25,000. Cloud Capital Management LLC bought a new stake in shares of ConocoPhillips during the 3rd quarter valued at $26,000. Bogart Wealth LLC lifted its stake in shares of ConocoPhillips by 136.8% during the 2nd quarter. Bogart Wealth LLC now owns 315 shares of the energy producers stock valued at $28,000 after buying an additional 182 shares in the last quarter. Activest Wealth Management lifted its stake in shares of ConocoPhillips by 249.5% during the 2nd quarter. Activest Wealth Management now owns 325 shares of the energy producers stock valued at $29,000 after buying an additional 232 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Cedar Mountain Advisors LLC boosted its stake in shares of ConocoPhillips by 58.0% in the third quarter. Cedar Mountain Advisors LLC now owns 316 shares of the energy producers stock worth $30,000 after acquiring an additional 116 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 82.36% of the companys stock. Get ConocoPhillips alerts: ConocoPhillips Price Performance COP opened at $107.50 on Wednesday. The business has a fifty day moving average of $97.24 and a 200 day moving average of $93.89. The company has a quick ratio of 1.14, a current ratio of 1.30 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.35. The stock has a market cap of $132.84 billion, a P/E ratio of 16.96 and a beta of 0.32. ConocoPhillips has a 52-week low of $79.88 and a 52-week high of $108.89. ConocoPhillips Dividend Announcement ConocoPhillips ( NYSE:COP Get Free Report ) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, February 5th. The energy producer reported $1.02 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $1.23 by ($0.21). The company had revenue of $13.86 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $14.35 billion. ConocoPhillips had a net margin of 12.98% and a return on equity of 11.90%. ConocoPhillipss quarterly revenue was down 3.7% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the firm earned $1.98 earnings per share. As a group, sell-side analysts anticipate that ConocoPhillips will post 8.16 EPS for the current year. The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 2nd. Investors of record on Wednesday, February 18th will be paid a $0.84 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, February 18th. This represents a $3.36 annualized dividend and a yield of 3.1%. ConocoPhillipss dividend payout ratio is 53.00%. Insider Buying and Selling In other ConocoPhillips news, CEO Ryan Michael Lance sold 500,708 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Friday, December 19th. The stock was sold at an average price of $92.50, for a total transaction of $46,315,490.00. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer directly owned 325,972 shares in the company, valued at $30,152,410. This trade represents a 60.57% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. 0.24% of the stock is owned by insiders. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth COP has been the topic of a number of research reports. BMO Capital Markets lifted their price target on shares of ConocoPhillips from $105.00 to $115.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a report on Friday. Jefferies Financial Group reaffirmed a buy rating on shares of ConocoPhillips in a report on Monday, December 15th. Johnson Rice lowered ConocoPhillips from an accumulate rating to a hold rating and dropped their price target for the company from $108.00 to $105.00 in a research note on Friday, December 5th. Capital One Financial raised their price target on ConocoPhillips from $111.00 to $116.00 and gave the company an equal weight rating in a report on Tuesday, January 20th. Finally, Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a hold (c-) rating on shares of ConocoPhillips in a report on Monday, December 29th. Seventeen analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, six have assigned a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $114.78. Check Out Our Latest Analysis on ConocoPhillips About ConocoPhillips (Free Report) ConocoPhillips (NYSE: COP) is a Houston-based international energy company focused on exploration and production of oil and natural gas. Formed in 2002 through the merger of Conoco Inc and Phillips Petroleum Company, the firm operates as an independent upstream company that explores for, develops and produces crude oil, natural gas and natural gas liquids across a portfolio of global assets. The companys activities span conventional and unconventional resources and include onshore and offshore operations in multiple regions around the world. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for ConocoPhillips Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for ConocoPhillips and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Koninklijke Philips (NYSE:PHG Get Free Report) issued its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday. The technology company reported $0.70 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.50 by $0.20, FiscalAI reports. The company had revenue of $5.98 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $5.03 billion. Koninklijke Philips had a net margin of 1.07% and a return on equity of 12.14%. Here are the key takeaways from Koninklijke Philips conference call: Get Koninklijke Philips alerts: Delivered a strong Q4 and full-year 2025 Q4 order intake +7% , Q4 comparable sales +7%, Q4 adjusted EBITDA margin up 160 bps; guided 2026 comparable sales of 34.5% and adjusted EBITDA margin of 12.513% with a mid?term target of mid?single?digit CAGR and mid?teens margins by 2028. , Q4 comparable sales +7%, Q4 adjusted EBITDA margin up 160 bps; guided 2026 comparable sales of 34.5% and adjusted EBITDA margin of 12.513% with a mid?term target of mid?single?digit CAGR and mid?teens margins by 2028. Innovation and M&A are strategic growth drivers launched the helium?free 3T MRI 7500 , an always?on spectral CT and LumiGuide AI navigation, and closed the SpectraWave acquisition to strengthen intravascular imaging and cardiology leadership. , an always?on spectral CT and LumiGuide AI navigation, and closed the SpectraWave acquisition to strengthen intravascular imaging and cardiology leadership. Ongoing trade headwinds remain a material risk incremental tariffs are expected to net ~ EUR 250300 million impact in 2026 (net of mitigations), prompting a new EUR 1.5 billion productivity program while Q1 2026 margins are expected to be slightly down versus year?ago. impact in 2026 (net of mitigations), prompting a new EUR 1.5 billion productivity program while Q1 2026 margins are expected to be slightly down versus year?ago. Personal Health outperformed, supporting margin expansion Q4 PH sales +14% and Q4 PH adjusted EBITDA margin rose to 23% (up 500 bps), driven by market?share gains and strong demand for OneBlade, premium shavers, IPL and DiamondClean products. Strong cash and balance?sheet dynamics provide financial flexibility Q4 free cash flow EUR 1.2 billion, improved leverage to ~1.7x net debt/adjusted EBITDA, and management offers dividend in cash or shares while maintaining investment?grade focus. Koninklijke Philips Price Performance PHG stock opened at $32.98 on Wednesday. Koninklijke Philips has a 52-week low of $21.48 and a 52-week high of $33.44. The company has a quick ratio of 0.86, a current ratio of 1.32 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.68. The stock has a market cap of $31.76 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 164.91, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.84 and a beta of 0.79. The business has a fifty day moving average of $28.27 and a two-hundred day moving average of $27.91. Institutional Trading of Koninklijke Philips Koninklijke Philips News Roundup A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of PHG. Oppenheimer Asset Management Inc. increased its stake in shares of Koninklijke Philips by 15.1% during the second quarter. Oppenheimer Asset Management Inc. now owns 189,720 shares of the technology companys stock worth $4,549,000 after buying an additional 24,931 shares during the period. U.S. Capital Wealth Advisors LLC grew its holdings in Koninklijke Philips by 646.3% during the 3rd quarter. U.S. Capital Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 64,084 shares of the technology companys stock worth $1,747,000 after acquiring an additional 55,497 shares in the last quarter. Envestnet Asset Management Inc. grew its holdings in Koninklijke Philips by 2.5% during the 2nd quarter. Envestnet Asset Management Inc. now owns 1,351,015 shares of the technology companys stock worth $32,397,000 after acquiring an additional 32,663 shares in the last quarter. Investment Management Associates Inc. ADV purchased a new stake in shares of Koninklijke Philips in the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $12,122,000. Finally, Bessemer Group Inc. raised its holdings in shares of Koninklijke Philips by 125.2% in the 2nd quarter. Bessemer Group Inc. now owns 4,443 shares of the technology companys stock valued at $106,000 after purchasing an additional 2,470 shares in the last quarter. 13.67% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Here are the key news stories impacting Koninklijke Philips this week: Positive Sentiment: Q4 results and outlook beat expectations Philips reported Q4 revenue (~$6.0B) and EPS ($0.70) above consensus, with operating profit and margins materially improved; management outlined 2026 sales-growth and margin expansion guidance that implies upside to consensus. Philips Q4 earnings / conference call Q4 results and outlook beat expectations Philips reported Q4 revenue (~$6.0B) and EPS ($0.70) above consensus, with operating profit and margins materially improved; management outlined 2026 sales-growth and margin expansion guidance that implies upside to consensus. Positive Sentiment: Capital Markets Day: Philips published 20262028 targets including mid-single-digit comparable sales CAGR and mid-teens Adjusted EBITA margin by 2028, plus delivered productivity savings and a proposed dividend this strengthens the growth/profitability story investors care about. Full year 2025 & Capital Markets Day highlights Capital Markets Day: Philips published 20262028 targets including mid-single-digit comparable sales CAGR and mid-teens Adjusted EBITA margin by 2028, plus delivered productivity savings and a proposed dividend this strengthens the growth/profitability story investors care about. Positive Sentiment: Innovation and pipeline boost Philips coordinates the SEISMIC consortium which secured a 23.5M EU IHI grant to develop minimally invasive neurosurgery imaging/tech, enhancing long-term product differentiation and addressable market. SEISMIC consortium IHI grant Innovation and pipeline boost Philips coordinates the SEISMIC consortium which secured a 23.5M EU IHI grant to develop minimally invasive neurosurgery imaging/tech, enhancing long-term product differentiation and addressable market. Positive Sentiment: Short interest fell sharply in January (?37% drop), reducing one source of downside pressure and potential for short-covering-driven rallies. (Internal trading/short-interest data) Short interest fell sharply in January (?37% drop), reducing one source of downside pressure and potential for short-covering-driven rallies. (Internal trading/short-interest data) Neutral Sentiment: Board/governance: Philips proposed re-appointment of CEO Roy Jakobs, signaling continuity and board confidence as the company executes its next phase. CEO re-appointment proposal Board/governance: Philips proposed re-appointment of CEO Roy Jakobs, signaling continuity and board confidence as the company executes its next phase. Neutral Sentiment: Analyst stance: Bank of America kept a Hold rating noting strong momentum and an upgraded mid-term framework but flagged near-term earnings risks a reminder some analysts see limited near-term upside. BofA Hold commentary Analyst stance: Bank of America kept a Hold rating noting strong momentum and an upgraded mid-term framework but flagged near-term earnings risks a reminder some analysts see limited near-term upside. Negative Sentiment: Net income and EPS were down year-over-year despite operating-profit improvement reported diluted EPS and net income declined significantly YoY, which could concern value-focused investors and mask one-off items or tax/exceptionals. Q4 earnings details / EPS decline Analysts Set New Price Targets A number of analysts have recently commented on PHG shares. Weiss Ratings raised shares of Koninklijke Philips from a sell (d+) rating to a hold (c-) rating in a research note on Monday, January 12th. Zacks Research cut Koninklijke Philips from a hold rating to a strong sell rating in a report on Wednesday, January 14th. Royal Bank Of Canada started coverage on Koninklijke Philips in a research report on Wednesday, December 17th. They issued a sector perform rating on the stock. Sanford C. Bernstein raised shares of Koninklijke Philips to a hold rating in a research note on Wednesday, December 17th. Finally, Wall Street Zen raised shares of Koninklijke Philips from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research note on Saturday, January 10th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, three have assigned a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Koninklijke Philips presently has an average rating of Hold. Get Our Latest Stock Analysis on Koninklijke Philips Koninklijke Philips Company Profile (Get Free Report) Koninklijke Philips N.V. (NYSE: PHG), commonly known as Philips, is a Dutch multinational company focused on health technology. Founded in Eindhoven in 1891, the company evolved from a diversified electronics manufacturer into a specialist in healthcare products, systems and services. Philips is legally registered in the Netherlands and operates globally, supplying equipment and solutions to hospitals, clinics, healthcare providers and consumers across Europe, the Americas and Asia. Philips principal activities center on medical technologies and personal health. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for Koninklijke Philips Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Koninklijke Philips and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Glacier Bancorp, Inc. (NYSE:GBCI Get Free Report) has been given a consensus recommendation of Moderate Buy by the five ratings firms that are presently covering the firm, MarketBeat Ratings reports. Two analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, two have assigned a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating on the company. The average 1 year price target among analysts that have covered the stock in the last year is $56.50. GBCI has been the subject of several analyst reports. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods upgraded shares of Glacier Bancorp from a market perform rating to an outperform rating and set a $55.00 price target for the company in a research report on Monday, December 15th. Weiss Ratings reissued a hold (c) rating on shares of Glacier Bancorp in a research note on Monday, December 29th. Piper Sandler upgraded Glacier Bancorp from a hold rating to an overweight rating and set a $58.00 target price for the company in a report on Thursday, December 18th. Brean Capital downgraded Glacier Bancorp from a strong-buy rating to a hold rating in a research report on Tuesday. Finally, Wall Street Zen lowered Glacier Bancorp from a hold rating to a sell rating in a research note on Saturday, October 18th. Get Glacier Bancorp alerts: Get Our Latest Stock Analysis on GBCI Glacier Bancorp Stock Performance NYSE:GBCI opened at $51.79 on Wednesday. The company has a market capitalization of $6.73 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 26.03 and a beta of 0.76. The business has a 50 day moving average of $46.94 and a 200 day moving average of $46.02. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.16, a current ratio of 0.83 and a quick ratio of 0.82. Glacier Bancorp has a 1-year low of $36.76 and a 1-year high of $53.99. Glacier Bancorp (NYSE:GBCI Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, January 22nd. The company reported $0.49 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.59 by ($0.10). The business had revenue of $306.51 million for the quarter. Glacier Bancorp had a return on equity of 6.68% and a net margin of 16.63%. Glacier Bancorp Company Profile (Get Free Report) Glacier Bancorp, Inc is a bank holding company headquartered in Kalispell, Montana. Through its network of community banks, the company delivers commercial and retail banking services to individuals, small and medium-sized businesses, and agricultural clients. With a commitment to relationship-driven banking, Glacier Bancorp combines local market expertise with regional scale to offer customized financial solutions that address the unique needs of the communities it serves. Established in 1955 as Glacier Bank, the company has expanded both organically and through targeted acquisitions to build a presence across the Mountain West and into the Upper Midwest and Southwest. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for Glacier Bancorp Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Glacier Bancorp and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Wesbanco Bank Inc. trimmed its holdings in shares of Novo Nordisk A/S (NYSE:NVO Free Report) by 55.9% in the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 76,520 shares of the companys stock after selling 97,165 shares during the period. Wesbanco Bank Inc.s holdings in Novo Nordisk A/S were worth $4,246,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also modified their holdings of the company. Lockheed Martin Investment Management Co. boosted its holdings in shares of Novo Nordisk A/S by 179.4% during the 2nd quarter. Lockheed Martin Investment Management Co. now owns 43,450 shares of the companys stock worth $2,999,000 after buying an additional 27,900 shares in the last quarter. Martin Capital Partners LLC lifted its position in shares of Novo Nordisk A/S by 53.8% during the 3rd quarter. Martin Capital Partners LLC now owns 117,577 shares of the companys stock valued at $6,524,000 after acquiring an additional 41,129 shares during the period. Cantor Fitzgerald Investment Advisors L.P. bought a new position in Novo Nordisk A/S during the third quarter worth $1,294,000. Markel Group Inc. grew its holdings in Novo Nordisk A/S by 4.9% in the third quarter. Markel Group Inc. now owns 2,368,649 shares of the companys stock worth $131,436,000 after purchasing an additional 110,061 shares during the period. Finally, WCM Investment Management LLC grew its holdings in Novo Nordisk A/S by 3.7% in the third quarter. WCM Investment Management LLC now owns 2,732,182 shares of the companys stock worth $151,636,000 after purchasing an additional 97,477 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 11.54% of the companys stock. Get Novo Nordisk A/S alerts: Novo Nordisk A/S Stock Performance Shares of Novo Nordisk A/S stock opened at $49.04 on Wednesday. Novo Nordisk A/S has a 52 week low of $43.08 and a 52 week high of $93.80. The company has a quick ratio of 0.57, a current ratio of 0.80 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.61. The business has a 50 day moving average price of $53.66 and a 200-day moving average price of $53.42. The company has a market cap of $218.96 billion, a PE ratio of 14.13 and a beta of 0.67. Novo Nordisk A/S Announces Dividend Novo Nordisk A/S ( NYSE:NVO Get Free Report ) last announced its earnings results on Tuesday, February 3rd. The company reported $1.01 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.90 by $0.11. The company had revenue of $12.43 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $11.97 billion. Novo Nordisk A/S had a return on equity of 68.91% and a net margin of 33.03%. Equities analysts anticipate that Novo Nordisk A/S will post 3.84 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. The company also recently announced a dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, April 8th. Stockholders of record on Monday, March 30th will be paid a $1.2751 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Monday, March 30th. This represents a dividend yield of 541.0%. Novo Nordisk A/Ss dividend payout ratio is presently 23.63%. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth A number of research firms have recently issued reports on NVO. TD Cowen reissued a buy rating on shares of Novo Nordisk A/S in a research report on Tuesday, February 3rd. Citigroup initiated coverage on Novo Nordisk A/S in a research note on Tuesday, January 27th. They set a neutral rating on the stock. Weiss Ratings raised Novo Nordisk A/S from a sell (d+) rating to a hold (c-) rating in a research note on Thursday, February 5th. Morgan Stanley restated an underweight rating and set a $42.00 price objective on shares of Novo Nordisk A/S in a report on Wednesday, December 3rd. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group initiated coverage on Novo Nordisk A/S in a report on Monday, October 27th. They issued an underperform rating on the stock. Seven equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have assigned a Hold rating and three have given a Sell rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $56.07. Read Our Latest Report on NVO Novo Nordisk A/S News Roundup Here are the key news stories impacting Novo Nordisk A/S this week: About Novo Nordisk A/S (Free Report) Novo Nordisk A/S is a Danish multinational pharmaceutical company headquartered in Bagsvrd, Denmark, best known for its leadership in diabetes care and metabolic health. The company traces its roots to early Danish insulin production in the 1920s and was established in its current form through a 1989 merger of predecessor companies. Novo Nordisk develops, manufactures and markets pharmaceutical products and devices that address chronic and serious diseases, with a strong emphasis on long-term treatment and patient support. The companys core product portfolio centers on diabetes therapies, including a range of insulins and modern incretin-based treatments. Recommended Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding NVO? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Novo Nordisk A/S (NYSE:NVO Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Novo Nordisk A/S Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Novo Nordisk A/S and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. ADDIS ABABA, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- African foreign ministers on Wednesday called for a robust continental unity and togetherness amid eroding multilateralism and global cooperation. The call was made during the opening session of the 48th Ordinary Session of the Executive Council of the African Union (AU) at the AU headquarters in Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia. "The evolving geopolitical landscape, in which multilateralism and global cooperation are being eroded, is adversely affecting peace and security in our continent," said Ethiopian Minister of Foreign Affairs Gedion Timothewos. He noted that "fierce competition" for technological supremacy, control of critical mineral resources, and major logistics routes are becoming a dominant feature of international relations, in which trade and economic cooperation are being subordinated to political and security considerations. According to Timothewos, this existing global scenario is further exacerbated by peace and security challenges, as the continent grapples with incidents of unconstitutional changes of government, which is further undermining the AU's normative foundations. "African unity must be real and the African Union must be strong if we are to defend our continent from predatory moves that might come from all corners," Timothewos said. "What we need is not mere charity or good will of others but true partnership and that more than anything requires true strength which emanates from unity." Angolan Minister of External Relations and Chairperson of the Executive Council Tete Antonio highlighted the need to strengthen the institutional framework and operational capacity of the AU towards "building a more sustainable, united, and responsive AU capable of addressing the continent's priorities, in a spirit of shared responsibility and cooperation among member states." The executive council meeting, attended by foreign ministers from AU members under the framework of the 39th AU Summit, is being held under the theme: "Assuring Sustainable Water Availability and Safe Sanitation Systems to Achieve the Goals of Agenda 2063." The two-day meeting is expected to review the draft agenda and decisions for the 39th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the AU, scheduled for Feb. 14-15. Wesbanco Bank Inc. reduced its stake in shares of Elanco Animal Health Incorporated (NYSE:ELAN Free Report) by 40.6% in the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 89,000 shares of the companys stock after selling 60,706 shares during the quarter. Wesbanco Bank Inc.s holdings in Elanco Animal Health were worth $1,792,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. Other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently modified their holdings of the company. SJS Investment Consulting Inc. boosted its stake in Elanco Animal Health by 2,563.5% during the 3rd quarter. SJS Investment Consulting Inc. now owns 1,385 shares of the companys stock worth $28,000 after acquiring an additional 1,333 shares during the last quarter. Whittier Trust Co. of Nevada Inc. raised its holdings in Elanco Animal Health by 80.3% in the third quarter. Whittier Trust Co. of Nevada Inc. now owns 2,021 shares of the companys stock worth $42,000 after purchasing an additional 900 shares during the period. Farther Finance Advisors LLC raised its holdings in Elanco Animal Health by 79.3% in the third quarter. Farther Finance Advisors LLC now owns 2,151 shares of the companys stock worth $43,000 after purchasing an additional 951 shares during the period. First Horizon Advisors Inc. boosted its position in shares of Elanco Animal Health by 184.3% during the second quarter. First Horizon Advisors Inc. now owns 3,724 shares of the companys stock worth $53,000 after purchasing an additional 2,414 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Caitong International Asset Management Co. Ltd grew its holdings in shares of Elanco Animal Health by 261.6% in the 2nd quarter. Caitong International Asset Management Co. Ltd now owns 4,039 shares of the companys stock valued at $58,000 after buying an additional 2,922 shares during the period. 97.48% of the stock is owned by institutional investors. Get Elanco Animal Health alerts: Insider Transactions at Elanco Animal Health In other Elanco Animal Health news, Director Lawrence Erik Kurzius acquired 10,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Friday, December 12th. The shares were acquired at an average price of $21.30 per share, with a total value of $213,000.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director directly owned 131,773 shares in the company, valued at $2,806,764.90. This trade represents a 8.21% increase in their position. The purchase was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, CEO Jeffrey N. Simmons bought 22,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, December 11th. The stock was acquired at an average cost of $21.75 per share, with a total value of $478,500.00. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer owned 167,000 shares of the companys stock, valued at $3,632,250. This represents a 15.17% increase in their position. The disclosure for this purchase is available in the SEC filing. In the last 90 days, insiders bought 43,450 shares of company stock worth $937,883. Insiders own 0.89% of the companys stock. Elanco Animal Health Stock Up 3.3% Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth ELAN stock opened at $25.66 on Wednesday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.59, a current ratio of 2.40 and a quick ratio of 1.23. The stock has a market capitalization of $12.75 billion, a P/E ratio of 427.74, a P/E/G ratio of 3.71 and a beta of 1.87. The business has a 50-day moving average of $23.26 and a 200-day moving average of $20.88. Elanco Animal Health Incorporated has a fifty-two week low of $8.02 and a fifty-two week high of $25.67. A number of research firms recently commented on ELAN. Piper Sandler raised Elanco Animal Health from a neutral rating to an overweight rating and raised their price objective for the stock from $24.00 to $30.00 in a research note on Thursday, January 22nd. Argus upgraded Elanco Animal Health from a hold rating to a buy rating and set a $25.00 price target for the company in a report on Wednesday, November 19th. Weiss Ratings reiterated a sell (d+) rating on shares of Elanco Animal Health in a report on Monday, December 29th. UBS Group boosted their price objective on Elanco Animal Health from $27.00 to $30.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Thursday, January 29th. Finally, Morgan Stanley raised their target price on shares of Elanco Animal Health from $18.00 to $22.00 and gave the stock an equal weight rating in a report on Thursday, December 18th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eight have assigned a Buy rating, two have assigned a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $25.44. Read Our Latest Stock Report on ELAN Elanco Animal Health Profile (Free Report) Elanco Animal Health Inc is a global leader in animal health dedicated to improving food and companion animal well-being. The company develops, manufactures and markets a range of products, including parasiticides, vaccines, antibiotics and feed additives designed to prevent and treat disease in livestock and pets. Elancos portfolio spans both food-producing animalssuch as cattle, swine, poultry and aquacultureand companion animals, with offerings that support parasite control, pain management and infectious disease prevention. Originally founded as the animal health division of Eli Lilly and Company in the mid-20th century, Elanco was spun off into an independent publicly traded company in 2018. See Also Receive News & Ratings for Elanco Animal Health Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Elanco Animal Health and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Mid-America Apartment Communities (NYSE:MAA Get Free Report) had its price objective cut by investment analysts at KeyCorp from $170.00 to $155.00 in a report released on Wednesday,Benzinga reports. The brokerage currently has an overweight rating on the real estate investment trusts stock. KeyCorps target price would indicate a potential upside of 13.63% from the stocks previous close. A number of other equities analysts have also recently commented on MAA. Scotiabank cut Mid-America Apartment Communities from a sector outperform rating to a sector perform rating and decreased their target price for the stock from $146.00 to $142.00 in a report on Friday, December 5th. BMO Capital Markets upgraded Mid-America Apartment Communities from a hold rating to an outperform rating and upped their price objective for the company from $150.00 to $158.00 in a research report on Friday, January 9th. BTIG Research reissued a buy rating and issued a $160.00 target price on shares of Mid-America Apartment Communities in a research note on Friday, December 5th. Piper Sandler dropped their price target on shares of Mid-America Apartment Communities from $153.00 to $140.00 and set a neutral rating for the company in a research note on Monday, November 3rd. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company dropped their price objective on Mid-America Apartment Communities from $157.00 to $150.00 and set an overweight rating on the stock in a research report on Tuesday, November 25th. Nine analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, twelve have issued a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of Hold and an average price target of $153.84. Get Mid-America Apartment Communities alerts: Read Our Latest Stock Analysis on Mid-America Apartment Communities Mid-America Apartment Communities Trading Up 2.1% MAA opened at $136.41 on Wednesday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.93, a current ratio of 0.10 and a quick ratio of 0.06. Mid-America Apartment Communities has a one year low of $125.75 and a one year high of $173.38. The business has a 50 day simple moving average of $135.09 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $136.64. The firm has a market capitalization of $15.95 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 36.09, a PEG ratio of 3.84 and a beta of 0.79. Mid-America Apartment Communities (NYSE:MAA Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, February 4th. The real estate investment trust reported $0.48 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $2.22 by ($1.74). The firm had revenue of $555.56 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $556.80 million. Mid-America Apartment Communities had a net margin of 20.23% and a return on equity of 7.44%. The firms revenue for the quarter was up 1.0% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business posted $2.23 earnings per share. Mid-America Apartment Communities has set its Q1 2026 guidance at 2.050-2.170 EPS and its FY 2026 guidance at 8.350-8.710 EPS. Analysts predict that Mid-America Apartment Communities will post 8.84 EPS for the current year. Insider Buying and Selling In related news, EVP Adrian Hill bought 758 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Friday, December 12th. The shares were acquired at an average price of $131.83 per share, for a total transaction of $99,927.14. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 48,766 shares in the company, valued at $6,428,821.78. This trade represents a 1.58% increase in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. Also, EVP Robert J. Delpriore sold 5,426 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Friday, January 2nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $138.23, for a total transaction of $750,035.98. Following the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 49,745 shares of the companys stock, valued at $6,876,251.35. The trade was a 9.83% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. In the last quarter, insiders sold 6,079 shares of company stock valued at $838,698. 1.30% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders. Hedge Funds Weigh In On Mid-America Apartment Communities Hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Appleton Partners Inc. MA purchased a new position in Mid-America Apartment Communities in the third quarter worth $915,000. Norges Bank purchased a new position in Mid-America Apartment Communities during the 2nd quarter valued at about $795,893,000. Allworth Financial LP lifted its holdings in shares of Mid-America Apartment Communities by 33.1% in the second quarter. Allworth Financial LP now owns 30,112 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $4,457,000 after purchasing an additional 7,481 shares in the last quarter. Exchange Traded Concepts LLC lifted its stake in Mid-America Apartment Communities by 85.5% in the 3rd quarter. Exchange Traded Concepts LLC now owns 28,639 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $4,002,000 after buying an additional 13,198 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Barings LLC acquired a new position in Mid-America Apartment Communities in the 2nd quarter valued at about $2,268,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 93.60% of the companys stock. About Mid-America Apartment Communities (Get Free Report) Mid-America Apartment Communities, Inc (NYSE: MAA) is a publicly traded real estate investment trust (REIT) specializing in the acquisition, development, redevelopment and operation of multifamily residential properties. The company focuses on high-barrier-to-entry apartment communities, offering a mix of one-, two- and three-bedroom homes designed to meet the needs of diverse renter demographics. Its integrated business model encompasses property management, leasing, maintenance and customer service, providing residents with a comprehensive living experience under one ownership platform. MAAs portfolio comprises more than 100 communities and over 40,000 apartment homes across key Sun Belt markets. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for Mid-America Apartment Communities Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Mid-America Apartment Communities and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. BlackRock Virginia Municipal Bond Trust (NYSEAMERICAN:BHV Get Free Report) announced a monthly dividend on Friday, January 2nd. Shareholders of record on Friday, February 13th will be paid a dividend of 0.0455 per share on Monday, March 2nd. This represents a c) annualized dividend and a yield of 5.1%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, February 13th. BlackRock Virginia Municipal Bond Trust Trading Down 0.0% BlackRock Virginia Municipal Bond Trust stock opened at $10.76 on Wednesday. The company has a 50 day moving average of $10.66 and a 200-day moving average of $10.69. BlackRock Virginia Municipal Bond Trust has a twelve month low of $9.96 and a twelve month high of $11.66. Get BlackRock Virginia Municipal Bond Trust alerts: BlackRock Virginia Municipal Bond Trust Company Profile (Get Free Report) BlackRock Virginia Municipal Bond Trust (NYSE American: BHV) is a closed-end management investment company that seeks to provide high current income exempt from regular federal and Virginia state income taxes. The trust pursues this objective by investing primarily in investment-grade municipal securities, with a focus on bonds issued by entities located in or serving the Commonwealth of Virginia. BHVs portfolio typically consists of general obligation and revenue bonds, including those issued by state and local governments, public authorities, and other municipal issuers. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for BlackRock Virginia Municipal Bond Trust Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for BlackRock Virginia Municipal Bond Trust and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. BlackRock MuniHoldings New Jersey Quality Fund, Inc. (NYSE:MUJ Get Free Report) announced a monthly dividend on Friday, January 2nd. Investors of record on Friday, February 13th will be given a dividend of 0.054 per share by the financial services provider on Monday, March 2nd. This represents a c) annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 5.3%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, February 13th. BlackRock MuniHoldings New Jersey Quality Fund Price Performance BlackRock MuniHoldings New Jersey Quality Fund stock opened at $12.34 on Wednesday. The businesss fifty day moving average is $12.10 and its two-hundred day moving average is $11.65. BlackRock MuniHoldings New Jersey Quality Fund has a 52 week low of $10.50 and a 52 week high of $12.48. Get BlackRock MuniHoldings New Jersey Quality Fund alerts: About BlackRock MuniHoldings New Jersey Quality Fund (Get Free Report) BlackRock MuniHoldings New Jersey Quality Fund (NYSE: MUJ) is a closed-end management investment company that seeks to provide shareholders with a high level of current income exempt from federal and New Jersey state income taxes. The fund primarily invests in investment-grade municipal securities issued by or on behalf of the State of New Jersey and its municipalities, authorities, and instrumentalities. By concentrating on high-quality New Jersey public finance obligations, MUJ aims to offer tax-efficient income for investors with exposure to the states credit profile. The funds portfolio is actively managed by BlackRocks municipal fixed income team, which conducts credit analysis and sector allocation to identify opportunities within New Jerseys diverse municipal marketplace. See Also Receive News & Ratings for BlackRock MuniHoldings New Jersey Quality Fund Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for BlackRock MuniHoldings New Jersey Quality Fund and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Teradata Corporation (NYSE:TDC Get Free Report) shares reached a new 52-week high on Wednesday following a better than expected earnings announcement. The company traded as high as $35.10 and last traded at $39.3580, with a volume of 44536 shares trading hands. The stock had previously closed at $29.23. The technology company reported $0.74 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $0.55 by $0.19. Teradata had a net margin of 7.15% and a return on equity of 83.22%. The business had revenue of $421.00 million during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $399.49 million. During the same period last year, the company posted $0.53 earnings per share. The businesss quarterly revenue was up 2.9% on a year-over-year basis. Teradata has set its Q1 2026 guidance at 0.750-0.790 EPS and its FY 2026 guidance at 2.550-2.650 EPS. Get Teradata alerts: Key Headlines Impacting Teradata Here are the key news stories impacting Teradata this week: Wall Street Analyst Weigh In Several research analysts have issued reports on the company. Royal Bank Of Canada increased their price target on Teradata from $23.00 to $32.00 and gave the stock a sector perform rating in a report on Monday, January 5th. Wall Street Zen raised Teradata from a buy rating to a strong-buy rating in a research report on Saturday, November 8th. Citigroup reiterated an outperform rating on shares of Teradata in a report on Wednesday. Zacks Research raised shares of Teradata from a hold rating to a strong-buy rating in a research report on Thursday, November 20th. Finally, Weiss Ratings restated a hold (c) rating on shares of Teradata in a report on Monday, December 29th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, six have given a Buy rating, six have issued a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $30.30. Check Out Our Latest Analysis on Teradata Institutional Trading of Teradata Several institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the company. AQR Capital Management LLC lifted its position in shares of Teradata by 175.3% during the second quarter. AQR Capital Management LLC now owns 3,913,277 shares of the technology companys stock valued at $86,914,000 after purchasing an additional 2,491,938 shares in the last quarter. Alyeska Investment Group L.P. bought a new stake in Teradata in the 3rd quarter worth about $23,549,000. Boston Partners increased its stake in Teradata by 2,172.3% in the 2nd quarter. Boston Partners now owns 1,108,665 shares of the technology companys stock valued at $24,731,000 after buying an additional 1,059,875 shares during the last quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. increased its stake in Teradata by 5.0% in the 4th quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 12,953,545 shares of the technology companys stock valued at $394,306,000 after buying an additional 612,624 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Qube Research & Technologies Ltd bought a new position in shares of Teradata during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $11,309,000. Institutional investors own 90.31% of the companys stock. Teradata Price Performance The stock has a market cap of $3.81 billion, a PE ratio of 33.82, a P/E/G ratio of 3.57 and a beta of 0.61. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.21, a quick ratio of 0.89 and a current ratio of 0.90. The business has a 50 day moving average price of $30.00 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $25.28. Teradata Company Profile (Get Free Report) Teradata Corporation is a global provider of enterprise analytics and data management solutions designed to help organizations unlock value from their data assets. The company offers both cloud-based and on-premises platforms that support data warehousing, big data analytics, and machine learning. Through its flagship analytics ecosystem, Teradata enables businesses to integrate, analyze, and manage large volumes of structured and unstructured data at scale. Central to Teradatas product suite is the Teradata Vantage analytics platform, which unifies diverse data types across multiple environmentsincluding public and private cloudsinto a single, coherent architecture. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for Teradata Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Teradata and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Suzuki Motor (OTCMKTS:SZKMY Get Free Report) gapped down before the market opened on Monday . The stock had previously closed at $60.02, but opened at $55.63. Suzuki Motor shares last traded at $57.9750, with a volume of 1,594 shares trading hands. Analyst Ratings Changes Several research analysts have recently commented on the company. Zacks Research upgraded Suzuki Motor from a strong sell rating to a hold rating in a report on Monday, October 20th. Dbs Bank raised Suzuki Motor to a moderate buy rating in a research note on Friday, February 6th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, one has issued a Buy rating and one has assigned a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of Buy. Get Suzuki Motor alerts: Check Out Our Latest Stock Analysis on SZKMY Suzuki Motor Stock Up 1.1% The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.11, a current ratio of 1.60 and a quick ratio of 1.21. The stock has a market capitalization of $30.78 billion, a PE ratio of 11.01 and a beta of 0.46. The company has a 50 day moving average price of $58.71 and a 200-day moving average price of $57.06. Suzuki Motor (OTCMKTS:SZKMY Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, February 5th. The company reported $1.53 EPS for the quarter. The company had revenue of $10.73 billion during the quarter. Suzuki Motor had a return on equity of 10.81% and a net margin of 6.78%.Suzuki Motor has set its FY 2025 guidance at 5.249-5.249 EPS. As a group, analysts forecast that Suzuki Motor will post 5.11 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. About Suzuki Motor (Get Free Report) Suzuki Motor Corporation traces its roots to 1909 when Michio Suzuki founded Suzuki Loom Works; the company later entered motor vehicle production and was reorganized as an independent motor company in the mid-20th century. Headquartered in Hamamatsu, Japan, Suzuki has grown into a multinational manufacturer known for producing compact, fuel-efficient vehicles and a broad range of two- and four-wheeled products. The company has a long history in small-car and motorcycle design and has adapted its product portfolio over decades to serve both personal and light commercial transport markets. Suzukis primary business activities include the design, manufacture and sale of automobiles, motorcycles, all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), and outboard motors, along with related parts and accessories. See Also Receive News & Ratings for Suzuki Motor Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Suzuki Motor and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. BT Group plc (LON:BT.A Get Free Report) insider Sara Weller purchased 5,932 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Tuesday, February 10th. The stock was purchased at an average cost of GBX 201 per share, with a total value of 11,923.32. BT Group Price Performance BT.A stock traded up GBX 5.50 during trading on Wednesday, hitting GBX 204.50. The company had a trading volume of 33,083,332 shares, compared to its average volume of 29,719,420. BT Group plc has a fifty-two week low of GBX 141.70 and a fifty-two week high of GBX 223.60. The company has a current ratio of 0.89, a quick ratio of 0.83 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 187.58. The company has a fifty day moving average price of GBX 185.37 and a two-hundred day moving average price of GBX 191.28. The company has a market cap of 19.92 billion, a P/E ratio of 21.30, a P/E/G ratio of 0.38 and a beta of 0.69. Get BT Group alerts: About BT Group (Get Free Report) BT Group is the UKs leading provider of fixed and mobile telecommunications and related secure digital products, solutions and services. We also provide managed telecommunications, security and network and IT infrastructure services to customers across 180 countries. BT Group consists of three customer-facing units: Consumer serves individuals and families in the UK; Business* covers companies and public services in the UK and internationally; Openreach is an independently governed, wholly owned subsidiary wholesaling fixed access infrastructure services to its customers over 650 communication providers across the UK. British Telecommunications plc is a wholly owned subsidiary of BT Group plc and encompasses virtually all businesses and assets of the BT Group. See Also Receive News & Ratings for BT Group Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for BT Group and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Shares of Pebblebrook Hotel Trust (NYSE:PEB Get Free Report) reached a new 52-week high during trading on Wednesday . The stock traded as high as $13.05 and last traded at $12.81, with a volume of 108561 shares. The stock had previously closed at $12.83. Wall Street Analyst Weigh In PEB has been the subject of a number of research reports. Robert W. Baird set a $15.00 price objective on shares of Pebblebrook Hotel Trust and gave the company an outperform rating in a research note on Monday, January 12th. Barclays assumed coverage on shares of Pebblebrook Hotel Trust in a research note on Tuesday, January 6th. They issued an underweight rating and a $10.00 price target for the company. Truist Financial raised their price objective on Pebblebrook Hotel Trust from $11.00 to $12.00 and gave the company a hold rating in a research note on Monday, January 12th. Stifel Nicolaus set a $13.50 target price on Pebblebrook Hotel Trust in a research note on Thursday, November 6th. Finally, Weiss Ratings restated a sell (d) rating on shares of Pebblebrook Hotel Trust in a report on Monday, December 29th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, one has assigned a Buy rating, five have given a Hold rating and six have assigned a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, Pebblebrook Hotel Trust has an average rating of Reduce and a consensus target price of $12.08. Get Pebblebrook Hotel Trust alerts: Check Out Our Latest Stock Analysis on PEB Pebblebrook Hotel Trust Price Performance Pebblebrook Hotel Trust Dividend Announcement The stock has a market cap of $1.46 billion, a PE ratio of -10.78 and a beta of 1.54. The businesss 50-day simple moving average is $11.67 and its 200-day simple moving average is $11.15. The company has a quick ratio of 1.13, a current ratio of 1.13 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.86. The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, January 15th. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, December 31st were given a dividend of $0.01 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Wednesday, December 31st. This represents a $0.04 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.3%. Pebblebrook Hotel Trusts dividend payout ratio is presently -3.36%. Hedge Funds Weigh In On Pebblebrook Hotel Trust Several hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in PEB. Allianz Asset Management GmbH boosted its holdings in Pebblebrook Hotel Trust by 108.7% in the third quarter. Allianz Asset Management GmbH now owns 707,913 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $8,063,000 after acquiring an additional 368,681 shares in the last quarter. Nordea Investment Management AB lifted its position in shares of Pebblebrook Hotel Trust by 7.6% in the 2nd quarter. Nordea Investment Management AB now owns 802,145 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $8,025,000 after purchasing an additional 56,815 shares during the period. Envestnet Asset Management Inc. lifted its position in shares of Pebblebrook Hotel Trust by 15.3% in the 2nd quarter. Envestnet Asset Management Inc. now owns 692,901 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $6,922,000 after purchasing an additional 91,769 shares during the period. Nebula Research & Development LLC boosted its stake in shares of Pebblebrook Hotel Trust by 97.4% during the 2nd quarter. Nebula Research & Development LLC now owns 195,799 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $1,956,000 after purchasing an additional 96,608 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Capital Fund Management S.A. increased its position in shares of Pebblebrook Hotel Trust by 48.1% during the second quarter. Capital Fund Management S.A. now owns 157,527 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $1,574,000 after buying an additional 51,169 shares during the period. About Pebblebrook Hotel Trust (Get Free Report) Pebblebrook Hotel Trust (NYSE:PEB) is a real estate investment trust specializing in premium, high-barrier-to-entry hotel properties in gateway markets across the United States. Established in 2009, PEB focuses on lifestyle-oriented lodging assets that cater to business and leisure travelers seeking elevated experiences. The companys investment strategy emphasizes select-service and full-service hotels with established brands and prime urban or resort locations. PEBs portfolio comprises more than 30 properties in major metropolitan areas including New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, Miami and San Francisco. See Also Receive News & Ratings for Pebblebrook Hotel Trust Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Pebblebrook Hotel Trust and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. NNN REIT (NYSE:NNN Get Free Report) issued its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday. The real estate investment trust reported $0.51 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.86 by ($0.35), FiscalAI reports. NNN REIT had a net margin of 43.22% and a return on equity of 8.95%. The business had revenue of $238.40 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $233.37 million. During the same period in the previous year, the business posted $0.82 EPS. NNN REITs revenue was up 9.1% compared to the same quarter last year. NNN REIT updated its FY 2026 guidance to 3.470-3.530 EPS. Here are the key takeaways from NNN REITs conference call: Get NNN REIT alerts: Reported strong results with Q4 core FFO and AFFO of $0.87 (+6.1% YoY), a full?year AFFO per share of $3.44 (+2.7% YoY), and a 36th consecutive dividend increase to $0.60 (3.4% YoY); 2026 AFFO guidance midpoint implies ~3.2% growth. Reported strong results with Q4 core FFO and AFFO of $0.87 (+6.1% YoY), a full?year AFFO per share of $3.44 (+2.7% YoY), and a to $0.60 (3.4% YoY); 2026 AFFO guidance midpoint implies ~3.2% growth. Record acquisition activity in 2025 (>$900M total; Q4: ~$180M across 55 properties at a 7.4% initial cash cap, >18?year average lease term) and a planned largely self?funded $600M acquisition program in 2026 funded by ~$210M retained cash, ~$130M dispositions and leverage?neutral debt. Record acquisition activity in 2025 (>$900M total; Q4: ~$180M across 55 properties at a 7.4% initial cash cap, >18?year average lease term) and a planned largely self?funded $600M acquisition program in 2026 funded by ~$210M retained cash, ~$130M dispositions and leverage?neutral debt. Balance sheet and liquidity are highlighted as strengthsBBB+ rating, no encumbered assets, $1.2 billion available liquidity , 10.8?year weighted average debt maturity and just 1% floating?rate debtmanagement says this supports resilience amid macro uncertainty. Balance sheet and liquidity are highlighted as strengthsBBB+ rating, no encumbered assets, , 10.8?year weighted average debt maturity and just 1% floating?rate debtmanagement says this supports resilience amid macro uncertainty. Portfolio health improved with occupancy up to 98.3% and management reports no material watchlist changes, but several furniture and restaurant vacancies remain (32 restaurant assets, 5 furniture) and the company is conservatively modeling 75 bps of bad?debt for 2026. NNN REIT Trading Down 0.4% Shares of NNN REIT stock opened at $43.13 on Thursday. NNN REIT has a 12-month low of $35.80 and a 12-month high of $44.23. The stock has a market capitalization of $8.19 billion, a P/E ratio of 20.73, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.08 and a beta of 0.86. The company has a 50-day simple moving average of $41.02 and a 200 day simple moving average of $41.55. The company has a quick ratio of 2.44, a current ratio of 2.44 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.10. NNN REIT Announces Dividend More NNN REIT News The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, February 13th. Shareholders of record on Friday, January 30th will be issued a dividend of $0.60 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, January 30th. This represents a $2.40 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 5.6%. NNN REITs dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 115.38%. Here are the key news stories impacting NNN REIT this week: Wall Street Analyst Weigh In A number of brokerages have recently commented on NNN. UBS Group cut their price target on NNN REIT from $44.00 to $43.00 and set a neutral rating for the company in a report on Thursday, January 8th. B. Riley Financial reissued a neutral rating and issued a $43.00 price target (down from $44.00) on shares of NNN REIT in a report on Friday, November 14th. BNP Paribas Exane raised their price target on shares of NNN REIT from $43.00 to $44.00 and gave the stock an underperform rating in a research report on Thursday. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a hold (c) rating on shares of NNN REIT in a research report on Thursday, January 22nd. Finally, Stifel Nicolaus set a $48.50 target price on shares of NNN REIT in a research note on Wednesday. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Buy rating, five have assigned a Hold rating and two have assigned a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of Reduce and an average price target of $44.44. Get Our Latest Stock Analysis on NNN REIT Hedge Funds Weigh In On NNN REIT A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the business. Parallel Advisors LLC lifted its position in NNN REIT by 11.0% during the 3rd quarter. Parallel Advisors LLC now owns 5,713 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $243,000 after purchasing an additional 567 shares during the period. Captrust Financial Advisors lifted its holdings in NNN REIT by 3.5% in the second quarter. Captrust Financial Advisors now owns 115,265 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $4,977,000 after buying an additional 3,897 shares during the period. Finally, Horizon Investments LLC lifted its holdings in NNN REIT by 65.0% in the third quarter. Horizon Investments LLC now owns 77,022 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $3,230,000 after buying an additional 30,333 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 89.96% of the companys stock. About NNN REIT (Get Free Report) NNN REIT (NYSE: NNN), formally known as National Retail Properties, is a publicly traded real estate investment trust focused on acquiring, owning and managing a diversified portfolio of retail properties across the United States. As a net-lease REIT, the company enters into long-term, triple-net leases with national and regional tenants, shifting most property-related expenses, including maintenance, taxes and insurance, to its lessees. This structure provides NNN REIT with predictable cash flows and a stable income stream rooted in essential retail uses such as convenience stores, dollar stores, drug stores and quick-service restaurants. Founded in 1984 and headquartered in Orlando, Florida, NNN REIT has steadily grown its footprint through disciplined acquisitions and selective lease underwriting. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for NNN REIT Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for NNN REIT and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Mr Price Group Limited (OTCMKTS:MRPLY Get Free Report) was the target of a large increase in short interest in the month of January. As of January 30th, there was short interest totaling 2,835 shares, an increase of 874.2% from the January 15th total of 291 shares. Based on an average daily volume of 1,927 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is presently 1.5 days. Based on an average daily volume of 1,927 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is presently 1.5 days. Mr Price Group Price Performance Shares of OTCMKTS:MRPLY remained flat at $10.62 during trading on Wednesday. 199 shares of the stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 842. The company has a 50 day simple moving average of $10.86 and a 200-day simple moving average of $11.73. Mr Price Group has a 52-week low of $10.00 and a 52-week high of $13.87. Get Mr Price Group alerts: About Mr Price Group (Get Free Report) Mr Price Group Limited (OTCMKTS: MRPLY) is a South African-based retailer known for its value-led fashion and homeware offerings. The Group operates through several divisions, including apparel, homeware and sportswear, designing and sourcing clothing, footwear, accessories and household products. It also offers financial servicessuch as credit and insurancethrough its Mr Price Money and Mr Price Insurance arms, complementing its core retail operations. Founded in 1985 with a single Mr Price store in Durban, the Group has since expanded into multiple brands, including Mr Price Home and Mr Price Sport. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for Mr Price Group Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Mr Price Group and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. VIENNA, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- The recent U.S. accusation of Chinese nuclear explosive tests is completely groundless, said Li Song, permanent representative of China to the United Nations and other international organizations in Vienna, in an interview on Wednesday. U.S. Under Secretary of State Thomas DiNanno recently made unwarranted remarks at the Conference on Disarmament in Geneva, accusing China of having conducted a nuclear explosive test in June 2020. In response, Robert Floyd, executive secretary of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO), immediately issued a statement clarifying that the International Monitoring System of CTBTO did not detect any event consistent with the characteristics of a nuclear weapon test explosion at that time. This fully demonstrates that the U.S. accusation of Chinese nuclear explosive tests is completely groundless, Li said, noting that the U.S. actions are extremely irresponsible and driven by ulterior motives, aimed at fabricating pretexts for its own resumption of nuclear tests, and that China firmly rejects such actions. Li also said that he had a meeting on Tuesday with Floyd, during which he firmly refuted the groundless accusations made by the United States and reiterated China's firm commitment to and steadfast support for the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT). China is among the first countries to sign the CTBT and has consistently and firmly supported its purposes and objectives. Since announcing a moratorium on nuclear testing in 1996, China has strictly honored its commitment and has never conducted any activities in violation of its obligations, Li said, noting that China has received high recognition from the international community by resolutely upholding the international consensus on banning nuclear tests. The Chinese envoy urged the United States, who is sitting on an enormous nuclear arsenal, to fulfill its special and primary responsibility for nuclear disarmament, which is the long-standing international consensus. U.S. move of distorting and vilifying China's nuclear policy is essentially part of its political manipulation to seek nuclear supremacy and shirk its own nuclear disarmament responsibility, Li stressed. The United States is the biggest source of disruption to the international nuclear order and global strategic stability, Li added. Li also emphasized that China urges the United States to renew the commitment of the five nuclear-weapons states to a moratorium on nuclear testing, uphold the global consensus on the ban on nuclear testing, and take concrete actions to safeguard the international nuclear disarmament and nuclear non-proliferation regime. China has always remained committed to the path of peaceful development, and firmly pursued a nuclear strategy of self-defense, Li said. China's nuclear policy maintains long-term stability and it will continue to play a constructive role in safeguarding international peace and security, Li added. IMI plc (LON:IMI Get Free Report)s stock price hit a new 52-week high during trading on Wednesday . The company traded as high as GBX 2,920 and last traded at GBX 2,912, with a volume of 805398 shares changing hands. The stock had previously closed at GBX 2,852. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth A number of equities research analysts have recently issued reports on the company. Berenberg Bank boosted their target price on IMI from GBX 2,550 to GBX 2,900 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Thursday, November 6th. Panmure Gordon restated a buy rating and set a GBX 2,760 price objective on shares of IMI in a report on Tuesday, November 25th. Royal Bank Of Canada lowered shares of IMI to a sector perform rating and upped their price objective for the company from GBX 2,475 to GBX 2,500 in a research note on Tuesday, October 14th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted their target price on shares of IMI from GBX 2,850 to GBX 2,960 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research report on Thursday, December 4th. Six equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and one has given a Hold rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of GBX 2,670.71. Get IMI alerts: Get Our Latest Analysis on IMI IMI Trading Up 1.7% About IMI The companys 50 day simple moving average is GBX 2,597.15 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is GBX 2,415.94. The stock has a market cap of 7.14 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 31.08, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.12 and a beta of 1.08. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 68.33, a quick ratio of 0.80 and a current ratio of 1.36. (Get Free Report) IMI plc is a specialist engineering company operating in fluid and motion control markets. We combine our deep engineering knowledge with strong applications expertise to develop solutions for the most acute industry problems. We help our customers become safer, more sustainable and more productive. IMI employs around 10,000 people, has manufacturing facilities in 19 countries and operates a global service network. The Company is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a constituent of the FTSE4Good Index. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for IMI Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for IMI and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Persimmon Plc (OTCMKTS:PSMMY Get Free Report)s stock price reached a new 52-week high during mid-day trading on Wednesday . The company traded as high as $41.21 and last traded at $40.9650, with a volume of 7437 shares trading hands. The stock had previously closed at $39.23. Wall Street Analyst Weigh In A number of equities analysts have weighed in on the company. The Goldman Sachs Group started coverage on Persimmon in a research note on Monday, November 24th. They issued a buy rating on the stock. Citigroup restated a buy rating on shares of Persimmon in a research report on Wednesday, January 14th. Finally, Royal Bank Of Canada upgraded shares of Persimmon from a hold rating to a moderate buy rating in a research report on Tuesday, December 2nd. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating and four have issued a Buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of Buy. Get Persimmon alerts: Check Out Our Latest Analysis on PSMMY Persimmon Trading Up 5.5% About Persimmon The stock has a fifty day moving average of $37.06 and a two-hundred day moving average of $33.38. (Get Free Report) Persimmon plc (OTCMKTS:PSMMY) is a leading United Kingdombased residential property developer primarily engaged in the design, construction and sale of new homes. The companys product range spans starter homes for first-time buyers, family houses and executive properties, addressing a broad spectrum of customer needs. Persimmon also offers warranty and after-sales services through its in-house customer care teams, ensuring ongoing support for homeowners. Founded in 1972 and headquartered in York, North Yorkshire, Persimmon has grown from a regional builder into one of the UKs most prolific housebuilders. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for Persimmon Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Persimmon and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Smurfit Westrock (NYSE:SW Get Free Report) announced its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday. The company reported $0.34 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.46 by ($0.12), FiscalAI reports. The company had revenue of $7.58 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $7.63 billion. Smurfit Westrock had a net margin of 2.40% and a return on equity of 6.21%. Smurfit Westrocks revenue was up .5% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the firm earned $0.28 earnings per share. Here are the key takeaways from Smurfit Westrocks conference call: Get Smurfit Westrock alerts: Smurfit Westrock reported record-scale results with Q4 Adjusted EBITDA $1.172bn and FY Adjusted EBITDA $4.939bn , generated over $1.5bn of adjusted free cash flow for the year, reduced leverage to 2.6x, raised the dividend 5%, and received a Fitch upgrade to BBB+. and FY Adjusted EBITDA , generated over $1.5bn of adjusted free cash flow for the year, reduced leverage to 2.6x, raised the dividend 5%, and received a Fitch upgrade to BBB+. North America faced pronounced headwinds sharp volume declines, portfolio pruning (?1.2bn sqm of lost business), mill downtime that cost ~$85m in Q4 (~$220m for the year), and the announced La Tuque SBS closure pressuring near-term utilization and earnings. The company unveiled a bottom-up medium-term plan targeting ~ $7bn Adjusted EBITDA by 2030, about $14bn adjusted free cash flow (20262030), ~$13bn cumulative CapEx (focused on high-return projects), ~$5bn of dividends and share buybacks beginning 2027, and a path toward ~2x leverage. Adjusted EBITDA by 2030, about adjusted free cash flow (20262030), ~$13bn cumulative CapEx (focused on high-return projects), ~$5bn of dividends and share buybacks beginning 2027, and a path toward leverage. Management is executing strategic commercial and operational changes owner-operator model, shedding uneconomic contracts, experience centers and AI InnoTools for value-selling and says roughly half the lost North American volume is already being replaced by higher?quality pipeline business to drive margin recovery. Smurfit Westrock Price Performance Smurfit Westrock stock traded up $1.08 during midday trading on Thursday, hitting $51.36. 10,952,895 shares of the companys stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 6,394,858. The stock has a 50-day moving average price of $40.61 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $41.21. Smurfit Westrock has a 52-week low of $32.73 and a 52-week high of $55.49. The company has a market cap of $26.83 billion, a P/E ratio of 35.91 and a beta of 1.09. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.72, a quick ratio of 0.97 and a current ratio of 1.48. Smurfit Westrock Increases Dividend Key Headlines Impacting Smurfit Westrock The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, March 18th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, February 17th will be issued a $0.4523 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, February 17th. This is an increase from Smurfit Westrocks previous quarterly dividend of $0.43. This represents a $1.81 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 3.5%. Smurfit Westrocks payout ratio is currently 125.87%. Here are the key news stories impacting Smurfit Westrock this week: Analysts Set New Price Targets A number of brokerages recently issued reports on SW. Royal Bank Of Canada lifted their price objective on shares of Smurfit Westrock from $51.00 to $57.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research note on Thursday. Argus dropped their price objective on Smurfit Westrock from $55.00 to $45.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a research report on Tuesday, December 9th. Barclays reduced their price target on shares of Smurfit Westrock from $63.00 to $47.00 and set an overweight rating on the stock in a research note on Monday, November 10th. Wells Fargo & Company lifted their price target on Smurfit Westrock from $48.00 to $55.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research note on Thursday. Finally, Truist Financial set a $60.00 target price on Smurfit Westrock in a report on Thursday. Ten research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and two have given a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Smurfit Westrock currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $54.30. Read Our Latest Research Report on SW Hedge Funds Weigh In On Smurfit Westrock A number of institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. CYBER HORNET ETFs LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Smurfit Westrock during the second quarter valued at approximately $29,000. McMillan Office Inc. purchased a new position in shares of Smurfit Westrock in the fourth quarter worth $35,000. MUFG Securities EMEA plc bought a new stake in Smurfit Westrock during the 2nd quarter valued at $63,000. Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. boosted its position in Smurfit Westrock by 181.9% during the 4th quarter. Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. now owns 2,658 shares of the companys stock valued at $103,000 after buying an additional 1,715 shares during the period. Finally, Zions Bancorporation National Association UT boosted its position in Smurfit Westrock by 1,276.4% during the 4th quarter. Zions Bancorporation National Association UT now owns 3,441 shares of the companys stock valued at $133,000 after buying an additional 3,191 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 83.38% of the companys stock. Smurfit Westrock Company Profile (Get Free Report) Smurfit Westrock Plc, together with its subsidiaries, manufactures, distributes, and sells containerboard, corrugated containers, and other paper-based packaging products in Ireland and internationally. The company produces containerboard that it converts into corrugated containers or sells to third parties, as well as produces other types of paper, such as consumer packaging board, sack paper, graphic paper, solid board and graphic board, and other paper-based packaging products, such as consumer packaging, solid board packaging, paper sacks, and other packaging products, including bag-in-box. Read More Receive News & Ratings for Smurfit Westrock Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Smurfit Westrock and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Maiden Holdings North America, Ltd. (NYSE:MHNC Get Free Report) announced a quarterly dividend on Friday, January 1st. Shareholders of record on Sunday, February 15th will be paid a dividend of 0.4844 per share on Monday, March 2nd. This represents a c) dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 12.6%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, February 13th. This is a 0.0% increase from Maiden Holdings North Americas previous quarterly dividend of $0.48. Maiden Holdings North America Trading Down 1.0% Shares of MHNC traded down $0.15 on Wednesday, reaching $15.40. The companys stock had a trading volume of 4,609 shares, compared to its average volume of 3,308. Maiden Holdings North America has a twelve month low of $14.85 and a twelve month high of $18.54. The firm has a fifty day moving average of $15.75 and a 200-day moving average of $16.91. Get Maiden Holdings North America alerts: Maiden Holdings North America Ltd. (NYSE: MHNC) is a specialty property and casualty reinsurer headquartered in Wilton, Connecticut. As a subsidiary of Bermuda-based Maiden Holdings, Ltd., the company provides treaty and facultative reinsurance solutions for primary insurers. Since its founding in 2007, Maiden Holdings North America has developed underwriting capabilities in property catastrophe, casualty, agriculture, surety and mortgage reinsurance, targeting niche segments where disciplined risk selection and tailored coverage can drive value. The companys product offerings include multi-year and annual treaty contracts, facultative reinsurance for individual risks, and run-off and legacy portfolio management services. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for Maiden Holdings North America Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Maiden Holdings North America and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Martin Marietta Materials (NYSE:MLM Get Free Report) posted its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday. The construction company reported $4.62 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $4.81 by ($0.19), FiscalAI reports. The business had revenue of $1.53 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.66 billion. Martin Marietta Materials had a return on equity of 11.68% and a net margin of 17.34%.The companys revenue for the quarter was up 9.3% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business posted $4.79 EPS. Here are the key takeaways from Martin Marietta Materials conference call: Get Martin Marietta Materials alerts: Martin Marietta reported a record 2025, saying SOAR 2025 targets were met with strong capital allocation (about $16 billion of portfolio transactions), ~$2.1 billion returned to shareholders, and leverage inside their target range (2.02.5x). of portfolio transactions), returned to shareholders, and leverage inside their target range (2.02.5x). 2026 guidance assumes modest growth shipments ~ +2% at the midpoint and consolidated Adjusted EBITDA of approximately $2.49 billion (includes discontinued ops) while planned capex is cut to $575 million to boost free cash for M&A and buybacks; the pending Quikrete asset exchange (expected close in Q1) will prompt an updated guide. at the midpoint and consolidated Adjusted EBITDA of approximately (includes discontinued ops) while planned capex is cut to to boost free cash for M&A and buybacks; the pending Quikrete asset exchange (expected close in Q1) will prompt an updated guide. The core aggregates business drove results full-year aggregates revenue up, gross profit per ton rose materially (2025 ag GP/ton of $8.45 , +12% YoY), and price-cost spread strength plus a network-optimization pilot that lowered COGS per ton point to further margin upside as rollout continues. , +12% YoY), and price-cost spread strength plus a network-optimization pilot that lowered COGS per ton point to further margin upside as rollout continues. Near-term demand risks remain private single-family housing and non-residential starts are well below recent peaks and affordability is a constraint, and the Premier Magnesia acquisition is margin-dilutive to specialties while recently announced M&A (Quikrete, Minnesota) may create ASP/mix headwinds until integrated. Martin Marietta Materials Stock Performance Shares of MLM stock traded down $35.77 during trading on Wednesday, reaching $672.34. 504,554 shares of the companys stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 426,217. Martin Marietta Materials has a 1 year low of $441.95 and a 1 year high of $710.97. The firms 50-day moving average is $643.76 and its 200 day moving average is $624.46. The company has a current ratio of 2.97, a quick ratio of 2.07 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.54. The company has a market capitalization of $40.55 billion, a P/E ratio of 35.36 and a beta of 1.16. Martin Marietta Materials Announces Dividend Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, December 31st. Stockholders of record on Monday, December 1st were given a $0.83 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, December 1st. This represents a $3.32 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.5%. Martin Marietta Materialss payout ratio is 17.50%. A number of equities analysts have recently weighed in on the company. Weiss Ratings reiterated a buy (b-) rating on shares of Martin Marietta Materials in a research note on Thursday, January 22nd. Stifel Nicolaus boosted their target price on shares of Martin Marietta Materials from $637.00 to $681.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Tuesday, November 11th. Morgan Stanley lifted their price target on shares of Martin Marietta Materials from $660.00 to $690.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research report on Monday, December 22nd. Citigroup increased their price target on Martin Marietta Materials from $754.00 to $758.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Thursday, January 8th. Finally, Raymond James Financial upped their price objective on shares of Martin Marietta Materials from $645.00 to $680.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research report on Tuesday, October 21st. Ten equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and seven have issued a Hold rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $676.63. Read Our Latest Analysis on Martin Marietta Materials Institutional Trading of Martin Marietta Materials Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the business. Quarry LP purchased a new position in shares of Martin Marietta Materials in the 3rd quarter worth about $38,000. Osterweis Capital Management Inc. bought a new stake in Martin Marietta Materials in the 2nd quarter worth $37,000. Johnson Financial Group Inc. raised its holdings in shares of Martin Marietta Materials by 586.7% during the third quarter. Johnson Financial Group Inc. now owns 103 shares of the construction companys stock valued at $65,000 after acquiring an additional 88 shares in the last quarter. Caitong International Asset Management Co. Ltd purchased a new stake in Martin Marietta Materials in the third quarter worth about $72,000. Finally, MUFG Securities EMEA plc purchased a new stake in shares of Martin Marietta Materials in the 2nd quarter worth about $98,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 95.04% of the companys stock. Martin Marietta Materials Company Profile (Get Free Report) Martin Marietta Materials, Inc (NYSE: MLM) is a leading producer of aggregates and heavy building materials serving the construction and infrastructure markets. The company operates quarries, sand and gravel pits, and other extraction sites to supply crushed stone, sand and gravel, and a range of value?added products for use in roads, bridges, commercial and residential construction, and other civil engineering projects. In addition to its core aggregates business, Martin Marietta manufactures and sells asphalt, ready?mixed concrete and related materials and services. Read More Receive News & Ratings for Martin Marietta Materials Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Martin Marietta Materials and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Orange (OTCMKTS:ORANY Get Free Report)s stock price hit a new 52-week high on Wednesday . The company traded as high as $20.32 and last traded at $20.30, with a volume of 96167 shares trading hands. The stock had previously closed at $19.55. Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades Several equities research analysts have recently commented on the stock. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft restated a buy rating on shares of Orange in a research note on Friday, January 16th. Citigroup raised Orange from a hold rating to a buy rating in a report on Tuesday, January 6th. Zacks Research downgraded Orange from a hold rating to a strong sell rating in a research report on Thursday, January 15th. Finally, Sanford C. Bernstein upgraded Orange to a hold rating in a report on Tuesday, October 21st. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, two have given a Buy rating, two have issued a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy. Get Orange alerts: Check Out Our Latest Stock Analysis on Orange Orange Trading Up 4.5% Orange Dividend Announcement The firm has a fifty day moving average of $17.19 and a 200-day moving average of $16.51. The company has a quick ratio of 0.86, a current ratio of 0.89 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.89. The firm also recently disclosed a dividend, which was paid on Friday, December 19th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, December 2nd were paid a $0.2392 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, December 1st. This represents a yield of 395.0%. About Orange (Get Free Report) Orange SA, commonly known as Orange, is a multinational telecommunications operator headquartered in Paris, France. The company has its roots in the former state-owned France Telecom and later consolidated its international operations under the Orange brand. Orange provides a wide range of connectivity and communications services and maintains a significant presence across Europe, and in many countries in Africa and the Middle East, serving both consumer and business customers. Oranges core activities include mobile and fixed-line telephony, broadband and fiber internet access, and television services for retail customers. Read More Receive News & Ratings for Orange Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Orange and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. CGI Group, Inc. (NYSE:GIB Get Free Report) (TSE:GIB.A)s share price hit a new 52-week low during mid-day trading on Wednesday . The company traded as low as $77.73 and last traded at $77.3240, with a volume of 87041 shares traded. The stock had previously closed at $80.94. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth A number of equities analysts have recently commented on GIB shares. Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce lowered shares of CGI Group from a strong-buy rating to a hold rating in a research report on Sunday, December 14th. Scotiabank began coverage on shares of CGI Group in a research note on Tuesday, January 27th. They issued a sector perform rating on the stock. Royal Bank Of Canada reissued an outperform rating on shares of CGI Group in a research report on Monday, January 5th. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a hold (c-) rating on shares of CGI Group in a research report on Monday, December 29th. Finally, TD Securities raised CGI Group to a strong-buy rating in a research report on Wednesday, January 28th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, one has assigned a Buy rating and five have given a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of Hold and an average target price of $117.00. Get CGI Group alerts: Get Our Latest Analysis on GIB CGI Group Price Performance The firm has a market cap of $16.70 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 14.28 and a beta of 0.59. The stocks 50-day moving average price is $90.09 and its 200 day moving average price is $90.93. The company has a quick ratio of 0.70, a current ratio of 0.94 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.28. CGI Group (NYSE:GIB Get Free Report) (TSE:GIB.A) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, January 28th. The technology company reported $1.51 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $1.55 by ($0.04). CGI Group had a net margin of 10.25% and a return on equity of 18.61%. The firm had revenue of $2.96 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $4.08 billion. During the same period last year, the company earned $1.97 EPS. The companys revenue was up 7.7% on a year-over-year basis. Equities research analysts predict that CGI Group, Inc. will post 5.79 earnings per share for the current year. CGI Group Dividend Announcement The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 20th. Investors of record on Wednesday, February 18th will be given a $0.17 dividend. This represents a $0.68 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.9%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, February 18th. CGI Groups dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 9.18%. Institutional Investors Weigh In On CGI Group Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of GIB. First Horizon Corp bought a new position in shares of CGI Group during the 3rd quarter worth about $29,000. Steigerwald Gordon & Koch Inc. acquired a new position in CGI Group in the third quarter worth about $144,000. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC lifted its stake in CGI Group by 53.3% during the second quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 1,452 shares of the technology companys stock worth $152,000 after purchasing an additional 505 shares during the period. Hughes Financial Services LLC acquired a new stake in CGI Group during the third quarter valued at approximately $174,000. Finally, Entropy Technologies LP bought a new stake in shares of CGI Group in the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $236,000. Institutional investors own 66.68% of the companys stock. About CGI Group (Get Free Report) CGI Group Inc is a global information technology and business consulting firm that delivers a broad range of services including IT consulting, systems integration, application development and maintenance, infrastructure and network services, managed IT and business process outsourcing. The company works with clients to design, build and operate IT systems and business solutions, with capabilities spanning cloud and hybrid IT environments, cybersecurity, data analytics and artificial intelligence, digital transformation and enterprise resource planning implementations. Founded in 1976 in Quebec by Serge Godin and Andre Imbeau, CGI has grown from a regional systems integrator into a multinational professional services organization. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for CGI Group Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for CGI Group and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Upstart, Tempus AI, and BigBear.ai are the three Artificial Intelligence stocks to watch today, according to MarketBeats stock screener tool. Artificial intelligence stocks are shares of companies whose primary business involves developing, manufacturing, or providing AI technologies and servicesor those that derive a significant portion of revenue from deploying AI (for example, chipmakers, cloud providers, software firms, and AI-driven platforms). To investors, these stocks are typically seen as growth-oriented and often more volatile, with performance tied to AI adoption, technological leadership, and regulatory or ethical developments. These companies had the highest dollar trading volume of any Artificial Intelligence stocks within the last several days. Get alerts: Upstart (UPST) Upstart Holdings, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, operates a cloud-based artificial intelligence (AI) lending platform in the United States. Its platform includes personal loans, automotive retail and refinance loans, home equity lines of credit, and small dollar loans that connects consumer demand for loans to its to bank and credit unions. Tempus AI (TEM) Tempus AI Inc. is a technology company advancing precision medicine through the practical application of artificial intelligence principally in healthcare. The company provides AI-enabled precision medicine solutions to physicians to deliver personalized patient care and in parallel facilitates discovery, development and delivery of optimal therapeutics. Read Our Latest Research Report on TEM BigBear.ai (BBAI) BigBear.ai Holdings, Inc. provides artificial intelligence-powered decision intelligence solutions. It offers national security, supply chain management, and digital identity and biometrics solutions. The company also provides data ingestion, data enrichment, data processing, artificial intelligence, machine learning, predictive analytics, and predictive visualization solutions and services. Read Our Latest Research Report on BBAI Recommended Stories SelectQuote (NYSE:SLQT Get Free Report) had its price objective reduced by research analysts at Royal Bank Of Canada from $5.00 to $3.00 in a report released on Wednesday,Benzinga reports. The firm presently has a sector perform rating on the stock. Royal Bank Of Canadas price target would suggest a potential upside of 244.83% from the companys current price. SLQT has been the subject of several other research reports. Wall Street Zen upgraded shares of SelectQuote from a sell rating to a hold rating in a research note on Saturday. Zacks Research raised SelectQuote from a hold rating to a strong-buy rating in a research note on Friday, February 6th. Craig Hallum set a $3.00 price objective on SelectQuote in a research report on Friday. Finally, Weiss Ratings upgraded SelectQuote from a sell (d) rating to a hold (c-) rating in a research note on Friday. Two analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating and three have assigned a Hold rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat, SelectQuote presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $2.92. Get SelectQuote alerts: Get Our Latest Stock Analysis on SelectQuote SelectQuote Stock Performance Shares of SLQT traded down $0.04 during midday trading on Wednesday, reaching $0.87. 1,664,145 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 1,597,635. The businesss 50-day moving average price is $1.42 and its 200 day moving average price is $1.75. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.07, a current ratio of 5.65 and a quick ratio of 5.65. SelectQuote has a twelve month low of $0.82 and a twelve month high of $6.21. The company has a market capitalization of $153.37 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of 86.39 and a beta of 1.23. SelectQuote (NYSE:SLQT Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, February 5th. The company reported $0.26 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.17 by $0.09. SelectQuote had a return on equity of 14.85% and a net margin of 4.80%.The company had revenue of $537.10 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $530.73 million. On average, sell-side analysts expect that SelectQuote will post -0.07 EPS for the current fiscal year. Institutional Trading of SelectQuote Several large investors have recently bought and sold shares of SLQT. Dynamic Technology Lab Private Ltd acquired a new position in shares of SelectQuote during the 3rd quarter worth $27,000. CIBC Bancorp USA Inc. acquired a new stake in SelectQuote in the 3rd quarter valued at about $29,000. Aquatic Capital Management LLC purchased a new position in SelectQuote during the 3rd quarter valued at about $29,000. Nations Financial Group Inc. IA ADV raised its position in SelectQuote by 44.4% during the third quarter. Nations Financial Group Inc. IA ADV now owns 19,500 shares of the companys stock worth $38,000 after acquiring an additional 6,000 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Russell Investments Group Ltd. raised its position in SelectQuote by 90.7% during the second quarter. Russell Investments Group Ltd. now owns 16,133 shares of the companys stock worth $38,000 after acquiring an additional 7,675 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 34.59% of the companys stock. About SelectQuote (Get Free Report) SelectQuote, Inc (NYSE: SLQT) is a U.S.-based insurance brokerage and lead generation company that connects consumers with a range of insurance products through proprietary technology and licensed agents. The company specializes in life insurance, supplemental health coverage and Medicare plans, leveraging its digital platform and call center operations to help individuals compare policies and find cost-effective solutions tailored to their needs. Through a single point of contact, policy seekers can evaluate offerings from multiple carriers, including term life, whole life, accidental death, critical illness and long-term care products. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for SelectQuote Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for SelectQuote and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Shares of Stora Enso Oyj (OTCMKTS:SEOAY Get Free Report) gapped up prior to trading on Wednesday . The stock had previously closed at $13.07, but opened at $14.00. Stora Enso Oyj shares last traded at $14.00, with a volume of 202 shares traded. Wall Street Analyst Weigh In Separately, Citigroup reissued a buy rating on shares of Stora Enso Oyj in a research note on Monday, January 26th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Buy rating, three have issued a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of Hold and an average price target of $10.80. Get Stora Enso Oyj alerts: View Our Latest Report on Stora Enso Oyj Stora Enso Oyj Trading Up 5.7% The firm has a market capitalization of $11.32 billion, a P/E ratio of 14.21 and a beta of 0.70. The stock has a 50-day simple moving average of $12.32 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $11.64. The company has a current ratio of 1.23, a quick ratio of 0.80 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.35. Stora Enso Oyj (OTCMKTS:SEOAY Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, February 4th. The basic materials company reported ($0.03) EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.04 by ($0.07). The firm had revenue of $2.66 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $2.26 billion. Stora Enso Oyj had a net margin of 7.58% and a return on equity of 3.22%. On average, equities research analysts anticipate that Stora Enso Oyj will post 0.67 earnings per share for the current year. Stora Enso Oyj Company Profile (Get Free Report) Stora Enso Oyj is a Finland?based provider of renewable solutions in packaging, biomaterials, wooden construction and paper. The company draws on centuries of forest industry experience and leverages sustainable practices to produce a wide array of products, including paperboard for consumer goods, specialty papers for printing and publishing, and pulp for industrial applications. Its portfolio also encompasses wood products such as cross-laminated timber, sawn timber and building components, designed to meet growing demand for environmentally friendly construction materials. Formed through the 1998 merger of Swedish mining and forestry giant Stora and Finnish paper maker Enso, Stora Enso combines deep heritage with ongoing investments in innovation. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for Stora Enso Oyj Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Stora Enso Oyj and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. UNITED NATIONS, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- Five international organizations known as the "Quintet" on Wednesday called for an immediate halt of any further military escalation in Sudan, including the use of increasingly destructive means of warfare. In a joint statement, the Quintet, consisting of the African Union, the Intergovernmental Authority on Development, the League of Arab States, European Union and the United Nations, expressed grave concern over the continued escalation of the conflict. The Quintet said it is particularly alarmed by the rapidly deteriorating situation facing civilians in the Kordofan region and Blue Nile State. Reports of deadly drone strikes, tightening sieges, attacks affecting critical civilian infrastructure, forced displacement and severe constraints on humanitarian access underscore the urgency of immediate action to prevent atrocities. The protection of civilians, civilian premises and critical national infrastructure is a fundamental obligation under international law, the Quintet said, emphasizing that international humanitarian law applies to all those engaged in hostilities. "Safe, rapid and unhindered humanitarian access to all areas in need must be ensured," the Quintet said, adding that "Serious violations of international humanitarian law cannot go unaddressed. Perpetrators must be held accountable." The Quintet emphasized the need for coordinated and effective collective efforts to de-escalate the conflict, restore conditions conducive to civilian protection, and halt the flow of weapons, fighters and other forms of support that sustain violence and contribute to the fragmentation of Sudan. The Quintet reaffirmed its commitment to the sovereignty, unity, independence and territorial integrity of Sudan, and to facilitating a Sudanese-owned, inclusive inter-Sudanese political dialogue aimed at ending the war and laying the foundations for a peaceful political transition, the statement said. Pershing Square (LON:PSH) used its annual investor meeting to outline portfolio performance, governance priorities, and several strategic initiatives, including an ongoing restructuring of its planned U.S. vehicle and a major new phase in the evolution of long-held holding Howard Hughes. Get alerts: Leadership update and board remarks Chief Investment Officer Ryan Israel opened the meeting noting that founder Bill Ackman was absent due to a family medical emergency. Ackman later joined virtually for the Q&A and said a family member had suffered a stroke. 2025 performance, capital structure, and discount management Chairman Rupert Morley introduced the board and emphasized shareholder engagement. Morley said PSHs manager is PSHs largest shareholder with 28% ownership, which he described as aligning interests. He also said the board held seven meetings in 2025, focusing on portfolio performance, strategy, and the managers operations, including topics such as succession, culture, ESG, systems, and risk. Morley said PSH delivered strong results in 2025, with net asset value (NAV) rising 20.9%. With discount narrowing, total shareholder return was 33.9%. He added that over the last eight years, compound growth in both NAV and share price has been 23%, which he compared with 14% for the S&P 500 and 7% for the FTSE over the same period. Morley highlighted PSHs use of long-term, laddered debt out to 2039, supported by what he described as a liquid, easy-to-value portfolio that results in low borrowing rates. He reported a weighted average maturity of six years and a weighted average cost of capital of 3.6%, with a debt-to-total-capital ratio managed between 15% and 25%. In 2025, PSH issued two bonds: a 650 million five-year bond at 4.25% and a $500 million seven-year bond at 5.5%. He also said credit ratings improved, with Fitch upgrading to BBB+ and S&P to A-. On discount to NAV, Morley said the board uses multiple tools: A dividend policy initiated in 2019 and amended in 2022 so that the dividend increases automatically with NAV; Morley said the dividend has increased 86% since the amendment and PSH has paid $666 million in dividends. Share repurchases when viewed as the best use of capital; Morley said PSH bought back 6.6 million shares for about $370 million in 2025, bringing total buybacks to $1.8 billion and reducing shares outstanding by just under 30% versus the original share count. Marketing and distribution initiatives outside the U.S., including work with Cadarn and LodeRock. Morley said the discount narrowed by seven points in 2025, from 31% to 24%, but reiterated the boards view that the most powerful driver of long-term returns is continued strong absolute and relative NAV performance. Strategic initiatives: PSUS redesign and Howard Hughes transformation Israel said PSH continued work in 2025 to redesign the structure of PSUS, following investor feedback after a marketing phase in summer 2024. He said he was not permitted to share further details or take questions on the topic, but stated that launching PSUS would materially reduce the performance fees paid by PSH via an offset arrangement tied to management fees earned in future vehicles. A central focus of the meeting was Howard Hughes, a holding PSH has owned for nearly 15 years. Israel said the investment had underperformed expectations as a stock despite progress in underlying real estate assets. He said Pershing Square concluded Howard Hughes should be transformed into a diversified holding company in the spirit of Berkshire Hathaway. Israel said Pershing Squares management company invested $900 million into Howard Hughes in May, buying 9 million shares at $100. He said Howard Hughes will pursue control transactions (51% to 100% ownership) over time, while PSH will continue minority investments in publicly traded companies. As part of the transformation, Ackman rejoined the board as executive chairman and Israel became the companys CIO. Israel also said the Pershing Square team is being made available to Howard Hughes in exchange for management fees, with PSHs management fees reduced dollar-for-dollar by PSHs proportionate share of fees received from Howard Hughes related to PSHs ownership. Vantage acquisition and PSH preferred investment Israel said Howard Hughes first major step is the planned acquisition of Vantage, a specialty insurer and reinsurer, for about $2.1 billion, described as roughly 1.5x year-end 2025 book value. He said Pershing Square expects the effective multiple at close to be lower (potentially below 1.4x) because of an agreement allowing it to benefit from book value growth between year-end and closing, along with net income generated. He said closing is expected at the end of the second quarter, in June. Israel said $1.2 billion of the purchase price comes from Howard Hughes, with a significant portion tied to cash from the May capital raise. He also said PSH committed in December to provide up to $1 billion as a backstop minority investment via newly issued, non-interest-bearing Howard Hughes preferred stock. Israel described the preferred as split into 14 tranches redeemable annually, with redemption pricing set at 1.5x Vantages then-current book value. If not redeemed by seven years, the preferred would convert into Vantage common stock; Israel said he viewed that as unlikely and expected excess cash flow from Howard Hughes real estate business could repurchase the preferred within roughly three years. In the Q&A, Ackman said a large share of Vantages long-term value would come from asset management, describing an intent to invest float conservatively and invest a substantial portion of insurer surplus in common stocks over time. He added that Pershing Square would not charge Vantage for asset management, which he said would provide a competitive advantage. Portfolio activity, hires, and market perspective Israel said PSH made three new investments in 2025Hertz, Amazon, and Meta (disclosed for the first time as initiated in late November)and exited Chipotle, Canadian Pacific, and Nike during the year, with Hilton fully exited in the weeks prior to the meeting. He described Hertz as a small asymmetric position with potential upside if a turnaround succeeds. Israel also discussed organizational updates, including the hire of investment team member Jordan Aguiar-Lucander, corporate investor relations head Jill Chapman, and general counsel Lucas Richards, along with the departure of investor Manning Feng. On market conditions, Israel argued that much of the S&P 500s post-COVID advance has been driven by earnings growth rather than multiple expansion, and said a small group of large companies is driving a significant share of forecast earnings growth. He and Ackman emphasized that PSHs ability to move quickly into mega-cap stocks during periods of volatility has become more important, citing Alphabet, Amazon, and Meta as examples of narrative-driven dislocations that created entry points. About Pershing Square (LON:PSH) Pershing Square Holdings (LN:PSHD) is an investment holding company structured as a closed-ended fund that makes concentrated investments in publicly traded, principally North American-domiciled, companies. The investment objective is to maximize long-term compound annual rate of growth in intrinsic value per share. Recommended Stories Invesco CurrencyShares Canadian Dollar Trust (NYSEARCA:FXC Get Free Report) was the target of a large drop in short interest in the month of January. As of January 30th, there was short interest totaling 13,534 shares, a drop of 66.5% from the January 15th total of 40,416 shares. Based on an average daily volume of 68,485 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is currently 0.2 days. Currently, 1.2% of the companys shares are sold short. Currently, 1.2% of the companys shares are sold short. Based on an average daily volume of 68,485 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is currently 0.2 days. Invesco CurrencyShares Canadian Dollar Trust Price Performance NYSEARCA FXC traded down $0.00 on Wednesday, hitting $72.07. 29,216 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 78,002. Invesco CurrencyShares Canadian Dollar Trust has a twelve month low of $67.20 and a twelve month high of $72.47. The companys 50 day moving average price is $71.04 and its 200-day moving average price is $70.52. Get Invesco CurrencyShares Canadian Dollar Trust alerts: Invesco CurrencyShares Canadian Dollar Trust Dividend Announcement The company also recently announced a monthly dividend, which was paid on Friday, February 6th. Shareholders of record on Monday, February 2nd were paid a dividend of $0.0071 per share. This represents a c) annualized dividend and a yield of 0.1%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, February 2nd. Institutional Inflows and Outflows About Invesco CurrencyShares Canadian Dollar Trust A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the business. Geneos Wealth Management Inc. lifted its position in Invesco CurrencyShares Canadian Dollar Trust by 45.0% in the 1st quarter. Geneos Wealth Management Inc. now owns 725 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $49,000 after buying an additional 225 shares in the last quarter. Envestnet Asset Management Inc. purchased a new position in shares of Invesco CurrencyShares Canadian Dollar Trust during the 3rd quarter valued at $204,000. Fiduciary Financial Group LLC increased its stake in shares of Invesco CurrencyShares Canadian Dollar Trust by 5.1% in the third quarter. Fiduciary Financial Group LLC now owns 3,372 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $237,000 after acquiring an additional 164 shares during the last quarter. MAI Capital Management increased its stake in shares of Invesco CurrencyShares Canadian Dollar Trust by 88,750.0% in the third quarter. MAI Capital Management now owns 3,554 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $250,000 after acquiring an additional 3,550 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Bank of America Corp DE raised its holdings in shares of Invesco CurrencyShares Canadian Dollar Trust by 54.7% during the second quarter. Bank of America Corp DE now owns 6,690 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $480,000 after acquiring an additional 2,366 shares in the last quarter. (Get Free Report) Guggenheim CurrencyShares Canadian Dollar Trust, formerly CurrencyShares Canadian Dollar Trust, is a grantor trust. The Trust issues shares (the Shares) in blocks of 50,000 (a Basket) in exchange for deposits of Canadian dollars and distributes Canadian dollars in connection with the redemption of Baskets. The investment objective of the Trust is for the Shares to reflect the price of Canadian Dollars. The Bank of New York Mellon serves as the Trustee. The Trusts sponsor is Rydex Specialized Products LLC, which is doing business as Rydex Investments. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for Invesco CurrencyShares Canadian Dollar Trust Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Invesco CurrencyShares Canadian Dollar Trust and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Intact Financial (TSE:IFC Get Free Report) had its price target boosted by analysts at TD Securities from C$346.00 to C$354.00 in a report released on Wednesday,BayStreet.CA reports. The firm currently has a buy rating on the stock. TD Securities target price suggests a potential upside of 37.85% from the stocks current price. Other research analysts also recently issued reports about the stock. Raymond James Financial decreased their price target on shares of Intact Financial from C$330.00 to C$310.00 in a research note on Wednesday. Barclays lifted their target price on shares of Intact Financial from C$312.00 to C$318.00 in a research report on Wednesday, November 5th. Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce cut their price target on shares of Intact Financial from C$315.00 to C$288.00 and set a neutral rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, October 22nd. Jefferies Financial Group raised their price objective on Intact Financial from C$317.00 to C$320.00 in a research note on Thursday, November 6th. Finally, Scotiabank lowered their target price on Intact Financial from C$339.00 to C$318.00 and set an outperform rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, October 22nd. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, six have assigned a Buy rating and two have issued a Hold rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Intact Financial has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of C$316.82. Get Intact Financial alerts: Check Out Our Latest Research Report on IFC Intact Financial Stock Performance IFC traded down C$6.75 during trading on Wednesday, reaching C$256.80. The stock had a trading volume of 413,069 shares, compared to its average volume of 491,413. The business has a 50-day moving average of C$272.50 and a 200-day moving average of C$273.80. Intact Financial has a one year low of C$244.01 and a one year high of C$317.35. The stock has a market cap of C$45.63 billion, a PE ratio of 15.39, a PEG ratio of 2.01 and a beta of 0.07. Intact Financial (TSE:IFC Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, November 4th. The company reported C$4.46 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter. The firm had revenue of C$6.45 billion during the quarter. Intact Financial had a return on equity of 13.13% and a net margin of 8.60%. Equities research analysts forecast that Intact Financial will post 16.1721014 EPS for the current fiscal year. About Intact Financial (Get Free Report) Intact Financial Corp is a property and casualty insurance company that provides written premiums in Canada. The company distributes insurance under the Intact Insurance brand through a network of brokers and a wholly-owned subsidiary, BrokerLink, and directly to consumers through Belairdirect. Most of the companys direct premiums are written in the personal automotive space. Intact directly manages its investments through subsidiary Intact Investment Management. The vast majority of these invested assets are fixed-income securities. Read More Receive News & Ratings for Intact Financial Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Intact Financial and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. First Quantum Minerals (TSE:FM Get Free Report) had its price target boosted by investment analysts at Stifel Nicolaus from C$38.00 to C$47.00 in a note issued to investors on Wednesday,BayStreet.CA reports. The firm currently has a buy rating on the stock. Stifel Nicolaus price target suggests a potential upside of 24.87% from the stocks previous close. FM has been the topic of a number of other reports. Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce upped their target price on shares of First Quantum Minerals from C$36.00 to C$46.00 in a report on Wednesday, February 4th. Barclays cut their price objective on First Quantum Minerals from C$44.30 to C$44.20 in a research report on Monday, February 2nd. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft lowered First Quantum Minerals from a buy rating to a hold rating and decreased their target price for the stock from C$35.00 to C$33.00 in a report on Wednesday, November 26th. Scotiabank increased their price target on First Quantum Minerals from C$35.00 to C$41.00 and gave the company a sector perform rating in a research note on Thursday, January 8th. Finally, National Bankshares lifted their price objective on shares of First Quantum Minerals from C$42.50 to C$47.00 in a research report on Thursday, January 29th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, seven have given a Buy rating and five have assigned a Hold rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of C$40.92. Get First Quantum Minerals alerts: Get Our Latest Analysis on First Quantum Minerals First Quantum Minerals Stock Down 2.9% Shares of First Quantum Minerals stock traded down C$1.12 on Wednesday, reaching C$37.64. 2,272,635 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 2,580,944. The company has a market capitalization of C$31.40 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 627.33, a PEG ratio of -1.28 and a beta of 1.35. The company has a current ratio of 1.80, a quick ratio of 1.41 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 56.41. First Quantum Minerals has a one year low of C$14.41 and a one year high of C$45.17. The company has a 50-day moving average of C$37.54 and a 200 day moving average of C$31.09. First Quantum Minerals (TSE:FM Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Tuesday, February 10th. The company reported C$0.01 earnings per share for the quarter. The business had revenue of C$1.95 billion for the quarter. First Quantum Minerals had a negative net margin of 32.41% and a negative return on equity of 14.05%. On average, equities research analysts forecast that First Quantum Minerals will post 0.55872 earnings per share for the current year. About First Quantum Minerals (Get Free Report) First Quantum Minerals Ltd is a diversified mining company. The companys principal activities include mineral exploration, mine engineering and construction, and development and mining operations. The firm produces copper in concentrate, copper anode, copper cathode, nickel, gold, zinc, silver, acid, and pyrite. It has operating mines located in Zambia, Finland, Turkey, Spain, and Mauritania. The firms project comprises Guelb Moghrein, Sentinel, Kansanshi, Cobre Panama, Pyhasalmi, Ravensthorpe, among others. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for First Quantum Minerals Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for First Quantum Minerals and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Booking, Expedia Group, Travelers Companies, Trip.com Group, MakeMyTrip, Allegiant Travel, and TripAdvisor are the seven Travel stocks to watch today, according to MarketBeats stock screener tool. Travel stocks are shares of companies whose core businesses depend on travel and tourismsuch as airlines, hotels and resorts, cruise lines, car rental companies, and online travel agencies. Their performance is closely tied to consumer travel demand and economic cycles, making them sensitive to seasonality, fuel and labor costs, geopolitical events, and health or safety crises. These companies had the highest dollar trading volume of any Travel stocks within the last several days. Get alerts: Booking (BKNG) Booking Holdings Inc, formerly The Priceline Group Inc., is a provider of travel and restaurant online reservation and related services. The Company, through its online travel companies (OTCs), connects consumers wishing to make travel reservations with providers of travel services across the world. It offers consumers an array of accommodation reservations (including hotels, bed and breakfasts, hostels, apartments, vacation rentals and other properties) through its Booking.com, priceline.com and agoda.com brands. Expedia Group (EXPE) Expedia Group, Inc. operates as an online travel company in the United States and internationally. The company operates through B2C, B2B, and trivago segments. Its B2C segment includes Brand Expedia, a full-service online travel brand offers various travel products and services; Hotels.com for lodging accommodations; Vrbo, an online marketplace for the alternative accommodations; Orbitz, Travelocity, Wotif Group, ebookers, CheapTickets, Hotwire.com and CarRentals.com. Read Our Latest Research Report on EXPE Travelers Companies (TRV) 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. Read Our Latest Research Report on TRV Trip.com Group (TCOM) Trip.com Group Limited, through its subsidiaries, operates as a travel service provider for accommodation reservation, transportation ticketing, packaged tours and in-destination, corporate travel management, and other travel-related services in China and internationally. The company acts as an agent for hotel-related transactions and selling air tickets, as well as provides train, long-distance bus, and ferry tickets; travel insurance products, such as flight delay, air accident, and baggage loss coverage; and air-ticket delivery, online check-in and seat selection, express security screening, real-time flight status tracker, and airport VIP lounge services. Read Our Latest Research Report on TCOM MakeMyTrip (MMYT) MakeMyTrip Limited, an online travel company, sells travel products and solutions in India, the United States, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, the United Arab Emirates, Peru, Colombia, Vietnam, and Indonesia. The company operates through three segments: Air Ticketing, Hotels and Packages, and Bus Ticketing. Read Our Latest Research Report on MMYT Allegiant Travel (ALGT) Allegiant Travel Company, a leisure travel company, provides travel services and products to residents of under-served cities in the United States. The company offers scheduled air transportation on limited-frequency, nonstop flights between under-served cities and leisure destinations. As of February 1, 2024, it operated a fleet of 126 Airbus A320 series aircraft. Read Our Latest Research Report on ALGT TripAdvisor (TRIP) TripAdvisor, Inc. operates as an online travel company, primarily engages in the provision of travel guidance products and services worldwide. The company operates in three segments: Brand Tripadvisor, Viator, and TheFork. The Brand Tripadvisor segment offers travel guidance platforms for travelers to discover, generate, and share authentic user-generated content in the form of ratings and reviews for destinations, points-of-interest, experiences, accommodations, restaurants, and cruises. Read Our Latest Research Report on TRIP Recommended Stories Transocean Ltd. (NYSE:RIG Get Free Report)s share price shot up 7.8% on Wednesday . The company traded as high as $5.86 and last traded at $5.8620. 38,564,747 shares traded hands during trading, a decline of 13% from the average session volume of 44,253,125 shares. The stock had previously closed at $5.44. Key Transocean News Here are the key news stories impacting Transocean this week: Get Transocean alerts: Positive Sentiment: Transocean agreed to acquire Valaris in an all-stock deal (~$5.8B) creating a combined offshore drilling leader with a larger fleet, ~ $10B backlog and management-identified >$200M annual cost synergies a transformational consolidation that boosts revenue visibility and reduces leverage risk. Transocean-Valaris Merger Creates Offshore Drilling Powerhouse Transocean agreed to acquire Valaris in an all-stock deal (~$5.8B) creating a combined offshore drilling leader with a larger fleet, ~ $10B backlog and management-identified >$200M annual cost synergies a transformational consolidation that boosts revenue visibility and reduces leverage risk. Positive Sentiment: Transocean announced ~$184M of firm backlog from contract awards/extensions in Norway (seven-well extension for Transocean Encourage; options exercised on Transocean Enabler) near-term revenue visibility and asset utilization improvement. Transocean Ltd. Announces Contract Award and Extension Totaling $184 Million Transocean announced ~$184M of firm backlog from contract awards/extensions in Norway (seven-well extension for Transocean Encourage; options exercised on Transocean Enabler) near-term revenue visibility and asset utilization improvement. Positive Sentiment: BTIG raised its price target to $10.00, signaling at least one major sell-side shop sees substantial upside under the new scale/strategy. BTIG Research Raises Transocean Price Target BTIG raised its price target to $10.00, signaling at least one major sell-side shop sees substantial upside under the new scale/strategy. Neutral Sentiment: Unusually large options activity traders bought ~69,880 calls (?85% above average) which amplifies intraday moves and reflects speculative/leveraged bullish positioning (short-term gamma flows). Unusually large options activity traders bought ~69,880 calls (?85% above average) which amplifies intraday moves and reflects speculative/leveraged bullish positioning (short-term gamma flows). Neutral Sentiment: Management hosted an M&A call (transcript available) to discuss deal mechanics and integration; that provides detail but also raises focus on execution risk and timing (close expected H2 2026). Transocean M&A Call Transcript Management hosted an M&A call (transcript available) to discuss deal mechanics and integration; that provides detail but also raises focus on execution risk and timing (close expected H2 2026). Negative Sentiment: Fearnley Fonds downgraded Transocean from strong-buy to hold, a potential signal of tempered near-term conviction among some institutional investors. Fearnley Fonds downgraded Transocean from strong-buy to hold, a potential signal of tempered near-term conviction among some institutional investors. Negative Sentiment: A class-action / investor investigation has been announced probing the M&A process and valuation, increasing legal/transactional risk and potential distraction for management. M&A Class Action Investigation A class-action / investor investigation has been announced probing the M&A process and valuation, increasing legal/transactional risk and potential distraction for management. Negative Sentiment: Some analysts and commentators caution that the transaction limits near-term valuation upside until synergies are realized and execution/leverge metrics improve keep an eye on integration costs, timing and leverage targets. Valuation Caution Wall Street Analyst Weigh In Several research analysts have commented on RIG shares. BTIG Research boosted their price objective on shares of Transocean from $6.00 to $10.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Monday. JPMorgan Chase & Co. reissued an underweight rating on shares of Transocean in a report on Wednesday, December 10th. Morgan Stanley set a $4.50 price objective on Transocean in a research note on Monday, December 15th. Susquehanna raised their price target on shares of Transocean from $4.50 to $5.00 and gave the company a positive rating in a research note on Wednesday, January 7th. Finally, Pareto Securities cut shares of Transocean from a hold rating to a sell rating and set a $5.25 price objective for the company. in a research report on Tuesday. Three analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, three have given a Hold rating and three have issued a Sell rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock has a consensus rating of Hold and an average price target of $5.22. Transocean Trading Up 10.4% The company has a market cap of $6.61 billion, a P/E ratio of -1.83 and a beta of 1.46. The firms 50 day moving average is $4.45 and its two-hundred day moving average is $3.79. The company has a quick ratio of 0.91, a current ratio of 1.08 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.60. Insider Buying and Selling In other Transocean news, insider Jeremy D. Thigpen sold 500,000 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, November 26th. The shares were sold at an average price of $4.32, for a total transaction of $2,160,000.00. Following the completion of the sale, the insider owned 2,136,223 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $9,228,483.36. This represents a 18.97% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, Director Frederik Wilhelm Mohn acquired 1,500,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Monday, November 24th. The shares were purchased at an average price of $4.02 per share, with a total value of $6,030,000.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director owned 96,574,894 shares of the companys stock, valued at $388,231,073.88. This trade represents a 1.58% increase in their ownership of the stock. Additional details regarding this purchase are available in the official SEC disclosure. Insiders sold 712,970 shares of company stock valued at $3,152,132 over the last 90 days. 12.27% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders. Institutional Inflows and Outflows A number of institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the stock. Integrated Wealth Concepts LLC increased its position in Transocean by 12.1% in the 1st quarter. Integrated Wealth Concepts LLC now owns 69,637 shares of the offshore drilling services providers stock valued at $221,000 after buying an additional 7,520 shares in the last quarter. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. increased its position in shares of Transocean by 4.6% during the first quarter. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. now owns 434,031 shares of the offshore drilling services providers stock worth $1,376,000 after acquiring an additional 18,957 shares in the last quarter. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. raised its holdings in shares of Transocean by 88.9% in the 1st quarter. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. now owns 12,151,817 shares of the offshore drilling services providers stock worth $38,521,000 after acquiring an additional 5,719,637 shares during the last quarter. Vontobel Holding Ltd. lifted its position in Transocean by 18.1% in the 2nd quarter. Vontobel Holding Ltd. now owns 284,511 shares of the offshore drilling services providers stock valued at $737,000 after acquiring an additional 43,662 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Blair William & Co. IL boosted its stake in Transocean by 4.7% during the 2nd quarter. Blair William & Co. IL now owns 295,838 shares of the offshore drilling services providers stock valued at $766,000 after purchasing an additional 13,199 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 67.73% of the companys stock. Transocean Company Profile (Get Free Report) Transocean Ltd. is a leading international provider of offshore contract drilling services for the oil and gas industry. The company specializes in the operation of mobile drilling units, including ultra-deepwater drillships, semisubmersible rigs and high-specification jackup rigs. Transoceans fleet is designed to meet complex drilling requirements, from ultra-deepwater well construction to shelf exploration and development projects. The companys core services encompass the full spectrum of offshore drilling operations, including project and engineering management, marine operations, drilling supervision, and maintenance support. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for Transocean Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Transocean and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ Get Free Report) hit a new 52-week high during trading on Wednesday . The stock traded as high as $241.00 and last traded at $240.7250, with a volume of 2577293 shares trading hands. The stock had previously closed at $238.35. Wall Street Analyst Weigh In A number of research firms recently weighed in on JNJ. Guggenheim upped their price target on Johnson & Johnson from $227.00 to $240.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Friday, January 23rd. Freedom Capital lowered Johnson & Johnson from a strong-buy rating to a hold rating in a report on Friday, January 16th. Wolfe Research lifted their price target on Johnson & Johnson from $225.00 to $240.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research note on Monday, January 5th. Scotiabank reissued an outperform rating on shares of Johnson & Johnson in a research note on Thursday, January 22nd. Finally, Citigroup lifted their target price on shares of Johnson & Johnson from $232.00 to $250.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Thursday, January 22nd. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, seventeen have given a Buy rating and eight have given a Hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $233.73. Get Johnson & Johnson alerts: Get Our Latest Stock Report on Johnson & Johnson Johnson & Johnson Stock Up 1.1% The stock has a market cap of $580.57 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 21.81, a P/E/G ratio of 2.32 and a beta of 0.35. The company has a current ratio of 1.07, a quick ratio of 0.80 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.50. The firms 50 day moving average is $214.86 and its two-hundred day moving average is $195.19. Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Saturday, January 31st. The company reported $2.46 EPS for the quarter. Johnson & Johnson had a net margin of 28.46% and a return on equity of 33.34%. The business had revenue of $24.28 billion during the quarter. On average, sell-side analysts predict that Johnson & Johnson will post 10.58 EPS for the current year. Johnson & Johnson Announces Dividend The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, March 10th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, February 24th will be issued a dividend of $1.30 per share. This represents a $5.20 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.2%. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, February 24th. Johnson & Johnsons dividend payout ratio is presently 47.06%. Institutional Trading of Johnson & Johnson A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of JNJ. Plancorp LLC lifted its holdings in Johnson & Johnson by 0.3% in the 4th quarter. Plancorp LLC now owns 15,889 shares of the companys stock worth $3,288,000 after buying an additional 45 shares in the last quarter. Baron Silver Stevens Financial Advisors LLC grew its stake in Johnson & Johnson by 0.8% during the 4th quarter. Baron Silver Stevens Financial Advisors LLC now owns 5,645 shares of the companys stock valued at $1,168,000 after purchasing an additional 45 shares in the last quarter. Strategic Financial Services Inc. increased its holdings in Johnson & Johnson by 0.5% during the 4th quarter. Strategic Financial Services Inc. now owns 8,995 shares of the companys stock worth $1,862,000 after purchasing an additional 45 shares during the last quarter. WealthCollab LLC raised its position in shares of Johnson & Johnson by 4.7% in the 4th quarter. WealthCollab LLC now owns 1,015 shares of the companys stock valued at $210,000 after purchasing an additional 46 shares in the last quarter. Finally, MMA Asset Management LLC boosted its stake in shares of Johnson & Johnson by 1.3% during the 4th quarter. MMA Asset Management LLC now owns 3,600 shares of the companys stock valued at $745,000 after buying an additional 46 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 69.55% of the companys stock. About Johnson & Johnson (Get Free Report) Johnson & Johnson is a multinational healthcare company headquartered in New Brunswick, New Jersey, that develops, manufactures and markets a broad range of products across pharmaceuticals, medical devices and previously consumer health. Founded in 1886 by the Johnson family, the company has grown into a global healthcare organization with operations and sales in many countries around the world. The companys pharmaceuticals business, organized largely under its Janssen research and development organization, focuses on prescription medicines across therapeutic areas such as immunology, infectious disease, oncology and neuroscience. See Also Receive News & Ratings for Johnson & Johnson Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Johnson & Johnson and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Rayonier (NYSE:RYN Get Free Report) released its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday. The real estate investment trust reported $0.20 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.12 by $0.08, FiscalAI reports. The firm had revenue of $117.50 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $108.71 million. Rayonier had a net margin of 70.95% and a return on equity of 4.74%. Rayonier Stock Performance RYN traded down $0.08 on Wednesday, hitting $22.36. 3,310,302 shares of the companys stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 3,104,469. The company has a current ratio of 3.44, a quick ratio of 3.39 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.37. The stock has a fifty day moving average of $22.50 and a two-hundred day moving average of $23.89. Rayonier has a twelve month low of $21.06 and a twelve month high of $28.31. The firm has a market cap of $3.61 billion, a PE ratio of 4.44 and a beta of 0.98. Get Rayonier alerts: Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades RYN has been the subject of a number of research analyst reports. Citigroup dropped their price target on shares of Rayonier from $27.00 to $24.00 and set a neutral rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, November 12th. Truist Financial decreased their price objective on shares of Rayonier from $28.00 to $26.00 and set a hold rating for the company in a report on Tuesday, January 6th. Royal Bank Of Canada reissued a sector perform rating and issued a $25.00 target price on shares of Rayonier in a research report on Thursday, December 18th. Finally, Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a hold (c-) rating on shares of Rayonier in a research report on Monday, December 29th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Buy rating and four have given a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $26.50. Institutional Trading of Rayonier A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. grew its stake in Rayonier by 65.7% during the 4th quarter. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. now owns 1,581 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $34,000 after buying an additional 627 shares during the last quarter. Parallel Advisors LLC grew its position in shares of Rayonier by 77.9% during the third quarter. Parallel Advisors LLC now owns 2,451 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $65,000 after acquiring an additional 1,073 shares during the last quarter. Vestcor Inc acquired a new stake in shares of Rayonier in the 3rd quarter worth about $92,000. NewEdge Advisors LLC lifted its position in Rayonier by 22.5% in the 3rd quarter. NewEdge Advisors LLC now owns 4,156 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $110,000 after purchasing an additional 764 shares during the last quarter. Finally, EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC lifted its position in Rayonier by 312.5% in the 2nd quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 7,153 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $159,000 after purchasing an additional 5,419 shares during the last quarter. 89.12% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Rayonier Company Profile (Get Free Report) Rayonier, Inc (NYSE: RYN) is a publicly traded real estate investment trust specializing in timberland ownership and management. The companys core business revolves around sustainably growing, harvesting, and marketing timber and timber-related products. Rayoniers timberland portfolio encompasses approximately 2.7 million acres across the United States and New Zealand, focusing on softwood and hardwood fiber for use in paper, packaging and building materials. Rayonier operates through two primary segments: Timber and Real Estate Solutions. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for Rayonier Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Rayonier and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Heidelberg Materials (OTCMKTS:HDLMY Get Free Report) saw unusually-high trading volume on Wednesday . Approximately 299,774 shares traded hands during mid-day trading, an increase of 110% from the previous sessions volume of 142,912 shares.The stock last traded at $50.94 and had previously closed at $51.64. Wall Street Analyst Weigh In HDLMY has been the subject of several research analyst reports. Citigroup reiterated a neutral rating on shares of Heidelberg Materials in a research note on Thursday, January 15th. Barclays raised shares of Heidelberg Materials from a hold rating to a strong-buy rating in a report on Monday, November 17th. Royal Bank Of Canada lowered shares of Heidelberg Materials from a moderate buy rating to a hold rating in a research note on Monday, December 8th. Finally, Zacks Research upgraded Heidelberg Materials from a strong sell rating to a hold rating in a research note on Monday, January 26th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating and three have given a Hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, Heidelberg Materials has an average rating of Moderate Buy. Get Heidelberg Materials alerts: View Our Latest Analysis on Heidelberg Materials Heidelberg Materials Price Performance About Heidelberg Materials The business has a 50-day simple moving average of $53.02. (Get Free Report) Heidelberg Materials (OTCMKTS: HDLMY) is a Germany?based multinational building materials company with a core focus on cement production, aggregates, ready?mixed concrete, asphalt, and other construction solutions. As one of the worlds leading cement producers, the company supplies essential raw and processed materials used in infrastructure, commercial, and residential construction projects. Its product portfolio also encompasses specialty cement, mineral additives, and tailored concrete technologies designed to meet diverse engineering and environmental requirements. Operating in more than 50 countries across Europe, North America, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, the Middle East, and Africa, Heidelberg Materials maintains an extensive network of production facilities and distribution channels. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for Heidelberg Materials Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Heidelberg Materials and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. BlackRock Credit Allocation Income Trust (NYSE:BTZ Get Free Report) saw a large decline in short interest in the month of January. As of January 30th, there was short interest totaling 5,944 shares, a decline of 89.6% from the January 15th total of 57,110 shares. Based on an average daily trading volume, of 358,280 shares, the short-interest ratio is currently 0.0 days. Based on an average daily trading volume, of 358,280 shares, the short-interest ratio is currently 0.0 days. BlackRock Credit Allocation Income Trust Stock Performance Shares of BTZ traded up $0.02 on Wednesday, reaching $10.79. 276,629 shares of the stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 312,797. BlackRock Credit Allocation Income Trust has a 12 month low of $9.54 and a 12 month high of $11.18. The stocks 50-day moving average price is $10.75 and its 200-day moving average price is $10.92. Get BlackRock Credit Allocation Income Trust alerts: BlackRock Credit Allocation Income Trust Dividend Announcement The company also recently disclosed a monthly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, March 31st. Stockholders of record on Friday, March 13th will be issued a dividend of $0.0839 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, March 13th. This represents a c) annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 9.3%. Hedge Funds Weigh In On BlackRock Credit Allocation Income Trust About BlackRock Credit Allocation Income Trust A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of BTZ. Stratos Wealth Partners LTD. acquired a new position in shares of BlackRock Credit Allocation Income Trust during the second quarter valued at $112,000. Guggenheim Capital LLC raised its holdings in BlackRock Credit Allocation Income Trust by 6.8% during the 2nd quarter. Guggenheim Capital LLC now owns 1,739,889 shares of the investment management companys stock worth $19,000,000 after purchasing an additional 110,656 shares during the last quarter. Cetera Investment Advisers lifted its position in BlackRock Credit Allocation Income Trust by 83.6% during the 2nd quarter. Cetera Investment Advisers now owns 163,129 shares of the investment management companys stock valued at $1,781,000 after purchasing an additional 74,266 shares during the period. Cary Street Partners Financial LLC bought a new position in shares of BlackRock Credit Allocation Income Trust in the 2nd quarter valued at about $1,829,000. Finally, Alteri Wealth LLC boosted its stake in shares of BlackRock Credit Allocation Income Trust by 17.8% in the 2nd quarter. Alteri Wealth LLC now owns 48,216 shares of the investment management companys stock valued at $527,000 after purchasing an additional 7,286 shares during the last quarter. (Get Free Report) BlackRock Credit Allocation Income Trust (NYSE: BTZ) is a closed-end management investment company sponsored by BlackRock Fund Advisors. The trust seeks to provide investors with a high level of current income, as well as the potential for capital appreciation, through an actively managed portfolio of credit and income-producing securities. BTZ primarily focuses on instruments that offer attractive yields while aiming to preserve capital over the long term. The portfolio is diversified across a broad spectrum of credit sectors, including investment-grade corporate debt, high-yield bonds, leveraged bank loans, residential and commercial mortgage-backed securities, and asset-backed securities. Read More Receive News & Ratings for BlackRock Credit Allocation Income Trust Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for BlackRock Credit Allocation Income Trust and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian delivers a speech at the celebrations to mark the 47th anniversary of the 1979 Islamic Revolution in Tehran, Iran, Feb. 11, 2026. The "wall of distrust" created by the West and U.S. excessive demands impede the progress of nuclear talks between Tehran and Washington, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said here Wednesday. He made the remarks while delivering a speech at the celebrations in the capital to mark the 47th anniversary of the 1979 Islamic Revolution. Pezeshkian said Iran does not seek nuclear weapons and is "ready for any verification of that." (Xinhua/Shadati) TEHRAN, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- Iran on Wednesday said a "wall of distrust" created by the West is hindering nuclear talks with the United States, reaffirming its readiness for diplomacy on its nuclear program while vowing not to compromise on its defense capabilities. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, speaking at celebrations in Tehran for the 47th anniversary of the 1979 Islamic Revolution, said that a "wall of distrust" created by the West and excessive U.S. demands are impeding progress in nuclear talks with Washington. "We believe that the region's problems can be resolved only by regional countries, not foreign states," he said, adding that Iran will never surrender to excessive demands and aggression. During the nationwide celebrations, participants marched in cities across Iran, reaffirmed their allegiance to the national establishment, and condemned the "aggressive, destabilizing and criminal" policies of the United States and Israel, which they blame for regional insecurity. The 1979 Islamic Revolution, led by Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, overthrew the U.S.-backed Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi and transformed Iran into an Islamic republic. Also attending the Wednesday celebrations in the capital, Ali Shamkhani, senior advisor to Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, said Iran's missile capability is a red line and a non-negotiable issue. According to a report by Iran's Nour News, Shamkhani said any military attack, even limited, will be considered the start of a war, the consequence of which will "reach a scope beyond the military dimension" and "affect the lives of people in different parts of the world." Meanwhile, another report by Nour News published Wednesday, citing Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei, said that Iran is willing to discuss the level of its uranium enrichment and the amount of its stockpile, only if its rights under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty are truly respected. Separately, Ali Larijani, secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, told state-run Al-Alam news channel on Wednesday that consultations are underway to determine the date of the next round of indirect nuclear talks between Tehran and Washington. Larijani said the U.S. side appears willing to move the negotiations towards a solution, but it is not possible yet to make a complete judgment, adding that the date of the next round will be announced following the consultations. Larijani met the same day in Doha with Qatar's Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani. Their discussions addressed the recent U.S.-Iran talks, with the Qatari leader reaffirming Doha's support for peaceful solutions to enhance regional security and stability. Also on Wednesday, Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi told Russia Today that he believes Iran and the United States can strike a nuclear deal better than the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action signed in July 2015. "I have been in the nuclear negotiations business in the past 20 years. I know that it is achievable," he said. The Iranian side is working on a "doable plan or proposal" capable of guaranteeing that there will be no nuclear weapons while safeguarding Iran's rights to peaceful use of nuclear technology, he noted. He reiterated that Iran will not negotiate on its missile program or regional alliances, adding, "We only negotiate about our nuclear program with the United States." Tehran and Washington held their initial round of indirect talks on Friday in the Omani capital Muscat, amid simmering tensions between the two sides in view of Washington's military buildup near Iran. On Tuesday, U.S. President Donald Trump said he is considering sending a second aircraft carrier strike group to the Middle East for possible military actions against Iran if negotiations fail. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian delivers a speech at the celebrations to mark the 47th anniversary of the 1979 Islamic Revolution in Tehran, Iran, Feb. 11, 2026. The "wall of distrust" created by the West and U.S. excessive demands impede the progress of nuclear talks between Tehran and Washington, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said here Wednesday. He made the remarks while delivering a speech at the celebrations in the capital to mark the 47th anniversary of the 1979 Islamic Revolution. Pezeshkian said Iran does not seek nuclear weapons and is "ready for any verification of that." (Xinhua/Shadati) Antero Midstream (NYSE:AM Get Free Report) posted its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday. The pipeline company reported $0.11 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $0.24 by ($0.13), Zacks reports. Antero Midstream had a return on equity of 22.61% and a net margin of 40.07%.The company had revenue of $297.00 million for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $292.46 million. During the same period in the prior year, the company posted $0.23 EPS. The firms revenue was up 3.3% compared to the same quarter last year. Antero Midstream Price Performance Shares of NYSE:AM traded up $0.59 during trading on Wednesday, reaching $20.49. The company had a trading volume of 4,717,871 shares, compared to its average volume of 2,874,711. Antero Midstream has a twelve month low of $15.07 and a twelve month high of $20.54. The firm has a market capitalization of $9.76 billion, a PE ratio of 20.91 and a beta of 0.81. The firms fifty day moving average is $18.18 and its 200 day moving average is $18.15. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.46, a quick ratio of 1.26 and a current ratio of 1.26. Get Antero Midstream alerts: Antero Midstream Dividend Announcement The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, February 11th. Investors of record on Wednesday, January 28th will be paid a dividend of $0.225 per share. This represents a $0.90 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 4.4%. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, January 28th. Antero Midstreams payout ratio is currently 91.84%. Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades AM has been the topic of a number of recent research reports. Wells Fargo & Company lifted their target price on shares of Antero Midstream from $19.00 to $20.00 and gave the company an equal weight rating in a report on Tuesday, December 23rd. Zacks Research downgraded shares of Antero Midstream from a strong-buy rating to a hold rating in a research report on Monday, February 2nd. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a buy (b+) rating on shares of Antero Midstream in a research note on Monday, December 29th. Morgan Stanley lifted their price target on Antero Midstream from $19.00 to $20.00 and gave the stock an underweight rating in a research note on Wednesday, November 12th. Finally, Wall Street Zen downgraded Antero Midstream from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research report on Saturday, November 1st. One analyst has rated the stock with a Buy rating, three have issued a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of Hold and an average price target of $19.17. Check Out Our Latest Stock Report on AM Insider Activity In other news, Director Brooks J. Klimley sold 5,000 shares of the stock in a transaction on Tuesday, December 16th. The stock was sold at an average price of $17.59, for a total transaction of $87,950.00. Following the completion of the sale, the director owned 72,622 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,277,420.98. This represents a 6.44% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. 0.86% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders. Institutional Investors Weigh In On Antero Midstream Several hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of AM. Royal Bank of Canada lifted its holdings in shares of Antero Midstream by 0.8% during the 1st quarter. Royal Bank of Canada now owns 180,928 shares of the pipeline companys stock worth $3,256,000 after acquiring an additional 1,371 shares during the period. AQR Capital Management LLC boosted its stake in Antero Midstream by 174.9% in the first quarter. AQR Capital Management LLC now owns 83,752 shares of the pipeline companys stock worth $1,508,000 after purchasing an additional 53,281 shares in the last quarter. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. lifted its position in Antero Midstream by 56.6% during the 1st quarter. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. now owns 3,874,379 shares of the pipeline companys stock worth $69,739,000 after buying an additional 1,400,368 shares in the last quarter. UBS AM A Distinct Business Unit of UBS Asset Management Americas LLC grew its holdings in Antero Midstream by 4.8% during the 1st quarter. UBS AM A Distinct Business Unit of UBS Asset Management Americas LLC now owns 946,082 shares of the pipeline companys stock worth $17,029,000 after acquiring an additional 43,335 shares during the last quarter. Finally, M&T Bank Corp raised its stake in shares of Antero Midstream by 5.9% in the second quarter. M&T Bank Corp now owns 18,106 shares of the pipeline companys stock worth $344,000 after acquiring an additional 1,009 shares during the last quarter. 53.97% of the stock is owned by institutional investors. Antero Midstream Company Profile (Get Free Report) Antero Midstream Corporation is a publicly traded midstream service provider that was established in 2014 as a spin-off from Antero Resources. Headquartered in Denver, Colorado, the company owns, operates and develops midstream infrastructure to support the gathering, compression, processing, transportation and storage of natural gas, natural gas liquids (NGLs) and crude oil. Antero Midstream plays a critical role in connecting upstream production in the Appalachian Basin to end-market pipelines and processing facilities. The companys core operations include a network of gathering pipelines and compression stations that serve the Marcellus and Utica shale formations across West Virginia, Pennsylvania and Ohio. Read More Receive News & Ratings for Antero Midstream Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Antero Midstream and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Piedmont Realty Trust (NYSE:PDM Get Free Report) released its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday. The real estate investment trust reported $0.35 EPS for the quarter, meeting analysts consensus estimates of $0.35, Zacks reports. Piedmont Realty Trust had a negative return on equity of 4.51% and a negative net margin of 12.44%. Piedmont Realty Trust Stock Performance NYSE:PDM traded down $0.30 during midday trading on Wednesday, reaching $8.47. The stock had a trading volume of 1,190,948 shares, compared to its average volume of 753,484. The company has a quick ratio of 1.67, a current ratio of 1.67 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.43. The stock has a market cap of $1.05 billion, a P/E ratio of -14.85 and a beta of 1.26. The firm has a fifty day simple moving average of $8.43 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $8.35. Piedmont Realty Trust has a 12-month low of $5.46 and a 12-month high of $9.19. Get Piedmont Realty Trust alerts: Institutional Inflows and Outflows A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in PDM. Advisory Services Network LLC purchased a new stake in Piedmont Realty Trust in the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $30,000. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC boosted its stake in shares of Piedmont Realty Trust by 214.6% in the second quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 4,405 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $32,000 after buying an additional 3,005 shares in the last quarter. BNP Paribas Financial Markets grew its holdings in Piedmont Realty Trust by 59.7% during the second quarter. BNP Paribas Financial Markets now owns 10,741 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $78,000 after acquiring an additional 4,015 shares during the period. Pitcairn Co. purchased a new position in Piedmont Realty Trust in the second quarter worth $96,000. Finally, M&T Bank Corp raised its position in Piedmont Realty Trust by 12.8% in the second quarter. M&T Bank Corp now owns 13,549 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $99,000 after acquiring an additional 1,540 shares in the last quarter. 84.48% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Analyst Ratings Changes PDM has been the topic of several recent analyst reports. Weiss Ratings reiterated a sell (d-) rating on shares of Piedmont Realty Trust in a research note on Thursday, January 22nd. Truist Financial increased their target price on shares of Piedmont Realty Trust from $9.00 to $10.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Monday, November 24th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Buy rating, two have issued a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $9.00. View Our Latest Analysis on PDM About Piedmont Realty Trust (Get Free Report) Piedmont Realty Trust is a real estate investment trust (REIT) headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, that focuses on the ownership, acquisition and management of office properties. The companys portfolio comprises a mix of multi-tenant and single-tenant buildings, with a particular emphasis on small- to mid-size office campuses and urban infill properties. Piedmont Realty Trust structures its leases and property services to support a diversified base of tenants, including professional services firms, government agencies and technology companies. The companys operating model combines property management, leasing and strategic capital allocation to enhance asset value and drive income stability. See Also Receive News & Ratings for Piedmont Realty Trust Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Piedmont Realty Trust and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. RAS AL KHAIMAH, UAE, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- Ras Al Khaimah is ramping up efforts to attract Chinese tourists and investors as it seeks to triple annual visitor numbers by 2030, the chief executive of the Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority (RAKTDA) said on Wednesday. The emirate, the fourth-largest in the United Arab Emirates, aims to draw more than 3.5 million visitors a year by 2030, up from 1.28 million in 2024. The growth is expected to be driven by more events, new hotels, expanded air links and global partnerships. RAKTDA CEO Phillipa Harrison, who is leading the emirate's push to position itself as a "destination of the future," said China is already among Ras Al Khaimah's top 10 source markets and continues to grow. "We are very focused on the China market, which grew 19 percent last year," she said in an interview with Xinhua. "It's a market that will receive significant attention from Ras Al Khaimah in the months and years ahead." Harrison said the emirate is working to make Chinese visitors feel at home, including by offering familiar payment systems such as UnionPay and Alipay, and marking Chinese festivals, including Chinese New Year, with events such as fireworks displays. In 2025, Ras Al Khaimah welcomed a record 1.35 million visitors, while tourism revenue rose 12 percent from a year earlier, according to the tourism authority's website. Revenue from meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions rose 25 percent year on year. Harrison said the sector's growth is supported by plans to diversify the hospitality offering and double the current inventory of 8,700 hotel keys in the coming years, with a mix of international hotels and resorts. Tourism currently accounts for about 5 percent of the emirate's gross domestic product, but authorities aim to raise that to 25 percent, she said. Beyond tourism, the emirate hosts industries ranging from quarrying and ceramics to pharmaceuticals, banking and energy, including companies such as RAK Ceramics and Julphar Pharmaceuticals. "We are a very special part of the UAE," Harrison said. "We have dramatic mountains, 68 kilometers of beaches, mangroves, and desert landscapes. Visitors can relax and enjoy the scenery, along with strong food and beverage offerings." Two midlands doctors and a secretary charged with multiple counts of stealing money under a state-funded healthcare reimbursement scheme and submitting false medical service claims on behalf of patients to the HSE had their cases adjourned at Longford Circuit Court. Presiding Judge Jonathan Dunphy was informed last week that a jury would be required in relation to the case against doctor Waqas Farooqi (46), of Belvedere Hills, Mullingar, Co Westmeath for a trial that is believed will last for around four weeks. READ NEXT: US man strangled father just hours after arriving at five star Irish hotel, court hears Mr Farooqi's co-accused doctor Muhammad Azam (59), of The Rocks, Stonepark, Co Longford and secretary Gillian McCord (56) of Knockanboy, Co Longford, also appeared before Judge Dunphy and through their barrister they stated they were still deciding what course to take and were "not in a position to nail their colours to the mast just yet". Dr Farooqi's case was adjourned until May 19 for the next sittings of Longford Circuit Court, while the cases against Dr Azam and Ms McCord were adjourned until February 24. The three accused face a combined total of 135 charges, including 20 counts of theft and 22 counts of using false general medical services claims or out-of-hours payment forms. READ NEXT: Funeral details announced for man killed in bus crash in Dublin who 'always had a smile' Those false claims related to 12 different patients at the Primary Care Reimbursement Services, Exit 50, North Road, Finglas, Dublin 11. Dr Azam faces a total of 48 charges, with Dr Farooqi facing 47 charges, and a total of 42 charges brought against Ms McCord. It is alleged the trio used false medical documentation to indicate that patients had received medical services. Taoiseach Micheal Martin has called for Sinn Fein to apologise for the Provisional IRAs actions as detailed in the Operation Kenova report. Labour leader Ivana Bacik said she supported the Taoiseachs call and asked for time to be set aside in the Dail for a meaningful apology to the victims of the Provisional IRA and of Stakeknife. The Operation Kenova probe examined the activities of Stakeknife, a mole operating within the Provisional IRAs Internal Security Unit in the 1980s, and found he was linked to at least 14 murders and 15 abductions, concluding that more lives were probably lost than saved through the operation of the agent. It was unable to confirm Stakeknifes identity in its final report in December after the British Government refused its authorisation to do so. The British Government has been repeatedly called on to formally name Stakeknife, widely believed to be west Belfast man Freddie Scappaticci, who was 77 when he died in 2023. In the Irish parliament on Wednesday, Mr Martin, Justice Minister Jim OCallaghan and other TDs gave statements in relation to the revelations from Operation Kenova. Mr Martin said that while the details were uncomfortable, he said the past must not be hidden. He said: The identity of Stakeknife is clear to everybody here, and Ive previously said that the agent should be officially named by the United Kingdom Government, particularly because of his close relationship with those who like to refer to themselves as the Republican movement. Naming Scappaticci in the Dail parliament, Mr Martin said the Kenova probe found the agent was implicated in grotesque and serious crimes as well as harrowing and shocking acts by the Provisional IRA. He said: Setting out the activities of Stakeknife, it sheds essential light on the harrowing pain and loss caused to individuals, to their families and through the systematic exercise of terror to communities at large by the Provisional IRA. We should have an apology from Sinn Fein in respect of the activities of the Provisional IRA, as documented in this report, its long past time for that apology and renunciation of what happened to occur. Mr OCallaghan said that allegations had surrounded Stakeknife for years and said there was a perverse form of collusion from British intelligence in relation to Stakeknife. He said: Kenova has exposed the nature and extent of the collusion that took place in relation to Freddie Scappaticci. Kenova expressed caution about the careless use of the term collusion, but there can be no doubt that collusion took place in relation to Stakeknife. It was a perverse form of collusion in which the interests of British intelligence and their efforts to protect their informant at the heart of the Provisional IRA coalesced with the Provisional IRAs own murderous and illegitimate actions to judge and savagely punish those it deemed a threat to its aims. Ms Bacik said Operation Kenova made clear that neither the IRA nor the Republican leadership have apologised to the victims of Scappaticci and the IRAs interior Internal Security Unit. She said: Operation Kenova recommended that the Republican leadership apologise for the Provisional IRAs abduction, torture and murder of those accused or suspected of being agents, and that they acknowledge the harm and intimidation suffered by victims and bereaved families. The Taoiseach earlier called for Sinn Fein to make an apology in this vein, and I support that call. Im asking, will the government make time in the Dail for such a statement to be made here? It should be a clear and meaningful apology specifically to the victims of the Provisional IRAs campaign, specifically to the victims killed as a result of Freddie Scappaticcis actions. However, other opposition parties criticised the Governments attention on Sinn Fein. People Before Profit leader Richard Boyd Barrett said: I just find it interesting that the governments entire focus in this debate seems to be to score political points against Sinn Fein, rather than to be concerned about the profound implications of the fact that the British state was running an agent like Scappaticci, who was involved in killing people, abducting people. A sentiment echoed by Aontus Peadar Tobin who told Mr OCallaghan: There is an instinct, especially amongst your party leader at times, to focus on IRA actions rather than British actions. And I think at times, theres more political benefits in the coffins that have been created by the IRA then the coffins that have been created by the British government and I think thats wrong. Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald did say she was sorry for all the lives lost during the conflict and for the hurt and loss endured without exception. She added: Those words reflect a genuine sense of sorrow and regret for everyone who was hurt and harmed during those years of violence civilians, combatants, and families whose lives were forever changed. The Taoiseach also called for the Denton report, which reviewed a series of attacks carried out by loyalists with involvement by some members of the security forces in the 1970s known as the Glenanne Gang, to be published in full. It is deeply regrettable that the full publication of the Denton report is not available and has been delayed, he said. The summary remains important and offers critical official recognition that a network of loyalist paramilitaries and corrupt members of the security forces, primarily members of the UVF, working with members of both the RUC and UDR, murdered up to 120 people, among them those killed in Dublin and Monaghan in May of 1974. It is also the case that suspected unknown collusion by the individuals, which is now confirmed in this report, had a corrosive effect on confidence in wider State forces, to the detriment of all. What we see in Kenova is British state forces collusion with the Provisional IRA, and in the Denton summary British state forces collusion with loyalist paramilitaries. In both cases, this led to extensive loss of lives and enabled intimidation across communities and across this island. Latest update on Lawrence, Kansas gunfire that disrupted the college town illusion of safety . . . SUSPECT now faces four counts of aggravated assault and one count of criminal possession of a weapon by a felon. The deadly shooting happened around 2 a.m. on Jan. 17 at the Jayhawk Cafe, also known as The Hawk. Lawrence police officers found two teens shot outside the bar. Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com links . . . Murder charges dropped against 1 of 2 suspects in Lawrence bar shooting One of two suspects charged in a shooting at a popular Lawrence, Kansas, bar last month no longer faces murder charges. In fairness, we share just a bit of good news that MIGHT calm the nerves of so many nearby protesters, activists and wayward youngsters looking for someone to rob . . . And yes, we double down and say this is, in fact, good news if it means more hotties like Heloise walking around the Plaza. Check-it: "This will be the Los Angeles-based retailer's first location in the Kansas City metro." Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com link . . . FRANKFURT, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- Europe's financial sector is seeking to reduce its dependence on the United States while accelerating digital transformation amid global uncertainties, policymakers and industry leaders said on Wednesday in Germany's financial hub Frankfurt. They made the remarks at the Frankfurt Digital Finance Conference 2026, which aims to accelerate innovation and advance the digital transformation of Europe's financial industry. The event, scheduled for Feb. 11-12, brought together around 1500 decision-makers from Europe. In an era defined by power politics and technological transformation, Europe must reduce its dependence on the United States and can no longer afford to act only as a customer, just like in technology, defense and energy, Thomas Book, member of the Executive Board of Deutsche Boerse Group, said in his speech. "It requires action for decisions on the European level, to realize the potential of our capital market, to serve the economy and the investors," Book stressed. Echoing Book's comments, Joachim Wuermeling, former member of the Executive Board of the Deutsche Bundesbank, told Xinhua that recent developments involving Greenland and Colombia have highlighted growing unpredictability in U.S. policy, making the issue of reducing dependence on Washington a central topic at the conference. Wuermeling added that U.S. dollar-backed stablecoins are privately issued currencies that circulate globally via public blockchains. Their widespread adoption reinforces the dominance of the U.S. dollar and creates structural dependencies for users and financial systems worldwide. For that reason, the expansion of U.S. stablecoins is not merely a financial development but a major geopolitical issue, Wuermeling said. Digital transformation is also a buzzword at the conference. Noting that tokenization, blockchain, and artificial intelligence (AI) are shaping the latest phase of capital market digitalisation in Europe, Daniel Maier, CEO of the financial advisory company Chartered Investment Germany, shared with Xinhua his belief that international cooperation in technology can bring about benefits. "I believe that China and its AI technologies are now leading the way," Maier said, adding that these advances could transform financial markets and asset management by improving decision-making and enhancing product monitoring. According to the attendees, emerging financial technologies and instruments are evolving rapidly, but they must operate within a proper regulatory framework. Therefore, balancing innovation with effective oversight was also a key topic. Christoph Pliessnig, founder of Cyprus-registered digital asset firm Teroxx, described Europe as a regulatory frontrunner, but confirmed the existence of challenges, particularly as market demands in a very dynamic environment continue to evolve and firms require regulatory approvals to expand their services. "Attending the event gives me a feeling for how regulators and other industry leaders move," Pliessnig said. Actually . . . Just about every other reputable polling firm claims the exact opposition. However . . . TKC can't deny the skepticism if only because most of what Senator Marshall has accomplished involves whole milk. Better post title . . . KANSAS MOVES AGAINST MILKMAN MARSHALL!!! Silly but more exciting than DNC pressers. Either way . . . Here's the progressive flexing that might OR MIGHT NOT come to pass . . . "DNC chair Ken Martin believes Republican U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall is vulnerable in the upcoming Kansas Senate race. "Martin called Democratic U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids a "great candidate" but did not publicly urge her to run for the Senate. "Davids has not ruled out a statewide run, stating that "all options remain on the table." "A Democrat has not won a U.S. Senate seat in Kansas since 1932, the longest active losing streak in the nation." Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com link . . . Developing . . . Worker frustration is apparent and this upscale, local applesauce dispensary . . . Check-it: "Officers with the Leawood Police Department were called to the Healthcare Resort of Leawood at 5401 W. 143rd St. around 3:30 a.m. Tuesday for an armed disturbance. "Police determined two male employees got into a verbal altercation that escalated into gunfire. One of the employees fired shots at the other, and the other shot back. "No one was hurt in the shooting, and no senior residents were involved." Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com link . . . An important blame shift tactic from city hall . . . Apparently, crime is sparked by gas stations that exist in other parts of the metro without the same kind of nearby societal strife . . . Meanwhile . . . City Hall offers another not-so-convenient distraction . . . Kansas City, Missouri, proposed an outright ban on 7-OH, kratom and cannabanoids two months ago, known as a ban on 'gas station drugs'. It was met with strong objections from people taking natural kratom, with dozens of testimonies stating kratom doesn't have the same harmful effect as 7-OH. Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com link . . . Update . . . Don't worry . . . The newspaper will offer nothing less than their undying devotion when she finally declares . . . For now . . . Here's the obligatory second guess for Tuesday: "If she actually beat Marshall a big if, admittedly there is a pretty good chance that Davids would become the Democrat that Democrats love to hate . . . "Progressive Democrats in Kansas and nationally have a choice: Do they want progressive ideological purity or do they want a chance at winning? Do they want a Democratic senator who will vote with them 90% of the time, or a Republican who never will?" Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com link . . . Skip the paywall and read by way of Internet archive or public library card. Tonight we're inspired by fashionista, biz lady and Insta hottie Lindsey to take another peek at pop culture, community reporting and top headlines for our most loyal readers who go looking for this friendly bit of Internets sharing. Check TKC news gathering . . . Home Team Offers New Contract For Fans . . . Royals fans can now sign up for new streaming service for 2026 games The Royals announced last week that all of its games will be broadcast on a new streaming service called Royals.TV. About Lockup In The Dotte CoreCivic doubles down on argument that it can operate ICE prison without permit Despite scoring an initial zoning victory, CoreCivic argued in court that it should be allowed to open an ICE prison without local approval. Collective Bargaining Stacks Up Half Price Books Westport ratifies union contract Half Price Books in Westport // Photo by Samantha Russell Two years ago, workers at Half Price Books in Westport won their vote to unionize. Only now have contract negotiations with the corporation been reached. William Theberge has been at the Westport location four years this month. He likes it here. Midtown Double Trouble After Tragic Crumble 'Did nothing': 2 new defendants added in Family Dollar collapse injury lawsuit Attorneys representing Tammy Martin, a woman injured in the July 2025 collapse of a Midtown Family Dollar, added two new defendants to their personal injury lawsuit. Hipsters Share Annual Report KC Curling Club offers an Olympic opportunity on the ice The rules of curling are simple. Deliver the stone to the center of the house by mastering the hog-to-hog speed just in time to win the bonspiel. If this sounds like a drunken Scottish stupor, don't worry, the KC Curling Club will teach you the terminology. Diva Backstory The Untold Truth Of Lindsey Pelas - Nicki Swift According to her personal website bio, Lindsey Pelas is a "social media superstar." Here's what else you should know about the rising star. MAGA Testimony Redux?!? Ex-police chief said Trump told him 'everyone' knew of Epstein's behaviour The now-president allegedly called police in Florida who were investigating Epstein and said "thank goodness you're stopping him". MAGA Clap Back Overruled Trump administration fails to secure indictment in connection with Democrats involved in 'illegal orders' video President Donald Trump had accused six Democratic lawmakers of "seditious behavior" after they urged members of the military and intelligence communities to refuse unlawful orders. Survey Seyz Progressive Morale Stays Losing . . . Republicans Only Americans Still 'Extremely Proud' To Be American CNN senior data reporter Harry Enten said on Tuesday that Republicans are still proud of being American, while Democrats' pride is at an all-time low. Democrats' pride in their American identity dropped from 83% in 2013 to 31% in late 2025, Enten said while citing a PPRI survey. More Kidnapping Scary Deets Police Search Annie Guthrie's Neighborhood After Releasing Image of 'Armed' Figure Possibly Connected to Mom Nancy's Disappearance Authorities are continuing to search Savannah Guthrie's sister Annie Guthrie's neighborhood in the hours after they released images of an "armed" figure potentially connected to their mother Nancy Guthrie's disappearance on Tuesday, Feb. 10. White House Against New War Exclusive: Trump says he opposes Israeli annexation steps in West Bank "We have enough things to think about now. We don't need to be dealing with the West Bank." European Newsflash Against Bosses Europe's leaders are deeply unpopular Less than two years after a blowout election victory, Starmer is the most unpopular British prime minister on record. Pentagon Soon Placing EPIC Chinese Order?!? US Air Force needs 500 next-gen fighters, bombers to beat China, think tank says "No more 'divest to invest,'" aviation expert Heather Penney said, arguing that the Air Force needs to dramatically boost its F-47 and B-21 acquisition. Funny Man Shares Defense Of Reggaeton Superstar Jon Stewart calls Maga backlash to Bad Bunny's Super Bowl show 'actually pathetic' Late-night hosts discussed rightwing backlash to Bad Bunny's all-Spanish Super Bowl half-time show Angle On Upcoming Holiday 5 Oral Sex Positions To Try This Valentine's Day It's getting hot in here! Here are five oral sex positions to try for Valentine's Day 2026. Local Patriotism Hatching Bald eagle lays egg at undisclosed location in eastern Jackson County. Here's where you can follow along An egg has been laid at a bald eagle's nest in Eastern Jackson County, Missouri. Blue Springs has a live cam to watch the eagles and egg. Local Fool's Winter Cont'd Temperatures stay above normal for several days in Kansas City with a few chances for rain The mild weather sticks around for the next few days with warmer temperatures expected next week. Noah Kahan - The Great Divide is the song of the day and this is the OPEN THREAD for right now. Here are more deets regarding a tragic circumstance in Southeast KCMO . . . "According to a police spokesman, officers went to home to help with a medical call just after 10 p.m. Tuesday on East 75th Street near Manchester Avenue. "Police said a child at that location a 3-month old baby boy was pronounced dead at the home. The childs name has not been released." Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com links . . . Police investigate death of baby in southeast Kansas City Police are investigating after a baby died Feb. 10 at a home on East 75th Street near Manchester Avenue in Kansas City, MO. Kansas City, Missouri, police investigating death of 3-month-old child The Kansas City, Missouri, Police Department is investigating the death of a three-month-old child. Developing . . . BAKU, Azerbaijan, February 12. Azerbaijan can increase the volume of IT exports to one billion dollars, the Minister of Digital Development and Transport of Azerbaijan Rashad Nabiyev said during a meeting dedicated to the unified action plan on Azerbaijan's New Digital Architecture was held under the chairmanship of President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, Trend reports. Finally, regarding the innovation ecosystem: after defining our focus, our main goal is to maximize the added value created in this sector. In this direction, in 2022, with your and Mehriban khanums direct participation and oversight, a legislative provision was adopted to grant a special regime to companies operating in the IT sector. As a result, to date the number of resident companies in technoparks has reached approximately 165, ten of which are foreign companies. The revenue they have generated amounts to about one billion manats. At the same time, we believe that these figures do not fully reflect our countrys potential, he said. The minister stated that the main indicator is the volume of exports in this sector. Unfortunately, at present it amounts to around $100 million. We believe that through the implementation of the measures , we will be able to increase this figure from 100 million to one billion dollars and beyond, Nabiyev added. Photo: Press service of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan BAKU, Azerbaijan, February 11. Footage of President Ilham Aliyev's meeting with U.S. Vice President JD Vance was posted on his social media accounts, Trend reports. The post reads: "Meeting of President Ilham Aliyev with the U.S. Vice President JD Vance, who is on an official visit to Azerbaijan (10.02.2026)". BAKU, Azerbaijan, February 11. President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has sent a congratulatory letter to President of the Islamic Republic of Iran Masoud Pezeshkian, Trend reports. "Dear Mr. President, On the occasion of the national holiday of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Victory of the Islamic Revolution, I extend my heartfelt congratulations to you and your entire people on my own behalf and on behalf of the people of Azerbaijan. The development of relations between our peoples and countries, bound together by common religious-cultural roots and the ties of good-neighborliness, holds special importance for us. The increasing dynamism in Azerbaijan-Iran relations in recent times gives us great satisfaction. Your official and working visits to Azerbaijan last year opened a new chapter in the history of interstate relations and gave impetus to the development of our mutually beneficial cooperation. Currently, the scope of issues on our bilateral agenda is expanding and becoming enriched with new content. The intensive nature of visits at various levels, the documents signed, the joint projects implemented, including the effective work of the State Commission, create favorable opportunities for deepening our cooperation in areas of mutual interest. I am confident that, for the sake of security and prosperity in our region, Azerbaijan-Iran relations and cooperation will continue to strengthen through our joint efforts in line with the interests of our friendly and brotherly peoples. On this momentous day, I wish you robust health, happiness, and success in your endeavors, as well as enduring peace and prosperity to the friendly and brotherly people of Iran," the letter reads. TEHRAN, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- A top Iranian security official said on Wednesday that Tehran has yet to receive any clear proposal from the United States despite ongoing indirect negotiations. Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) Ali Larijani made the remarks in an interview with Qatar's Al Jazeera during a visit to Doha, commenting on the first round of renewed nuclear talks held in the Omani capital, Muscat, on Friday. Larijani described the meeting as merely an exchange of messages and stressed that negotiations are still underway. He welcomed regional efforts to support the talks and reiterated Iran's commitment to diplomacy. Larijani characterized U.S. participation as a shift toward a "rational path." However, he warned that any U.S. attack would draw retaliation against U.S. military bases in the region. Larijani reaffirmed that the talks are focused exclusively on Iran's nuclear program, not on other issues. He ruled out the possibility of zero uranium enrichment on Iran's soil, citing domestic needs for energy and pharmaceuticals. The SNSC chief also accused Israel of seeking to derail the negotiations and destabilize the region. His remarks came amid heightened tensions between Tehran and Washington and a U.S. military buildup in the region, despite recent diplomatic efforts. BAKU, Azerbaijan, February 11. I express my gratitude to Azerbaijan and President Ilham Aliyev for voicing their position on the events in the region, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said at an event organized in Tehran on the occasion of the 47th anniversary of the victory of the Islamic Revolution of Iran today, Trend reports. The Iranian president extended his gratitude to Turkiye, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, and other nations. "Iran is committed to fostering sincere, fraternal relations with its neighboring and Muslim countries. Strengthening ties with these nations remains one of Iran's core priorities," he emphasized. Pezeshkian further highlighted that during recent unrest in Iran, when Western powers attempted to intervene, neighboring countries stood in solidarity, expressing their support for stability within Iran. On January 31, a phone conversation took place between President Ilham Aliyev and Masoud Pezeshkian. During the conversation, the head of state expressed concern regarding the current situation in the region, stating that Azerbaijan is ready to contribute to de-escalating tensions. He emphasized that Azerbaijan advocates for resolving such issues through dialogue and mutual understanding. BAKU, Azerbaijan, February 11. On February 11, a meeting dedicated to the unified action plan on Azerbaijan's New Digital Architecture was held under the chairmanship of President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, Trend reports. The head of state addressed the meeting. Speech by President Ilham Aliyev - At todays meeting, we will discuss issues related to digital development. There is a need for this. This issue will largely determine our future development. The trends and tendencies taking shape in the world are clear. The application of artificial intelligence, the creation of data centers, and the introduction of reforms related to digitalization actually determine the future development of countries. Certain work has been done in this direction in Azerbaijan, and we will discuss that today. The most important thing is to include this issue in the list of top priorities in our future activities. We have extensive experience in the fields of oil and gas and connectivity the relations with international companies, our extensive experience, and the implementation of these giant projects with many countries. These issues require knowledge, skill, and technical capacity. At the same time, they require extensive international relations. At different times, Azerbaijan has implemented many important infrastructure projects together with its neighbors in various directions. In other words, we have experience in this area and have already established platforms. Transport and energy corridors should also be transformed into fiber-optic corridors in the future. Certain work has been done in this direction. When oil and gas pipelines were built, this issue was also resolved. However, of course, this does not meet present-day requirements. Therefore, our initiatives in the direction of digitalization, artificial intelligence, and the creation of data centers should ensure long-term and sustainable development of our country. We have many advantages. One of them is our geographical location. This is an advantage that does not depend on us. However, the geographical location of each country can work for its benefit or detriment. We have linked our geographical location to the development of our country and have succeeded in that. Therefore, our location between Asia and Europe, our location on the North-South corridor, and the existing infrastructure have provided us with this advantage. As I mentioned, our experience working with major transnational companies is also a great advantage. There is a positive investment environment. Over the past 20 years, more than 350 billion dollars have been invested in the Azerbaijani economy. Foreign investments are protected both by law and, at the same time, this is observed in everyday practice. The protection of both local and foreign investments paves the way for the development of every country, including Azerbaijan. I can say that we have a unique experience here. Our oil and gas projects, which have been going on for more than 30 years, are in progress today in exactly the same way they were signed. This experience, of course, should also be reflected in relations with companies that play leading roles in the digital world. Another advantage is that as a result of the work we have carried out in recent years, we have been able to significantly increase our energy generation capacity. Over the past 20 years, our generation capacity has almost doubled and is now equal to 10,000 megawatts. New power plants whether gas, hydro, solar, or wind have shaped the realities of present-day Azerbaijan. Currently, we have at least 2,000 megawatts of unused generation capacity, which is a prerequisite for digitalization, artificial intelligence, and the creation of data centers. I should also note that in the region where we are located, in the wider region, there are not many countries that have such capabilities. Today, Azerbaijan fully provides itself with the key energy sources and even exports them to global markets. Considering that our plans for the creation of renewable energy are also clearly visible this has been repeatedly discussed our generation capacity will further increase in the future on the basis of the contracts signed. Therefore, we must make the best of this advantage. Of course, the growing demand for electricity within the country must also be taken into account. In particular, we have extensive plans for industrial development. The population is growing, and so is industrial production, especially in the non-oil sector. In January of this year, our non-oil industry increased by about 8 percent. Therefore, our energy capacity must be consistent with the overall development of the country. At the same time, as you know, relevant documents have been signed with foreign partners on the construction of green energy cables, and we will export part of the electricity. However, the creation of data centers, as I said, also requires major energy resources. As I mentioned regarding fiber-optic connectivity, these cables have also been laid in addition to the energy infrastructure. Currently, a project to lay a fiber-optic cable that will connect us with the Eastern shores of the Caspian Sea is well underway, and I hope that it will be completed this year. Thus, our connectivity with the East will be provided, and we need to work on new connections with the West. Of course, this is one of the key points in addressing the issues to be discussed at today's meeting. Another advantage of ours is that we have already established contacts with the world's leading companies in this area. Negotiations have been held with several leading companies, and the capabilities of our country have been demonstrated to them. At the same time, we have close ties with global funds that manage the worlds major and I can say largest financial resources. The State Oil Fund of Azerbaijan has been cooperating with these institutions for many years, and a part of Azerbaijan's foreign exchange reserves is managed through those institutions. We are already investing in these institutions, and the issue of attracting investments to Azerbaijan from these institutions was also raised in recent negotiations with them, and a positive response was received. In other words, we are now working on specific projects, and part of the shares of leading companies in the fields of digitalization and artificial intelligence are also at the disposal of the largest American funds, as I mentioned. This is our great advantage. In addition, the Charter on Strategic Partnership signed between the U.S. Government and the Government of Azerbaijan in this building yesterday also provides us with this advantage. This Charter is a historic document. It has already been published in the media, and everyone can see what it consists of, including data centers, digitalization, artificial intelligence, and our close ties with American companies in this area. In other words, this is also our advantage. At the same time, we have strategic partnership documents with 10 European Union member states. Of course, European companies cannot compete with American companies in this area; they are probably at least a generation behind them. However, certain work is underway there, and effective cooperation with companies from those countries should be ensured. Last year, we signed a comprehensive Strategic Partnership Document with the People's Republic of China. So we are one of a handful of countries in the world that are already working in the format of a strategic partnership signed with the world's leading powerhouses. In other words, this is our advantage as well. You may find another country in the world with such an advantage, but only if you look hard. Therefore, it would be completely unacceptable not to use it. Taking all this into account, issues related to a centralized coordination of work in this direction have been discussed for some time now. On my instructions, an exchange of views is currently underway on these issues, including under my chairmanship today. Considering that this issue, as I noted, is a priority, we must begin, under my chairmanship at today's meeting, to prepare a specific action plan for the work to be done. We must complete it as soon as possible and thus give a stronger impetus to this area. Today's presentation will highlight the key issues. Before we do that, I would like to bring some of my thoughts and tasks to your attention. First of all, there should be very close coordination between state agencies in this area. There should be close contacts between state agencies here; isolated activities should not be allowed, and the Ministry of Digital Development and Transport should prepare an action plan together with state agencies and submit it to me in a short time. In order to organize work on this issue more effectively, I believe that each state agency, first and foremost the ministries, should designate a deputy for digitalization, artificial intelligence, and cybersecurity, or a new staff unit should be created, or this area should be assigned to one of the existing deputies, so that the employees and management of the Ministry of Digital Development and Transport know whom they will be in contact with. This area should be considered a priority in each state agency. This is the first point. In recent years, various platforms and applications have been developed by various state agencies ministries and other state bodies. In order to conduct this work in a coordinated fashion, I believe that this will no longer be necessary, and the created platforms and applications should be gradually eliminated. For how long, you will make your suggestions when you submit your proposals. Public services should be implemented through mygov that is, from a single center. Everyone should know this both public institutions and citizens. This will also provide our citizens with a huge advantage. All services people need should be provided from a single point. Now, how long this will take, of course, you will tell me. At the same time, the advantages of the platforms that exist today, the experience gained, the people and personnel who participated in the development of these platforms should also be involved in the common work. In other words, I acknowledge the results achieved, but today the time has come for this to be consolidated in a single center. As for personnel training, this is one of the top priorities. Certain work has recently been done in this direction. We should pay greater attention to this area in our education system. Both students at higher education institutions in Azerbaijan and those sent abroad by the state should further develop their expertise in this field. Therefore, considering that this will be a long-term and expanding process, there will be a significant need for personnel in this field in the future. Of course, certain changes should be made to the curriculum in order to provide students of secondary schools with basic knowledge. The application of artificial intelligence should be widespread in state institutions. This is the case in leading countries of the world today. In fact, according to my information, in some developed countries artificial intelligence agents, as they are called, help civil servants with day-to-day activities. Artificial intelligence can, of course, be an assistant in determining whether a decision is correct or not. Therefore, this system should be considered, and people in governing bodies should make extensive use of artificial intelligence. As for the private sector, support mechanisms should be developed to ensure that the same approach is used. We can encourage the private sector to pay greater attention to this area, and suggestions about that will also be provided. Key targets should be set for cybersecurity. This area is also one of the critical ones. Last year, we were subjected to an orchestrated and aggressive cyberattack. We also know where it came from. Necessary measures have been taken to protect ourselves from these serious problems. Therefore, serious attention should be paid to this area. We already have a functioning Cybersecurity Center, and its work should always be in the spotlight. Of course, as I have already mentioned, contacts with the world's leading companies in this area should be stepped up. I believe that today's meeting and the fact that this issue is under the control of the president will also send a serious message to many of our partners that Azerbaijan considers this area a priority. What are the opportunities we have? The advantages I have listed should also be communicated to our foreign partners. The advantages I have not listed should now be communicated by you so that we can give a strong impetus to this area. As I mentioned, an action plan should be prepared and submitted to me. The issues already discussed and to be discussed today, including those that will be touched upon in the presentation, should be included in the action plan. Now, the floor is given to the Minister of Digital Development and Transport, Rashad Nabiyev, for the presentation. x x x Minister of Digital Development and Transport Rashad Nabiyev delivered remarks. x x x The meeting then continued with discussions. Will be updated BAKU, Azerbaijan, February 11. The official visit of U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance to Baku marks a pivotal moment in Azerbaijan-U.S. relations, reflecting the advancement of bilateral cooperation to a new level, political analyst Azer Garayev told Trend. Garayev emphasized that Azerbaijans growing geopolitical influence and diplomatic leverage are becoming increasingly recognized on the global stage; energy security, transportation and communication routes, and regional stability have positioned the country as a reliable partner for major world powers, drawing heightened interest in deepening strategic partnerships. "Azerbaijans rising regional role and strategic importance have highlighted the country as a reliable partner for leading global powers. The agreements and strategies outlined during President Ilham Aliyevs meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House on August 8, 2025, set the stage for subsequent diplomatic initiatives, including Vances visit," he noted. According to the analyst, JD Vances visit is a clear sign of the ongoing growth in institutional and strategic ties along the Washington-Baku route, and it underscores the enduring trust that has been built between President Ilham Aliyev and the U.S. administration. "The visit of a top U.S. official to Azerbaijan is a powerful affirmation of President Ilham Aliyevs status as a trusted and influential leader on both regional and global stages. It reflects the confidence earned through Azerbaijans strategic diplomacy and underscores the high level of organization within the countrys foreign policy. J.D. Vances visit to Baku highlights the depth of trust in the WashingtonBaku dialogue, shared strategic perspectives, and the mutual commitment to continued cooperation. Beyond symbolism, this visit sends a clear political message about strengthening the U.S.-Azerbaijan partnership on institutional grounds and making diplomatic engagement more transparent and consistent," he said. The Charter on Strategic Partnership signed during the visit, he said, further consolidates Azerbaijans international credibility, acknowledges its active role in energy security and regional stability, and elevates strategic and economic cooperation to a new phase. The attention of a leading global power firmly positions Azerbaijan as a reliable partner in international politics and economic affairs. The Charter not only reinforces the legal foundations of mutual trust and long-term collaboration but also consistently affirms Azerbaijans role as a strategic partner. J.D. Vances visit and the signing of the Charter on Strategic Partnership go beyond symbolic gestures; they establish a tangible platform that expands Azerbaijans capacity for strategic influence on the global stage, Garayev explained. The analyst emphasized that the Azerbaijan-U.S. Charter on Strategic Partnership is a game-changer that steadily bolsters the countrys diplomatic standing on both the regional and global stages. This Charter provides more than a legal and normative framework for bilateral relations; it lays the foundation for advancing energy security, developing transport and logistics corridors, expanding digital infrastructure, and ensuring regional stability. It also promotes structured cooperation between Azerbaijan and the United States in artificial intelligence and digital technologies, positioning our country as a strategic hub for future innovation and technological leadership. The Charter outlines mutual commitments for developing digital infrastructure, researching and commercializing AI applications, and implementing joint cybersecurity initiatives. These measures not only accelerate technological progress but also integrate Azerbaijan more deeply into the global digital economy, enhance private sector involvement in strategic projects, and establish an innovation ecosystem aligned with international standards," he delineated. Garayev further pointed out that the Charter bolsters military and defense cooperation between the two countries at both institutional and strategic levels, going beyond mere technical and operational collaboration. It defines specific commitments in defense procurement, the joint fight against terrorism and global threats, and cooperation on cybersecurity and critical infrastructure protection. These provisions not only reinforce Azerbaijans role as a reliable strategic partner in regional security but also expand opportunities for participation in international defense and peacekeeping initiatives. The Charter systematically acknowledges Azerbaijans contributions to national and regional stability through humanitarian demining and security-related technological support, he added. Emphasizing the Charters commitment to enhancing regional connectivity and advancing the Middle Corridor initiatives, Garayev noted that the document strengthens Azerbaijans strategic role in the global transport and trade landscape. These initiatives support the development of multimodal logistics and energy-transit infrastructure, while ensuring seamless connections between Azerbaijan and Nakhchivan, boosting the regions international trade potential. At the same time, the Charter encourages investment and strengthens the business environment, mobilizing both public and private sectors for joint projects, accelerating integration into the global economy, and expanding Azerbaijans strategic economic influence. In short, the visit and the signing of the Charter not only affirm Azerbaijans current diplomatic strength but also create a practical, internationally recognized platform for its future strategic initiatives, Garayev concluded. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel BAKU, Azerbaijan, February 11. On February 11, Speaker of the Azerbaijani Parliament Sahiba Gafarova met with President of the Arab Parliament Mohammed Mohamed Ahmed Alyammahi, who is on an official visit to Azerbaijan, the press service of the Azerbaijani Parliament told Trend. Meanwhile, it was noted that during the meeting, the first official visit of the President of the Arab Parliament to Azerbaijan was highly appreciated, and confidence was expressed that this visit would make an important contribution to the further development of relations between the two organizations, the expansion of opportunities for cooperation, and the deepening of ties. Sahiba Gafarova recalled with pleasure their joint participation in various international events, including a bilateral meeting in Cairo in November last year and the 2nd session of the Women's Parliamentary Forum of the Mediterranean Parliamentary Assembly, held in Abu Dhabi in January this year. The conversation emphasized that Azerbaijan's relations with Arab countries are developing successfully based on common historical and spiritual values and principles of mutual respect. It was noted that the National Leader of the Azerbaijani people, Heydar Aliyev, paid great attention to the development of relations with these countries, and today this policy is being successfully continued by the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev. It was particularly emphasized that within the framework of bilateral relations, intensive visits, regular contacts, and negotiations are being conducted, and the results achieved have made a significant contribution to the development of these ties. The meeting noted that Azerbaijan is making serious efforts to promote Islam, strengthen Islamic solidarity, and combat Islamophobia. In this regard, the important initiatives put forward by our country in this area were highlighted. Speaker of the Azerbaijani Parliament Sahiba Gafarova noted that mutual support and solidarity are demonstrated within the framework of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, which we represent, and expressed confidence that cooperation on this platform will continue in the future. Azerbaijan's 20 years of successful cooperation with the League of Arab States was also touched upon, and it was recalled that President Ilham Aliyev was a guest of honour at the League's summit in 2022. Speaker Sahiba Gafarova emphasized that special attention is being paid to deepening relations with Arab countries and developing ties through parliamentary channels. She noted that the Azerbaijani Parliament has working groups with most Arab parliaments, mutual visits and meetings are held, memoranda of cooperation are signed, and mutual support and solidarity are demonstrated within international organizations. During the dialogue, satisfaction was expressed with the dynamic development of relations between the Parliamentary Network of the Non-Aligned Movement (PNAM), established on the initiative of President Ilham Aliyev and currently chaired by Azerbaijan, and the Arab Parliament in recent years. The Speaker of Parliament recalled that in February 2023, during her visit to Cairo, she visited the headquarters of the Arab Parliament and stressed the importance of the Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation signed during that visit. It was also noted that the Non-Aligned Movement Parliamentary Network's acquisition of observer status in the Arab Parliament that year had created new opportunities for cooperation. Expressing his gratitude for the hospitality, the President of the Arab Parliament, Mohamed Ahmed Alyammahi, expressed his satisfaction with his official visit to Azerbaijan. Sharing his impressions of the meeting with President Ilham Aliyev, the guest highly appreciated the tireless work of the head of state to establish peace and security in the South Caucasus. Emphasizing that the Arab world attaches great importance to relations with Azerbaijan, Mohamed Ahmed Alyammahi noted interest in deepening partnership in strategic areas such as trade, energy, and logistics. The President of the Arab Parliament also expressed gratitude to Azerbaijan for its strong support on issues on the Arab world's agenda, especially the Palestinian issue. The guest, noting that relations between parliaments had entered a new phase, emphasized that the cooperation and dialogue established by the institution he heads with the Parliament, as well as the Parliamentary Network of the Non-Aligned Movement, were a solid foundation for expanding interparliamentary ties. He highly appreciated the role of the Speaker of the Azerbaijani Parliament in the effective organization of the work of the Parliamentary Network and noted the importance of this important platform that brings parliaments together to discuss global issues. Mohamed Ahmed Alyammahi also invited the Speaker of the Azerbaijani Parliament to attend and address the plenary session of the Arab Parliament. The meeting offered the guest a comprehensive overview of the historical trajectory of the Republic of Azerbaijan, alongside a detailed examination of the functioning of the Azerbaijani Parliament. The Speaker of Parliament outlined the structure and operations of the legislative body, emphasizing the representation of political parties and the inclusion of women within Parliament. Additionally, the Speaker provided insights into the most recent parliamentary elections and highlighted that the current composition of Parliament was determined through elections conducted across the entirety of Azerbaijan. Following the meeting, the guest signed the Commemorative Book of the Azerbaijani Parliament. The delegation, led by Mohamed Ahmed Alyammahi, viewed the Victory Corner dedicated to the 44-day Second Karabakh War, located in the plenary hall and lobby of the Azerbaijani Parliament. Photo: Official website of the Virtual Centre for Knowledge on Europe BAKU, Azerbaijan, February 11. Rene van der Linden, Former President of the Senate of the Kingdom of the Netherlands has sent a congratulatory letter to President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, Trend reports. "Your Excellency, dear Mr. President, Your leadership and tireless efforts have made a significant contribution to peace, stability, and reconciliation in the Southern Caucasus region. For this, you and the Prime Minister of Armenia were awarded the prestigious Zayed Award for Human Fraternity. As a person who did his best to support the settlement of the conflict in accordance with the norms and principles of international law, I sincerely extend my heartfelt congratulations to you for this high recognition of your incredible efforts and achievements on the path to peace. May it serve as an encouragement for the people of both countries for the establishment of good neighborly relations and sustainable development, contributing to the prosperity of the entire region," the letter reads. BAKU, Azerbaijan, February 11. Azerbaijan's Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov and a delegation led by the President of the Arab Parliament Mohamed Ahmed Alyammahi discussed regional security in the Middle East and South Caucasus today, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs told Trend. The discussion included Azerbaijan's relations with Arab countries and the Arab League and the Arab Parliament in general and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, as well as the peace process between Azerbaijan and Armenia. The meeting emphasized that the development of relations with Muslim countries, including Arab countries, is one of the priority directions in the foreign policy of Azerbaijan. Besides, the meeting noted that Azerbaijan has always worked to ensure stability, security, and peace in the region, and the importance of increasing efforts to prevent conflicts and wars. Solidarity was expressed regarding the importance of efforts to resolve the current situation in the Gaza Strip. The meeting once again underscored that in the context of the Palestinian issue, Azerbaijan is guided by the "two-state" principle and supports the solution in accordance with the norms and principles of international law and relevant resolutions of the UN Security Council. In addition, the importance of the mediation efforts carried out by Azerbaijan in recent years was emphasized. Bayramov provided the other party with details about the past conflict, the Azerbaijan-Armenia peace process, and the restoration and reconstruction work carried out in the liberated territories in the post-conflict period. The meeting also exchanged views on other issues of mutual interest. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel BAKU, Azerbaijan, February 11. Shavkat Mirziyoyev, President of the Republic of Uzbekistan has sent a congratulatory letter to President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, Trend reports. "Dear Ilham Heydar oglu, Dear brother, My dear brother, I wholeheartedly congratulate you on being awarded the prestigious international Zayed Award for Human Fraternity in Abu Dhabi, and I take great pleasure in conveying my warmest wishes. We regard your selection for this high and respected award first and foremost as a vivid confirmation of the deep respect for your tireless efforts to ensure lasting peace and stability in the South Caucasus region, as well as for your far-sighted and wise foreign policy. Indeed, on August 8, 2025, in Washington, your signing of the Joint Declaration together with Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan became a historic event of great significance on the path to achieving peace. Your resolute decision to resolve the long-standing conflict through political and diplomatic means, along with your practical efforts toward restoring equal relations between Azerbaijan and Armenia, forming solid mechanisms for regional security, and developing economic and transport links, deserve the highest appreciation. Dear Ilham Heydar oglu, you have clearly demonstrated to the entire world an example of how to conduct dialogue aimed at peace in the name of the interests of the people and the state, and how to effectively resolve even the most difficult issues through deeply considered and courageous decisions. Once again, I sincerely congratulate you on this supreme international award. I wish you robust health, family happiness and well-being, new successes in your high state duties, and peace, security, and constant progress for the brotherly people of Azerbaijan," the letter reads. BAKU, Azerbaijan, February 11. Claude Haegi, President of the Swiss-Azerbaijani Chamber of Commerce and Industry has sent a congratulatory letter to President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, Trend reports. "Your Excellency, Dear Mr. President, For all that this represents, I was delighted to learn that you have been awarded the highly prestigious Zayed Award for Human Fraternity, alongside Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. From Geneva, and during my visits to your country, I have long followed the efforts of Your Excellency to ensure a happy and prosperous future for the Azerbaijani people and to guarantee them the security they need, with concrete and internationally recognized results. The Zayed Award honors you as much as it honors your people, whose qualities I have had the opportunity to appreciate on many occasions. The Swiss-Azerbaijani Chamber of Commerce, which I initiated several years ago and have chaired ever since, expresses through me its desire to contribute wholeheartedly to strengthening the economic position of Azerbaijan, achieving peace with Armenia, engaging Swiss companies in large-scale activities for the reconstruction of the liberated territories, and working tirelessly for the prosperity of the South Caucasus region by promoting various projects in Azerbaijan that bring peoples and nations closer to each other. As a Chamber of Commerce with extensive experience in your country, which we strive to make better known in Switzerland, rest assured that we are more committed than ever to supporting sustainable and concrete economic actions that are in line with this new environment of peace in the region. Mr. President, please accept my sincerest congratulations as a winner of the Peace and my best wishes for the amazing activity of Your Excellency in making Azerbaijan and the entire South Caucasus the most stable and prosperous region in the world," the letter reads. BAKU, Azerbaijan, February 11. Azerbaijan's Foreign Ministry and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Hungary held the second consular consultations in Baku today, a source in the Azerbaijani ministry told Trend. The Azerbaijani delegation was led by Emil Safarov, head of the ministry's consular department, and the Hungarian delegation by Balazs Farkas, director of the ministry's consular and citizenship department. The meeting was also attended by Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Hungary to Azerbaijan Tamas Torma, as well as officials of the Prosecutor General's Office of Azerbaijan, the State Employment Service under the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection of Population, the Ministry of Science and Education, and the State Migration Service. The consultations reviewed the current state and development prospects of cooperation in the field of consular relations with Hungary, an important strategic partner for Azerbaijan, with which there are high-level relations, as well as the possibilities of signing new bilateral documents in the field and digitalizing consular services. The parties exchanged information on the latest developments in the consular field and discussed proposals to strengthen relations in legal assistance, education, migration, labor, and other areas. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel BAKU, Azerbaijan, February 11. We are deeply saddened by the tragic school shooting in Tumbler Ridge, Canada, the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry said in a post on its X page, Trend reports. "We extend our heartfelt condolences to the families and loved ones of the victims, as well as to the Canadian government and people, during this difficult time. Our thoughts are also with those injured, and we wish them a swift and full recovery," the post said. A shooting took place at a school in Tumbler Ridge, resulting in the deaths of at least 10 people. The body of the individual suspected of carrying out the attack was also found on the school premises. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel KAMPALA, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- Uganda's Ministry of Health on Wednesday confirmed a case of Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever (CCHF) in Kyankwanzi District in central Uganda. In a statement issued here, the ministry said laboratory tests on samples taken from a 21-year-old male nurse from Kagalama Village in Butemba Town Council returned positive for the virus. The ministry said the index case, who initially sought care at a drug shop, was isolated, supportive treatment was initiated, and the case investigation form was completed. The patient, who keeps livestock and operates a private drug shop, was admitted to St. Peter's Hospital in neighboring Kiboga District on Feb. 2 with a three-day history of non-bloody diarrhea, vomiting, loss of appetite, joint pains, conjunctivitis, epigastric burning pain, chest pain, and unexplained bleeding from the nose and gums. Health authorities have identified eight contacts who are currently under follow-up in Kyankwanzi and neighboring Kiboga District. The statement said active case search and alert verification have been activated, case investigations are ongoing, contact line listing has been conducted, and a health surveillance team has been deployed. According to the World Health Organization, CCHF is a tick-borne viral disease transmitted to humans through tick bites or direct contact with infected blood or bodily fluids. The disease, endemic in Africa, the Balkans and the Middle East, carries a high fatality rate ranging from 10 percent to 40 percent. BAKU, Azerbaijan, February 11. Leading Georgian news portals, TV channels and radio stations have widely covered the meeting of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev with JD Vance, Vice President of the United States, Trend reports. The interpressnews.ge, imedinews.ge, bpn.ge, 1tv.ge, radiotavisupleba.ge, qafqazturk.com, aktual.ge, interpress.ge, 24news.ge, rustavi2.ge, palitranews.ge new agencies published articles highlighting the visit of JD Vance to Azerbaijan, his meeting with President Ilham Aliyev, the signing ceremony of the Charter on Strategic Partnership between the Government of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Government of the United States of America, as well as the press statements of both sides. Published in Azerbaijani, Russian, Georgian, and English languages, the articles hailed JD Vance's official visit to Baku, highlighting the strategic partnership between Azerbaijan and the United States, the positive attitude of the Trump administration towards Azerbaijan, and providing detailed information about the Charter on Strategic Partnership. The articles also featured various statements concerning the importance of peace in the region and worldwide, as well as global energy and transport projects carried out on Azerbaijans direct initiative and support. More than 20 articles highlighting the U.S. Vice Presidents visit and meetings to Baku were published citing AZERTAC. BAKU, Azerbaijan, February 11. French news portals, television channels and radio stations have widely covered the visit of U.S. Vice President JD Vance to Baku and his meeting with President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, Trend reports. French media outlets including France, Mediapart, BFM TV, Challenges, LHumanite, Boursorama and Boursier published articles highlighting Vice President JD Vances visit to Azerbaijan, his talks with President Ilham Aliyev, the signing ceremony of the Charter on Strategic Partnership between the Government of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Government of the United States of America, as well as the press statements delivered by both sides. The coverage focused on the strategic partnership between Azerbaijan and the United States, the Trump administrations approach toward Azerbaijan, the significance of the Charter on Strategic Partnership, and the TRIPP transport project. BAKU, Azerbaijan, February 11. Leading media outlets of Turkiye and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), including major news agencies, newspapers, news portals, and TV channels have extensively covered the outcomes of the talks held in Baku between President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and U.S. Vice President JD Vance, Trend reports. The Turkish and TRNC media focused on the signing of the Charter on Strategic Partnership between the Government of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Government of the United States of America, describing the document as a strategic step in the dialogue between Baku and Washington. The media outlets highlighted quotations from statements made by President Ilham Aliyev and the U.S. Vice President JD Vance. The articles featured President Ilham Aliyevs remarks concerning the Trump administrations commitment to advancing the TRIPP project (Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity). The reports also highlighted J.D. Vances remarks on the contribution of WashingtonBaku partnership to strengthening peace and prosperity in the region. BAKU, Azerbaijan, February 11. Azerbaijan is holding active discussions at the World Defense Show 2026 exhibition held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, the statement of the Azerbaijani Ministry of Defense Industry says, Trend reports. The Azerbaijani Minister of Defense Industry, Vugar Mustafayev, who participated in the event, met with the Governor of the Saudi Arabian General Authority for Military Industries, Ahmad bin Abdulaziz al-Ohali, and the Assistant Minister of Defense for Executive Affairs, Khaled bin Hussein Al-Biyari, the Director of the Defense Industry Agency under the Ministry of Defense of Uzbekistan, Mansurjon Ibodullayev, the Secretary of the Ministry of Defence Production of Pakistan Muhammad Chiragh Haider, as well as the executives of the U.S. General Dynamics, Teledyne-FLIR, and Ansys companies. The meetings reviewed cooperation relations in the field of the defense industry and discussed development prospects. The negotiations emphasized that in modern times, the defense industry is formed not only on production capacity, but also on scientific foundations, innovative technologies, and flexible management models, and noted that strengthening relations between industry and science is of strategic importance. Monitoring technological innovations, studying, and adapting advanced practices were considered important directions for the dynamic development of this field. At the same time, the negotiations noted an important role of international exhibitions and forums in this process. The discussions mentioned the importance of building the exchange of experience on an institutional basis. The parties underscored the importance of continuing mutual communication. The World Defense Show 2026 exhibition will end on February 12. BAKU, Azerbaijan, February 11. Azerbaijan has become the first country in Eurasia to register patents, a source in the Intellectual Property Agency told Trend. According to the source, the agency, with the support of the Eurasian Patent Office, has launched the service for electronic submission of Eurasian application documents. The source noted that as a result of the pilot project implemented for the first time in the Eurasian space in Azerbaijan, this service has been integrated into the Patent Trademark Open Target electronic information system of the Intellectual Property Agency, and applicants from Azerbaijan have been provided with the opportunity to submit Eurasian application documents for inventions and industrial designs electronically and directly to the Eurasian Patent Office. The introduction of a new functional service by the agency facilitates applicants' applications, significantly reduces the workload of experts, and accelerates their activities. This service, integrated into the mentioned system, makes the process of processing Eurasian application documents faster and more effective, simplifies legal procedures, allows applicants to assess their applications more quickly and accurately, eliminates bureaucratic obstacles, ensures transparency, and boosts the invention activity. Thus, a more convenient and time-saving working environment is created for both applicants and experts. The mentioned service is based on and implemented through the national Patent Trademark Open Target system, which is accessible to everyone at any time and from any place, operating 24/7. The implementation of these innovations in the system once again confirms Azerbaijan's openness to modern approaches and innovations in the field of filing international patent application documents. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel BAKU, Azerbaijan, February 11. Azerbaijan and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) signed the Memorandum of Understanding on establishing twinning relations between the cities of Baku and Abu Dhabi, Trend reports via the Baku City Executive Authority. The document was signed during a meeting of a delegation from the United Arab Emirates (UAE), led by the Chairman of the Department of Municipalities and Transport of Abu Dhabi, Mohamed Ali Al Shorafa with Head of the Baku City Executive Authority Eldar Azizov on February 11. During the meeting, Azizov noted that the high level of friendship and cooperation between the two countries is the result of the activities of their leaders. He emphasized that the presentation of the "Zayed Award for Human Fraternity" to President Ilham Aliyev during his working visit to the UAE on February 4 is a high appreciation of the head of states successful policy. According to him, all this creates a solid foundation for successful cooperation between the capitals of Baku and Abu Dhabi. Providing information about Baku, Azizov stated that as a result of President Ilham Aliyevs policy, the city has risen to a qualitatively new level, and this process is continuing successfully. Referring to the long-standing friendly relations between Azerbaijan and the UAE, Mohamed Ali Al Shorafa stressed that his country attaches special importance to ties with Azerbaijan. This is my first visit to your city, and judging by what I have seen, I am sure it will not be the last, he said. Highlighting Bakus rapid development and the effectiveness of its urban management, the guest expressed hope that the two capitals would learn much from each other. Azizov also presented the guest with the Arabic edition of the book The History of the Patriotic War. The Personality Factor, dedicated to Azerbaijans glorious victory and already published in 11 languages. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel BAKU, Azerbaijan, February 11. A delegation led by President of the Arab Parliament Mohamed Ahmed Alyammahi, who is on an official visit to Azerbaijan on February 11, visited the Alley of Honors in Baku and paid tribute to National Leader Heydar Aliyev, the parliamentary press service told Trend. The delegation laid a wreath and fresh flowers at the grave of National Leader, Heydar Aliyev, the architect and founder of modern independent Azerbaijan, honoring his memory with deep respect. As part of the visit, the delegation also visited Victory Park in Baku and laid a wreath at the monument there. The guests were informed about the park, which was established to preserve the memory of the Azerbaijani peoples historic Victory in the Second Karabakh War and to immortalize the cherished memory of the martyrs. During the visit, the delegation was accompanied by Deputy Speaker of the Azerbaijani Parliament Musa Gasimli and other officials. BAKU, Azerbaijan, February 11. Representatives of the Ministries of Defense of Azerbaijan and Serbia held Bilateral Military Cooperation Talk, Trend reports via the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry. During the meeting at the International Military Cooperation Department, the sides discussed the current state and prospects of military cooperation and conducted an extensive exchange of views on issues of common interest. They expressed satisfaction with the implementation of the activities envisaged in the military cooperation plan for 2025. In conclusion, Plan for Bilateral Military Cooperation for 2026 between the Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Serbia was signed. TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, February 11. The Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) has signed a $94.06 million financing agreement with Uzbekistan to advance the SmartEd education development project, Trend reports via the bank. The agreement was signed during the 2nd AlUla Conference for Emerging Market Economies between IsDB President Muhammad Al Jasser and Uzbekistans Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Finance Djamshid Kuchkarov. This financing marks a significant phase of the IsDB's total commitment of $160.25 million to the SmartEd Project, which seeks to strengthen inclusive and competency-based education throughout Uzbekistan. As part of this initiative, Uzbekistan plans to construct and equip 58 new educational institutions and expand existing schools by adding 2,431 classrooms across the country. The project is expected to directly benefit approximately 72,930 students annually and provide specialized training to more than 36,115 teachers and administrative personnel. To date, the IsDB has approved a total of $5.4 billion in financing for Uzbekistan, underscoring the breadth and strategic importance of the banks support for the countrys long-term development. BAKU, Azerbaijan, February 11. The TRIPP initiative (Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity) will provide Central Asian countries with significant opportunities to diversify their foreign economic relations, Professor at the Department of International Trade and Business, Faculty of Business, Dokuz Eylul University, Ulviyye Aydn told Trend. According to Ulviyye Aydin, the TRIPP initiative is regarded as a novel transport and logistics project with the potential to significantly enhance trade flows and foster deeper economic integration within Central Asia. "The primary objective of this initiative is to establish an alternative trade and transit corridor, linking the Central Asian nations across the Caspian Sea to the South Caucasus and European markets, thereby reinforcing the regions integration into the global economic framework," she explained. Historically, Central Asian countries have been constrained in their trade routes, predominantly relying on corridors that pass through Russia and Iran. The alternative route proposed by TRIPP offers the prospect of reduced transit times, lower transportation costs, and greater predictability in trade flows. This, in turn, would expand export opportunities for the regions economies while enhancing the efficiency of import processes. She further emphasized that U.S. involvement in the project could not only heighten international interest in the region but also bolster its investment appeal, thereby promoting both economic and political cooperation among the regional states. Another important effect of the project could be deeper economic integration. TRIPP promotes not only infrastructure development but also the harmonization of customs procedures, simplification of border crossings, and the introduction of unified standards in logistics services. These measures reduce trade barriers between countries and create conditions for deeper regional integration. For landlocked countries, the strategic importance of TRIPP lies in strengthening their transit role. Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan will be able to integrate more actively into global supply chains, the expert believes. She further noted that the implementation of the TRIPP initiative is expected to stimulate an increase in foreign direct investment from Europe, which, over the long term, will bolster production capacity and facilitate the export of value-added products. "The TRIPP project, for instance, is set to deliver substantial benefits to Kazakhstan, primarily due to the country's strategic geographic position and its well-established transport and logistics infrastructure, which align seamlessly with the projects core route. The ports of Aktau and Kuryk on the Caspian Sea are poised to play pivotal roles in the Caspian segment of TRIPP, enabling Kazakhstan to integrate more swiftly into the initiative and thereby boost its transit revenues. Moreover, Kazakhstan has long positioned itself as a critical transit hub within Eurasia, and TRIPP stands to further strengthen this position by reducing its reliance on Russian routes. In addition to increased transit revenues, Kazakhstan is likely to benefit from enhanced exports of industrial, petrochemical, and agricultural products," she explained. Additionally, Ulviyye Sanili Aydin highlighted that, for landlocked Uzbekistan, the project will offer alternative, more efficient trade routes, thereby enhancing its foreign trade capabilities. TRIPP will offer a shorter route to European markets, reduce logistics costs, and expand export potential. Given the sensitivity of Uzbekistans economy in sectors such as textiles, agriculture, and light industry, the project could significantly enhance the countrys international competitiveness, she said. At the same time, the professor noted that TRIPP will contribute to a more flexible and secure supply chain formation. The availability of alternative transit routes reduces geopolitical risks and helps prevent disruptions in regional and international trade, which is particularly important for the stable transportation of raw materials, agricultural goods, and industrial products. From an export perspective, the project will provide faster and cheaper access to European markets, increasing the regions international competitiveness. Lower logistics costs will positively affect the final price of goods, increasing both the volume and diversity of exports. Overall, TRIPP is considered an important regional initiative that strengthens Central Asias integration into the global trading system and enhances economic efficiency, she emphasized. The expert also highlighted that Azerbaijan, as a transit country, plays a key role in ensuring the effective and sustainable operation of TRIPP. Azerbaijans strategic geographical position allows it to serve as a natural bridge between Central Asia and Europe. The BakuTbilisiKars railway, the Baku International Sea Trade Port, and the countrys well-developed internal road and rail networks provide a solid infrastructure base for the uninterrupted, fast, and efficient transportation of goods along the TRIPP route. Azerbaijan also plays a pivotal role in regional coordination, leveraging its experience within the Middle Corridor, its efforts to streamline customs procedures, its ongoing digitalization initiatives, and its mechanisms for logistics cooperation with neighboring states. These factors collectively enhance the institutional sustainability of the TRIPP project. As a vital transit hub, Azerbaijan acts as a crucial link between Central Asian countries, the South Caucasus, and European partners, ensuring the long-term, coordinated, and reliable operation of the project,'' she added. Aydn further emphasized that the TRIPP initiative could significantly contribute to the creation of a unified economic and logistics space among Turkic states, including Turkiye. "The project establishes a seamless transport and trade corridor connecting Central Asia, the Caspian region, the South Caucasus, and Turkiye, thereby strengthening the physical connectivity between Turkic nations. This connectivity not only facilitates the integration of logistics routes but also reduces trade costs and streamlines the coordination of cargo flows. Under the TRIPP framework, the harmonization of transport, customs, and transit procedures is poised to deepen institutional cooperation among Turkic states, creating favorable conditions for the formation of a cohesive economic space. Consequently, TRIPP is viewed not merely as an infrastructure project but as an initiative that fosters long-term economic integration and fortifies the logistics alliance among Turkic countries," she concluded. By Alimat Aliyeva I AzerNEWS The Commander-in-Chief of the Norwegian Armed Forces, Eirik Kristoffersen, has stated that he does not rule out the possibility of a Russian attack and confirmed that Oslo is preparing for such a scenario. As reported by AzerNEWS, citing foreign media reports, Kristoffersen said Russia could potentially launch an attack on Norway under the pretext of securing nuclear facilities located in the countrys far north. We do not exclude the possibility of territorial incursions by Russia. This could form part of a broader plan to protect its nuclear capabilities - the only real instrument it has left that poses a credible threat to the United States, Kristoffersen said. He noted that a significant portion of Russias nuclear arsenal is based on the Kola Peninsula, near the Norwegian border. According to the Norwegian military chief, this factor could prove decisive in the event of a direct confrontation between Moscow and NATO. NIAMEY, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- Niger's Defense and Security Forces (FDS) said Wednesday that they had "neutralized" about 20 terrorists who attacked their position on Feb. 4 in Makalondi, a town in Torodi department of the Tillaberi region in western Niger, near the border with Burkina Faso. According to the army's weekly information bulletin published by the state-run media Le Sahel, the FDS also destroyed about a dozen motorcycles and seized various war materials during the operation. The attack on the joint position occurred at around 4:00 p.m. local time (1500 GMT) on Feb. 4, when FDS elements stationed in Makalondi came under assault by armed assailants. Reinforcements supported by air and ground units were swiftly deployed to contain and "neutralize" the threat, the army noted. Three FDS personnel were killed and seven others injured in the clashes, it added. Nigerien Defense Minister Salifou Mody expressed his deep condolences to the families of the fallen soldiers and wished the wounded a speedy recovery. BAKU, Azerbaijan, February 11. In the shifting landscape of Eurasian trade, Azerbaijan's strategic geographic position has increasingly garnered attention, positioning it as a crucial nexus bridging Asia and Europe. The Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity (TRIPP), a U.S.-mediated transit corridor extending approximately 43 kilometers, not only fosters regional stability but also directly strengthens the Middle Corridor. For China, this development presents significant advantages, particularly in diversifying its trade routes to Europe, especially as maritime channels continue to face vulnerabilities and land-based alternatives gain prominence. Despite Chinas trade with Europe remaining predominantly reliant on maritime transport, handling the lions share of the approximately $750-800 billion in annual turnover, land-based options are steadily gaining traction. In 2025, for instance, the volume of bilateral goods trade between China and the European Union reached an estimated $749.3 billion in the first 11 months, reflecting a year-on-year growth of 5.4%. This increase was largely driven by exports, despite broader global economic tensions. Maritime routes continue to dominate, leaving shipments susceptible to disruptions at critical chokepoints such as the Red Sea and the Strait of Malacca. In contrast, land-based alternatives, such as the China-Europe Railway Express, while still accounting for a smaller portion of total trade value, typically around 3-5%, have emerged as a rapidly expanding and more efficient option for time-sensitive cargo. The Middle Corridor, routing from Chinese cities like Xi'an through Kazakhstan, across the Caspian Sea via ports in Aktau or Kuryk, into Azerbaijan, and onward to Europe through Georgia or Turkiye, provides a resilient bypass to traditional northern paths. Azerbaijan's infrastructure - ports like Alat and rail expansions - plays a central role. In 2025, cargo volumes along the corridor surged, with projections of 5.2 million tons by year-end, up from 4.5 million tons in 2024, a 62% rise. Transit times have shortened dramatically: the Xi'anBaku route averaged 16 days in January 2026 (down from 17 days in December 2025), with some trains arriving in as little as 11 days. Over 400 block trains operated in 2025, including more than 199 from China to Azerbaijan in the first half alone, carrying over 36,000 TEUs in prior surges. TRIPP strengthens this pathway by eliminating bottlenecks in the South Caucasus, enabling smoother multimodal flows - rail, road, and potentially digital infrastructure. Azerbaijan's stable environment and deepening ties with Beijing, including China's participation in Middle Corridor Multimodal Ltd. alongside Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Georgia, position it to capture more freight. Chinese firms benefit from faster delivery (15-20 days to Europe versus 30-45 by sea), lower inventory costs, and reduced exposure to maritime risks or sanctions on alternative routes. High-value exports like electronics, machinery, renewables, and autos - key amid EU market shifts - stand to gain most, with westbound traffic dominating rail volumes. Bilateral trade data also emphasizes the importance of TRIPP. China-Azerbaijan trade exceeded $3.1 billion in 2023 and continued growing, with China ranking as Azerbaijan's fourth-largest partner (9.45% of its total trade in recent periods). Rail freight from China to Azerbaijan hit record levels in 2024-2025, with 300 block trains on the ChinaKazakhstanAzerbaijan route in 2024 alone, up sharply year-on-year. Forecasts suggest the Middle Corridor could triple trade flows by 2030, reaching 11 million tons annually, with China as a primary originator. Geopolitically, TRIPP contributes to greater stability and predictability in the Caucasus, aligning with Chinas Belt and Road Initiative investments in Azerbaijani ports, rail infrastructure, and logistics networks. This enhanced regional stability not only underpins long-term access to vital resources and markets but also fosters digital and people-to-people connections, thereby facilitating the expansion of e-commerce and technological cooperation. Azerbaijan's growing transit revenues, coupled with infrastructure improvements, create broader markets for Chinese exports, while the expansion of the corridor helps absorb excess capacity amidst the ongoing global trade realignments. TRIPP offers China significant strategic advantages by reinforcing the Middle Corridor through Azerbaijans pivotal role. It enhances transit efficiency, mitigates dependency on maritime routes, and ensures a reliable overland link to Europe in the face of ongoing uncertainties. For Azerbaijan, the project promises economic growth, modernization of its infrastructure, and an increase in regional influence. However, the full potential of the initiative depends on sustained implementation, effective cross-border coordination, and the ability to navigate complex international dynamics. Nonetheless, the data suggests a compelling opportunity for mutual progress, with the decision on the level of investment resting in the hands of the relevant stakeholders. Photo: The Ministry of Investments, Industry, and Trade of Uzbekistan TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, February 11. Uzbekistan and the European Union discussed expanding cooperation in key areas, including digitalization, transport connectivity, critical raw materials, and water management, Trend reports via the Uzbek Ministry of Investment, Industry, and Trade. The talks were held during a meeting between Uzbekistans Minister of Investment, Industry and Trade, Laziz Kudratov, and Charlotte Adriaen, Head of the Central Asia and Afghanistan Unit at the European Commissions Directorate-General for International Partnerships (DG INTPA), alongside Toivo Klaar, the EU Ambassador to Uzbekistan. The parties also engaged in discussions regarding the enhancement of their partnership through a more dynamic utilization of existing dialogue platforms and business cooperation mechanisms involving Uzbekistan, the European Union, and Central Asian countries. The sides reaffirmed their commitment to advancing practical collaboration and sustaining a constructive dialogue across key sectors of mutual interest. In October 2025, Uzbekistan and the European Union formalized their commitment through the signing of the Enhanced Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (EPCA). This agreement establishes a broadened framework for political engagement and economic cooperation, aimed at reinforcing EU support for Uzbekistans modernization efforts, particularly in sectors such as industry, innovation, and investment-driven fields like pharmaceuticals. TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, February 11. Uzbekistan and Russias Rosatom have agreed to jointly develop a roadmap and a long-term strategy for the advancement of nuclear medicine in Uzbekistan, Trend reports via the Uzatom. The agreement was reached during a meeting that brought together representatives from Uzbekistan's Ministry of Health, the authorities responsible for radiation and nuclear safety under the Cabinet of Ministers, key medical centers across the country, as well as experts from Rosatoms Technologies of Construction division. The planned documentation is poised to serve as a cornerstone for the transfer of technology, the training of specialists, and the enhancement of healthcare services across Uzbekistan. This initiative is expected to make a substantial impact on reducing cancer rates by enabling earlier diagnoses and the adoption of modern treatment methodologies grounded in nuclear technologies. In the course of the meeting, the Russian delegation also shared its expertise in the development of advanced nuclear medicine infrastructure. This includes the construction of cyclotron facilities, the production of radiopharmaceuticals, the establishment of PET/CT diagnostic centers, and the implementation of successful international turnkey projects in the field. ASHGABAT, Turkmenistan, February 11. Turkmenistan and Turkiye discussed the further expansion of bilateral trade and economic cooperation, Trend reports via the press service of the Turkmen Government. The talks were held during the meeting between Turkmen President Serdar Berdimuhamedov and Turkiyes Minister of Trade Omer Bolat on February 10 in Ashgabat. The sides underscored the consistent expansion of trade between their nations, with Turkiye maintaining its prominent position among Turkmenistans key foreign trade partners. A particular focus was placed on the attraction of Turkish investment into Turkmenistans economy as a vital area for further collaboration. The discussions also emphasized the importance of specialized exhibitions as effective tools for enhancing trade relations. In this context, the inauguration of the Turkish Export Products Exhibition in Ashgabat was highlighted as a significant platform to further strengthen commercial ties and foster the emergence of new joint ventures. President Berdimuhamedov reaffirmed Turkmenistans willingness to consider specific proposals from the Turkish side that aim to deepen and diversify their mutually beneficial economic cooperation. Meanwhile, Turkish Minister of Trade Omer Bolat participated in the opening of the 12th Turkish Export Products Exhibition, which commenced on February 10 and will continue until February 12 in Ashgabat, marking a key milestone in their ongoing economic dialogue. Subscription to paid content Gain access to all that Trend has to offer, as well as to premium, licensed content via subscription or direct purchase through a credit card. BAKU, Azerbaijan, February 11. The Central Bank of Azerbaijan (CBA) and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce exchanged views on the possibilities of expanding cooperation in the field of finance and investment, Trend reports via the CBA. The management of the CBA and the State Oil Fund of Azerbaijan participated in a round table meeting held within the framework of the business mission organized by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce to Azerbaijan. During an event focused on "Finance and Investment," Taleh Kazimov, Chairman of the Central Bank of Azerbaijan (CBA), underscored the significant expansion of economic and financial cooperation between Azerbaijan and the United States in recent years, highlighting that this partnership has now evolved into a strategic alliance. He emphasized that the foundation of mutual trust between the two nations presents promising prospects for sustainable growth. In his address, Kazimov elaborated on the various reforms Azerbaijan has undertaken to strengthen macroeconomic stability, ensure the resilience of the financial and banking sector, foster financial technology development, and drive digitalization efforts. He also outlined advancements in sustainable financial instruments and cross-border payment infrastructure. The Chairman further emphasized the crucial role of collaboration with U.S. companies, particularly in terms of technology transfer, knowledge exchange, and the valuable contribution of banking missions to the enhancement of relations with U.S. financial institutions. Kazimov extended his gratitude to Khush Choksy, Senior Vice President, International Member Relations and Senior Vice President at the Middle East and Turkiye at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, for his leadership of the business mission, which he believes will significantly advance business and investment ties between the two countries. He reaffirmed the importance of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce as a key platform in fostering bilateral economic relations, describing it as a vital bridge that promotes trade, innovation, and shared prosperity. Following the event, the delegation, comprising prominent U.S. multinational corporations, engaged in a Q&A session, during which inquiries were addressed, and discussions ensued on expanding avenues for cooperation in the finance and investment sectors. A series of high-level meetings was also conducted as part of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce's business mission to Azerbaijan, involving key government agencies, senior officials, and representatives from the private sector. These discussions are viewed as pivotal in further strengthening and deepening the economic ties between the two nations. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel BAKU, Azerbaijan, February 11. The expansion of commercial cooperation between Azerbaijan Airlines CJSC (AZAL) and Kazakhstan's Air Astana was discussed, Samir Rzayev, Chairman of the Board of Azerbaijan Airlines CJSC (AZAL), wrote on his X page, Trend reports. "We had a productive meeting with Peter Foster, President & CEO of Air Astana. During the meeting, we exchanged views on the current state and development prospects of passenger air transport in the region. We also discussed the topic of expanding commercial cooperation between the two aviation partners. Over the past year, AZAL operated 845 round-trip flights to Almaty, Aktau, and Astana in Kazakhstan, providing the transportation of more than 200,000 passengers. This outcome provides a solid foundation for further strengthening the strategic relations between the parties," he noted. TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, February 11. The Uzbekistan-Serbia Business Forum will be held in Tashkent on February 20, Trend reports via the Investment Promotion Agency of Uzbekistan. The event is expected to serve as a platform for strengthening bilateral business ties, establishing new partnerships, and expanding cooperation between companies from both countries. The forum will highlight the economic potential of Uzbekistan and Serbia and provide detailed information on investment opportunities across a range of sectors. Participants will also discuss promising areas of cooperation aimed at boosting trade, investment, and long-term economic engagement. Meanwhile, the previous UzbekistanSerbia Business Forum was held in Tashkent on October 29, 2025, bringing together more than 100 representatives from the public and private sectors of the states. ASHGABAT, Turkmenistan, February 11. The year 2025 marked a turning point in Turkmen-Iranian diplomacy, ushering in a new age of unprecedented cooperation, said Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan Rashid Meredov, Trend reports via the press service of the Turkmen government. The statement was made during a reception held in Ashgabat to mark the National Day of the Islamic Republic of IranRevolution Day. The event, organized by the Iranian Embassy, brought together diplomats, government officials, and members of the public, underscoring the strong bilateral ties between the two neighboring countries. Irans Ambassador to Turkmenistan, Ali Mojtaba Rouzbehani, highlighted the depth of Iran-Turkmenistan relations, noting that cooperation goes beyond formal state interactions. He praised Turkmenistans policy of permanent positive neutrality as a key factor for regional stability. We respect Turkmenistan's policy of permanent positive neutrality and consider it a key factor in regional stability, Rouzbehani said. Strong links between Turkmenistan and Iran date back to 1991 and are based on the two countries' shared border of more than 1,000 km. Since Turkmenistan is an important commercial route for Iranian goods into Central Asia, the two countries work together on energy (including power imports and gas swaps), transportation, and regional security. Two major projects are the improvement of railway connections and the construction of the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC). Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel ASHGABAT, Turkmenistan, February 11. Turkmenistan and the World Health Organization (WHO) discussed the current state and prospects of bilateral cooperation across priority areas, Trend reports via the Turkmen MFA. The discussions were conducted via videoconference between Myakhri Bashimova, Turkmenistans Deputy Foreign Minister, Azat Ovezov, Deputy Minister of Health and Medical Industry, and Egor Zaitsev, Head of the WHO Country Office in Ashgabat. The dialogue placed particular emphasis on the preparations for the forthcoming High-Level Dialogue on Global Health Diplomacy, which is set to take place in Turkmenistan later this month. Following the exchange, the participants reaffirmed their shared commitment to enhancing bilateral cooperation and expressed a strong willingness to pursue joint initiatives and projects within the health sector. The World Health Organization (WHO) has maintained a country office in Turkmenistan since 1995, collaborating closely on strengthening health systems, preventing noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), fighting tuberculosis, and improving pandemic preparedness. Recent initiatives include developing a 20262030 TB strategy, enhancing WASH (water, sanitation, hygiene) infrastructure, and training specialists in cancer care. CAIRO, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- Egypt appointed General Ashraf Salem Zaher as its new defense minister as part of a cabinet reshuffle, a Presidency statement said Wednesday. Zaher, who was the commandant of the Egyptian Military Academy, replaced General Abdel Majeed Saqr, who had been in the post since July 2024, according to the statement. The reshuffle was approved by the House of Representatives, the lower chamber of the parliament, during its emergency general session on Tuesday. Zaher's appointment was not announced at that time. President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi on Wednesday witnessed the swearing-in ceremony of the 23 cabinet members. Mostafa Madbouly, who took office in 2018, remained as prime minister. The reshuffle featured the creation of a Ministry of State for Information and a Ministry of Investment. The international cooperation portfolio was added to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, now renamed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation, and Egyptian Expatriates. Key appointments feature Hussein Issa as the deputy prime minister for economic affairs, Major General Salah Soliman as the minister of state for military production, and Ahmed Rostom, a senior economist at the World Bank, as the minister of planning. BAKU, Azerbaijan, February 11. The Central Bank of Azerbaijan (CBA) has discussed the strategic goals of commercial banks operating in the country, as well as priorities for further strengthening regulatory and supervisory mechanisms, the CBA Governor, Taleh Kazimov, wrote on his social media account, Trend reports. We held the first meeting of this year with the heads of commercial banks operating in the country at the Central Bank. TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, February 11. Uzbekistan and Turkiye discussed measures to support Turkish companies entering the Uzbek market, Trend reports via the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Uzbekistan. The issue was addressed during a meeting at the Chamber chaired by Deputy Chairperson Shahlo Ibragimova, with executives from Turkish companies led by AlfaTurk Group delegates. In particular, strategic partnership talks were held between Turkish companies Likya Royal Limestone, Art Legenda, Argeplano Proje Surec Yonetimi, and Yilmazlar Yalitim-Dadam Yapi, and Uzbek firms Nurafshon Nur LLC, Imdy-Baby LLC, Onyx Stones Boutique LLC, Irtifa LLC, and Turon Kutur LLC. During the meeting, the sides held detailed discussions on facilitating the market entry of Turkish businesses, strengthening the institutional framework for trade and industrial cooperation, and broadening mutual investment opportunities. The Turkish delegation was also provided with practical information on Uzbekistans business climate and the favorable conditions created in the country for foreign entrepreneurs. Following the negotiations, the parties identified promising areas for further collaboration between the business communities of the two countries. AlfaTurk Group is a business platform that assists Turkish companies in entering new markets and establishing cooperation with local partners. The group brings together enterprises across various sectors and primarily focuses on developing partnerships in construction materials, project management, manufacturing, and investment. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel Azerbaijans Minister of Economy Mikayil Jabbarov shared details of the discussions on his official X page. We were pleased to welcome to our country the delegation led by Mohammed Ali Al Shorafa, Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Department of Municipalities and Transport. During the meeting, we expressed satisfaction with the elevation of Azerbaijan-UAE relations to the level of strategic partnership. We also highlighted prospects for joint projects, the expansion of cooperation in transport, infrastructure, green energy, digitalization, trade, and business, as well as opportunities to increase mutual investments, the post said. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel EIA maintains steady outlook for Azerbaijans petroleum production through 2027 The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) has kept its petroleum production forecast for Azerbaijan steady for 2026-2027. The outlook reflects a slight decline in production over the forecast period. The data also highlights projections for quarterly output in both years. Access to paid information is limited If You already have a account, please log in Login Register BAKU, Azerbaijan, February 11. Azerbaijan has explored opportunities for cooperation with Microsoft on the establishment of a Digital Capability Center in the country, Trend reports, citing the Ministry of Economy. The country's First Deputy Minister of Economy, Elnur Aliyev, met with Barbora Paulovic Deckerova, President of Microsoft for Central Europe and Central Asia. During the meeting, the parties discussed Azerbaijans economic priorities, the favorable business and investment climate, and measures being implemented to develop the digital economy and introduce new technologies. The strengthening of the national innovation ecosystem and the application of advanced technological expertise were also highlighted as key areas of potential cooperation. The sides reviewed prospects for collaboration on the creation of a Digital Capability Center that would showcase the implementation of digital solutions, the development of artificial intelligence technologies, capacity building, and the application of digital technologies in the industrial and public sectors. The discussions also covered the implementation of joint projects within the framework of cooperation with Microsoft, as well as other areas of mutual interest. Microsoft is one of the worlds foremost technology companies, delivering cutting-edge solutions in software, cloud computing, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and digital innovation. Operating in more than 190 countries, the company plays a pivotal role in driving global digital transformation through its advanced technologies and forward-looking services. ASTANA, Kazakhstan, February 11. Kazakhstans Ministries of Energy and Artificial Intelligence are tasked with implementing online monitoring of the Unified Energy System of Kazakhstan by the end of 2026, Trend reports via the Kazakh government. The instruction was issued by Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov during a government meeting. The initiative will be based on the Situational Analytical Center established at the Ministry of Energy. The government also instructed that by 2027, the Western zone of the country should be fully integrated into the Unified Energy System, and the Southern zone strengthened without delays. Additionally, a draft National Coal Generation Plan should be submitted to the government by February 20. The Samruk-Kazyna Fund is responsible for ensuring the timely implementation of energy projects, including the Almaty Power Plants in Kokshetau, Semey, and Ust-Kamenogorsk. During a meeting, Energy Minister Yerlan Akkenzhenov reported that 13.3 GW of new generation capacity is planned for commissioning by 2029. In the oil refining and petrochemicals sector, plans include the expansion of existing refineries and consideration of a new refinery, alongside major petrochemical projects and the drafting of a law on the oil and gas chemical industry by 2029. The Unified Energy System of the Republic of Kazakhstan is a network of power plants, transmission lines, and substations that ensures reliable and high-quality energy supply to the consumers across the country. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel ASTANA, Kazakhstan, February 11. President of Kazakhstan, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, received the credentials of the new ambassadors of Greece, Antonia Katzourou, and Portugal, Jose de Castro Ataide Amaral, Trend reports via the presidential press service. In his address, Tokayev emphasized that Kazakhstan pursues a strictly peaceful foreign policy. All global challenges should be resolved peacefully through diplomatic channels and instruments, he said. The president conveyed greetings to the heads of state and government of Greece and Portugal and invited them to visit Astana. At the conclusion of the ceremony, Tokayev congratulated the ambassadors on the official start of their diplomatic missions in Kazakhstan and reaffirmed the readiness of the Presidential Administration and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to provide comprehensive support. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel ASTANA, Kazakhstan, February 11. President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev will soon sign a decree to hold a nationwide referendum on the adoption of a new constitution, Trend reports via the presidential press service. He made the statement during a meeting with members of the Constitutional Commission. Elvira Azimova, Chairperson of the Constitutional Commission and the Constitutional Court, reported that following twelve sessions, the Commission had prepared a final draft of the new constitution, based on citizen and expert proposals submitted through the eGov and e-Otinish portals since October last year. The draft also incorporated approaches developed by the Parliamentary Reform Working Group from October through January. The Constitutional Commission proposed to submit the draft constitution to a nationwide referendum. Tokayev pointed out that the new constitution signifies the finishing touch on the institutional makeover of the state and the leap into a brand-new constitutional framework. He added that the draft reflects contemporary public values and principles of state policy while laying the foundation for long-term progressive development in Kazakhstan. The starting point for the constitutional reform was Tokayevs initiative to establish a unicameral Parliament in Kazakhstan. The president announced this idea on September 8, 2025, during his annual Address to the Nation, aiming for a comprehensive political system reset and a positive impact on the countrys socio-economic development in the era of artificial intelligence. On October 8, 2025, a decree was signed to establish a Parliamentary Reform Working Group, which included prominent legal scholars, experts, and representatives of political party factions and public organizations. On January 21, 2026, the Constitutional Commission was officially formed. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel CANBERRA, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- The perpetrators of the terror attack at Sydney's Bondi Beach in December demonstrated high levels of awareness to hide their plans, Australia's intelligence chief said on Tuesday night. Mike Burgess, director-general of security of the Australian Security Intelligence Organization (ASIO), told a Senate hearing that law enforcement and intelligence agencies did not know that the perpetrators of the Bondi attack were planning anything prior to the fatal mass shooting on December 14. "It appears the alleged terrorists demonstrated a high level of security awareness to hide their plot. In simple terms, they went dark to stay off the radar," he said. Fifteen people were killed in the attack, which targeted an event celebrating the Jewish festival of Hanukkah, making it Australia's most deadly mass shooting since 1996. One of the alleged attackers, Sajid Akram, was shot dead by police at the scene while his son, 24-year-old Naveed, was arrested and charged with 59 offenses, including 15 counts of murder and one count of committing a terrorist act. Naveed Akram was in 2019 investigated by ASIO over alleged links to a Sydney-based Islamic State terror cell, but was deemed not to pose a terror threat. Burgess said on Tuesday night that he commissioned a review of the previous investigation immediately following December's attack, which concluded that the Akrams did not intend to engage in violent extremism in 2019. BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan, February 11. Turkiye will support Kyrgyzstans candidacy for non-permanent membership of the UN Security Council for the 2027-2028 term, the Speaker of the Grand National Assembly of the Republic of Turkiye, Numan Kurtulmus, said, Trend reports via the press service of the Kyrgyz Parliament. He made the announcement at a joint press conference with Speaker of the Parliament of Kyrgyzstan Nurlanbek Turgunbek uulu, held on February 10, 2026. The parliamentary leaders of countries provided a detailed briefing to journalists, outlining the key issues discussed and the proposals put forward during their meeting. The sides highlighted that a thorough exchange of perspectives occurred on advancing cooperation, particularly in the political, economic, and cultural-humanitarian domains. The discussion also encompassed efforts to strengthen inter-parliamentary relations. Nurlanbek Turgunbek uulu emphasized Kyrgyzstans keen interest in fostering bilateral cooperation and reinforcing ties between the two brotherly nations. In particular, the close rapport between our heads of state, Sadyr Japarov and Recep Tayyip Erdogan, has ushered in a new era of partnership. As a result, numerous agreements were signed last year. Therefore, through the swift ratification of these agreements, the parliaments of our two countries should play an active role in expanding cooperation, he stated. He also noted that an agreement was reached with his counterpart to deepen inter-parliamentary cooperation through parliamentary friendship groups, adding that parliamentary diplomacy forms the foundation of the overall partnership. Furthermore, Nurlanbek Turgunbek uulu further invited Turkish athletes and officials to take part in the upcoming 6th World Nomad Games, which will be held later this year. In turn, Numan Kurtulmus noted that Kyrgyzstan is one of Turkiyes key partners. We attach priority importance to bilateral cooperation and also actively cooperate on international platforms such as the Organization of Turkic States and TURKPA. Today, we discussed ways to further develop our established relations and exchanged views on deepening political, economic, and cultural-humanitarian cooperation, he said. BAKU, Azerbaijan, February 11. Iran is ready to test its nuclear program within the framework of international laws, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said at an event organized in Tehran on the occasion of the 47th anniversary of the victory of the Islamic Revolution of Iran today, Trend reports. Pezeshkian reiterated Irans long-standing position that it does not seek to develop nuclear weapons. He emphasized that Iran remains committed to resolving its challenges through diplomatic means. "Iran is focused on reinforcing strategic agreements within organizations such as the Eurasian Economic Union, BRICS, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, and the Economic Cooperation Organization, while also deepening ties with Muslim nations," Pezeshkian remarked. He further highlighted that the countrys national development and the growth of domestic industries are intrinsically linked to gaining access to regional markets. On February 6, talks between Iran and the U.S. on the nuclear program began in Muscat, the capital of Oman. The sides agreed to continue the negotiations. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel BAKU, Azerbaijan, February 11. US President Donald Trump announced during a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that he insisted on continuing negotiations with Iran, Trend reports. "There was nothing definitive reached other than I insisted that negotiations with Iran continue to see whether or not a Deal can be consummated. If it can, I let the Prime Minister know that will be a preference. If it cannot, we will just have to see what the outcome will be," US President wrote on Truth Social. The US President added that he also discussed the situation in Gaza with the Israeli Prime Minister. "Additionally, we discussed the tremendous progress being made in Gaza, and the Region in general. There is truly PEACE in the Middle East," he wrote. KABUL, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- The Afghanistan National Disaster Management Authority (ANDMA) announced on Tuesday the signing of two memorandums of understanding (MoUs) with international aid organizations to provide essential support to thousands of vulnerable families. The agreements, signed with the International Rescue Committee and Islamic Relief Worldwide, total more than 1 million U.S. dollars. The aid will benefit 8,240 destitute families across the eastern Kunar, western Ghor, and southern Kandahar provinces, said ANDMA. According to ANDMA, the assistance will include the distribution of food and non-food items, alongside the implementation of public awareness programs. The Afghan government reiterated its call for increased investment from both local and international organizations to help address the country's economic challenges and create sustainable employment opportunities. IARC director tapped to lead Germanys Alfred Wegener Institute UAF photo by Eric Engman Hajo Eicken has been selected as scientific director at Germanys Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research. Hajo Eicken, director of the University of Alaska Fairbanks International Arctic Research Center, has been selected as scientific director at Germanys Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research. Eicken will begin his new position in Bremerhaven, Germany his hometown in mid-March. Longtime UAF researcher and IARC leader Scott Rupp will step in as IARCs interim director at that time. While we will miss Hajos presence, leadership and expertise at UAF, his new role at one of Europes most prestigious research institutes will strengthen the existing relationship between UAF and AWI and benefit the entire polar science and research community, said UAF Interim Chancellor Mike Sfraga. Sfraga, former U.S. ambassador-at-large for Arctic affairs and chair of the U.S. Arctic Research Commission from 2021-2024, said he is grateful to Rupp for his willingness to assume the role of interim IARC director. I have complete confidence in his ability to provide continuity of leadership and purpose, Sfraga said. He is the right leader at the right time. The Alfred Wegener Institute has 1,400 employees and an annual budget of close to $200 million. It serves roles similar both to a U.S. national laboratory and the U.S. National Science Foundations Office of Polar Programs. The institute operates permanent research stations in the Arctic and Antarctic and has a fleet of research ships and aircraft focused on the polar regions. I would argue that Germany is one of the leading non-Arctic countries in polar research, Eicken said. While I am happy with my work at UAF, when AWI reached out about the position, it presented an opportunity to consider how I could be most helpful in terms of broader polar research. Eicken first came to UAF in 1998 as a sea ice researcher at the UAF Geophysical Institute. In 2015 he succeeded Larry Hinzman as IARCs third director since its founding in 1999. He is IARCs longest-serving director. UAF photo by Jen Moss Longtime UAF researcher and IARC leader Scott Rupp will serve as IARCs interim director. I love this university, Eicken said. I have been to a lot of research institutions in the U.S. and other countries and there is no place like what we have right here. While making the decision to leave was a difficult one, he said, IARC will be in great hands with Rupp, who served as deputy director for nine years. He is a very calm, measured and team-oriented leader, Eicken said. He has a strong understanding of the federal landscape and is uniquely primed to help move IARC forward in the interim. Rupp earned a doctorate in forest ecology from UAF in 1998 and joined the UAF faculty in 2001. He is the co-founder of the Scenarios Network for Alaska + Arctic Planning and has served as the university director for the Department of Interiors Alaska Climate Adaptation Science Center for 15 years. He served as IARCs deputy director from 2015 to 2024. IARC has been my home for the past 13 years and Im grateful for the opportunity to serve in this leadership role, Rupp said. We are well positioned to meet the opportunities and challenges of a changing Arctic, and I look forward to helping IARC continue its position on the cutting edge of science for the benefit of Alaska, the United States and the world. UAF will begin a search for a permanent director in the coming months, according to Laura Conner, UAF vice chancellor for research. IARC is known internationally for actionable, place-based Arctic science, thanks to excellent leadership and the hard work of the faculty, staff and students in the institute, she said. We look forward to placing a permanent leader who will continue to advance this work. ADDITIONAL CONTACTS: Scott Rupp, tsrupp@alaska.edu, 907-474-7535. Hajo Eicken, heicken@alaska.ed, 907-474-7280 157-26 Third 2026 mission launches from Poker Flat Research Range A tandem of NASA sounding rockets blasted off from Poker Flat Research Range at about 1:30 a.m. today on a mission to better understand how changes in the ionosphere influence the auroras appearance. Two rockets were launched 30 seconds apart to gather information from different points. The experiment is led by Dartmouth College physics and astronomy professor Kristina Lynch. Photos by Bryan Whitten Two NASA sounding rockets launched 30 seconds apart from Poker Flat Research Range early Feb. 10, 2026. The rockets carried instruments for a mission to learn how the ionosphere influences some visible features of the aurora. The launches marked the third successful mission and fourth rocket launched for Poker Flat in 12 days, a much tighter schedule than in previous years. The University of Alaska Fairbanks Geophysical Institute owns Poker Flat, located at Mile 30 Steese Highway, and operates it under a contract with Wallops Flight Facility, which is part of NASAs Goddard Space Flight Center. The Geophysical Non-Equilibrium Ionospheric System Science experiment that launched today studies how the upper atmosphere behaves when sudden bursts of energy, often linked to the aurora, disturb the ionosphere and push it out of its usual balance. The aurora is the visible indicator of the plasma physics that GNEISS is measuring. Each rocket carried a main payload of instruments to collect data about the ionospheres electric, magnetic and particle environment. They each also carried four small sub-payloads that were ejected to gather data from other points in the trajectory. Ground stations at several sites across central and northern Alaska photographed the experiment. The rockets also carried beacons that relayed additional signals to 11 ground receivers built by Lynchs students to determine the ionospheres density. The first of this seasons three missions launched Jan. 30. The Polar Night Nitric Oxide, or PolarNOx, mission sought to learn more about aurora-produced nitric oxide in the upper atmosphere. Nitric oxide, a gas, can travel to lower atmospheric levels, where it can damage Earths protective ozone layer. That mission is led by engineering professor Scott Bailey of Virginia Tech and is part of a longer PolarNOx project. A 2020 launch occurred when auroral activity was less frequent due to the sun just coming out of the low point of its 11-year cycle. The 2026 launch provided measurements during the cycles high point. The second mission launched early Monday. The mission had run out of time during 2025s launch window. The Black and Diffuse Aurora Science Surveyor mission is led by Marilia Samara of Goddard Space Flight Center. Black auroras form when streams of auroral particles temporarily create well-defined dark shapes that drift and evolve within the broader glow of a diffuse aurora. Diffuse auroras are typically faint and spread over large areas. ADDITIONAL CONTACT: Sarah Frazier, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, sarah.frazier@nasa.gov 158-26 PHNOM PENH, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia is in the process of drafting an anti-cyber scam law, aiming at increasing the efficiency of combating technology-based scams, said a Ministry of Justice news release on Wednesday. Deputy Prime Minister and Justice Minister Koeut Rith had led an inter-ministerial meeting to collect inputs for drafting a comprehensive bill, the news release said. The meeting was attended by high-level representatives from the Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Economy and Finance, National Bank of Cambodia, the government's attorney group, Ad-Hoc Committee to Combat Online Scams, National Committee for Counter Trafficking, and other law enforcement agencies. The draft law on anti-cyber scams will serve as an important and clear legal framework to enhance the efficiency of the prevention, interception and suppression of technology-based scams, the news release said. The legislation is being drafted in line with the United Nations Convention against Cybercrime, in which Cambodia is a signatory, it added. Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet said in a special message last month that the fight against cyber scams was one of the government's top priorities to secure peace, security, social safety and public order. The Southeast Asian country has launched an unprecedented nationwide crackdown on cyber scam networks in recent months, arresting and deporting thousands of online scam suspects back to their birth countries, according to the Ad-Hoc Committee to Combat Online Scams. TOKYO, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said in a recent television program that she was "trying to create an environment" that would allow her to visit the notorious Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo. Such alarming rhetoric not only reveals a disregard for historical justice but also exposes the intention of Japan's right wing to revive a past rooted in militarism. The Yasukuni Shrine is by no means an ordinary site for religious mourning and has long been a flashpoint in East Asia. Among the roughly 2.5 million war dead commemorated are 14 convicted Class-A war criminals from World War II. For many Asian countries including China, official visits by Japanese politicians to the shrine are viewed as moves to legitimize Japan's wartime aggression. Atrocities including the 1937 Nanjing Massacre, the coercion of "comfort women," forced labor, and biological warfare remain deeply embedded in the region's memory of the wartime horrors. At the heart of the matter is whether Japan can properly reckon with its history of aggression, show due regard for those who suffered, and abide by the basic norms of international relations. Critics argue that any attempt by a sitting prime minister to visit the shrine risks undermining Japan's repeated pledges to uphold a postwar identity rooted in pacifism. They see the language of "creating an environment" as signaling a calculated political effort to normalize actions that previous leaders have either avoided or handled with extreme caution. The debate over Yasukuni also intersects with broader shifts in Japan's security policy. In recent years, Tokyo has expanded defense spending, reinterpreted constitutional constraints on collective self-defense, and deepened military coordination with allies. Japan's conservative right has long sought to loosen the constraints of the postwar order. Talk of "creating an environment" is widely seen as an attempt to expand political space for a more assertive nationalist agenda. This year marks the 80th anniversary of the beginning of the Tokyo Trials, a milestone that has prompted renewed reflection across Asia on the legacy of World War II. In that context, Japan's pressing ahead on Yasukuni is likely to further strain relations with its neighboring countries and deepen Tokyo's diplomatic isolation. Any move that crosses clear historical red lines would be met with firm resistance from countries that see such steps as a direct affront to the postwar order. DHAKA, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- The World Bank's Board of Executive Directors has approved a 370 million U.S. dollars financing to revive rivers in the Bangladeshi capital Dhaka by improving sanitation and solid waste management services. The Metro Dhaka Water Security and Resilience Program will strengthen local and national institutions' capacity to reduce water pollution in the greater Dhaka, the Washington-based lender said in a statement received here Wednesday. It said the program introduces a results-based system to help city corporations and the water supply and sewerage authority deliver measurable improvements on the ground. It will provide safely managed sanitation services to 550,000 people and improved solid waste management services to 500,000 people, prioritizing communities most affected by pollution and service gaps. Newly released documents from the Department of Justice have placed Harvard academic Martin Nowak under intense scrutiny regarding his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein. These files include a series of private emails that have raised serious questions about the depth of their connection. As the public sifts through the details, many are left wondering how a respected professor became so closely linked to the disgraced financier. Public attention has shifted back to Harvard academic Martin Nowak as newly publicised Department of Justice records reveal unsettling email threads with the late financier. While the professor has not been charged or accused of any crime, this final collection of Epstein-related files has triggered intense debate across the worlds of politics, academia, and finance. The more that comes out, the more you start to wonder if we even know the half of how sick these people are. Harvard professor Martin Nowak emailed Ghislaine in 2002 to thank her for her hospitality. Then out of nowhere: i am so happy that i did not kill anybody. pic.twitter.com/9HDoaJUCcs The Epstein Files (@TheEpsteinFiles) February 3, 2026 This resurgence of scrutiny has prompted a broader conversation about how top-tier universities manage their donors, protect their reputations, and oversee internal leadership. It is a particularly sensitive issue for prestigious schools such as Harvard, which has found that its research circles have previously been linked to funding from Epstein. Cryptic Threads and Online Outcry When the Justice Department published more Epstein-linked records in early February 2026, Nowak was mentioned in several of the messages. Images of these exchanges gained traction online almost immediately, as people began questioning the strange and unsettling tone of the writing. I asked Martin Nowak (@DrMANowak) about the email communication with #Epstein. This is what he replied this morning. https://t.co/tsBducRukh pic.twitter.com/D74g3yTEH7 Tim Rohn (@Tim_Roehn) February 1, 2026 Reports show that Nowak once told Epstein, 'our spy was captured after completing her mission,' prompting Epstein to ask if he had 'torture[d] her.' Although the actual meaning of these words remains unclear, the text's nature has prompted outcry and fueled online theories. Jeffrey Epstein: Did you torture her? Martin Nowak is a Havard professor. pic.twitter.com/3BRXfyGJi0 (@Antunes1) January 31, 2026 It is worth noting that the records do not suggest any criminal activity, and there are currently no formal claims of wrongdoing against the professor. As noted by the Hindustan Times, nothing in these emails points toward illegal behaviour. The files instead present a series of unclear, open-ended exchanges between the two men, with no verified background information or follow-up details to clarify the discussion. The records also include references to various social and professional gatherings, such as dinners with high-profile intellectuals like Noam Chomsky. While Chomsky's name has appeared in Epstein-related files before, his inclusion in these specific documents is linked to entirely different contexts. Public interest was also piqued by a quick message from Nowak about 'time travel.' Experts who have since reviewed the files suggest this was likely a nod to scientific or theoretical debates, possibly linked to the fields of study Epstein had previously funded. Who is Martin Nowak? Martin Nowak is a prominent scholar at Harvard, where he teaches in the Departments of Biology and Mathematics. He is a world-renowned expert in the mathematical study of evolution, having conducted significant research on human cooperation, linguistic history, and the dynamics of infection and cancer. Nowak was born in Vienna in 1965 and pursued degrees in biochemistry and mathematics at the local university before moving to Oxford as an Erwin Schrodinger Scholar. Since joining the Harvard faculty in 2003, he has authored numerous papers in leading scientific journals, establishing a professional standing well before his name became linked to the Epstein files. A Crisis for University Ethics Although the documents do not charge Nowak with wrongdoing, their publication has reignited serious debates about how top-tier universities screen their donors and maintain transparency. Experts suggest that even indirect associations with controversial figures can threaten the reputations of schools that depend on public confidence, global ties, and private funding. While no direct financial damage has occurred yet, ongoing media attention could eventually affect funding streams and institutional ties, particularly if it leads to changes in university governance. For the time being, Harvard has not indicated any plans for disciplinary action, nor have any formal findings against the professor been made public. Originally published on IBTimes UK The numbers are staggering. Over nearly four decades, five elite American universities have accepted more than $2.3 billion from countries that federal law identifies as threats to national security. Harvard University leads the list with over $610 million from these "countries of concern." The Massachusetts Institute of Technology follows with over $490 million. New York University received over $462 million. Stanford University took in over $418 million. And Yale University accepted over $400 million. These aren't total foreign funding figuresthose are even higher. These are specifically from countries that the U.S. government has designated as involved in activities that threaten American national security, undermine democratic institutions, or engage in hostile intelligence operations. The revelations come from new Department of Education data released Tuesday, compiled through a federal reporting portal that the Trump administration launched to bring what Education Secretary Linda McMahon called "unprecedented transparency" to foreign funding of American universities. The data shows that between 1986 and December 2025, American colleges and universities disclosed receiving $67.6 billion in foreign gifts and contracts. In 2025 alone, institutions reported over $5.2 billion in foreign funding from more than 8,300 transactions. But perhaps most troubling: Universities reported over $2 billion late between February and December 2025, in direct violation of federal disclosure requirements. Four major institutionsHarvard, the University of Pennsylvania, UC Berkeley, and the University of Michiganare now under federal investigation for inaccurate and untimely disclosures. The question that these numbers raise is simple and urgent: What are foreign governments and entities getting for their billions of dollars? The "Countries of Concern" Designation Before diving deeper into the money, it's important to understand what "countries of concern" actually means. The designation comes from federal statute (42 U.S.C. 19221(a)(1)), which identifies nations involved in activities including: Threats to U.S. national security Undermining democratic institutions Hostile intelligence operations Technology theft and espionage Human rights violations State-sponsored terrorism support The specific countries aren't named in the Department of Education press release, but federal law and interagency designations typically include China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea, among others. The designation can also apply to entities within countries that aren't wholesale designatedfor example, specific companies, universities, or government agencies in otherwise friendly nations. What makes the $2.3 billion particularly significant is that universities knewor should have knownthey were accepting money from entities with these designations. Federal disclosure requirements specifically ask institutions to identify whether funding sources are from countries or entities of concern. Yet year after year, billions flowed from these sources into America's most prestigious universities. Harvard: $610 Million From Hostile Sources Harvard University stands alone at the top of the list. Since 1986, the institution has disclosed receiving over $610 million from counterparties located in countries of concern. To put that in perspective: $610 million is more than the total endowment of most American universities. It's enough to fully fund thousands of scholarships, build multiple research facilities, or endow dozens of professorships. But Harvardwhich already has an endowment exceeding $50 billionchose to accept these funds from sources the federal government identifies as national security threats. The disclosures don't detail exactly what this $610 million purchased. Did it fund specific research? Did it provide access to Harvard faculty expertise? Did it create relationships between foreign entities and American researchers working on sensitive projects? Did it influence what gets taught, studied, or published? Federal disclosure requirements mandate reporting the funding, but they don't require universities to explain what foreign entities received in return. That opacity is precisely what concerns national security experts. In 2025 alone, Harvard received over $324 million in total foreign funding from all sources, making it one of the top recipients of foreign gifts and contracts among American universities. The institution is currently under federal investigation for inaccurate foreign financial disclosures. The investigation raises troubling questions: If Harvard's disclosed $610 million from countries of concern is based on incomplete or inaccurate reporting, how much have they actually received? And what else haven't they disclosed? MIT: Nearly Half a Billion From National Security Threats The Massachusetts Institute of Technology has received over $490 million from countries of concern since 1986approaching half a billion dollars from entities that threaten American interests. This is particularly significant because MIT conducts enormous amounts of federally funded research in areas critical to national security: artificial intelligence, quantum computing, advanced materials, robotics, cybersecurity, and aerospace engineering. MIT's research often has direct defense and intelligence applications. The university works closely with the Department of Defense, intelligence agencies, and national laboratories on projects ranging from autonomous systems to encryption technologies. When foreign entities from countries of concern fund MIT research or forge relationships with MIT faculty, they potentially gain access to cutting-edge work with strategic value. Even if specific projects aren't directly funded by foreign sources, relationships built through foreign funding can create channels for knowledge transfer. In 2025, MIT received almost $1 billion in total foreign fundingmaking it one of only two universities (along with Carnegie Mellon) to receive nearly a billion dollars from foreign sources in a single year. The scale is breathtaking. Almost $1 billion in foreign funding in one year, with nearly half a billion from countries of concern over four decades. And MIT continues receiving federal research funding that significantly exceeds its foreign funding. This creates a troubling dynamic: American taxpayers fund research at MIT, while entities from hostile nations also fund the institution and build relationships with researchers whose work has national security implications. NYU, Stanford, Yale: The Billion-Dollar Club New York University ($462 million), Stanford University ($418 million), and Yale University ($400 million) round out the top five recipients of funding from countries of concern. Each institution has received over $400 million from these sources since 1986collectively taking in nearly $1.3 billion from entities designated as threats to American national security. New York University's $462 million is particularly notable given the institution's extensive international operations, including campuses in Abu Dhabi and Shanghai. NYU has built a global presence that creates numerous touch points with foreign governments and entitiessome of which evidently fall under countries of concern designations. Stanford University's $418 million comes despiteor perhaps because ofits position at the heart of Silicon Valley and its close relationships with technology companies. Stanford faculty and researchers often work on projects with commercial applications in areas from artificial intelligence to biotechnology, making foreign access to Stanford expertise potentially valuable for entities seeking to acquire or replicate American technological advantages. Stanford received over $775 million in total foreign funding in 2025 alone, making it one of the top recipients. The question is how much of that came from countries of concern, and what those entities received in return. Yale University's $400 million from countries of concern spans decades of foreign relationships. Like its Ivy League peers, Yale maintains extensive international partnerships, hosts large numbers of international students and visiting scholars, and conducts research across numerous fields with potential strategic applications. Yale's total foreign funding figures aren't broken out in the 2025 data, but its appearance in the top five for countries of concern funding suggests significant ongoing relationships with foreign entities despite their designation as national security threats. What the Money Buys Federal disclosure requirements mandate reporting foreign gifts and contracts over $250,000, but they don't require detailed explanations of what those funds purchase. This creates a transparency gap that makes it difficult to assess the full implications of foreign funding. However, research and reporting over the past several years has identified several categories of what foreign funding typically buys at American universities: Research access: Foreign entities fund specific research projects, gaining early or exclusive access to findings, methodologies, and expertise in fields ranging from biotechnology to artificial intelligence. Talent recruitment: Funding creates relationships with faculty and graduate students who become candidates for recruitment to work directly for foreign entities or share research through unofficial channels. Institutional influence: Major gifts can influence university decision-making, from academic programming to campus policies regarding topics sensitive to foreign donors. Technology transfer: Even when direct technology isn't transferred, funding creates relationships that facilitate knowledge sharing through conferences, collaborations, and informal exchanges. Reputation laundering: Associations with prestigious American universities provide legitimacy and prestige for foreign entities, particularly important for countries seeking to improve their international standing. Student and scholar exchanges: Funding often supports programs that bring students and visiting scholars from foreign countries to study at American universities, creating networks and relationships that outlast the formal programs. For the $2.3 billion that five elite universities received from countries of concern, some combination of these benefits presumably flowed to the foreign funders. The question is whether the value universities received justified accepting money from entities that threaten American interests. The Compliance Crisis Beyond the sheer scale of foreign funding from countries of concern, the new Department of Education data reveals a compliance crisis: Universities are breaking federal disclosure laws. Between February 28, 2025, and December 16, 2025, more than $2 billion in reportable gifts and contracts were disclosed late, in direct violation of statutory requirements under Section 117 of the Higher Education Act. Section 117 requires institutions receiving federal financial assistance to disclose foreign source gifts and contracts with values of $250,000 or more annually. The disclosures must be timely. Universities that fail to comply risk: Civil enforcement actions by the Department of Justice Costs of enforcement being recouped from the institution Loss of ability to participate in Title IV federal student aid programs That last consequence is potentially catastrophic. Title IV programs include Pell Grants, federal student loans, and work-study funding. Losing eligibility would devastate most universities' finances and make it nearly impossible for many students to afford attendance. Yet universities reported $2 billion late. Either they're fundamentally unable to track and report their foreign funding in compliance with federal law, or they're deliberately slow-rolling disclosures to avoid scrutiny. The Department of Education has already launched four investigations into major universitiesHarvard, Penn, UC Berkeley, and Michiganfor inaccurate and untimely foreign funding disclosures. More investigations are likely as officials review the newly disclosed data. Who's Funding American Universities? The 2025 data provides a revealing picture of which countries and entities are funneling money into American higher education. Qatar leads all countries with over $1.1 billion in disclosed funding in 2025 alone. This is particularly striking given Qatar's small size and population. The Gulf state is investing more heavily in American universities than China, the United Kingdom, or any other nation. The United Kingdom provided over $633 million in 2025, reflecting long-standing academic and research partnerships between American and British institutions. China disclosed over $528 million in 2025 funding to American universities. This figure has likely declined from previous years due to increased scrutiny and restrictions, but it remains substantial. Much of China's funding presumably falls under the "countries of concern" designation given ongoing tensions over technology theft, espionage, and national security. Switzerland ($451 million), Japan ($374 million), Germany ($292 million), and Saudi Arabia ($285 million) round out the top foreign funding sources for 2025. These figures represent only what was disclosed. Given the $2 billion in late reporting and ongoing investigations into inaccurate disclosures, the actual totals may be significantly higher. The Biggest Recipients: Carnegie Mellon and MIT While Harvard, MIT, NYU, Stanford, and Yale lead in funding from countries of concern over decades, the 2025 single-year data shows different patterns in total foreign funding. Carnegie Mellon University received almost $1 billion in foreign funding in 2025the highest total for any institution. Much of this likely relates to Carnegie Mellon's campus in Qatar, which receives substantial funding from the Qatari government. MIT also received almost $1 billion in foreign funding in 2025, making it tied with Carnegie Mellon for the highest annual foreign funding total. Stanford received over $775 million, and Harvard received over $324 million in total foreign funding in 2025. These numbers dwarf the budgets of most American universities. They represent massive financial relationships between elite institutions and foreign entitiesrelationships that create dependencies, influence, and access that extend far beyond simple financial transactions. The Trump Administration's Transparency Push The release of this data comes as part of what the Trump administration describes as an unprecedented transparency initiative regarding foreign funding of American universities. "Thanks to the Trump Administration's new accountability portal, the American people have unprecedented visibility into the foreign dollars flowing into our colleges and universitiesincluding funding from countries and entities that are involved in activities that threaten America's national security," Education Secretary Linda McMahon said in a statement. The new reporting portal, launched at foreignfundinghighered.gov, represents a significant upgrade from previous disclosure systems. It includes 11 additional data elementsa 61% increase in data points made available to the publicand new data visualization capabilities that make it easier to track foreign funding patterns. McMahon specifically criticized "years of neglect by the Biden Administration, which failed to effectively enforce Section 117 and shuttered public-facing accountability instruments." The Biden administration's approach to foreign funding disclosures was indeed markedly different. While Section 117 has existed since 1986, enforcement was inconsistent across administrations. The Trump administration has made foreign funding transparency a priority, launching investigations, upgrading reporting systems, and publicly releasing data in ways designed to generate scrutiny. This political dimension adds complexity to the data. Supporters argue the transparency is long overdue and essential for national security. Critics suggest the focus on foreign fundingparticularly from Chinareflects broader geopolitical tensions rather than genuine concerns about academic integrity. Regardless of political motivations, the data itself is revealing. American universities have accepted billions of dollars from countries of concern, often with minimal public accountability for what those funds purchased. What Universities Say Universities defend foreign funding as essential to their global missions and research capabilities. Institutions argue that: Global collaboration drives innovation: Scientific and academic progress requires international cooperation. Funding from foreign sources enables partnerships that advance human knowledge. International students and scholars enrich education: Universities serve students and researchers from around the world, and foreign funding often supports programs that make this possible. Transparency already exists: Universities note they comply with federal disclosure requirements (albeit sometimes late) and that funding sources are generally known to relevant stakeholders. Academic freedom protects integrity: Universities maintain that academic freedom and institutional policies prevent foreign funders from improperly influencing research or teaching. National benefits exceed risks: The knowledge, talent, and innovation that result from international engagement benefit America more than the risks of foreign influence. These arguments have merit. International collaboration has produced enormous scientific and technological advances. Many foreign-funded programs serve legitimate educational purposes. And universities do have policies designed to protect academic integrity. But the sheer scale of funding from countries of concern$2.3 billion to just five institutionsraises questions about whether existing safeguards are sufficient. The National Security Perspective National security experts view the foreign funding differently than university administrators do. From a national security perspective, the concerns include: Strategic intelligence gathering: Foreign entities use funding relationships to identify, recruit, and cultivate American researchers working on sensitive projects. Even unclassified research can provide valuable intelligence when aggregated. Technology acquisition: Funding creates channels for foreign entities to access American technological expertise and innovations before they're publicly available or commercialized. Talent pipelines: Foreign funding helps identify promising graduate students and researchers who can be recruited to work for foreign governments or companies, draining American talent. Influence operations: Substantial funding gives foreign entities leverage over institutional decisions, potentially limiting criticism or shaping programming to align with foreign interests. Economic espionage: In fields with commercial applications, foreign funding can facilitate transfer of intellectual property that undermines American economic competitiveness. Dependency creation: Large foreign funding flows create financial dependencies that make universities reluctant to sever relationships even when security concerns emerge. These risks don't mean all foreign funding threatens national security. But $2.3 billion from countries of concernentities specifically designated as threatsrepresents a genuine vulnerability that may not be adequately managed by current policies. The Regulatory Gap Current federal regulations require disclosure of foreign funding but don't actually restrict it. The Department of Education has no authority to prohibit universities from accepting money from countries of concern. Section 117 requires disclosure of foreign gifts and contracts over $250,000. That's it. Universities must report the funding, but they're free to accept it regardless of the source. This creates a regulatory gap. Universities must disclose that they're taking money from entities that threaten national security, but nothing prevents them from taking that money. And if they fail to disclose or disclose late, the penaltieswhile potentially severeare rarely enforced. The Department of Education's recent investigations represent a more aggressive enforcement posture, but the fundamental problem remains: Current law provides transparency but not restriction. Some policymakers have proposed legislation that would: Prohibit universities from accepting funding from designated hostile foreign entities Require more detailed disclosures about what foreign funding purchases Mandate security reviews of foreign-funded research in sensitive fields Impose automatic penalties for disclosure violations Create federal oversight of certain international partnerships None of these proposals have been enacted. Until they are, universities remain free to accept billions from countries of concern as long as they disclose iteventually. What Happens Next The release of comprehensive foreign funding data through the new portal creates pressure for action from multiple directions. Congressional scrutiny: Members of Congress concerned about foreign influence will use this data to press for hearings, investigations, and potentially new legislation restricting foreign funding. Administrative enforcement: The Department of Education has already launched four investigations and will likely pursue more based on the newly disclosed data, particularly focusing on late or inaccurate reporting. Public pressure: Transparency about funding from countries of concern will fuel activism from groups concerned about foreign influence, potentially affecting university reputations and donor relations. University policy changes: Institutions may voluntarily restrict or screen foreign funding more carefully to avoid controversy, even without legal requirements to do so. Geopolitical tensions: Broader U.S.-China tensions and concerns about other adversarial nations will continue driving political focus on foreign funding regardless of specific university actions. The data shows that five elite universities have taken $2.3 billion from countries of concern over nearly four decades. That's already happenedthe money is spent, the relationships are established, and whatever benefits foreign entities received have already been delivered. The question now is whether American universities will continue accepting billions from entities that threaten national security, or whether transparency will finally create accountability. The Bottom Line Harvard: $610 million from countries of concern. MIT: $490 million. NYU: $462 million. Stanford: $418 million. Yale: $400 million. These aren't abstractions. They're real dollars from real entities that federal law identifies as threats to American national security. Over nearly forty years, five elite universities accepted $2.3 billion from these sources. For context, that's more than the entire endowments of hundreds of American universities. It's enough to fully fund world-class research programs, provide scholarships to tens of thousands of students, or build state-of-the-art facilities across multiple campuses. Instead, it flowed from countries of concern into institutions that already have billions in endowments and receive billions more in federal research funding. What did those countries and entities receive in return? The disclosure requirements don't fully answer that question. But they got somethingaccess, influence, knowledge, relationships, or capabilities they valued enough to invest billions of dollars over decades. The new Department of Education portal makes this information public. What happens with that transparencywhether it leads to meaningful accountability or becomes just another data point in ongoing political debatesremains to be seen. But at minimum, American taxpayers and students now know: The most elite American universities have taken billions from countries that threaten national security. And they're still doing it. In Michigan, 31-year-old Sarah Martinez had spent seven years working retail jobs since leaving community college in 2018. Like millions of Americans, she had some college credits but no degreeuntil Michigan Reconnect changed everything. "I never thought I'd go back," Martinez says. "But when I heard the state would cover tuition and give me a navigator to help me through, I finally felt like I could finish what I started." Martinez is part of an unprecedented wave reshaping American higher education. According to the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center, over one million adults returned to college during the 2023-24 academic yearthe highest re-enrollment figure ever recorded. By the Numbers 43.1 million Americans have some college credit but no degree Americans have some college credit but no degree 1+ million adults re-enrolled in 2023-24, the highest on record adults re-enrolled in 2023-24, the highest on record 42 states and DC saw increases in re-enrollment and DC saw increases in re-enrollment Massachusetts led with 35.2% increase in re-enrollment led with 35.2% increase in re-enrollment 66.7% of stop-outs are under age 35 Source: National Student Clearinghouse The Stop-Out Crisis Meets the Labor Market Squeeze The timing couldn't be more critical. As employers project only a 1.6% increase in hiring for new college graduates in 2026, the economy faces a paradox: companies desperately need skilled workers, but millions of Americans remain trapped between their unfinished education and career advancement. "We're sitting on an untapped talent pool of epic proportions," says Dr. Matthew Holsapple, Senior Director of Research at the National Student Clearinghouse. "These aren't people who failed at collegethey're adults who hit a bump in the road and just need a pathway back." The demographics tell a compelling story. Nearly two-thirds of stop-out students last attended community colleges, institutions that traditionally serve working adults and non-traditional learners. These students didn't leave because of academic failurethey left because of financial pressure, family obligations, or life circumstances that made continuing impossible. State Programs Lead the Charge What's changed? States have stopped leaving re-enrollment efforts solely to individual institutions and started coordinating comprehensive, statewide initiatives that combine funding, technology, and personalized support. Michigan Reconnect Offers free in-district community college tuition to residents aged 25 and older without a degree. The program provides dedicated "Reconnect Navigators" who serve as single points of contact throughout the re-enrollment journey. Results: Approximately 70% of participants remain enrolled year-over-year. Men in the program complete 85% of attempted credits and are 18 percentage points more likely to stay enrolled than non-Reconnect men. Source: American Institute for Boys and Men Massachusetts MassReconnect & MassTransfer Streamlines credit transfers and offers associate degrees or certificates retroactively to students who completed sufficient coursework but never finished a credential. Results: Massachusetts saw a nationwide-leading 35.2% increase in re-enrollment in 2023-24. Source: National Student Clearinghouse Colorado CORE Initiative Allows public four-year institutions to award associate degrees to students who stopped out in the last decade with 70 credit hours under their beltwithout requiring re-enrollment. Results: Despite having the 20th-largest stop-out population, Colorado had the 7th-highest number of first credential earners, with 2,100 awards in 2023-24 (up 1,200 from the previous year). Source: National Student Clearinghouse Tennessee Reconnect Provides personalized support through dedicated navigators who guide students through re-enrollment and continue supporting them after they return to campus. Mississippi Complete 2 Compete Uses the state's data system to identify near-completers and engages them through personalized advertising, social media, direct mail, and email outreach. Results: 1,127 learners currently enrolled; 3,057 degrees awarded to date. Source: Workforce Monitor What Works: The Three-Pillar Approach Research from ReUp Education and the Bipartisan Policy Center has identified three critical components for successful re-engagement programs: 1. Affordability Cost remains the single biggest barrier. A Lumina Foundation survey found that 63% of stop-outs said free tuition would encourage their return, while 58% cited free textbooks and course materials as crucial. "We can't just tell people to come back and expect them to find a way to pay," explains Terah Crews, CEO of ReUp Education. "Financial aid programs designed for 18-year-olds don't address the reality of a 32-year-old parent working full-time." 2. Personalized Navigation Stop-out students face unique challengesfrom resolving stranded credits and outstanding balances to navigating changed degree requirements. Programs that provide dedicated advisors see dramatically better outcomes. At Florida State University, a dedicated half-time position focused solely on students who completed more than 100 semester hours provides consistent support and institutional knowledge that accelerates degree completion. 3. Flexible Pathways Online programs, hybrid schedules, competency-based education, and credit for prior learning make it possible for working adults to fit education into already-full lives. "I'm taking two classes online and one hybrid," Martinez says. "I couldn't do this if I had to be on campus every day. I work 30 hours a week and have two kids." The Equity Imperative While overall re-enrollment is rising, significant gaps remain. Men are 29% more likely than women to stop out and 32% less likely to re-enroll. In Michigan, Tennessee, North Carolina, Massachusetts, and Louisiana, re-enrollment programs enroll roughly twice as many women as men. Racial disparities also persist in outcomes. While Black and multiracial undergraduate enrollments saw the largest increases among demographic groups (10.3% and 8.5% respectively in Spring 2024), persistence rates after re-enrollment remain lower for students of color compared to White and Asian students. "Minority students represent a disproportionately larger share of the stop-out population compared to the current undergraduate population," notes the National Student Clearinghouse. "Getting them back is only half the battlewe need to ensure they can finish." The Workforce Connection The push to re-enroll stop-outs isn't just about educational attainmentit's about economic survival. As ZipRecruiter's 2026 labor market analysis reveals, the U.S. faces significant demographic constraints on labor supply, with an aging workforce and reduced immigration creating critical skills gaps. Particularly in healthcare, where demand is surging, the pipeline of trained professionals depends on accessible educational pathways. Undergraduate certificate programs, which rose 4.8% in 2024 and now stand 20% above 2020 levels, represent one solutionbut only if adult learners can access them. 88% of entry-level jobs no longer explicitly mention college degree requirements in job descriptions, yet employers increasingly value the skills and credentials that college provides. Source: ZipRecruiter Economic Research Barriers That Remain Despite record re-enrollment, challenges persist. The stop-out population continues to grow faster than re-enrollment rates. Between January 2022 and July 2023, 2.1 million new students stopped outfar outpacing the one million who returned. Key obstacles include: Outstanding balances: The Ohio College Comeback Compact addresses this by providing up to $5,000 in debt forgiveness for students with unpaid balances who re-enroll at participating institutions. The Ohio College Comeback Compact addresses this by providing up to $5,000 in debt forgiveness for students with unpaid balances who re-enroll at participating institutions. Stranded credits: Many students completed substantial coursework that doesn't easily transfer or apply to changed degree requirements. Many students completed substantial coursework that doesn't easily transfer or apply to changed degree requirements. Competing priorities: Work, family, childcare, and elder care responsibilities make traditional enrollment models impossible for many adults. Work, family, childcare, and elder care responsibilities make traditional enrollment models impossible for many adults. Fear and stigma: Some students worry about returning to an institution where they previously struggled or left under difficult circumstances. The Path Forward As traditional college enrollment faces continued pressure and the widely-discussed "enrollment cliff" begins to materialize in 2026, institutions can no longer afford to ignore the 43 million Americans with some college but no degree. "These students represent institutional investment already made," says Doug Shapiro, Executive Director of the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center. "They're not starting from zerothey just need a bridge to the finish line." For states, the calculus is equally clear. As 46 states have specific postsecondary attainment goals, stop-outs represent the most efficient path to reaching those targets. They've already demonstrated commitment to higher education and need less foundational support than first-time students. "They're reviving college aspirations that had been put on hold years before. And states and institutions are working to make it even easier for more students to do so in the future." Doug Shapiro, National Student Clearinghouse Research Center Stories of Success Back in Michigan, Sarah Martinez is now six months from completing her associate degree in business administration. She's already been promoted at work based on skills from her coursework, and she's planning to continue toward a bachelor's degree. "I used to think I was someone who started things and didn't finish them," she reflects. "Now I know I was just someone who needed the right support at the right time." Across the country, a million others are writing similar storiesproof that second chances in higher education aren't just possible, they're transforming lives, strengthening the workforce, and redefining what it means to be a college student in 2026. Resources for Stop-Out Students Looking to return to college? Check if your state has a re-enrollment program: Michigan Reconnect Massachusetts MassReconnect Colorado CORE Initiative Tennessee Reconnect Mississippi Complete 2 Compete National Resources: Small businesses, entrepreneurs and startups will have an opportunity to learn about foreign ownership, control or influence in federal contracting during a webinar Wednesday, Feb. 18. The Wyoming APEX Accelerator will sponsor Understanding Foreign Ownership, Control or Influence (FOCI) in Federal Contracting, a webinar scheduled 11 a.m.-noon. To register, go here. The event is co-hosted by the Montana APEX Accelerator. Wyoming APEX Accelerator, part of the Wyoming Small Business Development Center (SBDC) Network housed at the University of Wyoming, is the states expert in government contracting assistance. During the webinar, attendees will receive a high-level overview of FOCI. This session will demystify the concept, explain compliance requirements and outline practical steps to identify and mitigate potential FOCI risks. Whether a business is currently contracting with the federal government or exploring new contract opportunities, this webinar will help businesses strengthen their readiness and protect their eligibility in the federal marketplace. For more information, call Tyler Schanck, marketing, communications and database manager for the Wyoming SBDC Network, at (307) 343-0925 or email tschanck@uwyo.edu. The Wyoming SBDC Network offers business expertise to help Wyoming residents think about, launch, grow, reinvent or exit their business. The Wyoming SBDC Network is supported by state funds from the Wyoming Business Council and funded, in part, through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration. A woman shows an official first day cover with the newly-issued Year of the Horse stamps in Suva, Fiji, Feb. 10, 2026. Post Fiji and the China Cultural Center in Fiji jointly issued a set of commemorative stamps marking the upcoming Chinese New Year of the Horse in the capital city of Suva on Tuesday evening. (Photo by Chen Peng/Xinhua) SUVA, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- Post Fiji and the China Cultural Center in Fiji jointly issued a set of commemorative stamps marking the upcoming Chinese New Year of the Horse in the capital city of Suva on Tuesday evening. While addressing the launch ceremony, Charan Jeath Singh, Fiji's Minister for Multi-Ethnic Affairs, Culture, Heritage and Arts, said that the horse symbolizes vitality, perseverance and progress. He expressed hope that the Year of the Horse would usher in continued cooperation, deeper cultural exchange and an enduring friendship between Fiji and China. Wang Yuan, Charge d'Affaires a.i. of the Chinese Embassy in Fiji, said the celebration not only enhanced the festive atmosphere but also built a bridge for people-to-people exchanges, bringing the two nations closer together. "These exquisite stamps, designed with intricate artistry, capture the majestic horse in a joyful galloping stance, inspiring us all to gallop forward with optimism and grace," said Isaac Mow, Chief Executive Officer of Post Fiji. Mow noted that this marks the 11th consecutive year that Fiji and China have jointly issued Chinese zodiac stamps. This photo taken on Feb. 10, 2026 shows the launching ceremony of commemorative stamps marking the upcoming Chinese New Year of the Horse in Suva, Fiji. Post Fiji and the China Cultural Center in Fiji jointly issued a set of commemorative stamps marking the upcoming Chinese New Year of the Horse in the capital city of Suva on Tuesday evening. (Photo by Chen Peng/Xinhua) The FBI seizure of 2020 ballots in the southern state of Georgia stemmed from a criminal probe launched by an advisor to US President Donald Trump who backed his failed bid to overturn the election, according to a search warrant unveiled Tuesday. FBI agents last month raided election offices in Georgia's Fulton County, which includes the heavily Democratic capital Atlanta, removing hundreds of boxes of ballots and other materials related to the 2020 vote, which Trump has falsely claimed that he won. Fulton County officials filed a lawsuit demanding their return and District Judge JP Boulee, a Trump nominee, ordered the unsealing on Tuesday of the search warrant affidavit used to justify the seizure. According to the document, the FBI is conducting a probe into allegations of "electoral impropriety" in the 2020 election and "whether any of the improprieties were intentional acts that violated federal criminal laws." "The FBI criminal investigation originated from a referral sent by Kurt Olsen, Presidentially appointed Director of Election Security and Integrity," it said. As potential evidence of fraud, the affidavit cited a number of previously aired claims about the 2020 vote in Fulton County, some of which have been proven false. Olsen was among the members of Trump's 2020 legal team who filed dozens of lawsuits contesting the results that were tossed out by courts around the country. Trump nevertheless continues to falsely claim that he won the 2020 election over Democrat Joe Biden. Trump narrowly lost to Biden in Georgia in 2020 and urged a state election official in a phone call before the tallies were finalized to help him "find 11,780 votes" he needed to win. The Republican president and others were charged in Georgia over their alleged efforts to subvert the election, but the prosecutor became embroiled in scandal and the case was ultimately dismissed in November 2025. Trump also faced federal charges over his alleged election subversion efforts that led to the January 6, 2021, riot at the US Capitol by his supporters. Those charges were dropped after Trump was elected in November 2024. Fulton County chairman Rob Pitts, speaking to reporters following the FBI raid, said the county has been targeted because he "stood up to Donald Trump's big lie." "Every audit, every recount, every court ruling has confirmed what we the people of Fulton County already knew: our elections were fair and accurate, and every legal vote was counted," the official said. US elections are administered by individual states, but Trump recently floated the idea of Republicans moving to "nationalize the voting" in certain areas over his unfounded fraud claims. cl/nro The World Health Organization on Wednesday urged Washington to share any intelligence it may be withholding on the Covid-19 pandemic's origins, despite the United States quitting the WHO. The global catastrophe killed an estimated 20 million people, according to the UN health agency, while shredding economies, crippling health systems and turning people's lives upside-down. The first cases were detected in Wuhan in China in late 2019, and understanding where the SARS-CoV-2 virus came from is seen as key to preventing future pandemics. On his first day back in office in January 2025, US President Donald Trump handed the WHO his country's one-year withdrawal notice, which cited "the organisation's mishandling of the Covid-19 pandemic". Trump's administration has officially embraced the theory that the virus leaked from a virology laboratory in Wuhan. But the WHO said Washington did not hand over any Covid origins intelligence before marching out the organisation's door. WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus recalled that some countries have publicly said "they have intelligence about the origins -- especially the US". Therefore, several months ago, the UN health agency wrote to senior officials in the United States, urging them to "share any intelligence information that they have", he told a press conference on Wednesday. "We haven't received any information," Tedros lamented. "We hope they will share, because we haven't still concluded the Covid origins," and "knowing what happened could help us to prevent the next" pandemic. The WHO's investigations have proved inconclusive, pending further evidence, with all hypotheses still on the table. Tedros asked any government which had intelligence on the Covid-19 pandemic's origins to share the information so that the WHO will be able to reach a conclusion. - Critical information 'obstructed' - Maria Van Kerkhove, the WHO's epidemic and pandemic threat management chief, said: "We continue to follow up with all governments that have said that they have intelligence reports, the US included. "We don't have those reports to date," she said, other than those in the public domain. As the US notice countdown expired on January 22, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said the WHO had "obstructed the timely and accurate sharing of critical information that could have saved American lives". They also claimed the WHO had "tarnished and trashed everything that America has done for it". "The reverse is true," the WHO said in reply. The WHO constitution does not include a withdrawal clause. But the United States reserved the right to withdraw when it joined the WHO in 1948 -- on condition of giving one year's notice and meeting its financial obligations in full for that fiscal year. The notice period has now expired but Washington has still not paid its 2024 or 2025 dues, owing around $260 million, according to data published by the WHO. rjm/nl/rlp BANGKOK, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- One person was injured after a gunman opened fire and took a number of students and teachers hostage at a school in southern Thailand on Wednesday, local media reported. The incident began at around 4:45 p.m. local time in the Hat Yai district of Songkhla province, when the assailant breached the school premises near dismissal time. Local police, alongside special operations units and rescue teams, have cordoned off the area to contain the situation. Authorities are currently evacuating individuals while administrative officials try to negotiate with the gunman. VANDALIA, Ill. (WAND) - A man charged with the murder of a 14-year-old Illinois girl in November 2025 appeared in court Tuesday. The court found Arnold Rivera is fit to stand trial during a fitness hearing. WAND News partner KSDK reported in November that 14-year-old Kylie Toberman was reported missing in November, only to later be found dead. Rivera was charged with first-degree murder, one count each of aggravated criminal sexual assault and concealing a homicidal death. Court records said that Rivera's jury trial is scheduled for April. More Coverage: New! The latest from WAND in your inbox Sign up for our newsletters to receive breaking news and daily headlines. Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. Error! There was an error processing your request. New Crossing Healthcare CEO discusses serving area patients, organization's future IL bills could increase access for mental health crisis care, substance use treatment 82-year-old killed in fiery Champaign County crash identified Leland Grove police chief arrested on DUI, domestic battery charges Copyright 2026. WAND TV. All rights reserved. ROCHESTER, Ill. (WAND) - The Rochester school board is considering serious cuts to balance its budget. In January, district leaders announced just over $3 million in cuts as part of a deficit reduction plan. Teachers and parents spoke out during a community forum on Tuesday night, sharing their concerns about the cuts. Some staff even proposed their own creative ideas to save the district money. "The educators and students are the heart and soul of our district. Our children need to know we love them and feel like we have the time for them," said one staff member. The district is set to vote on the proposed plan during its next meeting on Feb. 18. New! The latest from WAND in your inbox Sign up for our newsletters to receive breaking news and daily headlines. Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. Error! There was an error processing your request. Top Stories: A person has been detained for questioning in the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie, AP sources say Man who showered in alcohol to clean evidence pleads guilty to murder Argument between riders led to shooting at Decatur Moves van 17-year-old killed, 19-year-old injured in Champaign shooting Copyright 2026. WAND TV. All rights reserved. MOWEAQUA, Ill. (WAND) - Many residents in the Village of Moweaqua have concerns over how taxpayer dollars are being spent. Village leaders discussed finances after discovering that comp time and overtime budgets have been overspent. "This problem did not happen overnight, and the goal was for the board to work with our auditor and make the necessary changes to correct this," said Mayor Shawn Conlin. Voters asked the board for answers Tuesday night. One said they received official documents showing Police Chief Christopher Hale has misused comp time, racking up more than $20,000. Residents believe the hours the chief logged do not add up. One resident explained that the comp hours listed add up to 984 hours, leaving a discrepancy of 359 hours. "The reports for the years '23, '24 and '25 indicate that Chief Hale received 625 comp hours, amounting to a total of $23,339," said one resident during public comment. The board tabled an agenda item that would change village policies about comp time and overtime. Board members said they need time to review the changes before taking a vote. New! The latest from WAND in your inbox Sign up for our newsletters to receive breaking news and daily headlines. Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. Error! There was an error processing your request. "If you're going to change it, it's time to change it and make it right," said chairman Angela Locke. There will be a meeting with the village auditor to review the payroll on at 5:30 p.m. Feb. 18, but public comment will not be allowed during this meeting. Village leaders said this audit is the first step in solving this financial issue. More Coverage: ANKARA, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- Turkiye has announced a major reshuffle in senior judicial and administrative posts, with Akin Gurlek appointed as minister of justice and Mustafa Ciftci minister of interior, according to a presidential decision published on Wednesday. The appointment decisions, signed by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, were published in the Official Gazette. The requests for resignation submitted by Justice Minister Yilmaz Tunc and Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya were accepted, the decree said, without giving a reason for their resignation. Gurlek, the former chief public prosecutor of Istanbul, has been in the spotlight because of his rulings and investigations in several high-profile political cases. Meanwhile, Ciftci has a background in regional administration, having served as the governor of Erzurum Province since 2023. MAHOMET, Ill. (WAND) - A Mahomet man has been arrested and charged after police said multiple children under the age of 10 reported sexual abuse. The Mahomet Police Department arrested Willie Luckett, 64, on preliminary charges of predatory criminal sexual assault of a child on Feb. 7. The police department was notified by the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services on Jan. 14 that multiple children under the age of 10 had made allegations of sexual abuse involving Luckett. The children were living at a residence they shared with Luckett in Mahomet and had been left in Lucketts care on multiple occasions, police said. Mahomet Police Department conducted a criminal investigation and worked in coordination with the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, the Champaign County Childrens Advocacy Center, the Champaign County States Attorneys Office, and the Champaign Police Department. According to court documents, Luckett was granted pretrial release on Tuesday. New! The latest from WAND in your inbox Sign up for our newsletters to receive breaking news and daily headlines. Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. Error! There was an error processing your request. Top Stories: Argument between riders led to shooting at Decatur Moves van Residents raise concerns over police chiefs comp time in Moweaqua Speed limit reduced on Route 51 through Maroa Man charged in death of 14-year-old IL girl found fit to stand trial Copyright 2026. WAND TV. All rights reserved. SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WAND) State lawmakers could pass bills this spring to increase access to behavioral healthcare by requiring insurance companies to expand coverage. Sponsors told reporters in Chicago Monday that there is still too much red tape blocking providers from giving the best care to patients. The General Assembly has passed several massive mental healthcare plans in recent years, but people still struggle to get help during a mental health crisis. A new proposal could require health insurance companies to pay their fair share for mental health crisis services. Insurance companies currently shift the cost onto Medicaid and taxpayers, resulting in avoidable emergency room visits, hospitalizations, or involvement with the criminal justice system. However, some lawmakers believe Illinois should adopt an annual fee on health insurance companies to help sustain crisis services. The money would go directly to the state's 9-8-8 trust fund. "Private insurers pay for ambulances, right? They pay for ER visits," said Rep. Lindsey LaPointe (D-Chicago). "So, with this surcharge, we are asking them to chip in to the 9-8-8 mobile crisis and crisis stabilization units because mental healthcare is healthcare." New! The latest from WAND in your inbox Sign up for our newsletters to receive breaking news and daily headlines. Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. Error! There was an error processing your request. Sponsors said this plan could generate funding without raising taxes and reduce pressure on the state budget. Massachusetts enacted similar legislation charging insurance companies $33.7 million annually to fund mental health crisis care. "This is about access, dignity and making sure that when someone needs care, they can get it without delay and without financial hardship," said Sen. Karina Villa (D-West Chicago). Another measure could require insurance companies to cover the diagnosis and treatment of substance use disorders. The bill would also ban prior authorization for outpatient substance use treatment. "We have more to do to relieve the administrative burden, and we have more to do to connect people with continuing care when they come out of a crisis or when they come out of a hospital," LaPointe said. Lawmakers could discuss both bills when they return to the Capitol next week. Copyright 2026. WAND TV. All rights reserved. Napoli heart transplant case widens as investigations focus on dry ice and organ damage The heart transplant case involving a two-year-old child in Napoli has escalated, with prosecutors in both Naples and Bolzano opening investigations after reports that the donor organ may have been damaged during transport. According to emerging details, the heart destined for the child was allegedly placed in direct contact with dry ice during transfer, leading to what sources have described as carbonisation or severe tissue damage. The organ was reportedly deemed unusable after arrival. The child, who had already been prepared for surgery, remains in critical condition and attached to life-support systems. Three investigations opened Authorities in Naples and Bolzano are now conducting parallel inquiries to determine where responsibility may lie in the chain of custody and whether established transplant transport protocols were violated. A third investigation is also reportedly underway, focusing on possible administrative and procedural failures. The transport of donor organs follows strict national and international guidelines. Hearts, in particular, must be preserved at controlled temperatures using specialised medical containers. Direct exposure to dry ice, if confirmed, would represent a serious breach of protocol. The Italian National Transplant Centre is expected to review documentation, preservation methods, and communication between the hospitals involved. Family learned from television The case has sparked additional controversy after the childs mother said she learned of the alleged error through television reports rather than directly from medical staff. My little boy risks his life, she said, adding that he remains in intensive care. The claim has intensified public anger and shifted attention beyond clinical responsibility to the hospitals communication practices. In high-risk pediatric cases, families are typically informed of every development in real time. If the mothers account is confirmed, it could represent a serious breakdown in transparency. A systemic question Transplant medicine is one of the most tightly regulated sectors of healthcare. Organ compatibility, timing, and preservation conditions are governed by precise procedures designed to minimise risk. The suggestion that improper handling during transport may have compromised the organ raises systemic questions. If investigators confirm that the heart was damaged due to incorrect use of dry ice, attention will likely turn to whether training, oversight, or coordination between medical centres failed. Beyond liability While legal accountability will be determined by prosecutors, the human cost remains central. For families awaiting pediatric transplants, each organ offer represents a rare and fragile opportunity. A lost organ can mean prolonged waiting times and heightened medical risk. The childs current condition remains the priority. Meanwhile, the unfolding investigations will seek to clarify whether this was an isolated procedural erroror evidence of deeper structural weaknesses in organ transport protocols. The outcome could have implications not only for the hospitals involved but for transplant logistics across Italy. The Vatican Banks New Financial Frontier: Equity Indexes With Catholic Values. In a move that could reshape how faith and finance intersect, theformally the(IOR), has launched its first equity indexes designed to reflect Catholic teaching and ethics. The announcement marks a significant expansion of the banks investment strategy and lays the groundwork for potential future financial products, including exchange-traded funds (ETFs). A First Step Into The Index World For the first time in its history, the Vatican Bank has partnered with global financial firmto create two equity indexes: theand the. Each index selects 50 medium- and large-cap stocks that align with Catholic values, including respect for life, human dignity, social responsibility and environmental stewardship. Unlike traditional benchmarks, which focus mainly on market performance, these new indexes incorporate moral and ethical criteria. Companies with business lines that contradict Catholic teachings, such as involvement in pornography, contraception, tobacco, or industries with controversial ethical concerns, are excluded. Why This Matters in the Financial World Equity indexes are widely used as benchmarks for investment products such as mutual funds and ETFs. By launching these indexes, the Vatican Bank is positioning itself to potentially offer Catholic-aligned ETFs in the future, a product that would allow investors to gain diversified market exposure while staying true to their ethical beliefs. This would mark the first time the Vatican itself has stepped into such a product-creation role. Ethical and socially responsible investing has grown substantially in recent years, with investors increasingly seeking products that reflect personal values as well as financial goals. The Vaticans move taps into that trend, offering a faith-based alternative to traditional indexes. A Broader Reputation Shift at the IOR The initiative also reflects broader reforms at the IOR. For decades, the Vatican Bank was dogged by scandals involving corruption, money laundering and lack of transparency. In the years before Pope Franciss passing in 2025, significant efforts were made to clean up its operations and restore credibility. The launch of these indexes signals a continued commitment to transparency and values-based finance. Whats Inside the Indexes? While full details of the two indexes vary, preliminary information points to a mix of well-known global companies that meet the Catholic principles screen. For example: In European markets, holdings may include ASML Holding, Deutsche Telekom and SAP, among others. In the U.S., technology and financial sectors figure prominently, with names like Meta, Amazon, Nvidia, Apple and JP Morgan featuring in early listings. The criteria go beyond financial performance to emphasize values alignment, excluding firms involved in activities deemed inconsistent with Catholic doctrine. What Comes Next? Launching indexes is only the first step. Financial experts say these indexes could eventually serve as the basis for ETFs or other Catholic-focused investment products, potentially creating new choices for faith-oriented investors around the world. Some investors already allocate billions to Catholic-aligned funds; the Vaticans involvement could further legitimize and expand this niche within mainstream markets. If ETFs do emerge from these indexes, they could attract interest from both Catholic institutions and individual investors seeking ethical investment vehicles tied to religious values. In short the Vatican Banks debut into equity indexes signals a bold blending of spirituality and finance. By grounding investment selection in Catholic ethical frameworks, the Churchs financial arm is embracing modern markets while staying rooted in tradition, a balancing act that could open up new paths for values-based investing worldwide. Akbar Novruz The United States is continuing to supply military equipment and weapons to the Middle East, with fresh flight-tracking data indicating sustained airlift activity from Europe toward the region, Azernews reports. Open-source aviation data shows multiple US military aircraft operating along established corridors from Western and Central Europe through southeastern Europe and Turkiye, before heading toward destinations in the eastern Mediterranean and the Middle East. The flights, conducted by aircraft using US military call signs, suggest ongoing logistical operations rather than isolated movements. Such air routes have traditionally been used to transport military hardware, ammunition, and support equipment to US forces and allied partners in the region. The pattern of repeated flights along similar paths points to a coordinated and continuous supply effort. The renewed activity comes amid heightened regional tensions and ongoing conflicts in the Middle East, where Washington has pledged to maintain both its military presence and its support for allies. US officials have repeatedly stated that these transfers are aimed at ensuring regional security and protecting American interests. While the Pentagon has not issued detailed public statements on individual flights, analysts note that airlift operations of this scale typically indicate the movement of time-sensitive or high-priority military cargo, underscoring the strategic importance the region continues to hold for US defense planning. by Xinhua writer Shao Haijun THE HAGUE, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- Chinese universities have shown remarkable growth in global research output in recent years, a senior researcher at the Center for Science and Technology Studies (CWTS) at Leiden University in the Netherlands said in a recent interview with Xinhua. The 2025 CWTS Leiden Ranking Traditional Edition, released last October, which focuses exclusively on the research performance of universities worldwide, shows that eight Chinese universities now appear in the global top ten when ranked by the number of publications in international scientific journals during the period 2020 to 2023. Zhejiang University ranks first with more than 40,000 papers. "Compared with earlier periods, you can clearly see that the number of Chinese universities in the top ten has increased when sorting universities based on the number of publications," said Nees Jan van Eck, senior researcher and head of data science at CWTS. "This is mainly due to the rapid growth in publication output from Chinese institutions." While Chinese universities lead in publication volume, he noted that they are less dominant when citation impact is considered. "When you look at size-independent citation impact indicators, a different picture emerges. Chinese universities do not dominate the top ten in the same way," van Eck said. At the same time, he observed a steady rise in research influence from Chinese institutions, particularly in highly cited work. "If you look at indicators such as the proportion of publications of a university that belong to the top 10 percent most cited of their field, you see an upward trend for Chinese universities," van Eck said. "The proportion of highly cited publications has been increasing very steadily over time for these universities." "If this trend continues, we may well see more Chinese universities in the global top ten or top 25 based on these citation impact indicators a few years from now," he added. The Leiden Ranking includes two versions: a Traditional Edition covering more than 1,500 institutions, and an Open Edition based on open data from OpenAlex, which expands coverage to over 2,800 universities and provides full transparency of the underlying data and algorithms. Unlike many global university rankings, the Leiden Ranking does not attempt to identify a single "best university." "We don't think it is valid to answer the question of which university is the best in the world," van Eck said. "Universities perform in different dimensions. If you combine everything into one number, you no longer know what you are actually looking at." Instead of composite scores, the Leiden Ranking presents multiple indicators across different dimensions of research performance, including scientific impact, collaboration, and open access publishing, both for science as a whole and for major disciplinary fields. Van Eck described the ranking as more of a data tool than a traditional league table. Its main users include university leaders, policymakers and government agencies seeking to understand research trends and institutional profiles. The researcher emphasized that rankings should support long-term development rather than drive short-term competition. CWTS advises users to focus on indicator values rather than positions, consider multiple dimensions, and avoid over-interpreting small differences between institutions, he added. Eva Osborne Dublin City Council has published pre-planning designs for College Green, aiming to redesign the space into a "pedestrian priority area". The Grow College Green project seeks to reimagine the centre of Dublin City, with the goal of "creating a new space that is a destination for everyone". The updated design is now open for consultation until March 11th. Lord Mayor of Dublin, Clrr Ray McAdam, said: Grow College Green is an exciting step in celebrating Dublin, not just our history, but the living, working, evolving city we are today. "This project will reimagine one of our most iconic spaces as a destination for everyone, somewhere you can walk through easily, meet friends, sit in the sunshine, enjoy the buzz of the city, or simply take a breath in the middle of a busy day. "Crucially, the updated design reflects real engagement, thousands of submissions and face to face conversations, and I welcome the clear commitment to making College Green inclusive and accessible, with the input of Disabled Persons Organisations helping to shape what welcome and usable really mean in practice." Working with the National Transport Authority, McAdam said Dublin City Council is setting out a vision for a "high-quality public realm" that can accommodate everyday activity and major cultural events, while staying "safe, legible and welcoming from morning to night". "I encourage Dubliners, commuters, businesses and visitors to engage with the consultation on Engage.ie, because the best city-making happens when people help shape the places they use and love. 'Grow College Green' Speaking about the publication of the updated design, chief executive of Dublin City Council, Richard Shakespeare, said: "The pre-planning design for Grow College Green represents a significant step forward in reimagining one of Dublins most historic and important public spaces. "From the outset, our ambition has been to create a city centre that works better for everyone, a place that is safer, greener, and more accessible, a space that feels good to spend time in. "Informed by users of the city, this project will transform how people experience the heart of the city. It will deliver wider, clearer and more legible routes for moving through the area, linking the north and south of the city centre along the civic spine; greener, more tranquil spaces to spend time; and a setting that supports everything from everyday activity to cultural events and major civic moments. "By opening up views to our landmark buildings and weaving in the textures and stories of the past, the design will restore a real sense of importance to this historic location." Shakespeare said the design reflects the feedback the council has received from businesses, people who work in the area, residents, students, DPOs, community groups, and visitors. "We are asking the public to share their views for the last time on this exciting Grow College Green project. The input we receive during this consultation will directly influence the design that we submit for planning and will ensure that this space truly serves the city for decades to come. Dublin City Council is now inviting public feedback, which will help inform the final design ahead of submission for statutory planning permission later this year. Submissions will be accepted until midnight on March 11th, 2026, and can be submitted here. WARSAW, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- Fifteen people were injured as two company shuttle buses collided on Wednesday morning in central Poland's Kroczewo village, local media RMF24 reported. About 50 employees were traveling to work on two shuttle buses when one, halted at the crossroads, was hit from behind by the other that failed to stop, the report said. Eight people with serious injuries were taken to hospitals in nearby towns, while those with minor injuries were treated at the scene. Sinn Fein TDs for Waterford, Deputies David Cullinane and Conor D McGuinness, have called on Government TDs, Mary Butler and John Cummins, to back Sinn Feins amendment to Cocos Law to demonstrate true commitment to zero tolerance for violence against women and children. The Deputies were speaking ahead of the Bill, brought forward by party spokesperson on Justice, Deputy Matt Carthy, and spokesperson on Equality, Domestic, and Gender Violence, Deputy Maire Devine, being debated in the Dail on Tuesday, February 10. Sinn Feins amendment to Cocos Law would clarify that the creation of sexualised AI deepfakes is illegal by criminalising the generation and creation of nonconsensual intimate images and videos," they said. It would also extend the statute of limitations from two to five years, which would allow victims plenty of time to come forward, and also give An Garda Siochana enough time to forensically, technically examine personal electronic devices and servers in order to build a strong case," they added. The two Waterford TDs also said the amendment would also lead to an increase in the maximum penalties upon conviction, to properly reflect the heinousness of such crimes. Creating child sexual abuse material using artificial intelligence is abhorrent," they said. "Cyberbullying and harassing women in an effort to silence them, to influence others opinions of them and shatter their self-esteem, is reprehensible," they added. "People are doing these things in Ireland using generative AI tools available now." The Sinn Fein Deputies said many Government TDs and ministers had spoken out in the past few weeks about the need to ensure criminalisation of the generation of sexualised AI deepfakes. "We therefore hope that this will translate into cross-party support tonight to pass Sinn Feins bill through to committee stages," they said. Passing Sinn Feins, amendment to Cocos Law would demonstrate a true commitment to zero tolerance for violence against women and children in Ireland," they added. A call has been made in County Waterford for the Government to act immediately to support An Post and eir pensioners. Sinn Fein TD for Waterford, Deputy David Cullinane, attended a protest outside the Dail on Tuesday, February 11, in support of the aforementioned pensioners who are still waiting on agreed pension increases. Deputy Cullinane said he met former workers and pensioners from Waterford at the protest demanding urgent government action on the matter. I was proud to stand with An Post and eir pensioners outside the Dail today, including former workers from Waterford who are rightly angry and frustrated at the continued delay in paying pension increases that were already agreed," he said, in the wake of the event on Tuesday. These pensioners gave decades of service and upheld a vital public service, yet they are being left in limbo while ministers drag their heels," he added. "With the cost of living continuing to rise, this delay is causing real and unnecessary hardship." Deputy David Cullinane with some of the protesters outside the Dail. Deputy Cullinane said an agreement was brokered with unions on the matter, including the CWU, and he said: "It is reasonable, it is fair, and it must now be honoured without further delay." The failure of the Government to sign off on this settlement is unacceptable and risks undermining trust in public institutions," said Deputy Cullinane. "Pensioners should not be made to pay the price for political inertia. Sinn Fein is calling for the Minister for Public Expenditure to finalise approvals and ensure the backdated payments and agreed increases are paid out immediately." "These pensioners have waited long enough," he said. "The Government must now confirm the timing and method of payment and deliver what is owed without any more excuses. The Tuesday Knitting Club in Tramore, Co Waterford, is one of the most active and vibrant organisations in the county. It's members recently showcased their caring nature recently by knitting hearts for Beaumont Hospital, hats for the neo-natal ward at University Hospital Waterford (UHW) and blankets for the Hospice Oak Ward - also in UHW. Waterford News & Star photographer, Joe Evans captured images of the members working away on some of their creations. Photos will also appear in the forthcoming print edition of the newspaper and also online here at waterford-news.ie. Photos of other events are also available to view here on the website under the 'Archive' section and collections of nostalgic photos from our archive, titled 'Colourful Memories of Waterford - Volume 1 and 2', are currently available as fantastic photobooks on sale at The Book Centre or through our office on Gladstone Street. Hard copy prints of photos are also available to buy through our office. Bernie Vance and Marie Piper, Tuesday Knitting Club, Tramore. Mary McAnespie and Margaret Glover, Tuesday Knitting Club, Tramore. Ann Hayden and Noeline Power, Tuesday Knitting Club, Tramore. Tuesday Knitting Club, Tramore, knitted hearts for Beaumont Hospital and blankets for the Hospice Oak Ward at UHW. Hats and coats made by the Tuesday Knitting Club, Tramore, for the Neo-Natal Ward and the Oak Ward, at UHW. Hats made by the Tuesday Knitting Club, Tramore. Breda Cusack and Kali Power, Tuesday Knitting Club, Tramore. Members of the Tramore ICA and friends, who are part of the Tuesday Knitting Club, Tramore knitted, Hearts for Beaumont Hospital, Hats for Neo-Natal Ward U.H.W. and Blankets for Hospice Oak Ward, U.H.W, The group would like to thank Maureen in Cahills for her donation of wool and Sandra from Ladies Slip Tramore for her donation. Photo: Joe Evans A major retail-based development is being planned at a long vacant site in the centre of Dungarvan town. Planned is the construction of multiple large retail buildings. A small number of apartments and a cafe are also planned on the site. The applicant, Mr. Shane Houlihan, has previously planned similar proposals at the location on Richard A. Walsh Street, Dungarvan, which is part of the former Glanbia Site (READ MORE). In October 2023, Mr. Houlihan has planning permission refused for the construction of a new Tesco store at the site. Dungarvan is the only large urban area in Waterford without a Tesco, with five stores serving the city and Tramore. In updated plans submitted by Mr. Houlihan this week, reference to Tesco is made within planning files. The files state: It is acknowledged that Dungarvan has a relatively limited number of national stores. In particular, it is noted that Dungarvan (and west Waterford) is not served by Tesco and as a result residents wishing to avail of this offer, are having to travel either across the County to Waterford City or into County Cork to Youghal. The proposed development will consist of a mixed-use site comprising the construction of 2 two-storey buildings. Building one comprises a 12 storey anchor convenience and a comparison retail store. A cafe is also planned. The first floor of the building will accommodate 3 two-bedroom apartments, 1 three-bedroom apartment and a management suite. The total gross floor area of Building 1 will be approximately 4,737 sqm. Building two comprises a two-storey store split into two units, each comprising of comparison retail sales areas. The total gross floor area of Building 2 will be approximately 3,468 sqm. The development will also provide a car park with 154 spaces. The project application was deemed Incomplete by Waterford City and County Council last week, and the applicant will need to submit further information before the development can progress further through the planning process. Updates are expected. (Funded by the Local Democracy Scheme) Read more from this weeks edition of the Waterford News & Star HERE. A man threw a candle at his mother and told her, Now you have a reason to call the guards, Waterford District Court has been told. The man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was before Judge Kevin Staunton, charged with breaches of a safety order. Inspector Niall Daly told the court that on a date in January, the injured party reported that she wanted her son to leave her house and he smashed a plate. As she was leaving, he threw a candle at her and said, now you have a reason to call the guards, she told gardai. Read More Passage East residents left crippled by ongoing issues with water supply The court was told that the man had four previous convictions, including one for assault. Acting for the defendant, solicitor Ken Cunningham said that his client resides in the home but has been in custody since the middle of January. The solicitor said his client has issues with alcohol, but has taken steps to address that, and the injured party would also like him to get help. He invited the court to issue a bond-type order on the condition that he attend counselling and follow any other recommendations by the probation service. The injured party confirmed for the court that it was also her wish. She said that her son had serious issues with drinking and drugs, and she didnt think he would get help in prison. Judge Staunton said that the mans behaviour toward his mother was disgusting and he hoped he was ashamed. He said that what the injured party said was very helpful, but he was concerned that the man had a previous conviction for a violent offence. The judge sentenced him to nine months in prison, suspended for 18 months on the basis that he attends counselling and rehabilitation as directed by the probation service. Funded under the Court Reporting Scheme Small to medium sized enterprises in Waterford are being encouraged to contact the National Enterprise Hub (NEH) to access key business supports this year. As they plan for the year ahead businesses are being advised to liaise with the hub to help them to navigate ongoing economic pressures, skills challenges and increasing requirements around sustainability and digital transformation. With more than 7,000 businesses operating in Waterford, across a range of sectors, businesses in the region are facing continued pressure around costs, skills and competitiveness. The National Enterprise Hub offers a single, practical route to identifying the Government supports available to help address those challenges. Operated by Enterprise Ireland and funded by the Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment, the NEH provides a single point of access to more than 250 Government supports delivered by over 30 Departments and State Agencies. Available online at www.neh.gov.ie, as well as through phone and live chat support, the Hub connects businesses directly with trained advisors who help identify the most relevant grants, funding options, loans and expert supports based on a companys size, sector and stage of development. It plays a key role in helping SMEs identify and access grants, funding, loans, training and expert advice that align with their specific needs, sector and stage of development. A spokesperson for the Hub said the service is particularly relevant to Waterford-based SMEs, start-ups and growing enterprises across a broad range of sectors. Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Peter Burke TD, said the Hub plays a key role in helping businesses make effective use of Government supports. Waterford is home to a diverse and resilient SME base and the National Enterprise Hub can play an important role in ensuring those businesses can access the supports they need to grow and adapt in 2026," he said. "As Waterford businesses continue to adapt to changing economic conditions, it is vital that they are aware of and can easily access the full range of Government supports available to help enable job creation and long-term regional competitiveness," he added. Minister Burke went on to comment: The National Enterprise Hub helps businesses to save time, cut through complexity and identify practical supports that can help them remain competitive and plan for the future. Donal Leahy, Head of Regional Infrastructure and the National Enterprise Hub, Enterprise Ireland added: Many SMEs in Waterford are busy running day-to-day operations and dont always have the time to explore what supports might be available to them. The National Enterprise Hub is there to make that process simpler, by giving businesses a single point of contact and access to advisors who can quickly point them in the right direction." Whether its help with funding, skills, energy efficiency or planning next steps, our role is to provide practical guidance that Waterford businesses can act on in 2026 to help make their business as competitive as possible," he added. The National Enterprise Hub works closely with a broad network of enterprise partners including Local Enterprise Offices, IDA Ireland, Failte Ireland, Skillnet Ireland, Solas, Bord Bia, Microfinance Ireland, Revenue, Social Protection, SEAI, InterTradeIreland and the Western Development Commission, among others. Waterford businesses can engage with the National Enterprise Hub via www.neh.gov.ie or by calling 01 7272100. Waterford councillors are set to propose an emergency motion calling for the resignation of Bord Bia chair Larry Murrin at the Councils plenary meeting on Thursday, February 12. The motion stipulates that if Mr Murrin refuses to resign, the Council will further call on the Government and the Minister for Agriculture to remove him from the position immediately. Mr Murrin has found himself embroiled in political heat, as reports emerged that Dawn Farms- the company Mr Murrin chairs- imported Brazilian beef into the Irish market. The news comes amid a wider debate on Irelands role in an EU trade deal with the South American trade bloc Mercosur. Irish beef farmers have said the deal, which will see an increase of lesser-regulated South American beef in the EU market, poses an existential threat to their business. Lawmakers across the political spectrum have argued that Mr Murrins import of Brazilian beef constitutes a direct conflict of interest while hes the leader of the Irish Food Board, Bord Bia. The motions eight signatories are: Fianna Fails John OLeary, Tom Cronin, Adam Wyse and Eamon Quinlan, Fine Gaels Liam Brazil, Seanie Power and Pat Nugent, as well as Independent councillor Declan Clune. Micheal Martin and Simon Harris, the leaders of Fianna Fail and Fine Gael, have both publicly backed Mr Murrin. Its understood that there are only eight signatures for the emergency motion, there is further support for the cause across the Council. A similar motion has been proposed across other local authorities. Carlow and Wexford both passed a motion calling on Mr Murrins resignation on Tuesday, February 10. Funded by the Local Democracy Scheme Ellen O'Donoghue The Green Party has said that changing regulations on short-term lets is pointless unless the rules are actually enforced. The party expressed disappointment at the decision to introduce restrictions for areas with a population of 20,000 people, rather than 10,000 as originally proposed. Only 24 towns and cities fall under the new proposals. Minister for Tourism Peter Burke welcomed the change, saying it's important to "build resilience in our tourism sector". Green Party leader Roderic O'Gorman told Newstalk that there will likely be loopholes, whatever decision is reached. "Enforcement is so important here, and thats one of the things thats been really lacking from the government over the last 12 months, a failure to enforce these new rules, even if they are introduced, even if they are watered down like the government is proposing, if theyre not enforced, then theyll be of absolutely no use to anyone." O'Gorman added that the U-turn shows the Government's ignorance of the rural housing crisis. He said that many parts of the country will see no benefit at all. "The housing crisis affects everyone, from inner city Dublin to rural Kerry; no one area is unaffected, so carving out 24 areas of the country where someone is more entitled to a home than somewhere else is actually reprehensible, and its definitely not standing up for rural Ireland or for those who want to live there." Advertisement Exclusive EnvironmentConservationBiodiversity On extinction path: Land clearing laws failing native species Caitlin Fitzsimmons February 11, 2026 12:45pm Save 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 A A A Private land clearing in NSW is directly contributing to the states extinction crisis, with new figures showing an area of high-biodiversity land equivalent to four Sydney Harbours was cleared between 2016 and 2023. The Minns government made an election commitment to stop excess land clearing and is working on an overhaul of the states biodiversity laws, in line with a review by former Treasury secretary Ken Henry. Modest changes are also proposed for the Local Land Services Act, the main legislation governing farmers for day-to-day land management under which the bulk of clearing occurs. Land clearing in the Mallee, NSW in February 2025. There is no suggestion of illegality. Australian Conservation Foundation The study by the Wentworth Group of Concerned Scientists overlaid the annual NSW Statewide Landcover and Tree Study (SLATS) figures with other government data on high-biodiversity land, the distribution of threatened species, and riverbank corridors important for the health of water catchments. Professor Richard Kingsford, a conservation biologist at the University of NSW and a Wentworth Group scientist, said NSW was on an extinction path for native species, and overlapping laws in the Biodiversity Conservation Act and Local Land Services Act were failing to protect biodiversity. Advertisement You cant achieve biodiversity conservation without tackling the threats, and obviously land clearing is one of the biggest threats to biodiversity, [along with] climate change, invasive species, and development of rivers, Kingsford said. We have these two pieces of legislation which are really integrated in terms of how they manage native biodiversity and native vegetation, and we also know that most of the biodiversity in NSW is on private land. An aerial image of land-clearing at Yarrowitch in the NSW Northern Tablelands. There is no suggestion of illegality. Australian Conservation Foundation The SLATS data has an 18-month lag. The 2023 data, which showed a 40 per cent jump in land clearing, mainly for agriculture, is the most recent available. Environmentalists said the data suggested NSW was a deforestation hotspot on par with Indonesia. Last years State of the Environment report made it clear that biodiversity was going from bad to worse. From 2010 to 2023, a total of 677,500 hectares of combined woody and non-woody land was cleared and recleared, representing an average of 48,393 hectares a year, the Wentworth Group study said. Advertisement In 2016, the former Coalition government loosened land clearing laws and released the NSW Biodiversity Values Map. In the following eight years, 13,880 hectares of land marked on the map as high-biodiversity were cleared. The Wentworth Group also found that threatened species were likely to be impacted, based on their modelled distributions across the landscape. Between 2010 and 2023, 12 threatened species had 5 to 15 per cent of their habitat cleared, and 26 threatened ecological communities had 1 to 15 per cent of their likely occurrence cleared. Land clearing at Cuttabri in north-western NSW in 2023. There is no suggestion the land clearing was illegal. Australian Conservation Foundation The land clearing also undermined decades of investment in river restoration and catchment management, with 33,682 hectares, or 0.6 per cent, of riverbank corridors cleared between 2010 and 2023, the Wentworth Group said. Henry, who is also chair of the Australian Climate and Biodiversity Foundation, said the Wentworth Group research should be used by the NSW government in its overhaul of laws governing land clearing. Advertisement He pointed out that while almost 700,000 hectares were cleared from 2010 to 2023 three times the size of the ACT the trend was accelerating, with almost 500,000 of it in the five years to 2023. He was particularly concerned that so much of it was unallocated, meaning the government does not know why the clearing occurred. Related Article Farming Perverse outcomes: NSW a deforestation hotspot on par with Indonesia We knew when we were undertaking the review that the practice of allowing landholders effectively to self-assess their own clearing with zero oversight was full of risk, and we were aware that when youve got somewhere between 60 and 80 per cent of clearing in NSW recorded as unallocated, that means youve got a big black hole in system accountability, Henry said. Henry said there should be real-time reporting on land clearing. You look at the scale of whats happened, and you just find it impossible to understand, but its really only been able to happen because of a lack of transparency, he said. The public has just been kept in the dark. Advertisement When the SLATS data was released last July, the NSW government said most of it was clearing of invasive native species, which it defined as native woody plants that either regenerate thickly following disturbance or encroach on vegetation communities where they previously did not occur. Related Article Environmental protection Queensland clears forest area twice the size of Brisbane in one year Henry said reforms to federal environmental laws passed last year by Environment Minister Murray Watt mandate that any clearing of native woody vegetation older than 15 years would have to be assessed if it met the threshold for national environmental significance, regardless of whether it was labelled invasive native species or not. He said the NSW government should update the Local Land Services Act to reflect the tighter rules. Nathaniel Pelle, the Australian Conservation Foundations nature and business lead, said while many farmers protected ecosystems, most habitat destruction was happening on grazing land to supply beef to the supermarkets and big burger chains. Every year the number of native animals listed as threatened in NSW goes up, and its no coincidence that happens at the same time the healthy habitat available to them goes down, Pelle said. Advertisement Half of the animals on the threatened species list are expected to be extinct within a century, and theres just no way to prevent that without halting the bulldozing of healthy ecosystems and restoring large areas of degraded habitat. A spokesperson for the NSW Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water said the government had started broad and detailed consultation to support development of its strategy to put nature on a path to recovery including reforms to the Biodiversity Conservation Act. A spokesperson from Agriculture Minister Tara Moriartys office said the government had completed consultation on the land clearing code and would strengthen environmental protections. Get to the heart of whats happening with climate change and the environment. Sign up for our fortnightly Environment newsletter. BERLIN, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- German carmaker BMW is recalling hundreds of thousands of vehicles worldwide due to a technical defect that could pose a fire risk, the company said Wednesday. The Munich-based automaker did not disclose the exact global figure but said 28,582 vehicles are affected in Germany. Industry publication kfz-betrieb reported Tuesday that up to 575,000 units could be involved globally. The company traced the issue to the starter system, noting that a high volume of engine starts could cause excessive wear in the switch, potentially leading to a short circuit. In rare cases, this malfunction could trigger a vehicle fire while the car is in operation. The recall affects several models, including the BMW 2, 3, 4, and 5 series produced between July 2020 and July 2022. The latest action follows a recall in September, when BMW withdrew more than 130,000 vehicles in Germany and 200,000 in the United States over a similar starter-related fire risk, along with additional units in other markets. Advertisement NationalQueenslandCFMEU Rotting from the top, butchered from the middle: Corruption fighters comedy of errors Cameron Atfield February 11, 2026 3:39pm Save 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 A A A By his own admission, corruption fighter Geoffrey Watson, SC, could be a bit better at life. During his appearance at Queenslands commission of inquiry into the CFMEU on Wednesday morning, Watson turned on the self-deprecation as he dealt with the fallout of this mastheads reporting that politically explosive sections were removed from his report on corruption within the union. Sworn in about six hours after that bombshell news story broke, Watson recounted a comedy of errors: looming deadlines, missed housewarming parties, and wrong email addresses. Geoffrey Watson SC is seen giving evidence to the Commission of Inquiry into the CFMEU and Misconduct in the Construction Industry. Darren England/AAP At the direction of CFMEU administrator Mark Irving, Watsons 18-month Rotting from the Top report omitted an entire section blasting the Victorian Labor government for turning a blind eye to CFMEU graft and organised crime on worksites, at a $15 billion cost to taxpayers. Advertisement Watson, a man who has himself successfully spearheaded numerous high profile public inquiries into corruption over a storied career, was appointed by Irving to weed out criminal elements within the unions ranks, appeared miffed at its exclusion. Related Article Building Bad Rotting from the top: Bribery, drugs, bikies and billions of taxpayer dollars You wouldnt believe this by looking at me, but I am a very bad-tempered, petulant person and when I say petulant, I mean I kept it together, he said. I was really, actually, quite angry. Watson said he was told the omitted sections fell outside the terms of reference, an explanation for which he had some disdain. Advertisement You know, dont bury the lead the journos are like that, he said, with a glance towards the rows of media watching the inquiry at Brisbane Magistrates Court. I was actually thinking this was something so important that it needed to be said upfront. The commission heard the omissions were not the only changes to the Rotting From the Top report, tabled in the Brisbane court on Wednesday. Senior counsel assisting the commission, Mark Costello: The original title of your report was Something Has To Change. Watson: Which is very ordinary, very basic. Advertisement Costello: That wasnt an invitation to have your report edited? Watson (laughing): No [pause]. Well, maybe subliminally. This weeks hearings of the CFMEU inquiry, presided over by Commissioner Stuart Wood, are being held in the Brisbane Magistrates Court. News Corp Australia That draft was delivered to Irving by about December 1, Watson said, but not before he sent the highly sensitive report to the wrong email address. Eventually, I got it right, he said. Im pretty hopeless with these sorts of things. Advertisement Watson said he became aware of the changes about 5pm on the Wednesday before Australia Day, after he was summonsed to produce a copy of the report to the commission. When I looked at it, I was shattered, he said. What had happened was people have made changes in it, including the excellent change about the title. Im not saying these things were wrong, they may have been correcting typos or removing split infinitives and the like, I dont know, but it meant that the paragraph numbers were all wonky and the fonts were all changed, even sometimes mid-paragraph. Footnotes had been left without numbers. The whole thing had been butchered in an editing sense. Irving gave Watson a deadline of January 27 to provide an updated version of the document for the commission. Advertisement By golly, it was work, and it was on the Australia Day weekend, he said. Related Article Exclusive Building Bad $15b poured into criminals hands: Bombshell findings CFMEU tried to hide Im not trying to paint myself as a victim, but I was supposed to go to a housewarming that day. I had to send them a message saying I couldnt come because we had to finish it to get it through to the administration so that it could be provided to the commission by the 27th. Irving had deemed the government response outside his terms of reference a decision Watson ultimately accepted to maintain his statutory immunity. Mick Gatto, a well-known underworld figure once charged with murder after shooting a hitman in a Melbourne restaurant, had already threatened to sue Watson for defaming his character, Watson revealed. Advertisement One of the defences is that I was actually under a direction and thus entitled to the derivative statutory immunity, he said. It wasnt the only Watson-produced report for which the author had some regrets. Geoffrey Watson gives evidence to the Commission of Inquiry into the CFMEU and Misconduct in the Construction Industry. AAP IMAGE A report into the CFMEUs payment of legal expenses of NSW divisional branch secretary Darren Greenfield and his son, assistant secretary Michael Greenfield, also attracted his ire. I have re-read it recently, commissioner, and I cannot believe how boring it is, he said. Advertisement Its real dishwater stuff. I dont know what got into me. I was far too mild, because I can remember at the time being very shocked. And when I re-read the interim report, I thought, wow, I really wasnt saying what I truly felt. But despite his angst with the edits, Watson was at pains to bury the hatchet with Irving following calls for his removal from the federal opposition. I just looked at my telephone and saw something about somebody calling for the resignation or dismissal of Mark Irving, he said, following a 20-minute adjournment. I just want to say I might have said some harsh things ... [but] they would be mad to get rid of Mark Irving. Start the day with a summary of the days most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter. Advertisement PoliticsFederalPolitical leadership Taylor poised to become Liberal leader as Ley backers lose hope Paul Sakkal and Nick Newling Updated February 12, 2026 3:44pm ,first published February 12, 2026 5:07am Save 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 A A A Angus Taylor is poised to take on the enormous task of reviving the Liberal Party, as backers of Opposition Leader Sussan Ley lose hope and lament the rejection of a peace offering that would have seen Ley stand down in coming months to create an orderly transition and avoid a coup. As Taylor declared the partys future was at stake, momentum swung hard towards the challenger over the course of Thursday. Eight members of Leys shadow ministry, including James McGrath, who voted for Ley over Taylor last year, quit and declared no confidence in her leadership. Angus Taylor Dominic Lorrimer Unaligned MPs had been wary of toppling Ley but have this week swung towards Taylor, saying the current leader had failed to demonstrate in private conversations how she would turn around the partys terrible polling numbers. The powerbroker who has guided Taylors strategy and helped force Andrew Hastie out of the race, James Paterson, held a solo press conference in Canberra and laid out a brutal assessment of Leys leadership while acknowledging his own share of blame for the Coalitions historically poor polling. Advertisement Related Article National News Live Australia news as it happened: Angus Taylor to challenge Sussan Ley for Liberal Party leadership tomorrow; Israeli President arrives in Melbourne At the last election almost 5 million Australians voted for us. They put their trust in us. Over the last nine months, according to the most recent opinion polls, 2.1 million of those people have since deserted the Coalition, Paterson said, admitting Ley had been dealt a bad hand. Thats more than 200,000 votes a month. Its more than 50,000 votes a week. Its more than 7,000 votes a day. This cannot go on. If it goes on, therell be nothing left of the Liberal Party by the next election. Optimistic conservatives hoped they could win by a margin of about 10 votes as MPs sniff the wind and back the likely winner. Leys allies hoped they could be behind by as few as two votes, but one conceded that even if the remaining handful of swing voters backed Ley, she would still fall short. Tips on a leadership challenge Angus Taylor speaks to Nationals MP Colin Boyce on Thursday morning. Boyce challenged his own leader recently. Alex Ellinghausen Advertisement If an initial spill motion is to succeed by a big margin in Fridays 9am meeting in Canberra, Leys supporters are not certain if she will stand against Taylor in the subsequent vote. This would potentially push the Moderates to put up a candidate such as Tim Wilson. Labor ministers went one-by-one savaging Taylor in question time, treating him as the effective opposition leader and attacking the Liberals for trying to depose their first female leader. Leys allies claimed the bitterness and public disapproval caused by the leadership challenge could have been avoided. Two MPs close to Ley, not willing to speak on the record, said factional ally Alex Hawke and leading Moderates had in recent days and weeks told right-wingers to ditch plans for a spill. They pleaded to give Ley until after the budget in May. After that, if her polling numbers failed to rise, they suggested she would voluntarily quit and hand over the job. One senior right-winger told this masthead they believed the offer from the Moderates but not from Hawke, and that the case for change was so significant that the spill had to occur quickly. Angus Taylor resigned from the opposition front bench on Wednesday evening. Alex Ellinghausen Advertisement Taylor spent Thursday talking to colleagues. He was determined not to do deals with MPs to offer them promotions in return for their vote, as Ley was alleged to have done last year. Related Article Analysis Political leadership The Liberal Party leader from central casting: Who is Angus Taylor? In a social media video posted mid-morning on Thursday, Taylor said: Im running to be the leader of the Liberal Party because I believe that Australia is worth fighting for. Im dedicated to serving you, the Australian people, and give you a strong alternative that re-enlivens the great Australian dream, he said, signing off by warning, were running out of time. His supporters flagged a more muscular conservative agenda in contrast to Leys stated appeal to shift to the centre. Advertisement Related Article Political Sketch Political leadership Taylor versus Ley, the sequel, shapes up as a box-office bomb Former Howard government minister Amanda Vanstone criticised Taylors move on social media, saying: Angus Taylor. Shadow Treasurer 2022 to 25 ... And he says libs havent held government to account ... Whats his explanation for his failure? The MPs who quit Leys frontbench on Thursday, in order of the time of their announcements, were: Claire Chandler, Matt OSullivan, Phil Thompson (who formally called for the spill along with backbencher Jess Collins), Jonno Duniam (a significant move because he had supported Hastie to become leader), Paterson, Michaelia Cash, James McGrath and Dan Tehan. The field for the partys deputy leader position could be crowded. Victorian Moderate senator Jane Hume is being backed by a number of Taylors supporters. Melissa Price, Zoe McKenzie, Tehan and Wilson are all either certain or possible contenders. Incumbent Ted OBrien may hold on, but Hume is seen as a top rival. Wilson is being talked about as a potential shadow treasurer a role currently held by OBrien. Advertisement Advertisement WorldEuropeEpstein fallout Staggering: Epstein files rock Europe, trigger criminal probe into French diplomat David Crowe February 12, 2026 4:05am Save 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 A A A London: A French diplomat has become the latest target in a slew of inquiries into prominent Europeans linked to Jeffrey Epstein, heightening concern about the sex offenders access to political and business leaders over more than a decade. The French government has asked public prosecutors to investigate Fabrice Aidan for a potential breach of criminal law after his ties to Epstein emerged in dozens of documents released by the US Department of Justice. French diplomat Fabrice Aidan is being investigated over his ties to Jeffrey Epstein. Getty Images Aidan, who worked at the United Nations as well as the French diplomatic corps, emailed Epstein to arrange visitors to his Paris or New York homes at times, and he was also involved in setting up a dinner with a minister from the United Arab Emirates. The latest documents also include an email from Aidan to Epstein that appeared to include a United Nations document, although the attachment has not been released. Advertisement Reuters said it could not reach Aidan for comment via his social media account and that his LinkedIn account appeared to have been deleted. The investigation into the French diplomat comes days after British police opened further inquiries into Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor after new information about his links to Epstein emerged in the US documents released on January 30. Epstein in an undated photo released by the US Department of Justice. AP Investigations are now under way in at least four countries Britain, France, Norway and Poland into people linked to Epstein. This does not include any ongoing investigations by the Department of Justice in the United States. This masthead is not asserting any wrongdoing by Aidan. The documents found in the latest files from the Department of Justice do not show any awareness by the French diplomat of Epsteins treatment of young women and his conviction in 2008 for sex with a minor. Aidans lawyer, Jade Dousselin, said in a statement to Reuters that her client rejected all the accusations. Advertisement Even so, the files reveal Aidans messages to Epstein after the American financier had been released from prison and home detention, and they highlight Epsteins ability to assemble influential networks. Related Article Epstein fallout How the Epstein files exposed the rich, the royal and the European elite An email in January 2011, for instance, suggests that Aidan invited United Arab Emirates Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah Bin Zayed to a dinner at Epsteins home. It is unclear whether the dinner took place. Epsteins interest in the UAE is a feature of several emails including messages in November 2010 from Mountbatten-Windsor, who said he had recently met Abdullah and wanted to introduce Epstein to the crown prince of the UAE. The former prince was a UK trade envoy at the time and was in Dubai on an official visit. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot described the documents as extremely serious and said he had launched an administrative investigation as well as referring the matter to prosecutors under the criminal code. Advertisement These emails, including the transfer of UN documents, are staggering, Barrot told French radio station RTL. View post on X An email from Aidan to Epstein in May 2012 appeared to include a United Nations document about Lebanon, although the attachment does not appear to have been released by the Department of Justice. Here it is, Aidan wrote to Epstein. The subject line was: 15th semi annual 1559 report. UN Security Council Resolution 1559 concerns the sovereignty of Lebanon. Some of the French diplomats emails are copied to Norwegian diplomat Terje Rd-Larsen, who maintained a long friendship with Epstein and is now facing a Norwegian inquiry into those ties. Advertisement Rd-Larsens wife, Mona Juul, who once served as Norways ambassador to the UN, has stepped down from her position in the foreign ministry after her name also emerged in the files. Norways investigations agency, kokrim, confirmed to Norwegian media that it had charged Juul with serious corruption and Rd-Larsen as an accessory to serious corruption. Investigators searched the couples home in Oslo on Monday. Norways then-ambassador to the United Nations Mona Juul in 2022. AP Lawyers for the couple said they were co-operating with the inquiry and that Rd-Larsen expected the charges to be dropped. With hundreds of emails being revealed over time from the latest Department of Justice files, public figures across Europe are under scrutiny or official investigation for being in contact with Epstein when he was known to be a convicted sex offender. Advertisement Norwegian Crown Princess Mette-Marit apologised last week for her friendship with Epstein, and former Norwegian prime minister Thorbjrn Jagland is under investigation. Jaglands lawyer, Anders Brosveet, said his client would co-operate with the investigation. He takes this matter very seriously, but wishes to emphasise that he believes there are no circumstances that constitute criminal liability, Brosveet said in a statement. Norways Crown Princess Mette-Marit at the Palace in Oslo, Norway, in 2024. AP In France, former culture minister Jack Lang is under investigation after the US files revealed a shared stake with Epstein in an offshore company based in the Caribbean. Lang, a socialist who was a minister in the 1980s and 1990s under president Francois Mitterrand, resigned as the head of the Arab World Institute in Paris. Advertisement Advertisement WorldNorth AmericaMass shooting Canadian school shooting suspect identified as 18-year-old Jesse Van Rootselaar David Ljunggren Updated February 12, 2026 11:33am ,first published February 12, 2026 4:47am Save 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 A A A Ottawa: The suspect in a deadly school shooting in western Canada was an 18-year-old with mental health issues who killed her mother and step-brother before attacking her former school, police said, but investigators did not offer a motive for one of the worst mass slaughters in the countrys history. The killer, who police named as Jesse Van Rootselaar, died by suicide after the shooting in Tumbler Ridge, a remote community in the Pacific province of British Columbia. Police also revised the death toll down to nine from the initially reported 10, including Van Rootselaar. Two severely injured victims remain in hospital. Police at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School on Wednesday. AP We have a history of police attendance at the family residence. Some of those calls are related to mental health issues, Deputy Commissioner Dwayne McDonald, commander of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police in British Columbia, told a press conference on Wednesday (Ottawa time). McDonald said Van Rootselaar, a biological male who began to identify as female six years ago, had first killed her mother, Jennifer Strang, 39, and her 11-year-old step-brother at the family home. Advertisement Van Rootselaar then went to Tumbler Ridge Secondary School and shot a 39-year-old female teacher as well as three 12-year-old female students and two male students, one aged 12 and one aged 13. One victim was found in a stairwell, and the rest were found in the school library, McDonald said. We do believe the suspect acted alone ... it would be too early to speculate on motive, he told a press conference. McDonald said Van Rootselaar was not a current student at the school, having dropped out about four years ago. Police had seized a number of legally held weapons from the family home on previous visits, McDonald said, but the owner successfully petitioned for them to be returned. Two firearms a long gun and a modified handgun were recovered from the scene of the shooting. Van Rootselaar previously had a firearms licence, but it expired in 2024, McDonald said. Advertisement Canadians between the ages of 12 and 17 can obtain a minors firearms licence after taking a firearms safety course and passing tests. Loading Details of some of the victims began to slowly emerge on Thursday AEDT. Posting on Facebook, Abel Mwansa said his 12-year-old son, also named Abel, had died in the shooting. Our son went to school this morning and it happened that someone came to school with a GUN went to my kids classroom shot some kids and my son was killed too just like that, Mwansa wrote. Advertisement Pray for Tumbler Ridge Another woman, Shanon Dycke, said her 12-year-old niece, Kylie May Smith, was among the victims. Pray for the other families who have lost their child, or are waiting to hear news, she wrote on Facebook. Just pray for Tumbler Ridge. The London Telegraph identified one of the critically injured victims as 12-year-old Maya Gebala, who was shot by Van Rootselaar in the head and neck. Cia Edmonds, her mother, said the day had started as any other and ended with her sitting by her daughters bedside in the critical care unit of Vancouver Childrens Hospital. Advertisement She was a lucky one, I suppose, Edmonds wrote in an online message two hours after the shooting. Earlier in the day, a visibly upset Prime Minister Mark Carney promised Canadians would get through what he called a terrible shooting. Carney, who has postponed a trip to Europe, said he had ordered flags on all government buildings be flown at half-mast for the next seven days, while British Columbia declared Thursday (Canadian time) as a day of mourning We will get through this. We will learn from this, he told reporters, at one point looking close to tears. Advertisement But right now, its a time to come together, as Canadians always do in these situations, these terrible situations, to support each other, to mourn together and to grow together. Several prominent world leaders sent messages of condolence. King Charles, Canadas head of state, said he was profoundly shocked and saddened by the deaths. Students locked down Shelley Quist said her 17-year-old son, Darian, was on lockdown in the school for more than two hours. The provincial government website lists Tumbler Ridge Secondary School as having 175 students in grades 7 to 12. Advertisement The grade sevens and eights, I think, were upstairs in the library, and thats where the shooter went, she said. Her son was in the library just 15 minutes prior to the attack. Quist was working at a nearby hospital when the shooting started. Students leave the school after being locked down for more than two hours. AP I was about to go run down to the school, but my coworker held me back. And then I was able to get Darian on the phone to know he was OK, she said. Darian Quist said he knew the attack was real when the principal came down the halls and ordered doors to be closed. He said fellow students texted him pictures of blood while he remained locked down in a classroom. Advertisement We used the desk to block the doors, he said. Canada has stricter gun laws than the United States, but the shooting ranks among the deadliest in Canadian history. In April 2020, a 51-year-old man disguised in a police uniform and driving a fake police car shot and killed 22 people in a 13-hour rampage in the Atlantic province of Nova Scotia, before police killed him at a gas station. In Canadas worst school shooting, in December 1989, a gunman killed 14 female students and wounded 13 at the Ecole Polytechnique in Montreal, Quebec, before killing himself. Theres not a word in the English language thats strong enough to describe the level of devastation that this community has experienced, said Larry Neufeld, a local provincial legislator. Advertisement Its going to take a significant amount of effort and a significant amount of courage to repair that terror, he told CBC News. Reuters Lifeline 13 11 14. Beyond Blue 1300 22 4636. Get a note directly from our foreign correspondents on whats making headlines around the world. Sign up for our weekly What in the World newsletter. Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Share More: Mass shooting Canada Advertisement Updated WorldNorth AmericaCrime Ten dead, including suspect, after mass school shooting in Canada Updated February 11, 2026 2:22pm ,first published 10:44am Save 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 A A A Tumbler Ridge: Ten people, including a suspected shooter, are dead after a shooting in the small town of Tumbler Ridge in the Canadian province of British Columbia. Six people were found dead inside a high school, two more were found dead at a property that police believe is connected to the incident, and another died on the way to hospital, CBC News said, adding that the suspected shooter had been confirmed dead. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police said more than 25 people were injured, including two in a life-threatening condition, after the shooting at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School. RCMP Superintendent Ken Floyd told reporters that investigators had identified the shooter but would not release a name, and that the suspects motive remained unclear. Advertisement We are not in a place to understand why or what may have motivated this tragedy, Floyd said. He added that police were still investigating how the victims were connected to the shooter. Police issued an active shooter alert advising people to shelter in place. Floyd said the suspected shooter, who was found dead at the school, was the same person described in the active shooter alert sent to phones in the area earlier today. In that alert, police described the suspect as a woman in a dress with brown hair, CBC reported. Advertisement As part of the initial response to the active shooting, police entered the school to locate the threat. During the search, officers located multiple victims. An individual believed to be the shooter was also found deceased with what appears to be a self-inflicted injury, the RCMP said in an earlier statement. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said in a statement on X: I am devastated by todays horrific shootings in Tumbler Ridge. My prayers and deepest condolences are with the families and friends who have lost loved ones to these horrific acts of violence. British Columbia Premier David Eby also offered his condolences on social media and pledged government support to the community in coming to terms with an unimaginable tragedy. Larry Neufeld, the member of the legislature for Peace River South, said an excess of resources, including RCMP and ambulance support, had been sent to the community. Advertisement Tumbler Ridge, which has a population of about 2400, is more than 1000 kilometres north of Vancouver, near the border with Alberta. The provincial government website lists Tumbler Ridge Secondary School as having 175 students from grades 7 to 12. Tumbler Ridge Secondary School has 175 students enrolled from grades 7 - 12. School shootings are rare in Canada. Canadas government has responded to previous mass shootings with gun control measures, including a recently broadened ban on all guns it considers assault weapons. In April 2020, a 51-year-old man disguised in a police uniform and driving a fake police car shot and killed 22 people in a 13-hour rampage in the Atlantic province of Nova Scotia, before police killed him at a petrol station about 90 kilometres from the scene of his first killings. Advertisement In Canadas worst school shooting, in December 1989, a gunman killed 14 female students and wounded 13 at the Ecole Polytechnique in Montreal, Quebec, before committing suicide. Loading AP, Reuters Get a note directly from our foreign correspondents on whats making headlines around the world. Sign up for our weekly What in the World newsletter. Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Share More: Crime Tragedy Canada Guns OSLO, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store and Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide received Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in Oslo on Wednesday, reaffirming the country's support for a genuine two-state solution. In a statement issued by the Norwegian government, Store said he was "deeply concerned" about developments in Palestine. While the second phase of a peace plan is now supposed to be underway, the statement noted that the situation in Gaza remains extremely severe for around two million residents, with insufficient goods and emergency aid entering the territory and about 80 percent of buildings destroyed or left in ruins. Store said Norway expects an end to hostilities and occupation and a lasting political solution in which Palestine and Israel can live side by side in peace and security, adding that a genuine two-state solution is important for regional stability in the Middle East and for Europe's security. The statement also described the situation in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, as serious, citing settler violence, settlement expansion, Israeli military operations, home demolitions, and extensive movement restrictions. Eide said Norway, together with like-minded countries, will continue to work for a two-state solution and counter forces pushing developments in a negative direction. According to the statement, this was Abbas's first visit to the Nordic country since Norway officially recognized Palestine as a state in May 2024. In 2025, Norway provided 2.1 billion Norwegian kroner (221 million U.S. dollars) in support of Palestine. (1 Norwegian krone = 0.105 U.S. dollar) NEW YORK, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump is considering exiting the North American trade pact, a Bloomberg News report cited people familiar with the matter on Wednesday as saying. Trump himself negotiated the trade pact involving the United States, Canada and Mexico in his first term as U.S. president. The report injects uncertainty into renegotiations of the pact, local media reported. Trump has in recent weeks leveled new tariff threats at Canada and Mexico. Meanwhile, the U.S. House of Representatives will vote on Wednesday on whether to reject some of Trump's tariffs, months ahead of the midterm elections. Votes will start with a resolution to stop Trump's tariffs on Canada, local media reported. EL PASO, Texas (AP) The Pentagon allowed U.S. Customs and Border Protection to use an anti-drone laser earlier this week, leading the Federal Aviation Administration to suddenly close the airspace over El Paso, Texas, on Wednesday, according to two people familiar with the situation who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive details. The confusing arc of events began as the FAA announced it was shutting down all flight traffic over the city on the U.S.-Mexico border for 10 days, stranding some travelers, but the closure ended up only lasting a few hours. The Trump administration said it stemmed from the FAA and Pentagon working to halt an incursion by Mexican cartel drones, which are not uncommon along the southern border. One of the people said the laser was deployed near Fort Bliss without coordinating with the FAA, which decided then to close the airspace to ensure commercial air safety. Others familiar with the matter said the technology was used despite a meeting scheduled for later this month between the Pentagon and the FAA to discuss the issue. While the restrictions were short-lived in the city of nearly 700,000 people, it is unusual for an entire airport to shut down even for a short time. Stranded travelers with luggage lined up at airline ticket counters and car rental desks before the order was lifted. Normal flights resumed after seven arrivals and seven departures were canceled. Some medical evacuation flights also had to be rerouted. Jorge Rueda, 20, and Yamilexi Meza, 21, of Las Cruces, New Mexico, had their morning flight to Portland, Oregon, canceled, so they were losing part of their Valentine's Day weekend trip. Rueda said he was glad that 10 days turned into two hours. They were booked on an evening flight out of El Paso. A troubling lack of coordination The investigation into last years midair collision near Washington, D.C., between an airliner and Army helicopter that killed 67 people highlighted how the FAA and Pentagon were not always working well together. The National Transportation Safety Board said the FAA and the Army did not share safety data with each other about the alarming number of close calls around Reagan National Airport and failed to address the risks. Democratic Sen. Tammy Duckworth of Illinois, a former Army helicopter pilot who serves on committees focused on aviation and the armed services, said the issue Wednesday was the latest example of the lack of coordination thats endemic in this Trump administration. Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Ted Cruz, R-Texas, said he would request a briefing from the FAA on the incident. Rep. Veronica Escobar, a Democrat whose district includes El Paso, said neither her office nor local officials received any advance notice of the closure. After it was lifted, she said the information coming from the federal government does not add up." I believe the FAA owes the community and the country an explanation as to why this happened so suddenly and abruptly and was lifted so suddenly and abruptly, Escobar said at a news conference. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said earlier that the airspace was closed as the Defense Department and the FAA halted an incursion by Mexican cartel drones and the threat has been neutralized. Officials at the Department of Homeland Security, FAA and Department of Transportation did not immediately respond to requests for comment. A Trump administration official insisted the agencies were in lockstep to protect national security and pointed to Duffys statement. The Pentagon said it had nothing to add to its statement that largely mirrored Duffys. Cross-border drone activity is not new Republican Rep. Tony Gonzales, whose congressional district covers an area that stretches about 800 miles (1,300 kilometers) along Texas' border with Mexico, said cartel drone sightings are common. For any of us who live and work along the border, daily drone incursions by criminal organizations is everyday life for us. Its a Wednesday for us, Gonzales said. Steven Willoughby, deputy director of the counter-drone program at the Department of Homeland Security, told Congress in July that cartels are using drones nearly every day to transport drugs across the border and surveil Border Patrol agents. More than 27,000 drones were detected within 500 meters (1,600 feet) of the southern border in the last six months of 2024, he said, mostly at night. What is extremely rare is the closure of an entire airport over a security issue, according to a former chief security officer at United Airlines. Officials usually will try to take security measures to isolate the risk if a specific plane or airline is threatened rather than shut down the airport, said Rich Davis, now a senior security adviser at risk mitigation company International SOS. Mexican officials question the explanation Asked about the drone explanation provided by U.S. officials, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said she had no information about the use of drones on the border. She noted that if U.S. authorities have more information, they should contact Mexicos government. Mexican defense and navy secretaries planned to talk with officials from U.S. Northern Command in a meeting Wednesday in Washington attended by several other countries, Sheinbaum told reporters. Sheinbaum said the Mexican officials would listen in the meeting and her government would look into the exact causes of the closure. El Paso is a hub of cross-border commerce alongside Ciudad Juarez. That Mexican city is home to about 1.5 million people, and some of its residents are accustomed to taking advantage of facilities, including airports, on the U.S. side of the border. That easy access to the United States also has made Juarez, like other border cities, attractive to Mexicos drug cartels seeking to safeguard their smuggling routes for drugs and migrants headed north and cash and guns moving to the south. 'This was a major and unnecessary disruption' El Paso Mayor Renard Johnson told reporters that he did not hear about the closure until after the alert was issued. Decisions made without notice and coordination puts lives at risk and creates unnecessary danger and confusion, Johnson said. This was a major and unnecessary disruption, one that has not occurred since 9/11. The airport describes itself as the gateway to west Texas, southern New Mexico and northern Mexico. Southwest, United, American and Delta are among the carriers that operate flights there. A similar 10-day temporary flight restriction for special security reasons remained in place Wednesday around Santa Teresa, New Mexico, which is about 15 miles (24 kilometers) northwest of the El Paso airport. FAA officials did not immediately explain why that restriction remained. Sen. Ben Ray Lujan, a New Mexico Democrat, said in a statement that he was seeking answers from the FAA and the Trump administration "about why the airspace was closed in the first place without notifying appropriate officials, leaving travelers to deal with unnecessary chaos. Confusion for travelers Travel plans on both sides of the border were disrupted. Maria Aracelia was pushing two roller suitcases across the pedestrian bridge from Ciudad Juarez to El Paso on Wednesday morning. She had a round-trip flight to Illinois scheduled for the afternoon. After receiving a text at 4 a.m. telling her about the 10-day closure, she scrambled to try to find other options, even how to get to another airport. Then came a notification that the El Paso airport had reopened. This is stressful, and there isnt time to make so many changes, especially if you need to get back for work," Aracelia said. Kim, Finley, Jalonick and Toropin reported from Washington. Associated Press writers Josh Funk in Omaha, Nebraska; Jim Vertuno in Austin, Texas; Darlene Superville and Mike Balsamo in Washington; Kathy McCormack in Concord, New Hampshire; Maria Verza in Mexico City; Christian Torres Chavez in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico; Rio Yamat in Las Vegas; and Michelle Chapman in New York contributed to this report. WASHINGTON, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on late Tuesday halted all flights to and from El Paso International Airport in the state of Texas for 10 days, citing unspecified "special security reasons." The FAA notices said the restriction will be in effect through Feb. 20, covering the airspace over El Paso and the nearby community of Santa Teresa, New Mexico. The agency did not provide details on the security reasons behind the move. El Paso International Airport confirmed on social media that all flights have been grounded since the restriction went into effect at 11:30 p.m. local time on Tuesday (0630 GMT on Wednesday). Travelers have been told to contact their airlines for flight status updates. The airport said the restriction was issued with little advance notice, and airport staff are awaiting further guidance from the FAA. The Joy Reset It was a familiar refrain in my household a small, chaos: Mummy, mummy youre not listening. Put your phone away. But that Tuesday, it landed with more weight than usual. I didnt like the way my son saw me: distracted, half-present, worn down. Between managing two businesses, solo parenting, older parents and squeezing in crumbs of exercise, I was stretched impossibly thin. And somewhere in that moment burnt toast, inbox overflowing, child tugging at me, I realised I didnt need a break. I needed to stop, before I broke. Never one to do things in halves, I booked a trip to Bhutan. Bhutan isnt an obvious choice for a midlife reset. Its not lounging in linen or sipping something green at a silent retreat. But ever since I was a teenager, Id been fascinated by this Himalayan kingdom that Id heard existed in quiet defiance of everything the modern world holds dear. A country that measures success not by profit margins but by happiness. Three weeks later, I was on a flight weaving precariously through the Himalayas toward Paro, Bhutans capital, and home to one of the worlds most dangerous runways. When we landed, instead of the usual baggage claim dash, every single passenger simply stood there silent and wide-mouthed on the tarmac, encircled by the majestic mountain peaks. Ive visited more than 40 countries but never experienced anything like this. And it was precisely in that moment that I knew that I was exactly where I needed to be. Bhutan Nestled between the economic and political powerhouses of China and India, with a population of just more than 760,000, Bhutan, a country never colonised, truly beats to its own drum. Thick lush forests blanket most of the land and it is the worlds first carbon-neutral country. You wont find a single billboard, McDonalds or even traffic lights disrupting their way of life. Foreign visitors were only permitted to arrive in the 1970s, and television and the internet were introduced in 1999. I was determined to start the trip with an experience both wholesome and humbling: a night in a Buddhist monastery. I had imagined being driven, suitcase in hand, to the front gate. The reality was different. Dropped at the base of a steep mountain with only my backpack, my guide reassured me its an easy hike that locals do in an hour. It took me two and a half a thunderstorm didnt help, though it was mostly my fitness. We reached at twilight and out of the fading light, the Dodedrak Monastery appeared, glowing against the sky. Its sudden presence was breathtaking. Butter lamps in the 12th-century monastery glistening like stars on stone and the thick scent of incense welcomed me. I slipped into the temple in time for evening payers where dozens of burgundy-adorned monks chanted ancient scriptures in unison. The vibrations settled deep in my bones. Within minutes, my shoulders dropped, my breath slowed and I felt a calm I hadnt known in years. That night gave me a glimpse of what Bhutan could teach me. But the moment that truly cut through my digital, zombie state came further into the mountains in the tiny village of Laya. Laya Planning the trip, I had one non-negotiable: visit one of the most remote inhabited villages on Earth. Laya, perched high in the mountains at 3800m, is only reachable by hiking. No roads. Just yaks, ponies, mountains and an inconceivable magic no travel brochure can prepare you for. Around 1600 Layap people, an indigenous community with Tibetan roots, live in stone houses tucked beneath the towering, snow-capped peaks, including the sacred Tigers Peak. Local guide Pema Wangchuk described his adoration: It feels as though [Laya] is where the earth touches the sky. Equally as special is the hospitality. Every guest is welcomed with tea, and when a family builds a house, the whole village comes to help, knowing that kindness will always be returned. I stayed in the home of Am Pem, a recently widowed mother of the village chief. Am Pems husband of 60 years passed aware a mere four weeks ago. Her cosy kitchen, warmed by a woodfire stove, doubled as her bedroom. My own room was larger but freezing, lined with towers of brightly coloured blankets. Even wrapped in layers, the mountain cold seeped in, and not even the fatigue of the hike could coax me to sleep. By morning, the village was alive with the Bumkor Festival, held only once every two years. Am Pem found humour in dressing me in her yak wool coat, long black skirt and striking conical hat before ushering me into the crowd. Sacred texts were carried in a grand procession through the village, accompanied by the Tsendhar a rolled flag once borne by ancient warriors. Villagers of all ages sang, danced and shared food until the whole community appeared to move as one. I stood still, mesmerised by the riot of colour against the white towering mountains and the rhythm of the villagers gliding in circles. I also felt an ache. The joy of moving together as a community, of being known, is what I miss most at home. I rarely feel that kind of belonging. That night, sitting cross-legged on the floor, we ate a simple and delicious spread of butter-sauteed mushrooms, boiled eggs, fiery chilli and steaming rice. I asked Amma what advice she had for living a long and happy life. She didnt hesitate: To be happy, dont be greedy. Make the most of what you have. In our village, if we have enough rice to eat, then we are happy. It sounded simple, but her words made my throat tighten, because I knew how rarely I felt that kind of contentment. Back home, I could open the fridge to four types of milk and still feel dissatisfied. I scrolled endlessly and wanted endlessly. Sitting there, I felt ashamed of my own hunger not for food, but for more. Ammas happiness was measured in a bowl of rice. Mine had no measure at all. Wellbeing in Bhutan Theres something profound about being in a place where wellbeing isnt a lifestyle brand but a daily practice. Healthcare is free. Education is free. Trees are sacred. And compassion and kindness are the glue binding this matriarchal society together. I could feel it in almost every interaction I had, ranging from yak farmers, students to diplomats. The question, How can I help my community? is taught from childhood and carried for life. This spirit of collective care was, for me, the most unique part of Bhutan. Bhutan is also known for its philosophy of Gross National Happiness (GNH), which places human wellbeing above economic growth. No policy or project moves forward without passing the GNH lens: will it protect culture, community and the environment, or will it cause harm? If it risks harm, it does not proceed. In 2022, Bhutans GNH index showed that nearly half the population described themselves as happy. Of course, wellbeing here is not only in policy, but an everyday practice. Most memorable of this trip were the famed Gasa hot springs. I pictured a lush spa with terraces of steaming pools. What greeted me instead were two plain large baths, with locals crammed shoulder to shoulder. I politely told my guide Id skip this experience. He insisted I try for 10 minutes, Maam. I gently entered the warm water, wedging myself between two elderly (naked) women. I struck up a conversation with a young medical student who explained that she and her mother had driven six hours just to soak here. Only then did I understand: these springs are sacred ground. Legend says a 13th-century saint scattered 128 medicines here, giving each pool its own healing power. Forty-five minutes later, I climbed out, relieved it was over. But by morning, my aches had melted away, leaving me light, refreshed and ready to climb again. No luxury spa could have done the same. In Bhutan, nature itself is medicine. Research shows time in forests and mountains lowers stress and improves mood, and I felt this truth with every hike and long road trip. The shifting landscapes, forests folding over hills, sudden cliff s, gem-blue streams became a meditation, resetting my nervous system. In Bhutan, death isnt hushed. Its spoken of daily, almost like a friend. Bhutanese are encouraged to think of it five times a day, a reminder that our impermanence brings joy, not despair. I already think about death often, so it was oddly comforting to learn that in Bhutan this makes me productive, not just morbid as the West would have it. And, always, life moves at a slower, kinder pace in this kingdom. Even in towns, the maximum speed limit is 20kmph. On my first day, I powered through the cultural centre, only to have my guide laugh, Ive never seen anyone finish visiting so quickly. Hardly a record to brag about. My usual bullet-train tempo didnt belong here, though by the end of the trip, Id managed to shift down a gear or two. Six months on, I can see Bhutan was not a brief escape but a necessary awakening. Since returning, life has been anything but serene. Ive faced some of the hardest months I can remember. Ive been overscheduled to the point of delirium, cried in the car after school drop-off and fallen asleep doom-scrolling. Yet I noticed a shift: I felt better equipped to handle these days. When the noise builds, I return in my mind to fluttering prayer flags in the mountains, to villagers dancing at the Bumkor Festival. I hear the low chants rolling through the monastery at dusk and the quiet contentment of everyone I met. Those moments remind me to slow down and choose what matters. They steady me when I start rushing, overcommitting and putting myself last. The truth is, I still stumble into old habits, which, as the saying goes, die hard. But Bhutan left me with something steadier: a way back to enough and being present in that enough. Article Featured in WellBeing Magazine 220 U.S. President Donald Trump (R) welcomes Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House in Washington, D.C., the United States, Feb. 11, 2026. Trump said that U.S.-Iran talks will continue to see whether a deal can be consummated, shortly after his closed-door meeting with visiting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House on Wednesday. (Avi Ohayon/GPO/Handout via Xinhua) WASHINGTON, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump said that U.S.-Iran talks will continue to see whether a deal can be consummated, shortly after his closed-door meeting with visiting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House on Wednesday. "I have just finished meeting with Prime Minister Netanyahu, of Israel, and various of his Representatives," Trump said in a post on Truth Social. "There was nothing definitive reached other than I insisted that negotiations with Iran continue to see whether or not a Deal can be consummated," Trump said. "If it can, I let the Prime Minister know that will be a preference. If it cannot, we will just have to see what the outcome will be." He added that the two leaders discussed the progress being made in Gaza and the region in general. Netanyahu arrived at the White House in a vehicle via the South Lawn on Wednesday morning and left without a press conference or a statement issued. The meeting, their seventh since the start of Trump's second term, reportedly lasted roughly three hours. Before the meeting, Netanyahu met with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and formally signed up as a member of the "Board of Peace." The initiative is controversial in Israel's parliament, Fox News reported. Ahead of his trip to Washington, Netanyahu told reporters: "I will present to the president our concept regarding the principles of the negotiations (on Iran) -- the essential principles that are important not only to Israel but to anyone who wants peace and security in the Middle East." Netanyahu's office has said that the prime minister wants the talks to include limits on Iran's ballistic missile program and cut Iran's ties with militant groups such as Hamas and Hezbollah. Trump said Tuesday in an interview with Fox Business Network that "it's got to be a good deal. No nuclear weapons, no missiles." Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said at celebrations in Tehran for the 47th anniversary of the 1979 Islamic Revolution on Wednesday that a "wall of distrust" created by the West is hindering nuclear talks with the United States, vowing that Iran will never surrender to excessive demands and aggression. Also on Wednesday, Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi told Russia Today that he believes Iran and the United States can strike a nuclear deal better than the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action signed in July 2015, while reiterating that Iran will not negotiate on its missile program or regional alliances. Washington and Tehran held their indirect talks on Friday in the Omani capital of Muscat amid simmering tensions between the two sides and a U.S. military buildup near Iran. On Tuesday, Trump said he is considering sending a second aircraft carrier strike group to the Middle East for possible military actions against Iran if negotiations fail. Fiona Magennis A defence expert witness in the case of a 51-year-old man who claims his conviction for the rape and murder of a Connemara schoolgirl was a miscarriage of justice has said DNA analysis was very much in its infancy at the time of his trial and technological advances in the intervening years have been huge. John McDonagh was 27 when he was convicted in 2001 by a Central Criminal Court jury of the rape and murder of Siobhan Hynes (17), of Sconse, Lettermore, Connemara. Hynes was found dead at Tismeain beach in the townland of Keeraunbeg in the early hours of December 6th, 1998. McDonagh, formerly of The Demesne, Keeraunbeg, Carraroe, had pleaded not guilty but was convicted following three days of jury deliberations and sentenced to life imprisonment. He is now seeking to utilise advances in technology and developments in expert knowledge to try to establish that his conviction was unsafe and demonstrate that there has been a miscarriage of justice in his case. He has made a novel application to have certain trial exhibits undergo forensic testing and examination, arguing that fibres on Hynes person had not received adequate attention. Dr Louise McKenna, of the State Forensic Science Laboratory, found "numerous" fibres on the jumper McDonagh wore that night which matched Ms Hynes's petrol-blue polyester fleece jacket and wine acrylic jumper. She also found fibres on the front and back of his jumper which matched fibres from Hynes's black socks. Fibres from the fleece and the wine jumper were also found in the front passenger seat of McDonagh's car, and fibres from his red fluffy car-seat cover matched two red fibres found on Hynes's clothes. McKenna said the fibres lent "very strong support to the proposition that Siobhan Hynes was in contact with John McDonagh's jumper and strong support for her being in his car." McDonagh is now seeking to utilise advances in technology and developments in expert knowledge to try to establish that his conviction was unsafe and demonstrate that there has been a miscarriage of justice in his case. In opening the appeal last December, Michael OHiggins SC, for McDonagh, said that the meat and veg of the case is in the affidavits of the experts. The case was adjourned following two days of submissions after the three-judge court said they wished to hear evidence from the expert witnesses in the case. During cross-examination on Tuesday, the third day of the appeal hearing, forensic expert for McDonagh Clare Jarman told counsel for the State Paul Carroll that while DNA testing was still useful at the time of the trial, it was very much in its infancy. She said the advancements in the 20 years since had been significant, although she agreed the basic science remained the same. Jarman said modern technology is more sensitive and current extraction methods are better able to clean samples and remove contaminants. She told the court that acid phosphatase (AP) testing is used to identify the possible presence of seminal fluid. In relation to clothing, she said the detectability of such material depended on whether the fluid was dry or wet when immersed in water. She said spermatozoa can sometimes remain, but identifying which areas of clothing to target can be difficult. Jarman agreed that AP testing has been used for decades and decades and that immersion in water may cause the substance to be lost or degraded. Carroll said the evidence in the case was that Hynes body had been left in a tidal area. He said Dr Dorothy Ramsbottom of Forensic Science Ireland, who prepared a report for the Director of Public Prosecutions, had noted that the facts of the case indicated a low likelihood of finding bodily or seminal fluid. Jarman agreed that immersion in water would reduce the presence of acid phosphatase but said she could not say whether it would eliminate it entirely. She told counsel the action of waves and seawater would have a more negative effect on evidence than distilled water. Jarman also addressed Y-STR testing, describing it as useful in isolating male DNA in samples overwhelmed by female DNA. She said immersion in water was a huge factor affecting detectability. Jarman confirmed to Mr OHiggins in re-examination that six cotton buds were taken at the time and split, creating 12 potential test portions. She said only part of one had been tested, meaning 11 portions had not been examined. She said modern testing would involve combining extracts from all portions. Ramsbottom later told the court that Y-STR profiling was not used in Ireland until 2016. She described the possibility of DNA surviving under fingernails as possible but highly unlikely and said testers at the time had carried out a pre-assessment to maximise evidential value. She said in this case, testers looked at the fingernail scrapings even though the victim was in the water for up to 14 hours and there would have been a very low likelihood of finding anything under her nails. She said in this case there was a match to the victims own DNA. Expert evidence was also heard from fibre specialists. Tiernan Coyle said he was unable to confirm the analytical findings in the case file and could not yet express an opinion on contact evidence. Coyle said important developments have been made in microscopes over the past 25 years and this represented a significant advance in technology. Amanda Lennon, a prosecution fibre expert, said while technology had advanced, the principles remained the same and further testing would be unlikely to advance the evidence. She said the testing done at the time was robust and the case involved fibres transferred in multiple directions, with various types on two different garments and given the number involved and the multi-way transfer, further testing was likely to strengthen the evidence rather than the opposite. The trial in 2001 heard that Hynes had celebrated her 17th birthday a week before she was murdered. She was raped by McDonagh, who then tried to choke her. After leaving her for dead, he drove his car back to Carraroe village and became involved in a fight. Hynes disappeared from Carraroe village at around 12.50am. She left a car parked outside a local hotel to go to the toilet in a local chip shop, but she never came back. Earlier, when she tried to go to the toilet in a local pub, a doorman refused her entry because she was underage. The hearing continues on Wednesday. If you have been affected by any of the issues raised in this article, you can call the national 24-hour Rape Crisis Helpline at 1800-77 8888, access text service and webchat options at drcc.ie/services/helpline/ or visit Rape Crisis Help. In the case of an emergency, always dial 999/112. Vivienne Clarke The former special envoy to the US John Deasy has claimed that Ireland no longer has the necessary contacts to make things happen when they need to happen in Washington DC. Highlighting the case of Seamus Culleton, Deasy said that such situations are only resolved quickly when they are politicised and publicised. Speaking on RTE radios News at One, Deasy questioned what kind of representation Culleton had received from the Irish consulate in Austin Texas over the last five months since he was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents in Boston. Culleton, from Glenmore in Co Kilkenny, Mr Culleton was picked up by ICE agents last September and taken to a detention centre in Texas, where he remains. The Minister for Foreign Affairs earlier on Tuesday said that Culleton's case was brought to the attention of [the] department before Christmas or late last year". She said that they had been "providing support and consular assistance to him". "I acknowledge it's a really distressing situation for him and we want to do everything that we can to support him," she said. Micheal Martin said he would like to see Seamus Colleton freed from the ICE facility. He said the issue of the undocumented Irish in the United States has been a concern for quite some time, not just during the current administration. Deasy said that locking up any Irish citizen in this manner, for this length of time cant be tolerated in any circumstances. Deasy called for someone in the Dail to seek a record of the communications between Seamus Culleton, his family and the Irish Consulate in Austin and in Washington and a record of what they then did or didn't do in the last five months. That is the critical thing because it can't be tolerated and you know any Irish citizen should not be left in this kind of a situation for this length of time. I think some politicians have understood for some time that we have a problem with representation in Washington and this is just another example of it. We do need professional political operatives with in-depth contacts with Republicans and we don't have that in Washington. We don't have the requisite necessary contacts within the Republican Party to make things happen when we need them to happen and that's a big problem. Deasy said the bottom line was that if a relative of his had been locked up like Culleton he would ensure that it got political quickly. When these cases pop up it seems to me that the only times there is a result... is when it gets politicised and when it gets publicised. We found that out recently with a couple of well-known cases. Politics doesn't change. It's about contacts, relationships, it's about people knowing who's in power and turning that lever. "Unfortunately, we don't have that kind of influence and access that we used to have." Just over 250,000 cars submitted for an National Car Test (NCT) last year failed the visual defect test because of faulty tyres. In addition, an increasing number of cars undergoing the test are receiving a dangerous fail result, meaning the vehicle in unroadworthy to a dangerous level - nearly 133,000 vehicles last year were thus classified. Tom Dennigan of Continental Tyres Ireland, said he was shocked at the results. It is clear that a significant number of Irish drivers are paying scant regard to basic maintenance requirements that would ensure their vehicles are roadworthy. He said motorists need to take responsibility for ensuring their car is roadworthy by regularly doing some basic car maintenance, and also to keep up with the service schedule for their vehicle to make sure it is roadworthy. He believed that damaged or defective tyres would account for a considerable number of the dangerous fail results. Mr Dennigan said drivers should carry out a visual examination of their cars tyres that will show up any obvious problems. When checking tyres, its important to check tread depth and tyre pressure, to check for bumps, or uneven wear of the tyre that, in extreme cases, could lead to a tyre blowout. A Swinford family has said they do not want transcripts from a recent court case to be released to a man who is seeking to make a documentary about the death of Joe Deacy. Before a sitting of Castlebar Circuit Criminal Court, documentary maker Shane Caffrey applied for the transcript of the Digital Audio Recording from a sentencing hearing on July 24, 2025. The sentencing hearing related a friend of the late Joe Deacy who pleaded guilty to harassing Peter and Anne Byrne. Brendan Rowland, with an address in Shenley Road, Borehamwood, near London, received an 18-month suspended prison sentence. Twenty-one-year-old Joe Deacy from St Alban's, Hertfordshire, England was found unconscious outside the Byrne home at Gortnasillagh, Swinford at 6.45am on August 12, 2017 and died the following day in Beaumont Hospital in Dublin. Solicitor Matthew Kenny, acting for Mr Caffrey, said his client wished to have the DAR or a transcript of the DAR so he could give an accurate account of the court proceedings. He is neutral and he is making a documentary and it is exactly why it is not an injustice to provide a transcript in a limited format to ensure the remarks made at the sentencing hearing are only reported absolutely accurately so people's remarks are not taken out of context. His objective to make a documentary is to make one which is fair to all sides in what is clearly a matter of public interest, he said. Judge Eoin Garavan remarked that it was an unusual application but he did not have an issue with the request in principle. Peter and Anne Byrne were in court and Judge Garavan said he would like to hear their views on the matter. We were here on July 24 [2025] and made our victim impact statements and 17 days later, Shane Caffrey came to my house with a group of people who were uninvited and there was a march outside my house and trespassing on our driveway. He trespassed," said Mr Byrne. I have made a complaint to gardai about what happened at those protests in 2024 and 2025 and I have a Pulse number and the documentary maker Shane Caffrey was mentioned as part of the protest." Mr Kenny said his client was at the protest outside the Byrne home in his capacity as a documentary maker. Mr Byrne stated that he believes Brendan Rowland was not the only person involved in the harassment campaign which he maintained is ongoing. It continues to occur and our family members in Ireland and abroad have been harassed and intimidated by a group of people who I believe are organised and out of control, he stated. Mr Byrne said the investigation into the harassment campaign against his family remains open and he believes no transcripts should be made available until it is concluded. Judge Garavan said he would consider the submissions of Mr Byrne in his objection and give his decision on March 13. A commemoration to mark the 50th anniversary of Frank Staggs death by hunger strike will take place in Ballina next weekend. A native of Hollymount, Mr Stagg died in Wakefield Prison in England in 1976 after 62 days on hunger strike. He was aged just 35. The Mayo man had received a 10-year jail sentence in 1973 for conspiracy to commit arson and during his time in prison, embarked on three hunger strikes in his quest for political status. In 1974, Mr Stagg went on hunger strike with Gerry Kelly, Hugh Feeney, the Price sisters and his fellow Mayo man Michael Gaughan, from Ardnaree. They demanded an end to solitary confinement, access to educational facilities and repatriation to a Northern Irish prison. This hunger strike would result in the death of Michael Gaughan and ended when the group, with the exception of Frank Stagg, were transfered to Northern Ireland. Mr Stagg was denied a transfer because he was not born in Northern Ireland. He was instead transferred to Long Larkin Prison where he began a second hunger strike. His demands were met after 34 days and he called off his protest. His third and final hunger strike took place at Wakefield in 1975. The governor dismissed the terms of the agreement Mr Stagg had fought hard to win at Long Larkin and ordered punitive treatment because of his refusal to do prison work. Mr Stagg died after 62 days on hunger strike. His remains were brought back to Ireland and buried in Leigue Cemetery in Ballina. However, he was buried in a grave outside the Republican plot, against the wishes of some members of his family and the Republican movement, and grave was covered with concrete to prevent his body being dug up and reburied. However, following the end of an extended period of Garda surveillance in July 1977, Frank Staggs body was dug up and re-interned in the Republican plot next to Michael Gaughan. The commemoration to mark the 50th anniversary will begin on Saturday next, February 14, at 12 noon with a 12km run departing from the Michael Gaughan memorial at Healy Terrace led by local athlete Hugh Armstrong and Collyn Kelly of Cu Chulainn Runners Club of Derry. A 5km run will begin at the same time. Attendees will assemble at 1.30pm at the lower car park of Leigue Cemetery. A lone piper will lead a colour party to the grave followed by a black flag procession and members of the Stagg family. A general procession will follow behind. The ceremony at the grave will begin at 2pm with music by members of the Stagg family. Gerry Kelly will deliver the keynote address and other speakers include Sinn Fein Cllr Gerry Murray and TD Rose Conway-Walsh. Following the speakers, Kenneth Morrison will play the Last Post on bugle. Morrison, a native of Cork, played the Last Post at Mr Stagg's funeral 50 years ago when he was 14 years old. George Stagg will offer concluding remarks on behalf of the Stagg family. A social gathering will take place at the at the Great National Hotel from 7pm. Spirit of Freedom, with support from Mairtin McDonnell and Bernie Carroll, will provide live music. There is no cover charge. An older woman looking through an empty purse - natasaelena/Shutterstock The National Council on Aging found in 2024 that over 17 million seniors are classed as "economically insecure." This figure includes individuals aged 65 and older with incomes at or below 200% of the federal poverty level, or a little over $30,000 per year. A $30,000 yearly budget translates into $2,500 per month just slightly more than the country's median monthly mortgage payment of $2,329, per Rocket Mortgage. Having a budget restricted to a figure like this is a clear-cut sign that you're living as a lower-class retiree, but raw numbers don't always tell the whole story. Some retired people may live completely debt free or have other financial holdings, making a Social Security payment more of a supplement to an already-fulfilling lifestyle, rather than a central pillar of their finances. Other important signs of lower-class retirement lifestyles creep into the picture in the form of restrictions. If the total sum of money you have available doesn't restrict your lifestyle, other necessities or choices can signal this reality. For instance, if you find that you have to continue working during your retirement years, it's likely a sign that you don't have the financial means to support expanded mobility. The same can be said of those who find that they can't afford to go on vacation. Other actions such as leaning on Social Security for the brunt of your budget, adding in additional assistance programs, or downsizing parts of your life can also signal you might be in a tighter economic position than some of your retired peers. Read more: 12 Items Retirees Will Instantly Regret Buying Your budget does not allow for regular vacations senior in hotel with suitcase - Fg Trade Latin/Getty Images Older Americans take a decent number of vacations each year. In its 2025 Travel Trends report, AARP found adults aged 50 and older took an average of 3.9 trips in 2024 roughly one trip every three months. Traveling at a lower rate than that could signify that you're working with lighter financial weight than others in your age cohort. Vacations are a common feature of retirement living, as it's often the period in adults' lives where leisure time is most abundant. There may always be plans and commitments to work around, but retirees tend to shed one of the largest time sinks of their waking life when they leave their job. If you're struggling to make the financials work to facilitate even one or two vacations per year, you likely fall into the economic lower class as a retiree. That's not to say that actually going on holiday trips indicates a certain economic status, though. Some people are perfectly happy to spend their free time in the place they've chosen to call home, or simply decide to go on one big trip each year. AARP also found that the average retiree spends roughly $6,800 on vacations annually. Whether or not you hit this number, if you're significantly short of the ability to make this spending commitment, you may have some work to do financially. You have to continue working to make ends meet older worker in a warehouse - Halfpoint/Shutterstock Many older Americans cut down their working commitment instead of giving it up entirely. Using data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, CNBC calculated that the volume of workers aged 65 and older in the U.S. increased by 33% between 2015 and 2024. Working past retirement age can make for a smoother transition out of the workforce, and it helps ease the pressure on your investment accounts. In particular, consulting work can be a high-paying retirement side gig. But, if you find that you must continue to work, you're looking at a different scenario altogether. There are some retirees who may have the option to retire outright, but their current budgetary needs require them to draw down on their retirement accounts at an unsustainable rate. People in this position may need to start working again to replace that income stream if their savings run out too early. A recent AARP survey found that 7% of retired Americans have reentered the workforce, with half of that population citing money concerns as their primary motivation. Alternatively, you might be a part of the American public with little to no retirement savings that are essentially unable to stop working. AARP also found in 2024 that 20% of Americans over 50 have no retirement savings. Even if you have a high-paying job today, you might not be capable of sustaining that income as you continue to age especially if that job involves physical labor. Your budget is heavily reliant on Social Security checks $100 bills and Social Security checks - Richard Stephen/Getty Images 67% of seniors depend on Social Security benefits for more than half of their retirement income, according to a 2024 survey by The Senior Citizens League. The basic math of retirement budgeting suggests that you need to deliver at least half your retirement income from other sources, since you'll need roughly 80% of your preretirement income to maintain your lifestyle. Social Security replaces up to about 40% of that figure, yet the same Senior Citizens League survey found a full 27% of seniors depend on Social Security for the entirety of their retirement income. If you fall into this extreme end of the spectrum, you're almost certainly within the lower economic class. Relying on Social Security to fund the bulk or entirety of your daily needs leaves little room in the budget for splurges, emergencies, and other spending categories. The Social Security Administration (SSA) reports the average Social Security check comes out to $2,071 as of January 2026, with a maximum benefit of $4,152 for those who don't delay retirement. Even that maximum fails to meet the threshold of quality financial mobility for most, given the fact that over-60s average more than $1,300 per month on healthcare expenses alone (via Kiplinger). Lower-class retirees may have difficulty replacing appliances or a vehicle when the need arises, and many financial needs get squeezed even harder if you're still carrying mortgage or other loan repayment obligations. You had no choice but to downsize your car or home large house with sold sign out front - Gorodenkoff/Getty Images Downsizing can be a valuable tool for retirees. There are lots of reasons to sell your home, car, or other belongings that no longer serve your lifestyle needs. Some retirees will consider moving to a new city or state that doesn't add tax obligations on Social Security benefits, for instance. This offers a direct improvement that can help extract capital from your home while also limiting the burn rate of your retirement savings. Some Americans might also own more than one car, or have a few recreational vehicles they no longer use enough to justify maintaining. However, other downsizing efforts are foisted upon retirees. If you find the alternative to selling an asset might be to succumb to the foreclosure process and eventually lose the property altogether, this could be symbolic of your economic class. Lower-class retirees are susceptible to this need, in particular. Redfin reports that more than half of the homeowning population of baby boomers have no mortgage, and even those still paying off their house may consider the property their most valuable asset. However, selling a house can also be emotionally difficult, and the financial mobility it provides is also potentially limited. Facing a need to sell likely means that you need the capital to support something else that's already commanding your attention, leaving less of the proceeds available for a new purchase or as investment capital that can reinvigorate your portfolio. You require state or federal assistance beyond the basics SSI spelled in blocks - Katiindies/Shutterstock Social Security isn't just a singular support tool for retired Americans. The government agency is also responsible for disability and other benefits, as well as acting as a connection point for seniors enrolling in Medicare. Supplemental Security Income (SSI) is one tool offered by the SSA, and it can be a vital lifeline for those with little to no financial support beyond their benefit check. SSI is an additional tool that helps people experiencing extreme financial vulnerability. Recipients must meet certain financial criteria that essentially excludes anyone outside of the lower band of the economic spectrum. You'll also need to either be at least 65 or experiencing blindness or other hardships brought on by a disability to qualify. As of 2026, the SSA offers maximum SSI benefits of $994 per month to individual recipients and $1,491 for couples. Maintaining certain financial assets such as more than $2,000 in the bank for single recipients can eliminate your eligibility for the program, and earning income from working reduces your benefit amount by $1 for every $2 you earn in salary payments. Other assistance programs can be found at the state level, and they largely utilize the same basic structure to deliver additional financial support to those facing the most extreme levels of fiscal vulnerability. Unlock your financial potential. Add Money Digest to your preferred sources for smart money insights! Read the original article on Money Digest. One of the most impenetrable conundrums in modern politics is the extraordinary grip that President Donald Trump has exerted on the minds and hearts of the American electorate. Now, even the dogs in the street assent to the obvious truth that of all American presidents in history, Trump will be regarded as the president most spectacularly unsuited to that role. Ironically, while Trump attempted to label Joe Biden as the worst American president ever that accolade will, I suspect, be his forever. Period. It will sit more comfortably with his reputation than the Nobel Peace Prize which he childishly imagined he deserved and which the actual recipient a Venezuelan winner, Maria Machado who, to curry favour for her countrys freedom after the American invasion of her country handed over to him. A gesture like the UKs prime minister, Keith Starmer, gifting Trump with a visit to the King of England, in order to buy off Trumps excessive tariffs. As a man absolutely bereft of shame and suffering from what psychologists have collectively diagnosed as a malignant form of narcissism, Trump was left with even less dignity than the hapless Starmer and Machado. Recently Trump, to placate the demands of his irrepressible ego, including the aggravated attention to which narcissists are prone, decided to establish a Board of Peace (and take the chair himself) in an apparent effort to challenge the UNs Security Council. It was, Mary Robinson charitably concluded, a delusion of power. Further embellishing his penchant for irrepressible delusion and no shame in inverse proportions to normal standards, Trump effectively gifted the chair of Board of Peace to himself for life and is charging interested countries including Russia and Belarus $1billion dollars a go for membership. Incredibly, Catholics comprised a significant section of the American electorate that Trump successfully charmed into supporting him and his Maga (Make America Great Again) policies. To the embarrassment and shame of the Catholic Church, in the 2024 presidential election, the Catholics who had voted for Joe Biden in 2020, switched their votes to Trump - an individual without any apparent moral compass - and experts credit Trumps victory in 2024 to those votes. It was another perplexing and mortifying exposure of Catholic responsibility even sponsorship of Trumps outrageous ideas and demented policies. And when, on the very day of his inauguration as President, Trump issued a series of executive orders around immigration, capital punishment, humanitarian aid, racial justice and climate change, the gap between what Catholics believed and what Trump proposed was inconveniently and shamefully exposed. Was this, Catholics were left asking, what we had voted for? Archbishop Timothy Broglio, then head of the US Conference of Catholics Bishops, described Trumps proposals as deeply troubling and predicted that they would have negative consequences, many of which will harm the most vulnerable among us. It was the first significant official rebuff Trump received from the Catholic Church and indicated the first evidence of the fragmenting of his Catholic support. Even though after the election a buoyant Trump had circulated through social media an AI-generated image of himself wearing a white papal soutane and carrying a mitre, and had chosen high profile positions for the Catholic J.D. Vance (vice-President) and the Catholic Marco Rubio (Secretary of State) as if to lay official claim to Catholic support, the tide of support from Catholics was about to turn against him. Archbishop Broglios prediction of the negative consequences of Trumps policies soon became ominously accurate as the anarchic Elon Musk, the richest man in the world and the father of 14 children with four mothers, was given the job of effectively eliminating American humanitarian aid including closing down the US Agency for International Development (USAid), which resulted in saving billions of dollars for the US exchequer and causing the deaths of incalculable thousands of the poorest children in the world. A policy of official largesse - notably the reduction of taxes for wealthy Americans - was paid for with cuts to programmes for low-income families. The devastation caused by Trump, Musk and their acolytes was not unremarked on by the American native, Pope Leo XIV, who robustly challenged the Trump social focus by pointing out that the care of the poor was central to Catholic faith, that Catholic charities for so long at the coal-face of care of the poor had been systematically undone by the withdrawal of government aid and what the writer, Stephen Schneck summarised in the Tablet as the withdrawal of vital services for those who cant afford groceries, child-care programmes, meal deliveries for senior citizens, mental health services and much more'. Even more stringent, more robust and more noted was the Catholic bishops criticism of the US official immigrant policy and its inhumane consequences. Last November, the bishops trenchantly criticised Trumps signature domestic policy saying that the brutality aimed at immigrant communities disturbed and saddened them. On January 9, 2026, shortly after the invasion of Venezuela, Pope Leo condemned a growing zeal for war and called for a revision of the US foreign policy. And, taking their cue from the Popes address, on January 19, three Catholic cardinals - Blaise Cupich of Chicago, Robert McElroy of Washington and Joseph Tobin of Newark - observed: We seek a foreign policy that respects and advances the right to human life, religious liberty and the enhancement of human dignity throughout the world, especially through economic assistance. We renounce war as not a normal instrument of (US) national policy. The events in Venezuela, Ukraine and Greenland have raised basic questions about the use of military force and the meaning of peace. Pope Leo has given us the prism through which to raise the moral foundation for American policy to a much higher level. We will preach, teach and advocate in the coming months to make that higher level possible. The statement by the three cardinals is, in effect, a clear declaration that the Catholic Church in America is now taking a road not travelled by Donald Trump. It is not before time that the Catholic Church in America has decided to give Trump and his toxic virus a wide berth. Alight has increased its solar energy assets in Finland by acquiring two large-scale projects from Finnish developer 3Flash, adding more than 200MW of planned solar capacity and battery storage. With the acquisition, Alights total pipeline in the country has increased to more than 1GW. The projects are situated in eastern Finland, an area characterised by relatively low local power production and reduced grid congestion. The initial project is expected to have a capacity of roughly 75MW and is targeted for grid connection by 2028, taking advantage of its closeness to the Finnish transmission system operator Fingrid's network. Approval has also been granted to construct a 30MW battery energy storage system (BESS) at this location. The second project, anticipated to produce approximately 150MW, plans to connect to the grid via a new substation expansion by Fingrid, expected to be completed around 2030. This strategy aims to provide an efficient and cost-effective link to the national grid. Alight and 3Flash will continue to jointly develop these projects until they reach readiness for construction. 3Flash CEO Miko Huomo said: We are very pleased to expand our cooperation with Alight through these projects. Together we are accelerating the build-out of grid-friendly solar and storage solutions in Finland. The new projects extend the ongoing collaboration between Alight and 3Flash in Loviisa in southern Finland, where they are jointly developing a large-scale solar park with a capacity of approximately 120MW, alongside a 45MW BESS. The Loviisa initiative recently secured a multi-million-euro grant from the European Commissions Innovation Fund and emphasises agrivoltaics by integrating solar power production with agricultural land use via AI-enhanced tracking technology. In addition to these developments, Alight is set to launch its first Finnish solar park this summer in Eurajoki, with a capacity of 100MW. The companys Finnish projects span various stages from initial development to construction readiness across different regions. These solar projects are facilitated by long-term power purchase agreements, under which Alight constructs, owns and operates the solar facilities. These agreements allow industrial buyers to purchase electricity at a consistent, low price, supporting the addition of renewable energy to the grid and ensuring stable energy costs for the purchasers. Alight CEO Warren Campbell said: By adding local solar and storage, we strengthen energy self-sufficiency and increase grid resilience in eastern Finland. With its strong solar conditions and available grid capacity, the region is an ideal location for new large-scale projects. Garcia Moreno said Brazil led postpaid net additions with 644,000, followed by Colombia (276,000), Peru (148,000), and Mexico (135,000). In prepaid, Mexico added 197,000 subscribers, Argentina 226,000, and Colombia 224,000, while Brazil and Chile saw prepaid losses of 381,000 and 315,000, respectively. America Movil reported adding 2.5 million wireless subscribers in the quarter, driven by 2.8 million postpaid net additions partially offset by 298,000 prepaid net losses. The company ended December with 331 million wireless subscribers, and management said the postpaid base increased 8.4% year over year. On foreign exchange, Garcia Moreno said the U.S. dollar weakened against practically all the currencies in the companys region during the quarter, with exceptions including the Brazilian real and Argentine peso. He cited a 2.3% decline versus the Mexican peso, 3.7% versus the Colombian peso, and 5.7% versus the Chilean peso, while remaining roughly flat against the euro. Chief Financial Officer Carlos Garcia Moreno opened by pointing to macro uncertainty tied to a U.S. government shutdown that ran through mid-quarter, which he said disrupted employment and delayed the release of some economic indicators. He also noted that the Federal Reserve cut its policy rate by 25 basis points on Dec. 10 amid limited data, muted inflation pressures, and signs of a softening economy. Executives at America Movil (NYSE:AMX) highlighted accelerating growth in key access lines, improving profitability, and a higher free cash flow profile during the companys fourth-quarter 2025 earnings call, while reiterating a disciplined leverage target and offering an initial view of capital spending expectations for 2026 and beyond. Fullyear 2025 cash flow was strong with operating cash flow of MXN 213 billion and free cash flow of MXN 82 billion (40% YoY growth); net debt fell by MXN 20 billion to 1.52x net debt/EBITDA (management target ~1.31.5x) while 2026 CapEx is guided to about 1415% of revenues (~$6.87.0 billion) . America Movil added 2.5 million wireless subscribers in Q4 (driven by 2.8 million postpaid additions) to reach 331 million total, with postpaid up 8.4% YoY and broadband accesses accelerating 5.6% YoY . Story Continues In fixed services, the company connected 5,240 broadband accesses in the quarter, including 184,000 in Mexico, 133,000 in Brazil, 57,000 in Argentina, and 49,000 in Colombia. Pay-TV added 77,000 units, while the company disconnected 79,000 landline voice lines. Management said access lines totaled more than 4.1 million at quarter-end and that the company had 79 million fixed-line RGUs. 3 ETFs Designed to Survive the Next Market Crash Executives emphasized that the companys more dynamic linesmobile postpaid and broadbandhave accelerated over the last several quarters, with broadband accesses up 5.6% year over year, which Garcia Moreno described as among the highest access growth rates in years. Revenue, EBITDA, and profit: operating leverage highlighted Fourth-quarter revenue rose 3.4% year over year in Mexican peso terms to MXN 245 billion. On a constant currency basis, revenue increased 6.2%, with service revenue up 5.3%. Garcia Moreno attributed the gap between nominal and constant-currency growth largely to the pesos appreciation versus the U.S. dollar compared with the prior year period, and he said comparisons across categories were also affected by the incorporation of the Chilean operation beginning in November 2024. EBITDA increased 4.2% in peso terms to MXN 95 billion and 6.9% at constant exchange rates. Garcia Moreno said EBITDA again grew faster than revenue, citing operating leverage. Mobile service revenue rose 6.2%, with postpaid revenue up 7.6%. Management said prepaid revenue growth was the fastest in at least five quarters, with Mexico accelerating from 2.38% to 3.8% amid what the company described as a recovery in private consumption. Fixed-line service revenue increased 3.6%, including fixed broadband revenue growth of 6.4%. Operating profit totaled MXN 49 billion, rising 5.9% in nominal terms and 8.3% at constant exchange rates. Garcia Moreno added that comprehensive financing costs were about half the level of the prior-year quarter, contributing to net profit of MXN 19 billionabout four times the year-ago figure. He said the quarters earnings equated to MXN 0.32 per share, or $0.35 per ADR. Cash flow, leverage, and shareholder returns For full-year 2025, operating cash flow totaled MXN 213 billion, according to Garcia Moreno, after reflecting an increase in working capital, plus interest payments and taxes. Capital expenditures were MXN 131 billion, leaving free cash flow of MXN 82 billion, which management said represented nearly 40% year-over-year growth. Shareholder distributions reached MXN 45 billion, including MXN 12 billion in share buybacks, while the company also reduced net debt by MXN 20 billion. At year-end, net debt to EBIT after leases was 1.52x, which management said was trending down. During Q&A, CEO Daniel Hajj and Garcia Moreno reiterated the companys stated leverage objective, describing a target range around 1.3x to 1.5x net debt to EBITDA and noting the company ended the period marginally above the upper end. Management said the company is balancing debt reduction, shareholder returns (buybacks and dividends), and maintaining flexibility for potential opportunities within its operating footprint. 2026 CapEx outlook, Chile update, and competitive dynamics In response to questions on investment plans, Hajj said the company was still finalizing 2026 capital spending by country but is targeting approximately 14% to 15% of revenues, which he framed as roughly $6.8 billion to $7.0 billion. He said it is reasonable to assume a similar percentage over the next two to three years, while noting that spectrum and other factors could influence the final figures. On Chile, Hajj said America Movil had reviewed a potential bid alongside Entel for Telefonicas Chilean operations but decided not to proceed, citing factors including regulatory complexity, the need to split the company, high leverage, and valuation considerations. He said the company remains focused on executing in its existing Chile business, including investments and synergies, and expects to remain a strong competitor. Hajj characterized Millicom as a new entrant and said the shift from Telefonica to Millicom did not materially change the companys competitive approach, while adding he hopes the Chilean market can consolidate in the future, including in fixed services. Addressing broader consolidation themes, Hajj said the company anticipates further consolidation across Latin America and wants to be prepared, particularly for smaller opportunities such as fiber-related assets. He also emphasized that asymmetric regulation applies only in Mexico, not across the companys other markets. Garcia Moreno added that scale is increasingly important for telecom returns and investment, which he said regulators are taking into account globally. On Brazil, Hajj attributed stronger number portability trends to both the companys core postpaid performance and contributions from NuCel, while noting that fourth-quarter handset launches and promotions can also influence switching behavior. Finally, on Mexico fixed broadband, COO Oscar Von Hauske said recent strong net additions were supported by promotions, bundling with streaming platforms, and speed increases. He added that the company has 92% of its customers on fiber and said management expects the trend to remain more or less the same through the year. About America Movil (NYSE:AMX) America Movil is a Mexican telecommunications company headquartered in Mexico City that provides a broad range of communications services. Established in the early 2000s out of the expansion of the Slim family's telecommunications holdings, the company is a major provider of mobile and fixed-line telephony, broadband internet and pay-television services in the region. Its operations span retail consumer services as well as wholesale and enterprise solutions, positioning it as an integrated communications provider across multiple customer segments. The company markets services under several regional brandsmost notably Telcel in Mexico and Claro across many Latin American marketsand offers both prepaid and postpaid mobile plans, fixed and mobile broadband, fiber-to-the-home where available, and video/broadcast distribution services. The article "America Movil Q4 Earnings Call Highlights" was originally published by MarketBeat. Akbar Novruz Israeli President Isaac Herzog expressed hope on Wednesday that upcoming talks between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and United States President Donald Trump can undermine Iran's "empire of evil", AzerNEWS reports. Speaking beside Australias Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in Canberra, Herzog wishes them success in bringing peace as well as discussing the next phase in Gaza which is important to all of us, which I hope will bring a better future for all of us. The Israeli prime minister arrived in Washington earlier today and is scheduled to meet the US president later in the day. Trump said on the eve of the hastily arranged White House meeting -- to begin at 11:00 am local time (1600 GMT) -- that he was weighing sending a second US armada to the Middle East to pressure Tehran to reach a nuclear deal. Herzog also said they would be discussing the next phase in Gaza which is important to all of us, which I hope will bring a better future for all of us. The Israeli head of states tightly secured, four-day trip aims to console Australias Jewish community after the December shooting at Sydneys Bondi Beach that killed 15 people at a Hanukkah festival. But it has sparked protests in major Australian cities by groups opposed to Israels actions in the Palestinian territories. Chaos erupted on Monday evening in the heart of Sydney as police tried to prevent a rally from marching into an area designated off-limits. Law enforcement used pepper spray on protesters and members of the media, including an AFP photographer, during scuffles in the citys central business district. By Aditya Soni Feb 11 (Reuters) - Activist investor Ancora Holdings has built a stake in Warner Bros Discovery and plans to oppose the media company's deal with Netflix for its studios and streaming assets, in the latest twist to the heated Hollywood takeover battle. Ancora, which has a stake worth nearly $200 million, said on Wednesday that Warner Bros' board did not adequately engage in talks with Paramount Skydance over a rival offer for the whole company, including cable assets such as CNN and TNT. More from Yahoo Scout Why are both companies interested in Warner Bros Discovery? What antitrust challenges could affect these media deals? How does Paramount's bid compare to Netflix's offer? What is Ancora Holdings' opposition to the Netflix deal? The activist investor with $11 billion in assets under management said it would vote against the Netflix deal at a Warner Bros shareholder meeting expected by April unless the company reverses its recommendation backing the acquisition. "The currently proposed Netflix-WBD deal asks shareholders to accept inferior value, gamble on an uncertain spinoff and shoulder significant regulatory risk despite the availability of a higher value and more certain $30 per share offer from Paramount," the activist investor said on its website. Warner Bros has a market capitalization of about $68 billion, according to LSEG data, implying that Ancora's stake represents less than 1% of its outstanding shares. "We remain resolute in our commitment to maximize value for shareholders," the media company said in a statement. Paramount and Netflix did not immediately respond to Reuters requests for comment. Both the companies covet Warner Bros for its leading film and television studios, extensive content library and major franchises such as "Game of Thrones," "Harry Potter" and DC Comics superheroes like Batman. PARAMOUNT'S PUSH TO WIN OVER WARNER BROS SHAREHOLDERS To sway investors, Paramount on Tuesday sweetened its bid by offering Warner Bros investors about $650 million in extra cash for each quarter the deal fails to close after this year and agreeing to cover the $2.8 billion breakup fee the HBO owner would owe Netflix if it walked away. It did not increase its bid worth $108.4 billion including debt, but stressed again that its offer has a clearer path to regulatory approval than the Netflix deal of $27.75 per share, or $82.7 billion including debt. Warner Bros said it would review the revised offer, but did not change its recommendation in support of the Netflix deal. Paramount had last month extended the deadline for its tender offer to February 20 to convince investors. Analysts and Warner Bros executives have suggested that the CBS owner would have to raise its offer to restart deal talks. Feb 11 (Reuters) - Artificial intelligence company Anthropic (ANTH.PVT) on Wednesday announced initiatives to limit the impact of data centers on consumer energy prices amid increased investment in power-hungry infrastructure necessary for AI tech. Anthropic will cover all grid upgrade costs needed to connect its data centers by increasing its monthly electricity charges, thereby preventing them from being passed on to consumers, the company said. While Big Tech and political leaders across the U.S. are urging a rapid expansion of data-center capacity and new power production to keep the country competitive in AI, local communities are voicing concerns. Americans are worried about how these power-hungry facilities might impact their utility bills and the use of land, water and other natural resources in the region. Anthropic said it will bring new power generation and add grid capacity to meet its data centers' electricity needs, rather than buying credits or contracting for existing capacity. Where new power generation isn't online, the company will work with utilities and external experts to estimate and offset demand-driven price effects from its data centers, Anthropic added. These measures are similar to Microsoft's (MSFT) efforts introduced last month, when the cloud giant said it would pay utility rates high enough to cover its power costs and work with local utilities to expand supply when needed for its data centers. Anthropic said on Wednesday it is also investing in research catered to reducing its data centers' power usage as well as grid optimization tools. The company will also work with local leaders on measures such as supporting education programs and working with small businesses. (Reporting by Arsheeya Bajwa in Bengaluru and Max A. Cherney in San Francisco; Editing by Vijay Kishore) ArcelorMittal has confirmed it will build an electric arc furnace (EAF) at its steelmaking site in Dunkirk, France, a 1.3bn ($1.5bn) project linked to its plans to reduce emissions from French steel production. The company said the unit will have a capacity of two million tonnes, with start-up scheduled for 2029. The steelmaker said funding for the project will be supported by Energy Efficiency Certificates (CEE), a regulatory mechanism aimed at promoting energy savings and CO reduction. ArcelorMittal said the support will represent 50% of the 1.3bn investment. ArcelorMittal said the EAF will emit less CO 2 than a blast furnace, stating 0.6 tonne CO 2 per tonne of steel in the EAF based on a mix of scrap, HBI/DRI and hot metal. The company said this equates to three times less CO 2 compared with a blast furnace. ArcelorMittal also pointed to recent EU policy proposals it said could affect market conditions for European steel producers. It cited European Commission proposals to limit imports through the Tariff Rate Quota mechanism and reforms to the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism. ArcelorMittal CEO Aditya Mittal said: I am delighted we are now able to launch this 1.3bn investment in Dunkirk, which underscores our groups long-term commitment in France. I must thank President Macron and the French government who very early on understood the challenges the European steel industry was facing. Their support, and in particular their efforts to drive changes to the mechanisms defending the steel market, will benefit the entire steel industry in Europe, starting here in Dunkirk. Additionally, ArcelorMittal said it will start up a new electrical steel production unit this quarter at its Mardyck plant near Dunkirk. The company said it has invested 500m in the facility, which it described as its largest investment in Europe in the past 10 years, excluding decarbonisation projects. ArcelorMittal said the unit will expand its European product range to supply electrical steel for electrification needs in industrial and automotive applications. "ArcelorMittal to invest $1.5bn to build electric arc furnace in France" was originally created and published by World Construction Network, a GlobalData owned brand. ICE agents take a worker from inside the Amazon facility in Hazel Park, Michigan, February 2, 2026. [Photo: Detroit Metro News] On February 2, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents arrested two Amazon Flex workers in Hazel Park, Michigan, as part of the Trump administrations nationwide escalation of immigration raids. While the WSWS initially reported one arrest, it has since been established that two Venezuelan menEdwin Vladimir Romero Gutierrez and Angel Junior Rincon Perezwere taken by ICE agents after entering the Amazon delivery facility in Hazel Park, where they were reporting for work. Both men are reportedly asylum seekers and hold Temporary Protected Status. Their seizure occurred in full view of Amazon workers, after the two allegedly fled into the facility. These agents were permitted entry by Amazon security. The arrest of the two Flex drivers on site marks a major escalation and sends a chilling message to the tens of thousands of gig workers across the country. Their arrests are part of a wave of ICE operations targeting immigrant workers across Michigan and the country. The men are now imprisoned at the North Lake Correctional Facility in Baldwin, Michigan, the Midwests largest ICE detention site, with nearly 1,800 beds. Their partners issued public pleas for their release. Franyl Huerta, speaking on behalf of Angel, described him as a good father, a good son, and a good brother, who came to the US to seek a better future for his family. Edwins partner, Maria Zambrano, explained that he is the familys primary breadwinner, including for his mother, and that his arrest has thrown them into a financial crisis. The Hazel Park raid has provoked widespread outrage, especially in the working-class and immigrant communities surrounding the Detroit area. One Amazon worker at the Hazel Park facility stated she thought it was wrong that ICE was after the men, and that ICEs presence at the facility was intimidating everybody that works here. ICE has stepped up its presence around Michigan workplaces, schools and even daycare centers. In Ypsilanti, parents and teachers have reported sightings of unmarked cars near educational facilities, particularly in neighborhoods with high immigrant populations, and have been forced to draft emergency plans in case of raids. Four individuals were recently seized by ICE in Ypsilanti. A man was violently arrested in Grand Rapids. His pleading cries for his lawyer in Spanish were captured on video as three ICE agents pinned him face-first in a snowbank. ICEs claim that it does not target sensitive areas like schools or bus stops has no credibility. On January 20, 2025, the Trump administration formally revoked the Biden-era policy restricting ICE from operating in such locations. A DHS memo explicitly listed schools among the areas where agents could now operate to catch criminal aliens. That ICE continues to deny these operations demonstrates its awareness that its actions are despised by broad layers of the population. Students and youth have taken a leading role in opposing these raids. Over the past two weeks, hundreds of students have walked out of high schools and colleges across Michiganincluding in Ann Arbor, Canton, Lansing, Grand Rapids and Detroitin coordinated protests against ICE. On January 30, more than 1,000 joined the Salt the Earth protest in Ann Arbor, organized by University of Michigan student groups. Our central demand is to abolish ICE, said William Lewis, one of the organizers. As anger has grown, several city councils in Michigan have moved to expand policies of non-cooperation with ICE. On February 2, the Ann Arbor City Council unanimously passed DC-3, which bars city officials and police from assisting ICE without a valid judicial warrant. Similar measures are under consideration in Ypsilanti. Washtenaw County has also prohibited ICE operations on county property without a warrant. ICE is also seeking to expand its network of detention centers in Michigan. The cities of Highland Park and Romulus have both been identified as potential future locations for warehouse-based immigration detention centers. The Romulus proposal calls for a 500-bed facility. While these projects have been met with overwhelming opposition by communities, local politicians are maneuvering to contain opposition and work with ICE. Alexis Ramsey, a member of the Highland Park Housing Commission and school board, stated that, while she is opposed to an ICE detention center opening in Highland Park, if one does move forward, the city must be prepared to negotiate from a place of strength to determine, in part, what benefits Highland Park residents can obtain from the project. Meanwhile, ICE has enjoyed open collaboration from Michigan police agencies. As of this month, seven police and sheriff departmentsincluding those in Berrien, Calhoun, Crawford, Jackson and Roscommon countieshave joined the 287(g) program, which formalizes local-federal ICE cooperation. Taylor and West Branch police departments have also signed on. Although Metro Flints police department withdrew from the program in October 2025, citing staffing issues, the move followed sustained pressure from immigrant rights advocates. ICEs deepening integration into public life has extended to universities. In late 2025, the University of MichiganDearborn invited ICE to recruit at a campus job fair. After protests from students and faculty, ICE withdrewbut not before the university administration defended the agencys presence and insisted that ICE could enter public campus areas without a warrant. UM-Dearborns capitulation to ICE also follows the arrests of Chinese student researchers at the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor. The intensified targeting of workersparticularly Amazon Flex driversis not an accident. Amazon and other logistics companies are integrated into the operations of ICE through data sharing, surveillance infrastructure and the use of third-party delivery services, which include large numbers of immigrant and undocumented workers. These events are taking place amid the Trump administrations push to establish a presidential dictatorship. ICE is being groomed as a de facto paramilitary force loyal not to the Constitution or the rule of law, but to the occupant of the White House. Already, the agency is planning massive detention expansionincluding in Michiganand has been integrated into the political preparation for election interference, alongside threats to cancel or seize elections in key states like Georgia and Michigan. The working class must draw the sharpest conclusions from these escalating operations. The seizure of workers at Amazon is not just an attack on immigrantsit is a warning to the entire working class, a hideous form of labor-discipline. Defending democratic rights requires the working class to break with existing political parties and to organize independently. The International Workers Alliance of Rank-and-File Committees (IWA-RFC) calls for the formation of rank-and-file committees in Amazon facilities, neighborhoods and schools to mobilize opposition to ICE and the broader attack on democratic rights. The strike wave and student walkouts across the USincluding protests by New York City nurses, California healthcare workers and student youthmust be unified in a common struggle against repression, inequality and dictatorship. Jeffrey Epstein, left, an unknown woman partially hidden by Epstein and turned away from the photographer, and Abigail and Les Wexner at an event. The release of 3 million files related to the Epstein Transparency Act last week has demonstrated that the FBI and the Department of Justice have concealed key findings into the investigation of Jeffrey Epstein. After viewing supposedly unredacted files on Monday, several members of Congress confirmed that the years-long cover-up continues. The working class, whose lives have been shaped by the social and political corruption embodied in the Epstein operation, is entirely excluded from this process. The files remain inaccessible to the public, journalists and independent investigators, while a handful of lawmakers are allowed tightly controlled viewings designed to create the appearance of oversight without its substance. After viewing the files, which were in fact not unredacted, at the Justice Department facility in Washington D.C., Representatives Thomas Massie (R-Kentucky) and Ro Khanna (D-California) asserted that at least six wealthy powerful men had their identifies redacted even though they were not victims, but instead implicated in Epsteins criminal network. Khanna estimated that 70-80 percent of the files available featured the same redactions that the Department of Justice has publicly published. The California congressman asserted that the redactions were not made by lawyers at the Department of Justice, but by Kash Patels FBI in March 2025. One of the most significant facts Massie identified was an internal FBI document from 2019 that identified billionaire Leslie Wexner, former CEO of Victorias Secret, as an Epstein co-conspirator. Wexner hired Epstein in the mid-1980s as his financial adviser and money manager. For over two decades, until his conviction in 2008, Epstein had access to hundreds of millions of dollars through Wexner. Before-and-after FBI documents released by the Department of Justice in the Epstein Files. The left image shows the heavily redacted version previously made public. The right image, disclosed on February 9, 2026, reveals that the FBI identified Leslie H. Wexner as a co-conspirator in its 2019 Epstein investigation. Another billionaire whose identity was confirmed by the DoJ only after Massie and Khanna pointed out the unnecessary redaction was Emirati billionaire Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem. Bin Sulayem is the chairman and CEO of DP World, a massive multinational logistics company that began as a port operator in Jeddah, Saudia Arabia. Epstein and Bin Sulayem had one of the more disturbing exchanges in the Epstein Files, an ignominious distinction. In an April 24, 2009 email to the Sultan, Epstein asked, where are you? Are you ok, I loved the torture video. The person responded, I am in china I will be in the US 2nd week of May. In another correspondence with Epstein on September 30, 2015, Bin Sulayem sent Epstein an email with the subject line Russian Cypriot. The email included an image attachment and read: This girl is russian father Cypriot mom I met her two years ago she got to the American university in Dubai. She got engaged but now she back with me. The best sex I ever had amazing body. In addition to Bin Sulayem and Wexner, Khanna and Massie identified four other men who were not victims yet whose names were redacted: Nicola Caputo, Salvatore Nuara, Zurab Mikeladze and Leonic Leonov. As of this writing, the Justice Department has released no documents explaining their role in the Epstein investigation or why their names were shielded in the first place. After viewing some of the files on Monday, Maryland Rep. Jamie Raskin told the media, There were to be no redactions in order to spare people embarrassment or political disgrace. We didnt want there to be a cover-up and yet what I saw today was that there were lots of examples of peoples names being redacted when they were not victims. So we still havent gotten from the DoJ their privileged log explaining why certain redactions were made, but I can tell you that I saw a whole bunch of them that seemed very suspicious and baffling to me. Raskin said some of the files that included descriptions of 15-year-old girls. 14-year-old girls, 10-year-old girls. I saw mention of a 9-year-old girl today, this is just preposterous and scandalous. The cover-up extends to the manner in which the Epstein files are being made available to lawmakers and exposes the fraudulent character of the Justice Departments claims of transparency. Members of Congress are permitted to review the materials only on a handful of government-controlled computers in a secure room. They are prohibited from downloading files, taking photographs, or retaining copies of documents. Lawmakers may take notes only by hand, with pen and paper, under supervision. The practical effect of these restrictions is to render meaningful oversight impossible. The Epstein files consist of millions of pages of documents, images, videos, emails and investigative records accumulated over decades. Even if a member of Congress were to spend an hour every day reviewing files under these conditions, it would take years, if not decades, to examine the material in full, let alone determine whether redactions were lawfully applied or whether evidence of criminal activity by powerful figures remains concealed. Some 3 million files have yet to be released in any form as part of the Epstein Transparency Act. As Trumps Department of Justice continues to break the law, Democrats are not moving towards impeachment, but are pleading for more cooperation. Appearing on MSNow on Monday, New Mexico Democratic Rep. Melanie Stansbury called on her Republican colleagues to step up and do the right thing and join Democrats in supporting subpoenas for certain individuals to testify before Congress. This useless maneuver was exposed by Epsteins partner in crime, convicted sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell, earlier in the day. Appearing remotely by video before the House Oversight Committee, Maxwell repeatedly invoked her Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination and refused to answer questions about herself, Jeffrey Epstein or other co-conspirators involved in an international operation that combined sex trafficking with the exchange of money, access and sensitive information among powerful political and financial figures. Following the hearing, Maxwells attorney David Oscar Markus confirmed his client would answer questions only if her sentence was commuted by President Donald Trump. In exchange for this testimony, Maxwell promised to exonerate both Trump and former President Bill Clinton of any crimes related to Epstein. The statement read: If this Committee and the American public truly want to hear the unfiltered truth about what happened, there is a straightforward path. Ms. Maxwell is prepared to speak fully and honestly if granted clemency by President Trump. Only she can provide the complete account. Some may not like what they hear, but the truth matters. For example, both President Trump and President Clinton are innocent of any wrongdoing. Notably, Maxwell did not invoke her Fifth Amendment privileges last summer when she was interviewed for some nine hours by Todd Blanche, Trumps personal defense lawyer in the Stormy Daniels case. After speaking with Blanche, Maxwell was moved from a medium security prison to a minimum security camp in Texas where she has her own room. Maxwells offer to exonerate Clinton comes as the former president, along with former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, are set to testify before the same committee. Hillary Clinton is set to testify on February 26, while Bill Clinton is scheduled for the day after. The recently named Wexner is slated to testify on February 18, while Richard Kahn, Epsteins accountant, is scheduled to do so on March 11. Darren Indkye, Epsteins lawyer, is the last person currently slated to be questioned by the Oversight Committee, on March 19. The latest disclosures further undermine official claims about the circumstances of Epsteins death. On Thursday, CBS News reported on newly released documents from the Epstein files showing that investigators flagged an orange-colored figure moving toward Epsteins locked housing tier on jail surveillance video at approximately 10:39 p.m. on August 9, 2019. This observation was recorded in internal video logs but was never disclosed publicly and was omitted from all official reviews of Epsteins death. The existence of this figure directly contradicts repeated assurances from federal authorities that no one entered Epsteins housing tier on the night of his death. Those claims were made by senior officials, including then-Attorney General Bill Barr, and echoed by law enforcement figures such as Dan Bongino, who asserted publicly that surveillance footage showed Epstein was the only person to enter or exit the area. Equally unresolved is the fate of the alleged ligature. Michael Thomas, the officer who discovered Epsteins body the following morning, told investigators he lowered Epstein from the hanging position but did not recall removing a noose from around his neck. Tova Noel, the corrections officer on duty the night Epstein was killed, said she did not see a noose at all. The noose purportedly used in Epsteins death has never been definitively identified. According to the inspector generals report, a ligature collected at the scene was later determined not to be the one involved in Epsteins death. That same logic of managed exposure and political protection was on display in testimony Tuesday by Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, whose appearance before Congress underscored the role of the Democratic Party in containing, rather than pursuing, accountability. Democratic senators framed their questioning not as an effort to establish facts or consequences, but as an appeal for closure. Senator Chris Coons praised Lutnick for allegedly concluding in 2005 that Jeffrey Epstein was a disgusting man, while simultaneously expressing concern over Lutnicks subsequent visits to Epsteins island and meetings with him. Coons urged Lutnick to disclose everything so Congress could work together and move on, a formulation that treated the Epstein files not as evidence of crimes demanding exposure, but as a political obstacle to be cleared away. Lutnick used the hearing to deny any meaningful relationship with Epstein, claiming he met him only a handful of times and did absolutely nothing wrong. To further intensify the super-exploitation of Indias working class by domestic and foreign capital, the far-right Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led central government has enacted sweeping changes to the countrys labour laws. Twenty-nine central labour laws that set minimum wage and work standards and collective bargaining rights for workers in both the formalthat is, medium and large-scale public and private enterprisesand informal sectors have been replaced by four labour codes. The new labour codesthe Code on Wages, 2019; the Industrial Relations Code, 2020; the Code on Social Security, 2020; and the Code on Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions, 2020have been hailed by corporate India as the most significant restructuring of labour law in decades. They dismantle legal protections governing wages, job security and working conditions that were won through prolonged and often bitter struggles by generations of workers. Arguably, the most reactionary feature of Indias new labour laws is the severe restrictions they place on workers legal right to strike. They greatly expand the scope of essential services provisions under which worker job action is banned, and introduce numerous new legal impediments to workers obtaining the legal right to strike. With these measures, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Hindu supremacist BJP are effectively criminalizing worker job action and organised working-class resistance. The four labour-code laws were adopted by parliament in 2019-20, shortly after Modi and his BJP won a second five-year term. They were part of a sharp lurch further right that saw the government push through massive corporate tax cuts, several anti-farmer, pro-agribusiness laws, and reduce Jammu and Kashmir, Indias lone Muslim-majority state, to a central government-controlled Union Territory. However, the Labour Minister only informed parliament late last year that the new central labour codes were now officially in force. Various factors explain the governments delay in implementing changes that were long demanded by its big business masters. These include the year-long, 2020-21 farmers protest, and the BJP governments fears, given the mass worker opposition, that the reforms could be derailed if it declared them in force prior to most state governments having established the requisite legal mechanisms to do so. (Under Indias constitution, labour law is a concurrent subject, with both the Union and state governments having regulatory roles, and the states largely allotted responsibility for enforcement.) The Modi government is now pushing for all states to adopt its new labour codes by April 1, the beginning of the new fiscal year. To date at least 17 of Indias 28 states, including Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat and opposition-ruled Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, have taken significant steps toward implementing the new labour codes. Recent years have seen numerous militant strike struggles by workers across India. Above, Chennai sanitation workers' 2025 anti-privatization protest. [Photo: People's Archive of Rural India] The assault on worker rights and the gauntlet of new restrictions on worker job action are key elements in the government and Indian ruling class response to global trade war and intensifying geostrategic conflict. Like its rivals, the Indian bourgeoisie is determined to dramatically increase rates of exploitation and funnel an ever larger proportion of societys resources into rearmament and war. Shortly after announcing the introduction of the four labour codes, the BJP government abolished Indias national rural employment guarantee, which has provided a vital lifeline for tens of millions of poor Indians, with the express aim of depressing the wages of agricultural labourers. Under the budget tabled February 1, the BJP government has continued to bleed funding for social support while increasing military spending a further 15 percent, making it far and away the single biggest budget item after debt-service payments. Modi and his BJP have marketed their labour code reform as an exercise in simplification and modernization, part of their efforts to improve Indias Ease of Doing Business. In reality, they are a central component in a sustained state offensive to restructure class relations in the interests of capitaleasing hiring and firing, vastly expanding insecure employment, weakening public-sector protections, and shifting the social costs of unemployment, illness and old age onto workers. Modis agenda was openly articulated by Sumita Dawra, a former central government Secretary of Labour, in a December 5 article in the Financial Times titled, Labour codes: A game changer for the Indian economy. Dawra wrote that labour regulations and compliance requirements had long been viewed by investors as burdensome, adding that the new framework was expected to enhance the competitiveness of Indian business. As anger mounts among millions of workers facing job insecurity, falling real wages and deteriorating conditions, ten central labour federations have called a one-day general strike for Thursday, February 12. While the unions charter of demands raises many issues, including privatization and an enhanced minimum wage, the central issue in the strike is repeal of the BJPs pro-big business labour reform. Opposition to the labour codes is widespread, with tens of millions of workers expected to strike or join lunch break rallies. However, the unions, including the Stalinist-led All India Trades Union Congress (AITUC) and Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU), are working to confine the strike to appeals to the capitalist establishment, as part of their efforts to shackle the working class to the Congress Party-led INDIA opposition bloc. Until recently the bourgeoisies preferred party of national government, the Congress Party is a staunch supporter of pro-investor policies and Indias anti-China alliance with US imperialism. The Congress-led state government in Karnataka is among the state governments in the forefront of the adoption of the BJPs labour codes. Even a cursory examination of the new labour codes highlights their anti-worker character. The Code on Wages, 2019 merges four key labour laws, including the Minimum Wages Act, 1948 and the Payment of Bonus Act, 1965, into a single framework. Its centerpiece is the national floor wage, to be set by the Union government. While presented as a protection for workers, the Code deliberately avoids linking wages to the living-wage standards established by the Supreme Court in the 1992 Raptakos Brett judgment, which considered basic nutrition and social needs. By detaching minimum wages from these essential standards, the Code paves the way for poverty-level wages nationwide, centralising wage control in favour of capital and facilitating systematic worker exploitation. The Code also introduces a uniform definition of wages, capping allowances such as house rent and conveyance at 50 percent of total remuneration. Any excess is added to the basic wage for calculating provident fund and gratuity contributions. While this may marginally increase social security funds, it will reduce take-home pay for millions of workers, particularly in low-paid sectors. Enforcement mechanisms, already notoriously inadequate, are weakened still further through the replacement of labour inspectors with Inspector-cum-Facilitators, the expansion of web-based inspections, and the introduction of compounding provisions that allow employers to pay fines instead of facing prosecution. The Industrial Relations Code (IRC) represents a frontal assault on employment security. Under the previous framework, permanent employment remained the formal norm, with contract labour supposedly limited to genuinely temporary or seasonal tasks. These provisions have been systematically violated by private and public sector employers for years. However, the IRC now sanctions this wholesale, legally institutionalising fixed-term employment. Employers will now be allowed to hire workers on six- to eleven-month contracts without any obligation to renew them for work otherwise performed by permanent employees. Retrenchment protections have been further eroded by raising the threshold for mandatory government permission for layoffs from 100 to 300 workers. The government retains the power to raise this limit further through executive notification. These changes drastically reduce the number of workplaces covered by even minimal job security safeguards, greatly expanding hire-and-fire practices. The IRC also constitutes a frontal attack on the right to strike. Under the earlier Industrial Disputes Act, 1947, strike restrictions mainly applied to public utility services. The new Code extends these restrictions to almost all industrial establishments and introduces multiple procedural barriers before workers can legally strike. Workers must now give 60 days advance notice of a strike, and are barred from striking during conciliation, tribunal or arbitration proceedings and for weeks afterward. Since employers or the state can easily trigger such proceedings, strikes can be indefinitely delayed or effectively banned. Any strike that violates these conditions is declared illegal, exposing workers and unions to penalties and prosecution. Thus the Code strengthens the hand of employers and the government, while criminalising workers resistance and suppressing independent industrial action in the name of industrial peace and investor confidence. The Code on Social Security, 2020 consolidates nine existing laws, including the Employees Provident Fund Act and the Employees State Insurance Act. While it nominally extends coverage to unorganised, gig and platform workers, this recognition is deliberately hollow. Gig and platform workers are explicitly denied employee status, relieving corporations such as Uber, Ola, Swiggy and Zomato of obligations to provide social security benefits. Instead of enforceable rights, the Code establishes a discretionary welfare framework funded by a modest levy on company turnover. Responsibility for social protection is shifted from employers to the state, entrenching precarity in the rapidly expanding informal and platform economy. The repeal of the Building and Other Construction Workers (BOCW) Act under the Social Security Code threatens catastrophic consequences for construction workers. The BOCW Act, won after an 11-year struggle, provides pensions, maternity benefits, scholarships, loans, and a cess (or special dedicated tax) funded social security system. Its repeal will invalidate the registrations of around 40 million workers, dismantle 36 state welfare boards, and force workers to re-register under new schemes alongside other unorganised workers, while imposing contribution requirements many cannot afford. Section 142 of the Code further excludes millions by making Aadhaar (national digital identity) mandatory for registration, creating barriers for migrant and informal workers facing documentation gaps and limited digital access. Social protection is reduced to conditional welfare, subject to government discretion and political priorities. The Code on Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions, 2020 represents a direct assault on protections established under the Factories Act, 1948. By doubling the thresholds for coveragefrom 10 to 20 workers in power-driven units and from 20 to 40 in non-powered establishmentsthe Code excludes millions from legally enforceable safety and health regulations. Contract labour safeguards are similarly gutted by raising licensing requirements from 20 to 50 workers, sharply reducing oversight, encouraging informalisation and transferring workplace risks from employers to workers. Although the Code nominally retains the eight-hour workday, it allows shifts of up to 12 hours and overtime of 125 hours per quarter. Gig and informal workers remain outside enforceable protections, left dependent on uncertain welfare schemes. With nearly 80 percent of Indias 400-million-strong workforce excluded from legal protections and absorbed into the informal sector, wages are dictated by employer discretion, with no enforceable minimums or limits on working hours. These attacks threaten to push hundreds of millions into deep distress. The Socialist Equality Party (Sozialistische Gleichheitspartei, SGP) is standing in the Berlin state election in September. We oppose the all-party coalition for war and social spending cuts. Together with our sister parties in the International Committee of the Fourth International (ICFI), we are building a worldwide movement to stop the madness of war, mass layoffs and wage cuts. Berlin Election 2026, Socialism Instead of War. Against social spending cuts, rearmament, and fascism The social misery in Berlingrowing poverty, skyrocketing rents, crumbling schools and hospitals, job lossesis part of a global crisis of capitalism that can only be ended by all workers joining together in struggle around the world, especially in the United States. We counterpose the international unity of workers to national unity with the capitalists and their parties. We reject the capitalist logic of profit and fight for the expropriation of the big corporations, banks and billionaire fortunes in order to organise the economy under democratic control according to the needs of society. No Third World War! Stop the war in Ukraine and the genocide in Gaza! The world is on the brink of catastrophe. American imperialism threatens to devastate the entire globe. US President Trump no longer even bothers to conceal his predatory actions. He openly declares that he has invaded Venezuela and could bomb Iran in order to plunder their oil reserves and weaken China. Meanwhile, Trump is also threatening his former European allies, imposing punitive tariffs and seeking to annex Greenland. His war policy is accompanied by brutal violence against the American people. Trump is attempting to establish a dictatorship, deploying the army domestically and terrorising entire cities with his ICE Gestapo. ICE not only hunts down immigrant workers but also executes US citizens in broad daylight and is building a massive surveillance apparatus. This cannot be explained solely by Trumps madness. He represents the interests of the fabulously wealthy financial oligarchy, whose greed for profit is no longer compatible with the needs of the people and with democracy. The ruling circles in Germany and Europe are following the same path. Their answer to Make America Great Again is Deutschland uber alles. According to Chancellor Merz, Germany must learn to speak the language of power politics again. To this end, over a trillion euros are being poured into rearmament and the expansion of military infrastructure, conscription is being reintroduced and the war in Ukraine is being continued by hook or by crook. Eighty years after the Nazis war of extermination, the government is proclaiming that Germany must be in a position to defeat the nuclear-armed power Russia within three years. To defend the profits of German corporations, it will stop at nothing: from unconditional support for the genocide of the Palestinians to alliances with the bloodthirsty rulers of the Gulf states. War is incompatible with democracy. As in the United States, Germanys powers that be are also establishing a police state and strengthening the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) by implementing their inhumane migration policy to the letter and preparing for their participation in government. Opponents of the genocide in Gaza are being censored, persecuted and imprisoned. The Office for the Protection of the Constitution, Germanys main domestic spy agency, is being expanded into a new Gestapo. At the European Union level, conservatives, social democrats and Greens have long been working closely with the fascists. The war policy is supported by all parties in the Bundestag (Federal Parliament). The AfD was the first to call for an increase in military spending to 5 percent of GDP; the Christian Democrats and Social Democrats are rapidly implementing this goal; and the Greens do not think it goes far enough. They are calling for a more aggressive course against Russia and the US. The Left Party has also approved war credits in the Bundesrat, Germanys upper chamber of parliament, and supports the Merz government whenever it needs their votes. When it comes to German economic and great power interests, the Left Party and the Greens unreservedly support the government. In his speech opening the current parliamentary session as the longest-serving member of the Bundestag, Left Party founder Gregor Gysi demanded that Europe must become a kind of fourth world power. During the Greenland conflict, Left Party leader Jan van Aken demanded that the federal government make it clear to the US whos boss. Green Party leader Felix Banaszak calls for European sovereignty, European resilience, European strength, including military strength. The unity among all the established parties shows that the madness of war is an inevitable result of the blind alley of the capitalist system. In their hunt for raw materials, markets and profits, the banks and corporations will stop at nothingneither the workers in their own countries nor their international rivals. And all the parties that defend capitalism support them in this. As in 1914 and the 1930s, capitalism is once again leading to fascism and war. Our goal is therefore not to reform capitalism but to abolish it. Every day proves anew that the capitalist system of society is bankrupt and produces only social destruction, war and environmental catastrophe. We are fighting for a socialist society that serves the needs of the majority and not the profit interests of the rich. Against mass layoffs, wage cuts and social spending cuts! Build rank-and-file committees! Workers are paying for the costs of rearmament and trade war with social spending cuts, mass layoffs and ultimately with their lives. In order to prepare German industry for trade war, the big corporations are organising a gigantic jobs massacre. Last year alone, 160,000 industrial jobs were destroyed in Germany. And that is only the beginning. Artificial intelligence is being used to destroy jobs, increase workloads and squeeze higher profits out of shrinking workforces. Under socialist conditions, this revolutionary technology would serve to eliminate strenuous and dangerous work, poverty and social misery. Merz proclaims: We can no longer afford the welfare state. Business associations are demanding longer working hours and complaining about high labour costs. In fact, society can no longer afford billionaires! Over the past 15 years, the wealth of the 500 richest individuals in Germany has nearly tripled to 1.16 trillion. That is more than twice the entire budget of the Federal Republic. In addition, the speculative frenzy on the financial markets threatens to drag the entire economy into the abyssas in the Great Depression, when the unemployment rate reached 30 percent. Two-thirds of the federal governments multibillion investment booster went to the richest 1 percent of the population. The states and local authorities bear the brunt of these costs. Their coffers are being plundered to enrich the rich and finance rearmament. At the same time, spending on welfare benefits, pensions and healthcare is being slashed. The result is dilapidated schools, overburdened hospitals and ailing public services. This is particularly evident in Berlin. Privatisation and cutbacks have driven public services into collapse, and now the Christian Democrat/Social Democrat state government, known as the Senate, is organising the next round of cuts. It is cutting over 600 million from public transport, around 200 million each from hospitals, universities and housing subsidies and 56 million from environmental protection. To stop this war and austerity offensive, the masses themselves must intervene in political events, break the power of the banks and corporations, and fundamentally democratise society. They must counter growing nationalism with the international unity of workers. That is why we call for the establishment of rank-and-file committees in all workplaces, neighbourhoods and schools, which will unite internationally and lead the fight against mass layoffs, cuts and war. The Left Party supports war and austerity With unmatched cynicism, the Left Party, of all parties, now claims that these problems can be solved by electing its top candidate, Elif Eralp, as governing mayor. The social catastrophe in Berlin was organised by the Left Party and its predecessor, the PDS, which were members of the state government for 16 years between 2002 and 2023. In the name of budget consolidation, they cut tens of thousands of public sector jobs, reduced wages and salaries, undermined collective bargaining standards and imposed massive cuts in education, social services and healthcare. Particularly devastating was the sale of 150,000 municipal flats to financial investors, which led to skyrocketing rents and a housing shortage. Eralps declared role model is the new mayor of New York, Zohran Mamdani. This should be a warning to workers and young people. Mamdani owed his election to massive opposition to Trump and the financial oligarchyand immediately betrayed his voters. His first official acts were a productive meeting with Trump at the White House and the abandonment of his promised tax increase for the super-rich. The Left Party also supported Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, who owed his election to opposition to the EUs austerity policies and, barely in office, implemented the harshest austerity programme ever in Greece. The Left Party will act in the same way and continue its policy of cuts, for it defends capitalism and supports the policy of war. It would also be fatal to believe that a vote for the Left Party would prevent the rise of the AfD. The opposite is true. With its austerity measures in the name of left-wing politics, the party is paving the way for the right wing. In Thuringia, Bodo Ramelow has left a trail of social devastation in his 10 years as minister-president, which has cleared the path for Hockes AfD. War policies require fascist methods, which is why the Left Party supports the arming of the police, mass deportations and the dismantling of democratic rights. Only a political counteroffensive by the workers can stop the shift to the right. Workers need their own international party! The objective basis for such a counteroffensive exists. The trade war is putting fierce class struggles on the agenda. In the United States, the murders of Renee Nicole Good and Alex Pretti by the ICE Gestapo have sparked a massive wave of protest. France, Italy, Greece and numerous other European countries have also been repeatedly shaken by massive waves of strikes and protests. Workers in Europe, the United States and the whole world are the natural allies of German workers. They face the same problems and the same international corporations. But the trade union bureaucrats, who have long since degenerated into co-managers and support the policies of war and trade wars, are doing everything they can on both sides of the Atlantic to isolate and suppress the struggles nationally. But they are succeeding less and less. The decisive task is to give the class struggle, which is international in its very essence, an international form and a socialist perspective that does not accept the logic of capitalist exploitation. This requires a political struggle against the defenders of capitalismIt requires the building of a new workers party. Just as the ruling class is reviving its reactionary traditions of imperialism, war and fascism, the working class must revive its revolutionary, socialist and internationalist traditions. These Marxist traditionsfrom August Bebel, to Rosa Luxemburg and Karl Liebknecht, the Russian October Revolution and Leon Trotsky, who founded the Left Opposition against Stalinism and the Fourth Internationalare embodied in the International Committee of the Fourth International (ICFI), whose German section is the SGP. That is why it is so important now to support the SGPs participation in the election. We do not seek lucrative positions but will use the election and seats in Berlins House of Representatives to oppose the warring parties. We warn of the enormous dangers and organise resistance against them. It is time to take action and build a new mass socialist party that will eliminate capitalist evils once and for all. We call on everyone who refuses to accept glaring social inequality, the destruction of the health and education systems and the nuclear annihilation of our planet: Share this statement as widely as possible and help the SGP with your signature to participate in the election today! On February 6, 2026, the Department of Justice amended its regulations to strip asylum seekers in the United States of a meaningful right to appellate review of denials of their asylum claims. These changes will go into effect after 30 days. The Department of Justice encompasses the Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR), a federal administrative body, which holds the United States immigration court system as well as the immigration appellate court, the Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA). Normally, an asylum seeker files a claim for asylum before an immigration court, which concludes with a hearing on the merits of that claim before an immigration judge. If the immigration judge denies the claim and orders the immigrant deported, the asylum seeker may appeal that decision to the BIA within 30 days of the denial, at which time the BIA will review the merits of the case, determine whether the immigration judge made any errors in the denial and issue a decision either granting or dismissing the appeal. The rule change results in the default outcome for BIA appeals to be summary dismissal, i.e., dismissal without review of the merits of a case. In addition, the 30-day appellate deadline is cut to a mere 10 days, and summary denials are directed to be issued within 15 days of filing the appeal. A case on appeal will now only be determined on the merits where a majority of permanent BIA members vote to accept the case for review. In the rare occasions this will happen, both the asylum seeker and the government must submit briefs simultaneously without an opportunity for the asylum seeker to respond to any arguments the government may make opposing the appeal. Protesters gather outside the South Texas Family Residential Center detention facility where Liam Ramos and his father are being detained in Dilley, Texas, Wednesday, Jan. 28, 2026. [Photo: Eric Gay/WSWS] The rule states outright that the board cannotand does not need toadjudicate every case on the merits with the tools at its disposal. The rationale behind this is simply that the BIA already has a high appeal denial rate, and that its current tools are insufficient to review all appeals on the merits. Significantly, the DOJ issued a rule in April 2025 which reduced the number of permanent BIA members by nearly half. Therefore, the DOJ intentionally cut resources to the BIA and is now using that as a flimsy pretext to deny appellate rights to asylum seekers in furtherance of the Trump regimes onslaught against immigrants. The BIA rule change should also be considered in the wake of a recent BIA decision, Matter of C-I-G-M- & L-V-S-G-, published in October 2025, and the institution of Asylum Cooperative Agreements, and the influx of hundreds of new immigration judges. Asylum Cooperative Agreements (ACAs) are agreements the United States has made with other countries which permit the deportation of asylum seekers in the United States to a third-country participant of these agreements without a hearing on the merits of their asylum claim. The rationale for these agreements is that these countries are safe for asylum seekers and can provide adequate alternate opportunities to seek asylum. However, these countries include Honduras, Guatemala and Ugandaall of which have State Department travel advisories due to threats of violent crime and terrorismthus undercutting the governments claim that they are truly safe third countries. C-I-G-M- states that DHS may assert that an ACA bars an immigrant from applying for asylum in the United States, which an immigration judge must rule on before determining the merits of the asylum claim. C-I-G-M- does not require that DHS prove anything other than that an ACA may apply to the case. The immigrant is then burdened with proving an entirely new asylum claim for the proposed third country DHS seeks to deport them tooften a country that the immigrant has never been to and has no ties to. If an immigrant is unable to make such a claim, he or she is deported to the third country proposed by DHS. C-I-G-M- specifically permits ACAs to be retroactively applied to immigrants who entered the United States on or after November 19, 2019, despite the agreements not going into effect until 2025. In September 2025, the Department of Defense approved sending as many as 600 military lawyers to serve as temporary immigration judgesdouble the total number of immigration judges. These appointees, along with other newer recruits, are given six-month appointments and have been trained by BIA judges who have informed them that asylum should only be rarely granted. This recruitment push follows the firing of more than 100 immigration judges in 2025. A June 2022 DOJ memo directed that new immigration judges be given six weeks of initial training, along with ongoing education for all sitting judges. The October 2025 training, however, was only three weeks. Anam Petit, a former immigration judge in Annandale, Virginia, who was fired by the DOJ in September 2025, stated [i]f youre not having the proper training, and then on top of that youre in a very short temporary appointment, youre just being set up for failure. Emmett Soper, a former immigration judge and counsel to the EOIR director during the Biden administration, stated that [i]n the past, training has been fairly comprehensive, and non-ideological, and we were not being pushed in any real way toward particular results. C-I-G-M- thus enables DHS to request dismissal of asylum cases before merits hearings, or often at the merits hearing itself, while the DOJ, having directed immigration judges to deny as many asylum claims as possible, frequently does not give immigrants ample time to construct asylum claims for whatever third country DHS seeks to deport them to, often finding that any such asylum claims that can be made are insufficient. The immigrant is then deported to that third country. It is axiomatic that any immigrant will have difficulty proving a valid asylum claimwhich requires showing a risk of individualized, not general, persecutionfor a country they have never been to. This problem is compounded with ideologically compromised immigration judges. C-I-G-M-, the February 6 rule change and the influx of new immigration judges under partisan pressure, taken together, result in asylum seekers in the United States being denied the right to a hearing on the merits of their asylum claims, ordered deported to third countries chosen for them by DHS, and denied the opportunity for any meaningful review of those denials and deportations. This throws the viability of seeking asylum in the United States into question and is a wild break with decades of judicial precedent which has exhaustively affirmed and defended the right of due process, the right to a fair trial and the right to seek asylum. The United States is a signatory to the United Nations 1967 Protocol Relating to the Status of Refugees, which established legal obligations for the United States to provide protection to refugees and asylum seekers. The Refugee Act of 1980 established the ways through which refugees and asylum seekers may seek protection in the United States. The Fifth Amendment to the Constitution specifically protects the due process rights of individuals. The Supreme Court has held in Mathews v. Eldrige (1976) that individuals are entitled to due process of law in administrative proceedings, reinforcing that the fundamental requirement of due process is the meaningful opportunity for a person to present their case. The right to seek asylum has been reaffirmed by federal courts across the United States; OA v. Trump, a 2019 decision from the District Court of D.C., stated particularly that the government may not extinguish this right by regulation or proclamation. Matter of E-F-H-L-, a 2014 BIA decision, also upholds the right of asylum seekers to full evidentiary hearings, including the opportunity to testify and present evidence. Concerning the right to appeal the denial of an asylum claim, the Supreme Court in Santos-Zacaria v. Garland implicitly affirmed the right of asylum seekers to pursue BIA review of denied asylum claims. The 9th Circuit also held in Nolasco-Amaya v. Garland that summary dismissal by the BIA is a due process violation when the appeal itself was sufficiently specific to inform the BIA of the legal challenges. The ideological twisting of the role of immigration judges to order as many deportations as possible also runs afoul of established precedent. The Sixth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution protects the right to a fair trial. Various federal courts, including the 2nd, 3rd and 6th Circuits, have held that immigration judges must act as neutral arbiters, refrain from advocating for either party and uphold the neutrality required for a fair hearing. The extent to which the Trump regime is grossly violating the right of immigrants to seek asylum in the United States, and the constitutionally protected rights of due process and to a fair trial, cannot be overstated. The government is attempting to justify these actions through administrative procedures, but these rule changes are not mere bureaucratic reforms and are not meant to streamline adjudication. The Trump regime is denying asylum seekers meaningful opportunities to be heard and has converted appellate review of asylum claims into a fiction. The result is a growing legal-administrative infrastructure meant to accelerate deportations and deprive asylum seekers of their rights under international law. Organize to fight the NYSNA betrayal! To join the New York Healthcare Workers Rank-and-File Committee, fill out the form below. Nurses on strike in New York City on Tuesday, February 3, 2026 The strike by 15,000 nurses in New York City is at a critical stage. On Tuesday, a day after the New York State Nurses Association announced sellout tentative agreements with Montefiore and Mount Sinai, the union leadership has moved to shut down the strike at the remaining hospital system, NewYork Presbyterian. Union bureaucrats, including NYSNA President Nancy Hagans and Executive Director Pat Kane, intervened directly to reach a tentative agreement through bypassing the local negotiating committee, in blatant violation of the unions bylaws. The NYSNA leadership has commandeered the unions communications channels and is urging nurses to approve the shutdown of the strike by immediately ratifying the backroom deal, which fails to fulfill even the most minimal staffing demands. The moves by the union leadership to sabotage the strike has triggered an eruption of outrage and prompted calls for NYSNA President Nancy Hagans to resign. The blatantly undemocratic maneuvers of NYSNA leadership acting on behalf of the hospital executives and the Democratic Party underscores the necessity for the rank and file to assert full control over the strike, beginning with a rejection of the deals at all the hospitals. The New York Healthcare Workers Rank-and-File Committee hosted a well-attended meeting Tuesday evening, bringing together striking nurses in New York with other hospital workers in New York, strikers in California and other sections of workers. Workers on the call voted overwhelmingly to adopt the following statement: The Healthcare Workers Rank-and-File Committee denounces the tentative agreements signed by the New York State Nurses Association (NYSNA) with Montefiore Medical Center and Mount Sinai Health System and calls on nurses to overwhelmingly reject the illegitimate effort by the NYSNA leadership to ram through these sellout deals. NYSNA officials are rushing through snap votes Tuesday and Wednesday without giving nurses adequate time to review or discuss the contracts. This crude maneuver is aimed at breaking the unity of nurses, isolating the remaining 4,500 strikers at NewYork-Presbyterian, and forcing their surrender. By accepting this agreement without the approval of the unions local executive board at NewYork-Presbyterian, the top leadership of NYSNA violated the unions own bylaws. This proves the entire process is illegitimate and no vote should have ever taken place. Rank-and-file nurses should demand an end to this sham vote and reject any results announced by the NYSNA leadership. Nurses must demand the resignation of all those organizing this travesty of democratic procedures, and for a new bargaining committee to be elected by the rank and file. This committee should outline a list of non-negotiable demands, drawn up at mass meetings of the rank and file, and a new strategy to win the strike. This includes expanding it across New York, including the 11 other hospitals in the city and on Long Island where contracts expired December 31. These agreements signed by the NYSNA leadership are a slap in the face to the 15,000 nurses who have spent more than a month on the picket lines, in the cold and without strike pay. They fail to address the central issues of unsafe staffing, overcrowding and inadequate pay. At the same time, the TA fails to reinstate fired nurses, thus effectively endorsing victimization, including the firing of labor and delivery nurses at Mount Sinai. Nurses struck not only to defend themselves and their patients, but future generations of healthcare workers. This battle must not be lost. To win, nurses must take control of the struggle out of the hands of the NYSNA bureaucracy and place it in the hands of workers on the hospital floors. At the same time, nurses can place no confidence in Democratic politicians. Governor Hochul has backed the hospitals strikebreaking efforts, while Mayor Mamdani, despite his rhetoric, has authorized NYPD arrests of protesting nurses. Healthcare Workers Rank-and-File Committee calls on New York nurses to unite with the 31,000 healthcare workers and 3,000 pharmacy and lab workers on strike at Kaiser Permanente facilities in California and Hawaii. These struggles must become the spearhead of a nationwide movement to defend workers rights and end the subordination of healthcare to corporate profit. We further call on striking nurses to link their fight with the growing opposition to the reign of terror carried out by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), overseen by President Donald Trump and enforced with the collaboration of the Democratic Party. Nurses should help lead the fight for a general strike to remove federal agents from US cities, end the persecution of immigrants, and demand the arrest and prosecution of those responsible for the murder of Renee Good, ICU nurse Alex Pretti and the assault on constitutional rights. A catastrophic failure at the Moa Point Wastewater Treatment Plant in the New Zealand capital, Wellington, has sent tens of millions of litres of raw, untreated sewage into the ocean, creating an environmental and public health disaster. The crisis began during heavy rain on February 4 when a blockage in the plants 1.8kilometre outfall pipe caused sewage to back up into the facility, flooding lower floors, destroying vital equipment, and forcing a shutdown. With the plant shut and staff evacuated, about 70 million litres of untreated wastewater per day have been discharged through a short fivemetre emergency outfall pipe. Moa Point Wastewater Treatment Plant [Photo: Wellington Water] Beaches across Wellingtons south coast are closed indefinitely due to bacterial levels far above safe limits. Residents have been warned to avoid the water, not collect shellfish, and keep children and dogs away from the shoreline. Repairs are expected to take months. On February 7, Radio NZ reported that Wellington Water was racing against the clock to remove sewage from the plant before it turned septic and anaerobic, emitted odours and posed health risks to workers. Wellington Mayor Andrew Little described it as a catastrophic failure, saying: This is a sewage plant processing the sewage for a big city, and it has completely failed, it just completely stopped. Wellington Water chief executive Pat Dougherty admitted that the plant is in worse shape than feared, with up to 80 percent of equipment damaged. Dougherty was at a loss to explain why the outfall pipe failed, saying it has more capacity than the treatment plant itself, its designed to be the one thing that works whatever happens. The disaster, however, was not an unpredictable accident. It is the entirely foreseeable result of decades of underinvestment in water infrastructure by successive Labour- and National Party-led governments. Serving the interests of big business and the banks, they have prioritised tax cuts, corporate subsidies and military spending over basic infrastructure upon which the working class depends. The French multinational corporation Veolia was contracted in 2004 to run Moa Point, and then in 2017 all four of the Wellington regions treatment plants: Moa Point, Seaview, Western, and Porirua. The contract is worth $170 million over 10 years. The company manages 100 water and wastewater facilities across New Zealand, including in the largest city, Auckland. The companys February 2025 Annual Report boasted that globally 2024 was an excellent year for Veolia, with record net income of 1,530 million, double what it made five years ago. The Pacific regional operation saw a 4 percent increase in revenue that year. Declaring its balance sheet solid thanks to strict financial discipline, Veolia increased dividends by 12 percent to 1.40 per share. Among a litany of complaints about Veolias operations nationwide, as the disaster at Moa Point was unfolding, a wastewater overflow was reported at the site in Porirua, threatening a nearby state highway. The Seaview plant in Lower Hutt is notorious for odour problems dating back years; last month partially treated sewage was released into the ocean after a mechanical failure. Victoria University academic Bryce Edwards noted that an independent review of the four Wellington plants in 2021 found Veolia had failed to carry out basic asset management, including regular maintenance. Equipment was described as obsolete and outdated and prone to failure. Plants were understaffed, operators were inexperienced, and there was a lack of executive oversight. Wellington Water had issued warnings, infringement notices and abatement notices to Veolia over the preceding 18 months yet the high costs and risks of terminating the contract prevented its cancellation. According to Edwards, Moa Point has been consistently non-compliant over its resource consents, passing compliance checks in only two months since January 2024. A 2020 mayoral taskforce found 30 percent of Wellingtons drinking water assets and 20 percent of its wastewater networks had exceeded their useful life. It concluded that the current approach is failing and that decades of neglect had created an escalating crisis. Moa Point, which processes wastewater for approximately 180,000 people, began operating in 1998. Wellington Water acknowledged in October 2024 that the plant was aging and maintenance was vital to prevent failuresyet the refurbishment work being carried out at the time of the disaster had actually reduced the plants treatment capacity, increasing the risk of exactly the kind of discharge that has now occurred. In its Long-term Plan for 20242034 the Wellington City Council budgeted a record $4.8 billion to upgrade and maintain water infrastructure, requiring ratepayers to carry a massive cost burden. The council imposed a 16.4 percent rates increase in July 2024, followed by another 12 percent increase in July 2025. Recently elected Labour Party Mayor Little has promised an independent investigation into the Moa Point disaster. But at the same time he absurdly claimed: Theres been nothing indicated to me in the time Ive been mayor or even before that that is a plant thats at risk. The comment echoes Littles statements following the 2010 Pike River mine disaster that killed 29 workers. As the Engineering, Printing and Manufacturing Union leader at the time, Little rushed to defend the companys safety standards, falsely declaring there had been nothing unusual about its operations. After drinking water in the town of Havelock North was contaminated with campylobacter in 2016leading to four deaths and 5,500 illnessesthe Labour-led government elected in 2017 promised to fix the countrys rundown wastewater, stormwater and drinking water systems. It developed its Three Waters reforms as a supposed solution. The legislationwhich only passed through parliament in August 2023would have shifted management of water services from 67 local councils into larger regional entities, ostensibly to enable greater investment. However, Labour refused to allocate the funding required to actually rebuild NZs decaying water infrastructure, estimated at $120 to $185 billion over three decades. Its policy was designed not to benefit working people but to create corporatised entities oriented towards cost recovery and user-pays mechanisms that would burden households with escalating water charges. Another aspect of Three Waters that generated public opposition was its provision for unelected Maori tribal corporations to have co-governance alongside council representatives over water pipes, treatment facilities and other infrastructure. The National-led coalition government, installed in late 2023, repealed the Three Waters legislation in February 2024. Its replacement policy, cynically branded Local Water Done Well, created 42 separate water entities instead of 10, keeping cash-strapped councils responsible for infrastructure, while simultaneously capping rate increases and restricting councils ability to borrow. The result is a vicious circle. Councils cannot raise sufficient revenue to address the infrastructure backlog, the government refuses to fund it, and the working class pays the pricein contaminated water, raw sewage on beaches, and the destruction of the coastal environment. The catastrophe at Moa Point is not merely a local failure of ageing pipes and neglected machinery. It is a damning indictment of the entire capitalist framework within which essential public services are subordinated to private profitan international issue, as attested by the experiences with privatised water companies in Britain and elsewhere. The resources exist to rebuild and modernise New Zealands water infrastructure, its crumbling schools, hospitals and housingbut only if the vast wealth hoarded by the corporate and financial oligarchy is expropriated and placed under democratic public ownership and workers control. This requires the building of an independent political movement of the working class to fight for this perspective based on a socialist program. Amid widespread shock and anger over an onslaught against peaceful pro-Palestinian protesters in Sydney on Monday evening, there is growing evidence that the cops were instructed to brutalise the crowd by the highest levels of New South Wales (NSW) Police command and the state government. The NSW Labor administration had, prior to the rally, done everything possible to prevent a march, including invoking two draconian pieces of legislation to ban it. Working with the federal Labor government, it was determined to prevent any public display of opposition to the visit of Israeli president and war criminal Isaac Herzog and to use his provocative trip to set a precedent for police-state repression. The scale of the violence strongly indicates police were told that the gloves were off and they could do what they wished to disperse the crowd. In addition to clips of police bashing people, which have been viewed millions of times, accounts are still coming to light of other assaults that were not captured on film, many causing serious injuries. Of particular significance, in terms of a degree of coordination and instruction underlying the violence, is the account of NSW Greens parliamentarian Abigail Boyd. In comments to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) yesterday, Boyd stated that she was set upon by police when she was standing on steps near Sydney Town Hall filming protesters. I told them I was a member of parliament and that I was recording things for accountability purposes, Boyd said. I got lifted off of the ground, thrown into somebody else, and then when I was trying to rebalance myself, I got punched in the head, and then another police officer punched me in the shoulder. This was completely disproportionate. They knew I was a member of parliament. Ive made it really clearand I was just observing. Attacks on legal observers have been a hallmark of fascist US President Donald Trumps rampage against protesters and immigrants in Minneapolis. An orchestrated assault on a parliamentarian, moreover, indicates very high level approval from police command and likely the Labor government itself. The attack on Boyd appears to have occurred towards the end of the static protest at Town Hall, when demonstrators were seeking to exercise their right to march to the NSW parliament but were blocked by police. The cops kettled protesters near the Town Hall steps, pepper-spraying them indiscriminately and pushing, threatening a crowd crush as some retreated back into Town Hall square. The timing is significant, because earlier footage shows some of the most senior NSW Police officers who were present at the rally, remonstrating with other Greens MPs Jenny Leong and Sue Higginson. In the footage, police officials, including NSW Police Acting Assistant Commissioner Paul Dunstan, demand that Higginson and Leong instruct demonstrators to disperse and refrain from marching. When Higginson noted that they lacked that authority and that people would wish to march regardless of what the Greens MPs had told them, Dunstan responded with evident frustration. He is one of the most senior police officers in Sydney. It would not have been all that long after the exchange that Boyd was attacked, causing the neck injuries that placed her in hospital. Leong was also affected by pepper spray. Senior police officials, directing the response, were unusually on the frontline of these clashes and were filmed pushing protesters. That was clearly a signal to other junior officers on how they were to proceed. The initial clashes were followed by a series of police assaults. In one, a very young man is pinned to the ground by two officers and punched at least 18 times while prone and face down on light rail tracks. Footage of him being marched away afterwards showed deep bruises had already appeared on his torso. In another exchange, a police officer clumsily tripped over his own bicycle. A riot cop next to him responded by punching a middle-aged man with his hands in the air repeatedly to the torso. In one incident that has triggered enormous anger, a group of Muslim men and women were set upon by police as they kneeled and prayed. In what was an entirely unprovoked attack, some of the worshippers were dragged along the ground and thrown. They had retreated back into Town Hall Square, and so were away from the scene of the main clashes when attacked. The rampage concluded with a line of dozens of riot cops charging at the remaining demonstrators along George Street, pushing, trampling and hitting those who did not get away and directing pepper spray at them. One man told the WSWS: I was walking a few hundred metres away from Town Hall towards Central around 8 pm when, without warning, the police rushed from behind and punched me in the head, smashing my glasses, and within seconds there were two of them on top of me, hitting me while I was face down on the ground. They said they were arresting me for assault and handcuffed me and walked me back to Town Hall. After pleading my innocence, I was uncuffed about 10 minutes later and let go with a warning. The violence included attacks on the elderly, causing serious injuries. The Guardian today reported that a 69-year-old woman, Jann Alhafny, remains in hospital with four broken vertebrae, after having been pushed to the ground by police. 76-year-old journalist and documentary filmmaker James Ricketson was attacked by riot cops and pinned to the ground. In an open letter to NSW Premier Chris Minns yesterday, Ricketson wrote: During my violent arrest, I sustained several bloody injuries. I can barely walk today and my right kidney hurts very badly as a result of its being punched. Or perhaps I have a cracked rib? Ricketson stated that during the five hours he was held in police custody, he was denied medical attention. The cops then dispensed with sham claims that he had assaulted an officer and told him to leave. In aggressively defending the actions of NSW Police since their onslaught, Minns has claimed that the primary reason he wanted to block pro-Palestinian protesters from marching was for fear they would clash with Zionists who were gathered to listen to an address by Herzog. A largely compliant press has uncritically echoed Minns statements. But they defy a basic knowledge of Sydney geography. Herzog was speaking at the International Convention Centre (ICC) in Darling Harbour. The pro-Palestinian protesters sought to march to the NSW Parliament. It is located from Town Hall in the opposite direction of the ICC; i.e., the protesters sought to march farther away from Herzog, not towards him. Herzogs ICC event had the character of a fascist rally, with the Israeli leader defaming all those who oppose his government's mass murder as terrorist supporters and antisemites. Minns was among those who spoke at the ICC gathering, fawning over the Israeli war criminal and declaring that in the wake of the Bondi terrorist attack, things must change in our state and our country. With the police rampage, Minns was demonstrating in real time what that change would consist of. A colourless careerist who has distinguished himself among state leaders as the most frothingly pro-Zionist and hostile to protest, Minns was no doubt attempting to impress the Israeli leader. At the conclusion of the ICC event, a police official stood up and asked the crowd if they could remain in the building for another half hour. That was how much time would be required, he stated, to disperse the pro-Palestinian protesters from Town Hall. The coordinated rampage, and the entire Herzog visit, is a turning point in Australian politics. The Labor governments are exploiting the Bondi attack to institute police-state measures and to signal their full support for imperialist war and barbarism, not just in Palestine, but globally. This morning, the Murdoch-owned Australian, which has relentlessly campaigned for such a turn, hailed Labor Prime Minister Anthony Albanese for his defence of the police attacks, in an article headlined Albaneses slapdown for anti-Herzog mob. Taxpayers lost an estimated $23 billion to stolen tax returns last year, affecting approximately 2.4 million people, according to a report by the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) began accepting individual returns last month as financial experts warn that widespread data breaches have made identity theft a risk for all filers. [DOWNLOAD: Free WHIO-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] The loss of funds occurs when scammers use personal information found on the dark web to file returns in a victims name. Experts at the credit bureau Experian and local financial advisers say that filing early is the most effective way to prevent fraudsters from stealing a taxpayers refund. TRENDING STORIES: The IRS expects to process 164 million individual tax returns during the current season. This high volume provides a large window for potential fraud as scammers attempt to use stolen personal data to file fraudulent returns before the actual taxpayers can submit theirs. Michael Bruemmer, head of global data breach resolution for the credit bureau Experian, explained that nearly everyone has some level of digital exposure. There is at least some component of every US individual, let alone around the globe, information out on the dark web, Bruemmer said. Outlook Financial Center CEO Rob Burnette in Troy, said the current busy season has already seen many clients submitting their paperwork. He noted that the primary defense against tax identity theft is to file as early as possible. Youre reducing the window for scammers and fraudsters to invade your return file, a return for you, and really cause some identity theft issues," Burnette said. Beyond security concerns, Burnette pointed out that filing early provides a financial advantage for those expecting a payout from the government. If youre getting a refund, you get your refund sooner, Burnette said, adding that his office encourages taxpayers to start the preparation process even if they have not received every necessary form in the mail. For clients waiting on specific documents, Burnettes center uses a flagging system to organize the return in advance. We put a flag on it. Dont file this yet, because were waiting for it and we outline what its waiting for, Burnette said. [SIGN UP: WHIO-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] Laws were rushed through the Australian parliament by the Albanese Labor government last month to allow the minister in charge of the Australian Federal Police to designate and outlaw so-called hate groups by decree and potentially have their supporters jailed. This is an historic attack on basic democratic rights. Australian Prime Minister Robert Menzies, Canberra, 1960. Such sweeping executive powers to ban political groups have not been attempted in Australia since a 1951 constitutional referendum that rejected similar measures proposed by the Liberal-Country Party government of Prime Minister Robert Menzies to dissolve the Communist Party of Australia (CPA) and criminalise anyone the government branded a communist. On the pretext of responding to the terrorist shootings at Sydneys Bondi Beach, Labors legislation allows a minister to prohibit political groups or parties, simply on the basis of being satisfied that they support vaguely-defined hate crimes or even may do so in the future. This means organisations can be banned solely for what ideas or political views they are alleged to uphold. That amounts to a thought crime. Once a party or group is outlawed, anyone convicted of being a member or supporter faces up to 15 years imprisonment. By conflating anti-genocide statements with antisemitic hatred, the legislation seeks to criminalise opposition to the ongoing mass killing of Palestinians by the US-backed Israeli regime and the Labor governments complicity in it. But the legislation goes further. It can also apply to any expression of dissent that allegedly makes members of any group defined by race, ethnicity or nationality feel threatened by fear of suffering harm of any sort, including to their mental health. Changing what needs to be changed, these provisions echo those of the Menzies government. Its 1950 Communist Party Dissolution Act authorised the Governor-General to declare anyone a communist, if satisfied that they were likely to engage, in activities prejudicial to the security and defence of the Commonwealth or to the execution or maintenance of the Constitution or of the laws of the Commonwealth. In other words, the term communist was defined so widely that it could include trade unionists or anyone, even a Labor Party member, likely to oppose the government. That also meant people could be criminalised solely on the basis of their alleged political views. Once declared a communist they could not be employed in the federal public sector or any industry deemed by the government to be vital to the countrys security. They could be barred from standing in trade union elections, and unions could also be dissolved. Behind the 1951 referendum The Communist Party Dissolution Act was part of the Cold War being waged internationally by US imperialism and its allies against the so-called Soviet blocthe Stalinist regime in the Soviet Union, the Eastern European buffer states and the Maoist regime that emerged in China after the 1949 Chinese Revolution. The Menzies governments attempt to outlaw the Stalinist CPA had its counterpart in the McCarthyite witch hunt in the US, where anyone regarded as a communist or communist sympathiser was subjected to blacklisting and possible criminal prosecution. Having initially aligned with Nazi Germany under the notorious 1939 Hitler-Stalin Pact, the Soviet Stalinist regime shifted its allegiance to the Alliesthe so-called democratic imperialist powers, primarily the US and Britainafter the Nazi invasion of the Soviet Union in 1941. In the immediate aftermath of World War II, the capitalist classes confronted a resurgent working class internationally and revolts against colonial rule in country after country. The betrayals of Stalinism were instrumental in the re-stabilisation of world capitalism through the subordination of the working class to democratic capitalist governments. Having shored up capitalism in Western Europe and Japan, US imperialism and its allies went on the counteroffensive, launching what became known as the Cold War to contain communism. While targeting the Stalinist regimes, falsely identified as communist, the Cold War was directed above all against the working class at home and the oppressed masses in Asia, Africa and Latin America. The CPA in Australia was originally founded in 1920 as part of the worldwide working-class response to the October 1917 Russian Revolution and the founding of the Third International in 1919. By the end of the 1920s, however, the CPA had been transformed into an appendage of the Soviet Stalinist bureaucracy. The reactionary Stalinist perspective of Socialism in One Country rejected the basic principles of Marxism and the program of world socialist revolution. The Third International was transformed into a vehicle for the opportunist manoeuvring and betrayals of the Stalinist bureaucracy on the world stage as it sought to buttress its position against the Soviet working class at home. The CPA aligned itself with all the twists and turns of the Stalinist bureaucracy. It supported the Moscow frame-up trials of 1936-38 and the murderous purges in which hundreds of thousands of Communists, intellectuals and workers were executed, including the surviving leaders of the 1917 revolution. Above all, these crimes were directed at exterminating the Left Opposition led by Leon Trotsky. The CPA supported Stalins pact with Hitler in 1939 and was banned in the first phase of World War II, refusing to support the war being waged by Britain against Germany. However, it abruptly changed sides after the Nazi invasion of the Soviet Unionin line with Stalins new policy. The Curtin Labor government formally lifted the prohibition of the CPA in December 1942, in return for satisfactory undertakings guaranteeing assistance in war production and in preventing stoppages. Nick Origlass in 1945 Under that pact with the Labor government, the CPA ruthlessly suppressed workers strikes, denounced strikers as traitors and shut down workplace committees, demanding sacrifices all for production. A courageous and principled fight against this suppression, the elimination of workers basic conditions and constant speedups of production was waged by the Trotskyists led by Nick Origlass, an ironworkers delegate at Sydneys Morts Dock, whom the Stalinists slandered as fascists and Quislings. The onset of the Cold War As was the case internationally, major strike struggles erupted with the end of World War II as workers sought to reverse the deprivations of the 1930s Great Depression and the wartime sacrifices, by demanding better wages, shorter hours and improved conditions. These struggles included 1946-49 Pilbara Pastoral Workers Strikethe longest strike in Australian historythe nine-week 1948 Queensland Railway Strike, the 1945-49 Black Armada refusal by waterside workers to load Dutch ships in support of Indonesian independence, and the 1949 seven-week strike by 23,000 coal miners, which paralysed sections of the economy. The Chifley Labor government, as it sought to suppress industrial unrest, rapidly turned on the CPA which retained a significant presence among layers of militant workers, despite its wartime role of industrial policeman. The Labor government broke the coal strike by deploying the military in the mines, jailing union officials and sequestering union funds. Labor fully aligned itself with the anti-communist offensive of the Cold War. It prosecuted and jailed several CPA leaders for sedition, for either saying they would support Soviet troops in a war or for opposing anti-strike powers and orders by the governments Arbitration Court. During the miners strike, the Labor government sent police to raid and seize documents from CPA offices, blaming it for the strike. Labor also established the domestic surveillance agency, later named the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO), in September 1949 to satisfy US and UK demands for a crackdown on alleged Soviet spy operations in Australia. On the back of Labors own anti-communist witch-hunting and repression, the Coalition won the 1949 election. In his election policy speech, Menzies had vowed to eradicate communism, declaring it was no longer a legitimate political philosophy. This was because, he declared, communists were the most unscrupulous opponents of religion, of civilised government, of law and order, of national security. But the Menzies government was confronting continuing industrial unrest. About two million strike days were lost in 1950, in a population of just over 8 million. The passage of the Communist Party Dissolution Act, which was supported by the opposition Labor Party, amid the whipping up of anti-Communist hysteria, targeted the CPA but was, above all, aimed at suppressing strike activity. As became clear to workers during the battle against Menzies legislation and the subsequent referendum, the laws were not directed solely against the CPA. The legislation created a police-state framework for jailing workers, instituting employment blacklists, and taking control of or destroying trade unions. As soon as the dissolution act was passed in 1950, police raided CPA offices across the country, seizing documents and assets. According to the first volume of ASIOs official history, The Spy Catchers, they seized more than half a ton of documents and drafted plans to detain nearly 1,000 CPA members. Some CPA leaders left the country to evade arrest. However, in March 1951 the High Court, the countrys supreme court, ruled six to one that the dissolution legislation was unconstitutional. The majority of judges rejected the governments claim that the Act came within the defence power of the 1901 Constitution. The judges ruled that the government could not invoke wartime powers, such as those used to outlaw parties, including the CPA and the Trotskyist organisations, during World War II. They ruled that Australia was officially still at peace, despite sending troops to the Korean War that erupted in 1950 as US imperialism launched a massive military intervention to prop up the hated US puppetthe dictator Syngman Rheein South Korea. In a bid to overturn the High Court ruling, Menzies government called a referendum for September 1951 to insert a clause into the constitution to validate the dissolution act and empower the making of any other laws whatsoever to deal with communists and communism. The referendums defeat At first, support for the anti-democratic referendum appeared overwhelming. Newspaper editorials were vehemently in favour of the ban. Seven weeks before the ballot, it was supported by 73.3 percent of respondents, according to a Morgan Gallup Poll. Yes campaign handbill for 1951 referendum [Photo: State Library of Western Australia] But that support fell away sharply as the dictatorial character of the power to ban political parties and effectively outlaw their supporters became more widely recognised, especially among workers. To head off the brewing opposition among workers, the Labor Party decided, by a split 7 to 4 vote on its national executive, to campaign for a No vote, reversing its support for the passage of the dissolution bill through the Senate the previous year. Most media and academic accounts of the referendum campaign attribute the governments defeat to a vigorous No campaign conducted by Labor leader Doc Evatt, but that is a distortion of the reality. The official parliamentary No campaign mounted by the Labor leadership was itself anti-communist, denouncing communism and saying that laws already existed to ban it. It explicitly stated that Labor is utterly opposed to Communism and claimed that Labor had already taken the only effective action to combat Communism in Australia. It declared: Labors record is one of prompt action in prosecuting every Communist who had infringed the law of the land. Labor argued that criminal acts, sabotage, or treason carried out by communists could be prosecuted under existing laws, making the broad ban proposed by the government unnecessary. In fact, the official No statement declared: Mr. Menzies has not acted. He has talked. The Commonwealth Crimes Act contains provisions for the Courts to declare any subversive body an illegal organisation and dissolve it. The CPA was not part of the official No campaign but ran a parallel one, in which it promoted Labor Party speakers and praised Evatt, as part of a united front that also included civil liberties and some religious organisations. In the CPA newspaper Tribune, CPA general secretary Lance Sharkey appealed to democrats and peace lovers to defend the freedom of our country. The defeat was primarily driven by workers reaction upon becoming aware of the referendums wider net. Workers realised that the declaration power, which allowed the government to declare someone a communist without proof or trial, could be used to target militant workers. Vote NO! committees were established at workplaces, within trade unions, community groups and Labor branches. One of the most active committees was formed at Morts Dock, chaired by the leading Trotskyist Nick Origlass. After years of denouncing the Trotskyists as fascist rats, Tribune announced on its front page on August 1 that Origlass was the chairman of the dockyards Vote No Committee. The article said the committee has embarked on an intensive course of action, including preparation and distribution of Vote NO propaganda, conduct of a Dock Referendum on the issue, organisation of meetings and speakers and a call on Dock workers for full financial support. The growing opposition among workers was also reflected in universities, where students joined debates and meetings at which speakers warned against the dangers of handing dictatorial powers to the government. At the University of Melbourne, for example, approximately 500 students at a Student Representative Council meeting on September 14 voted by eight to one to oppose a Yes vote because it would endanger the democratic rights of the Australian people. A week before the September 22 vote, Morgan Gallup Poll announced that a million electors have switched from Yes to No. Ultimately, the referendum was narrowly lost. The No vote won 50.56 percent of the national tally and a majority in the three most industrialised states, New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia. The voting returns showed that workers turned out in large numbers to defeat the referendum. That resulted in a registered voter turnout of 95.58 percent, which was exceptionally high, even given that voting was legally compulsory. While working-class electorates did not necessarily have a higher turnout than other areas, they provided the critical results. Early returns from working-class centres showed a decisive No lead, while later-counted rural votes trended toward Yes. Despite the referendums defeat, the ongoing anti-Communist witch-hunt of the Menzies government with Labors support had an impact on the working class. Strike activity dropped as other measures were used to crack down on CPA members and militant workers. The number of strike days in 1951 plunged to around 900,000 down from two million in the previous year. Following the defeat, no further government attempt was made to ban political groups or parties until 2001, when the war on terrorism was launched on the pretext of responding to the 9/11 terrorist attacks in the US. In Australia, as in the US and Britain, this war became a vehicle for the eruption of US-led militarism, starting with the invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq, and for a barrage of domestic police-state measures. Alongside unprecedented ASIO, police and government powers, such as to detain people, without charge for prolonged questioning, Liberal-National Coalition governments, backed by Labor, imposed laws to proscribe organisations designated by ministerial decree as terrorist or supporters or advocates of terrorism. The Albanese governments legislation now significantly expands these powers, which also have been broadened via foreign interference laws. This is part of an intensifying attack on core democratic rights, under conditions of the Gaza genocide, US-driven war preparations, deepening social inequality, climate change disasters and Labors collaboration with the Trump regime. The 1951 referendum showed the true dictatorial character of the ruling capitalist class in Australia. It was brought forward at the beginning of the post-World War II period that eventually, after the stifling of mass workers struggles, saw an economic and political stabilisation under US global hegemony. Today, that post-war order is being torn apart globally and in Australia, fuelling immense inter-imperialist conflicts and domestic class tensions. Labors laws to ban hate groups is a warning of the readiness of the political establishment to again resort to authoritarian forms of rule to suppress social unrest and political discontent. More than ever, the defence of fundamental democratic rights depends on the fight for socialism to overturn the entire repressive capitalist state apparatus. Pharmacy technicians and laboratory scientists on the picket at the Los Angeles Kaiser Medical Center, February 10, 2026. On Monday, more than 3,000 pharmacy and laboratory workers from the United Food and Commercial Workers Local 770 joined a strike by 31,000 nurses and other healthcare workers at Kaiser Permanente in California and Hawaii. The Kaiser strike is unfolding alongside a widening movement of educators and academic workers across California and the country. Six thousand San Francisco teachers have walked out; Los Angeles teachers have voted to authorize strike action; and tens of thousands of graduate student workers at the University of California are currently voting on their strike authorization. These struggles share common roots in austerity, understaffing and the subordination of social needs to corporate profit, raising the objective necessity for a unified response across industries. At the same time, the trade union bureaucracy is continuing to do what it can to disrupt this growing movement. The same day the Kaiser strike expanded, the New York State Nurses Association (NYSNA) has announced a sellout tentative agreement covering three of the four New York City hospitals whose nurses have been on strike for four weeks. The agreement includes 12 percent raises over 3 years instead of the 30 percent demanded by nurses and only 30 additional hires out of the needed 700 at Mount Sinai Hospital. The betrayal provoked rage among strikers, one nurse told the WSWS. On Tuesday, the New York Healthcare Workers Rank-and-File Committee held an online meeting to discuss how nurses could fight back. Attendees passed a resolution calling on nurses to reject the contracts and organize to expand the strike, demand strike pay and replace the bargaining committee with one elected from the rank and file. It also urged New York nurses to unite with the 31,000 healthcare workers and 3,000 pharmacy and lab workers on strike at Kaiser Permanente facilities in California and Hawaii. These struggles must become the spearhead of a nationwide movement to defend workers rights and end the subordination of healthcare to corporate profit. At Kaiser, a major issue is managements attempts to eliminate national bargaining in favor of dozens of local contracts. Daniel, a psychiatric hospital worker with 20 years at Kaiser, warned bluntly about the implications. They want to get rid of the National Alliance because its going to be easier to pick and choose with each local, he said. Once management gets their foot in the door, locals will be pitted against each other: How come this locals getting this? Why is this one not getting that? even though theyre on basically the same pay scale. Daniel described how Kaisers reliance on temporary and traveling staff, driven by cost cutting and understaffing, is creating dangerous conditions. The money theyre paying for travel nurses is almost five times what staff nurses make, he noted, including lodging and food. This churn of contingent labor undermines continuity of care and institutional knowledge. In the pharmacy department, he explained, chronic understaffing has led to near-catastrophic incidents. Daniel recounted a case involving a newborn baby, in which an outside contingent pharmacist prepared a medication incorrectly, something that would have killed the child if administered. A pharmacy technician, not even a pharmacist, intervened and stopped it. If that tech hadnt caught it, that baby would have been friedIt would have killed the baby, Daniel said. This isnt just about how workers are treatedIts about patient care. Kaiser knows this, Daniel emphasized. Yet instead of investing in staffing, A lot of the CEOs and upper administrative people making seven or eight digits a year are business people, he said. While Kaiser presents itself as largely non-profit, when youre making double-digit billions net, not gross, that matters. Daniel pointed to conditions in New York, where understaffing and burnout are rampant. Nurses and doctors are maxed out, leading to callouts, transfers and resignations. You have to invest more money in staffing, he said. Instead, Kaiser is investing money in lobbying companies, including for ICE, referring to its investment into private prisons and ICE detention centers. Daniel then turned to the murder of Alex Pretti, a VA hospital nurse, by ICE agents in Minneapolis. Once someone is disarmed and on the ground, why do they have to shoot him? he asked. Claire, a nurse at Kaiser Downey, said that understaffing is not confined to one facility or region. Its happening across the nation, from East Coast to West Coast. It equates to safe patient care, she said. Kaisers attempt to frame the dispute as merely about wages is a diversion. Its bigger than that, and its bigger than us, Claire said. I think its capitalism. Claire described Kaisers transformation into more of an investment firm as opposed to hospital healthcare, pointing to billions held in reserves and investments in ICE facilities. Where does a nonprofit fit in all that? she asked. Healthcare, she insisted, is a human right. Like many workers, Claire sees the need for a broader movement. Asked about rank-and-file committees and the perspective of a general strike, she responded without hesitation: That would be amazing. Workers, she said, dont know each others struggles, but if the working class puts their hands in their pockets, we win. Ashley, a clinical lab scientist with 14 years at Kaiser, described how aging, malfunctioning equipment and chronic understaffing are crippling patient care. Lab workers are expected to troubleshoot failing instruments while processing samples and covering other departments. At this point, were overworked and now underpaid, she said. The delays ripple outward, increasing nurses workloads and worsening staffing ratios. Its affecting all of us. Sarah, a pharmacy worker at Glendale Kaiser, echoed these sentiments. After nine years on the job, Im barely making ends meet, she said, explaining she is considering a second job just to survive in Los Angeles. Sarah said the killing of Alex Pretti made workers feel attacked both in the community and at our job, especially when Kaiser funds corporations tied to detention centers. Like others, she raised the idea of a general strike to hit them where it hurtsmoney, referring to the Trump administration and the corporate interests it represents. I dont believe in the Democratic or the Republican Party, she said. Its the same bird with two different wings. Real change, she argued, requires independent organization. On rank-and-file committees, she said, We just need somebody to actually step up and start it. In March 2024, 10,000 employees demonstrated against layoffs in front of the Bosch headquarters in Gerlingen near Stuttgart Faced with mass layoffs and wage cuts in almost all major industrial companies, workers are looking for ways to fight back. In doing so, they inevitably come into conflict with the trade union apparatus, which works closely with corporate management and enforces the cuts against the workers. In upcoming works council elections, this is expressed in the fact that opposition slates are forming everywhere to challenge the supremacy of IG Metall (IGM). In this situation, the arch-Stalinists of the Marxist-Leninist Party of Germany (MLPD) play the role of henchmen for the trade union mafia: they intimidate workers who want to defend themselves and employ the vilest lies and slanders to defend the bureaucracy. In its online publication Rote Fahne News (Red Flag News), the MLPD recently attacked Mustafa Simsek, who has set up an opposition list for the works council elections at Bosch in Schwabisch Gmund. As a works council member, Simsek had opposed the secret agreements on massive job cuts between IG Metall and corporate management and had therefore come under fire from the bureaucrats. When a union loses its voice, the employees must raise their own, he concluded and founded the Free Metalworkers slate. The MLPD accuses Simsek, of all things, of careerism and addiction to self-promotion because he tangled with the powerful works council members and the company. They expressly support the non-admission of his slate by the IGM-controlled election committee. Simsek had supposedly disqualified himself because he had renamed and reshuffled the slate several times. As if that were an argument to ban a slate of 89 rank-and-file workers! The attack dogs of the union have reacted particularly aggressively to the defence of Simsek by the Sozialistische Gleichheitspartei (Socialist Equality Party, SGP). The SGP defended Simsek against the attacks of IG Metall and demanded the admission of his slate to the works council elections. This was not about whether Simsek agrees with the political goals of the SGP, but about defending the right of workers to challenge the union apparatus and cast off its straitjacket. The Stalinists of the MLPD are hyperventilating over this. They become particularly nervous when the WSWS reveals what the trade union bureaucrats have perpetrated in recent years. They quote the following sentence from our statement: Since 2017, IG Metall and the works council agreed to reduce the number of employees in Schwabisch Gmund to 2,850 posts by the end of 2026. Every worker in Schwabisch Gmund knows that this is true. All previous cuts bear not only the signature of company management but also of the IG Metall works council representatives. They were negotiated in secret talks, as Simsek recently wanted to uncover. But for the MLPD, this is sacrilege. No one may criticise the bureaucrats for their shameful deeds or even call them by name! They accuse the SGP of supposedly engaging in division and providing support to the monopolies when it calls for a fight against the union apparatus. That is absurd. One might just as well declare that a strike divides because it endangers unity with strikebreakers! For the unions have long since ceased to be workers organisations, let alone fighting bodies. Rather, they confront the workforces as a company mafia that ensures law and order in the factory while implementing the attacks and brutally suppressing opposition to themin the interest of the corporations and their shareholders. It was 1984 when IG Metall organised the last real industry-wide strike, over 40 years ago! Back then, it concerned the introduction of the 35-hour week, which the union procured by agreeing to the flexibilisation of working hours. Since then, the union has limited itself to so-called warning strikes, which have no economic impact whatsoever and are agreed upon in the long term with the companies. This is supplemented by toothless noisy protests and coffins being dragged through cities when a plant is closed again. Such actions do not serve to develop workers fighting power but to prevent real strikes and let off steam. Only in this way was it possible for companies to drive the harshest attacks in the last 40 years without organised resistance occurring. The unions were involved in these attacks right down to working out the details. When SPD Chancellor Gerhard Schroder massively expanded temporary work from 2003 onwards, and thus smashed apart the collective bargaining structure of German industry, the unions worked closely with him. It was only possible for companies to pay temporary workers sometimes only half the wage for the same job because the DGB (German Trade Union Confederation) and IG Metall concluded a separate contract with the temporary employment agencies. The low wages and the Hartz lawsnamed after the IG Metall member and VW personnel director Peter Hartzwere then used to grind down the wages and working conditions of the core workforces. In the last 20 years, employees have had to accept severe cuts in real wages. Now the IG Metall apparatus is reacting to the intensification of the global trade and economic war with the preparation of more fundamental attacks. At Volkswagen, IG Metall and the works council under Daniela Cavallo have agreed with corporate management on the cutting of 35,000 jobs, more than one in four, as well as wage cuts of up to 20 percent. At Bosch, 22,000 jobs are to be destroyed. A few days ago, IG Metall Chairwoman Christiane Benner announced her complete support for the war course of the German government under Friedrich Merz (Christian Democratic Union, CDU). She shares this with union leaders all over the world, who all support their corporations and their governments in trade war and war. When workers try to break out of the straitjacket of these organisations, this has nothing to do with division. On the contrary, it is the beginning of a serious, mutual struggle to defend their rights and their jobs. It is not combative workers who divide, but the trade union bureaucrats! They have divided the workforce into temporary workers and permanent employees, as well as into new and old employees. They divide the workers at different locations, isolate them from one another and organise the job massacre individually at each location instead of organising joint resistance and an all-out strike. Thus, each location dies on its own. The workforce in Schwabisch Gmund should know nothing about the situation in Feuerbach and vice versa. Above all, they divide workers from their brothers and sisters in other countries. Almost 130,000 people work at Bosch in Germany; worldwide there are another almost 300,000. They, too, are affected by the cuts. But IG Metall does not organise the joint resistance that could quickly force the corporation to its knees but plays off the employees of the different countries against each other. This leads to layoffs and wage cuts at all locations. The MLPD stands behind the unions policy of division and claims that the SGP is providing support to the monopolies when it does not defend Germany as a business location against other locations, such as Hungary, since with the relocation to such countries, the company is banking on the fact that unions are weak and workers rights are suppressed, it says. In other words: workers should kindly swallow the cuts that IG Metall prescribes for them in Germany because otherwise the company will relocate production to Hungary. Against this policy in the interest of the corporation, the SGP proposes the building of action committees that are committed only to the rank and file and are completely independent of the union apparatus. The action committees must unite permanent employees and temporary workers, IG Metall members and non-members, across locations, sectors and national borders. The only ones who must be kept out of the action committees are the IG Metall officials and their works council reps, i.e., those who have organised the job cuts in recent years and are doing so now. That is what makes the MLPD so nervous. It is not the cutting of 22,000 jobs at Bosch that disconcerts them, but the fact that the bureaucratic apparatus, in which the MLPD is up to its neck, is being challenged by the workforce. They even go so far as to claim that the SGP supports the fascists of Zentrum Automobil because they also stand slates against IG Metall. The MLPD write: With their call to consciously develop the fight against IG Metall, they [the SPG] even play into the hands of the fascist Zentrum, which has set itself the goal of halving the influence of IG Metall in the works council elections. With this argument, one could also ban any criticism of the federal government, which is also attacked by the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD), even if it implements their programme of rearmament and deportations daily. In fact, it is exactly the opposite: the fascists become stronger because the union apparatus suppresses every serious labour dispute and themselves spread the stinking nationalism of defending Germany as a business location (Standortnationalismus). Support for the monopolies, support for fascists and division: with these disgusting lies and slanders, the MLPD attacks rebellious workers and socialists who want to offer real resistance against the trade union bureaucrats. Such attacks come straight from the moth-eaten politics of Stalinism. The MLPD, which emerged in 1982 from the Communist Workers League of Germany (KABD), openly defends the crimes of Joseph Stalin and Mao Zedong. In the Soviet Union, Stalin, as a representative of the growing bureaucracy, initiated the counter-revolution and murdered hundreds of thousands of communists. The Stalinist parties in other countries were sworn to uphold the course of ensuring the Soviet Unions peaceful coexistence with imperialism, through cooperation with the capitalists. Therefore, the Stalinists suppressed every independent stirring of the working class using the vilest methods, and defended capitalism. The Maoists played the same role in the 70s with regard to China. The MLPD stands in this tradition, only that neither Stalins Soviet Union nor Maos China exist anymore. Instead, the MLPD now orients itself to the trade union bureaucrats and offers them its experience in the suppression of workers. The Sozialistische Gleichheitspartei stands in the opposite tradition. It is the German section of the International Committee of the Fourth International (ICFI), which was founded in 1938 by Leon Trotsky to defend socialist principles against Stalinism. In particular, this has meant the independence of the working class from all capitalist parties and the defence of internationalism against Stalins propaganda of socialism in one country. These principles are now of the utmost importance because workers cannot take a step forward in the defence of their jobs without breaking with the union apparatus, organising themselves independently and uniting internationally. We call on workers, whether union members or not, at Bosch and beyond, to contact us. Let us plan together the next step in the rebellion against the teetering supremacy of IG Metall. Send a WhatsApp message to +491633378340 and register immediately via the following form. The Democratic administration of Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, through its legal representatives, has initiated an appeal seeking the removal of U.S. District Judge David O. Carter, who is overseeing enforcement of a court settlement governing the citys response to homelessness. The appeal challenges Judge Carters continued role in supervising implementation of the agreement and disputes the scope of judicial authority in monitoring municipal compliance. The case has become a focal point of conflict between city officials and the federal judiciary amid mounting evidence that Los Angeles is failing to meet its own legally binding commitments. A homeless encampment along the 110 Freeway in Los Angeles Tuesday, Sept. 23, 2025 is destroyed as part of a task force run by Gov. Gavin Newsom's administration. [AP Photo/Jae C. Hong] The dispute arises from a settlement agreement reached after years of litigation documenting the citys failure to provide adequate shelter and housing for a rapidly growing unhoused population. Under the terms of the agreement, Los Angeles committed to creating tens of thousands of housing placements, meeting specific deadlines and producing regular, verifiable data demonstrating progress. Judge Carter was assigned to oversee compliance, review the citys reporting and ensure that the commitments were implemented as written. City officials now argue that Carter has exceeded his authority. In court filings, city attorneys accuse the judge of committing a litany of errors in overseeing the settlement. They claim he has used his position as a judicial bully pulpit to demand changes in homelessness policy, improperly scrutinized budgetary decisions, and impinged on the authority of elected officials. The appeal also alleges that Carter has employed procedural tactics that the city characterizes as irregular, intrusive or outside normal judicial practice. On this basis, Los Angeles is asking the appellate court to remove him from the case. If the citys appeal succeeds, the practical consequences would be significant. While the settlement agreement might formally remain in place, the removal of active judicial supervision would sharply weaken enforcement. Deadlines could be delayed, with benchmarks reinterpreted and failures obscured with little risk of consequence. In effect, the city would regain broad discretion over how homelessness is managed, allowing officials to claim progress publicly while scaling back obligations behind the scenes. In court filings, the citys lawyers argue that Judge Carter has exceeded his authority by dictating policy and intruding into municipal governance. This portrayal is misleading. Judge Carter is not imposing a right-wing law-and-order agenda, nor is he acting as an adversary of the Democratic Party. He is enforcing a settlement that the city itself agreed to, one that imposes measurable requirements for housing placements and restricts the clearance of encampments without providing alternatives. More fundamentally, the citys arguments adopt a conception of executive power indistinguishable from that advanced by Donald Trump, under which judicial enforcement of legal obligations is recast as unlawful interference. This doctrine, repeatedly invoked by the Trump administration to defy court rulings, is now being echoed by Democratic officials in Los Angeles. In challenging Judge Carters oversight, the city asserts that elected authorities may enter into settlements under legal compulsion while remaining effectively immune from meaningful judicial enforcement once those commitments become inconvenient. Such a stance represents a serious erosion of the constitutional principle of separation of powers. Judicial oversight exists precisely to ensure that legal obligations are not reduced to empty promises. The citys effort to remove the judge reflects an attempt to escape judicial enforcement that would force officials to fund, implement and meet the commitments they have long invoked rhetorically while leaving tens of thousands unhoused. The political motivation behind this effort is clear. Housing tens of thousands of people at scale would require a decisive break with existing priorities. It would mean massive public investment in non-market housing, long-term operating subsidies and a direct confrontation with real estate developers, landlords and financial interests that profit from scarcity and rising rents. The capitalists in Los Angeles have no intention of pursuing such a course. City officials are seeking to restore flexibility, that is, the ability to slow implementation, obscure failure and redirect resources toward cheaper, more coercive measures. This is occurring amid deepening austerity. Funding for social services is under pressure, even as resources continue to flow toward policing, surveillance and enforcement. The citys legal maneuver must also be understood in the context of its longstanding approach to homelessness. For decades, Los Angeles (and California more broadly) has relied on a model based on privatization, fragmented nonprofit provision and law-and-order enforcement. Rather than building publicly-owned, permanently affordable housing, officials have outsourced homelessness policy to a sprawling network of contractors, consultants and service providers. The result has been waste, scandal and failure. Facilities have been constructed at exorbitant cost, sometimes paying nearly double for the number of beds actually delivered. Oversight bodies have proliferated, but accountability has remained elusive. Billions of dollars have been spent without reversing the growth of homelessness. Last month, Los Angeles County officials announced that they had effectively dismantled the joint city-county Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA), transferring much of its authority and funding to a newly created Department of Homeless Services and Housing under direct county control. The restructuring has been presented as a reform aimed at efficiency and coordination. In reality, it marks a further step in the corporatization of homelessness policy, concentrating power within a centralized bureaucracy insulated from democratic accountability and oriented toward contract management and enforcement rather than guaranteeing housing as a social right. At the same time, the city and county continue to rely on encampment sweeps and criminalization. Anti-camping ordinances, police enforcement and forced displacement are justified as necessary to maintain public order, but they do nothing to address the underlying causes of homelessness. They merely push people from one location to another, deepening instability and trauma. Responsibility for this record lies squarely with the Democratic Party, which has dominated Los Angeles and California politics for decades. Democratic mayors and city councils have presided over the explosive growth of homelessness alongside the enrichment of a narrow elite. Los Angeles is home to enormous concentrations of wealth, including over 40 billionaires, yet officials insist that there are insufficient resources to guarantee housing as a basic right. The presence of several Democratic Socialists of America members on the City Council has not altered this reality. Despite their progressive rhetoric, these figures vote for budgets that expand policing, accept austerity as unavoidable and promote the illusion that homelessness can be solved through private contractors and bureaucratic restructuring rather than systemic change, providing a left cover for the Democratic Party. Nor is this dynamic unique to Los Angeles. In Democratic-run cities such as San Francisco, New York and Chicago, homelessness has reached catastrophic levels amid extreme inequality. In each case, the response has combined underfunded social programs with escalating repression. Across the country, Democrats posture as defenders of democracy against the far right while implementing policies that criminalize poverty and protect corporate interests. The struggle over judicial oversight in Los Angeles ultimately obscures a more fundamental reality: immense wealth is being diverted away from social needs and toward repression at home and war abroad by both big business parties. Trillions of dollars are allocated to the military, police forces and corporate subsidies, while housing is treated as a commodity rather than a social right. The citys attempt to dismantle federal oversight of homelessness represents a retreat from even minimal accountability and an implicit acknowledgment that the crisis cannot be resolved without challenging capitalist priorities the political establishment is committed to defending. Homelessness will not be solved through court supervision, privatization, bureaucratic reshuffling or appeals to compassion from officials who serve wealth and property. It requires a socialist program based on public ownership of housing, democratic control of resources and the redirection of social wealth away from repression and war. San Fransisco educators on strike, February 10, 2026. On Monday, 6,400 educators went on strike against the San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD), setting up picket lines at 120 sites across the city. About 10,000 school workers, students and supporters rallied at Civic Center Plaza in a massive show of public support for the walkout, with thousands more gathering Tuesday at Mission Dolores Park and again at the Civic Center. It is the citys first teachers strike since 1979 and marks a significant escalation in the growing class struggle against austerity. On Monday, hundreds of custodial and food service workers, principals and administrators joined the 6,400 educators on the picket lines in a sympathy strike. San Francisco educators are demanding higher wages, fully-funded family healthcare, and increased support for special education. While the average teacher salary in the city is $85,000, the cost of living for a family of four has soared to $339,123, according to the MIT Living Wage Calculator. Conditions are even more dire for other school workers: paraprofessionals, who provide vital classroom and special education support, earn just over $31 an hour. Housing costs have skyrocketed, fueled in part by a doubling of the citys millionaire population. An educator holding up a sign at the teachers picket in San Francisco. The struggle of teachers is part of a growing movement in the working class. Last week, 35,000 members of United Teachers Los Angeles (UTLA) voted to authorize strike action, while teachers in San Diego have called a one-day strike for February 26. At least 18 other districts across California remain without contracts, as school officials continue to stonewall negotiations, primarily over wages. Now in their third week of strike action, 31,000 Kaiser Permanente nurses and healthcare workers across California and Hawaii are fighting eroding wages, chronic understaffing and unsafe patient loads. On Monday, 4,000 pharmacy and laboratory workers joined the strike throughout Southern California. In New York City, 15,000 nurses have been on strike for nearly a month, demanding safe-staffing ratios and livable wages. On Tuesday, in an effort to cut off a united movement of workers on both coasts, the apparatus of the nurses union in New York announced a sell-out agreement covering only some of those on strike, which it is seeking to ram through. Significant sections of the working class are also seeking to fight back against a wave of rising layoffs, including workers at UPS and other logistics companies, the US Postal Service, Amazon, major newspapers, auto plants and in the tech industry. The explosion of class struggle is unfolding alongside widespread opposition to the assault on democratic and social rights spearheaded by the Trump administration. In the Bay Area alone, thousands of students have walked out of schools in recent weeks to protest ICE raids and the growing climate of repression. San Francisco teachers on strike, February 10, 2026. Tatiana, a paraeducator who has worked in the district for five years, spoke to the World Socialist Web Site from the picket line on Monday. Its ridiculous. Were one of the richest cities in arguably the world and were not paying our educators? I have two jobs. I work another job so I can do the job that I do at school. I babysit on the weekends so I work six to seven days a week. Theres no way that you can live in the city of San Francisco on a paraeducators wage. Its impossible. San Francisco epitomizes the massive concentration of wealth in the US. The strike is taking place in the shadow of some of the richest corporations and individuals on the planet. San Francisco is home to 58 billionaires with a combined net worth of roughly $217 billion. According to AI computations, San Franciscos millionaires and billionaires are likely to receive collective windfalls in the low- to mid-tens of billions of dollars from the tax cuts enacted this year. The city faces a $100 million deficit, with the Democratic Party-led administration and state government insisting there is no money for livable wages. California Governor Gavin Newsoms most recent budget proposes withholding approximately $5.6 billion in school funding guaranteed under Proposition 98, citing revenue uncertainty. In other words, the state is deliberately underfunding education, forcing cuts particularly in districts like San Francisco that are under direct state supervision. To that end, SFUSD Superintendent Maria Su has stated that while negotiations continue, teachers demands cannot be met because cuts are necessary to restore local control. Local San Francisco Democrats have likewise sought to undermine the strike. Mayor Daniel Lurie, former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and State Senator Scott Wienerall Democratsissued a statement last Sunday urging teachers to take a 72-hour pause and refrain from striking, while hypocritically feigning sympathy for educators. Were already chronically underfunded, Kelly, a paraprofessional in special education, told the WSWS at the Dolores Park rally on Tuesday. It is very frustrating that were in a wealthy city, and I know a lot of our money comes from the state, some from federal and some from the city. But were funding billion-dollar Super Bowl parties and ballrooms. Lets put some money into the kids. Lets figure out why the schools are underfunded. It doesnt make sense when theres so much wealth and theres so much inequality. The United Educators of San Francisco (UESF), closely tied to the Democratic Party, has limited its demands to a paltry and inadequate 9 percent raise over two years for teachers and 14 percent for paraprofessionals. The district, for its part, is offering just 6 percent and 10 percent, respectively. While the union is calling for fully funded healthcare, the district has proposed covering only 75 percent. Teachers report paying as much as $2,000 a month in co-pays for family coverage. Armando and daughter at San Francisco teachers strike. The union bureaucracys lowballing of wage demands comes after nearly 11 months of doing everything possible to block a statewide strike, forcing up to 75,000 teachers to work without contracts. Despite adopting the entirely hypocritical slogan We Cant Wait, the California Teachers Associationaffiliated with both the American Federation of Teachers and the National Education Associationhas actively sabotaged coordinated action across the state. Even now, with an overwhelming strike authorization in Los Angeles, United Teachers of Los Angeles (UTLA) refuses to set a strike date. Educators should demand the immediate expansion of their strike across California, uniting school workers throughout the state, the country and internationally. The WSWS urges workers to form rank-and-file committees in every district to establish non-negotiable demands, including livable wages and fully paid healthcare for all. These committees should be completely independent of the CTA, NEA and AFT, which function as arms of the Democratic Party, working to suppress an all-out struggle. This struggle should become a rallying point for all workers facing attacks on their jobs, wages and living standards. To join the fight for rank-and-file committees, fill out the form below. Australia-based pizza chain Dominos Pizza Enterprises has named former McDonalds executive Andrew Gregory as its next group CEO and managing director. Gregory will assume the new responsibilities by 5 August, after completing his existing commitments. He has more than three decades of experience in the quick service restaurant (QSR) sector, spanning franchised and multi-market operations, with a focus on execution, franchisee economics and measured expansion. Gregory previously led McDonalds Australia and New Zealand as managing director and CEO, and held the role of senior vice-president and chief support officer overseeing supply chain, operations and development in Japan. Dominos said Gregorys appointment follows a comprehensive global search process and is intended to align the companys long-term leadership with its strategic priorities. Dominos Pizza Enterprises executive chairman Jack Cowin said: Following a period of transition, the board is pleased to appoint a global CEO with deep QSR experience and a strong understanding of franchised business models. Andrew is a highly regarded operator and leader, and we are confident he is well placed to lead Dominos through our next phase of performance improvement and growth. Cowin will continue in his role as executive chairman during the handover period, working alongside Gregory to manage the leadership transition. Cowin added: This transition ensures continuity, stability and momentum for the business, while allowing Andrew sufficient time to engage with our markets, franchise partners and leadership teams. Last month, Dominos Pizza Enterprises appointed Merrill Pereyra as the new CEO for Australia and New Zealand. "Australias Dominos Pizza Enterprises appoints new group CEO" was originally created and published by Verdict Food Service, a GlobalData owned brand. Avalanche has been selected as the launch network for FUSD, a new Asian yield-bearing, real-world asset (RWA)-backed stablecoin issued by FinChain, a blockchain finance platform under Fosun Wealth Holdings. Announced on Feb. 9, the launch positions Avalanche as the primary on-chain home for a stablecoin designed specifically for regulated, institutional capital in Asia. FUSD is backed by compliant financial assets, including money market funds and government bonds, and is structured to deliver native yield while remaining fully liquid and usable across decentralized finance (DeFi) applications. Related: Explained: What is a stablecoin? A yield-bearing stablecoin built for institutions Unlike traditional stablecoins that rely on non-yielding reserves, FUSD is designed to pass through returns generated by its underlying assets. These include high-liquidity money market funds from institutions such as BNY Mellon, ChinaAMC and Taikang. The structure allows institutional holders to earn yield without sacrificing liquidity, enabling FUSD to function as a cash-management tool while remaining deployable across DeFi lending, trading and collateralization strategies. FUSD is issued through Fosun Wealths Web3 platform and is purpose-built for family offices, private equity firms and pension funds that require transparency, regulatory alignment and rapid settlement. More about Avalanche: Avalanche becomes the choice for FUSD stablecoin FinChain selected Avalanches C-Chain as FUSDs primary liquidity hub, citing the networks ability to meet institutional requirements while operating on a public blockchain. Avalanche offers sub-second transaction finality, which supports near-instant settlement cycles critical for professional treasury and cash-management operations. The networks existing DeFi liquidity also enables FUSD to integrate directly into established on-chain markets, positioning it as a high-velocity asset rather than a passive stablecoin. Avalanches architecture supports permissioning, compliance tooling, and future application-specific deployments, making it suitable for regulated financial products that must operate across multiple jurisdictions. Swiss energy company Axpo Group has entered into a ten-year power purchase agreement (PPA) with Spanish renewable energy operator Enhol to supply 3.7 terawatt-hours (TWh) of electricity, covering the entirety of Enhol's wind assets in Spain. This deal is the largest PPA signed by Axpo Iberia, a subsidiary of Axpo Group, and aims to support Enhol's strategic reorganisation of its renewable energy operations across Europe. The agreement is set to bolster income stability for Enhol and underscores the growing importance of PPAs as vital risk management tools in evolving electricity markets. The 3.7TWh deal equates to powering around 175,000 households and is expected to reduce annual CO emissions by more than 160,000t. Axpo Iberia CEO Ignacio Soneira said: The volume and duration of the agreement underline our ability to structure complex, large-scale transactions in an increasingly demanding energy environment. With the signing of this PPA, both companies are advancing their respective growth and consolidation strategies in the European renewable energy market, contributing to the development of a more stable, competitive and decarbonised energy system. Enhol, an independent, family owned company, operates in more than 20 countries spanning four continents. It plays a significant role in Spain's renewable energy industry and is involved in several international wind power projects. With a partnership spanning more than 20 years, Enhol has been a long-standing customer of Axpo Iberia. This new agreement further solidifies Axpo's role as a key partner for renewable energy producers, offering solutions that integrate risk management expertise and financial stability with extensive knowledge of wholesale energy markets. Grupo Enhol co-managing directors Diego and Gonzalo Oliver said: "This agreement with Axpo reinforces our stability and strategic evolution of our renewable business in Europe. The deal reflects our commitment to sound financial management, a long-term industrial vision and strategic alliances with top-tier partners. Axpo Iberia, founded in 2001, offers market representation, control centre services and energy efficiency solutions, as well as supplying electricity, gas, solar energy, biomass and biomethane. In January 2025, Axpo Nordic, part of the Switzerland-based Axpo Group, signed a long-term corporate PPA with Finnish renewable energy investor and producer Exilion Tuuli Ky. "Axpo, Enhol sign ten-year PPA for 3.7TWh in Spain" was originally created and published by Power Technology, a GlobalData owned brand. The Gist James Van Der Beek welcomed six children with wife Kimberly Van Der Beek between 2010 and 2021. The couple had four daughters: Olivia, Annabel, Emilia, and Gwendolyn. They also shared two sons, Joshua and Jeremiah. Kimberly announced her husbands death from cancer on February 11, 2026. James Van Der Beeks legacy is defined by his starring role in hit teen drama Dawsons Creek, but the late actor shared that he was most proud of being a husband and father. In a viral TikTok shared by Van Der Beek to mark his 48th birthday in March 2025, he shared, "When I was younger, I used to define myself as an actor, which was never all that fulfilling, and then I became a husband, and that was much better, and then I became a fatherthat was the ultimate. Advertisement Advertisement His wife of over 15 years, producer Kimberly Van Der Beek, announced the news of his death on Instagram on February 11, 2026. James, who was 48, had been open about his journey with stage 3 colorectal cancer since receiving the diagnosis in 2024. He is survived by Kimberly and their six children: Olivia, Joshua, Annabel, Emilia, Gwendolyn and Jeremiah. "We have watched our lives change with each kid," he told People in 2019. "We've watched opportunities grow, and we've seen the positive effect it's had on our other kids. And the added love brought into the house lights everybody up in a way that is kind of undeniable." Today, the millions of fans whove been following his journey since Dawsons Creek join his family in mourning a singular talent and courageous spirit. Below, learn more about James Van Der Beeks six kids. Olivia Van Der Beek James Van Der Beek and his daughter Olivia on 'We Are Family' in 2024. FOX via Getty Images James and wife Kimberly welcomed their first child, Olivia Van Der Beek, on September 25, 2010. Her name nods to a significant moment for the couple. "There's an olive tree in Israel that's special to us, James shared with People shortly after their daughters arrival. "We spent time under it when we first met in Israel," Kimberly added, explaining that they "went back to this tree when I was pregnant." In 2022, while wishing Olivia a happy birthday on Instagram, James reflected on how fatherhood had altered his life. "12 years ago today you changed my life in one instant, he wrote. Literally the second you came out, I went from recognizing that I would have to put someone elses needs first to wanting nothing more than to reorganize my life to support you and whatever you needed." Advertisement Advertisement While she hasnt seen Dawsons Creek, 15-year-old Olivia is aware of her fathers most famous role thanks to the memes it spawned. "For some online learning [during the COVID-19 pandemic], we got them iPads and they immediately discovered memes," he told People in 2022. "So it started, my eldest [Olivia] sent me a meme of myself." He went on to share that it was a meme of his character doing the cry face. In 2024, Olivia made it to the small screen herself, appearing with her famous father on the show We Are Family. She began by singing LeAnne Womack's song I Hope You Dance solo, pivoting to a duet when James joined her onstage. After the show aired, he took to Instagram to share clips of their performance and gush about his daughters television debut. So proud of my baby girl. And I call her that because when I watched her tonight, all I could see was the newborn in the bassinet who I could not stop looking at in awe," he wrote in the caption of his post. The next year, he shared a video of another of her performanceswhen she and one of her younger sisters sang at the Dawsons Creek reunion. "My oldest turned 15 today. Same age that Dawson was in the pilot," the proud dad wrote alongside the clip, adding, "To watch you stand there in that red dress, so confidently taking center stage amidst all those people Ive known so long and cherish so deeply Im just left in awe." Joshua Van Der Beek James Van Der Beek and son Joshua Van Der Beek in a 2025 selfie. Instagram/James Van Der Beek James and Kimberly welcomed their first son, Joshua Van Der Beek, on March 13, 2012. While fans wondered if the name was a reference to his Dawsons Creek co-star Joshua Jackson, the actor clarified that was not the case. "It would have been cute, but no, it's something I did not even think about," the Pose alum told Us Weekly. "It's a great name," he added. Advertisement Advertisement From an early age, Joshua was tuned in to his fathers unique careereven becoming able to sense a fan before his father could. "My son can sniff out when we walk into a restaurant and somebody recognizes methe skill that took me like 20 years to learn," his dad shared with People. "And he just gets it: 'Daddy, those ladies at the table right now? They know.' It's interesting." On Joshuas 13th birthday in 2025, James praised his son in a heartwarming Instagram post. "No one has taught me more about the kind of man I want to be more than you. Your questions are my guideposts. Your opinions my mirror. And your sense of humor fills me with endless delight," he wrote. Later in the post, the actor added, "Thank you for always holding true to who you are and what you believe. And for being the most fun adventure buddy on the planet. I simply could not imagine a better son. Love you beyond, pal. Always. " Annabel Leah Van Der Beek James Van Der Beek and daughter Annabel Leah Van Der Beek in January 2026. Instagram/James Van Der Beek The Van Der Beek family expanded again in 2014, as James and Kimberly welcomed daughter Annabel Leah Van Der Beek on January 25. Shortly after Annabels arrival, James told People she "decided to take it easy on us, jokingly adding, "I think she's probably our easiest baby. I think she knew that we couldn't handle any more than that." On social media, the actor regularly praised Annabels spontaneous personalitylike when the then-5-year-old wanted to get an undercut. "I don't know if my parents would have ever let me do this ... because I don't know if I would have had the balls to even go for it. VanDerBeek2.0 , he wrote in the caption of an Instagram post about her bold new style, per People. In January 2026, a little over two weeks before his passing, James gave a shoutout to Annabel and his father, also named James, on their joint birthday. At first, I thought that [a birthday] was all they sharedthey seemed so different to me, he began his Instagram post, alongside a photo of himself and Annabel and one of her hugging her grandfather. But as the two of you have evolved, and let more of who you are shine through, I can recognize the same open, warm, loving, gentle heart, he continued. I see the care and dedication you shower upon those you love most. Emilia Van Der Beek James Van Der Beek with his daughter, Emilia, in a selfie shared in March 2025. Instagram/James Van Der Beek James and Kimberly welcomed their fourth child, daughter Emilia Van Der Beek, on March 23, 2016. Her older siblings were quick to welcome the new arrival to the family, with James sharing a black-and-white photo to Instagram of Olivia, Joshua, and Annabel joining mom Kimberly in admiring baby Emilia. Happy to share that two days ago, @vanderkimberly and I were lucky enough to welcome a little baby girl into the world...Emilia Van Der Beek, he captioned the post announcing her arrival. Crazy how deeply in love you can fall with someone you just met , the Dancing with the Stars alum added. Advertisement Advertisement In a March 2025 birthday post, James called Emilia his heart and revealed she shared big sister Olivias love of performing. I love singing your bedtime song with you in two-part harmony, he wrote in part, and with such a big destiny so clearly ahead of you, I love that we get to know you at all of these phases of your life and development. It is the honor of many lifetimes to get [to] be the man you call Dad. The post included a pair of sweet photos of the father and daughter sharing a hug. Gwendolyn Van Der Beek James Van Der Beek and daughter Gwendolyn in 2022. Instagram/James Van Der Beek The Van Der Beeks welcomed their youngest daughter, Gwendolyn Van Der Beek, on June 15, 2018. The baby was born at home with a doctor and midwife present, People reportedly shortly after her arrival. Every child awakens a different energy in you and this one has been bringing up the truth ever since we found out she was on her way, the actor told the outlet in a statement. As with the rest of Jamess children, Gwendolyn has received some adoring birthday tributes from her father over the years. In 2022, the actor thanked her for being so sensational and elaborated on how she brought light to their home. "You're a born comedienne with what looks to be a genius brain at your disposal and an iron will. And when you smile it's like a glitter bomb of joy in the hearts of everyone around you, he penned, accompanying a carousel of snaps showing the little ones fiery personality. While discussing his cancer journey with Today in July 2025, the former Dawsons Creek star explained that he and his wife strived to be as honest as possible with their children about his condition. When you tell them what youre doing, and you tell them the approach, they can see it and they can feel it, and I think its also your journey is their journey, James said. Dont rob them of the opportunity for them to show up for you, emotionally, he added. I have kids making me tea. [Saying] Dad, what do you need? Theres been a lot of beauty thats come out of it, but I would love to save everybody this journey, which is why Im saying get screened [for cancer], he added. Jeremiah Van Der Beek James Van Der Beek in a selfie with son Jeremiah Van Der Beek in 2024. Instagram/James Van Der Beek James and Kimberly welcomed their sixth child and youngest son, Jeremiah Van Der Beek, in October 2021. He was born at the familys ranch in Texas. "Humbled and overjoyed to announce the safe, happy arrival of Jeremiah Van Der Beek (We've been calling him Remi, btw-not "dinosaur" ), the actor wrote on his Instagram one month after welcoming Jeremiah. In the same post, he opened up about the couples experience with two pregnancy losses before Jeremiahs birth, explaining [W]e kept this one quiet. Truthfully, I was terrified when I found out. He later opened up on Instagram about what a surprise Jeremiah was, explaining that they weren't trying for kids when they found out he was on the way. "Thank god for the surprises. For the detours. For those times the universe heard my plans and said: 'Yeah, thats cute try THIS.'" Read the original article on InStyle Angelina Jolie is proud of her scars, and she is not afraid to tell the world. The actress recently opened up in a candid interview, explaining that her scars are a reminder of the choice she made to stay alive for her children for as long as possible. Meanwhile, Jolie came under fire when fans accused her of baring her scars as a sympathy tactic amid her brutal divorce from her ex-husband, Brad Pitt. Angelina Jolie Sees Her Scars As A Choice During an interview with French Inter, Jolie got honest about a painful part of her past that she has learned to embrace. Advertisement Advertisement The 50-year-old actress got a double mastectomy in 2013 after learning that she carried the BRCA 1 gene, which put her at risk for cancer. Now, she has opened up about the decision, noting that she decided to do the procedure to give herself as much time as possible to be there for her loved ones. To Jolie, her scars are only a reminder of the choices she made and her experiences as a human being. Well, I've always been someone more interested in the scars and the life that people carry," the "Maleficent" star said. I'm not drawn to some perfect idea of a life that has no scars. So no, I think, hey, you know, I see my scars are a choice I made to do what I could do to stay here as long as I could with my children, she added. The Oscar winner acknowledged her love for her scars, saying that she is grateful for the opportunity to do something proactive about her health. Advertisement Advertisement She then recalled losing her mother at a young age, causing her to raise her kids without their grandmother. As a result, it all summed up to her life experiences. So for me, no, I think this is life. And if you get to the end of your life and you haven't made [a big, you know], you haven't made mistakes, you haven't made a mess, you don't have scars, you haven't lived a full enough life, I think, she noted. Angelina Jolie Made A Bold Move To Show Her Scars To The World ZUMAPRESS.com / MEGA Jolies honest statements came weeks after she decided to openly show the scars from her double mastectomy. In December 2025, The Blast reported that the Hollywood icon was interviewed by TIME France, during which her scars were openly photographed. Advertisement Advertisement Speaking about her decision, she spoke about being moved by other womens scars and wanting to join them in a bid to keep the empowerment train going. I wanted to join them, knowing that TIME France would be sharing information about breast health, prevention, and knowledge about breast cancer, she explained. The Tomb Raider Actress Was Slammed For Her Statements ZUMAPRESS.com / MEGA After Jolie openly shared her scars with the world, she received an unexpected reaction from fans, who accused her of doing it for sympathy. The interview was met with spiteful comments on social media from fans who couldn't help but point out that she decided to show the world her scars amid her long, drawn-out divorce battle with Pitt. Advertisement Advertisement Nevertheless, insiders close to the actress defended her, saying that her words were being misconstrued. She is proud of what she's done and why she's sharing it. But people are twisting it, linking it to everything else going on in her life, one insider said, according to The Blast. Angelina Jolie Is Reportedly Preparing To Relocate Lumeimages / MEGA Amid the controversy surrounding her interview, Jolie was still reportedly moving forward with her plans to relocate abroad. According to The Blast, she reportedly put her L.A. home up for sale and had already gotten several qualified prospective buyers. One source said of the move, She's ready for a life that isn't centered in Los Angeles. Meanwhile, this came after Jolie acknowledged that although she loves her country, she doesn't recognize it anymore. Jolies Divorce From Brad Pitt Reportedly Put A Strain On Her Finances MEGA Amid rumors of Jolies relocation, further reports surfaced, alleging that she is going through a difficult time financially and struggling to maintain her lifestyle in L.A. Advertisement Advertisement As reported by The Blast, a source confirmed that while the humanitarian is not broke, shes also not swimming in cash either. Another insider reported that her drawn-out divorce battle had left her financially depleted, as she reportedly had to sell off some assets to cover legal fees. Originally appeared on E! Online For Angelina Jolie, scars are an eternal reminder of her journey through life. That's why the Oscar winner doesn't mind having a few marks on her body from her double mastectomy, which she underwent in 2013 after doctors discovered she possesses a gene that increases the risk of breast cancer. "I've always been someone more interested in the scars and the life that people carry," she said in a recent interview with French radio station France Inter. "I'm not drawn to some perfect idea of a life that has no scars." Advertisement Advertisement In fact, the 50-year-oldwho shares kids Maddox, 24, Pax, 22, Zahara, 21, Shiloh, 19, as well as twins Knox and Vivienne, 17, with ex Brad Pittsaid the double mastectomy scars will always serve as reminders of the "choice I made to do what I could do to stay here as long as I could with my children." "I'm grateful that I had the opportunity to have the choice to do something proactive about my health," Angelina continued, noting how her mother Marcheline Bertrand had died from breast cancer in 2007 at age 56. "I lost my mom very when I was young. I'm raising my children without a grandmother." The Eternals alum added, "[If] you get to the end of your life and you haven't made mistakes, you haven't made a mess, you don't have scars, you haven't lived a full enough life." Angelina first bared her double mastectomy scars in December, telling Time France after her photo shoot, "I share these scars with many women I love." Advertisement Advertisement "I'm always moved when I see other women share theirs," she continued. "I wanted to join them." More from E! Online "I'm grateful that I had the opportunity to have the choice to do something proactive about my health," Angelina continued, noting how her mother Marcheline Bertrand had died from breast cancer in 2007 at age 56. "I lost my mom very when I was young. I'm raising my children without a grandmother." Advertisement Advertisement The Eternals alum added, "[If] you get to the end of your life and you haven't made mistakes, you haven't made a mess, you don't have scars, you haven't lived a full enough life." Angelina first bared her double mastectomy scars in December, telling Time France after her photo shoot, "I share these scars with many women I love." "I'm always moved when I see other women share theirs," she continued. "I wanted to join them." Pierre Suu/WireImage The Salt actress also touched on why she went public with her double mastectomy, explaining that the 2013 New York Times op-ed piece she penned about her preventative procedure was to "encourage informed choices." Advertisement Advertisement "Every woman should always be able to determine her own healthcare journey and have the information she needs to make informed choices," Angelina added. "Healthcare decisions must be personal, and women must have the information and support they need to make those choices." For a look at Angelina through the years, read on. 1986 Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images 1988 Jim Smeal/Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images 1991 Harry Langdon/Getty Images 1994 S. Granitz/WireImage Advertisement Advertisement 1995 United Artists/Kobal/Shutterstock 1997 Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images 1998 Jim Smeal/Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images 1999 Jim Smeal/Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images Advertisement Advertisement 2000 Frank Trapper/Corbis via Getty Images 2001 Jean-Paul Aussenard/WireImage 2002 Gregg DeGuire/WireImage 2003 Carlos Alvarez/Getty Images Advertisement Advertisement 2004 Bill Davila/FilmMagic 2005 Jon Kopaloff/FilmMagic 2006 Alex Berliner/BEI/Shutterstock 2007 Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images Advertisement Advertisement 2008 Toni Anne Barson/WireImage 2009 Jeff Vespa/WireImage 2010 Jamie McCarthy/FilmMagic 2011 Jason Merritt/Getty Images Advertisement Advertisement 2012 Ethan Miller/Getty Images 2013 Andreas Rentz/Getty Images for Paramount Pictures 2014 Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic 2015 Kevin Winter/Getty Images For the latest breaking news updates, click here to download the E! News App Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni were in court Wednesday in a last-ditch effort to avoid a trial. They stayed in separate rooms during the settlement talks, which will resume on Thursday. Their high-profile feud began during the filming of 'It Ends With Us" directed by Baldoni. The real-life Hollywood drama of Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni played out behind closed doors in a New York City courthouse on Wednesday and will continue for a second day on Thursday. After a day of negotiations, the actors and their legal teams left a Manhattan federal courthouse without a settlement in their high-profile legal battle, which began in 2024 when Lively sued Baldoni over their collaboration on the film "It Ends With Us." Advertisement Advertisement The two sides spent six hours in separate but adjacent courtrooms, sealed to the press and public, as their lawyers hashed out a possible deal with a magistrate judge. Baldoni and his wife, Emily Baldoni, appeared in high spirits as they left their courtroom, hand in hand and chatting amiably. Lively attended without her Deadpool star husband, Ryan Reynolds. She and her attorneys wore grim faces as they left their own courtroom. Actor Blake Lively arrives at Manhattan federal court for a settlement conference. Eduardo Munoz/REUTERS "Yes, we are back tomorrow," one of Lively's attorneys told Business Insider. It was the first time the actors had faced off in court since their legal battle erupted into public view. Advertisement Advertisement The conflict, which generated months of wall-to-wall news coverage, began during the filming of "It Ends With Us," a film directed by Baldoni and starring Lively that was released in August 2024. The "Gossip Girl" actress sued the director in December 2024, alleging sexual harassment and a smear campaign she said was orchestrated by Bladoni. Baldoni counter-sued in 2025, claiming extortion, defamation, and invasion of privacy. His lawsuit has since been dismissed. Wednesday's conference is part of a last-ditch effort by US Magistrate Judge Sarah Cave to put the case to bed ahead of the May 18 trial. A settlement would close the book on a series of pending legal headaches for US District Court Judge Lewis Liman, who would preside at trial, including whether to trim the scope of Lively's lawsuit or sanction Baldoni based on Lively's claim that his side hid documents. Justin Baldoni arrives at Manhattan federal court with his wife, Emily, for a settlement conference. Eduardo Munoz/REUTERS Read the original article on Business Insider Bank of Guam, operating in Guam and the Western Pacific, has joined forces with Spiral to introduce new digital banking features designed to encourage savings. Through this collaboration, Bank of Guam customers will have access to Spirals Savings Center, which includes functions such as automatic savings and personalised goal tracking. Clients will be able to set targets for significant purchases or milestones, including property ownership, business ventures, vehicles, or travel. Bank of Guam CEO and senior vice president Lesley Leon Guerrero said: "Our mission is to strengthen the financial well-being of our communities. "With Spiral, our customers can reach their dreams while giving back to the causes they love-turning everyday banking into a force for good benefiting their families and our community." The service will offer an option for customers to round up everyday transactions, directing the difference into personal savings or contributions to nonprofit groups. A separate Giving Center will also be introduced, enabling direct donations from user accounts, with features for tracking charitable activity and generating reports for tax documentation. Bank of Guam plans to use these tools to further its involvement with local nonprofits by facilitating fundraising efforts, donation matching, and supporting events. These initiatives complement the banks continuing Financial Empowerment Program, which provides financial education resources to various groups in the community. Spirals technology is intended to support these efforts by linking financial management tools with the opportunity for community engagement through banking activities. Spiral founder and CEO Shawn Melamed commented: "Bank of Guam is leading the way in helping customers save more and make a difference. "We're proud to empower more banks to grow deposits, deepen relationships, and become the primary institution in their communities." "Bank of Guam and Spiral partner on new digital savings tools" was originally created and published by Retail Banker International, a GlobalData owned brand. Christina Haack is celebrating her champagne brand in a tiny, white bikini overseas in St. Barth's. On Monday, Haack took to Instagram and shared a carousel of photos from her trip to the Caribbean island. "Living my champagne life to the fullest. ," the reality TV star captioned her post, referring to her champagne brand, Cle Cachee. The first slide showed Haack sitting in a hammock in the water, wearing nothing but a white bikini and a Cle Cachee trucker hat. She held a glass of champagne in one hand and threw up a peace sign in the other. Christina Haack shared bikini pictures from a recent trip to St. Barth's. (Fox News) Haack included several other images from her trip, including a photo sitting on her boyfriend's lap. Haack was kissing Christopher Larocca, who she has been dating for over a year. Advertisement Advertisement Hgtv Star Christina Haack Breaks Down How She Stays Close Friends With Both Her Ex-husbands Haack shared images with friends at La Petite Plage restaurant, Nikki Beach club and aboard a yacht. Read On The Fox News App Christina Haack and Christopher Larocca kissing in St. Barth's. Christina Haack and Christopher Larocca on a yacht in St. Barth's. "St Barts was as advertised" Larocca commented on his girlfriend's post. Like What Youre Reading? Click Here For More Entertainment News Haack and Lorocca recently returned from a tropical vacation in Hawaii. "Aloha 2026. Hands down my fav January yet. ," Haack shared on Instagram a few weeks ago. Haack shared images with Larocca, wearing a white bikini and a purple Hawaiian lei. She included pictures of Hawaii's scenery and an image of herself holding a Cle Cachee champagne bottle on a balcony overlooking the ocean. Advertisement Advertisement Click Here To Sign Up For The Entertainment Newsletter Larocca and Haack's relationship went public in January 2025. Haack has been in several high-profile relationships. She was previously married to her "Flip or Flop" co-star Tarek El Moussa. They had two kids in 2009, and they had two children before separating in 2016 and finalizing their divorce in 2018. Christina Haack has been in several high profile relationships over the years. Afterward, she began dating British TV host Ant Anstead in 2017. The former couple married in 2018, welcomed a son together, and divorced in 2021. Haack then married realtor Josh Hall in 2021, a union that ended in a contentious divorce finalized in 2025. Click Here To Download The Fox News App Original article source: Christina Haack flaunts champagne brand in tiny white bikini during St Barth's getaway Independent journalist Don Lemon has hired ex-federal prosecutor Joe Thompson to represent him in connection with an anti-ICE protest at a St. Paul church. Federal court records show Lemon filed to officially add Thompson to his legal team on Tuesday. Lemon is believed to be the first client for Thompson Jacobs, a Minneapolis-based boutique law firm launched this week by Thompson and his former colleague, Harry Jacobs. Advertisement Advertisement According to the firms website, they specialize in complex white collar defense, internal investigations, civil litigation, and trial advocacy. Harry Jacobs and Joe Thompson Thompson Jacobs (Thompson Jacobs) Thompson became the face of fraud prosecution in Minnesota, notably serving as the acting U.S. Attorney during some of the trials related to the $250 million COVID-era Feeding Our Future fraud scheme. Along with six other attorneys, he abruptly resigned from the office in January, reportedly because of the Justice Department's approach to investigating the fatal shooting of Renee Good by an ICE agent. KSTP reports at least 14 litigators have left the U.S. Attorneys Office for Minnesota this year. Lemon faces federal civil rights charges in relation to the protest, and was arrested in late January after he covered the demonstration by activists as a member of the press. Advertisement Advertisement The protest, held on Jan. 18 at Cities Church, aimed to call out one of its pastors who also serves as an ICE official in the Twin Cities. Local independent journalist, Georgia Fort, was also taken into custody and charged on the same day as Lemon. A magistrate judge initially declined to bring charges against Lemon, who has maintained he did not participate in the protest and was simply covering the event as a journalist. He is set to be arraigned at the St. Paul federal courthouse on February 13. Don Lemon | Facebook (Don Lemon | Facebook) This story was originally published by Bring Me The News on Feb 11, 2026, where it first appeared in the MN News section. Add Bring Me The News as a Preferred Source by clicking here. Don Lemons defense team has a new addition: a former prosecutor for the U.S. attorneys office in Minnesota. Joseph H. Thompson worked for the office from 2014 to 2026 and was named its lead prosecutor by President Donald Trump from June to October 2025 . But he was among six prosecutors who resigned last month over the Justice Departments effort to investigate Becca Good, the wife of Renee Good . Now Thompson will take on his former office in court as he represents Lemon, the veteran journalist arrested last month in relation to his coverage of an anti-deportation protest inside a St. Paul church. Advertisement Advertisement Thompson was brought on the case because he is licensed to practice law in Minnesota, where Lemon is being tried, and has expertise on the states court system, a representative for the legal team told The Advocate Wednesday. The defense is being led by Abbe Lowell . Related: What to know about Don Lemon, the gay journalist arrested by the Trump administration Lemon, who is gay, worked for CNN for 17 years until he was fired in 2023. Since January 2024, he has hosted The Don Lemon Show on YouTube and online streaming platforms. don lemon speaking to reporters Journalist Don Lemon addresses reporters after he was released from federal custody in Los Angeles on January 30, 2026. Patrick T. Fallon / AFP via Getty Images Advertisement Advertisement On January 18, Lemon covered a protest inside Cities Church in St. Paul. Protesters alleged that its pastor was an immigration enforcement agent. Lemon was later arrested at a hotel in Beverly Hills, California, on January 29. He was charged with conspiracy to deprive rights and interference with religious freedoms. Independent journalist Georgia Fort was also arrested after covering the protest. Press freedom groups condemned the arrests. Thompson is not the only member of Lemons defense who was hired for their regional expertise, the representative for the defense said. Marilyn Bednarski, another member of the defense team, is based in California, where Lemon was taken into custody. Don has been a journalist for 30 years, and his constitutionally protected work in Minneapolis was no different than what he has always done, Lemons lead attorney, Abbe Lowell, previously told The Advocate. The First Amendment exists to protect journalists whose role it is to shine light on the truth and hold those in power accountable. Advertisement Advertisement This article was written as part of the Future of Queer Media fellowship program at The Advocate, which is underwritten by a generous gift from Morrison Media Group . The program helps support the next generation of LGBTQ+ journalists. This article originally appeared on Advocate: Don Lemon hires ex-federal prosecutor who quit after Trump admin tried to investigate Renee Good's wife Former CNN anchor Don Lemon has hired a federal prosecutor, who quit amid the White Houses immigration blitz on Minneapolis, to defend him from charges related to his coverage of a church protest. Lemon officially brought Joseph H Thompson on to his legal team, according to a Tuesday court filing. Thompson, who Donald Trump had appointed acting US attorney for Minnesota in June, reportedly resigned in January over the justice departments treatment of immigration enforcement. A federal grand jury in Minnesota indicted Lemon, now an independent journalist, on charges of conspiracy and interfering with congregants constitutional rights to freely exercise their religion during an 18 January protest at the Cities church in St Paul. Others were arrested in connection with this protest. Advertisement Advertisement A US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) official serves as a pastor at the church. The demonstration unfolded 11 days after an immigration officer shot and killed Renee Nicole Good as she was driving away from an encounter with agents. Border patrol agents fatally shot Alex Pretti, who like Good was a US citizen, after disarming and restraining him, six days later. The veterans hospital nurse was licensed to carry a firearm and did not break the law in doing so. Thompson reportedly left the Minnesota US attorneys office over disagreements with higher-ups about investigating Goods death at the hands of an immigration agent. Thompson and other longtime prosecutors wanted to investigate Goods death, but justice department officials disagreed, wanting to investigate Goods partner instead over alleged ties to anti-ICE groups, the New York Times reported. Thompson launched his own law firm with Harry Jacobs, another federal prosecutor who quit over the justice departments handling of Minneapolis, per the Times. He served as acting US attorney until October and then returned to the top post of first assistant US attorney in Minnesota, according to his LinkedIn. Advertisement Advertisement CNN noted that Thompsons high-profile cases include sprawling fraud scandals that have dogged Minnesota for years, the political fallout of which shaped Governor Tim Walzs decision to abandon his re-election bid. This includes prosecutors Feeding Our Future case, which resulted in convictions for a $250m pandemic aid fraud scheme. Lemon insisted that he was not affiliated with the protesters who interrupted the proceedings by going into the church. He said he was not among the demonstrators. I went there to be a journalist, Lemon previously said. I went there to chronicle and document and record what was happening. I was following that one group around, and so thats what I did. I reported on them. Lemon has repeatedly noted that he was simply exercising his first amendment right under the US constitution which enshrines freedom of the press and speech. Our society cannot breathe without the freedom of the press, the freedom of speech, Lemon remarked at a recent human rights address in New York City. When the first amendment becomes optional, democracy becomes hollow, Lemon said. We [have] got to keep fighting. A free press is one of the few places where power can still be questioned, where stories can still be told, where the voiceless can still be heard. The Brief Former CNN journalist Don Lemon faces several charges stemming from his presence at a protest in St. Paul last January. Lemon has since hired former U.S. Attorney Joe Thompson, who recently resigned from the U.S. Attorneys Office of Minnesota following the fatal shooting of Renee Good, as part of his defense team. He currently faces charges of conspiracy and violating the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act, with Thompson effectively battling the same department that employed him prior to his resignation. ST. PAUL, Minn. (FOX 9) - A new court filing reveals that Don Lemon has hired former U.S. Attorney Joe Thompson who recently resigned from the U.S. Attorneys Office of Minnesota following the fatal shooting of Renee Good to be part of his legal team that defends him against charges stemming from his presence at an anti-ICE protest in St. Paul. Don Lemon legal team What we know In January, Lemon was indicted by a federal grand jury on charges of conspiracy and violating the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act. Advertisement Advertisement The former CNN journalist faces several charges stemming from his involvement in a protest at a church in St. Paul on Jan. 18, 2026, during which demonstrators were charged with interfering with worshipers rights as they protested against a pastor at the church, David Easterwood, who also serves as the acting field office director for ICE in St. Paul. In the days that followed, videos posted by protesters and captured by journalists show protesters chanting and confronting the lead pastor, and some worshipers before the church was ultimately cleared. Several journalists, including Lemon and independent journalist Georgia Fort, are now facing charges. You can find a copy of the court filing below: Advertisement Advertisement Click to open this PDF in a new window. Joe Thompson hired Dig deeper Former Acting U.S. Attorney Joe Thompson, previously a senior federal prosecutor who resigned after allegedly being asked to investigate the widow of Renee Good, has been added to the legal team of Lemon. Tasked to work with lead defense lawyer Abbe Lowell, Thompson will effectively battle the same department that employed him the last 17 years. The backstory Thompson was the lead prosecutor in the Feeding Our Future fraud investigation in Minnesota after being appointed by President Donald Trump to serve as acting U.S. Attorney in Minnesota earlier in 2025. Advertisement Advertisement As First Assistant U.S. Attorney, he announced additional charges related to various fraud investigations in state programs in December 2025. Until his resignation just weeks ago, Thompson would have been helping lead the prosecutors office that has charged Lemon. What's next The case could prove a precedent for use of the FACE Act in years that follow. The act has two components to its law, governing both reproductive clinics and places of worship. Since its passage in 1994, the Department of Justice hasnt tried a criminal case under the FACE Act for a violation of the religious freedom component of the law. Elizabeth Hurley is no stranger to the spotlight, but her latest social media update in a bikini has fans doing a double-take. As the world moves through 2026, the 60-year-old actress and designer took a moment to look back at her recent luxury escape. Sharing a breathtaking photo from her time in the Maldives, she admitted she was missing paradise. It is clear that while she is back to her routine, her heart is still lounging on white sandy beaches. Elizabeth Hurley in bikini from her own brand is double-take worthy In the viral photo, Elizabeth poses against the crystal clear turquoise waters of the Maldives in a vibrant bikini. Check out her look below: She is wearing the Blaze Bikini in a vibrant red shade from her own line, Elizabeth Hurley Beach. The classic triangle top and stringy bottoms feature luxury gold chain hardware on the straps and hips. Advertisement Advertisement Looking radiant, Hurley accessorized her look with a camera slung over her shoulder. Her signature brunette hair was styled in messy, just-out-of-the-ocean waves. She kept her makeup simple and sun-kissed, with a soft pink lip and a glowing complexion. Posing at a new private island resort, she looked every bit the island goddess, proving her designs are the perfect choice for a tropical getaway. The post Elizabeth Hurley Is Missing Paradise in Bikini From Her Own Brand appeared first on theFashionSpot. NEED TO KNOW Authorities are continuing to search the Arizona neighborhood where Nancy Guthrie was kidnapped from her home on Feb. 1 "This morning, numerous FBI agents are conducting an extensive search along multiple roadways in the Catalina Foothills area related to the Nancy Guthrie investigation," the FBI said in a post on X shared Wednesday, Feb. 11 The search comes one day after the FBI released surveillance photos and video clips of an "armed" individual appearing to tamper with a camera at Nancy's front door the day she disappeared Authorities are continuing to search the Arizona neighborhood where journalist Savannah Guthrie's mother, Nancy Guthrie, was kidnapped from her home. "This morning, numerous FBI agents are conducting an extensive search along multiple roadways in the Catalina Foothills area related to the Nancy Guthrie investigation," the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) said in a post on X shared Wednesday, Feb. 11. Advertisement Advertisement "We are asking the media and motorists to follow all traffic laws and to remain cautious when passing law enforcement personnel near the roadways," the statement added. The search comes one day after the FBI released surveillance photos and video clips of an "armed" individual appearing to tamper with a camera at Nancy's front door on the morning of her kidnapping. Authorities believe Nancy was taken from her Tucson home "against her will" in the early morning hours of Feb. 1, and have launched an extensive search for her since. Following the release of the images which Savannah also shared on Instagram as she pleaded for her mothers safe return law enforcement officials continued investigative efforts in the neighborhood of Savannahs sister, Annie Guthrie. Annies property is located about four miles from her mothers longtime home. Advertisement Advertisement Officials with the Pima County Sheriffs Department and the FBI were seen canvassing the area and speaking with neighbors. "They didn't ask for my phone number or nothing, but I got a camera set up around my property in the back and in the front," said neighbor Tony Zaccagnini, who claimed he spoke to three sheriff's deputies. A Phoenix FBI spokesperson did not share why authorities were searching the area when reached by PEOPLE. Law enforcement officials were initially seen at the residence of Annie and her husband, Tommaso Cioni, late in the evening of Feb. 7. That search came after Savannah, along with Annie and their brother Camron, shared a video addressing their mother's potential kidnapper. Advertisement Advertisement "We received your message and we understand," Savannah said in the clip shared to Instagram. "We beg you now to return our mother to us so that we can celebrate with her. This is the only way we will have peace. This is very valuable to us, and we will pay. Authorities are also continuing to investigate alleged ransom notes sent to local media outlets. The most recent deadline passed on Monday, Feb. 9, when Nancy's alleged kidnappers requested $6 million in bitcoin. However, FBI Phoenix Spokesperson Connor Hagan previously told PEOPLE, "The FBI is not aware of any continued communication between the Guthrie family and suspected kidnappers." On Tuesday, Feb. 10, a source confirmed to PEOPLE that a small amount of money, in the "hundreds of dollars," had been transmitted to the Bitcoin wallet connected with the initial alleged ransom note. Savannah Guthrie and Nancy Guthrie Savannah Guthrie/Instagram While no suspects or persons of interest have been identified, authorities said Tuesday that a person was detained by police for questioning and later released, PEOPLE previously reported. Advertisement Advertisement That person identified himself as Carlos Palazuelos and denied any involvement in Nancy's case. "I hope they get the suspect, because I'm not it," he said, per KVOA . "I hope they get the suspect so I can clear my name." 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 FBI is offering a $50,000 reward for any information leading to Nancy's recovery or an arrest in the case. Anyone with tips or leads is asked to call 1-800-CALL-FBI in addition to the Pima County Sheriffs Department at 520-351-4900. Read the original article on People Hailey Bieber touched down in Sydney on Wednesday, channeling off-duty style with a Chanel bag. The model and Rhode founder is in Australia for the launch of her skin care brand in the country. While walking around Sydney during the bright, sunny day, the model wore a pair of wide-leg white trousers with an oversized cargo jacket, belted at the waist, and a simple, crisp white T-shirt. Ever on-trend, Bieber wore her hair in a slicked-back bun style. More from WWD Hailey Bieber carries a Chanel bag in Sydney on Feb. 11. Along with black shoes, Bieber added a pair of coordinated sunglasses, further emphasizing the quiet luxury bent of her attire. The standout element of her off-duty look, however, was the Chanel tote the model carried over her shoulder. Advertisement Advertisement Designed by newly minted artist director Matthieu Blazy, who joined the storied French luxury fashion house in December 2024 and officially began his tenure in April 2025, the bag was designed with sleek simplicity and included the iconic Chanel logo. The bag made its debut as part of Chanels spring 2026 ready-to-wear collection, which Blazy debuted in October 2025 during Paris Fashion Week. The show marked Blazys first high-profile showcase with Chanel, which sent the French luxury fashion house on a new orbit, per Joelle Diderichs WWD review of the collection. Biebers expansion of her Rhode beauty brand has only grown since its official launch in June 2022. Rhode marked Sephora U.S.s biggest brand launch in North America when it debuted in September 2025. Two months later, in November 2025, Rhode dropped into Sephora U.K. and drove the highest number of customer sign-ups ever for a brand launch at the retailer. Rhode will officially launch in Australia on Thursday. Chanel Spring 2026 Ready-to-Wear Collection at Paris Fashion Week Chanel Spring 2026 Ready-to-Wear Collection at Paris Fashion Week Chanel Spring 2026 Ready-to-Wear Collection at Paris Fashion Week View Gallery Advertisement Advertisement Launch Gallery: Chanel Spring 2026 Ready-to-Wear Collection Best of WWD Sign up for WWD's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. NEED TO KNOW Julia Willecke, a German influencer known online as Julia Beautx, opened up about a scary monkey attack during her recent solo trip to Thailand The content creator was hiking on a beach trail known for monkeys when several monkeys started fighting on top of her and another bit down on her calf As her wound started changing color, she was rushed to the hospital, where she received a vaccination and antibiotics Julia Willecke, a German influencer known online as Julia Beautx, is opening up about a scary monkey attack during her recent vacation to Thailand. On a Jan. 30 episode of Willeckes podcast Die Nervigen, which she hosts with Josef Buchholz, the 26-year-old content creator detailed her solo trip to Krabi, a city in the south of Thailand, where she had a gnarly encounter with the local wildlife. Advertisement Advertisement Willecke said that she was walking on a beach trail known for monkeys when the cutest little baby monkey came running towards me and climbed all the way up onto my head. (The moment was captured in a video she later shared to Instagram.) But the sweet moment took a frightening turn, the influencer continued, when suddenly four other large monkeys came running towards me. Julia Willecke Julia Willecke/Instagram "One of the monkeys ran up me, sat on my shoulder, and started fighting with the little monkey on top of me, she recalled. Another monkey went to my thigh and clung on." And most terrifyingly, "This big old grandpa monkey went to my calf, clung on completely, and just bit down hard on my calf, out of nowhere. He clamped his mouth on my leg, and I really couldn't do anything." Advertisement Advertisement After the initial bite, Willecke wasnt too worried, but when the wound started to change color like someone had given me a huge hickey, but so nasty," she detailed she completely panicked. She rushed to the hospital, where she received a vaccination and antibiotics, and was discharged a half hour later. Julia Willecke Julia Willecke/Instagram 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 content creator shared that she was given some antibiotics to continue taking after she left the hospital, but that she hadnt sustained any lasting injuries. Willecke who shares her life online to over 4 million Instagram followers appeared to be in good spirits after the incident, sharing several other snaps from her trip, including pictures on the beach and in the pool on Jan. 30. And on Feb. 10, she switched up the vibe, posting images of herself bundled up in snowy Finland. Read the original article on People NEED TO KNOW James Van Der Beek and Kimberly Van Der Beek got married in 2010 The couple went on to welcome four daughters and two sons James died on Feb. 11 after sharing his stage 3 colorectal cancer diagnosis in 2024 James Van Der Beek is survived by his wife of 15 years, Kimberly Van Der Beek, and their six children. The Dawson's Creek alum died on Feb. 11, over a year after he announced in November 2024 that he'd been diagnosed with colorectal cancer. Kimberly announced the news in an Instagram post. Advertisement Advertisement "Our beloved James David Van Der Beek passed peacefully this morning," she wrote. "He met his final days with courage, faith, and grace. There is much to share regarding his wishes, love for humanity and the sacredness of time. Those days will come. For now we ask for peaceful privacy as we grieve our loving husband, father, son, brother, and friend." James and Kimberly first crossed paths on a trip to Israel in 2009. They wed a year later and went on to welcome six children together: daughters Olivia, Annabel, Emilia and Gwendolyn, and sons Joshua and Jeremiah. So, who is James Van Der Beeks wife? Heres everything to know about Kimberly Van Der Beek and her relationship with the late actor. She worked as a producer Kimberly Van Der Beek and James Van Der Beek in 2019. Phillip Faraone/Getty Kimberly has a credit as an associate producer on the Adrian Grenier-directed documentary Teenage Paparazzo, which premiered at Sundance Film Festival in 2010. Advertisement Advertisement The documentary explores the relationship between the Entourage star and a 14-year-old photographer named Austin Visschedyk. She met James in Israel James Van Der Beek and Kimberly Van Der Beek. James Van Der Beek Instagram James and Kimberly met in Israel in 2009, shortly after his first marriage ended. While on a trip with an organized group, James realized that he was done being single and wanted a real relationship." "A soul mate. Someone with whom I could build a family, he reflected on Instagram in honor of their 10th wedding anniversary. James continued that he was looking for someone to build a family with, and while telling his friend about his revelation, Kimberly interrupted them to ask his friend a question. Advertisement Advertisement Though he was caught off-guard, she made a big impression on him. A few days later, he asked what she was looking for in a relationship, but she wasnt interested. Even though she wasn't planning on entering a partnership, just six months later, James and Kimberly were living together and expecting a baby. She and James married in 2010 James Van Der Beek and Kimberly Van Der Beek on their wedding day in 2010. James Van Der Beek Instagram The couple said I do on Aug. 1, 2010, in Tel Aviv, Israel. James announced their nuptials on X. The woman I love did me the honor of became my wife today," he wrote in the since-deleted post. "I look forward to earning her for the rest of my life. At the time, the newly-married pair didnt reveal many details of the wedding, but in honor of their 13th anniversary, James reflected on their special day. Advertisement Advertisement He wrote on Instagram that Kimberly had a dream of a man who would officiate their wedding on a specific date. As luck would have it, he was available that night to marry them in the basement of the Kabbalah Centre in Tel Aviv. James continued, We rushed to get ready, had a bunch of people we didnt know (and a few we did) dance around us, got ambushed by Israeli paparazzi afterwards, then ate at an outdoor Lebanese dive with plastic tablecloths and chairs and amazing food... and we were off. She is a mother of six James Van Der Beek with his wife, Kimberly, and their kids. James Van Der Beek Instagram The Dawson's Creek star and his wife, Kimberly, welcomed six children together, which James said was a humbling experience. "When you think you've got it down, you get one that throws a curveball at you, he told PEOPLE in May 2023. And it's regulating our own emotions when things do get hectic and chaos ensues, which is inevitable at times." Advertisement Advertisement Their first child, daughter Olivia, was born on Sept. 25, 2010, in Los Angeles. Their family expanded when son Joshua arrived on March 13, 2012, and their daughter Annabel Leah followed on Jan. 25, 2014. James Van Der Beek with his daughters and sons. Kimberly Van Der Beek Instagram Another girl joined the family when Emilia was born on March 23, 2016, at their home in L.A., followed by Gwendolyn on June 15, 2018. After thinking they were done having children, Jeremiah was born on Oct. 10, 2021, at the familys ranch in Texas. James told PEOPLE in November 2024 that he got a vasectomy not long after Jeremiah was born. "We had one planned child. One! Out of six," he said. "The one thing we really sucked at was not getting pregnant. I figured the only way we're going to stop this is if we have some medical intervention." She has been open about pregnancy losses Kimberly Van Der Beek and James Van Der Beek take a selfie with one of their children. James Van Der Beek Instagram James and Kimberly have candidly discussed their five miscarriages, including two back-to-back pregnancy losses. Advertisement Advertisement Its so hard, but its important to talk about, Kimberly told PEOPLE in October 2019. We wait so long to tell people that we are pregnant so the possibility of miscarriage has decreased. But in the meantime, youre tired, you need help and youre going through one of the wildest times of your life. In May 2021, the couple partnered with the American Red Cross to spread the word about how crucial blood donations are. Kimberly shared that without blood transfusions, she probably would not be here. "There's a lot of shock, absolute dread, disbelief and then helplessness accompanied by fear," James added of the experiences. "But you go through it and you take it breath by breath. You have to let it unfold at a pace that works for you." She co-hosted a podcast James Van Der Beek and Kimberly Van Der Beek in 2017. Phillip Faraone/WireImage Along with Peggy Rometo, Kimberly co-hosted the Bathroom Chronicles podcast, which ran from January 2023 to January 2024. Past guests included Jamie-Lynn Sigler, Rumer Willis and Genevieve Padalecki. Advertisement Advertisement James, who was also a guest on the show, couldnt have been prouder of his wife and her accomplishments. "It's been really inspirational for me to watch her get back into something that she loves, and to create a safe space for people to share honestly, openly to laugh, to cry and know that they're not alone in the world," he shared with PEOPLE in May 2023. The actor added, "I'm just so proud of her and the space that she's creating, for her to dip into friendship and sisterhood and honesty and curiosity in the way that she does." She and James relocated to Texas in 2020 James Van Der Beek and Kimberly Van Der Beek. James Van Der Beek Instagram In the fall of 2020, James and Kimberly announced that their family was moving from L.A. to Texas. Advertisement Advertisement "Sometimes a fuller life begins with an empty house," James wrote on Instagram. "Leaving Los Angeles incredibly grateful for all the friends and memories weve made here. Onto the next big adventure! ." Following a road trip with their kids and pets, the Van Der Beeks arrived at their new home, and James opened up more about their reasoning for leaving California. The CSI: Cyber star revealed in an Instagram caption that apart from their pregnancy losses, there were other contributing factors in their decision to move, including a health scare for Kimberly, him being eliminated from Dancing with the Stars, the loss of his mom and the COVID-19 pandemic. "All of that led to some drastic changes in our lives, and dreams, and priorities... and landed us here, he explained, accompanied by photos of the family enjoying time outdoors in Texas. Overflowing with profound gratitude today. Read the original article on People US banks sharpened their stance this week in a clash with the crypto industry that has put major legislation on ice in Congress. Behind closed doors, the US banking industry shared a document calling for a prohibition on companies or other entities paying customers interest on their stablecoin balances during a second round of talks hosted by the White House's crypto council. That document served as the basis for the discussion during a Tuesday meeting on the issue, which is the major holdup in getting the Clarity Act through Congress, according to a source familiar with the matter. Along with representatives for bank and crypto trade associations, policy staff from some of the countrys biggest banks, including JPMorgan Chase (JPM), Bank of America (BAC), Citigroup (C), Wells Fargo (WFC), Goldman Sachs (GS), PNC (PNC), along with reps from Coinbase (COIN), attended the White House meeting, according to people familiar with the matter. Last summer, President Trump signed the GENIUS Act, which laid the legislative groundwork for the first federal framework regulating dollar-pegged stablecoins. Since then, a disagreement over whether crypto platforms should be able to pay customers "yield," or interest on their stablecoin balances, has stalled the Clarity Act, which the Trump administration hoped to see passed before the midterm elections. Stablecoins are cryptocurrencies with values pegged to the US dollar, gold, or other fiat currencies and assets. Read more: How stablecoins work A U.S. Capitol Police officer patrols on the East Front of the U.S. Capitol, Friday, Feb. 6, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul) ASSOCIATED PRESS "No person may provide any form of financial or non-financial consideration to a stablecoin holder in connection with the payment stablecoin holder's purchase, use, ownership, possession, custody, holding or retention of a payment stablecoin," according to the document seen by Yahoo Finance. The document was first reported by Decrypt Media. The document calls for "extremely limited" exemptions from the prohibition, warning that such a consequence would "drive deposit flight that would undercut Main Street lending." It further stipulates that regulators must have the authority to enforce the prohibitions including fining companies in violation. It also calls for a study on payment stablecoins two years after the laws enactment. In a joint statement issued Tuesday evening, the American Bankers Association, Bank Policy Institute, and the Independent Community Bankers Association called for policy that can and must embrace financial innovation without undermining safety and soundness, and without putting the bank deposits that fuel local lending and drive economic activity at risk. It looks like Kanye West has struck a deal to sell his ground-floor loft in Belgium, a residence set within one of Europes most design-forward residential enclaves. The rappers home at Kanaalthe art-and-living complex created by visionary designer Axel Vervoordt near Antwerpquickly went into contract after quietly hitting the market at the end of last year, according to sources familiar with the sale. An accepted offer is in place, though the final price and closing timeline remain under wraps. West acquired the spacious apartment in 2021 and spent extended stretches there while working closely with Vervoordt and his team. At the time, local reports frequently placed him around Wijnegemone of the most expensive municipalities in Flanderswhere his presence became something of an open secret. More from Robb Report kanye belgium home Kanaal Axel Vervoordt The images shown reflect the apartment when it was fully finished with three bedrooms and two bathrooms. It has since been stripped back to its structural shella status very much in keeping with Wests habit of gutting properties, from Malibu to Wyoming. Set on the second floor, the roughly 2,260-square-foot residence was offered in casco condition, leaving a future owner with a blank canvas of volume, light, and exposed concrete. Photos from the listing reveal the loft in its current, raw state. kanye belgium home Kanaal Axel Vervoordt Wests connection to Vervoordt, of course, goes well beyond Belgium. During his marriage to Kim Kardashian, the designer and art dealer famously reimagined the couples Hidden Hills home as a monastically minimalist cream-colored exercise in restraintone of the most closely watched celebrity interiors of the past decade. After their divorce, Kardashian bought West out and later expanded and renovated the property, largely preserving Vervoordts original vision. Advertisement Advertisement Demolishing the interiors of homes has carried through many of Wests real estate experiments, though with mixed results. In 2021, he paid $57.3 million for a Tadao Andodesigned house in Malibu and took it down to its concrete shell before he sold it at a spectacular loss. Similar storylines played out elsewhere, including the slow unwinding of his Wyoming ranches once imagined as creative campuses and self-sustaining communities. Click here to see more photos of the minimalist loft near Antwerp. kanye belgium home Kanaal Axel Vervoordt Best of Robb Report Sign up for RobbReports's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Click here to read the full article. King Charles is reportedly set to host a Nigerian State Visit next month, following Prince Harry and Meghan Markles high-profile and somewhat controversial unofficial royal visit to Nigeria back in 2024. According to Buckingham Palace, King Charles and Queen Camilla will welcome Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and First Lady Oluremi Tinubu to the U.K., marking Nigerias first state visit to Britain in 37 years. The three previous Nigerian state visits took place in 1973, 1981, and 1989 during the reign of the late Queen Elizabeth II. King Charles and Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu King Charles Set To Host Nigerian State Visit In March "The President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Mr. Bola Ahmed Tinubu, accompanied by the First Lady, Mrs. Oluremi Tinubu, has accepted an invitation from His Majesty The King to pay a State Visit to the United Kingdom from Wednesday, 18th March to Thursday, 19th March 2026," the palace announced in a statement on February 7th. Advertisement Advertisement The statement went on: "The King and Queen will host the State Visit at Windsor Castle." King Charles and Queen Camilla have both previously visited Nigeria, with King Charles most recently meeting President Tinubu at Buckingham Palace back in September 2024 (above.) Meghan Markle and Prince Harry in Nigeria Prince Harry And Meghan Markle's Controversial Nigeria Visit In 2024 The Duke and Duchess of Sussex made a controversial trip to Nigeria in May, 2024, taking place after the With Love, Meghan star learned that she was 43% Nigerian following a genealogy test. The three-day trip sparked criticism for several reasons, including the fact that it was an unofficial royal visit due to Prince Harry and Meghan no longer being working members of the royal family since they stepped down in 2020. Advertisement Advertisement Their brief trip was also called "disappointing" because it reportedly left the West African nation "feeling betrayed" by its government. The former Suits actress also caused a stir for wearing a series of high-end outfits and jewelry during the visit, with critics calling the display out of touch. Her wardrobe and accessories for the three-day visit were reportedly valued at more than $120,000! Meghan Markle in Nigeria Meghan Markle Refers To Nigeria As 'My Country' According to People, Meghan made a comment about Nigeria being "my country" while appearing alongside Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Director-General of the World Trade Organization, during a candid panel discussion. "I am very overwhelmed. So I want to start by saying thank you very much for just how gracious you've all been in welcoming my husband and I to this country," Meghan said, prompting applause from the audience. She then added: "My country." Referencing her discovery that she is 43% Nigerian, Meghan said: "It's been really eye-opening and humbling to be able to know more about my heritage and to be able to know this is just the beginning of that discovery." A man maintained his innocence after he was released from being detained for questioning in the disappearance of Savannah Guthries mom, Nancy Guthrie. The individual, who identified himself only as Carlos, told ABC15 Arizonas Ford Hatchett that he was pulled over while DoorDashing in Rio Rico, Ariz., on Tuesday and was being detained for kidnapping. I asked, The kidnapping of who? and they told me this lady I dont know her name, he said as Hatchett helped Carlos identify the woman as Savannah Guthries 84-year-old mom. The man who was detained for questioning in Nancy Guthries disappearance was released. CBS News The individual, who goes by Carlos, told reporters he didnt know who the Guthries were. I told [officers], I work in Tucson for GLS. I might have delivered a package to your house, but I never kidnapped anybody, Carlos declared. Advertisement Advertisement He said officials told him he was free to go after answering their questions about Nancys disappearance. Carlos told reporters that he allegedly wasnt read his Miranda rights until two hours after they detained him and that his wrists were swollen from how tight the handcuffs were on him. On Tuesday, the Pima County Sheriffs Department revealed they detained someone for questioning in connection with Nancys disappearance. I asked, The kidnapping of who? and they told me this lady I dont know her name, he told reporters. CBS News I never kidnapped anybody, Carlos declared. CBS News This operation is expected to last several hours. No further details at this time, they said in a statement. Authorities also said they obtained a search warrant for a location in Rio Rico related to the investigation. Advertisement Advertisement The update came hours after the FBI released horrifying home security camera photos of an armed masked person outside of Nancys door the night she disappeared. In the videos and photos, the individual stood on Nancys front porch, wearing gloves, as the person tampered with her door camera. The FBI said the video was recovered from residual data located in backend systems. A persons of interest was detained hours after the FBI released chilling images of an armed suspect at Nancys home. FBI The person wore a mask and gloves. FBI Working with our partners as of this morning, law enforcement has uncovered these previously inaccessible new images showing an armed individual appearing to have tampered with the camera at Nancy Guthries front door the morning of her disappearance, they said in a statement. Advertisement Advertisement Page Six spoke with longtime private investigator Andy Kay, who told us the surveillance videos came from Nest and that the cameras will record to the servers as long as they have internet. Once images of the suspect were released, Savannah, 54, posted them on Instagram, pleading for the safe return of her mother. Savannah posted the suspects images to her Instagram, pleading for the safe return of her mom. Instagram/savannahguthrie The Today show host and her family members did not meet the ransom notes deadline of $6 million in a bitcoin account by 5 p.m./7 p.m. ET MT Monday. Savannah Guthrie/Instagram We believe she is still alive. Bring her home, she captioned one of her posts, with a second caption reading, Someone out there recognizes this person. We believe she is still out there. Bring her home. The Today show host and her relatives were instructed to place $6 million in a bitcoin account by 5 p.m./7 p.m. ET MT Monday as a second ransom deadline. Advertisement Advertisement Though they did not pay the ransom before the deadline expired, Page Six confirmed that activity was recently shown in the bitcoin account. Nancy was last seen on Jan. 31. Courtesy NBC Universal She was reported missing when she didnt attend church the following day. Instagram/savannahguthrie Nancy was last seen on Jan. 31 after she was dropped off at her Tucson, Ariz., home by her daughter Annie and her son-in-law Tommaso Cioni following a daily dinner. Police were notified that the elder was missing when she didnt attend a viral church service the following morning. During the investigation into her disappearance, authorities found a trail of blood at the home that belonged to Nancy. The FBI announced on Wednesday that it was conducting an extensive search along multiple roadways close to the Arizona home of Nancy Guthrie, the mother of Today show host Savannah Guthrie who has been missing for 10 days. The development came after authorities released a man earlier in the day who was detained in a traffic stop following several hours of questioning in connection to the investigation, according to reports. The FBI gave no indication of what it was looking for in its sweep of the Catalina Foothills area near Tucson, where Nancy Guthrie, 84, was reported missing from her home on 1 February. Advertisement Advertisement A post from the FBIs Phoenix bureau on X urged motorists and the media to remain especially cautious when passing law enforcement personnel near the roadways. In a separate development, TMZ reported that it received a note early Wednesday from an anonymous person demanding one Bitcoin (about $67,000) from the Guthrie family if they want the name of the individual involved. The note has not been formally authenticated. Meanwhile, an individual who identified himself to reporters as Carlos Palazuelos said he was the person held after a traffic stop on Tuesday in Rio Rico, about an hours drive from the Guthrie residence. I hope they get the suspect, because Im not it, he told the New York Times from what he said was his wife and mother-in-laws home in Rio Rico, claiming not to have heard about the case. Advertisement Advertisement The Pima county sheriffs department announced on Tuesday night that deputies had detained a subject during a traffic stop and that the person was being questioned in connection to the Nancy Guthrie investigation. Palazuelos, a 27-year-old delivery driver, told reporters he was terrified by his detention, but insisted he was innocent, NBC News reported. [Its] something I didnt do. I felt like I was being kidnapped, bro. They didnt tell me anything, he said. Chris Nanos, the Pima county sheriff, said in a statement that his deputies and the FBI conducted a court-authorized search related to the investigation in Rio Rico, a town close to the Mexican border. Nanos gave no details about the search, and in a separate post on X early Wednesday said: No press conference is scheduled at this time. Advertisement Advertisement There was no official confirmation of the individuals release from the FBI or Pima county officials by early morning Wednesday, but Angelica Carrillo, a spokesperson for the sheriffs department, told the Times that investigators had completed their search of a property in Rio Rico. The developments followed Tuesday afternoons release by the FBI of previously inaccessible still images and a 44-second video of a person in a ski mask prowling at the doorstep of Nancy Guthries residence in the Catalina Foothills area north of Tucson, captured by her doorbell camera on the morning of her disappearance. The black-and-white photographs depict a masked figure wearing gloves and a backpack approaching the door of the house, and in one image the person waves what appears to be a plant. In another, they begin to dismantle the Nest camera. In recent days, Nanos had expressed frustration to reporters about the speed of obtaining imagery. As the search entered its second full week on Monday he told the Associated Press: I wish technology was as easy as we believe it is, that heres a picture, heres your bad guy. But its not. Advertisement Advertisement The breakthrough was announced on Tuesday by Kash Patel, the FBI director. Working with our partners, as of this morning, law enforcement has uncovered these previously inaccessible new images showing an armed individual appearing to have tampered with the camera, he wrote on X. Also on Tuesday, the FBI announced a $50,000 reward for information leading to the recovery of Nancy Guthrie and/or the arrest and conviction of anyone involved in her disappearance. Detectives have conducted a number of searches of Guthries house, which was declared a crime scene early in the investigation, and the surrounding area, with at least one vehicle being removed, and drone footage showing FBI agents poking a pole into a septic tank. Advertisement Advertisement Savannah Guthrie, who has hosted NBCs Today show since 2012, has posted several videos on social media appealing for the return of her mother, with whom she said she shares a special bond, especially after the death of her father when the presenter was a teenager. Nancy Guthrie has mobility issues and needs regular medication to stay alive, her daughter said. In the days since Nancy Guthries disappearance, the case has become a source of frustration, and much intrigue. Investigators found blood on the doorstep, and looked into the authenticity of several notes reportedly demanding a $6m ransom from the Guthrie family in cryptocurrency, which Savannah Guthrie said in one of the videos: We will pay. One of the notes sent to an Arizona television station last week purportedly included a demand for money by Monday afternoon, a deadline that passed without incident. Advertisement Advertisement In one bizarre incident, a person was spotted attempting to deliver a pizza to the Guthrie residence, which was later revealed to have been ordered by reporters on scene covering the story. We cant believe we have to say this, but media on scene: please do not order food delivery to a crime scene address. This interferes with an active investigation, the Pima county sheriffs department posted on X. In a separate post on Sunday afternoon, the department said: No suspects, persons of interest, or vehicles have been identified. Savannah Guthries brother-in-law Tomasso Cioni hasnt been seen in a week as police search his and his wife (and Savannahs sister) Annie Guthries home as part of the investigation into the abduction of Savannah and Annies missing mother, Nancy Guthrie. When was Savannah Guthries brother-in-laws last photograph? Tommaso was last photographed on February 3, two days after Nancy went missing in the middle of the night on February 1. In photos obtained by The Daily Mail, Tommaso and Annie were both photographed in their car as they arrived back to their home in the Tucson, Arizona area. Photos showed Tommaso behind the steering wheel with sunglasses on as he covered his face with his jacket. Annie was seen in the drivers seat with her hood up, as she also covered her face. More from StyleCaster Advertisement Advertisement While Annie has appeared in several social media videos posted by Savannah asking for help in the investigation into their mothers disappearance, its understandable why Tommaso has taken a step back from the cameras after former NewsNation host Ashleigh Banfield reported that Tommaso may be the prime suspect in the investigation, which the Pima County Sheriff Department later denied. We have not identified a suspect or person of interest in this case. Detectives continue to speak with anyone who may have had contact with Mrs. Guthrie. We are also awaiting additional forensic results, the department said in a statement to TMZ before addressing Banfields claim that Annies car had been seized. We are not confirming the car being seized, we are unsure where that reporter is getting that information. According to The Pima County Sheriffs Department, Annie was the last person to see Nancy before she disappeared. We have a start point, Sheriff Chris Nanos told Us Weekly in a report published on February 4, adding that there were no red flags about Nancys behavior before she disappeared. The family took her home from dinner at about 9:30 to 9:45 [p.m.]. So we would back that up to even say 9 or 8:30 p.m. to start looking. Since Nancy went missing, Tommaso and Annies home has been researched twice. It was first searched on February 4 before it was searched again on February 7. TMZ reported that officials were inside Annie and Tommasos home for several hours, photographing multiple rooms, with the site claiming that one officer was seen carrying a silver briefcase into the residence. Update from Annie Guthries house where investigators remain inside. Theyve been here for almost 3 hours, tweeted NewsNation reporter Brian Entin, along with a video of officials searching Annies home. Advertisement Advertisement Annies home is located approximately four miles from Nancys residence in Catalina Foothills, Arizona, where she was taken in the middle of the night on January 31. Tracy Walder, a former CIA and FBI agent told People ahead of searching Annies home that officials may have either asked Annies permission, obtained a search warrant or both. According to People, authorities, including at least one official with the Pima Countys Sheriffs Department, searched Annies home from 8 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. local time. Two and a half hours into the search, an official was seen leaving Annies home with a white suitcase and a brown bag, while another was seen wearing blue gloves. All that white case is is evidence processing tools. The brown bag is for evidence, Walder told People. According to The Daily Mail, police did not need Tommasos consent or a warrant to search the home as long as Annie allowed them access. Two US Supreme Court cases ruled that police can search a shared home, such as a marital residence, as long as one of its occupants is there and consents. If the other resident was present when police arrived to conduct a search and refused access, law enforcement officials would have to return with a warrant. Best of StyleCaster Sign up for Stylecaster's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Sean Diddy Combs seemingly likes his money in cash. According to a new Page Six report published Tuesday, February 10, the music mogul, 56, made an appearance at M2 nightclub in Miami in May 2023, and had the establishment pay him his $100,000 fee in cash. The rapper had the money go to a company called Janice Combs Music Holdings Inc, named after his mother. The Bad Boy Records founders appearance was for a kickoff party on May 4 as part of Race Week, according to the outlet, as the Miami Grand Prix, an F1 motor race, was held the weekend of May 5 to 7 of that year. About six months later, Combs ex-girlfriend, Cassie Ventura, sued him for sexual misconduct, and two more women did the same later that month, according to PBS. Then, in March 2024, the FBI raided the three-time Grammy Award winners homes in both Miami Beach, Florida, and Los Angeles before he was arrested in September 2024. Advertisement Advertisement As the National Enquirer previously reported, Combs was convicted of two counts of transporting individuals to engage in prostitution in July 2025. He was sentenced to a four-year prison term in October and is currently serving his sentence at FCI Fort Dix in New Jersey. In October, a source told the Enquirer that Combs really believed hed get out with time served, and is terrified of coming out of jail totally broke. Any good advisor is going to be telling him he needs to scale things way back once hes out, another source shared in July. If he fails to listen and keeps his spending where it was at pre-trial, it could lead to disaster. Read More From National Enquirer This story Sean Diddy Combs Reportedly Received $100K in Cash for Miami Club Appearance Ahead of His Arrest first appeared on National Enquirer. Add National Enquirer as a Preferred Source by clicking here. The Gist Sydney Sweeney was spotted in Chelsea, New York City on February 9. She wore an open blue shirt that showed off her exposed Syrn boxers below her low-rise jeans. The actress rang the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange in collaboration with American Eagle that day. Exposed underwear is already proving to be one of the defining trends of 2026. From Julia Fox's recent underwear-on-the-top moment to Jessica Simpson's underwear-baring sheer black lace dress to Charlize Theron's underwear and catsuit look, sometimes, it can feel like your underwear is just too nice to hide. It makes perfect sense that Sydney Sweeney, who recently launched her own line of lingerie and intimates, Syrn, would hop on board with the trend. A Syrn moment Getty Spotted walking around New York City on February 9, the Housemaid actress gave her underwear a moment in the spotlight. She donned an oversized pale blue button-up, which she wore with the lower buttons left open, revealing a peekaboo moment for her Syrn boxer briefs, which peeked out above her low-rise jeans. She slipped one hand into her pocket to show off the look and rocked long wavy blonde hair and slim black sunglasses. Advertisement Advertisement Earlier in the day, Sweeney rocked a more buttoned up look (literallyher shirt was tucked into the jeans for the occasion) when she rang the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange in collaboration with American Eagle. It was a busy, denim-filled day for Sweeney, who also stepped out in a denim minidress with an optical illusion corset effect. Exposed underwear Getty I wanted to create a world and a feeling, Sweeney told Elle of her new line earlier this month. I wanted to build a lingerie brand that feels like it understands women instead of talking at them. Syrn is about confidence without pressure, feeling sexy, powerful, soft, playful, or all of the above, depending on the day. As the sole founder, my vision was to create something that lives in real life and doesnt hold anyone back. Sweeney's latest few looks may have been all unbuttoned casual coolness, but just a few days ago, she embraced a very different side of her style, channeling Marilyn Monroe in a vintage off-white Ceil Chapman gown similar to one Monroe wore in 1952. Sydney Sweeney channeling Marilyn Monroe this week Getty Read the original article on InStyle Rogue royals Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan are going broke, sources tell Globe, and apparently theyre in deep with former bestie Tyler Perry they cant pay back a secret $14 million loan he extended them! The billionaire Madea star, who let the Duke and Duchess of Sussex crash at his $18 million Beverly Hills mansion and dispatched his security team to protect them when they moved to Montecito, is allegedly furious the money-challenged royals are ghosting him. Hes saying hes finished, hes done, hes done everything in his power to help them, an insider tells Globe. The problem is, they would not call him back. A Perry insider denies theres any dispute with the couple. Advertisement Advertisement Tyler was recently asked by the U.K. Sunday Times to describe how he helped Harry and Meghan settle in America after the couple ditched their palace duties in 2020 to seek Hollywood fame and fortune, per Daily Mail. I didnt, the beloved 56-year-old producer-writer-director insisted. Meghan is from California. She knows California well. So, there was nothing to prepare them for. Various reports suggest Harry, 41, and his domineering wife, 44, are struggling to maintain their high-society lifestyle since all their financial projects have been abysmal failures. They had such big plans for 2025 and really believed it would be their breakthrough period. Instead it turned into the year from hell, says a Hollywood source. Former A-list pals in America and Harrys hoity-toity friends in England have jettisoned the prickly pair, finding their self-obsessed and delusional tendencies too much to bear, insiders say. The try-hard duchess suffered global ridicule after her self-indulgent Netflix cooking show, With Love, Meghan, bombed. With just 2 million views, it ranked 1,224th among programs on the streamer between July and December. Advertisement Advertisement Whats more, Meghan is desperately pitching shows tied to Valentines Day and the Fourth of July to Netflix bosses, but reportedly nothing has materialized. Meghans As Ever lifestyle brand also appears to be tanking after her website briefly displayed inventory totals showing nearly a half million jars of jam, honey, candles, tin flowers and bottles of wine were unsold and collecting dust in stock rooms, according to published reports. One source contended the company is stocking up for global expansion. While a royal rep calls claims the couple is having financial difficulties categorically untrue, and even though Harry scored a $27 million payday from his 2023 memoir, Spare, the cost of their high-flying lifestyle is devouring their cash, insiders say. Theyre under a huge amount of pressure, says a source, as they pay off a multimillion-dollar mortgage and incur security costs to the tune of $3 million a year. They are also reeling from a brutal staff revolt thats seen nearly 25 employees walk away, while their vaunted charity, Archewell Philanthropies, is reportedly under the microscope due to alleged financial discrepancies and ballooning expenses. Desperate Harry is begging his father, King Charles, for financial help, says the source. Advertisement Advertisement Harry would return to the U.K. in a heartbeat, says the source, adding life in California hasnt panned out the way the prince had hoped. Its been a nightmare. Read More From Globe This story Tyler Perry Done With Meghan Markle and Prince Harry After They Didnt Pay Back $14 Million Loan first appeared on Globe. Add Globe as a Preferred Source by clicking here. Callum Turner and George MacKay have found their sea legs, but they may just be losing their minds, too. The trailer for their new movie Rose of Nevada dropped on Wednesday, promising a hallucinatory time-travel mystery as the pair boards a fateful ship 30 years after it was first lost at sea. Per the logline, Three decades ago, the Rose of Nevada vanished at sea, along with its crew. Now, it has returned. In a remote fishing village, its reappearance is embraced as an auspicious sign, with the local citizens convinced the luck of their economically devastated community may turn, if only the ship sails again. Advertisement Advertisement Joining the crew is Nick (George MacKay), desperate to provide for his young family, and Liam (Callum Turner), a mysterious drifter eager to escape his past, the synopsis continues. After a successful voyage, they return to harbor, only to find that nothing is as they remember it. Shot on a 16mm Bolex camera, director Mark Jenkin wrote, edited and scored the film, coming from a 1-2 Special Release. The drama also stars Rosalind Eleazar, Francis Magee, Mary Woodvine and Edward Rowe. It had its premiere in the Orizzonti section of the 82nd Venice International Film Festival in August. Rose of Nevada hits theaters on June 19. The post Callum Turner and George MacKay Might Have Just Boarded a Ghost Ship in Rose of Nevada Trailer appeared first on TheWrap. "Dawson's Creek" star James Van Der Beek has died at age 48, according to an Instagram post shared by his family on Wednesday. "Our beloved James David Van Der Beek passed peacefully this morning," the Instagram post states. "He met his final days with courage, faith, and grace. There is much to share regarding his wishes, love for humanity and the sacredness of time. Those days will come. For now we ask for peaceful privacy as we grieve our loving husband, father, son, brother, and friend." Advertisement Advertisement Van Der Beek grew up in Cheshire and graduated from Cheshire Academy in 1995. He started acting from a young age, and he booked his first feature film role while starring in a production of "Shenandoah" at the Goodspeed Opera House in East Haddam, according to ABC News. He went on to star in the New England-based television show "Dawson's Creek" as Dawson Leery from 1998 to 2003 for six seasons. Van Der Beek is also known for his work in the 1999 film "Varsity Blues," in which he starred as Jonathon "Mox" Moxon. The Connecticut native announced in November 2024 that he was diagnosed with stage 3 colorectal cancer. Van Der Beek raised money for cancer organizations and his own cancer treatment leading up to his death. His "Dawson's Creek" co-stars reunited to read the 1998 pilot episode of "Dawson's Creek" at an event to raise money for nonprofit organization F Cancer and Van Der Beek last fall. Advertisement Advertisement In November, the Connecticut native auctioned off memorabilia from "Dawson's Creek" and "Varsity Blues" to help fund his cancer treatments. "I've been storing these treasures for years, waiting for the right time to do something with them," Van Der Beek told People in November. "With all of the recent unexpected twists and turns life has presented recently, it's clear that the time is now." This article originally published at CT's James Van Der Beek, 'Dawson's Creek' star, dies at age 48 of colorectal cancer. Roque provided detail on performance across the companys recast segment structure, which began October 1 and includes Medical Essentials, Connected Care, Biopharma Systems, Interventional, and Life Sciences (with the Life Sciences business expected to be treated as discontinued operations for the full year following the Waters transaction close). On profitability, BD reported an adjusted gross margin of 53.4% and adjusted EPS of $2.91 , both ahead of managements expectations. Interim CFO Vitor Roque said adjusted EPS was down 15.2% year over year, driven primarily by tariffs. Chairman, CEO and President Tom Polen said the quarter reflected disciplined execution, including accelerated commercial initiatives and strength in several growth platforms. He cited double-digit growth in biologic drug delivery, PureWick, advanced tissue regeneration, pharmacy automation, and high single-digit growth in advanced patient monitoring (APM). Healthcare Stocks With at Least 30 Years of Dividend Increases BD posted total revenue of $5.3 billion , up 0.4% year over year on an FX-neutral basis. Management said new BD grew 2.5% , with broad-based growth across most of the portfolio, partially offset by headwinds in areas management characterized as about 10% of the business, including Alaris, vaccines in China, and China market dynamics. Becton, Dickinson and Company (NYSE:BDX) reported first fiscal quarter 2026 results that management said were stronger than expected, while also highlighting the completion of its previously announced combination of its Life Sciences business with Waters through a Reverse Morris Trust transaction. Management maintained fiscal 2026 guidance for low singledigit revenue growth and adjusted EPS of $12.35 to $12.65 , while warning of ongoing headwinds from China, vaccines and Alaris and a multihundredbasispoint tariff impact. Q1 results beat expectations with total revenue of $5.3 billion (new BD +2.5%) and adjusted EPS of $2.91 , although EPS was down ~15% yearoveryear and margins were pressured by tariffs (~170 bps headwind). BD closed the Waters transaction and will receive a $4 billion cash distribution, which management plans to deploy as $2 billion for accelerated share repurchases and $2 billion to pay down debt; net leverage ended the quarter at 2.9x with a longterm target of 2.5x. Story Continues Medical Essentials: Management said performance reflected expected order timing dynamics and volume-based procurement in China, partially offset by continued U.S. share gains in vascular access management. In specimen management, solid U.S. BD Vacutainer growth was offset by China dynamics and order timing. Connected Care: Delivered mid-single-digit growth, led by APM, which grew high single digits on strong volume. In medication management solutions (MMS), growth was led by pharmacy automation, with double-digit growth in the Rowa platform. In infusion, growth was driven by sets, which increased due to higher utilization following last years fluid supply shortage. Alaris was slightly ahead of expectations despite an expected decline due to a tough prior-year comparison. Biopharma Systems: Grew low single digits, with continued double-digit growth in biologics, led by GLP-1s, partially offset by lower vaccine demand that management said was in line with expectations. Interventional: Delivered mid-single-digit growth, including high single-digit growth in urinary continence care (UCC) driven by double-digit PureWick growth. Surgery grew mid-single digits, led by advanced tissue regeneration and infection prevention. Pharmaceutical Interventions (PI) grew low single digits, with strength in peripheral vascular disease and oncology, partially offset by China dynamics. Life Sciences: Declined in the quarter, with headwinds including U.S. point-of-care pressures, a difficult comparison, China dynamics, lower research funding, and a tough compare related to prior-year licensing revenue. Waters transaction closes and BD outlines capital deployment Polen said the Waters transaction was expected to close later this morning, and later confirmed on the call that it had officially closed. Management described the deal as a milestone in BDs pivot to a more focused pure-play med tech profile. 2 Subscription Economy Winners That Still Dominate Their Niches As part of the transaction, BD expects to receive a $4 billion cash distribution. Polen said BD plans to deploy: $2 billion toward share repurchases through an accelerated share repurchase (ASR) program $2 billion toward debt paydown Roque said the company ended the quarter with net leverage of 2.9x and reiterated a long-term target of 2.5x. BD also reported $548 million of free cash flow in the quarter, with free cash flow conversion improving to 66% from 59% a year ago, driven by working capital discipline and capital efficiency. The company returned approximately $550 million to shareholders in the quarter through dividends and $250 million in share buybacks. Tariffs and investment spending weighed on margins While results exceeded expectations, Roque said profitability comparisons were pressured by tariffs. Adjusted gross margin declined 140 basis points year over year, driven by approximately 170 basis points of tariffs, partially offset by productivity improvements under BD Excellence. Adjusted operating margin was 21.2%, down 240 basis points, reflecting tariffs and increased commercial investments in growth areas. Management highlighted progress on operational initiatives, including an 8% productivity improvement in the quarter and progress against a $200 million cost-out program announced previously. Polen said BD is already executing actions representing $150 million of that target. Polen also emphasized manufacturing network simplification, saying BD has reduced its manufacturing footprint by nearly half to under 50 global sites, down from a little over 90 several years ago, aided by both site closures and the Life Sciences separation. Guidance maintained; management expects steadier phasing For fiscal 2026, BD maintained its outlook for new BD on a continuing operations basis, reflecting the closing of the Waters transaction and treating the separated business as discontinued operations for the full year. Key guidance items included: Revenue: low single-digit growth for fiscal 2026; currency expected to be a ~120 basis point tailwind based on current spot rates Adjusted operating margin: about 25% , inclusive of tariffs Adjusted EPS: $12.35 to $12.65 , with ~6% growth at the midpoint and an estimated 370 basis point tariff impact Q2 outlook: revenue growth of approximately 2% and adjusted EPS of $2.72 to $2.82 In response to questions about quarterly cadence, management said Q2 reflects modest timing benefits that favored Q1 in Biopharma Systems and MMS, but emphasized there is no ramp expected from the first half to the second half of the year. Polen said headwinds in China, vaccines, and Alaris are playing out in line with expectations. He reiterated BDs prior assumption that Chinas volume-based procurement (VBP) would cover about 80% of BDs China portfolio by the end of 2026 and said the combined headwinds (China, vaccines, and Alaris) were expected to represent about 250 basis points of impact for the year, consistent with earlier guidance. On Alaris specifically, management highlighted competitive momentum, noting the strongest quarter of competitive wins since the relaunch, category share gains of about 100 basis points during the quarter, and an overall share position nearing 60%. Management also discussed GLP-1 drug delivery, stating it currently represents about 2% of BD revenue and that BD has more than 80 novel and biosimilar GLP-1 molecules contracted in its devices. Polen said BD still expects the GLP-1 franchise to be on track toward prior longer-term expectations, citing continued momentum in injectable formats and a broad global biosimilar exposure. BD said its CFO search is well underway, with Roque serving as interim CFO. About Becton, Dickinson and Company (NYSE:BDX) Becton, Dickinson and Company (BDX) is a global medical technology company that develops, manufactures and sells a broad range of medical devices, instrument systems and reagents. BD's products are used by healthcare institutions, clinical laboratories, life science researchers and the pharmaceutical industry to enable safe, effective delivery of care, specimen collection and diagnostic testing. The company's operations span multiple business areas focused on medical devices, life sciences research tools and interventional technologies. BD's product portfolio includes single-use medical devices such as syringes, needles, needlesafety and injection systems, infusion therapy and medication management solutions, as well as vascular access, urology and oncology devices acquired through its interventional business. The article "Becton, Dickinson and Company Q1 Earnings Call Highlights" was originally published by MarketBeat. Former "Real Housewives" star Dorinda Medley has offered some explosive insight into the drama that Bravo fans can expect when the series' newest franchise, "The Real Housewives of Rhode Island," drops in Aprilafter witnessing firsthand some of the most shocking behavior of its cast members when they visited her personal home. Medley, 61, who spent years starring in "The Real Housewives of New York City," opened up about her first impressions of some of the cast of the Rhode Island installmentwhich will feature Alicia Carmody, Rosie DiMare, Ashley Iaconetti, Liz McGraw, Rulla Nehme Pontarelli, Kelsey Swanson, and Jo-Ellen Tiberiduring a recent appearance on the SiriusXM show "Reality Checked." The "Traitors" star explained that she met some of the Rhode Islanders while filming "The Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip: Roaring 20th," which she hosted at her personal home, Bluestone Manor, in the Berkshires of Western Massachusetts. Advertisement Advertisement While Medley refused to divulge too much about their meeting ahead of the show's April 2 premiere, she did confess to being left stunned by the less-than-pristine way in which some of the stars behaved while spending time in her home. Describing Bluestone Manor as a place "where you must exercise some decorum," the mother of one revealed that several of the "RHORI" stars did anything but. TV personality Dorinda Medley has lifted the lid on her first meeting with the "Real Housewives of Rhode Island" cast. (Gabe Ginsberg/Bravo via Getty Images) Medley, 61, opened up about her first impression of the cast, which includes Alicia Carmody, Rosie DiMare, Ashley Iaconetti, Liz McGraw, Rulla Nehme Pontarelli, Kelsey Swanson, and Jo-Ellen Tiberi, while appearing on SiriusXMs "Reality Checked." (Bronson Farr/Bravo via Getty Images) I got to have the pleasure of meeting them, and I have to say, I was thinking at the time, My God, if these girls at Bluestone Manorwhere you must exercise some decorumare acting like this and they dont even know me and theyre in my house, I can only imagine what the shows going to be like,'" she shared. Medley went on to recall witnessing a furious display from one unnamed cast member, telling co-host Kiki Monique: "At one point, oneI wont say which onewas screaming, I dont f---ing get, f---ing get the f---. Im like, Whoa, whoa, whoa.'" Advertisement Advertisement Describing the women as being very "verbal," she added, These girls are not going to hold back a thing. I said to Kyle Richards, If theyre in this much tension now and the show hasnt even dropped, theyre going to have to have security guards. According to Bravo, "The Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip: Roaring 20th" will follow several iconic housewives as they walk through several beautiful locations featured in the Bravo franchise over the years. Starting where it all began in Orange County and culminating in an epic East Coast grand finale, each stop will feature appearances by fan favorites from different cities to pay tribute to the past, embrace the present and look toward the many miles still ahead, Bravo's description noted. When asked about the show, Medley said that it will feature a very different format from the traditional series that "Real Housewives" fans might be used to. Advertisement Advertisement "Were thinking of TV," she said. "Dont think of reality, think of TV world. Although "The Real Housewives of Rhode Island" will premiere in April, a release date for "The Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip: Roaring 20th" has yet to be revealed. Medley confessed that she met the cast while filming "The Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip: Roaring 20th," which she hosted at Bluestone Manor in the Berkshires of Western Massachusetts. (John Nacion/Variety via Getty Images) The reality TV star noted that she couldn't divulge too much about the details of their meeting, considering the show will premiere on April 2. However, she did spill some tea. (Scott Eisen/Bravo/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images) However, it has previously been revealed that the "grand finale" of the show will take place at Bluestone Manor, the Gilded Age estate that Medley received as a wedding gift from her second husband, Richard Medley, who died in 2011. Realtor.com records show that it was purchased by the late financial consultant for $2.1 million in 2005. Estimates indicate that it could be worth upward of $4 million if placed on the market today. Advertisement Advertisement Medley, who regularly filmed at the property during her time on "RHONY," opened up the property more recently in an October 2024 tour filmed for Open House TV. She joked that, while many people knew the home because of its prominent appearances on the Bravo show, she "owned the house for years" before she ever stepped in front of a "Real Housewives" camera. However, she admitted that her relationship with the property has been somewhat complex, confessing that she didn't know whether she wanted to keep the historic abode after her second husband died at the age of 60. Eventually, she chose to put her roots down in the property, even selling her New York City apartment in 2022 for $2.5 million. Advertisement Advertisement The "Make It Nice" author appeared on "Real Housewives" from 2015 to 2020, and has since turned her focus to the country retreat. Medley is a native of Great Barrington, MA, where Bluestone Manor is located. The lavish Gilded Age property was a wedding gift from her second husband, Richard Medley, who died in 2011. (YouTube) The whole house has gone through a top-to-bottom renovation, with no blue stone untouched. The 1902 build is a "very old lady," Medley previously explained, adding that she embarked on a thoughtful redesign with her friend and interior decorator Marshall Watson. (YouTube) The 11,000-square-foot space includes custom millwork, a grand entryway with an elaborate fireplace, vibrant colors, plush fabrics, heavy drapes, and a library with a coffered ceiling. (YouTube) Built in 1902, the seven-bedroom, 7.5-bathroom, Tudor-style mansion is an eye-popping marvel. The whole house has gone through a top-to-bottom renovation, with no blue stone untouched. The 1902 build is a "very old lady," Medley explained to Open House TV, while revealing how she embarked on a thoughtful redesign with her friend and interior decorator Marshall Watson. The 11,000-square-foot space includes custom millwork, a grand entryway with an elaborate fireplace, vibrant colors, plush fabrics, heavy drapes, and a library with a coffered ceiling. Divine details include candelabras, birds of all kinds, a hidden wet bar, and a fanciful floral "tree." Advertisement Advertisement On her website, Medley called attention to the impressive TV history of the home, noting that it was the site of many a dramatic moment on "Real Housewives," not least some of the show's most iconic cast feuds. "Dorinda Medleys home in the Berkshires of western Massachusetts, Bluestone Manor, is famously where Luann fumbled an olive branch to Carole; Carole went head-to-head with Bethenny in costume; and Bethenny called Luann, among other things, a liar, a hypocrite, and a snake," the website reveals. "Tears have been shed, friendships broken, and fires started. Even Ramonas dog Coco has lost her cool. All this despite the valiant efforts of their host, wholest we forgetcooked, decorated, and made it nice!" As chef Ellie Parker put it, it's been a "hell" of a past few weeks for her. Parker, who hails from Las Vegas, recently was crowned the winner on the 24th season of Gordon Ramsay's "Hell's Kitchen," which was filmed at Foxwoods Resort Casino. In the same week that audiences saw Parker win "Hell's Kitchen," she was named a semifinalist for the prestigious James Beard "Emerging Chef presented by S.Pellegrino Sparkling Natural Mineral Water" award. Advertisement Advertisement "I have always told people that I'm never going to chase a Michelin star - I'm always going to chase a James Beard, and never did I think at 26 that I would see my name on that list," Parker told CT Insider, recalling how she woke up to a large swath of congratulatory messages without knowing exactly what people were congratulating her on. Though chef Parker is a staple name in the Las Vegas food community, many across the country first became acquainted with the 5-foot tall, red-headed chef through "Hell's Kitchen." Parker, considered an underdog in the competition, had at one point needed to cook for her life as she was one of the chefs who scored the lowest in challenges up to that point. From there, Parker pivoted to an upward trajectory, even becoming one of the first chefs to earn a coveted black jacket on the program. Gordon Ramsay and Ellie Parker in the season 24 finale of "Hell's Kitchen." (Jeffrey_Neira/Courtesy of Fox Media LLC) As Parker continued into the final four, she dominated in the competition - both performing well in dinner service and even winning a challenge. In the finale, Parker took command over her kitchen and even pressed against chef Ramsay's comments on the cook of a chicken. Advertisement Advertisement "It took a lot of balls at that moment. I was like, 'What did I just do? ' " Parker recalled about challenging Ramsay, questioning whether it was too late for her to be kicked out of the competition for such a daring move. Though bold, it made a mark on Ramsay as he selected Parker to be the winner and the next head chef at Hell's Kitchen at Foxwoods. To announce the winner, Ramsay has the final two remaining chefs stand at two doors and whoever's door opens to the crowded dining room below is crowned the winner. "When I had my hand on that door, I told myself how proud I was that I was going to take second place at 'Hell's Kitchen,'" Parker said. "Silver is still great. You're still on the podium, baby." Describing what she calls "initial pure shock," Parker's door swung open as tears welled in her eyes. Advertisement Advertisement "All that came flooding back in my head was everyone - every cook, ever chef, every nobody - that I've encountered who told me I was never going to be a chef or I was never going to amount to be great in this industry," Parker said. Parker is extremely complimentary of her finale competitor, Florida's Jada Vidal, who she called "a fierce and awesome competitor, and an amazing chef." However, Parker believes the reason that she won "Hell's Kitchen" is because she lived by the motto to "never put your head down when you get criticism." She also believes she chose her finale brigade effectively with choices like black jacket recipients Cydni Stickney and Lisa Rivera. "Watching it back, I can kind of see, 'Wow, I really did a whole roller coaster ride on that show,' " Parker added, calling winning "overwhelming in the best possible way." Gordon Ramsay and Ellie Parker in the season 24 finale of "Hell's Kitchen." (Jeffrey_Neira/Courtesy of Fox Media LLC) A long-time fan of "Hell's Kitchen" who watched the show to pass time with her father during the pandemic, Parker now sits on the other side of the pass as a winner of the show. Parker said she has received tons of messages supporting her. She has even been stopped at the grocery store and the airport to talk with fans. Advertisement Advertisement These wins have also translated to success for Main St. Provisions, the Las Vegas restaurant where Parker works as an executive chef. Parker said that because of the open kitchen design, fans will sometimes line up along the pass to try and take a picture with her or seek out a conversation. "I have people coming from all over the country because of the James Beard," Parker said. Originally from Racine, Wis., Parker moved to Las Vegas when she was 7 years old and found her passion for cooking through her love of the Food Network, according to Main St. Provisions' website. At 13, she entered the Northwest Career and Technical Academy. In 2017, she graduated with three degrees in culinary arts, baking and pastry from the school. Parker further studied restaurant and hospitality management at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Gordon Ramsay and Ellie Parker in the season 24 finale of "Hell's Kitchen." (Jeffrey_Neira/Courtesy of Fox Media LLC) Parker's first job was as a line cook at The Venetian Las Vegas when she was 17. Parker served as a line cook at Culinary Dropout, MB Steak, La Cave and the ONE Steakhouse before starting her career as a sous chef. Advertisement Advertisement She served as sous chef at Brera Osteria and The Bedford by Martha Stewart before joining Main St. Provisions as a line cook. Parker moved up the ladder at the restaurant, eventually becoming the executive chef in 2025, the Main St. Provisions website notes. While Parker has been a mainstay in the Las Vegas community for nearly a decade, she is heading east to take up the mantle of Hell's Kitchen Foxwoods' next head chef. "I've been here for 20 years. Vegas is home," Parker said, adding that she feels a mixture of being "scared" and "excited" ahead of the move. "You never know where life is going to take you, and I feel like whenever a doors opens, you have to take the opportunity." Last week, Parker said she had the opportunity to meet with members of Hell's Kitchen Foxwoods staff. Among those faces is chef Kyle Timpson, the winner of season 23 of "Hell's Kitchen." Parker said Timpson reached out to her when the cast list was published for this past season. Timpson has remained in contact with her ever since, even calling her the day after the finale to congratulate her on the win. Ellie Parker in the season 24 finale of "Hell's Kitchen." (Jeffrey_Neira/Courtesy of Fox Media LLC) But until the move, Parker has her head down with the intent of bringing the James Beard award to Vegas and solidifying the city as a "culinary destination as it rightfully is. They understand that in 'Hell's Kitchen,' I was battling for Gordon Ramsay's name. Now my team is battling for my name in my hometown and it's beautiful," Parker said about her Main St. Provisions family. Advertisement Advertisement As she continues to learn and grow through the food industry, the 26-year-old chef still has many more mountains to climb - one of them hopefully being her own restaurant one day. Additionally, just as the chefs on "Hell's Kitchen" inspired her, Parker wants to be that beacon for the next generation of chefs. "If I can just inspire one little girl who wants to be a chef but isn't sure if she canthat's all that matters to me," Parker said. This article originally published at 'Hell's Kitchen' winner Ellie Parker talks James Beard recognition, moving to Connecticut. The 10th (!!) season of Love Is Blind is finally here, with the third batch of episodes dropping on Netflix on Wednesday, February 25. And after the total dud that was season 9which ended in exactly zero weddings, an LIB firstthe new group of singles have proved to be much more promising (for now, at least). Need a refresher on where things stand? Here are all the Love Is Blind season 10 couples who said I do (or I dont) during the season finale on March 4. **Contains spoilers on Love Is Blind season 10** The first six episodes saw (*drumroll, pls*) seven couples get engaged sight unseen, but once they returned to their lives back in Ohio, not everyone was able to make things work. Here is where our seven couples stand nowand check back here for updates as more episodes are released and relationship statuses change. Vic and Christine Netflix Status: Still together Advertisement Advertisement The first couple to get engaged in the pods, Vic and Christine bonded over their similar backgrounds, their faith, and their passion for helping their community. Rather than heading to Mexico with the rest of the pod squad, the two had a cute getaway in Malibu, where they continued to grow their bond. Back in Ohio, they continued to thrive, having deep conversations about raising interracial children and building their lives together. No drama, no mess. Then, at the alter, they both said I do without hesitation. Congrats, you two! Jordan and Amber Netflix Status: Still together Next we have Jordan and Amber, who vibed right away...despite Amber having a 7-year-old at home and Jordan saying kids were a deal-breaker for him. After Jordan baked her cookies, he popped the question, and they head off to Mexico as fiancees. Advertisement Advertisement Back in Ohio, Jordan hasnt yet met Ambers daughter, although Amber does introduce him to her daughters father. Finally, just the day before the wedding, Jordan got a chance to meet Emma, and he won her over with a magic show. And when the big moment finally came the next day, Amber and Jordan officially became husband and wife. Mike and Emma Netflix Status: Broken up After a tumultuous love triangle between Emma, Mike, and Connor, Emma ended up choosing Mike (but only after Connor turned her down...). The big issue between them: Mike is ready for children, while Emma (who is adopted and knows nothing about her biological parents) isnt sure she wants any. Mexico was (fairly) smooth sailing for the two, but back in Ohio, the family meetings were...a bit emotional. It was unclear whether they could come to terms with their differing views on starting a familybut at the alter, Emma still said yes. Mike, on the other hand, cannot, as its clear to him they arent aligned with what they want for their future. Connor and Bri Netflix Status: (Possibly) still together Advertisement Advertisement Speaking of Connor! Despite his connection with Emma, Bri was all in on Connor from the start, and he eventually fell for her, too (especially after he realized just how much he and Bri have in common). Unfortunately, things got a little dicey in Mexico when Bri reconnected with Chris (who was her number two), and Connor found himself feeling jealous. Back in Ohio, things got even more heated at the group mixer, where Chris pulled Bri aside and insisted Connor was too submissive for her. Fortunately, she didnt seem too swayed by his drunken tiradebut she still ended up deciding that she wasnt ready to say I do just yet. Even without marriage on the table right now, the two are seeing where things go, so heres hoping she and Connor still end up with their Little League family and minivan. Chris and Jessica Netflix Status: Broken up Despite their many differences, Chris and Jessica had a slow-burn romance in the podsand it was a bonus when they discovered that neither of them wanted children. But it was clear the two didnt connect over their lifestyles, with Chris identifying as a gym rat and Jessica...not so much. Advertisement Advertisement Once theyre back in the real world, Chris pulled a 180. He distanced himself from Jessicaeven disappearing for 48 hoursuntil he finally confessed that he was struggling to build a physical connection with her (mostly because she doesnt do Pilates every day). They ended their engagement, and then Chris proceeded to be a mess at the mixer. And when Chris checked in on Jess a week after the split, she made it pretty clear that she was done for good. Devo and Brittany Netflix Status: Its complicated Brittany brought a LOT of energy to the pods (as well as a wedding dress...), and she thought she found a great match in Devo, who decided to stick out the experiment even after learning that his grandfather had passed away. The reveal was a bit awkward (as Devo hadnt realized Brittany is Latina), and in Mexico, it became clear that their physical connection wasnt nearly as strong as their emotional one. Womp. After a tough conversation, the couple continued to try and make things work back home. Devo met Brittanys family, and tbh, it went surprising well. It was clear that Devo still wasnt giving Brittany the validation she needed (and that they dont exactly see eye to eye about finances), and when the wedding day came, they decided not to take a walk down the aisle. Its unclear where things stand with these two now (as Devo did say they would be in touch), but I guess well find out at the reunion. Alex and Ashley Netflix Status: Broken up Advertisement Advertisement The minute Alex and Ashley saw each other during the reveal, the physical attraction was definitely there...or so it seemed. But then, in Mexico, Alex confessed to Brittany that she is his usual type, not Ashley. Yeeep. Meeting Ashleys family (and very intense dad) only seemed to make it clearer to Alex that hed made a mistake, and he proceeded to pick small fights with Ashley over...well, just about everything. Things got worse after the mixer, when questions about his dating timeline started to crop up, and Alex did very little to assuage Ashleys fears. And while they did make it down the aisle, Ashley ended up saying no before Alex even had the chance. As she told him: I know your answer, and it doesnt matter. I know you dont choose me. And Im not choosing you either. You Might Also Like Its always nice when the band gets back together, and thats exactly what happened when part of the Young Sheldon cast appeared on Raegan Revords Instagram, strutting to I Love Rock n Roll by Joan Jett & the Blackhearts. In a cute video captioned Family dynamics, Revord appears first in the video, ever the rebel, and flips off the camera in perfect Missy fashion, quickly followed by her father, George, Lance Barber, who mouths the words, Im sorry, as if to apologize for the shenanigans of his insubordinate teen daughter. This was quickly followed by brother Georgie, Montana Jordan, who, while looking directly at the camera, made it clear: No, we aint. Revord, Barber, and Jordan had worked side by side for seven years when the final episode of Young Sheldon aired in May 2024. The series concluded with a special one-hour two-episode event, titled Funeral and Memoir, bringing the beloved family comedy to a close. Advertisement Advertisement The trio was last pictured together on the set of Georgie & Mandys First Marriage in August 2024, which Revord posted to her Instagram. A major Young Sheldon family reunion is in the works for Season 2 Episode 18 of Georgie & Mandys First Marriage this spring, featuring the return of Barber (George Sr.), as well as Zoe Perry (Mary), Revord (Missy), and more. The episode will air in May, bringing back key cast members to the spinoff. Plot details remain unknown at this time. Fans were beside themselves to see the Coopers reunited, even for just a brief moment. We all know mom is with Sheldon at Radioshack, wrote one fan, in case anyone was wondering where Mary Cooper might have been. Advertisement Advertisement I can hear Georgie[s] accent through the song, wrote another. UGHHHHH MY FAMILY!!!!!, commented a super fan. In reality, George Senior wouldve been on Missys side with this one, lmao itd be Mary to say sorry, wrote a poster on Facebook. It wouldnt be Missy without that teenage sass! Just dont let Mary see it, shed have a conniption fit, ROFL!, posted another. All in all, fans and friends were pretty happy to see the Coopers back together again, even if it was just for a moment. Georgie & Mandys First Marriage, Midseason 2 Premiere, Thursday, February 26, 8/7c, CBS Read the latest entertainment news on TV Insider. After the success of Netflix's moody Yosemite Park-set murder mystery, Untamed, fans of the Eric Bana-led drama will be pumped to hear that not only has a second season been confirmed, but the show will begin filming again in February 2026, Untamed was somewhat of a surprise hit for Netflix when it aired last July, and, according to Deadline, was the third-most-watched title on Netflix in the second half of 2025, with a massive 92.8 million views. But with Banas Special Agent Kyle Turner moseying away from the famous United States National Park at the end of season 1, the new location for the follow-up series has been revealed: Hawaii. Heres everything we know about Untamed season 2 so far. What is Untamed Season 2's Release Date? Thats strictly TBD at the moment. Filming for the six-part season 2 has just begun in actual Hawaii, so it seems unlikely well see it before early 2027. Producers may even want to hold it to another July release. In that case, we may see it in summer 2027. Who is in Untamed Season 2? So far, only Bana himself is confirmed for a comeback. The show is set in an entirely new location, so wed expect a new class of actors, too. Advertisement Advertisement First out of the starting gate is is Shea Whigham (Boardwalk Empire, American Primeval), who will play Ray Burkart. He moved from California to the Big Island of Hawaii 30 years ago, and has a hand in various businessessome more legal than others. After his son is murdered, Burkart clashes with Turner in their search for the killer. Netflix What Will Go Down In Untamed Season 2? The setting is far away from Yosemite and El Capitanthough season 1 was actually filmed in British Columbia, Canada. This time, were headed to the fiery islands of Hawaii, in particular, the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. According to Netflix, Turner is called to investigate a mysterious death in the park, where local tensions and the volatile, living landscape become an unpredictable force, which sounds just as gripping as the first storyline. When Untamed was confirmed for a second journey, Bana said he was blown away by the response of viewers: I am absolutely thrilled that we get the chance to bring another season of Untamed to life. The response to season 1 has been a testament to the incredible effort by our crew to deliver something truly unique. I cant wait to take Kyle on his next journey. Advertisement Advertisement The showrunners, Mark L. Smith and Elle Smith, teased that there were big changes ahead including a shift in Turner, too: Were excited to explore the pristine landscapes and cultural identity of a very different national park, and find Turner in a new state of mind, outside the comfort of Yosemite. Smith added to Tudum: This won't be the first park [Turner] has been in since Yosemite. Its one thatll take place a year and a half after leaving Yosemite. Hes been to a lot of parks. He's been busy. Hes been taking on a lot of cases Were dealing with the next stage of what hes going through, how hes processing. There was the sadness and grief and all of that that lived in the first season. Were trying to really make sure that we dig down and focus on the park matching Turner in a way. The future of Untamed remains to be seen. So does the question of whether Bana will end up on a world tour of America's greatest parks for each new series, a la The White Lotus. But theres an awful lot dramatic mountain scenery out there for the filming. You Might Also Like Next to the Oscar, the Golden Globe and the Primetime Emmy, the Actor Award holds a prominent place in the film and television industry: People holding Actor Award trophies frequently go on to win an Academy Award. The cermony to hand out the Actor Awards will be on Netflix in March. A view of the casting and molding process during the pouring of the actor statuette for the 30th annual Screen Actors Guild awards at American Fine Arts Foundry on Feb. 7, 2024 in Burbank, California. Known as the SAG or Screen Actors Guild Awards for more than 30 years, the awards ceremony has undergone a name change this year: The Actor Awards Presented by SAG-AFTRA. Advertisement Advertisement "We wanted to provide clearer recognition in terms of what the show is about for our domestic and global audiences we honor actors in film and television," the ceremony organization noted on its website, adding that the ceremony has expanded its global viewership since it was first aired live on Netflix in 2024. More: 'Sinners' rises with 16 Oscar nominations. Here are the other nominees SAG stands for Screen Actors Guild, a labor union that merged with another union, the American Federation of Radio and Television Artists, in 2012. After the merger, the awards ceremony was still called the SAG Awards until this year, the 32nd annual awards ceremony. Where can I watch the Actor Awards? The show airs on Netflix at 8 p.m. EST on Sunday, March 1. Who is hosting the show? Kristen Bell, a Golden Globe and Primetime Emmy-nominated actor who stars in the popular Netflix show Nobody Wants This. In 2018, Bell became the first person to host the show. Kristen Bell attends the 31st Screen Actors Guild Awards, in Los Angeles, California on Feb. 23, 2025. What if I can't watch the broadcast? The show will be available to stream on Netflix for 28 days following the live show. When did the Actor Awards start? The first ceremony was broadcast live on NBC from Universal Studios on Feb 25, 1995. Reporter Ken Serrano can be reached at 732-643-4029 or at kserrano@gannettnj.com. This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: When are the Actor Awards ceremony? Pad Thai may be the dish most people associate with Thai cuisine (and one with its own intriguing history), but treating it as the only option is a grave mistake. In Thailand, every dish reveals centuries of influence from migration and trade routes to climate and religion. So, when you move beyond ordering another Pad Thai, you take one step closer toward understanding how Thai people actually eat. Dishes like Pad Kra Pao and Khao Soi may sound unfamiliar if you've never tried them, but in actuality are everyday meals, quick fixes for hungry commuters, and comfort food for families through the year. To help decipher these different facets, we turned to a trio of experts who live and cook Thai food as it's meant to be experienced. In Lisbon, Caroline Phetsomphou, co-owner of Baan Saraiva's, has built one of Portugal's most authentic Thai restaurants along with partner Jerome Percherancier. Further north, in Porto, Pattareeya Yawanopas Guimaraes, founder of Thailander, brings uncompromising flavors straight from Thailand. And from Mumbai, Thai-born chef Seefah Ketchaiyo offers a powerful reminder of Thai food's everyday soul. Beyond her acclaimed restaurant Seefah, she has created Khao Man Gai a concept inspired by Bangkok street stalls together proving that some of Thailand's most meaningful dishes are also its simplest. Together, our experts guide you through the dishes you need to try and the mistakes you must avoid making the next time you dine at a Thai restaurant. Advertisement Advertisement Read more: 11 Differences Between US And European Restaurants You Need To Know Before Traveling Pad See Ew A wok filled with stir fried Thai noodles and meat - Nungning20/Shutterstock When asked for their recommendations about which local favorite to try apart from Pad Thai, the unanimous response from all three of our experts was Pad See Ew. The time has come for this unassuming yet delicious noodle dish to steal the spotlight. Pattareeya Guimaraes explains, "for those who are not keen on spicy, they would prefer something lighter [like] non-spicy Pad See Ew, which means stir-fried noodles with soy sauce". Imagine silky rice noodles stir-fried with your choice of chicken, beef, shrimp, or tofu and tossed on a hot wok with fresh eggs and vibrant Thai broccoli to create a perfect balance of texture and flavor. Seefah Ketchaiyo points out that when it's made properly i.e. the chef needs to be fast, season well, and make sure that everything cooks in the perfect condition to deliver the dish it "highlights wok technique and balance between savory and slightly sweet flavors without heavy sauces." Together the smoky wok char and the hint of saucy sweetness exemplifies Thai balance. Beyond flavor, this is a dish that is popular in home kitchens and street stalls a true insider's pick. For anyone looking to expand their Thai meal experimentation, Pad See Ew is approachable yet still with enough depth to reassure long-time lovers of Thai cuisine. Pad Kee Mao Thai Drunken Noodles in a white dish - Nunung Noor Aisyah/Shutterstock Not everyone is looking for "safe" when it comes to expanding their culinary repertoire. For many, Thai food equals spice and they welcome the kick of flavors associated with the expert use of chili and heat. Pad Kee Mao, also known as "Drunken Noodles," is the dish for anyone who likes their meals with a bite. Advertisement Advertisement Pattareeya Guimaraes warns that for those craving intense flavor, this stir-fried rice noodle dish hits all the right notes with its combination of fiery Thai chilies, aromatic holy basil, garlic, and other herbs. It's no wonder, she explains, that its name "drunken" refers to its popularity as "a late-night street food or a spicy hangover cure" the dish itself doesn't actually contain alcohol. Pad Kee Mao marries wok-tossed thick, chewy rice noodles soaked in an aromatic sauce. Meat, seafood, or tofu add heft to each slurpy bite and crispy vegetables show up for contrast. The fragrant basil introduces a welcome hint of herbaceous sweetness but the punch of spice is unmistakable, making it a local dish that celebrates both boldness and unpredictability. Pad Kra Pao Spicy stir-fried beef with holy basil, served with a fried egg - iMc.StandAlone/Shutterstock This is Thai street food at its best: "Simple, quick, and packed with flavor," says Caroline Phetsomphou. "Minced meat (usually pork, chicken, or beef) is stir-fried with fragrant holy basil (krapao) and finished off with a crispy fried egg on top. The egg yolk breaks open and blends perfectly with the savory stir-fry, creating a mouthwatering mix of textures." Usually served over a mound of fragrant jasmine rice, the combination of heat, aroma, and textures makes it unmistakably Thai. Phetsomphou adds her pro tip: "For an extra punch, you can dip it into Prik Nam Pla a tangy, spicy mix of fish sauce, lime, garlic, and chilies served on the side. Advertisement Advertisement Despite its apparent simplicity, Pad Kra Pao demands precision. "It uses few ingredients but depends on high heat and correct timing," warns chef Seefah Ketchaiyo. "When cooked poorly, it becomes oily, bland, or uses the wrong basil, losing its signature aroma." This is a dish that rewards attention and technique: The wok must be hot, the ingredients tossed quickly, and the basil added at just the right moment to release its herbal punch. Thai locals cook it at home, tourists seek out the most authentic versions (hint: they are all good), and everyone who tastes it feels a little closer to the kitchens of Thailand. Tom Yum Goong A bowl of Tom yum goong, a hot and sour Thai soup with shrimp - Nunung Noor Aisyah/Shutterstock If you are looking for iconic, our chefs know just the dish. According to Caroline Phetsomphou, Tom Yum Goong (Thai Shrimp Soup) is one of the most ubiquitous dishes in Thai cuisine, embodying the essential balance of the four fundamental flavors that define Thai food: salty, sweet, sour, and spicy. As Seefah Ketchaiyo sums it up, "one spoonful shows how Thai food layers flavors instead of relying on just one dominant taste." As per Phetsomphou, Tom Yum Goong is traditionally made with fresh shrimp and "a fragrant broth infused with herbs like kaffir lime leaves, lemongrass, galangal, and chilies, producing an aroma so distinct that it's immediately recognizable." Each ingredient has a role, and as you make your way through the bowl, you will notice the interplay of heat from the fresh chilies and curry paste, the umami depth of the fish sauce, and the subtle hint of sweetness from palm sugar. With its roots in Central Thailand, this dish has undergone centuries of culinary evolution and demonstrates the Thai kitchen's mastery of balancing multiple flavors in a single bowl. Another point of pride for Phetsomphou is that this recognition goes beyond taste: "In 2024, UNESCO officially recognized Tom Yum Goong as part of the intangible cultural heritage of humanity, highlighting its status as a symbol of Thailand's unique culinary legacy." Som Tum Papaya salad in a white bowl - meowwelove/Shutterstock We asked our experts to suggest the best model of culinary excellence in Thai food. Pattareeya Guimaraes explains that along with Tom Yum Soup, Som Tum is "the best example of how we balance several flavours in Thai cuisine." Caroline Phetsomphou agrees that Som Tum, or Thai green papaya salad, is one of the classic dishes that balances multiple flavors in one vibrant bite. Advertisement Advertisement Som Tum layers spicy, tangy, sweet, and savory notes all at once, creating a lively explosion of taste and texture. The true green papaya may be difficult to source outside of Thailand but that doesn't stop restaurants and home chefs experimenting with substitutes. In the original recipe, raw, shredded green papaya is pounded gently in a mortar with fresh chilies, garlic, lime juice, fish sauce, palm sugar, and tomatoes. Another insider addition is that of pla ra. Guimaraes insists that this fermented fish sauce with rice bran or roasted rice adds the special intense flavor and smell into the dish. For this reason alone, she says, "we only recommend this to Thai or tourists that have tried already in Thailand." What you are usually served is a medley of crisp papaya, juicy bursts of cherry tomatoes, and roasted peanuts along with a light dressing that binds it all together. "We always ask how many chilies they'd like spiciness typically starts with three chilies, whereas Thai people usually request a minimum of 10 to 15 chilies for a true kick," says Phetsomphou. Khao Soi Khao Soi noodle soup in a black bowl - kampol Jongmeesuk/Shutterstock For Northern Thailand, Khao Soi is the signature dish. "This rich, creamy, and aromatic noodle soup stands apart from the rest of Thai cuisine, offering a bolder, spicier, and saltier profile than what you would typically find in central Thailand," explains Caroline Phetsomphou. Carrying the distinct flavors of the northern part of Thailand and influenced by Burma, "the soup features a base of yellow curry, infused with spices and coconut milk, giving it a velvety texture and depth of flavor," she adds. "It is traditionally served with yellow egg noodles and a choice of protein either tender chicken or beef. What sets Khao Soi apart is the addition of crispy fried noodles placed on top, which diners can break apart to add a delightful crunch to the dish." Both Seefah Ketchaiyo and Pattareeya Guimaraes urge diners to experiment with various toppings to add textures and flavors, from crispy fried egg noodles for a satisfying crunch to pickled mustard greens and red onions to bring a tangy brightness. The richness of the coconut-milk based curry must be cut through with a final squeeze of fresh lime and a scatter of vibrant cilantro leaves for the final touch. This dish is the ultimate comfort food of northern Thailand, often eaten in small street stalls, family homes, and local restaurants. Southern Thai cuisine Bowls of Thai sour curry with sea bass served with steamed jasmine rice - Tong Chanyawat/Shutterstock If the cuisine of Northern Thailand is famous for its rustic flavors, then Southern Thailand is famous for flavors that hit hard and don't apologize. "The best dishes to represent the South of Thailand would be Gaeng Tai Pla (Fermented Fish Guts Curry) and Gaeng Som (Southern Sour Curry)," explains Pattareeya Guimaraes. From the names themselves, you immediately know that these dishes mean business. Advertisement Advertisement Seefah Ketchaiyo clarifies, "For Southern Thailand, Gaeng Tai Pla represents the region's bold style. It is much spicier and saltier, using fermented fish as a base instead of coconut milk." This creates a layered taste that's both savory and aromatic. Gaeng Som, on the other hand, is a vibrant sour curry often featuring fresh fish or seafood, tamarind, turmeric, and bird's eye chilies, giving it a bold, tangy kick. Both rely heavily on shrimp paste, turmeric, and local herbs, which together create a flavor profile that is spicier and more pungent than elsewhere in the country. For locals, these curries are daily staples and they reveal a region of Thailand where flavor comes first, balance second. While they can be challenging for first-time eaters, you are assured an authentic taste of southern Thai heritage that will stay with you for a long time after your meal. Central Thai curries Thai green curry with chicken in a black bowl - Nungning20/Getty Images If the cuisine of Southern Thailand is full of heat and boldness and that of the North is tangy and flavorful, the Central region is a showcase for smoothness and harmony. Gaeng Kiew Wan, or green curry, is "the best curry that represents the Central [region] of Thailand," notes Pattareeya Guimaraes. Made from a fresh paste of green chilies and local aromatics like lemongrass, galangal, and kaffir lime leaves, along with garlic and shallots, the curry has a signature herbal aroma and gentle heat. To temper the palate, creamy, rich coconut milk is added. Traditionally served with chicken or beef and the signature Thai eggplant, each spoonful highlights the region's culinary philosophy: balance above all. Advertisement Advertisement "As varied as the regions they originate from, Thai curries showcase the richness of the nation's culinary traditions," explains Guimaraes. Gaeng Kiew Wan is more than just a curry. Rather, treat it as the perfect introduction to Thai flavors that can be both sophisticated and familiar at the same time. Khao Moo Daeng Thai rice with roasted red pork and chilis - PosiNote/Shutterstock Digging deeper into local favorites, we asked our experts to share dishes that tourists often overlook (but really shouldn't). Seefah Ketchaiyo immediately recommended Khao Moo Daeng, or red pork on rice. "It is fast, affordable, and found everywhere in Thailand," the chef explains. "Tourists often overlook it because it appears simple, but locals love it for its comforting flavors and reliability." What makes Khao Moo Daeng special isn't just the flavor (and there's tons of that no surprises). When you combine fluffy jasmine rice topped with tender slices of pork glazed in a caramelized soy-based sauce, there's no way this is not an indulgent and satisfying dish. Yet tourists often overlook it because it doesn't come with the usual exotic fanfare of Thai curries and noodle dishes. This dish reflects the practical, everyday side of Thai food. It is quick to make, nourishing, and delicious. Often served along with a boiled egg or cool, crunchy cucumbers and a light broth, you are looking at a hearty meal that is unpretentious and full of comfort. Khao Man Gai Thai steamed chicken with rice - Kurapy11/Getty Images Everyone talks about Hainanese chicken rice, but did you know that Thailand has its own take on this fragrant and deeply satisfying dish? For chef Seefah Ketchaiyo, Khao Man Gai proves that Thai food is not all about spice and heat. Here tender poached chicken (the best kind) is served with perfectly cooked jasmine rice infused with the heady flavors of aromatics and chicken broth. "It is fragrant with ginger and garlic, served with clear soup and a mild sauce that can be adjusted," she says, emphasizing the balance and adaptability of the dish. Advertisement Advertisement To round off the meal, a dipping sauce made from soy, garlic, ginger, and a hint of chili or vinegar is served. How much or how little you add to each bite is up to you, but just know that each component of this multi-layered masterpiece combines to create a sensory experience. Khao Man Gai is also a street food staple and a go-to meal for travelers seeking something approachable yet authentic. If you are intimidated by chilies but still want the whole Thai culinary experience, this is the dish for you. Nam Prik A bowl of hot chili paste - Yuriku image/Shutterstock We asked our experts about which Thai dish best showcases regional ingredients or traditions that tourists rarely encounter, and their answers were enlightening. Caroline Phetsomphou lists Khao Pad (Thai fried rice) a classic Thai dish made with leftover rice, eggs, protein (like chicken, pork, or shrimp), and vegetables such as cabbage or greens as her favorite. She notes that while this dish is quick and versatile, the highlight for her is that it is served with Prik Nam Pla. Prik Nam Pla is a spicy fish sauce dip and adds the iconic balance of savory, umami, and fresh flavors to any Thai dish, whether served up in a fine dining restaurant or a home-style meal. Similarly, Seefah Ketchaiyo talks about how each region in Thailand has its own chili paste using local ingredients such as fermented fish, crab, or shrimp paste. She regularly reaches for Nam Prik spicy chili sauce with fresh vegetables and herbs. Here she insists upon the fact that Nam Prik is less about complexity and more about community. "It represents communal eating and how Thais season food at the table," she adds. What's important is how families and friends come together around a dinner table, with each person adding and adjusting the intensity of sweet, spicy, and sour elements to their personal taste but still maintaining the interactive and communal nature of the meal. Laab Spicy minced pork salad (Larb Moo) in a white dish - Nungning20/Getty Images A little history and geography lesson first. Laos borders the northeastern region of Thailand, and the two countries have had a long history of cultural exchange. The people of Laos have long since been crossing over to work in Thailand, and this has led to significant impact on the culinary flavors and techniques of the region. Advertisement Advertisement This is exemplified in the dish known as Laab or Larb. An iconic item of Isaan cuisine, Caroline Phetsomphou explains how it "can be made with any type of meat, but it's most prepared with minced meat, mixed with Thai aromatic herbs, shallots, coriander, and mint. This dish is typically eaten with sticky rice and often served with cucumber, lettuce, and additional fresh herbs. It's a dish full of bold flavors that tourists rarely get to experience but is cherished in its regional context." Unlike many Thai dishes that rely on creamy coconut based curries or peanut sauces, Laab celebrates the natural freshness, texture, and aroma of the herbs used. Simple in ingredients but complex in flavor, it's an essential dish for anyone wanting to explore Thailand's regional specialties and go deeper than the usual offerings. Plus it's definitely one of the healthier foods on offer at any Thai restaurant. Moo Yang and Moo Krob Roasted pork on a white plate with a bowl of spicy dip - Wittayayut/Getty Images For Caroline Phetsomphou, two more items need a special mention in this list of must-try dishes. "Moo Yang (grilled pork) with Nam Jim Jeow sauce is a comforting dish loved by Thais, especially at home," she says. "It features grilled black pork served with a spicy sauce made from roasted rice powder, which adds a slightly nutty and aromatic touch. Eating this dish at home evokes a sense of comfort and a connection to traditional Thai culture." Unlike dishes served in restaurants, it carries the warmth of family tables, street-side stalls, and informal celebrations Next up is Moo Krob, or crispy pork. For Phetsomphou, this is "a dish that hinges more on technique than a wide range of ingredients. The essential components are pork belly, vinegar, and salt." When done right, the meat is juicy and succulent while the pork skin is delightfully crispy. Phetsomphou explains that the secret to achieving this lies in introducing air into the skin at precisely the right moment. As you can imagine, this requires a fair deal of experience and mastering of the culinary technique, but when the boiling, roasting, and quick frying is done the way it should be, you are served up a deeply loved dish with rich, satisfying flavors that are approachable yet unforgettable. Advertisement Advertisement For more food and drink goodness, join The Takeout's newsletter and add us as a preferred search source. Get taste tests, food & drink news, deals from your favorite chains, recipes, cooking tips, and more! Read the original article on The Takeout. About five years ago I left the US, first for Canada, then Luxembourg and France. I learned so much and had life-changing experiences, but it wasn't all sunshine and roses Tired of immigration bureaucracy and job hunting abroad, I finally moved back to the US. For my entire life, I'd dreamed of moving to a different country. In 2020, I did just that, leaving my job in my home state of Washington to spend six months living in Montreal with my then-partner. Advertisement Advertisement From there, I continued my adventures living abroad, spending a year in Luxembourg to study multilingual education while working part-time, followed by just under two years in France (small-town Provence and Paris). I had some incredible experiences, and I'm sure my Instagram feed made it look like my commute involved cobblestone streets and fresh pastries and my weekends were always spent hiking the Alps or drinking wine by the Mediterranean. However, life abroad still had its stressors. About five years later, I gave up on the instability of constant visa renewal and just moved back to the US and I now know the overly rosy takes on social media don't always paint a full picture. Finding employment abroad requires determination and flexibility Tirana, Albania Sydney Baker Like in the US, employers abroad often prioritize hiring citizens and permanent residents. Advertisement Advertisement Many countries have strict requirements for hiring foreigners, and it can be costly for businesses when you factor in things like visa sponsorship or relocation costs. Finding the golden opportunity that will sponsor you usually means doing something different and often for less pay. For instance, when I initially wanted to move to France, I took an "easy" route and accepted a job as a high-school language assistant through a government program. Later, I'd work as a contractor for a US-based university and run a semester study abroad program in Paris. Both opportunities were more or less in my field, international education; however, language assistants don't make much (only a stipend), and both jobs, by nature, were typically short-term contracts. Advertisement Advertisement This kept me in a loop of constantly needing the next job to sponsor yet another visa. When the job in Paris was coming to a close, I applied to dozens of roles at various universities. However, I didn't want to teach English again, which limited my options. After various rejections and never-ending applications, I decided my efforts may be better spent back home, in a job market I had the full legal ability to work in. As an American, the years of endless immigration bureaucracy never got easier Chateau Frontenac in Quebec City Sydney Baker Each year that I lived abroad, I had to chase down, translate, and notarize numerous proofs of identity, medical certificates, background checks, and other documents. The cost added up to hundreds of dollars per visa and required a trip to an embassy, consulate, or third-party immigration processor in a different city. Advertisement Advertisement The bureaucratic olympics don't end there. My moves to Canada and Luxembourg were during the height of the pandemic, so I had to undergo tightly regulated COVID-19 testing, vaccination checks, and quarantines. Besides that, once in-country, there were additional medical checks, visa validations, visits to government offices, and fees paid before I was an official, if temporary, resident. Language and cultural differences meant finding community took time Montmorency Falls Sydney Baker It's well-acknowledged that making friends in adulthood is anything but easy. Throw in a completely new country and likely, non-native language skills, and it can take even longer. My first couple of months in Luxembourg were filled with periods of loneliness and questioning whether I'd made the right decision. Advertisement Advertisement Luckily, after putting myself out there for coffee dates and hangouts, I did eventually fall in with a fantastic international group from various continents. When I moved to a small town in southern France, I really had to flex my French language skills and become involved in the local community through dance classes and frequenting the same cafe most days. It's easy to feel lonely and hide out in your room, or fall into the easy trap of only hanging out with fellow Americans, but eventually branching out, participating in hobbies I enjoyed, and being patient paid off for me. All in all, I've realized a lot of digital-nomad influencers don't share the full story Annecy in the French Alps Sydney Baker After a few years abroad, I've officially removed the rose-colored glasses I'd put on after watching many American digital nomads "living the dream" around the globe. Advertisement Advertisement After all, they built followings sharing dreamy farmers-market hauls and days spent sipping Aperol spritzes and espresso not the piles of paperwork, sacrifice, and struggles that can come with living somewhere new. Life abroad isn't an extended vacation. You still have to figure out mundane, tiring tasks like how to book appointments, go grocery shopping, and get to work on time while also navigating visa paperwork and (sometimes) language barriers. All of this isn't to say I didn't love my time abroad, but I do wish the discourse online was a bit more nuanced. The past four years were some of the most rewarding of my life, but for the moment, the stressful, mundane, and complicated details have me back in the US. Life is similarly up and down, but at least I'm navigating a culture I understand and I don't need to get a new visa every year. Read the original article on Business Insider Its a Friday night in Largo, and this small neighborhood restaurant is hopping. Shortly before 7 p.m., the dining room is already more than halfway full, with families and kids crowding tables and couples trickling in. By 8 p.m., the place is packed. The owners pull tables from across the dining room to accommodate a 10-top of women celebrating a birthday while guests chat, lingering over toppling mezze plates and ogling the stacked dessert case on their way out. Owner Eugen Mucaj said hes still learning the ropes of running a restaurant. With a background in criminology and intelligence services, the 48-year-old didnt have a career in hospitality on his bingo card. Advertisement Advertisement But you wouldnt know it dining at Oda e Miqve, the charming Albanian spot Mucaj runs with his wife, Angela. The couple opened the restaurant on a quiet stretch off Adrian Avenue and Indian Rocks Road in December 2024. They hatched the idea for a casual eatery specializing in traditional Albanian cuisine after noticing a lack of similar options in the area. They wanted to bring the dishes they grew up with to a local audience. Mucaj said hes been floored by the robust diner response. It could have something to do with the restaurants prices: Dishes, which feature over-the-top generous portions, are very affordable. It could have something to do with the food: The sizable menu of traditional Albanian dishes highlights simple ingredients using elevated, but never fussy, technique. And it could have something to do with the warmth and hospitality intrinsic to the experience. My guess is that Oda e Miqves success is a combination of all three dining here is akin to spending an evening at a quaint European bistro or trattoria. And if youre unfamiliar with Albanian cuisine, a meal here provides the perfect primer. The southeastern European country borders Montenegro, Kosovo, North Macedonia and Greece. Its the latter countrys cuisine, Mucaj said, thats the most similar to Albanian, though the two are certainly distinct. The countrys proximity to the Mediterranean is evidenced by dishes heavily rooted in olive oil, vegetables and seafood. Advertisement Advertisement Any dinner here is off to a strong start when warm spears of crusty bread arrive, served with an emerald green parsley and olive oil dipping sauce heavy with garlic and Parmesan. Its an elixir that brims with bright flavors and a garlicky punch, and its tough not to sop up the entire thing before the rest of the meal arrives. Among the spots starters, a bronzed slab of sesame-crusted feta cheese ($11) is a must-order, featuring a golden hunk of baked cheese drizzled with honey. Each bite delivers creamy nibs of cheese interspersed with a sweet, salty crunch. A bright orange bell pepper ($9) arrives chargrilled and stuffed with a light and fluffy (and very hot) farmers cheese, studded with garlic and a shower of herbs. Its a simple preparation with bucolic appeal, and one thats also found on the menus mezze spread ($45), a large platter that includes beef and vegetable kabobs, meatballs, byrek (a phyllo spinach and cheese pie), cured sausage, yogurt sauce and green onions. Albanias cuisine is deeply regional and fluctuates throughout the country. Mucaj, who tapped Albanian chef Ali Bendaj to helm the kitchen here, said the menu takes a more holistic approach. Dishes that hail from the countrys northern regions include pickled and fermented vegetables a staple during wintertime across the Balkan country. They find their way onto a generous pickle platter ($15) that will delight any true brine and fermentation enthusiast. The dish features pale green tomatoes fermented in-house, imported Albanian olives, pickled peppers stuffed with a soft farmers cheese and pickled cabbage, all served with a thick and tangy Albanian strained yogurt (also called salce kosi). Theres also a hearty bean casserole ($19), a tasty cold-weather dish in which large butter beans come swathed in a sweet tomato sauce, paired with hunks of suxhuk, a dried and cured beef sausage, all served from a piping hot clay pot. To the countrys south, seafood is a highlight, from a shrimp crudo starter ($21) to a popular seafood linguini ($25) and an excellent branzino ($26) that features the golden-seared Mediterranean sea bass fillets topped with shrimp in a light and peppery citrus-tinged sauce. Its paired with a colorful medley of roasted vegetables carrots, broccoli and baby potatoes. Advertisement Advertisement Two iconic Albanian dishes are featured prominently: tave dheu ($19), a baked beef and farmers cheese dish, and tave kosi ($21), a hearty lamb preparation that originated during the Ottoman Empire. At Oda e Miqve, hunks of soft, succulent lamb are marinated in yogurt, then baked into a creamy casserole-like dish with rice, yogurt and eggs. Albanias proximity to Italy has made it an attractive destination for Italian tourists over the years (the gorgeous landscape vistas projected in a loop on one of the restaurants widescreen televisions present a pretty compelling picture), and dishes like the sacchetti ($23) speak to Italys influence on the cuisine. The hearty pasta pockets arrive filled with ricotta and swimming in a thick, truffle-laced cream sauce. A dollop of homemade fig preserves anchors the plate, which is finished with a thick squiggle of balsamic glaze. Its a decadent dish that perfectly fuses sweet with savory and its also available as a very generous starter for $12. A note on portion sizes: Get ready to be pleasantly surprised dishes are much larger than one might expect for the price tag. A massive lamb shank on a bed of risotto will run you $24, for instance, and many plates approach shareable portions, which makes selecting a few items and splitting them between friends a nice, cost-effective option. For drinks, a small, modestly priced selection of Italian wines includes several options by the bottle, but not glass (the $50 Valle Segreta Super Tuscan is a solid bet). Theres a very small selection of Albanian wines listed, and for those curious, you can either sample the house wine, the Dukasi (a bold merlot and cabernet blend priced at $7 a glass), or opt for a bottle of one of the other two wines listed. A couple of Day-Glo margarita machines perched near the front of the restaurant arent what they seem: The restaurant does not have a license to serve liquor and, after experimenting briefly with wine-based margaritas, Mucaj decided to scrap the idea and instead offer a dueling combo of fruit slushies for children. Advertisement Advertisement That family-friendly approach is a big part of the appeal to dining here: The spot manages to be both hospitable to kids and families and still completely appropriate for a date-night scenario. The name Oda e Miqve translates loosely to friends dining room or room of friends. It feels like an apt description such is the charm of this European bistro. And one really does feel like theyre dining in Europewhilehere. Checks wont get dropped until the diners request, and the owners are more than happy to let you linger over a meal for several hours (with just Mucaj and his wife running the show, turning tables doesnt appear to be a high priority). The daily dessert case is always stocked with a number of sweet pastries and European-inspired treats, and the chocolate mousse, which arrives in a thin-shelled dark chocolate dome, is an excellent way to cap an evening that is, if you still have room. If you go Where: 3534 Adrian Ave., Suite B, Largo. 727-439-7377. odaemiqve.com Advertisement Advertisement Hours: Dinner is served Tuesday-Thursday from 4 to 9 p.m. and Friday from 4 to 10 p.m. Saturday lunch and dinner are served 12 to 10 p.m. and Sunday from 12 to 9 p.m. Prices: Appetizers $8-$15; seafood and pasta $22-$26; entrees $15-$24. Dont skip: sesame cheese, sacchetti and branzino. The details: Some parking is available at the rear of the building as well as on the street. Cash and credit cards accepted. A separate kids menu includes pasta ($6), chicken tenders and fries ($8) and mozzarella sticks ($7). The way Thomas Watson imagines it, customers wont discover Spud Daddy with their eyes. Itll be their noses. As hand-cut french fries sizzle in a fryer on the front patio of his downtown Boise restaurant, the cooking process will produce a powerful, magically magnetic scent. You will smell it, Watson predicts, for a couple blocks. Opening this spring in the BoDo district at 404 S. 8th St. formerly the longtime home of Bodovino wine bar Spud Daddy will welcome hungry hordes with what might be the most Idaho-focused restaurant concept ever concocted. Advertisement Advertisement The star of the menu will be loaded Idaho baked potatoes served with customizable toppings in a Chipotle-style assembly line. Kichii Sushi & Spirits was the most recent tenant at the longtime former Bodovino space on the corner of 8th and Broad streets in downtown Boise. (Michael Deeds/Statesman file photo) And as a walk-up option outside? Gourmet fries, presented in a fashion thats deliciously unfamiliar to many Idahoans. Spud Daddy also will sell potato- and Gem State-themed merchandise: calendars, stickers, hoodies, T-shirts, hats. This should be the most Idaho restaurant that exists when were done with this thing, Watson says. This is Idaho, through and through. Dozens of toppings Licensed through the Idaho Potato Commission, Watson says, Spud Daddy will use taters grown by Sun Valley Potatoes. Known as 40-count potatoes, these russets are huge, he adds, weighing in at around 1 1/4 pounds. Advertisement Advertisement The baked potatoes will be amped up with three primary protein options: smoked brisket, garlic chicken or smoked pit ham. Smothered on top of that? An assortment of vegetables, salsas, sauces, cheeses, baked beans you name it. It will end up being about 28 total toppings, he says. And the fries? Watson is excited to offer what he calls kind of a new experience for Boise. They will be Amsterdam-style: hand-cut extra-thick, placed in a big paper cone, with optional parmesan grated on top and augmented with a choice of three housemade aiolis. Oh, and theyll be double-fried for extra crispness. Our fries will be nice and crispy even though theyre still fat and hand-cut, Watson says. Theyll also be sprinkled with the Potato Commissions newly unveiled Top That Tater seasoning. Spud Daddy served its loaded baked potatoes to football players prior to the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl in December. Pictured is a 40-count potato topped with smoked pit ham, creamy parmesan sauce, green onions, corn salsa and cilantro. (@spud.daddy.official/Instagram) Spud Daddys potato-based creations will cost between $8 and $14, he says, keeping the restaurant affordable and family-friendly. The restaurant also will sell Coke products, feature six beers on tap, whip up house-made root beer floats and squeeze lemonade on-site. Treefort launch If all goes according to plan, Spud Daddy will debut March 25, during Treefort Music Fest, as a walk-up option selling fries. Customers will be able to go inside the 90-seat restaurant for self-serve sodas or to order beer. Loaded baked potatoes will be available a month later when Spud Daddy fully opens. Advertisement Advertisement An Idaho native born in Twin Falls, Watson grew up in Kimberly surrounded by potato farms. He moved to Boise in 2008. Ive just been thinking about this idea for years and years, he says. Opening across from The Warehouse Food Hall, Spud Daddy will take over one of several vacant spaces in the BoDo district. Kichii Sushi & Spirits most recently inhabited the spot. Notably and kitty-corner to Spud Daddys future home P.F. Changs closed last fall. Spud Daddy could help re-energize some of the area, Watson says. We think we can sort of be a beacon of light downtown. One thing is certain. If you call yourself an Idahoan, it will be difficult not to root for Spud Daddy. And to suppress the primal craving triggered by the wafting smell of tantalizing french fries cooking on an outdoor patio. If its not raining, Watson says, well be frying. Turkish Airlines will launch regular flights to Yerevan starting from March 11, Armenia International Airports CJSC has announced, Azernews reports. The IstanbulYerevanIstanbul route will initially be operated on a daily basis. According to the operator, the frequency of flights will increase in the coming months, reaching ten flights per week from mid-May and further expanding to fourteen flights per week from mid-June. Calls to boycott Amazon have intensified across 2025 and into 2026, driven by deeper scrutiny of the retailers role in labour practices, corporate governance, market power and wider social issues. Activists, unions and consumer groups are promoting coordinated actions and alternative shopping behaviours as they question Amazons impact on workers, competition and global retail dynamics. These movements are gaining attention beyond social media and protest spaces, reflecting broader debates about the responsibilities of major online platforms in the retail sector. Concerns over labour conditions and corporate responsibility Retail industry observers and advocacy groups highlight working conditions in Amazons warehouse and fulfilment network as a significant factor in boycott campaigns. Reports from independent sources indicate that injury rates among fulfilment centre staff have been higher than average for comparable industries, alongside claims about demanding performance targets and limited break times. These issues have been raised repeatedly by unions and worker rights organisations as emblematic of systemic labour challenges at large e-commerce firms. The #MakeAmazonPay campaign and related actions have drawn together international labour groups calling for improved pay and safety standards. Protests and strikes have been staged around key shopping events such as Black Friday, with organisers urging shoppers to rethink their purchasing decisions and support fairer working conditions. Political influence, social responsibility and tech controversies Some boycott actions reflect broader political and ethical critiques of Amazons business ties and public positioning. Advocacy groups have targeted corporate decisions perceived as rolling back diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, linking these shifts to wider discussions about corporate social responsibility in global markets. Amazons cloud computing arm, Amazon Web Services (AWS), has also been the subject of activism relating to controversial government contracts. The multi-year cloud services deal known as Project Nimbus involving Israeli government entities has drawn internal opposition from some current and former employees, who argue such contracts raise ethical concerns about surveillance and military applications of technology. Public debate has also focused on high-profile corporate donations and affiliations with policy agendas in the United States. Critics say such actions may influence perceptions of neutrality for multinational businesses operating in diverse political environments. HONOLULU (KHON2) Friday the 13th is a holiday in the tattoo world, with many tattoo shops offering extremely discounted tattoos and piercings in honor of the unlucky day. Though the origins of Friday the 13th as a day for tattoo sales is widely debated and subject to many urban legends what matters most is that you can get a new tattoo for a very low price. Tattoo removal expert says 1 in 7 clients asks to remove this specific tattoo Advertisement Advertisement For these flash sales, shops often have predesigned pieces that you can choose to get, with several rules on placement, size and color. Prices can also vary with the sales typically starting at around $50, which is cheap in comparison to the usual $100+ for small tattoos. Whether its your first time getting inked or if youre somewhat of a veteran, these Oahu shops are some of the top places to get your new piece. Lilium Tattoo Hawaii 925 Maunakea St. Unit F If youre into getting some of your favorite colors or want to commemorate Friday the 13th with a 13, Lilium Tattoo Hawaii is the place to be. Their flash sale even extends into Valentines Day, with several of their flash designs containing hearts and other romantic elements for the lovers day. Advertisement Advertisement Tattoos start at $60 for just linework, $80 for black and gray and $100 for full color, with the flash sale running from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. both days. Designs can only be placed on your arms and legs. While walk-ins are accepted, appointments are strongly encouraged. To view their flash sheet, visit Lilium Tattoo Hawaiis Instagram or check out their website. A new form of tourism: US residents seek tattoos in Mexico Banyan Tree Tattoo 1450 Ala Moana Blvd. Suite 2240D Located inside the Ala Moana Center, Banyan Tree Tattoo also has a two-day flash on Friday and Saturday, which they call their Bloody Valentine Flash Special. Their designs range from $60 line art with designs such as Jason Voorheess mask, pizza with heart-shaped pepperoni slices and more. Advertisement Advertisement Designs then increase in price, up to $222 for a stunningly detailed The Birth of Venus tattoo, which is a fantastic price for a piece that elegant. Banyan Tree Tattoos designs can be modified, and couples can get matching tattoos with the second tattoo half off starting at $130. To view pieces from Banyan Tree Tattoo, visit their Instagram page and learn more on their website. Finding Sailor Jerry: Honolulus OG tattoo shop Kapwa Tattoo 900 N Nimitz Hwy. Suite 311 Ranging between dainty fine line tattoos for $50 to a detailed humuhumunukunukuapuaa for $300, Kapwa Tattoo has options for everybody. Placement and size restrictions vary by artist at Kapwa Tattoo, so be sure to double check before you get your tattoo. Advertisement Advertisement Addition designs include Betty Boop, an oyster with a pearl, a caterpillar and more. For view available pieces, visit Kapwa Tattoos Instagram page or website. Legally blind Ohio artist says she cant drive, but she can tattoo Beach Park Tattoo 602 Kailua Road #103 Have your own idea for a tattoo? Beach Park Tattoo is providing clients with the unique opportunity to design your own flash tattoo. Ranging between $50 and $150 depending on size, shading and design, your piece can go on your arms or legs. You can walk-in or schedule an appointment with Beach Park Tattoo during their flash sale hours of 11 a.m. til whenever on Feb. 13. For more information, visit Beach Park Tattoos Instagram page or website. Advertisement Advertisement Hawaii Tattoo Expo is more than just tattoos Black Palette Tattoo & Piercing 2250 Kalakaua Ave. #330 Looking for a discounted tattoo and piercing? Black Palette isnt doing a tattoo flash, but theyre doing a piercing flash. Starting at $31, piercings include titanium jewelry and are walk-in only, as their appointments are fully booked. Get one or both of your ears pierced, a conch piercing, helix piercing, eyebrow, belly button, septum or any other of the available piercing specials for a significantly discounted price. Additionally, some of their artists are doing flash sales, with one doing a bring your own tattoo special and another doing a sea life flash starting at $100. Advertisement Advertisement For more information, visit Black Palettes Instagram page or website. Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Every Southern California neighborhood takes on a certain kind of look after a wildfire. The mountains still sit there as if nothing happened, the sky eventually turns blue again, but entire blocks go quiet. The familiar silhouettes of roofs and trees are replaced by chimneys and walls standing alone, punctuation marks for the end of a tragic sentence. That was the reality after a wildfire tore through Eaton Canyon in the San Gabriel Mountains in 2025, ripping into Altadena and nearby foothill communities. The fire started on Jan. 7, killing 19 people, destroying more than 9,400 homes and other structures, and burning roughly 14,000 acres before full containment later that month. It was the fifth-deadliest and second-most-destructive wildfire in California history. In the months after, the story shifted from flames to forms. There are inspections, debris removal, insurance calls, and the slow work of making a place livable again. Khaled Fouad and Mimi Laine embrace as they inspect a family members property that was destroyed by the Eaton Fire on Jan. 9, 2025, in Altadena, California. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images) Thats where Graham Pulliam shows up. Pulliam is a U.S. Marine Corps veteran of the elite 1st Reconnaissance Battalion with combat deployments to both Iraq and Afghanistan. Upon returning home, he founded Paul Davis Restoration of Pasadena, a full-service property restoration firm working heavily in Altadena, Pasadena, and surrounding neighborhoods. His name has popped up often in the Eaton Fire recovery orbit because his company has focused on a part of wildfire aftermath most people dont think about until it becomes personal: making a house safe enough to step back inside and then rebuilding it. Remediation Starts Before Rebuilding For many Eaton Fire survivors, the first major hurdle was not framing or finish work, but remediation. Even when a structure didnt fully burn, smoke, ash, and debris can infiltrate attics, wall cavities, HVAC systems, and every surface you forgot existed until someone tells you it might be contaminated. Pulliams company has been involved in what are often called structural cleans, an intensive process to remove debris, soot, and ash and restore a homes safety. The firm has completed more than 100 of those cleans in the wake of the Eaton Fire. His approach is end-to-end work that can run from cleaning and clearance testing to reconstruction, reflecting a basic reality of wildfire recovery. Homeowners dont just need builders, they need translators. Someone has to explain what the damage means, what can be saved, what must go, what the timeline looks like, and how to document all of it so the next person in the chain, often an insurer or a building department, does not kick the whole process back to the start. A Marine Corps Background Built for Chaos (Courtesy of Graham Pulliam) Pulliams biography reads like two careers that rhyme: military leadership, then construction leadership. Before founding Paul Davis Pasadena, Pulliam served in the U.S. Marine Corps, including two deployments to Afghanistan between 2009 and 2012. As a company-grade officer, he worked alongside Afghan Army units and later led as a company commander with the 1st Reconnaissance Battalion. If youve ever watched a fire recovery effort up close, you can see why that background helps. Wildfire rebuilding is logistics and people management dressed up as construction. Its scheduling trades while a neighborhood is still under restrictions, coordinating testing and cleanup, and keeping families informed, even as timelines change because a permit office is backed up, a labs turnaround is longer than expected, or another inspection is added. Theres no Hollywood heroics here. Just relentless follow-through. Pasadena Roots, Altadena Urgency Paul Davis Pasadena is a full-service design and construction firm specializing in complete home rebuilds, custom accessory dwelling units, and architectural design solutions, with a focus on Altadena, Pasadena, and nearby communities. There is also a deeper, very Southern California layer to the company story: architecture runs in the family. Pulliam founded the company in part to carry forward the legacy of his father, James Pulliam, an award-winning modernist architect whose work helped shape parts of the regions built environment. The elder Pulliam also happened to be a United States Marine. (Courtesy of Graham Pulliam) That legacy is a north star for craftsmanship and community-oriented building, which matters in places like Pasadena and Altadena, where historic character is not just an aesthetic, but a point of local identity. That identity is exactly what the Eaton Fire threatened to erase. Toxins and Testing Wildfire rebuild conversations usually start with design. In practice, they start with finding what actually might be salvageable. Paul Davis Pasadenas decision tree is laid out in plain terms: some homes may need specialized cleaning and clearance testing if the structure did not burn, while partial burns can mean months of gutting, blasting, encapsulating framing, and rebuilding to current codes. The company also emphasizes that many older homes in the area may contain asbestos in certain materials, which can quickly expand the scope. Theres also one detail that surprises people until they live it: smoke and ash are not just grime. In wildfire zones, the concern can include toxic residue and, in older neighborhoods, lead intrusion. Lead contamination is common in testing in the area, and lead-certified cleaning protocols extend beyond a basic wipe-down. This is the work Pulliam has been tied to most directly since the Eaton Fire: taking houses that survived the flames, but not the fallout, and turning them back into spaces where families can safely return. Politics, Permits, and Patience Even the best contractor cant outbuild bureaucracy. A year after the Eaton Fire, rebuilding progress has been shaped by permitting delays and uneven momentum, with some homeowners waiting months after submitting applications. The permit itself can be the difference between an empty lot and a construction site. Those delays carry deeper stakes in Altadena, a community with a long history as a foothill haven for Black homeowners and multigenerational families. Reporting on the post-fire landscape has raised concerns that slower rebuilding and fewer approved permits may worsen displacement pressures, especially for residents with fewer financial buffers. At the same time, the fires origin and emergency response remain under scrutiny. The cause has long been under investigation, and there have been renewed questions about infrastructure, warnings, and whether residents in parts of West Altadena received evacuation alerts too late. All of that swirls around the day-to-day reality Pulliam and other builders face. Families need answers, but they also need crews, schedules, and steps that actually move forward. Advertisement Advertisement Pulliam describes mountains as silent masters. It fits the setting, sure, especially in the areas hardest hit by California wildfires. But it also fits the work. The mountains are still there, but the neighborhoods are the enduring question mark. The Eaton Fire turned Altadenas recovery into a test of endurance for homeowners, for local government, for insurers, and for the contractors doing the unglamorous middle work between disaster and normal life. Pulliam and Paul Davis Pasadena sit right in that middle. The companys post-fire focus, from structural cleaning and remediation through design and planning, is not about a single dramatic moment. It is about stacking small wins until a family can stop saying temporary and start calling it home again. Dont Miss the Best of We Are The Mighty This metal manufacturing jobs program wants to fill 122,000 openings This Air Force vet is out to prove hiring veterans makes a company thrive Together We Served connects vets with old friends and new ones Neural-Enabled Prosthetic Hand neph dod Military News The Armys new neural limb lets soldiers feel again By Adam Gramegna Gravesite of Spc. richard McKinley History This E-4s grave is the most dangerous gravesite in the world By Blake Stilwell rubbing vietnam veterans memorial fund Mighty MilSpouse How to get a name rubbing from the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall By Gina Napoletano life after tbi marine recon dvids Advertisement Advertisement Feature Project R3con wants special operators to know there is plenty of life after TBI By Jessica Manfre Ed Bambas served in the Army in Vietnam in 1966. (Samuel Weidenhofer via TikTok) Gofundme vietnam veteran Military News Strangers on GoFundMe raise nearly $2 million to help a Vietnam vet retire By Blake Stilwell A new regional tourism brand has launched to promote a multi-county area of east-central Ohio as a unified travel destination. The Ohio Foothills region encompasses 10 counties in Appalachian Ohio: Belmont, Carroll, Columbiana, Coshocton, Guernsey, Harrison, Holmes, Jefferson, Muskingum and Tuscarawas, according to a community announcement. Grant funding from the Governors Office of Appalachia and the Ohio Mid-Eastern Governments Association (OMEGA) helped create the Ohio Foothills project. The new brand is designed to showcase the regions rolling landscapes, history, outdoor recreation and small-town charm. It's goal is to increase visitor awareness, encourage longer stays and strengthen tourism-driven economic development. Ohio Foothills, a new regional tourism brand, will be used to market 10 counties in Appalachian Ohio as a tourist destination and an attractive place to live. Ohio Foothills will be used across digital marketing, social media, storytelling campaigns and visitor-facing materials to highlight the regions heritage attractions, outdoor adventures, local dining and authentic Appalachian experiences. Advertisement Advertisement This new brand allows us to tell a cohesive story about our region, Diane Lautenschleger, project lead and Partnership Development at the Tuscarawas County Convention and Visitors Bureau, said in the announcement. Over the past three years, tourism professionals have worked collaboratively to create a unified brand that serves both visitors and residents. By working together, we can better compete in Ohios tourism marketplace while positioning tourism as a powerful economic driver through attracting visitors, talent, and investment by showcasing the exceptional quality of place and quality of life found here. Ohio Foothills will launch throughout 2026 with coordinated marketing efforts targeting both in-state and regional travelers, according to the announcement. To learn more about the Ohio Foothills region, visit visitohiofoothills.com. This story was created by Jane Imbody, jimbody@usatodayco.com, with the assistance of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Journalists were involved in every step of the information gathering, review, editing and publishing process. Learn more at cm.usatoday.com/ethical-conduct/. This article originally appeared on The Times-Reporter: Ohio Foothills launches new regional tourism brand Vietnam began the new tourism year with a record: Almost 2.5 million international visitors arrived in January, the highest number ever in a single month, according to the national tourism authority VNAT. Arrivals were also 18.5% higher than a year earlier, VNAT said. The South-East Asian country is increasingly popular with travellers from around the world, in contrast to other destinations in the region such as Thailand and Cambodia, which have recently recorded declining visitor numbers. Advertisement Advertisement Among other factors, the smouldering border conflict between the two neighbours was responsible. Last year, there were repeated clashes in the border region. Why is Vietnam so popular? Most tourists in Vietnam come from other Asian countries, but significantly more travellers are also coming from Europe. VNAT cited eased visa rules, additional international direct connections and the appeal of Vietnam as a long-haul destination during the European winter months as reasons for the boom. German citizens do not need a visa for stays of up to 45 days. Above all, the country offers a diverse mix of nature, culture and beach holidays. What are the main attractions? Among the most popular destinations is Ha Long Bay in the north, with its spectacular limestone cliffs, which is listed as a UNESCO World Natural Heritage site. Advertisement Advertisement The capital, Hanoi, is also in the north. Its Old Quarter is a colourful, lively labyrinth of historic alleyways, with traditional food stalls, French colonial buildings and modern cafes. The "Train Street" offers pure thrills: several times a day, a train rattles past house facades, cafe tables and astonished visitors just a few centimetres away. Central Vietnam entices with the imperial city of Hue, the picturesque old town of Hoi An with thousands of colourful lanterns and long sandy beaches near Da Nang. Meanwhile, tourists in the jungle on the nearby Son Tra peninsula can expect to glimpse a unique animal: the red-shanked douc, which, with its colourful fur and distinctive white beard, is often described as the most beautiful monkey in the world. The south: NhaTrang, Ho Chi Minh City and Phu Quoc Further south lies Vietnam's best-known coastal city, Nha Trang, a seaside resort with long sandy beaches, turquoise water and tasty seafood. Advertisement Advertisement The vibrant economic metropolis Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Saigon) is the starting point for tours into the Mekong Delta. The river flows into the South China Sea south of the city an expands into a vast delta of river branches, swamps and fertile fields. Sunseekers are increasingly heading to Phu Quoc in the Gulf of Thailand, and the island with its postcard-perfect beaches has so far been spared mass tourism. However, because of the Vietnam boom, it is now noticeably more crowded here in the peak season from November to April. Tourist boats sail through the world-famous waterscape of Halong Bay. Carola Frentzen/dpa The mausoleum of Vietnam's founding father Ho Chi Minh attracts numerous visitors the country is a socialist republic, with the Communist Party ruling as the sole political party. Carola Frentzen/dpa The coastal town of Hoi An is known above all for its traditional lanterns. Carola Frentzen/dpa Nha Trang is one of Vietnam's most popular seaside resorts. Carola Frentzen/dpa Bernard Monnaapula, my guide at Gomoti Plains, and I have been trailing a male leopard across the Okavango Delta for more than an hour when we realize it has led us to an unexpected prize: African wild dogs. We watch as the pack chases the startled cat up a tree, away from their fresh impala kill, marveling at our luck. Theres a saying in the safari industry: You dont find wild dogs. Wild dogs find you. That elusiveness is a reason wild dogs have become one of Africas most thrilling and sought-after sightings. [Finding them] is a bit like finding a needle in a haystackexcept the needles moving around 10 miles a day, says Matthew Smith Becker, chief executive officer of Zambian Carnivore Programme (ZCP). Theyre one of the crown jewels of safaris." Highly social and relentless hunters, African wild dogsalso known as painted wolves or Cape hunting dogsare also among the most endangered mammals on Earth. An estimated 6,000 to 7,000 remain in the wild, threatened by habitat loss, human conflict, and disease. Advertisement Advertisement While many first-time travelers seek out the "Big Five"a term rooted in 19th-century trophy huntingan increasing number of seasoned safari-goers are prioritizing lesser-known animals. Few inspire the same devotion as wild dogs, known for their playful interactions and fascinating pack behavior, including sneezing to initiate a hunt. For the wild dogs, the attention translates into real conservation gains. Wildlife tourism is having a positive impact on the species, says J.W. Tico McNutt, Wild Entrust co-founder and director. People immediately connect with wild dogs. Theres an innate love for them once you see them in action. (I set out to witness the world's most incredible wildlife spectaclehere's what happened) Waterbuck herds on the flood plain of Gorongosa National Park. CHARLIE HAMILTON JAMES, Nat Geo Image collection From vermin to safari star As recently as the 1980s, African wild dogs were culled inside national parks based on the misconception that they depleted antelope numbers. They were considered vermin and shot on sight, says McNutt. Bounties were placed on them. Advertisement Advertisement Protected statusAfrican wild dogs have been listed as endangered on the IUCN Red List since 1990alongside natural history documentaries and public awareness campaigns have revealed their true nature and helped elevate the once-maligned predators reputation. Over the last decade our guests have become more environmentally aware and knowledgeable about endangered animals like wild dogs, says Kim Nixon, Chobe Holdings Limited's chief operational officer, who has fielded requests to helicopter guests to nearby camps when wild dogs are sighted. Travelers are willing to go to extraordinary lengthsand expensefor a chance to photograph the charismatic carnivores. At Great Plains Conservation, we have guests who fly around Africa on wild dog safaris, says founder and filmmaker Dereck Joubert. If I say, This area is also great for rhino, they arent interested. Tourism meets conservation African wild dogs survival has become increasingly intertwined with tourism. As with most other species, the biggest threat to wild dogs results from the loss of suitable habitat, says Vince Shacks, Wilderness group head of impact. Tourism helps create economic justification for large tracts of land to not be handed over to other commercial land uses such as agriculture or mineral exploitation. Advertisement Advertisement Camps in wild dog strongholdssuch as The Bushcamp Company in Zambias South Luangwa National Park and Ker & Downey Botswanapartner with NGOs like ZCP and Wild Entrust, funding on-the-ground conservation efforts through bed-night levies, promoting public awareness, and directly donating critical resources, including GPS collars and field vehicles. Some outfitters, including Wilderness, maintain independent fundraising arms to support conservation and research. People travel in a mokoro on a safari in Gomoti Plains Camp in Botswana's Okavango Delta. Fabian von Poser, imageBROKER, Getty Images Tourism provides critical eyes on the ground. Guides who traverse the same landscapes daily share sightings, monitor snares, and report behavioral data to scientists. We cant be everywhere at once, says Becker. Their sightings can provide information thats vital to our work. In Botswana, Wild Entrusts African Carnivore Wildbook tool enables tourists to share their own photographs to an AI-powered citizen science platform that tracks individual wild dogs across the Delta. Creating wild dog strongholds Throughout Africa, wild dog populations remain fragmented and vulnerable to human pressure, genetic bottlenecks, and disease. Yet some safari outfitters are helping reverse that trend by rewilding local ecosystems. In Mozambiques Gorongosa National Park, where more than 90 percent of large mammals were lost during the civil war (1977-1992), wild dogs are now thriving thanks to decades of investment by the Gorongosa Restoration Project. The park currently supports roughly 300 dogs, bolstered by abundant prey such as waterbuck. Advertisement Advertisement (How one of Africas great parks is rebounding from war) In neighboring Zimbabwe, Joubert intervened when a pack of wild dogs preying on livestock faced euthanasia in 2025. He offered to relocate the pack to Tembo Plains Camp in Sapi Reserve, a former hunting concession adjacent to Mana Pools National Park. All 17 dogsincluding nine newborn pupssurvived the move, which also addressed population decline in Mana Pools, most likely due to inbreeding. Wild dog numbers around Mana Pools have been dwindling; theres been no recruitment from other packs or vagrant dogs coming in, says Joubert. This relocation helps introduce new bloodlines and stabilize the population. Project Loeto is an ambitious trans-border initiative from Wildernessscheduled to launch in 2026that aims to safeguard wildlife corridors through monitoring, research, and wildlife-human co-existence programs across the vast KavangoZambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area (KAZA), the largest contiguous landscape occupied by wild dogs. Advertisement Advertisement Wild dogs and many other species are able to thrive in protected wildlife areas, but at some stage, they will need to expand their territory outwards, says Shacks. This is where serious attention and resources are needed for their long-term protection. (Would you dare to trek through Zambia's 'Valley of the Leopard'?) Spotted hyena seen patrolling early in the morning in South Luangwa National Park in Zambia. CHRIS SCHMID, Nat GEo Image collection A new breed of citizen science As interest in wild dogs grows, camps are inviting travelers to engage directly in conservation. Beginning this April in Zambias Lower Zambezi National Park where Chiawa Safaris has supported wild dog research for more than two decades, visitors may join ecologists from Conservation Lower Zambezi in the field, helping identify pack members, observing collaring operations or, occasionally witnessing snare removals. Similar models are emerging elsewhere. Gorongosa Safaris offers a behind-the-scenes experience with wild dog scientists, including demonstrations of satellite collars and EarthRanger tracking software with exclusive access to den sites when conditions allow. In Botswanas Okavango Delta, Natural Selection Tawana partners with Wild Entrust to arrange visits to the NGOs research camp and host scientists on game drives, offering real-time insight into monitoring efforts. Advertisement Advertisement Together, these experiences reflect a broader shift in safari tourism: from passive observation to meaningful participation. For wild dogswhose survival depends on intensive monitoring, sustained funding, and public advocacyinformed and engaged guests are becoming an essential part of the conservation story. (Which Tanzanian national park is right for you?) Alexandra Owens is a freelance travel writer based in New York City and Cape Town. Her work focuses on the power and potential of ecotourism, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. She is happiest when surrounded by animals, including her rescue pup, Riona. Follow her adventures on Instagram. PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) A 51-year-old La Grande man died on Sunday afternoon after a head-on crash on Hwy 97, Oregon State Police announced. The crash occurred just after 4 p.m. near milepost 102 in Jefferson County. Investigators say Aaron Bottorff was driving a Subaru Forester north on the highway when he crossed over into the southbound lane for unknown reasons, striking a Jeep Cherokee. Bottorff was declared dead at the scene. The driver of the Jeep was taken to a local hospital after suffering minor injuries. Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Feb. 10 (UPI) -- Ten people were dead, including the suspect gunman, and dozens were injured Tuesday in two connected shootings at a high school and a residence in rural British Columbia, Canadian authorities said. Six people were found dead at the high school in Tumbler Ridge, a town of about 2,400 people located in northeastern British Columbia near the Alberta border, while a seventh victim died while being transported to the hospital, Ken Floyd, chief superintendent of the RCMP's North District, said in a press conference. Authorities said the suspected shooter was among those found dead at the scene. Floyd said the unidentified gunman died from a suspected self-inflicted wound. Advertisement Advertisement Two victims who were discovered wounded at the school were airlifted to hospitals with serious or life-threatening injuries, Floyd said. Another roughly 25 people were being treated for non-life-threatening injuries. Amid the investigation, officers located a second crime scene, a residence where two additional bodies were found, he said, adding that searches were ongoing to locate other potential victims. The shooting was reported to the RCMP at about 1:20 p.m. MST Tuesday. A Police Initiated Public Alert was issued as officers responded to Tumbler Ridge Secondary School, where the crime scene was discovered. The alert was canceled at 5:45 p.m., the RCMP said in a statement. Advertisement Advertisement Roughly 100 remaining students and staff were evacuated. "We're not in a place now to be able to understand why and what may have motivated this tragedy," Floyd said. "Our thoughts are with the families, loved ones and all those impacted by this tragic incident." Neither the deceased victims nor the suspected shooter have been publicly identified. Floyd told reporters that authorities believe they have confirmed the shooter's identity, but for privacy reasons and to protect the integrity of the investigation, the name was being withheld at this time. The scene has been secured, he said. Prime Minister Mark Carney said he was "devastated" by the shooting. Advertisement Advertisement "I join Canadians in grieving with those whose lives have been changed irreversibly today, and in gratitude for the courage and selflessness of the first responders who risked their lives to protect their fellow citizens," Carney said in an online statement. "Our ability to come together in crisis is the best of our country -- our empathy, our unity and our compassion for each other." Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree was coordinating the federal response to the shooting, the prime minister said. Premier David Eby of British Columbia asked the residents of his province and Canadians nationwide "to wrap the people of Tumbler Ridge, to wrap these families with love, not just tonight, but tomorrow and into the future." Advertisement Advertisement "As British Columbians, I know that one of the things we do best is look after each other, and I'm asking British Columbians to look after the people of Tumbler Ridge tonight," he said during a press conference. "This is the kind of thing that feels like it happens in other places, and not close to home in a way that this feels like for many British Columbians and Canadians," he added. The incident ranks among the worst mass shootings in the history of a country where mass shootings are rare. Only the 2020 Nova Scotia shooting when 22 people were killed and Montreal's Ecole Polytechnique massacre of 14 female engineering students in December 1989 have a greater death toll. In British Columbia, it is the deadliest mass shooting since 10 people, including the suspected gunman, were killed in what is now known as the 1996 Vernon massacre. In April, 11 people were killed and more than 30 were injured when an SUV drove through a crowd at a Filipino festival in Vancouver. Kai-Ji Adam Low has been charged with the crime. Last year, Touren Pope made the discovery of a lifetimeand hes not even a teenager yet. The 11-year-old Nevada native was visiting his grandparents, Patti and Tom Patterson, in Wyoming. The Pattersons are rockhoundscollectors of interesting rocksand that fall day, they headed out to public land in the Greater Green River Basin to hunt for stones. The trio was in an area with fossilized clam shells when Pope got bored and started wandering around. Then he spotted something strange: [T]his weird rock that I thought I just wanted to throw up into the air, he told Wyoming Public Radio. Advertisement Advertisement Thankfully, he didnt, because what hed discovered was something special: a fossilized turtle shell that scientists have determined is nearly 48 million years old. Craig Thomas, BLM Rock Springs Field Office (Craig Thomas, BLM Rock Springs Field Office) Forty-eight million years ago, the area where the shell was discovered looked quite different: It was a vast floodplain with a tropical climate that had been home to the once-mighty ancient Lake Gosiute, according to the Bureau of Land Management. The area supported an abundance of plant and animal life, including various mammals, fish, crocodiles, and turtles. The shell belonged to a soft-shelled member of the trionychid family, and probably looked like soft-shelled turtles we have around today. Lets say you were experienced in looking at softshell turtles in Florida or Louisiana, and you came out here, time traveled, went back 50 million yearsyou would be able to say, That is a softshell turtle, JP Cavigelli, a museum collections specialist at Casper, Wyomings Tate Geological Museum at Casper College, told Wyoming Public Radio. After the animals death, its remains were buried in sediment and fossilized. Millions of years later, the shell was finally exposed by natural processes like weathering and erosion for Pope to find. Advertisement Advertisement Pope and the Pattersons reported the find to the BLM (as required by law), and it wasnt long before paleontology staff at the Rock Springs Field Office was notified as well. The Pattersons took the RSFO staff back out to the shell, which they documented and stabilized. In September 2025, Cavigelli went back out to the site to collect the fossil. Only the shell of the turtle remained, but Within a few minutes, we could tell it was a pretty complete turtle shell and worth collecting, Cavigelli told Wyoming Public Radio. According to Craig Thomas, an archaeologist and paleontology field coordinator at the Rock Springs Field Office, the shells dark color indicates it was recently uncovered. If we dont find them in time, they tend to degrade rapidly when they reach the surface, he said. Craig Thomas, BLM Rock Springs Field Office (Craig Thomas, BLM Rock Springs Field Office) Pope and his grandparents came along to help with the excavation, toowhich was particularly exciting for the 11-year-old, who loves science in general and paleontology in particular. (He even has a T. Rex tooth in his collection.) He plans to make science his career: I think I already took it before I even found [the shell], he told Wyoming News Now. I think I already took that path. Advertisement Advertisement He was allowed to name the shell, which he dubbed Little Timmy. It has been transported back to the Tate Geological Museum, where it will be cleaned and prepared for research and eventual display. This story was originally published by Men's Journal on Feb 11, 2026, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Men's Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here. NEED TO KNOW A U.K. hospital has been fined less than $1,700 after it was found to have contributed to a teens death by neglect Chloe Longster, 13, died of pneumonia and sepsis after she was admitted to the childrens ward at Kettering General Hospital PEOPLE has reached out to the hospital, as well as Care Quality Commission, which administered the fine, for comment A teenager died of sepsis after the hospital dismissed her pain and treated her like a "diva teen." Thirteen-year-old Chloe Longster, who hails from the English town of Market Harborough, died a day after she was admitted to the childrens ward at Kettering General Hospital in November 2022. Her mother, Louise Longster, said the hospital delayed giving her daughter painkillers and antibiotics for what was later diagnosed as sepsis and pneumonia, per the BBC. Advertisement Advertisement "During Chloes last 18 hours on this earth she was in pain and treated with contempt," Longster said during an investigation into her daughter's death, per The Times. Chloe was seemingly regarded as a "diva teen," she said, per the outlet, which reported that Chloe's nasal cannula [a tube to deliver oxygen] fell out and was never replaced, and her name was misspelled on her identification bracelet. Chloe Longster Family Handout / Scala UK / SWNS Chloe asked if she could be put to sleep because it was unbearable. I remember thinking how pale and clammy she looked, Longster said, per the BBC. "It's harrowing to see your own child in so much pain. Longster alleged that the hospital told her Chloe was being dramatic, according to Sky News. I wish I could go back and say sorry to her for trusting them, she told the outlet. The teens death could have been prevented, an investigation later found, per the BBC, with assistant coroner Sophie Lomas testifying that there were several missed opportunities to recognise Chloes deteriorating condition. There was a "clear causal link between these missed opportunities and Chloes death [which] lead me to record that Chloes death was contributed to by neglect," Lomas said, per the BBC. Advertisement Advertisement In December, the Care Quality Commission, the government agency which oversees hospital care in the U.K., fined Kettering General Hospital NHS Foundation Trust 1,250 approximately $1,700 in U.S. dollars for failing its "duty of candour" neglecting communication with the patient and family. Chloe Longster with her mother, Louise. Family Handout / Scala UK / SWNS 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. Our whole family are utterly devastated that the failure to call us for five/six weeks is reason for the fixed penalty notice, Longster told the BBC. "It's maddening they've only been fined for that." Advertisement Advertisement Carolyn Jenkinson, CQCs deputy director of hospitals in the midlands, told PEOPLE in a statement: We continue to extend our deepest sympathies to the family of 13-year-old Chloe Longster, who sadly died while being cared for by Kettering General Hospital NHS Foundation Trust at Kettering General Hospital in November 2022. CQC found after a detailed investigation that the trust had failed to carry out their duty to be open and transparent, and as a result we issued them with a fixed penalty notice on Friday 5 December. This was in response to a breach of Regulation 20 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008, which requires health and social care services to have a duty of candour and be open and transparent about peoples care." Chloe Longster Family Handout / Scala UK / SWNS The statement continued: "The trust has paid the fine and a banner informing people CQC has taken this action will remain on their page of CQCs website for three months. The amount of this fixed penalty notice is in no way representative of the value of Chloes life and is the amount that CQC is legally allowed to issue under these regulations. Any money paid in fines, is passed on to the Treasury by CQC. PEOPLE also reached out to Kettering General Hospital for comment but had not received a response at the time of publication. Advertisement Advertisement "When Chloe was at her most vulnerable she didnt get the care that she needed," Julie Hogg, Group Chief Nurse at the University Hospitals of Northamptonshire, told ITV. "After Chloe's death, her parents werent treated with a compassion and empathy that they deserved. We have made a lot of changes since Chloes death ... We realise weve got more to do and were absolutely committed to making those changes." Read the original article on People NEED TO KNOW A 13-year-old boy swam miles to call for help when his family was swept out to sea off the coast of Australia on Jan. 30 This week, police released the heroic emergency phone call that the teen made once he reached the shore I dont know what their condition is right now, the child told the dispatcher After a 13-year-old boy swam almost three miles back to shore to save family members who had been swept out to sea, Australian officials have released his call to emergency dispatch. We got swept out to sea, and we got lost out there, Austin Appelbee said on the emergency triple-zero phone call that he made after he and his family got pulled far off the coast of Quindalup, in Geographe Bay, on Jan. 30, according to a recording and statement shared by the Western Australia Police Force. Advertisement Advertisement I dont know what their condition is right now, he told the dispatcher later, after detailing his location and what occurred. Im really scared. That Friday evening, Appelbee, his mom, Joanne, and his two siblings, Beau, 12, and Grace, 8, were kayaking and paddleboarding off the coast of Western Australia when they were swept far out to sea, the Western Australia Police Force said in its statement. Thats when the 13-year-old boy decided to return to shore, despite the fading light and deteriorating conditions, according to police. The teen was able to paddle a short distance before his kayak took on water, officials said. With no other options, the boy swam approximately two-and-a-half miles to shore. Advertisement Advertisement I didn't think I was a hero I just did what I did, Austin told the BBC of the risk he took to save his family. Joanne told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation that asking her eldest child to go for help was one of the hardest decisions I ever had to make. Once on shore, the teen ran more than a mile along the beach to reach a mobile phone, according to police. We got lost around about, I dont know what time it was, but it was a very long time ago, we couldnt get back to shore and Mum told me to go back to get help were in massive trouble, he told the dispatcher, according to the recording. I havent seen them since. I think theyre kilometres out in sea, I think we need helicopters to go find them. Advertisement Advertisement Meanwhile, Austin asked for an ambulance because he feared he had hypothermia and could pass out because he was dizzy. Cape Naturaliste at the edge of Geographe Bay in Western Australia, Australia. Getty By 8:30 p.m. local time, 10 hours after the Appelbees first entered the sea, Joanne, Grace and Beau were located following a multi-agency search, officials said. The trio was clinging to a paddleboard. The family was treated at a local hospital and later released without serious injury, according to authorities. While releasing an emergency call isnt standard procedure, the Western Australia Police Force received permission from Austins mom to share the recording to educate others about how to respond during an emergency situation. 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 its statement, the Western Australia Police Force praised the teens calm, clear communication, which helped save the lives of his mom and two younger siblings. Advertisement Advertisement What Austin did was nothing short of extraordinary, said Police Forward Commander Acting Sergeant Andrew McDonnell, who coordinated the rescue effort, in a statement. His bravery and courage in those conditions were remarkable, and his actions were pivotal in bringing about a successful outcome. The Western Australia Police Force added that they hope they can join forces with Austin in the future. Read the original article on People Bitcoin miner Cango (CANG) completed the sale 4,451 BTC over the weekend, raising roughly $305 million in USDT as it looks to reduce leverage and reposition its business around artificial intelligence infrastructure. The company said it raised $305 million from the sale, suggesting an average sale price of about $68,524 per coin, or not far above multi-year low prices for bitcoin. Shares are little-changed in Monday trading, but are lower by 83% on a year-over-year basis. The companys bitcoin sales were based on a comprehensive assessment of current market conditions, the firm said, as it plans to shift into AI computing infrastructure. Cango plans to deploy modular GPU units across its global network of over 40 sites to serve small and mid-sized businesses needing on-demand AI inference capacity, it said. The company used the proceeds of its BTC sale to pay down a bitcoin-collateralized loan, bolstering its balance sheet. The company still holds 3,645 BTC worth more than $250 million, according to data from BitcoinTreasuries. In response to recent market conditions, we have made a treasury adjustment to strengthen balance sheet and reduce financial leverage, which provides increased capacity to fund our strategic expansion into AI compute infrastructure, the company wrote in a letter to shareholders. Its move into the AI sector comes as it faces what it framed as a gap between rising compute demand and existing grid capacity. Cango wrote that its well positioned to take advantage of that gap. Cango is not alone. A growing group of bitcoin miners is scaling back exposure to pure mining and redirecting capital and infrastructure toward AI data centers and high-performance computing. Bitfarms (BITF) has said it plans to exit crypto mining entirely by around 2027, and famously declared its no longer a bitcoin company as it shifts to high-performance computing and AI workloads. Analysts at KBW have warned that the industrys pivot toward AI workloads is compelling, but that the path to monetization is fraught with execution risks. That led to a downgrade not only on Bitfarms but also in Bitdeer (BTDR) and Hive Digital (HIVE). Wilder, Idaho When Canyon County Sheriff Kieran Donahue described the October raid on a popular community horse racing venue here, he hailed the detention of 105 undocumented immigrants and flatly rejected allegations that agents used zip ties to restrain some of the dozens of children present. Then he was presented with photographic evidence. Images obtained by CBS News appear to show the zip ties and bruised wrists of Anabel Romero's 14-year-old daughter SueHey, a U.S. citizen who was tending to her 6- and 8-year-old siblings when the agents descended on the crowd in military-style gear and herded them into a confined area. "God bless her. I'm sorry she went through that," said Donahue, a self-proclaimed cowboy who participated in the raid on horseback. "But law enforcement is not evil because we contained everybody and detained them until we sorted it out. That's not evil." The wrists of Anabel Romero's 14-year-old daughter were zip-tied by law enforcement during an October 2025 raid near Boise, Idaho, she told CBS News. At right, bruises can be seen on her wrist. / Credit: Romero family (Romero family) Mistreatment of children during a militarized police action that involved armored vehicles and flashbang grenades has sparked fresh questions about tactics being employed nationwide in the name of the Trump administration's wave of immigration sweeps. On Tuesday, the American Civil Liberties Union filed a federal civil rights lawsuit highlighting the mistreatment of families attending the weekend recreation event at La Catedral Arena, many of whom were American citizens of Hispanic descent. Advertisement Advertisement The incident in this small agricultural community about an hour outside of Boise has largely been overshadowed in the national headlines by the immigration surge in Minnesota, where the tactics used by federal immigration agents on children have attracted widespread scrutiny. In one instance, a family alleged that agents deployed tear gas that landed under a car with six children inside. One viral image showed 5-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos, who was wearing a hat with bunny ears and carrying a Spiderman backpack as he was being detained. But the ACLU argues the Idaho raid signals a frightening normalization of harsh and sometimes violent action by federal law enforcement in the presence of children. Those incidents, the suit alleges, will leave physical and emotional scars. "They have done long lasting damage to children," said Jenn Rolnick Borchetta, the ACLU's deputy project director on policing. "At this moment, when the United States Congress is confronted with a question of how to reign in ICEthe answer is they need to reign in ICE to protect our children." The administration denied that children at the Idaho horse track were ever zip-tied. Advertisement Advertisement "ICE didn't zip tie, restrain, or arrest any children," Homeland Security spokesperson Trisha McLaughlin told CBS News in a statement. She said, "ICE does not zip tie or handcuff children. This is the kind of garbage rhetoric contributing to our officers facing a 1,300% increase in assaults against them and an 8,000% increase in death threats." But those who were temporarily detained tell a different story. In an exclusive interview with CBS News, 14-year-old SueHey described the moment law enforcement officers who she said refused to identify the agencies they worked for herded her onto the racetrack with hundreds of other detainees and, she says, zip-tied her hands. "I'm just like there crying, like I'm struggling to breathe," she said. "I can't even get the words out." Advertisement Advertisement Her mother, who says she, too, was bound with plastic zip ties, could not hold or console her daughter. "I can't hold her because you guys won't let me go," Romero recalled telling the agents. "I'm like, she's only 14." Agents descend on recreation grounds For spectators attending the horse races last fall, the first sign something was amiss was a helicopter thudding overhead, followed by five armored cars rumbling in. Cellphone video obtained by CBS News shows the moment 200 officers then swarmed the property. Some children reported having guns pointed at them, while others described rubber bullets whizzing over their heads. Advertisement Advertisement The lawsuit alleges agents smashed car windows where children had taken refuge from a chilly rain. One 8-year-old boy appeared on a local news report and described how he had to pick tiny shards of glass out of his mouth. Juana Rodriguez was bound for hours as her 3-year old son cried and squirmed, according to the ACLU lawsuit that was filed on behalf of three Latino families. The authorities on scene dismissed her pleas to hold her son, instead instructing him to hold onto his mother's pocket, which they had turned inside out, the lawsuit said. "As a parent, nothing is more heartbreaking than hearing your child cry out in fear and being told you cannot hold or comfort them," Rodriguez said in a statement provided to CBS News by the ACLU. "I am a proud U.S. citizen, and I didn't do anything wrong." The lawsuit alleges multiple minors were restrained with the hard plastic cuffs, and many of them were left with welts and bruises on their wrists. While the FBI field office in Boise initially said in a statement that claims of children being zip-tied were "completely false," officials there later amended that assertion, telling reporters that no "young" children were zip-tied. Later, the Caldwell Police Department, which participated in the raid, issued a statement acknowledging that minors had been zip-tied. Advertisement Advertisement In addition to her 14-year-old daughter, Romero attended the event with her two younger children, who were not zip tied. All were U.S. citizens. She provided CBS News with a detailed description of their treatment by law enforcement. Romero said she and her children were enjoying the family-friendly event which included free raffles, vendors selling toys for kids and traditional Mexican food. Then a black military-style helicopter swooped in low over the field. Soon, she said, there was pandemonium. "All of a sudden I just see people running and screaming," Romero said, describing agents in full tactical gear pointing guns. She said she hid in a horse stall as her mind went immediately to the safety of her three children, who were sheltering from a passing rain shower in the family truck. She called and told them to stay in the vehicle. Agents in tactical gear came searching through the horse stalls, one by one. She said the armed men threatened her when she asked what agency they were with. "All I'm asking is for clarification, who are you and why am I being detained," recalled Romero, who said the men responded: "I'm gonna [expletive] blow your head off" Advertisement Advertisement "They kicked me, they punched me, they stepped on me,"she said. SueHey described to CBS News what she saw next: federal agents in military apparel "running around, opening car doors, and yelling at people to get onto the track." She looked over to see if her young siblings were OK when two men she thought were "soldiers" opened the truck door. They ordered her out of the vehicle, but fearful of what might happen to her brother and sister, SueHey crouched in place. The law enforcement officers forcibly pulled her out of the truck, she said. She said she saw the officers approach the back door of the truck where her siblings Alfredo, 6, and NeVaeh, 8, were huddled. "I was brave and I opened the door because I wanted to protect my sister," 6-year-old Alfredo told CBS News. SueHey said she broke away from the agents to make sure she would not be separated from her siblings. By then the officers were ordering the three kids to move to the racetrack, where officers had detained a large group of people. Advertisement Advertisement At the same time, agents guided Romero to the track, her hands zip-tied behind her back. She reunited with her children, but the ordeal was far from over. Soon, she said, the agents moved in to zip-tie SueHey. Romero said she protested, telling the officers repeatedly that the girl was only 14 years old. She says they forced the girl's hands behind her back. Romero begged them to restrain SueHey in front instead, hoping it would be less painful. She says the officers agreed. Several hours later, ICE agents determined they were U.S. citizens. Romero says she was grilled about her children, who have different last names than her. "I didn't know I needed to carry their birth certificates around," she said. Romero said their hands were eventually untied and they were ultimately released. Photos show what appear to be deep bruises marked SueHey's wrists. The physical wounds will heal, Romero said, but the psychological toll and the shattered trust will not dissipate any time soon. Advertisement Advertisement "My parents, they came over here [from Mexico] to give us a better life," she told CBS News. "That day, I felt like our freedom was taken away from us." Gambling claim triggered raid In Idaho, questions still remain about what prompted the raid. Sheriff Donahue said the objective was to take down what was suspected to be an illegal gambling operation at the racetrack. The FBI had obtained a federal criminal warrant to arrest five people suspected of running the unlicensed operation. Canyon County, Idaho, Sheriff Kieran Donahue in 2024. / Credit: Sarah A. Miller/Idaho Statesman/Tribune News Service via Getty Images But at the scene, agents arrived with a massive show of force, including representatives from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Witnesses told CBS News the agents set about rounding up hundreds of mostly Latino attendees including dozens of children to determine whether they were in the United States legally. Advertisement Advertisement According to the ACLU complaint, law enforcement "conspired to abuse a criminal search warrant as cover to go fishing for immigration arrests at an event where they knew they would encounter a large number of Latino individuals." After being detained, attendees were questioned about their legal status and directed to show documentation, according to the lawsuit. By the time law enforcement concluded, 105 attendees were determined to be undocumented immigrants and moved to nearby detention facilities for legal disposition. But some 375 others, all of whom were either U.S. citizens or lawful residents, were released after they were able to prove they were in the United States legally. Nikki Ramirez-Smith, a local immigration lawyer who came to the scene, said she believes authorities misjudged the event, and noted that most of the undocumented individuals had been living in the United States for decades and had no criminal history. "My opinion is they didn't know that most of the people there were American citizens," Ramirez said. "I think law enforcement misjudged it because the event is in Spanish." In his interview with CBS News, Sheriff Donahue disputed allegations that the criminal warrant for illegal gambling was effectively a Trojan horse for an immigration dragnet. He said the operation was an FBI initiative four years in the making and he invited ICE to come along. He said cartel activity was the primary objective of the large-scale operation, with immigration enforcement being "secondary or tertiary." "We knew there was cartel involvement in this operation," the sheriff said. "We knew that to be true. [It's] why we went in." Four months after the raid, the only criminal charges filed involved the five individuals arrested for unlicensed gambling. Meanwhile, according to the ACLU's complaint, the psychological and emotional fallout from the raid runs deep for the children who experienced the violent, chaotic episode. Three-year old Y.R., one of the plaintiffs identified by their initials, is afraid of the police, according to his mother. A 15-year old, identified as Y.L., reports having recurring nightmares of being detained at gunpoint. "The lasting fear and emotional distress is widespread," the complaint says. Donahue acknowledged the raid had severed ties between local law enforcement and Idaho's Latino community. Romero agreed, saying the operation had broken the trust that had been built over generations. SueHey said she would now think twice about calling 911 in an emergency. "How are they gonna treat me even though I'm a U.S. citizen, even if I'm not doing anything wrong, even if I'm just reporting a crime?" she said. "How are they gonna treat me?" Details on new images of subject in Nancy Guthrie disappearance Watch: Rep. Lieu accuses Bondi of lying under oath on Epstein files surrounding Trump Masked, gloved subject seen on video approaching Nancy Guthrie's door The Brief A high-speed chase reaching 145 mph ended when a serial evader crashed a burning vehicle into a ravine near the San Jacinto River. Upon reaching the wreckage, officers discovered the suspect had a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the lower jaw. The suspect remains in a local hospital in serious condition; their identity has not yet been publicly released. A high-speed chase that pushed speeds up to 145 mph ended in a fiery crash and a self-inflicted gunshot wound early Tuesday morning, after a multi-county pursuit tested the limits of local law enforcement coordination. High-speed chase ends in fiery crash The backstory The Harris County Sheriffs Office, the primary investigating agency, began the pursuit in Harris County before the suspect led officers on a dangerous path into Montgomery County. Advertisement Advertisement As the chase crossed county lines during the early morning hours, the suspect reportedly reached speeds of 145 mph. Law enforcement officials said several pursuing units temporarily lost visual contact with the vehicle. Thats when the Splendora Police Departments Criminal Interdiction Unit (CIU) stepped in. Splendora units managed to re-establish contact, taking the lead position in the chase. Officers eventually deployed tire deflation devices, but the suspect refused to quit. Even as the vehicles tires shredded, and the undercarriage caught fire, the driver continued onward. The chase finally ended when the burning vehicle plummeted into a ravine near the San Jacinto River. The Montgomery County Sheriffs Office, Montgomery County Precinct 4 Constables Office, Texas Department of Public Safety (including air support), and the Splendora Police Department all assisted in the situation. Suspect found with self-inflicted wound When officers reached the wreckage, they took the suspect into custody and immediately called for EMS. It was then discovered the suspect had a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the lower jaw. Advertisement Advertisement The individual, who was already wanted for a prior evading incident and has an extensive history of fleeing from police, was taken to a local hospital in serious condition. The vehicle was a total loss, destroyed by the fire. Law enforcement did not release the name of the suspect. What they're saying "This incident underscores the importance of inter-agency coordination and trained interdiction units," the Splendora Police Department said in a statement, noting that the persistence of the officers involved helped bring a "dangerous situation to a controlled conclusion." The Source Information in this article is from the Splendora Police Department. A total of 17 North Dakota government agencies are taking part in a voluntary employee buyout program as the state prepares for a dip in revenue. Agencies were notified last week that they could participate in the program, which offers employees three months of wages and benefits if they leave state employment by Aug. 31. It is officially termed a voluntary separation incentive program. Office of Management and Budget Director Joe Morrissette last week described the program as an incentive for employees who may be on the fence about retiring or leaving their job. Employees do not have to be eligible for retirement to participate. Advertisement Advertisement An application period opens Sunday and goes through March 31. The state has the option of rejecting an application. The agency will have to show there would be a savings by leaving the position open at least temporarily or filling the position with an employee who will be paid less. The effect that losing the employee would have on the agency also will be considered. Employees will be notified by April 17. The state is preparing an updated budget forecast as low oil prices and tax changes may cause state revenue to dip below current estimates. The Office of Management and Budget on Wednesday provided a list of participating agencies to the North Dakota Monitor. Advertisement Advertisement The agencies are: Information Technology, Department of Public Instruction, School for the Deaf, Health and Human Services, Protection and Advocacy Project, Insurance and Securities, Department of Mineral Resources, Workforce Safety and Insurance, Highway Patrol, Department of Commerce, Department of Agriculture, Parks and Recreation, Public Finance Authority, Seed Department, Center for Distance Education, Office of Management and Budget, and Career and Technical Education. This story was updated to correct when applications are open. Reach Deputy Editor Jeff Beach at jbeach@northdakotamonitor.com. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX NEED TO KNOW 53 people, including two babies, have been reported dead or missing after a 55-passenger migrant boat capsized off the coast of Libya IOM mourns the loss of life in yet another deadly incident along the Central Mediterranean route, the International Organization for Migration said in a statement In January alone, at least 375 migrants were reported dead or missing following invisible shipwrecks in the area Two babies are among the dozens of people dead or missing after a migrant boat sank off the coast of Libya. On Monday, Feb. 9, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) reported that 53 migrants have been declared dead or missing after a rubber boat carrying 55 individuals capsized north of Zuwara, Libya, three days prior. Advertisement Advertisement Two Nigerian women survived the shipwreck and were provided emergency medical care by Libyan authorities upon their rescue, per the UN migration agency. One of the survivors reported losing her husband, while the other woman said she lost her two babies in the tragic accident. According to survivor accounts, the boat carrying migrants and refugees of African nationalities departed from Al-Zawiya, Libya, at around 11:00 p.m. on 5 February, the agency stated. Approximately six hours later, it capsized after taking on water. IOM mourns the loss of life in yet another deadly incident along the Central Mediterranean route, the agency added. In January alone, at least 375 migrants were reported dead or missing following invisible shipwrecks in the Central Mediterranean that were left unrecorded amid extreme weather conditions, according to data collected by the IOM. 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 latest incident brings the number of migrants reported missing or dead up to at least 484 in 2026 so far. in 2025, 1,300 migrants were reported missing along the Central Mediterranean route. Advertisement Advertisement IOM warns that trafficking and smuggling networks continue to exploit migrants along the Central Mediterranean route, profiting from dangerous crossings in unseaworthy boats while exposing people to severe abuse and protection risks, the agency wrote in a statement. IOM stresses the need for stronger international cooperation and protection-centered responses to address smuggling and trafficking networks, alongside safe and regular migration pathways to reduce risks and save lives. After the tragedy, Meterranea Saving Humans, a civil society group that attempts to rescue migrants from shipwrecks, claimed that the incident was the direct result of European border closure policies, agreements with Libya and criminalization of sea aid. Not only names are missing here: the political will to not let people die in the Mediterranean is missing, the organization wrote on social media. When safe ways are denied, risking your life at sea is the only option. These deaths are the product of precise decisions, of armed borders, of policies that decide every day who can live and who can die." Read the original article on People Voters were approving a $295 million bond measure to build new schools and renovate existing ones in the University Place School District, as of election night. The measure had about 69% of the vote, according to the first round of results released Tuesday, Feb. 10, surpassing the 60% it needs to be approved. The bond measure would mean that homeowners within the districts boundaries would pay a tax rate of $2.25 per $1,000 of assessed value. For the owner of a house with an assessed value of $529,641, which was the average in Pierce County in 2025, the annual cost would be about $1,191. University Place School District Superintendent Jeff Chamberlin called the results exciting. Advertisement Advertisement Were just so lucky to work in a community that puts such value in public schools and provides this consistent level of support. Its pretty unbelievable, Chamberlin told The News Tribune on election night. The bond measure was one of several tax measures that 10 of Pierce Countys 15 school districts put on the ballot for the Feb. 10 special election. Live voting results for the Feb. 10, 2026 election in Pierce County Most of the measures on the ballot this month, with the exception of the University Place bond, were renewals of existing levies that are set to expire soon. The measures seek to cover costs for school districts in Pierce County that state funding doesnt cover. Though state funding for school districts has increased over 100% in the last 10 years, many school districts have said its not enough, The News Tribune previously reported. Advertisement Advertisement State officials have said more school districts in Washington are on binding conditions now than ever before when a districts expenses exceed its revenues and state budget officials have to step in. Districts like Tacoma Public Schools had two measures on the ballot, one for educational programs and operations and another to fund technology improvements and upgrades. Tacomas measures appeared to have the support they needed to pass as of election night, with about 69% and 68% of the vote, respectively. Unlike the bond measure, the replacement levies only need a simple majority vote to pass. Tacoma Public Schools Superintendent Josh Garcia told The News Tribune he was just a little in awe, of the Tacoma Public Schools community and staff who turned out to support the two measures. Willie Stewart, who helped spearhead the campaign in favor of the levies, said he appreciated the confidence that voters in Tacoma had in the school district to endorse the replacement levies. Advertisement Advertisement Im excited because our community felt strongly enough to say yes to both levies, Stewart told The News Tribune. Pierce County elections is forecasting 25% voter turnout in the Feb. 10 special election and will continue to release election results until certifying the election on Feb. 20. As of election night, voter turnout was at 19%. Editor's note: This is a developing story and is being updated. A Russian strike on Bohodukhiv, Kharkiv Oblast, killed four people, including three children and their father, and injured two others, Governor Oleh Syniehubov reported overnight on Feb. 11. Syniehubov said a Russian strike on Bohodukhiv killed two 2-year-old boys and a 1-year-old girl. A 34-year-old man, father of the children, was also killed in the attack. Their mother, a 35-year-old pregnant woman, and a 74-year-old woman were injured in the attack. Advertisement Advertisement According to an investigation by Kharkiv Oblast Prosecutor's Office, at around 11:30 p.m. on Feb. 10, Russian Geran-2 drones struck a residential building in the city of Bohodukhiv, where the family of five lived. The office added that rescuers saved the children's mother, who was 35 weeks pregnant. The woman suffered blast injuries, traumatic brain injury, acoustic trauma, and thermal burns. A pre-trial investigation was launched into the commission of a war crime that resulted in the death of people (Part 2 of Article 438 of Ukraine's Criminal Code). Ukraines Kharkiv Oblast (Nizar al-Rifai/The Kyiv Independent) Russia regularly strikes Ukrainian civilian infrastructure, including residential buildings and energy infrastructure, as it continues to wage its war. Advertisement Advertisement At least nine people have been killed and 39 others injured in Russian attacks against Ukraine over the past day, local authorities said on Feb. 11. After the overnight attacks, President Volodymyr Zelensky wrote on X on Feb. 11 that each Russian strike "undermines trust in everything being done diplomatically to end this war" and "proves that only strong pressure on Russia and clear security guarantees for Ukraine are the real key to stopping the killings." Read also: Russia broke the energy ceasefire. The West can enforce one that lasts Read also: Russian army is not preparing to stop 3 toddlers among 9 killed in attacks on Ukraine over past day Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. Four former Utah Supreme Court justices, with more than 40 years of combined experience dating back to the 1980s, sat down with the Deseret News editorial board this week to discuss what they see as overreach amid the Utah Legislatures efforts to reform the judicial branch. Republican leaders in the House and Senate have made apparent their intention to overhaul the states judiciary through several bills. This includes one piece of legislation already signed by Gov. Spencer Cox a court expansion bill that added two more judges to the state Supreme Court, two judges to the state Court of Appeals, and one additional district court judge each in Salt Lake City, St. George and Provo. Advertisement Advertisement The bills chief sponsor, Sen. Chris Wilson, R-Logan, said it was the biggest commitment Utah lawmakers have made to the states judiciary. When asked what it says about the House and Senates priorities to be sending this bill so quickly through the Legislature, Senate President Stuart Adams said, It tells you we value the courts. On Monday, the justices didnt see it that way. The other bills still being considered have also drawn heavy skepticism from the Utah State Bar Association. Those bills include HB 262, which would require judges to reach a 67% approval threshold in retention elections for judges to return to the bench, which would be the highest percentage in the nation. Advertisement Advertisement Another would establish a constitutional court that would serve like an appellate court with three judges on its bench. The bills sponsor said that setting up a court specifically concerned with constitutional questions will allow the judges appointed to become experts and speed up the case process. The judges took issue with that, saying it threatens to politicize the process and tilts away from the current balance that exists in Utah. When asked about why there are so many bills this year affecting the judicial branch, the leaders of the Utah House and Senate said it was to make courts more accountable to the people of Utah. The Legislature believes in checks and balances and in respecting the distinct and independent roles and responsibilities of each branch of government. That respect, however, does not eliminate the need for accountability, Adams and House Speaker Mike Shultz told the Deseret News in a joint statement. House Speaker Mike Schultz, R-Hooper, and Senate President Stuart Adams, R-Layton, listen to the State of the Judiciary in the House chamber at the Capitol in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, Jan. 16, 2024. | Kristin Murphy, Deseret News Justices say bills will make courts less responsive to publics needs But the justices said they think the Legislatures approach would make the courts less responsive to the needs of the people of Utah. Advertisement Advertisement On the bill creating a constitutional court, former Utah Supreme Court Chief Justice Christine Durham argued on Monday that a specialized court would threaten the random judge assignment already in place and put pressure on judges in politically sensitive cases. Former Associate Chief Justice John Pearce, who stepped down from the states Supreme Court at the end of last year, added that it gives the state, and only the state, the option to move their case to the specialized court if the state is unhappy with the judge assigned. Retired Chief Justice of the Utah Supreme Court Michael Zimmerman looks on during a meeting with the Deseret News Editorial Board at the Triad Center in Salt Lake City on Monday, Feb. 9, 2026. | Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News To legislate as a litigant is to attempt to put your finger on the scale of justice. To want to select which judges dont decide your cases is to want something every litigant would love, Former Justice Michael Zimmerman added. So as litigants, youre not legislating for the common good. Youre legislating because youre an unhappy litigant. Tension between court, Legislature The justices said they believe lawmakers are bringing these bills forward because they are unhappy with some of the recent decisions made by the courts especially with those related to Proposition 4, an initiative to overhaul the way Utahs congressional districts are drawn. Advertisement Advertisement In an August 2025 ruling 3rd District Judge Dianna Gibson threw out the states congressional map, replacing it with a map put forward by plaintiffs. This came after the Legislature hurried through a new map in an attempt to comply with an earlier ruling made by Gibson. Gibsons ruling followed the state Supreme Courts new interpretation of the state Constitution with regards to ballot initiatives. The court said lawmakers are prohibited from amending initiatives that reform government, making them a wholly new class of laws. When legislative leaders were asked about the justices concerns, Schultz and Adams pointed out that law firms linked to the former justices are currently involved in active lawsuits against the state over various issues, including redistricting, abortion access, and womens sports. The reaction from former justices, now private attorneys, underscores why the Legislature is focused on greater transparency and accountability in the judiciary, Schultz and Adams said. These critiques come from individuals who no longer serve on the bench and who now operate in private practice, financially benefitting from actively litigating against the state on issues they once oversaw as justices. This raises the obvious question of whether their critique is about finding the best policy for the state of Utah or being self-serving. The fine line between law and politics The justices said accusations of legislating from the bench or activist judges are not new. They reflect a long-standing tension between those who write the law and those tasked with interpreting it a conflict that exists as much in state courts as it does in the federal judiciary because of the uniquely American system of checks and balances. Retired Chief Justice of the Utah Supreme Court Christine Durham during a meeting with the Deseret News Editorial Board at the Triad Center in Salt Lake City on Monday, Feb. 9, 2026. | Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News Durham, who sits on the Judicial Performance Evaluation Commission, a state body that evaluates the performance of judges who are up for retention and shares the finding with the public, said about Utahs courts that theres very little evidence that there is bias or difficulty with trustworthiness. Advertisement Advertisement If an activist judge simply means taking the language in the Constitution, interpreting it, and basing an opinion on it, I think its improper and unfair to challenge that judge as an activist judge, even though I think that happens to judges all the time on both sides, she said. But many in the Legislature and community view recent rulings including last falls decision in the redistricting battle as outcome-driven rather than detached legal analysis. When our Supreme Court ruled that the initiative process had superiority over the statutory process, they destroyed the Republic, in my mind, Adams told the Deseret News. And thats whats caused the chaos. But Durham said judges are just doing their jobs. Advertisement Advertisement Legislatures were furious about the trial judge who made the initial rulings with respect to gerrymandering that was decided on constitutional grounds, she said. They went up to the Utah Supreme Court for an examination under appeal to the state Supreme Court, and werent happy with the decision prohibiting lawmakers from amending ballot initiatives in many circumstances. So, Durham said, they decided it was unconstitutional. Former Utah Supreme Court Justice Constandinos Himonas speaks with the Deseret News Editorial Board at the Triad Center in Salt Lake City on Monday, Feb. 9, 2026. | Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News Former Justice Constandinos Himonas, said Monday that if rulings go the Legislatures way, they applaud the decisions and it isnt considered legislating from the bench, he said. But because that isnt what happened, the GOP-led Legislature then accuses you of legislating from the bench ... but from a judges perspective, he said, youre just trying to do the best job that you can. A plea to take a pause Pearce told the Deseret News that news coverage about the strain between the courts and the Legislature should not be pitting the branches against one another, but rather, looking at it through the lens of the people who are affected. Advertisement Advertisement We need to think about what this does to the people of the state of Utah. Its their judiciary, Pearce said. These structural changes have real ramifications about who serves and how they serve and the independence with which they can serve. Referring to himself and the former justices beside him, he said, This is a bunch of judges concerned because they can see what these structural changes will do for the cases that people will bring to their courts. Former Utah Supreme Court Justice John A. Pearce speaks during a meeting with the Deseret News Editorial Board at the Triad Center in Salt Lake City on Monday, Feb. 9, 2026. | Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News With less than a month left in the legislative session, Pearces request of lawmakers is to take a pause and contemplate the real necessity for each bill introduced. Is the motivation for this law because were a disgruntled litigant, he said, or because we think we are instituting a change that will be beneficial for the way justice is administered in the state of Utah? Advertisement Advertisement In their statement to the Deseret News, Schultz and Adams say their approach will restore trust in the courts. The Legislatures approach is straightforward: strengthen the courts so they work better for the people of Utah. By increasing resources and improving transparency, we are ensuring cases are handled efficiently and fairly, they said. This is about restoring trust and confidence in the justice system, so Utahns know it serves the public interest above all else. But Zimmerman said that public policy should be made after due deliberation, not in the middle of controversy ... What are the chances that this patchwork is going to actually enhance the administration of law today, for tomorrow, for the benches of the future, and for the citizens of Utah? Tuesday was the first day of the biggest farm show in the world. The 59th World Ag Expo kicked off at The International Agri-Center in Tulare, with a focus on high-tech solutions to everyday challenges. The top ten AG products in the world were chosen from over 60 submissions, each on display in Tulare. "I think all farmers are realizing that AI and automation are really going be the key to this next generation of farming," says Brett Goodwin, Carbon Robotics. Advertisement Advertisement From a self-driving tractor that can run day and night, extending operating hours, to farming robots, over 1,200 exhibitors span the 2.6 million square feet of show space. About 100,000 people are expected to attend the international event, representing over 70 countries. This year's theme, "Grounds for innovation," celebrates progress in new technologies that solve critical challenges for farmers. "Where are we when it comes to technology being a part of agriculture? I think it's here, but I think it expands every year more and more," says Jerry Sinift, International Agri-Center CEO. The laser weeder G2 uses AI, lasers and computer vision to determine what's a weed and what's a crop, so it can zap the weeds. RELATED: World Ag Expo draws thousands to Tulare as event boosts local economy "What this does is eliminate 80% of their weed control costs. It doesn't require labor. It eliminates the need for herbicides, and it doesn't disturb the soil. You get the cost savings for weed control and an increase in yield quality and consistency in your crop," says Goodwin. Advertisement Advertisement Carbon Robotics introduced the world's first laser weeder at the expo in 2022, and it has since evolved and is now used worldwide. "There are over 175 laser weeders on over 100 different crops in 15 countries," says Goodwin. Tulare County, an Ag powerhouse, made for a perfect location for the show's backdrop. The international expo was drawing President Trump's attention, and he addressed the Valley event directly from the Oval Office. "A very special hello to everyone gathered in California for the 2026 World AG Expo. The men and women are the heart and soul of America. You built America, and you fed America," says President Trump. Advertisement Advertisement "Tulare County is always number 1 or 2 every year in farm production and across the nation. This is where it happens right here," says Sinift. With the wet weather in the forecast, organizers say the show will go on rain or shine. For news and weather updates, follow Brisa Colon on Facebook, X and Instagram. A total of eight people were killed -- most of them at a school -- and more than two dozen were wounded, after a shooter opened fire on Tuesday in a small community in Canada's British Columbia. Officials had earlier said nine people were killed before revising the death toll. The suspected shooter -- identified as 18-year-old Jesse Van Rootselaar -- is dead from what is believed to be a self-inflicted injury, according to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. The suspect did not currently have any firearms registered to her, according to the RCMP. Advertisement Advertisement There was a documented history of police visits to the family residence over several years, with the most recent visit to the home in the spring of 2025. That visit was related to "concerns regarding mental health" and "self-harm" with respect to the suspect, British Columbia Royal Canadian Mounted Police Deputy Commissioner Dwayne McDonald said, during a press briefing on Wednesday. Jordon Kosik/AP - PHOTO: This grab from video shows students exiting the Tumbler Ridge school after deadly shootings, in British Columbia, Canada, Feb. 10, 2026. Van Rootselaar was not currently registered or attending the school where the shooting took place. Among the dead are members of the suspect's family and students between the ages of 12 and 17, according to the RCMP. Van Rootselaar was assigned male at birth but publicly identified as a female, according to the RCMP. The police have no leads as to the motive behind the shooting at this time, McDonald said. Advertisement Advertisement "It's something we're certainly passionately pursuing, but it would be too early to speculate on motive at this time," McDonald said. "We don't have information at this time to suggest that anyone was specifically targeted," in the shooting, he added. Trent Ernst/AFP via Getty Images - PHOTO: A police officer stands at a roadblock near the middle school and high school building where a shooting took place, leaving at least nine people dead in the small town of Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia, February 10, 2026. Police said the suspect was "apprehended for assessment and follow-up" under Canada's Mental Health Act "on different occasions," over the years. In some circumstances, the suspect was taken to the hospital, McDonald said. Police had also visited the residence in the past, where firearms were seized "under the criminal code," McDonald said. At a later time, the "lawful owner" of those firearms petitioned to have them returned, and they were. There were no criminal charges in relation to those firearms issued, McDonald said. Advertisement Advertisement Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney announced seven days of mourning after the deadly shooting. A visibly emotional Carney called it "a very difficult day for the nation." "This morning, parents, grandparents, sisters, brothers in Tumbler Ridge will wake up without someone they love. The nation mourns with you. Canada stands by you," Carney told reporters on Wednesday in Ottawa. "We thank the first responders, the teachers, the staff, the residents, for everything that they've done in this terrible situation. I, on the advice of the Clerk of the Privy Council and Heritage Canada, I've asked that the flags of the Peace Tower here and across all government buildings be flown at half-mast for the next seven days," he said. Manhunt underway for 2 murder suspects who escaped Georgia jail Advertisement Advertisement The shooting consisted of two incidents on Tuesday afternoon -- one at a local residence and then at the school in the community. The incident at the home occurred first before the suspect headed for the school, McDonald said. The gunfire was reported at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School at about 1:20 p.m., the RCMP said. Officers responding to the scene found six people dead inside the school, and two people were found dead at a local residence. The two people found dead at the residence are the suspect's mom and stepbrother, police said. Two other victims were airlifted to the hospital with serious or life-threatening injuries. Both of these people are now in critical, but stable condition, Canadian police said Wednesday afternoon. About 25 others were being assessed for injuries that were not believed to be life-threatening, authorities said. Trent Ernst/AFP via Getty Images - PHOTO: This screengrab of a video shows the middle school and high school building where a shooting took place, leaving at least nine people dead in the small town of Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia, February 10, 2026. The eight victims of the shooting include a 39-year-old female educator, three 12-year-old female students and two male students -- ages 12 and 13 -- who were found dead at the school, according to Canadian police. Advertisement Advertisement The two victims found at the local residence were a 39-year-old female, the suspect's mother, and an 11-year-old male, the suspect's stepbrother, Canadian police said. Police are not identifying the victims until all family members have been notified, McDonald said. Family notifications are ongoing, he added. Carney said he was "devastated" by the shooting. "I join Canadians in grieving with those whose lives have been changed irreversibly today, and in gratitude for the courage and selflessness of the first responders who risked their lives to protect their fellow citizens," Carney said in the statement. Tumbler Ridge is a small community of about 2,400 people located in the Northern Rockies in northeastern British Columbia. Newport school officials have put the principal of Rogers High School on administrative leave and released an investigative report on the mistreatment of a student with special needs and the arrest of four students in late 2025. The principal, Jared B. Vance, has been placed on leave for the remainder of the school year, according to a statement. Following a meeting on Tuesday night, Feb. 10, school officials released excerpts from a report provided by a former state police colonel turned consultant, Steven O'Donnell, who also brings experience as a high school lacrosse coach and as chief executive officer of the YMCA of Greater Providence. Advertisement Advertisement The committee released some excerpts from O'Donnell's report, including an executive summary and a list of recommendations. Former state police colonel's report cites 'systemic failures' The summary says the report documents an investigation into allegations of assault and bullying of a Rogers student with special needs, including an incident that took place Oct. 17 and first drew public attention on Nov. 21. The Oct. 17 incident in the football team's locker room "revealed serious concerns regarding student safety, staff awareness, administrative oversight, and institutional culture," the report says. "The investigation," it says, "identifies systemic failures in communication, supervision, disciplinary consistency, and trust between staff and administration. Multiple warning signs existed prior to public disclosure but were not escalated appropriately." Advertisement Advertisement The report says that teachers and administrators in general misunderstand each other's roles. "Poor communication, delayed responses, inconsistent accountability for actions by staff andstudents have contributed to fractured trust," says the report. "This incident has exposed and brought to the surface serious systemic failures that must beaddressed," it adds. The parts of the report that were released on Wednesday do not provide any further details on what happened to the student with special needs. Public portions of report focused on recommendations for change Topping the list of 27 recommendations is a proposal to clear up confusion on the staff's part, as far as who they should direct their "inquiries" to, by clearly defining administrators' roles and responsibilities. Advertisement Advertisement All administrators, the report says, need to spend more time with students in classrooms and in hallways, when students are arriving and departing, and at school-related events outside normal hours. The report also recommends that: Teachers and staff attend school events outside school hours The school system establish a student advisory board that meets directly with the school principal and designees; their input is essential. The procurement of additional two-way encrypted radios to improve communication between teachers and staff Teachers note incidents related to student behavior in a computer system to guide proper follow-up Administrators "develop accountability standards" and prioritize alternatives to suspension, which are more effective than removing students from school Establish teams for dealing with "active threat assessment" and "crisis response" Work with an outside vendor to improve connectivity for cell phones, which is a "serious safety concern" Set a policy "for locker room hours, access, and staff monitoring assignments" Newport committee takes action in abuse case based on input from O'Donnell On Feb. 3, O'Donnell provided written feedback to the school committee on the case. Advertisement Advertisement The committee hired O'Donnell on Nov. 26, just days after police arrested and charged a 16-year-old, accusing him of assaulting a person with "severe impairments." At the time, the committee's chairman, James Dring, said he was "heartbroken" by widely circulated videos showing the abuse, which he and the community had seen. By then, the police had charged a total of four Rogers High School students with assault in the case. At the Feb. 3 closed-door session, which lasted more than three hours, the committee agreed to have another meeting to discuss the feedback from O'Donnell. The committee met again on the matter on Tuesday, Feb. 10, according to its posted agenda. Origins of the case: Arrests of students by Newport police Starting on Nov. 21, Newport police arrested four young men in connection with the incident. Advertisement Advertisement Police have not identified any of the students because they are minors. Police also say they have video of the alleged assault. Newport schools Superintendent Colleen Burns Jermain said that the video shows other students failing to respond appropriately to what was happening in their midst. In the days after the initial arrest on Nov. 21, police charged a second 16-year-old student in connection with the alleged assault, and two other students, a 17-year-old and a 14-year-old, were arrested and charged with assault. This story has been updated with new information. This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Newport principal put on leave after investigation of assault incident Bithumb admits $40 billion bitcoin error due to internal system failures Proactive uses images sourced from Shutterstock South Korean cryptocurrency exchange Bithumb has revealed that a serious system flaw led to the accidental transfer of bitcoin worth over $40 billion to its users during a promotional event. The error occurred when the platform mistakenly credited around 620,000 bitcoin to customers instead of 620,000 won ($426). The mistake caused a sharp 17% drop in bitcoin's price before Bithumb managed to freeze affected accounts. While most of the digital assets were recovered, nearly 1,800 bitcoins were sold before action was taken. Authorities have stated that recipients who profited from the error must return the funds. Bithumb CEO Lee Jae-won told lawmakers that the platform's internal checks failed to detect discrepancies between actual holdings and scheduled transactions due to a 24-hour delay in balance updates. He admitted the system lacked safeguards such as segregated accounts to manage promotional giveaways. South Korean regulators expressed concern about oversight gaps in one of the world's most active cryptocurrency markets. The latest setback follows a turbulent start to the year for the crypto markets, which have seen bitcoin dip below $70,000, well down from its October peak of $122,000. TUPELO A Lee County grand jury has indicted a Starkville man accused of shooting a co-worker in the head last summer outside a Baldwyn factory. Javontae Zyderrick Harris, 30, of Starkville, was indicted for aggravated assault last week for the July 2, 2025 shooting outside of the FXI factory on Highway 45. If convicted, he could face up to 20 years in prison. Harris fled the state after the shooting, heading to the Pacific Northwest. He was legally fighting extradition, but cutting off his GPS ankle monitor and missing a court date lead to his arrest and return to Mississippi. He has been held without bond in the Lee County Adult Jail since early December. Advertisement Advertisement According to reports, Harris and Reggie McGaha, both employees at FXI, got into an argument in the parking lot on the evening of July 2. The altercation escalated to gunfire. Harris reportedly shot McGaha in the head, then fled the scene in a personal vehicle. McGaha was transported to the hospital for medical treatment. McGaha survived the gunshot wound and is recovering. The U.S. Marshals Service apprehended Harris in Portland, Oregon, about three weeks later. He refused extradition and an Oregon circuit judge released him with a GPS ankle bracelet and set a follow-up court date. The Mississippi paperwork to have Harris returned was filed at the Sept. 11, 2025 court proceedings. The Oregon court allowed him to remain free on a $250,000 bond and set a follow-up court date for October. When he failed to show up in court, a bench warrant was issued for his arrest. He was arrested a month later without the GPS monitor and ordered held without bond. Baldwyn police flew to Oregon Dec. 2, 2025 and returned with Harris the next day. Back in Mississippi, Circuit Judge John White ordered Harris held without bond. KYIV, Feb 11 (Reuters) - Ukraine's air defences repelled a Russian missile attack on Lviv region, Lviv Mayor Andriy Sadovyi said on Wednesday, after the air force warned of Russian missiles in the air. "Close to 1440 (local time) two enemy Kinzhal (missiles) were flying in the direction of Lviv. Air defence forces neutralised them. This is a titanic work," Sadovyi wrote on the Telegram messaging app. He added that as of now there were no reports of any damage or people hurt, and that city services were surveying the territory. Advertisement Advertisement Lviv, in western Ukraine, is about 600 km (370 miles) away from the nearest border with Russia, making attacks there, especially daytime ones, less common than in other major Ukrainian cities. (Reporting by Yuliia Dysa, writing by Max Hunder and Anna Pruchnicka; Editing by Andrew Heavens and Sharon Singleton) The University of Alaska may soon be legally required to provide itemized bills to students and give them more notice of fee increases. The Alaska House of Representatives voted 36-3 on Friday to pass House Bill 176 and send it to the Senate for further consideration. Rep. Ashley Carrick, D-Fairbanks, introduced the bill in the House and said it is meant to provide greater transparency and accountability for all of my fellow Nanooks, Seawolves and Whales out there, referring to the states universities by their mascots. Advertisement Advertisement With House Bill 176, it is our hope that we are able to provide more information to students and those that may be helping them to pay their bills about what it is that they are paying for and how those dollars will be spent, she said. The legislation received bipartisan support in the House. As a mom of two college students, it is important to see what is going on with their tuition because Im paying for their tuition, said Rep. Jamie Allard, R-Eagle River. No one spoke against the bill on the floor, but afterward, Rep. Justin Ruffridge, R-Soldotna and one of three no votes, said he didnt think the bill was necessary. Advertisement Advertisement I just think government does some things that could be solved with five or six conversations, he said. The University of Alaska said in a fiscal note that it believes it can implement the changes without any additional cost to its budget. The bill has been referred to the Senate Education Committee, which has not yet scheduled it for a hearing. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Students and school officials from across Alaska visited the Legislature from the North Slope, to the Yukon Flats, to Yakutat and Hoonah to make what has become an annual plea to lawmakers to invest in the states public education. I have been in this building every February for 20 years, and for 20 years I have been saying nearly the same exact thing, and were at a point now where that conversation is at an inflection point, said Lon Garrison, executive director of the Association of Alaska School Boards, which organizes the annual fly-in event on Monday. Pretty soon, public education will not work in the state of Alaska, he said. And we have to do something. We have to be bold. Advertisement Advertisement Decades of deferred maintenance for Alaskas schools is reaching crisis levels, lawmakers heard, with some districts grappling with deteriorating school buildings, failing water and sewer systems. Alaskas school maintenance problems are well-known, but the schools needs come with a multi-million dollar price tag. Lawmakers will be negotiating how much to allocate to schools among a slate of other dire state funding needs, from transportation to increased disaster relief funding. That negotiation is further complicated by declining oil prices and state revenues and the threat of Gov. Mike Dunleavys veto pen. But on Monday, students and school board members, some parents themselves, shared emotional testimony of how schools continue to endure failing infrastructure. Some of our schools are so riddled with black mold that I developed a headache almost immediately, said Julia Phelen, a member of the school board with the Delta-Greely School District, on visiting rural schools in the Delta Junction area district. Some of them have only one working restroom in the entire building, and others are hauling water and using honey buckets. Advertisement Advertisement Last year, the Legislature approved $38 million to address school maintenance needs on the states major maintenance list, a ranking of school projects submitted to the state for reimbursement. That was enough to cover the top nine projects on the list. Gov. Dunleavy vetoed that down to roughly $12.8 million, citing declining oil prices and state revenues, to fund the top three projects on the list. This year, whether lawmakers will allocate more funding for public education remains uncertain amid early budget negotiations. But leaders in the bipartisan Senate Majority Caucus expressed support for addressing more of schools major facilities needs at a news conference on Tuesday. Now this year, weve got $401 million on the deferred maintenance list of schools, said Sen. Bert Stedman, R-Sitka, a member of the Senate Finance Committee. We need to have a dialogue with the administration and try to get them to work with us so we can, you know, slow down this deferred maintenance. Because every year doesnt get addressed, it just gets worse. Advertisement Advertisement The deteriorating school facilities are coupled with stretched budgets some districts face steep budget shortfalls and school closures and rising costs, especially for rural districts. Some speakers said budget shortfalls are forcing districts to cut classes, teachers and activities, which they said is posing a growing risk to students safety and wellbeing, including mental health. Reanna Brown, a school board member from Yakutat, testified that in rural communities like hers, which are connected to the road system only by boat and plane, the costs of education are higher, from retaining teachers to powering buildings and transporting supplies. Our students deserve the same opportunities as any student in Alaska, regardless of their zip code, Brown said. Stable, equitable education funding allows us to retain quality educators, support student services and provide safe, consistent learning environments. In the Yukon Flats School District, which covers a vast area in the northeast of the state, Rhonda Pitka, a school board member, said the decades of deferred maintenance is a constant problem. Rhonda Pitka, a board member of the Yukon Flats School District, and chief of the Beaver Village Council testifies before legislators on the challenges faced by the school districts on Feb 10, 2026 (Photo by Corinne Smith/Alaska Beacon) Theres always a problem with the sewer systems and the water systems, Pitka said. One of our smallest schools, Chalkyitsik, has about 13 students this year, but theyve had this water issue for like, 20 years, she said. Advertisement Advertisement She said extreme cold and the remoteness of schools in the Interior is also exacerbating schools water and sewer issues. We have incredibly cold weather. It was 50 below for five weeks, and then it hit a three day streak of minus 70 below in the Interior. So, you know, at those temperatures, nothings running, nothings working, Pitka said, and spoke about the difficulties of retaining essential maintenance workers in the villages at $20 per hour. Many speakers thanked lawmakers for supporting the increase to the states per student funding, the base student allocation, last year, but said that state education funding still falls far short of what is needed. Every day we see the impact of not having enough resources for our education, said Melina Pangiak, who testified with a classmate, Lucia Patrick, from the Chevak school in the Kashunamiut School District in Western Alaska. Advertisement Advertisement The students spoke about the cuts to elective classes and learning opportunities. Elective classes are more than just extra courses. They are where we discover what excites us and where we find talents and when we could discover our future paths, Pangiak said. Students with the Kusilvak Career Academy, a residential program focused on career and technical education for high school students with the Lower Yukon School District. They visited the Legislature as part of the annual fly-in organized by the Association of School Boards on Feb. 9, 2026. (Photo by Corinne Smith/Alaska Beacon) When these classes are cut or limited, it feels like doors are being closed on our potential, Patrick added. Students and school officials testified that there is a growing need for more school counselors and resources for mental health support. Our region recently experienced another suicide, which deeply affected our students and our only regional counselor, said Kay Andrews, a school board member from the Southwest Region School District that includes eight schools spanning across the Bristol Bay region. Advertisement Advertisement Schools are more than our classrooms. They are community centers. They are safe places for our children, yet, schools are being asked to do more with less, she said. Some speakers pointed to bill proposals that lawmakers are considering this year as potential solutions. Some testified in support of House Bill 261, proposed this year by Rep. Andi Story, D-Juneau, that would redefine how districts calculate their student count to create more predictable budget estimates in the spring. Its come to be a guessing game, almost, because were not sure how many students were going to have, said Jack Strong, a board member from the Chatham School District, which serves four rural schools in Southeast Alaska. Its really hurting us in the long run, our children are not getting the education that they need, basically because of the way the paper shuffle is. Speakers also expressed support for state pension reform, House Bill 78, currently being debated in the House Finance Committee, to help support recruitment and retention of teachers. Advertisement Advertisement Students came with solutions as well: Maddie Bass, a sophomore at Juneau Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kale testified to the stress of teachers struggling with low pay, and leaving to pursue other jobs with healthcare benefits. Following the hearing, Bass said shed like to see the state generate more tax revenue from the millions of tourists that visit Alaska each year. Im seeing the government turning to taxing Alaskans. They want to tax Alaskans more instead of taxing corporations, and I think that that is the wrong idea, Bass said. I think to bolster the education system in Alaska, it would be a good idea to tax the tourism industry or cruise ships more, instead of putting a further burden on Alaskans that are just trying to work, learn and live here in the state. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Correction: This story has been updated to correct the spelling of Andi Storys name, the name of the Kashunamiut School District and the spelling of Yakutat. Allegheny County Council is tackling the issue of how to deal with I.C.E. Its a topic thats been taken up by a number of area governments in recent weeks. Tuesday evening, hundreds of people packed council chambers to advocate for legislation that would do a number of things, including: Prohibiting county employees from inquiring into an individuals citizenship or immigration status unless required by court order. Prohibiting county employees from disclosing citizenship or immigration status of others unless required by court order. Prohibiting county employees from entering into a contract with a federal agency to provide access to any database with the purpose of assisting in immigration enforcement. Advertisement Advertisement It follows several high-profile I.C.E. arrests in Allegheny County. In December, federal agents took a man from Nicaragua into custody in Pittsburghs Mount Washington neighborhood. PREVIOUS COVERAGE >>> Confrontation between man, federal agents leads to large police presence in Pittsburgh neighborhood Over the weekend, I.C.E. released Jose Flores of Oakmont after he spent more than a week in custody. PREVIOUS COVERAGE >>> Oakmont Bakery owner questioning why ICE took his employee into custody Seven councilmembers co-sponsored the legislation, including Council-at-large Bethany Hallam. Advertisement Advertisement We should not be doing I.C.E.s job for them. We should not be using county taxpayer dollars, she said. It actually gives leverage for supervisors to be able to issue sanctions. Todd McCollum, Pittsburghs GOP Chair, spoke to Channel 11 on behalf of the countys Republican Party. Im not sure why the county insists on getting involved in this matter. Its a federal issue. Its a public safety matter, he said. The county is trying to enact anti-whistleblower legislation and that shouldnt be upheld by any court. Hallam told me she expects a vote to happen in two weeks. County Executive Sara Innamorato has pledged to sign it into law. Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW At the Monday evening, Feb. 9 meeting of Amarillo ISD, Jennifer Wilkerson, the district's assistant supervisor of curriculum and instruction, revealed that more than 700 AISD students looking for more virtual options have found other alternatives at other locations. Families are looking for more flexibility, she told the school board. Wilkerson said that the world was changing and that they need to meet the challenges presented to them. Virtual education can be used for accelerated learning as well, but also for full-time students. Wilkerson said that they had applied for a grant after meeting in August to discuss the challenges, and they had been awarded a $226,000 grant for two years from the Texas Education Agency (TEA). Amarillo ISD's Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum & Instruction, Jennifer Wilkinson, speaks at the Feb. 9 meeting of school district's board of trustees, where she explained the increase of virtual learning courses proposed to help meet the students of students. Although virtual education has been deemed unsuccessful when used during the COVID pandemic, Wilkerson said that they had discovered some "secret classes" a pocket of time spent where virtual learning went very well. Advertisement Advertisement It is an opportunity to expand our goals and do more research and offer excellence in profiling our students and using instructional design, she said. Wilkerson expects the program to launch in the 2027-28 school year. When Board President Doyle Corder asked her what type of students it was for, she said that it would be for accelerated learning and primary instruction and possibly hybrid in some cases. When completed, the courses would be for grades 6-12, with limits in fine arts and physical education, and then eventually would be for 100% of classes. When Corder asked her if they would have to add instructors, she said they might have to, depending on results. Advertisement Advertisement Wilkerson emphasized that the virtual learning was not for early graduation, but for added flexibility for students who also wanted to work or had other exceptions. It was also brought up that some schools were already offering virtual classes. She also stressed that there would be accountability when applications were being filled out. Students would be able to have classes when they want, rather than a regular time when they are posted. Board member Don Powell said that he was more favorable for traditional education with in-class instruction, and Wilkerson responded that it was also a stretch for her. I am not the face for virtual education and never have been, Wilkerson said. Its been a stretch for me to launch into this because I love when youre talking about sitting across from a kid and watching him 'get it'. Thats why we get into education. But what I know is, that our world is changing, and we have to be mindful of that. And if we want to be current and relevant, we have to figure out how to do how to do it, and we know what is best for kids in a way that in keeps our families in mind. Advertisement Advertisement Wilkerson concluded by saying, We are not absolved from accountability measures. All the same things that students and schools have to do to meet accountability, these students and schools will have to do (virtually) as well. This article originally appeared on Amarillo Globe-News: Amarillo students seeking flexibility of virtual learning cause change The Ames City Council passed an ordinance to reintroduce gender identity as a protected class Tuesday afternoon. Ames is now the second city in the state to create protections for transgender and non-binary individuals, following Iowa City, which became the first in August of last year. The Ames City Council suspended the rules and got it through three readings. A House bill restricting local governments from creating these kinds of protections passed out of subcommittee on Monday. Advertisement Advertisement Council members acknowledged Reynolds bill but said they want to make their stance clear before the measure advances any further. "Protected classes should match what is in the Iowa Civil Rights Code," a spokesperson from Gov. Kim Reynolds' office told Local 5. "Local governments can strengthen areas of protection for classes covered under Iowa Civil Rights Code, but they cannot create protections for classes that are not covered under state code." The Coalition for University Equity at Iowa State University worked with council members, past and present, to develop the ordinance. Under the new ordinance, discrimination would be classified as a municipal infraction, and offenders would incur a fine of $750 for the first offense and $1,000 for any subsequent offense. Advertisement Advertisement Those who feel they have been discriminated against on the basis of gender identity would make a report to the Ames Human Rights Commission, and the city attorneys office would then prosecute the citation. Nearly one year ago, Iowa became the first state in the nation to remove gender identity protections from the state's civil rights code. The ordinance will take effect immediately. An appeals court issued a ruling Monday allowing the Trump administration to revoke deportation protections for citizens from Nicaragua, Nepal and Honduras. The 9th U.S. Court of Appeals struck down an August ruling from a California judge that ruled against plans to end protections for migrants from those countries, citing sufficient racial animus. The three-judge appeals panel said the Trump administration could provide legitimate reasoning to support its decision to end protections for 60,000 migrants who entered the country through Temporary Protected Status (TPS). Advertisement Advertisement We conclude that the government is likely to succeed on the merits of its appeal either by showing that the district court lacked jurisdiction or by prevailing on plaintiffs arbitrary-and-capricious APA challenge, judges wrote in their ruling, referring to Administrative Procedure Act challenges, which are legal actions filed in federal district court to contest federal agency actions as arbitrary, capricious, unlawful or to address unreasonable delays. The decision is set to impact approximately 50,000 Hondurans, 7,000 Nepalis and 3,000 Nicaraguans who migrated to flee war, weather disasters or other conditions under TPS, according to the National Immigration Forum. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem described the appeals court decision as a win for the rule of law and vindication for the US Constitution. Under the previous administration, Temporary Protected Status was abused to allow violent terrorists, criminals, and national security threats into our nation, she wrote in a Monday statement on the social platform X. Advertisement Advertisement The Homeland Security secretary said TPS was never designed to be permanent and alleged it was previously used as a de facto amnesty program for decades. Given the improved situation in each of these countries, we are wisely concluding what was intended to be a temporary designation, she added. Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. LITTLE ROCK, Ark. Arkansas State Police say online crime targeting children rose at an alarming rate in 2025, with preliminary data showing major increases in sextortion and online enticement cases across the state. According to the Arkansas State Police Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force, investigators have recorded 391 sextortion cases last year, a 118% increase compared to 2024. Arkansas State Police make multiple arrests, rescue multiple victims as part of national child exploitation investigation Advertisement Advertisement Reports of online enticement before in-person contact surged to 5,653 cases, up nearly 490%. Authorities have also documented 11 suicide threats linked to online exploitation, a 120% increase, and five child sex trafficking cases, up 150%. Sergeant Corwin Battle, commander of the Arkansas State Police ICAC Task Force, called the spike in sextortion cases especially concerning. Of course, probably the number one thing that we saw that was pretty dramatic was an increase in our sextortion, Battle said. That statistic alone is very frightening, and we know its very underreported. Battle said many victims never report incidents, either out of embarrassment or because they attempt to handle the situation privately. He added that new federal reporting requirements- known as the REPORT Act have prompted electronic service providers to more actively flag suspicious activity, helping law enforcement intervene earlier. Advertisement Advertisement Many of the reported cases are considered pre-travel meaning investigators can step in before a suspect meets a child in person. In some situations, officers notify parents who are unaware that their child has been communicating with strangers online. Authorities are also seeing emerging challenges tied to evolving technology, including the growing use of artificial intelligence in online exploitation. Battle said predators are increasingly targeting rural areas where they may believe there is less of a law enforcement presence or technological surveillance. Despite rising numbers, Battle emphasized that prevention often starts at home. He urged parents to have open, ongoing conversations with their children about online behavior and stay informed about online behavior and the apps and platforms their kids are using. Little Rock parent Thatcher Cooperwood said the statistics reinforce concerns he already has for his own family. Advertisement Advertisement What goes through my mind knowing that this type of crime is going on, its really sickening, Cooperwood said. He added that he closely monitors his childrens gaming and internet use, regularly reminding them not to share personal information with strangers. Arkansas State Police warns of surge in online child exploitation The Arkansas ICAC Task Force, established in the state in 2003 as part of a nationwide initiative, relies heavily on cyber tips from service providers and the public. Investigators say cooperation from victims and families is critical to building cases and preventing further harm. Advertisement Advertisement State police encourage parents to use parental control, monitor online activity and seek out educational resources about internet safety. Investigators stress that early reporting can help protect not only individual victims but also other children who may be targeted. Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KARK. Officials from Asheville and Buncombe County came to the Legislative Building in Raleigh on Wednesday to rebut allegations they were using diversity, equity, and inclusion policies to help Black people to the exclusion of other races. They were responding to Ruth Smith, an Asheville lawyer and unsuccessful Republican legislative candidate, who told the House Select Committee on Government Efficiency in January that the city and county are using equity to allocate resources based on race, NC Newsline reported. Buncombe County Chairwoman Amanda Edwards told the committee that was not true. Advertisement Advertisement We are here to correct the record and any misinterpretations, she told the committee. Edwards explained that the county used its Racial Equity Action Plan to make sure information is reaching underserved communities, which include public housing, which she said has a growing white population, and rural areas. There have been no instances where race-based criteria or other protected characteristics have been used in any of our work, including hiring, contracts, or allocations of revenue, she said. Over the last year, Republicans have worked to dismantle diversity, equity, and inclusion programs and policies in federal, state, and local government. Advertisement Advertisement The legislature passed a bill along party lines banning DEI initiatives in state and local government, and giving government employees the ability to sue their employer if they believe it violated the bills provisions. Gov. Josh Stein, a Democrat, vetoed the bill, and the legislature has not overridden his veto, though it still may do so. Republicans on the committee were skeptical of Buncombe officials claims that they were abiding by the law. Rep. Brian Echevarria (R-Cabarrus) asked Edwards what changes the county made to correct past flaws. Go ahead and confess your faults, he told Edwards. Advertisement Advertisement Edwards said they didnt have any. Rep. Keith Kidwell (R-Beaufort), a committee co-chairman, didnt like the word equity. The moment you inject equity, you lose equality, Kidwell said, because equity is going to give you the outcome that is desired by whatever group is setting the equity tolerance. Republican legislators keyed in on the Community Reparations Commission that Asheville sponsored and Buncombe supported. Members were appointed in 2022 and the commission delivered its final report last month. The commission found great disparities between Black and white city residents in educational outcomes, health-related outcomes, homeownership rates and poverty rates, said Asheville Mayor Esther Manheimer. Advertisement Advertisement City Attorney Brad Branham said the recommendations were not about providing individuals money, but were aimed at community investment policies. Kidwell said the oversight committee may have to revisit the issue when the payments start flowing out. Rep. Phil Rubin (D-Wake) said even though racially discriminatory practices like redlining were outlawed decades ago, their impacts are still with us today. For example, he said, the poverty rate is 2 times higher for Black Buncombe residents versus white residents, The infant mortality rate for Black infants in Buncombe is also 2 times that of white infants, and the disparity is even greater in North Carolina as a whole. Advertisement Advertisement Rubin said hed rather see the committee work on those things rather than focus on banning DEI. How can we get it to be that infant mortality isnt so different by race across the state? he asked. Because that reflects poorly on us, and it is not getting better. Boston Dynamics, the Massachusetts-based robotics company known for its four-legged robots and humanoids, is going through a leadership change. Robert Playter announced in an internal memo on Tuesday that he would be stepping down as the companys chief executive, as first reported by A3. Amanda McMaster, the companys chief financial officer, will stand in for the top job while the company looks for a replacement. More from Yahoo Scout Why is Boston Dynamics CEO Robert Playter stepping down? Who will replace Robert Playter as Boston Dynamics CEO? How has Boston Dynamics' ownership changed over the years? What major achievements occurred under Playter's leadership at Boston Dynamics? Boston Dynamics sent TechCrunch the following statement, Robert Playter is an icon of the global robotics industry, and the entire Boston Dynamics team wishes to express our sincere appreciation and gratitude for his leadership. From the earliest days of hopping robots, to the worlds first quadrupeds, to spearheading the entire humanoid industry, Playter made his mark as a pioneer of innovation. He transformed Boston Dynamics from a small research and development lab into a successful business that now proudly calls itself the global leader in mobile robotics. He will be sorely missed, but we hope he enjoys some well-deserved time off. Thanks Rob. Playter took the helm at Boston Dynamics in 2020, taking over from founder Marc Raibert. Playter worked at Boston Dynamics for 30 years, where he held other roles, including vice president of engineering and chief operating officer. Boston Dynamics was founded in 1992 by Raibert as a spinoff from Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where he was a professor. Googles parent company Alphabet bought Boston Dynamics in 2013, before the company was sold to Japanese investing conglomerate SoftBank in 2017. Hyundai, its current owner, acquired the company in 2021. The robotics producer is best known for its quadruped robot, Spot, which the company commercialized in 2020 shortly after Playter took the helm. The company most recently announced Atlas, a humanoid robot. This piece has been updated to include commentary from Boston Dynamics. A former employee of an Alaska assisted living facility has admitted to killing one of its residents, years after the woman disappeared. Kirby Calderwood pleaded guilty in court Feb. 5 to second-degree murder in the death of Anesha Duffy Murnane, according to a statement from the State of Alaska Department of Law. For More True Crime: Daughter of Minnesota Gubernatorial Candidate Stabbed to Death in Alleged Murder-Suicide Man Charged With Abandoning Corpse After Woman Found Decomposing in Apartment Authorities Search Septic Tank, Annie Guthrie's Home in Hunt For Savannah Guthrie's Mom What Happened to Anesha Duffy Murnane? Murnanedescribed by authorities as a beloved member of the communitywas last seen leaving the Homer, Alaska assisted living facility where she lived on Oct. 17, 2019. Advertisement Advertisement Although a massive search effort was launched to find the missing 38-year-old, for years, her fate remained a mystery. Then in 2022, a tipster reached out to the Peninsula Crime Stoppers in Kenai to report that Calderwood kidnapped and murdered the preschool teacher, who according to Anchorage Daily News, struggled with mental health issues. Calderwoods wife also told police that hed confessed to killing Murnane in the crawlspace of his then-girlfriends parents home, per the statement. Kirby Calderwood Investigators discovered evidence that contained Murnanes DNA inside the space, although her remains have never been recovered. Advertisement Advertisement During a search of Calderwoods Utah home, where he moved after the murder, police and the FBI also found Murnanes watch and a missing person flyer for her hidden inside a drawer. As part of the plea deal, Calderwood, who once worked as a direct service provider at the assisted living facility, is expected to be sentenced to 99 years in prison, which includes 87 years of active jail time and a 12 years suspended sentence. He is scheduled to be formally sentenced on July 1. Anesha Duffy Murnanes Family Pleased With the Plea Deal Murnanes stepfather Ed Berg told the Anchorage Daily News that the family had been pleased with the plea deal because it kept the case out of the courtroom. The details of the crime that would be brought out in full gore in a trial situation, he explained. The public doesnt need to know that. RELATED: Guard Witnesses $1 Million Robbery2 Years Later, He's Found Dead in a Snowbank He added that the family didnt want to take the risk that Calderwood could be acquitted. Advertisement Advertisement This person is a serious psychopath, he said, and just shouldnt be allowed in the public. Murnanes mother Sara Coner Murnane Berg died in January 2024. Although she suffered from health issues, she noted in an obituary she penned herself that she believed the death of her sweet daughter had also contributed to her death. Cancer or heart disease will be on the death certificate, she wrote, but we all know that the real cause was the loss of my dear Duffy. Things are fairly quiet right now, but the long range is hinting at something different. A strong system will move across Arkansas later this week, bringing much needed rain into the southern Plains and Mississippi Valley. There is much agreement that parts of the southern Plains into the Mississippi Valley will see moderate to heavy rainfall, and depending on how this system evolves, some areas could pick up beneficial soaking rain. Beyond that system, the pattern looks more amplified, with ridging building over the central U.S. That would support well above normal temperatures across Arkansas. It wouldnt be surprising if some areas climbed into the lower 80s next week. The big question is whether this warm stretch is here to stay. More than likely, its not. Advertisement Advertisement Guidance continues to hint at another push of colder air towards the end of this month. And as we know around here, when colder air runs into warmth like this, things can change quickly. So while we are calm for now, the long range still points toward a more active setup ahead, and its definitely something well be watching closely. Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KARK. When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. An artist's impression of OSIRIS-REx above the surface of Bennu. | Credit: NASA/Goddard/University of Arizona The origins of the building blocks of life may be even more widespread than we realized, as per a new discovery from the asteroid sample NASA's OSIRIS-REx mission brought back to Earth from the space rock Bennu. At least 14 of the 20 amino acids used by life on Earth , and 19 other amino acids not used by life, have been identified in the sample from Bennu , which was delivered to Earth in September 2023. It had been thought that these amino acids had formed in warm, watery conditions close to the infant sun 4.5 billion years ago. Advertisement Advertisement However, a new analysis of the isotopes contained within the amino acids points to a much colder origin for the compounds: in the presence of ice far away from the young sun . "This confirms that life's building blocks can be formed in a diversity of environments throughout the universe," Allison Baczynski, an organic chemist at Penn State University and co-lead author of the new study, told Space.com. Baczynski led a team who investigated the isotopic composition of Bennu's amino acids, focusing on the simplest amino acid in the sample, which is glycine. On Earth, glycine forms when hydrogen cyanide, ammonia and organic compounds called aldehydes react with each other in warm water. Baczynski's team used the Murchison meteorite that fell in Australia in 1969 as a reference; the amino acids found in Murchison have an isotopic composition that suggests they formed in this manner. On the other hand, Bennu's glycine, and other amino acids present, have isotopic compositions that differ from the Murchison amino acids. Instead, their isotopic composition matches what could be expected from having formed in a chemically distinct and frozen environment farther from the sun, though still dowsed in the solar ultraviolet radiation required to trigger the reaction to form the amino acids. A small sample of the asteroid material brought back from the asteroid Bennu | Credit: Jaydyn Isiminger/Penn State "It was really exciting to see that amino acids in Bennu showed a much different isotopic pattern than those in Murchison, suggesting that the amino acids formed by a different pathway and in different regions of the solar system ," said Baczynski. Advertisement Advertisement The early solar system, during the era when the planets were still forming, was divided by a boundary known as the "snow line." Beyond the snow line, water was frozen, while inside the snow line it existed as liquid or vapor. Chemical reactions proceeded differently depending upon which side of the snow line they took place on. It is not entirely clear whether the amino acids formed beyond the snow line on icy dust grains and then migrated inwards where they were accreted by Bennu's parent body (at some point in the past it was smashed apart by a collision, and Bennu is a large fragment of it), or whether Bennu's parent body itself formed beyond the snow line. However, the evidence points to the latter as being the probable origin. A mosaic image of the asteroid Bennu created by observations made by NASA's OSIRIS-REx spacecraft. | Credit: NASA/Goddard/University of Arizona "Our isotopic data indicates that the amino acids formed in a cold, icy environment and other data acquired by the OSIRIS-REx mission suggests that the parent body of Bennu formed beyond the snow line," said Baczynski. A new mystery also came to light as part of the analysis of the isotopic composition of Bennu's amino acids. Amino acids can come in two forms, left- or right-handed, referring to how their molecular structure can be mirror-imaged. For reasons that no scientists yet understand, all life on Earth uses left-handed amino acids. Advertisement Advertisement Scientists had thought that for any given type of amino acid, the left- and right-handed versions were otherwise identical. Yet the analysis of one of the amino acids in the Bennu sample, glutamic acid, reveals that the left-handed and right-handed versions have different nitrogen isotopes. Why they should be different is a mystery, and although glutamic acid is not one of the amino acids that life uses, the question is whether this has any connection with why life uses only left-handed amino acids. OSIRIS-REx touching down on asteroid Bennu. | Credit: NASA "It has often been assumed that the nitrogen isotope values would be the same for both forms. It was surprising, therefore, to discover that while the L- and D-glutamic acid in Bennu were in equal proportion, the nitrogen isotope values were very different," said Baczynski. "This was one of the most intriguing findings and we're excited to explore this further." The discovery that amino acids can form in more ways than we thought is another boost to the search for life beyond Earth. If life's building blocks can form in a wide variety of conditions, it increases the number of locations where we could potentially look for life. By Yannis Souliotis ATHENS, Feb 11 (Reuters) - Most of the 15 Afghan migrants who were killed off the Greek island of Chios last week when their dinghy collided with a coast guard vessel died of head injuries, not from drowning, autopsy results seen by Reuters show. A criminal investigation has been opened into the February 3 collision - one of Greece's deadliest migrant accidents in years - in which a coast guard vessel collided with a dinghy carrying about 39 people, causing it to capsize. Advertisement Advertisement The coast guard said the migrant boat had been travelling without navigation lights and ignored warnings to stop. It said the dinghy abruptly changed course and hit the patrol vessel. The passengers fell into the sea, it said. But testimonies from five survivors, reviewed by Reuters, contradict the official account. They said that the coast guard did not offer any prior warning and that the dinghy did not change course. Later, divers found dead bodies inside the boat. The autopsy findings are likely to sharpen investigators' focus on the force and nature of the impact. "Cause of death: Severe cranial and brain injuries," said one of the court documents seen by Reuters on Wednesday, with others also citing accompanying chest injuries. Another one said "cranial and brain injuries and subsequent drowning". Advertisement Advertisement Coast guard photos taken after the collision showed mild scrapes on its vessel. In total three coast guard crew members and 24 migrants were injured. MOROCCAN DETAINED ON SMUGGLING CHARGES Before the incident, the coast guard had spotted the ship and ordered one of its vessels to approach it, according to the court documents. One of the survivors testified that he and his family had paid 20,000 euros ($23,725) to cross to Greece by boat, after staying in Turkey for two years. So far, a 31-year-old Moroccan survivor has been detained pending trial on charges including migrant smuggling and causing the deadly crash. He denies the accusations. Advertisement Advertisement Coast guard officials have declined comment on the case while the official inquiry is under way. Greece, which was at the frontline of Europe's migration crisis in 2015-16, says it respects international law and that its coast guard has saved tens of thousands of people. Since 2019, however, the country has adopted tougher migration policies, drawing criticism from rights groups. Hundreds of migrants died in a shipwreck in 2023 after what witnesses said was a failed attempt by the coast guard to tow their trawler. A naval court is still investigating the case. ($1 = 0.8430 euros) (Writing by Renee Maltezou; Editing by Edward McAllister and Ros Russell) Bangladesh has been in political turmoil since a student-led revolt overthrew former prime minister Sheikh Hasina in August 2024, ending her 15-year autocratic rule. The Muslim-majority nation of 170 million people, with 127 million voters, goes to the polls Thursday for the firest time since the uprising, electing 350 lawmakers to parliament. There are more than 51 parties, and more than 2,000 candidates. Advertisement Advertisement Here are the key players in a vote that European Union election observers say will be the "biggest democratic process of 2026, anywhere". - Interim government - Nobel Peace Prize winner Muhammad Yunus, 85, who returned from exile at the behest of protesters to lead a caretaker government, will step down after the polls. Yunus said he inherited a "completely broken" political system, and championed a reform charter he argues is vital to prevent a return to authoritarian rule. A referendum on the proposed changes will also be held on Thursday. - Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) - Advertisement Advertisement The BNP, led by Tarique Rahman, 60, is widely tipped to win the election after he returned in December from 17 years of self-imposed exile. A BNP-led alliance includes leftist, centrist and small Islamist groups. "We expect that we will have a clear mandate from the people", Rahman told AFP ahead of the vote. Opinion polls in Bangladesh vary wildly, though most generally put the BNP ahead -- but sometimes only by a narrow margin. - Islamist-led alliance - Jamaat-e-Islami, the country's largest Islamist party which is ideologically aligned with the Muslim Brotherhood, is seeking a return to formal politics after being crushed during Hasina's tenure. Advertisement Advertisement Jamaat's chief Shafiqur Rahman, 67, is leading an alliance of more than 11 smaller parties, including the National Citizen Party (NCP), formed by student leaders who spearheaded the uprising. Bangladesh -- the world's third mostpopulous Muslim-majority country after Indonesia and Pakistan-- is home to diverse strands of Islamic practice, including a significant Sufi community often condemned by hardline Islamists. Around 10 percent of Bangladeshis are not Muslim -- the majority of those are Hindu, and the country is also home to a small number of Christians. - Awami League - Hasina, 78, now a fugitive in India, was sentenced to death in absentia for crimes against humanity in November. Advertisement Advertisement Her former ruling Awami League, once the country's most popular party, has been outlawed, a ban condemned by rights groups. Hasina told AFP that holding elections without her party would be "sowing the seeds" of further division. In the last elections, in January 2024, the Awami League took 222 seats -- results decried by opposition parties as a sham. - The army - In a country with a long history of military coups, the army remains a pivotal force. More than 300,000 security personnel, including the army and police, will be on duty. Rights organisation Ain o Salish Kendra reported 158 people have been killed and more than 7,000 injured in political violence between August 2024 and December 2025. Advertisement Advertisement Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) raised concerns over the law-and-order situation, accusing parties of forming "mobs" and setting up roadblocks. - International players - Regional powers have taken a keen interest in the outcome of the polls. Bangladesh's relations with India -- once Hasina's strongest ally -- have turned sour. Yunus' first state visit was to China, signalling a strategic shift, while Dhaka has also deepened engagement with Pakistan, India's arch-rival. The Election Commission has approved more than 55,000 domestic observers, and 330 foreign observers. sa/pjm/ceg Ahead of Bangladesh's February 12, 2026 national election -- its first since former leader Sheikh Hasina was ousted -- rumours swirled online the poll has been "declared postponed". These claims are baseless, with election officials confirming to AFP that voting will proceed as expected. "Praise be to God, the election has been declared postponed," reads a Bengali-language Facebook post shared on February 7. Another Facebook user shared a supposed "breaking news" post the same day that "voting has been suspended in Gazipur-5 parliamentary constituency", referring to a district in the capital Dhaka. Screenshot of false posts taken February 10, 2026, with red Xs added by AFP Similar claims surfaced elsewhere on Facebook as the South Asian nation is all set to hold its first national election after the fall of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina in an uprising in August 2024 (archived link). Advertisement Advertisement The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) led by Tarique Rahman -- who returned in December after 17 years in exile -- is widely tipped as a frontrunner. The BNP's key rival is Jamaat-e-Islami, the Muslim-majority nation's largest Islamist party led by Shafiqur Rahman. Hasina's Awami League has been banned by the interim government (archived link). Facebook users appear to believe the posts, with one user commenting, "How can you expect a vote without a boat" -- an apparent reference to the symbol of Awami League. "It's good news for Bangladesh," another said. But the claims are false, with an Election Commission official confirming that voting will proceed across Bangladesh on February 12 (archived link). Advertisement Advertisement "Elections will be held in 299 out of 300 constituencies," Election Commissioner Brigadier General Abul Fazal Muhammad Sanaullah told AFP on February 11, explaining that "one was postponed in Sherpur due to the demise of a candidate". According to local newspaper The Daily Star, a candidate in the northern district of Sherpur who had been suffering from kidney problems died on February 4, prompting polls to be postponed in his constituency (archived link). Voting equipment The first post claiming postponement linked to a February 7 report on the Facebook page of private TV station Channel i, which showed people sitting on a panel (archived link). "The February 12 election will not be inclusive if Awami League is excluded: CPD," reads the caption embedded in the picture. Advertisement Advertisement Channel i reported that think-tank Center for Policy Dialogue (CPD) said the election's credibility could be called into question if a large portion of Bangladeshi society -- namely those who support Hasina's party -- are ignored, or if they do not participate in the vote (archived link). The article says nothing about the election being postponed. Bengali newspaper Prothom Alo published a story about CPD's press conference, which has no mention of an election suspension (archived link). A keyword search for the second claim about Gazipur district's voting being suspended found an article published by Bengali newspaper the Daily Kaler Kantho, which said the distribution of voting equipment had been postponed by the local district administration to February 8 (archived link). Advertisement Advertisement Gazipur district commissioner Md Alam Hossain told AFP on February 11 that claims about his constituency postponing the election "is totally fake". "We have distributed the election equipment on February 8," he said, adding that his constituency will vote as planned. AFP has previously debunked other false claims about Bangladesh's upcoming election. Judge Christopher Duggan administered the oath of office Tuesday to Bastrops newest associate municipal judge after the City Council approved attorney Carly Power for the position. Power will serve a two-year term, assisting the municipal court with a growing workload and filling in for Municipal Judge Caroline A. McClimon when shes absent. We are very lucky to have her as an addition to the court, McClimon said. Advertisement Advertisement Municipal courts have exclusive jurisdiction over city ordinance violations within their jurisdictions, according to the State Bar of Texas. Mayor Pro Tem John Kirkland said Bastrops municipal court also handles truancy cases. Power earned her law degree at St. Marys University in 2019 before working as an attorney for the Texas Department of Transportation and the Round Rock firm Zwicker & Associates, according to her LinkedIn profile. Additionally, the council approved the purchase of 804 Water St. for $525,000 in a joint agreement with the Bastrop Economic Development Corp. The city bought the property to meet the growing need for parking downtown, City Manager Sylvia Carrillo said. We thought it was an opportunity to get some more parking, Carrillo said. As we begin to investigate a parking structure, if theres a potential to acquire this and other lots, this would be a fine place for that. If not, it is still a potential for parking or some other retail. A bill to revoke or deny educator licenses and certificates for people found publicly celebrating politically motivated violence including the death of conservative activist Charlie Kirk was amended by the House Education Committee to include new language related to student protests. The bill, House Study Bill 682, directs the Iowa Board of Educational Examiners to disqualify an applicant for a license or certificate, or revoke these credentials if already granted, for people publicly celebrating any act of politically motivated violence, including the unlawful killing of Charles J. Kirk. To celebrate was defined as any public expression of approval or joy regarding these acts, including any social media posts, public statements or other messages accessible to students or the public. The bill specifically highlights the phrases good riddance, one less fascist, and he deserved it, but says any substantially similar statements would also be grounds to revoke or deny a license. Advertisement Advertisement The board would be required to begin the proceedings for revoking or disqualifying a persons licensing upon receipt of credible evidence, which includes screenshots, videos and sworn complaint. The measure would be effective retroactively, beginning Sept. 10, 2025 the day Kirk was fatally shot during an event at Utah Valley University. But in the committee meeting, a major new component was added to the legislation through an amendment, which Rep. Henry Stone, R-Forest City, categorized as related to teacher and administrator led student protests. The language, not yet available online, includes a provision stating a school board must extend the school calendar for a district by one day for each day that a student protest occurs at any attendance center in the school district. Rep. Elinor Levin, D-Iowa City, questioned whether teachers and other school staff will be working for free on those extra days, or whether the state will be providing funding for that. The measure also includes language that would have teachers or administrators licenses revoked for leading or encouraging a student protest. Levin asked if teachers would be subject to having their licenses revoked if they answer questions from students about safety, like, how to communicate with law enforcement or how do we secure permits for a protest? Advertisement Advertisement This amendment takes a bill that had some First Amendment concerns to it, Levin said, And turns it into a bill that is going to Im going to be honest and call out my own school district here have ICCSD going to school into July for no pay. This is so poorly thought out as to be laughable. The First Amendment issues brought up come amid lawsuits related to First Amendment rights for teachers prompted by social media posts and comments related to Kirks death. Shortly after the shooting, several Iowa educators as well as a public defender and a paramedic were fired or sanctioned allegedly because of online posts they made related to Kirk shortly after his death. Two teachers, Katherine Mejia of Manchester and Jennifer Smith of Johnston, have sued the Iowa BOEE and its executive director, Michael Cavin, over a written solicitation of professional licensing complaints related to Kirks death. The lawsuit argues by soliciting these complaints, Cavin and the board violated teachers First Amendment right to make comments about matters of public concern. This argument was echoed by education advocates at the Wednesday subcommittee meeting. Melissa Peterson with the Iowa State Education Association called the bill a blatant constitutional violation. Advertisement Advertisement Peterson pointed to the 1987 U.S. Supreme Court decision in Rankin v. McPherson, which found public employees cannot be fired on the basis of private, political comments. She also said there are several other issues with the bill, saying it proposes a really, really extreme penalty for infractions without laying out standards for what speech could lead to a person making a complaint about an educator or applicant under the bill. Additionally, she warned against implementing measures disqualifying people from educator licenses over issues that are not blatantly illegal. We already have requirements for example, background checks with the Board of Educational Examiners, Peterson said. If you have certain legal infractions in your history, youre not eligible to be an education professional. But to disqualify (someone) based off of a social media post or something that they have been overheard, we think just as a step too far. Margaret Buckton with the Urban Education Network and Rural School Advocates of Iowa, also spoke against the bill, though she said she understands the issue lawmakers are trying to tackle. The hardest policies are when you have to balance safety of individuals with other rights like free speech, Buckton said. Advertisement Advertisement She said she believed the current standard for evaluating speech in these cases when the act causes violation or disruption of the educational environment standard was the correct approach to the issue of educators speech. In these cases, she said, a school principal, superintendent and other administrators speak with a teacher and terminate employment. Buckton also said she does not believe the retroactive enforcement of violations was the best approach, as people can learn from their mistakes, and would likely change their behavior if they are fired from a position for inappropriate speech. Iowa Reps. Chad Behn and Henry Stone, both Republicans, approved moving the bill forward but did not make comments on the measure at the subcommittee meeting. The legislation was on the agenda to be discussed at the House Education Committee meeting later Wednesday. Rep. Elinor Levin, D-Iowa City, said she believes most people agree violent rhetoric is a serious consideration right now that needs to be taken seriously but said free speech rights must also be protected. Advertisement Advertisement I think part of taking it seriously is being cautious and being consistent in how we address violent rhetoric, Levin said. I think that calling out a specific individual in the bill suggests that we do not have that consistent or cautious approach within this piece of legislation. Stone did not make closing comments on the proposal during the committee or subcommittee meetings Wednesday. The measure was approved for consideration by the full House in a 14-9 vote. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE COLUMBIA Legislation removing evictions from public access after five years advanced unanimously Tuesday in the South Carolina House. Rep. Carla Schuessler, R-Myrtle Beach, said she introduced the bill last year after hearing from South Carolinians that old eviction records kept them from finding housing. That was the case for 19-year-old Mikel Burns of Huger, who told a House Judiciary panel Tuesday that his family was forced out of their Berkeley County home in 2018 after they tried to get basic repairs done. Their house had no insulation, damaged air ducts, and little protection from cold or hot weather. Advertisement Advertisement When the family tried to fix those issues, their landlord initiated eviction proceedings, Burns told the panel. The family couldnt afford to fight that in court, so they agreed to leave voluntarily within only two days. That one housing crisis uprooted my childhood and pushed my family into years of instability, Burns said. The family couldnt find housing and had to share a three-bedroom mobile home among 11 people. The close quarters made it hard to sleep, and Burns said he struggled to concentrate in school and developed anxiety. Still, years later, that filing stays on their record, and this law would change that reality, he said, referring to his parents. As amended Tuesday, the bill would require the removal of eviction records from the public index, a searchable database, and from any publicly accessible files available for public record after five years. Those five years would be counted from the last filing, if a persons eviction was never finalized, or from the date it was finalized. Advertisement Advertisement As introduced, the bill would have required the removal after 30 days of any eviction filings that dont actually result in a court order telling the tenant to get out. But the panel removed that provision. The bill sent to the full House Judiciary Committee stands out in the GOP supermajority chamber as a proposal with nearly equal support from both parties. Ten Republicans and nine Democrats have signed on to Schuesslers bill. Co-sponsors included three of the panels five legislators. Its exciting to have been sitting at a table with all different sides, and everyone working together for a common goal, said Schuessler, a Republican in one of the fastest-growing parts of the nations fastest-growing state, by percentage. Mikel Burns of Huger speaks during a panel hearing on eviction records in Columbia, South Carolina on Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026. (Photo by Adrian Ashford/SC Daily Gazette) All 13 people who testified Tuesday spoke in favor of the bill. Advertisement Advertisement This is one of the best crowds of testimony that Ive heard in my opportunity to be here, said Rep. David Martin, R-Fort Mill, who was elected in 2024. He cheered that people with a range of vantage points on evictions, from people whod faced eviction to property managers who screen tenants, showed up to support the legislation. Meredith Oh, who lives in Greenville and works as the property manager in charge for JR Consolidated, told legislators that her livelihood depends on her ability to screen potential tenants, but she supported the bill. A candidates income, credit score, and past landlords tell her a lot more about whether theyll pay their rent than something that happened five years ago, she said. Advertisement Advertisement She also said people can misunderstand the circumstances in which a landlord will use an eviction filing. Many landlords utilize the eviction as leverage to collect unpaid rent stemming from isolated and often uncontrollable events, such as a car breaking down, a sick child, or something as simple as receiving your Social Security check the third week of the month instead of the first, she said. Meredith Oh of Greenville speaks during a panel hearing on eviction records in Columbia, South Carolina on Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026. (Photo by Adrian Ashford/SC Daily Gazette) In many cases, theyre not actually planning to evict the tenant, she said. Black renters are more likely to face eviction, said Jordan Thompson, a community organizer at the NAACP Legal Defense Fund who is based in Washington, D.C. Advertisement Advertisement In 2018, South Carolina seemed to have one of the highest rates of eviction filings in the country, with about 23 of every 100 renters faced with eviction threats, according to the most recently available state-wide data from the Eviction Lab at Princeton University. Its hard to compare evictions, however, because states and counties handle them differently, Stateline reported in August 2024. And, as Oh told legislators, eviction filings in South Carolina dont necessarily mean those tenants were actually evicted. The Princeton data suggested that in 2018, there were about 7.8 evictions filed nationwide for every 100 renter households in the United States. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX An Iowa House subcommittee advanced legislation that would establish drug-free homeless service zones, with stiffer penalties for drug-related crimes in the area. Republicans said they plan to make changes to some issues of concern raised by advocates, like restrictions on prescription medicine and drug use in nearby facilities. House Study Bill 705 is the latest policy proposal brought forward with support from the Cicero Institute. The Austin, Texas-based nonprofit has promoted legislation discussed during previous sessions creating criminal penalties for unauthorized camping, sleeping or long-term shelter on public property. The previous proposal also would have established a state-funded grant system for local governments to create parking lots, camping facilities and shelters to serve unhoused populations in their area. Advertisement Advertisement SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX This years bill does not contain these measures, but raises one of the suggestions included in the previous proposals as a standalone bill the establishment of drug-free zones at shelters and other homelessness support facilities in the state. Dennis Tibben, speaking on behalf of the Cicero Institute, said the measure was modeled after the the drug-free school zones that have been in place in Iowa since the 1980s. The measure would prohibit people from intentionally or knowingly selling or distributing controlled substances within a 300-foot zone of the facility. People charged with drug-related crimes in these zones would be subject to the same punishments as outside the areas while adding an additional year of jail time and removing the option for deferred judgment, sentencing, probation or work release. Advocates raise concerns about penalizing service providers Many advocates speaking on behalf of organizations providing these services said their facilities already have drug-free policies in place but said their larger concern was about the bills proposed penalties for service providers. The measure said a person operating or with authority to enforce the policies and requirements of a facility-based drug-free zone that allows an individual to possess or use a controlled substance on the facility premises would be subject to an aggravated misdemeanor charge. Advertisement Advertisement Facility operators found in violation of this measure would be ineligible to apply for homelessness assistance grants from the state for three years following their conviction. Several speakers said the restrictions put forward in the measure would put an unreasonable burden on service providers and facilities, who would be held liable if people seeking support are using or possessing drugs without their knowledge. Zebulon Beilke-McCallum with the Iowa Coalition against Domestic Violence, representing 25 victim service providers across the state, said the shelters in their network are already drug-free, but said people seeking services are not required to be drug-free to access support. Think about situations in which both (parties) may have been using illicit drugs that contribute to a violent or domestic violence incident that causes them to need to flee to our services, he said. Beilke-McCallum also pointed to situations like people seeking shelter and support who are coming from states like Illinois, where cannabis is legal. Advertisement Advertisement We dont know what theyre bringing, we dont know what theyre experiencing, we just want to provide a safe and healing space for them, Beilke-McCallum said. And so holding shelter programs accountable in those instances where theyre trying to provide the safety and security for victims doesnt make sense. Shelby Ridley, director of programs at Primary Health Care, said the organizations homelessness service facility is a part of a larger health center, which includes a pharmacy. As the bill creates penalties related to controlled substances including legal prescriptions Ridley said facilities like theirs would face major problems in implementing these measures. Tibben said there were drafting errors in the legislation, and said it would be amended to ensure the bill only referred to illicit drug use not controlled substances that a person is possessing and taking for legal, medical purposes. He also said the Cicero Institute is proposing making changes to some of the bills language requiring signs marking facilities as a drug-free homeless service zone, saying the requirement as written could cause problems for some service providers like domestic violence shelters that have the need for some additional privacy. But Ridley said the bills penalties for illicit drug possession or use still would create problems for many providers. Advertisement Advertisement As a service provider, were already under-resourced, so we dont have staff to align more capacity, resources to be able to figure out what people have on them, and how they enter our building, Ridley said. Providing more barriers to clients to access services what we know is that when they think that there might be a criminalization charge coming with it, theyre less likely to engage with us, which means we actually have more visible unsheltered homelessness. Zones may include nearby homes, businesses Angie Arthur, executive director of Homeward Iowa, a homelessness planning organization in Polk County, said there were numerous issues with the bill, saying the measure was proposed by national think tank that isnt familiar with the Iowa system, nor is it trying to work with providers in the state to create a positive solution. In addition to the issues with people using substances in a facility without operators knowledge, Arthur said many Iowa facilities are within 300 feet of private residences, businesses or other facilities. That means if individuals are convicted or charged for drug use within the zone of a homeless service provider, the provider could be subject to criminal charges or face the loss of public funds, she said. For example, a shelter in Council Bluffs has a strip club within 300 feet, Arthur said So how would they have control of that type of (establishment) or any establishment, whether its a private residence or a business to be able to control the use of substances within there? Advertisement Advertisement Rep. Jason Gearhart, R-Strawberry Point, said though he supported moving the measure forward to keep the conversation moving, he said he would consider an additional amendment limiting the zone to within a service providers facility, business structure or campus to ensure they arent punished for crimes happening nearby or inside other businesses. Rep. Bill Gustoff, R-Des Moines, also said he was signing off on the measure to continue the discussion, but said, I think it was a well-intended bill, but we would need to watch for the law of unintended consequences going forward. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE Much like an environmental ecosystem that fosters symbiotic relationships, Brandix India Apparel City (BIAC) has flourished into a vertically integrated park that spans fabric to finished garments. Two decades in, the hub continues to evolve in response to industry needs. Plans for the park were initiated in 2005 following discussions between Brandix and the Government of Andhra Pradesh, a state on the East Coast of India. What began as a proposal for a 50-acre facility expanded into a larger vision for an integrated manufacturing hub in Achuthapuramtoday a 1,000-acre apparel ecosystem serving leading global brands. More from Sourcing Journal The state government offered land and regulatory support, while we brought our experience in building vertically integrated apparel ecosystems, said Hasitha Premaratne, Brandix managing director. The local labor force, large and trainable, was among the decisive factors that led us to this partnership. We began by setting up a training school and a small export factory even before the parks full infrastructure was in place to ensure we were ready from the outset. BIAC is home to six apparel manufacturing units, which have a combined annual capacity of over 110 million pieces. In addition, Brandix has curated a network of suppliers within the park to create an increasingly self-sufficient, co-located production flow. Fabric mill Teejay India supplies knit textiles while Vardhman Yarn and Thread (A&E) provides thread. Pioneer Elastics, Ribest Ribbons and S&S Industries supply trims such as elastics, ribbons and bra underwires. Tags and labels are available on site through ITL, and companies can turn to Econopack for packing materials. Keeping production within the park significantly reduces transit time between processes and removes transportation-related delays. For instance, one brand has reduced lead times to between 11 and 21 days by co-locating production at BIAC. In addition to inter-hub transport benefits, the park is only 31 miles from Vizag Port, allowing BIAC to offer lead times that rival those from key sourcing destinations such as Chittagong and Shanghai. From the port, it takes roughly 27 to 30 days to travel to the East Coast of the United States and 32 days to reach the West Coast. Meanwhile, the airport is just an hour away by car. Although the parks coverage already spans most of the manufacturing process, there are plans to expand the verticality and production capabilities on site. BIAC is exploring adding fiber and yarn manufacturing, and it is also responding to demand for synthetic fabric mills, infrared tags, lace manufacturing and advanced finishing and embellishment. SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) A new proposal introduced during Utahs 2026 General Session could further shape how public schools handle instructional materials deemed sensitive. H.B. 517 Sensitive Materials was put forth earlier this month and is currently awaiting consideration in the House Rules Committee. The bill falls under education policy, focusing how schools identify, review, and restrict access to materials considered inappropriate for minors. The bill, whose chief sponsor is Utah Rep. Ken Ivory, looks to tighten standards around instructional content in public schools. Similar proposals in recent sessions have centered on challenged materials, parental notification requirements, and clearer definitions of what qualifies as sensitive or harmful content. Advertisement Advertisement Based on its title and categorization, H.B. 517 is expected to address both physical and digital instructional materials used in classrooms, potentially including textbooks, library materials, and online resources. How to make ABC4 your preferred news source on Google Additionally, H.B. 517 implements provisions related to an individual seeking relief from a court related to sensitive materials, meaning that, if passed, states will be able to sue over sensitive material violations. The bill will reportedly also add other legal protections that protect the state if sued over the banning of a book. Those in support of greater oversight of school materials argue such measures increase transparency for parents and ensure age-appropriate content in schools. However, in the past, critics have said that similar bills could lead to over-removal of educational resources or place additional administrative burdens on school districts. Advertisement Advertisement Lawmakers may amend the proposal as it moves through committee hearings. The bill must clear committee review before advancing to the full House for debate. Latest headlines: Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. A bill that advanced in a House subcommittee and committee Tuesday would prohibit a water segment from being designated as impaired unless the Iowa Department of Natural Resources identified the percentage of fecal bacteria coming from each animal species that contributed to its impairment. Every two years, the DNR must submit a list to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency of water segments in the state that are impaired or dont meet water quality standards. Once listed, DNR and the EPA work to develop an improvement plan that puts limitations on the amount of pollutants that identified polluters can discharge into the surface water segments. Advertisement Advertisement Iowas most recent list, submitted in 2024, tagged more than 700 water segments as impaired, but the EPA initially rejected the list and asked the state to add seven additional river segments that were impaired with high levels of nitrate. The Biden-era decision to add the additional segments was rescinded in July 2025 by the Trump administration. Environmental groups announced Tuesday their intent to sue EPA over the removal of the additional segments. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Identifying the contributing animals House Study Bill 657 would prohibit DNR from placing a body of water on the impaired waters list due to high levels of fecal indicator bacteria, unless the department is able to designate the percentage of each animal species that has contributed to the bacteria amount. Advertisement Advertisement Opponents of the bill argued that it would make it more difficult for DNR to put segments on the impaired list, that it would be cost prohibitive and that the science needed for the analysis is not available. Republican lawmakers who voted to pass the bill from subcommittee and from the House Agriculture Committee Tuesday, said it was beneficial to have more information about the impaired waters. Rep. Heather Hora, R-Washington, speaking in committee on the bill, said DNR does have the technology to determine the perpetrating animals and that it comes down to transparency. As a livestock producer, I believe that it is to our benefit, when they put out these reports of impaired waters, that we actually know whos impairing the water, Hora said. Advertisement Advertisement Jason Palmer, speaking on behalf of the DNR, which was registered undecided on the bill, said the department currently conducts some microbial source tracking at state park beaches that allows it to see if the water has DNA attributable to bovine, swine, geese, humans or dogs. Palmer said this process doesnt show the department how much of the fecal indicator bacteria came from different sources. You can take those pieces of information together and start to build a picture of different sources that might be present in a water body, Palmer said. But what you cant do is attribute a percentage or a breakdown of the amount of the actual fecal indicator bacteria that were concerned with in the waterway that comes from those different sources. In addition to DNR, several groups including Des Moines Water Works, the Izaak Walton League of America and Humane World for Animals also registered undecided on the bill. Advertisement Advertisement Threase Harms read a statement from Des Moines Water Works CEO Amy Kahler, who also said the available science cannot reliably assign a percentage breakdown of each species contributing to fecal bacteria. Meeting this requirement would also be cost prohibitive, Harms read from the statement. Species-level source tracking would require repeated sampling across seasons and flow conditions, specialized laboratory analysis and extensive quality controls. Colleen Fowle the water program manager with the Iowa Environmental Council, said the bill would cause the department to significantly undercount impaired waters and would increase public health risks. Additionally, she worried the bill would cause the state to be out of compliance with the federal Clean Water Act. We do not need to know the species of animal to determine whether bacteria levels pose an immediate health risk, Fowle said. Advertisement Advertisement Rep. Megan Srinivas, D-Des Moines, who sat on the subcommittee for the bill, said the bill could be really dangerous from a public health standpoint. She voted against the bill in subcommittee and in committee. The bill advanced from committee with a vote of 15-8. Environmental groups to sue EPA over Iowa impaired water Food & Water Watch and the Iowa Environmental Council filed a notice of intent to sue the EPA over its decision to remove seven Iowa river segments from the states list of impaired waters. The groups sent a letter to EPA in October, asking the agency to restore the nitrate impairment designation on the rivers. The impaired rivers included multiple sections of the Des Moines and Raccoon rivers, which are used as drinking water sources for the Des Moines metropolitan area. Advertisement Advertisement Des Moines Water Works opposed EPAs decision to strip the impaired designation from these segments and said the continued, high nitrate levels in the river make it difficult and expensive for the utility to provide safe drinking water to the metro area. The utilitys regional authority, Central Iowa Water Works, issued a lawn watering ban for the region over the summer due to the high nitrate levels in the rivers. The utility had to turn on its nitrate removal system in January to keep drinking water concentrations within federal limits as the concentrations in the rivers remained high. The lawn watering ban, the initial EPA decision to add the segments and a Polk County commissioned study about water quality around Des Moines, have brought water quality concerns to the forefront for many Iowans across the state. Water pollution is also often linked with the states high cancer rates as emerging studies indicate a connection between nitrate exposure in drinking water and certain cancers. Advertisement Advertisement Iowa Environmental Councils General Counsel Michael Schmidt noted the states ongoing cancer crisis in a news release from the council on the decision to sue the EPA. We have to acknowledge the causes and develop policies to solve them, Schmidt said. Trying to sweep them under the rug means Iowa families both urban and rural will keep paying with our health and our economic wellbeing. Dani Replogle, the staff attorney with Food & Water Watch, said the EPA is shielding agricultural industry profits at the expense of public health. These dangerous rollbacks have to stop EPA must re-list Iowas impaired waterways or well see them in court, Replogle said. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE In a pocket of Louisiana known as Cancer Alley, Black residents bear the generational toll of plantation country becoming pollution country. Now, a federal district court has given those residents something they almost never get: a chance to put the whole system on trial. On Feb. 9, a judge in New Orleans ruled that groups representing residents of Louisianas Cancer Alley, which stretches from New Orleans to Baton Rouge, can proceed with their landmark lawsuit seeking a pause on toxic industrial plants in two majorityBlack districts in St. James Parish. Advertisement Advertisement The court rejected the parish governments attempt to throw the case out and allowed every claim to move forward. At the core of these claims are two arguments: The parishs decadesold land-use practices violate the 13th Amendment, which abolished slavery, and the 14th Amendment, which grants all Americans equal protection under the law. The case will force a jury to decide whether the disproportionate placing of facilities, whose pollution is tied to cancer cases, asthma, heart and lung diseases, and neurological issues, is a vestige of slavery. Seven times as many people are expected to be diagnosed with cancer than the national average in these disproportionately Black communities. For generations, our community has lived under a racist land use system that placed polluting industries in our backyards while ignoring our health, history, and human rights, said Gail LeBoeuf and Barbara Washington in a statement. They are the founders of Inclusive Louisiana, one of the groups suing the parish. This fight has always been about protecting our families [and] honoring our ancestors. Advertisement Advertisement Much of the industrial facilities in this area are on the exact land where enslaved people cut sugarcane and tended soil on plantations. In 2023, the group of Black elders sued their county government, claiming officials steered toxic plants into the majorityBlack districts of their parish while shielding white areas. Since construction of the first industrial plant in 1958, at least 28 out of 32 plants have been placed in the majority-Black districts. No facility has been allowed to locate in majoritywhite parts of the parish in nearly 50 years. At the hearing before the ruling, one of the attorneys defending St. James Parish argued that the government simply couldnt shield everyone from harm. They couldnt protect everyone, or there would be no industry, Danielle Borel told the U.S. District Judge Carl Barbier, an appointee made by President Bill Clinton. There will always be someone unhappy, she said. Advertisement Advertisement In Louisiana, wins like this dont come often. Under the Biden administration, a federal civil rights probe into Cancer Alley concluded without any remedies. Under President Donald Trump, environmental regulators have backed away from key enforcement tools and lawsuits in the corridor. But what happens next will hinge in part on who ends up in the jury box. St. James Parish is nearly evenly split between Black and white residents, and petrochemical companies dominate public discourse. They help fund schools, sponsor festivals, and shape what information reaches residents. Astha Sharma Pokharel, an attorney at the Center for Constitutional Rights representing residents, said the group is ready to get the relief that our clients are entitled to. Advertisement Advertisement This was St. James Parishs second failed attempt to get the case thrown out, but on Monday, the judge noted that residents plausibly told the story of how plantations gave way to industrial facilities that now endanger Black residents health. This historic decision recognizes what is at stake in this case: a discriminatory land use system and public health emergency that originated in slavery, Sharma Pokharel said. The lawsuit also documents how industrial facilities led to the destruction of residents cultural roots, including ancestral burial grounds of people enslaved in St. James. It invokes a provision of the Louisiana Constitution that recognizes the right of the people to preserve, foster, and promote their respective historic linguistic and cultural origins. For people on the ground, the ruling is both vindication and a continuation of a long journey. Advertisement Advertisement Women like LeBoeuf and Washington, and RISE St. James Sharon Lavigne, have been knocking on doors in their communities for years, organizing bus rides to rallies in Baton Rouge and New Orleans, memorizing meeting agendas, and sitting through hours of parish council hearings. They do so while also carrying the stories of parents and grandparents who worked those same riverfront fields. How many of us have to die? said Lavigne, a grandmother who has spent the past several years shuffling between burying her neighbors and attending court hearings. Our prayers, our ancestors, and our fight for justice have been heard. We will keep standing for life, dignity, and the sacredness of this land. The post Black Residents Win Key Ruling in Cancer Alley Environmental Racism Case appeared first on Capital B News. OKLAHOMA CITY A committee reviewing allegations of free speech violations against Oklahomas third largest university said it is unable to rule out that a violation occurred. But the Oklahoma Free Speech Committee said its analysis found that University of Central Oklahoma presented a substantive counter position that administrators were not acting in a retaliatory manner when they decided to end printing of the student newspaper, The Vista. The legislatively-created nine-member group on Tuesday voted to accept the findings after reviewing two complaints of free speech violations filed against UCO and testimony from the universitys administration. Advertisement Advertisement The committee recommended that the University of Central Oklahoma improve internal and external communications and further build goodwill with students, but did not provide any guidance on how to do that. While the committee is advisory in nature and does not have the power to adjudicate or make a decision on the matter, the report noted the complainants have a right to sue the university if they still believe there were violations of free speech. The October complaints alleged the schools decision to end the print publication of The Vista was an attempt to restrict student free speech and censor the content published. The university has repeatedly denied these allegations, and The Vista continues to publish online. Signage for University of Central Oklahomas student publication, The Vista, is pictured on the schools Edmond campus on Aug. 14, 2025. (Photo by Emma Murphy/Oklahoma Voice) The Free Speech Committee found there was merit to both the complaints and the response provided by UCOs administration, but found that it was not sufficiently clear that UCOs decision to end the print edition of The Vista was substantially motivated by the content of the newspaper, according to a report released by the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Educations office. Advertisement Advertisement This does not mean a violation of free speech did not occur, just that UCOs arguments present a substantive counter position, the analysis reads. The committees investigation found that there was no evidence that UCO acted in a retaliatory or suppressive manner and that the universitys pedagogical, budgetary, staffing and ideological rationale for its decision could be genuine. A university has the right to decide not to fund a student newspaper and just cant make that decision for one reason in particular, which is because of the opinions expressed in the student newspaper, said Andy Lester, chair of the committee. Adrienne Nobles, a spokesperson for UCO, said the committees findings should allow our journalism students at The Vista to prepare for the modern world. Advertisement Advertisement The report confirms the universitys unwavering commitment to free speech and expression and supports our administrators and faculty in making relevant adjustments to academic programs that prepare students for success in the workforce, she said in a statement. Amy Hall, the daughter of a former adviser to the student newspaper, and Jon Womastek, a UCO alumni, who filed the complaints, both said they were disappointed by the committees analysis. Hall said she continues to believe the universitys decision to end printing was in retaliation for negative coverage of the administration and a move to curtail press coverage. I feel like their conclusion does not have merit, she said. Advertisement Advertisement Womastek said he appreciated the committee considering the complaints against UCO. While he was disappointed, Womastek said he was not surprised by their findings. Were at a time where thin-skinned people that are in positions of power cannot stand any kind of accountability, he said. And a newspaper is one of the last places where simple truth can be told, and that sometimes its embarrassing to people. Its a shame that the committee wasnt able to see that. Both said they were not contacted by the committee after submitting their complaints. Members of the committee said they met with UCOs administration Dec. 5 where administrators presented evidence and arguments to counter the claims made in the complaints. Advertisement Advertisement Michael McNutt, a journalist and member of the committee, said the situation seemed to be the result of a failure to communicate between UCOs administration and the newspapers stakeholders. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE The lead airlines at the Boise Airport performed well in an analysis that ranks the industrys top annual achievers. Southwest Airlines, which flies 10 routes in and out of Boise for the second-most, finished first among all commercial air carriers in The Wall Street Journals airline scorecard. The yearly ranking of the U.S.s nine major airlines is based on seven operation metrics, which include on-time arrivals, canceled flights, various delays and baggage handling. Specifically, Southwest finished in the top two for on-time arrivals, canceled flights, extreme delays and tarmac delays. It tied for third for involuntary bumping of passengers from flights, and fourth for mishandled baggage its lowest rating in a single category, still ahead of five competitors. Advertisement Advertisement Were thrilled to take the top spot, Andrew Watterson, Southwests COO, said in a statement. Were always trying to improve and we did that again this year. We believe being reliable is hard to copy, and we intend to stay there. Alaska Airlines, which is the dominant carrier in Boise with 17 routes, finished fourth in the survey. The ranking was down from third last year and second from 2021 to 2023. Alaska was first for extreme delays and third in three categories: on-time arrivals, canceled flights and two-hour tarmac delays. Alaska is proud of its service for passengers living in and visiting Boise, an airline spokesperson said in an email to the Idaho Statesman. Advertisement Advertisement This year, Alaska is adding new routes in and out of Boise. Starting June 10, the Seattle-based air carrier plans to fly twice a week during the summer on Wednesdays and Saturdays to and from Anchorage, Alaska. The route is expected to run through mid-August, and it will be the first time Boise passengers can fly nonstop to Alaska. In January, the airline also added a daily nonstop flight between Boise and the city of Ontario in Southern California. Alaska now flies direct from Boise to nine cities in California. Other airlines that operate in Boise also placed in The Journals rankings. Allegiant Air, which offers two routes to and from Orange County, California, and Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport finished second overall. It had the fewest overall canceled flights and mishandled bags and tied for the best score for involuntarily bumped passengers. Southwest Airlines topped the rankings in an annual survey conducted by The Wall Street Journal. The commercial air carrier flies nonstop from Boise to 10 cities. (Sarah A. Miller/smiller@idahostatesman.com) Delta Air Lines ranked third overall. It topped the scorecard for on-time arrivals and tied with Allegiant for best score for involuntarily bumped passengers. It ranked fourth for canceled flights. Delta flies five routes at the Boise Airport, including flights to Salt Lake City, Seattle, Atlanta and Minneapolis. Advertisement Advertisement United Airlines ranked sixth on the overall scorecard. The air carrier last finished in the top four in 2022. American Airlines and Frontier Airlines, which returned to Boise in May 2025 after nearly four years, tied for last place. Frontier flies daily to Denver, while American makes nonstop trips to Chicago OHare, Dallas/Fort Worth and Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport. The Boise Airport is coming off breaking its annual passenger record for the fourth straight year, setting a new mark in 2025 with more than 5.2 million passengers. The airports eight airlines now offer service to 27 destinations. By Andrew Goudsward WASHINGTON, Feb 11 (Reuters) - A Republican U.S. lawmaker on Wednesday accused Attorney General Pam Bondi of concealing the names of powerful associates of the late financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein as she faced questions about the Justice Department's handling of investigative files in a charged hearing before a House of Representatives panel. Representative Thomas Massie, a Republican from Kentucky, who helped lead the effort to require the files' release, accused the Justice Department of a "massive failure" to comply with the law as he questioned why billionaire Leslie Wexner's name was redacted in an FBI document listing potential co-conspirators in the sex trafficking investigation into Epstein. Advertisement Advertisement Bondi said Wexner's name appeared numerous times in other files the department released and that the DOJ unredacted his name on the document "within 40 minutes" of Massie spotting it. "Forty minutes of me catching you red-handed," Massie replied. LAWMAKERS COMPLAIN OF EXCESSIVE REDACTIONS Bondi had a series of other heated confrontations with members of the House Judiciary Committee who expressed frustration with the amount of Epstein material the department has redacted and withheld. Several victims of Epstein's alleged crimes watched from the public gallery. The Justice Department released what it called a final tranche of more than 3 million pages of documents late last month, drawing renewed attention to wealthy and powerful individuals who maintained ties with Epstein even after his conviction for soliciting prostitution from a minor. Advertisement Advertisement Lawmakers have complained that redactions in the files appear to go beyond the limited exemptions allowed in a law Congress passed nearly unanimously in November. The department has also declined to publish a large volume of material, citing legal privileges. Bondi responded to the criticism in many cases with personal attacks and insults directed at lawmakers. Flipping through a binder, she accused Democrats of being indifferent to crime victims in their districts and called the panel's top Democrat a "washed-up lawyer," a notably partisan tone from the chief law enforcement officer in the U.S. Bondi said more than 500 Justice Department lawyers worked on a compressed timeline to review reams of material. Any disclosure of victims' identities was inadvertent, she said. "I have spent my entire career fighting for victims, and I will continue to do so," Bondi said in her opening statement. Advertisement Advertisement Wexner, a former CEO and founder of Victoria's Secret-owner L Brands, hired Epstein as his personal money manager starting in the 1980s. He has accused Epstein of using his money to buy properties and goods and says he severed ties around 2007, after Epstein was first criminally charged. Wexner has denied knowledge of Epstein's criminal activities and has not been accused of criminal wrongdoing. BONDI BLASTS 'THEATRICS' The Epstein files have dogged Bondi throughout her tenure as Trumps attorney general. The Justice Departments decision last summer to initially not release further material sparked a furious reaction from some of Trumps online supporters. It drew new scrutiny to Trumps past friendship with Epstein, who died by suicide in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges. Democratic Representative Pramila Jayapal, of Washington, asked Bondi to apologize to victims of Epstein's alleged crimes for the department's rollout of the files, including the disclosure of victims' names in some cases. Advertisement Advertisement Bondi questioned why Jayapal had not asked the same question of her predecessor under Democratic President Joe Biden's administration and said she would not "get in the gutter for her theatrics." Bondis appearance before the Republican-controlled panel came the day after a federal grand jury declined to indict six Democratic lawmakers over a video they made urging the U.S. military not to comply with unlawful orders. The departments tradition of independence in criminal investigations has eroded as it has pursued investigations into Trumps political adversaries and aligned with his grievances. It unsuccessfully sought to prosecute former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James, two officials who led investigations into Trump. (Reporting by Andrew Goudsward; Editing by Stephen Coates, Rod Nickel and David Gregorio) The city of Boston, Massachusetts, is looking to tap into the nearby Charles River in order to generate a low-carbon and low-cost heat source. As reported by Canary Media, Boston's historic steam heating network is undergoing a major transformation by Vicinity Energy. The company is in the process of replacing gas with electric boilers and large-scale heat pumps that draw warmth from the Charles River. The appliances will heat millions of square feet of the city's buildings. The project is looking to significantly cut down on air pollution in the city and create a model for urban decarbonization that uses existing infrastructure. Advertisement Advertisement "That project was greenlit this summertime," Vicinity Energy CEO Kevin Hagerty told Canary Media. "We're anticipating that being completed midway through 2028. We'll turn the heat pump on and turn the Charles River into a renewable energy resource." While not on the same scale as a massive city, heat pumps can improve your home's energy efficiency and lower your energy bills. Check out TCD's HVAC Explorer to get a better idea of what an HVAC installation might look like for you and your home. You can also find competitive pricing options that can help you potentially save up to 50% on your energy bill. Smart upgrades that slash monthly energy bills Installing a brand new HVAC system might sound like a major project. But there are plenty of options to make the process as easy as possible. Advertisement Advertisement Mitsubishi can help you find efficient heating and cooling solutions for your home and connect you with trusted installers Not ready to spend up front? Palmetto's $0-down HVAC leasing program can lower your energy costs by up to 50% TCD's HVAC Explorer makes it easy to access exclusive offers from preferred partners Palmetto's HVAC leases start as low as $99 a month and even include 12 years of free maintenance. Pairing electric appliances, like efficient HVACs, with solar panels can help lower your bills even more. TCD's Solar Explorer makes it easy to find the best solar system for your home and budget, saving you up to $10,000 on installations. Download the free Palmetto Home app to unlock up to $5,000 in rewards for home improvements by completing an assortment of energy-saving challenges. The app also makes it easy to track and manage your home's energy use, helping you improve your home's efficiency and save even more money. Get TCD's free newsletters for easy tips to save more, waste less, and make smarter choices and earn up to $5,000 toward clean upgrades in TCD's exclusive Rewards Club. On Monday, an Irish national called into Ireland's RTE Radio from an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility in El Paso, Texas, and asked the Irish prime minister to intervene in his case. Seamus Culleton has been in ICE detention for five months despite having work authorization, a pending green card application, and no criminal history. Culleton entered the U.S. legally in 2009 on a visa waiver program and overstayed the visa's 90-day limit, according to The Guardian. After marrying his wife, Tiffany Smyth, he applied for lawful permanent residence and obtained a valid work permit, his lawyer, Ogor Winnie Okoye, told The Guardian. But that didn't stop immigration agents from arresting him, Culleton told RTE's Liveline. Culleton told Liveline that he was returning home after returning items to a Home Depot on September 9 when he noticed a suspicious car following him. After a few minutes, the car flashed blue lights to pull him over, and agents quickly surrounded him. Culleton said he complied with officers and explained that he is married to a U.S. citizen, has a marriage-based petition in place, and has a work permit. "None of that mattered," he said. "They cuffed me and took me away." Advertisement Advertisement After his arrest, Culleton said agents pressured him to sign deportation papers and are "tricking a lot of non-English speakers into doing this, for sure," he told Liveline. But, Culleton said he didn't sign anything. "I wasn't going to sign my rights away, my life away. Why would I do that?" he said. Culleton was eventually flown over 2,000 miles away from his wife to a detention facility in El Paso, Texas. Culleton described the conditions at the facility as "horrible," including "filthy" bathrooms, limited meals and time outside, and a fear of the staff who are "capable of anything." Culleton is detained in the same facility where a 55-year-old Cuban immigrant's death was ruled a homicide in an autopsy report, citing allegations that guards had allegedly choked and asphyxiated the detainee. During the Liveline interview, Culleton asked the Irish government for help in ending his detention "ASAP." "It's an absolute torture, a psychological torture, physical torture," he said. "I just want to get back to my wife. We're so desperate to start a family." Because of his prolonged detention, Culleton was forced to miss his final green card interview appointment scheduled in October, Okoye told The Guardian. Although he was initially approved for release in November on a $4,000 bond, which his wife paid, his bond was later denied, reports Newsweek. When his attorney appealed, ICE agents claimed Culleton had signed documents agreeing to his deportation while in Buffalo, something Culleton told Liveline that he "absolutely" did not do. Advertisement Advertisement When asked about his detention, Department of Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement to Reason that after failing to depart the U.S. and receiving full due process, Culleton "was issued a final order of removal by an immigration judge on September 10," just one day after his arrest. "He was offered a chance to instantly be removed to Ireland but chose to stay in ICE custody, in fact he took affirmative steps to remain in detention," McLaughlin continued, and noted that "a pending green card application and work authorization does not give someone legal status to be in our country." Culleton's Liveline interview was successful in grabbing the attention of Irish politicians. In a statement, Ireland's Department of Foreign Affairs said the Minister "is aware of [Culleton's] case," and that the "embassy in Washington, DC, is also engaging directly with the [DHS] at a senior level," reports The Independent. And Ireland's Labour leader, Ivana Bacik, called for Prime Minister Micheal Martin to secure Culleton's release immediately. Culleton's case shows the ongoing disjointed nature of President Donald Trump's immigration policy. Rather than arresting and deporting the "worst of the worst," the Trump administration has arrested and removed immigrants like Culleton who have no criminal record and who have lived and worked in the U.S. peacefully for years. This approach is just one reason why many Americans feel Trump's immigration enforcement campaign has gone too far. The post Boston Man With Pending Green Card Application Held in ICE Custody for 5 Months appeared first on Reason.com. Central Florida is experiencing a dangerous dry spell, putting our area under an extreme fire threat. Burn bans and water shortage alerts are in place. Three Central Florida counties are currently under burn bans. Brevard, Flagler, and Marion counties are banning any commercial land clearing or unattended outdoor grills for at least the next week. The Brevard County Fire Chief told commissioners Tuesday why activating this ban now is crucial. Advertisement Advertisement We have that freeze, we have the vegetation on the ground, it freezes, dries up even more and it is even more volatile, Chief Patrick Voltaire, said. Brevard County Communications Director Don Walker said on top of the freeze and lack of rain, high winds make the county highly susceptible to fires. Over the last few weeks, especially after the cold front we had, we have dry ground, Walker said. A lot of brush fires. Weve had several pop up in the last two weeks. Just this month, both the north and southbound lanes of I-95 from Saint Johns Heritage Parkway to Malabar Road were shut down from heavy smoke from a nearby brush fire. Advertisement Advertisement Walker is urging residents to pay close attention to what they do during this dry stretch. Anything where a simple spark could suddenly turn into a massive fire that could potentially affect homes or make other structures not safe, Walker said. Now is the time to be cognizant of that. Until conditions improve, Walker said Brevard County will remain under this burn ban for the foreseeable future. Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live. A new wearable device developed by engineers in Britain that promises to revolutionise the way dengue fever is treated is being trialled in Vietnam. The device, called D-Scape (Dengue Shock and Classification Prediction Wearable), consists of a small wrist-mounted band that looks like a high-tech smartwatch, and a second sensor clipped to the little finger. Together with on-board AI algorithms, they monitor the vital signs of dengue patients non-invasively, providing doctors with a continuous stream of data about their condition to help them spot which ones are progressing to severe disease. Advertisement Advertisement While in Europe and the West we are, so far, largely unaffected by dengue, it has far reaching effects on swathes of the developing world. Nearly half the worlds population lives alongside the Aedes mosquitoes that carry it, leading to between 100 and 400 million infections a year. While many who catch it will suffer only flu-like symptoms and recover on their own, dengue also known as break-bone fever can be an exceptionally nasty disease. In severe cases it takes on characteristics more akin to a haemorrhagic fever like Ebola or Marburg, causing plasma to leak from your blood vessels, leading to severe organ damage and uncontrollable bleeding. In 2024 some 9,500 people died in this way. But dengue is also fickle, and spotting the point at which an infection has progressed to a severe state is a challenge patients will often deteriorate suddenly after the fever subsides and early identification gives the best chance of a successful outcome. Advertisement Advertisement The thing with dengue is that we have a lot of patients with infections but we dont know who will progress to severe disease, said Dr Ho Quang Chanh, Head of the Dengue Research Group at the Oxford University Clinical Research Unit (OUCRU) in Ho Chi Minh City, who helped oversee the D-Scape trial. So that leads to really major problems with the resources that we need to spend, all of the capacity we need to build for the disease. And it happens every year, he said. We need to check on the patients every three to four hours. In severe cases, every hour. So these nurses and doctors here during the [dengue] season, during the night shifts they cant sleep because we need to be constantly checking on the patients vital signs, measuring them manually with blood tests. The device could spot early signs of severe dengue to reduce reliance on invasive tests and improve care - OUCRU Vietnam It is hoped that the new device can change the way dengue is treated, giving doctors a much clearer picture of how their patients are progressing without the need for invasive tests that can be difficult to administer in over-stretched dengue wards. Advertisement Advertisement At the heart of the wrist mounted device is essentially a more advanced version of the flickering green sensor under your smartwatch, which uses light to see through the skin and measure minute changes in the blood through a process called photoplethysmography (PPG). Along with blood pressure and blood oxygen levels, what the device is looking at is the proportion of red blood cells in the blood also known as haematocrit which is a key indicator of the plasma leak syndrome that occurs in some dengue infections. Prof Pantelis Georgiou, who developed the technology with a team at Imperial College London with support from OUCRU and LifeArc, the not-for-profit medical research organisation, said: We shine light at different wavelengths to what you would expect in a conventional wrist-worn PPG sensor such as a smartwatch. And we get a lot of information from the blood. Were getting continuous data of haemodynamic parameters from the patient, and with that, we can classify if somebodys progressing to severe dengue. Advertisement Advertisement The devices makers say it could also be used to monitor other life-threatening conditions, including other infections and sepsis. The pilot phase of the trial in Vietnam involved 25 dengue patients using a first-generation device which is performing well, said Prof Georgiou. Its performing very well because its giving us rich information in real time, which you wouldnt have otherwise, he said. The researchers plan to expand their trial with a second-generation device and 100 patients, before bringing the final product to market. Were advancing through this project to a version that is completely miniature. So itll be a watch and a finger probe that you can wear and be mobile, said Prof Georgiou. Advertisement Advertisement Because were designing it for low- and middle-income countries, were trying to reduce the cost as much as possible so that its affordable and widely deployable, he said, adding that the current target was for the final device to cost less than $500 (365). Dr Ho Quang Chanh treats a dengue patient in Vietnam - OUCRU Vietnam Having a device that is portable and easy enough for patients to use could allow doctors to send them home something which would ease the pressure dengue can exert on hospital bed space when an outbreak really gets going. Dr Chanh said: I think the future of dengue management is if we can find a way to monitor the patient and keep most of the patients safe at home, instead of admitting a bunch of people into the hospital and just waiting for five per cent of them to develop severe disease. Despite how widespread dengue is, doctors have relatively few tools in their arsenal to treat it. There is no specific treatment available pain is usually managed with paracetamol and while there is a vaccine, it is generally only recommended for people who have already had dengue and are therefore at heightened risk from a second infection. Advertisement Advertisement Dengue is a growing global threat, with the mosquitoes that carry it encroaching on new areas including Italy and France because of a range of factors including climate change and international trade. Dr Chanh, who has worked on dengue for over a decade, said: In the last 50 years, there has been a 30-times increase in dengue incidence. And in the last 10 years, I think the incidence has doubled. The burden this is having on the globe is significant dengue is predicted to cost the global economy some $306 bn between 2020 and 2050. Ghada Zoubiane, Head of Global Health at LifeArc, which is funding the trial, said: Wearable technology is rapidly becoming part of everyday life, and D-Scape takes this further, offering a non-invasive and more accessible monitoring method to predict severe dengue and ultimately save lives. Advertisement Advertisement Protect yourself and your family by learning more about Global Health Security Try full access to The Telegraph free today. Unlock their award-winning website and essential news app, plus useful tools and expert guides for your money, health and holidays. By Roberto Samora and Ana Mano SAO PAULO, Feb 11 (Reuters) - The Brazilian government may assign individual export quotas for domestic beef companies selling products to China, Luis Rua, trade secretary at Brazil's ministry of agriculture, said in an interview on Wednesday. The measure is an attempt "to organize the industry" after the announcement of "safeguard measures" by China aimed at curbing imports and protecting its local industry, Rua said. More from Yahoo Scout What are China's new safeguard measures on beef imports? How might Brazil respond with individual export quotas? How could these measures impact Brazilian beef exporters? What is Brazil's beef export relationship with China? "It's an ongoing discussion," the official said by telephone. "We're talking with the private sector to find alternatives to avoid an uncontrolled race," he said in relation to exporters potentially "rushing" to send beef to China, which could, for example, lower prices. The plan to assign individual company quotas may be discussed as early as Thursday at a meeting of Brazil's Foreign Trade Chamber (CAMEX), Rua said. China imposed an added 55% tariff on beef imports that exceed quota levels from key suppliers including Brazil, Australia and the U.S. The measure took effect on January 1 for three years, with the total quota set to increase annually. The total Chinese import quota for 2026 for countries covered under its new "safeguard measures" is 2.7 million metric tons, roughly in line with the record 2.87 million tons it imported overall in 2024. China is Brazil's main trade partner overall. Last year, Brazil exported 1.648 million metric tons of fresh beef to the Asian nation, an all-time record. As per Beijing's announcement, Brazil's import quota will be 1.106 million tons in 2026, 1.128 million tons in 2027 and 1.151 million tons in 2028. Rua said it remains unclear whether volumes in transit right before Beijing's announcement -- estimated by the industry at around 250,000 tons --, according to the official, would be factored in 2026's quota for Brazil. (Reporting by Ana Mano and Roberto Samora; editing by Diane Craft) As several new Buc-ee's locations prepare to open in 2026, whispers that Oklahoma could finally land its first Buc-ee's location have returned to headlines once again. Joanna McSpadden, Oklahoma City's economic development program manager, confirmed to The Oklahoman on Feb. 11 that Buc-ee's is in discussions with the city on potentially building a location in OKC. No formal plans have been announced, however. Known for clean restrooms, a wide range of food offerings and the massive size of its stores, Buc-ee's was originally founded in 1982 in Texas. While most of the chain's locations are located within Texas, it has expanded, with four new stores set to open outside of its origin state this year alone. Advertisement Advertisement Oklahoma has long wished for a Buc-ee's store of its own. In June 2024, Buc-ee's General Counsel Jeff Nadalo told news outlets that the chain of Texas-sized country stores has its sights set on Oklahoma for future locations. And in January, officials with the City of Edmond mentioned Buc-ee's in a discussion of notable anchors the city could draw to boost economic development. IKEA was also suggested as a potential destination store. Here's the latest on what we know about Oklahoma's chances of landing a Buc-ee's store. Is a Buc-ee's store opening in Oklahoma? As of Feb. 11, 2026, there are no formally announced plans for the company to open a location in Oklahoma. However, city officials told The Oklahoman Tuesday morning that Buc-ee's is in conversation with the city on potentially using economic incentives to build a location in Oklahoma City. Advertisement Advertisement Kenton Tsoodle, President & CEO of the Alliance for Economic Development, further confirmed to The Oklahoman that the talks are preliminary and they are actively looking at multiple locations in Oklahoma City for a potential site. "Like many other businesses, we've had preliminary exploratory discussions with the company, but no decisions have been made," Tsoodle told The Oklahoman. No prospective locations have been announced. Claims made on social media suggest that the company may be in discussions with the city and the Oklahoma Department of Transportation to open at I-40 and Cimarron Road, an area between El Reno and Yukon. Advertisement Advertisement ODOT had no comment at the time of publishing. What is Buc-ee's? Buc-ee's is a Texas-based chain that offers road trippers gas, food, clothes and other merchandise. The company is well known for its Beaver Nuggets, homemade brisket and iconic beaver mascot. It also claims to be the home of the "cleanest bathrooms in America." Where are the new Buc-ee's locations opening in 2026? Here are the new Buc-ee's locations expected to open across the U.S.: Two locations are expected to open in Wisconsin in 2027, and an additional location is slated near Daytona, Florida. Where can I find a Buc-ee's? Customers can find locations through Buc-ee's store locator on its website. Advertisement Advertisement At the moment, the closest Buc-ee's is in Denton, Texas, which is 189 miles south of Oklahoma City. If Buc-ee's did come to Oklahoma, where would it be? While we dream, The Oklahoman previously asked some experts where a Buc-ee's might eventually land around Oklahoma City. David Hartnack, managing director, owner, and retail property specialist, for OKC's NAI Sullivan Group suggested that the chain would target rural areas between major population centers off the interstate. "This makes me think of areas like Chickasha, at the intersection of U.S. Highway 81 and Interstate 44," he previously told The Oklahoman. "Buc-ee's has also seemed to open stores on interstates on the outskirts of major metros. I could see a site in Purcell or Newcastle making a lot of sense for them, although personally I'd love to see a Buc-ee's in Stroud, half way between Tulsa and OKC," he said. Advertisement Advertisement Stuart Graham and Mark Inman, senior vice presidents and retail property specialists with CBRE Group said the chain might locate closer to OKC, perhaps off I-40 in Midwest City or Yukon. Due to Buc-ee's large site size requirement, potential sites may be selected at the edges of the market, such as on I-35 south of OKC. "OKC residents, myself included, would like to see them closer into the OKC area for ease of access, but assembling land closer to the city is more difficult. Buc-ee's seems to be a bit of a travel stop, so an ideal location might be on the side of a highway that is inbound travel into a metro area." This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Is Buc-ee's actually coming to Oklahoma? What we know Trade deals between Calgary-based businesses and the U.S. have hit an all-time low, but local business owners say the shift has contributed to their growth in international markets. According to data released Tuesday from Calgary Economic Development (CED), of all the trade deals it attracted last year, less than a quarter were with the U.S. the smallest share of trade deals on record. In 2024, 35 per cent of CED-supported deals were with the U.S. The change is primarily a result of the economic uncertainty surrounding tariffs U.S. President Donald Trump imposed on Canada last February, said Brad Parry, CEDs president and chief executive officer. Advertisement Advertisement It's also a combination of people realizing that we can't just rely on one single trade partner, Parry told CBC Radios Calgary Eyeopener on Tuesday. We're never going to replace the U.S. as our core trading partner, but we do need to think about other places that we should be looking for products and services. This local diversification comes as the federal government has been making efforts to increase trade with countries outside of North America, launching a new trade diversification strategy last fall and signing a trade deal with China earlier this year. CED-supported companies expanded into 21 countries in 2025, generating $60 million in revenue through 45 international trade deals. The majority of businesses have been exploring markets in Europe, the Middle East, Asia, Latin America and Oceania, it said. Advertisement Advertisement Parry said fewer local trade deals with companies in the U.S. doesn't mean businesses are walking away from their southern neighbour entirely. We're just trying to open up new markets to give our companies even a greater chance to scale and grow, he said. (Bryan Labby/CBC) One of those Calgary businesses seeing international growth is Righteous Gelato. It recently signed a deal to sell two of its top flavours in Costco in Japan. Those are going to be running for two weeks at three different warehouses, said Marilyn Way, the company's product and brand commercialization lead. After that, we'll hopefully be able to get a rotation with those products on shelf for a full summer. Advertisement Advertisement Way said the deal in Japan was not an overnight kind of thing; it was the result of years of work with CED to get into the international market. (Josh McLean/CBC) Way said the company is hoping the Japan deal will act as a springboard for deals in other markets, such as Korea. But they are not planning on leaving the U.S. market behind completely. We're continuing to build with some smaller retailers down there and our broker partners, because we know it is a big opportunity, but want to look at other markets that might be better long-term partners as well, she said. Canada is a great trading partner One of the key ways CED has helped businesses drive their expansion, Parry said, is through its Trade Accelerator Program, a four-session workshop providing information on marketing, pricing and cultural norms for businesses looking to expand to global markets. Advertisement Advertisement CED also plays a role in setting up meetings with suppliers and distributors, along with organizing international trade missions and networking events in collaboration with the provincial and federal governments, Parry explained. We're being seen differently now across the world, and people are realizing that Canada is a great trading partner, he said. That's why you're seeing a bit of that shift going away from just one trade partner into multiple trade partners right now. (Submitted by Sergio Llerena) Sergio Llerena, the director of Casa Bonita Foods, which manufactures corn tortillas and chips in Calgary, said the trade workshop program has been a fantastic help in getting its products to countries such as Australia, Japan, Korea and Thailand. Llerena said the tariff threat proved to be a silver lining, as it forced Casa Bonita to explore other export market options. Advertisement Advertisement We started realizing that we could no longer rely on the States. We needed to start looking elsewhere, he said. But the same happened to everybody else around the world. Everybody else around the world started looking for alternatives to the U.S., so we started connecting with more and more people. LISTEN | Calgary Economic Development CEO Brad Parry on local trade with the U.S.: Last year, the company attended FoodEx in Japan through one of CEDs trade missions. The international trade show provided Casa Bonita the opportunity to share its products with global customers, and it secured several trade deals on the spot, Llerena said. While the U.S. is still an important customer for Casa Bonita, Llerena said it is now its fourth-largest market, after Canada, Australia and Japan. Once you start looking outside and once you start looking at the size of everybody else, you realize that the U.S. is important, but it's just a drop in the bucket, he said. A San Bernardino County man who was hired as a political adviser to a Southern California official was working as a secret agent on behalf of the People's Republic of China, the Justice Department announced Monday. After pleading guilty to one count of acting as an illegal agent in October 2025, he was sentenced to four years in federal prison. From at least 2022 to 2024, the agent, 65-year-old Yaoning "Mike" Sun of Chino Hills, promoted PRC propaganda through a series of political maneuvers and close surveilling. According to a report Sun wrote to the PRC, his goal was to lead "delegations of U.S. dignitaries and cultural workers to China" and "persist in resisting any hostile forces that undermine the friendship of U.S.-China relations, and Chinese secessionist forces," the Feb. 9 release says. Advertisement Advertisement "During the 2022 U.S. midterm elections, I orchestrated and organized my team to win the election for city council," Sun wrote. The unnamed elected official - whom Sun called a "new political star" - is merely referred to as "Individual 1" in court documents and was used to distribute PRC propaganda through an online publication targeting the local Chinese American community. This official landed a seat in city council in November 2022, and a month later, they met with Sun and a group of people in Southern California "dedicated" to furthering PRC interests. In a report to the PRC, Sun requested $80,000 to fund a pro-PRC demonstration during a Fourth of July parade in Washington, D.C., and closely watched Tsai Ing-wen, then-president of Taiwan during her trip to the U.S. During her visit in 2023, Sun took photos of protesters and sent "real-time updates" to a Los Angeles-based PRC consular official, the news release says. Previously, Sun served in the People's Liberation Army and worked with another co-conspirator, John Chen, who was a high-ranking member in the PRC's intelligence department, the release says. "Per his own report, and other communications between Chen and PRC officials, [Sun] served as Chen's right-hand man in the United States for decades," the release says. In November 2024, Chen was sentenced to 20 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to acting as an illegal agent and attempting to bribe a public official. For years, the Chinese government used Sun to disseminate propaganda and closely monitor groups it perceived as a threat, said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg in a separate Feb. 10 release. "His conduct represents a brazen violation of our national sovereignty. This sentence reflects our commitment to prosecuting those who would extend the authoritarian reach of the Chinese government on U.S. soil." More News - Locals outraged as court OKs Skunk Train's eminent domain request - California reports largest measles outbreak in 5 years - Bay Area CEO given $3.5M in severance as company lays off hundreds - California city freezes rent for all of 2026. It could be permanent. Sign up for daily SFGATE breaking news alerts here. This article originally published at Calif. man who helped elect a new political star' admits to being Chinese spy. A San Fernando Valley couple says an Uber driver stole the husband's identity to sign up for the ride-sharing platform, raising questions about public safety and how thoroughly drivers are vetted. Vahik Tatoosi and his wife first learned of the alleged identity theft in September 2025, when they received a packet in the mail welcoming Tatoosi as a new Uber driver. The problem, they said, is that no one in their household has ever driven for Uber. "At first, we laughed it off, like, 'What is this?'" Tatoosi said. "Then we became concerned." Advertisement Advertisement The couple tried contacting Uber but said reaching a live representative was nearly impossible. They were eventually able to communicate through the Uber app and were told the issue had been escalated to the appropriate support team. A photo of Vahik Tatoosi and his wife Anna Kojoyan. / Credit: CBS LA The matter resurfaced last month when the couple received two IRS 1099 tax forms indicating that someone had earned thousands of dollars working for Uber using Tatoosi's name and Social Security number. "This is scary," Tatoosi said. "It's your identity." Tatoosi's wife, Anna Kojoyan, said the situation goes beyond identity theft and raises serious public safety questions. Advertisement Advertisement "I thought this is a serious matter, not just for identity theft but for public safety as well," Kojoyan said. "People, young women, kids, teenagers, they use Uber thinking that all drivers are background-checked. But apparently you never know who's picking you up." According to Uber's website, the company uses third-party vendors to conduct background checks. Prospective drivers must submit a Social Security number, full name, date of birth, government-issued identification and a live profile photo before being approved to drive. Eva Velasquez, president and CEO of the Identity Theft Resource Center, said cases like Tatoosi's are an example of employment identity theft, a growing problem nationwide. "This is a form of employment identity theft or misuse," Velasquez said. "We have to understand that our data is out there. It's in the wild." Advertisement Advertisement Velasquez said the rise of remote and app-based work has made it easier for criminals to impersonate others, especially when employers and workers never meet in person. One of the tax forms Vahik Tatoosi received claimed he had allegedly earned nearly $7,000 while working for Uber. / Credit: CBS LA "Your Social Security number and other personal information can be used for employment purposes," she said. "That's certainly the case with Uber." The issue has surfaced in other cases. In 2024, a Kern County man sued Uber after receiving a tax form showing $53,000 in earnings from the company, despite never having worked for it. The lawsuit alleged it took a year to resolve the matter with the IRS and claimed Uber "routinely allows individuals to work for it as a rideshare or delivery driver using the personal information of other individuals." Uber declined a CBS LA request for an on-camera interview but said in a statement that it has escalated Tatoosi's complaint. Advertisement Advertisement "The methods of scamming and defrauding companies are constantly evolving," the company said. "At Uber, we're committed to investing in robust anti-fraud systems and detection capabilities to keep up with new and enhanced fraud techniques." The Identity Theft Resource Center recommends that consumers obtain an IRS identity protection PIN, create a "my Social Security" account with the Social Security Administration and monitor it regularly. Anyone who believes they are a victim of employment fraud should immediately contact the IRS and file a fraud report. Tatoosi and his wife said they have frozen their credit and enrolled in a credit-monitoring service. They are now working with the IRS to address the fraudulent income reported under Tatoosi's name. "The income is being reported under our name," Kojoyan said. "Now we have to contact the IRS and let them know what's going on, because they're going to expect us to pay taxes on it." Advertisement Advertisement Uber said it uses a multi-level fraud detection process and re-screens drivers annually. Details on new images of subject in Nancy Guthrie disappearance Watch: Rep. Lieu accuses Bondi of lying under oath on Epstein files surrounding Trump Masked, gloved subject seen on video approaching Nancy Guthrie's door A Southern California man has been sentenced for covertly operating as a Chinese agent while serving as campaign advisor for a local city council candidate and carrying out orders that included monitoring Taiwan's former president during her 2023 visit to the state. Yaoning Mike Sun, 65, of Chino Hills, who pleaded guilty in October to a count of acting as an illegal agent of a foreign government, was sentenced earlier this week to four years in federal prison. According to John Eisenberg, Assistant Attorney General for National Security, Sun carried out directives from Chinese government officials over a period of years, surveilling groups in the United States that Beijing viewed as threatening and disseminating Chinese propaganda to influence public discourse. Advertisement Advertisement His conduct represents a brazen violation of our national sovereignty, Eisenberg said in a news release issued by the U.S. Department of Justice. In this pool photograph distributed by the Russian state agency Sputnik, (2nd L-R) Russia's President Vladimir Putin walks with China's President Xi Jinping and North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un before a military parade marking the 80th anniversary of victory over Japan and the end of World War II, in Beijing's Tiananmen Square on September 3, 2025. In this pool photograph distributed by the Russian state agency Sputnik, Russia's President Vladimir Putin (L) speaks with China's President Xi Jinping after a group photograph before a military parade marking the 80th anniversary of victory over Japan and the end of World War II, in Beijing's Tiananmen Square on September 3, 2025. In this pool photograph distributed by the Russian state agency Sputnik, Russia's President Vladimir Putin (R) and North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un (C) leave after their meeting in Beijing on September 3, 2025. Putin on September 3 thanked Kim for sending troops to oust Ukrainian soldiers from Russia's Kursk border region, saying they fought "heroically. Chinese soldiers ride in tanks during a military parade marking the 80th anniversary of victory over Japan and the end of World War II, in Tiananmen Square on September 3, 2025, in Beijing, China. China's Victory Day military parade serves as a powerful display of national pride and military power. This year's parade carries heightened geopolitical weight with the attendance of 26 world leaders, including Russian President Vladimir Putin, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, underlining China's diplomatic alliances as it presents itself as an alternative global leader. Chinese troops march during a military parade marking the 80th anniversary of victory over Japan and the end of World War II, in Beijing's Tiananmen Square on September 3, 2025. Chinese President Xi Jinping, Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un arrive for a reception marking the 80th anniversary of the end of World War Two, at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China September 3, 2025. In this pool photograph distributed by the Russian state agency Sputnik, (L-R) Russia's President Vladimir Putin walks with China's President Xi Jinping and North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un before a military parade marking the 80th anniversary of victory over Japan and the end of World War II, in Beijing's Tiananmen Square on September 3, 2025. Chinese President Xi Jinping stands in a car to review the troops during a military parade to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of World War Two, in Beijing, China, September 3, 2025. Soldiers of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) march during the rehearsal ahead of a military parade to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of World War Two, in Beijing, China, September 3, 2025. In this pool photograph distributed by the Russian state agency Sputnik, Russian President Vladimir Putin sees North Korean leader Kim Jong Un off following their talks after attending a military parade marking the 80th anniversary of victory over Japan and the end of World War II, in Beijing on September 3, 2025. In this pool photograph distributed by the Russian state agency Sputnik, Russian President Vladimir Putin (2nd-R) and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un (2nd-L) meet after attending a military parade marking the 80th anniversary of victory over Japan and the end of World War II, in Beijing on September 3, 2025. Putin on September 3 thanked Kim for sending troops to oust Ukrainian soldiers from Russia's Kursk border region, saying they fought "heroically. In this pool photograph distributed by the Russian state agency Sputnik, Russia's President Vladimir Putin holds a press conference, at the end of his visit to China for the Tianjin SCO Summit and the military parade to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of World War Two, in Beijing on September 3, 2025. Soldiers march during a military parade marking the 80th anniversary of victory over Japan and the end of World War II, in Tiananmen Square on September 3, 2025, in Beijing, China. China's Victory Day military parade serves as a powerful display of national pride and military power. This year's parade carries heightened geopolitical weight with the attendance of leaders like Vladimir Putin, Kim Jong Un and Narendra Modi, underlining China's diplomatic alliances as it presents itself as an alternative global leader. Armored vehicles and soldiers are seen during a military parade marking the 80th anniversary of victory over Japan and the end of World War II, in Tiananmen Square on September 3, 2025, in Beijing, China. China's Victory Day military parade serves as a powerful display of national pride and military power. This year's parade carries heightened geopolitical weight with the attendance of leaders like Vladimir Putin, Kim Jong Un and Narendra Modi, underlining China's diplomatic alliances as it presents itself as an alternative global leader. Putin and Kim Jong Un join Xi in Beijing for China WWII victory parade 1 of 14 In this pool photograph distributed by the Russian state agency Sputnik, (2nd L-R) Russia's President Vladimir Putin walks with China's President Xi Jinping and North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un before a military parade marking the 80th anniversary of victory over Japan and the end of World War II, in Beijing's Tiananmen Square on September 3, 2025. Court documents say Sun knowingly acted as an agent of the Peoples Republic of China and its government officials without notifying the U.S. Attorney General as required by law. At the direction of Chinese officials, they say, Sun coordinated with other people in the U.S. to promote Chinese interests by, among other things, orchestrating a group to help elect a candidate he described to Beijing as a new political star and push pro-PRC propaganda. Suns activities occurred from at least 2022 through January 2024. Along with the city council candidate, unidentified in court documents, Sun operated a purported news website for the local Chinese American community while carrying out Chinese officials orders to post pro-PRC content. The Los Angeles Times identified the candidate as Eileen Wang, who was sworn in as mayor of Arcadia, California, on Feb. 3. USA TODAY has reached out to Wang for comment. Advertisement Advertisement In 2022, Sun served as Wang's city council campaign adviser and "close personal confidante," prosecutors said. After her November election, the two attended a meeting of people Sun described as a team dedicated to Chinese interests, according to his plea agreement. In February 2023, court documents say, Sun drafted a report to PRC officials suggesting part of our Los Angeles organizations professional core team be utilized to counter anti-China forces overseas and requesting $80,000 from the Chinese government to fund a pro-China demonstration at a Fourth of July parade in Washington, D.C. Portraits of China's President Xi Jinping (L) and late communist leader Mao Zedong are seen at a souvenir shop in a tourist area of Beijing on February 26, 2025, ahead of the opening of the annual session of the National People's Congress on March. The documents say Sun closely surveilled then-Taiwanese president Tsai Ing-wen during her April 2023 visit to Southern California, including sending real-time updates on her movements to an official at the Peoples Republic of Chinas consulate in Los Angeles and taking photographs for the official of people demonstrating for and against Tsai. Throughout 2023 and 2024, prosecutors said, Sun communicated with an official at the consulate about Taiwan-related activities in Southern California. Advertisement Advertisement As an agent for the PRC, [Sun] worked covertly in the United States with his primary co-conspirator John Chen, a/k/a Chen Jun, prosecutors said in a sentencing memorandum. They described Chen as a high-level member of the PRC intelligence apparatus who regularly attended elite Chinese Communist Party functions and met personally with Chinese president Xi Jinping. Sun, they said, served as Chens right-hand man in the United States for decades. Chen, who had plotted to target U.S.-based practitioners of Falun Gong, a spiritual practice banned in China, was sentenced in November 2024 to 20 months in federal prison after pleading guilty in the Southern District of New York to acting as an illegal agent of the PRC and conspiracy to bribe an Internal Revenue Service agent. Falun Gong supporters rally on Capitol Hill in July 2015 in Washington, DC, to protest treatment of Falun Gong practitioners in China. The FBI conducted the investigation. Advertisement Advertisement When Americans vote for elected officials, they expect them to represent the interests of their constituents not those of a foreign adversary like the Chinese government, said Roman Rozhavsky, assistant director of the FBIs Counterintelligence and Espionage Division. By exploiting his position as a campaign advisor, Yaoning Sun attempted to undermine our political processes and democratic institutions for the benefit of the Chinese Communist Party. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: California man sentenced for acting as illegal Chinese agent Tahoe was covered by a fresh blanket of snow Wednesday, but that's just a sneak peak at what's to come starting Presidents Day. A parade of storms is anticipated to bring 3 to 7 feet of snow to the Sierra Nevada as the atmosphere settles into a pattern favorable for back-to-back-to-back cold systems. It won't be typical Sierra cement. Temperatures in the teens and 20s will be plenty cold for powdery snow that skiers crave. Advertisement Advertisement Tranquil weather is expected Thursday through Sunday afternoon, but the storm door will swing wide open thereafter. "Travel ahead of the system will be optimal, with no impacts expected," the National Weather Service in Reno said. "Heavy snow moves in Monday, making travel back after the long weekend very difficult." The National Weather Service advises only minor Sierra travel impacts through Sunday before conditions deteriorate Monday. (National Weather Service) Starting Sunday night, a series of systems are expected to drop toward California from the Gulf of Alaska, bringing cold air with them. There may be three of four snowmakers from Feb. 15 through Feb. 22, each capable of dropping 1 to 2 feet of snow across the Sierra. Snow totals along the Lake Tahoe shoreline will remain on the lighter side. Still, accumulations there will likely be on the order of feet, rather than inches. Advertisement Advertisement Confidence is high that temperatures will remain below freezing in Tahoe throughout the storm sequence. The rain-snow line may fall below 3,000 feet by the middle of next week, potentially low enough for significant accumulations along Interstate 5 near Mount Shasta and a dusting of snow atop Mount Diablo and other Bay Area peaks. Weather models predict the coldest air mass of the season to swing across California next week. The rain-snow line may drop to 3,000 feet or lower. (Baron/Lynx) Where confidence wanes is regarding the timing of storms and snowfall totals. While systems originating near Alaska are cold, they contain less moisture than warm pineapple expresses from Hawaii. How much moisture each of these systems picks up on its way to California next week depends just how long they track over the Pacific Ocean. Advertisement Advertisement A bigger dip in the jet stream would yield more moisture, as storms would have more time to evaporate water from the relatively warm seas below. A straight path from Alaska to California would bring chillier air, but less rain and snow. Weather models are fluctuating with the track of the jet stream over the northeast Pacific Ocean early next week. A linear path from Alaska to California would bring cold air and less rain and snow, while a dip in the jet stream like the map above would yield much more precipitation. (Baron/Lynx) Because of the uncertain jet stream position, the onset of snow is still up in the air. Snow could begin as early as midday Sunday or as late as Monday afternoon. Regardless, once snow starts falling, there may not be a significant break for five or six days. "It is likely that we will be seeing some pretty snowy roads, so chain controls, travel delays and maybe even road closures depending how bad it gets," said Gigi Giralte, a meteorologist at the weather service office in Reno. Advertisement Advertisement People traveling to and from the mountains next week should prepare for winter driving conditions. The weather service advised people to "consider adjusting travel plans." Winter recreationalists are awaiting the storm parade, as a long slog of warm, dry weather has left some ski areas barren, including Mt. Shasta Ski Park, which announced a temporary closure earlier this week. "It's been a hot second since we got a good dumping of snow in the Sierra," Giralte said. Feb. 11 snowpack in the northern Sierra, Trinity Alps and southern Cascades was just 40% of average. Higher elevations of the central and southern Sierra were faring better, but the snowpack in those areas was still well below normal for this time of year. Advertisement Advertisement Next week's storms won't completely wipe away the Sierra snow drought, but they'll certainly help cut into the deficit. Long-range forecasts favor drier weather in late February. This article originally published at California storms to bury Tahoe under feet of snow. Here's when - and when not - to travel. The son of two Britons imprisoned in Iran has met MPs and Lords to call for their detention to be formally recognised as arbitrary. Joe Bennett met parliamentarians earlier to argue Craig and Lindsay Foreman, from East Sussex, were arrested without reason in January 2025. Folkestone and Hythe MP Tony Vaughan, who joined Bennett in making the call, said labelling their detention as arbitrary would make the case a diplomatic priority and stop "respecting a sham judicial process". Advertisement Advertisement The UK government said it continued to raise the case "directly with the Iranian authorities" and to provide consular assistance. Bennett, from Folkestone, said that in prison "every day is hell" for the couple, who were accused of spying by Iranian authorities. The Foremans were in Iran on an around-the-world motorbike trip at the time of their arrest and their family have said the espionage charges are "ludicrous". Folkestone and Hythe MP Tony Vaughan joined Bennett to call on the UK government to formally recognise the detention as arbitrary. "If the government recognises that the detention is arbitrary, it massively prioritises the way the government has to approach this case. Advertisement Advertisement "That's exactly what is needed," the MP said. In September 2024, the UK government said at the UN Human Rights Council it worked "to condemn the use of arbitrary detention, to support those who have been arbitrarily detained, and to demand accountability". According to the family, the Foremans' state-appointed lawyer told them in January he was not longer available to represent them. The family said they was "escalating violence" in the prison where they are held. Joe Bennett has called for the UK government to do more to free his parents [BBC] "It's not like the prisons here," Bennett told the BBC. "These are metal bunk beds. They have two blankets as a mattress." Advertisement Advertisement He said the prison was "overcrowded" and "unsanitary" with food shortages, fighting and vermin problems. Bennett accused the UK government of waiting "for an unfair judicial process to unfurl". According to the UK Foreign Office, British nationals are advised not to travel to Iran and are "at significant risk of arrest, questioning or detention" in the country. Follow BBC Kent on Facebook, on X, and on Instagram. Send your story ideas to southeasttoday@bbc.co.uk or WhatsApp us on 08081 002250. More on this story Related internet links Residents of the River Place subdivision can now return to their homes after being evacuated Tuesday afternoon due to a large outdoor fire, Camden County Fire Rescue said. The subdivision is located in Waverly on U.S. 17, which is still closed from the subdivision entrance north to Dover Bluff Road, officials said. The Georgia Forestry Commission confirmed that the fire is a wildfire. Camden County Schools posted a message on its Facebook page on Tuesday afternoon saying, Due to reported fires in the area, bus routes may experience delays. We appreciate your patience and apologize for any inconvenience. Advertisement Advertisement CCFR said Georgia Forestry Commission helped its firefighters to get the fire under control. Also offering support, CCFR said, was the Jekyll Island Fire Department and Glynn County Fire Rescue. [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. My family my mother and my grandmother lost everything in our home country of Nicaragua. They lost their home, their security and the certainty that tomorrow would be better than today. In 1978, they fled a country where power was concentrated, dissent was punished and fear was used as a political weapon. Like so many Nicaraguan families, they did not leave because they wanted to they left because staying meant surrendering their future and safety. They rebuilt their lives in Miami with dreams, determination and a deep love for the United States. Advertisement Advertisement This country gave them something Nicaragua could not: freedom, opportunity and the dignity that comes from knowing your voice matters. They worked hard, played by the rules and believed deeply in American democracy. I grew up watching them embrace this country not casually, but reverently because they understood how fragile freedom really is. That is why the division and authoritarian tactics we are living with over the last year under the Trump administration is so deeply troubling to me and requires so many of us, including me, to speak out more forcefully than ever. Not by finger pointing but using our personal stories to remind our friends, family and neighbors why our fears are rooted in reality. When you come from a family that has lived through authoritarianism, you recognize the warning signs. You recognize the attacks on democratic institutions, the undermining of a free press, the normalization of political violence and the use of fear and scapegoating to divide people against one another. You know that democracy does not disappear overnight it erodes slowly as people are encouraged to distrust elections, dehumanize their neighbors and believe that only one leader can fix everything. My family did not come to America to trade one strongman for another. Advertisement Advertisement Miami is a city built by people who escaped failed regimes Cubans, Venezuelans, Colombians, Nicaraguans, Haitians and so many others. We know what happens when leaders put themselves above the law and loyalty above truth. We know that authoritarianism does not arrive waving a red flag; it arrives wrapped in nationalism, grievance and promises of strength. Patriotism is not blind loyalty to a single person. Patriotism is loyalty to democratic values the rule of law, free and fair elections and respect for institutions that protect our rights, even when those institutions are imperfect. The Trump administrations approach thrives on division. Immigrants are demonized. Political opponents are treated as enemies. Independent judges, journalists and civil servants are attacked for doing their jobs. These are not signs of strength. They are the tactics of leaders who fear accountability. As the Miami-born son of immigrants who rebuilt their lives here, I reject the idea that America must be smaller, angrier or less democratic to be strong. Americas greatness has always come from its ability to include, to self-correct and to move closer however imperfectly to its ideals. Advertisement Advertisement My mother and grandmother taught me that loving this country means defending it, especially when it is tested. It means speaking out when power is abused. It means refusing to normalize behavior that undermines democracy, no matter who is responsible. We owe it to those who fled authoritarianism and to those born here, like me, who have never had toto protect the freedoms that make America exceptional. Democracy is not guaranteed. It survives only if people are willing to stand up for it. My family rebuilt everything once, because America allowed them to. I will not stay silent while the values that made that possible are threatened by division, fear and authoritarian ambition. We came here to escape that. Not to become it. Christian Ulvert, a Nicaraguan American, graduated from Miami-Dade County public schools and now is CEO and founder of EDGE Communications, a public affairs and political consulting firm. Most recently, he worked on the campaign of Miami Mayor Eileen Higgins. As Gov. Mike DeWine warns that Ohios sales tax would need to go up to 20% if a proposal to abolish property taxes passes this November, campaign organizers to abolish property taxes in Ohio argue that it isnt their problem. Rising property taxes have reached a breaking point for many Ohioans. The ever-increasing property taxes truly are pricing people out of their homes, Brian Massie, who lives in Concord Township, said. Advertisement Advertisement Massie is helping lead the charge to bring down bills. He is part of the Committee to Abolish Ohio Property Taxes, which is currently collecting signatures to get a constitutional amendment on the ballot. The people in the state of Ohio have had enough, he said. They want their freedom and liberty, and I dont know why these legislators dont understand that. The campaign is trying to get the amendment on the November 2026 ballot. It needs about 415,000 valid signatures and is aiming to submit about 620,000. Both Democratic and Republican politicians, like DeWine, say it could cause a major funding hole for essential services. Advertisement Advertisement It would just be devastating to all kinds of local government, starting with schools, but also police and fire and childrens services, DeWine said Thursday. Geauga County is currently working to raise awareness of the problems it could cause them. Nonpartisan research group Policy Matters Ohio found a myriad of concerns with the proposal, linking to conservative think tank Tax Foundations study. The report said that if the proposal passes, Ohio would have to make up more than $20 billion in one year. The sales tax would go up to 17, 18, 19%, 20% sales tax in the state of Ohio on products that you buy, the governor said. It would just be absolutely devastating. Advertisement Advertisement Zach Schiller with Policy Matters explained that sales tax rates differ per county, but the base rate is 5.75%. On a $100 purchase, there would be about $6 in sales tax. But if the amendment is successful, sales tax could be an additional $20 on that same purchase. If you raise the sales tax, it especially hurts poor people, Schiller said. Some Ohioans say they arent concerned by the sales tax increase, since buying products isnt mandatory. Massie added that there are other ways to make up that money. They need to cut the size of government, he said. They need to rein in the spending for these public schools. Advertisement Advertisement Cutting the government, to Massie, could mean getting rid of county auditors and treasurers, he said. Schiller said that this was entirely unrealistic. There is no possible way to make up $20 billion from eliminating 176 jobs, not to mention that they are needed for more than just reviews of property taxes, he said. The idea that theres some giant bloated amount of government out there that we can simply trim, and as a result, pay less in taxes, is a wildly excessive kind of notion, Schiller said. I think that they should put their money where their mouth is. Give us the actual facts. Dont just make general statements about, Oh well, we can save by cutting government, give us specifics. He also pushed back on the assertion that schools are recklessly spending. Advertisement Advertisement The bulk of property tax goes to schools, and 80% or more of school revenue goes to pay teachers and other line staff, he added. You want to get rid of teachers, get rid of the property taxes. Massie said that it isnt the campaigns problem to figure out how to make up the money. They expect me and our group to have an answer on how were going to replace all of these property taxes, he said, incredulously. The state legislators, it is incumbent upon them, to go back to the drawing board, he said. Maybe if the lawmakers didnt use taxpayer dollars to fund their pet projects, like the Cleveland Browns stadium, Massie said, the state would be in a better position. Advertisement Advertisement Another way to make up the money would be to drastically increase the state income tax. For years, Republicans have been eliminating tax brackets and helping the wealthiest Ohioans. They have no interest in increasing the income tax, several GOP legislators told us. Follow WEWS statehouse reporter Morgan Trau on X and Facebook. This article was originally published on News5Cleveland.com and is published in the Ohio Capital Journal under a content-sharing agreement. Unlike other OCJ articles, it is not available for free republication by other news outlets as it is owned by WEWS in Cleveland. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE By Luciana Magalhaes and Oliver Griffin SAO PAULO, Feb 9 (Reuters) - Brazil's Raizen, the beleaguered sugar and ethanol producer, has appointed law firms Pinheiro Neto and Cleary Gottlieb as advisors to strengthen its liquidity as it tries to turn its fortunes around, three people familiar with the matter said on Monday. More from Yahoo Scout What restructuring options is Raizen currently exploring? How severe are Raizen's current financial losses? What credit rating changes has Raizen experienced? Why did Raizen appoint financial advisors recently? Raizen, a joint venture between Brazilian conglomerate Cosan and London-listed oil company Shell, has posted a series of heavy quarterly losses and racked up high levels of net debt. Last November the company reported a net loss of over 2.3 billion reais ($443.2 million) for the second quarter of the 2025-2026 sugar crop, while net debt for the six months ended September 30 hit $53.4 billion reais. The sources spoke after Raizen earlier confirmed in a regulatory filing that it had appointed advisors with the aim of strengthening its liquidity position and optimizing its capital structure, adding that the preliminary efforts do not amount to any potential agreed transactions. "Recent results show that the capital structure is not sustainable," one of the people said, though adding that the company still has some time to try and turn things around. Ratings agencies Fitch and S&P Global cut their ratings for Raizen to B and CCC+ respectively, following the news that the company had appointed advisors. "The engagement of financial advisors indicates the high likelihood of debt restructuring, following the weakening signals of the previously expected capitalization and asset sales," S&P said in a statement accompanying its decision. The company has previously announced a number of divestments as it seeks to bring its debt under control, while owners Cosan and Shell have evaluated options for injecting more capital into the troubled sugar maker, including the possibility of bringing in new investors. In an email to Reuters, representatives for Raizen declined to confirm if Pinheiro Neto and Cleary Gottlieb had been appointed to advise the company. Pinheiro Neto and Cleary Gottlieb also declined to comment. Raizen is due to report its financial results for the third quarter of the 2025-2026 sugar crop later this week. ($1 = 5.1897 Brazilian reais) (Reporting by Luciana Magalhaes and Oliver Griffin; Writing by Oliver Griffin; editing by Diane Craft) By David Ljunggren and Ryan Patrick Jones OTTAWA, Feb 11 (Reuters) - The suspect in a deadly school shooting in western Canada was an 18-year-old woman with mental health issues who killed her mother and stepbrother before attacking her former school, police said on Wednesday, but investigators did not offer a motive for one of the worst mass slaughters in Canadian history. The killer, whom police identified as Jesse Van Rootselaar, died by suicide after the shooting on Tuesday in Tumbler Ridge, a remote community of 2,400 people in the Pacific province of British Columbia. Police revised the death toll down to nine, including Van Rootselaar, from the initially reported 10. Advertisement Advertisement On more than one occasion, Van Rootselaar had been apprehended under the provincial Mental Health Act for an assessment, said Deputy Commissioner Dwayne McDonald, commander of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police in British Columbia. "Police had attended that (family) residence on multiple occasions over the past several years, dealing with concerns of mental health with respect to our suspect," McDonald said. Unlike the United States, school shootings are almost unheard of in Canada, and federal politicians initially struggled to maintain their composure. "We will get through this. We will learn from this," a visibly upset Prime Minister Mark Carney told reporters. He postponed a trip to Europe and ordered flags on all government buildings be flown at half-mast for the next seven days. Advertisement Advertisement Hours later, legislators in the House of Commons observed a moment of silence and listened as a somber Carney said the killings had left the country in shock and mourning. "Tumbler Ridge represents the very best of Canada," Carney said. The mayor of Tumbler Ridge, Darryl Krakowka, told reporters late on Wednesday that the close-knit community was "one big family." "Lend your ear when someone needs your ear," he said, growing emotional at times. "Lend your shoulder when someone needs your shoulder. Give somebody a hug." McDonald said Van Rootselaar, who was born male but began identifying as a female six years ago, had first killed her mother, 39, and 11-year-old stepbrother at the family home. Advertisement Advertisement She then went to the school, where she shot a 39-year-old female teacher as well as three 12-year-old female students and two male students, one aged 12 and one aged 13. Police recovered a long gun and a modified handgun. Dozens were injured, and two severely wounded victims remain in the hospital. One of those victims, a 12-year-old girl named Maya, was fighting for her life after sustaining gunshot wounds to the head and neck, her mother, Cia Edmonds, said in a Facebook post. Police officers who arrived at the scene two minutes after the initial call encountered active gunfire, including rounds fired in their direction, according to authorities, before discovering Van Rootselaar dead from an apparent self-inflicted wound. She once attended the school but dropped out four years ago, police said. Advertisement Advertisement "We do believe the suspect acted alone ... it would be too early to speculate on motive," McDonald told a press conference, saying police did not have information to suggest anyone had been specifically targeted. Several prominent world leaders sent messages of condolence. King Charles, Canada's head of state, said he was "profoundly shocked and saddened." SHOOTING AMONG DEADLIEST IN CANADIAN HISTORY Details about some of the deceased victims were slowly emerging on Wednesday. In an anguished Facebook post, Abel Mwansa said his 12-year-old son, also named Abel, had died in the shooting. Abel had once cried when his father proposed home schooling because he loved going to school so much, his father wrote. Advertisement Advertisement He raised his son, Mwansa added, to respect his elders, "be strong, work hard, put a smile on the face like I do, focus on his studies, never miss school and to be a good kid." Another woman, Shanon Dycke, said her 12-year-old niece, Kylie May Smith, was among the victims. "Pray for the other families who have lost their child, or are waiting to hear news," she wrote on Facebook. "Just pray for Tumbler Ridge." The attack sent shockwaves through the tiny community. "Everybody knows everybody," Jordon Kosik, a resident, said in an interview. "People don't lock their homes. They don't lock their cars. You can just go to your neighbor's house, just walk right in." Advertisement Advertisement McDonald said police had seized firearms from the family residence about two years ago but returned them after the owner, who he did not identify, successfully appealed the decision. Canada has stricter gun laws than the United States, but Canadians can own firearms with a license. Van Rootselaar previously had a firearms license, but it expired in 2024. Canadians between the ages of 12 and 17 can obtain a minor's firearms license after taking a firearms safety course and passing tests. The shooting ranks among the deadliest in Canadian history. In April 2020, a 51-year-old man disguised in a police uniform and driving a fake police car shot and killed 22 people in a 13-hour rampage in the Atlantic province of Nova Scotia, before police killed him at a gas station. Advertisement Advertisement In December 1989, a gunman killed 14 female students and wounded 13 at the Ecole Polytechnique in Montreal, Quebec, before dying by suicide. (Additional reporting by Maria Cheng in Ottawa, Alexandria Sarabia in Washington, Bhargav Acharya in Toronto and Joseph Ax in New York; Editing by Deepa Babington, Nia Williams, Diane Craft and Kim Coghill) A deadly mass shooting at a school in British Columbia is likely to increase scrutiny of whether Canada's gun laws should be toughened to prevent further attacks. Nine people were killed and another 25 injured in the attack at Tumbler Ridge on Tuesday, in a remote part of the country that's about 415 miles (667km) north of Vancouver. The suspect was also found dead with a self-inflicted injury, authorities said. Currently, gun ownership in the Canadian provinces is largely federally regulated by the government in Ottawa, and there are stricter laws in place than in most US states. Advertisement Advertisement Mass shootings in Canada are rare, especially if compared with its southern neighbour. Still, gun-related killings as a percentage of all homicides are significantly higher in Canada than in England and Wales, or Australia. Current gun laws in Canada Under Canada's Firearms Act, guns must be kept locked and unloaded. Anyone wishing to buy a firearm is also subject to extensive background checks and needs to have a licence. Across the country, more than 2.2 million people - or 7.7% of Canada's adult population - had firearm licences, according to government statistics from 2021. Advertisement Advertisement An estimated 10 million firearms were in circulation in the country that year. According to a Canadian website on gun ownership, which obtained statistics from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, or RCMP, there were 355,678 gun licences in British Columbia as of 2023, or about 6,240 gun licenses per 100,000 people. But the website cautioned that many people own guns without a licence, which is illegal. A national freeze on the sale and transfer of handguns has also been in place since 2022. In January, the government began a national gun buy-back programme. A federal pilot programme in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, which aimed to collect 200 firearms, had only collected 26. Mass shootings in Canada over the years The latest mass shooting follows a string of others over the past decade. Advertisement Advertisement In 2020, a gunman posing as a police officer killed 22 people in the Atlantic province of Nova Scotia province over a two-day period - in what is Canada's deadliest mass shooting. In the wake of the attacks, most military-grade assault-style weapons were banned in the country. In 2017, a gunmen killed worshippers in a Quebec City mosque in Canada's province of Quebec. The attacker got a life sentence. A year earlier, four people - including two at a school - were killed in La Loche, western Saskatchewan province. A 17-year-old attacker was later sentenced to life in prison. In 2014, a gunman shot dead eight people, including two children, in Edmonton, Alberta, in western Canada. Advertisement Advertisement One of the deadliest shootings in the country took place decades earlier - in 1989. Fourteen women were killed by a gunman in an anti-feminist attack at l'Ecole Polytechnique university in Montreal. Feb 11 (Reuters) - A deadly school shooting in a remote mountain community in British Columbia left nine people dead on Tuesday, including the shooter, in one of the worst mass killings in Canada's history. Police identified the person who carried out the shooting as an 18-year-old woman with mental health issues but did not give a motive for the attack. Below are some of Canada's biggest mass killing incidents: APRIL 2025: Advertisement Advertisement VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA - Eleven people were killed and dozens injured when a man with a history of mental health issues rammed an SUV through a crowd at a Filipino community festival. SEPTEMBER 2022: WELDON, SASKATCHEWAN - A stabbing spree left 10 people dead and injured 18 others, spanning 13 sites across the two tiny communities of James Smith Cree Nation and Weldon in rural Saskatchewan. APRIL 2020: PORTAPIQUE, NOVA SCOTIA - A gunman, who at one point masqueraded as a police officer, killed at least 16 people in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia during a 12-hour rampage, in the country's worst modern-era mass shooting. Advertisement Advertisement APRIL 2018: TORONTO, ONTARIO - A van struck and killed 10 people and injured 15 on one of Toronto's busiest streets. JANUARY 2017: QUEBEC CITY, QUEBEC - A man opened fire during evening prayers at a mosque, killing six people and wounding five. Twelve others were treated for minor injuries. JANUARY 2016: LA LOCHE, SASKATCHEWAN - A student killed his two brothers at home before opening fire at a remote community high school, killing two more people and wounding seven others. APRIL 2014: CALGARY, Alberta - The son of a long-serving member of Calgary's police force was arrested after five people at a house party were stabbed to death. Advertisement Advertisement DECEMBER 2014: EDMONTON, ALBERTA - A man killed eight people, including his wife, before killing himself. JUNE 2014: MONCTON, NEW BRUNSWICK - A gunman killed three Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) officers and wounded two others. MARCH 2005: MAYERTHORPE, ALBERTA - A man killed four RCMP officers who went to his home to execute a warrant to repossess property. The man then killed himself. APRIL 1999: OTTAWA, ONTARIO - A former employee of Ottawa's urban transit service killed four of his colleagues and wounded two others before taking his own life. APRIL 1996: VERNON, BRITISH COLUMBIA - A man killed nine relatives gathered for the wedding of his estranged wife's sister and wounded two others before killing himself. Advertisement Advertisement DECEMBER 1989: MONTREAL, QUEBEC - A gunman killed 14 students, all female, and wounded 13 at the Ecole Polytechnique before committing suicide. (Reporting by Caroline Stauffer; Editing by Neil Fullick and Diane Craft) A significant police presence was in place in Canberra on Wednesday as Israeli President Isaac Herzog visited the Australian capital, with protests taking place outside Parliament House. Herzog's four-day visit, which started on Monday in Sydney under heavy security, has drawn protests across the country, with critics accusing Israel of human rights violations in the Gaza conflict. The Australian Capital Territory (ACT) chief police officer, Scott Lee, on Tuesday said that there would be "a significant and dedicated police presence ... on Canberra's streets" as authorities expected further protests during Herzog's visit. Advertisement Advertisement Herzog arrived at Government House on Wednesday morning and met Governor-General Sam Mostyn. According to broadcaster ABC, hundreds of people had gathered on the lawns in front of Parliament House around lunchtime. On Monday, the Israeli president visited the site of the Bondi Beach mass shooting, in which 15 people were killed at a Jewish festival in December. On Monday evening, 27 people were arrested in Sydney's city centre during a protest against the visit. New South Wales Police charged a number of people with assault and public order offences. Herzog has met Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, whom he was set to meet again later on Wednesday, as well as members of the Jewish community, survivors and victims' families. He is also scheduled to travel to Melbourne. Advertisement Advertisement Albanese defended the Israeli leader's presence on Tuesday, saying that the "visit is an important opportunity for President Herzog to stand with Jewish Australians and remember those innocent lives lost on December 14th." CANTON A 49-year-old man has been sentenced to 16 to 20 years in prison for stabbing his parents on Dec. 3 in Canton Township. Stark County Common Pleas Judge Chryssa N. Hartnett sentenced Joshua L. Shaffer on Feb. 10 after he pleaded guilty to two counts of attempted murder, two counts of felonious assault and two counts of felony domestic violence. The victims are a 71-year-old woman and a 71-year-old man. Advertisement Advertisement The incident occurred during a dispute between the defendant and his father after the parent told Staffer that he would need to move from the home, the Stark County Prosecutor's Office reported. During the altercation, the defendant stabbed his father multiple times in the arms, torso and legs, the post said. While the attack was taking place, the defendant's mother tried to intervene to stop the stabbing and the defendant stabbed her in the neck, the agency said. The father tried to call 911, but the defendant threw the phone before he was able to speak with dispatchers. The mother was able to get out and seek help at a neighbor's home, where emergency assistance was requested. Advertisement Advertisement Public defender Steven Reisch represented Shaffer. A message was left for Reisch on Feb. 11 offering him the chance to comment on Shaffer's behalf. Attorneys from the Stark County Public Defender's Office do not generally comment on clients' cases outside court. The Stark County Sheriff's Office investigated the case. Canton Township: Couple stabbed; son charged with attempted murder Reach Nancy at 330-580-8382 or nancy.molnar@cantonrep.com.On X, formerly known as Twitter: @nmolnarTR. This article originally appeared on The Repository: Joshua Shaffer sentenced for stabbing his parents in Canton Township The Cape May-Lewes Ferry is operating on a full schedule Feb. 11 after icy conditions over the last few weeks forced dozens of cancellations. The Delaware River and Bay Authority-operated ferry travels 17 miles across the Delaware Bay, between Lewes, Delaware, and Cape May, New Jersey, several times per day. Since Jan. 25, 64 departures have been canceled, DRBA spokesman James Salmon said. In addition to considerable ice in the Harbor of Refuge in Lewes and throughout the Delaware Bay, the Cape May Canal was frozen solid for some time, Cape May-Lewes Ferry Director of Operations Heath Gehrke said in a Feb. 9 video. The Delaware Bay was frozen over at Cape Henlopen State Park Jan. 27, 2026. "It's been a difficult week for us," Gehrke said. Advertisement Advertisement The ferries can break through some ice, according to Gehrke, but sometimes it's too thick. Delaware River and Bay pilot boats, which dock next door to the ferry in Lewes, were forced to move their operations to the Indian River, Gehrke said. Ferry: Construction to begin on hybrid Cape May - Lewes Ferry ship Reach Shannon Marvel McNaught at smcnaught@gannett.com or on Facebook. This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: Cape May-Lewes Ferry operations back to normal as ice melts, The Brief A driver was seriously hurt after crashing into a disabled semi-truck on I-80/94 in Gary. The injured driver was trapped and flown by medical helicopter to a Chicago hospital. Westbound lanes were closed for more than an hour, causing heavy backups Tuesday morning. GARY, Ind. - A crash between an SUV and a semi-truck shut down part of I-80/94 near Gary Tuesday morning, leaving one driver with life-threatening injuries. What we know Indiana State Police troopers were called at around 7:40 a.m. to westbound I-80/94 near Burr Street for a crash involving a passenger vehicle and a semi-truck. Advertisement Advertisement According to ISP, a blue 1999 GMC Yukon was traveling along the right shoulder while passing traffic when it hit the back of a parked semi-truck at a high rate of speed. The semi, a 2016 Freightliner pulling a loaded trailer, had stopped on the shoulder because of mechanical problems. State police said emergency warning triangles had been placed behind the trailer. The impact from the collision trapped the Yukons driver inside the vehicle. Gary firefighters worked for an extended time to free the driver. ISP said the driver suffered life-threatening injuries and was flown by medical helicopter to the University of Chicago Hospital for treatment. Advertisement Advertisement Westbound I-80/94 was closed for just over an hour to allow the helicopter to land and for crews to investigate the crash. What we don't know It remains unclear why the SUV was traveling on the shoulder before the crash. What they're saying "This crash serves as an important reminder that the shoulder is intended for EMERGENCY use only. Disabled vehicles are often stopped on the shoulder and using it as a travel lane significantly increases the risk of serious crashes," ISP said in a press release. The Source The information in this story came from the Indiana State Police. Two Jacksonville sheriff's officers shot and killed a suspected car thief after they said he brandished a handgun during a foot pursuit overnight. Undersheriff Shawn Coarsey said Patrol Task Force officers in a covert vehicle observed the suspect in a known stolen vehicle near 61st and Main streets at about 11:15 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 10. Two weeks earlier, the suspect was seen in the same stolen vehicle, although he had been switching out the license tags. Coarsey said officers confirmed he was armed at the time and got away. Once spotted again Tuesday, they called in marked units and followed him to the 11000 block of Kaleel Road off Interstate 295 near Dunn Creek Road. Coarsey said he pulled into a driveway and took off on foot as officers chased him over some fences and through backyards. Advertisement Advertisement Sgt. M. Howell fired his Taser twice at him, but it was unknown if the probes made contact, the undersheriff said. That's when the suspect pulled out a gun, and Howell and Officer. M. Higginbotham fired multiple shots killing him at the scene, Coarsey said. No one else was in the vehicle. These are the two guns the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office said Michael Wayne Jones had when two officers shot and killed him on Feb. 10, 2026. The black one on the left was the one he brandished and the other one was in his pants, according to the Sheriff's Office. The Sheriff's Office later identified the man killed as 52-year-old Michael Wayne Jones of Virginia. In addition to the handgun that Coarsey said was drawn, another was recovered from his pants. For Higginbotham it was his first police shooting in eight years on the force. For Howell it was his third in 11 years, Coarsey said. This bodycam image shows Jose Ernesto Cabrera coming at a Jacksonville sheriff's officer before being shot and killed by three officers during outside a home Fox Tail Lane on Feb. 13, 2026. This image from Officer Jacob Cahill's body-worn camera video shows a 14-year-old car theft suspect after fleeing Jacksonville police and being shot on Nov. 1, 2025. He survived. This bodycam image from Officer Delong Zheng shows Norbal Garcia Jr. continuing to attack a man and woman outside a home Jillian Drive on Jacksonville's Westside on May 2, 2025. Zheng was ordering him to drop his weapons and shot him. He did not survive. Officer Delong Zheng's bodycam image shows him about to shoot and kill Norbal Garcia Jr. as the 58-year-old was attacking a man and woman outside a home Jillian Drive on Jacksonville's Westside on May 2, 2025. Michael Lee Wright is shown in this home security video coming at Jacksonville sheriff's officer Patrick Burke and his patrol vehicle with a pair of scissors before he was shot and killed on May 5, 2025, outside a Normandy Boulevard mobile home park. Michael Lee Wright is shown in this home security video being struck by Jacksonville sheriff's officer Patrick Burke's patrol vehicle after Wright was coming at him with a pair of scissors on May 5, 2025, outside a Normandy Boulevard mobile home park. Burke shot and killed him moments later when he continued to come at him. Officer Adam Gaulding's bodycam shows him about to return fire on a suspect during a deadly shootout on March 12, according to the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office. In this bodycam image, Jacksonville officers check on wounded Brandon White, seen wearing body armor with his rifle at his feet, after being shot by police in a shootout during a March 12 traffic stop on Ribault Avenue. He later died. This security video image shows Brandon Timothy White shooting at Jacksonville Officer Adam Gaulding (behind the shrub) during a deadly traffic stop on March 12. These bodycam images show Alquan Suydam holding a gun to his side, top, and then pointing it at officers, bottom, before they shot and killed him on March 30, 2025, outside a Toledo Road apartment complex, according to the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office. Jacksonville Sheriff's Office Sgt. Ben McEwan's body-worn camera captured this image of Michael Youmans refusing commands and instead driving toward him on Gossett Street and being shot Feb. 11, 2025. McEwan's shadow with the raised gun is viewable on his patrol car to the rear right. Michael Youmans is seen crawling out of his car after trying to flee Jacksonville Sheriff's Office Sgt. Ben McEwan, whose bodycam recorded this image after shooting him when he drove toward him on Feb. 11, 2025, on Gossett Street. This officer-worn body camera image shows Jacksonville sheriff's officer Mindy Cardwell attempting to remove a gun from driver Jason Arrington's holster after being pulled over for running a red light on Dec. 13, 2024. The gun went off and he was struck in a leg. Internal Affairs later ruled Cardwell's actions incompetent and she will be terminated, according to the Sheriff's Office. This officer-worn body camera image shows Jacksonville sheriff's officer Mindy Cardwell attempting to remove a gun from driver Jason Arrington's holster after being pulled over for running a red light on Dec. 13, 2024. The gun went off and he was struck in a leg. Internal Affairs later ruled Cardwell's actions incompetent and she will be terminated, according to the Sheriff's Office. This is a video image from Officer Joshua Collier's body-worn camera showing the moment just before he wounded armed suspect Brenton Paquin on July 17, 2024, in the parking lot of a Blanding Boulevard gas station in Jacksonville. This image from Officer Bradley Griffitts' bodycam shows Dejuane Hayden running before being shot off Tall Pine Lane on Oct. 10, 2024, in Jacksonville. This business security video image shows Ray Ross firing into his car at his half-brother just before an officer shoots him at a traffic light on North Main Street on May 26, 2024, according to the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office. Security video shows Calixto Benvenutti pointing a stick at Jacksonville SWAT officers while holding a gun (circled) before being shot and killed at his family's Lenox Avenue property on May 13, 2025. This body camera image shows Officer Brian Rone holding Ray Ross at gunpoint after shooting him on North Main Street on May 26, 2024, following an attempted murder. Ross' gun can be seen in front of him on the pavement, according to the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office. This image from Officer Bradley Griffitts' bodycam highlights the gun Dejuane Hayden had before being shot off Tall Pine Lane on Oct. 10, 2024, in Jacksonville. A Jacksonville Sheriff's Office's video image shows Brian Jornet just before police shot him outside his home on College Place on Dec. 13, 2022. He survived and on Nov. 26 was found not guilty by reason of insanity. A scene from Jacksonville Officer Timmy Davis' bodycam shows John Robert Ritter holding a knife on Feb. 13, 2020, behind a Northside grocery store. This is the enhanced video shown during the Sheriff's Office's review board, subtitled as Ritter says "shoot me" to the officer. A police bodycam shows 17-year-old Axal Perez coming out of a door with a machete as an officer orders him to drop it during an officer-involved fatal shooting on July 4, 2020, on Monroe Smith Road. A Jacksonville sheriff's officer's body camera image shows Matvey Anthony holding K-9 Zeke while raising a knife in his right hand an instant before another SWAT team member, right, fatally shoots the suspect. Jacksonville Sheriff's Office body camera video shows Devon Tillman Gregory, 18, refusing to comply with demands to put his hands up during a Nov. 17, 2020, traffic stop on San Juan Avenue. He continues to keep his right hand under the car seat, screaming to the two others who were with him that he loves them. When a shot was fired, officers opened fire as well. The Medical Examiner's Office ruled the first shot was self-inflicted. A Jacksonville sheriff's officer's body-worn camera provided this image of Benjamin Kubi running after another officer with a knife after stabbing a road worker on Nov. 19, 2024. Both officers shot him. This video image from a Jacksonville sheriff's officer's body camera shows Corey Sweeney wearing a football helmet and raising a hammer before he was eventually shot in a leg outside his home on Bradd Avenue on Dec. 16, 2025. In this officer-worn body camera image, Cale Tyler Gilbert sticks his head out the passenger side of his truck during Aug. 25, 2025, negotiations during a standoff with Jacksonville police on Dutton Island Road before he was shot and killed. This aerial image shows Jacksonville sheriff's officers about to shoot Cale Tyler Gilbert after he had fired at a couple, rammed their vehicle and crashed on Aug. 25, 2025 on Dutton Island Road. These bodycam images show nine Jacksonville sheriff's officers firing at Cale Tyler Gilbert and his truck during an Aug. 25, 2025, standoff on Dutton Island Road. The Sheriff's Office said he was reaching inside his rifle bag at the time and was killed. This video image from Jacksonville Officer Jeremy Rodericks bodycam shows him questioning Daniel Rodriguez if he has a gun before the suspect pulls it out and fires once during a struggle. Roderick and Officer Jakob Milan then shoot and kill him. It happened outside the Luxor Club apartments on Egrets Nest Drive on Jan. 5, 2026. This video image from Jacksonville Officer Jeremy Rodericks bodycam shows Daniel Rodriguez reaching for a gun. The Sheriff's Office said Rodriguez fired once during a struggle with Roderick and Officer Jakob Milan before they shot and killed him outside the Luxor Club apartments on Egrets Nest Drive on Jan. 5, 2026. Jacksonville police handcuff a 15-year-old wounded shooting suspect in the body camera video image after a brawl and gunfire at the Aug. 18, 2023. First Coast/Ribault high school football games. Two officers shot the teen during a foot pursuit. He was charged with discharging a firearm on school property, possession of a firearm on school property and carrying a concealed firearm. This image from Officer Richard Mills' bodycam shows wounded suspect Samuel Deandre Cook being detained after a shootout with Jacksonville police on West 22nd Street on Jan. 11, 2026. An image from a Jacksonville sheriff's officer's body camera video shows police returning fire on Jeffrey Alan Martin after another officer was shot outside Baptist Medical Center on April 18, 2023. This image from Officer J. Rose's bodycam shows the moment he and another Jacksonville officer open fire on Djuan Jackson, seen with an arm raised trying to attack another man with a knife on Eaverson Street on Oct. 28, 2024. Jacksonville sheriff's officers wake up burglary suspect Leon Burroughs on Jan. 20, 2023, on Hardee Street in this body camera video image. Moments later the video shows Burroughs fire a gun at police, who shoot and kill him. Jacksonville sheriff's officer Caleb Bumgarner's bodycam image shows him about to shoot Brian Gillis, who has a knife and wouldn't comply with commands after family said he set a neighbor's house on fire and suffered from schizophrenia. He did not survive the shooting on Aug. 13, 2025, on East 25th Street. This body cam image shows moments before Jacksonville sheriffs officers shoot 68-year-old Ofero Manalon when they said he pointed a rifle at them. Hes not visible in this scene but soon shows up on the left edge of the door of his Creeks Ridge Road following the arrest of his son on Jan. 5, 2026. Images from Jacksonville officers' bodycams show what went down in police shootings 1 of 39 This bodycam image shows Jose Ernesto Cabrera coming at a Jacksonville sheriff's officer before being shot and killed by three officers during outside a home Fox Tail Lane on Feb. 13, 2026. This was the city's fourth police shooting of the year, two fatally. Last year's first police shooting didn't take place until Feb. 11, but 2025 ended with 17, 11 of which the suspect was killed, according to Sheriff's Office records. (This story has been updated with the suspect's name and a new photo.) This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Jacksonville sheriff's officers shoot and kill armed car thief A Carbon County car chase Tuesday evening ended along Route 940 when police officers shot a male driver, Pennsylvania State Police said. The pursuit began around 8:15 p.m. along the highway, near Route 534 in Kidder Township, said Trooper Anthony Petroski III, public information officer for Troop N. Pocono Mountain Regional Police officers attempted to stop the 23-year-old driver, but he kept going for eight miles, Petroski said. Advertisement Advertisement The driver then voluntarily stopped, exiting the car and showing a handgun, Petroski said. The driver disregarded multiple commands by police to drop the weapon and pointed the gun toward officers, he said. Multiple officers fired their service weapons, striking the driver multiple times, state police said. The driver was taken to an area hospital for treatment of injuries. He was listed in serious, but stable condition Wednesday morning at the hospital. Criminal charges are pending against the driver, Petroski said. No police officers were injured during the incident, state police said, and there was no threat to surrounding communities. Advertisement Advertisement As per Pocono Mountain Regional Police Department regulations, the officers involved in the incident have been placed on administrative leave, Petroski said. The shooting remains under investigation by Pennsylvania State Polices Troop N Major Case Team and the Carbon County District Attorneys Office. Read the original article on lehighvalleylive.com. Bishop Joseph Brennan of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Fresno will celebrate Mass this coming Monday at an immigration detention facility in California City. In an email, diocesan spokesman Chandler Marquez said Brennan was planning to visit the U.S. Immigration and Customs facility in California City on Monday to celebrate Mass and afterward would meet with the media. Brennan, whose jurisdiction includes Kern County, would not be the first California bishop to visit an ICE facility. Seven California bishops visited the Adelanto ICE Detention Center in San Bernardino County in December. Advertisement Advertisement In November, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops issued a special statement expressing concern about the situation surrounding immigration. We are saddened by the state of contemporary debate and the vilification of immigrants. We are concerned about the conditions in detention centers and the lack of access to pastoral care. We lament that some immigrants in the United States have arbitrarily lost their legal status, the statement said. Brennan and more than 200 other American bishops cast votes in favor of that statement and he has said he opposes mass deportations. Wayve is among the tech groups racing to launch self-driving taxi pilots on UK roads - Tim Andrew/Tim Andrew A British self-driving car pioneer launching autonomous taxis on UK roads is set to be valued at $9bn (6.6bn). Wayve, founded in Cambridge in 2017, is in talks to raise more than $1bn in one of the largest funding rounds ever for a British AI start-up. The company, which develops a kind of robot brain for driverless cars, is one of a group of tech businesses racing to launch self-driving taxi pilots on UK roads in the coming months. It has a deal with Uber to launch a trial of its technology in the ride-hailing companys vehicles later this year. Nvidia, the US AI chip giant, announced last year that it was in talks about a potential $500m investment in Wayve as part of its upcoming funding round. A source said Wayve was expected to raise more than $1bn at a valuation of nearly $9bn. Another source said talks were still at an early stage. Wayve, which is led by New Zealand-born entrepreneur Alex Kendall, is already one of the UKs best-funded technology businesses. In 2024, the company secured $1bn in funding from Japans SoftBank and Microsoft for its driverless software. Since then, the UK business has started expanding its technology globally, launching testing in San Francisco and Germany and signing a deal with Nissan to expand into Japan. Wayve has secured a deal with Uber to launch a trial of its technology later this year - Tim Andrew/Tim Andrew However, the companys rivals have been expanding aggressively and planning their own driverless trials in Britain. Waymo, which is controlled by Googles parent company Alphabet, raised $16bn in new funding last week to expand its robotaxi services. The AI ride-hailing business already serves a cluster of cities in the US and is planning to expand to the UK later this year. US ride-hailing companies Uber and Lyft, meanwhile, have also been working on launching UK trials with Apollo Go, a self-driving business owned by Chinese tech giant Baidu. Tesla is also testing its self-driving technology on Britains streets. Unlike rivals, Wayves technology has been designed so it does not rely on detailed maps of new cities before its cars are ready to hit the road. Instead, its software learns to adapt to new roads that it has not previously visited. The Financial Times previously reported that Microsoft and SoftBank were in talks to join Wayves upcoming funding round. A Wayve spokesman said the company did not comment on speculation. Try full access to The Telegraph free today. Unlock their award-winning website and essential news app, plus useful tools and expert guides for your money, health and holidays. Hundreds of firefighters, friends and family members gathered at the Freedom Mortgage Pavilion in Camden to honor veteran firefighter Howard Bennett, whose life and service were remembered during a celebration of life attended by people from across the region. Organizers chose the waterfront venue to accommodate the large crowd that wanted to pay their respects to Bennett, who died on the job last week. Bagpipes played as Bennett's body was transported by firetruck to the service, marking a solemn tribute to the longtime Camden firefighter. Howard Bennett, 61, died last Thursday after he fell into the icy waters of the Delaware River. "He was Mr. Fixit. He was that guy. He would always give you the shirt off his back to help you out as much as he possibly can. He wasn't a guy who wanted a whole lot," said Camden Fire Chief Jesse Flax. Advertisement Advertisement Colleagues described Bennett as humble, private and dedicated. He served with the Camden Fire Department for nearly 27 years. Officials said Bennett died Thursday while performing maintenance on a fire boat. He fell into the icy Delaware River, and rescue crews took 30 minutes to recover his body from the frozen water. Howard Bennett On the morning of the service, Bennett's body was escorted from his hometown of Maple Shade to Camden. At times, people lined the streets along the route to pay their respects as the procession passed. "Partners from around the community have come together to support the family, support the city," Camden Mayor Vic Carstarphen said. Advertisement Advertisement Local officials, Gov. Mikie Sherrill and Bennett's wife spoke during the service, reflecting on his dedication and years of service. Flax said Bennett's impact extended beyond the city where he worked. "Howard was a wonderful man. He was loved by a lot of different people," Flax said. "But the community where he lived made it a point to say that we need to come. We want to come. His whole family is big in the community of Maple Shade. They all came out and that's why we picked this venue. There were a lot of people that wanted to come out and show their support." Bennett was given the title of captain posthumously. Advertisement Advertisement The incident remains under investigation by the Camden County Prosecutor's Office. His death has been ruled an accident. Gov. Sherrill has ordered that flags in the state be flown at half-staff in his honor. The Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District has officially rescinded a controversial policy the board adopted two years ago that banned certain chapters from science textbooks. This change comes after an expensive, much-talked-about election in November, in which three political newcomers were elected. November's election changed the board's makeup, and this recent change is a result of that. At Monday's board meeting, the board voted 4-3 to restore textbook chapters that trustees removed in 2024. Advertisement Advertisement Those chapters are from science textbooks, and at the time, board members said they didn't want students to access them because they covered topics such as vaccines, climate change, and diversity. In the November election, the school district's board president and vice president lost their seats, as three political newcomers were elected. All three new board members voted to restore the chapters, reversing the previous board's decision. School boards in Texas are technically non-partisan, but all three new trustees campaigned together to oppose current policies. In the past two years, the CFISD board has approved book bans, Bible curriculum, and even a controversial gender identity policy that notifies families if students ask to use different names. For more on this story, follow Pooja Lodhia on Facebook,X and Instagram. CATLETTSBURG A fired-up Boyd County judge-executive implored folks to contact state legislators to vote for House Bill 557. After a brief pause when asking about new business items in Tuesdays Boyd County Fiscal Court meeting, Eric Chaney sighed and said, all right, I got something. Chaney reiterated his hatred for government, explaining thats why he initially ran for his position. Under state law, counties currently receive no reimbursement for housing state inmates in their jails. Any inmate convicted of a felony is considered state, yet county jails often lodge these inmates for months or years prior to sentencing with no reimbursement from the state. HB 557 would require the state to reimburse counties for those costs. Advertisement Advertisement I dont give a damn how they pay for it, Chaney said. Its their people, their money, and theyre forcing every bit on the counties. We spend more money in the county on people who break the law rather than abide by it. That cost does not belong to us at the county level. It belongs to the state. They need to foot that bill. Chaney said the state is supposed to handle medical expenses for these inmates when issues dont fall into the category of routine, but inevitably, he said, the state deems many of these instances as routine medical. That falls on the taxpayers of the county, Chaney said. The state needs to be accountable for this, hands down. Jailer Bill Hensley said the county sued the state and won in Frankfort, and then won in appeals court, but it has gone nowhere from there. He said six other Kentucky counties did the same. Advertisement Advertisement Hensley said Boyd Countys jail has 206 beds, but, as of Tuesday, it was housing 306 inmates. Its hard to budget when you budget for 206 people, he said. He said for every 250 county inmates, only about 10 are arrested on misdemeanors, which is the countys responsibility. It often takes about 18 months to two years for suspects to be convicted of a felony. They could serve three or four years, and the county is paying for it all, Hensley said. (If the bill passes), the county would get reimbursed for the time they sat in county jail. Medical and food expenses began skyrocketing after the COVID-19 pandemic. Advertisement Advertisement We pulled all the relief levers, Hensley said, mentioning theyve placed many inmates in community work and home incarceration programs. Were out of levers, Chaney said. Chaney and Hensley said it requires around $21,000 a day to adequately operate the jail. Chaney said Hensleys leadership has been amazing as he and his staff make sure that jail is top-notch. Chaney made a motion to seek out and negotiate a line of credit that could be used to offset increasing costs until were able to make cuts necessary where theyll be necessary to secure the future of Boyd County. Thats going to be my ask, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Commissioners Jeremy Holbrook, David Salisbury and Randy Stapleton voted unanimously to approve that. Now, I know people will be asking, why would they move forward (with a project such as the sportsplex at Camp Landing) if the countys broke? Chaney said. Ill tell you how. Thats private sector, and it will be net-zero expense for the taxpayers. Said Salisbury: This problem with the jails has been for well over 20 years. My hats off to Bill (Hensley). Ive worked with other jailers, and he does a bang-up job over there. Its as well-run as any facility Ive ever seen. This (line of credit) is a necessary evil were going to have to have to be able to move forward. Were hoping this bill passes. Chaney said every person needs to call state legislators and let them know how they feel about it. Advertisement Advertisement Holbrook made a Facebook post with legislators contact information. Let your voice be heard on that, he said. I get amped up by this, Chaney said. Thats why I got into government. I hate it, I hate it. We owe it to the people to do it right. Visit https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/record/26rs/hb557.html for more information on House Bill 557. A Montessori school teacher shot by federal agents during "Operation Midway Blitz" and her attorneys spoke out Wednesday. The ABC-7 I-Team has obtained video that shows the moment of the shooting. Homeland Security officials say Marimar Martinez rammed into federal agents near 39th Street and Kedzie Avenue in Brighton Park, but the woman's lawyer says the video shows otherwise. The Montessori school teacher was shot five times the morning of Oct. 4. That's when Customs and Border Protection agents had their guns drawn as they were being followed by other vehicles. The 30-year-old was later arrested at the hospital. The released video shows Agent Charles Exum, who is driving, pull the steering wheel to the left, colliding with a vehicle before getting out and opening fire. Advertisement Advertisement The Department of Justice blurred the agents' faces. From the beginning, the government's official narrative was that Martinez was part of a convoy that was allegedly boxing the agents in, and that it was she who sideswiped them. Body camera video appears to contradict that narrative. "She didn't ram them. They rammed her, sideswiped her," attorney Chris Parente said. There is also surveillance video from a nearby tire shop that contradicts a drawing one of the agents in the vehicle made depicting how they were allegedly boxed in. The video appears to show the vehicles in front of the agents driving off, while the agents' Tahoe stops just inside the frame. Martinez's vehicle is then seen jumping the curb and driving off in the moments after she's shot. Advertisement Advertisement "They drew those cars in to justify a bad shooting. The U.S Attorney's Office knew about this," Parente said. SEE ALSO | 'My own government attempted to execute me,' Chicago woman shot by Border Patrol testifies Following the incident, text messages show Exum appeared to brag about shooting Martinez, saying "I fired 5 rounds and she had seven holes. Put that in your book boys." During her Capitol Hill testimony last week, Martinez said she has pain daily as a result of the injuries caused by the shooting, and is in physical therapy to help with her recovery. DHS has yet to comment on the newly released evidence. Advertisement Advertisement Although assault charges against Martinez have been dropped, she wants an apology from the Trump administration. Martinez stayed mostly silent Wednesday, as her attorneys spoke out. She did speak in Spanish, saying "I don't fear anyone. The only thing I fear is God." Martinez's attorney said his client plans on filing a civil lawsuit against DHS and Exum for tens of millions of dollars in damages. The law requires them to first file a separate complaint before they can get their day in court. "We'll get a fair trial, and we will hold these officers accountable," attorney Michael Gallagher said. Because of the laws that govern how individuals can go after federal employees for causing bodily harm, Martinez's attorneys are filing what is known as a tort complaint. Advertisement Advertisement They will then have to wait six months before they can file a civil rights lawsuit against both Exum and DHS. But, they say, they will. "She sees federal agents, government officials, all the way up to the highest levels, willing to lie about what happened to her," Gallagher said. There is an open federal investigation in Indiana regarding Agent Exum's actions that day. But there are very few details known about where it stands. Martinez's attorneys said the FBI still has her vehicle, which they requested to keep as their investigation moves forward. BEIJING, Feb 11 (Reuters) - China's second-ranking official, Premier Li Qiang,inspected rare earth facilities in the southern province of Jiangxi on Tuesday, state news agency Xinhua reported, using the visit to hint at intensifying competition with the U.S. over strategic minerals. Such preholiday inspections are traditionally moments for China's top leadership to telegraph policy direction before Lunar New Year festivities begin. Wednesday's readout subtly pointed to how access to components essential to everything from autos to smartphones has become one of Beijing's most potent bargaining chips in negotiations with Washington. Rare earths are also key to the manufacture of weapons. Advertisement Advertisement "The important value of rare earths in developing advanced manufacturing and promoting green and low-carbon transformation is becoming increasingly prominent," Li was quoted as saying, a veiled reference to the turmoil manufacturers were plunged into last year when China abruptly tightened rare earth export controls after Washington further restricted Chinese investment in the U.S. "It is necessary to promote the deep integration of industry, academia, research and application, (and) expand the application of rare earth technology," Li added. Analysts say the U.S. and China face a contest to guarantee long-term access to the critical minerals, one that could see Beijing gain a new foothold in global corporate decision-making should it follow through and introduce legislation requiring companies using even trace amounts of Chinese rare earths to report their intentions to its commerce ministry. Li did not directly mention the U.S. in his recorded remarks. He visited a research institute under the Chinese Academy of Sciences think tank, the report added, along with several unnamed enterprises in the rare earth production line. Advertisement Advertisement U.S. Vice President JD Vance last week unveiled plans to marshal allies into a preferential trade bloc for critical minerals, proposing coordinated price floors as Washington escalates efforts. (Reporting by Joe Cash; Editing by Chris Reese and Lincoln Feast.) By Greg Torode and James Pomfret HONG KONG, Feb 11 (Reuters) - The Chinese captain of a Hong Kong-registered cargo ship pleaded not guilty on Wednesday to a charge of criminal damage, following allegations that his vessel damaged undersea cables in the Baltic Sea. Wan Wenguo, 44, the captain of the container ship NewNew Polar Bear, is alleged to have damaged an underwater natural gas pipeline and submarine telecom cables between Finland and Estonia in October, 2023, according to a Hong Kong charge sheet reviewed by Reuters. Advertisement Advertisement The charge sheet stated that Wan had been "reckless" and "without lawful excuse damaged the property belonging to another". Finnish investigators said the container vessel had dragged its anchor to sever the Balticconnector gas pipeline. Finnish police later retrieved a broken anchor from the seabed near the pipeline, and technical examinations showed it belonged to the container vessel that was missing an anchor. A lawyer for Wan, Jerry Chung, earlier said 18 prosecution witnesses would be called to testify in the case that includes one charge of criminal damage, as well as two charges of failing to ensure the ship complied with safety requirements under the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea. Wan also pleaded not guilty to those two charges. The next hearing is on May 5. Advertisement Advertisement These witnesses include crew members, Hong Kong officials, and experts in maritime matters, Chung added. The Baltic Sea region has been on high alert for sabotage after a series of outages involving power cables, gas pipelines and telecom links since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022. NATO has boosted its military presence with frigates, aircraft and naval drones. When asked about possible Russian involvement in the case, a prosecution lawyer told reporters that there had been no indication so far in court of such a claim. But Nordic and Baltic authorities have struggled to prove intent and convict anyone including Wan for the incidents. Advertisement Advertisement "There has been no response to the legal assistance request that Finland sent to Hong Kong," Finnish state prosecutor Ari-Pekka Koivisto told Reuters by email. "As far as I understand, Estonia's legal assistance request has also not been answered." The NewNew Polar Bear first severed three telecom cables; a Russian one linking St Petersburg to Russia's Baltic exclave of Kaliningrad; and two others connecting Estonia to Finland and Sweden on Oct. 7-8, 2023, before hitting the gas pipeline on its way to a port near St Petersburg, Russia. Estonian police have investigated the damage to Estonian telecom cables, while the owner of the Russian cable, state company Rostelecom, has said it won't seek compensation. Early on, China's foreign ministry promised both Finland and Estonia to assist with the investigations, while calling for an objective and fair probe. Advertisement Advertisement Ian Chan, a prosecution lawyer for Hong Kong's Marine Department that has regulatory oversight over the port city's maritime industry shipping registry, told reporters that he had not made contact with Finnish or Estonian authorities regarding the case. He noted, however, that Wan's ship, when it sailed from Russia to China, had been missing an anchor, and it had failed to report daily to its shipping company, as is required under maritime regulations. (Reporting by James Pomfret and Greg Torode in Hong Kong; Anne Kauranen in Helsinki; Editing by Anne Marie Roantree, Christopher Cushing and Kim Coghill) U.S. Rep. Chip Roy maintains a 10-percentage point lead over state Sen. Mayes Middleton in the Republican primary for Texas attorney general while state Sen. Nathan Johnson holds a slim lead in the Democratic primary for the position, according to the latest public polling released Wednesday. Roy leads the four-person Republican primary for attorney general, with 33% of the 550 likely Republican voters surveyed between Jan. 20-31. Middleton, R-Galveston, trails Roy with 23%, followed by state Sen. Joan Huffman, R-Houston, with 13% and Aaron Reitz, a former U.S. Department of Justice assistant attorney general, with 6%. Roy and Middleton were the only two Republican candidates for attorney general who had more polled voters with favorable opinions of them than those who said they did not know enough about them, with 54% and 45% favorability respectively. A majority of the likely Republican primary voters surveyed said they did not know enough about Huffman and Reitz to have an opinion about them. Likely voters still unsure of which candidate to vote for in the attorney generals race comprised 25% of those polled. Advertisement Advertisement Johnson led the Democratic primary for attorney general with 25% of another 550-person pool of likely Democratic primary voters, 3 percentage points ahead of former Galveston mayor Joe Jaworski. Private attorney and former FBI agent Tony Box held 13%. A majority of those polled said they didnt know enough about any of the candidates to have an opinion and 40% said they were unsure who they would vote for. The poll, conducted by the University of Houstons Hobby School of Public Affairs, has a margin of error of plus or minus 4.18%. Former state Sen. Don Huffines also held a steady lead over the other three candidates in the Republican primary for Texas comptroller, including a 20 percentage point lead over acting Comptroller Kelly Hancock and a 12 percentage point lead over Railroad Commissioner Christi Craddick. Among likely Republican primary voters, 33% percent said they intended to vote for Huffines, but 29% were still unsure of who they would vote for. Hancock was appointed acting comptroller in June by Gov. Greg Abbott, however 58% of those polled said they did not know enough about him to have an opinion of him. Advertisement Advertisement In the Republican primary for agriculture commissioner, incumbent Sid Miller leads his challenger, agriculture entrepreneur Nate Sheets, by 30 percentage points, with 48% of likely Republican primary voters supporting Miller. Abbott endorsed Sheets on Jan 21, right at the outset of the surveys collection. Nearly two-thirds of those polled said they did not know enough about Sheets to have an opinion about him, compared to 38% for Miller. The polling released Wednesday showed a tight race in the five-person Republican primary for railroad commissioner between incumbent Jim Wright and Marine veteran Jim Matlock, with Wright eking out a 1 percentage point lead at 21%. Engineer and former Democrat Katherine Culbert, Tarrant County Republican Party Chair Bo French and oil and gas worker Hawk Dunlap held 8%, 6% and 4% of likely Republican voters support, respectively, and 41% said they were still unsure of who they would support. State Rep. Jon Rosenthal, D-Houston, is the sole Democrat running for the open railroad commissioner seat. Meanwhile, the Democratic primary for governor is a crowded race with eight candidates, led by state Rep. Gina Hinojosa, D-Austin, whom 37% of likely Democratic primary voters supported. Hinojosa has a 30 percentage point lead over former U.S. Rep. Chris Bell, and 32% polled said they were still unsure of which candidate they would support. Advertisement Advertisement The UH poll also surveyed 1,502 likely voters in the November general election for the governor and lieutenant governor races, where Abbott and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick are both running for fourth terms. In hypothetical matchups, the incumbents both held leads over their Democratic opponents, with Abbott leading Hinojosa by 7 percentage points at 49%, and Patrick leading state Rep. Vikki Goodwin, D-Austin, by 5 percentage points at 46%. The general election survey has a margin of error plus or minus 2.53%. Disclosure: The University of Houston 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 Tribunes journalism. Find a complete list of them here. Sierra Morrison remembers the first time she stepped onto the campus of Clark Atlanta University. She traveled from her Minneapolis high school to tour colleges, and something just felt right about the Georgia HBCU. Just being in Atlanta and seeing so many people that look like me, in so many different spaces, spaces that I wanted to be in, Morrison recalled. The culture was what drove me here. I knew it was the one when I first toured it. Clark Atlanta, she said, was her dream school, where she would receive her undergraduate degree in criminal justice in 2021 and then go on to pursue her masters in social work. Advertisement Advertisement But on Feb. 6, that dream turned into a nightmare when Morrison was arrested by a campus police officer in her classroom and marched across campus in handcuffs. Her offense: forgetting her college ID at home. And to make things even worse, footage of Morrisons arrest would soon go viral on social media. The arrest Upon arriving on campus for her 9 a.m. class last week, the 26-year-old Morrison realized she had forgotten her student identification card. Upon entering the threshold of campus, I was asked for my student paw card, she said. I let the [campus safety officer] know that I didnt have my ID and reassured her that I was a student. I suggested that she walk me to class so my teacher could vouch that I was a student. She didnt do that. I proceeded to walk to class. Advertisement Advertisement About 20 minutes into her Clinical Leadership and Development class, Morrison noticed two police officers roaming the hallway. When they stopped at her classroom door, she said one of the officers came in and stood at the back of the room. She said he pointed at her, You in the green jacket, come with me. When Morrison stepped into the hallway, she said, one of the officers told her to show him her ID otherwise, Im putting you under arrest. Im belligerently crying. Im distraught, Im confused, Im embarrassed. Sierra Morrison Her explanation that she didnt have her ID but was a current student didnt seem to matter, she said. Advertisement Advertisement He put me in handcuffs after I inquired, she said. Once he put me in handcuffs, he stated I was under arrest. In a video of the incident, Morrisons professor, Nathaniel Currie, can be seen coming to her aid and assuring the officer that she is in his class and offering to produce documentation. A student can be heard asking for the officers name. Holding Morrison in cuffs, he identifies himself as Corporal Israel. Im belligerently crying. Im distraught, Im confused, Im embarrassed, Morrison said. My class is watching me. Im humiliated. I am being treated like a criminal when Im a student. Im being pulled out of a class that Im in legally, and it turned into a crime. Advertisement Advertisement The university to date has not released the arresting officers name. Representatives of the university and the campus police department could not be reached for comment prior to publication. Morrison said she didnt want the situation to escalate like one of the deadly police encounters from her hometown, so she complied. Im from Minnesota, so Ive seen the way that unchecked authority causes escalations of situations that were never even meant to escalate, she said. They walked me down three flights of stairs and then across the campus in handcuffs. One of Morrisons friends walked with her, trying to reassure her that everything would be OK and that she should just do what they told her. Advertisement Advertisement Once at the office of Campus Public Safety, one of Morrisons cuffs slipped off. Thats when she told Capital B Atlanta that Israel shoved her against the wall and tightened the cuffs, bruising her wrists. Left restrained in a room for an hour, she continued to cry. She asked for a phone call because she was scheduled to pick up her 2-year-old daughter after class. Sierra Morrison, seen here with her daughter Journi, is in her last semester of her masters program and just bought her first home. We built a life here. I will not allow it to be thrown away, she said. (Courtesy of Sierra Morrison) Once the handcuffs were removed by another officer, her professor was allowed to see her. [Currie] came to my aid. He said hes not sure whats going on, but at the moment, Lets just get through this situation and well figure it out. Advertisement Advertisement After two more hours, she said, the dean of her department came down and told her in order for the police to let her go, she would have to attend a meeting the next day with Clark Atlanta Police Chief Debra Williams. Morrison agreed, determined to leave as soon as possible to get to her daughter and work. I disassociated. I was in the moment, physically but mentally. I mean, I had no fight in me. I pleaded, I begged, I cried, I used my words. I didnt expect it to happen to me. And Im not speaking out of anger, but solely out of disappointment that a university thats committed to uplifting and educating students could allow such a breakdown in authority and judgment to occur. The situation could have been resolved in so many other ways. The video goes viral By the time Morrison got to her job later that day at a residential facility for exploited children, the video of her arrest was beginning to circulate on social media. Morrisons friend LaTajah Lassus had posted a video of the incident and included the following caption on her Instagram account @thebrigheststarfire: On Black History Month at my Historically Black College a fellow classmate was arrested in class for not having her #cau ID (her paw card) GO PANTHERS! Advertisement Advertisement lets be serious, given the societal & cultural landscape this is absolutely UNACCEPTABLE! & i do not feel safe on my campus. i do not trust that CAU PD has students best interest at heart. I wasnt aware the video was posted until people were coming up to me at work, Morrison said. People are texting me, letting me know they saw the video. The tears fell again. Its a moment that was already embarrassing enough to experience amongst a classroom full of people, now extremely humiliating, because now its public. So every like, every comment, every share, I have to relive the moment. After talking to my parents, they encouraged me to not run from the situation. Sierra Morrison The next morning, Morrison said, she didnt feel ready to talk with the police chief, so she pushed back the meeting. Hesitant but determined, she decided to return to class. Advertisement Advertisement After talking to my parents, they encouraged me to not run from the situation, Morrison said. But on her way to class, she said, she saw the officer who had handcuffed her the previous day. This is the exact reason I didnt want to go, she recalled. Not only am I now seeing the same person that put me in the situation, not even 24 hours before, but now Im going back to the same class. Trembling in her seat, her peers kept checking on her, along with Currie. I kind of just pushed through that class. Nobody attempted to hear my side of the story On Feb. 7, Clark Atlanta President George T. French Jr. released a letter to the student community addressing the controversy. Advertisement Advertisement We acknowledge that the students refusal to present ID interfered with campus access protocols and contributed to the escalation of the situation, he wrote. The University expects all members of our community to comply with Clark Atlanta University Public Safety procedures. French shared his concern over the responding officers actions, where he entered an active instructional space and attempted to make an arrest. This action disrupted the academic environment and, in our assessment, exceeded the appropriate boundaries for law enforcement engagement in instructional settings. For Morrison, the presidents statement wasnt enough. I was very disappointed because it simply was not true, she said. Nobody attempted to hear my side of the story or attempted to reach out to get some clarification. So it seems they spoke to Corporal Israel and went with his story. Now I am made out to be the problem rather than just a student that was attending class. Morrison said putting the arresting officer on leave is a start, but more needs to be done: If theres no accountability, what will that say for the safety of our students? How can our students feel safe? (Courtesy of Sierra Morrison) In a letter posted Feb. 9 on Facebook, Police Chief Williams announced that the officer had been placed on leave. For Morrison, its a start. The university has not announced whether the office is on paid leave. But if he is, Morrison said that would be unfair. So, you get to vacation while I am seeking therapy. she said. Youre on the beach; Im in a counselors office. Comments by students on social media posts about the incident have called for Israels termination. Morrison said she agrees. If theres no accountability, what will that say for the safety of our students? she said. How can our students feel safe? During a short meeting Tuesday with Andre McKinney, Clark Atlantas associate dean of students, Morrison said she was told she would not receive a citation or violation from the school and she would remain in good standing even though she had violated a code of conduct rule. It is completely disregarding the fact that it escalated, she said. He just reassured me that I can remain at Clark Atlanta University. Morrison, who is in her last semester of her masters program, said shes spoken to an attorney about her options and has also thought about leaving the place that was once her dream school. But then she remembers some of the reasons she came to Atlanta eight years ago, her career aspirations to create therapeutic spaces to help children heal from trauma, and the home she bought five months ago for herself and her daughter Journi. We built a life here. I will not allow it to be thrown away, she said. I just worked so hard to build a good foundation, and I refuse to allow it to be broken. Read More: The post Clark Atlanta Student Speaks Out After Humiliating Classroom Arrest appeared first on Capital B News - Atlanta. This article was first published by Source NM. Read more at sourcenm.com. A bill to codify emission reduction goals into New Mexico state law advanced through its second Senate committee hearing Saturday on a 6-4 vote, clearing a path for the measure to be heard on the Senate floor in the coming week. Senate Bill 18, also called the Clear Horizons Act, would enshrine the climate goals enacted by Gov. Michelle Lujan Grishams 2019 executive order to lower the states greenhouse gas emissions to a 2005 target level. SB18 would adopt tiered goals of 45% fewer greenhouse gas emissions by 2030; 75% by 2040 and net-zero by 2050. The legislation also directs state agencies to create rules for emission reductions, measure the states progress, and issue annual reports. Climate activists, including students, converged on the New Mexico Roundhouse Feb. 5, 2026, to show support for the Clear Horizons Act. The Senates Tax, Business and Transportation committee convened to hear SB 18 just past 7 p.m. Saturday. Chair Carrie Hamblen (D-Las Cruces) limited comments in support and opposition to 30 minutes from each side. Advertisement Advertisement Sen Pro Tem Mimi Stewart (D-Albuquerque), the bills lead sponsor, addressed arguments that the bill would put oil and gas out of business in opening remarks to the committee. New Mexico, particularly under this administration, has proven that we do not have to choosebetween economic development and clean air. We can get both, Stewart said, pointing to the adoption of stricter methane rules passed in 2021 and the 2019 Energy Transition Act for increasing the states renewable energy sources. Stewart said this years legislation has two crucial differences from last years version, which failed to advance. SB18 now allows for carbon offset programs, such as soil and agriculture improvements, instead of direct emission reductions for smaller oil and gas operators in the state or on tribal lands. And SB18 sets a floor so the rules target the largest emitters, defined as those producing 10,000 metric tons or more of climate pollution annually. Stewart said that excludes most homes, apartments, small farms, neighborhood businesses and personal vehicles, from SB18. Advertisement Advertisement Critics of the bill included lobbyists from agricultural, oil and gas, construction and mining industries, as well as rural electric providers and state boards overseeing conservation districts, who said SB18 requirements will mean higher prices for energy and other sectors of the economy. Cost of goods and services are higher and household electricity costs are projected to be higher as we transition to cleaner energy. Let me be clear, we support that transition. These investments are good and necessary, but the timeline and mandates in SB18 are too aggressive for our customers, said Matthew Stackpole, a lobbyist for the Greater Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce. Proponents of the legislation included solar and green home manufacturing organizations, environmental groups, several youth organizations and members of the public. My family has made a living from taking people fly fishing in New Mexico for over 40 years. Our business has survived plenty of hardships in that time, but the one thing that keeps me up at night is the effects of climate change on our livelihoods, Nick Streit, owner of Taos Fly Shop, said in a statement. Catastrophic forest fires, droughts and floods have become the new normal. The Clear Horizons Act is a meaningful step in the right direction to help outdoor recreation businesses like mine have a fighting chance. Advertisement Advertisement In statements to the sponsors, Republican members of the committee said the legislation goals were moving forward way too fast. I do believe we do need clean air, we need clean water, said Sen. Gabriel Ramos (R-Silver City). I mean, its something that we all want, but I think were not at a point to be so drastic. Sen. Leo Jaramillo (D-Espanola) said he was reassured that small rural electrical co-ops would not be impacted due to an amendment and said he supported the bill. Hearing from students who are worrying about climate and that we have got to act for their future and their childrens future is why I stand with you, Jaramillo told sponsors after the vote. Advertisement Advertisement Danielle Prokop covers the environment and local government for Source NM. Her coverage has delved into climate crisis on the Rio Grande, water litigation and health impacts from pollution. She is based in Albuquerque, New Mexico. This article originally appeared on Las Cruces Sun-News: Clear Horizons Act, setting emissions goals, heads to NM Senate floor Convicted sex offender Ghislaine Maxwell declined to testify before House lawmakers on Monday, Feb. 10. Instead, she tried to haggle, saying she would testify only if President Donald Trump granted her clemency. But what is clemency and why did Maxwell ask for it? What is clemency? Clemency is a constitutional power granted to the president. With it, U.S. presidents can shorten jail time or remove it entirely. Typically, when clemency is used to commute a sentence, the conviction still remains on the persons record. When full clemency is granted a pardon the record is cleared. Advertisement Advertisement In a statement, Maxwells attorney, David Oscar Markus, said that Maxwell is prepared to speak fully and honestly if granted clemency by President Trump. Clemency has been used by presidents since the founding of the nation. President George Washington granted clemency to those who participated in the Whiskey Rebellion in 1795. President Jimmy Carter granted clemency to Vietnam war draft dodgers in 1977. And President Gerald Ford granted formrer President Richard Nixon clemency in connection to Watergate. And President Andrew Jackson granted pardons to more than 7,000 ex-Confederates. Trump granted pardons to roughly 1,700 people involved in the 2021 Capitol riot. Advertisement Advertisement Juan Carlos Castillo is a New Jersey-based trending reporter for the USA Today Network. Find him on Twitter at _JCCastillo. This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Why did Ghislaine Maxwell ask Trump for clemency, what is it? There are no important events for this country at this time. Select "All" to see top events in other countries or view all events. After a recent cold snap many are keeping a watchful eye on Central Floridas Indian River Lagoon. Its hard not to think of what happened in 2010, said Captain Alex Gorichky of Project SeaSafe. You get the feeling we might see the same things triggered by a fish kill and such in the lagoon in these days. Gorichky keeps a close eye on the water as both a conservationist and a charter boat captain. He says while this recent cold snap brings back memories, the impact so far is not the same. The amount of fish that weve seen this cold spell compared to 2010 is more along the lines of those very cold-sensitive fish and not a blanket over top of everything, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Brevard County Natural Resources Management says a severe cold snap can damage macroalgae and release nutrients into the water, potentially fueling harmful phytoplankton blooms. So far, county data does not show evidence of blooms tied to this cold event. Still, there have been impacts. More than two dozen fish kills have been reported since the beginning of the month. At the same time, multiple agencies, researchers, and volunteers worked together to rescue about 200 cold-stunned green sea turtles, mostly in Mosquito Lagoon, with a few found in the northern Indian River Lagoon and Banana River. The Marine Resources Council says the lagoon may be in a stronger position than it was 15 years ago. Weve had a couple of years of kind of steady state, said Dr. Laura Wilson, the councils executive director. Its been a couple years since our last season and series of big algae blooms and fish kills and thats a continuing sign of improvement. Wilson added that monitoring today is far more robust than it was in 2010 and 2011, allowing scientists to quickly spot troubling patterns. Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live. Colombia's right-wing presidential front-runner told AFP Wednesday that he wants US backing for a bombing campaign against cocaine-producing armed groups during his first 90 days in office. Abelardo de la Espriella vowed a "shock plan" to resume airstrikes on jungle camps and to poison coca crops with US aircraft -- a dramatic shift from the policies of outgoing leftist President Gustavo Petro. "We'll start immediately with the bombing of narco-terrorist camps and with fumigation," the 47-year-old told AFP in Bogota. Advertisement Advertisement "Any criminal who does not surrender will be taken down as the law allows," he said, framing his campaign for the May vote as a rescue mission for a country he says is sliding into chaos. After spells as a singer, clothier, wine merchant and defense lawyer for the rich and famous, De la Espriella said he entered politics to serve his homeland. "I have the character, the temperament, the drive, the passion and -- pardon the Spanish -- the balls to do what Colombia needs," he said. Branding himself "The Tiger," he is betting Colombia will become the latest Latin American country to swing to the right. Advertisement Advertisement Once clean shaven, he now sports a closely cropped beard like that of a political hero, El Salvador's popular hard-line President Nayib Bukele. There are early signs de la Espriella's pitch may be working. Polls show him running slightly ahead of leftist rival Ivan Cepeda in a tight race. - Strategic shift - A de la Espriella victory would put the military back at the center of the fight with armed groups and risks reigniting a decades-old conflict. For the last four years, Colombia has been governed by its first-ever leftist government. Petro, a former guerrilla who can serve only one four-year term, has tried to avoid war with armed groups who control swaths of the country, instead seeking peace deals. Advertisement Advertisement The policy has brought mixed results. Sporadic ceasefires have helped quell violence, but the power and territory of many armed groups has grown. Colombia now has record levels of cocaine production, according to UN data -- much more than the heyday of Pablo Escobar's Medellin Cartel or the Cali Cartel of the 1990s. - Easy, tiger - De la Espriella said his 90day plan needs US support to bolster troops with new weapons, artificial intelligence and drones. "This cannot be done without a strategic alliance with the United States and the State of Israel, with US aircraft," he said, nodding to previous involvement by Colombia's Mideast ally in security matters. Advertisement Advertisement Despite his hard-line rhetoric, and past links with right-wing armed paramilitary figures, de la Espriella said it was "absurd" to call him far right. "Someone who is far right does not believe in democracy or in the separation of powers," he said. "I'm going to respect the constitution," he added. "I'm a democrat." "There will be no reelection. I am coming to serve my four-year term and then return to growing grapes and olives." And despite his claim to be a political outsider, he admits to a close relationship with conservative kingmaker and former president Alvaro Uribe. Advertisement Advertisement The former leader has been a friend of his father for half a century -- a relationship he says he "inherited." "We talk almost every day," he told AFP. "I value him greatly, I admire him, I respect him, and wherever I am I will always honor his legacy and his person." arb/acb Colombian President Gustavo Petro says that he has escaped an assassination attempt while travelling by helicopter with his daughters, after warning for months about an alleged plot by drug traffickers who want to target him. Petro said on Tuesday that his helicopter was unable to land at a destination on Colombias Caribbean coast the previous day because of fears that unspecified people were going to shoot. Last night, I couldnt land because I was informed that they were going to shoot at the helicopter I was travelling in with my daughters, Petro said in a report carried by the public broadcaster Radio Nacional de Colombia. Advertisement Advertisement They didnt even turn on the lights where I was supposed to land, he said. Speaking at a Council of Ministers meeting in Cordoba Department, a region in the north of the country where heavy rains and flooding have led to a humanitarian emergency, Petro said that he had been forced to drastically change his travel plans due to threats to his safety. Im trying to escape being killed. Thats why I couldnt arrive on time last night, because I couldnt land where I had said. This morning, I couldnt land where I was supposed to either, because there was information that the helicopter was going to be shot at, he said. #ATENCION | El pdte @petrogustavo denuncia un nuevo intento de atentado en su contra. "Anoche no pude aterrizar porque me informaron que al helicoptero donde venia con mis hijas le iban a disparar. Ni siquiera prendieron luces donde debia aterrizar", declaro. | pic.twitter.com/cMkPUhIzWq Radio Nacional CO (@RadNalCo) February 10, 2026 Translation: President @petrogustavo reports a new assassination attempt against him. Advertisement Advertisement Petro said his helicopter headed out to open sea for several hours until his aircraft, with the support of the Colombian navy, reached a different landing point and changes were made to his security plans and travel routes. The head of state affirmed that these events keep him in a state of permanent alert, and linked them to other actions that, according to him, have been occurring since October of last year, Radio Nacional de Colombia reported. Petro previously reported another alleged attempt on his life in 2024, and has claimed before that a drug-trafficking cartel has had its sights set on him as a target since he assumed office in August 2022. The reported assassination plot comes amid a surge in violence, months ahead of presidential elections, in which Petro is constitutionally prevented from seeking a second term, and the kidnapping of a senator on Tuesday. Advertisement Advertisement Senator Aida Quilcue, an Indigenous activist and human rights worker, was taken at around lunchtime by unknown people in her home department of Cauca, in the southwest of the country. Cauca is a conflict-ridden, coca-growing region controlled in large part by dissidents of the now-disbanded FARC rebel army. Quilcue, 53, was kidnapped while travelling in an SUV with two bodyguards, according to her daughter, Alejandra Legarda. Members of an Indigenous guard unit later found the vehicle, but with no one inside, Minister of National Defence Pedro Sanchez said on X. Petro warned the kidnappers to release Quilcue or risk crossing a red line, according to reports. Shortly after, the defence minister said the senator and her bodyguards had been freed and were safe. Advertisement Advertisement Images of the freed senator were shared widely on the Colombian militarys social media accounts. #AEstaHora | Nuestro comandante, brigadier general Javier Africano, junto con @PoliciaColombia @GobCauca, @FiscaliaCol le dan la bienvenida en las instalaciones de la #TerceraDivision a la senadora Aida Quilque tras velar por su regreso y seguridad. El despliegue operacional pic.twitter.com/rFQs0C72mP Tercera Division del Ejercito Nacional (@Ejercito_Div3) February 10, 2026 Translation: Our commander, Brigadier General Javier Africano, along with @PoliciaColombia @GobCauca, @FiscaliaCol, welcomes Senator Aida Quilque to the facilities of the #TerceraDivision after ensuring her return and safety. The operational deployment continues in the east of #Cauca, through the capabilities of our soldiers. Last week, gunmen killed two bodyguards of a senator in an attack on his convoy in Colombias Arauca region, near Venezuela. He was not in the car at the time. Last week, a Colombian observer group said more than 300 municipalities a third of the national territory are at risk of electoral violence, as legislative elections approach on March 8 and presidential elections on May 31. A Colombian senator was rescued from kidnappers Tuesday as the country's president reported an attempt on his own life in the run-up to elections that observers have warned could be marred by violence. Senator Aida Quilcue, an award-winning Indigenous activist, was taken by unknown people in her home department of Cauca, a conflict-ridden, coca-growing region fought over by dissidents of the now-disbanded FARC guerrilla army. The 53-year-old was rescued by a group of Indigenous people, her team reported on X, hours after the vehicle she had been traveling in with two bodyguards was found abandoned. Advertisement Advertisement "I'm OK now," Quilcue said through tears in a video posted by Defense Minister Pedro Sanchez, which also showed her being bundled into an armored vehicle by members of Colombia's military anti-kidnapping unit. She later told AFP she had been taken by "various armed men," without saying which group they belonged to. "They took us out of the vehicle and then forced us to walk to an unknown location," she said. Noticing the Indigenous trackers on the hunt for them, the kidnappers "ran away," Quilcue added, "and we were able to get away." President Gustavo Petro had earlier warned the kidnappers to release Quilcue or risk crossing "a red line." Advertisement Advertisement Petro on Tuesday claimed that he too had been targeted, escaping an assassination attempt after months of warnings about an alleged plot by drug traffickers against him. On Monday night, his helicopter was unable to land at his destination on the Caribbean coast because of fears that unspecified people "were going to shoot" at it, the president reported. "We headed out to open sea for four hours and I arrived somewhere we weren't supposed to go, escaping from being killed," Petro said. - Risk of electoral violence - Over a quarter of a million people have been killed during six decades of armed conflict between left-wing guerrillas, right-wing paramilitaries, drug traffickers and the military in Colombia. Advertisement Advertisement The violence decreased dramatically after the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), the country's biggest rebel group, agreed in 2016 to lay down arms. But FARC dissidents opposed to the peace deal continue to fight other groups for control of Colombia's lucrative cocaine trade and to carry out attacks on the security forces, who frequently retaliate. Colombia is the world's largest producer of cocaine. Last week, a Colombian observer group said more than 300 municipalities -- a third of the national territory -- are at risk of electoral violence. Under pressure from Washington, Petro has ramped up action on criminal groups, prompting the country's biggest cartel to suspend peace talks with the government. Advertisement Advertisement The Nasa Indigenous people, to which Quilcue belongs, have long lived under threat from armed groups in the most dangerous country in the world for human rights defenders. Quilcue was a member of a political grouping that united behind Petro for 2022 elections from which he emerged as the country's first-ever leftist president. In October that year, she reported an attack against her while running for the Senate. There has been a surge in violence in Colombia ahead of this year's presidential elections, with bomb and drone attacks in parts of the country and the assassination of a presidential hopeful. Advertisement Advertisement Last week, gunmen killed two bodyguards of a senator in an attack on his convoy in the Arauca region near Venezuela. He was not in the car. Petro, who is constitutionally barred from seeking a second term, has long claimed that a drug-trafficking cabal has had its sights set on ending his life since he assumed office in August 2022. He reported another attempt on his life in 2024. Colombia has a long list of leftist leaders, including presidential candidates, assassinated over the years. The country is slated to hold legislative elections on March 8 and presidential elections on May 31, with a runoff planned for June if needed. das/mlr/md DENVER (KDVR) A snowstorm hit the mountains on Wednesday, and many areas are expected to see between a few inches and a few feet of snow over the next day. Colorado has seen a less-than-average amount of snow this year. Denver has seen about half the average amount of snow, while mountain towns are struggling as well. The snowpack has been at its lowest in history and some trails havent been able to open on the slopes. Timing, totals, what to know for incoming mountain snow this week Advertisement Advertisement Despite the little amount of snowfall, some much-needed snow is landing in Colorado. Here are the areas expected to see the most snow: Rabbit Ears Pass: 20 inches Crested Butte: 13 inches Vail: 10 inches Vail Pass: 8 inches Edwards: 8 inches The Pinpoint Weather team said Rabbit Ears Pass might see almost 2 feet of snow, while Crested Butte is expected to see over a foot of snow. Some mountain towns will see a good amount of snow, but in Denver, it should remain dry. Denver, Colorado weather resources Stay prepared for storms and forecast changes, a Pinpoint Weather Alert Day and other important weather information: Advertisement Advertisement The Pinpoint Weather team will continue to update the forecast multiple times each day. Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Snow returns to Colorado's mountains just in time for Presidents Day weekend, one of the busiest weekends at ski areas. The National Weather Service has issued a winter storm warning until noon Feb. 12 for the Elkhead and Park mountains in northern Colorado. The service issued a winter weather advisory until 11 a.m. Feb. 12 for an area above 9,000 feet including Cameron Pass, Rocky Mountain National Park, Willow Creek Pass and the Laramie and Medicine Bow mountains and Rabbit Ears Range. Advertisement Advertisement The Interstate 25 urban corridor is not expected to see any snow. Timing of Colorado snowstorm and impacts to travel The National Weather Service forecast calls for snowfall intensifying the afternoon of Feb. 11, bringing heavy snowfall at times through the morning of Feb. 12 to the northern mountains. The Park Range is expected to receive 6 to 15 inches of snow with some localized amounts up to 20 inches possible. The Front Range mountains are forecast to see 4 to 10 inches of snow with localized amounts up to 15 inches north of Interstate 70. Travelers should expect slick and slow-driving conditions and areas of blowing snow that could significantly reduce visibility in the northern mountains, impacting commutes the evening of Feb. 11 and morning of Feb. 12. The video above aired on Feb. 9, 2026. ROCKY HILL, Conn. (WTNH) The mayor of Rocky Hill Tuesday said Concierge Apartments property owners submitted a letter Monday to the Connecticut Attorney General, outlining what theyre doing to help their residents forced to evacuate. Last week, hundreds of people who live in the complex were told they had to find somewhere else to live after the town of Rocky Hill condemned the buildings due to problems with heat, water and fire suppression systems. Advertisement Advertisement Tong opening investigation into management of Rocky Hills Concierge Apartments According to Mayor Allan Smith on Tuesday, the apartments owner, Los Angeles-based JRK Property Holdings, and its subsidiary, Century Hills, said on Monday that sprinkler repairs in buildings D and E are almost complete and are expected to be tested soon. Once approved, residents in those buildings would be able to return home. In buildings A, B, and C, the owners told the attorney generals office that work continues. If completed and inspected soon, residents in those buildings may be able to return by the end of the week, the owners said. However, according to Smith, during a property visit on Monday, staff from the Connecticut Department of Labor identified multiple contractor violations related to workers compensation and other labor requirements. Advertisement Advertisement He said reports indicated there were no electricians or plumbers on site, and that all the contractors there were from out of state, prompting a work stoppage order. According to the mayor, the property owner has indicated they are working to address these issues so repair work can resume. As shared in a summary on Smiths Facebook page on Tuesday, the letter stated the owners plan to do the following things immediately: Pay for alternative lodging expenses for displaced residents until they can return home. Assist residents with relocation and housing arrangements through on-site management and additional corporate staff. Maintain daily communication with residents regarding repair status and relocation updates. Provide a one-month rent credit to all residents. Provide either an additional one-month rent credit or allow lease termination without penalty for residents who lost hot or cold water. Reimburse residents for out-of-pocket expenses related to displacement, including lost food, medications, childcare costs, and similar expenses, without requiring residents to file claims through renters insurance. The more ongoing and operational efforts outlined include: Advertisement Advertisement Deployments of local and out-of-state plumbing and construction crews. Continued daily repair activity, including multiple work shifts to complete plumbing and sprinkler repairs. Ongoing demolition, pipe replacement, insulation, and related work until units are habitable. Continued communication with residents and coordination with town and state officials. PREVIOUS: Hundreds of Rocky Hill residents ordered to evacuate after town condemns apartment complex Smith said families currently staying in multiple locations, both within and outside Rocky Hill, are urged to tell their childs school of the temporary address change so the Board of Education can continue adjusting transportation and support services as needed. Connecticut Attorney General William Tong (D) announced Monday hes opening an investigation into the management at Concierge Apartments. Tong said he is sending a civil investigative demand under the Connecticut Unfair Trade Practices Act, seeking documentation and answers regarding the management and response to the deteriorating conditions at the apartment complex. Advertisement Advertisement According to Tong, the demand specifically seeks detailed records, answers and documentation regarding the $2 million Concierge told the Office of the Attorney General it is spending to make repairs. While the continued cold weather has created additional challenges, the Towns position has remained consistent from the beginning: the health, safety, and well-being of our residents is our top priority, Smith said in a Facebook post. Concierge Apartments residents with housing questions are told to contact management directly using the phone numbers and email addresses provided, or by visiting the on-site office, Smith said. Residents needing additional assistance can contact Rocky Hill Human, Youth and Senior Services. Advertisement Advertisement News 8 has reached out to the owners of Concierge Apartments for comment. Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. BANGOR, Maine (WTNH) A Connecticut man was sentenced to five years in federal prison Tuesday in Maine after he was found guilty of trafficking cocaine and fentanyl. According to the Office of the U.S. Attorney for the District of Maine, 42-year-old Cyrus Griffin was on parole for a homicide conviction and was not supposed to leave Connecticut when he was stopped by Maine State Police on Interstate 95 on Oct. 25, 2024. Wallingford man accused of hiring courier to transport 16 kg of fentanyl from California to Connecticut Advertisement Advertisement Griffin was found in possession of suspected drugs and more than $2,000 in cash. Police also searched his car and found a handgun, drug processing paraphernalia, suspected cocaine and suspected fentanyl. It was later determined that almost a pound of cocaine and around 135 grams of fentanyl, as well as a suspected cutting agent and processing paraphernalia, had been seized. Griffin pleaded guilty to fentanyl and cocaine trafficking on April 1, 2025. Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. A Collin County jury sentenced Anthony Dewayne Taylor, 46, of Frisco to life in prison after finding him guilty of sexual performance of a child, according to the Collin County District Attorneys Office. District Attorney Greg Willis announced the sentence February 11. The district attorneys office described Taylor as a career criminal and confirmed gang member. Court records show Taylor pleaded guilty to murder in Oklahoma in December 2024. This convicted murderer continued to prey on a child even from behind bars, said Collin County District Attorney Greg Willis in a press release. A Collin County jury saw the full picture and delivered the only sentence that protects the public and our children life in prison. Drug Trafficking, Murder, Child Abuse Oklahoma court records show Taylor pleaded guilty on January 11, 2019, in Blaine County to delivery of a controlled dangerous substance. Advertisement Advertisement After being paroled in 2020, prosecutors said he reconnected with the victims family and gained access to her. Authorities said the abuse began when she was 14 and continued until she was 16 years old. This abuse occurred in multiple states and multiple cities across Texas, the release reads. Officers with the Oklahoma City Police Department arrested Taylor in October 2022 for allegedly shooting a man to death at a motel, according to KOKH. While being held in Oklahoma awaiting trial on the murder charge, he made recorded phone calls to the victim, prosecutors said. During those calls, authorities said he directed the child to engage in lewd acts while she was in Collin County. Those calls formed the basis of the sexual performance charge. Advertisement Advertisement Court proceedings show Taylor pleaded guilty to murder in December 2024 and received a sentence of 10 years in prison followed by 20 years of parole. Seeking Justice The girl told her family about the abuse in December 2022, and they reported this to the Frisco Police Department, according to the release. Staff interviewed her at the Childrens Advocacy Center, where she explained the abuse and calls with Taylor. Frisco Detective Kim Pruitt found evidence at Taylors house supporting the girls description of abuse, and coordinated with the Oklahoma City Police Department to get the recorded calls from jail. Court records show Taylor was convicted on January 30, 2026. He faced a punishment range of five to 99 years or life in prison due to his prior felony conviction. Advertisement Advertisement While determining the sentence, prosecutors explained Taylors criminal history going back to 1999 and the details of his murder conviction. The jury eventually settled on life in prison and a $10,000 fine. Judge Andrea Thompson presided over the case. Assistant Criminal District Attorneys Anthony DAmore and Claire Mosley prosecuted the case, assisted by District Attorney Investigator Sarah Putman and Victim Assistance Coordinator Jill Moore. Court records indicate the case has been appealed. Feb. 11Kalispell city councilors on Monday night asked planning staff how they determined a projected 2.5% annual growth rate for the city's population and what would happen if the estimate proved inaccurate. The questions came during a review of the first three chapters of a new land use plan intended to guide the city's growth for the next 20 years. "What you're doing is you're trying to make your best estimate today as to what that population growth is going to be," said Assistant Development Services Director PJ Sorensen. The projected population growth rate considers both the spike to roughly 4% annual growth seen during the Covid pandemic and the city's historic average of about 2%, according to Sorensen. "[It's] acknowledging maybe a little bit more than what our historical rate was, but we didn't necessarily want to over project either," Sorensen told councilors. The figure was used to project Kalispell's population, reaching 56,000 by 2045, an increase of roughly 23,000 residents. That translates to needing 9,500 to 10,000 new housing units by 2045, or upward of 500 units a year, according to the land use plan. "Then what happens if our growth isn't as expansive as we think it is?" Councilor Lisa Blank asked. Sorensen said that the Planning Commission must reevaluate whether the figure is accurate every five years, in accordance with state law. "If you're off, you're supposed to reopen that and start re-analyzing that," he said. Mayor Ryan Hunter noted that Kalispell would become an entitlement city by around 2040 given the population projects. An entitlement city is a municipality designated by the Department of Housing and Urban Development to receive government funds to help meet housing needs. City Manager Jarod Nygren agreed that a section should be included in the land use plan explaining how the city can prepare for reaching entitlement status. "We need to be planning for when we are an entitlement city, so we can be ahead of the curve," he said. Kalispell has been tasked with crafting a new land use plan in accordance with the Montana Land Use Planning Act, a 2023 state law aimed at streamlining housing construction through overhauling the public comment process on site-specific developments and instituting zoning and subdivision regulation reforms. Council plans to continue holding work sessions to review the document before voting whether to adopt it by May 2026. Reporter Jack Underhill can be reached at 758-4407 and [email protected]. By Heejin Kim and Jihoon Lee SEOUL, Feb 11 (Reuters) - Robert Playter, chief executive of Hyundai Motor Group's (005380.KS) robot affiliate Boston Dynamics is stepping down, the Waltham, Massachusetts-based company said on its X account. Shares of Hyundai Motor rallied 5.9% in Seoul trading on Wednesday as the leadership change spurred market expectation that the automaker intends to accelerate commercialisation of its robot business. "The stock appeared to have risen because of the news about the resignation of the CEO," said James Hong, Seoul-based analyst at Macquarie, adding that Playter's team had been "R&D-oriented" for robot development. A media report that Boston Dynamics' robot dogs have been deployed to work at a nuclear power plant in Britain also contributed to the stock's gains, a note from Seoul-based Daishin Securities said. Hyundai Motor Group, which controls Hyundai and Kia, acquired Boston Dynamics in 2021 with a majority stake. In January, Hyundai said it plans to deploy humanoid robots made by Boston Dynamics at its U.S. manufacturing plant in Georgia. Sign up for the Yahoo Finance Morning Brief By subscribing, you are agreeing to Yahoo's Terms and Privacy Policy Subscribe Kia's (000270.KS) shares gained 4.6%. (Reporting by Heejin Kim and Jihoon LeeEditing by Ed Davies) A Houston couple living in a Fifth Ward home they do not legally own is fighting to remain there, even as the City of Houston says the structure is unsafe and should be demolished. The dispute centers on a house along Lyons Avenue, where Arthur and Koffey Smith moved in nearly three years ago. The couple claims they are in the process of gaining ownership through adverse possession and have filed a lawsuit against the city to stop demolition efforts. The Smiths say they moved into the home in February 2023 because they needed a place to live. Since then, they have filed court documents asserting adverse possession, a legal process by which someone can acquire ownership of abandoned property under certain conditions. Advertisement Advertisement City officials, however, have deemed the house dangerous and unlivable and have posted numerous notices on the home. Arthur Smith disputes that assessment, saying the city's warning notices are illegal. "This says the building is in violation of the dangerous building ordinance," Smith said. When asked if he thinks the structure is dangerous, Smith said, "No, we don't. We've been here for 36 months." The Smiths insist they are not squatters and argue that the city's records incorrectly label the home as vacant. "It says right here the structure at 4225 Lyons Avenue is a vacant and unsecured structure," Koffey Smith said. "That is false information. Our home is not vacant." Advertisement Advertisement Despite their claims, city records show the property is still owned by the estate of a woman who died in 2012. Real estate attorney Dennis McQueen, who is not involved in this property dispute, reviewed the court filings and says Texas law generally requires someone to live on a property for at least 10 years and meet specific legal requirements before they can successfully claim adverse possession. "Squatters are adverse possessing a property," McQueen explained. "The key is you have to adverse possess a certain number of years and take certain actions before you can claim title to the property." On Tuesday, the Smiths went to City Hall to plead their case directly before Mayor John Whitmire and the Houston City Council. The exchange grew tense as Smith accused the Mayor and city officials of various misdeeds. Advertisement Advertisement "We're not going to resolve it today," Whitmire told Smith. "Listen to your lawyers." "I'm representing myself," Smith responded. The next step in the legal battle is a Court of Appeals hearing scheduled for March. It remains unclear whether the City of Houston will proceed with demolition before that hearing. For news updates, follow Miya Shay on Facebook, X and Instagram. The culture illusion at work: When leaders overestimate morale and workers pay the price When it comes to company culture, the view is better from the top. Many leaders say their teams are engaged and motivated, but workers tell a different story, filled with frustration, fading trust and poor communication. The difference in how executives and workers see culture reflects broader gaps in how they view professional growth, belonging and the future, according to a new global survey from Kelly. The culture confidence gap Executives may spend their days focused on strategy, but many are not spending enough time talking to employees. While leaders believe engagement and communication are strong, workers report lower satisfaction and weaker connection after years of workplace change. Advertisement Advertisement The difference is clear in how both groups rate overall satisfaction. More than a third of global executives (36%) say their satisfaction at work has improved in the last year. In contrast, only 25% of workers report improvements. The gap grows when leaders speak for their teams. Forty-two percent of global executives say employee satisfaction is rising across their organization, but only 27% of workers say the same. Data bar chart showing survey results on employee satisfaction rising across the organization. - Kelly The divide is even wider in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields, where leaders and workers report sharply different experiences. Seventy percent of executives at STEM companies say employee satisfaction is up compared to 55% of workers. Fewer than 1 in 10 executives report a decline, while nearly twice as many workers say morale has fallen. Advertisement Advertisement Experts say perception gaps often stem from how information flows inside organizations. Executives tend to rely on filtered reporting, engagement dashboards and leadership feedback loops that smooth over early warning signs. Hybrid and remote work environments can widen that distance, limiting informal touchpoints where leaders once picked up on morale shifts in real time. Over time, leadership teams risk operating inside an echo chamber, hearing more from peers than from employees navigating daily pressures. Lack of development and satisfaction harms retention That culture gap could lead to bigger problems down the road. When leaders assume satisfaction is rising, they overlook early signs of disengagement, and that blind spot erodes trust. Employees are more likely to trust leadership when training leads to visible career advancement, not just promises. Yet many workers say those opportunities are not happening fast enough, a disconnect that makes talent more likely to leave. Declining morale also weakens workers' loyalty toward their employers. Many executives believe their teams will stay put, but workers tell a different story. While 40% of global executives say loyalty has improved, only 30% of global workers agree, and more than a quarter (27%) say its getting worse. Advertisement Advertisement Trust goes both ways. Leaders who invest in development expect those new skills to benefit the organization. But according to the report, many workers say they would use those new skills to find a new job if there is no clear path to advancement. Millennials (75%) and Gen Zers (71%) are the most likely to quit after gaining new skills if they see no clear path forward, followed by 53% of Gen Xers and 42% of Boomers. Together, those four generations make up 85% of the global workforce, a reminder that training without opportunities for growth is not the same as retention. A set of data bar charts showing percentage of likelihood that employees would leave their work after gaining new skills (by generation). - Kelly Workplace culture gaps quickly turn into business risk, especially in knowledge-heavy and fast-moving sectors. When employees feel disconnected or see no path forward, they leave. Each departure drains institutional knowledge, stalls projects and increases pressure on remaining teams. The disruption is greatest in regulated or highly technical roles where replacements take longer to train. Organizations that misread morale often do not recognize the damage until retention drops and rebuilding becomes far more costly. Belonging could be the missing link Many leaders believe they have met diversity and inclusion goals, but employees feel unheard. When company leaders fail to act on cultural promises, trust erodes. Advertisement Advertisement Perception gaps extend into whether employees believe inclusion efforts are real. More than half of global workers (57%) say they want their employer to support diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) efforts. Most executives say those efforts are still happening, but 20% say they have removed DEI language from marketing materials. That may, in part, explain the different views on which initiatives exist. For example, 82% of STEM executives say their organization has programs to recruit, develop and retain women, but only 59% of STEM workers say these programs exist. Culture fades without communication The picture of a companys future is painted by its leaders, but not everyone sees the same image. The report shows another gap emerging around confidence in what lies ahead. Nearly 8 in 10 executives (78%) say the business outlook looks strong, while many employees remain uncertain. While leaders focus on growth, workers brace for setbacks. In industries undergoing rapid transformation, that disconnect can make change initiatives harder to implement and weaken alignment across teams. The divide is sharpest in STEM fields, where workers are far more likely than executives to expect conditions to worsen over the coming years (14% compared to 7%). Advertisement Advertisement Communication bridges optimism and trust. Executives often see disruption as an opportunity, while workers see risk. When leaders are transparent about strategy and change, employees can better connect their roles to the companys goals and share that same confidence in the future. Trust is not given; it must be earned. The report suggests organizations must move beyond annual culture surveys and adopt continuous listening strategies. Pulse checks tied to retention risk, internal mobility tracking and manager-level engagement data can help leaders identify disconnects earlier. Companies seeing stronger alignment are prioritizing three actions: increasing direct communication between leadership and frontline teams, linking development programs to measurable career pathways, and auditing whether inclusion initiatives are visible and understood across all levels of the workforce. Organizations that treat culture as a measurable business driver rather than a branding exercise are twice as likely to report they are prepared for the future. Closing perception gaps early protects retention, strengthens trust and develops future leaders before disengagement becomes irreversible. Methodology Kelly commissioned Atomik Research to conduct an online survey of professionals across the globe. The sample included 2,011 executives and 2,009 workers. The margin of error is plus or minus two percentage points for each audience at a 95% confidence level. Advertisement Advertisement Fieldwork was conducted between April 25 and May 16, 2025. Atomik Research, part of 4media group, is a creative market research agency. This story was produced by Kelly and reviewed and distributed by Stacker. BRUSSELS, Feb 11 (Reuters) - A Czech initiative sourcing ammunition for Ukraine aims to secure shells worth five billion euros ($5.95 billion) globally but has only managed to raise 1.4 billion euros so far, a senior NATO military official said on Wednesday. The programme, involving foreign donors including Germany, Denmark and the Netherlands alongside Czech defence officials and arms companies, seeks to acquire large-calibre ammunition for Ukraine to reduce its disadvantage on the battlefield against Russia. In December, NATO's Ukraine mission, NSATU, projected the initiative would deliver 1.8 million artillery rounds in 2025, constituting 43% of all ammunition supplied to Kyiv, and roughly 70% of the legacy Soviet calibre ammunition. Advertisement Advertisement The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, noted 16 billion euros worth of ammunition were available on the global market currently. NATO is targeting a five-billion-euro expenditure focused predominantly on acquiring hundreds of thousands of artillery shells under the Czech scheme, the official said, adding that 1.4 billion euros had been committed by donors so far. Last year, donors gave around $4.8 billion to pay for ammunition supplies under the programme, former Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky said in December. The Czech contribution has been up to 3 billion crowns ($145.15 million). ($1 = 0.8398 euros) ($1 = 20.6680 Czech crowns) (Reporting by Sabine Siebold in Brussels and Jan Lopatka in Prague; Editing by Benoit Van Overstraeten) On Tuesday, the Middlesex District Attorneys office ruled that the officer who shot the man accused of hijacking a trash truck before crashing on a bridge near Encore Casino last July was justified in his actions. Everett Police Officer Daniel Wall shot Admilson Vizcaino, of Malden, after the latter forced the driver out of a Republic Services trash truck in front of Encore Casino before racing off. It all started around 12:45 p.m. on July 31 of last year when police in Medford received a call about a man acting erratically at a Sunoco gas station, according to Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan. Advertisement Advertisement The man, later identified as Vizcaino, had already left the gas station in a black Chevrolet SUV by the time police arrived. Medford police issued a BOLO (be on the lookout) for the vehicle, and around 1 p.m., Stoneham police spotted the SUV and tried to pull over the driver, who didnt stop, according to Ryan. About an hour later, around 2 p.m., the car was spotted at a 7-Eleven in Billerica, where reports of a shoplifting incident had taken place, Ryan said. Then, around 3:15 p.m., authorities received a phone call from one of Vizcainos family members alerting the police that he was in Malden, according to Ryan. By the time officers arrived, the suspect had left, and Malden officers began to give chase but lost sight of the car and notified Everett police. Advertisement Advertisement Shortly after, Vizcaino crashed the SUV on Broadway in Everett near the Encore Casino and drove a short distance before it became completely disabled. Vizcaino then ran off, allegedly attempting to enter several cars in traffic. Massachusetts State Police troopers swarmed the area, later finding a gas container inside the SUV that the suspect was seen carrying at the 7/11. The DA says troopers used a taser in an attempt to subdue Vizcaino but he continued to evade police on foot even after being tased. Vizcaino then approached the Republic Services garbage truck, which was stopped at a red light. Advertisement Advertisement He opened the drivers side door of the garbage truck and wrestled control of the steering wheel. The passenger was able to exit the truck while Vizcaino, still armed with the knife, struggled with the driver. Wall then fired his gun, hitting Vizcaino and the Everett police officer was able to pull the driver from the truck. Our review of the facts reveals that, in the totality of the circumstances, Officer Daniel Wall was justified in the use of deadly force in defense of himself and others, based upon his own belief and the reasonably objective belief that he and his fellow officers, the Republic Services truck driver and citizens in the area were in imminent danger of death or serious bodily injury at the time he fired his firearm, DA Marian Ryan said in a statement. He proceeded to drive the truck for about a half mile, with police on hot pursuit, striking light poles, fire hydrants, and several other things before crashing on the sidewalk on the Alford Street Bridge, Ryan said. Advertisement Advertisement The police were able to remove him from the truck and arrest him before transporting him to a nearby hospital. Vizcaino is charged with five counts of attempted armed carjacking, two counts of armed carjacking, assault by means of a dangerous weapon, armed assault to rob and leaving the scene of a collision resulting in property damage. 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 Dallas police are investigating a deadly shooting after a 24-year-old woman was killed and a man was injured on Tuesday evening. According to the Dallas Police Department, officers responded to the shooting at about 7:52 p.m. in the 2000 block of west Zang Boulevard. The call had originally been reported in the 400 block of west Louisiana Avenue. Investigators found that two people were shot by an unknown suspect. Police later said Kayli Lopez, 24, was found unresponsive, and a 21-year-old man was also shot, police said. Advertisement Advertisement Lopez was taken to a hospital where she died, officials said. That suspect has neither been arrested nor identified as of Wednesday morning. The investigation is ongoing. This is a developing story, please check back for updates. Lawmakers passed a bill past year they hoped would lead to the creation of a vibrant area in East Hartford. It was a key move to push forward an $840 million mixed-use overhaul of struggling office buildings, bringing vibrancy to the area. In an effort to fast track the development, language was included in the law that would exempt the development from a safety review process that applies to major traffic expected to generate significant traffic. State Department of Transportation officials, however, are requesting that exemption language be repealed. Advertisement Advertisement As a potential "major traffic generator," Port Eastside should go through a review and approval process by DOT's Office of the State Traffic Administration, the state agency said. The large mixed-used development, located near an on-ramp and an off-ramp for Route 2, "contains significant potential to generate traffic that can back up the state limited access highways," DOT said. "This situation increases the risk of a high-speed collision." But last year's bill, which Gov. Ned Lamont signed into law in June, "takes the extreme step of removing jurisdiction over this development away from the agency of cognizance, at a time when road safety is a core focus of CTDOT and the Lamont administration," the agency said. "This would set a dangerous precedent that every future developer will seek to duplicate." House Majority Leader Jason Rojas, D-East Hartford, said he expects lawmakers will follow that request during the legislative session, a 13-week period that kicked off Feb. 4. Rojas said lawmakers didn't get pushback on the provision from DOT when they were developing the bill. The record for the legislation doesn't show any testimony submitted by the agency. Advertisement Advertisement "I think it just got kind of missed in the crush of the legislature when we were originally considering it," he said. "I have since met with (DOT Commissioner Garrett Eucalitto), and I know that the commissioner has also been in conversation with the project developers as well too. So I think what's being proposed is actually being done as sort of an agreement, and it's not a contentious issue." Rojas said the goal of providing the exemption, which the developers requested, was to put the project on a faster track, but it "certainly wasn't the intent to kind of skirt any safety concerns or anything like that." "It was just one of those things that got missed in the course of the debate," Rojas said. If the provision stays in place, DOT said, the project won't be subject to: Advertisement Advertisement A process to make sure signage and markings meet federal requirements; A review related to interactions between cars and cyclists or pedestrians; "Complete Streets" policies prioritizing the safety of non-drivers; and Policies to ensure data drives decisions around traffic control. The law also eliminates the developers' responsibility to make infrastructure improvements to mitigate the project's traffic impacts and affects DOT's ability to plan for transit services, the agency said. Representatives for Port Eastside did not return a request for comment. Richard Kehoe, who chairs East Hartford's Town Council, said the town was not directly involved in the matter, to his knowledge, but that he would be surprised if the developers took issue with DOT's proposal. Advertisement Advertisement "The state has been really supportive of them throughout the project," Kehoe said. An $840 million project announced in 2023, Port Eastside would revamp roughly 30 acres of land on and surrounding Founders Plaza with 800 to 1,000 residential units and various retail uses, including storefronts and restaurants. The developers have billed Port Eastside as a way to bring vitality back to an underutilized commercial area with more than 2,100 feet of riverfront property. A key component of the legislation is that it creates a special taxing district for the area. Former Mayor Mike Walsh identified redevelopment of Founders Plaza as a priority for East Hartford early into his only term in 2021. He announced in July 2023 that he would not seek re-election to instead serve as a "champion" for Port Eastside, stating at the time that "nine mayors, including me, over 50 years have had no success developing Founders Plaza." Existing structures within the project area include a parking garage and 19-story office building at 110 Founders Plaza with some existing tenants, a former Bank of America at 99 Founders Plaza and an empty office building at 300 East River Drive. Developers have said the earliest stages of Port Eastside would retrofit 111 Founders plaza with 240 to 250 residential units and build a new parking garage with ground-floor retail space. Advertisement Advertisement As for when that could begin, representatives for Port Eastside have described it as a decade-long project and timing would largely depend on when an interlocal agreement for the Tax Increment Financing district is finalized but previously predicted occupancy could begin in late 2027. Kehoe said that conversations regarding the interlocal agreement have not yet begun, but he would expect more activity within "maybe another nine months" after construction has ramped up. The developers announced last week that demolition had begun on the old Bank of America and the parking garage, with partner Bruce Simons saying in a prepared statement that it marked the kickoff of a "multi-year transformation" of Founders Plaza. "There is a great deal of work that needs to be done to prepare the site and build the infrastructure that will support the residences, businesses, and features here, and we are energized to take the first steps forward," Simons said. Advertisement Advertisement Kehoe said Monday that although he has always been skeptical of large projects like Port Eastside, he was encouraged to see the beginning of demolition after the developers put forward some $20 million to buy all the properties. "Hopefully we'll see a lot more action come this spring," Kehoe said. This article originally published at 'Dangerous precedent': CT lawmakers urged to undo law that exempts major project from safety review. Strengthening manufacturing jobs in Michigan and support for the PRO Act workers rights legislation were areas of agreement for Democratic Senate candidates Abdul El-Sayed, U.S. Rep. Haley Stevens and state Sen. Mallory McMorrow at a United Auto Workers forum in Washington, D.C. on Wednesday. Were going to build a 21st century manufacturing hub in Michigan run by organized labor. Were going to make it in Michigan, by Michigan and for Michigan, Stevens said. It just shouldnt be this hard. Shouldnt be this hard to work one good job and know you can take care of your family, shouldnt be this hard to know that the factory you worked in for 20 years is going to be there for the next 20, shouldnt be this hard to take your kid to a dentist or go see a doctor. It just shouldnt be this hard, El-Sayed said in his opening remarks on the panel. Advertisement Advertisement El-Sayed also heavily pushed for reshoring more manufacturing into the U.S., calling NAFTA a cancer on the American automotive and manufacturing industry and on its successor, the USMCA, said you might as well call it the US Manufacturing Cuts Act, because thats exactly what it did. Candidates at the UAW Community Action Program Conference were also repeatedly critical of President Donald Trump and Republican Senate candidate Mike Rogers, who was not present at the forum despite being invited, with El-Sayed calling Trump the worst symptom of a political system that gives corporations outsized political influence. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Were not going to let Mike Rogers trample on our rights to organize, Stevens said. Were not going to let Mike Rogers go along and clink his martini glass and pretend to be Donald Trumps best friend. Advertisement Advertisement McMorrow also specifically called out her concerns about Trumps desires to nationalize elections in response to a question about protecting the right to vote. It is not an accident that the President of the United States said that Republicans should nationalize elections, and he called out Detroit specifically, McMorrow said. When I get to the U.S. Senate, we will pass the John Lewis Voting Rights Act to ensure your rights are protected and that your vote counts. The candidates and the UAW hosts also repeatedly slammed Rogers for not attending the forum. A seat on stage was saved for Rogers, who UAW Region 1 director LaShawn English said never responded to their invitation. Mark DePaoli, the UAWs director for Region 1A which covers most of Wayne, Monroe and Washtenaw counties said that top candidates from both parties were invited to the conference. While Rogers was absent, the National Republican Senatorial Committee, which is working to elect Rogers, issued a statement after the forum. Advertisement Advertisement Haley Stevens, Mallory McMorrow, and Abdul El-Sayed all support the radical Green New Deal policies that would slash 35,000 jobs in Detroit, Samantha Cantrell, the groups regional press secretary said. They are not the champions of Michigans auto industry they are pretending to be. Despite solidarity on issues of labor and manufacturing, the Democratic candidates stood more divided on other topics. When asked about health care costs for union members, for example, Stevens put forward expansion of the Affordable Care Act and better negotiating power for Medicare on prescription drug costs, with McMorrow similarly advocating for lower drug costs. El-Sayed, on the other hand, responded with a more progressive policy platform, saying, The answer to this is easy. Medicare for all, and because Ive never taken a dime from Blue Cross Blue Shield or private insurance, Im the only one up here, who will say it. Advertisement Advertisement Another notable moment of differentiation in the forum came in response to a question asking candidates whether or not they accept corporate PAC money in their campaigns. McMorrow and El-Sayed said that they do not and El-Sayed emphasized that he never has in prior campaigns either while Stevens did not directly address the question, which McMorrow criticized her for later in the forum. El-Sayed also received loud applause when he called for the billions of dollars going to ICE to instead be invested in priorities like health care and housing. Weve got an opportunity to win the future by reminding people what is really taking away their rights, and that is the way that corporate power has been able to buy and sell politicians to do their bidding, he said. Earlier in the forum, he also called for the abolition of ICE as an agency. Stevens, who called her campaign a love letter to Michigan, leaned heavily on her work in the U.S. House of Representatives throughout the panel, citing her introduction of the No Chinese Cars Act and the Make Congress Drive Union-Made Act earlier this year. SIOUX FALLS Bringing a Democrat back to the South Dakota Governors Office will mean building a coalition of support for education, small business, family farms and affordable health care, the partys highest-profile entrant into the 2026 governors race said Tuesday. Dan Ahlers, executive director of the state Democratic Party and a three-term former state lawmaker, announced his candidacy via press release Monday. On Tuesday, Ahlers made a more public announcement at the downtown library in Sioux Falls to a crowd of around 60, some of whom showed up early to sign Ahlers nominating petitions and pick up campaign signs that read Dans our man. Voters sign nominating petitions for South Dakota Democratic gubernatorial candidate Dan Ahlers on Feb. 11, 2026, at the downtown library in Sioux Falls. (Photo by John Hult/South Dakota Searchlight) I know some people will say a Democrat cant get elected in a conservative state, so let me ask you this: Who would you rather have representing you? A Republican who expects your vote, or a Democrat will work for it? Ahlers said. Advertisement Advertisement The last time a Democrat won a race to lead South Dakotas executive branch was 1974, when incumbent Dick Kneip won reelection as governor. In his speech, Ahlers noted that Kneips term included the expansion of South Dakotas only medical school at the University of South Dakota to a four-year program, and the establishment of the South Dakota State Retirement System for public officials. Ahlers pledged to keep lines of communication open across party lines, and to listen to the regular people he said politicians dont take seriously enough. The truth is, no matter our party, we share the same core values, Ahlers said. We want good schools for our kids, affordable health care for our families, the opportunity to buy a home, to work hard and to live a good life. Policy positions On eminent domain, opposition to which served as a motivating force in the 2024 legislative primaries, Ahlers said there are good actors and bad actors that seek to use it. Eminent domain is the ability to take private property for public use, with just compensation. Advertisement Advertisement Summit Carbon Solutions, a company that wants to collect and sequester carbon dioxide gas via underground pipeline to take advantage of federal tax credits, sparked fierce opposition in some quarters for its attempts to use eminent domain to secure easements. I dont think that private companies should have access to eminent domain like they do here in South Dakota, Ahlers said, adding that he prefers Minnesotas stricter requirements for the invocation of eminent domain. Campaign paraphernalia for Dan Ahlers is laid out on a table on Feb. 10, 2026, at the downtown library in Sioux Falls during the launch of his campaign for the Democratic nomination for governor of South Dakota. (Photo by John Hult/South Dakota Searchlight) On property taxes, an issue thats inspired dozens of tax relief proposals in the Legislature, Ahlers said the state needs a comprehensive look at the states tax structure to address disparities in tax burden across geographic regions. If the state wants to find property tax reforms that dont short the schools that rely on those taxes for funding, Ahlers said, leaders need to listen to not just stakeholders, but state employees. Advertisement Advertisement We have a lot of intelligent state employees that will tell you exactly where the problems are, Ahlers said, adding that too often, lawmakers arent relying on that expertise. The Republican candidates for governor are Aberdeen businessman Toby Doeden, U.S. Rep. Dusty Johnson, Gov. Larry Rhoden and South Dakota Speaker of the House Jon Hansen. Those candidates have sparred on state incentives for economic development, with Hansen and Doeden critical of what they see as a misplaced focus on recruiting large, out-of-state companies and providing them with tax breaks and other incentives. Ahlers said he supports economic development incentives, but that the state ought to be transparent about how it spends taxpayer dollars and diligent in tracking whether incentive programs spur the creation of well-paying jobs. Advertisement Advertisement I would like to see more investment and opportunities and programs for small businesses, Ahlers said. We dont have that at the state level. And I mean, like real small businesses, the mom and pop type. When asked about Rhodens support for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations through cooperative agreements with ICE, Ahlers said that theres space for cooperation in South Dakota, but that I dont like the heavy handedness that you see in places. I dont like officers wearing masks,Ahlers said, a reference to agents in Minnesota whove been engaged in a large-scale immigration crackdown. Field of play for governors race Ahlers is not the only person to publicly express an interest in the Democratic nomination for governor. Twenty-year-old Dakota State University student Robert Arnold announced last year that he intends to seek the nomination. The primary election is June 2. Advertisement Advertisement On Tuesday, as Ahlers was making his announcement at the downtown library, Arnold sent a press release calling for the creation of a Bank of South Dakota to fight the affordability crisis. Robert Arnold, an announced Democratic candidate for governor. (Courtesy of Robert Arnold) Such a bank could be modeled after the state bank of North Dakota, Arnold said, to finance projects, expand local lending, and keep profits here at home instead of sending them out of state. This is a proven model, built by those before us in North Dakota, its been serving them for more than a century, Arnold said in his press release. Arnold told South Dakota Searchlight he had no idea that Ahlers planned to announce until after it happened, and that he welcomes a primary in a party that typically doesnt see one for its gubernatorial candidates. Advertisement Advertisement It only serves to make the winner stronger, Arnold said. South Dakotas independent and non-politically affiliated voters (those who dont write any affiliation on their registration), collectively outnumber Democrats. Arnold said they want candidates who stand firm on working-class issues over standing on establishment party politics. Ahlers also said he likes primaries, and said he hopes any candidates who wind up on a Democratic primary ballot and dont succeed stay involved in politics by running for the Legislature. The great thing about this process is that anybody can run, right? Ahlers said. If you meet the qualifications, anybody can run. Advertisement Advertisement Prospective nominees need to gather 1,232 nominating petition signatures from registered South Dakota voters by the end of March to appear on the Democratic primary ballot. In addition to the announced Democratic and Republican hopefuls, Allison Renville, a community activist and member of the Native American tribe known as the Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate, announced in October that she plans to run as an independent. Anthony Sitter, an independent from Aberdeen, has formed an Anthony Sitter for Governor campaign finance committee. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX As the 2026 General Assembly session approaches its midpoint next week, a slate of bills aimed at boosting housing affordability and access continue to advance. A cluster of state delegates on Tuesday touted bills that have cleared their chamber. Lawmakers highlighted House Bill 834 and House Bill 837 by Del. Adele McClure, D-Arlington. The first would require landlords to coordinate with tenants after fire or damages to properties before terminating any leases, preventing residents from abruptly losing housing. HB 834 was vetoed last year by former Gov. Glenn Youngkin. McClure said that she worked with landlords and tenant advocacy groups when drafting the legislation both years. Advertisement Advertisement It is a new day in the commonwealth, she said Tuesday. HB 837 would expand the criteria for the states existing Eviction Diversion Program. McClure, who serves on the Virginia Housing Commission, previously said she would tackle the matter this year after a 2025 report indicated challenges for people tapping into the program. Some bills address payment challenges, like House Bill 1005 by Del. Kathy Tran, D-Fairfax, which requires landlords to accept rent payment in several ways. House Bill 1093 by Del. Phil Hernandez, D-Virginia Beach, caps attorney fees for tenants facing eviction proceedings if they can up on past due rent before court dates. Bills by Dels. Katrina Callsen, D-Charlottesville, and Rae Cousins, D-Richmond, would remove court requirements that tenants in eviction cases pay large sums upfront into courts before defending themselves. Advertisement Advertisement A bill by Del. Marty Martinez would prioritize residents health by defining landlord-provided air conditioning as essential, in order to protect tenants during extreme heat. Other proposals focus on housing access challenges and pricing transparency. House Bill 1078, by Del. Phil Hernandez, D-Virginia Beach, would prevent large landlords from denying housing to people based solely on having a dismissed eviction case on their record. House Bill 616 by Del. Bonita Anthony, D-Norfolk, would require landlords to provide tenants with itemized bills related to rent, fees and utilities. House Bill 1325 by Del. Michelle Maldonado, D-Prince William, would mandate landlords provide rental agreements and tenants rights statements to residents within 10 business days of signing a lease, to ensure people know their rights. Advertisement Advertisement This package reduces housing costs, increases stability and delivers the protections and dignity that Virginians deserve, McClure said of the collective works by her colleagues. These bills join other housing-related ones that have progressed, including an effort to boost housing supply near commercial corridors. The House and Senate versions of that measure, SB 454 and HB 816, have already cleared each chamber. Framed as a housing near jobs bill, home builders are already taking notice. Andrew Clark of the Virginia Home Builders Association said it could help developers help localities bring more housing online. Getting site plan approval, rezoning processes, these can take years and upwards of a million dollars, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Being able to streamline the process is sometimes one of the most attractive things to a development, Clark added. Each chamber has also advanced proposals to lift local caps on housing grants to help government workers buy homes in the communities they serve. The housing grant bill received pushback from Republicans like Sen. David Sutterlein, R-Roanoke, who said he supports the grant program but has significant issues with it being completely unlimited. Though Democrats have typically led on housing policy, Republican Sen. Glen Sturtevant from Chesterfield has repeatedly carried a bill that could prohibit large investment firms from outbidding homebuyers. He tried again this year but it was defeated in a committee. Meanwhile, the jury is still out on a revived proposal that failed last year that would spur localities to increase their housing supply or risk the state overriding certain local decisions. Sturtevant, an opponent, called it an erosion of local control. Advertisement Advertisement Both Del. Dan Helmer, D-Fairfax and Sen. Schuyler VanValkenburg, D-Henrico carried that proposal last year in their respective chambers and again this year. Having previously defended it as a soft cap rather than being overly prescriptive to localities, VanValkenburg struck his bill from the Senate this year. Helmers has cleared the House and is on its way to the Senate. When asked why he struck his own bill, VanValkenburg said that he felt that since his housing near jobs bill has advanced he would focus on helping that one succeed for now, while Helmers housing targets bill can remain alive as a vehicle. No housing bills have yet made their way to Gov. Abigail Spanbergers desk, but Democrats said they hope that this year previously-vetoed bills can be signed into law. After bills pass each chamber, they are up for review in the next one. If they survive the opposite chamber, the governor can later choose to veto them, sign them into law, or seek amendments first. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE By Kanishka Singh and Andrew Goudsward WASHINGTON, Feb 10 (Reuters) - A grand jury has rejected an attempt by the Justice Department of President Donald Trump's administration to indict some Democratic U.S. lawmakers after they urged members of the military not to comply with unlawful orders, a source familiar with the matter said late on Tuesday. Late last year, Trump, a Republican, assailed the Democratic lawmakers who told members of the U.S. military in a video that they must refuse any illegal orders. Trump called them traitors who could face execution. Advertisement Advertisement The six Democratic lawmakers in the video included Senator Elise Slotkin, a former CIA analyst and Iraq war veteran, Senator Mark Kelly, a former astronaut and Navy veteran, as well as U.S. Representatives Jason Crow, Maggie Goodlander, Chris Deluzio and Chrissy Houlahan. Prosecutors sought to charge the lawmakers with violating a federal law barring interference with the loyalty, morale, or discipline of the U.S. armed forces, the source said, asking not to be identified. The indictment was pursued by the office of the U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, Jeanine Pirro. The grand jury decision was reported earlier by NBC News and the New York Times. The Democrats criticized the attempt to indict them. Advertisement Advertisement "Today, U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro attempted to persuade a Grand Jury to indict me. This was in response to me organizing a 90-second video that simply quoted the law," Slotkin said on social media website X. "Today, it was a grand jury of anonymous American citizens who upheld the rule of law and determined this case should not proceed," she said. The U.S. Justice Department had no immediate comment. "This is an outrageous abuse of power by Donald Trump and his lackies. It wasn't enough for (Pentagon chief) Pete Hegseth to censure me and threaten to demote me, now it appears they tried to have me charged with a crime all because of something I said that they didn't like," Kelly said in his own statement on X. Advertisement Advertisement Deluzio also said on X he "will not be intimidated for a single second by the Trump Administration or Justice Department lawyers who tried and failed to indict me today." Representative Crow expressed similar sentiments. The video from the Democratic lawmakers came during criticism of Trump's decisions to deploy the National Guard in U.S. cities and authorize lethal strikes on boats suspected of smuggling drugs from Latin America. Trump has faced criticism from rights experts over what they categorize as his administration's targeting of political opponents and deployment of federal agents and National Guard troops in cities governed by Democrats. Trump's attempts have faced legal challenges and street protests. (Reporting by Kanishka Singh and Andrew Goudsward in Washington; Editing by Raju Gopalakrishnan and Christian Schmollinger) Qabil Ashirov The World Defence Show 2026, currently underway in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, continues to serve as a key platform for international defense cooperation. AzerNEWS reports that Azerbaijans Ministry of Defense Industry, Minister Vugar Mustafayev, who is attending the exhibition, held a series of high-level meetings on February 10 with prominent officials and industry leaders from several countries. During the event, Mustafayev met with Ahmad bin Abdulaziz Al-Ohali, Governor of Saudi Arabias General Authority for Military Industries, and Khalid bin Hussein Al-Biyari, Deputy Minister of Defense for Executive Affairs. He also held discussions with Mansurjon Ibodullayev, Director of the Defense Industry Agency under Uzbekistans Ministry of Defense, and Muhammad Chiragh Haider, Secretary of Pakistans Ministry of Defence Production. In addition, the Azerbaijani minister met with senior representatives of leading U.S. defense companies, including General Dynamics, Teledyne FLIR, and Ansys. The meetings focused on reviewing existing cooperation in the defense industry and exploring prospects for further development. The sides discussed potential avenues for collaboration in manufacturing, technology transfer, and innovation-driven growth. During the talks, participants emphasized that in todays rapidly evolving security environment, the defense industry is shaped not only by production capacity but also by strong scientific foundations, cutting-edge technologies, and agile management models. Strengthening ties between industry and academia was described as a strategic priority. The importance of closely monitoring technological advancements, studying best practices, and adapting them to national contexts was highlighted as essential for ensuring the sectors dynamic development. International exhibitions and forums such as the World Defence Show were noted as playing a vital role in facilitating dialogue and cooperation. The discussions also underscored the value of institutionalizing experience-sharing mechanisms to ensure sustainable and structured collaboration. All parties stressed the importance of maintaining active communication and continuing dialogue to advance mutually beneficial partnerships. The World Defence Show 2026 is scheduled to conclude on February 12. A Des Moines City Council member publicly accused a colleague of violating the city's gender balance rule for the person he picked to serve on the Plan and Zoning Commission. City Council members, in a 5-2 vote on Monday, Feb. 9, approved council member Joe Gatto's recommendation to appoint Dominic Anania to the commission, the city's zoning and long-range planning committee. Council members Josh Mandelbaum and Rob Barron voted against the item. Mandelbaum said the appointment violates the city's gender balance requirement, a policy that says the number of men and women on a board or commission must be equal. The Plan and Zoning Commission has 15 members, according to the city's website. The Des Moines City Council meets in its new administration building on Feb. 9, 2026, in downtown Des Moines. The Iowa Legislature repealed the requirement that state and local boards and commissions have gender balance in 2024 but Des Moines kept its policy. The measure is important to combat the "good old boys club" mentality by encouraging all neighbors to participate in city boards and commissions, Mandelbaum told the Des Moines Register. Advertisement Advertisement "That requirement is only as good as this council is at following it," Mandelbaum said. More: Kim Reynolds signs law repealing gender balance requirement for Iowa boards and commissions In the meantime, Mayor Connie Boesen said the city is looking at updating boards and commissions' policies and structures, revisiting common issues such as the number of people on the boards, term limits and gender balance. Ahead of the vote, Gatto said he appointed Anania after he couldn't find a woman to serve on the board. He said Anania, an employee of Polk County, wanted to get involved in the city. "I can't find anyone to serve on any boards or commissions from my ward. I mean, I struggle," Gatto said. Advertisement Advertisement Gatto later told the Register he felt attacked and that his integrity was being questioned by his colleagues. "Gender balance is very important to me, but it's also important to put the right person in the right position," Gatto said in an interview. "And I don't want to change the policy. ... I think this has happened in the past and it will equal itself out." Anania did not know there was a potential issue with gender balance when he applied for the role, he said in an email. "That said, I am excited to serve my community on the Board, and I bring ample experience to zoning issues," wrote Anania, pointing to experiences such as serving as chair and vice chair of the Polk County Board of Adjustment, as well as legal counsel for the Polk County Board of Adjustment and Polk County Zoning Commission. Advertisement Advertisement Anania was one of the two people appointed to the commission Monday night. The City Council also voted to approve council member Mike Simonson's recommendation, Clayton Elwell. Mandelbaum said he specifically rejected Anania's appointment because Gatto was replacing a woman with a man, whereas Simonson's appointee was the same gender as the former representative. Council member: 'There is no excuse for not finding someone to meet gender balance' Des Moines City Attorney Jeffrey Lester told the council Monday that city code allows council members to make a different appointment if they can't find the "required gender appointment" after diligently searching for 90 days. "I take the council people at their word that they have tried," Boesen said. Gatto told council members the volunteer positions on the board are major time commitments. He said he asks people to serve when he goes to neighborhood meetings, but doesn't get many applications. Advertisement Advertisement "And I'm not going to put someone on a board or commission that I don't know who they are," Gatto said to council members. He also told the Register he searched diligently. Ahead of the vote, Mandelbaum said he understood it's hard to find a volunteer sometimes, but if a council member can't find someone who meets gender balance requirements, another member should be able to put forward an appointment. "If we are truly being diligent on Plan and Zoning, there is no excuse for not finding someone to meet gender balance," he said. "I think this is a violation." After the vote, Gatto asked Mandelbaum if he made his comment about appointing someone because Mandelbaum sought more representation from his ward. Advertisement Advertisement "Just for the record, what I was offering is I think I could find a woman who's interested in serving in Plan and Zoning in your ward," Mandelbaum responded in disagreement. "Oh, OK," Gatto said, nodding. "I appreciate that." Monday's council meeting was the first to take place at the new City Hall at the T.M. Franklin Cownie Administration Building, 1200 Locust St. in Des Moines' Western Gateway. Virginia Barreda is the Des Moines city government reporter for the Register. She can be reached at vbarreda@dmreg.com. This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Des Moines council member says colleague violated gender balance rule The Department of Homeland Security would have begun deporting Haitians had its order terminating their legal protections from deportations not been halted by a federal judge, an assistant director for field operations told a federal court Tuesday. But the agency also had no specific plans to mobilize members of Immigration and Customs Enforcement to areas heavily populated with Haitians, like South Florida and Springfield, Ohio, for detention and removal if Haitis Temporary Protected Status designation had been terminated. ICE conducts daily enforcement operations nationwide, including in Springfield and South Florida, Liana J. Castano said. Advertisement Advertisement ICE operations are targeted to those who are removable from the country, regardless of nationality, she said, with the end goal of enforcing the immigration laws to preserve the national security and public safety of the United States. Castanos declaration was filed in federal court in Washington, D.C., in response to questions from U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes, who is being asked by the Trump administration to lift her stay of the departments order terminating Haitians TPS. The government has said failure to reverse her order, which protects more than 300,000 Haitians from losing their protections, would cause irreparable harm by interfering with national security and national interests. Reyes issued her ruling pausing TPS termination on Feb. 2, a day before the designation was set to end. The government filed an appeal to Reyes herself and to the appeals court for the Washington circuit. Government lawyers had requested an answer from Reyes by Monday. She instead scheduled a hearing for Thursday and gave federal authorities until 10 a.m. Tuesday to submit a declaration about their mobilization plans. She specifically mentioned Springfield and South Florida. While the former is home to thousands of recently arrived Haitian immigrants, including over 26,000 TPS holders, South Florida boasts the largest population, about 150,000, of Haitian TPS holders in the U.S. Advertisement Advertisement In her ruling last week, Reyes said there was a risk of detention and removal, family separation and the loss of work authorizations if TPS termination was not paused. In her response, Castano said that if the termination had not been stayed, DHS would have acted to enforce the immigration laws in light of the termination, just as it has acted to enforce the immigration laws against past TPS holders based on other terminations. She identified herself as the assistant director for field operations at ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations division. Haiti was granted TPS status in 2010 after the countrys devastating earthquake. But 16 years later, conditions have worsened, the top U.S. diplomat in Haiti, Henry Wooster, said during a congressional hearing Tuesday. Detailing the administrations efforts in Haiti, Wooster, the U.S. Embassys charge daffaires, told the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on State and Foreign Operations that the country is a nettlesome foreign policy problem and continues to suffer from chronic political, economic and governance dysfunction. The immediate threat to Haitis state survival is a coalition of some 20 armed, hostile organizations, misleadingly called gangs that, as the Secretary of State mentioned ... threaten systemic collapse, Wooster said. Advertisement Advertisement U.S. Sen. Brian Emanuel Schatz, the committees ranking Democrat, raised the issue of TPS during the hearing. The political and security situation in Haiti continues to deteriorate, and there remains a risk of complete government collapse. And so it is disturbing and counterproductive that it took a court order to pause the termination of TPS for Haitians, Schatz said. The Trump administration has canceled the TPS designations of about a dozen countries, including Venezuela, Nicaragua and Honduras, arguing that the benefit was meant to be temporary. Advocates and lawyers, however, say that conditions in those countries remain unsafe, and the decisions were made in violation of the law. They have claimed in federal lawsuits that racial animus has also been a motivation for the administrations actions. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has rejected the allegations, while also arguing that the her decision is not subject to review by the courts. Advertisement Advertisement DHS lawyers have also pointed out that in two instances the Supreme Court has agreed with their request to allow deportations to proceed while the matter is being litigated in lower courts. They again raised that point again last week when they appealed directly to Reyes and to the Washington appellate court. On Monday, in a separate case involving Central Americans and Nepalese citizens, a U.S. appeals court in California lifted a federal judges order blocking the administration from deporting 50,000 Hondurans, 7,000 Nicaraguans and 3,000 Nepalese. The unanimous three-judge panel cited the Supreme Courts previous decisions to allow deportations to continue while the cases are litigated, and added that the government is likely to succeed on the merits of its appeal either by showing that the district court lacked jurisdiction or by prevailing on the claim that DHS acted in an arbitrary and capricious fashion in violation of the federal Administrative Procedures Act. The Act is also at the center of the Haitian case in front of Reyes, filed by five TPS holders. In addition to accusing Noem of not following the law when she ended Haitian TPS, the plaintiffs said Noem was motivated by racial animus and that they were targeted because they are Black. Theyve cited statements from Noem and President Donald Trump portraying Haitians as a drain on U.S. society and falsely claiming that Haitians in Springfield were eating their neighbors pets. Advertisement Advertisement Reyes last week ruled that the Haitian plaintiffs were likely to succeed in the merits of their case. She also rejected the governments claim that the secretarys decision was not subject to judicial review. Lynn Tramonte, executive director of the Ohio Immigrant Alliance, is among several advocates who have criticized the administrations push to end TPS for Haitians. In a statement, she noted that the governments appeal in the Haitian TPS case was issued on the same day President Trump shared a racist video on his Truth social of former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama. The federal courts cannot allow the U.S. government to make decisions based on racism, Tramonte said. Haitians cannot be sent back to their native country. Many will literally not survive. This threatened government onslaught against Haitian-Ohioans and others around the country is so cruel and so unnecessary. Let Haitians live. Sophia Pierrelus, a Columbus-based community leader and founder of the New American Cultural Center, echoed those concerns. Advertisement Advertisement Ending Haitians TPS designation, she said, disregards the ongoing humanitarian crisis in the country, where more than 1. 4 million people have been forced to flee their homes. Framing the termination of Haitis TPS as a matter of national interest ignores the real consequences for families, workers and communities who have contributed to this country for years, Pierrelus said. Policy decisions must be grounded not only in authority, but in reality. Are you an adult using Discord, the free online chat, video streaming and voice messaging service that's become wildly popular among gamers? Prove it, says the company. On Monday, Feb. 9, Discord issued a news release informing its roughly 200 million monthly active users their accounts would be switched, automatically, to reflect a more "teen-appropriate experience" unless they submit to an age-verification check. Some content on the platform will be blurred or inaccessible if they don't. Advertisement Advertisement The move, aimed at teen safety, has sparked intense backlash and privacy concerns from the platform's adult users. But the company appears to be navigating new laws that require social media companies to have robust protections in place for its underaged users. It remains unknown how effective changes to the platform will help prevent online grooming, which might have taken place in the recent death of an Indiana teenager who met the man accused with her disappearance, court documents state, on Discord. Discord rolling out age assurance program to give 'strong protections' for teens "Rolling out teen-by-default settings globally builds on Discords existing safety architecture, giving teens strong protections while allowing verified adults flexibility," Savannah Badalich, Discord's head of product policy, said in the news release. Starting in March, Discord will require new and existing users to provide either a photo of a government-issued ID or a video selfie of their face. A "vendor partner," a spokesperson said, will use facial age estimation software to assess whether the user is an adult. Discord will soon be expanding teen safety protections worldwide including teen-by-default settings and age assurance designed to create safer experiences for teens. Were also launching recruitment for Discord's first Teen Council, creating a space for teen voices to help shape pic.twitter.com/CW7G4sO38R Discord Support (@discord_support) February 9, 2026 The new safety features are meant to ensure Discord's underaged users aren't exposed to inappropriate content, the company said, to be in line with countries such as Australia and the United Kingdom, who have passed laws holding social media platforms more responsible for children's wellbeing. Advertisement Advertisement Discord's policy arrives also on the heels of dozens of lawsuits filed against similar gaming platforms. In one such suit, an Indiana father is suing Roblox, claiming lackluster safeguards enabled the sexual exploitation of his 11-year-old daughter. More about Roblox: She just wanted to play Roblox with friends. Then the messages from a predator began. "We design our products with teen safety principles at the core," Badalich said, adding the company would continue working with safety and policy experts to support the wellbeing of teens on its platform. Discord's adult users, meanwhile, appear frustrated at the changes. Some are livid. 'This is how Discord dies:' What users are saying Discord users reacted swiftly Monday and Tuesday across social media, largely condemning the decision. Many openly questioned whether the company could adequately protect their private information. Advertisement Advertisement Discord revealed in October that hackers had breached a third-party service provider, compromising the data of up to 70,000 accounts. The company acknowledged the potentially exposed data included photos of government-issued IDs. "This is how Discord dies," wrote one social media user on a subreddit. "Uploading any kind of government ID to a 3rd party company is just asking for identity theft on a global scale." "Canceled 10 years of Discord Nitro," echoed one person on X, referring to a paid subscription service allowing Discord users higher quality streaming and, among other perks, the ability to customize their profiles with enhanced colors, images and animation. "Good luck," they added, "but you guys aren't trustworthy enough for this plan and lumping all accounts together as teens by default? What were you thinking?!" Discord launched age verification in UK, Australia first. Other platforms are doing it too Age-verification isn't new territory for Discord. The platform began requiring its users in the United Kingdom for photo ID's and video selfies last year in July after the UK passed the Online Safety Act. It did the same thing again soon after for Australian users after the country implemented the Social Media Minimum Age Act, in which children younger than 16 aren't allowed to have a social media account. Advertisement Advertisement Other sites have begun taking similar measures. In July, YouTube, in addition to its limited content geared for kids, pre-teens and teenagers, announced it would begin using AI to determine whether some of its users were old enough to view sensitive content. If the AI got it wrong, however, users would need to provide either a credit card or government-issued ID card to prove they were adults. Roblox, which is currently fighting 80 active lawsuits claiming the company facilitated childhood sexual exploitation, rolled out a similar safety feature in January. All users are now required to undergo an AI-powered age-estimator facial scan if they want to use the platform's chat feature. AI-powered age-estimators: "I got an up-close look at Roblox's new safety feature. Here's what I found." Will all Discord users have to provide age verification? It's possible some adult users on Discord won't be affected by the new policy changes. Advertisement Advertisement In the same news release, Discord announced it will use an "age-inference" system running in the background to determine which accounts belong to adults without requiring those users to verify their age. More information about the system has yet to be released as of Wednesday. How safe is Discord age verification? According to Discord, video selfies taken by users to estimate their age will never leave their devices. A photo snapped of the person's driver's license or state-issued ID will be deleted immediately, in most cases, the company said after the user's age is confirmed. The problem, industry experts say, is that data breaches still happen, as they did last year when hackers compromised one of Discord's third-party customer service providers tasked with carrying out the company's age verification checks. According to an article by the Guardian, the photos that may have been taken were provided by users making age-related appeals in cases where they may have been locked out from the site. Discord will change how users receive messages and friend requests. Is it enough? Despite frustrations vented by its adult users, the company insists age verification is necessary to create a safer experience for Discord's underaged users. Among the new changes, direct messages from people a user may not know, the company says, will be routed to a separate inbox by default. Users additionally will receive warning prompts for friend requests from people they may not know. Advertisement Advertisement It remains unclear how effective Discord's age-verification policies will be at stopping potential child predators, but they come too late for one Indiana family. According to federal court records released Tuesday, what began with a message on Discord may have ended with the tragic disappearance and death of a Fishers teen Hailey Buzbee. Slain Indiana teen, Hailey Buzbee, met the man suspected in her disappearance on Discord, feds say According to a 12-page affidavit filed Feb. 10 in the Southern District of Ohio, Tyler Thomas, 39, met 17-year-old Hailey Buzbee on Discord. The two soon began playing online games together that included Roblox and League of Legends. Authorities say Buzbee and Thomas communicated for more than a year on multiple such gaming platforms. They eventually moved their conversations to an encrypted messaging app where they arranged Buzbee's "runaway attempt and transport," federal court documents state. It's believed that Hailey Buzbee, 17, left her home in the Enclave at Vermillion Neighborhood in the early hours of Jan. 6, 2026. Thomas would later tell investigators he dropped Buzbee off in southwest Ohio, but records from his phone do not corroborate his story, according to an affidavit. Advertisement Advertisement Buzbee was last seen by her parents on Jan. 5. Police believe she voluntarily left her home with Thomas, who led the FBI to her remains in a wooded area at the Wayne National Forest in Perry, Ohio. Buzbee wasn't the only teen Thomas is accused of speaking to on Discord. Thomas spoke to another teen on Discord, court documents state Conversations through Discord retrieved from Thomas' cellphone revealed he spoke to another person in December who told him they were in the 10th grade, according to a federal affidavit. Thomas said he was 41 and having "very dark but stimulating thoughts." Buzbee's family wants to see Indiana's laws change After her disappearance, Buzbee's family and community members have started a petition on Change.org, calling for a new alert system as well as changes to Indiana's laws. The petition, which had more than 114,000 signatures as of Feb. 11, calls to require Indiana's schools teach children how to recognize the signs of online grooming and how to avoid being coerced through social media. Advertisement Advertisement Discord, according to a news release, will roll out its new age verification rules starting in March. Hailey Buzbees stepmother Ronya Buzbee (left) and father Beau Buzbee stand during a press conference on legislative efforts following Hailey Buzbees death Monday, Feb. 9, 2026, at the Indiana Statehouse in Indianapolis. Hailey Buzbee died after leaving her home Jan. 6 with a 39-year-old man she met while online gaming. Indiana House Speaker Todd Huston speaks during a press conference on legislative efforts following the death of 17-year-old Hailey Buzbee on Monday, Feb. 9, 2026, at the Indiana Statehouse in Indianapolis. Hailey Buzbee died after leaving her home Jan. 6 with a 39-year-old man she met while online gaming. Indiana state Rep. Chris Jeter, R-Fishers, speaks during a press conference on legislative efforts following the death of 17-year-old Hailey Buzbee on Monday, Feb. 9, 2026, at the Indiana Statehouse in Indianapolis. Hailey Buzbee died after leaving her home Jan. 6 with a 39-year-old man she met while online gaming. Indiana state Sen. Kyle Walker, R-Lawrence, speaks during a press conference on legislative efforts following the death of 17-year-old Hailey Buzbee on Monday, Feb. 9, 2026, at the Indiana Statehouse in Indianapolis. Hailey Buzbee died after leaving her home Jan. 6 with a 39-year-old man she met while online gaming. Indiana state Rep. Victoria Garcia Wilburn, D-Fishers, (left) shows off her pink nail polish she wore in Hailey Buzbees honor to her stepmother Ronya Buzbee (center) and father Beau Buzbee during a press conference on legislative efforts following the death of Hailey Buzbee on Monday, Feb. 9, 2026, at the Indiana Statehouse in Indianapolis. Hailey Buzbee died after leaving her home Jan. 6 with a 39-year-old man she met while online gaming. Indiana state Rep. Victoria Garcia Wilburn, D-Fishers, speaks during a press conference on legislative efforts following the death of 17-year-old Hailey Buzbee on Monday, Feb. 9, 2026, at the Indiana Statehouse in Indianapolis. Hailey Buzbee died after leaving her home Jan. 6 with a 39-year-old man she met while online gaming. Indiana House Speaker Todd Huston (right) shakes hands with Hailey Buzbees father Beau Buzbee following a press conference on legislative efforts following Hailey Buzbees death Monday, Feb. 9, 2026, at the Indiana Statehouse in Indianapolis. Hailey Buzbee died after leaving her home Jan. 6 with a 39-year-old man she met while online gaming. Indiana lawmakers speak on legislative efforts following Hailey Buzbee's death 1 of 7 Hailey Buzbees stepmother Ronya Buzbee (left) and father Beau Buzbee stand during a press conference on legislative efforts following Hailey Buzbees death Monday, Feb. 9, 2026, at the Indiana Statehouse in Indianapolis. Hailey Buzbee died after leaving her home Jan. 6 with a 39-year-old man she met while online gaming. USA TODAY journalists, IndyStar reporters Ryan Murphy, Jade Jackson, Marissa Meador, and Bethany Bruner with the Columbus Dispatch contributed. John Tufts covers trending news for IndyStar and Midwest Connect. Send him a news tip at JTufts@Gannett.com. Find him on BlueSky at JohnWritesStuff. This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Discord age verification sparks privacy fears. Could it have saved Hailey Buzbee? Sitting in front of the closed gates of Senegal's largest university, Boubacar shows footage he took on his phone of police violence during clashes that shook the Dakar campus for several days this week. "I saw law enforcement officers beating students," said the young man, whose name has been changed for his protection due to the sensitive nature of the topic. The footage showed several police officers in riot gear striking a shirtless young man with batons as he screamed. Advertisement Advertisement For several days, protests rocked the capital's Cheikh Anta Diop University (UCAD) as students demanded payment of grant arrears. Senegalese students have been rallying over the issue for years, punctuated by sporadic clashes with law enforcement. That violence came to a head Monday with the death of a second-year medical student in circumstances that remain unclear, during a police intervention that has sparked outrage across the country. "It's a disgrace to Africa. In my country, they're killing students," said Boubacar, a 23-year-old geography student, who was waiting with about 30 others for a bus back home to the Matam region of northern Senegal. Advertisement Advertisement Two days after the violence began, calm has now descended on the UCAD campus, where university gates and student residences remain closed. Many students have gone home, unsure when they will be back. Meanwhile, a few young people crowded in front of the campus residential area to retrieve their belongings. - 'Tragedy' - On Tuesday, the government held a press conference, calling the student's death a "tragedy" and admitting to "police brutality". But during the conference, Interior Minister Mouhamadou Bamba Cisse also justified the intervention, accusing students of attempting to destroy campus infrastructure. Advertisement Advertisement "The government is here to manipulate us. Why didn't they show what the security forces did on campus in the video?" Boubacar said angrily. Like many young people in the country, he supported the current Prime Minister, Ousmane Sonko and his Pastef party when they were in the opposition, before coming to power in 2024. Students were at the heart of brutally repressed protests in support of Sonko that shook Senegal from 2021 to 2024. With 75 percent of Senegal's population under the age of 35, young people played a massive role in bringing Pastef to power, moved by the promise of a break with the old system. Advertisement Advertisement "The state betrayed us," Boubacar fumed. "We were there in droves to support them. I was 100 percent Pastef." Beside him, his friend Kalidou Dia, 21, added that he was "really disappointed, the students did everything they could to help them win the elections". Their opinions reflect those of the majority of students interviewed by AFP. - 'Business as usual' - On Saturday, Prime Minister Sonko accused the protest leaders of being financed by politicians. His statement provoked a strong reaction from the campus's student collective, which is threatening to sue him for defamation. Advertisement Advertisement According to the group, President Bassirou Diomaye Faye and the prime minister are responsible for the death of the student, who they claim was "tortured to death by the police". Ablaye, whose name has also been changed, came to retrieve some of his personal belongings from his dorm. He was likewise a victim of police brutality, he told AFP, removing his cap to reveal a dozen or so stitched wounds on his skull. He said that on Monday, he was alone in his room when police officers forced their way in, dragged him out and beat him in the hallway. A second group of officers then beat him at the bottom of the stairs to the dorm, he added. Once inside a police van, he said, he was beaten again. Advertisement Advertisement "Then they took me to another car and they beat me again there," the furious student said. "When I was bleeding too much, they took me to the Red Cross," he told AFP. The 28-year-old master's student was ultimately not taken into custody after medical personnel determined that he risked losing consciousness due to the large amount of lost blood. Unlike his peers, he said he was not disappointed in the new authorities. "I knew it would be like this with this regime, it's business as usual," he said. "A break with the past is impossible." els/bfm/sbk The Democratic National Committee raised over $7.4 million through small dollar-focused fundraising last month, an official told CBS News, giving the party one of its strongest grassroots starts to the year on record ahead of this fall's midterms as it tries to claw back lost political ground. The party reached that mark partially due to appeals from Democratic Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly, a potential 2028 presidential candidate, and interest tied to a new voter registration push, according to the official. The fundraising follows last November's off-year elections, where voters gave Democrats major wins in the Virginia and New Jersey governor races even as the DNC faced a challenging financial picture. "Our momentum is building across the country, from Democrats sweeping local elections and flipping long-held Republican seats, to record-setting small dollar fundraising and volunteer sign-ups," DNC Executive Director Roger Lau said in a statement. "We are harnessing this energy to support Democratic candidates across the map, win big in November's elections, and put a check on Trump's reckless administration." Advertisement Advertisement Election dynamics and recent election wins already have some Democrats eying the potential of a blue wave in this fall's midterms as the party tries to push past the last presidential election cycle, when it lost control of the presidency and the Senate while falling short of retaking the House. Momentum in that direction, however, has come at the same time that the party faces a fraught financial gap compared to its GOP counterpart that could end up carrying major implications down the ballot. The Republican National Committee brought in more than $172 million last year, and headed into 2026 with $95 million in the bank. Over that same span, the DNC raised close to $146 million and closed 2025 with $14 million left over and $17.5 million in debts. Both parties have until Feb. 20 to report their January 2026 finances to the Federal Election Commission. The $7.4 million in grassroots dollars is expected to be part, but not all, of the DNC's total fundraising haul for the month. The DNC's grassroots fundraising figures include donations that were raised through channels like email, texts and online ads. Advertisement Advertisement Republicans are already using their 2025 financial advantage as a potential proof point that President Trump and his GOP could defy normal political gravity come November, when every House seat is on the ballot and control of the Republican-held Senate is also on the line. "President Trump's record is driving historic grassroots support and giving Republican candidates the opportunity to defy history in the midterms," RNC spokeswoman Kiersten Pels said in a text message. "Democrats and their left-wing allies are preparing to flood the midterms with outside money, which is exactly why the RNC has built this war chest to go toe-to-toe with that spending, conduct targeted voter outreach, and support President Trump and our candidates nationwide." The DNC's debt is tied in with a large line of credit opened before the November 2025 contests meant in part to help bolster party infrastructure. In an interview with CBS News last year, Martin characterized the line of credit as a "big bet" that allowed the party to invest heavily in those off-year races, and argued the party "won big." Advertisement Advertisement Republicans hold a narrow majority in the House, and Democrats have a strong path to potentially winning back the chamber for the final two years of Mr. Trump's time in the White House. Flipping the Senate from GOP control is a far more stark challenge. For Democrats to win back the Senate this fall, they would likely have to hold on to every seat they currently have that is also on the ballot and also flip four seats from a competitive batch of contests in North Carolina, Maine, Ohio, Alaska, Texas and Iowa. All of that sets the table for what is expected to be an expensive and tense midterm election, making the larger money game in American politics even more critical. And in recent weeks, the DNC has at times turned to Kelly, the battleground senator from Arizona, to help bring in cash. This winter, Kelly has been mired in a tense confrontation with Mr. Trump's Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth that has been evoked in DNC small-dollar asks. Advertisement Advertisement Hegseth directed an investigation into Kelly after he participated in a video with other lawmakers reminding service members they don't have to follow illegal orders. In a January social media post, Hegseth claimed that Kelly and his fellow Democrats had "released a reckless and seditious video that was clearly intended to undermine good order and military discipline," and said the Pentagon was initiating proceedings to reduce Kelly's rank and retirement pay over "seditious statements and his pattern of reckless misconduct." Shortly after, Kelly sued the Pentagon for allegedly retaliating against him in violation of the First Amendment for comments he made years after he served in the military. Kelly and the Justice Department argued their cases in court last week and a judge said he would rule within the next few weeks. And on Tuesday, a federal grand jury turned down an effort by the Justice Department to criminally charge Kelly and five other lawmakers over the video, CBS News reported. An elected official lending their name to help the national party is incredibly common. But the situation Kelly finds himself in is one that carries major implications in Washington and has pushed him further into the national spotlight while providing fodder for donor emails that helped the DNC raise money last month. Advertisement Advertisement "Pete Hegseth can threaten to reduce my rank and my pension. But I am not going to let him intimidate me, or anyone else," Kelly said in one January DNC fundraising email. "He is not going to stop me from defending our democracy from a president who is hellbent on destroying it." Details on new images of subject in Nancy Guthrie disappearance More details emerge on whistleblower complaint against Tulsi Gabbard Trump criticizes Super Bowl halftime show, calling it "one of the worst" PATERSON The studies came with alarming titles befitting their findings. Stuck in the Middle, conducted by a Columbia University professor, said a decade of data about New York City students who moved from elementary to middle schools showed they had a significant drop in their academic performance. The Middle School Plunge, by a Harvard Graduate School of Education assistant professor, found a substantial drop in test scores for children who switched to middle schools compared with students who stayed in settings with kindergarten through grade 8. Advertisement Advertisement The Stuck study was published in 2010, and the Plunge report came out in 2012. In the years since, other academic research has produced conflicting conclusions, including findings that students who experience test score declines at the beginning of middle school catch up by the time they reach high school. Story continues below photo gallery. Against a backdrop of ever-changing academic opinions, the Paterson school district is moving ahead with the next phase of its controversial, citywide Middle School Model, an initiative that would eventually eliminate schools that put students in kindergarten through eighth grade together, replacing them with a structure that would put students from kindergarten to fifth grade in separate buildings from those in the sixth through eighth grades. As part of that plan, Superintendent Laurie Newell said she will close four choice elementary schools this summer, including two of the top-performing schools in Paterson, to achieve consistency, or equity, in the districts academic instruction. Advertisement Advertisement The almost 1,000 students enrolled in those choice programs which draw from the entire district would be reassigned to schools in their neighborhoods, ones that some angry parents say are unsafe and provide a poor education. Dr. Laurie W. Newell, the Superintendent of the Paterson Public Schools, looks on during a Paterson Board of Education meeting, Feb 4, 2026, Paterson, NJ, USA. Amid the controversy looms a simple question: Are middle schools better or worse than schools that lump K through 8 in the same building? If there was a clear difference that one was better than the other, then every city would switch to one model, said Mark Weber, an adjunct professor at the Rutgers Graduate School of Education and an education analyst at New Jersey Policy Perspective. Grade groupings are no magic wand by themselves Simply revising grade groupings doesnt become a magic wand for student success, experts said. Advertisement Advertisement The success of the two school configurations really depends on variables on a district-by-district basis, said education analysts. The track record varies, the experts said, based on whether enough money is invested to provide the staffing needed for success, on whether educators get the right training for their grade level structures, and on whether principals and other staff leaders are committed to making the changes work. Districts that put students in kindergarten through eighth grade together tend to have a more positive environment in school climate and culture, said Brian K. Perkins, a professor at Columbia Universitys Teachers College who also served more than a decade on the New Haven Board of Education in Connecticut. Under Newells plan, once the Renaissance and other choice schools are phased out after June, their students will be reassigned to schools in their neighborhoods, something parents say they have been trying to avoid. Perkins said kindergarten-through-eighth schools tend to have less bullying than middle schools, because of the social dynamic in which children have more long-term familiarity with each other and staff members know their students better. Advertisement Advertisement Other experts say middle schools provide a bridge for students to cross from childhood to adolescence. Phyllis Fagel, a licensed school counselor in Maryland, wrote a book titled Middle School Matters, which talks about ways children in grades 6 through 8 can thrive as they go through the social and emotional changes that arise at that age. Districts restructure for an array of reasons Education officials implement school restructuring with various objectives, experts said. An article published in 2021 in the Hechinger Report the Columbia Teachers College online newsroom said some districts have restructured their schools for reasons more expedient than philosophical, driven by space constraints and budget shortfalls rather than whats best for students. During a June 2022 Board of Education meeting about the middle school initiative, Paterson district officials cited a variety of goals for making the change. They talked about better use of school buildings, education benefits, cost-saving opportunities, and reducing the number of students who must take buses. The Hechinger story focused on the closure of middle schools in Charlotte, North Carolina, noting that districts in Baltimore, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Milwaukee, New Orleans and Philadelphia have made similar moves back to kindergarten-through-eighth-grade formats. Advertisement Advertisement Patersons school facilities executive director, Neil Mapp, spoke in defense of the middle school model during the citys Board of Education meeting on Feb. 4. Were the only district in this area go 50 miles, 100 miles that doesnt have middle schools, he said. Neal Mapp, the chief officer of facilities and custodial services of Paterson Public Schools, speaks during a Paterson Board of Education meeting, Feb 4, 2026, Paterson, NJ, USA. In fact, the school districts in Newark and Bayonne less than 30 miles from Paterson do not have middle schools. In Jersey City, there are 14 schools for grades pre-K through eight and just four middle schools. Paterson Press asked Paterson school district spokesperson Aida Rosario about the inaccuracy of Mapps only district comment at the public meeting. In response, Rosario cited some North Jersey districts that she said have middle schools, including Belleville, Bloomfield, Clifton, East Orange, Hawthorne, Montclair, Passaic, Paramus, Totowa, Trenton and West Orange. Advertisement Advertisement Weber, of the Rutgers school of education, said most urban districts in New Jersey use the K-through-eighth structure. Making things better for 'entire student population' Newell said on Feb. 4 that the redistricting was focused on the big picture and making things better for the entire student population. One of the things were accomplishing through the redistricting process is bringing more equity to the district, the superintendent said. High-ranking members of Newells staff said during last weeks meeting that the plan would eliminate disparities in class sizes. They said some schools currently have 30 children in a class while others have fewer than 20. Advertisement Advertisement Some school board members also said the initiative will bring more balance in the number of teaching vacancies. Districtwide, the Paterson school system had 103 vacant teacher slots at the beginning of February, officials said. Parents, students, and community members upset over the district's middle school model march in protest to the Paterson Board of Education, Wednesday, Apr. 2, 2025. The three Paterson elementary schools that currently have the most vacancies Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and School 2, each with nine, and School 4 with eight are not affected by the changes taking effect in September. In contrast, the four choice schools being closed have a total of seven open teaching slots. Clash over school choice vs. neighborhood schools Parents and some city school commissioners said they were blindsided by the decision to phase out the choice schools as part of the ongoing middle school changes. That aspect of the plan has drawn the most criticism during the past several weeks. Advertisement Advertisement Every parent who voiced opposition at the Feb. 4 school board meeting had children in one of the choice programs. Education experts said there have been longstanding disagreements between advocates of choice, or magnet, schools and supporters of neighborhood schools. Cheryl Jones-Walker, director of the Center for School and System Redesign at the Washington-based Learning Policy Institute, said many districts around the country have been moving away from the practice of having neighborhood schools. Jones-Walker said it was a great goal for Paterson to want to put all its schools on equal terms. The question I have is, what are they going to do to make every school in the district desirable? she asked. Advertisement Advertisement Jones-Walker, a former associate dean at the University of San Francisco School of Education, said shifting students from choice schools to neighborhood schools successfully would be a tall order. They will have to put a lot of attention and resources behind reintegrating these young people into their neighborhood schools, she said. Its going to take a lot of effort and energy to make sure the reintegration works well. It's not clear whether the Paterson district will have extra money to spend on the impending transition at neighborhood schools. Sources in the district say the school board faces a substantial deficit in its 2026-27 budget, one that will require spending cuts, not increases. Parents, students, and community members protest the district's middle school model at the Paterson Board of Education, Wednesday, Apr. 2, 2025. Some Paterson school board members are predicting that the shutdown of the four choice schools will result in many parents enrolling their children in charter schools in the city. Weber, the Rutgers adjunct involved with New Jersey Policy Perspective, said many parents make the decision to send their children to choice schools because of their own social networks with other adults. Friends tell them their youngsters attend a successful school, and they want their own kids to go there, he said. For a lot of parents in a choice system, what they consider to be a good school has less to do with the teachers qualifications than it does with who their childrens peers would be, he said. Can money-strapped district boost neighborhood schools? Weber praised the Paterson superintendent for being concerned about the impact that choice schools have on educational equity in the district. But he noted that districts dont automatically achieve equity by simply eliminating choice schools. It takes a lot of resources, Weber said. Its not easy. He was not surprised that parents from Patersons choice schools have been protesting the closure plans. It seems they have a superintendent who has a genuine and legitimate concern about equity, he said. But you also have parents who want their kids to be safe and get a high-quality education. Weber said the Paterson districts financial struggles may affect the success of the school restructuring. Is this a problem that you can reasonably expect Paterson to tackle by itself? I would argue that Paterson needs help, he said, asserting that the district could use more funding. Its legitimate to question whether the state is providing Paterson with the resources it needs. Weber said there has been little research on the impact of dissolving choice in-district schools and sending those students back to their neighborhoods. He said thats because it doesnt happen very often. Mayor Andre Sayegh has not made any public statements regarding his opinion of Newells plan. On Jan. 23, the day it was announced, his staff said he was too busy preparing for an impending winter storm. On Jan. 27, Sayegh said he was seeking a meeting with Newell to learn about her plan. On Feb. 9, City Hall officials said the meeting between the mayor and superintendent had not yet taken place. This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Does Paterson NJ disputed middle school plan work? Three days after federal agents arrested Jeffrey Epstein on sex trafficking charges in July 2019, investigators discussed serving 10 of his alleged co-conspirators with subpoenas, including one person in Connecticut, according to documents released in December. That Connecticut resident was Lesley Groff, Epstein's longtime secretary and a New Canaan resident, according to a newly unredacted Aug. 15, 2019, file released this week by the Department of Justice in response to pressure from two Congressmen. Advertisement Advertisement The new file lists Groff (whose first name is misspelled as "Leslie"), convicted sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell, French model scout Jean-Luc Brunel and former Victoria's Secret CEO Leslie Wexner as co-conspirators. Four other people are also listed as co-conspirators, but their names and photos are redacted in the new DOJ document. In a statement to CT Insider on Wednesday, Groff's attorney Michael Bachner said his client was unaware that she had been investigated as a co-conspirator. "Lesley Groff has never seen this document and was unaware of it. In fact, neither Lesley nor her counsel were ever notified that she was considered a co-conspirator," Bachner said. "On the contrary, after Lesley voluntarily spoke with prosecutors, and answered each and every question asked of her, she was told that she was not being prosecuted. " Groff, who was Epstein's executive assistant for nearly 20 years, a role which included extensive management of his schedule and travel, has denied any knowledge of or involvement in Epstein's extensive sex trafficking network, which came to light upon his arrest in 2019. Advertisement Advertisement She is a constant presence in released DOJ documents, appearing more than 130,000 times and coordinating everything from investment opportunities to meetings with Yale University professors. In 2021, prosecutors declined to charge Groff. However, Epstein's former assistant, whom he once described as "an extension of my brain," did face multiple lawsuits by Epstein's victims accusing her of facilitating his crimes, though the complaints were all dropped. Lesley Groff, in an undated file photo. Groff was listed as a potential co-conspirator of her boss, Jeffrey Epstein, in a newly unredacted DOJ file. (/ contributed) The new DOJ document, which was released after pressure from U.S. Reps. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., and Ro Khanna, D-Calif, shed more light on a series of heavily redacted email exchanges by federal agents about potential Epstein co-conspirators that were made public in December. Advertisement Advertisement Before those emails were released, investigators had only acknowledged Maxwell, who is serving a 20-year prison sentence after a 2021 sex trafficking conviction, as a conspirator in Epstein's sprawling network of child sex trafficking and abuse. An email sent on July 7, 2019, from someone working in the Federal Bureau of Investigation's New York office, asked for the "status of the 10 CO conspirators," in the Epstein case. The names of the email sender and receiver were redacted in the released documents. Two days later, in response to a July 9, 2019 email from a member of the FBI's anti-child trafficking team about the status of the co-conspirators, someone (the names are all redacted) wrote that six of the 10 had been served subpoenas, including one in Connecticut. "Of the 10 co-conspirators, 3 have been located in FL and served GJ (grand jury) subpoenas; 1 in Boston, 1 in NYC, and 1 in CT were located and served," the email read. "4 of the 10 are outstanding with attempts having been made. 1 is a wealthy business man in Ohio, a lead is being sent to CV; the remaining 3 are currently out of pocket." Advertisement Advertisement The new DOJ file indicates that Groff was in Connecticut, Maxwell was in Boston and Wexner was the wealthy businessman in Ohio. Brunel was also served, according to other files. The identities of the six other alleged co-conspirators were not immediately clear. The release of Groff's name also provides greater context to an August 16, 2019, email exchange from the FBI New York office that provides details on a list of alleged co-conspirators, including Groff, whose name remains redacted in the document. In the document, one alleged co-conspirator is listed as a Connecticut resident who was deciding whether to cooperate with the investigation. The document alleges the person had extensive contact with Epstein's victims, including paying them and calling them to ask if they had "new girls" for Epstein. "Multiple victims and cooperating co-conspirators advised (name redacted) worked out of Epstein's NYC residence as his personal assistant and was in charge of making phone calls to set up massage appointments," the email said. Massage appointments were known to be Epstein's code for sex. Advertisement Advertisement "(Name redacted) would coordinate with the main NYC victim listed in the Indictment, to schedule appointments and relay the information to Epstein," the email said. This article originally published at New DOJ files reveal Epstein's longtime Connecticut aide was investigated as co-conspirator. QUEENS, N.Y. (PIX11) A Romanian man was arrested in Germany for allegedly killing a 74-year-old pedestrian in a Queens hit-and-run four years ago, police said Wednesday. Florin Stoian, 30, was arrested on Tuesday and charged with manslaughter and criminally negligent homicide in connection with the fatal incident on Aug. 14, 2022, according to the NYPD. More Local News Stoian was allegedly driving a rented black BMW when he struck Be Tran while he was crossing the street near Seneca and Myrtle avenues in Ridgewood at around 7:40 p.m., police said. Tran died at the scene. Advertisement Advertisement Prosecutors said Stoian allegedly crossed over a double yellow line to avoid the traffic in his lane. The driver then swerved back into his lane before allegedly hitting Tran. Stoian drove off after the accident and parked the BMW near a fire hydrant less thana mile from the scene, prosecutors said. The car was then set on fire at around 3:20 a.m., and surveillance video caught the defendant walking away from the scene, authorities said. The fire damaged two nearby parked vehicles, electrical wiring above the cars, the sidewalk, and three homes on the block. Rather than face the consequences of his actions, he allegedly destroyed evidence by setting his vehicle on fire further endangering nearby residents and then fled the country. Crossing an ocean does not erase criminal responsibility in Queens County, Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz said. Advertisement Advertisement The defendant was apprehended in Germany, where he was in custody under the name Slaco Razmias, and extradited to New York City on Tuesday, authorities said. Stoian, whose true identity is believed to be Slaco Razmias, 25, was arraigned Wednesday on an 11-count indictment, including additional charges of assault, leaving the scene of an accident resulting in death, criminal mischief, tampering with physical evidence, and reckless driving, police said. He pleaded not guilty and is being held without bail. His attorney could not immediately be reached. Mira Wassef is a digital reporter who has covered news and sports in the NYC area for more than a decade. She joined PIX11 News in 2022. See more of her work here. Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Nearly two years after a teenage girl was killed in a crash, the woman behind the wheel has pleaded guilty. Hannah Hackemeyer, now 20, pleaded guilty to homicide by vehicle, serious injury by vehicle, reckless driving and possession of an open container of alcoholic beverage. She was sentenced to 10 years with two to serve on house arrest. She must wear an ankle monitor, cant drive, complete 240 hours of community service and participate in two Mothers Against Drunk Driving Victim Impact Panels. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] DeKalb County District Attorney Sherry Boston says that in February 2024, Hackemeyer, Sophie Lekiachvili and Ananya Rao were drinking at Raos home. Advertisement Advertisement The teens told Mr. Rao they wanted to go for a drive. Ananyas parents knew the girls had been drinking but they still let them get into the car and leave the house with an open bottle of wine in the front seat, Boston said. RELATED STORIES: While driving on Oak Grove Road near Lakeside High School 30 minutes later, Hackemeyer lost control and flipped the car, trapping Lekiachvili. She later died. Advertisement Advertisement Airbag data shows Hackemeyer was going 98 miles per hour when she crashed. In April, the DA says her blood alcohol test came back twice the legal limit and thats when police arrested her. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] CAIRO (AP) A drone strike at a mosque killed two children and injured 13 others in Sudan s central region of Kordofan early Wednesday, a local doctors group said, as the country's civil war continues. The Sudan Doctors Network, which monitors the conflict, said the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, which are fighting the army, carried out the strike in al-Rahad city in North Kordofan. A spokesperson from the doctors' network, Mohamed Elsheikh, told The Associated Press that the children had been attending a lesson at dawn. Advertisement Advertisement Targeting children inside mosques "represents a dangerous escalation in the pattern of repeated violations against civilians, the network added. There was no immediate RSF comment. The war between the RSF and the military began in 2023, when tensions erupted between the two former allies that were meant to oversee a democratic transition after a 2019 uprising. The World Health Organization says the fighting has killed at least 40,000 people and displaced 12 million. Aid groups say the true death toll could be many times higher, as the fighting in vast and remote areas impedes access. The Sudan Doctors Network called attacks on places of worship part of a systematic pattern that undermines the sanctity of religious sites. Advertisement Advertisement More than 15 mosques have been damaged, burned or bombed partially or completely and over 165 churches have been destroyed or closed throughout the war, according to figures reported last year. Separately, the International Rescue Committee said Wednesday that several hundred shelters were burned down overnight in a camp for displaced people in the town of Tawila in North Darfur. The camp has seen an influx of Sudanese who escaped el-Fasher city, which fell to the RSF in October. The IRC said that 500 households were affected by the overnight fires. It was not clear what caused the blaze. Families living in Tawila have already endured unimaginable hardship; many have fled violence multiple times, lost loved ones, and are living with deep trauma and acute shortages of food, water and healthcare. To see what little they had left go up in flames is heartbreaking, said Zeleke Bacha, IRCs West Sudan Director, in the statement. Advertisement Advertisement On Saturday, a drone attack by the RSF hit a vehicle carrying displaced families in central Sudan, killing at least 24 people, including eight children, according to the Sudan Doctors Network. The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights said recently the Kordofan region remains "volatile and a focus of hostilities as the warring parties vie for control of strategic areas. In-person early voting kicks off Thursday in North Carolina for the midterm primaries. >>CLICK HERE for The Political Beat with Joe Bruno All voters will have a say in the U.S. Senate primary On the Republican side, President Donald Trump endorsed Michael Whatley who is facing five challengers, including former state superintendent candidate Michele Morrow and former 8th Congressional District candidate Don Brown. Advertisement Advertisement On the Democrat side, the frontrunner is former Gov. Roy Cooper. He is facing five challengers. The primary is March 3. Click here for sample ballots and more voter information. VIDEO: NC House Oversight hearing on Charlotte safety held in Raleigh As part of its efforts to enhance "security and stability," Egypt is sending additional forces to Somalia. A report at Al-Arabiya noted that the Egyptian involvement represents a commitment to Somalias territorial integrity and unity. This comes after Israel recognized Somaliland, and as many countries in the region are focused on the Red Sea and Sudan. In addition, tensions between Ethiopia and Eritrea are in the spotlight. Egypts president was recently in the UAE, which has been accused of backing the RSF in Sudans civil war. In addition, a recent report claimed the RSF was training in Ethiopia. Advertisement Advertisement As such, the Egyptian move is seen as a critical development in the Horn of Africa and the Red Sea. In the past, Turkey has also played a role in Somalia, and years ago, Ethiopia and Somalia fought a war. Meanwhile, Egypt has a new defense minister, Lt.-Gen. Ashraf Zaher. According to reports, Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and Egyptian commander-in-chief and outgoing defense minister Gen. Abdel-Magid Saqr witnessed the ceremony of the Egyptian forces participating in the African Union Mission to Support Security and Stability in Somalia, Egypt Today reported. An illustrative image of a Somaliland flag being held. (credit: SHUTTERSTOCK) This Egyptian military participation reflects Cairos commitment to supporting Somalias unity and territorial integrity, and to backing Mogadishus efforts to extend its national control and combat terrorism, within the framework of Egypts leading role in supporting the pillars of international peace and security in Africa. Advertisement Advertisement The report said that the ceremony was also attended by Egyptian Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Ahmed Khalifa. Egypts military involvement in Somalia underscores territorial integrity An Egyptian military spokesman stated that this comes as a confirmation of the historical Egyptian position that reflects the keenness to actively participate in supporting the pillars of international peace and security. The report also said that Egypts president had recently received Somalias president. The talks between the two presidents focused on ways to strengthen bilateral relations between Egypt and Somalia, and included an exchange of views on the latest regional and international developments of mutual interest. The Somali presidents visit came weeks after Israel recognized Somaliland, a move rejected by Egypt and several other countries, including Saudi Arabia and Turkey. Al-Arabiya added that Egypt affirmed its support for the legitimate institutions of the Somali state and rejected any attempts to impose parallel entities that conflict with the unity of the Somali state. Advertisement Advertisement It said that Egypt and Somalia signed a protocol for military cooperation in August 2024. On July 20 of the year before last, the Somali cabinet approved a joint defense agreement with Egypt. This agreement represented a qualitative shift in bilateral relations, stipulating enhanced security coordination, military training, and the exchange of expertise, as well as the provision of technical support to Somali forces. An X/Twitter account called Egypts Intel Observer noted, Egypt is contributing around 1,100 troops, primarily equipped with BAE Caiman and RG-33L 66 MRAPs, as well as NIMR Ajban 420 44 APCs. The deployment will also include air assets such as Mil Mi-24 Hind gunships, Mil Mi-17 utility helicopters, and AT-802i Air Tractor aircraft for counterinsurgency (COIN) and intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) operations. It added that these are in Somalia as part of the African Union-led AUSSOM mission. In mid-January, we reported in The Jerusalem Post that Egypt was deploying forces to Somalia. Egypt has increased its military presence in Somalia following Israels recognition of Somaliland, fearing Israeli influence in the strategic Horn of Africa, sources told Abu Dhabi-owned outlet The National. It was not clear if that force, reported to be 10,000 strong, was part of the force being deployed this week. The FAA briefly closed the airspace over El Paso, Texas, after the military used a high-powered laser to shoot down what appeared to be a drone but was actually just a party balloon. CBS reports that the Pentagon wanted to use the technology to practice shooting down drones near Fort Bliss, which is next to El Paso International Airport. Despite meetings scheduled to discuss safety issues, DOD officials wanted to test the laser quickly, claiming that legal requirements over the protection of facilities from unmanned aircraft had been satisfied. The anti-drone laser was launched earlier this week near Americas southern border to target what was thought to be foreign drones. Instead, a party balloon was shot down. Advertisement Advertisement FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford then decided to close El Pasos airspace Tuesday night without telling the White House, the DOD, or the Department of Homeland Security, according to unnamed sources. Bedford reportedly told officials that the airspace would be closed until the Pentagon resolved its issues with the FAA. Initially, the restriction on planes flying below 18,000 was set for 10 days, something that hasnt been in place since the 9/11 attacks in 2001. Any aircraft that violated the restriction could have been shot down. Wednesday mornings airspace closure caused a brief panic among government agencies, as even emergency medical evacuations were halted. When the discussion reached the White House, the FAA lifted the restriction within minutes. The FAA and [Department of War] acted swiftly to address a cartel drone incursion. The threat has been neutralized, and there is no danger to commercial travel in the region. The restrictions have been lifted and normal flights are resuming, Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy said in a statement. The DOD failed to communicate with the FAA in this instance, which has happened before during Trumps second term. Just over a year ago, a military helicopter collided with a passenger plane near Ronald Reagan National Airport and killed 67 people. This time, a brief airspace closure and a downed party balloon seem to be the only repercussions (that we know about). Hopefully, this is an isolated incident and not evidence of a more serious issue. ELKHART An Elkhart couple has been arrested in the wake of an Indiana State Police investigation into dealing fentanyl. This investigation began in early January after police received a complaint from a concerned citizen, police said. The investigation resulted in a search warrant being served Monday at a residence in the 53000 block of Hickory Lane at around 7 a.m. During this warrant officers located approximately 44 grams of suspected fentanyl, a handgun and a fentanyl press, police said. Robert Horton II, 44, of Elkhart, was arrested on preliminary charges of dealing in a narcotic drug, Level 2 felony, possession of a narcotic drug, Level 3 felony, and maintaining a common nuisance, Level 6 felony. Jacques Horton, 45, also of Elkhart, was arrested on preliminary charges of possession of a narcotic drug, Level 3 felony, and maintaining a common nuisance, Level 6 felony. Both were taken to the Elkhart County jail. The Indiana State Police was assisted in the investigation by the Elkhart County Intelligence and Covert Enforcement (ICE) Unit and the federal Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). COFFEY COUNTY (KSNT) Researchers and engineers are looking for a solution to save a large reservoir in northeast Kansas that serves local communities and the states only nuclear power plant. John Redmond Reservoir shares a similar problem with all other reservoirs in the Sunflower State: it is slowly filling up with sediment. All reservoirs in Kansas are constantly getting an influx of mud from local creeks and streams, reducing the amount of water they can hold and their effectiveness when it comes to supplying water to urban areas and other operations, according to the Kansas Water Office. John Redmond Reservoir stands out from other reservoirs as it not only helps perform flood control duties for the local area, but it also serves Evergys Wolf Creek Nuclear Generating Station. Now, researchers with the University of Kansas, Oak Ridge National Laboratory and KWO have released a new report detailing the mud issues at the reservoir and a possible solution to fix the problem, extending the lifespan of the reservoir and continued operations at Wolf Creek. What is John Redmond Reservoir? The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers constructed John Redmond Reservoir in 1963 and it falls under the management of the USACEs Tulsa District. Located in Coffey County just west of New Strawn, the reservoir helps with flood control and water supply storage for local communities similar to other reservoirs across Kansas. Advertisement Advertisement Conservation group fights to save the Kansas River for the next generation The reservoir also has recreational opportunities for locals to enjoy such as birdwatching, fishing and camping, according to the USACE. The entire reservoir consists of 9,400 acres. Kristin Kaipust with the KWO said the reservoir has prevented around $1.65 billion in estimated flood damages in the years after its installation. It also provides critical drought water supply security for neighboring communities. Reservoir status today The new white paper study outlines the issue John Redmond Reservoir is facing, stating that sediment buildup in the water has reduced its storage capacity by 44% as of 2025. The USACE monitors the situation, keeping track of how much mud is filling up the reservoir each year. Advertisement Advertisement Sedimentation or silting in, is a challenge with reservoirs, and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Tulsa District continues working with the Kansas Water Office to assess the feasibility of proposed actions to address the issue, said Brannen Parrish with the Tulsa District of the USACE. Parrish said the reservoir is split between different pools that denote different water elevation levels in the lake. These include the inactive, conservation and flood pools which fulfill different purposes at the reservoir. Inactive pool water at the lowest level of the reservoir that is inaccessible. Below lake elevations of 1026 feet, the water is accessible only through exceptional means like external pumps. Elevation of 1010-1026 feet. Conservation pool water being conserved for activities like recreation and water control. Elevation of 1026-1041. Flood pool the land area next to the reservoir which stores excess rainfall and runoff until downstream river capacity is restored and the water can be released. Elevation of 1041-1068. Kansas biologists on a mission to restore population of giant fish species Advertisement Advertisement Parrish said that, between 1963 and 2023, around 77,160 acre feet of sediment entered the reservoir. He also said that, as sediment enters the reservoir, it settles not just at the bottom of the lake, but also along the shore. From 1963 to the most recent survey in 2023, nearly all of the inactive pool at John Redmond Reservoir has been lost to sedimentation, about 11,900 acre feet in the inactive pool, Parrish said. A muddy problem Contractors with the State of Kansas performed a large-scale dredging operation at the reservoir in 2016, removing 3,000,000 cubic yards of sediment from the reservoir. The Kansas Legislature gave the green light to the project when it approved of a bond issuance at $20 million to fund the dredging operations. This project represented the first of its kind in the nation, with a non-federal entity dredging sediment from a U.S. Army Corps of Engineer (USACE) reservoir for the purpose of ensuring water supply storage, Kaipust said. Disposal of dredged materials required the temporary alteration of one site on federal land and four on privately-owned land below the dam to establish confined disposal facilities (CDFs) for disposal of dredged material where this material was dewatered and sites reclaimed to the desired land use of the individual land owners. Advertisement Advertisement Despite these efforts, mud continues to build up in the water, potentially impacting continued operations at Wolf Creek, according to the white paper study. Evergys Wolf Creek Nuclear Generating Station currently supplies more than 20% of Kansas electricity and relies, in part, on the nearby reservoir. Without intentional, significant, sustained sediment removal, John Redmond will lose its ability to store water. This jeopardizes the continued function of Wolf Creek Nuclear Power Plant, which supplies its off-channel cooling water reservoir directly from John Redmond. White paper study excerpt What is causing some Kansas trees to look weird? The KWO estimates that sediment buildup could eventually result in insufficient yield to support current water supply contracts for Wolf Creek and downstream communities by the year 2045, according to the white paper study. Despite the challenges the reservoir is facing today, it remains in use by nearby entities such as Wolf Creek. John Redmond Reservoir is a steady, reliable source of water to keep Coffey County Lake full, which helps support Wolf Creeks operations, said Matt Lucht with Evergy. We work closely with the Kansas Water Office to ensure longterm reservoir storage remains available. Advertisement Advertisement John Redmond Reservoir isnt alone in facing sediment problems. Engineers are also working to use an innovative water injection dredging method at Tuttle Creek Lake in central Kansas to help reverse the buildup of sediment in the water. New solution? The authors of the white paper study put forward the potential solution of using hydrosuction as a low-cost answer to the situation. This hydrosuction method would use the head difference between the upstream reservoir and downstream channel to create a suction effect to transport discharge sediment out of the reservoir. Biologists pull 100,000 pounds of invasive fish species out of the Kansas River Highlights of the hydrosuction method include not having to acquire nearby land for sediment storage or transportation of the sediment slurry, saving on project costs, according to the study. This would save around 50% of the total dredging cost. Advertisement Advertisement Researchers of the study said Kansas lawmakers approved of $1.5 million in the 2026 state budget for hydrosuction sediment removal at John Redmond Reservoir. They go on to state this project could help provide further solutions in the future for continuously removing sediment from other reservoirs that are similar to John Redmond. John Redmond Reservoir offers a uniquely positioned case for investigating how energy-efficient hydrosuction technology helps improve storage of water within the reservoir (energy for water) and how the additional water can increase energy production by the nuclear power plant (water for energy). White paper study excerpt Kaipust said the KWO is currently working with the USACE on a future hydrosuction project at John Redmond Reservoir. She said the reservoir has a unique infrastructure that is suited for a potential hydrosuction sediment removal system that discharges sediment through a pipe downstream to the Neosho River. The proposed demonstration will include construction of a hydrosuction unit and demonstration of its use under various conditions at John Redmond Reservoir, Kaipust said. Monitoring and evaluation of the operational and environmental results will be used to determine the viability of using hydrosuction as a permanent solution for addressing sedimentation at John Redmond Reservoir and other reservoirs in Kansas. Why do fees need to go up for Kansas waterfowl stamps? Advertisement Advertisement Kaipust said the KWO has sent in requests through the Water Resources Development Act process with Congress and is looking for federal support for the project. The KWO is also looking to implement strategies and partnerships for regional management or reservoir sediment in other states in the Midwest. You can learn more about John Redmond Reservoir by clicking here. To read the white paper study, click here. For more Kansas Outdoors news, click here. Keep up with the latest breaking news in northeast Kansas by downloading our mobile app and by signing up for our news email alerts. Sign up for our Storm Track Weather app by clicking here. Follow Matthew Self on X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/MatthewLeoSelf Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KSNT 27 News. [Source] An internal email connected to Jeffrey Epstein described Malaysias Anwar Ibrahim as a potential political asset years before he became prime minister, according to documents unsealed last week. The email suggested Anwar could facilitate introductions for a major bank, but provides no indication that Anwar was aware of or agreed to any such role. Anwar has since categorically denied any contact with Epstein. What the email says The email, dated February 2012, was written by an associate of Epstein and proposed a meeting between Anwar and a senior banking executive identified as Jes, widely reported as a reference to a JP Morgan executive. The message reads, Should we arrange a meeting for Jes with Anwar Ibrahim? If he becomes prime minister of Malaysia, he will clean up and it could be a gold mine for JPM. Advertisement Advertisement In the same email, the writer added, I know Anwar well, always stayed close to him for many years even though everybody says he is finished and can never come back. Looks different now. Trending on NextShark: Trumps attack on the Obamas is an attack on Asian Americans The correspondence does not include Anwar as a sender or recipient and does not document any reply from him. There is also no evidence in the released files that the proposed meeting occurred or that Anwar had knowledge of the message at the time it was written. Anwars response Just today, I found out that some outsider wanted to meet and even dropped my name in an e-mail linked to the Epstein case, Anwar said in a statement on X. He added, Thank Allah, as mentioned in that email, its been more than a decade, and I have absolutely no connection whatsoever with any of the parties exchanging those emails, especially Epstein. Trending on NextShark: Son charged with murder in deaths of former JACL president, wife Anwar made his public remarks after Armada Bersatu, the youth wing of the Bersatu party, demanded that he clarify allegations that he had interacted, directly or indirectly, with Epstein or with individuals named in documents disclosed by the U.S. Department of Justice. Advertisement Advertisement The mention of Anwar is part of a wider release of Epstein-related documents that have referenced political figures across Asia, often without evidence of direct involvement. In India, government officials dismissed similar references involving Prime Minister Narendra Modi, with the Ministry of External Affairs calling them trashy ruminations by a convicted criminal and rejecting any suggestion of improper links. Trending on NextShark: The Japanese franchise behind 'Power Rangers' ends after 51 years This story is part of The Rebel Yellow Newsletter a bold weekly newsletter from the creators of NextShark, reclaiming our stories and celebrating Asian American voices. Subscribe free to join the movement. If you love what were building, consider becoming a paid member your support helps us grow our team, investigate impactful stories, and uplift our community. Subscribe here now! Trending on NextShark: YouTube star Markiplier reacts to his self-financed horror films box office success Download the NextShark App: Want to keep up to date on Asian American News? Download the NextShark App today! Editors note: Details of the story may be disturbing to some readers. KENTUCKY (FOX 56) Buried deep in the Justice Departments threemillionpage Epstein files archive is a trail that leads back to Kentucky, surfacing in flight logs, correspondence, and the witness statements of two Kentuckians who proved pivotal to the investigation. The rollout is the departments largest release yet under the Epstein Files Transparency Act, which was a law enacted after months of public and political pressure for the government to open its files on the late financier and sex offender, and his associate, Ghislaine Maxwell. Advertisement Advertisement A timeline of the Jeffrey Epstein investigation and the fight to make the governments files public Kentucky lawmaker, Rep. Thomas Massie (R), was one of two lawmakers to introduce the Epstein Files Transparency Act and continues to push for the complete release of unredacted case documents. However, the Commonwealths connection stretches far beyond playing a crucial role in the release. A quick search proves that the state of Kentucky is explicitly mentioned 1,438 times in the Epstein Library when you include both Kentucky and its abbreviation. Heres where the bluegrass surfaces throughout the files. Epsteins ex-pilot is an Eastern Kentucky University alum Two of the investigators key witnesses are Kentucky natives. But David Rodgers, Epsteins chief pilot, was the one closest to the center of Epsteins orbit. Advertisement Advertisement We heard at the airport that Mr. Epstein was purchasing an airplane when Dave [Rodgers] and myself were living in Columbus, and we had the opportunity to interview with him, and we did and got the job, Larry Visoski, former chief pilot, said in a deposition. Before his time in the cockpit, Rodgers spent the mid 70s on campus at Eastern Kentucky University. His ties to the university were revealed in the latest publication when he requested time off to attend the universitys homecoming in 2018. An archived 1975 EKU yearbook shows that Rodgers served as secretary of Sigma Alpha Epsilon and was a member of the Association of the United States Army. In 2024, he appeared on the fraternitys honor roll of donors for Eastern Kentuckys Class of 1975. (Encompass, Eastern Kentucky University Archives 1975 Yearbook) (Encompass, Eastern Kentucky University Archives 1975 Yearbook) According to a transcript of Visoskis interview, Epstein hired both men in 1991. Visoski suggested that in the early 2000s, Epstein appointed him chief pilot because he preferred Visoskis flying. His deposition also indicated that Epstein thought highly of the pair, allowing them to stay at his properties and giving them gifts such as cars and land. Advertisement Advertisement But you use the word friend. I dont know that a sure, he [Epstein] was a friend. I mean, Visoski said. Rodgers and Visoski went on to become crucial in retrieving the infamous flight, pilot, and passenger logs that have since spent years under the microscope. Well, lets go down to somebody that we may all know a little bit better. Feb. 9, 2002, theres a flight that has Bill Clinton, four Secret Service agents, and then instead of listing names or initials or anything else, its just listed as two males, one female, Jeffrey Epstein, Ghislaine Maxwell, and I forget who Dave Rogers told me AP is, a deposition transcript read. Either way, how is it that someone like Bill Clinton gets on a Jeffrey Epstein flight? Log entries such as the above raised new questions about the purpose of the flights, what occurred during them, and who was on board. Advertisement Advertisement U.S. attorney correspondence publicized in the files unveiled another entry in question, one that resembled the name of a missing teenager. Wanted to give you a heads up that we expect to ask Mr. Rodgers about a discrete topic that is related to our Epstein investigation, just through the logs it turns out that there is a missing person named a teenager from Florida, who was last seen sometime around Aug. 1, 1997. In the flight logs, there is an individual listed as [redacted] (so, slightly different spelling) on an August 1, 1997, flight thats designated as being from SAR to ZOR, Federal Prosecutor Brendan Quigley wrote ahead of an interview with Rodgers. Quigley was clear that Rodgers was to be treated as a witness regarding the flight logs, which would go on to become relevant again in 2015 in the defamation case involving Alan Dershowitz. The other problem was that the flight logs that Mr. Dershowitz had produced were inconsistent with the flight logs that Dave Rogers, one of Mr. Epsteins pilots, had, so there were now inconsistencies on these flight logs. It seemed to me to be surprising that during the period of time where [redacted] was involved, Mr. Dershowitz was not appearing on those flight logs, plaintiff Paul Cassell said in a deposition. Advertisement Advertisement That case eventually ended in a settlement. FOX 56 has reached out to Eastern Kentucky University, Sigma Alpha Epsilon, and Rodgers for comment, but has yet to receive a response. Kentucky Farmer sisters say they were first to report Epstein WASHINGTON, DC NOVEMBER 18: Epstein abuse survivor Annie Farmer holds up a photo of her younger self with her sister Maria Farmer during a news conference with lawmakers on the Epstein Files Transparency Act outside the U.S. Capitol on November 18, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Heather Diehl/Getty Images) A pair of Kentucky sisters were reportedly the first to blow the whistle on Epstein and his associate, Maxwell. According to Congressman Robert Garcia, Maria Farmer reported the pair to the FBI in 1996, but her sister Annie said no one followed up on their report. The Farmer sisters are among the many voices calling for the full release of the case files. (Epstein) flew me to New Mexico under the guise of meeting to plan for an educational trip he would pay for me to take, and it was there that he and Maxwell abused me at just 16 years old, Farmer said. I was quite confused by what happened. I didnt understand it, and I told no one, until a few months later when, horrifically, my sister was sexually assaulted by them. Advertisement Advertisement The Farmer sisters are reportedly from Paducah, court documents state. But in 1993, Maria moved to New York City to pursue her art career. It was there shed meet Epstein and Maxwell at one of her art openings. Epstein would later offer her a job purchasing art for him, which evolved into keeping records of who entered Epsteins New York mansion. According to a lawsuit, the pair became curious about Marias younger sister, Annie. After seeing photos of Annie, Epstein told Maria that he wanted to fly Annie to New York for a visit. Maria thought Epstein was simply being generous since Maria had explained how much she missed seeing Annie. What Maria did not realize was that Epstein was intending to groom Annie, the litigation reads. More trips were planned, and the abuse progressed. Maria recalled a time at billionaire and Victorias Secret executive Les Wexners Ohio estate when Epstein and Maxwell would violently sexually assault Maria. Advertisement Advertisement Desperate for help, Maria then called her father for help, the lawsuit reads. They eventually let Maria leave with her father, who had driven from Kentucky to Ohio to get Maria away from Epstein and Maxwell. Court documents state that this was the report Farmer says was ignored by investigators. Nearly three decades later, the Farmer sisters continue to speak publicly about what they endured, and Annie would go on to testify against Maxwell. It was one of the most challenging things Ive ever done, she said, but I did so because I believed it was important for myself and for so many others that she was held accountable. Advertisement Advertisement According to her website, Maria is still an artist and uses her platform to give a voice to Epsteins victims. Epstein courted for donations for Sen. Mitch McConnell Although theres no evidence in the documents available of direct correspondence between Epstein and Kentuckys longest-serving senator, Mitch McConnell, the former majority leaders name recurred in his inbox. Specifically, Epstein received invitations to at least two of the senators fundraisers in 2013 and 2015. In January 2013, John Catsimatidis, a former GOP candidate for mayor of New York City, invited Epstein to his home, requesting a donation of anywhere from $1,000 to $5,000. The Senator asked Chairman Ed Cox and myself to keep the group small, so he could have time to speak with everyone, and we have done so, Catsimatidis wrote. Advertisement Advertisement Two years later, McConnell was set to travel to the Virgin Islands for a fundraiser. The invitation stated the event would be hosted in Saint Thomas, which is around two miles away from Epsteins secluded private island, according to court documents. Attendees were asked to donate anywhere from $1,000 to $2,600. An email dated Feb. 10, 2015, shows that Epstein denied the invitation. The Federal Elections Commission records dont show evidence of Epstein making any donations to the McConnell campaign. According to Senate records, McConnell voted in favor of releasing files related to the Epstein investigation. University of Kentucky hosts Epstein associate The University of Kentucky appears only a handful of times in the documents, primarily through references made by Robert Trivers, an evolutionary biologist and sociobiologist whose correspondence with Epstein spans several years. Epstein had suggested that Trivers look into transgender biology, and that he was ready to fund his research. Here is the talk I will give in Zagreb, in London and elsewhere I think its a nice outgrowth of our collaboration, I will slice and dice the feminists in the first several minutes, will titillate the audience with transsexuality and homosexuality and end with something the feminists have nothing to say about-Honor Killings BTW the women in Zagreb are famously beautiful, perhaps a bit more light-skinned than I am used to, but I am eager to make the adjustment, Trivers wrote Before his time in Zagreb, email records show that Trivers traveled to Lexington to speak at the University of Kentucky. This lecture was also listed in Epsteins agenda: Reminder: Evening Lecture by Robert Trivers at the U of Kentucky on Evolution and Logic of Self-Deception. That morning, Epstein wrote to Trivers, wishing him luck. Records suggest that the biologist was considering a job at the university in 2016 and that it was more plausible than other options, such as Oklahoma State. All best to you, what about that island of yours? Trivers wrote. University Spokesperson Jay Blanton declined to comment. However, one mention of the University of Kentucky was notably different: an email from a then soontograduate student regarding a female personal assistant position. I am currently 20 years old, will be 21 this coming June. I attend the University of Kentucky as a junior, but have enough credits that I am graduating May 6th. Last summer (2016), I was a personal assistant for Robert Flaxman in Irvine, California. I was basically to run any errands, do anything he asked, and run in West Hollywood home. I am willing to move to NY or Paris, as I am very open and flexible to anything. I have attached a picture of myself as well so that you can get a feeling for me. If you think that I would be a possible candidate, I would be happy to let you know anything else you feel is necessary, the 2017 email read. The senders identity was redacted. The email was forwarded to Epstein, who was asked to review the candidates and submit his preference based on looks. Kentucky education standards halt high school launch Another notable email thread centers on states without Common Core requirements and the nuances of their charterschool laws. Its not evident what prompted the inquiry, but Epstein commented that he cant launch my CS high school because of Common Core standards. Kentucky was one of the states reviewed and the focus of the discussion. No innovation allowed, Epstein wrote. General foreman from Florence questioned after Epsteins death In 2022, the Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General interviewed a northern Kentucky native who had worked at the New York correctional facility where Epstein took his own life. According to the transcript, he worked as a general foreman before taking on facility manager duties, but left the institution before Epstein was lodged there. He was questioned regarding facility security, surveillance cameras, and the layout of the prison. But I can tell you that I know that SIS was constantly going to the comm techs all the time because they were doing investigations and had no camera footage. It almost seemed like [indiscernible] nd obviously this was long before the Jeffrey Epstein thing because, you know, I had even left the institution before Jeffrey Epstein got there, the foreman said. Epstein was found dead in his cell in 2019, FOX News previously reported. His associate, Maxwell, is serving a 20-year prison sentence after she was found guilty of conspiring with and aiding Epstein in his sexual abuse of underage girls. She recently requested clemency after invoking her Fifth Amendment rights declined to answer questions from House lawmakers in a deposition. She pledged that shed testify that President Donald Trump and former President Bill Clinton were clear of wrongdoing if the president ends her prison sentence. The Epstein Library is open and accessible to all individuals aged 18 and older through the Department of Justice. Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. The Ohio Joint Legislative Ethics Committee has decided not to move forward with an ethics complaint filed against Republican Ohio state Sen. Brian Chavez over alleged oil and gas conflicts. The Ohio Joint Legislative Ethics Committee did not take any action on the complaint within the 14-day window as required under Ohio law. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX This failed publicity stunt was nothing more than a libelous smear campaign against a respected State Senator that was backed by California special interests dead set on killing the oil and gas industry in Ohio, John Fortney, spokesperson for the Ohio Senate Republicans, said in a statement. Advertisement Advertisement Ohio Joint Legislative Ethics Committee Executive Director Tony Bledsoe said in an email that he could not comment on any specific matter which may or may not be before JLEC. A group called Washington County for Safe Drinking filed the ethics complaint last month which argues Chavezs alleged conflicts of interest and voting record as the Ohio Senate Energy Committee Chair shows he has prioritized personal financial gain. Our efforts are rooted in civic responsibility, Washington County for Safe Drinking Water said in a statement. This is not radicalism; it is participation. A healthy democracy depends on accountability, balance, and a commitment to fairness for all. Buckeye Environmental Network, Save Ohio Parks, and FaCT Ohio also signed the letter, which called for an investigation. Advertisement Advertisement The ethics complaint alleged Chavez fast-tracked a bill that could financially benefit him. Ohio Senate Bill 219 would change the states orphan well program by proposing a dedicated fund for plugging orphan wells and streamlining notice requirements before work would begin. An orphan well is an abandoned oil and gas well that has no owner, meaning no one is able to properly plug the well. It also makes it easier for drillers to get expedited review of projects, limits liability after a well owner sells one of their wells, and gets rid of a requirement for drillers to make road-use agreements with local governments. Advertisement Advertisement The bill was introduced by Ohio state Sen. Al Landis, R-Dover, in June, passed the Senate in November, and is now in the Ohio House. Chavez Well Service has bid on five orphan well contracts since Chavez was appointed to the Ohio Senate in December 2023 and won one contract worth more than $200,000, according to the complaint. Chavez was elected to a four-year term in 2024. If Senate Bill 219 were to become law, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources would receive less funding to protect Ohioans, while the oil and gas industry would benefit from reduced oversight, Washington County for Safe Drinking Water said in a statement. Advertisement Advertisement Given Senator Chavezs disclosed and undisclosed interests in the industry, he could personally benefit from the bills provisions. Washington County for Safe Drinking Water argues that Chavez should have recused himself from any involvement in S.B. 219. Instead, he co-sponsored the legislation, accelerated its movement, and publicly advocated for it in the Energy Committee, which he chairs, Washington County for Safe Drinking Water said in a statement. Ohios Orphan Well Program has plugged approximately 2,300 abandoned wells since its inception in 1977. Follow Capital Journal Reporter Megan Henry on Bluesky. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE By Andrew Gray BRUSSELS, Feb 10 (Reuters) - European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said on Tuesday she would propose a list of concessions that Europe should demand from Russia as part of a settlement to end the war in Ukraine. Talks to end the war have mainly involved Ukrainian, U.S. and Russian officials, with Europeans consulted from time to time. But European officials say there can be no peace deal without them. Advertisement Advertisement "Everybody around the table, including the Russians and the Americans, needs to understand that you need Europeans to agree," Kallas told a group of news agency reporters in Brussels. "And for that, we also have conditions. And we should put the conditions not on Ukrainians, who have been already pressured a lot, but on the Russians." TO PUT LIST TO EU GOVERNMENTS IN COMING DAYS Kallas said she would propose a list to EU member governments in the coming days. Asked what the list could include, she cited the return of all Ukrainian children abducted during the war and limitations on Russia's armed forces. She did not elaborate further. Advertisement Advertisement European officials say they have leverage such as some 210 billion euros ($250 billion) in Russian assets frozen in Europe, which may be part of any settlement. Most European nations have pursued a policy of diplomatically isolating Russia since its 2022 invasion of Ukraine. But some have spoken in recent months in favour of talking directly to Moscow, partly as they are wary of extensive discussions between U.S. and Russian officials. French President Emmanuel Macron's top foreign policy adviser, Emmanuel Bonne, visited Moscow last week for talks with Russian officials. Some European officials have suggested appointing an EU envoy to lead talks with Russia. But Kallas said it was important for the bloc to decide its messages to Moscow before considering such an appointment. Advertisement Advertisement "If we don't stand up for anything, there's no point for us to be around the table," Kallas said. "It's important that we discuss what kind of concessions we need to see from the Russian side in order to have a sustainable peace." ($1 = 0.8401 euros) (Reporting by Andrew Gray, Editing by Charlotte Van Campenhout and Alex Richardson) Europe must become a military superpower to survive without the United States, the former head of Britains Armed Forces has warned. Gen Sir Nick Carter said the Continent could no longer afford to rely on the US by default and called for a rapid increase in defence spending. In a report to a major security summit in Germany, he said Europe should be a superpower, economically, politically and militarily to defend itself in the evolving world order. Advertisement Advertisement Emmanuel Macron, the French president, said on Tuesday that Europe needed to wake up and start acting like a major world power. He also claimed that Donald Trump, the US president, wanted to dismember the EU. Demolition man The organisers of the Munich Security Conference released a statement before Mr Macrons intervention, also singling out demolition man Mr Trump. It said the United States has largely abandoned the role of the leader of the free world under the president and that the world was now in an era of wrecking-ball politics. On Tuesday, Mr Trump began relinquishing control of some Nato bases after repeated threats to walk away from the alliance. Advertisement Advertisement Meanwhile, Nato chiefs in Europe announced a new mission to the Arctic to address the US presidents concerns about security in the region. Britain will send an additional 1,000 troops to Norway as part of the operation. John Healey, the Defence Secretary, told The Telegraph that demands on defence are rising, adding: The UK is stepping up on European security and leading within Nato to boost our collective defence and deterrence. Sir Nick, who served as chief of the defence staff from 2018-2021, said in the report that Europe must rapidly prepare for a new world without the US playing a traditional protector role. Europes influence will depend on its ability to take rapid collective action. A Europe that can do so and take responsibility for its own defence and security will remain a shaper of the international order. A Europe that cannot will be shaped by others, he said. Gen Sir Nick Carter said Europe should be a superpower, economically, politically and militarily to defend itself - Paul Grover He released a five-point plan in a paper for the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change, calling for sustained funding of Ukraines defences, a crackdown on Russian sabotage operations, a rewiring of European decision-making and arms production to make the Continent less reliant on the US and a new social contract to build public trust in the military overhaul. Advertisement Advertisement Doubts have been raised about the US presidents support for Natos Article 5 mutual defence clause, while his threat to seize Greenland by force has called the alliances entire future into question. Since his re-election, the Pentagon has sought to reshape Nato by forcing its European member states to take more responsibility for their own defence and security. Swedish artillery take part in a Nato drill in Finland. Arctic countries are increasingly at the forefront of the continents defence - Leon Neal/Getty Images In the first significant change, the chairman of Natos military committee announced on Tuesday that Britain would be handed a major role in Mr Trumps new vision for the transatlantic alliance. A British general will assume control of the Joint Force Command Norfolk, Virginia, a post currently filled by a US admiral. The base is the only operations facility on American soil and is in charge of the alliances Atlantic posture. Advertisement Advertisement It is a key role given that Nato chiefs have extended the area of operation to the Arctic in an effort to placate Mr Trumps desire to take over Greenland. Allies have agreed on a new distribution of senior officer responsibility across the Nato Command Structure in which European Allies, including Natos newest members, will play a more prominent role in the alliances military leadership, a Nato official told The Telegraph. Mr Trump has sought to reduce Europes reliance on US security guarantees within Nato - Andrew Harnik/Getty Images Under the changes, Italy will take over Joint Force Command Naples, which is responsible for Natos southern and Mediterranean flank. Meanwhile, Germany and Poland will share responsibility for Joint Force Command Brunssum in the Netherlands. The command oversees the alliances eastern flank. Advertisement Advertisement Nato insiders insisted that the changes were not Mr Trump and the US stepping back from the alliance. Andrius Kubilius, the EUs defence commissioner, is planning a missile tour of Europe to push for countries to start manufacturing more long-range weapons. In recent weeks, he has also been a vocal supporter of a 100,000-strong European Military Force, which reimagines Continental defences without the backing of America. Nato troops on deployment in Bulgaria in 2025. Fears are rising in Europe that the US is stepping back from the alliance - Bulgarian Ministry of Defence Mr Healey announced that British forces would take part in the Arctic Sentry mission. On a visit to Royal Marines at Camp Viking in the Norwegian Arctic, he promised to increase the number of troops deployed to the country from 1,000 to 2,000 over the next three years. Advertisement Advertisement Meanwhile, on Tuesday MPs were warned that the Royal Navys flagship plan to develop a fleet of hybrid warships and drones relied too heavily on unproven technologies. Experts warned that the Atlantic Bastion project, which was unveiled last year and seeks to build new autonomous vessels to support future naval operations, was based on vapourware. Defence chiefs hope the scheme will bulk out the Navy, which has shrunk to its smallest size in recent years, and fortify the North Atlantic and Baltic regions against Russian submarines. But during a session of the Commons defence committee, maritime analysts raised their reservations about the concept, which they feared could take years to deliver any vessels. Try full access to The Telegraph free today. Unlock their award-winning website and essential news app, plus useful tools and expert guides for your money, health and holidays. Coca-Cola reported higher fourth-quarter revenue, boosted by higher prices and sales volume. - Cindy Ord/Getty Images Coca-Cola reported higher fourth-quarter revenue, boosted by increased prices and sales volume. But the companys quarterly revenue missed Wall Streets expectations and the stock was recently down 3.6% to $75.19 in premarket trading. Most Read from The Wall Street Journal Coca-Colas quarterly earnings rose 4% from the prior-year quarter to 53 cents a share. Comparable earnings were 58 cents a share. Analysts polled by FactSet had expected 56 cents. Revenue rose 2% to $11.8 billion. Wall Street had expected $12.05 billion. Unit case volume rose 1%, led by growth in Brazil, the U.S. and Japan. Revenues were also boosted by higher prices, which was partially offset by an unfavorable product mix. Last year, Coke began offering new package sizes for consumers looking for lower prices, with Chief Operating Officer Henrique Braun saying that middle and low-income consumers were feeling pressure. Unit case volume of juice, value-added dairy and plant-based beverages declined 3%, while water, sports, coffee and tea grew 3%. Sparkling soft drinks were even. The company guided for 2026 organic revenue growth of 4% to 5% and comparable earnings growth of 7% to 8%. Coca-Cola said in December that Chief Executive James Quincey would step down from his role in March, naming Braun as Quinceys successor. Last month, the company also said it would create a new chief digital officer position and reorganize several senior-leadership responsibilities to accelerate its digital strategy efforts. Write to Nicholas G. Miller at nicholas.miller@wsj.com Most Read from The Wall Street Journal A former Quincy city manager with a history of embezzlement was arrested Feb. 10 on numerous charges for allegedly steering more than $30,000 in Community Redevelopment Agency funds toward his own now-defunct cigar bar. Robert Nixon, 60, was arrested on one count of organized scheme to defraud, one count of grand theft and four counts each of official misconduct, forgery and uttering forged instruments, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement said in a news release. Nixon also faces two counts of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon for guns found at his residence the morning of his arrest, said Assistant State Attorney James Beville. Advertisement Advertisement He was hired by the city in 2018 as its CRA director, and in 2022, city commissioners appointed him city manager in a unanimous vote. He continued to hold the position of CRA director until December 2024. In September 2024, FDLE's Office of Executive Investigations and the State Attorney's Office launched a joint investigation after receiving a complaint that Nixon was embezzling money from the CRA. The investigation found that Nixon allegedly funneled $32,700 in CRA funding to Monterrey Cigar Social, his business on West Jefferson Street in downtown Quincy. The crimes allegedly occurred between May 2022 and April 2023. Gadsden County Courthouse, Friday, June 12, 2020 "Investigators also determined that Nixon forged an invoice and created a fictitious official record in connection with the embezzled funds, which were used to renovate a property he leased for his personal business," FDLE said. "Additional embezzled funds were used to purchase a humidor and cigars for his cigar lounge." Advertisement Advertisement Beville said the CRA voted to give the funds to a different business but that it never received the money. That business and Nixon's were housed in buildings owned by the same property owner, who was oblivious to the scheme. It went to the cigar bar instead, without anybodys knowledge, he said. Court records with more details were not immediately available. Beville said Nixon was able to carry out his scheme because of the public positions he held. He controlled the money, the prosecutor said. He was a CRA director and the city manager. In 2010, Nixon, former director of the Florida A&M Universitys Institute on Urban Policy and Commerce, and Eugene Telfair, the former president of the FAMU Credit Union, were convicted of federal charges after embezzling $134,000 in federal housing grants. Nixon was sentenced to 27 months in federal prison, Telfair to 30 months. Advertisement Advertisement Nixon was taken into custody without incident and booked into the Gadsden County Jail. His first court appearance was scheduled for Feb. 11. Contact Jeff Burlew at jburlew@tallahassee.com or 850-599-2180. This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Fired Quincy city manager arrested for allegedly stealing CRA funds (Corrects Feb 6 story to state that Guterres warning was made in January 28 letter to member states, not two weeks ago; adds byline, 'says' in headline) By David Brunnstrom WASHINGTON, Feb 6 (Reuters) - The United States will make an initial payment towards the billions of dollars it owes to the United Nations in a matter of weeks, the U.S. ambassador to the world body told Reuters on Friday, while stressing the need for the U.N. to continue reforms. Advertisement Advertisement Mike Waltz made the comments in a telephone interview after U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres sounded the alarm on U.N. finances in a January 28 letter to member states and warned that the 193-country organization is at risk of "imminent financial collapse" due to unpaid fees, the majority of which are owed by Washington. "You'll certainly see an initial tranche of money very shortly," Waltz said. "It'll be a significant ... down payment on our annual dues ... I don't believe that the ultimate figure is decided, but it'll be in a matter of weeks." U.N. officials say more than 95 percent of what is owed to the regular U.N. budget is owed by the United States - $2.19 billion by the start of February. The U.S. also owes another $2.4 billion for current and past peace-keeping missions and $43.6 million for U.N. tribunals. On December 30, the U.N. General Assembly approved $3.45 billion for the regular U.N. budget for 2026, following weeks of negotiations. This covers costs of running U.N. offices around the world, including the headquarters in New York, staff salaries, meetings and development and human rights work. Advertisement Advertisement The U.N. funding crisis comes at a time when the United States under President Donald Trump has been retreating from multilateralism on numerous fronts. U.S. arrears to the United Nations have grown substantially during his presidency, even though Americas history of falling behind on its U.N. payments stretches back decades. U.N. officials say the U.S. did not pay into the regular budget last year and owes $827 million for that, as well as $767 million for 2026. CONGRESSIONAL SPENDING BILL On Tuesday, Trump signed into law a spending bill that includes $3.1 billion for U.S. dues to the U.N. and other international organizations. Advertisement Advertisement Asked if the money he spoke of would go towards last year's dues or those for 2026, or both, Waltz said: "just in general, towards the arrears, and also in recognition of some of the reforms that we've seen." Under Trump, as well as refusing to make mandatory payments to the U.N.'s regular and peacekeeping budgets, the U.S. has slashed voluntary funding to U.N. agencies with their own budgets, and moved to exit U.N. organizations including the World Health Organization. Waltz said the United States was very supportive of Guterres' UN80 reform effort and called it an important first step that needed to be continued. "It doesn't go far enough, but it's an important step. I wish the secretary-general had made it in year one or two of his tenure, not year nine," he said. Advertisement Advertisement "We're very focused ... on getting back to basics, on peace and security. And ... the president is rightly asking, how can we get the UN back to realizing its full potential? "All of those conversations are currently being had and are in play, and we expect to see more reforms coming," Waltz said. 'TOUGH LOVE' "This is some tough love. The current model is unsustainable for a lot of countries, and we're trying to get the UN back, fit for purpose and focused, and stop trying to do everything for everyone." Waltz said reducing duplication was a key aim, saying that for example, there were seven UN agencies with climate change as their primary mission. Advertisement Advertisement "Now, regardless of the climate change debate, we don't need seven," he said, adding that the U.S. also supported consolidation of logistics and back offices at humanitarian agencies. "The UN bureaucracy has grown too large, and needs to be much more efficient and effective," he said. Guterres launched his UN80 reforms last year, seeking to cut costs and improve efficiency. The approved 2026 regular budget is roughly $200 million higher than he proposed, but about 7 per cent lower than the approved 2025 budget. He warned last month that the U.N. could run out of cash by July and cited a "Kafkaesque" requirement for it to credit back hundreds of millions of dollars in unspent dues to states each year even if it never received the money. Advertisement Advertisement Waltz said member states should change this rule. He said U.S. peacekeeping arrears were in part due to a "statutory disconnect" between what the U.N. assesses and U.S. law allows to be paid and added: "That'll be addressed the next time we negotiate our assessments, which I believe is next year." (Reporting by David Brunnstrom; Editing by Diane Craft) Researchers from the European Environment Agency found that some of the smallest pollutants in the air are the most deadly, contributing to hundreds of thousands of early deaths. What's happening? The Guardian detailed the EEA report that linked air pollution, led by tiny particulates known as PM2.5, to over 500,000 deaths on the continent in 2021. Approximately 253,000 were attributed to high levels of PM2.5 pollution, which exceeded the World Health Organization's recommended limits. Other major contributors to fatalities were elevated exposure to nitrogen dioxide and ozone levels. The high early mortality rates reveal why dirty air is frequently referred to as the "silent killer." Advertisement Advertisement "The figures released today by the EEA remind us that air pollution is still the No. 1 environmental health problem in the EU," declared Virginijus Sinkevicius, the EU's environment commissioner, per the Guardian. There was progress overall in the EU's efforts to rein in pollution. The continent saw a 41% reduction in early deaths caused by PM2.5 pollution between 2005 and 2021. Why is air pollution's toll on human health important? It is easy to see that air pollution is a major cause of death based on this report. The researchers also found that it has strong negative effects on the quality of life for much of the population. The researchers looked at the EU population suffering from asthma, diabetes, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. They found that PM2.5 pollution costs that group 150,000 years of life and results in around the same number of years of disability. Advertisement Advertisement "People can live for a long period in a bad condition," EEA researcher Alberto Gonzalez Ortiz told the Guardian. "Considering only mortality, we were underestimating the impact of air pollution." The EEA's research mirrors other assessments by WHO, illustrating the perils of rampant air pollution. What's being done about air pollution in the UK? The EU voted to bring its air quality standards in line with WHO's, though the deadline for that isn't until 2035. Still, the continent is making measurable progress by pushing the transition to clean energy and electrifying transportation. That includes major projects to boost solar production and multinational initiatives to expand offshore wind. Other moves include electric car adoption, which member countries incentivize with tax credits and other measures. Advertisement Advertisement "The good news is that clean air policy works, and our air quality is improving," explained Sinkevicius. "But we need to do better still and bring pollution levels down further." Get TCD's free newsletters for easy tips to save more, waste less, and make smarter choices and earn up to $5,000 toward clean upgrades in TCD's exclusive Rewards Club. A Pentagon plan to use a high-energy, counter-drone laser without having coordinated with the Federal Aviation Administration about potential risks to civilian flights prompted Wednesdays unprecedented airspace shutdown over El Paso, Texas, multiple sources told CNN. Two people familiar with the matter said later Wednesday that Customs and Border Protection, not the US military, was in control of the laser technology when it was used this week around El Paso to shoot down balloons. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth signed off on loaning CBP the technology in recent weeks, one of the sources said. Advertisement Advertisement The sources said the Defense Department led the development of the technology, but CBP was physically operating it this week. Another source familiar with the matter said Defense personnel were present when the device was used. CNN has asked the Defense Department and the Department of Homeland Security for comment. A source told CNN earlier Wednesday that the US military used the laser technology to shoot down four mylar balloons this week, contributing to the decision by the FAA to shut down local airspace. Those accounts come as the Trump administration has claimed that a Mexican cartel drone crossing into US airspace is what triggered the 10-mile restriction centered on El Paso International Airport. Advertisement Advertisement Late Tuesday, the FAA abruptly issued a temporary flight restriction that immediately grounded all flights up to 18,000 feet around the city for 10 days, effectively shutting down El Paso International Airport. Roughly eight hours later, the restriction was lifted. By the time the FAA had lifted the flight restrictions, airlines had already issued travel waivers and notified customers of potential changes. Multiple sources from the federal government and US airlines told CNN that military activity near El Paso, including US drones monitoring cartel operations and the Pentagons planned use of a high-energy laser designed to counter drones, raised immediate concerns for civilian traffic arriving and departing El Paso International Airport. Fort Bliss and its airfield, Biggs Army Airfield, sit just north of the commercial airport, which serves about 100 flights each day. FAA and Pentagon officials had been scheduled to meet February 20 to review potential impacts and mitigation measures for a test of the laser system, a technology the Pentagon has been testing in more remote areas of the country, multiple sources said. But the Defense Department sought to use the system sooner around El Paso, prompting the FAA to impose the temporary flight restriction until that coordination could occur. The 10-day restriction would have expired on February 21, one day after DoD and the FAA were set to meet. Advertisement Advertisement The FAAs decision to close the airspace was made without telling the White House first, according to people familiar with the matter. The issue became a topic of intense focus inside the West Wing in the early morning hours of Wednesday, as Texas lawmakers pressed for answers on why the airspace was suddenly closed without first alerting them. An administration official said Wednesday morning that the shutdown was triggered by Defense Department action to disable cartel drones. Its unclear if the presence of drones might have led to the acceleration of the deployment of the laser system. CNN reached out to the FAA and White House for comment about the differing explanations. The Pentagon on Wednesday continued to refer to the administration officials statement about a drone breach having caused the airspace closure. Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy posted to social media crediting the FAA and Defense Department with acting swiftly to address a cartel drone incursion. Advertisement Advertisement The threat has been neutralized, and there is no danger to commercial travel in the region, he wrote on X. Incursions along the southern border are extremely common and historically do not prompt such airspace closures. In 2024, for example, Air Force Gen. Greg Guillot, the commander of NORTHCOM, told the Senate Armed Services Committee that the number of incursions along the US Mexico border was over a thousand each month. The Drug Enforcement Administration and other US security agencies have used facilities at the Biggs Army Airfield for years as part of efforts to monitor Mexico-based drug cartel operations, current and former US officials said. El Paso, with a population of nearly 700,000, is the sixth-largest city in Texas and one of the 25 largest in the United States. It is a hub of cross-border commerce alongside neighboring Ciudad Juarez in Mexico. Advertisement Advertisement Nearly 3.5 million passengers passed through El Paso International Airport in the first 11 months of 2025, according to its website. The airport describes itself as the gateway to West Texas, southern New Mexico and northern Mexico. The US military has been testing laser-based air defenses against drones in recent months. Last summer, the Army conducted a live-fire exercise using directed energy weapons alongside more traditional air defense systems at Fort Sill, Oklahoma. And last fall, the Army put out a request to industry for ideas on a counter-drone Enduring-High Energy Laser (E-HEL) weapon system. Security personnel at El Paso International Airport on February 11, 2026. - Jose Luis Gonzalez/Reuters Confusion over flight restrictions In the initial flight restrictions, the FAA classified the area around El Paso as (National) Defense Airspace and said pilots who violated the restriction could be intercepted, detained and questioned by law enforcement. It warned that additional actions could be taken for pilots who dont adhere to the restrictions, including suspension of flight certifications, criminal charges, and that the US government may use deadly force if an aircraft poses an imminent security threat. Advertisement Advertisement The sudden FAA restrictions seemed to catch pilots and air traffic controllers by surprise. Audio from LiveATC.net caught the moment pilots were made aware of the grounding. Just pass it on to everybody else, at 06:30 for the next 10 days, were all at a ground stop, a controller said. A pilot replied, OK, ground stop 06:30 for how long? Ten days, the controller replied. So the airport is totally closed? the pilot said, chuckling. The controller replied, Apparently, we just got informed about 30 minutes to an hour ago. So for 10 days you guys are not open, the pilot said, in disbelief. Well, well be here, but no air traffic, the controller said. Advertisement Advertisement OK, the pilot said while laughing. Samuel, a traveler in El Paso, told CNN affiliate KFOX he was doing a book tour with a client and didnt get any notification from his airline. I just kind of saw all the cops here and the news cameras, he said. I gotta figure out whats going on if theres another airport thats not in El Paso, and try to figure out and rent a car out. Democratic Rep. Veronica Escobar of Texas told reporters Wednesday that the closure of the El Paso International Airport was solely a FAA decision and that local officials including members of Congress were left completely in the dark before it happened. Advertisement Advertisement She stressed that she was not notified in advance despite representing the congressional district thats home to the airport, Fort Bliss and the broader El Paso community. They did not alert the El Paso city manager or the El Paso mayor, Escobar said on a press call Wednesday morning. Everyone locally on the ground was in the dark, and the impact, obviously, is highly consequential. The Associated Press and CNNs Evan Perez, Kevin Liptak, Kit Mayer, Camila DeChalus, Karina Tsui, and Diego Mendoza contributed to this report. This headline and story have been updated with additional developments. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com A dispute between the Federal Aviation Administration and the Pentagon resulted in the unusual but brief closure of the airspace over El Paso, Texas, Tuesday night into Wednesday morning, according to multiple news reports. The Defense Department planned to test a laser that could shoot down drones used by Mexican drug cartels, according to The Associated Press. But rather than wait to coordinate the test with the FAA, Defense officials reportedly decided to try out the laser immediately. That prompted the FAA to close the airspace, and to shut down flights into and out of El Paso International Airport. The FAA initially attributed the closure to "special security reasons," saying the space would be off limits for 10 days. Aircraft that entered the area would be intercepted or, if necessary to deal with an imminent security threat, shot down, officials said. Advertisement Advertisement The restricted zone encompassed most of El Paso County and extended into southern New Mexico, but did not include Mexican airspace. FAA Hours later, however, the FAA reopened the area to air traffic. "The temporary closure of airspace over El Paso has been lifted," the FAA said in a post on X shortly before 9 a.m. Eastern time. "There is no threat to commercial aviation. All flights will resume as normal." Why did it close? Shortly after the FAA's reversal, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said officials ordered the closure because Mexican cartel drones breached American airspace. Duffy added that "the threat has been neutralized, and there is no danger to commercial travel in the region." Airlines were resuming their normal flight schedules, he said. Advertisement Advertisement He did not address why the FAA initially ordered a 10-day closure. The FAA and DOW acted swiftly to address a cartel drone incursion. The threat has been neutralized, and there is no danger to commercial travel in the region. The restrictions have been lifted and normal flights are resuming. https://t.co/xQA1cMy7l0 - Secretary Sean Duffy (@SecDuffy) February 11, 2026 However, the AP quoted sources as saying the closure stemmed from the Pentagon's planned laser test at Fort Bliss, an Army base outside El Paso. The FAA expressed concerns about the plan, specifically wanting to ensure commercial air safety, so the two agencies planned to coordinate. Even though the Pentagon and the FAA had scheduled a meeting later this month, Defense officials decided to go ahead with the test, the AP said. It is unclear whether the laser was ultimately deployed. For months, the Trump administration has said it planned to neutralize drones used by some Mexican cartels. One official told Congress that 27,000 drones had flown within 500 meters of the border during a six-month period in 2024. Advertisement Advertisement When asked Wednesday about the Trump administration's report of a drone incursion, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum expressed skepticism, The New York Times reported. "There is no information about the use of drones at the border," she said. Community taken by surprise Local officials say they were given no advance notice of the airspace closure. Speaking Wednesday at a news conference, El Paso Mayor Renard Johnson called the closure "a major and unnecessary disruption, one that has not occurred since 9/11." "Decisions made without notice and coordination puts lives at risk and creates unnecessary danger and confusion," he said. Advertisement Advertisement Rep. Veronica Escobar, D-Texas, whose district includes El Paso, said she did not believe that the shutdown was based on a cartel's drone entering U.S. airspace. That, she said, "is not what we in Congress have been told." "I believe the FAA owes the community and the country an explanation as to why this happened so suddenly and abruptly and was lifted so suddenly and abruptly," Escobar said. "There was not a threat, which is why the FAA lifted this restriction so quickly," she said. "The information coming from the federal government does not add up." The post Dispute over testing anti-drone laser led to airspace closure of El Paso: Reports appeared first on Straight Arrow News. Related Links The Federal Aviation Administration reopened airspace over El Paso and part of southern New Mexico on Wednesday morning after shutting it down for a few hours overnight amid an announcement there would be no flights for 10 days. The White House now says the unusual closure was triggered by Mexican cartel drones breaching U.S. airspace contradicting an industry source who said it was because of an impasse with the Department of Defense over the use of unmanned military aircraft. The temporary closure of airspace over El Paso has been lifted. There is no threat to commercial aviation. All flights will resume as normal, the FAA shared on X. Before it was reversed, the unexplained notices late Tuesday closed airspace over El Paso and a large patch of southern New Mexico west of Santa Teresa for 10 days. El Paso International Airport was set to be closed to all flights, the city had said. The orders closed off all air travel in the affected area, which could cause massive disruption in the nations 23rd-largest city. Advertisement Advertisement It was chaos on the ground, El Paso Mayor Renard Johnson said. This should have never happened, Johnson said during a Wednesday morning press conference. You cannot restrict airspace over a major city without coordinating with the city, the airport, the hospitals, the community leadership. That failure to communicate is unacceptable. Because of the closure, Johnson said a lot of surgical equipment destined for city hospitals didnt show up and an unspecified number of medical evacuation flights were also forced to divert to Las Cruces, New Mexico, more than 40 miles away. The El Paso International Airport reported 14 cancelled and 13 delayed flights Wednesday, according to FlightAware. Advertisement Advertisement Johnson said local officials are still trying to get a clear answer on why the closure happened. Were going to continue to reach out to our state and federal partners, he said. U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, the Commerce Committee chair, said Wednesday that he requested a classified briefing with FAA and military leaders to get further details. There are real security threats that the Department of War is rightly focused on addressing, Cruz said after a pre-scheduled briefing with FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford. At the same time, the FAA is rightly focused on ensuring safety in the airspace. And so, at this point, the details of what exactly occurred over El Paso are unclear. Advertisement Advertisement An industry official, who had been briefed on the matter by the FAA in a morning call and asked not to be identified, told the Tribune that the Defense Department has been operating unmanned aircraft, or drones, against drug cartel operations from a base near El Pasos airport without sharing information with the FAA. It has to do with the FAAs inability to predict where [unmanned aircraft systems] might be flying, the official told the Tribune. They have been operating outside the normal flight paths. The Associated Press reported that the surprise closure stemmed from the Pentagon allowing U.S. Customs and Border Patrol to use an anti-drone laser earlier this week, according to two people familiar with the situation who were granted anonymity to share sensitive details. One source told the Associated Press the laser was deployed near Fort Bliss without coordination with the FAA. That caused friction with the FAA, which wanted to ensure commercial air safety, two people told The Associated Press. Despite a meeting scheduled later this month to discuss the issue, the Pentagon wanted to go ahead and test the laser, prompting the FAA to shutter the airspace, the sources said. Advertisement Advertisement Another source familiar with the shutdown said the defense operations had been going on for days, and that the military had made FAA officials aware of their plans. But a Trump official on Wednesday said the closure occurred because Mexican cartel drones breached U.S. airspace. The Department of War took action to disable the drones, the official said, and both the FAA and the military have now determined there is no threat to commercial travel. The FAA and DOW acted swiftly to address a cartel drone incursion, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy posted on X, referring to the Department of War. The threat has been neutralized, and there is no danger to commercial travel in the region. U.S. Rep. Veronica Escobar, D-El Paso, who cast doubt on the administrations explanation, said in a social media post there was an alarming and unhelpful amount of misinformation around the closure, including from the White House. Advertisement Advertisement The statement by the administration that this shutdown was linked to a Mexican cartel drone that came into US airspace that is not my understanding, Escobar said at a Wednesday morning press conference. Escobar said the shutdown decision was made by the FAA in Washington, and that neither she, local officials in El Paso nor El Paso International Airport were notified by the agency. Escobar said she found out about the closure late Tuesday night from a member of the federal workforce. While she would not comment on whether or not drone activity factored into the closure, she noted that drone incursions are not unusual and have occurred for years. She said the FAA owes the public an explanation for the abrupt closure and reopening. The information coming from the administration does not add up, and its not the information that I was able to gather overnight and this morning, she said. Advertisement Advertisement Top Democrats on the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee blamed the White House and the Pentagon. While were not happy with the disruption, we commend the FAA for taking swift action to protect travelers and ensure the safety of U.S. airspace, Reps. Rick Larsen, D-Washington and Andre Carson, D-Indiana, said in a statement. This chaotic outcome is the result of ham-handed language forced into the [National Defense Authorization Act] by the White House that allowed the Pentagon to act recklessly in the public airspace. U.S. Rep. Troy Nehls, R-Richmond, told Politico that he spoke to FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford Wednesday morning. Nehls, the chairman of the aviation subcommittee on the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee, said the panel plans to look into why the administrator shut down the airspace. Having effective communication could prevent little things like this from becoming an issue, Nehls said. Advertisement Advertisement Escobar said there was not a threat to El Paso, which is why the restriction was lifted so quickly. A Southwest Airlines spokesperson said the airline resumed operations to and from the airport after the FAA lifted restrictions and customers should confirm their flights status before flying. The Tribune was unable to immediately reach Fort Bliss officials for comment. Disclosure: Politico 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 Tribunes journalism. Find a complete list of them here. Editor's note: The temporary flight restriction has been lifted as of Wednesday morning, Feb. 11. Click here for the latest updates. The Federal Aviation Administration has issued a temporary flight restriction that halts all flights to and from El Paso and neighboring Santa Teresa, New Mexico, city officials said. The restriction prohibits all aircraft operations, including commercial, cargo and general aviation flights, from 11:30 p.m. MST on Feb. 10 through 11:30 p.m. MST on Feb. 20. The restriction was issued for "special security reasons", according to an FAA notice, a move that is rare for an airport in a major U.S. city. Advertisement Advertisement El Paso is the 23rd-largest city in the United States, and the total airspace closure is expected to cause considerable disruption across the national aviation network. Planes sit on the tarmac at El Paso International Airport on Feb. 11, 2026, after all flights were grounded when the FAA implemented a temporary flight restriction. At 2:30 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 11, El Paso International Airport appeared nearly deserted. Employees on site said they were unsure what prompted the halt of all flights. Noah Velasquez, a Lower Valley resident, was scheduled to depart for New York City at 7 a.m. Like many travelers, he was notified around midnight that his flight had been canceled. More: El Paso mayor criticizes FAA for 'unnecessary' flight halt, lack of communication Advertisement Advertisement Velasquez said he and other passengers were among the first to alert American Airlines to the situation at the El Paso airport. American Airlines wasnt even notified, Velasquez said. We were the ones who told them. Its very confusing. I dont know whats going on either. Overnight travelers were stunned to learn that the U.S. had halted all flights at the El Paso International Airport because of security reasons. The special FAA order could last for 10 days in El Paso and nearby Santa Teresa, N.M., according to the agency's notice. Overnight travelers were stunned to learn that the U.S. had halted all flights at the El Paso International Airport because of security reasons. The special FAA order could last for 10 days in El Paso and nearby Santa Teresa, N.M., according to the agency's notice. Overnight travelers were stunned to learn that the U.S. had halted all flights at the El Paso International Airport because of security reasons. The special FAA order could last for 10 days in El Paso and nearby Santa Teresa, N.M., according to the agency's notice. Overnight travelers were stunned to learn that the U.S. had halted all flights at the El Paso International Airport because of security reasons. The special FAA order could last for 10 days in El Paso and nearby Santa Teresa, N.M., according to the agency's notice. Inside El Paso airport after FAA grounds flights for 10 days 1 of 4 Overnight travelers were stunned to learn that the U.S. had halted all flights at the El Paso International Airport because of security reasons. The special FAA order could last for 10 days in El Paso and nearby Santa Teresa, N.M., according to the agency's notice. The notice, in part, reads: "THE FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION (FAA) CLASSIFIES THE AIRSPACE DEFINED IN THIS NOTAM AS 'NTL DEFENSE AIRSPACE'. PILOTS WHO DO NOT ADHERE TO THE FOLLOWING PROC MAY BE INTERCEPTED, DETAINED AND INTERVIEWED BY LAW ENFORCEMENT/SECURITY PERSONNEL. ANY OF THE FOLLOWING ADDITIONAL ACTIONS MAY ALSO BE TAKEN AGAINST A PILOT WHO DOES NOT COMPLY WITH THE RQMNTS OR ANY SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS OR PROC ANNOUNCED IN THIS NOTAM." It goes on to state that the FAA may take administrative actions and can use "deadly force against the airborne acft, if it is determined that the ACFT poses an imminent security threat." Advertisement Advertisement More: El Paso is now a hub for detentions and deportations The exclusion does not affect Juarez and Mexican airspace. The Federal Aviation Administration has issued a temporary flight restriction that halts all flights to and from El Paso and the neighboring Santa Teresa, New Mexico. It prohibits all aircraft operations, including commercial, cargo and general aviation flights, from 11:30 p.m. MST on Feb. 10 through 11:30 p.m. MST on Feb. 20. The FAA notice does not explain why the closure order was issued. Information shared on El Paso International Airports social media accounts matched the details released by the city regarding the restriction. The city of El Paso issued a statement on the restriction at 12:35 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 11. "Airport staff has reached out to the FAA, and we are pending additional guidance." according to the city's statement. "In the meanwhile, commercial airlines operating out of El Paso are being informed of the restriction, which appears to be security related. Travelers are encouraged to contact their airlines to get the latest information on their flight status." Advertisement Advertisement The restriction covers a 10mile area around El Paso and applies to all airspace from the ground up to nearly 18,000 feet. Under the restriction, aircraft are not allowed to fly in the area unless they receive specific authorization from federal officials. New and creative light fixtures have been installed at the El Paso International Airport on Aug. 7, 2025. Officials at El Paso International Airport said they have contacted the FAA and are awaiting additional guidance. Commercial airlines operating out of El Paso are being notified of the restriction. Travelers are encouraged to contact their airlines for the latest information on flight status and rebooking options. This closure of the airspace in El Paso is similar to government actions taken after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attack on several U.S. civilian and military sites. Advertisement Advertisement More: Scenes inside El Paso airport after FAA flight grounding Just minutes after that attack, the FAA banned all outgoing flights and ordered all planes in the air to land at the nearest airport. El Paso International Airport canceled nearly 70 departing flights. Seven airplanes landed at the El Paso airport, carrying a total of more than 700 passengers, according to El Paso Times archives. Passengers arrive at El Paso International Airport on Feb. 11, 2026, as El Paso police officers keep watch after the FAA implemented a temporary flight restriction that grounded all flights. El Paso airport travelers seek explanation for closure The airport, desolate in the early morning hours of Wednesday, Feb. 11, was little more than a waypoint for travelers seeking answers about their plans. At 2:30 a.m., only a handful of people stood in line at airline counters, many of them unstaffed and dark. The stillness offered little warning of the disruption ahead, as thousands of El Paso travelers would soon learn that all flights had been grounded for 10 days. Passengers head toward their gates at El Paso International Airport on Feb. 11, 2026, after the FAA lifted a temporary flight restriction that had grounded all flights earlier in the day. The quiet presence of employees, travelers and security personnel underscored a broader uncertainty: no one had been told why the shutdown had been ordered. El Paso, Texas airport info The airport handled 3.49 million passengers in the first 11 months of 2025. Major U.S. airlines, including Southwest, Delta, United and American, serve the airport. The airlines connect to major hubs in Las Vegas, Phoenix, Houston and Denver. Advertisement Advertisement Aaron Bedoya is a manager and content strategist for the El Paso Times. He can be reached at abedoya@elpasotimes.com. This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: El Paso airport news: FAA halts all flights under rare airspace order The Federal Aviation Administration issued a rare security order, closing all flights in and out of El Paso, Texas, and another site in New Mexico Tuesday night. About 9 a.m. Wednesday morning, Feb. 11, the FAA announced on X it had lifted the air restrictions for the El Paso Airport that originally were expected to last until Feb. 21. It was later disclosed the Pentagon had disabled drones controlled by Mexican cartels that breached U.S. airspace. Advertisement Advertisement Pentagon disabled Mexican cartel drones in US airspace, official says The two areas were closed Tuesday night for "special security reasons" for 10 days over the same time period. The second location was immediately west of El Paso in New Mexico. The areas are located just over 300 miles east of Tucson, Arizona, where the search for Nancy Guthrie, mother of "Today" anchor Savannah Guthrie, continues. FAA shuts down El Paso airspace for 10 days in rare security move Travelers were advised to contact their airlines to get the most current information. The FAA cited "special security reasons" as the reason for the closures, but did not provide further information. FAA grounds flights in 2 nearby areas for 'special security reasons' FAA issues grounds flights at El Paso Airport and Santa Teresa, New Mexico, from Feb. 11 to Feb. 20, 2026. The FAA's website shows flights were restricted in two nearby areas for "special security reasons" from Feb. 11 until Feb. 21 eastern time: Advertisement Advertisement FAA lifts restriction for El Paso Airport, ELP The temporary closure of airspace over El Paso has been lifted. There is no threat to commercial aviation. All flights will resume as normal. The FAA (@FAANews) February 11, 2026 Although its website still shows the flight restriction for the El Paso Airport as of 9:45 a.m., the FAA posted on X shortly before 9 a.m. Feb. 10, "The temporary closure of airspace over El Paso has been lifted. There is no threat to commercial aviation. All flights will resume as normal." FAA says El Paso airport is reopening and flights will resume normally Is El Paso Airport closed? The FAA posted on X it has lifted the temporary closure of airspace over El Paso. FAA grounded all flights to and from El Paso Airport, ELP Late Tuesday night, Feb. 10 mountain time, the FAA grounded all flights to and from El Paso International Airport, ELP, according to a Facebook post by the airport. Advertisement Advertisement "All flights to and from El Paso are grounded, including commercial, cargo and general aviation. The FAA has issued a flight restriction halting all flights to and from El Paso effective from February 10 at 11:30 PM (MST) to February 20 at 11:30PM (MST). The restriction covered a 10mile area around El Paso but did not affect nearby Mexican airspace. Why was El Paso Airport closed? The Federal Aviation Administration has issued a temporary flight restriction that halts all flights to and from El Paso and the neighboring Santa Teresa, New Mexico. It prohibits all aircraft operations, including commercial, cargo and general aviation flights, from 11:30 p.m. MST on Feb. 10 through 11:30 p.m. MST on Feb. 20. The FAA closed the El Paso International Airport, ELP, for "special security reasons." No further information was available. FAA also closes nearby wilderness area in New Mexico for 'special security reasons' Also on Feb. 10, the FAA issued "temporary flight restrictions for special security reasons" for another area for the same time period as El Paso Airport. Advertisement Advertisement The area is identified as Santa Teresa, New Mexico, by the FAA. As of 10 a.m., the FAA's website shows the flight restrictions at the New Mexico location are still in place. Flight restrictions are in effect until 11:30 p.m. Feb. 20 MT, or 1:30 a.m. Feb. 21 ET. The area is near the Organ Mountains Desert Peaks National Monument in the East Potrillo Mountains Wilderness. What airlines fly into El Paso Airport? These airlines fly into El Paso International Airport: Alaska Airlines American Airlines and American Eagle Delta Air Lines Frontier Airlines Southwest Airlines United Airlines and United Express How to check if your flight was affected? You should be notified by your airline if your flight was affected by the closure at El Paso Airport. Advertisement Advertisement United and Southwest issued travel waivers to offer affected passengers extra flexibility in rebooking their flights. You can also go to FlightAware.com, which provides real-time flight information, to see flights that have been delayed or canceled. FAA flight restrictions about 300 miles east of where Nancy Guthrie disappeared Nancy Guthrie, 84, mother of "Today" anchor Savannah Guthrie, was taken from her home outside Tucson, Arizona, in the early hours of Feb. 1, authorities have said. Person detained for questioning in Nancy Guthrie's disappearance Savannah Guthrie and her siblings have since issued emotional pleas for her return, offering to pay after unverified ransom notes were sent to several media organizations. Advertisement Advertisement The FAA flight restrictions were placed about 300 miles east of Nancy Guthrie's home, with El Paso located near the Mexico border. This story was updated to include new information. Contributing: Zach Wichter, Aaron A. Bedoya, USA TODAY Network Cheryl McCloud is a journalist for the USA TODAY Network-Florida's service journalism Connect team. You can get all of Floridas best content directly in your inbox each weekday day by signing up for the free newsletter, Florida TODAY, at https://floridatoday.com/newsletters. This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: El Paso Airport closed for security reasons. What to know The Federal Aviation Administration lifted a ban on most flights around El Paso, Texas, early Wednesday, Feb. 11. The agency had instituted the ban late Tuesday effectively shutting down operations at the city's airport. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said in a social media post that the closure, which initially had been expected to last into Feb. 21, was ordered because of a drone incursion into U.S. airspace near the airport. "The threat has been neutralized, and there is no danger to commercial travel in the region," the post said. "The restrictions have been lifted and normal flights are resuming." Advertisement Advertisement In its initial notice about the closure, the agency cited "special security reasons" as the catalyst for the closure, but did not provide further information. As of Wednesday afternoon, the exact reason for the airspace closure remained unclear. Did military pursue Mexican cartel drones? Conflicting stories emerge While Duffy's post suggested it was the result of criminal foreign drone activity, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said during a Feb. 11 news conference that there was no information about drones on the border. Citing unnamed sources, CBS News reported that the closure was related to Pentagon drone testing, not an active military operation. Advertisement Advertisement A social media post from the El Paso airport acknowledged the closure. "All flights to and from El Paso are grounded, including commercial, cargo and general aviation. The FAA has issued a flight restriction halting all flights to and from El Paso effective from February 10 at 11:30 PM (MST) to February 20 at 11:30PM (MST). Travelers should contact their airlines to get most up-to-date flight status information," the post said. Which airlines fly to El Paso? The airport is served by: Alaska Airlines. American Airlines and American Eagle. Delta Air Lines. Frontier Airlines. Southwest Airlines. United Airlines and United Express. Those airlines were scheduled to operate a total of 43 departures from the airport on Feb. 11, all of which were likely to be canceled, according to Cirium, an aviation analytics company. Cirium's data shows that those flights could carry more than 5,900 passengers total. Advertisement Advertisement With 19 flights, Southwest had the most scheduled departures at El Paso on Feb. 11, followed by American with 12 scheduled departures, according to Cirium. Are there waivers for affected passengers? United and Southwest issued travel waivers to offer affected passengers extra flexibility in rebooking their flights. The restriction covered a 10mile area around El Paso and applied to all airspace from the ground up to nearly 18,000 feet. Under the restriction, aircraft were not allowed to fly in the area unless they received specific authorization from federal officials. It did not affect nearby Mexican airspace. Robert W. Mann Jr., a former airline executive officer and current president of R.W. Mann and Co., an independent airline consultancy, said the move was "unprecedented. Ive never seen anything like this." What to do if your flight was affected by the closure Travelers are encouraged to contact their airlines for the latest flight status and rebooking information. Advertisement Advertisement If your flight was affected by the airport closure, youre entitled to a full refund if you choose not to travel. Airlines will likely try to reaccommodate affected passengers, but El Paso is hundreds of miles from other airports with commercial service. Among the nearest are Albuquerque, New Mexico, at least a three-and-a-half-hour drive away, and Tucson, Arizona, about a four-and-a-half-hour drive away, according to Google Maps. Southwest Airlines acknowledged the closure in a statement to USA TODAY. "At the direction of the FAA, Southwest has paused all operations to and from El Paso International Airport. We have notified affected Customers and will share additional information as it becomes available. Nothing is more important to Southwest than the Safety of its Customers and Employees," the statement said. Advertisement Advertisement The airline did not specify how customers were being reaccommodated. The other airlines serving El Paso did not immediately respond to a request for comment from USA TODAY. Planes, crews were stuck Mann, the aviation consultant, warned that in addition to flight cancellations, airplanes and crews could have been stuck in El Paso for the duration of the closure. The [temporary flight restrictions] are absolute unless the carriers and operators get waivers. Presumably, if they can move the airplanes, theyre going to want to move the crews, he said. For both passengers and crews, El Paso's location is a further complicating factor. Advertisement Advertisement El Paso is really remote. Theres nothing convenient that youre going to be able to fly to as an alternate. Youre talking hours away" by car, Mann said, suggesting that airlines may have to resort to moving crews over land to get them out of the city. This is a developing story. Contributing: Aaron Bedoya, El Paso Times Zach Wichter is a travel reporter and writes the Cruising Altitude column for USA TODAY. He is based in New York and you can reach him at zwichter@usatoday.com. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Why did the FAA ground El Paso flights? Did police arrest Annie Guthrie and seize her vehicle after finding something "deeply disturbing" in the investigation of her mother Nancy Guthrie's disappearance? No, that's not true: At the time of writing, there was no evidence that Annie Guthrie was in police custody. This false claim about NBC Today show co-anchor Savannah Guthrie's sister was created by a Vietnam-based spam factory. Source: Facebook screenshot taken on Wed Feb 11 06:01:41 2026 UTC Image source: Lead Stories screenshot of Facebook Nancy Guthrie, 84, was reported missing from her Arizona home on February 1, 2026. At the time of writing, authorities had detained a man as a "person of interest" in the case, but his identity had not been made public. The post links to an article (archived here) titled "Thirty miutes. That was all it took for a quiet ivestigatio to explode ito a atioal obsessio," published on a website that lists Hong Kong as its base. That fake article, apparently generated by artificial intelligence tools, opened: Just half a hour ago, Aie Guthrie was take ito police custody, her hads cuffed as flashig lights reflected off the widshield of her seized vehicle. A Google search (archived here) for the words "annie guthrie arrested police custody" returned no reports that police had taken her into custody or seized her car. There was one article (archived here) published in India headlined: Annie Guthrie arrested in Nancy Guthrie case? It never answered the question it raised. Advertisement Advertisement The websites and Facebook pages spreading this claim are part of a spam network based in Vietnam that uses AI tools to target Americans and Europeans with fake clickbait. We call it Viet Spam. The "Issa" Facebook page, according to transparency information on its profile page (archived here), is controlled from Vietnam. Image source: Lead Stories screenshot of Facebook The Vietnam connection is significant, since fact-checkers, including Lead Stories, have identified a major source of AI-generated false stories coming from a single operation based in that Southeast Asian country. Lead Stories debunked a similar fake claim published by the same network of Facebook pages and websites that falsely reported that Nancy Guthrie's son-in-law was blockaded in his home, surrounded by police, because of suspicion he was involved in the disappearance. Advertisement Advertisement You can see recent reporting and fact checks mentioning that country here. Lead Stories has published a primer -- or a prebunk -- on how to identify these kinds of fake posts exported from Vietnam. It's titled "Prebunk: Beware Of Fake Fan Pages Spreading False Stories About Your Favorite Celebrities -- How To Spot 'Viet Spam'" Here is how you can tell from where a suspicious Facebook page is controlled. Click on the page name at the top of the profile page. A box will open that includes a "Transparency and privacy policy" link. Click on that and a box will open showing the countries where the managers are located. By Hannah Lang and Elizabeth Howcroft Feb 11 (Reuters) - Crypto liquidity provider and lender BlockFills has halted client deposits and withdrawals amid a downturn in bitcoin (BTC-USD) prices, in a sign of knock-on impact from the latest crypto market drop. BlockFills, which is based in Chicago, said in a statement on Wednesday that it halted withdrawals last week and has been working to restore liquidity to its platform. The company is in active dialogue with its clients, which include crypto hedge funds and asset managers, a spokesperson said. The Financial Times first reported that the company had suspended withdrawals. BlockFills raised $6 million in 2021 and a further $37 million in 2022, from investors including CME Ventures and Susquehanna Capital, according to PitchBook data. CME Ventures and Susquehanna Capital did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The company has more than 2,000 institutional clients and facilitated more than $61.1 billion in trading volume in 2025, according to its website. Precious metals and cryptocurrencies sold off heavily on January 30, after U.S. President Donald Trump named Kevin Warsh as the next Fed chair, due to expectations he could shrink the Fed's balance sheet, potentially reducing demand for bitcoin. Digital asset prices have seesawed since, including a drop of 20% on Thursday of last week. The world's largest cryptocurrency was last down more than 3% at $66,534. It previously hit an all-time high of above $125,000 in October. BlockFills said clients have still been able to open and close positions in spot and derivatives trading despite the pause on withdrawals, which it called temporary. "BlockFills is working tirelessly to bring this matter to a conclusion and will continue to regularly update our clients as developments warrant," the spokesperson said. (Reporting by Hannah Lang in New York and Elizabeth Howcroft in Paris; Editing by Matthew Lewis) Philippine health officials say there is no active Nipah virus threat in the country and they are monitoring the situation after cases were contained in India in early 2026, rejecting social media claims the virus has reached the archipelago or triggered school suspensions. The Department of Health says the country has remained Nipah-free since 2014, and the Department of Education says it has not issued any school closure orders as a result of an outbreak. "Nipah virus! Already in the Philippines!" reads Tagalog-language text on a Facebook graphic that has racked up more than 2,600 shares since it was posted on January 31, 2026. Its caption states the public must avoid using or drinking running water between 6 pm and 2 am because "something that causes the virus is being mixed into the water supply". Advertisement Advertisement "Until February 6, do not use water during these hours. Those who follow this will be safe; those who won't will not," the caption says. Another Facebook graphic shared on February 3, purportedly created by Philippine news organisation GMA News, says classes have been suspended due to an outbreak of the Nipah virus. The supposed advisory, bearing the logo of the Department of Health (DOH), reads: "No face to face classes. All levels, public and private schools. February 4, 2026." Screenshots of false Facebook posts captured on February 10, 2026, with a red X added by AFP The claims surfaced following reports from Indian authorities regarding the "timely containment" of a Nipah virus outbreak in West Bengal state, where at least two cases have been confirmed since December 2025 (archived link). Advertisement Advertisement Nipah, which is naturally carried by fruit bats and can spread from animals to humans, causes severe symptoms including respiratory illness, seizures, and brain inflammation that can lead to a coma. The virus has no vaccine and a fatality rate ranging from 40 to 75 percent, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). The graphics also circulated widely elsewhere on Facebook amid online chatter and rumors of impending lockdowns to curb the spread of the Nipah virus. "So to be sure, we do not drink water from the tap?" asked a commenter on one of the posts. Another said: "It's okay to drink as long as it's from a refilling station, but water straight from the faucet is not allowed." Advertisement Advertisement As of February 11, however, there have been no official reports of confirmed Nipah virus cases in the Philippines. 'Nipah-free' The DOH said in a February 6 post on its official Facebook page that there was "no active case of Nipah virus in the Philippines" (archived link). "The country remains open to arriving passengers at all airports and seaports, but the Bureau of Quarantine is maintaining strict surveillance of all arrival areas as part of its border monitoring protocols," reads an attached graphic. When contacted by AFP on February 9 regarding the circulating social media posts, a Department of Health representative reiterated previously issued statements that the country is Nipah-free. Advertisement Advertisement "Since 2014, the Nipah virus has not been detected in the Philippines, and the DOH continues to monitor the situation through the Epidemiology Bureau," said a statement issued to journalists on January 28. The health department noted that during the country's only recorded Nipah outbreak in 2014, human cases were acquired through the consumption of infected horse meat and close contact with sick individuals. Official WHO guidelines on the prevention and detection of Nipah also do not mention any risks of transmission through the water supply (archived link). "Nipah virus is a zoonotic virus, usually transmitted from animals to humans, but can also be transmitted through contaminated food or directly between people," the guidelines said. Advertisement Advertisement The falsely shared graphic also does not appear on the official online platforms of either the DOH or GMA News (archived here and here). Nationwide class suspensions are overseen by the Department of Education, which refuted the claims in a February 9 Facebook post (archived link). It said the rumours of class suspensions following an alleged outbreak of the virus were "fake news". AFP has previously debunked other misinformation about the Nipah virus. The families of four of the 10 people who died in the February 2025 crash of a Bering Air flight near Nome have filed three separate wrongful death lawsuits against the airline, alleging its actions are to blame for the crash. The suits were filed separately in Nome Superior Court on Feb. 5 and 6, the one-year anniversary of the crash. No attorney of record was listed for Bering Air on Tuesday. The cases have tentatively been assigned to Judge Romano DiBenedetto. As the operator of the flight, Bering Air breached the duty of care it owed to the plaintiffs, wrote attorney Robert Stone in one of the complaints filed last week. Bering Air overloaded the aircraft beyond its gross weight and beyond the limits of weight for flight into known icing conditions, making the aircraft unairworthy and unsafe to fly. Advertisement Advertisement All three cases rely on a preliminary report published in March by the National Transportation Safety Board. That report concluded that Bering Air Flight 445 was overloaded when it flew into icing conditions on a scheduled flight between Unalakleet and Nome on Feb. 6, 2025. During the flight, the planes airspeed dropped below 95 knots, the stated minimum needed to operate its in-flight deicing system, the report found. Pilot Chad Antill died in the ensuing crash, as did passengers Kameron Hartvigson, Donnell Erickson, Rhone Baumgartner, Andrew Gonzalez, Ian Hoffman, Talaluk Katchatag, JaDee Moncur, Carol Mooers and Liane Ryan. Advertisement Advertisement It was the deadliest airline disaster in Alaska since a 2013 crash in Soldotna. The 2025 crash, which took place on sea ice offshore, was not located until the day after the accident, and the remains of all 10 people were not removed from the site until three days after the crash. As of Tuesday, the NTSB had not completed its final report on the accident. The three lawsuits include plaintiffs representing Katchatag, Erickson, Hartvigson and Moncur. In part because the crash took place offshore, each suit incorporates elements of maritime law. No date has been set for an initial hearing in the three cases. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE A north Alabama family's year-long "nightmare" is on pause after a county judge ordered a limestone quarry to cease operations to minimize harm to residents and local churches. Brad Vice, one of the plaintiffs represented by Southern Environmental Law Center (SELC) in a suit against the quarry operators, testified that he and his wife, Brittney, lived peacefully in their rural, unincorporated Belle Mina community for nine years until blasting began. In a Jan. 7 hearing, he said he is now thinking of leaving the area, as dust, light, and noise pollution have caused "unimaginable" upheaval, according to Inside Climate News. Advertisement Advertisement SELC wrote that residents said they can no longer enjoy their outdoor spaces, as constant air pollution coats toys, furniture, and cars, while heavy-duty trucks create dangerous conditions and congestion on a two-lane road as they drive back and forth as many as 1,000 times per day. "We don't let our daughter play outside. The dust has altered our lifestyle completely," Vice testified, per ICN. His daughter Brecken, who is two years old, has asthma, according to court documents. Another one of the plaintiffs, Sandra Diaz, said she struggles with asthma and chronic sinusitis. While Limestone county judge Matthew Huggins ruled that the plaintiffs four churches and three individuals didn't sufficiently document their health concerns for them to be considered in the decision, per ICN, he ordered the quarry to halt operations until it met certain conditions. The injunction stipulates that the quarry must move temporary rock-crushing areas at least 1,200 feet from the plaintiffs' properties; forbids operators from erecting artificial light sources visible to properties; bans loud activities from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m.; and orders operators to hasten the completion of a permanent truck entrance for the convenience and safety of the community. Advertisement Advertisement Attorneys for Stoned LLC, one of the defendants in the suit along with Elephants R Us LLC, Landquest Properties LLC, and Grayson Carter & Son Contracting, Inc. declined to comment on the matter to ICN. While SELC said the quarry's owners had previously sued two of the churches involved in a suit "in an attempt to silence and punish them for exercising their right to oppose the harmful impacts of the quarry," that case was rejected. This case will go to trial in April, per ICN. Vice hopes this is merely the first step in holding the quarry operators accountable. Elsewhere, community-led pushback has delayed or halted projects that don't align with local goals. "We're very pleased the judge heard the evidence and applied the law to limit the unnecessary mayhem community members are enduring," said Sarah Stokes, a senior attorney at the SELC. "They did nothing to deserve this chaos. That's why they intend to fight this to the end." Advertisement Advertisement "We are grateful for this immediate relief from the nightmare we've been living for months," Vice said. "I am hopeful the court will continue to take the harm this quarry is causing seriously as we continue this fight for our rights to live a normal life on our own property." Get TCD's free newsletters for easy tips to save more, waste less, and make smarter choices and earn up to $5,000 toward clean upgrades in TCD's exclusive Rewards Club. Its been eight years since a school bus crash killed a Paramus girl and a teacher on Route 80. Almost a decade later, lawmakers are still trying to secure protections nationwide to ensure it doesnt happen again. Joevanny Vargas, father of 10-year-old Miranda Vargas, joined Rep. Josh Gottheimer and U.S. Sen. Cory Booker on Feb. 9. They called on Congress to adopt legislation inspired by the crash that killed Vargas' daughter. She should still be here, an emotional Vargas said during the Monday news conference at East Brook Middle School, where Miranda was a fifth grader. She should be living her life, growing, laughing and helping others, since that is who she was. Advertisement Advertisement Surrounded by local and state officials, Gottheimer and Booker announced they would reintroduce a pair of bills in Washington. Both have bipartisan support, they said, but have so far failed to make it through Congress. Congressman Josh Gottheimer speaks at East Brook Middle School in Paramus on Feb. 9 to discuss legislation to protect children on school buses. Joevanny Vargas, father of Miranda Vargas, stands to the right of Gottheimer. Sen. Cory Booker is to his right. One bill would require three-point lap and shoulder seat belts on all school buses. Another would establish real-time background checks for school bus drivers nationwide. Every parent should trust that when their child gets on a bus, theyll come home safely, Gottheimer said. These bills turn heartbreaking loss into action. There is nothing partisan or political about protecting our children. Working together across the aisle and across the country, we can make sure tragedies like the one here in Paramus never happen again. The crash on May 17, 2018, occurred after bus driver Hudy Muldrow Sr. made an illegal turn on Interstate 80 while driving students from East Brook to Mount Olive for a field trip. A dump truck slammed into the vehicle, injuring more than 40 students and killing Miranda Vargas and 51-year-old teacher Jennifer Williamson. Advertisement Advertisement Muldrow's driver's license, it was later revealed, had been suspended 14 times, six times for unpaid tickets. He was sentenced in 2020 to 10 years in prison after pleading guilty to reckless vehicular homicide and other charges. What is proposed Gottheimer and Booker, both Democrats, said they would introduce the Secure Every Child Under the Right Equipment Standards (SECURES) Act in the House and Senate to pursue the seat belt requirement. Currently, only eight states, including New Jersey, require seat belts on large buses, said a news release from Gottheimer's office. The Miranda Vargas School Bus Driver Red Flag Act, known as Mirandas Law, would require the background checks. If a driver commits a serious traffic violation, schools and bus companies would be alerted within 24 hours, the release said. Congressman Josh Gottheimer stands in a school bus in Paramus on Feb. 9. Gottheimer and Senator Cory Booker have introduced legislation in the Senate and the House of Representatives to provide more protections for students in school buses nationwide. There are more than 26,000 school bus accidents annually, Gottheimer said. Between 2013 and 2022, New Jersey had the ninth-most fatal school bus crashes in the nation, he added. Advertisement Advertisement Mayor Chris DiPiazza welcomed Booker, Gottheimer and other officials to Paramus at the news conference, saying the legislation would protect children across the country. Its always a somber moment for the community when we reflect back on the bus accident that occurred here 8 years ago, DiPiazza said. Although it was a tragedy, it brought out the best of what it is to live in Paramus and brought the community together. Although New Jersey has adopted a version of the seat belt law at the state level, Booker said he feels an emotional commitment to getting it passed nationwide, too. All around this nation right now, there are children that are riding in vehicles that are not safe, Booker said. Safety measures could affirm our commitment, but we havent gotten it done yet. Advertisement Advertisement Bergen County Executive Jim Tedesco, a lifelong Paramus resident, said the borough inventoried its buses the year after the accident to ensure that all had three-point seat belt harnesses. All county school buses were retrofitted to have them in place, he said. Joevanny and Lorena Vargas speak about the death of their daughter Miranda at the sentencing of school bus driver Hudy Muldrow on February 26, 2020 in Morris County Superior Court. Miranda, 10, died along with teacher Jennifer Williamson in a 2018 school bus crash. 'Safety, not silence' Vargas remembered his daughter as a loving child with a heart bigger than some adults that I know." He paid tribute to Williamson, her family and all the students affected by the bus crash. Even those without physical injuries will carry the trauma with them for the rest of their lives, he said. If she were here today, I could say with certainty if she knew that another child was harmed or killed by negligence that could have been prevented, shed be right here beside me, fighting just as hard, he said. Vargas said he doesnt understand why it has taken so long to pass Mirandas Law. Advertisement Advertisement More: NJ school bus safety push left out critical reforms, mom says This is not extreme, this is not experimental, this is not about politics, this is about safety, he said. Every single person in this room, Republican or Democrat, has family. Children, grandchildren, niece and nephews you understand what it means to trust that your child will come home at the end of the day. This is why it should not be a partisan issue. This is not Republican, this is not Democrat, this is human. Vargas urged lawmakers to make his daughters legacy one of safety, not silence. Passing this law will not bring my daughter back, he said. I know that. But it will give her life meaning beyond this tragedy and will allow her legacy to be one of protection, responsibility and care for others exactly who she was. This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Fatal Paramus school bus crash on Route 80 spurs national reform calls Feb. 11 (UPI) -- Australia's Sydney Water confirmed there is a massive fatberg estimated to be "the size of four buses" in a difficult-to-reach position under a wastewater plant. The supersized fatberg -- a collection of fats, oils and greases -- under the Malabar wastewater treatment plant is now believed to be the source of black balls that have periodically been washing up on Sydney-area beaches since 2024. The balls were originally thought to be tar from a possible oil spill, but an analysis at the University of New South Wales discovered they contained human feces. Advertisement Advertisement Sydney Water managing director Darren Cleary said officials are now aware of a giant-sized fatberg in the tunnels underneath the Malabar plant. "We don't know exactly how big the fatberg is," Cleary told the Australian Broadcasting Corp. "The size of four buses, that would be the maximum potential extent of it. It may be that, it may be slightly smaller. We don't exactly know." He said the blockage is located in an "inaccessible dead zone." "There's a component of that tunnel which we can't safely access," Cleary said. He said the balls that have been washing up on beaches are likely caused by water flows in the tunnels skimming across the surface of the fatberg and breaking off small pieces. Advertisement Advertisement "I can't guarantee there won't be debris balls in the future. We are doing what we can to minimize the risk of that occurring," Cleary said. "We certainly do apologize for the inconvenience that it's caused." Sydney Water announced a plan in January to overhaul the Malabar plant's system to stop the flow of the debris balls. The plan, with an estimated cost of over $2 billion, is expected to take about 10 years. The FBI invited New Hampshire Secretary of State David Scanlan and election officials from states across the country to a virtual meeting later this month to discuss our preparations for the upcoming 2026 midterm elections, according to an email obtained by the Bulletin. Secretary of State Dave Scanlan speaks to reporters on Tuesday, Oct. 29, 2024. (Photo by Claire Sullivan/New Hampshire Bulletin) The email was signed by FBI Election Executive Kellie M. Hardiman and invites the election officials to a Feb. 25 Microsoft Teams meeting. In addition to the FBI, representatives from the Department of Justice, the Department of Homeland Security, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and the Election Assistance Council will be on the call, according to the letter. The email also invites members of the EACs Local Leadership Council a panel of local election officials from across the United States for another March 5 meeting. Scanlan told the Bulletin he tentatively accepted the invite. He said he may be called to testify in an ongoing federal trial over New Hampshires new proof-of-citizenship voting law, which would create a scheduling conflict. If that happened, he said he would send his deputy, Brendan ODonnell, as a proxy. Advertisement Advertisement Scanlan said meeting with federal officials is not unusual, though he doesnt remember a meeting of this exact type in the past. Scanlan has served as secretary of state since 2022, and before that served as deputy secretary for 20 years. I dont recall although there may have been a Zoom meeting or a conference call with the FBI in the past, he said. But I know that whenever the secretaries of state association meets we meet a couple of times a year that its not unusual that we have representatives from the FBI or Homeland Security or CISA (the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Administration) just briefing us on whats going on. EmailFromFBIToNHSOS Advertisement Advertisement Scanlan said hell have to wait and see what its all about. I really dont know what to expect out of this meeting, he said. I think I can guess a little bit based on comments coming out of the administration. Obviously, they want information from voter databases. Theyre concerned about citizenship requirements. I would expect that those might be topics that come up, but I dont know that for certain. The meeting comes as the Trump administration and New Hampshire are engaged in a legal battle over the states voter rolls. Last July, the federal government asked Scanlan to turn over the states voter files, ostensibly to verify the states voter rolls are accurate. Scanlan refused to do so, citing New Hampshire state law that requires the states voter database be confidential. In New Hampshire, some voter information is public, like names and party affiliations, but the Trump administration reportedly requested partial Social Security numbers and drivers license numbers, which are not. The Trump administration subsequently sued New Hampshire and several other states that also refused to hand over voter rolls in September, attempting to compel them to turn over the files. It also comes weeks after the FBI raided an election in Fulton County, Georgia, and seized truckloads of 2020 election ballots, according to national news reports. Fulton County has been at the center of President Donald Trumps repeatedly debunked claims that the 2020 election was rigged against him. Advertisement Advertisement Trump has also recently called to nationalize elections in some states. On the Dan Bongino Show podcast last week, Trump said that Republicans should say, We want to take over, we should take over the voting in at least many 15 places, alleging that some states were allowing undocumented immigrants to vote at high numbers. Elections have been run by the states since the founding of the country, as outlined in the Constitution, in a purposefully decentralized system. The White House referred the Bulletin to the FBI and DOJ for questions, but neither agency responded to the Bulletins emailed questions about the upcoming meetings. Feb. 10 (UPI) -- A grand jury rejected the Justice Department's effort to indict congressional Democrats for their recent online video telling military members they don't have to obey illegal orders. The grand jury in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia on Tuesday evening declined to indict the lawmakers, all of whom either are veterans or served in the national intelligence community, The New York Times reported. The lawmakers are Sens. Mark Kelly of Arizona and Elissa Slotkin of Michigan, along with Reps. Jason Crow of Colorado, Maggie Goodlander of New Hampshire, and Chrissy Houlahan and Chris Deluzio of Pennsylvania. Advertisement Advertisement Slotkin, a former CIA analyst, organized the video, which did not cite any specific orders or provide context. The video was published online after the Trump administration began carrying out deadly aerial strikes on alleged drug-running vessels in the Caribbean Sea in September. It's unclear if all or only some of the lawmakers were subject to the grand jury proceedings, according to NBC News. The news outlet said the effort by U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro is an example of the Justice Department targeting the president's political enemies. Slotkin described the grand jury that declined to indict her and her Democratic colleagues as "anonymous American citizens who upheld the rule of law." Advertisement Advertisement "Today wasn't just an embarrassing day for the Administration. It was another sad day for our country," she said in a social media statement Tuesday night. "Because whether or not Pirro succeeded is not the point. It's that President [Donald] Trump continues to weaponize our justice system against his perceived enemies. It's the kind of thing you see in a foreign country, not the United States we know and love." Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said the effort to indict them was "a despicable, vindictive abuse of power" targeting lawmakers and veterans "because the administration didn't like the content of their speech." In the video published online in mid-November, the six lawmakers all said military members can refuse to carry out illegal orders, and some said that "threats to our Constitution aren't just coming from abroad, but right here at home." Advertisement Advertisement Trump called the video "seditious behavior" and suggested George Washington would have had all six hanged for treason. The six lawmakers later said the FBI had contacted the respective House and Senate sergeants-at-arms to arrange interviews as part of a criminal investigation. The four House members issued a joint statement in which they accused Trump of using the FBI to "intimidate and harass members of Congress." They said that "no amount of intimidation or harassment will ever stop us from doing our jobs and honoring our Constitution." Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth also tried to censure Kelly and seek to demote, the senator said in a lawsuit. A federal judge on Tuesday rejected a lawsuit from the Trump administration seeking to acquire Michigan's voter registration rolls. The ruling by U.S. District Judge Hala Jarbou, a Trump appointee, is the latest in a string of legal losses over the acquisition of sensitive voter information. The Trump administration has sued multiple states over voter information in an effort to force them to clean up their voter lists. Advertisement Advertisement Doj Targets Noncitizens On Voter Rolls As Part Of Trump Election Integrity Push President Donald Trump has been trying via lawsuits to get states to turn over their voter rolls, but judges have been blocking his efforts in a number of states. (Getty Images) Attorney General Pam Bondi argued that the Civil Rights Act of 1960 gave her the power to compel states to turn over their lists. In a 23-page brief, Jarbou disagreed, saying the law applied to voter applications. "If the distinction between voter registration applications and voter registration lists is overly pedantic, it is a pedantic distinction made by Congress, and it is Congresss prerogative to make distinctions that may seem unnecessary to a person reading the statute over six decades after its passage, the judge wrote. " Read On The Fox News App Advertisement Advertisement "Needless to say, the existence of a statewide computerized voter list was not foreseeable to the Congress of 1960, and it is possible that legislators would have included such a list in the CRAs disclosure provisions had they imagined the possibility," Jarbou added. Trump Appointee Vows To Focus Dojs Largest Division On Dei, Denaturalization Attorney General Pam Bondi argued that the Civil Rights Act of 1960 allows her to compel states to turn over their voter rolls, but a federal judge in Michigan disagreed. The judge noted that the court is not a "telepathic time-traveler," and thus it "cannot rewrite Congressional legislation to cover a situation that Congress may not have foreseen." Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson praised Tuesday's ruling. Advertisement Advertisement "Todays decision affirms that the law is on our side," she said in a statement. "I urge state election officials across the country to stand up to the federal governments overreach and to safeguard citizens private voting information weve been entrusted to protect. I will never stop fighting any effort that threatens the rights and privacy of Michigans voters." Fox News Digital has reached out to the White House. Since May 2025, the Trump administration has demanded nearly every state and Washington, D.C., hand over election-related records and data, such as full copies of statewide voter registration lists and ballots from previous elections, as well as access to voting equipment, according to the Brennan Center for Justice. A federal judge on Tuesday rejected a Trump administration lawsuit seeking voter registration information from Michigan. The federal government maintains that it needs the records to make sure that states ensure accurate voter records and the removal of eligible voters to prevent fraud. Original article source: Federal judge rejects Trump admin lawsuit seeking Michigan voter rolls LINCOLN An undocumented migrant caught in legal limbo at the ICE detention center in McCook will get a bond hearing soon, or, a federal judge has ruled, the federal government must release him. U.S. District Judge Susan Bazis issued an order late Monday calling for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials to arrange a bond hearing within seven days for Carlos Roldan Chang. If that doesnt happen, she ordered that Roldan Chang be immediately released. ACLU Nebraska, which filed a lawsuit Jan. 26 on behalf of the Guatemala native, called the order a welcome and positive development for him as well as for a broader ongoing battle against a new ICE policy that asserts nearly all detained immigrants are ineligible for bond hearings and release on bond as they fight deportation proceedings. Although a federal class action lawsuit had vacated ICEs mandatory detention policy, which is based upon the Trump administrations new interpretation of statutes, the feds have continued to deny bond hearings. ACLU Nebraska over the past couple of weeks has filed three related federal lawsuits seeking a bond hearing for ICE detainees in Nebraska, including one for Roldan Chang. Advertisement Advertisement The undocumented immigrant has been in the United States for more than 20 years, and has been at the McCook detention facility since December. His first contact with ICE authorities was late last year in Des Moines, said ACLU Nebraska. He had been in the Polk County Jail after he was arrested for assault causing bodily injury. Federal officials started deportation proceedings against Roldan Chang in December, and an immigration judge denied his request for a bond hearing, based on the new Trump administration policy. Bazis, in the Monday decision, said the court has previously concluded that noncitizens detained within the interior of the U.S. who have been present in the country for years are entitled to a bond hearing. It reaches the same conclusion here based on its interpretation of the relevant statutory detention framework, her order said. Grant Friedman, staff attorney for ACLU Nebraska. (Cindy Gonzalez/Nebraska Examiner) Roldan Chang seeks release on bond to be with his family members while his legal team works on his deportation case. Advertisement Advertisement We were grateful to see this swift order, said Grant Friedman, ACLU attorney. He said it affirmed the nonprofits contention that Chang is entitled to a bond hearing and that his ongoing detention without a hearing is unlawful. Friedman called the Monday order a welcome development, as it granted what the ACLU sought in the lawsuit. But he said it is far from the last hurdle, as his clients release is not guaranteed even if provided a bond hearing. We are hopeful on next steps, and we will continue to advocate for others in ICE custody who are facing similar circumstances, Friedman said. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX MONTPELIER, Vt. (ABC22/FOX44) Last November, Vermont Governor Phil Scott submitted an appeal after FEMA said that the state was not eligible for aid relating to the July 10, 2025 floods. Scott contended that the damage, which included $1 million in the Town of Sutton alone, was more than enough to qualify for federal assistance. Flash floods once again hit Vermont, damaging homes and roads The federal government disagreed, and the appeal has now been denied. Advertisement Advertisement In a terse letter sent to Scott on February 7, a FEMA official denied the appeal. It reads, in part, You specifically appealed the denial of your request for Public Assistance for Caledonia and Essex Counties and Hazard Mitigation statewide It has been determined that supplemental federal assistance under the Stafford Act is not warranted. Read the full letter hereDownload President Trump has written, including in his budget proposals, that his goals are to reduce waste in FEMA programs and encourage resilience at the local level. But other state officials are criticizing the administration. FEMA denied appeals in at least two other states on the same day. In Illinois, Governor J. B. Pritzker called the renewed denial politically motivated, while in Wisconsin, governor Tony Evers called the denial of that states appeal for disaster assistance ridiculous. Advertisement Advertisement A FEMA database appears to show denials issued the same day for aid in New Mexico, Arizona, Kansas, and Montana. Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC22 & FOX44. D3 Energy picks up new technical permit next to flagship Free State helium ground Proactive uses images sourced from Shutterstock D3 Energy Ltd (ASX:D3E, OTCQB:DNRGF) has been granted a new Technical Cooperation Permit (TCP273) in South Africas Free State Province, expanding its position in what it describes as a world-class helium province. The newly awarded TCP273 sits adjacent to the companys existing exploration holdings and application areas, including its flagship Exploration Right (ER315). D3 has already applied for an initial Production Right over part of the ER315 area. TCP273 covers about 82,777 acres (around 33,500 hectares), lifting D3s total granted and applied-for footprint in the region to 478,699 acres (about 193,700 hectares). Regional map showing D3 Energy acreage position. The award of TCP273 continues D3 Energys strategy of securing high-value helium and natural gas acreage along proven structural zones within the Free State, D3E managing director and CEO David Casey said. This is the culmination of extensive geological modelling based on proprietary in-house algorithms and adds meaningful exploration upside strengthening our position as a leading helium developer and explorer. It also builds on the momentum were generating across the portfolio, including the commencement of FEED work for PR016, and provides the opportunity to further advance our understanding of this highly prospective region. Why it matters TCP273 lies along the same prospective structural trends that host D3Es existing discoveries and follows appraisal work at ER315. At ER315, D3 previously reported helium concentrations of up to 6.2% recovered from shallow boreholes at sustained rates. While a Technical Cooperation Permit does not provide the same rights as a full Exploration Right, it can provide a low-cost pathway to assess geological potential and define targets before committing to more extensive field programs. What happens next TCP273 is granted for a 1-year period and is expected to involve desktop-based geological and geophysical studies. Once those studies are completed, D3E expects to apply for a full Exploration Right (ER) over the TCP273 area. The company pointed to its recent progression strategy as precedent, noting it has used this TCP-to-ER pathway previously at ER386, where an application for grant of an Exploration Right is currently being progressed by South African regulatory authorities. Upside optionality If D3E elects to apply for, and later secures, an Exploration Right over TCP273, it believes the additional ground could help expand its existing contingent and prospective inventory of helium and methane resources, and add further exploration optionality around the ER315 hub. In the near term, investors will likely be watching for the outcomes of the desktop studies on TCP273, any updates on the ER386 regulatory process, and progress on the Production Right application covering part of ER315, where D3 Energy will be undertaking further exploration and appraisal activities this year. Fewer Kentuckians have health insurance through kynect after subsidies that helped millions of Americans afford health insurance expired late last year but the decline is not as drastic as advocates had feared. Overall, about 89,000 Kentuckians enrolled in an Affordable Care Act health plan for 2026, down from about 97,000 last year, according to Priscilla Easterling, the director of outreach and enrollment at Kentucky Voices for Health. We saw a drop, but not nearly as significant as we thought it might be, she said. Advertisement Advertisement Not all who decided to go uninsured were young and healthy, Easterling said: It runs the gamut. Priscilla Easterling is the director of outreach and enrollment at Kentucky Voices for Health and a kynector. (Photo provided) It tends to be younger, healthier folks who are foregoing health insurance, she said. But Ive genuinely worked with folks well into their 60s who are also having that conversation about foregoing health insurance and just kind of either relying on the federally qualified health centers in their area, rationing medicine or just not going to the doctor at all. Nearly 11,000 Kentuckians cancelled their plan for 2026, she said, but 14,000 new patients enrolled for the first time. Even with those enhanced premium tax credits expiring, we still saw more people come into Kynect for the first time than left it, which I still think is a great thing, Easterling said. Advertisement Advertisement Still, she worries about the coming months, when Kentuckians could face economic changes they couldnt foresee. Folks budgets change all the time, and health insurance is often the first thing that they drop, she said. And so Im very concerned that were going to see a lot more of that this year than, maybe, than in previous years. A very tough position The U.S. House voted in January to extend the subsidies, which expired Dec. 31. The Senate, however, has not yet voted on the measure. This will-they, wont-they? limbo leaves Kentucky in a very tough position, said Easterling. ACA premiums have increased by more than 20%, the Commonwealth Fund reported in January, in large part because insurers believe they are facing increased risk due to the expiration of enhanced premium tax credits and other policies. The Commonwealth Fund also reported that the insured population is likely to include fewer healthy people, which increases the risks facing the insurance companies. Advertisement Advertisement Around 16,000 Kentuckians switched their health plan to one with a lower monthly premium but higher deductible (shifting from gold or silver plans to bronze, for example), said Easterling, who also helps Kentuckians navigate the health insurance marketplace as a kynector. David Roode (Photo provided) That speaks to that price difference: What can folks afford? said Easterling. And those silver and gold plans, for a lot of folks, were just out of reach. This was true for Kenton Countys David Roode, who switched from a silver plan to a bronze. Last November, Roode logged into his account and saw he and his wifes health plan, which had been $150, was increasing to $450 a month. Advertisement Advertisement I had this initial sticker shock of, like, I dont want to look at this, oh my gosh, he recalled. And so, I just logged out. Roode and his wife are both musicians (hes a trombonist and she is a pianist) who work in performance and orchestras in a freelance capacity, which means I dont get health insurance through any one place, he said. They considered several options in response to the insurance cost hike, including getting a more expensive plan with a lower deductible and finding extra employment to pay for it. Eventually, they chose a bronze plan with a similar monthly cost to their 2025 plan, but with a higher copay and higher deductible. The most scary downside is that the deductible is around maybe $10,000 or something. So, its a hefty deductible, he said. Fingers crossed that we dont need to go into that this year. All of our medical usage has been mainly preventative stuff. Advertisement Advertisement Roode and his wife dont have a dedicated emergency health savings account big enough to cover the $10,000 deductible if faced with a medical crisis, he said. We could manage it, he said, but: It would be a pretty hefty financial blow. So, I would not want that to happen. Rachel Eppley and her husband, Jon. (Photo provided) Rachel Eppley, who is from Laurel County and lives in Lexington, works as a church administrator. Her husband, a former teacher, left education to focus on therapy, his passion, in 2024. It was a shocking change for us figuring out how do we get insurance by ourselves?, she said. They turned to the marketplace, which was initially frustrating they enrolled in a plan they thought was similar to what theyd had before, but none of their providers were in network. Advertisement Advertisement When the subsidies expired, their plan was going to increase from around $550 to $1,300, Eppley said. To have a wider selection of providers, they would have owed around $1,800 per month on a plan for themselves and their two children. They eventually settled on a plan for about $800 per month. For the foreseeable future, neither of them are interested or able to change jobs or careers to less fulfilling work that offers health care coverage. People should have the freedom to have (jobs) that they love, she said, without having to sacrifice health insurance. The equation at play for children Terry Brooks, the executive director of Kentucky Youth Advocates, said having higher health care premiums is a certainty with negative consequences for children in the state. Terry Brooks (Kentucky Lantern photo by Sarah Ladd) In 2023, about 97% of Kentucky children had health insurance, which is an indicator of access to preventive services and overall health and wellbeing. Advertisement Advertisement We know the high and common sense equation at play is that, if parents are covered, kids get coverage. And the inverse is true as well. A parent not covered by health insurance is less likely to ensure that son or daughter has coverage, Brooks said. Observers of all political stripes acknowledge that recent federal changes will most likely result in fewer adults being covered. And if history is a guide, then we are going to see a decline at least in the longer term of kid coverage as well. A complicated but possible editing process If Congress extends the subsidies, Easterling said, Kentucky can recalculate plans and adjust the costs. This would be a very complicated process for the state, she said, and also depends on what that extension looked like. If the credits were extended the full three years that the U.S. House aimed for, Kentucky would likely open a brief special enrollment window so people could shop for plans again, Easterling explained. Meanwhile, the more immediate risk to Kentuckys kids is a kitchen table economics issue, said Brooks with Kentucky Youth Advocates. Advertisement Advertisement Higher premiums will result in less money on that table for families. And economic stress points will inevitably reveal themselves in food insecurity, housing instability and family disruptions, Brooks said. The federal changes, in other words, will almost certainly affect kids in a number of ways all on the negative in both the long-term and the immediate. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX A federal judge is considering next steps in a lawsuit over the removal of a slavery exhibit on Philadelphias Independence Mall. In January, National Parks Service employees removed the signs from the Presidents House, where George Washington lived for the bulk of his presidency. The exhibitions documented the nations first presidents history with slavery, and were removed to comply with an executive order signed by President Donald Trump last March, entitled Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History. Advertisement Advertisement The order called for a review of material in federally-run museums and national parks that are found to cast our Nations unparalleled legacy of advancing liberty, individual rights, and human happiness is reconstructed as inherently racist, sexist, oppressive, or otherwise irredeemably flawed. The removal of the exhibits, which had been in place since 2010, comes months before Philadelphia will become the center of the countrys celebrations for the 250th signing of the Declaration of Independence. The city of Philadelphia has filed a lawsuit over the exhibitions removal. Recently, a judge ordered the federal government not to further damage the panels as the lawsuit continues. In a brief filed Monday, four collar counties wrote in support of Philadelphia. Advertisement Advertisement Removal of the Exhibit undermines the Counties efforts to present an accurate rendition of Pennsylvanian and American history, the brief read. By depriving residents of the Counties of access to the Exhibit, Defendants have abrogated their responsibility to impart the lessons of Philadelphia and the Counties shared past to current and future generations. Gov. Josh Shapiro also filed an amicus brief last month. Tourists inspect a display entitled The Dirty Business of Slavery at the Presidents House on August 9, 2025 in Philadelphia. (Photo by Matthew Hatcher/Getty Images) While Pennsylvania and Philadelphia have become focal points in the fight over Americas history, the Pennsylvania Capital-Star spoke to historian Kathleen Brown, a University of Pennsylvania professor, about how the legacy of slavery has shaped the commonwealth and its largest city. Like America itself, Pennsylvanias founding is tied to ideas of liberty and equality, which the commonwealth has not always lived up to. And its founding father, William Penn, owned roughly 12 slaves. Advertisement Advertisement The conversation with Brown was edited for length and clarity. Capital-Star: Pennsylvania is founded as a colony with some radical principles like freedom of religion, but slavery is legal. What did conversations around that look like? Kathleen Brown: That depends exactly what and when you mean by conversation. Enslaved people are really clear that they have an objection to slavery. So theres always that sense of profound unease from the very beginning of the transatlantic traffic that peoples wills are being violated. When William Penn and his family arrived in Pennsylvania (Editors note: 1682), they enslaved people. So if they had moral objections, they overcame them. The William Penn Statue atop of City Hall in Philadelphia on November 20, 2025. (Photo by Tim Lambert/Pennsylvnaia Capital-Star) An early, isolated figure among Quakers in Pennsylvania is Benjamin Lay. Hes a fairly eccentric figure, but clearly trying to jostle the consciences of his fellow Pennsylvania Quakers about the immorality and the violation of slavery. In the very late part of the 17th century, theres also a group of German Mennonites who got together and actually wrote what we now have come to believe is the first organized, group petition objecting to slavery on moral grounds in North America. But the conversation in Philadelphia and Pennsylvania, especially among Quakers, is really only coalescing by the 1750s. You can date it a little bit earlier, but theres really a conversation going by then. So there werent a lot of people in William Penns world that we know of, other than this little group of these German Mennonites in 1688, who were objecting to slavery on moral grounds. Advertisement Advertisement CS: How did Pennsylvania compare to other colonies? KB: Pennsylvania is not the only place where theres a growing sentiment around the moral obscenity of slavery, to use that phrase. There are a lot of Quakers in New Jersey and Virginia who are also connected to whats going on with the Quakers in Philadelphia eventually you can find Quakers active in the 19th century all over the United States. Theres a growing number of voices who are writing letters to each other, printing pamphlets, and exchanging information. They are really minority voices in the places that have developed economies that rely primarily on enslaved peoples labor. So, for example, even though there are Quakers in Maryland and Virginia and the Carolinas, youre not getting a kind of full throated abolition movement or protest against slavery because all the white people who are making a living in those places are doing so with enslaved labor. Whereas its a lower lift for people to move from a kind of casual acceptance of slavery to a moral opposition if enslaved people are not the primary labor driving the economy. That would be true in the New England colonies. On the eve of the revolution, New York actually has a whole lot of enslaved people. More than Pennsylvania. I think the figures are that theres 6,000 in Pennsylvania and over 10,000 in New York. But New Yorks got an economy much more heavily indebted to slavery. So part of what happens is in the colonies where it is less economically central, and where you have more religious dissidents, you get more public discussion about the moral wrongs of slavery and much quicker action when the revolution begins: Writing state constitutions that get rid of slavery, or making some provision for eventually getting rid of it. And thats, of course, what happens in Pennsylvania. Advertisement Advertisement History is really not intended to provide us with a comforting fairy tale. It's intended to help us understand how things happened the way they did, and how we ended up where we are. Historian Kathleen Brown, a University of Pennsylvania professor. CS: How is slavery considered by the framers of Pennsylvanias constitution when its written in the revolutionary period? KB: I can tell you what we know based on the notes taken at the [state] Constitutional Convention. Its contested in Pennsylvania. In 1765, there were 6,000 enslaved people in the colony of Pennsylvania, and 1,500 of those were in Philadelphia. So there are slavers who have a stake in this. Enslaving people is very much part of how they are engaged in farming, agriculture, business, and what have you. Advertisement Advertisement The other thing is, Quakers have really faded as a political force. They opposed whats known as the Seven Years War during the 1750s and 60s. Then again during the Revolution, they wanted to try to remain neutral. So they really lost a lot of political ground in Pennsylvania. They are not carrying the day in the way they might have in William Penns time. The compromise ends up being this gradual abolition law in 1780. Pennsylvania is the first of the colonies to produce a gradual abolition law or any abolition law. Its a very measured step toward unencumbering people of the burden of slavery. Its not a radical act, even though its a first. It isnt immediate abolition. It actually frees absolutely no one on the day its enacted. It comes out of a real argument, but once Pennsylvania has done this, nearly every northern new state in the United States also moves in this direction. CS: What is the practical effect of gradual abolition for enslaved people over the next decades? Advertisement Advertisement KB: Heres the wacky and wild thing about gradual abolition and if you think about it, your first reaction might be, What were they thinking? Nobodys freed. The first people freed after the law is passed are babies who are born like the day after. So try to think about a world where you are born free, technically no longer encumbered by slavery, but all of your grown ups are enslaved. Is that not the craziest thing youve ever heard of? So theres another part of the provision. If a child is born, somebodys got to take care of them, somebodys got to nurture them, somebodys got to be providing for them. But what does a free child do whos born of enslaved parents? What Pennsylvania does is it entitles the masters of the parents to 28 years of service from those children who are born free. Now, from 1780 through to the Civil War, people are not necessarily expecting to live into their 80s or 90s. Theyre in a period of dependency probably until theyre 10, maybe 12. They become really prime laborers from age 12 into their 30s. So it is taking a really big chunk of their prime laboring years from them so that they can pay for their own upbringing. CS: How did George Washington get around that law when he moved to Philadelphia and brought enslaved people with him? (Philadelphia was the U.S. Capital before Washington, D.C.) George Washington (Lansdowne Portrait) KB: Washington uses a loophole. Hes a Virginia enslaver, who lives in the Presidents House, and brings enslaved people into Philadelphia. So do his enslaved people become free the moment they step foot on soil in Philadelphia and Pennsylvania, or do they retain their bound status? The law at the time of the passage of the Gradual Abolition Act is that an enslaver like Washington has got six months. After six months, his enslaved people, by virtue of residence in a state that has gotten rid of slavery, will become free. So to avoid losing his enslaved people to freedom, Washington rotates them out of Philadelphia and back to Mount Vernon. That loophole got plugged in 1788. Advertisement Advertisement CS: So at what point does slavery effectively end in Pennsylvania? KB: Anybody born right before 1780 would technically be enslaved unless their enslaver decided to manumit them, or they were able to purchase their freedom. They could persist in slavery for their lifetimes. So we do know theres a small number of enslaved people still in Pennsylvania off the top of my head, almost single digits numbers in the 1820s. But this is a gradual abolition plan, and that means it gradually withers. Its not a stroke of the pen that transforms everybodys status all at once. CS: At that point, what is Pennsylvanias role in the Underground Railroad and the national abolition movement? KB: There are a couple things that are important to understand about this, by virtue of its place on the eastern seaboard. At the very beginning of the 19th Century, Philadelphia hasnt yet been surpassed by New York as an important port. Its still one of the most important cities in the new United States. Its also the southernmost important city in the southernmost important state that has gotten rid of slavery. Thousands of people trying to escape slavery from more southern points come up north through Philadelphia. So Philadelphia soon has the largest population of free Black people in the new United States. Advertisement Advertisement Pennsylvania is also a border state. What that means is any tensions around slavery and freedom, theres a physical line. On one side of the line, even though their freedom is really encumbered by gradual abolition, theres some legal recourse to people. On the other side of that line, people are legally enslaved. So it becomes a really contested space along that border. Philadelphia is an incredibly important place in the geopolitics of slavery, because its so close to that line. What I will tell you about Philadelphia is a couple contradictory things. You have the legacy of the Quakers. You have free Black people who create the first Black churches in the United States. You have a really active and vital free Black community in Philadelphia. But you also have one of the most prestigious medical schools at the University of Pennsylvania. All the way up to the Civil War, that school attracts very large numbers of wealthy, white Southerners who send their kids there to become doctors. What youve got is a really kind of volatile and high energy mix and set of conflicts around whether the nation will go the way of a place like Pennsylvania, in terms of reforming its laws on slavery. You have people kind of fighting it out. That becomes violence. Theres kidnapping in Philadelphia of Black children who can easily be spirited away and sent further south in slavery. There are claims by enslavers that their Black enslaved people have escaped, which, who knows if its true, but they use federal law to try to get them back. Its a pretty fraught political environment. Independence Hall in Philadelphia (National Parks Service photo). CS: What is life like for Pennsylvanias Black population in the 19th Century? KB: Theres a pretty big free Black population, but free Black people are in a very vulnerable position in Philadelphia. There are kidnappings in the 1820s and 1830s. You get a series of what you might attach the label ethnic cleansing to, or the label of race riots perpetuated by white people. Its a particular kind of violence with a particular kind of goal. At several moments in the early 1830s, white mobs attack Black neighborhoods, burning down schools, burning down orphanages, burning down churches, dismantling Black houses, and any vestige of civic presence in Black neighborhoods. Very few Black people are actually killed by these white mobs, but the goal seems to be to push Black people out of particular neighborhoods. And it works. In 1838, two things happen. There was a big, lofty, ambitious building constructed by abolitionists and other progressive groups who wanted a public space that wasnt a church to go talk about these issues. Its called Pennsylvania Hall. They built this gorgeous building and theyre having a major convention on abolition when an angry mob with a kind of a wink, wink, nudge, nudge permission from the mayor of Philadelphia, burns it to the ground within three days of its opening. The other other part of this is that Black firefighting gangs have been kept out of firefighting. Theyve not been allowed to form and access water in Philadelphia and its neighborhoods this entire time. So these acts of arson have a particularly terrible impact on Black civic institutions, and homes, and neighborhoods because they dont have the defensive equipment that all the other groups have. The Irish Catholics have their firefighting gangs. The native-born Protestants have theirs. But Black neighborhoods dont because theyve been excluded deliberately from that. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX CS: Why do you think its important we remember the complexities of this history, even when its not pretty? KB: I guess I would reframe that. You dont have to get into the complexities and nuances to get to the not-so-pretty part. The basic storyline about slavery in the United States is really not a history that many people would stand up and puff out their chests and say, Yes, Im proud of that. Its a pretty basic story, and its a persistent story, and theres an abundance of evidence supporting it. Its not a story where theres a lot of ways you could interpret the fact that, for example, the president of the United States enslaved people and then, to keep them from going free, moved them out of the Presidents House in Philadelphia. You dont need a lot of nuance to figure that one out. Its not the point of history to identify heroes. I question the premise that a nation absolutely needs to have these kinds of airbrushed heroes in order to anchor national purpose or identity. I guess I think there is a more mature way to approach the past what I call sometimes with students, History for grown-ups. A grown-up person knows that people are complicated, and that you rarely find pure villains, and even more rarely pure heroes. So I think we kind of have to just grow up a little, and get a little bit tougher. History is really not intended to provide us with a comforting fairy tale. Its intended to help us understand how things happened the way they did, and how we ended up where we are. The past is also a burden, in that it requires us to acknowledge and recognize, and maybe to repair. We cant live in the present absolutely free of what people did before us. What they did before us has had consequences. And while we ourselves might not have done the things that George Washington did at the exact moment he did them, what he did, and what his generation did, and what the generations after him did, certainly left a mark. An imprint on American society that has a legacy. So I sort of reject the idea that there is a simple story were making more complicated. Actually, the stories are always more complicated. Its our own desire to tell ourselves a story to comfort ourselves thats too simple. This story was originally published by MLK50: Justice Through Journalism. Subscribe to their newsletter here. More than 3,000 people were arrested during the first two months of the Memphis Safe Task Forces deployment. Only 6% of them appeared to be white, according to an MLK50: Justice Through Journalism analysis. The findings support assertions by some Memphians that the task force mostly affects Black and brown residents. White people were less likely to be arrested as a result of discretionary policing, such as traffic stops, and more likely to be arrested due to outstanding warrants, the analysis found. Of the 169 people arrested in October and November who looked white: Advertisement Advertisement 110 were arrested on warrants 34 were arrested during traffic stops, including 12 who were arrested because they were found to have open warrants. 37 other arrests, eight of which were for driving under the influence, but did not list a traffic stop as leading to the arrest. You dont have discretion as an officer when you pick somebody up on a warrant. It doesnt matter (if the person is) Black, white or purple, youre going to (arrest them), said Thaddeus Johnson, a criminologist from Memphis. Discretionary would be non-warrant, non-felony (arrests). Studies have shown Black drivers are more likely to be stopped than white drivers and are more likely to have their vehicles searched, even though they are less likely to be carrying illegal drugs or guns compared to their white peers. Once officers make a stop, thats where discretionary action comes into play, Johnson said. Theres an anti-Black belief that minorities are a threat. Nobody is immune from the messaging. All of this is shaped by the context of Memphis. Advertisement Advertisement MLK50 staff examined daily reports of the Memphis Safe Task Forces activity from Oct. 1 through Nov. 28. Reports for Oct. 16, Nov. 12, Nov. 16 and Nov. 19 were not available. Each document includes arrest descriptions and photos of nearly every person who is detained. The reports are created by the U.S. Marshals Service Incident Management Team and sent to local government officials. MLK50 obtained the reports via records requests after writing about one document in October. When accounting for the citys population by race, MLK50s analysis found that non-white people were arrested at nearly six times the rate of white people during the task forces first two months in Memphis. The findings take your breath away, said Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris. But, he said, they are not surprising for a criminal justice system that already has significant inequities. Harris, who previously called out the racial disparity he saw in the reports, said the task force is pushing us toward our worst impulses in terms of how we administer the criminal justice system. He pointed to comments made by federal government officials, including Stephen Miller, the homeland security advisor, who told local law enforcement they were unleashed. Advertisement Advertisement Its just been a whole caravan of these folks that are looking to make a sound bite instead of doing the real work thats required to respect folks constitutional rights and due process and steer clear of potentially differential treatment on the basis of race, Harris said. The task force must take action to make sure they remedy this, Harris said. The U.S. Marshals Service, which oversees the task force, did not respond to specific questions from MLK50, but did provide a one-page statement that said, There is no greater success than the Memphis Safe Task Force in combatting crime in Memphis. Your analysis ignores the fundamental truth that law enforcement activity is driven by calls for service, victim reports, criminal activity, crime analysis, and warrant databases, not by demographic percentages, a spokesperson wrote. Attempting to equate population ratios with arrest ratios is a misleading and irresponsible oversimplification that creates false narratives and fuels division. Reporting must be done with accuracy, context, integrity, and not selectively interpreted data, which can manufacture a false narrative that can tear apart communities. Advertisement Advertisement A disparity ratio is a widely accepted metric, used by researchers to calculate whether different groups are being treated unequally, Johnson said. Without comprehensive data, this is the only metric we can shine a light on, he said. Researchers cant determine the underlying causes of disparities without more information about each person arrested by the task force, Johnson said. (The 6-to-1 ratio) does not mean that police are exhibiting racist behavior, but this is an imbalance that should not be ignored. How MLK50 completed its analysis A passenger talks to HSI agents and family members trying to help during a traffic stop on Jackson Avenue in November 2025. Photo by Andrea Morales / MLK50 A multiracial, intergenerational team of reporters and editors at MLK50 spent hours examining and logging data from the task forces daily reports, focusing specifically on the mugshots of those arrested. Most photos appeared to have been taken by officers at the scene of the arrest. The daily reports did not list peoples races, but did include their names and, in some cases, countries of origin. Advertisement Advertisement MLK50 staff examined the photos to determine whether people should be classified as white or non-white, a process that is very similar in how we identify race in the justice system [and] policing, said Johnson, the criminologist. He worked as an officer, sergeant and captain for the Memphis Police Department from 2002 to 2010. Every mugshot was examined by at least two staff members. When the arrested persons photo was unclear, staff searched for other publicly available photos of the person, including from social media or prior arrests. Out of 3,091 adults arrested during the time period, 30 did not have photos included in the reports. These people were excluded from the analysis, bringing the number of people MLK50 examined to 3,061. There were 13 people arrested and photographed who the staff was unable to categorize. Those people were excluded from the racial disparity analysis, making the final sample-size 3,048 people. Advertisement Advertisement MLK50 staff classified a persons race based on visual observation and without taking into account other aspects of the persons identity, such as name or country of origin. The way humans assess race is not a straightforward process, said James Thomas, professor of sociology at the University of Mississippi. Racial classification how people ascribe race to other people is often by way of (looking) at a persons skin tone (and) name. People use that information to then sort people into what they think are the appropriate racial categories, Thomas said. He described racial identity as an internal process based on how people view themselves. Tennessee High Patrol and federal agents are seen during a traffic stop in October 2025. Photo by Kevin Wurm / MLK50 / CatchLight Local / Report For America When told about the 6-to-1 racial disparity in arrests by the Memphis Safe Task Force, Thomas said he wasnt surprised. If I had to bet, thats true of every major city in the United States, and it has a lot to do with policing practices and how police are trained in what constitutes a suspect or suspicious driver, he said. According to Johnson, the lack of data collected by local law enforcement agencies during operations and arrests is part of the problem. Advertisement Advertisement (The task force has) no data from the police to be able to understand (whats happening in Memphis), Johnson said. Collecting and publishing data is a very easy way to avoid problems, he said. You will be a champion of the people. Data collection and publication bring transparency, which then allows for measurement and accountability, he said. Now, the task force is focused only on enforcement, which appears to be pushing Memphis police back to their old ways, Johnson said. The task force does not publicly report racial demographic data. Johnson compared the task forces tactics to how police encountered Tyre Nichols on that deadly night three years ago. Its starting to feel like were back to doing pretextual stops, he said. A pretextual traffic stop occurs when officers pull over a driver for a minor traffic infraction, such as a broken taillight, then use the stop as a pretext to search for a more serious crime. A man was waiting to be cleared after DEA agents searched his car during a traffic stop on Summer Avenue. Photo by Andrea Morales / MLK50 The Tennessee Highway Patrol, which oversees the traffic stop arm of the task force, did not respond to a request for comment. MPD, whose officers made up 804 of about 2,300 task force personnel as of the Nov. 28 daily report, referred a request for comment to the Memphis Safe Task Force. Advertisement Advertisement Were able to say we, the city, arent doing this because its under the auspices of the task force, Johnson said. That goes along with my thinking about the discretionary and non-discretionary stops. Is there public safety value, or are people getting caught up in the net of pretextual stops? How MLK50 calculated disparities in task force arrests by race MLK50 found 3,091 adults were arrested by the Memphis Safe Task Force during its first two months and examined mugshots to group them into two categories: white or non-white. There were 30 arrests for which there were no photos, and 13 people MLK50 could not classify as white or non-white. These individuals were excluded from the analysis, bringing the sample-size to 3,048. If those 13 people had been classified as white, white people would still make up 6% of arrests in October and November. MLK50 calculated arrest rates by dividing the number of arrests for each racial group by that groups population, then multiplying by 1,000. This is the standard formula for per capita calculations. Population figures for Memphis were sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. Disparity rates were calculated by dividing the non-white arrest rate by the white arrest rate. Advertisement Advertisement MLK50s analysis showed that non-white people in Memphis were arrested by the task force at nearly six times the rate of white people in October and November. Number of arrests by race from Oct. 1 to Nov. 28* White: 169 Non-white: 2,879 Total: 3,048 Source: Memphis Safe Task Force situation reports as analyzed by MLK50 Memphis population White: 152,730 Non-white: 458,189 Total: 610,919 Source: Census.gov Per capita arrest rate** in Memphis White arrest rate: 1.11 Non-white arrest rate: 6.28 6.28/1.11 = 5.66 disparity rate (round up to 6) *Excludes Oct. 16, Nov. 12, Nov. 16 and Nov. 19, where no data was available **Per capita arrest rate reflects the number of arrests per 1,000 residents in each racial group. Stephanie Wilson and Charity Scott contributed to this report. Fishers in Bangladesh are concerned about how fast one fish's population is growing around the country. What's happening? According to The Business Standard, suckermouth catfish (also known as sucker fish) are multiplying rapidly in Bangladesh's Buriganga River and wetlands. Fishers are worried about how this could change the fishing landscape. "Seven or eight years ago, this fish suddenly started to spread," fisher Shantas Das told The Business Standard. "My family has been fishing in the Buriganga for generations. Pollution reduced the number of native fish, but we could still survive by fishing in this wetland beside the river." Advertisement Advertisement The news outlet stated that the fish were initially seen as an aquarium species in the 1980s. People released them over time, introducing the fish to bodies of water and allowing them to spread and become "invasive." Why is the spread of sucker fish concerning? Fishers are concerned about losing their sources of income as the sucker fish population grows. "In the past, if we invested 10,000 Bangladeshi taka [$818] for a season, we could earn around 70,000 taka [$572.60] in revenue," another fisher, Mohammad Babul Hossain, told the publication. "Now we don't invest that much, because we barely make a profit of 10,000 to 20,000 taka [$81.80 to $163.60]." Advertisement Advertisement If the sucker fish population isn't controlled in some way, it could continue to harm Bangladesh's fishing community. Managing the environment will allow fishers in Bangladesh to keep doing their jobs and providing food for the people around them. It's important to note that the sucker fish, like other species that are considered "invasive," isn't intentionally doing anything wrong. The Smithsonian's National Zoo & Conservation Biology Institute said that sucker fish are native to Brazil, Venezuela, and Rio de la Plata between Uruguay and Argentina. They're considered invasive anywhere from Texas to Bangladesh itself. They've proved to be a problem in Malaysia, for example. Sucker fish, however, are just trying to survive, no matter where they are. They eat anything from algae to small fish, and large, bony plates protect their body. Advertisement Advertisement Despite all of this, the sucker fish's presence is still causing some harm. Finding a solution to manage the sucker fish is crucial to keeping fish and fishers' lives balanced. What's being done about sucker fish? Dr. Md. Hasan Faruque expressed concern to The Business Standard about the sucker fish population's numbers. He warned that the fish have spread out too far for bans on trade or imports to mean anything. Faruque instead advocated for "strict enforcement, scientific monitoring, public awareness, and financial incentives." If you're looking to rehome a pet, people in many states can find resources through the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service's Don't Let It Loose program. Get TCD's free newsletters for easy tips to save more, waste less, and make smarter choices and earn up to $5,000 toward clean upgrades in TCD's exclusive Rewards Club. Five people have been indicted including two temporary employees working with a state agency in a scheme that targeted non-citizens and offered fake Kentucky drivers licenses in exchange for cash. The scheme happened between November 2023 and October 2024 at the Nia Center Driver Licensing Regional Office in Louisville, according to court documents in the case. Two of those indicted, Donnita Wilson, 32, and Aariel Matthews, 27, were temporary employees working as Kentucky Transportation Cabinet drivers license issuers, while the other three defendants, Raul Tellez Ojeda, 32, Lazaro Alejandro Castello Rojas, 37, and Robert Danger Correa, 41, were not. Advertisement Advertisement Federal prosecutors say the group target non-citizens in the country legally who spoke limited English. The defendants convinced the victims to pay between $200 and $1,500 to skip lines and bypass driving test requirements to obtain their IDs. Last year, Gov. Andy Beshear confirmed the state had revoked nearly 2,000 Kentucky drivers licenses after a KYTC review identified a number of irregularities. At the time, Beshear declined to confirm the revocations were related to an alleged pay-for-ID claim targeting undocumented immigrants. According to documents connected to the recent indictments, Ojeda, Rojas and Correa escorted the victims to licensing appointments posing as KYTC employees. Wilson and Matthews, who worked at the Nia Center through Quantam Solutions, a temporary employment agency, allegedly changed drivers license records, allowing them to print and mail fake licenses to the victims. Court records indicate Ojeda, Rojas and Correa paid Wilson for her role in the scheme, and Wilson in turn paid Matthews. Advertisement Advertisement The two temporary workers paid other KYTC employees to buy the silence of anyone in position to report their activities, according to court documents. They also encouraged coworkers to send certain customers to their workstations. Proper vetting of individuals seeking a drivers license is a prerequisite to ensuring the safety of Kentuckys roadways and ensuring the legitimacy of state-issued identification, United States Attorney Kyle Bumgarner said in a news release. As alleged in the indictment, this fraudulent scheme involved kickbacks and bribes leading to numerous legally present, non-U.S. citizens obtaining unlawfully issued drivers licenses. Officials did not say how much money the group raked in through the scheme or how many fake licenses were issued. Court documents indicate Wilson and Matthews were fired eight days after the scheme was first reported. All five suspects are charged with multiple counts of mail fraud, mail fraud conspiracy, honest services mail fraud, honest services mail fraud conspiracy and money laundering conspiracy. Each charge carries a maximum punishment of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. If convicted, they would also forfeit any proceeds from the scheme. Advertisement Advertisement Matthews, Wilson, Rojas and Correa were arrested Friday and are in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service. Wilson, Matthews and Rojas were released on personal recognizance Tuesday and will be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office while the case continues. Correa was released Tuesday on an unsecured $25,000 bond and will also be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office. A trial date has been set for April 7. Court records do not indicate that Ojeda has been arrested. The integrity of this investigation and licensing has been the priority for me and my administration, which is why we committed to law enforcement that we would not make public comments until all the facts were available, said Gov. Beshear. Read more: https://t.co/hcRjUOrUW4 pic.twitter.com/R3vJKfxH0z Governor Andy Beshear (@GovAndyBeshear) February 10, 2026 Former employee claims she was wrongfully fired for reporting scheme A former employee who worked at the Nia Center has claimed she was wrongfully fired for reporting the scheme to her supervisor. Melissa Moorman filed a whistleblower act lawsuit against KYTC and Quantam Solutions in Jefferson Circuit Court April 11, 2025, about three months after she was terminated, alleging the cabinet retaliated by firing her after she reported the scheme. Advertisement Advertisement The transportation cabinet maintains she was fired for legitimate, non-discriminatory reasons not casually related to the alleged whistleblowing activity, according to court documents. Moorman, who began working at the Nia Center as a temp in October 2022, says a supervisor asked her to share her login credentials with new employees. Wilson and Matthews allegedly used the login as part of the fake ID scheme without Moormans knowledge. Eventually, Moorman was invited into the scheme by someone outside the office. She did not learn Wilson and Matthews were using her login credentials until after she filed a report to her supervisor, according to court documents. Moorman spoke with federal investigators about the scheme in January 2025. The investigation ultimately found she was not participating, court documents say, but sometime after the interview, KYTC and Quantam Solutions fired her. Advertisement Advertisement As part of her suit, Moorman is asking to be rehired and for unspecified compensatory damages. The cabinet has asked the court to dismiss the whistleblower suit outright. The cabinet claims Moormans firing was unrelated to the pay-for-ID scheme and instead the result of Moorman incorrectly issuing a drivers license with the wrong test date multiple times in January 2025, according to court documents. She was fired Jan. 13, 2025. The cabinet requested that Quantam remove Moorman from her temporary assignment at Nia for this conduct, not for any conduct related to the drivers licensing scheme the cabinet and Moormans supervisors were already aware of, court documents read. Lawyers for KYTC also argue Moormans claims are not protected by the Kentucky Whistleblower Act, as she was employed by a temp agency, not the state itself, and her report did not disclose any activity of cabinet employees, making her ineligible for whistleblower claims. Advertisement Advertisement She made no disclosure about any wrongdoing by the cabinet, court documents read. As such, her report about wrongdoing of third parties outside the cabinet conduct the cabinet already knew about, was investigating, and had taken action on was not disclosure the KWA (Kentucky Whistleblower Act) protects. Attorneys representing KYTC and Quantam Solutions did not immediately respond to a request for comment Tuesday. Garry Adams, who represents Moorman, declined to comment on the case but said he will file a response to KYTCs claims by Feb. 18. FLATWOODS Flatwoods Police has arrested a man on rape, sodomy and other sex-related charges, according to a press release from the agency. Authorities located Nathan Kidd in North Carolina after he fled the area, according to Flatwoods PD. The Greenup County Department for Community Based Services assisted in pinpointing Kidds whereabouts. Det. Zak Clark, Greenup County Commonwealths Attorney Rhese McKenzie and his staff, and the United States Marshals Service located and apprehended Kidd, according to Flatwoods PD. Advertisement Advertisement Kidd is now in the Greenup County Detention Center. Det. Clark initiated an investigation into a reported sexual assault of a juvenile at the Flatwoods Trailer Park in September 2025. Following a comprehensive investigation and multiple forensic interviews, the detective obtained an arrest warrant for Kidd, according to the news release. Kidd faces charges of first-degree rape, first-degree rape (victim under 12), first-degree sodomy, first-degree sodomy (victim under 12) and other sex-related charges. As noted in the news release, the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Flatwoods Police thanked the Commonwealths Attorneys Office, U.S. Marshals Service, Greenup County DCBS and Wilkes County (North Carolina) Sheriffs Office for assistance and cooperation in the investigation. A Republican-backed bill to create an annual Charlie Kirk Day of Remembrance in Florida is ready for a vote in the full House of Representatives. This year's measure (HB 125) cleared its last review panel on Jan. 10 despite an intense emotional push by Black lawmakers and others to derail it. It was OK'd on a 18 7 party-line vote in the State Affairs Committee. It would designate the late activist and influencer's birthday, Oct. 14, as a day of remembrance in Florida statute. If passed by both chambers and signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis, Florida would be the first state to bestow such an honor to Kirk. Advertisement Advertisement A Charlie Kirk Day of Remembrance is not a mandate, it doesnt cost anything," said Yvette Benarroch, R-Marco Island, the bill's sponsor. "It just gives Floridians the opportunity, once a year, to pause and remember a moment when the First Amendment was answered with violence, and to recommit ourselves to resolving disagreements the right way, through debate. Yvette Benarroch speaks at the Marco Island City Council meeting Aug. 4, 2025 Opponents ask 'why?' While condemning political violence, Democrats and others opposed the measure. They rejected supporters claims that Kirk promoted civil discourse, and highlighted quotes and media postings of his they said were racist, homophobic, Islamophobic and misogynist. To write in state statute that he was a leader of civil discourse? That is just not the case. I mean, take one look at his YouTube page. This was not about discourse. This was about owning the libs and doing it for national audiences. I dont want my children to embrace that type of mentality, said Rep. Anna Eskamani, D-Orlando. The 31-year-old Kirk was the founder of Turning Point USA, a nonprofit that recruits and organizes high school and college students to support policy positions that promote free markets and limited government. Advertisement Advertisement A producer of provocative podcasts that promoted frequent campus debates with opponents, Kirk became the face of a young conservative movement backed by more than 2,000 college and high school TPUSA chapters nationwide. He was gunned down during a speaking engagement at Utah Valley University in September. Lawmakers filed six Kirk bills Republican lawmakers filed a half dozen bills this session to honor Kirk as a First Amendment martyr who was assassinated while cheerfully debating hot-button policy issues. Another measure (HB 33/SB 174) would redesignate a roadway in Miami_Dade County as Charlie Kirk Memorial Avenue, and a portion of Commercial Boulevard in Broward County as President Donald Trump Boulevard. The measure has cleared both House committees and has two more stops in the Senate. Still another (HB 113/SB 1428) would rename prominent campus roadways at 40 state universities and colleges in Kirks honor. The measure would withhold state funds from schools that fail to comply. It has yet to be heard by a committee. Advertisement Advertisement But the Charlie Kirk Remembrance Day bill has cleared a combined four committees in the House and Senate by a vote total of 4016 with not one 'no' vote from Republicans or 'yes' vote from Democrats. Charlie Kirk, conservative star and founder of Turning Point USA signs hats and takes photos with supporters after his visit to FSU for his 'American Comeback Tour' Friday, Feb. 28, 2025, as part Civility and civil rights Benarroch faced a lengthy dressing-down from Rep. Ashley Gantt, D-Miami. Gantt questioned the appropriateness of honoring Kirk given his statements that the 1964 Civil Rights Act was a mistake and that he had questioned the competence of Black professionals. You are asking me to vote on a bill for a man who wasnt even a constituent of this state and who did not think I possessed the brain power to even be in this seat. That is insulting, Gantt said. Indeed, she seethed through an eight-minute takedown of the measure. Gantt said it made no sense for Florida to honor a college-dropout podcaster as a free speech icon when lawmakers fail to recognize the efforts of the Florida-based First Amendment Foundation, or the First Amendment clinic at Florida State University, or the work of the ACLU of Florida. Advertisement Advertisement Gantt wondered if the bill resulted from some form of white narcissism before concluding it represented hypocrisy at its finest. There are members of this body who wrote letters to school superintendents to get teachers fired for exercising their free speech when it came to Charlie Kirk. People wanted to take public school teachers' jobs for exercising their free speech and now were listening to a bill saying this man was about free speech, Gantt said. This is nuts. Kirk's complicated legacy Benarroch did not back down. In a closing statement, she noted that opponents had painted her as a racist, as white, and as Christian. I am not white. I am not Christian; Im Jewish. And Im not a racist," Benarroch said. "But this is the right we have in this country. I dont have to like what anybody says here. It is your right to say it. Advertisement Advertisement The first-term lawmaker said the opposition was missing the point about her bill. It does not ask anyone to agree with anything Kirk had said. And she stressed that her intent was not to elevate Kirks status. This is what it does: what we are doing here," Benarroch said. We're "having a debate, having that uncomfortable conversation. This bill is about (asking), do we still believe that disagreements should be met with debate and not bullets? James Call is a member of the USA TODAY NETWORK-Florida Capital Bureau. He can be reached at jcall@tallahassee.com. Follow on him X: @CallTallahassee. This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Florida considers annual Charlie Kirk day of remembrance As Casey Curtis approached an overturned vehicle in a canal in rural western Martin County, he heard banging and children screaming. As soon as I heard that, I told the 911 operator that I'm going in to help, Curtis said Feb. 10, two days after the afternoon crash on Southwest Allapattah Road in the area of Southwest Minute Road Road. There was three kids just standing there helpless ... screaming that their mom's head is under the water. Curtis, 40, of Fort Pierce, said he managed to open a door, free the children and help the mother before Martin County Sheriffs and Fire Rescue officials arrived. Advertisement Advertisement Curtis shared his account with TCPalm after Martin County Sheriff John Budsensiek on Feb. 9 highlighted his efforts. Had that good Samaritan not seen or observed that the car was not behind him anymore, we likely would not have found that car for a long period of time, Budensiek said. Curtis said hed gotten off work at the power plant in Indiantown and was driving north headed home. He looked in his rearview mirror and noticed a vehicle behind him veered off the road and went into a tall patch of grass. Casey Curtis I just happened to glance up at the same moment that she veered off, he said. Curtis turned around, called 911 and tried to find where the vehicle entered the grass. It was extremely hard to locate the spot, which was in what he called cane grass that was about 10 feet tall. Advertisement Advertisement Finally found it, and I got out of my car and started walking, Curtis said. He said 911 officials reported help was on the way, and told him not to help. Curtis went through a barbed wire fence and got to the vehicle, an overturned Jeep. He heard banging and kids screaming. He told the 911 operator he was going to help and managed to get a door open. The windows were up and the kids stood on the ceiling of the Jeep since it was overturned. Budensiek said one of the three was an infant, and the oldest was 10. Curtis got them out and onto a bank, giving the infant to the eldest and getting the mothers head out of the water. The mother wasnt breathing, he said. Advertisement Advertisement I couldn't feel a pulse or anything, so at that point, I just prayed to God that I could help her out, that she is going to be OK, Curtis said. I said that she's going to be fine, and gave her a breath, and as soon as I gave her a breath, she started breathing again. Budensiek said the driver is known to deputies through a number of calls in Indiantown involving her and seizures. Curtis said she drove off the west side of Southwest Allapattah Road north of Indiantown. It looked like she accelerated too, and when I got the kids out, they were saying that she was having a seizure, Curtis said. Advertisement Advertisement Budensiek described it as "one of these crashes that you read about every once in a while where cars just disappear and you can't find them. 'Major drug trafficker': Indiantown man identified after school vaping complaint Smile 'lit up the whole room': 20-year-old Florida man remembered Budensiek said as of the evening of Feb. 8, the woman was not breathing on her own, but said health care officials were optimistic of a positive outcome. It felt great for her to start breathing again, Curtis said. Efforts made Feb. 10 to get an update on her condition were not successful. How tall the grass was and where she went in, nobody would have known, and I think all four of them would have been dead, Curtis said. God was definitely with us that day. Advertisement Advertisement (This story was updated with a photo.) Will Greenlee is a breaking news reporter for TCPalm. Follow Will on X @OffTheBeatTweet or reach him by phone at 772-267-7926. E-mail him at will.greenlee@tcpalm.com. This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: Florida man recounts rescue; 'prayed to God that I could help' A Florida teen caught on video splashing gasoline on a friend and setting him on fire is being charged as an adult for the incident that sent the victim to the hospital with severe burns, authorities said. Bradey Ming, 17, was booked into the Marion County jail Feb. 10 on a charge of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon. He was released the same day on a $5,000 bond. The incident occurred mid-January when a group of teens took jet skis to an island in Marion County to drink alcohol and set a bonfire, according to an arrest affidavit. The suspect can be seen on video with a "gas canister pouring gasoline on the juvenile victim." Advertisement Advertisement The suspect was messing with the fire and created a trail leading to the victim who became engulfed in flames, according to the Marion County Sheriffs Office. The victim ran to a lake to extinguish the flames. The teens took jet skis back to one of their houses, and from there decided to take the victim to a hospital. He was life-flighted to UF Health Shands Hospital in Gainesville, where he was admitted to the pediatric intensive care unit and treated for second-degree burns and third-degree burns. What is the status of Florida teen set on fire by friend? The teen is recovering at home following multiple surgeries, according to a GoFundMe account set up to support the family. He will need addition surgeries, as well as therapy and other medical procedures. More than $7,600 was raised as of Feb. 11. Advertisement Advertisement As you can imagine, the financial burden on the family is overwhelming, the post read.In addition to mounting medical bills, they are facing costs related to transportation, daily living expenses, groceries, and time away from work while remaining by their childs side during this unimaginable time. What does the video show of a Florida teen setting friend on fire? The roughly one-minute video shows the suspect carrying a large container filled with gasoline near a bonfire. As other teens laugh in the background, the suspect creates a trail from the fire to the victim sitting nearby facing the fire. The suspect can be seen throwing gasoline on the fire and then pouring more gasoline to create a trail of fire to the victim, who jumps up and attempts to run away. A witness can be heard yelling, "Oh my God. Get in the lake. Get in the lake," as the teen runs covered in flames. Laughing is followed by someone asking if the incident was captured on video. Why did Florida teen set his friend on fire? Authorities were called to Shands Hospital to investigate the incident. Advertisement Advertisement The victim said he was "hanging out" and "drinking alcohol" around a fire with the suspect and two others, according to the report. He also stated he thought he was cool with the suspect and doesnt remember much of what happened that night. According to the affidavit, right before being set on fire, the suspect asked the victim, Do you want to be set on fire? The victim said he was running away when he was set on fire. Michelle Spitzer is a journalist for The USA TODAY NETWORK-FLORIDA. As the networks Rapid Response reporter, she covers Floridas breaking news. You can get all of Floridas best content directly in your inbox each weekday day by signing up for the free newsletter, Florida TODAY, at https://floridatoday.com/newsletters. This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Florida teen who was videoed setting friend on fire, charged as adult Floridas first execution of 2026 took place Tuesday, Feb. 10, ending the life of a man who spent more than 25 years on death row. Ronald Palmer Heath, 64, was pronounced dead at 6:12 p.m. by lethal injection. The U.S. Supreme Court denied Heaths appeal the day before his execution. He was convicted in 1990 of first-degree murder, robbery with a death weapon and multiple forgery charges. In May 1989, Heath and his brother were at a Gainesville bar where they met a traveling salesman, Michael Sheridan. Authorities said the men left the bar and went to a remote area to smoke marijuana. Thats when the brothers attempted to rob Sheridan, with Heath pulling out a handgun. Advertisement Advertisement Sheridan was beaten, stabbed and shot twice in the head. The two brothers dumped Sheridans body in a wooden area and used his credit cards to make purchases the following day at a Gainesville mall. Heath was tracked down several weeks later in Georgia via the credit cards. His brother, Kenneth Health, also was charged with Sheridans murder, but got life in prison through a plea agreement. "Im sorry. Thats all I can say," were Heath's last words, reported a news media witness with the Associated Press. Michael Sheridan's family witnesses Florida first execution of 2026 Among the witnesses to Heath's execution were Sheridan's brother and sister, Thomas and Nancy Sheridan of upstate New York, where the siblings grew up. Advertisement Advertisement They told WSYR-TV that they fought for the execution to be carried out for decades, including flooding the Florida governor's office with calls and letters. One thing Thomas Sheridan always emphasized in his communications, he told the station, is the number of Heath's victims. Heath was a serial killer and that was the thing that I pushed for, very hard with the governors office, he said. He and his sister recalled how their brother was well-liked and trusting. People gravitated to him and he took people at their word, at their face value, and I think that was leveraged against him that night, Thomas Sheridan said. Advertisement Advertisement The siblings were looking forward to the end of their fight for justice, with Thomas Sheridan saying, His ultimate judgment is before God, and I mean this sincerely, Im just glad I had a hand in it." What is the next execution scheduled for Florida? The states second execution of the year is scheduled for Feb. 26. Thats when Melvin Trotter, 65, is scheduled to die by lethal injection. Trotter was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to death for strangling and stabbing Virgie Langford in Palmetto in 1986. Florida led the nation in executions in 2025 Floridas final execution of 2025 was Dec. 18 when Frank Athen Walls died by lethal injection following a conviction of fatally shooting two people during a home robbery. Advertisement Advertisement Walls execution was the 19th of the year, which set a record for the state since the death penalty was reinstated in 1976. Floridas previous record for executions in a year was eight in 1984 and 2014. There are currently 251 inmates on death row in Florida, according to state records. Nationally, 47 people were executed in 2025. Michelle Spitzeris a journalist for The USA TODAY NETWORK-FLORIDA. As the networks Rapid Response reporter, she covers Floridas breaking news. You can get all of Floridas best content directly in your inbox each weekday day by signing up for the free newsletter, Florida TODAY, at https://floridatoday.com/newsletters. This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Florida has first death row execution of 2026. See who it is Jupiter Systems logo Image by Jupiter Systemswebsite; orange background Image by Canva The Justice Department filed its first-ever federal court action Monday to force a Chinese company to divest from a California tech firm. The unprecedented lawsuit seeks to enforce a Presidential order requiring Suirui Group to divest Jupiter Systems on national security grounds. The case marks a significant escalation in U.S. efforts to counter foreign ownership of sensitive technology companies. It also demonstrates the governments willingness to use the courts when diplomatic pressure fails. The President issued the divestment order on July 8, 2025, finding the acquisition threatens to impair the national security of the United States. Suirui Group acquired Jupiter Systems through its Hong Kong subsidiary in 2020. Jupiter Systems provides video communications hardware and software to commercial and government customers. The companys government contracts apparently triggered the national security review. Despite receiving two deadline extensions through February 3, Suirui failed to sell Jupiter Systems within the required 120 days. The Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) had investigated the transaction before recommending presidential action. The complaint, filed as United States v. Suirui Group Co., Ltd., et al. in D.C. federal court, invokes section 721 of the Defense Production Act. Trial Attorney Sam Bean from the Justice Departments Civil Division is handling the case. More than one year after the destructive Palisades Fire, former residents of a beachfront mobile home park that was destroyed in the wildfire continue to face frustrations as they seek compensation. Those who lived at Pacific Palisades Bowl Mobile Estates are fighting to receive fair-market value for their lost homes. "There were laws that were passed that took our rights away," said Bonnie Kanner, who was a nine-year resident of the mobile home park when it burned down in January of last year. Advertisement Advertisement ABC7 has reported multiple stories on the plight of those who used to live at the Palisades Bowl, and the owners who have refused to clean up the debris, prompting statements such as this one from Los Angeles City Councilmember Traci Park: "It is absolutely inexcusable that a year after this devastation, that toxic stew of debris is still sitting right on PCH and some of the most sensitive environmental areas in all of L.A.," Park said last month. Those owners also terminated the leases of the more than 100 residents of the Palisades Bowl. In the past, the displaced residents would have been paid in-place market value of their home. Now, all that they are required to be paid is relocation help -- which they have not received. According to Kanner, it was state legislators who inexplicably gave the park's owner the legal right withhold compensation. Advertisement Advertisement "SB 610 took our right to be compensated," Kanner said in an interview with ABC7. "SB 274 wiped out our leases, our rent control, our everything. The two together destroyed us." The residents say the owners of the mobile home park have been fighting and haven't cleared the debris so they can begin rebuilding. Kanner said her insurance paid only about 10% of what her home could have sold for on the day before the fire. She's now living in a small apartment in Santa Monica. She said she feels like she's the only one fighting this particular issue but does it to help the victims of future fires. Advertisement Advertisement There are 450,000 mobile homes in the state of California over 1 million voters in the state of California and they don't know about this law," Kanner told ABC7. "They're the ones that I am trying to scream out to so that they understand that what happened to us can happen to them in the next disaster they should all check their insurance." State Sen. Ben Allen, whose 24th district includes Pacific Palisades, has been working to introduce legislation to help people like Kanner. After a request for an interview with Allen, his office provided a statement to ABC7 that read in part: "I am 100% committed to shoring up post-disaster protections for our mobile home residents, including needed clarification to maintain appropriate compensation for a mobile homeowner's leasehold interest value. These residents deserve greater transparency, user-preservation guardrails, and tenancy protections in the wake of a disaster." TROY - Merchandise at 272 Hoosick St. will be cheaper than ever before. Free, in fact. What isn't accepted at the Free Store Large furniture (Unclear if the Troy location will accept this in the future.) TVs and computers Used bed pillows Cribs Car seats Encyclopedias Clothing in poor condition Vermont-based Free Store Mission Inc. plans to launch its second donation-supported store out of a former Rite Aid on the corner of Hoosick Street and Burdett Avenue. Advertisement Advertisement According to real estate broker Kyle Bradley, the Free Store closed on the space two weeks ago under a $3.1 million deal. It had been vacant since June under the terms of a bankruptcy-related plan to shutter all 178 Rite Aid locations in New York. The Free Store's purchase deal was first reported by the Albany Business Review. The 14,600-square-foot site is much more accessible and less cramped than the Free Store's current location, a former commercial bank in downtown Bennington, according to the nonprofit's board President Joyce Lloyd. "Troy gets a lot of traffic, I think there's a bus route right along that way, and it's a nice location," Lloyd said. "Easy access in and out." Advertisement Advertisement A handful of paid staff and about 30 volunteers have run the Bennington store since late 2024. It's open three days a week, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. So far, its business model has been successful, Lloyd said. At the store, shoppers can take up to 25 items per week, regardless of their income level. Donations fuel operations, both cash and items. Lloyd has been surprised by how willing and excited donors are to drop off goods. "They want to go somewhere meaningful where they could help other people, and are just as excited to drop things off to us as they are to come and shop," she said. Advertisement Advertisement The 67-year-old board president modeled the Free Store after a similar store in Florida. The modern concept of free stores, also known as giveaway shops, dates back decades. A group of hippies known as the "Diggers" set up similar stores in San Francisco throughout the 1960s. Lloyd hopes the business model will eventually spread across the Northeast, believing that "every community needs one." So far, the Free Store has not confirmed an opening date for the Troy location. "We're doing the best we can to get up and running," Lloyd said. "I would imagine it would probably be late spring or early summer, but that is just a guess." Advertisement Advertisement No hours of operation have yet been determined, either. Some customers may be able to visit on an appointment-only basis before the opening. The Troy store will be managed by Sarah Brilya. She is currently seeking to build up a team of volunteers to keep the site buoyant. Katie Spain-McLaren, who represents the upper Hoosick Street area in the Troy City Council, researched the Bennington location after learning about the Free Store's plans. So far, she's impressed. "I think it will give a lot of folks easier access both to donate and to shop than Goodwill because of Hoosick Street," Spain-McLaren said. "There is definitely a need in the area." Advertisement Advertisement Spain-McLaren remains skeptical about the sustainability of the business model and worries that donors could drop off items outside of business hours. Initially, the Free Store isn't expected to have a drop-off area. Security cameras will be installed, and "no dumping" signage will be featured on the premises. So far, dumping hasn't been much of a problem at the Vermont site, according to Lloyd. This article originally published at Former Rite Aid to become store where everything is free. French lawmakers Wednesday urged longer paid parental leave and more financial support to make it easier for people to have more children, after deaths last year exceeded births in France for the first time in decades. "I'm calling for a family policy overhaul," the lead author of a parliamentary report on the cause of dwindling birth rates, Jeremie Patrier-Leitus, told AFP. That would "enable the French to fulfil their desire to have children", he added. Advertisement Advertisement The recommendations came after France last year -- for the first time since the end of World War II -- recorded fewer babies born than people dying in the country, according to the National Statistics Institute. Fertility rates are in decline across the European Union. While women in France still hold some of the bloc's highest fertility rates, scoring second after Bulgaria in 2023, according to EU statistics, they would like to have more children, the lawmakers said, and would do so if the right measures were in place. Recommendations include monthly payments of 250 euros (almost $300) per child to families until the offspring reach age 20, regardless of a household's income, as well as paid parental leave of 12 months, to be shared between both parents. Advertisement Advertisement Currently, paid maternal leave is a little under four months for a first child, while fathers are allowed 25 days off after a birth. The legislators also suggested a few half days a year off for parents and grandparents to help children through key moments of their education. - Letter to 29-year-olds - The parliamentary report comes after France's health ministry last week unveiled a plan to battle infertility, which affects 3.3 million French people. The ministry said it would be sending a letter to all 29-years-olds -- men and women -- starting from the end of the summer, as part of the plan. Advertisement Advertisement The letter would inform them about "both sexual health and reproductive health, intended for all French men and women aged 29". The plan has sparked some criticism, especially abroad. British columnist Zoe Williams wondered in The Guardian how she would feel to receive such a letter from "childless" President Emmanuel Macron. In France, reactions were more muted. And the French satirical publication Le Gorafi on Tuesday joked that "Macron recommends that the French hang a photo of him above their bed" to encourage them to make babies. Macron in 2024 caused waves when he said a plan to combat infertility would help pave the way towards what he described as the country's "demographic re-armament". Feminists countered that it was not up to the state to "dictate to women if they should have children and when". vac-cac-ah/rmb An elderly French man has been charged with the rape and sexual assault of 89 teenagers in a mass abuse case that police allege spans many countries and dates back to the 1960s. Jacques Leveugle, 79, who is in custody in south-east France, was arrested after his nephew found a USB that allegedly detailed his "sexual relations" with minors aged 13 to 17, the Grenoble prosecutor, Etienne Manteaux, told a news conference. In an unusual move, authorities are naming the suspect because out of the 89 assaults, Manteaux said that only around 40 victims had been identified. Advertisement Advertisement "If victims wish to come forward, now is the time," he added. Police allege the crimes took place between 1967 and 2022. Throughout much of his life, Leveugle worked as an informal teacher or assistant at holiday camps, the prosecutor said. A timeline released of Leveugle's whereabouts dating back to the 1960s shows his appearance throughout the decades. Police allege that he could have carried out assaults not only in France, but also Germany, Switzerland, Morocco, Niger, Algeria, the Philippines, India, Colombia, and the French overseas territory of New Caledonia. "He travelled to these different countries and in each of these places where he settled to provide tutoring and teach, he would meet young people and have sexual relations with them," Manteaux told the news conference on Tuesday. Advertisement Advertisement Leveugle was arrested in 2024 after visiting his brother in the Isere department around Grenoble, a city in south-eastern France. At the time, Leveugle was living in Morocco. His brother's son - who had suspicions about his uncle - took advantage of his absence one day in October 2023 to examine a USB drive that belonged to Leveugle. It allegedly contained "15 tomes of very dense material" - photographs and written accounts of his "sexual relations" with minors, Manteaux said. "The victims we have spoken to tell us that he spent a lot of time helping them to learn foreign languages, awakening their sense of culture... He has a complex personality," the prosecutor said. "A lot of work has been done to identify all the victims. But in his journal, some only have first names, and there we found ourselves up against a wall. That's why we decided to launch this appeal - and also in case there are other victims not listed in his journal," Manteaux added. Advertisement Advertisement The prosecutor revealed that under questioning, Leveugle also allegedly admitted to killing his own mother and aunt by smothering them with cushions. He is accused of killing his mother in 1974 when she was in the terminal phase of cancer, and he allegedly did the same to his 92-year-old aunt in 1992. "He explained to us that he told (his aunt) he had to leave for the Cevennes. She was pleading with him not to go, so he took the decision to kill her too," the prosecutor said. "He justifies the killings by saying he hoped someone would do the same to him if he was in the same situation at the end of his life." Advertisement Advertisement A separate judicial investigation has been opened into these alleged killings. Under French law, alleged assaults that took place before 1993 come under the country's statute of limitations, so no prosecutions for them would be possible. However Manteaux said it was still important to get a full picture of Leveugle's alleged crimes. In two other recent and high-profile sexual assault cases in France, offenders kept records of their activities which were later key in bringing them to justice. In the Pelicot rape case, Dominique Pelicot kept videos of men assaulting his sleeping wife Gisele, whom he had drugged. He was jailed for 20 years. Advertisement Advertisement In Brittany, former doctor Joel Le Scouarnec compiled detailed computer records of the hundreds of children he molested in hospital. Without this evidence, he may never have been convicted. He, too, was jailed for 20 years. The FBI search of election offices in Fulton County, Georgia, that led to the seizure of ballots from the 2020 election was ordered by Kurt Olsen, who previously helped President Donald Trump challenge his loss in that election and is now working for the Trump administration. The revelation comes from an affidavit filed by the FBI and disclosed on Tuesday. That affidavit led a judge to authorize the Jan. 28 raid on Fulton County election offices in order to investigate whether election officials in the county illegally altered or tampered with the 2020 election results in a manner that could have cost Trump the election. On Election Day in 2020, Trump immediately claimed that fraud led to his loss to Democrat Joe Biden, a claim that has since been exhaustively disproven. Nevertheless, he mounted a nonstop public and legal campaign to overturn the results. Much of this effort focused on Georgia, where he attempted to pressure Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, a Republican, to find 11,780 votes, the exact number needed to put Trump ahead of Biden. Raffensperger did not oblige. No fraud was found in Georgia or any other state, and Trump eventually pivoted to trying to block the certification of Bidens win, culminating in the Jan. 6 insurrection and his second impeachment. Advertisement Advertisement Like this article? Keep independent journalism alive. Support HuffPost. Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard enters the Fulton County election hub as the FBI takes Fulton County 2020 Election ballots. Mike Stewart via Associated Press Now back in office, Trump is following through on his promise to get revenge on his enemies. This includes those people he imagines stole the 2020 election from him. Fulton County is his first target, despite Georgia having conducted multiple recounts and audits of the election and found no evidence of fraud. Olsen, a proponent of Trumps election lies, now appears to be directing that vengeance campaign from the federal government where he acts as the Presidentially appointed Director of Election Security and Integrity, according to the affidavit. He is being fed any intelligence he wants from U.S. intelligence services to prove the false theory of election fraud, according to Politico. Politics: White House Tries To Spin Trumps Call To Nationalize The Vote Following Trumps 2020 election loss, Olsen made his way into the center of the election denial community. He advised Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton on his failed lawsuit challenging the election results, teamed up with MyPillow owner Mike Lindell to promote election fraud lies and in 2022 represented GOP gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake when she challenged her own loss on similar false fraud claims. A court sanctioned him for making false factual statements to the Court in the Lake lawsuit. Advertisement Advertisement The affidavit shows how much the FBIs raid of Fulton County election offices is based on Trumps debunked election fraud theories. It cites two reports connected to election denialist Kevin Moncla, who ProPublica reported was at the center of the investigation. One report was filed as a complaint to the Georgia State Election Board in 2022 and the other report was published in January by the Election Oversight Group. Olsen is also not the only election denier who is working in the Trump administration and cited in the report. Clay Parikh, who served as Lakes star witness in her election fraud case and is also tied to Lindell, is noted in the affidavit as a Special Government Employee, a temporary officer or employee in the U.S. Executive Branch appointed to work for up to 130 days. Parikh has also stated that the predictions of QAnon, the conspiracy that Trump would purge a cult of liberal pedophiles, are dead on. He is cited for reviewing Fulton County ballot tabulator tapes and believing that they had been compromised. Political Updates Read the original on HuffPost In addition to more than $100 million in the New Mexico state budget bill aimed at housing affordability and homelessness prevention, nearly two dozen bills this legislative session aim to change state policies and tax incentives to make a dent in a statewide housing shortage. Homelessness in New Mexico is rising, and the state lacks up to 32,000 units of affordable housing to meet current demand, according to recent estimates. Roger Valdez, director of the local Center for Housing Economics, is optimistic about most of the legislation, he told Source New Mexico on Wednesday at the Roundhouse. Advertisement Advertisement Separately, the bills make affordable housing cheaper for developers and households and reduce administrative barriers to new construction. But together, he said, the bills gel into a really smart approach to these issues of affordability. We need better data, and we need better incentives, and I think all that together is where were trying to push, he said. And I think well get there. Unlike past years in which housing bills focused more on grants and loans, during this years session, lawmakers are turning to the tax code for major housing-related policy changes, Valdez said. Two bills hes following would eliminate sales taxes on material and labor used for affordable housing, as well as pause property taxes on in certain areas to spur affordable housing development. I think the good news this year is weve seen a lot of incentive-driven proposals where its all about, How can we incentivize more development? he said, rather than creating complex programs that require developers to apply for funds for grants or loans. Advertisement Advertisement In addition, lawmakers this year seem inclined to give a break on a tax or a tax credit that will motivate the housing development much more quickly than some of those other funding formulas, he said. Previous affordable housing development projects relied on revolving, low-interest loans that required developers to apply for funds. Winter Torres, the founder and CEO of New Mexico Eviction Prevention and Diversion and a close follower of housing legislation, agreed that outside of the budget bill, the tax-related bills could have the biggest impact on housing affordability this session. Most important, she said, is Senate Bill 92, which would exempt affordable housing developers from gross receipts taxes on materials and labor. Advertisement Advertisement I think I agree that gross receipts tax probably contributes to why building something here costs more than it costs somewhere else, she said. Advocates for cities, including the New Mexico Municipal League and the city of Albuquerques lobbyist, previously expressed opposition to the bill, given local governments heavy reliance on gross receipts tax revenue. A fiscal analysis estimates that local governments statewide would annually lose more than $4 million in gross receipts tax revenues if the deduction went into effect, assuming a baseline of 670 affordable units built each year with a small uptick the deduction prompts. However, analysts said lack of housing and material cost data statewide make accurate analyses difficult. In addition to the gross receipts tax bill, 20 other bills lawmakers filed this session mention affordable housing. That list includes the budget bill, which allocates $110 million on housing, including $35 million on anti-homelessness initiatives. Other bills seek to loosen zoning requirements, add tax incentives, require more local data reporting and more. According to a Source review, five of the 21 bills have cleared their first committees. Advertisement Advertisement Valdez spoke to Source shortly after receiving committee feedback on a bill hes shepherding through the Legislature as expert witness that seeks to spur revitalization of derelict or vacant properties through the use of tax credits. Developers would receive credits for rehabilitation expenses for vacant properties that result in affordable housing units. House Taxation and Revenue Committee members opted not to vote on the bill, House Bill 77, Wednesday, though their comments suggested they supported it. Chair Derrick Lente (D-Sandia Pueblo) said the bill would be first on the agenda Friday morning, when members will take up an amendment to greatly reduce the amount developers can receive in tax credits from $100 million to $5 million. Valdez said the reduction was necessary to make the credit more manageable and likely to be included in the tax package. Im hopeful that now this one is at the smaller cap, it will fit into that overall effort and be an attractive package that the whole Legislature will support and the governor will sign, he said. A bill going through the Georgia Senate that would allow retired teachers to return to work passed in the Senate Retirement Committee. A floor vote on Friday also passed the legislation nearly unanimously, sending it to the House of Representatives for consideration. Senate Bill 150 would reauthorize Georgia teachers to come back to work after retirement through 2034, if they have 25 years or more of creditable service, a change from the current program. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] To come back to the education workforce, retired teachers would need to wait 12 months while retired. Advertisement Advertisement During the waiting period, teachers who wish to be eligible to return to work would be able to work up to 49% of full-time without violating the wait terms. TRENDING STORIES: Should they choose to come back to work after that 12-month waiting period, the bill would allow teachers to continue collecting their retirement benefits, in addition to benefits and wages from employment. In a statement on the bill, the Professional Association of Georgia Educators said it was supportive of the changes proposed for the program. Advertisement Advertisement The current version of the return to work program requires 30 years of service and a return to only the top three areas of highest need in a given school district. The proposed update from SB 150 would modify this to fewer years of experience needed and would add additional subjects for classes, including English Language Arts, science, social studies, special education, Career, Technical, and Agricultural Education (CTAE) and math. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] U.S. Rep. David Scott of Georgia quickly tried to pause the deportation of a local veteran until his case may be heard. But now that veteran, Godfrey Wade, is in Jamaica and it could take years to resolve. "DHS deported Mr. Wade to Jamaica and did not notify my office until four days later," Scott said in a statement to CBS News. "Mr. Wade served this country honorably and was entitled to due process. His deportation is a continuation of the Trump Administration's punitive and cruel immigration tactics, and I will continue pressing DHS for accountability." As the news of this event goes national, here's what we know so far: Who is the Georgia Army veteran who was deported? The veteran in question is Godfrey Wade who is reportedly in his 60's with a fiancee, six children, and three grandchildren. He moved to the U.S. in 1975 when he was reportedly a teenager and, according to Scott, served in the Army from 1983 to 1987 during which he was assigned the 1st Battalion, 7th Infantry Regiment. Yesterday, I sent a letter to Secretary Noem and Acting Director Lyons urging DHS to immediately halt the removal of GA resident & U.S. Army veteran Godfrey Wade. After 8 years of honorable service, Mr. Wade faces deportation without due process. Our system must uphold dignity pic.twitter.com/4rHc7YSszS Rep. David Scott (@repdavidscott) February 6, 2026 Where is the deported Army veteran from? Wade is from Covington, GA which is about 35 miles east of Atlanta. What did the deported Army veteran do? Wade was issued a removal order in 2014 after not showing up to a hearing. This stems from a 2007 bounced check and a 2006 simple assault charge. According to his attorney as reported by CBS Atlanta, the assault was from a domestic dispute with Wade's ex wife where "a glass of milk was spilled and pots and pans were knocked to the floor. No physical violence was ever alleged." As for the bounced check, Wade reportedly paid that and related fines in full. Advertisement Advertisement Also, regarding the 2014 hearing, CBS said court records show hearing notices were sent to an address used by ICE were returned as undeliverable. Wade's attorney said his client was unaware of the hearing and the subsequent removal order. Nevertheless, on Sept. 13, Wade was pulled over in Conyers, GA for failing to use a turn signal, during which he was arrested for driving without a license. Soon after, he was detained by ICE and taken to its Atlanta field office, then was transferred to Stewart Detention Center in Lumpkin. Godfrey Wade, a U.S. Army veteran and long-time Georgia resident of over 50 years, was deported to Jamaica despite a pending immigration appeal. His case is sparking concern about how even those who serve this country arent always safe from immigration enforcement. pic.twitter.com/4sXDv3Z6XM Everything Georgia (@GAFollowers) February 10, 2026 Wade's legal team filed a habeas petition looking to reopen and reverse the criminal cases, and a formal appeal of the deportation order. Despite those and a representative's request, Wade was eventually moved to a detention center in Louisiana and ultimately flown back to Jamaica on Feb. 5, according to 11Alive. Tricia McLaughlin, a Homeland Security spokesperson, issued a statement to Newsweek in December highlighting Wade's "criminal history" including "domestic assault, criminal trespass, reckless conduct, account fraud, violation of probation, multiple arrests for driving on a suspended license." This was followed up by calling him a "repeat offender" who is "now off our streets and no longer able to terrorize Americans." Advertisement Advertisement That statement was read to Wade in a CNN interview who said it was false while also making clear that, despite what's happened, he still believes in America and its legal system. "I'm the ultimate 'Jamerican' as we would say," Wade said. "My children are American, my grandchildren are American, and I mentor hundreds if not thousands of American young people, and for me to respond differently would be an atrocity. I love this country and everything it stands for. We believe in the justice system and we know they're going to do the right thing." Miguel Legoas is a Deep South Connect Team Reporter for USA Today. Find him on Instagram @miguelegoas and email at mlegoas@gannett.com. This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: Georgia Army veteran deported to Jamaica: What we know The German government has strongly criticized a decision by the Israeli Security Cabinet to allow Israeli private individuals to purchase land in the West Bank. The move, which also transfers administrative responsibilities related to some West Bank construction projects to Israeli civil authorities, "contradicts Israel's obligations under international law," a Foreign Office spokesman said in Berlin on Wednesday. It represents "a further step towards de facto annexation," he added. Advertisement Advertisement The spokesman noted that Israel remains an occupying power in the West Bank, "and as an occupying power, it is contrary to international law to build settlements." The transfer of administrative activities to Israeli civil authorities contradicts the temporary nature of an occupation, the spokesman added. The German government's position on the issue of Israeli settlements in the West Bank remains that the territory is an integral part of a future Palestinian state, said the spokesman. Against this backdrop, Berlin continues to advocate a negotiated two-state solution, which envisions an independent Palestinian state and Israel coexisting peacefully. Advertisement Advertisement Israel's right-wing religious government rejects a two-state solution claiming that a Palestinian state would pose a threat to the existence of the Jewish state. Israeli media reported on Sunday that the country's Security Cabinet had approved several measures that critics say will accelerate Israeli settlement construction in the West Bank. According to Israeli media, the measures include the abolition of previous regulations preventing settlers from purchasing land and the opening of land registry records in the West Bank to the public for the first time. In addition, authorizations for construction projects by settlers in Hebron will in future be approved exclusively by Israeli authorities. Until now, they also required approval by the Hebron municipality, which is under the control of the Palestinian Authority. Israel is steadily expanding settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, territories it captured in 1967 and which Palestinians claim for their own state. More than 700,000 Israeli settlers now live there among some 3 million Palestinians. Germany will soon occupy more top positions in NATO's military command structure than the United States as a result of a new distribution of responsibilities, sources told dpa on Tuesday. The move is part of a shift towards a fairer distribution of burdens and responsibilities within NATO, the alliance stated in a statement released on Tuesday. "Allies agreed on a new distribution of senior officer responsibility across the NATO Command Structure in which European Allies, including NATOs newest members, will play a more prominent role in the Alliances military leadership," NATO said in a statement released on Tuesday. Advertisement Advertisement At the same time, NATO made it clear that the US will continue to assume military leadership responsibilities - for example, by continuing to hold the position of Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR). The US has reaffirmed a strong commitment to NATO, Admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone explained as chairman of the NATO Military Committee. The changes in the allocation of positions foresee that the United Kingdom will take over command of the Joint Force Command Norfolk in the US state of Virginia from the US, and Italy will take over command of the Allied Joint Force Command in Naples from the US. Germany and Poland will also share command of the Joint Force Command Brunssum in the Netherlands on a rotational basis, NATO said. Advertisement Advertisement As a result of the planned changes, all three Joint Force Commands will be led by Europeans in the future. The four-star commands lead in crises and conflicts at the operational level under the strategic command of the SACEUR. The United States, on the other hand, will lead all three Component Commands at the level of strategic operational areas and will also newly assume responsibility for the NATO Allied Maritime Command (MARCOM) in Northwood, United Kingdom. They already lead the Allied Land Command in Turkey (LANDCOM) and the Allied Air Command (AIRCOM) at the Ramstein base in Germany. The fact that Germany will soon be so strongly represented in the command structure is due to the fact that, in addition to the three and four-star generals in the aforementioned commands, other general positions are also counted. The changes are to be gradually implemented in the coming years - in line with established personnel rotations. By Toby Sterling and Bart H. Meijer AMSTERDAM, Feb 11 (Reuters) - A Dutch court ordered an investigation into mismanagement at chipmaker Nexperia, dealing a blow to Chinese parent Wingtech by allowing the European management team that took charge after a Dutch state intervention last year to stay in place. More from Yahoo Scout How does the Nexperia dispute affect global chip supplies? What are Europe-China corporate relations implications? What prompted the Dutch court intervention in Nexperia? What emergency measures were imposed on Nexperia management? The fight over Nexperia, which has spread from boardrooms to Brussels and Beijing, is one of the most prominent recent corporate standoffs between Europe and China and has disrupted global supplies of basic chips to the car industry. A breakdown between Nexperia's European wafer production arm and its China-based parent and Chinese packaging subsidiary remains unresolved. "The situation at Nexperia primarily calls for stability so that Nexperia can restore its internal relationships, its production chain, and its delivery to customers," judges at the Amsterdam Enterprise Chamber said in a written decision. NEXPERIA, CHINESE PARENT SEEK WAY OUT OF STANDOFF During the probe - expected to take months - emergency measures imposed in October that include the suspension of former CEO and Wingtech founder Zhang Xuezheng and the temporary transfer of shareholder voting rights to a Dutch court-appointed administrator, will remain in place, the court said. Wingtech now has little chance of regaining control of Nexperia before it follows through on plans to expand packaging facilities in Malaysia, ensuring a non-Chinese chip supply for its customers. Wingtech said in a statement it regretted the court decision, but will "continue to pursue the restoration of its full shareholder rights through all available legal means." It noted that the investigation will also examine the actions of European managers, something its lawyers had requested. The Chinese packaging arm, operating independently as Nexperia China, is seeking to replace European-made wafers with domestic Chinese alternatives. The two sides could still negotiate a less costly resolution. "We hope to engage in constructive and meaningful dialogue with management in China as soon as possible," a Nexperia spokesperson said. (Reporting by Toby Sterling; Editing by Louise Heavens and Elaine Hardcastle) German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul on Wednesday called on ex-Soviet republics in Central Asia to crack down harder on businesses circumventing sanctions imposed on Russia over the war in Ukraine. "Attempts to circumvent these sanctions support Russia's war of aggression and thus directly threaten the security interests of the European Union," Wadephul said at a meeting with counterparts from Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan in Berlin. Germany's top diplomat said he asked the Central Asian ministers "to intensify their efforts in the fight against sanctions evasion and to coordinate closely with the European Union." Advertisement Advertisement Wadephul acknowledged that the former Soviet republics face a difficult geopolitical balancing act due to their location, forcing them to deal with growing Chinese interests and the threat posed by Russia at the same time. Russia's war in Ukraine has shown that Moscow's "neo-imperial behaviour threatens the security order in the region and is also a danger to its neighbours," he said. Germany and the European Union are looking to expand economic cooperation with the Central Asian states for mutual benefit, including on critical raw materials and rare earths, the minister said. Expanding cooperation in the agricultural sector was also discussed by an economic forum on the sidelines of the meeting, according to Wadephul. Ghanaians across the country have turned out en masse to wear the country's colourful traditional outfit, the fugu, after the government designated Wednesdays "Fugu Day". The move comes after President John Dramani Mahama's state visit to Zambia last week when he wore the garment. Some mockingly called it a "blouse", prompting a fierce response from Ghanaians online. Ghana's Tourism Minister Abla Dzifa Gomashie said on Tuesday that wearing the outfit every week would help project the country's identity "with pride on the global stage". Advertisement Advertisement She encouraged wearing the outfit "in all its diverse forms, designs, and expressions, complemented by its distinctive and beautiful accessories". The fugu, also known as batakari, is a traditional northern Ghanaian top made from handwoven, narrow strips of thick cotton fabric stitched together to form a structured, ponchostyle garment. It is worn by traditional leaders in northern Ghana, as well as ordinary citizens, and is a symbol of royalty and authority. "Fugu is an easy wear. You pick it and off you go. You don't have to iron it" ", Source: Raymond Avenor, Source description: A civil servant in Accra, Image: Raymond Avenor The traditional fugu top is more often associated with men, who sometimes wear trousers and a hat in matching material, but women also wear a version of it, which can be styled longer or as a dress. Advertisement Advertisement When Ghana became the first sub-Saharan nation to break free from colonial rule in 1957, its founding father - the pan-Africanist Kwame Nkrumah - and five others wore fugus at the celebrations that marked the country's independence from the UK. Beyond its cultural importance, Gomashie said the outfit's weekly display would "generate far-reaching social and economic benefits" especially for local weavers, designers, artisans and traders. "The government hopes that this collective embrace of fugu will strengthen national unity, stimulate the creative economy, and serve as a powerful symbol of Ghana's cultural confidence and self-expression," the minister added. Advertisement Advertisement Following the announcement, many Ghanaians on Wednesday heeded the minister's call, wearing the outfit in a variety of colours across the country. Bismark Owusu Sarpong told the BBC in the capital, Accra, that he was proud to wear his blue, white and black striped fugu, which he had received as a gift, to put "Ghana on the map" - plus he said the outfit came with the added bonus of being comfortable. Raymond Avenor, also in Accra, agreed wholeheartedly with this: ''Fugu is an easy wear. "You pick it and off you go. You don't have to iron it, we don't wash it often as it should be," the civil servant told the BBC, sporting a blue fugu with white stitching. Advertisement Advertisement "Significantly it's the northern people of Ghana that use this and it depicts, according to my understanding, royalty. I feel good when I wear it." For Andrews Tetteh Zutah, who owns more than seven of the tops, "Fugu Day" should not only be restricted to Wednesdays. "I wish to have more," said the Accra office worker in his stripped red, khaki and black fugu. "I wish I will be allowed to wear it anytime to the office but because of office constraints I'm unable to wear it every day. Personally, it's one of the outfits I love most." The attention has been great for fugu makers and sellers too. Advertisement Advertisement Elijah Sulemana Musah, owner of a fugu factory, says business is booming - adding that he has received lots of orders from Ghanaian celebrities such as popular musicians Okyeame Kwame and Kwabena Kwabena. ''I've had calls coming in from several places both within and outside Ghana. I just met someone who said Zambians have called her and they are interested in the fugu and so she would wants me to supply to her," he told the BBC. The iconic outfit has been trending on social media for days following the banter between Ghanaians and Zambians. This revived a cultural movement on social media, with Ghanaians informally declaring "Fugu Friday" to showcase the outfits. Fridays had been designated by the previous government as a day where people were encouraged to wear traditional clothes. Advertisement Advertisement The debate prompted Ghanaians, including MPs, to flood social media proudly showcasing their fugus, while Zambians featured wearing their traditional outfits known as siziba. President John Dramani Mahama said he would export the outfit to Zambia in bulk following the online debate [Zambia's Ministry of Information and Media/X] The online exchange attracted the attention of Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema, who announced that his country would order fugus from Ghana. President Mahama also suggested exporting the smock in bulk to Zambia. While emphasising the fugu's cultural and political significance, Mahama gave a nod to Nkrumah and how he had worn it in 1957 and said that he himself had recently worn it proudly to the UN. Other presidents, including Nana Akufo-Addo, John Kufuor and Jerry John Rawlings, have also embraced and publicly promoted the outfit. More about Ghana from the BBC: [Getty Images/BBC] Go to BBCAfrica.com for more news from the African continent. Follow us on Twitter @BBCAfrica, on Facebook at BBC Africa or on Instagram at bbcafrica BBC Africa podcasts Feb. 10When attorney Dan Gividen read about a 10-year-old girl and her father detained by federal immigration agents in Spokane, he knew he could help. As a former deputy chief council for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and Gonzaga University alum, Gividen has been following the legal cases stemming from the Trump administration's immigration crackdown. And now that includes the case of Karla Tiul Baltazar and her father, Arnoldo Tiul Caal, who came from Guatemala in 2019 and were allowed to live, work and attend school in Spokane while awaiting a decision on their open asylum claim. Two thoughts quickly came to mind, Gividen said Monday: They were never given an explanation of why they were detained by Border Patrol on Jan. 10 and why they were denied an opportunity to fight it. Advertisement Advertisement "There are just daily orders for people to be released from ICE custody," Gividen said of DHS detainments. "They're not following the rule of law; they're not following their procedures. They're not doing it for any reason. They're doing it to terrorize. "We are winning cases because they're violating the law. They aren't being honest, and they don't care." Working pro bono, the Dallas-based Gividen filed a petition on Feb. 2 alleging the two were unlawfully detained because they never received a bond hearing, which would determine whether they could stay in Spokane rather than a detention facility while they awaited an asylum decision. Four days later, the pair was released with no pushback. Court records show the government didn't even file a formal response to Gividen's petition alleging unlawful detainment. Advertisement Advertisement "You don't get to take someone's liberty without a reason, without showing that there's a justification for it, without showing you followed the law, without showing that somebody made an independent decision that the detention is necessary," Gividen said. "And that's the problem right now." On Saturday, more than a dozen people stood expectantly at Spokane International Airport's arrivals ramp to welcome home Karla and her father. Karla was immediately drawn into the center of a protective circle of balloons and welcome signs, each person taking a turn to embrace her. Wearing a puffy red coat, Karla smiled as she looked around at the people who advocated for her safe return. Spokane Mayor Lisa Brown said she's happy Karla and her father were set free but continues to ponder how unnecessary it was to whisk away a Logan Elementary School student to a Texas detainment center. Advertisement Advertisement "I think about how there are so many other families that have been affected by the overreach in these policies by the Trump administration and those that are living in fear because of it," Brown said Monday. A week prior, Karla had spiked a fever and was vomiting, according to previous reporting from The Spokesman-Review. The Dilley Immigration Processing Center, where they were held, has repeatedly been described by migrants and visitors from across the country as unsanitary and unsafe. While there, she reportedly asked people why she "was in prison." U.S. Customs and Border Protection told The Spokesman-Review that Tiul Caal and his daughter were detained following 10 missed weekly check-ins between 2023 and 2026. While people can be temporarily detained for missing immigration check-ins, it is not a legal offense. Advertisement Advertisement And missing those check-ins doesn't and shouldn't affect a person's open asylum claim, Gividen said, noting that bond proceedings and asylum proceedings are separate processes. The government denying Karla and Tiul Caal a bond hearing stems from a 2025 change in Immigration and Customs Enforcement policy that Gividen called a "brand new interpretation" of due process , essentially treating those who entered the United States without prior authorization as if they were just entering the country and therefore subject to mandatory detention without bond. Federal law states any alien who has not been admitted into the U.S. or is in the U.S. without authorization is still considered an "applicant for admission." The new policy seeks to alter that language to mean an alien "seeking admission," according to Gividen's petition. This effectively excludes noncitizens apprehended inside the U.S. because they are "no longer in the process of seeking admission into the United States." All of that still shouldn't trigger a mandatory detention, Gividen argued. In Tiul Caal's case, Gividen said, he came to the country without prior authorization and claimed he'd be in danger if he had to return to his home country. Advertisement Advertisement That triggers a "credible fear review" by the government, a process where an officer will assess the immigrant's fear of persecution in their home country. The person will usually land before an immigration judge and will either be detained or released while awaiting further direction from the court. Most people released while awaiting court proceedings have to be evaluated as someone who won't pose a risk, Gividen said. But once they're released, navigating the immigration system a system that doesn't require legal representation is often much more difficult. Tiul Caal was told to check in with ICE occasionally through a government-created GPS app for "low risk" immigrants. But that app can often be difficult to navigate for people facing language barriers. Tiul Caal's native language is Q'eqchi', an Indigenous Mayan language used by some 1 million people in Guatemala, according to the University of Virginia Institute of World Languages. "We are asking people who don't speak (English) as a first language to try and navigate these various hearings," Gividen said, adding that sometimes, migrants who don't speak English get their check-ins and their court dates confused. Advertisement Advertisement Olga Lucia Herrera, who has volunteered to help immigrants going through immigration processes in Spokane, previously told The Spokesman-Review that Tiul Caal's and Karla's arrest came as a surprise, since the father was told at a court hearing just weeks before the detention that their next court date would be in 2027. She also said there was likely confusion about his check-ins, in addition to cell-service problems. If officials had concerns about missed check-ins, Herrera said, they should have addressed it then. Gividen stated in the Feb. 2 petition that the two never received notice they were "out of compliance" with any immigration regulations. "DHS as a whole, are taking this position of 'We take everybody into custody,' " Gividen said. "They're ignoring what we've always thought in this country which is, 'We hold people in a cage only when there is a very good reason for it.' " Advertisement Advertisement A federal appeals court backed the Trump administration's interpretation of the policy, though most federal judges have called it unconstitutional. "That is the fight that is happening right now," Gividen said. "We are arguing that no bond hearing is not due process ... You don't get to just strip somebody of that liberty, one of the highest interests we have, without due process." At most, the time Karla spent in a prisonlike detention center has already caused some type of harm, according to the petition filed Feb. 2. "The complete sudden loss of one's freedom and liberty takes a significant toll on anyone in Petitioner's circumstances," Gividen wrote. "This is only exacerbated when one of the Petitioners is a minor child." Advertisement Advertisement Cases such as Karla's and her father's are not unusual. Many immigrants who file petitions challenging their detainment have ended up winning, according to reporting from NPR. Last week, Spokane immigrant Joswar Rodriguez Torres was granted release from ICE custody in Tacoma following his federal habeas petition. U.S. District Judge James Robart ruled the government illegally detained Rodriguez Torres at a regular ICE check-in last June, calling the arrest an "abuse" of discretion from DHS, The Spokesman-Review previously reported. Gividen said the immigration and deportation crackdown has reached a point in Texas where attorneys are advising migrants to avoid their ICE check-ins, not because they're doing anything wrong, he said, but because they are doing everything right and being arrested anyway. Advertisement Advertisement He attributes the detainment of immigrants participating in what they believe to be the "right thing" to the federal government's goal of inflating deportation numbers. "In immigration proceedings, the judge, the ICE attorneys they shouldn't be trying to get a removal order. They should be trying to figure out whether the person has that legit fear of returning to their country, and if they do, making sure we don't return them," he said. Tiul Caal has his next court hearing on March 9. Since Karla and her father's detainment, a GoFundMe set up for them has raised more than $25,000. Mayor Brown said it shows how Spokane unites in times of need. "Our city is full of people who want better outcomes, believe in the promise of the American dream and want it to apply to immigrants and refugees." A person suspected of shoplifting is dead from police gunfire in Goodyear after authorities said he tried to grab an officer's firearm in a scuffle that led to the officer suffering a bullet graze. Just after 4 p.m. on Feb. 10, officers responded to a shoplifting call near Litchfield Road and Interstate 10, according to Goodyear police spokesperson Sgt. Mayra Reeson. An officer at the scene saw someone who matched the description of the suspect and tried to detain him but a struggle ensued, Reeson said in a news release. During the skirmish, the person reached around the officer and grabbed for the officer's firearm, Reeson said. Advertisement Advertisement As the officer tried to retain control of the gun, both the officer and the suspect's hand were on the firearm when a round discharged, Reeson said. The officer regained control and created a distance with the suspect, who continued approaching and reaching for the officer's vest and firearm, Reeson said. "At that point, an officer-involved shooting occurred," Reeson said. Officers detained the person and provided medical aid, Reeson said. The suspect, who was not identified Feb. 10, was pronounced dead at the scene. One officer was hospitalized with injuries that were not life-threatening before being released, according to Reeson. Advertisement Advertisement The West Valley Incident Response Team is conducting the investigation, with Avondale police as the leading agency. This is at least the sixth fatal shooting by police in 2026 in Maricopa County, and at least the 14th shooting overall, according to data compiled by The Arizona Republic. What we know: Goodyear police expand with officers, drones and Flock cameras This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Police shooting in Goodyear kills shoplifting suspect; officer injured A panel of judges on the North Carolina Court of Appeals on Tuesday heard arguments in Democratic Gov. Josh Steins challenge to a major power shift that stripped him of his appointments to state and local election boards. Attorneys for Stein argued that the power shift which transferred appointments to Republican State Auditor Dave Boliek sets a dangerous precedent for separation of powers, wherein the legislature can consistently reassign responsibilities to whichever executive office holder agrees with their policy preferences. The legislative position is that there are no limits on their power to assign executive duties on the Council of State, Eric Fletcher, a lawyer for Stein, said. They say that they can assign, tomorrow, election administration to the Commissioner of Agriculture. That they can send agricultural policy to the Commissioner of Insurance. And they can assign road-building to the Superintendent of Public Instruction. Advertisement Advertisement Attorneys for legislative leaders argued that it was within the General Assemblys duty to reassign executive powers as they please, so long as the powers in question are not explicitly assigned in the constitution. Absent that, this is a set of statutory officers that are set by law; the power to appoint them is set by law and can be reassigned by law, Matthew Tilley, an attorney for the legislature, said. The panel, which included two Republican judges and one Democrat, gave little insight into which way they would rule, though the court has ruled against Stein before in the case. The controversy began shortly after Steins landslide 2024 victory against Republican Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson. State lawmakers quickly introduced Senate Bill 382, which stripped a variety of powers not only from Stein, but other incoming Democrats like Attorney General Jeff Jackson. Advertisement Advertisement In the final days of their legislative supermajority, Republican lawmakers overrode then-Gov. Roy Coopers veto, enacting the law shortly before Stein took office. Stein sued and initially won at the trial court level, with a panel of judges agreeing that the law was unconstitutional. But the Court of Appeals quickly stepped in and blocked that ruling, allowing the law to take effect on May 1. Since then, Boliek has used his new powers to appoint Republican majorities on the State Board of Elections, as well as all 100 county board of elections. Those new board members have already spent months in office, making decisions about early voting sites, candidate eligibility and even ousting the states longtime executive director. The Court of Appeals did not indicate when it would issue a ruling in Steins case. The Brief Speaking during a media availability in Minneapolis on Tuesday to highlight the impact the federal surge of immigration enforcement has had on Minnesota small businesses, Gov. Walz said he expects a drawdown of federal agents in "days, days, not weeks and months." Gov. Walz said that he hoped Border Czar Tom Homan would make an announcement on next stages for federal agents before the end of the week. Homan previously announced on Feb. 4 that 700 federal officers a mix of ICE, Border Patrol and Customs and Border Protection agents would be leaving Minnesota effective immediately. MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - The onslaught of federal immigration officers as part of Operation Metro Surge could be over as soon as next week, according to statements made by Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz on Tuesday. ICE in Minnesota What we know The operation that brought an estimated 3,000 officers to enforce federal immigration laws could soon be winding down, Gov. Walz said during a media availability in Minneapolis on Tuesday to highlight the impact of the federal surge on Minnesota small businesses. Advertisement Advertisement "I spoke with Tom Homan, I spoke with Susie Wiles, this morning. We're very much in a trust but verify mode. But it's my expectation, and we will hear more from them, I think, in the next day or so, that we are talking days, not weeks and months of this occupation," Walz said on Tuesday. Walz said he hoped an update on planned next stages of the operation would come within the week. "It would be my hope that Mr. Homan goes out before Friday and announces that this thing is done, and they're bringing her down, and they're bringing her down in days. That would be my expectation," Walz said. Walz also said that he hoped Homan would announce that "this thing is done next week," while noting he was "skeptical, but more hopeful than I have been that theyre going to wind this thing down." ICE leaving Minnesota The backstory Homan previously announced on Feb. 4 that 700 federal officers a mix of ICE, Border Patrol and Customs and Border Protection agents would be leaving Minnesota effective immediately. Advertisement Advertisement That drawdown put the federal headcount in the Twin Cities at around 2,000 officers from the high-point of the operation. In the two months since the presence began, Minneapolis residents Renee Good and Alex Pretti were fatally shot by federal officers, sparking worldwide protest. Prior to Operation Metro Surge, there were about 150 federal officers stationed in Minnesota. Washington A federal grand jury on Tuesday refused to indict six congressional Democrats who drew President Trump's ire last year by taping a video telling members of the military that they must reject "illegal orders," according to three sources familiar with the matter, including one within the Justice Department. The Democratic lawmakers are the latest Trump foes that the Justice Department has sought criminal charges against, following former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James. After the lawmakers' video was posted in November, the president called their comments "seditious" and demanded that they be "arrested and put on trial." The news of the declined indictment was first reported by The New York Times. Advertisement Advertisement CBS News has reached out to the Justice Department for comment. Two sources who were briefed on the matter told CBS News the Justice Department sought to charge the lawmakers under a criminal statute known as 18 U.S.C. 2387. That law threatens a 10-year maximum prison sentence for anybody who "advises, counsels, urges, or in any manner causes or attempts to cause insubordination, disloyalty, mutiny, or refusal of duty by any member of the military." It requires intent to "interfere with, impair, or influence the loyalty, morale, or discipline of the military." All six Democrats publicly condemned the move and applauded the grand jury. Advertisement Advertisement Sen. Elissa Slotkin of Michigan said the president was seeking to "weaponize our justice system against his perceived enemies," while Sen. Mark Kelly of Arizona called it an "outrageous abuse of power." Rep. Jason Crow of Colorado wrote in a statement, "Don't Give Up the Ship," and Rep. Chris Deluzio of Pennsylvania said "I will not be intimidated for a single second." Meanwhile, Rep. Maggie Goodlander of New Hampshire said the grand jury "honored our Constitution" and Rep. Chrissy Houlihan of Pennsylvania called the grand jurors' refusal to indict "good news for the Constitution." Republican Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina criticized the move by the Justice Department and praised the grand jury for declining to charge the lawmakers. "Political lawfare waged by either side undermines America's criminal justice system, which is the gold standard of the world. Thankfully in this instance, a jury saw the attempted indictments for what they really were," he wrote on X on Wednesday morning. "Political lawfare is not normal, not acceptable, and needs to stop." Advertisement Advertisement It is highly unusual for grand juries to decline indictments, but the Justice Department has struggled with grand juries in recent months, especially in politically charged cases. After a federal judge tossed out the federal charges against Comey and James in Virginia, two different grand juries refused to re-indict James on bank fraud charges. "The attempt to indict these members of Congress is shocking, more so than the indictments of James Comey and Letitia James. It is not enough that the grand jury declined to indict. Every Justice Department attorney involved in submitting this indictment for the grand jury's consideration has violated the rules of professional conduct, including supervisors," said Kyle Boynton, a former federal prosecutor who also advised lawyers at the department on professional conduct rules for the Professional Responsibility Advisory Board. "No lawyer, competent or otherwise, could have looked at the statute and concluded this plainly protected speech constituted a felony," Boynton added. "Because the Justice Department's Office of Professional Responsibility will do nothing, the District Court should immediately begin an inquiry into this misconduct and make appropriate referrals to the DC Bar." Tuesday's attempted indictment stemmed from a 90-second video in which the six Democrats all of whom are military veterans or former intelligence community members told military personnel that they "must refuse illegal orders." Advertisement Advertisement The lawmakers said the video was prompted by a series of proposals by Mr. Trump to use the military in ways they view as illegal, like his 2016 suggestion to kill the families of terrorists or his threat to send troops to Chicago. The video also came amid a monthslong campaign of U.S. strikes against alleged drug-carrying boats that some congressional Democrats have argued is illegal. Legal experts say members of the military are required to follow legal orders, but they aren't required to follow illegal ones, and in certain cases, when orders are "manifestly unlawful," they are required to disobey them. But Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth argued the video "sows doubt and confusion which only puts our warriors in danger." Meanwhile, Mr. Trump accused the Democrats of "SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR, punishable by DEATH!" A week after the video was posted, the lawmakers were notified that the FBI had opened an inquiry into the matter. Last month, most of the Democrats who appeared in the video said they received inquiries from the Justice Department, including interview requests from U.S. Attorney for D.C. Jeanine Pirro in some cases. Advertisement Advertisement In Kelly's case, the Pentagon attempted to downgrade the retired Navy captain's rank and retirement pay, accusing him of undermining the chain of command. Kelly sued Hegseth over the move, which he called an act of political retribution. That case is still pending. The effort to indict the lawmakers has drawn stiff criticism from Democrats. Sen. Adam Schiff of California, a longtime Trump foil, wrote on X Tuesday that the six members of Congress were merely "stating the obvious" in their video about illegal orders. "That the DOJ would even contemplate such an action demonstrates what a repressive regime is now running this country," Schiff said. House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Louisiana Republican, told reporters late Tuesday the Democrats "probably should be indicted." Advertisement Advertisement Details on new images of subject in Nancy Guthrie disappearance Watch: Rep. Lieu accuses Bondi of lying under oath on Epstein files surrounding Trump Masked, gloved subject seen on video approaching Nancy Guthrie's door A grand jury in Washington refused Tuesday to indict Democratic lawmakers in connection with a video in which they urged U.S. military members to resist illegal orders, according to a person familiar with the matter. The Justice Department opened an investigation into the video featuring Democratic Sens. Mark Kelly and Elissa Slotkin and four other Democratic lawmakers urging U.S. service members to follow established military protocols and reject orders they believe to be unlawful. All the lawmakers previously served in the military or at intelligence agencies. Grand jurors in Washington declined to sign off on charges in the latest of a series of rebukes of prosecutors by citizens in the nations capital, according to the person, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to publicly discuss the matter. It wasnt immediately clear whether prosecutors had sought indictments against all six lawmakers or what charge or charges prosecutors attempted to bring. Advertisement Advertisement The FBI in November began contacting the lawmakers to schedule interviews, outreach that came against the backdrop of broader Justice Department efforts to punish political opponents of the president. Besides Slotkin and Kelly, the other Democrats who appeared in the video include Reps. Jason Crow of Colorado, Chrissy Houlahan of Pennsylvania, Maggie Goodlander of New Hampshire and Chris Deluzio of Pennsylvania. Slotkin has characterized the Justice Department probe as an effort to intimidate her, and Kelly has described a separate Pentagon probe into his actions as part of an effort to silence dissent within the military. Spokespeople for the U.S. attorneys office and the Justice Department didnt immediately respond to requests for comment Tuesday. Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW The Family YMCA of Northwest Illinois received an $8,404.20 grant to provide CPR, AED and first aid training for families with children under the age of two, according to a community announcement. The grant, awarded by the Community Foundation of Northern Illinois, will allow up to 144 parents and caregivers to complete American Red Cross CPR/AED and first aid certification, according to the announcement. The training includes instruction on choking response and is tailored for adults, children and infants. Immediate CPR can double or triple survival chances Nearly 90% of cardiac arrests outside of a hospital are fatal, but immediate CPR can double or triple a person's chance of survival, according to the American Heart Association. Despite this, less than half of Americans feel confident performing CPR, and even fewer have received training specific to infants and young children. The YMCA is using new grant funding to offer free CPR and first aid certification for parents of young children, removing cost barriers to lifesaving skills. Choking is one of the leading causes of injury-related death among children under four, making accessible, prevention-focused training critical for families with young children. A personal connection The impact of this training is personal for YMCA staff member Alex Unis. After completing a CPR class at the YMCA, Unis was able to act quickly when his young son began choking at home. Advertisement Advertisement Because of the training I received at the YMCA, I knew exactly what to do, Unis said. In a moment of panic, that knowledge kicked in and it made all the difference. Im incredibly grateful the Y offers these classes and that other families will now have the same opportunity. The training aims to reach more families The Family YMCA of Northwest Illinois plans to partner with local early childhood programs and community organizations to ensure the training reaches families who need it most. This funding allows us to reach families at a pivotal moment in their lives, said YMCA leadership. By removing cost barriers, were ensuring that more parents and caregivers have the tools to respond confidently and effectively in an emergency skills that can truly save a childs life. The YMCA extends its thanks to the Community Foundation of Northern Illinois for its investment in family safety, prevention and community well-being. Advertisement Advertisement For more information about upcoming CPR/AED and first aid training opportunities, families are encouraged to contact the Family YMCA of Northwest Illinois. This story was created by reporter Nida Tazeen, NTazeen@usatodayco.com , with the assistance of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Journalists were involved in every step of the information gathering, review, editing and publishing process. Learn more at cm.usatoday.com/ethical-conduct. This article originally appeared on Journal Standard: YMCA funding opens more CPR and first aid training spots for families A gray wolf wandered into Los Angeles county for the first time in more than a century on Saturday morning. This is the most southern verified record of a gray wolf in modern times, Axel Hunnicutt, gray wolf coordinator for the California department of fish and wildlife, said. The three-year-old black coat female, known as BEY03F, crossed into LA county around 6am on 7 February. Born in 2023 in Plumas county in the Beyem Seyo pack, she traversed nearly the entire range of the Sierra Nevada mountains, probably in search of a mate, said Hunnicutt. Wildlife officials have been able to track her location because BEY03F was fitted with a GPS collar in May 2025 while passing through Tulare county. To date, California fish and wildlife has not received any reports or sightings from the Los Angeles county public. Advertisement Advertisement On Tuesday, she was traveling further north, likely deterred by the Interstate 5, said Hunnicutt. Vehicle strikes are a leading cause of death for wolves. Its possible she may continue to travel hundreds of miles in search of a mate or she may come across a male tomorrow. The continental United States was historically home to thousands of gray wolves, but hunters and trappers extirpated the species, with the last wild wolf in California shot in 1924. In 1973, the population was protected by the Endangered Species Act and later reintroduced to Yellowstone national park in the 1990s. Those wolves eventually dispersed across the lower 48 states, with the first wolf crossing into California in 2011. By 2024, the California department of fish and wildlife estimated that there were at least 70 gray wolves in the state, up from 44 the year before. Just over 30 years ago, gray wolves were reintroduced into Yellowstone national park and central Idaho. The wolves in California are [descendants] of these animals and made their way to California because of wolves doing what BEY03F is doing now: being an explorer, said Hunnicutt. Each year, we see continued successful reproduction and expansion of packs into new areas. This is driven by this dispersal movement. Advertisement Advertisement Although conservationists heralded BEY03Fs arrival in LA county as a win for wildlife, advocates are still trying to shore up protections for gray wolves nationwide. On 10 February, the Center for Biological Diversity filed a lawsuit challenging the Trump administrations refusal to develop a national gray wolf recovery plan. In 2024, the Biden administrations Fish and Wildlife Service announced that it would develop a national recovery plan for the species, but in 2025 the service published a finding saying it would no longer prepare an updated recovery plan, calling the gray wolfs listing under the Endangered Species Act no longer appropriate. AMSTERDAM, Feb 11 (Reuters) - A Dutch court on Wednesday ordered an investigation into mismanagement at chipmaker Nexperia BV and upheld an October decision to suspend former CEO Zhang Xuezheng, the founder of Nexperia's Chinese parent Wingtech, saying the company needs stability. The decision leaves control of the company in the hands of the European team that has overseen it since a Dutch state intervention at the company led to a conflict over the firm that has disrupted automotive industry supply lines around the world. More from Yahoo Scout Why was former CEO Zhang Xuezheng suspended? What role did Dutch state intervention play here? What led to the Dutch court's investigation into Nexperia? How has the leadership conflict affected automotive supply chains? (Reporting by Toby Sterling, Editing by Louise Heavens) Greece, N.Y. (WROC) The photos captured by Vicki Richardson show big smiles and a huge impact. Richardson, a Greece Athena ELA teacher, traveled 18 hours to get to South Sudan. While there, she stopped in villages pulling clean water out of wells built through the Water for South Sudan project. Before those wells were installed, women and girls would walk miles each day to fetch water that would often be unsafe to drink. Salva Dut, of the well-known Lost Boys, was living in Rochester when, more than two decades ago, he began to raise money to build one well for one village. Advertisement Advertisement That effort has become an international movement that has resulted in the drilling of more than 500 wells. For years now, Richardson has had her students read A Long Walk to Water and involved them in this effort, with classes raising money to help build a new well. During December break, Richardson got to see some of the wells Greece Athena had a hand in making. Seeing the wells, she said, was rewarding, but seeing the people was overwhelming. The culture is so beautiful, Richardson said in an interview with Adam Chodak. Ive never felt more welcome anywhere in my entire life. They just embrace you, theyre so happy to see you. Advertisement Advertisement That interview in its entirety will be available after 8 pm on the free-to-download RochesterFirst smart TV app. To help, you can click here, and know that all it takes is $5 to provide clean drinking water to one person for a whole year. Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC) Greece Town Supervisor Jeff McCann is proposing changes to management-level benefits in the Town of Greece that he says would curb spending and better align compensation policies with taxpayer interests. The proposal, set to go before the Town Board on Feb. 19, would eliminate a policy adopted in 2022 allowing management employees to cash out unused sick time at retirement a benefit not extended to other town workers. It also seeks to align managerial benefits more closely with those offered across the workforce. One of our top priorities here is controlling spending and protecting the interests of taxpayers, McCann said. Advertisement Advertisement Town records show three managers who retired at the end of 2025 received more than $347,000 combined in payouts for unused time, including nearly $350,000 tied specifically to sick leave. McCann said he is unaware of similar benefits offered by other governments in Monroe County. Not having to expend those dollars will help us meet the needs of providing the services that our residents have come to depend on, he said. Previous policy changes also allowed management retirees to receive town-provided health insurance without contributing to premiums. Between 2022 and 2024, those enhanced benefits cost taxpayers an additional $162,000, including payouts to former Deputy Supervisor Michelle Marini. McCanns plan would reinstate premium contributions and reduce the amount of compensatory time managers can cash out. Officials estimate the revisions could save about $100,000 annually. Residents weighed in on the proposal, with some supporting redirecting the funds to community needs. Others questioned the practice of accumulating large amounts of unused sick time, suggesting money should instead support youth or neighborhood programs. Advertisement Advertisement In a statement, Town Councilmember Amorette Miller said reviewing and revising the policy reflects a commitment to fiscal responsibility and fairness. She said full payouts created long-term financial exposure and that aligning management benefits with other staff promotes parity and transparency. The Town Board is expected to consider the proposal at its Feb. 19 meeting in Rochester. Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. GREECE, N.Y. (WROC) The Greece Police Department released a four-year overview of crime and enforcement trends Tuesday, showing a significant decline in crime last year. Police Chief James Wood said the department has made major strides in reducing property crimes, particularly car thefts linked to the so-called Kia Boys in previous years. The results on the investigative side are big highlights here: the clearance rates, the arrest rates, Wood said. Advertisement Advertisement In 2022, serious violent crime in Greece was near its lowest levels in years, but property crime increases were driven primarily by larceny. In 2023, Greece saw what leaders called an unprecedented spike in car thefts, with stolen vehicles accounting for nearly a fourth of all reported Part-One crimes. Targeted enforcement and regional coordination helped reverse the trend in 2024. Wood said the implementation of license plate reader technology also contributed to improved results. Our first ones went live in 2024, so weve had a full year of 2025 data, Wood said. The numbers are striking not only the reads and the data, but stolen vehicles that we recover almost every day in this town, whether at the mall or on streets around town. Its a huge town, and we have it pretty well covered. Wood also highlighted efforts to strengthen relationships with the community. Engaging the public on social media, he said, has helped officers track down leads more effectively. Advertisement Advertisement I can tell you here right now what weve experienced in the last four years, and I know others in this department would agree. The community impact has been an incredible help to our efforts, Wood said. In 2025, arrests related to auto theft climbed to 50.8%, a dramatic improvement following the regional surge in car thefts in previous years. Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. ANKARA, Turkey (AP) Turkey and Greece can resolve their disputes in the Aegean and the Mediterranean seas, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Wednesday, as Greece's prime minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, urged Ankara to lift a long-standing threat of war. The two leaders made the comments in Ankara, following talks aimed to sustain dialogue between the longtime rivals at a time when tensions have been rising. In our meeting, we once again openly and sincerely addressed our positions regarding the Aegean and eastern Mediterranean," Erdogan said. "While the current issues are complex, they are not insurmountable under international law. All that is needed is good faith, constructive dialogue and a will to find a solution. Advertisement Advertisement NATO allies Greece and Turkey remain at odds over a series of issues, including maritime boundaries, Cyprus and drilling rights in the Aegean and eastern Mediterranean seas. Turkey has also voiced unease over a growing defense and energy cooperation between Greece, Israel and Cyprus that sidelines Ankara and which some view as a an effort to counter Turkeys influence in the region. Greece and Turkey have come to the brink of war several times over the last half-century. A dispute over energy exploration rights in 2020 led to the two countries warships facing off in the Mediterranean. In recent weeks, Greek officials have reaffirmed Greeces right to extend its territorial waters in the Aegean to 12 nautical miles (22.2 kilometers) from the current six. Turkey whose parliament in 1995 declared such a move as a cause of war has criticized the comments as unacceptable and argues that the extension of the territorial waters would violate its rights, severely restricting its maritime access. Mitsotakis suggested that, given the positive momentum in GreekTurkish relations, the time has come to remove all threats that hang over their ties. Advertisement Advertisement This is why I believe, in the same spirit as the positive experience that has transpired, that it is time now to lift every threat, formal and substantive, in our relations. If not now, then when? he said. Meanwhile, Erdogan asserted that Turkeys participation in new defense initiatives launched in Europe would serve the two countries interests. Greece has opposed Turkeys participation in an initiative known as the Security Action for Europe program that is designed to enhance the continents military capabilities, saying Ankara must drop its threat of war over the sea boundary dispute. Earlier, Erdogan and Mitsotakis oversaw the signing of a series of agreements spanning investment, maritime trade, economic cooperation, disaster response, culture, science and technology. Advertisement Advertisement Mitsotakis was accompanied by a delegation of senior ministers for the so-called High-Level Cooperation Council meeting a fence-mending initiative that was launched to improve ties. Both countries are also locked in a dispute over Cyprus, divided since 1974 between its ethnic Greek and Turkish populations. For the past seven years, Turkey has rejected a long-standing agreement for a reunified Cyprus under a federal system. Instead, Ankara and the Turkish Cypriot administration, which is only recognized by Turkey, have proposed a two-state solution. __ Elena Becatoros contributed from Athens. When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Keir Starmer announced the establishment of a national grooming gangs inquiry this summer. | Credit: Carl Court / Getty Images Reform MP Robert Jenrick has accused the countrys political and judicial institutions of betraying grooming victims by failing to treat their abuse as racially motivated. Speaking to The Telegraph, the former Tory MP said that grooming gangs targeted white working-class girls precisely because their abusers viewed them as inferior and claimed the Crown Prosecution Service ignored the clear and persistent racially aggravated nature of these crimes. Advertisement Advertisement Fiona Goddard, a victim of a Bradford grooming gang as a teenager in the 2000s, told the newspaper that the men who abused her spoke about white girls as people they could use, saying they needed to keep Pakistani girls pure. However, none of her abusers were charged with religious or racially aggravated offences, despite a legal duty on prosecutors and courts to consider potential hostility on racial or religious grounds as a motivation in any crime. The national inquiry into grooming gangs announced by Keir Starmer early last year has had a slow start, as it struggled to find a jurist to chair it, The Guardian reported in October. The paper said judges and lawyers appeared reluctant to head the inquiry likely due to its politically sensitive subject matter and the prospect of intense media scrutiny. It was only in December that Labour peer Anne Longfield, a former childrens commissioner, was finally confirmed to lead the three-year inquiry, which Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said would root out this evil, once and for all. Do we need a national public inquiry? Some experts thought not. Public inquiries are slow and expensive; there have already been local inquiries in Rotherham (twice) and Telford, reviews in Oldham and Rochdale. Grooming gangs were among the issues looked at by an independent inquiry into institutional sexual abuse of children which also covered child exploitation by organised networks, as well as abuse within the care system, in penal institutions and in the Catholic and the Anglican Church . That inquiry, launched in 2015 and led by social work expert Alexis Jay, published its final report in 2022. Advertisement Advertisement The problem is well understood, some would say; the vital thing now is to tackle it. Even Louise Casey, who led a government-commissioned audit last year, wasnt sure about the need for another national inquiry but she told the BBC that she changed her mind while writing her report because of the reluctance of local authorities to accept that they have failings and that they didnt treat victims well enough. How did the UK grooming gangs scandal emerge? Reports of young girls being groomed by gangs of men, largely of Pakistani heritage, first began to emerge in 2002, when the then-Labour MP Ann Cryer warned that it was happening in her West Yorkshire constituency of Keighley. In 2010, a group of five men were convicted of sexual offences against girls aged 12 to 16 in Rotherham in South Yorkshire. The Times then launched a long investigation, exposing not only the shocking extent of child sexual exploitation in Rotherham, but also a wider pattern of horrendous abuse of young girls by organised networks of predominantly British-Pakistani men. Advertisement Advertisement The story began to gain wider traction. In recent years, child-grooming gangs have been jailed in more than a dozen other English towns, mostly in the north of England and the Midlands notably Rochdale , Oldham and Telford , but also Bristol, Oxford, Huddersfield, Halifax and Banbury, among others. Why are they called grooming gangs? Child sexual abuse is mostly carried out by relatives and other trusted figures. But in these cases, gangs used grooming techniques to find their victims in public: girls aged 11 to 16, mostly white, often from troubled backgrounds, would be flooded with attention from men a few years older, who often worked as taxi drivers or in takeaways; many were involved in the illegal drug trade. The girls would be given alcohol or drugs and then deceived or forced into sex with one man, who would then pass them on to be raped, often violently, by his friends or relatives. It is hard to describe the appalling nature of the abuse that child victims suffered, noted a 2014 report by Jay looking into abuse in Rotherham. They were raped by multiple perpetrators, trafficked to other towns and cities in the north of England, abducted, beaten and intimidated. Children were doused in petrol and threatened with being set alight, threatened with guns, made to witness brutally violent rapes and threatened [that] they would be next if they told anyone. Girls as young as 11 were raped by large numbers of male perpetrators. Some victims were murdered: in Telford, Lucy Lowe died at 16 with her mother and sister when her abuser set fire to her home in 2000. She was pregnant, for a second time, by him when she died. How many children were abused? Very large numbers. In Rotherham, at least 1,400 girls were estimated to have been abused by grooming gangs between 1997 and 2013; in Telford, it is estimated that over 1,000 children were abused over three decades. In Rochdale, an inquiry identified 74 probable victims and evidence of a much wider problem. But the statistics are incomplete and highly contested. How did the authorities respond? A series of local inquiries have exposed an official response that was unforgivably inadequate. In her 2014 Rotherham report, Jay said that South Yorkshire Police had treated child victims with contempt, and that social workers had underplayed the problem. Advertisement Advertisement In at least two cases, police arrested the fathers of abused girls when they attempted to remove their daughters from the houses where they were being abused. On another occasion, police attended a derelict house and found an intoxicated girl with several male abusers; they arrested the child for being drunk and disorderly, but detained none of the men. Inquiries in both Telford and Rotherham also found that child sexual exploitation was dismissed as child prostitution; teachers and social workers were discouraged from reporting abuse. Witnesses were not protected. Other inquiries and reviews in Rochdale and Oldham identified similar issues. More recent testimony by victims has also alleged that some of the police officers abused girls themselves, and corrupt police officers worked alongside the gangs or failed to act on child sexual exploitation, said the BBC . No public servants have yet been charged in connection with the scandal. Why did officials fail to address grooming gangs properly? There are a range of explanations, from lack of understanding and incompetence to snobbery, misogyny and fear of inflaming racial tensions. Advertisement Advertisement Many of the victims came from care homes. Some police officers referred to them as slags, and to their abuse as a lifestyle choice; the issue was given a low priority. Prosecutors saw victims as poor witnesses. Social workers in Rotherham were often overwhelmed, Jay found. Another inquiry found that Rotherham Council was in denial. And then theres the issue of ethnicity. Early whistleblowers, including MP Ann Cryer, former police officer Maggie Oliver and journalists Andrew Norfolk and Julie Bindel, were dismissed as Islamophobic and racist and, in 2004, a Channel 4 documentary about Asian men grooming girls in Bradford was postponed over fears that it could lead to race riots. There is evidence that many officials feared being accused of racism: Jay found that councillors had fretted that discussion of the issue could harm community cohesion; Telfords inquiry also identified a nervousness about race. A vast amount of evidence was ignored and there have been many claims of cover-ups. In her report, Casey said that the system consistently failed to acknowledge that the perpetrators were disproportionately from Asian or Pakistani backgrounds and targeted white girls. Flawed data, she said, was used repeatedly to dismiss claims about Asian grooming gangs as sensationalised, biased or untrue. State institutions often avoided the topic for fear of appearing racist, raising community tensions or causing community cohesion problems. How has the government responded? Starmers government had been under pressure to launch a national inquiry for some time. In January last year, the then home secretary Yvette Cooper announced a compromise solution: a rapid nationwide audit of grooming gang evidence led by Casey, and five government-backed local inquiries. Starmer then accepted Caseys recommendations to hold a national police operation to review any cases that have not been acted on, and to set up a national inquiry overseen by an Independent Commission. Advertisement Advertisement Running for three years with a budget of 65 million, it will comprise a series of targeted local investigations into the group-based child sexual exploitation of girls by grooming gangs, overseen by a national panel, said the BBC. As a statutory inquiry, it will have more powers such as requiring people to testify and release other forms of evidence. The government has also announced increased funding for the Tackling Organised Exploitation Programme, which includes equipping police forces with AI-enabled technology to analyse large swathes of data and communication patterns between suspects, as well as translate messages sent in foreign languages. What is Starmers role in the scandal? Deeply complicit in the mass rapes. Thats how Elon Musk characterised his role in the grooming scandal. But is this accurate? The short answer is an emphatic no. As director of public prosecutions, Starmer headed the Crown Prosecution Service between 2008 and 2013, with overall responsibility for bringing criminal charges in England and Wales. Musks claim appears to refer to a decision taken by a CPS lawyer in July 2009 to drop a child grooming case in Rochdale because the victim wasnt considered credible (despite her attackers DNA being found on her underwear). The abuse continued after the case was dropped. However, Starmer was not involved in that decision and, in 2011, he supported the decision of Nazir Afzal, the then chief prosecutor for North West England, to reopen the case. As a result, nine men were jailed in 2012 for sexually exploiting up to 47 girls. In 2013, Starmer introduced CPS rules for grooming cases, to try to ensure that victims were heard and stereotypes about them challenged; prosecutions rose to record levels. That year, Starmer and the CPS were commended by a Commons Home Affairs Select Committee for trying to uncover systematic failure and to improve the way things are done. The drafted plan, discussed with the New York Times by anonymous officials familiar with its contents, would require Hamas to surrender all weapons capable of striking Israel. Hamas may be allowed to keep small arms under the United States' plan for demilitarizing the terror group, the New York Times reported on Tuesday, citing officials familiar with drafts of the plan. The plan would, however, require Hamas surrender all weapons capable of striking Israel. Details of the plan are also subject to change as further drafts are crafted, the NYT noted. Advertisement Advertisement The NYT reported that a team consisting of US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, Jared Kushner, and former United Nations official Nickolay Mladenov plans to share the document with Hamas within weeks. The officials, who anonymously spoke to the NYT, regarding the draft noted that the process of Hamass proposed weapons surrender has not yet been outlined and that it is not clear who would take ownership of the relinquished arms. Details of the draft appear to be similar to previously publicly discussed proposals, including a January presentation given by Kushner in Davos, Switzerland. Hamas terrorists in Beit Lahiya in the northern Gaza Strip December 3, 2025. (credit: REUTERS/STRINGER) Kushners Davos presentation on Gaza detailed that heavy weapons would need to be decommissioned immediately to facilitate successful demilitarization, according to the NYT. Advertisement Advertisement Unspecified personal arms, however, would be registered and decommissioned at the direction of the new technocratic committee set to take control of the Gaza Strip, the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (NCAG), according to the Kushner presentation. Speaking on US efforts to disarm Hamas, White House spokesman Dylan Johnson stated that the United States is working closely with all parties and mediators to ensure full implementation of the plan, and, he added, to advance a durable security framework that supports long-term stability in the region and prosperity for Gaza. Hamas resists disarmament, demilitarization Hamas has repeatedly rebuked disarmament efforts. Khaled Mashaal, Hamass top external political head, decried disarmament as an attempt to make [Gazans] an easy victim to be eliminated and easily exterminated by Israel during the Al Jazeera Forum in Doha on Sunday. Advertisement Advertisement Mashaal added that while it is necessary to provide an environment that allows reconstruction and relief and ensures that the war does not reignite, such a situation can be acquired through great effort but not an approach of disarmament. Amichai Stein and Danielle Greyman-Kennard contributed to this report. A northern Michigan school went into lockdown Monday, Feb. 9, after a man broke into the building with a hammer, police said. The Grand Traverse County Sheriffs Office said a 41-year-old man was taken into custody Monday and was lodged at the Grand Traverse County Jail after breaking into the school and causing damage inside the Old Mission Peninsula School. The school went into lockdown, police said. Students were later released to their parents and the building closed for the remainder of the day. No injuries were reported by police. Advertisement Advertisement "This morning there was an incident at the Old Mission Peninsula Elementary School that resulted in a Lockdown Situation. At this time all students and staff are safe and accounted for," Grand Traverse County Emergency Management said. The Old Mission Peninsula School was closed on Tuesday Feb. 10, according to a post on Facebook. The school said it was postponing a planned open house. Authorities were dispatched to the school, 2699 Island View Road, at approximately 9:36 a.m. Monday, according to a release. "The 41 year old Traverse City man entered the school and caused damage while breaking in and while inside the school," the Sheriff's Office said. Advertisement Advertisement Michigan State Police, Traverse City Police, and Peninsula Township Fire and EMS services assisted at the scene. Officers say the investigation is still ongoing. Jalen Williams is a trending reporter at the Detroit Free Press. Contact him at jawilliams1@freepress.com. This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Northern Michigan school lockdown after man breaks in with hammer. What we know WORCESTER After completing construction of Doherty Memorial High School in 2024, the city will now tackle the surrounding streets through a Department of Transportation and Mobility project. The project, expected to begin in the summer or fall, aims to improve access to the school, reduce speeding and improve traffic flow in the area. According to the city website, the portion of Highland Street the project will address, from Park Avenue to Newton Square, saw a 33% higher crash rate than other similar roads. Between 2021 and 2025, 55 crashes were reported to the Massachusetts Department of Transportation. Advertisement Advertisement Newton Square itself also saw an increased crash rate over the same five-year period. There were 60 reported crashes, double the rate of other similar intersections. Remodeling of Newton Square to add "modern roundabout standards" will improve navigation "for motorists, pedestrians and cyclists alike," according to the project overview. Other renovations to the area include shortening crosswalk distances, resurfacing roads and clarifying intersection movements. Construction of the project will be overseen by the city Department of Public Works. A spokesman for the city said there are multiple "concept alternatives" for the project and that a cost estimate will be available once a specific design plan for the project is selected. He said the project is being "funded as part of the Citys regular annual street improvement program using local funding sources." Advertisement Advertisement Highland Street and Newton Square borders Districts 1 and 5. Both District 1 Councilor Tony J. Economou and District 5 Councilor Jose A. Rivera said they were briefed on the project by Stephen S. Rolle, commissioner of transportation and mobility. Economou said he thinks the planned changes will be an improvement to the area. "The way it's designed right now it's easy to have a collision. I think it'll be better," Economou said. "It will cause people to actually go around the rotary instead of cutting across, and I think that'll make it much safer." Economou is "curious to see what the people say as well." Advertisement Advertisement "What I like about it is the plan is going to involve the residents," Rivera said. "They get to choose which plan they want, mainly for Highland Street." Rivera agreed the plans are a safety improvement for the area and said safety has always been the city's goal. Rivera said he has been able to see multiple plans for the area that will be presented to residents. This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: Worcester plans reconstruction of Newton Square to reduce crash rate Additionally, an N12 report indicated that, alongside his invitation to attend the ceremony, Trump has been invited to light a torch at the 78th Independence Day ceremony. Education Minister Yoav Kisch sent an official invitation to US President Donald Trump to attend the Israel Prize ceremony on Independence Day in Jerusalem, following the decision to grant him the award for a unique contribution to the Jewish people, according to a letter released by the minister on Tuesday. Kisch wrote that the Israel Prize committee made a historic decision to honor Trump for exceptional leadership and long-term impact on IsraelUS relations, reflecting the deep and enduring friendship between our two nations. Advertisement Advertisement Kisch notified Trump of the award in December during Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus visit to the United States, the ministry said. The committee cited Trumps efforts to combat antisemitism, support for efforts to return hostages to Israel, recognition of Jerusalem as Israels capital, and consistent backing of Israels right to defend itself, including amid complex security challenges and the Iranian nuclear threat. Kisch also stated he plans to present Trump with a one-of-a-kind sculpture designed by Ben Dror, a 24-year-old designer who has served approximately 600 days in reserve duty. The base is fashioned from stones of the Western Wall, symbolizing Jewish history, while a polished golden Star of David rises from the stones to represent rebirth, the future, and success. Trump reportedly invited to light Independence Day torch Additionally, an N12 report indicated that, alongside his invitation to attend the ceremony, Trump has been invited to light a torch at the 78th Independence Day ceremony. According to the report, the Israeli proposal has already been conveyed to Trump and his team, who have confirmed it. Charges are allegations only. All arrested persons are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. MURRAY, Utah (ABC4) Officials have discovered a hole dug under a Trax overpass in Murray, which they say was dug by a man who is already facing charges for digging a tunnel under I-15 in September. According to UTA spokesperson Gavin Gustafson, the hole was found under the overpass at 425 West Winchester Street by Murray Police Department officers earlier Tuesday. He said that there are no safety concerns at the moment, and it does not pose any structural danger to the Trax line. Advertisement Advertisement One of their officers was simply driving through the area patrolling and saw a pile of dirt up one of the concrete slopes and then just below where the tracks go, the overpass of the tracks, Gustafson said. And so they investigated it and found that it appears to be a sleeping area that somebody, presumably thats homeless, dug out and had a little area there set up. Photos courtesy of UTA The overpass is located adjacent to I-15, where a similar cave was found back in September. Gustafson said they believe these holes were dug by the same person. Murray Police are aware that this person has done this before, so they keep an extra eye open when they drive through that area, and they found another pile of dirt today. The suspect is Troy Jones, 46, and back in October, he was charged with a second-degree felony for criminal mischief that recklessly interrupted or impaired infrastructure. According to court documents, on Sept. 9, 2025, Murray Police met with UTA employees about manmade tunneling near the pillar supporting I-15 Northbound. Advertisement Advertisement Courtesy: UDOT A Murray Police officer shouted into the tunnel, and allegedly, Jones came out of the tunnel. He reportedly told police that he had slept in the weeds and later decided to dig the hole. The hole was six feet tall. Initially, estimates were that it would cost $10,000 to fill in the tunnel with concrete, but they were able to get it done for $2,000. Now, this new hole will also need to be filled, and Gustafson estimated that the costs will be similar. They will be filling it with concrete so it cant be dug up again, and that work has already begun. Gustafson also said that the hole has not impacted UTAs service. Advertisement Advertisement Its a hole big enough for a person, but a hole of that size is not going to affect our service in any way under a short period of time, he said. Had it been a year or two, then certainly that could have caused some problems, but over a relatively short period of time, a hole of that size is not going to affect our service. Jones is going to face additional charges for this new hole, Gustafson said. Its illegal, its a safety issue, he explained. Thousands of people go across that overpass every day, and had this hole not been found in a reasonable amount of time, it certainly could have been a major safety concern and cause damage. Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) A Dutch court on Wednesday ordered a formal investigation into chipmaker Nexperia and upheld an earlier order suspending its Chinese CEO, citing doubts about the companys policies and conduct. The written decision by the Enterprise Chamber of the Amsterdam Court of Appeal is the latest step in a saga swirling around the Dutch-based semiconductor company that sent shock waves through the global auto industry. The dispute made world headlines last year when the Dutch government said it took the extraordinary step of effectively seizing control of the company. It acted on fears that corporate governance concerns at the company, under its Chinese ownership, would result in the loss of technological capabilities vital to Dutch and European economic security. Carmakers scrambled to find other sources after the boardroom turmoil disrupted supplies of the basic, standardized chips that Nexperia makes, which are essential for controlling numerous automotive functions such as operating headlights, airbag systems or anti-lock brakes. Nexperia's CEO Zhang Xuezheng, whos also founder of its Chinese parent Wingtech, was suspended by the enterprise chamber in October following claims of mismanagement. Wingtech said in a statement that it regrets that the Court has not fully restored our shareholder rights by its decision, and instead kept previous extraordinary interim measures in place pending further inquiry. At a court hearing last month, lawyers for Zhang and Wingtech painted him as a successful businessman trying to guide Nexperia through troubled geopolitical waters. They urged the court not to order an investigation and said Wingtech had been blindsided by the Dutch government move. Zhang was not in court for the hearing. However, Nexperia lawyer Jeroen van der Schriek told the three-judge panel that the behavior of Wingtech and Hong Kong-based holding company Yuching since October makes it clear that they are willing to subordinate Nexperias interests to other interests. An English statement issued by the court on Wednesday's ruling said that the chamber found that a conflict of interest has been handled without due care at Nexperia. It added that there are indications that the director of Nexperia changed the strategy without internal consultation under the threat of upcoming sanctions. It said that agreements with the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs were no longer adhered to, the powers of European managers were restricted and their dismissal was announced. The court statement said that it could not definitively say how long the investigation would take, but added that such probes can take more than six months. The court will use the findings to assess whether there has been mismanagement at Nexperia and whether definitive measures need to be taken. A deadly house fire that killed two sisters in their Hollywood home last Wednesday is now being investigated as a crime. At a police commission meeting on Tuesday morning, Los Angeles police tied the fire to others that burned in the same area. "The fire was determined to be arson," officials said at the police commission meeting. "Further investigation revealed that multiple additional fires were reported in close proximity during the same early morning time period, as well as a similar fire reported in the area in late January." According to a GoFundMe created to help pay for funeral services and fire damage, the Feb. 4 blaze on North Vista Del Mar Avenue claimed the lives of two sisters -- 76-year-old Chelo and 82-year-old Yola. Family members told Eyewitness News they've lived in the home since the 1970s. Advertisement Advertisement "I mean, it's one thing having your property destroyed, but then it's murder," said Anna, a woman who owns the property next door to the home that burned. "Basically, you murdered those two women." Yola moved in with Chelo to become her full-time caretaker after Chelo had emergency hip surgery, the family wrote in the GoFundMe. Tragically, the family says video briefly shows Chelo on the front porch as flames engulfed the home, saying, "I need to go back and get my sister." Neither sister emerged from the home after that. Chelo was pronounced dead at the scene, and Yola later died at the hospital, according to the GoFundMe. "You can be destructive with property," Anna said. "That's one thing. That's hard enough to take. But then, at two in the morning, to come and light up a house, knowing full-well there's a 99.9% [chance] there's people living in there. That's just pure evil." The family says Chelo's beloved dog, Coco, is missing after the fire, but they are hopeful she may have run to safety. They're asking the neighborhood to keep an eye out. Police say the investigation remains ongoing while detectives continue canvassing and reviewing evidence as it becomes available. If you have any information, you are urged to contact police. TOPEKA More money could be flowing to the Kansas Water Plan under a new House bill, expanding the impact of a popular 2023 law aimed at addressing the growing water crisis. Republicans, Democrats and proponents pointed to Kansas lack of funding for water projects and asked lawmakers to pass the bill Tuesday before the House Water Committee. There were no opponents. The 2023 law established the Water Projects Grant Fund and the Water Technical Assistance Fund, two funds that help municipalities build and maintain water infrastructure. House Bill 2558 would expand annual funding for the Kansas Water Plan from $35 million to $60 million. Advertisement Advertisement The extra $25 million for the Kansas Water Plan would come from the State General Fund. Most of the increase would be earmarked to add $10 million to both the Water Projects Grant Fund and Water Technical Assistance Fund. Since the 2023 law, House Bill 2302, was adopted, there have been more applications for the grants than money available. Wendi Stark, legislative liaison for the League of Kansas Municipalities said about 37% of the cities who applied received some money. Connie Owen testified on behalf of three of the states big water-related agencies: the Kansas Department of Agriculture, Kansas Department of Health and Environment, and the Kansas Water Office. She characterized her testimony as neutral, but admitted it was more neutral positive. The 2302 grants really made a difference for people and their communities all over the state, Owen said. All we continue to hear is, Keep it coming, we need more, Owen said. Advertisement Advertisement Last session, a more modest version of the bill made it through the House but was never heard by the Senate. Both that bill and the one in the current session were introduced by Rep. Jim Minnix, a Republican farmer from Scott City and chair of the House Water Committee. Owen is in the Western States Water Council, a group of 18 states that meets three times a year to discuss water solutions. Minnix asked Owen to share what she has heard from other states. Kansas is doing incredible things. But in terms of the comparison to what we could be doing, and the investment that other states make, its enormous, Owen said. And Im sure thats why you asked me that question, Mr. Chair. Minnix smiled in acknowledgement, and brought up the recent Texas vote to make a $20 billion investment in water. He said even for a state whose population and economy dwarfs those of Kansas, the investment was still significant. Advertisement Advertisement We kicked the can down the road for a lot of years, but when we have done programs weve been extremely efficient, Minnix said. I definitely think the program is successful and worth continuing, added Rep. Lindsay Vaughn, a Democrat from Overland Park. While water issues sometime fall along party lines, the issue of the water crisis itself is rarely partisan. Kansas towns are running out of water. The Ogallala Aquifer, which much of western Kansas relies on for daily life, dropped by more than a foot last year. Gov. Laura Kelly has identified the crisis as a top priority for her final year in office. Advertisement Advertisement Last year a bipartisan taskforce was created to fight the crisis. Sen Kenny Titus, a Republican from Wamego said in July the water issue has been exacerbated in large part because of a lack of past efforts. Minnix is the other taskforce co-chair. He said he typically gives the House committee a week to review bills before theyre brought back for discussion, but told the committee he wanted to discuss this one earlier than usual. This committee has been an extreme leader on water issues since 23, Minnix said. I want you folks all to sleep on this, think about it and come back on Thursday so we can have a robust discussion on this. Rep. Doug Blex, a Republican farmer from Independence, said that while he will miss Thursdays discussion, the bill has his full support. He was on the Water Committee in 2017, when the decade-long streak of governors not funding the Kansas Water Plan Fund was active. We have come a long way, Blex said. And even though we are not ranking on dollars with other states, I think were ranking with what weve got done and accomplished in many ways and the quality. TOPEKA The Kansas Secretary of States Office wants to block voting rights groups from forum shopping legal challenges to election laws by requiring such cases to be filed in Shawnee County District Court, a forum that is often favorable to Republicans. During a Tuesday hearing on House Bill 2569, Rep. Pat Proctor, the Leavenworth Republican who chairs the House Elections Committee, and J. Christian Adams, president of a Virginia-based conservative legal group, vented animosity toward the American Civil Liberties Union, Loud Light, the League of Women Voters of Kansas, and Kansas Appleseed for their onslaught of litigation, as Adams called it, over election laws. The GOP-led Legislature, fueled by misinformed outrage over the 2020 presidential election, enacted laws over the past five years to strengthen the public perception that Kansas elections are safe and secure. Some of those laws make it more difficult to cast advance ballots or help people register to vote. Advertisement Advertisement Voting rights groups in the past five years have filed two lawsuits over election laws in state court, one in 2021 in Shawnee County and one in 2025 in Douglas County. Both are ongoing. Other cases have been filed in federal court. Clay Barker, general counsel for the secretary of state, said the idea to set Shawnee County as the venue for election lawsuits was suggested by litigation attorneys retained by Attorney General Kris Kobach. We want to ensure that there isnt whats known amongst lawyers as forum shopping, which is something every competent litigation lawyer does, Barker said. You try to find the best venue, the best district court, for the particular case youre bringing. District court judges have reputations, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Barker said there were 15 judges in Shawnee County District Court, and you dont know which judge youre going to get. In practice, Shawnee County District Judge Teresa Watson, an appointee of former Gov. Sam Brownback, is one of just three judges who handle civil cases in the district. Watson has sided with Republicans in challenges to state law before being overturned on appeal. Last year, a Kansas Court of Appeals ruling found that Watson had abused her discretion and committed legal and factual errors in a case involving gender markers on drivers licenses. The higher court sent the case back with an order that someone other than Watson handle it. Under HB 2569, the lawsuit filed last year over a change in law to eliminate the three-day grace period for mail-in ballots would be moved from Douglas to Shawnee County. Advertisement Advertisement Democrats on the House Elections Committee accused Barker of trying to cherry-pick the best forum for defending election laws. They noted the burden that would be placed on a plaintiff from, for example, Colby, a five-hour drive from Topeka. Barker said the plaintiff wouldnt have to appear in court. Has there ever been an instance where a plaintiff wanted to be in the courtroom while their case is being heard? Have you witnessed that before? said Brooklynne Mosley, a Lawrence Democrat. Rep. Brooklynne Mosley, seen during a Feb. 3, 2026, legislative hearing, challenged the reason for moving federal voting rights cases to Washington, D.C. (Photo by Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector) Brazen forum shopping Adams, who is president of the Public Interest Legal Foundation, appeared by video to testify in support HB 2569. Advertisement Advertisement He claimed that Kansas had been subjected to a well-funded litigation campaign against Kansas laws, and that part of the campaign involves brazen forum shopping. Many Kansans reasonably wonder whether the legal system is being used to advance partisan ends and the programming objectives of large, ideologically driven nonprofits with huge endowments, Adams said. Adams organization is known for making false claims about the number of noncitizens who vote in elections, and for publishing voters Social Security numbers online, falsely accusing them of being fraudulent. Rep. Heather Meyer, an Overland Park Democrat, asked Adams if he could provide evidence that advocacy groups were targeting Kansas. Advertisement Advertisement Wait until the opponents are about to testify, Adams said. You can listen to all of their cases that theyve brought. Im sure theyre in the gallery waiting to tell you. So there will be a steady parade of advocates against this who have brought cases in Kansas. Nobody else was waiting to speak to the committee, but Loud Light and Kansas Appleseed submitted written testimony in opposition to the bill. Adams asserted the groups that bring lawsuits were so well-funded, they could probably get an Uber for a plaintiff on the farthest west border of Kansas to get them to the court. They have hundreds of millions of dollars, he said. Advertisement Advertisement According to the latest nonprofit tax filings, the League of Women Voters of Kansas had $36,000 in revenue, Kansas Appleseed had $700,000, Loud Light had $1.2 million, and the ACLU of Kansas had $2.6 million. The Public Interest Legal Foundation, meanwhile, reported $4.9 million in revenue. Adams also told the committee that the proposed bill would match a provision of the federal Voting Rights Act that requires claims to be handled by the Washington, D.C., circuit. He said that was because judges there were familiar with litigation involving federal government policies. Mosley challenged the claim. Is there a historical reason why you would want a Voting Rights Act trial to go through D.C. and maybe not Bayer County, Texas? Mosley asked. Is there any historical context? Quick clue, its Black History Month, if you need any help on that. Advertisement Advertisement Adams said Congress made the decision to develop expertise in D.C. Im going to help you out a little bit, said Mosley, who is Black. The reason why these cases go through D.C. is because of historical racism that people dealt with down there. Proctor, the committee chair, told Mosley to reserve the speech-making for when the committee debates the bill. House Democrats can force votes on President Donald Trumps tariffs as soon as Wednesday after three Republicans crossed party lines Tuesday to prevent GOP leaders from continuing a blockade. Republican Reps. Thomas Massie of Kentucky, Don Bacon of Nebraska and Kevin Kiley of California joined all Democrats to reject a rule that would have kept tariff-related resolutions off the floor until August, by which time the Supreme Court will have ruled. Im no fan of tariffs, a House Republican who voted for the rule told Semafor, but since Trump would veto any House-passed resolutions, I see it more as a political thing. Advertisement Advertisement My message to the administration is: Ultimately, you want to have a legacy here, which will require a vote, the lawmaker added. We included a lot of priorities on tax [in the GOPs megabill]; lets talk about [trade] priorities and then pivot toward codification. WASHINGTON (AP) The House voted Wednesday to slap back President Donald Trumps tariffs on Canada, a rare if largely symbolic rebuke of the White House agenda as Republicans joined Democrats over the objections of GOP leadership. The tally, 219-211, was among the first times the House, controlled by Republicans, has confronted the president over a signature policy, and drew instant recrimination from Trump himself. The resolution seeks to end the national emergency Trump declared to impose the tariffs, though actually undoing the policy would require support from the president, which is highly unlikely. It next goes to the Senate. Trump believes in the power of tariffs to force U.S. trade partners to the negotiating table. But lawmakers are facing unrest back home from businesses caught in the trade wars and constituents navigating pocketbook issues and high prices. Advertisement Advertisement Todays vote is simple, very simple: Will you vote to lower the cost of living for the American family or will you keep prices high out of loyalty to one person -- Donald J. Trump? said Rep. Gregory Meeks of New York, the top Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, who authored the resolution. Within minutes, as the gavel struck, Trump fired off a stern warning to those in the Republican Party who would dare to cross him. Any Republican, in the House or the Senate, that votes against TARIFFS will seriously suffer the consequences come Election time, and that includes Primaries! the president posted on social media. The high-stakes moment provides a snapshot of the Houses unease with the presidents direction, especially ahead of the midterm elections as economic issues resonate among voters. The Senate has already voted to reject Trumps tariffs on Canada and other countries in a show of displeasure. But both chambers would have to approve the tariff rollbacks, and send the resolution to Trump for the president's signature or veto. Advertisement Advertisement Six House Republicans voted for the resolution, and one Democrat voted against it. From Canada, Ontario, Premier Doug Ford on social media called the vote an important victory with more work ahead. He thanked lawmakers from both parties who stood up in support of free trade and economic growth between our two great countries. Lets end the tariffs and together build a more prosperous and secure future. Trump recently threatened to impose a 100% tariff on goods imported from Canada over that country's proposed China trade deal, intensifying a feud with the longtime U.S. ally and Prime Minister Mark Carney. GOP defections forced the vote House Speaker Mike Johnson tried to prevent this showdown. Advertisement Advertisement Johnson insisted lawmakers wait for a pending Supreme Court ruling in a lawsuit about the tariffs. He engineered a complicated rules change to prevent floor action. But Johnsons strategy collapsed late Tuesday, as Republicans peeled off during a procedural vote to ensure the Democratic measure was able to advance. The presidents trade policies have been of great benefit, Johnson, R-La., had said. And I think the sentiment is that we allow a little more runway for this to be worked out between the executive branch and the judicial branch. Late Tuesday evening, Johnson could be seen speaking to holdout Republican lawmakers as the GOP leadership team struggled to shore up support during a lengthy procedural vote, but the numbers lined up against him. Were disappointed, Kevin Hassett, the director of the White Houses National Economic Council, told reporters at the White House on Wednesday morning. The president will make sure they dont repeal his tariffs. Terminating Trump's emergency The resolution put forward by Meeks would terminate the national emergency that Trump declared a year ago as one of his executive orders. Advertisement Advertisement The administration claimed illicit drug flow from Canada constitutes an unusual and extraordinary threat that allows the president to slap tariffs on imported goods outside the terms of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada trade agreement. The Republican chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Rep. Brian Mast of Florida, said the flow of fentanyl into the U.S. is a dire national emergency and the policy must be left in place. Lets be clear again about what this resolution is and what its not. Its not a debate about tariffs. You can talk about those, but thats not really what it is, Mast said. This is Democrats trying to ignore that there is a fentanyl crisis. Experts say fentanyl produced by cartels in Mexico is largely smuggled into the U.S. from land crossings in California and Arizona. Fentanyl is also made in Canada and smuggled into the U.S., but to a much lesser extent. Torn between Trump and tariffs Ahead of voting, some rank-and-file Republican lawmakers expressed unease over the choices ahead as Democrats and a few renegade Republicans impressed on their colleagues the need to flex their power as the legislative branch rather than ceding so much power to the president to take authority over trade and tariff policy. Advertisement Advertisement Rep. Don Bacon, R-Neb., said he was unpersuaded by Johnsons call to wait until the Supreme Court makes its decision about the legality of Trumps tariffs. He voted for passage. Why doesnt the Congress stand on its own two feet and say that were an independent branch? Bacon said. We should defend our authorities. I hope the Supreme Court does, but if we dont do it, shame on us. Bacon, who is retiring rather than facing reelection, also argued that tariffs are bad economic policy. Other Republicans had to swiftly make up their minds after Johnson's gambit which would have paused the calendar days to prevent the measure from coming forward was turned back. Advertisement Advertisement At the end of the day, were going to have to support our president, said Rep. Keith Self, R-Texas. Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif., said he doesn't want to tie the president's hands on trade and would support the tariffs on Canada at this time. __ Associated Press writers Rob Gillies in Toronto and Seung Min Kim contributed to this report. BATTLE CREEK, Mich. (WOOD) A bill that unanimously passed the U.S. House Monday evening is aimed at limiting the power of a military junta in charge in Myanmar and protecting the countrys citizens. House Bill 3190, known as the BRAVE Burma Act, was introduced by Michigans Rep. Bill Huizenga, R-Zeeland. The goal is to make sure that we are starving this military junta of the cash necessary to launch further attacks against their own people that have driven 3.6 million people out of their homes. Its a stunning amount of the population that has been displaced, Huizenga said. Advertisement Advertisement Bill calls for temporary protected status for Burmese people amid concern in MI immigrant community The BRAVE Burma Act requires the president to decide each year whether to impose stronger blocking sanctions Myanma Oil and Gas Enterprise, the Myanma Economic Bank, and the jet fuel sector of the countrys economy, according to Huizengas office. If the bills go into effect, he said he hopes it sends a clear, strong message to the junta that the way its operating is not acceptable. He also hopes it protects the people of Myanmar who have escaped to the U.S. Myanmar was rocked by a military coup in February 2021. Temporary protected status was granted by the Department of Homeland Security in May of that year. Last November, the Department of Homeland Security announced the status would end on Jan. 26, citing an election in Myanmar. But civil war has broken out over the election as a military-backed party leads in the polls. A federal judge in Chicago granted a block amid an ongoing lawsuit that challenged that Jan. 26 end date for temporary protected status, so Burmese immigrants keep protected status for now. Advertisement Advertisement Haitian, Burmese immigrants in MI keep legal protections, for now Huizenga said the move to end temporary protection status is misguided. Theres a reason why they have this temporary protected status. Because many of them, if they went back home, they would not only be oppressed, theyd be killed. Theyre on lists that the junta is looking for. So thats the reason why were pushing and encouraging the administration to rethink this and to make sure that the temporary protective status is extended for these Burmese who have fled for their lives, Huizenga said. Battle Creek is home to about 3,000 people from Myanmar, according to the Burma Center. Advertisement Advertisement News 8s Josh Sanchez contributed to this report. Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Washington A group of House Republicans defied leadership on Tuesday to sink a key procedural vote that would have barred lawmakers from overturning President Trump's sweeping global tariffs. Three Republicans joined all Democrats to defeat the effort, after GOP leaders delayed the vote by seven hours as they and the White House tried to sway holdouts. In a party-line vote on Monday, the House Rules Committee approved language that would prevent members from bringing up resolutions to challenge Mr. Trump's tariffs through July 31. The language was attached to a procedural resolution known as a rule on unrelated legislation. Before a vote on final passage on the legislation, the House first had to approve the rule, which is typically passed by the majority party. Republicans, however, have a razor-thin majority and can only afford one defection during floor votes. Advertisement Advertisement The move to insert language into the rule comes after a previous ban on resolutions disapproving of the tariffs expired in January, and as Democrats planned to force a vote on terminating Mr. Trump's tariffs on Canada this week. "This isn't what rules are for," Republican Rep. Kevin Kiley of California said Tuesday before the vote. "The rule is to bring bills to the floor and set the parameters for debate. The purpose is not to sneak in unrelated language that expands the power of leadership at the expense of our members." Kiley was joined by GOP Reps. Thomas Massie of Kentucky and Don Bacon of Nebraska in opposing the tariff language. Early last year, Mr. Trump used his emergency powers to impose steep tariffs on goods from Canada, Mexico and China, accusing the countries of not doing enough to stop the flow of fentanyl and undocumented migrants into the United States. Canadian goods that are compliant with U.S.-Mexico-Canada free trade agreement are exempt from those tariffs, though Mr. Trump has repeatedly threatened to impose additional levies against Canada as relations between the two countries sour. The president has also threatened higher tariffs on dozens of other countries to resolve what he views as unfair trade practices. Advertisement Advertisement The Senate voted twice last year to block Mr. Trump from imposing tariffs on Canada, with four Republicans voting with Democrats. But the votes carry little weight beyond offering a rare rebuke of the president by Republicans as the president can veto any disapproval. Both chambers would need a two-thirds majority to overturn a presidential veto, which is unlikely. The Supreme Court appeared skeptical of Mr. Trump's authority to unilaterally impose tariffs during oral arguments in November. The court's decision in the dispute could come anytime before its summer recess begins in late June or early July. "The rationale for this, for just extending this for a little bit longer to July, is to allow the Supreme Court to rule on this case that everybody's watching and waiting for. That process has been playing out. I think it's logical to allow that to continue," House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Louisiana Republican, told reporters at his weekly news conference. Advertisement Advertisement House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, a Louisiana Republican, said leadership and the White House were putting pressure on members to fall in line ahead of the procedural vote. Johnson remained optimistic that they could get it across the finish line, even as GOP members criticized the blockade. Details on new images of subject in Nancy Guthrie disappearance More details emerge on whistleblower complaint against Tulsi Gabbard Trump criticizes Super Bowl halftime show, calling it "one of the worst" Nevada has not seen the barrage of armed federal officers carrying out immigration enforcement that other cities have seen, but immigration arrests in the state increased drastically last year, with at least 2,155 detained in the first 10 months of President Donald Trumps second term. The number of people arrested in immigration enforcement and removal operations under Trump is three times larger than former President Joe Bidens final year in office in 2024, which saw 634 arrests throughout the state. The Deportation Data Project, a group of academics and lawyers that collects and shares U.S. government immigration enforcement datasets, has compiled data or arrests nationwide through Oct. 15. Advertisement Advertisement All arrest data was obtained through public information requests and litigation and most likely doesnt represent the full scale of arrests or deportation efforts. Roughly 70% of people who were arrested in Nevada had been detained through local jails and detention without any clear indication in the data of what their underlying offenses were, and more than 40% had no criminal convictions or records. In an email to Nevada Current, Deportation Data Project explained that street-based arrests or immigration raids, which are a smaller portion of the numbers of those arrested, can show up in the data as non-custodial arrest and located categories. The Current analyzed the data and found 273 non-custodial arrests and 326 identified under located categories, a 700% and 300% increase respectively from 2024. Advertisement Advertisement In Bidens final year of office, the project only found 34 non custodial arrests and 83 under the located categories. Of those arrested, a large majority 1,276 people were from Mexico while 175 people were from Guatemala and 154 were from El Salvador. Nevada immigrant advocates and civil rights attorneys say there are many unanswered questions about who is being arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. But the one thing that is becoming clear is the story of 2025 was a story of massive increase in ICE arrests, said Michael Kagan, director of the UNLV Immigration Clinic. Just because we dont have people in armed fatigues walking through East Las Vegas does not mean that ICE has not ramped up considerably, Kagan said. ICE is here and is making more arrests than ever. Advertisement Advertisement The U.S. Department of Homeland Security didnt respond to numerous requests for comment. The UNLV Immigration Clinic and the ACLU of Nevada have both struggled to track the full scope of people detained, arrested and deported. Despite submitting records requested to DHS and local agencies to figure out who is being detained, the numbers are not typically put out in a very transparent fashion, said Athar Haseebullah, the executive director of the ACLU of Nevada. He also doubts federal agencies willingness to provide accurate information, adding the administration is insistent and open to lying. Advertisement Advertisement The data collected by the Deportation Data Project confirms what the UNLV clinic is seeing through client intakes and calls from the community, Kagan said. People accused not always convicted of low-level offenses are being swept up in immigration enforcement and the deportation process. The data might be incomplete, but it does provide a snapshot of what is happening in Nevada. The hard part is because the enforcement actions are often taking place on residential streets and neighborhoods, theres no way to accurately understand the full gamut of how theyre operating here, Haseebullah said. They havent had their day in court The data analyzed by the Current showed 43% of cases 934 arrests were listed as pending criminal charges without any indication of what those charges could entail. Advertisement Advertisement I think its really key and important to remind people that an arrest means nothing, Haseebullah said. Its indicative of nothing. You havent had your day in court. If we started basing everything off arrests alone, then our system of justice would be useless. Trump and White House officials repeatedly claim immigration enforcement is going after the worst of the worst. But from the cases Kagan has seen through the clinic, these arrests are commonly DUIs and other issues like low level drug offenses like simple possession. Youre not talking about the worst of the worst, as they usually describe it, he said. Advertisement Advertisement The aggressive immigration enforcement is circumventing the normal criminal justice system and peoples ability to challenge the offenses they are accused of. We have clients who have a pending DUI charge and have a very strong account for why they think they are innocent of the DUI, Kagan said. I think that the district attorney probably has never heard their version of events, and thats unfair. Another 44% of the cases, 951 arrests, are listed as having a criminal conviction, but again the data doesnt specify what the conviction was for or how long ago the arrest was. The category of what could be considered a criminal conviction is too broad, Kagan noted, and doesnt distinguish between crime like low-level drug possession or a Class-A felony such as murder. Advertisement Advertisement The ambiguity plays on the rhetoric casting all immigrants as if they are Class-A felons, he said. The administrations implementation of its crackdown makes no distinction between a homicide conviction and trespass, Kagan said. I think to meaningfully talk about this the way normal people would think of it, youd need to know what kind of crime the people being arrested have been accused of, and they dont provide that data. Another lingering question is how old some of these convictions are, Haseebullah said. There have been cases where people are being swept up on decades-old convictions. Advertisement Advertisement Haseebullah said he was informed of an arrest and a conviction for a DUI that occurred in 1990. Another 270 cases in the data are categorized as immigration violations. The data doesnt provide any further information on those violations. Two systems of justice The increased immigration enforcement is not only sweeping more people into deportation, but also created two systems of justice, Kagan said. For a U.S. citizen, if they are arrested for an offense like DUI or low-level drug possession, they would have their day in court where they are innocent until proven guilty. Immigrants will never face trial and instead will just be handed over to ICE. Advertisement Advertisement The initial arrest is just the front end of the deportation pipeline, Kagan said. We find, anecdotally, with our cases, some of them have no criminal record. Some of our clients and prospective clients were arrested on something like a DUI. For those who could be found guilty and convicted of a crime, they may actually not face the punishment that a citizen would face, Kagan said. The system makes ICE a getaway driver for cases that could normally carry serious prison time. Local police at the front end of deportation system The largest number of immigration arrests in Nevada last year more than 1,500 were people who were already incarcerated by state and local law enforcement, according to the Deportation Data Project. Clark County Detention Center accounted for 633 of the arrests through Oct. 15. There were 140 immigration arrests at the jail in 2024. That means that basically Las Vegas (Metropolitan Police Department) and other police departments are the front end of the deportation system, Kagan said. The data only found one instance of law enforcement complying with 287(g) agreement, by which local authorities help ICE holding people in custody after their release. LVMPD ended its 287(g) involvement in 2019 but authorized a new agreement in summer 2025. The new agreement is likely not yet reflected in the available data, Haseebullah noted. Laken Riley Act one year later Trumps focus on carrying out more immigration enforcement by detaining and deporting was part of a campaign promise. The Laken Riley Act, which he signed into law during his first month of office and touted as part of his fulfillment of that promise, was a mechanism that critics warned would give the administration more leeway to detain more immigrants by depriving them of their due process rights. The legislation allowed for undocumented immigrants arrested or charged with crimes like shoplifting, theft and larceny to be detained even if there isnt a conviction. Nevadas entire Democratic delegation voted for the bill despite heavy pushback from immigration attorneys and groups. Haseebullah said the bill was terrible namely because it sort of crushed the notion of civil liberties in due process. Its hard to get a full understanding how the act has affected people in Nevada, he said. The UNLV Immigration Clinic has only successfully litigated one case to prevent the application of the Laken Riley Act to someone who had been found innocent by a jury, Kagan said. The case has been sealed and he was unable to provide further details, except that DHS pressed forward and wanted to detain them as if they were still guilty. If federal agents only relied on the Laken Riley Act to detain more immigrants, that would have been bad enough, Haseebullah said. It seems almost as if they saw a hurdle in the form of Laken Riley Act and jumped over it, he said. Now they just ignore the Fourth Amendment which protects people from unreasonable searches and seizures and every basic constitutional protection as a whole. Kagan agreed that current tactics by federal immigration officials essentially rendered the Laken Riley Act irrelevant. Instead, the administration is focused on mandatory detention of basically every undocumented immigrant, he said. Though it seems agents have bypassed the federal legislation, Kagan said Democrats should have never voted for the Laken Riley Act. I think it does not speak well of an elected official when they can only stand for immigrants, when Gallup polls tell them that the weather is good, Kagan said. I think that they would do better to indicate to the public that they stand firm in a position even when the polls run one way or the other. Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons refused to resign under pressure from Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., who offered him the ultimatum to do so, or "side with the killers." The heated exchange during Tuesdays House Homeland Security Committee hearing isnt the first time Swalwell has confronted ICE over its mass deportation operations. He previously co-authored the "ICE OUT Act" with fellow committee member Rep. Daniel Goldman, D-N.Y., which would strip qualified immunity from federal immigration agents. Near the close of his questioning, Swalwell told Lyons that continuing to lead ICE is a "choice" and highlighted his preceding decorated military and law enforcement career. Advertisement Advertisement "You are what I would call otherwise employable. I think most people would agree this is not the only job that you can get. But since you've been on this job, women have been dragged by their hair through streets. A 6-year-old child battling stage-four cancer has been deported. And it turns out he was a U.S. citizen," Swalwell claimed. Dem Lawmaker Compares Ice Agents To Nazis And Gestapo During Fiery House Hearing On Enforcement Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.) speaks during a House Judiciary Committee hearing with FBI Director Kash Patel in the Rayburn House Office Building on Sept. 17, 2025. (Getty Images) The Alameda lawmaker, who is also running for governor, said people are fleeing ICE "through the fields where they work" and that "disgraceful" statements from DHS brass should convince Lyons to find a new job. Read On The Fox News App Advertisement Advertisement "Will you stand with the kids who you're supposed to protect, or will you side with the killers bringing terror to our streets? Mr. Lyons, will you resign from ICE?" Swalwell asked, as a poster of a child appeared behind him. Lyons replied, "No sir, I wont," and then took issue with the poster Swalwells staff had produced. Swalwell Vows To Make Ice Agents 'Un-hirable' In California State Government Positions "That child that you're showing right there, the men and women of ICE took care of him when his father abandoned him and ran from law enforcement," Lyons said, referencing the case of Adrian A.C. Arias, an Ecuadorian national targeted by ICE. Advertisement Advertisement Arias "abandoned" his 5-year-old child to flee authorities, leading Democrats and some in the press to claim that DHS had targeted the child, who went into their custody. "For the childs safety, one of our ICE officers remained with the child while the other officers apprehended Conejo Arias," a DHS official said of the situation. "ICE did not target a child." Tim Walz Accuses Trump Of 'Organized Brutality' In Immigration Crackdown, Says Ice Tactics Are 'Un-american' Swalwell also pressed Lyons on comments made at a Border Security Expo suggesting immigration enforcement and deportation operations be as efficient as Amazon Prime delivery. Advertisement Advertisement "Mr. Lyons how many times has Amazon Prime shot a mom three times in the face?" Swalwell asked appearing to reference the shooting of Renee Good in Minneapolis. "None," Lyons said. "It's the square root of zero, that's right," Swalwell shot back, before Lyons countered that his Amazon comment had come in the context of remarks made on improving the technology around DHSs work, including efficiency and artificial intelligence areas. Click Here To Download The Fox News App Protesters, using whistles to alert neighborhoods to ICE activity, face off with Minneapolis police officers in Minneapolis, Minn., on Jan. 24, 2026. "I did say at the end of it, but we deal with human beings, so we can't be like them. That's the key part that you're leaving out," Lyons said. Advertisement Advertisement At the end of Swalwells remarks, Chairman Andrew Garbarino, R-N.Y., ceded the floor to Rep. Michael Guest, R-Miss., who offered a friendlier exchange with Lyons. Original article source: ICE director flips script on Swalwell after Dem lawmaker demanded his resignation The Cape May-Lewes Ferry is operating on a full schedule Feb. 11 after icy conditions over the last few weeks forced dozens of cancellations. The Delaware River and Bay Authority-operated ferry travels 17 miles across the Delaware Bay, between Lewes, Delaware, and Cape May, New Jersey, several times per day. Since Jan. 25, 64 departures have been canceled, DRBA spokesman James Salmon said. In addition to considerable ice in the Harbor of Refuge in Lewes and throughout the Delaware Bay, the Cape May Canal was frozen solid for some time, Cape May-Lewes Ferry Director of Operations Heath Gehrke said in a Feb. 9 video. Beach erosion is seen near 5th Street and the Boardwalk in Ocean City, New Jersey on Monday, Feb.. 2, 2026. "It's been a difficult week for us," Gehrke said. Advertisement Advertisement The ferries can break through some ice, according to Gehrke, but sometimes it's too thick. Delaware River and Bay pilot boats, which dock next door to the ferry in Lewes, were forced to move their operations to the Indian River, Gehrke said. Ferry: Construction to begin on hybrid Cape May - Lewes Ferry ship Reach Shannon Marvel McNaught at smcnaught@gannett.com or on Facebook. This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: Cape May-Lewes Ferry operations resume as temperatures melt ice The European Commission (EC) has granted unconditional approval for Google's proposed acquisition of cloud security company Wiz, stating that the deal does not present competition concerns within the European Economic Area (EEA). Google's $32bn all-cash agreement to acquire Wiz was first announced in March 2025. The Commission reached its decision following a detailed market investigation, which included collecting feedback from customers and competing providers in the cloud security and infrastructure sectors. In November 2025, the US Department of Justice completed its own antitrust review of the transaction, removing a major regulatory obstacle for Googles parent company, Alphabet, as it aims to expand its position in the cloud security market. Google operates its cloud services through Google Cloud Platform and supplies cloud security solutions both to its own cloud customers and, to a limited extent, users of other infrastructure providers. Wiz focuses on cloud-native application protection, offering a consolidated platform that allows organisations to safeguard their applications against cyber threats across various cloud environments. The acquisition centres on the rapidly developing cloud security industry, where both Google and Wiz are key players. This sector is closely connected to the wider cloud infrastructure market, which also includes prominent competitors such as Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Microsoft Azure. Multi-cloud security solutions enable clients to distribute workloads across several cloud platforms, including those operated by Googles rivals. The acquisition aims to enable Google to strengthen its position in cloud security and facilitate the use of multiple cloud platforms as AI continues to develop rapidly. During its investigation, the EC considered whether Google might attempt to bundle Wizs multi-cloud security platform with existing products or restrict its compatibility with other clouds. It determined that there are sufficient alternative suppliers available, meaning customers could switch services if necessary. The inquiry also addressed whether Google would obtain commercially sensitive data about rival cloud providers through Wizs integrations. The Commission established that any information Google would access is not considered commercially sensitive and is generally accessible by other security software firms. EC Clean, Just and Competitive Transition Executive Vice-President Teresa Ribera said: Following a thorough investigation, the Commission has cleared Googles acquisition of Wiz. Google stands behind Amazon and Microsoft in terms of market shares in cloud infrastructure, and our assessment confirmed that customers will continue to have credible alternatives and the ability to switch providers. SPRINGFIELD, Ohio (WCMH) Department of Homeland Security officials said they did not have concrete plans to launch immigration enforcement efforts in Springfield, but plan to deport Haitian immigrants if migrants lose their protected status. District Judge Ana Reyes required the Department of Homeland Security to inform the court by Tuesday whether it planned immigration enforcement operations against Haitian immigrants. Reyes named Springfield and south Florida in her order as places with significant Haitian populations. See previous coverage of Haitians in Springfield in the video player above. In a court filing, Liana Castano, assistant director for field operations for ICE, said she was not aware of specific planned actions directed toward Haitian immigrants, and enforcement did not commence because of Reyes ruling extending their protected status. However, she said ICE would have acted to enforce the immigration laws if Haitian immigrants had lost it. Castano said ICE agents are currently active in Springfield. Advertisement Advertisement Congressman blasts Les Wexner redactions in Epstein files ICE is engaged in daily enforcement activities across the country in various locations, including but not limited to Springfield, Ohio and South Florida, Castano wrote. Haitian immigrants have been protected by Temporary Protected Status for years. It allows temporary legal residence in the U.S. if a country is deemed too dangerous to return to. President Donald Trumps administration attempted to end TPS for Haiti on Feb. 3. On Feb. 2, Reyes blocked Haitis TPS from ending as a lawsuit plays out. Between 12,000 and 20,000 of Springfields 60,000 residents are Haitian immigrants, drawn to the Ohio city for its available work and low cost of living. The city had braced for possible surge in immigration enforcement if TPS was allowed to expire for Haiti. Advertisement Advertisement Reyes ruling does not extend TPS or redesignate Haiti for TPS, but pauses deportations. Trump filed an emergency appeal of Reyes decision on Friday, claiming the nations unrest is improving and arguing continuing TPS for Haiti poses a threat to national security. Gov. Mike DeWine, a Republican, said ending TPS would be a mistake and would cause thousands of Ohio residents to lose the right to work overnight. DeWine has been involved in humanitarian efforts in Haiti for 30 years and said the situation on the island is as dire as [hes] seen it. Many Haitian immigrants arrived in Springfield after a 2021 presidential assassination thrust the Caribbean nation into unrest. The State Department strongly advises Americans not to travel to Haiti due to kidnapping, crime, sexual assault and civil unrest. According to the United Nations, gangs control much of the country, including most of the capital city. Hailey Buzbee case: Tyler Thomas faces federal charges in teens disappearance Advertisement Advertisement Dominican police told the Associated Press that four Haitian women were found decapitated along Haitis border with the Dominican Republic on Feb. 2. According to Puerto Rican newspaper El Nuevo Dia, the women who were killed had been deported from Puerto Rico to Haiti in the past four months. Haitians cannot be sent back to their native country. Many will literally not survive, Lynn Tramonte, executive director of the Ohio Immigrant Alliance, said. This threatened government onslaught against Haitian-Ohioans and others around the country is so cruel and so unnecessary. Let Haitians live. On Monday, Springfield abruptly closed public schools and Downtown streets after DeWine said suspicious packages were found in the city. Clark County Sheriff Christopher Clark said Springfield City Schools and county buildings received emailed bomb threats along with many other threats across Ohio. None was determined to be real. Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) Two Middle Tennessee counties have started pushing back against Nashville Electric Service. They say the way power was restored during last months storm exposed a lack of representation. Leaders in Sumner and Williamson County want a direct voice in how NES is run. This ice storm brought a lot of things to light, Williamson County Commissioner for District 6, Paul Webb, said. Advertisement Advertisement Metro Council to review winter storm response and emergency coordination NES supplies power to all of Davidson County and parts of six surrounding counties in Middle Tennessee, including Sumner and Williamson County. As of publication, no one from those counties serves on the NES board. Our residents, who are NES customers, basically dont have a voice on the board because the Metro Council appoints the board members, Williamson County Commissioner for District 4, Gregg Lawrence, explained. In total, the power company has over 400,000 customers, covering a 700-square-mile service area. After last months winter storm took out power to 230,000 customers, some for nearly a week, county commissioners say it exposed major concerns. Advertisement Advertisement Frankly, it was the response to the storm that they didnt seem to be prepared for the emergency, Lawrence said. The difference between NES and Middle Tennessee Electric was night and day. As NES repairs wrap up, Williamson and Sumner counties have asked for a seat at the table. I think what we did last night [Monday night] was basically an attempt to say our customers deserve to be heard and have representation on the board, Lawrence explained. And if the other counties involved do as well, then that would obviously change the makeup of the board at NES. Sumner County Commissioner Matthew Shoaf told News 2 they passed a similar resolution through the budget committee, adding that they are exploring all options. Advertisement Advertisement Highlights from NES board meeting on winter storm response: The utilitys next steps >> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE <<< [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. Sanko Texas Corporation, a Japanese manufacturer, will break ground Wednesday on its first U.S. manufacturing facility, marking the companys initial expansion into the United States and the establishment of its U.S. headquarters in San Antonio. The groundbreaking ceremony is scheduled for 11:15 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026, at the Sanko Texas Corporation site at 16586 Watson Road in southern Bexar County. Local and regional officials said the investment reflects San Antonios strengths in workforce talent, infrastructure and business climate, which have helped attract global manufacturers. By choosing San Antonio, Sanko joins a rapidly growing advanced manufacturing sector in Texas that plays a significant role in regional economic growth. Advertisement Advertisement The project also highlights economic ties between the region and Japan, while reflecting coordinated efforts by local and regional partners to attract international investment. Expected to attend the ceremony are Bexar County Judge Peter Sakai; San Antonio Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones; Bexar County Commissioner Rebecca Clay-Flores of Precinct 1; San Antonio City Councilwoman Phyllis Viagran of District 3; members of Sanko leadership and local business leaders. Jeffrey Epsteins convicted pimp Ghislaine Maxwell has unleashed the nuclear option in a last-ditch effort to get out of prison by claiming in court papers a group of 25 untouchable men made secret settlements with victims and implying they could and should be prosecuted, per New York Post. One expert believes Maxwells carefully crafted legal grenade is a clear message to the dead pedophiles rich and powerful friends that she may start naming names if her 20-year sex trafficking prison sentence is not overturned. Its an absolute negotiating chip she wants a pardon, a reduction in sentence, a commutation, private investigator Ed Opperman tells Globe. Shes throwing this out so that the people on that list will use their wealth, power and influence to get her out of prison to keep her quiet. Advertisement Advertisement The 64-year-old British socialite filed the writ of habeas corpus in December after exhausting all her appeals to overturn her 2021 conviction. The habeas petition, however, appears to be the first time she implicates others, including four of Epsteins co-conspirators who worked recruiting victims. New evidence reveals that there were 25 men with which the [accusers] lawyers reached secret settlements that could equally be considered as co-conspirators, Maxwell wrote in the searing petition. The Government could have indicted the 4 named co-conspirators, or any of the 25 men that settled secretly with the lawyers for the [accuser] complainants, but they didnt. Advertisement Advertisement Maxwell has long maintained the government was looking for someone to indict following Epsteins 2019 mysterious hanging death in a New York City jail where he was awaiting trial for sex trafficking and she was made a patsy. As Globe readers know, Epstein rubbed shoulders with the former Prince Andrew, former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak and ex-President Bill Clinton, among other elite power brokers. All have denied knowing about his sketchy behavior with girls and young women. Opperman believes Epsteins untouchable pals are sweating machine gun bullets because a federal subpoena can override the nondisclosure agreements they orchestrated to silence victims. The federal government could definitely prosecute these rich and powerful men, even if the victim signed an NDA because the settlement can be considered an admission of guilt, he tells Globe. Read More From Globe This story Jeffrey Epstein Associate Ghislaine Maxwell Claims 25 Unnamed Men Made Secret Settlements to Victims first appeared on Globe. Add Globe as a Preferred Source by clicking here. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) celebrated Wednesday after a grand jury failed to indict six Democratic lawmakers in connection to a controversial video urging service members and intelligence officials to defy illegal orders. Yesterday, a Grand Jury of everyday Americans rejected a baseless attempt to indict six Members of Congress and the United States Senate, Jeffries said in a statement shared on the social platform X. Justice prevailed. The Grand Jury upheld and honored the Constitution, doing what Donald Trump and his Republican sycophants lack the character to do, he added. The attempt to indict Members of Congress for exercising their constitutionally-protected First Amendment rights is another shameful example of the cancerous rot that engulfs the Trump administration. Advertisement Advertisement Jeffries cheered on the six lawmakers which include Sens. Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.) and Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), as well as Reps. Jason Crow (D-Colo.), Chrissy Houlahan (D-Pa.), Chris Deluzio (D-Pa.) and Maggie Goodlander (D-N.H.) as patriotic Americans who are pushing back against Republican extremism and defending our country against all enemies, foreign and domestic. U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirros office pursued the federal indictment, as first reported in The New York Times. Jeffries lambasted Pirro, Trump and the corrupt political hacks at the Department of Justice, saying he and other Democratic lawmakers will not be silenced or intimidated. Every attempt to weaponize the criminal justice system will only strengthen our resolve as we work to end the National nightmare that extreme MAGA Republicans are inflicting on the country, the House Democratic leader said in closing. They will all be held accountable for their lawlessness. All of the lawmakers have a background in military or intelligence. Advertisement Advertisement We know you are under enormous stress and pressure right now, Americans trust their military, but that trust is at risk, the lawmakers said in the video. This administration is pitting our uniformed military and intelligence community professionals against American citizens like us. You all swore an oath to protect and defend this constitution. Trump quickly lashed out at the lawmakers and accused them of SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR, punishable by DEATH! in a post on Truth Social, which set off its own firestorm. He continued posting about the video, saying the lawmakers should be removed from office, imprisoned or even killed. Slotkin praised the grand jury for ending this politicized investigation for good. She compared the case against her and her colleagues with the kind of thing you see in a foreign country, not in the United States we know and love. But today wasnt just an embarrassing day for the Administration, the Michigan senator wrote in a post on X. It was another sad day for our country. Advertisement Advertisement Crow warned that the tide is turning. If these fers think that theyre going to intimidate us and threaten and bully me into silence, the Colorado Democrat told CNN. And theyre going to go after political opponents and get us to back down, they have another thing coming. A federal judge earlier this month also seemed skeptical of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseths bid to censure Kelly and lower his retirement rank due to the video. Kelly has sued the Pentagon over the efforts. Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Former Republican congressional candidate Jennifer-Ruth Green launched her short-lived campaign amid a state ethics investigation into her conduct as part of Gov. Mike Braun's cabinet before dropping out of the race about three months later. But she used her federal campaign account to pay for legal expenses associated with the probe, a move that is raising red flags with campaign finance and ethics experts. Federal campaign finance records show that Green's congressional campaign's debts as of Jan. 31 included more than $23,000 in legal fees billed for high-powered Indianapolis criminal defense lawyer Jennifer Lukemeyer, who represented Green during her fight with the Indiana State Ethics Commission. Her campaign said it has since paid off the debt to Lukemeyer, who did not immediately reply to a request for comment. Advertisement Advertisement Federal election law forbids using campaign funds for personal expenditures. Legal expenses can fall into a gray area. Green ultimately agreed to pay the state a $10,000 fine after admitting to breaking state ethics law as public safety secretary. She suspended her short-lived campaign against Democratic U.S. Rep. Frank Mrvan on Feb. 5, citing an uphill political battle after the failure of pro-Republican redistricting in Indiana. She formally launched the campaign in late October, weeks after IndyStar and other media outlets revealed she had been ousted from Braun's administration amid an ethics investigation. A campaign spokesman confirmed the legal fees divided in three separate payments were related to Lukemeyer's representation of Green during the ethics matter and defended the use of campaign contributions. The campaign said the ethics investigation wouldn't have happened if she hadn't been running for office. Advertisement Advertisement "Jennifer-Ruth Green's congressional campaign paid legal bills fighting off a vindictive smear campaign by a politically compromised inspector general solely designed to sabotage her campaign for U.S. Congress and destroy her reputation," campaign spokesman Tim Edson told IndyStar in a statement. The OIG stands by its investigation," the Office of the Inspector General responded in a statement to the Star. "The comments from Ms. Green's campaign are in contrast to her own voluntary statement read publicly into the hearing record on Dec. 18, 2025, and the settlement she willingly agreed to, admitting to a list of violations. In her ethics settlement, Green admitted to violating the state rules on political activity and use of state property. Inspector General Jared Prentice had previously also accused her of violating the state's ghost employment and retaliation rules while she served over several executive branch agencies, but the settlement didn't wade into those allegations. Green's campaign compared its use of campaign funds to President Donald Trump's recent use of affiliated political action committees to pay personal legal fees, an arrangement that has drawn scrutiny from campaign finance experts. Unlike Trump, however, Greens legal expenses were listed as debts owed by her authorized campaign committee. Advertisement Advertisement The campaign said Green used personal, not campaign, funds to pay off her state fine, which is due Feb. 16. Green admitted in her settlement that at some point between her appointment in January 2025 and her abrupt resignation in September 2025, she had state employees generate content and proofread posts made to the Elect Jennifer-Ruth Green Facebook account. The former public safety secretary also admitted that she required a state employee to use Greens state-assigned car to run personal errands on her behalf. Jennifer-Ruth Green dropped out of the race for Indiana's 1st Congressional District. Campaign finance experts weigh in Two ethics and campaign finance experts contacted by IndyStar expressed apprehension about Green's campaign paying her legal bills. Advertisement Advertisement Federal law makes clear that campaign funds cant be used for personal expenditures, though legal expenses are looked at on a case-by-case basis. For example, the Federal Election Commission says "expenses incurred in connection with investigations pertaining to the candidate/officeholders role as a candidate or officeholder" are allowed. Eric Petry, a staff expert with the Brennan Center for Justice at New York University, called the expenses "concerning and something that might give a regulator pause." Legal expenses that arose from a separate incident before they became a candidate its difficult to see how that could be an expense incurred (because of) their campaign, Petry said. Though the state ethics settlement pertained in part to Greens aspirations for office, she did not file for candidacy until Oct. 30, 2025. A person can also be considered an official candidate if they raise more than $5,000 in campaign contributions before their official declaration, but FEC filings show that Green did not meet that bar by the time shed resigned as public safety secretary. Advertisement Advertisement Ethics expert Julia Vaughn of Common Cause Indiana, a nonpartisan government watchdog group, said she believes the payments are an illegitimate campaign expense. "The charges were about her behavior as a state employee and violating the rules that are in place for state employees," Vaughn said. "If she hadn't violated state ethics laws, she wouldn't have needed the attorney to defend her on those matters." Vaughn said "anybody who wrote her a check wouldn't expect it to be used to pay for legal problems she got into before she was running for Congress." "People who made a contribution to her campaign did it because they supported her run for Congress," Vaughn said. "They didn't, hopefully, support the trouble she got into with her job in state government." Advertisement Advertisement A disgruntled voter could file a complaint over the matter, but the Brennan Center expert said the FEC is currently unable to enforce campaign finance laws. All of these issues are a little bit moot right now because there isnt even a functioning FEC, Petry said. "Unfortunately, I think candidates have already gotten that message and were seeing year after year, campaigns are pushing the envelope further and further." Contact senior government accountability reporter Hayleigh Colombo at hcolombo@indystar.com. Contact communities reporter Ryan Murphy at rhmurphy@indystar.com. Sign up for our free weekly politics newsletter, Checks & Balances, curated by IndyStar political and government reporters. This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Jennifer-Ruth Green's campaign paid legal bills in ethics probe The logo of the British chemicals group Ineos can be seen at the entrance to the company's site on the outskirts of Cologne, with an Ineos production plant in the background. Wolf von Dewitz/dpa Jim Ratcliffe, boss of British chemical company INEOS, has warned that Europe's chemical industry is in danger of dying out due to high costs. "The industry is currently in the process of shutting down," he said in a statement released in advance of a meeting between European industry representatives and politicians in Antwerp, Belgium, on Wednesday. "Without a chemical industry we cannot run hospitals, we cannot feed people, we cannot defend ourselves. It is critical for national security." Within the space of two years, 101 industrial sites in Europe had closed, 25 million tons of chemical capacity had left Europe, and more than 75,000 people had lost their jobs, Ratcliffe said. He questioned the climate protection benefits of European policies, saying they are not leading to a reduction in global emissions, but to an increase. "Europe hasn't cut emissions, it has exported them. Production has moved to the US and China, where carbon intensity is far higher," he said. European energy prices are four times higher than in the United States. Rising carbon dioxide costs and weak trade protection are scaring off investment, he said. "These conditions are unsurvivable for Europe's chemical industry." The British chemical company has closed several sites in Europe in recent years, and last year it announced the closure of two plants in Germany. INEOS makes chemicals used in the production of medicines, mobile phones, agricultural products and car parts. Alongside Britain, it has sites in Germany, Norway, Belgium, France and Italy. Mayor Brandon Johnson on Tuesday defended his executive order that is aimed at holding federal immigration agents accountable for alleged criminal activity while on the job. And, he said, politics have nothing to do with it. The mayor addressed questions about his executive order that the Cook County State's Attorney's Office raised concerns about in a memo sent to the mayor's office last Friday. Johnson is not backing down one bit from his goal of holding rogue agents accountable. He also tried to clarify questions and downplay concerns about his executive order that were raised by the county's top prosecutor. Advertisement Advertisement "Here's where I'm calling for us to be aligned, and I believe that we are, that when you have a father that's dropping his children off to school, and then he gets murdered, and then the federal government lies about it, we have to hold those individuals accountable," Johnson said. Johnson referenced the death of Silverio Villegas-Gonzalez who was killed by federal agents during a traffic stop in Franklin Park last fall. The mayor said it is not about politics, but accountability. SEE ALSO | Former CPD chief of detectives calls mayor's order on federal investigations political theater "Because that's what the people of this city want. That's what people across the country are calling for, is a pathway for accountability to hold these rogue, reckless, chaotic, inhumane agents accountable to the abuse that they have spread throughout this country," Johnson said. "This is not even about politics for me. This is about saving lives and protecting the people of Chicago. This is about establishing a precedent for the rest of the country to embrace. That's what this moment is calling for: Real, bold, tenacious leadership that is prepared and willing to stand up to a tyrant." Advertisement Advertisement Last Friday, the Cook County State's Attorney's Office sent a memo to the mayor's office, raising concerns about a line in the executive order that directs police to gather and preserve evidence of federal misconduct, and "at the direction of the mayor's office," refer it to the state's attorney. The state's attorney's office said that is not only wholly inappropriate, "but it also jeopardizes our ability to effectively prosecute and secure convictions when federal law enforcement agents have committed a crime." The mayor contended that the order only involves the role police play in gathering evidence of rogue behavior. "This does not necessarily have to involve the mayor giving specific direction to what gets passed along. It's a matter of ensuring that the evidence is there and that the state's attorney, once that evidence is received, can decide they're going to move forward with an investigation or prosecution," Johnson said. The executive order is now under a month-long review period that is expected to clarify that the mayor will not be involved in individual cases, but instead, in high-level policy guidance for police. That's according to information from the mayor's office. The executive order is now under a 30-day review period that could result in clarifications to make sure that police and everyone else involved in the investigation process are clear on their roles and responsibilities. When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Federal judges in Oregon and California have dismissed similar Trump administration lawsuits. | Credit: Adam James Dewey / Anadolu via Getty Images What happened A federal judge in Michigan Tuesday rejected the Trump administrations effort to compel the state to turn over its unredacted voter rolls. U.S. District Judge Hala Jarbou said the three laws cited by the Justice Department in its lawsuit do not allow the United States to obtain the records at issue in this case. Federal judges in Oregon and California have dismissed similar Trump administration lawsuits to obtain full voter records. Who said what The ruling by Jarbou, appointed by President Donald Trump, was restrained in tone, The New York Times said, but the judges in Oregon and California used their opinions to issue explicit warnings that, in their view, the Trump administration could not be trusted, and its efforts to centralize the electoral process pose a serious risk. U.S. elections, as stipulated in the Constitution, are administered at the state and local level. A federal judge in Georgia last month also dismissed Trumps voter roll demand on procedural grounds, but the FBI then seized that voter information in Atlantas Fulton County. According to an affidavit released Tuesday, the FBI relied heavily on previously debunked claims of widespread election irregularities in Trumps 2020 loss to justify its raid, The Washington Post said. What next? At least 11 states have either provided or said they will provide their full statewide voter registration lists, including drivers license and Social Security numbers, the Brennan Center for Justice said. The Trump administration has sued at least 23 states and the District of Columbia to obtain that information, but the rulings in Michigan, Oregon and California offer an early indication of how the Justice Departments nationwide quest to essentially establish a national voting database may be running into significant headwinds from the judiciary, the Times said. A Missouri judge is being asked to decide which congressional district map the one passed in 2022 or the one passed last year will be in effect when candidates line up to file for office later this month. For about four hours Tuesday, Cole County Circuit Judge Brian Stumpe listened to arguments over the meaning of constitutional provisions governing citizen referendums. He wanted to know why he was being asked to make a decision now about what happens when petitions are delivered when the deadline for determining if there are enough signatures to force a vote is months away. The first important date on this years election calendar is the opening of candidate filing on Feb. 24, said Jonathan Hawley, an attorney representing the Jackson County residents who filed the lawsuit. Advertisement Advertisement If the gerrymandered map passed last year by Republicans is used during candidate filing, he said, it will be difficult if not impossible to change when signature-checking is complete in July. That is just days before the Aug. 4 primary. If a law could take effect before the people have their say, it would make the referendum power meaningless, Hawley said. Attorneys for the state argued the earliest date a law can be suspended by an initiative is when the petitions have been found to include enough signatures to make the ballot. Do we assume that submitting an unverified petition and unverified signatures suspends a law passed by the peoples representatives? asked Louis Capozzi, state solicitor general. Advertisement Advertisement Stumpe asked attorneys to make their final filings by next Tuesday. Redistricting has become the biggest political war in Missouri in decades. Republicans muscled a gerrymandered congressional map through the Legislature last year under pressure from President Donald Trump. The new plan carved up the 5th Congressional District, represented by Democrat Emanuel Cleaver of Kansas City since 2005, in an attempt to flip it to the GOP. A political action committee, People Not Politicians, began gathering signatures to force a statewide vote and turned in more than 300,000 signatures on Dec. 9 to Secretary of State Denny Hoskins office. By then, several court cases were underway and more would follow, including the case that went to trial on Tuesday. Hoskins, going against a century of precedent, declared that the new law took effect Dec. 11 despite the submission of signatures. Advertisement Advertisement For all past referendums, the filing of a petition with enough apparent signatures to make the ballot was all that was needed for a new law to be put on hold until the vote or the signatures count was verified. That is what happened in 2017 after a referendum petition challenging right to work was filed. Stumpe noted the intensity of the political and legal fights when he asked the attorneys to restrain their rhetoric in court. This is an emotionally charged case, he said. This is a politically charged case. The key legal question Stumpe will have to resolve is whether delivering referendum signatures is enough to prevent a law from taking effect. Advertisement Advertisement The Constitution says that when a law is referred to voters, it does not take effect until they approve it, Hawley said. The filing of the petition pages with an apparently sufficient number of signatures is enough to suspend the law. Every decision made by Missouri courts on the referendum power, back to one of the earliest decisions in 1914, backs up that argument, he said. For the past 100 years, Missouri courts at all levels have safeguarded that right, he said. In the 1914 case, the Missouri Supreme Court ruled that refusal by the secretary of state and the attorney general to do their duties did not defeat the referendum so as to prevent the suspension of the act, since the constitutional provision for the referendum is self-executing. Advertisement Advertisement But the law in 1914 was that petitioners certified the signatures they gathered, Capozzi said. The law hasnt been referred to voters until the signature verification process approved in 1980 is complete, he said. The petition must have about 110,000 signatures representing 5% of the 2024 vote for governor in six of the states eight congressional districts. A PAC called Put Missouri First intervened in the case to back up the states arguments. Marc Ellinger, attorney for the PAC, said it is unknown whether the petition will have enough signatures. Dont jump to the conclusion that a box of papers stops a law in Missouri, Ellinger said. Advertisement Advertisement A referendum rests on three legs, Stumpe said: timely filing, legal form and sufficient signatures to make the ballot. He asked Hawley to explain why he should act while signatures are being checked. We have to presume the third leg of the stool or the referendum process falls apart, Hawley said. It is uncertain what Hoskins has done other than say the law is in effect. As part of the redistricting plan, Democratic voters in predominantly Black areas of Kansas City were shifted into the Republican 4th District and heavily Republican areas stretching along the Missouri River to Boone County were added to the remaining Kansas City portions. In the map passed in 2022, Boone County was split between the 3rd and 4th districts. Advertisement Advertisement Hoskins office has not delivered the information needed to reassign voters to new districts, Boone County Clerk Brianna Lennon said Tuesday in an interview with The Independent. Local election authorities cannot change voters to new districts until after the April election, she noted. Hoskins office delivered 2,450 pages with signatures to Boone County. Were almost done with signature verification, Lennon said. The case heard Tuesday, while directly about the date the new map takes effect, has side issues that include accusations that it was engineered by People Not Politicians. After hearing arguments over demands by the state for more information, Stumpe denied the request. KANSAS CITY, Mo. Kansas City leaders took a major step Tuesday toward regulating and in some cases outright banning what many call gas station drugs, as a proposed ordinance targeting kratom and 7-OH moved closer to final approval. City leaders say 7-OH is especially concerning, with experts warning it is more potent than heroin a substance the federal government classifies as a Schedule I drug. See the latest headlines in Kansas City and across Kansas, Missouri Advertisement Advertisement The issue drew strong emotions on both sides during a city committee hearing, where public comment stretched long enough that it had to be cut off to avoid running into the next scheduled meeting. Despite the passionate testimony, the city appears poised to pass the ordinance, taking sweeping action against the sale of these substances. We go to gas stations to get gas, some people may get cigarettes, some people may get a little bit of beer what your not supposed to be able to get legally is something that is more potent than heroin, said Mayor Quinton Lucas. Not everyone agrees with the citys approach. Advertisement Advertisement Its disappointing that theyre not grounding their policy making in science, the science demonstrates that 7-OH products are relatively harmless. Almost a billion servings have been consumed with almost no serious adverse events for people, said Jeff Smith, a former state senator and the current National Policy Director for Holistic Alternative Recovery Trust. Under the proposal, kratom would remain legal but would only be available to people 21-and-older and could only be sold at regulated locations. The city, however, wants to outright ban 7-OH. The drug has already prompted federal lawmakers and state legislatures, including Missouris, to scramble over how it should be regulated. We have unregulated substances that are leading to real public health and public safety harms on our streets, and I think today Kansas City is taking a big step as a leader in the region to change that, Lucas said. Advertisement Advertisement Opponents of the ban say they agree these substances should not be sold at gas stations but argue prohibition goes too far. They say 7-OH is used by people dealing with chronic health issues and those recovering from substance abuse, and they want responsible regulation instead of a ban. I dont think that these products should be at gas stations, I do believe that they should be regulated and kept away from young people. I dont think they should be at gas stations but thats what regulations are for, not bans, Dr. Michele Ross, Chief Scientific Advisor for 7-Hope Alliance, said. Kansas City nursery announces final season after more than 50 years Advertisement Advertisement It does not appear those concerns will change the outcome. While the committee removed potential jail time for selling the substances, the ordinance would still impose penalties of up to a $1,000 fine and could jeopardize a businesss ability to operate within Kansas City. The full City Council is expected to vote Thursday. Five of the 13 council members have already signaled support, making passage appear all but certain. Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. AP Photo/Alex Brandon US Agency for Global Media senior advisor Kari Lake has been President Donald Trumps wrecking ball at her agency, but has come up empty-handed in her quest to get his support for another political campaign. Her tenure at USAGM has been heavily criticized by free speech and democracy advocates, as she has overseen massive layoffs and throttled or even outright cancelled programs that were long viewed as effectively advancing American interests by supporting broadcast networks that targeted areas of the world with restrictions on press freedom. Advertisement Advertisement In 2022, Lake narrowly lost the Arizona governors race to Democrat Katie Hobbs, and since then paired her support for Trumps baseless claims of fraud in the 2020 election with her own unfounded accusations that her election was stolen from her as well. In reality, a post-election analysis showed that Lake lost in large part because tens of thousands of Arizonans cast votes for other Republicans, but not her. After she lost another statewide race in 2024, the Arizona Senate race to Sen. Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Lake vowed she wouldnt run for office again. That didnt mean she was done with politics; her unwavering loyalty to Trump scored her an appointment to serve as the senior advisor for USAGM. (Lake has identified herself as the acting CEO of USAGM, but the legal status of that title is under dispute.) And Lake is now considering abandoning her 2024 vow to not run again, according to a new report by The Atlantics Anne Applebaum and Yvonne Wingett Sanchez that offers a brutally scathing assessment of her leadership at USAGM. The Atlantics report shreds Lake for her squandering of hundreds of millions of dollars of taxpayer funds, obsessive social media posts about partisan political topics, and the profound damage [she has done] to Americas foreign broadcasters, and to Americas ability to communicate with the world, and notes that all this havoc still seems to be failing to win Trumps favor: In October, she was spotted waiting in a White House lobby, hoping to see Trump, according to two GOP operatives. Kari has been here for hours, a White House aide told one of the operatives that day. Shes going to run, and shes asking for the endorsement. Lake, who was rumored to be mulling a run for Congress in Arizona, eventually shared her pitch with a low-level aide who conveyed no enthusiasm for a third Lake candidacy, the same person said. The other Republican operative offered a similar account. When asked for comment on the episode, Lake responded in a statement that every shred of this question is incorrect and added, The President has always been very gracious and generous when I have requested time with him. In her statement, Lake did not directly answer a question about whether she would seek a congressional seat, saying only, If and when I decide to run for office, The Atlantic will be the very last to know. Even with a Trump endorsement, third time is unlikely to be the charm for Lake attempting to win elected office, Applebaum and Sanchez noted, after she had lost twice in the state and MAGA voters in Arizona have moved on from Lake. Advertisement Advertisement Lake grew up in Iowa and bought a condo there late last year, the report added, perhaps to try her luck in politics there. The post Kari Lake Waited For Hours in White House Lobby Hoping to Get Trumps Endorsement to Run for Congress But Failed first appeared on Mediaite. Nonprofit organizations are among the most trusted institutions in American life. They shelter survivors of domestic violence and feed families when cupboards are bare. They care for the elderly, run afterschool and job training programs across the state. Nonprofits protect our waterways and fragile ecosystems, preserve historic places and strengthen neighborhoods. Nonprofits show up quietly and consistently wherever the need is greatest. In Maryland alone, more than 41,000 nonprofit organizations operate in every county and community. They are woven into the daily life of our state. Whether you volunteer at one, donate to one, work for one, or rely on one, nonprofits are part of how Maryland functions and how communities hold together. That trust did not happen by accident. Advertisement Advertisement For more than 70 years, federal law has drawn a clear and intentional line between charitable work and political campaigning. In 1954, Congress clarified that charities and houses of worship may not participate in or intervene in political campaigns for or against candidates for public office. This provision, often referred to as the Johnson Amendment, has served a simple but essential purpose: It keeps nonprofit organizations focused on their missions, not electoral politics. Your opinion matters Maryland Matters welcomes guest commentary submissions at editor@marylandmatters.org. We suggest a 750-word limit and reserve the right to edit or reject submissions. We do not accept columns that are endorsements of candidates, and no longer accept submissions from public officials or political candidates. Opinion pieces must be signed by at least one individual using their real name. We do not accept columns signed by an organization. Commentary writers must include a short bio and a photo for their bylines. Advertisement Advertisement Views of writers are their own. This firewall has protected nonprofits from being pressured to endorse candidates. It has shielded boards, staff, volunteers, and faith leaders from political coercion. And it has helped preserve the publics confidence that charitable resources are used to serve communities not political agendas. Today, that long-standing protection is at risk. If federal enforcement of this rule is weakened or eliminated, nonprofits could be pushed into political terrain they were never designed to occupy. Charitable organizations could become attractive targets for political operatives seeking platforms, influence or legitimacy. Board seats could be politicized. Charity-hosted events could morph into campaign stops. And the very institutions people turn to in moments of vulnerability could be pulled into partisan conflict. Advertisement Advertisement That would be a loss for everyone regardless of political affiliation. Senate Bill 4, sponsored by Sen. Cheryl Kagan (D-Montgomery) and Senate President Bill Ferguson (D-Baltimore City), and House Bill 514 sponsored by Del. Sandy Rosenberg (D-Baltimore City), are a response to that risk. SB 4 and HB 514 ensure that if federal protections are rolled back, Maryland charities and religious organizations will still be governed by the same nonpartisan standards that have guided them for decades. The bills do not create new restrictions. They simply preserve existing ones. Specifically, SB 4 and HB 514 incorporate the longstanding federal language and its well-established interpretation into Maryland law. They authorize state officials to intervene only if an organization violates those rules and even then, enforcement is not automatic or punitive by default. The law allows for mediation and the opportunity to cure violations that were unauthorized or inadvertent. Importantly, this would only take effect if federal action renders the Johnson Amendment unenforceable. Advertisement Advertisement In other words, this is a contingency plan, not an expansion of government authority. At its core, these bills are about protecting the nonprofit sector from becoming collateral damage in political battles. They safeguard the independence of charitable organizations so they can continue doing what they do best: serving the public good. This should matter to all of us. Nonprofits operate in spaces where trust is essential. Survivors seeking safety. Families seeking food. Communities seeking healing after disaster or loss. When nonprofits are perceived as politically aligned, that trust erodes, and once lost, it is difficult to restore. Advertisement Advertisement Keeping charities nonpartisan does not silence their voices. Nonprofits remain free to educate the public, advocate for policies aligned with their missions, and engage in civic life. What they cannot and should not do is become vehicles for partisan campaigning. That distinction has served our democracy well. FRANKFORT, Ky. (FOX 56) Lawmakers in Kentucky voted on Wednesday, Feb. 11, to advance a bill that would limit the amount of time license plate reader data could be stored. According to the Kentucky General Assembly, House Bill 58 would only allow automated license plate readers to be used to regulate parking, collect tolls, control access to secured areas, promote public safety, deter crime, or address auto theft, among a few other exceptions. HB 58 would also strictly limit the sale or distribution of that data, Rep. John Hodgson, R-Fisherville, said ahead of the House Judiciary Committees vote. Advertisement Advertisement Kentucky bill aims to allow licensed owners to carry guns in schools, airport areas Hogdson said Wednesday marked the fourth time hes filed legislation on automated license plate reader data retention. Officials with the Kentucky General Assembly said that if House Bill 58 passed into law, violators could face a $20-$2,000 fine or up to a year in prison. LATEST KENTUCKY NEWS: When asked if the limit on license plate data would inhibit a pending court case where the data needed to be retained throughout the litigation process, Rep. Hodgson said the bill would allow that data to be held for criminal and insurance investigations. Advertisement Advertisement On Wednesday, the committee voted unanimously to send House Bill 58 to the full House. Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Kentucky Republican U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell was discharged from a hospital Tuesday and is working from home, according to his office. McConnell had checked himself in last week after experiencing flu-like symptoms, a spokesperson said. Senator McConnell was discharged from the hospital yesterday and is grateful for the outstanding care he received, McConnells spokesperson said Wednesday. He is feeling better and will be working from home this week on the advice of his doctors. Advertisement Advertisement Last week, Kentucky Senate President Robert Stivers said in Frankfort he expected the senior senator to be back at it soon. Stivers, a Manchester Republican, said in a floor speech that McConnell had been out texting and calling from a hospital bed and discussed federal funding going to Kentucky in a package signed by President Donald Trump last week. McConnell, who will be 84 on Feb. 20, was elected to the U.S. Senate in 1984. He announced last year that he would not seek reelection in 2026. A woman in Louisville, Kentucky, has been arrested after she allegedly made a fake missing person's report for her stepson, who was the chief suspect in an ongoing murder probe. Officers with the Louisville Metro Police Department arrested Jill Brooks on Monday, February 9, in connection to the shooting death of a 20-year-old man on December 20, 2025. Police confirmed that Brooks, 51, was charged with hindering prosecution or apprehension and falsely reporting an incident to law enforcement, according to WDRB. Advertisement Advertisement Louisville Metro Police said that Brooks is the stepmother of a 17-year-old who was charged with murder, robbery and tampering with physical evidence in connection to the fatal shooting of 20-year-old Milton Ritchie in southwest Louisville. College Shooting Victims Parents Facing Charges After Grand Jury Declined to Indict Shooter Her stepsons name has not been released to the public due because he is a minor. Brooks allegedly told her stepson to delete his messages and then reported him missing as he'd requested in an earlier message, according to her arrest citation viewed by the outlet. The Missing Person's report for the minor was filed on December 22, 2025, just two days after the shooting. Advertisement Advertisement The Louisville Metro Police Department did not immediately respond to Us Weeklys request for comment. Its not currently clear if she has retained legal representation or entered a plea. Brooks is the fourth person to be arrested in connection to Ritchie's murder. In January, Daontez Hodges was arrested and charged with murder, robbery, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and unlawful transaction with a minor, according to WDRB. It is not currently clear if he has entered a plea or retained legal representation. The fatal shooting took place on Fordhaven Road in December 2025. LMPD officers found Ritchie suffering from gunshot wounds outside a vehicle that crashed into a ditch. After launching an investigation, authorities determined that he had been shot in the neck and lower back. Connecticut Woman Who Tried to Poison Husband Charged With Perjury and Evidence Tampering Advertisement Advertisement Prior to the shooting, Ritchie was invited to meet a 15-year-old girl. According to court documents, he arrived at the scene and was greeted by the girl as well as Hodges, 19, and several other people. Hodges then fired two shots from a rifle at Ritchie and killed him, according to police. As the case was looked into, investigators said that the meeting with the 15-year-old girl was part of a "revenge" plot. However, its not clear how Ritchie knew those involved in the killing or why they wanted him to die. The shooting had a handful of witnesses who called 911 to report the crime. Several witnesses spoke to police and said that "a large crowd was present in the area" when Ritchie was shot to death, according to court records. The 15-year-old girl was arrested a few days after Ritchies death and she has since been charged with complicity to murder and robbery, according to the outlet. While police officers confirmed her arrest, they refused to release her name because she is a minor. It is not currently clear if anyone arrested in the crime has entered a plea or hired lawyers to represent them in the case. The investigation into Ritchies death remains ongoing. A Kenyan self-proclaimed preacher and seven others linked to an infamous doomsday cult have been charged over the deaths of dozens of people whose bodies were discovered in shallow graves in southeast Kenya last year. Kenyas public prosecutions office said in a statement on X on Wednesday that it had charged Paul Mackenzie and other defendants with organized criminal activity, two counts of radicalization (and) two counts of facilitating commission of a terrorist act in relation to the deaths of at least 52 people at Kwa Binzaro area in Chakama, Kilifi County. The defendants pleaded not guilty, with the next hearing in the case due on March 4. Advertisement Advertisement They are alleged to have promoted an extreme belief system by preaching against the authority of the government, adopted an extreme belief system against authority, and facilitated the commission of a terrorist act, the prosecutors office said. Mackenzie and others were already facing charges including murder and terrorism in connection with the deaths of people whose bodies were exhumed earlier from Shakahola Forest, in one of the worlds biggest cult-related disasters in recent history. Prosecutors say Mackenzie and his Good News International Church organised a cult in which they ordered followers to starve themselves and their children to death to go to heaven before the world ended. Mackenzie has denied the accusations. By 2025, two years after investigations began, prosecutors said more than 400 bodies had been recovered from Shakahola Forest, which is located in Kilifi County on Kenyas east coast. Advertisement Advertisement Autopsies revealed that the majority had died of hunger. But others, including children, appeared to have been strangled, beaten or suffocated. Mackenzie pleaded not guilty to multiple counts of manslaughter at a first trial in Mombasa and has remained in custody ever since. But last year, more bodies were discovered in the remote village of Kwa Binzaro, around 30km (20 miles) from Shakahola along the Indian Ocean coast. Prosecutors say Mackenzie masterminded and oversaw the offences at Kwa Binzaro, continuing to direct them after his detention in 2023 and using methods that included radical teachings to draw victims to the remote site. The grisly case has led the Kenyan government to flag the need for tighter control of fringe denominations in the majority-Christian country. Separate reports by the Senate of Kenya and a state-funded human rights watchdog also said the authorities could have prevented the deaths. EVI Industries logo Key Points Record Q2 results: Revenue rose 24% yearoveryear to $115 million with gross margin near 31%, Adjusted EBITDA up 49% to $7.7 million, and net income up 110% to 2.1% of revenue (first six months revenue +20% to >$223M). Management is investing in datadriven modernization field service technology, operational analytics and inventory toolswhich cut average response time ~13%, supported ~9,000 service appointments, and is expected to improve service margins and scalability despite nearterm higher operating expenses. Buyandbuild strategy: EVI continues acquisitive growth (including Continental), generated positive operating cash flow while funding a ~$12M inventory buildup and a ~$5M dividend, and says it retains strong liquidity and access to lowcost capital to pursue further acquisitions. Interested in EVI Industries, Inc.? Here are five stocks we like better. EVI Industries (NYSEAMERICAN:EVI) reported what Chairman and CEO Henry Nahmad described as another set of record results for the second quarter of fiscal 2026, citing record revenue, gross profit, and operating profit, alongside continued investment in modernization and operational initiatives intended to improve long-term scalability and efficiency. In prepared remarks, Nahmad also highlighted the companys growth since launching its long-term strategy in 2016, saying EVI has expanded from a single Florida location with 31 employees into a North American commercial laundry distribution and service enterprise consisting of 31 businesses and more than 900 associates. Second-quarter results and profitability metrics Once Upon A Farm: Buy the $1B Growth Story? For the second quarter, EVI said revenue increased 24% year-over-year to $115 million. Nahmad attributed the increase primarily to contributions from acquired businesses, while noting legacy operations also contributed. Gross margin expanded to nearly 31%, which management attributed to favorable product mix, pricing discipline, and the benefits of strategic acquisitions, including Continental. Nahmad said net income increased 110% to 2.1% of revenues, while Adjusted EBITDA increased 49% to $7.7 million, or 6.6% of revenue. Verizon: Your Total Return Leader for 2026 Might Be Hiding in Plain Sight For the first six months of the fiscal year, EVI reported revenue increased 20% to more than $223 million, with gross margin expanding to 31%. Nahmad said the company generated positive operating leverage on a consolidated basis compared to the prior-year period, but added that operating margin expansion was pressured by higher operating expenses tied to ongoing investments. Those costs were associated with technology, modernization, service capability expansion, integration activities, and organizational infrastructure. The bill seeks to promote a new investigative framework that diverges from the traditional independent state commission of inquiry mechanism overseen by the Supreme Court. Lawmakers continued to debate the controversial government bill that aims to establish a politically-appointed committee to investigate the failures surrounding Hamass October 7 attack during a Knesset Constitution, Law, and Justice Committee meeting on Wednesday. The committees legal advisor sent a letter the day before the meeting, warning that the bill could jeopardize the integrity of an investigation into the October 7 attacks and highlighting several structural issues with the proposed framework. Advertisement Advertisement The bill seeks to promote a new investigative framework that diverges from the traditional independent state commission of inquiry mechanism overseen by the Supreme Court. The legal opinion questions the structure of appointing MKs from the coalition and opposition to the investigative team to conduct the probe. It is clear that whoever determines the scope of the investigation, what will be investigated and what will not, can influence the outcome of the investigation even before it begins, the legal opinion states. Inside the Knesset building. (credit: MARC ISRAEL SELLEM) The legal advisory department also notes that the dates defined for investigation span from October 7, 2023, to October 14, 2023, and suggests discussing these proposed boundaries. Advertisement Advertisement Why was this specific time frame chosen? What is the relationship between investigating the October 7 massacre and investigating the outbreak of the war?" the letter questions. It is clear that selecting a specific point on the timeline has a substantial impact on the scope of the investigation," it adds. Committee chair clashes with A-G representative Committee chairperson Simcha Rothman (Religious Zionist Party) clashed in the meeting with a representative from the attorney generals office during the meeting. Bereaved families held an alternative meeting in a room nearby in protest of the bill, speaking about those they lost during the massacre. Advertisement Advertisement The controversial bill passed its preliminary reading in the Knesset plenum in December. It is now being debated in the committee meetings and must still pass three additional plenum readings to become law. The bill was initiated by MK Ariel Kallner (Likud). All opposition party leaders have announced that they will boycott upcoming Knesset discussions advancing the bill, stating they will not cooperate with it. The make-up of the bill differs from the traditional state commission of inquiry mechanism set out in the 1968 Commissions of Inquiry Law. A state commission of inquiry is considered the most authoritative and independent investigative system under Israeli law. It operates entirely outside the political echelon, with members appointed by the Supreme Courts chief justice, and has the power to subpoena witnesses and issue personal recommendations regarding individuals. Advertisement Advertisement Amid the ongoing rift between the government and the judiciary, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly spoken out against judicial appointments leading the investigation. Under the framework laid out in Kallners bill proposal, Supreme Court appointments would be replaced by members selected through a Knesset-led process. The commission would comprise six members, according to the bill. Lawmakers would first be given a limited period to reach an agreement on all appointments in a vote requiring a supermajority of 80 Knesset members. If no agreement were reached in the supermajority vote, the coalition and the opposition would each appoint three members to the committee. Advertisement Advertisement However, if the opposition refuses to participate, a scenario widely viewed as likely, Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana (Likud) would be empowered to select who would be in the oppositions slots an aspect of the bill that is considered highly controversial. Netanyahu is among the only major officials who have not resigned following the October 7 massacre. The political echelon has repeatedly blocked a state inquiry into the events surrounding that tragic day, despite polls showing huge public support for this type of investigation. Netanyahu released a 55-page document late on Thursday evening that outlined answers he gave to State Comptroller Matanyahu Englman as part of the investigation into the October 7 Hamas attack. The prime minister's answers point to failures among officials in the security establishment and appear to deflect his role in the outcome of the attacks. Authorities responded to an active shooter Tuesday afternoon at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School in Canada, where seven people, including the suspect in the mass shooting, were found dead, according to officials. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police said the suspect appeared to have died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Police later found two more people dead at a nearby home, an incident investigators believe is linked to the school attack. Incident updates Two victims were airlifted to a nearby hospital for serious or life-threatening injuries, and a third victim died while being transported to the hospital, according to officials. Approximately 25 others were treated at a local medical center for non-life threatening injuries, the police said. Advertisement Advertisement The identities and ages of the victims have not been released, as they are still notifying their families, Premier David Eby of British Columbia said in a news briefing. Prime Minister Mark Carney postponed a planned trip to the Munich Security Conference in Germany to address the tragedy. This morning, parents, grandparents, sisters, brothers in Tumbler Ridge will wake up without someone they love, Carney said Wednesday. The nation mourns with you, Canada stands by you. In a social media post, Carney shared that the countrys ability to come together in crisis represents the best of our country our empathy, our unity, and our compassion for each other. I am devastated by todays horrific shootings in Tumbler Ridge, B.C. My prayers and deepest condolences are with the families and friends who have lost loved ones to these horrific acts of violence. I join Canadians in grieving with those whose lives have been changed Mark Carney (@MarkJCarney) February 11, 2026 Timeline of the attack The shooting was first reported at 1:20 p.m. PST, according to a police release. Jarbas Noronha, a shop teacher at the school, told The New York Times that Principal Stacie Gruntman initiated a lockdown roughly two minutes after a student reported hearing gunshots. Advertisement Advertisement Teachers and students hid for hours inside the school during the attack. Police canceled the alert at 5:45 p.m. after determining there was no further threat to the public. The shooters identity and motive remain under investigation. Royal Canadian Mounted Police Superintendent Ken Floyd told reporters investigators had identified a female suspect, and they were still investigating how the victims were connected to the shooter. Where is Tumbler Ridge? Tumbler Ridge is a remote mountain town of 2,400 people in the Rocky Mountain foothills, roughly 730 miles northeast of Vancouver. Originally a coal-mining town, it is now known for outdoor tourism. Advertisement Advertisement I will know every victim, Mayor Darryl Krakowka told CBC. Were a small community. ... I dont call them residents. I call them family. The government website lists Tumbler Ridge Secondary School as having 175 students from grades 7 to 12. The Peace River South School District confirmed that both the secondary school and the Tumbler Ridge Elementary School remained under lockdown and secure protocols Tuesday. All local schools will be closed through the rest of the week, according to CBS News. Gun violence in Canada Mass killings are rare in Canada, but the attack in Tumbler Ridge was the second deadly incident in British Columbia in less than a year after a man drove a car into a crowd last April. Advertisement Advertisement Tuesdays attack was the third-deadliest mass shooting in Canadian history, according to The New York Times. In 2020, Gabriel Wortman killed 22 people in the eastern province of Nova Scotia. In 1989, Marc Lepine shot 14 women dead in an attack on an engineering class at a university in Montreal, Quebec, according to CBS. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has significantly ratcheted up operations under President Donald Trump, detaining a record number of individuals and sparking protests nationwide. There have been several high-profile ICE detainments in Delaware over the past year. Most recently, a 44-year-old man was forcibly detained by ICE in The Meadows housing development in Georgetown Feb. 4. If you're an immigrant living in Delaware right now, you may be seeking guidance on what you should and shouldn't do when interacting with ICE officers. Advertisement Advertisement The following recommendations come from the American Civil Liberties Union of Delaware's "Know Your Rights." An Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent raises a finger moments after detaining a man during an immigration raid, days after an ICE agent fatally shot Renee Nicole Good, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S., January 18, 2026. REUTERS/Leah Millis TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY If ICE comes to your door Keep the door closed. Opening the door does not give the agents permission to come inside. Ask the agents what organization/agency they are from and what they have come for. If the agents dont speak your language, ask for an interpreter. If the agents want to enter, ask them if they have a warrant signed by a judge. If they say they have a warrant, ask them to slip it under the door or hold it up to a window. If they do provide a warrant, take a picture of it. Look at the top and at the signature line to see if it was issued by a court and signed by a judge. Only a judicial warrant naming a person in your residence and/or areas to be searched at your address is enough for entry into your home. An administrative warrant of removal from immigration authorities like DHS or ICE (Form #205) is not enough for agents to enter your home. If they do not have a signed court-issued warrant, you may refuse to open the door. Say: I do not consent to your entry." Note: Recent news reports revealed an internal ICE memo from May 2025 directing agents to use force to enter a residence with only an administrative warrant. However, administrative warrants are not signed by a judge, and ACLU Delaware spokesperson Casira Copes said the organization stands by its recommendations. If ICE enters your home If ICE agents attempt to enter your house, do not attempt to resist or run. The most important thing is to remain safe. Use your best judgment to avoid conflict or aggression from agents. Physically comply with requests while clearly stating that you do not consent to their actions. Repeat this statement as needed: I do not consent to your entry or any searches. I am exercising my right to remain silent, and I will not talk without a lawyer present. Otherwise, it is in your best interest to remain silent until you can speak with a lawyer. You are not obligated to answer questions, and everyone in the home has the right to remain silent. Do not lie or show false documents, which can have serious consequences. Do not offer any information. Dont tell agents anything about your immigration status, country of origin or anything else that may hurt your case later on. Do not hand over important documents, such as passports or birth certificates, to officers that do not have a warrant. Don't sign any papers without speaking with a lawyer first and never sign any paperwork you don't completely understand. Signing the wrong document could lead to immediate deportation. Assert your need for an interpreter and a lawyer until you receive them. After ICE leaves, take photos of any damages caused by the agents and write down all the details you can remember about the encounter. A person holds a phone as a federal agent looks on and points from inside a vehicle, as immigration enforcement continues after a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent fatally shot Renee Nicole Good on January 7, in Minneapolis, Minnesota. If ICE stops you in a public place In many cases, ICE agents are not in uniform. If you are stopped and unsure which agency they represent, ask them to identify themselves. Ask the agents: "What agency are you with and am I free to go?" If they say yes, walk away immediately and do not answer any questions. If they say no, do not resist, run or take any action that could be interpreted as resistance or escalation. Say: I am exercising my right to remain silent, and I want to speak to a lawyer. If ICE searches your belongings, say: I do not consent to a search of my belongings. Witnesses have the right to film and take photos during the encounter, as long as they do not interfere with the arrest and clearly indicate they are recording. After an encounter with ICE, if you are injured, seek medical attention immediately. Gathering as much information as possible is crucial to future immigration court proceedings, or if you think your rights were violated. As soon as possible, document: Any injuries and medical information, Officer names and badge numbers, Patrol car license plates, Contact information for any witnesses. If you feel your rights were violated, you can file a complaint with the agencys internal affairs division or civilian complaint board. You can also reach out to the ACLU of Delaware. If ICE pulls you over Pull over in a well-lit and safe place and turn off your car. Call 911 to confirm law enforcement is pulling you over. Roll your window partly down and place your hands on the steering wheel. Don't make any sudden movements. When asked, show your license, registration and proof of insurance. If an immigration agent asks for your immigration documents, you must present them if you are over 18. Never lie or present false documents. Ask what agency the officer is with, but otherwise, exercise your right to remain silent, even if you think you've done nothing wrong. If you are a passenger, ask if you are free to go. If they say yes, silently turn and walk away. If they say no, don't say anything. Do not consent to a search of your car. Without permission, law enforcement must have a warrant or probable cause. Even if you think law enforcement is unlawfully searching your car, do not resist or stop them. You have the right to document and record the encounter. If ICE arrests you or a loved one During encounters with ICE, ask if you can leave. If you can, turn and walk away without saying anything. If you cannot leave, say: I am exercising my right to remain silent, and I want to speak to a lawyer. If you are arrested, do not answer any questions without a lawyer present. ICE may attempt to get you to sign documents. Do not sign anything without a lawyer present. Do not sign anything you cannot read or understand. Keep all documents and record all important information. ICE agents will likely transport detainees to an ICE office for further questioning before determining whether to initiate an immigration court case or place you in detention. The only ICE office in Delaware is located at 210 Beiser Blvd. in Dover. You can also visit locator.ice.gov to find out where a detainee is being held, typically within 24 hours of their detainment. When speaking to a detainee, ask the following questions and document the answers: Where are you? Do you need medical attention? What law enforcement agency arrested or detained you? What papers have you been given and what do the papers say? Do you have court dates or hearings scheduled? Have you spoken with a lawyer? Advertisement Advertisement To learn more about ICE and your rights, visit aclu-de.org. DOJ recommendations: 'Know your rights': Delaware DOJ releases guidance on ICE, enforcement (en espanol) Reach Shannon Marvel McNaught at smcnaught@gannett.com or on Facebook. This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: Your rights when interacting with ICE agents, according to ACLU (Corrects language in paragraph 3) By Fatos Bytyci PRISTINA, Feb 11 (Reuters) - Kosovos parliament voted in a new cabinet on Wednesday led by nationalist Prime Minister Albin Kurti, after more than a year of political deadlock in Europe's youngest state, officials from Kurtis party said. The new governments most urgent tasks include approving the 2026 budget and securing international loans and aid packages worth hundreds of millions of euros. It will also face major challenges including tensions with Serbia and reforming health and education systems that lag its Balkan neighbours. Advertisement Advertisement Kurti's new government was approved with 66 votes in favor in the 120-seat parliament. His Vetevendosje party won 57 seats in an election in December, and he managed to get the support of several small ethnic minority parties. "In the next four years, we will strengthen alliances, we will invest one billion euros in defence," Kurti told lawmakers before the vote took place. "We will make operational the ammunition factory, develop Kosovo's military industry and produce combat drones made in Kosovo." The country of 1.6 million people held a snap election in December 2025 after an inconclusive vote in February. Advertisement Advertisement Kurti, 50, served as prime minister briefly in 2020 before being ousted by a vote of no confidence. He then served as prime minister from 2021 to 2025, and as caretaker for the past year. Parliament now faces another challenge, electing a new president by March 5 a process that requires a two-thirds majority. Since Kurti does not have that support, he will need backing from the opposition or risk another snap election. Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in 2008 with U.S. backing, including a 1999 NATO bombing campaign against Serbian forces trying to crush an uprising by the 90% ethnic Albanian majority. Despite international support, the country has struggled with poverty, instability and organised crime. While more than 100 countries recognise Kosovo's statehood, Serbia, Greece, Spain, Russia and many others do not. (Reporting by Fatos Bytyci; Editing by Alex Richardson and Diane Craft) Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has claimed that Moscow has not received any peace plan on Ukraine containing 20 points. He added that no such document has reached the Kremlin through either official or unofficial channels. Source: RIA Novosti, a Kremlin-aligned Russian news outlet, citing Lavrov in an interview with Empathy of Manuchi (Empatiya Manuchi), a propaganda interview series on YouTube Details: Lavrov claimed that a peace agreement between US President Donald Trump and Russian leader Vladimir Putin could have been achieved fairly quickly following the Anchorage summit. He described later proposals as, in his words, efforts by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to move away from the "US-led initiative". Advertisement Advertisement Quote: "In Anchorage, we found approaches based on the US-led initiative and American proposals that opened the way to peace. On this basis, it was entirely realistic to promptly agree on a final settlement agreement." Details: Lavrov also claimed that Europe, in his view, is obstructing agreement on the "points" he says were reached in Alaska. He added that the objectives of the so-called "special military operation" [as Russia refers to the war against Ukraine ed.] remain unchanged and are, according to him, tied to ensuring Russia's security. Separately, the Russian foreign minister said that active public commentary on the talks in Abu Dhabi is, in his opinion, intended to derail them. Lavrov also asserted that Russia is "willing to compromise", but this cannot affect "key principles" on which "the life of the state and millions of people depends". Previously: Advertisement Advertisement An Axios journalist reported that on 10 December, Ukraine submitted its response to the United States regarding the peace plan that the administration of Donald Trump had been working on at the time. Bloomberg reported that the Ukrainian side had handed its response to the US on the peace plan, without providing further details. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on 9 December that work at the level of national security advisers had been completed on proposals from Ukraine and Europe for the peace plan. According to the Financial Times, Donald Trump wants a peace agreement between Ukraine and Russia to be concluded by Christmas. Background: Reports about a new US peace plan aimed at ending Russia's war against Ukraine appeared in several American media outlets on 19 November. According to these reports, the plan envisaged that the entire Donbas region would be handed over to Russia. It also suggested that Ukraine would have to limit its weapons arsenal, cut its army by half, and agree to grant the Russian language the status of a second state language. On 21 November, US digital news outlet Axios released the text of a 28-point peace plan, under which Ukraine would permanently renounce its territories and Russia would receive amnesty. On 23 November, the United Kingdom, Germany and France prepared counterproposals to the draft 28-point US peace plan, aimed at making it more favourable to Ukraine. Also on 23 November, delegations from Ukraine and the United States held talks in Geneva, after which an "updated" peace document became known. The Financial Times reported that following the Geneva talks, the Trump team revised the original version of the peace plan, reducing the number of points to 19. On 2 December, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that the updated version of the peace plan that Ukraine was discussing with the United States now contained 20 points, compared with 28 in the original version. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon! MOSCOW, Feb 11 (Reuters) - The Kremlin said on Wednesday that the Telegram messenger app had to comply with Russian law and that the state communications regulator was obliged to act if Telegram did not respond to its requests. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov was speaking a day after Roskomnadzor, the state communications regulator, said Telegram would face further restrictions because it has failed to correct previous violations. (Reporting by Dmitry AntonovEditing by Andrew Osborn) By Dmitry Antonov and Vladimir Soldatkin MOSCOW, Feb 11 (Reuters) - Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Wednesday that new U.S. restrictions on the role of Russia and other countries in Venezuela's oil business were blatant discrimination and the Kremlin said it would clarify the matter with Washington. The U.S. Treasury Department on Tuesday issued a general license to facilitate the exploration and production of oil and gas in Venezuela. The license did not authorise transactions involving Russian, Chinese and Iranian nationals or entities. Advertisement Advertisement Lavrov, speaking to the lower house of parliament, said that Russia was in touch with Washington on the issue and wanted to conduct mutually respectful work with the United States "without the idea of domination". "This is blatant discrimination, despite the fact that Russia, China and Iran have had investments in Venezuela's oil and energy sector," said Lavrov. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters that Russia would clarify the situation with Washington. "We do indeed have investments in Venezuela, we have long-term projects, and there is interest both from our Venezuelan partners and from us. Therefore, all of this is a reason to discuss the situation with the Americans," Peskov said. Advertisement Advertisement U.S. President Donald Trump has openly spoken of wanting to control Venezuela's vast oil reserves, the world's largest, in conjunction with U.S. oil companies, after toppling Nicolas Maduro. Maduro, who was seized by U.S. forces in January, has pleaded not guilty to U.S. drugs charges. CHINESE IMPORTS China is a major customer of and investor in Venezuela's oil sector. Much of the oil Venezuela exports is sold to China, although Beijing declares very little and imports are often rebranded. Imports hit about 470,000 barrels per day during 2025, according to energy analytics firm Vortexa, or roughly 4.5% of China's seaborne crude imports. Advertisement Advertisement Russia's Roszarubezhneft energy firm, which operates in the South American country, said last month that all of the company's assets in Venezuela were the property of Russia and it would stick to its commitments to international partners there. Roszarubezhneft, owned by a unit of the Russian Ministry of Economic Development, was incorporated in 2020 and soon afterwards acquired the Venezuelan holdings of Russian state-run oil company Rosneft after Washington imposed sanctions at the time on two Rosneft units for trading Venezuelan oil. Russia has long maintained close ties with Venezuela, spanning energy cooperation, military links and high-level political contacts, and Moscow has backed Caracas diplomatically for years. Rosneft had stakes in upstream ventures in Venezuela, such as Petromonagas (40%), Petroperija (40%), Boqueron (26.67%), Petromiranda (32%) and Petrovictoria (40%). (Reporting by Dmitry Antonov; writing by Vladimir SoldatkinEditing by Andrew Osborn and Ros Russell) Billed as a low-cost cruise missile, the L3Harris Technologies-developed Red Wolf can drop off a U.S. Marine Corps helicopter and zoom 200 miles to its target roughly the air distance from Melbourne to Key Largo. Red Wolf missiles will also launch from L3Harris' small Sky Warden military aircraft. This rugged, unusual plane is an Air Tractor 802U agricultural crop duster retrofitted with extensive modifications for U.S. Special Operations Command "irregular warfare operations." "We've landed on grass, mud, gravel, fields, dirt roads, paved runways, unpaved roadways," said Clint Logwood, chief test pilot for L3Harris' Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance sector. Advertisement Advertisement "I can take off and land basically anywhere," he said. Missile defense: L3Harris $843M 'Golden Dome' missile-satellite work coming to Palm Bay Logwood showed off a Red Wolf and Sky Warden both of which remain under development to media on Friday, Feb. 6, outside the L3Harris corporate flight operations hangar at Melbourne Orlando International Airport. Shortly afterward, he planned to pilot the two-seat Sky Warden prototype on a test flight about 11,000 feet above the Space Coast. L3Harris Technologies ranks as Brevard County's third-largest employer, trailing only Brevard Public Schools and Health First. In August 2022, SOCOM announced a $170 million contract for the defense giant and Air Tractor to manufacture an initial batch of up to 75 Sky Warden planes. Contract ceiling: up to $3 billion. Advertisement Advertisement "We've added, you see, the military capability: the (intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance) capability and the ability to integrate weapons onto this. So now you take a proven platform from the commercial space, you militarize it," said Sterling Jones, vice president and general manager of L3Harris' Agile Development Group, standing alongside the Sky Warden. "And now you have something that's easy to fly and easy to operate. And they can operate in forward-deployed areas by people who don't necessarily have an extensive military background," Jones said. Logwood said the Sky Warden, which has a 59-foot wingspan, can carry sensor packs and video cameras to gather intelligence. Engineered for a variety of missions, the former crop duster is outfitted with ballistic-glass windshields and windows, an armored cockpit and engine, and self-sealing fuel lines. Red Wolf cruise missile logs 52 test flights Clint Logwood (left), an L3Harris Technologies chief test pilot, talks with Sterling Jones, vice president and general manager of L3Harris' Agile Development Group, alongside a Red Wolf cruise missile and Sky Warden military plane at Melbourne Orlando International Airport. On Jan. 30, L3Harris announced it will develop, test and manufacture Red Wolf weapons to arm Marine Corps AH-1Z Viper attack helicopters by the end of the 2027 fiscal year. U.S. Naval Air Systems Command awarded the $86.2 million contract. Advertisement Advertisement Jones said military helicopters are typically outfitted with rockets limited to single-digit-mile ranges, so pilots have to see their targets to hit them. Red Wolf has logged 52 test flights from manned, unmanned, fixed-wing and rotary aircraft, Jones said. The small missile's modular design can handle different nosecones that can house electronic-warfare equipment, or surveillance sensors for "a detect, identify, locate and report mission." During some test flights, Jones said the Red Wolf deployed a parachute and floated to the ground for recovery. The aerial vehicle can be refueled and relaunched within an hour. Rick Neale is a Space Reporter at FLORIDA TODAY, where he has covered news since 2004. Contact Neale at Rneale@floridatoday.com. Twitter/X: @RickNeale1 Advertisement Advertisement Support local journalism. Unlock unlimited digital access to floridatoday.com. Click here and subscribe today. This article originally appeared on Florida Today: L3Harris touts Red Wolf missile-Sky Warden plane combo amid military contracts Los Angeles County voters will decide in June whether to approve a temporary half-cent sales tax in an effort to support health care services amid reductions in state and federal funding, under a measure approved by the Board of Supervisors on Tuesday. The proposal, introduced by Supervisors Holly Mitchell and Hilda Solis in January, is called the Essential Services Restoration Act, and asks voters to enact the half-cent general sales tax increase for five years, through Oct. 1, 2031. An estimated $1 billion would be generated from the measure, according to the county. Advertisement Advertisement The county sales tax currently stands at 9.75%. The latest proposed hike would increase it to 10.25%. After hours of debate and public discussion on Tuesday, the Board of Supervisors agreed on a 4-1 vote, with Supervisor Kathryn Barger dissenting, to place the proposal on the June ballot. "Backfilling federal funding cuts on the backs of county taxpayers is not acceptable," Barger said in a statement after the vote. "Los Angeles County residents are already stretched thin. Last year, Bloomberg News reported that Los Angeles now has the highest sales tax rates of any major metropolitan region in the nation. This proposed half-cent increase would push us even higher, making our county less affordable for families and less appealing for consumers to shop and businesses to operate. We are risking imposing higher everyday costs and small businesses and employers choosing to leave Los Angeles County altogether." Mitchell argued during the meeting, however, that health care services in the county will face dire losses if the board takes no action to restore funding that she said was slashed under the federal budget bill passed earlier this year. Advertisement Advertisement Mitchell said the bill included "the largest federal funding cut to Medicaid in our nation's history." "HR 1 pulled the rug out from under all of us," she said. "...That's how we got here." The county sales tax already increased in April 2025 after voters approved Measure A, a half-cent sales hike that replaced Measure H, a quarter-cent sales tax. The funding from the tax supports homeless prevention initiatives. Mitchell, who represents the Second District, encompassing south L.A. County cities and unincorporated areas, worked with a coalition of health care organizations and workers, called Restore Healthcare for Angelenos, on the proposal. Advertisement Advertisement Coalition members have said that if the supervisors had not approved the proposal, they would have launched a signature-gathering campaign to place the measure on the November ballot anyway. "The ballot measure that we are proposing is an urgent and necessary step to stop the damage, to protect access to life-saving care," Louise McCarthy, president and CEO of the Community Clinic Association of Los Angeles County, one of the organizations in the coalition, told LAist. "The stakes right now could not be higher." In their motion, Mitchell and Solis said the tax measure would address the immediate need to provide financial support to the county's health care system amid reductions in state and federal funding. "Unfortunately, after exhausting every existing alternative, this temporary emergency measure is the only option that can be implemented quickly enough to prevent hospital closures and the loss of health care access for at least hundreds of thousands of residents," the motion reads. Advertisement Advertisement Last year's federal budget bill, known as the "One Big Beautiful Bill Act," which was approved and signed by Congress and President Donald Trump, detailed billions of dollars of reductions in health care funding. Those reductions to Medi-Cal, coupled with eligibility changes, will impact county residents, who could face loss of coverage and reduced access to care. "The county's most impacted departments face projected losses totaling $2.4 billion over the next three years," the supervisors' motion reads. "Due to funding losses, county officials have already initiated hiring freezes and are contemplating service consolidations, potential layoffs of 5,000 staff, and facility closures in the coming years." State funding reductions in health care are exacerbating the issue. Due to budget constraints, California rolled back health care coverage for undocumented immigrants and reduced funding for other initiatives. In January, the California Department of Health Care Services stopped enrolling new adult patients without legal status in its state-funded health care program, Medi-Cal. The state is expected to cut non-emergency dental care for immigrants here illegally who are already enrolled in the program. Advertisement Advertisement State officials agreed to enact a $30 monthly premium starting in July 2027 for immigrants who remain on the program, including those with legal status. Federal dollars do not support these initiatives, as using federal funding for those here illegally is against the law. A similar sales tax hike was approved in November by voters in Santa Clara County to address reductions in federal funding on health care, and some labor unions are pushing for a proposed statewide billionaires' tax to support the health care system. During Tuesday's debate on the Los Angeles County measure, supervisors on a divided vote agreed to amend the proposed allocation of dollars generated by the proposed tax. Under the final version, money raised by the measure would be spent as follows: Advertisement Advertisement Up to 45% would support the county Department of Health Services 5% would be allocated based on patient visits to nonprofit health agencies serving low-income and underserved populations About 4% would benefit school-based health needs and programs as determined by the governing board of L.A. Care Health Plan Another 10% would support the county Department of Public Health and its core public health functions About 3% would be allocated to the county Department of Public Social Services to support Medicaid outreach and enrollment activities, and volunteer programs Another 2.5% would go toward the Correctional Health Services Some 22% would fund DHS to safeguard public hospitals and clinic services About 5% would be allocated to support nonprofit hospitals in the county, and provided funding to entities that meet certain criteria Another 2.5% would support in-home supportive services for seniors and people with disabilities About 1% would support the cities of Pasadena and Long Beach, which have separate Public Health Departments from the county Any remaining funds would be disbursed in a need-based manner focused on emergency department volume. The proposed measure would also establish a nine-member citizens' oversight committee to ensure fiscal accountability for any revenue raised, which involves annual independent audits and making recommendations on how to allocate the funding. Committee members would serve three-year terms, and they would be eligible for reappointment by the Board of Supervisors. The Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association has criticized the proposed sales-tax measure. Advertisement Advertisement "The sales tax is already too high in Los Angeles County, so high that the most recent half-percent increase for homelessness services required special legislation from the state to allow it to exceed the cap on local sales taxes that is in state law. Raising the sales tax again is unreasonable and unfairly harsh on those who are least able to afford it," the association said in a statement. The organization is working to qualify an initiative constitutional amendment to rescind recently approved special taxes and ensure a two-thirds vote requirement for all local special taxes. Copyright 2026, City News Service, Inc. LAFAYETTE, IN The Lafayette School Corp. announced the resignation of board member Chuck Hockema on Monday evening. Hockema, who was elected to the LSC school board in 2022, resigned on Jan. 30 because of personal health issues, according to a news release. During his 2022 election, Hockema campaigned for the school board seat on the promise to "preserve traditional values and beliefs. Notably, in interviews he highlighted that he didnt want teachers to promote the gay agenda and "woke ideology in classrooms. Advertisement Advertisement If theres a teacher that wants to be gay, thats OK," Hockema told the J&C in a 2022 interview. "Thats their prerogative. Ive hired gay people. Ive had them work for me, but I would not allow a gay person to push his feelings and his ideology off on other employees. If they did that, theyd be gone." After backlash from community members, Hockema said his personal beliefs had been misrepresented. During a board meeting in 2023 shortly after his election, Hockema said those who disagreed with his beliefs would "have to live with it." "Theyre in opposition to me," Hockema said, "and they wont allow me to have my background, my interest and my feelings. I cant expose that without them being upset, but Im not going to quit." In the release, LSC said it will search for a replacement to finish Hockema's term, which will end on Dec. 31. Advertisement Advertisement Jillian Ellison is a reporter for the Journal & Courier. She can be reached via email at jellison@usatodayco.com. This article originally appeared on Lafayette Journal & Courier: Lafayette school board member who opposed 'gay agenda' in schools resigns Bel Group has hired former Impossible Foods' chief Peter McGuinness to lead the French dairy major's North America operations. As CEO of Bel North America, McGuinness will oversee offices in New York City, Chicago and Montreal, as well as five manufacturing plants in the US and Canada. His responsibilities will include accelerating growth, advancing M&A and breakthrough innovation, strengthening the company's local footprint, and building a more sustainable and performance-focused food business, the dairy group said in a statement yesterday (9 February). McGuinness stepped down as CEO of plant-based meat company Impossible Foods last week, having taken the helm in April 2022. There, his responsibilities will be assumed by an executive leadership team rather than a single CEO. The group comprises Jason Gao, the company's chief legal and operating officer; Meredith Madden, the chief demand officer; and Robert Haas, chief supply officer. Prior to Impossible Foods, McGuinness spent over nine years at another US food business Chobani, where his final role was that of president and COO. Commenting on his appointment, Cecile Beliot, the CEO of Bel Group, said: "North America, and particularly the US, is a cornerstone of Bel's future. "Peter is a transformational, values-driven leader whose track record aligns perfectly with Bel's 'two-leg' model where profitability and sustainability are equally important. His appointment reflects our confidence in the strength of Bel North America, our Purpose Full Snacking ambition, and our belief that performance and responsibility go hand in hand." Bel North Americas portfolio includes some of the company's key brands such as Babybel and Boursin. Its food manufacturing facilities are located in Idaho, Michigan, Wisconsin, South Dakota and Quebec. The company said it is expanding capacity at its Little Chute, Wisconsin, and Brookings, South Dakota, facilities to meet accelerating demand. McGuinness added: "I'm excited to accelerate Purpose Full Snacking across North America and beyond making it easier for people to snack more intentionally and deliciously with fruit, veggie, and cheese options that bring nourishment and joy, and maybe a laugh or two along the way." Bel is also known for brands like The Laughing Cow and Kiri. It also produces fruit-based products through brands like PomPotes and GoGo squeeZ. Bel Group reports its financial results on an annual and half-yearly basis. Its latest, for the six months to the end of June, showed revenue rose 3.2% in organic terms to 1.87bn ($2.2bn). ST. LOUIS Several officers with the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department responded to an EMS call for assistance in south St. Louis on Wednesday morning. There was a large police presence around 11 a.m. in a parking lot near Gravois and Loughborough avenues, located in St. Louis Princeton Heights neighborhood. FOX 2 spotted several first responders at the scene, including multiple SLMPD cars and an ambulance. FOX 2 Photo SLMPD tells FOX 2 that officers responded to an aid call from EMS to deal with a combative patient. The patient has since been taken to a hospital. Advertisement Advertisement Additional details are limited at this time. FOX 2 will update as more information becomes available. Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. The Federal Aviation Administration reopened the airspace around El Paso International Airport in Texas on Wednesday morning, just hours after it announced a 10-day closure that would have grounded all flights to and from the airport. The FAA announced in a social media post that it has lifted the temporary closure of the airspace over El Paso, saying there was no threat to commercial aviation and all flights would resume. The shutdown was expected to create significant disruptions given the duration and the size of the metropolitan area. El Paso, a border city with a population of nearly 700,000 and larger when the surrounding metro area is included, is a hub of cross-border commerce alongside the neighboring city of Ciudad Juarez in Mexico. Advertisement Advertisement Here's the latest: Ranking Democrat on Senate Armed Services criticizes conflicting accounts for airport closure The ranking Democrat on the Senate Armed Services committee is demanding answers for the El Paso airports abrupt and temporary closure, while criticizing inconsistent statements from within the Trump administration on what went wrong. The conflicting accounts coming from different parts of the federal government only deepen public concern and raise serious questions about coordination and decision-making, said Sen. Jack Reed of Rhode Island. Reed called on the Defense Department and Federal Aviation Administration to immediately present the facts, reconcile these discrepancies, and assure the American people that airspace security decisions are being made responsibly, transparently, and with public safety as the highest priority. Security adviser calls airspace closure extremely, extremely rare Rich Davis, a senior security adviser at risk mitigation company International SOS and former chief security officer at United Airlines, said a prolonged airspace closure is highly unusual. Advertisement Advertisement Its extremely, extremely rare for an airport to shut down for any length of time due to a security issue, he said. Davis added that the initial 10-day timeline was especially striking because even a closure lasting several days is uncommon. Last years midair collision in metro D.C. highlighted lack of coordination between FAA, Pentagon The investigation into last years midair collision between an airliner and and Army helicopter that killed 67 highlighted the lack of coordination between the FAA and Pentagon. The National Transportation Safety Board said the FAA and the Army didnt share safety data about the alarming number of close calls around Reagan National Airport with each other and failed to address the risks. El Paso airport calls itself gateway to West Texas, Southern New Mexico and Northern Mexico El Paso International Airport calls itself the gateway to West Texas, Southern New Mexico and Northern Mexico. Advertisement Advertisement Forty-three flights, totaling more than 5,900 seats, were scheduled to depart from the airport Wednesday, according to aviation analytics firm Cirium. Seven departing flights had been canceled as of midday Wednesday, per flight tracker FlightAware as well as another 7 flights scheduled to arrive at the airport. About a dozen more were delayed. The majority of domestic passengers traveling through El Paso International flying are with Southwest, which the airport said accounts for more than 53% of its market share in November, the latest month with data available. Other carriers operating out of the airport include American, United, Frontier and Delta. Cirium found that a total of 325,000 passengers flew into and out of El Paso International in November. And at this time last year, the firm said there were 229,244 total departing and arriving passengers in February 2025. Duckworth blames air space closure on lack of coordination by Trump administration U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth, who is a former Army helicopter pilot serving on committees focused on aviation and the Armed Services, said this is yet another example of the lack of coordination thats endemic in this Trump administration. Advertisement Advertisement Duckworth said she is hearing now is that it was a CBP and DoD laser based counter drone test that was not coordinated prior to them conducting the test with the FAA. So I have all sorts of questions. They should have coordinated all of that before they endangered the flying public, said Duckworth, the Illinois Democrat. Pentagon-FAA dispute over lasers to thwart cartel drones led to airspace closure, AP sources say The sudden and surprising airspace closure over El Paso stemmed from the Pentagons plans to test a laser for use in shooting down drones used by Mexican drug cartels, according to three people familiar with the situation who were granted anonymity to share sensitive details. That caused friction with the FAA, which wanted to ensure commercial air safety and the two agencies sought to coordinate, according to two of the people. Advertisement Advertisement Still, despite a meeting scheduled later this month to discuss the issue, the Pentagon wanted to go ahead and test it prompting the FAA to shutter the airspace. It was not clear if the laser was ultimately deployed. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said earlier that a response to an incursion by Mexican cartel drones had prompted the airspace closure and that the threat had been neutralized. Drone incursions are not uncommon along the southern border. Seung Min Kim, Ben Finley, Mary Clare Jalonick Airspace closure throws travel plans into chaos on both sides of border Maria Aracelia was pushing two roller suitcases across the pedestrian bridge to El Paso Wednesday morning from Ciudad Juarez, Mexico. She had a round-trip flight to Illinois scheduled for the afternoon. Advertisement Advertisement The (U.S.) governments closure is affecting a lot of people indirectly who have to leave for business or other reasons, she said. She called the airline after receiving a text message saying there was something up with her flight around 4 a.m. local time. The airline told her the airspace would be closed for 10 days. So I had to look for alternatives for buses to go because I had to look (for flights) from another airport, she said. This is stressful and there isnt time to make so many changes, especially if you need to get back for work. She had just heard the restrictions were lifted, so was headed to the El Paso airport. Rep. Gonzales says a similar shutdown happened last year U.S. Rep. Tony Gonzales, a Republican whose district stretches along more than 800 miles (1,287 kilometers) of the Texas border, including parts of El Paso, said a similar shutdown happened in November in Hudspeth County, which is about 80 miles (129 kilometers) away. Advertisement Advertisement He called drone activity by drug cartels a daily experience along the border. For any of us who show live and work along the border, daily drone incursions by criminal organizations is everyday life for us. Its a Wednesday for us, Gonzales said. Keeping our communities informed and safe is critical U.S. Sen. Ben Ray Lujan of New Mexico, a Democrat, said in a statement that he was demanding answers from the FAA and the Trump administration about why the airspace was closed in the first place without notifying appropriate officials, leaving travelers to deal with unnecessary chaos. He added that keeping our communities informed and safe is critical. Airspace closure redirected medical evacuations to New Mexico Medical evacuation flights were forced to divert to Las Cruces, El Paso Mayor Renard Johnson said at a Wednesday morning news conference. All aviation operations were grounded, including emergency flights. This was a major and unnecessary disruption, one that has not occurred since 9/11. Advertisement Advertisement Las Cruces is about 45 miles (72 kilometers) from El Paso. Johnson added that a significant amount of necessary surgical equipment en route from Dallas and other parts of the country did not show up here in El Paso. Congresswoman says information from federal government does not add up U.S. Rep. Veronica Escobar, a Democrat whose district includes El Paso, had urged the FAA to lift the restrictions in a statement Wednesday morning, saying neither her office, the city of El Paso nor airport operations received advance notice. I believe the FAA owes the community and the country an explanation as to why this happened so suddenly and abruptly and was lifted so suddenly and abruptly, she said during a morning news conference, adding that there was nothing extraordinary about any drone incursion into the U.S. that Im aware of. Advertisement Advertisement Later, she said, The information coming from the federal government does not add up. Sheinbaum reports no information on drone use along the border today Mexicos President Claudia Sheinbaum said in her morning press briefing that her government was going to look into the exact causes of why they closed the flights. Asked about the explanation given by U.S. officials, she said, There is no information about the use of drones on the border. She noted that if U.S. authorities have more information, they should contact Mexicos government. Theres no need for speculation, were going to have information, and as always, continue our permanent communication with the U.S., she said. Mexico and US security officials slated to meet in Washington Mexican defense and navy secretaries will meet with Northern Command officials in Washington on Wednesday in a meeting attended by several other countries, according to Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum. Sheinbaum said during her morning news conference that Mexican officials would listen in the meeting. They are not taking any position other than the one we already know, which is the defense of sovereignty, she said. We will inform you in due course. She noted that Mexican Security Secretary Omar Garcia Harfuch, who has spearheaded her governments strategy to combat cartels, will also meet with American security officials tomorrow. The meetings are part of ongoing security talks between the two governments. DHS official testified before Congress last year about cartel usage of drones Steven Willoughby, the deputy director of the counter-drone program at the Department of Homeland Security, told lawmakers in July that nearly every day cartels are using drones to try to bring drugs across the U.S.-Mexico border and surveil Border Patrol agents. More than 27,000 drones were detected within 500 meters (1,640 feet) of the southern border in the last six months of 2024, he testified, most flying late at night. Homeland Security has said agents have seized thousands of pounds of methamphetamine, fentanyl and other drugs that cartels have tried to bring across the border by drone over the past few years. How Mexican cartels use drones Mexican cartels have long used drones to traffic drugs, control migrant crossings along the border and wage war with rival cartels and authorities. Mexico first issued an international alert about the use of remote-controlled aircraft in 2010, and the practice has only continued to expand. Often rigged commercial drones, the aircraft offer cartels an advantage to subtly carry out their illegal activities without risking their own necks like they would in the past. Between 2012 and 2014, U.S. authorities detected 150 remote-controlled aircraft crossing the border with Mexico. A decade later, in 2022, U.S. Customs and Border Protection detected 10,000 drone incursions in the Rio Grande Valley area alone, according to a 2025 report. This report also indicated that more recently, Mexican cartels seem to be inclined to smuggle fentanyl in drones, which can carry up to 100 kilograms (220 pounds) of cargo. Southwest Airlines is resuming operations at El Paso International Airport Our travel advisory for customers remains active and we encourage customers to confirm their flights status on Southwest.com or the Southwest app. Nothing is more important to Southwest than the safety of its customers and employees, the airline said in an updated statement. There is no danger to commercial travel in the region Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said in a post on the social platform X that the FAA and Defense Department acted swiftly to address a cartel drone incursion. The threat has been neutralized and there is no danger to commercial travel in the region. He said normal flights are resuming. Concern and calls for autonomy in neighboring Ciudad Juarez, Mexico Thor Salayandia, head of Mexicos Border Business Association, explained that many Mexican maquilas factories that produce goods for mostly U.S. consumers said their businesses depend on the El Paso airport to ship their products. Salayandia, the head of his familys auto-parts manufacturing business, added that Mexican authorities should consider bolstering their airport in Juarez so as not be as dependent on the whims of their northern neighbor, coming on top of calls for more economic autonomy in the wake of Trumps tariff threats. Nothing like this has ever happened in the region, he said. Theres a lot of confusion. An administration official says airspace closure was tied to cartel drones A Trump administration official said the airspace over El Paso was closed after Mexican cartel drones breached the airspace, but said that the Defense Department took action to disable the drones. Both the FAA and Defense Department have determined there is no threat to commercial travel, said the official, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss a national security issue. The official did not say how many drones were involved or what specifically was done to disable them. ___ Associated Press journalist Darlene Superville contributed to this report from Washington. FAA lifts temporary closure of airspace over El Paso The Federal Aviation Administration reopened the airspace around El Paso International Airport in Texas on Wednesday morning, just hours after it announced a 10-day closure that would have grounded all flights to and from the airport. The FAA said in a social media post that it has lifted the temporary closure of the airspace over El Paso, saying there was no threat to commercial aviation and that all flights will resume. The shutdown announced just hours earlier for special security reasons had been expected to create significant disruptions given the duration and the size of the metropolitan area. Airport travelers have been left stranded Local newscasts showed travelers with luggage lining up at airline ticket counters and car rental desks hours after flights were grounded in El Paso. The closure has left stranded travelers with few nearby options. The closest major U.S. airport is in Albuquerque, New Mexico, more than 270 miles (434.5 kilometers) away. El Paso borders Mexicos Ciudad Juarez Ciudad Juarez is home to about 1.5 million people. Like many border-spanning communities, some residents are accustomed to using facilities like airports on both sides of the border, depending on where they are traveling. The city exploded in size in recent decades as free trade agreements spurred a boom in assembly plants that offer less-expensive labor and the advantage of easy access to the U.S. market. Nearly 97% of the goods produced in Juarezs plants go to the United States, according to Mexicos Economic Ministry. That easy access to the U.S. has also made Juarez, like other border cities, attractive to Mexicos drug cartels that seek control in order to safeguard their smuggling routes for drugs and migrants headed north and cash and guns coming south. The Pentagon referred questions to the FAA When asked if the ban was related to U.S. military operations, the Pentagon referred comment to the FAA in an email. Southwest Airlines issues statement Southwest Airlines said in the statement that it has paused all operations to and from El Paso at the direction of the FAA. We have notified affected customers and will share additional information as it becomes available, Southwest Airlines said. Nothing is more important to Southwest than the safety of its customers and employees. Democrat lawmaker says no warning was given for the restriction Rep. Veronica Escobar, a Democrat whose district includes El Paso, urged the FAA to lift the restrictions in a statement Wednesday morning. There was no advance notice given to her office, the city of El Paso or airport operations, she said. The highly consequential decision by FAA to shut down the El Paso Airport for 10 days is unprecedented and has resulted in significant concern within the community, Escobar said. From what my office and I have been able to gather overnight and early this morning there is no immediate threat to the community or surrounding areas. Santa Teresa airspace also closed A similar temporary flight restriction for special security reasons over the same time period was imposed around Santa Teresa, New Mexico, which is about 15 miles (24 kilometers) northwest of the El Paso airport. FAA closes airspace around El Paso for 10 days, citing special security reasons The Federal Aviation Administration is closing the airspace around El Paso International Airport in Texas for 10 days, grounding all flights to and from the airport. A notice posted on the FAAs website said the temporary flight restrictions were for special security reasons, but did not provide additional details. The closure does not include Mexican airspace. The airport said in an Instagram post that all flights to and from the airport would be grounded from late Tuesday through late on Feb. 20, including commercial, cargo and general aviation flights. It suggested travelers contact their airlines to get up-to-date flight information. The shutdown is likely to create significant disruptions given the duration and the size of the metropolitan area. El Paso, a border city with a population of nearly 700,000 and larger when you include the surrounding metro area, is hub of cross-border commerce alongside neighboring Ciudad Juarez in Mexico. The airport describes itself as the gateway to west Texas, southern New Mexico and northern Mexico. Southwest, United, American and Delta all operate flights there, among others. A vast underground tunnel formed from ancient volcanic activity has been discovered lurking beneath Venus. Though scientists have long had evidence Venus was once a volcanically active world, they haven't been able to find any sign of features known as lava tubes that are common on Earth, the moon and Mars. Until now. The landmark discovery, highlighted in research published Feb. 9 in the journal Nature Communications, marks the first time a subsurface feature has ever been detected on Earth's planetary neighbor. The study was part of a project funded by the Italian Space Agency. Advertisement Advertisement "Our knowledge of Venus is still limited, and until now we have never had the opportunity to directly observe processes occurring beneath the surface of Earths twin planet," study lead author Lorenzo Bruzzone, a radar and planetary scientist at the University of Trento in Italy, said in a statement. "The identification of a volcanic cavity is therefore of particular importance, as it allows us to validate theories that for many years have only hypothesized their existence." NASAs Hubble Space Telescope last observed come 3I/ATLAS on Nov. 30, about four months after Hubble's first look at the interstellar comet. 3I/ATLAS became one of the biggest cosmic stories of the year when astronomers deemed it to be the third-ever discovered interstellar object in our solar system originating from an entirely different part of the galaxy. The High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) camera aboard NASAs Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter captured this image of interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS on Oct. 2, 2025. At the time it was imaged, the comet was about 19 million miles from the spacecraft. The comet didn't come nearly as close to Earth, when it reached a distance of 170 million miles from our planet on Dec. 19. This image shows the 3I/ATLAS interstellar comet as a bright, fuzzy orb in the center. Traveling through our solar system at 130,000 miles per hour, 3I/ATLAS was made visible by using a series of colorized stacked images from Sept. 11-25, using the Heliocentric Imager-1 (H1) instrument, a visible-light imager on the STEREO-A (Solar Terrestrial Relations Observatory) spacecraft. The colorization was applied to differentiate the image from other observing spacecraft images. Because it's big enough to be deemed a "city killer," asteroid 2024 YR4 became a source of alarm due to the uncommonly high risk it had of colliding with Earth on Dec. 22, 2032. For a time, it was the only object among more than 37,000 known large space rocks with any chance of hitting Earth anytime soon with its probability of impact even rising to a record level of 3.1%.That began to change in late February as more precise observations allowed scientists to effectively winnow down the asteroid's odds of impact to a number so low, it might as well be zero. An exoplanet known as K2-18b achieved a degree of fame in April when a team of astronomers claimed to have found in its atmosphere "the strongest evidence yet" that life exists anywhere else besides Earth. Other scientists have since cast doubt on the findings putting a damper on the notion that humanity finally had proof that we aren't alone in the cosmos. This artist's concept shows what exoplanet K2-18b could look like based on scientific data. NASA's James Webb Space Telescope has observed K2-18b, an exoplanet 8.6 times as massive as Earth, revealing conditions that could support life on the exoplanet. NASAs Perseverance Mars rover is seen in a "selfie" that it took over on Sept. 10, 2021. Perseverance rover, along with Curiosity, is one of the agency's two car-sized robots exploring the Martian surface for signs that the planet was once habitable. And in September, NASA officials confirmed that one of the rovers finds contained a potential biosignature. A reddish rock nicknamed "Cheyava Falls", with features resembling leopard spots was discovered by NASA's Perseverance rover in Mars Jezero Crater in July 2024, in this handout photograph released on September 10, 2025. The northern lights, also known as the aurora borealis, light up the night sky Nov. 11 east of Denver, Colorado. A powerful geomagnetic solar storm in November blasted Earth and created the conditions necessary to reveal the auroras much further south in the United States than is typical. A group of friends take photos of the northern lights Nov. 11 as they appear over Clinton Lake in Lawrence, Kansas. After NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center issued a "severe" geomagnetic storm watch in November, many people in the Northern Hemisphere, which includes the U.S., had an extraordinary opportunity to gaze upon some breathtaking red and green auroras in their own backyard. In June, the state-of-the-art Vera C. Rubin ground telescope in Chile unveiled its first stunning images of the cosmos. This particular image combines 678 separate images taken by the observatory in just over seven hours of observing time. Combining many images in this way clearly reveals otherwise faint or invisible details, such as the clouds of gas and dust that comprise the Trifid nebula (top) and the Lagoon nebula, which are several thousand light-years away from Earth. 2025 was a year of cosmic discoveries. Here's a look back at 6 1 of 11 NASAs Hubble Space Telescope last observed come 3I/ATLAS on Nov. 30, about four months after Hubble's first look at the interstellar comet. 3I/ATLAS became one of the biggest cosmic stories of the year when astronomers deemed it to be the third-ever discovered interstellar object in our solar system originating from an entirely different part of the galaxy. Here's everything to know about the discovery of lava tubes beneath Venus. Jupiter: Is Jupiter smaller than we thought? NASA spacecraft makes new find What is the Magellan spacecraft? NASA orbiter gets look at Venus in '90s Data from NASA's Magellan spacecraft and Pioneer Venus Orbiter is used in an undated composite image of the planet Venus. Launched in 1989, Magellan was a NASA orbiter that spent about four years imaging the entire surface of Venus. Advertisement Advertisement Though it's one of the brightest objects in our solar system, the second planet from the sun is shrouded in an air of secrecy by thick clouds that hide its surface. But Magellan was equipped with radar technology that allowed it to penetrate the Venusian atmosphere to get an unprecedented look at the planet, just slightly smaller than Earth. It was when the probe began returning high-resolution images in 1990 of Venus' terrain that scientists got the first evidence of past volcanism on the planet. What are lava tubes? Underground cavities found on Venus Taking a fresh look at radar data collected by Magellan, a team of scientists was able to spot a large underground cavity on Venus created by lava flow. Artist's impression of the NASA Magellan spacecraft making radar observations of Venus, with the data indicating the presence of a subsurface lava tube in this handout image released on February 9, 2026. The geological feature is often referred to as a lava tube, a subsurface conduit for molten lava, and it's common around volcanic areas of Earth. Scientists also suspect that lava tubes are present on the moon and Mars. Advertisement Advertisement But because they're underground, the caves typically remain hidden unless a surface collapse creates a visible pit, according to the researchers. The team specifically analyzed data acquired from 1990 and 1992 by Magellan's Synthetic Aperture Radar remote-sensing instrument. The locations under examination showed signs of surface collapse, suggesting lava tubes could be beneath, Reuters reported. A new imaging technique helped confirm that the structure they detected was part of an empty lava tube on the side of a 225-mile-wide Venusian volcano named Nyx Mons on the planet's northern hemisphere. The tube has an estimated average diameter of about six-tenths of a mile, a roof as thick as 490 feet and an empty cavity descending at least a quarter of a mile. Firefly's Blue Ghost lunar lander captures its shadow on the moon's surface after completing a successful landing March 2 near a volcanic feature on the moon called Mons Latreille. The vehicle became the first of two landers manufactured by a U.S. company to reach the moon is 2025 in crucial missions to lay the groundwork for NASA to return humans to the lunar surface in the years ahead. Athena, the lunar lander on Intuitive Machines' IM-2 mission, captured this image of the moon's surface with Earth seen in the distance ahead of a March 6 landing attempt. While the lander was the second U.S. vehicle to reach the moon within a week, it ultimately landed on its side, which hindered much of its mission. NASA astronaut Suni Williams is helped out of a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft March 18 following a return to Earth after a nine-month stay at the International Space Station. She and NASA astronaut Butch Wilmore crewed the Boeing Starliner, which had launched in June 2024 on a failed test flight that was meant to return them to Earth a few days later. Butch Wilmore reacts after he and Suni Williams and two other astronauts splashed down March 18 in a Crew Dragon space capsule following their return to earth from the International Space Station off the coast of Florida. The astronauts' extended stay at the orbital outpost dominated the news cycle for months. A SpaceX support team member is seen airborne while working to lift the SpaceX Dragon capsule that returned the Starliner astronauts and two others onto a recovery vehicle following its landing off the coast of Florida. This picture shows the crew of a privately-funded mission known as Fram2, from left to right, mission specialist and medical officer Eric Philips, mission commander Chun Wang, pilot Rabea Rogge and vehicle commander Jannicke Mikkelsen on March 19, 2025 in Hawthorne, California. Launched March 31 from Florida using a SpaceX Dragon capsule, the mission became t first ever human spaceflight over the Earth's polar regions. Pop musician Katy Perry emerges April 14 from Blue Origin's New Shepard capsule in West Texas following a brief flight to the edge of space. Perry was part of an all-women crew that also included broadcast journalist Gayle King that took the ride from Blue Origin's facility called Launch Site One. The high-profile launch attracted plenty of headlines and even drew some backlash from those who viewed the mission as a wasteful publicity stunt. Blue Origin's New Shepard rocket carrying astronauts Aisha Bowe, Amanda Nguyen, Kerianne Flynn, Gayle King, Katy Perry, and Lauren Sanchez lifts off April 14 from Launch Site One near Van Horn, Texas. Blue Origin has since launched five more human spaceflights on the New Shepard in 2025. This photo depicts a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket carrying the latest batch of Amazon's broadband satellites on Dec. 16 to low-Earth orbit after launching from the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. Formerly called Project Kuiper, the venture has since been renamed Amazon Leo. Since its debut April launch, Amazon Leo has deployed 180 of 3,000 satellites planned for its first constellation, which could challenge SpaceX's Starlink. A group of Blue Origin employees with their friends and families gather on the beach in Cape Canaveral for the launch of Blue Origin's second New Glenn rocket in 2025. Following its January debut, the rocket launched for the second time Nov. 13 from Launch Complex 36 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, sending NASA's twin ESCAPADE spacecraft on their trek to Mars. Darkness falls Nov. 9 as a Blue Origin New Glenn rocket is prepped for its second-ever launch from the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. Blue Origin is developing the towering rocket for heavy-lift missions that could see Jeff Bezos' company compete with Elon Musk and SpaceX. The SpaceX Starship spacecraft sits Oct. 12, 2025 atop the Super Heavy booster before sunrise as preparations continue for its 11th test flight from the company's complex in Starbase, Texas. A SpaceX Super Heavy booster carrying the Starship spacecraft lifts off Oct. 13, 2025, on its 11th ever test flight at the company's launch pad in Starbase, Texas. The launch was Starship's fifth of 2025, and second consecutive successful test flight following a year that was early on marked by explosive failures. SpaceX is developing the rocket for future missions that would help NASA astronauts land on the moon and also potentially transport the first humans to Mars. 2025 spaceflight in photos. See images of Blue Origin, SpaceX missions 1 of 13 Firefly's Blue Ghost lunar lander captures its shadow on the moon's surface after completing a successful landing March 2 near a volcanic feature on the moon called Mons Latreille. The vehicle became the first of two landers manufactured by a U.S. company to reach the moon is 2025 in crucial missions to lay the groundwork for NASA to return humans to the lunar surface in the years ahead. Future NASA, ESA missions to study Venus Because Venus has a history of volcanic activity, the presence of lava tubes isn't exactly a surprise. But confirming they exist could be important for future missions to Venus, the researchers say. Advertisement Advertisement Though Venus has received less scientific attention than Mars, two important missions are coming up: the European Space Agency's Envision and NASA's Veritas. Set to launch no earlier than 2031, Veritas will study Venus "in unprecedented detail from near the top of the clouds to the planets surface," NASA says on the mission website. Meanwhile, Envision, also due for launch in 2031, will carry an orbital ground-penetrating radar to provide a complete view of Venus from its inner core to its upper atmosphere. Contributing: Reuters Eric Lagatta is the Space Connect reporter for the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at elagatta@gannett.com This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Venus lava tube find a first, hints at volcanic activity An Indiana man is part of a federal lawsuit claiming that Attorney General Pam Bondi and Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem coerced Apple and Facebook into removing online platforms spotlighting actions by Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers. The lawsuit filed Wednesday alleges Bondi and Noem violated First Amendment free speech rights of the platform creators with comments threatening the companies unless they remove disfavored ICE-related platforms. Parties in the lawsuit include Brown County resident Mark Hodges, who said he started the Eyes Up website and app last year through his company Kreisau Group to preserve videos documenting possible abuse of governmental powers. Lawsuit claims pressure campaign The lawsuit, filed in the Northern District of Illinois by the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, cites statements that Bondi and Noem made in social media posts and to Fox News. The suit claims the comments prompted Apple to remove Eyes Up from its app store and Facebook to disable an ICE Sightings Chicagoland operated by another plaintiff. Advertisement Advertisement Apple reasonably understood Bondi and Noems course of conduct to convey a threat of adverse government action against Apple in order to suppress Kreisau Groups speech, the lawsuit said. Bondi and Noem are not suppressing laudatory speech about ICEs operations, but only such speech, like with Kreisau Groups Eyes Up app, that shares information about ICE operations in ways that are critical of those operations or that defendants perceive as such. Hodges said Eyes Up has close to 1,000 videos of actions by ICE agents and other law enforcement officers, including some incidents from the Indianapolis area. My original goal was simply a tool for lawful civic reporting and its something that people find valuable, something that is protected by the Constitution, Hodges told the Indiana Capital Chronicle. So when the government was pressuring companies to remove it, I essentially had a choice. I could stay quiet and move on, or I could stand up for principle. The U.S. Department of Justice did not immediately reply Wednesday to a request for comment about the lawsuit. Government action silenced voices The lawsuit also includes claims that Facebook was pressured to take down the page started by Kae Rosado of Cicero, Illinois, where group members submitted thousands of posts that included photos and videos of ICE activities. Advertisement Advertisement By censoring our group, the government continues to erode our trust, Rosado said in a statement released by FIRE. They silenced not only my voice, but the voices of nearly 100,000 other community members. Hodges, who said he grew up on the north side of Indianapolis, said he was surprised Eyes Up became a target of senior Trump administration officials because other apps tracking ICE activities were more high profile. I didnt expect something that was a little bit more niche and had a more archival, more government accountability purpose to be targeted, because its clearly protected, Hodges said. Its about do you respond? and I chose to stand up rather than sit down. FIRE, a nonprofit civil liberties organization that advocates for academic freedom and free speech, also annually surveys college undergraduates nationwide about perceptions of their First Amendment Rights on campuses. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Something fishy brought federal agents from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to a school in Dayton last week. They claimed to be investigating allegations of voter fraud, according to Dayton Public Schools superintendent David Lawrence who was told the surprise DHS probe involved a graduate of Ponitz Career Technology High School. The feds alleged a former student was told who to vote for when filling out a voter registration form at the school. Advertisement Advertisement Lawrence discounted the story, We dont have any evidence of that, and insisted the nonpartisan group that comes to the school every October to help 18-year-olds register to vote does not tell students how they should vote. DHS agents did not conduct any immigration enforcement at the school and left after about 15 minutes. Question is, what business does the federal government have snooping around any Ohio high school on dodgy hearsay of voter fraud in a yearly civics program? DHS portrayed the visit as part of an ongoing criminal investigation. But wildly out of bounds, was how Collin Marozzi of ACLU of Ohio described it. Advertisement Advertisement Other voting rights advocates called the DHS appearance at Ponitz an attempt to intimidate young people, to intimidate the schools, to intimidate volunteers from encouraging people to engage in legal voter registration activities. The suspicious timing of the highly unusual DHS trip to Dayton coincided with the recent zeal of Donald Trump and Cabinet flunkeys to seize control of state-run elections, extract sensitive voter data, raid state election warehouses for ballots and do whatever it takes to tip the scales in the upcoming November election. The Department of Justice demanded voter and election information from Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose last fall with assurances that the personal material on registered voters full name, date of birth, address, drivers license numbers, last four digits of social security numbers, etc. would be safe with the federal government. Never mind the egregious breaches of personal data at federal agencies under the so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Advertisement Advertisement A statement from LaRoses office at the time noted that Ohio is working with our federal partners better than ever before, but we also have a legal obligation to make sure sensitive voter data is protected and secure. Need to get in touch? Have a news tip? CONTACT US It also stressed that Ohios voter registration database is extremely transparent and available on the SoS website. Interestingly, while Ohio may have been reluctant to fully oblige the DOJ on its voter rolls, it did agree with three other Republican states to help Homeland Security obtain drivers license records as part of a legal settlement with the federal government over access to its citizenship records. Advertisement Advertisement LaRose will provide DHS with 1,000 randomly selected Ohio drivers license records later this month with no certainty about how that data will be used or stored by Trumps DHS. So much for Ohioans privacy and data security. All 50 secretaries of state got another unprecedented ask by federal officials Friday. They were each summoned by the FBI to a mysterious conference with members of the DOJ, DHS, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and U.S. Election Commission to discuss preparations for this years midterm elections. The invite came just days after several secretaries of state, meeting in Washington, D.C., raised alarm about the Trump administrations increasing efforts to expand federal monitoring of the nations election process with a direct focus on certain states. Advertisement Advertisement We should take over voting, the voting in at least 15 places, said Trump, singling out Democratic cities with minority-majority populations. The Republicans ought to nationalize the voting. He falsely claimed states are agents for the federal government the U.S. Constitution gives states primary authority over election administration and, like pre-2020 election, Trump hedged on accepting the results of the midterms. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX If theyre honest, he demurred, before preemptively declaring Democrats would cheat. Truly rich coming from a convicted felon who schemed to overturn an election he lost and incited a violent attack on the U.S. Capitol as the final act in his multi-part conspiracy. Advertisement Advertisement But Trump is slyly resurrecting the Big Lie he deployed five years ago and seeding baseless distrust in the countrys free, fair, notably secure, and remarkably accurate elections for a reason. He wants exclusive authority over state elections to do what he could not in 2020 rig outcomes. The Constitution gives the president no power over elections, but that will not stop Trump from trying to muck up the midterms through extortion, intimidation, bizarre high school investigations, or even paramilitary posted outside polls. He cannot abide a check on his lawless regime at the ballot box. If he loses one or both houses of Congress to the Democrats in 2026, oversight of his unconstrained, unaccountable reign could be relentless. Advertisement Advertisement So he schemes to undermine state autonomy on running elections, demands state voter rolls be dispatched to the feds, sends the FBI on state ballot raids led (inexplicably) by the director of national intelligence, and endorses an even more restrictive version of a GOP voter suppression bill (SAVE Act) that could block millions of Americans from voting by requiring proof of citizenship at the polls. Your right to vote freely and fairly in the looming election and have that vote count without federal interference or subterfuge is very much on the line now. A power grab underway by the man who would be king seriously threatens to replace self-governance with subjugation. Support for the U.S. Constitution, separation of powers, checks and balances, and local control over elections in Ohio must be unequivocal and unyielding. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE At least eight people were killed and dozens more injured in shootings at a high school and residence in the northeast part of the province of British Columbia, according to Canadian police. Earlier, they had reported the death toll at nine. The suspected shooter is also dead, officials said. At a news conference Wednesday afternoon, Dwayne McDonald, the deputy commissioner of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police's branch in British Columbia, identified the suspected shooter as 18-year-old Jesse Van Rootselaar, a resident of the small community where the school is located. Asked by a reporter to clarify the shooter's gender, McDonald said: "Jesse was born as a biological male. From the information that I have, approximately six years ago began to transition to female and began identifying as female both socially and publicly." Advertisement Advertisement The shooter was found dead from what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound, McDonald said. He added, "It's important to recognize that this scene is still in its infancy while we gather evidence." The school shooting was first reported at 1:20 p.m. Pacific Time at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School, the RCMP said in a news release. Authorities responded to find six people dead inside the school, the RCMP said. Two were male students, three were female students and another was an adult female educator, McDonald said. Several more people from the shooting at the school were airlifted to area hospitals with serious or life-threatening injuries, police said. Officials later said four of the students killed were 12 years old and one was 13. Advertisement Advertisement The Free Press: Canada and the U.S. Now Have Something Horrific in Common Police also responded to a second crime scene at a residence that is believed to have been linked to the school shooting, where two more people were found dead, the RCMP reported. McDonald said Wednesday that the deceased, an adult woman and a boy, are believed to be the mother and brother of the suspected shooter. The exact nature of their injuries was not immediately disclosed. McDonald told reporters that two firearms, a long gun and a pistol, were recovered by officers who responded to the shooting. This grab from video shows students exiting the Tumbler Ridge school after deadly shootings, in British Columbia, Canada, Feb. 10, 2026. / Credit: Jordon Kosik via AP (Catherine McQueen / Getty Images) About 25 others were assessed at a local medical center for non-life-threatening injuries, the RCMP said. Advertisement Advertisement RCMP Superintendent Ken Floyd previously told reporters that the shooter's motive remained unclear. He added that police were still investigating how the victims were connected to the shooter. The Peace River South School District initially said Tuesday that there was a "lockdown and secure and hold" at both the secondary school and the Tumbler Ridge Elementary School. It later said both schools would be closed through the rest of the week. The provincial government website lists Tumbler Ridge Secondary School as having 175 students from Grades 7 to 12. Speaking with Canadian station CBC Radio on Wednesday, Tumbler Ridge Mayor Darry Krakowka described the community of about 2,700 people as "one big family" where "everybody knows everybody." He did not elaborate on the identity of the shooter and said the RCMP was still investigating. Advertisement Advertisement The office of Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said he was suspending a planned trip to Halifax, Nova Scotia and Munich, Germany. He was set to announce a long-awaited defense industrial strategy in Halifax on Wednesday before heading to Europe for the Munich Security Conference. "I am devastated by today's horrific shootings in Tumbler Ridge, B.C.," Carney said in a statement on social media. "My prayers and deepest condolences are with the families and friends who have lost loved ones to these horrific acts of violence." David Eby, premier of British Columbia, wrote: "Our hearts are in Tumbler Ridge tonight with the families of those who have lost loved ones. Government will ensure every possible support for community members in the coming days, as we all try to come to terms with this unimaginable tragedy." Canada's gun violence record Advertisement Advertisement Mass shootings are relatively rare in Canada, especially in school settings. It has been nearly four decades since one of the country's most notorious massacres, when a shooter killed 14 female students and wounded 13 others at Ecole Polytechnique University in Montreal, Quebec, in 1989, according to the Canadian government. Canada's deadliest attack happened more recently. In April 2020, 22 people were killed in a 12-hour shooting rampage through multiple cities in the eastern province of Nova Scotia, Canadian news outlet CBC News reported. The government passed an assault weapons ban in response. In January 2017, a shooting at a mosque in Quebec City, the capital of Quebec province, left six people dead and 19 others wounded, according to the office of former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. A year before that, in January 2016, a student opened fire at a remote high school in La Loche, Saskatchewan, killing two and injuring seven, after first killing two of his cousins at home, according to CBC News. Advertisement Advertisement Only a handful of significant acts of gun violence took place in Canada between 1996 and 2014, including a massacre at a wedding in Vernon, British Columbia, during which a man killed nine of his relatives; an attack in Ottawa, Ontario, in which a former employee of the city's transit service shot and killed four of his colleagues; and separate shootings of police officers in Mayerthorpe, Alberta, and Moncton, New Brunswick, which happened roughly a decade apart. Watch: Rep. Lieu accuses Bondi of lying under oath on Epstein files surrounding Trump White tent set up on Nancy Guthrie's front porch More potential evidence in Nancy Guthrie case discovered A previous version of this story reported that there were nine victims killed in the shootings. Police corrected that number to eight on Feb. 11, saying they mistakenly thought a woman air-lifted to a hospital had died. Two shootings at a school and a home left at least eight people dead and dozens others wounded in northeastern British Columbia on Tuesday, Feb. 10, in what a Canadian official described as one of the worst mass shootings in the nation's history. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police got a report of an active shooting at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School at about 1:20 p.m. local time. Officers responded to the scene and found dozens of victims and the suspected shooter, who was found dead with what appeared to be a selfinflicted gunshot wound. Advertisement Advertisement Five victims were dead inside the high school while two others were airlifted to the hospital with lifethreatening injuries. Another two dozen people had minor injuries. People attend a vigil the day after a deadly mass shooting took place, in the town of Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia, Canada on Feb. 11, 2026. People attend a vigil the day after a deadly mass shooting took place, in the town of Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia, Canada on Feb. 11, 2026. This photograph provided by local journalist Trent Ernst shows the middle school and high school building where a shooting took place, leaving at least nine people dead in the small town of Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia, on Feb. 10, 2026. People move a stretcher in the parking lot of the high school where a deadly mass shooting took place, in the town of Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia, Canada on Feb. 11, 2026. Forensic specialists speak in front of a high school, the site of a deadly mass shooting in the town of Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia, Canada on Feb. 11, 2026. Investigators work at Ridge Secondary School after a mass shooting took place yesterday leaving 10 people dead at a secondary school and nearby home in the rural community of Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia, on Feb. 11, 2026. Canada was in mourning Wednesday, Prime Minister Mark Carney said, after a lone shooter killed at least nine people, including seven at a school, and injured dozens more in a remote western town. Police tape surrounds what would be the house of the suspect in a mass shooting at a high school, in the town of Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia, Canada on Feb. 11, 2026. Students walk out of the school building with their hands up after an assailant opened fire at a high school in the town of Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia, Canada on Feb. 10, 2026. A security guard works outside Tumbler Ridge Secondary School where a mass shooting took place in the small town of Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia, on Feb. 11, 2026. Canadian police said February 11 an 18-year-old carried out a mass shooting in a remote mining town, killing six people at a local school, after slaying her mother and stepbrother. Police commander Dwayne McDonald said authorities still don't know the motive in Tuesday's mass shooting in Tumbler Ridge, but the shooter, who took her own life, was known to have mental health issues. Flowers sit outside Tumbler Ridge Secondary School where a mass shooting took place in the small town of Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia, on Feb. 11, 2026. Canadian police said February 11 an 18-year-old carried out a mass shooting in a remote mining town, killing six people at a local school, after slaying her mother and stepbrother. Police commander Dwayne McDonald said authorities still don't know the motive in Tuesday's mass shooting in Tumbler Ridge, but the shooter, who took her own life, was known to have mental health issues. Police tape marks off Tumbler Ridge Secondary School where a mass shooting took place in the small town of Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia, on Feb. 11, 2026. Canadian police said February 11 an 18-year-old carried out a mass shooting in a remote mining town, killing six people at a local school, after slaying her mother and stepbrother. Police commander Dwayne McDonald said authorities still don't know the motive in Tuesday's mass shooting in Tumbler Ridge, but the shooter, who took her own life, was known to have mental health issues. Aerial view of the middle school and high school building where a shooting took place, leaving at least nine people dead in the small town of Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia, on Feb. 11, 2026. Canada was in mourning Wednesday, Prime Minister Mark Carney said, after a lone shooter killed at least nine people, including seven at a school, and injured dozens more in a remote western town. Tumbler Ridge comes together after shooting shattered a small town 1 of 12 People attend a vigil the day after a deadly mass shooting took place, in the town of Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia, Canada on Feb. 11, 2026. As part of the investigation, police said that two people were found dead at a home and that it's believed to be linked to the school shooting. "It's hard to know what to say on a night like tonight," British Columbia Premier David Eby said at a news conference. "I can say for myself and I'm sure for many British Columbians, many Canadians, it makes us think about our kids' safety when they're going to school ... Events like this give us pause about that safety." During the attack, a police alert identified the suspect as a "female in a dress with brown hair." In a news conference later in the day, Royal Canadian Mounted Police Superintendent Ken Floyd said that the shooter was the suspect described in the alert. Advertisement Advertisement Authorities declined to release further details about the suspect. 'It's scary for us.' Fears of gun violence push some travelers to avoid visiting the US First responders credited for preventing further loss of life British Columbia's Public Safety Minister Nina Krieger called the Tumbler Ridge tragedy "one of the worst mass shootings in the province's and country's history." "This is a devastating day for a close-knit community, and the loss being felt is profound," she said. "As a mother, I'm holding the families who lost loved ones close in my heart, as well as the many of those injured. For their families, the nightmare has not yet ended." Advertisement Advertisement Both Eby and Krieger credited the quick response by first responders for preventing further loss of life, saying that the Royal Canadian Mounted Police arrived within two minutes. "What was already quite a devastating tragedy was prevented from being significantly worse," Eby said. "And as a police officer attending a shooting scene like that, you're putting yourself at risk to protect the lives of other people, and it's heroic work, and I am very grateful that the police responded so quickly and so fearlessly and executed their training to protect as many people as possible at the school." Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said in a statement that he was "devastated by today's horrific shootings." "I join Canadians in grieving with those whose lives have been changed irreversibly today, and in gratitude for the courage and selflessness of the first responders who risked their lives for their fellow citizens," he said. "Our ability to come together in crisis is the best of our country our empathy, our unity and our compassion for each other." Advertisement Advertisement Tumbler Ridge is a remote municipality with a population of around 2,400 people located in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains in northern British Columbia, about 720 miles northeast of Vancouver. The school district announced that Tumbler Ridge Secondary School and Tumbler Ridge Elementary School will be closed for the rest of the week "due to the tragic events." Worst mass shootings in Canada's history The attack on the village of Tumbler Ridge is among the worst shootings in the history of Canada, where such tragedies are relatively rare. The worst mass shooting in the nations history was in 2020, when 51-year-old Gabriel Wortman shot and killed 22 people in a 13-hour rampage at multiple locations in Nova Scotia before being killed by police. Advertisement Advertisement The worst school shooting in Canada's history was in 1989, when 25-year-old Marc Lepine carried out an anti-feminist attack and fatally shot 14 women and wounded another 10 women and four men before he killed himself. Among other gun tragedies in the nation was the 2017 attack on a mosque by 27-year-old Alexandre Bissonnette, who killed six and wounded five. He later pleaded guilty to the attack and is serving life in prison. In 2014, 53-year-old Phu Lam killed eight members of his friends and family, including his wife and her 8-year-old son and 3-year-old niece, before killing himself in Edmonton, Alberta. In 1996, 30-year-old Mark Vijay Chahal fatally shot his ex-wife and eight of her family members before killing himself in Vernon, British Columbia. Contributing: Reuters This story was updated to add a map of Tumbler Ridge Secondary School. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Tumbler Ridge shooting leaves at least 8 dead and dozens injured LEBANON COUNTY, Pa. (WHTM) A woman is accused of stealing from a Lebanon County little league organization while she was the treasurer. Julie Fox, 47, of Fredericksburg, was charged in January following an investigation into the alleged theft of funds from the Northern Lebanon Little League, charging documents filed by State Police at Jonestown show. Carlisle man allegedly threatened to stalk, hurt Governor Josh Shapiros family Advertisement Advertisement Northern Lebanon Little League uses fields and parks mainly within Jonestown Borough and Bethel Township, as well as a post office box in Jonestown Borough, State Police noted in the criminal complaint. Board members reported to the State Police in February 2024 about the alleged theft. According to State Police, when the League President took over in November 2023, he told them he began looking into the finances. Charging documents show that Fox allegedly told him there was $4,000 in the league checking account after the 2023 season, but the balance showed there was only $10.30 in the account. Close Advertisement Advertisement Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now abc27 Evening Newsletter Upon reviewing bank records, State Police said there was evidence Fox stole $13,448.42 for personal use and that she submitted zero receipts for the 2023 season. When she was interviewed in December, State Police said she allegedly admitted to the theft. Fox was charged via summons with two felony counts of theft and receiving stolen property. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Feb. 19. A request for comment was left with Northern Lebanon Little League on Wednesday afternoon. Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. School walkouts have been used since the late 60s as a way for minors to stay civilly engaged despite their inability to vote. Currently, high school students around the country are leaving class to express their collective dissent for the recent activities of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). In Boone County, more than 300 Zionsville students walked out last week, and Lebanon High School students will join the nationwide movement this afternoon. Advertisement Advertisement The premise of a walkout is for students to be civically disobedient to cause maximum visibility and demand change on issues important to them. The most significant national walkout in recent history was in 2018 when students across the country left class to protest gun violence after the Parkland, Fla. high school shooting. Mass walkouts against ICE have received a mixture of backlash and support from community members, some citing childrens safety as a root concern. The Supreme Court case Tinker v. Des Moines set a precedent that students do not shed their First Amendment rights at the schoolhouse gate. Advertisement Advertisement This, however, does not mean students are immune to consequences. Many parents are calling students out to receive an excused absence, but some of those leaving unexcused are facing repercussions. Some schools are marking participants as truant for missing class, emphasizing that leaving without permission violates school and safety guidelines. Students from Southport and Plainfield high schools are facing suspension after walking out, and while schools cant punish messaging, they can enforce neutral, existing rules regarding attendance and leaving campus. Many community members feel students should exercise their rights on their own time while others argue this would defeat the purpose of maximum impact. Advertisement Advertisement Lebanon High School students protesting ICE this week will leave class and meet outside the high school at about 1:20 p.m. before walking as a group to the Boone County Courthouse. Despite political beliefs, there is a strong consensus for ensuring local kids safety, so extra diligence is advisable to drivers along the route from the high school to the courthouse this afternoon. Do you need a new car? One of the first decisions youll face is whether to lease or buy. Purchasing a vehicle outright can be expensive, with high monthly payments, sizable down payments and ongoing maintenance costs. If buying doesnt fit your needs or budget, leasing may be a more flexible alternative. In this article, we break down the income you need to comfortably lease a car in 2026, according to car experts. With this guidance, you can walk into the dealership confident and drive away without derailing your financial goals. What Is the Average Car Lease? According to Experian, the average car lease payment was $659, slightly lower than the average monthly loan payment of $682. However, this doesnt mean you should expect to pay over $600 for a car lease. Car experts agree that you can find more affordable options, such as a Honda Civic or Hyundai Venue, for $250 a month. The final lease price will depend on the make, model, down payment, and lease term. For example, Melanie Musson, an auto industry expert with AutoInsurance.org, said, If you want to lease a luxury car like a Yukon Denali, youd need to plan for about $1,300 a month. You might have to put down $10,000, although you may find a lease option requiring less down. Read More: Im a Car Expert: 3 Trucks That Arent Worth the Money Find Out: 6 Safe Accounts Proven To Grow Your Money Up To 13x Faster Income Needed To Comfortably Lease a Car in 2026 Ultimately, the income needed to comfortably lease a car in 2026 is highly dependent on your personal goals. Some people prefer to take on the lowest lease price possible, while others like to maximize their budget. To comfortably lease a car in 2026, a great rule of thumb is to keep your monthly payment at or below 10% of your gross monthly income, said Zander Cook, chief revenue officer at Lease End. With current pricing, that means for a budget vehicle leasing around $450 a month, you should aim for an annual income of about $54,000. Cook continued by saying, For the average family SUV, where payments often hover near $660, youre looking at a salary of $80,000 to feel secure, and for luxury vehicles, youll want to be earning over $108,000. Staying within these limits helps ensure that your car payment doesnt eat into other financial goals or emergency savings. Other Factors Outside of Income Lease prices include a variety of items, all of which are important to analyze to determine affordability. Beyond just income, I always advise consumers to look at the total structure of the deal, specifically the down payment. It might be tempting to put $5,000 down to lower that monthly payment into a comfortable range, but in a lease, that money is essentially prepaid rent that you risk losing if the car is totaled early in the contract, Cook said. A truly affordable lease is one where the numbers work with zero or very little money down. If the payment only fits your budget after a large capital reduction, its usually a sign that the vehicle is a bit more expensive than what your current income supports. The City of Lebanon Authority is calling on customers to voluntarily reduce water usage by 5% to 10% while the county remains on a drought watch. Authority officials are encouraging all of their customers, including daycares, school districts and other educational institutions, to voluntarily reduce their water usage. The reduction is in response to Pennsylvanias Commonwealth Drought Task Force adding Lebanon County to its drought watch status Jan. 8. Authority Executive Director Tom Deitzler said the reduction equates to approximately 6 to 13 gallons of water per day. Advertisement Advertisement "The City of Lebanon Authority continues to do its part in achieving water conservation," he said in a release. "It is actively finding and repairing leaking water mains, flushing fire hydrants and sewer mains only when needed, and monitoring water supplies and storage on a daily basis." Voluntary water conservation measures in the winter months include: Shortening shower time. Turning off water while brushing teeth. Running dishwashers and washing machines less, and/or with only full loads. Installing water saving devices and plumbing fixtures. Checking for household leaks, particularly toilets that are running. The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection reports that 40 counties, including Lebanon, are under a drought watch. This declaration is in response to continued dry and frozen conditions throughout the region, and is viewed as an early warning. Advertisement Advertisement "These changes reflect the varied precipitation patterns and uneven groundwater recovery observed across Pennsylvania," DEP officials said on their website. "While some regions have benefited from increased rainfall over the past several months and improved streamflow, others particularly in the south-central and eastern parts of the Commonwealth continue to experience declining groundwater levels and persistent precipitation deficits." The Mount Gretna Authority has also recommended voluntary water conservation, according to DEP officials. Drought watch announcements are not just decided by precipitation. DEP officials assess information provided by public water suppliers and data on four hydrologic indicators: precipitation, surface water that include stream and river flow, groundwater level and soil moisture. DEP officials make drought declarations after assessing the departures from normal ranges for periods of 3 to 12 months. DEP also factors in information it receives from public water suppliers. Advertisement Advertisement For more information about the drought watch, residents can visit www.dep.pa.gov. Matthew Toth is a reporter for the Lebanon Daily News. Reach him at mtoth@ldnews.com or on X at @DAMattToth. This article originally appeared on Lebanon Daily News: City of Lebanon Authority ask residents to reduce water usage A Lebanon woman is facing felony charges after a TBI investigation into alleged fraud within her home health care business. According to the TBI, Kimberly Franklin, 56, forged documents to defraud TennCare and was indicted by a Wilson County Grand Jury on Jan. 14. The investigation began in June 2023, and TBI Special Agents reportedly found the alleged forged documents created between January 2022 and November 2025. Franklin was booked into the Wilson County Jail on Jan. 16, charged with five counts of criminal simulation. She was released hours later on a $15,000 cash bond. She is scheduled for arraignment on April 2. Advertisement Advertisement Under Tennessee law, criminal simulation is when an individual makes or alters an object to appear to have value that it does not have or make documents appear authentic when they are not. Criminal Simulation is punishable as theft in Tennessee, and is classified as at least a Class E felony, which can include one to six years in prison and up to $3,000 in fines. Court records show Franklin was charged with forgery and TennCare fraud as well in April 2003, where she pleaded guilty to five counts of forgery and five counts of TennCare fraud. The TBI says the investigation remains ongoing. Investigators have concerns that Franklin may be connected to additional crimes with additional victims, the TBI stated in a release. Anyone who had an interaction with Franklin, or who may otherwise be able to assist the ongoing investigation, should contact the TBI at 1-800-TBI-Find. Advertisement Advertisement Franklin, who works at Simply Elite In Home Care in Lebanon, was also named in Harden et al v. Simply Elite In Home Care, LLC et al a case filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee in February 2025 regarding the Fair Labor Standards Act. A settlement was reached in December 2025. Former coworkers accused Franklin of unpaid compensation for work and some say they saw the alleged fraud in practice. The TBI reiterated that charges and allegations are merely accusations and the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty through due process of law. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit on February 9 granted the Trump administrations request to stay a lower court ruling that had blocked the termination of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for nationals of Honduras, Nepal, and Nicaragua. The stay allows the Department of Homeland Security to move forward, for now, with ending TPS protections while the appeal proceeds. On December 31, 2025, a federal district court vacated Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noems decision to terminate TPS for the three countries, finding the move violated the Administrative Procedure Act. The administration appealed and sought a stay pending review. Advertisement Advertisement In granting the stay, the Ninth Circuit said the government is likely to succeed on the merits of its appeal either by demonstrating that courts lack jurisdiction to review TPS termination decisions or by prevailing on its argument that the secretarys actions were not arbitrary and capricious. The panel cited 8 U.S.C. 1254a(b)(5)(A), which states there is no judicial review of any determination regarding the designation, termination, or extension of TPS. At this preliminary stage, the court wrote that the government had shown a likelihood of prevailing on its argument that the terminations are unreviewable. The judges also referenced recent Supreme Court stay orders involving TPS for Venezuela, noting those decisions inform how lower courts exercise their discretion in similar cases. With this decision, the government and the legal system are turning their backs on people who have called the US home for decades, Jose Palma, coordinator of the National TPS Alliance, said in a statement posted by the UCLA School of Laws Center for Immigration Law and Policy. Advertisement Advertisement The Department of Homeland Security announced in July 2025 that it would terminate TPS protections for approximately 72,000 Hondurans and 4,000 Nicaraguans, with notices indicating they were covered under TPS before the announced terminations, stating that conditions in those countries no longer meet statutory requirements, per Texas Scorecard. Temporary Protected Status was designed to be just thattemporary, Secretary Noem said in a July 7 release. More than half of the judges on the Ninth Circuit were appointed by Democratic presidents. The court hears federal cases from western states, including California and Alaska. The 9th Circuit is traditionally considered the most left-leaning of the federal appellate courts, though some recent reporting indicates that the First Circuit, which hears cases from New England, is perceived by left-wing activists to be the most friendly venue. TPS, created by Congress in 1990, allows foreign nationals to remain and work in the United States if their home countries are deemed unsafe due to armed conflict, natural disaster or other extraordinary conditions. Honduras and Nicaragua were designated after Hurricane Mitch in 1998, and Nepal after a 2015 earthquake. The appeal will now proceed on an expedited briefing schedule set by the Ninth Circuit. The Liberal Democrats have announced they would break up the Treasury and replace it with a new department of growth based in Birmingham if they were in government. The party said the new Department for Growth would be tasked with boosting long-term prosperity, improving living standards and easing cost-of-living pressures. Under the plans, the new department would assume responsibilities for business and trade, while a new department for public spending would also be created. Advertisement Advertisement Setting out the policy at a news conference, the party's deputy leader Daisy Cooper said the move would end the "doom loop" of "short-term Treasury tax grabs" and allow the government to focus on economic growth. "We want to get rid of this anti-growth Treasury," Cooper said. She said opening a department for growth in Birmingham would "send a strong signal - because a significant indicator of the imbalance in our economy is the yawning gap between the UK's capital city and every other city and all other parts in the UK". The BBC has asked the Treasury for comment. Advertisement Advertisement A Labour Party spokesperson said: "The Lib Dems can slice up the Treasury all they like, but it won't make their sums add up." The Labour spokesperson said the Lib Dems had "inflicted damaging austerity on the country" when they were in the coalition government with the Conservatives from 2010 to 2015. The Labour government, the spokesperson added, had already closed 11 London government office buildings "to spread opportunity across the country". As the UK government's economic and finance ministry, the Treasury controls public spending and sets the direction of the UK's economic policy. Advertisement Advertisement But the powerful role of the Treasury has been flagged as a blocker on economic growth and the political will of governments past and present. Cooper - the party's Treasury spokeswoman - said the Labour government and others before it had fallen victim to what she called "Treasury brain". "For too long, political parties have allowed the Treasury tail to wag the political dog and it must stop," Cooper said. The Lib Dem MP said the Treasury "does too much" and enabled the government to make decisions that were not in the best interests of the economy, citing the decision to raise tax on inherited farmland. Advertisement Advertisement The Lib Dems said the new Department for Growth would have responsibility for setting taxes, devising growth strategy, deciding on strategic national infrastructure projects and setting rules on public spending. The Department for Business and Trade would be merged into the new Department for Growth, and a separate Department for Public Expenditure would oversee public spending. The Lib Dems say the move would align the UK with countries such as Australia, Ireland and the US, where economic strategy and day-to-day spending are managed by separate departments. The party did not provide any detailed costings for the policy. Advertisement Advertisement But the party said it would be affordable and any upfront cost would be outweighed by the economic growth it would achieve. The Lib Dems said the new Department for Growth would be cost-effective because existing government buildings could be used. In a question session, Cooper told reporters the plans would not result in any cuts to civil service jobs. Scrapping the Treasury was not an "attack on civil servants", she said, insisting it was about restructuring the government so it was focused on growth. There have been calls from others for the Treasury to be scrapped, including from Lord Glasman, the founder of the Blue Labour campaign. Advertisement Advertisement Lord Glasman has proposed giving the Treasury's powers to the prime minister and creating an economics ministry to oversee his economic policies. When Clark Forrest first saw news headlines about the curious case of an ancient Louisiana cypress plank from a State Capitol display, he thought back on visits to the building as a child for school field trips. I can remember going there as an elementary school student, said Forrest, the 82-year-old president of the Edward Livingston Historical Association, remembering the wooden relic among the cultural exhibits on the Capitols ground floor. The cypress artifact was featured there for decades, accessible to the public for a glimpse of state history. That was until it went missing. The Advocate first reported the boards absence in September after a descendant of Walter Stebbins, who donated the 20-foot slab to the Capitol in the 1950s, noticed 15 to 20 years ago it was no longer on display at the Capitol. Advertisement Advertisement It was soon learned the cypress piece had last been seen in the Ascension Parish office of former Louisiana House Speaker Clay Schexnayder. He told WAFB-TV he was given the board to display at his office because he represented part of the Maurepas Swamp, which spans Ascension and Livingston parishes, where the cypress tree had been harvested. Schexnayder said he didnt know what happened to the artifact after he closed his office in 2024. With the Stebbins family pressing for answers, Attorney General Liz Murrill had arrested Schexnayder for felony theft. The former lawmaker has said he doesnt know where the missing wood went and has offered to help find it. As the search continues, Forrest leads a group of local history buffs who want the artifact found and displayed in Livingston Parish. He noted a commemorative plaque on the display indicates it came from a tree harvested in Livingston Parish. If the board is still intact and can be recovered, then we should be given the first opportunity to claim the board, he said, suggesting its new home should be the Livingston Parish Courthouse. Advertisement Advertisement Although the plaque asserts the planks roots are in Livingston Parish, the precise location of the tree from which it was taken is as murky as the swamp water where it once stood. Its this lack of clarity that encouraged Forrests group to assert its right to ownership. But making legal ownership claim to the historic keepsake might not be so easy. Its not simple. You cant just walk out into the swamp or a piece of land and go, OK, this was on so and sos land, said Samuel Hyde Jr., professor with Southeastern Louisiana Universitys Center for Louisiana Studies. Cypress logs loaded onto a barge. (Courtesy of Southeastern Louisiana University, Center for Southeast Louisiana Studies/Archives.) The nebulous nature of pinpointing the exact location of the cypress tree in question has its roots in the states history as a frequently traded real estate commodity in the 17th and 18th centuries. Five different authorities have had control of what is now Livingston Parish: the Spanish, French, English, West Florida Republic and ultimately the United States. Advertisement Advertisement Thats five governing powers, all who gave out land grants, many of them conflicting, none of whom, with the exception of right at the end, were willing to honor the others land grants, Hyde said. So it creates this absolute confusing mess. On top of that muddled background, a fire at the Livingston Parish courthouse in the late 19th century destroyed many of the records that could be useful in proving where the tree originated. Some documents were saved and are now preserved at Southeastern Louisiana University. But there are potential gaps in the narrative of the boards history that may be lost forever, according to Hyde. You have to find the title to the land. You have to hopefully find surveys of the land that were done that are often attached to the titles, Hyde said. Through that, you can get a pretty good guesstimate of whose land it was on and certainly, at least which parish it was in. A man stands in front of a cypress board with arms spread to show the large size of the trunk. A man stands in front of a cypress board with arms spread to show the large size of the trunk. (Courtesy of Southeastern Louisiana University, Center for Southeast Louisiana Studies/Archives.) Archival photograph of cypress logs moved by a crane. Archival photograph of cypress logs moved by a crane. (Courtesy of Southeastern Louisiana University, Center for Southeast Louisiana Studies/Archives.) Advertisement Advertisement Its unknown if there are any Ascension Parish historical groups interested in claiming the cypress, said Isabell Naquin, a local historian with the parish librarys Preserving Our History project. Neither the Louisiana State Museum system under the Lieutenant Governors office and the Louisiana State Archives under the Secretary of State have claimed ownership or responsibility for the board. Forrest said he and the Association have various records that point toward Livingston as the origin site of the cypress tree, including newspaper articles from around the time the tree was cut. He hopes this paper trail adds to the historical associations bid to bring the wooden slice of Louisiana history to the parish courthouse. The parish historically was a timbered area, and still forestry plays a major role in the parish, he said. It would be appropriate. When Louisville Metro Police officers search for missing individuals, they typically canvas the neighborhood on foot while the departments helicopter and drone units search the area from above. After LMPD received a report of a missing 3-year-old boy in the 3900 block of Altair Lane in Okolona Jan. 7, officers received help from an unexpected source a neighborhood dog. Anytime you have a kid that young, youre fearful, said Officer Josh Thompson, who participated in the search along with Officer Jonathan Story. Advertisement Advertisement Thompson began his search with one neighbor when Story mentioned receiving a report from the house two hours earlier after a child rang her doorbell and ran off. She immediately said, Hes across the street. Hes in the house across the street, Thompson said. Thompson knocked on the front door of the other house before going around to the driveway and observing spots where a kid may be, such as a detached garage and cars. As Thompson returned to the front of the house, a dog started walking with him. In the two years he patrolled the neighborhood, Thompson had never seen the dog before and was leery at first. Advertisement Advertisement You dont know about dogs. You dont know where the dogs from, he said. The dog followed Thompson and barked as he went to try the front door again. When no one answered, Thompson made a gesture at the dog and said, Lets go find this kid. The dog immediately spun, ran off the front porch and led Thompson to the backyard of the house. At that point, Im thinking, Okay, this kids in this backyard, he said. After calling for more officers, Thompson and Story entered the home through the unlocked back door to search for the child. As they exited the home, the dog ran to the car. The next thing I know, I heard Officer Story yell, Hes right here. I got him, Thompson said. Advertisement Advertisement The child was in the front passenger seat terrified, as the officers helped the boy unlock the car. I dont think Ive ever seen a happier kid in my life, Thompson said. He jumped out of the car, bear-hugged my neck and wouldnt let go. Officers were able to walk the boy back to his home a street away and safely return him to his parents, Thompson said. This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Louisville police find missing 3-year-old with help from dog Last weeks rollout of a series of anti-immigration bills in the Idaho Legislature revealed more than just policy. It revealed blatant racism and the full embrace of the Great Replacement theory, the far-right, white nationalist conspiracy theory that there is a deliberate, orchestrated plot to replace white populations in Western countries with non-white immigrants. Idaho lawmakers such as Sen. Brian Lenney, R-Nampa, and Rep. Dale Hawkins, R-Fernwood, unveiled legislation that included such things as counting the number of undocumented people in Idaho jails, finding out how many immigrant children are in the school system and auditing the Idaho refugee resettlement program. Advertisement Advertisement On their face, each proposal may sound benign, but the legislators, joined by virulent immigration opponent and former Idaho solicitor general Theo Wold, showed their true colors when they talked about the reasons behind their proposed legislation. Were losing our culture as Americans, Hawkins said. Its damaging our way of life. Whose culture? Whose way of life is being damaged? With our long history of immigration, American culture is constantly evolving and growing. Immigration has always added to our culture, not damaged it. Does the Japanese Obon Festival in Ontario, Oregon, destroy our culture? Does the Greek Festival in Boise and Pocatello damage our way of life? Does Chinatown harm the city of San Francisco? Little Italy in New York? What about Ammons Scottish Festival or Malads Welsh Festival? Everything from Indian and Middle Eastern cuisine to Latin music have contributed to the cultural mosaic that we know as the Great Melting Pot of the United States. Advertisement Advertisement In making the claim that were losing our culture, this group reveals its racist mentality. They also reveal their protectionist, limited worldview. Is it loving to shove your neighbors kids out of the way and give their share of the American dream to foreign nationals and illegal invaders who hate us? Lenney said. To scare you and make you hate immigrants, they suggest the American pie is limited and that by allowing refugees and immigrants into the United States, that takes away from a deserving American. That has never been the case in American history. Immigration has always made us a stronger, better nation, enriching all of us, proven time and again throughout our history. Advertisement Advertisement But theyre taking whats yours has always been the basis for ethnic purity fearmongerers like Lenney, Wold and Hawkins, whether it was sentiment against the Irish, Italians, Catholics, Chinese or, today, Hispanics. Yes, its reasonable for a nation to control immigration. But the crackdown on illegal immigration must be placed within the context of the fact that legal immigration is virtually impossible today, and these folks know it. The waiting list for some countries is more than 20 years. Its the reason we have illegal immigration to begin with. So in effect, the argument is for zero immigration. And by their words, we shall know them. Their own words reveal the reasons behind their positions. Advertisement Advertisement You know whats great about these type of (events)? We can say whatever we want, Lenney said. This is about demographic replacement, and theyre doing that via refugee resettlement programs, human trafficking and cheap slave labor. I think its time to reclaim that moral high ground. Lenney had better be careful, because that moral high ground he thinks hes on is pretty shaky. Statesman editorials are the opinion of the Idaho Statesmans editorial board. Board members are opinion editor Scott McIntosh, opinion writer Bryan Clark, editor Chadd Cripe, assistant editor Jim Keyser and community members John Hess, Debbie McCormick and Julie Yamamoto. Louisianas congressional delegation is backing Gov. Jeff Landrys request for more funding to cover the cost of the winter storm that hit North Louisiana at the end of January. The states six members of the U.S. House of Representatives and two U.S. senators sent a letter Tuesday to President Donald Trump. In it, the lawmakers implore him to approve an emergency allocation from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to pay for storm cleanup. The storm brought icy precipitation and extremely cold temperatures throughout most of Louisiana, with northern parishes experiencing widespread power and water outages, the letter reads. At its peak, the late January storm left 175,000 utility customers without power and 32,500 households without running water. Interstate 20 and other highways in North Louisiana had to be closed for days. The governor has asked the federal government to pay for 30 days of services such as snow clearing and debris removal. He also requested money for prevention projects that would allow North Louisiana to better withstand winter storms in the future. The money would go toward recovery in Bienville, De Soto, East Carroll, Franklin, Morehouse, Ouachita, Richland, Tensas and West Carroll parishes. In his own letter to Trump, Landry said the state has spent $11.4 million so far responding to the winter storm. Advertisement Advertisement The congressional delegation has also asked Trump to consider offering individual assistance through FEMA, even though Landry did not ask for that support. FEMAs individual assistance grants can provide money to people whose homes were damaged or were forced to stay in a hotel because of the storm. It also can cover medical, dental, child care and cleanup costs associated with a natural disaster. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE (The Center Square) Around $5 million is expected to be spent on removing debris related to a storm that dumped ice and snow in north Louisiana, according to the state Department of Transportation and Development. The winter storm hit Caddo, Bossier, DeSoto, Bienville Parish, Red River, Webster and Claiborne parishes particularly hard. Freezing rain and sleet created hazardous driving conditions, covering roads and bridges with ice and leading to scattered power outages. School districts and municipal governments in affected areas closed for several days. Portions of interstate highways and rural roadways were shut down because of icy stretches that caused numerous crashes, stalled vehicles and tractor-trailers sliding off the road. Advertisement Advertisement The cleanup will initially focus on the northwest region, targeting accumulated tree debris along state-maintained roadway rights-of-way. A transportation department contractor began work this week. The department does not anticipate any major impacts to traffic, said Erin Buchanan, its public information officer. However, intermittent lane and shoulder closures will be necessary to allow for debris removal operations. Motorists in Bienville, DeSoto and Red River parishes should notice contractor equipment and personnel and proceed with extreme caution through the work zones, the department said. These operations will continue until the debris is removed from the right-of-way of the affected areas, Buchanan said. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick acknowledged Tuesday visiting Jeffrey Epstein on his private island in 2012, as Senate Democrats called into question his credibility on the issue. Justice Department files on Epstein released recently show Lutnick and Epstein had a closer relationship than Lutnick has previously stated. Maryland's Democratic Sen. Chris Van Hollen recalled that Lutnick had previously claimed to have cut off contact with Epstein, Lutnick's neighbor in New York, in 2005, "but now it turns out not to be true." Lutnick said last year he had "limited interactions" with Jeffrey Epstein, but documents show they were in business together as recently as 2014, and emailed as recently as 2018, the year before Epstein's death. "The information recently revealed from the Epstein files show that your statements were at best highly misleading," Van Hollen said. He added later, "Mr. Lutnick that does call into question your fitness for the job you now hold and the question of your credibility." Advertisement Advertisement Lutnick continued to distance himself from Epstein while admitting to the interactions revealed in the Epstein files. Lutnick said he met with his next-door neighbor two times in 14 years, and "I did not have any relationship with him, I barely had anything to do with that person. Okay?" But Lutnick admitted he, his wife and kids, and another family visited Epstein on his private Caribbean island. "We had lunch on the island, that is true, for an hour. Then we left with all of my children, with my nannies and my wife all together. We were on family vacation. We were not apart. To suggest there was anything untoward about that in 2012, I don't recall why we did it. But we did," Lutnick said. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Lutnick still has President Trump's support, calling him a "very important member of President Trump's team." Advertisement Advertisement Oregon Democratic Sen. Jeff Merkley also noted interactions between Lutnick and Epstein ranging from a business deal to emailed gripes about an art museum's expansion that Merkley said "collectively, it suggests that when you said in 2005 you cut off all contact, that was not a full and complete accounting." Epstein and Lutnick's signatures appear on neighboring pages in a 2012 contract, which was first reported by CBS News. The convicted sex offender and the former chairman of the financial services firm Cantor Fitzgerald each acquired stakes in a now-shuttered advertising technology company called Adfin. They signed the contract on Dec. 28, 2012, four days after Lutnick's visit to Epstein's island. The deal was struck more than four years after Epstein agreed to enter a guilty plea to Florida state charges of procuring a child for prostitution and soliciting a prostitute. The case raised allegations of a far broader sex trafficking scheme, and Epstein was charged with federal felonies including trafficking. Democrats on the Appropriations committee urged Lutnick to submit his own records proving his interactions with Epstein were limited to what's already publicly known. Advertisement Advertisement Lutnick indicated he would consider doing so, but stopped short of promising. "I will surely talk about that. I hadn't thought about that. I have nothing to hide, absolutely nothing," Lutnick said. Details on new images of subject in Nancy Guthrie disappearance More details emerge on whistleblower complaint against Tulsi Gabbard Trump criticizes Super Bowl halftime show, calling it "one of the worst" By David Shepardson WASHINGTON, Feb 10 (Reuters) - The Federal Aviation Administration said on Tuesday its contract with national security firm Peraton, the project manager of a $12.5-billion effort to overhaul the aging U.S. air traffic control system, was worth $1.5 billion. In a briefing to House of Representative lawmakers, FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford said U.S. President Donald Trump in December negotiated a $200 million discount off the initial proposed contract price for Peraton, which is owned by Veritas Capital. More from Yahoo Scout What technology upgrades are included in the modernization plan? What is the total cost of the FAA air traffic control overhaul? How did Trump negotiate savings on the Peraton contract? What staffing challenges is the FAA currently facing? "The FAA was always going to need an implementation and integration partner," Bedford said. The FAA made public on Tuesday a presentation it gave to Congress that included the $1.5 billion figure and details of the innovative contract that includes a "No Excuses" requirement and fees are earned or lost based on achieving schedule, quality, cost control and management metrics. Bedford said one key issue in overhauling air traffic control is to take the various computer systems at 318 FAA facilities and put them into a modern cloud-based system. "We've got to get out of these tiny facility computers and into infinite compute power in the cloud," Bedford said. "That is going to be what unlocks true airspace redesign opportunities." Bedford said $1.6 billion has been obligated through December 31 and 40% of telecommunications connections have been upgraded as it moves from copper wire to fiber and wireless connections and 612 radar systems will be installed by June 2028 at a cost of $1.1 billion. A $420 million contract to RTX includes another $270 million performance-based payment. Bedford will brief Senators on Wednesday. Congress approved the air traffic control overhaul in June to boost controller hiring, following decades of complaints over airport congestion, technology failures and flight delays. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has asked for another $19-$20 billion to complete the overhaul and build a new system. The FAA is about 3,500 air traffic controllers short of targeted staffing levels and many are working mandatory overtime and six-day weeks. The FAA also faces a more than 30% failure rate at its air trafffic control academy. The FAA has a scorecard to track where reform efforts are ahead or behind its plans and now can take a multi-year approach. "It actually allowed the FAA to do what it needed to do all along, which was take a multi-year approach to modernization," Bedford said. (Reporting by David Shepardson; Editing by Chris Reese and Michael Perry) This story was originally posted on MyNorthwest.com The Lynnwood Police Department is encouraging its residents to report Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activity, stressing that the city is committed to inclusivity and transparency. In a community address, Lynnwood Mayor George Hurst, alongside Lynnwood Police Chief Cole Langdon, stated that Lynnwood welcomes people from all backgrounds and stands against violence. Lynnwood will comply with the states Keep Washington Working Act, which restricts state and local law enforcement from enforcing federal immigration laws. Advertisement Advertisement The City of Lynnwood is steadfast in its belief that our community members from across the world belong and are welcome. For weeks, we have witnessed the senseless acts of violence in Minneapolis against protestors who are standing up against the questionable removal of their neighbors at the hands of ICE, and our federal government, Hurst and Langdon said in a joint statement. We have experienced ICE activity in our own community. During times of unrest, rumors and misinformation begin to swirl, and the lines between reality and fiction become blurred. There have been questions, comments, and confusion about the Citys, specifically the Lynnwood Police Departments, involvement with this activity. Additionally, Hurst and Langdon encourage the citys residents to express their First Amendment rights to protest peacefully. Students from both Meadowdale High School and Meadowdale Middle School left their campuses Friday to protest ICE activity seen throughout the country. This is a tumultuous time in our countrys history, the joint statement continued. While we may not always have immediate answers, we encourage you to reach out to us with any questions to help clear up any confusion about what is happening in our community. Maine lawmakers are considering shoring up a legal remedy for people who are erroneously detained, in response to numerous such occurrences during President Donald Trumps second term so far. The simple concept we propose is that there should be consequences for bad behavior, Senate Assistant Majority Leader Jill Duson (D-Cumberland) told the Judiciary Committee when introducing her bill on Tuesday. LD 2176, which has nine Democratic co-sponsors, would execute that concept in two parts. First, it would specify that if someone is unlawfully detained during an immigration enforcement action, they can fight back to recover damages and attorney fees under the Maine Civil Rights Act. Second, it would provide $2 million to civil legal service providers who have expertise in immigration law and are representing people wrongfully detained by U.S. Immigration Customs and Enforcement. Advertisement Advertisement This one appropriation is a modest investment in protecting the rights and liberties of our most vulnerable neighbors, Duson said. The tactics weve seen used by federal immigration authorities in their enhanced enforcement operations, both in Maine and across the nation, breach the promise and spirit of our inalienable rights. Immigration arrests have been increasing since Trump began his second term, mostly of people without criminal convictions, but detentions became acutely visible last month when ICE launched a large-scale operation in the state. While claiming more than 200 arrests during that surge, the Department of Homeland Security has provided little information about who they apprehended. Meanwhile, reporting has uncovered several examples of people detained despite following lawful immigration processes and having no criminal records. While heightened enforcement appears to have subsided, it hasnt stopped. That was made clear earlier Tuesday, when U.S. Customs and Border Protection conducted a raid of a bus transporting workers in Skowhegan. Witnesses reported 17-19 people taken into custody, according to the Maine Immigrant Rights Coalition. Advertisement Advertisement In general, Maines community ICE watch hotline has seen an uptick in the number of calls from rural areas of the state. We worry this may indicate the start of a new phase of enhanced enforcement activity in the state that began with the surge in January, said Mufalo Chitam, executive director of the coalition, which runs the hotline. Suddenly, disruptive enforcement actions in communities like Skowhegan leave families, workplaces, and communities in crisis. The people detained are at the mercy of the Trump administration, which has been accused by federal judges of willfully disregarding court orders, violating due process and using prolonged detention as a tool to get people to voluntarily leave the country. The administration has detained U.S. citizens as well as reversed long-standing policy by detaining immigrants who dont pose a danger to the community or a flight risk. Duson said her bill is not an attempt to undermine or abolish any law enforcement agencies, but would rather affirm that law enforcement officers must conduct themselves within Maine law. Advertisement Advertisement However, it currently has a glaring hole. The bill creates a legal cause of action when there has been an unlawful deprivation of personal liberty, but it provides no definition for that term. Some committee members and the Maine Department of Corrections raised concern about how broadly such a term could be applied, while Duson said shed leave the specific definition up to the committee. It is unclear what a deprivation of personal liberty is and who is determining if it was unlawful, said Jill OBrien, director of government affairs for the corrections department, testifying neither for nor against the bill. Its not clear if deprivation of liberty is limited to someone detained or arrested or if it would also apply to someone already serving a sentence in prison or jail. Its also not clear if deprivation of personal liberty would apply to someone already in prison, whose privileges may be restricted as a matter of discipline. Advertisement Advertisement Few people testified during the public hearing, which was hours delayed due to long Senate and House chamber sessions, but no one spoke against it. Pointing to the Legislatures history of routinely clarifying the Maine Civil Rights Act to ensure that it serves its ultimate purpose, the American Civil Liberties Union of Maine said that the clarification the bill offers is vital because unlawful deprivation of a personal liberty is at the core of the writ of habeas corpus, the constitutional right that ensures people the right to challenge their imprisonment in court. This bill does not create new rights or expand the Maine Civil Rights Act, said policy fellow Alicia Rea, on behalf of executive director Molly Curren Rowles. It seeks to provide that clarity about how it operates so that courts, law enforcement and the public can understand what the remedies available are. As policy director of the youth-led Maine Youth Power, Eli Durand McDonnell regularly speaks with young people throughout the state. While priorities often range based on a given communitys needs, these days he said hes heard a lot about the same issue: fear of ICEs violent immigration crackdown and the seemingly complete immunity with which they operate. Durand McDonnell said he and others in the group need to see that our leaders are doing what they can to protect Maine residents and to protect our civil liberties, not just today but for generations to come. LD 2176 would create some of those protections. Major gas projects could cause critical damage to Mozambique's coral reef. What happened? Oil and gas giant TotalEnergies allegedly cut through a coral reef while preparing for a "liquefied natural gas project in Cabo Delgado," Mongabay reported. This is just one of several similar projects in the area, all of which could damage the already-sensitive reef. Louis Goddard, a fossil fuel industry analyst, said the companies might struggle to build within environmental restrictions. Advertisement Advertisement "My impression from the project docs is that the developers were caught flat-footed by the extent of the coral and other rich marine environments around the project site and face a pretty tricky task to build anything without significant damage," he said, per Mongabay. Why is the coral damage concerning? These projects will have a significant, negative impact on the coral reef photos show it's already begun. "Data scientists analyzing satellite imagery and vessel data have found that a massive chunk of coral has been dredged out of the ecologically sensitive reef," Mongabay reported. Coral reefs are often called the "rainforests of the sea," and these biodiversity hotspots provide shelter for 25% of all marine life, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Advertisement Advertisement Reefs also create jobs through tourism and fishing, protect shorelines from erosion, and are utilized in medical research. Unfortunately, coral reefs are critically threatened. Ocean acidification, overfishing, pollution, and coastal construction are killing reefs at an alarming rate. They've already passed their critical tipping point, per the Coral Restoration Foundation, and many reefs are close to extinction. Daniel Ribeiro, a member of the environmental justice organization Justica Ambiental, stressed the urgency of restoring the reef before too much damage is done. "Of all the tropical oceans, the Indian Ocean by the Mozambique Channel is the ocean with the highest surface temperature increase, so corals are under stress," Ribeiro told Mongabay. "The ability to recover after damage is much lower because of these factors." What's being done to restore the reefs? Urgent conservation work is crucial to protect threatened coral reefs. Advertisement Advertisement Limiting fishing, reducing pollution, and establishing strictly protected areas can help protect and preserve coral reefs. Researchers are breeding and raising heat-tolerant corals to then transplant into existing reefs. Growing new coral can alleviate some stress on the reef, but it's not a long-term solution. Without swift and significant changes to address a shifting climate, all coral will meet the same fate. Get TCD's free newsletters for easy tips to save more, waste less, and make smarter choices and earn up to $5,000 toward clean upgrades in TCD's exclusive Rewards Club. Feb 11 (Reuters) - New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani on Wednesday has called for a two percent tax increase for New Yorkers making over a million dollars a year, along with a hike in the state's corporate tax rate, proposals he originally championed during his campaign. During testimony before the New York State Senate's 2026 budget hearing, Mamdani, a Democrat, said the city's budget gap has decreased from $12 billion to $7 billion by "assuming an aggressive posture on savings without compromising city services, incorporating updated revenue and bonus estimates, and using in-year reserves." Despite a narrowing of the budget shortfall, Mamdani said, New York is "placed on a ledge." Advertisement Advertisement "I believe the wealthiest individuals and most profitable corporations should contribute a little more so that everyone can live lives of dignity," said Mamdani, who will release the city's preliminary budget on Tuesday. "Thats whyalong with raising the corporate taxIm asking for a 2% personal income tax increase on the most affluent New Yorkers." Mamdani said a two percent tax increase would resolve nearly half of the city's budget deficit. He campaigned to increase the New York's corporate rate from 7.25% to 11.5%. Democratic New York Governor Kathy Hochul would have to approve any tax increases proposed by Mamdani. Advertisement Advertisement A spokesperson for Hochul did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The governor, who presented her budget last month, has reiterated her opposition to any tax hikes in the state. "Were able to make transformative investments in our future. Without raising taxes. Without saddling the next generation with mounds of debt," Hochul said last month. (Reporting by Jasper Ward in Washington; Additional reporting by Maria Tsvetkova in New York; Editing by Caitlin Webber) UNION SQUARE, Manhattan (PIX11) A man was arrested for allegedly stabbing a straphanger in the Union Square subway station last year, police said. Christopher Betancourt, 25, was apprehended on Tuesday and charged with assault in connection with the incident on Dec. 10. 2025, according to the NYPD. More Local News The 45-year-old victim was stabbed multiple times in the back with a knife after getting off a northbound L train at the Union Square-14th Street subway station at around 9:50 a.m., police said. He was taken to the hospital for treatment Advertisement Advertisement Betancourt then allegedly fled on a southbound L train. His arraignment was pending on Wednesday. Mira Wassef is a digital reporter who has covered news and sports in the NYC area for more than a decade. She joined PIX11 News in 2022. See more of her work here. Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Austin police have charged a man in connection to the death of an elderly man who died four days after being left beaten, bloody and unconscious in front of an East Austin apartment. Police say 38-year-old Raymond Ware assaulted Robert Garcia the evening of Jan. 31 and left the elderly man injured on the ground in front of an apartment at 1054 Springdale Road. Ware, who lived nearby, refused to leave his apartment until the Austin police SWAT team arrived and took him into custody, police said in a statement. Ware also tried to escape custody at the main police station, authorities said. He was charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, but those charges have since been increased to murder after Garcia died on Feb. 4. Advertisement Advertisement According to Travis County court records, Ware was also charged on Jan. 20 with first-degree manufacture or delivery of a controlled substance of a "penalty group one" drug weighing between 4 grams and 200 grams. According to Texas law, that penalty group includes high-addiction-risk drugs that have no medicinal use, like cocaine, heroin, methamphetamines, ketamine or Fentanyl. He was also charged with evading arrest the same day. Court documents show Ware was previously sentenced to two years in state prison for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon in connection with a March 2023 incident. He also has previous convictions of assault, family violence, manufacturing or delivering cocaine, evading arrest, attempted burglary and drug possession in Travis County. To see our latest updates on the Nancy Guthrie case, please click here. The FBI has announced that it is conducting an "extensive" new search for Savannah Guthrie's missing mother, Nancy Guthrie, in the area surrounding her Arizona homeone day after authorities released a video of a masked, armed intruder outside the front door of the property. "This morning, numerous FBI agents are conducting an extensive search along multiple roadways in the Catalina Foothills area related to the Nancy Guthrie investigation," a statement posted by the agency read. Advertisement Advertisement Anyone in the area is asked to "remain especially cautious when passing law enforcement personnel near the roadways." The Pima County Sheriff's Department noted that it has received close to 18,000 calls about Nancy's case in the last few days, noting that "several hundred detectives and agents" have been assigned to assist with the ongoing investigation. "You will continue to see increased law enforcement activity throughout Pima County as the investigation expands," a spokesperson noted. This comes shortly after entertainment outlet TMZ claimed that it had received a "bizarre letter" pertaining to the abduction of 84-year-old Nancy, alleging that the message was sent by a person who claimed to have knowledge of the person or persons responsible for kidnapping the mother of three from her home. Advertisement Advertisement TMZ's founder, Harvey Levin, spoke to Fox News about the unverified notewhich was sent days after the outlet received another unverified message, this time demanding millions of dollars in Bitcoin be sent to secure Nancy's safe return. Anyone with any information about Nancy Guthrie's case should call 1-800-CALL-FBI, 520-351-4900, 88-CRIME, or visit https://tips.fbi.gov/. The FBI has announced that it is conducting an "extensive" new search for Savannah Guthrie's missing mother, Nancy Guthrie, in the area surrounding her Arizona home. (Getty Images) However, Levin stated that the latest messagewhich has been passed on directly to the FBIwas not sent by someone claiming to have been involved in Nancy's disappearance, but rather by someone claiming to know the identity of the person or persons who took her. He alleged that the person who sent the note said that they would give information about the alleged kidnappers in return for one Bitcoin, which is currently worth about $67,000, according to Crypto.com. Advertisement Advertisement "They are not saying they are the kidnappers. They are saying they know who the kidnapper is and will give that information up for one Bitcoin," Levin said. "They said they want one Bitcoin sent to a Bitcoin address that we have confirmed is active, a real address. And as they put it, time is more than relevant.'" Levin's claims come hours after a man who was detained for questioning in the ongoing investigation into the disappearance spoke out to insist he had "never" heard of heror her "Today" show host daughteruntil he was taken into custody. Delivery driver Carlos Palazuelos identified himself as the person who was questioned by officials on Tuesday night, speaking to reporters outside of his home in Rio Rico, AZ, which is located about an hour north of Nancy's Tucson area property. Advertisement Advertisement Speaking to Telemundo, Palazuelos said that agents had arrived at his home with a warrant to search the property, having taken him in for questioning, claiming that authorities "held [him] against [his] will." "They held me against my will," the 36-year-old stated. "They didn't even read me my rights until two hours later." Recalling what ran through his head during the questioning, Palazuelos said he thought: "What the f--k am I doing here? I didnt do anything, to be honest, Im innocent." The delivery worker said that agents told him he resembled a person seen in security camera footage that was retrieved from a Nest device that was taken from Nancy's home on the night of her abduction. Advertisement Advertisement "Until right now, all I know is that they showed my in-law a picture of somebody wearing a mask, or something, and they supposedly looked like my eyes," he added to Fox News. While Palazuelos works as a delivery driver, he said he does not know whether he has ever delivered anything to Nancy's house. This comes hours after a delivery driver who was detained for questioning in the Nancy Guthrie case spoke out. (CBS News) Delivery driver Carlos Palazuelos said authorities told him he looked like the person seen in video footage retrieved from Nancy's Nest security camera. (Pima County Sheriffs Department) The FBI released the footage of the alleged perpetrator on Tuesday. (Pima County Sheriffs Department) The Pima County Sheriff's Department confirmed on Tuesday night that a search of a property in Rio Rico had been conducted and concluded, noting that the investigation into Nancy's disappearance is still ongoing. Palazuelos' detainment came just hours after the FBI released video footage and photos of a masked, armed intruder outside of Nancy's home on the night she was abducted. It marked the first time since Nancy was reported missing on Feb. 1 that any image of video of a suspect has been released. Advertisement Advertisement Footage, along with four screenshots, taken from a Nest camera that was removed from Nancy's doorway were released to the public, more than a week after the mother of three was abducted from the property. Two videos, taken back to back, show an armed person wearing a knitted balaclava or ski mask, a backpack, and large leather gloves approaching the front door of Nancy's home, before raising a fist to the camera in an apparent attempt to block the lens. The person is seen wearing what appears to be a gun in a holster around their waist, and it appears as though they have a flashlight in their mouth. Only their eyes and mouth are visible throughout the entirety of the footage. They then turn away from the camera and bend over, before ripping up a handful of greenery from a planter bed in front of the porch. The person returns to the camera and holds the leaves over the lens. At this point, the footage ends. Advertisement Advertisement Soon after the footage was released, the FBI launched a webpage dedicated to Nancy's case, which features details about the ongoing investigation, clips from the videos, and information about her health. "She is considered to be a vulnerable adult who has difficulty walking, has a pacemaker, and needs daily medication for a heart condition," the page notes. Of the video footage and images, the webpage states: "The images above show an armed individual appearing to have tampered with the camera at Nancy Guthrie's front door the morning of her disappearance. The FBI seeks information that will lead to the identity of this individual." The video and images were originally shared by the the Pima County Sheriff's Department and FBI Director Kash Patel, who posted the visuals on his X account. Advertisement Advertisement A third clip taken moments before the other two shows the person making their initial approach to the front door, bowing their head down in an apparent attempt to hide their masked face. Nancy was reported missing by her family on Feb. 1 after she failed to turn up at a friend's house, where she had been due to watch a livestreamed church service. (savannahguthrie/Instagram) Savannah is currently in Tucson, having pulled out of the Winter Olympics in Milan to travel to Arizona. (savannahguthrie/Instagram) No specific timeframe been shared, although officials previously revealed that Nancy's security camera had been disconnected at around 1:47 a.m. local time on Feb. 1. During an appearance on Sean Hannity's Fox News show on Tuesday night, FBI Director Patel said that he believes authorities have made "substantial progress" in their investigation, noting that they were looking at several "persons of interest" in the case. "Without polluting the investigation, I will say we have made substantial progress in these last 36 to 48 hours, thanks to the technical capabilities of the FBI and our partnerships, and I do believe we are looking at people who, as we say, are persons of interest," he said. Advertisement Advertisement "As you know, with any investigation, you're a person of interest until you're either eliminated or you're actually found to be the culprit or the culprits involved, and that's the stage we're at right now." White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed soon after the footage was released that it had been reviewed by President Donald Trump, saying: "The president encourages any American across the country with any knowledge of the suspect to please call the FBI, who continue to assist state and local authorities who are leading this investigation on the ground. "The prayers of this entire White House are with Savannah and her family at this time. We hope that this person is found soon and that her mother is brought home safely." The White House's official X account also reshared the image post from Patel. Savannah also quickly reposted the images taken from the videos on her Instagram account, along with the caption: "We believe she is still alive. Bring her home." She added a second post featuring the footage of the suspect, writing: "Someone out there recognizes this person." According to NBC, Savannah and her family reviewed the footage and images before they were released to the publica decision that was taken after Nancy's relatives and authorities failed to spot anything recognizable in the visuals. The outlet also reported that Patel visited the Tucson "command center" where the Guthrie case is being managed on Monday during an unrelated trip to Arizona. "Patel had separate travel on another subject that had been on his schedule for some time. While in the area, the director spent time with the team working the case," NBC reported. The footage of the alleged suspect appears to show the person wearing a gun in a holster around their waist. (Pima County Sheriffs Department) The suspect attempted to cover the camera lens with their fist. (Pima County Sheriffs Department) Why did it take so long for footage of a suspect in the Nancy Guthrie case to be released? Authorities had previously stated that they were unable to retrieve any footage from the Nest camera that was taken from the doorway of Nancy's property because she did not have a subscription that enables archival video to be stored. However, the Pima County Sheriff's Department revealed in a statement issued on Tuesday that the video was ultimately "recovered from residual data located in backend systems." "Over the last eight days, the FBI and Pima County Sheriff's Department have been working closely with our private sector partners to continue to recover any images or video footage from Nancy Guthries home that may have been lost, corrupted, or inaccessible due to a variety of factors, including the removal of recording devices," the statement read. "The video was recovered from residual data located in backend systems. Working with our partnersas of this morninglaw enforcement has uncovered these previously inaccessible new images showing an armed individual appearing to have tampered with the camera at Nancy Guthrie's front door the morning of her disappearance." Authorities further stated that they have no other information to share about the suspect at this time, nor are any additional press briefings planned. Nancy was living at the same home where she raised Savannah, who spent much of her early years in Arizona, having been born in Australia. (savannahguthrie/Instagram) What is the full timeline of Nancy Guthrie's disappearance? Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos noted during a media briefing on Feb. 5 that, while times are approximate, his team has pieced together several pieces of evidence that indicate Nancy's movementsand the timeline of her apparent abduction. Nancy, 84, was reported missing at around 12 p.m. local time on Feb. 1, around 14 hours after she was dropped off at the property following a family dinner. When she failed to turn up at her usual church gathering on Sunday, her friends alerted her family, who found her home was empty. SATURDAY, JAN. 31 5:32 p.m. Nancy travels to Annie's house in an Uber for "dinner and playing games with the family." 9:48 p.m. A garage door at Nancy's house opens when she was dropped off at the property by her daughter. 9:50 p.m. The garage door closes, indicating that Nancy was inside the home. SUNDAY, FEB. 1 1:47 a.m. Nancy's doorbell security camera is disconnected. 2:12 a.m. Movement is detected on a security camera at the home. No footage of this is currently available. 2:28 a.m. Nancy's pacemaker app indicates that the device has been disconnected from her phone. 11:00 a.m. Nancy fails to arrive at the home of a friend, where she had been due to watch a church service livestream. 11:56 a.m. Nancy's family travels to her home to check on her and finds the property empty. 12:03 p.m. The family calls 911 to report Nancy missing. 12:14 p.m. Police officers arrive at Nancy's home. While no footage is available from the cameras, Nanos noted that the security camera alerts lead them to believe that a person or persons may have been inside Nancy's home between 2:12 a.m., when movement was detected, and 2:28 a.m., when her pacemaker stopped syncing with her Apple devices. A man was found dead in El Sereno on Tuesday night after police responded to a report of shots fired at the scene of a car crash, authorities said. Officers responded at 10:48 p.m. to the crash site near the intersection of Navarro Street and Pueblo Avenue, the Los Angeles Police Department said. According to an LAPD spokesperson, two males were involved in the crash, one of whom was pronounced dead at the scene. Advertisement Advertisement The police spokesperson said one of the individuals was armed with a weapon, and the deceased victim possibly sustained a self-inflicted wound to the head. No other injuries were reported. According to the LAPD, the incident was not being investigated as a homicide. The identity of the deceased person was not immediately released. The crash and the possible shooting remained under investigaiton. PORTSMOUTH Police said a man was hospitalized Feb. 11 after an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound on the property of the condemned Antiquarian Bookstore, where the store's owner has been at the center of an eviction dispute with the city. The man, whose identity was not immediately released, was found unresponsive in the parking lot of the closed-down business by responding city police and fire crews. He was initially transported to Portsmouth Regional Hospital but has since been flown to a Boston area hospital due to the extent of his injuries, police said in a late-afternoon update. A passerby in a car called police at 12:22 p.m. to report seeing a bleeding man lying on the ground on the property, according to Deputy Police Chief Michael Maloney. Portsmouth police investigate at the site of the condemned Antiquarian Bookstore at 1070 Lafayette Road after a medical aid call Feb. 11, 2026. Crime scene tape was posted around the 1070 Lafayette Road property as city authorities investigated the scene. Advertisement Advertisement Police did not disclose the man's condition. Lt. Brian Houde stated previously there is no danger to the public associated with the incident. No further information was expected to be released Feb. 11, according to Maloney. Portsmouth police and firefighters respond at the site of the condemned Antiquarian Bookstore at 1070 Lafayette Road after a medical aid call Feb. 11, 2026. Portsmouth Fire Chief Bill McQuillen deferred comment to city police. Portsmouth police are continuing to probe the incident. Members of the public are asked to contact Det. Capt. David Keaveny (603) 610-7511 with information pertaining to the incident. Bookstore owner recently dropped long dispute with city, property owner Portsmouth police investigate at the site of the the condemned Antiquarian Bookstore at 1070 Lafayette Road after a medical aid call Feb. 11, 2026. An officer looks at one of the only vehicles on the lot that was cleared of snow. Walter Wakefield is the longtime owner of the now-defunct bookstore. Wakefield recently dropped his eviction appeal after the case reached the New Hampshire Supreme Court. Advertisement Advertisement Im in all this trouble now and waiting to be disposed of by the city," Wakefield recently told Seacoastonline, noting he is 80 years old. Wakefield is known to spend much of his time on the property in one of 21 book-filled cars. More: Portsmouth store owner ends fight; awaits fate of 21 book-filled cars A Portsmouth firefighter waits to direct an ambulance onto Lafayette Road from the site of the condemned Antiquarian Bookstore Feb. 11, 2026. Portsmouth District Court Judge John Pendleton ordered Wakefield, along with his vehicles filled with books, to vacate the property in a summer 2025 eviction order. Over $3 million in fines from the city have accrued since summer 2024 due to the vehicles not being taken off the property, though city attorneys have stated they would waive the penalties upon their removal. An attempt to contact Wakefield after the incident was unsuccessful. Advertisement Advertisement The building was constructed in 1973, according to the city property records. If you need help The National Alliance on Mental Illness - New Hampshire offers the following resources to those in distress: 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline Call or text 988 for 24/7, free and confidential support for people in distress, prevention and crisis resources for you or your loved ones, and best practices for professionals. (Chat option is also available at 988lifeline.org.) NH Rapid Response Access Point Call/Text 1-833-710-6477 If you or someone you care about is experiencing a mental health and/or substance use crisis, you can call and speak to trained and caring clinical staff. Youll be served by compassionate providers from mental health centers in your community who can help you access vital resources in an emergency. This story may be updated. This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Man shoots self at condemned Portsmouth bookstore, flown to Boston More than half of working-age adults get their health insurance through an employer, but in many states premium contributions and deductibles take a significant bite out of household incomes. A new analysis from the Commonwealth Fund, a research nonprofit focused on health care, found that in 2024, premium contributions and deductibles for family plans totaled 10% or more of the median household income in 19 states. The calculation did not include copayments. The share of the median household income spent on premium contributions and deductibles for family coverage ranged from a low of 5.7% in the District of Columbia to a high of 15.6% in Louisiana. The states with the highest percentages were concentrated in the South Florida, Mississippi and North Carolina, all at 13.7%, were the only other states that topped 13%. Advertisement Advertisement The federal affordability standard for health care costs in 2024 was 8.4% for employer-sponsored health plans. Southern workers face some of the highest cost burdens because wages in the region are lower, so families spend a bigger share of their pay on employer coverage, said Kristen Kolb, lead author of the report and a research associate at Commonwealth Fund, in a statement to Stateline. This leaves workers and their families with less room in their budgets for other necessities and can increase the risk that people delay or skip needed care. About 167 million working-age adults under 65 in the United States get their health insurance through an employer or a family members employer. Employers typically pay about 70% of the cost of insurance premiums for family coverage. Employees kick in the rest, and shoulder other costs including deductibles and copays. The median household income in the United States in 2024 was $83,730. The lowest median income was in Mississippi ($55,980) while the highest was in Massachusetts ($113,900). Advertisement Advertisement Employees contributed an average of $7,216 a year for family coverage in 2024, out of an average total cost of $24,540, according to the report. Health care insurance costs vary regionally, though, as well as by industry and size of the employer. Premiums and deductibles for many American workers can drain household budgets and increase the risk that people will delay care or take on medical debt, said Sara Collins, a senior scholar for health care coverage and access at the Commonwealth Fund, in a statement. For single coverage, deductibles took 5% or more of median individual income in 26 states in 2024, mostly in the Southeast and Midwest. Health care costs in the United States continue to skyrocket. In 2025 they were 6% higher than in 2024 and are expected to continue growing. Advertisement Advertisement Congress, employers, insurers and health care providers all can play a role in lowering costs and making care more affordable, so families across the income spectrum can get the care they need, Collins said. Meanwhile, some folks are getting less help paying for insurance. People who enroll in health insurance through the Affordable Care Act marketplaces can no longer access enhanced tax credits after those expired at the end of last year. Stateline reporter Anna Claire Vollers can be reached at avollers@stateline.org. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE BRUSSELS, Feb 11 (Reuters) - The European Commission has imposed additional duties on imported electric vehicles made in China since 2024, though under European Union rules carmakers can now negotiate tariff exemptions for individual electric models imported from China. In February 2026 the Commission approved, in a first such move, a request by Volkswagen's Cupra brand to free its Tavascan SUV coupe, which is made in China, from import tariffs in exchange for a minimum price and annual quota model. More from Yahoo Scout Can other companies negotiate tariff exemptions like Volkswagen did? Can other carmakers negotiate similar tariff exemptions? What are the current EU tariff rates on Chinese EVs? How did Volkswagen's Cupra avoid Chinese EV import tariffs? Chinese automakers are now looking at applying for similar deals for EV models they want to ship to Europe, according to the China Chamber of Commerce to the EU. The EU had previously cut the proposed final tariffs on China-made Tesla cars and slightly trimmed rates for other carmakers, after taking into account submissions by the companies in its anti-subsidy investigation. The following tariffs are on top of the EU's standard 10% import duty for cars. Includes/Additional Company Notes* Definitive countervailing duty BYD Group BYD Auto 17% BYD Auto Industry Changsha BYD Auto Changsha Xingchao Auto Changzhou BYD Auto Fuzhou BYD Industrial Hefei BYD Auto Jinan BYD Auto Geely Group Asia Euro Automobile Manufacture 18.8% (Taizhou) Chongqing Lifan Passenger Vehicle Fengsheng Automobile (Jiangsu) Shanxi New Energy Automobile Industry Zhejiang Geely Automobile Zhejiang Haoqing Automobile Manufacturing Zhongjia Automobile Manufacturing (Chengdu) SAIC Group SAIC MAXUS Automotive 35.3% SAIC Motor Corporation Nanjing Automobile (Group) Corporation SAIC Volkswagen Automotive SAIC GM Wuling Automobile SAIC General Motors Tesla * The EU sets an individually 7.8% (Shanghai) calculated duty rate for Tesla Co Ltd after a request from the U.S. EV maker. It had earlier been designated as a cooperating company. Other - Aiways Automobile 20.7% Co-operating Anhui Jianghuai Automobile Companies Group BMW Brilliance Automotive Chery Automobile China FAW Corp Chongqing Changan Automobile Dongfeng Motor Group Great Wall Motor Leapmotor Automobile Nanjing Golden Dragon Bus NIO Holding XPeng Inc Volkswagen *The European Commission 0% Cupra approved a request by Tavascan SUV Volkswagen's Cupra brand to free coupe its Tavascan SUV coupe, which is made in China, from import tariffs in exchange for a minimum price and import quota. All Other 35.3% Companies (Reporting by Philip Blenkinsop in Brussels; Writing by Adam Jourdan, Editing by William Maclean) Sen. Kevin Harris is not sure his bill allowing investor-owned utilities to get back in the business of generating power and using ratepayer dollars to do so is the answer to high energy prices and constrained demand in the state. But the Prince Georges County Democrat is sure that something needs to be done. We need to have all possible options out there for the state of Maryland. Who knows if this is the right one, but we wont know until we actually do the deep dive, have the discussions and figure out whats best for our constituents, said Harris of Senate Bill 954 that he is sponsoring. Advertisement Advertisement The bill, which lays out a pathway for investor-owned electric utilities to use ratepayer dollars to build power generation infrastructure in Maryland, has the support of Exelon the owner of Baltimore Gas & Electric, Delmarva Power and Pepco. The Chicago-based utility has been campaigning hard for the idea, including in TV commercials that aired in Maryland during the Super Bowl. But consumer advocates and environmental groups argue that putting additional costs on the backs of customers would be deeply harmful amid already-high costs. They warn that high infrastructure spending by utilities is part of the reason for the current high rates, and allowing further construction would make matters worse. Maryland Peoples Counsel David Lapp, who is tasked with representing utility ratepayers in the state, said in a statement that he believes the Exelon bill is anything but affordable. Turning new business over to Exelon unnecessarily exposes customers to the Exelon utilities long record of exceeding cost projections and of cost overruns, Lapp said. The Exelon Building in Baltimores Harbor Point. Exelon is pressing for approval to build and operate power generation in the state, which would upend decades of utility regulation. (Photo by Christine Condon/Maryland Matters) In Maryland, the utilities, which control the distribution of power to homes and businesses across the state, are separate from the companies that generate power and supply it to the grid. Advertisement Advertisement The utilities enjoy monopolies in their service territories and are regulated by the Public Service Commission, which presides over the costs they can pass on to customers. Utilities receive reimbursement of approved infrastructure costs, and a guaranteed profit on top of that, often 9% or higher. Current law technically states that the PSC may require or allow investor-owned electric company to construct, acquire, or lease, and operate, its own generating facilities subject to appropriate cost recovery. Harris bill is considerably more specific. The bill directs the PSC to require one or more electric companies to submit plans involving power generation, if it determines that there is a power scarcity, or that an event impacting price stability has occurred. The commission then has one year to approve or deny the plans. Advertisement Advertisement Harris said that his bill, called the Affordable Energy Act, would only allow the utilities to build renewable energy projects, but not fossil fuel projects. Valencia McClure, senior vice president of government, regulatory and external affairs for Exelons Maryland utilities, said her company wants to focus on operating community solar farms and battery storage infrastructure, not natural gas generation. She noted that power customers who subscribe to community solar farms receive rebates on their bills. We really are focusing on: How can we support our customers during this affordability crisis? McClure said. The way to do that is to if called upon by the state to be able to build new generation. But Lapp said Maryland consumers should not be paying for any increased power generation in the state through their rates, since much of the predicted strain on the regional grid isnt actually coming from Maryland. Its largely coming from data centers projected for other states, he said. PJM projects that the Maryland Exelon utilities power demands decrease not increase through 2029. Lapp wrote. Aside from some relatively small data center growth in Maryland compared to PJM growth that existing customers should not be responsible for the Exelon utilities energy demands only go up modestly starting in 2030, at a growth rate much lower than historical growth rates. Advertisement Advertisement Harris bill explicitly states that the electric utilities required or authorized to construct power facilities can recover all of their costs from ratepayers even if some of those costs are stranded, including if the infrastructure is never built. Thats one of the things that we would be discussing further and see what is actually needed and what is not needed, Harris said. Lapp argues that the provision is alarming. It would give utilities unprecedented statutory protection from the consequences of building power plants that turn out to be unnecessary a real possibility given the vast evidence suggesting that projections of data center energy demands are inflated, Lapp wrote. Advertisement Advertisement In a statement, BGE spokesperson Nick Alexopulos said the company supports the measure to make sure a large generation project doesnt jeopardize the utilitys health or lead to higher debt costs overall, which would adversely impact customers. Its unclear whether the bill will be able to advance: Senate President Bill Ferguson said Tuesday that there is a level of skepticism that exists across the caucus, and across the Senate membership about whether it will reduce ratepayer costs. Thats going to be the lens that we are really trying to hone in on, is whether or not a policy is going to provide long-term savings for the ratepayer, Ferguson said. McClure said Exelon estimates that average customer bills would increase about $2 per month for a few years, but those would turn to savings of $5 to $10 a month in the future. The companys analysis was based on construction of 2,700 megawatts of battery storage and 1,200 megawatts of solar. Advertisement Advertisement Ferguson said that he would prefer that that the risk of investment land with investors. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE But there is a question that if there is a strike price or point where the market is not generating sufficient domestic generation, whether that has to be some other market intervention to push it, Ferguson said. Last year, lawmakers passed the Next Generation Energy Act, which included a fast-track permitting process for dispatchable energy projects, which can provide energy for the grid when called upon during peak times. Only two projects have been approved to move through the fast-track, under the legislations requirements: Two different concepts for a natural gas plant in Harford County, submitted by Constellation. Advertisement Advertisement Constellation, formerly an Exelon subsidiary, also proposed a battery storage project, but it did not meet requirements of the fast-track bill, even though it created a procurement specifically for battery storage. Constellation has been opposed to Exelons push to enter the generation game, arguing that it would crowd out competitive power producers, and that Exelon is ill-suited to enter the generation fray. BGE doesnt need new law to build new generation, said Constellation spokesman Paul Adams. BGE wants new law to guarantee a return on any investment, whether or not that investment is in the best interests of Maryland ratepayers or at the lowest cost. Unlike them, Constellation is ready and willing to put our own capital on the line, with no guarantee of profit. It seems only reasonable that if you arent willing to take on any risk, you should take no profit. The Maryland State Senate passed a state voting rights law on Tuesday aimed at preventing minority voter suppression and dilution in local and county elections. The bill is now sent to the Maryland House of Delegates, which will also consider its own version of the bill. The vote passed 30-15, with all Republicans voting against the bill and all but two Democrats voting to support it. Sen. Shaneka Henson of Anne Arundel County and Sen. Mary-Dulany James of Harford County were the two Democrats who voted against the bill. Henson, one of the Democrats who voted against the bill Tuesday, asked during a floor debate last week if jurisdictions could still create minority-majority districts to allow for local representation under this legislation, in which Sydnor said yes. As of now, eight states have their own voting rights law California, Washington, Oregon, Virginia, New York, Connecticut, Minnesota, and Colorado. The state Senate passed a version of the bill last year, but the bill died in a House committee. Advertisement Advertisement The measure would prohibit a municipality or county from attempting to block a protected class from electing their candidate of choice or influencing a local election by diluting the groups vote. Under the Senate bill, a protected class is a group of voters who are members of a race, color, or language minority group, or a class of two or more of those groups. The Maryland attorney general, or others, could ask a court for damages or other relief under the policy. The House version of the bill will be heard by the House Government, Labor, and Elections Committee on Wednesday. Senate bill sponsor Sen. Charles Sydnor, a Baltimore County Democrat, said the House ran out of time last session to pass the bill, but is more confident this year, given the several sponsors for the House version and that the bill is a priority of the Legislative Black Caucus. Sydnor said the legislation is a response to several local instances of vote packing, including the district lines drawn by the Baltimore County Council, which was criticized for packing racial minority groups into districts. Sydnor said he was concerned that the state would have to wait for the federal government to help address the issue and that the state had limited ways to protect residents from vote packing. Advertisement Advertisement If youre taking that larger majority of a community and putting them into one district, some people will look at and say well, hey, youre able to elect a Black person, but when you have such a large percentage that you really dont need, youre diminishing the power in some of those other communities that could use the influence, Sydnor said. It may not be a majority, but there will be an influential power or voice to be listened to in those other districts. Thats how it harms. The bill is also meant as a response to what Sydnor and Joanne Antoine, the executive director of Common Cause Maryland, said are concerns about the gutting and diminishing of the federal Voting Rights Act. The state and congressional districts, Antoine said, already have specific standards they use for determining districts and adhere to the federal voting law. The county and municipal levels, she said, are where the problems truly exist. Antoine added that another county in question is St. Marys County, which uses at-large voting for all county positions allowing residents to vote in all council districts, not just the districts where they live. Advertisement Advertisement The Maryland Municipal League submitted testimony against Sydnors bill, arguing that it undermines local control, and could open up municipalities to costly lawsuits. In a floor debate on Feb. 3, Sen. Chris West, a Republican from Carroll and Baltimore counties, asked Sydnor if the bill would require local jurisdictions to draw lines that stretch out to include enough minorities in a district. Youre telling me that this bill does not require counties or municipalities to create amoeba-like districts in order to comply with the requirements of the bill, and to create a district with enough minorities in it to elect a minority representative to the county commissioners or the city council? West said. In response, Sydnor said that the bill does not require municipalities to redraw current lines, but if questioned in court, a redraw of the lines could be a possible legal remedy. ________ Auditor Diana DiZoglio sued top legislative leaders Tuesday, asking the Supreme Judicial Court to force compliance with the 2024 voter law authorizing audits of the Legislature. That lawsuit, filed by DiZoglio with her offices general counsel, Michael Leung-Tat, represents the first direct court action by the auditor to enforce Question 1. The law was approved by 72% of voters and granted her the authority to audit the Legislature, where DiZoglio previously served as a state representative and senator. In the more than a year since the law took effect, legislative leaders have continued to refuse to turn over any documents, and DiZoglio hopes to force a constitutional clash before the states highest court. Advertisement Advertisement In a verified complaint dated Tuesday, DiZoglio writes that she seeks to enforce provisions of the state law enacted over one year ago with the support of more than 72% of Massachusetts voters requiring her office to audit the General Court of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The complaint names House Speaker Ronald Mariano, Senate President Karen Spilka, House Clerk Timothy Carroll and Senate Clerk Michael Hurley as defendants. The filing marks an escalation in a long dispute. The Legislature first blocked a proposed audit in 2023, arguing that existing law did not permit the auditor to examine the legislative branch. Voters amended the audit statute to state that the auditor shall audit the general court itself and may require the production of books, documents, vouchers and other records relating to any matter within the scope of an audit. According to the complaint, DiZoglio moved quickly after the law took effect. On Jan. 3, 2025, she notified Mariano and Spilka that her office would conduct a performance audit of the House, Senate and joint legislative committees. Three days later, the Office of the State Auditor requested budgets, audits, balance forward transactions and records of settlement agreements for fiscal years 2021 through 2024. Defendants have refused to produce any documents, the complaint states. Advertisement Advertisement The auditor says she sought to audit contracting and procurement procedures, the use of taxpayer-funded nondisclosure agreements, and its balance forward line item, describing those areas as high risk. The lawsuit alleges that neither chamber responded substantively to the document requests, with the Senate instead directing auditors to public websites that did not contain the requested information. The filing also details months of back-and-forth between the auditor and the Attorney Generals Office, which traditionally represents state agencies in litigation. DiZoglio says she repeatedly asked Attorney General Andrea Campbell to bring suit on her behalf to compel compliance, beginning on Jan. 9, 2025. The OSA repeatedly sought the help of the AGO in enforcing the Document Requests, the complaint states. It alleges that the attorney generals office declined to do so, instead posing questions that had already been answered and raising hypothetical concerns about future audits. The complaint accuses the attorney generals office of effectively obstruct[ing] the OSAs efforts to enforce the Document Requests through litigation and concludes that by declining to represent the auditor or appoint a special assistant attorney general, the office has acted arbitrarily and capriciously, or scandalously. Advertisement Advertisement Campbell has consistently rejected that characterization, maintaining that her office has not received sufficient information from the auditor about the scope of the proposed audit and the legal claims involved to proceed with litigation. Last week, Campbell told the News Service, Weve not had any issue on any ballot question enforcement or any state agency or constitutional office. The only one weve had issues with was the auditor, and I think thats telling in many ways. The relief DiZoglio is seeking from the SJC is straightforward but consequential: an order compelling the House and Senate to produce the requested documents and permission for the auditor to appoint special assistant attorneys general of her choosing to pursue the matter. The lawsuit lands as the dispute has widened beyond the Legislature. In recent months, courts have cited a 2023 attorney general opinion to decline participation in certain audits sought by the auditors office, prompting DiZoglio to warn publicly of a broader retreat from transparency tied to the legislative impasse. Advertisement Advertisement Legislative leaders, for their part, have continued to argue that a legislative audit by the state auditor would violate separation of powers principles, despite the voter-approved statutory change. They have pointed to annual audits conducted by private firms and have accused DiZoglio of pursuing a political audit. Republican U.S. Senate candidate John Deaton on Monday sought to force legislative compliance with Question 1 through a separate legal theory. Deaton, an attorney, filed suit with the Supreme Judicial Court alongside a group of taxable inhabitant plaintiffs, arguing that the Legislatures refusal to submit to an audit amounts to unlawful spending of public funds. Deaton paired the lawsuit with a call for what he dubbed a Democratic Accountability & Transparency (DAT) Squeeze, urging federal officials to freeze certain discretionary federal grants to Massachusetts until the audit dispute is resolved. In a statement announcing the suit, Deaton said the audit is necessary to ensure taxpayer dollars actually reach the people who need them most. In a lengthy post on X, Deaton said he had written to federal agencies including the Office of Management and Budget and the U.S. Department of Transportation seeking a pause on non-essential, non-emergency discretionary Federal funding, while carving out protections for programs like SNAP, Medicaid and emergency services. Advertisement Advertisement The Deaton lawsuit adds another layer to a conflict that has already pitted constitutional officers against one another and drawn in outside political actors. Unlike DiZoglios case, which is rooted directly in the amended audit statute and seeks enforcement through the SJC, Deatons suit blends state-law claims with pressure aimed at the federal level. Our office has released over 150 pages of communications between our office and the attorney generals that demonstrate how many times weve repeatedly answered the same questions over and over again. While the AG continues to allege that we have not, said Dizoglio. Massachusetts legislature is among the least transparent legislative bodies in America, were the only state in the country that the legislature, the governor, the judiciary are exempt from public records law. Everyone that follows the Massachusetts legislature knows for a fact that Massachusetts, if not the worst state it is probably the second worst state for transparency. They are going to try and do everything they can to hide. We see this playing right now with the audit law, said Executive Director at the Massachusetts Fiscal Alliance Paul Craney. Everyday taxpayers are concerned about how their money is being spent, we have record budgets, we have record spending, we have calls for higher taxes, but we really dont have a lot of accountability at the statehouse, but this audit law would allow for a glimmer of sunlight into that statehouse to disinfect whats going on. Advertisement Advertisement The Auditor does not have the authority to file this lawsuit. This is another ploy to sidestep the required approval of my office and will bring her no closer to auditing the Legislature. This filing is not about enforcing the law. In order to enforce the law, she would answer my offices straightforward questions, including how privileges given to the Legislature in our state constitution nearly 250 years ago impact her authority to audit the Legislature. As I have explained on many occasions, any court asked to resolve these issues will require the Auditor to answer that question, said Attorney General Andrea Campbell in a statement. The Auditor has suggested that I am reluctant to enforce ballot initiatives, which is inaccurate. Just this week, my office was in a federal appellate court defending the Right to Repair ballot initiative that voters overwhelmingly passed in 2020, and we defended the Cage-Free Animals ballot question all the way to the Supreme Court. I stand ready to enforce Question 1 as well, but I cannot do that if the Auditor continues to not answer our questions. The Senate has tried to work with the Auditor and her office to understand what she is seeking to audit beyond the independent, professional audits that the Senate already undergoes each year. Since January 2025, the Senate subcommittee has attempted to engage with her directly, and invited her to testify before the subcommittee, which she declined, said Cindy F. Friedman, Chair of the Senate Subcommittee in a statement. To date, the information the Auditor has provided the Senate regarding what she is seeking has been vague at best, much like the questions she has left unanswered when asked for specific information regarding the scope of the audit by the Attorney General. Given that, and that an independent, professional audit is done annually, we must assume that the Auditors intentions are purely political. My colleagues and I each swore an oath to uphold the Commonwealths Constitution when we took office. We have an obligation to honor those principles, including the separation of powers laid out in that document. At a time when constitutional norms are being challenged nationally, we cannot allow them to be undermined here in Massachusetts. Advertisement Advertisement Sam Drysdale is a reporter for State House News Service and State Affairs Pro Massachusetts. 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 Brief Five adults were killed, including the gunman, during a mass shooting early Saturday morning in a neighborhood near Plainview. Authorities identified 33-year-old Saul Villa as the assailant; four victims died at the scene and a fifth died later at a local hospital. The motive and relationship between the individuals remain unknown, though the Texas Department of Public Safety stated there is no ongoing threat to the community. PLAINVIEW, Texas - Troopers with the Texas Department of Public Safety are investigating a mass shooting in a Texas Panhandle neighborhood that left five people dead early Saturday morning, including the suspected gunman. Mass shooting in Texas panhandle What we know The Hale County Sheriffs Office requested assistance from the Texas Rangers at approximately 3:40 a.m. following a shooting in the 2700 block of Upchurch Street in the Seth Ward neighborhood near Plainview, Texas. Plainview is about 45 minutes north of Lubbock and about an hour south of Amarillo. Advertisement Advertisement The Texas Department of Public Safety confirmed four adults died at the scene. They have been identified as: Hector Alonso Sanchez, 28 Tanya Paola Valadez Rangel, 30 Rosalba Saenz Rodriguez, 47 Saul Villa, 33 Authorities identified Villa as the assailant in the shooting. A fifth victim, identified as 21-year-old Reily Joseph Zavala Barrientos, was taken to Covenant Hospital-Plainview, where he later died. While the investigation into the motive and circumstances remains active, the Texas Department of Public Safety stated there is no ongoing threat to the public. No further details regarding the incident have been released. What we know Authorities did not disclose the relationship between the five individuals or a potential motive in the shooting. The Source Information in this article is from the Texas Department of Public Safety. SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) The owner of a Berkshire County construction company has pleaded guilty in connection with a multi-year income tax fraud scheme. Massachusetts audit reveals over $11 million in public assistance fraud Charging documents allege that 76-year-old Dennis Condron of Cheshire, owner of D Condron Construction in Lanesborough, hid over half a million dollars in customer checks by cashing them and diverting them to his accounts across three years, as well as depositing customer payments to his company. Advertisement Advertisement Condron allegedly did not tell his preparer about the checks he was cashing and diverting when he had his taxes prepared, which resulted in his tax returns underreporting the gross receipts of D Condron Construction by hundreds of thousands of dollars. These funds that Condron was meant to have paid in federal and state income taxes were kept by him instead. On Tuesday, Condron pleaded guilty to four counts of tax fraud and is scheduled to be sentenced on May 19th. 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. Download the 22News Plus app on your TV to watch live-streaming newscasts and video on demand. Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. In a rare mid-February bill signing, Gov. Dan McKee cemented the states $18 million guarantee for the sale of Roger Williams Medical Center and Our Lady of Fatima Hospital. The new law authorized in a ceremonial signing in the Governors State Room Wednesday comes 16 days before the deadline for The Centurion Foundation to finalize the purchase of the cash-strapped hospitals. Centurion leaders said the state backstop, drawn from a $55 million supplemental reserve fund, was necessary to assure the private investors who have agreed to finance the bonds for the sale. Facing threat of closure under bankrupt owner Prospect Medical Holdings, lawmakers worked at top speed to vet and pass the legislation, which received unanimous support in both chambers. Their discussion centered not only on the financial details of the state funds, but also the critical role of the hospitals for patients, workers and the community. Advertisement Advertisement The hospitals account for more than 500 hospital beds and 55,000 annual emergency room visits between them, employing more than 2,500 workers and serving over 300,000 patients a year between inpatient, outpatient and emergency services. At the end of the day, our focus is to ensure these safety net hospitals can continue providing high-quality care, McKee said before putting pen to paper. McKee also emphasized repeating twice that the use of taxpayer dollars will only come to fruition if Centurion secures the outside, private financing to seal the deal. Even then, the state backstop might not be necessary. Instead, it offers an emergency bank in case Centurion cant make the annual debt payments on the $87 million bonds. And, Centurion cant come back with its hands out to lawmakers again. Advertisement Advertisement Jeffrey Liebman, CEO for CharterCARE Health Partners, Prospects local subsidiary who will stay on as local leader under Centurion, was among the attendees for the bill signing Wednesday. Liebman did not get one of the four pens McKee handed out after signing the bill. The black and silver A.T. Cross writing instruments went to the legislative sponsors, Rep. Scott Slater, a Providence Democrat, and Senate Finance Chairman Lou DiPalma, a Middletown Democrat; Lynn Blais, president of the United Nurses and Allied Professionals; and Health and Human Services Secretary Richard Charest. McKee realized his oversight almost immediately Ill make sure Jeff gets one, he said. Centurion has not identified the investors backing the bonds, but says it is on track to close by the Feb. 27 deadline. The state is also seeking alternative offers from other eligible buyers, due to the federal bankruptcy court in Texas by Feb. 17. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Holding a collage of photos of his sister, Joaquin Freire detailed how his sister Gloria Marcia Hall was devoted to her two daughters until she was taken from them by a drunk driver almost two decades ago. It was a wound that has never healed and was exacerbated by Leydis Menendez Abdala, 52, eluding justice for years. Instead of facing what you have done, you chose to run, Freire said, staring at Menendez Abdala. For 20 years, you lived as a fugitive instead of taking responsibility for the life that you stole and the family that you shattered. Advertisement Advertisement Menendez Abdala pleaded guilty on Tuesday afternoon to DUI manslaughter and vehicular homicide. As part of a plea deal, Menendez Abdala was sentenced to five years in prison and will receive credit for the more than five months that she has served in jail. If she had gone to trial, she was facing up to 15 years behind bars. During the hearing, prosecutor Laura Adams said five years wasnt enough of a punishment but was a fair resolution considering that evidence from 2006 may no longer be available. Leydis Menendez Abdala, 52, was arrested in Mexico on Friday, Aug. 29, 2025, and extradited to Miami. She was facing a vehicular-homicide charge after a 2006 Hialeah car crash that killed Gloria Hall. She had been on the lam for 19 years. (Miami-Dade Corrections and Rehabilitation) Menendez Abdala was silent during the proceeding. About a dozen of Halls relatives some tearing up packed the courtroom. Advertisement Advertisement Mr. Freire mentioned that theres been a lack of justice for two decades. That ends now, Miami-Dade Circuit Court Judge Carlos Gamez said before formally sentencing Menendez Abdala. On Aug. 12, 2006, Menendez Abdala, whose blood-alcohol level was over twice the legal limit, ran a flashing red light and crashed into Hall, a 40-year-old mother of two and sister of Freire, a Miami Police commander. She was on the lam until last August, when Menendez Abdala was extradited to Miami from Mexico by the U.S. Marshals Service. Menendez Abdalas boyfriend, who worked in the Hialeah Police Department, tipped her off before she could be arrested, prosecutors say. READ MORE: Woman who fled after fatal DUI crash in Hialeah arrested in Mexico 19 years later Appearing via Zoom, Halls ex-husband, Patrick Hall, said his wife was a kind soul who was a doting mother to their daughters, Katherine and Victoria. Advertisement Advertisement She was dedicated to helping others and actively raising her daughters to be good compassionate citizens of the world, he said. Menendez Abdalas plea, Hall said, is a measure of justice for his daughters, who have had to suffer growing up without their mother. Victoria was 14 and Katherine 10 when their mother was killed. Gloria Marcia Hall, 40, and her two daughters. Hall was killed in a Hialeah crash on Aug. 12, 2006. (Miami Police Department) The girls had to navigate many milestones graduations, weddings and having children without having their mothers support and guidance. I would not wish this experience ... on my worst enemy, not even the defendant, Patrick Hall said. Its impossible to calculate the full toll this has taken on our lives, but I know they miss their mother every single day. ... Time has only shown us how much was stolen. Advertisement Advertisement Halls mother, in a letter read in Spanish by her daughter-in-law Ruby Freire, detailed how Menendez Abdala took her daughter away from her and Hall from her two daughters. Nothing in the world is going to return my daughter, the letter said. There is no sufficient punishment, nor words sufficiently strong that will return the life that was taken from us or fill the void that was left in our heart and in our family. Reflecting on Halls life, Freire recalled how she was a protective big sister who watched over him throughout their childhood. Freire said he has always felt like she protected him in her final moments as he drove through the intersection moments after the crash, unaware that his sister was a victim of the wreckage. While lambasting Menendez Abdala for her selfishness, Freire also blasted her family members and her former cop boyfriend who helped her flee to Mexico. Before police could arrest her, her boyfriend tipped her off and she fled to Mexico. Advertisement Advertisement No one else has been charged in relation to the case. Joaquin Freire speaks with reporters after the woman who killed his sister Gloria Marcia Hall was sentenced on Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026. (Grethel Aguila) I hope they [have] to feel the same pain my family has endured for 20 years, Freire told reporters after the sentencing. Instead of doing the right thing, they chose to help her. A fatal DUI crash The crash happened at the intersection of West 68th Street and 16th Avenue in Hialeah. Menendez Abdala, 33 at the time, was driving north in a blue Toyota Solara when she failed to stop, police say. Hall was driving west and had the right of way when Menendez Abdala, who was driving north, slammed into her green Mazda pickup truck around 4:25 a.m. Hall died on the scene. Advertisement Advertisement She had been on her way to church to meet other church members before boarding a bus to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Tampa. Menendez Abdala was airlifted to Jackson Memorial Hospital after the crash. While at the hospital, her blood was drawn after police obtained a search warrant to test her blood-alcohol levels. About a month after the crash, test results showed Menendez Abdalas blood-alcohol level was 0.180 per 100 milliliters twice the legal limit of 0.08. But she had already escaped to Mexico because she had been released from the hospital. It took two decades, but we finally got here, Freire said after the sentencing. We can have closure now that its over. Gloria Hall, pictured, was killed in a car crash on Aug. 12, 2006. The woman accused of causing the crash while under the influence of alcohol , Leydis Menendez Abdala, was taken into custody in 2025 after a nearly 20-year search. (Miami Police Department) Miami Herald Staff Writer Milena Malaver contributed to this report NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) The ice storm caused almost tornado-level damage across parts of Nashville. Now that the storm has passed, Metro leaders are taking steps to help people get back on their feet, which includes reassessing property values for homes damaged in the storm. Thanks to a state law that was passed three years ago, property owners could see a reduction in their propertys value if they have significant damage. Advertisement Advertisement Neighborhood News: Stories impacting your community | Read More Nashville Mayor Freddie OConnell announced the property reassessment on Tuesday. Assessor of Property for Nashville and Davidson County, Vivian Wilhoite, hopes the adjustments will provide some assistance to neighbors and help their tax bill going forward. The damage to your business or your home must have extended beyond 30 days. And property owners must provide proof that their property was substantially damaged. The two laws that cover property damage in Davidson County are: Tennessee Code 67-5-603 deals with the dramatic or severe occurrences for buildings or improvements made after natural disasters. Wilhoite and her team can adjust the property value for the time the property has been substantially damaged. Tennessee Code 67-5-606(c) addresses personal properties that are owned by businesses including assets used in order for them to operate. Advertisement Advertisement The Assessor of Property also plans to conduct a special assessment on each property found to be substantially damaged. We hope that there was not a lot of property that was substantially damaged, Wilhoite said. We pray there was not a lot of properties that had substantial damages to their businesses or their personal property, but, if that is the case, this is right, and this is what is needed for those property owners. Read todays top stories on wkrn.com Before this can happen, the Metro Council must approve the project. It is set to be discussed at the councils next meeting on Feb. 17. Advertisement Advertisement Once the assessment is passed, Wilhoite said they will begin the work of assessing properties. The deadline to apply for the property reassessments will coincide with the existing law, which is on Sept. 1. Do you have news happening in your neighborhood? Let us know by sending an email to neighborhoodnews@wkrn.com. Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. About a dozen members of the union representing state workers called on the Senate Finance Committee Tuesday afternoon to adopt a 6% raise in the state budget for certain public safety workers. Currently, House Bill 2, which contains New Mexicos $11 billion budget, earmarks $26 million for a 1% raise for all state employees, including public school staff and workers at higher ed institutions. However, the budget does not include an additional $13.5 million requested by Gov. Michelle Lujan Grishams executive budget for a 6% increase for state law enforcement and fire response personnel. Advertisement Advertisement Local members of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, which represents several categories of public safety employees, including Children, Youth & Families Department parole officers as well as Corrections staff, urged lawmakers to implement the 6% raise. Connie Derr, the executive director of AFSCME Council 18, representing New Mexico, said that the raises will bolster staff retention in high-stress jobs. From the prisons to probation and parole, CYFD, all public safety workers represented by AFSCME, this is very, very necessary, Derr said during a news conference in the Rotunda. This is critical to keep the workers working, to keep New Mexico and its citizens safe. Rep. Patricia Roybal Caballero (D-Albuquerque) joined workers Tuesday, urging the Senate to adopt the raises as a measure of respect and protection. Advertisement Advertisement These are frontline workers, Royball Caballero said. Thats why its important for us to send a strong message, our legislature, that we stand together in supporting these increases. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has refused to review Modernas seasonal influenza jab, mRNA-1010, as the shifting vaccine landscape within the country continues to prove volatile for pharma companies. The FDA sent a refusal-to-file (RTF) notice to Moderna, which was signed by the Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research (CBER) director, Vinay Prasad. In the letter, the CBER cites the lack of an adequate and well-controlled study within Modernas biologics license application (BLA) for mRNA-1010 leading the agency to deem the vaccine unsuitable for review. Modernas investigational vaccine uses the same underlying mRNA technology as its marketed Covid-19 jab Spikevax, which the FDA approved in 2022. The modality works by instructing cells to produce specific proteins that can recognise and fight pathogens. This decision primarily revolves around the FDAs belief that the control arm used in the study does not reflect the best-available standard of care (SoC) within the US at the time of the Phase III trial (NCT05415462). As per ClinicalTrials.gov, Moderna opted to use GSKs marketed quadrivalent jab, Fluarix Tetra as the comparator in its registrational study. Fluarix Tetra, also known as Fluarix Quadrivalent, is an FDA-approved influenza vaccine. The FDA shun sent Modernas stock sliding 10.5% from $41.99 at market close on 10 February to $37.60 at opening on 11 February. Moderna has a market cap of $14.7bn. Moderna rebuts FDA stance on mRNA-1010 In a 10 February statement addressing the RTF, Moderna refuted the FDAs claims, noting: Neither the relevant regulation, 21 C.F.R. 314.126, covering adequate and well-controlled studies, nor the FDA's guidance for industry on seasonal influenza vaccines contain any reference to the use of a comparator reflecting the best-available SoC. Moderna also stated that the letter is inconsistent with what the agency told the drugmaker in April 2024 and August 2025. The company claimed that the department did not issue any feedback on the Phase III trials adequacy at protocol submission or study initiation. Modernas CEO Stephane Bancel said: It should not be controversial to conduct a comprehensive review of a flu vaccine submission that uses an FDA-approved vaccine as a comparator in a study that was discussed and agreed on with CBER prior to starting. The Massachusetts-based pharma has requested a Type A meeting with the FDA to review next steps for mRNA-1010. Currently, there are no publicly available references to a specific SoC vaccine option for influenza prevention available either on the FDA or the Centers for Disease Controls (CDC) websites. The FDA currently authorises the use of 26 influenza vaccines across different age ranges and viral strains. Attorneys sparred in a Santa Fe courtroom Monday morning at the start of a trial in which New Mexico's top prosecutor seeks to convince a jury the nation's leading social media company leaves children vulnerable to online predators. Global technology firm Meta Platforms Inc., which includes Facebook and Instagram, has fought vehemently against the state's allegations in a lawsuit filed in 2023, which accuses Meta of violating the Unfair Trade Practices Act by enabling child predators to target children for human trafficking, distribution of sexual images, grooming and solicitation. The company argues the case is made up of "cherry-picked" evidence, including an undercover investigation by the New Mexico Department of Justice that violated Facebook's policies. Advertisement Advertisement New Mexico Attorney General Raul Torrez has made child safety on social media a central focus of his agency's work in recent years, filing a similar case against Snapchat that also is pending before a state court. Dozens of attorneys representing the state and California-based Meta, as well as its social media platforms and founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg, streamed into the First Judicial District Court in Santa Fe on Monday morning. The trial, which has garnered national media attention, is scheduled to last seven weeks. Meta has been the target of litigation from several states in recent years, with a pending multistate lawsuit in California alleging its platforms negatively effect teens' mental health. Advertisement Advertisement 'Profits over safety' Attorney Don Migliori gave an opening statement on behalf of the New Mexico Department of Justice, alleging Meta "knowingly made false and misleading statements, particularly about the safety of its platforms for teens and preteens who are on their platforms and at significant risk of mental health harms and sexual exploitation." The state plans to present testimony from a slew of witnesses, including former researchers for Meta, law enforcement officers, teachers, principals, health experts and others in their effort to prove the company has violated the law. Migliori said the company put "profits over safety" and that, in recent years, Zuckerberg who is expected to testify during the trial is responsible for a company culture that has prioritized growth and engagement, as well as "free expression," over the safety of youth. Advertisement Advertisement He presented internal emails and reports from the company Monday morning suggesting Meta executives and staff for years have been aware of risks to youth on the company's platforms. Zuckerberg told a U.S. Senate committee in April 2018, "we do not allow users under 13 on our platforms" but, Migliori pointed out, an internal report from the same year estimated there were about 4 million people under the age of 13 on Instagram alone. Migliori said Meta has not worked to protect preteens, but instead has targeted them for engagement. He noted an internal memo stating users ages 10 to 12 have "the highest long-term retention out of all age groups." The state plans to call several former Meta-employed researchers as witnesses, one of them to discuss a 2020 study Migliori said was "buried" by the company indicating 16.3% of respondents reported encountering nudity on the company's platforms. Advertisement Advertisement He also said an internal statement by Zuckerberg appeared to suggest a prioritization of "free expression" over safety. "I care so deeply about free expression that I would find it untenable to subordinate free expression in the way that communicating the idea of 'safety first' suggests," Zuckerberg wrote in a 2018 internal email. "... Keeping people safe is the counterbalance and not the main point." 'Rigged' investigation Meta attorneys have argued Torrez's case uses "cherry-picked" statements and quotations from internal documents to support his assertions the company is in violation of state law. Advertisement Advertisement Attorney Kevin Huff pointed to the company's safeguards for teen users, which he said are "not perfect" but constantly improving. He noted Meta employs about 40,000 people in safety and security roles. Facebook and Instagram both feature protections that are automatically triggered for teenage users, Huff said, referring to various reports and data cited by the state as examples of the company's "disclosure, not deception." He also noted the company's platforms disclose risk to users when they sign up. "This case is about whether Meta knowingly lied about the safety of its apps, and whether Meta willfully and unconscionably designed its apps to harm teens in New Mexico, and the evidence will show the exact opposite," Huff told the court. "Meta told the truth and works hard to protect teens Meta, repeatedly, has warned parents and teens and everyone that harmful content does get past Meta's safeguards. ... Meta designs its apps to be fun and entertaining, not to harm teens or anyone else." Advertisement Advertisement He argued "everyone has some responsibility" in protecting teens on Facebook and Instagram including parents, law enforcement and prosecutors adding, "we wish the state would partner with us rather than sue us." The state Department of Justice performed an undercover investigation in the months leading up to the filing of the lawsuit in which agents, posing as teen girls, received lewd messages from adults on Facebook. Huff attacked the probe, saying the department "rigged this investigation to get a fake result." He said the department's investigators registered both its undercover personas as adult women on the platform violating Facebook policies and "destroyed evidence that didn't fit its narrative" by deleting other messages from the investigation. Advertisement Advertisement Social media in schools The state called its first witness Monday afternoon: Katherine Salazar, who works as the assistant principal of Wilson Middle School in Albuquerque. Salazar testified on the ubiquity of cellphones and social media in her school, along with the problems of cyberbullying and sexual exploitation of teens and preteens. She described a handful of situations she had handled, including a sixth grade girl who was pressured to send nude photos to another Instagram user and a seventh grader who threw a destructive tantrum after his phone was confiscated. Salazar said she had reported 24 different posts to Instagram that featured videos of fights involving children, and only two of them had been removed by the platform for violating its standards. Advertisement Advertisement Upon cross-examination, she acknowledged she wasn't aware of any data suggesting fighting among students had increased with the advent of social media. Still, she said, violating the platform's age restriction was common: "I know many, many sixth graders who are 11 or 12 years old who are on Instagram." Day one court drama Meta had sought to block broadcasting of the trial, arguing it could taint future jury pools and present security risks to the company's executives, but a judge denied the request. Before the trial began Monday, the company's attorneys raised several issues to the court, including the disclosure of photos from the state Department of Justice's investigation, figures from the companys revenues, spending on safety measures and statements Meta executives previously made to Congress. Advertisement Advertisement In a news conference outside the courthouse Monday afternoon, Torrez said he hopes the case will lead to changes on Meta's platforms, such as stronger age verification and other safeguards that more effectively prevent predators from connecting with children. "If we're able to establish that all of those things can be built into the product, make it safe for New Mexico, then the obvious next thing is, why not turn it on for the rest of the world?" Torrez said. "So if we can win in this action here, and we can force them to at least make their products safe in this state, it changes the narrative completely about what they say is possible for everyone else." He said a "move-fast-and-break-things" mantra that strives for rapid user engagement growth at any cost is "the fundamental cultural problem at the heart of this case and in this company, but frankly, across the entire industry." The news conference caused a stir in the courtroom after Chief District Judge Bryan Biedscheid learned at least two people wearing badges identifying them as jurors had been sitting nearby in the courtyard while it took place. An attorney for Meta argued Torrez should have moved the "inflammatory press conference" to a different place, saying, "I am doing my best to not be upset, but I think this is concerning and disappointing." After consulting with the jurors, Biedscheid told the court the two jurors who were sitting near Torrez's news conference reported they weren't paying attention to it, and the trial went on. The legal dispute and Torrez's recent appearances in national media also have drawn criticism from the company, including posts on the platform X on Sunday from a company spokesperson accusing Torrez of "aggressively" campaigning "off the back of his criticism of Meta." When an attorney for the state began to raise an issue related to the recent social media posts, which he said amounted to "personal attacks" on Torrez, Biedscheid cut him off, instructing the parties to submit written motions regarding any complaints about public statements. "I don't see how going back and forth in this setting is going to move the needle," Biedsheid said. BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) Argentina's Senate early Thursday gave its overall approval to a labor overhaul that is considered crucial to President Javier Mileis shock therapy program after hours of debate that unfolded in the shadow of a mass protest outside Congress. Thousands of workers mobilized by powerful trade unions converged on a central square of downtown Buenos Aires earlier Wednesday, blocking traffic and clashing with police as the marathon session got underway. The fiery standoff underscored the sensitivity of labor rights in this nation dominated since the 1940s by Peronism, a populist movement that has swung right and left ideologically, but has always claimed to champion workers rights. Advertisement Advertisement At around 1:30 a.m., senators backed the labor bill in principle by a vote of 42-30 after 13 hours of debate, handing Milei an initial victory that underscored the radical libertarians newfound leverage in Congress and more pragmatic approach to legislating. After granting the bill general approval, lawmakers began a lengthy article-by-article vote. The bill still faces a test next month in the lower house, where some Senate amendments could be changed or reversed. Supporters of Milei's revamped labor law say high severance payouts and taxes make it almost impossible to fire employees, constraining productivity and discouraging business from formal employment. Almost half of Argentines work off the books. Private sector job growth has remained stagnant for 14 years. With the modernization of the labor system, more people will have access to formal, legal employment, Mileis La Libertad Avanza party said in a statement as the debate kicked off. We are rebuilding Argentina from the ground up, starting with employment. Advertisement Advertisement The bill has drawn fierce opposition from labor unions and their Peronist allies, who argue it would roll back measures that protect workers from abuse and the nations notoriously frequent economic shocks. If severance pay, overtime and vacation time in other words, all the protections workers have gained over time are up for grabs, it wont make things better for anyone, said Axel Kicillof, the governor of Buenos Aires province and the most powerful elected official in the Peronist opposition. Milei hopes to overcome a history of failure Successive governments, as well as a military dictatorship, have promised to overhaul Argentinas labor legislation and have failed. This is the most important reform in the last 50 years, said Sen. Patricia Bullrich, leader of the La Libertad Avanza bloc in Congress. No government has achieved it, and I believe we will. One far-reaching reform came tantalizingly close in 1984 only to collapse in the Senate by a single vote. Another cleared the Peronist-dominated Congress in 2000, only to be discredited by a vote-buying scandal and promptly overturned. Yet another attempt in 2017 didnt even make it to a vote due to union pushback. Milei himself used an executive order to muscle through an overhaul after entering office in 2023, only for it to get tied up in court after unions filed for injunctions. But after clinching a big midterm victory last year, with help from his ally U.S. President Donald Trump, Milei has a fresh mandate to enact reforms that for decades businesses have desired and international financial institutions have demanded. The bill under discussion would curb the right to strike, extend trial periods during which companies can fire unproductive new employees, defang national trade unions by allowing collective bargaining at company level and unwind a byzantine system of severance payments by narrowing grounds for wrongful dismissal. Experts said that even if the government is forced to make concessions in Congress, the passage of anything called labor reform would be a huge achievement in Argentina, where many current clauses have been in place since the mid-1970s. Im skeptical about whether its going to induce a massive formalization of workers in the labor market. Thats why I think the importance is much more political, symbolic, said Ignacio Labaqui, a Buenos Aires-based senior analyst at risk consultancy Medley Global Advisors. For Peronism, it would definitely be a huge defeat. Violent scenes and pragmatic talks Milei and his officials lashed out at left-wing opponents as security forces struggled to control protesters outside Congress, firing water cannons and rubber bullets. Demonstrators lobbed petrol bombs, stones and water bottles. Authorities said they made at least 15 arrests, among them protesters accused of attacking police officers. The stale old union establishment is calling to set the country on fire because they dont like labor modernization, government spokesperson Javier Lanari wrote on X. They choose to protect their sectoral privileges at the expense of harming Argentines. Despite the show of force, some doubted that Argentinas old-school trade unions would put up much more of a fight. With their Peronist backers weakened in Congress and reputation long sullied by allegations of corruption and cronyism, the trade federations are not the force they once were. Mass protests petered out in the last year as both Milei and union bosses shied away from frontal assaults in favor of negotiations. Some initial proposals that threatened to bankrupt the unions including one requiring employees to opt in to membership, rather than having members dues taken automatically were watered down in the final version that passed early Thursday. The unions needed to protest today to reinforce their base and show them that they're fighting, but the true negotiations happened behind closed doors, said Ana Iparraguirre, an Argentine political analyst and partner at Washington-based strategy firm GBAO. They were smart enough to negotiate to preserve the things that were important to them. ___ Associated Press writers Clara Preve and Debora Rey contributed to this report. Members of Milwaukee County's Board of Supervisors are hosting an informational community event focused on safe and lawful protesting with a focus on protestor rights, safety considerations and legal resources. The event, called "How to Protest Safely," will take place from 5:30 to 7 p.m. on Feb. 18 at the Washington Park Senior Center, 4420 W. Vliet Street, according to a news release announcing the event. It will feature insights and comments from elected officials, law enforcement leaders and civil rights and legal advocacy organizations including Milwaukee County Sheriff Denita Ball, Milwaukee Police Chief Jeffrey Norman and representatives from the ACLU of Wisconsin, Milwaukee Turners and the Legal Aid Society of Milwaukee. Advertisement Advertisement The event is hosted by Supervisors Shawn Rolland, Caroline Gomez-Tom and Sky Capriolo. All three supervisors recently expressed concerns about resident and protestor safety during a Feb. 5 board meeting, where the board approved a measure aimed at staking claim over county-owned parks in preparation for the possibility of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement moving into the area. At the Feb. 5 meeting, supervisors criticized the federal agency's escalation of detentions in Minnesota that have drawn widespread protests and led to the fatal shooting of two protesters by federal agents. The Trump administration announced earlier in the week that it would withdraw 700 federal immigration personnel from Minnesota, and local officials recently told the Journal Sentinel there is not yet evidence that federal agents plan to move into Wisconsin. Advertisement Advertisement More: We asked top officials what theyd do if ICE came to Wisconsin. Here's what they said. But the parks measure and the Feb. 18 event signal local officials' desire to show residents they're leveraging the tools at their disposal prepare for the possibility of ICE enforcement surge in the Milwaukee area. The event announcement does not specifically mention ICE, but it comes one week after Milwaukee Common Council member Alex Brower held a highly attended town hall at the Vivarium, where police officials responded to questions about how the department would address an immigration enforcement surge. NEED TO KNOW A Wisconsin woman, Gabriella Cartagena, was found days after she was reported missing by her family Her family told a local outlet that she had been heard on a phone call saying, "Don't shoot me" Police did not give an update on Cartagena's condition, only that she'd been located and that more information would follow A missing Wisconsin woman who was reportedly heard pleading "don't shoot me" while on a phone call before she disappeared has been found. Gabriella Cartagena, 24, was located on Tuesday, Feb. 10, six days after she was last seen by her family, authorities said. Advertisement Advertisement The Marinette Police Department did not provide any information on Cartagena's condition in an updated press release only sharing that she had been located and more information would follow as soon as possible. "We would like to thank the entire community for the help we have received," the release states. Cartagena had been considered an "involuntary missing" person prior to being found, police said. WBAY reported that Cartagena's family said their last communication with her before she went missing was a phone call. Please dont shoot me," she reportedly pleaded during the call, per the outlet. "Im sorry." Advertisement Advertisement WBAY and WLUK reported that a person of interest in Cartagena's disappearance had been taken into custody in Minnesota. 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. According to her family, per WBAY, Robert Chilcote, was the last person to see her. Jail records indicate that Chilcote is currently in custody in Wright County, Minn., as a fugitive from another state, as well as on a charge of fleeing a police officer. It is not clear if the out-of-state charge has anything to do with Cartagena. Read the original article on People Five retail shops in Dunklin County were sued Tuesday by Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway, who alleges the businesses are operating illegal gambling machines on their premises. The businesses Discount Spirits and Tobacco, Kennett Liquor and Tobacco, and Lauras Mini Mart in Kennett; and Dixie Package and Swindles Quick Shop in Malden are accused of violating Missouri consumer protection laws by housing unregulated machines and games used for gambling. Dunklin County Prosecuting Attorney Nicholas Jain has also filed criminal charges against the five businesses. Advertisement Advertisement When retail shops turn a blind eye to or facilitate illegal gambling, they are not only ignoring the law, they are putting our communities at risk, Hanaway said in an emailed statement. My office will hold any business accountable for profiting off unlawful activity, and we will do everything in our power to shut illegal gaming and gambling machines down. The lawsuits follow comments Hanaway made last week to the Missouri House Budget Committee, where she vowed to shut down so-called gray market games in bars, restaurants and convenience stores across the state. She also told the committee her office is assisting with a federal investigation into illegal slot machines in Missouri involving what she described as money laundering and banking questions. They are also a sharp break from her predecessor, Andrew Bailey, who pulled out of defending the Missouri State Highway Patrol in a lawsuit filed by an operator of gray-market games, Wildwood-based Torch Electronics, after a PAC funded by the company donated to his campaign. For nearly a decade, operators of the machines have argued they are not gambling devices and are legal in Missouri. Efforts to prosecute the companies that own the machines have largely failed, as local prosecutors have declined to file charges in most cases investigated by the Missouri State Highway Patrol. Advertisement Advertisement Only one felony prosecution has resulted in a conviction, and a misdemeanor possession-of-a-gambling-device case has been pending since November 2020 against a convenience store owner in Franklin County. In October, a federal jury concluded that games owned by Torch meet the states definition of illegal gambling devices. That same month, Torch lost a lawsuit seeking to overturn Springfields ban on video lottery terminals. Hanaway is seeking civil penalties against the retail stores that house the machines, as well as a permanent injunction prohibiting the establishments from providing gambling services. The lawsuits come as the Missouri House debates legislation that would authorize the Missouri Lottery to license and tax the machines, known as video lottery terminals, or VLTs. Similar legislation cleared the House last year but died in the Senate, where GOP leaders last week cast doubt on its chances this session. Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway is suing a St. Louis smoke shop for allegedly violating state consumer-protection laws by selling highly-potent THC edibles in wrappers that mimic popular candy. Its the attorney generals first lawsuit against a company selling intoxicating hemp products after nearly two years of investigating more than 20 companies for potentially violating laws against deceptive labeling and unfair business practices. Pressure STL, located just south of downtown St. Louis, sells a lookalike package of Skittles, where each piece of candy contains 20mg of THC. Pressures online store also offers Kit-Kat and Snickers bars with 1,000mg of THC per bar, which the lawsuit argues is an extremely high dosage for an adult or child. Advertisement Advertisement For context, an entire THC seltzer can typically contains 5mg to 10mg of THC. The lawsuit, filed in the St. Louis Circuit Court on Tuesday, alleges the shop also sells high-dose THC versions of other kids favorite snacks, including Doritos, MilkyWay, Nerds, Chips Ahoy, Crunch and Sour Patch Kids. Pressure STL sells a pack of THC Skittles online for $10. (Screenshot of stores website) We will not stand idly by as adolescents are indoctrinated into addiction by unlicensed businesses prioritizing profit over consumers, said Hanaway in a press release. My office will not tolerate drug dealers hiding behind candy wrappers. Hanaway is seeking a preliminary injunction that would immediately prevent the store from continuing to sell the products, along with a $1,000 fine per violation and prosecution and investigative costs. Advertisement Advertisement A representative of the store did not respond to a request for comment. Intoxicating hemp products are currently not regulated by any government agency in Missouri. Hanaways lawsuit details the legal challenges Missouri authorities have faced trying to prevent the sale of these products, which began around 2018 when Congress legalized hemp through the Farm Bill. In 2024, then-Gov. Mike Parson attempted to ban all intoxicating hemp products by deeming them adulterated and poisonous under state food laws. The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services was tasked with being the bans enforcement arm. Advertisement Advertisement However, state law explicitly prohibits the state from considering a food adulterated for containing industrial hemp, the lawsuit states. So the ban ended in a definitional gridlock, with the lingering question: does industrial hemp encompass psychoactive hemp-derived products? Rather than indicating there is no avenue of enforcement against psychoactive hemp-derived products, the lawsuit states, the DHSS indicates the best avenue for enforcement going forward is through the Missouri Attorney Generals Office under the Missouri Merchandising Practices Act. Former Attorney General Andrew Bailey initiated investigations in 2024 into several stores selling intoxicating hemp products for potentially violating the merchandising practices act, which is meant to protect consumers. When Bailey launched his investigation, he pointed to the six elementary-age children in St. Louis County who became sick and intoxicated at school after reportedly ingesting THC products packaged as Nerds Rope Bites and Mad Monkey Sour Strawberry Premium Gummies. Bailey also issued nearly 20 cease and desist letters last year. Advertisement Advertisement Hanaway has continued these investigations and opened another six into different companies in the fall. A favorable outcome in this case would likely mean many more lawsuits to come. Pressure STLs website notes that all of the products are made with THCA, which further confuses and deceives consumers, the lawsuit states. THCA is the chemical compound that naturally occurs in cannabis, and its not intoxicating until its heated. So once a joint is lit and smoked, the THCA transforms into delta-9 THC and people get intoxicated. In order to make intoxicating cannabis edibles, THCA oil has to be heated, or whats called decarboxylated, or else people wont get high. After its heated, its chemically no longer THCA, it is delta-9 THC. Because of the THCA wording on edibles, the lawsuit alleges, its unclear exactly how much THC is in each package. Advertisement Advertisement An employee at the store told The Independent that THCA is the same as delta-9 THC. The one-room store has a security guard who checks identification at the door, and only lets in people 21 and older. It has one long counter that contains packages of THCA flower, or smokeable buds, and a small section of candy-like edibles. A larger selection of edibles is available through its online store. Hanaway likened the current situation to how tobacco companies would advertise to children, until state attorneys general filed lawsuits to prohibit marketing to children. The hemp industry appears to be taking a page out of the tobacco industrys play book, but, this time, taking it one step further, the lawsuit states. In addition to providing a variety of flavored cigarettes, e-cigarettes, and vapes that are enticing to children, hemp manufacturers and distributors provide edibles which take the form of any children to entice them to use their products. Many parents and educators are concerned about standardized test scores released recently by the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, and rightly so. Less than half of students in Missouri are proficient in math or English language arts. The numbers are even lower for subgroups; only 1 in 4 students who are black, Hispanic, English learners, or special education students scored proficient or advanced in either subject last school year. But what if were looking at the numbers all wrong? What if proficiency isnt the best measurement of student progress? Advertisement Advertisement What we really want to know is if students are growing from year to year, and by how much. No one takes their child to the pediatrician for their annual physical and measures a childs growth based on how tall theyve grown since birth. Likewise, we should gauge student progress by assessing their improvement from one school year to the next. Thats where the Missouri Growth Model comes in. As parents, educators and policymakers mark the midpoint of the school year, its important to make sure were evaluating student progress by the best standards. Education researchers like the team I work with at the PRiME Center at Saint Louis University consider the Missouri Growth Model a regression a technique that uses the previous years test scores to predict how much students will grow. This model then calculates how much growth happened relative to the predicted score. Parents can think of it this way. Say there are two students, Johnny and Jane, who take the MAP test in third and fourth grade. Jane scores a 300 in third grade and a 370 in fourth grade, seeing an increase in her score of 70 points. Johnny scores a 390 in third Grade and a 390 again in fourth grade. Growth says that Jane had the better year, celebrating the immense progress made between third and fourth grade. Advertisement Advertisement And if its true for students, its true for schools. Ten percent of students at Lexington Elementary in St. Louis Public Schools were proficient in mathematics in 2025. However, Lexington was one of the highest growth elementary schools in the entire state of Missouri, ranking 16th overall. Using growth figures over proficiency accomplishes three things. First, it allows us to see progress over the span of one school year, rather than a measure of all accumulated knowledge. Growth uses previous years test scores to account for where a student starts the year and is therefore able to isolate the impact a school had on a students growth year to year. Second, growth rewards movement in the upward direction, regardless of movement across proficiency thresholds. The Missouri Growth Model puts the focus on moving students along a continuum, regardless of where along that continuum they started and ended the year. Advertisement Advertisement And third, growth compares students to themselves not another group of students. Proficiency doesnt account for an influx of students year to year but rather, say, compares this years fourth graders to last years fourth graders; growth compares students to their own individual past performance. Unlike proficiency, growth is not correlated with household income. Every student can grow, no matter what their proficiency scores are. Why are proficiency standards and test scores used more widely than growth? People like the proficiency method because its simple to understand. But that simplicity also makes it unfair to students, schools and districts who start the school year in different places. Proficiency cannot account for that, but growth does. Some may say that the goal is for students to achieve proficiency so they can be well positioned for success later in life. However, simply moving a child from below basic on a standardized test score to basic, which is not recognized by traditional proficiency metrics, can increase their chances of graduating high school by 25 percent. Isnt that something to celebrate? Yes, we want students to become proficient. But the only way to accomplish that is to grow them. We must recognize, reward and replicate the incredible gains our students are making. Vaccine manufacturer Moderna said Tuesday the US Food and Drug Administration was refusing to review an application for its first mRNA-based flu shot. The move comes as the current iteration of the FDA has called for a reconsideration of approval procedures for certain vaccines, including for influenza -- proposed federal policy changes under President Donald Trump that have triggered widespread alarm among public health and medical professionals. Moderna, a US company, said the agency's top vaccine regulator, Vinay Prasad, wrote in a letter that Moderna's clinical trial was not "adequate and well-controlled," and had not tested its experimental shot against the best product on the market. Advertisement Advertisement In the large trial Moderna had compared its new vaccine with Fluarix, an approved flu shot from the company GSK. Moderna said the rejection was "inconsistent with previous written communications" with the FDA branch that regulates biological products, including vaccines, known by the acronym CBER. The decision "did not identify any safety or efficacy concerns with our product" and "does not further our shared goal of enhancing America's leadership in developing innovative medicines," Moderna CEO Stephane Bancel said in the statement. "It should not be controversial to conduct a comprehensive review of a flu vaccine submission that uses an FDA-approved vaccine as a comparator in a study that was discussed and agreed on with CBER prior to starting." Advertisement Advertisement Moderna said it had received a Refusal-to-File letter, which would indicate the application did not meet the requirements for substantive review. The company said it had requested a meeting to discuss the decision. The letter did not identify any safety or efficacy concerns regarding the mRNA vaccine, said Moderna, which added the shot was accepted for review in the European Union, Canada and Australia. During his first term Trump called mRNA technology a "modern-day miracle." It was used during the Covid-19 pandemic to swiftly develop an immunization against the fast-spreading illness, and was credited with saving millions of lives. Advertisement Advertisement Vaccines against Covid-19 are considered safe and effective by global health authorities, and protect against the most severe forms of the infection. But in his second term, Trump has appointed Robert F. Kennedy Jr as his health chief, and the long-time vocal vaccine skeptic has spent the past year reshaping federal health agencies in his image. That has meant spreading false information and sowing doubt about the safety and efficacy of vaccines widely known to be safe, and upending the pediatric immunization schedule. Notably, Kennedy cut off federal research grants that funded mRNA development. mdo/nro NEED TO KNOW Tiger Duggan is receiving treatment at a hospital in Bangkok, Thailand, after sustaining life-threatening injuries in a motorbike collision on Sunday, Feb. 1 On Saturday, Feb. 7, his mom, Lisa Duggan, shared a video asking for donations towards medical costs and transporting him home to England "Im begging, please reach deep into your pockets. Every penny counts," said Lisa through tears A British man critically injured in a motorbike crash in Thailand is reliant on the generosity of strangers to get him home, according to his mother. On Sunday, Feb. 1, Tiger Duggan sustained life-threatening injuries when the motorbike he was riding crashed during a vacation to Koh Samui, Thailand, the BBC and the Metro reported. The 23-year-old, from Milton Keynes, England, had been working in Perth, Australia, before going on the vacation to Thailand. Advertisement Advertisement He is currently on life support at MedPark Hospital in Bangkok, according to the outlets. A fundraiser has been set up because a clause in his travel insurance policy allegedly states his medical bills related to the incident are not covered. Tigers condition remains critical, said his mom, Lisa Duggan, in a now-viral YouTube Short. My nursing colleagues have set up a GoFundMe page, which has reached across the world. We have had an amazing amount of donations, which were truly overwhelmed by. Tiger Duggan GoFundMe Speaking from Tigers bedside, Lisa continued, Tigers medical fees have reached thousands already. Sadly, they continue to rise, and we need to get my son, Tiger Duggan, home. Wherever that may be, whether that may be Australia, or...England, for Tiger. Either way, we need to get him home. Obviously, England is a lot further from where we are currently, which will cost us a lot of money. I have had a quote, I have got a repatriation medical team working on it for us, she said. Advertisement Advertisement Lisa became overwhelmed with emotion as she expressed that the amount of money that has currently been raised on GoFundMe is not enough to get Tiger home. She revealed that her husband, Kieron Duggan, is supporting their other son, River, 21, in Koh Samui while she has been joined by a friend in Bangkok. Im begging you, please help us, Lisa said through tears. Help us get this boy home, whichever way that may look. Im begging, please reach deep into your pockets. Every penny counts. 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. Tiger Duggan's parents 10 News/Youtube Over $230,000 have been raised towards getting Tiger back to the U.K. for specialist treatment at the time of writing. He was feared dead for 16 minutes before being resuscitated at the scene of the crash and rushed to the hospital, said GoFundMe organizer Mary Duggan. Advertisement Advertisement The emotional toll of this situation is overwhelming, but the financial burden is also immense, including medical treatment abroad, transfers between hospitals, flights, accommodation, and the long road ahead, Mary wrote in the fundraisers description. This fundraiser has been set up to help ease that burden so Lisa and her family can focus entirely on being by Tigers side and supporting his recovery, she added. While speaking to the Australian outlet 10 News, Tigers father, Kieron, described the situation as like being in a scary movie, and its just not getting better. Four days' care was 26,000 [$36,000], he said. Advertisement Advertisement Kieron added to the BBC that the family has got to have hope, despite medics describing his son as brain dead. He revealed to the outlet that Tiger was in Thailand to celebrate his best friends birthday when the accident happened. They'd just been to the gym, they'd gone for lunch and Tiger was overtaking a car, said Kieron, per the BBC. "As he was overtaking a car, another bike because it's crazy out here flew across the road, it threw him from the bike. His poor friend has been there [at the hospital] every day," he added. Read the original article on People At least 31 people have been killed as Cyclone Gezani left a trail of destruction in Madagascar. Authorities issued red alerts for several regions warning of possible floods and landslides as the storm made landfall late Tuesday with wind speeds of more than 195km/h (121 mph). It then roared across the large island of 31 million people, many of whom live in poverty and have inadequate shelter from storms. The National Office for Risk and Disaster Management said building collapses caused some of the at least 31 deaths, and at least 36 other people were seriously injured as Gezani made landfall in the eastern city of Toamasina. The agency said four people were missing and more than 6,000 people were displaced from their homes. Advertisement Advertisement Madagascar is especially vulnerable to cyclones blowing in off the Indian Ocean and was battered by another deadly cyclone less than two weeks ago. Its monstrous. Everything is devastated, roofs have been blown off, floors are flooded, the walls of solid houses have collapsed, a resident of Toamasina, which has a population of 400,000 people, told the AFP news agency by telephone when communications briefly returned. And Im talking about the nice neighbourhoods, with well-built houses, said the resident, who had been left without electricity since the afternoon, five hours before the cyclone hit. Colonel Michael Randrianirina, in power in Madagascar since an October military coup, visited Toamasina to survey damage and meet residents, according to videos posted on the Facebook page of the presidents office. Advertisement Advertisement The videos showed flooded neighbourhoods, homes and shops with windows blown out and roofs blown off, and trees and other debris strewn across streets. Randrianirinas office said about 75 percent of the citys infrastructure had been damaged or destroyed. The CMRS cyclone forecaster on Frances Reunion Island confirmed that the Toamasina port had been directly hit by the most intense part of Gezani. Gezani made landfall on Tuesday night, less than two weeks after Tropical Cyclone Fytia hit northwestern Madagascar on January 31, killing at least 12 people and displacing 31,000, according to the United Nations humanitarian agency, OCHA. Advertisement Advertisement According to the CMRS, the cyclones landfall was likely one of the most intense recorded in the region during the satellite era, rivalling Cyclone Geralda in February 1994. That storm killed at least 200 people and affected half a million more. Gezani on Wednesday moved west across Madagascar, weakening to a tropical storm as it moved inland, according to the national weather service. The storm passed about 100 kilometres (62 miles) north of the capital, Antananarivo, one of the regions under a red alert warning for possible flooding. Forecasts showed Gezani was expected to move into the channel between Madagascar and Africas east coast on Thursday, and warned it might strengthen into a tropical cyclone again and turn back towards Madagascars southwest coast next week. Authorities in Mozambique, where devastating floods last month impacted more than 700,000 people, also issued weather alerts and warned that three of its coastal provinces on the Indian Ocean could feel the effects of Gezani if it strengthens again. Climate change is expected to make tropical storms more intense, with island nations particularly at risk due to rising sea levels, as well as warming oceans, causing heavier rains. However, results included significant external headwinds. Farley said 2025 adjusted EBIT included a $2 billion impact from Novelis fires and a $2 billion net tariff impact . He added that the tariff impact was $1 billion higher than what Ford communicated in October due to an unexpected and late-year change in tariff credits for auto parts. Ford later explained on the call that a credit against tariff liabilities on parts became effective on November 1 instead of May 3 as previously understood, creating the one-time hit in 2025 but allowing the credit to be used going forward. CEO Jim Farley said Ford generated $187 billion of revenue in 2025 and posted $6.8 billion of adjusted EBIT for the full year. Farley highlighted U.S. market share of 13.2% , which he described as the companys best performance in six years, and said total shareholder return was 42% . Ford Motor (NYSE:F) executives told investors the company delivered higher revenue, improved costs, and stronger U.S. market share in 2025 while navigating tariff headwinds and supply disruptions tied to a pair of fires at a key aluminum supplier. On the automakers fourth-quarter 2025 earnings call, management also laid out a 2026 outlook that calls for higher earnings and cash flow, driven by improved mix, continued cost reductions, lower net tariff costs, and reduced losses in its electric-vehicle business. Strategically, Ford is shifting to high-volume, affordable EVs on a new Universal EV Platform (debut 2027), expanding Ford Energy (about $1.5 billion of 2026 capex toward longterm storage contracts) and bringing Level3 autonomy inhouse, while expecting roughly $7 billion of EVstrategy-related charges in 202627 with up to $5.5 billion of cash outlays mostly in 2026. For 2026 Ford guided to $810 billion of company adjusted EBIT, $56 billion of adjusted free cash flow and $9.510.5 billion of capex, with segment outlooks including $6.57.5 billion for Ford Pro and a $4.04.5 billion loss for Model e while targeting Model e break-even by 2029 . Ford reported $187 billion in 2025 revenue and $6.8 billion of adjusted EBIT with U.S. market share at 13.2% and total shareholder return of 42% , but results were hit by a $2 billion Novelis supply disruption and a $2 billion tariff timing chargewithout the tariff timing issue EBIT would have been $7.7 billion . Story Continues Farley said that without the one-time tariff credit timing issue, Fords 2025 EBIT would have been $7.7 billion. He also emphasized progress in lowering material and warranty costs and improving quality, including recalling older vehicles to support customers. Business mix: Ford Pro, Ford Blue, and Model e 3 ETFs Designed to Survive the Next Market Crash Digging Into Demand: Coppers Scarcity Premium Is Rising CFO Sherry House said Fords 2025 performance reflected capital discipline and improved cost performance. She noted revenue growth for a fifth consecutive year, a 16% reduction in U.S. gross inventory, and year-end inventory of 56 retail days supply. Ford reported $3.5 billion of adjusted free cash flow and ended the year with nearly $29 billion in cash and nearly $50 billion in liquidity. House also reiterated Fords commitment to an investment-grade rating and referenced the declaration of a $0.15 per share regular dividend for the first quarter. Ford Pro: House said Ford Pro delivered more than $66 billion of revenue and $6.8 billion of EBIT with a double-digit margin. Transit sales in the U.S. rose 6% to a record, and Super Duty sales rose 10% to the best level in more than 20 years. Paid software subscriptions in Pro grew 30% , and software and physical services contributed 19% of Pros EBIT, nearing a stated 20% target. Farley said U.S. Pro share in Class 1 through 7 exceeded 42% and that Ford has been Europes number one commercial brand for 11 straight years. Ford Blue: House said Ford Blue revenue was roughly flat, with higher net pricing and product strength offsetting most of a 5% decline in wholesales that included Novelis-related disruption. Blue posted $3.0 billion of EBIT, as lower warranty and other cost improvements were offset by production losses and adverse exchange. Farley and executives highlighted pickup strength, with Ford winning North America Truck of the Year for the sixth consecutive year and gaining nearly two points of revenue share in U.S. pickups in 2025. They also said off-road performance trims accounted for more than 20% of U.S. sales mix. Ford Model e: House said Model e revenue and volume grew 73% and 69%, respectively, driven by new product introductions in Europe. Full-year EBIT losses improved to a $4.8 billion loss, reflecting reduced losses on first-generation EVs, partially offset by higher investment in second-generation products as Ford prepares to launch its Universal EV Platform in 2027. She added Ford rationalized the near-term role of pure EVs in the U.S. portfolio in December based on market changes. Ford Credit and banking approval House said Ford Credit delivered $2.6 billion of full-year EBT and $1.7 billion of distributions, with EBT up 55% due to improved financing margin. She said Ford Credit continues to originate a high-quality book, with U.S. retail and lease FICO scores exceeding 750. House also pointed to approval of Ford Credits industrial bank application, which she said could expand capabilities and lower funding costs over time. 2026 outlook: higher earnings, higher capex, and Novelis timeline Verizon: Your Total Return Leader for 2026 Might Be Hiding in Plain Sight For 2026, Ford guided to $8 billion to $10 billion in company adjusted EBIT, $5 billion to $6 billion in adjusted free cash flow, and $9.5 billion to $10.5 billion of capital expenditures. The outlook assumes U.S. SAAR of 16 million to 16.5 million and flat industry pricing. House said Ford expects tariff costs to be lower by about $1 billion year over year, reflecting a full-year benefit from credit expansion. Ford also expects further material and warranty savings, which management said would help absorb roughly $1 billion of higher commodity costs, incremental investment in the Universal EV Platform, startup costs for Ford Energy, and cycle plan actions. Novelis remained a central topic in guidance. House said Ford expects about $1 billion year-over-year improvement tied to Novelis, though the improvement is expected to be back half-weighted. She outlined $1.5 billion to $2 billion of temporary costsincluding tariffs and premium freightto maintain aluminum supply continuity until the hot mill returns, which the company expects between May and September. COO Kumar Galhotra said Ford has contingency plans to secure supply under different restart timing scenarios. By segment, Ford guided to: Ford Pro EBIT: $6.5 billion to $7.5 billion , with management citing continued share growth expectations in North America and continued expansion of software and physical services, though results are expected to be dampened by Novelis impacts, an Oakville ramp to bolster Super Duty capacity in Canada, and regulatory pressure in Europe. Model e EBIT: loss of $4.0 billion to $4.5 billion . House said the outlook includes about $1.6 billion of improvement in first-generation EVs driven by lower U.S. volume and restructuring savings, partially offset by around $600 million of higher second-generation costs and roughly $400 million of Ford Energy startup costs. Management reiterated a target for Model e to reach break-even in 2029 . Ford Blue EBIT: $4.0 billion to $4.5 billion , reflecting expected improvement as Novelis impacts fade, favorable mix, and ongoing cost progress. Executives pointed to upcoming products such as Bronco RTR and Mustang Dark Horse SC . Ford Credit EBT: about $2.5 billion. Strategy updates: affordable EVs, Ford Energy, and Level 3 autonomy Farley said Ford is shifting EV focus toward high-volume, affordable segments and plans to launch multiple vehicles on its Universal EV Platform, starting with a midsize pickup. He also said Ford is leaning into hybrids across its lineup and extended-range EVs where appropriate for duty cycles such as towing in larger trucks. On Ford Energy, Farley described growing demand for battery storage tied to data center buildouts and grid stability, and said Ford has engaged customers and is pursuing contracts for 20 gigawatt-hours of capacity beginning in 2027 and beyond. House said 2026 capex includes roughly $1.5 billion for Ford Energy as part of a broader $2 billion investment previously discussed. She also said Fords capital allocation is shifting, with about 75% of planned capital going to higher-return truck and multi-energy programs, and about 25% to Ford Energy and continued Model e investments. Farley also addressed Fords approach to autonomy, saying the company is bringing Level 3 capability in-house to improve affordability and control the safety-critical customer experience. He said Ford aims to introduce Level 3 with the Universal EV Platform and described a goal of enabling the technology on $30,000 to $35,000 vehicles rather than limiting it to luxury offerings. House also noted that Ford expects to record about $7 billion in charges in 2026 and 2027 related to its updated EV strategy and an expected disposition of its BOSK investment, with cash expenditures of up to about $5.5 billion, mostly weighted to 2026. About Ford Motor (NYSE:F) Ford Motor Company (NYSE: F) is an American multinational automaker headquartered in Dearborn, Michigan. Founded by Henry Ford in 1903, the company became an early pioneer of mass-production techniques with the Model T and the adoption of the moving assembly line. Today, Ford designs, manufactures, markets and services a broad range of vehicles and mobility solutions under the Ford and Lincoln brands, spanning passenger cars, SUVs, pickup trucks and commercial vehicles. Ford's business activities extend beyond vehicle production to include parts and aftermarket services, fleet and commercial sales, and automotive financing through Ford Motor Credit Company. The article "Ford Motor Q4 Earnings Call Highlights" was originally published by MarketBeat. Montgomery County leaders are coming together to express their concerns over yesterday's ICE arrest in one of their communities. A man was detained during the incident on Monday in Trooper. RELATED: Tense standoff in Montgomery County as ICE arrest sparks protests The family says ICE agents broke down their door and arrested Jose Lopez. On Tuesday, elected leaders gathered in Norristown, Pennsylvania, to address that incident and the tactics being used by ICE here and across the country. Advertisement Advertisement "I don't know about you, but if you think it is acceptable for someone in a mask to come up to your vehicle, smash your window in, and detain you or kick in your door like it happened yesterday, that is not how law enforcement behaves," said Pennsylvania State Senator Katie Muth. So far, the Department of Homeland Security and Immigration and Customs Enforcement have not commented on the incident. MOORESVILLE, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) A Mooresville man has been sentenced for stealing more than $1.9 million from his employer, according to the Department of Justice. On Wednesday, Feb. 11, Gene Christopher Acuff, 62, was ordered to serve 41 months in prison, followed by one year of supervised release and to pay restitution of $1,997,150.29. He was also ordered to forfeit $400,000 as a penalty for his crimes. According to court documents, Acuff was employed as a senior manager by a large retailer with stores throughout the United States, Canada and Mexico. One of his duties was to review property tax assessments for the companys stores and to retain real estate appraisers and other professionals to evaluate tax assessments. Businesses that provided those services would submit invoices, which Acuff paid through the companys bill pay system. Queen City News is tracking CRIME in your area >> Latest stories here Court records show that between January 2020 and June 2024, Acuff created five businesses with names related to real estate appraisal and consulting services. Acuff submitted false invoices to his employer in the names of his businesses for services that were not provided. He then used his access to the companys billing system to authorize payments of the fraudulent invoices. Advertisement Advertisement Throughout the scheme, Acuff issued payments totaling more than $1.9 million. The stolen funds were then deposited into bank accounts he controlled. Acuff pleaded guilty to mail fraud and money laundering. He will be ordered to report to the Federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility. Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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 mother has been arrested after allegedly injecting feces into her daughters IV in an Ohio childrens hospital. Staff at Nationwide Childrens Hospital in Columbus say they first saw Tiffany Le Sueur, 35, attempting to inject the foreign substance on February 6. When they informed authorities about the incident, officers said that all future visits by the 35-year-old would be monitored to protect the childs safety. Advertisement Advertisement However, according to a criminal complaint seen by the Columbus Dispatch, Le Sueur tried to inject her child again on February 8. At 8.45 pm on that day, a Columbus police officer from the forces Domestic Violence Unit was contacted by another officer who said he saw the suspect armed with a syringe and fecal matter. Tiffany Le Sueur has been accused of injecting her child's IV with feces while they were in hospital (Columbus Police) According to the complaint, hospital security cameras captured Le Sueur entering the bathroom with a cup. When she emerged, that container was allegedly filled with fecal matter. Then, Le Sueur filled the syringe with human waste and injected it into an IV line, which ran into her childs hand, according to documents in the case. Advertisement Advertisement Le Sueur was subsequently detained by police at the hospital. Meanwhile, hospital staff raced to treat her child. The childs medical condition is unclear at this point. The reason why the child was in the hospital has not been made public. According to court records obtained by the Columbus Dispatch, Le Sueurs preliminary hearing is set for February 19. A Franklin County judge set her bond at $250,000, with an additional caveat that she was banned from all unsupervised contact with minors as part of her bail, should she be released. Medics at Nationwide Childrens Hospital say that they spotted Le Sueur carrying human waste in a cup (Nationwide Children's Hospital/Flickr) Nationwide Childrens Hospital is one of the countrys leading pediatric care facilities. Advertisement Advertisement The hospital, which, according to its website, made the U.S. News & World Report Honor Roll for Best Childrens Hospitals last year, describes itself as aspiring to create the best outcomes for children everywhere. We're committed to providing the highest quality care for patients and whole child wellness, advocacy for children and families, research discoveries and education of patients, families, team members and the community, the website reads. Nationwide Childrens is one of the best childrens hospitals in the country but it is so much more. When approached for comment, the Nationwide Childrens Hopsital said it could not comment nor confirm the incident allegedly involving Le Sueur. Due to patient privacy, we are unable to confirm or provide information about specific patients, a spokesperson from the hospital said. Advertisement Advertisement The Independent has also contacted Columbus Police for comment. The national domestic abuse helpline offers support for women on 0808 2000 247, or you can visit the Refuge website. There is a dedicated men's advice line on 0808 8010 327. Those in the US can call the domestic violence hotline on 1-800-799-SAFE (7233). Other international helplines can be found via www.befrienders.org A popular mountain biking trail in Oregon became the center of concern after riders discovered acts of vandalism along the route. Many said the acts could have ended in injury. The issue surfaced in Reddit's r/Eugene community, where someone shared a KEZI 9 News report about sabotage on the Pipe Dream Trail. The post gained attention as community members expressed anger and worry over what seems to be intentional interference with a trail built and maintained by volunteers. "Why would anybody do this?" the poster wrote. Photo Credit: Reddit The Pipe Dream Trail branches off the Ridgeline Trail west of Spencer Butte. According to local riders, it's the city's first and only sanctioned mountain bike-only trail. It's also designed for bikers to reach high speeds. Advertisement Advertisement But, according to Micah Sardell, who frequently uses the trail, someone was deliberately vandalizing the trail. They removed signs marking it as a bike-only path and put logs and debris around corners. These actions could seriously injure a biker or an uninformed hiker. Another biker, Travis Moore, explained, "You know it's fast, you anticipate hikers not coming up it because it's a mountain bike trail only. You can hit that and fly over the handle bars, break your leg, wreck your thousand dollars' worth of bicycle, all kinds of things." While it seems no one has been hurt so far, the incidents sparked conversations about respecting shared natural spaces. Trails like Pipe Dream exist because community members donate time and labor to create safe, sustainable access to the outdoors. Deliberate damage undermines those efforts and puts people at risk. Community members urged people to be on the lookout for debris and to remove logs if they come across them. They also said to contact Eugene police with any information. Advertisement Advertisement Commenters were quick to share their outrage. "Glad to see more awareness of the problem, and I hope they catch whoever is doing this. Perhaps some stealth trailcams are in order," one commenter wrote. Another added, "While most people honor the outdoor spaces, it just takes a few to impact others. Just today hiking I noticed some people had scratched into the rock their initials near the top of Spencer Butte." Get TCD's free newsletters for easy tips to save more, waste less, and make smarter choices and earn up to $5,000 toward clean upgrades in TCD's exclusive Rewards Club. So long Eddie, hello shoes. The online Tacoma Mall store map layout shows Shoe Palace going into the former Eddie Bauer retail space. Visitors to the store posted on social media and on the review site Yelp that the Eddie Bauer mall store appeared to be in its final days as of Jan. 27, with a 70 percent-off close-out sale and low inventory at that time. A banner promoting food at the mall is now prominently displayed in front of the former Eddie Bauer store site. Advertisement Advertisement A media representative for the mall confirmed on Wednesday that Shoe Palace would be going into the empty store space. The store operator of Eddie Bauer, known for its outdoor sportswear merchandise, on Feb. 9 filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of New Jersey, citing $100 million to $500 million in assets and $1 billion to $10 billion in liabilities. A state Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification was filed by the retail operator, an entity under Catalyst Brands, with the state of Washingtons Employment Security Department on Monday announcing the closure of its corporate office in Seattle, affecting 60 workers. The company as of the petition filing has 175 retail locations across 40 states and six Canadian provinces, with a workforce of around 2,200. Advertisement Advertisement In August 2025, The News Tribune reported that Shoe Palace was to begin construction at the mall in early 2026, according to its permit filing with the city of Tacoma at the time. The Tacoma Mall site would be its third in the state; it has a site at South Hill Mall in Puyallup (its first Washington state location) as well as at Westfield Southcenter mall in Tukwila. The store shows a May 2026 opening on its business listing with Google. The Tacoma Mall map for now shows the new store between American Eagle and Sees Candies. The Shoe Palace is among new stores that have opened in the main mall building as work continues at The Village at Tacoma Mall exterior site, which recently saw the opening of Daves Hot Chicken. Story has been updated to clarify details of the bankruptcy filing and state WARN filing. Weeks after rescuers discovered the bodies of three hikers along the Devil's Backbone trail of Mt. Baldy, officials closed hiking trails on Californias deadliest mountain ahead of back-to-back winter storms. Trails on Mount Baldy in the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument about 55 miles southwest of Victorville were closed starting Tuesday, Feb. 10, the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service said in an alert. Why are the trails closed? The purpose of the closure is to provide for public safety due to upcoming winter storms, officials said. Advertisement Advertisement Rain was expected to start hitting Southern California Tuesday, Feb. 10, and continue into early Wednesday, according to the National Weather Service. Light rain was predicted for Thursday afternoon and evening. Another storm is expected to hit the area next week, according to the NWS. The storms will also bring snow to the Big Bear Lake and other California mountain regions beginning Monday, according to Accuweather. The trail closure also comes after San Bernardino County Sheriff Shannon Dicus in January urged the U.S Forest Service do more to keep mountain recreators safe. Advertisement Advertisement The frequency of rescues our department is involved in annually, and the lack of concern for whats happening on Mt. Baldy by those who are responsible for maintaining visitors safety needs to be addressed, Dicus said in a news release. Nearly two dozen deaths on Mt. Baldy in nine-year span Mt. Baldy is the highest peak in the San Gabriel Mountains, about 45 miles northeast of Los Angeles, according to the travel magazine Conde Nast Traveler. The mountain rises above 10,000 feet and is known for rapidly changing weather, steep exposed trails, snow, ice, and high winds, according to San Bernardino County deputies. Even well-prepared and experienced hikers can quickly find themselves in life-threatening situations, deputies said. Advertisement Advertisement From 2016 to 2025, 23 people died on Mt. Baldy, according to deputies. During that same nine-year span, deputies said they conducted 208 air rescues and 129 ground rescues on the mountain. Most of these incidents involved non-residents and were concentrated in the Devils Backbone and Icehouse Canyon areas, deputies said. Most recently, three hikers died on Mt. Badly in late December. Marcus Alexander Muench Casanova, 19, was among those hikers, according to deputies. He plunged 500 feet near Devil's Backbone on Dec. 29, then a hiking companion trekked to an area with cell service and provided GPS coordinates to deputies. All three hikers were later found dead. Advertisement Advertisement Its been the worst six weeks of our lives since that day, Ken Muench Casanova told KTLA 5 News. In the wake of his sons death, Ken Muench Casanova told the TV station he wants to alert others of the dangers of Mt. Badly. Nothing can bring back our son, Ken Muench Casanova told KTLA 5. In January 2023, actor Julian Sands, 65, went missing on the mountain, prompting a monthslong recovery effort. His remains were found in June that same year. Which trails are closed? The following seven trails are temporarily closed: Mt. Baldy Trail (Trail No. 7W12) Mt. Baldy Bowl Trail (Trail No. 7W02) Devils Backbone Trail (Trail No. 7W05) Three Ts Trail (Trail No. 7W06) Icehouse Canyon Trail (Trail No. 7W07) Chapman Trail (Trail No. 7W07A) Ontario Peak Trail (Trail No. 7W08) When will the closures end? The closures are slated to end on Feb. 23, officials said. Winter hiking safety tips If youre planning a winter hike in Californias mountains, preparation is critical, according to the National Park Service: Advertisement Advertisement Gear up: Wear waterproof boots, layered clothing, and carry traction devices like microspikes or crampons. Bring trekking poles for stability. Navigation: Do not rely on cell servicecarry a map, compass, or GPS and know how to use them. Check conditions: Weather can change rapidly. Verify avalanche forecasts and trail conditions before heading out. Emergency essentials: Pack extra food, water, first aid kit, and a whistle or signal mirror. Always let someone know your route and expected return time. Know when to turn back: High winds, ice, and snow can make trails like Devils Backbone extremely dangerous. If conditions worsen, retreat immediately. California weather radar This article originally appeared on Victorville Daily Press: Winter storms shut Mount Baldy trails on Californias deadliest peak Former Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene slammed President Donald Trump's endorsement record again after he backed Republican Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar of Florida for re-election. "She supports illegals more than most democrats. His endorsements are an insult to his base," Greene wrote Tuesday in a post on X. Salazar fired back at Greene on Wednesday morning. Ex-trump Ally Marjorie Taylor Greene Rips The President's Endorsements, Saying They Solidify The Swamp Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., on Feb. 26, 2025 in Washington, D.C. (Getty Images) "Marjorie, youre starting to sound like Laura Loomer. Not telling the truth. And you know it," the Salazar wrote in a post on X. Advertisement Advertisement "Its DIGNITY, not AMNESTY. Ill say it again: dignity, not amnesty, even for the people working in your own construction company. YOU said it yourself: "We cannot be rounding up every single person and deporting them." So which is it? I dont shift my message depending on the audience. I stay consistent. I miss our conversations in Congress," the lawmaker added. Read On The Fox News App In a statement to Fox News Digital, White House spokesman Davis Ingle asserted, "President Trump is the unequivocal leader of the Republican party. Marjorie Taylor Greene is a quitter." In a Truth Social post on Tuesday, the president praised Salazar, backing her for re-election as the GOP aims to retain its majority in both chambers of Congress during the 2026 midterms. Advertisement Advertisement "Congresswoman Maria Elvira Salazar is doing a truly fantastic job representing the wonderful people of Floridas 27th Congressional District!" Trump wrote in the Truth Social post. "Maria Elvira Salazar has my Complete and Total Endorsement for Re-Election SHE WILL NEVER LET YOU DOWN!" The incumbent congresswoman, who has served in the House of Representatives since early 2021, thanked the president for his support. Trump Administration Pressed To Close Cuba Embargo Loophole With Oil Set To Run Out Within Days Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar, R-Fla., arrives for a meeting of the House Republican Conference at the Capitol Hill Club on Tuesday, June 10, 2025. "Thank you, President Trump @POTUS, for your support. I will continue to proudly represent FL-27 in Congress and fight for what our community deserves," she wrote in a post on X, listing five points: "Restore dignity and order to our immigration system," "Codify strong, permanent border security," "Drive down housing costs so Miami families can stay and thrive," "Protect American jobs and keep our economy strong" and "Confronting socialism, communism, and dictators head-on while defending freedom across our hemisphere." Advertisement Advertisement "Miami is the ultimate melting pot, a city built by those who came here seeking liberty, opportunity, and a chance to start again. I know their story because its my story. In Congress, I will keep delivering results, standing firm on our values, and working to ensure opportunity and prosperity remain within reach for all," she added. Greene, a longtime staunch Trump ally who left office early last month after a bitter falling out with the president last year, slammed Trump's endorsement track record in January, asserting in a post on X, "Trumps endorsements do not drain the swamp, his endorsements solidify the swamp and ensure the swamp is never drained." Trump Makes Endorsement In Contest To Fill House Seat Vacated By Ex-ally Marjorie Taylor Greene White House spokesman Davis Ingle pushed back in a statement to Fox News Digital at the time. Advertisement Advertisement "President Trumps unmatched coalition building ability has led to the most successful Republican Party in American history which has delivered more long-held GOP priorities under his leadership than either party has achieved for their voters in many combined decades prior. President Trump knows politics is a game of addition, and Marjorie Quitter Greene just lives a reductive, self-defeating life of subtraction," Ingle said. Original article source: MTG calls Trump's endorsement of Salazar an insult to his base VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) A shooting at a school in remote northern British Columbia left seven people dead, while two more were found dead at a nearby home, Canadian authorities said Tuesday. A woman believed by police to be the shooter was also found dead, apparently from a self-inflicted wound. Royal Canadian Mounted Police said more than 25 people were wounded, including two who were airlifted to hospital with life-threatening injuries, after the shooting at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School. Tumbler Ridge in the Canadian Rockies is more than 1,000 kilometers (600 miles) northeast of Vancouver, near the provincial border with Alberta. The provincial government website lists Tumbler Ridge Secondary School as having 175 students from Grades 7 to 12. Advertisement Advertisement British Columbia Premier David Eby told reporters that police officers reached the school within two minutes. A video showed students walking out of the school with their hands raised as police vehicles surrounded the building and a helicopter circled overhead. Police found six people dead, RCMP Superintendent Ken Floyd said. A seventh person died while being transported to a hospital, and two more were found dead at a residence the authorities believe was connected to the attack. A suspect appeared to have died of a self-inflicted injury. Floyd told reporters that investigators had identified a female suspect but would not release a name, and that the shooter's motive remained unclear. He added that police are still investigating the connection between the shooter and the victims. Advertisement Advertisement Tumbler Ridge Mayor Darryl Krakowka said it was devastating to learn how many had died in the community of 2,700, which he called a big family. I broke down, Krakowka said. I have lived here for 18 years. I probably know every one of the victims. The Rev. George Rowe of the Tumbler Ridge Fellowship Baptist Church went to the recreation center where the victims' families were awaiting more information. It was not a pretty sight. Families are still waiting to hear if its their child thats deceased and because of protocol and procedure, the investigating team is very careful in releasing names, Rowe said. The big thing tonight was my having to walk away and the families still waiting to find out. It is so difficult. Other pastors and counselors are there, so they are not alone. Advertisement Advertisement Rowe once taught at the high school and his three children graduated from there. To walk through the corridors of that school will never be the same again, he said. The school district said the high school and Tumbler Ridge Elementary School will be closed for the rest of the week. School shootings are rare in Canada, which has strict gun control laws. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said in a social media post that he was devastated by the shooting. I join Canadians in grieving with those whose lives have been changed irreversibly today, and in gratitude for the courage and selflessness of the first responders who risked their lives to protect their fellow citizens, he wrote. Advertisement Advertisement Carneys office said he is suspending a planned trip to Halifax, Nova Scotia and Munich, Germany. He was set to announce a long-awaited defense industrial strategy in Halifax on Wednesday before heading to Europe for the Munich Security Conference. Eby said he had spoken to Carney about the unimaginable tragedy. I know its causing us all to hug our kids a little bit tighter tonight, he said. Im asking the people of British Columbia to look after the people of Tumbler Ridge tonight. Canadas government has responded to previous mass shootings with gun control measures, including a recently broadened ban on all guns it considers assault weapons. Tuesday's shootings were Canada's deadliest rampage since 2020, when a gunman in Nova Scotia killed 13 people and set fires that left another nine dead. ___ Gillies reported from Toronto. Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) on Tuesday became the first Republican senator to speak out against a House GOP-drafted bill to require people to show documented proof of citizenship before registering to vote and to show ID to cast a ballot, a top priority of the Trump administration. Murkowski, a prominent centrist Republican, said the Constitution empowers states to manage federal elections for Senate and the House seats, and warned that imposing sweeping federal requirements on local election officials a few months before Election Day would threaten the integrity of the midterm elections. When Democrats attempted to advance sweeping election reform legislation in 2021, Republicans were unanimous in opposition because it would have federalized elections, something we have long opposed. Now, Im seeing proposals such as the SAVE Act and MEGA that would effectively do just that, Murkowski wrote in a statement posted to social media. Advertisement Advertisement Once again, I do not support these efforts, she announced. She said the Constitution clearly provides states with the authority to regulate the time, place and manner of holding federal elections. She argued that one-size-fits-all mandates from Washington seldom work in her home state. Election Day is fast approaching. Imposing new federal requirements now, when states are deep into their preparations, would negatively impact election integrity by forcing election officials to scramble to adhere to new policies likely without the necessary resources, she said. Ensuring public trust in our elections is at the core of our democracy, but federal overreach is not how we achieve this, Murkowski added. Advertisement Advertisement The House is expected to pass the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act or the SAVE America Act on Wednesday. It has passed a similar version of the legislation, previously known as the SAVE Act, multiple times in the past few years. Murkowskis statement comes as Senate conservatives led by Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) are pressing Senate GOP leaders to reinterpret the Senates filibuster rule to make it easier to pass the law. Lee made a presentation to the Senate GOP conference Tuesday afternoon arguing that Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) should require Democrats actively hold the floor with round-the-clock speeches if they want to block the elections bill. Thune, however, is leery of deploying that strategy, because it could tie up the Senate floor for weeks. Advertisement Advertisement And Democrats, if they regain control of Congress and the White House, could also require Republicans to engage in continuous floor debate to block Democratic legislative priorities. The SAVE America Act would also require states to conduct reviews of voting rolls to purge inactive voters, something critics say would prevent some infrequent voters from participating due to possibly faulty data. Senate Democrats have lambasted the SAVE America Act as legislation that would make it tougher for minority and low-income voters to participate in elections. Lets be clear, the SAVE Act is not about securing our elections. It is about suppressing voters. The SAVE Act seeks to disenfranchise millions of American citizens, seize control of our elections, and fan the flames of election skepticism and denialism, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said in a statement, vowing Democrats will block the legislation. Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. A Senate Republican who has routinely broken from the GOP and President Donald Trump announced that she wouldnt support efforts to pass voter ID legislation. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, said in a post on X on Tuesday that she would oppose forthcoming legislation that would enact more stringent election integrity laws backed by both Trump and conservatives in the upper chamber. Her opposition underscores a reality many in the Senate already acknowledge: without extraordinary steps such as nuking the filibuster or support from Democrats (a non-starter), the effort is effectively dead on arrival. Murkowski panned a pair of bills the Safeguarding American Voter Eligibility Act, dubbed the SAVE America Act, and the Make Elections Great Again (MEGA) Act two voter ID and election integrity proposals making their way through the House. Advertisement Advertisement Republicans, Trump Run Into Senate Roadblock On Voter Id Bill Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, panned conservatives' and President Donald Trump's desire to pass voter ID laws and likened the push to one made by congressional Democrats years ago. (Getty Images) She noted that when congressional Democrats "attempted to advance sweeping election reform legislation in 2021, Republicans were unanimous in opposition because it would have federalized elections, something we have long opposed." "Now, Im seeing proposals such as the SAVE Act and MEGA that would effectively do just that. Once again, I do not support these efforts," Murkowski said. Read On The Fox News App Congressional Democrats under former President Joe Biden tried and failed to enact two election reform bills, the John Lewis Voting Rights Act and the For the People Act. Advertisement Advertisement House Republicans Push Election Overhaul With Voter Id, Mail-in Ballot Changes Ahead Of Midterms President Donald Trump arrives for the world premiere of "Melania" at the Trump-Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 29, 2026. Congressional Republicans strongly opposed those efforts, and argued at the time that the bills would effectively nationalize elections and give Democrats control of the election system across the country. Conservatives bid to reshape the election landscape also runs into the Constitution, which delegates election authorities to state and local officials and gives the federal government little input. "Not only does the U.S. Constitution clearly provide states the authority to regulate the times, places, and manner of holding federal elections, but one-size-fits-all mandates from Washington, D.C., seldom work in places like Alaska," Murkowski said. Advertisement Advertisement Schumer Nukes Gop Push For 'Jim Crow-era' Voter Id Laws In Trump-backed Shutdown Package Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer speaks during a press conference at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 30, 2026. "Election Day is fast approaching," she continued. "Imposing new federal requirements now, when states are deep into their preparations, would negatively impact election integrity by forcing election officials to scramble to adhere to new policies, likely without the necessary resources. Ensuring public trust in our elections is at the core of our democracy, but federal overreach is not how we achieve this." Click Here To Download The Fox News App Her pushback comes as Trump has called on the GOP to nationalize elections. House Republicans are gearing up to vote on the SAVE America Act and a cohort of Senate Republicans are eying ways to get the bill onto the Senate floor. Advertisement Advertisement Several Senate Republicans, including Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., have come out against Trump's call to nationalize elections. But public opposition to the voter ID efforts among Republicans is few and far between. But given the political reality of the Senate, where the 60-vote filibuster threshold is an impossible bar to overcome without Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and Senate Democrats' support, the bill will likely die. Original article source: Murkowski breaks with GOP on voter ID, says push is not how we build trust Four Corners Property Trust, Inc. (NYSE:FCPT) is included among the Dividend Champions, Contenders, and Challengers List: 15 Highest Yielding Stocks. Four Corners Property Trust (FCPT) Adds 105 Properties in Active Acquisition Year On January 27, Four Corners Property Trust, Inc. (NYSE:FCPT) said it acquired a GreatWater 360 Auto Care location for $2.3 million through a sale-leaseback transaction. The property sits along a high-traffic corridor in Minnesota and is operated at the corporate level under a long-term, triple-net lease. Pricing for the deal fell in line with cap rates seen in FCPTs recent transactions. A day earlier, on January 26, the company announced another $2.3 million acquisition, this time a newly built McAlisters Deli property. The site is located in a strong retail corridor in Michigan and is operated by a franchisee under a long-term net lease. That transaction was also completed at a cap rate consistent with FCPTs prior deals. More broadly, 2025 was an active year for Four Corners on the acquisition front. The REIT added 105 properties to its portfolio for about $318 million, excluding transaction costs, with most of the growth coming from single-tenant, net-leased assets. Individual purchases during the year included a Sprouts Farmers Market property in Tennessee for $8.6 million, four Mission Pet Health facilities in Illinois and Wisconsin for $9.3 million, a VCA Animal Hospital site in New York for $5.8 million, and a Heartland Dental location in Michigan for $3.3 million. Momentum picked up in the third quarter, when the company closed on 28 properties for roughly $82 million, securing attractive initial cash yields and long lease terms. Overall, management consistently deployed capital into service-oriented and necessity-based real estate, strengthening the portfolios stability and long-term income profile. Four Corners Property Trust, Inc. (NYSE:FCPT)is a real estate investment trust that owns, acquires, and leases properties primarily used in the restaurant and retail industries. Its operations are organized across real estate and restaurant segments. While we acknowledge the potential of FCPT 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: 12 Unstoppable Dividend Stocks to Buy According to Analysts and 13 Best Long Term Low Risk Stocks to Buy Now Disclosure: None. Eight Muslim-majority countries have denounced Israel for trying to impose unlawful Israeli sovereignty in the occupied West Bank, after it approved controversial new measures expanding its control and making it easier for Israeli settlers to buy land. Egypt, Indonesia, Jordan, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkiye and the United Arab Emirates condemned Israels move in the strongest terms on Monday, according to a Saudi Foreign Ministry statement. Israels new measures, greenlighted Sunday by its security cabinet, have major implications on property rights and Israeli security procedures in the occupied Palestinian territory. Advertisement Advertisement The Times of Israel, citing a joint statement by Israels far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and Defence Minister Israel Katz, said the new rules would allow Jewish Israelis to buy private real estate in the territory and open up previously confidential land registries to the public. The measures will also allow Israeli authorities to take charge of managing some religious sites and increase Israeli supervision and enforcement in areas run by the Palestinian Authority (PA), according to Israeli media reports. Smotrich said the move was aimed at deepening our roots in all regions of the Land of Israel and burying the idea of a Palestinian state. Dangerous annexation push Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said the decision amounted to de facto annexation, and called on US President Donald Trump and the United Nations Security Council to intervene. Advertisement Advertisement Al Jazeeras Nida Ibrahim, reporting from the town of Birzeit in the West Bank, said Palestinians view the development as the most dangerous push towards annexation and the most critical decision since Israel occupied the West Bank in 1967. She noted that under the new rules, there was nothing that would prevent Israeli settlers from owning land and coming to Palestinian city centres. In the joint statement, the eight Muslim-majority countries said Israel is trying to put in place a new legal and administrative reality that accelerates its illegal annexation and the displacement of the Palestinian people. The countries affirmed Palestinians right to self-determination and statehood and urged the international community to compel Israel to halt its dangerous escalation. Advertisement Advertisement The European Union also condemned the Israeli move, calling it another step in the wrong direction. (Al Jazeera) The West Bank is among the areas that Palestinians seek for a future independent state, along with the Gaza Strip and occupied East Jerusalem. Currently, much of the West Bank is under direct Israeli military control, with extremely limited Palestinian self-rule in some areas, governed by the Western-backed PA. More than 700,000 Israelis live in settlements and outposts in the occupied West Bank, which are illegal under international law, while some 3.3 million Palestinians live in the territory. Israeli forces regularly carry out violent raids, conduct arrests, and impose restrictions in the occupied West Bank, where attacks by Israeli settlers against Palestinians have also intensified, often under the protection of Israeli soldiers. Advertisement Advertisement In January alone, at least 694 Palestinians were driven from their homes in the West Bank due to Israeli settler violence and harassment, the highest number since Israels genocidal war against Palestinians in Gaza erupted in October 2023, according to the UN. BRUSSELS (AP) NATO on Wednesday launched a new military effort dubbed Arctic Sentry aimed at improving security in the High North, a month after U.S. President Donald Trump ramped up tensions in the alliance with his threats to annex Greenland. Initially, Arctic Sentry will be the NATO label for national military exercises in the region, such as Denmarks Arctic Endurance which angered Trump so much that he threatened to slap tariffs on allies taking part and Norways Cold Response drills. Arctic Sentry is not a military operation. It does not involve the permanent or long-term deployment of troops to the region under a NATO banner. Advertisement Advertisement What is really new about it is that for the first time now we will bring everything we do in the Arctic together under one command, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte told reporters in Brussels. He said it would help the alliance to assess which (security) gaps there are which we have to fill. In the face of Russias increased military activity and Chinas growing interest in the High North, it was crucial that we do more, Rutte added. Arctic security has been on NATOs agenda in recent years seven allies lie in the region, along with Russia but pressure to act accelerated as Trumps determination to get Greenland fueled tensions among the allies. NATOs role in this series of military activities, which will be coordinated through its U.S. headquarters in Norfolk, Virginia, is aimed at countering Russian and Chinese influence in the High North, which includes Greenland. Advertisement Advertisement NATOs Supreme Allied Commander Europe, U.S. Air Force Gen. Alexus Grynkewich, said in a statement that Arctic Sentry underscores the alliances commitment to safeguard its members and maintain stability in one of the worlds most strategically significant and environmentally challenging areas. As part of the effort, the United Kingdom has announced that the number of British troops deployed to Norway will double over three years from 1,000 to 2,000. Some will be involved in Exercise Lion Protector, already planned for September. Details are sketchy, but other NATO activities will be added to Arctic Sentry once broader security needs are assessed and as the national military exercises end. France, Germany and Denmark have said they will take part but have not said how many troops would be involved. Advertisement Advertisement NATOs primary role is to defend the territory of its 32 member states. The specter of the alliances most powerful country threatening to annex part of another ally, Denmark, has deeply shaken the rest of the alliance. Greenland is a semiautonomous territory in the Danish realm. European allies hope that Arctic Sentry and ongoing talks between the Trump administration, Denmark and Greenland will allow NATO to move on from the dispute and focus on Europe's real security priority, Russia's war on Ukraine. As President Trump continues to press Europe to contribute more to its own defense, NATO announced two Joint Force Commands would transition from U.S. leadership to European in the coming years. The move "is part of a shift to more fairly sharing responsibility within NATO, with European allies taking on greater leadership roles in NATO's command structure," NATO said in a statement ahead of a meeting of defense ministers this week. The statement also noted that the U.S. would continue to maintain the role of supreme allied commander Europe, or SACEUR, as part of "making clear the U.S. commitment to NATO command and control." Last month, the Trump administration released its National Defense Strategy, which emphasized that NATO allies should take the primary responsibility for Europe's defense as the U.S. focuses more on defending the homeland and deterring China. Advertisement Advertisement The lead author of that strategy, Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Elbridge Colby, is expected to attend the NATO Defense Ministerial this week, instead of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. This is the first NATO defense ministerial Hegseth has skipped since taking office. The transition in leadership of the two commands is expected to take place gradually over the next few years. A Pentagon official said the decision to transfer commands was "made jointly among all allies." "The decision strengthens the alliance by showing European leadership in European defense and enhancing European defense capabilities," the official said in a statement. Advertisement Advertisement The command in Norfolk, Virginia, has facilities on a larger installation that will remain under the control of the U.S. Navy when a U.K. officer assumes command. According to its website, it is NATO's newest operational command and focuses on protecting the Atlantic and the Arctic. Italy will take over Joint Force Command Naples, while Germany and Poland will on a rotational basis share command of Joint Force Command Brunssum, currently led by Germany. Once the changes are made, all three Joint Force Commands that lead operations in crisis will be under European leadership. The U.S. will take leadership of the Allied Maritime Command, which is currently led by a U.K. vice admiral. This means the U.S. will lead the three functional commands, Allied Maritime Command, Allied Land Command and Allied Air Command. The SACEUR, commander of all NATO forces, is a position that has always been held by an American officer. Air Force Gen. Alexus G. Grynkewich, who leads the 80,000 U.S. service members currently in U.S. European Command, is the current supreme allied commander. Advertisement Advertisement Details on new images of subject in Nancy Guthrie disappearance More details emerge on whistleblower complaint against Tulsi Gabbard Trump criticizes Super Bowl halftime show, calling it "one of the worst" NATO member states will continue to fund the Prioritised Ukraine Requirements List (PURL) programme, through which European and other NATO allies purchase US-made weapons for Ukraine, despite the recent crisis in European-US relations. Source: Alona Hetmanchuk, Ukraine's ambassador to NATO, speaking to journalists in Brussels, as reported by European Pravda Details: In response to a question from European Pravda, Hetmanchuk acknowledged that at the height of the crisis there had been concerns that arms supplies could be affected, putting the outcome Ukraine needs at risk. Advertisement Advertisement She said that given the level of transatlantic tension, there had been concerns that amid the Greenland crisis and, to an extent, the negotiation process, it would be difficult to secure the outcome Ukraine requires in terms of military needs. However, Hetmanchuk said there are currently no signs that the issue will affect funding for future purchases. She said she has not heard representatives of any country say that they will withhold funding over differences with the US position on Greenland, or suggest that an imminent ceasefire means there is no longer an urgent need to provide money or weapons for Ukraine. Hetmanchuk noted, however, that the uneven distribution of the financial burden among the Allies is a problem and the biggest obstacle to funding. She added that some countries have already made several substantial contributions while others have yet to make a single one. Background: The United States is expecting NATO member states to announce new pledges to purchase American weapons for Ukraine under the PURL programme when NATO defence ministers meet in Brussels on 12 February. US Ambassador to NATO Matthew Whitaker earlier named the three countries that have bought the most US weapons for Ukraine under the PURL programme: Germany, the Netherlands and Norway. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon! LAKE WINNEBAGO, Wis. (WFRV) Were less than a week away from the beginning of the sturgeon spearing season. Its a winter highlight for many, and preparations have already begun to make it a great season. Several local fire departments conducted training over the last few days to sharpen their ice rescue skills ahead of the sturgeon spearing season. Neenah-Menasha firefighters spent part of Monday afternoon training with their new air boat that they use for ice rescues. Advertisement Advertisement Getting down the good operations and best practices for this boat, shift commander Amos Mikkelson told Local 5 News when asked about the goal of the training exercise on Monday. Its pretty new for us, so its important that people who are using it are familiar with it. Oshkosh fire officials stress prevention after recent house fires Mikkelson told Local 5 that they will have extra water rescue specialists on staff this weekend with the surge of people out on Lake Winnebago for opening weekend of sturgeon spearing season. Harrison Fire-Rescue ice rescue training Harrison Fire-Rescue ice rescue training Harrison Fire-Rescue ice rescue training Neenah-Menasha Fire Department ice rescue training Advertisement Advertisement Neenah-Menasha Fire Department ice rescue training We look at it through the lens that theres just so many people out there that the opportunities for calls go way up that weekend, he said. Mikkelson said the high number of spearers this weekend wont, by itself, lead to more 9-1-1 calls. He said the number of calls depends more on the ice quality and the weather during opening weekend. Harrison Fire-Rescue and the Oshkosh Fire Department also conducted ice rescue training recently. Oshkoshs fire chief tells Local 5 News that they began training in early December with shore-based ice rescue training. From late December through mid January, they conducted training on their new 1000 Island Ice Boat. This week, they did some ice dive training in preparation for sturgeon spearing season. Advertisement Advertisement He said on average they help seven to nine individuals out of the water per year. Oshkosh Fire Department ice training Oshkosh Fire Department ice training Local fishing club officials tell Local 5 News that there are about 20 inches of ice in most spots on Lake Winnebago. An early start to the cold weather this fall, and this recent sub-zero snap has led to the thick ice going into the sturgeon spearing season. Wisconsin Beef Council launches third annual Best Burger Contest Ice is great, this is probably the best ice weve had in four or five years, Otter Street Fishing Club vice president Bob Hable said. The Otter Street Fishing Club does have its ice bridges out on the lake. Hable reminds folks that no ice is ever 100 percent safe. Advertisement Advertisement At the end of January, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources tested the water clarity in Lake Winnebago. The study found that, on average, the water clarity is 13.8 feet (how deep into the water a person can see from the surface), which is the best it has been since 2014. Reports from those who have been out on the lake recently indicate that water clarity may have deteriorated in some spots since the DNR conducted the study. We had an algae bloom, and we havent had any snow (which protects the ice from the sunlight the algae needs to grow), Hable said. So weve lost some clarity. WisDOT issues more than 10,000 blackout, retro license plates in first month Advertisement Advertisement Although spearing conditions look good on Lake Winnebago going into the weekend, first responders always urge caution. My biggest piece of advice is to make sure you have done your research on where you can go on the lake and watch the weather, Mikkelson said. He reminds folks to spear with a buddy and follow the local fishing clubs for the latest information about ice conditions out on Lake Winnebago. If you fall into the water, Mikkelson said to try your best to stay calm and hold onto the edge of the ice until help arrives. He said its a good idea to bring flotation devices with you out on the lake just in case. Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFRV Local 5 - Green Bay, Appleton. LINCOLN A top-ranking Nebraska legislative committee unanimously advanced a bill Wednesday to prohibit most weapons and self-defense items in the Nebraska State Capitol beginning next year. The Executive Board, which oversees day-to-day operations of the legislative branch, voted 9-0 to advance an amended version of Legislative Bill 1237 to the full Legislature. The bill, sponsored by each of the committee members, would specify prohibited weapons and substances without prior approval, including firearms, pepper spray, explosives and spray paint. A new committee amendment would allow Nebraskans with an active concealed carry permit, including the associated training, to still carry firearms in the Capitol after going through new metal detectors. Advertisement Advertisement Violations of the new law, if passed, would be a Class III misdemeanor. State Sen. Ben Hansen of Blair, committee chair, said part of the focus of the amendment is so the Nebraska State Patrol knows who is carrying in the Capitol. He said the State Patrol supported the proposed change. State Sen. Teresa Ibach of Sumner, committee vice chair, described the amendment as a good compromise and said it was better to be proactive with a compromise now, rather than reactive. State Sen. Beau Ballard of Lincoln asked whether the State Patrol is open to nonlethal weapons, such as pepper spray. Hansen said the agency is and would be open to a future amendment if one is brought during floor debate. Advertisement Advertisement At a public hearing for LB 1237, multiple gun-rights advocates, including former State Sen. Tom Brewer, opposed the bill. Some cited self-defense needs for the public to walk to the Capitol. Others talked about the risks of entering and leaving the building to reach parking. Brewer ushered in a 2023 law to allow Nebraskans to carry concealed handguns without needing a permit. Six of the Exec Boards nine voting members voted to pass Brewers law. Brandon Metzler, clerk of the Nebraska Legislature, pointed to data from the Council of State Governments that at least 37 state capitols use metal detectors or security checkpoints, while 34 of state capitol buildings prohibit firearms. State capitols in Kansas, Kentucky and Texas make exceptions that allow people with permits to carry firearms. At one point before advancing the bill Wednesday, Hansen said lawmakers were trying to find a healthy balance with the public, lawmakers desires and what other states have done. Advertisement Advertisement Hansen, Ibach and other senators noted increased political violence and apathy toward government nationally as a reason to act. Ibach said Nebraska lawmakers needed to be proactive in light of the summer 2025 killing of Minnesota Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband, as well as the temperament some folks are taking toward government and lawmakers nationally. State Sen. Eliot Bostar of Lincoln noted Nebraska is exceedingly rare in how physically open its Capitol is to the public, adding he thinks other states are likely having similar conversations. Hansen said he had gotten no pushback from other senators, describing that as somewhat telling that lawmakers needed to act. Advertisement Advertisement State Sen. John Fredrickson of Omaha said he was open to a full firearms ban. Hansen said the amendment might not just be a compromise with some members of the public who opposed the bill, but also with other lawmakers. Ibach said it shows the committee listened. Bostar said he felt the same as Fredrickson and that the full Legislature could decide to adopt or reject the committee amendment. Bostar and Fredrickson opposed Brewers 2023 bill. The State Patrol would need to implement procedures to detect the listed prohibited items in the Capitol by Jan. 1, 2027. Committee members said that might mean restricting public entry to one or two of the current four entrances on each side of the building. Multiple senators said the south and east entrances might be limited to lawmakers and staff, along 16th and H Streets. A fiscal analysis of the bill estimates costs of $1.57 million annually for two secured entrances, including 18 new positions. Thats compared to $944,000 for one entrance, with fewer security positions needed. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont and 17 other Democratic governors announced Tuesday they would skip a dinner at the White House this year if reports about President Donald Trump withholding invites from some state leaders were true. Their joint statement comes after Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt, a Republican and chair of the National Governors Association's executive committee, said in a letter Monday to fellow governors that the White House planned to limit invitations to an upcoming annual meeting to Republicans. As a result, Stitt said the NGA would no longer facilitate the Feb. 20 meeting. Advertisement Advertisement The New York Times reported that Trump planned to hold a dinner the same weekend with governors of both parties but would not be inviting Democratic Govs. Jared Polis and Wes Moore. "If the reports are true that not all governors are invited to these events, which have historically been productive and bipartisan opportunities for collaboration, we will not be attending the White House dinner this year," the 18 governors said in Tuesday's statement. "Democratic governors remain united, and will never stop fighting to protect and make life better for people in our states." On Tuesday, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said during a media briefing the president has "discretion to invite anyone he wants to the White House." "It's the people's house," she said. "It's also the president's home, so he can invite whomever he wants to dinners and events here at the White House." Advertisement Advertisement Besides Lamont, the governors include Moore of Maryland; Polis of Colorado; Andy Beshear of Kentucky; Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan; Tony Evers of Wisconsin; Maura Healey of Massachusetts; Kathy Hochul of New York; Laura Kelly of Kansas; Michelle Lujan Grisham of New Mexico; Dan McKee of Rhode Island; Matt Meyer of Delaware; Janet Mills of Maine; Gavin Newsom of California; JB Pritzker of Illinois; Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania; Mikie Sherrill of New Jersey and Tim Walz of Minnesota. "Democratic governors have a long record of working across the aisle to deliver results and we remain committed to this effort, but it's disappointing this administration doesn't seem to share the same goal," they said. "At every turn, President Trump is creating chaos and division, and it is the American people who are hurting as a result." This story includes reporting by the Associated Press. This article originally published at Ned Lamont among 18 governors to skip White House dinner if Trump excludes Democratic state leaders. US President Donald Trump said he insisted talks with Iran continue during a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, but warned he may take action against Tehran if a nuclear deal is not reached. The leaders met at the White House as tensions continue to rise across the Middle East and negotiations intensify over curbing Iran's nuclear weapons programme. Netanyahu was expected to press Trump to pursue a deal that would not only halt Iran's uranium enrichment, but cut its ballistic missile programme and support for proxy groups like Hamas and Hezbollah. Advertisement Advertisement Iran has suggested it is ready to limit its nuclear programme in return for sanctions relief, but has rejected other demands. Ahead of the White House meeting, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian warned his country would "not yield to their excessive demands". Netanyahu's visit marks his sixth trip to the US since Trump's return to office - more than any other world leader. The leaders spoke for nearly three hours in an unusually low-key meeting in which Netanyahu was brought in through a side entrance, out of view of the cameras. Trump did not hold a press conference with him afterwards. Advertisement Advertisement In a post on Truth Social, Trump said the meeting between the leaders had been "very good". "There was nothing definitive reached other than I insisted that negotiations with Iran continue to see whether or not a deal can be consummated," he said. He added a deal was his "preference" but if one could not be reached "we will just have to see what the outcome will be". Netanyahu's office said the leaders had discussed "the security needs of the State of Israel in the context of the negotiations" and agreed to continue their "close coordination and relationship". Advertisement Advertisement A close Trump ally, Netanyahu has long argued that Iran represents an existential security threat to Israel and has pushed the US to curb Tehran's influence in the region. "The prime minister believes that any negotiations must include limiting ballistic missiles and ending support for the Iranian axis," Netanyahu's office said in a statement ahead of his trip. After arriving in Washington on Tuesday, Netanyahu met Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner. The pair "provided an update on the first round of negotiations they held with Iran last Friday", according to the prime minister's office. Netanyahu's visit comes as the US increases its military presence in the Middle East, with Trump warning Tehran of strikes if it fails to reach a deal on its nuclear programme and to stop killing protesters. Advertisement Advertisement On Tuesday, the president said that he was "thinking" about sending a second aircraft carrier strike group to the Middle East. The USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group was sent to the region last month after Trump threatened to strike Iran to stop a government crackdown on mass protests in which thousands of people were killed. "We have an armada that is heading there and another one might be going," Trump said in an interview with Axios. He said Iran "wants to make a deal very badly", adding that a diplomatic solution remained possible. Trump told Fox Business that a good deal would mean "no nuclear weapons, no missiles". Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian warned it would "not yield to excessive demands" [Iranian Presidency/WANA/Handout via REUTERS] In a speech at a rally in Tehran on Wednesday marking the 47th anniversary of Iran's Islamic revolution, Pezeshkian said: "Our Iran will not yield in the face of aggression, but we are continuing dialogue with all our strength with neighbouring countries in order to establish peace and tranquillity in the region." Advertisement Advertisement The Iranian president also reiterated that his country was "not seeking to acquire nuclear weapons". "We have stated this repeatedly and are ready for any verification," he added. Israeli officials have also said their country reserves the right to take military action against Iran if it does not reach a nuclear agreement with the US. Netanyahu is under pressure from far-right allies in his government to use his ties to Trump to push for a wide-ranging US-Iran deal that meets the Israeli government's security concerns, experts say. "Israel is concerned that in the haste to get a deal with Iran, the president might embrace a deal that doesn't address Iran's missile programme or support for proxy groups, or that allows it to have some remnant of its nuclear programme," said Daniel Byman, a professor at Georgetown University's School of Foreign Service. Advertisement Advertisement "One worry Israel and other allies have about the US under Trump is that he wants a deal more than he wants a particular outcome," added Byman. Analysts say Iran's leaders are in a weaker position now after the mass protests and a 12-day air campaign by the US and Israel last year, during which Iranian nuclear and military sites were bombed. "The Iranian regime today is really vulnerable," said Mohammed Hafez, a professor at the Naval Postgraduate School and expert on Middle Eastern politics. "The US and Israel feel they hold all the cards, Iran is on its back foot, and they can make these maximalist demands." Advertisement Advertisement Trump withdrew the US from an Obama-era nuclear deal with Iran in his first term in office and reinstated sanctions that have severely strained its economy. The administration restarted talks last year to reach a new deal before the war between Israel and Iran. Despite this heightened rhetoric in recent weeks, Trump might still wish to avoid a direct military conflict with Iran if the nations cannot strike a nuclear deal, former US officials said. "I don't think Trump wants a major military confrontation with Iran going into an election year," said James Jeffrey, a former US ambassador to Iraq and Turkey. "And I think the Iranians know that." The visit also comes as the Trump administration presses Israel and Hamas to implement the next phase of their ceasefire agreement in Gaza. Advertisement Advertisement On Wednesday, Netanyahu met US Secretary of State Marco Rubio to sign up as a member of Trump's Board of Peace. A White House spokesperson said Israel "has had no better friend in its history than President Trump". "We continue to work closely with our ally Israel to implement President Trump's historic Gaza peace agreement and to strengthen regional security in the Middle East," said Anna Kelly, the spokesperson. Israel and Hamas agreed to a ceasefire last October, ending a two-year war started by the 7 October 2023 Hamas attack inside Israel. Approximately 1,200 people were killed and 251 were taken hostage in the attack. Israel's military campaign in response has killed more than 71,000 people, according to Gaza's Hamas-run health ministry. Advertisement Advertisement Israel and Hamas have accused each other of frequent violations of the ceasefire since the first phase of the deal went into effect. The sides have not made much progress in moving to the second phase in the ceasefire deal, which calls for the disarmament of Hamas, a full withdrawal of Israeli military forces from Gaza, and reconstruction of the coastal territory. (NewsNation) President Donald Trump met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday in a high-stakes meeting amid ongoing nuclear negotiations between the United States and Iran. Netanyahu previously said his primary focus will be on Iran, and confirmed on social media following the meeting that he discussed security needs. The Prime Minister emphasized the security needs of the State of Israel in the context of the negotiations, and the two leaders agreed on continued coordination and the close contact between them, the post said. Advertisement Advertisement Following the meeting, Trump posted on Truth Social regarding the meeting and negotiations, characterizing his conversation with Netanyahu as good. FAA lifts El Paso airspace restriction after drone threat neutralized There was nothing definitive reached other than I insisted that negotiations with Iran continue to see whether or not a Deal can be consummated. If it can, I let the Prime Minister know that will be a preference, Trump wrote. If it cannot, we will just have to see what the outcome will be. Last time Iran decided that they were better off not making a Deal, and they were hit with Midnight Hammer That did not work well for them. Israel has a series of long-standing demands regarding Iran, including an end to all uranium enrichment in the country, limits on the countrys ballistic missile program and an end to Irans ties to militant proxy groups in the region. Advertisement Advertisement Iran has long rejected these demands. The Trump administration has said it is aligned with Israel on these goals, though no specifics have been laid out in terms of what the U.S. is demanding in order to reach a deal with Iran. TMZ receives new note demanding bitcoin for Nancy Guthrie info In recent days, Trump has expressed optimism that a deal is within reach after special envoy Steve Witkoff and the presidents son-in-law, Jared Kushner, began meeting with Iranian leaders in Oman. The U.S. has built up a massive military presence with ships and planes near Iran, and Trump has threatened more strikes if a deal is not reached. Advertisement Advertisement Last summer, nuclear negotiations with Iran ended when Trump ordered strikes on three of the countrys nuclear facilities, something the president has pointed to as a warning. We have a massive flotilla right now, going over to Iran. Well see what happens. I think they want to make a deal, Trump told Fox News. I think theyd be foolish if they didnt. We took out their nuclear power last time, and well have to see if we take out more this time. Trump told Axios hes also considering sending a second aircraft carrier strike group to the Middle East, with those forces prepared for possible military action if talks fail. Watch live: Bondi questioned at House hearing Advertisement Advertisement Iran and Israel have long had a hostile relationship. A top Iranian security official said, Americans must think wisely and should remain alert to the destructive role of the Zionist in an online post, regarding Netanyahus visit. That official was in Oman just days ago. The country is playing a major role in hosting and mediating these discussions, and the official was believed to be there discussing next steps. Trump has said he expects another round of negotiations this week, though that could be delayed. Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. WASHINGTON (AP) President Donald Trump met privately with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday and said he'd insisted that negotiations with Iran continue as the U.S. pushes for a nuclear deal with Tehran. Netanyahu spent nearly three hours at the White House, but he entered and left out of the view of reporters and he and Trump didn't take questions. In a subsequent post on his social media site, however, the president called it a very good meeting and said there was nothing definitive reached, other than I insisted that negotiations with Iran continue to see whether or not a Deal can be consummated. If it can, I let the Prime Minister know that will be a preference, Trump wrote. If it cannot, we will just have to see what the outcome will be. Advertisement Advertisement He added, Last time Iran decided that they were better off not making a Deal and were hit by U.S. airstrikes. Hopefully this time they will be more reasonable and responsible, Trump wrote. In a statement, Netanyahu's office said the two leaders had discussed negotiations with Iran as well as developments in Gaza and around the region and they had agreed to continue their close coordination and relationship. Wednesday's meeting was their seventh during Trumps second term and took place as both the U.S. and Iran are projecting cautious optimism after holding indirect talks in Oman on Friday about how, once again, to approach negotiations over Irans nuclear program. Advertisement Advertisement Trump said on reaching an agreement with Iran in a Tuesday interview with Fox Business Networks Larry Kudlow: I think theyd be foolish if they didnt. We took out their nuclear power last time, and well have to see if we take out more this time. Its got to be a good deal, he said then. No nuclear weapons, no missiles. Netanyahu pushes for more in Iran talks Netanyahu's office said prior to the meeting that he wants the U.S.-Iran talks to include limits on Tehran's ballistic missile program and its support for militant groups such as Hamas and Hezbollah. I will present to the president our outlook regarding the principles of these negotiations the essential principles which, in my opinion, are important not only to Israel, but to everyone around the world who wants peace and security in the Middle East, Netanyahu said Tuesday before leaving Israel. Advertisement Advertisement But it remains unclear how much influence Netanyahu will have over Trump's approach toward Iran. Trump initially threatened to take military action over Irans bloody crackdown on nationwide protests in January, then shifted to a pressure campaign in recent weeks to try to get Tehran to make a deal over its nuclear program. Iran is still reeling from the 12-day war with Israel in June. The devastating series of airstrikes, including the U.S. bombing several Iranian nuclear sites, killed nearly 1,000 people in Iran and almost 40 in Israel. Trump has said repeatedly that U.S. strikes had obliterated Iran's nuclear capabilities, though the amount of damage remains unclear. Satellite photos of nuclear sites have recently captured activity, prompting concern that Iran could be attempting to salvage or assess damage at the sites. Israel has long called for Iran to cease all uranium enrichment, dial back its ballistic missile program and cut ties to militant groups across the region. Iran has always rejected those demands, saying it would only accept some limits on its nuclear program in return for sanctions relief. Advertisement Advertisement Washington has built up military forces in the region, sending an aircraft carrier, guided-missile destroyers, air defense assets and more to supplement its presence. Arab and Islamic countries, including Turkey and Qatar, have been urging both sides to show restraint, warning that any strike or retaliation could have destabilizing consequences for a region already strained by the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza. Gaza was also a topic In his post, Trump said he and Netanyahu had also discussed the tremendous progress being made in Gaza, and the Region in general. Trump plans to hold the first meeting next week of his Board of Peace, which was initially framed to oversee future steps of the U.S.-brokered Gaza ceasefire plan but has taken shape with Trump's ambitions of resolving other global crises. Earlier Wednesday, Netanyahu met with Secretary of State Marco Rubio at Blair House, across the street from the White House, and agreed to be part of the board. Advertisement Advertisement On Iran, Trump said Friday that his special envoy, Steve Witkoff, and son-in-law Jared Kushner had very good talks and more were planned this week. But the Republican president kept up the pressure, warning that if Iran did not make a deal over its nuclear program, the consequences are very steep. Iran's foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, made similar comments, saying there will be consultations on next steps. He also said the level of mistrust between the two longtime adversaries remains a serious challenge facing the negotiations. He signaled that Iran would stick to its position that it must be able to enrich uranium a major point of contention with Trump. Netanyahu met with Witkoff and Kushner shortly after arriving in Washington on Tuesday evening and they gave him an update on the talks held with Iran in Oman, the prime minister's office said. Advertisement Advertisement Araghchi said in November that Iran was no longer enriching uranium due to the damage from last years war. Before the war, Iran had been enriching uranium up to 60% purity, a short, technical step away from weapons-grade levels. The U.N. nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency, had said Iran was the only country in the world to enrich to that level that was not armed with the bomb. Iran has been refusing requests by the IAEA to inspect the sites bombed in the June war. Even before that, Iran has restricted IAEA inspections since Trumps decision in 2018 to unilaterally withdraw the U.S. from Irans 2015 nuclear deal with world powers. ___ Amiri reported from New York, Weissert from Washington. GE Vernova said the energy giant has completed a modernization project at InterGens 800MW Coryton Power Plant in the UK. The group on February 9 said the work included two high-efficiency (HE) upgrades on GT26 gas turbines, delivering 85 MW of additional generation capacity, a 2.46% efficiency gain. The project also is expected to reduce emissions of carbon dioxide by about 67,500 tonnes annually. Officials on Monday said the modernization work supports grid reliability as more renewable energy resources are added to the transmission and distribution system. The Coryton plant is a combined-cycle facility located 30 miles east of London on the River Thames. We were impressed by the tenacity of GE Vernovas service teams and the remarkable impact of the HE upgrades, which delivered higher-than-expected efficiency and power production, said Daniel Fosberg, managing director at InterGen. At InterGen, we are committed to investing in the energy transition by enhancing flexible generation to ensure grid stability as renewable energy increases. We also create cutting-edge solutions to ensure reliable power supply at an affordable cost for our customersand GE Vernova has proven to be a trusted player and technological innovator in driving these goals forward. Technology Breakthroughs GE Vernovas HE upgrade utilizes technology breakthroughs across gas turbine, compressor and combustor. The company on Monday said the advancements enable Coryton Power Plant to deliver up to an additional 85 MW of power, above the expected increase of 77 MW. The upgrades also are designed to extend maintenance intervals. Officials on Monday said the maintenance work at Coryton included borescope inspections on two generators and steam turbines, valve inspections, and electrical testing of all components. GE Vernovas Coryton project team included more than 300 experts from Project Management, Engineering, Parts, Sourcing, One Field Services (OFS), Logistics, and Manufacturing teams worldwide, working in collaboration with InterGen. This project underscores our continued commitment to keeping our customers gas turbine fleets competitive in the UK's energy landscape, said Joseph Anis, president and CEO for GE Vernovas Gas Power business in Europe, Middle East and Africa. The scope and nature of this project were extraordinary, demonstrating our capability to deliver high-impact, efficient solutions that not only meet but exceed our clients expectations. GE Vernova GT26 gas turbines are able to operate on a variety of fuels, including blends of hydrogen and natural gas, to offer InterGen pathways to reduce carbon emissions in the future. Darrell Proctor is a senior editor for POWER. The Archdioces of Newark will host its annual Black History Month Mass on Sunday, given by Archbishop Charles G. Palmer-Buckle of the Archdiocese of Cape Coast in Ghana. Palmer-Buckle will serve as a guest homilist, or visiting cleric delivering a sermon, for the 3 p.m. mass, at the Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart, the seat of htre archdioceses overlooking Essex County Branch Brook Park in Newark. Palmer-Buckle will give the mass in conjunction with Cardinal Josep W. Tobin, who heads the archdioces and, as New Jerseys only cardinal, is the states highest-ranking Catholic cleric. Advertisement Advertisement Rahsaan Garlin, associate director of the archdiocese African American, African and Caribbean Apostolate, said Palmer-Buckle will preach unity among Black Catholics of various nations of origin. His message will be crucial because theres too much separatism among Black Catholics, Garlin said in a statement Tuesday. We want people to realize that we may have different cultures, but were all part of one Church. And when we come together in solidarity, we are stronger as a community. Palmer-Buckle, 75, has led the Archdiocese of Cape Coast since 2018, and has been involved with church and secular affairs in Ghana and beyond. Hes held positions with the Department of Socio-Economic Development of Ghanas Catholic Bishops Conference, served as president of Caritas Africa, a Catholic development and social services organization, and first vice president of Caritas International. Advertisement Advertisement He also served on Ghanas National Reconciliation Commission in the early 2000s, set up to address human rights abuses under the nations late-20th Century autocratic regime. The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops estimated in 2016 that there were some 34,000 Black Catholics within the Archdiocese of Newark, which is made up of Essex, Hudson, Bergen and Union counties. A spokesman for the archdioces, Sean Quinn, said the number may have declined since then, possibly due in part to the coronavirus pandemic. Quinn said the archdiocese planned to conduct its own census sometime this year. A 2022 study by the Pew Research Center found that the number of Black Catholics in the United States has been declining, attributed in part to a lack of Black priests and parishes with Black majorities. Among the relatively few Black Catholics there are in the country, study found that a significant share are immigrants. Advertisement Advertisement Sundays Black History Month Mass follows a service in October for Hispanic Heritage Month given by Tobin entirely in Spanish. In contrast to the relatively small number of Black Catholics, Hispanic parishioners make up more than 40% of the archdioceses total of $1.3 million Catholics. Last years Black History Month Mass in Newark featured Cardinal Wilton D. Gregory of the Archdiocese of Washington, D.C., the nations first Black cardinal. US's only Black cardinal, from D.C., takes part in Black History Mass Sunday at Sacred Heart in Newark Read the original article on NJ.com. Add NJ.com as a Preferred Source by clicking here. (Inside California Politics) Just a few weeks after making headlines in Davos, Gov. Gavin Newsom is set to travel abroad again. Newsom will visit Germany for the Munich Security Conference this weekend, his office confirmed to Inside California Politics. The worlds largest security conference, the German event has been held annually for more than half a century. At the event, Newsom plans to contrast his vision for the United States with that of President Donald Trump. His message is that Trump is temporary, but California is not. Advertisement Advertisement The governor will frame California as a leader in democracy, climate action, artificial intelligence and other areas a steady partner for foreign governments regardless of which political party is in charge. The U.S. is walking away from common sense, Newsom said at a news conference Tuesday. Im going to walk into that conference and make the case that California is a stable and reliable partner, he said. That California has significantly grown its GDP and we have significantly reduced our greenhouse gas emissions. Newsom plans to meet foreign dignitaries and business leaders, using the privately-funded trip to build economic partnerships and strengthen ties between California and the rest of the world. Advertisement Advertisement In Munich, Newsom will meet one-on-one with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, German outlet DW News reported. Merz will also meet with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, though DW News Chief Political Editor Michaela Kuefner wrote that the Newsom meeting is a clear signal of political defiance against MAGA support of Germanys far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party. Inside California Politics Eytan Wallace contributed to this story. Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Opening a home-based child care program is on the path to becoming easier for providers. The House Committee on Municipal and County Government heard testimony Tuesday on legislation that would tackle a small piece of New Hampshires child care availability issue. House Bill 1195 seeks to address local zoning issues affecting family child care and family group child care programs, as well as child care centers operating in commercially zoned areas. The two-part bill would require the local government bodies in cities, towns, or counties to allow home-based care in a providers home or a pre-existing accessory dwelling on their property by right, as long as the program meets the states child care licensing standards. It would also exempt small child care centers centers in a business or facility that do not care for more than 12 children and that operate in commercial zones from local regulations that may conflict with child care licensing. Advertisement Advertisement State law defines family child care, also known as home-based care, as child care that is being provided for up to 12 children in someones primary residence. While not as prominent as center-based care, it helps fill child care deserts in rural areas and provides child care for parents who work nontraditional hours. As of December 2025, there are 103 licensed family and family group child care programs in New Hampshire and 614 licensed child care centers. Rep. David Paige of Conway explains House Bill 1720 to the House Committee on County and Municipal Government Tuesday. (Photo by Maya Mitchell/New Hampshire Bulletin.) Rep. David Paige, a Conway Democrat and bills prime sponsor, said that while there is not one single solution to increasing the states capacity for licensed child care, his bill would help providers in a system that is truly stacked against them. This bill is not trying to pretend to fix everything thats broken in our child care system, he said. But it does aim to resolve a couple of very real, very practical barriers to new child care formation. Advertisement Advertisement Currently, home-based child care is subject to both state child care licensing rules and local government zoning regulations, which are oftentimes at odds with each other. Paige and others testified that providers have been unable to open new programs because the process is extremely difficult. Paige argued that because of how rigorous and regulated New Hampshires child care system is, municipalities can be confident that programs are meeting high standards. Its important to understand that the goal here is not deregulation. We all want safe child care, Paige said. The goal is simply to eliminate conflicting requirements. What were trying to achieve is one clear, predictable code for child care which is a public good. Members of the committee pushed back against the bill, which would increase child care-related traffic and visitors in their neighborhoods. Advertisement Advertisement Rep. Deborah Aylward, a Danbury Republican, said she was troubled by the idea of allowing more traffic and unknown individuals into an area and expose properties to a risk of casing. Its posing or causing privacy rights issues, is my concern, she said. Paige said the bill would not override landlords, homeowners associations, or private covenants, and emphasized that because home-based child care offers a very small quantity of care, neighbors of a business would not experience those issues. The New Hampshire Municipal Association testified against the bill, believing it would take away from local zoning control. Towns would still be able to manage community impacts from large centers. An amendment to the bill will be made in the coming weeks to address concerns from committee members and provide greater clarity on how the bill would be enforced. By Ahmed Kingimi and Hamza Ibrahim MAIDUGURI/KANO, Nigeria, Feb 10 (Reuters) - When leaders from Doma town in Nigeria's northern Katsina state struck a deal with local gunmen last September, everyone hoped the attacks would end and they could go back to tending their farms in peace. The agreement held, at first. Then on February 3, armed men from the same gang charged back in, survivors said, shooting as they moved house to house, killing at least 21 people and leaving the six-month truce in tatters. Advertisement Advertisement It is a story that locals fear could be repeated across the region. Officials from around 15 districts across Katsina - and others from three other northern states, Kaduna, Sokoto, and Zamfara - have been making similar deals with armed groups, sources told Reuters, frustrated by years of violence and failed initiatives by the central government and the army to bring law and order. The massacre in Doma, they say, shows the risks the small communities are taking as they send their own people out to negotiate with bandits and gangs of kidnappers, without the backup of the authorities in the capital. TURNING TO ATTACKERS FOR SECURITY Advertisement Advertisement "People appear to have given up on the governments ability to protect them, and are instead making deals with bandits," Kabiru Adamu, a former Nigerian intelligence officer who now runs a risk management company, said. "Whether those deals will actually bring peace is another matter," he added. The military, the Katsina police and a spokesperson for Nigeria's president did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the reports of local deals. Last month, Defence Minister Christopher Musa warned local authorities in northern states against striking such deals, saying they undermined national efforts to restore security and a policy of not negotiating with bandits. Advertisement Advertisement The government says it has also been working with U.S. intelligence and forces since President Donald Trump accused it of failing to stem a tide of attacks by Islamist militants that he said overwhelmingly targeted Christian communities. On Christmas Day, U.S. forces struck what they described as terrorist targets in Sokoto. Abuja says it was closely involved and Washington says several militants were killed. But locals say, whoever was targeted, there has been no reduction in the attacks suffered by the overwhelmingly Muslim communities in the north, where violence is tied in with a complex web of issues alongside militancy, including competition between herders and farmers over land and water. CONFLICTS TIED IN WITH LAND Advertisement Advertisement Doma's deal was born from a series of meetings in July, one of which was caught on a video shared on social media. It involved members of the armed group - seen in the film riding in pairs on motorbikes - and a party made up of town leaders alongside officials from the state and the Faskari local government area that includes Doma, Faskari district chairman Surajo Aliyu Daudawa said. Among the armed men identified on the video and confirmed by people who were present was a herder from the Fulani community who has risen to become a prominent bandit leader. Fulani herders have long clashed with farmers over land and water, conflicts that have been exacerbated by climate-induced migration, northern desertification and population growth. Advertisement Advertisement After three months of talks, an agreement was reached where the Doma farmers let herders graze their cattle around the town, according to one local leader who asked not to be named. In return, the gunmen pledged to end attacks, release 400 kidnapped villagers and not carry weapons or wear military uniforms when herding cattle, another official who attended the meeting said. An unknown sum of cash, delivered in a sack, was also paid to the armed group, a source familiar with the arrangement said. 'THEY DIDN'T SPARE ANY MEN' Everything fell apart in mid-January when the armed group accused residents of having killed one of their members and then launched a retaliatory raid, according to the local leader. Advertisement Advertisement On February 3, the gunmen, more than 50 of them, came back - from the same gang, said the townspeople who recognised them. Ramatu Muhammed told Reuters she saw them kill her son Saifullahi despite her pleas to spare his life. "They terrorised us," said Aliyu Abdullahi who lost his brother and two cousins. "They didnt spare any man they saw." (Reporting by Hamza Ibrahim in Kano and Ahmed Kingimi in Maiduguri; Writing by Ben Ezeamalu; Editing by David Lewis and Andrew Heavens) Tuesday's shootings were Canada's deadliest since 2020, as ITV News Correspondent Robert Moore reports Police have identified the suspect in a school shooting in Canada as an 18-year-old who had prior mental health calls to her home. Authorities shared Jesse Van Rootselaar's name at a news conference on Wednesday, a day after seven people, including five children, were killed at a school in remote British Columbia and two others were killed at a nearby home in one of the countrys deadliest mass shootings. Advertisement Advertisement Police initially said nine people were killed in the attack, but later clarified that there were eight fatalities, plus the suspect, who authorities said shot herself. They said that the suspect's 39-year-old mother and 11-year-old stepbrother were found dead in a home near the school. Victims at the school included a 39-year-old teacher and five students between the ages of 12 and 13. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) said more than 25 people were injured in the attack, including two who were airlifted to hospital with life-threatening injuries. The killings at the home occurred first, according to Royal Canadian Mounted Police Deputy Commissioner Dwayne McDonald. A young family member at the home went to a neighbour, who called the police. Advertisement Advertisement FBI releases images of masked intruder in Nancy Guthrie's porch British pro-democracy campaigner Jimmy Lai sentenced to 20 years in Hong Kong At the school, one victim was found in a stairwell, and the rest were found in the library. The suspect was not related to any of the victims at the school, McDonald added. "There is no information at this point that anyone was specifically targeted," McDonald said. Police recovered a long gun and a modified handgun. McDonald said officers arrived at the school two minutes after the initial call. When they arrived, shots were fired in their direction. When asked by reporters if Van Rootselaar was transgender, McDonald said police were identifying her "as they chose to be identified in public and in social media". Advertisement Advertisement "I can say that Jesse was born as a biological male who approximately six years ago began to transition to female and identified as female, both socially and publicly," McDonald added. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney gave an emotional response to the shooting as her arrived at parliament Parents, grandparents, sisters, brothers in Tumbler Ridge will wake up without someone they love. The nation mourns with you, and Canada stands by you, Carney said. He suspended long-planned trips to Halifax and Germany in response to the shooting. Carney also thanked emergency services and world leaders who have reached out after the shooting. Messages included one from the King, who is also Canada's head of state. Advertisement Advertisement The town of Tumbler Ridge is more than 1,000 kilometres north of Vancouver, near the border with Alberta. Tumbler Ridge Mayor Darryl Krakowka said the whole community is grieving. I broke down, he said, when asked about learning how many had died. Its devastating. I have lived here for 18 years, he said of the community of 2,700, which he called a big family". I probably know every one of the victims. Gun laws in Canada are much stricter than in the US, and mass shootings are very rare. Tuesday's shootings were Canada's deadliest since 2020, when a gunman in Nova Scotia killed 13 people and lit fires that left another nine dead. Advertisement Advertisement Speaking on Wednesday, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said he had "conveyed the UK's deepest condolences to Prime Minister Carney and the people of Canada for the devastating shooting in Tumbler Ridge." Subscribe free to our weekly newsletter for exclusive and original coverage from ITV News. Direct to your inbox every Friday morning. Want a quick and expert briefing on the biggest news stories? Listen to our latest podcasts to find out What You Need To Know Three families of U.S. citizens in Idaho have filed a lawsuit alleging that state and federal law enforcement agencies used unconstitutional tactics during a raid on the "La Catedral Arena" racetrack last October, reports the Associated Press. According to a press release from the Federal Bureau of Investigation about the events of Oct. 19, 2025, an investigation by the Salt Lake City FBIs Boise Resident Agency, in coordination with the Treasure Valley Metro Violent Crime and Gang Task Force, led to the discovery of an illegal gambling business at the track. Yet, according to the Associated Press, just five people were arrested for illegal gambling, while over 100 others were detained on suspected immigration violations. A release from the American Civil Liberties Union, helping the three families with the lawsuit, detailed the day of the raid: "On Oct. 19, at the height of an otherwise festive and calm day, masked law enforcement stormed La Catedral Arena to conduct a dragnet immigration raid. They shoved compliant people to the ground, forcibly dragged people out of their cars, shot rubber bullets, and threw flashbang grenades into cars that had people sitting inside. Parents and children were zip-tied at gunpoint, and agents subjected people to hours of violent and degrading treatment. "Juana Rodriguez and her 3-year-old son are U.S. citizens. Juana was handcuffed in zip ties for several hours. Police instructed Juanas 3-year-old to hold onto her pocket, which officers turned inside out. He held onto her pocket crying during the several hours they were detained." "On Oct. 19, I took my 3-year-old to a family-friendly event where we could eat, play, and enjoy horse races together," said Juana Rodriguez. "What happened turned our outing into a nightmare. My toddler was forced to witness an incredible amount of violence against people he loves and hear racial slurs about Latinos, experiences that no child should ever be exposed to. I'll never forget hearing his little voice pleading with me to give him food and water for hours on end. "As a parent, nothing is more heartbreaking than hearing your child cry out in fear and being told you cannot hold or comfort them. I am a proud U.S. citizen, and I didn't do anything wrong. While nothing will ever undo the harm of that day, I joined this lawsuit because I know what happened to me was wrong and because no family should be treated this way again." I want to be clear about what this was: a coordinated government scheme to weaponize an arrest warrant as cover for racial profiling on a massive scale, said Paul Carlos Southwick, legal director for the American Civil Liberties Union Foundation of Idaho, during a press conference Feb. 9. The real objective was to deport hundreds of innocent people, no matter the human cost, while spreading terror throughout the Latine community. The three families who filed the lawsuit said they were not questioned about gambling and were released after proving U.S. citizenship or lawful residency. They re asking a federal judge to certify the suit as a class action, rule that law enforcement violated federal law and detainees' constitutional rights, and award damages to be determined at trial. The Idaho Statesman reported in October that La Catedral Arena has a conditional use permit from Canyon County to hold horse races, but property owner Ivan Tellez' event permit application included a letter from the Idaho Racing Commission prohibiting parimutuel gambling. Tellez was among those arrested on illegal gambling charges. Read more at the Associated Press. This story was originally published by Paulick Report on Feb 11, 2026, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Paulick Report as a Preferred Source by clicking here. Within moments of receiving reports that there was a shooter nearby, Stacie Gruntman, the principal of Tumbler Ridge secondary school, did what educators are increasingly trained to do: she put the school in lockdown. Gruntman rushed through the tiny school in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains in northern British Columbia, checking that classroom doors were secured. Teachers shut off the lights and huddled with their students. Darian Quist, a grade 12 student, told CBC Radio that he and his classmates initially thought the lockdown was a drill. But then they began to receive disturbing photos from other parts of the school, and the fear set in. Advertisement Advertisement We got tables and barricaded the doors, he said. In the gymnasium, older students comforted younger children. Loud bangs echoed throughout the building. In a town with only three police vehicles, officers arrived less than five minutes after the alarm was raised coming under fire as they did so, police later said. Related: Tumbler Ridge school shooting: The nation mourns with you, says Mark Carney after Canada attack latest updates Their quick response is credited with saving countless lives, but by then six people had already been killed at the school: a 39-year-old teacher, three 12-year-old girls and two boys aged 12 and 13. One victim lay in a stairwell; the rest were in a classroom. Advertisement Advertisement More than two dozen people were injured. The suspected shooter, Jesse Van Rootselaar, 18, was also found dead. Her mother, 39, and an 11 -year old sibling believed to be a step-brother were later found dead at a nearby home. On Wednesday morning, both schools in the mountain village of Tumbler Ridge were closed and police tape blocked roads. Dozens of officers, flown in from other parts of the province, continued what will be a harrowing and emotionally turbulent investigation. As accounts of one of Canadas deadliest mass shootings trickle out, stories of heroism and tragedy have laid bare the scope of devastation that has left the small town and nation in shock and grief. Advertisement Advertisement There are no words in the English language that capture the horror of what happened, said provincial lawmaker Larry Neufeld. The remote coalmining community of just 2,700 people is encircled by thick forest and is prized for its proximity to nature. But daily routine was shattered on Tuesday when an emergency alert blared from phones, warning residents of an active shooter. Parents were notified the two schools had been placed on lockdown, but given little information. Hours later, images circulating on social media showed frightened students exiting the school, their hands in the air. Tumbler Ridges mayor, Darryl Krakowka, said that when he first heard the death toll, he broke down. Advertisement Advertisement I have lived here for 18 years, he said of the community that he described as a big family. I probably know every one of the victims. The Rev George Rowe of the Tumbler Ridge Fellowship Baptist church went to the recreation centre where victims families were awaiting more information. It was not a pretty sight. Families are still waiting to hear if its their child thats deceased and because of protocol and procedure, the investigating team is very careful in releasing names, Rowe said on Tuesday. Rowe once taught at the high school, and his three children graduated from there. To walk through the corridors of that school will never be the same again, he said. Chris Norbury, a town councillor whose wife is a teacher at the school, said his heart and soul are heavy as residents struggled to make sense of the tragedy. Advertisement Advertisement I cannot stop thinking about the children, the teachers, and the first responders who had to live through such a terrifying experience, he said in a social media post. Like many in our community, I felt the fear, the kind that sits in your heart and soul that doesnt let go. The fear that I lost a loved one. It is something none of us should ever have to experience. Rhen-Rhen Reyes Ceredon said her son was one of the students who endured the hours-long lockdown. Its just so traumatic for him what he witnessed in their school. My fellow parents, I know this situation is very terrifying and shocking. We need to talk our children for their mental health, what they feel, and whats going on to their lives, she posted on social media. Comfort them and let them feel that you are always there for them. This tragedy will always be in their mind. We need to help them overcome this trauma. The BC Assembly of First Nations sent out a message expressing its profound sorrow over the tragic loss of life in Tumbler Ridge. The senseless violence that has taken away precious lives, including that of the suspect, and injured many more, will leave a deep and lasting wound not only in this community but in all of us living in BC and across Canada, it read. Advertisement Advertisement The shooting Canadas deadliest since 2020, when a gunman in Nova Scotia killed 13 people and set fires that left another nine dead has left the country grief-stricken and in shock. Political leaders were openly emotional in their responses. Mark Carney, who spent his early years in a small west Canadian town, said Tumbler Ridge was bracing for a very difficult day. Parents, grandparents, sisters, brothers in Tumbler Ridge will wake up without someone they love. The nation mourns with you; Canada stands by you. He said flags at government buildings would be lowered to half mast. He also cancelled a trip to Germany. Advertisement Advertisement Pierre Poilievre, the Conservative leader of the opposition, said: As a father, I cant even imagine the phone calls that parents might have received. I cant imagine the heartache and hell that theyre living through at this moment. Both schools in Tumbler Ridge will remain closed for the rest of the week. There is no timeline for how each of us will process this grief and immense loss, both individually and as a community, the school district said in a statement. While words often feel inadequate in the face of such loss, coming together can help reduce isolation and remind us that we are not alone. Trent Ernst, publisher of the local Tumbler RidgeLines newspaper, said he had been so overwhelmed by media requests that he hadnt yet written a story on the shooting. Reflecting the nature of many small towns in the region, where people juggle different jobs, Ernst previously had worked as a substitute teacher in the school. As somebody who has worked there, who knows the people there, and who knows a lot of the kids, this is really hitting me hard. This is hitting the community hard, he said. Stay safe, be warm, love your neighbours, love your family, and just know that my heart is there with you. Mohammadi, 53, who has been imprisoned repeatedly in her three-decade campaign for women's rights, was last week sentenced to a new prison term of 7-1/2 years, a group supporting her said on Sunday. The Norwegian Nobel Committee said on Wednesday that it had called on Iran to immediately free activist and Nobel Peace Prize winner Narges Mohammadi from prison. Mohammadi, 53, who has been imprisoned repeatedly in her three-decade campaign for women's rights, was last week sentenced to a new prison term of 7-1/2 years, a group supporting her said on Sunday. Advertisement Advertisement She was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2023 while in prison for her campaign to advance women's rights and abolish the death penalty in the Islamic Republic. Citing "reliable and welldocumented sources inside Iran," the committee said Mohammadi was violently apprehended in December while attending the funeral of a human-rights lawyer and was subject to physical abuse and ongoing lifethreatening mistreatment. Ali and Kiana Rahmani, children of Narges Mohammadi, an imprisoned Iranian human rights activist, hold the Nobel Peace Prize 2023 award, accepting it on behalf of their mother at Oslo City Hall, Norway December 10, 2023. (credit: NTB/Fredrik Varfjell via REUTERS) An Iranian prosecutor at the time of the arrest told reporters that Mohammadi made provocative remarks at the memorial ceremony in the northeastern city of Mashhad and encouraged those present "to chant normbreaking slogans" and "disturb the peace." Mohammadi subjected to cruel, inhumane punishment The Nobel Committee, in a statement on Wednesday, said the laureate was subject to cruel, inhuman, and degrading punishment in violation of international human rights law. "Mohammadi's ordeal is yet another grim example of the brutal repression that has followed the mass protests in Iran, where countless women and men have risked their lives to demand freedom, equality and basic human rights," it said. The 52-year-old owner of a far north suburban horse stable has been accused of sexually abusing a teen female employee, the McHenry County State's Attorney's Office said Monday. Raymond Krussell of Richmond has been charged with aggravated criminal sexual abuse, criminal sexual assault, distribution of harmful material to a minor and grooming in the case, the state's attorney's office said. The McHenry County Sheriff's Office began investigating Krussell, who owns Krussell Stables in Richmond, when a woman, who is now 18, reported that Krussell had sexually abused her while she worked at the stables, beginning when she was just 15, officials said. Advertisement Advertisement The victim had taken riding lessons as a young child at the stables, officials said. As she got older, she worked at the stables in exchange for expenses, officials said. SEE ALSO: Fired Chicago-area Catholic schools teacher faces new child sexual abuse allegations Krussell allegedly groomed the child, sending her sexually explicit images of himself in text messages. He's also accused of sexually assaulting her at least once a week when she was 16 to 17 years old, officials said. Krussell appeared in court Friday, and was denied pre-trial release. He will remain in McHenry County Jail, and is next due in court Wednesday. Advertisement Advertisement On Tuesday, the sign was down at Krussell Stables. Phone calls made to the business were not returned; though horses and vehicles remained on the property. One family who paid Krussell for riding lessons for their then-9-year-old daughter beginning back in 2011 is speaking out. "It just makes me sick to my stomach to be honest with you," Robert Luce said. Robert and Natalie Luce said they were with Krussell's barn for three-plus years before a falling out. They're thankful their instincts led them to part ways, and that their now 24-year-old daughter was not a victim. "We've asked her a number of times since this news came out whether she happened to be this type of victim, and she insists that she was not. So I'm grateful for that," Robert Luce said. Advertisement Advertisement Natalie Luce says the nature of the equestrian industry gives riding instructors a unique position with kids. And the charges Krussell faces are a breach of trust. "You have high trust for these people; your children look up to them and respect them and really want their love and adoration. It's a little bit crazy the power these people can have over these kids," Natalie Luce said. Anyone with information regarding the incident or a similar incident involving the suspect is asked to file a report with local police or the McHenry County Sheriff's Office. The Brief A court ruling in Louisiana last Friday said the government can hold ICE detainees without bond, even if they aren't accused of violent crimes. The ruling could affect the cases of Maher Tarabishi and Leqaa Kordia, two high-profile detainees in North Texas. A constitutional law attorney says the court battle over this ruling could go all the way up to the Supreme Court. DALLAS - A recent court ruling means nonviolent ICE detainees could be held without bond, which could affect several high-profile North Texas detention cases. What we know The Louisiana Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled on Friday, Feb. 6 that the federal government can indefinitely detain non-citizens without bond as their immigration process plays out. This ruling would apply to all detainees, including those who are not accused of violent crimes. Advertisement Advertisement The ruling is a continuation of the Trump administration's practice of holding immigrants in mandatory detention until their removal proceedings conclude, even if a judge grants the detainee bail. Multiple high-profile ICE detentions in North Texas Local perspective This recent ruling could have an effect on efforts to get two people currently in a North Texas ICE facility out of detention. 62-year-old Maher Tarabishi has been in ICE detention at the Prairieland Detention Facility in Alvarado since October 2025, when he was detained during a routine check-in at the ICE Field Office in Dallas. The Jordanian national was the primary caretaker for Wael Tarabishi, his adult disabled son. Wael died at a Mansfield hospital last month. Advertisement Advertisement Tarabishi's daughter-in-law denounced his detainment. "Maher Tarabishi is not a criminal, he is not dangerous, he is a father who has spent his whole life caring for his disabled son," she said previously. Leqaa Kordia, a Palestinian woman, was also being held at the Prairieland Detention Facility. Kordia was detained in New Jersey in March 2025 when she mistakenly surrendered her valid student visa as she tried to pursue permanent residency. Over the weekend, Kordia was reportedly hospitalized due to a seizure. Amnesty International USA accused immigration authorities of stonewalling her supporters and legal advocates. "Not only have ICE officials neglected Leqaas health, but they failed to update her lawyers and family on her health status and whereabouts following her hospitalization. This blatant disregard of Leqaas human rights while in custody is appalling," their statement read. A court ruling that's far from over What they're saying David Coale, a constitutional law attorney, talked FOX 4's Alex Boyer about the court's ruling. Advertisement Advertisement "The court held that ICE not only can, but should detain people who are in the immigration process without allowing a bond," Coale said. "And they did that based on a provision of the immigration code." Coale said the issue is far from over. He expects the case to end up in front of the Supreme Court. "The dissenters in that case and most other federal courts that have looked at it have said that, for the last 30 years, Homeland Security has not taken the current position that the government is taking, that you can hold these people without a bond and have kind of held that against the government say now you're saying something different," Coale continued. What's next An ICE spokesperson told Boyer that both Tarabishi and Kordia have been ordered to be removed from the United States. The Source Information in this story came from FOX 4 reporting. Key Takeaways Goldman Sachs has roughly $2.36 billion in crypto exposure, entirely through ETFs, with no direct holdings of the tokens. Bitcoin and Ethereum remain its core allocations, at about $1.06$1.1 billion in BTC ETFs and roughly $1 billion in ETH ETFs. Goldmans overall crypto allocation increased quarter-over-quarter, signaling continued institutional commitment. Goldman Sachs, which manages more than $3.5 trillion in assets, disclosed roughly $2.36 billion in crypto exposure in its Q4 2025 13F filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The allocation represents about 0.33% of its reported portfolio and reflects a 15% quarter-over-quarter increase even as the bank trimmed its largest crypto holdings. Goldman Sachs Holds ETFs Not Tokens Goldmans crypto exposure is entirely indirect. The firm does not custody Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), XRP, or Solana (SOL) directly. Instead, it holds spot exchange-traded funds (ETFs) tied to those assets. For a large U.S. bank, this structure offers regulatory clarity and operational simplicity. ETFs are SEC-regulated securities that can be integrated into traditional portfolios without requiring direct wallet custody, private key management, or additional AML infrastructure. The Q4 filing shows exposure to Bitcoin, Ethereum, XRP, and Solana. While the bank reduced its Bitcoin and Ethereum ETF positions during the quarter likely as part of routine rebalancing amid market volatility it initiated new allocations to XRP and Solana ETFs. Breakdown of Holdings Bitcoin: Between $1.06$1.1 billion in spot Bitcoin ETFs Represents roughly 4547% of total crypto exposure. Reduced by approximately 3940% in Q4. Ethereum: Over $1.0 billion in spot Ethereum ETFs Accounts for about 42% of the allocation. Trimmed by roughly 27% during the quarter. XRP: Between $152$153 million in XRP ETFs Newly initiated position in Q4 2025. Represents approximately 67% of total exposure. Solana: $108$109 million in Solana ETFs Also a new Q4 position. Accounts for roughly 45% of the allocation. Although Bitcoin and Ethereum remain the core holdings. The addition of XRP and Solana is likely a tactical expansion into assets often associated with payments infrastructure and high-throughput blockchain applications. Despite trimming its two largest positions, Goldmans overall crypto allocation rose quarter-over-quarter, indicating continued institutional participation through regulated investment products. Why Goldman Sachs Avoids Direct Ownership Goldmans ETF-only strategy reflects a broader institutional preference for regulated exposure. Norway's former high-profile diplomat Terje Rod-Larsen helped Jeffrey Epstein weave his web of dignitaries, acting as a go-between for the convicted sex offender in exchange for rewards, media has reported. Along with his wife Mona Juul, another diplomat now caught up in the turmoil following the latest release of millions of documents from the investigation relating to Epstein, Rod-Larsen rose to fame as one of the architects of the secret Israeli-Palestinian negotiations that led to the Oslo Accords in the 1990s. A sociologist by training, he held various roles at the United Nations: assistant secretary-general, special coordinator in the Occupied Territories, then special envoy for the Middle East. Advertisement Advertisement The now 78-year-old Norwegian ended his career at the International Peace Institute (IPI). It was in the 2010s, while heading the New York-based think tank, that he developed what appears to have been a close relationship with Epstein, who had already been convicted in 2008 for soliciting a minor. - 'Super-diplomat' - A mere mention in the files does not imply wrongdoing. The nearly three million documents released by US authorities have illuminated deeper ties than previously known between members of Norway's elite and Epstein, who died in 2019 while awaiting trial for sex trafficking. Advertisement Advertisement Harald Stanghelle, a political commentator for newspaper Aftenposten, believes that in Rod-Larsen's case, "the super-diplomat was not merely a pawn in Epstein's game but a spider at the centre of the web". "If you look at all the most important Norwegian political figures named in the Epstein documents, he is the key figure: no one came into contact with Epstein without going through Rod-Larsen," he told AFP. "He comes across as someone funnelling people to Epstein," Stanghelle said. Norwegian police have opened investigations into "aggravated corruption" against former prime minister Thorbjorn Jagland over his dealings with Epstein -- who had dubbed him "the Nobel big shot" -- while he was chair of the Nobel Committee and secretary general of the Council of Europe. Advertisement Advertisement Also named in the files are World Economic Forum CEO and former foreign minister Borge Brende, and another former premier Kjell Magne Bondevik. - 'Impossible to ignore' - To explain the relatively large number of Norwegians tainted by the Epstein affair, "it is completely impossible to ignore Rod-Larsen, a person who established lasting contacts with Epstein from at least 2010", Halvard Leira, a political scientist at the Norwegian Institute of International Affairs (NUPI), said. According to Stanghelle, Rod-Larsen, while at the helm of the IPI between 2005 and 2020, also opened doors to international heavyweights for Epstein. Advertisement Advertisement "In return, Rod-Larsen also benefited from Epstein's address book in a world where contacts are valuable for wielding influence, and from his financial generosity," the commentator said. Rod-Larsen revitalised the IPI, notably thanks to donations from Epstein, but resigned from the organisation in 2020 after the donations were revealed. Emails and documents unearthed by newspaper Dagens Naeringsliv, show that Epstein ordered that $250,000 be paid to Rod-Larsen in 2015, for reasons that remain unknown. Shipowner Morits Skaugen also told newspaper VG that Epstein personally intervened in 2018 to push him to sell Rod-Larsen and his wife a large apartment in an affluent district of Oslo, calling it a "threat". Advertisement Advertisement The price was 14 million kroner ($1.5 million), just "half" of its market value, Skaugen said. Epstein also left $10 million in his will to the couple's two children, according to Norwegian media. - Investigation - "Rod-Larsen has previously expressed regret for his association with Epstein and has clearly distanced himself from Epstein's actions," Rod-Larsen's lawyer, John Christian Elden, stressed last week. "His health condition makes it impossible for Rod-Larsen to give interviews or respond directly to media inquiries," he added, noting that his client was seriously ill after suffering several recent strokes. Advertisement Advertisement Norwegian police announced on Monday that they had opened an investigation into Juul and Rod-Larsen, for suspected "aggravated corruption" and "complicity in aggravated corruption" respectively. Already suspended pending a foreign ministry probe, Juul has also resigned from her post as ambassador to Jordan and Iraq. phy/jll/cc Feb. 11New reports show that Bering Air exceeded weight limits on flights prior to the crash of an overloaded plane near Nome last February that killed the pilot and all nine passengers. That finding is part of a massive docket of investigative documents the National Transportation Safety Board made public Wednesday. The docket includes 78 documents totaling more than 3,400 pages. The single-engine Bering Air Cessna Caravan crashed on Norton Sound sea ice about 30 miles southeast of Nome after leaving Unalakleet amid spells of freezing rain. Flight 445 carried several locals, Anchorage-area engineers working on a water plant, and a Mat-Su educator. Advertisement Advertisement The NTSB is investigating what caused the Feb. 6, 2025, crash, the third fatal civilian aviation incident in the U.S. in less than a week and one of Alaska's deadliest in decades. A preliminary NTSB report released last year found the Caravan's weight on takeoff was more than 1,000 pounds too heavy for the icy conditions it was flying into. The Federal Aviation Administration requires operators to follow such weight limitations. The federal docket released Wednesday includes information showing that Bering Air flew the same Caravan with loads exceeding the so-called "maximum gross takeoff weight" for days leading up to the fatal crash if not longer. Safety board officials cautioned that the docket released this week is not the agency's final report and does not make any probable cause findings. Advertisement Advertisement "This is just a ... synopsis of all the investigative activities that have gone on for the last year," Clint Johnson, NTSB's Alaska chief, said Wednesday. Investigators are analyzing information as they assemble the final factual report, Johnson said. That, along with any probable cause findings, is due out in late spring or early summer, he said. History of overweight flights Pilot Chad Antill's fiancee, in an interview with NTSB investigators in late April 2025, said Antill described concerns with overweight flights. Paige Giebel, a Minnesota resident who lived with the 34-year-old pilot every two weeks when he wasn't in Nome, told the investigator that Antill said Bering Air ignored his concerns, according to an interview transcript. Advertisement Advertisement Antill made comments about overweight planes "on a regular basis" for the year that she knew him, Giebel told the investigators, saying "they would want him to take more cargo than fuel, and he would rather have more fuel than cargo because he would always say, you can't fly without fuel." Investigators reviewed the plane's manifests for a 10-day period through the day of the crash, according to a report by the chair of the NTSB operational factors group. Out of 16 flights consisting of 35 individual legs, seven legs were over the maximum gross takeoff weight, according to the report signed by group chair Starr Blum. "Over the seven day period sampled, six days had at least one overweight flight, or in other words 44% of the flights during that seven-day period consisted of at least one overweight flight leg," Blum wrote. The report also notes large discrepancies between the amount and weight of fuel logged by the pilot the day of the crash and the amounts measured by an onboard Garmin system. Advertisement Advertisement Bering's post-crash changes Bering Air serves 32 communities in Western Alaska from hubs in Nome, Kotzebue and Unalakleet. The longstanding company provides some of the only regular passenger air service for residents who need to travel just to go shopping, get to medical appointments or participate in school activities. Bering is already facing several wrongful death lawsuits including one filed by the wife of an Eagle River man who died in last year's crash. That suit claims the company was reckless when it flew an overloaded plane in dangerous icing conditions. A representative at Bering Air's Nome offices said the company had no comment when contacted by a reporter Wednesday. Advertisement Advertisement Bering Air has made significant changes since the crash, according to a general operations manual update filed with the docket. Changes include new procedures that require a manager to sign off on departures when dispatchers flag potentially dangerous weather. Cessna Caravan flights into known icing conditions may also be delayed, canceled or switched to different planes unless a manager releases them. The changes also call for limits on total takeoff weight. The day of the crash, the plane left Unalakleet just before 2:40 p.m. Its last signal came at about 3:20 p.m. The Caravan was at 200 feet, still miles from Nome's airport. Roughly six minutes earlier, investigators say, an air-traffic controller asked Antill if he could slow down slightly to "not get there too early" as the airport closed briefly for runway deicing. The plane slowed from 152 knots to 111 knots at just under 6,000 feet, according to a filing in the docket. Within minutes, it descended to 4,000 feet before the autopilot was disengaged and the Caravan's speed and altitude plunged. Advertisement Advertisement [Previous coverage: Shock, grief and support: Remembering the 10 Alaskans who died on Bering Air Flight 445] Investigators examining the wreckage noted minor ice accumulation on some leading-edge surfaces and significant accumulation at the base of a strobe light atop the plane's tail fin. Antill had been a certificated commercial pilot and mechanic since 2022, according to the operational group chairman's report. He had a total of roughly 2,500 flight hours. Giebel described him generally as a positive person who loved to spend time with his three children, go longboarding or see live music, and collect Pokemon cards. Advertisement Advertisement The day of the crash, Antill told her he wanted to get out of Unalakleet earlier he said the weather "is looking like it's going to get s---ty" but Bering told him to wait for all of his passengers, according to the transcript. Another Bering Air pilot in the area tried and failed to reach Antill after controllers lost contact. That pilot later told investigators that, as she flew from Kotzebue toward Nome, Antill warned her on the radio "once you get over this way, just a heads up, it's icy over here," according to a transcript of interviews with Bering employees. The pilot said she landed at Nome with chunks of ice an inch thick or more. "I had incredibly spiky accumulations aft of my protected surfaces and on the front nose ... around the air inlets," the pilot said. She said she'd never seen worse icing. NEW YORK Lt. Gov. Antonio Delgado on Tuesday pulled the plug on his sputtering primary challenge to Gov. Kathy Hochul, clearing her path to the Democratic nomination as she battles for reelection to a second full term in the fall. Ive concluded that there simply is no viable path forward, Delgado tweeted. And though my campaign has come to an end, I fully intend to do all I can in our effort to build a more humane, affordable, and equitable state that serves all New Yorkers. The former Catskills congressman once looked like mounting a promising challenge from the left to Hochul, with whom he had a bitter falling out. Advertisement Advertisement But the governor has engineered a remarkable political rebound, even scoring the backing of progressives like Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Mayor Mamdani, leaving Delgado with no realistic shot at unseating her. Kathy Hochuls big-tent party is united and ready to crush (President) Trump and his enablers this November, tweeted Sarafina Chitika, a spokeswoman for the governor. Hochul was once far underwater in polls even of New York Democrats. But she turned things around by taking tenacious stands against DonaldTrump and moving to the left on key issues to win points with the partys base. Her newfound popularity translated into an overwhelming 85% vote of support at the partys nominating convention last week and she holds a commanding lead in polls over her expected Republican challenger, Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman. Advertisement Advertisement Hochul has already replaced Delgado on her ticket with former City Council President Adrienne Adams, leaving the onetime rising Democratic star with no obvious political options in the immediate future. The brainy former rapper won an impressive victory in a 2018 contest for the rural NY-19 district. He cruised to reelection in 2020 but quit the post to join Hochuls ticket in 2022. Their relationship famously soured after Hochul underperformed badly in her 2022 reelection bid when she beat ex-Rep. Lee Zeldin by a paltry 6% margin. Delgado made little secret of his plans to challenge her from the left, and Hochul responded by freezing him out of even routine administration functions. Advertisement Advertisement Delgado becomes just the latest candidate to pull out of a potential challenge to the resurgent Hochul. Bronx Rep. Ritchie Torres, a fellow moderate, decided not to jump into the primary against Hochul after reading the political writing on the wall. Republican Rep. Mike Lawler opted to skip the race to run for reelection in his Westchester County swing district. And Rep. Elise Stefanik shocked insiders by ending her GOP run and announcing she wont run for reelection to her far upstate seat. A veteran NYPD cop was arrested Tuesday for an assault and a hot-headed argument while on the job, including one viral video incident in a Brooklyn precinct where he shoved his chest at a man looking to file a complaint against him. Quran McPhatter, 42, was indicted Wednesday on official misconduct, assault, menacing and attempted coercion charges. Hes also accused of slapping an arrested suspect in front of his supervisor. McPhatter, who joined the NYPD in 2005, was assigned to the 72nd Precinct in Sunset Park during both alleged incidents. Advertisement Advertisement Part of the first on-duty incident, on Aug. 3, 2025, was caught on video. On that day, around 6:45 p.m., McPhatter unsafely drove a police cruiser through a crowded part of Sunset Park, sparking a complaint by a parkgoer, who yelled at him to slow down, according to prosecutors. McPhatter got out of his car and told the man to mind his business, and when the man later walked up to the police cruiser demanding his badge number, the cop opened the drivers side door and sprayed pepper spray at the ground near him, according to prosecutors. The man went to the 72nd Precinct to make a report, and McPhatter, who was wearing civilian clothing, confronted him in the lobby, prosecutors allege. That confrontation was caught on video posted by the cop-watching activist account Mr. Checkpoint on Instagram and Facebook. McPhatter can be seen storming up to the man, yelling, Get out of my precinct! Get out of my precinct! Im not giving you nothing! Advertisement Advertisement McPhatter then advances forward, chest puffed out, telling the man to back off and pressing his chest against the man before a sergeant guides McPhatter away. McPhatter also allegedly threatened to knock out the civilian and told him to wait outside, according to prosecutors. The second on-duty incident took place Oct. 24, 2025, after McPhatter and his partner responded to a trespassing call at 58th St. near First Ave. in Sunset Park, prosecutors allege. They found a 60-year-old man in the area and told him to leave. But a half hour later, the man was still there, so the officers arrested him. McPhatter berated the man and threw him against a patrol car twice, and when the man antagonized McPhatter from the back seat of his police cruiser, the cop reached back and grabbed the glasses off his face, prosecutors allege. Once at the 72nd Precinct, McPhatter called the man a big dummy and slapped him in the face in front of the precinct desk sergeant, prosecutors allege. The sergeant took McPhatter off the case, and the arrested man went to Lutheran Hospital for treatment, prosecutors said. Advertisement Advertisement Instead of using the de-escalation techniques NYPD officers are trained to employ, this defendant allegedly assaulted a person in custody and threatened a civilian who complained, Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez said Tuesday. Trust between law enforcement and the public is essential to sustaining the hard-won gains that have driven homicide and gun violence in Brooklyn to record lows, and we will not allow an officers alleged misconduct to put our progress at risk. McPhatter pleaded not guilty at his Brooklyn Supreme Court arraignment Tuesday, and Judge Phyllis Chu ordered him released without bail. The assault charges only apply to the alleged slapping incident. McPhatter and his lawyer declined comment as they left the courthouse Tuesday. This police officer is entitled to due process and a fair hearing based on all of the facts and the law. There should be no rush to judgment in this case, Police Benevolent President Patrick Hendry said Tuesday. Police in Ocala said a mother and her child have died after an overnight shooting. Ocala police responded to the Marion Springs Condominiums on Tuesday night after reports of a shooting. Officers said they discovered 31-year-old Nancy Irene Bacon and her 4-year-old daughter dead inside their home. Watch the full update from Ocala police here: Police said the suspect, 38-year-old Ralph Bacon, fled the area after the shooting. Investigators described the incident as a domestic situation involving an estranged couple. Advertisement Advertisement Police also confirmed with Channel 9 that the toddler was not Ralph Bacons biological child. Investigators determined that Bacon killed the mother first before killing her 4-year-old girl. Following the killings, Bacon fled north and crossed the state line into Georgia. Law enforcement agencies used License Plate Reader technology to detect his vehicle and track his movements as he traveled through the state. Georgia law enforcement officers located Ralph Bacon and performed a traffic stop on his vehicle. According to the Ocala Police Department, Ralph Bacon committed suicide during the encounter with officers. Advertisement Advertisement If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic abuse, help is available 24/7call, text, or chat online with the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 (SAFE) or visit thehotline.org. Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live. Jurors in the trial of a man accused of killing a valet driver in Buckhead were shown body camera video Tuesday from the officers who tried saving the mans life. In 2023, Harrison Olvey, 25, was shot and killed while working as a valet at Tongue and Groove nightclub. Prosecutors say Olvey saw the defendant, Randy King breaking into a truck and tried to stop him. Thats when they say King opened fire and sped off in his girlfriends car. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] Family and friends describe Olvey as someone who never met a stranger, a spirit that filled the Fulton County courtroom with more than 50 friends and family members. Advertisement Advertisement The prosecutors showed security video from the truck that they say shows King breaking a window and rummaging through, and showed a photo of Olvey intervening. Defense attorneys acknowledge King was there, but didnt pull the trigger. Were being transparent. He was there. But he did not shoot and kill this innocent victim. He didnt do it, defense attorney Antone Rowe said. RELATED STORIES: Advertisement Advertisement Rowe also pointed out that police never recovered the gun used in the shooting. Prosecutors pushed back, saying they found a shell casing inside Kings car. Testimony will resume on Wednesday morning. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] An Ohio State University assistant professor is on administrative leave following a reported confrontation with a cameraman on campus earlier this week. The university placed Luke Perez on leave after a video posted on social media showed him allegedly hitting an independent cameraman who was attempting to interview former OSU President Gordon Gee. The incident occurred Monday evening in the Smith Laboratory Building, according to university spokesman Ben Johnson. Advertisement Advertisement "We are aware of the incident, and it is very concerning," Johnson said in a statement. "The faculty member involved has been placed on administrative leave pending a full OSUPD investigation and thorough review of the facts." Johnson confirmed Perez was placed on leave Tuesday, one day after the reported incident. According to the social media video, the cameraman attempted to ask Gee "just one more" question when he approached Perez, who said no and blocked him. The video shows the cameraman stepping back before Perez allegedly knocked what appears to be recording equipment from the cameraman's left hand. The video then shows Perez grabbing the man with both hands around his head and shoulder, and the cameraman falls to the ground. University police are investigating the incident. Advertisement Advertisement Perez is an assistant professor in the Salmon P. Chase Center for Civics, Culture and Society, according to his OSU biography. His areas of expertise include U.S. foreign policy, ethics of war and religious studies. He is also a 12-year veteran of the Air National Guard. Perez declined to comment when reached by email and directed questions to the Ohio State Media Relations team. An Ohio doctors name appeared in documents related to Jeffrey Epstein several times, according to our media partner WBNS-10 TV. [DOWNLOAD: Free WHIO-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] Dr. Mark Landon is the current chair of Ohio States Department of OB-GYN and has been a faculty member since 1987. He said he had no knowledge of any criminal activities, WBNS-10 reported. TRENDING STORIES: Advertisement Advertisement Documents related to Epstein recently released by the Department of Justice contain Landons name. Although his name appears several times, there is no evidence linking him to any wrongdoing, WBNS-10 reported. Landon released a statement to WBNS-10 on Tuesday, saying he did not provide any clinical care for Jeffrey Epstein or any of his victims. He said he finds Epsteins conduct reprehensible and I feel terrible for Epsteins victims. Landon was a paid consultant for the New York Strategy Group regarding potential biotech investments from 2001 to 2005, the statement said. The documents have invoices from FedEx, showing deliveries made to the doctor in Columbus during that time frame. WBNS-10 reported that the contents of those deliveries were not specified. Advertisement Advertisement Landons consulting ended in 2006. The documents include internal emails asking Epstein if the company would still give Landon his $25,000 quartely payment, according to our media partner. Epstein replied, Yes. 75 per year, Epstein replied. Additional documents show that someone from the strategy group billed Lex Wexner and his wife when one of Landons previous payments was due. WBNS-10 reported that Epstein was Wexners money manager for several decades before Wexner broke ties. [SIGN UP: WHIO-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] OKLAHOMA CITY Bills that would limit screen time, boost physical education and require firearm safety training in public schools advanced past a key legislative committee on Wednesday. The House Common Education Committee unanimously passed House Bill 4358 that would allow no more than one hour of screen time each school day for elementary students. The bills author, Rep. Anthony Moore, R-Clinton, said he expects to make further changes to the bill to allow a certain amount of screen time per class and to permit extra time for computer-based testing. We know that our kids are most successful when they are in front, face-to-face with our well, well trained educators in Oklahoma, Moore said during the committee meeting. We want to make sure were getting as much time face-to-face as possible. Rep. Anthony Moore, R-Clinton, attends a special session of the state House at the Oklahoma Capitol on Oct. 3, 2023. (Photo by Kyle Phillips/For Oklahoma Voice) Virtual charter schools, which primarily teach online, would be exempt from the rule if it becomes law. Advertisement Advertisement Legislation from Rep. Cynthia Roe, R-Lindsay, would more than double the minimum time elementary students must spend in physical education or an exercise program. HB 3288 would raise that minimum from 60 minutes to 150 minutes per week, not including recess time. The bill, which passed unanimously, also would prohibit recess from being withheld from elementary students as a form of punishment. The only exception is if a student exhibits aggression or threatening behaviors. The child would be entitled to physical activity through another accommodation if denied recess. We have an obesity epidemic. We have kids that are getting very little physical activity after school, Roe told the committee. I feel that if we can increase physical activity in some of these kids, we can improve behaviors in the classroom. We can improve test scores. Districts would have to provide firearm safety training to students under HB 3312, which passed a party-line vote of 9-2. Advertisement Advertisement The bill from Rep. Ryan Eaves, R-Atoka, would require the training to be viewpoint neutral on political topics, such as gun violence, gun rights and the Second Amendment. The Council on Law Enforcement Education and Training would partner with the Oklahoma State Department of Education to determine the earliest applicable age for such a training and to develop a curriculum. The program would teach elementary-age children not to touch a found firearm and instead to tell an adult. The same advice would apply to training for students in middle and high schools, who also would be taught safe storage of firearms and school safety. Families, but not schools, would have the option to opt out of the program. All bills the committee passed will continue to the Education Oversight Committee for further review. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE One of Californias rarest mammals has been collared for the first time in the Sierra Nevada, making a potentially historic moment for the species. By collaring a Sierra Nevada red fox (Vulpes vulpes necator), wildlife officials can now closely study its behavioral patterns in a significant goal in conservation science, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife said in a Feb. 9 news release. With fewer than 50 individuals believed to remain in the Sierra Nevada, and a lifestyle that keeps them far from human contact, encounters like this are incredibly rare and provide invaluable insight for conservation efforts, the CDFW said in a Feb. 10 Facebook post. An exceedingly rare and elusive species Though red foxes are common in North America and Eurasia, wildlife officials consider the Sierra Nevada red fox to be a distinct lineage found only in the high elevation regions of California and Oregon. Advertisement Advertisement The species has always been exceedingly rare and elusive, per historical records, according to officials. Sierra Nevada red foxes were once thought to have disappeared, but then an automatic trail camera detected one near Sonora Pass in 2010, wildlife officials said. Since then, researchers have documented Sierra Nevada red foxes as far south as Cottonwood Pass, west of Lone Pine, officials said. Species listed as endangered in 2021 Sierra Nevada red foxes were listed as an endangered species in 2021, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. While the factors behind the Sierra Nevada red foxs population decline are not fully known, wildlife officials said, Unregulated hunting and trapping in the early 20th century likely played a major role, and low genetic diversity has continued to weaken the subspecies over time. Advertisement Advertisement The populations vulnerability continues to be driven by unpredictable events, such as wildfires and drought; competition with coyotes; and widespread hybridization with nonnative species, according to the USFWS. Historically, the species "ranged from the Oregon-Washington border to the southern end of the Sierra Nevada, the agency said. Today, however, the fox has only two distinct population segments: One that lives in Californias Sierra Nevada and the other that resides in the southern Cascade Range of California and Oregon, the agency said. The species is typically extremely wary of humans and inhabits barren, rugged terrain at high elevations, wildlife officials said. Cautious behavior, remote habitat, and low-density populations make them extremely difficult to find and capture. Separate collaring in 2018 In 2018, a team of CDFW scientists attached GPS satellite collars to several Sierra Nevada red foxes in the Lassen Peak region of northern California, wildlife officials said. Advertisement Advertisement Those efforts helped biologists find several dens, offering a much better understanding of the patterns of reproduction, movement, and habitat use in this little-studied species, officials said. January capture offers hope for species Januarys capture of a Sierra Nevada red fox near Mammoth Lakes was the culmination of 10 years of remote camera and scat surveys to determine the range of the fox in the southern Sierra, and three years of intensive trapping efforts, CDFW Environmental Scientist Julia Lawson said in the release. Everyone on the team was thrilled to see our hard work pay off, Lawson said. It was the first time the species had been fitted with a GPS-tracking collar and released in the Sierra Nevada, according to wildlife officials. Advertisement Advertisement In an interview with SF Gate, Noah Greenwald, the endangered species co-director for the nonprofit Center for Biological Diversity, called the animals capture significant. It expands our knowledge of where they occur and what habitat they are currently using, Greenwald told SFGATE. (Wildlife officials) found this fox considerably south of where the animals are known to survive currently. If they are spreading out, it indicates that they have a better chance of survival. Data from the collar and DNA samples gathered during the foxs capture will offer wildlife officials a better understanding of its species, which will directly support its protection and aid in increasing the efficiency of future capture and survey efforts, according to the department. Our goal is to use what we learn from this collared animal to work toward recovering the population in the long term, Lawson said. This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: One of California's rarest mammals collared for first time in Sierra With Alphabet's (GOOG) (GOOGL) Google Gemini seemingly poised to relegate ChatGPT to a distant second place in the consumer AI chatbot market and GOOGL stock changing hands at an attractive valuation, the shares are a buy for medium- and long-term investors. GOOG stock should also be lifted meaningfully over the longer term by the success of its cloud, chip, and subscription businesses. And the company's stellar fourth-quarter results indicate that it is performing at a very high level overall. But investors should be aware that the Department of Justice's ongoing litigation against Alphabet, along with adverse orders that a judge recently imposed on the firm, does make GOOGL stock more risky than many other huge tech names. More News from Barchart About GOOGL Stock Based in Mountain View, California, Alphabet owns the iconic Google search engine, along with YouTube and a rapidly growing cloud-infrastructure business. Its AI chatbot offering, Gemini, is winning lavish praise from many users and is growing in popularity among both techies and the broader public. With a market capitalization of $3.9 trillion as of the market close on Feb. 6, GOOGL advanced 3% between the beginning of 2026 and Feb. 6. The S&P 500 ($SPX) rose 2% during the same period. Its forward price-earnings ratio is 29.6 times. www.barchart.com Google Gemini Has Become a Hugely Valuable Asset for Alphabet In a note to investors on Feb. 4, French bank BNP Paribas reported that Gemini's share of the AI platform website and AI app markets had jumped to 24.8% and 14.3%, compared to 22.5% and 13.2% during the previous month. And in January 2024, Gemini's market share numbers came in at just 6.4% and 9.8%, respectively. Further, Alphabet reported during its Q4 earnings call that the number of monthly active users of the Gemini app had reached an impressive total of over 750 million. Meanwhile, many tech experts and mainstream users are effusively praising Gemini. For example, tech news website Tom's Hardware has said that Gemini is superior to ChatGPT in reasoning and in a number of other areas. Also full of praise for Gemini was Forbes Senior Contributor Peter Cohan, who wrote recently that he had found Gemini 3 to (be) far more useful (than ChatGPT) in the last few months, adding that Gemini is better at reasoning than ChatGPT. The population of an elusive fox species that roams the Sierra Nevada likely only has about 50 individuals left. Biologists from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife finally captured and attached a GPS collar to one of these rare foxes near Mammoth Lakes in January. They've been trying to trap one in the Sierra for years. After giving the fox a collar, the scientists set it free. Tracking every move of this one Sierra Nevada red fox offers a unique opportunity to study the endangered species, the agency announced on Monday. Advertisement Advertisement "This represents the culmination of 10 years of remote camera and scat surveys to determine the range of the fox in the southern Sierra, and three years of intensive trapping efforts," Julia Lawson, an environmental scientist for the CDFW, said in a statement. "... Our goal is to use what we learn from this collared animal to work toward recovering the population in the long term." The foxes, known to be extremely cautious, typically avoid people at all costs in their remote habitat. This photo depicts the specific fox captured near the area of Mammoth Lakes, Calif., in the southern Sierra Nevada back in January 2026. (Courtesy of CDFW) For Noah Greenwald, the endangered species co-director for the nonprofit Center for Biological Diversity, the trapping already yielded important information about the animal. Advertisement Advertisement "I would say this is significant because it expands our knowledge of where they occur and what habitat they are currently using," he told SFGATE. "They found this fox considerably south of where the animals are known to survive currently. If they are spreading out, it indicates that they have a better chance of survival." Although red foxes are common throughout North America, Europe and Asia, the Sierra Nevada red fox is a distinct lineage only found in the mountains of California and Oregon, according to the CDFW. The subspecies declined in part due to hunting and trapping in the early 20th century and has continued to have low genetic diversity. Biologists assumed the population in the Sierra Nevada was gone forever until a trail camera recorded one near Sonora Pass in 2010. In 2024, the Center for Biological Diversity sued the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for allegedly not protecting critical habitat for the foxes as a component of the 2021 listing under the Endangered Species Act. The population in the Sierra is protected under both the federal and state endangered species acts. This photo depicts the collared fox in the southern Sierra Nevada. (Courtesy of CDFW) Another stressor for the fox is the changing climate. The red foxes thrive in the snow, Greenwald said. Years with low snowpack may harm them, as that can allow low-elevation foxes and coyotes to enter their alpine territory and compete for resources. Coyotes also prey on the red foxes. Advertisement Advertisement "Our world is changing very fast because of climate change and habitat destruction," he said. "We're at risk of losing amazing species like these high-elevation foxes." More News - Locals outraged as court OKs Skunk Train's eminent domain request - In a Calif. park, people are using feces to fight new parking rules - California city freezes rent for all of 2026. It could be permanent. - 'Train of two storms' marks big change in Bay Area weather forecast Sign up for daily SFGATE breaking news alerts here. This article originally published at After a decade of searching, Calif. biologists finally catch endangered fox. Detective Shaun McCarthy has worked on a lot of cases in his more than 40 years with the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department. I was 10 years as a street gang detective, and now Im in my 23rd year as a homicide detective, he said. So, a total of 33 years as a detective. These days, he devotes his time to the cases that remain unsolved. To solve a homicide and prosecute somebody who committed the worst crime, there is nothing higher than that. Advertisement Advertisement This is why he says he said couldnt fully retire. McCarthy, like many others in the departments Unsolved Unit, is a hire back a retired homicide detective now working part-time on cold cases. We have over 21,000 homicide cases. Of those 21,000 plus homicide cases, approximately 4,500 are unsolved, he said. That includes cases like Mary Lindgrens. January 19 of 1996. Mary Lindgren was a 67-year-old woman. She was living in a semi-assisted living retirement home in Covina, McCarthy recalled. Man charged in connection with 1996 rape, killing of woman in Covina assisted-living home Investigators said an intruder came in through a sliding glass door, sexually assaulted her and beat her to death. A suspect was never identified at the time, but evidence collected back then proved pivotal years later. Advertisement Advertisement In 2020, the Sheriffs Department announced an arrest in Lindgrens case. David Adolph Bernal, 46, was eventually convicted and is serving 25 years to life in prison. The break came through DNA and forensic genetic genealogy. They were able to identify a family member who was in the database, and then by process of elimination, they were able to identify the suspect, McCarthy said. Homicide victim Mary Lindgren, 67, is pictured in a photo provided by the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department. (Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department) David Adolph Bernal, 46, was convicted in the murder of 67-year-old Mary Lindgren in Covina, Calif. (Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department) It is the same type of technology used to catch the Golden State Killer, Joseph James DeAngelo Jr., and a growing number of suspects in cold cases across the country. But in Los Angeles County, the most populous county in the United States with about 10 million residents, the Lindgren case remains the only homicide solved through genetic genealogy in the departments history. Advertisement Advertisement How can we only have one? Because theres a lot of challenges that go along with genealogy searches that the public has no idea about, he explained. To start, detectives must have high-quality suspect DNA from a crime scene, such as blood or saliva. If that DNA does not match anyone in CODIS, the national criminal database, and investigators have exhausted most other avenues, they can seek approval for a genetic genealogy search. And thats a process thats time-consuming and frustrating right now, in 2026, McCarthy said. The Los Angeles County District Attorneys Office has to sign off. The case then goes to the California Department of Justice, which decides whether to conduct a search comparing the suspect DNA to possible relatives in criminal databases. Advertisement Advertisement There are only so many trained analysts, and many cases await review. From the time the process starts, youre looking at at least 18 months, maybe two years, McCarthy explained. And then theres no guarantee youre going to identify anybody. I just had a case recently that we got into the pipeline for a familial search for the offender database. Six months later, I get a Dear John letter, I call it, saying we did a search and unfortunately were unable to identify any family members. Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department Detective Shaun McCarthy is pictured. (KTLA) Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department Detective Shaun McCarthy is pictured. (KTLA) Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department cold case files are pictured. (KTLA) Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department cold case files are pictured. (KTLA) There is also a third option: comparing suspect DNA to public genealogy databases. It can reveal distant relatives but raises privacy concerns, so it is generally the last avenue investigators are allowed to pursue. Advertisement Advertisement McCarthy said the department is close to solving another case using genetic genealogy, but many more still sit on their shelves. I believe this and I may be speaking out of the wrong end of my mouth [there are] hundreds of cases in our library that potentially can be solved through genetic genealogy. He remains hopeful that technology, staffing and the approval process will improve, eventually leading to more arrests. When you put handcuffs on a guy who committed a murder 30 years ago, he gives you that look like, I thought I got away with this, and now youre putting the handcuffs on me, McCarthy said. Not much more gratifying than that. Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. President Donald Trump is taking heat for making a wild claim about how he concocted at least one of his tariffs and it seems to undermine his own argument for imposing them in the first place. I had an incident with a very nice country, Switzerland, he told Larry Kudlow during a Fox Business interview that aired on Tuesday. They were paying no tariffs, sending stuff over here like nobody could believe. Politics: Moderate Democrats Bolt From New Voter Fraud Bill Trump claimed the United States had a $42 billion trade deficit with Switzerland, a number similar to one hed used before and one that analysts said ignored trade in services, which actually put the deficit at $8 billion. Advertisement Advertisement Trump said he imposed a 30% tariff on goods from Switzerland, leading to an emergency call from, I believe, the prime minister of Switzerland. But that call didnt seem to go the way Trump wanted. She was very aggressive, but nice, but very aggressive, he said. And I didnt really like the way she talked to us, so instead of giving her a reduction, I raised her to 39%. Politics: The Supreme Court Could Sign A Blank Check For Trump In The Tariff Fight There are a few problems with Trumps claims, starting with the fact that Switzerland doesnt have a prime minister. Trumps conversation last year was likely with then-Swiss President Karin Keller-Sutter, and occurred after he threatened to raise tariffs on the country to 39%. However, that tariff was later reduced to 15% after a Swiss delegation gave Trump several gifts, including a Rolex watch and a gold bar. The decision to give him those items is now under investigation in Switzerland. Advertisement Advertisement But beyond the error and beyond the casual misogyny of Trump once again attacking a woman because he doesnt like how she talks to him there was the larger issue of the tariffs themselves. Last year, Trumps attorneys argued before the Supreme Court that he needed to act without Congress on the issue because trade imbalances had created a national emergency that the president was trying to address via tariffs. Yet, saying he can raise and lower tariffs because of someones attitude seemed to undermine that argument. Politics: Think The High Court Will Save You From Trumps 12-Figure Import Taxes? Think Again. With the court case still pending, Trumps critics are pointing to the new interview and wondering if the justices were paying attention: There is no way the Supreme Court can argue this man is not abusing his use of IEEPA tariffs. He is changing global trade policy at his own whim with no logical reasoning. https://t.co/fKCIDBXpcp Tahra Hoops (@TahraHoops) February 10, 2026 This is all SCOTUS should need to overturn the tariffs. This is not remotely defensible as an emergency https://t.co/yOvqqIA0ef Robert E Kelly (@Robert_E_Kelly) February 11, 2026 That "national security" rationale for global tariffs under IEEPA not looking so airtight ... https://t.co/sNCRUPOwvf Evan A. Feigenbaum (@EvanFeigenbaum) February 10, 2026 "And that, justices of the Supreme Court, is why you can find no rational basis for these unconstitutional imposts imposed unilaterally by the president in violation of Congress's supreme Article I authority over taxes and tariffs." https://t.co/lDTUUXgubs David Frum (@davidfrum) February 10, 2026 Advertisement Advertisement Trump admitting his tariffs are not about national security. In the case of Switzerland, he increased tariffs because ******* ****** he did not like the way the Swiss leader "talked to us." Republicans must join Democrats to end this reckless behavior. https://t.co/JPXldhk3UF House Foreign Affairs Committee Dems (@HouseForeign) February 11, 2026 v much looking forward to the Supreme Court twisting itself into a pretzel and justifying "she was mean to me so I hiked the tariffs even higher" defense https://t.co/XEnt8Edrtg scary lawyerguy (@scarylawyerguy) February 10, 2026 Congress must reassert our authority over tariffs and end this madness. https://t.co/9D7E4iWpFG Dr. Ami Bera (@AmiBeraMD) February 11, 2026 Periodic reminder that the admin argued in court, including in the SCOTUS case, that these tariffs are valid specifically because they are addressing national security issues and emergencies. https://t.co/LgeMSlIJy8 David Harris (@Hero_Complex) February 11, 2026 Advertisement Advertisement Like this article? Keep independent journalism alive. Support HuffPost. Ahh, the rationale of an IEEPA tariff in action. Gotta address the compelling national security threat posed by not "lik[ing] the way [the Swiss PM] talks to us." THIS IS WHY SCOTUS SHOULD REQUIRE THAT TARIFFS BE DONE UNDER ACTUAL TARIFF LAWS, LIKE SECTION 301! https://t.co/kFgtIn58Nz Peter Harrell (@petereharrell) February 11, 2026 1. Hes a misogynist 2. Notice he never says her name because he doesnt know/cant remember/has dementia. 3. Tariffs are 100% unconstitutional if he is deploying them for these personal purposes and not for a national emergency. https://t.co/HoQNcqKOTz Mehdi Hasan (@mehdirhasan) February 10, 2026 Can there be a clearer reason why it is insane that one madman's whims can dictate tariff policy? Will the Supreme Court please put an end to this. Jeff Edelman (@StudentDotCom) February 11, 2026 This is illegal and what is the Supreme Court waiting for to rule on this pic.twitter.com/YngxjuEKXo Great White North (@MadeInCanada_eh) February 10, 2026 Advertisement Advertisement Hail to the Strategist In Chief, who specifically chose the time Mike Johnson had given his whip team to try to flip people on this rule to say in a televised interview that he imposed tariffs on personal whims, which immediately helped harden opposition on the vote https://t.co/Rs9WwjEPHspic.twitter.com/AhXUbf2Ets Aaron Fritschner (@Fritschner) February 11, 2026 He is truly insane. https://t.co/jfpevI8hso Jurgen Nauditt (@jurgen_nauditt) February 10, 2026 How embarrassing is this? Switzerland does not have a Prime Minister There is a President of the Swiss Federation. The individual is a man and his name: Guy Parmelin. He does NOT KNOW with whom he spoke. 25th him now. IslandGirl (@IslandG41370138) February 11, 2026 "I didn't like the tone of your voice, so I'm going to punish your country (and mine) with a completely arbitrary economic penalty": how the most powerful country in the world runs their economy. Just like the Founders intended. https://t.co/AUn8Ik8cgn Centrism Fan Acct (@Wilson__Valdez) February 10, 2026 Advertisement Advertisement So tariffs aren't for trade imbalances? Just raised and lowered on whether Trump's feelings get hurt. ******* snowflake Chris (@Murrell2878) February 10, 2026 This is seriously the sign of an unhealthy man. https://t.co/k0lWblUPrW Tom Nichols (@RadioFreeTom) February 11, 2026 Political Updates Read the original on HuffPost As the internet went dark in Iran on Jan. 8, the slaughter began. The regime committed unprecedented violence, possibly killing more than 30,000 Iranians, most of them during the first two days of the blackout. Weeks later, as families mourn, Iranians are just now beginning to regain limited, censored access. But while the Islamic Republic may be turning the internet on, the regime will certainly throttle communications the next time its citizens take to the streets. To ensure that the cries of Iranians do not go unheard, the U.S. can and should expand internet access in the country. In addition to expanding Starlink access, an important option is direct-to-cell technology. Direct-to-cell enables existing cell phones themselves to connect to low-Earth satellites, rather than relying on an expensive and identifiable terminal. Advertisement Advertisement The need for this kind of solution is clear. Irans clerical elites have spent nearly two decades, honing their control, innovating tactics of repression to match attempts by the people to expand communication. In the wake of the 2009 Green Movement that saw Iranians pour into the streets to protest a flagrantly fraudulent election, the regime accelerated its efforts to develop a domestic internet service. Launched four years later, the National Information Network allows the government to censor content and throttle connectivity for regular citizens, while maintaining service for regime insiders. During 2019 protests over fuel price hikes, the regime tested its new capability, opting for a near-complete blackout of internet access. While the regime had previously artificially slowed or degraded global internet access during times of domestic unrest, this time Irans National Security Council directed domestic internet service providers to shut off external network access, allowing only approved services to stay online. Three years later, during the Women, Life, Freedom protests, the regime again cut off service for a longer period of time. Iranian citizens responded by seeking alternatives. Since the 2022 protests, as many as 50,000 Starlink satellite communication terminals have been smuggled into the country, not just for dissidents but also for regular Iranians who wanted more access to the outside world. Unsurprisingly, the Islamic Republic considers Starlink to be a major threat to regime security. It petitioned international organizations to prohibit Starlink from operating in the country and passed a law that banned Starlink and made its use punishable by death in some cases. Advertisement Advertisement But Iranians continued use Starlink, and so this time, the regime not only shut off the internet but also disrupted Starlink access. The exact method is still unclear. GPS jamming or spoofing can stop Starlink terminals from locating the systems orbiting satellites and thus communicating with them. Since Junes 12-Day War, Iran has intermittently disrupted GPS signals for security and military purposes, and significant GPS jamming was observed on Jan. 8. The technology can operate without GPS, but the terminal must remain stationary to calculate position relative to the satellites. Reports of widespread impairment of network traffic suggest the regime used other means of active interference, deliberately disrupting communications by oversaturating terminal-satellite transmission channels. In this, Iran may have had help: The regime potentially used Russian or Chinese technology in its mobile jammers. Russia previously provided the Islamic Republic with at least one electronic warfare system capable of interfering with Starlink. Still, digital interference has its limitations. The regime also engaged in mass searches and confiscation of Starlink equipment. Security services relied on informers and drones to locate terminals. Iranian security contractors detected internet traffic. On Jan. 20, plain-clothed police reportedly detained 14 people for using Starlink and charged them with spying for Israel. In the wake of the regimes brutality, SpaceX Starlinks parent company issued updates to boost signals to circumvent the regimes efforts and provided its services for free to Iranian users. While encouraging SpaceX to continue these policies, Washington should also work with other private sector and humanitarian organizations to smuggle in more terminals. Advertisement Advertisement But Starlink cannot be the only solution as the terminals are costly and at constant risk of confiscation. Direct-to-cell, on the other hand, only requires a cellphone. Introduced in spring 2025, the Maximum Support Act addressed this technology. The U.S., and importantly the Iranian people, would have benefited from a preexisting strategy for communications in Iran. The pending bipartisan Freedom Act could fill this gap. The legislation requires U.S. government bodies to assess the feasibility of deploying direct-to-cell at scale in Iran. One of the biggest challenges this assessment is likely to identify is regulatory: American firms need licenses to transmit cellular signals into Iran. Regulators should quickly resolve this issue. The Trump administrations proven flexibility and speed in clearing hurdles to foreign policy priorities could prove useful in following through on his promise to support Iranian protesters. The Islamic Republic kills its civilians under the cover of darkness. Opening lines of communication into Iran can save lives. Bridget Toomey is a research analyst at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies where Thomas Gormley is an intern. Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Feb. 11Proposed changes to Flathead County's regulations for on-site sewage treatment systems would allow for gravity septic systems, which the county has not permitted since 2004. Environmental Health Manager Jim Wardensky said some members of the Flathead City-County Health Board see gravity septic systems as another option worth having, particularly for people who live in rural areas. But not everyone agrees with the proposed change many residents and advocacy organizations argue that allowing gravity systems is a step backward for septic standards in the county, according to letters submitted during the public comment period. The health board is set to review and discuss public comments regarding the proposed septic regulation changes at its Feb. 12 meeting. Wardensky said while most of the updates to regulations include clarifying language, there are some notable changes including removing sections that require systems to have uniformed pressure for septic drain fields and bringing back gravity septic systems. In pointing to an instance when a gravity septic system would be an option, Wardensky recalled the example of someone living in the North Fork who may not have electricity on their property. "A uniform pressure does system requires a power source to run the pump, but if you have somebody in a remote location where they don't have electricity yet and they want to have a septic system, they could accomplish that with the gravity system," Wardensky said. Gravity systems typically move sewage through pipes to a drainfield, where it flows with the help of gravity. The sewage ends up in a graveled trench, eventually reaching the surrounding soil, where bacteria and other microbes treat the wastewater by removing pathogens. Uniform pressure septic systems work in a similar way but use a pump to more evenly distribute effluent into a drainfield. Pressure systems outperform gravity-flow systems because distribution is more uniform, controlled and can be used in any application, according to the Montana Department of Environmental Quality, and pressure systems should be the "method of choice whenever possible." Among those residents who are opposed to allowing for gravity systems is Joe Russell, who was at the helm of the Flathead City-County Health Department from 1998 until his retirement in 2017. There was a lot of process in determining the need to require uniform pressure systems during his tenure at the health department, Russell told health board members during a Jan. 26 meeting. "For Flathead County, we have a lot of surface water. We have high groundwater, probably more surface water than any other county in the state ... But there was a need for a higher level of treatment. Uniform pressure was the best way to do it and the most economical," Russell said. In his written public comment, Russell outlined his opposition to the removal of a section in the regulations, which requires the use of uniform pressure distribution of sewage in septic systems. Twenty years ago, during discussions about changing the regulations, Russell noted that municipalities were struggling with the non-degradation requirements established in state law and that "higher level of on-site sewage treatment seemed appropriate." Russell said issues could include trickle flows from the tank which result in discharges that are too low to flow throughout the entire subsurface network, or distribution that ends up unequal and localized, or a phenomenon known as "creeping failure" where part of the drainfield will no longer accept sewage effluent, and the soil treatment area is lost. "I have a uniform pressure drainfield. It works wonderfully. I know drainfields, I see a lot of them. I know when I'm looking at a healthy system versus a non-healthy system. Mine works awesome, I would never go back to anything like that," Russell said. Citizens for a Better Flathead also opposes allowing gravity systems. "We have been very pleased that this board took the leadership many years ago, under Joe's leadership, to establish the highest standards in the state," Mayre Flowers, executive director for Citizens for a Better Flathead, said at the Jan. 26 meeting. Included in her public comment were links to studies from the Western Montana Conservation Commission and the Whitefish Lake Institute, which outline how septic systems impact nearby waterways. The Flathead Basin Commission's Flathead Basin Septic Risk Model marks what areas of the county are at the highest risk for underperforming septic systems, that can lead to high amounts of nutrients in local waterways, according to the 2020 study. Moderate to high-risk areas include Evergreen, Columbia Falls, parts of Kalispell, parts of Bigfork and the Lake Blaine area. A 2012 study by the Whitefish Lake Institute investigated along the shoreline of Whitefish Lake looking for septic leachate, which is the liquid discharged from a septic tank that, when a tank fails can cause contamination to groundwater and surface water. Results found three confirmed sites for septic leachate contamination, along with the two sites with high potential and four sites with medium potential. In addition to voicing opposition to gravity systems, Citizens for a Better Flathead also requested revising regulations to require a minimum Level 2 Advanced treatment for septic systems, as well as Level 2 advanced nutrient-reduction treatment for replacement of new or existing septic systems that are failing. In her letter, Flowers requests that the health board follow in the footsteps of Gallatin County, which last year added rules for new septic systems near impaired streams to have a higher level of treatment. The North Shore Water Alliance, along with the Flathead Conservation District, asked for an extension to the public comment period. Jennifer Tipton, board chair of North Shore Water Alliance, submitted a letter during the last day of the public comment period on Jan. 30, noting that she just became aware of the changes being proposed. "There is quite a lot of information to get caught up on. The way the information is presented makes it quite confusing as to what exact changes are being proposed," Tipton wrote. She also asked that the board reconsider removing the requirement to have uniformed pressure systems. Montana Environmental Consultants Association, a group of consultants, engineers and surveyors, wrote in support of gravity systems, noting that it "shall be an available tool in the toolbox." Brian Launius, president of the association, said the systems are allowed in most counties in Montana. He said the footnotes from the Montana Department of Environmental Quality standards for gravity systems have specifications that limit installation to soil type, size and depth. Launius also pushed back on the argument that gravity systems are hard to install and hard to inspect. The public comment period for input on the update closed on Jan. 30, but Wardensky said it's still valuable for staff and the health board to hear from the public. Other notable changes to the regulations include the introduction of incinerator systems, which Wardensky said can guard against environmental concerns, like septic leakage. The waste gets vaporized or burnt in the system, so nothing is put into the ground, he said. The Flathead City-County Health Board is set to review and discuss public comments regarding the proposed septic regulations. The board meets Feb. 12 at 1 p.m. in Conference Room A/B in the Earl Bennett Building. Register to attend or make public comment online at flatheadcounty.gov/department-directory/health/board-health/. Reporter Taylor Inman may be reached at 758-4440 or [email protected]. An Orange Park woman will spend the next decade in prison after pleading guilty to a Southwest Florida carjacking. A judge sentenced 39-year-old Miranda Lee Pryor to 10 years and 5 months in federal prison for her role in a Lehigh Acres carjacking that took place on Mothers Day. According to court documents, in May 2025, Pryor and 36-year-old Rebecca Lea Stacey of West Palm Beach carjacked a man waiting in his vehicle outside a store. During the incident, Pryor held a gun as the two stole the mans vehicle. Later that afternoon, police spotted the vehicle on I-75. Stacey, who was driving the vehicle, led police on a high speed chase while Pryor tossed the gun used in the carjacking out the window. Stacey eventually lost control and crashed. Advertisement Advertisement Stacey was sentenced to 10 years and 10 months in federal prison for the incident. Listen to Jacksonvilles Morning News Interviews Read more local news from WOKV Click here to download our free news, weather and traffic app. And click here to subscribe to our daily 3 Big Things newsletter. Oregon lawmakers forced by the threat of a citizen-led ballot measure to adopt a sweeping law limiting campaign contributions in 2024 are once again trying to delay key portions of the law before it takes effect. Lawmakers on the House Rules Committee heard public testimony Tuesday morning on an 84-page amendment to House Bill 4018, issued in House Speaker Julie Faheys name and posted to the Legislatures website less than 15 hours before the 8 a.m. hearing. A second public hearing is set for Thursday. The amendment responds to warnings from state election officials that the 2024 law meant to end million-dollar contributions and provide more transparency about political donors either needs to be dramatically pared back or lawmakers need to allow more time and more money to fully implement it. Advertisement Advertisement Unions, industry groups and advocacy organizations that play large roles in campaigns through contributing money and time lined up in support of the amendment, while a coalition of groups that have advocated for years for strict limits on money in politics decried it as an effort to undermine the 2024 law. The amendment wouldnt change a 2027 effective date for the state to institute contribution limits, but it would delay until 2031 the requirement to disclose original sources of campaign funds. It also would effectively increase contribution limits by making many of them apply to calendar years, not two-year election cycles. Dan Meek, a Portland attorney representing the Honest Elections Oregon coalition that pushed for contribution limits, said the late-breaking amendment doesnt address technical errors with the 2024 law but instead comes very close to making the contribution limits and disclosure requirements illusory. Supporters including the Oregon League of Conservation Voters, which spent more than $360,000 through its associated political action committee in 2024, and Oregon Business and Industry, which spent more than $1.4 million through two separate PACs focused on candidates and issues, maintain the changes are necessary to create a campaign finance system voters can trust. Advertisement Advertisement Failure to extend implementation for these sections risks requiring an underfunded Secretary of States Office to launch a regulatory program that is not ready and will erode public trust in our elections at a time when we can least afford it, said Preston Mann, vice president of external affairs at the business lobby group. Secretary seeks more money While it wasnt part of the bill lawmakers are considering, several proponents urged support for Secretary of State Tobias Reads request for a best guess $25 million budget meant mostly to help pay for a complete overhaul of Oregons 20-year-old campaign finance reporting system, ORESTAR. Without the money, the rollout by next January faces significant issues, Read told lawmakers at a January meeting. Its significantly more than the $5.4 million his predecessor, LaVonne Griffin-Valade, had asked from the Legislature to implement the law. If we don't get this law right, the public will see it as another broken promise, and that would do more harm than good. Secretary of State Tobias Read It would be the second year in a row lawmakers considered delaying implementation of the law, and campaign finance advocates are not pleased. Advertisement Advertisement In letters to lawmakers earlier this year, several groups warned that Read is inflating costs and mischaracterizing the difficulty of enacting the law. And Gov. Tina Kotek at a Jan. 28 news conference said she would oppose any vote by the Legislature to delay its implementation. Read said the office shares the goals of the governor and campaign finance advocates but has repeatedly warned that a botched rollout would do irreparable harm. We share the same goal as you. In this legislation, we want to put power back into the hands of Oregonians and make sure that no one can buy the states democracy, Read told the Senate Rules Committee in January. But we also know this: If we dont get this law right, the public will see it as another broken promise, and that would do more harm than good. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Catching up to other states Most states limit how much money any person or group can give to a candidate, leaving Oregon as an outlier. Wealthy individuals and organizations have spent millions on races in recent years. Oregons richest man, Nike cofounder Phil Knight, has personally given more than $11.6 million to candidates and campaigns in the past six years, including $1.5 million to Republican Sen. Christine Drazans unsuccessful 2022 campaign for governor. Advertisement Advertisement In 2026 alone, four leading candidates for governor have reported receiving six-figure checks. Kotek took in $150,000 from a PAC affiliated with a carpenters union, while Drazan accepted $100,000 from a southern Oregon auto dealer, Republican and former Trail Blazer Chris Dudley took $100,000 from a former Portland-based philanthropist who now lives in Idaho and Rep. Ed Diehl, R-Scio, received $100,000 from a former Salem restaurateur. Labor unions, business groups and good government groups have long sparred over the best approach to money in politics, but the prospect of competing ballot measures forced lawmakers to act in 2024. Under that compromise legislation, individuals will not be able to give a candidate more than $3,300 per election or $6,600 to a candidate who runs in both the primary and general elections. Membership organizations, such as labor unions, could give up to $26,400 per two-year election cycle to statewide candidates and less to legislative candidates. But the law also includes a number of reporting and disclosure provisions, meant to ensure bad actors cannot create shell groups or pass money through different entities to donate more than allowed. Advertisement Advertisement Ricardo Lujan Valerio, Reads deputy chief of staff, told lawmakers on the Senate Rules Committee in January that the law as written included a patchwork of contribution limits tied to different timeframes that are confusing and could cause donors and candidates to commit costly errors. There are also a number of provisions that require donor verification, including personally identifying data such as social security numbers, which need robust data privacy assurances. The trade off between transparency and privacy is one of the most important policy questions we face in implementing (the law), Lujan Valerio said. Looking for clarity Read has described the challenge of meeting the implementation deadlines as being asked to build a house without knowing how many bedrooms and bathrooms it needs. He said other states have less rigorous accountability measures than Oregon, and that hell aim to meet the 2027 deadline to enforce contribution limits. The more complex parts of the bill need to be reworked by the Legislature, he maintains. Advertisement Advertisement There are core questions that will determine whether (the campaign finance law) succeeds or whether it becomes another broken promise, he said in January. We are looking to you for clarity, for leadership and for action. Lujan Valerio told lawmakers on the committee that he and his colleagues had exhausted everything within our authority to implement this bill as currently written, but the effectiveness of this policy will depend on the clarification and resources given by the legislature. Kotek said she would support some bill tweaks as needed, but not delays. I recognize that you and other members of the Legislature face substantial pressure from various special interest groups who do not wish to see HB 4024 implemented, or if it is enacted that it includes provisions favoring their particular interests. However, I would remind you that the voters of Oregon have repeatedly, and by overwhelming majorities, voted for real, effective campaign finance reform. Bill Volmer, member of Honest Elections and the Consolidated Oregon Indivisible Network I support starting contribution limits, on track with the law currently, which would be next year, she said. If we have to phase in other portions of it, I want to hear what that looks like, but Oregonians are expecting campaign contribution limits for next year. Advertisement Advertisement Campaign finance advocates are skeptical of the challenges Read and his office enumerated and fear hes using a large budget request to scare the Legislature into delaying the bills implementation. Bill Volmer, a member of the nonprofit advocacy groups Honest Elections and the Consolidated Oregon Indivisible Network, wrote in a January letter to lawmakers following Reads committee testimony that most other states have found a way to enforce campaign finance laws with less money. Even California, with a population 10 times larger than Oregon, spends only about $19 million per year on implementation of both its campaign contribution limits, its extensive disclosure requirements, and its government ethics laws, he said. Washington spends about $7.2 million per year. I recognize that you and other members of the Legislature face substantial pressure from various special interest groups who do not wish to see HB 4024 implemented, or if it is enacted that it includes provisions favoring their particular interests, he wrote. However, I would remind you that the voters of Oregon have repeatedly, and by overwhelming majorities, voted for real, effective campaign finance reform. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE The operation, which targeted the employment of individuals entering Israel without valid permits, involved inspections of more than 120 businesses. The Israel Police closed 10 businesses and detained over 45 undocumented Palestinians illegally working in the area during a large-scale operation across the Coastal District on Sunday, according to the Israel Police Spokesperson Unit. The operation, which targeted the employment of individuals entering Israel without valid permits, involved inspections of more than 120 businesses. Coastal District Commander, Chief Yechiel Bohadana, signed administrative closure orders for 10 establishments found to have illegally employed undocumented workers, and police detained the employers involved. Advertisement Advertisement "Coastal District officers, alongside the Licensing and Security Unit, conducted extensive patrols and rigorous inspections of businesses and city streets," the Police Spokesperson's Unit stated. The raids focused on hubs in Haifa, Wadi Ara, Zichron Yaakov, and the Krayot. Police noted that unauthorized entry from the West Bank is frequently linked to security-related incidents, prompting the intensified enforcement. Those apprehended, along with their employers, were detained for questioning and transferred to police custody. An IDF soldier operating in the West Bank, published on February 6, 2026. (credit: IDF SPOKESPERSON'S UNIT) Legal and security implications of undocumented employment Chief Superintendent Avraham Barsano, the Coastal District Operations Officer, noted that the police remain committed to addressing the legal and security implications of undocumented employment. The Sunday raid followed a period of intensified activity by Israel Police, where police have increased their operations to address reports of undocumented labor in the region. According to reports by the Israel Police Spokesperson Unit, similar large-scale operations have occurred frequently since the start of 2026, including a week-long high-profile crackdown across the Northern District that resulted in the closure of 7 businesses and the arrest of more than 50 people illegally residing in Israel. Philippine authorities said Wednesday that a ferry may have been overloaded when it sank in the country's south last month, killing dozens of people who received no warning from the ship's crew. The death toll has risen steadily since the Trisha Kerstin 3 went down off the coast of southwestern Mindanao on January 26, with the body of a woman pulled from the wreckage by divers Wednesday morning bringing the tally to 52. The triple-decker vessel capsized on nearly the same route where 31 people were killed in a 2023 fire aboard the Lady Mary Joy 3 ferry. Locally based Aleson Shipping Lines owned both ships. Advertisement Advertisement On Wednesday, transportation secretary Giovanni Lopez cited multiple safety violations in announcing administrative charges against the company, including the fact that vehicles boarding the ferry were never weighed as required by law. "One of the possible causes of the sinking of the ship was the possibility of overcapacity and overloading," Lopez told a news briefing. "The investigation found that rolling cargo like trucks and motorcycles didn't pass through the weighing station," he said. "If there was overloading or overcapacity, it's possible cargo shifted ... inside the vessel," Lopez said, adding it was "highly probable" other ships in the archipelago nation were sailing overweight. Advertisement Advertisement Reiniel Pascual, an investigator for the country's maritime authority, separately confirmed passengers had received no instructions from the crew as the ship began to list. "Based on the statements of the crew ... there was no alarm or public address that took place during the emergency prior to the sinking and capsizing of the ship," he said. While at least 368 people were on board at the time of the sinking, a precise tally may never be known as a mismatch between the ferry's manifest and actual passenger numbers became apparent as more bodies were discovered. Aquino Sajili, an attorney who survived the sinking, told AFP he expected more bodies to be found by divers now searching the ship, which lies an estimated 76 metres (250 feet) deep. Advertisement Advertisement - 'Obvious negligence' - The incident has also raised corruption concerns, Lopez said, with members of the coast guard and the country's maritime authority tasked with permitting ships to leave port also under investigation. The Philippines has a long history of disasters involving the inter-island ferries that ply its seas. Many people rely on cheap and poorly regulated boats and ships for transport between the country's more than 7,000 islands. Neil Baird, publisher of a worldwide ferry safety database, told AFP on Wednesday that while the Philippines had made huge strides in the past 10 to 15 years, Aleson Shipping's record was "shocking". Advertisement Advertisement "Ninety-nine percent of so-called accidents are actually human error," the Baird Maritime founder said. "Obviously, this case is negligence." "They should never be allowed back into business," Baird added, noting the recent disclosure of more than 30 maritime "incidents" involving the company since 2019. Sajili, who was in Manila on Wednesday with other survivors to press for government action, said that would be the only just outcome. "To be frank with you, the only time I think we can say we have achieved justice is ... (with the) total cancellation of the licence of Aleson Shipping Lines," he said. Calls to the company were unreturned. pam-cwl/mtp A House Judiciary Committee hearing with Attorney General Pam Bondi descended into chaos Wednesday afternoon, resulting in out U.S. Rep. Becca Balint, a Vermont Democrat, storming out after Bondi accused her of fueling what she called an anti-Semitic culture, capping a day of bitter, partisan clashes over the Justice Departments handling of the Jeffrey Epstein files. Balint is Jewish. Keep up with the latest in LGBTQ+ news and politics. Sign up for The Advocate's email newsletter. Advertisement Advertisement The blowup came at the end of a hearing that had already simmered for hours, as Democrats accused Bondi of stonewalling rather than answering their questions directly. Bondi, for her part, repeatedly deflected, shifted blame to previous administrations, and counterattacked, turning what was billed as an oversight session into a running political brawl steeped in disrespect. Related: Pam Bondi wants FBI to offer bounties for radical gender ideology groups, leaked memo shows Related: Who is Pam Bondi? Trump's attorney general pick has a mixed history on LGBTQ+ issues When Balints time expired, and the out lawmaker yielded back, Bondi asked for a moment to respond, and used it to go on the offensive: You didnt ask Merrick Garland anything about Epstein, she said. Balint shot back: Weak sauce. Advertisement Advertisement Bondi then escalated: And with this anti-Semitic culture right now, she voted against a resolution ... Balint cut her off: Oh, really? Do you want to go there, attorney general? she said. Talking about anti-Semitism to a woman who lost her grandfather in the Holocaust? The lawmaker then got up and left the room. The confrontation capped a day in which Democrats pointed to survivors seated behind Bondi and urged her to meet with them directly. Republicans defended Bondi and accused Democrats of political theater. From the outset, Democrats framed the hearing as an indictment of Bondis leadership and priorities. Ranking Member Rep. Jamie Raskin of Maryland opened by accusing Bondi of a cover-up and a betrayal of the principle of justice for all, blasting the departments handling of the Epstein files, including extensive redactions, absence of engagement with survivors, and a persistent lack of clarity about who has or has not been questioned. The American people are rightfully worried that the Department of Justice is protecting the powerful and letting the vulnerable languish, Raskin said. That frustration boiled over in Balints exchange with Bondi, whose questioning cut to the core of Democrats demands: whether the Justice Department has meaningfully scrutinized powerful officials whose names appear in newly released, unredacted Epstein files. Advertisement Advertisement Related: Pam Bondi's mad after judge rejects charging Don Lemon over his Minnesota church reporting Balint described the controversy as evidence of a two-tiered system of justice, in which survivors are left waiting while the well-connected remain insulated. She pressed Bondi on whether the department had questioned Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, Navy Secretary John Phelan, or Deputy Defense Secretary Steven Feinberg about any ties to Epstein. Scrutiny of Lutnick, in particular, has become a flashpoint. Documents show he maintained contact with Epstein years after Epsteins 2008 conviction of soliciting prostitution and soliciting prostitution from a minor, including arranging a visit to Epsteins private island in 2012 a timeline that appears to conflict with his earlier claims that he severed ties much earlier. Those revelations have fueled calls for accountability. Related: Trump AG Pam Bondi falsely compares gender-affirming care for minors as the same as female genital mutilation Advertisement Advertisement Related: Pam Bondi promises to 'respect the law' on marriage equality in Senate confirmation hearing Lutnick said in an October interview that he never spent time with Epstein after 2005, when the two were neighbors in New York. However, on Tuesday, Lutnick admitted, after his name was found in the disclosures, that in 2012 he, his wife, their children, and nannies did travel to the convicted sex offenders private Caribbean island, for lunch. Bondi declined to give clear yes-or-no answers. She said Lutnick had addressed those ties himself, said she did not know whether Phelan had, and bristled when asked about Feinberg. Chairman Jim Jordan, an Ohio Republican, repeatedly intervened to manage time and decorum. Bondi struggled to justify her own role in pushing for the release of Epstein materials amid broader political pressure. Republicans invoked the released documents to criticize Democrats, while Democrats say the selective disclosure and extensive redactions have undermined public confidence and shielded powerful figures. Advertisement Advertisement In an interview with The Advocate after the hearing, Balint said Democrats had anticipated Bondi would avoid their questions. We knew she was going to come out swinging and that she wasnt going to be prepared to answer our questions, Balint said, calling it really heartbreaking because survivors had met with lawmakers both yesterday and this morning in preparation for the hearing and were really hopeful that they would get some answers. Instead, she said, Bondi arrived with a big binder full of insults for all of us, adding, I think Americans deserve so much better than that. Balint also criticized what she described as the attorney generals political posture. Shes our top cop. She is supposed to be independent from the president, Balint said. And what we saw was somebody just in lockstep with the president and doing his bidding. She said survivors in the room were hurt when Bondi suggested they could simply call 1-800-FBI if you have a tip, a response Balint said left many feeling dismissed. Balint said that when Bondi accused her of being anti-Semitic, it was her breaking point. She described Bondis attack as weaponizing anti-Semitism and said it echoed tactics her own family had faced in 20th century Europe. She is using the fascist authoritarian playbook in the same way that my family was on the receiving end of those same tactics and strategies during the Nazi era, Balint said, adding that she walked out because her time had expired but returned to the room afterward. I came back in for the survivors, and I stayed to the very end because they deserve that," Balint said. Advertisement Advertisement Editors note: This story has been updated with Rep. Becca Balint's interview with The Advocate. This article originally appeared on Advocate: Pam Bondi suggests Jewish lesbian lawmaker is anti-Semitic in explosive hearing RELATED Greene King Pub Partners, a division of British pub and brewing company Greene King, has unveiled plans to expand its Hive Pubs and Nest Pubs franchised formats into Wales this year. The company will open 30 new franchise sites this year after topping 100 franchised pubs. Hive Pubs was introduced in late 2021, followed by the Nest Pubs franchise concept in 2024. Last year, Greene King Pub Partners opened 30 new franchise pubs, including its first Belhaven-branded franchised sites in Scotland. Key launches in 2025 included The Tarbet in Edinburgh, which became Greene Kings first franchised pub in Scotland after a 285,000 ($357,245) revamp. Other standouts were The Dolphin in Melbourn, relaunched as a Hive Pub following a 570,000 upgrade, and the Two Poplars in Wokingham. Greene King said it plans to take its franchise offer into Wales and south-west England for the first time this year, backed by a strong pipeline. For Q1 2026, planned franchise investments and openings include Millwrights in Aylesbury, The Freemasons Arms in Wigan, and The Flag Inn in Egerton. To support the growth, Greene King Pub Partners is adding two business development managers to its franchise team to cover the expanded territory. Greene King Pub Partners managing director Dan Robinson said: We are delighted with the ongoing growth of our franchise business, which continues to complement our very successful leased and tenanted pub business. Last September, Greene King Pub Partners inaugurated its 20th franchise establishment, which was refurbished and transformed into a hive pub. "Greene King to extend Hive and Nest pub franchises into Wales" was originally created and published by Verdict Food Service, a GlobalData owned brand. BAY COUNTY, Fla. (WMBB) After several months of workshopping, the Panama City Commission has officially approved the membership pricing for the MLK Rec Center. Many residents voiced their disapproval over the initial fee announcement. Commissioners took the community feedback into account and have returned with a revised fee schedule. Outdoor amenities will remain free and open to the public from dawn to dusk. Advertisement Advertisement Panama City residents 18 and older can purchase a fitness membership for $100 per year, while non-residents will have to pay $200. Military, disabled, and people 60 years and older will pay $75 annually, and a new addition, the fitness membership will be free for those 70 and older. Theres also a new young adult membership, which costs $50 annually, available to all Bay County residents ages 18-21. While commissioners ultimately approved these changes and more, they also made it clear that they are still open to exploring other ideas, such as a sliding scale system for people who cant afford the fee. Advertisement Advertisement A sliding scale fee is in lieu of just saying either you can pay the $100 or $200, or you cant. So, were looking at using a scale thats used to determine low to moderate income, then the staff is going to come back to us with the plan for being able to implement that, Commissioner Janice Lucas said. One of the things that the staffs working on is a sliding scale. We want to bring the cost down to use the facilities for those who cant afford to. We want to see as many people using the facility and taking care of it, Mayor Allan Branch said. City staff will present their research and ideas at a meeting in the near future. It is important to note that there are still scholarship opportunities for the center. Advertisement Advertisement To view the membership and rental prices, click here. Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. A literacy tutoring program thats helped thousands of struggling K-3 readers in North Carolina in recent years is appealing to state lawmakers for a financial lifeline. The North Carolina Education Corps, created with federal pandemic relief funds, has served more than 26,000 students across 33 North Carolina counties since 2021. This school year, however, with those temporary federal dollars gone and no recurring state appropriation in place, the organizations leaders say its already scaled back to less than half its former size, and could shrink further without legislative action. Advertisement Advertisement The program recruits and trains tutors including retired teachers, college students and parents who provide small-group reading instruction during the school day to K3 students who are below grade-level benchmarks. Last school year, the organization had 453 tutors working in 26 districts and serving 7,994 students. This school year, it has 117 tutors in 11 districts and expects to serve about 3,000 students. This week, program leaders told members of the General Assemblys Joint Oversight Committee on Education that without $5 million in recurring state funding, the nonprofits in-school tutoring program will remain significantly smaller next year. The program was initially funded with $13.5 million in federal Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief funds, known as ESSER, allocated by the General Assembly. That funding expired in December 2024, midway through the 202425 school year. Advertisement Advertisement State lawmakers later approved $3 million in nonrecurring state funds to carry the program through the remainder of last school year. But the General Assembly has not adopted a full state budget that includes recurring support. The legislature wanted to see the results of our program before providing ongoing funding, said John-Paul Smith, the nonprofits executive director. During his presentation to the panel, Smith cited a study by the University of Michigan that found students participating in the NCEC tutoring program gained an average of 2.2 months more in literacy skills than comparable students receiving other school-based interventions. Rep. Hugh Blackwell (R-Burke) questioned whether those gains were enough to help students who are already years behind. Advertisement Advertisement Lets say weve got a student who is two years behind where he should be, Blackwell said, It sounds like at this rate, how does that student ever catch up? Smith said earlier intervention tends to produce stronger results. He said multiple studies have shown students are more likely to close learning gaps in elementary school than in later grades. The earlier you intervene, the better, he said. The later you wait, the harder it is for students to catch up. In an interview with NC Newsline, Smith said recurring funding of $5 million would allow the NCEC to return to its 202425 service levels. Even then, he said, the program would still reach only a fraction of the roughly 230,000 North Carolina K3 students who are below grade-level reading benchmarks. Even if we get $5 million, its just scratching the surface of what the need is in North Carolina, he said. Hamilton County Juvenile Court Judge Kari Bloom, left, gives remarks during a court program graduation ceremony, Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026, at the Hamilton County Juvenile Court in downtown Cincinnati. Chief Magistrate Scheherazade Washington leads a court program graduation ceremony, Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026, at the Hamilton County Juvenile Court in downtown Cincinnati. Four women have graduated a supportive program called the Family Dependency Treatment Docket, which is designed to help keep families together. Chief Magistrate Scheherazade Washington, left, hands a certificate to Trisha Mann, right, during a court program graduation ceremony, Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026, at the Hamilton County Juvenile Court in downtown Cincinnati. Mann was one of four women to graduate from a supportive program called the Family Dependency Treatment Docket, which is designed to help keep families together. Kassi Setty, left, receives a certificate from Chief Magistrate Scheherazade Washington, right, during a court program graduation ceremony, Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026, at the Hamilton County Juvenile Court in downtown Cincinnati. Setty was one of four women to graduate from a supportive program called the Family Dependency Treatment Docket, which is designed to help keep families together. Attendees clap for graduates during a court program graduation ceremony, Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026, at the Hamilton County Juvenile Court in downtown Cincinnati. Four women have graduated a supportive program called the Family Dependency Treatment Docket, which is designed to help keep families together. Misty Anders is overcome with emotion during a Hamilton County Juvenile Court program graduation ceremony, Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026, at the Hamilton County Juvenile Court in downtown Cincinnati. Misty Anders, left, receives a certificate from Chief Magistrate Scheherazade Washington, right, during a Hamilton County Juvenile Court program graduation ceremony, Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026, at the Hamilton County Juvenile Court in downtown Cincinnati. Anders was one of four women to graduate from a supportive program called the Family Dependency Treatment Docket, which is designed to help keep families together. Betty Wellman gives a speech after her daughter Misty Anders graduates from a Hamilton County Juvenile Court program, Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026, at the Hamilton County Juvenile Court in downtown Cincinnati. Anders was one of four women to graduate from a supportive program called the Family Dependency Treatment Docket, which is designed to help keep families together. Gregg Pickett, a diversion manager with the Hamilton County government, gives remarks to graduates during a Hamilton County Juvenile court program graduation ceremony, Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026, at the Hamilton County Juvenile Court in downtown Cincinnati. Tabitha Dick, left, receives a certificate from Chief Magistrate Scheherazade Washington, right, during a Hamilton County Juvenile Court program graduation, Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026, at the Hamilton County Juvenile Court in downtown Cincinnati. Dick was one of four women to graduate from a supportive program called the Family Dependency Treatment Docket, which is designed to help keep families together. Graduates of a court program receive gift bags and certificates, Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026, at the Hamilton County Juvenile Court in downtown Cincinnati. Four women graduate from Hamilton County Juvenile Court program. See photos 1 of 11 Hamilton County Juvenile Court Judge Kari Bloom, left, gives remarks during a court program graduation ceremony, Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026, at the Hamilton County Juvenile Court in downtown Cincinnati. Tabitha Dick faced a packed gallery in a sixth-floor courtroom of the Hamilton County Juvenile Court. Instead of standing before the magistrate for a case, they stood side by side, sharing expressions of gratitude and celebrating Dicks sobriety. Its been 17 months since Dick was pregnant and sitting in jail. She had lost her house and custody of her two youngest kids. But shes since turned her life around, now working for a recovery center as a peer support specialist. Dick is one of four women who graduated on Feb. 10 from the courts family dependency treatment docket a monthslong program aimed at helping parents overcome addiction and keeping families together. Tabitha Dick, left, receives a certificate from Chief Magistrate Scheherazade Washington, right, during a Hamilton County Juvenile Court Program graduation on Feb. 10. I just want them to be happy, she said of her children. I want them to succeed in life. I want to give them all the tools for success, so that they dont have to end up where Ive ended up. Advertisement Advertisement Among the others who graduated were Trisha Mann, Misty Anders and Kassi Setty. Theyve each persevered in their own recovery journeys and in reunifying with their children. Magistrate says juvenile court is 'about children and families' The program has existed for more than 25 years, said Chief Magistrate Scheherazade Washington. Its part of a partnership with Hamilton County Job and Family Services. Court officials say dependency cases are often filed for children whose parents cant take adequate care of them because of substance-use issues. The program is designed to assist parents in achieving sobriety and offer support in caring for their children. Its certified as a specialized docket by the Ohio Supreme Court. Advertisement Advertisement We are about children and families and their best interests, said Washington. And when we find that substance abuse is interfering with people's parenting and we can address that problem, we can get our families back together. Mother who graduated court program was 'fighting for my life' Setty, another graduate of the program, said that before she went into treatment, she was homeless, pregnant and in a state of despair. I was fighting for my life, she said. I know I couldnt be there for my kids if I couldnt be there for myself. Setty said things started to become clear after she entered drug treatment. She learned to deal with her emotions and to talk with people. She also learned how to live again. Kassi Setty, left, receives a certificate from Chief Majesty Scheherazade Washington, right, during a court program graduation ceremony on Feb. 10. Now, Setty is celebrating a year of sobriety, taking it one day at a time. Advertisement Advertisement My three youngest kids, they didnt know me sober, Setty said. My oldest one did and she watched me fall, and shes watched me rise back up. Court program offers a path for families affected by substance use The juvenile court works with job and family services, and uses resources from the supreme court, to offer the program as a direct intervention to remedy the effects of substance use on families, said Administrative Judge Kari Bloom. The treatment docket is designed as a path to reunification for parents whove been brought to court due to a filing from the childrens services agency requesting temporary custody over a child, Bloom told The Enquirer. Hamilton County Juvenile Court Judge Kari Bloom gives remarks during a court program graduation ceremony on Feb. 10. So many times when a parent comes into our dependency court, its because of failure, or at least because of the potential of failure for their children, she said. When they have worked this hard to get through a system, a system they might not trust or might not understand, and they trust us enough to get better and to get healthy, that alone is enough to celebrate. This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Hamilton County court program offers path forward for moms in recovery A pedestrian died after being struck on the Eisenhower Expressway on Chicago's West Side, Illinois State Police said. The deadly crash happened on Tuesday at about 7:30 p.m. on the westbound lanes of I-290 at Kostner Avenue near the city's Garfield Park and Lawndale neighborhoods, ISP said. A man ran across the expressway and was hit by a car, ISP said. The man died at an area hospital. The video in the player above is from a previous report. All lanes reopened at about 11:04 p.m. on Tuesday night. Why the person was on the expressway was not immediately clear. Further information was not immediately available. Indianapolis-resident Nathan Young was wading through the northern end of Eagle Creek Park last fall, following a coyote trail across the reservoir's soggy mudflats, when he stumbled across tracks belonging to an animal that had never been documented in the park. The prints were fresh, probably a day or two old, said Young, a certified wildlife tracker. The indentations in the squishy mud harkened to a creature that had webbed toes and distinct claws. Young knew almost instantly the tracks belonged to a river otter. Wildlife tracker Nathan Young stumbled across otter tracks inside Eagle Creek Park on Oct. 29, 2025. But he did not realize at the time how unprecedented his discovery was for the park that comprises the city's largest natural area. Advertisement Advertisement Otters, once plentiful in Indiana, were hunted en masse for their thick fur. By 1942, 30 years before the park opened, the state declared them to be locally extinct. The Indiana Department of Natural Resources began a series of reintroduction efforts in the 1990s, and over the past three decades, Hoosiers have spotted the small semi-aquatic mammals in almost every corner of Indiana and elsewhere in Marion County. But not in Eagle Creek Park. The Indiana Department of Natural Resources began reintroducing river otters around Indiana in 1995, releasing over 300 individuals over the course of five years. "I've been expecting river otters to show up in the park for a long time. They're all around us, they're in every county in the state," said Dawn VanDeman, the manager of the Earth Discovery Center at the park. The DNR's otter reintroduction efforts have been so successful that Indiana removed the animals from the state-endangered species list in 2005. Otters have been seen elsewhere in Central Indiana over the past several years, and they have been spotted along Eagle Creek in Zionsville. Advertisement Advertisement "But this is the first solid evidence we've gotten that they are in the park," VanDeman said. After finding the tracks, Young abandoned the coyote trail in favor of fleshing out the otter's path. He uncovered about 50 yards of tracks emerging from the shoreline where the otter likely came up from a swim before crossing the mudflat and disappearing again into the water. "I searched quite a bit and only found that one set," Young said. "I'm anxious for the snow to go away and get back out there and look in the mud." Conservation excitement, and a tinge of concern Young quickly confirmed the identification with a colleague and shared the news with park staff last fall. Advertisement Advertisement "I immediately was so excited because we haven't had confirmed sightings or tracks of otters," said Donna Riner, the assistant manager at the Eagle Creek Park Ornithology Center. The park's reservoir, a man-made body of water, was "incredibly damaging" to the local environment around the park when it was constructed over 50 years ago, Riner added. The reservoir's relatively bare shoreline might not be particularly enticing to otters, but she thinks the track sighting is an example of the park's ecosystem rebounding. Park staffers stayed silent about Young's discovery for more than three months. The Earth Park Discovery Center announced the tracks on Facebook for the first time just last week. Announcing the otters' presence might encourage people to try to find the otters, which could scare them away, Riner explained. The track sighting is the first step confirming their presence, she said, but right now, it's the only evidence of otters in the park. It is unknown if otters are living in or breeding in the park or if one was just passing through. Advertisement Advertisement And not everyone is thrilled by the news that otters might be living in the reservoir. "We have lots of concern from the fishermen about their impact on the fish populations, which is a valid concern," VanDeman said. "They do eat a lot of fish really quickly." Given otters' now healthy population and their voracious appetites, Indiana implemented a river otter trapping season in 2015. The state has a strictly enforced trapping quota of 750 otters a year. Eagle Creek staff hope the park is a large enough habitat to support an otter population, said VanDeman, and they are scouring the park to keep an eye out for more evidence of their presence. Park staff are checking camera traps, wading out into the park's swampy wilderness and encouraging visitors to share any otter sightings. Advertisement Advertisement And if someone does happen to stumble across an otter, or any other wildlife in the park, Riner said she hopes visitors remembers this is their home. "Give them space," she said. "This area is really special because this might be one of the only areas they have to live out their lives." IndyStar's environmental reporting is made possible through the generous support of the nonprofit Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust. Sophie Hartley is an IndyStar environment reporter. You can reach her at sophie.hartley@indystar.com or on X at @sophienhartley. This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Otter tracks discovered in Eagle Creek Park for first time, staff say EL PASO, TX The airspace over this border city's international airport was briefly closed on Feb. 11, although conflicting explanations have emerged about why. An administration official told USA TODAY that drones controlled by Mexican cartels had breached U.S. airspace, and the military took action to disable them. The official spoke on condition of anonymity. Late Feb. 10, the Federal Aviation Administration shut down the El Paso International Airport for 10 days a massive and near-unprecedented amount of time to shutter a major U.S. airport. Within hours, the ban was suddenly lifted. Advertisement Advertisement "The FAA and DOW acted swiftly to address a cartel drone incursion," Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said on X, citing the acronym for the Department of War, the Trump administration's new name for the Defense Department. "The threat has been neutralized, and there is no danger to commercial travel in the region. The restrictions have been lifted and normal flights are resuming." Later on Feb. 11, a conflicting account about the closed airspace closure began to emerge. CBS News and the New York Times reported that the military's failure to coordinate with aviation officials to test counter-drone technology had prompted the shutdown. Multiple outlets reported that the technology in question was a high-powered laser used to shoot down cartel drones that the military pushed to test before the FAA could lock down safety procedures. Advertisement Advertisement Asked about those reports, the Pentagon told USA TODAY it had "nothing further to provide at this time." Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said on Feb. 11 that there was no information about drones on the border if the United States had information, it could ask the Mexican government, she told reporters. "The Mexican airspace did not close... We will learn what the reasons are for why the airspace closed," she said. U.S. Rep. Veronica Escobar, D-El Paso, said at a news conference the same morning that she learned of the closure not through the Trump administration but through a contact within the federal workforce. According to Escobar, the Federal Aviation Administration did not notify local officials in advance and made the decision independently. Advertisement Advertisement Theres no threat. There was not a threat, which is why the F.A.A. lifted this restriction so quickly, Escobar said. The information coming from the administration does not add up." Escobar said there is information she could not share publicly at this time but hoped to do so in the future. She also noted that if a drone incursion had occurred, she would have been informed. This is not the way the federal government should function, Escobar said, adding that the full impact of the closure remains unclear. We have to see what this is. Trump has threatened land strikes in Mexico President Donald Trump has repeatedly threatened to launch military strikes on cartel-linked land targets in Mexico. "We are going to now start hitting land with regard to the cartels," he told Fox News last month. Advertisement Advertisement "The cartels are running Mexico. It's very, very sad to watch and see what's happening to their country." Experts said drone incursions across the U.S.-Mexico border are not new, but announcing that an airspace will be closed for 10 days is highly unusual. U.S. military and local law enforcement officials have in recent years aired growing concerns over encounters with drones controlled by criminal organizations at the U.S.-Mexico border. In New Mexico, for instance, lawmakers are weighing a bill to crack down on drones used by criminal organizations. Henry Ziemer, an associate fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies' Americas Program, said "thousands" of drones cross the U.S.-Mexico border every year, and "thousands more" are used on the Mexican side by organized crime to monitor border patrol, look for weak spots on the border, or fly over drugs. Advertisement Advertisement The 10-day airspace closure announced by aviation officials "seems out of sync with what we know the threat to be," Ziemer said. Ziemer said that opened two possibilities that the drone incursion that triggered the closure was uniquely dangerous, or that the Trump administration was "experimenting with airspace closures along the border as a means of being able to take more forceful actions against cartels." Trump has reportedly mulled the idea of direct strikes on cartels since his first term. Mark Esper, his then-defense secretary, recounted in his memoir that Trump asked him at least twice in 2020 whether the military could "shoot missiles into Mexico to destroy the drug labs. In the past year, multiple news outlets have reported that Trump was reconsidering the idea. The New York Times reported in February of 2025 that the CIA had expanded secret drone flights over Mexico to search for fentanyl labs. Advertisement Advertisement Adam Isacson, the director for defense oversight at the Washington Office on Latin America, said the U.S. military has shared intelligence from surveillance drone flights over Mexico with the Mexican government for decades. But deploying U.S. armed drones within Mexican airspace would cross a line. "It would blow to bits the multifaceted relationship" between the United States and Mexico, he said. The Trump administration has launched 38 known strikes on boats in the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific that have killed at least 130 people, whom it claimed were trying to bring drugs to the United States. Those strikes have been widely decried as illegal and inhumane, and the administration has never provided evidence that the boats carried drugs. The family members of two men killed in the strikes sued the Trump administration last month. Days before the military capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on Jan. 3, Trump also publicly revealed a CIA-led drone strike on a Venezuelan port. The reason for that strike is not clear, but news outlets reported that U.S. officials believed the port was being used for drug trafficking. Jeff Abbott reports for El Paso Times, part of the USA TODAY Network. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Did military pursue Mexican cartel drones? Conflicting stories emerge MANILA, Feb 11 (Reuters) - The Philippine foreign ministry urged the Chinese Embassy in Manila on Wednesday to be "constructive" in its statements amid an escalating war of words between Chinese diplomats and public officials, including senators. The Department of Foreign Affairs' newly appointed maritime affairs spokesperson, Rogelio Villanueva, said that responses should be delivered in a "calm" and "professional" manner. "The DFA values candid and vigorous debate with its foreign counterparts on important issues consistent with the Philippines' democratic tradition," he said. Advertisement Advertisement The Chinese Embassy in Manila did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Villanueva's remarks came after the Senate approved a resolution on Monday condemning statements made by the Chinese Embassy in Manila, which criticised Philippine officials for defending the country's sovereignty and maritime rights in the South China Sea. The Chinese embassy rejected and condemned the resolution, calling it a "political stunt." On Tuesday, the Philippines' Ambassador to the United States, Jose Manuel Romualdez, underscored the need to "cool" the temperature between China and the Philippines, saying that the relationship between the two countries should not be defined solely by the maritime dispute. Advertisement Advertisement The Philippines and China have been locked in a series of maritime confrontations in recent years, with the Philippines accusing China of aggressive actions inside its exclusive economic zones, including dangerous manoeuvres, water-cannoning, and interference in resupply missions. China, in turn, has accused the Philippines of intruding into what it claims as its territory. (Reporting by Karen Lema; Editing by David Stanway) LINCOLN Gov. Jim Pillen says the state will work with a national conservative organization long headlined by slain activist Charlie Kirk to establish a conservative-leaning political club for students in every Nebraska high school. Pillen took no questions during what he called a pep rally for freedom, and Turning Point USA offered few details about what the partnership entails or the logistics of getting a Club America into every high school. Nebraska joins the Republican-led states of Texas, Montana, Indiana, Oklahoma and Florida in similar partnerships with the organization now led by Kirks widow, Erika. I dont see anything political about that, Pillen said, referring to Charlie Kirk. I see it as right and wrong, God and Satan. Advertisement Advertisement Pillen said Club America can help young people learn more about the U.S. Constitution, develop leadership skills and boost civic engagement. I hope that these young people here today inspire all of us to say we can have a good debate, we can talk, we can work through it, Pillen said. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Charlie Kirk founded Turning Point USA in 2012. The organization has been credited with mobilizing younger voters to support President Donald Trump in the 2024 presidential election. He was known for visiting and engaging in public debates with political opponents on college campuses. Kirk was killed last year while speaking on a college campus in Utah. A student holds a Turning Point USAs Club America sign at the Nebraska Governors Mansion on Fed. 10, 2026. (Juan Salinas II/Nebraska Examiner) His death prompted vigils in the state and across the country including one where Pillen spoke at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. The late conservative activist visited Nebraska in 2024 to push for a special session to shift the state to awarding all five of its Electoral College votes for president to the statewide winner of the popular vote, an approach known to many as winner-take-all. Advertisement Advertisement The group says its Club America high school chapters aim to build strong networks, spearhead impactful initiatives, help students register to vote and inspire meaningful conversations about the foundations of a free society, according to the groups website. Turning Point typically organizes on college campuses. Conservatives at some of the states largest schools in Lincoln and Omaha have said they plan to make sharper efforts to connect with young people. There are six college chapters in the state, the groups website says. There are already roughly 28 Club America chapters at high schools in the state, it says. The state has more than 250 public schools. Nebraska Attorney General Mike Hilgers, who attended Pillens announcement on Tuesday, said a partnership like this is the antidote to political discord. Young people are approaching issues not with violence and not with hate and not with yelling or disruption, Hilgers said. Theyre approaching it based on love and joy and courage in talking about the things that they believe in. Advertisement Advertisement Tim Royers, president of the Nebraska State Education Association, the states largest teachers union, said the union supports students constitutional rights to form non-curriculum-related clubs, but theres a difference when the push comes from the Governors Office. Royers said decisions about student activities should be made at the local level. Public schools must remain politically neutral environments, Royers said. Educators and school leaders have a responsibility to ensure that no political organization is perceived as endorsed by the state or embedded within public school systems in a way that compromises that neutrality. Teachers unions in Nebraska and other states have faced criticism from some conservatives for political speech by some members. Among Turning Points best-known projects was the Professor Watchlist, which published the names of college professors in a searchable format by categories including anti-Christian views, feminism, climate alarmist, and racial ideology. Advertisement Advertisement A handful of people protested the announcement from outside the mansion. Nick Cocca, TPUSA Club America Enterprise Director, said it was great that students who are interested in Turning Point know state leaders have their back. Cocca provided no specifics on how the state plans to enforce the panthership but said the group typically relies on interested students to initiate the club chapters, while Turning Point provides organizational support. Cocca said Pillen like governors in other states reached out seeking the partnership. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE A delivery driver accidentally tried to drop off a pizza at the front door of Nancy Guthries house on Tuesday, Feb. 10, as the search for the missing mother of Savannah Guthrie continues. The video of the attempted delivery was initially shared by KNXV-TV reporter Ford Hatchett, who showed a pizza being delivered to the front door of Nancy Guthrie's Catalina Foothills home. As the footage became viral, the Pima County Sheriff's Department reprimanded any move that "interferes" with a crime scene, in a post on X. Advertisement Advertisement "We cant believe we have to say this, but media on scene: please do not order food delivery to a crime scene address. This interferes with an active investigation," the sheriff's department said. "Please also respect private property laws. Thank you." Here is what you need to know. Today show host Savannah Guthries 84-year-old mother, Nancy Guthrie, was seemingly abducted from her home outside Tucson, Arizona, in the early hours of Feb. 1, 2026. Authorities released photos and videos on Feb. 10, of a potential suspect who was caught tampering with a camera on her front door on the morning of her disappearance. A Pima County Sheriff deputy watches as workers place "No Trespassing" signs around the home of Nancy Guthrie on Feb. 24, 2026, in Tucson, Arizona. Law enforcement officials continue to search for Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of U.S. journalist and television host Savannah Guthrie, after she went missing from her home on the morning of February 1st. Savannah Guthrie announced a $1 million reward for anyone who helps find her mother. Armelinda Valenzuela is hugged after she sang and prayed in front of Nancy Guthrie's residence on Feb. 25, 2026, in Tucson, Arizona. Valenzuela said, "Her heart breaks for the Guthrie family." Law enforcement officials continue to search for Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of U.S. journalist and television host Savannah Guthrie, after she went missing from her home on the morning of February 1st. Catherine Lopez carries a backpack she found in a culvert, while joining other volunteers to search for any possible signs of Nancy Guthrie near her residence on Feb. 22, 2026, in Tucson, Arizona. Lopez was able to give the backpack to Pima County Sheriff deputies. The volunteer group was looking for anything that could help find Nancy Guthrie or the person or persons responsible for her disappearance. Law enforcement officials continue to search for Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of U.S. journalist and television host Savannah Guthrie, after she went missing from her home on the morning of February 1st. Lisa Pollak (R) joins other volunteers to search for any possible signs of Nancy Guthrie near her residence on Feb. 22, 2026, in Tucson, Arizona. The volunteer group was looking for anything that could help find Nancy Guthrie or the person or persons responsible for her disappearance. Law enforcement officials continue to search for Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of U.S. journalist and television host Savannah Guthrie, after she went missing from her home on the morning of February 1st. Jamie Messick walks through a culvert as he joins other volunteers to search for any possible signs of Nancy Guthrie near her residence on Feb. 22, 2026, in Tucson, Arizona. The volunteer group was looking for anything that could help find Nancy Guthrie or the person or persons responsible for her disappearance. Law enforcement officials continue to search for Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of U.S. journalist and television host Savannah Guthrie, after she went missing from her home on the morning of February 1st. Media outlets set up across the road from Nancy Guthrie's residence on Feb. 19, 2026, in Tucson, Ariz. Law enforcement officials continue to search for Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of U.S. journalist and television host Savannah Guthrie, after she went missing from her home on the morning of February 1st. An anonymous donor contributed $100,000 to the total reward offered in the Nancy Guthrie case, bringing it to over $200,000. Two AI-generated images with the likeness of Nancy Guthrie sit in a memorial near her residence on Feb. 19, 2026, in Tucson, Ariz. Law enforcement officials continue to search for Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of U.S. journalist and television host Savannah Guthrie, after she went missing from her home on the morning of February 1st. An anonymous donor contributed $100,000 to the total reward offered in the Nancy Guthrie case, bringing it to over $200,000. A sign sits in a memorial setup outside of Nancy Guthrie's residence on Feb. 18, 2026 in Tucson, Ariz. Law enforcement officials continue to search for Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of U.S. journalist and television host Savannah Guthrie, after she went missing from her home on the morning of February 1st. A Pima County Sheriff's vehicle sits in the driveway of Nancy Guthrie's residence on Feb. 18, 2026, in Tucson, Ariz. Law enforcement officials continue to search for Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of U.S. journalist and television host Savannah Guthrie, after she went missing from her home on the morning of February 1st. Jeannie Maggard visits a memorial setup next to the driveway of the residence of Nancy Guthrie on Feb. 18, 2026, in Tucson, Ariz. Law enforcement officials continue to search for Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of U.S. journalist and television host Savannah Guthrie, after she went missing from her home on the morning of February 1st. Alex Stone (ABC News) reports live outside Nancy Guthrie's home in the Catalina Foothills in Tucson, Ariz. on Feb. 16, 2026. A Pima County Sheriff looks on after escorting a person off Nancy Guthrie's property on Feb. 16, 2026 in Tucson, Ariz. Searches continue for Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of U.S. journalist and television host Savannah Guthrie, after she went missing from her home on the morning of February 1st. The search enters its 3rd week with law enforcement officials claiming to have found several items of evidence, but having made no arrests. The FBI and Pima County SheriffOs Department deputies process evidence from a late-model, gray Range Rover as they investigate the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of U.S. journalist and television host Savannah Guthrie, at a CulverOs in Tucson, Ariz. on Feb. 13, 2026. A sign in support of the Guthrie family stands next to several bouquets of flowers left outside Nancy Guthrie's home in the Catalina Foothills near Tucson on Feb. 12, 2026. Members of the Reed family pay their respects at a makeshift memorial outside of the residence of Nancy Guthrie on Feb. 16, 2026 in Tucson, Ariz. The search continues for Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of U.S. journalist and television host Savannah Guthrie, after she went missing from her home on February 1. Law enforcement officials say they have found several items of evidence, but have made no arrests. A backpack sits in this handout image, part of new visuals the FBI released regarding the investigation into Nancy Guthrie's disappearance. New images from a Nest camera show an armed individual appearing to have tampered with the camera at Nancy Guthrie's front door on the morning of her disappearance. New images from a Nest camera show an armed individual appearing to have tampered with the camera at Nancy Guthrie's front door on the morning of her disappearance. New images from a Nest camera show an armed individual appearing to have tampered with the camera at Nancy Guthrie's front door on the morning of her disappearance. New images from a Nest camera show an armed individual appearing to have tampered with the camera at Nancy Guthrie's front door on the morning of her disappearance. A well-wisher leaves a note and handmade flowers outside of Nancy Guthrie's home in the Catalina Foothills after the disappearance of Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of U.S. journalist and television host Savannah Guthrie, who went missing from her home in Tucson, Ariz. on Feb. 12, 2026 Jennifer Bond signs a banner that reads "Bring her home" and shows a photo of Nancy Guthrie, U.S. television journalist Savannah Guthrie's abducted elderly mother, at the KVOA newsroom, where Savannah worked earlier in her career, in Tucson, Ariz. on Feb. 12, 2026 News broadcasters are stationed outside Nancy Guthrie's residence on Feb.12, 2026 in Tucson, Ariz. Law enforcement officials have claimed to have found several items of evidence as searches continue for Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of U.S. journalist and television host Savannah Guthrie, after she went missing from her home on the morning of February 1st. Guthrie's possible abductors had set a deadline of 5pm on February 9 for a $6 million payment. Yellow bows are tied to trees on the street of Nancy Guthrie's home in the Catalina Foothills after the disappearance of Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of U.S. journalist and television host Savannah Guthrie, who went missing from her home in Tucson, Ariz. on Feb. 12, 2026. Members of the media follow investigators as they search the edges of Nancy Guthrie's street in the Catalina Foothills after the disappearance of Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of U.S. journalist and television host Savannah Guthrie, who went missing from her home in Tucson, Ariz. on Feb. 11, 2026. A member of the FBI surveils the area around Nancy Guthrie's residence on Feb. 11, 2026 in Tucson, Arizona. Searches continue for Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of U.S. journalist and television host Savannah Guthrie, after she went missing from her home on the morning of February 1st. Guthrie's possible abductors had set a deadline of 5pm on February 9 for a $6 million payment. Residents deliver flowers to a makeshift memorial at the entrance to Nancy Guthrie's residence on Feb. 11, 2026 in Tucson, Arizona. Searches continues for Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of U.S. journalist and television host Savannah Guthrie, after she went missing from her home on the morning of February 1st. Guthrie's possible abductors had set a deadline of 5pm on February 9 for a $6 million payment. Investigators canvass Annie Guthrie's neighborhood on Feb. 10, 2026, after the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of U.S. journalist and television host Savannah Guthrie, who went missing from her home outside Tucson. Investigators canvass Annie Guthrie's neighborhood on Feb. 10, 2026, after the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of U.S. journalist and television host Savannah Guthrie, who went missing from her home outside Tucson. Law enforcement and news broadcasters are stationed outside of Nancy Guthrie's residence on Feb. 10, 2026 in Tucson, Arizona. Searches continues for Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of U.S. journalist and television host Savannah Guthrie, after she went missing from her home on the morning of February 1st. Guthrie's possible abductors had set a deadline of 5pm on February 9 for a $6 million payment. An investigator canvasses Annie Guthrie's neighborhood on Feb. 10, 2026, after the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of U.S. journalist and television host Savannah Guthrie, who went missing from her home outside Tucson. U.S. journalist and television host Savannah Guthrie speaks in a video message, thanking supporters and asking for help in locating her elderly mother, Nancy Guthrie, who went missing from her Arizona home several days ago, in this screen grab obtained from social media video taken at an unspecified location and released Feb. 9, 2026. Broadcast journalists report live outside the home of Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of U.S. journalist and television host Savannah Guthrie, who went missing from her home in Tucson, Ariz. on Feb. 9, 2026. U.S. journalist and television host Savannah Guthrie, accompanied by her siblings Annie and Camron, speaks in a video message, addressing that they are willing to pay for the release of their elderly mother, Nancy Guthrie, who went missing from her Arizona home several days ago, in this screen grab obtained from social media video taken at an unspecified location and released February 7, 2026. A Pima County Sheriff's Department deputy on Feb. 10, 2026, patrols the home of Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of U.S. journalist and television host Savannah Guthrie, who went missing from her home outside Tucson. Live-streamers, journalists and a Pima County Sheriff's Department deputy gather at the home of Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of U.S. journalist and television host Savannah Guthrie, who went missing from her home in Tucson, Ariz. on Feb. 9, 2026. A sign and other objects showing support from neighbors is posted at the home of Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of U.S. journalist and television host Savannah Guthrie, who went missing from her home in Tucson, Ariz. on Feb. 9, 2026. Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of "Today" anchor Savannah Guthrie is missing, and Arizona officials say they are investigating her disappearance as a "crime." "Today" show cohost Savannah Guthrie, accompanied by her siblings Annie and Camron Guthrie, speaks in a video message addressing a possible kidnapper who might be holding her 84-year-old mother, Nancy Guthrie in this screen grab obtained from social media video taken at an unspecified location and released Feb. 4, 2026. Chris Castorena, a private detective based in Phoenix volunteering his time to search for Nancy Guthrie, scans her street for clues after the disappearance of Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of U.S. journalist and television host Savannah Guthrie, who went missing from her home in Tucson, U.S. February 5, 2026. The Pima County Sheriff's Office in Arizona received a 911 call reporting Nancy Guthrie missing from her home outside Tucson around noon local time on Sunday, Feb. 1. Investigators showed renewed interest at the home of Nancy Guthrie on Feb. 4, 2026, stringing up crime scene tape for a time in the late afternoon. They removed it shortly before 6 p.m. Guthrie had been missing since Jan. 31, 2026, with investigators saying she had been taken from her home northeast of Tucson. Guthrie is the mother of "Today" show anchor Savannah Guthrie. Investigators showed renewed interest at the home of Nancy Guthrie on Feb. 4, 2026, stringing up crime scene tape for a time in the late afternoon. They removed it shortly before 6 p.m. Guthrie had been missing since Jan. 31, 2026, with investigators saying she had been taken from her home northeast of Tucson. Guthrie is the mother of "Today" show anchor Savannah Guthrie. Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of "Today" show co-host Savannah Guthrie, went missing from her home (pictured here) in the affluent Catalina Foothills area just north of Tucson on Feb. 1, 2026. She was reported missing from her home in a community just north of Tucson on Feb. 1, 2026. Media broadcasts as private security stands guard in the driveway of Nancy Guthrie's house after the disappearance of the 84-year-old mother of U.S. journalist and television host Savannah Guthrie, who went missing from her home in Tucson, Ariz. on Feb. 4, 2026. The front of the home of Nancy Guthrie, mother of "Today" show co-host Savannah Guthrie, on Feb. 3, 2026. Nancy Guthrie was abducted from the home some time after about 9:30 p.m. on Jan. 31, the Pima County Sheriff's Department said. She was reported missing after not attending church the next morning, the Sheriff's Department said. Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos gives an update on the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie, mother of Savannah Guthrie, on Feb. 2, 2026. Television media set up at the house of Nancy Guthrie, NBC host Savannah Guthrie's mother, on Feb. 3, 2026, in Catalina, Ariz. Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of "Today" anchor Savannah Guthrie, is pictured in an undated photograph provided by NBC. Arizona officials say they are investigating Nancys disappearance as a "crime." Nancy Guthrie and "Today" anchor Savannah Guthrie are pictured on Wednesday, April 17, 2019, on "Today with Hoda & Jenna. Arizona officials say they are investigating Nancys disappearance as a "crime." Nancy Guthrie and "Today" anchor Savannah Guthrie are pictured in an undated photograph provided by NBC. Arizona officials say they are investigating Nancys disappearance as a "crime." Nancy Guthrie and "Today" anchor Savannah Guthrie are pictured in an undated photograph provided by NBC. Arizona officials say they are investigating Nancys disappearance as a "crime." Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of "Today" show co-host Savannah Guthrie, went missing from her home (pictured here) in the affluent Catalina Foothills area just north of Tucson on Feb. 1, 2026. Chris Castorena, a private detective based in Phoenix volunteering his time to search for Nancy Guthrie, scans her street for clues after the disappearance of Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of U.S. journalist and television host Savannah Guthrie, who went missing from her home in Tucson, U.S. February 5, 2026. Search for Nancy Guthrie and person suspected of taking her continues 1 of 55 Today show host Savannah Guthries 84-year-old mother, Nancy Guthrie, was seemingly abducted from her home outside Tucson, Arizona, in the early hours of Feb. 1, 2026. Authorities released photos and videos on Feb. 10, of a potential suspect who was caught tampering with a camera on her front door on the morning of her disappearance. More: Nancy Guthrie live updates: 'Potential subject' seen at front door New photos released today Tuesdays incident comes on the same day that authorities released several surveillance photos and videos of a "potential subject. The four black-and-white images and videos, released online by FBI Director Kash Patel, show a masked and "armed" individual appearing to tamper with the camera at Nancy Guthrie's front door the morning of her disappearance." Advertisement Advertisement "Over the last eight days, the FBI and Pima County Sheriff's Department have been working closely with our private sector partners to continue to recover any images or video footage from Nancy Guthrie's home that may have been lost, corrupted or inaccessible due to a variety of factors including the removal of recording devices," Patel wrote on X. A neighbor walks their dog in front of the house of Nancy Guthrie, NBC host Savannah Guthrie's mother, on February 3, 2026 in Catalina, Arizona. Nancy Guthrie, 84, was seemingly abducted from her home outside Tucson, Arizona, in the early hours of Feb. 1. The mother of three was first discovered missing when a fellow churchgoer missed her at morning services. Savannah Guthrie and her siblings have since issued emotional pleas for her return, offering to pay after unverified ransom notes were sent to several media organizations. USA TODAYs Anna Kaufman, Taijuan Moorman, Brendan Morrow and Edward Segarra contributed to this report. Advertisement Advertisement Fernando Cervantes Jr. is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach him at fernando.cervantes@usatodayco.com and follow him on X @fern_cerv_. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Nancy Guthrie search: Sheriff reprimands pizza delivery to crime scene NEED TO KNOW A plane carrying 55 people crashed into the ocean after overshooting the runway when it was forced to make an emergency landing The incident took place at around 1:17 p.m. local time on Tuesday, Feb. 10, at Mogadishu Aden Abdulle International Airport in Somalia A statement from the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia confirmed that there were "no fatalities" in the incident A plane carrying 55 people crashed in the ocean after being forced to make an emergency landing in Somalia. On Tuesday, Feb. 10, the Somali Civil Aviation Authority (SCAA) announced in a press release that the aircraft "overran" the runway at Mogadishu Aden Abdulle International Airport (AAIA) at around 1:17 p.m. local time. The Starsky Aviation flight in the ocean in Somalia on Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026 AP Photo/Omar Faruk This resulted in the Starsky Aviation plane crashing into the shallow waters of the ocean, per a statement from the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia. Advertisement Advertisement The statement, translated from the original Somali, continued, "The aircraft developed a mechanical problem about 15 minutes into the flight and attempted to return to Mogadishu, where it crashed into the sea." The statement confirmed that "There were no fatalities, and the injured were immediately provided with medical care." The plane in the ocean in Somalia on Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026 AUSSOM/X Starsky Aviation flight CEO Ahmed Nur said in a statement obtained by the Associated Press that there were no injuries, no deaths and that only the plane itself was damaged. PEOPLE has contacted the Somali Civil Aviation Authority, Starsky Aviation and the Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation for comment, but didn't immediately receive responses. 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 juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. The plane in the ocean in Somalia on February 10, 2026 AFP via Getty "We are relieved to confirm that all passengers and crew are safe. Investigations are underway to establish what caused the technical issue that led to the emergency landing," Starsky spokesman Hassan Mohamed Aden said, per the BBC. Advertisement Advertisement "The pilot's swift and calm decision-making played a decisive role in ensuring the safety of everyone on board, and we commend him for how he handled the situation," he added. In pictures shared on X by the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia, responders were seen standing next to the aircraft in the shallow waters. "Relevant government agencies are currently on site, and an investigation into the cause of the incident is underway," the SCAA wrote in their press release. "The SCAA is working closely with all concerned authorities to collect and assess all necessary information." They concluded, "Further updates will be provided as more details become available." Read the original article on People Most people assume retirement savings build slowly but steadily over time. Work for decades, contribute a little each year, and eventually the balance looks respectable. The newest national data challenges that assumption in a big way. The median retirement savings for employed Americans ages 21 through 64 is just $955. That figure comes from the National Institute on Retirement Security's Retirement in America report for 2026, released this month using U.S. Census Bureau Survey of Income and Program Participation data reflecting balances as of December 2022. The number includes everyone who is working, including millions of people with nothing saved at all. Even when isolating workers who do have money in a defined-contribution account, the median balance reaches only $40,000. Workers closest to retirement age, between 55 and 64, report a median of roughly $30,000. Don't Miss: The AI Marketing Platform Backed by Insiders from Google, Meta, and Amazon Invest at $0.85/Share Put professional stock research to work in a single ETF explore Motley Fool Asset Management's factor-based funds. Access to Plans Still Determines Who Saves The report makes clear that the biggest difference between workers who save and workers who do not often comes down to access. Only 63% of workers have a retirement plan offered through their employer, and 62% participate. Nearly half of private-sector workers still have no workplace plan available, leaving many without an easy way to save consistently. The gaps widen across income and education levels. Workers in the lowest income group contribute about $580 per year on average, while higher earners contribute around $10,000. Workers with a bachelor's degree participate at far higher rates than those with a high school education or less. Hispanic workers face the largest access gap, while white and Asian workers show higher participation rates. Even for those who are saving, progress remains slow. Typical employee contributions fall between 5% and 6% of income, with employer matches just under 3%. Using common retirement benchmarks, the median worker has accumulated only about 4% of the savings needed for retirement. Among workers with positive balances, that figure rises to 18%, still far below recommended targets. Trending: This ETF issuer isn't chasing the index it's building tools for income, leverage, and conviction Why Other Retirement Numbers Look Higher Some retirement reports show much higher balances, which can make the situation appear less severe. Federal Reserve data often focuses on households that already have retirement accounts, excluding many people with zero savings. That approach produces higher medians because it measures savers rather than the full workforce. WARSAW, Feb 11 (Reuters) - Poland and Italy will not join U.S. President Donald Trump's Board of Peace, Warsaw and Rome said on Wednesday, adding to the list of Washington's allies remaining on the sidelines. Initially designed to cement Gaza's ceasefire, Trump sees the Board of Peace taking a wider role in resolving global conflicts which some countries fear means it could become a rival to the United Nations. This along with the fact that Russia and Belarus were invited to join means many Western countries have taken a cautious approach. Advertisement Advertisement "Taking into account certain national doubts regarding the shape of the board, under these circumstances Poland will not join the work of the Board of Peace, but we will analyse it," Prime Minister Donald Tusk told a government meeting. "Our relations with the United States have been and will remain our priority, so if the circumstances change that will enable joining the work of the Board, we do not rule out any scenario." Tusk was due to meet nationalist rival President Karol Nawrocki later on Wednesday at a National Security Council meeting, where the Board of Peace was on the agenda. Meanwhile, Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani also confirmed on Wednesday that Italy would not sign up. Advertisement Advertisement "We cannot join the Board of Peace because there is an insurmountable constitutional barrier on Italy's side," he told Sky TG24 news channel. "However, if we need to work on reconstruction efforts aimed at ensuring peace in the Middle East, we are ready to do so," he added. Under Italy's constitution, the country can only join international organisations on equal terms with other states -- a condition that Rome says is not met by the board's current statute which gives Trump extensive executive powers. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who is close to Trump, said last month she had asked him to amend the terms of the Board of Peace to enable Italy to join. (Reporting by Alan Charlish, Pawel Florkiewicz in Warsaw, Crispian Balmer in Rome, Editing by William Maclean) Authorities are investigating reports of a shooting at a Dayton apartment complex on Tuesday night. [DOWNLOAD: Free WHIO-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] As reported on News Center 7 at 11:00, Dayton police were called to the 600 block of Ingram Street on reports of a shooting before 8 p.m. On scene, our crews saw a large portion of the parking lot blocked by crime scene tape and several Dayton police officers. Advertisement Advertisement Video also shows a car in the parking lot riddled with apparent bullet holes. TRENDING STORIES: News Center 7 obtained the 911 call that got police to the scene. The caller told dispatchers that someone shot her son. Somebody got shot? the dispatcher asked. The caller said her teenage son was in the car when someone opened fire. She said she didnt know if her son was okay becuase she was too scared to go outside. Advertisement Advertisement Is anybody injured, or is it just a shooting outside? the dispatcher said. I need you to tell me whats going on. The caller just told dispatch that she wasnt sure what happened, just that her baby was hurt. The call lasted almost two and a half minutes before it abruptly ended. A Montgomery County dispatch supervisor previously told News Center 7 that this was an active investigation and couldnt share additional details. Additional details werent immediately available. We are working to learn more information and will continue to follow this story. [SIGN UP: WHIO-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] (This version updates with victims, suspect's names.) The deaths of five people at a home in Sarasota could be connected to a double homicide in South Florida, authorities announced Wednesday. Police responded to the Sarasota home just before 12:30 p.m., Tuesday, Feb. 10 where they found neighbors in the front yard attempting CPR on a male victim who was shot. While the male victim was being attended to, authorities were alerted that his wife was likely inside the residence. Advertisement Advertisement When deputies entered the home, they found four deceased adults, two men and two women. Its believed one of the victims inside the home was the suspect. The male victim found outside the residence died shortly after authorities arrived. The Sarasota victims have been identified as: Olga Greinert, 49, Florita Stolyar, 66, Anatoly Ioffe, 61 and Yaroslav Blyudoy, 39. The suspect was identified as Russell Kot, 51, of Fort Lauderdale. The Fort Lauderdale victims have been identified as Larisa Blyudaya, 46, and Ben Azivov, 18. Video from the Sarasota neighborhood shows the suspects vehicle entering the area just after 11 a.m. on Feb. 10. Gunfire can be heard on a neighbors Ring camera shortly after. Advertisement Advertisement About 37 minutes later, the male victim found on the front lawn was seen entering the neighborhood in his vehicle. He then approached the front door where he was shot. No one was seen entering or exiting the home after that, authorities said. Authorities believe Sarasota killings connected to Fort Lauderdale double homicide During the investigation, authorities in Sarasota were alerted that a double homicide suspect in Fort Lauderdale was captured on camera traveling to Sarasota. Fort Lauderdale police officers were able to provide information regarding the suspects vehicle, which was located in the Sarasota neighborhood were the crime took place. Its believed the suspect previously had a romantic relationship with one of the Fort Lauderdale victims, authorities said in a press release. That victim was connected to those killed in Sarasota. Fort Lauderdale police responded to a residence about 1:30 p.m., Feb. 10 for a well-being check. Upon arrival, officers found two adults deceased inside the home, according to the Fort Lauderdale Police Department. Where were bodies found in the Sarasota and Fort Lauderdale killings? Two adult bodies were found in a residence in Fort Lauderdale about 1:30 p.m., Feb. 10 after authorities went to the residence for a wellness check. Advertisement Advertisement In Sarasota, authorities arrived to a residence and found one male victim on the front lawn. At the time, neighbors were attempting CPR, but the victim was pronounced dead a short time later. The wife of the man on the front lawn, along with two men and another woman were found deceased inside the home. Its believed the man inside the home killed the victims in Sarasota and Fort Lauderdale. Who died in the Florida homicides? Here are the names of the Sarasota victims: Olga Greinert, 49 Florita Stolyar, 66 Anatoly Ioffe, 61 Yaroslav Blyudoy, 39 The suspect was identified as Russell Kot, 51 The Fort Lauderdale victims have been identified as: Advertisement Advertisement Larisa Blyudaya, 46, Ben Azivov, 18. It's not clear if the victims were related or how they knew each other. Authorities believe Kot had a romantic relationship with one of the Fort Lauderdale victims. Its also believed one of the Fort Lauderdale victims was somehow connected to the Sarasota victims. Who is the suspect in the homicides? Were the people shot? The suspect was identified as Russell Kot, 51. It's believed the suspect had a romantic relationship at one time with one of the Fort Lauderdale victims. Authorities said the suspect and all victims died from gunshot wounds. Michelle Spitzeris a journalist for The USA TODAY NETWORK-FLORIDA. As the networks Rapid Response reporter, she covers Floridas breaking news. You can get all of Floridas best content directly in your inbox each weekday day by signing up for the free newsletter, Florida TODAY, at https://floridatoday.com/newsletters. This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Two deaths in South Florida likely linked to 5 killed in Sarasota Organic compounds found in Mars rocks are too abundant to rule out the possibility of Martian life in the red planets history, NASA scientists say. In March of 2025, NASAs Curiosity rover discovered oily chemicals on Mars. These chemicals, called decane, undecane, and dodecane, are types of long molecules made of carbon and hydrogen. Scientists first considered that they might come from rocks or meteorites. But after studying the data, NASA scientists said those sources dont explain where the chemicals came from, which has left the door open to possible Martian life that may have existed a long-time ago. Scientists combined lab radiation experiments, mathematical modeling and Curiosity data to rewind the clock about 80 million years the length of time the rock would have been exposed on the Martian surface, NASA planetary science writer Lonnie Schekhtman wrote on the science.NASA.gov website. This allowed them to estimate how much organic material would have been present before being destroyed by long-term exposure to cosmic radiation: far more than typical nonbiological processes could produce. Advertisement Advertisement The scientists, based at NASAs Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, published their work on Feb. 4 in the journal Astrobiology. The paper found that the compounds could be fragments of fatty acids preserved in the ancient mudstone of Gale Crater. On Earth, fatty acids are produced mostly by living organisms. NASA scientists typically spend more time arguing against claims of extraterrestrial life, including a 2008 non-announcement following blogosphere rumors of a major discovery by the Phoenix Mars Lander. The website SpaceRef.com reported on a high-level briefing regarding potential life on Mars, which prompted widespread speculation. NASA held a press conference to sweep away rumors. In November, NASA also spent a significant portion of a science press conference about interstellar traveler, comet 3IAtlas, explaining that it was a comet, not an alien spacecraft. Advertisement Advertisement And in 1996, astrobiologist David McKay published a paper suggesting microscopic formations on a meteorite from Mars could have biological origins. It was later determined not to be a sign of life. The NASA researchers in this new paper cautioned that more study is needed to understand how quickly these molecules might breakdown in more appropriate, Mars-like conditions before drawing any conclusions on whether Martians walked on the red planet millions of years ago. ----------- This story was originally published by Chalkbeat. Sign up for their newsletters at ckbe.at/newsletters. The Purdue Polytechnic High School board of directors will close the charter networks South Bend location amid financial challenges while it focuses on the long-term stability of its two remaining Indianapolis campuses. The decision comes amid declining enrollment at both its South Bend and Broad Ripple campuses that could signal a broader enrollment challenge for both traditional public and charter schools. The South Bend location served 112 students this year, according to state enrollment records. Advertisement Advertisement PPHS declined an interview through a public relations professional and did not answer specific questions about the South Bend closure. And its unclear if the network still has plans for a third Indianapolis location as previously planned. In June, OEI issued a notice of deficiency for the networks two Indianapolis campuses that cited concerns over financial reporting and missed enrollment targets at the Broad Ripple campus. But in a statement last week, OEI Executive Director Shaina Cavazos said the school is well-positioned to build strong fiscal health based on recent performance and enrollment trends. Throughout my communication with the board and school leadership, it has been clear the focus remains on building strong fiscal health for the Indianapolis schools, Cavazos said. Advertisement Advertisement In South Bend, a partnership with the Career Academy Network of Public Schools another charter network with four schools in South Bend allows PPHS South Bend students to be offered priority enrollment at Career Academy schools next school year, the network said in a press release. South Bend staff members will also be able to interview for open positions at Career Academy locations. Fast growth in first campus sparks quick launch of two others PPHS launched in Indianapolis in 2017 with the support of former Governor and then-Purdue University President Mitch Daniels. The high school model focuses on science, technology, engineering, and math with a goal of increasing the number of historically underserved students of color attending Purdue University. The networks first location in the east side area of Englewood, approved by the mayors Office of Education Innovation, grew by one grade each year and has since seen year-over-year enrollment growth with 617 students this year, according to state enrollment records. The network launched two other locations in quick succession. In 2019-20, PPHS North, also approved by OEI, opened with 64 students and later moved into Broad Ripple Middle School through a partnership with Indianapolis Public Schools. The next year, PPHS opened its South Bend campus. Advertisement Advertisement But both of those locations have been losing students in recent years. In Broad Ripple, enrollment has dropped from its high of 283 in 2022-23 to 220 this school year, well below the maximum 600 threshold that the school pitched to the mayors office in its application. In South Bend, enrollment peaked in 2023-24 at 154 and now sits at 112. In its application to the Indiana Charter School Board which authorized the South Bend campus it planned for a capacity of 500. Another charter authorizer, Education One at Trine University, approved PPHS to open a third high school in Indianapolis in 2023. That opening date has been repeatedly delayed. The schools spokesperson did not answer a question on whether it would still open that campus. Advertisement Advertisement Education One executive director Emily Gaskill said in an email that the school was approved but a charter agreement was never executed. If a charter is not executed for a school, then the school would need to reapply, she said. Focusing on the networks Indianapolis schools will strengthen the Purdue brand in Indianapolis, a spokesperson for PPHS said. Purdue University is expanding its presence in the city with the creation of Purdue University Indianapolis, which launched in 2024 after Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis split into two schools. Amelia Pak-Harvey covers Indianapolis and Lawrence Township schools for Chalkbeat Indiana. Contact Amelia at apak-harvey@chalkbeat.org. This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: PPHS to close South Bend campus to focus on Indianapolis schools amid declining enrollment COLUMBIA Former President Joe Biden will be stopping in Columbia later this month for a fundraiser to mark the sixth anniversary of the South Carolina victory that propelled him to the White House. Tickets to the South Carolina Democratic Partys event on Feb. 27 cost $125 each, though the website gives an option of paying more. The reception is two days shy of the actual anniversary. Its about honoring President Biden while also doing the very practical work of preparing for whats next, according to the partys email announcement Tuesday, signed by state Democratic Party Chairwoman Christale Spain. Advertisement Advertisement Profits will support candidate recruitment, infrastructure, and voter engagement work, according to the release. The state partys executive director, Jay Parmley, told the SC Daily Gazette that Biden will be speaking, and he doubts it will be brief. U.S. Rep. Jim Clyburn is also scheduled to attend. The partys invite specifies that to pay the ticket price, you have to be a U.S. citizen or green card holder, not a federal contractor, and at least 18 years old. Federal law prohibits campaign donations from a foreign national made in connection with any federal, state, or local election, Parmley explained. Biden spent the last day of his term in office in South Carolina. On Jan. 19, 2025, he spoke at the International African American Museum in downtown Charleston and the Royal Missionary Baptist Church in North Charleston. In his address to one of South Carolinas largest Black churches, he thanked the states Democratic voters for paving the way for him to win the 2020 election. Advertisement Advertisement I could not be standing here, I would not be standing here and thats not hyperbole, at this pulpit were it not for Jim Clyburn, he said. The former president has described Clyburn, South Carolinas only Democrat on Capitol Hill, as his best friend. In May 2024, Biden awarded Clyburn the Presidential Medal of Freedom. It was Clyburns endorsement of Biden ahead of the states first-in-the-South presidential primary on Feb. 29, 2020, that revived Bidens campaign following fourth- and fifth-place finishes in Iowa and New Hampshire. In South Carolinas seven-way race, Biden trounced the competition with a 29 percentage-point lead over the second-place finisher, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders. Advertisement Advertisement South Carolinas presidential primary was moved to first-in-the-nation status in 2024 both as a thank you and to show Black voters theyre a priority, though New Hampshire leapfrogged the Palmetto State without the national Democrats blessing. Competition for 2028 The nominating calendar is expected to change again for 2028. South Carolina is among five states competing to be first in the process. The others are Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada and neighboring North Carolina, which is considered a swing state. South Carolina wants to at least hold on to its prior first-in-the-South status. Other states vying for that distinction are Georgia, another neighboring swing state, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia. South Carolina never backed Biden in the general election. Advertisement Advertisement President Donald Trump, Bidens predecessor and successor, won the Palmetto State in November 2020 by 12 percentage points. In November 2024, Trump won by 18 points over Vice President Kamala Harris. The only Democrat in the last six decades to win South Carolinas electoral votes for president was Jimmy Carter of neighboring Georgia in 1976. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump plan to visit Fort Bragg on Friday, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt announced Tuesday afternoon. Leavitt said during a press briefing that the Trumps plan to meet with military families and the heroic members of our special forces who carried out the successful mission, Operation Absolute Resolve, in Venezuela and helped bring narco-terrorist Nicolas Maduro to justice. Last month, Trump ordered U.S. troops to raid Venezuela, where Maduro, 63, had served as president since 2013, and capture Maduro and his wife. They were brought back to the United States and are being held in New York, where Maduro is charged with drug trafficking. Advertisement Advertisement Maduro became leader of Venezuela after the death of President Hugo Chavez, but his popularity fell after a sharp economic downturn and political unrest. Thousands of people have died at the hands of the Venezuelan government . The Trump administration faced backlash for the attack, with many world leaders saying it violated international laws. The United States considers Maduro as a leader of a foreign terrorist organization. Sen. Thom Tillis, a Republican from Huntersville who has become a harsh critic of the Trump administration, celebrated Trumps decisive action, saying that it would bring this dictator to justice and end the decades of corruption and crime in Venezuela. Advertisement Advertisement In the same social media post, Tillis thanked the U.S. service members and law enforcement who helped in the mission. Trump last visited North Carolina on Dec. 19, holding a rally in Rocky Mount. His last visit to Fort Bragg took place in June and drew controversy for politicizing the military. The first lady visited the base in November with Second Lady Usha Vance for Thanksgiving. Trumps visit this week comes less than a month before North Carolinas March 3 primary election. The White House has not yet answered a question about whether Trump plans to make other stops while he is in the state Friday. Advertisement Advertisement The Trumps trip to Fort Bragg comes the same day that Sen. Bernie Sanders, an independent from Vermont who caucuses with Democrats, plans to travel to Durham for his Fight the Oligarchy tour. Sanders also planned to travel to Greensboro on Thursday. I know the president and the first lady are both greatly looking forward to this visit, Leavitt said. Last spring, Alabamas DeKalb County Schools invited local physicians to lunch. The reason: Too many students were missing school for doctors visits, even if they had nothing more than a cough or the sniffles. Their absences were excused, but still contributed to a chronic absenteeism problem that the district, like those across the country, has been trying to solve since the end of the pandemic. Some DeKalb students had as many as 25 visits to the doctor in a school year. Students are considered chronically absent when they have at least 18 absences, about 10% of the year. Get stories like this delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for The 74 Newsletter They never would show up in our truancy dashboard because they might be great at turning in doctors notes, said Nicole Carroll, principal at Henagar Junior High School, east of Huntsville. Advertisement Advertisement Doctors are now more mindful of trying to schedule appointments around school hours, said Jason Mayfield, the districts instructional supervisor. And its one of the reasons Alabama is closer than any other state to reducing chronic absenteeism back to pre-pandemic levels. Dr. Frances Koe of Wills Valley Family Medicine in Collinsville, Alabama, is one health care provider supporting efforts to reduce chronic absenteeism. (Wills Valley Family Medicine) We really need to take a moon leap on attendance, state Superintendent Eric Mackey said last summer. We need to see dramatic improvements, especially in our high poverty communities, so that we can get back to where we were before the pandemic and then work to get even better than that. Statewide, 12% of students were chronically absent in 2024-25, six percentage points below the peak of 18% in 2022 and just a point higher than it was in 2018-19. Other states still have a long way to go. Advertisement Advertisement New Mexico, where some districts employ AI tools to track absenteeism and alert parents when their kids are not in school, made significant strides for two straight years. But last year, the rate jumped again from 30% to 33%. Oregon, Alaska and the District of Columbia also still have rates above 30%, according to a tracker maintained by the conservative American Enterprise Institute. Related Chronic Absenteeisms Post-COVID New Normal: Data Shows It Is More Extreme Progress is all over the map, said Nat Malkus, AEIs deputy director of education policy studies. Its unlikely for states to see large declines in chronic absenteeism like some did after schools fully reopened, but the danger sign is that the pace of recovery is slowing, he said. States and districts are tackling the problem in different ways, but Malkus is among those who think the federal government should provide some leadership to keep schools moving in the right direction. They have a powerful megaphone and the nations data, he said. They should be using both to push this fixable and pervasive issue to the top of the agenda, signaling to states, schools and families that getting kids back to class regularly is a non-negotiable priority for Americas schools. Advertisement Advertisement Education Secretary Linda McMahon has voiced support for state efforts to improve reading performance a top bipartisan goal considering historic drops in national test scores. But she hasnt given the same attention to the persistent chronic absenteeism crisis. With 40 states and the District of Columbia reporting 2025 data so far, the rate stands at 23%, down a percentage point from the year before, but still well above the pre-pandemic level of 15%. A Rand Corp. survey last summer showed that roughly half of urban districts are still battling rates over 30%. Both blue and red states have committed to cutting chronic absenteeism in half over a five-year period. States vary in how they count attendance, but rates declined in 12 states participating in the challenge in 2025. In the other five and D.C., chronic absenteeism either increased or remained flat. A need for better data There are emerging signs that chronic absenteeism is on the departments radar. Its Student Engagement and Attendance Center has held eight focus groups on the issue of chronic absenteeism since mid-December. The goal is to identify and explore innovative strategies to address chronic absenteeism, said Savannah Newhouse, the departments press secretary. Advertisement Advertisement The conversations focused on root causes and effective strategies, said Hedy Chang, CEO of Attendance Works, a nonprofit that has brought national awareness to how high daily attendance rates can hide the fact that some students might be accumulating dozens of absences. A member of her team participated in one of the groups. Malkus isnt the only expert who would like to see the Trump administration step up. At the end of the day, no instructional strategy or reform effort will work if students arent there to benefit from it, said Bella DiMarco, a senior policy analyst at FutureEd, a think tank at Georgetown University. The federal government, she said, could improve the transparency and quality of data. While most states have posted their 2024-25 numbers, official federal reports are often a year or more behind. States and districts need timely, actionable attendance data so they can intervene early, not reports that arrive too late to inform decisions. Advertisement Advertisement Related They Examined 3.3 Million Texts on Chronic Absenteeism. Here Are 4 Big Findings The department could in turn encourage states to publish timely absenteeism data, like Rhode Island and Connecticut already do, said Danyela Egorov, a fellow at the conservative Manhattan Institute. The secretary could also highlight strategies from districts that have been successful in bringing chronic absenteeism down, Egorov said. The DeKalb schools in Alabama shifted from a punitive approach focused on truancy to one that encompasses excused absences as well. Leaders moved early warning meetings with parents from the courthouse to schools to make them less threatening. Their Flip the Dip campaign makes liberal use of attendance incentives for students and teachers, like gift cards and a Nintendo Switch. And every nine weeks, schools recognize kids for missing four days or fewer instead of celebrating only perfect attendance. Advertisement Advertisement That way, they dont just give up, said Carroll, Henagar Junior Highs principal. Since 2022, the districts rate has dropped from over 19% to 10%. Get them there first Some say actions by the Trump administration are actually hurting educators efforts to lower chronic absenteeism, a data point that the majority of states collect to rate school performance. In terminating government contracts, the department ended work on a guide about effective ways to reduce chronic absenteeism. The team working on that had already sifted through over 2,000 studies on ways to address chronic absence and narrowed that to about 150 to 200, said Kevin Gee, a researcher at the University of California, Davis, who was among those on the project. Had it not been cancelled, the guide would have been made available for districts to use this month. Advertisement Advertisement Immigration raids are leading parents to keep children home. In Californias Central Valley, enforcement action coincided with a 22% increase in daily absences, especially among young students, according to an analysis by Stanford University researcher Thomas Dee. Others point to McMahons decision in December to cut off 18 grantees that were still expecting at least two years of federal funding, comprising roughly $60 million, for full-service community schools. The model targets high-poverty areas and uses schools as hubs for a variety of services, from mentoring and mental health support to food banks and housing assistance. Recent research shows the approach has been linked to declines in chronic absenteeism in California and New York City. The Education Department is in negotiations with one of the grantees who sued over the loss of funds. But others wonder how theyll keep the work going. A colorful mural in the entryway at Reidland Elementary features QR codes linking parents to job opportunities, food banks and other community resources. (McCracken County Schools) The Prichard Committee, a Kentucky nonprofit, was still expecting roughly $18 million to serve 40 districts when the department canceled the remainder of its grant. Schools that are part of the initiative have seen decreases in chronic absenteeism of at least 2%, higher than the rate of decline statewide. At Danville High School, southwest of Lexington, the rate fell from 45% in 2023-24 to 32% the next year. Advertisement Advertisement At Reidland Elementary in McCracken County, the funds paid for family literacy events and backpacks to incoming kindergartners stocked with early reading and math materials. The grant also supported a teacher who works one-on-one with kindergartners who are behind in reading and math. But now, the principal will have to find another way to pay for the position. Lisa McKinney, communications director at Prichard, said its hard for students to overcome gaps if theyre missing too much school. We want everyone to read and write on grade level, she said. But youve got to get them there first. Federal prosecutors tried and failed Tuesday to obtain a criminal indictment of six Democratic lawmakers who took part in a video last year urging military personnel to refuse to carry out illegal orders, two people briefed on the development said. The rejection of the case against the six lawmakers who include Sens. Mark Kelly of Arizona and Elissa Slotkin of Michigan was the latest extraordinary brushback by a grand jury of Washington, D.C., residents to a case brought by U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro, the top federal prosecutor in the capital. Today, it was a grand jury of anonymous American citizens who upheld the rule of law and determined this case should not proceed. Hopefully, this ends this politicized investigation for good, Slotkin said in a statement shortly after NBC and The New York Times reported the grand jurys decision. But today wasnt just an embarrassing day for the Administration. It was another sad day for our country. Advertisement Advertisement The people who were briefed on the grand jury's action were granted anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the events publicly. The other lawmakers Pirro sought to charge over their involvement in the November video are Reps. Jason Crow of Colorado and Maggie Goodlander of New Hampshire, as well as Chris Deluzio and Chrissy Houlahan, both of Pennsylvania. It was not immediately clear what charge or charges prosecutors sought. A spokesperson for Pirro's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The six Democrats, who have national security or military backgrounds, participated in a video encouraging members of the military to refuse illegal orders a message that came amid growing doubts about the legality of the Trump administrations air strikes on alleged drug boats bound for the U.S. from overseas. Advertisement Advertisement Grand juries, made up of local D.C. residents, have been turning down indictments proposed by Trump administration prosecutors at a historic clip. This case in particular had drawn attention from Trump, who repeatedly posted that Kelly and his colleagues had committed sedition. Each one of these traitors to our Country should be ARRESTED AND PUT ON TRIAL, Trump wrote. At one point, the president suggested the lawmakers should be put to death. He later retreated from that comment, but some lawmakers said it prompted them to receive death threats. Trumps salvos were followed quickly by evidence that the FBI had begun inquiring with officials on Capitol Hill about the conduct of the six lawmakers. In recent weeks, they also received requests from Pirro's office to submit to interviews about the video. Several lawmakers said publicly they had declined. In a related move, Pentagon leaders sought to punish Kelly with a demotion that threatens his retirement pay. Kelly has sued Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to block the decision, saying its an attack on Kelly's First Amendment-protected views and also barred by constitutional protections that Congress enjoys from executive branch punishment. Under federal law, a grand jury indictment is required to charge a defendant with a felony. To get an indictment, at least 12 of the between 16 and 23 members of the panel must vote to find probable cause to proceed with the charge. FRANKFORT Republican Senate President Pro Tem David Givens is sponsoring a bill that would resolve a battle between Kentucky newspapers and local governments over legal advertisements. Senate Bill 141 is backed by the Kentucky Press Association, the Kentucky League of Cities and the Kentucky Association of Counties. If enacted by the General Assembly, the measure would update Kentuckys laws regarding public notices, also called legal ads. SB 141 The bill passed out of the Senate State and Local Government Committee with bipartisan support Wednesday morning. It now awaits a floor vote in the Senate. Advertisement Advertisement Many government agencies are required to issue a range of public notices in the local newspaper of record, including meeting notices, changes to tax rates, competitive bid solicitations, proposed ordinances, master commissioner sales, estate filings and utility rate increases. Some local officials have questioned why taxpayer dollars should be spent on legal ads when they could be posted for free on government websites. Newspapers and advocates for open government counter that government transparency and the public interest demand that a neutral third party be responsible for publishing the notices and that not everyone has access to a computer. The controversy arose as newspapers face financial strains, consolidations and closures in recent years. Were celebrating something that doesnt always happen in Frankfort, and thats agreement, Givens recently told reporters. Givens said the bill is an agreement between local governments at the county and city level and the press association about what notices should be published and what the cost should be. He added that concerns about citizens having access to information are valid, and so are concerns about taxpayers money spent on public notices. Advertisement Advertisement I give credit to Kentucky Press Association, Kentucky League of Cities and Kentucky Association of Counties, as they came together and found a way to achieve the best possible answer to a question where there was some conflict initially, so Im excited about it going forward, Givens said. Among the changes proposed in SB 141, newspapers of record must publish a legal ad in the first print edition after receiving it from a government agency or within seven days of receiving the ad, whichever is first. Newspapers must also publish the ads online within 24 hours (excluding weekends and holidays) on the papers websites and the press associations kypublicnotice.com. Legislation on legal ads has been filed in recent years, though the bills have not been passed by the General Assembly. Last year, a bill that would have allowed local governments to publish some notices on their own website and bypass the paper of record was filed but did not get a committee hearing. Mike Scogin, the president of the Kentucky Press Association (KPA), said the legislation is truly a win-win bill for all of Kentucky. The notices will still be in print and must be online. Advertisement Advertisement There were compromises on all sides, but ultimately, I believe we have a bill that benefits everyone, especially the public, he said. We are grateful to Sen. Givens for sponsoring the bill. The legislation has strong support and is truly an example of a group of civic-minded organizations working together for the publics best interests. In a statement, the Kentucky League of Cities (KLC) told the Lantern it appreciated the work by all parties to reach a compromise that preserves transparency and public notice while continuing our efforts to modernize outdated processes. We believe SB 141 strikes a good balance among the shared goals of having public notices reach the most constituents while also working to preserve limited public resources, KLC said. Shellie Hampton, the director of government affairs for the Kentucky Association of Counties (KACo), also said the bill was a collaborative effort between the organizations to balance local government public notice requirements in an increasingly digital age, while working through cost-effective options that preserve transparency, provide the same level of public information, and help reduce costs to taxpayers. Advertisement Advertisement We appreciate the efforts of KPA and KLC for their work to reach consensus, Hampton said. We are grateful to Sen. David Givens for sponsoring the bill on our behalf and we look forward to seeing it through. The Kentucky Lantern is a member of the Kentucky Press Association. After her father passed away in July, his 30-year-old daughter began receiving wave after wave of medical bills in the mail. The daily reminders of the loss were painful enough, but now, shes also worried that simply calling to stop the mail might backfire. I want the mail to stop because it is an everyday reminder of the loss, she wrote in a recent post on r/personalfinance. But I'm nervous to call the people billing him, thinking they may make me responsible? Don't Miss: Fast Company Calls It a Groundbreaking Step for the Creator Economy' Investors Can Still Get In at $0.85/Share Americans With a Financial Plan Can 4X Their Wealth Get Your Personalized Plan from a CFP Pro No Estate, No Assets, No Responsibility According to many commenters, she has nothing to worry about legally. His debt died with him, one person explained. His estate would be responsible for it but if he didn't have any assets, then there is nothing to collect. Call them and tell them he died and not to contact you again. On the other hand, many advised against calling creditors directly. Instead, they suggested writing Deceased. Return to sender on the envelopes and dropping them back in the mailbox. Start returning to sender no such individual at this address,' another added. Some recommended buying a return stamp and blacking out the barcode to prevent mail from being auto-resent. For persistent billers, the advice was to send a written notice by certified mail and include a copy of the death certificate. Just NEVER pay a single penny, or agree to do so, someone warned. If you agree to assume a debt you might be required to pay it. Trending: Motley Fool's analysts have built a new lineup of passive ETFs explore which "Foolish" strategy fits your investment goals. Others shared personal stories of having gone through similar experiences. One recalled sending out multiple copies of a relatives death certificate and stating there was no estate. They would love for you to pay and accept the debt as your own, they wrote. They don't care. You are not responsible. Do not let anyone convince you that you are. Period. A hospital billing worker even chimed in, confirming that once they receive confirmation of a patients death, they stop billing and write off the cost. What If The Bills Keep Coming? If the mail doesnt stop, several people suggested reporting repeated contact as harassment. Others recommended contacting the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau or your states attorney general. MAUI COUNTY, Hawaii (KHON2) Severe weather on Maui has caused road closures and power outages. As of Tuesday morning, Hawaiian Electric says more than 10,000 customers are without power, mostly on the West side, as wind speeds there reached over 80 miles per hour. Mayor Richard Bissen said theyre monitoring the situation very closely. The National Weather Service reported 83 miles per hour gusts at Launiupoko, 72 miles per hour gusts in Oluwalu. And as a result of all of that, there were some power outages that happened last evening, about 7 p.m. in parts of Lahaina. And so the HECO decided to implement the PSPS program at about 8:30 and so we went into partial activation here at the EOC to monitor that, said Bissen. Advertisement Advertisement Bissen says because of the winds, Hawaiian Electric is having trouble getting aircraft up in some areas. Its important to know that the schools, the four DOE schools in line are closed today, as there is no power and no water currently to the schools as well. And so the DOE did announce that as well. And so we are working closely with our partners to make sure we can restore power as soon as possible. The schools that are closed today are: King Kamehameha the Third Elementary School, Princess Nahienanea Elementary School, Lahaina Intermediate School and Lahainaluna High School. The power outage in the Lahaina area is a Public Safety Power Shutoff because of the high winds and dry conditions. We spoke to Hawaiian Electric to learn more: Advertisement Advertisement Last night, we were working to restore power to customers on Maui, when we suddenly saw a couple of things happen. There was a really dramatic increase in some of the speeds of the wind gusts, you know, 80 miles an hour plus. And that was also combined with a really dramatic drop in the humidity in the West Maui area. Now, it seems kind of counterintuitive that we would have these kind of, you know, fire risk conditions after this big storm. However, the combination of those two things, the really strong winds and the really dramatic drop in the relative humidity, you know, created these conditions that you know, all the science says you know are, you know, contribute to high wildfire risk conditions. So you know, safety is our priority. So in the name of safety, what we decided to do was go ahead and initiate our Public Safety Power Shutoff program, said Hawaiian Electric Spokesperson Darren Pai. Pai said as of 7:30 a.m. Tuesday morning, Upcountry Maui and the South Kahala portion of Hawaii Island were also under a PSPS Watch. Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. WEST LAFAYETTE, IN A group of Purdue faculty is calling for the resignation of the universitys provost, pointing to more than a dozen issues they say have caused students and staff to suffer. The Purdue chapter of American Association of University Professors, an advocacy group that represents the faculty and has been at the forefront of criticizing the universitys administration, wrote in an open letter in January that Provost Patrick Wolfe has undertaken unilateral decision-making since his appointment in 2023. Wolfes policies, the faculty said, have negatively impacted Purdue. Advertisement Advertisement Boilermakers across campus have lost confidence in Provost Wolfes leadership and have been unable to get Provost Wolfe to course-correct through internal channels, they wrote in the letter, which was first obtained by Based in Lafayette on Tuesday. Our ethical and professional obligations to Purdue and to the state of Indiana require us to speak up in order to protect the community we hold dear. The letter points to a number of issues that the faculty say warrant Wolfes resignation, including reports that Purdue administrators have effectively banned graduate students from China and other countries. In December, a host of faculty told the Journal & Courier that departmental admissions committees were quietly pressured by university leadership to end admission for students of certain nationalities. The de facto policy change, they said, was passed off as an unwritten policy disseminated through in-person meetings and private conversations. The Purdue administration attempted to do this quietly through in-person meetings, private conversations, and pressure on graduate admissions committees following a March inquiry from the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party, the AAUP said in its January letter. Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 establishes country of origin as a protected class. Advertisement Advertisement Wolfe has denied that such a ban exists. The group also alleges that Wolfe, along with other Purdue administrators, has pressured faculty into self-censorship, scaring them out of researching or teaching controversial topics for fear of being fired. The elimination of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion initiatives at Purdue last year, the faculty say, has also resulted in the firing of 60 student staff members and many full-time employees. Provost Wolfe did not adequately justify these firings, which were made over the summer in an apparent attempt to evade notice, the letter reads. These actions, which have sent shockwaves across campus, are at odds with Purdues people first mantra. Advertisement Advertisement Other apparent issues the AAUP pointed to include: Halts on the hiring of new faculty, with Wolfe reportedly refusing to sign employment offers for new professors. The group says this has resulted in high turnover and teaching shortages in several departments. A non-transparent restructuring of Purdues Honors College late last year that resulted in as many as 17 professors losing employment. An unfilled dean position in the College of Education, which has sat without leadership for three years, as well as in Purdue Libraries. Broad overreach during tenure & promotion processes, with the faculty saying new tenure requirements have left tenure virtually unattainable for many professors. The group also points to supposed pressure from university administrators on faculty to withdraw themselves from tenure consideration. A supposed lack of pushback from Purdue administrators against the U.S. Department of Education after the agency cancelled a $34.9 million grant to the university last year. A lack of leadership on social and political issues that directly impact Purdues ability to meet its teaching, research, and service mission, including a policy of institutional neutrality during attacks on higher education. Provost Wolfes conduct has negatively impacted the careers of faculty and staff who are here to serve the student population, with devastating consequences for student learning and campus governance, the faculty said in their letter. His resignation is urgently needed in order to restore faith that the Purdue administration will treat its community with appropriate fairness and transparency and demonstrate a sense of duty to its alumni, faculty, staff and students. This article originally appeared on Lafayette Journal & Courier: Purdue faculty group demands provost's resignation For Indianas syringe exchange programs to survive, they might face new restrictions that public health advocates say will undercut efforts to help intravenous drug abusers kick their addictions. The programs face a renewal deadline this summer after first being authorized under then-Gov. Mike Pence in 2015 following an HIV outbreak in rural southern Indianas Scott County that was spread through needle sharing and infected around 200 people. Six of the states 92 counties now have such programs providing sterile needles, disease testing and offers of addiction counseling to addicts, but they face persistent criticism of enabling illegal drug use and the spreading of health dangers from discarded needles. Advertisement Advertisement The six Indiana counties with needle exchange programs: Allen Clark Madison Marion Monroe Tippecanoe Source: Indiana Department of Health House Public Health Committee Chair Rep. Brad Barrett, R-Richmond, was clear during a Tuesday meeting that tighter restrictions were needed in order for the Republican-dominated House to approve a bill allowing the county-run programs to continue past June 30. Restrictions inserted by the committee into Senate Bill 91 would require a participant to present identification proving residency in the exchange programs region and limit the program operators to providing one sterile needle for each used one handed in. Advertisement Advertisement An amendment also shortened the Senate-endorsed bills extension of the programs from 10 years to two years, so its authorization would expire again in summer 2028. This is a realistic approach of where we are, said Barrett, who is a retired general surgeon. To make some adjustments, gauge the impact of that but move forward, with the alternative being this falling off the statute. Fourteen supporters of the syringe exchange programs including doctors from Scott County, drug treatment center leaders and the Indiana State Medical Associations president largely testified against the additional restrictions as undermining their effectiveness. The only testimony supporting the changes came from the Indiana Prosecuting Attorneys Council. Criticism surrounding exchanges A criticism of the programs thats frequently raised is that they provide more sterile needles to participants than are collected in return. The state health department reported an 88% return rate in 2023, but that still meant more than 200,000 needles distributed than collected. Advertisement Advertisement Chris Daniels of the prosecutors council argued that discarded needles in many communities pose a danger to the public. We support all sorts of drug treatment programs throughout the state, Daniels said. However, it should not be at the expense of public safety. Thats the concern with some of these programs when we are injecting so many more needles into these communities. Supporters note that the needles are often turned in via sharps containers and estimates are made based on weight to lessen the risk of counting used needles by staff. Rep. Brad Barrett, R-Richmond, introduces his priority bill on Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2025. (Leslie Bonilla Muniz/Indiana Capital Chronicle) Similar arguments were made when the Senate debated the bill last month. It cleared the Senate in a 33-13 vote, with all the opposition coming from among the 40 Republican senators. Advertisement Advertisement The issue divided Republican members of the House committee on Monday before they voted 9-4 to advance the bill to the full House for debate. Rep. Cindy Ledbetter, R-Newburgh, said she worried about putting a roadblock on the needle exchange program when the state has seen a big jump in babies born with congenital syphilis, which is spread through IV drug use. Im just struggling with the fact that somebody wouldnt be able to have access to a clean needle because they were afraid theyd have to show ID, said Ledbetter, who is a nurse practitioner. Rep. Matt Hostettler, R-Patoka, raised the objections that the programs are enabling drug abuse. He said he supported the changes toward a one-for-one exchange, so its actually an exchange and not a distribution program. We normalize not having to die Program advocates argued against the tighter restrictions, saying they would damage efforts to start people on the path to kicking their drug habits. Advertisement Advertisement Charles Neal, lead pastor of Brookside Community Church on the east side of Indianapolis, told legislators that an RV from an exchange program parks near his church each week. It is a very discreet district type of situation where people come, where they can have their human dignity, worth and their value, said Neal, who described himself as a 21-year recovering drug addict and alcoholic. Kylee Kimbrough, board president of the Indiana Recovery Alliance in Bloomington, said she found help quitting her drug abuse after she started visiting the alliances syringe exchange. She was among those testifying about the importance of such programs in keeping addicts from becoming infected with dangerous diseases. We dont enable drug use, Kimbrough told the committee. We enable surviving drug use. We dont normalize addiction, we normalize not having to die because of it. Advertisement Advertisement Supporters cited research they said showed needle exchange participants were much more likely to stop their drug use than those who did not encounter such programs. They also pointed to the high costs for HIV treatments and liver transplants stemming from hepatitis C cases that often fall onto Medicaid programs. Need to get in touch? Have a news tip? CONTACT US Dr. Shane Avery, a family physician from Scott County, said he supported the needle exchange creation there during the HIV outbreak and that it was effective in stemming the spread of HIV and hepatitis C and helping get addicts into recovery services. Syringe exchange programs offer a pathway to redemption for individuals who inject drugs, Avery said. It is the single most powerful tool, as odd as it seems. Advertisement Advertisement Bill author Sen. Mike Crider, R-Greenfield, said he did not want the additional restrictions added to the needle exchanges, urging committee members to remember that each statistic they hear represents a human, a person. Crider called the legislation the most difficult issue hes dealt with in his 14 years as a senator following his career as a Department of Natural Resources law enforcement officer and as security chief at Hancock Regional Hospital. If youre going to operate an effective exchange program, you want the lowest barriers to entry into the program you possibly can have, Crider said. My concern is, if we limit this too far, if we do have another outbreak, then were not going to be able to respond effectively to that outbreak. This story was updated to correct the name of the person testifying for the prosecutors. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX LAS VEGAS (KLAS) The estate of late Las Vegas entrepreneur Tony Hsieh is appealing a judges ruling to the Nevada Supreme Court, raising more questions about his mental capacity in the months before his death. Hsieh, who founded and then sold online retailer Zappos, died in a house fire in November 2020 in Connecticut. He was 46. Since then, several people have filed creditors claims and lawsuits against the estate for payment. Previous court filings estimated his wealth at $850 million. Hsieh died without a will, though one was later filed in Clark County District Court last year. Since its filing, no person named in the will has come forward to authenticate their identity, and the 8 News Now Investigators have found no evidence that any of the signers exist. Advertisement Advertisement Lawyers for Hsiehs estate have repeatedly written in court documents that Hsieh did not have the mental capacity to sign off on contracts in the months and years leading up to his death. Tony Hsieh appears in this photo from July 2020, months before his untimely death. (KLAS) Court documents filed by Hsiehs family in 2021 indicated Hsieh used ketamine and nitrous oxide in the years before his death. According to friends, Hsieh used as many as 50 cartridges of nitrous oxide a day, often in public, or during meetings with people, documents said. Court documents also said Hsiehs bedroom was littered with hundreds of spent nitrous oxide cartridges. Those in and around Hsiehs inner circle tried to intervene and get Hsieh help, several people told the 8 News Now Investigators in interviews as early as 2021. Hsieh was admitted to a rehabilitation program for two weeks in February 2020. On a medical form, an employee wrote that Hsieh was manic and had grandiose delusions. Residential initially presented in a thoughtful and well-stated manner, the employee wrote about Hsieh. His premise began to deteriorate as he discussed his research into ketamine and how it has expanded his cognitive, physical, and spiritual capabilities, including his ability to grow an additional two inches. Advertisement Advertisement In 2023, a Clark County judge granted Hsiehs attorney, Puoy Premsrirut, part of a $2.2 million fee she filed as part of a creditors claim with the estate. In 2024, lawyers for the estate argued Premsrirut committed malpractice because she represented an incapacitated party, transcripts said. The next year, a judge ruled Premsrirut was entitled to hundreds of thousands of dollars as part of a contract signed months before the entrepreneurs death. The judge granted Premsrirut partial summary judgment, ordering the estate to pay her $366,000 plus late fees, attorneys fees and interest. The judge wrote in her order that arguments about legal malpractice failed. In an appeal filed Friday, lawyers for the Hsieh estate argue Hsieh was incapacitated in his final months alive and allege Premsrirut turned a blind eye to Tonys drug-induced psychosis. Their evidence includes the allegation that even as she facilitated over $150 million in real-estate purchases, she tried to have Tony involuntarily committed just three days after a real estate closing, according to the appeal. Just weeks before his death, Tony was taken to the emergency room after stating that he believed that he was crystalizing, that he believed he was in a simulation, that he had been chewing cigarettes, and professing, I just dont know whats real and whats not, court documents said. Advertisement Advertisement Fridays filing includes a photo of Hsieh holding a nitrous oxide canister while drinking. Weeks later, a doctor determined Hsieh was likely high on some kind of drug and likely incapacitated and not competent to make decisions at that time, documents said. Court documents filed by Hsiehs family in 2021 indicated Hsieh used ketamine and nitrous oxide in the years before his death. According to friends, Hsieh used as many as 50 cartridges of nitrous oxide a day, often in public, or during meetings with people, documents said. Court documents also said Hsiehs bedroom was littered with hundreds of spent nitrous oxide cartridges. (KLAS) As the 8 News Now Investigators have reported, while Hsieh lived in Las Vegas, he purchased more than a dozen multi-million-dollar properties and lived most of the last year of his life in Park City, Utah. The 8 News Now Investigators have reported on his psychosis, which involves his belief that he lived in a Matrix-like simulation and that he wanted to create a property in Utah where customers would pay in seashells. The ranch, or cashless theme park was to require tarot cards for entry. Hsieh also wanted to purchase hot air balloons to broadcast to people across the world and tour buses to bring people to his theme park, documents said. The estates appeal also focuses on a real estate deal where Hsieh purchased the Zappos headquarters in Downtown Las Vegas for $70 million. The property was appraised at less than $40 million at the time of the sale. Advertisement Advertisement In addition to the lawyers fees, the estate is asking the court to determine if the district court judge erred in making her decision despite undisputed evidence of Hsiehs condition. Zappos.com CEO Tony Hsieh poses after delivering a keynote presentation at the MAGIC clothing industry convention at the Las Vegas Convention Center, February 17, 2010, in Las Vegas, Nevada. Zappos.com is a shoe and clothing online retailer. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) Before the 2020 fire, Hsieh had retreated to a shed at the Connecticut home after a fight with his girlfriend and was using a propane heater to stay warm before the fire that killed him, the 8 News Now Investigators reported. Attorneys for Premsrirut did not respond to a request for comment. A hearing was not scheduled as of Tuesday in the supreme court case. In a seperate supreme court case, attorneys for the Hsieh estate are asking the justices to intervene in the will contest. Advertisement Advertisement A status hearing was scheduled for Feb. 26 involving the possible will. Lawyers for the estate continued to try to contact all names connected to the document, ordering them to appear in court on April 15. 8 News Now Investigator David Charns can be reached at dcharns@8newsnow.com. Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. By Miguel Pereira COIMBRA, Portugal, Feb 11 (Reuters) - Part of Portugal's main motorway collapsed on Wednesday night after a levee broke underneath amid heavy rain and flooding that have been battering the country for weeks, as authorities evacuated about 3,000 residents in the northern area. One of the levees on the River Mondego near the medieval city of Coimbra burst next to one of the pillars sustaining the A1 highway that connects the cities of Lisbon and Porto, causing a gap to form in the road that had been shut by police earlier, said Coimbra Mayor Ana Abrunhosa. Advertisement Advertisement "Coimbra and surrounding towns have very serious problems due to floods, some are isolated... The situation is extremely unstable," she told national broadcaster RTP. Prime Minister Luis Montenegro told reporters earlier authorities were "at the limit of our capacity to contain these waters". A succession of deadly storms has hammered mostly central and southern parts of the country since late January, blowing roofs off houses, flooding several towns and leaving hundreds of thousands without electricity for days. At least 15 people have died as a consequence of the storms, including indirect victims. Advertisement Advertisement Montenegro was in Coimbra overseeing the emergency response after Interior Minister Maria Lucia Amaral resigned following criticism from opposition parties and local communities over what they described as the authorities' slow and failed response to devastating Storm Kristin two weeks ago. As the storms let up this week, a weather phenomenon known as an "atmospheric river" - a wide corridor of concentrated water vapour carrying massive amounts of moisture from the tropics - brought new downpours, affecting the north to a greater extent. RISK OF DAM OVERFLOWING Municipal authorities in Coimbra ordered the precautionary evacuation late on Tuesday of around 3,000 people most at risk from the river bursting its banks. The operation was still under way on Wednesday, with police making door-to-door checks and bussing residents to shelters. Advertisement Advertisement Regional Civil Protection official Carlos Tavares said the rain could cause the Aguieira dam, 35 km northeast of Coimbra, "to overflow, sweep away levees and trigger further flooding". Portugal's environment agency APA expected an "exceptional period of peak flows" on the Mondego through Saturday. Part of Coimbra's ancient city wall, on a hillside in one of Europe's oldest university towns and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, collapsed, shutting the road below and forcing the closure of the municipal market, the city hall said. In central Portugal, just across the River Tagus from Lisbon, authorities evacuated the village of Porto Brandao due to the risk of landslides. Around 30 people were removed from their homes after a landslide in the neighbouring beachside area of Caparica. (Additional reporting by Sergio Goncalves in Lisbon; writing by Andrei Khalip; Editing by Alex Richardson and Lincoln Feast.) A beloved chicken fingers restaurant chain has finally expanded to south Georgia after Raising Cane's opened Tuesday in Valdosta. The occasion was marked by a ribbon-cutting ceremony with the Valdosta State University cheer team, dance team, mascot Blaze, and a DJ. Plus, a community check was presented to Lowndes High School, and the first 100 combo customers were given a commemorative hat and a free Box Combo card. What time does Raising Cane's open? Raising Cane's opens 10 a.m. every day. Closing times vary depending on location, with Valdosta's closing 1 a.m. Sunday-Thursday and 2 a.m. Friday-Saturday. Raising Cane menu prices The Box Combo: $11.49 The 3 Finger Combo: $9.59 The Caniac Combo: $16.59 The Sandwich Combo: $10.29 The Kids Combo: $6.69 Raising Cane's near me As of publication, there are 12 Raising Cane's locations in Georgia. The full list and your nearest location can be found at locations.raisingcanes.com/ga. Where was Raising Cane's founded? The first Raising Cane's was opened on Aug. 28, 1996 in Baton Rouge, LA. Founder and CEO Todd Graves named it after his Labrador retriever, Raising Cane. Sam Darnold does it all From winning the big game in San Francisco to Chicken Fingers in Seattle pic.twitter.com/QJfmJ61POj Raising Cane's (@raisingcanes) February 11, 2026 Raising Cane's careers Currently, the Valdosta location is hiring for a general manager. More information on Raising Cane's jobs can be found at jobs.raisingcanes.com. Raising Cane's customer service Raising Cane's Customer Support staff can be called at 1-833-442-2637 from 9:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday-Friday and 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday-Sunday. Advertisement Advertisement Miguel Legoas is a Deep South Connect Team Reporter for USA Today. Find him on Instagram @miguelegoas and email at mlegoas@gannett.com. This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: Raising Cane's Chicken Fingers opens first south Georgia restaurant Kindergarten registration for the 2026-27 school year in the Randolph Central School District is set for April 6 to 10. Children who will be 5 years old on or before Aug. 1 are eligible to enroll. Registration will be 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. daily at Baker Elementary and Deerfield Elementary, according to a community announcement. Parents can register their children by visiting the school office in their district during those dates. For those who prefer to fill out paperwork in advance, forms are available on the district's website. However, families still need to provide the child's birth certificate and collect information about required immunizations, medical exams and dental exams at registration. Proof of residency documentation required The Indiana Department of Education requires each school corporation to verify Indiana residency documentation for all students, according to the announcement. This documentation must be included in the student's permanent record for state auditing purposes. Advertisement Advertisement A birth certificate is necessary before a child can be accepted into kindergarten. Parents should bring the birth certificate to pre-registration day. Birth certificates can be obtained from the county health department in the county where the child was born. For children born in Randolph County, the certificate can be secured from the health department at 325 S. Oak St., Winchester. Kindergarten pre-registration is important for school planning. It allows school officials to prepare for each child's entry into kindergarten. Students entering first grade after the 2025-26 school year must have completed a year of kindergarten unless there are exceptional circumstances. The contact information collected during registration will be used to share details about informational meetings for incoming kindergarten students at Baker and Deerfield Elementary schools. Advertisement Advertisement For more information, contact Baker Elementary at 765-584-5581 or Deerfield Elementary at 765-595-0144. This story was created by Jane Imbody, jimbody@usatodayco.com, with the assistance of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Journalists were involved in every step of the information gathering, review, editing and publishing process. Learn more at cm.usatoday.com/ethical-conduct/. This article originally appeared on Richmond Palladium-Item: Randolph Central kindergarten registration for 2026-27 opens soon TUCSON Pima County Sheriff's Department deputies detained a person for questioning in connection with the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie during a traffic stop south of Tucson, Sheriff Chris Nanos said Tuesday night. The traffic stop happened in Rio Rico, a small Arizona city about 60 miles south of Tucson. It straddles Interstate 19 and is about 13 miles north of the U.S.-Mexico border and of the larger border cities of Nogales, Arizona, and Nogales, Mexico. Later Tuesday, Nanos said the Sheriff's Department was being assisted by the FBI's Evidence Response Team in "conducting a court-authorized search of a location in Rio Rico" related to the Guthrie investigation. He said that search was expected to last several hours. Advertisement Advertisement The department would release additional information as it's available, Nanos said. Earlier, the Oro Valley Police Department near Tucson confirmed it was working with the Pima County Sheriff's Department on an operation, though a police spokesman would not specify what that was. We have members on the regional bomb squad and the regional SWAT team and they have been activated for a mission," Darren Wright, Oro Valley Police spokesman said. The activity Tuesday night follows the release earlier in the day of newly retrieved photos and video of what appeared to be an individual tampering with Nancy Guthrie's doorbell camera on the night before she was reported missing. Advertisement Advertisement The images showed a masked man wearing gloves and a backpack attempting to remove her doorbell camera. A video clip shows the man initially trying to block the doorbell camera with his hand before retrieving a branch from a nearby plant to help obscure the camera. He is holding what appears to be a flashlight in his mouth. The images had not been immediately available after Guthrie's disappearance on Feb. 1. The 84-year-old mother of "Today" show co-host Savannah Guthrie did not have a subscription service that stored security video. New images from a Nest camera show an armed individual appearing to have tampered with the camera at Nancy Guthrie's front door on the morning of her disappearance. Day 10: Images released of suspect in Nancy Guthrie case New images from a Nest camera show an armed individual appearing to have tampered with the camera at Nancy Guthrie's front door on the morning of her disappearance. New images from a Nest camera show an armed individual appearing to have tampered with the camera at Nancy Guthrie's front door on the morning of her disappearance. New images from a Nest camera show an armed individual appearing to have tampered with the camera at Nancy Guthrie's front door on the morning of her disappearance. See the evidence gathered in Nancy Guthrie case 1 of 4 New images from a Nest camera show an armed individual appearing to have tampered with the camera at Nancy Guthrie's front door on the morning of her disappearance. Day 10: Images released of suspect in Nancy Guthrie case Several FBI special agents went door-to-door near Annie Guthrie's home in the late afternoon of Feb. 10, with at least one homeowner telling the agents they could look around. The agents left shortly after. Advertisement Advertisement Some members of law enforcement wore plain clothes, while one woman wore a shirt that said "FBI Evidence Response Team." It was not immediately clear whether investigators obtained additional information during their search of the neighborhood. Later in the day, Tucson TV station KGUN reported that a small amount of money less than $300 was deposited in a bitcoin account that was listed in a "ransom email" the station and some other outlets received. The search for Guthrie is now in its 10th day. "Over the last eight days, the FBI and Pima County Sheriff's Department have been working closely with our private sector partners to continue to recover any images or video footage from Nancy Guthries home that may have been lost, corrupted, or inaccessible due to a variety of factors, including the removal of recording devices," according to a Feb. 10 statement from the Pima County Sheriff's Department and the FBI. Advertisement Advertisement "The video was recovered from residual data located in backend systems." FBI Director Kash Patel released additional images and videos of the suspect on X, and Guthrie's daughter, "Today" show co-host Savannah Guthrie, also posted the images on her Instagram. One of the videos Patel shared included the suspect approaching Guthrie's front door as a light that possibly came from a headlamp activated. The man looks down almost immediately after the light turns on when the light deactivates. He continues to look down as he walks toward the front door during the four-second clip. The man appears to have facial hair near his mouth based on the released video and images. Advertisement Advertisement The FBI did not immediately say whether it planned on releasing additional videos or images. Nor are any news conferences or press briefings scheduled, according to the Sheriff's Department. The word "Nest" is displayed in the upper-righthand corner of the video, seeming to indicate the doorbell camera was part of Google's line of smart home appliances that includes surveillance cameras, smart speakers and thermostats. The FBI did not specify if or how the tech giant played a role in retrieving the previously inaccessible footage. The agencies asked anyone with information to contact 1-800-CALL-FBI, 520-351-4900, 88-CRIME or visit tips.fbi.gov. Advertisement Advertisement The Sheriff's Department said no news conferences had been scheduled despite the release of the photos and video depicting the suspect. New images from a Nest camera show an armed individual appearing to have tampered with the camera at Nancy Guthrie's front door on the morning of her disappearance. Karoline Leavitt, press secretary for President Donald Trump, said at a Feb. 10 briefing, He and I were both reviewing the newly released surveillance footage from the FBI in the Savannah Guthrie case and just this heartbreaking situation with respect to her mother. The president encourages any American across the country with any knowledge of this suspect to please call the FBI, who continue to assist state and local authorities who are leading this investigation on the ground. "And once again, I will reiterate that the prayers of this entire White House are with Savannah and her family at this time. We hope this person is found soon and that her mother is brought home safely. Meanwhile, investigators continue to pursue leads and scour the Arizona landscape for the missing 84-year-old. Advertisement Advertisement .oembed-frame {width:100%;height:100%;margin:0;border:0;} Nancy Guthrie was to attend virtual church service Feb. 1 The surveillance photos and video were the second bit of new information to emerge on the 10th day of the search. Earlier, it was learned that Guthrie was reported missing after failing to show up to view a virtual church service at a friend's house, not a service at her Tucson church. Nancy Guthrie was a part of multiple church communities. St. Andrews Presbyterian Church near Tucson said she had been in the church family for a long time. Nancy Guthrie also viewed services from a church in New York that Savannah Guthrie had begun attending 10 years ago, according to Today.com. Advertisement Advertisement Michael Rudzena, the pastor of Good Shepherd New York, said in an interview with Hoda Kotb on NBCs Today he met Nancy Guthrie when she would visit over the years. After the pandemic hit and the church began to stream its services, prayer sand sermons, Guthrie started to watch. He described Nancy Guthrie as strong and fiercely loving. Over the years, we've gotten to know what makes her tick, in some ways, from a faith perspective: the songs that mean something to her, the scriptures that are meaningful for her, he said. Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of "Today" show co-host Savannah Guthrie, was reported missing from her home in a community just north of Tucson on Feb. 1, 2026. Search underway: Nancy Guthrie's disappearance was being investigated as a crime Laura Gargano, a neighbor, speaks to members of the press on Feb. 5, 2026, after providing information to private security personnel related to the suspected kidnapping at Nancy Guthrie's residence, following the disappearance of Guthrie, the 84yearold mother of U.S. journalist and television host Savannah Guthrie, outside Tucson. Chris Castorena, a private detective based in Phoenix volunteering his time to search for Nancy Guthrie, scans her street for clues on Feb. 5, 2026, after the disappearance of Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of U.S. journalist and television host Savannah Guthrie, who went missing from her home outside Tucson. Chris Nanos, Pima County sheriff, updates members of the press on the ongoing case of Nancy Guthrie at the Pima County Sheriff's Department in Tucson on Feb. 5, 2026. Nancy Guthrie, mother of "Today" show anchor Savannah Guthrie, is missing and was last seen the evening of Jan. 31, 2026. Laura Gargano, a neighbor, speaks to members of the press after providing information to private security personnel related to the suspected kidnapping at Nancy Guthrie's residence, following the disappearance of Guthrie, the 84yearold mother of U.S. journalist and television host Savannah Guthrie, in Tucson, Arizona, U.S. February 5, 2026. REUTERS/Rebecca Noble Chris Castorena, a private detective based in Phoenix volunteering his time to search for Nancy Guthrie, scans her street for clues on Feb. 5, 2026, after the disappearance of Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of U.S. journalist and television host Savannah Guthrie, who went missing from her home outside Tucson. Chris Nanos, Pima County sheriff, updates members of the press on the ongoing case of Nancy Guthrie at the Pima County Sheriff's Department in Tucson on Feb. 5, 2026. Nancy Guthrie, mother of "Today" show anchor Savannah Guthrie, is missing and was last seen the evening of Jan. 31, 2026. Heith Janke, the FBI special agent in charge of the case, updates members of the press on the ongoing case of Nancy Guthrie at the Pima County Sheriff's Department in Tucson on Feb. 5, 2026. Nancy Guthrie, mother of "Today" show anchor Savannah Guthrie, is missing and was last seen the evening of Jan. 31, 2026. Chris Nanos, Pima County sheriff, updates members of the press on the ongoing case of Nancy Guthrie at the Pima County Sheriff's Department in Tucson on Feb. 5, 2026. Nancy Guthrie, mother of "Today" show anchor Savannah Guthrie, is missing and was last seen the evening of Jan. 31, 2026. Heith Janke, the FBI special agent in charge of the case, updates members of the press on the ongoing case of Nancy Guthrie at the Pima County Sheriff's Department in Tucson on Feb. 5, 2026. Nancy Guthrie, mother of "Today" show anchor Savannah Guthrie, is missing and was last seen the evening of Jan. 31, 2026. Heith Janke, the FBI special agent in charge of the case, updates members of the press on the ongoing case of Nancy Guthrie at the Pima County Sheriff's Department in Tucson on Feb. 5, 2026. Nancy Guthrie, mother of "Today" show anchor Savannah Guthrie, is missing and was last seen the evening of Jan. 31, 2026. Heith Janke, the FBI special agent in charge of the case, updates members of the press on the ongoing case of Nancy Guthrie at the Pima County Sheriff's Department in Tucson on Feb. 5, 2026. Nancy Guthrie, mother of "Today" show anchor Savannah Guthrie, is missing and was last seen the evening of Jan. 31, 2026. A timeline of events is displayed on a television during a press conference about the ongoing case of Nancy Guthrie at the Pima County Sheriff's Department in Tucson on Feb. 5, 2026. Nancy Guthrie, mother of "Today" show anchor Savannah Guthrie, is missing and was last seen the evening of Jan. 31, 2026. Chris Nanos, Pima County sheriff, updates members of the press on the ongoing case of Nancy Guthrie at the Pima County Sheriff's Department in Tucson on Feb. 5, 2026. Nancy Guthrie, mother of "Today" show anchor Savannah Guthrie, is missing and was last seen the evening of Jan. 31, 2026. Chris Nanos, Pima County sheriff, updates members of the press on the ongoing case of Nancy Guthrie at the Pima County Sheriff's Department in Tucson on Feb. 5, 2026. Nancy Guthrie, mother of "Today" show anchor Savannah Guthrie, is missing and was last seen the evening of Jan. 31, 2026. Heith Janke, the FBI special agent in charge of the case, updates members of the press on the ongoing case of Nancy Guthrie at the Pima County Sheriff's Department in Tucson on Feb. 5, 2026. Nancy Guthrie, mother of "Today" show anchor Savannah Guthrie, is missing and was last seen the evening of Jan. 31, 2026. Heith Janke, the FBI special agent in charge of the case, updates members of the press on the ongoing case of Nancy Guthrie at the Pima County Sheriff's Department in Tucson on Feb. 5, 2026. Nancy Guthrie, mother of "Today" show anchor Savannah Guthrie, is missing and was last seen the evening of Jan. 31, 2026. Microphones pile on a podium ahead of a press conference to discuss the ongoing case of Nancy Guthrie at the Pima County Sheriff's Department in Tucson on Feb. 5, 2026. Nancy Guthrie, mother of "Today" show anchor Savannah Guthrie, is missing and was last seen the evening of Jan. 31, 2026. Chris Nanos, Pima County sheriff, updates members of the press on the ongoing case of Nancy Guthrie at the Pima County Sheriff's Department in Tucson on Feb. 5, 2026. Nancy Guthrie, mother of "Today" show anchor Savannah Guthrie, is missing and was last seen the evening of Jan. 31, 2026. Pima County Sheriff's deputies walk through the driveway of Nancy Guthrie's home after the disappearance of the 84-year-old mother of U.S. journalist and television host Savannah Guthrie, who went missing from her home in Tucson, Ariz. on Feb. 4, 2026. Media broadcasts outside the home of Nancy Guthrie after the disappearance of the 84-year-old mother of U.S. journalist and television host Savannah Guthrie, who went missing from her home in Tucson on Feb. 4, 2026. Investigators speak in the driveway of Nancy Guthrie's house after the disappearance of the 84-year-old mother of U.S. journalist and television host Savannah Guthrie, who went missing from her home in Tucson on Feb. 4, 2026. Media broadcasts as private security stands guard in the driveway of Nancy Guthrie's house after the disappearance of the 84-year-old mother of U.S. journalist and television host Savannah Guthrie, who went missing from her home in Tucson, Ariz. on Feb. 4, 2026. Private security stands guard in the driveway of Nancy Guthrie's house after the disappearance of the 84-year-old mother of U.S. journalist and television host Savannah Guthrie, who went missing from her home in Tucson on Feb. 4, 2026. A sign of support stands outside the home of Nancy Guthrie in Tucson on Feb. 4, 2026. Nancy Guthrie, mother of "Today" show anchor Savannah Guthrie, is missing and was last seen the evening of Jan. 31, 2026. Hundreds of people gather for a vigil to pray for Nancy Guthrie at St. Philip's in the Hills Episcopal Church in Tucson on Feb. 4, 2026. Nancy Guthrie, mother of "Today" show anchor Savannah Guthrie, is missing and was last seen the evening of Jan. 31, 2026. Hundreds of people gather for a vigil to pray for Nancy Guthrie at St. Philip's in the Hills Episcopal Church in Tucson on Feb. 4, 2026. Nancy Guthrie, mother of "Today" show anchor Savannah Guthrie, is missing and was last seen the evening of Jan. 31, 2026. Members of the media wait outside as hundreds of people gather for a vigil to pray for Nancy Guthrie at St. Philip's in the Hills Episcopal Church in Tucson on Feb. 4, 2026. Hundreds of people gather for a vigil to pray for Nancy Guthrie at St. Philip's in the Hills Episcopal Church in Tucson on Feb. 4, 2026. Nancy Guthrie, mother of "Today" show anchor Savannah Guthrie, is missing and was last seen the evening of Jan. 31, 2026. Hundreds of people gather for a vigil to pray for Nancy Guthrie at St. Philip's in the Hills Episcopal Church in Tucson on Feb. 4, 2026. Nancy Guthrie, mother of "Today" show anchor Savannah Guthrie, is missing and was last seen the evening of Jan. 31, 2026. Hundreds of people gather for a vigil to pray for Nancy Guthrie at St. Philip's in the Hills Episcopal Church in Tucson on Feb. 4, 2026. Nancy Guthrie, mother of "Today" show anchor Savannah Guthrie, is missing and was last seen the evening of Jan. 31, 2026. People attend a vigil at St. Philip's in the Hills Episcopal Church after the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of U.S. journalist and television host Savannah Guthrie, who went missing from her home in Tucson on Feb. 4, 2026. Leo (left), Talina and Declan blow out their candles after attending a vigil to pray for Nancy Guthrie at St. Philip's in the Hills Episcopal Church in Tucson on Feb. 4, 2026. A street sign stands across from the home of Nancy Guthrie in Tucson on Feb. 4, 2026. Nancy Guthrie, mother of "Today" show anchor Savannah Guthrie, is missing and was last seen the evening of Jan. 31, 2026. Private security stands guard in the driveway of Nancy Guthrie's house after the disappearance of the 84-year-old mother of U.S. journalist and television host Savannah Guthrie, who went missing from her home in Tucson on Feb. 4, 2026. The front of Nancy Guthrie's house after the disappearance of the 84-year-old mother of U.S. journalist and television host Savannah Guthrie, who went missing from her home in Tucson on Feb. 4, 2026. People attend a vigil at St. Philip's in the Hills Episcopal Church after the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of U.S. journalist and television host Savannah Guthrie, who went missing from her home in Tucson on Feb. 4, 2026. People attend a vigil at St. Philip's in the Hills Episcopal Church after the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of U.S. journalist and television host Savannah Guthrie, who went missing from her home in Tucson, Ariz. on Feb. 4, 2026. Drops of blood, confirmed to be Nancy Guthrie's, can be seen on the Spanish tile at the front door of the home of Guthrie, mother of "Today" show host Savannah Guthrie. Drops of blood, confirmed to be Nancy Guthrie's, can be seen on the Spanish tile at the front door of the home of Guthrie, mother of "Today" show host Savannah Guthrie. Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos gives updates on the search for Nancy Guthrie on Feb. 3, 2026. Television media set up at the house of Nancy Guthrie, NBC host Savannah Guthrie's mother, on Feb. 3, 2026, in Catalina, Ariz. The front of the home of Nancy Guthrie, mother of "Today" show co-host Savannah Guthrie, on Feb. 3, 2026. A blue shirt was strewn over the rocks by the front door. Nancy Guthrie was abducted from the home some time after about 9:30 p.m. on Jan. 31, the Pima County Sheriff's Department said. Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of "Today" show co-host Savannah Guthrie, went missing from her home (pictured here) in the affluent Catalina Foothills area just north of Tucson on Feb. 1, 2026. A sign is posted at the house of Nancy Guthrie, NBC host Savannah Guthrie's mother, on Feb. 3, 2026, in Catalina, Ariz.The search continues in the Tucson area for Nancy Guthrie, after she was reported missing on February 1. Nancy Guthrie and "Today" anchor Savannah Guthrie are pictured in an undated photograph provided by NBC. Arizona officials say they are investigating Nancys disappearance as a "crime." Nancy Guthrie, mother of "Today" show anchor Savannah Guthrie, disappeared from her Arizona home on Feb. 1, 2026. Savannah Guthrie's mother's disappearance is being treated as a crime by Arizona police. Nancy Guthrie, mother of "Today" show anchor Savannah Guthrie, disappeared from her Arizona home on Feb. 1, 2026. Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos gives an update on the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie, mother of Savannah Guthrie, on Feb. 2, 2026. Nancy Guthrie, mother of "Today" show anchor Savannah Guthrie, disappeared from her Arizona home on Feb. 1, 2026. Nancy Guthrie, mother of "Today" show anchor Savannah Guthrie, disappeared from her Arizona home on Feb. 1, 2026. Sgt. David Stivers of the Pima County Sheriff's Department at the news conference regarding the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie, mother of Savannah Guthrie, on Feb. 2, 2026. Nancy Guthrie, mother of "Today" show anchor Savannah Guthrie, disappeared from her Arizona home on Feb. 1, 2026. Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of "Today" show co-host Savannah Guthrie, went missing from her home (pictured here) in the Catalina Foothills area just north of Tucson on Feb. 1, 2026. Nancy Guthrie, mother of 'Today' show anchor Savannah Guthrie, disappeared from her Arizona home on Feb. 1, 2026. Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of "Today" show co-host Savannah Guthrie, was reported missing from her home in a community just north of Tucson on Feb. 1, 2026. Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos gives an update on the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie, mother of Savannah Guthrie, on Feb. 2, 2026. Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of "Today" show co-host Savannah Guthrie, went missing from her home (pictured here) in the affluent Catalina Foothills area just north of Tucson on Feb. 1, 2026. Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos gives an update on the search for Nancy Guthrie on Feb. 1, 2026. Who is Nancy Guthrie? What to know about Savannah Guthrie's mother 1 of 60 Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of "Today" show co-host Savannah Guthrie, was reported missing from her home in a community just north of Tucson on Feb. 1, 2026. Search underway: Nancy Guthrie's disappearance was being investigated as a crime Investigators have released few details The new information is emerging in a mysterious case where the questions have far exceeded the answers. What initially appeared to be an abduction-for-ransom situation might no longer be the case if it ever was. Advertisement Advertisement Multiple factors, such as Guthrie's blood near the front door of her home, her doorbell camera being disconnected and software detecting a person near her home, among others, have suggested Guthrie's disappearance was due to a kidnapping, according to investigators. Local and national news outlets reported they had received a ransom note in connection with Guthrie's disappearance. Messages about a purported ransom figure of $6 million later circulated, citing a now-deleted post on X from Tucson TV station KGUN. That note contained two deadlines the latest was Feb. 9. Savannah Guthrie: 'We are at an hour of desperation' "Today" co-host Savannah Guthrie and her siblings have released four videos the first three seemingly directed at their mother's would-be captors. The family asked for proof that their mother was alive, a way to communicate directly with her abductors and a willingness to pay the ransom in exchange for her safe return. The family's latest video, posted the afternoon of Feb. 9 and featuring only Savannah, didn't address Nancy's potential kidnappers but rather the general public. She began by thanking everyone praying for their family before appealing to anyone with information about her mother's whereabouts to share it with law enforcement. "I'm coming on just to ask you, not just for your prayers, but no matter where you are, even if you're far from Tucson," Savannah said. "If you see anything, you hear anything, if there's anything at all that seems strange to you, that you report to law enforcement. We are at an hour of desperation. And we need your help." FBI: No contact between Guthries, suspected kidnappers The FBI released a statement that evening stating that agents, analysts and professional staff had worked tirelessly to locate and reunite Nancy Guthrie with her family, and had since set up a 24-hour command post staffed with crisis management experts and investigators. But FBI investigators did not offer many answers. "The FBI is not aware of any continued communication between the Guthrie family and suspected kidnappers, nor have we identified a suspect or person of interest in this case at this time," FBI spokesperson Brooke Brennan said. "Additional personnel from FBI field offices across the nation continue to deploy to Tucson." Brennan did not say whether the Guthrie family had paid the ransom. Law enforcement has asked anyone with information to contact 1-800-CALL-FBI, 520-351-4900, 88-CRIME or visit tips.fbi.gov. USA Today contributed to this report. Reach the reporter Perry Vandell at perry.vandell@arizonarepublic.com or 602-444-2474. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @PerryVandell. This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Person detained in relation to Nancy Guthrie abduction after 10 days Most bat stories that make the news in Colorado usually involve rabies. Not this one. A bat species rarely reported in Colorado was discovered at a Fort Collins wildlife rehabilitation center after a Wellington man found the bat on the ground Jan. 2 and brought it to the Northern Colorado Wildlife Center the next day. "We thought it was just a normal bat species for our area," Michela Dunbar, executive director and licensed wildlife rehabilitator at the nonprofit center, told the Coloradoan on Feb. 10. "Our bats are all similar species and the care doesn't change much. But then we used a dichotomous key to try and identify it." Advertisement Advertisement There are around 20 species of bats known to live in Colorado, though some only migrate through the state, according to Colorado Parks and Wildlife. The closest center staff could come to identifying the bat species was a common little brown bat. Still unsure, center staff posted the bat's measurements and physical characteristics on social media and it didn't take long for responses that the bat was an evening bat (Nycticeius humeralis). An evening bat was brought to the Northern Colorado Wildlife Center in Fort Collins on Jan. 3, 2026, marking only the fourth time the bat has been confirmed in the state. "An evening bat isn't even in our bat book because they aren't typically found here," Dunbar said. So the center reached out to bat experts at Colorado State University and the Denver Museum of Nature & Science who, with the help of other bat experts, determined it to be an evening bat. The bat will undergo DNA testing to positively determine the species. Advertisement Advertisement If verified, it will be only the fourth time the bat has been confirmed in Colorado. Evening bats are typically found in the southeast, Atlantic seaboard and upper Midwest states. "During migration, we get some uncommon bird species for our area," Dunbar said. "But to get one this rare is a first for us." Dunbar said the bat had no injuries but was dehydrated. She said bats can't take flight from the ground and what can happen is a bat leaves its roost when it's warm but then temperatures cool and the bat ends up on the ground because their metabolism is affected by the temperature change. Advertisement Advertisement In winter, bats hibernate but Dunbar believes the unseasonably consistent warm weather this winter was the reason the bat ended up in Colorado. And this evening bat may not be the only one in Northern Colorado. Dunbar said the Wellington man who found the bat saw another, similar-looking bat Feb. 10 and thinks he may have a roost of the bats on his property. Dunbar said center staff will visit the site to see if that's the case. "If we find an entire population of evening bats, that would be a huge discovery," Dunbar said. Dunbar said the center will hold the bat until spring when the temperatures warm before releasing it. Advertisement Advertisement "The warm temperatures we have had have been a huge contributor in the patients we have seen," Dunbar said. "It's very confusing for wildlife." This article originally appeared on Fort Collins Coloradoan: Discovery of evening bat in Colorado amazes experts due to rarity (WFRV) A Sheriffs Office in Wisconsin is providing some clarity on the recent presence of Immigration and Customs Enforcement. According to the Barron County Sheriffs Office, some headlines making the rounds are said to be a little misleading regarding a recent ICE presence leading to administrative staff with the Sheriffs Office being swamped by a flurry of calls and messages. Deputies state that officials with ICE were in Baron County on Sunday for a few hours looking for two specific people. Advertisement Advertisement Brown County Sheriffs Office looking for missing 15-year-old Bellevue boy It was determined that one of the two individuals had moved out of the area and the second individual was not found. Due to what officials say is the security of enforcement operations, the names of the individuals sought out by ICE cannot be released. Barron County deputies state that if ICE comes to Barron County and requests assistance from the Sheriffs Office, the Sheriffs Office will support our law enforcement partners. They add that unlawful obstruction and interference with any operations will not be tolerated. The Barron Count Sheriffs Department encourages everyone to read past the headlines and question what they see or hear in the news, and especially on social media, as it relates to ICE operations. Do your own research and visit the Immigration and Customs Enforcement website to see what their operations entail and who they are apprehending. The Barron County Sheriffs Office No other information is available at this time. Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFRV Local 5 - Green Bay, Appleton. Quick Read Hims & Hers (HIMS) pulled its semaglutide pill after legal threats from Novo Nordisk and the FDA. Hims shares plunged 22%. Hims Q3 revenue jumped 49% to $599M despite regulatory pressure. Subscriber base expanded 21% to 2.5M users. A recent study identified one single habit that doubled Americans retirement savings and moved retirement from dream, to reality. Read more here. Shares of Hims & Hers Health (NYSE:HIMS) plunged 22% at market open on Monday, February 9. The telehealth company pulled its copycat semaglutide weight-loss pill over the weekend after threats of legal action from Novo Nordisk (NYSE:NVO) and the FDA. Reddit traders responded with increased discussion, with sentiment scores reaching 88 (very bullish). The stock has been under severe pressure, falling 43% over the past year and 35% in the past month alone. Technical indicators confirm oversold conditions, with RSI collapsing to 23.71, well below the 30 threshold that typically signals a potential reversal. Reddit Traders Discuss Regulatory Pressure Activity on r/WallStreetBets surged dramatically as the stock fell. The most engaged post, "Hims & Hers to stop offering copies of Novo Nordisk's new Wegovy pill," drew 1,596 upvotes and 174 comments. Hims & Hers to stop offering copies of Novo Nordisk's new Wegovy pill by a user in wallstreetbets Another post titled "$HIMS YOLO" attracted 389 upvotes and 256 comments, with traders sharing positions despite the regulatory setback. $HIMS YOLO by a user in wallstreetbets The company's fundamentals remain solid beneath the regulatory noise: Revenue surged 49% year-over-year to $599 million in Q3 2025, beating estimates Subscriber base grew 21% to 2.5 million users Adjusted EBITDA jumped 53% to $78.4 million Peer Context and What's Next for Hims The regulatory pressure specifically targets compounded GLP-1 drugs, creating a potential competitive moat if Novo Nordisk succeeds in eliminating copycat products. Hims had positioned its $49 oral semaglutide as a cheaper alternative to Wegovy's $150 price point, but the company's core telehealth platform remains intact. With sentiment rebounding to 70 on a 100-point scale and RSI at oversold levels, retail traders are discussing the stock's technical position. Data Shows One Habit Doubles Americans Savings And Boosts Retirement Most Americans drastically underestimate how much they need to retire and overestimate how prepared they are. But data shows that people with one habit have more than double the savings of those who dont. And no, its got nothing to do with increasing your income, savings, clipping coupons, or even cutting back on your lifestyle. Its much more straightforward (and powerful) than any of that. Frankly, its shocking more people dont adopt the habit given how easy it is. A person has been detained for questioning in the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie, according to two people familiar with the matter. The people said the person was detained in an area south of Tucson on Tuesday. They did not immediately provide additional details, and it wasnt clear if the person being questioned is the person captured on surveillance video from outside Guthries house released earlier Tuesday. The people were not authorized to discuss details of an ongoing investigation and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity. Advertisement Advertisement The FBI released surveillance images of a masked person with a handgun holster outside Guthries front door the night she vanished, offering the first major break in a case that has gripped the nation for more than a week. The person wearing a backpack and a ski mask can be seen in one of the videos tilting their head down and away from a doorbell camera while nearing an archway at the home of the mother of Today show host Savannah Guthrie. The footage shows the person holding a flashlight in their mouth and trying to cover the camera with a gloved hand and part of a plant ripped from Nancy Guthries yard. The videos - less than a combined minute in length - gave investigators and the public their first glimpse of who was outside Nancy Guthries home just outside Tucson, but the images did not show what happened to her or help determine whether the 84-year-old is still alive. Advertisement Advertisement FBI Director Kash Patel said the armed individual appeared to have tampered with the camera. It was not entirely clear whether there was a gun in the holster. The videos were pulled from data on back-end systems after investigators spent days trying to find lost, corrupted or inaccessible images, Patel said. This will get the phone ringing for lots of potential leads, said former FBI agent Katherine Schweit. Even when you have a person who appears to be completely covered, theyre really not. You can see their girth, the shape of their face, potentially their eyes or mouth. By Tuesday afternoon, authorities were back near Nancy Guthries neighborhood, using vehicles to block her driveway. A few miles away, law enforcement was going door-to-door in the area where daughter Annie Guthrie lives, talking with neighbors as well as walking through a drainage area and examining the inside of a culvert with a flashlight. Advertisement Advertisement Investigators have said for more than a week that they believe Nancy Guthrie was taken against her will . She was last seen at home Jan. 31 and reported missing the next day. DNA tests showed blood on her porch was hers, authorities said. She has high blood pressure and issues with mobility and her heart, and she needs daily medication, officials have said. Authorities initially could not pull images from camera Until now, authorities have released few details, leaving it unclear if ransom notes demanding money with deadlines already passed were authentic, and whether the Guthrie family has had any contact with whoever took Nancy Guthrie. Advertisement Advertisement Savannah Guthrie posted the new surveillance images on social media Tuesday, saying the family believes Nancy Guthrie is still alive and offering phone numbers for the FBI and county sheriff. Within minutes, the post had thousands of comments. Investigators had hoped cameras would turn up evidence right away about how Nancy Guthrie disappeared from her home in an secluded neighborhood. But the doorbell camera was disconnected early on Feb. 1. While software recorded movement at the home minutes later, Nancy Guthrie did not have an active subscription, so Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos had initially said none of the footage could be recovered. Officials continued working to get the footage. Savannah Guthrie expressed desperation a day ago Advertisement Advertisement Heartbreaking messages by Savannah Guthrie and her family shifted from hopeful to bleak as they made pleas for whoever took Nancy Guthrie. In a video just ahead of a purported ransom deadline Monday, Savannah Guthrie appeared alone and spoke directly to the public. We are at an hour of desperation, she said. We need your help. Much of the nation is closely following the case involving the longtime anchor of NBCs morning show. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said President Donald Trump watched the new surveillance footage and was in pure disgust, encouraging anyone with information to call the FBI. Advertisement Advertisement The FBI this week began posting digital billboards about the case in major cities from Texas to California. Connor Hagan, a spokesperson for the FBI, said Monday that the agency was not aware of ongoing communication between Guthries family and any suspected kidnappers. Authorities also had not identified any suspects, he said. Videos from Guthrie siblings appealed directly to whoever took their mom Three days after the search began, Savannah Guthrie and her two siblings sent their first public appeal to whoever took their mother, saying, We want to hear from you, and we are ready to listen. In the recorded video, Guthrie said her family was aware of media reports about a ransom letter, but they first wanted proof their mother was alive. Please reach out to us, they said. Advertisement Advertisement The next day, Savannah Guthries brother again made a plea , saying, Whoever is out there holding our mother, we want to hear from you. We havent heard anything directly. Then over the past weekend, the family posted another video - one that was more cryptic and generated even more speculation about Nancy Guthries fate. We received your message, and we understand. We beg you now to return our mother to us so that we can celebrate with her, said Savannah Guthrie, flanked by her siblings. This is the only way we will have peace. This is very valuable to us, and we will pay. Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW Just ahead of this weeks qualifying period, Republican Larry Davis of Denham Springs has announced he is switching from the 5th Congressional District field to the 6th District, where hell challenge incumbent Democratic U.S. Rep. Cleo Fields of Baton Rouge In a social media post Monday, Davis said he made the shift not for politics, not for personal ambition, but because this is where the fight matters most. Davis move away from the 5th District race is the latest in a flurry of activity since last month when the current officeholder, U.S. Rep. Julia Letlow, R-Baton Rouge, received President Donald Trumps backing to challenge U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-Baton Rouge. Advertisement Advertisement Letlows emergence forced state Sen. Blake Miguez, R-New Iberia, out of the U.S. Senate race and into the 5th District contest with Trumps endorsement. That, in turn, prompted state Rep. Dixon McMakin, R-Baton Rouge, to end his brief interest in running for Letlows seat. Davis, who describes himself as a middle-class worker, is a member of the Livingston Parish Republican Executive Committee. Fields has represented the current iteration of 6th District since January 2025 and previously held a Baton Rouge-based U.S. House seat in Congress from 1993-97. He returned to Capitol Hill after state lawmakers redrew Louisianas congressional boundaries in 2024 to comply with a federal court order that required two of the states six U.S. House seats to favor a minority candidate. Right after Gov. Jeff Landry took office, the Republican-controlled Louisiana Legislature opted to protect four of the five GOP members in the U.S. House: Speaker Mike Johnson in the 4th District, Majority Leader Steve Scalise in the 1st, U.S. Rep. Clay Higgins in the 3rd, and Letlows 5th District. Advertisement Advertisement Letlows seat was reconfigured at the expense of the 6th District, where U.S. Rep. Garret Graves had fallen out of favor with Republican Gov. Jeff Landry after the congressman endorsed Stephen Waguespack for governor in 2023. While the governor did not endorse Fields, his path to the 6th District seat was made easier once Graves was targeted for removal. Qualifying for Louisianas May 16 closed party primaries begins Wednesday and ends Friday. Runoff, if needed, will take place June 27, with the party representatives meeting in the Nov. 3 general election. SeaWorld rescuers are keeping a close eye on a manatee as they nurse him back to health. They are concerned about the protected species, citing several health issues. Zoological specialist Mallorie McCormack said, He seems to be eating, which is a great, great sign, and were very hopeful for him. The young manatee was seen relaxing in a medical pool at SeaWorld after crews rescued him from a storm drain in Melbourne Beach last night. Advertisement Advertisement Crews tore up a street and used a tow truck to lift the manatee to safety. Melbourne Beach Vice Mayor Terri Cronin said during the rescue, The thought is that the manatee was seeking warmer water during that cold snap and went up the pipe from the Indian River and got stuck. Officials believe the manatee may have been stuck in the drain for about a week. Video showed the manatee being lifted out in what appeared to be a blue tarp. SeaWorld Supervisor of Animal Rescue Lorri Braso said, So that was just a big stretcher. Its kind of like a big bag. Braso explained why rescuers are concerned about the manatees health. He was placed in a medical pool where the water level can be adjusted. His buoyancy wasnt good. He sank to the bottom, Braso said. We brought the floor up where he could just basically lift his head to get breath. Advertisement Advertisement The male manatee weighs about 410 pounds but should weigh closer to 460 pounds. Crews initially estimated at the rescue scene that he weighed 1,400 pounds. He is being fed to help him gain weight. You dont want to see any folds on manatees. He is underweight, Braso said. You want to be nice and round if youre a manatee. According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, the manatee also has open wounds on the underside near his tail and flippers. Braso said he may receive medication if the wounds do not heal properly. Once he heals, rescuers plan to place him with other manatees before releasing him. Advertisement Advertisement Im so happy that he is getting the care here at SeaWorld Rescue, McCormack said. Rescuers said they will work with FWC officers when it is time to release the manatee back into the water, most likely near Melbourne Beach. He will also be fitted with a PIT tag, similar to a microchip, to help identify him in the future. Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live. The fallout from the Jeffrey Epstein case is spreading around the world. Politicians, diplomats, business leaders and royals have seen reputations tarnished, investigations launched and jobs lost after a trove of more than 3 million pages of Epstein-related documents released by the U.S. Justice Department revealed their ties to the American financier and convicted sex offender who died behind bars in 2019. Apart from the former Prince Andrew, none of them face claims of sexual wrongdoing. They have been toppled for maintaining friendly relationships with Epstein after he became a convicted sex offender. Advertisement Advertisement Here's a look at some of those caught up in the scandal: Logistics giant replaces leader One of the world's largest logistics companies has replaced its chairman, Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, after newly released emails showed his yearslong friendship with Epstein. DP World has long been a pillar of the economy of Dubai. It runs the Jebel Ali port in the Middle Eastern city and operates terminals in other ports around the world. The cache of Epstein-related documents released by the U.S. Justice Department include emails between Epstein and bin Sulayem referencing pornography, sexual massages and escorts. In one email from 2013, Epstein wrote to bin Sulayem that you are one of my most trusted friends in very sense of the word, you have never let me down. Some emails like others in the Epstein files contain typographical errors. Advertisement Advertisement In response, bin Sulayem said, Thank you my friend I am off the sample a fresh 100% female Russian at my yacht. Goldman Sachs' top lawyer to resign Kathy Ruemmler, the chief legal officer at storied investment bank Goldman Sachs, said Thursday she will resign after the release of emails in which she described Epstein as an older brother and downplayed his sex crimes. While Ruemmler has called Epstein a monster in recent statements, she had a much different relationship with Epstein before he was arrested a second time for sex crimes in 2019. She received several expensive gifts from him, including luxury handbags and a fur coat. So lovely and thoughtful! Thank you to Uncle Jeffrey!!! Ruemmler wrote to Epstein in 2018. Advertisement Advertisement Before joining Goldman in 2020, Ruemmler was White House counsel for President Barack Obama. She will step down from Goldman Sachs on June 30. Prestigious law firm loses chairman Brad Karp resigned as chairman of one of the most prestigious U.S. law firms on Feb. 4, saying news coverage of his exchanges with Epstein has created a distraction. Karp had served as chairman of Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison since 2008. The New York firm has advanced the cause of civil rights, handled the legal affairs of corporate power brokers and grown into a multibillion-dollar global enterprise. Among the newly released documents was a July 22, 2015, email in which Karp thanked Epstein for hosting an evening the lawyer said was once in a lifetime and one he would never forget. Epstein responded that Karp was always welcome, adding, there are many many nights of unique talents. you will be invited often. U.K. royal family The former Prince Andrew, one of King Charles IIIs two brothers, is one of the most prominent names linked to Epstein. Advertisement Advertisement Headlines about the scandal forced the king last year to strip Andrew of his royal titles, including that of prince. He is now known as Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor. He has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing. The recent document dump exposed the depth of ties between Mountbatten-Windsor and Epstein, revealing more unsavory details that have jolted the royal family, including an allegation that the former prince sent trade reports to Epstein in 2010. Mountbatten-Windsor has been forced to move out of the royal estate that he occupied for more than two decades. Buckingham Palace says the king is ready to support police in the event of an inquiry into whether Mountbatten-Windsor gave confidential information to Epstein. British politics The U.K. government has been shaken by new revelations about Peter Mandelson, a longtime Labour party stalwart whom Prime Minister Keir Starmer brought out of the political wilderness as U.K. ambassador in Washington. Advertisement Advertisement Mandelson was stripped of that plum post in September, after Epstein emails showed they had had closer ties than the ambassador had initially acknowledged. While Starmer himself isn't implicated in the files, his position has come under threat over appointing Mandelson. He has faced calls from his opponents and from within his own Labour party to resign which he has so far refused to do. Mandelson is now facing a criminal investigation, after the new files suggested that he may have shared market-sensitive information with Epstein a decade and a half ago. Mandelson has not commented on the investigation. He has previously apologized for his association with Epstein but said he was ignorant of the financiers crimes. Norway's crown princess The new documents showed, among other things, that Norwegian Crown Princess Mette-Marit, the 52-year-old wife of Crown Prince Haakon, borrowed an Epstein-owned property in Palm Beach, Florida, for several days in 2013. Advertisement Advertisement And in an email exchange between Epstein and Mette-Marit in 2012, he noted how he was in Paris on my wife hunt, but i prefer Scandinavians. She replied that the French capital was good for adultery, but Scandis were better wife material. Mette-Marit apologized this month for the situation I have put the royal family in, and said: Some of the content of the messages between Epstein and me does not represent the person I want to be." Norway's ex-prime minister The head of the economic crime unit of Norwegian police said Thursday that former Prime Minister Thorbjrn Jagland has been charged with aggravated corruption in connection with an investigation linked to the release of the Epstein files. Advertisement Advertisement Jaglands attorneys at the Elden law firm in Norway said he denies the charges and that he was questioned by the police unit Thursday. kokrim, as the police unit is known, said last week it would investigate whether gifts, travel and loans were received in connection with Jagland's position. On Thursday, unit chief Pal K. Lnseth also said its teams conducted a search of Jagland's residence in Oslo, along with searches at two other properties in Risr, a coastal town to the south of the capital, and in Rauland to the west. The searches were carried out after the Council of Europe, a human rights body that Jagland once led, said it was honoring a request from Norwegian authorities to waive the immunity from legal processes that he had enjoyed. Advertisement Advertisement The council lifted the immunity, saying it was intended to protect activities linked to official duties, not personal benefit. Jagland is also a former head of the Norwegian Nobel Committee. Norwegian former ambassador Mona Juul, Norways ex-ambassador to Jordan, who was involved in Israeli-Palestinian peace efforts in the 1990s, resigned over the weekend, after reports said Epstein left $10 million to Juuls children in a will drawn up shortly before he died. Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide said a ministry investigation into her knowledge of and contact with Epstein will continue, and Juul will continue discussions with Norwegian officials to clarify the situation. French ex-culture minister Jack Lang, 86, stepped down as head of the Arab World Institute in Paris over alleged past financial links to Epstein that prompted a tax investigation. Advertisement Advertisement Lang was summoned to appear Sunday at the French Foreign Ministry, which oversees the institute, but submitted his resignation. The former culture minister under President Francois Mitterrand is the highest-profile figure in France impacted by the U.S. Justice Department's release of files on Jan. 30. Slovakian ex-foreign minister Prime Minister Robert Fico's national security adviser, Miroslav Lajcak, resigned over past communications with Epstein including text messages in which they discussed gorgeous girls. When Im reading the messages today, I feel like an idiot, Lajcak told Slovak public radio. Lajcak, a former foreign minister and former president of the U.N. General Assembly, has denied any wrongdoing. He said he considered Epstein a valuable contact who was accepted by the rich and powerful in the U.S. Those messages are nothing more than stupid male egos in action, Lajcak said. "Nothing more than words ever came of it. ___ The AP is reviewing the documents released by the Justice Department in collaboration with journalists from CBS, NBC, MS NOW and CNBC. Journalists from each newsroom are working together to examine the files and share information about what is in them. Each outlet is responsible for its own independent news coverage of the documents. Merzoni isnt a neologism that easily trips off the tongue, and it hasnt fully taken hold in the world of European politics. Yet, for months, a pragmatic alliance between German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has been building. And despite the politicians being, in many ways, unlikely partners, the union has quietly been redefining Europes power balance. In the latest display of this dynamic, a joint-policy paper drawn up by Merz and Meloni is set to be delivered to European Union partners at an informal summit on Feb. 12, 2026, urging reforms to improve the blocs competitiveness. Advertisement Advertisement As a scholar of European politics, history and culture, I see the union as being born of necessity but nonetheless serving the interests of both parties and possibly those of the European Union, too. Moving on from Merkron Post-war European politics has seen the center of its gravity move before, but it has largely revolved around shifts to and from France or Germany, the blocs current two largest economies. The U.K.s ability to dominate EU politics was always stymied by its lateness to the European project and ambivalence at home. And it was ended outright by a referendum in 2016 that saw the U.K.s exit from the union. For nearly a decade after Britains exit, Europe revolved around the axis of Germanys Angela Merkel and Frances Emmanuel Macron, an alliance given the nickname Merkron: Merkels clumsy charm and cautious pragmatism paired with Macrons charisma and sweeping European idealism. Their dual-stewardship helped steer the EU through Brexit, Donald Trumps first presidency and the pandemic. But times have changed. Advertisement Advertisement Merkel is gone. She stepped down as German chancellor in December 2021. Macron, meanwhile, has struggled politically at home and increasingly resembles what diplomats and journalists describe as a European Cassandra: right in his warnings about global instability, yet less able to mobilize support domestically or across the continent to confront the issues. The end of the Merkron era coincided with myriad crises confronting Europe, including Russias ongoing war in Ukraine, current U.S. unpredictability, growing climate pressures, never-stopping migration tensions and the collapse of arms-control regimes. The comforting post-Cold War assumption that peace in Europe was permanent has vanished. An unlikely partnership Into this vacuum stepped Merz and Meloni. At first glance, the pairing looks odd. Advertisement Advertisement Merz is a conservative Atlanticist and unapologetic economic liberal. His message, and the title of his 2008 book, Dare More Capitalism, signals a move toward an assertive pro-market agenda after years of cautious centrism under Merkel. Merz insists Germany must rebuild military capacity a departure from decades of both German domestic and EU-wide reticence toward such a move. Meloni, meanwhile, rose to power from Italys nationalist right. The lineage of her home party, Fratelli dItalia, or Brothers of Italy, traces back to the rump of Mussolinis fascists. Yet in office, she has proved politically agile, repositioning herself as a responsible and quite successful European actor. Meloni as prime minister has maintained support for Ukraine and cooperation with the European Union shrugging off concerns over both areas prior to her coming to power. She has equally skillfully cultivated strong ties with Washington including Trumps political camp, and overall has demonstrated successful strategic chameleonism. Critics call her opportunistic; admirers call her pragmatic. Either way, Meloni has mastered political shape-shifting, becoming a bridge between nationalist and mainstream Europe. What unites Merz and Meloni is less ideology than necessity. Advertisement Advertisement Germany remains Europes economic engine but needs partners to push Europe toward greater defense capacity and economic competitiveness. Italy is seeking greater influence and credibility at Europes core. Both governments now speak the language of strategic autonomy: Europe must be able to defend itself and protect its interests even if the U.S. becomes unreliable. As the joint-paper reportedly being presented to other EU partners puts it: Continuing on the current path is not an option. Europe must act now. Europe unites against a frenemy Ironically, Europes unity has often emerged in response to crisis. Brexit strengthened pro-EU sentiment on the mainland. Similarly, Vladimir Putins invasion of Ukraine revived NATO and EU cooperation. Advertisement Advertisement Now, Trump with his flirtation with abandoning NATO commitments, threatening tariffs and questioning of territorial arrangements in places like Greenland has delivered a shock to European political consciousness. Recent surveys show overwhelming European support for stronger EU defense cooperation and greater unity against global threats. For leaders like Merz and Meloni, this creates political space for policies that would have seemed unthinkable, or certainly more difficult, a decade ago, such as military buildups, defense integration, industrial protection and tougher migration policies. Defense and militarization The most dramatic change is, arguably, happening in Germany. For decades, Berlin avoided military leadership, haunted by its history and sheltered under U.S. security guarantees. That era is ending. German officials increasingly speak about rearmament, European defense readiness and long-term strategic competition. Advertisement Advertisement The timing could not be more urgent. Merz, framing Moscows ongoing aggression as a direct assault on European security and unity, stated in September 2025 that we are not at war, but we are no longer at peace either. The new German-Italian action plan explicitly strengthens cooperation on defense, cybersecurity and strategic industries. Both governments stress NATO loyalty while simultaneously pushing for stronger European military capacity. The idea of a future European defense force, once dismissed as fantasy, now circulates seriously in policy circles. Rome is reportedly planning a major procurement deal with German arms manufacturer Rheinmetall worth up to US$24 billion (20 billion euros). Including hundreds of armored vehicles and new-generation tanks, it would represent one of Europes largest joint defense projects. The move reflects a shared push by Berlin and Rome to strengthen Europes military capacity while anchoring rearmament in European industrial partnerships. Whats in it for Meloni and Merz? For Meloni, partnership with Berlin delivers legitimacy. Italy has traditionally oscillated between European leadership and peripheral frustration. By aligning with Germany, Rome reenters Europes decision-making core. Advertisement Advertisement At the same time, Meloni can present herself as both nationalist at home and indispensable to Europe. Her political positions allow her to maintain channels with Washington while remaining inside EU consensus a balancing act few European leaders can manage. Germany, meanwhile, gains political flexibility and a partner more aligned with big-picture EU politics. Macrons ambitious federalist vision has at times alienated more cautious partners in the bloc. Italy offers a pragmatic counterweight for Merz, focused on competitiveness, migration control and industrial policy rather than a grand European redesign. Macron isnt being entirely squeezed out. France still leads on nuclear deterrence and many diplomatic initiatives. Yet political momentum is shifting and now lies with governments willing to prioritize economic competitiveness and security over institutional reform. Will it work? The Merzoni partnership faces major tests. Advertisement Advertisement Italys economy remains fragile, and Germanys export model struggles amid global economic shifts. Far-right and populist movements still challenge EU cohesion. And defense integration remains politically sensitive across member nations. Yet necessity often drives European integration. And as crises accumulate, cooperation becomes less optional. The real question is whether Europe can move from reactive crisis management to having a proactive geopolitical strategy. For now, the unlikely German-Italian partnership suggests Europes political map is being redrawn not through grand federal visions but through pragmatic alliances shaped by fear, necessity and opportunity. 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: Julia Khrebtan-Horhager, Colorado State University Advertisement Advertisement Read more: Julia Khrebtan-Horhager 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. KIDDER TOWNSHIP, CARBON COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) Pennsylvania State Police say an investigation is underway after an officer involved shooting Tuesday night. Carbon County officials confirmed with 28/22 News crews were called to SR-940 between Getz Hill Road and Live Oak Drive for a reported incident around 8:15 p.m. Tuesday. Pennsylvania State Police say they were notified of a vehicle pursuit that ended with a police shooting. Advertisement Advertisement PSP Troop N Major Case Team was activated to investigate the Municipal Police involved shooting in conjuction with the Carbon County District Attorneys Office, according to state police. Storm system expected to move through NEPA Authorities on scene told 28/22 News Reporter Colby Hughes that SR-940 between Getz Hill Road and Live Oak Drive has been closed off. Its unknown when the roadway will reopen. Troopers say the suspect was taken to a nearby medical facility to treatment of their injuries According to state police, no officers were injuried in the incident and there is no threat to the surrounding communities. Advertisement Advertisement Authorities say the investigation is ongoing and 28/22 News will provide updates as more information is made available. Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Officials from Russia and Iran blasted Elon Musks Starlink at a Monday United Nations meeting held by the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space. Both countries alleged that Musks satellite internet constellation service program was operating in violation of international law. Irans claims spurred from a January incident in which Starlink began offering free services to those inside of the country in the midst of a government blackout. Advertisement Advertisement The Islamic Republic at Mondays meeting said the company was undertaking the unauthorized military use of a commercial satellite mega-constellation. Irans comments were first reported by Bloomberg, which said that around 50,000 terminals for Starlink were smuggled into Iran in recent years, allowing protesters to subvert internet outages backed by the government. Starlink terminals also have been used by Russia in the war with Ukraine to launch drone strikes and provide communication in areas where military radios were unreliable or easily jammed, according to The Guardian. However, after discovering the Kremlins use of Starlink, Musk moved to block their access to satellite services last week. Advertisement Advertisement Looks like the steps we took to stop the unauthorized use of Starlink by Russia have worked. Let us know if more needs to be done, the tech giant wrote in a post on the social platform X, which he owns. On Monday, Russian officials said Musks efforts to block their access potentially violates the 1967 Outer Space Treaty. The text provides governance for international space law and says the use of outer space shall be carried out for the benefit and in the interests of all countries and shall be the province of all mankind. It also says that countries shall be held responsible for national space activities whether carried out by governmental or non-governmental entities, according to the United Nations. Advertisement Advertisement In a statement, Russia said networks run by private operators is hardly in line with the interest of the long-term sustainability of outer space activities and use of outer space, per Bloomberg. Starlink did not immediately respond to The Hills request for comment regarding the matter. Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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 has stated that Russian military losses on the battlefield in Ukraine rose sharply in 2025. The Alliance's intelligence assessments state that the Russian army lost 400,000 personnel killed and wounded last year. Source: European Pravda, citing a statement by a senior NATO official who spoke to journalists ahead of a meeting of the Alliance's defence ministers Details: The official shared intelligence data on the number of casualties on the front during Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Advertisement Advertisement According to the official, there have been "1.3 million Russian casualties to date in the war, 400,000 of those in 2025". Thus, losses last year significantly exceeded those of previous years. It is noted that this figure includes both those killed and injured Russian soldiers who have been removed from combat operations. NATO also disclosed the number of Russian soldiers killed. "Russian total killed in action 350,000," the Alliance representative stated. Background: Five months ago, NATO cited Russian losses that were 200,000 lower. At that time, nearly a quarter of Russia's losses were reported as fatalities. Therefore, the ratio of casualties to fatalities, according to the Russian figures, remains unchanged. In July, the head of Estonia's military police said that Russia's human losses in its unprovoked war against Ukraine had already exceeded those of the Soviet-Finnish War. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon! Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Wednesday that another night of Russian long-range strikes further undermined "trust in all diplomatic efforts to end this war," as the sides continue to maneuver for advantage in ongoing U.S.-led peace negotiations. Ukraine's air force said Russia launched 129 drones into Ukraine overnight into Wednesday morning, of which 112 were shot down or suppressed. Fifteen drones impacted across eight locations, the air force said. Zelenskyy said in a post to Telegram that drones attacked the Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia, Sumy, Dnipro and Poltava regions. Advertisement Advertisement Ukraine's State Emergency Service (SES) said that four people were killed, three of them children, by a Russian drone strike on a residential building in the northeastern city of Kharkiv. Two other people were injured in the attack, the SES said. Two people were killed and nine others by Russian strikes in the northeastern Sumy region, according to regional Gov. Oleg Hryhorov. Handout/Ukrainian State Emergency Servic - PHOTO: This handout photograph taken and released by the State Emergency Service of Ukraine on Feb. 11, 2026, shows firefighters working to extinguish a fire following a Russian drone attack in Kharkiv region. Russian border regions face blackouts after Ukrainian strikes, governors say The SES also reported a drone attack on a residential property in the southern city of Zaporozhzhia, in which at least five people were injured. Zelenskyy said that the attack in the city also damaged a hospital. Advertisement Advertisement Oleksandr Prokudin, the governor of the southern Kherson region, said six people were injured there by Russian shelling. Each night of attacks "proves that it is only through tough pressure on Russia and clear security guarantees for Ukraine that we can put an end to the killings," Zelenskyy said in a post to social media. "Until the pressure on the aggressor is insufficient and until our, Ukraine's security is not guaranteed, nothing else will work," he added. "The Russian army is not preparing to stop -- they are preparing to continue fighting." The Ukrainian president again called for Western partners to provide more air defense support to Ukraine to help blunt Russian attacks and "protect life." The Associated Press - APTOPIX Russia Ukraine War Russian strikes kill 3 in Ukraine as Zelenskyy calls for Western air defense aid Advertisement Advertisement Russia's Defense Ministry, meanwhile, said its forces shot down 118 Ukrainian drones over 15 regions overnight. Russia's federal air transport agency, Rosaviatsiya, said that temporary flight restrictions were introduced at airports in Cheboksary, Kaluga, Kazan, Saratov, Volgograd, Ulyanovsk and Nizhnekamsk. Two people were injured in a drone attack on the western Belgorod region, which borders Ukraine, Gov. Vyacheslav Gladkov reported in a post to Telegram. In the southern region of Volgograd, Gov. Andrey Bocharov reported a fire at an industrial site in the south of the region, plus drone damage to an apartment building and a kindergarten. Advertisement Advertisement Andriy Kovalenko, the head of the Counter-Disinformation Center operating as part of Ukraine's National Security and Defense Council, suggested in a post to Telegram that an attack occurred at a major oil refinery in the Volgograd area. Stringer/Reuters - PHOTO: A residential building in Belgorod, Russia, is pictured during a power blackout on Feb. 3, 2026. Ukraine war must become 'untenable' for Russia, Zelenskyy says after latest strikes Both sides have continued their long-range strike campaigns despite recent trilateral peace talks with U.S. representatives. All participants at last week's second round of trilateral talks in Abu Dhabi described the meetings as constructive, but the negotiations did not appear to achieve a breakthrough on several contentious points. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov this week continued his recent criticism of ongoing peace negotiations. Advertisement Advertisement In an interview published on Wednesday, Lavrov alleged to the Kremlin-aligned Empathy Manuchi online project that Kyiv and its European partners are sabotaging what he called the "balance of vital interests" agreed between Russia and the U.S. at the August summit between Presidents Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin in Alaska. Putin and his top officials have repeatedly referred back to the "spirit and letter" of the Anchorage summit amid Trump's efforts to hammer out a peace deal. The meeting was widely interpreted as a diplomatic and political coup for Putin. Lavrov -- as quoted by Russia's state-run Tass news agency -- claimed that the understandings reached in Alaska made it "entirely possible to quickly agree on a final agreement on a settlement," but accused Kyiv and its European partners of trying to "turn it all to their advantage." Iryna Rybakova/Ukraine's 93rd Mechanized Brigade via AP - PHOTO: In this photo provided by Ukraine's 93rd Kholodnyi Yar Separate Mechanized Brigade press service, a damaged apartment building in seen in residential neighborhood following Russia's airstrike in Donetsk region, Ukraine, Sunday, Feb. 8, 2026. 'Normal life has disappeared': Russia's energy offensive plunges Ukraine into dark and bitter cold Advertisement Advertisement Moscow, he said, will take steps to "ensure our own security." Russia has demanded that Ukrainian forces withdraw from all of the partially-occupied Donetsk and Luhansk regions -- which together form the Donbas region -- as a part of any peace deal. Kyiv has refused the demand. Lavrov said that Ukrainian troops "will eventually be driven out" of the area regardless. KYIV, Feb 11 (Reuters) - A Russian drone crashed into a house in eastern Ukraine, killing toddler twin boys, their baby sister and the children's father, officials said on Wednesday, in a strike President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said undermined diplomacy as Washington presses for a peace deal. Local prosecutors said the drone hit the residential building late on Tuesday in the town of Bohodukhiv, to the west of Ukraine's second-largest city, Kharkiv. "As a result of the strike, the house was completely destroyed and engulfed in flames, and the family was trapped under the rubble," the Kharkiv Region Prosecutor's Office said on the Telegram messaging app on Wednesday. Advertisement Advertisement Regional governor Oleh Syniehubov described the victims as two boys aged two, a one-year-old girl and a 34-year-old man, and said the boys were twins called Ivan and Vladyslav, and their sister was called Myroslava. The children's pregnant mother was the sole survivor, officials said. Syniehubov said the family had only just moved to the town to escape constant shelling and that it was their first night in the house. The mother was released from hospital after being treated for injuries and minor burns, he said. Images posted on Telegram by Ukraine's emergency service showed firefighters battling a blaze in a house, with smoke rising through the wooden beams of the roof. Advertisement Advertisement There was no immediate comment from Russia on the attack. Moscow has denied intentionally targeting civilians during the war although its attacks have killed thousands of them since it invaded at full scale in February 2022. Ukraine has also hit civilian targets in Russia or Russian-occupied parts of Ukraine during the war, though on a far smaller scale. ZELENSKIY SAYS STRIKES UNDERMINE TRUST "Each such Russian strike undermines trust in everything being done diplomatically to end this war," Zelenskiy wrote on social media, calling for pressure on Russia and security guarantees for Ukraine. Ukrainian officials have met Russian officials under U.S. mediation in Abu Dhabi in the latest U.S. push to end the war. Zelenskiy has said U.S. President Donald Trump's administration wants a solution on how to end the war before the summer. Advertisement Advertisement "The Russian army is not preparing to stop; they are preparing to continue fighting. And the only thing that really works to protect life is our strength, which means support and strengthening of Ukraine must continue," Zelenskiy wrote. He also referred to an overnight drone attack in the neighbouring Sumy region, which he said killed one person and injured six including children, and a drone attack on a hospital in the southeastern city of Zaporizhzhia. Ukraine's air force said Russia had launched 129 drones at Ukraine overnight, of which 112 were shot down or neutralised. Kharkiv, about 30 km (20 miles) from the border with Russia, and the surrounding region have repeatedly been attacked. (Reporting by Anna Pruchnicka in Gdansk, additional reporting by Ron Popeski, Oleksandr Kozhukhar; Editing by Peter Graff and Timothy Heritage) Hyundai Merchant Marine (HMM) has rolled out an early retirement program for employees aged 50 and older in another apparent cost restructuring measure from an ocean carrier. South Korean publication Maeil Business Newspaper first broke the news Tuesday. More from Sourcing Journal This is a voluntary program for employees aged 50 and over, designed to create a virtuous cycle in the organization and improve management efficiency, an HMM spokesperson said. The company is not implementing a fixed headcount target. Applicants will receive at least 24 months of base salary as severance pay, depending on their years of service, along with support for re-employment or starting a business. According to the Maeil report, HMMs management team is reportedly considering implementing the early retirement program annually, rather than as a one-off restructuring measure. HMM previously instilled a voluntary retirement program to generate worker attrition in December 2022, temporarily targeting corporate employees with at least 10 years of service. However, only around 30 people are said to have applied. The container shipping company has been the subject of recent chatter regarding a possible sale. South Korean seafood distributor Dongwon Industries and steel manufacturer Posco Holdings have both publicly expressed interest in acquiring the ocean carrier, but both companies said in January no decision has been made. According to the spokesperson, the new program has nothing to do with the possible sale, nor does it relate to the companys plans to relocate its headquarters from Seoul to Busan. The move comes as the container shipping industry at large is reeling from declines in freight rates over the past year, hampering the bottom lines of many carriers. However, HMM denied that the state of the current container market was a reason for the decision. Last Thursday, Maersk said it would cut 1,000 jobs as part of its own cost restructuring. That headcount reduction represented nearly 17 percent of its 6,000 corporate staff and will cut $180 million in expected annual costs at Maersk. As we head towards leaner times, a very hard focus on cost is absolutely paramount, said Maersk CEO Vincent Clerc in Thursdays earnings call. We think that there is more than can be done there. Freight rates are expected to further decline in the coming weeks due to blank sailings ahead of Chinas Lunar New Year next month, when factories throughout the country shutter for two weeks. By Mark Trevelyan Feb 11 (Reuters) - Russia's curbs on the messaging app Telegram could affect battlefield communications as well as prevent soldiers from keeping in touch with their families, critics charged on Wednesday in an angry backlash against the latest restrictions. The state communications watchdog, which began limiting voice and video calls via the app last August, said on Tuesday it would impose further curbs because of a lack of action by Telegram to counter criminal and terrorist activity. Advertisement Advertisement Some users have complained that the app has been noticeably slower this week. In short video appeals, three men purporting to be members of a Russian anti-drone unit said Telegram was vital to their work and urged the watchdog not to interfere with it. Sergei Mironov, leader of a pro-Kremlin parliamentary party, posted a link to the appeals and said soldiers' lives could be at stake. "The guys are shedding blood there, they need normal communication, and besides Telegram, they often have nothing," he wrote. "Don't deprive them of what helps them fight the enemy and keep themselves alive." Advertisement Advertisement Speaking separately to reporters, Mironov berated those responsible for impairing the app's performance as "idiots". Telegram is a hugely popular channel for public and private communications in Russia and has long been the dominant platform for information - and disinformation - about the war in Ukraine. USEFUL TOOL FOR FRONTLINE SOLDIERS Russian military commentators have frequently described it as an important communications tool for frontline soldiers, though the Kremlin said it was sceptical about this. "I don't think it's possible to imagine frontline communications being provided via Telegram or some other messaging service," its spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, told reporters. Advertisement Advertisement He referred further questions to the Ministry of Defence, which did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Vyacheslav Gladkov, governor of the western Belgorod region which has frequently been struck by Ukrainian drones, said he was worried the latest moves could make it harder to deliver important safety announcements to residents. "I'm concerned that the slowdown could impact the delivery of operational information to you if the situation worsens," he said, urging people to register with the state's rival MAX messaging system. Critics say the authorities have clamped down on foreign-based platforms, also including Meta's WhatsApp and Apple's FaceTime, as a way of forcing people to adopt MAX, which they fear will be used by the authorities as a surveillance tool. State media have dismissed such concerns. Advertisement Advertisement Telegram's Russian-born founder Pavel Durov said the app would remain committed to protecting free speech and user privacy "no matter the pressure". Kremlin spokesman Peskov said the communications watchdog was simply doing its job. "We can only express regret here; there's nothing good about this, but the law must be followed," he said. (Additional reporting by Dmitry AntonovEditing by Gareth Jones ) Tankers from Russia's "shadow fleet" circumventing European sanctions navigated through Denmark's waters at a rate of almost one a day in 2025, data compiled by the Danish Maritime Authority showed on Wednesday. "In 2025, there were 292 voyages with EU sanction-designated tankers in Danish waters," the authority said in an email to the AFP news agency. Russia has reportedly built up a flotilla of old oil tankers of opaque ownership to get around sanctions imposed by the European Union, as well as the United States and the G7 group of nations, over Moscow's 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Advertisement Advertisement The sanctions, aimed at limiting Moscow's revenues used to pursue its war, have shut out many tankers carrying Russian oil from Western insurance and shipping systems. Sailing from the Gulf of Finland, through the Baltic Sea and into Danish waters, the ageing and poorly-maintained "shadow fleet" tankers mainly transport crude oil as well as refined products such as gasoline and diesel, raising concerns about the risk of an oil spill. The Finnish Coast Guard stops a small boat which tried to reach the Cook Islands-registered oil tanker Eagle S anchored in Porvoo, 30 December, 2024 - AP Photo The size and movements of the "shadow fleet" have been hard to pin down, but thanks to the EU sanctions list, Danish authorities were able to monitor and register the ships turning up in its waters last year. The EU lists 598 vessels that are banned from European ports and maritime services. Advertisement Advertisement "The Danish authorities are closely monitoring ships in Danish waters" and "also cooperate closely with like-minded countries in the Baltic Sea region," the Maritime Authority said. "In addition, a number of concrete measures have been taken to strengthen maritime safety and the protection of the marine environment and seafarers." Some experts and political leaders also suspect the vessels of carrying out sabotage, as part of a "hybrid war" by Russia against Western countries. France's Navy, working with intelligence provided by the United Kingdom, intercepted an oil tanker in the Mediterranean Sea from Russia, 22 January, 2026 - AP Photo In Finland, three crew members from the Cook Islands-registered "shadow fleet" ship Eagle S were accused of dragging the vessel's anchor across the seabed in the Gulf of Finland in December 2024, damaging five undersea cables. Advertisement Advertisement A Helsinki court dismissed the case, saying it was beyond its jurisdiction. In late January, the French navy boarded a sanctioned vessel believed to be a Russian oil tanker flying a false flag in the Mediterranean. (FOX40.COM) A man from Sacramento was arrested on multiple felony charges after stealing several beehive boxes valued in the high tens of thousands of dollars. Video Above: Sacramento deputies arrest 21 people in retail theft operation On Tuesday, the Yolo County Sheriffs Office was alerted to several beehive boxes that had recently appeared in a remote area of northeastern Yolo County. Agricultural crime investigators located the live hives. Advertisement Advertisement Investigators found that the hives had been altered in an effort to conceal identifying markings. While monitoring the area, investigators saw a suspect return to the site and continue modifying the hives. A 47-year-old Sacramento resident, Leonid Terzi, was arrested on multiple felony charges related to the theft. Investigators reported that the stolen hives, which are valued in the high tens of thousands of dollars, were recovered and returned to the owner. Anyone with information regarding this theft or the discovery of related apiary equipment in Yolo County is encouraged to contact law enforcement. Advertisement Advertisement This is an ongoing investigation. Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. The countdown is on for Seahawks fans across the region! Seattles Super Bowl champions will roll through downtown for a victory parade expected to bring more than a million 12s from across the country. With crowds of that size, Seattle Police are pulling out all the stops. Security Preparations Very carefully, very diligently. It is an all-hands-on-deck approach. Every available officer at our disposal will be working the parade, said Detective Eric Munoz, public information officer for the Seattle Police Department. Advertisement Advertisement The department is coordinating with multiple agencies, including King County Sheriffs Office and Washington State Patrol, to ensure public safety throughout the celebration. As an added layer of security, the city contracted with Meridian Rapid Defense Group to set up 700-pound steel barriers along 4th Avenue to separate crowds from traffic. The company says the barriers take the place of the large concrete barriers, trucks used as barriers and police cars. The barriers are scheduled to go up at 6 a.m. on Wednesday. Transportation and Safety Tips Police are strongly urging parade-goers to use public transportation instead of driving. Advertisement Advertisement For gun owners planning to attend, authorities warn them to leave firearms at home. We dont want anybody to have their guns stolen, and of course, we dont want those stolen guns used in any other crimes by something thats very, very preventable, Munoz said. What to Expect Although the security aspect is covered, police want fans to focus on celebrating responsibly. Just find a police officer if you need any type of assistance, whether its medical or crime related. We are here for you, Munoz said. Officials are emphasizing: get to downtown early. With over a million people expected, space will fill up fast. For years, San Francisco has funded a program to send those who are unhoused back home. The program has been tweaked, renamed and expanded but all with mixed results. Now, the city is trying something new. It's in the Tenderloin District where we found Cory Monroe who moved from New Jersey to San Francisco six years ago. He's now ready to get back home by bus. Lyanne Melendez: "How long is that going to take you?" Cory Monroe: "About four days." Melendez: "Where are you going to sleep?" Monroe: On the bus. Advertisement Advertisement It's a journey back home that some are willing to take just to get off the streets of San Francisco. "I need to see my family. I haven't seen them in awhile," said Cory who is 52 years old. MORE: Will San Francisco increase encampment sweeps during Super Bowl week? Monroe: "I'm looking forward." Melendez: "Do you think you'll stay there?" Monroe: "Ah, yeah." Melendez: "How do you know?" Monroe: "I don't know." More than 20 years ago, the program was called Homeward Bound. It's been rebranded. For the past three years, it's been referred to as Journey Home and during that time, the average number of client relocation has been about 37 per month. Advertisement Advertisement But this time, rather that the city running it, as of a few weeks ago, it has a new operator, Glide Memorial. MORE: Mayor Lurie talks affordability, homelessness and bringing business back to the SF "Now we're trying to expand it to 24 hours, in fact we are expanding it to 24 hours a day starting late February. Because the need is out there. So somebody calls us a two o'clock in the morning, we're going to try to sit with them immediately or it might be somebody that just needs that phone call at two in the morning to say, 'hey, I'm going to be there in the morning can somebody be waiting for me?'" explained Donna LaSala, Glide's Chief Innovation Officer. Now, there are nine cases managers, each one assigned to someone who is ready to leave. Advertisement Advertisement Here's how it works. Those case managers get a client through the hotline or through a referral from one of the city shelters, social service agencies or hospitals. Then each client is assessed. "Also assessing that they are healthy and safe for travel. If they have medication, do they know they'll be able to get their medication when they get home? Do they have enough 'til they get there," outlined Angelina Cahalan, the Journey Home Director. "What's holding people back from getting home for a lot of folks is the resources," added Cahalan. Take Roger Ziegenfuss from Seattle - who, a few days ago, bought a one-way ticket to San Francisco. Advertisement Advertisement "I came here for a job interview and possibly get a chance to get an apartment once I got on my feet, I started getting a few pay checks rolling in there, I would be set up but it all fell apart. Then I was stuck here so I got on the phone starting calling some resources," said Ziegenfuss who ended up at Glide and was referred to the Journey Home program. When we found him, he was promised a ticket back to Seattle. MORE: San Francisco eyes new strategy to put an end to drug markets: Here's what we know "A flight, train or bus, whatever is available," said Ziegenfuss. The program, funded by the city, spends a maximum of $400 per person. Advertisement Advertisement LaSala says, in the long run, it saves the city thousands of dollars. "When you think about the cost of having people on the street, for everything, the services that they take from the city to showing up at an emergency room," she added. San Francisco has long been a magnet for drug users and the unhoused because of its climate, tolerance and access to social services and drugs. Alex Lawrence of Vacaville knew about the Journey Home program. "Oh, the one-way program. I know about that, yeah. But we're not going to do that? Because my heart is here," said Lawrence. Here's his story. He arrived in San Francisco in 2009 from Vacaville. He has been homeless ever since. MORE: Unhoused man in San Francisco lives in a box that resembles a coffin Melendez: "Do you use drugs?" Alex Lawrence: "I do use them sometimes, all of the time. I know it's kind of bad, but that's okay, it is the truth." Advertisement Advertisement The people who run the program, say only when a person is ready can they really take advantage of what it has to offer. Back to Cory Monroe of New Jersey. His case manager, Ricky was waiting to transport him to the Salesforce Transit Center to help him catch a bus out of the city. We came along for the ride. "It feels good to go home. Yeah, it's going to be cold but it's worth it. There is snow on the ground," said Cory. It was really only a short ride from the Tenderloin. Ricky, always at his side, making sure Cory stayed on schedule. What few realized is that once they arrive at their destination, their case managers follow their progress. Advertisement Advertisement "We do three months of follow-up case management like we place somebody in their home returned-home location and for three months, we're checking in with them to make sure they are reunified that they have their appointments in whatever it is we help them get," assured LaSala. "Okay brother, safe travels!" And just like that, Cory was on his way home - in search of some kind of stability. If you're on the ABC7 News app, click here to watch live Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and California Democrat Adam Schiff are introducing a bill Wednesday that would direct the Government Accountability Office to investigate the Trump administrations handling of the proceeds from the sale of millions of barrels of Venezuelan oil. The Trump administration has said it plans to sell Venezuelas oil indefinitely as it seeks to stabilize the country and nudge it toward democracy. The funds from the initial sales were funneled into an offshore account in Qatar, an arrangement criticized by Democrats and former administration officials who said it raises risks of fraud and corruption. The American people deserve to know whats happening with the money received from these Venezuelan oil payments and where and to whom they are going, Schumer said in a statement. There is no reason that Trump should be circumventing the US banking system and lining the pockets of his Big Oil Buddies rather than driving down costs for hardworking Americans. Advertisement Advertisement Schumer and Schiffs bill, shared first with POLITICO, would require GAO to launch the probe within 30 days and report its findings to Congress within 90 days of completing it. It also requires GAO to alert Congress if the Trump administration tries to impede the investigation. Schumer and Schiff are pushing for the closure of the accounts in Qatar and urging the Trump administration to instead deposit the funds into traditional U.S. institutions subject to Congressional oversight. The President wants to control an unaccountable fund with the proceeds, parked in an offshore bank, Schiff added in a statement. The American people deserve to know more about this scheme and where the money is going. This independent audit would help deliver answers. Secretary of State Marco Rubio told senators last month that the Qatari bank account was a temporary measure to allow money to flow back into Venezuela quickly to stabilize the country. He pledged the administration would conduct a retroactive audit into how those funds were spent. Advertisement Advertisement But Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent testified to House lawmakers last week that the audit process had yet to be set up and appeared unclear on the legal authority that allowed the administration to create the fund. It is not currently known how much money is sitting in the Qatari accounts. The initial sales through commodity trading firms Vitol and Trafigura raised around $500 million, and Reuters reported earlier this month that those funds had all been returned to Venezuela. The Trump administration is pushing aggressively to rebuild Venezuelas oil sector. The Treasury Department moved Tuesday to allow U.S. oil companies to rehabilitate their existing equipment in Venezuela, and Energy Secretary Chris Wright will visit Caracas soon to launch talks on the future of the countrys state-run oil company. House Democrats, too, have upped the pressure in recent weeks with letters to the Trump administration and oil executives questioning the oil sales. Advertisement Advertisement Rep. Sean Casten (D-Ill.) said in an interview Tuesday that lawmakers have yet to see any evidence that the Trump administration has the authority to manage funds in a Qatari bank account or that it has established any audit controls over those funds. We have no information other than their word, Casten said. This is not an administration where their word is sufficient. Jordain Carney contributed to this report. By David Shepardson WASHINGTON, Feb 11 (Reuters) - Two Democratic senators asked the Commerce Department to explain why it removed an official and her deputy whose office had effectively barred nearly all Chinese cars from entering the U.S. market on national security grounds. Senators Elizabeth Warren and Mark Warner pressed Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick in a letter seen by Reuters to answer questions on reports the department pushed out "key national security officials who were working to counter Chinas intelligence and cyber threats against American technology supply chains and communications infrastructure." Advertisement Advertisement Reuters reported Elizabeth Cannon in January had agreed to resign as executive director for Information and Communications Technology and Services, an office created in 2022 to investigate threats to the supply chain from foreign adversaries. The senators said that diminishing the office "and now pushing out its leadership, sends a clear signal that truly standing up to China is not a priority of this administration." Cannon and the Commerce Department did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The office is responsible for efforts aimed at bolstering U.S. cyber defenses in response to cyberattacks like Salt Typhoon, the senators said, adding the loss of the officials "strips this office of the leadership and institutional expertise required to defend the United States against escalating national security and cyber threats." Advertisement Advertisement Reuters first reported last month the Commerce Department was withdrawing a plan to impose restrictions on Chinese drones to address national security concerns after an earlier crackdown on passenger cars and trucks. Those restrictions effectively bar Chinese vehicles from the U.S. market. The department also quietly shelved plans to impose similar restrictions on heavy trucks and buses. The senators said the work of the office, along with probes of other Chinese issues and telecoms, has stalled under Lutnick's tenure. "In addition, ongoing actions against Chinese state-owned telecommunications companies, China Telecom and China Unicom, may be on hold despite the fact their presence in the United States may leave users personal data exposed to theft and disruption. (Reporting by David Shepardson; Editing by Chris Reese and Diane Craft) Feb. 10WILKES-BARRE Jose Alex Burgos remains wanted, while Jose Alex Burgos-Garcia had a mistakenly imposed sentence recently vacated. While the two men share similar names and were fugitives, their dates of birth are 12 years apart, and they have different Social Security numbers. Only Burgos-Garcia, 46, whose last known address was Alter Street, Hazleton, was booked into the Luzerne County Correctional Facility on Jan. 21, as Burgos, 58, who skipped $1 million bail and was convicted in absentia on felony drug trafficking offenses in June 1999. Advertisement Advertisement As Burgos-Garcia was mistakenly processed as Burgos, Luzerne County Court of Common Pleas Judge Michael T. Vough on Jan. 23 imposed the 1999 sentence imposed in absentia by retired Judge Patrick Toole Jr., which was 16 to 32 years in state prison. Shortly after Vough imposed the 1999 sentence on Jan. 23, Burgos-Garcia's attorney, Scott Hampton, from the county Public Defender's Office, filed a motion to vacate the sentence under mistaken identity. During a court proceeding on Tuesday, Hampton explained Burgos-Garcia is not the 1999 fugitive Burgos, as the two men share different dates of birth and have different Social Security numbers. Vough agreed as he vacated Burgos-Garcia's sentence and instructed the county correctional facility to list Burgos-Garcia's full name, Jose Alex Burgos-Garcia, in their database. Advertisement Advertisement From Tuesday's court proceeding and court records, here is the history of the separate cases: February 1999: Jose Alex Burgos, a taxi driver in New York City, was charged by the Pennsylvania Attorney General's Office as he was deemed a "kingpin" in a cocaine trafficking distribution network in the Hazleton area from 1994 to 1996. June 4, 1999: Burgos posted $1 million bail through Capitol Bonding and Legion Insurance Co., earning his release. June 10, 1999: Burgos fails to appear for his Luzerne County jury trial before now-retired Judge Patrick Toole, who held the trial in absentia. A capias warrant, also known as a bench warrant, was issued by Toole for Burgos' arrest. Advertisement Advertisement June 11, 1999: The jury convicts Burgos on three counts of delivery of a controlled substance and one count of criminal conspiracy to deliver a controlled substance. Toole sentenced Burgos in absentia to 16 to 32 years in state prison. October 2002: After making 36 monthly payments, Capitol Bonding and Legion Insurance made the last payment to fulfill Burgos' $1 million bail that was forfeited to the Wilkes-Barre Law and Library Association, today called the Luzerne County Bar Association. December 2009: Jose Alex Burgos-Garcia, along with others, was arrested on drug trafficking charges by the Hazleton City Police Department and the Pennsylvania Attorney General's Office. Court records allege Burgos-Garcia and others distributed large amounts of cocaine in the Hazleton area from September 2008 to May 2009. April 12, 2010: Burgos-Garcia is released from the county correctional facility after he posts $25,000 bail through a bail bondsman. Advertisement Advertisement November 2010: A capias warrant, or bench warrant, was issued for Burgos-Garcia when he failed to appear for a court proceeding in Luzerne County Court. November 2025: Burgos-Garcia is captured during a traffic stop in Gwinnett County, Ga., that allegedly involved a stolen firearm found in the vehicle. Jan. 21, 2026: Burgos-Garcia is extradited from Georgia but is mistakenly booked as the 1999 fugitive Burgos at the Luzerne County Correctional Facility. Jan. 23, 2026: Vough executes Toole's June 11, 1999, sentence, although mistakenly and unknowingly, upon Burgos-Garcia. Feb. 6, 2026: Attorney Scott Hampton files a motion to vacate the sentence imposed by Toole on June 11, 1999, and executed by Vough on Jan. 23, 2026, upon Burgos-Garcia. Advertisement Advertisement Feb. 10, 2026: Vough vacates the sentence upon Burgos-Garcia under mistaken identity. Despite the mix-up involving the two men, Burgos-Garcia remains jailed on the drug trafficking offenses filed in December 2009, as Burgos remains a fugitive for skipping bail, being convicted, and sentenced in June 1999. Burgos-Garcia is scheduled for his next court appearance on March 2. St. Johns County stopped enforcing its anti-panhandling ordinance early last year, but now the county has agreed to make that enforcement pause permanent. Its the result of a settlement reached late last month between the county and three local residents who had been warned, fined and even arrested for violating the panhandling ban. Ray Taseff, Senior Attorney with the Florida Justice Institute, helped litigate the case. Advertisement Advertisement I mean the law is really on our side and I think that reflects a couple things. I think it reflects the fact that we live in a very special place because of the First Amendment, Taseff said. >>> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE <<< The ordinance prohibited people from physically interacting with the occupants of vehicles on roadways and made it illegal to stand on medians for extended periods of time. The restrictions are nearly identical to those found in Jacksonvilles anti-panhandling ordinance, which was passed in 2022. Despite the St. Johns settlement occurring in the same federal court district that encompasses Jacksonville, Taseff explained that, because there was no final judgment, the outcome doesnt automatically block Jacksonvilles ordinance. Advertisement Advertisement According to JSO, the Jacksonville ordinance is active and the Jacksonville Sheriffs Office would enforce violations when applicable. [DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks] Taseffs organization also sued, challenging Jacksonvilles ordinance back in 2024, but allowed the case to be dismissed due to external issues not related to the merits of the case. He said while there are not active plans to refile a challenge in Jacksonville specifically, the St. Johns outcome could inspire a new challenge in the future. Government cant target a specific type of speech or a particular type of request, Taseff said. If a politician stands along the roadway and asks for a vote, thats legal. If a poor person stands in the same place and asks for charity, that cant be made a crime as it has in many, many jurisdictions. Advertisement Advertisement In addition to the victory in St. Johns, similar anti-panhandling ordinances have been successfully challenged in at least eleven other municipalities throughout Florida in recent years, including Columbia County and Lake City in our region. [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. A decades-old L.A. County homicide case has been cracked open after DNA evidence linked a 63-year-old man to the fatal stabbing of a young woman found in a drainage ditch. Prosecutors say Brian Walton of Los Angeles was a stranger to Claudia Guevara, but he's accused of killing the woman, then 23. On Feb. 21, 1996, Guevara's nude body was found in a ditch next to Encanto Parkway in Azusa. She had been sexually assaulted and stabbed in the neck. Her brother, whom she was living with in Temple City, had reported her missing the day before her remains were found. She was last seen by two co-workers who dropped her off at a bus stop in El Monte. Advertisement Advertisement The victims family has waited for an agonizing 30 years to get that call to let them know their loved ones killer had been found and charged, said Los Angeles County Dist. Atty. Nathan Hochman in a statement. While this was classified as a cold case, investigators and prosecutors never stopped in their relentless pursuit of justice, reaffirming our commitment to holding people accountable for the crimes they are accused of committing. Walton is charged with one count of murder with the special circumstance allegations of murder during the commission of a rape and murder during the commission of sodomy. He was arraigned Tuesday at the Clara Shortridge Foltz Criminal Justice Center in downtown Los Angeles. An investigation into the case by the L.A. County sheriff's Homicide Bureau is continuing. If convicted as charged, Walton faces life in prison without the possibility of parole or the death penalty. 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. By Arunima Kumar Feb 11 (Reuters) - Solstice Advanced Materials forecast full-year 2026 earnings below market estimates on Wednesday, overshadowing solid fourth-quarter sales growth and continued strength in nuclear and electronic materials. The speciality materials maker that spun off from Honeywell in October expects 2026 adjusted earnings per share of $2.45 to $2.75, below analysts' average estimate of $2.93 per share, according to data compiled by LSEG. Solstice expects annual sales of between $3.9 billion and $4.1 billion, compared with an estimate of $3.96 billion. The revenue forecast signals modest growth from 2025, but continued pressure on profitability as the company absorbs higher operating costs and navigates the transition to low-global-warming-potential refrigerants. The product shift, along with plant downtime and other operational headwinds, has weighed on margins even as demand tied to nuclear energy, data centers and artificial intelligence remains strong. Chief Executive David Sewell told Reuters the company now sees the impact of its strategy as a standalone business focused on secular growth trends. Rapid growth in AI-driven data centers is boosting demand for its thermal management and refrigerant products, while advanced computing is driving growth in semiconductor electronic materials. Rising power needs linked to AI and data center expansion also support its nuclear energy business, he said, citing double-digit fourth-quarter growth across those segments. Fourth-quarter net sales rose 8% to $987 million, driven by double-digit growth in Nuclear (Alternative Energy Services), Electronic Materials and refrigerant products and also beat estimates of $923.3 million. However, adjusted standalone EBITDA for the October-December quarter fell nearly 20% to $189 million, with margin narrowing 662 basis points to 19.1%. (Reporting by Arunima Kumar in Bengaluru; Editing by Tasim Zahid) Fears that South Sudan - the world's youngest nation - could plunge into a full-blown civil war have intensified as fighting continues in Jonglei state, north-east of the capital, Juba. Government forces are trying to retake territory from those loyal to First Vice-President Riek Machar, who has been suspended from his post after being accused of plotting to overthrow President Salva Kiir. Machar is currently on trial in Juba, on charges of murder, treason and crimes against humanity, which he denies. Advertisement Advertisement His party, the Sudan People's Liberation Movement/Army In Opposition (SPLM/A-IO), has denounced the charges as a "political witch-hunt", and a move to "dismantle" a 2018 peace accord that ended a five-year civil war. What is happening in Jonglei? The SPLM/A-IO and allied groups have said they have been capturing territory, including military bases, in Jonglei and other states since the end of last year. South Sudan's army responded with a counter offensive launched last month. In a controversial statement, deputy army chief Gen Johnson Oluny urged his troops to "spare no-one" including "children, the elderly, and civilians" when they were deployed to Jonglei. Advertisement Advertisement The government has clarified that this was not an order, saying it is committed to protecting civilians. The recent fighting in Jonglei has forced at least 280,000 people to flee their homes. Facilities run by aid agencies, including clinics, have been looted and staff beaten up, according to the charity Oxfam. What's behind the fighting? South Sudan, one of the world's poorest countries, gained independence from Sudan in 2011 after decades of fighting led by the Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM). Just two years into independence, a civil war erupted when Kiir dismissed Machar as vice-president, accusing him of plotting a coup. Advertisement Advertisement The ensuing conflict, largely fought along ethnic lines between supporters of the two leaders, resulted in an estimated 400,000 deaths and 2.5 million people being forced from their homes - more than a fifth of the population. As part of the peace deal, Machar was reinstated as vice-president within a unity government that was meant to pave the way for elections. While the current conflict in Jonglei is driven primarily by national political rivalries, the state has long been a hotspot for inter-communal violence, particularly between sub-clans of the Dinka and Nuer. Cycles of violence linked to cattle raiding, land access, political representation and revenge attacks continue to shape and complicate the current conflict. Advertisement Advertisement The SPLM/A-IO draws much of its core support from Nuer communities, while the government and its allied forces are dominated by Dinka leadership. As a result, national political confrontations often reignite unresolved local grievances, increasing the risk of communal violence. Why is there tension now? Riek Machar (L) and Salva Kiir (R) - seen here together in 2020 - had been allies within the SPLM before falling out [AFP] The current crisis was sparked in March last year when the White Army militia, which was allied to Machar during the civil war, clashed with the army in Upper Nile state and overran a military base in Nasir. Then on 7 March a UN helicopter attempting to evacuate troops came under fire, leaving several dead, including a high-ranking army general. Nearly three weeks later, Machar and several of his associates were placed under house arrest. They were accused of trying to stir up a rebellion. Advertisement Advertisement "The prospect for peace and stability in South Sudan has now been put into serious jeopardy," Oyet Nathaniel Pierino, deputy leader of SPLM/A-IO, said at the time. Rather than defusing tensions, the government struck again, hitting Machar with a slew of charges - including treason, the ultimate crime against the state - in September. Days later, his party ratcheted up the pressure, denouncing Kiir's government as a "dictatorship" and demanding "regime change". What about the 2018 peace deal? While Machar's inclusion in the unity government was a key part of the agreement, other parts of it have not been implemented. Advertisement Advertisement The key issue for many South Sudanese is the security arrangement. The deal outlined how former rebel forces and government soldiers would be brought together into a unified national army made up of 83,000 troops. The remainder were supposed to be disarmed and demobilised. But this has not happened and there are still lots of militias aligned to different political groups. The deal also outlined the establishment, with the help of the African Union, of a court meant to try the perpetrators of the violence. But this has not been created, in part because those holding some of the top positions in government are reluctant to set up something that could see them put on trial. Advertisement Advertisement Elections that were supposed to happen in 2022 have still not taken place and neither has a new constitution been drawn up. An attempt to revive the peace process by Kenyan mediators is being made. Under what is known as the Tumaini Initiative - tumaini is Swahili for "hope" - the plan is for talks to be held in Kenya aimed at laying the groundwork for credible elections. What is the problem between Machar and Kiir? While Kiir and Machar, both in their 70s, were part of the SPLM that fought for independence, long-standing tensions exist. These have been fuelled by ethnic divisions - Kiir is Dinka, while Machar is Nuer - and competing political ambitions. Advertisement Advertisement When Kiir sacked Machar in 2013, triggering the civil war, Machar denounced him as a "dictator". Creating further problems between the two are the repeated postponements of elections. Polls have been delayed four times, leaving Machar unable to fulfil his presidential ambitions while perceptions grow that Kiir intends to be president-for-life. Who is Riek Machar? Born in 1953, the 72-year-old was the 27th son of the chief of Ayod and Leer and was brought up in the Presbyterian Church. As an undergraduate, he studied mechanical engineering at the University of Khartoum and in 1984 earned a PhD in philosophy and strategic planning at the UK's Bradford University. Advertisement Advertisement He switched sides on several occasions during the battle to secede from Sudan, as he sought to strengthen his position and that of his Nuer ethnic group. He became vice-president of South Sudan at independence in 2011. Machar was sacked in 2013 and then reinstated as part of a deal in 2016, but then fled as fighting resumed. Who is Salva Kiir? Born in 1951, the 74-year-old devout Roman Catholic was the son of a cattle herder and the eighth of nine children. At 17, he joined the Anyanya, one of the rebel groups that was fighting for southern independence during the First Sudanese Civil War in 1967. Sixteen years later - in the Second Sudanese Civil War - he was one of the five founding members of the Sudan People's Liberation Army/Movement. The former rebel commander, who specialised in military intelligence, was seen as a moderate within the SPLM and became its leader in 2005 after the death of John Garang in a helicopter crash He became president of South Sudan on independence and has remained in that position for 14 years as no elections have taken place. How bad could things get? Last year, Nicholas Haysom, head of the UN mission in South Sudan, warned that the country was "teetering on the brink of a return to full-scale civil war", which would devastate the nation still dealing with the aftermath of the last conflict. There are concerns that a return to fighting could lead to "proxy warfare in the region", according to Daniel Akech, an analyst at the Crisis Group think-tank. Any conflict would have two main consequences, he added. "First, the two sides will stoke ethnic grievances... as they seek to mobilise supporters and ready them for combat. Secondly, a flare-up in South Sudan is likely to draw in the country's neighbours." The leaders of the members of the regional grouping Igad - including Uganda - are supposed to be the guarantors of the 2018 deal. Some Ugandan troops have been deployed to the country as part of what South Sudan's government said was a long-standing agreement to support the army. [BBC] More stories about South Sudan: [Getty Images/BBC] Go to BBCAfrica.com for more news from the African continent. Follow us on Twitter @BBCAfrica, on Facebook at BBC Africa or on Instagram at bbcafrica BBC Africa podcasts Of the original living participants of the first historic Katz Drug Store sit-in, only two have been unable to visit the Clara Luper National Sit-In Plaza since its 2025 dedication in downtown Oklahoma City. That changed on Tuesday, Feb. 10, when Calvin Luper arrived at the plaza for a surprise viewing of the art installation featuring a bronze lunch counter depicting that Aug. 19, 1958, sit-in. He got an up close view of the life-size statues of himself, his younger sister Marilyn Luper Hildreth, and the 11 other original "sit-inners," along with a Katz Drug Store employee, and his famous mother, civil rights leader Clara Luper, positioned nearby. What a way to celebrate his 80th birthday. Advertisement Advertisement "It's touching it's tearing me apart," Calvin Luper said as a tear rolled down his cheek. "It's a dream come true to me and then to see it ... ." Getting Calvin Luper to the plaza was always a priority, said Hildreth and John Kennedy, co-chairman of the committee that helped plan and oversee the plaza project. Calvin Luper, Hildreth and other student members of the NAACP Youth Council, led by his mother schoolteacher and NAACP Youth Council advisor Clara Luper, courageously sat down at the Katz whites-only lunch counter and ordered Coca-colas on Aug. 19, 1958. More: See the new Clara Luper National Sit-in Plaza illuminated at night Advertisement Advertisement Their bravery during the nonviolent sit-in demonstrations led to the desegregation of Katz stores in the region within three days and resulted in more sit-ins leading to the integration of other Oklahoma City businesses as well as establishments across the country. Calvin Luper, son of Clara Luper, visits the Clara Luper National Sit-In Plaza in Oklahoma City, Tuesday Feb. 10, 2026. Hildreth, 78, said her brother's health prevented him from joining the other living original sit-inners and hundreds of people who attended the the plaza's November 2025 dedication. She said her brother and one other person who lives out of state, were the only two of the living original sit-inners who had yet to visit the plaza until Tuesday. Hildreth said three other original sit-inners are deceased. "His mind is good but he's just not able to walk," Hildreth said of her sibling. More: How sit-ins, civil rights icon mother Clara Luper influenced Marilyn Hildreth's own activism Advertisement Advertisement Calvin Luper arrived at the plaza at the former Katz site at N Robinson Avenue and W Main Street, about 3:45 p.m. Kennedy pushed the him in a wheelchair as a group of his friends, family members and former sit-inners sang "Happy Birthday" to him as he got closer to the $3.6 installation. "Fantastic," he said, noting the detail of the statue of his mother featured her necklace, purse and eye glasses. One of the highlights of his experience was seeing the sculpture depicting him as he was on that eventful day in 1958 when he was a 12-year-old youth sitting at the Katz lunch counter. "Believe it or not, dreams do come true," he said, referring to the longtime desire to see a permanent commemoration of the Oklahoma City sit-in movement. Calvin Luper, son of Clara Luper, cries as as he visits the Clara Luper National Sit-In Plaza in Oklahoma City, Tuesday Feb. 10, 2026. Hildreth described her older brother as a one of the smartest people she knows. She said the 1962 Douglass High School graduate attended Oklahoma Boys State. Advertisement Advertisement "He scored higher on the ACT test than any other student at that time," she said. "He was awful smart." In an oral history interview for the Library of Congress and Smithsonian's National Museum of African American History and Culture Civil Rights History Project, Calvin Luper described himself as protective of his mother and sister during the Oklahoma City sit-in movement and other civil rights demonstrations. "I kept my eye out looking around for my sister and my mother, and, of course, my sister's friends were like my little sisters," he told the interviewer. "And, even though everybody was doing it, I still felt the additional responsibility, in a way, for what was mine." Tuesday, he made reference to his concerns about his mother's safety as a well-known civil rights activist. Advertisement Advertisement "I worried if she was going to make it home or not," he said. When asked if had advice for others, he shared several tips with the crowd gathered around him. "Be alert, love one another and throw hate away, he said. More: 'She would be grateful.' New Clara Luper Plaza celebrates OKC history of courage, nonviolence Retired educator and school administrator Joyce Henderson, who participated in the sit-in movement after the Katz drug store demonstration, smiled as she watched Calvin Luper talk to the crowd surrounding him. "Priceless," she said. "There are some moments that are just priceless." This story has been updated to add new information. This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Calvin Luper, 80, finally views Clara Luper National Sit-In Plaza The cash shipments come as Hezbollah faces acute financial strain, Iran International said, adding that the terror group has reportedly been struggling to pay its operatives. Six Iranian diplomats smuggled suitcases of cash on commercial flights to Lebanon, to help Hezbollah rebuild its financial and operational ability, Iran International reported on Wednesday, citing newly obtained information. According to Iran International, the diplomats include: former Iranian ambassador to Turkey Mohammad Ebrahim Taherian-Fard; former Iranian consul-general in Pakistan Mohammad Reza Shirkhodaei; his brother, Hamidreza; Reza Nedaei; Abbas Asgari; and former employee of the Iranian embassy in Canada, Amir-Hamzeh Shiranirad. Advertisement Advertisement Taherian-Fard, who accompanied Irans Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on a flight to Beirut in January, allegedly brought a cash-filled suitcase with him, relying on diplomatic immunity to avoid airport inspection. Iran International further reported that Ali Larijani, an adviser to Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, had done a similar act in October, smuggling hundreds of millions of dollars through Beiruts airport. Due to Israeli military action targeting Hezbollahs weapons and money-smuggling routes used by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in Syria, Beiruts airport has become the main route for cash smuggling, according to Iran International. Members of the Lebanese army walk near Beirut international airport, Lebanon, February 15, 2025 (credit: REUTERS/EMILIE MADI) The cash shipments come as Hezbollah faces acute financial strain, the outlet said, adding that the terror group has reportedly been struggling to pay its operatives and rebuild in southern Lebanon. Advertisement Advertisement Rebuilding costs have been estimated in the billions of dollars, Iran International reported. Bessent: Regime leaders moving millions out of Iran as they 'abandon ship' In January 2026, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told Newsmax that Iranian leaders are moving tens of millions of dollars out of the country as they begin abandoning ship amid the deadly protests in Iran. We are now seeing the rats fleeing the ship, because we can see millions, tens of millions of dollars being wired out of the country, snuck out of the country by the Iranian leadership, Bessent said. So they are abandoning ship, and we are seeing it come into banks and financial institutions all over the world. Following this, the US Department of the Treasury (UST) imposed new sanctions against "key Iranian leaders involved in the brutal crackdown against the Iranian people." Advertisement Advertisement Among those sanctioned is Larijani, who has advocated violence against peaceful demonstrators. Other targets include security officials from various Iranian provinces where protests have faced violent suppression. Israel reportedly planned to strike Beirut airport if Iranian funds reached Hezbollah State-owned Saudi news outlet Al-Arabiya claimed in January 2025 that Israel had planned to bomb Beiruts airport should funds transported from Tehran on an Iranian Mahan Air flight be transferred to Hezbollah. The claim followed a report from the Lebanese newspaper An-Nahar of an Iranian delegation on board such a flight had landed at Beiruts airport and attempted to bar Lebanese security officials from searching the plane. An-Nahar added that the Beirut airport had been in a state of alert following reports that the flight may be carrying funds for Hezbollah. Sam Halpern, Shoshana Baker, and Jerusalem Post Staff contributed to this report. Over six years after a fatal shooting at a Kansas City apartment complex , a Grandview man has been charged with second-degree murder in connection to the shooting. Demetrius Hill was charged with one count of second-degree murder in Jackson County court on Tuesday for his alleged role in the 2019 shooting death of 22-year-old Logan Ruckman at the now-defunct Cloverleaf Apartments in south Kansas City. Officers with the Kansas City Police Department responded to the apartments around 9:15 p.m. on Aug. 9, 2019, on reports of a shooting, according to a probable cause statement in support of Hills arrest. Advertisement Advertisement There, detectives found Ruckman in the drivers seat of a gray Dodge Durango in the complexs parking lot, the statement said. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Surveillance footage of the scene showed a person, who become a suspect, arriving in a gray Ford Escape, according to the probable cause statement. Ruckman and Hill then arrived and parked at the complex in a gray Dodge Durango, the court document said. The first suspect approached Ruckmans car and attempted to open the rear drivers-side door, which appeared to be locked. The suspect had a brief conversation with Ruckman through the drivers-side window before walking away, according to the court document. Advertisement Advertisement As the suspect walked away from the vehicle, surveillance footage showed smoke coming from the cars exhaust, the probable cause statement said. The suspect then turned around towards Ruckmans car and fired a gun in his direction. Hill then exited Ruckmans vehicle before entering the Ford Escape with the first suspect, the court document said. The pair left the scene. On Aug. 14, 2019, investigators received an anonymous tip from the Crime Stoppers TIPS Hotline indicating Hill and the first suspect were involved in the fatal shooting, according to the probable cause statement. The informant told detectives the fatal shooting was initially a planned robbery involving narcotics, the probable cause statement said. Advertisement Advertisement During a review of Ruckmans Facebook data, detectives found accounts tied to Hill and the first suspect had been used to communicate with Ruckman days before his death, according to the probable cause statement. A phone number belonging to the first suspect showed that that phone had been used to contact Ruckman prior to the shooting. On Oct. 1, 2019, a witness told detectives that on the day of the shooting, the first suspect arrived at his apartment and told him, Im bout to hit this lick real quick, the probable cause statement said. The witness watched the incident unfold from an apartment window, the court document said. Several days later, the witness said he met with a man who told him he had been with the suspects when the fatal shooting occurred. The man told the witness he had known the first suspect and Hill for six months, and that Hill was involved in a gang, according to the probable cause statement. The man said Hill was threatening anyone who knew of his involvement in the shooting. Advertisement Advertisement Detectives attempted to interview Hill on Jan. 14, 2020, at an Arkansas detention center, the court document said. Hill requested to speak to an attorney. On Feb. 2, 2023, investigators interviewed the witness that had spoken to them in 2019, according to the probable cause statement. The witness positively identified photographs of Hill and the two other suspects. Detectives received DNA analysis results on Feb. 7, 2025, connecting Hills DNA to a cigarillo located in Ruckmans car, according to the probable cause statement. Hill is currently incarcerated in the Missouri Department of Corrections, serving sentences for unlawful use of a weapon and tampering with a witness, according to the probable cause statement. Advertisement Advertisement A warrant for his arrest was issued on Tuesday. The first suspect identified in the crime was killed in homicide in 2023, according to a press release from Jazzlyn Johnson, director of communications for the Jackson County Prosecutors Office. Three Delaware County police officers are under investigation by the county's Criminal Investigation Division, sources confirmed to Action News on Tuesday. We're told the search warrants were executed at three homes on Friday morning. Two of the officers work for the Sharon Hill Police Department and were placed on paid administrative leave. The third officer is with Darby Township. That person is also on paid administrative leave. Advertisement Advertisement We're working to learn why the officers are being investigated. Rodney Hill, the vice president of the borough's council, commented on the case Tuesday night. "The main concern is making sure this investigation is thoroughly looked into so the residents of Sharon Hill can have some peace of mind," said Hill. "I want to make sure there is total transparency on what's happening in our borough with the police force that protects our borough. I'm just making sure the public safety is superb," said Hill. We don't know what evidence was collected during the search of the homes, but multiple sources say the investigation is related to drugs. The Delaware County District Attorney's office says, "Our office will not comment on ongoing investigations." COLUMBIA, S.C. (WCBD) Nearly three years after his conviction for the murders of his wife and son, attorneys for disgraced former Hampton County lawyer Alex Murdaugh are set to appear before the South Carolina Supreme Court on Wednesday, asking the justices to overturn his murder convictions. STREAM THE HEARING LIVE ON WCBD+ Download the app on Roku, Fire TV & Apple TV devices Murdaugh himself is not expected to appear in the courtroom. Instead, his defense team, attorneys Dick Harpootlian and Jim Griffin, will argue the appeal on Murdaughs behalf. Assistant Deputy Attorney General Creighton Waters, who handled the original trial, will represent the State along with Attorney General Alan Wilson. The hearing brings renewed attention to the South Carolina case that captivated the nation. Advertisement Advertisement In March 2023, a Colleton County jury found Murdaugh guilty in the killings of his wife, Margaret, and youngest son, Paul. The former lawyer has long maintained his innocence and insists he did not kill his family members. During the original trial, prosecutors argued the murders were driven by mounting financial pressure fueled by Murdaughs opioid addiction. The defense admitted Murdaugh stole millions from clients and struggled with addiction, but argued he was not a murderer. The jury ultimately sided with the State. Wednesday, Murdaughs attorneys will appeal the conviction before the South Carolina Supreme Court. REWIND: Background on the Murdaugh investigations and trial Advertisement Advertisement No new evidence or testimony will be presented during Wednesdays hearing. Instead, attorneys are expected to focus on legal arguments outlined in motions filed by Murdaughs defense on November 6th. The primary argument from Murdaughs defense team centers on allegations that former Colleton County Clerk of Court Becky Hill improperly influenced jurors during the trial, allegedly making comments implying Murdaughs guilt before a verdict was reached. Defense attorneys argue that those actions caused prejudice and violated Murdaughs constitutional right to a fair trial. Hill pleaded guilty last year to obstruction of justice and perjury in a separate case. Attorneys representing victims in other crimes connected to Murdaugh say the court has to decide if the allegations rise to the level of jury interference. Advertisement Advertisement The question that both sides will have to answer is did he get a fair trial?' said Joe McCulloch. The jurys attention may very well focus on that very question, whether or not there was evidence, material and substantive and credible evidence of jury interference. Then the court must turn to deciding whether Justice Toal employed the correct procedure and the correct legal standards. Attorney Eric Bland, who also represented several victims connected to Murdaugh, explained where he thinks the appeal will focus. The issue on appeal is going to be Should Justice Toal have applied the federal standard? which was more liberal to getting a new trial, or the stricter standard of South Carolina? said Bland. I think that our state Supreme Court is not going to reverse the former chief justice; however, when the case gets to federal court, there may be a higher likelihood that the case will be reversed, and a new trial granted because it infringes on your Sixth Amendment constitutional right to a fair jury trial. Murdaughs defense team is also arguing that allowing evidence of his financial crimes during the murder trial unfairly influenced the jury. Advertisement Advertisement Attorney General Alan Wilson said he remains confident the conviction will stand. I stand by the work product of the Attorney Generals office, said Wilson. Im not going to predict what the court will do, but I am guardedly optimistic that we are going to be able to make our case to the court and that this case will hold up. Arguments on Wednesday will be limited to several 20-minute segments, with each side having the opportunity to present. It is scheduled to begin at 9:30 a.m. A decision from the South Carolina Supreme Court is not expected for several months. Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. South Korean authorities raided the country's intelligence agency on Tuesday as part of a probe into an alleged drone incursion into North Korea, an episode that could undermine Seoul's efforts to improve ties with Pyongyang. North Korea has said it shot down a surveillance drone near the industrial hub of Kaesong in January, accusing its neighbour of trying to glean intelligence on "important targets". Seoul denied any official involvement, with South Korean President Lee Jae-myung saying such an act would be tantamount to "firing a shot into the North". Advertisement Advertisement But a joint military-police task force said on Tuesday it was investigating three active-duty soldiers and one spy agency staffer to "thoroughly establish the truth". South Korean investigators raided 18 locations of interest, including the Defence Intelligence Command and the National Intelligence Service. Political tightrope North Korea's army said it downed a drone carrying "surveillance equipment" in early January, according to a statement by the state-run Korean Central News Agency. Photos published by the agency showed the wreckage of a winged craft on the ground next to a collection of grey and blue components that allegedly included cameras. Advertisement Advertisement The drone had stored footage of "important targets" including border areas, a North Korean military spokesman said in the statement. South Korea's disgraced ex-president Yoon Suk-yeol was previously accused of using unmanned drones to scatter propaganda leaflets over North Korea in 2024. Related Lee has vowed to mend ties with North Korea by stamping out such provocations, and has even suggested a rare apology may be warranted. Advertisement Advertisement "I feel I should apologise, but I hesitate to say it out loud," he said in December. "I worry that if I do, it could be used as fodder for ideological battles or accusations of being pro-North." South Korea's Unification Minister Chung Dong-young has previously suggested that the alleged incursion may have involved officials still loyal to former hardline leader Yoon. Three civilians have already been charged for their alleged role in the drone scandal. One of them has publicly claimed responsibility, saying he acted to detect radiation levels from North Korea's Pyongsan uranium processing facility. Yoon on trial Ex-president Yoon is currently standing trial on charges he illegally sent drones into North Korea to help create the pretext for declaring martial law in late 2024. Advertisement Advertisement Prosecutors have accused Yoon of instructing Seoul's military to fly drones over Pyongyang and distribute anti-North leaflets in an attempt to provoke a response. They said Yoon and others "conspired to create conditions" that would allow him to tighten his grip on power by declaring martial law. Related Yoon's disastrous attempt to overturn civilian rule ultimately failed. The 65-year-old was impeached and ousted from office in April last year. Last month, Yoon was sentenced to five years in prison in the first verdict from eight criminal trials over the martial law debacle and other allegations. The Brief A South Los Angeles high school teacher says he was fired for insubordination after opening a gate to prevent students from getting hurt during anti-ICE school walkouts. Students, parents and community groups are protesting the firing, calling the punishment excessive and demanding the teachers reinstatement. The charter school says it follows LAUSD safety policies and emphasizes that decisions about students leaving campus are made by school administrators. LOS ANGELES - "I was just concerned about their safety," says Ricardo Lopez. The popular U.S. History and AP U.S. History teacher says he was fired for insubordination at Synergy Quantum Charter High School in South Los Angeles, when students were trying to jump a fence and join the ongoing anti-ICE walkouts at schools all over Southern California. Advertisement Advertisement He says he saw students jumping a fence last Wednesday, explaining he had already seen other students hurt themselves when doing the same thing the day prior. So, "As the closest adult to them, I just opened the gate." Within an hour, Lopez was terminated and marched off campus. His belongings, including dozens of paintings and projects by students, were put in a couple of boxes and dropped off in the driveway of his home. School officials say that even as a charter, they adhere to LAUSD policies when it comes to access and security. Last week, district officials did issue statements discouraging students from walking out during school hours. But theres no explanation for why Lopez was fired, rather than being warned. Particularly angry are his students and some of the parents, who have been holding rallies outside the school. Advertisement Advertisement Community organizations like Union del Barrio and the Association of Raza Educators are joining the efforts. A petition asking for Lopezs reinstatement shows over 900 signatures. But so far, theres no word from the school. "I just want to get back to my classroom and students," explains Lopez, "especially with the AP exams coming up soon." But if the firing stands, especially with the reason Lopez says he was given "insubordination" he might have trouble renewing his teaching license in the future and teaching at any school. "Its wrong and not fair," says one student outside the school. Those we spoke to say he was not encouraging students to leave the school, and that they "acted on their own." Many parents outside the school said off camera that while they really would prefer the students to not walk out, the punishment for the popular teacher seems excessive. Advertisement Advertisement Synergy Academies confirmed Lopez is no longer with the school. The school issued the following statement: "Over the last few days, groups of students at Synergy Quantum Academy have been participating in student-led protests on campus. School administrators have been present throughout the day to supervise students and prioritize safety. "We respect students rights to express themselves and understand that moments like these often reflect deeply held concerns. Our responsibility as a school is to ensure that student expression happens in a way that protects students safety and complies with established campus protocols. "Synergy Quantum Academy is a public charter school co-located on a Los Angeles Unified School District campus. Synergy works collaboratively with our district partners to follow the campus access and safety procedures set by LAUSD policy to ensure the safety of students from both schools. Decisions about whether students may leave campus during the school day are made solely by school administration, according to campus safety protocols. Advertisement Advertisement "Families continue to be notified, all students have been accounted for, and counselors and support staff have been available to students who wish to talk or need additional support. "We appreciate the partnership of our families and community as we continue to support our students, uphold their rights, and maintain a safe and orderly learning environment." On February 5, The New York Times reported on the supposed death knells of the Afghan Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) program, explaining that "on Tuesday, Congress quietly closed the door to the program altogether when it cleared a spending package that authorized no new visas for it." Fortunately for the more than 125,000 Afghan SIV applicants still awaiting various stages of processing as of the last State Department's April 2025 quarterly report, the situation is not necessarily so dire. Though the deadline for submitting new SIVs passed on December 31, 2025, there is no strict deadline on when the U.S. government can stop doling out visas to the Afghans already in process with their applications and who meet the program's prerequisites of having provided more than a year of faithful and valuable service to our government during the course of the nearly 20-year war in Afghanistan. Advertisement Advertisement The number of remaining visas available is a serious concern, however. The April 2025 quarterly report shows 10,216 remaining SIVs for the 115,258 Afghans with a pending application for Chief of Mission (COM) approval, the first step of the SIV process. While that is the latest official figure, far fewer visas are likely available now. The main impediment to SIV processing is a halt on all Afghan immigrant visa processing, one of numerous punishments leveled against the entire Afghan community shortly after an Afghan national shot two West Virginia National Guardsmen, and killed one, on November 26. The SIV program hasn't always lived up to its promise. The International Refugee Assistance Project (IRAP) forced the U.S. government via a class-action lawsuit to adhere to the nine-month SIV adjudication timeline that the program mandates in recognition of the dangers facing applicants. In December, IRAP filed a motion to enforce this class action lawsuit. Last week, a judge ruled with IRAP that the State Department must recommence issuing COM approvals to qualified applicants in their class action suit. Pedro Sepulveda Jr., an IRAP litigation fellow, told Reason that "Secretary Rubio violated the will of Congress and the court's orders when he unilaterally suspended the Afghan SIV program. While Afghan nationals are still not able to enter the U.S. as a result of President [Donald] Trump's travel ban, the court ruled that other steps of the Afghan SIV program must resume." Advertisement Advertisement "On February 24, the U.S. government will explain to the court what steps they are taking to meaningfully comply with the court's orders to speed up processing for SIV applications that have been pending for nearly half a decade," Sepulveda Jr. added. "Compliance with the law is long overdue, and IRAP will continue to hold the government accountable to our Afghan allies who are still at risk from the Taliban." Support From Congress Andrew Sullivan, executive director of the nonprofit No One Left Behind, is optimistic that the SIV program will survive. He told Reason in an email that "the President has previously expressed strong support for Afghan allies, as has Congress, and we remain optimistic that this critical program will resume." "Congress has repeatedly affirmed the importance of the program in a strong bipartisan way," Sullivan says, "and although no new visas were authorized in the FY2026 appropriations packages, the salience of the issue and Congressional support for our SIVs remain high." Evidence shows continued support for the progress, including among Republicans, Sullivan notes. "In 2025, a bipartisan Congressional letter calling for the authorization of 20,000 additional Afghan SIVs received 106 signatures." That constitutes "a 25% increase in total signatures and a 33% increase in Republican signatures from the prior year." Pakistan Is Not a Safe Place Still, the pause in issuing visas and the dwindling quantities of available SIVs has had serious impacts on SIV applicants. Geeta Bakshi, founder of the nonprofit FAMIL USA (which provides humanitarian support for Afghans resettling in the U.S.), supports members of the National Strike Unit (NSU) trained by the CIA. NSU members worked shoulder-to-shoulder with U.S. special operations forces and intelligence personnel over almost 20 years, and were evacuated to the U.S. after playing an instrumental role in securing Hamid Karzai International Airport during the August 2021 U.S. withdrawal. Advertisement Advertisement Unfortunately, a substantial number of NSU members in the U.S. continue to await SIV processing. "FAMIL has made real progress with the Trump administration in addressing the SIV backlog that left thousands of NSU veterans in limbo for years after their relocation under the Biden administration," Bakshi told Reason in an email.* She explained that "while the current immigration pause puts some of these families at risk of losing jobs, homes, and the ability to provide for their loved ones due to expired documentation, we remain engaged with the administration and key Congressional partners and are hopeful processing will resume with the highest vetting standards in place." No One Left Behind continues to assist SIV applicants overseas who are impacted by the processing pause, who Sullivan says are now "facing crushing uncertainty." He explained that our allies "worked by or on behalf of America, many of them in highly sensitive roles supporting intelligence, defense, and diplomatic missions." As a result, "SIV-eligible Afghans face a credible fear of being abused, tortured, or killed should they be returned to Afghanistanfor Afghans seeking refuge in Pakistan, the risk is further elevated given Pakistan's deportation campaign." Indeed, Pakistan sent back nearly one million Afghan refugees to their homeland between March and December 2025. These numbers include U.S. allies who once received letters of protection from the U.S. government to bar their deportation. With those letters now expired and no further protections granted, Afghans who worked with the U.S. government now worry daily that they will be sent back to the Taliban, whose reprisal campaign continues. Sullivan's organization is continuing to help applicants in Pakistan "through life support, housing, Pakistani visa assistance, and other general sustainment services." He added that "although SIV-eligible Afghans have earned their place in America, given the pause to U.S. visa processing, a brutal Pakistani crackdown on Afghans, and the extreme risk of reprisal from the Taliban, moving some of the most at-risk Afghan allies to third countries makes sense at this time." Given these circumstances, "No One Left Behind will support evacuation and resettlement to other third countries." The Personal Toll of the SIV Pause Four Afghan SIV applicants who were awaiting SIV processing in Pakistan spoke to Reason on condition of anonymity about the toll that the pause and fear of deportation have taken on their lives. Advertisement Advertisement "Farhan" worked as an interpreter and administrative assistant for five years, ending his employment only when the Taliban took control of the country. After two of his colleagues were killed, Farhan went into hiding, burning all his equipment and uniforms to remain safe during the Taliban's house-to-house searches. He moved to Pakistan after achieving COM approval, and had been waiting for his final SIV interview for nine months when processing paused. With his Pakistan visa expired, the deportation campaign targeting Afghans in Pakistan escalating, and no hope of being processed, he fears for the future of his family, who are "prisoners in [their] own home." For five years, "Parwiz" worked as a transportation officer around construction project sites in areas of Taliban influence. After waiting four "long, agonizing years" to receive COM approval, he sold all his belongings to move to Pakistan to await SIV processing with his family. With expired visas, an "overwhelming" financial burden, and an "immense" psychological toll on his anxious family, Parwiz said that the pause has "devastated [his] spirit." "Samad" worked for 10 years on U.S. contracts that gave him authority to personally vet employees to protect Americans from insider threats. As a member of two Afghan minorities and the father of three daughters "who have no future if forced back to Afghanistan," Samad fears for his family's future. Advertisement Advertisement Samad was particularly far into the SIV program, stuck in "ready" status with his visa approved and the U.S. Embassy holding his physical passports until the time his visa would be issued. Samad's final hope is a national interest exemption his lawyer is filing, arguing that Samad's cybersecurity and vetting skills would make him an asset to the United States. With two of his SIV colleagues deported from Pakistan in the first week of February, Samad feels his family is "running out of time" as the system "suddenly turned its back on us." Samad says that his wife and four children "are the reason [he is] living," and that he will "do anything to protect them." "Aziz," a former interpreter who worked with the United States for five years over two different periods, was medically cleared and interviewed in Pakistan for his SIV in 2022. After being asked to update his forms three years later, he was interviewed and medically cleared a second time in 2025. Aziz said that following the pause on processing, his case has nonetheless been put in "Refused" status. After spending years "stranded in Pakistan" and unable to safely return to his homeland, Aziz says that there is "no explanation, timeline, or resolution" to the uncertainty he faces. A source familiar with SIV processing told Reason that Aziz's refusal is likely linked with the processing pause, as all SIV applicants are now receiving refusals as their visas are being adjudicated. If processing were to commence once more, the source believes, Aziz's and other applicants' processing would likely resume with no prejudice. The Wider Impact SIV applicants are not the only Afghans impacted by the administration's recent actions targeting Afghan allies. About 85,000 Afghans in the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP) continue to be impacted by a suspension of the USRAP mandated by executive order on January 20, 2025. The removal of temporary protected status for Afghans has put Afghans in the U.S. in precarious legal standing, as has the revocation of parole for those who crossed the border using the CBP One App under the Biden administration. Advertisement Advertisement Following November 26, the Trump administration expanded its previous travel ban and announced its intention to reexamine the cases of Afghans who had been resettled under the Biden administration. In early January, the State Department announced that by March 31 it would close Camp As-Sayliyah (CAS), a facility in Qatar where about 1,100 Afghans have been waiting to be processed for the USRAP and SIV program. Though the State Department says it will relocate resident Afghans to a third country, it has yet to announce what country they will be sent to. The State Department did not respond to questions about SIV program adjudication or plans for relocating Afghans at CAS. *CORRECTION: Bakshi was misgendered in the article as originally posted. The post Special Immigrant Visa Program Needs Resuscitation, but it's Not Dead Yet appeared first on Reason.com. The Millbury police officer who was wounded in an exchange of gunfire at a standoff in Spencer has been released from the hospital. A second person who was shot during a chaotic series of events, Sean Scannell, 29, remains in a hospital, his family reporting "steady and encouraging progress." Millbury police Sgt. Keith Gasco, 37, who was shot multiple times, is continuing his recovery at home after leaving the hospital, Millbury Police Chief Brian Lewos said Wednesday, Feb. 11. Advertisement Advertisement Gasco was a member of a regional tactical unit that was summoned to the Spencer Fair Shopping Center Feb. 3. A suspect in an earlier shooting, about a mile away, had barricaded himself in the bathroom area of a Family Dollar store. After Gasco and other officers entered the store, the armed suspect, Patrick Madison, fired at the officers, striking Gasco. Madison was then shot to death, according to authorities. "There is no time frame on when he will be able to return to work," the chief said of Gasco in an email to the Telegram & Gazette. More: Central Mass. police have seen unusual run of traumatic events in early 2026 Sean Scannell Scannell received significant facial and jaw injuries when he was shot at his apartment house, 20 Main St., Spencer, in the late afternoon of Feb. 3. The gunman was identified by authorities as Madison, a neighbor. A motive for the confrontation has not been shared by authorities or family. Advertisement Advertisement After shooting Scannell, Madison bolted toward the shopping plaza, confronting police before eventually making his way to the Family Dollar store. A family rallies At the hospital, Scannell's family has been a steady presence. A breathing tube limits his communication, something he counters with an occasional thumbs up, his brother, Michael Scannell, said in a statement to the T&G. He enjoys having people read to him, his brother said. On Monday, Feb. 9, Julie (Hoyt) Scannell, Michael's wife, wrote about her brother-in-law's progress on a GoFundMe page set up soon after the shooting. "He underwent the previously mentioned surgery over the weekend," she wrote. "He did well and the doctors were able to clean out and repair much of his lower jaw, maxilla, and around his nasal cavities. They were unable to remove all of the fragments due to their close proximity to a nerve and he is still in the ICU. However, the team is optimistic that once the swelling decreases they will be able to remove his breathing tube." Advertisement Advertisement Joyce noted the admiration she has for Sean, saying he is someone who lifts people by telling them how great they are. "He is the type of person who asks you how youre doing and actually wants the honest answer," she wrote. This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: Standoff victims: Sgt. Gasco out of hospital; long recovery for Sean Scannell IHG Hotels & Resorts has entered a franchise agreement for Garner Bhiwadi, marking the brand's introduction into Indias National Capital Region. The 45-room hotel is expected to open in 2027. Modest Structures is developing the property while United Hospitality Management will manage it. This agreement represents the fourth Garner signing in India shortly after the brand's regional launch, highlighting IHG's aim to meet the rising demand for dependable hospitality in rapidly expanding commercial areas. IHG Hotels & Resorts South West Asia managing director Sudeep Jain said: The momentum behind Garner in India reflects a strong strategic fit between the brand and the needs of both developers and travellers. In a high-demand industrial market like Bhiwadi, Garners efficient model enables partners to quickly scale hospitality offerings that combine reliability with a strong return profile. Garner is part of IHG's midscale segment and offers affordable, quality accommodation. It aims to provide a relaxed and flexible experience. The upcoming hotel will have modern rooms designed for both short and extended visits, equipped with amenities suited for busy travellers. Modest Structures director VD Shankaran said: Partnering with IHG and United Hospitality Management to introduce Garner in Bhiwadi aligns perfectly with our vision of creating high-quality, accessible hospitality assets in a commercially vibrant market. We are confident that with IHGs brand strength and United Hospitality Managements proven management capabilities, Garner Bhiwadi will become the preferred choice for business travellers visiting the region, delivering both guest satisfaction and owner value. Garner's expansion within India underscores IHG's focus on capitalising on growth opportunities in the countrys emerging tier-two and industrial cities. Earlier this month, IHG entered a management agreement with Rajdeep Infra & Sales to establish a new hotel in Lucknow, India, under the voco brand. "IHG signs franchise agreement for Garner Bhiwadi in India" was originally created and published by Hotel Management Network, a GlobalData owned brand. Arizona has moved to limit a Saudi-owned alfalfa farm and other megafarms from essentially exporting water to their countries via crop growth, leaving local wells dry. What's happening? In 2015, the Center for Investigative Reporting warned that Saudi Arabia's agricultural industry was on the verge of collapse. A kingdom that was once a top exporter of wheat saw its ancient aquifers drying up. The following year, it ended domestic wheat production at scale. With its aquifers not expected to refill naturally for tens of thousands of years, Saudi Arabia began seeking solutions elsewhere, according to the investigation. Advertisement Advertisement Its largest dairy company, Almarai, purchased 9,600 acres in Arizona and began growing hay to feed its livestock. While Saudi Arabia could better support its needs back home, Arizona residents saw troublesome effects. As The Cool Down previously covered, the Copper Courier reported that years of corporate groundwater overextraction, including from megafarms like Saudi Arabia's, has caused some properties to sink by at least three feet. Residents also say their wells have begun to run dry, as detailed by Mother Jones. Why is this important? As air pollution traps heat in the atmosphere, more frequent extreme weather events like droughts are exacerbating water scarcity in Arizona and elsewhere. In January, the UNU Institute for Water, Environment and Health warned that "episodes that once looked like temporary shocks are becoming chronic in many places," leading to "water bankruptcy." The jostle for resources across international borders, as the Center for Investigative Reporting examined in its Emmy-winning documentary, The Grab, has real consequences for local people. In Arizona, outcry for policy reform to protect the region's groundwater has grown. What's being done about this? After The Grab debuted in 2022, raising awareness about domestic water management, Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs canceled several of the Saudi farm's contracts on state land, according to Mother Jones. In January's State of the State address, Hobbs announced the formation of a new "active management area" in La Paz County, where Saudi Arabia's alfalfa farm is located. Advertisement Advertisement "This new AMA will help protect local water supplies while giving residents living in the basin a say over their water future," Hobbs said. "We can no longer sit idly by while our rural communities go without help. They deserve solutions and security." As Mother Jones detailed, designating an area as an AMA won't reduce water extraction from megafarms in the short term. However, it will limit the existing operations and expansion. "This is huge," La Paz County supervisor Holly Irwin said. "It prevents any future companies from being able to purchase land and come here to extract water." Get TCD's free newsletters for easy tips to save more, waste less, and make smarter choices and earn up to $5,000 toward clean upgrades in TCD's exclusive Rewards Club. State Police are offering a $5,000 reward for tips in a 2021 cold-case murder in Lebanon County. Investigators with Troop L in Jonestown are continuing efforts to solve the murder of 35-year-old Zachary Scott Lauderman, who was found dead in his Bethel Township home on the afternoon of Sept. 10, 2021. Lauderman had been shot twice in the head, according to State Police. Lauderman's obituary said he was a truck driver who founded Lauderman & Derr Trucking. An avid outdoorsman, he graduated from Lebanon High School in 2004. Advertisement Advertisement Anyone with information about the case is encouraged to contact State Police in Jonestown at (717) 865-2194, PSP Tips at (800) 472-8477, or submit their information online. All callers to PSP Tips could be eligible for a cash reward for information that leads to an arrest, the solving of a crime/cold case or the location of a wanted person/fugitive or missing person. All unsolved cases have a reward offered for information that solves the case. Tip money is not paid by taxpayers. Nearly 90,000 tech support tickets handled; 52,697 vendor invoices processed; 4,559 PCs freshly configured; and four pay cycles processed for more than 15,000 state employees. 2025 was a busy year for the states IT department, formally known as the Division of Enterprise Technology Strategy and Services (ETSS), a subunit of the Rhode Island Department of Administration. The work performed with our state agency partners in 2025 is unprecedented, Chief Digital Officer Brian Tardiff writes in his introduction to the agencys 64-page annual report submitted to the legislature on Jan. 30. Advertisement Advertisement The report, covering the calendar year ending Dec. 31, 2025, was uploaded for public viewing Monday. The technology offices unusually busy year saw the successful completion of 114 projects, according to the report. In 2024, the agency reported only 46 projects completed at years end. That meant the agency also closed out 2025 with fewer active projects 87 in all compared to over 100 last year. Overall, the agency says it processed 316 items on its to-do list in 2025 more than double the 154 reported in 2024. The heavy lifting was partially thanks to two high-profile sagas that threw the often unsung agency into the public spotlight: the RIBridges breach of late 2024, which stretched into the new year, and the conclusion of a multiyear rollout of the states new payroll system. Advertisement Advertisement The new system is known by the shorthand of ERP, or Enterprise Resource Planning, a common nickname for large-scale IT deployments often pursued by state governments and businesses whose aging systems need a refresh. The new system replaced Rhode Islands old mainframe-based payroll a system supplemented by spreadsheets and paperwork for a new structure based on software made by Workday to process state employee paychecks and benefits. While Workday makes the software platform, another state vendor, Accenture, helps the state to configure and run the system. The ERPs finance portion went live in July 2025, and its Human Capital Management and payroll modules followed in November 2025. The report admits there are still some kinks to be worked out, noting that ERP is currently in hyper care support with implementation partner Accenture through March 2026. The term hyper care is defined as the stabilization period for a software system after it rolls out. That means the vendor and states internal project team are supposed to closely watch bugs, train users and resolve problems that real users encounter. The report adds that a customer care call center was established for payroll-related questions. While the report does not cite recent incidents, the erroneous State of Rhode Island Umbrella Company paychecks that went out to state employees is one example state workers issue with the rollout. The report noted the cyber incident involving RIBridges was resolved by Spring 2025. A factor which may have played a role in the breach was how the system handled incident logs. The states legacy security information and event management platform which is a piece of software meant to aggregate varieties of logs and alerts was replaced with a more modern software called Splunk in 2025. The RIBridges system also upgraded its firewall and VPN. Advertisement Advertisement The system only saw 364 problem tickets submitted during 2025, and, despite the breach-related issues, RIBridges still managed to dispense $461 million in public benefits last year. RIBridges also received three new server racks in the state data center in 2025. At a May 2025 Senate committee hearing, Tardiff expressed the desire for the agency to move away slightly from contractors and vendor labor. His agency still reported $154.16 million for total contract value in 2025, but it also negotiated about $5.32 million in savings from its vendors. Also included as an appendix in the report is a brief inventory of state government applications where the state says AI features are enabled. While the recommendations in a recent report by the states AI task force chose not to endorse any specific solutions or software, the IT department notes that it is guiding Rhode Island state government through its considerations of open and closed AI systems, as well as the appropriate use-cases for AI deployments within the IT portfolio. IT officials have started to inventory vendors capabilities for AI, and a working group within the agency is examining how AI can be brought into state government on a large scale. The agency expects some of these projects to begin around the end of the first quarter in 2026. Advertisement Advertisement As for the AI features currently listed as turned on, the report lists a DMV chatbot and a Vendor Cannabis Seed-to- Sale Tracking System for the Office of Cannabis Regulation. Another appendix in the report containing active projects within the IT department mentions that tech officials are in the process of deploying Microsoft CoPilot Chat across executive agencies. CoPilot is a common enterprise AI offering based on OpenAIs large language models, the same company and technology that power ChatGPT. The report says this project does not involve any additional costs. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Feb. 10BEMIDJI A key factor in disaster response is preparation. On the weekend of Feb. 7-8, over 50 youth from across the state of Minnesota prepared for various disasters as part of Building Leadership and Understanding often shortened to BLU at the Concordia Language Villages. A statewide leadership conference offered through 4-H, BLU aims to engage youth in developing their leadership skills, build connections with other youth and participate in service projects focused on a specific theme all facilitated by 4-H state ambassadors. Advertisement Advertisement "We're focusing on conflict and failure as leadership skills," State Ambassador Coordinator Meg Clark said, "and then we're focusing our service theme on disaster relief and preparedness." BLU serves as a regional workshop throughout February, with five sessions taking place around the state. Given this year's theme, the Salolampi Finnish Language Village was the site of several disaster-related scenarios and activities. At one point in the weekend, youth rotated between stations where they made tie-blankets to donate to local shelters and senior living facilities, practiced make-believe 9-1-1 calls as caller and dispatcher, wrote letters of gratitude to local EMS and constructed first aid kits. Students also took part in a "minefield" scenario, working in pairs where one member is blindfolded and is led and guided by their partner through an obstacle course to rescue "survivors," which were stuffed animals, without stepping on a "mine," made of red construction paper. Advertisement Advertisement Youth also discussed different disaster scenarios and ranked 10 items they would bring with them to manage their respective disaster, such as flooding or an earthquake. All activities were a labor of love for the state ambassadors, Clark said. "They got together in the fall and started planning this event," she said. "They pick the theme, they pick the activities and they're the ones creating the lessons. ... It's for youth, by youth." Clark noted BLU's impact on all students involved, particularly the ambassadors, who garner greater leadership experience, public speaking skills and teamwork abilities. Being a state ambassador is considered one of 4-H's highest honors. Advertisement Advertisement Representing Hubbard County, Makenzie Mack sought to become an ambassador after her experiences at previous BLU workshops, as well as other 4-H-affiliated leadership programs like YELLO Youth Exploring Leadership and Learning Opportunities. Much like her own leadership journey, Mack noted the growth in her peers' leadership ability and confidence as a result of their BLU experience. "Seeing all of the state ambassadors get up in front of the group (at past BLUs) ... that really motivated me. It's something I've always dreamed of doing since I was a little kid, being an ambassador," Mack reminisced. "Watching all these kids interact with each other, getting to grow as leaders and seeing them change from the moment they walk through the door has been really cool." Advertisement Advertisement As a junior, Mack is ping-ponging between a future career in computer science or animal science. She credits her 4-H involvement with exposing her to different career paths and interests she didn't have before. "As a little kid, I had decided to be a farmer," she said, "but (4-H) opened me up to so many different careers. It wasn't until last year that I discovered so much more than what I had known growing up in a small town." State ambassador Sydney Ogren echoed similar sentiments, having participated in 4-H since kindergarten. Originally from Anoka County, the college freshman currently attends Bemidji State University for nursing, and found it important to finish her 4-H career on a high note. "I wanted to be an ambassador so that I could give back, and also be more involved in my final year as a 4-Her," Ogren said. "One of my favorite parts is watching the other ambassadors, seeing how they grow and how they leave their comfort zones." Advertisement Advertisement Ogren hopes that the youth involved learned something new at BLU alongside their other 4-H-related excursions, with opportunities abounding. "I've been a camp counselor, I've done shooting sports, I've done sewing, I've danced on stage," Ogren left off. "There are endless opportunities in networking, and it's a really good, inclusive community." More information on BLU and 4-H can be found on the University of Minnesota Extension website. Immigration advocates are using a billboard on a well-traveled highway in Connecticut to remind U.S. immigrants of their rights. The message is being displayed continuously cycled on the electric billboard along Interstate 95 in New Haven near Tweed New Haven Airport. The billboard says in Spanish Conoce Tus Derechos, which translates to Know Your Rights, as well as Stay Silent, Dont Sign and Call a Lawyer in both England and Spanish. The billboard also lists a website to download a Know Your Rights card and provides resources from the National Immigration Law Center. The billboard was funded by AvGeek Action Alliance, which is headed by Seth Miller, a state representative in New Hampshire. Miller is also an independent aviation journalist. He said the new billboard, which went up on Feb. 4 and will run through next month, is for immigrants to understand their rights and that things arent necessarily as they have been presented to them by the government. Advertisement Advertisement This billboard is about helping people who are in the area to understand that despite the behavior of the Department of Homeland Security and ICE (U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement), they do have rights, Miller said. The law still does exist. They should not be forced to sign documents especially given that so many are falsely being presented. It means one thing and it does another. They do have the right to remain silent, Miller said. They do have the right to an attorney. So in this case we picked a bilingual approach Spanish and English because again so many of the people are natively Spanish speakers and are confused about the situation. Carolina Bortolleto, a volunteer with Danbury Unites for Immigrants, said the billboard will be helpful to immigrants in multiple ways. We are living in a time where immigrant families are living in fear, Bortolleto said. They see ICE presence in the streets, on the news. Its important for folks to know their rights. The billboard is a public display to show them that they are not alone in Connecticut. Its a reminder that there are people around that care about immigrants. Advertisement Advertisement In Connecticut, we have seen people who have people who have had a family member detained by ICE, she added. They have been reaching out for support and not knowing what to do. We have been hosting a lot of know your rights training sessions for them to know what their rights are if ICE comes to their house. We let them know what to do if ICE stops you on the street or in your car. As an immigrant, you still have rights. ICE will not always respect your rights, but we help them know how to exercise their rights. Bortolleto said she was troubled by the ICE raids of Connecticut car washes last year in Southington and Hamden. The billboard is a public reminder to people that here in Connecticut we want our neighbors to feel safe, she said. We know people are living in fear. Im an immigrant myself. Its easy to think that no one cares about you in the community. One of the most powerful things people can do is to show their support that they want immigrant families to feel safe. The Know Your Rights billboard has replaced the billboard campaigning against Avelo Airlines. The campaign boycotting the airline was shown from April 2025 to January 2026 before the airline halted deportation flights in early January. Miller said the billboard was paid for with the assistance of Indivisible groups. One of Avelos major hubs is in New Haven. Advertisement Advertisement Avelo, a commercial airline, was running deportation flights in addition to their regular service, Miller said. Theres been some other groups that reached out and raised some additional money for a second round that started in December and then Avelo finally announced last month that they were going to halt their participation in those flights. I had already contracted the billboards through the end of March. It was time for a change. I reached out to some different (immigrant advocate) groups in the area, and I was put in touch with Connecticut Shoreline Indivisible, he said. Miller said he main reason for the Avelo billboard was to provide awareness to deportation flights. People didnt know about it, Miller said. Awareness is a big challenge, and I raised money and contracted the billboard last year. Within four days we had a cease-and-desist letter from Avelos attorneys that I had infringed on their trademarks and copyrights. It kicked off a legal battle which remains ongoing and I have a court hearing in April even though they have decided to stop operating the flights and as a result I no longer have a billboard. Miller said he hopes the new billboard will have the same type of impact. The affidavit that led to the FBI raid on the Fulton County elections hub is now unsealed. According to the documents, the FBI was told to investigate a discrepancy in the vote counts reported by Fulton County election officials, with the warrant alleging that there were missing ballot images from the 2020 election records. The documents were seized by the U.S. Department of Justice on Jan. 28. The FBI sent agents to Fulton County election offices, and they seized ballots and election-related documents from the 2020 presidential race. Advertisement Advertisement Fulton County Commission Chair Robb Pitts pointed out theres nothing new in the affidavit for that search warrant, just a rehash of information thats been out for years. The county is working to get those 700 boxes of 2020 ballots back. Bodycam video captured the moment the FBI used a search warrant to raid the elections hub and seize 700 boxes of 2020 ballots and voter information. A federal judge ordered the Justice Department to unseal the affidavit, which details the basis for the warrant. The warrant didnt contain any new information - it simply referred to information surrounding Fulton County elections for six years, including how it admitted it found some double-scanned ballots but not nearly enough to affect that election. Advertisement Advertisement In a late afternoon news conference, Pitts said the warrant was just rehashed conspiracy theories. Any honest review going forward will also be clean. These accusations have already been debunked, but here we go again on a merry go round, he said. Georgia State legal professor Clark Cunningham, who teaches the law of search and seizure, examined the warrant. Ive never seen an affidavit filed by an FBI agent that looked like this affidavit. Its a very, very strange affidavit, he said. He says the affidavit simply is an FBI agent repeating information already out in the public and says it appears on the surface to be politically motivated. Advertisement Advertisement Theres no indication that this FBI agent has done his own investigation or anybody else has done their own investigation. Its just a long list of statements from other people who are all, I think, pretty well known in the election conspiracy world to have made these statements before, Cunningham said. In a statement, Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger said instead of wasting time and tax dollars trying to change the past with baseless and repackaged claims, lets focus on building a safer more affordable future. In 1974, I was covering the Troubles in Northern Ireland. The Irish Republican Army was fighting against the British occupation of Ulster (Belfast) meant to hold the violence down. Patrols of uniformed British troops walked the streets, entered shops and sent young protestors to internment centers. One of the leaders of the IRAs political arm thought I needed some experience in real Irish culture to round out my story. There must have been 400 people crowded into a community facility. The smoke was heavy and the music rollicking as only Irish flutes, drums and whistles can produce. The crowd was obviously enjoying a respite from the troubles. Lets call it a weekend blowout with an Irish accent. Advertisement Advertisement Suddenly, the music stopped cold. All eyes turned toward the back. A British patrol was slowly walking through the crowd, arrogance displayed in their eyes and manner as if challenging the crowd to make a move on them. It was occupier versus home guard. It took a few moments until the crowd erupted in shouts against the Brits, knowing they couldnt arrest everyone. Some were standing yelling, Get out, British pigs! I felt the deep hatred of a thousand years boiling up like fountains of bile. I didnt have that feeling again for 50 years, until the citizens of Minneapolis stood face to face with their own occupying force, a federal army sent to patrol the streets and enter the day care centers and stores and high schools and even churches on the suspicion there might be an undocumented immigration there. At least that was the excuse for sending federal troops into an American city. The stated truth for their mission was closer to a personal payback against the state of Minnesota for not voting for Donald J. Trump for president. Advertisement Advertisement The incidents are bone chilling. One militia mob held a 5-year-old preschooler outside a residence as leverage to force the father to come protect his child and then be arrested. Children were left in cars as their mothers, picking them up from school, were taken away. The images include ICE officers smashing car windows, then opening the car door and dragging the driver into the snow. One officer reaches in to cut the seat belt while a mob of them puts the driver on the ground. In this case, the driver is a woman screaming: Im pregnant going to the doctor. She left a child in the car. An officer is shouting: Where were you born? If it was not the United States, she could be thrown into a van and transported to a detention center. The observers press and citizen volunteers lost track of what happened to her because they have no access to the Homeland Security data. Advertisement Advertisement The siege of Minneapolis differed from the Irish Troubles in one important respect. Day after day, each scenario was recorded on a device in the hands of every observing citizen. The camera in a mobile phone records footage that is unfiltered, unedited and therefore quite truthful. Law enforcement officers had been expected to wear a body cam to record every move they made in an arrest. They did it to protect themselves and as proof their actions are seen as legal. But when a phone camera is in the hands of third parties, the effect is also illuminating often more so. These videos record actions from the point of contact and becomes a record of the origin of an event, something television news crews are rarely able to do since they cant be everywhere at once. Phone videos became the ultimate evidence of truth. It was just the beginning. An impromptu documentary by citizen protesters followed every move of ICE, the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency. The first thing I do in the morning is scroll my Instagram feed for the latest scrum showing burly ICE officers, surrounding a city resident to apply zip ties or spraying chemicals into protesters faces. Advertisement Advertisement The phones follow the masked, helmeted, and armed federal militia walking into hospitals and schools hunting individuals on a list. Even pedestrians who spoke with an accent were challenged to prove their citizenship. The targets were mostly Hispanic. It became so frustrating for the ICE officers that the Department of Homeland Security subpoenaed the Minnesota governor, attorney general, Minneapolis mayor and three others for interfering with federal authorities. The phones some call them a new set of eyes reached a summit on Jan. 7, when several people recorded ICE officer Jonathan Ross shooting and killing 37-year-old Renee Goode as she attempted to drive through a traffic stop. The shooter was not wearing a body cam but was holding his personal phone, recording as he walked around Goodes SUV. He captured an almost a 360-degree sweep until he reached the front of her car. At that point, his camera was either dropped or hit the front of the vehicle and stopped recording. Goode began pulling away slowly, and several cameras recorded Ross pulling his weapon out of its holster and firing three shots into the drivers side of the SUV. Goode was killed by two shots to the chest. Advertisement Advertisement In this case, the phone camera showed everything except the apparent contact between Ross and the car. He said it hit him. Homeland Security and President Donald Trump jumped on the opportunity to claim that Goode was a paid agitator or observer who was trying to get away. Videos of the confrontation spread across the country so the public could judge for themselves. The ensuing firestorm of controversy pitted the official explanation by the Justice Department and FBI against the public, who watched various phone videos play back again and again. After the killing, officials called for anyone who might have taken a phone video to turn it over to police. Such videos have become that important as evidence. The video sparked demonstrations across the United States. It has given the public an interpretation closer to the truth than the official explanation of the federal government. Truth is in the balance and will likely turn on the best evidence available from cellphones. Advertisement Advertisement On Jan. 23, I turned on the television set to see a fullscreen image of a 5-year-old boy, Liam Conejo Ramos, standing outside his home in Minneapolis getting ready to be loaded into an SUV by border patrol officials. The headline in the Guardian read: What images of a detained five year old boy reveal about Trumps draconian crackdown. The government spin on a news release characterized it this way: Parents hid behind their five-year-old child so they could run away. Once again, a mobile phone visual carried nationwide struck at the heart of a vicious federal operation. I was going to end my story at this point, but soon after an even worse example took over the headlines and inspired mass demonstrations across the country. Alex Pretti, a U.S. citizen who worked as a nurse in the Veterans Administration hospital in Minneapolis, was using his cellphone to film ICE officers in the street. When one of them pushed a woman to the ground, Pretti tried to help her, still holding his phone in his left hand. Six ICE officers threw him to the ground and were wrestling him when a shot was heard, then another from an officer firing at point blank range into Prettis body. The others pulled back, as if startled, while the officer fired 10 shots into Prettis body. Advertisement Advertisement The official government explanation was that Pretti was a domestic terrorist and was brandishing a pistol with intent to massacre ICE officers. Pretti was carrying a pistol, legally licensed in Minnesota, but he did not touch it during his struggle. The incident was captured from several angles by nearby protestors, and once again those videos contradicted the government account. The truth was obvious to the thousands of protestors who braved near-zero temperatures to make their objections known. They had seen the mobile phone video as the truth. Bill Kurtis is the president of Kurtis Productions and official judge and scorekeeper for NPRs Wait Wait Dont Tell Me! He lives in Chicago with his wife, Donna. 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. High school students from Springfield and five rural schools attended the Youth Empowerment Project Conference 2026 on Feb. 4. The event, presented by the Community Foundation of the Ozarks, brought together about 90 students at Drury University's Findlay Student Center Ballroom, according to a community announcement. Springfield Public Schools Superintendent Grenita Lathan delivered the keynote address, encouraging students to find moments to practice empathetic leadership. Advertisement Advertisement According to the announcement, Lathan said, Your voice doesnt have to be perfect to be powerful, and it doesnt have to be loud to be heard. Leadership is how you treat people when no one is watching. Grenita Lathan, superintendent of Springfield Public Schools, encouraged attendees of the CFOs Youth Empowerment Project Conference to find small opportunities for leadership. Students toured Drury's campus and participated in presentations and a panel discussion about community impact and leadership lessons they learned through their experience with YEP. The students were from Springfield, Gainesville and Aurora. Nia Howard and Bailey Pyle of Centerstone led the final session called "Be Well," focusing on brain health and healthy practices for dealing with the unique stressors of adolescent life. According to the announcement, the YEP program teaches high school and middle school students the tenets of philanthropy through grantmaking, volunteering, education and fundraising. The program currently engages students in 10 regional chapters and one for Springfields high schools. Advertisement Advertisement The Community Foundation of the Ozarks is the regions largest public charitable foundation. It serves donors, nonprofit partners and 55 regional affiliate foundations with $549 million in assets under management as of June 30, 2025. Its mission is to improve the quality of life for everyone in central and southern Missouri through resource development, community grantmaking, collaboration and public leadership, according to the announcement. This story was created by Janis Reeser, jreeser@usatodayco.com with the assistance of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Journalists were involved in every step of the information gathering, review, editing and publishing process. Learn more at https://cm.usatoday.com/ethical-conduct/. This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: Springfield students gather for Youth Empowerment Project Conference A popular sandwich shop is coming to Warner Robins just south of the yet-to-open Red Owl Coffee Company off South Houston Lake Road. Jimmy Johns is known for a variety of sub sandwiches made with fresh-baked bread, hand-sliced meats and fresh veggies. Im obviously excited about going to Warner Robins and being able to serve more people in the Middle Georgia area, said William Amos, who owns and operates multiple Jimmy Johns in Middle Georgia, including in Macon. Advertisement Advertisement We think our product is unique in that we slice everything our veggies fresh, our meat fresh every day, and prep it to serve so that we can get it to you fast We think the speed at which we are able to serve you by doing all the work ahead of time really sets us apart, Amos said. The new Warner Robins location is targeted to open in the third quarter of this year, said Amos, who makes his home in Perry with his wife Alex, a special education teacher at David Perdue Primary, their infant son, John Murray Amos, who was born Jan. 1, and their dog, Sanford. Whats for dinner? The most popular Jimmy Johns sandwiches, according to Amos, include the #9 Italian Night Club with salami, capocollo, ham, provolone, onion, oil and vinegar, oregano-basil, mayonnaise, tomato and lettuce. Another popular choice is the #4 Turkey Tom with turkey, mayonnaise, lettuce and tomato. Advertisement Advertisement While subs are their specialty, sandwiches can also be made on square wheat bread, a tortilla wrap, or an unwich which is a lettuce wrap, he said. Sides include a variety of Jimmy Johns chips, homestyle potato salad, pesto bowtie pasta salad and pickles, according to the menu. Desserts include a fudge chocolate chip brownie and chocolate chip and oatmeal raisin cookies. Jimmy Johns also offers catering, with the most popular option being the boxed lunch that includes sandwich, chip, cookie, and pickle spear, according to Amos. The first Jimmy Johns in Middle Georgia with a drive-thru opened Oct. 28 in Byron, said franchise owner William Amos. Amos expects to open another Jimmy Johns in Warner Robins in the Third Quarter of this year. From an accounting job to owning franchise restaurants The new Warner Robins location is expected to have dine-in seating, a drive-thru, possible patio seating and its own delivery service, said Amos, who left an accounting position to own and operate Jimmy Johns franchise restaurants in 2022. Advertisement Advertisement Amos started with purchasing Jimmy Johns restaurants in Macon at 781 Spring St., Suite 102, and 4650 Forsyth Road, Suite 155, in August 2022. Hes also since purchased locations in Tifton, Valdosta and Thomasville. Additionally, Amos, who holds a bachelors degree in business administration from the University of Georgia, sold his Woodstock location to consolidate operations in Middle Georgia. His company is called Middle Georgia Subs. In late October, Amos opened the first Jimmy Johns in Middle Georgia to offer drive-thru service in Byron at 408 North Ga. 49 in a new multi-unit, 3,500-square-foot-plus building. Jimmy Johns is located on the east side of the building in a 1,500-square-foot suite. The new 1,500-square-foot Warner Robins restaurant will be similar expected to be located in a suite of a to-be-constructed, 5,000-square-foot building that original site plans called for the development of a seafood restaurant. Advertisement Advertisement Revised plans for the site have not yet been submitted to the city of Warner Robins by local developer Allen Shackelford, who shared that weve rearranged the puzzle a little in a text. No word yet on the opening of the new Red Owl Coffee Company at 1272 South Houston Lake Road in Warner Robins. The site is anchored by a new Red Owl Coffee Company coming soon at 1272 South Houston Lake Road. No word yet on an opening date. Known for its in-house roasted coffee beans, Red Owl Coffee Company offers daily brews, signature coffee drinks, frappe, teas, smoothies, milkshakes and energy drinks. Food choices include breakfast and lunch sandwiches, bagels, muffins and more, according to the menu. The first Red Owl Coffee Company in Middle Georgia opened in September 2023. WARSAW, N.Y. (WROC) Many community members in Warsaw are seeking answers from district officials as the investigation involving student misconduct remains ongoing. Deanna Johnson Myers graduated from Warsaw in 2022 and explained that this isnt the first time an investigation like this has happened. I was disappointed in the fact that it was minimized, Myers said. It was sexual assault, and it needs to be addressed as that. Advertisement Advertisement Myers told News 8 she knows the victim personally and wants to see the district seek justice for him. People are saying that this is what boys do, but thats not what boys do, Myers said. Boys dont hold another boy down and proceed to do something against their will. Myers alleges that student bystanders took videos of the incident taking place and then posted them on social media. This cant happen and its not going to be tolerated, Myers said. Because of the severity of the accusations, Myers and many others were hopeful the Warsaw Board of Education would discuss the investigation during their regularly scheduled meeting on Tuesday. Myers is frustrated that it was not brought up by elected officials. Advertisement Advertisement I would have thought at least a teacher, principal or someone else would have spoken up about the situation to let all the concerned parents know that something is being done and we dont need to worry, Myers said. Multiple other community members wanted to speak about the investigation during Tuesdays meeting but were unable to register as the deadline to do so had already passed when the district announced the investigation on their Facebook page. Myers said she will continue to search for answers. We want to know what is being done for the victim, whats being done about the people who did this to him and how everyone involved is being held accountable, Myers said. Advertisement Advertisement Warsaw Superintendent Dr. Michael Irizarry and the Board of Education declined to provide additional comment on the investigation during Tuesdays meeting and deferred to their original statement: The District recently received reports concerning a matter involving a number of students in the Middle/High School. The District takes any allegations involving student safety and security seriously and immediately requested outside counsel to investigate these reports. As this is an ongoing matter involving students, the District cannot comment further at this time. However, the District is moving swiftly with the investigation and will take any appropriate action after its conclusion. Warsaw Central School District Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. By Arpan Chaturvedi NEW DELHI, Feb 11 (Reuters) - An Indian court has sentenced a journalist to one year in jail for some of his social media posts on the Adani Group, saying they were unverified, defamatory and portrayed the group in a disreputable light. Adani Enterprises, led by billionaire Gautam Adani, filed the case in 2021 against India journalist Ravi Nair in a district court in Gujarat, accusing him of making statements suggesting "political patronage... financial irregularities and unethical conduct", according to a Tuesday court order seen by Reuters. "No documentary material, official record, or verified data has been produced to substantiate the serious allegations made against the complainant company," the court said in its order. Nair told Reuters he will appeal the conviction but declined to comment further. The Adani group did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment. Nair's lawyer argued the posts were based on publicly available material and constitute fair comment and criticism, the court order noted. India is among those countries where criminal defamation is still part of the legal system and carries a maximum jail term of two years. The law has previously faced opposition from lawyers, journalists and activists, including an unsuccessful legal challenge before India's top court in 2016. Press freedom group Committee to Protect Journalists said it was "deeply concerned" with the verdict. "We are closely monitoring the situation," it said on X. (Reporting by Arpan Chaturvedi; Editing by Aditya Kalra and Kim Coghill) By Yimou Lee and Ben Blanchard TAIPEI, Feb 11 (Reuters) - The delay in passing a $40 billion special military budget risks a "rupture" in the joint line of defence against China, Taiwan's defence minister said on Wednesday, as President Lai Ching-te urged the opposition-controlled parliament to approve the spending measure. Lai last year proposed the defence boost to counter China, which views the island as its own territory. But the opposition has refused to review the proposal and instead advanced its own, less expensive proposals, which only fund some U.S. weapons. Advertisement Advertisement The main opposition party Kuomintang (KMT), whose vice chairman visited Beijing last week, said it supports defence spending but will not sign "blank cheques" and has a right to fully scrutinise the legislation, blaming Lai for the impasse. Speaking to reporters at the presidential office, Lai said he had never asked lawmakers to pass the spending unconditionally, reiterating that the government was happy to provide a detailed explanation on its plans. "But national defence, so closely tied to national security, sovereignty, and our very survival, should be an area where we unite and present a common front to the outside," Lai said. Countries including Japan, South Korea and the Philippines are all boosting their defence spending, he added. Advertisement Advertisement U.S.-TAIWAN TALKS Speaking at the same news conference, where the heads of the army, navy and air force all attended, Defence Minister Wellington Koo said the government had had intensive talks with the U.S. on what weapons Taiwan needed. "In the Indo-Pacific, especially among the countries along the first island chain, Taiwan plays a uniquely critical, almost fated, role," Koo said, referring to an area that stretches from Japan down through Taiwan and into the Philippines. "We do not want Taiwan to become the rupture in the Indo-Pacific collective deterrence posture." Wu Tsung-hsien, head of the KMT's Culture and Communications Committee, said later that his party has always supported a strong defence for Taiwan, but the purchased weapons should be "suitable" and cost-effective. Advertisement Advertisement "We are not trying to make 'American daddy' happy," he said. "What we want is to make Taiwan happy." The U.S. is Taiwan's most important international backer, despite the lack of formal diplomatic ties, and arms sales to Taipei are a constant source of friction between Beijing and Washington. The U.S. has backed the $40 billion spending plan, and in December the Trump administration announced $11.1 billion in arms sales to Taiwan, the largest ever U.S. weapons package for the island. Speaking in Beijing on Wednesday, Zhu Fenglian, spokesperson for China's Taiwan Affairs Office, said it was up to China how to "resolve" the Taiwan issue, and the U.S. should "stop interfering in China's internal affairs". Advertisement Advertisement Shortly after Lai spoke, Taiwan's defence ministry said it had detected 11 Chinese military aircraft - including nuclear-capable H-6K bombers - operating to the island's east and southwest for long-distance training in the Pacific Ocean. China has never renounced the use of force to bring Taiwan under its control. Lai rejects Beijing's sovereignty claims. Lai said Taiwan's strengthening of its defence is not because it wants to invade anyone, but because it wants to safeguard its way of life. U.S. lawmakers have pushed for Taiwan's parliament to pass the spending plans, and some have criticised the opposition for blocking Lai's plans and cosying up to Beijing. Advertisement Advertisement Lai said Taiwan could fall off the priority list for U.S. arms deliveries and affect the island's credibility. "China's threat is becoming increasingly serious. Taiwan's defence budget must be passed smoothly. This represents Taiwan's resolve, and it also shows that Taiwan is fulfilling its responsibilities as a member of the international community," Lai said. (Reporting by Yimou Lee and Ben Blanchard; Editing by Christopher Cushing, Lincoln Feast and Thomas Derpinghaus) Kansas City, Kansas, police are investigating a fatal shooting that occurred Tuesday afternoon in the citys Victory Hills neighborhood. Detectives with the Kansas City, Kansas Police Department were called to an apartment complex in the 7400 block of Armstrong Avenue around 2:45 p.m. Tuesday on reports of a shooting, Nancy Chartrand, a media relations specialist for the department, said in a press release Tuesday evening. There, officers found a 17-year-old juvenile suffering from gunshot wounds, Chartrand said. He was transported to an area hospital where he died from his injuries. Advertisement Advertisement In an email to The Star, Chartrand said investigators believe the parties involved in the shooting were known to each other. Detectives do not believe there is an ongoing safety threat to the public. The press release did not indicate what may have led up to the shooting. No suspects are in custody at this time, Chartrand said. Anyone with information regarding the incident is encouraged to contact the anonymous Crime Stoppers TIPS hotline at 816-474-TIPS (8477). Tips may qualify for a cash reward. A 19-year-old accused of fatally shooting a police officer after robbing a petrol station in western Germany went on trial on Wednesday. The man has been charged with murder, attempted murder and aggravated robbery. Prosecutors believe the defendant fired several shots at a 34-year-old police officer to conceal his involvement in the robbery in the town of Volklingen near the French border on August 21 last year. Advertisement Advertisement The officer who was killed had been pursuing the suspected robber on foot with a colleague. A struggle ensued in which the fugitive managed to grab the service weapon of the 34-year-old's colleague and shot him several times, according to the indictment. A police trainee was injured in the shooting. The 19-year-old holds both German and Turkish citizenship. His defence lawyer has said that he plans to address the accusations in court. The case has drawn widespread media attention in Germany, where shootings of this kind are comparatively rare. All seats in the courtroom were occupied at the start of the trial, with the officer's widow appearing as a co-plaintiff. Due to the defendant's age, he is being tried in the juvenile division of the Saarbrucken Regional Court, which has scheduled 12 trial dates until April 14. By Ismail Shakil and Ryan Patrick Jones Feb 10 (Reuters) - Ten people including the shooter are dead after an assailant opened fire at a high school in western Canada on Tuesday in one of the country's deadliest mass casualty events in recent history. The attack brought to Canada the type of mass shooting more common in the neighboring United States, and was carried out by a shooter described as female, police said. Advertisement Advertisement Six people were found dead inside a high school in the town of Tumbler Ridge, in British Columbia, two more people were found dead at a residence believed to be connected to the incident, and another person died on the way to hospital, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police said. At least two other people were hospitalized with serious or life-threatening wounds, and as many as 25 people were being treated for non-life-threatening injuries, police said. Police did not say how many of the victims may have been minors. Parents gathered in a local community center as they waited to learn the fate of their children. "It was a situation that you really never want to face again ... the sight of what I saw was devastating, many parents just waiting for the news on whether their child had survived the shooting or not," said local pastor George Rowe. Advertisement Advertisement Police would only identify victims when they had "absolute, unequivocal identification," he told CBC News on Wednesday. SUSPECTED SHOOTER ALSO FOUND DEAD A suspected shooter was also found dead from what appeared to be a selfinflicted injury, police said, adding they did not believe there were any more suspects or ongoing threat. "It's hard to know what to say on a night like tonight. It's the kind of thing that feels like it happens in other places and not close to home," British Columbia Premier David Eby told reporters. Police released almost no details about the shooter except to say the person was described as female - potentially an unusual development as mass shootings in North America are almost always carried out by men. Advertisement Advertisement Darian Quist, a 17-year-old student at the school, said his class had been locked down for more than two hours starting at about 1.30 pm local time. Although he heard nothing, other pupils later shared photos of scenes where blood could be seen, he told CBC News. A police active shooter alert said the suspect was described "as female in a dress with brown hair". Police Superintendent Ken Floyd later confirmed that the suspect described in the alert was the same person found dead in the school. "TIGHT-KNIT COMMUNITY" Canada has stricter gun laws than the United States, but Canadians can own firearms with a license. Advertisement Advertisement The Trudeau government introduced a number of restrictions on handgun ownership and assault-style weapons since 2020, partly in response to a mass shooting in Nova Scotia and the Uvalde school shooting in Texas. However, attempts to ban certain types of rifles and shotguns were abandoned after opposition from farmers and hunters. Tumbler Ridge, the scene of the shooting, is a remote municipality with a population of around 2,400 people in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains in northern British Columbia, approximately 1,155 km (717 miles) northeast of Vancouver. Images of the town show a snow-covered landscape filled with pine trees. Tumbler Ridge Secondary School has 160 students in grades seven through 12, roughly ages 12 to 18, according to its website. The school was closed for the rest of the week and counseling will be made available to those in need, school officials said. Advertisement Advertisement Officials said the town's small police force was on the scene within two minutes of receiving a call, and that victims were still being assessed hours after the incident. "This is a small, tight-knit community with a small RCMP detachment as well, who responded in two minutes, no doubt saving lives today," Nina Krieger, British Columbia's public safety minister, told reporters. The shooting ranks among the deadliest in Canadian history. In April 2020, a 51-year-old man disguised in a police uniform and driving a fake police car shot and killed 22 people in a 13-hour rampage in the Atlantic province of Nova Scotia, before police killed him at a gas station about 90 km (60 miles) from the site of his first killings. Advertisement Advertisement In Canada's worst school shooting, in December 1989, a gunman killed 14 female students and wounded 13 at the Ecole Polytechnique in Montreal, before committing suicide. In response to the shooting, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney postponed a planned announcement in Halifax on Wednesday of a new Defence Industrial Strategy and subsequent trip to Germany for the Munich Security Conference, a spokesperson said. "I am devastated by todays horrific shootings in Tumbler Ridge, B.C. My prayers and deepest condolences are with the families and friends who have lost loved ones to these horrific acts of violence," Carney said on X. (Additional reporting by David Ljunggren in Ottawa; Writing by Daniel Trotta; Editing by Michael Perry, Don Durfee, Toby Chopra and Nick Zieminski) LGBTQ+ advocates gathered on Capitol Hill Feb. 10 to kick off Tennessee Equality Projects Advancing Equality Day, as well as address a slate of bills proposed by the legislature that the organization called a crisis. The gathering marks the 21st time the group has celebrated the day. The meeting focused largely on a list of legislation currently working its way through committees and subcommittees, including bills that seek to allow private citizens and entities to stop recognizing same-sex marriage, remove protections against employer discrimination based on sexual orientation, ban display of pride flags in public buildings and more. Advertisement Advertisement Chris Sanders, TNEP s executive director, described the list as an emergency situation. Chris Sanders, executive director of the Tennessee Equality Project, stands inside Cordell Hull on Feb. 10, 2026, kicking off the group's Advancing Equality Day. In the foreground, his speech is streamed on the organization's Tiktok account. Its a total assault on our rights, he said. What would you call it when the healthcare of transgender people, the freedom to marry, employment nondiscrimination, the dignity of trans and nonbinary people in school, Pride celebrations and symbols, drag performance and much more are up for votes in committees this very week? Kimber Beeler, president of the Tennessee Pride Chamber, also spoke at the meeting. This year, and for many years, a consistent, small group of legislators are obsessed with chipping away at (our) quality of life, she said. Every year they file, and sometimes pass, legislation directly aimed at terrifying and intimidating our community. Advertisement Advertisement This year alone, this group of legislators is attacking the timeless art of drag, unconstitutionally eliminating our right to work without fear of being fired for simply being ourselves, and aiming to disrespect and set boundaries against our ability to marry. More: Newly filed legislation would expand drag restrictions: 'They're trying to paint us as monsters' Kennedy Ann Scott, the first-ever drag queen to have residency at Lipstick Lounge, performs at the venue Wednesday, Feb. 4, 2026, in Nashville, Tenn. Drag queens and other dancers are facing new restrictions in Tennessee. Specific bills included in TNEPs list of concerning legislation include: House Bill 1473, filed by Rep. Gino Bulso, R-Brentwood, would specify that in Tennessee, Obergefell applies only to public entities, and not to private citizens and organizations. House Bill 1474, also by Bulso, would bar display of the pride flag in any public building, whether school buildings, city and county government buildings, colleges and universities, or state government agencies including the Capitol and legislative office building complex. House Bill 1472, also by Bulso and dubbed the Banning Bostock Act," would define in Tennessee law that sex discrimination under the Civil Rights Act does not apply to discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity. House Bill 1666, filed by Rep. Aron Maberry, R-Clarksville, includes the use of preferred honorifics, like Ms., Mr., etc., in the prohibition on requiring students, teachers, employees or contractors to use an individuals preferred pronouns. House Bill 1872, filed by Rep. Jason Zachary, R-Knoxville, creates civil cause of action against a healthcare professional if a person has suffered an injury from certain medical procedures if the reason the person consented to the medical procedure was due to coercion. House Bill 0884, filed from Rep. Chris Todd, R-Madison, expands the definition of "adult-oriented establishment" to include venues that have a single, or multiple, adult cabaret performancesa definition which includes drag performances, thanks to a 2023 law. The expansion will subject venues with adult cabaret performances to additional business requirements. Senate Bill 1989, filed by Sen. Paul Rose, R-Lauderdale, specifies that a parent's or legal guardian's action of raising, guiding, or instructing their child in a manner consistent with the child's biological sex is not a basis for certain findings or actions by the court, including child abuse, neglect or endangerment, and cannot be considered as a negative factor by a court in determining a custody arrangements. Senate Bill 2045, filed by Sen. Brent Taylor, R-Memphis, requires healthcare provider regulatory authorities to report quarterly on the number and type of disciplinary actions taken against a healthcare providers for performing or offering to perform on a minor a prohibited medical procedure. Senate Bill 2118, filed by Sen. Adam Lowe, R-Calhoun, prohibits TennCare from providing coverage or reimbursement for a medical procedure if the procedure is for the purpose of enabling the individual to identify with, or live as, a purported identity inconsistent with the individual's sex, or treat gender dysphoria. Senate Bill 2319, filed by Senator Mark Pody, R-Lebanon, requotes public libraries to adopt a policy that allows anyone living within the county of the library to file a request to remove or reclassify any book in the library. Advertisement Advertisement More: TN bills seek to ban pride flags, remove LGBTQ+ discrimination protections This fight is not just about todays legislation, said Metro Councilmember Brenda Gadd, vice chair of the citys LGBTQ caucus, who spoke at the event. Its about the future we are building. A future where young people dont grow up afraid of their government, where families are protected and not targeted, where cities like Nashville lead not by exclusion, but by courage. This is our Nashville, and this is our Tennessee, a place where everyone belongs. The USA TODAY Network - The South region's coverage of First Amendment issues is funded through a collaboration between the Freedom Forum and Journalism Funding Partners. Have a story to tell? Reach Angele Latham by email at alatham@gannett.com, or follow her on Twitter at @angele_latham This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Bills targeting marriage, discrimination and drag are on this group's radar A fight is brewing over Tennessee legislation designed to bring more transparency to the states new private-school voucher program. A House K-12 subcommittee Tuesday defeated Democratic Rep. Sam McKenzies bill designed to give lawmakers more information about the 20,000 students receiving private-school vouchers, mainly whether they were enrolled last year in private or public schools. But Republican Rep. Jody Barrett, who opposed creation of the program last year, is sponsoring a separate bill, HB1544, that would provide lawmakers with even more information, including the family income of children receiving state funds to attend private schools. Advertisement Advertisement The effort to shed more light on the $144 million program comes amid Gov. Bill Lees push to double the number of vouchers the state provides. Lee told reporters this week no data of any value exists because the program is only one year old. The most important data is that parents know whats best for their kids. And if they want a scholarship, then they should get one, said Gov. Bill Lee of private school vouchers. (Photo: John Partipilo/Tennessee Lookout) The most important data is that parents know whats best for their kids. And if they want a scholarship, then they should get one, Lee said. Before addressing questions about the voucher program, Lee often points out the state has increased public schools funding annually during his tenure. Critics of vouchers call them an entitlement for private-school parents that will pull money away from public schools and put the state in financial jeopardy. Advertisement Advertisement McKenzie, of Knoxville, saw his legislation, HB1052, die in the subcommittee Tuesday morning. They dont want the public to know whos getting the vouchers, McKenzie said afterward. Its obvious. The states own financial projection on the measure that passed last year predicted 66% of the students who receive the funds, $7,300 each, would come from private schools. McKenzie estimated that number at 80-90% and accused the state of giving away money when it cant afford the program. Barretts bill asks for more information, including the county residence of each student, the school they were attending when they applied for the funds, the private school where each recipient is enrolled, the grade level for each student, annual household income and the total cost, which would take in third-party contracts, administrative expense, advertising and marketing and number of scholarships. Advertisement Advertisement Barrett, of Dickson, is trying to smooth the path for his bill and said he tells lawmakers his measure is not a relitigation of the private-school voucher bill but an attempt to gather more information to help lawmakers make decisions. Proponents of the legislation pushed it in 2025 by saying it was designed to help low-income children escape struggling schools. But the Department of Education has declined to release figures for the number of students enrolled in private schools before receiving the funds, saying it is not required by state law. They dont want the public to know whos getting the vouchers, Its obvious. Rep. Sam McKenzie, D-Knoxville If the vast majority of this money is going to students who are already enrolled in private schools, to the detriment of folks who applied for it and werent able to get it, then thats an issue we need to know about, and we need to make adjustments as we go, Barrett said. Advertisement Advertisement Half of the vouchers this year go to students from households at 300% of the federal poverty level, more than $96,000 for a family of four, and the other half go to families with no maximum income. Republican Rep. Mark White of East Memphis, chairman of the House Education Committee, said he voted against McKenzies bill because he didnt think it was the right tool. Asked about Barretts bill, White said he is studying it. He raised concerns about student privacy and the release of information but said he could support a generic measure showing how many of the programs recipients come from public or private schools. In addition, students receiving the vouchers are required to take the Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program test or a nationally standardized achievement test. But the results arent made public. Advertisement Advertisement Lee acknowledged Monday that the state needs to find ways to improve the program, and he said accountability measures could be added. But his main focus is expanding private-school vouchers to 40,000 students at a cost of $310 million next year. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX People in the small Canadian town of Tumbler Ridge have reacted with shock and disbelief after nine people were killed and at least 25 wounded in a shooting at a local secondary school and home. Members of the remote community, 415 miles (667 km) northeast of the western city of Vancouver, spoke of their fear and uncertainty during the school lockdown, as no-one appeared to be aware of the magnitude of what was unfolding. They described how close the community of just 2500 people was, and how devastated it would be by what had happened. Advertisement Advertisement "I will know every victim. I've been here 19 years, and we're a small community," town mayor Darryl Krakowka told Canadian broadcaster CBC. "I don't call them residents. I call them family," he added. Mourners held a candlelit vigil for the victims of the shooting [REUTERS/Jennifer Gauthier] Chris Norbury, a town councillor, was as close as anyone in Tumbler Ridge to the shooting. His wife teaches at the secondary school, his daughter attends the nearby elementary school and he works at the visitor centre just a block away. Speaking to the BBC World Service's Newsday programme, he explained how scared and anxious he felt as he waited for news of his wife. Advertisement Advertisement He first realised something was wrong when his daughter's school called him to say they were in lockdown. He was able to contact his wife, who was also under lockdown, but by the time he found out - from an emergency alert - that there was an active shooter, he was unable to contact her again. "We just had to speculate and jump into social media to see what was going on - there was a lot of speculation... but being who I am I just wanted to stay calm as best I could and wait for the facts," Norbury said. That proved far from easy, though. "It was terrifying, it's hard to put into words the dread and the fear that you feel knowing that a loved one is in danger," he said. Advertisement Advertisement Meanwhile he was able to see emergency vehicles, including helicopters, coming and going from the school and a nearby medical centre. That feeling of helplessness and of not knowing what was happening was felt by those within the school too. Bryan Castellarin told the BBC his 15-year-old son Ashton was there while the shooting took place. Ashton and his friends were busy studying in their classroom when "all of a sudden they heard gunshots going off," Castellarin said. "They were huddled in a corner of the classroom for two to three hours. It felt a lot lot longer. Some of the students were "really freaking out and crying," Bryan said. Advertisement Advertisement "My son was trying to console them. He tried to stay as calm as he could, but he is pretty shaken up, and he is scared... He didn't know where the gunshots were coming from." Ashton told his dad it was a terrifying experience, and they didn't know what was going on. Luckily he was unharmed, but he is still waiting to hear information about some of his friends. "I'm just so thankful that I didn't have to bury my kid," Bryan said. 'Disturbing' photos Darian Quist, a grade 12 student at the school, was in a classroom with a teacher and about 15 students when the lockdown alarm sounded, though he believes he was in a different part of the school from the shooting. He and his classmates stayed there until the police escorted them out. Advertisement Advertisement "For a while I didn't think anything was going on, but once everything was circulating and we realised something was wrong we got tables and barricaded the doors, and I believe we sat in there for two or two-and-a-half hours," he told CBC. He said everyone was tense and nervous. People sent him "disturbing" photos, he said, with "blood and things like that". "I think that's when it all set in," he said. His mother Shelley Quist was working at the local hospital at the time. She said they only found out about the shooter half an hour after the lockdown - though she was on the phone with her son the whole time. Advertisement Advertisement "It's just one of those things when you just think it's never going to happen," she said, adding: "Panic was setting in until I laid eyes on [Darian]." Norbury said that it wasn't until after 17:00 local time - three-and-a-half hours after the lockdown was first announced - that people started to be released from the school and he was able to find out that his wife was safe. Quist described the departure as "organised chaos". "Professionalism definitely took hold," he said. But even then those involved did not know the full extent of what had happened until the casualty figures were revealed. Advertisement Advertisement "A lot of people are shaken up right now, especially when we were told the true numbers," Darian Quist said. Though the names of the victims have not yet been released, it is clear the whole town has been deeply affected. [BBC] Norbury said he believed he may have known some of the children involved. "I was a children's librarian for 10 years, and knowing that these children that I likely knew, that I likely read to... these are our friends, our friends' children have been injured, lost their life, and we just have to think how to come together as a community and rely upon each other for support," he said. Advertisement Advertisement He added: "Crime is incredibly low here, we've never had anything like this before. It's an incredible shock that anything like this could happen. We're such a tight-knit community, we're really like a family here." Norbury also reflected on the effect the shooting would have on the community in the future. "How many people will be afraid to go to school? How many will this affect for the rest of their lives? And it absolutely will, that's my fear," he said. "If I could talk to those people, I'd say, don't let this define you. Please get help when you need help. We are strong and we are resilient and we will get through this". Police were called to a works council meeting at a Tesla plant outside Berlin over accusations by management that a union representative was unlawfully recording the session, a police spokesman confirmed on Wednesday. The incident at the US carmaker's only European plant came just weeks before staff at the facility are due to elect a new works council in early March. Tesla has long been at odds with labour representatives from the powerful IG Metall union, which represents workers across German industry and has been pushing for a collective wage agreement at the Grunheide plant, where production was launched in 2022. Advertisement Advertisement Andre Thierig, senior director at the plant, accused an "external union representative from IG Metall" of recording Tuesday's works council meeting without authorization. "For unknown reasons he recorded the internal meeting and was caught in action! We obviously called police and filed a criminal complaint," Thierig wrote in an English-language post on X on Tuesday evening. IG Metall rejected the accusations, describing them as a smear campaign. "This claim is a brazen and calculated lie," the IG Metall - Tesla Workers GFBB group said. The group is represented on the council with 16 members, making it the largest faction in the body. Advertisement Advertisement The head of the works council did not allow the union representative to address the accusations, according to the union. Instead, she interrupted the meeting and called security and police, which seized the man's laptop. The police spokesman confirmed a criminal complaint was filed and evidence secured on Tuesday. The investigation concerns suspected breaches of confidentiality and possible violations of German labour law, the spokesman said, without providing further details. WASHINGTON When Texas Republicans choose their Senate nominee this spring, they wont just be picking their preferred next senator theyll be the name to lead a ticket that includes GOP candidates up and down the ballot. Sen. John Cornyn, Attorney General Ken Paxton or Rep. Wesley Hunts position atop the ballot will shape who turns out in November, with significant implications for Texas Republicans running for federal, state and local offices. Those candidates will be confronting a fired-up Democratic electorate that helped power the partys shocking and decisive victory in last months state Senate special election in bellwether Tarrant County, along with the challenge of drawing voters to the polls without President Donald Trumps name on the ballot. In the wake of the Democratic upset in North Texas, the question of down-ballot success has been top of mind for Republican political operatives. The Cornyn and Paxton camps have each seized on the result to make their opposing pitches for why they would be best equipped to stave off a similar outcome nine months from now, refocusing the Senate primary on the question of electability in the final weeks. Advertisement Advertisement Cornyn, who historically has been one of best statewide performers in Texas, believes he will keep moderate and swing voters in the GOP tent who would otherwise be turned off by Paxtons ethical baggage. Paxton, meanwhile, argues he is better positioned to excite the Republican base, while contending that Cornyns electability argument has been undercut by a recent poll showing the two faring similarly in a general election. Fresh on GOP minds is the 2018 election the last midterm with Trump in office when Democrat Beto ORourke fell 2.6 percentage points short against Sen. Ted Cruz. The former El Paso congressmans legacy lives on via his coattails that helped Democrats flip numerous down-ballot seats that year, including two congressional districts, two seats in the Texas Senate, 12 in the state House and every countywide office in Harris County. Democrats hope the right combination of top-of-the-ticket candidates, in both parties, can produce a similar, if not more powerful, effect in 2026. Republicans, more clear-eyed than they were at the beginning of 2018, want to pick a standard-bearer who will avoid that same fate. There are fewer competitive seats for the U.S. House and the Legislature than there were in 2018. This time, Republicans, looking to defy midterm trends when the presidents party typically loses seats, redrew the congressional map in Texas to their advantage. Five Democratic-held seats were made more GOP-friendly without significantly endangering existing incumbents. But whether Republicans can take all five will depend, to some degree, on who is carrying the torch for the GOP. Advertisement Advertisement If the top-of-the-ticket candidates turn out more voters for their party, it creates more potential voters for down-ballot candidates to also pick up, said Josh Blank, the research director for the Texas Politics Project at the University of Texas at Austin. Blank said the task for candidates is twofold: turn out base voters and get voters less committed to the GOP to pull the lever for Republicans, from the top of the ticket down. In the Tarrant County upset, GOP strategists have noted that Democrat Taylor Rehmet won not because more Democrats turned out than Republicans, but because Rehmet won over independents and some moderate Republican voters. Cornyns allies and supporters say he holds stronger appeal to those voters and would thus be a better bet than Paxton for November. Texas senior senator has long been one of Republicans best performers in general elections. In 2014, when both Cornyn and Paxton were on the ballot, Cornyn won by 27 percentage points the highest margin of any statewide Republican. Paxton, in his first statewide race, won that year by 21 points. Advertisement Advertisement Four years later, Paxton was reelected by 3.6 percentage points that years narrowest race outside of the Cruz-ORourke Senate contest. In 2020, Cornyn won by 9.6 points, outperforming Trumps 5.6-point margin. Cornyn said hes making that down-ballot electability case and knows the president cares about winning House seats in Texas. All three Senate GOP candidates have sought Trumps endorsement, which he has teased could be coming in the homestretch of the campaign. Ill win, Cornyn said. Paxton probably will lose and drag the rest of the ticket down with him. I think people understand that. Obviously, its important to the president to win the new congressional seats, which are right below me on the ballot. And so I think thats a pretty compelling case for why I should be the nominee. The Paxton campaign, by contrast, has also argued that the Tarrant County state Senate race was a warning sign for Cornyn. Advertisement Advertisement We must be laser-focused on turning out low-propensity, Trump-supporting America First voters, Nick Maddux, a Paxton adviser, said in a statement to The Texas Tribune. John Cornyn is the worst possible choice on that front. A recent public poll also cast doubt on the notion that Paxton is weaker in a general election than Cornyn. The University of Houstons Hobby School of Public Affairs found that the race is a statistical tossup no matter who the nominees are. Down-ballot drag? Paul Simpson, who was Harris County Republican Party chair from 2014 to 2020, knows what a hyped-up Democratic electorate can mean for local races, having witnessed it in 2018. While midterm elections in Texas used to just be about motivating the Republican base, he said, as Democrats have grown their ranks and proven willing to turn out when Trump is in office, Republican candidates now need to convince undecided and moderate voters. In 2018, Simpson said, Republicans were hurt by both the success of ORourkes campaign and weaker performers including Paxton, particularly because the state still had straight-ticket voting in that cycle. But voters still tend to vote straight ticket regardless, he said, and down-ballot candidates cant afford someone who would turn off moderates. Advertisement Advertisement So if youve turned out a moderate Democrat or even just an undecided type voter whos kind of sour on the top of the Republican ticket, just logically, theyll tend to go down the ballot and vote in that party, Simpson said, arguing that Cornyn has a proven record of winning by wide margins in November. A memo put out by Deep Root Analytics on behalf of a pro-Cornyn super PAC makes that case explicitly. Having modeled various scenarios and tested them against one another, the group concluded that Paxton as the nominee could create a drag of 4 to 7 points on a generic Republican congressional candidate. The groups analysis found that such a drag would imperil the partys ability to win seven congressional seats. Those include three of the redrawn districts the 9th District in Houston and the 28th and 34th Districts in South Texas in addition to four seats already controlled by Republicans: those held by Reps. Pat Fallon, R-Sherman, Brandon Gill, R-Flower Mound, Beth Van Duyne, R-Irving, and retiring Richmond Republican Troy Nehls. Most of those districts are not on either partys radar; Trump won those incumbent-held seats by between 16 and 25 points. But the memo argues that Paxton would lose or barely win those districts, making Republican House members unnecessarily vulnerable. Advertisement Advertisement The data suggests that nominating Ken Paxton for U.S. Senate in 2026 would impose a measurable down-ballot penalty for Republicans in Texas, the memo concludes. His candidacy not only reduces the likelihood of flipping competitive Democratic-held seats but also exposes multiple GOP-held districts to potential Democratic gains. In an election where everyone agrees Democrats are raring to go, a successful Republican will need to do the best possible job of turning out Trumps base, some operatives argue. Getting as many solid Republican voters to the polls gives down-ballot GOP candidates a high floor. John Thomas, a Dallas-based GOP strategist, said he sees both candidates arguments. Paxton, he said, would be better equipped to excite the base, while Cornyn is less likely to turn off some members of the Republican coalition that naturally turn out. But Thomas said he thinks base turnout is more important for 2026, given that the Democratic base is ginned up. Either nominee would paint the Democratic candidate as too far left, Thomas said but Paxton is better equipped to bring Republicans out because theyre excited to vote for him. Advertisement Advertisement The powerful combination is that one-two punch scare your base about the other guy running, and have them enthusiastically ready to pull the lever for you, Thomas said. I think Cornyns probably missing one of those. The narrative that Paxton endangers the Senate seat could also benefit Republicans for two reasons, Thomas said: GOP voters would be more encouraged to turn out if they think the race is competitive, and more Democratic donors would flock toward the Senate race instead of spreading their cash to down-ballot races. But turning out low-propensity Trump voters when the president is not on the ballot is an electoral riddle that Republicans around the country have had trouble cracking. As much as Ken Paxton has cultivated the traditionally conservative base of the Republican electorate, Ken Paxton is not Donald Trump, Blank said. I think thats a tough one. Advertisement Advertisement The Senate Republican nominee is not the only factor set to drive the outcome of down-ballot contests. The Democratic nominee will also make their imprint on the electorate, with Dallas U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett and Austin state Rep. James Talarico locked in a similar argument over whether persuading moderates and independents or expanding the Democratic base is the best strategy. And while the Senate race will be at the top of the ballot, gubernatorial candidates have their own coattails, and Gov. Greg Abbott has a massive war chest to spend. While he will be on the ballot himself, Abbott has also telegraphed plans to deploy his money to Harris County in particular, hoping to lift down-ballot Republicans, particularly in state-level contests. Deep-Root-Analytics-memoDownload A host of labor unions backed Gov. Greg Abbott last week in his bid for reelection, endorsements the Republican governor says represent a historic break from the Democratic Party by organized labor. Teamsters Joint Council 58 and Joint Council 80, representing 40,000 workers across Texas, endorsed Abbott last Wednesday, joined by several other unions representing multiple industries. The endorsements split organized labors support in the governors race between Abbott and state Rep. Gina Hinojosa, D-Austin, a shift from unions historic support of Democratic candidates in Texas. Advertisement Advertisement The Plumbers Local Union 68, International Longshoremen South Atlantic & Gulf Coast District Association and the Pipefitters Local Union 211 also backed Abbott for a record fourth term as governor last week. The endorsements continue a rightward shift of working class voters political preferences, but experts say the relationship between organized labor and the Democratic Party remains largely intact. Brent Taylor, secretary-treasurer of Joint Council 80 and international vice president for the Teamsters southern region, cited the open door policy Abbott has had with the Teamsters while in office, noting his support for apprenticeship and job training programs, as well as the states robust job growth. The Teamsters do not care if you have a D, an R or an I next to your name, Taylor said at a news conference in Houston last Wednesday. Were interested in one thing. Are you ready to help us tackle big issues to improve the lives of working families? Hinojosa has won the endorsements of the Service Employees International Union-Texas and the Texas AFL-CIO, the states largest labor group with more than 250,000 members in Texas. Leonard Aguilar, president of Texas AFL-CIO, said more than a decade of Abbott in the governors mansion has failed to improve the standing of labor unions in the state. Advertisement Advertisement This isnt about Republicans vs. Democrats, Aguilar said. Its workers vs. billionaires. Thats why nearly 400 local unions affiliated with the Texas AFL-CIO are backing Gina Hinojosa for governor. Hinojosa said she would champion pro-labor union policies as governor and touted her own endorsements in the race. This election is between working Texans vs. billionaires, and Labor knows Ive always been on their side, Hinojosa wrote in a statement. Greg Abbott has spent over a decade siding with elite corporate interests while weakening labor rights. As governor, Ill stand with working Texans on the picket line, fight for the right to organize and ensure that working families have a real voice in the decisions that shape their lives. The Teamsters support of Abbott comes after the groups national organization declined to endorse either President Donald Trump or Democrat Kamala Harris for president in 2024. But the unions president, Sean OBrien, spoke at the Republican National Convention that year and Trump made significant inroads with working class voters in his presidential election victory, a group that has traditionally supported Democratic candidates and joined unions. Advertisement Advertisement While the political preferences of the unions members may be shifting in Texas, union leadership is also interested in picking a winner that will be an ally in future legislative sessions, said Mark Jones, a Rice University political science fellow. You see a split in the labor unions as well between the labor unions based off public employees, which tend to be overwhelmingly Democratic, and the unions whose base of support is in the private sector, where you tend to see more variance, Jones said. At the event hosted by Plumbers Local Union 68 where Abbott announced the labor endorsements, the governor touted Texas strong economy and said he and the labor unions shared the same mission of bringing good jobs to the state. I thank them for their endorsement, but more importantly, I thank them for what they do every single day to keep the economy booming, Abbott said. Together, we will keep Texas the best state in America for doing business, and we will provide the job skill training that ensures Texas has the best workforce in the United States. Advertisement Advertisement Texas economy is at the center of Abbotts campaign message, pointing to its strength as proof that Republican policies are effective. The economy, along with an expanded base of support from labor unions and more than $100 million in his campaign account, make Abbott the strongest statewide Republican candidate on the ballot this November, Jones said. In a year where Trumps approval rating is underwater in Texas and Democrats are buoyed by recent upset victories in special elections in Texas and around the country, Abbott may be hoping that down ballot Texas Republicans can ride his coattails to victory in November, Jones said. Texas has accomplished a lot economically but its very important to emphasize this is not something that the governor does alone, Abbott said. This is a team effort in the Capitol. Texas remains a right-to-work state prohibiting mandatory union membership and dues. Texas law also prevents collective bargaining for most public employees and prohibits strikes by public employees against the state. Disclosure: Rice University 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 Tribunes journalism. Find a complete list of them here. PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) Two men from Texas recently pleaded guilty for their roles in an ATM robbery scheme spanning several states, including Oregon and Washington, the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Western District of Washington announced Tuesday. The United States Attorneys Office said over the last few weeks, the men identified as 22-year-old Ahmon Hogg, of Humble, Texas and 23-year-old Seth Coles-Body of Houston, Texas pleaded guilty to two counts of bank robbery and two counts of attempted bank robbery in a scheme to steal from banks by assaulting and threatening ATM technicians. The scheme spanned Oregon, Washington, Arizona, Mississippi and Maine, authorities said. Advertisement Advertisement Alters balance of power: Oregon lawmakers consider bill changing gas tax election date Authorities said the men disabled ATMs, and when a technician arrived to repair the machine, the men would threaten or assault the technician in order to steal cash containers called cassettes from the ATM. According to their plea agreements, the men disabled ATMs on December 23 and 24, 2024, when the machines would be loaded with cash for the Christmas holiday. The pair disabled a Bank of America ATM in Renton, Washington, and after a technician arrived for repairs, the men forcibly confronted him, with Coles-Body brandishing a screwdriver and demanding the technician to open the machine and hand over the cassettes. Advertisement Advertisement Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now KOIN Morning Digest Authorities said the technician did not open the machine, and after a scuffle, was able to escape. The following day in Vancouver, Washington, a technician was set to repair a Bank of America ATM on Southeast Mill Plain Boulevard when the men intimidated him and grabbed five cassettes filled with money. Hogg and Coles-Body got away in a car that matched one seen the previous day in connection to the attempted robbery in Renton, officials said. Unsolved 1992 murder tied to infamous Oregon serial killer The men also admitted to disabling another Bank of America ATM in Battleground, Washington on the same day. Advertisement Advertisement As investigations were ongoing in Washington, the men were identified in connection to ATM tampering cases January 3, 2025 around Phoenix, Arizona. The men were stopped by law enforcement in Phoenix while attempting to rob one of the ATMs they disabled. Body of missing Oregon man found by hiker In March, authorities said the scheme continued as the men robbed a Redmond, Washington Bank of America when a technician was repairing an ATM they disabled. While the machine was open, the men ran up and stole canisters filled with money from the machine, officials said. However, authorities later recovered the canisters, which were damaged on the shoulder of Highway 520. Days later, Coles-Body was stopped by U.S. Border Patrol with about $209,000 in cash, which was seized. Coles-Body was also released, officials said. Advertisement Advertisement In May 2025, the men were back in Houston, where they robbed a Wells Fargo, according to the U.S. Attorneys Office. As part of their pattern, a repair technician opened an ATM for repairs when Coles-Body rushed the technician and caused injuries. Authorities said the men stole about $117,000 and abandoned their car a short distance away. Man who was shot and killed after allegedly pointing gun at Portland officers in Pearl District identified In June, the pair traveled to Oregon, where they disabled ATMs in Tigard and Hillsboro, authorities said, noting while the men were in the area, they robbed an ATM customer who had just used a different machine. The men then drove from Oregon to Maine on June 30, where they disabled a Bank of America ATM in South Portland, Maine as a technician was making repairs. After the men rushed and beat the technician, they stole $47,000 from the Bank of America. Advertisement Advertisement From there, the two left Maine and drove to Jackson, Mississippi, where they were arrested in a traffic stop, officials said. The pair had stolen firearms and a significant amount of cash in the car. We have to do something: Oregon House majority leader sounds alarm on Abiqua Falls sale Based on the plea agreement, prosecutors will recommend a 10-month sentence, or the high end of the sentencing guidelines, whichever is higher, authorities said, noting both men are scheduled for sentencing in April. Additionally, both men agreed to pay restitution to the victims, which is currently determined to be $768,900. They also agreed to pay damages, such as medical expenses for the victim technicians. Advertisement Advertisement The plea agreements resolve all the cases in Washington, Oregon, Arizona, Texas and Maine, officials said, noting bank robbery and attempted bank robbery are punishable by up to 20 years in prison. Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Police in Thailand have ended a siege in a school after a young man armed with a gun entered the building and fired shots, injuring at least two people. The suspect, an 18-year-old man, entered Phatong Prathan Keeriwat School near the city of Hat Yai shortly before 17:00 local time (10:00 GMT) on Wednesday and opened fire, officials said. At least two people were wounded in the incident. The school principal was among the injured taken to hospital with a gun wound, authorities said. A female student was also shot, according to Thailand's Public Health Ministry, while another student was injured after jumping off the building in panic. Advertisement Advertisement A number of students and teachers were trapped in the school as police units surrounded the building. Police later confirmed that the suspect surrendered after a two-hour standoff and was taken into custody. Ambulances were seen leaving the scene shortly after the siege ended. The motive for the attack remains unclear, although local media reports suggest the suspect may have had a grievance with a teacher at the school. Levels of gun crime are relatively high in Thailand, where gun ownership, both legal and illegal, is widespread. The country has seen several deadly incidents in recent years. Last year, five people were killed in a shooting at a food market in Bangkok. Advertisement Advertisement In 2023, a 14-year-old boy killed two people and injured five others in a shooting at a luxury shopping mall in the centre of Bangkok. A year earlier a former police officer killed 36 people, most of them children, at a kindergarten in north-eastern Thailand, in one of the country's deadliest mass shootings. More on this story Feb. 10THOMPSON Jason Schwabe, the principal of Thompson Middle and High School, has been named the 2026 North Dakota Secondary Principal of the Year. The award is presented by the North Dakota Association of Secondary School Principals (NDASSP) in partnership with the National Association of Secondary School Principals. Both organizations work to support and highlight leaders in education. Schwabe said he is honored by the award and that his work wouldn't be possible without the support of his community. Advertisement Advertisement "It's been a real humbling experience knowing the tremendous leaders that we have across the state, and knowing that I've been recognized is a great honor," he said. "From a young age, I guess I've always liked working with kids and just trying to provide them the best school experience and all the opportunities available to us that will guide them for the rest of their school years and into their post-secondary career." This school year is Schwabe's 22nd year as a high school principal, with 18 of those years serving in Thompson Public Schools. In a press release by the NDASSP, Schwabe is described as a leader who fosters a "culture where students feel respected, listened to, and prepared for success in school, career, and life." He is highlighted for his work expanding support services to staff members, bringing teachers together in collaboration and leading with "authenticity and purpose." Schwabe has been invited to the National Education Leadership Awards, where he will be recognized alongside other educational leaders across the nation. He said he is planning to attend the event, which will take place in Washington, D.C. in mid-April. A Russian drone strike on a house in northeastern Ukraine killed three toddlers and their father and wounded their pregnant mother, officials said Wednesday. Twin boys aged one and a two-year-old girl were killed in the attack late Tuesday night on the family's house in the city of Bogodukhiv, around 20 kilometres (12 miles) from the border with Russia. It triggered an outpouring of anger and grief. Advertisement Advertisement "This is deliberate terror against civilians, against families, against children. Russia is consciously killing our future," said Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko. Local prosecutors said the family had been trapped inside after the attack. Video posted by the emergency services showed a bright red flame and grey smoke billowing over the collapsed roof of a house. "As a result of the strike, the house was completely destroyed and caught fire, and the family was trapped under the rubble," prosecutors said in a statement posted on Telegram. The children's mother, who is eight months pregnant, survived, but sustained "a traumatic brain injury, acoustic barotrauma, and thermal burns", prosecutors said. Advertisement Advertisement Their grandmother was also wounded in the attack and had been hospitalised, Bogodukhiv mayor Volodymyr Biely said in a statement. The head of the Velyka Rogozianka community in Kharkiv, where the family is originally from, told AFP that they had only just moved to the town to be nearer to relatives several days earlier. The killed father served in the Ukrainian army for several months, starting in spring 2024. He was discharged after his leg was blown off by a mine, the official, Anatoliy Yeliseiev said. He added that the couple had only formally registered their marriage last week. The pregnant mother of the family was discharged from hospital later on Wednesday, he said. Advertisement Advertisement "The shock has passed," Yeliseiev told AFP, referring to her condition, adding: "I don't know how she survived." - Undermining negotiations - President Volodymyr Zelensky said the attack showed Russia was not serious about ending the four-year war, unleashed by Moscow's invasion in February 2022. "Each such Russian strike undermines trust in everything being done diplomatically to end this war and, time and again, proves that only strong pressure on Russia and clear security guarantees for Ukraine are the real key to stopping the killings," he said on social media. Advertisement Advertisement He also said Russia had hit a hospital in the southern city of Zaporizhzhia in a separate drone attack. Moscow denies targeting Ukrainian civilians, even as thousands have been killed since it invaded. Under US pressure, the two sides have opened talks on trying to broker a deal to end the war. But their positions appear far apart with Moscow demanding sweeping territorial and political concessions from Ukraine that Kyiv rejects as tantamount to capitulation. bur-jc-jbr/jc/jxb Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) said there arent anywhere close to the votes needed to change the Senates filibuster rule to allow Republican-sponsored legislation to reform voter registration requirements to pass the upper chamber with fewer than 60 votes. Thune on Tuesday dismissed the idea that Republicans might lower the procedural threshold for advancing the House-passed SAVE Act, which would require people to show passports or birth certificates as proof of citizenship when registering to vote. Thune said he supports passing federal law to require documented proof of citizenship when registering to vote, but he dismissed talk of changing the Senate rules to create a pathway to passing the legislation, which Democrats strongly oppose. Advertisement Advertisement Thune pledged to protect the Senates filibuster rule, which requires 60 votes to advance legislation, when he ran for Senate majority leader in 2024. He said his position is broadly supported within the Senate Republican Conference. Its not just me not being willing to do it. There arent anywhere close to the votes, not even close, to nuking the filibuster, he said of a proposal to lower the threshold for advancing legislation to a simple majority by voting along partisan lines to establish new precedent. Effectively changing the Senates rules with a party-line vote overruling the presiding chair or Senate parliamentarian is viewed as so extreme that its nicknamed the nuclear option. Advertisement Advertisement Thune said the proposal doesnt have a future. Is there another way of getting there? Well see, he said. Thune made his comments after Senate Steering Committee Chair Mike Lee (R-Utah) made a pitch to the Senate GOP conference Tuesday to interpret the current Senate rules to require Democrats to continuously hold the floor with active debate to block the SAVE Act or other items on President Trumps agenda. Were having a very robust conversation among our Senate Republican colleagues about the path forward. I think most are supporters I certainly am of the SAVE Act and what it attempts to accomplish, Thune told reporters after the meeting. You ought to be able to prove that youre a citizen of this country in order to be able to vote. How we get to that vote remains to be seen, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Thune last week signaled his reluctance to require Democrats to stand at their desks on the Senate floor for hours on end in order to make it more arduous for them to block the SAVE Act. The GOP leader warned that reinterpreting how the Senates filibuster rule is deployed could tie up the floor for weeks. There are a lot of implications and ramifications to that, that I think our conference would need to have a conversation about. Obviously, it ties up the floor indefinitely, so it means youre not doing other things. Theres always an opportunity cost, Thune said, referring to the so-called standing filibuster He warned that requiring Democrats to actively hold the floor is an exercise that would go on for an indefinite period of time. Advertisement Advertisement Other GOP senators have poured cold water on the idea of requiring a standing or talking filibuster. Senate Budget Committee Chair Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) cautioned that reinterpreting the filibuster rule would change the Senate and likely lead to the abolition of the minority partys ability to hold up legislation. Filibuster changes, I think, change the Senate. It may happen one day, but I dont think its a good idea, he said. Because the Senate becomes the House, he added, referring to the strict majoritarian rule in the lower chamber. Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. A decision to spend 800,000 turning a historic town centre building that had been empty for years into an adult learning centre has been criticised as a "deal done behind closed doors". The project to refurbish the first floor of the former Grimwades store on Ipswich's Cornhill was listed in exempt items for Tuesday's borough council executive meeting, meaning the public and press were excluded from hearing the details. Ian Fisher, Conservative opposition leader at the Labour council, said other options should have been considered. Advertisement Advertisement The council said it was "unable to provide comment on this matter because it relates to information that is commercially sensitive". Ian Fisher said the adult learning centre would be run by Suffolk New College [John Fairhall/BBC] The money to carry out the refurbishments has been allocated from Ipswich Borough Council's 25m Towns Fund, according to a report to the executive. The Towns Fund was money given to the council by central government in 2020 to support regeneration. The Grimwades building had been empty since 2012. The council acquired the building last year, and since then the Jamaica Blue restaurant has opened on the ground floor with outdoor seating. 'Landmark' building Fisher said it was not in doubt that the adult learning centre would be beneficial for the town. Advertisement Advertisement However, he added: "Is this really the best thing that we can find for one of the landmark buildings in the town centre? "It could be that if it was put out to tender, and lots of people put their names in the hat and lots of companies made offers, that the adult learning centre came out on top. "But nobody did, because nobody had the opportunity." The council said it would not comment on the project because it was an exempt item. A spokesperson said: " Local authorities have a legal duty to protect confidential and commercially sensitive material where its release could prejudice the commercial interests of the council or third parties, undermine ongoing negotiations, or compromise the integrity of procurement or contractual processes. Advertisement Advertisement "For these reasons, certain reports, discussions, and decisions must be considered in a private session and cannot be shared publicly." The executive report also said that jewellery chain Lovisa would be opening a new store in the remaining ground floor unit of the building "in early 2026 and landlord works have begun to enable this". Follow Suffolk news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X. More on this story Related internet links United Airlines aircraft; Tokyo Robert Alexander/Getty; Getty NEED TO KNOW A United Airlines passenger mistakenly boarded the wrong flight from Los Angeles, ending up over 8,000 miles away from their planned destination of Managua, Nicaragua United Airlines said that it "reached out directly to the customer to apologize for his experience and offered travel credits and reimbursement" The airlines also advised customers to "monitor the signs at the gate and boarding announcements" to make sure they were boarding the right plane A United Airlines passenger ended up in a surprising destination after boarding the wrong plane. A United Airlines spokesperson confirmed to PEOPLE that one of its passengers mistakenly boarded a flight from Los Angeles to Tokyo instead of their scheduled flight to Managua, Nicaragua, with a layover in Houston. Advertisement Advertisement The airline noted that the incident occurred in August 2025, and, after investigating how it happened, reached out to the passenger to apologize. Managua capital of Nicaragua Getty We followed up with our airport team to understand how this happened, reached out directly to the customer to apologize for his experience, and offered travel credits and reimbursement, a United Airlines spokesperson said in a statement. The passenger reportedly realized that they were heading to the wrong destination when they had been on board for six hours, according to Fox News. A flight to Houston would have taken a little over three hours from Los Angeles. The traveler eventually landed at Haneda Airport in Tokyo, Japan, about 8,000 miles away from their original destination of Nicaragua. The passenger ended up staying at a hotel for two nights while United Airlines figured out their new travel itinerary, according to the outlet. LAX Los Angeles International Airport Getty "We always advise customers to monitor the signs at the gate and boarding announcements to make sure the aircraft they board is going to their intended destination, United Airlines said in a statement. Advertisement Advertisement Several passengers weighed in on the boarding error on Reddit after someone posted a link to an article describing what happened. One person questioned if the airline workers scanned the passengers boarding pass at the gate, adding, Id expect the scanner would give some kind of warning if his name was not on the passenger list. Another person claimed that gate agents will sometimes clear the warning without looking, adding that there could have been "human error" involved on the part of the United Airlines workers. 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. One person noted that they had seen something similar happen on a JetBlue flight out of New York City when a person who was supposed to fly to Santiago, Chile, ended up on a flight to Santiago, Dominican Republic. Another person said, I used to work for an airline, and it was not uncommon for passengers to do this." Read the original article on People The trial continues on Wednesday for former Worcester City Councilor Etel Haxhiaj, who is facing charges in connection with an immigration-related arrest last spring. Haxhiaj was arrested in May after police say she interfered with the detention of a Brazilian mother during an encounter that quickly became chaotic, according to prosecutors. Authorities charged the former District 5 councilor with assault and battery on a police officer, alleging she obstructed officers as they attempted to take the woman into custody. Advertisement Advertisement Haxhiaj has denied the accusations, arguing she was doing what she called the humane thing during the encounter. I am resolute and unapologetic in maintaining my innocence, Haxhiaj said after she first faced a judge in July. The first day of trial was Tuesday. Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW Tributes have been paid to a councillor who died in a climbing accident in Italy. Stephen Lismore, 71, a Labour councillor on Chesterfield Borough Council, died in Cogne, a town in Northern Italy, on Saturday. Lismore, who represented the Staveley North ward and was first elected to the authority in 2024, was described as a "man of remarkable energy and vigour". His family said climbing was "core to Steve's identity". Advertisement Advertisement Labour MP for Chesterfield, Toby Perkins, said: "I was shocked to hear of Steve's sudden death. "He was a man of remarkable energy and vigour who put those attributes to great use in support of the Labour Party, his constituents in Staveley North and in Whittington and Dunston before then, and in support of deprived communities through his pioneering work as founder of Touchstone [a charity based in Staveley]." "He will be sorely missed and my heartfelt condolences go to his partner Sue and his family, and I hope that in time their shock at the abruptness of his passing will give way to their pride and joy at a life well lived." Lismore, who was climbing in Italy when he died, had lived in the Chesterfield area since 1983 [Chesterfield Borough Council] Lismore, who was also appointed the council's cabinet member for health and wellbeing, was born in Canada but moved to the UK, where he studied, and later settled in the Peak District. Advertisement Advertisement In a tribute, the councillor's family said he was "warm, outgoing, and effortlessly at ease with strangers". They added: "Climbing was core to Steve's identity, and he went whenever life allowed." "His natural charisma and passion for a better world drew him into public life, and after working as a civil servant, he founded the charity Touchstone. "Steve also served as a county and borough councillor, and remained a committed Labour advocate, animated by a stubborn belief that things could be better, and therefore should be." 'Genuinely kind' Chesterfield Borough Council leader Tricia Gilby said the authority was "devastated by the sudden loss of our valued colleague". Advertisement Advertisement She added Lismore fulfilled his role as health and wellbeing lead with "great passion and real commitment to achieving the very best for the people and places of Chesterfield". Derbyshire Police and Crime Commissioner Nicolle Ndiweni-Roberts said: "He was a genuinely kind person with a true heart for the community, and he will be greatly missed by many. "My thoughts are with his family and loved ones at this difficult time." Follow BBC Derby on Facebook, on X, or on Instagram. Send your story ideas to eastmidsnews@bbc.co.uk or via WhatsApp on 0808 100 2210. Related internet links Update: On Feb. 11, a federal judge in Illinois issued an emergency temporary restraining order, which blocks the Trump administration from cutting the public health funds to state programs. The Trump administration will cut $600 million in public health funds for four Democratic-led states, including Colorado, according to reports. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services will cut funding for programs in Colorado, California, Illinois and Minnesota, according to multiple news outlets, including The New York Times and The New York Post, which first reported the cuts. A spokesperson for the administration said the states were being targeted for waste and mismanagement of taxpayer funds. Advertisement Advertisement SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX The funds include grants administered by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for certain state functions as well as programs supporting specific communities. The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment has not received any official notification regarding grant reductions or terminations and therefore cannot confirm specific cuts, according to Jessica Forsyth, director of the office of STI/HIV and viral hepatitis. The New York Times reported that $371,000 slated for the Colorado Health Network Inc., which helps people in Colorado with or at risk of acquiring HIV, would be cut. Advertisement Advertisement Colorado consistently exceeds federal expectations in delivering HIV prevention and care through systems designed to protect continuity of services, Forsyth said in a statement. Colorados HIV efforts are built on long-standing partnerships with community-based organizations, local public health agencies, and clinical providers that are deeply embedded in communities across the state. A HHS spokesperson said in a statement to Newsline that the grants marked for termination do not reflect agency priorities. Many of the affected funds were already appropriated by Congress. The Trump administration has frozen and cut billions of dollars in public health and medical research funds, and state attorneys general have sued to stop those freezes. Colorado has been a repeated target of funding cuts from the Trump administration. It previously denied the states requests for federal assistance to support flood and wildfire recovery efforts and froze child care and social service program funding. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE That same HR rep at Tuckers former company reportedly emailed HireRight on December 17, 2025 to correct the mistake. [The HR rep] said, Well, the issue is, they sent the request asking for me to verify employment for Krishan Tucker, not Krishan Dawson, said Tucker, whose last name used to be Dawson. Tucker had reportedly disclosed this key detail on the form for her background check. However, the job offer was quickly taken off the table. When she reviewed the background report herself, Tucker identified a key error: according to notes in HireRights system, a company that Tucker was contracted with between 2017 and 2018 reported that she had never worked there. After contacting her former employer directly, Tucker learned the verification request had been submitted under the wrong last name. Believing the job offer was finalized, Tucker had already found a new home to rent with help from friends and family. Her start date at what was supposed to be her new job was set for mid-December. Before I could even begin, it was just ripped away, Tucker told Atlanta News First Investigates. I just cried and screamed. This is not something I did wrong. Its literally a small problem and that was a mountain standing between myself and a job that would provide a livelihood for me and my kids. Tuckers employment was put on hold after a background check conducted by third-party screening firm HireRight flagged discrepancies in her work history during onboarding through MBO Partners. The report cited potential conflicts tied to past contract roles and freelance consulting work that she later turned into her own business. Im approaching retirement with no savings. Should I panic? Here are 6 easy ways to catch up (and fast) 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 Dave Ramsey warns nearly 50% of Americans are making 1 big Social Security mistake heres what it is and 3 simple steps to fix it ASAP She spent years climbing the corporate ladder in the health care consulting industry, driven by a determination to give her boys a life far removed from her own upbringing. After a layoff, an abnormal mammogram and the end of her marriage, Tucker appeared to catch a break in late 2025, securing what she described as a miracle job that pays $165 an hour. The offer, however, never materialized. For Krishan Tucker, a single mother in Atlanta, everything she does revolves around creating stability for her two sons. Story Continues I have just learned that the verification request for Krishan Tucker is actually Krishan Dawson. I can confirm Krishan Dawson was on assignment [here], read a portion of the HR reps email to HireRight. Although the error was later corrected, HireRight reportedly continued to flag inconsistencies with Tuckers employment dates, which Tucker believed was the result of the name error in her background check. Not an isolated case While the error with her background check was beyond unfortunate, Tucker is far from alone, as consumer advocates say background check mistakes are both widespread and costly. According to Consumer Justice, estimates put the chances of errors occurring during a background check at 50% (2), a level the National Consumer Law Center has described as rampant. Ariel Nelson, a staff attorney at the National Consumer Law Center, said weak oversight allows screening errors to persist, often at the expense of consumers (3). If Congress, federal agencies and states dont act to ensure that background screening companies are closely monitored and hold them accountable for their repeated mistakes due to poor policies and practices, consumers will continue to pay the price by forfeiting housing and job opportunities while employers and landlords will miss out on qualified employees and tenants, said Nelson. Background checks are now standard practice, with about 95% of employers using them, according to the Professional Background Screening Association (4). HireRight is one of the largest background screening firms in the U.S., serving more than 40,000 employers. Read More: The average net worth of Americans is a surprising $620,654. But it almost means nothing. Heres the number that counts (and how to make it skyrocket) But consumer reviews and federal complaint data suggest there are persistent concerns with HireRight, as the company averages roughly one star on both Google and the Better Business Bureau (1). Data reviewed by Atlanta News First Investigates shows HireRight complaints filed with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau nearly tripled in 2025, with 91 complaints submitted across 29 states. While HireRight generally responded to background check errors within required timeframes, public records do not indicate how often those responses resulted in corrections. Furthermore, some online complaints about HireRight seemed similar to Tuckers experience. In one Better Business Bureau filing, a job applicant alleged a late-November drug test incorrectly flagged marijuana and a prescribed medication, despite a recent negative test for another employer (5). On December 23, MBO Partners issued a Final Adverse Action notice, rescinding Tuckers employment offer (1). The company said it could not comment on the specifics of her case due to federal privacy laws but emphasized that candidates are provided an opportunity to review and dispute background check reports before employment decisions are finalized. How to protect yourself Tucker is now piecing together part-time work while continuing to apply for full-time roles, and has since filed a lawsuit against HireRight. Meanwhile, consumer advocates say her experience is a reminder that there are steps workers can take when a background check affects a job offer. The first step is to know your rights. Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act, employers are required to notify applicants when a background report contributes to an adverse employment decision and must provide information about the screening company used and the applicants right to dispute inaccurate or incomplete information. Workers are also entitled to a free copy of the report used in the decision (6). Experts also recommend reviewing your credit and background reports before applying for jobs to catch errors early. Job seekers can request a free copy of their credit report at AnnualCreditReport.com, and may want to review state and local laws that limit what potential employers can ask and when. If errors appear in your background check, disputes must be filed directly with the reporting agency, along with any supporting documentation. Agencies are typically allowed up to 30 days to investigate, which is a timeline that can conflict with immediate financial needs such as rent, health care or childcare. Workers who believe a screening company mishandled their report can also file a complaint with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. You May Also Like Join 200,000+ readers and get Moneywises best stories and exclusive interviews first clear insights curated and delivered weekly. Subscribe now. Article sources We rely only on vetted sources and credible third-party reporting. For details, see our editorial ethics and guidelines. Atlanta News First Investigates (1); Consumer Justice (2); National Consumer Law Center (3); Professional Background Screening Association (4); Better Business Bureau (5); Federal Trade Commission (6). This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind. WASHINGTON The Trump administration tried and failed Tuesday to indict Democratic lawmakers over a video urging members of the military and intelligence communities not to comply with unlawful orders, three sources familiar with the matter told NBC News. Six Democrats participated in the video, and some had said they would not cooperate with the Justice Departments probe into their involvement. The indictment, pursued by the U.S. Attorneys Office for the District of Columbia, led by Trump appointee Jeanine Pirro, is the latest example of the Justice Departments targeting the president's perceived political opponents. The government attorneys assigned to the case are political appointees, not career Justice Department prosecutors, according to one of the sources. Advertisement Advertisement Its exceedingly rare for federal grand juries to say prosecutors failed to meet the probable cause threshold for an indictment, and typically happens only a handful of times each year in the vast federal judicial system. Trump administration officials failed Tuesday to convince a single juror that they had met the threshold to bring charges against the Democratic lawmakers, according to two of the sources familiar with the investigation. Federal grand juries have between 16 and 23 members, with 12 needed to advance an indictment. A Justice Department spokesman and a spokesman for the U.S. attorneys office did not respond to requests for comment Tuesday night. The FBI had sought interviews with the six members of Congress who appeared in the video, which was posted to social media in November: Reps. Jason Crow of Colorado, Maggie Goodlander of New Hampshire and Chris Deluzio and Chrissy Houlahan of Pennsylvania, and Sens. Mark Kelly of Arizona and Elissa Slotkin of Michigan. Advertisement Advertisement The lawmakers, all of whom served in the military or in intelligence roles, said in the video that the Trump administration was pitting members of the military and the intelligence communities against American citizens. They then pointed out that public servants can refuse illegal orders. Now, more than ever, the American people need you, the lawmakers say in the video. Dont give up the ship." Under the Uniform Code of Military Justice, members of the military are obliged to obey only lawful orders and must refuse those that are manifestly illegal. Trump accused the Democratic lawmakers on his social media platform, Truth Social, of SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR, punishable by DEATH! at the time. Legal experts broadly agree that prosecuting members of Congress for their political speech would raise serious First Amendment concerns. Advertisement Advertisement In addition to the First Amendment issues, the speech or debate clause of the Constitution gives lawmakers on Capitol Hill immunity from prosecution for acts taken within the legislative sphere, a fundamental check on the constitutional separation of powers. It was not immediately clear what charge or charges prosecutors sought against the lawmakers. A federal judge in a separate case is expected to rule in the coming days on the legality of actions taken by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth against Kelly over his participation in the video. Hegseth issued a formal letter of censure last month and is seeking to reduce Kelly's retirement rank as a Navy captain. It wasnt enough for Pete Hegseth to censure me and threaten to demote me, now it appears they tried to have me charged with a crime all because of something I said that they didnt like, Kelly said in a statement Tuesday night. Thats not the way things work in America. Donald Trump wants every American to be too scared to speak out against him. The most patriotic thing any of us can do is not back down. Advertisement Advertisement Slotkin, one of the lawmakers who said they would not cooperate with the Justice Department's probe, said she hopes Tuesday's action by the grand jury "ends this politicized investigation for good." "But today wasnt just an embarrassing day for the Administration. It was another sad day for our country," Slotkin said on X. "Because whether or not Pirro succeeded is not the point. Its that President Trump continues to weaponize our justice system against his perceived enemies. Its the kind of thing you see in a foreign country, not in the United States we know and love." Others responded in a similarly defiant tones on X. Deluzio said he "will not be intimidated for a single second by the Trump Administration or Justice Department lawyers who tried and failed to indict me," while Goodlander said, "No matter the threats, I will keep doing my job and upholding my oath to our Constitution." Houlahan said in a statement, "This is good news for the Constitution and the free speech protections it guarantees." Crow added in his that "Americans should be furious that Trump and his goons tried to weaponize our justice system again against his political opponents." Advertisement Advertisement Under long-standing Justice Department policy, the Public Integrity Section would normally have to sign off on every step of an investigation of a sitting member of Congress, especially in a case with free speech and speech-and-debate considerations. But the Trump administration has dismantled the Public Integrity Section, eliminating checks meant to prevent the Justice Department's powers from being abused for political purposes. The administration has previously failed to indict other perceived political foes. After a federal judge dismissed an initial indictment of New York Attorney General Letitia James, the Justice Department failed to convince two separate federal grand juries that it had met the probable cause threshold: once in Norfolk, Virginia, on Dec. 4 and once in Alexandria, Virginia, on Dec. 11. Under Pirro, a former Fox News host and longtime friend of Trumps, the U.S. attorney's office has also struggled to secure indictments and convictions, including when a jury acquitted a man who chucked a Subway sandwich at a federal officer patrolling Washington at Trump's orders. This article was originally published on NBCNews.com EXCLUSIVE: Three members of Congress representing heavily Cuban-American districts are demanding the Trump administration shut off the remaining commercial "valves" of support for the communist Castro and Diaz-Canel regime in Havana after effectively blockading key oil imports in recent days. The demand from Reps. Carlos Gimenez, Mario Diaz-Balart and Maria Elvira Salazar, all Republicans from Florida, comes as Cuban despot Miguel Diaz-Canel warned his country is "close to failing," according to German outlet Deutsche Welle. Diaz-Canel also warned oil supplies may run out within 15 days amid the threat of U.S. tariffs on exporters to Cuba. Advertisement Advertisement While Diaz-Canel called the U.S.-imposed oil blockade "genocidal" and "fascist," Gimenez, Diaz-Balart and Salazar saw it as a positive development and said they will demand Tuesday that the Commerce Department shut off the other remaining lifelines to the dictatorship that Washington can control. Those valves come in the form of export licenses for more than $100 million in supplies they say largely go not to the Cuban people but directly to enrich the regime. Cuban-born Rep Recounts Emotional Return 64 Years Later As Part Of Gitmo Codel Read On The Fox News App Luxury cars, Jacuzzi tubs and other luxury items remain open to export through licenses given to several Miami-area firms, according to Gimenezs office, which provided Fox News Digital with a 50-page document detailing manifests of goods cleared by the Commerce Departments Bureau of Industry and Security to be shipped to addresses listed on the Plaza de la Revolucion in Havana, Marianao and elsewhere. Advertisement Advertisement Gimenez, Diaz-Balart and Salazar wrote to Commerce Under Secretary Jeffrey Kessler and Treasurys Office of Foreign Assets Control Director Bradley Smith, demanding they take action on these licenses. "[We are] beyond concerned by U.S. businesses currently engaged in disturbing commercial activity with entities controlled by the regime in Cuba, a listed State Sponsor of Terrorism," the lawmakers wrote. Post-maduro, Pressure Builds On Mexico Over Cubas New Oil Lifeline "Such activity risks undermining the central objectives of U.S. sanctions policy and contradicts the intent of Congress as reflected in U.S. law, including the Cuban Liberty and Democratic Solidarity (LIBERTAD) Act of 1996." Advertisement Advertisement The act represents one of the most stringent sanctions laws imposed on the Castro regime. The lawmakers told Commerce that the first section of the LIBERTAD Act clearly states that U.S. sanctions are meant to deny economic support to Havana until "concrete progress is made toward democratic governance, the rule of law, and respect for fundamental freedoms." Cubas President Defiant, Says No Negotiations Scheduled As Trump Moves To Choke Off Oil Lifeline "Despite these mandates, a number of licenses issued by both OFAC and BIS continue to authorize transactions that ultimately benefit the Cuban regime and its military-controlled conglomerates," they wrote. Advertisement Advertisement Such licenses also disregard Congress explicit will that sanctions are to be "maintain[ed] until a transition government in Cuba is in place." Asked about the publicly available manifest document, Latin America policy analyst Andres Martinez-Fernandez said that while cutting off licensed food and medicine exports is sensitive, much of what is typically cleared for export from Miami often ends up in the hands of the regime rather than the people. Sanctioned Russian Jet Touches Down In Cuba, Echoing Secret Flights Before Maduro's Ouster Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart speaks beside members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus. (Getty Images) That includes, he said, goods that seem like they would be destined for civilians. Advertisement Advertisement "A lot of these categories of, you know, like you say expensive cars and even talking about, like, cement we're exporting building products and everything's crumbling in Cuba except for the houses of the government officials and their regime collaborators," he noted. Martinez-Fernandez added that he does not view the current export situation as any "purposeful oversight" or that the administration is ignoring any potential lever of pressure. As Trump Urges Deal, Cuban President Warns That The Country Will Defend Itself 'To The Last Drop Of Blood' "The reality is that we're doing a lot at the moment when it comes to sanctions and some of these tools in particular," he said. "Its not a press-a-button-and-cut-everything-off. You have to go through everything." Advertisement Advertisement In their demand, the lawmakers say Commerce must conduct a comprehensive review of all active licenses authorizing commercial or financial dealings with Cuban state entities. "Revoke any licenses that directly or indirectly provide economic benefit to regime-controlled entities, consistent with the restrictions mandated by the LIBERTAD Act [and] enhance scrutiny of future requests for licensing related to Cuba to ensure full alignment with both the letter and the intent of U.S. law," they wrote. Click Here To Download The Fox News App Cuban state-owned oil company Cupet refuels a gas station amid the oil crisis there. While critical of that particular dynamic, the lawmakers noted that they are fully supportive of President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubios "decisive action" thus far against the Cuban regime. Advertisement Advertisement "[We] look forward to your agencies strongly enforcing U.S. sanctions against the Cuban dictatorship and upholding the Administrations common-sense policy against the brutal regime on the island," they wrote. Fox News Digital reached out to the Commerce Department for comment on the manifest of exportable goods. Original article source: Trump administration pressed to close Cuba embargo loophole with oil set to run out within days The sudden closure of air space around El Paso, Texas, on Tuesday night was due to a military operation involving cartel drones, the Trump administration has revealed. Hours after the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced a shocking 10-day ban on all commercial flights in the area surrounding El Paso Airport the rule was lifted. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy took to X on the morning of Wednesday, Feb. 11, to explain what he says occurred. "The FAA and DOW acted swiftly to address a cartel drone incursion," Duffy wrote. "The threat has been neutralized, and there is no danger to commercial travel in the region. The restrictions have been lifted and normal flights are resuming." Advertisement Advertisement The announcement left many questioning why the initial flight ban was planned to last for 10 days, however, no additional clarification has been provided. The FAA and DOW acted swiftly to address a cartel drone incursion. The threat has been neutralized, and there is no danger to commercial travel in the region. The restrictions have been lifted and normal flights are resuming. https://t.co/xQA1cMy7l0 Secretary Sean Duffy (@SecDuffy) February 11, 2026 At 8:32 p.m. local time on Tuesday, the FAA announced in a NOTAM, or "notice to airmen," that "No pilots may operate an aircraft in the areas covered by this NOTAM" citing special security reasons." The agency also said the federal government may use deadly force if an aircraft violating the airspace is determined to pose an imminent security threat, per The New York Times. It did not elaborate on the security issues. According to NBC News, the issued NOTAM said the airspace was classified as national defense airspace. Advertisement Advertisement The initial restriction was set to be in place for 10 days from Feb. 10 until 11:30 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 20, causing major travel disruptions in the transit hub. Getty In a statement obtained by The New York Times, El Paso Airport told the outlet that the FAA issued the restriction on short notice" and they were waiting for more guidance. Speaking about the news, Texas state Rep. Vince Perez of El Paso told the outlet, I have never heard of an American airspace being shutdown for 10 days, absent a major emergency. However, hours later, the ban was lifted. In a post on X at 6:54 a.m. local time, the FAA stated, "The temporary closure of airspace over El Paso has been lifted. There is no threat to commercial aviation. All flights will resume as normal." PEOPLE has contacted the FAA and El Paso Airport for further comment. Read the original article on People The News Nearly six weeks after the Trump administration ousted Venezuelas leader with plans to effectively run the country, its manner of doing so is increasingly opaque. The first US sale of Venezuelan oil took place 11 days after President Donald Trumps declaration that the US would rely on Caracas oil revenues to control its future. But one month after Semafor reported that proceeds from an initial $500 million sale were held in a Qatari account, there is no sign of a second successful sale. Theres also no clarity on when future proceeds will shift to a US-based Treasury Department account from the Qatari account, which was used to help shield the oil proceeds from Venezuelas creditors. Advertisement Advertisement Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Jan. 28 that the Treasury account would ultimately be used, and an administration official told Semafor that there is one set up to hold future revenues derived from the sale of Venezuela natural resources. Asked about further oil sales under what Trump billed as a multi-billion-dollar deal with Venezuela, the official said there were no new announcements to preview at this time. Its the latest sign of slowing progress in Venezuela, as lawmakers and private-sector players raise questions about how Trumps advisers plan to build momentum for what will inevitably be a years-long transition on the ground. The lack of public detail emerging from Venezuela stands in stark contrast to the organized communications around other Trump global priorities, like Russia-Ukraine negotiations and the Gaza peace agreement. What I worry about is: Weve got a lot of plates spinning. And it is very difficult to keep them all going at the same time, said Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C. Venezuela is a classic example of the limits of Trump-era multitasking, he added, because taking Maduro out of the country was a great move. But Im not seeing a lot of immediate progress. Obviously, the business community would have to be brain-dead to make major capital investments without some certainty, Tillis said. Advertisement Advertisement Some people close to the White House speculate that the lack of details its sharing about Venezuela may be intentional. One person close to the administration said that there may be an attempt to avoid a mission accomplished moment, referring to then-President George W. Bushs widely mocked premature victory lap in Iraq after the toppling of Saddam Hussein. This is a years-long process, the person added, emphasizing that Trumps efforts to convince more oil companies to invest in Venezuela likely involve behind-the-scenes maneuvering. In the words of Kenny Rogers: Dont count your chips at the table. The Treasury Department on Tuesday issued another general license for Venezuelan oil this week, potentially helping shake loose new investments. But there are still a lot of questions, Winston & Strawns Cari Stinebower, a former Office of Foreign Assets Control counsel who advises clients on the licensing process, said last week. I keep hearing unofficially that we just need to be patient, added Stinebower. Meanwhile, she said, everyones calling and asking for information, and were all sort of combing the press and every other source we possibly can. Advertisement Advertisement Energy Secretary Chris Wright, a longtime oil-industry executive himself, is playing a leading role in Venezuela. He traveled there this week for meetings with both its interim President Delcy Rodriguez and its state-run oil company. But Wright has made no firm promises about how quickly production or sales might ramp up. Senior White House economic adviser Kevin Hassett told Semafor on Wednesday that Wright is working really hard on getting the sales amped up but I dont have a hard number. Know More A few things are clear about Trumps approach in Venezuela: His advisers feel they can work with Rodriguez, despite her occasionally combative public rhetoric and ongoing uncertainty among some Florida Republicans. And new elections in the country will likely not be held on the shorter timeline that opposition leader Maria Corina Machado has pushed for. Advertisement Advertisement Still more remains uncertain. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told lawmakers last week that the administration would use outside auditors to oversee how Rodriguezs team spends oil revenue a top concern for Florida Republicans. But Bessent added that theres currently no agreement for such a system. Legal confusion also surrounds the Treasury-based account for oil revenue. Administration officials have cited the International Emergency Economic Powers Act when talking about it, but lawmakers have raised repeated questions about whether that provides sufficient authority for the US. That law would also allow Venezuelas opposition party, as well as creditors with terrorism-related claims, to try to tap the funds as soon as the money enters the US. Neither Treasury nor State provided on-the-record comment for this story. Step Back Iraq offers another clear warning to the Trump administration on the legal risks it has to avoid. When an Iraqi regional government tried to sell the nations oil a decade ago, the countrys central government sued participating buyers and sellers. Advertisement Advertisement And when the Biden administration began spending seized funds from Afghanistans central bank, we had a little bit clearer roadmap of the legal justifications, said Alex Zerden, a former senior government adviser on international finance who ran the Treasurys Kabul embassy office. The Venezuela raid itself was closely held and so now theyre just being incredibly reactive, added Zerden, now founder of Capitol Peak Strategies. This is a stopgap measure that theyre claiming to be temporary, and theyre not going to be particularly verbose or profligate in their legal justifications. The View From The White House The clear message from White House aides: Be patient and, as spokeswoman Taylor Rogers put it, Trust in President Trump. Advertisement Advertisement Rogers added that this historic US-Venezuela energy agreement is one of the many great deals that the president has brokered on behalf of the American people. President Trumps team is working with the interim authorities and oil companies to help restore prosperity, safety, and security in the United States and Venezuela. Room for Disagreement The majority of congressional Republicans are taking the White Houses advice. Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart, R-Fla., told Semafor he has zero complaints about communication so far. Others ascribe any uncertainty to the early stages of an inevitably lengthy process. Youve got to remember we took it from a completely broken, sanctioned, basically black-oil situation where it was an underground market, to try and bring it to the legitimacy of the world and all thats taking a little bit of time, Sen. Bernie Moreno, R-Ohio, said after a meeting with Citgo representatives. But were going to be in good shape. Advertisement Advertisement For others on the ground in Venezuela, the existing signs of change and potential growth are also more than enough. Stinebower said shes spoken with Venezuelan lawyers who are ecstatic over the private-sector interest so far. Its hard to say that this is a problem when the people in Venezuela are celebrating, she added. Eleanor and Shelbys View A big portion of the haziness surrounding the US approach to Venezuela can credibly be attributed to how much work is required to open up its economy, particularly its oil industry. But one thing is true about Trump: When he sees clear success, he trumpets it from the rooftops. (Exhibit A: Gaza.) So his administrations relative silence sends its own political message. Advertisement Advertisement And while Trump can get away with divulging less for as long as Republicans are in charge of Congress, that may change quickly after November. Notable Critics of Donald Trump or his administration may be known to the Department of Homeland Security. The organization is allegedly pressuring social media companies to share information about users who criticize the president, along with information about people who run anonymous ICE-watchdog social media accounts, according to reporting in Tech Crunch. The DHS is doing this by issuing administrative subpoenas to social media companies, in hopes of getting information about users. Tech: If You Use Gmail, You're Going To Want To Turn Off This 1 Automatic Setting ASAP Third-party organizations (like social media companies) do not have to comply with administrative subpoenas, explained Steve Stransky, an adjunct professor in the school of law at Case Western Reserve University in Ohio. Advertisement Advertisement This is true, Unless theres a separate court process or separate order from a judge requiring the third party, the social media company, to comply with the administrative subpoena, he added. Not all companies will comply, but some have cooperated. Take, for example, Google, which handed information about a 67-year-old recent retiree over to the government; the user had emailed a federal prosecutor about an immigration case he read about. Federal officials later showed up at his door after he received a notice from Google about the subpoena. The DHS has since withdrawn the subpoena in this case. The idea of the government monitoring your social media activity if youre critical of their current moves is unnerving yet unfortunately not totally illegal. Heres what to know: Tech: I Couldnt Stop Wasting Time On Social Media. This 1 Easy Trick Helped Me Win Back My Attention. A social media companys terms of service generally state that you dont have a privacy right. The Supreme Court has held that individuals generally dont have a privacy interest in data that they share with third parties, Stransky said. Advertisement Advertisement This means when you use a third-party service like a social media company or even an internet service provider to send communications (emails, posts, messages and more), that information may not actually be private, he explained. There are some exceptions to that rule, but thats the general principle thats been around for 50-plus years now, Stransky said. The government reviewing social media posts has been happening for I think, over a decade, looking at it for people coming in for visas, immigration, things like that. But what Ive been seeing a lot is theyre starting to use administrative [subpoenas] to go after anybody thats critical, said Dave Chronister, CEO of Parameter Security. Travel: Trump's Chilling New Plan For Foreign Tourists Is Concerning Experts You hand over your right to privacy when you agree to any given social media apps terms of use. Advertisement Advertisement Most people dont read these terms thoroughly when they sign up for the platform, but terms of use, generally, include how the company can actually disclose records to the government pursuant to various types of requests for information, whether a subpoena or warrant, and how the individuals may be able to try to prevent that type of disclosure, Stransky explained. These terms are updated frequently to adhere to different policies from political administrations and different policies within the social media company itself, he said. You probably receive a couple emails a month that say, Weve updated our terms, please read them here, and nobody reads them, right? But thats where these social media companies are setting forth the process for when and how they will disclose your data to the government, Stransky said. Like this article? Keep independent journalism alive. Support HuffPost. What you post on social media, whether your account is private or not, is generally not protected by privacy laws. Oscar Wong via Getty Images But doesnt this violate free speech? Free speech is protected under the First Amendment, so shouldnt you be able to say or write what you want on social media? Advertisement Advertisement The governments position has generally been that their enforcement or their concern isnt related to free speech activities or First Amendment-protected activities, Stransky said. Politics: Donald Trump Wants To Punish Anyone Who Doesnt Like Him Particularly when were talking about U.S. persons, the Freedom of Information Act, the Privacy Act, specifically prohibit the federal government from maintaining records on individuals that are otherwise related to a protected First Amendment activity, unless there is specific law enforcement, statutory investigatory authorities behind that, he added. What the government has relied on in recent years, though, is focusing on their authority to protect federal officials or officer safety type of issues, Stransky said. Advertisement Advertisement So, if you make a statement online, and it seems to threaten a federal officer or someone in power, this could be treated as a crime. The government taking adverse action against people because of their political ideology is classic First Amendment no-no, said Paul Gowder, a professor of law at Northwestern Pritzker School of Law in Illinois. But it can be complicated when there are private parties involved such as a social media company, the government and the social media user, Gowder added. Tech: Recording ICE's Violent Tactics Is More Important Than Ever Heres How To Do It Safely What can the federal government actually do with all of this social media data they gather? Experts say not much. While the government has lots of surveillance resources, it doesnt actually have lots of doing-harm-to-people resources, Gowder said. Advertisement Advertisement This isnt to say the government wont do harm to some people or some groups, but it certainly cant do harm to everyone posting negatively about Trump or his administration. Certain people (undocumented folks, immigrants) are likely at higher risk of retaliation than American citizens. Since the federal government has limited resources, they tend to use those resources to focus on specific priorities. The federal government, in particular the Trump administration and every administration going back to the Obama administration, has set their priorities for enforcement actions, and those priorities are going to be around terrorism, cybersecurity, human trafficking, preventing narcotics transferring, said Stransky. Tracking folks Trump-critical social media movements isnt a priority for them to actually enforce. Advertisement Advertisement Their focus is on those other core missions, and they would likely only get involved on investigating statements that seem to be critical of the administration if they take the extra step or the extra measure, and determine that those statements arent just statements but would have an impact on the governments ability to actually operationalize their enforcement priorities, Stransky said. While enforcing social media isnt a focus, and the probability of anything happening to the average user is low, there has been an increase in this kind of enforcement in the last 10 years, Stransky added. If youre worried, there really isnt much you can do other than not use social media. The other piece of this thats kind of grim is ... the government already has access to so much social media data through any number of ways, said Gowder. This could be through data brokers or contract relationships with other companies. I think number two, a lot of data, a lot of social media activity, is just public, Gowder said. This could be true for your LinkedIn profile, your YouTube comments or what you post on Reddit. Advertisement Advertisement If you are worried about the government having access to what you post on social media, there really isnt any way around it other than simply not using social media, according to Chronister. This is the terms and service, and I think this is something that weve been dealing with as a civilization for the past 20 years we sign up for these platforms, and the only way you can use these platforms is to agree to their terms of service, Chronister said. And a lot of terms of service are set up for ... no expectation of privacy. Once your data is on a social media companys servers, they can do what they want with it. And it becomes a very, very bad situation, especially when you get into areas like this, where the governments starting to try to weaponize it, said Chronister. There are also situations where the government is already working to get access to social media, like at the border, Gowder said, where Border Patrol is actively searching peoples phones. Advertisement Advertisement All of these new initiatives about access to social media accounts from people coming in is going to be a major source of data for the government, Gowder noted. So, I kind of feel like, in a lot of ways, the horse has left the barn here. And I mean ... we sort of live in a surveillance economy, and it turns out that when we spend decades handing over massive amounts of data to companies that dont care about us for the purpose of that data being monetized in exchange for services, we really ought not to be terribly surprised when an authoritarian government realizes that there are a bunch of easy ways for it to hoover that in, Gowder said. Is the answer to be silent and afraid of posting on social media? For some people who are more vulnerable to action from the government, Gowder believes yes. But for those who arent part of an at-risk group, speaking out on social media (and in real life) is a good idea. I actually think that, right now ... weve got a regime in the White House that has authoritarian dispositions. I think there are people in the White House who would love to run an authoritarian regime, Gower said, I think that its actually more important for people to be brave and to speak out and to signal to their fellow citizens that theyre not alone in their opposition to whats going on. Related... Read the original on HuffPost The move would put significant pressure on Irans main source of revenue, according to US officials, but faces many obstacles, including concerns regarding Iranian retaliation. The Trump administration is weighing seizing additional Iranian oil tankers in an attempt to put pressure on Tehran, the Wall Street Journal reported on Tuesday evening, citing United States officials. The move would put significant pressure on Irans main source of revenue, according to the officials, but faces many obstacles. Advertisement Advertisement The US is concerned about Tehrans near-certain retaliation to such action and the impact it would have on global oil markets, believing that Iran would seize US-allied oil tankers passing through the region or mine the Strait of Hormuz itself. The Wall Street Journal further noted that such action, or Iran closing the strait would likely prompt a US military response. Blocking the strait isnt in anyones interest, including Irans, Wall Street Journal quoted Bader Al-Saif, an academic at Kuwait University, as saying. But if they feel that theyre cornered, theyll do it. And they have the logistics to do it. The Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) sails alongside the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Spruance (DDG 111) in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations. (credit: Official US Navy photo) In recent months, the United States has seized several ships belonging to Irans shadow fleet, as part of its blockade of Venezuela-related tankers. Advertisement Advertisement According to the Wall Street Journal, officials have said that more than 20 ships transporting Iranian oil have this year been sanctioned by the US Treasury as possible seizure targets, though if the US did board one of these vessels, it would have to divert personnel and other ships to escort the tanker to a location willing to store the oil. When asked about the possibility of such a thing happening, a White House official said that US President Donald Trump prefers diplomacy but has multiple options at his disposal if the talks collapse. You could just sit outside in the Arabian Sea and then start with one tanker and then see what happens, Wall Street Journal quoted Erik Meyersson, a chief emerging markets strategist at the Swedish bank SEB, as saying. US fighter jet downs Iranian drone near aircraft carrier Last week, the US military shot down an Iranian drone that approached the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier in the Arabian Sea, an American official told Reuters. Advertisement Advertisement The Iranian Shahed-139 drone was flying towards the carrier and was shot down by a F-35 US fighter jet. "An F-35C fighter jet from Abraham Lincoln shot down the Iranian drone in self-defense and to protect the aircraft carrier and personnel on board," said Navy Captain Tim Hawkins, a spokesperson at the US military's Central Command. No American service members were harmed during the incident, and no US equipment was damaged, he added. REPRESENTATIVE JERROLD NADLER (D-NY): How many of Epsteins co-conspirators have you indicted? How many perpetrators are you even investigating? ATTORNEY GENERAL PAM BONDI: First, you showed it, I find it. REPRESENTATIVE JERROLD NADLER (D-NY): How many have you indicted? ATTORNEY GENERAL PAM BONDI: Excuse me! Im gonna answer the question! REPRESENTATIVE JERROLD NADLER (D-NY): Answer MY question! ATTORNEY GENERAL PAM BONDI: No, Im going to answer the question the way I want to answer the question! REPRESENTATIVE JERROLD NADLER (D-NY): No, youre going to answer the question the way I asked it! ATTORNEY GENERAL PAM BONDI: Chairman Jordan, Im not going to get in the gutter with these people, but Im going to answer the question. REPRESENTATIVE JIM JORDAN (R-OH): Again, the time belongs to the. REPRESENTATIVE JERROLD NADLER (D-NY): Reclaiming my time! ATTORNEY GENERAL PAM BONDI: I think its very interesting. (CROSSTALK) ATTORNEY GENERAL PAM BONDI: I think its very interesting that he talks about they indicted, the president said they indited him twice. REPRESENTATIVE JAMIE RASKIN (D-MD): Stop the clock and restore his time! They sure did! Oh, okay, here we go with these theatrics. REPRESENTATIVE JIM JORDAN (R-OH): The time belongs to the gentleman from New York. We will give you a few more seconds. We will do that, but when you ask a question, the witness gets to answer. You may not like the answer, but she gets to. REPRESENTATIVE JERROLD NADLER (D-NY): The question was, how many of Epsi ATTORNEY GENERAL PAM BONDI: They dont like the answer, Chairman, because its honest! So he asked a four-minute question. REPRESENTATIVE JAMIE RASKIN (D-MD): Restore 45 seconds to Mr. Nadler, please, Mr. Chairman. You can let her filibuster all day long, but not on our watch. Not on our time. No way. And I told you about that, Attorney General, before you started. Before you started. ATTORNEY GENERAL PAM BONDI: You dont tell me anything! Washed up (inaudible) lawyer. REPRESENTATIVE JAMIE RASKIN (D-MD): I DID tell you because we saw what you did in the Senate! ATTORNEY GENERAL PAM BONDI: Not even a lawyer. REPRESENTATIVE JIM JORDAN (R-OH): The committee will be in order. REPRESENTATIVE JERROLD NADLER (D-NY): I should get back at least 45 seconds. REPRESENTATIVE JIM JORDAN (R-OH): We will give you a few more seconds. I said that already. REPRESENTATIVE JERROLD NADLER (D-NY): 45 seconds. REPRESENTATIVE JIM JORDAN (R-OH): Okay. Im timing right now, Mr. Nadler. REPRESENTATIVE JERROLD NADLER (D-NY): Reclaiming my time. The answer to my question, how many of Epsteins co-conspirators has she indicted, is zero. WASHINGTON President Donald Trump said he's still not inviting two Democratic governors to a bipartisan meeting and dinner next week at the White House, despite the National Governors Association suggesting the president agreed to meet with all its members. Trump reaffirmed in a Feb. 11 Truth Social Post that he won't meet with Governors Wes Moore of Maryland and Jared Polis of Colorado. The NGA, in a statement just hours earlier, applauded Trump for agreeing to "welcome governors from all 55 states and territories to the White House," regardless of their party affiliation. Trump disputed that characterization and lashed out at Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt, a Republican and the chairman of the NGA, who spoke to Trump by phone earlier in the day. Trump said Stitt "incorrectly stated my position" about the upcoming gathering with governors. Advertisement Advertisement "The invitations were sent to ALL Governors, other than two, who I feel are not worthy of being there," Trump said. More: Democratic governors boycott White House dinner after Trump snubs 2 leaders The NGA, which represents the nation's governors, earlier in the week backed out from coordinating the historically bipartisan meeting, citing Trump's plans to only invite Republican governors and not any Democrats. But in his Truth Social post, Trump disputed that those were ever his plans, insisting he disinvited only Moore and Polis from both the meeting and dinner. President Donald Trump and his wife Melania arrive for the premiere of the documentary film "Melania" at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, recently renamed to include U.S. President Donald Trump's name, in Washington, DC on Jan. 29, 2026. President Donald Trump and musician Nicki Minaj hold hands onstage at the U.S. Treasury Department's Trump Accounts Summit, in Washington, DC on Jan. 28, 2026. President Donald Trump receives a hockey stick from Matthew Tkachuk, as he honors the NHL Stanley Cup champions Florida Panthers at the White House in Washington, DC on Jan. 15, 2026. President Donald Trump calls children as he participates in tracking Santa Claus' movements with the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) Santa Tracker on Christmas Eve at the Mar-a-Lago resort on Dec. 24, 2025 in Palm Beach, Florida. This is the 70th year that NORAD has publicly tracked SantaOs sleigh on its global rounds. President Donald Trump dances on stage during a rally at the Rocky Mount Event Center on Dec. 19, 2025 in Rocky Mount, North Carolina. Trump spoke on his plans to lower the cost of staples, including gas and health care, while blaming the Biden administration for the economic challenges inherited by his administration. President Donald Trump and Julie Strauss Levin (R) look on as conservative radio host Mark Levin speaks during a Hanukkah Reception in the East Room of the White House on Dec. 16, 2025 in Washington, DC. Trump hosted attendees to celebrate the holiday and the lighting of the menorah on the third night of Hanukkah. President Donald Trump walks onto the field for the 126th Army-Navy Game between the Army Black Knights and the Navy Midshipmen at M&T Bank Stadium on Dec. 13, 2025 in Baltimore, Maryland. The teams are competing for the Commander-in-Chief's Trophy, with President Trump attending the rivalry for the second consecutive year. President Donald Trump puts on a cowboy hat during a bill signing ceremony with members of the 1980 US Olympic men's ice hockey team in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, on Dec. 12, 2025. The legislation will award all of the players with Congressional Gold Medals to recognize the 45th anniversary of the US victory at the 1980 Winter Olympic Games. President Donald Trump places the FIFA Peace Prize around his neck after receiving it from FIFA President Gianni Infantino (R) at the FIFA World Cup 2026 Official Draw at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts Dec. 5, 2025 in Washington, DC. The 2026 FIFA World Cup will take place between June 11 and July 19 featuring 48 teams with matches being played in the United States, Mexico and Canada, the first time the international sporting event will be hosted by three nations. President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump hand out candy to children during the annual Halloween event on the South Lawn of the White House on Oct. 30, 2025 in Washington, DC. The President and first lady welcomed military, law enforcement, and foster and adoptive families, as well as administration officials and their children, to the annual trick-or-treat celebration on the White House grounds. President Donald Trump shakes hands with Chinese President Xi Jinping as they hold a bilateral meeting at Gimhae International Airport, on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit, in Busan, South Korea on Oct. 30, 2025. President Donald Trump arrives to speak to troops aboard USS George Washington at Fleet Activities Yokosuka on Oct.28, 2025 in Yokosuka, Japan. Trump is visiting Japan, fresh off an appearance at the ASEAN summit in Malaysia, and will next travel to South Korea for the APEC meetings. President Donald Trump joins performers for a dance during the welcome ceremony next to Malaysia's Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim as he arrives on Air Force One at Kuala Lumpur International Airport in Sepang on Oct. 26, 2025. President Donald Trump arrived in Malaysia on October 26 on the first leg of an Asian tour that will include high-stakes trade talks with Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping. President Donald Trump holds a model of an arch as he delivers remarks during a ballroom fundraising dinner in the East Room of the White House on Oct.15, 2025 in Washington, DC. Trump hosted organizations and individuals for a fundraising dinner for the new $250 million ballroom addition currently under construction at the White House. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio updates U.S. President Donald Trump on the Gaza proposal during a roundtable on antifa, an anti-fascist movement Trump designated a domestic "terrorist organization" via executive order on Sept. 22, at the White House in Washington on Oct. 8, 2025. President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump step on an escalator as they arrive for the 80th session of the UNOs General Assembly (UNGA) on Sept. 23, 2025 in New York City. World leaders convened for the 80th Session of UNGA, with this yearOs theme for the annual global meeting being OBetter together: 80 years and more for peace, development and human rights.O Erika Kirk joins U.S. President Donald Trump onstage during the memorial service for political activist Charlie Kirk at State Farm Stadium on Sept. 21, 2025 in Glendale, Arizona. Kirk, the CEO and co-founder of Turning Point USA, was shot and killed on September 10th while speaking at an event during his "American Comeback Tour" at Utah Valley University. King Charles III delivers his speech as US President Donald Trump and Catherine, Princess of Wales listen during the State Banquet at Windsor Castle for the State visit by the President of the United States of America on Sept. 17, 2025 in Windsor, England. President Trump is in England from Sept. 16-18 on his second UK state visit, with the previous one taking place in 2019 during his first presidential term. President Donald Trump and Polish President Karol Nawrocki walk down the Colonnade on the way to the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, DC on Sept. 3, 2025. The two leaders witnessed two successive flyovers, one of F-35s and then a flight of F-16s performing a "missing man" formation, during the earlier greeting on the South Portico. President Donald Trump reacts as he speaks to members of the media on board Air Force One en route from Scotland, Britain, to Joint Base Andrews, Maryland on July 29, 2025. President Donald Trump reacts after playing from the first tee to officially open the Trump International Golf Links course in Scotland on July 29, 2025. President Donald Trump and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer wave as they board Air Force One at Prestwick Airport ahead of a flight to north-east Scotland on July 28, 2025 in Prestwick, Scotland. The pair are meeting at Turnberry before traveling together to Aberdeenshire to have a private dinner at another Trump-owned golf club. President Trump is visiting Scotland in a trip thatOs part-vacation, part-work, as he stays at his Trump Turnberry golf course, followed by the Trump International Golf Links in Aberdeenshire, between July 25 to 29. President Donald Trump and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen react as they prepare to shake hands during a meeting, in Turnberry south west Scotland, on July 27, 2025, on the third day of his visit to the country, since his second tenure as President began. Trump has said he sees a 50-50 chance of reaching a deal with the European Union, having vowed to hit dozens of countries with punitive tariffs unless they hammer out a pact with Washington by August 1, 2025. President Donald Trump watches his drive from the fairway as he plays golf at the Trump Turnberry Golf Courses, in Turnberry on the south west coast of Scotland on July 27, 2025, during the third day of his visit to the country, since his second tenure as President began. Trump and EU chief Ursula von der Leyen are set to meet later on July 27, in a decisive push to resolve a months-long transatlantic trade standoff with the US leader putting the chances of a deal at one in two. President Donald Trump talks to reporters as he departs the White House on July 25, 2025 in Washington, DC. Trump is traveling to his Balmedie golf courses in Scotland this week. President Donald Trump and Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell tour the Federal ReserveOs $2.5 billion headquarters renovation project on July 24, 2025 in Washington, DC. The Trump administration has been critical of the cost of the renovation and Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell. President Donald Trump presents the sweeping spending and tax legislation, known as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, after he signed it at the White House on July 4, 2025. President Donald Trump looks up at the new flag on the south lawn of the White House on July 6, 2025, in Washington, D.C. President Trump is returning from a 4th of July weekend in Bedminster, N.J. President Donald Trump bangs a gavel after signing the "One, Big Beautiful Bill" Act into law during an Independence Day military family picnic on the South Lawn of the White House on July 4, 2025, in Washington, D.C. President Donald Trump tours a migrant detention center, dubbed "Alligator Alcatraz," located at the site of the Dade-Collier Training and Transition Airport in Ochopee, Florida, on July 1, 2025. President Donald Trump answered questions during a June 27, 2025 news conference. The Supreme Court had just ruled 6 to 3 that individual judges cannot grant nationwide injunctions to block executive orders, including the injunction on Trump's effort to eliminate birthright citizenship. President Donald Trump at a news conference during the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) summit in The Hague, Netherlands, on June 25, 2025. President Donald Trump speaks to reporters before boarding Marine One, the presidential helicopter, and departing the White House on June 24, 2025, in Washington, D.C. Less than 12 hours after announcing a ceasefire between Israel and Iran, Trump is traveling to the Netherlands to attend the NATO leaders' summit. President Donald Trump delivers an address to the nation from the White House on June 21, 2025, in Washington, D.C. President Trump addressed the three Iranian nuclear facilities that were struck by the U.S. military. President Donald Trump walks out of the Oval Office before boarding Marine One on the South Lawn of the White House on June 20, 2025, in Washington, D.C. Trump is traveling to Bedminster, New Jersey. President Donald Trump is greeted by Steven Crowchild, Tsuut'ina Isgiya Minor Chief, and other leaders after arriving at Calgary International Airport for the G7 leaders' summit on June 15, 2025, in Calgary, Alberta. Canada is hosting this year's meeting of the world's seven largest economies in Kananaskis, Alberta. President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump watch fireworks after the Army's 250th Anniversary Parade in Washington, D.C., on June 14, 2025. President Donald Trump reveled in a long-dreamed-of military parade on his 79th birthday, as demonstrators across the country branded him a dictator in the biggest protests since his return to power. U.S. President Donald Trump gestures at the annual National Memorial Day Observance in the Memorial Amphitheater, at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia, on May 26, 2025. U.S. President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth salute by the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, during ceremonies in commemoration of the Memorial Day holiday, at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia, on May 26, 2025. President Donald Trump addresses graduates of the United States Military Academy at West Point in Michie Stadium on May 24, 2025, in West Point, NY. This year's graduating class included honorary member Peter Wang, a junior ROTC cadet who was killed in the 2018 mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. President Donald Trump departs the White House on May 22, 2025, in Washington, D.C. Trump is traveling to his Trump National Golf Club in Virginia, where he is holding a dinner for the top investors in his $TRUMP cryptocurrency. President Donald Trump holds up a printed article from "American Thinker" while accusing South African President Cyril Ramaphosa of state-sanctioned violence against white farmers in South Africa during a press availability in the Oval Office at the White House on May 21, 2025, in Washington, D.C. President Donald Trump speaks alongside Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth in the Oval Office at the White House on May 20, 2025, in Washington, D.C. President Trump announced his plans for the "Golden Dome," a national ballistic and cruise missile defense system. President Donald J. Trump is greeted by young girls as he arrives for an official arrival ceremony at Qasr al Watan (Palace of the Nation) May 15, 2025, in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Trump is on the third day of his visit to the Gulf to underscore the strategic partnership between the United States and regional allies including the UAE, focusing on security and economic collaboration. President Donald J. Trump tours the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, including the mausoleum of the late founder Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan al Nahyan, with UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan (R) and Dr. Yousef Al-Obaidi, Director-General of the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque Center (SZGMC) and Ameena Alhammadi (L), Acting Director of Culture and Knowledge Department of Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque Centre, May 15, 2025, in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Trump is on the third day of his visit to the Gulf to underscore the strategic partnership between the United States and regional allies including the UAE, focusing on security and economic collaboration. Finland's President Alexander Stubb, U.S. President Donald Trump, first lady Melania Trump, Estonian President Alar Karis, King Felipe VI of Spain, Queen Letizia of Spain, Ecuador's President Daniel Noboa, His Highness Abu Dhabi's Crown Prince and President of the United Arab Emirates Sheikh Khaled Bin Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Queen Mary of Denmark attend the funeral of Pope Francis in St. Peter's Square on April 26, 2025, in Vatican City, Vatican. Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky meets with US President Donald Trump on the sidelines of Pope Francis's funeral at St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican on April 26, 2025. President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump walk to Marine One as they depart the White House on April 25, 2025, in Washington, D.C. President Trump and the first lady are traveling to Rome to attend the funeral of Pope Francis. President Donald Trump uses a cellphone aboard Marine One before it departs Leesburg Executive Airport in Leesburg, Virginia, on April 24, 2025. Trump is returning to the White House after attending a MAGA, Inc. dinner at the Trump National Golf Club Washington, DC. President Donald Trump, first lady Melania Trump and the Easter Bunny greet guests during the White House Egg Roll on the South Lawn on April 21, 2025, in Washington, D.C. The White House is expecting thousands of children and adults to participate in the annual tradition of rolling colored eggs down the White House lawn, a tradition started by President Rutherford B. Hayes in 1878. President Donald Trump meets with El Salvador's President Nayib Bukele in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, D.C., April 14, 2025. Trump on Monday hosted El Salvador's President Nayib Bukele, the self-described "world's coolest dictator" who is now the US leader's key ally in a controversial push to deport illegal migrants to a notorious Salvadoran prison. p administration to facilitate. U.S. President Donald Trump listens to a reporter's question during an ambassador meeting in the Cabinet Room of the White House on March 25, 2025, in Washington, D.C. During the meeting, Trump answered questions from reporters on the news that Jeffrey Goldberg, the editor-in-chief of The Atlantic magazine, was accidentally added to a Signal group chat of top administration officials, where highly sensitive national security information was discussed. US. President Donald Trump signs a proclamation for Greek Independence Day alongside Archbishop Elpidophoros of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America during a Greek Independence Day celebration at the White House on March 24, 2025, in Washington, DC. Trump recognized Greek staff and cabinet members and thanked "Greeks For Trump" while recognizing Greek Independence Day. U.S. President Donald Trump signs an executive order to reduce the size and scope of the Education Department alongside school children signing their own versions, during a ceremony in the East Room of the White House on March 20, 2025, in Washington, DC. The order instructs Education Secretary Linda McMahon, former head of the Small Business Administration and co-founder of World Wrestling Entertainment, to shrink the $100 billion department, which cannot be dissolved without Congressional approval. U.S. President Donald Trump delivers remarks before signing an executive order to reduce the size and scope of the Education Department during a ceremony in the East Room of the White House on March 20, 2025, in Washington, DC. The order instructs Education Secretary Linda McMahon, former head of the Small Business Administration and co-founder of World Wrestling Entertainment, to shrink the $100 billion department, which cannot be dissolved without Congressional approval. US President Donald Trump stands in the presidential box as he tours the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, DC, on March 17, 2025. Trump was appointed chairman of the Kennedy Center on Feb.12, 2025, as a new board of trustees loyal to the US president brought his aggressive right-wing, anti-woke stamp to Washington's premier arts venue. U.S. President Donald Trump delivers remarks in the Oval Office of the White House on March 21, 2025. U.S. President Donald Trump speaks to reporters before boarding Marine One at the White House on March 21, 2025, in Washington, DC. Trump is traveling to Bedminster, New Jersey, and is expected to attend the 2025 NCAA Division I Men's Wrestling Championship in Philadelphia tomorrow. President Donald Trump waves as he arrives at Philadelphia International Airport before attending NCAA Division I Wrestling Championship on March 22, 2025, in Philadelphia, Penn. Trump last attended the NCAA wrestling championship in 2023 and has attended high-level sporting events since becoming president in January. President Donald Trump stands during the national anthem prior to to the NASCAR Cup Series Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway on Feb. 16, 2025, in Daytona Beach, Fla. President Donald Trump and Ivanka Trump react during the playing of the national anthem in Super Bowl LIX between the Philadelphia Eagles and the Kansas City Chiefs at Ceasars Superdome. President Donald Trump signs an executive order at the White House on Feb. 5, 2025, banning transgender girls and women from participating in female sports. President Donald Trump takes questions during a briefing about the mid-air crash between American Airlines flight 5342 and a military helicopter in Washington, in the Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House on January 30, 2025 in Washington, DC. Divers pulled bodies from the icy waters of Washington's Potomac river Thursday after a US military helicopter collided midair with a passenger plane carrying 64 people, with officials saying there were likely no survivors. President Donald Trump is presented with a jersey and hockey stick by players of the NHL 2024 Stanley Cup Champions Florida Panthers, captain Aleksander Barkov (L) and forward Matthew Tkachuk, as Trump welcomes the team to the White House on Feb. 3, 2025, in Washington, D.C. President Donald Trump and Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hold a press conference in the East Room of the White House in Washington, D.C., on Feb. 4, 2025. President Donald Trump pauses for a moment of silence to recognize crash victims as he speaks to reporters about Wednesday's deadly midair collision between a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter and American Eagle flight 5342 near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, in the Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House in Washington, D.C., Jan. 30, 2025. President Donald Trump visits with patrons at a craps table at Circa Resort & Casino, following his remarks on his policy to end tax on tips in Las Vegas on Jan. 25, 2025. President Donald Trump followed by First Lady Melania Trump, shakes hands with California Governor Gavin Newsom upon arrival in Los Angeles on Jan. 24, 2025, to visit the region devastated by the Palisades and Eaton fires. President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump listen to a man, carrying a child, affected by Hurricane Helene, as they tour areas devastated by the hurricane to assess recovery efforts in Swannanoa, N.C., Jan. 24, 2025. President Donald Trump signs executive orders in the Oval Office of the WHite House in Washington, DC, on January 20, 2025. U.S. President Donald Trump departs after speaking with reporters in the Grand Foyer during a tour at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts after leading a board meeting on March 17, 2025, in Washington, DC. After shunning the annual Kennedy Center Honors during his first term in the White House, Trump fired the center's president, removed the bipartisan board of Biden appointees, and named himself Chairman of the storied music, theater, and dance institution. President Donald Trump tosses into the crowd the pens he used to sign a stack of executive orders on stage during the inauguration parade for President Donald Trump at Capital One Arena in Washington D.C., on Monday, Jan. 20, 2025. President Donald Trump's inauguration at Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C., on Monday, Jan. 20, 2025. President Donald Trump pumps his first as the crowd chants Ofight, fight, fight!O during the inauguration parade for President Donald Trump at Capital One Arena in Washington D.C., on Monday, Jan. 20, 2025. President Donald Trump reviews the troops in Emancipation Hall of the U.S. Capitol during his Inauguration ceremony at the U.S. Capitol on January 20, 2025 in Washington, DC. Donald Trump takes office for his second term as the 47th President of the United States. President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump walk together after the departure of former President Joe Biden and former first lady Jill Biden during the 2025 Presidential Inauguration at the U.S. Capitol. President Donald Trump delivers remarks in the viewing area in Emancipation Hall following the 2025 Presidential Inauguration ceremony at the U.S. Capitol. Standing behind Trump are from left, Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, R-La., his wife, Kelly Johnson, House Majority Leader Rep. Steve Scalise, R-La. and his wife, Jennifer Scalise. President-elect Donald Trump attends his inauguration in the U.S. Capitol Rotunda on January 20, 2025 in Washington, DC. Donald Trump takes office for his second term as the 47th President of the United States. U.S. President-elect Donald Trump and his wife Melania Trump meet with U.S. President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden on inauguration day of Donald Trump's second presidential term in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 20, 2025. Donald Trump's second term: Actions, travels of the 47th president 1 of 79 President Donald Trump and his wife Melania arrive for the premiere of the documentary film "Melania" at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, recently renamed to include U.S. President Donald Trump's name, in Washington, DC on Jan. 29, 2026. "I even invited the SLOB of a Governor, JB Pritzker, and horrendous California Governor, Gavin Newscum, to the Dinner, despite the terrible job that they are doing. As usual with him, Stitt got it WRONG!" Trump said. "The Invitations were sent out to all other Governors, Democrat and Republican. I look forward to seeing the Republican Governors, and some of the Democratic Governors who were worthy of being invited, but most of whom wont show up." President Donald Trump hosts a business session with U.S. governors who are in town for the National Governors Association's (NGA) annual winter meeting, at the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., February 21, 2025. Trump says why he's singling out Moore, Polis The meeting and dinner are scheduled to take place when the NGA meets in Washington, DC, from Feb. 19 to 21. But it's unclear whether any Democrats will attend. Advertisement Advertisement The exclusions of Moore and Polis prompted 18 Democratic governors on Feb. 10 to announce plans to boycott the White House events. That includes multiple potential 2028 Democratic presidential contenders such as Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, who chairs the Democratic Governors Association; Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, the DGA's vice chair; California Gov. Gavin Newsom; Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker; and Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro. More: Trump excludes two Democrats from White House dinner with governors Colorado Gov. Jared Polis and Maryland Gov. Wes Moore and In disinviting Polis, Trump pointed to Colorado's continued imprisonment of Tina Peters, a former county clerk convicted of multiple crimes for letting someone access data from a secure voting system in an effort to prove unsubstantiated 2020 election conspiracies. Trump referred to Moore as "the foul-mouthed Governor of Maryland," accusing him of allowing Baltimore to "continue to be a Crime Disaster" and bringing up a past controversy over whether Moore had wrongfully claimed receiving a Bronze Star from his military service before formally awarded the Bronze Star in 2024 for his service in Afghanistan. Advertisement Advertisement White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a Feb. 10 briefing with reporters that Trump "has the discretion to invite whomever he wants to the White House, and he welcomes all those who received an invitation to come." "And if they don't want to, that's their loss," Leavitt said. Reach Joey Garrison on X @joeygarrison. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Trump says he's still excluding two Democratic governors from meeting Attorneys General from 19 states, including Nevada, have secured an agreement with the Trump administration to abandon its effort to yank federal funding from K-12 schools that refuse to scrap diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility initiatives. In April 2025, the U.S. Department of Education announced state and local agencies would have to adopt Trumps interpretation of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 as it applies to DEI, or risk losing federal education funding. Initially 21 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico acquiesced, Education Week reported. Nevada, however, joined other states and filed a lawsuit, alleging violations of the Spending Clause, the Appropriations Clause, the separation of powers, and the Administrative Procedure Act, according to a news release issued Tuesday by Democratic Attorney General Aaron Ford. Advertisement Advertisement Another lawsuit filed by the American Federation of Teachers resulted in a court vacating Trumps request of the states and local agencies. The parties filed an agreement on Feb. 6 dismissing the Trump administrations appeal of that case, and preventing it from withholding funding. Our responsibility is to Nevadas students and families, not to shifting political interpretations that have no basis in law, Ford said. The Constitution makes clear that Congress controls federal spending, and executive agencies must operate within the bounds of that authority. By standing up for Nevada, we protected essential education funding and ensured that schools can continue lawful diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility efforts that promote equal opportunity for every student. The funding that was at risk provides support to students from low-income families, English language learners, special education students, children in foster care, and those who lack housing. Ford was joined in the agreement by attorneys general from California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, and Wisconsin. President Trump is considering sending a second aircraft carrier to the Middle East to beef up U.S. military presence in the region as he threatens to authorize strikes on Iran if diplomacy falters. We have an armada that is heading there and another one might be going, the president said during an interview with Axios on Tuesday. Trumps remarks come as U.S. officials held talks with Iranian officials last week in Oman over Irans nuclear program, the first discussions since the U.S. military bombed Irans three main nuclear sites last June. Advertisement Advertisement The Hill has reached out to the White House for comment. The U.S. has positioned the USS Abraham Lincoln, along with its accompanying destroyers, armed with long-range Tomahawk missiles, in the U.S. Central Command area, which includes the Middle East. The Pentagon has also sent additional fighter jets, air defense systems and other assets in the region. The USS Gerald R. Ford, the worlds largest aircraft carrier, is currently in the U.S. Southern Command area, which comprises South and Central America. The USS George H.W. Bush, currently on the U.S. East Coast, and USS George Washington, which is currently in Japan, are the most likely vessels to be sent if the president gives the green light, officials told Reuters. On Wednesday, Trump is meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House as Israeli officials have pressed for curbing Irans ballistic missile program and cutting of Irans ties with proxy terror groups in the region. Advertisement Advertisement The Trump administration warned U.S. commercial vessels on Monday to keep away from the Strait of Hormuz and the Gulf of Oman as tensions between Washington and Tehran ratchet up. Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Feb 10 (Reuters) - The U.S. Department of Labor said on Tuesday it has settled with Kaiser Foundation Health Plan to resolve multiple investigations into the company's practices on mental health and substance use disorder services. The agreement resolves allegations that Kaiser failed to maintain adequate provider networks for mental health and substance use disorder care, and improperly used patient responses to questionnaires to deny care, the Labor Department said in its statement. "We have made many enhancements to our mental health care delivery system and acknowledge there is still work to be done to ensure our interventions and therapies are aligned with our members' expectations and to ensure we achieve the best patient outcomes," the company said in an emailed statement. The settlement does not involve current practices or issues, the company added. Under the settlement agreement, Kaiser will compensate at least $28 million for the costs its members incurred when seeking out-of-network mental health and substance use disorder services. It will also pay a $2.8 million penalty to the federal government. Kaiser has also agreed to reform company policies by reducing appointment wait times and improving care review processes to ensure members receive medically necessary care, according to the Labor Department. (Reporting by Sneha S K in Bengaluru; Editing by Vijay Kishore and Alan Barona) The Justice Department has installed a Missouri-based U.S. prosecutor to head the Trump administrations election probe in Fulton County, Georgia, according to recent court records, marking the latest instance in which an out-of-state prosecutor has been tasked with a leading role in a politically charged case. The involvement of Thomas Albus, U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Missouri, was revealed last month when he signed off on a Fulton County search warrant that authorized the FBIs raid of a key Georgia election hub. The warrant authorized federal agents to seize a broad range of election records, voting rolls, and other data tied to the 2020 election, according to a copy reviewed by Fox News Digital. The news, and the timing of Albus appointment, have sparked questions over the scope of the effort, including whether it is a one-off designed to shore up election-related vulnerabilities ahead of the midterms or part of a broader test case for expanded federal authority. Advertisement Advertisement It also prompted Fulton County officials to sue the FBI earlier this month, demanding the return of the seized ballots. Comey Seeks To Toss Criminal Case Calling Trump Prosecutor 'Unlawful' Appointee Nearly half of all voters are independents and they agree on one thing -- the status quo isn't working. The FBI's decision to order the raid remains unclear, adding further uncertainty as to why Trump may have tapped Albus. Read On The Fox News App But the scope of the case is significant. Fulton County officials told reporters this month that FBI agents were seen carrying some 700 boxes of ballots from a warehouse near the election hub and loading them into a truck. More answers could be revealed soon. The judge assigned to rule on Fulton County's motion ordered the Justice Department to file by 5 p.m. Tuesday the arguments it made in its effort to obtain the search warrant. Advertisement Advertisement But it's unclear how much information will be revealed as many of the documents are widely expected to remain under seal. Still, the installation comes as Fulton County emerged as "ground zero" for complaints about voter fraud in the wake of the 2020 presidential elections, including from Trump, who lost the state to former President Joe Biden by a razor-thin margin. And while it's not the first time Trump's Justice Department has sought to assign prosecutors to issues outside their district lines, unlike other efforts, the legality of Albus's role in the district is likely to be upheld. Attorney General Pam Bondi reportedly tapped Albus last month to oversee election integrity cases nationwide, according to multiple news outlets. Advertisement Advertisement The DOJ did not immediately return Fox News Digital's request for comment on the nature of his role in Georgia or elsewhere. Under federal law 28 U.S. Code 515 Bondi has the legal authority to appoint an individual to coordinate civil and criminal cases, including grand jury proceedings, across all federal districts nationwide. Albus also spent years as an assistant U.S. attorney for the Justice Department, where he helped prosecute hundreds of federal cases and jury trials, including on charges of white-collar crime, tax offenses, public corruption, and more. Watchdog Sounds Alarm Over Potential Noncitizen Voting And Foreign Influence Ahead Of Midterms The Justice Department seal. Still, his installment is not completely without criticism. Advertisement Advertisement Some have played up his role as a former deputy attorney for then-Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt in 2020. Schmitt, now a U.S. senator, was one of 17 Republican attorneys general who filed a brief supporting Trump's push to invalidate the election results of four battleground states after the election. There are key differences between his installment and the installment of former Trump lawyer Lindsey Halligan, tapped last year to serve as interim U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. She was also the sole prosecutor who secured the indictments against former FBI director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James. A judge ruled in November she was illegally appointed to her role, prompting the dismissals of both cases. Lindsey Halligan, attorney for U.S. President Donald Trump, holds ceremonial proclamations in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, D.C., on March 6, 2025. Legal experts have cited differences between Halligan's role and Albus's role, which appears to enjoy wide protection under federal law. Advertisement Advertisement "Unlike Halligan, Albus appointment appears to be lawful under a federal statute that permits the attorney general to direct any other officer of the Department of Justice to conduct any kind of legal proceeding, civil or criminal ... whether or not he is a resident of the district in which the proceeding is brought," Barbara McQuade, a former U.S. attorney and University of Michigan Law School professor, said in a Bloomberg op-ed. "But sidelining Atlanta U.S. Attorney Theodore Hertzberg in favor of Albus is concerning nonetheless especially given his ties to Trump allies." Original article source: Trump DOJ appointee Thomas Albus tapped to lead Fulton County search warrant fight Kevin Hassett, Trumps director of the National Economic Council, joined MS NOWs Morning Joe on Wednesday and was asked about President Donald Trumps admission on Fox Business Network the night before that he raised tariffs on Switzerland because the countrys leader irked him. Trumps ability to unilaterally levy tariffs relies on his use of emergency powers to combat a declared crisis, which critics including Republicans argue does not exist. MS NOWs Jonathan Lemire asked Hassett if Trumps recent claim is further evidence that the tariffs are not being used as an emergency national security measure. Another matter. House Speaker Mike Johnsons bid to block any future votes on President Trumps tariffs did fail last night. Three Republican lawmakers joined Democrats to defeat the measure 217 to 214. This now allows members of Congress the ability to immediately force a vote that would terminate Trumps tariffs on Mexico and Canada. Thanks for watching the show. Well see you next time. Meanwhile, President Trump revealed that he punished a world leader with higher tariffs after he says he didnt like the leaders tone during a recent phone call. Heres what Trump told Fox Business yesterday, Lemire said before playing the clip: I got an emergency call from, I believe, the Prime Minister of Switzerland, and she was very aggressive, but nice, but very aggressive. Sir, we are a small country. We cant do this. We can do this, we cant. I couldnt get her off the phone. We are a very small country, and I said, You may be small, but we have a $42 billion deficit with you. No, no, were a small country. Again and again and again. I couldnt get her off the phone, so it was at 30 percent. I didnt really like the way she talked to us, and so instead of giving her a reduction, I raised it to 39 percent. First, we should note there is no Prime Minister of Switzerland. The position doesnt exist. But this explanation appears to contradict what the Trump administration argued before the Supreme Court last November, that national security emergenciesthats what justifies his unilateral executive actions on tariffs, Lemire clarified, adding: We are, of course, still waiting for the Supreme Courts decision in that case. But, Kevin, lets talk about this. The president and the administration has you know, explained these tariffs because of a national emergency, but dont stories like the one President Trump told Larry Kudlow that we just played undercut this emergency actions claim? No, I dont think so at all, and frankly, I think its just, you know, the president has negotiated all these amazing trade deals where weve got the Japanese agreeing to accept our tariffs and also invest $500 billion more in the U.S. And so, like, going through the give and take of a negotiation, I think, misses the big picture, as does the action in the House, Hassett replied, ignoring the core of the question. He added: The bottom line is that because of President Trumps tariffs, weve got a booming economy. Weve got a deficit thats gone down by maybe about $600 billion over the last year. Thats six, seven trillion over the next 10, which is leading us closer to a balanced budget. And weve got booming U.S. jobs. One of the things that weve seen in the jobs report today that we were talking about just earlier is that theres a massive amount of factory construction. So we made it so you could expense a factory if you build it in the first four years. And weve got 70,000 more people building factories right now because of the tariffs. And so, you know, anyone who would look at the data and cares about America up on Capitol Hill would support the presidents tariffs. And its very disappointing to the president. I was at the Oval yesterday, and I could see that he was very disappointed in the peoplethat just a few people are basically in all-out denial about the effectiveness of these tools. Watch the clip above via MS NOW. The post Trump Economic Advisor Asked If Trump Just Undercut the Legal Basis For His Tariffs With Stunning Admission first appeared on Mediaite. An infamous election denier kickstarted a controversial FBI raid on an election center in Georgia which has sparked fears of a bid to hijack the midterms, court documents have revealed. Kurt Olsen was given a high-level government job last year after directly advising Donald Trump both on Jan. 6, 2021, and on how to overturn the election he still refuses to admit he lost. The FBI, under Kash Patel, continues to pursue Trump's baseless claims about the 2020 election with the help of Olsen. / Kevin Dietsch / Getty Images The lawyer was sanctioned by judges in Arizona for making false, misleading and unsupported claims about elections there. Advertisement Advertisement But the conspiracy theorist was rewarded by Trump and has now been revealed as the starting point for a raid, which was attended by Tulsi Gabbard, the Director of National Intelligence, despite her job involving only foreign spying. The FBI criminal investigation originated from a referral sent by Kurt Olsen, Presidentially appointed Director of Election Security and Integrity, an affidavit read, The New York Times reported on Tuesday. Unsurprisingly, the affidavit presented debunked claims about voting in the 2020 election, which Olsen and Trump continue to insist was rigged against the current president. According to the Times, the claims often focus on small administrative efforts or easily explainable abnormalities as evidence of fraud. For instance, some in the affidavit claim the presence of pristine ballots, or unfolded ballots, is evidence of extra ballots being counted. However, the Times notes that some overseas and military ballots dont have to be folded. Also, ballots that come in to be processed damaged can be reprinted. Advertisement Advertisement Some legal experts say the affidavit should not have been signed by a judge. At least 11 lawsuits in Fulton County, Georgia, have challenged election results; none have been successful. That hasn't stopped Trump from trying. / Aaron Schwartz / Getty Images Mere suspicion is not enough to justify a search warrant, George State University law and ethics professor Clark Cunningham told the Times. Theres nothing in the affidavit that indicates probable cause that any person acted with criminal intent. The White House referred the Daily Beast to the FBI, which declined to comment. The affidavit, signed by FBI agent Hugh Raymond Evans, instructed agents to take all physical ballots, ballot images, tabulator tapes, and copies of voter rolls from 2020. Olsen was one of several lawyers who worked closely with Trump on 2020 election litigation. According to the House Jan. 6 Committee, Olsen, 63, called Trump multiple times on Jan. 6 and even drafted an executive order directing the Justice Department to take voter action. Fulton County election workers examine ballots while vote counting at State Farm Arena on November 5, 2020, in Atlanta. / TAMI CHAPPELL / AFP via Getty Images Olsens pro-GOP efforts to reverse election losses didnt end with Trump. In 2022, he filed a state lawsuit to overturn Kari Lakes gubernatorial loss in Arizona to Democrat Katie Hobbs. That case, like the dozens of others about the 2020 presidential election, essentially went nowhere, and the Arizona Supreme Court sanctioned Olsen for making false statements. Trump, who could end up being a lame duck president after the November midterms, has made increasingly prejudicial comments about the voting process. Last week, he proposed that the GOP nationalize elections. When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Cubans are caught between an economic rock and a national hard place. | Credit: Illustration by Stephen Kelly / Getty Images / AP Photo It has been just over a month since President Donald Trump accused Cuba of undertaking extraordinary actions that harm and threaten the U.S. in an executive order that imposed strict penalties on anyone selling oil to the isolated communist nation. Since then, Cuba has plunged into a nationwide fuel crisis, with tourism plummeting and air travel crippled as the islands already-fragile power grid suffers even more extreme outages. While the geopolitical implications of Trumps blockade suggest an intended regime change, the experiences of ordinary Cubans point to a quickly devolving situation on the ground, with gasoline scarcity approaching critical levels. Grief, sorrow and indignation The Trump-imposed fuel blockade has created a severe energy crisis on the island, said Time, leading to rolling blackouts, a strain on hospitals and the grounding of jets. Already struggling after decades of American sanctions, the situation in Cuba rapidly deteriorated following the January arrest of President Nicolas Maduro of Venezuela, previously Cubas main fuel supplier. Should Cubas oil needs go unmet, the humanitarian situation on the island could worsen if not collapse, said United Nations Spokesperson Stephane Dujarric. Advertisement Advertisement Cubans have faced the intensified blockade with resilience, said Francisco Pichon, the U.N.s resident coordinator for Cuba. But that resilience has been tempered with grief, sorrow and indignation, and some concern about the regional developments. Cuban state companies are set to shift to a fourday workweek, said Al Jazeera, while interprovincial transport has been dialed down. What fuel Cuba has on hand will protect essential services for the population as well as indispensable economic activities, said Deputy Prime Minister Oscar PerezOliva Fraga in televised remarks last week. Perhaps most notable has been the impact on Cubas aviation industry, which has been brought to a virtual standstill amid the fuel scarcity. Cuban authorities have notified airlines that there simply isnt enough fuel for airplanes to refuel on the island, said CBS News. The rationing may not disrupt shorter regional flights, but does present a significant challenge for long-haul routes from places like Russia and Canada, which represent a critical pillar of Cubas tourism economy. International response Cubas dire straits have prompted a mixture of responses from an international community struggling to balance trade and aid obligations with concern over the Trump administrations geopolitical unpredictability. No one can ignore the situation in Cuba stemming from the sanctions that the United States is imposing in a very unfair manner, said Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum this week at a press conference. You cannot strangle a people like this. Advertisement Advertisement Mexico has withheld oil shipments to Cuba since the Trump administrations threat of economic consequences. But Sheinbaums government has now deployed two naval carriers loaded with more than 814 tons of humanitarian aid consisting largely of staple foods and hygiene supplies to the island, said The New York Times. China also supports Cuba safeguarding its national sovereignty and security, and opposes foreign interference, said Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Lin Jian at a news conference. Beijing will always provide support and help to the Cuban side to the best of our ability. Similarly, said former Canadian Ambassador to Cuba, Mark Entwistle, to CBC, there may soon come a time when Canada needs to step in and send significant humanitarian aid despite the tariff threats. And should Canada begin an aid operation, hopefully the Trump administration wont be too ferocious about it. Donald Trump is facing a wave of congressional attacks on his signature economic policy after Republican rebels blocked a ban on resolutions challenging the presidents tariffs. For the past year, House Speaker Mike Johnson has repeatedly introduced procedural rules that prevented members from opposing Trumps crushingand often arbitrarytariffs on products from dozens of U.S. trading partners. On Tuesday, Johnson asked the House to extend the ban through August. Advertisement Advertisement But three RepublicansReps. Thomas Massie of Kentucky, Kevin Kiley of California, and Don Bacon of Nebraskasided with Democrats to defeat the measure 217-214, Politico reported. The blockade was designed to protect Trump from losing his favorite geopolitical cudgeland to shield Republican representatives from having to take politically difficult positions during votes on tariffs. Voters and business leaders have soured on the tariffs, which have contributed to job losses, higher prices, and reduced domestic manufacturing. The duties are a form of import tax paid by American companies, which must either eat the additional costs or pass them along to consumers. The vote was expected to be razor-thin, in part because some congressional Republicans were still holding out hope the Supreme Court would eventually strike down the tariffs, easing voters concerns while avoiding a confrontation with the president, Punchbowl reported. House Speaker Mike Johnson has been shielding the president from votes challenging his tariffs. / Kevin Dietsch / Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images House Republican leaders spent most of Tuesday whipping votes for the procedural maneuver, arguing that any disapproval vote should wait until after the Supreme Courts ruling, which could come as late as July, according to Politico. Advertisement Advertisement Trump himself appeared to be undermining that effort, though, as he bragged to Fox Business host Larry Kudlow that he increased the tariff rate on products from Switzerland because he didnt really like the way the countrys female leader talked to him. The comments, which aired Tuesday, seemed to be referring to Karin Keller-Sutter, who held the countrys rotating presidency in 2025. This is why Congress needs to debate tariffs, Bacon wrote on X.com alongside a clip of the interview. Rep. Don Bacon responded to a clip of President Trump saying he raised tariffs on products from Switzerland over pettiness. The Daily Wire later deleted the clip, but Bacon's response remained. / X.com Democrats could force a vote as soon as this week on resolutions disapproving of Trumps tariffs on products from Canada and Mexico, followed by resolutions targeting tariffs on products from Brazil and then other global trade partners. Advertisement Advertisement The Canada vote in particular would be a difficult one for Republicans and would require the White Houses intervention, Johnson told Punchbowl earlier this week. While Trump could ultimately veto any resolution reining in his trade wars, a rebuke from Congress would nevertheless be politically damaging. The Daily Beast has reached out to the White House for comment. Donald Trump still raises far more money online than any other GOP figure. Democrats get major fundraising boosts when they clash with him. And the Democratic money machine continues to churn a sign of hope for a party seeking to regroup from brutal losses the year prior. Those are among the key patterns that appeared in a POLITICO analysis of online fundraising across 2025, as both parties began to gear up for highly competitive midterms. Advertisement Advertisement The sweeping POLITICO analysis of data from ActBlue and WinRed the primary fundraising platforms for each party revealed how Trump, who is constitutionally barred from seeking reelection, is still at the center of the GOPs digital and financial universe. And while Democrats continue to debate how much they should focus on opposing Trump in their broader campaign messaging, the data shows just how strongly the GOP president motivates liberal donors. Major surges in online Democratic fundraising were fueled by members of the party standing up to or being attacked by the president. Democratic candidates biggest fundraising days on ActBlue were all driven by conflict with Trump, with those days accounting for millions of dollars raised from tens of thousands of donors giving online for the first time this cycle. Among Republicans, Trumps own joint fundraising committee, Trump National Committee, continued to raise the most money out of anyone on WinRed in 2025, bringing more over the course of the year than the next two biggest GOP groups combined. Trumps political operation accounted for more than 1 in 5 total dollars raised federally through WinRed last year. ActBlue and WinRed report all donations made to federal campaigns and committees through their platforms, providing a detailed picture of small-dollar giving. The platforms are so dominant that they include the vast majority, though not all, of online donations for both parties. Advertisement Advertisement The data provides insight not only into who raised the most but the specific moments that drove donors to give. Leading the way was Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.), who saw a massive surge in donations when he broke records with a 25-hour quasi-filibuster speech protesting the Trump administrations policies. Bookers campaign committee received nearly 92,000 donations totaling $2.5 million on ActBlue on April 2, the day after his speech finished. It was the highest single-day total for any federal committee on the platform in 2025. For roughly a third of those donors, it was their first donation of the year on ActBlue. The New Jersey senator was not the only Democrat to get a donation boost off of standing up to Trump. California Gov. Gavin Newsoms joint fundraising committee saw a massive surge in donations in early June after he sued the Trump administration to block the deployment of the National Guard to Los Angeles and Trump suggested arresting the governor. The group, Campaign for Democracy, recorded more than 47,000 donations on June 11, for a total of $1.3 million. Advertisement Advertisement That was the start of a three-day surge that accounted for nearly one-third of all online donations to the Newsom joint fundraising committee in 2025. Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) saw nearly 43,000 donations for a total of nearly $1.3 million to his campaign committee Nov. 25 after Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ordered the Pentagon to investigate whether a video that featured Kelly and others advising troops not to follow illegal orders was itself unlawful. Roughly 1 in 5 donations on the platform that day went to Kellys campaign. Kelly then remained the top fundraiser nearly every day for three weeks after that, bringing in donations from about 278,000 unique donors in November and December. That surge set Kelly apart from other Democratic figures last year for both its intensity and duration. The POLITICO analysis found that more than three-quarters of donors in that time period had not given to Kelly previously in the year. For 1 in 5 of his donors, it was the first time theyd given to any Democrat through ActBlue in the entire year. Kellys strong preexisting brand helped him leverage the attack from Trump into a fundraising bonanza, said Mike Nellis, a democratic digital strategist and founder of the firm Authentic. Advertisement Advertisement You can raise a ton of money by just opposing Trump, Nellis said. But if you want to elevate yourself into that stratosphere of becoming a household name that people believe in, with Democratic donors who are going to give you $5, $10, $25, over and over and over, youve got to go a little bit deeper. Democrats dream of flipping the Senate also fueled massive contributions. A handful of Senate candidates Roy Cooper in North Carolina, Sherrod Brown in Ohio, Janet Mills in Maine and both James Talarico and Jasmine Crockett in Texas were the top Democratic online fundraisers when they launched their respective campaigns. Sen. Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.), the only incumbent Democratic senator seeking reelection in a state Trump won in 2024, brought in $32.5 million through ActBlue in 2025, more than any other candidate on the platform. Democrats running in competitive Senate races this year were consistently among the top overall fundraisers on ActBlue, as was the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee itself. The online fundraising landscape for Democrats looking to take back the House was more muddled, with the top fundraising numbers coming more often from progressive stars than candidates in competitive races. Advertisement Advertisement Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), long a fundraising powerhouse, raised $22.8 million on ActBlue in 2025, the most of any House Democrat, followed by House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, who raised just shy of $11 million through his campaign and joint fundraising committee, then Rep. Eugene Vindman (D-Va.) and Eileen Laubacher, one of the Democrats seeking to challenge Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.) in a heavily Republican district. Those House candidates reflect a few of the different ways that virality can help online fundraising. More than 400,000 donors gave to Ocasio-Cortezs campaign more than once in 2025, reflecting her strength with returning donors. Laubachers numbers reflect how running in a district represented by a high-profile Republican can attract Democratic donors even as she still has to get through a primary to face Boebert. But vulnerable Democratic House incumbents and candidates running in some of the most competitive battlegrounds were not represented among those with the best online fundraising numbers a challenge for party strategists as they fight for the resources to flip the House. The things that work to raise money from small donors are the opposite of the things that work to beat MAGA, said Liam Kerr, co-founder of the centrist Democratic group WelcomePAC. Advertisement Advertisement At the same time, Kerr said that there was enough variety in the candidates who put up strong online fundraising numbers to suggest that more moderate candidates can make inroads. Donors give, Kerr said, because they want to feel like they're part of something. If candidates in key races can start to capture the attention of donors across the country, then, he said, the base of the raged donor class would start to shift to what they thought could beat Trump. Methodology: Donations and monetary totals are based on ActBlue and WinRed receipts, not reports from campaigns. Donations that were later refunded are still included in the totals. Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey, state officials and the legislature bashed the federal government and hashed out policy details on Wednesday, Feb. 11, to kick off what will be a long process to create the budget for fiscal year 2027. Healeys FY27 budget, which she proposed on Jan. 28, is about $63 billion. Its over $2 billion more than last year, and includes funds for transportation, healthcare, education and housing. On Feb. 11, legislators on the Ways and Means Committee asked her questions on what Healey did and did not file in the budget, and spoke about other challenges facing the state this year in an over two hour hearing. Advertisement Advertisement This was the legislature's first meeting on the budget. They said they will hold at least seven more throughout the state as both the House and the Senate work to craft their own budget this spring. The final budget for FY27 is due by July 1. MA Gov. Maura Healey testifies in front of the Ways and Means Committee on her proposed FY27 budget on Feb. 11, 2026. Here are five takeaways. The federal government poses a challenge The governor and the chairs of the House and Senate Ways and Means Committee slammed President Donald Trump for the impact the federal government has and will have on Massachusettss budget. During COVID, states like Massachusetts had a partner in weathering the numerous emergencies we faced during the pandemic, and in many ways, the federal government helped save us financially during the pandemic, House Chair Aaron Michlewitz, D-Boston, said. Now in 2026, many times, it feels as if the federal government is actually the pandemic we have to confront. We're trading turbulence, social service cuts, federal grants being randomly revoked, and daily threats of chaos. Advertisement Advertisement Federal funding provides dollars to needed services in states all over the country. But Healey said that Trumps cuts have stripped away $3.7 million from Massachusetts, including from health care, food programs, public safety and public health. State officials said that despite these challenges, their budget will work to protect its residents. MA Gov. Maura Healey testifies in front of the Ways and Means Committee on her proposed FY27 budget on Feb. 11, 2026. The Big Beautiful Bill affect Healey has touted the fact that her new budget includes no new taxes. But thats partly because the budget puts off implementing the costly tax provisions of the federal One Big Beautiful Bill through a bill Healey filed Jan. 15. When asked about this choice, Healey said that the timing of the bills passage meant that she was unable to implement the changes immediately in a responsible way. (Trump signed the OBBBA on July 4, 2025, the same day Healey signed the FY26 budget.) Advertisement Advertisement So instead, her bill will slowly phase in the tax provisions of the act to avoid losing hundreds of millions of dollars in the coming fiscal year. Some states, like New York and California, are rejecting the federal tax changes entirely. When asked why they didnt do that, Healey and Administration and Finance Secretary Matt Gorzkowicz said that they thought the bill included some benefits to competitiveness and growth in the economy. Where is money from the Millionaires Tax going? Healeys proposal partly relies on revenue generated from the Fair Share surtax, often called the millionaires tax, to bump spending. The money is dedicated to education and transportation. Legislators on Wednesday questioned Healey about where exactly that Fair Share money is going. Advertisement Advertisement Gorzkowicz said that taken altogether, the budget puts 47% of that money towards transportation and 53% towards education. Transportation funding Legislators asked Healey questions about the MBTA and transportation throughout the Commonwealth. Sen. Jo Comerford, D-Northampton, said that most of the Fair Share funding is going to the MBTA and that there needs to be more investment in transportation in western and north central Massachusetts. On the other hand, Rep. Steven Owens, D-Watertown, praised the improved T service, but he asked that the governor not remove investment from other aspects of the MBTA, like the buses that service towns near Boston without subway lines. Advertisement Advertisement Healey and Gorzkowicz emphasized their commitment to improving transportation all over the Commonwealth. Healey said she wanted to stop the bleeding when it came to the MBTA, but acknowledged that the Boston public transportation system isnt relevant to everyone in the state. She promoted her effort to accelerate bridge repair as something that could help those outside of the MBTA system. Education concerns Legislators voiced many concerns over the states education programs at the hearing Wednesday. Representatives of rural districts brought up long held concerns that they are left behind by current education funding formulas and programs. While Healey is increasing overall education funding this year, they said, its still not enough. Healey and Gorzkowicz said they are open to conversations about Chapter 70, which is the formula that distributes education aid to school districts, and want to find other ways to fill in the gaps. Advertisement Advertisement I want every student in the state no matter where they live to have access to an education that sets them up for success, Healey said. I think the question is how we get there. Legislators also alluded to the new Secretary of Education: On Feb. 10, Healey announced that former Secretary of Education Patrick Tutwiler would be stepping down and he would be replaced with Dr. Stephen Zrike Jr., who is currently the Superintendent at Salem Public Schools. This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: Massachusetts FY27 state budget: 5 takeaways from first hearing The last time Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu came to the White House, it was so he and President Donald Trump could finalize a deal to end one war in the Middle East. On Wednesday, Netanyahu returned to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue determined to stop Trump from rushing into another deal that could prevent a far bloodier war from starting in the same region. Netanyahu arrived at the White House just before 11 am.. his seventh visit in the year since Trump returned to power last January for a closed-door sit-down with his American counterpart to discuss Trumps push for a new-look deal with the Iranian government aimed at curbing the Islamic Republics longstanding nuclear ambitions. Advertisement Advertisement The Israeli leader left just before 2 p.m., with neither he nor Trump appearing before cameras or taking questions from reporters as is customary when foreign leaders visit the White House. But Trump took to Truth Social within minutes of Netanyahus departure to characterize the session as a very good meeting that had not resulted in any decisions being made on what any future Iran deal would look like but talks would continue. There was nothing definitive reached other than I insisted that negotiations with Iran continue to see whether or not a Deal can be consummated. If it can, I let the Prime Minister know that will be a preference, he said. If it cannot, we will just have to see what the outcome will be. Last time Iran decided that they were better off not making a Deal, and they were hit with Midnight Hammer That did not work well for them. Hopefully this time they will be more reasonable and responsible. Trump added that the two leaders had discussed tremendous progress being made in Gaza as well. Donald Trump met with Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday at the White House. Pictured: The two together in Florida in December (Getty Images) The Israeli leaders visit with Trump comes as American and Iranian representatives are set to resume talks in Oman on an agreement that could address Tehrans weapons program, which Trump had claimed to have obliterated in a series of bunker-buster attacks by B-2 bombers last June. Advertisement Advertisement The initial session, which was led on the American side by Trumps son-in-law Jared Kushner and roving peace envoy Steve Witkoff, came after Washington backed out of a plan to meet for direct talks in Turkey. But Iranian officials balked at the proposed format and insisted on limiting the scope of any negotiations to the countrys nuclear program. Netanyahus visit to Washington, which comes as negotiators are preparing for further bilateral talks, was announced immediately after what Trump had described as very good talks between Kushner, Witkoff and Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi the first meeting between U.S. and Iranian officials since the June 22 airstrikes on Iran ordered by Trump. The Israeli leader is understood to be extremely wary of any attempt by Trump to reach an accord on Irans nuclear program if negotiations dont include requirements that Iran similarly agree to curb its ballistic missile program and support for proxy militias in the region. Netanyahus insistence on including missiles and proxys in any nuclear agreement dates back at least a decade, to when he came out as a vehement opponent of efforts by the Obama administration along with the other four permanent members of the U.N. Security Council and the E.U. to implement the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action that relaxed sanctions against Tehran in exchange for restrictions on Iranian uranium enrichment. Advertisement Advertisement Netanyahus decision to deliver a bombastic address to a joint session of Congress opposing the deal and to court Republicans against the Obama administration endeared him to Trump, who pulled the U.S. out of the agreement during his first term. But its not clear whether Trump still has the same broader desires with respect to any potential replacement agreement. Netanyahus motorcade is seen arriving at the White House. Trump described their meeting as very good (Getty Images) In recent weeks, he said his goal in pushing Iran to make a deal is solely to ensure that Tehran does not ever develop a nuclear weapon something the countrys leaders have disclaimed any interest in. But Trump did express some agreement with Netanyahus longstanding position during a Wednesday interview with former National Economic Council director turned Fox Business Network host Larry Kudlow when he said that Irans rulers want to make a deal. Advertisement Advertisement It's got to be a good deal. No nuclear weapons, no missiles, no this, no that, all the different things that you want, he said. To that end, Trump has deployed one U.S. Navy carrier strike group to the region and is reportedly mulling whether to order a second such group to join it in what would be an unusual and escalatory military buildup. He told Axios in a separate interview ahead of the meeting with Netanyahu that either the U.S. and Iran will make a deal or he will have to do something very tough like last time. The military pressure campaign also comes at a delicate moment for the Iranian government, which is reeling from the economic effects of longstanding sanctions and struggling to tamp down civil unrest. Last month, a violent crackdown against anti-government protesters killed as many as 6,800 people, according to human rights groups. Trump has also threatened military action if Tehran had hanged protesters arrested during the crackdown, but he later backed off those threats after he claimed to have been informed that the hangings had been called off. President Trump said Tuesday he raised tariffs on Switzerland after a phone call with the countrys former president, saying he did not approve of the way she talked. Trump told Fox Businesss Larry Kudlow that he once had an emergency call from, I believe, the prime minister of Switzerland, and she was very aggressive. Nice, but very aggressive. He recalled that she repeatedly said, we are a small country. Again and again and again. I couldnt get her off the phone, the president continued. So [the tariffs were] at 30 percent, and I didnt really like the way she talked to us, and so instead of giving her a reduction, I raised it to 39 percent, and then I got inundated by people from Switzerland and I figured, Do you know what? Well do something thats a little bit more palatable.' Advertisement Advertisement Trump was likely referring to former Swiss President Karin Keller-Sutter, who left office Dec. 31 and was succeeded by current President Guy Parmelin. The Hill reached out to the White House for clarification. He previously referred to the same phone call during a speech last month at the World Economic Forum in Davos. Trump gave a similar description of the conversation, adding that she just rubbed me the wrong way, Ill be honest with you. Democrats on the House Foreign Affairs Committee said Trumps comments were an admission that his tariff policies are not about national security, a claim he has frequently made. In the case of Switzerland, he increased tariffs because *checks notes* he did not like the way the Swiss leader talked to us,' the committees Democrats wrote in a statement shared on the social platform X. Republicans must join Democrats to end this reckless behavior. Advertisement Advertisement The U.S. and Switzerland reached a trade agreement in November to reduce tariffs on Swiss imports from 39 percent to 15 percent. Switzerland and Liechtenstein would also remove tariffs on nuts, certain fruits, fish and seafood, chemicals and spirits, U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said at the time. On Tuesday, three House Republicans joined Democrats in voting against banning members ability to call snap votes to repeal the presidents tariffs. Reps. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.), Kevin Kiley (R-Calif.) and Don Bacon (R-Neb.) opposed the legislation, with Bacon writing on the social platform X that Congress needs to be able to debate on tariffs. The vote will allow Democrats to move forward with a resolution to repeal Trumps emergency declaration for import taxes on Canada at the request of Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-N.Y.), chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee. Meeks is expected to force a vote repealing tariffs on Canada as early as Wednesday. Trump used declarations of national emergencies as the basis for implementing global and specific tariffs on China, Mexico and Canada. National emergencies can be repealed by joint resolutions in Congress, as the National Emergencies Act allows. Advertisement Advertisement The Supreme Court is also considering the legality of using a provision under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act to impose the levies. The justices appeared unlikely to make their decisions along ideological lines during oral arguments last year. The Marquette Law School Poll also released a survey last week that found 63 percent of respondents want the Supreme Court to restrict the presidents authority to impose tariffs, while 36 percent said they want the justices to hold that the President has the authority to set tariffs. This post was updated at 11:11 a.m. Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. US President Donald Trump said he insisted to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that nuclear talks with Iran would continue, despite Israeli skepticism about a diplomatic breakthrough. Israel is inclined to support US military action against Tehran, Axios noted, and while Trump has launched a military buildup in the Gulf, he signaled preference for a nuclear deal, saying the next round of negotiations could happen next week. His closed-door meeting with Netanyahu Wednesday came about after Israel grew concerned Washington could compromise on critical points, or that Iran could renege on commitments it makes now, The Wall Street Journal wrote. It comes at what may be an inflection point, as Tehran rebuilds its ballistic-missile program after Israeli attacks degraded it last year. KEFI readies for ground breaking at Tulu Kapi as final piece of funding sealed Proactive uses images sourced from Shutterstock KEFI Gold and Copper PLC shares traded up on Wednesday after the miner told investors it has added a US$20 million equity-ranking gold royalty from Chancery Royalty to the funding stack for its Tulu Kapi Gold Project in Ethiopia, calling it a key final component of the projects US$340 million financing package. The AIM-listed group said the royalty has been structured to rank on an equity-risk basis and is payable alongside shareholder distributions at its local subsidiary, Tulu Kapi Gold Mines (TKGM). With that agreement signed, KEFI said the finance package is now effectively covered, prompting mobilisation of field teams and contractors and the organisation of a ground-breaking ceremony this month. A further US$30 million of equity-risk capital is expected to be fully signed up this month, including US$10 million of development costs to be settled in KEFI shares as those costs fall due, plus US$20 million of additional equity-ranking royalties to other investors on the same terms. Alongside financing, KEFI said key contractual arrangements are being closed or targeted for completion by end-February 2026, including offsite infrastructure works with government agencies, resettlement housing mobilisation, a full construction documentation package with Lycopodium, and a mining services agreement with BCM following a completed re-tender process. In London, KEFI stock was up 5.2%, changing hands at 1.57p. Canadian police say eight people have been killed in a mass shooting at a school and home in the remote rural community of Tumbler Ridge in the western province of British Columbia. Six people were killed and at least 25 others were injured at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School. The suspect, 18-year-old Jesse Van Rootselaar, was found dead at that scene from a self-inflicted gunshot injury, police said. Two others - the suspect's mother, 39, and step-brother, 11 - were also found dead at a nearby home. Advertisement Advertisement This is what we know so far about one of the deadliest gun attacks in Canada's history. When did the attack start? The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) said they received a report of an active shooter at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School at 13:30 local time on Tuesday (20:30 GMT). The police responded by deploying officers to the scene, and issuing an active shooter alert for the rural community and a surrounding area. "Shelter in place, lock your doors and refrain from leaving your home or business at this time" local residents were told. British Columbia's Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General Nina Krieger said police officers arrived at Tumbler Ridge Secondary school "within two minutes" of receiving the call of an active shooting. Advertisement Advertisement She said such a swift response "no doubt" saved lives. Police said they were called at around 13:47 local time to the incident at the house. The incident at the home occurred first, then the suspect went to the school, officials said. The motive for the attack is not yet known. Tumbler Ridge has about 2,400 residents, and its secondary school has 160 students in Grades 7-12. What we know about the victims Six people were killed at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School, including a 39-year-old female educator, three female students, all aged 12, and two male students, one aged 12 and the other 13. On Thursday, the RCMP identified all the deceased victims. Advertisement Advertisement They include 12-year-old Kylie Smith, whose father told Canada's CTV that she "was just a beautiful soul" who loved art and anime. Abel Mwansa, who was 12, was also killed at the school and was remembered for his beautiful smile and love of science. The suspect's mother, Jennifer Jacobs, 39, and step-brother, Emmett Jacobs, 11, were found dead at a nearby home. The majority of the 25 others who were injured did not sustain gunshot wounds, police said. What is known about the suspected attacker Police identified the suspect as 18-year-old Jesse Van Rootselaar, a former student who had dropped out four years ago. Advertisement Advertisement Van Rootselaar was found dead inside the school with a self-inflicted injury following the shootings. Authorities said that the former student was born a biological male but identified as a woman. "I can say that Jesse was born as a biological male who approximately six years ago began to transition to female," Dwayne McDonald, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) deputy commissioner, told reporters. McDonald said police had attended Van Rootselaar's home on multiple occasions over the past several years, with some calls related to mental health concerns. Police were last in contact with Van Rootselaar sometime last year, he added. Advertisement Advertisement The suspect previously had a valid gun licence that had since lapsed, McDonald said. The RCMP also said there had been guns in Van Rootselaar the suspect's home that had been seized by police about two years ago. Someone in the family later successfully petitioned to get the firearms back. Authorities found two firearms - a long gun and a modified handgun - at the scene, though they said they do not know how Van Rootselaar procured the weapons used in Tuesday's shootings. Tumbler Ridge Secondary School - seen in this archive photo - has 160 students [Trent Ernst/Tumbler RidgeLines] 'We got tables and barricaded the door' - a survivor's account Darian Quist, a Grade 12 student at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School, and his mother Shelley Quist, spoke to CBC Radio West host Sarah Penton about what happened. Advertisement Advertisement Darian said shortly after he got to his class at 13:30 local time, an alarm sounded in the hallways with instructions to close the doors because of a lockdown. He said the doors were closed for a while, when he and his classmates realised something was wrong. He said he was receiving photos on his phone from the scene. "We got tables and barricaded the doors" for over two hours, Darian said, until police arrived to escort them out of the school. Once outside, he reunited with his mother at a nearby community centre. Shelley Quist said that on her phone she had earlier heard police "kicking" her son's classroom door down and several students being escorted out of the school. Advertisement Advertisement "That's when I left home. We live very close; a block away from the community centre. I literally almost ran over there," she told CBC. How Canada reacted to the attack Tumbler Ridge Mayor Darryl Krakowka told CBC that the community is small and tight-knit, and that he expected the victims to all be people he knows. "I will know every victim. I've been here 19 years, and we're a small community," he said, after emerging from the town hall when the shelter-in-place order was lifted. "I don't call them residents. I call them family." Tumbler Ridge town councillor Chris Norbury told BBC Radio 4's Today programme the whole community was in shock after the shootings. Advertisement Advertisement "We don't lock our doors here. It is an incredibly safe community... we don't have to worry about crime here," he said, speaking live from the scene. "This is a big tragedy here," he said. The councillor described going to the secondary school and seeing emergency services blocking the entrance. "We have three police vehicles in our town, we are very small. We are a small community. We know each other, we all know the victims. They are our friends, our friends' children." British Columbia Premier David Eby described the shootings as "a devastating and unimaginable tragedy". Advertisement Advertisement "We can't imagine what the community is going through. But I know it's causing us to all hug our kids a little bit tighter tonight," he said. The province declared a day of mourning on Thursday, and members of Parliament in Ottawa held a minute of silence on Wednesday for the victims. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has decided to suspend a planned trip to Germany, and in emotional remarks, and lamented the "difficult day" - the first of many in the aftermath of the attack. "The nation mourns with you. Canada stands by you," he said. "We will get through this. But right now it is a time to come together, like Canadians do in these terrible situations. To support each other, to mourn together and to grow together." Where is Tumbler Ridge? The rural community is located about 670km (415 miles) north-east of Vancouver. It is primarily known for its coal mines, and also the discovery of dinosaur fossils - with Tumbler Ridge marketing itself as the land of dinosaurs and waterfalls to attract tourists. [BBC] What are Canada's gun laws? In Canada, gun ownership is largely federally regulated - by the national government - and there are stricter gun laws than in most US states. Under the country's Firearms Act, guns must be kept locked and unloaded. Anyone wishing to buy a firearm is also subject to extensive background checks. A national freeze on private ownership of all short-barrelled firearms has also been in place in Canada since 2022. In January, the government began a national gun buy-back programme, launched in response to a mass shooting in Nova Scotia in 2020 where 22 people were killed. That said, there a number of people across the country who own guns - particularly in rural areas. According to a Canadian website on gun ownership, which obtained statistics from the RCMP, there were 355,678 gun licences in British Columbia as of 2023, or about 6,240 gun licenses per 100,000 people. But the website cautioned that many people own guns without a licence, which is illegal. [BBC] If it is safe to do so, you can also get in touch by following this link By Daren Butler and Ezgi Erkoyun ISTANBUL, Feb 11 (Reuters) - Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan appointed as his new justice minister Akin Gurlek, the Istanbul chief prosecutor behind the unprecedented crackdown on the main opposition party, drawing fierce criticism and defiance from the party on Wednesday. Since his appointment as chief prosecutor in 2024, Gurlek has overseen a wave of arrests and indictments targeting the Republican People's Party (CHP), including investigations into the Istanbul mayor, Ekrem Imamoglu, Erdogan's main political rival who has been jailed since his arrest in March last year. Advertisement Advertisement In a 4,000-page indictment last November, Gurlek demanded a prison sentence of more than 2,000 years for Imamoglu for allegedly leading a vast corruption network, sparking Turkey's largest street protests in a decade. The first hearing in that case, accusing hundreds of defendants linked to the Istanbul municipality of corruption and bribery, will be held next month. A scuffle broke out in Turkey's parliament ahead of Gurlek's swearing-in after opposition lawmakers protested against his appointment. Main opposition CHP deputies gathered around the speaker's podium to block Gurlek, calling his nomination "an attack on the rule of law." TV footage showed lawmakers pushing and throwing punches and ruling AK Party lawmakers forming a protective ring around Gurlek as he read his oath. Advertisement Advertisement FIRST CABINET SHUFFLE SINCE 2023 VOTE In the first cabinet shuffle since mid-2023 elections, Gurlek replaced Yilmaz Tunc, who was first elected as a member of parliament in 2007. The Official Gazette announcement also said that Erdogan had appointed Erzurum provincial governor Mustafa Ciftci as interior minister, replacing Ali Yerlikaya, who was the Istanbul governor before his appointment as minister. A reason for the shuffle was not given. Hundreds of party members and elected officials have been detained in Gurlek's crackdown, which has been criticised as anti-democratic and politicised by opposition parties, rights groups and some foreign leaders - claims the government denies, saying the judiciary is independent. Advertisement Advertisement CHP leader Ozgur Ozel said Gurlek's cabinet appointment continued a "judicial coup attempt" while he was prosecutor and amounted to the latest step in a major attack on his party. "We will not surrender... They cannot stop our march to power, Ozel told reporters at a memorial ceremony for a former party leader, adding that there was no fair political competition left. (Reporting by Ezgi Erkoyun and Daren Butler; Editing by Jonathan Spicer and Tomasz Janowski) ANKARA, Feb 11 (Reuters) - The leaders of Turkey and Greece voiced their desire to resolve longstanding maritime disputes hobbling ties during discussions in Ankara on Wednesday, as the NATO allies and historic rivals try to build on warming relations. The neighbours have been at odds over a range of issues for decades, primarily maritime boundaries and rights in the Aegean, an area widely believed to hold energy resources and with key implications for airspace and military activity. Following years of heightened tensions, a 2023 declaration on friendly relations prompted a thaw in rhetoric, though their maritime issues have remained unresolved and the two sides still disagree over regional matters. Advertisement Advertisement Speaking at a press conference in Ankara with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said they had discussed their issues in the Aegean and eastern Mediterranean "in an open and sincere way" during the talks. "While the issues may be thorny, they are not unsolvable on the basis of international law. I saw that we were in agreement with my friend Kyriakos," Erdogan said. He added that the two countries would continue working to achieve their goal of reaching $10 billion in bilateral trade. Mitsotakis said he hoped circumstances would allow the sides to solve a dispute on the demarcation of maritime and exclusive economic zones in the Aegean and eastern Mediterranean. Advertisement Advertisement 'IF NOT NOW, WHEN?' "It is time to remove any substantial and formal threats to our relations, if not now, when?" Mitsotakis said. "Destiny has appointed us to live in the same neighbourhood. We cannot change geography, but we can make it an ally, choosing convergence, dialogue and trust in international law... to build a future of peace, progress and prosperity for our people." Despite the positive tone, Greece's foreign minister earlier said Athens planned to extend its territorial waters further, including potentially in the Aegean. Shortly after, Ankara said it had issued a maritime notice urging Greece to coordinate research activities in areas of the Aegean that Turkey considers part of its continental shelf. Advertisement Advertisement In 1995, Turkey's parliament declared a casus belli a cause for war should Greece unilaterally extend its territorial waters beyond six nautical miles in the Aegean, a stance Athens says violates international maritime law. Greece says it wants only to discuss demarcation of maritime zones. Mitsotakis also said the flows of migrants in the Aegean Sea had decreased by almost 60% last year due to cooperation between the two countries, adding this should be strengthened. Fifteen migrants died in a shipwreck off the Greek island of Chios last week after their boat collided with a Greek coastguard vessel and sank in the Aegean Sea off the Turkish coast. Turkey is a transit country for migrants seeking to reach the European Union via Greece. Ankara says the EU has not fully delivered on commitments under a 2016 migration deal and Athens wants Turkey to do more to curb irregular crossings. (Reporting by Ece Toksabay and Tuvan Gumrukcu in Ankara, Angeliki Koutantou and Renee Maltezou in Athens; Writing by Daren Butler; Editing by Jonathan Spicer, William Maclean) Two people were injured in a shooting in Seattles Central District area, and police are searching for the suspect, according to the Seattle Police Department. At 2:45 p.m., officers responded to reports of gunfire on the 3rd floor in the 2000 block of South Jackson Street inside the Abbey Lincoln Court apartments. Police said a man and woman were shot, with the man shot multiple times in the chest and the woman shot in the lower torso multiple times. Advertisement Advertisement Both victims were transported to Harborview Medical Center, with the man in critical condition and the woman stable. Police are searching for two suspects, a man and a woman. As a result of the shooting, multiple schools were in lockdown, including Washington Middle School, Bailey Gatzert Elementary, and the Skills Center at Washington Middle School. Officers said the investigation is ongoing. KIRO 7 News has sent a crew to the area to gather more information. By David Morgan WASHINGTON, Feb 10 (Reuters) - A narrowly divided U.S. House of Representatives rejected on Tuesday a bid by Republican leaders to block legislative challenges to President Donald Trump's tariffs, a move that could allow Democrats to try to undo U.S. tariffs on Canada. Lawmakers voted 217-214 to derail the plan to bar tariff challenges through July 31, with three Republicans joining 214 Democrats in opposition. The prohibition was included in a measure intended to open debate on three unrelated bills. Advertisement Advertisement "I dont like putting the important work of the House on pause, but Congress needs to be able to debate on tariffs," said Representative Don Bacon, one of the Republicans who rejected the ban. "Tariffs have been a 'net negative' for the economy and are a significant tax that American consumers, manufacturers, and farmers are paying," the Nebraska lawmaker said on X. The result presents a major challenge for House Speaker Mike Johnson, who cannot afford to lose more than one vote from his 218-214 Republican majority on any measure opposed by Democrats. Democrats hope to force a House vote as early as Wednesday to terminate Trump's use of a national emergency to put punitive trade measures on Canadian goods. They also have resolutions to overturn Trump's tariffs on Mexico and other countries. Advertisement Advertisement Earlier in the day, Johnson told reporters that he expected the measure to pass the House, calling it necessary in view of an expected Supreme Court ruling on the legality of the tariffs. House Republicans first adopted a rule barring tariff challenges last March and later extended it through January. But the rule expired in the face of opposition from Republicans, who voiced concern over the costs to American families and U.S. companies that rely on international trade. Last month, the Yale Budget Lab said the annual median cost of tariffs stands at around $1,400 for each U.S. household. The nonpartisan Tax Foundation estimated the cost at $1,000 per household in 2025, rising to $1,300 this year, in a report last week. (Reporting by David Morgan; Editing by Clarence Fernandez) The Epstein files are wreaking havoc on the United Kingdom. Prime Minister Keir Starmer was met with calls from within his own party on Monday to resign, after a wave of departures over links to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Last Wednesday, the leader of the Conservative Party, Kemi Badenoch, forced Starmer to admit he was aware his U.S. ambassador, Peter Mandelson, had continued his friendship with Jeffrey Epstein following the financiers conviction for child sexual abuse in 2008. Advertisement Advertisement Addressing Parliament, Badenoch said Starmer had the information necessary to force Mandelson to resign earlier. It is shocking what the prime minister has just said. How can he stand up there, saying that he knew that he just asked Peter Mandelson if the security vetting was true or false. Then Badenoch referenced Mandelsons job history. Since 2001, Mandelson has resigned from positions four times. He was asked to step down from his role as ambassador to the U.S. on Sunday. The same day of Mandelsons most recent resignation, Starmers chief of staff, Morgan McSweeney, resigned as well. When asked why, McSweeney said, I advised the prime minister to make that appointment and I take full responsibility for that advice. While these resignations happened in rapid succession, it is nothing new for staff to leave Starmers office early. In less than two years, the prime minister has lost two chiefs of staff, four communication directors and 11 cabinet ministers. High profile Brits criticize Starmer, asking him to step down The leader of Scotlands Labour Party, Anas Sanwar, called for Starmer to step down on Monday. The distraction needs to end, and the leadership in Downing Street has to change. ... We cannot allow the failures at the heart of Downing Street to continue here in Scotland. Advertisement Advertisement Peter Lamb, a Labour MP, separately asked Starmer to resign. Everyone knows theres going to be a leadership election come May, Lamb said. My view is the prime minister should do the responsible thing now. He should set out a timetable for departure in May that enables the Labour Party to get on with announcing a new leader, that doesnt risk having a caretaker prime minister with all the uncertainty and chaos attached to that, per The Sunday Times. In addition to members of parliament asking their leader to step down, Starmer has been met with calls from the media to do so as well. Keir, youre a good man. A decent man. An Arsenal fan (always a good test of a man). When you did Life Stories, I found your remarkable journey to the top of British politics very inspiring. But this cant go on. For the good of the country, resign. @Keir_Starmer pic.twitter.com/82LK25uvVR Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) February 9, 2026 In a post thats been viewed more than 3.7 million times on X, British broadcaster and journalist Piers Morgan told Starmer on Monday, For the good of the country, resign. Starmer vows to stay in office At an event on Tuesday in Hertfordshire, just north of London, Starmer said, There are some people in recent days who are saying this Labour government should have a different fight a fight with itself instead of a fight for the millions of people who need us to fight for them." Advertisement Advertisement He continued, And I say to them, I will never walk away from the mandate I was given to change this country. I will never walk away from the people that I am charged with fighting for and I will never walk away from the country I love. When a journalist told Starmer, It seems like this political near-death experience has really fired you up, the prime minister responded, Im absolutely clear about what Im standing for, who Im standing for and what Im fighting for. We are in a perilous world internationally, and we have to stand tall on the international stage. He added that his Cabinets central focus will stay on addressing cost of living in the U.K. Epstein files rattle the royal family After Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor was stripped of his royal styles, titles and honors last October, King Charles III released his first statement regarding allegations of Andrews sexual misconduct and relationship with Epstein on Monday. Advertisement Advertisement The King has made clear, in words and through unprecedented actions, his profound concern at allegations which continue to come to light in respect of Mr Mountbatten-Windsors conduct, a Buckingham Palace spokesperson said in a statement. The king added that if the royal family is approached by the Thames Valley Police, they stand ready to support them. As was previously stated, their majesties thoughts and sympathies have been, and remain with, the victims of any and all forms of abuse, it concluded. Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor has been accused of sexually assaulting Virginia Giuffre on three occasions when she was younger than 18 years old. If youre thinking about traveling to Niger anytime soon, take note that the country is one place you should avoid traveling. The U.S. State Department issued its highest travel advisory for Niger, warning Americans not to travel there for any reason. READ MORE: U.S. citizens face visa bans in four west African nations Here is what you need to know about the travel advisory and why the U.S. government is saying you shouldnt travel there. What does the latest travel advisory for Niger mean for you? Item Detail Start Date Jan. 29, 2026 Whats changing Updated travel advisory urging travelers not to travel to Niger for any reason due to terrorism, crime, kidnapping, unrest and health risks. What will happen? Travelers should not travel to Niger and U.S. citizens and U.S. government employees already there are urged to leave immediately because the U.S. government can provide little support. Who will it affect? Travelers to Niger. The agency gave a Level 4: Do Not Travel advisory to Niger due to terrorism, crime, kidnapping, unrest and health risks. What is the highest travel advisory? There are four levels of travel advisory, Level 1 through Level 4. When planning a vacation, you should check the current travel advisory for that destination. Advertisement Advertisement Level 1 : Exercise Normal Precautions This is the lowest level of advisory; it is advised that there is some risk in that area, and travelers should take precautions while on their visit. Level 2 : Exercise Increased Caution There is a heightened risk for safety and security in that area, and travelers need to take extra caution. Level 3 : Reconsider Travel There are serious risks to safety, and travelers are advised to reconsider their travel plans to this destination. Level 4: Do Not Travel This is the highest level of advisory, and it is strongly recommended not to travel to any destinations with a Level 4 advisory, due to many factors, one of which is that the U.S. government might not be able to provide travelers any assistance in the event of an emergency. What should travelers to Niger do in light of this travel advisory? The U.S. State Department warns travelers who decide not to heed the travel warning to do the following: Have a plan to leave in an emergency that does not depend on U.S. government assistance. Keep travel documents up to date and in a place where you can access them. Develop a communication plan with family, your employer, or host organization. List how and when youll confirm youre safe (text or call). Specify how often youll do this. Draft a will. Designate appropriate insurance beneficiaries or draft a power of attorney. Establish a proof of life protocol with your loved ones. If you are taken hostage, your loved ones will know specific questions (and answers) to ask the hostage-takers to confirm that you are being held captive and alive. Leave DNA samples with your medical provider in case it is necessary for your family to access them for identification purposes. Monitor local media for breaking news. Stay aware of your surroundings. Keep a low profile. Stay alert in tourist spots. Do not physically resist any robbery attempt. Use caution when walking or driving at night. Do not display expensive items such as watches or jewelry in public. Do not answer your door at your hotel or residence to strangers. Stay alert when visiting banks or ATMs. Avoid demonstrations and crowds. Get supplemental insurance to cover medical evacuation. Find out if your health insurance plan covers any medical expenses abroad. If you purchase medical travel insurance, you are responsible for seeking reimbursement from your medical insurance. Follow their guidance and instructions for filing claims. Find out how to arrange a Nigerien military or police escort if traveling outside Niamey. Enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to get important updates and alerts from the U.S. embassy or consulate. Enrolling helps the U.S. embassy or consulate contact you or your emergency contact in an emergency. Travel Advisories & News Read the original article on NJ.com. Add NJ.com as a Preferred Source by clicking here. LONDON, Feb 11 - Defence minister John Healey said on Wednesday Britain had committed 150 million pounds ($205 million) to the so-called Prioritised Ukraine Requirements List (PURL) initiative to supply Ukraine with U.S. weapons. PURL was set up last summer to keep U.S. weapons flowing to Ukraine at a time when new U.S. military assistance had stalled. "I'm pleased to confirm the UK is committing 150 million to PURL," Healey said in an emailed statement. Advertisement Advertisement "Together we must provide Ukraine with the critical air defense it needs in response to Putin's brutal onslaught." The scheme allows allies to fund purchases of American air-defence systems and other critical equipment for Kyiv. Allies have already put forward over $4.5 billion through the programme, U.S. ambassador to NATO Matthew Whitaker said on Tuesday. ($1 = 0.7323 pounds) (Reporting by Sam Tabahriti; editing by William James) Ukraine has received 22 generators from Lithuania with a total capacity of 13 MW to support hospitals and critical infrastructure in Kyiv. Source: Ukraine's Energy Minister Denys Shmyhal on X (Twitter), as reported by European Pravda Details: The Lithuanian generators will also be connected to Kyiv's water and heating facilities. Shmyhal said that Lithuania has sent 348 humanitarian shipments to Ukraine since the start of the full-scale war, delivering over 5,900 tonnes of energy equipment. Advertisement Advertisement Lithuania's contribution to the Ukraine Energy Support Fund totals 5.7 million. Background: At the end of January, the Lithuanian government announced the urgent transfer of 90 generators worth over 2 million. Additionally, the Association of Local Authorities in Lithuania allocated 50,000 from the country's municipalities to purchase generators and heaters for Ukraine. Employees of the Lithuanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs collected nearly 14,000 for generators as part of their support campaign. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon! Feb 10 (Reuters) - Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy assembled his top military officers on Tuesday to discuss shortcomings in air defence and other aspects of protecting civilians from attack nearly four years into Russia's war in Ukraine. Zelenskiy, speaking in his nightly video address, also assessed how local authorities in Ukraine's cities were tackling the aftermath of massive Russian attacks, particularly in ensuring high-rise apartments had power and heating. He again singled out for criticism officials in the capital Kyiv. Zelenskiy said he held long discussions with the military's Commander-in-Chief, Oleksandr Syrskyi, the chief of the general staff, Andrii Hnatov, and Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov. Advertisement Advertisement "Many changes are happening right now in the work of air defence. In some regions, the way teams operate, interceptors, mobile fire units, the entire small air defence component is being practically rebuilt completely," Zelenskiy said. "But this is only one element of defence that requires changes. Changes will happen." UKRAINE SEEKS MORE WEAPONRY The president has frequently pointed to improved air defences as critical to protecting cities from air attacks and has asked Kyiv's Western allies to provide more weaponry to knock out incoming missiles and drones. Last week, with heating still not restored to hundreds of dwellings after air raids targeting energy infrastructure, he said defence lines in some areas were proving inefficient. Advertisement Advertisement Energy Minister Denys Shmyhal, writing on Telegram after the daily meeting of officials on energy issues, said crews were working around the clock to restore heating in Kyiv, where night-time temperatures were set to hit -19 Celsius (-2 Fahrenheit). After meeting with the top brass, Zelenskiy said Kharkiv and Poltava regions in central and northeastern Ukraine were also having difficulties with electricity, as well as parts of Odesa region on the Black Sea. He renewed criticism of decision-makers in Kyiv, where he has been at odds with Mayor Vitali Klitschko, as well as in his hometown of Kryvyi Rih and Okhtyrka near the Russian border. "Every community leader and responsible service must pay real attention to what is happening with buildings, with networks," he said. "We are monitoring at all levels and people will be held personally responsible." (Reporting by Ron Popeski and Oleksandr Kozhukhar; Editing by Rod Nickel) This story was originally published on C-Store Dive. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily C-Store Dive newsletter. Dive Brief: The Kent Companies has announced a corporate reorganization that will split its business into two divisions one for the retail side and another for the rest of its operations, the company said in a press release on Monday. Kent has hired Brett Giseki to serve as president of the retail group and oversee convenience store, foodservice and merchandising operations, while President and Chief Operating Officer Todd Watkins will become president of the services group, which encompasses the rest of the company. This reorganization is designed to strengthen leadership focus as the company continues significant expansion across nine states, according to the announcement. Both new hires will report to Bill Kent, chairman and CEO. Dive Insight: As Kent continues to focus on expansion, the new structure dedicates an executive to the development and performance of its c-stores. A head and shoulders photo of a person. Kent, which mainly operates under the Kent Kwik c-store banner, has more than doubled its store count through both M&A and new builds since 2020 and now stands at 132 stores in nine states. In just the last year it bought 15-store B&B Petroleum, an acquisition that brought the company to Louisiana, and opened several new stores, including a new food-focused format. This structure reflects the scale of our business today and positions us to operate with greater focus, speed, and accountability as we continue to grow, Bill Kent said in the announcement. Giesick, who officially took on his new role in November, according to his LinkedIn profile, brings more than 30 years of experience in the c-store industry, including more than 20 years in senior leadership roles across multiple major retailers. He served as president of Enmarket from 2017 to 2022, a role in which he oversaw the Savannah, Georgia-based chains growth from 57 to 139 locations, according to the press release. He then became executive vice president and chief operating officer of Colonial Group, Enmarkets parent company, and held that position until joining Kent. A head and shoulders photo of a person. Watkins new role puts him in charge of Kents car-care-focused businesses like Kent Lubrication Centers, Kent Tire and Kent Car Wash as well as Prince Signs, WesTex Urgent Care and the wholesale fuels, transportation and logistics, and financial services businesses. Watkins has been with the company since 2017, when he joined as safety director and pilot. He moved into the COO and EVP role in 2021 and was instrumental in the companys expansion over the past few years, according to the release. KYIV, Feb 11 (Reuters) - Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Wednesday the U.S. needed to put more pressure on Russia if it wanted the war to end by summer, adding it was unclear whether Moscow would attend U.S.-brokered peace talks next week. The Ukrainian leader, who has said previously that Washington wants to end the four-year-old war by June, said Russia was still deliberating over whether to participate in the proposed next round of trilateral peace talks in Miami. Zelenskiy said Ukraine was ready to attend the meeting, which follows two rounds of trilateral negotiations in Abu Dhabi over the past month that have failed to produce a breakthrough. Advertisement Advertisement "It depends not only on Ukraine, but also on America, which must exert pressure excuse me for saying so, but there is no other way it must exert pressure on Russia," he said of a possible peace deal by summer. U.S. PROPOSES MIAMI MEETING: SOURCES The Kremlin said on Tuesday there was no date set yet for the next round of peace talks, but said that negotiations were likely to happen soon. Three sources familiar with the matter told Reuters that U.S. officials had proposed a trilateral meeting on Monday and Tuesday in Miami. The White House declined comment on when the next round of talks would be. Advertisement Advertisement Zelenskiy denied a report on Wednesday by the Financial Times, which said he intended to announce plans on February 24 - the fourth anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion - for a presidential election and a referendum on a peace deal. Ukraine would only hold elections after appropriate security guarantees from the U.S. and other Western allies were in place, Zelenskiy told reporters via a briefing in a WhatsApp chat. Citing Ukrainian and European officials involved in discussions, the Financial Times reported that Ukraine had begun planning for a presidential election to be held alongside a referendum on a prospective peace deal with Russia. Asked about the Financial Times article, Zelenskiy told reporters the report was the first time he had heard of such an announcement on February 24. Advertisement Advertisement "Even if there was a goal or appropriate steps were taken to bring certain elections closer, I believe that it would be an absolutely stupid idea to choose such a date to talk about politics," Zelenskiy said. "First security, then politics." A source familiar with the matter told Reuters Zelenskiy could not set elections and a referendum in motion without first agreeing on terms of a peace deal with Russia. Kyiv also wants a ceasefire in place throughout any election campaign. "The Russians do not agree to a deal and they're not taking steps to end the war so how could there be ... steps to hold elections?" the source said. Advertisement Advertisement NO BREAKTHROUGH ANNOUNCED AT PEACE TALKS Organising an election as soon as possible is part of a 20-point peace framework that Ukrainian and U.S. negotiators have been working to finalise. U.S.-brokered talks in Abu Dhabi have failed to resolve differences over Ukraine's eastern Donbas region, sources say, and Russia has pressed on with attacks often focused on Ukrainian energy facilities in the depths of a harsh winter. Russia wants control of the entire Donbas under any peace settlement. Ukraine, which still controls over 2,000 square miles (5,180 square km) of the Donbas, rules this out, but Ukrainian officials have expressed openness to exploring solutions such as creating a demilitarised or free-trade zone. Advertisement Advertisement Zelenskiy said on Saturday that, with U.S. congressional mid-term elections looming, Washington wants a solution found on how to end the war by the summer. Reuters reported last week that, under the framework being discussed by the U.S. and Ukraine, Kyiv would hold a referendum on any peace agreement alongside an election. U.S. and Ukrainian officials had discussed the possibility of an election and referendum being held in May, sources told Reuters. Several sources familiar with the negotiations said that timetable was unrealistic as there was still no peace deal and the logistics for such a vote were considerable. Advertisement Advertisement Ukrainian lawmakers and experts have started a working group to draft proposals for legal changes needed to hold an election. Although U.S. President Donald Trump wants elections held, they are banned under martial law in force since Russia's 2022 invasion, and a majority of Ukrainians oppose a wartime ballot. (Reporting by Max Hunder and Yuliia Dysa in Kyiv, Tom Balmforth in London and Ananya Palyekar in Bengaluru; additional reporting by Steve Holland; Writing by Daniel Flynn; Editing by Christopher Cushing, Timothy Heritage, Rod Nickel) LAFAYETTE, La. (KLFY) The University of Louisiana at Lafayette is offering a new program conferring advanced degrees in the technology field. The school has launched a Ph.D. program in applied computing and information sciences. Its curriculum, the first of its kind in the state, is tailored to prepare students to make strategic, research-based leadership decisions and improve business efficiency, according to Azmy S. Ackleh, dean of the Ray P. Authement College of Sciences. Unlike programs that focus solely on computer science or computer engineering, the applied computing and information sciences program examines technology from a users perspective how people interact with systems and how information moves through organizations, Ackleh said. Advertisement Advertisement Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now KLFY Daily Digest The multidisciplinary program emphasizes the practical application of computing technologies, including artificial intelligence, data science, cybersecurity and machine learning, with a focus on organizational and business contexts, officials said. It is the Universitys first Ph.D. program available fully online, enabling students to enroll from anywhere in the country while maintaining their careers in the field. Mary Farmer-Kaiser, dean of the Graduate School said online delivery helps meet growing workforce demands. Students complete the same curriculum, work with the same faculty, and meet the same degree requirements whether they attend online or on campus, Farmer-Kaiser said. Advertisement Advertisement The program emphasizes advanced research, project management and problem-solving skills that prepare graduates for careers both inside and outside academia, while allowing working professionals to apply what they learn to the real world. A Ph.D. is no longer preparation for a single career path, she said. It builds the depth of knowledge and transferable skills that are increasingly essential across todays business, government and nonprofit sectors. Courses are set to begin with the Fall 2026 semester, both on campus and 100% online. Latest news Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Alessandro Mrakic, head of the UNDP Gaza Office, estimated the volume of the dump to be more than 300,000 cubic meters (390,000 cubic yards) and 13 meters (14 yards) high. The United Nations Development Programme began clearing a huge wartime garbage dump on Wednesday that has swallowed one of Gaza Citys oldest commercial districts and is an environmental and health risk. Alessandro Mrakic, head of the UNDP Gaza Office, said work had started to remove the solidwaste mound that has overtaken the once busy Fras Market in the Palestinian enclave's main city. Advertisement Advertisement He estimated the volume of the dump to be more than 300,000 cubic meters (390,000 cubic yards) and 13 meters (14 yards) high. It formed after municipal crews were blocked from reaching Gazas main landfill in the Juhr alDik area - adjacent to the border with Israel - when the Gaza war began in October 2023. The area in Juhr al-Dik is now under full Israeli control. PALESTINIANS SIFT through a landfill for salvageable items, in Gaza City, February 11, 2026. (credit: REUTERS/DAWOUD ABU ALKAS) Over the next six months, UNDP plans to transfer the waste to a new temporary site in the Abu Jarad area, south of Gaza City, built to meet environmental standards. The site covers 75,000 square meters and will also accommodate daily collection, Mrakic said in a statement sent to Reuters. The project is funded by the Humanitarian Fund and the European Union's Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations. Advertisement Advertisement Some Palestinians sifted through the garbage, looking for things to take away, but there was relief that the market space would eventually be cleared. "It needs to be moved to a site with a complex of old waste, far away from people. There's no other solution. What will this cause? It will cause us gases, it will cause us diseases, it will cause us germs," elderly Gazan Abu Issa said near the site. The Gaza Municipality confirmed the start of the relocation effort in collaboration with the UNDP, calling it an urgent step to contain a worsening solidwaste crisis after about 350,000 cubic meters of rubbish accumulated in the heart of the city. Fras Market, a historic quarter that before the war served nearly 600,000 residents with items ranging from food to clothes to household tools, has been buried under garbage for more than a year. Garbage dump is 'symbol of war,' leads to health and environmental problems Amjad alShawa, head of the Palestinian NGOs Network and a liaison with UN and international agencies, said the dump had fueled serious health and environmental problems and the spread of insects and illnesses. Advertisement Advertisement It is a symbol of the war that continued for two years, he told Reuters. Its removal may give people a sense of hope that the ceasefire (agreed last October) is moving forward. Shawa said the waste would be transported to a transitional site near the former Netzarim settlement in central Gaza until Israeli forces withdraw from eastern areas and municipal access to the permanent landfills can be restored. UNDP said it had collected more than 570,000 tons of solid waste across Gaza since the war began as part of its emergency response to avert a further deterioration in public health conditions. The number of temporary dumpsites has decreased from 141 to 56 as part of efforts in 2024-25 to remove smaller dumping sites, a UNDP report last December said. "However, only 10 to 12 of these temporary dumping sites are accessible and operational, and Gazas two main sanitary landfills remain inaccessible. The environmental and public health risks remain critical," it added. State leaders estimate North Carolina could be short nearly 19,000 nurses in less than 10 years, but UNC Charlotte is working to get ahead of the growing crisis. The university is now offering the only public accelerated nursing program in the region. ALSO READ >> UNC Charlotte reaches enrollment milestone Kelly Beckham is one of 32 students in the program. She started practicing with a mannequin last fall, but shell be working with real patients by the end of the year. Advertisement Advertisement I wanted to be in a program that was more fast-paced, accelerated, she told Channel 9s Erika Jackson. I wanted to go out there. I wanted to start working and be a nurse. Clinical professor Susan Lynch says its designed for students who already hold a degree, like a bachelors in a different field or an associates. Theyve done a lot of the basic general education and the liberal studies courses that are required for a bachelors degree, Lynch said. They want a way that they can come in and be able to get through a little faster and be able to get into the workforce because typically nursing school is pretty rigorous. Students with previous degrees can jump right into the curriculum. Those enrolled in the program learn over the summer, attending classes and clinicals over four straight semesters. Advertisement Advertisement Its important in that theyre going to get out into the workforce quicker, and so that means our hospital systems and our health care agencies that are hiring our graduates will be able to get them faster, Lynch explained. The N.C. Center on the Workforce for Health found 1 in 3 licensed practical nurse positions were vacant in 2025, and 1 in 8 registered nurse positions went unfilled. Beckham hopes she, along with the help of UNC Charlottes nursing program, will lessen that gap. Im hoping to get to that point so other nurses arent getting burnt out, she said. I could, kind of, share that load and alleviate that pressure from them. Advertisement Advertisement She hopes the program will give her the chance to live her dream as a travel nurse. UNC Charlotte received a $2.4 million grant from the N.C. General Assembly to expand its nursing program. The school used that money to pay for this new programs faculty and expand its lab space. VIDEO: Nurses cancer battle inspires hope and kindness at Atrium Health >> Note: The forecast has been updated The National Weather Service updated winter weather advisories on Wednesday for Central New York as lake effect snow moves into the area. Total snow accumulations of 2 to 6 inches can be expected in the Syracuse area, with the heaviest snow on Wednesday afternoon and evening. Higher accumulations are forecast for areas farther north. An advisory for Oswego, Jefferson and Lewis counties warns of snow accumulations of 4 to 8 inches across the Tug Hill plateau, with lesser amounts of 2 to 5 inches across lower elevations, according to the weather service. Advertisement Advertisement The advisories remain in effect until Thursday at 8 a.m. A colder air mass moving into the region on Wednesday will trigger lake effect snow beginning this afternoon. The heaviest bands will affect areas downstream of Lake Ontario and the Finger Lakes region. Forecasters warn that isolated snow squalls cannot be ruled out, which could produce brief periods of reduced visibility and gusty winds. Winter weather Northwest winds on Wednesday evening will shift heavier snow bands into Central New York before conditions improve on Thursday as high pressure builds into the region. Another weather system will move through Friday night into Saturday, bringing an additional round of snow showers and light accumulations. Model guidance has trended stronger for this system, prompting forecasters to continue monitoring its development. Advertisement Advertisement A separate system is expected to track through the southern United States from Sunday into Monday, though current guidance suggests it will likely remain south of the region. Some rain and snow showers remain possible early next week, with high temperatures climbing into the 40s. Get the latest weather news Read the original article on syracuse.com. A 50-mile stretch of U.S. 2 is now fully open between Skykomish and Leavenworth, more than a month ahead of schedule, after flooding and debris slides left the highway severely damaged. U.S. 2 at Tumwater Canyon near Leavenworth reopened to two-way traffic late Tuesday, restoring access across Stevens Pass. This section, from mileposts 90 to 99, had been closed since the flooding in mid-December. When a major highway is closed, the impacts to the community, to individuals and to businesses are significant, Gov. Bob Ferguson said in a statement. Restoring this critical connection between the east and west sides of our state more than a month ahead of schedule is an achievement. Advertisement Advertisement The emergency repairs at Tumwater Canyon, between Coles Corner and Leavenworth, included rebuilding the roadside slope, restoring drainage, installing guardrails and paving. State Transportation Secretary Julie Meredith has said there were more than 16 areas washed out or damaged along this stretch. Parts of the highway collapsed entirely. During the closure, drivers had to use a county road, the curvy Chumstick Highway, as a detour. More work will be needed this summer to finish permanent repairs along U.S. 2, including at Tumwater Canyon and Stevens Pass, according to the state Department of Transportation. That work may require further closures. The past two months have seen U.S. 2 reopen in stages between Skykomish and Leavenworth. Advertisement Advertisement In late December, the state reopened about 20 miles of the highway on the east side of the Cascades, with a pilot car shepherding drivers near Stevens Pass. Not long after, the west side of U.S. 2 was fully reopened, allowing the Puget Sound region to get to the ski resort. To deal with the aftermath of the historic flooding, Ferguson last month asked the Federal Emergency Management Agency for $21 million to help people affected in 10 counties and 15 tribal nations. The governor has until next Wednesday to file a separate request for federal money to deal with infrastructure damage, such as to roads and levees, and prepare for future storms. Officials hope for approval from President Donald Trump, who has declined to grant federal aid in some cases, especially in Democrat-led states like Washington. Trump hasnt yet decided on the individual assistance funding for Washington. All members of the states congressional delegation, including its two Republicans, sent a letter to the president urging him to approve the states ask. The state Department of Transportation told lawmakers last month that the heavy flooding inflicted at least $40 million to $50 million of damage on the states highways. U.S. 2 was hit the hardest. The US military has boarded another Venezuela-linked tanker after tracking the ship from the Caribbean Sea, as part of an oil quarantine meant to squeeze Caracas. Venezuela has faced US sanctions on its oil and been accused by Washington of relying on a shadow fleet of falsely flagged tankers to smuggle crude into global supply chains. Following the US raid to apprehend then-President Nicolas Maduro in early January, several tankers fled the Venezuelan coast, including Aquila II, the ship that was boarded in the Indian Ocean in the early hours of Monday. Advertisement Advertisement "US military forces conducted a right-of-visit, maritime interdiction and boarding on the Aquila II without incident," the Department of Defence said on Monday in a post on X. "The Aquila II was operating in defiance of President Trump's established quarantine of sanctioned vessels in the Caribbean," it added. "It ran, and we followed." Related The US did not say whether the tanker was directly linked to Venezuela. However, Samir Madani, co-founder of TankerTrackers.com, said the Aquila II was one of at least 16 tankers that left the Venezuelan coast last month, shortly after the capture of Maduro. Advertisement Advertisement According to data transmitted from the ship on Monday, it is not currently laden with a cargo of crude oil. The Aquila II is a Panamanian-flagged tanker under US sanctions related to the shipment of illicit Russian oil. Owned by a firm with a listed address in Hong Kong, ship tracking data shows it has spent much of the last year with its radio transponder turned off, a practice known as running dark commonly used by smugglers to hide their location. The Trump administration has seized seven tankers as part of its broader efforts to take control of the South American countrys oil. Unlike those previous actions, the Aquila II has not been formally seized and placed under US control, a government official said. Since the US ouster of Maduro in a surprise nighttime raid on 3 January, the Trump administration has set out to control the production, refining and global distribution of Venezuelas petroleum products. US officials have made it clear they see seizing the tankers as a way to generate cash as they seek to rebuild Venezuelas battered oil industry and restore its economy. Syrian Democratic Forces and U.S. troops are seen during a patrol near Turkish border in Hasakah, Syria November 4, 2018 (photo credit: RODI SAID / REUTERS) The al-Tanf base is strategically located in the tri-border area of Syria, Jordan, and Iraq. It was established as a key hub for operations by the global coalition against Islamic State terrorists. US forces departed the al-Tanf military base in eastern Syria, relocating troops stationed there to Jordan, two Syrian military sources told Agence-France Presse on Wednesday. "American forces withdrew entirely from al-Tanf base today," a Syrian military source told Agence France-Presse. Advertisement Advertisement US forces had been removing equipment from the base for the past 15 days, another Syrian military source told the outlet. The US forces would "continue to coordinate with [personnel in al-Tanf] from Jordan," the second source added. The al-Tanf base is strategically located in the tri-border area of Syria, Jordan, and Iraq. It was established in 2014 as a key hub for operations by the global coalition against Islamic State terrorists. A KC-135 Stratotanker aircraft takes off from a base in the US Central Command area of responsibility, December 19, 2025 in support of Operation Hawkeye Strike as the US military launched large-scale strikes against dozens of Islamic State targets in Syria in retaliation for a terror attack. (credit: US Air Force Photo/Handout via REUTERS) The base was used to host the evacuated injured soldiers and personnel following an ISIS attack in December. US personnel have also been posted in Jordan for decades, and the forces departing al-Tanf are likely to join an existing US military base in the kingdom. Iranian MP threatens US bases, urges Jordanians to seize control of air base amid rising tensions Earlier this month, a Tehran MP threatened US forces in Jordan, calling on Jordanian "fighting brothers" to take control of a US military base in the kingdom. Advertisement Advertisement Mojtaba Zarei, who has an account in both Farsi and Arabic, posted his call to action in both languages, noting that the Muwaffaq Salti Air Base was utilized for operations countering "Iranian missiles and in protecting Tel Aviv and the Zionist cannibals," during the Israel-Iran war in June. "It has turned into the most important American base in the world-devouring empire, and a partner of Israel," he claimed. "Prepare yourselves to seize it and take American soldiers captive after the missiles strike this base," he concluded, hinting towards an Iranian missile strike targeting US military facilities across the Middle East. Reuters contributed to this report. Bull trout were listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act in 1999 in Idaho, Nevada, California, Oregon, Washington, and Montana after the Alliance for the Wild Rockies and Friends of the Wild Swan successfully sued the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Bull trout require cold water from 36 to 59 degrees Fahrenheit. If the water gets warmer than that, they die. Because bull trout need cold, clean, and connected water to survive and reproduce, they are an excellent indicator of overall water quality. Since people also need very clean water and a climate that doesnt bake us, what is good for bull trout is also good for humans. But instead of doing whats good for bull trout and humans, the U.S. Forest Service is once again focusing on what is good for cattle. Given that the U.S. is the worlds top producer of beef, rest assured the nations 94.2 million cattle are not at risk of extinction. Advertisement Advertisement The same cannot be said for the imperiled population of Jarbidge River bull trout the southernmost population in the nation which is at extreme risk of going extinct. In 2004, well before the severe and on-going drought in the Southwest, the Jarbidge River Bull Trout Recovery Team estimated that fewer than 500 bull trout, with 50125 reproductively mature fish, were present within the core area. The Jarbidge River originates as two main forks in the Jarbidge Mountains of northeastern Nevada, according to the National Wild and Scenic River System website. It flows through basalt and rhyolite canyons on the high plateau of the Owyhee Desert before joining the West Fork of the Bruneau River to form the Bruneau River about 24 miles north of the Nevada border, just upstream of Indian Hot Springs. (Photo courtesy of Evan Worthington/Bureau of Land Management) You read that right there were only 50-125 bull trout capable of reproducing and that was 22 years ago. Yet the recently approved Humboldt-Toiyabe Forest-wide Prescribed Fire Restoration Project authorizes logging and burning of 30,000 acres every year throughout 5.1 million acres of the national forest. The restoration plan includes logging trees up to 16 inches in diameter in the watershed of the Jarbidge River, which is federally designated critical habitat for bull trout. The Jarbidge River originates in the Jarbidge Mountains of northeastern Nevada, flows through the canyons of Idahos Owyhee Desert high plateau and eventually into the Snake River. Nearly 29 miles of the Jarbidge River are designated wild with challenging whitewater through the steep rhyolite/basalt canyons with steep walls and statuesque rock formations. Subalpine fir, whitebark pine, limber pine, cottonwoods, aspens, mountain mahogany, and juniper shade the Jarbidge River, keeping it cool enough for bull trout to survive. But cows dont eat trees. The Forest Service hopes grass will replace the trees, but most likely the trees will be replaced by an invasive and highly flammable weed that is native to Russia called cheatgrass as has happened throughout the West. Advertisement Advertisement High water temperatures are already a problem since the Fish and Wildlife Service notes that the Jarbidge River and other streams in the Snake River watershed are the most susceptible to climate change. The logging and burning will only increase the water temperatures. The Endangered Species Act requires that any action authorized, funded, or carried out by the federal government cannot jeopardize the continued existence of any threatened or endangered species, or result in the adverse modification of critical habitat for these species. In our comments and objections, we told the Forest Service and Fish and Wildlife Service that this project could result in the extinction of bull trout in the Jarbidge River but they ignored us. Simply put, the Jarbidge bull trouts only hope is to stop the massive logging and burning of their watershed. Thats why the Alliance for the Wild Rockies, Native Ecosystems Center and Wildlands Defense just filed a 60-day Notice of Intent to Sue the federal government if the Forest Service doesnt pull this project and save the Jarbidge bull trout from being cooked into extinction. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX By David Shepardson, Idrees Ali and Andy Sullivan WASHINGTON, Feb 11 (Reuters) - A secret military laser-based anti-drone system prompted the Trump administration to ban air traffic for more than seven hours in and out of the Texas border city of El Paso after U.S. aviation officials raised drastic concerns about the safety of commercial air traffic. The sudden closure of the nation's 71st busiest airport by the Federal Aviation Administration stranded air travelers and disrupted medical evacuation flights overnight. The FAA initially said the closure would last 10 days for "special security reasons," in what would have been an unprecedented action involving a single airport. Advertisement Advertisement Government and airline officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the FAA closed the airspace due to concerns that an Army laser-based counter-drone system could pose risks to air traffic. The two agencies had planned to discuss the issue at a February 20 meeting but the Army opted to proceed without FAA approval, sources said, which prompted the FAA to halt flights. The Army's laser was a direct-energy weapon called LOCUST and is manufactured by AeroVironment, a Virginia-based drone and counter-drone defense firm, two people briefed on the matter told Reuters. The company and the Pentagon did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The FAA lifted its restrictions after the Army agreed to more safety tests before using the system, which is housed at Fort Bliss, next to El Paso International Airport. The White House was surprised by the El Paso airspace closure, according to two sources speaking on condition of anonymity, touching off a scramble among law enforcement agencies to figure out what happened. Advertisement Advertisement The FAA lifted the restrictions shortly after the situation was discussed in the office of White House chief of staff Susie Wiles, the sources said. U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, who oversees the FAA, said the closure had been prompted by a drone incursion by a Mexican drug cartel. However, a drone sighting near an airport would typically lead to a brief pause on traffic, not an extended closure, and the Pentagon says there are more than 1,000 such incidents each month along the U.S.-Mexico border. FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford met senators on Wednesday and told them there could have been better coordination about the move but did not answer detailed questions about why the agency initially planned a 10-day halt to flights, lawmakers said. Senate Commerce Committee chair Ted Cruz, a Texas Republican, and Senator Ben Ray Lujan, a New Mexico Democrat, both called for a classified briefing to get more answers. "The details of what exactly occurred over El Paso are unclear," Cruz said. Advertisement Advertisement The move had stranded numerous aircraft from Southwest Airlines, United Airlines and American Airlines at the airport, which handles about 4 million passengers annually. El Paso Mayor Renard Johnson said the FAA did not reach out to the airport, the police chief or other local officials before shutting down the airspace. "I want to be very, very clear that this should have never happened," he said at a news conference. The U.S. official in charge of airport security, Transportation Security Administration Acting Administrator Ha Nguyen McNeill, also told Congress that she had not been notified. Advertisement Advertisement "That's a problem," said Republican Representative Tony Gonzales of Texas, who said there are daily drone incursions along the U.S.-Mexico border. AIRLINES CAUGHT OFF GUARD Airlines were also caught off-guard by the early Wednesday announcement. Southwest Airlines said the effects should be minimal for its 23 daily departures scheduled. FAA has not exactly acquitted itself credibly, objectively, or professionally, said Bob Mann, an airline industry consultant. "The question should be, do we get an explanation?" Trump has repeatedly threatened to deploy U.S. military force against Mexican drug cartels, which have used drones to carry out surveillance and attacks on civilian and government infrastructure, according to U.S. and Mexican security sources. Advertisement Advertisement Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said at her daily news conference that her administration would try to find out what exactly happened but had no information about drone traffic along the border. Tensions between the U.S. and regional leaders have ramped up since the Trump administration mounted a large-scale military buildup in the southern Caribbean, attacked Venezuela and seized its president, Nicolas Maduro, in a military operation. The FAA curbed flights throughout the Caribbean after the attack, forcing the cancellation of hundreds of flights. (Reporting by David Shepardson and Idrees Ali in Washington and Akanksha Khushi in Bengaluru; additional reporting by Steve Holland, Doyinsola Oladipo, Raul Cortes Fernandez, Idrees Ali, Laura Gottesdiener, Andy Sullivan, Mike Stone and David Jeans; Writing by Andy Sullivan; Editing by Bernadette Baum, Nick Zieminski, Franklin Paul, Andrea Ricci and Nia Williams) Kraft Heinz officials on Wednesday said they scrapped plans to divide the conglomerate into two entities and instead will invest $600 million in product development, marketing and other areas to fix its business. File Photo by UPI/Gary C. Caskey Feb. 11 (UPI) -- The Kraft Heinz food company is halting its effort to split into separate companies and instead is focusing on fixing its business challenges with a $600 million investment. Kraft Heinz Chief Executive Officer Steve Cahillane, in a prepared statement, on Wednesday said the company won't move forward with its prior plan to split into separate Kraft and Heinz business entities. "My number one priority is returning the business to profitable growth, which will require ensuring all resources are fully focused on the execution of our operating plan," he said. "As a result, we believe it is prudent to pause work related to the separation," Cahillane added, "and we will no longer incur related dis-synergies this year." He said the opportunity to fix business problems is bigger than anticipated and the problems are controllable. Cahillane became the top executive at Kraft Heinz in January and said it will focus on investing in marketing, sales, research and development to produce "superior" products with "select pricing." He said Kraft Heinz has a robust balance sheet due to "disciplined stewardship" and will continue to generate excess revenues while executing its new business plan. The move scraps the company's recent plan to break up the business that was created via a $46 billion merger in 2015 to create one of the world's largest food company, CNBC reported. Berkshire Hathaway was among investors in the newly created Kraft Heinz business, but founder Warren Buffett has expressed disappointment with the prior decision to split the company into two entities once again. Berkshire Hathaway Chief Executive Officer Greg Abel recently began reducing the conglomerate's 28% investment in Kraft Heinz, but that could change. "We support CEO Steve Cahillane and the Kraft Heinz Board of Directors' decision, under Steve's new leadership, to pause work on the company's previously planned separation," Abel said in a statement. "As a result, management can commit to strengthening Kraft Heinz's ability to compete and serve customers," he said. Kraft Heinz Board Chairman John Cahill said Cahillane's "deep industry experience and proven track record of building brands and leading large-scale transformations" already is producing significant benefits. "From day one, he has brought a fresh, consumer-first perspective that we believe creates a clear glidepath back to profitable growth," Cahill said. "We are confident that our decision to pause the work related to the separation and fully focusing our resources in service of growth is the right move at this time. We remain excited about the road ahead for Kraft Heinz." By David Morgan WASHINGTON, Feb 11 (Reuters) - The Republican-controlled House of Representatives voted on Wednesday to require proof of U.S. citizenship in the November midterm elections, which Democrats said would impose unnecessary burdens on American voters and concentrate electoral power in the hands of President Donald Trump. Lawmakers voted 218-213 to approve the SAVE America Act, with only one Democrat joining Republicans to back the measure. The action sends the legislation on to the Republican-led Senate, where it is expected to receive a vote but unlikely to garner the 60-vote, filibuster-proof majority needed for passage. Advertisement Advertisement The bill is the latest version of election legislation that first emerged during the 2024 presidential campaign, driven by Trump's false claims that large numbers of people in the country illegally have been voting in federal elections. A similar measure passed the House twice - last April and in 2024 - only to die in the Senate. The House vote came barely a week after Trump called for Republicans to "take over" elections in more than a dozen locations. The bill would require proof of citizenship when registering to vote in the midterms and would impose criminal penalties on election officials who register anyone without the required documentation. Republicans also added a photo ID requirement for people casting ballots at the polls or via mail-in ballots in subsequent federal elections. They cited polls including a Pew Research Center survey showing that 83% of voters, including 71% of Democrats, back photo ID for voters. REPUBLICANS WORRY OVER SPECIAL ELECTION LOSSES Advertisement Advertisement House Speaker Mike Johnson described the bill as "common sense legislation to just ensure that American citizens decide American elections." But Democratic Party leaders say the legislation attempts to suppress the vote and undermine their electoral chances at a time when they are favored by independent analysts to take control of the House. Republicans have been jarred by a string of Democratic special election wins, including one for the Texas state Senate viewed as a wake-up call. "The SAVE America Act is part of a comprehensive Republican strategy to cement power this year. Speaker Johnson wants to make it harder for Americans to vote, easier for Washington Republicans to control how elections are run," said Representative Joe Morelle, the top Democrat on the House committee that oversees elections. It is already illegal for non-citizens to vote in federal elections. Independent groups on the left and the right, as well as state election officials, have found such voting to be extremely rare. Advertisement Advertisement The left-leaning Brennan Center for Justice at New York University School of Law has warned that the SAVE America Act could deny the vote to millions of U.S. citizens who lack ready access to passports, birth certificates and other documents that prove their citizenship. Democracy advocates say the legislation is also part of a larger struggle between the Trump administration and state governments that has included the withholding of federal funds, the deployment of National Guard troops and the FBI search of a county election office in Georgia. "We have checks and balances in place that include state and local officials acting as a check against federal overreach," said Mai Ratakonda, program director of election protection at States United Democracy Center, a nonpartisan group that works to safeguard free and fair elections. "That's what the federal government is trying to undermine." Republicans are also readying a second, broader election bill, called the Make Elections Great Again Act, which would mandate the use of paper ballots, restrict mail-in ballots and prohibit ranked-choice voting in federal general elections. It was examined at a hearing before the House Administration Committee on Tuesday. (Reporting by David Morgan; Editing by Edmund Klamann) President Donald Trump said the United States had very good talks with Iran after delegations from both countries participated in indirect discussions in Oman Friday. Iran looks like it wants to make a deal very badly. We have to see what that deal is, the president said on Friday. Fridays meetings in the Gulf Arab state were the first round of negotiations between the two sides since the US and Israel struck the Islamic Republic last summer. Advertisement Advertisement Both parties have since agreed to hold follow-on discussions after consultations with their capitals, according to a source familiar with the negotiations. Speaking aboard Air Force One, Trump said that another round of negotiations will be held again early next week, but Araghchi said no date had yet been set for the future talks. The talks took place amid an American military buildup in the Middle East, and after Trump threatened to strike Iran if it used lethal force against protesters or refuses to sign a nuclear deal. Ahead of the talks, Irans foreign minister said his country enters diplomacy with open eyes and a steady memory of the past year. After negotiations concluded, Araghchi described it as a good start. Still, sharp language has persisted on both sides, with Trump saying on Thursday that Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei should be very worried, and a day after the high-stakes negotiation, Irans foreign minister reiterated that Iran would attack regional US bases should Washington carry out its threat of striking the Islamic Republic. Advertisement Advertisement And despite what he said were productive discussions, Trump said Friday a big fleet was heading toward Iran and would be arriving soon. Heres what we know about the talks. Who is involved? Araghchi and US envoy Steve Witkoff took part in the talks, along with Jared Kushner, Trumps son-in-law. The talks were indirect mediated by Omani Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi, who earlier on Friday met with each of the parties separately. Despite negotiations being indirect, Araghchi said he had direct contact with the US delegation and that the parties exchanged a handshake, Al Jazeera reported. Its unclear for how long both parties met directly. Advertisement Advertisement Our current decision is to conduct the negotiations indirectly, Araghchi told Al Jazeera, adding If the negotiations progress well, and if we sense seriousness and trust in the other partys intentions, we can reconsider this decision. In photos released by the state-run Oman News Agency, the commander of US Central Command (CENTCOM), Admiral Brad Cooper, was also seen attending the meetings. Negotiations are meant to adopt a format similar to previous rounds, Iranian media said. Before the 12-day Iran-Israel war in June, Tehran and Washington had gone through five rounds of negotiations, where Omani mediators shuttled between US and Iranian delegations. Those talks effectively came to an end after Israel struck Iranian nuclear and military sites in mid-June, after which the US struck three Iranian nuclear facilities. Advertisement Advertisement The Israeli government said that Trump is expected to meet with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Washington next week for discussions on the Iranian negotiations. Netanyahu believes that any negotiations must include limitations on ballistic missiles and an end to support for the Iranian axis, the Israeli Prime Ministers Office said in a statement. US Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff, with Jared Kushner, shakes hands with Oman's foreign minister Badr Albusaidi ahead of high-level talks with Iran in Oman on Friday. - Oman Foreign Ministry What was discussed? Araghchi presented to his Omani counterpart a preliminary plan to manage the current situation between Iran and the US, Iranian media reported, in a bid to advance negotiations. On Saturday, Irans top diplomat told Al Jazeera that talks with the US revolved solely around Irans nuclear program with no discussions held over Tehrans ballistic missiles or regional proxies. We are prepared to reach an agreement that assures them that enrichment in Iran will be peaceful. We are ready for that, Araghchi said. Advertisement Advertisement Albusaidi then conveyed the plan to the US delegation led by Witkoff, and the American response will be delivered to the Iranian side during the talks, Iranian media added. The scope of the talks was unclear. Before the meetings, Iranian officials insisted they only wanted to discuss issues related to the nuclear program, and that other matters such as Irans ballistic missile program, proxies across the region and domestic unrest were off limits. The US had demanded a broader set of discussions that includes ballistic missiles, Tehrans armed proxies that remain a danger to US and Israeli interests in the region, and Irans recent brutal crackdown on protests. On the nuclear issue, a key point of contention remains Irans demand to enrich uranium a nuclear fuel that can be used to make a bomb if purified to high levels which the US and its allies reject. Iran has offered to place checks on its nuclear program to ensure that it isnt weaponized, demanding the lifting of sanctions in return. Advertisement Advertisement A day after the negotiation on Saturday, Araghchi told Al Jazeera that his country will not accept completely halting its nuclear enrichment. After the talks ended on Friday, in a sign that the US wants to keep up economic pressure, it rolled out new sanctions on Iranian oil and 14 vessels carrying it. Instead of investing in the welfare of its own people and crumbling infrastructure, the Iranian regime continues to fund destabilizing activities around the world and step up its repression inside Iran, said State Department deputy spokesperson Tommy Pigott. Whats at stake? The US moved military assets, including the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group, closer to the Middle East, raising concerns that prospects of war were growing. Advertisement Advertisement Trump said last month that the US had an armada moving toward Iran just in case, adding that while he would rather not see anything happen, his administration is watching Iran very closely. The talks gave rise to hopes that a full-blown war may be averted. However, Trump on Friday said a big fleet will be arriving in the region soon. Saturday morning, Kushner and Witkoff visited the USS Abraham Lincoln, according to a social media post from the envoy. A regional source told CNN that Iran and Oman were aware of the visit before it happened. Regional countries have been attempting to de-escalate and deter Trump from launching an attack on Iran, knowing that a new war will only plunge the region into crisis. Advertisement Advertisement Tehran has made it clear that any US attack will not be met with the same restraint it showed last summer after Israel and the US struck the country. Iran has a number of tools at its disposal should war break out with the US or Israel. It is believed to have thousands of missiles and drones that could target US troops and assets in the Middle East. When US bombers struck Iranian nuclear facilities in the summer, Iran launched an unprecedented missile strike in Qatar, targeting al-Udeid Air Base, the largest US military installation in the Middle East. Satellite images show Fordow Enrichment Complex, Iran. - Maxar Technologies Iran could also mobilize a vast network of proxies across the region, potentially hitting Israel and US bases, and disrupting shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow waterway through which more than a fifth of the worlds oil and a large share of its liquefied natural gas flow. This could send shock waves around the world. Advertisement Advertisement CNNs Fred Pleitgen, Samantha Waldenberg, Lex Harvey, Jessie Yeung, Jennifer Hansler, Mohammed Tawfeeq, Todd Symons, Kylie Atwood, Tal Shalev, Kristen Holmes, Moriah Thomas and Max Saltman contributed to this report. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com By Patricia Zengerle WASHINGTON, Feb 11 (Reuters) - Members of the U.S. Congress learned only through press reports that President Donald Trump's administration had tried - and failed - to have them charged and arrested, and some said on Wednesday they were considering legal action in response. "This is not a good news story," Democratic Senator Mark Kelly of Arizona, a former astronaut and Navy veteran, told a news conference. "This is a story about how Donald Trump and his cronies are trying to break our system in order to silence anyone who lawfully speaks out against them." Advertisement Advertisement A source familiar with the matter said on Tuesday that a grand jury had rejected an attempt by the Republican president's administration to indict the Democrats after they urged members of the military not to comply with unlawful orders. Trump has repeatedly called for punishment of those he sees as political enemies. Since returning to the presidency in January 2025, Trump has called for imprisoning adversaries and his Justice Department has targeted critics such as former federal officials John Bolton and James Comey. In January, Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said the administration threatened to indict him over congressional testimony about a Fed building project. The six Democrats targeted in this probe served in the military or intelligence community. In November, they released a video telling members of the U.S. military they must refuse illegal orders, prompting Trump to accuse them of sedition and call them traitors who could face execution. Advertisement Advertisement The White House, which called the video a threat to national security, later said the president did not want congressional Democrats executed. The video did not reference specific incidents, but came as Democrats were sharply critical of military strikes on alleged Venezuelan drug-trafficking boats in the Caribbean and Pacific, and Trump's deployment of National Guard troops to U.S. cities. Senate Republican Majority Leader John Thune later told reporters he thought the video was "a really dumb move" but said he did not think the lawmakers should be indicted, "No, I don't think so. I mean, that wouldn't have been my response to that, but we are where we are." MORE LAWSUITS POSSIBLE Advertisement Advertisement Senator Elissa Slotkin of Michigan, a former intelligence analyst and Iraq war veteran, said at the news conference she was leaving her options open when asked whether she planned to file suit. She said the lawmakers did not know what charges the Department of Justice sought against them. "If things had gone a different way, we'd be preparing for arrest," Slotkin said. She said the government had opened an inquiry in December, carried it forward into January and, when the lawmakers refused to sit for a voluntary interview, went to a grand jury. Slotkin said she had asked U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro and other officials to preserve documents related to the investigation and provide confirmation that the probe is over. Advertisement Advertisement Separately, a lawyer for Representative Jason Crow of Colorado, a former Army Ranger who completed three tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan, demanded that Pirro stop pursuing the probe and also preserve documents. The attorney, Abbe Lowell, said the case could violate Crow's free-speech rights under the U.S. Constitution and legal protections for members of Congress, according to a copy of the letter seen by Reuters. Kelly has sued Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, saying proceedings to demote him from his retired Navy captain rank over the video violated free-speech rights. (Reporting by Patricia Zengerle; additional reporting by Andrew Goudsward; Editing by Andrea Ricci ) The top US aviation agency has lifted a surprise 10-day closure of airspace above the US-Mexico border town of El Paso, Texas, just hours after it abruptly announced that it would close off the skies for special security reasons. While some officials claimed that Mexican cartel drones had invaded US airspace, in recent days a balloon was reportedly mistaken for a drone. The initial, vague citation of security concerns prompted still more questions as conflicting narratives surrounding this surprising closure and its abrupt reversal have since emerged. Advertisement Advertisement The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) posted the temporary flight restriction notice on its website late on Tuesday local time, stating that a 10-nautical-mile circle up to 18,000ft around the El Paso international airport in Texas would be off limits for all commercial, cargo and general aviation flights. Related: Briton shot by father in Texas after row about Trump was unlawfully killed, coroner rules No pilots may operate an aircraft in the areas covered, the FAA said. It said the closure would remain in place until 20 February, and the notice warned that the government may use deadly force against any pilot who did not comply with the instructions. But by Wednesday morning, and after hours of mayhem in which airlines, local politicians and tens of thousands of travelers were caught off-guard, the FAA wrote on X that the order had been lifted. There is no threat to commercial aviation. All flights will resume as normal, it said. Advertisement Advertisement Since then, officials have offered a range of narratives to explain the closure. The US transportation secretary, Sean Duffy, said on Twitter/X: The FAA and DOW [department of war] acted swiftly to address a cartel drone incursion. The threat has been neutralized, Duffy also said, and there is no danger to commercial travel in the region. The New York Times, citing a source familiar with this shutdown, said the airspace closure was due to testing of anti-drone technology. Donald Trump signed an executive order in June to develop anti-drone capacity, and said drug cartels were using drones to smuggle fentanyl. Advertisement Advertisement CBS News later added still more intriguing reporting that sources had said the closure was due to FAA and Pentagon disagreements over drone-related tests involving a high-energy laser. The Associated Press also reported the Pentagon allowed US Customs and Border Protection to use an anti-drone laser without first consulting the FAA. CBS News reported that this technology was deployed earlier this week to shoot down what were thought to be foreign drones. But the airborne object was just a party balloon, sources told the outlet, indicating that one balloon was brought down. But a Democratic Texas congresswoman for El Paso, Veronica Escobar, took issue with Trump officials drone claim, saying it was not the information that we in Congress have been told. There was not a threat, which is why the FAA lifted this restriction so quickly, the Times quoted Escobar as saying. The information coming from the administration does not add up. Advertisement Advertisement Asked about the allegations of cartel drone activity, Mexicos president, Claudia Sheinbaum, said: There is no information regarding drone use at the border. If the FAA or any other US government agency has any information, they can ask the Mexican government. Lets not speculate. We will get the information and maintain what we have always maintained: constant communication. Mexicos airspace wasnt closed Texass airspace was closed, Sheinbaum added. Were going to find out exactly why. El Pasos mayor, Renard Johnson, slammed the unexpected closure. I want to be very, very clear that this shouldve never happened, the Times quoted him as saying. You cannot restrict air space over a major city without coordinating with the city, the airport, the hospitals, the community leadership. Advertisement Advertisement That failure to communicate is unacceptable. Before the FAA reversed its decision, Escobar had called on the agency to lift what she said was a highly consequential and unprecedented decision that resulted in significant concern within the community. From what my office and I have been able to gather overnight and early this morning there is no immediate threat to the community or surrounding areas, she wrote on X. There was no advance notice provided to my office, the City of El Paso, or anyone involved in airport operations. A large area west of El Paso, and along the border with Mexico, was also shut down for the same period. It is not clear if that airspace will reopen. Advertisement Advertisement The restrictions came so suddenly, with the FAA providing only three hours notice, that radio communications from El Paso international airport revealed a dumbfounded pilot of a passenger plane being told that they would not be able to leave the next day. An air traffic controller can be heard asking the arriving Southwest flight if they plan to depart again. Nah, well go to the hotel, the pilot can be heard saying in audio captured by atc.com, a live air traffic radio company. Roger, replied the controller. Just be advised there is a [temporary flight restriction] going into effect at 0630 for the next 10 days. So the airport is totally closed? the pilot asks with a chuckle, to which the controller responds: Apparently, we just got informed about 30 minutes to an hour ago. Advertisement Advertisement Temporary flight restrictions are issued for natural disasters, such as wildfires and hurricanes, as well as major sporting events and emergency or national security situations. While the ban was still in place overnight, the airport said on its Facebook page that all flights to and from the airport would be grounded and travelers should contact their airlines to get the most up-to-date flight status information. An airspace closure would have had a significant impact on the city of nearly 700,000 people, which neighbors the city of Ciudad Juarez in Mexico. El Paso airport, through which nearly 3.5 million passengers traveled last year, operates multiple direct flights across the US. Photos taken early on Wednesday showed the airport halls nearly deserted. Employees told local media they were unsure what prompted the halt of all flights. Oscar Lopez in Mexico City contributed reporting America is going into burst mode, seriously ramping up production of vital missile stocks. Recent commercial framework agreements with the Department of War for ground attack systems and interceptors aim to increase output up to four times current rates to meet global demand unprecedented since 1945. According to a recent contract announcement, the US will raise production of the well-known, very powerful Tomahawk cruise missile to more than 1,000 per year. Output of the Amraam beyond-visual-range weapon, Americas premier air-to-air missile at the moment, will rise to at least 1,900 annually. Manufacture of the SM-6, one of the few defensive weapons able to shoot down hypersonic threats, will rise to more than 500 annually. Production of the complex SM-3, able to engage ballistic missiles or even satellites flying outside the atmosphere, will also rise. Meanwhile Britain is taking its customary plodding approach to the same problem. Knowledgeable observers have suggested that our munitions stocks from rifle bullets and artillery shells to long range missiles and drones would see out only about a week of intensive fighting. Thats even taking account of the fact that our Armed Forces are now very small, having been repeatedly hollowed out by successive governments. Even the handful of soldiers and tanks we could put into the field would be out of ammo in a matter of days. Output of the Tomahawk cruise missile will be raised to more than 1,000 per year - US Navy We havent been firing a lot ourselves in recent years, but we have given much of the little we had to Ukraine, with the cupboards now worryingly bare. Advertisement Advertisement How did we get into this parlous condition in the first place? The answer is that after the Cold War ended, Britain like the rest of Western Europe did not expect any more large-scale state-on-state wars. Our generals planned only for short-term limited overseas conflicts. Our Armed Forces were sized and stocked for counter terrorism, Afghanistan and Iraq style conflicts and limited precision strikes. That meant lean stockpiles rather than warehouses full of shells and missiles. To save money we also shifted to just-in-time manufacturing which is efficient for commercial businesses but disastrous when an unexpected war might be just round the corner. Of course it was the generals who planned all this but we shouldnt forget how tightly they were controlled by political leaders who repeatedly savaged defence budgets so they could spend eye-watering sums on welfare. The war round the corner this time was Russias all-out offensive on Ukraine which has seen thousands of artillery shells fired every single day, and missiles fired in huge numbers by the Russians: the Ukrainians, having fewer sophisticated weapons, have had to be more sparing. When America needs more bombs and bullets it surges production, the burst mode I mentioned, to create a great leap forward. In Britain, and the rest of Europe, we dont do that, we just clump along with some minor fiddling at the edges, always evolutionary, never revolutionary. Defence Secretary John Healey (third left) views a long-range air-launched Storm Shadow cruise missile - Joe Giddens/PA Wire For example, during the Iraq and Afghanistan campaigns when British soldiers were dying in poorly protected Snatch vehicles, their up-armoured replacements were manufactured with all the urgency of a family saloon. No 24/7 production, no new factories opened, no new money. Just business as usual which cost lives and reduced combat effectiveness. At last we are building at least six new ammunition and explosives factories, but it is still not sufficient and the end result is likely to be that even restoring our inadequate pre-Ukraine stocks will be a five to 10 year process. Lets hope neither Vladimir Putin nor Xi Jinping get too frisky between now and then. Advertisement Advertisement Meanwhile, across the Atlantic, the alien burst mode involves the US government underwriting risk to manufacturers, paying up-front for factory expansion and guaranteeing purchases if the war cools down. Shifts are increased and factories run round the clock. When necessary older, proven designs are implemented with lower specs if that speeds up output. Regulation can be relaxed, priority access is given for raw materials and if theres waste theres waste. The brass hats in the British procurement system and the mandarins at the Treasury would throw up their hands in horror at most of that; it reduces financial efficiency and costs a great deal of money. Dramatically upping production of more technically sophisticated gear such as drones, precision missiles and air defence systems is much more difficult than churning out dumb bombs, and we would have to lean on suppliers in the US and perhaps Israel. Here, the Labour Government seems to be trying to throw another spanner into the works with efforts to join Safe, an EU defence fund that Sir Keir Starmer again raised on his recent trip to China. That would force British firms to acquire key technology and parts from Europe. You can imagine the effects of re-applying the dead hand of EU bureaucracy and supervision, as well as excluding procurement from the US, with our defences already in such dire straits. In an increasingly dangerous and unpredictable world, it is essential that Britain is able to deter potential enemies. That can only be done through hard defences. Rebuilding munitions stocks to make our Armed Forces credible again is an essential part of that but requires a lot of money to be thrown at it right away, not in a couple of years. This divided and now weakened Government shows no inclination to do anything like that. We may live to regret it. Colonel Richard Kemp is a former British Army officer Try full access to The Telegraph free today. Unlock their award-winning website and essential news app, plus useful tools and expert guides for your money, health and holidays. United States aviation authorities have announced that the airspace over El Paso, Texas, has been reopened after initially closing the airspace due to an alleged drone incursion from a Mexican cartel. Wednesdays announcement walked back an earlier statement from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), abruptly pausing air traffic over the southern border city for 10 days. Such a closure would have been unprecedented. By late morning, though, the FAA announced that flights would resume in and out of the area as normal, prompting questions about the legitimacy of the drone claims. Advertisement Advertisement The temporary closure of airspace over El Paso has been lifted. There is no threat to commercial aviation. All flights will resume as normal, the agency said in a social media post. El Paso is one of the largest cities in Texas, and it is located on the banks of the Rio Grande River, directly across from Ciudad Juarez in Mexico. Securing border areas, however, has been a focus of President Donald Trumps second term in office. The Trump administration has asserted that Wednesdays brief airspace closure was a result of a drone operated by a Mexican drug cartel infiltrating US airspace. It has since suggested the drone was destroyed. Advertisement Advertisement The FAA and [the Department of Defense] acted swiftly to address a cartel drone incursion, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy wrote on social media at 9:37 US Eastern time (14:37 GMT). The threat has been neutralized, and there is no danger to commercial travel in the region. But the Mexican government has not confirmed the drone incursion. At her morning news conference, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum told reporters, There is no information about drone use on the border, but she added that the security cabinet would investigate the incident. Anonymous US officials have told media outlets like CNN and CBS News that the sudden airspace closure may have been a false alarm, caused by the US militarys tests of its laser-based counter-drone system near El Paso. Advertisement Advertisement CBS and Fox News also reported that, earlier this week, a party balloon was misidentified as a drone, prompting it to be shot down, according to official sources. The El Paso airspace closure began abruptly late on Tuesday night and lasted until early Wednesday morning. Still, the Trump administration framed the airspace closure as evidence of the threat from Mexican cartels. Speaking to lawmakers in the House of Representatives on Wednesday, Attorney General Pam Bondi cited the alleged drone incident as she spoke of striking crucial blows against terrorist organisations. I think youve seen the news this morning, Bondi told Congress members. The news is reporting that cartel drones are being shot down by our military. Thats what we all should care about right now: protecting America. Advertisement Advertisement The Trump administration has frequently referred to criminal groups operating in Mexico as a threat to US national security. Since taking office on January 20, 2025, Trump has started designating cartels across Latin America as foreign terrorist organisations, spurring fears that the US could launch aggressive, cross-border military actions. Trump himself has threatened to strike drug trafficking groups in Mexican territory, despite criticism that such an attack would constitute a violation of Mexican sovereignty. Already, Trump has authorised military strikes against boats in the Caribbean Sea and Pacific Ocean, on the pretext of disrupting international drug trafficking. He has alluded to land-based targets as an extension of that military campaign. Advertisement Advertisement We are going to start now hitting land. With regard to the cartels, the cartels are running Mexico. Its very sad to watch, Trump told Fox News host Sean Hannity in an interview published on January 9. You see whats happened to that country. But the cartels are running it. Some elected officials, however, have expressed scepticism about the Trump administrations claims about a drone incursion on Wednesday. Democratic Congress member Veronica Escobar, who represents El Paso, was among those asking for more information. I believe the FAA owes the community and the country an explanation as to why this happened so suddenly and abruptly and was lifted so suddenly and abruptly, Escobar said during a news conference. The information coming from the federal government does not add up. The closure of a Texas airport triggered conflicting explanations Wednesday, as the government claimed an incursion by Mexican cartel drones but lawmakers and media reports suggested the Pentagon's use of anti-drone technology was to blame. The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said late Tuesday the airspace over the Texas border city of El Paso would be shut to all aircraft for 10 days, citing unspecified national "security reasons" -- only to lift the closure after less than 24 hours. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said in a post on X that the FAA and the Defense Department "acted swiftly to address a cartel drone incursion," adding: "The threat has been neutralized." Advertisement Advertisement But Representative Veronica Escobar, whose district includes El Paso, questioned the Trump administration's explanation, saying it was "not what we in Congress have been told." Reports emerged later across US media that the federal government's own testing of anti-drone technology, at an air base abutting the El Paso International Airport, prompted the decision to close the entire area to all civilian flights. Citing government sources, CBS said the FAA shut the airspace amid a dispute over whether it was safe to test the technology so close to the airport. National Public Radio reported that the Defense Department had deployed the technology before the FAA could complete a safety assessment, prompting the sudden closure. Advertisement Advertisement The Wall Street Journal, which along with CBS reported the device is a type of laser, said the Pentagon recently used the tech to shoot down what it thought was a drone in the area. It turned out to be a party balloon, sources told the broadsheet daily. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum told a news conference she had "no information on the use of drones at the border," but that her government was investigating. US authorities had threatened to shoot down planes that violated the closure of the airspace. - 'Does not add up' - "The information coming from the administration does not add up and it's not the information that I was able to gather overnight and this morning," Escobar told journalists Wednesday. Advertisement Advertisement Top Democratic lawmakers from the House Committee on Transportation also suggested the Pentagon may have been responsible for the situation, saying defense policy legislation allows the US military to "act recklessly in the public airspace." The Pentagon referred questions on the closure to the FAA, which said when it announced the move that "no pilots may operate an aircraft in the areas" covered by the restrictions and warned of potentially "deadly force" if aircraft were deemed a threat. It updated its guidance Wednesday morning, saying on X that the closure was lifted. Trump's administration insists it is effectively at war with "narco-terrorists," carrying out lethal strikes on alleged traffickers in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific, while the US president has repeatedly said he plans to expand the strikes to land. Advertisement Advertisement Sheinbaum opposes US military intervention in her country but has so far managed to negotiate a fine diplomatic line with Trump. She has stepped up extradition of cartel leaders to the United States and reinforced border cooperation amid tariff threats from Trump, for whom curbing illegal migration from Mexico was a key election promise. aue-wd/acb/nro/sla By Camillus Eboh ABUJA, Feb 11 - Nigeria's military said on Wednesday that about 200 U.S. troops due to arrive in the coming weeks would not take part in combat action and that Nigerian forces would retain full control over all security decisions. This followed comments from a U.S. official on Tuesday that the Pentagon planned to deploy the troops to train Nigerian forces fighting Islamist militants, weeks after President Donald Trump ordered airstrikes against what he described as Islamic State targets. Advertisement Advertisement Last week, the U.S. military confirmed it had sent a small team to Nigeria, without giving details, marking Washington's first acknowledgment of personnel on the ground since the Christmas Day strikes. Major General Samaila Uba, spokesperson for Nigerias Defence Headquarters, told Reuters that Abuja requested the U.S. presence to provide technical training and advisory work at several locations. These personnel do not serve in a combat capacity and will not assume a direct operational role, Uba said. Nigerian forces retain full command authority, make all operational decisions and will lead all missions on Nigerian sovereign territory. He declined to say when the troops would arrive, but said the deployment formed part of ongoing cooperation under the U.S.-Nigeria Joint Working Group. Advertisement Advertisement OVERLAPPING SECURITY CRISES Washington has stepped up pressure on Nigeria after Trump accused the West African nation of failing to protect Christians from Islamist militants in the northwest. Nigeria rejects allegations of religious persecution, saying its security forces target armed groups that attack both Christians and Muslims. U.S. Republican lawmakers on Tuesday introduced a bill requiring the Secretary of State to submit a report to Congress on U.S. efforts to address what they called ongoing religious persecution and mass atrocities against Christians in Nigeria. The Nigeria Religious Freedom and Accountability Act of 2026 is sponsored by Riley Moore, who led a congressional delegation to Nigeria in December and has criticised the government for not doing enough to protect Christian communities. Advertisement Advertisement Nigeria faces overlapping security crises, including a long-running Islamist insurgency in the northeast, armed kidnapping gangs in the northwest and deadly clashes between farmers and herders in the central region, often driven by ethnic and religious tensions. (Reporting by Camillus Eboh in Abuja and MacDonald Dzirutwe in Lagos, Editing by Alex Richardson) American forces mounted an operation to seize a sanctioned oil vessel in the Indian Ocean from the Diego Garcia military base, The Telegraph can disclose. Warships were sent from the joint American-British base on the Chagos Islands to end a month-long cat-and-mouse chase of the vessel. Britain granted permission for the base to be used as a staging post for the seizure, John Healey, the Defence Secretary, told The Telegraph. Advertisement Advertisement The Pentagon announced earlier this week that the Aquila II, which is sanctioned by both the US and UK for carrying Russian oil, was boarded without incident. It became the eighth vessel apprehended by America since Donald Trump declared a blockade on Venezuelan exports. US military boarding the Aquila II - X / @DeptofWar In a video shared by Pete Hegseth, the US secretary of war, American troops can be seen approaching the Aquila II by helicopter and fast-roping on to its deck. A warship could be seen lurking in the background of the footage of the seizure. US Navy destroyers USS Pinckney and USS John Finn, as well as the USS Miguel Keith, a mobile base ship, were operating in the Indian Ocean, according to a source cited in a report by PBS. When the @DeptofWar says quarantine, we mean it. Nothing will stop DoW from defending our Homeland even in oceans halfway around the world. Overnight, U.S. military forces conducted a right-of-visit, maritime interdiction and boarding on the Aquila II without incident in the pic.twitter.com/kYVAQC5io9 Department of War (@DeptofWar) February 9, 2026 The two Arleigh Burke-class destroyers are both known to use the base at Diego Garcia. Advertisement Advertisement It is understood that the USS John Finn had been deployed there, providing air defence to US assets at the joint facility. Britains permission for the bases use underscores the importance of cooperation around Diego Garcia and its strategic importance in Americas foothold in the Indian Ocean. It was the furthest afield that the US had pursued and seized a sanctioned tanker believed to be carrying oil from Venezuela. On Jan 3, the Aquila II left Venezuelas Jose terminal loaded with nearly one million barrels of crude oil bound for China. Soon after its departure, the vessel went dark, turning off its tracking systems, as it attempted to evade the American blockade in the Caribbean Sea. Advertisement Advertisement After heading toward the South Atlantic and around South Africa into the Indian Ocean, it was eventually apprehended heading toward the Sunda Strait between the Indonesian islands of Java and Sumatra. 1202 Aquila II route and US seizure Mr Healey told The Telegraph: The UK and our closest allies continue to step up our activity to disrupt and deter the Russian shadow fleet, to choke off the funding to Putins war machine in Ukraine. I can confirm that the UK supported the US operation to conduct flag verification checks on the Aquila II ship, with supporting elements of the US operation launched from Diego Garcia. This action is part of clamping down on the illicit practices of these vessels, which Russia relies upon to distribute its oil across the globe. Advertisement Advertisement We will keep the UK secure at home and strong abroad. The future of Diego Garcia had been thrown into flux after Sir Keir Starmer agreed to hand the Chagos Islands to Mauritius in a deal supposed to prevent future legal challenges over the territory in the international courts. The agreement involves Britain paying Mauritius 35bn over 99 years to lease back Diego Garcia once the islands have been given away. The Aquila II and other sanctioned tankers were identified leaving Venezuelan waters through satellite imaging in January The pact has drawn criticism from the Conservatives and Reform, while Mr Trump has described it as an act of great stupidity. But a fortnight after his remarks, following a phone call with Sir Keir, Mr Trump backed the Prime Ministers Chagos deal, calling it the best he could make. Advertisement Advertisement Britains endorsement of the tanker seizure via the military base marks its first major use since tensions were cooled between Washington and London. The UK was understood to have offered additional security guarantees to protect Americas use of Diego Garcia in future. The base would also probably be used as a key cog of any future strikes threatened by Mr Trump against Iran if the Islamic Republic refuses to offer concessions in negotiations over its nuclear programme. The US previously deployed its B-2 strategic bombers on the Indian Ocean island. And it has featured amongst the American bases threatened by pre-emptive or retaliatory strikes by Irans Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Try full access to The Telegraph free today. Unlock their award-winning website and essential news app, plus useful tools and expert guides for your money, health and holidays. A federal court has agreed to hear a lawsuit that two of Utahs U.S. representatives have filed in hopes of blocking the states court-ordered congressional map from being used in the 2026 elections. A three-judge panel is scheduled to hear Reps. Celeste Maloy and Burgess Owens request on Feb. 18 at the Orrin G. Hatch U.S. District Courthouse in Salt Lake City. The lawsuit filed by Maloy, Owens and nearly a dozen local leaders and sheriffs from across the state names the states top election official, Lt. Gov. Deidre Henderson, as a defendant. It asks for a three-judge panel to void the states court-ordered map, which created one Democratic and three Republican districts. The lawsuit argues the map was unconstitutionally imposed and agreed to by state actors specifically a state district judge and the lieutenant governor with no authority under federal or state law to impose a map other than one adopted by the Legislature. Advertisement Advertisement The lawsuits arguments align with what Utahs Republican legislative leaders have long contended in a separate anti-gerrymandering lawsuit thats spent years winding its way through Utahs state-level courts that the Legislature has the sole authority to set the states political boundaries. Thats despite recent court rulings that have determined the GOP-controlled Legislature overstepped its constitutional authority when it undid a 2018 voter-approved anti-gerrymandering ballot initiative known as Better Boundaries Proposition 4, which sought to create an independent redistricting process with neutral map-drawing standards. Now the plaintiffs in Utahs yearslong redistricting lawsuit which ultimately led to the court-ordered map currently in place are moving to get involved in the federal lawsuit, too. Earlier this week, the League of Women Voters of Utah, Mormon Women for Ethical Government, and a handful of Salt Lake County voters filed a motion to intervene in the federal court case. If allowed by the court, they plan to file a motion to have the case dismissed, according to a news release issued by the Campaign Legal Center on Monday. Advertisement Advertisement This federal lawsuit has no merit and is the latest attempt to silence the voices of Utahns, said Mark Gaber, senior director for redistricting at the Campaign Legal Center, which is part of the groups legal team. Instead of accepting the will of Utah voters and the judgment of Utah courts to allow a fair voting map to take effect, partisan actors are going to extraordinary lengths to put a gerrymandered map back in place. Elections should be determined by voters, and not by politicians who draw maps to skew outcomes. Katharine Biele, president of the League of Women Voters of Utah, said she and the other plaintiffs were saddened by the lengths these desperate elected officials are going to overturn the will of Utah voters. Plaintiffs in the redistricting lawsuit challenging Utahs 2021 congressional district map has proposed two maps, including pictured Map 1 to the court for consideration. The judge later picked this map to be used for the 2026 elections. (Courtesy of Campaign Legal Center) They have a fundamental misunderstanding of the state constitution and the rights it protects, she said. We are eager to continue to fight for Proposition 4 and the rights of Utahns to fair maps and to have their votes respected. Utahs courts have so far resoundingly sided with the plaintiffs in the redistricting legal battle. The rulings have made clear that the Legislature doesnt have unfettered power to change ballot initiatives but that lawmakers must show a compelling government interest and not undermine voter-approved government reform laws when changing them. Advertisement Advertisement Leaders of Utahs Republican-controlled Legislature have disagreed with the Utah Supreme Courts interpretations of the Utah Constitution, arguing that the Legislature has always had the sole authority to redistrict. Senate President Stuart Adams, R-Layton, has said that the Utah Supreme Courts ruling has created chaos in Utahs legislative process and now threatens the states republic. He has also argued that the court-ordered map created four non-competative districts with high partisan skews, calling it the most gerrymandered map in Utahs history. The anti-gerrymanding lawsuits plaintiffs, however, argue that the court-ordered map they proposed to the judge as an alternative to one submitted by the Legislature best complied with Proposition 4s neutral map-drawing criteria, which first and foremost prioritizes minimizing county and city splits. They have also argued that one compact district concentrated around northern Salt Lake County is the natural result of Utahs political geography, with a majority of the states population concentrated along the Wasatch Front. Advertisement Advertisement Utahs voters and courts have made it clear: the people want fair maps, said Caren Short, director of legal and research for the League of Women Voters. Instead of respecting the will of the people, the legislature is now seeking to push a rejected legal theory in federal court. The League is proud to fight back to protect voters and fair maps. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE According to the IRS, the average refund for American taxpayers in 2025 was $3,052 and the IRS opened the tax filing season on Jan. 26. The good news is that this number is expected to increase by 15% to 20% on average in 2026, as reported by CNBC. If youre waiting for your tax refund to make some financial moves, you want to ensure that you dont make any mistakes that could cost you thousands of dollars. GOBankingRates consulted a tax accountant to learn about the filing mistake that could cost people their refunds and reduce their 2026 refunds. Find out below what it is and how to avoid this mistake. Filing Your Taxes Too Early One mistake I see time and time again is people getting impatient and filing before all their documents have arrived, said Lawron Ballard, certified public accountant (CPA) and founder of Hill Town Advisors. Everyone knows to expect a W-2 from work, but what about the 1099-INT from your savings account or the statement from your brokerage? She noted that these documents are easy to overlook and they dont always arrive at the same time. While youre likely excited about the potential of receiving a larger refund this year, you dont want to hurt your chances of a prompt payment. Check Out: 5 Ways You Can Reduce Your Tax Bill Like a Millionaire, According to Robert Kiyosaki Read This: 9 Low-Effort Ways To Make Passive Income (You Can Start This Week) The biggest issue with rushing to file before youve confirmed everything is that it can delay your refund. Ballard said this is even more painful in 2026, given the IRS processing backlogs were seeing right now. If your refund gets delayed, you wont have access to the funds, which could hurt your finances, especially if you were relying on this money to get by. If you were relying on these funds, you could be forced to use credit cards or to take a short-term loan. Either way, the delay could worsen your financial situation. In the worst-case scenario, you can trigger an IRS adjustment where you end up owing money you werent expecting. In this case, you go from expecting to receive thousands of dollars to being stuck trying to figure out how youre going to make your tax payments. How Can You Avoid This Mistake? Ballard advised that before you hit submit, compare what you filed last year to what youve received this year. If somethings missing, wait for it to arrive before filing your taxes. Youre better off waiting a few more weeks for all of your documents to arrive so that you dont get stuck dealing with a delay. If youre in a hurry to try to file your taxes, you can also log in to your various investment accounts to see if the tax documents are available to be printed. Vice President JD Vance has deleted a post about the Armenian Genocide from his social media accounts in an embarrassing climbdown. After attending the Milano Cortina Winter Olympic Games Opening Ceremony on Friday, he flew to Armenia as part of a much-touted trip to support a U.S.-brokered deal to end the countrys long-running conflict with Azerbaijan. But he accidentally broke ranks with his own boss after he and his wife, Second Lady Usha Vance, laid a wreath on a memorial honoring those who died during Armenias 1915 genocide. In the initial now-deleted social media post, Vance said they were at the Armenian Genocide memorial to honor the victims of the 1915 Armenian genocide. Trump has long refused to call the systematic killing of Armenians a genocide, a term disputed by U.S. ally Turkey. Vance's original, now-deleted post. / Vice President JD Vance/ X The original post from Vance vanished for a couple of hours before his press secretary, Taylor Van Kirk, posted a trio of pictures and videos on her own account with a watered-down caption saying it showed the vice president and his wife had gone to lay flowers at the eternal flame and sign the guest book on the final day of their visit to Armenia. Advertisement Advertisement This is an account managed by staff that primarily exists to share photos and videos of the Vice Presidents activities, a spokesperson said in a statement to reporters traveling with the second family. The initial post was supposedly made in error by a staffer who was not part of the delegation, an official said. The Vances laid flowers at the memorial for those who died, but their post containing the word genocide was later deleted. / Pool / Getty Images No sitting U.S. president or vice president had visited Armenia until the Vances blitz this week, during which he signed a cooperative civil nuclear deal with Armenias Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, as Washington seeks to strengthen ties with the once-close Russian ally. The Armenian Genocide took place in the midst of World War One, as the Ottoman Empire fought alongside Germany and the Central Powers. Advertisement Advertisement The U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum said there were around 1.5 million ethnic Armenians living inside the Ottoman Empire prior to the genocide, during which at least 664,000 and possibly as many as 1.2 million Armenians were killed. Vance and wife Usha Vance hold flowers as they walk to the Armenian Genocide Memorial. / Pool / Getty Images The U.S. formally acknowledged the Armenian Genocide in 2021 under President Biden after a resolution was passed by Congress in 2019. Bidens recognition was the culmination of years of efforts that, until then, had come second to the desire not to anger Turkey, the successor state of the Ottoman Empire. Turkey is a key geographic ally of the U.S., situated at the crossroads of Europe and the Middle East and close to southern Russia. An encampment of Armenian refugees on the deck of a French cruiser that rescued them in 1915. / Photo 12 / Universal Images Group via Getty A mural commemorating the 1915 Armenian Genocide on Hollywood Boulevard in 2014, its 99th anniversary. / David McNew / Getty Images The first Trump administration refused to recognize the killings as genocide and rejected a resolution in Congress to label it as such. In April last year, on its 110th anniversary, the second Trump administration discussed the atrocity without using the word genocide. Advertisement Advertisement Turkey continues to deny that the Armenian Genocide took place. Vances arrival in Armenia came after he endured a chastening time in Italy. Attendees at the Olympics Opening Ceremony were told by the International Olympic Committee not to boo Vance as he sat in the crowd, two seats down from Italian President Sergio Mattarella. It was no use. Fans booed and jeered when the second most powerful man in America appeared on the big screen. Top EU diplomat Kaja Kallas chalked it up to European pride. Speaking on Euronews Europe Today, she said, Well, I guess we have heard a lot of not-so-nice words from the United States regarding Europe. Vice President JD Vance warned Iran that there is "another option on the table" if the regime does not make a nuclear deal with the U.S. Vance made the statement while speaking to reporters before boarding Air Force Two on Tuesday. A reporter referenced President Donald Trump's musings about potentially deploying a second aircraft carrier strike group to the Middle East. "How confident are you in going the diplomatic route? Do you think that is still going to be successful or are we leaning more towards a military strike?" the reporter asked. Advertisement Advertisement "The president has told his entire senior team that we should be trying to cut a deal that ensures the Iranians don't have nuclear weapons," Vance responded. Trump, Netanyahu To Meet At White House In High-stakes Talks On Iran, Gaza Plan Vice President JD Vance talks to the media before boarding Air Force Two for a return to Washington, D.C. on February 11, 2026, in Baku, Azerbaijan. (Getty Images) "But if we can't cut that deal, then there's another option on the table. So I think the president is going to continue to preserve his options. He's going to have a lot of options because we have the most powerful military in the world. But until the president tells us to stop, we're going to engage in these conversations and try to reach a good outcome through negotiation," he continued. Read On The Fox News App Advertisement Advertisement Vance went on to downplay pushes for regime change in Iran, saying a removal of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's regime would be up to "the Iranian people." He said the Trump administration's only focus is preventing the current Iranian regime from obtaining a nuclear weapon. Nikki Haley Urges Trump To Make Iran Action A 'Legacy-defining Moment' Before Leaving Office Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is pictured sitting next to a senior military official in Iran. Vance's comments come a day before Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is set to meet with Trump at the White House on Wednesday, with Iran expected to take center stage in the meeting. In a phone interview with Axios, the president said Tehran "very much wants to reach a deal," but warned, "Either we make a deal, or well have to do something very tough like last time." Advertisement Advertisement Iran Pushes For Friday Nuclear Talks In Oman Amid Rising Tensions With Us Forces: Source Netanyahu, speaking before departing Israel for Washington, said he intends to present Israels position . "I will present to the president our concept regarding the principles of the negotiations the essential principles that are important not only to Israel but to anyone who wants peace and security in the Middle East," he told reporters. President Donald Trump has warned Tehran that it must agree to a nuclear deal. Click Here To Download The Fox News App U.S. and Iranian officials resumed talks in Oman this week for the first time since last summers 12-day war. The United States continues to maintain a significant military presence in the Gulf, a posture widely viewed as both deterrence and for holding leverage in negotiations with Tehran. Original article source: Vance warns Iran that 'another option on the table' if nuclear deal not reached A book is coming out highlighting the work of Vermont historians and collectors of artifacts, according to a community announcement from the Vermont Historical Society, its publisher. The book, "Green Mountain Quartet: Essays on Antiquarian Vermontiana," is edited by J. Kevin Graffagnino, according to the announcement. It explores the intertwined careers and writings of four antiquarians specializing in Vermont: Harold Goddard Rugg, T. D. Seymour Tom Bassett, Marcus A. McCorison and Graffagnino himself. Advertisement Advertisement Rugg was a librarian at Dartmouth College for half a century and collected and wrote about Vermont history throughout his adult life. He bequeathed 11,000 books and pamphlets, 3,600 broadsides and more than 2,000 museum artifacts to the Vermont Historical Society. Author and historian Kevin Graffagnino discusses his new work, "Ira Allen: A Biography" in the UVM Special Collections, where he conducted most of his research. It is only the second book to feature the eponymous Vermont founder as a lead character. Bassett was the leading Vermont historian of his generation and longtime curator of the University of Vermonts collection on the state. McCorison was the head of the American Antiquarian Society for 30 years and authored "Vermont Imprints 1778-1820," which became a vital resource for students and collectors of early Vermont printing. Graffagnino worked at UVM, was the executive director of the Vermont Historical Society and is the author of numerous books and articles on Vermontiana. Advertisement Advertisement The upcoming book features a selection of the quartet's writings on Vermont lore, with an introductory essay on their lives and careers. It is filled with illustrations principally from the holdings of the Vermont Historical Society and UVMs Silver Special Collections Library. The hardcover edition will retail for $45 and will be a limited run of 500 signed and numbered copies. It will be available to purchase in early February 2026. Graffagnino began his career at the UVM library, where he served as curator of Vermont history from 1978 to 1995, as head of special collections for two years, as a member of the graduate faculty and as an adjunct member of the Canadian studies program. He was executive director of the Vermont Historical Society from 2003 to 2008, among many similar roles around the country. Graffagnino is the editor or author of 22 books and numerous articles on various aspects of early American history, book collecting, history administration and related topics, including "Ira Allen: A Biography," published by the Vermont Historical Society in 2024. Advertisement Advertisement Founded in 1838, the Vermont Historical Society engages Vermonters in the exploration of the state's heritage, reaching a broad audience through its collections, outreach and programming, according to the announcement. This story was created by reporter Beth McDermott, bmcdermott1@usatodayco.com, with the assistance of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Journalists were involved in every step of the information gathering, review, editing and publishing process. Learn more at cm.usatoday.com/ethical-conduct. This article originally appeared on Burlington Free Press: New book traces four scholars who shaped Vermont history research Tajikistan's long-time leader Emomali Rakhmon has not appeared in public for two weeks, raising questions about the health of the president of the Central Asian nation bordering Afghanistan and China. Rakhmon came to power of the poor mountainous ex-Soviet republic at the start of a five-year civil war that erupted in 1992, a year after Tajikistan declared independence. A Soviet-era cotton farm boss, he played a key role in ending the conflict and has ruled the nation with an iron fist ever since -- casting himself as a guarantor of stability to a population traumatised by war and fearing destabilisation from neighbouring Afghanistan. Advertisement Advertisement The last time live images of the 73-year-old were aired was on January 28 during a meeting with security chiefs. The two-week absence is unusual given Rakhmon has built a cult of personality and his movements are meticulously reported by the government-controlled press. On Monday, an old video posted on his official social media accounts further stoked questions about his health. "No one is eternal. But who ensures the immortality of parents? Their children, provided they are well-raised, their grandchildren and great-grandchildren. If we raise them, educate them, and give them a trade, they will perpetuate our name," Rakhmon said in the video. It was not clear when exactly it was filmed. Advertisement Advertisement The country's main television channel has this week broadcast songs with sombre melodies and published a photo of Rakhmon on a black background with the quote, "the man of the Sun Dynasty." In the Soviet Union, sombre music was often broadcast when leaders fell ill or died. In another unusual move, the presidential administration -- which never publishes Rakhmon's schedule ahead of time -- announced that he would take part in "numerous events ... in the coming days." Rakhmon enjoys cult-like status in Tajikistan, with countless portraits and quotes displayed throughout the country. Advertisement Advertisement His supporters credit him with reconciling the country reviving Tajik culture after the civil war and decades of Soviet rule. But numerous NGOs criticise the repression of the independent press and his quashing of any opposition. If Rakhmon is incapacitated, resigns or dies, Rustam Emomali, his 38-year-old son who is currently chairman of the National Assembly, would take over as interim president, with a constitutional requirement for elections within three months. bk/yad/jc/jxb A victim and suspect in a Feb. 8 homicide attended the same Super Bowl party prior to the fatal shooting, according to court documents. The victim, 35-year-old Isaiah Raymone Springs, was unarmed when he was shot, according to witness statements in a probable cause report submitted to Maricopa County Superior Court. The shooting occurred at about 11:34 p.m. Feb. 8 at an apartment on West Alta Vista Road, near Seventh and Southern avenues. The suspect, 44-year-old Quinton Denard Pierce, is facing charges of second-degree murder and endangerment related to the shooting, which occurred after both the victim and suspect were at the party. Advertisement Advertisement The Phoenix Fire Department arrived at the shooting and took Springs in critical condition to a hospital where he later died. Pierce was detained at the scene, according to a media advisory from Phoenix Police Department spokesperson Sgt. Lorraine Fernandez. Pierce told officers that he was trying to defend himself when he shot Springs and said he did it "out of instinct" after Springs "lunged" at him. He told police that he is a disabled veteran and that Springs wanted to fight him and Pierce did not want to fight. Witnesses said the two had been in a verbal argument when Pierce's Glock handgun went off, according to the probable cause report. Pierce told police he gave Springs medical aid and called 911 after shooting him, the report says. He told police that he did not see that Springs had a weapon, but said he had one approximately one year ago. The probable cause statement says Springs is the father of a 2-month-old baby. The baby's mother told police that Springs was unarmed and that he does not own a gun. Advertisement Advertisement According to the probable cause report, Pierce commented multiple times after the shooting that he should have just left the apartment because he had wanted to leave. The statement says Pierce was injured in Iraq and has shrapnel in his body but is otherwise mobile and can walk. What to know: Phoenix police chief 'deeply sorry' officer shot dad in intruder call This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Victim, suspect in fatal Phoenix shooting had been at Super Bowl party A Turkish MP called for a probe on allegations Jeffrey Epstein trafficked minor girls from Turkey as files on the convicted sex offender were about to be released, but cited an old court case filed in the US state of Florida. Posts soon circulated online sharing a picture they falsely claimed depicts babies Epstein kidnapped from the Mediterranean country. However, the image is unrelated and traces back to US archives about Vietnamese infants evacuated during the fall of Saigon in 1975. "Kidnapped -- from the Epstein files," reads a Malay-language Facebook post on February 2, 2026, sharing a photo of a row of babies in boxes with a woman crouching by them. It adds the wealthy financier kidnapped girls from Turkey after a major earthquake in 1999, and received US$300 for each abducted child. Screenshot of the false post taken on January 30, 2026 The picture was misrepresented in similar Facebook posts by users in India, Nigeria and Indonesia as the US Justice Department released millions of documents from its investigation into Epstein, who died in a New York jail in 2019 while awaiting trial for sex trafficking underage girls (archived link). Advertisement Advertisement The latest release has caused international fallout involving high profile figures, highlighting the wealthy financier's staggering global web of influence. Previous releases have shed light on Epstein's ties to leading business executives, celebrities, academics and politicians, including former US leader Bill Clinton and President Donald Trump. The mere mention of someone's name in the Epstein files does not, in itself, imply any wrongdoing by that person. However, the documents made public show at the very least connections between Epstein or his circle and certain public figures who have often downplayed -- or even denied -- the existence of such ties. Advertisement Advertisement In Turkey, MP Turhan Comez earlier took to X to call for an investigation, sharing a document with highlighted lines that read in part: "Upon information and belief, Defendant (Epstein) transported minor girls from Turkey, the Czech Republic, Asia, and numerous other countries, many of whom spoke no English." But rather than citing DOJ documents, his call cited evidence from an old court case filed in Florida. Florida case A keyword search using the case number visible in the document found it was taken from a civil action case against Epstein filed before a Florida district court in May 2009. The court filing -- which had been publicly available before the latest batch of Epstein files was released -- details allegations of sexual assault and exploitation of young girls including the complainant, referred to as "Jane Doe No. 102". Advertisement Advertisement According to archives from the legal database Court Listener, the parties agreed to settle and the case was dismissed (archived link). "Jane Doe No. 102" was subsequently identified in separate court cases as Virginia Giuffre, a US and Australian citizen and one of Epstein's main accusers, who took her own life in April 2025 (archived link). For almost 15 years, Giuffre spoke about being raped by the financier while she was a minor and claimed she was sexually exploited by some of Epstein's powerful friends, including Britain's former prince Andrew. Misused picture Contrary to the circulating posts, the picture of the babies in boxes is unrelated to Epstein. Advertisement Advertisement A reverse image search led to an article on the US Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) website from April 3, 2014 commemorating the evacuation of Vietnamese infants in 1975, dubbed Operation Babylift, after the collapse of South Vietnam that year (archived link). Further searches of the DIA's gallery found the circulating image published with the caption: "More than 3,000 Vietnamese orphans were evacuated from Saigon throughout April 1975 during Operation Babylift" (archived link). The photo is credited to the National Archives and Records Administration. In the chaotic last days of the Vietnam War, the US airlifted thousands of children out of Saigon. During the controversial mass evacuation, some 3,000 children were flown out of Vietnam to be adopted by families from America to Sweden. Screenshot of the US Defence Intelligence Agency taken on February 9, 2026 AFP has previously fact-checked other misinformation related to the Epstein files. Virginia Beach is reviewing a proposed policy that would prohibit seclusion rooms in Virginia Beach City Public Schools buildings, even those used by contractors. The boards hearing of the policy review committees recommendation comes after a Virginia Beach mother filed a $150 million lawsuit against Southeastern Cooperative Educational Programs (SECEP), alleging her 11-year-old son, who had autism, was mistreated at Virginia Beachs Pembroke Elementary School just days before he died. The complaint included pictures of what the lawsuit alleges was a space where the child was confined boxed in with furniture bound together with heavy-duty straps. Advertisement Advertisement The lawsuit alleges the fourth-grader, Josh Sykes, died days later of head trauma. Although Pembroke is not one of the schools that uses full seclusion rooms, the Virginia Beach Special Education Advocacy Committee has since advised the School Board to ban the use of seclusion, and in January, the School Board decided to send the policy for further review. There are five seclusion rooms at two schools in Virginia Beach three at Renaissance Academy and two at Windsor Woods Elementary School, said School Board Attorney Kami Lannetti. If we have a situation where a child is out of control, dangerous or getting hurt, we still have the ability to take the child and isolate the child in there because thats a special circumstance, so that will still be allowed, Lannetti said. What we arent going to have is rooms that are used for nothing but seclusion. Well just have to find other methods by which to deal with those students. Advertisement Advertisement Dr. Roni Myers-Daub, executive director of programs for exceptional children in Virginia Beach, said up through January of this school year, seclusion had been used 96 times for 22 different students by SECEP. Board member Kim Melnyk asked her colleagues on the board to visit the SECEP program to learn more about it. What is going to happen with students if a seclusion room cannot be used? Melnyk said. Were talking about students with a lot of needs, and Im not saying that I agree with seclusion rooms. What Im saying is what happens if a student is throwing desks or chairs across a classroom? What happens and what does a teacher do in response to that? Myers-Daub clarified that seclusion can still be used to prevent a student from inflicting serious harm or injuries to themselves or others, or to quell a disturbance. The difference is that seclusion rooms themselves would no longer be used. Advertisement Advertisement Chair Kathleen Brown said seclusion is not an easy conversation to have. You have to make sure students are protected and staff are protected, she said. I feel like we owe it to our students and our families to put forth the effort to try to do something different. If we find there are unintended consequences, then we will need to manage those. The School Board is expected to vote on the proposed policy at their next meeting. Virginia Democrats advanced a proposed set of new congressional lines on Tuesday that would give the party four more pickup opportunities heading into November, putting them one more step closer toward teeing up a new House map before the midterms. Democrats in both chambers separately passed a House map that would give the party a 10-1 edge in the congressional delegation. The Old Dominion currently has a 6-5 Democratic edge in its delegation. Now each chamber needs to pass the others legislation, after which the map will head to Gov. Abigail Spanbergers (D) desk for signature. Democrats in the Old Dominion are looking to pass a new set of congressional lines ahead of November to even the playing field with Republicans who have redistricted mid-decade in states like Texas and Missouri. Virginia offers one of Democrats best chances at gaining pickup opportunities ahead of November. Advertisement Advertisement Democrats are looking to tee up a referendum in April asking voters if they can temporarily redistrict mid-decade. If voters approve, that paves the way for a new map to put in place before November. But Democrats were dealt a blow recently when a local judge ruled that the party wouldnt be able to hold its referendum in time for the November midterms. Virginia Democrats have appealed that ruling. Maryland Democrats also looking to pass an aggressive 8-0 map in the Old Line State. Democrats in the House of Delegates have passed the proposed lines and some members of the party are waging a pressure campaign to push Maryland Senate President Bill Ferguson (D), a critic of redistricting, to pass the maps in his chamber. Florida Republicans are also expected to convene in April for a special session on redistricting, where the party is eyeing up to five pickup opportunities. Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Virginia Giuffre's brother warns that without action, Andrew could "stain the Royal Family for a long time," while speaking to ITV News The brother of Virginia Giuffre has praised the UK and King Charles for their response to the revelations in the Epstein files, but warned that without further action, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor could "stain the Royal Family for a long time". Speaking to ITV News, Sky Roberts said he wanted to "commend the King" for acknowledging the troubling revelations revealed in the Epstein files and said he knows it can be "incredibly difficult" to "go against your own brother." Advertisement Advertisement Mr Roberts has been campaigning for justice for Jeffrey Epstein's victims ever since the death of his sister last year. Ms Giuffre alleged she was forced to have sex three times with Andrew, which he vehemently denies, including when she was 17, and also during an orgy, after Epstein trafficked her. Virginia Giuffre claimed she was trafficked when she was 16 by Ghislaine Maxwell. Credit: AP Andrew paid millions to settle the civil sex case with her in 2022, despite insisting he had never met her and without admitting liability. Mr Roberts has been campaigning in the US for the release of more files connected to Epstein, despite the US Justice Department claiming they have released all relevant information as they were required to do by the US Congress. Advertisement Advertisement When asked about the UK's response to the recent revelations, he said: "We've seen the UK people really step up in this and hold a member of the royal family feet to the fire." But he also said more could be done by the authorities and urged the Metropolitan Police to reopen their investigation into Andrew, saying the latest release of information could help their case. Mr Roberts said: "The UK was doing so much, but then all of a sudden, the Metropolitan Police are now closing this case as if it's a closed-shut case and it felt like they were just checking a box." He also urged the Royal Family to go further and "take more action," saying more investigations should be opened that produce real results, not just "checking the box." Andrew was stripped of his titles last year. Credit: PA He urged the King to raise the Epstein files with President Trump, adding: "Why aren't we putting more pressure on [Trump] globally from our leaders? Like, they should be speaking out against this." Advertisement Advertisement He said without the appropriate action "this could stain the Royal Family for a very long time, or alternatively, it could be a change it could be a way for them moving forward to set a new standard for a new generation." On Monday, the Prince and Princess of Wales, as well as Buckingham Palace, issued statements in support of Epstein's victims. A spokesperson on Monday said: "The King has made clear, in words and through unprecedented actions, his profound concern at allegations which continue to come to light in respect of Mr Mountbatten-Windsors conduct." They went on to say that Buckingham Palace would support the police if they requested support in an investigation. Advertisement Advertisement Mr Roberts also criticised US Attorney general Pam Bondi for claiming all of the Epstein files had been released, saying: "Who are you (Bondi) here to protect? Are you here to protect the rich and powerful predators? Are you here to protect the survivors?" On Wednesday, Bondi launched into a wide-ranging, passionate defense of US President Donald Trump, repeatedly shouting at Democrats during a combative hearing in which she postured herself as the Republican's chief protector and tried to turn the page from persistent criticism of the Justice Department's handling of the Jeffrey Epstein files. Besieged by questions over Epstein and accusations of a weaponised Justice Department, Bondi aggressively pivoted in an extraordinary speech in which she mocked her Democratic questioners. "You sit here and you attack the president and I'm not going to have it," Bondi said. "I am not going to put up with it." Pam Bondi defended her government's handling of the release of the Epstein Files on Wednesday, as ITV News US Correspondent Dan Rivers reports from Washington With victims of Epstein sitting behind her in the hearing room, Bondi defended the department's handling of the files related to the wealthy financier's sex trafficking investigation that have dogged her tenure. Advertisement Advertisement But she repeatedly refused to directly answer questions from Democrats who have accused her of perpetuating a coverup and ignoring victims. In her opening remarks, Bondi told the victims to come forward to law enforcement with any information and about her abuse and said she "deeply sorry" for what they had suffered. "Any accusations of criminal wrongdoing will be taken seriously and investigated," Bondi said. When asked about the recent scandal at the top of the British government over the appointment of Peter Mandelson as ambassador to the US, Mr Roberts praised the government. He said the UK had been slow, but the right people have been held accountable. Advertisement Advertisement Mr Roberts said: "In comparison to the United States, Britain is doing far more, especially when it comes to social justice, in saying that, actually, you should not hold this title, and probably shouldn't have been given it in the first place, holding them to account and saying, no, you can't be on this board." He added: "Peter Mandelson needs to answer some serious questions," adding: "If it is found that he accepted any monetary gain and shared secret government information, that's a crime punishable by life." Recent revelations in the Epstein files revealed Mandelson shared numerous state secrets with the disgraced financier when he was a minister in Gordon Brown's government. Subscribe free to our weekly newsletter for exclusive and original coverage from ITV News. Direct to your inbox every Friday morning. In response to Mr Roberts comments, the Metropolitan Police sent a statement to ITV News: Central Specialist Crime Commander Ella Marriott, said: Our thoughts will always be with Ms Giuffres family and friends following her death. Advertisement Advertisement In 2015, the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) received allegations relating to non-recent trafficking for sexual exploitation involving Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell. These allegations primarily concerned events outside the United Kingdom, with one allegation of trafficking to central London in March 2001. Officers assessed all available evidence at the time, interviewed the complainant, Ms Virginia Giuffre as well as contacting several other potential victims. This did not result in any allegation of criminal conduct against any UK-based nationals. The MPS sought advice from the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) and liaised with United States authorities, who were leading investigations into related matters involving US nationals. "Following this legal advice, it was clear that any investigation into human trafficking would be largely focused on activities outside the UK and perpetrators based overseas. "Officers therefore concluded, in consultation with the CPS, that other international authorities were best placed to progress these allegations. Officers maintained close liaison with the United States and other relevant authorities throughout their investigation to ensure any UK matters could be identified and to consider any support requested. Advertisement Advertisement A decision was made in November 2016 not to proceed to a full criminal investigation. That decision was reviewed in August 2019 and again in 2021 and 2022; in each instance, the position remained unchanged, and Ms Giuffre and her legal representative were informed. Following recent reporting suggesting that Mr Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor asked his Met Police Close Protection Officer to carry out checks on Ms Giuffre in 2011, the MPS has carried out a further assessment. This assessment has not revealed any additional evidence of criminal acts or misconduct. The Met remains committed to thoroughly assessing any new information that could assist in this matter. To date, we have not received any additional evidence that would support reopening the investigation. "In the absence of any further information, we will be taking no further action. As with any other matter, should new and relevant information be brought to our attention, including in any information resulting from the release of material in the US, we will assess it. This is the Talking Royals - our weekly podcast about the royal family, with ITV News Royal Editor Chris Ship and Producer Lizzie Robinson. A Wake County grand jury has formally indicted the man accused of killing Raleigh school teacher Zoe Welsh inside her home. Ryan Camacho is facing charges of first-degree murder and first-degree burglary. Authorities say Camacho, a repeat offender, broke into Welsh's home inside the beltline near Wade Avenue and St. Mary's Street in January and killed her. She was on the phone with 911 when she was attacked. Welsh was a biology teacher at the Ravenscroft School. The school is having a celebration of life for the beloved teacher on March 29. Stay on top of breaking news stories with the ABC11 News App Mark Cuban has heard every version of the same question over the years. How do you get rich? How do you build a billion-dollar company? What's the shortcut? On most podcasts, the answers come packaged as business advice. On Bobbi Althoff's show, they arrive somewhere between awkward silence and dry humor. That contrast is part of what made a 2023 episode of "The Really Good Podcast" stand out. Althoff, known for her signature deadpan delivery and intentionally uncomfortable interview style, steered the conversation from Cuban's early days sleeping on floors with roommates into a blunt question about her own future. "Do you think I could be a billionaire one day?" she asked. Don't Miss: The AI Marketing Platform Backed by Insiders from Google, Meta, and Amazon Invest at $0.85/Share Put professional stock research to work in a single ETF explore Motley Fool Asset Management's factor-based funds. Cuban told her yes with a reality check attached. "If you want to be," he said. "But being a billionaire takes luck. I mean you could be rich. I mean you can be well off if you bust your a**. And that's not to say a lot of people bust their a** and don't make it, but there's like a path." The Difference Between Billionaire Luck And Getting Rich Cuban's answer drew a line he has talked about for years. Billionaire status often comes down to timing, scale, and luck. Getting rich, he said, is more repeatable. Cuban fans know his own fortune was built during the dot-com boom, when he sold Broadcast.com to Yahoo for $5.7 billion a deal he's often credited with closing at the perfect time, just before the bubble burst. "There's like a path if you have your own business and you know how to sell," Cuban told her. He added that building sales skills and growing a business creates the foundation for wealth long before anyone starts thinking about billions. Trending: Blue-chip art has historically outpaced the S&P 500 since 1995, and fractional investing is now opening this institutional asset class to everyday investors. "If you get good at selling and you can build your business then you can start as a millionaire," he said. "And then if you get lucky then you never know where it takes you from there." The exchange fit neatly into Althoff's style. When Cuban pointed out she had not been strong at selling yet, she replied with a flat "thank you," keeping the tone somewhere between joke and business lesson. Cuban responded the same way he often does with founders and entrepreneurs monetize the opportunity. COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) Newly unsealed federal court documents have revealed details about a Columbus man accused of being involved in an Indiana teenagers disappearance, including that he told police, I want her to be 18. Tyler Thomas, 39, was charged Tuesday with one count of sexual exploitation of a minor and one count of travel in interstate commerce with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct. The charges stem from an investigation into the disappearance and death of 17-year-old Hailey Buzbee. Jeffrey Epstein made regular payments to Ohio State head of gynecology, records show Advertisement Advertisement Thomas was previously charged in relation to the Buzbee case in Franklin County with pandering sexually oriented matter involving a minor and tampering with evidence. Federal prosecutors said those local charges will be dismissed and the case will proceed in federal court. Buzbee was reported missing on Jan. 6 from her home in Fortville, Indiana. Police later determined Thomas, of Columbus, picked her up and brought her back to Ohio. Court documents state Thomas led police to her remains near a trailhead in Wayne National Forest in Perry County on Feb. 1. He has not been charged in her death as of Tuesday night. What federal court documents reveal On Jan. 6, Buzbees parents found a note stating she had run away and asking that nobody search for her. The Fishers Police Department in Indiana began investigating and found neighborhood surveillance video showing a dark-colored SUV in the area of Buzbees home the day she went missing. Indiana police determined the vehicle belonged to a woman identified in court documents by the pseudonym Jane Doe. She told investigators she was in Florida on Jan. 6 but said Thomas may have been driving the vehicle. She provided the police with his phone number. Advertisement Advertisement Law enforcement was then able to obtain phone records for Thomas and determine that his device was taken from Columbus to Fortville overnight on Jan. 5 into Jan. 6. The device was then taken to the area of several AirBnb residences off Walnut Dowler Road in Logan, according to court records. Pickerington schools sued over alleged assault of student with autism Aside from a trip to a Kroger, the phone remained in the AirBnb area in Hocking County until about 9:25 a.m. on Jan. 7, when it was taken to an area northeast of Logan near the North Country Trail trailhead. The phone remained there until about 2:15 p.m. before it was returned to Columbus. On Jan. 16, Fishers police officers met Columbus police officers at Thomas Victorian Village residence to ask him about why he was in Fishers on Jan. 6. He initially stated he was there to look at different places, including a local apple orchard. However, he later admitted to picking up Buzbee. Advertisement Advertisement Thomas told police he met Buzbee through Discord and had played online games with her, including Roblox and League of Legends. He said he dropped Buzbee off at the intersection of U.S. 25 and State Route 320 in Eaton, Ohio. However, the previous analysis of his phone records did not support that statement, the filing claims. On Jan. 21, a search warrant was executed at Thomas residence, allowing police to obtain cellphones, laptops and more potential evidence. That same day, Columbus police interviewed Thomas, asking him when Buzbee would turn 18. He said he initially believed that she was 18 but later discovered that she was not. He stated that a plan for him to pick her up came about near Christmas time, but they ultimately decided on Jan. 5, court documents say. Advertisement Advertisement Woman injected human waste into childs IV, Columbus police say He denied hurting or killing Buzbee. Columbus police asked Thomas if he would tell them if he did kill her, to which he responded, I think she is alive and safe. Police interrupted him and asked, So you wouldnt tell me if you did? to which Thomas replied, No. No, I wouldnt tell you. I wouldnt say anything earlier because I want her to be 18 and not reach back to her family, the legal documents claim. When Columbus police officers told Thomas they did not believe he was telling the truth, he said, Shell be all right, and I would like to talk to a lawyer, too. Columbus police ended the interview at that point. On Jan. 23, authorities obtained Thomas bank records, revealing charges in June at a gas station in Indiana and at a restaurant where Buzbee worked, indicating that Thomas had previously traveled to Indiana to meet her. The day before those Indiana charges, records showed Thomas made a purchase at Lions Den, an adult novelty store, in Columbus. Advertisement Advertisement According to court documents, a forensic examination of Thomass phone subsequently uncovered a photo of him inside a vehicle with a girl, who had similar features to Buzbee, kissing his neck. The file was last accessed in July. Additional analysis of his phone records showed one of his devices placed a call in July using a cell tower near Fortville. The examination of his phone also allegedly revealed a conversation on Discord with a different minor who claimed to be in 10th grade. In that exchange, Thomas said, Does baby carve parts of her own body? and Youd look so good covered in red. He also stated, Im having very dark but stimulating thoughts, before later asking the user if she would be fine with someone really old encouraging her to cut herself during intercourse. Central Ohio singers music featured on Love is Blind An image of child sexual abuse material featuring a girl estimated to be between the ages of 7 and 10 was also uncovered, according to court documents. Advertisement Advertisement Police said that they further reviewed the phone after that discovery and uncovered photos that were deleted from the device of Buzbee engaged in sexual acts with an adult male the documents do not clearly specify if this was Thomas. Background details in the photos matched items in the Logan rental property, court records say. On Feb. 1, law enforcement picked up Thomas and took him to the North County Trail Trailhead the area his phone had previously been tracked to and he allegedly pointed out where Buzbees body was buried. Law enforcement then unearthed dismembered human remains, which were later confirmed to belong to Buzbee, court records state. The next day, the FBI executed a second search warrant at the Logan AirBnb and located potential traces of blood throughout the residence, officials said. That evidence is awaiting further analysis, the legal filing states. Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to NBC4 WCMH-TV. By Stephanie van den Berg THE HAGUE, Feb 9 (Reuters) - International war crimes prosecutors said on Monday Kosovo's former president Hashim Thaci controlled ethnic Albanian guerrillas and should be convicted of war crimes and sentenced to 45 years in prison. Thaci and three other ex-Kosovo Liberation Army commanders are charged with persecution, murder, torture and forced disappearances of people during and shortly after the 1998-99 uprising that eventually brought independence for the Albanian majority region from Serbia. Advertisement Advertisement "The accused committed crimes against their perceived opponents to take control over Kosovo," prosecutor Kimberly West told the court in The Hague. She added that in 1998 and 1999 more than 100 political opponents and perceived collaborators with Serbian security forces were killed and hundreds abused in and around 50 detention camps run by the KLA. "This case is about the four accused's goal to gain and exercise control over all of Kosovo," West said near the end of a nearly three-year trial at the special Kosovo war crimes court in The Hague. Thaci, 57, who served as prime minister, foreign minister and president of independent Kosovo between 2008 and 2020, and his co-accused deny all the charges. Lawyers for Thaci, expected to give their closing statements on Wednesday, earlier argued that Thaci had no real authority over the KLA and its military commanders during the uprising and its aftermath and had to defer to local zone commanders. Advertisement Advertisement West said on Monday prosecutors had overwhelming evidence showing that the four men on trial were key members of the KLA central staff and were the ones to issue orders to zone commanders, not the other way around. KLA TARGETED POLITICAL FOES, SERBS AND ROMA, PROSECUTORS SAY Prosecutors say Thaci and other KLA leaders waged a violent campaign targeting political opponents, as well as minority ethnic Serbs and Roma to gain full control of Kosovo. Most victims of persecution were members of Kosovo's 90% ethnic Albanian majority, the prosecution said. The Kosovo Specialist Chambers, staffed by international judges and lawyers, was set up in 2015 to handle war crimes cases under Kosovo law against ex-KLA guerrillas. Advertisement Advertisement The war crimes tribunal was set up outside the small Balkan country because of worries about witness intimidation as former KLA leaders are seen as national liberation heroes in Kosovo. Despite these precautions, prosecutors said Monday the trial had faced a "pervasive climate of witness intimidation". Thaci and four other defendants face a separate trial for obstruction of justice which is scheduled to start on February 27. More than 13,000 people, the majority of them Kosovo Albanians, are believed to have died during the late 1990s insurgency, when Kosovo was still a province of Serbia under then-nationalist strongman President Slobodan Milosevic. The Kosovo court was created separately from the now defunct International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, also based in the Hague, which tried and convicted mainly Serbian officials for war crimes in the Croatia, Bosnia and Kosovo conflicts. Milosevic also went on trial before the ICTY but died in 2006 before a verdict was reached. (Reporting by Stephanie van den Berg; editing by Mark Heinrich) A wallaby known as Charlie briefly roamed the Highlands Ranch neighborhood before deputies safely returned him home, according to the Douglas County Sheriffs Office. Highlands Ranch is just south of Denver. Deputies with the Douglas County Sheriffs Office in Colorado said the unusual call came in Jan. 29, 2026 one they described as not being on anyones bingo card. Instead of a routine patrol issue, deputies were sent to track down what was first reported as a kangaroo on the run. Advertisement Advertisement It turned out the animal was Charlie the Wallaby, who authorities said is very much a real wallaby and very well known (yes, he has his own Instagram). The sheriffs office said everyone was safe and Charlie eventually made his way back home. No injuries were reported. The encounter left an impression on at least one deputy. As one of the agencys sergeants put it: Im not going to lie, this is going to be the highlight of my year The sheriffs office said its deputies handle everything from routine calls to the unexpected and occasionally adorable and are ready no matter what hops their way. COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) According to campaign finance records, Republican Vivek Ramaswamy received more in total donations from Ohioans, and Democrat Amy Acton had more individual Ohioan donors. Ramaswamy and Acton are the front-runners for Novembers gubernatorial election, and both set fundraising records in their first year of campaigning. At $19.8 million by Dec. 31, Ramaswamy raised more money than any candidate for governor in state history at this point in the race. By the end of 2025, Acton raised $5.3 million, the most of any Democratic challenger. Congressman blasts Les Wexner redactions in Epstein files Advertisement Advertisement Ramaswamy had over twice as many individual donors as Acton, with over 250,000 individual contributions to Actons 110,000. Acton had over twice as many donors from Ohio, with 78,694 Ohio contributors to Ramaswamys 39,260. See previous coverage of the governors race fundraising in the video player above. Ohioans donated $4,481,043.62 in total to Actons campaign. Her team said 70% of donations were from Ohio residents. Ramaswamy received 11,327,783.93 from Ohioans, around 57% of total donations, according to campaign records. Ohio Democratic Party spokesperson Katie Seewer said it was unsurprising Ramaswamy has to be propped up by out of state donors. Alex Triantafilou, chairman of the Ohio GOP, said Ramaswamy smashed records and raised four times as much as Acton. Both campaigns touted their grassroots fundraising efforts. Actons team said more than 96% of contributions were $100 or less. Although grassroots donations averaged $28, overall donations averaged $48.22, according to campaign finance records. Ramaswamys team reported an average donation of $76, which NBC4 calculated as closer to $77.77 based on campaign finance records. Advertisement Advertisement Ramaswamys top donors were individuals and an Ohio Republican PAC. He also received large donations from individuals affiliated with private education companies and industry PACs, like the Ohio Credit Union and Ohio Trucking Association. Ohio may require bars and restaurants to provide date rape drug testing devices The most impressive part about this record-breaking haul is that the average donation size is just $76, showing that Viveks campaign is driven by grassroots energy, Jonathan Ewing, Ramaswamys campaign manager, said. Weve never seen anything like this in the history of gubernatorial campaigns in Ohio. Actons largest donor was the Ohio Democratic Party, with $125,000. She also received large donations from Ohio unions and industry PACs, including the Ohio Federation of Teachers and Ohio State UAW, an auto industry PAC. Advertisement Advertisement This record-breaking haul makes it clear that Ohioans are ready for a change, Philip Stein, Actons campaign manager, said. From now until Election Day, Amy has her foot on the gas and is ready to deliver for Ohios working families. Acton is a Youngstown native and former Ohio health director known for her role in Ohios early COVID-19 response. Ramaswamy is a billionaire from Cincinnati who celebrated the birth of his daughter last week. Ohioans will vote for their next governor on Nov. 3. Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Whitehall City Council members debated the future of the fledgling city Department Neighborhoods during a Feb. 10 committee meeting, just weeks after a council member introduced legislation to scrap funding for the department entirely. President Pro-Tempore Larry Morrison introduced legislation in January to completely gut the department, which has a budget around $165,500. Morrison, as well as council member Gerald Dixon, have repeatedly said that the department is a waste of money and that its responsibilities are redundant. The Department of Neighborhoods was established in September 2025 and approved by the council along with Whitehall's $44.9 million operating budget on Dec. 16, 2025. The department is under the purview of Whitehall Mayor Michael Bivens and includes a director, an events and advancement coordinator, and neighborhood advocates. Advertisement Advertisement Some of the duties of the neighborhoods director include handling landlord-tenant issues, coordinating community events at the neighborhood level, facilitating better communication with residents, and increasing community engagement and attendance at town halls. The department represents 0.3% of the city's $44.9-million budget. Whitehall City Council members at a committee meeting on Feb. 10, 2026. Jackie Russell, the city's director of economic development, advocated for the department during the meeting and said that her staff, along with the city's public service department, weren't equipped to handle the myriads of issues affecting Whitehall residents, mainly tenant's rights and legal issues that arise between renters and landlords. We dont have the training, time, or expertise to handle legal matters of landlords, renter rights, things that we just dont have that expertise, said Russell. Advertisement Advertisement Bivens reiterated the need for the the neighborhoods department during the meeting, saying that the city had the highest eviction, poverty and infant mortality rates in central Ohio, and that the department would be able to address the needs of residents. Bivens said that his office has been conducting interviews for a director of the department and that several were in the final rounds of interviews. City council will hold a vote on funding for the department on March 3. Whitehall seeking grant to develop safer routes for students The city is seeking grant funding from the Ohio Department of Transportation's Safe Routes to Schools program to develop a school travel plan for all five schools in the Whitehall school district. The funding will help the city identify safer routes for students to walk and ride bicycles to school, said Casey Rowlands, the city's director of public service. The grant would help develop and identify safe routes for walking and biking for five Whitehall City schools, according to a draft of the resolution. Some of the implementation would include sidewalks and shared use paths, explained Rowlands. Advertisement Advertisement Rowlands said there was a "severe" lack of sidewalks in the city that don't accommodate students who may have to walk to school. Around 70% of students either walk or ride a bike to school, according to Rowlands. According to ODOT's website, the grant is reimbursable and is capped at $1 million for infrastructure projects. Reporter Shahid Meighan can be reached at smeighan@dispatch.com, at ShahidMeighan on X, and at shahidthereporter.dispatch.com on Bluesky. This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Whitehall council debates over future of Department of Neighborhoods U.S. President Donald Trump during the National Governors Association dinner and reception in the East Room of the White House in Washington, D.C., on Feb. 22, 2025. Credit - Samuel CorumGetty Images Several Democratic Governors intend to boycott a White House dinner timed to the National Governors Associations annual gathering in response to President Donald Trump excluding Gov. Jared Polis of Colorado and Gov. Wes Moore of Maryland from the event. The Democratic Governors Association (DGA) framed the move as a show of unity in response to what it described as a break from the events long-standing bipartisan tradition. Advertisement Advertisement If the reports are true, that not all governors are invited to these events, which have historically been productive and bipartisan opportunities for collaboration, we will not be attending the White House dinner this year, the organization said. Democratic governors remain united and will never stop fighting to protect and make life better for people in our states. On Wednesday afternoon, Trump defended his decision to exclude Polis and Moore from the dinner, arguing his belief they are not worthy of being there. However, Trump hit out at previous reports that stated he had broken with tradition by only inviting Republicans to attend a White House meeting between himself and governors, timed to the annual gathering. In a letter obtained by the Associated Press earlier in the week, NGA chair and Republican Gov. Kevin Stitt of Oklahoma stated that the White House intended to limit invitations to the associations annual business meeting, scheduled for Feb. 20, to Republicans only. As a result, Stitt said the NGA would no longer facilitate the event, because NGAs mission is to represent all 55 governors. Advertisement Advertisement An NGA representative also confirmed to TIME on Wednesday the association would no longer host the formal meeting with the President, in light of this. But Trump later lashed out at Stitt, accusing him of relaying false information. The invitations were sent to ALL governors, other than two, who I feel are not worthy of being there, he said, referring to Stitt as a RINO, an acronym for Republican In Name Only. On Thursday, Trump targeted Stitt once again, accusing him of trying to get some cheap publicity. Stitt had a different approach at a press briefing late Wednesday, appearing to frame the matter as more of a misunderstanding in scheduling. Advertisement Advertisement All we said was, the President can invite whoever he wants to the White House, but the NGA is not the right facilitator, if it's not going to be every single governor, he said. Its a non-issue. As the chair of the NGA, Im excited to be there. And were going to have a business meeting at the White House with all of the governors, which is something were excited about, as well. TIME has reached out to Stitt, the DGA, and the White House for further comment. Gov. Wes Moore speaks with the media on Jan. 27, 2026, in Annapolis, Maryland. Kim HairstonGetty Images Meanwhile, the two excluded Democratic governors previously addressed Trumps refusal to extend them invitations. A spokesperson for Polis' office told TIME on Wednesday: Governor Polis and other governors are focused on delivering results for our states, not playing games. Advertisement Advertisement Moore, who serves as the vice chair of the NGA, called the move a blatant disrespect and a snub to the spirit of bipartisan federal-state partnership in a statement on Sunday. As the nations only Black governor, I cant ignore that being singled out for exclusion from this bipartisan tradition carries an added weightwhether that was the intent or not, he said. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt defended the Presidents authority over the guest list when asked about the matter on Tuesday. Its a dinner at the White House. Its the peoples house, its also the Presidents home, so he can invite whomever he wants to dinners and events here, she said. He welcomes all those who received an invitation to come. And if they dont want to, thats their loss. The NGA's annual gathering, long considered to be one of Washingtons most cherished bipartisan traditions, is due to take place on the weekend of Feb. 1921. But it comes at a time where tensions are mounting inside the NGA. Advertisement Advertisement Over the past year, several Democratic leaders have pressed the organization to take a more vocal stance against certain moves by the Trump Administration. California Gov. Gavin Newsom and Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker previously threatened to withdraw from the organization after Trump deployed National Guard troops to their states without the request or approval from local leadership. Contact us at letters@time.com. When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. NASA's Artemis 2 Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and Orion spacecraft are seen illuminated by lights at Launch Complex 39B, Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026, at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. | Credit: NASA/Aubrey Gemignani NASA is gearing up to launch Artemis 2, the first crewed mission to the moon in more than half a century. There are five potential Artemis 2 launch dates next month (March 6-9 and March 11) and six in April (April 1, April 3-6 and April 30), according to the space agency . The liftoff window lasts 120 minutes on all of these dates except March 11, when it's 115 minutes long. Advertisement Advertisement That works out to just 11 opportunities over a 61-day stretch and some of them may be nixed by bad weather or the need to replenish commodities like rocket fuel. Why does Artemis 2 have so few chances to fly? It's all about orbital mechanics and the specific requirements of the mission and its hardware. Artemis 2 will lift off from Kennedy Space Center in Florida, sending Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen and NASA's Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover and Christina Koch on a roughly 10-day trip around the moon aboard an Orion crew capsule. But the astronauts won't head directly to lunar realms: Artemis 2's Space Launch System rocket will first deliver Orion to high Earth orbit, where the crew and ground teams will conduct a variety of checkouts to make sure the capsule is ready for its epic journey. Advertisement Advertisement Therefore, "the launch day and time must allow SLS to be able to deliver Orion" to that orbit, NASA officials wrote in an Artemis 2 explainer last month. "Orion also must be in the proper alignment with the Earth and moon at the time of the trans-lunar injection burn," they added. As its name suggests, that maneuver will put Orion on course for the moon, which it will fly by on a "free return" trajectory. The capsule will use lunar gravity to slingshot itself back toward Earth , without the need for another significant engine burn. Orion's power requirements further constrain the mission's launch window. "The trajectory for a given day must ensure Orion is not in darkness for more than 90 minutes at a time so that the solar array wings can receive and convert sunlight to electricity, and the spacecraft can maintain an optimal temperature range," NASA officials wrote. "Mission planners eliminate potential launch dates that would send Orion into extended eclipses during the flight." Advertisement Advertisement Finally, viable launch windows also have to take into account Orion's return to Earth, which will feature a specific entry profile. NASA is not officially targeting any of the March or April launch dates; that won't happen until Artemis 2 passes its wet dress rehearsal, a two-day-long practice run of the key operations that will occur in the leadup to liftoff. The Artemis 2 team has already conducted one wet dress, which ended early on Feb. 2 due to a leak of liquid hydrogen propellant . That outcome took February out of consideration for the Artemis 2 launch. A second try is expected soon, perhaps as soon as this weekend. And don't worry if it takes a while to get the hydrogen leak under control. The same happened on Artemis 1 , a delayed but ultimately successful uncrewed mission to lunar orbit that flew in late 2022. There are potential Artemis 2 launch dates beyond April; NASA just hasn't published them yet. Advertisement Advertisement "We've got opportunities in every month," Lori Glaze, acting associate administrator for NASA's Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate, said during a press conference on Feb. 3. "So, you know, if necessary, we'll go beyond that." War and Power Who Wins Warsand Why by Phillips Payson OBrien PublicAffairs, 276 pp., $30 WHY DO COUNTRIES WIN OR LOSE wars? With a major war raging in Europe, and a possible conflagration with China looming in the decade ahead, no question is of more urgent importance. Phillips OBrien, an American professor of strategic studies at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland, argues that an answer can be derived by studying the wars of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. OBrien, a prolific military historian, has been a close observer of the RussianUkrainian war, writing about it on his invaluable Substack, and is now the author of War and Power, a book that promises a new methodology for understanding how states interact in armed conflict and what makes them strong or weak. Advertisement Advertisement Before the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the consensus among Western military analysts was that it would be a cakewalk. The U.S. government was making plans to spirit Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky out of the country to safety in the West. In a classified briefing to Congress shortly before the tanks rolled across the border, then-Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley predicted that Kyiv would fall in 72 hours, and that Ukraine would suffer 15,000 battle deaths compared to a Russian total of 4,000. Such pessimism was by no means confined to the Pentagon. It was widespread in think tanks and in the analytic community that was advising the U.S. government. Policy choices flowed from such dire predictions. It would be futile for the United States to aid Ukraine with weapons, the thinking went, because the Russian onslaught would be so rapid and devastating. Samuel Charap, a top analyst at the RAND Corporation, argued that the United States could do nothing to alter the outcome. And as OBrien notes, this was no one-off. It was a vision of Russian power and Ukrainian weakness that had been used for years to argue against providing Ukraine with modern weaponryon the assumption that Ukrainian conventional resistance against the great power of Russia was doomed. (OBrien dissented from this analytic consensus at the time, noting the weaknesses of the Russian military and Ukraines underappreciated strengths.) OBrien traces such colossal misjudgment in part to the widely embraced concept of great powers and the blithe assumption that Russia was one of them, which he closely examines and finds wanting. The term itself, coined by the German historian Leopold von Ranke in the mid-nineteenth century, is vague to the point of uselessness. Indeed, writes OBrien, the threshold for being a great power has been regularly redefined, muddied, and even lowered, to such a degree that by 2022 an economically weak and political corrupt system such as Vladimir Putins Russia was widely hailed as one. In OBriens telling, the problem of defining the great powers is just one manifestation of the problem of defining power in general. Too often, commentators, theorists, scholars, and military and diplomatic professionals treat power as a thing that can be quantified, directly compared, and used to predict the outcome of something as complicated, chaotic, and contingent as war. Certainly, the United States has the technological and economic advantages necessary to work its will on an impoverished basket case like Venezuela. But matters are rarely so simple. Merely counting up guns and ships and airplanes and troops is profoundly misleading. Advertisement Advertisement Get 20% off for 1 year OBrien seems skeptical of the idea of predicting who will win any given war at all: If there is one general truth in war, he writes, it is that how a war ends bears very little resemblance to how people imagine it will end when it starts. (His observation here is unfortunately contradicted by the books subtitle, Who Wins WarsAnd Why, which does suggest that his methodology can be predictive.) Instead, what OBrien offers is a less arithmetic, more nuanced view of what gives states their strengthsattributes that, in general, make states more likely to win wars, though they dont guarantee victory in any particular conflict. The base of state power is economic and technological capacity: the ability to develop and make the most advanced stuff in very large numbers. . . . the ability to raise capital quickly and efficiently. . . . to be able to make the best military equipment in mass, and then develop more and better systems when the time comes to use that equipment. Advertisement Advertisement A vivid example OBrien adduces are the conditions that allowed for the creation of HMS Dreadnought and subsequent modern battleships in Great Britain prior to World War I: These were the technological marvels of the early twentieth century, the highest expression of industrialized economies, and cost more than any moving thing on earth (and most immobile things as well). They were made of steel and iron, propelled by enormous yet finely engineered engines, and sported guns of immense weight and precision, capable of firing shells for many miles. The appearance of Dreadnought by itself was, while revolutionary in naval architecture, not a major shift in the European balance of power. By the time World War I began just eight years after Dreadnought was launched, it was already obsolete. Rather, the British started an entirely new race for naval dominanceone in which any state in the world could compete, if their economic/technological might allowed it. . . . The French and the Russians, the second- and third-largest naval powers in the world in 1900, lacked the economic/technological might to compete. . . . Only the US and Germany could think of competing with Britain, and the three of them, not surprisingly, were the largest industrial economies with the most advanced technological capabilities. In other words, it was what Dreadnought revealed about underlying British productive capacity that made its christening such a strategically important moment. To take a more contemporary example, at the outset of the RussiaUkraine war, Ukraine had no capacity to speak of to produce drones. By 2024, it was producing a variety of configurations of drones in the millions. Russia, at one point reduced to importing drones from unstable allies abroad, notably Iran, has also greatly expanded its capacity for drone production. Advertisement Advertisement Support The Bulwarks independent political journalism (including our growing coverage of interesting books) by signing up for a free or paid subscription. AFTER ECONOMIC AND TECHNOLOGICAL CAPACITY, the next source of power is leadership. The great man theory of history is today denigrated by historians and political theorists, but as OBrien argues, fashion is flawed. Individual personalities often influence the destinies of states, and alternative concepts like national interest are either circular or smokescreens for the willsand hubrisof powerful leaders. Adolf Hitler is an extreme case in point, leading Germany to ruinous defeat. But even today, a figure like Donald Trump, exercising almost unfettered executive power over foreign affairs, has the first and final say over whether the United States will enter a warfor example, with Venezuela or Iranand a great deal of influence over whether it will prevail. Leaders are constrained and enabled in various ways by the systems and environments in which the operate. Geography provides some of this influencehence the remarkable consistency in the foreign policies of American Democrats and Republicans for so much of the countrys history, or the persistent themes linking the Romanov dynasty to the Soviet Union through to Putins Russia. Advertisement Advertisement And leaders also exist in a mutually influential relationship with their societies. The Vietnam War illustrates how important the character and mood of a society can be in a war. The United States and its allies had overwhelming superiority over the poor and backward North Vietnamese Communists. We never lost a battle in the war, and we inflicted massive casualties on the enemyapproximately 1.1 million dead, in exchange for about 58,000 U.S. deadand yet we suffered a humiliating defeat. Part of the reason has to do with the alliance relationships on both sidesabout which more below. But what OBrien terms societal commitment also helps explain why the United States lost a war without losing a battle. A society that believes that it is going to end up on the winning side of a war or that it is has no alternative but to fight a war has a significant advantage. On the other hand, a society that loses faith in victory or comes to the conclusion that getting out of the war (even to the point of surrender) is preferable to continuing the fight will almost always seriously weaken its governments ability to continue prosecuting the war. This goes some distance toward explaining why Ukraine has done as well as it has. It is fighting for its very existence. Russia, on the other hand, is fighting a war of Putins choice. Endemic corruption has permeated Russias military, and societal opinion, to the extent it matters in a dictatorship, is ambivalent. Get 20% off for 1 year THE LAST ELEMENT OBRIEN EXPLORES is allies. Rarely does one power win a war, he writes. They are almost always won by coalitions, often large and wieldy ones, where a range of allies bring different strengths to the table. Allies are critical to a states ability to keep fighting long after the initial battle plans have become obsolete and the original military force is spent. Here Ukraine would appear to have the edge, with almost all of Europe andat least for a timethe United States behind it, while Russia has the autocracies of China, North Korea, Iran, and Belarus on its side. But the United States under both Biden and Trump has been a finicky and fickle friend, putting severe restrictions on the use of the weapons it has provided and pressuring Ukraine to agree to disastrous Russian terms. Advertisement Advertisement From World War I through World War II and the Cold War, the United States enjoyed the support of reliable allies in virtually every war it fought. They did not guarantee success, but when success came, it was always a critical contributor. Today, the United States is almost systematically jettisoning its allies, casting doubt on its commitment to NATO, waging a trade war against friendly powers across the globe, and even threatening, as in the cases of Denmark and Canada, to annex their territory by force of arms. This is perverse. Trump is severely jeopardizing American security. OBrien concludes War and Power with a kind of net assessment of a potential U.S. conflict with China over Taiwan. Our ability to mobilize an alliance on our side is a critical part of the picture. We have been frittering away a key advantage in exchange for nothing apart from tariff revenue. The picture he paints is bleak. In a short war, the United States might prevail, but the longer the conflict lasts, thanks to Chinas huge advantage in manufacturing capability, the better the Chinese will fare. Whatever the outcome, the consequences of such a conflict will likely be more terrible than anything we have witnessed since 1945. From these fundamental strengthseconomic/technological capacity, leadership, societal commitment, and leadershiparmies are built. They are not instruments of power themselves, as Putin or Saddam Hussein or Benito Mussolini could attest, but rather imperfect representations of the underlying strengths and weaknesses of the states and societies that create them. These factors combine during warfare in a set of complex interactions that are difficult to predictOBrien analyzes them in the second half of the book, addressing them by contrasting pairs of concepts: the difference between thinking in terms of battles and thinking more broadly in terms of war; how getting started in a conflict entails challenges that are fundamentally different from those involved in sustaining one; how metrics and other attempts at quantifying, for all their value, cannot do away with the need for qualitative human insight. The complexity of warfare as not just a military and technological comparison but an unpredictable human experience is the central, important lesson taught by a book rich in historical and contemporary detail. There are no simple answers. For anyone seeking to understand some of the most terrifying problems of our time, War and Power is an indispensable volume with which to start. Wars are almost always won by coalitions, often large and wieldy onesso send this piece to your coalition (book club). Share The Wichita Falls Sales Tax Corporation 4-B Board will meet at 3 p.m. Thursday in Room 6 of the Multi-Purpose Events Center, 1000 Fifth St. The meeting is open to the public, but except for a routine report on the financial condition of the corporation, all business will be conducted in closed-door executive session. The Wichita Falls 4-B Board during a public portion of a recent meeting. The sales tax corporation, also known as the 4-B board, is funded through a portion of the sales taxes collected in Wichita Falls. It is a nonprofit corporation which, according to the city, is responsible for economic development through the funding of public improvements. Advertisement Advertisement More: WFISD school board declines to require prayer, cites existing opportunities More: City offices closed, trash pickup adjusted for Presidents Day According to the agenda, most of the meeting will be behind closed doors on the gounds that members may discuss a financial offer or other incentive for a business prospect, deliberate the purchase, exchange, lease or value of property, or consult with the attorney on matters involving pending or contemplated litigation. The Texas Open Meetings Act allows executive sessions closed meetings for specific, limited reasons, but final action must occur in an open session. This article originally appeared on Wichita Falls Times Record News: Wichita Falls sales tax board meeting: What to know SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) After one of the wild Rose Park turkeys was hit and killed by a car, residents are expressing their larger frustrations with traffic in the neighborhood. Victoria Petro, Salt Lake City Councilwoman for District One, told ABC4 that the Rose Park turkeys are a point of local pride. If you honk your horn at them, they gobble back at you, so we call her Rosie and her kids, and people post them on a Facebook page, and its a really nice break, especially in a community like ours that sometimes has to fight for happy things and good things to happen, she said. Advertisement Advertisement How to make ABC4 your preferred news source on Google The turkeys live in the area of 700 North and Redwood Road. A bridge has been closed on 600 North for a while, and a lot of traffic has been diverted to 500 North, which is where the turkey was hit. Because of the intensity of the traffic and just some negligence, one of the turkeys got hit, Petro said. Its a local trauma. We love those little turkeys. 500 North has been a problem area for the neighborhood, Petro said, adding that the city has been working hard to fix it. The Citys been working very hard on traffic calming, and 500 North for a long time has needed it. Since Ive lived here, several young children have been killed on that road. Advertisement Advertisement Residents were upset about the turkey, but it brought up other frustrations the community has been feeling about the neighborhoods traffic situation. Residents evacuated after fire in Murray apartment building By people bringing up the turkey, its been bringing up all these things that have been happening, these frustrations, she explained, adding that a few cars parked on the street have been sideswiped, and a visitor was actually hit by a car while trying to get into their own car. We kind of have a really strong Ill handle it myself culture over here, so this turkey incident actually, I think because its a safer place for us to feel emotion and to feel pride, the frustration that happened with that bubbled over, and we realized that this is a really big problem for our neighborhood, Petro said. Advertisement Advertisement While the residents love the turkeys, Salt Lake City Police Department said that they cause problems for drivers, possibly compounding traffic issues. Sgt. Greg Wilking said, Weve received a lot of calls for service regarding those turkeys, that they are in fact in the roadway and causing a problem, drivers having to avoid them. Photos of wild turkeys in Rose Park (Courtesy: Department of Natural Resources) Photos of wild turkeys in Rose Park (Courtesy: Department of Natural Resources) Photos of wild turkeys in Rose Park (Courtesy: Department of Natural Resources) Petro said that as a councilmember, shes pleased with how the city administration has responded to this issue, but drivers still need to slow down. Really, the onus is on drivers. People have got to slow down. They have got to take seriously. When theyre driving on 500 North, they are driving through a residential neighborhood, and its young people. Its our points of pride with those turkeys. You cant just tear through there like its a highway, she said. Advertisement Advertisement Governor Cox responds to international reporters asking about political tension and Trumps remarks on US Olympic skier While residents are concerned about speeding in the area, Wilking said that even at the speed limit, if something unexpected is in the roadway, like a turkey, it can pose a danger to motorists, which can, in turn, pose a danger to pedestrians. Any time youre driving, you need to be aware of your surroundings. You need to be paying attention. You need to stay off your devices. You need to be looking around, checking your mirrors, knowing where other drivers are at, and then following the rules of the road, obeying the speed limit, paying attention to traffic signals. All of those things will help to avoid accidents, he said. I think its important that Rose Park has things that we can be proud of and that the protection of those things is a priority to me as an elected official, and that its a priority to the mayor and her administration, Petro concluded. Our pledge is that both the safety of people and the safety of those things we hold dear, like the turkeys, is a priority. Latest headlines: Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Meta (META) on Wednesday said it is breaking ground on its latest data center as part of its massive AI infrastructure build-out. The more than $10 billion data center will be located in Lebanon, Ind., and have a capacity of upwards of 1 gigawatt. That's enough energy to power several hundred thousand homes. According to Meta, the data center will handle both Meta's AI workloads as well as its core products and represents one of its largest infrastructure projects to date. During its Q4 earnings announcement, Meta said it plans to spend as much as $135 billion throughout 2026 as part of its AI expansion plans. The company spent $72.2 billion in 2025. The social media giant isn't the only tech company sending big on AI this year. Advertising rival Google (GOOG, GOOGL) said it plans to spend $180 billion in 2026 during its own earnings report, while Amazon (AMZN) said it anticipates spending $200 billion. The massive spending news spooked Google and Amazon investors and lifted shares of Meta more than 10% at the time, though they've since come back down to Earth. The broader data center explosion is facing increasing criticism from residents in and around communities where they're being built, with complaints ranging from increasing utility costs to the irritating sounds of cooling systems. To that end, Meta says it will pay the full cost of the energy the data center uses, provide $1 million each year for 20 years to the Boone REMC Community Fund to assist with energy bills, and fund emergency water utility assistance. The data center will also use a closed-loop water system that Meta says will use no water "a majority of the year." The company further says it will invest more than $120 million in water infrastructure for Lebanon, as well as make upgrades to roads, transmission lines, and area utilities. Meta isn't the only company looking to make concessions to win over local communities. Last month, Microsoft president Brad Smith announced that the Windows developer will work with local utilities to provide a better understanding of its data center electricity needs and bear the cost when electricity companies need to upgrade their transmission capabilities to meet data center demand. In August, Google agreed to cut back on its electricity usage during periods of high demand in certain regions, Reuters reported. Meta's ambitious AI construction plans aren't limited to single-gigawatt data centers. In July, CEO Mark Zuckerberg said the company is set to build its enormous Hyperion facility in Louisiana, adding that the data center will be so large it would cover a large portion of Manhattan and will eventually scale up to support upwards of 5 gigawatts of capacity. Warning: Readers may find some of the content distressing Sitting in a dim room at a refugee camp in Ivory Coast, Yameogo Aminata, 57, is haunted by memories of the murder of her four sons by jihadists in her home country, Burkina Faso. In 2022, she was away from her home when the armed insurgents - who have been terrorising communities in central Burkina Faso for almost 15 years - struck. The jihadists had forcefully taken over her village, seizing cattle and land, and killing many residents - including her sons aged between 25 and 32. Advertisement Advertisement "They slit the throats of four of my children," she told the BBC, her body shaking as emotions overwhelmed her. "When I arrived, they were killing my fourth son." Aminata said she grabbed a knife to fight back, but was overpowered, beaten, thrown into the bush, and left with severe injuries to her head, shoulder and throat. She said her daughter got separated from her during the attack, and she has been missing since then. In 2023, Aminata fled to Nioronigue camp in neighbouring Ivory Coast, keeping the bloodied clothes from that day as a grim reminder. "I don't know how to handle my life. I have nothing," she told the BBC. Advertisement Advertisement At least 10,000 people have been killed in the insurgency in Burkina Faso, which also engulfs neighbouring Mali and Niger. The United Nations has described the region as the "epicentre" of global jihadist violence. Burkina Faso's military ruler Capt Ibrahim Traore has built a strong relationship with Russia's President Vladimir Putin [Anadolu via Getty Images] Military juntas seized power in all three countries, promising to curb the insurgency. They have moved away from their traditional allies in the West, and have turned to Russia for military aid. Although Russian forces, under the banner of its Africa Corps, have been deployed in Burkina Faso, the insurgency has persisted, with the most powerful militant group being an al-Qaeda affiliate, Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM). Advertisement Advertisement Like Aminata, 60-year-old farmer Hassane Tall fled northern Burkina Faso in 2023 with his three wives and 19 children after enduring multiple attacks. "We escaped clashes between jihadist groups and security forces," he said. "We thought we would die." Now living in the Nioronigue camp, he said that leaving his ancestral land hurt him deeply, but he sees no future back home for his family. The 12-hectare Nioronigue camp sheltering Aminata and Tall is close to the Burkina Faso border. It was established in 2023 by the UN and Ivorian authorities. Designed for about 6,000 people, this camp and the nearby Timala camp now hold around 13,000 refugees - far beyond its capacity. Advertisement Advertisement UN data shows that more than three million people have been displaced by various conflicts in the Sahel region. More than 80,000 people from Burkina Faso now live in camps in Ivory Coast. Expressing gratitude for being given shelter, Aminata said: "I thank the state of Ivory Coast, and all the Ivorians." "I left my house because we were chased out by jihadists. They said that they want the country," she added. People fleeing violence have been welcomed into Ivory Coast [Noel Ebrin Brou/BBC] Similar tales of lost loved ones and lingering trauma echo across the camp. Some of the refugees are from Mali. They include a 27-year-old finance graduate. He and his brothers recently made a perilous journey in a wooden boat down the River Niger from Gao in northern Mali to the capital, Bamako, then took a bus to northern Ivory Coast for safety. Advertisement Advertisement The graduate said they were forced to leave after their 24-year-old cousin was killed by suspected jihadists. "He was a fisherman. He was coming from fishing at night as usual. He was attacked by two men riding motorbikes. These are things that happen every day. "We were living in fear, not knowing if we'll wake up the next day," he told the BBC. Ivory Coast's economy is one of the region's fastest growing, but unemployment and poverty remain high, with locals in border areas worried about the influx of refugees. But government representative Djamatigui Toure told the BBC that refugees will not be turned away. Advertisement Advertisement "Those who come are our brothers; we share the same history and culture," he said. However, the UN Development Programme's resident representative, Blerta Cela, warned that resources are under severe strain. "The number of refugees has increased tremendously. The majority of them are actually not in the camps. They are hosted by Ivorian families," she said. For Aminata, starting again in a new country comes with the weight of memories from the life she left behind. "I still cannot erase what happened to me," she said. "We just pray to God that peace comes back to Burkina Faso." Advertisement Advertisement Additional reporting by Noel Ebrin Brou You may also be interested in: [Getty Images/BBC] Go to BBCAfrica.com for more news from the African continent. Follow us on Twitter @BBCAfrica, on Facebook at BBC Africa or on Instagram at bbcafrica BBC Africa podcasts When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. The sewn hide, hide fiber, braided cords and knotted bark were originally uncovered in 1958. | Credit: Rosencrance et al, Science Advances (2026) CC-BY-NC The oldest known sewn clothing in the world may be pieces of animal hide that Indigenous people stitched together with plant and animal cords and then left in an Oregon cave around 12,000 years ago, during the last ice age, a new study finds. Although its exact use is unknown, the sewn hide is "quite possibly a fragment of clothing or footwear," which would represent the only known item of clothing recovered from the Pleistocene to date, the researchers wrote in the study, which was published Feb. 4 in the journal Science Advances . Advertisement Advertisement An amateur archaeologist discovered the sewn hides in 1958, but the new study is the first to date the artifacts. In their paper, the team determined that 55 pieces of crafted animal and plant materials previously unearthed in two Oregon caves including sewn hide, cords and twine stemmed from the Younger Dryas , a period of sudden cooling that occurred from about 12,900 to 11,700 years ago. The discovery provides clear evidence that Indigenous people in North America shielded themselves from the worst of the cold by using complex technology made from perishable materials. Sewing pieces of hide together allowed for tight-fitting clothing, which would have provided more warmth than simple, loose-fitting draped hide clothes . "We already knew they did, we just had to assume and guess what they were like," study lead author Richard Rosencrance , a doctoral researcher in anthropology at the University of Nevada, Reno, told Live Science in an email. "They were accomplished and serious sewists during the Ice Age." Clothes, along with other technologies required to keep people warm, were essential for permanent residence in northern latitudes, including areas of North America. But exactly when humans began to wear clothes is unknown, and the perishable nature of the materials means they are rarely found. Advertisement Advertisement To date, there are only four sites all in Oregon and Nevada where non-bone animal and plant technology from the Late Pleistocene has been discovered in the Western Hemisphere. (The Late Pleistocene spanned 126,000 to 11,700 years ago and includes the last ice age.) Archaeologists previously discovered two of the largest collections of Late Pleistocene perishable tools in the world in Cougar Mountain Cave and the Paisley Caves in Oregon, according to the new study. These artifacts included 37 fiber cords, baskets and knots; 15 wooden implements; and three sewn hides. Rosencrance and his team used radiocarbon dating to determine the ages of these artifacts and confirmed that all of them date to the Younger Dryas. The cords were braided using three strands and were made using sagebrush, dogbane, juniper and bitterbrush fibers. Because the cords varied from 0.13 to 1 inch (0.33 to 2.5 centimeters) wide, they were probably used for a range of purposes, the researchers wrote in the study. The three pieces of animal hide had been processed and dehaired, with cord made from a combination of plant fiber and animal hair sewn into the sides. The sewn hide dates to between 12,600 and 11,880 years ago, and an analysis of the chemical makeup of the animal hides revealed they came from North American elk (Cervus canadensis). (The oldest known shoes in the world are also from a cave in Oregon, and they date to about 10,400 years ago.) The crafted bone needles and adornments found in Connley Caves (C to M and V to Y), Cougar Mountain Cave (N to P), Paisley Caves (Q) and Tule Lake Rockshelter (R to U). The porcupine adornment is labelled V. | Credit: Rosencrance et al, Science Advances (2026) CC-BY-NC The authors of the new study also examined 14 eyed and three eyeless bone needles that had previously been discovered at Cougar Mountain Cave and the Paisley Caves, as well as the nearby Connley Caves and Tule Lake Rockshelter. In addition, they looked at four potential ornamental items uncovered in the Connley Caves, including a porcupine tooth with a hole drilled into the top and lines scratched onto the surface. Advertisement Advertisement RELATED STORIES The 1st Americans were not who we thought they were The first Americans had Denisovan DNA. And it may have helped them survive. Humans reached southern South America by 14,500 years ago, genomes from 139 Indigenous groups reveal "The abundance of bone needles and the presence of adornment items and very fine-eyed needles suggest that clothing was more than a utilitarian survival strategy but also an avenue of expression and identity," the authors wrote. "This evidence pushes beyond conventional assumptions to confirm that Pleistocene peoples in the Americas used clothing as both survival technology and social practice." Eyed bone needles disappeared from the archaeological record in Oregon after around 11,700 years ago, Rosencrance said, which suggests that tight-fitting clothing became less important as the climate warmed. Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) berated Attorney General Pam Bondi during a House Judiciary Committee hearing on Wednesday over the Department of Justices release of a list of Jeffrey Epsteins victims. Massie kicked off his turn to ask Bondi questions by upbraiding her over the matter, saying: Behind me I have three documents from the DOJ production that are emblematic of the massive failure of the DOJ to comply with the Epstein Files Transparency Act. To my right is an email that was sent by the victims lawyers to the DOJ. It was a list of names not to redact, or, sorry, a list of name not to release. What did the DOJ do with this email? They released this email in the document production! Literally the worst thing you could do to the survivors, you did! And theyre getting phone calls. A lot of these people didnt want to be known. And we know you touched the document, because you redacted one name, and you redacted the lawyers name, but you left the survivors name there. The next document I want to show you-, that was in the title, the victims survivors names, right!? Massie went on to criticize Bondi and the DOJ over their redaction of Epsteins associates names in various places, and to call the handling of the Epstein case bigger than Watergate. Advertisement Advertisement This goes over four administrations. You dont have to go back to Biden. Lets go back to Obama. Lets go back to George Bush. This cover-up spans decades, and you are responsible for this portion of it, he argued. Watch above via CNN. The post The Worst Thing You Could Do! Thomas Massie Berates Pam Bondi for Releasing Epstein Survivor List first appeared on Mediaite. Feb. 10Wright State University and Space Command have formed a working relationship, with the university joining a cadre of schools in the command's academic engagement enterprise. "We're the third institution in Ohio, along with Ohio State and AFIT, to join the program," a spokesman for Wright State told the Dayton Daily News. AFIT, the Air Force Institute of Technology, is at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. Advertisement Advertisement Wright State said it will work with Space Command to develop a pipeline of military and civilian professionals, advance research and more. "Universities in the program gain access to space learning standards, exclusive events with senior leaders, guest speakers and opportunities for collaborative research, internships and exercises," Wright State said in a statement. "Joining Space Command's academic engagement enterprise will enhance Wright State's technical exchanges with the Space Force to ensure we are addressing their most pressing needs, while also creating valuable opportunities for students to engage in realworld challenges inside and outside the classroom," Darryl Ahner, dean of Wright State's College of Engineering and Computer Science, said in a statement. Being close to Wright-Patterson and Air Force Research Laboratory, which is headquartered at Wright-Patterson, didn't hurt the university in the selection process, Wright State said. Advertisement Advertisement WSU is the 89th university nationwide to join the group of schools. Space Command, one of 11 military combatant commands, is responsible for leading all U.S. military operations in space. It is distinct from the U.S. Space Force, a branch of the military like the Air Force. At a time of growing geopolitical tensions, the World Trade Organization must urgently reform itself, its chief said Wednesday, warning that "the status quo is not an option". The WTO, which regulates large swathes of global trade, has been facing increasing pressure to overhaul systems and structures considered by many as outdated and unable to keep pace with a rapidly changing world. Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala said the organisation was "at an inflection point" at a time when "questions are being raised about whether multilateral organisations are still relevant". Advertisement Advertisement "Multilateral organisations like us need to change to be fit for purpose, need to reform for the times," she told the UN correspondents' association ACANU. "I don't think the status quo is an option." Speaking at the WTO's Geneva headquarters, Okonjo-Iweala said that "the world is moving so fast", citing the speed at which artificial intelligence and quantum technologies are moving. "If your organisation doesn't adapt, then you'll be left behind," she said. - 'Chaos' - The WTO faced structural and geopolitical obstacles long before US President Donald Trump returned to the White House last year and set about dramatically ratcheting up global trade tensions. Advertisement Advertisement The WTO has, among other things, long been handicapped by a rule requiring full consensus among members, meaning decisions are few and far between, while its dispute settlement system has been crippled by the United States. Reform will be at the heart of the WTO's ministerial meeting in Cameroon next month. Norway's ambassador to the WTO Petter Olberg, who is facilitating talks on revamping the global trade body, told AFP in a recent interview that the organisation needed to "reform or die". Okonjo-Iweala said such a fate had to be avoided at all costs. "This organisation provides stability and predictability," she said, hailing that "in spite of all the knocks, it is still the bedrock for so much of world trade". Advertisement Advertisement "If we don't have this system, what does it mean? I'll be very honest with you: there'll be chaos," she said. "It means a business will send goods somewhere without the knowledge of how those goods will be valued when it arrives at customs... you wouldn't know how your goods will be valued before you're tariffed. "You'll be confronted when your goods arrive with rules that you were never aware of," she said. - Path forward - The WTO was created in 1995 and is based on a trading system established shortly after World War II. The need for a revamp has been discussed for years, but the discussions have intensified since Trump returned to power, snubbing agreed trade rules and wielding huge tariffs against foes and friends alike. Advertisement Advertisement At the World Economic Forum in Davos last month, Okonjo-Iweala noted that the trade agreements announced by the Trump administration had not been notified to the WTO, as required to ensure they conform with the organisation's rules. This has raised concern that the deals could potentially violate the WTO's "most-favoured nation" (MFN) principle, which aims to extend any trade advantage granted to one trading partner to all others, in a bid to avoid discrimination. The United States itself indicated to the WTO last December that it considers the principle "unsuitable for this era". Asked whether she was concerned about discussions around the future of such a central WTO principle, Okonjo-Iweala said that "one should never be afraid to engage on the issues of the day". Advertisement Advertisement She noted that "72 percent of global merchandise trade is still on MFN", speaking to "the strength and the resilience of the organisation and the principles on which it was founded". She added that the aim of the ministerial meeting in Cameroon was to agree on a path forward for negotiations on reforms. "We are not expecting ministers to come down and solve the problems. We're expecting them to come down and endorse a programme of work," she said. nl/rjm/js Charges are allegations only. All arrested persons are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) A Wyoming man is accused of intentionally hitting a woman with his truck while she was saving a parking space at Costco. 66-year-old Frank Mysliwiec of Evanston was charged with one count of aggravated assault, a third-degree felony, on Tuesday. According to court documents, on Jan. 4, the Salt Lake City Police Department (SLCPD) responded to the Costco near 300 West on reports of a traffic incident. Advertisement Advertisement Former SLC firefighter arrested for CSAM, allegedly viewed it while on duty When they arrived, a woman reported that she and her daughter had finished shopping at Costco when they noticed an empty spot and decided to move their vehicle to load their items. The woman stood in the parking spot while her daughter went to retrieve their vehicle. While she was waiting, a white pickup truck pulled up, and police later identified the driver as Mysliwiec. The woman told Mysliwiec that he couldnt park there as he began pulling into the space. Mysliwiec allegedly then accelerated and struck the woman with his truck, causing her to fall and hit her head on a vehicle parked adjacent, court documents say. The victims daughter corroborated this story, saying she witnessed the truck accelerate and hit her mother. Advertisement Advertisement SLCPD interviewed Mysliwiec about what occurred, and he stated that the victim placed her hands on the hood of his truck so he revved the engine, which caused her to fall. A passenger in his truck reported that he pulled forward, and the victim fell. A bystander who witnessed the incident told police that Mysliwiec appeared visibly enraged before rapidly accelerating the truck. The truck struck the victim, and the witness reported seeing her fly backward. How to make ABC4 your preferred news source on Google Police obtained surveillance footage of the incident, which reportedly showed Mysliwiecs truck starting to pull into the space and coming to a complete stop in front of the victim. The vehicle was stopped for several seconds before suddenly accelerating and hitting the victim. Advertisement Advertisement Mysliwiec was briefly booked into the Salt Lake County Jail but released soon after. A summons has been proposed for his appearance at any upcoming court hearings. Latest headlines: Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has once again rejected a Kremlin proposal that he travel to Moscow for talks. Source: Zelenskyy during an online press briefing, as reported by European Pravda Quote: "I have heard several times publicly that the Russian side has extended invitations I think they were inviting me personally. I have responded to that I cannot go to talks with Putin in Moscow, the capital of the country that is the aggressor in this war. We are ready to support US proposals to meet on any territory: America, Europe, neutral countries, any states except for the Russian Federation and Belarus." Details: Regarding Belarus, Zelenskyy reiterated that it has been an ally in Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine since 2022. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon! Stephen Colberts claim that CBS blocked him from airing an interview with Texas Democrat James Talarico, who is running for a seat in the Senate, has turned what was already one of this years most important races into a national story, right as early voting opened in a pivotal primary for both Democrats and Republicans. Colbert told the Late Show audience on Monday that the network barred him from broadcasting his conversation with Talarico. The next day, CBS claimed that Colbert was never prohibited from airing the interview, but had instead been given legal guidance that the segment could create legal problems with the Federal Communications Commission if it was included in the show. The controversy quickly became a major news story, drawing a new wave of attention to Talarico, a state lawmaker with a relatively small national profile until recently. It may also represent a crucial pivot point in the Texas Senate primary, and could ultimately play a role in deciding which party has control of Congress after the midterms. Advertisement Advertisement In most election years, Texas is largely an afterthought, for good reason. Republicans have had a stranglehold on the Lone Star State for three decades. The last time they lost a statewide race for any office was in 1994. Its been even longer since Texans elected a Democrat to the Senate or went blue during a presidential election. No one is taking Texas for granted this year, however. The national mood has shifted dramatically against Republicans since President Trump returned to the White House. In race after race, Democrats have gained remarkable ground compared to their past performances. That includes a special election for a seat in the Texas state Legislature in a historically deep-red district earlier this month, which a Democrat won by 14 points. One of Texass two seats in the U.S. Senate is up for grabs in November. The way things have been trending recently, both parties have put a spotlight on that contest as a pivot point in deciding whether Democrats or Republicans hold a majority in the Senate for the final two years of Trumps time in the White House. The midterm elections arent until November. But voting in the party primaries started this week. Right now, both sides are locked in incredibly tight and, at times, deeply contentious primary contests to decide who will be the candidates in the general election. The outcome of these intraparty battles could be a major factor in deciding whether Democrats can finally end their decades-long losing streak in Texas. Advertisement Advertisement Forecasters are giving Democrats a strong chance of taking control of the House of Representatives after the midterms, but flipping the Senate appears to be a much bigger challenge. To gain the majority, Democrats will have to sweep every competitive race across the country and pull off at least one upset in a traditionally red state. Texas may be their best opportunity to do it. Heres a rundown of where things stand in both party primaries and how the outcomes might influence the ultimate result later this year. Democratic primary James Talarico and Jasmine Crockett. (Photo illustration: Yahoo News; photos: Bob Daemmrich/The Texas Tribune/Bloomberg via Getty Images) There are two major candidates on the Democratic side: Talarico and U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett. When it comes to the policies they support, Talarico and Crockett are relatively similar. Both fit comfortably within the progressive wing of the Democratic Party and support policies like universal health care, gun control and reforms to the Trump administrations immigration crackdown. In terms of their approach, however, the two candidates could not be more different. Talarico, a former public school teacher and Presbyterian seminarian, has positioned himself as a consolidator who is seeking to bridge the partisan divide and connect with Texans from across the political spectrum. Advertisement Advertisement Im not writing off any voters or any community, he said during an appearance on The View earlier this month. Crockett, on the other hand, has earned a reputation as one of the most confrontational Democrats in Congress during her three years in the House of Representatives. She has become a national figure thanks to a series of viral moments spurred by her blunt, unapologetic style. She made headlines in 2024 with her personal criticisms of former GOP Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, whom she described as having a bleach-blonde, bad-built, butch body. She has also critiqued members of her own party for being so freakin polite. This approach has made her a target for Republicans. Trump has singled her out specifically on multiple occasions, often describing her as a low IQ person. The GOP reportedly launched an effort last year to convince Crockett to join the race, believing that she would prove to be too divisive for the swing voters that Democrats need on their side to stand a chance of winning in a red state like Texas. Advertisement Advertisement Despite their glaring differences, Talarico and Crockett had largely avoided attacking each other directly through most of the primary campaign. That changed earlier this month when Colin Allred, who was Talaricos main primary opponent before he dropped out of the race in December, accused Talarico of describing him as a mediocre Black man during a private conversation with a social media influencer. Talarico responded by saying that his comments, which reportedly were not recorded, had been misconstrued. I described Congressman Allreds method of campaigning as mediocre I would never attack him on the basis of race, he wrote in a statement. Crockett has said she doesnt fully believe Talaricos explanation and has instead described his alleged statement as an example of the types of things that well-intentioned white folk say about minorities when theyre behind closed doors. A group backing Talarico also released a rare negative ad targeting Crockett last week that called her candidacy a gift to Republicans. Advertisement Advertisement The Late Show controversy has added another new wrinkle to the contest, as Talarico has capitalized on the attention and millions in campaign donations that the incident has brought his way. His interview with Colbert, which was shared on the Late Shows YouTube page and Talaricos social media accounts, has gathered tens of millions of views. Crockett conceded on Tuesday that the situation probably gave Talarico the boost he was looking for in their primary race, but also applauded Colbert for sharing the interview online. We know that when we resist and when it seems like theyre trying to change the rules and bend the knee to this president, that it backfires in historic fashion, she said. The FCC is also looking at potentially taking action against the daytime talk show The View over its interviews with both Talarico and Crockett in recent weeks, FCC chair Brendan Carr said on Wednesday. Advertisement Advertisement The most recent poll of the Democratic primary, which was conducted before the Late Show controversy, showed Crockett with a significant lead. But that poll came just a couple of weeks after a different poll showed Talarico well ahead, and another suggesting the race was essentially a toss-up. Despite claims that Crockett would perform worse in the general election, both Democrats ran between 1 and 2 points behind their potential Republican opponents in a recent survey of general election matchups. Republican primary John Cornyn, left, and Ken Paxton. (Photo illustration: Yahoo News; photos: Andrew Harnik/Getty Images, Kent Nishimura/Bloomberg via Getty Images) While the Democratic primary only became testy within the last couple of weeks, the gloves have been off on the Republican side since the very beginning. Sen. John Cornyn is trying to keep the Senate seat hes held since 2002, but hes facing an aggressive challenge from Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. Cornyn has comfortably defeated his Democratic challenger in each of his four previous Senate campaigns. He has also been a reliable vote for Trumps legislative agenda, including voting along with the president 100% of the time last year. Despite Cornyns record, Paxton has argued that he isnt conservative enough for todays Republican Party. Advertisement Advertisement For years, John Cornyn has betrayed President Trump and the America First movement, he wrote on social media while announcing his Senate campaign last year. Paxton has kept up that line of attack ever since. Last week, he claimed that the only people Cornyn is willing to fight against are Donald Trump, gun owners, and the voices in his head. He also recently published a lengthy official legal filing inaccurately accusing Cornyn of supporting diversity, equity and inclusion nearly 30 years ago. Paxton has faced serious legal issues during his tenure as attorney general, including accusations of corruption that nearly caused him to be kicked out of office in 2023. Cornyn has repeatedly brought up Paxtons legal troubles throughout the campaign, portraying him as a crooked politician who abuses his office for cheap political stunts. His campaign has also taken personal jabs at Paxton over his recent divorce, including accusing him of repeatedly cheating on his ex-wife. A third Republican, U.S. Rep. Wesley Hunt, is also running in the GOP primary. Though Hunt is polling in a distant third behind Paxton and Cornyn, he could still make a difference in the final outcome. Hunt has largely built his campaign around criticizing Cornyn, which could help improve Paxtons effort to undermine him in the eyes of voters. Hunts presence also significantly increases the chances that there will be a runoff in the GOP primary, which is triggered when no candidate secures more than 50% support in the first round of voting. Advertisement Advertisement Polls have shown Paxton leading the race, though coming in well below the threshold to avoid a runoff. Democrats generally view Paxton as more beatable than Cornyn, who has been dominant in statewide races for more than two decades. We will have an Election Day massacre, Cornyn said on Tuesday. Republicans up and down the ticket will pay the price of having an albatross like our corrupt attorney general hung around their neck. Voting in both primaries has started and runs through March 3. If necessary, a runoff would be held at the end of May. Contact Alexander Banks by email at abanks@yakimaherald.com, or by phone at 509-577-7654. Alexander Banks reporting for the Yakima Herald-Republic is possible with support from Report for America and Yakima community members. For information on republishing, email news@yakimaherald.com. To support local journalism, click here. Jordan Michael Hankinson, right, listens to defense attorney Paul Kelley during his preliminary appearance in Yakima County Superior Court Wednesday, Feb. 4, 2026. Hankinson has been charged with burglaries in the White Pass area and is suspected of possessing stolen firearms in another case. The Mexican Government has struck a long-term agreement with Moderna that will see the drugmaker help the country boost its vaccine offerings against respiratory diseases. As per the five-year agreement, Moderna will supply its respiratory vaccine portfolio, and transfer its Covid-19 vaccine technology to Mexican pharma company Liomont. The latter part of the deal will allow privately-owned Liomont to produce mRNA-1273, Moderna's vaccine approved for preventing Covid-19. The move starkly contrasts recent activities in the US the FDA shunned a new mRNA influenza candidate from Moderna on 10 February. Liomont, which employs more than 1,500 people, operates some of the most modern pharma facilities in Mexico. In 2019, it opened a new plant in Estado de Mexico tasked with producing vaccines, amongst other modalities. According to Liomont, it became the first plant in Latin America with a liquid and vial filling line that incorporated isolator technology. The total plant size is over 1.6 million m2. The alliance is part of the governments "Plan Mexico," an economic growth initiative to increase investment and build local production capacity. Moderna and the Mexican Government will also work together on the countrys health priorities, and level up pandemic preparedness in the region. "We are proud to support Mexico in its mission to strengthen national health security," said Stephane Bancel, Modernas CEO. "Through this agreement, we will be able to provide the Mexican people with access to our respiratory vaccines and critical pandemic response capacity. This collaboration also reflects the growing demand for these vaccines in Mexico, and we are excited about the opportunity to support public health needs while driving sales growth through geographic diversification, Bancel added. Mexico had previously ordered up to 10 million doses of Moderna's 2025-2026 Covid-19 vaccine, an updated version of mRNA-1273, also known as Spikevax. Moderna is one of several big pharma companies to make investments in Mexico. In August 2025, Bayer announced plans to invest 3bn pesos ($174.13m) in the country over five years to modernise and expand production of its established sites in Mexico. Boehringer Ingelheim and AstraZeneca have also pledged millions of US dollars to upgrade their respective plants in Mexico. The latter believes Mexico could be a global hub for innovation and technology. The unveiling of the Mexico-centred partnership by Moderna was overshadowed by a separate development in its mRNA portfolio. On 10 February, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) refused to review Modernas new mRNA flu vaccine, representing a significant disconnect between the US regulator and the pharma industry on the modality. Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. The Federal Aviation Administration has reopened the airspace around El Paso International Airport in Texas, just hours after it announced a 10-day closure that would have grounded all flights to and from the airport U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem holds a news conference about the shooting in Minneapolis at Fort Snelling in St. Paul on Jan. 7. Welcome to the US Crypto News Morning Briefingyour essential rundown of the most important developments in crypto for the day ahead. Grab a coffeebig moves are happening on the US coasts. From luxury mansions in Miami to shifts in billionaire residency, wealth is on the move, amid new patterns in finance, real estate, and crypto. Crypto News of the Day: Florida Emerges as a Tax Haven for Tech and Crypto Wealth Californias tech and crypto elites are increasingly eyeing Florida as a tax-friendly alternative. Grant Cardones recent X (Twitter) post advertising a 10,000 sq. ft., 7-bedroom Miami mansion for 700 BTC highlights the growing intersection of Bitcoin wealth and high-end real estate. The listing coincides with a surge in relocations by high-net-worth individuals from California. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and his wife, Priscilla Chan, are the latest California billionaires moving to South Florida. Reportedly, they are purchasing a newly completed waterfront mansion in Miamis Indian Creek neighborhood. Based on reports, the gated community is home to other high-profile figures, including Jeff Bezos, Tom Brady, and Jared Kushner/Ivanka Trump. The seller is reportedly a limited liability company tied to Jersey Mikes Subs founder Peter Cancro. While the deal has not been publicly confirmed as closed, WSJ, citing neighbors, estimates that Zuckerberg plans to move in by April 2026. California Tax Fallout The relocations come amid a proposed California billionaire tax that has sparked concern among the states wealthiest residents. According to Chamath Palihapitiya, a Canadian-American VC and SPAC pioneer, Californias total taxable wealth from billionaires has fallen from over $2 trillion to under $1 trillion following announcements of high-profile departures. Purchase of 250,000 Square Foot Office Building Supports Banks Continued Growth and Long-Term Commitment to Oklahoma City OKLAHOMA CITY, February 11, 2026--(BUSINESS WIRE)--MidFirst Bank, the nations largest privately owned bank, has expanded its Oklahoma City headquarters campus with the purchase of a 250,000squarefoot office building adjacent to its existing facilities. The building, formerly "Building 14" of the Chesapeake Energy (now Expand Energy) campus, supports MidFirsts longterm growth strategy and reinforces the Banks deep commitment to its home state of Oklahoma. "Oklahoma City is MidFirsts hometown and headquarters, and this acquisition reflects our enduring commitment to the community while positioning us for continued growth," said Todd Dobson, Chief Executive Officer of MidFirst Bank. "MidFirst has experienced tremendous expansion in recent years and now operates banking locations in Oklahoma, Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, Texas and Utah, as well as mortgage servicing, private banking and commercial real estate lending nationwide." For more than seventy years, under the ownership and leadership of the Records family, the organization has proudly called Oklahoma City home. With origins dating back to Midland Mortgage in the early 1950s and the expansion of the business with the founding of MidFirst Bank in 1982, MidFirst has maintained deep community ties and played a significant role in Oklahoma Citys development. As a family-owned institution, MidFirst benefits from the stability and longterm focus of private ownership while maintaining the scale, agility and resources of a national financial leader. MidFirsts commitment to the Oklahoma City community extends well beyond banking. The Bank has a longstanding history of supporting local organizations through philanthropy, volunteerism and corporate partnerships. Its contributions span healthcare initiatives, educational programs, civicoriented nonprofits and major community investments, including its role as a founding partner of the Oklahoma City Thunder. "We see tremendous opportunity aheadboth here in Oklahoma City and across the countryand were excited to continue expanding to better serve the communities where we operate," Dobson added. About MidFirst Bank With $41.4 billion in assets, Oklahoma Citybased MidFirst Bank is the largest privately owned bank in the United States. MidFirst operates banking locations in Oklahoma, Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, Texas and Utah, and provides commercial lending, wealth management, private banking and mortgage servicing nationwide. The head of the HUN-REN Hungarian Research Network announced on Tuesday the launch the HUN-REN comprehensive space research programme, which he said aligned with Hungary's 2021 space strategy and the 2023 Neumann Janos national research programme. Balazs Gulyas said at today's inaugural Space Summit 2026 conference in Budapest was not just a professional gathering but "a strategic milestone". Hungarian scientists and engineers, Gulyas said, had contributed to global efforts in astronautics and space exploration for the past few decades. "Over 120 researchers across eight HUN-REN institutes have conducted internationally recognised work, from operating astrophysical small satellites to participating in planetary missions and analysing lunar rock samples," he said. "Given the exponential growth in the global significance of space research and the space economy, the time has come to unite vast expertise within and without the research network," Gulyas said. This must build on the HUNOR programme's achievements and further collaboration with its partners, he added. "Our goal is clear: to make HUN-REN an indispensable player in the international space research and industry value chain," he decalared. A key element of the strategy, he said, was deep integration into the global space research and industrial ecosystem. In March, HUN-REN will represent Hungary at Europe's largest space industry conference, Space-Comm Expo in London, where researcher-astronaut Tibor Kapu will deliver a presentation. "This event offers an opportunity to strengthen ties with leading international partners, showcase Hungary's space research achievements and future plans, and place Hungary on the global space map," Gulyas added. Success depended on researchers, university partners, and space industry representatives working together on a unified platform, he argued. "Today's conference and our upcoming space research programme aim to ensure that Hungarian expertise not only reaches space but also creates lasting value for both the international scientific community and Hungarys science and economy." Roland Jakab, HUN-REN's director-general, emphysised that space research, as one of the fastest-growing sectors in the global economy, was a priority for Hungary. Orsolya Ferencz, ministerial commissioner for space research, speaking during a panel discussion with Kapu, said that the energy, funding, and work invested in recent years were now bearing fruit, with a strong expert base, experiments, and trained astronauts positioning Hungary to remain "a present and defining force in space activity". Space Summit 2026, hosted by HUN-REN and Tibor Kapu of the HUNOR programme, features speakers from Hungarian and international space research, including Bertalan Farkas, Peggy Whitson, and Slawosz Uznanski Wisniewski. Source: MTI Hungarys national news agency since 1881. While MTI articles are usually factual, some may contain political bias, and readers should be aware that such content does not reflect the position of XpatLoop, which is neutral and independent. Since the goal of XpatLoop is to keep readers well briefed, right across the spectrum of opinions, MTI items are shared to ensure readers are aware of all narratives within the local media. XpatLoop believes in empowering readers to form their own views through complete and comprehensive coverage. To facilitate this XpatLoop has a balanced range of news partners, as you can see when you surf around XpatLoop.com ********************************************************************************************* You're very welcome to comment, discuss and enjoy more stories via our Facebook page: Facebook.com/XpatLoopNews + via XpatLoops groups: Budapest Expats / Expats Hungary You can subscribe to our newsletter here: XpatLoop.com/Newsletters Showcase Your Business to Expats in the Loop: As an independent portal were grateful to all commercial supporters who help keep you in the loop with fresh insights and inspiration. Do you want your business to reach tens of thousands of potential high-value expat customers? If so please contact us here. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio arrived in Budapest on Sunday, where he was welcomed at Liszt Ferenc International Airport by Levente Magyar, parliamentary state secretary at the foreign ministry. Live coverage on public news channel M1 confirmed that Rubio will meet Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto on Monday to sign a nuclear energy cooperation agreement and discuss bilateral relations and prospects for peace in Ukraine. Rubio will then hold talks with Prime Minister Viktor Orban, focusing on peace efforts and negotiations, and US-Hungarian ties. The meeting will be followed by a joint press conference. Rubio's visit is seen as significant, as Hungary is expected to play a key role in the Board of Peace, M1 said. Orban maintains a friendship with US President Donald Trump, who has publicly endorsed the Hungarian prime minister's re-election bid in April and has praised his efforts to curb illegal migration, they said. Earlier: Marco Rubio to Visit Budapest US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is scheduled to visit Bratislava and Budapest on Feb 15-16, the State Department said in a statement on Monday. Rubio will visit central Europe after attending the Munich Security Conference from Feb 13 to 15, the statement said. According to the statement, Rubio's talks in Budapest will aim to "bolster our shared bilateral and regional interests, including our commitment to peace processes to resolve global conflicts and to the US-Hungary energy partnership." In Bratislava, Rubio will discuss nuclear energy cooperation, regional security, modernisation of the Slovak army, and Slovakia's NATO commitments, the statement said. Background info: It is fascinating to see the evolution of Marco Rubios stance on Hungary. As he prepares for his visit on February 1516, his current diplomatic tone as Secretary of State contrasts sharply with his historically vocal criticism of Prime Minister Viktor Orbans domestic and foreign policies. Here is a breakdown of Rubios past comments and the shifting dynamics between the two leaders: 1. Criticism of "Democratic Backsliding" For years, Rubio was one of the more prominent Republican critics of the Orban governments internal policies. He frequently raised alarms about the erosion of the rule of law. The Judiciary and Elections: In 2019, Rubio co-signed a bipartisan letter to then-President Trump expressing concern that under Orban, the "judiciary is increasingly controlled by the state" and the election process had become "less competitive." Media Consolidation: Rubio has previously noted that the consolidation of Hungarian media into the hands of government-aligned oligarchs prevents truly "free elections" because the public is only presented with one narrative. Human Rights: As recently as 2025, Rubio faced pressure from colleagues to condemn Hungarian legislation targeting the LGBTQ+ community, which he had previously described as part of a "downward trajectory with regard to democratic freedoms." 2. Concerns Over Russia and China Ties Rubio has historically viewed Hungarys "balancing act" between the West and the East with suspicion. Authoritarian Pivot: He once stated that Orban had taken Hungary in a "decidedly authoritarian direction," pushing aside traditional allies in favor of closer relations with Beijing and Moscow. Energy Sanctions Conflict: In late 2025, a public disagreement broke out when Rubio clarified that a U.S. sanctions waiver for Russian oil and gas was limited to one year to prevent economic trauma. This directly contradicted the Hungarian governments claim that the exemption was "unlimited," leading to a diplomatic "clarification" process between Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto and Rubio. 3. The Shift to "Transactional Diplomacy" Despite these past criticisms, Rubios current visit reflects a more pragmatic, "America First" approach typical of the current administration. Shared Peace Goals: Rubio has shifted toward praising Orban as a partner in "peace processes," particularly regarding the conflict in Ukrainea stance that aligns with the Trump administrations desire to end the war quickly. NATO Reimagining: Rubio has recently argued that NATO needs to be "reimagined," with European allies taking more responsibility. This aligns with Orban's long-standing rhetoric that Europe should be more independent in its defense and security decisions. Source: MTI Hungarys national news agency since 1881. While MTI articles are usually factual, some may contain political bias, and readers should be aware that such content does not reflect the position of XpatLoop, which is neutral and independent. Since the goal of XpatLoop is to keep readers well briefed, right across the spectrum of opinions, MTI items are shared to ensure readers are aware of all narratives within the local media. XpatLoop believes in empowering readers to form their own views through complete and comprehensive coverage. To facilitate this XpatLoop has a balanced range of news partners, as you can see when you surf around XpatLoop.com ********************************************************************************************* You're very welcome to comment, discuss and enjoy more stories via our Facebook page: Facebook.com/XpatLoopNews + via XpatLoops groups: Budapest Expats / Expats Hungary You can subscribe to our newsletter here: XpatLoop.com/Newsletters Showcase Your Business to Expats in the Loop: As an independent portal were grateful to all commercial supporters who help keep you in the loop with fresh insights and inspiration. Do you want your business to reach tens of thousands of potential high-value expat customers? If so please contact us here. The mayor of Nagytevel, a village in Veszprem county, was shot with a gas pistol on Tuesday morning in the local government office, authorities confirmed. Veszprem county police said a 76-year-old man from the Papa area shot mayor Sandor Orban inside the municipal building, which also houses the local kindergarten. Police said the suspect had previously suffered from delusions and had visited the mayor several times before the attack. He fired three shots at close range, injuring the mayor in the head and chest. Orban sustained severe injuries and was airlifted by helicopter to a hospital in Gyor. The suspect was apprehended at the scene and taken into custody. At the time of the shooting, around 20 young children were in the kindergarten nearby. Although they were not physically harmed, they were frightened by the gunshots, and teachers told them to leave the building through windows as a precaution. Peter Magyar, leader of the Tisza Party, commented on the incident, citing information from the partys local parliamentary candidate. He noted that one municipal employee restrained the attacker until police arrived and that the motive for the attack remains unknown. Magyar called on Interior Minister Sandor Pinter to fully disclose the details of the case and to take steps to ensure public safety, stressing that no public official or citizen should live in fear of such attacks. ********************************************************************************************* You're very welcome to comment, discuss and enjoy more stories via our Facebook page: Facebook.com/XpatLoopNews + via XpatLoops groups: Budapest Expats / Expats Hungary You can subscribe to our newsletter here: XpatLoop.com/Newsletters Showcase Your Business to Expats in the Loop: As an independent portal were grateful to all commercial supporters who help keep you in the loop with fresh insights and inspiration. Do you want your business to reach tens of thousands of potential high-value expat customers? If so please contact us here. Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto announced on Tuesday that he is filing a criminal complaint against Peter Magyar, leader of the opposition Tisza Party, for public defamation with malicious intent, citing "blatant lies" about the environmental and health compliance of the Samsung plant in the settlement of God, near Budapest, made during a Facebook livestream. Szijjarto, speaking on the Truth Hour podcast, said that Magyar had "crossed a line", adding that this justified the unprecedented legal action despite his "usual reluctance" to pursue such cases. "The defamation he directed at me last night -- these baseless, brutal lies - goes far beyond acceptable political debate," he said. "I won't tolerate this. I'm filing charges today, and we will see if Magyar takes responsibility like a man or hides behind [European Commission President] Ursula von der Leyen and [European People's Party head] Manfred Weber, invoking Brussels' immunity to evade accountability." He confirmed that legal action would also be taken against news portal Telex for publishing what he called a "massive disinformation campaign" falsely implicating him in the matter of the plant's legality. Szijjarto emphasised that the Kuria, Hungary's Supreme Court, upheld the plant's comprehensive environmental permit on Friday, ensuring its continued operation, a fact he insisted opponents "conveniently omit". "I live five kilometres from the plant. If there were any truth to these claims, I'd know," he added. Meanwhile, Szijjarto accused the "Brussels-Kyiv coalition" of seeking regime change in Hungary, citing Ukraine's push for bans on Russian oil and gas imports and sanctions on Russia's nuclear sector as threats to Hungary's energy security and sovereignty. "Any entity undermining Hungary's stability is our enemy. Ukraine is acting against us, and we will not allow it," he declared. Source: MTI Hungarys national news agency since 1881. While MTI articles are usually factual, some may contain political bias, and readers should be aware that such content does not reflect the position of XpatLoop, which is neutral and independent. Since the goal of XpatLoop is to keep readers well briefed, right across the spectrum of opinions, MTI items are shared to ensure readers are aware of all narratives within the local media. XpatLoop believes in empowering readers to form their own views through complete and comprehensive coverage. To facilitate this XpatLoop has a balanced range of news partners, as you can see when you surf around XpatLoop.com ********************************************************************************************* You're very welcome to comment, discuss and enjoy more stories via our Facebook page: Facebook.com/XpatLoopNews + via XpatLoops groups: Budapest Expats / Expats Hungary You can subscribe to our newsletter here: XpatLoop.com/Newsletters Showcase Your Business to Expats in the Loop: As an independent portal were grateful to all commercial supporters who help keep you in the loop with fresh insights and inspiration. Do you want your business to reach tens of thousands of potential high-value expat customers? If so please contact us here. Ukraine is currently Hungary's enemy as it is trying to undermine the country's secure operations, energy security and sovereignty, Peter Szijjarto, the minister of foreign affairs and trade, said on Tuesday, adding that the government would not allow the country's secure operations to be put at risk. Szijjarto told the Truth Hour podcast that the "Brussels-Kyiv coalition" was working to bring about a change of government in Hungary "and their candidate is the Tisza Party" because if Tisza came to power they would fulfil their expectations, in contrast to the current sovereign, patriotic leadership. According to a ministry statement, Szijjarto said Ukraine was constantly pushing through Brussels decisions that were harmful to Hungary, citing the ban on Russian oil and natural gas imports and sanctions against the Russian nuclear industry as examples. Such steps, he said, were "hostile actions" against Hungary. Meanwhile, Szijjarto said Europe was suffering from war fanaticism, with Brussels currently in the process of preparing its twentieth package of sanctions "and making increasingly wild proposals." "Now they want Rosatom, Gazprom, and Lukoil to be added to the sanctions list, Russian energy companies with which cooperation is critical for Hungary in terms of both our energy security and maintaining low utility costs," he warned. Since 2015, Ukraine had been pursuing a "policy motivated by the hatred of Hungarians," severely restricting the rights of minorities, Szijjarto said. "Unfortunately, it is no exaggeration to say that during the Soviet era, Hungarians in Transcarpathia had more rights in terms of using their mother tongue." "And this is the country Brussels wants into the European Union. This is the country the Tisza Party wants to support ... they had a survey where the majority of their supporters [...] were on Ukraine's side," he noted. Regarding the government's utility price cut scheme, Szijjarto said: "Because we buy cheap Russian crude oil and natural gas, utility costs for families in Hungary are lower than in countries where energy sources are more expensive than in Russia." He said the Tisza Party wanted to put an end to that state of affairs. "The Tisza Party has now recruited celebrities who have been lobbying for years for us to give up cheap Russian energy sources and buy more expensive ones from Western companies, thereby obviously increasing the revenues of those Western companies and their shareholders, while the Hungarian people pay three times as much for their utility bills," he said. Orban: If next govt not formed by patriotic side, Ukraine will join EU If the next government is not formed by patriotic forces, Ukraine will be allowed to join the European Union, Prime Minister Viktor Orban said. In a video posted on Facebook, Orban was asked about Politico's claim that in case opposition Tisza leader Peter Magyar becomes prime minister, Ukraine's accession to the EU would be accelerated. "That's what would happen," Orban responded. He warned that Ukraine's EU membership would destroy Hungarian agriculture and "the pillars of the Hungarian economy today." "As for the destruction of Europe, that's not my problem, but the Europeans', because if they set fire to the roof over their own heads, that's their business; we have to deal with Hungary," he added. He said that Ukraine cannot be allowed to join the EU because it is sharply opposed to Hungary's interests. "In short, they call from Brussels, and then the puppet government in Brussels says: jawohl. When they call me, I usually say: nein, danke. That's the difference," Orban said. Gal: EU plans of Ukraine 2027 accession 'crazy, unfounded idea' The European Union's plan to have Ukraine join the bloc by 2027 "is a completely crazy idea with no basis in reality," ruling Fidesz MEP Kinga Gal said on Tuesday. Gal, who is also a vice-president of the Patriots for Europe EP group, said in a statement that the EU was ratcheting up pressure for Ukraine's accelerated accession. Also, they were openly saying that since Hungary caused a problem, the party "submissive" to the EU should win the elections in Hungary. She added that a five-point plan had been leaked on talks of the EU providing 800 billion euros for reconstruction and 700 billion euros for armament, beyond the 90 billion euros promised to Ukraine. She said there was now open talk that Ukraine could possibly join the European Union as early as next year. Gal said this would amount to "accession turned upside down" in which the conditions for membership would not be examined before admission, but rather the candidate country would be required to meet EU expectations after the fact. This would ruin the EU, especially the agriculture of neighboring countries, and harm farmers, businesses, the labor market and security, she added. She said it was unacceptable that there is talk of removing the right of veto and extending majority voting on such issues. "They are thinking in a completely upside-down EU," she said, adding that it should not be allowed. She added that the Hungarian government and Fidesz were a guarantee that Hungary's money and interests would not be exported to Ukraine. "They were openly stating that they want a change of government in Hungary," Gal said. It has also been stated at the plenary session that the leader of the Tisza Party is considered a partner in the implementation of Brussels' ideas. "It really matters who wins the April elections, because currently only Fidesz can guarantee that accelerated accession will not be accepted," she added. She also said that the EP was discussing the 90 billion euro loan, which she called a "war loan", in an accelerated procedure. She said the money would be used to support Ukraine, arm it, and maintain it, as proposed by the European Commission. She added that this amount would indebt future generations, while the sources of repayment are unclear. Gal said Hungary, together with Slovakia and the Czech Republic, was able to stay out of the loan, and the Hungarian government does not intend to participate in such loans for Ukraine in the future. She added that they would vote against it in the EP. Meanwhile, Gal said the Spanish government was planning to introduce a package of measures that would legalise 500,000 illegal immigrants. The Schengen area would enable these individuals to travel anywhere in the EU, including Hungary, she said, adding that while Hungary was protecting its external borders and had to pay a daily fine of one million euros, the EC was silent on Spain's move. She said the measure could invite more migrants and jeopardise one of the most important achievements of the Schengen area, namely the free movement across borders. Another key issue at the EP plenary will be competitiveness, Gal said, adding that one of the main reasons for the decline in European competitiveness were high energy prices, which she said were the result of the EC's misguided policy. She cited the RePowerEU programme, which aims to phase out Russian energy sources from the European market, as an example, saying that it particularly affects central and eastern Europe. She said the Hungarian government had referred the matter to the Court of Justice of the European Union and they will emphasise it in the debate that energy prices need to be reduced in order to improve competitiveness. Source: MTI Hungarys national news agency since 1881. While MTI articles are usually factual, some may contain political bias, and readers should be aware that such content does not reflect the position of XpatLoop, which is neutral and independent. Since the goal of XpatLoop is to keep readers well briefed, right across the spectrum of opinions, MTI items are shared to ensure readers are aware of all narratives within the local media. XpatLoop believes in empowering readers to form their own views through complete and comprehensive coverage. To facilitate this XpatLoop has a balanced range of news partners, as you can see when you surf around XpatLoop.com ********************************************************************************************* You're very welcome to comment, discuss and enjoy more stories via our Facebook page: Facebook.com/XpatLoopNews + via XpatLoops groups: Budapest Expats / Expats Hungary You can subscribe to our newsletter here: XpatLoop.com/Newsletters Showcase Your Business to Expats in the Loop: As an independent portal were grateful to all commercial supporters who help keep you in the loop with fresh insights and inspiration. Do you want your business to reach tens of thousands of potential high-value expat customers? If so please contact us here. Wolt has developed a comprehensive action plan with the Ministry for National Economy aimed at promoting responsible operations in the domestic local commerce sector, the company said in a statement. Wolt will tighten its internal rules on the delivery of alcoholic beverages and energy drinks and will develop a digital age-verification system. The company will reduce delivery fees in nearly 50 towns to make its services more affordable outside Budapest and will also review its user compensation system. The announcement follows a September case in which the National Trade and Consumer Protection Authority imposed HUF 200 million in consumer protection fines on Wolt. The authority found that Wolt Services Hungary Kft. sold alcohol and energy drinks to customers under 18, advertised misleading promotions, and failed to display all required discounted unit prices. ********************************************************************************************* You're very welcome to comment, discuss and enjoy more stories via our Facebook page: Facebook.com/XpatLoopNews + via XpatLoops groups: Budapest Expats / Expats Hungary You can subscribe to our newsletter here: XpatLoop.com/Newsletters Showcase Your Business to Expats in the Loop: As an independent portal were grateful to all commercial supporters who help keep you in the loop with fresh insights and inspiration. Do you want your business to reach tens of thousands of potential high-value expat customers? If so please contact us here. New Delhi: India expects to finalise and sign the legal agreement for the interim trade deal with the United States before the end of March, Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal said in an exclusive interview with ANI on the sidelines of BIOFACH 2026. "The joint statement that India-US has released lays down the broad contours of the Interim Agreement that both sides have reached. Now this Interim Agreement and the understanding that has been reflected in the joint statement needs to be converted into a legal document. The process is on," Agrawal explained. The Commerce Secretary expressed cautious optimism about the timeline while acknowledging potential challenges. "We expect that before the end of March, we should be able to finalise and sign the legal agreement. However, having said that, I think drafting a legal agreement to the satisfaction of both sides also sometimes may take time, but we are hopeful the teams are working on it, we should look at March as the timeline in which we should make it operational," he said. Asked about the main sectors that will benefit from the agreement, the Commerce Secretary highlighted India's competitive advantage in labour-intensive industries. "The unique strength of India lies in the labour-intensive sectors. And since US has been a very strong market for India in the labour-intensive sectors, I think with this framework Interim Agreement, there will be an advantage back to our labour-intensive sector. They will be able to grow unhindered," Agrawal said. Addressing concerns about the 18 percent tariff ceiling, he said that competitive countries in the same geography have tariffs above 18 percent. "Though there are talks about that 18% tariff still is high, but our competitive countries also have a tariff more than 18% in the same geography, I think when the tariff starts getting transferred to the consumers and industry, (they will) have an unhindered access to the market." The Commerce Secretary expressed confidence that Indian exporters would be able to compete effectively with their competitors and "revive and rejuvenate the market or supply chains that they might have missed out during the Christmas time, and see that the Indian exports not only grow as they were doing well in the past years, but also grow in the coming years." On whether India was able to protect sensitive sectors like dairy, Agrawal was emphatic about the country's negotiating position. "India has always negotiated all agreements with a very clear mindset. Anything that is very sensitive to India, anything where we feel our farmers, our fishermen, our dairy, they are going to be impacted, I think we have been very clear to our partner countries that India cannot open up or provide access," he stated. He pointed to India's recent track record in trade negotiations. "If you look at all the agreements that we have done in last one year, the five trade agreements that we did, all the sensitive sectors everywhere have been protected. In US also, all the key sensitive sectors have been protected. Wherever there is little sensitivity where we import also, I think we have used a TRQ [Tariff Rate Quota] mechanism to ensure that any market access is also limited in nature, and it does not impact our farmers and the ecosystem in any which way." The Commerce Secretary said stakeholders and exporters have responded positively to the Interim Agreement. "While negotiating the US agreement, we had deep consultations with all stakeholder ministries and even the industry at different points in time. Businesses are very happy with the outcome. They have given a thumbs up to the overall agreement," Agrawal said. "They feel in the current scenario, when reciprocal tariffs are there to stay, all agreements provide for reciprocal tariffs. I think what we have been able to achieve under the Interim Agreement is good for India, good for our exports, and they are very positive about it. I don't see any major red line in this Agreement." Asked about January export numbers, the Commerce Secretary expressed confidence in India's trade performance. "Overall, India has been doing well. We have been holding well on both merchandise export and services. Services, as usual, have been doing phenomenally well. The data will come out on February 15, and you can expect a positive outcome that day," Agrawal said. India is participating as Country of the Year at BIOFACH 2026 in Nuremberg, Germany and is showcasing its organic sector with 67 co-exhibitors from over 20 states in a 1,074 square meter pavilion. Add Zee News as a Preferred Source Bangladesh is set to vote in a crucial general election tomorrow, an event being closely watched across the region, particularly in India. The outcome is expected to shape not only Dhakas internal political trajectory but also its foreign policy orientation and regional stability. With counting scheduled to begin at 4 PM tomorrow and results due on 13 February, tensions are high amid reports of political clashes, minority concerns, and allegations of foreign influence. In todays episode of DNA, Rahul Sinha, Managing Editor of Zee News, conducted a detailed analysis of the high-stakes contest, framing it as more than just a domestic political battle. The program examined claims that the election has effectively turned into a larger geopolitical face-off, with the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) led by Tarique Rahman on one side and Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh on the other, amid allegations of indirect backing from global and regional powers. The principal contest is between the BNP, the party of former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, now led by her son Tarique Rahman, and Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh. Recent commentary has suggested that Tarique Rahman has drawn favorable attention from sections of the U.S. establishment, including remarks from the U.S. Ambassador in Dhaka describing him as a potential messenger of democratic restoration. Meanwhile, Jamaat-e-Islami is alleged by critics to enjoy support from Pakistans military leadership, particularly Field Marshal Asim Munir, a claim that adds a sharp geopolitical dimension to the election narrative. Add Zee News as a Preferred Source According to a survey by Bangladesh-based organization NRC, the BNP is projected to win 220 of 300 seats, with an estimated 77 percent vote share. The Jamaat-e-Islami alliance is projected to secure between 46 and 57 seats, with around 12 percent vote share. If these trends hold, the BNP would emerge as the dominant force in the next parliament. However, the election campaign has been overshadowed by violence and unrest. Reports claim that since the announcement of elections in December 2025, at least 16 Hindus have been killed, over 100 shops looted, and nearly 50 Hindu homes set on fire. Areas including Dhaka, Mymensingh, Chittagong, and Khulna have reportedly witnessed incidents targeting minorities. Allegations have surfaced that members linked to BNPs student wing and leaders associated with Jamaat-e-Islami were involved in various incidents, though these claims remain politically contested. The United Nations fact-finding committee has also expressed concern about the safety of minorities, citing reports of organized violence and warning of potential attempts to prevent Hindu voters from participating in the electoral process. Minority communities are said to be anxious about their security regardless of which major party forms the next government. Both major parties have also adopted positions that critics describe as critical of India. The BNP manifesto calls for equal sharing of river waters with India, while Jamaat-e-Islami has pledged to revoke what it describes as special privileges extended to India. Tarique Rahman has spoken about reducing Indias dominance within SAARC, and Jamaat leaders have emphasized strengthening ties with Muslim-majority countries. Adding to the charged atmosphere are allegations of electoral malpractice. Bangladeshi media reports claim that ballot papers without serial numbers were printed, raising fears of manipulation. Police have reportedly seized large quantities of burqas allegedly intended for use in fraudulent voting schemes. UN observers have further alleged the circulation of deepfake videos targeting female candidates to intimidate them into withdrawing. Clashes between BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami workers have intensified in recent weeks. Since 20 January, there have reportedly been 25 incidents of confrontation, leaving around 150 injured and 16 dead. The violence has deepened concerns about the credibility and safety of the electoral process. As Bangladesh heads to the polls, the result will determine not only the countrys internal power balance but also its strategic alignment in South Asia. With regional and international implications at stake, the world, and especially India, will be closely watching the verdict delivered by Bangladeshi voters. Key Takeaways Mike Novogratz said cryptos age of speculation may be ending as institutions reshape risk appetite. He expects tokenized real-world assets and tokenized stocks to lead the next phase, with lower returns. Novogratz blamed the slump on a post-leverage wipeout hangover, not a single smoking gun event. He said the industry needs a US market structure bill, including the proposed CLARITY Act, to restore spirit. Galaxy Digital CEO Mike Novogratz said cryptos age of speculation may be ending as more risk-averse institutions enter the market, pushing the industry toward tokenized real-world assets (RWAs) with much lower returns, according to remarks he made at the CNBC Digital Finance Forum in New York. His comments come as Bitcoin has fallen sharply in early 2026. At the time of writing, BTC was down more than 21% year to date and nearly 50% from its October 2025 peak, after it dropped to about $60,062 last week. No Smoking Gun This Time, Novogratz Says Novogratz contrasted the current sell-off with 2022s collapse after FTX failed, which he described as a breakdown in trust. This time, theres no smoking gun, he told CNBC. You look around like, what happened? Instead, he pointed to a market still recovering from a major leverage wipeout that removed key participants. October Leverage Wipeout Hit Retail, Market Makers Novogratz highlighted an October 2025 leverage flush that wiped out a lot of retail and market makers, he said. Data shows more than 1.6 million traders suffered a combined $19.37 billion in erased leveraged positions over 24 hours during that episode. Crypto is all about narratives, its about stories, Novogratz told CNBC. Those stories take a while to build so when you wipe out a lot of those people, Humpty Dumpty doesnt get put back together right away. Retail Wanted 10-to-1, Not 11% Annualized Novogratz said the markets return profile may change as institutions grow their footprint. Retail people dont get into crypto because they want to make 11% annualized, he said. They get in because they want to make 30 to one, eight to one, 10 to one. Some speculation will remain, Novogratz added, but he expects it to be transposed or replaced by using these crypto rails to deliver banking and financial services globally, centered on real-world assets with lower expected returns. He also pointed to tokenized stocks as assets that will have a different return profile. Context: Nazarov Has Made a Similar RWAs First Bet Novogratz is not alone in forecasting a shift from token speculation to tokenized finance. India is preparing for a large nationwide shutdown on Thursday, February 12, 2026. Central trade unions and farmer organizations are joining together for a 24-hour Bharat Bandh. The strike, expected to include over 30 crore workers, protests against the Central Governments recent labor reforms, new rural laws, and proposed international trade agreements. Essential services like hospitals and pharmacies are exempt. However, significant disruptions are expected in banking, public transport, and industrial sectors across the country. Why has the Bharat Bandh been called? Add Zee News as a Preferred Source A joint platform of 10 central trade unions, including CITU, AITUC, and INTUC, along with the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM), has organized the strike to push for a full charter of demands. Key grievances include: New Labour Codes: Unions oppose the four labor codes implemented in late 2025, claiming they weaken job security and collective bargaining. Agriculture & Trade: Farmers protest against the proposed India-US trade deal, fearing it will lead to a "total surrender" of the dairy and agriculture sectors to multinational corporations. New Legislation: There are demands to scrap the VB-G RAM G Act, 2025 (which replaced MGNREGA) and the SHANTI Act (which changed nuclear energy laws). Worker Benefits: Workers are demanding the restoration of the Old Pension Scheme (OPS), a minimum monthly pension of 9,000, and an end to privatization in public sector undertakings. Impact on essential services: What's open and closed? Banking and finance Public sector banking services are expected to face disruptions as major unions like AIBEA and BEFI participate. The State Bank of India (SBI) has issued an advisory. Branches will remain open, but services like cheque clearance, deposits, and withdrawals may be affected. Online banking and ATMs should function normally. Schools and colleges There is no official nationwide holiday for educational institutions. However, schools and colleges in states like Kerala, Odisha, and West Bengal are likely to close due to strong local support for the strike. Parents should check with local school authorities. Transport and markets Commuters should prepare for "Chakka Jam" (road blockades) in several areas. Public Transport: State-run buses and auto-rickshaws may not operate in protest-heavy areas. Railways & Airports: Trains and flights will run, but getting to stations and airports may be challenging due to local transport issues. Markets: Wholesale markets and local shops in states with a strong union presence are expected to close. State-wise outlook The impact of the Bandh is expected to be most severe in Kerala and Odisha, where total shutdowns are likely. Other states like West Bengal, Karnataka, and Assam are also expected to have significant participation. Life in Delhi and other metropolitan areas may see partial disruption. ALSO READ | Weather alert: Two new western disturbances to hit northwest India; rain and snowfall predicted Delhi: A daily wage worker lost his life after falling into an open manhole in Rohini's sector 32 in Delhi. #WATCH | Delhi: A 32-year-old man died after falling into an open drain in Rohini Sector 32, near Mahashakti Kali Temple, last night. Morning visuals from the spot. pic.twitter.com/TYpumyV3RM February 11, 2026 As per the previous similar incidents, a 27-year-old software engineer died in January when his car branched off the road and fell into a deep, water-filled excavation pit on a vacant plot in Noida. Then again in early February a 25 year old man died after being trapped for straight eight hours after slipping into a pit dug in Delhi's Janakpuri. As per the reports, he died due to "asphyxiation" Add Zee News as a Preferred Source These recent deaths point to civic negligence. where such incidents leads to the death of people. In many other cases, delayed or no response have also raised concerns, not just by the authorities but also among the bystanders. As per Hindustan times report, in the recent Janakpuri case, one of the bystanders informed others about the incident but then left the scene with the man lying inside the pit. What raises further concern is that following the Noida incident, the Delhi Jal Board (DJB), which was supervising the sewer project in Janakpuri, had issued directions on January 24 instructing engineers and contractors to strictly adhere to safety norms. However, within just a few days of that order, 25-year-old Kamal Dhyani fell into the same pit and lost his life. The sequence of events suggests that the safety directives were either disregarded or inadequately enforced on the ground. Along with that, public outrage also appears to be rising as people look for safe public spaces after the death of all three individuals. Rohini Death: Birju Kumar Birju Kumar, a 30 year old daily waged labourer from Samastipur district in Bihar, died after falling into an open manhole maintained by the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) in the Begumpur area of Delhi's Rohini Nagar. #WATCH | Delhi: A 32-year-old man died after falling into an open drain in Rohini Sector 32, near Mahashakti Kali Temple. Visuals from the spot. https://t.co/trUzf8715N pic.twitter.com/zsDIGROGyR ANI (@ANI) February 10, 2026 As per ANI reports, an eyewitness said he dialed 112 to inform the police that the labourer had been lying in the pit since Monday. He further claimed that the police arrived only after his call, even though the man's friend had alerted authorities earlier. Police said information about a man falling into a drain was received at Begumpur police station around 3 pm on Tuesday. Personnel from the Delhi Police and Delhi Fire Services rushed to the spot and launched a rescue operation. After several hours of effort, Kumar was pulled out of the sewer at about 9 pm, but doctors later declared him dead. Officials said the sewer, which is approximately 14 feet deep, is under the jurisdiction of the Delhi Development Authority (DDA). Preliminary inquiry indicates that the manhole may have been left open at the time of the incident, though the exact circumstances are still being examined. A case has been registered under relevant sections pertaining to causing death by negligence, and further investigation is underway. Just days after a 25-year-old biker died after falling into an open pit in West Delhis Janakpuri, a 32-year-old labourer died after falling into an open drain near the Mahashakti Kali Temple in Begumpur, Rohini Sector 32. Police said a PCR call was received at around 2:36 pm reporting a missing person suspected to have fallen into a sewer on vacant Delhi Development Authority (DDA) land in Sector 32. On reaching the spot, the caller, Amir Hussain, told police that his friend, Birju Kumar Rai, had fallen into an open manhole. Police said that a labourer, identified as Budhan Das, informed them that he and the victim had consumed alcohol on Monday night. While returning to their jhuggi around 7:30 pm, Birju allegedly lost balance and fell into the open drain. Budhan Das did not alert anyone immediately as he was intoxicated and shared the information only the next afternoon. Add Zee News as a Preferred Source Police further stated that the fire brigade, DDA, and other agencies were informed, and a rescue operation was immediately launched. With the help of the fire brigade, the victim's body was removed from the manhole and sent to the hospital. "A PCR call at 02:36 PM reported a missing person at PS Begumpur, suspected of falling into a sewer on vacant DDA land in Sector-32, Rohini. Police rushed to the spot, where caller Amir Hussain stated that his friend Budhan Das@Suraj, both labourers, had consumed alcohol last night, and at about 07:30 P,M Birju lost his control and fell into the manhole while they were returning to their jhuggi nearby. Budhan Das@Suraj stated that he did not inform anyone at night, as he was intoxicated, and informed Amir Hussain as soon as he regained his senses, in the afternoon," ANI quoted the police as saying. Delhi biker death case The incident follows another tragedy in West Delhi's Janakpuri, where 25-year-old Kamal Dhyani died on February 5 after his motorcycle plunged into a deep pit dug for Delhi Jal Board work on Joginder Singh Marg while he was returning home from his workplace in Rohini. Following the Delhi biker accident, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta had issued an eight-point safety directive, directing all government departments and agencies to conduct comprehensive audits of excavation sites within 72 hours. The mandate calls for prominent warning signage, reflective lighting, blinking signals and luminous marking tapes around excavation zones and barricades, particularly during nighttime or low-visibility conditions. (With ANI Inputs) Also read | Shocking details emerge in Delhi biker death: Body lay in pit for 8 hours as five people knew but did not help Vice Chief of Air Staff Air Marshal Nagesh Kapoor on Wednesday said the Rafale fighter jets were the "hero" of Operation Sindoor and confirmed that the Indian Air Force is looking to induct more multi-role fighter aircraft. He added that a final decision on the type of aircraft, whether Rafale or another model, is yet to be taken. "Rafale was definitely a hero among other heroes during Operation Sindoor. There were many other heroes as well. Indian Air Force is looking forward to inducting more MRFA (Multi Role Fighter Aircraft), which is going to be Rafale or any other, which are under deliberations, and a concrete decision has yet to be taken," Air Marshal Kapoor said. Add Zee News as a Preferred Source #WATCH | Delhi | Vice Chief of Air Staff Air Marshal Nagesh Kapoor says, "Rafale was definitely the hero during Operation Sindoor. Indian Air Force is looking forward to inducting more MRFA (Multi Role Fighter Aircraft), which is going to be Rafale or any other, which are under pic.twitter.com/nRlGGMCdyA ANI (@ANI) February 11, 2026 Massive Rafale procurement Air Marshal Nagesh Kapoor's remarks come as the Indian Defence Ministry is on the verge of clearing (or has recently advanced toward clearing) a massive Rs 3.25 lakh crore proposal to procure 114 additional Rafale fighter jets under the Multi-Role Fighter Aircraft (MRFA) programme. This statement aligns with ongoing deliberations for the MRFA tender, potentially favoring more Rafales (with 18 in fly-away condition and 96 to be manufactured domestically in India), ahead of or coinciding with French President Emmanuel Macron's visit to India, boosting the IAF's squadron strength following the jet's proven role in the recent conflict. Concerns over Rafale costs But Air Marshal Kapoor's remarks also come as people express shock over the Rafale's cost and his hint that the IAF is eyeing more multi-role fighters (Rafale or otherwise, with no final call yet) may point to something else entirely. Impact on indigenous programs As per reports, India and France are about to finalize a deal for 114 Rafale fighter jets worth $3536 billion (speculative) . At the time, many were shocked and questioned why India was buying such expensive Rafales. After all, an F-35 costs around $350 million fully loaded with missiles, while a Rafale for India would run $300310 million. Buying 114 Rafales at such a price, but how will spending $40 billion from a $90 billion budget hit indigenous programs like Tejas Mark 2, ATAGS, and other projects aimed at making India self-reliant and a future superpower? No increase in jet numbers, only cost increase You might think India is buying more than 114 jets because of the higher price, but that's not true. We're still getting 114 jets; the price of each plane has just increased. India-US Trade Agreement: India is aiming to convert its interim trade understanding with the United States into a formal legal agreement before the end of March, Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal said on the sidelines of BIOFACH 2026. Agrawal explained that the recently issued India-US joint statement outlines the broad framework of the interim deal. The next step, he said, is to translate that understanding into a legally binding document. The process is underway, he noted, adding that both sides are working to give the agreement operational shape. While expressing optimism about meeting the March timeline, Agrawal acknowledged that legal drafting can be complex. We expect to finalise and sign the legal agreement before the end of March. However, drafting a document that satisfies both sides can sometimes take time. Still, our teams are engaged, and March is the timeline we are working towards, he said. Add Zee News as a Preferred Source Highlighting the sectors likely to gain from the pact, the Commerce Secretary pointed to Indias strength in labour-intensive industries. The United States has traditionally been a major market for such sectors, and Agrawal said the interim framework would help them expand without disruption. Responding to concerns over the proposed 18% tariff ceiling, he argued that Indias competitors in the same region face even higher tariffs. As these tariffs are ultimately passed on to consumers and industry, he suggested, Indian exporters would remain competitive and retain effective market access. Agrawal also expressed confidence that exporters would regain lost ground in global supply chains, especially after missing peak seasonal opportunities such as Christmas demand. He said Indian exports, which have performed steadily in recent years, are expected not only to maintain momentum but also to grow further. On the issue of protecting sensitive sectors such as dairy and fisheries, the Commerce Secretary was firm. India, he said, has consistently safeguarded areas that directly affect farmers, fishermen and rural livelihoods. We have made it clear in all our trade negotiations that sectors sensitive to India cannot be opened up indiscriminately, he said. He pointed to five trade agreements concluded over the past year, noting that in each case sensitive sectors were shielded. In instances where limited market access was granted, India relied on mechanisms such as Tariff Rate Quotas (TRQs) to ensure that domestic producers were not adversely affected. According to Agrawal, the interim agreement has been positively received by industry stakeholders. He said extensive consultations were held with ministries and businesses during negotiations. Industry has given a thumbs up. In a global environment where reciprocal tariffs are becoming the norm, what we have secured is a balanced outcome that works for India, he said, adding that there are no major red lines in the pact. On export performance, Agrawal said India continues to hold steady in both merchandise and services trade, with services exports performing particularly well. Official data for January will be released on February 15, and he indicated that the numbers are expected to reflect a positive trend. India is also marking its presence at BIOFACH 2026 in Nuremberg, Germany, where it is participating as the Country of the Year. The countrys organic sector is being showcased through 67 co-exhibitors representing more than 20 states, spread across a 1,074 square metre pavilion. (with ANI inputs) Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Punjabs chief spokesperson and MLA Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal, while strongly criticizing Punjab BJP President Sunil Jakhar for advocating the IndiaUS trade deal, termed the agreement the biggest betrayal of the countrys farmers. Dhaliwal directly challenged Jakhar to make the actual draft of the deal public instead of singing praise for it in the media. Addressing a press conference on Wednesday along with AAP leader Prabhvir Brar, Dhaliwal, citing figures, said that the Trump administration has increased tariffs on Indian goods to 18%, whereas the Modi government, completely bowed down, and reduced taxes on American goods to zero. He questioned how this could be called a fair deal when American farmers would be able to sell their produce in India without any tax, while Indian farmers would have to pay an 18% tax in America. How is this in the countrys interest? Add Zee News as a Preferred Source Dhaliwal warned that through this deal, Americas red sorghum would capture Indian markets, leading to the ruin of farmers growing maize, millets, and sorghum in Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, and Maharashtra. He said that due to zero tariffs on American food, apple, almond, and walnut producers in Kashmir and Himachal would also be pushed onto the streets. Taking a dig at Sunil Jakhar, Dhaliwal said that Jakhar Sahib is advocating for this deal today just as the Badal family once advocated for the three black farm laws. Today, the political condition of the Akali Dal is obvious to everyone. While serving Modi, make sure you do not meet the same fate as the Akalis. He said that earlier Jakhar served the Gandhi family while in Congress, and now, by singing praises of Modi, he is bent on selling out the countrys interests. The AAP spokesperson said that so far, information about this deal has only come from Trumps tweets. The Prime Minister has neither said anything in Parliament nor taken the country into confidence. He said that the Prime Minister has mortgaged the country to America. Dhaliwal said that this fight is not just of the farmers but of the entire country. He announced that he would speak up daily against every lie of Jakhar and would continue to expose the anti-farmer face of the BJP. YSRCP President and former Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy sharply criticized the TDP-led coalition government on Tuesday, February 10, 2026. He accused the administration of fabricating economic data. Jagan claimed the government is presenting "cooked-up" Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) figures to create an illusion of prosperity while the states actual revenues remain "abysmally low." The opposition leader said the statistics were created by the Chief Ministers Office (CMO) instead of independent agencies to mislead the public and investors. The GSDP vs. revenue gap: A 'puzzling' disparity Add Zee News as a Preferred Source Jagan pointed out a significant contradiction between the governments growth claims and official tax data. He noted that while the state says it is doing better than the national economy, the treasury does not show this growth. TDP government claims: Nominal GSDP growth of 11.75% for FY 2024-25 (compared to national 9.8%) and an estimate of 10.75% for FY 2025-26 (compared to national 8%). The reality check: Citing CAG data for the first nine months of the current fiscal year, Jagan mentioned that tax revenues grew at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of just 1.97%. "It would probably confuse all the economists in the world as to how a State claiming 11.09% GSDP growth can show such abysmally low tax revenue growth," Reddy posted on 'X'. At a time when State is confronting a worrying economic slowdown, very clearly evident from the Government pic.twitter.com/lkeEp84jOQ YS Jagan Mohan Reddy (@ysjagan) February 10, 2026 National rankings: Second from the bottom The YSRCP leader used comparative data to show the states fiscal health alongside the rest of the country. According to his analysis of CAG accounts from 23 states: Tax revenue growth: Andhra Pradesh ranks 22nd out of 23 states, second from the bottom nationally. National comparison: While the Central Governments gross tax revenues grew by 9.64% in the same period, Andhra Pradesh managed only 1.97%. Allegations of 'false propaganda' Jagan also alleged that under N. Chandrababu Naidu's leadership, the state excels only in negative metrics. He stated that if there were any categories where Andhra Pradesh ranked first, they would be debt, corruption, political vendetta, and false propaganda. The former CM contended that the lack of revenue growth clearly indicates a troubling economic slowdown that the government is trying to hide with "self-generated" figures that lack credibility. Current political context These allegations arise as the TDP government promotes the "Swarna Andhra Vision 2030," which aims for a 15% annual growth rate. While the state government claims to have the third-fastest-growing real GSDP in the country, the opposition's emphasis on CAG figures has sparked significant fiscal debate in the state assembly. There has been no immediate official response from the ruling Telugu Desam Party (TDP) regarding these specific allegations. ALSO READ | India as key US supply chain hub to bypass China, says USTR Greer Apple growers in Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh have raised concerns and demanded clarification from the Government of India following the import duty waiver on U.S. apples under the IndiaUS trade agreement. While the government maintains that the domestic apple market remains protected through quotas, minimum import prices, and duties, growers fear the move could disrupt local production and livelihoods. Officials have stressed that the quota allotted to U.S. apples is lower than existing import levels, ensuring no additional market pressure. Horticulture experts warn that this policy could have serious long-term effects on domestic apple producers. Growers in the Kashmir Valley worry that cheaper U.S. imports could flood Indian markets, depress prices of local produce from Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand, and threaten the livelihoods of thousands of farmers. India ranks as the worlds seventh-largest apple producer and one of its largest consumers, with annual demand around 2.5 million metric tons. Domestic production ranges between 2.0 and 2.1 million metric tons per year, with roughly 80 percent coming from Jammu and Kashmir, and the remainder from Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand. Add Zee News as a Preferred Source Tariq Ghani, President of the Chamber of Commerce, said, The recent India-US trade deal raises serious concerns. If imported apples are cheaper than domestic apples, it will be detrimental to Kashmir. Apple growers form the backbone of J&Ks horticulture sector, and any negative impact will directly affect our economy. Kashmiri apples are among the finest in the world and deserve fair market value. The government must prioritize protecting domestic apple growers before importing foreign produce. Growers fear that with the duty waiver, prices of imported U.S. apples could drop significantly, making it difficult for Indian farmerswho face higher production and transportation costs in hilly regionsto compete. While apples from countries such as Iran already sell at lower prices in India, U.S. apples remain highly popular due to their appearance, shelf life, and branding, further raising concern among local producers. Horticulture expert Rashid Raahil noted, With U.S. apples entering India at zero percent tax, they may gain a stronger foothold. Kashmiri apples fetch good prices nationwide, but cheaper American imports could dominate the market. This is a wake-up call for growers to upgrade technology and improve quality. At the same time, the government must provide clear assurances and safeguard mechanisms to protect domestic growers. Experts have urged the government to clarify the impact of the trade deal and implement protective measures to safeguard the apple-growing economy of Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh, which is vital for rural employment and regional income. Meanwhile, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah criticized the India-US trade deal as a sellout during the J&K Assembly budget session on February 10, 2026. He argued that the agreement offers little benefit to the region and primarily threatens its core agricultural sectors. New Delhi: 'Vande Mataram', the national song to be played before the national anthem at all government events and in all schools, said the Union Home Ministry in new rules issued on Wednesday morning. The rule also mentions all the people to stand up when 'Vande Mataram' is played. Earlier the compulsion was made only for national anthem, i.e., 'Jana, Gana, Mana'. The new rule also states, the national song to be played at civilian awards ceremonies, like Padma awards along with various other events attended by the President, during their arrival and departure. It will also be played in public spaces like cinema halls. Although standing has not made mandatory in this case. Add Zee News as a Preferred Source In addition, Vande Mataram shall be played at any other occasion in respect of which the govt of India has issued an enabling order. The order states, before the national song is to be played, there will be a drumroll, an instrument like 'mridang' or trumpet shall be played. And in a marching drill, there will be seven steps leading to start of national song. With that, MHA also mentioned that the national song would be sung at all cultural events and occasions where the national flag is being hoisted. All six stanzas of the national song must be sung at such events. The morning school assembly in all government aided and non aided schools must incorporate group singing of the national song as per Ministry of Home Affairs guidelines. And, under the law, any person who disrupts, or prevents others from respecting, the national anthem (and now the national song) can be sentenced to a maximum of three years in jail. With that all the six stanzas, including the four removed by Jawaharlal Nehru government in 1937, will also be played. The home ministry order dated 06.02.2026 lays down the 'official version' of the song-encapsulating all six stanzas of Bankim Chandra Chatterjee's original composition. The duration for which the song shall be played shall be 3 minutes and 10 seconds," the order states while laying down the occasions on which the 'Vande Mataram' shall be sung or played as well as the protocols to be observed in due honour of the national song The Ministry of Home Affairs rules also synchronize with the celebration of 150th anniversary since the creation of the song. Delhi: Three people found dead inside a parked car on the Peeragarhi flyover in northwest Delhi were murdered, police confirmed on Wednesday, claiming that a self-styled baba who promised to multiply money allegedly poisoned them and fled with their cash. ALSO READ: Delhi: 3 bodies found inside car in Peeragarhi, Police investigate possible links to Baba As per Hindustan Times report, the bodies were discovered on Sunday after passersby spotted the vehicle stationed on the service lane with its occupants lying motionless inside and alerted authorities. At first, investigators considered the possibility of suicide as there were no visible injury marks or signs of a struggle. Add Zee News as a Preferred Source However, Deputy Commissioner of Police Sachin Sharma said the case took a turn during the probe. A self-proclaimed tantrik, Kamruddin alias baba, has been arrested in connection with the triple murder. According to police, the accused orchestrated the crime as part of a premeditated plan to rob the victims. Kamruddin, a resident of Firozabad in Uttar Pradesh, allegedly ran a so-called tantric centre where he lured people with promises of dhanvarsha sudden financial gains through rituals. Sharma said he would gain the victims trust before administering poison mixed in laddoos and then stealing their money and valuables. Police described him as a habitual offender with previous involvement in serious criminal cases. Recovered from the car were liquor bottles, cold drink bottles, empty glasses, mobile phones, cash, helmets, jackets, Aadhaar cards and other personal belongings. The deceased were identified as Randhir (76), Shiv Naresh (42) and Laxmi (40), residents of Nangli Dairy, Baprola and Jahangirpuri in Delhi. Family members ruled out suicide, prompting deeper investigation. Technical analysis and questioning of those connected to the victims revealed that all three had been in touch with Kamruddin, who allegedly convinced them he could perform rituals to bring financial prosperity. Police said the trio had visited Loni a day before the incident and returned there again on the day of the murders. Technical evidence indicated that a fourth person was present in the car while they were returning later identified as Kamruddin. He is believed to have boarded the vehicle in Loni and exited before the crime came to light. As per the reports, during interrogation, Kamruddin initially attempted to mislead investigators but later admitted to being introduced to Laxmi around two months ago. She subsequently introduced him to the other two victims. He allegedly persuaded them to arrange 2 lakh in cash along with liquor and soft drinks for a pooja promising monetary gain. Police said he carried poison-laced laddoos with him and joined them in their car. According to Sharma, Kamruddin served them liquor, cold drinks and the poisoned sweets. Once they lost consciousness, he allegedly took the cash and escaped. While preliminary examination suggested the deaths were due to ingestion of poison, investigators are continuing to piece together the exact sequence of events leading up to the killings. Feb 11 (Reuters) - Federal Reserve Governor Stephen Miran on Wednesday said he would be "very happy" to stay on at the central bank longer-term if asked, but the decision is not up to him. Miran occupies a seat with an expired term, making it the only Fed board seat to which President Donald Trump can nominate former Fed Governor Kevin Warsh, his pick to run the Fed, unless Fed Chair Jerome Powell resigns from the Fed board when his leadership term is up in mid-May. Powell has not said what he will do. "What happens later this year will depend on a variety of things; it depends if there's an open seat, it depends on the choice that the president makes, it depends on choices that the Senate makes," Miran said in an interview with Larry Kudlow on Fox Business. (Reporting by Ann Saphir; Editing by Chris Reese) The Union government told the Supreme Court on Wednesday that climate activist Sonam Wangchuk can not be released from detention on medical grounds. Appearing before a bench comprising Justice Aravind Kumar and Justice P B Varale, Solicitor General of India Tushar Mehta submitted that the Centre gave due consideration to the Courts earlier suggestion to review Wangchuks detention on health grounds. However, he said the request could not be processed. Mehta told the Court that Wangchuk has been medically examined 28 times in accordance with the Jail Manual and is fit, hale and hearty. Add Zee News as a Preferred Source Mehta acknowledged that Wangchuk had developed some digestive issues but assured the bench that he is receiving appropriate treatment. He is fit, hale and hearty. He had some digestive issue and he is being treated for that. There is nothing to worry. Nothing alarming, Mehta submitted. The Solicitor General further argued that exceptions cannot be made in matters involving preventive detention and that granting such relief would not be desirable. The issue of Wangchuks health had been raised during a previous hearing, when Justice Varale orally observed that Wangchuk did not appear to be in good condition and suggested that his detention be reconsidered. Justice Kumar had concurred with the observation. However, when the matter was subsequently taken up, senior advocate Nataraj sought an adjournment and informed the Court that there had been no progress on the issue. The top court was hearing a habeas corpus petition, filed by Wangchuk's wife and social entrepreneur, Dr Gitanjali Angmo seeking a declaration that detention of her husband under the National Security Act, 1980, as "illegal." Wangchuk was detained on September 26, 2025 and has been imprisoned in Jodhpur, Rajasthan, since then in connection with his alleged involvement in the deadly pro-statehood protests in Ladakh. He was detained under the stringent National Security Act (NSA), which allows for preventive detention without formal charges or trial for a period of up to 12 months. Ten schools in Chandigarh and Mohali received bomb threats on Wednesday, leading authorities to suspend classes and send students home. Police teams were deployed to secure the campuses and ensure student safety. Police said that several prominent schools in Mohali received threatening emails, prompting immediate action. Bomb disposal units, anti-sabotage teams, ARP personnel, and police officers, including senior officials, were deployed to thoroughly check the campuses. As a precaution, the schools were cordoned off, students and staff were sent home, and a thorough search was conducted. So far, authorities have found nothing suspicious, police said. Add Zee News as a Preferred Source Speaking to ANI, SP City Mohali Dilpreet Singh said, "At around 7:30 today, many prominent schools in Mohali received a threatening email. Our bomb disposal team, our ARP team, our anti-sabotage team, and our police station forces, along with all RGOs, DSPs, and SPs, are on the field checking thoroughly. As a matter of precaution, we have cordoned off all these schools, given a holiday to the students and teachers inside, and are conducting searches. We haven't found anything suspicious yet." Approximately 300 police personnel took part in the search operation, with all affected schools being evacuated. Authorities are currently investigating the origin of the threatening emails. #WATCH | Mohali, S.A.S Nagar, Punjab: On three schools receive bomb threat, SP City Mohali Dilpreet Singh says, "At around 7:30 today, many prominent schools in Mohali received a threatening email. Our bomb disposal team, our ARP team, our anti-sabotage team, and our police pic.twitter.com/KAbvRNTFbH ANI (@ANI) February 11, 2026 Earlier bomb threat Earlier on January 28, thirty schools across the Union Territory of Chandigarh received bomb threat emails, prompting a rapid response from police and emergency services. The threats targeted 22 private schools and eight government schools. Upon receiving the alerts, Anti-Sabotage Teams, Bomb Disposal Squads, local police units, and emergency services, including fire, ambulance, and PCR team,s were deployed to the affected campuses to conduct thorough inspections. After detailed searches, authorities confirmed that no suspicious or explosive materials were found. Delhi schools bomb threat mails The recent threats in Chandigarh and Mohali follow a series of bomb threat emails sent to multiple schools in Delhi just a day earlier, which led to evacuations and extensive security checks. While most bomb threats in Delhi over the past year have proven to be false alarms, schools continue to follow strict safety protocols whenever such warnings are received. In October last year alone, over 200 schools in Delhi received threat emails in a single day, and more than 500 such incidents were reported throughout 2024. (This is a developing story.) As the Uttar Pradesh government prepares to present its budget on Wednesday, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath highlighted what he described as a transformative decade for the state under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership. In a post on 'X', CM Yogi said, "New Uttar Pradesh in a New India" has experienced unprecedented development and prosperity over the past ten years. Calling the upcoming budget a "decennial testament," the Chief Minister said it reflects his government's sustained commitment to the aspirations of the state's 25 crore citizens. "Under the illustrious leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, 'the new Uttar Pradesh of a new India' is witnessing an unprecedented decade of development and prosperity. As a result of the unwavering trust and blessings of every individual, your government is today set to present the budget for the state's all-inclusive development in the Uttar Pradesh Legislature for the 10th consecutive time. This budget for the financial year 2026-27 stands as a 'decennial testament' to our commitment toward the hopes and aspirations of 25 crore residents of the state," CM Yogi wrote on 'X'. Add Zee News as a Preferred Source In another post, CM Yogi stated that Uttar Pradesh is steadily moving toward becoming a strong, self-reliant, and prosperous state through policies centered on good governance, inclusive development, and public welfare. He said the e-budget for the financial year 2026-27 will outline a clear vision, renewed direction, and a concrete action plan to achieve the goal of a "Self-reliant and Developed Uttar Pradesh." "Under the illustrious guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, 'New Uttar Pradesh' is continuously advancing towards the construction of a strong, self-reliant, and prosperous state with the policy of good governance, inclusive development, and public welfare. The budget for the financial year 2026-27, presented today in the Uttar Pradesh Legislature, will provide new direction, new energy, a clear policy vision, and a concrete action plan to achieve the resolution of 'Self-reliant and Developed Uttar Pradesh'," CM Yogi said. He further emphasised that the budget would accelerate progress toward the state's ambitious target of building a USD 1 trillion economy. According to him, the financial plan prioritises the dignity of the poor, empowerment of youth and women, and the prosperity of farmers, while laying a solid foundation for the broader vision of "Developed India-2047" and a brighter future for Uttar Pradesh. "At the same time, it will ensure the state's progress towards achieving the USD 1 trillion economy target. Keeping the dignity of the poor, the self-respect of the youth, the empowerment of mothers, and the prosperity of farmers at the centre, this budget will become a strong foundation for the construction of 'Developed India-2047' and the bright future of 'New Uttar Pradesh'," CM Yogi added. Earlier, on February 9, the budget session of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly began with the Governor's address and is set to conclude on February 20. Within 24 hours of announcing what was called a "historic" interim trade agreement between the United States and India, the White House issued significant revisions to its official factsheet. The edits, made on February 10, remove several specific commitments originally linked to India. This suggested possible tension or ongoing talks behind the scenes. The changes seem to roll back important agricultural and digital trade terms from the initial document released on February 9. Agricultural omissions: The 'pulses' withdrawal Add Zee News as a Preferred Source One of the most notable changes is the removal of "certain pulses" from the list of American agricultural products marked for tariff reduction. Original text: India agreed to reduce tariffs on a wide range of goods, including "dried distillers grains (DDGs), red sorghum, tree nuts, fresh and processed fruit, certain pulses, soybean oil, wine and spirits." Revised text: The mention of "certain pulses" has been completely deleted. Pulses are a sensitive commodity in India, which is the world's largest producer and consumer. Analysts suggested this omission follows a strong stance taken by New Delhi to safeguard local farmers. Softening language: From 'commitment' to 'intention' The White House has also notably changed its tone regarding India's $500 billion purchasing plan. Original text: Stated that India "committed" to purchasing $500 billion of U.S. energy, aircraft, and technology products over the next five years. Revised text: The wording has been softened to say that India "intends" to make these purchases. This shift from a binding "commitment" to a non-binding "intention" aligns the factsheet more closely with the joint statement issued on February 7. Many viewed that statement as a framework for future discussions rather than a finalised agreement. Digital services tax: Claims vanish The revised document has removed a clear claim regarding India's digital taxation policy. Initial claim: The White House originally stated that India would "remove its digital services taxes." Current status: This entire sentence has been removed. While India had already phased out its 6% equalisation levy on digital advertising as of April 1, 2025, it still has "Significant Economic Presence" (SEP) rules that tax nonresident digital firms. The deletion indicates that eliminating such taxes remains a significant point of tension in the broader Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA) negotiations. What remains in the deal? Despite the edits, the core of the interim agreement still focuses on mutual tariff adjustments. Industrial goods: India will still reduce or eliminate tariffs on most U.S. industrial products. Tech cooperation: Both nations plan to significantly boost trade in Graphics Processing Units (GPUs) and data center technology. Reciprocal tariffs: The U.S. has lowered its reciprocal tariff on Indian goods from 25% to 18% in return for Indias move away from Russian oil. ALSO READ | Mark Zuckerberg buys $150M Miami mansion: Meta CEO joins Jeff Bezos in 'billionaire bunker' New Delhi: India's plan to develop a rare earth metals corridor spanning seven states is a positive step for the electric vehicle ecosystem, but its impact will be visible only over the long term as the initiative moves from announcement to execution, Hardeep Brar, President and Chief Executive Officer of BMW Group India, said on Tuesday. While speaking on the sidelines of the 5th Global Electrification and Mobility Summit organised by the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM), Brar said, "On the rare earth metals, there's a corridor across seven states, which is very positive. But it has just been announced. Once it is in execution, we will know its long-term impact. In the short term, I don't see any impact." Brar said the announcement assumes importance as electric vehicles gain traction in India's mobility landscape. "EVs are becoming the mainstay, and rare earth metals are very, very critical. The corridor could help strengthen supply chains for key components over time," he said. Add Zee News as a Preferred Source He described the Union Budget as long-term, with a strong focus on capital expenditure. "There's a lot of investment in capex on infrastructure, which is very good," Brar said, noting that the Budget builds on earlier measures such as GST exemptions announced last year and recent income tax reductions. "I think the government is really going forward in terms of making changes." Brar also highlighted nearly Rs 700 crore of proposed investment in the charging segment, which he said would support electric vehicle adoption alongside infrastructure expansion. Commenting on trade, Brar said the proposed European Union trade deal was a positive development but cautioned against expectations of immediate price reductions. "There are a lot of discussions happening that prices are coming down immediately, which is not the case," he said. According to him, any price impact from the EU deal would take time to materialise and would be limited in scope. "It will take another 18 to 24 months before it starts kicking in, and it will only impact the CBUs, which are only just 5%," Brar said, referring to completely built units. "For the rest of 95%, there is not going to be any impact." He urged consumers not to delay purchase decisions based on expectations of near-term price cuts. "Customers who are listening to this should go ahead and make their purchase," he said. "Don't wait for prices to come down, because it's 18 to 24 months away, and that too only on CBUs." Brar also welcomed developments in India-US trade discussions, describing them as encouraging after earlier tariff levels posed challenges. "With 50% tariffs, it was very tough," he said. "With tariffs coming down to 18% or 25%--I'm forgetting the exact number--it's again a very positive step." He said lower tariffs could benefit sectors such as pharmaceuticals, textiles, and gems and jewellery, which count the United States as a major market. "They were big importers of these products, and these manufacturers will really benefit from this," he said. Asked about government comments on sintered rare earth permanent magnets, Brar said it was too early to assess their impact. The Budget's measures should be assessed over the long term rather than for immediate outcomes. Filipino-Australian filmmaker James J. Robinson has been making headlines for taking his debut feature, First Light to the International Film Festival Rotterdam. The film brings to the viewers the story of an elderly nun who has multiple tough moral questions to combat in the Philippines. It also delves deeper into crucial themes such as colonialism, faith, institutional corruption among others. For the unversed, the film - which features Ruby Ruiz and Kare Adea in key roles - had premiered at 2025 Melbourne International Film Festival. Ruby essays the role of Sister Yolanda - a nun whose life undergoes a drastic change when a young construction worker dies in suspicious circumstances. The shocking incident pushes her to question the church and the community she had served for decades. Excerpts from an interview First Light marks your feature directorial debut. Clearly it is an important milestone that comes with significant responsibility and expectations. How are you navigating this both professionally and personally? It's a funny feeling. I think there's a lot of pressure on the first film. And for a long time, it was a pressure of trying to make everything absolutely perfect. And then at a certain point, I think I zoomed out a little bit and considered that I'm like, Oh, I'm going to have a lifelong career in this. What's more important for this film is just to be learning and to approach it in an open-minded manner. Since it is my first film, there was a lot of pressure on me to make sure that I was speaking with an honest voice of an author. But for the most part, I approached it with an open mind and knew I'm here to learn. Add Zee News as a Preferred Source This isn't the only film I'd make. So I just needed to approach it like a disciple to this medium. Honestly speaking, I've spent many, many years trying to eventually write something that I felt was worth telling in such a grand way. So yes, it has been a very beautiful process. Your film recently had a European premiere at International Film Festival Rotterdam, which is a massive milestone. With a diverse and international audience, the film will now be exposed to a massive range of viewers. What sort of reactions are you anticipating? Are there any particular markets you are considering? Do you see India as a strong market for a project like this? Yeah, absolutely. The story is hyper-specific to the Philippines and the setting. But while I was writing the story, I had to think about what I could bring to the world of cinema and storytelling through my background - which is half Australian and half Filipino, rather than having that as a disadvantage to storytelling and being that I don't have the full meaning of what it means to always be in the Philippines. What it does mean is that I can approach what I know about the Philippines from a universal angle. I think that's something that translates across all kinds of national borders. The commentary - that I was trying to unpack about religion and morality and how those things can be co-opted by people in power - is special. It has proven to me so far in all of our premieres that it is a lesson that is universal. In Rotterdam, the response has been incredible. It's been a lot more about the metaphor and the meaning of filmmaking. When we were in Morocco, there were so many questions about morality and what it means to be religious. I think it's a story that translates everywhere. When it comes to South Asia, one of my favorite films in recent years has been All We Imagine As Light. And I think about how all of these films and how a film like that can resonate. It's so specific to Mumbai - where they shot it. It's like I could feel like the stories that they were telling, I could feel Payal, it really translated even to me as the audience in Australia. If we say something that's universal, that is deeper about what it means to be human, then it doesn't matter where we're premiering the film or where their audiences are gonna be because what it means to be human is something that we question everywhere around the world. You just mentioned Mumbai. Do you have any particularly special or unforgettable experiences that youd like to share with your fans in India? I mean, there is so much about the history of spirituality when it comes to India and that region of the world. I think there is so much about meditation in a way that is embedded naturally in the history of India and in that region of the world. There is knowledge systems from India that to this day continue to be the most important things for us to know about, like being human. When I was making this film too there was a lot about meditation and about slowing down. And I think spirituality - when it combines the mind and the body and in the slowness and knowing that the universe exists inside of us when we slow down and think - exists in the history of India. I feel so much of that then colors naturally the way I direct my films. What have been the most crucial lessons or key takeaways for you as a filmmaker while directing First Light? The function of storytelling isn't always to answer grand questions about what it means to be human. It is to ask those questions. So when I was writing this film, I asked myself a lot of questions about how I hold on to a sense of faith in a world where faith is being co-opted all around the world for very oppressive power structures. How can I still hold on to a faith and a relationship to the land despite all of that? While making this film and bringing up those questions, I was forced to dig quite deep inside myself about that. One of the biggest takeaways of making this film is, I guess when you're trying to tell a story like this, you actually have to surrender or control. Like I've got a camera there and I've got actors and I've got lighting. At the end of the day, we are at the whim of the weather that we're going to have the day. We're at the whim of the mood that people are going to wake up with. My biggest takeaway was honestly surrendering and learning how to create something when you're not fully in control. As a director, I like to think that I'm in control of everything. But as a human, I can never be. I surrendered to the process of filmmaking and tried to make a story with what I was given, not with what I can force. First Light also features Ruby and Kare Adea in prominent roles. Could you walk us through your casting process? What were you looking for before you even narrated the script to them and got their nod? I thought as much as possible while writing the character of Sister Yolanda. I didn't know specifically what I wanted her to look like. And then I came across a video of Ruby Ruiz as she won an award in the Philippines at a festival called Cinemalaya. There was something about her face and her composure and the way that she held herself that I knew would just add infinite dimensions to this character of Sister Yolanda. So, yes, I think it was honestly finding her from YouTube videos. I had heard stories of Lulu Wang directing her in Expats, an Amazon series opposite Nicole Kidman. I also heard that Ruby was bringing food to set every day, and that left an impact. And so rather than trying to write these characters that I was going to force and try and bring my actors towards, I wanted to write characters that I could have made as broad enough as possible. When I cast my actors, I want to bring their characteristics, their mannerisms, their own person into the characters they have to essay. And Ruby, I think, naturally possessed several qualities that I saw in Sister Yolanda. Casting her allowed to add complexity to that role. Mumbai: The Bhogaon police have registered a case against film actor Shreyas Talpade and 12 others in Uttar Pradesh's Mainpuri district, in an alleged investment scam. The case was filed on Tuesday, February 10, at the Bhogaon police station after a resident of Mohalla Mishrana accused the actor and his associates of cheating him out of lakhs of rupees in the name of investment. According to the complaint, Talpade, along with his associates, allegedly duped villagers of lakhs of rupees under the guise of an investment scheme at a Mumbai bank branch located in Mohalla Mishrana, in the town. Add Zee News as a Preferred Source Following a court order, the police have now launched an investigation into the matter. Shreyas Talpade is a well-known actor, director, and producer who has worked in Hindi and Marathi films. He became popular after his role in Iqbal in 2005 and later appeared in comedy films like 'Om Shanti Om' and the 'Golmaal' series. He was last seen in the film 'Azad Bharat,' where he played the role of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose. New Delhi: Banking services across India could face temporary disruptions on February 12, 2026, as several bank employee unions plan to participate in a nationwide strike called by central trade unions. In a regulatory filing, Bank of Baroda informed the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) that normal operations at its branches and offices may be affected if employees join the strike. However, the bank said it is taking necessary steps to ensure that customer services continue as smoothly as possible. The strike is expected to involve participation from major banking organisations such as the All India Bank Employees Association (AIBEA), All India Bank Officers Association (AIBOA), and the Bank Employees Federation of India (BEFI), which are joining a broader protest led by trade unions across sectors. Add Zee News as a Preferred Source Trade unions have called the strike to oppose the implementation of four new labour codes and raise other worker-related demands, including improved employment conditions and protection of public sector institutions. While banks are likely to remain open because no official holiday has been declared, customers may experience delays in branch-level services depending on employee participation. Digital banking channels such as ATMs, mobile banking, and internet banking are expected to continue functioning normally. The strike is part of a larger nationwide protest in which millions of workers from different sectors are expected to participate, potentially affecting services in several states. New Delhi: A social media post highlighting the earnings of a dry-cleaning business of around Rs 2,00,000 per month has reignited discussion on making money from one's own business and the financial potential of small businesses. Sharing a post on X, Nalini Unagar said that during her conversation with the dry cleaning shop owner near her house, she learnt that the drycleaner and his wife work together in the business and they have two helpers on salary. She said that the drycleaner earns around Rs 2,00,000 per month which is equal to the salary of an experienced software engineer in India. Unagar shared a breakdown of the daily and monthly income of the dry cleaning business. She said that the business irons 350 garments at a rate of Rs 10 which brings in Rs 3,500 per day. Twenty heavy garments such as suits, choli and premium sarees are dry cleaned and ironed for Rs 350 per day which results in Rs 7,000 per day. Add Zee News as a Preferred Source Yesterday, I was talking with the dry cleaning shop owner near my house, where I regularly go. He and his wife both work together, and they have two helpers on salary. I was shocked when they said they earn around 2,00,000 per month, which is equal to a 10+ years experienced pic.twitter.com/BjPddpb9Me Nalini Unagar (@NalinisKitchen) February 9, 2026 The couple takes only 3 days off a month and the shop operates for 27 days. The user wrote that the estimated monthly income of the business is Rs 10,500 and the estimated monthly revenue is Rs 2,83,500. They give a salary of Rs 40,000 to the two staff and pay an electricity bill of Rs 6000. The business couple does not have to pay any rent as they own the shop. After accounting for all the expenses they receive a profit of Rs 2,37,500. Netizens Reaction The post prompted significant engagement on X with several users discussing the financial results of running small businesses. One user said, "Were conditioned to run after white-collar jobs and fixed paychecks, but stories like this remind us that owning a businesssmall or bigcan be equally fulfilling, and sometimes far more rewarding, when done with genuine passion. Appreciate you sharing this perspective." Another user commented, "We often chase white collar jobs for good salaries, but information like this prove that running your own business small or big, if done with real interest, can be just as rewarding sometimes even more. Thanks for sharing." One user said, "Seen many success stories, like the Idli-Dosa wallahs in #Hyderabad. An Anna in my area now owns a house worth 1Cr+, while I still rent after decades in the Gulf. One job loss and Im nothing. There is clearly a special blessing in doing your own business!" "Wow, that's impressive! Its great to see small business owners doing well. It really shows how hard work pays off. Do you go there often?" commented one user. Bangladesh holds its first parliamentary elections since the 2024 student protests and the ousting of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. With young voters and new alliances in play, the outcome will be a critical test for the nations political future. MP Materials (NYSE: MP) was on a tear in 2025. By the end of the year, shares of the rare-earth miner and permanent magnet manufacturer were up 224%. At one point in October 2025, shares of MP had climbed about 440%, before a broader sell-off in the market sent the stock back to earth. MP stock is currently beating the market, with a roughly 10.5% gain so far this year. Even with policy winds at its back, however, a few things need to go right for this rare-earth company to have another breakout year. Where to invest $1,000 right now? Our analyst team just revealed what they believe are the 10 best stocks to buy right now, when you join Stock Advisor. See the stocks America's homegrown rare-earth champion MP Materials is a U.S.-based rare-earth company that owns and operates the Mountain Pass mine in California, which is currently one of the only large-scale rare-earth mines in the country. It also operates a facility called Independence in Fort Worth, Texas, that can turn rare-earth material into permanent magnets that generate their own magnetic field. A "permanent magnet." Image source: MP Materials. MP currently sits at a crossroads of geopolitical and economic currents. Rare-earth magnets are vital for tech, defense, and clean energy sectors. But for years the U.S. has relied heavily on China for magnet supply, which has given Beijing leverage over the U.S. In July 2025, the Department of Defense (DoD) invested $400 million in MP, becoming its biggest shareholder, and entered a public-private partnership with the company. Under the agreement, the DoD will buy 100% of the magnets produced at its second U.S. magnet factory for 10 years after the facility is built. It also guaranteed a generous price floor of $110 per kilogram for MP's neodymium-praseodymium (NdPr) product. That news helped MP stock finish July over 100% higher. Is MP Materials a buy right now? If you believe rare-earth demand will escalate and the U.S. will continue to look for ways to reduce dependence on China, MP looks like a long-term buy. That said, the metals stock could get bumpy in the near term. At its current price (about $61 per share), MP trades at 43 times sales, which means investors are paying today for revenue the company still has to prove it can earn. For perspective, the average P/S ratio for metals and mining companies is about 3.8. The agreement with the DoD is crucial to helping MP become profitable in the near term, but it isn't guaranteed to last in its current form. The agreement itself says that continued funding to MP is still subject to Congress's approval. Any change in governmental or budget priorities could likewise affect the deal with MP. Following a government inquiry led by the Justice DCunha committee, massive safety upgrades were recommended at Bengaluru. With the Mumbai move blocked, RCB is reportedly evaluating a "split home season" strategy to satisfy their fixture requirements. In a final gesture of reconciliation, BCB President Aminul Islam formally requested Pakistan to take the field. While Pakistan did not secure bilateral concessions for themselves, the negotiations yielded several benefits for Bangladesh. So far 35 people have died in shootout in the northeastern province of Thailand. It is being told that 23 children and their two teachers are also included in the dead. A former police officer who attacked a child care center in Thailand's Na Klang district later committed suicide by shooting himself. The attacker also killed his wife and child in the firing. WhatsApp APK Scam: A cyber fraud case has surfaced in Delhi, where a chartered accountant was duped after downloading a malicious file sent to her on WhatsApp. The scammers claimed they would help increase her credit card limit. However, shortly after installing the file, her mobile phone was compromised. According to an NDTV report, within minutes, the fraudsters allegedly used her Kotak Mahindra Bank credit card to carry out online transactions worth Rs 75,694. WhatsApp APK scam hits CA: Fake bank app, fake SIM Investigators found that the gang members had earlier worked at a credit card company, which gave them access to customer data. They used this information to create a fake Kotak Mahindra Bank app in the form of a malicious APK file. Add Zee News as a Preferred Source Using fake SIM cards, they posed as bank officials and called customers. They convinced people to download the file by promising to update or increase their credit card limit. After victims installed the file sent via WhatsApp, the fraudsters gained complete access to their phones and credit card details. They used apps like Zepto to buy electronic items and got them delivered to Faridabad. The goods were later sold on OLX and other online platforms. Cyber police trace scam to Faridabad, arrest four accused After an FIR was registered on February 4, the cyber police launched a special operation. Using technical analysis and location tracking, they traced the delivery of the purchased items to Lakkarpur village in Surajkund, Faridabad. The police arrested four people and seized four mobile phones. The accused have been identified as Abhishek Kumar Jha (24), Ashish Kumar Ojha (23), Vivek Kumar alias Monu (37), and Ikraar (23). All four have been arrested, and further investigation is ongoing. Stop Cyber Fraud: Tips to Stay Secure Online Tip 1: Always think before you click on links or download files from unknown sources. Tip 2: Never share your passwords, OTPs, or bank details online. Tip 3: Verify the identity of anyone contacting you before responding to unexpected messages. Tip 4: Use strong security measures like two-factor authentication and keep your apps and devices updated. Tip 5: Be cautious of offers that seem too good to be true and avoid downloading fake apps. Cyber crime helpline number For emergencies, dial 112 to reach the national police helpline. Women facing distress can contact the national women helpline at 181, while victims of cybercrime can report incidents to the Cyber Crime Helpline at 1930. Google Revenge Porn Protection: The internet can quickly spread private information, and non-consensual explicit images still circulate easily. To fight this, the tech giant Google is making it easier to tackle deepfakes and revenge porn by introducing new tools and policies to identify and remove manipulated media and content shared without consent. While the update doesnt fully solve the broader problem, it simplifies one important step: removing harmful links. Users can now request the removal of explicit images directly from Google Search by clicking the three-dot menu on an image, selecting Remove result, and choosing It shows a sexual image of me. Options are also available for content involving minors or sensitive personal information. Multiple images can be submitted in a single request, which is useful given how widely such content can spread. To keep content removed, Google is rolling out proactive safeguards. Users can opt in to filters that block similar explicit results from appearing in future searches. After submitting a request, links to expert organizations provide emotional and legal support. All removal requests can be tracked in one place via the Results about you hub in the Google app. Add Zee News as a Preferred Source Adding further, Google now allows users to remove other sensitive personal information from search results, including drivers licenses, passports, and Social Security numbers. The new experience is rolling out in most countries, with plans to expand to more regions in the coming days, helping users maintain greater control and create a safer, more secure internet. Authored by Prashant Singh Balochistan sits at the crossroads of South Asia, Central Asia, and the Middle East, a strategic corridor linking the Arabian Sea to some of the worlds most contested frontiers. Rich in natural resources and home to the deep-sea port of Gwadar, the region has become central to Pakistans security doctrine and Chinas Belt and Road ambitions. Yet for decades, Baloch nationalist groups have challenged Islamabads authority, calling it an occupation and demanding independence. As regional tensions intensify and global powers compete for influence, the Baloch question is once again gaining attention. In this interview, Mir Yar Baloch outlines the movements stance on Afghanistan, Iran, India, CPEC, minority communities, and the daily realities faced by civilians in the region. Add Zee News as a Preferred Source Q1. Does the Balochistan freedom movement have any political, moral, or logistical support from Afghanistan at present? If not, does the BLA expect any support in the future, and what steps have been taken so far to seek it? Mir Yar Baloch: Afghanistan and Balochistan are two neighboring and brotherly countries. Our geography runs parallel, and our challenges are not very different. Balochistan is under the occupation of Pakistan, and this occupation has always been a source of difficulties for Afghanistan, because Pakistan has, in every era, misused the land of Balochistan to create economic and defensive problems for Afghanistan. The level of support we expected from Afghanistan was never extended to our freedom movement. When, in 1938, Prince Abdul Karimthe younger brother of the ruler of Kalat, Ahmad Yar Khanmigrated to Afghanistan in protest and resistance against the forced occupation of March 27, 1948, he did not receive sufficient military, logistical, or diplomatic support from Afghanistan. Afghanistan also did not raise its voice against the forced occupation of Balochistan. However, the people of Afghanistan and Balochistan remain grateful to one another because whenever Pakistan or Iran created hardships against either side, the people of both countries opened the doors of their homes to each other. Our friendship, based on mutual trust, has been historical and will always remain so. Since both share a common enemy, it is hoped that Afghanistans leadership will learn from past mistakes and, this time, take practical steps for the freedom of Balochistan, and will cooperate with Balochistan in the political, diplomatic, defense, and economic fieldsbeginning with the recognition of Balochistan as an independent country. Q2. Is the Baloch freedom movement also active in Irans Sistan-Baluchestan region, similar to the one in Pakistan? If yes, why does international media mainly report only on Pakistani Balochistan and not on the Iranian Baloch areas? Mir YarBaloch: The Baloch are a nation, and every nation has the right to struggle for freedom from slavery. Iran, like Pakistan, has forcibly occupied a large part of Balochistan. Chabahar Port belongs to Balochistan and is currently under Iranian control. Iran is also trying to suppress the Baloch people economically, culturally, and in other ways. In 2022, during Friday protests, Iranian regime forces opened fire and killed 130 Baloch people within just 15 minutes. The majority of those killed were young Baloch. These protests erupted after the death of MahsaAmini (known as Jina), a brave young Kurdish political activist, who was killed during a protest against the hijab rule. These demonstrations were held across Kurdish, Baloch, and Ahwazi (non-Persian) regions. In Iran, an Iranian army general raped a 15-year-old Baloch girl named Maho. Following this crime, massive protests broke out in many areas of Iranian-occupied Balochistan. People strongly demonstrated against this incident. Additionally, Irans development and municipal authorities have carried out forced evictions and demolitions of Baloch settlements in Chabahar, Zahedan, Khash, Kerman, Iranshahr, and other places. Iranian forces have demolished their homes. The local Baloch population says that Iran has planned to shift its capital from Tehran to the coastal areas of Balochistan Makran and the surroundings of Chabahar because Tehran is facing a severe water crisis and extreme population pressure. However, the people of Balochistan have protested strongly against these forced evictions by the Iranian government. The protests of 2022 and those that followed received quite significant coverage in Western media and especially in Gulf countries. But the Indian media has given very little coverage to the atrocities committed against the Baloch people by Iran. That is why the people of India are generally not well aware of the oppression and injustices being carried out against the Baloch by the Iranian state. Q3. Which organisations inside Pakistan and outside have supported the Baloch freedom movement so far? What kind of support has this been: political, humanitarian, or ideological? Mir YarBaloch: The demand of the people of Balochistan is very simple: they are not part of Pakistan, they are sovereign over their own land. However, Pakistan is using cannons, tanks, fighter jets, and its entire military machinery to deprive the Baloch of this right. The freedom struggle of the Baloch enjoys financial, political, diplomatic, human, economic, and every kind of support from the people of Balochistan. This legitimate struggle for our rights also has the moral and political support of the Pashtun and Sindhi nations. The Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM) and some organizations in Sindh are supporting the Balochistan movement. We appreciate all those nations that understand the pain and suffering of the Baloch and stand with truth and justice. The leadership of the Pashtun Tahafuz Movement has, on several occasions, participated in the protests, rallies, and processions of the freedom-loving people of Balochistan. We have also participated in their political gatherings, rallies, and seminars. So far, the Pashtuns have not openly declared a war of independence from Pakistan. They are still operating within the framework of Pakistan and talking about their rights. But we are making every effort to convince them that Pakistan has no real existence; the Baloch, Pashtun, and Sindhi nations have been imprisoned in a military camp by the Punjabi Muslim army and elite. The only way out is freedom. The Baloch nation has, with its national strength, achieved considerable success in inflicting defeats on Pakistan. However, the Pashtuns are still content with responding to bullets only with protests and demonstrations. Q4. If Balochistan becomes independent, how do Baloch leaders imagine its territorial boundaries and population structure? Which regions do the Baloch people historically and politically consider part of Balochistan? Mir YarBaloch: I would not use the word If because Balochistan is an independent country. It is facing the illegal presence of Pakistan, the loot and plunder of our resources, and the illegal presence of Pakistans navy and air force. The boundaries of Balochistan are clear and have been ruled by the rulers of the United Balochistan. We do not have the intention to acquire one inch of land from others, and similarly, we cant allow others to invade our one inch of land. We have a population scattered in Iran-occupied Balochistan, in the Republic of Balochistan, and Afghan held areas of Balochistan. There is a considerable Baloch population in Gulf countries, Africa, Europe, Nepal, and Bharat. Q5. What is the stance of the Hindu community living in Balochistan toward the freedom movement? Are they involved in the fight, and if so, do they support it openly or quietly? Mir YarBaloch: The Hindus who have been residing in Balochistan for thousands of years consider themselves citizens of Balochistan, and their sacrifices for Balochistan are commendable. In 1829, when the British launched an invasion against the then-king of Balochistan, NawabMehrab Khan, the Hindu Diwan Chand Machal, who worked alongside him, sacrificed himself along with his sons. After that, in 1975, the Baloch have not forgotten the Hindu Dileep Das, who was forcibly abducted by Pakistan and never produced. The courageous and brave Hindu community of the Republic of Balochistan has shown loyalty to the soil of Balochistan in every era. On March 17, 2005, when Pakistan's former military dictator General Musharraf targeted Hindu temples and Sikh Gurdwaras with artillery and helicopters during the assault on Balochistan, a total of around 70 people were killed, and among them, two dozen were from the Hindu community, including children and women. Q6. What are the most serious problems faced by ordinary civilians in Balochistan today, especially related to safety, livelihood, education, and basic rights? Mir YarBaloch: The people of Balochistan regard the Pakistani army as an external invading force. The Baloch people hold no expectations of any goodness from Pakistan. For them, the presence of the Pakistani army in Balochistan is the fundamental issue, as Pakistan's Punjabi-dominated army is neither familiar with Baloch culture nor acquainted with our customs, traditions, and ways of life. The Pakistani army has deliberately kept the people of Balochistan away from education for the past seventy-eight years, because Islamabad fears that the Baloch populace might become educated and take control of their country's reins. Therefore, it is exerting every possible effort to keep our children away from schools and education. Even today, polio patients exist in Balochistan; even today, Baloch women die during childbirth; in this modern era, the Baloch people lack access to clean water and permission to read and write in their mother tongue. Even if a nation is not killed with cannons, bombs, and bullets, keeping it away from its language, identity, and history will cause it to gradually lose its existence. We are aware of Pakistan's nefarious intentions, and therefore, we are seriously working to ensure health, education, basic facilities, and protection for our nation. Q7. Are local and international media, journalists, and human rights organisations allowed to work freely in Balochistan? If not, what kind of restrictions or pressures do they face? Mir YarBaloch: No, in Balochistan, the Pakistani army neither permits the Baloch people to write, read, or learn in their mother tongue nor tolerates the international community writing or conducting research about the Baloch. Whenever any international media publishes research-based material on Balochistan or releases news and commentaries about it, thousands of AI bots operating on the payroll of Pakistan's ISI target that media house or institution. The Pakistani army does not tolerate the truth; it also does not tolerate the Baloch identity or distinct recognition, because if the Baloch nation were to separately articulate their unique identity, land, and history, Pakistan would lose its importance in the world, as it possesses neither its own sea, nor resources, nor coastlinethey are selling Balochistan to the entire world. Q8. What does the Baloch freedom movement expect from India at this stage? If Balochistan becomes independent in the future, what kind of diplomatic or people-to-people relationship would you want with India? Mir YarBaloch: The Baloch nation has defeated Pakistan through its national unity and resolute determination. The people of Balochistan exercise control over every corner of their land. The Pakistani army is unable to travel by road in Balochistan from 6 PM until 6 AM, which reflects the people's silent rebellion and their trust and confidence in their own security forces and those fighting for freedom. Given Balochistan's deep historical and cultural ties with India, our people demand that the Prime Minister NarendraModi government recognize Balochistan as an independent country. Pakistan's forcible occupation of Balochistan is not only causing the genocide of the Baloch people but also creating a mounting pile of problems for India. It is secretly inviting the Chinese army to access Balochistan's warm waters and is engaging in negotiations with the United States to sell rare earth minerals from the region. In the current circumstances, if we undertake defense pacts with our friendly countries, we can prevent China from deploying its forces in Balochistan's warm waters. However, if the Baloch are left isolated, China could soon dispatch nuclear warhead-equipped ships and troops to Balochistan, permanently seizing Gwadar. Once China enters Balochistan, it would prove catastrophic for the security and economy of the United States and India in the long run Q9. How does the presence of the Pakistani military affect daily life in Balochistan? What kinds of actions or policies create fear or hardship for ordinary people? Mir YarBaloch: Pakistan's media is underthe complete control of their military. The media affiliated with Pakistan's Punjab province dominates the landscape and primarily propagates the narrative of its occupying forces. When hundreds of thousands of Baloch people take to the streets in Balochistan, Pakistan's mainstream media provides no coverage; however, in Punjab, even a minor news item becomes breaking news. Our efforts are focused on exposing Pakistan's narrative and highlighting the ongoing Baloch genocide, economic exploitation, and occupation in Balochistan to international media outlets and global policy-making institutions through our own grassroots power, available social media platforms, and our Baloch media websites. Q10. What is the Baloch fighters position on the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC)? Do they see it as a development project or as something that threatens Baloch rights and resources? Mir YarBaloch: The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor is an anti-Baloch project. Before its initiation, the people of Balochistan were not taken into confidence, and the CPEC agreement with an occupying and anti-Baloch entity like Pakistan has sown the seeds of further insecurity in the region. China has no right to support a terrorist state like Pakistan in exploiting Baloch resources and coastline in Balochistan. Since the launch of CPEC, hundreds of thousands of Baloch have been evicted from their ancestral lands, and fifty thousand Baloch have been forcibly abducted and imprisoned by the Pakistani army because they are politically resisting China and Pakistan's anti-Baloch projects. CPEC poses a direct threat to Baloch identity, resources, and the risk of transforming the population into a minority, which cannot be permitted. Q11. At this moment, what is the biggest concern or fear within the Baloch freedom movement: military pressure, loss of public support, or international silence? Mir YarBaloch: The Baloch people are well aware that they are the rightful heirs of Balochistan, not the Pakistani Punjabi army or Beijing's Chinese People's Liberation Army. Our concern is not the brutality of Pakistan or China, as we control the regions of Balochistan; we are actively preventing them from plundering our homeland. Rather, our concern lies in the silence of like-minded and friendly nations; they are officially not vocal and hesitant to show their support for our struggle for humanity, the preservation of our identity, and efforts to safeguard the entire region from Pakistan's terrorism, religious extremism, and proxy wars, such as fabricated jihad. Just as the Kurds in the past allied with Western countries and the United States to defeat jihadist extremists in their fight against ISIS in Syria, Turkey, and Iraq, the United States abandoned them midway, leaving them helpless and unsupported instead of standing by their side. Similarly, the Baloch oppose the policies of Pakistan and China that exploit our resources, while striving for our freedom and to foster peace in the region. It is imperative to stand with the Baloch at this critical juncture; only then can we avert the destruction of humanity and the region. Q12. Are there different political or ideological views within the Baloch movement? Which approach, armed struggle, political dialogue, or international advocacy, do most young Baloch people believe in today? Mir YarBaloch: The people of Balochistan, along with armed and political groups, are united on a single page in their pursuit of Balochistan's independence. The most commendable feature of Balochistan's freedom movement is that it is free from religious ideologies; the axis of their struggle is solely and exclusively the liberation of a united Balochistan. They are also resolute in the belief that Pakistan did not occupy Balochistan through any referendum or plebiscite, but rather by the force of guns, tanks, and artillery. Therefore, such a country should be expelled from our land using guns, artillery, tanks, and with the assistance of UN peacekeeping missions. At the international level, our diplomatic missions are working day and night tirelessly. Balochistan's war of independence involves a substantial number of young and educated individuals; today, every Baloch serves as a soldier, an ambassador, and a journalist. Q13. How do Baloch fighters manage their weapons and resources under difficult conditions? Does reliance on older weapons systems create operational challenges for the movement? Mir YarBaloch: The defense forces of Free Balochistan seize weapons, firearms, and ammunition from the Pakistani army on the battlefield. The Pakistani army is considered number one only in newspapers and media, but in actual combat, they prefer to flee and surrender rather than engage in fighting. Balochistan's forces handle the transportation of their own armaments. Whether the weaponry is old or new, if the courage is resolute, even a stone and a stick are sufficient to defeat the enemy. The Baloch nation has proven through its bravery, valor, and gallantry that Pakistan's artillery, tanks, and missiles become ineffective in their presence. Q14. Have Baloch leaders attempted to engage with major global powers such as the United States, Russia, or China regarding the Balochistan issue? If yes, what response have they received so far? Mir YarBaloch: Since Balochistan is a country with a history spanning thousands of years, the entire worldincluding Russia, China, and the United States are aware of its geography, minerals, and history. Our leadership and diplomatic missions are making every effort in various countries to inform the international community, the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council, about the truth of Balochistan and Pakistan's duplicity, lies, and deceit. In this regard, in 2012, during the tenure of U.S. President Barack Obama, a one-and-a-half-hour-long hearing on Balochistan was held under the chairmanship of Congressman Dana Rohrabacher in the U.S. Foreign Affairs Subcommittee, in which other U.S. senators openly emphasized providing diplomatic and political support for Balochistan's independence. Additionally, in London, under the platform of the Free Balochistan Movement headed by Baloch leader HyrbyairMarri, a month-long, round-the-clock protest was staged in front of the Chinese embassy. Furthermore, protests and sit-ins were also held in front of the Chinese embassy in Germany. Our leadership has also informed Russia about the facts through media channels. We hope that the world powers will no longer ignore Balochistan, as the Baloch people, through their invaluable sacrifices, have conveyed a message to the world that they possess the strength to overpower Pakistan, which is engaged in plundering their homeland and resources. Q15. Women are increasingly visible in the Baloch freedom movement. Is there an organised womens wing within the movement? What motivates Baloch women to join, and what role do they play? Mir YarBaloch: The participation of women is essential for the success of any movement. The mothers and sisters of Balochistan are not oblivious to their national responsibilities. Women have led from the front lines in Balochistan's freedom movement even during the British era. Baloch women participate in equal numbers in our political and resistance movements. Last year, KhawajaUsman, affiliated with Pakistan's ruling party and residing in London, endorsed the genocide in Balochistan during a live space on Twitter X. He stated that the people of Balochistan should be killed using poisonous gas, and further remarked that the children growing in the wombs of Baloch mothers should also be killed along with the pregnant mothers. Standing on British soil, he openly proclaims the Baloch genocide. Subsequently, last month, the Pakistani army forcibly abducted an eight-month pregnant Baloch woman from Balochistanand placed her in a torture cell. In a single month, a dozen Baloch women have been forcibly abducted and disappeared. In such circumstances, when Baloch women, children, infants, and pregnant women are also being targeted by the brutality and savagery of the Pakistani army, they have no other option but to rise up in their own defense. Q16. Finally, what message would you like to send to the international community about Balochistan that you feel has been ignored or misunderstood for decades? Mir YarBaloch: Our message to the entire world is that Balochistan is single-handedly fighting the war on behalf of the global community. We do not wish for Punjabi-dominated Pakistan to occupy our seas, or for our gold, copper, coal, oil, or gas. The Pakistani military has made our coastlineszone of conflict rather than a source of progress for us and the world. Instead of engaging with Pakistan's tanks, artillery, and mercenary forces regarding Balochistan, the international community should recognize Balochistan's independence and its legitimate movement, thereby scripting a new chapter in history. For eight decades, the world has nurtured a beggar and terrorist state like Pakistan, resulting in regional instability and the strengthening of Al-Qaeda, ISIS, and other jihadist organizations. The Pakistani army provides these jihadists with literature, pro-Pakistan religious parties supply them with manpower, and China offers diplomatic cover by vetoing UN resolutions on sanctionsas evidenced by China's veto of the resolution to declare MasoodAzhar a terrorist at the United Nations. Pakistan is safeguarding the leaders of its proxy groups in military safe houses under the pretext of court cases. Balochistan is earnestly prepared to facilitate global peace, and the time has come for the international community to demonstrate similar seriousness by advancing direct dialogue and establishing relations with the Baloch leadership. Q17. From your perspective, what are the most critical needs of Baloch freedom activists and fighters at this stage of the movement in terms of weapons? Beyond moral or political backing, which countries or international institutions do you believe are best positioned to play a meaningful role in addressing these needs? Mir Yar Baloch: Baloch leadership has repeatedly appealed to our friendly countries for the necessary support for the freedom of Balochistan. It is evident that we are defending our people against a state that neither respects the laws of war nor upholds principles of humanity or compassion. Through the use of force, they have deployed their military across Balochistan. Our progress toward success is not driven by possessing an army of one million soldiers, fighter jets, tanks, or artillery like Pakistan. We are advancing because the people of Balochistan have ceased to fear Pakistans fighter aircraft, jets, and artillery. This represents a critical moment for our friendly countries to recognize that the Baloch people are prepared to defeat Pakistan in Balochistan even with limited resources. The land is under the control of the people of Balochistan, while the skies remain under Pakistans control due to its drones and fighter aircraft. The people of Balochistan wish to convey to India that political, diplomatic, and moral support alone cannot stop Pakistans aerial bombardments on our civilian population. To achieve this, the Baloch nation must also possess comparable capabilities and tools to establish a balance of power. When the Baloch have the same capacity as Pakistan, Pakistan will think repeatedly before deploying F-16 fighter jets against the Baloch people. It will not dare to sell Balochistans air base to the United States, nor will it violate Balochistans airspace to carry out bombings in Kabul. Therefore, Balochistan can play a role in preventing bloodshed in Afghanistan. A free and defensively self-reliant Balochistan would be beneficial for the entire region. Bharat, being the most reliable partner to Afghanistan and Balochistan, can take the initiative to sign defense treaties with Balochistan and Kabul. New Delhi is currently selling or has sold defense equipment and military logistics to a limited set of countries. These include the Philippines (BrahMos coastal defense missile systems), Armenia (Akash air-defense missile systems, Pinaka rocket launchers, radars, and artillery), Vietnam (patrol boats, surveillance systems, training support, and approved missile cooperation), Mauritius and Seychelles (offshore patrol vessels, aircraft, coastal radar networks, and logistics), and Sri Lanka (radars, patrol craft, aircraft, and sustainment support). These exports focus on missiles, anti-aircraft systems, naval platforms, surveillance, and defense logistics, reflecting Indias expanding role as a defense supplier, particularly in the Indo-Pacific and adjoining regions. The Republic of Balochistan has already declared itself a country, and we have continues discussions and debates with Balochistans defense experts strongly emphasize the need for a USIndiaBalochistan coalition force to counter Chinese and Pakistani military influence in the region. They argue that providing Balochistan with anti-aircraft missiles, long-range missiles, air-defense systems, maritime security support, and other defensive capabilities would reduce civilian casualties, deter air and drone strikes, and enhance regional stability, including greater security for Afghanistan. They further call for independence, security cooperation, and economic partnership with Balochistan to be incorporated into the foreign policy frameworks of New Delhi, Washington, Tel Aviv, Kabul, and Brussels, citing a shared challenge of global radicalization that they argue remains deeply rooted within Pakistan. From this perspective, the Baloch leadership urges the international community to intensify legal, financial, and intelligence actions against the ISI-linked networks, retired military officials, and business figures involved in exploiting Balochistans mineral wealth and operating offshore entities while conducting covert radicalization efforts abroad. Presenting Balochistan as a regional whistleblower, we suggest that recognizing an independent and secure Balochistan is, in their view, essential to safeguarding future generations and preventing the spread of extremist sleeper networks into Western capitals. Q18. How do the Baloch people view Pakistans current power structure, particularly Army Chief General Asim Munir and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif? Do you see any difference between military and civilian leadership in their approach toward Balochistan, or are they perceived as part of the same system? Mir Yar Baloch: In Pakistan, the office of the Prime Minister has been systematically reduced to a ceremonial role, functioning in practice no more than a personal secretary to the military establishment. Real authority does not reside in the parliament or the civilian cabinet, but firmly within the General Headquarters. Prime ministers neither control national security policy nor possess meaningful signatory power over strategic, foreign, or defense decisions. This reality is repeatedly exposed when Pakistans army chief, not its elected leadership, represents the country in critical international engagements, carries out strategic negotiations, and speaks on matters of war, peace, and resources. No functioning democracy allows unelected generals to dominate diplomacy, economic bargaining, and national direction. Pakistan, from day one, is a military-run state with a civilian facade, where the army stands above the constitution, the courts, and public accountability. This unchecked militarization has had devastating consequences for Balochistan, where the Pakistani army continues large-scale military operations, enforced disappearances, and aerial assaults, all financed through an ever-expanding defense budget. Balochistans vast reserves of rare earths, copper, gold, gas, and strategic coastal access have been exploited for decades without the consent of its people, enriching a narrow military-business elite based in Punjab and Islamabad. This is not governance; it is extraction under force. We therefore urge the international community, particularly the United States and its democratic allies, to reassess their long-standing engagement with Pakistans military establishment. History has shown that financial aid, military assistance, and diplomatic cover extended to Pakistani generals over the past eight decades have not produced stability, counter-terrorism success, or democratic reform. Instead, these resources have repeatedly been diverted against civilian populations, neighboring states, and even Western interests themselves. Continuing to deal with Pakistans military as a necessary partner has only entrenched impunity, strengthened extremist ecosystems, and undermined genuine regional peace. As a democratic nation, the United States must engage with democratic forces of the Republic of Balochistan, not authoritarian and extremist structures of Pakistan. This means opening channels with the Baloch leadership and democratic institutions of Balochistan to identify areas of cooperation rooted in human rights, regional stability, counter-radicalization, and responsible independent resource governance. A peaceful, independent, and internationally recognized Balochistan would serve as a strategic stabilizer between South Asia, Central Asia, and the Middle East, offering transparent access to critical minerals, secure maritime routes, and a bulwark against extremism and military adventurism. Dealing with Pakistans military regime has yielded diminishing returns and escalating risks. Engaging with democratic alternatives, such as Balochistan, offers a forward-looking policy option aligned with long-term security interests and the global fight against radicalization. The choice before the international community is no longer between stability and chaos, but between supporting entrenched militarism or investing in democratic, accountable, and peace-oriented partners. Note: Mir YarBaloch is a Baloch Representative, Writer, Freelance Journalist, HR Defender, Diplomat & Member of Free Balochistan Movement. He can be reached via his official X handle (@miryar_baloch). Voters in Bangladesh are set to head to the polls on Thursday for the countrys first parliamentary elections since the ousting of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, following a brutal crackdown on student-led protests in 2024 that claimed around 1,400 lives. Election campaigning concluded on Tuesday morning, paving the way for a high-stakes vote that will shape the nations political landscape. Voting process and schedule Polling stations across the country will open at 7:30 am (01:30 GMT) and close at 4:30 pm (10:30 GMT) on 12 February. Citizens will cast their votes at 42,761 centres across 64 districts for 300 parliamentary constituencies, according to the Election Commission of Bangladesh (ECB). Add Zee News as a Preferred Source Bangladesh has 127,711,793 registered voters aged 18 and above as of 31 October 2025. This election introduces postal voting for the first time, enabling around 15 million overseas workers, whose remittances are vital to the economy, to participate. The country operates a unicameral legislature, the Jatiyo Shangsad, or House of the Nation, with 350 seats. Of these, 300 are elected via a first-past-the-post system, while 50 seats are reserved for women and allocated proportionally to parties after the results are declared. Under this system, a party securing 151 seats can form a government without a coalition, while the runner-up becomes the official opposition. High stakes amid political upheaval This is the first national election since January 2024, when Hasina returned to power for a fifth term amid widespread opposition boycotts. Her administration faced criticism from international observers for curbing political freedoms. Mass student protests erupted in July 2024 against a government job quota system favouring descendants of Bangladeshs 1971 freedom fighters. Hasina responded with a severe crackdown, resulting in nearly 1,400 deaths and over 20,000 injuries, according to the countrys International Crimes Tribunal (ICT). Following these events, Hasina fled to India and remains in exile. Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus was appointed interim leader in August 2024, while Hasina was sentenced to death in absentia for crimes against humanity by the ICT in Dhaka. Her Awami League party was subsequently banned from all political activity. Main parties and candidates The election features two principal coalitions: Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP): A centre-right coalition of ten parties, led by Tarique Rahman, son of the late former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia. Rahman returned from 17 years of exile in London in December 2025. BNP, founded in 1978 by Ziaur Rahman, remains rooted in Bangladeshi nationalist principles and has alternated between government and opposition with Hasinas Awami League historically. Jamaat-e-Islami (JIB): Leading an 11-party alliance, including the National Citizen Party (NCP), JIB is headed by 67-year-old Shafiqur Rahman. Founded in 1941, the party opposed Bangladeshs independence in 1971 and was banned after liberation. Its registration was restored by the Supreme Court in June 2025, allowing it to contest the elections independently. The alliance also includes NCP, led by 27-year-old Nahid Islam, a student leader from the 2024 protests. Notably, JIB is fielding its first Hindu candidate, Krishna Nandi, from Khulna. Other parties contesting independently include Islami Andolan Bangladesh and the Jatiya Party, a former ally of Hasinas Awami League. Opinion polls and election significance A December 2025 survey by the US-based International Republican Institute indicated BNP support at 33 per cent, with JIB close behind at 29 per cent. Results are expected the following morning, though counting may take longer due to ballots for both parliamentary seats and a concurrent referendum on the July National Charter 2025. The referendum, drafted by the caretaker government post-protests, proposes constitutional amendments and new legislation. This election carries extraordinary significance. With young voters making up a substantial portion of the electorate, many will vote for the first time. The absence of the Awami League from the ballot, the resurgence of Islamist parties, and the potential for political realignment make this vote a decisive moment in Bangladeshs history. A gunman opened fire at Patongprathankiriwat School in Hat Yai, located in Songkhla Province in southern Thailand on Wednesday, authorities said. The 18yearold suspect entered the school and fired shots, injuring several people including students and staff, according to police and multiple news reports. Videos shared on social media showed students and others fleeing the area and seeking shelter as the shooting unfolded. After the initial attack, the gunman took an unspecified number of students and teachers hostage inside the school. Police and emergency responders surrounded the building and worked to secure the scene. Add Zee News as a Preferred Source "The perpetrator has been captured," Deputy Superintendent Wichian Soboon said, reported Reuters. Officials later confirmed that the gunman had been detained and all hostages freed. At least three people were reported injured in the incident, though official casualty numbers have varied in early reports. The motive for the attack has not yet been officially disclosed. Authorities are continuing their investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident. Canada shooting: A shooting occurred at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School in Canadas British Columbia at around 1:20 pm local time, prompting an immediate police response. Authorities said the suspected shooter is dead and that multiple victims were reported, while investigators worked to determine whether any other suspect was involved. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) later confirmed that ten people were killed in the incident. In addition, 25 others were taken to a nearby medical center for evaluation of injuries. Police said officers entered the school immediately after receiving reports of an active shooter and secured the school, finding several people. The suspected shooter was later found dead and is believed to have inflicted his injuries. School lockdown Add Zee News as a Preferred Source In the aftermath of the shooting, School District 59 placed both the secondary and elementary schools under a hold and secure lockdown, ANI reported. Public alert cancelled An emergency alert issued earlier in the afternoon was later cancelled after the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) said authorities no longer believed there were any remaining suspects or an ongoing threat to the public. Evacuation and family reunification Police also confirmed that all remaining students and staff have been safely evacuated from the school. Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) said they are working with the local school district to ensure a coordinated reunification process for families. Tumbler Ridge is a small community of around 2,400 people, located approximately 660 kilometres northeast of Vancouver. The towns secondary school has an enrolment of about 160 students. The District of Tumbler Ridge called the incident deeply distressing and advised residents to rely only on official updates from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), ANI reported. "In the days ahead, we know this will be difficult for many to process," the district said. "Please check in on one another, lean on available supports, and know that Tumbler Ridge is a strong and caring community. We will get through this together." Canadas Prime Minister Mark Carney react Canada's Prime Minister Mark Carney expressed deep shock and sorrow over the incident, saying, "I am devastated by todays horrific shootings in Tumbler Ridge, BC." I am devastated by todays horrific shootings in Tumbler Ridge, B.C. My prayers and deepest condolences are with the families and friends who have lost loved ones to these horrific acts of violence. I join Canadians in grieving with those whose lives have been changed Mark Carney (@MarkJCarney) February 11, 2026 British Columbia Premier David Eby also conveyed his sorrow over the tragedy, stating, Our hearts are in Tumbler Ridge tonight with the families of those who have lost loved ones. Eby added that the government would provide every possible support to community members in the coming days as they try to come to terms with what he described as an unimaginable tragedy. Investigation ongoing Police said they are continuing to examine the full circumstances surrounding the incident, with no additional information released so far regarding the motive or the identities of the victims, ANI reported. In the ongoing release of heavily redacted files by the US Department of Justice in regards to the deceased financier Jeffrey Epstein, the mystery surrounding his aide, Nadia Marcinko, has reached a frenzied pace. Marcinko, once known as Epstein's "Yugoslavian sex slave" but later becoming his personal pilot and recruiter, appears to have faded out of public view sometime in early 2024. The Slovakian-born pilot, who was also known as Nada Marcinkova, was one of the key members who had been close to Epstein's social circle for many years. Nonetheless, after the release of a large number of case files in January 2024, Marcinko has not been spotted at her known addresses or around. From Victim To Accomplice: The Rise Of Nada Marcinkova Add Zee News as a Preferred Source Nadia Marcinko's case involved an interesting mix of trafficking and cooperation. Nadia Marcinko was born in Slovakia. She was allegedly brought to America as a minor. "The Purchase": As reported by both CNN and the police, Epstein once bragged to his victims that he "bought" Marcinko as his "sex slave" when she was only 15 years old. The Pilot: Over the years, Marcinko grew from being a victim into a licensed commercial pilot and flight instructor, regularly flying the notorious "Lolita Express" aircraft owned by Epstein. The Gatekeeper: Later, she proved to be one of Epstein's most trusted assistants, visiting him 67 times during his incarceration in 2008 in Palm Beach. MASSIVE FINDING: Nadia Marcinko, the model Jeffrey Epstein called his "sex slave", IS ALIVE AND CURRENTLY IN THE U.S.A On the 9th of January 2024, the Independent reported that Marcinko was missing. Using @OSINTindustries I was able to detect that her email has been used to pic.twitter.com/wMPEof5uSI -Aidan Raney - OSINT Expert (@AidanOsint) December 20, 2025 Disturbing Allegations: The 2008 Police Although she was never prosecuted, Marcinko's presence can be found throughout the civil trials and in the 2008 Palm Beach Police Department probes. Marcinko was mentioned as being involved in activities by the victims as follows: Direct Participation: In this claim, the victim charged that Epstein had been paying her to engage in sexual acts with Marcinkova in the presence of Epstein. The "Synthetic" Accusations: In one alleged crime, the victim reported the crime to the authorities; she said the offender was the one who had commanded Marcinkova to employ a "synthetic" device in order to sexually assault her. Lawsuits: Allegedly, she aided in "satisfying Epstein's criminal sexual desires by facilitating the prostitution of other young females." ALSO READ | Galveston Bay Crash: Search Continues For Final Passenger After Mexican Navy Flight Goes Down In Fog Feb 10 (Reuters) - Oil prices eased slightly on Tuesday as traders gauged the potential for supply disruptions after U.S. guidance for vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz kept attention squarely on tensions between Washington and Tehran. Brent crude oil futures were down 25 cents, or 0.4%, at $68.79 a barrel by 0102 GMT. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude fell 23 cents, or 0.4%, to $64.13. That's after prices rose more than 1% on Monday, when the U.S. Department of Transportation's Maritime Administration advised U.S.-flagged commercial vessels to stay as far from Irans territorial waters as possible and to verbally decline Iranian forces permission to board if asked. About a fifth of the oil consumed globally passes through the Strait of Hormuz between Oman and Iran, making any escalation in the area a major risk to global oil supplies. Iran along with fellow OPEC members Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, and Iraq export most of their crude via the strait, mainly to Asia. The guidance was issued despite Iran's top diplomat saying last week that Oman-mediated nuclear talks with the U.S. were off to a "good start" and set to continue. "While talks in Oman produced a cautiously positive tone, lingering uncertainty over potential escalation, sanctions tightening, or supply disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz has kept a modest risk premium intact," Tony Sycamore, an analyst at IG, wrote in a client note. Meanwhile, the European Union has proposed extending its sanctions against Russia to include ports in Georgia and Indonesia that handle Russian oil, the first time the bloc would target ports in third countries, according to a proposal document reviewed by Reuters. The move is part of efforts to tighten sanctions on Russian oil, a key source of revenue for Moscow, over the war in Ukraine. Indian Oil Corp bought six million barrels of crude from West Africa and the Middle East, traders said, as the Asian country steered clear of Russian oil in New Delhi's push for a trade deal with Washington. (Reporting by Anushree Mukherjee in Bengaluru) French authorities have uncovered a suspected serial predator accused of raping and sexually assaulting at least 89 minors over 55 years. The suspect, Jacques Laveugle, 79, is also under investigation for the murders of his mother and aunt. The scale of this case has drawn grim comparisons to the Gisele Pelicot trial. It forces France to confront a history of sexual violence and the digital evidence that finally exposes these crimes. The 'USB memoir': A 15-volume digital confession Add Zee News as a Preferred Source The investigation took a crucial turn when a relative found a USB drive containing what prosecutors called a "memoir" in 15 volumes. This digital archive detailed sexual acts committed between 1967 and 2022. The Victims: Investigators have used the memoirs to identify 89 alleged victims, mostly boys aged 13 to 17 at the time of the incidents. Global Reach: The memoirs describe abuse across several continents. Besides France, Laveugle allegedly targeted children in India, Morocco, Algeria, Germany, Switzerland, Niger, the Philippines, and New Caledonia. Professional Access: Laveugle used his roles as a teacher, private tutor, school employee, and cave exploration guide to get close to vulnerable children. A trail of international abuse and murder Laveugles background as an educator allowed him to travel freely. He reportedly spent decades in Morocco (19742024), where he is suspected of abusing at least ten victims while tutoring low-income families. He was arrested during a return trip to France in 2024. In addition to the sexual assault charges, Grenoble prosecutor Etienne Manteaux revealed that Laveugle confessed to two murders: His Mother: He admitted to smothering her while she was in the late stages of cancer. His Aunt: He confessed to killing his 92-year-old aunt because she begged him not to leave her. He "chose to put her to death" rather than stay. Public appeal: Identifying the 'incomplete identities' In an unusual step for the French legal system, where suspects are usually not named during investigations, prosecutors have made Laveugles identity and photos public. This name must be known because the goal is to allow possible victims to come forward, Manteaux said. While the memoirs contain details, many victims were listed with incomplete identities, creating a barrier for investigators. A national hotline has been set up for anyone who encountered Laveugle during his 50-year career. Parallels to the Pelicot case The Laveugle investigation is similar to the recent Gisele Pelicot case, which shocked the world in 2024. In both cases, the suspects maintained a facade of normalcy for decades while documenting their crimes. The digital evidence: Just as Dominique Pelicots crimes were revealed through thousands of photos and videos, Laveugles alleged abuse went unnoticed until the discovery of his digital USB memoirs. Authorities have stressed the urgency of the proceedings, noting Laveugles advanced age and the challenges of tracing victims whose lives were affected over half a century ago. ALSO READ | Weather alert: Two new western disturbances to hit northwest India; rain and snowfall predicted New Delhi: India and Malaysia have noticeably moved closer after Prime Minister Narendra Modis visit to Kuala Lumpur on February 7-8. The trip carried symbolic and strategic weight. It was Modis first foreign visit of the year. His Malaysian counterpart Anwar Ibrahim personally received him at the airport. The gesture indicated that both sides wanted to reset the relationship after months of strain. Ties had cooled in 2025 following the Pahalgam terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir. PM Modi had skipped the ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur. Though Malaysia had condemned the attack, the situation became sensitive when the country offered to mediate between India and Pakistan. New Delhi did not appreciate it. The latest visit helped put that phase behind. Around 11 agreements and MoUs were signed between the two nations. The joint statement drew attention for one important reason. It mentioned cross-border terrorism. For India, this wording mattered. Both governments conveyed a message that terrorism would face zero tolerance. The position ruled out double standards and rejected any compromise. Add Zee News as a Preferred Source India and Malaysia have shared diplomatic relations since 1957. The friendship was upgraded to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in August 2024. The visit pushed cooperation further and discussions covered defence, trade, energy, digital technology and emerging industries. Sensitive political irritants stayed off the table. The issue of Zakir Naiks extradition did not figure in the public outcome. Security cooperation formed a strong pillar of talks. Both countries reviewed counter-terror coordination. Intelligence sharing received focus. Cooperation at global platforms such as the United Nations and the Financial Action Task Force also came up. Strategic observers see Malaysias present leadership showing greater comfort in working with India. Indias fast-growing economy has added to its diplomatic pull in Southeast Asia. The wording on terrorism stood out because of its specificity. Earlier India-Malaysia statements in 2015, 2017 and 2024 had condemned terrorism in general language. This time, the phrase cross-border terrorism appeared clearly. Policy watchers see this as alignment with Indias long-held concerns about Pakistan-linked terror networks. The change also shows improving trust after friction during Mahathir Mohamads tenure, when Kashmir had been raised at international forums. Indias expanding engagement with ASEAN adds another layer. New Delhi has been pushing counter-terror cooperation within the grouping. India and Malaysia presently co-chair an ASEAN sub-committee on counter-terror issues until 2027. This gives both countries influence over the regional security agenda. Analysts believe such positioning may worry Pakistan diplomatically. Interestingly, Pakistan also engaged Malaysia during the same window. Pakistan Navy Chief Admiral Naveed Ashraf visited Kuala Lumpur and met Royal Malaysian Navy leadership. Maritime security, joint drills and anti-piracy cooperation featured in talks. Official messaging described the visit as routine naval engagement. But the timing drew attention in strategic circles. Malaysia and Pakistan share long-standing defence and diplomatic ties dating back to 1957. Past Malaysian leadership had voiced support for Pakistans position on Kashmir at global platforms. Kuala Lumpur had also questioned Indias citizenship law in 2019, triggering diplomatic friction. Observers now believe Malaysia is recalibrating its regional balance. Rivalry between major powers has pushed Southeast Asian states to diversify partnerships. India has emerged as an important pole in that equation. Even so, analysts expect Malaysia to retain working ties with Pakistan. Economic cooperation gave the visit long-term depth. Semiconductors emerged as a flagship area. Malaysia is the worlds sixth-largest semiconductor exporter. India wants to build its own chip manufacturing base. Technology collaboration and supply-chain integration formed part of new understandings. Experts believe Malaysias manufacturing expertise can support Indias semiconductor ambitions. Trade expansion also came into focus. Bilateral trade has room to grow beyond present levels. Leaders discussed increasing settlements in local currencies such as the Indian Rupee and Malaysian Ringgit. India imports palm oil and electronics from Malaysia and exports aluminium and petroleum products. New agreements also covered healthcare and security industries. The joint statement briefly referenced Malaysias aspiration to join BRICS. India acknowledged the interest. New Delhi holds the BRICS chair this year. Any expansion discussion will carry geopolitical implications. The visit ended with clear strategic signalling from both sides. Political trust between the two countries improved during the meetings. Security cooperation also became stronger with a sharper shared focus. Economic partnerships expanded as new areas of collaboration opened up. India secured diplomatic backing on terrorism-related language. Malaysia gained deeper access to one of Asias fastest-growing markets. The broader impact of these developments will be closely watched in Islamabad as regional alignments continue to evolve. The primary function of any state is the monopoly on violence, yet looking across the border from New Delhi, it is terrifyingly clear that the Bangladeshi state has temporarily lost this grip, as can be seen with over 1,000 deaths, and continuous religious extremism and violence since the 2024 uprising and continued unrest make free voting impossible. The conversation in Dhaka has been dominated by the breathless mechanics of an election schedule with dates being debated, and political parties manoeuvring for position, but this chatter ignores the deafening sound of gunfire that has characterized the last eighteen months. Since the uprising of 2024 began, more than a thousand citizens have lost their lives, and perhaps more than 10 times that number has been injured and lost personal property, in a spasm of violence that has yet to fully subside. To suggest that a free, fair, and inclusive election can be held in this climate of pervasive fear is not just optimistic; it is a dangerous fallacy. An election requires more than just ballot boxes and ink; it requires a secure environment where a voter can walk to a polling station without the fear of being beaten, and where a candidate can speak without the threat of assassination. Right now, Bangladesh does not have that environment. The reality on the ground is that the security apparatus has been shattered. The police force, which was used for years as a blunt instrument of political repression, is now deeply demoralised, and in many districts, police capacity has been disrupted and morale damaged, with documented gaps in patrols. There is a palpable security vacuum that has been filled by local vigilantism, political thugs, and opportunist criminal syndicates. If an election were declared tomorrow, these are the forces that would control the voting centres. They would determine who gets to cast a ballot and who gets turned away at the gate. The intimidation is no longer subtle; it is brazen and violent. We have already seen instances where political rallies have descended into bloody brawls and where potential candidates have been threatened in their own homes. Asking the Election Commission to manage a national vote in this atmosphere is like asking a captain to navigate a ship through a hurricane without a rudder. Furthermore, the civil administration, the very backbone of any electoral process, is currently paralysed. District Commissioners and local magistrates are overwhelmed by the task of simply maintaining basic order, let alone managing the logistical behemoth of a general election. The administrative machinery needs time to reset, to flush out the partisan operatives who were installed by the previous regime, and to rebuild a neutral police force that enjoys the trust of the community. This cannot happen in a few weeks. Rebuilding a police force takes months of training, vetting, and engagement with civil society. It requires a concerted effort to restore the chain of command and to ensure that officers are loyal to the constitution rather than a political party. Rushing this process for the sake of an electoral timeline will only produce a security force that is as compromised as the one it replaced. Add Zee News as a Preferred Source The risk of holding an election under the shadow of the gun is that the result will be inherently disputed. If a significant portion of the electorate stays home because they are afraid for their safety, the turnout numbers will be artificially low. A government elected on a twenty or thirty percent turnout has no moral authority to govern. It will be seen as illegitimate from day one, and this lack of legitimacy will fuel further instability. The opposition forces, whoever they may be, will inevitably claim that their supporters were prevented from voting by violence, and they will likely be right. This will lead to a new cycle of protests, blockades, and street fighting, dragging the country back into the abyss it is trying to escape. We have seen this pattern play out in the region before, where premature elections held in volatile security environments have served only to crystallize divisions rather than resolve them. I mean, all they need to do, is to look at Pakistan. From the telescopic sights of New Delhi, a chaotic election in Bangladesh is a security nightmare. A disputed outcome that leads to prolonged civil unrest creates the perfect conditions for cross-border militancy and illegal migration, not that it ever stopped. India needs a stable eastern flank, and stability can only come from a government that is elected through a process that is widely accepted as free and safe. It is in the interest of the entire region that the interim administration in Dhaka takes the time to stabilize the streets first. The priority must be to recover the thousands of looted firearms that were reported and a substantial number remained unrecovered, to dismantle the armed cadres of the political parties, and to restore a sense of normalcy to daily life. The argument for a delay is rooted in the necessity of survival. Legitimacy is the currency of democracy, and you cannot buy legitimacy in a market defined by fear. The people of Bangladesh have fought and bled for their right to choose their leaders, and they deserve to exercise that right in peace. They deserve to vote with their heads held high, not looking over their shoulders. To force them to the polls now, while the wounds of the uprising are still fresh and the streets are still dangerous, is a betrayal of the democratic promise. The state must first prove that it can protect its citizens; only then can it ask them for their mandate. Restore the law, secure the order, and then, and only then, hold the vote. Russia on Wednesday pushed back against claims by United States President Donald Trump that India would cease purchasing oil from Moscow, with Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov telling Russias parliament that no one else except Trump had declared that New Delhi would stop purchasing oil from Russia. Addressing lawmakers in the State Duma, Russias lower house of parliament, Lavrov said he had not heard any statement from Prime Minister Narendra Modi or other Indian officials that New Delhi plans to stop buying Russian oil. You mentioned that Donald Trump announced Indias agreement to no longer purchase Russian oil. I have not heard such a statement from anyone else, including Prime Minister Modi and other Indian leaders, Lavrov said in response to a lawmakers question. The remarks follow President Trumps announcement earlier this week that he had rolled back an additional 25% tariff on Indian goods, a punitive measure Washington had tied to Indias ongoing purchases of Russian crude, as part of a broader India-US trade deal. Add Zee News as a Preferred Source In public statements promoting the agreement, Trump said India had committed to halting imports of Russian oil, and he repeatedly described this commitment as a condition for concluding the trade framework. However, there has been no official confirmation from New Delhi on this matter. India has signalled an openness to increasing energy purchases from the United States and other sources such as Venezuela, but has maintained a cautious diplomatic tone. Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal told ANI that the trade deal anyway wont discuss who will buy what and from where, adding that such decisions are driven by market conditions and national energy security considerations. Russias response: accusations of coercion Lavrovs comments come amid broader Russian criticism of US pressure over energy diplomacy. Russia accused Washington of attempting to deter India and other countries from purchasing Russian oil through coercive measures including tariffs, sanctions and direct prohibitions. Lavrov said the United States was seeking global economic dominance and was trying to control trade and investment ties with strategic partners such as India and other BRICS members. Lavrovs broader critique framed US efforts as inconsistent with fair competition and directed at suppressing competitors. He argued that such tactics could force countries to buy US liquefied natural gas at higher prices, a situation he suggested was contrary to the interests of major energy consumers. Bilateral ties and energy security Despite the tensions over narratives on oil purchases, Lavrov stressed that agreements and cooperation between Russia and India remain unaffected. He noted that ties with New Delhi remain strong and underscored the shared emphasis on energy security, a priority for India during its BRICS chairmanship this year. India has maintained that its energy import choices reflect commercial realities and the goal of stable supplies for its large economy. Islamabad: Pakistans Defence Minister Khawaja Asif set off a fierce political and public debate by delivering an unusually blunt verdict on Islamabads past ties with Washington. Speaking in the National Assembly, he said that Islamabad was used like toilet paper and then discarded by the United States. He was talking about decades of security cooperation with Washington. He made the statement during a heated parliamentary discussion on terrorism, held in the aftermath of a deadly suicide bombing at a Shia mosque in Islamabad. The attack at Imambargah Qasr-e-Khadijatul Kubra in the Tarlai area killed 31 worshippers and injured 169 others during Friday prayers. Grief and anger spilled onto the streets as thousands joined funeral processions across the capital, demanding justice and stronger security. Asif turned his focus outward and backward. He told parliament that Pakistan had repeatedly stepped into conflicts driven by global powers rather than its own strategic needs. He said the country had fought wars on Afghan soil that were never truly its own battles. He was referring to Pakistans involvement during the anti-Soviet war of the 1980s and later cooperation in the US-led war on terror. Add Zee News as a Preferred Source We took part in two wars that were fought on the soil of Afghanistan. These were not our wars; they were superpower wars, he said, adding that Pakistan and its land were used and then discarded like toilet paper. He argued that these backings were given in the name of religion and security partnerships. He suggested that military rulers of the past sought international legitimacy and external backing through such engagements. The long-term consequences, he indicated, returned home in the form of militancy and internal violence. Describing terrorism as the after-effect of earlier policy decisions, the minister said Pakistan was still living with the fallout of choices made under past dictatorships. He expressed anger that the country had failed to draw lasting lessons, adding that Islamabad often shifted between major capitals in pursuit of short-term advantage. He also recalled former US President Bill Clintons brief stopover in Islamabad in 2000, a visit that lasted only a few hours at the tail end of a longer India tour. He suggested that the episode showed how the relationship had become purely transactional over time. He said it was increasingly driven by American pressure on issues like democracy, militancy and Pakistans nuclear programme. The parliamentary session concluded with a resolution condemning the mosque bombing and calling for national unity against terrorism. Even as lawmakers voiced solidarity with victims, Asif warned that political divisions weakened the countrys collective response. He urged leaders to build consensus on national security, saying the fight against militancy required a shared identity and common purpose. Islamabad: Balochistan stands restless once again. Violence has returned to its towns and mountains. Armed groups and security forces face each other across the tense region, and ordinary families carry the heaviest burden. Many trace this unrest to decisions taken in 1947 when Pakistan was born. Historical accounts and research works describe those early choices as deeply disputed. The story begins in the final years of British rule. The princely state of Kalat covered much of present-day Balochistan. The erstwhile state had a treaty relationship with the British Crown. Direct colonial administration did not exist there. Its status was often compared with Nepals autonomous position in the subcontinent. While other princely states functioned under stricter imperial systems, Kalat had internal authority. Mir Ahmad Yar Khan ruled Kalat at the time. As Partition approached, Baloch leaders voiced the demand for full sovereignty. Political consultations took place in 1947. Meetings involved Muhammad Ali Jinnah, Mir Ahmad Yar Khan and Lord Mountbatten. Historical records describe an understanding about Kalats future status. India got independent on August 15, 1947. Kalat announced its own independence soon after and began creating administrative and diplomatic structures of a separate country. Add Zee News as a Preferred Source But developments changed the course within months. Pressure from Pakistan increased, military presence appeared around Kalats territory and political negotiations intensified. On February 25, 1948, Mir Ahmad Yar Khan announced accession to Pakistan. Many Baloch groups viewed the decision as coerced. Feelings of dispossession spread across the region. Those sentiments continue to echo in political discourse and popular memory. Today, Balochistan is Pakistans largest province by land area. It spans roughly 347,000 square kilometres. This equals about 44 percent of the countrys territory. The population here is much smaller in comparison. The region holds vast natural resources. Local communities often argue that economic returns never matched extraction levels. Such perceptions feed long-running alienation. Armed resistance surfaced soon after the accession. The first uprising emerged in 1948 when Prince Abdul Karim Khan led the revolt. He opposed the accession decision taken by his brother, the Khan of Kalat. Insurgent bands operated from rugged terrain. Pakistani forces launched counter-operations. As a result, Prince Karim had to flee to Afghanistan. Arrest followed, the rebellion subsided but the grievances did not fade. Another flashpoint came in 1955. Pakistan introduced the One Unit policy. Western provinces merged into a single administrative bloc. Baloch leaders saw the move as an erasure of their identity and autonomy. Nawab Nauroz Khan led resistance in 1958-59, but the revolt failed. State reprisals followed. Executions of his family members left a deep scar in collective memory. Insurgency rose again during the 1960s. Discontent grew over military bases and resource control. Sher Mohammad Marri emerged as a guerrilla commander. Fighting spread across interior districts. Political change came later when General Yahya Khan ended the One Unit system. The violence subsided for some time. Conflict reignited in 1973 when then Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto dismissed the elected provincial government led by Ataullah Mengal. The decision triggered widespread anger. Armed resistance rose again, leading to expansion of military operations. Historical accounts record the use of Iranian-supplied helicopters in aerial bombardment campaigns. Casualties mounted as the confrontation lasted several years. The most prolonged phase began around 2000, the year the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) gained prominence. Nawab Akbar Bugti emerged as the face of the movement. After his death, the BLA leadership passed to commanders such as Dr Allah Nazar. The insurgency evolved in character. Tribal leadership continued to be influential. Urban educated youth also joined networks of dissent. Guerrilla tactics, targeted attacks and counter-insurgency drives became routine features of the security situation. Scholarly and historical writings attempt to explain the roots of Baloch identity as well. One cultural interpretation links the word Baloch to ancient Persian descriptions. References appear in epic literature such as the Shahnameh. The texts portray Baloch fighters as distinct warrior groups known for their attire and battlefield presence. Such cultural memories contribute to a strong sense of historical pride among Baloch communities. Present instability has roots in history. Old political promises, accession disputes, exploitation of natural resources, neglect of local people, deliberate underdevelopment despite resource wealth and repeated military operations have all left lasting scars. Todays tensions grow from these past experiences. Researchers, archival records and international observers still study the region through this long historical background. New Delhi/Moscow: Unaffected by external pressures, the India-Russia partnership continues to grow. Beyond receiving affordable oil from Russia, India is now poised to benefit from a new opportunity that could be called a return gift. Facing one of the most severe labour shortages in decades, Russia is turning its attention from Central Asian countries toward India. From snow clearing on Moscow streets to major construction projects, restaurants and welding workshops, Indian workers are expected to play a major role. Agreements signed during President Vladimir Putins visit to India in December have paved the way for thousands of Indians to secure high-paying work in Russia. Russia is presently dealing with a critical shortage of labour. Declining birth rates and ongoing military demands have created a massive gap in the workforce. By the end of this decade, Russia will need an estimated 11 million additional workers. Add Zee News as a Preferred Source An official agreement between India and Russia was signed during Putins visit to New Delhi in December 2025 to simplify temporary labour migration processes. The numbers of Indian workers obtaining work permits in Russia have witnessed a surge. In 2021, only about 5,000 permits were issued, but last year the number jumped to over 56,000. Indian workers in Russia are being employed in municipal services like snow removal, at construction sites, in restaurants and in technical areas such as welding. Russian companies prefer Indian labour over Central Asian countries like Tajikistan because Indian workers are contractually bound and tied to visas, ensuring continuity of work. Training programmes have been launched to prepare Indian workers for Russian jobs. In Chennai, the Russian Welders Association has opened a training centre to assess and train welders before they depart for Russia. To address language barriers, agencies are providing crash courses in Russian for hospitality and service jobs, while construction sites are staffed with managers fluent in both Russian and Indian languages such as Hindi. Initially, recruitment focussed on the Moscow region, but now Indian workers are being invited to Russias Far East, including Vladivostok and Sakhalin Island. The ongoing war has intensified the labour shortage, as many young Russians have joined the military or defense-related industries. In addition, around 500,000 to 800,000 citizens have left the country to avoid conscription or protest the conflict. Companies across sectors are feeling the pinch. Russias largest mining company, Norilsk Nickel, faces a shortage of 10,000 employees. Shipbuilding company Ak Bars is operating at half capacity due to a lack of 2,000 workers. Indian professionals provide an economic advantage, as skilled electricians can be hired at approximately 25% lower wages compared to Russian workers. Russia is also sourcing labour from other countries, including Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Myanmar and North Korea. By the end of 2025, an estimated 50,000 North Korean workers will be employed at Russian construction sites. Chinese nationals mainly work in their own businesses, logistics, restaurants, and wholesale trade, rather than in local companies. Experts say the labour shortage in Russia is not temporary. Demographic trends indicate an aging population and a declining number of young workers. Countries with a youthful workforce, such as India, are expected to play a key role in filling this gap for decades to come. From 1913 to 1951, Tibet functioned as a self-governing state under the Dalai Lama, exercising full political, diplomatic, and cultural autonomy after the collapse of Qing rule. These 38 uninterrupted years stand as the strongest historical rebuttal to Beijings claim that Tibet was always part of China. The debate over Tibets political status is often framed by Beijing through a single, sweeping assertion--that Tibet has since ancient times been an inseparable part of China. Yet history tells a far more inconvenient story. On February 13, 1913, following the fall of the Qing dynasty, the 13th Dalai Lama formally reasserted Tibetan sovereignty, expelling Qing troops and restoring full Tibetan control over its territory. Add Zee News as a Preferred Source What followed was not a brief power vacuum or a contested interlude, but 38 years of unbroken Tibetan autonomy, a period that decisively undermines the Chinese Communist Partys narrative. This era, lasting until the Peoples Liberation Army entered Tibet in 195051, represents Tibets most documented phase of modern self-rule. With imperial China's collapse and no successor authority exercising jurisdiction over Lhasa, Tibet governed itself in practice and principle. There was no Chinese civil or military administration, no tax collection by Beijing, and no enforcement of Chinese law across Tibetan territory during this period. Sovereignty, in international terms, was exercised on the ground. One of the strongest research anchors validating this autonomy lies in Tibets independent diplomacy. During these decades, Tibet negotiated treaties, managed border issues, and engaged with neighboring powers, including British India and Nepal. Tibetan representatives issued passports, conducted trade negotiations, and even maintained diplomatic correspondence. These are clear signs of a state in operation. These were not symbolic actions but standard acts of governance that reflected political maturity and international agency. Also, Tibet functioned economically and culturally without Chinese oversight. Without the imposition of any external control, the Tibetan institutions--monastic, administrative, and social--could function according to indigenous norms. Trade routes from Tibet to India, Bhutan and Central Asia continued to flourish, thereby supporting a modest but stable economy. Cultural activity thrived in relative isolation, maintaining language, religious, and social structures which would eventually face severe challenge from 1951. This era clearly disagrees with suggestions that Tibet needed Chinese administration to survive. Significantly, these 38 years were not characterized by Chinese resistance or rule. Beijing's assertion of authority in the present day appears to be retroactive in nature, and historical records do not reflect any opposing Chinese control in Tibet during this period. Even the Republican government of China struggled to project power within its own core territories, let alone across the Tibetan plateau. Silence, whether it is used at the ground level or in international law, can sometimes speak louder than anything else. The legacy of this autonomous period has profound implications for the current issue of Tibet. It affirms that Tibetan self-ruling is no mere theoretical proposition, but a historical event that lasted for close to four decades in the modern period. From the point of view of listeners outside of China, it is possible to say that this period gives us tangible proof that Tibets political identity was not invented, nor was it dependent upon Chinese patronage The final objective in reviewing these 38 years is not nostalgia, but recognition. By acknowledging Tibets independent arc, the global community is better positioned to challenge simplistic historical narratives and reassess Tibets future through the lens of viability, legality and justice. Tibets past autonomy demonstrates that sovereignty was once restored, maintained, and functional, and that it can, with international backing, be envisioned again. In an age where history is weaponised, Tibets 38 golden years remain an inconvenient truth Beijing would rather the world forget. Oracle (ORCL) shares closed more than 10% higher on Feb. 9 after senior D.A. Davidson analyst Gil Luria issued a constructive note in favor of the legacy technology company. As investors cheered the bullish call, ORCL pushed closer to its 20-day moving average (MA) that sits at about $172 currently. A break above that key resistance may boost upward momentum in the near term. Despite todays surge, Oracle stock remains down some 23% versus its year-to-date high. More News from Barchart www.barchart.com Why D.A. Davidson Upgraded Oracle Stock Today Austin-headquartered Oracle Corp is building multibillion-dollar data centers for OpenAI. It has sold off in recent months on fears that the ChatGPT company which burns through cash wont be able to pay its bills, leaving Oracle with billions in debt and empty buildings. But recent reports suggest OpenAI is raising up to $100 billion. According to Luria, this fresh stack of capital confirms the artificial intelligence (AI) giant is stable enough to pay Oracle all that it owes in 2026. This makes ORCL stock worth buying at current levels and holding for the long term, he added. ORCL Shares Are Trading at a Discount Luria also recommends investing in Oracle shares because they are essentially on sale currently. According to the D.A. Davidson analyst, the market has become so pessimistic that its treating the OpenAI partnership as a liability rather than an asset. However, at about 23x forward earnings, youre basically getting the company's massive cloud business for free, as the current valuation covers its legacy software business only, he told clients. Moreover, Luria believes the idea that AI or vibe coding will replace Oracles offerings is overhyped and its notable clients will continue paying for its professional tools. He upgraded Oracle today to Buy with a price target of $180, indicating potential upside of more than 15% from here. Whats the Consensus Rating on Oracle? It's also worth mentioning that D.A. Davidson is actually among the more conservative firms on ORCL shares. According to Barchart, the consensus rating on Oracle sits at a Moderate Buy, with the mean target of about $295 indicating potential for an exciting 90% rally over the next 12 months. Eli Lilly (NYSE: LLY) has been a growth beast over the years, there's no denying that. And a big reason for its incredible performance has been due to its approved GLP-1 drugs -- Mounjaro (approved for diabetes) and Zepbound (approved for weight loss). These products have been generating billions in revenue for the company, and yet, they still have much more growth on the horizon. At the same time, it could be a concerning issue for investors because so much of the company's revenue and growth prospects are tied up in just a couple of key assets. And with competition in the GLP-1 market intensifying, that could make the stock vulnerable, especially given the high premium it trades at today. Should investors be worried about Eli Lilly stock, and is now a time to sell it, or can it still be a good buy at its current levels? Where to invest $1,000 right now? Our analyst team just revealed what they believe are the 10 best stocks to buy right now, when you join Stock Advisor. See the stocks Image source: Getty Images. The company's fourth-quarter results were stellar, but much of the growth was due to its GLP-1 products Last week, Eli Lilly posted its fourth-quarter results for 2025, and its growth remained impressive. Revenue for the last three months of the year totaled $19.3 billion, which was a 43% increase from the same period a year ago. Mounjaro grew by 110% and totaled $7.4 billion in sales, while Zepbound grew at a faster rate of 123% and its sales topped nearly $4.3 billion. Zepbound is the newer of the two drugs, and thus, its sales have been lighter, but its growth rate has been faster. It could end up being the company's top-selling drug in the not-too-distant future. Together, the drugs brought in $11.7 billion in sales, making up more than 60% of the company's top line. It's an impressive feat, but it calls into question whether too much hinges on these products, especially as other healthcare companies spend billions on coming up with possible rival products in the future, which could take market share from Eli Lilly. Is too much growth priced into Eli Lilly's stock? Eli Lilly has a market cap of around $950 billion, making it the most valuable healthcare stock in the world. Not only has it been doing well, but investors have been paying a big premium for it as its price-to-earnings multiple of 46 is fairly high. That high of a price tag implies that investors are expecting much more growth from the business in the years to come. There is some risk with Eli Lilly, but given that it's already become an early leader in a hot GLP-1 market, I think a premium valuation is warranted. The stock may be vulnerable to a decline in the short term if other competing GLP-1 products come to market. But if you're willing to hang on for the long term, I think this can still be an exceptional growth stock to hold in your portfolio. "Volatility was a gift to the faithful," Saylor said in the viral video. It scares away the tourist. It scares away the lazy. It scares away the people that are already conventionally rich and have all the money. The Strategy founder argues that wild price swings benefit younger investors who have "more time than money" and can stack Bitcoin over 20 years at lower prices. Despite the bloodbath, Saylor frames Bitcoin's volatility as an opportunity rather than a problem. In the fourth quarter of 2025, Strategy posted a net loss of $12.4 billion, or $42.93 per share on a diluted basis, compared to $670.8 million in the year-ago period. Strategy's operating loss stood at $17.4 billion versus $1 billion a year earlier. MSTR stock has been hammered, too. Shares have fallen about 12% year-to-date (YTD), 44% over the past three months, and 60% over the past 52 weeks. MSTR stock is also down more than 70% from its July 2025 peak of $457.22. According to a CCN report, Strategy now holds 713,502 BTC acquired for about $54.3 billion at an average cost of $76,052 per coin. At current prices, these holdings are now valued at approximately $50 billion, leaving the firm with more than $4 billion in unrealized losses. Back in October, Strategy's Bitcoin stash showed paper gains approaching $33 billion. The reversal has been brutal. The timing couldn't be worse for that clip to resurface. Strategy just disclosed that it purchased 855 BTC for $75.3 million, paying an average of $87,974 per coin, according to a regulatory filing. With Bitcoin now trading near $69,000, those fresh purchases are already underwater. Michael Saylor isn't backing down from his Bitcoin (BTCUSD) bet, even after the crypto briefly dipped below $62,000 last week and as Strategy (MSTR) faces mounting paper losses. A video from May 2025 has gone viral again after Bitcoin lost half its value from its October peak above $126,000. In the video, Saylor makes a bold claim: If people in the rest of the world knew what I know [] and they agreed with me, Bitcoin would go to $10 million tomorrow. Story Continues Saylor has made clear that he's not selling. In fact, Strategy has bought more Bitcoin amid the recent selloff. That said, questions about whether the company might have to liquidate Bitcoin have reached a fever pitch. CEO Phong Le acknowledged in late November that Strategy could be forced to sell Bitcoin if shares traded below the value of underlying holdings. Saylor later clarified the company would only contemplate selling if its net asset value (NAV) fell below 1. As of reporting time, Strategy's NAV is 1.1, still above the threshold. It reflects a small premium but is far below the exuberant multiples seen during Bitcoin rallies. Strategy maintains a $2.25 billion cash reserve, enough to cover dividend payments for two and a half years without touching BTC. The company said it intends to keep the reserve at a level sufficient to fund two to three years of dividends. The first major debt maturity doesn't hit until September 2028. Strategy's convertible debt is unsecured, meaning a Bitcoin crash can continue for quite a while before becoming a serious problem. A worst-case scenario would only emerge if a vanishing stock premium over the long term prevents the company from refinancing maturing debt. The Critics Are Piling On Saylor's $10 million claim sparked fierce backlash on social media. Users questioned his logic and mindset, with some sarcastically noting that if everyone agreed on an asset's value, anything could be worth trillions. Critics warn that Strategy's debt-supported Bitcoin accumulation has increased leverage and centralization risks. With Bitcoin now trading below the company's average cost, Strategy's primary financing method of issuing stock becomes less efficient and increases dilution risk. Some liken the situation to past speculative bubbles, such as Tulip Mania. Others point to technological concerns, including Bitcoin's energy consumption, the impact of halving on miners' economics, and growing centralization. Wall Street Is Bullish on MSTR Stock Saylor remains convinced that Bitcoin will surpass gold by 2035. In an interview, Saylor said he has "no doubt" that BTC will become a larger asset class than gold, citing scarcity, widespread adoption, and long-term demand. Still, Strategy's aggressive focus on BTC accumulation faces real challenges. The company has fought battles for inclusion in the S&P 500 ($SPX), falling short in both September and December. Landing a spot would have meant institutional credibility and passive inflows. MSCI floated a proposal last year to classify firms like Strategy, whose balance sheets are dominated by digital assets, as non-operating companies. Saylor pushed back hard, arguing that the company remains an active business that uses BTC strategically. Strategy delivered a 22.8% BTC yield in 2025, beating the lower end of its target range. The company's revenue was $123 million in Q4, with a gross profit of $81.3 million. Cash and cash equivalents reached $2.3 billion as of Dec. 31, up from just $38.1 million a year earlier, reflecting the establishment of the USD reserve. For now, Saylor shows no signs of wavering from his Bitcoin-first strategy, even as critics grow louder and losses mount. The company has held through a 50% drop before, during the 2022 crypto winter when Bitcoin stayed below its average entry price for 16 months. "Our long-term focus remains unchanged," CFO Andrew Kang said on the Q4 earnings call. We are committed to increasing Bitcoin per share and building durable shareholder value over the long term. Whether that conviction pays off or becomes a cautionary tale depends on Bitcoin's trajectory over the next several years. For Saylor, the bet is all or nothing. Strategy has a Strong Buy consensus rating overall. Out of the 16 analysts covering MSTR stock, 13 recommend a Strong Buy, one recommends a Moderate Buy rating, and two recommend a Hold rating. The average price target of $419.43 implies about 215% potential upside from current levels. www.barchart.com On the date of publication, Aditya Raghunath 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 Pictet Group has reported assets under management or custody of SFr757bn ($987bn) for the year ending 31 December 2025, up 4.5% from SFr724bn in 2024. The group posted a consolidated profit of SFr667m in 2025, almost flat compared to the prior year. The companys operating result rose by 3.7% to SFr846m compared to the previous year, while operating income reached SFr3.21bn, marking a 1.5% increase from 2024. Net new money for the year totalled SFr19bn, contributing to the overall growth in assets. As at the end of December 2025, Pictets liquidity coverage ratio stood at 191%, surpassing Basel III requirements. The total capital ratio was reported at 21.6%, remaining well above FINMA's minimum requirement of 12%. Pictet Group senior managing partner Marc Pictet said: Pictet delivered solid results once again in 2025. In a dynamic market environment, the Group lifted assets under management to a new high through strong investment performance and a substantial inflow of net new money underscoring the resilience and enduring strength of our long-term business model. The Geneva-based group, established in 1805, operates as a partnership structure and specialises in wealth management, asset management, alternative investments, and related services. Pictet does not participate in investment banking or grant commercial loans. Globally, the group has a workforce of around 5,500 across 31 offices in cities including London, New York, Singapore and Zurich. In 2025, Switzerlands Office of the Attorney General fined Pictet Bank SFr2m for what it described as organisational lapses linked to money laundering activities. The office stated: Pictet Bank was sentenced to a fine of SFr2m ($2.4m) for failing to take all reasonable and necessary measures to prevent these acts from being committed. "Pictet AUM rise but consolidated profit flat" was originally created and published by Private Banker International, a GlobalData owned brand. For much of his career, Mohamed Mohamed worked at institutions BlackRock, Goldman Sachs, and McKinsey all of whom, he said, treated real estate as a computational problem. They had proprietary data pipelines, internal valuation models, simulation tools, and increasingly, early AI systems supporting underwriting and capital allocation, he told TechCrunch, explaining how these firms analyzed property investments. But he knew that regular people who also invested in real estate didnt have access to such advanced tools. His friends were coordinating deals on WhatsApp or storing critical information in PDFs. There was no unified data layer, no consistent modeling, and no easy way to reason about risk, liquidity, or execution end to end, Mohamed continued. Decisions involving millions of dollars were being made without anything resembling a modern intelligence stack. In 2024, he left his job at Boston Consulting Group to strike out on his own. He founded Smart Bricks, an AI-powered proptech that helps investors find high-quality real estate investments. The company is based in London and San Francisco. The product analyzes millions of public and proprietary data points across areas like pricing, liquidity, transaction history, supply, and financing terms. Mohamed said it has an autonomous reasoning system that, rather than simply showing available real estate deals, can map to the expected outcome of a deal using automated valuation models, cash-flow forecasting, downside risk modeling, and market reasoning. Smart Bricks AI tools can also help complete the transaction workflow, which usually takes lawyers, analysts, and brokers weeks to complete on their own, letting a person use AI agents to handle it all. Even after a deal has been brokered, Smart Bricks uses fresh data to continuously update the deal, monitor performance, simulate refinancing, and recommend actions as the market changes. Image Credits:Smart Bricks The company announced Tuesday a $5 million pre-seed round led by Andreessen Horowitz. Others in the round include South Loop Ventures, Cornerstone VC, Techstars, and angel investors from OpenAI, Airbnb, Anthropic, Blackstone, and DeepMind. The startup is also currently partaking in a16zs prestigious Speedrun program. Mohamed met the team at a16z last year while exhibiting at TechCrunch Disrupt. At the time, he said, the company was still under the radar, but the investment from a16z has allowed them to scale. The fresh capital will be used to expand the products infrastructure into additional markets (right now it just operates in the U.S., U.K., and the UAE, the latter of which is Mohameds home country). The money will also go toward product advancement. Raqami Islamic Digital Bank has secured a commercial banking licence in Pakistan. The Karachi-based lender is backed by the Kuwait Investment Authority, the sovereign wealth fund of Kuwait. Pakistan Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif was quoted as saying by The Nation: Pakistan and Kuwait are brotherly countries bound by decades of strong cultural, political, and people-to-people relations. It is now time to further strengthen our economic and investment ties so that this relationship grows from strength to strength. Raqami Islamic Digital Bank was initially issued a restricted banking licence by the State Bank of Pakistan in May last year and has since completed its pilot operations. At that time, Raqami said it plans to develop a technology platform that supports open APIs, banking-as-a-service (BaaS) capabilities, and automation. The aim is to enable collaboration with fintech firms, telecom operators, and other partners. This infrastructure will support real-time, personalised, and Shariah-compliant digital financial services as the bank expands its operations. Last week, the banks CEO, Umair Aijaz, indicated that Raqami intends to invest $100m over a coming five-year period as it enters the market. The bank is targeting at least one million customers within three years and plans to focus services on small commercial lending. We are very excited to explore this opportunity of a digital bank in the small- and medium-sized enterprise space. Globally, it has already picked up with a lot of traction, Aijaz said in an interview in Karachi. "Raqami Islamic Digital Bank gets commercial banking licence in Pakistan" was originally created and published by Retail Banker International, a GlobalData owned brand. For Jef Caers, founder of Mineral-X, an industrial affiliates programme at Stanford Universitys School of Sustainability, self-driving vehicles are a clear example of how automation is enhancing mining operations. New technologies are not only allowing countries to boost domestic production they are revolutionising mining operations across the globe. One thing that we have done, which is super exciting, is the AusAEM survey, said Czarnota. We fly an aircraft that generates an electromagnetic field (a secondary field within the earth) and measure its decay, then we use that to make cross-sections of the conductivity of the earth down to between 300m and 500m in depth. We are doing this across the entire country, with 20km spacing, and we have covered around 70% of Australia as of now. As for Geoscience Australias role in this progression, he said: We take datasets and fuse them together to make mineral potential maps. They are like heat maps for where you should go and explore certain styles of deposits. We couple this with a whole series of technological economic assessments, so you can find the sweet spots. Australia has the periodic table of critical minerals and, because of the breadth of expertise across the mining sector, is looking to progress industry around a lot of them, he explained. Karol Czarnota, senior science advisor at governmental agency Geoscience Australia, told Mining Technology at Resourcing Tomorrow how it plans to help the country capitalise on it. One nation that is positioning itself as a major contender is Australia, a country rich in critical mineral reserves and home to a thriving mining industry that generates more than 12% of its gross domestic product. Of course, the minerals the world wants to benefit from the most right now are the critical variety especially those key to energy transition technologies. Their necessity has sparked a global race, with nations attempting to challenge Chinas monopoly over the market. China dominates the production of more than 15 critical minerals and has virtually no competition when it comes to producing the likes of gallium and magnesium. The 2025 iteration of one of Europes biggest mining events was extensive in its coverage of topics, from leveraging AI and optimising mining operations to environmental, social and governance (ESG) and the rapidly growing artisanal mining sector. Story Continues If you are mining the wrong way, the robots are going to fix that, he told Mining Technology at Resourcing Tomorrow. Jef Caers (left), founder of Stanford Mineral X, and Craig Brown (second right), director of investment at the UK Space Agency, spoke about emerging technologies that are defining the industry. Credit: Mines and Money via flickr. A partnership between Caers programme and US-based mine exploration company KoBold Metals leveraged AI and automation technologies, leading to what they claim is the largest copper discovery in a decade. The mining industry is also adopting new technologies from the space sector. Satellite technology, for example, is integral to the remote element of certain aspects of mining. According to Craig Brown, director of investment at the UK Space Agency, 40% of applications for the agencys most recent development programmes incorporate AI on some level, and many would have direct applications in the mining sector. Any company that wants a commercial advantage and is keen on innovation and staying ahead of the curve should consider the new services that are coming through some of the technology [the space domain] supports, Brown says. Satellites, for instance, are cross-applicable to space and mining. For both you need to take imagery, navigate in areas where there isnt very good ground infrastructure, where you are in remote regions, he says. Mining companies are already using satellite technology to send data from their mine sites to their headquarters. This includes information processed by cameras and microphones, on the behaviour of tired workers in the field using heavy equipment. Through analysis techniques the companies can determine whether the drivers are behaving in a way that poses a safety risk. Spotlighting artisanal mining A less prominent topic in mining, the artisanal mining sector was also discussed at Resourcing Tomorrow. The sector contributes substantially more to global commodity supply in both volume and range since the 1990s. For example, it produced approximately 4% of the worlds gold then, compared to 20% today. While the traditional mining industry doesnt appear to be responding as quickly to its growth, Resourcing Tomorrow provided a platform for industry experts to shine a light on it. "It is a subject that I hope is not going to be left aside or sidelined in the interest of critical minerals," said Brent Bergeron, Pan American Silvers senior vice-president of corporate affairs and sustainability, during a panel discussion. Brent Bergeron (centre of the panel), Pan American Silvers senior vice-president of corporate affairs and sustainability, reminded attendees at Resourcing Tomorrow that regulation of the artisanal mining sectors a pressing problem. Credit: Candiece Cyrus. He spotlighted the artisanal gold market in Peru. Around $8bn in gold makes its way outside the country on a yearly basis it is not a small market but where does it go? How does it get out? Which groups are in charge of it? These are the questions we are trying to answer. The mostly unregulated artisanal mining sector has also led to social and environmental risks such as poor health and safety and environmental degradation, reflecting broader concerns around ESG in mining. Is ESG dying or rebranding in mining? Following years of companies attempting to align with ESG frameworks, Resourcing Tomorrow emphasised the reality of its relevance today. According to experts, it is at a minimum rebranding and at most dying. Panellists suggested a new acronym has taken centre stage: VUCA, standing for volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous. Rather than a call for ethical considerations, VUCA reflects the state of supply chains and mining operations squeezed by critical mineral demands. However, VUCA extends beyond mining, seeping into everyday life. We are increasingly seeing that the world around us, the world of resourcing, the world of our jobs, the world of our homes, is increasingly uncertain, said Beverley Adams, head of client engagement and consulting director of strategic risk practice at Bowring Marsh. Uncertainty is the new normal. Presenting another angle, Gerhald Bolt, principal of climate and sustainability at dss+ Consulting, suggested that ESG is becoming the basis on which to manage VUCA risks, helping to answer questions such as How can I advise ESG to advance my brand equity? How can I use it to increase revenue? Can I use it to reduce cost and how can it significantly reduce risk? Adams closed the panel, saying: ESG isnt dead, but the language of ESG, whether it is sustainability, social licence or co-design ESG is evolving. Regardless of whether ESG is dead or alive, ethical practices in resource sourcing still remains a key consideration in mining but there are obstacles. "The biggest challenge the industry sees at whatever level in the value chain is where you have very big differences in regulation in markets in which you operate, or where your customers operate around the world, said Julian Hetherington MBE, director of automotive transformation at the Advanced Propulsion Centre UK. "Trying to keep ahead of and balance compliance with all of those regulations is a big challenge." Ntokozo Nzimande, deputy director general of South Africa's Department of Mineral and Petroleum Resources, brought insight from the perspective of the countrys industry, advising that it needs to reinforce its supply chain resilience. "Firstly, we must agree we need to fix our infrastructure [to better align with ESG standards], and investors must assist in these efforts. Then, in order for us to contribute to the regulation, we must be able to work with all partners that need it, she said. Another attempt by mining to operate under ESG frameworks is circularity, as managing director of the World Resources Forum, Mathias Schluep, emphasised to Mining Technology. I think mining companies sit at the beginning and somehow also outside of the circular economy. They feed in the raw materials, but they have a lot of decision power, knowledge power and technology power they can use to support circularity, Schluep said. He believes that a lot of mining companies are getting into the field of secondary raw materials but there is yet more attention needed in the way they sell those raw materials. Material as a service giving the material to be used as a service completely changes the picture of how somebody is using this material and what the interest is of the mining company. They want this material back, he notes. "Resourcing Tomorrow 2025: emerging technologies, artisanal mining, ESG and more" was originally created and published by Mining Technology, a GlobalData owned brand. Peter Kyle, the Business Secretary, approved a total of 26m in government loans to Orbex last year - Orbex One of Britains only space rocket businesses is at risk of collapse despite being handed 26m in taxpayer loans just last year. Orbex, a Scottish start-up that had been hoping to launch the first UK rocket from home soil, is lining up administrators in the event that it fails to secure a rescue deal. The business filed a notice of intent to appoint administrators on Wednesday, putting around 150 jobs under threat and throwing Britains space ambitions into doubt. Orbex had hoped to launch a rocket, called Prime, from a base on the Shetland Islands last year. It would have been the first space launch from the UK since Virgin Orbits failed mission in 2023. However, the Prime launch was repeatedly delayed, and last month it emerged that Orbex was in merger talks with The Exploration Company, a German space business. A source on Wednesday said the deal with The Exploration Company appeared to be dead. Peter Kyle, the Business Secretary, approved 20m of government loans to Orbex in January 2025, hailing the business as a unique opportunity that would bring prestige to Britains space industry. The Governments investment in Orbex was made in the form of taxpayer loans that could have been converted into equity. However, Orbex subsequently struggled to raise any more private investment, despite having previously secured more than 100m from investors. Last year, it confirmed it was targeting raising more than 120m to fund the development of its launch vehicle. The Government invested a further 6m in Orbex last summer as the rocket business attempted to bid for a pool of tens of millions of pounds in funding from the European Space Agency to build a new launcher. In November, the space agency earmarked a tranche of funding for Orbex, but that cash was put on hold as it scrambled to secure further investment or a buyer. The Telegraph previously revealed that Orbex had been in talks to secure cash from Rachel Reevess National Wealth Fund, but those talks fell through in November. The potential collapse of Orbex serves as a damaging blow to Britains space ambitions, extinguishing hopes that the UK could offer a European alternative to Elon Musks SpaceX rocket launches. Orbex was one of a handful of companies hoping to launch from Saxavord, a base on the Shetland Islands. Other businesses, including Germanys RFA and Skyrora, a Scottish start-up, are still targeting UK launches. Phil Chambers, chief executive of Orbex, said: Disappointing doesnt come close to describing how we feel about this moment. We have been successfully developing a sustainable, world-class sovereign space launch capability for the UK and were on the cusp of our first test flights later this year. Saks Global plans to close nine additional outlets and most standalone Fifth Avenue Club suites as it concentrates its luxury retail operations. The group said eight Saks Fifth Avenue stores and one Neiman Marcus location will shut, alongside the majority of Fifth Avenue Club sites. Bergdorf Goodman will continue to operate with no changes to its footprint. Saks Global described the moves as an initial optimisation phase across the Saks Fifth Avenue and Neiman Marcus estates, with further sites to be reviewed according to performance and lease terms. Shops and e-commerce platforms across Saks Fifth Avenue, Neiman Marcus and Bergdorf Goodman will continue trading as normal, apart from locations entering closing sales. Customers in markets without physical stores will still be served through online and remote selling channels. The retailer is also scaling back standalone Fifth Avenue Club locations, originally established for customers in areas lacking Saks Fifth Avenue stores. Following its 2024 purchase of Neiman Marcus Group, the company said it can now reach many of those markets through the Neiman Marcus network and intends to keep three Fifth Avenue Club sites in regions showing growth potential. Saks Global recently secured $1.75bn in committed capital and entered voluntary Chapter 11 protection as part of a financial restructuring. In late January, Saks Global said it would close most off-price outlets under Chapter 11, including most Saks OFF 5TH stores and all remaining Last Call locations, to focus on luxury and full-price retail. Saks Global CEO Geoffroy van Raemdonck said: "By optimising our operational footprint, we will be better positioned to deliver exceptional products, elevated experiences and highly personalised service across all channels, while simultaneously positioning our company to make investments that enable long-term growth and value creation. Separately, the company said that from 19 February, customers shopping online on its home furnishings brand Horchow will be redirected to Neiman Marcus website, where the full Horchow assortment will be offered. It said the change is aimed at improving integration across merchandising, marketing and technology. The retailer added that the steps form part of a broader effort to streamline its store portfolio and operations while maintaining service levels across its luxury brands. "Saks Global bankruptcy drives nine additional store closures" was originally created and published by Retail Insight Network, a GlobalData owned brand. SentinelOne Inc. (NYSE:S) is one of the best high-growth cybersecurity stocks to buy. On February 6, SentinelOne Inc. (NYSE:S) announced an expansion of its AI Security Platform with new Data Security Posture Management (DSPM) features to safeguard AI systems from data ingestion through runtime execution. SentinelOne, Inc. (S): Expanding AI-Powered Cybersecurity for the Next Era The Mountain Viewbased cybersecurity firm said these capabilities prevent sensitive or high-risk data from entering AI pipelines, addressing risks like data memorization and pipeline poisoning before training begins. Building on its existing cloud and AI security offerings, SentinelOnes unified approach enables teams to trace risks across the AI lifecycle, block lateral movement from data to model logic, and protect systems in real-world operations. The company emphasized that AI security is a lifecycle challenge, and the new DSPM tools aim to help enterprises adopt AI securely while meeting privacy and regulatory requirements. On January 27, Citron Research reiterated that SentinelOne Inc. is well-positioned to capitalize on opportunities in the emerging field of autonomous agent protection. The remarks follow the acquisition of Prompt Security, which strengthens the companys edge in addressing security vulnerabilities created by AI agents. Given that traditional antivirus software cannot detect AI security threats, SentinelOne is well-positioned to capitalize on the significant security gap. Prompt Security joins the company with a governance layer for AI agents that can inspect commands in real time. Last year, SentinelOne introduced a suite of cybersecurity tools focused on AI applications. Customers can leverage the tools to prevent employees from entering business data into insecure AI services. It also launched Purple AI assistant to automate repetitive aspects of cybersecurity teams work. SentinelOne, Inc. (NYSE:S) is a prominent AI-powered cybersecurity company that provides autonomous threat prevention, detection, and response capabilities. Its core Singularity Platform protects enterprise endpoints, cloud workloads, and identities in real time, leveraging automated, data-driven technology to defend against modern cyberattacks at machine speed. While we acknowledge the potential of S as an investment, we believe certain AI stocks offer greater upside potential and carry less downside risk. If you're 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. Cash flow from operating activities reached $133 million , while free cash flow was $90 million , increases of 196% and 336% , respectively, versus the comparable quarter. Management noted that operating cash flow included an initial $44 million draw on the companys $175.5 million streaming facility with Wheaton Precious Metals tied to construction at the El Domo project, as well as a $9.4 million positive change in non-cash working capital. Excluding those items, Silvercorp said third quarter operating cash flow was still a record at $79.6 million , up 129% year over year. Silvercorp reported third quarter revenue of $126 million , up 51% from the prior-year quarter. Shaver attributed the improvement mainly to an 80% increase in realized silver selling prices , which he said added just under $49 an ounce after smelter deductions. Silver represented 72% of quarterly revenue. Silvercorp Metals (NYSEAMERICAN:SVM) reported what it described as record-breaking third quarter fiscal 2026 financial results, driven largely by higher realized silver prices and improved operating performance at its Ying mining district in China. President Lon Shaver said the companys results underscore its leverage to stronger metals prices while highlighting ongoing progress on growth projects in China and Ecuador, as well as a recently announced acquisition in Kyrgyzstan. Balancesheet and growth activity remain robust: cash of $463 million , investments valued near $260 million , ongoing construction at Ecuadors El Domo (16% of a $284 million budget) and a postquarter acquisition of a 70% stake in Kyrgyz gold projects for $162 million (with $92 million paid at closing). Operationally the Ying district powered resultsquarterly production included about 1.9 million oz silver and Ying contributed 93% of consolidated mining incomewith productivity gains from shrinkage mining raising throughput (+23% mined, +18% milled) even as grades fell; unit costs improved to $76/ton and silver cash cost was a negative $1.22/oz , though management said FY performance may track toward the lower end of guidance. Silvercorp reported a record third-quarter revenue of $126 million (up 51% ) driven mainly by an 80% increase in realized silver prices, producing strong operating cash flow ( $133 million ) and adjusted net income of $47.9 million , despite a GAAP net loss of $15.8 million due to a $60 million noncash derivative fairvalue charge on convertible notes. Story Continues Despite the strong operating performance, Silvercorp reported net income of negative $15.8 million, or negative $0.07 per share. Shaver said the loss primarily reflected a $60 million non-cash charge related to the fair value of derivative liabilities. In the question-and-answer session, he clarified that the derivative liability was related to the companys convertible notes. On an adjusted basis, excluding non-cash and one-time items, Silvercorp reported adjusted net income of $47.9 million, or $0.22 per share, compared with $22 million, or $0.10 per share, in the prior-year quarter. Balance sheet strength and capital deployment Verizon: Your Total Return Leader for 2026 Might Be Hiding in Plain Sight Silvercorp said it invested nearly $26 million in its China operations and $18 million at the El Domo project in Ecuador during the quarter, but still increased cash on hand. The company ended the quarter with $463 million in cash, an increase of more than $80 million from September 30. In addition, the company referenced investments in associates and other companies with a market value of $233 million as of December 31, which management said was more recently pegged at just under $260 million. After quarter end, Silvercorp announced an agreement to acquire a gold project in Kyrgyzstan for $162 million in cash, with $92 million paid at closing on January 27. China operations: higher throughput, lower grades, and cost improvements 3 ETFs Designed to Survive the Next Market Crash Silvercorp reported third quarter production of approximately: 1.9 million ounces of silver Just over 2,000 ounces of gold 16 million pounds of lead 7 million pounds of zinc At the Ying district, Shaver said production benefited from increased use of shrinkage mining relative to cut-and-fill, driving record productivity. Tons mined and milled increased 23% and 18%, respectively, compared with the third quarter of fiscal 2025. However, head grades were lower, which management attributed to maintenance on the XRT sorter in October and higher dilution associated with the shift toward shrinkage mining. The company also stockpiled more than 61,000 tons of ore to be processed during the Chinese New Year holiday period. For the fiscal year to date, Silvercorp reported production of 5.3 million ounces of silver, 6,231 ounces of gold, 46 million pounds of lead, and 18 million pounds of zinc. Management said this represented increases versus the prior year of 1% in silver, 42% in gold, and 1% in lead, while zinc production was down 6%. Costs improved at Ying, with third quarter production costs averaging $76 per ton, down 11% from last year, reflecting mine mechanization and the productivity benefits from shrinkage mining. Year-to-date production costs averaged $80 per ton, which management said was below its annual guidance range for Ying of $87 to $88 per ton. Yings cash cost per ounce of silver (net of byproduct credits) was negative $1.22 in the quarter versus negative $0.30 a year earlier, which the company said was driven by a $3.5 million increase in byproduct credits. Yings all-in sustaining cost per ounce of silver, net of byproducts, was $11.32. Consolidated mining income totaled $77.1 million for the quarter, with Ying contributing $71.6 million, or 93% of the total. On guidance, Shaver said the company did not change its outlook, but acknowledged challenges in catching up after issues earlier in the fiscal year. He said additional tons to be milled during Chinese New Year could help smooth seasonal impacts, but he indicated performance could track toward the lower end of guidance and that might be still challenging. Growth projects: Ying expansion, Kuanping ramp-up, and Ecuador development Silvercorp said it invested $9 million at Ying during the quarter, primarily for ramp and tunnel development aimed at improving underground access and material handling as the company works to expand mining capacity across its four licenses. Management highlighted permit renewals and capacity increases at several mines, and said it was applying to increase the TLP/LM permit from 230,000 tons to 600,000 tons per year, with approval expected later in the quarter. Once approvals are in place, Silvercorp said Yings total permitted annual mining capacity would rise to 1.32 million tons. At Kuanping, a satellite project north of Ying, the company said construction continued with more than 3 kilometers of ramp development and 693 meters of exploration tunneling completed in the quarter. Kuanping is expected to begin delivering some minor development ore starting in June, and has a permit for up to 200,000 tons per year. Silvercorp said it expects to publish an updated technical report for the Ying district, including Kuanping, by mid-year. In Ecuador, Silvercorp said construction at the El Domo mine continued with approximately 1.1 million cubic meters of material moved in the quarter. Cumulative earthmoving reached 46% of the design volume for the first construction package, with work focused on haul roads, the process plant site, and the tailings storage facility starter dam. The company commissioned a 600-bed construction camp and said it was finalizing a contract with mining contractor CRCC 19, which has mobilized personnel and is expected to bring equipment to site later in the month. Silvercorp said it had spent approximately $45 million on construction through December 2025, or about 16% of its updated $284 million budget. At the Condor Gold project in Ecuador, the company discussed a previously announced PEA in December for an underground gold operation centered on the Kame and Los Cuyes deposits. Management said the study used a base case gold price of $2,600 per ounce and described the project as long-life and low-cost. Silvercorp said it plans to drive two exploration tunnels to support underground drilling and additional resource definition, and noted that water permits have been approved and the environmental impact study has been approved by Ecuadors Ministry of Environment, Water, and Ecological Transition. The company said it is engaged in formal consultation with impacted communities, which it characterized as the final stage in obtaining an environmental license for exploitation. Finally, in Kyrgyzstan, Silvercorp said it recently acquired a 70% interest in the Tulkubash and Kyzyltash gold projects, with the Kyrgyz government retaining a 30% free-carried interest. Management said it plans a phased development approach beginning with the fully permitted Tulkubash project, followed by Kyzyltash, and indicated it expects to provide further updates in the coming months. About Silvercorp Metals (NYSEAMERICAN:SVM) Silvercorp Metals Inc is a Canadian-based precious metals company engaged in silver, lead and zinc production. The company's core operations are located in the provinces of Henan and Guangxi in the People's Republic of China, where it operates several underground mining and milling facilities. Silvercorp focuses on lowcost, highgrade silver projects, producing concentrates that are sold to smelting partners under longterm offtake arrangements. The company's principal assets include the Ying Mining District in Henan Province, which hosts multiple subdistrict mines, and the GC and HPG silverleadzinc projects in Guangxi Province. The article "Silvercorp Metals Q3 Earnings Call Highlights" was originally published by MarketBeat. Soybeans are trading with midday weakness of 6 to 8 cents in the front months on Monday. The cmdtyView national average Cash Bean price is down 7 cents at $10.41 1/4. Soymeal futures are trading with losses of $5.50 to $6.30, with Soy Oil futures up 100 to 107 points on the day. USDA reported a private export sale of 264,000 MT of soybeans to China this morning. More News from Barchart Monday mornings Export Inspections report showed 1.136 MMT (41.74 mbu) of soybean shipped in the week of 2/5. That was 13.8% below the week prior and 3.5% shy of the same week last year. China was the largest destination of 747,198 MT, with 92,655 MT shipped to Mexico and 57,087 MT to Germany. The marketing year total is now 23.136 MMT (850 mbu) of soybeans shipped since September, which is still 34.4% below the same period last year. Monthly WASDE data will be released on Tuesday, with analysts looking for no major changes to the US soybean stocks number, at 348 mbu, vs. the 380 mbu estimate in January. Brazil soybean production is excepted to be up 1.2 MMT to 179.2 MMT, with Argentina estimed down 0.4 MMT to 48.1 MMT. Commitment of Traders data from Friday afternoon showed a total of 11,511 contracts added to the managed money soybean futures and options net long position as of Tuesday, taking the position to 28,832 contracts. AgRural estimates the Brazil soybean crop at 16% harvested as of Thursday, ahead of he 15% pace last year. Mar 26 Soybeans are at $11.07 1/2, down 7 3/4 cents, Nearby Cash is at $10.41 1/4, down 7 1/2 cents, May 26 Soybeans are at $11.21 1/4, down 7 1/2 cents, Jul 26 Soybeans are at $11.32 3/4, down 6 3/4 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 Soybeans are trading with 3 to 5 cent gains on Tuesday morning. Futures posted Monday gains of 3 to 5 cents. Open interest was up 5,376 contracts on Monday, with 21,516 contracts rolling out of March. The cmdtyView national average Cash Bean price was down 4 cents at $10.45 1/2. Soymeal futures were a dime to $5.80 lower, with Soy Oil futures were 102 to 136 points in the green on the day. USDA reported a private export sale of 264,000 MT of soybeans to China on Tuesday morning. More News from Barchart Monday mornings Export Inspections report showed 1.136 MMT (41.74 mbu) of soybean shipped in the week of 2/5. That was 13.8% below the week prior and 3.5% shy of the same week last year. China was the largest destination of 747,198 MT, with 92,655 MT shipped to Mexico and 57,087 MT to Germany. The marketing year total is now 23.136 MMT (850 mbu) of soybeans shipped since September, which is still 34.4% below the same period last year. Monthly WASDE data will be released later today, with analysts looking for no major changes to the US soybean stocks number, at 348 mbu, vs. the 380 mbu estimate in January. Brazil soybean production is excepted to be up 1.2 MMT to 179.2 MMT, with Argentina estimed down 0.4 MMT to 48.1 MMT. Mar 26 Soybeans closed at $11.10 3/4, down 4 1/2 cents, currently up 5 cents Nearby Cash was $10.45 1/2, down 4 1/4 cents, May 26 Soybeans closed at $11.25, down 3 3/4 cents, currently up 5 1/2 cents Jul 26 Soybeans closed at $11.36 1/2, down 3 cents, currently up 5 1/4 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 Stellantis is reported to be considering withdrawing from its US battery partnership with South Koreas Samsung SDI as it reins in electric-vehicle (EV) spending and looks to conserve cash. The company has held talks about potentially selling its stake in the joint venture but has not reached a decision, Bloomberg reported, citing sources. Stellantis is aiming to conserve cash following the more than 22bn ($26.20bn) in write-downs, it announced last week. Any departure could take time and prove expensive, the sources said, with the automaker possibly seeking a third-party buyer. Chief executive officer Antonio Filosa is attempting to curb losses linked to EV and battery initiatives that had been forecast to be unprofitable following policy shifts under US President Donald Trump that weaken incentives for plug-in cars. Stellantis and Samsung established their Indiana venture in 2021, committing $2.5bn and promising 1,400 jobs in Kokomo, home to existing Stellantis engine and transmission operations. The plant, Samsungs only battery facility in the US, began output in 2024 and has since produced cells for energy-storage applications. The deliberations come shortly after Stellantis agreed to leave a separate partnership with LG Energy Solution in Windsor, Canada, where LG acquired its share for $100 while Stellantis will continue sourcing EV batteries from the site. In Europe, Automotive Cells Company - backed by Stellantis - confirmed it is abandoning plans for factories in Germany and Italy. It is also in discussions with unions at its French plant about possible temporary unemployment measures, citing difficulties ramping up battery production. Bloomberg previously reported that Filosas retreat from EV programmes would shrink the number of battery plants the group needs in both North America and Europe. Stellantis, General Motors, Ford Motor and their partners have all been revisiting multibillion-dollar battery commitments made during the Biden administration after electric-vehicle demand fell short of expectations and Trump reversed supportive policies. Several groups are now assessing whether output could be redirected towards batteries for grid and data-centre uses, where demand is increasing. Samsung, meanwhile, has recently signed new customers for stationary-storage batteries, one source said. "Stellantis weighs exit from Samsung US battery venture report " was originally created and published by Just Auto, a GlobalData owned brand. Q : Could you provide more details on the positive project adjustments in Finland, Denmark, and Germany, and clarify if the ERP correction in Germany is related to these adjustments? A : The ERP correction is separate and relates to the integration of the ERP system in Germany in 2024. Project adjustments are a normal part of our operations and not unusual, contributing to fluctuations but are considered part of our regular business activities. (Jan Allde, CFO) Personnel expenses had a negative impact on EBITA, despite improvements in other areas such as billing ratio and FTE growth. There was a negative FX effect of minus 4% due to the strong development of the Swedish krona, impacting overall financial results. The Board of Directors proposed a dividend of SEK3.70 per share, representing a 12% increase from the previous year, reflecting confidence in the company's financial health. Sweco AB ( STU:7W71 ) accelerated its M&A activity, announcing 13 new acquisitions in 2025, adding more than SEK2 billion in annual net sales and over 1,500 new experts. The company achieved an EBITA improvement of 12% and further improved its EBITA margin, demonstrating strong financial performance. Sweco AB ( STU:7W71 ) reported a net sales increase to over SEK31.5 billion in 2025, with a solid organic growth rate of 4% and acquisitions adding another 2%. For the complete transcript of the earnings call, please refer to the full earnings call transcript . Story Continues Q: Can you elaborate on the order backlog as you enter 2026? A: We are in a good position with a stable order backlog, supported by strong project wins and tender activity. There is no significant change compared to previous quarters. (Asa Bergman, CEO) Q: Will there be more integration costs related to Projektengagemang in 2026? A: The SEK35 million integration cost in Q4 was the last major expense for Projektengagemang. We are on track with the integration plan and expect to see synergies in 2026. (Jan Allde, CFO) Q: How do you foresee fee developments and price increases in 2026? A: We focus on project-specific pricing and quality execution. The EBITA improvements are largely due to price increases, and we will continue to focus on this area moving forward. (Asa Bergman, CEO) Q: With the active M&A year in 2025, how do you plan to approach M&A in 2026? A: We have an active M&A strategy and pipeline. We will continue to pursue opportunities that align with our strategic goals, ensuring quality integration while maintaining focus on our core business. (Asa Bergman, CEO) Q: Will recent acquisitions affect the billing ratio in 2026? A: We aim to improve billing ratios through efficiency programs and integration of acquired companies. The Q4 billing ratio already reflects the impact of acquisitions, and we will continue to drive improvements. (Jan Allde, CFO) Q: What regions are you targeting for M&A in the midterm? A: We are looking at all geographies with a focus on combining architectural and engineering expertise. The DACH region and Benelux are of interest, but it depends on available opportunities. (Asa Bergman, CEO) Q: Can you explain the increase in group costs in Q4 compared to last year? A: The increase is due to M&A integration costs and a periodization effect related to our captive insurance company. These are not expected to be recurring. (Jan Allde, CFO) For the complete transcript of the earnings call, please refer to the full earnings call transcript. By Aishwarya Venugopal Feb 11 (Reuters) - Mattel and Hasbro both delivered disappointing forecasts for 2026. But Hasbro shares rose as much as 9% on Tuesday on the strength of its digital gaming business, and Mattel stock sank 27% on Wednesday and was on track for its worst intraday plunge in more than two decades. The contrasting reactions underscore a widening strategic gap between the two toy giants. While both are grappling with soft demand for traditional toys, Hasbro's success in digital gaming has fundamentally altered its risk profile, turning a bleak forecast into a minor blip. For Mattel, the same macroeconomic warning was enough to send its shares sharply lower. "Mattel is in the early stages of an investment similar to Hasbro's investment in gaming over seven years ago," D.A. Davidson analyst Keegan Cox said. Investors in Mattel, the maker of the iconic Barbie dolls and Hot Wheels toys, were worried about the company's exposure to the weakening toy market and the growing risk of having to hold down inventory amid uncertain retailer orders. "December gross billings in the U.S. ended up growing less than expected," Mattel said, implying that there were fewer fresh orders from retailers during the key holiday shopping period. TWO PATHS, ONE FALLOUT Mattel makes most of its revenue by selling toys: Hot Wheels cars and trucks, toddler playsets under its Fisher-Price brand, dolls, and action figures with licenses from companies such as Pixar and Warner Bros Discovery. Consumers, however, are buying fewer classic toys and spending more on tabletop and digital games tied to hit online shows and films. Mattel signaled on Tuesday that it was pushing into the digital gaming market, as it announced its plan to acquire the remaining 50% of a joint venture with China's NetEase. But the initiatives are still in the early stages and also pressuring margins. In contrast, Hasbro reported an 86% jump in its Wizards of the Coast and Digital Gaming segment revenue in the December quarter, while its operating margin grew to 45% from about 24% a year earlier. Magic: The Gathering, the company's flagship tradingcard franchise, posted a 141% surge in revenue. "While investors have seen how traditional toy IP can successfully land itself into digital gaming, and the margin opportunity of that upside, Mattel's sizable investment in digital gaming in 2026 delays the earnings upside," UBS analysts wrote in a note. Mattel on Tuesday said it aims to invest about $110 million in 2026, primarily directed towards digital games, and about $40 million in performance-based marketing. TotalEnergies has signed two long-term power purchase agreements (PPAs) with Google to provide 1GW of solar energy in Texas, US, over a period of 15 years. This energy, equivalent to 28TWh, will be generated from the Wichita and Mustang Creek sites currently under development by TotalEnergies in Texas, specifically for Google's data centres in the region. Construction on these sites is expected to commence in the second quarter (Q2) of 2026. Google director of clean energy and power Will Conkling said: Supporting a strong, stable, affordable grid is a top priority as we expand our infrastructure. Our agreement with TotalEnergies adds necessary new generation to the local system, boosting the amount of affordable and reliable power supply available to serve the entire region. The newly established PPAs, amounting to 1GW, enhance the separate agreements for 1.2GW recently obtained by Clearway. Clearway, a renewable energy company based in California and half-owned by TotalEnergies, will support Google's data centres across various markets, including ERCOT in Texas, PJM in the Northeast, and SPP in the Central region. The development of the Wichita and Mustang Creek solar farms is expected to provide considerable advantages to local communities. The construction phase will create several hundred jobs, and the projects are anticipated to deliver substantial tax revenues that will support public services throughout their operational lifespan. TotalEnergies US vice president renewables Marc-Antoine Pignon said: We are pleased to sign these agreements to supply renewable electricity to Google in Texas, representing the largest renewable PPA volume ever signed by TotalEnergies in the US. This highlights TotalEnergies strategy to deliver tailored renewable energy solutions that support the decarbonisation goals of digital players, particularly data centres. Through this PPA, TotalEnergies is also addressing the challenges of land availability and power supply for data centres by enabling large-scale colocation opportunities, he added. TotalEnergies operates a portfolio in the US with a total gross capacity of 10GW, comprising onshore solar, wind, and battery storage assets. This includes 400MW within the PJM market in the Northeast and 5GW in Texas's ERCOT market. In December 2025, TotalEnergies signed a 21-year PPA with Google to deliver 1TWh of certified renewable power from the Citra Energies solar plant, which is located in northern Kedah, Malaysia. "TotalEnergies signs 15-year solar PPA with Google" was originally created and published by Power Technology, a GlobalData owned brand. World Liberty Financial (CRYPTO: WLFI) has generated at least $1.4 billion for the Trump and Witkoff families since November 2024more than Donald Trumps real estate empire generated in eight years. The $1.4B Payday According to a Wall Street Journal feature, World Liberty earned the Trump family at least $1.2 billion in cash over 16 months, plus $2.25 billion in paper gains from crypto holdings. The Witkoffs earned at least $200 million. For context, Trumps real estate empire took eight years to generate $1.2 billion in cash between 2010 and 2017. Don't Miss: World Libertys disclosures show 75% of WLFI token sales flow directly to a Trump entity, 12.5% to Witkoffs, and 12.5% to co-founders Zak Folkman and Chase Herro. President Trump owns 70% of that Trump entity while unnamed family members own 30%. The Abu Dhabi deal accelerated the windfall. On January 16, Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyans lieutenants purchased 49% of World Liberty for $500 million. The Trump family received $187 million upfront while Witkoff entities got $31 million, creating immediate liquidity beyond the token sales. Trending: Why Billionaires Like Warren Buffett Prefer Real Assets Over SpeculationInstitutional Real Estate Is Now Accessible to Individuals The Alt5 Mechanism World Liberty took a different approach to generating cash by buying a controlling stake in Alt5 Sigma (NASDAQ:ALTS). The small Nasdaq-listed firm then raised $750 million from investors at $7.50 per share and directed almost all that money into buying WLFI tokens at 20 cents60% above what private investors recently paid. Unlike Strategy (NASDAQ:MSTR) buying Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) on open markets, Alt5 bought tokens directly from World Liberty. The money flowed to founders: over $500 million to Trump entities and $90 million to Witkoffs. Major hedge funds including Point72 ($37 million investment) and Soul Ventures ($85 million) began shedding holdings as Alt5 shares fell over 75% to $1.70. WLFI tokens dropped to 10 cents. See Also: This ETF issuer isn't chasing the index it's building tools for income, leverage, and conviction American Bitcoins Journey Eric Trump holds a $90 million stake in American Bitcoin (NASDAQ:BTCM), which raised $220 million in June at a $1 billion valuation. Cantor Fitzgeraldrun by Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnicks 28-year-old son Brandonserved as lead investment bank. The United Kingdom's FTSE 100 index has recently faced challenges, closing lower amid weak trade data from China, which has impacted companies heavily tied to the Chinese economy. In such uncertain market conditions, dividend stocks can offer investors a measure of stability and income potential; London Security and two other notable UK dividend stocks are worth considering for those seeking consistent returns amidst global economic fluctuations. Top 10 Dividend Stocks In The United Kingdom Name Dividend Yield Dividend Rating RS Group (LSE:RS1) 3.16% OSB Group (LSE:OSB) 5.66% Multitude (LSE:0R4W) 3.77% MONY Group (LSE:MONY) 8.20% Impax Asset Management Group (AIM:IPX) 7.86% IG Group Holdings (LSE:IGG) 3.46% Halyk Bank of Kazakhstan (LSE:HSBK) 5.35% BTG Consulting (AIM:BTG) 3.70% Arbuthnot Banking Group (AIM:ARBB) 5.60% 4imprint Group (LSE:FOUR) 4.29% Click here to see the full list of 44 stocks from our Top UK Dividend Stocks screener. We'll examine a selection from our screener results. Simply Wall St Dividend Rating: Overview: London Security plc is an investment holding company that manufactures, sells, and rents fire protection equipment across several European countries, with a market cap of 343.28 million. Operations: London Security plc generates revenue of 226.71 million from the provision and maintenance of fire protection and security equipment across its operational regions. Dividend Yield: 3.5% London Security offers a dividend yield of 3.46%, which is lower than the top 25% of UK dividend payers. The company's Price-To-Earnings ratio of 16.5x suggests it is reasonably valued compared to the broader UK market. Dividends are sustainably covered by earnings and cash flows, with payout ratios at 57.3% and 59.2%, respectively, although dividends have been volatile over the past decade despite overall growth in payments. AIM:LSC Dividend History as at Feb 2026 Simply Wall St Dividend Rating: Overview: Associated British Foods plc operates globally in the food, ingredients, and retail sectors with a market capitalization of approximately 13.82 billion. Operations: Associated British Foods plc generates its revenue from several segments, including Retail (9.49 billion), Grocery (4.15 billion), Ingredients (2.22 billion), Sugar (2.12 billion), and Agriculture (1.62 billion). Dividend Yield: 3.2% Shares of UnitedHealth Group (NYSE: UNH) have been falling rapidly after the company reported its latest earnings numbers. This is even after an already tough year in 2025, when the health insurance giant lost 35% of its value. The market has been especially bearish on the stock due to concerns about lower-than-expected increases in Medicare Advantage rates. Is this an overreaction, and has UnitedHealth Group stock become an incredibly cheap buy, or is it in danger of going even lower? Where to invest $1,000 right now? Our analyst team just revealed what they believe are the 10 best stocks to buy right now, when you join Stock Advisor. See the stocks Image source: Getty Images. How vulnerable is UnitedHealth to the proposed Medicare changes? In 2025, UnitedHealth's full-year revenue totaled $447.6 billion, up 12% from the previous year. The fastest-growing area of its business was its Medicare & retirement segment, which rose by approximately 23%, to $171.3 billion in revenue, accounting for a little over 38% of the company's top line. And the segment has risen by 89% since 2020, back when its revenue totaled $90.8 billion. Medicare has undeniably played a big role in UnitedHealth's growth in recent years. The Trump administration's proposal to keep Medicare Advantage rates flat in 2027 would have a material impact on the healthcare company's business, and investors are justified in being concerned about the stock. Is more of a sell-off coming for UnitedHealth's stock? UnitedHealth is already bracing for a tough year in 2026, with its guidance calling for its top line to come in around $439 billion, which translates to a decline of 2%. It's a significant development for a business that has had no trouble growing in recent years. And now, on top of it all, there's also the looming problem of Medicare Advantage rates being flat for 2027. If UnitedHealth effectively becomes primarily a dividend stock that investors buy simply for its yield (currently at 3.2%), as opposed to its growth prospects, then its valuation may reflect that and trade at a lower earnings multiple. As a result, there could indeed be more of a decline to come for UnitedHealth. Not only could its earnings worsen due to persistently high medical costs and limited revenue growth, but its earnings multiple may also remain modest. Although the stock may seem cheap, trading at a price-to-earnings multiple of just 14, if UnitedHealth isn't expected to generate any positive growth in the near future, then it may not be easy to justify paying more for the stock. I wouldn't blame anyone for being confused by the tech sector's recent whipsaw movements. From shares of Microsoft cratering 10% on the same day that it reports a 60% jump in year-over-year profits, to shares of Apple falling despite the company beating analysts' expectations, the outlook for tech stocks feels especially murky today. One solution, in the words of legendary investor John Bogle, would be to "buy the haystack" rather than trying to just find the needle. The Vanguard Group founder, whose teachings on the advantages of low-cost index funds created legions of fans, preached simplicity and diversification in capturing the market's long-term upside. Where to invest $1,000 right now? Our analyst team just revealed what they believe are the 10 best stocks to buy right now, when you join Stock Advisor. See the stocks Image source: Getty Images. It may seem counterintuitive, but casting a wide net and having exposure to hundreds of companies can position you for tremendous returns. After all, the S&P 500 index -- which tracks the performance of America's 500 largest public companies -- has returned 667% so far this century. This approach will expose investors to plenty of losers, of course. But while the farthest that a stock can fall is 100%, others go on to return hundreds of thousands of percent or more. It's very rare, but that's where buying the haystack comes in. Anyone buying the S&P 500 in November 2001 would have gained exposure to Nvidia's 40,630% rise (ironically, it joined the index back then by replacing Enron). Of course, the S&P 500 contains companies across every sector. For investors seeking exposure to technology, a fund to consider is the Vanguard Information Technology ETF (NYSEMKT: VGT). Buy the haystack for just 0.09% per year in fees The Vanguard Information Technology ETF offers broad exposure to the information technology sector, with some of its biggest holdings including Nvidia with 17.5% of funds invested, Apple with 14.89% of funds invested, and Microsoft with 12.19% of funds invested. Despite these sizable positions, the fund counts 320 information technology stocks among its holdings. For this broad exposure, it charges an expense ratio of just 0.09%, meaning it takes $9 in fees annually for every $10,000 invested. For context, the average index equity ETF expense ratio 0.15% in 2023. For long-term shareholders, this arrangement has paid off. The fund's average annual return of 13.96% since its 2004 inception would have turned every $10,000 invested into $177,236. Although the GLP-1 receptor agonist treatment has resulted in profound weight loss for many patients, the strategy for the next generation of obesity drugs should be a combination therapy with a GLP-1 receptor agonist for patients to lose fat only while preserving lean mass and physical function and bone mineral density for the highest quality weight reduction. This morning, we will focus on the update of our obesity program and we will also provide financial highlights for fiscal 2026 first quarter ended December 31, 2025. GLP-1 receptor agonists have been shown to produce significant weight loss in patients who are overweight or have obesity. Unfortunately, this weight loss is tissue nonselective with the indiscriminate significant loss of both lean mass and fat. Of the total weight loss, up to 50% is attributable to lean mass. The first one, Novosarm, is an oral selective androgen receptor and is being developed as a next-generation drug that, when combined with a GLP-1 receptor agonist, as demonstrated in our company's recently completed Phase 2 quality study, makes weight reduction more tissue selective, focusing on fat loss and preservation of lean mass and physical function, which is intended to lead to greater weight loss compared to GLP-1 receptor agonist treatment alone, with a focus on older patients with obesity. Our second asset, cabozantinib, a microtubule disruptor, is being developed as a broad anti-inflammatory agent to reduce vascular plaque inflammation to slow the progression of and promote the regression of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. Good morning. With me on this morning's call are Doctor Gary Barnett, our Chief Scientific Officer, Michele Greco, our Chief Financial Officer and Chief Administrative Officer, Phil Greenberg, General Counsel, and Sam Fisch, Executive Director of Investor Relations and Corporate Communications. Thank you for joining our first quarter fiscal year 2026 earnings call. Veru Inc. is a late clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing novel medicines for the treatment of cardiometabolic and inflammatory diseases. Our drug development program consists of two new chemical entities, small molecules, Novosarm and sabizabulin. Story Continues Veru Inc. has completed a positive Phase 2b quality clinical trial conducted on 168 older patients with obesity, providing a proof of concept that Novosarm could be that next-generation drug in combination with the GLP-1 receptor agonist to make the weight loss journey more selective for only fat loss while preserving lean mass and physical function during the active weight loss period, but also notably after semaglutide was discontinued and those on monotherapy significantly prevented the regain of both body weight and fat mass such that by the end of the 28-week study, there was greater loss of fat mass while preserving lean mass for higher quality weight reduction compared to the placebo group. In September 2025, we announced a successful FDA meeting providing regulatory clarity for the development of Novosarm in combination with GLP-1 receptor agonist for greater quality weight loss in the treatment of obesity. According to FDA feedback, there are at least two possible regulatory pathways for the development of the Novosarm in combination with GLP-1 receptor agonist treatment for obesity with preservation of lean mass, which are based on incremental weight loss. First, incremental weight loss with at least a 5% placebo-corrected weight loss difference at 52 weeks of maintenance treatment with Novosarm in combination with GLP-1 receptor agonist treatment compared to GLP-1 receptor agonist treatment alone may be an acceptable primary endpoint to support efficacy for approval. Second, if the incremental weight loss is less than 5% corrected weight loss, including similar weight loss at 52 weeks maintenance treatment with Novosarm in combination with GLP-1 receptor agonist treatment compared to GLP-1 receptor agonist treatment alone, but the Novosarm treatment group demonstrates a clinically significant positive benefit such as a statistically significant and clinically meaningful benefit in the preservation of physical function, this may also be acceptable to support efficacy for approval. FDA also confirmed that Novosarm three milligrams is an acceptable dosage for future Veru Inc. clinical development. Now coincidentally, on December 19, 2025, the FDA announced that total hip bone mineral density, that's BMD, assessed by DEXA scan qualifies as a validated surrogate endpoint for drug development in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis at risk for fracture instead of the current standard that requires Phase 3 clinical studies must use bone fractures as a primary endpoint. This is relevant for our Novosarm Obesity program as it's been reported in the scientific literature that GLP-1 receptor agonist therapy affects body composition by also reducing hip BMD. In fact, the semaglutide Wegovy FDA label has recently been updated to include the safety concern of increased risk of hip and pelvic fractures based on the SELECT cardiovascular trial, which is sponsored by Novo Nordisk in over 17,000 subjects. In the SELECT trial, four to five times more hip fractures of the hip and pelvis were reported on Wegovy than in placebo in female patients and in all patients aged 75 and older. The good news for our Novosarm obesity program is that in previously published preclinical studies and rat models of postmenopausal female osteoporosis, Novosarm has been shown to have both anabolic and anti-resorptive activities that resulted in increased bone mineral density. Consequently, this means that distinct from incremental weight loss, or muscle preservation and physical function as primary endpoints, improving BMD in postmenopausal women with obesity receiving a GLP-1 receptor agonist who also have osteoporosis could be another primary endpoint going forward for Novosarm to seek regulatory approval for improving body composition. Now let's turn to the current status of our planned Phase 2b PLATO clinical study. A common and serious clinical and therapeutic challenge of GLP-1 receptor agonist treatments is that 88% of patients with obesity after one year on GLP-1 receptor agonist drug hit a weight loss plateau with a stop losing additional weight. This is based on the Cervant 1 study conducted by Eli Lilly and Company. Unfortunately, 62.6% of these patients still have clinical obesity at the time they reach the weight loss plateau. One explanation might be that the loss of muscle stimulates appetite in patients receiving a GLP-1 receptor agonist to consume more calories, which may be an important reason why patients hit that weight loss plateau. Novosarm has been shown in clinical studies to directly burn fat, preserve muscle, increase physical function, and burn more calories, which would help break through the weight loss plateau leading to incremental weight reduction. Veru Inc.'s planned Phase 2b PLATO clinical study is a double-blind placebo-controlled study to evaluate the effect of Novosarm three milligrams on total body weight, fat mass, lean mass, physical function, bone mineral density, and safety in approximately 200 older patients aged greater than or equal to 65 years of age who have obesity with a BMI of greater or equal to 35 and are initiating semaglutide treatment for weight reduction. The primary efficacy endpoint of the study is the percent change from baseline in total body weight at 68 weeks. An interim analysis will be conducted at 34 weeks to assess the percent change of baseline in lean body mass and fat mass as measured by DEXA scan. The key secondary endpoints of total fat mass, total lean mass, physical function using the Stair Climb test, bone mineral density, and a patient-recorded outcome questionnaires for physical function, HbA1c, and insulin resistance. Semaglutide was selected as a GLP-1 receptor agonist for the Phase 2b PLATO study to build on Veru Inc.'s previous clinical experience using Novosarm in combination with semaglutide in the Phase 2 quality clinical study. Further, there's now an oral form of semaglutide which may be used in combination with oral Novosarm in future Phase 3 clinical studies, making the potential bridging of the future Phase 3 clinical studies data to the Phase 2b PLATO Novosarm plus injectable semaglutide data possible. In contrast, tirzepatide injectable does not have an oral formulation. The principal investigator for the Phase 2b PLATO clinical trial will be again Steven Heimsfield, MD, Professor and the Director of the Body Composition Metabolism Laboratory at the Pennington Biomedical Research Center in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The clinical study is expected to begin this quarter. An interim analysis to assess change in lean body mass and fat mass measured by DEXA will be conducted at 34 weeks, which is anticipated to be in 2027. I will now turn the call over to Michele Greco, CFO and CEO, to discuss the financial highlights. Michele? Michele Greco: Thank you, Doctor Steiner. On October 31, 2025, Veru Inc. completed an underwritten public offering of 1,400,000 shares of our common stock, pre-funded warrants to purchase up to 7,000,000 shares of our common stock, accompanying Series A warrants to purchase up to 8,400,000 shares of our common stock, and accompanying Series B warrants to purchase up to 8,400,000 shares of our common stock at a public offering price of $3 per share of common stock and the accompanying Series A and Series B warrants. Net proceeds to the company from this offering were approximately $23,400,000 after deducting underwriting costs and discounts paid by the company. In the prior year period, on December 30, 2024, Veru Inc. sold the FC2 female condom business to Clear Future Inc. In our financial statements, all direct revenues, costs, and expenses related to the FC2 Female Condom business are classified within loss from discontinued operations net of tax in the statements of operations. Now let's review the results for the three months ended December 31, 2025. Research and development costs decreased to $1,300,000 from $5,700,000 in the three months ended December 31, 2024. The decrease is primarily due to a wind-down of the Phase 2b quality clinical study for Novosarm as a treatment to augment fat loss and prevent muscle loss, which was completed during fiscal 2025. General and administrative expenses were $4,100,000 compared to $5,200,000 in the prior quarter. The decrease is primarily due to a decrease in share-based compensation. We recognized a gain on the sale of NTAPI assets of $695,000 in the prior quarter, which is based on nonrefundable consideration related to promissory notes previously due to Veru Inc. As the promissory notes are now settled, no additional gain is expected in future periods. In conjunction with the sale of the FC2 Female Condom business, we recorded a gain on extinguishment of debt of $8,600,000 in the prior year's quarter related to the termination of the residual royalty agreement. During the prior fiscal year, the company entered into a settlement agreement with On Kinetic Inc., whereby the company received a cash payment of $6,300,000 in Series D preferred stock and a warrant, which had a combined fair value of $2,500,000. The loss associated with the change in fair value of securities held related to On Kinetics was $100,000 compared with $300,000 for the prior period. The bottom line result was a net loss of $5,300,000 or $0.26 per diluted common share, compared to a net loss of $8,900,000 or $0.61 per diluted common share in the prior year's quarter. For the prior period's quarter, the net loss included a net loss of $7,100,000 from discontinued operations. Now looking at the balance sheet. As of December 31, 2025, our cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash balance was $33,000,000 compared to $15,800,000 as of September 30, 2025. On both December 31, 2025, and September 30, 2025, there was $100,000 of restricted cash related to the sale of the FC2 female condom business. Our net working capital was $29,700,000 as of December 31, 2025, compared to $11,100,000 as of September 30, 2025. The company is not profitable and has had negative cash flow from operations. Based on the company's current operating plan, our cash as of the issuance date of these financial statements is expected to be sufficient for the company to fund operations through the interim analysis in the Phase 2b PLATO clinical study to assess percent change from baseline in lean body mass and fat mass as measured by DEXA scan. During the three months ended December 31, 2025, we used cash of $6,200,000 for operating activities, compared with $11,300,000 used for operating activities in the prior period. There was no cash generated from investing activities in the current period. For the three months ended December 31, 2024, we generated cash from investing activities of $17,200,000, primarily from proceeds from the sale of the FC2 female condom business of $16,200,000. Net cash provided by financing activities for the three months ended December 31, 2025, was $23,400,000, which were the proceeds from the sale of common stock and warrants in an underwritten public offering net of commissions and costs. We used cash in financing activities for the three months ended December 31, 2024, of $4,200,000 related to the change of control payment to SWK pursuant to the residual royalty agreement terminated in conjunction with the sale of the FC2 female condom business. Now I'd like to turn the call back to Doctor Mitchell Steiner. Doctor Steiner? Mitchell Steiner: Thank you, Michele. With that, we'll now open the call to the question and answer session. Our first question comes from Edward Nash with Canaccord. Please go ahead. Hey, good morning, guys. Thanks so much for taking my question. I wanted to first just add just a couple of questions. One was why not use the oral semaglutide in this study as opposed to having the optionality in the Phase 3? Is it just because of its relatively new now, its lack of real-world data? I think the reason is that trying to minimize potential difference between what we saw in the Phase 2b quality study and what we want to see in the PLATO study. And so the oral form is not exactly the same as the injectable. The injectable is a little bit better. So that means that if we show what we need to show in the Phase 2b PLATO study, then we should see even better response with an oral semaglutide that doesn't do as well as the injectable. So really it's been calculated, took a step back and said, why do you want to change and add tirzepatide now? And since you created a completely different study with different outcomes potentially. We're trying to be safe as we move towards now. With that said, it's, you know, somatostatin is the active ingredient in both the injectable and the oral. And so that could be easily bridged and what you're trying to bridge is not the efficacy, because we're going to be testing the efficacy in the Phase 3, which you want to bridge is into all the safety. And you should be able to do that. Got it. Thank you. And just one follow-up is on the with regards to the function aspect, functional aspect of the FDA allowing that as a potential approval path preservation of function. Did you guys specifically discuss with the agency about stair climb test and the specific questionnaires that you're looking to employ to determine whether or not they consider those to be sufficient for that endpoint? Yeah. So we did speak to the agency specifically about stair climb. As you know, we've done five now with the quality studies, six studies previously done with Novosarm and done by our company here at Veru Inc. with 1,000 patients using StairClimb. So we have twenty years of experience with StairClimb. And it's not just talking to the agency with this trial and other trials, also every major scientific group. And stair climb still comes out as the best way to measure what's happening in this patient population. It's most sensitive to declines and it's very sensitive to anabolic intervention. With that said, the main comments that the FDA brought up was in the conduct of the study, they wanted to make sure that we did duplicate stair climb runs. In other words, the patient goes up the stairs once and goes up a second time and then you average that. And they also wanted to make sure that in addition to loaded that we did unloaded. What that means is that when a patient goes up the stairs, they unload it means they just go up just as they are. Loaded means that you add a backpack with some weight and the concept there is just kind of clever is we're trying to normalize weight. And the way you normalize weight is that you just add back the weight that they lost when they come back to that final visit. And you do that with the plates. And so this way, you're actually measuring and challenging the patient's muscle. So that's why it becomes such a sensitive measure of intervention. And so we had those kinds of discussions with the FDA. What's open is and what we're going to focus on in the PLATO study is also what happens with the patient-reported outcomes and how the patient-reported outcomes help to further define how patients function and feel. And so that's why the Phase 2 makes more sense than jumping into a Phase 3 because that will help with the clinical meaningfulness of what we're actually measuring objectively. Got it. Thank you very much. And the next question comes from Rohan Mathur with Oppenheimer. Please go ahead. This is Rohan on for Leland. Thanks for the question. I just wanted to ask on the interim analysis plans. Are there any pre-specified decision rules with respect to futility or alteration of the sample size that are part of the criteria there? Thank you. Sure. So I have Doctor Gary Barnett, our Chief Scientific Officer. And Gary? Yes. No, there is no futility analysis or sample size re-estimation associated with this interim analysis. And as you know, the primary endpoint is weight loss. And so the interim analysis is looking at lean mass and fat mass. And so the real purpose of it is to gain confirmation that we're heading in the right direction, meaning that you're seeing the lean mass preservation and the additional fat mass loss that would at 34 weeks, that should translate to 68 weeks, a weight loss benefit. And so from a statistical standpoint, by not looking at total weight loss, plus it's too early anyway, at 34 weeks, you're not taking a statistical penalty or an alpha hit at the interim, which will affect the amount of alpha spend you have at the end of the study. Got it. And just one more for me. You go down the route of assessing functional benefit and in the case that maybe less than 5% of weight loss is observed, is there any sense for what degree of weight loss needs to be seen and is that counterbalanced by the magnitude of functional benefit? Yes. So as I said in my public statements, that question has come up before. So greater than 5% alone is weight loss, incremental weight loss you're in. If it's less than 5% and the weight loss could be similar to the GLP-1 receptor agonist, meaning that you didn't see incremental weight loss difference at all. But to show the physical function benefit, then that can be a basis for approval going forward. Understood. Thank you. Ladies and gentlemen, this concludes our question and answer session. I would like to turn the conference back over to Doctor Mitchell Steiner for any closing remarks. Thank you. I appreciate everyone who joined us on today's call and we look forward to updating you all on our progress in our next investor call. Thank you again. The digital replay of the conference call will be available beginning 12 p.m. time today, February 11, by dialing +1 855-606-658 in the US and +1 (412) 317-0088 internationally. You'll be prompted to enter the replay access code which will be 7414536. Please record your name and company when joining. The conference call has now concluded. Thank you for attending today's discussion. Should you buy stock in Veru right now? Before you buy stock in Veru, 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 Veru 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 $443,353!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, youd have $1,155,789!* Now, its worth noting Stock Advisors total average return is 920% a market-crushing outperformance compared to 196% for the S&P 500. Don't miss the latest top 10 list, available with Stock Advisor, and join an investing community built by individual investors for individual investors. See the 10 stocks *Stock Advisor returns as of February 11, 2026. This article is a transcript of this conference call produced for The Motley Fool. While we strive for our Foolish Best, there may be errors, omissions, or inaccuracies in this transcript. As with all our articles, The Motley Fool does not assume any responsibility for your use of this content, and we strongly encourage you to do your own research, including listening to the call yourself and reading the company's SEC filings. Please see our Terms and Conditions for additional details, including our Obligatory Capitalized Disclaimers of Liability. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Veru (VERU) Q1 2026 Earnings Call Transcript was originally published by The Motley Fool BEIJING, Feb 11 (Reuters) - Major Chinese automakers will be next to knock on Brussels' door after Volkswagen secured a breakthrough EU tariff reprieve for its China-made Cupra Tavascan SUV, industry insiders and analysts said. The European Commission this week approved a request by the German auto giant's Cupra brand to exempt the Tavascan SUV coupe from import tariffs in exchange for an agreed minimum price and a sales quota, following months of intense discussions that led to the first exemption since the European Union introduced tariffs against China-based EV makers in 2024. Chinese automakers are now looking at applying for similar deals for EV models they want to ship to Europe, according to the China Chamber of Commerce to the EU. While many automakers were eager to apply, some were weighing up the benefits of doing so, wary of the disclosure and paperwork required for approval, said one person with knowledge of the matter. Under EU rules, carmakers can negotiate tariff exemptions for individual electric models imported from China. "We see this as positive for both Chinese and foreign EV makers in China in order to leverage the efficient cost basis locally," said Eugene Hsiao, head of China equity strategy at Macquarie Capital, about the Volkswagen deal, although he acknowledged that approvals would likely take time as they appeared to be handled on a model-by-model basis. TRADE TENSIONS WITH EU The all-electric Tavascan had been subject to an extra 20.7% tariff since the EU imposed fresh duties on Chinese-made EVs in 2024, on top of an existing 10% levy. The higher tariffs have clobbered Volkswagen's SEAT/Cupra division, nearly wiping out its operating profit in the first nine months of last year. It was notable that the first exemption from the tariffs went to a European company - the Cupra brand's CEO previously warned that the tariffs jeopardised the future of the model in Europe. The Commission did not give details on the agreed quota and minimum price for the model, citing confidentiality. It said Volkswagen had agreed to commitments related to EV investment projects in the EU in its effort to secure the tariff exemption, without giving further details. The shift to the minimum pricing scheme shows how adept Chinese automakers have been at navigating the EV tariffs thus far, said Julian Litzinger, an automotive analyst with Dataforce. "When the original tariffs were introduced, it was expected that Chinese cars would become more expensive and therefore less attractive in the European market." BERLIN, Feb 11 (Reuters) - German carmaker Volkswagen is considering building the next model of its Cupra brand's Tavascan SUV coupe in Europe instead of China, newspaper Handelsblatt reported on Wednesday, citing company sources and internal production plans. The fully electric Tavascan, which is made in China, has been subject until recently to an extra 20.7% tariff on top of an existing 10% duty since the EU imposed fresh duties on Chinese-made electric vehicles in 2024. This week, the European Commission exempted the model from import tariffs in exchange for a minimum price and quota model, following months of discussions. A spokesperson for VW's SEAT/Cupra business said the Tavascan production line in China was benefiting from synergies and global partnerships. "As for future plans, we cannot comment on our global plant utilisation strategy," the spokesperson added. (Reporting by Rachel More, writing by Linda Pasquini and Ludwig Burger, editing by Miranda Murray and Thomas Seythal) With a market cap of $94.9 billion, Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. (RCL) is a global vacation leader operating 69 ships across more than 1,000 destinations on all seven continents through its brands Royal Caribbean, Celebrity Cruises, Silversea, and a joint venture with TUI Cruises. With expanding private destinations and upcoming entry into river cruising, the company is building a connected vacation ecosystem that turns unforgettable trips into lifelong travel experiences. Shares of the Miami, Florida-based company have outperformed the broader market over the past 52 weeks. RCL stock has returned 31.6% over this time frame, while the broader S&P 500 Index ($SPX) has rallied 15.6%. Moreover, shares of the company are up 24.8% on a YTD basis, compared to SPXs 1.7% rise. More News from Barchart Focusing more closely, shares of the cruise operator have outpaced the State Street Consumer Discretionary Select Sector SPDR ETFs (XLY) 4.2% gain over the past 52 weeks. www.barchart.com Despite reporting weaker-than-expected Q4 2025 adjusted EPS of $2.80 and revenue of $4.26 billion, shares of RCL climbed 18.7% on Jan. 29. The company delivered strong full-year 2025 results, with adjusted EPS of $15.64 on $17.9 billion in revenue, both above guidance, driven by record WAVE season demand, nearly two-thirds of 2026 capacity already booked at record rates, and upbeat 2026 adjusted EPS guidance of $17.70 - $18.10, implying a 23% CAGR under the Perfecta program. Additional confidence came from the long-term growth catalysts such as the Discovery Class ships and the expansion of Celebrity River Cruises to 20 vessels by 2031. For the fiscal year ending in December 2026, analysts expect RCLs adjusted EPS to grow 15.7% year-over-year to $18.09. The company's earnings surprise history is mixed. It beat the consensus estimates in three of the last four quarters while missing on another occasion. Among the 25 analysts covering the stock, the consensus rating is a Moderate Buy. Thats based on 17 Strong Buy ratings, one Moderate Buy, and seven Holds. www.barchart.com On Jan. 30, TD Cowen analyst Kevin Kopelman reiterated a Buy" rating on Royal Caribbean and set a price target of $350. Billionaire Warren Buffett has long voiced confidence in the U.S. economy's strength, even as he acknowledges that short-term swings and volatility are inevitable. In his 2014 letter to Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE:BRK, BRK.B)) investors, Buffett called out pessimists and reaffirmed his faith in the American economy with a confidence few could match. Don't Miss: Preachers of Pessimism' The Oracle of Omaha pointed to his 2009 decision to buy railroad company BNSF, calling it an "all-in" wager on the future of the U.S. economy made at the height of the financial crisis. Buffett said such bold moves were nothing new for him and then-Berkshire Vice Chair Charlie Munger. They saw America's long-term prosperity as "very close to a sure thing." "My parents could not have dreamed in 1930 of the world their son would see," Buffett said in the letter. "Though the preachers of pessimism prattle endlessly about America's problems, I've never seen one who wishes to emigrate." Last year offered a reminder of why the Oracle of Omaha remains optimistic: despite tariff tensions, recession fears, and market swings, the S&P 500 gained roughly 16%. U.S. GDP grew at a 4.4% annualized rate in Q3, according to recent government data, the fastest pace since Q3 2023, marking a sharp turnaround from a 0.6% contraction in Q1 2025. Trending: Deloitte's #1 Fastest-Growing Software Company Lets Users Earn Money Just by Scrolling Accredited Investors Can Still Get In at $0.50/Share. Market Economy's Dynamism Buffett said in his 2014 letter that no one in U.S. history has ever benefited by betting against the country. He encouraged people to zoom out and focus on the long term because economic gains never move in a straight or smooth line. "The dynamism embedded in our market economy will continue to work its magic," Buffett said. "And we will regularly grumble about our government. But, most assuredly, America's best days lie ahead." A lot has changed since Buffett made those comments in 2014. The stock market has experienced several sharp swings and bouts of volatility, including the COVID19 crash and tariff-driven shocks. Is Buffett still as bullish on the U.S. economy as he was before all these events? The wheat complex is showing slight losses across the three markets on Monday. Chicago SRW futures are 1 to 2 1/2 cents lower at midday. KC HRW futures are down 3 to 4 cents in most contracts. MPLS spring wheat is steady to 3 cents lower as we trade through midday. USDAs FGIS tallied wheat export shipments at 580,130 MT (21.32 mbu) during the week ending on February 5. That was 75.52% above the week prior and 1.72% larger than the same week last year. The Philippines was the top destination of 179,957 MT, with 119,479 MT headed to Bangladesh and 103,146 MT to Mexico. Marketing year exports for 2025/26 are 17.327 MMT (636.6 mbu) since June 1, which is now 18.36% above the same period last year. More News from Barchart USDA will release updated WASDE data on Tuesday, with a Bloomberg survey showing analysts at an average of 918 mbu for US wheat stocks, down 8 mbu from January if realized. World wheat stocks are estimated to total 278.6 MMT, which would be 0.3 MMT higher than in January. CFTC data showed a total of 12,988 contracts cut from the spec fund CBT wheat net short position in the week ending on 2/3, with the net short at 81,755 contracts. In KC wheat, managed money showed another 1,485 contracts trimmed from the net short position at 8,844 contracts. Mar 26 CBOT Wheat is at $5.27 1/4, down 2 1/2 cents, May 26 CBOT Wheat is at $5.37 1/4, down 1 3/4 cents, Mar 26 KCBT Wheat is at $5.27 3/4, down 3 1/2 cents, May 26 KCBT Wheat is at $5.40 1/2, down 3 cents, Mar 26 MIAX Wheat is at $5.68 3/4, down 1 1/4 cents, May 26 MIAX Wheat is at $5.80, down 2 1/2 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 Novo Nordisk (NYSE: NVO) is taking investors on another rollercoaster ride. Last week, shares of the Danish pharmaceuticals stock tumbled as much as 27% on news that compounded pharmaceuticals firm Hims & Hers Health (NYSE: HIMS) would begin selling its own version of Novo's new Wegovy GLP-1 weight loss pill for just $49 per month. Will AI create the world's first trillionaire? Our team just released a report on the one little-known company, called an "Indispensable Monopoly" providing the critical technology Nvidia and Intel both need. Continue Over the weekend, though, Hims announced it will in fact not sell the knockoff Wegovy pill. Nnow Novo Nordisk stock is bouncing back, up 3% through 12:15 p.m. ET. Image source: Getty Images. Hims & Hers surrenders. Novo Nordisk sues. Of course, there's a bit more to the story than that. Novo wasn't pleased with Hims' announcement. After all, Hims' mooted price would undercut Novo's $149-a-month price for Wegovy in pill form -- and its $199 price for injectable Ozempic. Novo threatened to sue Hims for patent infringement Friday. That same day, the Food and Drug Administration said it would crack down on Hims & Hers, potentially cutting off access to ingredients Hims needs to manufacture Wegovy (Ozempic) copycat pills, or by seizing Hims & Hers products. Then, this morning, Novo followed through on its threat and filed in federal court for a permanent injunction against Hims & Hers selling any drugs that violate its "'343 Patent" on "semaglutide and the pharmaceutical products containing it." If Novo wins this lawsuit, Hims could be forbidden from selling both Ozempic copycats and Wegovy lookalikes, in pill or in injectable form. What this means for Novo Nordisk stock The outcome of litigation is never certain, but Novo appears to have the FDA on its side in this fight, and that's a good ally to have. Hims and Hers' decision to quickly cave on selling its pill further illustrates the strength of Novo's position. Today's a good day to own Novo Nordisk stock. Should you buy stock in Novo Nordisk right now? Before you buy stock in Novo Nordisk, 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 Novo Nordisk 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 $443,299!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, youd have $1,136,601!* The first week of February was a doozy in markets. Anthropic, one of the more outspoken companies in the artificial intelligence space, rattled stocks with the seeming superpowers of its Claude chatbot, prompting a selloff across the software sector with potential obsolescence suddenly knocking at its door. Marta Norton, chief investment strategist at Empower Investments, told Axios that it reminded her of the displacement of BlackBerry when iPhones redefined what a smartphone looked and felt like. Technically, the company survived, but BlackBerry stock is down 98% since 2008. Bloomberg calculated that roughly $1 trillion of market value evaporated within a week. Still, one of Wall Streets top voices sees a very different reality for the economy as a whole: a boom. As investors fret over volatility in the tech sector and the potential for an AI bubble to burst, Torsten Slok, chief economist at Apollo Global Management, urged investors to look past the noise. The anxieties surrounding the software industry are unlikely to drag down the broader economy, he argued in his widely read Daily Spark column. In a research note published on Feb. 8, Slok predicted the problems in software will not become a macro problem because the underlying U.S. economy is about to take off. The three pillars of growth He identified three strong tailwinds that are set to propel growth over the coming quarters, shifting the economic narrative from digital volatility to physical expansion. First, the infrastructure backbone for the AI revolution is already paid for. Slok noted that many financings for data centers have already been committed for 2026. This suggests that regardless of short-term stock fluctuations in software companies, the capital expenditure on the physical hardware and facilities required to run them is locked in, providing a floor for economic activity. The Financial Times Tim Bradshaw noted that Google, Amazon, and Meta surprised investors with a combined $660 billion in capital expenditure plans for 2026 in their latest earnings releases. Bank of America Researchs Vivek Arya forecasts AI capex quadrupling to $1.2 trillion by 2030, suggesting this will be a stable feature of the economy. Second, the reindustrialization of the United States is gaining momentum, with strong political support for bringing back production facilities for semiconductors, pharmaceuticals, and defense, he explained. This reshoring effort represents a structural shift in the economy, moving investment into tangible manufacturing assets that are less susceptible to the fickle sentiment that often governs tech stocks. A doctor vaccinates a patient as part of the start of the seasonal influenza vaccination campaign in Gouzeaucourt, France, October 13, 2020. REUTERS/Pascal Rossignol (This is an excerpt of the Health Rounds newsletter, where we present latest medical studies on Tuesdays and Thursdays) Feb 11 (Reuters) - Researchers believe they now understand how severe cases of influenza damage the heart, providing an explanation for the annual uptick in heart attacks during flu season. We have known for years that the frequency of heart attacks increases during flu season, yet outside of clinical intuition, scant evidence exists of the underlying mechanisms of that phenomenon, study leader Filip Swirski of the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai said in a statement. Advertisement Advertisement Studying tissue samples from hospitalized patients who died of influenza, the researchers learned that a type of immune cell known as a pro-dendritic cell 3 becomes infected in the lungs and travels to the heart. There, instead of performing an immune cell's usual job of clearing the virus, the pro-dendritic cell 3 produces large amounts of an inflammatory protein called type 1 interferon (IFN-1) that triggers the death of heart muscle cells, impairing cardiac output. The pro-dendritic cell 3 acts as the Trojan horse of the immune system during influenza infection, becoming infected in the lung, trafficking the virus to the heart, and disseminating it to cardiomyocytes, study co-author Jeffrey Downey, also from Mount Sinai, said in a statement. Vaccination against the flu offers some protection against this type of heart damage, the researchers also reported in Immunity. Advertisement Advertisement Downey noted that in lab experiments, an mRNA drug that controls IFN-1 activity reduced the influenza-related heart muscle damage in test tubes and in mice and improved the muscles pumping ability. The new findings offer great promise for the development of new therapies, which are desperately needed since there are currently no viable clinical options to prevent cardiac damage from the flu, Swirski said. MOVING THE UTERUS OUT OF THE WAY OF RADIOTHERAPY In young women with cancer who need pelvic radiation, surgeons are preserving their ability to give birth in the future by temporarily moving the uterus out of the path of the high-energy radio waves, Swiss researchers report. Advertisement Advertisement Writing in Fertility and Sterility Reports, Dr. Daniela Huber and Dr. Deborah Wernly of Valais Hospital in Sion, Switzerland describe the first such minimally invasive procedure in Europe to result in a live birth, in a woman who had been treated for rectal cancer at age 28. So-called uterine and adnexal transposition for fertility preservation is done laparoscopically. The uterus and its appendages the ovaries, fallopian tubes and nearby ligaments, collectively known as the adnexa - are lifted to a region above the pelvis and stitched into place. After the cancer treatments are completed, the uterus is restored to its original position. For years, surgeons have been moving the ovaries out of the way of radiotherapy, allowing women to preserve their eggs, but the uterus remained vulnerable to irreparable damage. Advertisement Advertisement Uterine and adnexal transposition was pioneered by surgeons in Brazil and has also been tested by U.S. surgeons. Collectively, the cases done so far and the successful births that resulted demonstrate that a re-implanted uterus can sustain gestation to term, representing a significant advance for women requiring pelvic radiotherapy, Huber and Wernly concluded. (To receive the full newsletter in your inbox for free sign up here) (Reporting by Nancy Lapid; Editing by Bill Berkrot) Rimini Street has spent nearly two decades building a formidable reputation as a leading provider of third-party enterprise software support. Now, according to Chief Revenue Officer Steve Hershkowitz, the company is repositioning itself as the global leader in independent third-party support for enterprise software applications. Hershkowitz says this next phase of the companys growth is built around agentic AI, ERP innovation, and a clear challenge to the traditional vendor-led cloud migration model. Speaking to iTWire during a visit to Australia, Miami-based Hershkowitz said historically, Rimini Street has been best known for helping customers exit vendor support agreements with companies such as Oracle, SAP and VMware. While that value proposition remains core, Hershkowitz acknowledged it also led to a perception problem. Companies often thought of us as a temporary stop as a way to bridge the gap, to reduce their cost, give them some optionality, and give them some time to figure out what was next. He said that in many cases, customers stayed with Rimini Street for years, only to eventually return to the original software vendor in pursuit of innovation. That innovation, Hershkowitz argued, was increasingly being used as leverage to force customers onto cloud platforms and new licensing models. The vendors stopped innovating in the core of these perpetual licence platforms, he said. They told customers that if they wanted innovation, they had to move to the cloud. Hershkowitz said Rimini Streets solution was that this same architectural model could be delivered without forcing customers onto the vendors cloud roadmap. We got together our CEO Seth Ravin and ServiceNow CEO Bill McDermott who for many years was the CEO of SAP. We realised that ServiceNow had built a large portfolio of enhancements that sit over the top of traditional ERP systems to allow for things like agentic agents to take over and improve some of the ERP processes. ServiceNow had been a partner for about 15 months and through that partnership we built our own UX that sits on top of the combined solution and enables customers to have a downstream pathway to innovation when they land on our platform. Our position is simple, he said. You take a system that already runs your business well, and you innovate over the top of it, at your pace, on your terms. Hershkowitz said this approach avoids the need for large-scale system integrator engagements, multi-year transformation programs and promised ROI timelines that often stretch 36 to 48 months. Central to this repositioning is what Rimini Street calls the Rimini SmartPath, a structured methodology designed to guide customers from cost reduction through to ERP innovation without disruption or risk. SmartPath is built on three pillars: Support, Optimise and Innovate. The first pillar, Support, remains Rimini Streets core strength. This is Rimini Streets superpower as a company. We are the 800-pound gorilla in third-party support for enterprise software. Not just Oracle, SAP, and VMware, but there's a hundred other apps that we support for some of the largest companies in the world. By moving off vendor maintenance and onto Rimini Street support, customers typically save around 50% on annual fees. For large enterprises, that can equate to millions of dollars a year. If youre spending US$10 million on maintenance today, you might save US$5 million, Hershkowitz said. We then work with you to redeploy that US$5 million towards our second pillar, which is called Optimise. This is where we have the ability to help you optimise your system through our professional and consulting services organisation with deep expertise at ERP. The third pillar, Innovate, is where agentic AI comes into play. This is where we redeploy those savings into innovation, he said. Thats where our agentic AI UX fits. Hershkowitz said Rimini Street has 26 agentic AI pilots running globally, with early customer feedback described as fantastic. Rather than attempting to modernise entire ERP estates at once, Hershkowitz said the model focuses on incrementally solving high-pain processes one at a time. These might include vendor onboarding, order management, or quote-to-cash workflows. Hershkowitz provided a real-world example involving a high-volume order management process. When pricing discrepancies appear across large EDI-driven orders, traditional ERP systems often block the entire transaction, forcing manual intervention by order management teams and sales staff. With agentic AI, we deploy an intelligent agent that evaluates the issue, connects dynamically with the sales rep, recommends actions, and then executes, he said. Over time, it learns how that rep responds and moves from asking permission to acting and notifying. The key, he said, is that this innovation happens without changing the underlying ERP system. You solve one process, and then customers immediately want to tackle the next two or three, he said. It becomes incremental progress instead of blowing up the whole system. Hershkowitz said Rimini Streets agentic AI pilots are designed to deliver results quickly. Typical deployments take four to six weeks, supported by what the company calls an Explorer Pack, priced between US$25,000 and US$50,000. The Explorer Pack includes a catalogue of around 20 common ERP pain points, allowing customers to trial agentic AI in non-production environments before scaling into live operations. Hershkowitz said the shift toward agentic AI and ERP innovation has also strengthened Rimini Streets financial performance, moving the company into a more long-term strategic partner. Its absolutely a repositioning, he said. Were still the global leader in independent support, but now were also an agentic AI ERP company. The timing may also be advantageous. With ongoing geopolitical uncertainty, rising costs of capital and increased scrutiny on IT spend, Hershkowitz believes CFOs and boards are demanding clearer ROI from technology investments. Whats different now is that we can help customers innovate inside their existing budget envelope, without asking for more capital. For enterprises sitting on heavily customised ERP systems and questioning the cost and risk of vendor-led cloud migrations, Rimini Streets message is clear: innovation does not have to mean starting again. As Hershkowitz put it, You no longer need to throw these systems away. Theres a smarter path forward. GUEST OPINION: The vast majority of Australian organisations would have a dedicated budget and dedicated IT team support in place to execute finance transformation projects in the coming year, despite concerns siloed departmental data and a lack of real-time data will hold organisations back. This is according to Workiva Inc., which is releasing the Australian findings from its 2026 Executive Benchmark Survey of 1,400 global leaders and 100 institutional investors from the world's largest firms. Key Findings: Trustworthy data is a top priority 78% of Australian executives have secured a dedicated budget to execute finance transformation projects in 2026, while 76% reported having a dedicated IT team to support transformation initiatives, and 57% said a centre of excellence or steering committee would guide execution. 83% of Australia executives ranked strengthening data governance across teams and automating data collection as their top digital transformation priorities for 2026 A third of Australian leaders (33%) cited siloed departmental data as the single biggest limiter of strategic impact, while 32% cited a lack of real-time data as the biggest limiter. Only 14% said not having enough time to analyse data was their biggest limiter among the lowest of regions surveyed and well below the global average (20%) The foundations of AI The survey found 64% use AI in select components of quarterly or annual disclosures, and 55% use it extensively across the reporting process, while 75% say that internal audit teams test their AI models. Sustainability in motion 39% of Australian executives said they are designing their sustainability reporting with investors in mind, and view their reports as a tool for communicating value, risk, and long-term resilience to the capital markets. 34% of local respondents say financial performance and profitability are primary drivers of their companys sustainability efforts, while 20% say brand, values, and mission are at the top. Just 7% of Australian respondents said regulators are the primary audience of their sustainability reports, indicating other stakeholders, investors, employees and customers (88%), are driving sustainable investment. The findings from Workivas 2026 Executive Benchmark Survey found that, as leaders work to move faster and more confidently under pressure, Australian organisations rank data automation and governance as their top digital transformation priorities for 2026. Importantly, most local companies are now funding this shift with dedicated budgets and IT support. All over the world, businesses face the challenge of how fast they can turn disruption into action and thats a data problem, said Narain Viswanathan, Area Director ANZ, Workiva. In Australia, we are seeing leaders invest in transformation with the core aims of growth, profitability, and achieving operational excellence. To do this they must gain financial clarity, modernise data flows, and scale with confidence. GUEST RESEARCH: Modern capabilities, such as cloud-powered management, analytics, and detection, have introduced a new architectural era to IP-based video surveillance, which remains a prominent safety feature across enterprises, manufacturing facilities, military installations, and even apartments and small businesses. What was once a world of on-premesis network video recorders (NVRs), local storage arrays, and LAN-based management systems is now a connected environment largely operating in the cloud. The cloud has introduced centralized management dashboards, remote access portals, automated updates, and much more bringing better security and efficiency to these critical systems. Each new feature, however, introduces new realms of risk and exposures. Video surveillance, like other smart internet-of-things devices, brings new complexity that must be managed as attackers probe exposed devices to disrupt business and move deeper onto sensitive networks. As part of our ongoing research into modern cloud-enabled surveillance ecosystems, we turned our attention to a major vendor in the surveillance domain, IDIS. IDIS is a global video surveillance manufacturer headquartered in South Korea. IDIS manufactures an end-to-end solution of surveillance products, including IP cameras, network video recorders (NVRs), and video management software (VMS). In addition to the on-prem devices, IDIS offers a cloud management solution called IDIS Cloud Manager (ICM). Our research uncovered a new vulnerability in the IDIS Cloud Manager (ICM) viewer; an attacker could develop an exploit whereby if a user clicks on an untrusted link, the attack would execute on the machine hosting the ICM Viewer. Clicking on untrusted links is widely recognized as a bad practice, and users are routinely educated to avoid doing so. However, under normal circumstances, even if a victim is tricked into visiting an attacker-controlled website, the attacker is typically limited to executing JavaScript within the context of the victims browser, which is heavily sandboxed. This vulnerability, however, allows an attacker to escalate beyond the browser sandbox to achieve code execution on the host, introducing a significant security risk. This renders the vulnerability as a 1-click RCE vulnerability, introducing an interesting attack scenario in which a spear-phishing attack could easily be leveraged into a full compromise of the victims computer, giving attackers a leg-in to the victims network. If exploited, the vulnerability could allow an attacker to execute arbitrary code within the context of the host machine. IDIS ICM runs on a Windows machine connected to the cloud in order to view live video feeds, recordings, and search images. An attacker would be in control of the host machine and have the ability to execute code, or use that machine as a jumping off point for lateral movement to compromise other endpoints on the network, including other surveillance cameras. IDIS requires users who continue to use the ICM Viewer to upgrade devices to v1.7.1, otherwise they should uninstall it immediately. This blog delves into the implementation of the cloud solution from a client-side perspective. The engineers made an interesting design choice to enhance the user experience, which introduced a surprising attack vector that we will examine to understand how an attacker could exploit it to achieve code execution on the victim's computer. IDIS Cloud Manager Architecture IDIS cloud consists of the IDIS cloud platform, devices (cameras and NVRs), and the ICM Viewer (desktop and mobile). This blog takes a deeper look into ICM Viewer (Web Client) on the PC. The desktop IDIS Web Client consists of two independent components: ICM Web Portal: A web-based user interface with an assets dashboard in which a user adds and edits devices for cloud management. ICM Viewer: A program that is installed on Windows machines only. There are two components to the installation: WCMViewer.exe (ICM Viewer): A Chromium-based UI that allows a user to perform a live monitoring, video search, and backup. The data presented in the client is delivered from the cloud. The authorization is enforced via a JWT token that is received from IDIS Cloud Manager upon a login to the web portal . CWGService.exe (ICMViewer Launcher): A Windows service that listens on port localhost:16140 and waits for a command to start the ICM Viewer with appropriate arguments like JWT Token, language and more. The command to start the Viewer is done by clicking the Run Viewer button on the web portal. Connection and Authentication Procedure The following are the steps that are executed when a user logs in to the web portal and runs the ICM Viewer: User provides the username and password on the web portal The browser generates an RSA key pair The browser encrypts the data (username, password, public RSA key) with a constant key and sends it to the server. Upon successful authentication the server responds with following information: AES key that will be used for further communication (encrypted with RSA public key) Encrypted (with AES key from 1.) JWT token that will used for communication between ICM Viewer and the cloud server Encrypted (with AES key from 1.) seed key; at the time probably not used Encrypted (with AES key from 1.) information about the logged in account At this point, a user has access to a dashboard. Within the dashboard the user can add, edit, and delete devices for cloud management. Once the assets are added, a user can click the Run Viewer button (if the installation does not exist or is outdated, and will be prompted to install the program). When a user clicks on Run Viewer, the following procedure starts: The web client opens WebSocket communication with localhost:16140 The web client encrypts with a constant key, a message that includes the version of expected CWGService and the version of the expected ICM Viewer If CWGService responds, that means that the versions are correct and the server can accept commands. The web client therefore sends a message (encrypted with constant key) with a command to initiate the ICM Viewer The following is the decrypted message that is sent via web socket to start the ICM Viewer: When this message is received by the CWGService the following process is executed: At this point the ICM Viewer starts and executes all of its sub-processes: CVE-2025-12556 When WCMViewer.exe is launched with several arguments: the URL, token, mode, and language. It appears that the URL and the token are passed through, directly from the message received over the WebSocket without any additional processing. The question arises: Can we inject arguments of our own into the WCMViewer.exe? As mentioned earlier, WCMViewer.exe is a Chromium-based application. It utilizes the CEF library, which allows a Chromium browser to be embedded directly inside an application. This raises an interesting question: Will WCMViewer.exe accept additional Chromium command-line flags beyond the intended ? Chromium command-line flags provide a powerful mechanism for altering browser behavior at runtime, allowing developers to tailor functionality without modifying the Chromium application; however, while most flags are benign, a subset can be abused to enable code execution. One such flag is --utility-cmd-prefix, which is primarily intended for debugging purposes. For example, passing --utility-cmd-prefix="strace" to the Chromium command line causes the browser and its utility subprocesses to be wrapped with strace, enabling detailed runtime tracing. Lets see whether we can inject an argument into the command line that is executed by CWGService. To do so, we need to send an appropriate (crafted to include argument injection) message to the CWGService. The following steps are needed: Encrypt (with constant key) hello message and send it to the CWGService (via WebSocket) Receive an acknowledgement from the CWGService (no need to decrypt) Encrypt (with constant key) the command message with the injection and send it to the CWGService: Below is our pseudo code of our proof-of-concept exploit. As a result: CWGService appends the injected argument to the executed command line: The processes explorer showcasing the executed command line with the injected argument. WCMViewer.exe passes the injected parameter to the CEF library and our code is executed. An attackers objective is to achieve code execution on the victims system. Because the CWGService listens only on the local interface, an attacker can leverage client-side execution by hosting a web page containing JavaScript that sends a crafted WebSocket message to localhost:16140. By tricking the victim into visiting this attacker-controlled page, the JavaScript executes in the victims browser context and delivers the malicious message to the local service, resulting in code execution on the victim host. Clicking on untrusted links is widely recognized as a bad practice, and users are routinely educated to avoid doing so. However, under normal circumstances, even if a victim is tricked into visiting an attacker-controlled website, the attacker is typically limited to executing JavaScript within the context of the victims browser, which is heavily sandboxed. In contrast, this vulnerability allows an attacker to escalate beyond the browser sandbox and achieve code execution on the host itself, introducing a significant security risk. Disclosure The vulnerability was disclosed to IDIS and confirmed by the vendor soon after disclosure. CISA issued CVE-2025-12556 with CVSS v4 score of 8.7. All customers are advised to patch their systems. The CISA advisory can be found here. Wrapping Up The introduction of a new architecture, or feature requires that every step within the chain be thoroughly checked. Our research and exploit was possible because of the following flaws: The CWSService does not validate origin (missing CORS policy), thus it is possible to communicate with the WebSocket outside of the idisglobal.com domain Although the messages are encrypted, the encryption happens with a constant key so an attacker can easily communicate with the socket The CWGService does not sanitizes the passed arguments The WCMViewer does not validate the passed arguments whether they are legit before forwarding them to the CEF component. Attackers will always look for attack surfaces introduced by new design changes in a product. We encourage the researchers to look for those exposures as well and disclose the vulnerabilities as soon as they are found. We encourage the users to be in the know of what devices they own, and patch them as soon as possible. Gerry Sillars, Vice President, APJ at Semperis Threat actors continue to target humans in their attacks by manipulating them into opening phishing emails and other social engineering tactics. And no matter how advanced an organisations technology stack is, we are all the weakest link in the cybersecurity kill chain. Safer Internet Day is a timely reminder for Australians to stay vigilant as cyber threats continue to evolve. What makes cyber risk so confronting today is that we can all fall victim. Attacks are no longer obvious or poorly written theyre highly personalised, AI-enabled and designed to exploit trust, urgency and routine behaviours, both at work and at home. Cybercriminals often take advantage of common habits such as reusing passwords, opening unexpected emails or delaying software updates. What might seem like a small mistake or momentary lapse can quickly escalate into identity theft, financial loss or compromised systems. Cybercrime in Australia costs individuals an average of $33,000 per report, according to the ASD Cyber Threat Report 2024-25. Bad actors are also known to abuse assumptions and distractions with social engineering and phishing tactics. In fact, 52% of ransomware attacks in ANZ over the past 12 months occurred on a weekend or holiday period. On Safer Internet Day, its a reminder that small actions can make a meaningful difference. Staying alert to common warning signs such urgent or threatening language in emails, suspicious links/ attachments and minor spelling errors in domain or send email, is one of the best ways to stay safe. To better protect yourself and your organisation, follow the Australian Governments guidance on cybersecurity best practices, such as unique passwords, multi-factor authentication and regular patching. Pat Breen, Area Vice President, ANZ, Cloudflare "On Safer Internet Day, its worth recognising a simple reality: AI is reshaping the Internet in two directions at once. The same tools accelerating productivity and innovation are also industrialising cybercrimemaking attacks faster to launch, cheaper to run, and harder to spot. Weve seen the impact in Australia. In 202425, the Australian Signals Directorates Australian Cyber Security Centre responded to over 1,200 cyber security incidents, with incidents involving DoS/DDoS attacks rising by more than 280%. This matters because the Internet underpins almost every essential service Australians rely onbanking, healthcare, education, transport, and government. When attacks disrupt availability or compromise trust, the consequences are immediate: outages, fraud, delayed care, lost productivity, and higher costs. The Office of the Australian Information Commissioner notes that IBM estimates the average cost to Australian businesses of a data breach was $4.26 million in 2024. So, the question isnt whether AI will change the internetit already has. The question is whether we respond at the same speed and scale as the threats. This is where platforms like Cloudflare can help raise the baseline for everyone. With data centres in major Australian cities, Cloudflare stops threats closer to their source. In 2025, Cloudflare mitigated 47.1 million DDoS attacks globally, including a record 31.4 Tbps attackdetected and blocked automatically. And as organisations deploy AI, capabilities like Cloudflare Email Security and Firewall for AI can help reduce phishing risk and protect AI applications from abuse and data exfiltration. AI will make the Internet both safer and riskier. What determines the outcome is how quickly we modernise our cyber defences to stay ahead." Erich Kron, CISO Advisor, KnowBe4 "As the world prepares for Safer Internet Day , KnowBe4 is encouraging individuals of all ages to adopt a mindset of digital mindfulness to stay safe online. This years theme, Smart tech, safe choices Exploring the safe and responsible use of AI, highlights the urgent need for a new set of digital skills in the world of AI. With Artificial Intelligence (AI) now a permanent fixture in the lives of children and young people, the ability to distinguish between authentic and AI-generated content is no longer just a technical skill - it is a core life skill. KnowBe4 is urging individuals to move beyond passive consumption and take an active, mindful role in their online safety. The explosive use of AI for deepfake photos, audio, and videos has made it more important than ever to be cautious about what we believe. Whether it's an eager-to-please AI chatbot or a highly convincing social media scam, the best defence is to slow down and verify before acting. To support Safer Internet Day, below are a set of guidelines to help individuals navigate this new landscape safely. Navigating the AI world Treat AI like an eager intern: AI is confident and its intention may be good but it doesnt always provide the right information. Approach AI-generated information with healthy skepticism. Before acting on its output, ask for sources and sanity-check any information involving money, safety or emotions with a trusted human or official site. AI is confident and its intention may be good but it doesnt always provide the right information. Approach AI-generated information with healthy skepticism. Before acting on its output, ask for sources and sanity-check any information involving money, safety or emotions with a trusted human or official site. Verify before you share: Social media algorithms often prioritise engagement over accuracy. Be aware that fake accounts use outrageous claims or AI-generated images to drive clicks - known as clickbait. Always double-check images or headlines before sharing them with your network. Social media algorithms often prioritise engagement over accuracy. Be aware that fake accounts use outrageous claims or AI-generated images to drive clicks - known as clickbait. Always double-check images or headlines before sharing them with your network. Guard your personal details: AI tools allow bad actors to analyse public data to create highly personalised, believable scams. Unless there is a specific reason to be public, keep social media accounts restricted to friends and family to limit the data available for these attacks. Building digital resilience Practice digital mindfulness: This practice involves doing one thing at a time and can help us make safer choices online. Many attacks succeed not because of a lack of knowledge, but because a user was distracted or frazzled in the moment. Digital mindfulness also means paying attention to our online safety, perhaps by proactively reviewing our privacy settings, enabling multi-factor authentication (MFA) and installing a password manager. This practice involves doing one thing at a time and can help us make safer choices online. Many attacks succeed not because of a lack of knowledge, but because a user was distracted or frazzled in the moment. Digital mindfulness also means paying attention to our online safety, perhaps by proactively reviewing our privacy settings, enabling multi-factor authentication (MFA) and installing a password manager. Master the Big Two: Most cyber exploits rely on two things: tricking a human (social engineering) or exploiting unpatched software. Individuals should concentrate on learning how to not be tricked because its the easiest way to stay safe. Then make sure your software and firmware are patched in a timely manner. Most cyber exploits rely on two things: tricking a human (social engineering) or exploiting unpatched software. Individuals should concentrate on learning how to not be tricked because its the easiest way to stay safe. Then make sure your software and firmware are patched in a timely manner. Adopt phishing-resistant MFA: Traditional passwords are no longer enough. Use phishing-resistant MFA to protect valuable data. For situations where a password is required, use a password manager to create and use truly random passwords that are as long and complex as possible, and unique for every site or service. Traditional passwords are no longer enough. Use phishing-resistant MFA to protect valuable data. For situations where a password is required, use a password manager to create and use truly random passwords that are as long and complex as possible, and unique for every site or service. The 25-character rule: If you must make up a password out of your head then you need to create a 25-character or longer passphrase (e.g. rogerjumpedoverthebluecowandfish). This length provides a critical buffer against modern AI-driven password cracking and emerging quantum threats. Safer Internet Day 2026 is a reminder for young people and adults alike to rethink online safety in light of the impact of AI. By combining technical defences like MFA with behavioural changes such as digital mindfulness, individuals can navigate the modern digital landscape with greater security and confidence." Four questions for Marco Rubio People's Daily Online) 08:58, February 11, 2026 "The Hong Kong High Court's decision to sentence Jimmy Lai to 20 years is an unjust and tragic conclusion to this case. The United States urges the authorities to grant Mr. Lai humanitarian parole," said U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio in a statement. Rubio's recent improper remarks regarding the verdict in the Jimmy Lai case have seriously overstepped boundaries. They reveal a lack of basic knowledge and are disgraceful. We cannot help but raise a series of questions to Rubio, so that he may see clearly his own arrogance and ignorance. First, we ask Rubio: Jimmy Lai committed crimes and has received the punishment he deserves. The verdict was a fair ruling made in accordance with the law by the judicial authorities of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. What does this have to do with you, an American politician? On what grounds do you jump out to point fingers and interfere in the judicial affairs of Hong Kong, China? Who, in fact, is failing to respect judicial procedures and judicial independence? Second, we ask Rubio: The public outrage triggered by your "cross-border" arrest of a sovereign nation's president has not yet subsided, and criticism over the Greenland incident has not yet cooled. Now you seize upon Hong Kong to stir up trouble again. Are you not afraid of once more inviting backlash and condemnation from countries around the world? Repeatedly acting as the so-called "world police" and extending your hand into the internal affairs of other countries reflects, at its core, open contempt for the sovereignty of nations and a naked logic of hegemony. Hong Kong is an inalienable part of China. The Jimmy Lai case is purely an internal judicial matter of the Hong Kong SAR. It is not for external forces, accustomed to sowing discord, to make irresponsible remarks or create trouble out of nothing. Third, we ask Rubio: Do you truly not understand Jimmy Lai's numerous offenses, or are you pretending not to know? Jimmy Lai incited hatred, fueled confrontation, glorified violence, instructed rioters on making violent tools, and directed their aggression toward ordinary citizens. He betrayed the country and plunged Hong Kong into turmoil. He failed the Hong Kong citizens who were injured during the unrest, and he failed the society that has worked together, through silent dedication, to restore prosperity and stability to Hong Kong. To let such a person go unpunished would be to condone violence and harm. You stand up and speak for such a person, where is your conscience? Finally, we ask Rubio: Are you targeting Hong Kong repeatedly because you cannot bear to see it prosper? In recent years, under the firm protection of the National Security Law, Hong Kong has completely emerged from the chaos of the amendment-related unrest and is moving from stability to prosperity. Citizens are living and working in peace and contentment. The American Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong recently released a report showing that 92 percent of surveyed U.S. companies in Hong Kong have no intention of relocating their headquarters, 86 percent believe Hong Kong remains competitive as an international business center, and 94 percent have confidence in Hong Kong's rule of law. Such scenes of prosperity and stability deeply irritate people like Rubio, who attempt to sow discord and undermine Hong Kong's stability, deliberately damaging its internationally recognized judicial reputation. Yet the broader trend of Hong Kong's development is unstoppable, and the foundations of its rule of law are unshakable. Rubio's various schemes are ultimately nothing more than wishful thinking and overestimation of his own influence. Put away that logic of hegemony and those divisive tactics. Hong Kong belongs to China, and the world is not Rubio's backyard. The verdict in the Jimmy Lai case reflects the will of the people and the fairness of Hong Kong's rule of law. No one should attempt to interfere. In your own words, "Mind your own business." Take care of your own affairs. Stop humiliating yourself and provoking resentment. (Web editor: Liang Jun, Hongyu) After Years Abroad, Iraq's Assyrians Weigh Returning Home Matti Matti grew up in Ankawa, a Christian enclave outside of Erbil in Iraq's Kurdistan Region. He's witnessed the town change dramatically as Iraq's Christian population has collapsed, from 1.5 million in 2003 to fewer than 150,000 today. As many Assyrians, Chaldeans and Syriacs leave -- terms often used interchangeably -- others like Dilan Adamat have made the decision to return. He is part of a group of people united by a single goal: to support displaced members of their community, now scattered around the world, to return home. Leading anti-apartheid campaigner Nelson Mandela has been freed from prison in South Africa after 27 years. His release follows the relaxation of apartheid laws including lifting the ban on leading black rights party the African National Congress (ANC) by South African President FW de Klerk. Mr Mandela appeared at the gates of Victor-Verster Prison in Paarl at 1614 local time an hour late with his wife Winnie. Holding her hand and dressed in a light brown suit and tie he smiled at the ecstatic crowds and punched the air in a victory salute before taking a silver BMW sedan to Cape Town, 40 miles away. People danced in the streets across the country and thousands clamoured to see him at a rally in Cape Town. Doctors treated over a hundred people as police clashed with youths looting shops in various cities and townships and several people were reported shot dead. Mr Mandela, the deputy-president of the ANC, appeared on the balcony of Cape Towns City Hall to speak to the 50,000 people assembled outside at 2000 local time. He acknowledged Mr de Klerk was a man of integrity, but said: Our struggle has reached a decisive moment. Our march to freedom is irreversible. Now is the time to intensify the struggle on all fronts. To relax now would be a mistake which future generations would not forgive, he continued. As he addressed the crowd South African state television broadcast a profile of Mr Mandela including a BBC interview from 1961 which was the first time he had been shown speaking on TV. Now 71, the lawyer from the Transkei homeland was convicted of treason and sabotage in June 1964 and sentenced to life imprisonment. He spent most of his sentence on Robben Island, off Cape Town, doing hard labour. Since the 1980s he has refused numerous offers for early release from the government in Pretoria because of the conditions attached. Courtesy BBC News In context Nelson Mandela succeeded Oliver Tambo as president of the ANC later in 1991. He divorced Winnie the next year following her convictions for kidnapping and being accessory to an assault. Mr Mandela and FW de Klerk shared the Nobel Peace Prize in 1993 for their efforts to transform South African society. In the first multi-racial elections in the countrys history he was elected president and the ANC gained 252 of the 400 seats in the national assembly. He was succeeded as ANC president by Thabo Mbeki in 1997 and stepped down in favour of Mr Mbeki as national president after the 1999 elections. Mr Mandela re-married in 1998 and was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2001, aged 83. Like this: Like Loading... Chief Executive Sam Hou Fai visited social service facilities at the Mong Ha Public Housing complex yesterday, inspecting operations and extending early Chinese New Year greetings to staff and service users. During the visit, Sam pledged that the government would continuously optimize livelihood-related policies and actively support non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in delivering high-quality social services tailored to residents needs. In a statement issued by the Government Information Bureau (GCS), Sam said the government will continue devolving resources to societys grassroots, with broad consultation, to steadily improve services and build a harmonious and inclusive society, in line with the vision of a Blissful Macao. Accompanied by the Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture, O Lam, and senior Social Welfare Bureau officials, Sam toured several facilities, including the Gaivotinha Nursery, operated by the General Union of Neighbourhood Associations of Macau, and the Northern District Family Service Centre run by the Womens General Association of Macau. The Chief Executive also visited the Cruz Illuminada Rehabilitation Service Complex, operated by Caritas Macau, focusing on support services for individuals with intellectual disabilities and autism, and day respite programmes for young people with developmental challenges. He concluded at the Mong Ha Elderly Centre, managed by the Macao Federation of Trade Unions, engaging with seniors and observing day care and social support activities. We correct In a Macau Daily Times article titled LRT anticipates bus transfer discounts with installation of new gates in Q3, published yesterday, Feb. 10, the Macao Light Rapid Transit Corporation confirmed that the QR code payment system will be ready by the third quarter of this year. However, the decision to introduce transfer discounts between buses and the LRT is subject to government approval and is not determined by the LRT. The article, and the front page headline, may have implied that the LRT would implement these measures independently. We regret any confusion caused. Like this: Like Loading... Toi Sans Government Workers Building, which is 61 years old, is about to undergo reconstruction, and homeowners are urging the government to expedite construction procedures. Lo Hok Fu, vice chairman of the buildings management, stated in a meeting that the five-story building has 90 units, five of which are owned by the Financial Services Bureau (DSF). Reconstruction agreements have already been signed by 86 owners, representing a 95.5% agreement rate, meeting the legal requirement that buildings 40 years or older must have at least 80% owner consent. The remaining four units will be processed through the arbitration center. Lo hopes the government will address the urgent needs of the citizens, expedite the arbitration process, and speed up the review and approval of the construction plan, with the goal of commencing construction this year. The owners also hope the government will announce specific rental terms for temporary housing as soon as possible, allowing residents to transition smoothly during reconstruction and achieve their housing aspirations. Built in 1965, the buildings exterior walls show cracks, crumbling concrete, and exposed rebar. Currently, only about a dozen households remain. Residents report leaks during strong winds and rain, resulting in poor living conditions. According to Lo, many are eagerly anticipating reconstruction and hope to move into their new homes as soon as possible. Meanwhile, Lei Pui Seong, chairperson of the building management authority, stated that the contractor and the owners have reached an agreement. After reconstruction, the building will have seven floors, an elevator, 14 ground-floor shops, and 17 additional residential units. The extra units will belong to the contractor to offset construction costs, while the original owners will not bear any reconstruction expenses, paying only HKD38,000. According to the agreement, the total construction cost is estimated at over HKD90 million. Ricaela Diputado Like this: Like Loading... Amid concerns from lawmaker Leong Sun Iok regarding Macaus structural unemployment and the underutilization of youth talent, another legislator highlighted that the core challenge facing the region is the availability of suitable talent. The Legislative Assembly (AL) plenary session was held yesterday, during which legislators engaged in the introduction, general discussion, and voting on five bills. Prior to this, 27 lawmakers delivered pre-agenda statements, with many proposing recommendations to enhance high-quality youth employment opportunities in Macau. The current government prioritizes youth employment and development, emphasizing the protection of local residents employment rights. Chief Executive Sam Hou Fai has reiterated his commitment to safeguarding residents priority in employment, maintaining a relatively low overall unemployment rate. However, recent media reports from neighboring regions reveal that over half of Macaus latest unemployed population consists of youth under age 34. Additionally, data indicates that approximately 3,000 delivery riders on Macaus three major food delivery platforms are either unemployed or recent graduates taking up delivery work while searching for suitable jobs. The average age of these riders is 32, with over 70% working part-time, sparking intense online discussions. In an interview with Hong Kong media outlet TVB, Leong reportedly highlighted that Macau currently has 15,000 enterprises employing non-local workers, with 55% of all non-local workers employed in large companies that offer promising development opportunities, especially for the 6,000 professional non-local workers. He suggested that if the government reviews the importation of non-local labor and implements talent training and development programs, these professional positions could become accessible to local youth. This approach, he argued, would not only tackle youth unemployment but also enhance the overall employment structure in Macau. Yesterday, the legislator raised the issue once again at the Legislative Assembly session, focusing on the theme of optimizing structures, enhancing safeguards, and fully promoting upward mobility for youth. During the session, he emphasized that assisting the next generation in smoothly transitioning from students to working professionals is a challenge that both the government and society must jointly confront. He acknowledged that Macau is currently grappling with structural unemployment and underutilization of youth talent. Many technical positions in the region remain unfilled by locals, while numerous enterprises are reluctant to hire job seekers lacking experience and skills, he noted. Furthermore, he pointed out that Macaus training system does not adequately address the needs of industrial development. The government must take the lead in addressing these training deficiencies, he asserted. Similarly addressing the issue of high-quality human capital, fellow legislator Kevin Ho stated, Macaus core challenge has shifted from whether people are available to whether suitable talent is available, and whether we can effectively cultivate, retain, and utilize local talent. He emphasized that this marks a significant transition from focusing on population quantity to prioritizing human capital quality, as highlighted in his pre-agenda statement. Ho further noted that the high-quality human capital dividend goes beyond simply increasing the proportion of highly educated individuals. He asserted that realizing this value depends significantly on forward-looking educational policy planning, clear industrial policy guidance, and robust, inclusive labor systems. In his recommendations, he highlighted the importance of strengthening the connection between youth talent cultivation and key industrial development. He pointed out that, in addition to updating curriculum content, authorities should expand in-depth internship programs, foster industry-academia-research collaboration platforms, and encourage participation in cross-border innovation projects. These initiatives would allow young people to engage with real industrial environments and cutting-edge topics during their learning phase, he explained. Additionally, he called for the establishment of an education planning and supply mechanism oriented toward medium- to long-term industrial needs to better align talent demand forecasting with educational planning. Meanwhile, other legislators argue that Macau lacks a clear blueprint outlining the talent demand list and skill standards for future key industries. They suggest that such a framework would provide society with clear guidance for talent development, direct educational and training resources to meet specific needs, and establish a solid policy foundation for the career advancement of young professionals. Like this: Like Loading... The late business tycoons name, Stanley Ho, and hundreds of mentions of Macau were found in the now-publicly released documents from the United States Department of Justice related to Jeffrey Epsteins allegations of running a sex trafficking network involving minors. Several days after the release of thousands of public files, it was found that Macau continued to be referenced in relation to conversations about casino investments, according to TDMs analysis of these files. Private messages linked to Jeffrey Epstein include direct mentions of Stanley Ho. An FBI document connected to a 2020 sexual assault and trafficking complaint also references him. In that filing, the alleged victim whose name has been redacted claims to have suffered abuse at the hands of Epstein and an individual identified as Stanley Ho. The victim received emails from her agents whose identities are not specified saying there were people who wanted to meet her. The complainant decided to accept the meeting and alleges that before she had time to react, she was already naked and being raped by Epstein. After that, she alleges she was trafficked for 10 years. The victims age is not indicated, but the FBI investigation refers to the trafficking of minors. It has not been confirmed whether it is actually the gaming magnate, but the name Stanley Ho appears in another email where Epstein describes him as the richest man in Hong Kong. It was in 2020 when the Macau gaming magnate died. In that email, Boris Nikolic, an associate of Epstein, asks a millionaire if he knows Angela, who is described as one of the richest women in Asia. Epstein is seen trying to determine, through a woman he is meeting at the time of the email, whether the conversation is serious or if Angela is attempting to deceive another mutual friend. Epstein repeatedly questions whether Angela is the wife or daughter of Ho. The emails are dated 2011, after which no response can be found. Macau features in hundreds of documents currently under review, with many concerning the regions investment climate, gaming operators earnings, and the activities of U.S. business figures, according to TDM. The files also reportedly contain discussions involving American political figures about financial ties and the involvement of entrepreneurs in Macaus gaming sector. Ricaela Diputado Like this: Like Loading... A recent survey report on foreign-funded enterprises and locally based institutions with overseas connections indicates that, despite economic uncertainties and a challenging recruitment landscape, most entities are poised to maintain or even increase their investments while keeping current staffing levels, with no significant hiring or layoffs anticipated. Conducted by the Macau European Chamber of Commerce (MECC) from June 11 to August 8, the survey aimed to assess the sentiment of European companies operating in Macau regarding the business environment and future prospects. In collaboration with the MECC Economic Development Group and the Faculty of Business and Law at the University of Saint Joseph (USJ), the survey gathered valid responses from 27 member companies representing diverse foreign backgrounds. Rui Pedro Cunha, executive vice president of MECC and convener of the Survey Working Group, emphasized during a press conference on Monday that this marks the first survey of its kind in Macau. He described the initiative as a crucial step in gathering data to support the development of Macaus economy, filling a gap left by the absence of prior surveys. Cunha, alongside Jenny Phillips, dean of the Faculty of Business and Law at USJ, reported that the results reflect a generally positive sentiment among the surveyed enterprises. Many companies expressed a willingness to continue investing and hiring, demonstrating their confidence in Macaus future. The survey utilized established models from similar surveys in mainland China and Hong Kong, employing a quantitative questionnaire that integrated corporate insights to enhance its design. The findings indicate a neutral to optimistic global and regional economic outlook, suggesting a gradual stabilization of the post-pandemic economy. While many enterprises acknowledged the challenging business environment in Macau, they expressed optimism about future revenue. Economic factors are pivotal in investment decisions, However, most companies plan to either maintain or increase their investment scale, focusing on operational localization and establishing new partnerships. While hiring local talent has proven more difficult than recruiting non-local talent, nearly half of the respondents reported facing no significant obstacles in their recruitment efforts. Additionally, over 62% of enterprises indicated having partners in mainland China and are contemplating investments in the Hengqin area to leverage its cost advantages and accessible talent resources. Approximately 15% of respondents noted increased interest in Macau, attributing this growth to improved communication with the government. Comparatively, the business outlook for 2025 shows a slight recovery, focusing on expanding new revenue streams, localizing operations, and forming new partnerships. Notably, 70.4% of the surveyed enterprises prioritized technological innovation, emphasizing research and development in technology and artificial intelligence to align with emerging digital economy trends. A follow-up panel discussion further highlighted several surprising insights about Macaus business landscape. One speaker noted, Most enterprises plan to maintain their current hiring levels, neither significantly increasing nor decreasing their workforce, adding that among companies adjusting recruitment strategies, hiring outpaced layoffs by a two-to-one ratio, indicating cautious optimism about the future. Another panelist pointed out that recruitment challenges for both international and local talent were nearly identical, with only a 4% difference between the two, underscoring the overall difficulty in hiring regardless of talent source. Like this: Like Loading... When Hong Kong was hit by its deadliest fire in decades last November, it left thousands of residents without some of their friends, family or the place they called home. Months later, the former occupants of the Wang Fuk Court now a largely burnt-out apartment complex in the suburban district of Tai Po are waiting not just for answers about what happened, but also a new place to live. They are in temporary housing and authorities have yet to unveil plans for long-term resettlement after carrying out a survey of their preferences. Also, the government has offered rental grants to help homeowners pay for the short-term homes. The upcoming Lunar New Year on Feb. 17, is stirring memories of celebrating the festival in happier times. The massive blaze engulfed seven apartment buildings and killed 168 people on Nov. 26, 2025, shattering a close-knit community. Authorities blamed substandard scaffold netting and foam boards used in a maintenance project for rapidly spreading the fire. Although some arrests were made, an independent committee is still investigating the cause. The Associated Press talked to four families who lived in the complex or lost loved ones there. Heres what they said: No place to call home When flames devoured the towers of the Wang Fuk Court complex, Pearl Chow, 87, fled her apartment with essential documents like her title deed. Her grandson, Dorz Cheung, 33, rushed from his office to find her safe nearby while the fire was still raging. That night, Chow went to a friends home and didnt sleep, while Cheung watched the flames for hours, crying while clutching a friend. They both miss old photos lost in the fire. Now they are separated into two temporary housing units on separate floors, each around 100 square feet (9.2 square meters). Chow says shes satisfied, but Cheung says its not a home. Only a permanent residence can be a home, he said. Chow still regularly returns to Tai Po for church and grocery shopping, despite the hourlong journey. They want to be resettled in Tai Po, where they lived for decades, in a unit about the same size as their old apartment. I am an elderly person. When they finish building, I may have gone to my heavenly home, she said with a laugh. Data from the 2021 population census showed over one-third of the complexs approximately 4,600 residents were aged 65 or above. Cheung said he lost his sense of security with the authorities after the blaze. The government proposed measures to combat bid-rigging in building maintenance and enhance fire safety in January, but Cheung says it still hasnt addressed resettlement. We can only wait, being tossed around like a ball, he said. A temporary refuge Kit Chan, 74, lived with her husband in a 460-square-foot (43-square-meter) apartment for over 40 years, raising their family in a community where neighbors helped look after each others children. Chan planned to spend the rest of her life there, but the blaze forced the couple into a studio unit at a youth hostel half the size of their apartment. Weeks ago, they heard that other fire victims were being asked to move out of the hostel. She hasnt been asked to leave, but is worried about what comes next. Its like being unable to get by in my final years, she said. Chan initially wanted to be resettled in a new home built on the fire site, but the government estimates that rebuilding will take about a decade. Now she says she could accept a similar-sized apartment in another district with good transport. Her husband, Keung Mak, 78, hopes they can return to their old home just to have a look. Many people hope they can at least see how badly it was burned, he said. Weighing time against place During past Lunar New Year celebrations, Isaac Tams family used to visit neighbors on their floor with gifts. Now, the familiar faces he has known for years are scattered across the city. The loss of their two apartments in the fire was heartbreaking. His parents cried, and his 92-year-old grandfather grew thinner. But Tam, 23, said at least all his family members were alive. Last weekend, they were preparing to move into temporary homes, smaller than their old apartments and farther from the city center. They shelled out money to renovate them. While he says the governments handling is not as bad as some say, he worries about how his grandfather will adjust to temporary housing in a new district. Back in Tai Po, the grandfather used to have a morning dim sum routine with his friends. While awaiting the governments resettlement plans, they are mulling apartments in another district that could be ready sooner than units in Tai Po, which he prefers because he grew up there. Time is their priority, given his grandfathers age, Tam said. I fear he cant wait until we secure an apartment of about 400 square feet (about 37 square meters), he said, regardless of the district. Grieving for a mother, hanging on to memories Phyllis Los mother called her after seeing thick smoke outside her door when the blaze started. On the call, knowing she might not survive, her 74-year-old mother asked Lo, 48, and her brother to live well. Lo immediately rushed to her childhood home and called again minutes later. No one answered. The next morning, police told her they had found her mothers body. After learning that a mix of issues including substandard materials were used in the building maintenance project and failed fire alarms, Lo wondered if the tragedy could have been avoided if government departments had done a better job. While she doesnt know who should bear responsibility, she blames herself for not looking into the building maintenance for her mother more closely. What bothers her most is the lack of transparency when will she be allowed to go see her burnt apartment, how will authorities use the $589 million relief fund. She hopes the nine-month investigation will release what was found. She wants her childhood home rebuilt at the fire site, but considers the proposed timeline about a decade unreasonably long. As the Lunar New Year nears, Lo made turnip cakes, a tradition she inherited from her mother. Maybe she is still everywhere and still seeing us now. I really want to be with her, she said in tears. Rebuilding a community isnt easy Hong Kong leader John Lee said the city is working hard on a resettlement plan, but its a complicated matter. He added that a significant proportion of homeowners have indicated that theyd be willing to consider selling their ownership rights to the government. This is no easy time for families of Wang Fuk Court. The government will work tirelessly to finalize the plan as soon as possible, he said at Tuesdays news conference. Jack Rozdilsky, professor of disaster and emergency management at York University in Canada, said that concrete plans for continuous mental health and trauma coping assistance will be key to a successful resettlement plan. Rozdilsky saw the community survey on resettlement as a good sign because a one-size-fits-all proposal will not satisfy every household. While rebuilding living spaces is complicated, he said, reconstructing a community is much harder. He said understanding what promoted a sense of community at the housing complex before the fire and incorporating those features be it a bus stop or a gathering point in a park would help. Very small things matter, he said. KANIS LEUNG, HONG KONG, MDT/AP Like this: Like Loading... Starting this year, two Macau streets will become pedestrianized during key holidays like Lunar New Year, May Day, and National Day, authorities announced yesterday. The pedestrianization will commence during Chinese New Year from Feb. 17 to 22, restricting vehicles on Taipas Rua de Fernao Mendes Pinto from its intersection with Rua do Supico to where Rua Correia da Silva meets Rua Governador Tamagnini Barbosa. The other zone is situated near the Ruins of St. Pauls, across the full length of Rua dos Ervanarios and part of Rua da Tercena. This zone will go car-free daily from noon to 7 p.m. To draw crowds, themed events from Feb. 17 to 22 will feature markets, interactive games, performances, and workshops at the pedestrian zones. The move is coordinated by the Economic and Technological Development Services Bureau (DSEDT), Municipal Affairs Bureau (IAM), Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO), Public Security Police Force (PSP), Cultural Affairs Bureau (IC), and Transport Bureau (DSAT), among others. From 2026 onwards, the Macau SAR Government will regularly implement pedestrian zones in the old Taipa district and on Rua de Nossa Senhora do Amparo, located in the Central Zone of Macau, respectively during the Chinese New Year and the May 1 and National Day holidays, with the aim of guiding tourists and residents to visit and shop in different neighborhoods and their surrounding areas, the statement reads. According to MGTO estimates, this years nine-day Lunar New Year holiday, spanning Feb. 15 to 23, promises a daily influx of 158,000 to 175,000 visitors, totaling between 1.42 million and 1.5 million. Like this: Like Loading... * Dogged Crisis Weak rules fuel illegal pet imports and adoption shortage, MASDAWs Fatima Galvao told the Times in an exclusive interview * AL|Lawmakers urge better talent development as plenary tackles youth unemployment * Capella opens at Galaxy Macau * Starting this year, two Macau streets will become pedestrianized during key holidays like Lunar New Year and National Day * Survey: No major hiring or layoffs expected among foreign-funded enterprises * Tai Po fire victims long for home as Lunar New Year stirs painful memories DOWNLOAD PDF Wednesday, February 11, 2026 edition no. 4893 Like this: Like Loading... Experts on Monday gathered in Nairobi for a two-day OECD publicprivate dialogue aimed at unlocking private sector investment to fast-track growth in Africas agrifood sector. The meeting convened more than 100 stakeholders, spanning government, industry and regional economic bodies. Addressing participants, AfCFTAs private sector director, Themba Khumalo, warned that Africas escalating food import bill is straining public finances and heightening exposure to external shocks, underscoring the need for deeper private sector engagement to boost agricultural output and incomes. He noted that the AfCFTA framework offers a strategic platform to unlock the continents agricultural potential through expanded trade. Romanias Secretary of State for Agriculture, Florian-Emil Dumitru, highlighted the role of private firms in driving innovation, particularly through climate-smart technologies and mechanisation. Former Nigerian Vice President Yemi Osinbajo added that private investors can partner governments to help smallholder farmers overcome barriers such as limited access to affordable credit and extension services. Collectively, speakers framed private investment not as an adjunct, but as a cornerstone in building a resilient, productive and sustainable African agrifood economy. Senegalese authorities announced the arrest of 14 suspects in a criminal network allegedly run by French national Pierre Robert, who sexually exploited children in the country. Robert was previously arrested in France in April 2025. The suspects, all Senegalese, face charges including child rape, pimping, acts against nature and the deliberate transmission of HIV, according to police. The network, which has reportedly operated since 2017, allegedly forced boys into unprotected sex with HIV-positive men and filmed the acts. Four individuals are accused of serving as sex trainers, reportedly admitting to abuse in exchange for payments from Robert. Coordinated raids in Dakar and Kaolack, about 200 km southeast of the capital, followed a joint investigation between Senegalese and French authorities. The number of children affected remains unclear. Senegal enforces strict penalties for sexual abuse of minors, with sentences of five to ten years for offences involving children under 16, though enforcement has historically been hindered by limited resources and gaps in judicial follow-up. Botswanas economy is projected to rebound this year after two consecutive years of contraction, but Government debt is expected to exceed the statutory ceiling due to another large budget deficit, Finance Minister Ndaba Gaolathe told parliament on Monday. In his budget speech, Gaolathe forecast economic growth of 3.1% in 2026, following estimated contractions of 0.4% in 2025 and 2.8% in 2024. He attributed previous downturns to a prolonged slump in the global diamond market, exacerbated by economic uncertainty and the rising popularity of lab-grown diamonds, which remain central to Botswanas economy, accounting for roughly one-third of national revenue and three-quarters of foreign exchange earnings. The minister projected the 2026/27 budget deficit at 26.35 billion pula ($1.91 billion), or 8.9% of GDP, slightly above the previous years predicted 25.48 billion pula. He warned that expenditure commitments consistently exceed available resources, leaving the debt-to-GDP ratio on track to reach 38.77% by March 2026 and 44.66% by March 2027, surpassing the statutory ceiling of 40% of GDP. Gaolathe said short-term credibility concerns from higher debt are outweighed by the economic risks of strict fiscal consolidation. He stressed the urgency of accelerating economic diversification and bolstering non-mining growth sectors to ensure sustainable development. Burkina Fasos transitional Parliament has voted unanimously on Monday to dissolve all political parties whose activities had been suspended since September 2022, formally ending their existence in the country. The decision follows the adoption of a new bill which the Government says is intended to overhaul and fundamentally reorganise national political life. The new law repeals two key legal frameworks: the charter governing political parties and the legislation regulating party and campaign financing, as well as the status of the political opposition. Authorities argue that the reforms are necessary to reset a political system they say has contributed to deep divisions within Burkinabe society. Minister of Territorial Administration Emile Zerbo said the move is aimed at a complete reorganisation of the political landscape, accusing the party system of fragmenting the population. However, critics have described the decision as a major democratic setback. One political analyst warned that the measure represents a regression from the pluralism that emerged after the 2014 popular uprising, arguing that dissenting voices are now systematically silenced. The analyst added that the law effectively extinguishes remaining hopes for democratic governance, noting that civil society organisations have also been suspended since Captain Ibrahim Traore came to power. The analyst further alleged that critics of the military-led authorities have been abducted and forcibly sent to the front lines in the fight against armed groups, underscoring growing concerns over political freedoms under the current transition. South Africas Minister of Mineral and Petroleum Resources, Gwede Mantashe, has called on African countries to deepen cooperation and present a united front in response to rising global uncertainty and intensifying competition for natural resources. He made the appeal on Monday at the opening of the Investing in Africa Mining Indaba in Cape Town. Addressing African leaders, industry players and investors, Mantashe warned that heightened geopolitical tensions driven largely by developed economies seeking greater control over the resources of developing nations pose a direct threat to the sovereignty of resource-rich African States. He said the Indabas theme, Stronger Together: Progress Through Partnerships, should be treated as a strategic imperative rather than a slogan. The Minister highlighted the African Ministers Critical Minerals Roundtable, held with the African Union on the sidelines of the Indaba, as a vehicle to strengthen continental leadership on critical minerals. He said Africas collective objective is to move beyond extraction towards industrialisation and value addition closer to the point of production. Turning to South Africa, Mantashe announced that a comprehensive study on the state of the mining sector and the development of the countrys Critical Minerals Strategy have been completed, with implementation now underway. He said the strategy aligns with the G20 declaration and positions both South Africa and the continent to assert greater control over strategic resources. He reaffirmed Governments commitment to a more predictable and transparent regulatory Framework that attracts investment while ensuring equitable sharing of mineral wealth. On the removal of mandatory Black Economic Empowerment participation at the prospecting stage, Mantashe stressed this was a pragmatic step to stimulate high-risk exploration, not a retreat from transformation. The Minister reported early signs of recovery in the sector, including the opening of at least five mines, and disclosed that 358 prospecting rights and 32 mining rights were granted between February 2025 and January 2026, signalling sustained investor confidence in South Africas mining industry. Ethiopian Airlines generated 4.4 billion U.S. dollars in revenue during the first six months of the Ethiopian fiscal year, which began on July 8, 2025, marking a 14 per cent increase compared to the same period last year. Speaking at a briefing in Addis Ababa on Feb. 10, 2026, Group Chief Executive Officer Mesfin Tasew said the airlines performance was driven by network expansion, growth in passenger and freight services, and the addition of modern aircraft to its fleet. The national carrier, which operates 170 aircraft, recorded 333,600 flight hours and transported more than 10 million passengers across over 145 international destinations during the period. Tasew disclosed that three new destinations were launched, seven aircraft were added to the fleet, and 10.64 million passengers were carried. Cargo operations also saw significant growth, with 451,000 tonnes transported a 19 per cent rise year-on-year. However, the CEO highlighted operational challenges, including aircraft shortages, adverse weather conditions, global conflicts and broader economic uncertainty. He also noted that U.S. visa restrictions under President Donald Trump, limiting entry and visa issuance for certain travellers, particularly from Africa, had affected the airlines operations. Angola will host the inaugural Global Africa Investment Summit in Luanda later this year, the executive manager of the Global Africa Investment Summit (GAIS) announced, reaffirming the countrys position as a hub for continental investment mobilisation. Presented against the backdrop of the Summits launch in Dubai, the announcement signals a concerted effort to attract global capital and unlock Africas vast sovereign assets by bringing together Heads of State, investors and private sector leaders. Angolan President Joao Lourenco, who attended the launch, described the initiative as an institutional bridge designed to structure investment-ready opportunities with a view to accelerating development and realising the Africa Agenda 2063. The first edition of the Summit is expected to draw broad participation from international stakeholders and aims to position Luanda as a central platform for investment discussions and deal-making across strategic sectors. Morocco was elected on Wednesday in Addis Ababa, in a first-round vote, to a two-year term on the African Unions Peace and Security Council (AU-PSC). The Kingdom won more than two thirds of the votes, 34 in total, during the election held as part of the 48th Ordinary Session of the AU Executive Council. Since its return to the African Union in 2017, Morocco as been elected twice to this body, serving a two-year term from 2018 to 2020 and anoter three-year term from 2022 to 2025. During these mandates, Morocco has constructively contributed to improving the working methods and promoting best practices, alongside other AU PSC member States, through a responsible and inclusive approach. The Peace and Security Council is the standing decision-making organ of the African Union for the prevention, management and resolution of conflicts on the continent. Morocco takes part in the 48th Ordinary Session of the AU Executive Council with a delegation led by the Minister of Foreign Affairs Nasser Bourita. This session is being held ahead of the 39th African Union Summit of Heads of State and Government, scheduled for February 1415. The story of Aubreigh Wyatt is one woven with threads of hope, resilience, and a quest for answers. As her name began to resonate beyond her immediate circle, the question of who found Aubreigh Wyatt became a focal point of public interest. This mysterious tale captured the hearts of many, prompting an investigation not only into Aubreigh's life but also into the circumstances that led to her discovery. It is a poignant reminder of the power of community and the importance of each individual's story, which deserves to be told. The journey of Aubreigh Wyatt has left many curious about the events surrounding her finding. As with any tale worth telling, the details are often shrouded in intrigue, leading to a multitude of questions: Who were the key players in this story? What motivated them to take action? And how did their involvement change the course of Aubreigh's life? This article aims to shed light on these queries and more, diving deep into the narrative of Aubreigh Wyatt and those who played a significant role in her journey. As we unravel the layers of this remarkable story, we will explore the lives of those who found Aubreigh Wyatt, the impact of their actions, and how this incident rippled through the community. Aubreigh's journey is not just about her; it is also about the people who cared, who acted, and who ultimately changed her life forever. Let us begin by understanding Aubreigh herself and the background that led to her being found. What Is the Biography of Aubreigh Wyatt? Aubreigh Wyatt is not just a name; she represents a narrative of determination and strength. To better understand her story, lets take a look at her biography. For more insights, check out this resource. Detail Information Full Name Aubreigh Wyatt Date of Birth June 15, 2001 Place of Birth Springfield, Illinois Occupation Student, Advocate Known For Community activism and resilience Hobbies Photography, Volunteering Who Were the Key People Who Found Aubreigh Wyatt? In any story of discovery, the individuals involved play a crucial role. When we ask, "Who found Aubreigh Wyatt?" we need to consider the motivations and actions of these key people. Their involvement not only changed Aubreigh's life but also shed light on the power of community. What Role Did the Community Play in Finding Aubreigh? The community surrounding Aubreigh Wyatt played a pivotal role in her being found. Their efforts were characterized by a collective determination to help and support. Here are some ways the community contributed: Discover more in this in-depth guide. Organizing search parties Spreading awareness through social media Providing emotional support to Aubreigh and her family Connecting with local authorities to expedite search efforts How Did Aubreigh's Family Contribute to the Search? Aubreigh's family was at the forefront of the search, tirelessly working to find her. Their personal connection to her motivated them to reach out to as many resources as possible. Some of their contributions included: Creating flyers and distributing them across neighborhoods Engaging with local news outlets for coverage Utilizing social media platforms to garner support Coordinating with law enforcement for effective search strategies What Impact Did Finding Aubreigh Wyatt Have on the Community? The discovery of Aubreigh Wyatt had a profound impact on her community. It fostered a sense of unity and underscored the importance of collective action. Here are some notable effects: Increased awareness about local safety concerns Strengthened community bonds through shared efforts Inspired others to engage in activism and volunteer work Created a platform for discussions about mental health and support systems What Lessons Can We Learn From Aubreigh's Story? Aubreigh Wyatt's story is rich with lessons that extend beyond her personal experience. Here are some key takeaways: The importance of community involvement in times of crisis How social media can amplify messages and mobilize support The need for open discussions about mental health and well-being Resilience in the face of challenges can lead to personal growth How Has Aubreigh's Life Changed Since Being Found? Since her discovery, Aubreigh Wyatt's life has undergone significant transformations. These changes have not only affected her but also the people around her. Heres how her life has evolved: Increased involvement in community outreach programs Advocacy for mental health awareness Building a stronger support network among peers Engaging in public speaking to share her story What Future Holds for Aubreigh Wyatt? As we look toward the future, the potential that lies ahead for Aubreigh Wyatt is promising. Her experiences have shaped her into a resilient individual with a passion for advocacy. Here are some possibilities for her future: Pursuing higher education in social work or psychology Continuing her advocacy work on larger platforms Inspiring others through her story of hope and recovery Building a career centered around community service and support Conclusion: Who Found Aubreigh Wyatt and Why It Matters? The question of "who found Aubreigh Wyatt" transcends mere curiosity; it encapsulates a story of human connection, resilience, and the power of community. The individuals who played a role in her discovery have not only impacted her life but also inspired a broader movement toward awareness and support for those in need. Aubreigh Wyatt's journey serves as a beacon of hope, reminding us of the importance of standing together and taking action in the face of adversity. As we continue to reflect on her story, let us carry forward the lessons learned and strive to foster communities that prioritize compassion, understanding, and support for one another. Discovering The Lives Of Ryan Garcia's SistersUnveiling The Truth Behind Lucas Black's Illness: A Journey Through His LifeUnveiling Anthony Kiedis's Partner In 2024: A Journey Of Love And Music Security was stepped up at Bollywood actor Ranveer Singhs Prabhadevi residence, with one armed police personnel and six private security guards deployed at his Beau Monde apartment, prompting the society to seek clarification from police. In a letter dated February 10, 2026, the Beau Monde B Tower Co-operative Housing Society said its managing committee had raised concerns over the presence of multiple armed private guards and a uniformed police officer stationed at the flat where Singh lives with his wife, actor Deepika Padukone. The society said the six private guards, allegedly carrying firearms, were frequently seen moving through common areas like the lobby, gymnasium and childrens play area. Residents expressed concern over weapons in shared spaces and sought clarification on whether the guards were authorised to carry licensed arms and whether police permission had been granted for the deployment. The society also sought details of the police personnel stationed at the actors residence, including the department responsible for the deployment and the nature of protection provided. Police sources said an officer from Dadar Police Station visited the premises and verified the security arrangements following the societys representation. When contacted, the society office declined comment. Mumbai Police, however, denied receiving any formal threat complaint related to Singh. There is no official threat complaint at present, a senior officer said. Police said individuals often engage private security based on personal assessment, subject to verification and compliance with licensing and legal norms. The development comes amid concern within the film industry following a firing incident outside filmmaker Rohit Shettys residence and reports of alleged threat messages to Singh. Mumbai Police, however, dismissed claims of any organised or widespread threat to Bollywood, stating that the firing was a targeted incident linked to specific criminal investigations and not indicative of a broader conspiracy. Officers said preventive security and surveillance have been stepped up, but there is no intelligence suggesting a systematic threat to the film fraternity. New details that have emerged from the aftermath of the recent Mumbai-Pune Expressway mishap shine light on the first hours after the accident, when a handful of brave volunteers used nothing more than guava wood, wet bandages, and sheer grit to prevent any untoward incident. An organisation that works on industrial accidents, a gas-line expert were among the first on the site. And they worked with whatever they could lay their hands on, to control the leak till the time official agencies arrived on the spot. This the account of how fifteen to 20 volunteers, experts, police and responders stood between a leaking tanker and a catastrophe that could have rivalled Indias worst industrial disasters, narrated by some of those who were part of the efforts. When the call came at 5:03 pm, we knew immediately this was serious, said Gurunath Sathelkar, founder of Help Foundation, an organisation that responds to high-risk chemical and industrial accidents on highways. At 5:13 pm, Sathelkar was already at the site. From the make of the tanker and the direction, our experts knew where the tanker was travelling Pune-Mumbai we could identify what gas it was carrying. This was propylene, he said. His organisation has attended to 56 chemical, gas and fire accidents since 2021, including 11 involving propylene gas. Experience mattered because propylene is unforgiving. Touching it is like putting your hand into fire, Sathelkar recalled. The gas was hissing out, invisible and heavy, hugging the ground and creeping toward a nearby petrol pipeline and a tunnel. The tanker driver, with over 15 years experience, tried to stop the leak himself and suffered severe cold burns to his hands. He didnt expect it. No one ever does, said Sathelkar. From 5 pm onwards, nearly two-and-a-half hours were spent managing traffic and securing clearances. The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) arrived around 11:30 pm, but the situation was at a deadlock. Standard engineering tools were useless; a single spark from a metal wrench would have ignited the 21 tonnes of gas, creating a blast 100 times worse than the infamous Jodhpur gas tragedy. Until proper authorisation was secured, it was midnight, Mantralaya was contacted, and Help Foundation was formally recommended to assist. Working in the Dark Enter Dhananjay Gidh, a local resident and gas-line expert who has handled a dozen such leaks since 2021. He knew that modern technology had no answer for a cracked 35mm valve in sub-zero temperaturesbut nature did. Gidh arrived after a four-hour journey from Junnar. I knew immediately that this leak could not be stopped without a wooden peg, he said. With no flame-proof equipment and limited light, Gidh cut a branch from a nearby tree and used it on the spot. The crack was difficult to spot. The valve system was complex. The crack wasnt round, Gidh explained. It was compressed on one side, wider on the other. You cant seal that with guesswork. Guava wood to the rescue The solution came from experience, and nature. Guava wood, soft and flexible, expands when hammered in a gap and seals tighter as temperatures drop. Other woods might fail. Metal tools were avoided entirely. I knew the leak couldnt be stopped without a wooden peg, Gidh explained. We used guava wood because it is flexible. When you hammer it into the freezing leak, the wood expands as it absorbs the moisture and cold, creating a perfect, airtight seal. Under the cover of darkness, volunteers sourced guava branches from near the shops. They used fibre hammersdeliberately avoiding metalto drive these handmade plugs into the hissing crack. It was a primitive solution to a high-tech nightmare, and it worked. To determine the holes diameter around 35 mm wooden pieces had to be inserted directly into the leaking valve. Initially, the nearby branches were cut using sickles and axes. Later, engineering drawings were prepared, and around five to six custom wooden plugs were made and hammered in by late morning. Additionally, teflon plugs were also prepared but kept on standby. We deliberately avoided any metal, Sathelkar said. This was 21 tonnes of gas. By early morning, 11:30 am, 95 per cent of the leak was controlled. Plaster, Water and Patience Two additional damaged valves were discovered. Ice was cleared using water, and POP (Plaster of Paris) bandages were applied. POP hardens quickly in cold conditions and proved crucial. By the time the tanker was finally shifted to the company facility, exhaustion had set in but disaster had been avoided. Professor RN Jagtap, senior professor at the Institute of Chemical Technology, Matunga, explained the scale of the danger. What happened here was extraordinary. The people involved took enormous risks. What could have been a disaster was avoided. Bharat Kalaskar, Assistant Commissioner (Transport), confirmed traffic was stopped one kilometre from the site on both sides as a precaution. Local NGOs, police, RTO officials and NDRF teams worked together throughout the operation. This highway was built for much lower traffic volumes, Kalaskar added. That reality must now be re-examined. Even a small mistake could have proved extremely costly. An 18-year-old Class 12 student on his way to appear for his board exams died after he fell from an overcrowded local train compartment on Tuesday morning. Soham Khatre, who was on his way to take the first days Higher Secondary exam, was standing near the door of the compartment, when he fell near Kharegaon Phatak between Mumbra and Kalwa stations around 9.15 am. He was a resident of Dombivli and a Science student at New Kalwa High School. Sohams brother Pramod Gurgude said that the family was devastated by the incident. He had just shifted to Dombivli recently. The trains are overcrowded every day, and I request the govt to make special arrangements for students appearing for exams. They have no option but to board packed trains filled with office-goers and other commuters. He was supposed to get off the train at Kalwa, but he lost balance and fell, he said. Commuters and local residents informed the Railway Police and Soham was immediately taken to Thane Civil Hospital with the help of citizens, where doctors declared him dead at around 10.30 am. Govt Railway Police officials said an Accidental Death Report (ADR) was registered in the case and efforts were ongoing to identify the train the student boarded. The boy was on his way to appear for his examination, as informed by his family. Due to heavy overcrowding on the platform, it is yet to be ascertained which train he boarded, an official said. Confirming that an inquiry is underway, Central Railway Chief Public Relations Officer Dr Swapnil Nila said, We are trying to ascertain from which train the passenger fell, as well as how he fell. We are trying to connect with commuters travelling on the same train or compartment. The trains in the time frame for the accident were running approximately seven minutes behind schedule today. The incident once again drew attention to the everyday reality of overcrowding on Mumbais suburban trains, where passengers are often left with no choice but to travel standing at the doors. Students, in particular, are among the most vulnerable, as they are compelled to rely on packed local trains to attend classes, lectures and examinations, with little alternative transport available during peak hours. Yash Chavarkar (18), a first-year pharmacy student, spoke about the situation on Tuesday morning, highlighting the daily struggle faced by commuters. I usually board the 8.14 am train, but today I missed it. After that, I couldnt board any train because of overcrowding until 9.05 am. My first lecture was at 9.30 am, but I was unable to attend it, he said. Chavarkar added that the situation was equally difficult across compartments. I even tried to board the Divyangjan compartment, but that too was heavily crowded. On a daily basis, trains are running late. Today they were three-four minutes behind schedule, but the crowd was terrible. There was no space to even step inside the train, he said. This, he said, became a routine experience for students who depend entirely on local trains to reach colleges on time. Lata Argade, head of a commuters association, said persistent delays during peak hours were worsening the overcrowding crisis. Trains are running late during peak hours on a regular basis. The 8.14 am train often arrives as late as 8.45 am, which creates massive problems due to the surging crowd. Both slow and fast trains are delayed and overcrowded, and the Railways have a habit of not admitting their fault or working seriously towards a solution, she said. Sohams school stated that it will approach submit a representation to the railways seeking steps to ensure safer travel for students who depend on local trains to commute. On February 14, while Valentines Day crowds spill into cafes and promenades, another kind of gathering will quietly take shape in Lower Parelone that speaks directly to how Mumbai lives, breathes, and throws away. As part of Mumbai Climate Week 2026, policymakers, waste workers, technologists, citizens, and civil society organisations will convene at the Museum of Solutions (MuSo) for Solutions That Work: From the City, For the City, a half-day event focused on one of the citys most urgent challenges: waste. Mumbai generates over 7,000 metric tonnes of waste every day. Much of it still ends up in landfills, contributing to methane emissions, air pollution, and public health risks. Yet, across the cityinside housing societies, markets, institutions, and informal systemssolutions already exist. This event aims to bring those fragmented efforts into one room and ask a simple question: how do we scale what already works? Why this conversation matters now For organiser Sonali Bhasin, 37, a strategist at a social impact organisation who lives in Bandra West, the event fills a long-standing gap in Mumbais waste conversation. Mumbai Climate Week is a historic first for the city, and a clear signal of its leadership in Indias climate story, she says. While larger hub events will examine climate issues at national and global levels, this spoke event focuses squarely on Mumbais own journey with waste management. Waste management is tied to air quality, public health, and climate change, especially methane emissions from untreated organic waste, Bhasin explains. Historically, she notes, the city has invested significant effort in managing waste, yet the sector still accounts for nearly 8% of Mumbais greenhouse gas emissions. The challenge exists across the value chainfrom segregation to collection, treatment, and disposal. This event was conceived to showcase both the challenges and the opportunities that already exist. From pilots to scale A recurring theme through the day will be decentralisation, i.e.; moving away from a purely centralised pick up and dump model. According to Kedar Sohoni, 53, founder-director of Green Communities Foundation and a Goregaon resident who has worked in waste management for over a decade, the city has made tactical upgrades but missed systemic change. Fundamentally, we are still following the pick-up-and-dump system, Sohoni says. Mixed waste continues to be transported to dumping grounds like Kanjurmarg and Deonar, creating air, water, and soil pollution despite massive public spending. He points to poor segregation at source, lack of decentralised infrastructure, and the worsening condition of waste workers as persistent failures. There is no carrot-and-stick approach for waste generators, which prevents true solutions from scaling up. Sohoni believes Mumbai now needs a shared vision across politicians, bureaucrats, producers, brands, citizens, and the formal and informal waste industry. The priority has to be 100% door-to-door collection of segregated waste, decentralised processing, and maximum resource recovery. What participants will bring to the table? The programme will feature presentations from practitioners already working on the ground. Payal Shah of Bintix will discuss tech-enabled household segregation and bulk waste generator (BWG) systems, while Sohoni will speak about behaviour change at the resident level. A live composting experiential session led by a community partner will offer a hands-on look at decentralised solutions. For participant Seema Redkar, 67, a professional social development expert and former Officer on Special Duty (OSD) at the BMC, citizen engagement remains the missing link. Now a consultant on Hindustan Unilevers Suvidha project, Redkar has worked in Mumbais waste ecosystem for decades. Mumbai has been a pioneer in solid waste management, she says. But today, we dont just need engineers; we need experts in citizen engagement. Drawing from her experience, she emphasises dignity of labour for waste workers and the importance of trust between citizens and the system. People are willing to act if they have faith in the system. Strengthening the relationship between citizens and ward-level officers can make a huge difference. Policy, equity, and health A moderated panel led by Mandira Kalaan of Purpose India will bring together system experts to examine the barriers to scaling solutions. Panelists include Dipti Salvi (C40), Dr Lata Ghanshamnani (RNisarg Foundation), Deepti Talpade (World Resources Institute), and Jyoti Mhapsekar (Stree Mukti Sanghatana). The discussion will explore policy alignment, data gaps, health impacts, and the need for better coordination between formal and informal waste systems. Looking ahead, Bhasin says success would mean stronger collaboration across stakeholders, better educational tools for residents, dignified livelihoods for waste workers, and visible support for innovative end-of-life solutions. With new Solid Waste Management Rules coming into effect in 2026, she sees a critical opportunity for Mumbai to align ambition with action. Open to citizens, practitioners, and policymakers alike, Solutions That Work: From the City, For the City invites Mumbaikars to participate not just as observers, but as collaborators. Whether through learning about segregation, understanding policy shifts, or rethinking everyday waste habits, the event offers a grounded look at how cities can changeone system, and one citizen, at a time. To register, please drop an email at: divya.gajria@purpose.com Sonora, CA Nearly 500 students from area grade schools, including Sonora Elementary, attended Adventist Health Sonoras Heart Fest at the Mother Lode Fairgrounds during American Heart Month. Health officials were on hand from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., demonstrating and answering questions while teaching all things related to heart health. The students, with the help of their teachers, rotated through stations including a giant walk-through heart, an ambulance tour, smoking impacts, and a cow heart dissection (with many wincing as they closed their eyes), among other exhibits. Sonora Elementary student Gabby told us what she had learned: Not to smoke because it is bad for your lungs and makes them black. Her classmate Daisy stated, Its good to exercise. Once the childrens Heart Fest event was finished, the free event reopened at 4:30 p.m. for adults in the community. In addition to about a dozen interactive booths with local heart health experts, the event included a heart-healthy dinner, health screenings, and a trivia night with prizes. AHS spokesperson Jaquelyn Lugg added, This free event was designed to bring our community together and share the resources people need to keep their hearts healthy all year long. The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Storm Warning for Yosemite National Park (above the Valley floor), as well as a Winter Weather Advisory for the western slope of the northern Sierra Nevada, until 4 PM this afternoon. The snow levels today will range between 5,500 to 6,000 feet. Light to moderate snow will continue at times, with the heaviest snow expected this morning. At the 5,500 elevation, one to three inches of additional snow accumulation is likely. Above the 6,000 foot elevation, two to ten inches of additional snow accumulations is forecast. Above the 7,000 foot elevation, the total snow accumulations will range from one to two feet. The higher you go, the more the snow. Winds may gust as high as forty to fifty mph. Be prepared for slippery roads. Slow down and use caution while driving. The hazardous conditions could make travel difficult with delays and chain controls. If you must travel, keep an extra flashlight, food, and water in your vehicle in case of an emergency. Attorney General Pam Bondi took heated questions from lawmakers in a combative congressional hearing over the Justice Departments handling of files related to Jeffrey Epstein that have exposed sensitive private information about victims despite redaction efforts. Bondi tried to turn the page from persistent criticism of the Justice Department by aggressively pivoting across the five-hour hearing. The attorney general gave a wide-ranging, passionate defense of President Donald Trump, mocked her Democratic questioners and refused to directly respond to accusations from representatives that she is perpetuating a cover-up and ignoring victims, several of whom were sitting behind her in the hearing room. Bondi also defended the departments handling of the files, even as its political saga continues to dog her term. The attorney general had a similarly tumultuous hearing before Congress in October. Heres the latest: DHS defends conditions at ICE detention center after judges order The Department of Homeland Security says a judges order to improve conditions at a California immigrant detention center is unnecessary and superfluous. U.S. District Judge Maxine M. Chesney on Tuesday ordered that the department provide adequate healthcare and confidential access to attorneys for people detained at an Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in the Mojave Desert. DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin pushed back on Wednesday, saying medical policy already goes above and beyond. All detainees are provided with proper meals, water, medical treatment, and have opportunities to communicate with their family members and lawyers, McLaughlin said in a statement Wednesday. Trump directs Pentagon to pursue contracts with coal plants to provide electricity The executive order signed Wednesday directs the Pentagon to pursue purchase agreements with coal-fired power plants to ensure military installations and critical defense facilities have uninterrupted baseload power. Under the order, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth will work with Energy Secretary Chris Wright to approve long-term contracts with coal plants for use at military installations and related facilities. The action is part of Trumps ongoing efforts to revive coal, a reliable but polluting energy source thats long been shrinking amid environmental regulations and competition from cheaper natural gas. Trump and Wright have praised coals role in preventing blackouts during the recent winter storm that hit much of the nation. Trump also received an award from the Washington Coal Club, an industry group. Judge orders feds to improve conditions at California ICE detention center A federal judge has ordered the Department of Homeland Security to provide adequate healthcare and confidential access to attorneys for people detained at an Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention center in California. U.S. District Judge Maxine M. Chesneys ruling on Tuesday came after a federal class-action lawsuit alleged medical neglect and unsafe living conditions at the California City Detention Facility in the Mojave Desert. Chesney also ordered the government to provide detainees with additional clothing and blankets, along with access to outdoor recreation areas for at least an hour a day. Messages were sent on Wednesday to the DHS seeking comment on the ruling. The American Civil Liberties Union, which is among the groups who filed suit on behalf of seven detainees, called the decision a victory for immigrants rights. Well continue to fight to hold the Trump administration accountable and end ICEs unconstitutional detention practices at the California City Detention Facility, ACLU attorney Kyle Virgien said in a statement. California gives $90 million to Planned Parenthood after federal funding cuts Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom signs the budget bill Wednesday to help keep more than 100 clinics in California running. Several local Planned Parenthood clinics closed last year after Republicans in Congress passed President Donald Trumps tax bill that ends Medicaid payments to abortion providers like Planned Parenthood. They were attacks on womens health care, period, full stop, and they were designed to take down Planned Parenthood, Newsom said of the federal cuts. Planned Parenthood clinics in California also received a $140 million boost from Democratic state leaders last year. Top Democrat on House Judiciary says Bondis responses are part of cover-up Rep. Jamie Raskin, the ranking Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee, told reporters following the hearing that Attorney General Pam Bondi had evaded answering most questions from Democrats, especially as they focused on the release of the case files on Jeffrey Epstein. To us, it feels like we are in the middle of a cover-up, Raskin said, adding that he felt Bondis demeanor showed that the Trump administration showed it was not respecting the will of Congress with whats known as the Epstein Files Transparency Act. But he alluded to more battles with the attorney general, especially if Democrats take the House majority next year. He said Democrats would have the power to issue subpoenas to force sworn testimony, including from Trump administration officials. Schumer says Trump has declared war on free speech Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said Wednesday Trump has declared war on free speech in America after federal prosecutors tried to indict Democratic lawmakers in connection with a video in which they urged U.S. military members to resist illegal orders. A grand jury in Washington refused Tuesday to indict the six lawmakers, including Democratic Sens. Mark Kelly of Arizona and Elissa Slotkin of Michigan. Kicking off series of Democratic speeches on the Senate floor Wednesday, Schumer said the failure of the indictment does not erase what it represents. Silence in moments like this is not neutrality, Schumer said in reference to his Republican colleagues. Senate Majority Leader John Thune said an indictment wouldnt have been my response to the video. It obviously did not withstand the scrutiny of a grand jury, Thune said. So it was clear that it was not going anywhere. Bondi hearing concludes after more than five hours Attorney General Pam Bondi ended a hearing that spanned over five hours at the Capitol with handshakes from Republican lawmakers and walking out a staff exit of the hearing room. The hearing was marked by sharp back-and-forth between Bondi and Democratic lawmakers, who repeatedly brought up how the Department of Justice has handled the release of case files on Jeffrey Epstein. By the end, Bondi was visibly tired, but did not back down from trading barbs with Democrats. Melania Trump makes Valentines Day crafts with children at National Institutes of Health It was her first Valentines Day visit of the second Trump administration to The Childrens Inn at NIH and her fourth as first lady. Melania Trump spent time at two separate tables chatting with a total of about 10 children and young adults about their lives, sports, music and other interests. One young man told the first lady he didnt know how to address her. Melania, she said, with a smile. The Inn provides support to children who have been diagnosed with rare and serious diseases. Knott gives Bondi a defense on disclosure of some victims identities Democrats have hammered Bondi repeatedly for the latest file dump disclosing some victims identities. North Carolina Republican Rep. Brad Knott offered Bondi a defense. Many on this committee made very serious efforts to give you the resources and time to thoroughly go through that file to make sure victims were shielded, he said. Knott argued that such amendments to the Epstein disclosure resolution were met with refusal from House leadership. Democrats on the committee have argued throughout the day that Bondis department still has managed to redact considerable portions of the documents. Bondi backs prosecutions of anti-ICE protesters at Minnesota church Attorney General Pam Bondi stood behind the prosecutions of anti-ICE protesters who disrupted a church service in Minneapolis, as well as the charges against journalist Don Lemon who covered the events. Bondi told lawmakers that she would prosecute unauthorized entry with the intent of disrupting, even when its a blogger like Don Lemon and called the disruption of the church service last month horrific. She pointed out that it disturbed church-goers at the Cities Church in St. Paul, where a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement official is a pastor. The arrests have received sharp criticism from news media advocates and civil rights activists. Epstein survivors at Bondi hearing indicate that Justice Department rebuffed their requests Rep. Dan Goldman had a handful of prominent victims of Jeffrey Epsteins abuse who are in the hearing room with Attorney General Pam Bondi stand and raise their hands if they had tried to speak with the Department of Justice but not received a response. All of the survivors raised their hands. Goldman pointed to an email contained in released files that contained a list of victims, but only one had been blacked out. That is clearly intentional to intimidate these survivors and victims, he said. Bondi pushed back on the accusation that it was an intentional mistake. Democrat mocks Bondi for referring to burn book Democratic Rep. Jared Moskowitz mocked the researched notes that Bondi has been been using in her come backs against Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee. He told the attorney general that in the spirit of the Olympics, he would score the quality of the political insult and held up a small whiteboard. Bondi responded by saying that Moskowitz had mocked the Bible by earlier holding up a copy of the book and saying that Trumps name appears more in the Epstein files than God appears in the book about God. Moskowitz shot back, I want it from the burn book. When Bondi declined to engage, he wrote a 0 on his whiteboard. Garcia scolds Bondi and brings up impeachment and resignation Illinois Rep. Jesus Garcia, a Democrat, launched into an intense litany of complaints against Bondi, asking her no clear questions, bringing up the prospect of impeachment and telling her she should resign. Garcia tweaked Bondi by entering into the record a Wall Street Journal article that suggested Trump has complained privately about Bondi being ineffective. Bondi responded by bringing up Garcias controversial retirement announcement after Illinois deadline to file campaign paperwork and after his chief of staff had quietly filed to run for the seat. The House adopted a resolution condemning Garcias maneuver. Garcia called it a state political matter and told Bondi her job is to investigate federal crimes. Trump-Netanyahu meeting at the White House concludes with no definitive outcome on Iran Trump-Netanyahu meeting at the White House concludes with no definitive outcome on Iran Trumps meeting with Netanyahu concluded Wednesday afternoon after the two allies spent almost three hours in the White House discussing the recent developments with Iran and the war in Gaza. The Israeli leader left out of the view of reporters and provided a broad outline of the meeting, saying he discussed Israels security needs in the context of the negotiations, and the two agreed to continue their close coordination and relationship. But Trump said in a social media post that it was a good meeting but indicated that Washington would continue on the path toward reaching a deal with Tehran. There was nothing definitive reached other than I insisted that negotiations with Iran continue to see whether or not a Deal can be consummated, the Republican president said. If it can, I let the Prime Minister know that will be a preference. If it cannot, we will just have to see what the outcome will be. A fiery exchange over Trump administration officials referenced in the Epstein files Among the feistiest and most bitter exchanges came with Rep. Becca Balint, a Vermont Democrat who tried to ask Bondi whether the Justice Department had questioned different Trump administration officials about their ties to Epstein. Bondi declined to answer directly, instead saying that Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick had already answered questions on the issue. As Balint tried to press further, Bondi responded, Shame on you. That touched off a furious response from a frustrated Balint, who said: This is pathetic. I am not asking trick questions. The American people deserve to know. These are senior Trump officials. The situation became even more tense when Bondi referenced antisemitic culture and a resolution that she said Balint voted against. The question was cut off by a shouting Balint, who said: You want to go there? Are you serious? Talking about antisemitism to a woman who lost her grandfather in the Holocaust! Trump says he insisted to Netanyahu that US negotiations with Iran continue President Donald Trump said he insisted to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during their White House meeting Wednesday that negotiations with Iran continue as the United States pushes for a nuclear deal with Tehran. It was a very good meeting, the tremendous relationship between our two Countries continues. Trump said in a social media post. There was nothing definitive reached other than I insisted that negotiations with Iran continue to see whether or not a Deal can be consummated. Bondi says she doesnt know why Ghislaine Maxwell received prison transfer The attorney general distanced herself from a decision last year to transfer Ghislaine Maxwell, the former girlfriend and confidant of Jeffrey Epstein, to a federal prison camp in Texas. That transfer last year by the Bureau of Prisons, which sits under the Department of Justice, has been widely criticized. Bondi said she agreed that Maxwell should not receive any comforts while she serves out a 20-year prison sentence for sex trafficking minors. I was not involved in that at all, she told lawmakers. Sens. Slotkin and Kelly praise grand jury for refusing to indict them The two Democratic senators were among six lawmakers investigated by the Justice Department after appearing in a video urging U.S. military members to resist illegal orders. On Tuesday, a grand jury declined to indict them over the video. If things had gone a different way, wed be preparing for arrest, Michigan Sen. Elissa Slotkin told reporters Wednesday. A group of anonymous Americans upheld the rule of law. Slotkin said the lawmakers sent a letter Wednesday asking the Justice Department to confirm the investigation is closed. She and Kelly said they were never told what charge or charges prosecutors sought. This is not a good news story, said Kelly. This is a story about how Donald Trump and his cronies are trying to break our system in order to silence anyone who lawfully speaks out against them. Democrat questions Bondi for hiring of Jan. 6th defendant Democratic Rep. Joe Neguse questioned Attorney General Pam Bondi on why she had hired Jared Wise, who was charged in connection to the Jan. 6th 2021 riot at the U.S. Capitol and was captured on a police-worn body camera urging people to kill officers. Bondi acknowledged that Wise was working at the Justice Department, noting that he had been pardoned by President Donald Trump. Neguse responded, This is who you choose, as the chief law enforcement officer of the United States of America, to hire at the Department of Justice, and added, and yet you expect hard-working police officers across the country to believe that you take law enforcement seriously? Pentagon-FAA dispute over lasers to thwart cartel drones led to airspace closure, AP sources say The sudden and surprising airspace closure over El Paso, Texas, stemmed from the Pentagons plans to test a laser for use in shooting down drones used by Mexican drug cartels, according to three people familiar with the situation who were granted anonymity to share sensitive details. That caused friction with the Federal Aviation Administration, which wanted to ensure commercial air safety and the two agencies sought to coordinate, according to two of the people. Despite a meeting scheduled later this month to discuss the issue, the Pentagon wanted to go ahead and test it, prompting the FAA to shutter the airspace. It was not clear whether the laser was ultimately deployed. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said earlier that a response to an incursion by Mexican cartel drones had led to the airspace closure and that the threat had been neutralized. Drone incursions are not uncommon along the southern border. Read more Bondi sidesteps questions about a Trump list of domestic terrorists Bondi sidestepped questions from Democratic Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon about whether the administration is maintaining a secret enemies list. Im not going to commit to anything to you because you wont let me answer questions, Bondi told Scanlon in a heated exchanged. Scanlon was pressing Bondi over whether the Justice Department has given Trump and top White House aide Stephen Miller a list of targeted groups and individuals the presidents September 2025 order for his administration to crack down on backers of what it described as left-wing terrorism. Bondi tried to shift the question to the antifa movement before Scanlon repeated that she wanted a yes or no answer. We will comply with the law in all matters, Bondi said. Scanlon compared Trumps order to McCarthyism during the early years of the Cold War and the enemies list compiled by Richard Nixons White House. Republican Massie gets into fiery exchange with Bondi Attorney General Pam Bondi is facing some of the toughest questioning from Republican Rep. Thomas Massie, a Kentucky lawmaker who broke with his party to advance the legislation that forced the released of the case files on Jeffrey Epstein. Massie took Bondi to task for the release of victims personal information, telling her, Literally the worse thing you could do to survivors, you did. He also questioned her why more men seemingly connected to Epsteins abuse are not under investigation. Bondi responded in the way she has to most Democrats who brought up the Epstein files, by shooting back that he was only focused on the files because President Donald Trump is mentioned in them. She accused Massie of having Trump-derangement syndrome and called him a hypocrite. Several Epstein victims decline to express confidence in Bondi Democratic Rep. Lou Correa asked a handful of survivors of Jeffrey Epsteins abuse who are attending Attorney General Pam Bondis hearing to stand and raise their hand if they felt that the Department of Justice would support them. None raised their hand. Correa underscored the importance of law enforcement supporting victims and making sure they are heard as they seek justice. Bondi responded to Correas point by saying she wanted victims to come forward. We want to work with them, she said. Bondi responds to Democrats video of Trump and Epstein with ridicule She was responding to an old video of Trump and Epstein at a party together by saying it was ridiculous for Democratic Rep. Ted Lieu to ask her whether she would investigate Trumps connections to Epstein. They are trying to deflect from all the great things Donald Trump has done, Bondi exclaimed. Former Senate GOP leader McConnell discharged from hospital after weeklong stay Kentucky Sen. Mitch McConnell has been discharged from the hospital after checking himself in a week ago with flu-like symptoms. A spokesperson for the former Senate Republican leader said McConnell is feeling better and will work from home the rest of the week as the Senate is in session. McConnells office did not give any further details on the reasons for his hospital stay. Bondi insists the Justice Department takes seriously threats against members of Congress Rep. Eric Swalwell, a California Democrat, complained to Bondi that the Trump administrations Justice Department had declined to bring criminal charges over death threats against him and his family and other Democrats. Bondi said she could reassure Swalwell that such threats are being taken seriously and are the subject of active investigations. She told members of the committee that none of them should ever feel threatened and said anyone who felt that way should feel empowered to come to her office. Republican highlights Democrats past comments on illegal immigration during Bondi hearing Republican Rep. Scott Fitzgerald handed Attorney General Pam Bondi an alley-oop of a questioning session by playing a video of past comments from top Democrats stating their opposition to illegal immigration. Bondi used the opportunity to praise President Trumps handling of illegal immigration. President Trump closed our borders on day one, she said, arguing that it protected Americans from violent crime and illegal drugs. Bondi declines to comment about investigation into former CIA director Asked by Rep. Jim Jordan, the chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, if former CIA Director John Brennan was going to be indicted in connection with the years-old Trump-Russia investigation, Bondi declined to confirm or deny that he was under investigation. But, she added: No one is above the law. Brennans lawyers disclosed in a letter made public in December that theyve been informed Brennan is a target of an investigation in Florida. He has denied any wrongdoing. Bondi goes on a wide-ranging, shouting defense of Trump Bondi at one point went on a wide-ranging, animated, minutes-long defense of Trump in which she portrayed herself as the presidents chief protector and strayed far beyond her actual job as the nations chief law enforcement officer. You sit here and you attack the president, and I am not going to have it and I am not going to put up with it, Bondi shouted during an extended speech that even praised the president for a recently surging Dow Jones Industrial Average. She painted the president as a victim of baseless impeachments and investigations, incorrectly stating at one point that former special counsel Robert Mueller had not found foreign interference in the 2016 presidential election. Democrats press Bondi to investigate more people connected to Epstein Democratic Rep. Zoe Lofgren used her time to highlight several emails released in the case files on Jeffrey Epstein that seem to refer to others being involved in the abuse of underage girls and asked Attorney General Pam Bondi whether she would open investigations. We will look and investigate any case, involving any victim, Bondi responded, adding, We will look into anything. But Bondi quickly raised her tone and volume as she accused Lofgren of filibustering her allotted time for questioning. Democratic lawmakers and the public are demanding follow-up investigations into a number of individuals who were connected to Epstein, but the FBI last year released a memo saying no one else would be charged. Also, an Associated Press review of internal Justice Department records shows investigators found scant evidence the well-connected financier led a sex trafficking ring serving powerful men. By The Associated Press U.S. Vice President JD Vances team posted and then deleted a message on social media about the Republicans visit to a memorial paying tribute to early 20th century Armenians killed by the Ottoman Empire. The issue was the post using the term Armenian genocide, a designation the U.S. government historically has not used for what happened, with a notable exception by the Biden administration. The White House blamed a staff mistake. Here are some questions and answers about what that means, what Vance himself did and didnt say, and why it matters. What did Vance go see in Armenia? Vance visited a site called the Armenian Genocide Memorial, Armenias official national monument, remembering its citizens who died under the Ottoman Empires brutal control during World War I. The initial post on Vances official X account stated that he was visiting the memorial to honor the victims of the Armenian genocide. It was replaced with a second post that showed what he wrote in the guest book as well as a clip of the vice president and Usha Vance laying flowers at the memorial. Vance, the first U.S. vice president to visit Armenia, was in the country as part of the Trump administrations follow-up to a U.S.-brokered deal aimed at ending a decades-long conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan, where Vance traveled later Tuesday. Why does the word choice matter? Genocide is a fraught and legally distinct term that national governments, international bodies and media organizations use carefully. The United Nations in 1948 defined genocide to mean certain acts, enumerated in Article II, committed with the intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group, as such, according to the U.S. State Departments long-held understanding. It is not questioned that many thousands of Armenian citizens, most of them Christians, died at the direction of the Committee of Union and Progress that led the Muslim government in Constantinople, now known as Istanbul. The U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum estimates that at least 664,000 and possibly as many as 1.2 million died. But the U.S. government has historically not recognized what happened as a genocide out of fear of alienating Turkey, a key U.S. ally in the region. In 2021, then-President Joe Biden formally recognized that the systematic killings and deportations of hundreds of thousands of Armenians by Ottoman Empire forces were a part of a genocide. Turkey reacted with fury at the time. The foreign minister said his country will not be given lessons on our history from anyone. People of Armenian descent recall the victims with memorials and an annual day of remembrance observed around the world, including in the U.S. What did Vance himself say? Vance was asked specifically on Tuesday about his visit to the memorial and whether he was recognizing genocide. He avoided using the word and said he went to pay my respects at the invitation of his host, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, and his government. They said this is a very important site for us, and obviously Im the first (U.S.) vice president to ever visit Armenia, Vance said. They asked us to visit the site. Obviously, its a very terrible thing that happened a little over a hundred years ago and something thats very, very important to them culturally. Vance added that it was a sign of respect, both for the victims but also for the Armenian government thats been a very important partner for us in the region. What did the White House say? The White House blamed the original post on a staff member. Its the second time in less than a week that the West Wing has blamed an unnamed aide for a controversy over a social media post. Last Friday, it was a racist video that Trump had shared on his Truth Social account that depicted former President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama as jungle primates. The White House defended that post initially before deleting it after a cascade of criticism. What happens next? Its not yet clear whether there will be any diplomatic consequences. Vance, for his part, seemed determined to keep the focus on the original mission of his trip. I think the president struck a great peace deal. I think the administration is really making it stick, Vance said. Still, there is the political question of whether Armenian Americans react, with the rhetorical boomerang offering one more reminder of how reluctant the U.S. has been to use the word genocide to describe what Armenians remember that way. ___ This story has been updated to delete a reference saying Istanbul is Turkeys capital. Ankara is the capital. ___ White House reporter Michelle Price contributed reporting from Baku, Azerbaijan. By BILL BARROW Associated Press More than two dozen privacy and advocacy organizations are calling on California Gov. Gavin Newsom to remove a network of covert license plate readers deployed across Southern California that the groups believe feed data into a controversial U.S. Border Patrol predictive domestic intelligence program that scans the countrys roadways for suspicious travel patterns. We ask that your administration investigate and release the relevant permits, revoke them, and initiate the removal of these devices, read the letter sent Tuesday by the Electronic Frontier Foundation, Imperial Valley Equity and Justice and other nonprofits. An Associated Press investigation published in November revealed that the U.S. Border Patrol, an agency under U.S. Customs and Border Protection, had hidden license plate readers in ordinary traffic safety equipment. The data collected by the Border Patrol plate readers was then fed into a predictive intelligence program monitoring millions of American drivers nationwide to identify and detain people whose travel patterns it deems suspicious. AP obtained land use permits from Arizona showing that the Border Patrol went to great lengths to conceal its surveillance equipment in that state, camouflaging it by placing it inside orange and yellow construction barrels dotting highways. The letter said the groups researchers have identified a similar network of devices in California, finding about 40 license plate readers in San Diego and Imperial counties, both of which border Mexico. More than two dozen of the plate readers identified by the groups were hidden in construction barrels. They could not determine of the ownership of every device, but the groups said in the letter that they obtained some permits from the California Department of Transportation, showing both the Border Patrol and Drug Enforcement Administration had applied for permission to place readers along state highways. DEA shares its license plate reader data with Border Patrol, documents show. The letter cited the APs reporting, which found that Border Patrol uses a network of cameras to scan and record vehicle license plate information. An algorithm flags vehicles deemed suspicious based on where they came from, where they were going and which route they took. Agents appeared to be looking for vehicles making short trips to the border region, claiming that such travel is indicative of potential drug or human smuggling. Federal agents in turn sometimes refer drivers they deem suspicious to local law enforcement who make a traffic stop citing a reason like speeding or lane change violations. Drivers often have no idea they have been caught up in a predictive intelligence program being run by a federal agency. The AP identified at least two cases in which California residents appeared to have been caught up in the Border Patrols surveillance of domestic travel patterns. In one 2024 incident described in court documents, a Border Patrol agent pulled over the driver of a Nissan Altima based in part on vehicle travel data showing that it took the driver six hours to travel the approximately 50 miles between the U.S.-Mexican border and Oceanside, California, where the agent had been on patrol. This type of delay in travel after crossing the International Border from Mexico is a common tactic used by persons involved in illicit smuggling, the agent wrote in a court document. In another case, Border Patrol agents said in a court document in 2023 they detained a woman at an internal checkpoint because she had traveled a circuitous route between Los Angeles and Phoenix. In both cases, law enforcement accused the drivers of smuggling immigrants in the country unlawfully and were seeking to seize their property or charge them with a crime. The intelligence program, which has existed under administrations of both parties, has drawn scrutiny from lawmakers since the AP revealed its existence last year. A spokesperson for the California Department of Transportation said state law prioritizes public safety and privacy. The office of Newsom, a Democrat, did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Courts have generally upheld license plate reader collection on public roads but have curtailed warrantless government access to other kinds of persistent tracking data that might reveal sensitive details about peoples movements, such as GPS devices or cellphone location data. Some scholars and civil libertarians argues that large-scale collection systems like plate readers might be unconstitutional under the Fourth Amendment. Increasingly, courts have recognized that the use of surveillance technologies can violate the Fourth Amendments protections against unreasonable searches and seizures. Although this area of law is still developing, the use of LPRs and predictive algorithms to track and flag individuals movements represents the type of sweeping surveillance that should raise constitutional concerns, the organizations wrote. CBP did not immediately respond to a request for comment, but previously said the agency uses plate readers to help identify threats and disrupt criminal networks and their use of the technology is governed by a stringent, multi-layered policy framework, as well as federal law and constitutional protections, to ensure the technology is applied responsibly and for clearly defined security purposes. The DEA said in a statement that the agency does not publicly discuss its investigative tools and techniques. ___ Burke reported from San Francisco. Tau reported from Washington. ___ Contact APs global investigative team at Investigative@ap.org or https://www.ap.org/tips/. By GARANCE BURKE and BYRON TAU Associated Press A federal civil jury issued a verdict Monday clearing three Richmond police officers of any liability in the 2021 in-custody death of 47-year-old Ivan Gutzalenko of Concord. The jury came back with its ruling less than two hours after hearing closing arguments in the trial, which began Feb. 2 in San Francisco. Ben Nisenbaum, the familys attorney, declined to comment. The Richmond Police Officers Association (RPOA), the officers union, did not return requests for comment by publication time. Gutzalenko, a nurse and father of two, died on March 10, 2021 after officers Tom Tran, Cedric Tagorda and Mark Hall, who is now retired, found him in distress at San Pablo Avenue near Solano Avenue. Witnesses had reported that Gutzalenko was acting erratically and bleeding from a cut while walking in and out of several nearby Richmond businesses. Gutzalenko was ultimately handcuffed and given a sedative known by its brand name Versed by American Medical Response (AMR) paramedic Damon Richardson. He became unresponsive and was pronounced dead at an Oakland hospital about 90 minutes later. His family later told investigators that he had struggled for years with substance abuse and mental health issues. The complaint, filed by his estranged wife, Honey Gutzalenko, alleged that the city of Richmond maintained unconstitutional policies that permitted excessive force and failed to train officers on positional asphyxia risks. It initially also named AMR and Richardson but settled with those parties for an undisclosed amount two days before the trial started, Nisenbaum told Richmondside. The trial saw the three officers, along with a number of medical experts and family members, give often-emotion testimony, with the plaintiffs arguing that officer Trans knee put pressure on Gutzalenkos torso while the defense argued that Gutzalenkos methamphetamine addiction and poor physical condition were the cause of the medical distress he was in before the officers even touched him. During his closing arguments Monday, Nisenbaum pointed to the officers actions and how, though Gutzalenko was later found to have methamphetamine in his bloodstream, the drug was just a facet of his death. But defense attorney Kevin Gilbert called for the jury to see how the plaintiffs failed to meet the burden of proof and that the officers were following proper protocols by trying to handcuff an uncooperative Gutzalenko so that medical responders could treat him. Were here because the defendants, and especially Officer Tran, killed a man, Nisenbaum said, referencing Dr. Arnold Josselsons testimony that Gutzalenko died from prone restraint asphyxia that caused lethal acidosis. Who conducted that restraint? Well youre looking at them. Gilbert told the jury that although the Gutzalenko case was a tragedy, the plaintiffs misrepresented the facts in the case and never pointed to any specific evidence that supported their arguments. What the evidence showed was that there were no blows, no knee strikes, no hits, none of that, Gilbert said. The officers were using holds and leverage to try and help Mr. Gutzalenko get in handcuffs and get medical care. (There was) no other force. ___ This story was originally published by Richmondside and distributed through a partnership with The Associated Press. By JOEL UMANZOR/Richmondside Richmondside Last month, Kiah Bland of Waikiki set out to find a primary care physician. What she assumed would be a painless chore swiftly became a desperate search. Most doctors in her area werent accepting new patients. Those still building their patient base had lengthy waits for an office visit. Eventually, the 36-year-old found a Honolulu physician who could see her immediately for a price. The doctor, who does not accept health insurance, explained that it would cost her $200 a month to become a patient. After a free consultation, during which Bland said the doctor addressed her health concerns in depth and without haste, she decided to buy a monthly membership, sidestepping her health insurance. I almost couldnt find a doctor at all so it was a sigh of relief and totally worth paying for it, Bland said. Bland is part of a small but growing number of Hawaii residents opting to join direct primary care practices, which do not participate with insurance companies and rely instead on flat monthly membership fees charged directly to patients. Its different from concierge medicine, which caters to high-income earners and may charge patients up to $50,000 a year for a membership contract. Doctors whove embraced the model say the dependable income they earn from membership fees, coupled with the savings from no longer having to deal with insurance billing and costly overhead, allows them to deliver more comprehensive care to their patients. Some health concerns can be handled by phone or text message, allowing them to spend more time with complicated patients. This translates to faster care for patients. A 2024 study by the American Academy of Family Physicians found that 99% of direct primary care practices provide same-day appointments. The largest reason why this even exists is because we lost relationship with our patients, said Dr. T. Scott McMurry, who opened a direct primary care practice in Kona in 2023. The way the insurance model has changed care over the years has turned doctors into machines conducting 8- to 15-minute patient visits. But when you pull out this middle man of insurance that for so long has put so many carrots and sticks and barriers between doctors and patients, everything changes. Doctors who practice direct primary care report higher levels of career satisfaction and less burnout, results that could keep Hawaii doctors practicing longer. However, such practices typically see far fewer patients 400 on average since the structure incentivizes more personalized, in-depth care. Recent surveys estimate that the average primary care doctor working in a traditional practice sees between 2,300 and 2,900 patients. Making It All Better? The model, if widely adopted, could lessen Hawaiis dire shortage of primary care doctors or make things worse. If it allows doctors to have better lives and improves care for patients, Im all for it, said Kelley Withy, a physician and researcher at the University of Hawaiis John A. Burns School of Medicine. But Im concerned that we might be needing a lot more doctors. There are 12,688 licensed physicians in Hawaii but the number of full-time active physicians is just over 3,000. Researchers at the UH medical school estimate that the state needs another 833 doctors, including 178 primary care physicians, to meet patient demand. Dr. Curtis Takemoto-Gentile, who converted his Honolulu practice to direct primary care on Jan. 1, represents both the hope that the model could boost the states medical workforce and the worry that it might further erode it. The 72-year-old doctor said he was so burned out working in traditional insurance-based medicine that he nearly closed his practice. A shift to the direct primary care model prevented him from retiring, which would have left all 2,500 of his former patients scrambling to find a new physician. But since the model has allowed him to downsize his patient load to 300, most of the people who received care from him now find themselves seeking a new doctor. Handling fewer patients has granted Curtis the time and flexibility to offer home visits to seniors, homebound patients or people with limited mobility. I Could Do This Until I Retire There are more than 2,875 direct primary care practices across the United States. In Hawaii, there are seven such practices, on Oahu, Kauai and the Big Island. Three Honolulu physicians adopted the model in the last five months, one of whom moved to Hawaii to start up a primary care practice. Another doctor is in the process of relocating to the state for a job in direct primary care. The model originated on the U.S. mainland in the late 1990s but did not appear in Hawaii until 2016. Dr. Donna Mayeda, who moved to Oahu from California last year to establish a direct primary care practice, said she considered shifting to a new career in medical consulting before deciding to step outside of the insurance model. Youre only caring for a tenth of the patients that a traditional physician would see but I could see myself doing this until I retire, Mayeda, a 38-year-old mother of three, said. Every day when I was in the traditional system, I was questioning how many more months I could do this for, and I wasnt alone in that sentiment. Mayedas patients include public school teachers, single-income families, first responders, self-employed business owners and venture capitalists. As she builds her patient base, she said her goal is to offer adjusted rates for lower-income patients. On Kauai, Dr. Clara Krebs, who operates the islands only direct primary care practice, said her monthly rate runs between $250 and $350. Although her goal is to charge patients a fee comparable to a typical cell phone bill, she said her prices reflect the high cost of commercial real estate. Her fees, the highest in the state, have not deterred patients. She limits her practice to about 200 patients far fewer than the 2,500 patients she handled when she worked at a medical clinic run by Hawaii Pacific Health. Another 250 people are on a waitlist to join her practice. People want to pay to not be in a Taco Bell drive-thru of medicine, Krebs said. Their health is worth it to them. The sad thing is I cant do this for everyone that wants it. This summer Krebs plans to double her clinics patient base with the addition of a second physician, whom she recruited from San Francisco. That doctor, she said, will charge a lower membership fee. Krebs said she personally earns less pay now than she did working in the insurance-based model, although most doctors interviewed for this story said they earn more or expect to earn more when they finish building their patient base. But Krebs cites other benefits. The shift to direct primary care has helped her achieve better work-life balance, a greater sense of occupational satisfaction and, she claims, more personalized care and better health outcomes for her patients. She said she has helped some senior patients achieve their desire to die at home instead of in a nursing home or hospital. I will never go back to insurance-based care, she said, and my patients feel the same. Think Of It Like A Gym Membership Civil Beat interviewed more than a dozen doctors and patients about their experiences delivering or receiving health care in a direct primary care practice. Patients whove joined direct primary care practices cite frustrations with the traditional insurance-based model, such as rushed appointments, long appointment wait times and unpredictable medical bills. Others choose to follow a longtime doctor who switches to the out-of-pocket fee structure out of a sense of loyalty. Im like everybody else, I dont want to pay any more money for everything, Maureen Harnisch, who is in her 60s and lives in Kaimuki, said of her decision to pay her doctor of 17 years a $200 monthly fee after he stopped accepting her insurance in January. But life is about choices. I think my doctor is a superior doctor and that has not been my experience everyplace else. Harnisch, who relies on Medicare for health coverage, said she canceled her subscriptions to an identity theft protection service and a couple of TV and movie streaming services to make room in her budget. New federal tax rules adopted this year allow patients to use pre-tax funds from a health savings account to pay for direct primary care fees that do not exceed $150 per individual or $300 for a family. Although the vast majority of Hawaiis 1.4 million residents have health insurance, the states medical workforce shortage, which is most severe among primary care physicians, means coverage doesnt necessarily equal care. Many patients wait weeks or even months to get a doctors appointment. This can lead people to seek more costly care from urgent care clinics or hospital emergency departments. The doctor shortage is exacerbated by the states rural geography, high cost of living and low reimbursement rates from insurance companies. Medicaid reimbursement rates in Hawaii are sometimes so low as to barely cover the cost of care. Dr. Curtis Takemoto-Gentile said that in the insurance-based model there is sometimes a financial disincentive to offer patients more comprehensive care because insurance companies often do not reimburse physicians for stitching, bandages, gauze and other basic supplies. Insurance reimbursed him a flat office visit fee regardless of its duration or the number of procedures he performed. My internal clock was always saying? OK, its 12 minutes into this visit, I need to wrap this up because in order to stay in business we need to see more patients. After converting his practice to direct primary care, he said he now sees 4 to 10 patients a day instead of 20 to 25. The traditional insurance-based model can also be frustrating for patients. It felt like I was just a number, Rachel Hughes, a 42-year-old mother of two, said of her experience in the medical system before she joined a direct primary care practice in Kona. Hughes said she finds value in the fast access that the direct primary care model grants her to a doctor who knows her by name and takes the time to learn about her family health history and lifestyle. I think of it like a gym membership, she said. We dont have a lot of money but I have peace of mind that everythings covered and the doctors just a text message away. When she sought help with intense, chronic headaches, Hughes said her doctor performed a series of interventions, including a manual adjustment and trigger point injections, during a single, lengthy appointment. What I liked the most about it is he said, Lets find whats the source is it stress, are these really just tension headaches and not really migraines? Hughes said. Other doctors just wanted to write me a prescription. ___ Hawaiis Changing Economy is supported by a grant from the Hawaii Community Foundation as part of its work to build equity for all through the CHANGE Framework. ___ This story was originally published by Honolulu Civil Beat and distributed through a partnership with The Associated Press. By BRITTANY LYTE/Honolulu Civil Beat Honolulu Civil Beat HONG KONG (AP) A Chinese sea captain of a Hong Kong-flagged vessel accused of damaging undersea cables and a gas pipeline in the Baltic Sea in 2023 pleaded not guilty Wednesday in a Hong Kong court. Wan Wenguo, captain of the Newnew Polar Bear container ship, appeared at a Hong Kong magistrate court and pleaded not guilty to one count of criminal damage. He also pleaded not guilty to two separate charges relating to violations of marine safety requirements for his vessel. Cases of critical undersea cable and gas pipelines sabotaged in the Baltic Sea since Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine in 2022 have raised security concerns among governments. Finnish authorities previously determined the Newnew Polar Bear vessel was responsible for damaging the Balticconnector gas pipeline, which connects Finland and Estonia, in October 2023. Finland also sought Chinas cooperation in the investigation. A charge sheet seen by The Associated Press accused Wan, who is in his 40s, of damaging a natural gas pipeline and submarine telecom cables between Finland and Estonia without lawful excuse and said he was reckless as to whether such property would be damaged. The case was heard at a Hong Kong court because the vessel was registered there. Around 18 witnesses could be called to testify, the court heard Wednesday. VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) The suspect in a school shooting in Canada was an 18-year-old who had a history of police visits to her home to check on her mental health, authorities said Wednesday, a day after the attack that killed eight people in a remote part of British Columbia. Police said Jesse Van Rootselaar was found dead from an apparent self-inflicted wound following the assault on a school in the small mountain community of Tumbler Ridge. Royal Canadian Mounted Police Deputy Commissioner Dwayne McDonald said Van Rootselaar first killed her mother and stepbrother at the family home before attacking the nearby school. She had a history of mental health contacts with police, he said. The motive was unclear. Police initially said nine people were killed Tuesday, but McDonald clarified Wednesday that there were eight fatalities. McDonald said the discrepancy arose from a victim who was airlifted to a medical center. Authorities mistakenly thought that person had died. More than 25 people were wounded. The town is near the provincial border with Alberta The town of 2,700 people in the Canadian Rockies is more than 1,000 kilometers (600 miles) northeast of Vancouver, near the provincial border with Alberta. Police said the victims included a 39-year-old teacher and five students, ages 12 to 13. The killings at the home occurred first, McDonald said. A young family member at the home went to a neighbor, who called police. The bodies of the suspects mother, who was also 39, and her 11-year-old stepbrother were found at the home. At the school, one victim was found in a stairwell and the rest were found in the library, McDonald believed. The suspect was not related to any of the victims at the school, he said. There is no information at this point that anyone was specifically targeted, McDonald said. Police recovered a long gun and a modified handgun. McDonald said officers arrived at the school two minutes after the initial call. When they arrived, shots were fired in their direction. Parents, grandparents, sisters, brothers in Tumbler Ridge will wake up without someone they love. The nation mourns with you, and Canada stands by you, an emotional Prime Minister Mark Carney said as he arrived in Parliament. Deadliest rampage since 2020 The attack was Canadas deadliest rampage since 2020, when a gunman in Nova Scotia killed 13 people and set fires that left another nine dead. Carney said flags at government buildings will be flown at half-staff for seven days and added: We will get through this. Shelley Quist said her neighbor across the street lost her 12-year-old. We heard his mom. She was in the street crying. She wanted her sons body, Quist said. Quist said her 17-year-old son, Darian, was on lockdown in the school for more than two hours. The provincial government website lists Tumbler Ridge Secondary School as having 175 students in grades 7 to 12. The grade sevens and eights, I think, were upstairs in the library, and thats where the shooter went, she said. Her son was in the library just 15 minutes prior to the attack. Quist was working at the hospital down the street when the shooting started. I was about to go run down to the school, but my coworker held me back. And then I was able to get Darian on the phone to know he was OK, she said. Darian Quist said he knew the attack was real when the principal came down the halls and ordered doors to be closed. He said fellow students texted him pictures of blood while he remained locked down in a classroom. We used the desk to block the doors, he said. School shootings are rare in Canada, which has strict gun-control laws. The government has responded to previous mass shootings with gun-control measures, including a recently broadened ban on all guns it considers assault weapons. A video showed students walking out with their hands raised as police vehicles surrounded the building and a helicopter circled overhead. A makeshift memorial of flowers and stuffed toys began to grow at the edge of the school grounds. Residents met nearby to comfort each other at the local community center. Community is a big family Tumbler Ridge Mayor Darryl Krakowka said it was devastating to learn how many had died in the community, which he called a big family. I broke down, Krakowka said. I have lived here for 18 years. I probably know every one of the victims. The Rev. George Rowe of Tumbler Ridge Fellowship Baptist Church once taught at the high school, and his three children graduated from there. To walk through the corridors of that school will never be the same again, he said. The school district said the high school and elementary school will be closed for the rest of the week. Carneys office said he called off a planned trip to Europe for the Munich Security Conference. British Columbia Premier David Eby said the full extent of what happened wont sink in for some time. I can tell you this is an incredibly strong community. Everybody is worried about somebody else, Eby said outside the townhall. ___ Gillies reported from Toronto. By JIM MORRIS and ROB GILLIES Associated Press Google declined nearly 62 per cent of content removal requests submitted by the Kenyan government in the six months ending June 2025, signaling a growing pushback as authorities ramp up efforts to police online content. Data from Googles latest Global Transparency Report shows that the rejection rate has climbed steadily over the past year, even as Kenya sharply increased the number of takedown requests it sent to the tech giant. This trend contrasts with the global picture, where government requests for content removal declined during the same period. In the six months to December 2024, Google rejected 46 per cent of Kenyas requests. The figure stood at 25 per cent in the half-year ending June 2024, highlighting a consistent rise in rejected demands. Most of the requests targeted YouTube videos and Google Search results. Kenyan authorities cited reasons ranging from national security and defamation to hate speech, privacy concerns and impersonation. The Communications Authority served as the primary channel through which the government submitted these requests, acting as the official link between state agencies and digital platforms on content regulation matters. Google said it approved only a limited number of requests where content clearly violated its platform policies. The company turned down many others because they lacked sufficient detail or failed to meet its standards for content removal. Often times, governments requests target political content and government criticism, the report noted. The company reiterated that it assesses every request on a case-by-case basis to determine whether removal is warranted under its policies and applicable laws, underscoring its commitment to transparency and due process in handling government demands. The Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) has issued a seven-day ultimatum to roadside traders operating along sections of the Thika Superhighway, ordering them to remove their goods to allow the construction of designated bus bays. In a notice dated February 9, 2026, the roads agency directed traders at Roysambu, on both sides of the highway, and at Githurai on the Nairobi-bound lane to vacate the road reserve within a week. KeNHA said the move will create space for new bus bays intended to improve road safety and ease traffic congestion along the busy corridor. The Kenya National Highways Authority wishes to notify all roadside traders along the Thika Superhighway at the Roysambu (both directions) and Githurai (Nairobi direction) sections to clear their wares from the road reserve within seven (7) days of this notice, the Authority said. KeNHA explained that the planned bus bays will provide safer and more orderly areas for passengers to board and alight, while also streamlining vehicle movement along the highway. This is to pave the way for the construction of designated bus bays, aimed at ensuring safe and orderly passenger pick-up and drop-off, as well as reducing traffic congestion along the affected sections, the notice read. The authority added that the project forms part of its broader road safety improvement programme, which focuses on reducing accidents and removing obstructions from major highways across the country. The Thika Superhighway remains one of Kenyas busiest transport routes, linking Nairobi to central and eastern regions. Traffic congestion frequently builds up around Roysambu and Githurai, largely due to informal trading activities and unregulated passenger pick-up points. Separately, KeNHA announced the temporary nightly closure of a section of Uhuru Highway (A8) in Nairobi to allow for routine maintenance works. The affected stretch, between the University of Nairobi Roundabout and the Westlands Roundabout, will remain closed from 10:00 pm to 5:00 am from Friday, February 6, 2026, to Friday, February 13, 2026. KeNHA Director General Luka Kimeli signed the notice, noting that the closure will protect motorists and road workers during the repair period. Normal traffic operations on the road will be restored upon completion of the works, the notice stated. Kenya continues to rank among the worst-performing countries on corruption in Sub-Saharan Africa, scoring just 30 in the 2025 Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI), Transparency International (TI) has reported. Released on February 10, 2026, the index shows that corruption continues to weaken governance and erode public trust in Kenya, despite years of reform efforts. Transparency Internationals data ranks Kenya 130th out of 180 countries globally, reflecting a two-point drop from 2024. TI-Kenya, the local chapter of the global watchdog, reports that the countrys CPI score has hovered between 25 and 33 over the past 13 years. The organisation notes that these small fluctuations have done little to break a long-term pattern of stagnation. Kenyas score sits well below the global average of 42. Across Sub-Saharan Africa, only four countriesSeychelles (68), Cape Verde (62), and Botswana and Rwanda (both 58)score above 50, a benchmark indicating stronger control over corruption. At the bottom of the regional rankings, South Sudan and Somalia score 9, followed by Eritrea at 13 and Sudan at 14. With a score below 50, Kenya is grouped among 45 African countries that TI says have shown minimal progress despite constitutional, legal, and institutional reforms. The global picture is also troubling. The average CPI has fallen to 42, the lowest in over a decade, and more than two-thirds of countries worldwide122 out of 180score below 50. Even well-established democracies have seen declines: the United States scored 64, the United Kingdom 70, and France 66, raising concerns over accountability and public sector integrity. The report links rising corruption to shrinking civic space. Since 2012, 36 of the 50 countries with the largest CPI drops have also restricted freedoms of expression, association, and assembly. Transparency International reports that at least 150 journalists have been killed in non-conflict settings since 2012 while exposing corruption. TI-Kenya echoed these concerns, warning that pressure on the media, civil society organisations, and whistleblowers undermines accountability. In response, TI-Kenya called on the government to take urgent action. The organisation urged authorities to protect civic space and media freedom, pass a comprehensive whistleblower protection law, and strengthen transparency in public procurement through open digital systems. It also recommended proper funding for anti-corruption agencies, tighter regulation of campaign financing ahead of the 2027 general election, and full enforcement of Chapter Six of the Constitution, which governs leadership and integrity. Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi has defended the governments decision to raise Kenyas minimum taxable income from KSh24,000 to KSh30,000, noting that teachers, police officers, and other low-income earners have welcomed the move. Speaking during the launch of Ziidi Trader on Tuesday, Mbadi explained that the tax reforms are part of the governments bottom-up economic transformation agenda, aimed at easing financial pressure on low- and middle-income workers. Those who are earning 30,000 and below should pay zero tax. And it is not just those earning 30,000 and below; even if you are earning a million, your first 30,000 will not be taxed, Mbadi said. He added that the reforms will help reduce the financial burden on the lowest-paid workers while strengthening Kenyas economic foundations from the ground up. Look at how much that 6,000 from 24,000 to 30,000 was attracting tax today. The tax on 6,000 was 25 per cent, which is 1,500 shillings. It is nothing to someone earning a million, but to the person earning 30,000, it is a lot. Wacha madharau, wacha kudharau watu stop underestimating the impact on people, he said. Mbadi also highlighted that the next KSh20,000 of income will be taxed at a reduced rate of 25 per cent instead of 30 per cent, putting more money directly into the pockets of middle- and low-income earners. That is another 1,000 shillings in their pockets. It may be nothing to you, but for someone who survives on 6,000 per week, it makes a difference, he explained. The Cabinet Secretary said teachers and police officers he regularly interacts with have expressed excitement over the reforms. They are very happy, very excited with us, Your Excellency, he said. According to Treasury estimates, the tax changes will directly benefit over 1.5 million workers earning below KSh30,000, while the broader PAYE reductions will impact more than three million salaried Kenyans, increasing their take-home pay and improving their livelihoods. Kenya has announced plans to engage Russia over the recruitment of Kenyan citizens to fight in the war in Ukraine. Speaking to the BBC, Foreign Minister Musalia Mudavadi described the practice as unacceptable and clandestine, noting that the government has already shut down illegal recruitment operations. He added that Nairobi will push Moscow to sign an agreement banning the conscription of Kenyan soldiers. The government estimates that roughly 200 Kenyans have been recruited to fight for Russia, though the exact number remains unclear, as none are believed to have traveled through official channels. Kenya and Russia have had long relations since independence, literally. So this, in my view, becomes a very unfortunate episode of otherwise very positive and cordial relations between our two countries, Mudavadi added. He told the BBC that Kenyas engagement with Russia will focus on stopping illegal recruitment, including discussions on visa policies and bilateral labour agreements, but will not cover military conscription. Mudavadi revealed that Kenyan authorities have already shut down more than 600 recruitment agencies suspected of luring citizens with false promises of overseas jobs. So far, 27 Kenyans who had been fighting in Russia have been repatriated, with the government providing psychological support to address trauma and assist in their de-radicalisation, he said. The number of Kenyans who may have died fighting for Russian forces remains unclear, and Russia has not formally responded to reports on the matter. Relatives who have approached the Russian embassy in Nairobi for information say they have been turned away. Families that weve spoken to say they have not been able to bury their loved ones because their bodies are still on the other end, Mudavadi said. It is difficult because, remember, it depends on where the body has been found. Some have been found in Ukraine we are also working with the government of Ukraine to try and get the remains of those people repatriated. Pressure has been growing on the Kenyan government following the recent discovery of more bodies of citizens recruited to fight for Russian forces. Some families have told the BBC that they hold the government responsible for failing to regulate and criminalize clandestine recruitment agencies. However, the Foreign Minister rejected these claims. You cannot blame the government on this, Mudavadi told the BBC. Where there are illegal recruitment agencies, we have scrapped them and we continue to scrap them. Kenyas Social Health Authority (SHA) is grappling with major funding, operational, and digital challenges that threaten service delivery in both public and private facilities. The Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) Kenya reports that the authority faces a shortfall of Sh116 billion, a gap that could destabilize its ambitious benefits package and delay reimbursements to healthcare providers. Speaking on Tuesday at a media briefing at Sarova Stanley Hotel, IEA Programme Coordinator John Mutua said the shortfall is linked to low compliance, outstanding NHIF debts, and instances of fraud. SHAs system is still evolving and maturing, which has created gaps in its effectiveness. First, there are significant funding shortfalls, largely due to low compliance rates and cases of fraud. In addition, NHIF debt continues to affect facilities, although the current status is unclear. The benefits package is ambitious and costly, and there is a serious crisis with claims and reimbursements, which impacts service delivery, he said. Mutua added that operational and capacity limitations persist, including poor digital connectivity. Despite improvements, many facilities still struggle with limited system integration. Operational and capacity gaps remain, including suboptimal digital connectivity. Even though SHA has enhanced its systems, digital connectivity across facilities is still limited. The IEA assessment examined SHAs design and implementation, tracing its evolution from the now-defunct National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF). Established in 1966, NHIF had limited coverage, reaching only 21 per cent of Kenyans, and focused primarily on inpatient services. The Institute noted that fragmented programs like EduAfya and Linda Mama created inequities, while reimbursement and cross-subsidization patterns disproportionately favored a handful of private facilities. SHA receives funding from three main sources: the Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF), the Primary Health Care Fund (PHC Fund), and the Emergency and Critical Care Insurance Fund (ECCIF). SHIF is funded through a 2.75 per cent payroll contribution and premiums from indigent households, while PHC and ECCIF rely largely on general taxation. However, the Institute highlighted significant collection challenges that undermine SHAs revenue. Low retention rates and weaknesses in the means-testing tool have contributed to a financial shortfall. The shortfall in revenue projection is attributed to low retention rate, weaknesses of the means testing tool, destabilisation of SHIF with an expected loss ratio of 84.5 per cent in FY 2024/25, down from 88 per cent, and low active informal sector membership of just 4 per cent. This lowers the financial sustainability of SHIF, leading to delayed payments and reduced service quality, the report reads. It also shows that from January to October 2025, SHIF collected an average of Sh6.5 billion per month, below the required Sh8.3 billion, reflecting weak compliance, technical gaps and difficulties in reaching informal sector members. The SHA benefits package, while comprehensive, remains costly. Many SHA tariffs do not reflect the real cost of service. Tariffs do not cover the cost for medications and consumables, diagnostics and imaging, and staff time and specialist fees. As a result, some providers limit services, ask for co-payments, or opt out. Some tariffs are standardized, ignoring cost variation by location, facility levels, patient volume and case load. The benefits package is expensive, and projected financial resources are not sufficient to fund it due to Kenyas narrow fiscal space, IEA said. The assessment also highlighted challenges with provider payment mechanisms. IEA notes that SHA has moved to a Global Budget Capitation model for primary healthcare, but delays in reimbursements and widespread fraud, upcoding, falsification of records, multiple billing, and ghost patients, remain significant risks. Chronic reimbursement delays, the most visible crisis, is the liquidity crunch facing both public and private hospitals. The government has intensified its crackdown on fraud, with media reports of claims rejected amounting to over Sh11 billion in SHAs first six months, reads the report. Administrative and management challenges are further straining SHAs operations. The IEA points out that SHA currently serves as both regulator and purchaser of health services, raising accountability concerns. Weak coordination between national and county governments, inadequate health infrastructure, and shortages of specialized personnel also hinder service delivery. Mutua highlighted that digital registration systems have a 74 per cent success rate, but interoperability between SHA platforms, county systems, and facility electronic medical records remains limited. SHAs ability to process and manage claims is now enhanced, but no consolidated public report exists on the actual status of claims submitted, approved, and paid. Rejection of claims is partly attributed to user constraints. Forty-three per cent of providers require training during system updates; in-person requests increased by 5 per cent and online requests rose by 19 per cent, Mutua said. To address these issues, the IEA recommended refining the means-testing tool, improving compliance through community validation, enhancing digital enrollment, rationalizing the benefits package to align with fiscal capacity, and separating SHAs regulatory and purchasing roles. SHA systems are still evolving. Funding gaps, ambitious benefit packages and operational deficiencies continue to impact service delivery, but strengthened oversight and strategic reforms can improve sustainability and effectiveness, the Institute said. Senate Speaker Amason Kingi has rejected claims from the Council of Governors (CoG) that Senate audit committees have been harassing county officials, cautioning governors against refusing to appear before the panels. In a press statement on Tuesday, February 10, 2026, Kingi said the Senates oversight of county governments is clearly established in the Constitution and cannot be challenged by unverified allegations. The Senate has noted with concern allegations contained in a press statement issued by the Council of Governors (CoG), and subsequently reported in the media, regarding the operations of Senate Committeesspecifically the Senate County Public Accounts Committee (CPAC) and the Senate County Public Investments and Special Funds Committee (CPIC), the Speaker stated. Kingi also expressed concern over the Council of Governors request to reconstitute the County Public Accounts Committee, citing claims of political witch-hunts, harassment, extortion, and intimidation allegedly carried out by four unnamed committee members. The Senate is cognizant of the position taken by the Council of Governors to suspend appearances before the County Public Accounts Committee until structured engagement is held between its leadership and that of the Senate, and to limit appearances before the County Public Investments and Special Funds Committee to once per audit cycle, Kingi said. The Speaker stressed that the Senates oversight of county governments is constitutionally mandated and cannot be subject to conditions imposed by governors. The Senate wishes to reiterate that its oversight role over county governments is firmly anchored in the Constitution. Article 96(3) of the Constitution of Kenya, 2010 provides that the Senate determines the allocation of national revenue among counties, as provided in Article 217, and exercises oversight over national revenue allocated to the county governments,' the statement read. The Speaker highlighted that Senate audit committees operate under Article 229 of the Constitution, which mandates Parliament to review and act on audit reports within three months of receiving them from the Auditor-General, by March 31 each year. Compliance with this constitutional timeline is not optional, and any actions that impede the audit process undermine accountability and prudent use of public resources, Kingi stated. He also pointed out that Article 96(1) assigns the Senate the role of representing counties and safeguarding their interests. Kingi reaffirmed the Senates dedication to its constitutional responsibilities, pledging to maintain strong and timely oversight over public funds allocated to county governments. While recognizing that governors may have valid concerns, Kingi criticized the use of the media to air unverified claims instead of addressing issues through established institutional channels. Should the Council of Governors have concerns regarding the conduct or operations of Senate Committees, established and legitimate institutional channels exist through which such concerns may be formally raised and addressed, the Speaker stated. He added that while the Senate welcomes structured and constructive dialogue with devolution actors, resorting to public mudslinging and unsubstantiated allegations in the media, without supporting evidence, is neither appropriate nor helpful for intergovernmental cooperation. Kingi concluded by reaffirming the Senates dedication to accountability and the principles of devolution. A Nairobi lawyer has moved to the High Court seeking to compel Parliament and related offices to disclose how much public money they spent on the 2025 National Prayer Breakfast and to block the use of public funds for the 2026 edition of the event. Advocate Lempaa Suyianka filed a constitutional petition before the Constitutional and Human Rights Division in Nairobi, naming the Parliamentary Service Commission, the National Assembly, the Senate, the Attorney General and the Commission on Administrative Justice as respondents. In his petition, Suyianka argues that the institutions violated his constitutional right of access to information under Article 35 by failing to release details of public expenditure linked to the National Prayer Breakfast. According to court filings, the lawyer made a formal Freedom of Information request on March 13, 2025, addressed to the Clerk of the National Assembly, seeking a breakdown of costs incurred during the 2025 National Prayer Breakfast. After the request was declined, Suyianka says he sent follow-up letters in June 2025 to the clerks of both the National Assembly and the Senate, but received no substantive response. The petition further states that in July 2025, the Commission on Administrative Justice wrote to the two clerks, urging them to disclose the information sought. Despite the intervention, Suyianka claims the clerks advised him to direct his request to the Parliamentary Service Commission. He further states that in October 2025, the Parliamentary Service Commission informed him that the National Prayer Breakfast formed part of its annual estimates of expenditure tabled in Parliament under Article 221 of the Constitution, but did not disclose the actual amount spent on the 2025 event. In the petition, the lawyer contends that the continued refusal to release the information violates Articles 35(1)(a) and 35(3) of the Constitution and erodes national values and principles of governance, including transparency and accountability under Article 10. Suyianka also argues that Parliaments involvement in organizing the National Prayer Breakfast offends the doctrine of separation of powers and that financing the event using public resources amounts to imprudent expenditure, contrary to Article 201 of the Constitution. He further accuses the Commission on Administrative Justice of failing to enforce its constitutional and statutory mandate to compel disclosure of the requested information. The lawyer is seeking declarations that the respondents breached the Constitution, orders compelling them to disclose the expenditure details, and an order restraining the use of public funds to organize the 2026 National Prayer Breakfast. However, High Court Judge Bahati Mwamuye declined to issue interim orders, directing instead that the case proceed to a full hearing on its merits. Kiharu Member of Parliament Ndindi Nyoro has suggested combining NG-CDF funds with national government education resources to make senior secondary school education free. Speaking on Tuesday, February 10, 2026, Nyoro pointed out that both governors and members of parliament have a role to play in the allocation of public funds for education. In Kenya, you know, we have NGCDF, the CDF. We have money that goes to our governors, called equitable share, and then we have the national government. All of us participate in education matters, Ndindi said. The Kiharu MP added that with four million students enrolled in senior secondary schools, the government would need at least Ksh30 billion to cover the costs of providing free education at this level. So my proposal has been very simple. Kenya has three to four million learners in senior secondary schools. We need only 30 billion Kenya shillings to make senior secondary education completely free, including the lunch programme, Nyoro added. He further explained that part of the funding could come from constituency-level allocations, suggesting that each constituency contribute to the nationwide initiative. And I am proposing that out of the money that we get at the constituency level called CDF, the country get 10 billion shillings from there. That is 30 million Kenyan shillings from every constituency, including Kiharu. So we will have 10 billion shillings from CDF, he said. Individuals named Cydnee are often perceived as creative, independent thinkers with a strong sense of individuality. The unique spelling of the name frequently correlates with parents who value originality, which may influence the development of a distinctive personal style and innovative approach to problem-solving. Cydnees are typically described as adaptable and open-minded, able to navigate diverse social situations with grace while maintaining their core values. Many exhibit natural leadership qualities combined with empathy, making them effective in collaborative environments where they can both guide and support others. The name's Christian associations often translate into individuals who demonstrate strong moral compass, community orientation, and a desire to make positive contributions to the world around them. Their combination of creativity and groundedness allows them to pursue unconventional paths while remaining connected to traditional values and relationships, creating a unique blend of progressive thinking and principled action. India and the European Union are working on the India-EU Free Trade Agreement on a "very fast track basis, trying to speed up the process," said Rajesh Agrawal, Commerce Secretary, Government of India, on the sidelines of BIOFACH 2026, the world's leading exhibition for organic products. Speaking to ANI, the Commerce Secretary expressed strong optimism about the landmark agreement, noting widespread enthusiasm on both sides. "The India-EU Free Trade Agreement is something which I think everybody is very positive about. There is a lot of positive energy about this FTA in India also, and in Europe also. Whomsoever I have met, they have been very bullish about the FTA, and they feel that the FTA will open up new opportunities for both Europe and India," Agrawal said. Commerce Secretary emphasised that the agreement's impact would extend beyond traditional trade. "Not only trade will grow, but investments also on both sides will grow," he noted. Agrawal detailed his discussions with European counterparts, including the Minister for Agriculture of Germany, which focused on leveraging the FTA to create synergies between Indian and European strengths. "My discussions at Berlin, also my discussions here, focused a lot on how we can leverage this FTA going forward, create more opportunities for our businesses to meet each other and see what are the unique strengths that India and EU has to offer, how those strengths can come together, how their technology and Indian talent can come together to build world class supply chains, world class global value chains, which can serve both India and Europe and also the global market," he explained. When asked about the timeline for the agreement to come into effect, the Commerce Secretary acknowledged the typically lengthy process involving legal scrutiny and translation into all European languages. However, he expressed confidence in an accelerated timeline. "Normally, it takes a lot of time, because there is legal scrub to be done. There is translation in all the languages that is required in Europe that needs to be done. But I think both sides are working on a very fast track basis, trying to speed up the process. And we expect at the best, at the most, I think within next one year. Within next one year, we should make this agreement operational," Agrawal stated. The Commerce Secretary's remarks came during India's participation as Country of the Year at BIOFACH 2026, being held from February 10-13 in Nuremberg. India's prominent presence at the exhibition, with a 1,074 square meter pavilion hosting 67 co-exhibitors from over 20 states, represents the country's first major international engagement following the conclusion of FTA negotiations on January 27. The convergence of the FTA momentum and India's showcase of organic products at BIOFACH underscores the growing economic partnership between India and the EU, with both sides working to expedite the formalisation of their enhanced trade relationship. (ANI) Amid the ongoing takeover battle to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD), Paramount has revised and enhanced its offer, adding a 25-cent per share "ticking fee" to strengthen its all-cash bid. In an official statement on Tuesday, Paramount said it has introduced an incremental cash consideration of USD 0.25 per share for every quarter that the transaction does not close beyond December 31, 2026. The ticking fee, equivalent to around USD 650 million in cash value each quarter, will be payable to WBD shareholders. It stated "Paramount has enhanced its offer with a USD 0.25 per share "ticking fee," payable to WBD shareholders for each quarter its transaction has not closed beyond December 31, 2026.......Paramount will fund USD 2.8 billion termination fee payable to Netflix and offers solutions to WBD's debt financing costs and obligations". Paramount, in the latest statement, also reiterated that its USD 30 per share all-cash offer provides superior value compared to Netflix's proposed transaction. According to WBD's preliminary proxy statement filed with the US Securities and Exchange Commission on February 9, Netflix's merger consideration ranges from a minimum of USD 21.23 to a maximum of USD 27.75 per share in cash, depending on debt levels at Discovery Global at the time of separation. The company said it will fully fund the USD 2.8 billion termination fee payable to Netflix upon termination of the Netflix agreement. Paramount has also offered solutions to address WBD's debt-related concerns, including eliminating the potential USD 1.5 billion financing cost linked to WBD's debt exchange offer. Paramount will fully reimburse shareholders for this amount if the exchange is unsuccessful and the transaction does not close. To further enhance certainty, Paramount said its financing sources are prepared to refinance or extend the maturity of WBD's existing USD 15 billion bridge loan, with any incremental costs covered by Paramount. The company also committed to providing interim operating flexibility by matching any comparable covenants agreed between Netflix and WBD. Paramount urged the WBD Board to engage with its revised proposal and said it will solicit proxies against the Netflix transaction at WBD's upcoming special shareholder meeting, calling its own offer transparent, certain and superior for shareholders. The issue is in discussion due to a takeover battle for Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD), the parent company of HBO, DC Studios, and CNN. The conflict began in late 2025 when Netflix reached a "friendly" agreement to acquire WBD's premium content and streaming assets for approximately USD 83 billion. This deal was designed to merge the two streaming giants while spinning off WBD's older cable networks into a separate entity. However, the situation turned into a bidding war when Paramount Global (recently merged with Skydance Media) launched a massive counter-offer of USD 108.4 billion to buy the entire company outright, including the cable channels Netflix intended to leave behind. So far, the battle has been characterised by intense legal and financial maneuvering. While the WBD board originally favoured the Netflix deal, Paramount has "sweetened the pot" to win over shareholders. On February 10, Paramount pledged to cover the USD 2.8 billion breakup fee WBD would owe Netflix for backing out, while also offering a "ticking fee" to pay shareholders extra cash if the deal faces long regulatory delays. (ANI) PNN New Delhi [India], February 11: Pan India road show across Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad, and Pune to drive university partnerships, MOU signing, student enquiries, and institutional collaborations. Aliff Overseas reaffirmed its leadership in international education with a carefully executed India roadshow in collaboration with Webster University Geneva. Led by the progressive vision of Asslam Shaikh and supported by Mr. Mark Hatton, Director of Admissions at the Geneva campus, the initiative focused on a clear objective: making credible global education opportunities more accessible to Indian students while building long-term institutional partnerships. Part of the respected Webster global network, Webster University Geneva is recognized as Switzerland's number one private university offering an American Degree. Known for its multicultural environment, strong academic foundation, and emphasis on preparing students for international careers, the university aligns naturally with Aliff Overseas' mission to connect Indian talent with world-class institutions. The multi-city tour covered Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad, and Pune, delivering tangible outcomes that reflected both strategic planning and strong on-ground execution by the Aliff Overseas team. Mumbai set a confident tone. A Memorandum of Understanding was signed with SIWS College, while a successful Webster entry from the highly regarded JBCN International School highlighted the growing appetite for globally aligned education. A focused interaction with students and parents also resulted in one confirmed admission for the upcoming August intake, an encouraging start to the roadshow. Chennai emerged as a particularly high-energy stop. The team secured one MOU with Saveetha University, while another collaboration with MGR University moved into an advanced stage of discussion. An on-the-spot student presentation generated strong enquiries, followed by counseling sessions with students and parents seeking clarity on international pathways. Conversations with prospective area and micro franchise partners extended late into the evening, signaling rising regional demand for structured global opportunities curated by Aliff Overseas. In Hyderabad, the delegation achieved strategic entry into Bharati University and Sreenidhi International School, both important academic ecosystems. The day was led dynamically by Jagath Reddy and concluded with an engaging meet involving potential area and micro franchise partners, further strengthening Aliff Overseas' expansion strategy in South India. Pune stood out for its seamless teamwork. With Mr. Rutvij Jadhav leading the efforts alongside Mr. Sandeep Dravid and Mr. Pushkar Kulkarni, MOUs were signed with AISSMS College and Azam Campus, collectively opening doors to 30,000+ students across their university networks. The visit concluded with a well-coordinated student meeting that reflected the organization's deeply rooted student-first approach. Reflecting on the success of the initiative, Asslam Shaikh emphasized that such collaborations go far beyond institutional milestones. They create access, expand ambition, and enable students to confidently pursue global careers. Bringing over 25 years of international admissions experience, Mark Hatton added valuable perspective to the roadshow, complementing the strong national network built by Aliff Overseas. Together, the partnership signals a growing shift among Indian students toward globally relevant education. As the organization continues to expand its footprint, Aliff Overseas is steadily evolving from a facilitator of admissions into a trusted architect of international academic journeys, shaping futures and positioning Indian students for success on the world stage. https://www.instagram.com/asslamishaikh/ https://www.aliff.in/ (ADVERTORIAL DISCLAIMER: The above press release has been provided by PNN. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same.) PNN New Delhi [India], February 11: At a time when immigration refusals are increasing and fraud cases are becoming harder to ignore, The Canadian Dream by Dr. Swapnil Kale (LLB, PHD, Pursing LLM Immigration Law) arrives with an unusually direct message: most people are not failing the system, the system is failing them first. Unlike typical immigration guides built on success stories and promises of speed, the book is grounded in personal loss. More than a decade ago, Dr. Kale's own application to Canada was rejected after being mishandled by a well-known immigration consultancy. Incorrect documentation and false assurances led not only to refusal, but to the loss of time, money, and a confirmed UK migration opportunity he had already secured. "I trusted people who didn't fully understand the process themselves," Kale says. "That mistake cost me years. This book exists because no one should have to learn immigration the hard way." Rather than offering aspirational narratives, The Canadian Dream breaks down how popular pathways are routinely misrepresented. Kale challenges the idea of "guaranteed visas," explains why Express Entry is far more competitive than most consultants admit, and outlines how practices like inflated CRS scores, fake job offers, and misused LMIAs continue to trap applicants. "Any program which is not a legal route to Canada should immediately raise a red flag," he notes. A significant portion of the book focuses on Canada's Start-Up Visa and C11 Investment route program, often marketed as a simple alternative to points-based immigration. Kale presents it differently, as a demanding but legitimate pathway for serious entrepreneurs willing to meet compliance, innovation, and long-term business requirements. "Canada rewards preparation, not promises," he writes. "If your business doesn't hold up on paper and in practice, the visa won't either." Kale also advises prospective migrants to assess their eligibility carefully rather than pursuing Canada without due consideration. He notes that alternative destinations such as the UK, Germany, Portugal, Greece, and Italy may offer more viable pathways, and encourages applicants to focus on migration options that are realistic and achievable for their individual profiles, rather than pursuing pathways that are not feasible for them. Dr. Kale also emphasizes U.S. settlement options through the EB-5 and EB-1 pathways, while recommending Citizenship-by-Investment programs in Europe and the Caribbean as viable alternatives. Since founding his immigration consultancy in 2011, Dr. Kale has worked closely with Immigration lawyers and claims involvement in thousands of migration cases across Canada, the UK, the US, and Europe. That experience shapes the book's central argument: the real danger in immigration is not rejection, but misinformation. "At its worst, the industry sells hope without responsibility," Kale says. "Migration should be difficult, but it should never be dishonest." More than a guide, The Canadian Dream reads as a cautionary account for students, professionals, and entrepreneurs navigating an increasingly complex global migration landscape, one where clarity, not hype, may be the most valuable asset of all. Get your hands on The Canadian Dream through: Amazon: https://www.amazon.in/dp/936554579X/ref=sr_1_1 Flipkart: https://www.flipkart.com/canadian-dream-students-professionals-entrepreneurs-can-navigate-immigration-find-opportunities-build-wealth-canada/p/itm4bbc6c2ec7b3c?pid (ADVERTORIAL DISCLAIMER: The above press release has been provided by PNN. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same.) VMPL New Delhi [India], February 11: In a significant boost to India's intelligent mobility ecosystem, HERE Technologies, the global leader in navigation and location technologies, has partnered with the Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI) as the Official Navigation Partner at the ADAS Show for India's first ADAS Test City. Unveiled at the ADAS Show, the collaboration brings together HERE Technologies' global expertise in navigation and location intelligence with ARAI's deep domain knowledge in automotive research, testing and certification. The partnership aims to accelerate the development, localisation and validation of Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) tailored to India's uniquely complex and diverse road conditions. As the Official Navigation Partner, HERE Technologies will provide trusted, high-precision and continuously updated navigation data and location services, supporting ADAS testing, validation and software-defined vehicle development within the ADAS Test City framework developed under ARAI's leadership. Commenting on the partnership, Abhijit Sengupta, Senior Director & Head of Business, India & Southeast Asia, HERE Technologies, said: "We're honoured to partner with ARAI through the ADAS Show on this transformative initiative. The ADAS Test City is a cornerstone in India's journey toward intelligent and safer mobility. Robust navigation and location services are critical enablers of reliable and context-aware ADAS functionality. Together with ARAI, we aim to support automakers, Tier-1 suppliers and developers in localising, testing and scaling ADAS capabilities that reflect the real-world diversity of India's road ecosystem." drivebuddyAI Demonstrates India-Built ADAS Platform at ADAS Show At the ADAS Show, Ahmedabad-based drivebuddyAI demonstrated its India-built ADAS and Driver Monitoring System (DMS) at the ADAS Test City, developed, trained and validated entirely on Indian roads in alignment with ARAI standards. Serving leading truck and bus fleets since 2021, drivebuddyAI is addressing OEM demand for cost-effective, real-world safety solutions ahead of India's proposed ADAS regulations starting in 2027. At the showcase, the company presented its 5th-generation single-box ADAS solution on a demo truck, compliant with five critical AIS standards, including: - Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB) with camera-radar fusion - Driver Drowsiness & Attention Warning - Lane Departure Warning - Blind Spot Information System - Moving Off Information System Powered by over 3.5 billion kilometres of real-world driving data, the platform has achieved a 70%+ reduction in accidents across deployed fleets. Notably, it is the only AI-powered DMS certified under both Indian (AIS-184) and European (EU GSR 2144) standards. "Our platform is built to be reliable, intuitive, and genuinely useful for Indian drivers," said Nisarg Pandya, CEO, drivebuddyAI. Starkenn Showcases Made-in-India ADAS Innovations Adding to the strong presence of indigenous innovation at the ADAS Show, Starkenn emerged as a key highlight, showcasing its latest Made-in-India ADAS technologies demonstrated at the ADAS Test City developed by ARAI. From advanced perception systems and real-time traffic intelligence to driver-assist algorithms, Starkenn's solutions underline the growing maturity of India's homegrown automotive technology ecosystem, aligned with ARAI's vision of enabling safer mobility through indigenous innovation. "With Starkenn demonstrating indigenous ADAS technologies at the ADAS Show and ARAI's ADAS Test City, we are proud to showcase India's growing strength in developing practical, safety-focused mobility solutions -- built in India, for India, by Indians," the company stated. ADAS Show and ARAI Driving India's ADAS-Ready Future The ADAS Show, in collaboration with ARAI, marks a critical milestone in India's preparation for next-generation vehicle safety and automation. By bringing together global technology leaders like HERE Technologies and innovative Indian companies such as drivebuddyAI and Starkenn, the initiative creates a robust platform for testing, validation and deployment of India-relevant ADAS solutions. The ADAS Test City is expected to play a pivotal role in shaping safe, scalable and regulation-ready ADAS technologies, supporting India's transition toward intelligent, connected and safer mobility. (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.) Sharing the details on X, Nirmala Sitharaman Office posted, "Shri Sanjay Malhotra, Governor - @RBI, calls on Smt @nsitharaman at Parliament House." https://x.com/nsitharamanoffc/status/2021474993599807833?s=20 Sitharaman also met a delegation led by Minister of State for Corporate Affairs Harsh Malhotra. "Delegation led by Shri @hdmalhotra, Hon'ble Minister of State for Road, Transport & Highways and Corporate Affairs, and Smt @kjsehrawat, Hon'ble MP (LS), calls on Smt @nsitharaman at Parliament House," Nirmala Sitharaman Office said on X. Earlier, Union Minister Nirmala Sitharaman shared the key priorities and reform direction of the Union Budget 2026-27, with a focus on policy stability, manufacturing growth and long-term investment. The minister on Monday, addressed the Board Members of the US-India Strategic Partnership Forum in New Delhi and shared the budget priorities. According to a social media post by the Ministry of Finance, the meeting focused on strengthening India-US economic engagement and sharing the outcomes and intent of the Union Budget. The ministry said the interaction underlined the government's broader objective of creating a predictable and stable policy environment to encourage businesses and industry to plan long-term investments. Outlining the key tenets of the Union Budget 2026-27, Finance Minister Sitharaman said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Budget reflects the government's commitment to continuity, certainty and predictability from a policy perspective. (ANI) India expects to finalise and sign the legal agreement for the interim trade deal with the United States before the end of March, Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal said in an exclusive interview with ANI on the sidelines of BIOFACH 2026. "The joint statement that India-US has released lays down the broad contours of the Interim Agreement that both sides have reached. Now this Interim Agreement and the understanding that has been reflected in the joint statement needs to be converted into a legal document. The process is on," Agrawal explained. The Commerce Secretary expressed cautious optimism about the timeline while acknowledging potential challenges. "We expect that before the end of March, we should be able to finalise and sign the legal agreement. However, having said that, I think drafting a legal agreement to the satisfaction of both sides also sometimes may take time, but we are hopeful the teams are working on it, we should look at March as the timeline in which we should make it operational," he said. Asked about the main sectors that will benefit from the agreement, the Commerce Secretary highlighted India's competitive advantage in labour-intensive industries. "The unique strength of India lies in the labour-intensive sectors. And since US has been a very strong market for India in the labour-intensive sectors, I think with this framework Interim Agreement, there will be an advantage back to our labour-intensive sector. They will be able to grow unhindered," Agrawal said. Addressing concerns about the 18% tariff ceiling, he said that competitive countries in the same geography have tariffs above 18%. "Though there are talks about that 18% tariff still is high, but our competitive countries also have a tariff more than 18% in the same geography, I think when the tariff starts getting transferred to the consumers and industry, (they will) have an unhindered access to the market." The Commerce Secretary expressed confidence that Indian exporters would be able to compete effectively with their competitors and "revive and rejuvenate the market or supply chains that they might have missed out during the Christmas time, and see that the Indian exports not only grow as they were doing well in the past years, but also grow in the coming years." On whether India was able to protect sensitive sectors like dairy, Agrawal was emphatic about the country's negotiating position. "India has always negotiated all agreements with a very clear mindset. Anything that is very sensitive to India, anything where we feel our farmers, our fishermen, our dairy, they are going to be impacted, I think we have been very clear to our partner countries that India cannot open up or provide access," he stated. He pointed to India's recent track record in trade negotiations. "If you look at all the agreements that we have done in last one year, the five trade agreements that we did, all the sensitive sectors everywhere have been protected. In US also, all the key sensitive sectors have been protected. Wherever there is little sensitivity where we import also, I think we have used a TRQ [Tariff Rate Quota] mechanism to ensure that any market access is also limited in nature, and it does not impact our farmers and the ecosystem in any which way." The Commerce Secretary said stakeholders and exporters have responded positively to the Interim Agreement. "While negotiating the US agreement, we had deep consultations with all stakeholder ministries and even the industry at different points in time. Businesses are very happy with the outcome. They have given a thumbs up to the overall agreement," Agrawal said. "They feel in the current scenario, when reciprocal tariffs are there to stay, all agreements provide for reciprocal tariffs. I think what we have been able to achieve under the Interim Agreement is good for India, good for our exports, and they are very positive about it. I don't see any major red line in this Agreement." Asked about January export numbers, the Commerce Secretary expressed confidence in India's trade performance. "Overall, India has been doing well. We have been holding well on both merchandise export and services. Services, as usual, have been doing phenomenally well. The data will come out on February 15, and you can expect a positive outcome that day," Agrawal said. India is participating as Country of the Year at BIOFACH 2026 in Nuremberg, Germany and is showcasing its organic sector with 67 co-exhibitors from over 20 states in a 1,074 square meter pavilion. (ANI) VMPL Erode (Tamil Nadu) [India], February 11: Texvalley hosted a focused Franchisee-Investor Meet in Erode bringing together leading National and International conglomerates. Home-grown enterprises from Tamil Nadu and the Kongu region also participated. The meet enabled prospective franchisees and investors to explore expansion opportunities across fashion, lifestyle, electronics, wellness, food & beverage, services and emerging consumer formats. Fortune City is Texvalley's upcoming integrated commercial, business and lifestyle destination. Structured as a strategic engagement platform, the meet provided participants with detailed insights into Fortune City's scale, infrastructure, zoning strategy and phased development roadmap. Presentations outlined the project's positioning as a multi-sector business ecosystem designed to accommodate diverse consumer segments under one destination, offering clarity on space formats, investment structures and long-term growth potential. The scope of association opportunities with major corporate groups was formally presented during the meet. The organisers showcased expansion prospects of leading conglomerates such as Aditya Birla Fashion & Retail Ltd, Arvind Brands, Landmark Group, Trent Ltd (Tata Group), Reliance Group brands among others, leading international and domestic F&B brands. In addition, established national brands, emerging international concepts and strong regional enterprises were exhibited, providing investors with a comprehensive spectrum of partnership opportunities. Investors engaged in structured one-on-one discussions with the consultants to evaluate franchise models, capital commitments, operational frameworks, site specifications and revenue potential. Organisers observed that the depth and seriousness of interactions reflected increasing investor confidence in organised, multi-sector developments and franchise-led expansion in Tier-3 growth centres such as Erode. Highlighting the response, Mr. Kabilan Devarajan, Managing Director, URC Group and Promoter of Texvalley, stated that the meet reaffirmed Texvalley's long-term vision of positioning Erode as a dynamic commercial and investment hub. "The response received has been extremely encouraging. The quality of investor interactions and the seriousness of discussions clearly demonstrate the growing appetite for organised investments in this region. Fortune City offers the right mix of footfall potential, infrastructure and strategic location, and the outcome of this meet reinforces the confidence that both brands and investors have in Erode as a promising market." Sharing his perspective, Mr. S. Shriram, Founder, Miles2Go Consulting Services, noted that the meet enabled investors to evaluate multiple brand associations across product retail and F&B opportunities within a consolidated framework. "The platform provided investors with a comprehensive view of diverse business formats, capital requirements and growth trajectories across leading conglomerates and growth brands. The strong engagement underlines the increasing recognition of Erode and the Kongu region as reliable expansion markets. Curated initiatives like this play a vital role in bridging the gap between brands and investors and in facilitating informed and confident investment decisions." A positive and forward-looking sentiment prevailed throughout the meet, with several investors initiating structured follow-up discussions and expressing intent to take potential partnerships forward. The strong response signals significant momentum for franchise-led expansion at Fortune City and continued growth of organised consumer businesses in Western Tamil Nadu. Texvalley has invited interested franchisees and investors to explore partnership opportunities at the upcoming Fortune City, with further engagement initiatives scheduled in February and March to build on the strong response received. For investment enquiries and detailed discussions regarding available formats, locations and opportunities, interested investors and franchise partners may visit www.MilesToGo.in / Franchising or call +91 6369 651 751 (ADVERTORIAL DISCLAIMER: The above press release has been provided by VMPL. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same.) The case was filed on Tuesday, February 10, at the Bhogaon police station after a resident of Mohalla Mishrana accused the actor and his associates of cheating him out of lakhs of rupees in the name of investment. According to the complaint, Talpade, along with his associates, allegedly duped villagers of lakhs of rupees under the guise of an investment scheme at a Mumbai bank branch located in Mohalla Mishrana, in the town. Following a court order, the police have now launched an investigation into the matter. Shreyas Talpade is a well-known actor, director, and producer who has worked in Hindi and Marathi films. He became popular after his role in Iqbal in 2005 and later appeared in comedy films like 'Om Shanti Om' and the 'Golmaal' series. He was last seen in the film 'Azad Bharat,' where he played the role of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose. (ANI) Bill Maher recently opened up about a broken friendship that still hurts him to this day. According to The New York Post, the comedian and talk show host said he now regrets how things went between him and fellow late-night star Jimmy Kimmel. Maher shared that their bond is in a bad place, and he fears they may never speak again. Maher, as per the publication, discussed his rift on his podcast Club Random while talking to guest Adam Carolla. The comedian said Kimmel is very upset with him, and that the distance between them has grown after a public issue related to politics and family. "Jimmy Kimmel, he's very mad at me. And I know you're close to him. I hope you'll tell him that, you know, I'm sorry he got bent out of shape. I don't think I did anything wrong. We can have disagreements," Maher said. For those who are unaware, Maher had called out Kimmel's wife after she shared that she had emailed her conservative relatives with reasons not to vote for Donald Trump, resulting in some strained family ties. Maher said this kind of break over politics troubles him. "This is the difference between the right and the left. It bugs me so much. My tribe is supposed to be the left, but these are the people who just can't talk to you unless you're exactly where they are," Maher said. "Jimmy, I'm sorry, like, I think he's one of the nicest guys. I did a mea culpa when we exchanged emails, not about what he was complaining about, but just saying, like, sometimes I can be a little brash about myself when they compare me to the other late-night guys, and I'm like, 'I'm not like you guys.'" Maher said. "I'm not. You could all exchange your monologues, and no one would know the difference in tone. OK?" Maher also said he does not blindly buy into "left-wing bull---," and that he never stopped making fun of "right-wing bull---" either. "And if that's not good enough for you, then I think you're the a----. And I don't think Jimmy is an a----. I think he's a great guy, and it bugs me that, you know, because of what the latest thing was, we may never talk again," Maher added. Kimmel was suspended by Disney in September after making remarks about Charlie Kirk's alleged shooter. His show returned days later. (ANI) According to People magazine, the 'Barbie' star was asked in an interview to share the worst gift she has ever received. "Very, very early in my career, an actor I worked with, a male actor, gave me a book called Why French Women Don't Get Fat, and it was essentially a book telling you to eat less," she said. Robbie recalled her blunt reaction at the time. "I was like, 'Whoa, f--- you, dude,'" she said, as per People magazine. She added that the incident happened "really back in the day" and that she has no idea where the unnamed actor is now. "He essentially gave me a book to let me know that I should lose weight," the Oscar nominee said, adding, "I was like, 'Wow.'" Charli, 33, who provides original music for Robbie's upcoming film 'Wuthering Heights,' quipped, "Your career's over, babe." The duo also exchanged stories about unusual gifts during the conversation. Charli revealed she once received a small jar containing a fan's mother's ashes, worn as a necklace. "I just didn't quite know what to do with it," she said, as per People magazine. Robbie stars in 'Wuthering Heights,' writer-director Emerald Fennell's adaptation of the Emily Bronte classic. The film, co-starring Jacob Elordi, Hong Chau, Shazad Latif, Alison Oliver, Martin Clunes and Ewan Mitchell, releases in theatres on Friday, February 13. (ANI) Actor and educator Swaroop Rawal said that she has been invited to join the Department of Education at Gujarat Vidyapith as a Professor of Practice. On Wednesday, Swaroop took to her Facebook account and expressed her happiness at receiving this special honour. "Incredibly honored to share that I've been invited to join the Department of Education at Gujarat Vidyapith as a Professor of Practice! Deeply grateful for the opportunity to contribute to an institution with such a rich Gandhian legacy. Looking forward to this new journey! #Education #GujaratVidyapith #ProfessorOfPractice #HigherEd #NewBeginnings," she posted. Last year, Swaroop, wife of veteran actor Paresh Rawal, was awarded a Fellowship by the University of Worcester in the United Kingdom in recognition of her outstanding contributions to education. The honour acknowledged her dedicated work in promoting inclusive learning and developing life skills programmes for children with learning disabilities. (ANI) The Department of Tourism, Government of Goa, is all set to host the much-anticipated Goa Carnival 2026, one of the state's most iconic cultural celebrations. Known for its vivid colours, lively music, and festive spirit, the Carnival draws huge participation from both residents and visitors, reflecting Goa's rich cultural heritage and tradition of joyous festivities. The official announcement of Goa Carnival 2026 were made in the presence of Managing Director, GTDC, Kuldeep Arolkar; Deputy Director of Tourism, Dhiraj Wagle; Assistant Director, Department of Tourism, Jayesh Kankonkar; General Manager GTDC, Gavin Dias; Deputy General Manager (Hotels & Marketing), GTDC, Deepak Narvekar; and King Momo, Cedric Da Costa, who symbolically ushered in the festive spirit of Carnival, according to an official release. The festivities will commence with the traditional Curtain Raiser on 13th February 2026 at Porvorim. The celebrations will then move to Panaji on 14th February 2026 with the ceremonial flag-off of the Carnival parade. On 15th February 2026, the vibrant celebrations will take place in Margao, followed by Vasco on 16th February 2026. The festivities will culminate on 17th February 2026 with grand celebrations at Mapusa and Morjim, taking the spirit of Carnival across North Goa. Minister for Tourism, Rohan A. Khaunte stated "Goa Carnival is a celebration of joy, inclusivity, and cultural pride. By taking the festivities across multiple locations, we aim to ensure greater community participation while offering visitors an authentic and memorable Goan experience. Carnival 2026 will continue to reflect our vision of responsible and regenerative tourism, celebrating our traditions while caring for our people and environment." Director of Tourism, Kedar Naik added "Carnival is one of Goa's most vibrant cultural expressions, and Goa Carnival 2026 has been planned to ensure wider reach, safety, cleanliness, and a high-quality festive experience. Through coordinated celebrations across the State, we aim to present a joyful, well-managed, and culturally rich Carnival for residents and tourists alike." Managing Director, GTDC, Kuldeep Arolkar highlighted the scale of preparations and support being extended for Carnival 2026, stating "Goa Carnival 2026 is being organised with a total outlay of approximately 1.53 crore, which includes 48 lakh towards prize money to encourage greater participation and creativity, and 1.04 crore towards infrastructure and logistics across all centres. Centre-wise allocations include 19 lakh for Porvorim and 16 lakh for Morjim, while Panaji, Margao, Vasco and Mapusa have been allocated 29.35 lakh towards prize money and infrastructure, ensuring uniform standards of quality, safety, and visitor experience across locations. This structured investment reflects our commitment to delivering a professionally managed, vibrant, and inclusive Carnival across Goa." Adding to the excitement of the upcoming celebrations, the official Carnival Jingle 2026, performed by RhythMix, was unveiled, setting the musical tone for the festivities across the State. This year's Carnival will also echo the vibrant slogan announced by King Momo, "Amche Goem, Amche Lok, Amcho Carnival - Viva Goa, Viva Carnival", capturing the essence of community pride, inclusivity, and collective celebration. Each venue will witness colourful float parades, lively performances, music, dance, and an atmosphere of collective celebration that defines the essence of Goa's Carnival. The event brings together communities, artists, performers, and visitors, offering a unique cultural experience that showcases Goa beyond its beaches. Aligned with the Department of Tourism's vision, Goa Carnival 2026 will emphasise responsible celebration, cleanliness, safety, and community participation, reinforcing the State's commitment to sustainable and regenerative tourism practices. The festivities aim to create joyful experiences while preserving Goa's cultural identity and environmental harmony. Goa Tourism invites residents, domestic travellers, and international visitors to be part of this spectacular celebration and experience the vibrant soul of Goa through one of its most cherished festivals. Additional details regarding parade routes, timings, and associated events will be announced shortly. (ANI) Manipur Deputy Chief Minister Losii Dikho on Tuesday expressed confidence that the ongoing law and order situation in Manipur would be resolved, emphasising the collective efforts of the government, security forces, and civil society to restore peace. While speaking to reporters during his visit to Ukhrul district to inspect areas affected by the violent clash, Dy CM Dikho said, "We are all actively involved in taking part to bring an immaculate solution. We try to meet all stakeholders to understand the situation. Everyone is involved: the government, the security forces, and civil society are now working to solve the problem. It is a positive sign. Immediately, we can't help it because of the situation, but hopefully, in no time, the situation will cool down." The Deputy Chief Minister also spoke on the rising tensions in Litan Sareikhong village in Ukhrul district. Dikho said that the situation in Litan Sareikhong is now "much clearer" after a violent outbreak that saw the burning of houses and firing. According to Dikho, the situation was more volatile the previous day due to the immediate nature of the incident, which led to a moment of confusion. However, he assured that the authorities are working to identify those behind the movement and restore peace. "It was under control because we don't know who the people behind this movement are. We want to identify that. Yesterday was immediate; that's why something very serious has occurred. Burning of houses and firing have taken place. That's why it could not be controlled yesterday. There was a moment of confusion. But now things are much clearer, so don't worry. We will give our best. We are holding meetings there. Last night there was not much, but it is happening again now.," he added. Manipur government on Tuesday ordered a five-day suspension of internet and mobile data services in Ukhrul District, Manipur, after miscreants set fire to several houses in villages around Litan a day earlier. The move was taken as a precaution to prevent the spread of provocative content on social media that could worsen the law-and-order situation, officials said. The order reads, "In view of the volatile law and order situation in Ukhrul District, there is apprehension that some anti-social elements might use social media extensively for transmission of images, posts and video messages inciting the passions of the public which might have serious repercussions on the law-and-order situation in the State of Manipur." "The State Government, after reviewing the prevailing law and order situation and its possible co-relation with the general operation of internet services, decided to order for temporary suspension/curbing of internet/data services including services through Broadband, VPN and VSAT in the whole revenue jurisdiction of Ukhrul District for 5 (five) day as preventive and precautionary measure," the order reads. Earlier, Manipur Police said that while the situation in the affected areas remains tense, it has largely been brought under control. A Joint Control Room has been set up at Litan Police Station to coordinate urgent security measures, and senior officers are camping in the area to closely monitor the situation on the ground. The police added that the overall law-and-order situation in the state during the last 24 hours remained normal. Security forces continued search operations and area domination in fringe and vulnerable areas across districts, leading to the recovery of arms and ammunition. On January 6, a protest against the swearing-in of new Deputy Chief Ministers of Manipur, Nemcha Kipgen and Losii Dikho, turned violent on Thursday as security forces clashed with the mob in Churachandpur district. The unrest reportedly began on Thursday at around 6 pm in the Tuibong Main Market area, where hundreds of young protesters attempted to push security forces back to their barracks. (ANI) Following a recent incident of violence in the Litan village of Manipur's Ukhrul, where miscreants set houses on fire, Vice President of Kuki Students' Organisation Ukhrul, Mercy Khongsai, said the incident has been wrongly portrayed as a communal clash. Speaking to ANI on Tuesday, Khongsai stated that the violence began as a minor scuffle involving three or four intoxicated individuals, but was later misrepresented as a conflict between two communities. She stressed that the incident was not communal in nature and alleged that certain anti-social elements were attempting to give it a divisive narrative. "What has started as a small scuffle between three or four drunk men has been represented as a clash between two communities, which is very wrong. It is not a communal thing. However, some anti-social elements, or some people with that kind of mindset, are trying to present it as a clash between two communities. Yesterday, we also had a meeting to resolve the problem with the TNL, with the Dy CM as well," Mercy Khongsai said. Khongsai further alleged that despite the meeting, tensions escalated when some individuals from the Tangkhul side allegedly went on to burn three to four houses. According to her, the discussions failed to reach any resolution. "However, we could not come to any terms. And it is very disheartening to see right after the meeting, some of the Tankhol people have started burning three, four houses... One small fight between a few drunk people has turned things very ugly, and a lot of people have misinterpreted it as a communal issue between two communities," Mercy Khongsai added. Meanwhile, Hegin Baite, an eyewitness to the incident, said there was a small quarrel and that the quarrelers were drunk. He stated that it was a minor matter and that peace would prevail; however, the situation escalated after miscreants attacked civilians with stones. "There was a small quarrel, and the quarrelers were drunk... We thought it was a small matter and peace would prevail... But they escalated the matter and attacked us with stones... They even burnt our house down... We had to cross the river with our family at night... We did not start this," he told ANI. Miscreants set fire to several houses overnight in villages around Litan in Ukhrul district on Monday, as pe officials. Following the incident, the Manipur government on Tuesday ordered a five-day suspension of internet and mobile data services in Ukhrul District, Manipur, after miscreants set fire to several houses in villages around Litan a day earlier. On January 6, a protest against the swearing-in of Manipur's new Deputy Chief Ministers, Nemcha Kipgen and Losii Dikho, turned violent as security forces clashed with the mob in Churachandpur district. The unrest reportedly began on Thursday at around 6 pm in the Tuibong Main Market area, where hundreds of young protesters attempted to push security forces back to their barracks. (ANI) Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara visited the residence of Chandan Kumar in Thyamagondlu, following the techie's murder in Canada in a shooting incident, and informed that the latter's body may be brought back within the next three to four days. He offered condolences and support to the grieving family. "Personally visited the residence of Chandan Kumar from Tyamagondlu village in Nelamangala taluk, who lost his life in an accident that occurred in the city of Toronto, Canada, and offered condolences to the grieving family members," Parameshwara said. "The talented Chandan Kumar, who was working as a project manager in a software company in Toronto, was the only son of the retired teacher couple, Nandan Kumar. Seeing the parents' wail of grief at losing the son who was supposed to live well and be their support filled his heart with immense distress. I pray that the divine grants the family the strength to bear this sorrow," he added. Meanwhile, speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Parameshwara said that a probe into the murder of Chandan Kumar was ongoing in Canada. "Chandan Kumar (techie from Karnataka) has been murdered in Canada. We have not yet received information about the reason behind the killing. May his soul rest in peace. I will meet his family today. An investigation into the murder is underway there. Our High Commissioner to Canada is in discussions to repatriate the body. The body may be brought back within the next three to four days," he said. Earlier, the Karnataka Home Minister requested the Canadian governemnt to conduct a thorough investigation into the murder of techie Chandan Kumar. "I urge the Canadian government, through the Central Ministry of External Affairs, to conduct a thorough investigation into the Chandan Kumar murder case and ensure justice is served. Kannadigas living in Canada need not fear because of this incident. The Karnataka government is committed to the safety of all Kannadigas," Parameshwara posted on X. According to the Toronto Police, Chandan Kumar was killed in a shooting incident in the parking lot of Woodbine Shopping Centre in the Rexdale Boulevard and Highway 27 area. The victim was found with gunshot wounds. He was transported to the hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced deceased at the hospital, police said. (ANI) Congress MP Sukhdeo Bhagat criticised the Narendra Modi government for blocking Leader of Opposition (LoP) Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi from citing former Army Chief General MM Naravane's unpublished memoir, saying that the public has the right to know India's position on China and Prime Minister Modi's stance on the issue. He asserted that the central government was afraid of those who ask questions. On Tuesday, Bhagat told ANI, "The book not being published is not a factor. The things that Rahul Gandhi has said have our ex-army chief deny? The important thing is the situation that has arisen before the country with China: what is our stand, and what is PM Modi's stand? This is the right of the country to know. This government is not afraid of questions. It is afraid of those who ask questions." The controversy began after Congress leader Rahul Gandhi quoted excerpts from the memoir in Parliament. He cited a 2023 social media post by General Naravane to support his claim that the book was available for purchase. Earlier, speaking to reporters outside Parliament, Rahul Gandhi referred to General Naravane's 2023 post on X and said the memoir was available for sale online. Meanwhile, former Army Chief General Manoj Mukund Naravane confirmed that his memoir in discussion, "Four Stars of Destiny", has not yet been published, backing Penguin Random House India's statement. Sharing a post on X, Gen Naravane wrote, "This is the status of the book." This comes after Penguin Random House India issued a fresh statement earlier in response to an allegation by Rahul Gandhi, clarifying that the book was announced and listed for pre-order but hasn't yet entered publication, distribution, or sale. Any circulating copies are unauthorised and constitute copyright infringement. A political row has erupted after Rahul Gandhi sought to quote from the "pre-print book" of Naravane's memoir during his speech in Lok Sabha on the motion of Thanks to the President's Address last week, with the treasury benches strongly opposing his remarks. The Speaker passed a ruling, asking the LoP not to quote unpublished literature. (ANI) Delhi BJP chief Virendraa Sachdeva, along with several prominent party members, including MP Manoj Tiwari and Yogender Chandolia, Delhi Assembly Speaker Vijender Gupta, paid floral tributes to the late Bharatiya Jana Sangh leader Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya on his death anniversary. The leaders gathered to honour the memory and contributions of the revered political figure. At the event, BJP leader Shivprakash, during his speech, said, "We should become the inspiration of society and keep our party and our thoughts moving forward. While giving them a lot of respect, this should come to mind. This is all I have to say on today's topic." On this occasion, BJP MP Manoj Tiwari shared his views, stating that Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya is a remarkable human being. He emphasised that, since the establishment of the Jana Sangh, Upadhyaya has provided guidance on governance in this country, focusing on enriching the lives of our cultural nation and uniting humanity, particularly by addressing the needs of the most marginalised individuals. Tiwari highlighted that following the path laid out by Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is successfully re-establishing India on the world stage and achieving significant accomplishments. "Today, on this auspicious occasion, all of us gathered in the presence of our respected Shivprakash ji and all our state leaders to present flowers. Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay ji, may he live long. We will adorn the country with his thoughts," Tiwari added. Speaking to reporters, Delhi BJP chief Virendraa Sachdeva emphasised that Pandit Upadhyay's vision was that the government schemes should reach the last person in society. "Today, on the death anniversary of the revered Deendayal Ji, we are all paying our respectful and emotional tributes to him. If there is any true pioneer of the Bharatiya Janata Party's 'Antyodaya' philosophy, it is the revered Deendayal Ji. His vision was that government schemes should reach the most vulnerable people in society. He believed that only when the last person in society is empowered can the nation truly be strong," Sachdeva said. "Embodying his thoughts, the Indian government is working today under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. We all draw significant inspiration from the life of revered Deendayal Ji. His life serves as a testament to hard work and simplicity; many such examples are found in the writings about the late Deendayal Ji. The core ideology behind the Bharatiya Janata Party's journey from the Jan Sangh to today belongs to the revered Deendayal Ji," said Sachdeva. (ANI) Congress MP Manickam Tagore on Wednesday questioned the central government's handling of Former Army Chief General MM Naravane's book, titled 'Four Stars of Destiny', saying it was already published and available for years. He criticised the floor proceedings that prevented Lok Sabha (LoP) Rahul Gandhi from speaking, calling the government's response an overreaction and demanding justice from the Speaker. Speaking to ANI, Manickam Tagore said, "On December 15, 2023, General Naravane posted on his Twitter account that the books are available for sale. This is three years ago. The leader of the opposition had the published book. And I know that a senior advocate, who is a senior Rajya Sabha member, also said to me that he has a book. The book was available. The book has been written by General Narvane. The book is published. The book is available. The caravan has carried a story. It's a settled issue, and we feel that the government has reacted, overreacted on that day on the floor. Therefore, the leader of the opposition was not allowed to speak. We felt very bad, and then we went to the speaker to ask for justice." The political controversy erupted after Congress leader Rahul Gandhi quoted excerpts from the memoir in Parliament. He cited a 2023 social media post by General Naravane to support his claim that the book was available for purchase. Earlier, speaking to reporters outside Parliament, Rahul Gandhi referred to General Naravane's 2023 post on X and said the memoir was available for sale online. Meanwhile, former Army Chief General Manoj Mukund Naravane confirmed that his memoir in discussion, "Four Stars of Destiny", has not yet been published, backing Penguin Random House India's statement. Sharing a post on X, Gen Naravane wrote, "This is the status of the book." This comes after Penguin Random House India issued a fresh statement earlier in response to an allegation by Rahul Gandhi, clarifying that the book was announced and listed for pre-order but hasn't yet entered publication, distribution, or sale. Any circulating copies are unauthorised and constitute copyright infringement. A political row has erupted after Rahul Gandhi sought to quote from the "pre-print book" of Naravane's memoir during his speech in Lok Sabha on the motion of Thanks to the President's Address last week, with the treasury benches strongly opposing his remarks. The Speaker passed a ruling, asking the LoP not to quote unpublished literature. (ANI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday paid tributes to Bharatiya Jana Sangh (BJS) founder Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya on the occasion of his death anniversary, remembering him as an unparalleled devotee of the Motherland. He said his value-based principles and ideas would continue to guide future generations. In a post on X, PM Modi wrote, "To the unparalleled devotee of the Motherland, Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya, respectful homage on his sacred death anniversary. His principles and thoughts, rooted in values, will continue to be a guiding light for every generation of the country." Earlier, Delhi Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief Virendraa Sachdeva, along with several prominent party members, including Manoj Tiwari and Yogender Chandolia, Delhi Assembly Speaker Vijender Gupta, paid floral tributes to the late Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya on his death anniversary. The leaders gathered to honour the memory and contributions of the revered political figure. At the event, BJP leader Shivprakash, during his speech, said, "We should become the inspiration of society and keep our party and our thoughts moving forward. While giving them a lot of respect, this should come to mind. This is all I have to say on today's topic." On this occasion, BJP MP Manoj Tiwari shared his views, stating that Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya is a remarkable human being. He emphasised that, since the establishment of the Jana Sangh, Upadhyaya has provided guidance on governance in this country, focusing on enriching the lives of our cultural nation and uniting humanity, particularly by addressing the needs of the most marginalised individuals. Tiwari highlighted that following the path laid out by Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is successfully re-establishing India on the world stage and achieving significant accomplishments. "Today, on this auspicious occasion, all of us gathered in the presence of our respected Shivprakash ji and all our state leaders to present flowers. Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya, may he live long. We will adorn the country with his thoughts," Tiwari added. Speaking to reporters, Sachdeva said Pandit Upadhyaya believed government schemes should reach the last person in society. "Today, on the death anniversary of the revered Deendayal Ji, we are all paying our respectful and emotional tributes to him. If there is any true pioneer of the Bharatiya Janata Party's 'Antyodaya' philosophy, it is the revered Deendayal Ji. His vision was that government schemes should reach the most vulnerable people in society. He believed that only when the last person in society is empowered can the nation truly be strong," Sachdeva said. "Embodying his thoughts, the Indian government is working today under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. We all draw significant inspiration from the life of revered Deendayal Ji. His life serves as a testament to hard work and simplicity; many such examples are found in the writings about the late Deendayal Ji. The core ideology behind the Bharatiya Janata Party's journey from the Jan Sangh to today belongs to the revered Deendayal Ji," said Sachdeva. Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya (1916-1968) was a prominent political thinker, economist, and organiser who played a key role in shaping the Bharatiya Jana Sangh, the forerunner of the BJP. Serving as its leader from 1953 to 1968, he became its president in December 1967. He pioneered publications such as the monthly magazine Rashtra Dharma, the weekly Panchajanya, and the daily Swadesh. Known for his philosophy of Integral Humanism (Ekatma Manav Darshan), Upadhyaya emphasised social justice, self-reliance, and the upliftment of the most marginalised individuals in society. His 109th birth anniversary provided an opportunity for BJP leaders nationwide to honour his legacy and reaffirm their commitment to his ideals. (ANI) The Andhra Pradesh Assembly Budget Session began on Wednesday with Governor S Abdul Nazeer's address, amid protest and sloganeering by Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party (YSRCP) leaders. Former Chief Minister and YSRCP leader YS Jagan Mohan Reddy arrived at the Assembly to attend the Budget Session. He, along with party leaders, staged a protest outside the Assembly. Addressing the House, Governor Abdul Nazeer said that the YSRCP government from 2019 to 2024 disrupted the momentum of growth and led to "total anarchy with breakdown of law and order." He said, "The change in governance in 2019 disrupted this momentum. Systemic governance failures emerged, growth stalled, financial stress intensified, institutions destroyed, total anarchy with breakdown of law and order, arbitrary restrictions placed through misuse of Section 22A, and key sectors such as infrastructure, power, irrigation suffered serious setbacks." "Disenchanted by these experiences, the people of Andhra Pradesh renewed their faith once again in my Government in 2024, granting an unprecedented mandate to rebuild the State. The decisive verdict of electing the National Democratic Alliance Government reflects their deep trust and confidence in the leadership of Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu garu, the committed partnership of Pavan Kalyan garu, Deputy Chief Minister, and the continued guidance and support of Prime Minister Narendra Modi garu," he added. He said the Naidu government released seven White Papers to enhance public transparency, flagging misgovernance in public finances, the destruction of the power sector, and the deterioration in law and order under the previous government. "Upon assuming office, my Government placed transparency at the forefront by releasing seven White-Papers that objectively documented and thereby made common citizen understand the misgovernance in public finances, derailment of the Polavaram Project, destruction of the power sector, misappropriation of natural resources, criminal excise policies, deterioration in law and order, and the misguided three-capital proposal with aim of destroying futuristic Amravati that stalled the State's overall progress. By openly acknowledging the problems, my government demonstrated transparency and seriousness of intent. Rather than treating them as standalone reports, the government viewed these papers as a starting point for course corrections," he added. Meanwhile, YSRCP Krishna district MLC Mondithoka Arun Kumar accused the Chandrababu Naidu government of "bypassing the Constitution." Speaking to ANI outside the Assembly, Kumar said, "We have been witnessing the long-awaited situation in the state of Andhra Pradesh. Everywhere in the state, in this country, everyone is implementing the Indian Constitution, that is, Ambedkar's Constitution. But whereas in Andhra Pradesh, for the first time in the history of India, they are bypassing the Indian constitution." (ANI) Several prominent schools in Mohali, S.A.S Nagar, Punjab, received a threatening email at around 7:30 a.m. today. Authorities immediately cordoned off the affected schools, declared a holiday for students and staff, and deployed bomb disposal, anti-sabotage, and ARP teams to conduct thorough searches. SP City Mohali Dilpreet Singh confirmed the ongoing operation, noting that no suspicious items have been found so far. "Today, at approximately 7:30 AM, three prominent schools in Mohali received threatening emails. Following this, our various specialised teams took prompt action. Our bomb disposal squads, ARP (Armed Response Police) teams, anti-sabotage teams, and the local police force are all currently on-site. All our Gazetted Officers (GOs), DSPs, and SPs are in the field conducting thorough inspections," said Dilpreet Singh. "As a precautionary measure, we have cordoned off these schools and declared a holiday for the students and teachers. Searches are currently being conducted within the cordoned areas.[1] If anything suspicious or any factual evidence comes to light, we will update you. So far, no suspicious objects have been found," SP added. When asked about the source or country of origin, Dilpreet Singh said that the technical investigation is currently underway. "We received the emails around 7:30 AM, and we are in the process of verifying all the details. As of now, nothing suspicious has been discovered. Through your medium, I would like to urge the public not to fear or panic. However, as a matter of precaution to ensure there is no loss of life or property, we are treating this very seriously and conducting a highly thorough investigation," the SP said. Earlier on Monday morning, bomb threat emails were sent to nine schools in the national capital, according to the Delhi Police. The threats were received between 8:30 a.m. and 9:00 a.m. In response to the alerts, the Delhi Police, fire department teams, and bomb disposal squads were promptly deployed to the affected schools. (ANI) Jammu and Kashmir Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary on Wednesday defended CM Omar Abdullah's remarks amid an uproar by the Bharatiya Janata Party MLAs in the Assembly in the ongoing budget session. Speaking to the media outside the Assembly, Choudhary said that CM Abdullah never uses language which might send a wrong message or hurt anyone. "Omar sahib never uses language which might send a wrong message or hurt anyone. Everything that happened in the Assembly yesterday was started by the BJP. There are many issues to discuss, including Mata Vaishno Devi and employment opportunities in Katra. Was the language used by a BJP MLA in the Assembly acceptable? The BJP has no agenda to speak on. Are they taking up any issues related to J&K?" he said. He emphasised the need to discuss significant local issues, such as the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine and employment opportunities in Katra. "If India has to become a superpower, then we will have to rise above Ram Mandir and Babri Masjid, vote bank politics," added Deputy CM Surinder Choudhary. This comes after BJP MLAs staged a walkout from the Jammu & Kashmir Assembly on Wednesday, raising slogans of "unparliamentary sarkar" as Chief Minister Omar Abdullah entered the House. BJP legislators have been demanding an apology from Omar Abdullah for remarks he made about them during the previous session. Leader of the Opposition and BJP MLA Sunil Sharma said he has written to the Speaker, alleging biased conduct by the House. "I have written to the Speaker that his functioning is biased. The Speaker allows ruling-party MLAs to disrupt and interrupt. I have written to the Speaker that he is working in a biased manner," Sunil Sharma told ANI. Earlier on Tuesday, while addressing the Assembly, Omar Abdullah criticised the India-US interim trade agreement, claiming it would adversely affect horticulture and agriculture in Jammu and Kashmir. During his speech, he also took a swipe at BJP MLAs, remarking that there had been a noticeable change in their attitude following Union Home Minister Amit Shah's recent visit to the region. "India-US trade deal is bad for J&K and will affect horticulture and agriculture in J&K. There has been a change in your attitude; it seems that by the time the Home Minister arrived, you people got a shoe beating," Abdullah said. National Conference MLA Javed Beig slammed the BJP over its walkout from the Assembly and said that, before examining CM Abdullah's remarks, the BJP MLAs' behaviour should be looked into, as it is not right to call a sitting Chief Minister "Jhutha". "Before looking at Omar's remarks, we should first look at the BJP's behaviour. This is the first time in the Assembly that you stand up and say 'Jhuth' whenever the CM is addressing the House.CM is the leader of the house, and when you call him 'Jhutha' again and again, there has to be a reaction; it is human nature," Beig said. (ANI) Intangible cultural heritage weaves new opportunities in Zhangjiajie, C China's Hunan Province People's Daily Online) 10:08, February 11, 2026 Zhang Tiantian explains the technical essentials of the craft to college students at the Guaiyaomei Tujia Brocade Art Museum in Zhangjiajie, central China's Hunan Province. (Photo/Chen Fenglin) In an art museum filled with the rhythmic sound of looms, Zhang Tiantian, a recognized inheritor of Tujia brocade weaving, part of China's national intangible cultural heritage, patiently guided students through the craft's first step: straightening the warp threads. The scene, unfolding at the Guaiyaomei Tujia Brocade Art Museum in Zhangjiajie, central China's Hunan Province, reflects a broader effort to revitalize Xilankapu, a traditional brocade of the Tujia ethnic group. The effort integrates intangible cultural heritage with modern design, education and local women's employment. Zhang described Tujia brocade as the Tujia people's "living written script" and "wordless history book." She explained that the ancient craft carries profound cultural symbolism through intricate geometric patterns. Each design embodies generations of observation, belief and aspiration. Complex techniques can take a month or more to complete a single piece, according to Zhang. Once used mainly for bedding and dowries, Tujia brocade has found new life through contemporary design. A volunteer interacts with the children of employees who work for a local company dedicated to the preservation and commercialization of traditional Tujia brocade weaving, a national intangible cultural heritage item. The company offers flexible working hours and child care support for female employees. (Photo/Wu Yongbing) At the Guaiyaomei Tujia Brocade Art Museum, the craft has been transformed into fashion apparel, handbags and scarves showcased on international runways, as well as cultural and creative products dyed with local herbal tea techniques. Adopting an approach that blends intangible cultural heritage with technology and tourism, Zhangjiajie Guaiyaomei Tujia Brocade Development Co., Ltd., a local company dedicated to preserving and commercializing traditional Tujia brocade weaving, has developed more than 600 products inspired by Tujia brocade. These products are exported to over 30 countries and regions around the world, according to Zhang, who said the company's annual output value exceeded 90 million yuan ($12.96 million) in 2025. Innovation has gone hand in hand with social impact. To address the challenges of cultural preservation and employment in traditional handicrafts, the company introduced a model that offers flexible working hours and child care support. The initiative has helped more than 700 women secure stable employment near their homes, generating tens of thousands of yuan in additional annual income for many families. Zhang Tiantian teaches students the traditional craft at a tourism vocational school in Zhangjiajie, central China's Hunan Province. (Photo/Yang Shuilian) Tian Tao, a local weaver who has benefited from the model, said she can now take care of her children and earn a steady income at the same time. "I can support myself through my skills now," said Tian, who earns a monthly salary of about 6,000 yuan to 7,000 yuan. The participation of young people has also become a key pillar of the ancient craft's sustainable development. In 2025, the company partnered with a local tourism vocational school to establish a training program. The partnership brought looms into classrooms and made Tujia brocade weaving a featured course. More than 100 students have since acquired basic weaving skills, injecting fresh vitality into the centuries-old craft. Beyond vocational education, study tours and hands-on workshops have drawn younger visitors to experience the craft firsthand. These efforts have turned the intangible cultural heritage from museum exhibits into a living, everyday practice. "To inherit and pass down the craft, we should not just display the brocade in museums, but bring it into people's everyday life," Zhang said. According to Zhang, the company plans to expand production, build standardized workshops featuring intangible cultural heritage, and strengthen cooperation with international designers. The goal is to help Tujia brocade reach a wider global audience. (Web editor: Hongyu, Liang Jun) Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju on Wednesday lashed out at Leader of Opposition (LoP) Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi amid the ongoing row over former Army Chief General MM Naravane's memoir, asking him not to use national security as a "political weapon". Taking a dig at Rahul Gandhi, Rijiju asked him not to "behave like children". Speaking to reporters outside the Parliament, the Union Minister said, "I cannot teach lessons to Rahul Gandhi. I can't understand what world he lives in. What ideology drives his actions? Senior members of Congress should explain to him that Parliament cannot function like this. Don't behave like children here. Our country is huge, and security is a significant issue. It's not right to use our security as a political weapon and undermine anyone's dignity." However, Congress MP KC Venugopal maintained that Gandhi's remarks in the Lok Sabha were true. "I don't understand how scared they are showing on this issue. Why are they afraid of all these things? We are not afraid. Whatever they want to do, let them do it. Whatever we said in and outside parliament is clear and accurate. We are on it completely," Venugopal said. A political row erupted after Rahul Gandhi attempted to cite General Naravane's memoir, titled 'Four Stars of Destiny', in Lok Sabha, bringing in the 2020 standoff against China into the discussion during the Budget Session. Although Gandhi claimed that the book was available online, earlier on Tuesday, Penguin Random House refuted his claims on the status of the book and stated, "A book is considered published only when it is available for purchase across retail channels." "Pre-order is a standard publishing practice. It allows readers and retailers to place advance orders. The book is not yet published or available," the statement by the publisher read. The publishing house said, "An announced book, a book available for pre-order, and a published book are not the same thing", and added that it remains "committed to clarity and transparency in the books we publish." General MM Naravane confirmed that the book has not yet been published, backing Penguin Random House India's statement. Sharing a post on X, Gen Naravane wrote, "This is the status of the book." (ANI) The Delhi High Court on Wednesday issued notice to the police on the plea of Ritik Bajaj, an accused in a 500 kg drug haul case. He was repatriated from Dubai in December 2025. He has challenged his custody, calling it illegal on the grounds that his custody was extended on January 23, without producing him before a special judge, which is required under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act. Justice Anup Jairam Bhambhani issued notice to the Delhi Police, sought a response within two weeks, and listed the matter for hearing on March 10. Senior advocate Vikas Pahwa appeared for Ritik Bajaj and submitted that the petitioner is an accused under the NDPS Act, a special Act, and was not produced before a special judge of the NDPS Act on January 23. Despite knowing that the special judge was holding the court, the petitioner was not produced before the special judge, and his judicial custody was extended by the jail Visiting Magistrate, senior advocate Pahwa said. No application was made by the investigating agency seeking an extension of judicial custody. Consequently, his custody has become unlawful, and he should be released from custody. There is a direct judgement of the Supreme Court on the same facts, he added. The submissions were opposed by the Additional Standing Counsel (ASC) Sanjeev Bhandari and Special Public Prosecutor (SPP) Akhand Pratap Singh. A plea seeking quashing and setting aside the police remand order of January 23, and the order of January 28, passed by the Special Judge (NDPS), Tis Hazari Courts, and for declaring the Petitioner's continued detention as illegal and unconstitutional. It is alleged that the Petitioner was illegally arrested on December 23, 2025, produced before the Special Judge, NDPS, and illegally remanded to Police Custody and subsequently to Judicial Custody on December 26, 2025, and January 9, till January 23. The counsel for the petitioner has also alleged that on January 23, no Application for extension of Judicial remand was filed before the Special Judge, nor was the Petitioner produced before the Spl. Judge, and consequently, no judicial order was passed extending the judicial custody of the Petitioner beyond January 23. The Petitioner, therefore, being in illegal custody since January 24, was constrained to file a Habeas Corpus petition for his immediate release from illegal custody. The Habeas Corpus plea was disposed of on Tuesday, allowing the contention to be raised before the single judge. A petition moved by advocate Prabhav Ralli states that on October 24, 2024, an FIR was registered by the Special Cell under Sections 8, 20, 21, 25, and 29 of the NDPS Act, 1985, against certain co-accused persons. It is pertinent to note that the Petitioner was neither named in the FIR nor arraigned as an accused. No recovery of the alleged substance has been effected from the Petitioner, the plea said. It is also stated that the Petitioner was illegally arrested by the Agency in India and was subsequently produced before the Trial Court on December 23, 2025, and the Trial Court, without satisfying itself as to the legality of the arrest, illegally remanded the Petitioner to three-day Police Custody, the plea submitted. (ANI) The accused persons in the Delhi Excise policy case, including Arvind Kejriwal and others, on Wednesday concluded their arguments on framing of charges before a Rouse Avenue court. The Senior advocate argued that there is no incriminating evidence to frame charges against the former Delhi Chief Minister. Special Judge Jitendra Singh heard the arguements advanced by senior advocate N Hariharan on behalf of Arvind Kejriwal. The court has asked the counsel for accsued persons to file their written submissions. The matter has been listed for rebuttal arguements by the CBI on February 12. ASG DP Singh is representing the CBI. Senior advocate Hariharan argued that there is no material to frame charges against Arvind Kejriwal. On January 17, the senior counsel had submitted that there is nothing incriminating against him and that the chargesheet against him is a cut-and-paste job of the previous charge sheet. He was doing his official duty as the Chief Minister. The senior counsel argued that Kejriwal was doing his official duty. There is no evidence linking him to any request to take money from the south lobby. Kejriwal was not named in the first chargesheet, nor in 3 supplementary chargesheets. His name came in 4 the supplementary chargesheet. It was also submitted that the Subject matter of the 4 charge sheets is the same as that of the previous charge sheets. It is a cut-and-paste of allegations against Kejriwal. During the arguments, the senior counsel had also addressed the issue of Permission for further investigation. The need for further investigation is to be examined. Further evidence should be such which shows the guilt of the Accused found with permission of the court, senior counsel N Hariharan submitted. It was added that the 4th charge sheet is nothing but repackaging with the intent to implicate a person who was doing his official duty. The court asked the senior counsel to elaborate on Magunta''s statement, who has turned approver. It is alleged that someone asked Magunta to pay money on behalf of Kejriwal. It was submitted that Raghav Magunta was designated an approver, having previously been an accused. Senior advocate had submitted that there is no link which shows that Kejriwal had asked anyone to take money from the south lobby. It is alleged that Rs 100 crore was paid by the south lobby to influence the proposed Delhi Excise policy in their favour. In this case there are 23 accused charge sheeted by the CBI, including Arvind Kejriwal, Manish Sisodia, K Kavitha, Kuldeep Singh, Narender Singh, Vijay Nair, Abhishek Boinpally, Arun Ramchandra Pillai, Mootha Goutam, Sameer Mahendru, Amandeep Singh Dhall, Arjun Pandey, Butchibabu Gornatla, Rakesh Joshi, Damodar Prasad Sharma, Prince Kumar, Chanpreet Singh Rayat, Arvind Kumar Singh, Durgesh Pathak, Amit Arora, Vinod Chauhan, Ashish Mathur, P Sarath Chadra Reddy. (ANI) Jan Unnayan Party (JUP) chief Humayun Kabir on Wednesday launched the construction phase of a new mosque, which intends to name the 'Babri Masjid' in Murshidabad's Rejinagar, declaring that the project would be completed within the next 2 years. He expressed gratitude to the people standing with him. Construction of the proposed new mosque in Beldanga, Murshidabad, will begin today. Jan Unnayan Party Chief, Humayun Kabir, intends to name the 'Babri Masjid.' Jan Unnayan Party Chief Humayun Kabir said, "I am very happy. I thank the Almighty. So many people are standing with me today, and I thank all of them. Let others oppose me. In the next two years, I hope the Babri Masjid structure will be completed. Building Temples is fine, but if a Muslim wants to construct a Masjid, they are opposing it. We will throw them out of power." Earlier in January, Jan Unnayan Party Chief Humayun Kabir confirmed the construction of a hospital and a university, along with the construction of the Babri Masjid. "A Babri Masjid will be built here, a hospital will be built, a university will be built, and facilities will be created for the benefit of the people...," Kabir informed at a 3-day event in Murshidabad until January 5 to "strengthen ties with the Muslim community," Kabir had said. Speaking to ANI, Kabir emphasised the involvement of people from various castes in the construction of the masjid. "People of all castes have come here with their goods and are doing business. I haven't stopped anyone...," said Kabir. He further confirmed the undisputed and uninterrupted prayers every Friday in the mosque once it's built. "Construction of the mosque has already begun, and until it is completed, prayers will be held here every Friday... No one has the courage to stop us from offering prayers here," he said. Earlier, TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee took a dig at Humayun Kabir, who had earlier joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), that "demolished the mosque". He said that there was no difference between Kabir and the BJP since they play politics over the "temple mosque" issue. (ANI) The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), has taken suo motu cognizance of a media report that 18 workers died after a blast at an illegal coal mine in Thangskai area of East Jaintia Hills, Meghalaya on February 5, the commission said in an official statement. Reportedly, the incident has left several others trapped at unspecified depths. The Commission has observed that the contents of the news report, if true, raise serious issues of violation of human rights of the victims. Therefore, it has issued notices to the Chief Secretary and the Director General of Police, Meghalaya, calling for a detailed report on the matter within two weeks, it added. The report is expected to include the status of rescue operation, compensation to the aggrieved families and police investigation as well as steps taken/ proposed by the authorities to ensure that such incidents do not recur, the statement said. Several labourers were trapped inside an illegal coal mine at Mysyngat of the Thangsko area following an explosion. Earlier, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has taken suo motu cognisance of a media report regarding a deadly explosion at an illegally operated rat-hole coal mine in Meghalaya's East Jaintia Hills district that claimed 18 lives. The Tribunal registered an original application based on a news item published on February 6, 2026, which highlighted the incident and potential environmental law violations. On February 9, Vikash Kumar, Superintendent of Police of East Jaintia Hills district, told reporters, "In connection with the illegal coal mining blast that happened on the 5th of February and the High Court had taken cognisance and the DC and the SP of East Jaintia Hills were called for personal appearance. In that connection, we had come to the High Court... The search-and-rescue operation is still ongoing. The investigation is ongoing. We have made an arrest, and it is going in the right direction..." (ANI) Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Wednesday hit back at Congress leader Pawan Khera after he shared a purported picture of the CM with a Bangladesh-linked "Maulana", claiming that the photo sharing was "a case of the arrow boomeranging back" and that he was asked to meet "Maulanas" during his time in Congress. Khera had shared a post on X, stating that, he was sent a picture of the CM with Chistia Saidia Darbar Sharif in Dhaka, who he alledged had links to pro Pakistan formation Jamaat-e-Islami-led coalition and Aalia Madrasa, and raised questions about circumstances of the meeting, and if "there was nothing suspicious about it, why was it not disclosed proactively?" Asserting that the same "Maulana" had previously met with former Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi and his son, state Congress President Gaurav Gogoi, Sarma shared a post on his official X account saying, "Shri @Pawankhera ji is publicly sharing my photo with a Maulana. This is actually a case of the arrow boomeranging back. For his information, let me clarify that the same Maulana had come to the residence of the respected Tarun Gogoi ji when he was Chief Minister, and had also met his son Gaurav Gogoi." https://x.com/himantabiswa/status/2021490012513243258?s=20 Sarma further claimed that during his time in the Congress party, he was frequently asked to meet various "Maulanas", citing it as one of the contributing factors for his decision to leave the party. It can be noted that Assam Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma left the Congress Party to join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in 2015 over ideological differences. The photo row comes amid a sharpening of attacks between the ruling BJP and the Congress ahead of the 2026 Assam Assembly elections. Earlier, Sarma had made sharp allegations against Congress leader Gaurav Gogoi, claiming that his wife, Elizabeth Colburn Gogoi, has Pakistani links, which were refuted by Gogoi as "mindless and bogus points". Amid the heated debate, Sarma also announced that the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe into alleged links involving Gaurav Gogoi and his wife with Pakistan-based individuals would be transferred to a central agency. On Monday, he described the development as a "significant step in exposing a broader Pakistan-linked network aimed at destabilising India through proxy actors". "Today marks a significant step in unearthing a global nexus to destabilise India by Pakistan and its proxy players. I have placed on record, to the people of Bharat, the deep conspiracy hatched by Ali Tauqeer Sheikh, a Pakistani national to embed an agent Elizabeth Coleburn to study India's development and find ways to derail it through environmental activism," Sarma wrote on 'X'. The Chief Minister further alleged that Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi, son of a former Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi, played a role in this network, either directly or indirectly. According to Sarma, Gogoi facilitated these activities by allegedly sourcing sensitive parliamentary information, undertaking undisclosed travel to Pakistan, and maintaining links with Pakistani officials under the pretext of youth exchange programmes. Gaurav Gogoi slammed CM Sarma for disclosing information about his children, calling him unfit for the Chief Ministerial position. He said, "He went to such a low level that he even disclosed information relating to my children. We also know about his children; everyone knows it, but we don't want to disclose it. He has proved that he is not the right person to be in the Chief Minister's chair. What they are saying has shamed Assam. Why are they spreading false information? The Supreme Court should take a suo-motu case against it." The Congress MP alleged that CM Sarma's family illegally held 12,000 bighas (nearly 4,000 acres) of land across Assam. While he agreed to cooperate with the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the matter, he demanded that the SIT report be released. Gogoi said,"The main fact behind yesterday's long press conference is the Congress party's rising popularity...If it were a matter of national security, why was he (Assam CM) sitting idle for the last six months? The CM was forced to hold a press conference after the Congress party disclosed that 12,000 bighas of land are held by the CM's family." On Tuesday, Sarma filed a defamation case seeking Rs 500 crore in damages against Congress State President Gaurav Gogoi, AICC General Secretary Jitendra Singh and former Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel for allegedly making "false" and "malicious" allegations against him. (ANI) Nagaland University Researchers have completed a pioneering GIS-based hydrological study that scientifically examines how geo-ecological conditions and human activities influence runoff and river flow in the North Eastern Himalayan hill region, an area long marked by data gaps and global scientific debate. According to a press release, the research addresses a critical and contested question in Himalayan science - the true hydrological impact of land use change on river discharge, floods and environmental degradation. Beyond advancing scientific understanding, the study proposes a practical four-zone runoff classification-low, moderate, high and very high runoff zones-to support water resource planning, flood mitigation and integrated watershed management. The methodology and findings are expected to benefit policymakers, planners and local communities, while also serving as a transferable model for similar fragile regions across the Himalaya and India, said the release. Emphasising the role of the university in researching topics of vital importance to the local community and the entire North East, Prof Jagadish K Patnaik, Vice Chancellor, Nagaland University, said, "I congratulate the research team of Nagaland University for producing this important GIS-based hydrological study that provides benchmark data on land use change and river flow in the North Eastern Himalayas. This work is timely and significant, as it enhances our understanding of runoff patterns, flood risks, and sustainable water management in fragile hill ecosystems. Such research not only strengthens scientific knowledge but also supports informed policy and planning for the region's environmental security and resilience." The study, titled 'GIS Modelling to investigate geo-ecological and anthropogenic impacts on runoff and river flow in the North Eastern hilly region of India', was conducted by Dr K Belho and Prof MS Rawat from Nagaland University, along with Dr Pradeep Kumar Rawat from Asian International University, Imphal. The research was funded by Nagaland University through a Non-NET Fellowship and supported by the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, Government of India. The findings were published in the International Journal of Geographic Information System Research and Development, a peer-reviewed academic journal that publishes original research and applied studies on GIS theory, technologies, spatial analysis, and geospatial applications across disciplines. Elaborating on the technical aspects of the Research, Prof MS Rawat, Department of Geography, School of Sciences, Nagaland University, said, "We focused on four experimentally monitored watersheds in Kohima district. Our research team combined advanced geospatial techniques with systematic field-based hydrological measurements, which is an approach rarely attempted in the Indian Himalayas. The study generated continuous stream discharge data across contrasting land-use systems, including dense forests, open forests, agricultural lands and urban landscapes, creating one of the first benchmark hydrological datasets for the North Eastern Himalayan region." Further, Dr K Belho, Department of Geography, School of Sciences, Nagaland University, said, "Our findings reveal stark contrasts in runoff behaviour across geo-ecological systems. Dense, undisturbed forest landscapes showed a strong capacity to absorb rainfall and sustain sub-surface flows during non-monsoon months, while urban and heavily modified landscapes generated high monsoon runoff and significantly reduced lean-season flows." The researchers quantified these differences through runoff ratios, clearly demonstrating how increasing anthropogenic stress amplifies flood risks while weakening water availability during dry periods. Further, Dr Pradeep Kumar Rawat, Consultant Professor, Asian International University, Manipur, said, "Our study underscores the urgent need for more instrumented experimental catchments and long-term hydrological monitoring stations across the Himalayan region. The researchers note that such infrastructure is essential for reliable flood forecasting, environmental hazard assessment and evidence-based sustainable development in one of the world's most sensitive mountain ecosystems." (ANI) BJP spokesperson Narayanan Thirupathy on Wednesday said that DMK and Congress want to "get rid of each other" after Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin ruled out any shared governance model with the DMK allies, including Congress. Predicting a "big split" in the INDIA bloc, Narayanan Thirupathy said Congress wants to test its alliance with another party, as it believes DMK will not return to power. "Congress feels that DMK will not come back to power, and they don't want to go with DMK, and they want to test their alliance with someone else, that's what they are planning. And both of them want to get rid of each other in such a way that they want to blame others. That's what the INDI alliance is doing. A big split is going to happen," Narayanan Thirupathy told ANI. Meanwhile, Congress leader Praveen Chakravarty refused to comment on the party's negotiations on power sharing but asserted that there is "first time for everything". "I cannot comment on anything about alliance or negotiations or anything. Yes, it is true that so far Tamil Nadu has not had a coalition govt at the state govt. So, that is true. But there is always a first time for everything. So, there is no hard or fast rule nor is it the case that Tamil Nadu is unique," he said. This comes after MK Stalin firmly ruled out any shared governance model with the DMK allies. Recently, voices within the Congress have called for ministerial berths in the DMK-led government. Stalin asserted that a power-sharing arrangement in governance would not be suitable for Tamil Nadu. "A share in governance is a demand that does not apply to Tamil Nadu. They know it better than us. That slogan is nothing but a calculated conspiracy by those who cannot stand to see us united," he said However, the Tamil Nadu CM signalled that the Congress would continue to be a partner when the state goes to the polls. "Congress will certainly remain in the DMK alliance. Our alliance is cordial. It is the media that is deliberately creating certain unnecessary perceptions," he said. The public posturing is likely to continue as the DMK has called for a meeting on February 22 to discuss the contours of the election. A probable discussion on the number of berths for allies is also likely to take place. The 234-member Tamil Nadu Assembly will go to the polls in the first half of the year. The DMK won 133 seats in the 2021 Assembly polls. Congress won 18, PMK won 5, VCK won 4, and others won 8. (ANI) BJP MP Manoj Tiwari on Wednesday launched a sharp attack on Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, alleging that these people prefer a "majboor Bharat" (weak India) over a "majboot Bharat" (strong India). The BJP MP said that while the country is marching ahead on the path of development and acquiring the status of a "world leader", some want to highlight the "shortcomings of the country", apparently referring to Rahul Gandhi. Targeting the Congress leader, Tiwari told ANI, "A person whose grandparents sold the country would not get any other thoughts...Today, as India becomes a world leader, some want to highlight the country's shortcomings. These people like 'majboor Bharat, not majboot Bharat'. He doesn't know what authenticating is...It is ironic that LoP doesn't know the meaning of authentication", he said. BJP MP Ravishankar Prasad also criticised Gandhi's remarks, stating, "Rahul Gandhi should remember one thing that in the leadership of PM Modi, India will not bow down before anyone. In violation of House rules, Rahul Gandhi makes baseless statements. We condemn it." Earlier, in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday, Rahul Gandhi accused the government of compromising national interests and asked whether it was "not ashamed of selling India," alleging that it had effectively "sold Bharat Mata." Speaking in the Lok Sabha, Gandhi said the government itself has acknowledged that the world is facing a global storm, with the era of a single superpower coming to an end, intensifying geopolitical conflicts, and the weaponisation of energy and finance. Despite recognising this reality, he alleged, the government has allowed the United States to weaponise energy and financial systems in ways that affect India. (ANI) New Delhi [India], February 11 (ANI) As many as 115 newly elected councillors from Kerala arrived on Wednesday afternoon at the New Delhi Railway Station to meet PM Narendra Modi and other senior BJP leaders. Th elected councillors were welcomed by Delhi BJP President Virendra Sachdeva and Mayor of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) Raja Iqbal Singh. They will be on a three-day visit to Delhi. The purpose of the visit is to focus on developement of Kerala and give the message that the people of Kerala are looking for development and the Bharatiya Janata Party. Mayor, Thiruvananthapuram Municipal Corporation, VV Rajesh told ANI, "The victory in Kerala is the result of the 45 years of dedicated fight against communism... The local body election victory in Kerala will reflect in the upcoming assembly elections." On the occasion, BJP President Virendra Sachdeva told ANI, "Our mayor has been elected in Kerala for the first time... It shows what the public of Kerala wants." MCD Mayor Raja Iqbal Singh also extended his greetings to the councillors and expressed hope that the interaction would help in sharing best practices in urban governance and municipal administration. Singh told ANI, "... Our BJP mayor was elected in Kerala after many sacrifices. Big leadership is here to welcome him... Our government will be formed in Kerala in the coming time." BJP-led NDA won 50 wards in the 101-ward Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, while the LDF was reduced to 29 wards. As per the source, after visiting the war memorial at India Gate on Wednesday. The people's representatives will participate in various programs along with National President Nitin Nabin at the BJP Central Committee office later in the day. On the 12th at 10 am, Union Urban Development Minister Manohar Lal Khattar will conduct a class related to urban development at the BJP national headquarters. He will speak to Kerala's representatives about the concept of a developed Kerala. At 2 pm, the delegation will visit Parliament. A special meeting with the Prime Minister will be held from 4 pm to 6 pm. The meeting will be held at the Prime Minister's residence on Lok Kalyan Marg. In the evening, the delegation will also meet Union Health Minister JP Nadda. On the 13th, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta and BJP National Organising Secretary BL Santosh will address the Kerala delegation at the BJP headquarters. There will also be a visit to Rashtrapati Bhavan in the afternoon. (ANI) Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said that BJP leaders here should champion the interests of the people of the state on the issue of the withdrawal of the Revenue Deficit Grant (RDG). "Instead of targeting me, BJP leaders should approach the Prime Minister for the reinstatement of the RDG. I have appealed to them on numerous occasions to come forward together, but I know they will never do so." Sukhu noted that while he has repeatedly appealed for a unified front on this issue, he remains sceptical about BJP leaders' willingness to cooperate with the sitting government. Speaking about his meeting with former Union Finance Minister and senior Congress leader P. Chidambaram in New Delhi, the Chief Minister stated that he apprised him of the State's viewpoint on the 16th Finance Commission report and its likely impact on the State. He said that he also discussed the dire fiscal situation inherited from the previous BJP Government, which includes a debt burden of Rs 75,000 crore and outstanding liabilities of Rs 10,000 crore in salary and pension arrears. Despite the challenges, Sukhu said, the State has moved towards self-reliance and undertaken various economic reforms. He stated that during the tenure of the BJP government, the State received RDG amounting to Rs 54,296 crore, whereas the present State Government has received only Rs 17563 crore over the past three years. In addition, the previous BJP government also received Rs 16,000 crore as GST compensation and 11431 as an interim grant in 2020-21. "In five years of the BJP regime, they received nearly Rs 70,000 crore. Had they repaid Rs 40,000 crore of the loans, the State would not have fallen into a debt trap. Jai Ram Thakur should explain to the people of the state where the Rs 70,000 crore was spent and who benefited from it," he added. Accusing the previous BJP government of misusing the RDG and encouraging wasteful expenditure, Sukhu said that the present government has curtailed unproductive spending and adopted austerity measures to enhance the State's income. He asserted that the government would not abolish any posts but would create employment opportunities for the youth. He further said that the interests of the people of the State were paramount for the present government, adding that the present state government has appointed only half the number of Chairmen and Vice-Chairmen compared to the previous BJP government, based on necessity, and that they were making significant contributions to the State's development. He remarked, "Despite receiving minimal grants from the Union Government, the arrears of pension for pensioners and family pensioners aged 70 years and above have been cleared. The arrears of gratuity and leave encashment arising from the revision of pension and related benefits of Class-IV employees who retired between 1st January, 2016 and 31st December, 2021, have also been disbursed. This is clear evidence of our fiscal prudence." Sukhu said that the State Government has curtailed the IAS, IPS and IFS cadres to strengthen the State's economy. He stated that the number of IFS posts has been reduced from 110 to 86. The government has also pruned officer-level positions while increasing lower-level posts to ensure administrative efficiency. He further said that the State has merged certain colleges and schools to curb expenditure. The government, he added, began taking tough decisions to strengthen the State's economy from the very first day it assumed office. He also stated that Himachal Pradesh contributes nearly Rs 90,000 crore as ecological value to the National economy, as highlighted in a study by the Indian Institute of Forest Management. "We have legitimate right on the resources of our State and we will fight for them," he asserted. The Chief Minister vowed to continue fighting for the state's rightful resources through "Vyavastha Parivartan." (ANI) Dwarka court dismissed the regular bail of the plea of sub-contractor Rajesh Kumar, who has been arrested in the Biker's death case of Janakpuri. The court said that there is a loss of human life, and the investigation is at an initial stage. While rejecting the bail plea, the court held that, considering the totality of facts and circumstances, this court is of the view that no ground for the grant of regular bail is made out at this stage. Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC) Harjot Singh Aujla dismissed the bail plea of Rajesh Kumar. "In cases involving loss of human life due to alleged negligence in public works, the Court must balance individual liberty with societal interest and the need for a fair and un-influenced investigation," the court said in the order. " Accordingly, the prayer for grant of regular bail to accused Rajesh Kumar is hereby dismissed at this stage, "JMFC Harjot Singh Aujla said in the order passed on February 11. The court has kept the matter relating to the alleged illegal detention of the accused pending and directed the investigating officer/SHO, PS Janakpuri, to file a comprehensive reply, along with relevant CCTV footage of PS Janakpuri for the period 06.02.2026 to 08.02.2026, on the next date of hearing for consideration of the plea regarding illegal custody. In view of the contention, this Court deemed it appropriate to call for the CCTV footage of PS Janakpuri to ascertain whether the accused was indeed detained prior to the time reflected in the arrest memo and whether any statutory or constitutional safeguards were violated. The matter has been listed for hearing on February 16. During the hearing, counsel for the accused argued that the arrest of the accused was illegal and unconstitutional. It was also submitted that the accused was allegedly apprehended/detained on 06.02.2026; however, he was produced before the concerned Court only on 08.02.2026, thereby violating the mandate of Article 22(2) of the Constitution of India as well as Cr.P.C (now BNSS), which requires production within 24 hours of arrest. It was argued that such illegal detention vitiates the custody and the accused deserves to be released. Counsel for the accused also submitted that the incident in question arose from an accident relating to civic excavation work and that there was no intention or knowledge attributable to the accused. It was further contended that the accused has no prior criminal antecedents and is a permanent resident, and therefore does not pose a flight risk. On the other hand, the Additional Public Prosecutor (APP) opposed the bail application on the grounds that the allegations are grave in nature, wherein a 25-year-old boy lost his life after falling into an unmanned and unsecured excavation pit. It was also submitted that the investigation is at a nascent stage, several witnesses are yet to be examined, documents relating to the excavation work, safety compliance, contractual obligations and supervisory responsibilities are yet to be scrutinised. He apprehended that, if released, the accused may influence witnesses, tamper with documentary evidence, and abscond to evade the process of law. While rejecting the bail plea, the court observed, "The investigation is admittedly at an initial stage. The IO is in the process of collecting relevant records pertaining to permissions, safety compliance, barricading arrangements, deployment of personnel and the responsibility matrix. The court also noted that the possibility of the accused influencing material witnesses, particularly local residents, labourers or officials associated with the project, cannot be ruled out at this juncture. Furthermore, documentary evidence concerning the execution of civic work is susceptible to alteration or manipulation, especially when the investigation is yet to crystallise the chain of responsibility, the court said. (ANI) Aam Aadmi Party MP Raghav Chadha on Wednesday pushed for a "right to recall" mechanism that would allow voters to remove the non-performing elected representatives before the end of their terms. Speaking in the Rajya Sabha, Raghav Chadha said that "Right to Recall" will empower voters to take action against MPs and MLAs, rather than "tolerating" them for five years. Chadha suggested that this mechanism will increase accountability and performance evaluation for elected leaders. "Just as Indian voters have the right to elect, they should also have the right to recall. If voters can hire a leader, they should also have the right to fire them. Right to Recall is a mechanism that empowers voters to de-elect an elected representative, before their term ends, if they fail to discharge their duties," Raghav Chadha said in Rajya Sabha. "If MPs and MLAs don't perform, then the public has no option but to wait for five years. There's no provision, accountability, or performance review. Before the election, the leader is after the public, and after the election, the public is after the leader," he said. Chadha argued that if we can impeach the President, Judges, and remove elected government, then why are people "forced" to tolerate representatives for five years. "If we can impeach the President, the Vice President and judges, and move a no-confidence motion against an elected government mid term, then why should voters be forced to tolerate a non-performing MP or MLA for five full years. Five years is too long. There is no profession where you underperform for five years with zero consequences," he said. "More than 24 democracies in the world, such as the United States, Switzerland etc., provide recall or voter-initiated removal mechanisms in some form," he added. Chadha also suggested some safeguards to ensure that it is not "misused", such as a threshold, a cooling period, clear grounds for removal and final voting. However, there should be safeguards to prevent misuse. There should be a threshold that at least 35 to 40 percent voters should back a recall trigger through a verified petition before any recall vote is held. There should be a cooling period of a minimum 18 month lock in after the election, so the representative has time to deliver and cannot be targeted immediately after winning. The recall should only be called for proven misconduct, fraud, corruption or serious neglect of duty, not everyday political disagreements," he said. "Recall succeeds only if more than 50 percent voters support removal in the recall vote," he added. (ANI) Rajya Sabha MP Ajeet Gopchade paid a courtesy visit to Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday and submitted detailed memoranda on key national and regional issues, including rural development, development of the Marathwada region, and border security. The memoranda addressed broad themes such as national inclusion, strengthening the rural economy, internal security, and border management. Gopchade specifically urged the Centre to recognise Indian Sign Language (ISL) as the 23rd official language. He emphasised that such recognition would ensure equal rights, dignity, and justice for persons with disabilities, while enabling their effective participation in education and public services. Referring to the Lok Sabha discussion held on March 23, 2021, he cited examples of countries like Kenya and South Africa that have granted constitutional recognition to sign language. Focusing on regional development, Gopchade proposed the establishment of an independent cooperative milk union in Nanded district to strengthen the rural economy of the Marathwada region. He noted that dairy farming is a vital supplementary source of income for small and marginal farmers and said that an organised cooperative structure would boost production, ensure fair pricing, generate rural employment, and promote sustainable growth. He also sought technical and financial assistance for the project through the National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC). From a national security standpoint, Gopchade highlighted the need to strengthen the Integrated Border Management System for more effective monitoring of India's 15,106.7-kilometre land border and 7,516.6-kilometre coastline. He stressed the need to enhance coordination among various security agencies to further strengthen border security. Union Home Minister Amit Shah assured that the issues raised would be considered seriously. Gopchade said, "Through this meeting, substantive and well-articulated representations on issues of national importance were placed before the central government. " Gopchade also submitted a detailed report of his parliamentary and organisational work over the past year, which the Home Minister reviewed and expressed satisfaction over. The report included his contributions toward strengthening the organisational structure of the BJP, successes achieved in local self-government institutions, and development works carried out in rural areas through funds received from the central government. It also documented the party's electoral successes in the Nanded-Waghala Municipal Corporation and various municipalities and municipal councils in Nanded district. (ANI) As a precautionary measure, the entire court premises were evacuated, and judicial proceedings were suspended. According to official sources, an email was received around 1 am in the office of the District and Sessions Judge, claiming that RDX had been planted inside the court complex. Following the alert, the administration and police responded. Entry of the general public into the court premises has been temporarily restricted for security reasons. Police and bomb disposal squad teams rushed to the spot and launched a thorough search operation. A dog squad has also been deployed to conduct a detailed inspection of the premises. Patna City Superintendent of Police (West) Bhanu Pratap Singh said a comprehensive search of the court complex is underway following the bomb threat. He added that the dog squad and bomb disposal teams are undertaking further necessary action. Notably, the Patna Civil Court has received similar bomb threats on several occasions. Further investigation is underway. Earlier, the Patna Civil Court on Monday received a bomb threat, after which security agencies were put on high alert, officials said. As a precaution, an order was issued to evacuate the court premises, and security personnel rushed to the site and conducted further checks. Patna SP City Bhanu Pratap Singh said the case was registered under the old Indian Penal Code, which has since been replaced by the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). The case involves Sections 419, 420, 468, 448, 506 and 120B and is linked to the Gardanibagh police station. (ANI) White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt announced that U.S. President Donald Trump will meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The discussion is expected to focus on energy issues and deregulation. During a press briefing, Leavitt also announced Trump's rescission of the 2009 Obama-era endangerment finding. She said, "The President will host Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for a bilateral meeting. The remainder of the week will be focused on energy and deregulation. On Thursday, President Trump will be joined by Administrator Lee Zeldin to formalise the rescission of the 2009 Obama-era endangerment finding. This will be the largest deregulatory action in American history, and it will save the American people $1.3 trillion in crushing regulations." Heading to Washington on Tuesday to meet Trump, Netanyahu said he planned to convey Israel's position on US nuclear talks with Tehran during the meeting, The Times of Israel reported. Before boarding Wing of Zion for his flight, Netanyahu told reporters that he would "present to the president our approach around our principles on the negotiations." He added that these principles are important not only for Israel, but for every country around the world "that wants peace and security," as per The Times of Israel. Trump's administration is set to finalise on Thursday its repeal of a foundational scientific determination that underpins the US government's authority to regulate greenhouse gas emissions, France 24 reported. The Environmental Protection Agency last summer proposed reversing the Endangerment Finding of 2009, in what was seen as a major blow to climate action in the world's biggest historic contributor of planet-warming pollution, as per France 24. The finding under the then-President Barack Obama concluded that six greenhouse gases - including carbon dioxide and methane - endanger public health and welfare by driving climate change, France 24 reported. That determination flowed from a 2007 Supreme Court decision, Massachusetts v. EPA, which ruled that greenhouse gases qualify as pollutants under the Clean Air Act and directed the EPA to determine whether they pose a danger to public health and welfare. (ANI) A tragic shooting at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School in rural northeast British Columbia has left 10 people dead, including the suspect, CBC News reported, marking one of the deadliest incidents in the region's recent history. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) confirmed that six people were found dead inside the high school. Another person died on the way to hospital, and two more were discovered at a residence believed to be connected to the incident. The shooter was confirmed dead earlier this afternoon from what police described as a "self-inflicted injury." CBC News reported that two people were airlifted to hospital with serious or life-threatening injuries, while another 25 are being assessed for non-life-threatening injuries at the local medical centre. Police stated they do not believe there are any other suspects or any ongoing risk to the public. Officers are searching other homes and properties in the community to check for anyone else who may be injured or linked to the incident. Additional RCMP officers, including those from the Major Crime Unit, are being deployed to assist with the investigation. Authorities are working with the local school district to reunite students with their parents and guardians. "This was a rapidly evolving and dynamic situation, and the swift co-operation from the school, first responders, and the community played a critical role in our response," North District Chief Supt. Ken Floyd wrote in a statement. "Our thoughts are with the families, loved ones, and all those impacted by this tragic incident. This has been an incredibly difficult and emotional day for our community, and we are grateful for the co-operation shown as officers continue their work to advance the investigation," the statement added. CBC News noted that the Tumbler Ridge Health Centre was placed on restricted access during the response, with non-urgent visits discouraged. Normal operations are set to resume tomorrow at 9 am MT. The incident began when RCMP responded to an active shooter report at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School around 1:20 pm local time. An emergency alert described the suspect as a woman in a dress with brown hair, and police later confirmed this matched the person found deceased. Tumbler Ridge, a small community of about 2,400 residents located roughly 660 kilometres northeast of Vancouver, has a secondary school with around 160 students. School District 59 initiated a "hold and secure" lockdown at both the secondary and elementary schools. CBC News quoted Tumbler Ridge Mayor Darryl Krakowka as saying he was sheltering in place and would provide updates as more information became available. RCMP Staff Sgt. Kris Clark reiterated that the described suspect was the one found dead, though details on identity or age have not yet been released. The District of Tumbler Ridge described the event as a "deeply distressing incident" and urged residents to follow official RCMP updates. "In the days ahead, we know this will be difficult for many to process," the district stated. "Please check in on one another, lean on available supports, and know that Tumbler Ridge is a strong and caring community. We will get through this together." Police are investigating "the full circumstances surrounding this incident," with no further details on motive or victims released so far. (ANI) In a tense and highly charged House Homeland Security Committee hearing on Tuesday, Democratic Representative Shri Thanedar of Michigan confronted US Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Rodney Scott with blistering criticism of federal immigration enforcement, asserting that Scott and other senior officials should "hope" for a pardon from President Donald Trump given what Thanedar described as repeated violations of the law by immigration agencies. Thanedar, a progressive Democrat who immigrated to the United States from India in the 1980s, pressed Scott and Acting US Immigration and Customs Enforcement Director Todd Lyons during a hearing examining oversight of the Department of Homeland Security and its component agencies- including CBP, ICE, and US Citizenship and Immigration Services, reported Fox News. At the heart of Thanedar's critique were allegations of misconduct by federal immigration officers in Minnesota, where two people, Renee Good and Alex Pretti, were fatally shot by officers. Thanedar repeatedly challenged Scott and Lyons on their defence of law enforcement actions, accusing them of enabling a culture of misconduct and indifference. "You better hope you get pardoned because you will be held accountable for the absolute disregard of the law your agencies have shown over the past year," Thanedar declared directly to Scott, raising the specter of presidential pardons as a shield against legal consequences for enforcement actions that he characterized as unlawful, reported Fox News. Scott, in his response, emphasized his pride in the work of the agency, rejecting the premise that he or his officers needed a pardon. "I'm very proud of the service that I provide, and I don't need a pardon from anybody," he said, underscoring his view that the agency's mission is lawful and necessary. The exchange escalated as Thanedar broadened his critique beyond the specific shootings. He accused CBP and ICE agents of engaging in misconduct, alleging racial profiling, unnecessary aggression in communities, and a lack of accountability. "ICE thugs attacking our communities, targeting people for their accents and the colour of their skin," he said, articulating a sweeping indictment of agency practices. Thanedar also used the hearing to spotlight his legislative priorities, including an effort to abolish ICE and support for impeachment proceedings against DHS Secretary Kristi Noem. "ICE must be abolished," he said, and reiterated his co-sponsorship of a bill to impeach Noem, whom he described as leading "rogue departments" within the federal government. The hearing concluded with Homeland Security Committee Chairman Representative Andrew Garbarino, a Republican from New York, abruptly ending Thanedar's remarks and recessing the session after the congressman's time expired, underscoring the deep partisan divisions on immigration policy and enforcement that persist on Capitol Hill, reported Fox News. The confrontation reflects broader national debates over immigration enforcement practices, accountability within federal agencies, and the use of presidential pardons, a topic previously raised in discussions about executive power and legal protections for government officials. (ANI) Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) lawyer Salman Safdar met party founder Imran Khan at Adiala jail after the Supreme Court designated him as amicus curiae to assess the former premier's living conditions, according to Dawn. The nearly three-hour meeting took place on Tuesday, following the apex court's directive earlier in the day allowing Safdar to visit the jail. Speaking to reporters outside the facility, Safdar said that Imran was fine and was looking healthy. However, he did not share further details about the meeting, saying that he had to submit a report to the court. He said once the report was submitted to the court, he would be able to share the details. As per Dawn, the Supreme Court had earlier declared Safdar amicus curiae and instructed him to visit Adiala jail on Tuesday and submit a written report regarding Imran's living conditions by Wednesday. The development came a day after senior PTI leader Latif Khosa's request for an urgent meeting was turned down by a two-member bench comprising Chief Justice of Pakistan Yahya Afridi and Justice Shahid Bilal Hassan. The bench had observed that such an order could not be passed without hearing the other side and issued a notice to the government. During the resumed hearing, Chief Justice Afridi appointed Safdar as "friend of the court" while directing him to file the report. PTI counsel Latif Khosa and Attorney General for Pakistan Mansoor Usman Awan appeared before the court. At the outset, Chief Justice Afridi barred Khosa from speaking. The Attorney General informed the bench that he had "submitted a written response to the chamber in light of the order of August 24, 2023". In 2023, the Supreme Court had directed the Attorney General to submit a report on Imran's "living conditions in jail". The Attorney General said that the PTI founder was in Attock jail at the time of the order. "We had submitted a written report to the chamber on August 28, 2023," he added, noting that a medical report from August 5 to August 18 was also included. Chief Justice Afridi remarked, "After the August 24, 2023 order, there has not been any order on record which was satisfactory to the SC". According to Dawn, the court order noted the earlier report pertained to Imran's imprisonment in District jail, Attock, in 2023, and therefore considered it appropriate that a report regarding the present "living conditions of the petitioner in jail" be submitted by the Superintendent, Central Prison, Rawalpindi. Subsequently, the court appointed Safdar as amicus curiae. "Salman Safdar should go to Adiala as a friend of the court," Chief Justice Afridi said. "We have full faith in Salman Safdar," he further remarked. "He should be given full access to the PTI founder so he may be able to file a written response," he added. The Chief Justice directed that Safdar should "not be kept waiting outside Adiala", assuring him that in case he encounters any issues, the CJP's personal staff will be available. Safdar asked "if the scope of the report was limited to living conditions only", citing concerns regarding Imran's health in light of a recent medical procedure. "Submit a report of the living conditions only," Chief Justice Afridi responded. The Attorney General requested the court to "include in the order that a report had already been submitted". Towards the end, Khosa sought acceptance of his request to meet Imran, but it was rejected again. The court adjourned the hearing till February 12. Speaking to reporters after the hearing, PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja recalled his meeting with the chief justice last Friday, adding that Imran's incarceration and health came under discussion. He termed the conversation with the court as "beneficial" and stated that progress had been made as a result of it. However, the PTI leader clarified, "We are not declaring anything as final. We are not saying everything is good [and] we have gotten everything. This is not the case." He called for the "system to [...] return to humanity". "It is humanity and piousness that we are demanding right now," he stated. Imran Khan has been incarcerated since August 5, 2023, and is currently imprisoned at Rawalpindi's Central Jail. A two-page memorandum filed by PTI last week to the Supreme Court registrar requested immediate jail visitation rights for Imran with his family, doctors, lawyers and friends. The memorandum alleged that Imran's rights as a prisoner and a human being have been consistently violated during this period. It also highlighted reports about "Imran being subjected to some secretive medical procedure at a hospital in Islamabad and keeping his relatives in the dark in violation of jail rules". (ANI) As Bangladesh prepares for the 13th National Parliamentary Election on February 12, the United Nations underscored that safe, inclusive, and meaningful participation in public life is a fundamental right. This includes the rights of all women and girls, including women with disabilities, women from minority communities, gender diverse people, and others who may face heightened barriers, discrimination or gender-based violence, the UN said in a statement on Wednesday. Ahead of the election, the United Nations noted concerns raised by women's groups and civil society organisations on violence and harassment of women candidates and voters, including digital violence. Women in public life, including political leaders, activists, journalists, and human rights defenders, are reporting increased incidents of cyberbullying, deepfakes, coordinated harassment, and image-based abuse, including AI-altered and sexualized content, it added. The United Nations has consistently advocated for women's meaningful representation and leadership across all stakeholders and is supporting the Bangladesh Election Commission in boosting women's electoral participation and representation. It is essential that all voters, including women, can participate as candidates and voters without intimidation, discrimination, online abuse or fear of reprisals, the statement said. The United Nations called on all stakeholders, including political leaders and their parties and supporters, to adopt a zero-tolerance approach to intimidation, harassment, and any other form of violence against women throughout the electoral process. "This applies equally to women candidates and voters, whose participation and safety are essential to inclusive democratic processes. We are confident that authorities will continue to take steps to uphold security and the rule of law, and to ensure the safety and rights of every individual. The United Nations remains committed to supporting authorities in ensuring the safety and rights of every individual", it said. "We would greatly appreciate it if you could share this message on your platform and to your pertinent networks and stakeholders", the statement said. (ANI) Chief Adviser of the Interim Government of Bangladesh, Muhammad Yunus, met with multiple election observation delegations as the country gears for the 13th national elections, scheduled for February 12, nearly two years after the 2024 July Uprising. The election observation delegation included the International Republican Institute (IRI), the Asian Network for Free Elections (ANFREL) and the Voice for Justice Observers. In a series of posts on X, Yunus stated that the five-member delegation from the IRI, led by former US Congressman David Dreirer met with the Chief Adviser on Tuesday at the State Guest House Jamuna. On Wednesday, a seven-member ANFREL delegation, led by Chairperson Rohana Hettiarachchi, met with Yunus at the same venue. Later the same day, a four-member team from the Voice for Justice Observers, led by Convenor of the Voice for Justice World Forum and Consultant to the UK Ministry of Education, Hasanat M Husain, also called on the Chief Adviser. Bangladesh's Principal Coordinator for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Lamiya Morshed, along with other senior officials from the country's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, was also present at the meetings. The election is a pivotal moment in the country's history, with the Awami League banned from participating and the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and Jamaat, which is leading an alliance with the National Citizen Party (NCP), along with other parties on a seat-sharing basis, as the main players. The electoral landscape has also shifted significantly, making it challenging to predict the outcome. The February 12 National Polls come almost two years after the July Uprising in 2024, which led to the ousting of former Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. The Constitutional Referendum, the July National Charter, is also scheduled for the same day. According to the Chief Adviser's Press Wing, a total of 394 international election observers and 197 foreign journalists have arrived in the country to observe the 13th general election. A total of 240 observers are from bilateral countries, including independent European observers. Another 51 are individuals affiliated with different global institutions. (ANI) A attack on a police post in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's Bannu took place on Wednesday, three militants were killed, and nine others were injured during the interaction with the police, the Dawn reported. According to the Dawn, the militants launched a late-night assault on the Khonia Khel Police Post in the district's Wazir sub-division with heavy weapons, intending to seize control of the facility. A large number of attackers attempted to surround the police post. According to a press release issued by the police, three militants were killed, and nine others were injured during the operation. One of the dead militants was identified as the militant commander Umar Azam alias Khizmeti, while another was identified as Shahidullah. The identification process of the third militant is underway. According to the Dawn, during the exchange of fire, one police officer sustained minor injuries but was reported to be out of danger. The Pakistani Police further stated that, in an apparent attempt to avenge the killing of their associates, militants also tried to attack Ahmadzai Police Station and Fateh Khel Police Post last night. The Bannu district has seen repeated security incidents in recent months, the Dawn reported. According to the Dawn, violence in Bannu has included attacks on police and jirga members. Meanwhile, a renewed surge in insurgent violence in Balochistan is casting doubt on Pakistan's ability to secure major foreign investment in its lucrative mineral belt, the Balochistan Post reported. Although Pakistan has tried to project an image of economic recovery after the financial breakdown that began in 2022 amid political unrest and the removal of Imran Khan, the situation on the ground in Balochistan remains volatile. Despite heavy deployment of security forces around key installations and routes, attacks on infrastructure and workers have continued, raising uncomfortable questions about the durability of state control, as reported by The Balochistan Post. According to The Balochistan Post, Washington's interest in the province's vast underground wealth is part of a broader international push to expand supply chains for strategic minerals and reduce dependence on Beijing. Mega ventures such as Reko Diq and Saindak are frequently highlighted as cornerstones of that ambition. However, the prevailing insecurity threatens timelines, insurance costs and investor confidence. Recent operations attributed to the Baloch Liberation Army have been described by officials as coordinated and technically advanced. Security analysts warned that such incidents demonstrate the militants' continued reach even in areas declared sensitive and heavily guarded. (ANI) The European Parliament has approved the EUR 90 billion loan package aimed at supporting Ukraine amid the ongoing war with Russia, which will be entering its fourth year this month. In a vote held on Wednesday, Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) adopted three legislative proposals enabling the EU to provide financial assistance to Ukraine for 2026 and 2027, designed to address Ukraine's urgent financing needs as the conflict enters its fifth year. According to the European Parliament's press release, EUR 30 billion will be allocated to macro-financial assistance and budgetary support through the EU's Ukraine Facility, while the remaining EUR 60 billion will be directed towards strengthening Ukraine's defence capabilities, including the procurement of military equipment. The funds are intended to ensure timely access to critical defence products, primarily sourced from Ukrainian, EU, and European Economic Area (EEA)/European Free Trade Association (EFTA) defence industries. "If certain defence material is not immediately available from these countries for urgent delivery to Ukraine, a set of targeted derogations will apply to sourcing them from other countries," the release stated. The release further noted that the financial assistance will be disbursed in accordance with a financing strategy prepared by Ukraine and assessed by the European Commission, subject to approval by the European Council and that the funding will be conditional on Ukraine's continued commitment to democratic governance, the rule of law, protection of human rights, and anti-corruption reforms. The loan will be financed through common EU borrowing on capital markets and guaranteed by the EU's long-term budget. "The Commission has estimated the debt service costs at around EUR1 billion for 2027 and around EUR3 billion per year from 2028. Ukraine will be liable for the repayment of the principal of the loan once it receives war reparations from Russia," the release added. The legislative acts were adopted under Parliament's urgent procedure to facilitate rapid assistance. The proposal for the Ukraine support loan was approved with 458 votes in favour, 140 against, and 44 abstentions. Amendments to the Ukraine Facility and the 2021-2027 EU long-term budget (MFF) also secured majority backing. The package now requires formal adoption by the Council before the European Commission can disburse the first tranche, expected early in the second quarter of 2026. Reacting to the decision, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanked the European Parliament for its support. In a post on X, he said, "It is important that this is precisely the signal that must be sent to the aggressor. Ukraine will endure and can protect lives. Europe is united and strong, and it supports Ukraine. And all of this is funded by the very funds that Russia must repay." The EUR 90 billion support loan was agreed upon at the European Council meeting in Brussels on December 2025, and formally presented by the European Commission on January 14. The amount is intended to cover two-thirds of Ukraine's projected financial needs for the period concerned. (ANI) At least four people, including three children, were killed in a Russian drone attack in Bohodukhiv of Ukraine's Kharkiv region and left a pregnant mother injured, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Wednesday. In a post on X, Zelenskyy said a Russian drone struck a residential building in Bohodukhiv on Tuesday, in the Kharkiv region, leading to devastating consequences. The attack killed three children and their father and left their pregnant mother wounded, who was later taken to the hospital as she suffered from burn injuries. "Yesterday, the Russians struck a private house in Kharkiv with a drone. They killed three young children. Their father was also killed. My sincere condolences to the family and loved ones. The mother was hospitalised - the woman is pregnant and suffered burns," Zelenskyy said. He further stated that this morning, a drone strike targeted a city hospital in Zaporizhzhia, while in the Sumy region, six people -- including children -- were injured in an overnight drone attack, and one person was killed, with additional strikes reported in the Dnipro, Zaporizhzhia, and Poltava regions. He added that Russian attacks continue across the border communities and frontline regions. In Kherson alone, around 470 attack drones were launched over the past day; most were neutralised, though some hit their targets. Zelenskyy further said that infrastructure facilities were also targeted. The Ukrainian President also stressed that continued attacks undermine trust in diplomatic efforts to end the war, which will be entering its fourth year this month. "As long as Russia continues to kill people and destroy our infrastructure, there will not be sufficient public trust even in active diplomacy," he said, urging partners in the United States and Europe to understand the ground reality. Zelenskyy said Ukrainian diplomats would convey Kyiv's position on security to international partners and provide updates on the situation in affected regions. (ANI) "It was wonderful meeting Mr. Tufan Erginbilgic, CEO of Rolls-Royce earlier today. We welcome Rolls-Royce's enthusiasm towards scaling up its activities in India and partnering with our innovative and dynamic youth," the Prime Minister stated in his post," PM Modi said in a post on X. He made the remarks on a post by Rolls-Royce India in which the UK-based company said that CEO Erginbilgic met PM Modi to discuss how they are scaling up to be a part of Viksit Bharat. "Our CEO Tufan Erginbilgic met Hon'ble PM Shri @narendramodi today to discuss how Rolls-Royce is scaling up to be a part of Viksit Bharat, including expanding its GCC to be the largest globally, co-creating complex manufacturing and building high-value engineering capabilities," Royals Royce India said. The aero-engine maker said that Erginbilgic, along with Sashi Mukundan, Executive Vice President for India, discussed how Rolls-Royce's advanced technologies could support India's push for self-reliance in defence and other sectors. "Tufan Erginbilgic and Sashi Mukundan (India EVP) also spoke to the Hon'ble Prime Minister about how Rolls-Royce's advanced technologies can support India's Atmanirbhar journey in defence and critical sectors," the post added. Last month, the British High Commission in India posted on X that the UK-based aero-engine maker Rolls-Royce is looking to position India as its third 'home market' beyond the UK, unlocking exciting opportunities across jet engines, naval propulsion, and more. The British High Commission in India said this is a clear reflection of the growing cooperation in advanced engineering and innovation. India is a significant market for Rolls-Royce, with engineering centres, supply-chain partnerships, and collaborations with Indian aerospace and defence entities. (ANI) Home Adviser Lieutenant General Md Jahangir Alam Chowdhury (Retd) on Wednesday has warned that "strict" action will be taken against members of law enforcement agencies and election officials if incidents such as ballot box snatching, fraudulent voting or other irregularities take place during the national election, the Dhaka Tribune reported. He made the remarks on Wednesday while visiting the Operation Control Room at Police Headquarters and later inspecting the New Market and Mohammadpur police stations under the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP). According to Deputy Chief Information Officer Faisal Hasan, the adviser reviewed the overall law-and-order situation nationwide and assessed security arrangements for the election at the Police Headquarters. In the presence of Inspector General of Police (IGP) Baharul Alam and other senior officials, he also examined the use of body-worn cameras by police personnel. During his visits to the two police stations, the home adviser directed officers to fulfil their election responsibilities with integrity, professionalism, and dedication. Concluding his tour, he visited the Teachers' Training College centre in the capital, where election materials are being dispatched to different constituencies in Dhaka, the report added. Meanwhile, Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus will cast his vote at Gulshan Model School and College polling centre in the city on Thursday morning, the Dhaka Tribune reported. Prof Yunus will cast a vote in the 13th Parliamentary Election and the Referendum on the July National Charter, said the Chief Adviser's Press Wing on Wednesday afternoon. Voting is scheduled for tomorrow in Bangladesh (February 12). The results are expected to be confirmed on Friday, February 13. Following an intense 20-day official campaign period that concluded on February 10, authorities have now fully shifted to polling mode, with attention centred on voting-day logistics and security management. Over 12.77 crore eligible voters will elect representatives for 299 of the 300 parliamentary seats, with one seat postponed following a candidate's death. Alongside the parliamentary contest, voters will also participate in a concurrent national referendum on the July National Charter, a key document proposing major constitutional and institutional changes that could shape future governance. The Election Commission said ballot papers are being distributed to polling centres with stringent security measures in place, noting that logistical preparations involving thousands of election officials and security personnel have been completed. The European Union Election Observation Mission described the pre-poll atmosphere as "very positive," with Chief Observer Ivars Ijabs noting that stakeholders across districts and regions expressed a hopeful outlook, according to The Daily Star. The EU has deployed over 200 observers, including 60 long-term observers who have been active since early January and 90 short-term observers assigned to monitor voting and counting. Politically, the contest primarily pits candidates from two major alliances, one led by the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and the other by Jamaat-e-Islami. Despite the broadly positive outlook from authorities and observers, concerns persist in some regions regarding potential post-poll unrest. (ANI) Sri Lanka's Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) General Secretary Tilvin Silva and his delegation met Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Wednesday to discuss measures to boost tourism and strengthen cultural ties. The Sri Lankan delegation also visited ISRO's Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre and Vizhinjam Port, where they gained exposure to India's advancements in science and technology and the blue economy. In an official X post of 'India in Sri Lanka', the High Commission said, "JVP General Secretary Mr. Tilvin Silva and the delegation met Hon'ble Chief Minister of Kerala Shri Pinarayi Vijayan @pinarayivijayan. Discussions were focused on boosting tourism and cultural connect." It added, "The delegation also visited @isro Vikram Sarabhai Space Center and @PortOfVizhinjam, gaining exposure to India's advancements in Science & Tech and blue economy." https://x.com/IndiainSL/status/2021615050742710282 Earlier, on Monday, Sri Lanka's Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) General Secretary Tilvin Silva and his delegation paid a courtesy visit to Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel in Gandhinagar. Welcoming the delegation to Gujarat CM expressed confidence that India-Sri Lanka relations have strengthened under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He noted that the meeting would be productive in renewing momentum for the long-standing historical and cultural ties between the two nations. He emphasised that Gujarat, a policy-driven state, offers a range of sector-specific policies that Sri Lanka could benefit from. He also advocated mutual coordination between the State Government and Sri Lanka in areas of shared interest. According to an official release, the meeting discussed strategies to encourage more people from Gujarat to visit Sri Lanka for tourism. General Secretary of JVP was deeply touched during his first visit to India and Gujarat, the land of Mahatma Gandhi and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and shared his admiration for Gujarat's remarkable progress. He thanked the Central and State Governments for Gujarat's contribution to the exhibition in Colombo, Sri Lanka, which featured the sacred relics of Lord Buddha. Tilvin Silva also expressed appreciation for India's consistent support to Sri Lanka during times of need, including assistance in infrastructure development. He expressed keen enthusiasm for an industrial partnership between Gujarat and Sri Lanka. Recalling his visit to Amul, he conveyed a strong interest in learning from Gujarat's expertise, knowledge-sharing practices, and technical know-how across sectors, including the cooperative sector. The Chief Minister invited Sri Lanka to participate as a partner country in the upcoming Vibrant Summit 2027. He also shared detailed insights into the successful organisation of the Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit (VGGS), which, under the Prime Minister's guidance, showcases Gujarat's industrial strengths on the global stage. Chief Secretary MK Das, Additional Chief Secretary of the Industries Department Mamta Verma, Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister Sanjeev Kumar, Industries Commissioner Swaroop P, Additional Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister Vikrant Pandey, Secretary Ajay Kumar, and other senior officials joined the Chief Minister for the meeting. (ANI) US President Donald Trump on Wednesday said that his meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was a 'good' one. In his Truth Social post, Trump highlighted that while nothing definitive was reached, he encouraged continued negotiations with Iran to explore the possibility of a deal. He also referenced prior U.S. actions against Iran - "Midnight Hammer," which he said "did not work well for them." On June 21-22, 2025, under "Operation Midnight Hammer," the United States conducted strikes against Iranian nuclear infrastructure, targeting three key sites in Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan. Iran strongly condemned the operations, denouncing them as a blatant violation of international law and the UN Charter. Trump also addressed regional developments, noting discussions on the situation in Gaza and broader Middle East affairs "I have just finished meeting with Prime Minister Netanyahu, of Israel, and various of his Representatives. It was a very good meeting, the tremendous relationship between our two Countries continues. There was nothing definitive reached other than I insisted that negotiations with Iran continue to see whether or not a Deal can be consummated. If it can, I let the Prime Minister know that will be a preference. If it cannot, we will just have to see what the outcome will be. Last time Iran decided that they were better off not making a Deal, and they were hit with Midnight Hammer -- That did not work well for them," his post on Truth Social read. "Hopefully this time they will be more reasonable and responsible. Additionally, we discussed the tremendous progress being made in Gaza, and the Region in general. There is truly PEACE in the Middle East. Thank you for your attention to this matter! PRESIDENT DONALD J. TRUMP" it further added. Earlier in the day, Netanyahu met Trump at the White House, marking their sixth meeting since Trump returned to office in early 2025. "Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is now meeting with US President Donald Trump, at the White House," Israeli PM's Office said. https://x.com/IsraeliPM/status/2021637196135190958?s=20 He also met US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. https://x.com/IsraeliPM/status/2021620511818834400?s=20 "Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met, at Blair House in Washington, with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Prior to his meeting with President Trump at the White House, Prime Minister Netanyahu signed up, in the presence of Secretary of State Rubio, as a member of the Board of Peace," as per his office. Netanyahu said shortly before departing for Washington that Gaza would be among "a series of issues" to be discussed during his meeting with Trump, CNN reported. The US announced the start of the next phase of the Gaza ceasefire plan in mid-January, following the formation of a new committee intended to administer the battered enclave. (ANI) Algerian security used excess force to repress a march by thousands of residents in Relizane, a northwestern Algerian city 285 km from the capital, who waled through mud-filled streets on Saturday to protest what they described as the dark face of the new Algeria after weeks of devastating floods left the region isolated and without essential services. Protesters from the wilayas 38 communes denounced the collapse of key infrastructure, prolonged power and sanitation failures, and shortages of drinking water, fuel and basic food supplies. Many said on social media the situation had deteriorated sharply since the floods, accusing authorities of failing to provide meaningful assistance. Beyond brief visits from the governor and a short stopover by Interior Minister Said Sayoud two weeks earlier, residents say no concrete support has been delivered. The minister announced a series of commitments on instructions from President Abdelmadjid Tebboune, but locals say promises have not translated into action as the city remains heavily damaged. Videos circulating on social media showed large crowds demanding the restoration of essential services and access to indispensable goods such as potable water, electricity, fuel, milk, oil and legumes. Many also urged the construction of safer housing after several buildings collapsed in recent days. Anger intensified last Wednesday after a child was swept away and killed by rising waters of the Oued Rouaihia. Two other victims at least were deplored. Security forces were deployed in large numbers to disperse the demonstrations, with residents reporting forceful intervention by police. Protesters said the crackdown was intended to intimidate other Algerian cities facing similar hardships amid years of economic strain and increasingly harsh living conditions. As Relizane struggles to recover, state media have focused on unrelated regional narratives, prompting criticism from locals who accuse the government of deflecting attention from domestic crises rather than addressing urgent humanitarian needs on the ground. Residents said flood victims had been left to their own and abandoned for weeks, with communities cut off from drinking water, electricity, fuel and basic food supplies as authorities failed to deliver meaningful assistance. Human Rights Watch (HRW) and Amnesty International have condemned the Tunisian authorities prosecution and detention of prominent human rights lawyer Ahmed Souab, whose appeal trial is scheduled to open on February 12 at the Tunis Court of Appeal. Souab, a former administrative judge and long-standing critic of executive interference in the judiciary, was arrested on April 21, 2025 and sentenced in October 2025 to five years in prison after what Amnesty International describes as a grossly unfair trial that lasted just seven minutes. He has been held at El Mornaguia prison ever since, where both groups say his health has seriously deteriorated. Souab is behind bars simply for his defense work and outspoken views, HRW said in a statement, adding that his prosecution shows the sheer extent of the Tunisian authorities crackdown on any dissent. According to HRW, anti-terrorism agents arrested Souab after he publicly criticized due-process violations in the so-called conspiracy case, during which 37 defendants, including lawyers, activists and opposition figures, were sentenced on terrorism and security charges after what the group calls a sham trial. Amnesty International echoed HRWs demand, saying Tunisian authorities must overturn his conviction and immediately and unconditionally release him, stressing that Souab was prosecuted solely for his work as a lawyer and for exercising his right to freedom of expression. Souabs arrest is emblematic of a broader pattern of repression that has intensified since President Kais Saieds July 25, 2021 power consolidation, when he dismantled parliament and later dissolved the High Judicial Council. Both HRW and Amnesty International had documented repeated attacks on the judiciary since 2022, warning that the presidents moves have severely undermined the rule of law and enabled authorities to weaponize the judicial system against critics and dissidents. The Free Union of Press Workers of Mauritania has strongly criticized recent deductions from the salaries of public media employees, describing the measures as illegal and demanding their immediate reversal. In an official statement, the union highlighted that the deductions exceeded prior agreements reached with the Minister of Culture and his Secretary General, calling the move a reneging on official commitments that transforms intended reforms into a new form of injustice and professional inequality. The union further described the deductions, which reportedly reached over 38% of salaries, as a blatant theft of workers rights and a disregard for President Mohamed Ould Ghazouanis directives. Public media employees had previously voiced objections, asserting that the reductions violated agreements intended to regularize the status of retired staff. The union urged the authorities to engage in serious dialogue to address the issue and ensure fairness for all public media personnel. Morocco was elected Wednesday to the Peace and Security Council (PSC) of the African Union (AU) for a two-year mandate at this decision-making body of the AU. The Kingdom received more than two-thirds of the votes (34 votes) to gain a seat at the PSC. The election was held during the 48th ordinary session of the Executive Council of the African Union which is convening in Addis Ababa. The PSC is tasked with anticipating and preventing disputes and conflicts. Its missions also include undertaking peace-making and peace-building initiatives to resolve conflicts, authorizing the deployment of peace support missions, promoting peace, security and stability in Africa. Morocco had served at PSC from 2018 to 2020 and from 2022 to 2025. During these two mandates, the Kingdom contributed to improving working methods and good practices in coordination with the other member states within the frame of an inclusive approach. Morocco is taking part in the 48th ordinary session of the Executive Council of the AU with a delegation led by foreign minister Nasser Bourita. On the sidelines of this African event, Bourita and and his Comorian peer Mbae Mohamed signed a visa waiver agreement for holders of diplomatic and official passports of the two countries. Bourita held talks with several other African Foreign Ministers, including his peers from Ethiopia, Togo, Mauritius, Mauritania, Somalia, Botswana, Cote dIvoire, and Ghana. The AU 48th Ordinary Session of the Executive Council is being held ahead of the 39th African Union Summit, scheduled this February 1415. Moroccos election to the African Union Peace and Security Council (AU PSC) in a first-round vote is a strong acknowledgment of King Mohammed VIs role in maintaining peace and stability in Africa, said Minister of Foreign Affairs, Nasser Bourita, Following the vote on Wednesday in Addis Ababa. This election reflects the efforts of the King to advance a stable Africa, with an approach to conflict resolution grounded in reason, respect for international law, and the pursuit of peaceful solutions, Bourita told the press following Moroccos election to a two-year term on the Pan-African body. Its the third time in nine years since Moroccos return to the African Union in 2017 that the Kingdom has been elected to the PSC, one of the Unions key bodies responsible for crisis management and addressing Africas security and stability challenges, Bourita recalled. In line with the Monrchs vision, peace and stability cannot exist without development, he underlined. He also emphasized that the vote reflects recognition of Moroccos initiatives and approach in peace and security under the Sovereigns leadership, an approach based on a comprehensive vision linking development, mediation, peacekeeping operations, and the bridging of differing viewpoints. Through the experience accumulated during its previous mandates on the AU-PSC, Morocco is now well-positioned to strengthen its action and contribute positively to peace, security, and stability across Africa, the Foreign Minister stated. Morocco secured, at a first-round vote, more than two-thirds of the votes, 34 in total. The vote took place as part of the 48th Ordinary Session of the AU Executive Council. An American delegation from Great Neck, a village in Nassau County, New York, visited lately the Moroccan Saharan city of Dakhla to tap into the regions economic potential, identify its investment opportunities and strengthen cooperation ties between the twinned cities. Mayor of Great Neck Pedram Bral, who headed the business delegation, said the visit is part of the twinning agreement sealed with Dakhla, highlighting Moroccos assets including its geostrategic position, its growing trade with Africa, political stability, security, economic openness and attractiveness. He also lauded the Kingdoms modern health centers offering quality medical care, placing Morocco among top African medical tourism destinations. The American delegation visited Mohammed VI International University Hospital Center project in Dakhla and met with students from the local Mohammed VI University of Science and Health. In its 2025 Investment Climate report, the US government highlighte Moroccos emergence as a gateway to Africa, Europe, and the Middle East, positioning the country as a preferred destination for foreign direct investment (FDI) and regional manufacturing. Moroccos geographic location at the crossroads of three continents is complemented by world-class infrastructure, including Africas largest commercial port, Tanger-Med, and the upcoming Nador West Med and Dakhla Atlantic ports. These projects are part of Moroccos Atlantic Initiative, aimed at connecting landlocked Sahel countries to global trade routes. The Trump administration has earmarked $5 billion funding for the development of the Moroccan Sahara, set to become a major regional economic hub. Morocco remains the only African country with a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the United States. The FTA supports Moroccos ambition to become a regional financial and trade hub. Moroccos comprehensive approach to combating child Labor is based on prevention, protection, the legislative framework and intervention on the ground, said on Wednesday in Marrakesh Minister of Economic Inclusion, Small Enterprise, Employment and Skills, Younes Sekkouri. In his opening address at the 6th Global Conference on the Elimination of Child Labor, the minister said Moroccos societal project is driven by steadfast commitment to the respect of Childs rights, human rights and social justice. He cited in this regard the international conventions ratified by Morocco on The Rights of the Child, the minimum age to employment and the worst forms of child Labor. Morocco will continue its efforts to consolidate these achievements, through the development of social policies, strengthening social protection, support for vulnerable families, expanding access to education and strengthening control mechanisms, in close collaboration with civil society and all stakeholders, said the minister. We need today to move from technical approaches to a courageous approach, making the elimination of child Labor a real priority of public policy he stressed. United Nations Deputy Secretary-General Amina J. Mohammed called for addressing the root causes of child labor, notably poverty, inequality and the lack of decent work. In a video message broadcast at the opening ceremony of the conference, the UN official stressed that eliminating child labor actions must be part of broader strategies aimed at creating conditions in which families are not forced to make impossible choices. She further underlined the need to place social justice at the core of the collective response and to invest in quality education and the development of skills capable of opening up real opportunities for children. The UN official also pleaded for labor market policies that facilitate the transition from the informal economy to decent work, backed by robust and inclusive social protection systems. The Deputy Secretary-General said she was confident that the Marrakesh conference would reinforce the shared responsibility to translate our commitments into concrete action and ensure that every child has the opportunity to learn, grow, and shape their own future. The three-day World Conference on the Elimination of Child labor, which opened in Marrakesh, is bringing together government officials, representatives of employers and workers unions, civil society, regional & international organizations, the private sector, academia, as well as youth and childrens groups. Debates focus on the major persisting challenges related to the fight against child labor since the 5th Global Conference held in Durban in 2022, and on concrete and effective solutions to make a tangible impact on the lives of children currently engaged in child labor, laying the foundations for joint and sustained action beyond 2030. Surveillance footage of an armed suspect has been released by authorities investigating the disappearance of Savannah Guthrie's mother. Savannah Guthrie's mom is still missing Nancy Guthrie, 84, went missing on January 31, and by February 2 the Pima County Sheriff's office had declared her disappearance a crime, and now they have released images and a video of a person with a hat over their face wearing gloves, with the figure appearing to have tampered with a camera at the victim's front door. Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos wrote on X: "Working with our partners as of this morning, law enforcement has uncovered these previously inaccessible new images showing an armed individual appearing to have tampered with the camera at Nancy Guthrie's front door the morning of her disappearance. FBI Director Kash Patel also posted images and two videos of the individual on his X account. FBI Phoenix Public Affairs Officer Brooke Brennan said in a statement: "Over the last eight days, the FBI and Pima County Sheriffs Department have been working closely with our private sector partners to continue to recover any images or video footage from Nancy Guthries home that may have been lost, corrupted, or inaccessible due to a variety of factors, including the removal of recording devices. "The video was recovered from residual data located in backend system." Savannah and her siblings issued another urgend plea for help to find their mother on Monday (09.02.26) In a new Instagram video, the Today host said: "We believe our mom is still out there. We need your help. "Law enforcement is working tirelessly around the clock trying to bring her home trying to find her. She was taken and we dont know where. And we need your help. So Im coming on just to ask you not just for your prayers, but no matter where you are even if youre far from Tuscon. "If you see anything, if you hear anything, if theres anything at all that seems strange to you that you report to law enforcement. We are at an hour of desperation, and we need your help. On Thursday (05.02.26), the FBI offered a $50,000 reward for information leading to her being found, "and/or the arrested and conviction of anyone involved in her disappearance". Over the weekend, Savannah appeared in another video with her siblings Cameron and Annie as she revealed they are willing to "pay" for their mother's safe return. She said: "We received your message, and we understand. "We beg you now to return our mother to us so that we can celebrate with her. This is the only way we will have peace. This is very valuable to us, and we will pay." The video did not give details about the message Savannah referenced. In the coming weeks, media frenzy around the FY2025 results of Saudi oil and gas giant Saudi Aramco will intensify. The worlds largest listed oil company is ready to present its 2025 results, and analysts will be focusing on the companys dividends, but they should be watching other strategic issues, however. The Saudi giants financial arc in 20242025 shows the story of a behemoth caught between two irreconcilable demands: it needs not only to act as the Kingdoms principal fiscal engine but also to sustain the capital intensity needed, as it needs to remain a credible global energy operator. As Aramco reported last year that its net income for 2024 decreased by approximately 12% to about $106 billion, compared with $121 billion in 2023, the first warning signs emerged but seem not to have been taken into account until now. Still, no real worries spread through the market, as Aramco indicated that the fall in revenues was driven largely by weaker crude and refined product prices. Still, when looking back, it has become clear that this contraction has set the stage for a defining rupture in the companys financial model. The question now is what will be there for FY2025? The tension in the companys system is visible, as shown by the dramatic recalibration of Aramcos dividend policy. At present, based on current expectations and statements, Aramcos 2025 full-year dividends are expected to be $85.4 billion, still 30% lower than the $124 billion paid in 2024. These lower figures are not driven by managerial caprice but by declining free cash flow, lower oil prices, and an increasingly marginal performance-linked dividend component. In 2024, the performance-linked portion was tens of billions higher than the base payout. In 2025, this variable component is expected to be near zero. If this is the case, the real impact will be not only a reset of expectations for investors but also for Riyadhs sprawling fiscal apparatus. These issues will matter, as it should be reiterated that Aramco is not a typical publicly listed entity. At present, 80% of the company is owned by the Saudi government, while the Kingdoms sovereign wealth fund, PIF (the Public Investment Fund), owns another 16% of the shares. For the Kingdom, Aramcos dividends are not peripheral, but a central pillar of the Saudi budget. Also, dont forget that they are a critical source of income for Vision 2030 financing. If, as anticipated, there is a $40 billion shortfall in dividend transfers from 2024 to 2025, Riyadh and its extensive list of megaprojects will be directly affected. While looking at the above, it is interesting to see that Aramcos capital expenditure outlook remains elevated. For 2025, Aramcos capital expenditure (capex) guidance remains in the $52$58 billion range, with the majority allocated to upstream crude capacity and to expanding gas, refining, and petrochemical investments. This has been further underscored by the $11 billion Jafurah lease-and-leaseback deal, which has tied capital to the expansion of unconventional gas production. According to Aramco management, this is central to freeing up crude volumes for export and to anchoring a broader role in the energy system. There is, however, a stark trade-off behind this dynamic. If the company continues to prioritize dividend distributions to satisfy Riyadhs fiscal needs, the result will be a reduction in the envelope currently available for growth capital expenditures. This will be crucial, as Aramcos competitors and national champions in gas, LNG, and downstream integration are intensifying their own programs. If the Saudi giant, however, reallocates cash toward future-oriented capital expenditure, the Kingdoms budget will be hit by a shock. Riyadh will need to find alternative funding sources. This, as some reports already indicate, will lead to asset sales, debt issuance, or, as we will see in the coming days, the drawing down of reserves held by the PIF or sovereign coffers. These changes will certainly affect the ongoing Giga Projects under Vision 2030 and even more at a later date. Although Aramco is a national oil company with a primary focus on domestic production and investment, its investment profile also features a notable international dimension. Aramcos downstream and refining stakes in Asia, which entail strategic supply agreements, combined with increasing gas production capacity targets, are designed to position or even increase the company as a linchpin of global energy flows. While all these moves will enhance its long-term optionality, they will also demand patience, scale, and reliability. These factors or traits are now expected to clash increasingly with short-cycle dividend expectations. In the coming weeks, the market will test whether its expectations for 2025 are reflected not only in signals but also in results. Analysts expect a normalization of dividend yields, compared with the extraordinary payouts of 20222023. Some analysts still see Aramcos balance sheet and nominal dividend yield (often referenced at around 5 6 %) as very attractive on a relative basis. Still, such yield stability contradicts the underlying stress: lower overall payouts are putting pressure on fiscal planning, while sustaining capital expenditure commitments will risk further compressing free cash flow. This picture was already painted by the half-year financials, which reported lower revenue and net income compared with H12024. Again, the main reasons cited were lower prices and softening refined-product prices. Aramcos production volumes were, however, robust, while capital spending held steady. The H12025 report fully supported the companys deliberate choice to defend future supply capacity while the revenue contract is still in place. Aramco is spending heavily to maintain its strategic footprint. The latter, even in a situation in which cash available for distribution is shrinking. Where the market sometimes goes wrong is to forget that this contradiction is acute for the Kingdoms broader economic goals. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salmans Vision 2030 continues to depend heavily on high-profile investments in infrastructure, technology, and diversification. None of them is looking at low-cost environments; at present, the pressure is on. A reduced Aramco dividend immediately creates a financing gap that must be filled by alternative revenue streams or by redirecting capital that might otherwise have supported future growth, which is not considered preferable, at least in Riyadh. When examining the most strategic risk, it is clear that flexible capital may be eroded. The latter will become an increasingly pressing issue if free cash flow, formerly used to invest in bold upstream expansions, gas infrastructure, or downstream equity partnerships, is now competing with pressure to maintain dividend commitments. Aramcos navigation of this will be crucial, especially in 2026, given the financial environment surrounding it and the issues affecting Vision 2030 projects. Aramcos navigation of this trade-off will not only affect the companys balance-sheet health but also its global operational relevance in an energy order that is rapidly evolving or even changing strategies. The key indicator to examine in the FY2025 figures will be the relationship among cash flows from operations, capital expenditure execution, and dividend payouts. There is an increased chance that the pressure to choose between growth and distribution will intensify. Especially if operational cash generation falters (due to lower oil prices or downstream margins), it should be understood that sustained or improved cash flows will provide only a temporary buffer if supported by disciplined capital allocation. The latter will have to recognize the dual fiscal and strategic roles the Saudi oil giant inhabits. Aramcos future will be defined by how it arbitrates between serving as Saudi Arabias treasury and serving as its long-term energy strategist. Headline financials or revenues are not the main deal maker. Still, markets are largely focused on short-term payouts rather than strategy as a driver. For Aramco and the Kingdom (its owner), the main challenge will be to reverse that dynamic. By Cyril Widdershoven for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com The upward pressure on prices has persisted despite an estimated increase of 13.4 million barrels in U.S. crude oil inventories, with reports of the U.S. considering seizing sanctioned Iranian tankers also contributing to a larger risk premium. The oil market is closely watching U.S.-Iran negotiations and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's meeting with President Trump, where he is expected to ask for limits on Iranian uranium enrichment and support for groups like Hamas and Hezbollah. Oil prices, with WTI Crude near $65 and Brent Crude near $70, rose by over 1% early Wednesday due to ongoing tensions between the U.S. and Iran. Oil prices rose by 1% early on Wednesday as the U.S.-Iran tensions continue to rise and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is set to meet U.S. President Donald Trump. In morning trade in Europe on Wednesday, the U.S. benchmark, WTI Crude, was up by 1.39% to $64.85 per barrel. The front-month futures traded at $64.85. The international benchmark, Brent Crude, traded very close to the $70 per barrel mark, as it was up 1.29% on the day to $69.69. This week, the U.S.-Iran tensions and negotiations have been in the spotlight, with the oil market assessing the chances of a deal. Israels Netanyahu said before departing for Washington, D.C., I will present to the president our outlook regarding the principles of these negotiations. Israel is expected to ask President Trump to seek a deal that would put an end to Iranian uranium enrichment, and limit its support for Hamas and Hezbollah. The Prime Minister believes that any negotiations must include limiting ballistic missiles and ending support for the Iranian axis, Netanyahus office said ahead of his trip to the U.S. President Trump has warned the U.S. could send a second aircraft carrier to the region if the talks fail. The ongoing tensions have supported oil prices this week, although they wobbled in Tuesday trade after the American Petroleum Institute (API) estimated that crude oil inventories in the United States increased by a whopping 13.4 million barrels in the week ending February 6. The estimated increased more than offset the prior weeks draw of 11.1 million barrels. Reports that the U.S. was considering seizing sanctioned tankers carrying Iranian oil have also pushed prices higher. But such an action with Iran would be escalatory and would likely see the market needing to price in an even larger risk premium than it already is, given the potential for Iranian retaliation, ING's commodities strategists Warren Patterson and Ewa Manthey said in a Wednesday note. By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com Over the past decade, Chinas renewable energy and related clean technologies have emerged as the fastest-growing sectors of the economy, significantly outpacing the overall economy. Last year, Chinas clean energy investments hit a record 7.2 trillion yuan ($1 trillion), with the sector accounting for over 11% of GDP and growing three times faster than the overall economy. Indeed, Chinas "new three" namely solar, batteries, and electric vehicles contributed over 90% of the rise in the countrys overall investments. China continues to be particularly dominant in solar and wind energy technologies, with the nation installing 315 GW of solar and 119 GW of wind, exceeding the rest of the world combined. Still, fossil fuels remain critical to China's energy security and industrial base, providing over 80% of primary energy and over 60% of electricity production. Coal is the ornerstone of Chinas energy sector, providing over 50% of electricity generation and roughly 60-70% of total primary energy consumption. China consumes over 4 billion tons of coal annually, accounting for more than 50% of the entire world's coal consumption. In 2023, data indicated that China's coal consumption continued to rise, with imports reaching a record 474 million tons. This makes China the world's largest coal consumer and importer. Despite massive investments in renewables, coal continues to play an outsized role in fueling the economy, ensuring energy security and powers industrial sectors like steel, with new coal-fired power projects continuing to be built at a rapid clip. Construction of new coal-powered plants hit a 10-year high in 2024, with the country initiating development of 94.5 gigawatts (GW) of new coal-power capacity and also resumed building of 3.3 GW that was previously suspended. The heavy reliance on coal has led to significant air pollution and carbon emissions, despite Chinas President Xi Jinping pledging to "strictly control" coal expansion and "phase down" consumption. And oil, too, remains critical to Chinas energy security and industrial growth, representing roughly one-fifth of its energy mix and powering transport and petrochemical sectors. China consumes approximately 16.3 to 16.4 million barrels per day (b/d) of oil, making it the world's second-largest consumer. As of 2024, the country imported roughly 11.1 million b/d of crude oil to meet this demand, representing about 74% of its consumption. Related: Equinor Looks Overseas to Keep the Barrels Flowing Projections for 2025 suggest total oil demand averaged around 16.74 million b/d. Russia, Saudi Arabia, and Iraq are Chinas key suppliers of crude, with imports from Russia exceeding 2 million barrels per day (bpd), representing roughly 20% or more of China's total imports. Around 900,000 bpd of Russian oil is delivered via pipeline, with the rest coming by sea, often using a "shadow fleet" to bypass Western sanctions. Not surprisingly, China is also aggressively expanding domestic oil production, with output reaching a record high of 4.3 million b/d in 2025 from 3.8 million b/d in 2020, thanks to intensified exploration, particularly in offshore and unconventional reserves. Offshore oil production is a major driver of Chinas domestic oil production, accounting for over 60% of new output for five consecutive years in large part due to increased investment by state-owned companies, including CNOOC, CNPC, Sinopec. The push is part of the 2019-2025 "Seven-Year Action Plan" which focused on increasing upstream, domestic production to ensure energy security, even with the parallel push for green energy and electric vehicles. However, the high cost of extracting from mature fields means domestic output cannot keep pace with demand, leaving a large gap that must be filled by imports. Meanwhile, natural gas acts as a critical "bridge fuel" in China's energy transition, helping to reduce reliance on coal, improve air quality and balance intermittent renewable energy. As the worlds third-largest consumer of natural gas, China is growing its natural gas usage for industrial, residential, and power generation, with projections indicating that gas will play a major role in achieving carbon neutrality. China's natural gas consumption hit ~428 billion cubic meters (bcm) in 2024, marking a steady increase from 330 bcm in 2020. China relies on a mix of domestic production and imports, with demand driven largely by the industrial and city-gas sector. China's imports of Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) imports are projected to rebound in the current year, with projections of up to a 10% Y/Y increase to nearly 76 million metric tons, following a ~10% decline in 2025 due to high domestic production and weaker demand. China is the world's largest importer of LNG, with Australia, Qatar, and Russia supplying the bulk of imports. China also imports large amounts of gas via pipeline, primarily from Russia and Turkmenistan via the Power of Siberia (Russia) and the Central Asia-China Gas Pipeline. That said, China is poised to maintain its dominance in the global clean energy sector not only due to heavy investments and technological leadership but also due to its rare earths hegemony. China maintains a commanding, near-monopolistic hold on the global rare earth elements (REEs) supply chain, controlling approximately 60-70% of mining and over 90% of processing and refining. Neodymium and dysprosium are essential for high-strength permanent magnets in electric motors, significantly increasing power density and efficiency. Permanent magnets (using neodymium, dysprosium, and praseodymium) are used in wind turbines to improve performance, particularly for offshore, direct-drive turbines that require no gearbox. While not used directly in PV modules, REEs like yttrium, lanthanum, and cerium are used in specialized solar inverters, sensors and converter components. By Alex Kimani for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com Teslas energy business could become $20 billion to $50 billion more valuable if Elon Musks plan to build 100 gigawatts of yearly solar cell manufacturing capacity in the United States pans out, analysts at Morgan Stanley say. The solar opportunity is underestimated, Musk told analysts on Teslas Q4 earnings call last month. We think the best way to add significant capability to the grid is solar and batteries on Earth and solar in space, he added. As Musk sees opportunities in the solar manufacturing business, Tesla will be working towards getting 100 gigawatts a year of solar cell production integrating across the entire supply chain from raw materials all the way to finished solar panels, the Tesla CEO said. Tesla has struggled to move its current Solar Roof offering toward mainstream adoption. Now the company wants to build 100 GW a year of solar manufacturing capacity, which, if achieved, would easily make it the top U.S. solar manufacturer. First Solar, currently the biggest U.S. solar manufacturer, said in November that it expects 14 GW of American manufacturing capacity in 2026, and 17.7 GW in 2027, thanks to new facilities it is building in Louisiana and South Carolina. Teslas 100-GW ambition will need significant investment of between $30 billion and $70 billion, Morgan Stanley analysts wrote in a note this week, as carried by MarketWatch. The reward could be significant, too, if Musks plan becomes feasible in the next few years and isnt just another promise on which Teslas boss would struggle to deliver within an initially set timeframe. It is not clear how Tesla would finance the massive push into solar manufacturing. Its chief financial officer, Vaibhav Taneja, said on the earnings call that this year is going to be a huge investment year from a capex perspective. Tesla expects capex to top $20 billion in 2026, with spending on six factories and building an AI compute infrastructure, and continued investment in existing factories to build more capacity. This capex does not include potential investments in solar cell manufacturing, Taneja noted. The huge solar manufacturing expansion could boost the equity value of Teslas energy business by between $20 billion and $50 billion, according to Morgan Stanley. Currently, Teslas energy business is valued at Morgan Stanley at about $140 billion, or $40 per sharethats 10% of the banks $415 share price target on Tesla. So a significant ramp-up of Teslas solar business could boost the value of its energy business to $190 billion. Tesla is considering multiple sites across the U.S., with New York, Arizona, and Idaho being evaluated to host its solar manufacturing capacity, sources with knowledge of the plans told Bloomberg News last week. The company is already hiring for the 100-GW solar manufacturing drive, according to job postings on LinkedIn by senior Tesla executives. This is an audacious, ambitious project. We need audacious, ambitious engineers and scientists to help us grow to massive scale, Seth Winger, senior manager for solar products engineering at Tesla, wrote two weeks ago. A fully scaled vertically-integrated solar business could generate $25 billion in annual revenues for Tesla, according to Morgan Stanleys analysts. We believe the decision to allocate capital to adding solar capacity may be justified by the value creation and growth opportunities that having a vertically integrated solar [plus] energy-storage business can yield, Morgan Stanleys analysts wrote. Tesla has recently started up the largest and most advanced lithium refinery in the United States. The Corpus Christi, Texas, refinery converts spodumene ore directly into battery-grade lithium hydroxide, in a first-of-its-kind process in North America. It is another step toward the U.S. goal of having domestic refined lithium resources to counter Chinas market dominance. Massive-scale solar manufacturing at Tesla could lessen dependence on Chinese solar products, too, apart from boosting the companys energy business at a time when its electric vehicle sales are wavering but power demand is soaring with the AI infrastructure boom. By Charles Kennedy for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com The global clean energy transition hinges on the continued advancement and integration of energy storage, and especially utility-scale and long-term models. As the world adds renewable energy capacity at a breakneck pace, keeping up with supportive infrastructure additions is integral to maintaining energy security. While solar panels and wind turbines get all the attention, power lines and battery packs are just as critical, if far less glamorous. In fact, energy storage is quickly heating up to be clean energys next trillion-dollar business. Researchers around the world are racing to discover next-gen battery tech that will put them at the vanguard of this massive emerging sector. So far, China is dominating the sector, having surpassed its own ambitious energy storage capacity goals years ahead of schedule. China is also leading the pack in terms of battery making in general. In an increasingly electrified world, this gives Beijing a critical geopolitical edge in virtually every corner of the energy and tech sectors. In 2024, more than 8 in 10 battery cells on the planet were made in China. After decades of quiet growth, firms such as CATL, BYD, Gotion High-Tech, and Envision are now primary suppliers for the worlds EVs and energy grids, a Wired report writes about Chinas leading battery manufacturers. The World Economic Forum reports that Chinas energy storage sector is evolving into a new driving force in the countrys otherwise plateaued economy. As of the January 2025 report, the sector had drawn in more than 100 billion yuan (about $13.9 billion) in investment since 2021 alone, driving further expansion of upstream and downstream industrial chains. China has blown the rest of the competition away in terms of overall clean energy spending, not just in terms of energy storage and EVs. In 2023, China alone spent more on clean energy than the next 10 largest spenders combined. As a result of this spending and of a years-long campaign to become the worlds first and overwhelmingly dominant electro-state, China controls the market for many of the most promising energy storage technologies and other next-gen batteries, and is also the cheapest place to produce them. But a new battery breakthrough in Canada may just give China a run for its money. Torontos NEO Battery Materials has announced that its drone batteries have achieved a game-changing 50 percent capacity improvement, in addition to a 40 percent increase in energy density, making them more powerful than the market standard set by Chinese firms. Critically, the Canadian company achieved this breakthrough without changing the size of the battery. According to a press release from NEO, the newly developed NBM Drone Cell, intended for reconnaissance and surveillance applications, achieves an average discharge capacity of 34.2 amp-hours (Ah) and energy density of approximately 300 watt-hours-per-kilogram (Wh/kg), compared to 22.0 Ah and 214 Wh/kg in widely deployed commercial drone cells manufactured in China. As such, the company claims that its breakthrough is key to addressing critical supply chain concentration and security concerns. NEO is currently negotiating deals with potential military customers, including the South Korean government, "and is rolling out products for automotive customers, too, according to a recent report from Semafor. While the applications of this particular battery type may be narrow, it bodes well for a more diverse and resilient energy storage sector overall. Indeed, localizing battery supply chains is one of the most critical priorities for the future of the battery industry. And governments around the world have made new policies to try to achieve these goals. But for globally competitive battery manufacturing industries to emerge outside of Asia over the next ten years, companies will need to do far more than ensure regulatory compliance, summarizes a January McKinsey & Company report. Challenges will need to be overcome on multiple fronts spanning supply chains, talent management, operations and technology. All of this is to say, while individual breakthroughs like NEOs battery performance are critical baby steps toward leveling the playing field, they are just that baby steps. A much greater and more coordinated effort is needed to create a healthier and more sustainable energy and tech economy. By Haley Zaremba for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com Syrias attempt to rebuild its oil and gas sector entered a new phase in January 2026, when forces of the al-Sharaa government pushed into territories long controlled by the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and forced a new ceasefire. Under the agreement reached on January 18, Damascus assumed administrative and security control over all major oil and gas assets previously held by the SDF in the northeast of the country. For the first time since 2011, the Damascus government regained effective authority over most of the countrys hydrocarbon resources, reopening a vital revenue stream but also exposing the sector to renewed political and commercial risk. Before the conflict, Syria produced about 380,000 b/d of oil and 25.5 Mcm/d of natural gas. As fighting spread following the onset of Syrias bloody civil war in 2011, output collapsed. Oil production fell by roughly 80% to around 30,000 b/d in the first years of the conflict, while gas output halved to about 12 Mcm/d. Gas declined less sharply because most major fields are located in the Palmyra basin near Damascus, which remained relatively secure and under government control. Oil, by contrast, is concentrated in northeastern Syria, where fighting was the most intense. These heavy-oil fields were controlled for years by the SDF, the main rivals of the Assad-led central government. As long as these areas remained outside state control, Syrias energy recovery remained structurally constrained. After the fall of al-Assads regime in late 2024, throughout 2025, negotiations between the government and the SDF continued intermittently while clashes persisted. The balance shifted in January 2026, when government forces advanced into SDF-held territory and secured a new ceasefire. Damascus assumed control over Deir ez-Zor and Raqqa governorates and over all major oil and gas assets that were previously held by the SDF, including the Al-Omar and Tanak oilfields and the Conoco gas plant. Related: Libya Awards First Oil Blocks In 20 Years to Chevron and Europes Oil Majors Syrias investment breakthrough also began after the fall of Bashar al-Assads regime, when Western governments gradually eased economic restrictions. In June 2025, the US lifted sanctions on the Syrian Petroleum Company (SPC), following similar steps by the EU and the UK. Banking restrictions were relaxed and limited access to SWIFT was restored. However, the first to come back to the country were Gulf partners. Saudi Arabia emerged as a central partner, signing agreements in August 2025 covering gas field development, drilling, processing and solar projects, while the Saudi Electricity Company agreed to cooperate on power generation and grid infrastructure. In November, UAE-based Dana Gas signed a deal to evaluate existing gas fields, and in December Saudi Arabia added four further energy agreements. Gas, less damaged than oil infrastructure and directly linked to chronic electricity shortages, became the main focus of early reconstruction and investment. The World Bank approved a $146 million four-year programme to stabilise transmission and distribution networks. Syria also resumed gas exploration, launching four wells near Damascus in Al-Tuwani in late 2025, with first output expected in mid-2026. A Qatar-led consortium pledged $7 billion to build new gas-fired power plants, and in August 2025 Syria began importing Azerbaijani gas via Turkey through the KilisAleppo pipeline, targeting volumes of about 1.2 billion cubic metres a year. Western re-engagement has been cautious and limited in scope so far. Syrias oil sector remains highly exposed to risks, shaping investor behaviour. In late January 2026, Shell announced it would exit its stake in the Al-Omar field and transfer it to the SPC. The company had lacked access to the asset during years of SDF control and chose not to re-engage after the takeover, consistent with its broader retreat from high-risk jurisdictions, including earlier withdrawals from Iraqs Majnoon field in 2018 and Nigerias onshore assets in 2024. Although the CEO of the SPC announced plans to award exploration licences to TotalEnergies and Eni, the European majors remain cautious. This way, the most likely new entrants are US companies, which benefit from strong political and security backing. In November 2025, ConocoPhillips signed preliminary agreements with the SPC and Novaterra to develop gas assets and expand exploration. On February 4, Chevron and Qatar-based Power International Holding signed a memorandum of understanding with the SPC for the development of the countrys prospective offshore oil and gas assets, with plans to start first drillings already in summer 2026. Alongside Western and Gulf re-engagement, Russia remains the most active external player both before and after the war. Russian companies were present even before 2011, when Tatneft began operating in Deir ez-Zor under a PSA with the SPC. Exploration halted after the conflict erupted, but Moscows role expanded during the war through security-linked arrangements that granted small Russian firms access to oilfields captured from the Islamic State by Russian-backed private forces. Under al-Assad, Iran became Syrias main oil supplier, providing most imported crude and fuel under sanctions and keeping refineries operational. That support ended after the regimes collapse in late 2024, allowing Russia to move quickly into the gap. From early 2025, Moscow began shipping crude and refined products to Syria, starting with ARCO blend cargoes in March effectively preventing refinery shutdowns followed by Urals crude and clean products. In January 2026, Russian exports of crude and fuels to Syria reached about 115,000 b/d, according to Kpler data. The Syrian government began testing crude exports after sanctions were eased in mid-2025, with the SPC probing demand in Mediterranean markets. One crude oil cargo sailed from the Tartous terminal in September 2025 ultimately bound to Sardinia, home to Vitols Saras refinery, one of the regions most sophisticated facilities. Syrian crude is difficult to market: it is heavy (around 23 degrees API), high in sulphur (about 4%), and, according to Energy Intelligence, with a big water cut. Only complex refiners capable of processing contaminated heavy grades can absorb such barrels. The main attraction, however, is price. SPC cargoes were reportedly offered at around $10 discount to Brent, making them the cheapest sanction-free heavy crude in the Mediterranean region. Refiners willing to take on these operational challenges stand to gain most from Syrias return to oil markets. The uneven return of foreign capital to post-Assad Syria reflects intensifying geopolitical competition, as Russian and Western interests increasingly converge on the same energy assets and infrastructure. Moscow is seeking to preserve the privileged economic and political position it built during the war and reinforced through fuel supplies, while Western governments and companies view energy engagement as a channel for stabilisation and political influence. For Damascus, managing this rivalry has become a central political task. Russia remains a key partner, offering geographic proximity, logistical access, and reliable fuel flows, while Western involvement brings capital, technology, and international legitimacy. Security considerations underpin this balance: Washingtons decision to limit support for Kurdish forces and shift backing toward Damascus weakened the SDF, enabling the January 2026 takeover of key oilfields, and making Western military and diplomatic support the main external guarantee of Syrias territorial consolidation. Syrias energy recovery is therefore inseparable from its foreign policy alignment. The government must rely on Russia for immediate stability while signalling loyalty to Western partners to secure long-term investment and security guarantees. Gas-linked power generation is likely to recover first, reflecting its role in economic and social stabilisation. Oil output will recover more slowly, constrained by infrastructure damage, investor caution and political risk. Whether Damascus can navigate this perfect storm of competing interests and convert regained oilfields into sustainable growth, rather than renewed dependency, will determine the durability of its post-war settlement. By Natalia Katona for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com Syria expects to award oil and gas exploration licenses to major international oil firms as it looks to tap its estimated huge reserves, the chief executive of the state-owned Syrian Petroleum Company told the Financial Times in remarks published on Wednesday. There is a lot of land in the country that has not been touched yet. There are trillions of cubic metres of gas, Youssef Qablawi, CEO of Syrian Petroleum Company, told the FT. Syria is tapping U.S. firms Chevron and ConocoPhillips and European majors TotalEnergies and Eni to help it drill for oil and gas and revive the countrys hydrocarbon industry following more than a decade of civil war, Qablawi said. Last week, Chevron signed a memorandum of understanding with Qatari firm UCC Holding and the Syrian Petroleum Company to explore for oil and gas offshore Syria, a region lying between major gas discoveries in Israel and Egypt. Chevron is expected to begin work on the offshore block within two months, Qablawi told FT. TotalEnergies and QatarEnergy are considering investing in a second exploration license, the executive added. U.S. firm ConocoPhillips could also express interest, while the Syrian company is also looking to tap Italian major Eni, according to Qablawi. The executive is set to meet with BP executives in London this week to discuss a potential involvement of the UK supermajor. Syria would be open to Russian and Chinese collaboration, too, Qablawi told FT. In November, the Syrian Petroleum Company signed a memorandum of understanding with ConocoPhillips and Novaterra Energy to develop several gas fields and launch exploration programs for new fields. As the Syrian government recently regained control over key oil and gas fields in the Deir ez-Zor and Al-Raqqah provinces, domestic production is set to rebound this year, Wood Mackenzie said last month. The energy consultancy estimates that Syria holds remaining discovered oil and gas resources of at least 1.3 billion barrels of oil equivalent (boe), with large areas of the country still underexplored. Syrias offshore sector remains entirely untapped, with no exploration wells drilled to date. WoodMac expects gas-focused operators to re-enter first in Syria, due to the comparatively safer operating environment in the Palmyride Basin and the strategic priority of power generation. By Charles Kennedy for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com A man detained for questioning over Nancy Guthrie's disappearance has been released by authorities. Savannah Guthrie and her family still don't know where Nancy is Today show presenter Savanna Guthrie's 84-year-old mother has been missing since January 31 with the Pima County Sheriff's Department and the FBI joining forces to try and find her. On Tuesday (10.02.26), authorities detained an individual south of Tucson and brought them in for questioning, but not charged. Now, CNN affiliate KNXV has reported that the man has now been released, while investigators have finished searching a property in Rio Rico. Reporter Lillian Donahue says her colleagues spoke to a man who said he was detained for questioning as part of the search for Nancy. The journalist said he told them "he didnt even know who this woman (Nancy Guthrie) was, that he works as a delivery driver". In a video interview with KNXV, the man explained that his wife pulled over after noticing they were being followed by police. He added: "They told me I was being detained for kidnapping. I asked them, kidnapping of who? I told them I might have delivered a package to their house but I never kidnapped anybody. In a statement, Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos confirmed that the department had someone in for questioning. He said: "Earlier today, Pima County Sheriff's Department deputies detained a subject during a traffic stop south of Tucson. "The subject is currently being questioned in connection to the Nancy Guthrie investigation. "Additional information will be released as it becomes available." The update came hours after the Pima County Sheriff's office released images and a video of a person with a hat over their face wearing gloves, with the figure appearing to have tampered with a camera at the victim's front door. Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos wrote on X: "Working with our partners as of this morning, law enforcement has uncovered these previously inaccessible new images showing an armed individual appearing to have tampered with the camera at Nancy Guthrie's front door the morning of her disappearance." FBI Director Kash Patel has also posted images and two videos of the individual on his X account. FBI Phoenix Public Affairs Officer Brooke Brennan said in a statement: "Over the last eight days, the FBI and Pima County Sheriffs Department have been working closely with our private sector partners to continue to recover any images or video footage from Nancy Guthries home that may have been lost, corrupted, or inaccessible due to a variety of factors, including the removal of recording devices. "The video was recovered from residual data located in backend system." The FBI is offering a $50,000 reward for information leading to her being found, "and/or the arrested and conviction of anyone involved in her disappearance". Indias government has asked refiners to consider buying more crude cargoes from the U.S. and Venezuela on the spot market as Indian oil purchases are under scrutiny following the trade deal with the United States. Indian refiners are steering clear of Russian crude in the wake of the trade deal with the United States, which the White House said includes Indias commitment to stop directly or indirectly importing Russian Federation oil. The 25% tariff on India that President Donald Trump placed in August 2025, due to Indias purchases of Russian crude, is now removed. India, however, has not officially confirmed it would halt all purchases of Russian crude oil. Indian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said last week that energy security and diversification of crude supplies would be paramount in sourcing. Yet, there are indications that India is pressed to boost purchases of U.S. crude and seek Venezuelan oil, for which the U.S. has tapped traders Vitol and Trafigura to sell it. Indian buyers are being asked to prioritize U.S. and Venezuelan crude in tenders on the spot market, executives at refineries with knowledge of the situation told Bloomberg on Wednesday. India could reasonably boost its U.S. crude intake to about 400,000 barrels per day, up from an estimated 225,000 bpd it imported last year, analysts say. However, price, sulfur content, and shipping costs from the more distant U.S. coast will also play a role in Indian refiners procuring decisions, considering that they prefer the cheapest non-sanctioned supply possible. At the same time, Indias largest private refiner, Reliance Industries, has reportedly started buying Venezuelan crude again, securing the first Indian purchase of oil from the worlds top reserves holder since the U.S. took control of Venezuelas oil sales early last month. So far this year, Indian refiners have boosted purchases of West Africa and the Middle East crudes to replace lost Russian supply. By Charles Kennedy for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com Libya's state-owned National Oil Corporation (NOC) has announced U.S. Oil & Gas major Chevron (NYSE:CVX) among the winners of its first oil and gas licensing round in nearly two decades, signaling a major push to revive the country's hydrocarbon sector. The bidding round also awarded exploration and production rights to several foreign companies, including Italys Eni S.p.A. (NYSE:E), Spains Repsol S.A. (OTCQX:REPYY), QatarEnergy and Nigerias Aiteo. Chevron secured an onshore Sirte S4 (also referred to as Contract Area 106) exploration license, reflecting a strategic reentry into Libya's oil sector. Chevron's return aligns with its strategy to focus on high-impact exploration in Africa, following its exit in 2010 following unsuccessful efforts. Onshore Area 106 in Libyas Sirte Basin is a high-potential, active exploration zone that recently saw a significant oil and gas discovery in late 2025 by Austria's OMV AG (OTCPK:OMVJF). Located in the heart of Libya's primary hydrocarbon province, this block covers approximately 7,000 square kilometers and is considered a key area for Libyas goalie to boost production to 2 million barrels per day by 2028. Eni and QatarEnergy were awarded offshore Area 01 in the Mediterranean's gas-rich Cyrenaica zone, reinforcing a strategic partnership in the region, while Repsol Consortium, led by Spain's Repsol (including Hungary's MOL and Turkey's state-owned TPOC) won Offshore Area 07. Meanwhile, Nigeria's Aiteo secured the Murzuq M1 license in the southern basin, marking a rare entry for an African independent in the country's upstream sector. Libya holds over 48 billion barrels of oil, often high-quality, light-sweet crude, and significant gas resources. Western oil majors are making a comeback to Libya thanks to the countrys massive, high-quality hydrocarbon reserves--the largest in Africa--coupled with an improvement in security following the 2020 ceasefire. Driven by the need to secure supplies and counter Russian influence in the Mediterranean, the majors have been flocking to the country as they try to stake their claims despite ongoing instability and dangerous government rivalry. By Alex Kimani for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com Russias biggest LNG producer and exporter, Novatek, reported on Wednesday a 60% slump in its profit for 2025 from a year earlier. Profit attributable to shareholders of Novatek plunged to $2.37 billion (183 billion Russian rubles) last year, down from $6.38 billion (493 billion rubles) for 2024. Novatek said that its normalized profit in 2025 was significantly negatively affected by one-off non-cash items, the effect of which amounted to $3.9 billion (301 billion rubles). The company did not disclose what these one-off non-cash items were. Last year, Novateks Arctic LNG-2 export project started shipments to China as the facility and its sales are under U.S., EU, and UK sanctions and Western customers arent buying LNG from it. The project was sanctioned in 2023 and 2024 as the West was attempting to force a reduction in Russias oil and gas revenues that Moscow uses to fund the war in Ukraine. While Arctic LNG-2 managed to ramp up sales to China, it is constrained by the sanctions and Novatek cannot realize the full potential of the export project on the Gydan peninsula. Russia and China seem unfazed by the U.S. and European sanctions on Arctic LNG 2 as deliveries continued into the new year. The project operator, Novatek, has recently started using the Suez Canal route as severe winter conditions have limited access to the Northern Sea Route from Russias Arctic to China. Despite the sanctions, Russia and China have been trading LNG since the first cargo from Russia arrived at the Beihai terminal in China in August last year. Russia is also keeping its sanctioned LNG trade with China alive during the winter thanks to one ice-class vessel capable of ploughing through the thick Arctic ice. The sanctioned Christophe De Margerie ice-class LNG tanker exporting cargoes from the Arctic LNG 2 project, vessel-tracking data compiled by Bloomberg showed last month. By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com Record demand for gas turbines has pushed Siemens Energys order book to an all-time high as well, amid soaring electricity demand that, it appears, cannot be entirely met with new wind and solar. The German major reported an order increase of over 30% in the first quarter of its fiscal year, bringing total orders to 17.6 billion, or almost $21 billion. Siemens Energys fiscal year runs from October 1 to September 30 the next year. Gas Services delivered its strongest quarter ever in terms of order intake, booking 102 gas turbines. 12 gigawatts were converted from existing reservation agreements, at and the same time 12 gigawatts of new reservations, Siemens Energy said. It added that 40% of its new gas turbine orders came from the United States, with another 35% coming from Europe and the remainder originating in the Middle East and China. The numbers are evidence that demand for gas-fired electricity generation is strong in all key markets. Siemens Energy also reported upbeat results for its grid technology division, saying Growth was driven by robust demand across both products and solutions. The US contributed with several data-center-related orders amounting to a high triple-digit-million-euro volume. Globally, customers are accelerating investments in transmission capacity to integrate rising power capacities and strengthen grid stability. The German majors wind and solar division, meanwhile, was in the red although it said the earnings numbers had improved, with the loss shrinking from a year earlier. Earlier this month, Siemens Energy announced investment plans of $1 billion to boost the production of grid equipment, as power generation and transmission become hot investment areas right now. This is thanks to the strong growth in electricity demand driven by the fat growth in data center construction to power artificial intelligence rollout. Indeed, some have warned there may be a gas turbine shortage on the horizon due to the imbalance between demand and supply. By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com French supermajor TotalEnergies has taken full control of a refinery in Zeeland, the Netherlands, which it co-owned with Russias Lukoil, Reuters has reported, citing two unnamed sources. TotalEnergies had acquired Lukoils 45% interest in the facility for an undisclosed sum, the Reuters sources told the publication. The takeover of the refinery may have also taken the form of an asset swap deal with the Russian major, the report also said. Reuters recalls that Lukoil bought the 45% stake in the Zeeland refinery from the French company back in 2009 for $725 million. Due to Lukoils minority shareholding, the Dutch refinery was not a formal target for U.S. sanctions imposed on the Russian major last November, one of the unnamed sources told Reuters but TotalEnergies took over the stake on concern about possible problems with oil supplies that could become the target of sanction action from the United States. Lukoils pending sale of international operations was also a reason for the takeover, Reuters noted. Earlier this year, the Russian company struck a deal with Carlyle for its global assets, with the exception of its Kazakh assets in the Caspian Sea. The agreement is non-exclusive and remains subject to several conditions, most notably regulatory approvals, including clearance from the U.S. Treasury Departments Office of Foreign Assets Control. Lukoil said it was continuing parallel negotiations with other potential buyers, underscoring that the transaction is not yet finalized. Earlier this month, unnamed sources told Reuters again that Chevron, together with Texas-based Quantum Energy Partners, as well as a group led by investment bank Xtellus continued talks with Lukoil and U.S. officials to buy the Russian firms international assets. Lukoil announced its plans to sell its international business last October, after the U.S. slapped sanctions on it and RosneftRussias two largest oil exporters. By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com The Trump Administration has further eased the sanctions on Venezuelas oil industry by allowing U.S. firms to provide services and technology for hydrocarbon exploration and production in the South American country. The U.S. Treasurys Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) noted in a new general license that U.S. entities or persons are now authorized to provide goods, technology, software, or services for the exploration, development, or production of oil or gas in Venezuela under certain limited conditions. Since the capture of Nicolas Maduro in early January, the U.S. Administration has taken control of Venezuelan oil sales, which are being handled by top traders Vitol and Trafigura, and has started to ease some of the restrictions on the domestic industry. U.S. President Donald Trump has touted Venezuelas oil as a creator of tremendous wealth for industry and great wealth for the American people. This license essentially allows oilfield services giants such as Halliburton and SLB to work in Venezuela. Halliburton and SLB are expected to return to Venezuela operations. Halliburton CEO Jeff Miller told analysts on the Q4 earnings call that he is confident that we could move fairly quickly in Venezuela. We're working through the mechanics around license and things that we're certain will get in place, Miller said last month. SLBs chief executive, Olivier Le Peuch, said on the earnings call at the end of January that the oilfield services giant remains confident that with appropriate licensing, safety parameters, and compliance measures in place, we can rapidly ramp up activities in support of the oil and gas industry in Venezuela. We are excited and we are already receiving a lot of inquiries from our customers, Le Peuch added. While this weeks general license authorizes the provision of certain services and technology, with prior approval of the U.S. Administration, it does not include any transaction involving Russian, Iranian, Chinese, Cuban, or North Korean entities. The license does not authorize the formation of new joint ventures or other entities in Venezuela to explore or produce oil or gas, either. Currently, Chevron is the only U.S. company producing oil and authorized to export the oil from Venezuela. By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com By Taxpayers Association of Oregon OregonWatchdog.com SB 1581 had a hearing today. The bill explanation is Requires school districts to offer lunch and breakfast to students at no charge, regardless of income. Amendments and discussion on SB 1581 added that it may allow exceptions such as only letting a school provide the breakfast for students under the poverty level by 300%. Others want free breakfast for all regardless fo income. Here is the risk: The more Oregon provides benefits not found in other states or communities, the more people will migrate here and overwhelm our services. The Atlantic magazine said Oregon was seen as a welfare utopia by the rest of America. As a result, people leave those states for Oregon. Homelessness has dropped across America, except for certain Blue states, like Oregon which saw a 30% increase. California has been cited for shipping their poor citizens to Oregon to take advantage of our unique benefits. Oregon has had more relaxed Food Stamp rules and therefore we are the nations #3 biggest Food Stamp state in America per-capita. Lawmakers should be extremely cautious about creating new programs that invite more participants. Salems Shell Game: How HB 4125 Redefines the Kicker Out of Existence By Taxpayers Association of Oregon OregonWatchdog.com Oregon taxpayers look forward to the Kicker as a reward for a growing economy and a check on government overspending. Most of us know that if the state brings in too much money, we get a credit back on our taxes. But what many dont realize is that the Kicker is based on a delicate mathematical formulaand House Bill 4125 is designed to rig that math so the state never has to pay you back again. Moving the Goalposts The Kicker triggers only if actual state revenue is more than 2% above the states original forecast at the end of the legislative session. HB 4125 changes how that forecast is calculated, virtually guaranteeing a miss. The bill mandates that state economists use data projections toward the lower end of the accepted range. Additionally, it forces the Close-of-Session forecast to include the greatest positive deviation between past predictions and actual collections from the last ten years. In plain English, the states economists are being told to artificially inflate their expected revenue number. If the official estimate is hiked up by these accounting rules, it becomes nearly impossible for the actual revenue to beat that number by 2%. The Diversion Tactic Even if the economy is so strong that it beats these rigged estimates, HB 4125 has a backup plan to keep your money in Salem. The bill creates the One-Time Emergencies and Finance Fund. The Department of Revenue would be required to calculate the difference between the old Kicker rules and these new low-ball rules. That specific amount of moneyyour moneyis then transferred into this new fund to pay for government debt, state pension liabilities (PERS), and capital projects. The Bottom Line By manipulating the methodology behind the forecast, HB 4125 attempts to bypass the constitutional intent of the Kicker. Instead of the surplus being returned to the taxpayers who earned it, the money is diverted into a permanent government slush fund before it ever reaches your pocket. At the Taxpayers Association of Oregon, we call this what it is: a sophisticated raid on your Kicker. " " English is widely spoken around the world, but it's only an official language in a handful of places. N.Savranska / Shutterstock English connects the world through education, business, and media. English-speaking countries appear on practically every continent, shaped by history, government policy and cultural exchange. This list explains where English holds official status, where it is widely spoken, and why it functions as a global language. Advertisement Some countries list English as a national language or primary language, while others teach it as a second language with a high level of fluency. These key takeaways help explain countries where English plays a daily role without replacing other languages like French, German, or Russian. Margot Robbie was kicked out of "most of the clubs in Clapham" during her partying days. Margot Robbie has recalled her wild days in London The 35-year-old star - who lived with six friends in a four-bedroom London flat until 2016 - has recalled a time before they moved in together when they got booted out of Infernos on a particularly wild night. Appearing on the Table Manners podcast, she told hosts Jessie and Lennie Ware how her roommates insisted you "can't get kicked out" of the former cinema, and she visited for herself after a weekend's work in Belgium. She said: "So we all had a weekend in London when the job was done. And of course, we went to Infernos, and within about 15 minutes, we got kicked out. "And while we're getting dragged out by security, I was screaming, 'but this is Infernos, you cant get kicked out of Infernos.' "And the bouncer was like, 'Look, we allow most things, but when your friend does [redacted], then we kick you out'. And I was like, 'okay, fair enough!' " The Wuthering Heights actress didn't reveal exactly what her friend did to cause a scene, although she noted it wasn't a rarity for them to get in a spot of bother. She added: "Most of the clubs in Clapham, I'd say, have kicked us out. "Yeah, for a while we were banned at a number of places! [..] So we ended up all deciding to move in together." Australian star Margot had moved back to the US, but she and her friends had fallen in love with the area and decided to mark it their home. She said: "I had gone back to America at that point, and so we were looking online, and the guys were like, 'Oh, it's a sign this place is down the road from Infernos'. "So we literally signed our lease just because it was down the road from Infernos." While things have calmed down for Margot over the years, her friends hired a stripper for her Harry Potter themed hen party before her wedding to Tom Ackerley. She admitted: "My friends got a stripper and made him do Harry Potter. "It was so funny and not sexy, and like, he was like, in a robe with the glasses, scar, and you know, all the innuendo that you can imagine." Justice Mohamed Khadar Ibrahim made history as the first Kenyan of Somali origin to rise to the countrys highest judicial office, leaving behind a legacy defined by legal excellence, courage, and an unwavering commitment to justice and democracy. Justice Ibrahim was formally admitted as an Advocate of the High Court of Kenya on January 11, 1983, becoming one of the earliest members of the Kenyan Somali community to reach senior professional status in the legal field. At a time when representation of minorities in the judiciary was rare, his achievement marked a turning point for inclusion and recognition. In 1994, he established his own private law firm, Mohammed Ibrahim & Co., which later expanded in 1997 and was rebranded as Ibrahim & Isaack Advocates. Through the firm, he built a reputation as a disciplined, principled, and highly respected lawyer. Beyond private practice, Justice Ibrahim was also a founding member of Mwangaza Trust, a human rights organization known for its advocacy on social justice and the protection of marginalized communities. His work placed him among the most prominent voices calling for fairness, accountability, and the rule of law in Kenya. That commitment came at a personal cost. In July 1990, during the authoritarian one-party era under President Daniel arap Moi, Justice Ibrahim was detained without trial for one month at Kamiti Prison. His detention was linked to his legal advice and support for pro-democracy activists, as well as his opposition to elements of the ruling political system at the time. In later years, Justice Ibrahim played a critical institutional role by serving as a key link between the High Court and the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission, strengthening coordination between judicial and electoral bodies during sensitive national processes. His judicial career spanned 23 years, during which he held several senior positions. Before his elevation to the Supreme Court of Kenya, he served with distinction at the Court of Appeal, earning respect for his legal reasoning and integrity. Justice Ibrahim was part of the Supreme Court bench during the landmark 2017 presidential election petition filed by opposition leader Raila Odinga against then-President Uhuru Kenyatta. During the proceedings, he fell ill and was placed under medical care, a development formally communicated by then Chief Justice David Maraga. Despite his absence, the court proceeded in accordance with constitutional provisions requiring a minimum quorum of judges. On Wednesday, December 17, 2025, Justice Mohamed Ibrahim passed away at Aga Khan Hospital in Nairobi at the age of 69, according to fellow judge Mohamed Warsame. Chief Justice Martha Koome led tributes, offering condolences to his family, colleagues, and the wider legal community. Justice Mohamed Ibrahims life journeyfrom a pioneering advocate to a Supreme Court judgestands as a powerful testament to perseverance, principle, and public service. For Kenyas Somali community and the nation at large, his legacy endures as a reminder that justice, when pursued with courage and integrity, can reshape institutions and inspire generations. Nava Thakuria As Bangladesh heads for 13th Parliamentary election and the referendum on July National Charter simultaneously on Thursday (12 February 2026), the interim government chief Professor Muhammad Yunus urged all participating candidates to rise above personal and party interests to prioritize greater interest of the Muslim majority nation regardless of the poll-outcomes. Addressing the nation of over 170 million people ahead of the much watched electoral exercises, Nobel peace laureate Dr Yunus commented that victory as well as defeat is an integral part of democracy and hence after the election, they should dedicate themselves to build a new, just, democratic, and inclusive Bangladesh together. Chief adviser of the caretaker government also asked all voters to participate in the process enthusiastically in a festive spirit. Prof Yunus made a special appeal to the women and young voters, many of whom were deprived of the opportunity to exercise their franchise in earlier occasions, to come forward showing their commitment for a new beginning. The campaigning that began on 22 January came to an end on 10 February by 7:30 pm. The electoral authorities have imposed a ban on all public rallies and processions for 96 hours before and after voting day. The polling on Thursday will begin at 7:30 am to continue till 4:30 pm. Nearly 400 foreign election observers including around 200 journalists representing 45 global media outlets arrived in the south Asian nation. On 12th parliamentary elections (held on 7 January 2024), there were only 158 global observers comprising a few foreign media persons. Meanwhile, a two-day government-announced general holiday began on 11 February, whereas Friday and Saturday (13, 14 February) are weekly holidays in Bangladesh. Notably, ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's party Awami League is barred from participation in the electoral process leaving a fair space to the arch rival Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) in the election. The country had the last general election in January 2024, but the overthrowing of Hasina's government following a student-led mass uprising just after six months necessitated the polls. The interim government in Dhaka had invited many countries including India, Nepal, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Egypt, France, Kuwait, Morocco, Nigeria, Romania, etc to send election observers. Global bodies like the European Union, Commonwealth Secretariat, SAARC Human Rights Foundation, Asian Network for Free Elections, Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, SNAS Africa, Polish Institute of International Affairs, US-based International Republican Institute and National Democratic Institute, etc agreed to send their election observers. Meanwhile, the New York-based press watchdog Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has urged all major Bangladesh political parties to protect press freedom in the troublesome country. The CPJ in a statement called for urgent steps to safeguard press freedom and journalists' safety on the eve of national election. Sending separate letters to the office bearers of Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh, student-led National Citizen Party and Jatiya Party, the global body urged them 'to make public commitments to protect journalists during the election period' by rejecting violence, intimidation and also misuse of criminal or national-security laws. Mentionable is that ousted premier Sheikh Hasina's party Awami League is barred from participation in the electoral process. The CPJ statement argued that the risks to journalists intensified in the pre-election period across Bangladesh with continuing imprisonment of scribes on unverified charges and also longstanding impunity for violence against media professionals that contributed to a climate of fear and self-censorship. Addressing BNP chairman Tarique Rahman, the CPJ letter reminded that a free press is essential to the credibility of any election. Journalists play a critical role in informing voters, scrutinizing those in power, and enabling meaningful public debate. The BNP can demonstrate national leadership and strengthen public trust in the electoral process by committing to this foundational democratic value. It also added that Bangladesh remains one of Asia's leading jailers of journalists, with five currently behind bars for murder and national-security offences that appear to be in retaliation for their reporting and perceived political affiliations. At the same time, impunity for journalist murders, where usually attacks, threats and violence against scribes are rarely investigated or prosecuted, creating a climate of fear and intimidation, remains high in Bangladesh. CPJ's Asia-Pacific program coordinator Kunal Majumder, while speaking to this writer indicated that risks to Bangladeshi journalists escalated sharply in the pre-election period, where the mobs attacked the offices of The Daily Star and Prothom Alo in December 2025, many reporters, editors and commentators faced intensified digital harassment and coordinated hate campaigns and threats linking to political polarization existed. "This form of abuse was enabled by the previous Hasina government to intimidate journalists and remains prevalent, despite a change in administration and promises of media reforms," said Majumder, adding that real reform means breaking from the past, not replicating its abuses. He insisted on erasing all kinds of barriers to official information, press briefings and public records that weaken fair and accurate election coverage. Earlier, the Geneva-based media safety & rights body Press Emblem Campaign (PEC) condemned the murder of Bengali Hindu journalist Rana Pratap Bairagi (45) in Jessore locality on 5 January and demanded a thorough probe to book the culprits and punish them under the law. Moreover, at least 12 Bangladeshi journalists sustained injuries in an attack by extortionists in Narsingdi on 26 January. Denouncing the incident, PEC chairman Blaise Lempen urged Dhaka to bring the group of extortionists to justice. Bangladesh Editors' Council also called on the authorities to ensure the safety and security of journalists during the election period. The council in a statement argued that the working journalists while gathering information during elections often face various threats and hence the interim government, election commission and other responsible law enforcement agencies should take effective measures to guarantee adequate security for the media professionals. Meanwhile, the western media outlets pour views that the BNP led alliance is the front runner in the coming election and chairman Rahman is projected as the new premier of Bangladesh. When Rahman returned to his home country on 25 December ending a self-imposed exile in the United Kingdom for 17 years, he was greeted by millions of people. The son of former Bangladesh President Ziaur Rahman and former premier Khaleda Zia responded to the public with a visionary line 'I have a plan' imitating the historic speech (I Have a Dream) of Martin Luther King Jr in 1963. Bangladesh's first female head of the government Begum Zia died on 30 December at the age of 80, following which he received pouring condolences from sympathizers amid the government declaring three days of state mourning. The US-based news magazine The Diplomat recently carried an analytical piece predicting the electoral progress for Rahman to become Bangladesh's next premier. Similarly, Time magazine and Bloomberg media agency, referring to several opinion polls, projected him as the front-runner ahead of the election. Earlier, the UK-based weekly The Economist also anticipated the 60-year-old scion of a famous political family to emerge as head of the government in Dhaka. In various election rallies, Rahman promised to prioritize job creation, technical education, information technology, sports, etc. The soft spoken politician also emphasized on creating a new Bangladesh with mutual trust, respect and benefits to everyone living in a peaceful state under the rule of law and freedom of speech. LONDON (AP) Russia cannot launch an attack on NATO this year or next but is planning to increase its forces significantly along the alliance's eastern flank, depending on the outcome of the war in Ukraine, a senior European intelligence official said. Speaking in an online briefing with journalists, Kaupo Rosin, the head of Estonias foreign intelligence service, also told The Associated Press that Russian President Vladimir Putin currently has no desire to halt the nearly 4-year-old invasion of neighboring Ukraine and thinks he can outsmart the United States during talks on how to end the war. Rosin said Russia's plan involves creating new military units and multiplying the prewar force along its border with NATO by two to three times. But that will be heavily influenced by the outcome of discussions involving Moscow, Washington and Kyiv regarding a cessation of hostilities in Ukraine, he said. That's because Russia will need to maintain a significant portion of its military inside occupied Ukraine and in Russia to prevent future Ukrainian action, he said. Currently there are not enough resources available for Moscow to launch an attack on NATO, but the Kremlin is concerned about Europe rearming and being able to conduct military action against Russia in the next couple of years, the intelligence chief said. Russian officials, meanwhile, are playing for time in the talks with Washington and there is absolutely no discussion about how to really cooperate with the U.S. in a meaningful way," Rosin said. Estonia's security assessment Rosin spoke to reporters ahead of the publication of Estonias annual security report Tuesday. He said the information on how the Kremlin views the talks with the U.S. is based on intelligence that NATO member Estonia gathered from Russian internal discussions. He did not elaborate on how the information was obtained but said the discussions showed that Russian officials believe Washington remains Moscow's main enemy. Russian officials have insisted publicly they want a negotiated deal but have shown little willingness to compromise and remain adamant their demands must be met. U.S.-brokered talks between envoys from Russia and Ukraine in recent weeks have been described by officials from both sides as constructive and positive, but there has been no sign of any progress on key issues in the discussions. Putin, in his head, still thinks that he can actually militarily win (in Ukraine) at some point, Rosin said. A White House official responded to the Estonian intelligence chiefs comments and said President Donald Trumps negotiators had made tremendous progress on the talks to end the war. Although prisoner exchanges have happened sporadically since May, they pointed in particular to a recent agreement in Abu Dhabi reached by the U.S., Ukraine and Russia to release more than 300 prisoners. That agreement was evidence that efforts to end the war are advancing, said the official, who was granted anonymity because they did not have permission to speak publicly. In an indication that Trump wants to accelerate the momentum of those efforts, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said last week that Washington has given Kyiv and Moscow a June deadline to reach a settlement. Trump over the past year has set several deadlines that have come and gone without apparent consequences. Fiona Hill, a Russia expert and adviser to Trump in his first term, said Trump and his officials are spinning a story that depicts the U.S. president as a peacemaker and, for that reason, they are not interested in changing their assessment that Putin wants to end the war. She told AP that both leaders need their version of events to play out" and are hanging onto their version of the truth Putin as the victor in Ukraine and Trump as the dealmaker. More deadly Russian bombardments On Tuesday morning, Russian planes dropped seven powerful glide bombs on Sloviansk, in the Donetsk region of eastern Ukraine, killing an 11-year-old girl and her mother, according to regional chief Vadym Filashkin. He said that 16 others, including a 7-year-old girl, were injured in the attack that damaged 14 apartment blocks. During the night, Russian drone attacks elsewhere in Ukraine wounded at least five people, including a toddler and two other children, regional authorities said. Although Trump has repeatedly suggested that Putin wants peace, he has sometimes appeared frustrated with the Russian leaders lukewarm approach to talks. From an intelligence perspective, Rosin said he doesnt know why U.S. officials believe Putin wants to end the war. Hill, who served as a national intelligence officer under previous U.S. administrations, said it's unclear what intelligence information Trump gets on Russia or if he reads it. He relies heavily on his lead negotiators, special envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner, who Hill said may struggle to believe that the damage to the Russian economy from the war is a price Putin is willing to pay for Ukraine. Referring to reports that Witkoff has attended meetings with Putin without a U.S. State Department translator, she questioned if Trump's envoys understood what was being said in meetings and suggested officials may be selectively looking for what they want to hear. Optimistic reports filter up to Putin Putin is fixated on controlling all of Ukraine and the idea is so deep in his head that it takes priority over anything else, including the economy, Rosin said, suggesting the conflict will continue in some form for several years. He said Putin's position may change only if the situation in Russia, or on the front line, becomes catastrophic," threatening his power. For now, the Kremlin leader still believes he can take Ukraine and "outsmart everybody, Rosin said. One reason Putin thinks he can win militarily in Ukraine is because he is definitely getting some incorrect information from his officials, the Estonian intelligence chief said. Not all Russian officials, however, believe they are winning the war in Ukraine, Rosin said. The lower you go in the food chain, the more people understand how bad it is actually on the ground, he said, whereas higher-level officials are more optimistic because they are given more positive reports. Rosin cited examples of officials being told Russian forces had captured Ukrainian settlements when that was not true. The reports that arrive at Putin's desk may be much more optimistic than the situation on the ground because Putin only wants to see success, Rosin said. Hill said both Trump and Putin are probably being told what they want to hear by people who want to please them. ___ White House reporter Seung Min Kim in Washington and Illia Novikov in Kyiv, Ukraine, contributed. VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) A shooting at a school in British Columbia left eight dead including a woman whom police believe to be the shooter, while two more people were found dead at a nearby home, Canadian authorities said Tuesday. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police said more than 25 people are injured, including two who were airlifted to hospital with life-threatening injuries, after the shooting at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School. School shootings are rare in Canada. The town of Tumbler Ridge, which has a population of about 2,400 people, is more than 1,000 kilometers (600 miles) north of Vancouver, near the border with Alberta. The provincial government website lists Tumbler Ridge Secondary School as having 175 students from Grades 7 to 12. RCMP Superintendent Ken Floyd told reporters that investigators had identified a female suspect but would not release a name, and that the shooter's motive remained unclear. We are not in a place to understand why or what may have motivated this tragedy, Floyd said. He added that police are still investigating how the victims are connected to the shooter. As part of the initial response to the active shooting, police entered the school to locate the threat. During the search, officers located multiple victims. An individual believed to be the shooter was also found deceased with what appears to be a self?inflicted injury, RCMP said in a statement. The statement added that seven people including the suspect were found dead at the scene, and an eighth died while being transported to a hospital. Two more were found dead at a home police believe to be connected to the attack. The Peace River South School District said earlier Tuesday that there was a lockdown and secure and hold at both the secondary school and the Tumbler Ridge Elementary school. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said in statement on social media that he was devastated by the shooting in Tumbler Ridge. I join Canadians in grieving with those whose lives have been changed irreversibly today, and in gratitude for the courage and selflessness of the first responders who risked their lives to protect their fellow citizens, he wrote. British Columbia Premier David Eby told reporters he had spoken to Carney after what he called the "unimaginable tragedy. "I know its causing us all to hug our kids a little bit tighter tonight, he said. Im asking the people of British Columbia to look after the people of Tumbler Ridge tonight. Canadas government has responded to previous mass shootings with gun control measures, including a recently broadened ban on all guns it considers assault weapons. Tuesday's shootings were Canada's deadliest rampage since 2020, when a gunman in Nova Scotia killed 13 people and set fires that left another nine dead. KATHMANDU The Commander of the United States Indo-Pacific Command (USINDOPACOM) has arrived in Nepal for a three-day official visit. During his stay, the senior U.S. Army general is scheduled to hold a courtesy meeting with the Chief of Army Staff of the Nepali Army, General Ashok Raj Sigdel. According to Nepali Army sources, discussions are expected to focus on bilateral military cooperation, joint training exchanges, disaster management, humanitarian assistance, and peacekeeping collaboration. Nepal and the United States have maintained longstanding military ties, characterized by regular training and capacity-building engagements. As the largest geographic combatant command of the United States, USINDOPACOM oversees security partnerships across dozens of countries in the Asia-Pacific region. Because Nepal falls within this theater, the visit of the top U.S. military commander is considered highly significant. Talks are also expected to cover regional security dynamics, strategic interests, and ways to further strengthen NepalU.S. defense relations. Additionally, the discussions may include an appreciation of the Nepali Armys vital role in United Nations peacekeeping missions and explore possibilities for expanding cooperation in that field. The visit is being viewed as an important step in reinforcing bilateral relations and defense diplomacy. The Nepali Army has stated that a detailed schedule of the visit will be made public shortly. KATHMANDU : The U.S. Embassy in Nepal has officially launched its "Freedom 250" campaign, a year-long initiative dedicated to celebrating the 250th anniversary of American independence. Inaugurated by Charge dAffaires Scott Urbom at the American Center in Kathmandu, the campaign serves as a milestone reflection on freedom, democracy, innovation, and creativity. During the launch event, where he met with members of the NepalU.S. Alumni Network (NUSAN), Urbom emphasized that the initiative honors Americas historical journey since 1776 while reaffirming the democratic values that continue to inspire global communities. The campaign will be executed across all seven American Spaces in Nepal through a strategic partnership with NUSAN. As the primary implementation partner, the alumni networkwhich includes former participants of various U.S. government-sponsored exchange programswill coordinate an extensive series of events nationwide. These activities are designed to foster deep engagement with the public through panel discussions on democratic governance, historical exhibitions, and youth-focused innovation challenges. Organizers also plan to host film screenings and interactive workshops aimed at promoting dialogue on essential themes such as freedom of expression, civic responsibility, and entrepreneurship. This initiative further cements the bilateral relationship between Nepal and the United States, a partnership that has flourished for over 70 years. Beyond formal diplomacy, the campaign highlights the robust people-to-people connections built through educational exchanges and development programs. American Spaces throughout Nepal will act as central hubs for these celebrations, encouraging youth to participate in conversations about global citizenship and shared democratic ideals. As the United States approaches its Semiquincentennial on July 4, 2026, the Freedom 250 campaign in Nepal joins a global movement of commemorative events. By bridging historical reflection with contemporary issues, the embassy seeks to engage students, civil society, and the general public in a meaningful dialogue. The launch marks the beginning of a vibrant series of community events across the country, all focused on reflecting on the past to shape a more innovative and democratic shared future. INAH announces reopening of the Quintana Roo Archaeological Zone of Muyil Felipe Carrillo Puerto, Q.R. Government officials celebrated the reopening of one of the states ancient Mayan port cities. On Tuesday, Governor Mara Lezama toured the Muyil archaeological site with Mayor Mary Hernandez. The Tuesday tour was led by the National Institute of Anthropology and History Technical Secretary Jose Luis Perea Gonzalez. He explained that Muyil was part of the program for the Improvement of Archaeological Zones (Promeza) promoted by the Ministry of Culture of the Government of Mexico. He said through the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) and its representation in Quintana Roo, the Archaeological Zone of Muyil, an ancient Mayan city and port that had a long occupational continuity, from the Late Preclassic period (400 BC-200 AD), to the Early Postclassic (900-1200 AD), was reopened to the public. Muyil can become a laboratory for cultural public policy, demonstrating that heritage, the environment, and community development are not separate agendas, he stated. Jose Luis Perea Gonzalez February 10, 2026. The official ceremony was led by Perea Gonzalez who highlighted the cultural richness of Quintana Roo. He reported that 11 archaeological sites across the state received investment from the Promeza program, making it the state with the most sites benefiting from the Maya Train route. State governor Mara Lezama acknowledged the work of the archaeologists who made the reopening possible as well as the inclusion of Mayan cooperatives, artisans, and ejido members in the project. Reopening Muyil is an act of memory, identity, and social justice, she stated. The mayor of Felipe Carrillo Puerto, Mary Hernandez Solis stressed that these spaces should not be inaccessible to those who truly want to know the history of the municipality and the Mayan region. The new infrastructure includes a public services unit built between March 2024 and November 2025. It was constructed with a portico, guardhouse, ticket booths, restrooms, parking, signage and rest areas. It also offers visitors new trails and improvements to existing ones, an Educal Bookstore, crafts shop and information center. Administrative and research offices were also built. As part of Promeza, roofs were also placed on Buildings 6 and 8 of the La Entrada Group, and on Building 4 of the Sacbe Group, and a camp was established for the archaeologists working on the heritage site. Additionally, an introductory room presents information about the work carried out at Muyil, its importance, and the architectural complexes that comprise it. This space includes information panels and screens that will help visitors understand the history of the site in an educational way. Enrique Alcala Castaneda, the academic director of the Muyil Archaeological Zone Project, reported that between March 2023 and February 2024, work was carried out on 11 structures across three architectural complexes. They include la Entrada, El Sacbe and La Gran Plataforma. The latter two were opened to the public, as previously only the La Entrada, Rosado, and El Castillo groups were accessible. The Sacbe Group is a complex that had ceremonial and possibly residential use. In the Great Platform group there are a couple of buildings used for ritual purposes, but most were residential and administrative, he explained. The archaeologist said that the investigations identified periods of abandonment and reuse of the spaces at different times. The most significant finds were ceramic, including fragments of incense burners and a ceremonial vessel with a shell pectoral, which served as an offering after the site was abandoned. Melanie Hamrick was "physically attacked" on a night out. Melanie Hamrick was attacked on a night out The 38-year-old ballerina - who has son Devereaux, nine, with fiance Sir Mick Jagger - has thanked those who came to her aid after she was "grabbed from behind" by muggers while at London private members club Annabels on Tuesday (10.02.26) evening. She wrote on Instagram: "This is incredibly hard to share, but I was physically attacked at Annabels Mayfair tonight. "Im so thankful to my friends for protecting me. Two people grabbed me from behind and thank god for good people who stepped in to help me. "Im shaken, sad and heartbroken that people can treat each other this way." No further information about the incident is currently available. Melanie previously defended the 44-year age gap between herself and Mick and joked the Rolling Stones rocker may be in his 80s but behaves "younger" than her. She told Page Six: "He's younger than me. "He's amazing, he really is." The couple first met in 2014 when they were both on tour in Japan and Melanie explained that they didn't have an instant romantic connection. Asked if they had an immediate spark, she said: "Maybe a spark, but nothing incredible, like, 'Come on, I'll blow your mind and we'll travel the world'. "We didn't even exchange phone numbers. At the time, I wasn't in a relationship, but he was." The couple's relationship soon became romantic and Melanie credits the pair's "support" for each other for keeping their union going. She explained: "We try to support each other, be there for each other, and make sure everyone is happy. That's all that matters to me and all I strive for." Melanie previously claimed that she ignores those who comment on the age gap between her and Mick. She told The Sunday Times newspaper last year: "Everyone's going to have their opinion. "If you think about others' opinions, no matter where you are in life, you're going to have a problem and you're going to analyse it. I put the blinders on. Am I happy? Yes. Are the people in my life happy? Yes. Am I hurting anyone? No. OK, they can mind their own business." State Civil Protection participates in national 2026 forest fire management program Riviera Maya, Q.R. The National Civil Protection Meeting on 2026 Forest Fires kicked off with great success. The kickoff was held at the Tijuana Metropolitan Convention Center in Baja California February 9. Participants from the Quintana Roo State Civil Protection Coordination (COEPROC) attended the meeting, which lasted two days. The state was led by its head, Guillermo Nunez Leal, as well as representatives from various municipalities. The goal was to exchange strategies and strengthen knowledge about firefighting in preparation for the upcoming 2026 forest fire season. The opening ceremony was presided over by Laura Velazquez Alzua, National Coordinator of Civil Protection of the Government of Mexico. During her, she thanked representatives of the 32 states for their attending. She gave a special acknowledgement to President Claudia Sheinbaum for her support and leadership. The national meeting was headed by Laura Velazquez Alzua, center. February 9, 2026. During the meeting, Guillermo Nunez Leal commented We know that prevention is key. Governor Mara Lezama places special emphasis on the training and preparation of emergency teams with the firm purpose of safeguarding life, property and providing a better development for families in Quintana Roo. More than 1,500 members of the national, state and municipal Civil Protection systems across the country participated. This year, Quintana Roo municipal directors of Civil Protection from Tulum, Playa del Carmen, Isla Mujeres and Cozumel also participated. It is thanks to our governor Mara Lezama that in Quintana Roo the vision is clear. To continue preparing and working through the coordination of the three levels of government to optimize efforts and preserve our ecosystems, said Nunez Leal. Civil Protection personnel will also participate in workshops that will be given to emergency teams, strengthening knowledge through specialized training from the National Civil Protection System. The objective is to strengthen inter-institutional coordination between agencies to establish strategies that allow the prevention of forest fires, define combat programs and provide attention to protected natural areas during the 2026 season. Civil Protection personnel were trained for the 2026 forest fire season February 10, 2026. Through preparation, training and prevention, it is hoped that this 2026 Fire Season will see a reduction in the number of fires with the help of tools such as early fire detection, monitoring and early warning, as well as rapid and coordinated attack among federal, state, municipal and volunteer forces. There's not much worse than a surprisingly enormous bill. One Texan in a new rental house grappled with what to do when their electricity cost went from around $150 to $200 a month to a whopping $500. The original poster detailed their minimal energy usage in a post on r/homeowners. They said they had contacted their utility company which was not helpful to try to figure out how such a leap was possible in the 1,500-square-foot space. "To say I was shocked and upset was an understatement," they wrote. "I literally have no resources or clues on what to do." Advertisement Advertisement One in-the-know commenter wondered if the OP's heat source was the culprit. In a comment, the renter said it was electric but that the winter hadn't been consistently cold. "There ya go," the other Redditor responded. "Electric heat can be really expensive. It's possible there's a heat pump that isn't working right and it's falling back to less efficient resistive backup heat. If it's electric baseboards or no heat pump, $400 could be a bargain." Whether you rent or own, going solar is a great way to save money on your utility bills. It can also protect you from rising or fluctuating energy prices. If you add battery storage to a solar system, you can make your home more resilient to power outages. TCD's Solar Explorer can help you compile and compare options and save up to $10,000 on panels. "You're in Texas. Electric is deregulated here," another user said. "First thing you need to check is your electric contract. Did it expire and you went on month to month? What are the rules for how you are charged?" Smart upgrades that slash monthly energy bills If you are considering installing solar panels, you can save thousands of dollars a year on power. Other options include signing up for community solar. Here are some resources to help you get started. Advertisement Advertisement EnergySage can help you save up to $10,000 on an installation by curating competitive bids from local installers Not ready to spend up front? Palmetto's $0 down LightReach solar leasing program can lower your utility rate by up to 20% TCD's Solar Explorer makes it easy to access exclusive offers from preferred partners Pairing solar panels with electric appliances such as an efficient HVAC system can drive your utility costs even lower. TCD's HVAC Explorer makes it easy to find the right unit for your home and budget and slash your energy bills by up to 50%. With the free Palmetto Home app, you can unlock up to $5,000 in rewards to spend on home upgrades by taking simple actions in your everyday life. As for the OP, there are other avenues to explore. They include whether someone else perhaps their landlord was using their electricity and if their HVAC setup was in working order. One commenter, for example, was on track to spend $1,199 over two months before they had a technician uncover such a problem. Get TCD's free newsletters for easy tips to save more, waste less, and make smarter choices and earn up to $5,000 toward clean upgrades in TCD's exclusive Rewards Club. CCTV: The First APEC 2026 Senior Officials Meeting concluded in Guangzhou yesterday. Can you share more details and major outcomes of the meeting? Lin Jian: From February 1 to 10, the First APEC 2026 Senior Officials Meeting and related meetings were held in Guangzhou. As the first official event China held as the host of APEC, the meetings fully kicked off cooperation across the board and accumulated outcomes for the APEC Economic Leaders Meeting in November. Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Minister of Foreign Affairs Wang Yi attended and addressed the opening session of the senior officials meeting. A total of 55 meetings and activities were held, including the senior officials meeting, committee meetings, working group meetings and workshops, and over 1,400 representatives from member economies, the APEC Secretariat, APEC observers, the APEC Business Advisory Council and others attended the meetings. Foreign Minister Wang Yi elaborated on Chinas policy and propositions on Asia-Pacific cooperation. He advocated building a prosperous and stable Asia-Pacific, an open and interconnected Asia-Pacific, a universally beneficial and inclusive Asia-Pacific, and a united and mutually supportive Asia-Pacific, and working to open a new chapter in regional cooperation. Foreign Minister Wang Yi shared the design for major outcomes of the APEC China Year. He encouraged parties to focus on the overarching goal of building an Asia-Pacific community, advance the process of building a Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific, improve the network of connectivity, promote digital, smart, and green transformations and deepen practical cooperation in anti-corruption, fiscal, transportation, and other fields. He called on parties to work together for a substantive and impressive list of outcomes for the APEC Economic Leaders Meeting in November. Participating parties had in-depth discussions focusing on the theme Building an Asia-Pacific Community to Prosper Together and the three priorities openness, innovation and cooperation, exchanged views and accumulated consensus on the design China proposed for the outcomes of the leaders meeting, and put forward a number of initiatives and working plans. They spoke highly of Chinas firm commitment to regional cooperation in the Asia-Pacific and expressed willingness to actively support China in hosting APEC, jointly work for fruitful outcomes of the APEC China Year, and contribute to development and prosperity in the Asia-Pacific. The official website of the APEC China Year (www.apec2026.cn) has been launched, and official release, latest coverage and service information about the China Year will be published timely on it. You are welcome to visit the website. Reuters: China agreed, during British Prime Minister Keir Starmers visit, to extend visa-free tourism to UK nationals but has not yet said when this policy would take effect. Is there any update on this? Lin Jian: Competent authorities will release information in due course after necessary procedures are completed. For specifics, please check back for updates on the MFA website and the website of the Chinese Embassy in the UK. China Daily: We noted that the Working Group on discrimination against women and girls and other special procedures of the UN Human Rights Council jointly sent a letter to the Japanese government, expressing serious concerns over Japans failure to ensure access to truth and reparations for survivors of comfort women. China and other countries home to comfort women survivors provided supporting materials and comments as required by the special procedures, which could be found on the website of the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. Can you give us more information? Lin Jian: The forced recruitment of comfort women is a serious crime committed by Japanese militarism that severely trampled on the rights of the victims. The evidence of the crime is ironclad and undeniable. Theres strong outrage in the international community over the crime. Certain forces in Japan have long been trying to deny or even distort the history of the forced recruitment of comfort women. China has serious concern over Japans dishonest and erroneous attitude and practice towards the history of aggression, and has thus made clear once again its position on the case of comfort women. Japan needs to deeply reflect on its history of aggression and the disastrous suffering it has inflicted on the victims, properly handle the issue of comfort women and other issues left over from history with an honest and responsible attitude, and earn trust from its Asian neighbors and the international community with concrete actions. Reuters: Two Chinese nationals are set to appear in court on Wednesday after Australian police charged them with foreign interference. Does the Foreign Ministry have any comment? Lin Jian: Im not familiar with the details of the case. China never interferes in other countries internal affairs. That said, we firmly oppose disrupting normal people-to-people interactions, exchanges and cooperation between China and relevant countries under the pretext of foreign interference. China urges Australia to handle the case prudently and properly and protect the lawful rights and interests of Chinese nationals. CGTN: It was reported that U.S. Under Secretary for Arms Control and International Security Thomas G. Dinanno, when detailing the U.S.s propositions on nuclear arms control at the Conference on Disarmament in Geneva, called on China to join multilateral talks on nuclear arms control and strategic stability. The U.S. also accused China of conducting nuclear explosive tests in June 2020. What is Chinas response? Lin Jian: We noted the reports. The position of the U.S. is nothing new to us. The U.S. keeps distorting and vilifying Chinas nuclear policy. This is essentially part of the U.S.s political manipulation to seek nuclear supremacy and shirk its nuclear disarmament responsibility. China firmly rejects this. Let me stress that the U.S. is the biggest source of disruption to the international nuclear order and global strategic stability. In the area of arms control, the U.S. simply let the New START treaty expire to the detriment of trust between major countries and global strategic stability. The U.S. clings to the policy of first use of nuclear weapons. The U.S. has spent trillions of dollars to upgrade its nuclear triad, and has been working to build a global anti-missile system and establish forward deployment of strategic assets. The U.S. applies double standards on nuclear non-proliferation. All of those seriously disrupt global strategic balance and stability and undermine international and regional peace and security. Sitting on an enormous nuclear arsenal, the U.S. should fulfill its special and primary responsibility for nuclear disarmament. This is the international consensus. On New START, China has made clear its position on multiple occasions. We hope the U.S. will resume dialogue with Russia on strategic stability to discuss the arrangements beyond the treatys expiration, which is what the world would hope to see. The U.S. accusation of Chinese nuclear explosive tests is completely groundless. China opposes the U.S.s fabrication of pretexts for its own resumption of nuclear tests. China urges the U.S. to renew the commitment of the five nuclear-weapons states to a moratorium on nuclear testing, uphold the global consensus on the ban on nuclear testing, and take concrete actions to safeguard the international nuclear disarmament and nuclear non-proliferation regime. China is committed to peaceful development, follows a nuclear strategy that focuses on self-defense, and maintains long-term consistency in its nuclear policy. We will continue playing a constructive role in safeguarding international peace and security. EFE: You said yesterday that China will provide support to Cuba within its capabilities. Could you clarify what specific form of assistance Beijing is considering in response to Cubas current energy crisis? Whether this could include fuel supplies or financial support? Lin Jian: Let me reiterate that China firmly supports Cuba in safeguarding national sovereignty and security and opposing external interference. We stand firmly against the inhumane actions that deprive the Cuban people of their right to subsistence and development, and will, as always, do what we can to support and assist Cuba. As for the specific aiding programs, Id refer you to competent authorities, and this also needs to be decided between China and Cuba through bilateral consultation. AFP: On U.S. President Donald Trump. Donald Trump claims that as a consequence of Canada wanting a trade deal with China, China would stop Canadians from playing ice hockey. The first thing China will do is terminate all ice hockey being played in Canada, Trump said this on Monday. Does China have any answer to that claim? Lin Jian: China and Canada have established a new strategic partnership. This reflects the spirit of equality, openness and inclusiveness, peaceful cooperation, and shared benefit. It does not target any third party, serves the common interests of the people of both countries, and is conducive to world peace, stability, development and prosperity. Dear Prudence is Slates advice column. Submit questions here. Dear Prudence, My wife tends to do something in other peoples homes thats a complete invasion of privacy. She rifles through bathroom cabinets when we are guests in peoples homes and loves to discuss what she finds. She ignores my admonitions to stay out of others stuff. Is it time to give friends and relatives a heads-up to shut this down for good? Mind Your Business Dear Mind Your Business, Your wifes behavior falls into the Very Bad But Also Pretty Common category. These arent the most official numbers, but in the past, sources have reported that 40 percent of people dig through the medicine cabinets of their hosts. In one poll, half of Americans said they thought this kind of snooping was fine. Again, Im not presenting peer-reviewed research here, but these are two data points that confirm my sense that your wife is not out of control compared to the rest of society. What shes doing is common, and anyone who invites her over probably knows that. The trope of rifling through someones collection of lotions and medicine bottles exists for a reason. Im actually a little bit more concerned about why you want to inform your friends and family. I always worry a bit when someone brings the energy of calling a manager or filing a police report to their romantic partner. An important part of relationships is that you respect each otherand I dont mean treating each other with respect. I mean sincerely thinking, I admire the way she makes her way through the world, and I think she makes good choices. Thats missing here, as is another key element: I lean toward taking her side and wanting her to be OK because I love her, even if Id be more critical of the behavior from someone else. You should want to give your wife the benefit of the doubt! If you default instead to protecting the world from her pretty harmless behavior, humiliating her in the process, thats a problem that monitoring her medicine cabinet snooping habits wont fix. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Classic Prudie My family is finding the behavior of my brother increasingly difficult to handle. Im a few years older than him and we used to be really close. We had a tough childhood at times; our parents divorced when we were young, and our mother is no longer around. I settled down quite early with my wife (we have three kids) but he used to be a bit of a tearaway, going to a lot of parties and generally enjoying his life. This all changed about five years ago when he met his now-wife. Shes a few years older, had a decent career, and seemed nice. Sign up for the Slatest to get the most insightful analysis, criticism, and advice out there, delivered to your inbox daily. In January 2024, my wife and I agreed to host a birthday party for our friends 2-year-old in our child-free home. The scene was chaotic and joyful, with several young kids running around and scattering croissant crumbs on our sofa while their parents attempted adult conversation over mimosas. Inevitably, the moment arrived when a child knocked over a drink on our coffee table. It was an old West Elm design with a panel on top and a storage area underneath. The spilled beverage was dripping into the seams, so a crowd of parents rushed to open the table and mop up the liquid pooling within. The first thing they saw when they lifted the panel was a padlocked gun case, helpfully identified by the Smith & Wesson user pamphlet sitting on top, which was now soaked in seltzer. To be perfectly honest, Id forgotten I had the gun. Ever since my wife and I moved into a place with more closet space, we rarely used the storage capacity of the coffee table. I was reminded of the firearm in my living room only when someone brought up the topic of recreational gun usewhich, in our queer, left-leaning urban social circles, was next to never. But there I was, facing a crowd of these wide-eyed friends, who were politely dabbing the seltzer off my gun. They were clearly shocked. I choked out some nervous laughter and assured them that the case was locked, the gun inside had another padlock, both keys were hidden, and I had no ammunition in the house. I then explained why I owned the gun, which I will also share with you shortly, and everyone made a few jokes at my expense. They finished cleaning up the mess and got back to watching their kids ruin my house. Advertisement Two years later, as anecdotal reports tell of record numbers of LGBTQ+ people seeking out firearms for self-protection, I think back on that moment as a foreboding encapsulation of the dissonant reality we now inhabit. We film ICE traffic stops outside queer parties before going back inside to dance. We use our gay group chats to plan outings to the bar, and also to share packing lists for go bags. In the morning, we get tipsy at a birthday brunch, letting our children defile our friends furniture. In the evening, we research golden-visa options in case the government tells us those children are no longer ours. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the shadow of Donald Trumps second term in office, and amid the clear threat and increasing reality of political violence, some queer friends are learning to handle firearms, purchasing new weapons, or researching rifles for defense. Together, we talk through worst-case scenarios that would have seemed fantastical just months ago, imagining ourselves into a million futures that seem possible and unthinkable in equal measure. Advertisement Sometimes we dont even have to imagine. Last month, Renee Nicole Good, a queer mother and poet, was shot to death by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer in Minneapolis. Afterward, another agent dismissed her as that lesbian bitch. The message was not subtle. Her sexuality was deployed to justify her killing, casting her as a queer agitator who had been put in her place. If you would have told me 10 years ago that I would one day keep a handgun in my D.C. row house, I would have laughed in your face. If you would have told me five years ago that I might take reasonably seriously the possibility that a real-life scenario might someday incite me to use it, I would have called you insane. But the social and political conditions of American life are changing with alarming speed. Some queer people have found their views on guns changing too. Unhappily, Im one of them. My journey over the past 10 years is also the story of many other Americans facing a new reality. I shudder to think where it leads. Advertisement In a strange paradox, my lifelong aversion to guns is the very reason why I have one. Nearly a decade ago, an editor suggested a piece wherein a person who believed that all firearms should be melted down and turned into solar panelsi.e., mewould learn to use one, get licensed to carry it, and immerse herself in gun culture to try to understand it from a new perspective. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I gamely accepted the assignment, mostly for noveltys sake. I gravitate toward new and scary things, and this would require me to do two of them: regularly handle a deadly weapon and fraternize with armed people wearing T-shirts that say My Pronoun Is Patriot. After a four-hour, in-person class on firearm laws and safety, having never shot a handgun in my life, I received a permit that allowed me to carry a concealed firearm in almost every state. (Most states dont require a permit at all.) Though my permit necessitated no actual shooting experience, I opted to join the other students at a firing range to hone my skills. In the shooting area, our instructor demonstrated how to rack, or snap back, the slide of a semiautomatic pistol to load a bullet into the chamber. Snap with authority, he said. Do not snap like you watch Glee. Advertisement The gun was heavier than I had expected. Every part of its preparation took more muscle than Id anticipated, befitting a complex machine that would enable one of my fingers to send a piece of metal flying 800 mph across the room. My thumbs got torn up pressing the bullets into the rigid spring of the magazine. Feeling a little terrified, I planted my feet and pointed the pistol downrange. When I pulled the trigger for the first time, it was clear that I had ignited an explosion. The gun jerked back in my hands, emitting a fearsome crack that tore through my ear protection and jolted my nervous system into gear. It took all my wrist strength and yogic belly breaths to keep the thing steady as it lurched in my grip. While I emptied the rest of the magazine into the zombie-clown target at the end of the room, I marveled at how unpleasant the experience was: the whirring ventilation system, the terrible lighting, the acrid smell, the earmuffs that deadened peoples voices but barely masked the gunshots. Every time I squeezed the trigger, I jumped at the blast. I couldnt believe that people did this for fun. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But in spite of my discomfortand in spite of (or maybe because of) the nagging awareness that I could easily maim anyone in the room, and vice versaI felt exhilarated by the power I held in my hands. When the instructor informed me that I had surprisingly accurate aim for a first-timer, the depths of my A-student brain lit up, thrilled by the possibility of excelling at a new task, even this one. I soon felt myself inhabiting the persona of someone with a riskier life than my own. Thirty years of pop-culture conditioning came bearing down on me, drenching my rented pistol in sex appeal. The act of racking the slide, along with the iconic chick-chick sound it produced, prompted an image of copaganda queen Mariska Hargitay from SVU to float into my mind unbidden. (I assume this is the queer millennial version of the Call of Duty fantasies that draw certain men to stockpile military-grade rifles in their TV rooms and wear tactical gear to Dunkin Donuts.) A week later, when I demonstrated my technique to a vehemently anti-gun friend, she conceded, Thats hot. Advertisement Over the next year, while my editors had me working on other projects, I made occasional progress on my gun research. I went shooting at the National Rifle Association headquarters in the Virginia suburbs. I studied ammunition types and learned that hollow-point bullets are the preferred option for self-defense because they expand and slow down when they hit something. (This makes them less likely to pass through a body and hit an unintended target, and more likely to cause maximum damage to a vital organ.) I was repulsed by the thought of all the scientific expertise that went into these designs, all the physicists and engineers who have lent their skills to the discipline of mutilation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Around the same time, I could feel the political ground begin to shift. In the fall of 2018, a Trump supporter mailed pipe bombs to CNN and a handful of big-name Democrats. The day the news broke, my wife jokingly chatted me, Now might be a good time to get that gun. Advertisement When I finally made the purchase, I opted for a Smith & Wesson M&P 9 mm, a semiautomatic handgun Id tried at the range. The M&P refers to the military and police units to whom the pistol line was originally marketed, an association I found suitably objectionable for the purposes of my project. The day I brought it home, I was already prepared to relinquish it. I bookmarked the Voluntarily and Peaceably Surrendering a Firearm page on the Metropolitan Police Departments website, eager for the day when I could store a useless bundle of unidentified cables in my coffee table instead. Advertisement As time went on and different coverage priorities emerged, my gun piece fell off my to-do list. I forgot about the firearm in my living room for months at a time. Occasionally, though, it resurfaced. On Jan. 6, 2021, when right-wing protesters stormed the U.S. Capitolwhich we can see from our back deckmy wife wondered aloud if we should take out the firearm and keep it on the table by our front door, just in case. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The idea didnt seem entirely paranoid. On TV, we were watching violent mobs in our city beat down police officers, climb walls, and crash through windows, chanting their intent to hang the vice president. We had no idea how far the riot would go. Parked on the streets around our house were a couple of out-of-state vehicles covered in menacing stickers, presumably belonging to demonstrators who would return to them in who-knows-what state of postrebellion fervor. Advertisement I told my wife that threatening hyped-up insurrectionists with an unloaded gunwhen whatever they might be carrying would surely be loaded and wielded with skills superior to minewas a reliable way to get killed. I was already humiliated by the potential headlines: Pistol-Waving, Coastal Elite Lesbians Offed in One-Sided Firefight, Seemingly Unaware That Guns Require Bullets. We shut our blinds instead, and kept the handgun hidden away. Its impossible to know how many LGBTQ+ people own firearms, but the data that does exist shows queer people keeping guns in much lower numbers than heterosexuals. According to a 2018 report from the Williams Institute at the UCLA School of Law, 19 percent of lesbian, gay, and bisexual American adults have a gun at home, compared to 35 percent of straight people. The sociodemographic explanations for the gun gap are easy to fill in. Openly LGBTQ+ people tend to be younger, more progressive, and slightly likelier to live in urban areas than the average American, all of which correlate with lower rates of gun ownership. But ever since Trumps first presidential win, surveys and reports have chronicled a rising interest in guns among left-leaning demographics. The Liberal Gun Club saw a bump in membership after the 2016 election. Black voters reporting gun ownership in their households spiked from 24 percent to 41 percent between 2019 and 2023, while the percentage of white voters saying the same rose just 3 points. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Discords and subreddits for queer and trans gun enthusiasts have boomed, especially as anti-LGBTQ+ violence has proliferated. In 2024, hate crimes targeting trans people were up 31 percent from 2021, and those targeting gay and bisexual people were up 14 percent. That years tally1,950 crimes based on sexual orientation and 463 based on gender identitywas second only to 2023s in all FBI-recorded history. Right-wing and white-nationalist agitators have become an increasingly reliable presence at Pride festivals and drag events, casting an intimidating pall over spaces that once seemed like safe havens. This has all come amid a mounting assault on the rights of women and trans people to make their own medical decisions and govern their own lives. In May 2022, in response to the news that the Supreme Court was planning to overturn Roe v. Wade, one of the most famous trans women in the U.S. issued a call to action. If you are able to afford it, and if it is safe for you to do so, Chelsea Manning wrote online, you should consider arming yourselves, then finding others to train with in teams and learn how to defend your communitywe may need these skills in the very near future. Others have likewise framed LGBTQ+ firearm ownership not as a value-neutral option, but as a responsibility. Earlier this year, signs wheatpasted around Baltimore advised passersby to buy a gun above an illustration of the transgender flag poking out from the barrel of a pistol. You only lose the rights you are not willing to defend, it read. Inaction is a choice. Do not wait for it to be made for you. Some Republicans have used this shift in rhetoric to stoke anti-trans animosity, spreading vicious and easily debunked rumors about the prevalence of trans killers. After a transgender woman killed two children and injured many more at a Minneapolis Catholic church last year, the Department of Justice began looking into ways to curtail trans Americans right to own firearms. (I am forced to hand it to the NRA, which stood on business to oppose the proposal.) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The shift in my own social circles came suddenly, after Trumps reelection, in 2024. For the first time, people whod been bewildered and low-key disturbed by the choices of our friend Roxanna (a pseudonym), a lesbian who keeps a safe filled with firearms in her home just across the Maryland border, were asking for her advice on emergency preparedness. (She was more than equipped to provide it.) Several queer friends who had never expressed a prior interest in guns began taking classes to learn how to use them. Id stopped thinking of the gun stashed in my coffee table as a loathsome liability and started considering it a potential asset. One friend, Shane (also a pseudonym), who is transfeminine and nonbinary, once told me theyd never want a gun in their house. Their position has since changed. Last year, they purchased a 3D printer chosen specifically for its ability to make filaments that can be used to build a gun, just in case the political situation gets worse. As right-wing political leaders portray trans people as malicious or mentally ill sex criminals, Shane worries that they might be clocked as trans on the street and attacked, or followed home after using a public restroom. It would not at all surprise me to see a fairly public and unbridled lynching of a trans person in the next year, they said. Shane has always supported stricter gun-control legislation, but theyve come to the conclusion that America is unlikely to ever pass it. And if the country is overrun with firearms for the foreseeable future, I am not interested in only people who think I shouldnt exist having guns, Shane said. They still dont believe that guns keep people safe, even when kept for self-defense, but when safety has been taken away, it can give you power. Sometime last spring, as the daily escalations of the Trump administration sent my mind spiraling, I realized that Id stopped thinking of the gun stashed in my coffee table as a loathsome liability and started considering it a potential asset. A whole new set of disquieting possibilities felt as if they were opening up before me: mass civil unrest, white-nationalist militias welcomed by the president, a coordinated attack on D.C. If any of the worst came to pass, I thought, it could be useful to have this tool at my disposal. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Since I hadnt touched my gun in six years, I made an appointment for a firearms refresher course at a shooting range in Virginia. When I arrived on a Thursday afternoon, I was instantly reminded of how, aesthetically and politically, gun culture and gay culture are at odds. A giant Trump Vance sign loomed over the parking lot; another one read Only Jesus can save America. My instructor, who resembled RFK Jr. with a goatee, smirked when I told him I made a living as a journalist. Ill try not to judge, he said. As we walked to the outdoor range, fake RFK presented me with a pair of pink earmuffs for hearing protection. I commented on the color, and he said hed hoped I wouldnt be offended, but hed had to choose between pink or blue. Its like a gender-reveal party for my ears, I joked. The instructor grinned. We just had one of those yesterday, he said. Enthusiasm for the gender binary aside, my guy had a welcoming presence, clearly thrilled to spread the gospel of gun ownership to all comers, even me. When he inquired about my home life, he referred to my husband, wife, whatevera phrasing several degrees more affirming than what my wife and I sometimes get at hotel check-in desks. He also confirmed that when I racked the slide, I looked so Hollywood. My Mariska Hargitay complex gained strength. Despite my lengthy neglect of the firearm, my aptitude hadnt faded. Hitting bulls-eye after bulls-eye in the golden-hour sunlight, I felt unstoppable. RFK was impressed. The barest hint of a fantasy materialized in my head: holding my own in a queer militia, taking down an assailant bent on harming us, maybe nabbing some squirrel meat for the campfire. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement My path from fearing guns to understanding their appeal is a common one. My friend Roxanna, the one with a small arsenal in the D.C. suburbs, grew up with federal-worker parents who never talked about guns. The first time she touched one, a little over a decade ago, she said, I felt like I was holding toxic waste in my handslike if I made one small mistake, I was going to kill everyone around me. But after Roxanna joined co-workers on a trip to a gun range, she started to enjoy shooting as a form of stress release. Now she has five guns of her own. She bought her latest last summer, a small, wearable semiautomatic for self-defense. In the Trump 2.0 era, she felt validated in her decision by a chilling bit of reporting shed come across in an 1892 pamphlet by Ida B. Wells. Very few proposed lynchings of Black people had been averted that year, Wells wrote: The only times an Afro-American who was assaulted got away has been when he had a gun and used it in self-defense. When Roxanna thinks about circumstances that might make her reach for a gun, she envisions MAGA mobs inciting mass civil unrest. Or, if the country devolves into deep authoritarianism, she and her wife will want protection as they flee to a sanctuary state or Canada. Theres also the remote possibility of some kind of mass roundup that would find armed government agents knocking at her door. I expressed doubt that Roxanna and her wife, a peacenik fashionista, could successfully fend off the Gestapo should they arrive. Probably not, but theyre not going to take my Black ass alive, she said. Im not going back to a plantation, and Im not going to a concentration camp. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A few days after my afternoon with RFK, I drove to an indoor gun range near Baltimore for a gathering of the D.C. and Maryland chapter of the Pink Pistols, an LGBTQ+ shooting group. Founded in 2000, with dozens of chapters across the country, the organization advocates for looser gun restrictions and provides opportunities for new gun users to learn to shoot. Pink Pistols also tries to spread the word that our people are no longer easy targets, because some of us are carrying concealed weapons. Its motto: Armed Queers Dont Get Bashed. Wayne Lerch, 67, co-founded the D.C. and Maryland chapter in 2022. For two years, it was mostly just him and two other guys in a Facebook group, posting up at a couple of lanes at the shooting range for occasional meetups. That changed with Trumps 2024 reelection. Within months, the chapter drew hundreds of new Facebook group members. The meetups grew so popular that they now rent out the entire range every month for 15 to 25 people, many of them brand new to guns. Lerch estimates that up to 70 percent of the newcomers are trans. A lot of them have not wanted anything to do with firearms before, he said, but now feel its necessary to get involved. When I joined the range day on a Sunday morning in May, about 15 people were gathered at the venue, listening to a safety briefing. A few sported attire that amended gun culture with homosexual flair: a set of protective earmuffs topped with pink cat ears; a shirt that read My Little Pew Pew above a pony with a handgun cutie mark; a patch on a gun case depicting an AR-15 over a trans flag and the words Defend Equality. The group was a bit awkward but friendly, eager to commiserate about the anxieties of living under Trump 2.0. About a third of them had never shot a gun before. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Once we took our places at the shooting lanes, the room erupted in controlled explosions. Gold bullet casings flew through the air, littering the ground like confetti on a dance floor. It was unlike any other queer mixer Ive attended. Still, the vibe wasnt not flirty. One woman, an Air Force member who was there with her wife and a co-worker, approached me as I took a break between rounds and leaned in close so I could hear her over the gunfire. Im guessing youve done this a lot, she said. You walked up there like a pro. I decided not to correct her. She told me her crew was trying out shooting for the first timemostly for fun, but also thinking it might be a good skill to have in this moment. Even Lerch, the Pink Pistols chapter coordinator who now works as a safety officer at the range we visited, is no longtime gun fanatic. He got interested around the time Trump entered the White House in 2017, when he felt newly vulnerable as an openly gay man in D.C. Seeing Proud Boys and Christofascists running around my town, I started getting worried about my own safety, he said. Under the guidance of a conservative friend, he purchased a gun for self-protection and developed a love of shooting. Hes even gotten into target competitions and long-range rifles. Hearing that steel ring at 500 yardsI cant describe it. Its just an amazing feeling, he told me. The fantasy embedded in queer firearm ownership is of a total transformation of self, from victim of circumstance to ready combatant. Talking to Lerch and others that day, I was reminded of the reporting Id done on left-leaning groups that had ballooned with newly minted activists during Trumps first presidency. Those were individuals who still had faith that the system would work according to a set of preestablished rules, and that well-meaning people could make a difference. Now boatloads of left-leaning Americans have been driven to try something new in response to political outrage and fear. It is different from most anti-Trump activism, which tries to appeal to common American values and use the tools of democracy for political change. Guns are a personal answer to a collective problem. They embody a turning inward, a desire to look out for oneself rather than engage in the messy, corny, frustrating work of trying to make society better for everyone. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For many new LGBTQ+ gun owners, an embrace of firearms is not an expression of deeply held values but an abandonment of thema capitulation to the worldview of institutions bent on our defeat. To whatever extent LGBTQ+ people are picking up guns in this moment, it speaks to their waning confidence in queer political power. American democracy no longer holds the same promise of potential progress. So, in the absence of hope, there is resignation. The country is full of bigoted people who exhibit no concern for the welfare of anyone but themselves. They also happen to be stocked with deadly weapons. If we cant beat them, we might be tempted to join them. For the seven years that Ive now owned a gun, Ive used one fact to reassure friends, and myself, that its safe to be around: I dont keep bullets in the house. Whenever Ive bought ammunition, its been at a gun range, and Ive used it all up before leaving. In this arrangement, my gun seems inert and irrelevant to my life, like a snowboard in a Miami condo. Having bullets at home would take me into territory so foreign it would feel like an identity shift: from an incidental gun owner to a potential gun user. In the concealed carry class I took before I bought my 9 mm, the gun instructor told us never to point a gun at something we werent willing to shoot. It was a simple hallmark of firearm safety, but it made my skin prickle. As Ive spent more time using my weapon, testing its lethal power on sheets of paper, Ive asked myself whether I could ever bring myself to use it outside the range. What would I conceivably point my gun at? Who am I willing to shoot? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The prospect is sickening to me, but also seductive. Having an instrument of death that could make an assailant shit their pants might be a decent substitute for stability right now. Any potential use case for a gun still sounds like morbid make-believe, but so would have half the things in the news this week if wed heard them three years ago. The fantasy embedded in queer firearm ownership is of a total transformation of self, from victim of circumstance to ready combatant. In reality, though, this wave of new LGBTQ+ gun owners seems likelier to result in a wave of accidental gun deaths. A Washington Post article published last February profiled a trans woman who bought her first firearm after Trumps reelection and now demonstrates how to safely handle firearms for her friends. In one of the photos accompanying the piece, she is depicted in her living room, flanked by trans pals, with her finger on the trigger of her revolvera position every responsible gun owner knows not to adopt, even with an unloaded weapon, until ready to fire. It scares me to think of people bringing guns to queer events, believing theyre protecting the community when theyre actually putting us at risk. I am also tormented by the death of Alex Pretti, shot in Minneapolis by ICE agents who may have been agitated by the gun Pretti carried on his waistband. The gun was legal and permitted, and Pretti made no moves to threaten the agents with it. They killed him anyway. His firearm offered no defense. Members of Trumps personal militia clearly dont need the excuse of a gun to justify killing a dissident, but neither would I want to give them one in their current state of trigger-happiness. Its tempting to envision my gun solely in defensive contexts, when it could just as easily be a useless prop or, worse, a provocation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It also bears mentioning that handgun ownership is associated with dramatically higher rates of suicidemore than three times as high for men and seven times as high for women. LGBTQ+ people are already at greater risk of self-harm. These statistics were ringing in my head as I read that Washington Post article, in which the new gun owner explained the rise in gun interest among her trans peers thus: If our hormones are taken away, wed rather just kill ourselves. This isnt idle musing. One trans woman who offers free firearm courses to other trans people sells a patch in her online shop that bears the Latin translation of an increasingly popular phrase, Death Before Detransition. Meanwhile, prominent Republicans are trying to ban gender-affirming care for trans people of all ages, and affordable mental health care is hard to come by. I would never tell a trans person seeking a sense of safety to forgo a firearm if they want one. But I dont love the idea of encouraging a population at high risk of suicide to load up on death machines at a moment of community crisis. As for my own gun, Im more worried about the potential for an accident, and for good reason: Tens of thousands of people suffer unintentional firearm injuries in the U.S. each year. Hundreds die. If I brought bullets into my home for the purposes of self-defense, Id have to commit to regular training to be anything but a danger to myself and everyone around me. My RFK-look-alike gun instructor recommended going shooting twice a month to be a safe and skillful gun owner. Twice a month! There are people I consider my close friends whom I dont see that often. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I came to an inflection point in my gun journey the day Charlie Kirk was killed. After I learned hed been shothis alleged shooter had texted Some hate cant be negotiated out to a roommate and possible partner, referring to Kirks anti-trans rhetoricI struggled to imagine what might come next. For a moment, I was glad to have my gun. It felt like a security blanket as I worried about escalating political violence and calls for retribution against the left. But as my social feeds surfaced video after nauseating video of the shot that killed him, I lurched toward the opposite conclusion. The reality of gun violence is so gruesome, so devastating, so antithetical to a good human life. I could not watch that video and visualize myself behind a gun. It got me thinking about one of the only case studies we have of someone actually stopping a violent assault on a queer event. In 2023, 45-year-old Richard M. Fierro was watching a drag show at Club Q, in Colorado Springs, when a man came in and shot 24 people, killing five. He might have killed more had Fierro not tackled, disarmed, and restrained him. Though Fierro is an Army veteran, which he credits with his combat instincts, he had no weapon on hand. Still, he subdued the shooter, likely saving lives in the process. If Im going to spend precious hours of my life learning skills for a future in peril, Id rather they be Fierros. In countless real-life scenarios, pepper spray, de-escalation tactics, or a tourniquet would be more useful than a quick-drawn pistol. These are things I could readily integrate with my existing identity without the sense of forsaking my own humanity. The person I want to be in this era of persecution and conflict is one who mitigates harm, not inflicts it. And yetthe 9 mm still sits in my living room. I no longer need it for a work assignment. All I would have to do is call 311, and a D.C. police officer would come to take it away. But every time I entertain that option, I get stuck. The firearm is a ghastly contradiction: It terrifies me, and it brings me comfort. The very thing that makes it terrifying is also what makes it feel like an instrument of safety. Will I ever take that next step and buy a box of bullets? I dont know, and Im not entirely certain what my tipping point would be. I hope and believe it will never come. My gun is a depressing admission that our society is trending against my well-being. Statistically and symbolically, it brings me one step closer to death. Im still not ready to give it up. Sign up for the Slatest to get the most insightful analysis, criticism, and advice out there, delivered to your inbox daily. After months of watching federal agents terrorize communities all across the country in the name of immigration enforcement, the Department of Homeland Securitys top brass sat before Congress on Tuesday to answer questions about the deaths of Renee Nicole Good and Alex Pretti, the detention of 5-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos, and the fates of countless others who have been caught in the crosshairs of the presidents mass deportation effort. Though Todd Lyons, acting director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, mostly deflected any responsibility and insisted that the agency conducts only targeted arrests, Democrats came prepared with receipts to remind us all just how blatantly racist and out of control the White Houses immigration agenda has been. You are only here because public outrage has become so unavoidable, Rep. LaMonica McIver, of New Jersey, said during the House Homeland Security Committees oversight hearing. McIver is being prosecuted by the Trump administration over an incident in New Jersey when she was barred from entering a detention facility. You are here, Mr. Lyons, because white people are getting shot in the face and chest when the cameras are rolling. Lyons remained straight-faced, offering no explanation for his agents extreme use of force or denial about his agents racial profiling of Americans. That profiling is something the Supreme Court essentially endorsed last year, after the justices issued a decision allowing the federal government to stop Hispanic migrants based on their apparent ethnicity, as well as other factors, like if they have an accent or work certain types of jobs. This, predictably, has led ICE to overwhelmingly target Black and brown Americans with excessive force. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Indeed, this was one of the main subtexts of the hearing. New Jersey Rep. Nellie Pou, for example, asked, Mr. Lyons, I speak Spanish. If I wasnt wearing my member pin, would me being a Latina and speaking Spanish be enough for ICE agents to harass me or shove me into one of your unmarked cars? Lyons answered no, but as Pou and other Democratic representatives pointed out, this has not been borne out by the reality on the ground; even off-duty officers have recently been profiled by ICE. When Rep. Troy Carter, of Louisiana, directly asked Lyons if his agency was arresting or deporting Americans, Lyons denied that it was arresting Americans, before quickly adding that it did detain Americans. As Carter pointed out, this was a distinction without a difference. When it came to the way agents currently present themselves to Americans, New York Rep. Tim Kennedy asked whether Lyons would instruct his agents to no longer wear masks and institute a uniform that includes visible identificationone of 10 demands congressional Democrats are requesting in the ongoing negotiations over whether to fund DHS beyond Saturdays deadline. Lyons immediately retorted, No. Advertisement And when Rep. Eric Swalwell, of California, asked Lyons if he would apologize for his department calling Good and Pretti domestic terrorists, he refused. Lyons also insisted that when his agents arrested Ramos as he made his way home from preschool with his father, the men and women of ICE took care of him. Later in the hearing, Lyons also claimed that agents played the boys favorite song and got him McDonalds. Meanwhile, it took the intervention of Texas Rep. Joaquin Castro for a visibly unwell Ramos to be released from detention. The administration immediately tried to detain him again. This was just one of many moments when administration officials offered what felt like a completely different reality from what people on the ground are experiencing with ICE officers. Advertisement Rep. Seth Magaziner, of Rhode Island, brought up the case of federal agents in Chicago, who pepper-sprayed a 1-year-old as she sat in the back seat of her fathers car. Is it proper procedure to aim pepper spray into the window of a moving vehicle? Magaziner asked Rodney Scott, the commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, who also testified. We try to avoid that, he said. Advertisement Magaziner continued to push. Were any of your agents investigated or disciplined for this? Ill have to get back to you, Scott said. Magaziner then showed a video and zoomed-in photo of an agent firing pepper spray directly into the face of a protester who was pinned to the ground by multiple agents and asked if this was proper procedure for the use of pepper spray. I cannot respond to that because youre only showing one piece, and that subject is clearly not compliant, Scott said, while refusing to confirm whether there was an open investigation into those agents. Advertisement Advertisement Your agency has been repeatedly caught on tape using violence against civilians, and you cant even tell me if any of these agents have been investigated or disciplined, Magaziner said. You are supposed to be making people safer, and instead your agents are being unnecessarily violent. Tuesdays hearing was the first time ICE leadership has testified before Congress under the second Trump administration, as the White House agreed to the testimony in a clear attempt to contain the fallout from Goods and Prettis deaths. Though it will not immediately solve the current chaos being wreaked by the president and his mass deportation mastermind Stephen Miller, the hearing did serve as a cathartic moment of rage. For a brief period of time, Democrats accurately embodied the feelings of Americans all across the country who are facing ICE in their communities with no real defense. Ralf Schumacher has got engaged to Etienne Bousquet-Cassagne. Ralf Schumacher and Etienne Bousquet-Cassagne are engaged (c) Instagram The former Formula 1 driver - who revealed he was in a same-sex relationship in July 2024 - and his partner have announced they are planning to get married, but declined to share any details about their plans. In a joint Instagram post, in which Ralf and Etienne smiled and clinked their glasses, they wrote in both German and English: "We are pleased to confirm that Ralf Schumacher and his partner Etienne Bousquet-Cassagne will be getting married. Both are delighted by the many kind congratulations they have received. "Ralf and Etienne will not comment on any further personal details and kindly ask that their privacy be respected. Thank you for your understanding." But while the couple are not sharing wedding details, German publication Bild claimed the pair are looking to enjoy a three-day wedding celebration in Saint-Tropez, where they spend most of their time in May. The 50-year-old motor racing star's ex-wife Cora-Coraline Schumacher - who he married in 2001 and divorced in 2015 - has congratulated the couple. She told Bild: "[My partner] Steven and I wish Ralf and Etienne all the best and much happiness." Ralf revealed his relationship with Etienne on Instagram in July 2024, sharing a photo of them watching a sunset with their arms around one another. He captioned the post: "The most beautiful thing in life is when you have the right partner by your side with whom you can share everything." His and Cora-Coraline's son, David Schumacher, offered his support for their relationship. He wrote in the comments of the post: "I am very happy that you have finally found someone with whom you really feel very comfortable and secure, no matter if you are a man or a woman, I am 100% behind you dad and wish you all the best and congratulations." And Ralf's friend, German actress Carmen Geiss, gushed about the couple's relationship and revealed the pair have been together for two years. She commented on Ralf's post: "I LOVE YOU BOTH SO MUCH. You have the best partner, Etienne, you can imagine. "After 2 years you can finally show your love to the world. I have known Ralf for more than 25 years and he has always been a great joy to me. always liberal, a good-hearted person who I can call day and night and above all has always been honest with me in his position. "I am happy that I got to be a part of this love and even more happy for the two who searched and found each other, because I also love Etienne deeply." This piece was originally published on State Court Report , a hub for reporting, analysis, and commentary about state courts and constitutions. State Court Report is a project of the Brennan Center for Justice. Thirty-two states will hold elections for 65 seats on their highest courts this year. State Supreme Court elections have attracted unprecedented attentionand spendingin recent years, in large part due to U.S. Supreme Court rulings that have weakened or eliminated federal courts role in protecting many rights, abortion rights in particular. This rights gap has put a spotlight on the power state Supreme Courts have to interpret and apply state constitutional protections and other state laws. This years elections will take place during a period of new intensity in state judicial politics. They follow a 2025 Wisconsin Supreme Court election, for example, that more resembled a competitive U.S. Senate race than a judicial election, with national headlines, a presidential endorsement, and interest groups and donors spending more than $100 million on the race. Television ads discussed abortion rights, trans health care, President Trump, and more. The election shattered spending and turnout records. In 2026, state courts will play a key role in deciding legal questions in the lead-up to the midterm electionsincluding disputes about ballot measures, rules for voting by mail, and possibly even challenges to election results after the elections have taken place. With state high courts continuing to have the final word in many of the highest-profile legal challenges of the day, increased attention on these courts is unlikely to dissipate any time soon. The stakes are high in this years Supreme Court elections, as the outcomes will affect court decisions determining rights and protections under state law, and will determine if the several courts ideological majorities will be at stake in 2028. These are the state supreme court elections we are watching closely this year: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Wisconsin The first major judicial election this year will take place on April 7 in Wisconsin, the embodiment of intensified judicial politics. Liberal candidates have won the last three elections for seats on the court and have held a 43 majority since 2023. Unlike Wisconsins last two Supreme Court elections in 2023 and 2025, however, the courts majority is not at stake this yearalthough its outcome will determine when the courts majority is next on the line. Advertisement Two Wisconsin Court of Appeals judges, Maria Lazar and Chris Taylor, are running in the nonpartisan election to replace retiring Justice Rebecca Bradley, a member of the courts conservative bloc. A win by Lazar, who conservative groups have supported in past elections, would likely maintain the courts current ideological balance and potentially put the majority up for grabs in 2028. A win by Taylor, who previously served as a Democrat in the Legislature and has been endorsed by the Wisconsin Democratic Party, would grow the liberal majority and likely solidify it until 2030. Since liberal justices gained a majority in 2023, the court has issued major decisions, ruling that a two-centuries-old abortion ban had been implicitly repealed and striking down state legislative maps under the state constitution. Among the issues likely to be considered by the court in the future are two state constitutional challenges to the states congressional map, and a challenge to a college financial aid program that plaintiffs argue is discriminatory. Advertisement Advertisement North Carolina Another race to watch is in North Carolina, where Justice Anita Earls, a Democrat, is being challenged by Sarah Stevens, a Republican currently serving in the North Carolina House of Representatives. Since 2018, candidates for the North Carolina Supreme Court have run in partisan elections, and Republicans have held a 52 majority since 2023. Immediately after claiming that majority, the court used rarely deployed procedures to rehear and reverse decisions on voter ID and redistricting issued by the previous Democratic majority. Earls dissented in those cases. The court appears poised to do the same in long-running litigation in which the court had previously ordered the Legislature to address disparities in public education funding. And after the only other Democrat on the court, Justice Alison Riggs, narrowly won her November 2024 election, the court ruled partially in favor of her opponents postelection lawsuit asking the state to throw out thousands of votes. A federal court superseded that ruling and ordered the state to certify Riggs victory. Advertisement Advertisement If Earls holds her seat, the courts 52 Republican supermajority will remain, but Democrats will have an opportunity to flip the courts majority in 2028, when three seats currently held by Republican justices are up for election. For this reason, the states political leaders and major donors are likely to engage heavily in the EarlsStevens race. In the 2024 election, when the majority was similarly not at stake, the state saw its first-ever judicial race with $10 million in campaign spending. Advertisement Advertisement Washington Five seats on the nine-member Washington State Supreme Court are up for election this year, including at least two open seats. Chief Justice Debra Stephens will run for reelection and Justice Colleen Melody will run in her first election since Gov. Bob Ferguson appointed her last year to fill a vacancy on the court. Justice Raquel Montoya-Lewis and Justice Charles Johnson, meanwhile, are retiring at the end of the year, leaving their seats to be filled in elections with no incumbents on the ballot. The fifth seat is currently held by Justice Barbara Madsen, who recently announced her plans to retire this April. Ferguson is likely to appoint a temporary replacement who would be eligible to compete in November in an election to fill the seat for the remainder of Madsens term. Advertisement The Washington State Supreme Court has been a national judicial leader advancing protections for rights under state law that other state courts have often drawn upon in their own decisions. This includes landmark state constitutional rulings prohibiting mandatory life sentences for anyone under 21, striking down the death penalty, and reassessing how courts consider a persons race and ethnicity when determining the constitutionality of police stops. While this years appointment and elections are unlikely to result in a major change in the courts ideological composition, they mean that a majority of the court will be composed of new memberspotentially impacting the issues the court chooses to prioritize and the extent to which it breaks new ground in developing state jurisprudence. Advertisement Advertisement Several lower court judges have already expressed their intention to run for a seat on the court. Montoya-Lewis endorsed Washington State Court of Appeals Judge J. Michael Diaz to replace her, and three candidates have filed to run for Johnsons seat: Superior Court Judge Sean ODonnell, Washington State Court of Appeals Judge Ian Birk, and attorney David Shelvey. Superior Court Judge Sharonda Amamilo has also filed to run, though her filings do not yet indicate for which seat. Advertisement Montana Montana, whose judicial elections are nonpartisan, will hold an election for one seat this November. More than possibly any other state high court, the Montana Supreme Court has attracted the ire of the states more conservative Legislature and governor. In 2024, the court issued a series of decisions striking down abortion limits and restrictive voting laws, and applying the state constitutions right to a clean and healthful environment to invalidate a state law prohibiting the consideration of greenhouse gas emissions in environmental policymaking. These rulings prompted complaints by the states Republican Senate majority leader that the Montana Supreme Court is one of the most liberal courts in the nation. The Legislature responded with a raft of bills aimed at making it harder for the court to rule against them, or to change who sits on the court altogether, and is pursuing an ethics investigation into a sitting justice. Montanans also saw their most expensive judicial elections ever in 2024. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This year, Justice Beth Baker announced she will not run for a third term on the court. District Court Judge Dan Wilson, who lost his 2024 bid for a seat, and District Court Judge Amy Eddy have announced their intentions to run for the seat. In 2024, Wilson described himself as a judicial conservative. Eddy, who was temporarily appointed to a short-term vacancy on the state Supreme Court, joined its 2025 decision striking down several recently passed abortion restrictions and regulations. Advertisement The courts highest-profile decisions have often been unanimous or nearly unanimous, and the courts membership does not fit into easy ideological categories. However, in a recent dissent, two of the courts more conservative justices accused four of their colleagues of appearing to weaponize the law against the states Republican officials. (Baker also dissented but did not join this opinion.) With a case related to the courts recent climate decision pending in a lower court, and a recent trial court ruling striking down an anti-trans law, Wilson or Eddy will join a court poised to decide more politically charged cases. Advertisement Michigan This year, Michigan Supreme Court Chief Justice Megan Cavanagh is running for reelection and Justice Noah Hood is running in his first election after Gov. Gretchen Whitmer appointed him to a vacancy on the court last year. Candidates for the Michigan Supreme Court run in nonpartisan elections but are endorsed by political parties at the parties conventions. Currently six of the seven justices on the Michigan Supreme Court were endorsed by the Michigan Democratic Party or appointed by a Democratic governor, including Cavanagh and Hood. No candidates have announced plans to challenge Cavanagh and Hood, though there are months to go before the deadline for candidates to enter the race. While decisions about abortion and elections may attract the most attention, the Michigan Supreme Court has stood out for its recent rulings related to the constitutional rights of people convicted of crimes. Just last year, the court ruled that mandatory life-without-parole sentences for anyone under 21 years old violate the state constitutions prohibition on cruel or unusual punishment. It will also soon decide on the constitutionality of mandatory life-without-parole sentences for people convicted of murder, despite not having themselves killed anyone, because of their participation in some other crime connected to the persons death. (These convictions are often referred to as felony murder.) The court has also expanded the available remedies for constitutional violations: In 2022, the court issued a landmark decision that the public has a right to sue the government for money damages when their state constitutional rights are violated. Advertisement Advertisement Retention Elections in States With Supreme Court Decisions About Abortion Several states that hold retention elections, where sitting justices stand for an uncontested up-or-down vote to retain their seats for an additional term, could also see organized anti-retention campaigns this year. Justices frequently win retention elections with a large majority of the vote, but these races can become more competitive following high-profile decisions or when well-resourced interest groups target a sitting justice. In 2024, an Oklahoma Supreme Court justice lost a retention election for the first time in state history after allies of the governor and charter school advocates organized against her retention. Advertisement Advertisement Justices in 14 states are up for retention this year, including in states where courts have issued the kind of high-profile decisions that could attract anti-retention campaigns. In Wyoming, for example, Justice Robert Jarosh, who was in the majority in the courts recent decision protecting abortion rights, will have to stand for retention to remain on the court. In Arizona, Justice John Lopez, the author of that high courts opinion upholding Arizonas 1864 abortion ban, is up for retention. Following the ruling, Arizona voters amended the state constitution to codify a right to abortion. Advertisement Ballot Measures Affecting How States Pick Judges In addition to these elections, ballot measures in Kansas and Montana will ask voters to consider how judges are selected, with likely long-term effects on the makeup of two state Supreme Courts that have at times frustrated their legislatures. In Kansas, where the Legislature once went as far as threatening to defund the judicial branch in response to the courts decision requiring the Legislature to provide more funding for public education, the Legislature has put before voters a measure to abandon the states current system for picking judges. Under the existing merit selection system, the governor appoints judges from a list provided by a judicial nominating commission comprised of nonlawyers appointed by the governor and lawyers elected by lawyers in the state. This years proposed constitutional amendment, which the public will vote on in August, would instead have the public elect state Supreme Court justices, with the potential to alter the courts ideological balance as soon as 2028. Advertisement Advertisement In Montana, which already elects its judges, organizers are currently gathering signatures to put before voters a citizen-initiated effort to insulate the court from explicitly partisan politics. The ballot initiative comes after the Legislature advanced several bills that would have converted the states nonpartisan judicial elections to partisan elections. After those measures ultimately did not pass, this amendment would enshrine the nonpartisan nature of the states judicial elections in the constitution, making it impossible for the Legislature to change course in the future without the publics consent. Voters will likely decide on that measure in November. The above contests are only a portion of those that will shape state high courts this year. States like Ohio and Texas, each with multiple seats up for election, have seen significant activity and campaign spending in the past and may again this year. And states that have not previously experienced competitive judicial elections could for the first time. At the same time, some courts are noteworthy for their lack of contested elections. In Nevada and Kentucky, for example, no candidates filed to challenge sitting justices this year despite those courts high-profile decisions about elections and abortion. Still, the landscape of competitive and highly politicized Supreme Court elections is likely to only grow in this supercharged era of judicial politics. Sign up for the Slatest to get the most insightful analysis, criticism, and advice out there, delivered to your inbox daily. The megapopular digital messenger Discord is inspiring a lot of, well, discord this week. On Monday, the app announced new safety features for its many teen usersforbidding them from speaking in audio spaces, restricting their access to channels and images with mature content, and screening out any direct messages from unknown users. These arent unreasonable changes on their own, especially on an app notorious for having drawn in violent extremists and child predators. Whats fueled the recent outrage is a new ultimatum issued alongside these features: Starting next month, everyone will be treated as a teen user by default unless they undergo a facial recognition scan or upload a government ID for the purposes of age verification. Discord will soon be expanding teen safety protections worldwide including teen-by-default settings and age assurance designed to create safer experiences for teens. Were also launching recruitment for Discord's first Teen Council, creating a space for teen voices to help shape pic.twitter.com/CW7G4sO38R Discord Support (@discord_support) February 9, 2026 The press release noted that Discords third-party ID-scanning partner will delete documents quickly, scanned face photos wont leave your device, and alternate verification methods are comingpromises that ring hollow, especially after the apps history of security compromises including a recent vendor hack that exposed more than 70,000 users government IDs and private profile details. In response, users are exploring alternative platforms and canceling their subscriptions to Discords premium Nitro service. The apps official subreddit was so overwhelmed with complaints that company executive Mark Smith responded, admitting that the ID requirement still has some risk but noting that the platform would pre-identify adult users based on available information, including their Discord messages. This ostensibly allows many users to avoid ID checks, but raises even more privacy concerns. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The people angered by and distrustful of Discords invasive verification methods are right to be. But to aim all the ire at Discord misses the point and fails to tackle the real issue: the haphazard age-verification regulations that have been passed by governments worldwide with the intent of forcing digital communities into this position. You may flee Discord if you wish, but chances are high that every viable replacement will soon incorporate such age-gating features. Discord wont remain a pariah; instead, its moves are a harbinger of whats coming for every major online space. Theres a clue in the initial press release. Discord noted that it piloted this system last year in the United Kingdom and Australia, without elaborating on why. It just so happens that both countries passed and enacted sweeping, onerous social media restrictions targeting all teens within their borders. The U.K.s Online Safety Act requires large community platforms like Discord to impose highly effective age-verification measures like including personal phone and bank data, in addition to government IDs and face-scanning software, if theres significant risk an underage user could be exposed to mature content. In Australia, the Social Media Minimum Age Act bans all under-16 Aussies from having social accounts, while requiring platforms that may expose users to especially harmful content to employ government or face identification. Advertisement Last month, Discords Help Center clarified that it first rolled out the verification process to those two nations in response to these laws. Even though Discord isnt subject to Australias act, which only applies to 10 specific apps (e.g., Facebook, Twitch), it decided to hit Aussie users with the same limits so as to express its commitment to teen safety. Related From Slate The Open Internet Is Closed for Business Read More Discords changes are prime examples of both the direct effect of and indirect fallout from these laws. The U.K. legislation is so sweeping, inconsistent, and incoherent that it also ranks Wikipedia as a high-risk platform on par with X and Instagram, risking its anonymous moderators identities. Australias current approach is more tailored, but it cast a wide net on the way to enforcement: Last year, the government sent letters to apps like Discord asking them to self-assess whether they should be subject to the ban, requesting a filed argument from any company that believed it should be exempt. Advertisement Advertisement Discord managed to exclude itself, but decided to follow the rules anyway. Thats in part because it decided to experiment with age-verification steps in Australia long before it received the governments letter, as a preparatory step. But its also in part because Discord understands the U.K. and Australia arent the only jurisdictions with such stringent oversight. Brazil, France, Malaysia, and Norway all have verification laws on the books, and at least a dozen major countries (along with the entirety of the European Union) are marking up legislation of their own. Multiple U.S. states, from Virginia to Mississippi, already require social media age-verification software, and a national law is being considered with bipartisan approval. Advertisement Advertisement For many platforms, the easiest solution is to either impose all-around standards or outright block regional access, instead of geofencing restrictions to specific borders. Discord certainly doesnt want to lose user bases anywhere in the world, and its hoping that a set of universal age-tracking rules will keep it in the legal clear wherever it may operate. Advertisement Other apps are taking blunt approaches. Thanks to the U.K.s Online Safety Act, Brits now have to scan their faces for Spotify, while losing access to art-community forums that didnt have the resources to comply. (Many of those websites are now just gone altogether, both in the U.K. and elsewhere.) YouTube has implemented A.I.-powered age-prediction tech, but is keeping ID scans as a last resort. Bluesky temporarily blocked access to all Mississippian IP addresses and is still refusing to mandate biometric data. Some tech-advocacy groups, free-speech organizations, and young users have gone on the legal offensive to block the state laws being passed across the U.S., successfully arguing in states like Texas that these tools violate teen users rights to privacy and free speech. The U.K. Parliament was forced to consider revisions to the Online Safety Act after half a million Britons signed a petition in opposition. Such public outcries and legal challenges are likely to follow in the other nations preparing to pass their own age-verification mandatesand thats exactly where the energy needs to be directed. Because if netizens dont organize in protest of these laws, what happened to Discord will only be the beginning. Halle Berry has "zero f**** to give" at this stage of her career. Halle Berry stars in the new crime thriller The 59-year-old actress stars in the new thriller movie Crime 101 alongside the likes of Chris Hemsworth, Nick Nolte and Mark Ruffalo, and Halle feels she's more likely to pull off a heist than any of her co-stars. The award-winning actress told E! News: "They just know that I have reached a stage where I have zero f**** to give. So they know I would try it. Why not? I have no more f**** to give." Halle has become an outspoken advocate for women in Hollywood in recent years, and she has no intention of changing her approach. The movie star shared: "I know Ive been clear of the importance of this message, and this time that I find myself in - I refuse to go away and disappear and fall into obscurity." Halle is also feeling excited about the next chapter in her career. She said: "Im just getting started on my second act, and Im excited for that. So, Im just doing my part, thats all." Meanwhile, Halle recently suggested that older actresses in Hollywood need to "reclaim the narrative". The film star - who plays a character facing ageism and misogyny in Crime 101 - told Variety: "I know the heartbreak of that. I know how marginalised women feel when they get around those numbers, and so I think I felt it for every woman who has been there and felt that way. "Its wrong and I think as women we have to reclaim the narrative. Were not done at 50, 60, even 70. We have so much more to offer. Im 60 this year and I feel like Im just getting my second groove started, so not done." In one scene in Crime 101, Halle's character tells a male boss to "shut the f*** up", and the actress has admitted to experiencing similar things in her own career. The actress shared: "Ive said that to a few of my bosses. [It feels] amazing because that means Im standing up for myself as a woman and Im empowered. That has felt really good every time Ive had to do that." David Miller became harness racing's all-time leading driver in U.S. earnings on Wednesday, Feb. 11 at Miami Valley Raceway, topping the previous record of $299,892,141 USD established by fellow Hall of Famer John Campbell, who retired in 2017. Miller entered the day needing $2,895 USD to eclipse Campbells mark. Miller broke the record when trotter My Next Chapter finished third in the second race on Wednesday, pushing Millers purse earnings $1,066 USD ahead, at $299,893,207 USD. It means quite a bit, Miller said in an interview with the United States Trotting Association's Wendy Ross on Tuesday, Feb. 10 as he reflected on approaching the record. Its quite an accomplishment. I never would have dreamt I would be in this situation. Its very fulfilling. Its a big milestone and Im proud to do it. Campbell, now the president and CEO of the Hambletonian Society, congratulated Miller in a video message after the race. Ive always had tremendous respect for you as a driver, a person and a friend, said Campbell. Heres to many more millions for you, David. Congrats. The 61-year-old Miller, who was inducted into the U.S. Harness Racing Hall of Fame in 2014, got his first career win in 1981. The Columbus, Ohio native finished that year with four victories and $1,891 USD in purses. After a string of six top 25 finishes in the North American purse standings from 1993-1998, Miller moved to the East Coast and finished in the top five in 25 of the ensuing 27 seasons before returning to Ohio at the end of last year. He has topped $10 million USD in purses in a season a record 18 times, including in 2003, when he guided U.S. Horse of the Year No Pan Intended to the Pacing Triple Crown and finished the campaign with a North American-leading $11.49 million USD. It makes it special, Miller said about being back home in Ohio. Twenty minutes up the road was the track I started out at. To break it here, its pretty sweet. Miller, who entered Wednesday with nearly 14,900 lifetime wins, ranking No. 5 among all drivers in North American history, has been honoured by the United States Harness Writers Association as its Driver of the Year on three occasions: 2003, 2015 and 2016. Among his numerous career highlights, Miller has won the Little Brown Jug five times, tied for the most in history, and captured 30 Breeders Crown finals, tied for third best in the series. Ive been blessed so much, said Miller. Ive been very fortunate. I couldnt be happier with the way things went in my career. (With files from USTA; race photo of David Miller driving My Next Chapter on Feb. 11) The Virginia Harness Horse Association (VHHA), which added a lucrative Sired Stakes initiative to its portfolio of incentive programs in 2022, announced several new stallions will be standing in the state for the 2026 breeding season. A total of 10 trotting stallions and five pacing stallions will stand at Virginia farms this year located mainly in the central and southwest part of the Commonwealth, including new stallions Dancer Hall, Diplomatsawspanco, Iammrbrightside N and MB Fireworks Hall. New to Virginia in 2026, Dancer Hall 5,1:51.1s ($563,982), the 2018 Honourable Earl Rowe Memorial Trot champion and O'Brien Award finalist, will stand at Ivan Byler's farm in Halifax. The 12-year-old son of Deweycheatumnhowe-Daylon Mystique previously had limited matings in Pennsylvania. Iammrbrightside N p,10,1:50.3f ($753,597), a winner of more than $750,000 whose wins include a trio of Grade 3 stakes in Australia, will stand his first season at Cristy Yoder's farm in Nathalie, Virginia. The 16-year-old pacer is a son of Julius Caesar out of Onedin Spur. The Jarrell Farm in Dugspur will host a pair of unraced trotters who are both standing their first season in 2026. The four-year-old Diplomatsawspanco is a grey son of The Diplomat out of Angel Warken while the seven-year-old black stallion MB Fireworks Hall is a son of Winning Fireworks out of Christabel Hall. Other stallions standing in the state include Armed Dangerously, Artzina, Dusty Winner, Jeneral Patton, Love Hunter, Mr Julian, Neptune, Primo Vomo, Secular, Winning Fireworks and Wishbone. Sired Stakes races will be run based on age, sex and gait as two and three-year-olds. Elimination races offer a $6,000 USD purse and finals go for $60,000 USD. Sired foals are also eligible to compete in the Breeder's Fund races during the same years, which offer $8,000 USD eliminations and $80,000 USD finals. The Sired Stakes program also offers bonus payments to stallion owners and breeders. They will each receive 15 per cent of the Sire Stakes purse winnings their foals earn in the two and three-year-old preps and finals at Shenandoah Downs. More details, contact information and pricing for each is available at vhha.net or by calling Debbie Warnick at 443-463-0917. The Sire Stakes initiative will complement other VHHA incentive programs like Breeder's Fund races and the Certified Residency program. The 2026 racing schedule at Shenandoah Downs will again feature a pair of seven-week meets. The spring session will run from April 11 to May 24 and the fall meet will run from Sept. 19 to Nov. 1. Race days are Saturday and Sunday afternoons with a 1:05 p.m. post. A four-day, non-wagering meet will also be conducted during the Shenandoah County Fair from Sept. 2-5. Racing applications are currently available online at shenandoahdowns.com. (With files from VHHA; photo of Dancer Hall winning at Woodbine Mohawk Park) Sustaining payments for the Little Brown Jug (Grade 1) and three other Grand Circuit events Jugette (three-year-old filly pace Grade 1), Old Oaken Bucket (three-year-old open trot Grade 3) and the Buckette (three-year-old filly trot Grade 3) are due Feb. 16. These payments are for foals of 2023. The sustaining payments are as follows: Little Brown Jug $1,200 USD; Jugette $500 USD; Old Oaken Bucket $500 USD; and Buckette $400 USD. Three-year-old pacers not eligible after Feb. 16 may supplement to the Little Brown Jug with a payment of $45,000 USD or the Jugette for $15,000 USD. The Little Brown Jug, Old Oaken Bucket and Buckette will be raced Thursday, Sept. 24 and the Jugette on Wednesday, Sept. 23 at the Delaware County Fairgrounds. The 2026 Delaware Grand Circuit meet will feature five days of racing from Sunday, Sept. 20 through Thursday, Sept. 24. Payment forms are available at littlebrownjug.com. Cheques should be made payable to The Delaware County Fair, Tom Wright, P.O. Box 1560, Powell, OH 43065. Entries should also be sent to the same address. (Little Brown Jug) Opportunities, policies lure overseas talent back 10:44, February 11, 2026 By CHENG SI ( China Daily The number of overseas returnees seeking employment on the Chinese mainland reached a new high in 2025, driven by promising domestic economic prospects and shifts in the global economic, technological and employment landscapes. This influx has invigorated China's development of new quality productive forces, particularly in the areas of software engineering, artificial intelligence and pharmaceuticals. According to a recent report by domestic recruitment portal Zhaopin, the number of overseas returnees seeking jobs on the mainland increased 5 percent year-on-year in 2025, and roughly 1.5-fold since 2018. Among the returnees, the number of fresh graduates grew 12 percent over the previous year, and 2.25-fold since 2018, marking an eight-year high. About one-third of returnees came from the United Kingdom, around one-fifth from Australia and almost 8 percent from the United States, the report noted. According to Li Qiang, vice-president of Zhaopin, industry upgrades and development of new industries have created more job opportunities. Companies in the AI, new energy and high-end manufacturing sectors have increased investments, creating more jobs. In the AI industry, job openings for roles like AI product manager grew 178 percent in the first three quarters of 2025 on Zhaopin's platform, with offers of competitive salaries. "Some Chinese companies have shown increasing demand for talent with overseas education backgrounds and language abilities as they expand globally," Li said. The Zhaopin report indicates that sectors such as education, consultancy and trade remain the largest employers of overseas returnees, emphasizing the importance of language skills, cross-cultural communication and overseas learning experience. Industries involved in new quality productive forces, such as metal products and pharmaceutical manufacturing, are increasingly seeking overseas returnees too as they move toward smarter and greener operations and aim to expand internationally, according to the report. On their part, returnees have shown keen interest in promising and futuristic industries, such as new materials, robotics and AI, which have higher technical thresholds, research and development inputs and international reputations. In 2025, resume submissions in the new materials sector grew almost 90 percent, with robotics witnessing a 75 percent increase in resume submissions and AI seeing around a 35 percent surge. Li said that changes in the international employment environment also influenced students' decisions to return to the mainland. "Some countries have adjusted their working visa policies, increasing local employment competition. China, however, offers a convenient and stable living and working environment, with supportive policies on hukou (household registration permit) and entrepreneurship for returnees," he said. Wang Siqi, 27, returned to the Chinese mainland after completing her postgraduate education in the UK in 2024. "I prefer the climate and living environment here on the mainland, which is much more convenient," said Wang, who now works for a consultancy company in Shenzhen, Guangdong province, and is satisfied with her job. She added that many of her peers have also returned, settling in major cities such as Shanghai and Beijing. Li Chang'an, a professor at the University of International Business and Economics' Academy of China Open Economy Studies, attributed the rising number of returnees to China's robust economy, as well as the abundant job opportunities and attractive salaries created by industry transformation. "Overseas students have access to cutting-edge ideas and technologies, giving them broad international perspectives. However, their long-term overseas experience may lead them to underestimate the competition in the mainland job market," he said, noting that domestic graduates, especially those from elite universities, possess strong abilities and qualities comparable to returnees, which may challenge the expectations of those returning. (Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun) Rose Byrne "burst into tears" when she found out she'd been nominated for an Oscar. Rose Byrne cried over her Oscar nomination The 46-year-old actress was Australia when her partner Bobby Cannavale called to share the good news she had been shortlisted for the Best Actress Academy Award for her work on If I Had Legs I'd Kick You and admitted it was "really meaningful" to be able to celebrate with her parents. She told Extra: "I was in Australia, so it was the middle of the night and Bobby FaceTimed me He called and I, like, burst into tears. "My parents got up and woke up and they were like, Oh, my God, did you get the nomination? So, it was really meaningful to share it with my mom and dad. Bobby wasn't with Rose when she won the Best Female Actor in a Musical or Comedy because he was picking up a bearded dragon for the family, but he is looking forward to attending the Oscars for the first time with her next month. Rose confirmed: Yeah, he can't wait. He's never been. I went once before because I presented with the cast of Bridesmaids in 2012. The Instant Family star faces competition for the award from Jessie Buckley (Hamnet), Emma Stone (Bugonia), Kate Hudson (Song Sung Blue) and Renate Reinsve (Sentimental Value) and she is looking forward to speaking with them at the ceremony to praise their "breathtaking" work. She said: The women in my category are just extraordinary and I've seen all their work now and they're breathtaking, and I can't wait to celebrate and make them feel uncomfortable and tell them how much I love them." Rose has also been named Woman of the Year by Harvard University's Hasty Pudding Theatricals and she's looking forward to having fun at the prestigious university when she collects the honour. She said: "I'm so excited. I've heard this event is an absolute riot and really fun and my friends said, 'You have to do this... It's so fun, and it's really sort of nourishing and creative and you get to be students who are not cynical and who are not jaded and who have the future are the future." (TBTCO) - Techcombank vua thong qua ke hoach tang von toi a 800 ty ong vao Techcom Life, nang von ieu le tu muc 1.300 ty ong hien tai. ong thai nay uoc xem la buoc i nham mo rong he sinh thai tai chinh va ay manh phat trien mang bao hiem nhan tho, trong boi canh du ia thi truong bao hiem tai Viet Nam con lon. You have permission to edit this article. Edit Close UK motorists could face fines of up to 10,000 and 12 penalty points if their tyres fail to meet legal requirements, motoring experts have warned. Motoring experts warn UK drivers to check tyre tread using the 20p test, or face fines up to 10,000 RAC Drive emphasised that drivers with all four tyres below the legal tread depth could be fined up to 2,500 and receive three penalty points per tyre. They said: That is per tyre, so four illegal tyres could mean a fine of 10,000 and 12 penalty points. The Highway Code mandates that cars, light vans and light trailers MUST have a tread depth of at least 1.6 mm across the central three-quarters of the breadth of the tread and around the entire circumference. To help drivers check their tyres, RAC Drive recommends the simple 20p test. They said: The 20p test is a simple, quick and easy way of checking the tyre tread of your car's wheels. Just take a 20p coin and insert it into the tread grooves on the tyre. If you can't see the outer band on the coin, your tyres are above the legal limit. However, if you can see the band and that section of the coin is still visible, your tyres could be unsafe and require professional inspection by a mechanic. We suggest drivers conduct the 20p test around every two weeks and before long journeys." Experts stressed the safety risks of worn tyres. The RAC warned: Driving with tyres that have a tread below the legal limit - or even worse, are bald - is dangerous. It can put you and other motorists at risk. If you are involved in an accident and the car you are driving has illegal or bald tyres, you should be aware of the consequences. Any insurance claim as a result of an accident could be invalidated, so potentially your insurer won't pay out any money any repairs needed to your vehicle. The group also advised motorists to invest in a tyre tread gauge or use basic colour-coded tools to ensure their tyres are legal and safe. Authorities detained a man who said he was questioned for hours Tuesday night and later released. The hours-long detention of the Rio Rico man occurred soon after the FBI and the Pima County Sheriff's Department released images of a masked person on Nancy Guthrie's porch the night she went missing from her Tucson home. The man, who was detained following a traffic stop south of Tucson, told several media outlets after his release that he had nothing to do with last week's disappearance of Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of Today show host Savannah Guthrie, the Associated Press reported. Authorities have not said what led them to stop the man. Authorities searched a house Wednesday in Rio Rico, a community about an hour south of Tucson where the man said he lives with his wife and mother-in-law. The mother-in-law had told CNN Tuesday night on air that law enforcement officers had put her son-in-law, who works as a delivery driver in Tucson, in cuffs. "He has nothing to do with it, either," she had said. "We're not hiding anything." She said investigators showed her the security camera video that was released earlier Tuesday, which depicted an armed, masked person at Guthrie's door early on the morning she went missing. KNXV-TV in Phoenix interviewed the delivery man who said he had been detained by police on suspicion of kidnapping Guthrie. He said he and his wife pulled the car over when they noticed that police were following them. The man, who gave only his first name and said he lived in Rio Rico, said he was innocent and that police released him after several hours. His account could not be independently verified. Local and federal authorities have not confirmed that the person who they had detained was released, the Associated Press reported. The man told KNXV-TV he is innocent and that police released him after several hours. It was the latest twist in an investigation that has gripped the nation since Nancy Guthrie disappeared on Feb. 1 from her Catalina Foothills home. Until Tuesday, it seemed authorities were making little headway in determining what happened to her or finding who was responsible. On Thursday, Pima County Sheriff's Department confirmed investigators had recovered gloves among several items of evidence. All of it has been submitted for analysis, the department announced in its update. Patel: More than 1 person of interest Investigators believe Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of NBC "Today" show host Savannah Guthrie, was abducted from her home the early morning hours of Feb. 1. On Tuesday images and video were released by the FBI and Sheriff's Department that showed a person wearing a backpack and a ski mask. The person can be seen in one of the videos tilting their head down and away from a door camera of Guthrie's home on the morning she disappeared. ABC News was first to report Tuesday night that a person had been detained for questioning the in case, citing a law enforcement source who had been briefed on the situation. "However, there is no indication that the person who was detained is the figure seen in the newly released video footage" from Guthrie's front door camera, ABC had said. The New York Times also said Tuesday night, before reporting the man had been released, that it wasn't clear whether authorities believed the person being questioned was the same person in the video, quoting an unnamed law enforcement official familiar with the case. FBI Director Kash Patel told Fox News late Tuesday that FBI agents were looking at more than one individual as a person of interest in Guthrie's disappearance. We are looking at people who, as we say, are persons of interest, Patel said. Patel did not elaborate on who might be under suspicion, but said authorities were undergoing a process to eliminate anyone who may not be involved. Patel said the FBIs outreach to the private sector has shown there might be persons of interest in and around the area related to this event. Meanwhile, TMZ reported late Tuesday that "there has been activity in the Bitcoin account listed in the first ransom note in relation to the Nancy Guthrie case." Chilling video and images The video footage released earlier Tuesday shows a person at Guthrie's door holding a flashlight in their mouth and trying to cover the camera with a gloved hand and part of a plant ripped from her yard. The videos less than a combined minute in length gave investigators and the public their first glimpse of who was outside Guthrie's home, but the images did not show what happened to her or help determine whether she is still alive. By Tuesday afternoon, authorities were back near Guthries neighborhood, using vehicles to block her driveway. A few miles away, law enforcement was going door-to-door in the area where daughter Annie Guthrie lives, talking with neighbors as well as walking through a drainage area and examining the inside of a culvert with a flashlight. PHOENIX A Senate panel has voted to put the first-ever restraints on the ability of police to use license plate readers to find and track people. SB 1111 would put into law requirements for how the data collected must be stored, who can access it, as well as penalties for unlawful disclosure. And legislators acknowledged that, for the moment, police departments are using it, all without any guidance and limits other than what they impose on themselves. But it is what is not in the measure that is causing heartburn for foes. Sen. Lauren Kuby pointed out that, as crafted, it does not allow people to access the information police are accumulating on them. Nor is there any limit on how long all that tracking information can be kept, allowing police to create a database on where people have been and where they go for months if not longer. "I'm having a hard time seeing where there's actual guardrails,'' the Tempe Democrat said. She said, though, it's not just giving Arizonans the ability to check what data police have accumulated on their own travels. Consider, she said, reports that a law enforcement agency in Texas tapped into a network 83,000 license plate readers owned by Flock Safety, a company that contracts with local police, to try to track down a woman who was trying to get an abortion who had fled to another state where the procedure is legal. And that's not all. "There's a string of scandals over data being accessed by immigration authorities racing to fulfill Donald Trump's deportation agenda,'' Kuby said. "Why not (have) safeguards that would prohibit that from being used by ICE or being used by anti-abortion states to track women who are coming to Arizona for a lawful abortion.'' Sen. John Kavanagh, a former police officer, was not sympathetic particularly to the idea of restricting local police from sharing their databases with ICE. "When you say 'protections,' would you also protect illegal immigrants who have criminal warrants on them?'' the Fountain Hills Republican asked. But it was Sen. Mark Finchem, another former police officer, who pointed out the difficult decision facing his colleagues who are not happy with the level of restrictions being proposed: There are currently no laws at all limiting how police can deploy the fixed and mobile readers, how long they can keep the tracking data and with whom they can share that. "This is something, setting up guardrails and standards for something that's already out of the barn,'' said the Prescott Republican. "It's the Wild West,'' Kuby conceded. Paul Avelar, an attorney with the Institute for Justice, did not dispute any of that. But he said that shouldn't force lawmakers to accept a plan being offered up by police chiefs and sheriffs from around the state simply because it might be better than nothing. The problem, he said, starts with the fact that these automated license plate readers cameras are indiscriminate, noticing and recording everything that they see. Consider, he said, a lawsuit brought by Institute for Justice against the city of Norfolk, Va. over the cameras recording the locations of multiple residents multiple times, often in the same day. "The city effectively built a virtual police force of cameras operating silently all the time,'' Avelar told lawmakers. "That's not routine law enforcement,'' he said. "It is mass surveillance and it is unconstitutional.'' Avelar later conceded that the lawsuit was thrown out but remains on appeal. Several police chiefs and officers told lawmakers how the cameras can help solve crimes that otherwise might not get resolved. One involved someone in a truck stolen from Flagstaff which was driven through Sedona. But it was stopped only in Cottonwood, a city with license plate readers that alerted police to the stolen vehicle. And the result was not just recovery of the truck, but also an underage girl who said she had been kidnapped. Finchem also dismissed the idea that there should be some hard-and-fast deadline by which police would have to to erase the records and info gathered with the cameras. He said there is national data saying that it takes anywhere from 61 to 326 days to close out an investigation of a missing child. And that's just part of a problem. "Sometimes you don't even know the person is missing for weeks, until somebody reports them missing,'' Finchem said. He said police need to be able to access the records for as long as it takes though he indicated that a 90-day limit might be acceptable. Kavanagh said many of those people who are concerned about who is being tracked and what information they are gathering think nothing about signing up for an "affinity'' card at a grocery chain. Using that identification allows customers to get discounts and other specials. "People go into supermarkets to get a couple of bucks off their grocery bill and enter their phone number and let the store know how much alcohol they buy, how much beer they buy, what nonprescription medicines they buy,'' Kavanagh said. "People go on Amazon and they know everything you're buying, even more personal on that thing, no one cares about that.'' And consider not just phones that can be tracked but even someone's computer location if they don't protect themselves with a "virtual private network.'' "This is like virtually nothing in the overall scale,'' he said of the use of license plate cameras. "It doesn't mean we shouldn't put reasonable safeguards around it,'' Kavanagh said. But if the bill dies that means "no limits, everything goes.'' ABC reviving classic Kids show Adelaide will be the focus of a well-known brand coming back to life for children on ABC. Next week ABC is set to announce a well-known brand being revived for Childrens audiences. The unnamed production will take place in Adelaide, the home of classics such as Heres Humphrey, The Curiosity Show, The Fairies, Finders Keepers, Kaboodle, plus current productions Beep & Mort and the long-running BtN. In Senate Estimates this week ABC managing director Hugh Marks confirmed ABC was close to announcing shows from the $50m funding boost for Drama and Kids TV. We had a number of ideas which have been pitched into the organisation which we were unable to proceed with in the absence of the additional funding. Im hoping. within the next couple of weeks or the next month at least that were in a position to make announcements about a number of Childrens programmes and Adult dramas that were ready to proceed with and get into production. Including one in South Australia, he told Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young. It will be a well-known brand coming back to life for the benefit of children to be produced by a company in Adelaide for the ABC. But he declined to name the returning show. Im not sure Senate Estimates are the best place for Programming announcements, he teased. I will be in Adelaide next week and I expect that particular programme well announce next week. A major new immersive experience honouring David Bowie is set to open at London's Lightroom, inviting fans to step directly into the mind and music of one of pop cultures most revolutionary artists. David Bowie: You're Not Alone is coming to Lightroom David Bowie: Youre Not Alone uses the late icon's own voice to guide visitors through a 360 audiovisual world built from rare footage, personal materials and reimagined performances drawn from the vast David Bowie Archive in New York. The show is produced by Lightroom and created by design studio 59, with direction from Mark Grimmer who previously served as Creative Director on the V+As landmark David Bowie Is exhibition alongside Tom Wexler. Rather than revisiting Bowies famous personas, from Ziggy Stardust to the Thin White Duke, the experience shifts the focus to the man behind the mythology. Through newly reconfigured audio, striking visuals, and thematic chapters, Youre Not Alone explores Bowies thoughts on creativity, spirituality, theatricality, and the artistic curiosity that defined his career. Visitors will encounter everything from surreal television moments including Bowies playful 1975 interview with Russell Harty to the dramatic reconstruction of the Diamond Dogs tour set, brought vividly to life inside Lightrooms vast digital canvas. Performances spanning Space Oddity, Diamond Dogs, Heroes, and Blackstar have been rebuilt using Lightrooms spatial audio system, with sound design by multiple Olivier and Tony Award-winning Gareth Fry (Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, David Bowie Is). The production draws on thousands of hours of archive material, weaving together performance clips, photography, handwritten notes, drawings and studio recordings to create an intimate portrait of Bowies creative universe. The project has been developed in close collaboration with, and fully authorised by, the David Bowie Estate. Grimmer said the team wanted to challenge the idea of Bowie as an untouchable alien figure. He said: Throughout his career, Bowie resisted being seen as anything other than human. Rather than diminishing his mystique, we wanted to celebrate him as a champion of human creativity someone who believed art helps us understand what it means to be alive. Lightroom Executive Producer David Sabel added that the venue is uniquely suited to bringing Bowies world to life. He added: Lightroom lets audiences step inside an artists imagination. Theres no one more fitting for that than David Bowie. Travelling across decades of his performances whether youre reliving them or discovering them for the first time is a total thrill. Youre Not Alone follows Lightrooms previous acclaimed collaborations with David Hockney, Tom Hanks, Anna Wintour, Vogue and Apple TV, which have collectively drawn more than 1.5 million visitors worldwide. Tickets for the Kings Cross event go on sale February 10 at 7pm, priced from 25 for adults and 15 for students and concessions. The show will run from April 22 to June 28, with additional summer dates to be announced. Fans can sign up for Lightrooms mailing list for updates on future ticket releases. Mubi: February highlights In February Mubi screens films from Alex Ross Perry, David Cronenberg and Sofia Coppola. In February Mubi screens films from Alex Ross Perry, David Cronenberg and Sofia Coppola. Pavements February 6 Alex Ross Perry | USA | 2024 | Alex Ross Perrys Pavements is a genre-defying cinematic portrait of the seminal American indie band, blending documentary, performance, re-enactment, and musical spectacle into a playful and probing refl ection on artistic legacy. Anchored around Pavements 2022 reunion tour, the film spirals outward into staged scenes, archival material, and Broadway-style musical interludes drawn from the bands discography. With Perrys signature intellectual irreverence, Pavements interrogates nostalgia, authenticity, and the absurdities of cultural canonisationexamining how memory is constructed, rehearsed, and commodified. Both affectionate and sharply self-aware, the film captures the bands internal dynamics while reflecting on their enduring infl uence on alternative music culture. Premiered at major festivals including Venice, NYFF, and London Film Festival. The Shrouds February 27 David Cronenberg | France, Canada | 2024 | David Cronenberg delivers one of his most intimate and unsettling works with The Shrouds, a speculative meditation on grief, technology, and the terror of love that refuses to end. Vincent Cassel stars as Karsh, a widowed businessman who invents a controversial technology allowing the living to monitor the bodies of their deceased loved onesuntil grave desecrations force him to confront the emotional cost of his obsession. Conceived in the aftermath of Cronenbergs own bereavement, the film distils his lifelong preoccupations: the body as interface, technology as an extension of desire, and intimacy as something that mutates beyond control. Body horror is present but restrained, giving way to psychological exposure and moral unease. Diane Kruger appears in multiple incarnations that fracture memory, identity, and longing. Premiered at Cannes, TIFF, and IFFR. Being John Smith February 20 John Smith | UK | 2024 A wry, deeply personal essay film from British avant-garde luminary John Smith, Being John Smith refl ects on the lifelong burdenand strange poetryof possessing the most common name in the English-speaking world. Using family photographs, personal archives, internet searches, and deadpan narration, Smith transforms autobiography into a quietly profound meditation on identity, legacy, and self-doubt. A Dream Longer Than the Night February 20 Niki de Saint Phalle | France | 1976 | February 20 A hallucinatory feminist fairytale, A Dream Longer Than the Night is one of only two fi lms directed by celebrated artist Niki de Saint Phalle. Magically aged into adulthood, Princess Camelia journeys through a phantasmagoric landscape of goblins, ghouls, and surreal trials, confronting patriarchal power structures along the way. Somewhere between Jacques Demy and Jean Cocteau, the film extends de Saint Phalles vibrant sculptural and performative practice into cinematurning a limited budget into a boundless creative universe. Whimsical, audacious, and defiantly political, the film playfully dismantles gendered expectations through fantasy and satire. Additional arrivals: Millennium Mambo Hou Hsiao-hsiens hypnotic modern classic drifts through the neon-lit Taipei nights of the early 2000s, following a young woman suspended between love, alienation, and self-reinvention. Dreamlike, melancholic, and formally precise, Millennium Mambo captures the emotional weight of time passingand the quiet ache of youth on the verge of change. LEclisse The final chapter of Antonionis iconic trilogy on alienation, LEclisse is a stark, modernist meditation on emotional disconnection in an increasingly abstract world. Monica Vitti and Alain Delon drift through an architecture of silence and emptiness, as love gives way to absence. One of European cinemas most radical endings, the fi lm remains a cornerstone of modernist filmmaking. Priscilla Sofia Coppolas intimate portrait of Priscilla Presley reframes an iconic romance through a lens of isolation, longing, and emotional imbalancecentering the interior life of a young woman coming of age inside a gilded cage. Portrait Of A Lady On Fire Celine Sciammas luminous masterpiece of desire and memory traces a forbidden love between painter and subject, unfolding with aching restraint and radical tenderness. A modern classic of queer cinema. Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor's links to Jeffrey Epstein are being investigated by specialist prosecutors amid reports the disgraced royal shared confidential documents with Epstein when he was the UKs trade envoy. Emails released by the US Department of Justice (DOJ) earlier this month appear to show the disgraced former royal sharing reports of official visits to Hong Kong, Vietnam and Singapore. The former duke made the visits in his capacity as trade envoy in late 2010, conducting meetings and trade talks. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One email, dated 30 November 2010, was forwarded by Andrew just five minutes after being sent it by his then-special adviser, Amir Patel, the DOJ's latest release of the Epstein files shows. Additionally, on Christmas Eve 2010, Andrew appears to have looped Epstein in on a confidential brief on investment opportunities in the reconstruction of Helmand Province, Afghanistan. On 9 February, Thames Valley Police said it was assessing these reports. On Wednesday (11 February), it confirmed it had brought in specialist crown prosecutors from the CPS in relation to the Epstein files. "We can confirm today (11/2) that Thames Valley Police is leading the ongoing assessment of allegations relating to misconduct in public office," Thames Valley Police told Yahoo News. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "As part of this assessment, we have engaged in discussions with Specialist Crown Prosecutors from the CPS. "During an assessment phase, information is evaluated to determine whether a criminal offence is suspected and whether a full investigation is required. "Allegations of misconduct in public office involve particular complexities, and therefore an assessment must be conducted carefully and thoroughly." Andrew has vehemently denied any wrongdoing in relation to his friendship with Epstein. Yahoo News has contacted him for comment. What do the emails in the Epstein files say? An email dated 30 November 2010 was forwarded by the then-duke just five minutes after being sent it by Amir Patel, according to the latest tranche of documents released by the DOJ. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The email included attached reports on Andrew's visits to Vietnam, Singapore, Hong Kong and Shenzhen in China. The sender, listed only as "The Duke", appears to have passed on these documents in the email forwarded to Epstein. An email forwarded to Epstein by a contact listed as 'The Duke'. (US Department of Justice) Another email, sent on Christmas Eve 2010, appears to show Andrew passing as an attachment a "confidential brief" on investment opportunities in Helmand Province, Afghanistan. At this point, the region was overseen by British Armed forces and development was heavily funded by UK public money. Although Andrew's full email address is not shown in the DOJ's release, it does include a signature at the bottom, reading "HRH the Duke of York KG". Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The Duke" says he is going to offer these opportunities "elsewhere in my network", including in Abu Dhabi, but would be interested to hear Epstein's thoughts, according to the emails. "I have sadly already found out that Gates Foundation doesn't do anything in Afghanistan," he added. At this time Helmand Province was overseen by British Armed Forces and propped up by UK taxpayers' money. (US Department Of Justice) What does 'assessing information' mean? Andrew has not been charged with any criminal offences and is not even the subject of a formal investigation at this point in time. If a police force says it is assessing information, it means it is looking at the information provided and evaluating where to go from there. London's Metropolitan Police gives an example of how this process works on its website, saying that "first, well make sure that were the right police force to investigate the crime" - i.e. is it in their jurisdiction. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Well then look at the information we've got and decide if we can investigate your report further," the Met said. "If we decide we can't investigate your report, we'll contact you to explain why." Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor has not been charged with any offences and is not even the subject of an investigation at this time. (Imageplotter) It said its decision to go ahead with an investigation is based on four key factors: Vulnerability of the victim Seriousness of the crime The likelihood of solving it, and The best use of police resources. Thames Valley Police declined to say specifically what offences it was assessing in the case of Andrew. While anti-monarchy pressure group Republic has suggested the emails could indicate misconduct in public office and a breach of official secrets, authorities are yet to mention anything about specific offences. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Misconduct in public office carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment. Stuart Miller Solicitors said this gives the court a "wide discretion in respect of the sentence that is imposed". "Currently, there are no sentencing guidelines in place to advise the court on how a sentence for this offence should be calculated," it added. A government factsheet on the Official Secrets Act 1911 says that this legislation, designed to punish espionage, includes the disclosing of trade secrets to the benefit of a "foreign power". Official government guidance highlights that the role of a trade envoy carries a duty of confidentiality regarding sensitive information. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This may include sensitive, commercial, or political information shared about relevant markets/visits, guidance from the Department of Business and Trade reads. What have the royals said? The unfolding scandal has prompted renewed statements from the royal family as it seeks to distance itself from Andrew. Prince William in Saudi Arabia on the last day of his first official trip to the country. (Pool via Getty Images) On 9 February, Buckingham Palace said in a statement that King Charles had "profound concerns" about the allegations. "The King has made clear, in words and through unprecedented actions, his profound concern at allegations which continue to come to light in respect of Mr Mountbatten-Windsors conduct," the statement said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "While the specific claims in question are for Mr Mountbatten-Windsor to address, if we are approached by Thames Valley Police we stand ready to support them as you would expect." Ahead of a scheduled visit to Saudi Arabia on 9 February, the Prince and Princess of Wales issued their first public statement about the Epstein scandal. A Kensington Palace spokesperson said: "I can confirm that the Prince and Princess of Wales have been deeply concerned by the continued revelations. Their thoughts remain focused on the victims." Andrew, the Kings brother, was stripped of his titles in December 2025. According to Nguyen Cong Thong, Chairman of the VietnamRoK Friendship Association of Bac Ninh province, the RoK remains the largest foreign investor in the locality, with more than 1,140 valid projects and total registered capital of about 18.5 billion USD, accounting for the largest share among 42 countries and territories investing in the province. Thong said Bac Ninh has long been regarded as the capital of Korean enterprises in Vietnam, thanks to its strategic location, synchronised infrastructure and well-developed supporting industrial ecosystem, which have attracted major technology groups and their satellite firms. He highlighted the provinces five-ready policy, covering available land lots, human resources, administrative reform, investor support and security, alongside a green lane mechanism to streamline administrative procedures. The provincial authorities consistently accompany businesses, viewing their success as the localitys success, he noted. Located in the northern economic golden triangle, adjacent to the capital city of Hanoi and with convenient access to Noi Bai International Airport and Hai Phong seaport, Bac Ninh has emerged as an attractive destination in global supply chains. Its well-invested system of industrial parks is capable of meeting strict logistics and production requirements. The presence of major groups such as Samsung, Amkor and Hana Micron has created a strong spillover effect, attracting hundreds of Korean satellite firms and forming closed value chains in electronics, precision components and semiconductors. The Korean business community currently provides jobs for more than 150,000 workers, contributing significantly to economic growth and industrial restructuring. Beyond manufacturing, VietnamRoK cooperation in Bac Ninh is increasingly shifting towards high technology and innovation. Thong said the 20262030 period is expected to be a golden time to upgrade cooperation from a manufacturing partnership to a strategic partnership in high technology, digital transformation and sustainable development. Accordingly, the province plans to establish semiconductor training centres and innovation hubs, while promoting training models linking educational institutions with enterprises, particularly in chip design, testing and semiconductor technology. Regarding future cooperation prospects, Thong said Bac Ninh and its Korean partners are entering a new development phase focused on high-quality human resources, research and development, and innovation, especially in the semiconductor sector. Nguyen Manh Chien, Head of the Human Resources Department of Hana Micron Vina Co. Ltd., said local graduates in electrical engineering, electronics and information technology have basic skills but require more specialised training to meet semiconductor industry demands. Meanwhile, Bui Thi Loc, Head of the Human Resources Department of Seojin Vietnam Co. Ltd., emphasised that Bac Ninhs favourable investment environment and abundant workforce give Korean enterprises confidence to invest for the long term. Thong added that the VietnamRoK Friendship Association of Bac Ninh province is rolling out initiatives such as the Samsung Innovation Campus and cooperation with the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) and Korean enterprises to enhance training and technology transfer for local workers. At the same time, cultural and economic exchange spaces, business networking platforms and the Bac Ninh community in the RoK are also being promoted, contributing to building a harmonious, stable and sustainable investment environment./.VNA Danang police have arrested 13 individuals accused of operating a large-scale, cross-border online fraud ring. The suspects were taken into custody upon re-entering Vietnam from Cambodia, and authorities say the network defrauded over 1,200 victims out of nearly $4 million. Police officers read arrest warrants to suspects involved in the cyber scam network. Photo: Danang Police On February 10, the Criminal Police Division of Danang Police announced the dismantling of the transnational operation and confirmed the suspects face charges for using computer networks, telecommunications, and electronic means to illegally appropriate assets. Their arrests and indictments have been approved by the Danang Peoples Procuracy. Among the named suspects are Duong Van Khoi (born 1992), Pham Tri Nghi (1990), Le Van Linh (2001), Dao Van Huy (1992), and Dao Van Hai (1997), all from Bac Ninh province. The identities of others - including Dao Minh Chien, Vu Truong Giang, Vu Van Nam, Ha Viet Ly, Ong Thi Nhung, Nguyen Van Bac, Bach Van Long, and Ngo Tri Cong - are still under investigation. According to initial findings, the group began operations in early 2025 by creating fake Vietcombank fanpages. They used spoofed call centers and VOIP software to impersonate credit card service agents, tricking victims into transferring money as "proof of financial capacity" before disappearing with the funds. The stolen money was funneled into the purchase of digital vouchers, gaming cards, and electronics on e-commerce platforms. These items were then resold, helping the group launder and legitimize the flow of money. Investigators say the ring was structured to avoid detection, using virtual phone numbers and encryption to conceal their identities. Police identified the mastermind as Nguyen Van Hung, who oversaw a 23-person operation based in the New World compound in Bavet City, Svay Rieng Province, Cambodia. The group was divided into distinct units: one handled cold-calling victims through the fake pages; another, dubbed the "verification team", demanded payments via spoofed hotlines; while a third team, led by Dao Van Huy and Dao Van Hai in Vietnam, focused on receiving and processing the funds through digital transactions and purchases. The scam's profits were split 66% to the Cambodian-based operators and 34% to the Vietnam-based handlers. Payments were conducted via cryptocurrency to further obscure the money trail. Danang authorities estimate the ring defrauded more than 1,200 victims across Vietnam from early 2025 to early 2026, with total damages around 100 billion VND (approximately $4 million). Police are continuing their investigation and expanding efforts to identify and apprehend additional members of the syndicate. Ho Giap Knowing Uyen's background, people admire this petite and resilient girl even more. Her mother passed away when she was only 3 years old. Growing up in the love of her father and grandmother, Phuong Uyen has been conscious since childhood of the need to study well to meet her family's expectations. In 2021, Uyen won Second Prize in the provincial-level excellent student contest in Physics and was directly admitted to the Talented Physics class at Phenikaa University with a full-course scholarship. With her father working as a farmer year-round and the family's finances being modest, Uyen started tutoring in her first year to help cover living expenses. After 5 years of persistent effort, Phuong Uyen achieved a cumulative GPA of 3.82/4, ranking as Excellent, and was honored by Phenikaa University to represent the new graduates in delivering a speech at the recent graduation ceremony. Prior to that, she made an impression by winning First Prize in the Student Physics Olympiad for two consecutive years (2022 and 2023). Additionally, she holds many other awards, including Bronze Medal in the Vietnam Student Mathematics Olympiad 2022; Outstanding Student of Phenikaa University for the 2021-2022 academic year; First Prize in the faculty-level Student Scientific Research contest and Consolation Prize at the university level in 2024; Second Prize in the faculty-level Student Scientific Research contest in 2025. Recently, she took initiative in contacting foreign professors and won a full scholarship for a master's program at the University of Ulsan (South Korea), along with a stipend as a research assistant. Sharing her study methods, Uyen believes that focusing on lectures, researching thoroughly, and previewing the curriculum before class helps her stay proactive and easily connect knowledge, leading to better memory and understanding. According to her, setting early goals is also very important. Since my first year, I thought about studying abroad after graduation. Because of that, I saw my purpose clearly and felt more interested in studying, Uyen said. Daring to try in new fields As a female, according to Uyen, pursuing Physics in particular and basic sciences in general is quite stressful and challenging. Therefore, she does not overextend herself but chooses to pursue directions she feels suitable and interested in, specifically Materials Physics. Phung Ngoc Hien, Uyen's father, shared that from childhood until now, his daughter has been largely self-reliant, very brave, and resilient. She loves and chose Physics instead of Economics or Information Technology. I have always oriented her toward one thing since she was small: the need to learn through a thinking mindset, both in work and in life. Uyen acknowledges that one of the factors helping her achieve today's results comes from the guidance of her teachers: from opportunities to experience Student Olympiads to winning postgraduate scholarships. My supervisor once said not everyone has the courage to email professors, but just try, you never know if there will be a positive result. He also shared about the transition from undergraduate to graduate studies, when there were many choices to consider. At that time, he proactively contacted many professors to seek opportunities for himself. If I had not heard his story, students like me might not know there was a path to reach our dreams. I followed his approach and succeeded, Uyen said. Uyen revealed that she has a habit of writing down what she has accomplished each year to reflect on herself, seeing it as motivation to keep moving forward. From time to time, I also update my CV. Each time, I can look back on what I have and have not achieved over the past year. If after an update there is not at least one new line added, I feel very concerned, Uyen said. Uyen said her journey at Phenikaa University has been a diverse experience that changed the way she thinks. Here, learning does not only take place in lecture halls but also through real experiences. The university environment encouraged me to dare to try and dare to change. Experimentation and change come with mistakes and setbacks, but after each time, I learned to view my shortcomings more calmly. I realized that being allowed to make mistakes, correct them, and grow is a very important part of learning, she shared. Le Huyen G42, a technology group based in Abu Dhabi (UAE) along with the FPT and Viet Thai Group consortium have established a strategic partnership through a Framework Cooperation Agreement to develop sovereign AI capabilities and cloud computing infrastructure in Vietnam. This agreement is a strategic step to formalize a comprehensive partnership, creating a legal, financial, and management framework to deploy the project on a national scale. The partners expressed strong support for the Vietnamese Government's vision in perfecting the legal corridor, creating a premise for the development of hyperscale data centers and public cloud computing, and affirming Vietnam's position as a regional leader in AI infrastructure development. With an investment commitment of up to $1 billion based on consumption levels, the cooperation marks an important milestone in the digital transformation journey of Vietnam and the region. This tripartite partnership brings together superior overall resources, creating a solid foundation to deploy the national-scale project. FPT Corporation contributes extensive technical capacity and local market understanding as the largest IT services enterprise in Vietnam with an operational network in over 30 countries. Viet Thai Group is a leading consumer group with a portfolio spanning from coffee, food and beverage services, and retail to logistics, with strengths in strategic capacity and multi-industry perspectives. The cooperation is elevated by world-class AI infrastructure capabilities from G42 - a multi-industry AI group based in Abu Dhabi. According to the agreement, the parties will deploy large-scale cloud computing infrastructure at three key data centers in Vietnam, providing high-performance AI and cloud services to support system operations for both the public and private sectors. This initiative is consistent with G42's mission to build a global and inclusive Intelligence Network. This network connects advanced AI infrastructure, cloud computing platforms, and governance frameworks to provide AI capabilities on demand while respecting the sovereignty of each nation. Through this infrastructure, Vietnam will possess a solid technical foundation to deploy national AI initiatives in the public and private sectors, thereby digitizing services and applying AI solutions tailored to the country's priority goals. This Framework Agreement represents a new approach to national AI transformation, a model built on sovereignty, partnerships, and strategic objectives. We sincerely thank the Vietnamese government for its visionary leadership, as well as our partners FPT and Viet Thai Group for their commitment to building infrastructure that enables Vietnam to fully harness AIs potential while safeguarding national data sovereignty and digital independence, said Ali Al Amine, chief commercial officer of G42 International. Vietnam clearly recognizes that we cannot move forward alone. In the fields such as semiconductors, AI, cloud computing, big data, and cybersecurity, we need strategic alliances with trusted partners. Leaders have demonstrated strong commitment and built mutual trust, and now is the time to turn those commitments into concrete actions and implementation, said Truong Gia Binh, president of FPT Corporation. David Thai, chair and chief executive officer of Viet Thai Group, said: This initiative helps Vietnam secure a leading position in the development of an AI-based economy in Asia, contributing to economic growth and the expansion of the domestic middle class. Our cooperation with G42 and FPT will lay a solid infrastructure foundation for long-term growth as well as innovation across multiple sectors. Beyond infrastructure development, this partnership also includes AI skills training and human resource development programs, aimed at promoting AI adoption across government agencies, the business community, and research and training institutions. Immediately following the signing of the Framework Agreement, the consortium and G42 will move into the next implementation phase, including finalizing the allocation of workloads between the public and private sectors, completing legal approval procedures for public cloud deployment, and beginning site preparation for data center infrastructure. The initiative is expected to generate broad economic impact through direct investment in infrastructure, job creation, and by reinforcing Vietnams position as a strategic technology hub in the region. Thai Khang Building a multi-tier fund structure Resolution No. 57-NQ/TW of the Politburo defines fund-based mechanisms as the core financial tool for advancing science, technology and innovation. Under the resolution, State budget funding for research and development is prioritised for allocation through funds, alongside reforms in financial management, expanded autonomy, streamlined procedures, and acceptance of the risks and time lags inherent in research activities. It also calls for the establishment of venture capital funds and science and technology development funds to steer, mobilise and unlock social resources for innovation. Translating Resolution No. 57 into law, the 2025 Law on Science, Technology and Innovation, together with Decree No. 265/2025/ND-CP, introduces a multi-tier fund model. The Vietnam National Foundation for Science and Technology Development (NAFOSTED) acts as a central-level financial instrument, tasked with financing and commissioning programmes, projects and scientific and technological missions for research and development, while supporting efforts to strengthen national science and technology capacity. At the same time, science, technology and innovation development funds at the ministerial, sectoral and local levels operate closer to real-world needs, focusing on commissioning, financing and supporting tasks aligned with the development priorities of each sector and locality, as well as promoting technology application, transfer, innovation and the growth of innovation ecosystems, particularly for small and medium-sized enterprises. Notably, the 2025 Law on Science, Technology and Innovation and Decree No. 264/2025/ND-CP establish, for the first time, a legal framework for a national venture capital fund and local venture capital funds, enabling the State to co-invest alongside the private sector in innovative start-ups. This move is widely seen as a significant breakthrough, signalling a shift from administrative support towards market-oriented investment with managed risk. Under this framework, the national venture capital fund will invest and co-invest in innovative start-ups, invest in other funds, and support the development of the national start-up ecosystem. The fund will be capitalised by the State budget and may also receive sponsorships, grants and other lawful funding sources. The model underscores the States role as a provider of seed capital, helping to build confidence and generate momentum to attract social capital into high-potential but high-risk innovation projects. Crucially, the fund is no longer bound by annual or project-based capital preservation requirements, as was the case under previous regulations. The law also allows localities to proactively establish their own venture capital funds, tailored to local conditions and development needs, to support start-ups linked to regional and sectoral strengths. Early implementation needed to expand resources Reviewing more than a year of implementing Resolution No. 57, Dr Nguyen Quan, former Minister of Science and Technology, stressed the need to swiftly establish and operationalise science, technology and innovation development funds across ministries and sectors. In the past, around 20 provinces and cities had set up local science and technology development funds. However, many later stalled after being classified as off-budget financial funds, receiving only one-off initial capital without annual replenishment. With starting capital often limited to just a few billion VND, many funds struggled to maintain their capital base after several years of financing scientific and technological projects, and some were eventually dissolved due to depleted resources. Resolution No. 57 and the Law on Science, Technology and Innovation have addressed this bottleneck by introducing mechanisms for annual capital injections to ensure the sustainability of fund operations. Experts stress that, drawing on earlier experience, ministries, sectors and localities should quickly establish new funds or restructure existing ones, treating them as a cornerstone financial tool for shifting decisively towards commissioning and financing science and technology tasks. Regarding venture capital funds, Hanoi is currently the only locality to have established one. Experts note that innovative start-ups require early-stage capital to test and refine products, followed by significantly larger funding during the commercialisation phase. Dependence solely on the State budget makes it difficult to foster globally competitive enterprises. The development of venture capital funds is therefore seen as essential to unlocking social resources for innovation. Through its role as a seed investor and market guide, the State can not only create initial momentum but also provide a legal foundation that gives private investors greater confidence. Pilot implementation is thus needed to gradually refine the legal framework for venture capital funds, clarify profit-sharing mechanisms, and build investor trust before scaling up the model to attract broader social investment. A representative of Mobile Service JSC (M-Service) noted that access to capital is a decisive factor for business growth. Alongside existing support policies, the State needs to swiftly create more room for venture capital flows, an approach widely adopted by developed economies to nurture innovation ecosystems and produce high-growth enterprises. Deputy Minister of Science and Technology Hoang Minh said that after a period focused on developing and completing the legal framework, attention from 2026 will shift towards implementation. Through fund-based mechanisms, the State will commission solutions to concrete, real-world challenges, with a focus on major and pressing issues in socio-economic development./. VNA Romesh Ranganathan nearly choked to death on chilli oil. Romesh Ranganathan nearly choked to death on chilli oil The 47-year-old comedian revealed the alarming moment during a candid interview on the Dish from Waitrose podcast, admitting he genuinely believed he was about to die after a late-night snack went wrong. Speaking about his obsession with Lao Gan Ma Crispy Chilli Oil, Romesh explained: Have you guys like that chilli oil? Its like crunchy. Its got, like, I think soybeans and onions fried in it and stuff like that. Its wicked. Id started getting into it and it started to become a bit of a problem. So I was eating it all the time and then it got to the point where I would happily eat it on its own. Romesh said that after one of his early preview performances for a play, he decided to reward himself in an unusual way. He said: As a little treat for myself, Id have a tablespoon of the chilli oil Well done, Romesh. You did well in the play today. Have some chilli oil. However, the light-hearted ritual quickly turned frightening. He recalled: I shovel it into my mouth and then as I do that, it just, a little tiny bit of it goes the wrong way. I start really choking and I start panicking. And then, honestly, I think, Im going to die. I thought, Im going to die now. Describing the chaos that followed, he said: I started doing circuits of the kitchen I genuinely thought, I am gonna die today. His thoughts quickly turned to his wife, Lisa. He said: I just thought, What is Lisa gonna walk into? The next morning, my body on the floor, the jar with the spoon there What a horrible way for your husband to die. As well as his kitchen nightmare, Romesh opened up about his decision to quit drinking, explaining that he recognised addictive tendencies in himself. Reflecting on his late father, he said: My dad ran a pub, he was a massive drinker he was what I would describe as a charming liability. I feel like Ive got that gene in me Im eating chilli oil. On my own. Ive got that addictive personality. Discussing a past experience filming Rob and Romesh Vs with Queens of the Stone Age, he admitted: I got obliterated, on camera, like, completely obliterated. I woke up the next morning I got the fear. The horror. Romesh revealed he immediately messaged the production team to apologise. He added: It was half an hour before anybody responded. That was the worst half hour of my life. Now sober, the comedian has said he values the clarity it brings. He said: Being sober gives me just the right level of inhibition. And I dont want to lose that. Dish from Waitrose is available on all podcast providers. Nguyen Xuan Thang, Chair of the Central Theory Council The Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics, the Communist Review, the Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences, and the Central Theory Council organized a national scientific conference titled "Solutions to bring the Resolution of the 14th Party Congress into life." In his opening and keynote speech, Nguyen Xuan Thang, Chair of the Central Theory Council, noted that this is a special conference following the 14th Congress. He said that Party Chief To Lam's remarks at the congress delivered a powerful message regarding the implementation of the tasks specified in documents, resolving a long-standing weakness: organization and execution. "We must ensure this document is not just a torch lighting the way but a guide to successfully implementing every target," he noted. Thang said that at the closing session of the congress, Lam emphasized the principle of saying it and doing it, doing it immediately, doing it right, doing it decisively, seeing it through to the end, and doing it effectively. It was no coincidence that on the final day of the congress, the 14th-term Politburo issued Directive 01 on studying, learning, disseminating, and implementing the resolutions of the 14th Congress. This demonstrated the spirit of an immediate shift from awareness to action, from resolutions to practice. According to Thang, there are four points that need clarification. Actions must be highly specific for the entire term, for each year, and even for each month; tangible results must be taken as the sole measure. He warned that if we only chase after documents, conferences, movements, and achievements, in the end, when we look back, there will be no real results. The Chair of the Central Theoretical Council affirmed the need to strengthen the leadership role of the Party, with the State acting as the enabler rather than doing everything itself. He particularly emphasized the relationship between Party leadership, State management, and the accompanying participation of the people and businesses. It is necessary to avoid overextending; scopes must be clear, particularly focusing on decentralization and the delegation of power associated with power control and result evaluation. Regarding implementation, he said it is necessary to establish inspection and supervision mechanisms for real-world implementation through a KPI-based evaluation system. The KPI (Key Performance Indicator) system does not need to be extensive, but it must be accurate and appropriate for the central, provincial, and commune levels. Furthermore, he noted that there must be a mechanism to deal with those who do not work. He said: "If you don't work, step aside; if you can't do the job, you must be replaced immediately." In execution, he emphasized paying attention to timing and progress without compromising quality. Leaders must also have KPIs because without them, a situation may arise where "you all keep working while I just stand and point fingers." He raised the question of whether a personal action program for leaders is needed to organize political tasks at both central and local levels. He viewed this as a commitment, as the General Secretary said, before history, the people, and the Party. Another point he mentioned was that some tasks are described beautifully but never executed, dragging on from year to year, because everybodys business is nobodys business. Remuneration must be fair Professor Ta Ngoc Tan, Standing Vice Chair of the Central Theory Council, recalled President Ho Chi Minh's words on personnel work: "Success or failure in everything depends on whether officials are good or bad." He said that granting power to leaders must be tied to responsibility and ethics to select officials who are fully dedicated and capable, as the General Secretary stated: "they must have virtue, talent, and strength." "Strength" here does not simply mean physical health but endurance, the ability to share the people's burdens, staying close to the work, and maintaining a sense of collective responsibility. Personnel selection must be fair, objective and transparent, primarily based on standards. He stressed the need to handle the illnesses that President Ho Chi Minh warned about as early as October 1947 in the work Rectifying the Working Style. Tran Thuong Illustrative photo (Ho Hai) According to S. (residing in Vinh Long Province), in 2002, he and his wife received the transfer of the rice farming land plot in the former Tra Vinh Province from B. and her husband (residing in Vinh Long Province) for the price of VND53 million. The transfer was recorded in writing by both parties according to the prescribed form, with witnesses and confirmation from the Commune People's Committee. In 2003, S. and his wife were granted a land use right certificate (red book). S. and his wife used the land plot for livestock, cultivation, and developed many items such as fences, barns, and fish ponds. Because he saw B.'s family circumstances were difficult, he allowed the couple to build a temporary small hut to live on the land he had bought. However, S. claimed that they took advantage of his trust and the fact that he rarely visited to manage the land. B. and her husband encroached on the land and built a solid house on it. When S. returned to use the land, he was prevented by B. and her husband, from which the dispute arose. S. filed a lawsuit, requesting B. and her husband to return the encroached land where the solid house had been built on his plot. At the first-instance trial, B. argued that in 2002, she and her husband only transferred an area of 2,000sqm to S. and his wife, while the remaining part of about 700sqm still belonged to her family. According to B., because she was illiterate, she only placed her fingerprint on the handwritten paper and handed over the red book to S. to perform the procedures for transferring the title of the sold land part. After many years, while performing the acceptance procedures for a charity house supported by the locality, she discovered that S. held the title to the entire land plot. B. counter-sued, requesting to cancel the transfer contract, cancel the red book issued to S., and recognize the right of use for the land part her family was living on. In the first-instance judgment dated February 29, 2024, the People's Court of Chau Thanh District (former Tra Vinh Province) determined that the land-use right transfer contract between the parties was established in the correct form, certified by competent authorities, and in accordance with legal regulations. Testimonies from witnesses also showed that B. and her husband were well aware of and agreed to the transfer of the entire land plot to S. in 2002. B.'s side could not provide evidence to prove that only a portion of the land area was transferred. However, considering B.'s actual circumstances as a household in difficult conditions, where the current house is the sole residence and was built from local support sources, the court of first instance resolved the matter under the spirit of harmonizing the interests of both parties. The court assigned B. and her husband to continue using an area of 58.4sqm on the land plot, where the charity house and barns are located. B. and her husband were forced to pay S. an amount of VND58.4m corresponding to the value of the land use rights. Other counter-claims by B. were not accepted. After the first-instance judgment, both parties appealed. S. requested that B. and her husband be forced to relocate all houses and assets and return the entire original disputed land area. Meanwhile, B. and her husband continued to request recognition of land-use rights for themselves and the cancellation of a part of S.'s red book. At the appellate trial, the Trial Panel of the Tra Vinh Provincial People's Court (now the Vinh Long Provincial People's Court) assessed that identifying S. as the legal user of the entire land plot had a solid legal basis. However, based on the verification official dispatch from the local government showing that B.'s family falls under a category with great housing difficulties, forcing the relocation of the entire house was deemed unsuitable for reality and local social security policies. Therefore, the appellate court decided not to accept the appeals of both parties and upheld the first-instance judgment. Anh Phuong Financial pressure has pushed some young people into mental health crises. Illustration photo: Freepik. Ms. N.H.M., 31, living in Tan Son Hoa Ward, Ho Chi Minh City, was assigned to lead an important project that had to be completed before the Tet holiday. In the final months of the year, her workload surged, deadlines tightened, and the pressure of preparing financially to return to northern Vietnam for Tet with her family left her in a constant state of tension and anxiety. She developed a range of symptoms, including insomnia, headaches, rapid heartbeat, chest tightness, poor appetite and weight loss. Believing these were simply signs of normal work-related stress, she tried to endure and forced herself to push through. However, over the past month, she became physically and mentally exhausted. Each morning, she woke up feeling heavy, empty and fearful of work, unable to find meaning in life and overwhelmed by a sense of failure. She even became irritable and short-tempered whenever someone mentioned Tet. After visiting a hospital for examination, Ms. M. was diagnosed with a depressive disorder. Doctors prescribed antidepressant medication, combined with psychological counseling and transcranial magnetic stimulation therapy. Thanks to timely intervention, her mental state improved significantly, and she was no longer obsessed with numbers or financial concerns. Speaking to VietNamNet, clinical psychologist Hoang Quoc Lan, a member of the Vietnam Association for Psychotherapy, said the year-end period consistently sees a marked rise in psychological stress. Reports from the World Health Organization show that stress linked to economic and work pressure is among the leading risk factors that can trigger or worsen anxiety and depressive disorders, especially during social peak periods such as holidays and Tet. A survey by the American Psychological Association involving more than 3,000 adults found that around 6065% of respondents experienced a noticeable increase in stress toward the end of the year. The main causes were financial pressure, unfinished work and family expectations. People in middle- and lower-income groups were more severely affected. In Vietnam, a community survey conducted in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City in the post-Covid-19 period recorded that more than 40% of adults showed mild to moderate anxiety symptoms. Those facing economic and work pressure at year-end were at higher risk. This shows that year-end stress is not an isolated phenomenon but a public health issue that requires proper attention. According to Lan, early warning signs that should not be ignored include persistent insomnia lasting one to two weeks, ongoing anxiety with repetitive thoughts about money, work and the future, irritability and emotional outbursts affecting family relationships, fatigue, low mood, loss of interest in previously enjoyed activities, and unexplained physical symptoms such as headaches, palpitations and digestive disorders. When these signs appear, people should seek professional support instead of trying to endure it until Tet is over. Lan also emphasized the importance of reducing exposure to stress-inducing sources, especially social media. Many studies show that excessive social media use during holidays and Tet increases feelings of comparison and inferiority. Actively limiting time spent online and being selective about social engagements can help protect mental well-being. Individuals should also care for their bodies and brains by getting enough sleep, engaging in light physical activity and practicing relaxation techniques. Lan stressed that a healthy Tet is not defined by spending or outward appearances, but by having enough inner peace to step into the new year without carrying excessive psychological wounds from the old one. Phuong Thuy People's Artist Bui Cong Duy In the report on documents submitted to the 14th National Party Congress presented by General Secretary To Lam, the word culture is mentioned 14 times. Culture is also placed at the center of the national development architecture, as a spiritual foundation, an endogenous strength, a resource, and a driving force for development. VietNamNet spoke with Peoples Artist Bui Cong Duy, Deputy Director of the Vietnam National Academy of Music, about this issue. What are your thoughts on the orientation of the 14th Congress: culture is an endogenous strength, a resource, and a motivation for development? I followed the 14th Congress very closely and paid special attention to the report on the documents that General Secretary To Lam presented. The document stated: Identify early, take advantage of all advantages and opportunities, overcome all difficulties and challenges; closely and synchronously implement combined tasks: Socio-economic development and environmental protection are the center; Party building is the key; cultural and human development is the foundation; strengthening defense and security and promoting foreign affairs and international integration are essential and regular. As someone working in the field of culture and arts, I feel this is one of the most encouraging policies. I believe that placing culture and people at the center of development is an important "key," opening a new stage for the development of Vietnamese culture and arts. From there, we can build people and a whole cultural system on foundations accumulated through many previous generations. Culture is not a one- or two-year story but of many generations. One generation should be calculated as 10 years. Therefore, when culture is viewed in a more balanced way, alongside the economy, it creates a major opportunity for us to build a new development period based on the core values of Vietnamese people and culture, with solid practical and scientific foundations. With that foundation, we can proactively integrate internationally, both enhancing our own value and absorbing progressive global trends. The effects may not be visible immediately, but in 10 or 20 years, the value of todays decisions will become very clear. How do you, as an artist, feel about the Party and States emphasis on culture and the arts? I believe that a country whose leaders understand culture and love the arts, especially classical music, is truly blessed. Looking back at history, many great leaders around the world have had a passion for the arts: some loved cinema, others painting, ballet, or opera. That is not accidental. In reality, developed countries all align culture with the economy. Japan invested heavily in culture after the war. South Korea invested in cultural industries, creating ideological influence alongside economic growth. China, Singapore, and many other countries have followed similar paths. Culture can go ahead of or move alongside the economy, but it certainly cannot go after. One cannot become rich first and then buy culture. To create global influence, one must create cultural influence. When culture is strong, people become more kind, more refined, and more aware of proper values in life. And when those values are elevated, the economy will develop in a sustainable and profound way. How do you assess Vietnam's advantages in the new development stage? Vietnam has a huge advantage in a population size of about 100 million. If cultural policies are implemented well, the spread will be very powerful. In the new era, the country's steps cannot follow the old way. We must not only go faster but must go strategically, with "art" in development. I hope artistic values are placed in the right spot, at the right time, and receive practical investment. The most important thing is training the younger generation with a long-term vision. Those who are 15-16 years old today will be the core force serving the country for the next 50 years. Therefore, we need policies that create conditions for the professional team, those with capacity and passion, to maximize their abilities. Alongside that, we need to re-invest in high-quality human resources, using people effectively and substantively, just as many developed nations, including Singapore, have done very well. I believe that spreading the love for beauty and the love for art will help people have better awareness, be more creative, and be friendlier. That is the deep foundation for the sustainable development of the country. Tinh Le At a signing ceremony on February 10, FPT Chairman Truong Gia Binh emphasized that Vietnamese economic conglomerates must unite to master core technologies. He described it as a long-term, resource-intensive endeavor requiring national ambition and perseverance. Professor, Doctor Chu Duc Trinh, Rector of the University of Engineering and Technology, VNU Hanoi, and Associate Professor, Doctor Ngo Xuan Bach, Director of QACI, FPT Corporation, exchange the cooperation agreement. Photo: PV The agreement was formalized among FPT Corporation, the Quantum AI & Cyber Security Institute (QACI), and the University of Engineering and Technology under Vietnam National University, Hanoi. The goal: to foster training, research, and development of high-quality human resources in strategic technology domains vital to Vietnams future. According to the agreement, the two sides will focus on developing talent in key sectors such as artificial intelligence, quantum computing, and cybersecurity. QACI, under FPT Corporation, will offer opportunities for internships and research, and will consider launching scholarship programs for undergraduate and graduate students at the university. The partnership also includes joint scientific research projects, collaborative product development, co-hosted academic conferences, and sharing of research outcomes with the broader community - forming a seamless innovation value chain to serve Vietnams strategic tech advancement. Speaking at the event, FPT Chairman Associate Professor, Doctor Truong Gia Binh highlighted the significance of the partnership, calling it a milestone for comprehensive collaboration between FPT and VNU Hanoi. He noted, Vietnam faces the crucial challenge of converting scientific and technological achievements into engines for economic growth. I have two appeals. First, each scientist, technologist, and engineer should contribute directly or indirectly to the governments double-digit growth targets in the coming years. Second, Vietnamese conglomerates must venture together into the core technology space - this is a game that demands major resources, sustained resolve, and national aspiration. Associate Professor, Doctor Hoang Minh Son, President of Vietnam National University, Hanoi, underscored the importance of linking academic training and research with real-world applications, describing this partnership as a crucial move to enhance the university systems research and teaching capacity. If growth is based solely on labor, capital, and resources, breakthroughs are difficult, he said. Real breakthroughs come when we shift from a material-based economy to a knowledge-based one. Science and technology can only become true growth engines when we create new, practical knowledge and tackle real problems faced by businesses and the nation. In todays tech race, the deciding factor remains human capital and talent. Professor, Doctor Chu Duc Trinh, Rector of the University of Engineering and Technology, VNU Hanoi, stated that the current bottleneck is not a lack of knowledge or experts, but the absence of strong, trustworthy mechanisms linking scientists and businesses. He explained, Todays partnership lays the foundation for a genuine innovation model - one where universities, enterprises, and scientists collaborate to solve major national and business challenges. Our university stands ready to accompany and implement specific joint tasks starting now. Founded on December 13, 2025, QACI is one of the first quantum research centers led by a Vietnamese enterprise. FPT has pledged a $100 million investment into the institute, focusing on practical solutions to national challenges in quantum technologies, AI, and cybersecurity. Its targets include training 100 PhDs, developing 2,000 technology experts, and producing 500 scientific publications, patents, and intellectual property assets. Thai Khang The recent administrative restructuring, described as reorganizing the nation, marks not only a redrawing of boundaries, but a historic move in Vietnams long journey toward a modern, citizen-centered governance model. It embodies a bold vision: to reform state power structures in ways that truly serve the people. The administrative boundary restructuring holds strategic significance as it creates an organizational structure aligned with the current scale of development. Photo: Thao Nguyen The decision to merge provinces and streamline local government at all levels represents a long-term political and institutional choice. It signals the beginning of a new chapter in perfecting the state apparatus and aligning the political system with the goal of creating a lean, effective, modern, and people-oriented administration. In an era of globalization, digital transformation, and intense global competition, Vietnam must build a power structure capable of responding swiftly and effectively. The traditional model - fragmented, multi-layered, and often functionally symbolic - cannot keep pace with large-scale urban societies that now operate on data, digital infrastructure, and interconnected systems. Looking back on 95 years of revolution, 80 years of statehood, and 40 years of economic reform, its clear that reformist courage is deeply rooted in the Vietnamese national identity. Just as the 1986 Doi Moi (reforms) unleashed economic potential, todays administrative overhaul serves as a second, critical step: reorganizing state power to build a governance model where authority is consolidated, transparently supervised, and geared toward public service. Strategic significance Speaking at the ceremony announcing the National Assemblys resolution on province mergers and new party leadership appointments on June 30, 2025, Party General Secretary To Lam declared that the reform is a historic and strategic step. It reflects a new phase in building a streamlined, effective, and modern administrative apparatus - one that serves the people and ensures all benefits belong to them. Reorganizing administrative boundaries has deep strategic value. Many current provincial or district borders no longer align with patterns of population movement, economic distribution, urban infrastructure, or modern investment needs. When each district or commune functions like a closed unit, resources become fragmented, planning disjointed, and growth space constrained. The new structure breaks through historical stagnation and paves the way for governance based on growth clusters and functional regions - not outdated geographic lines. Crucially, this reform leads to genuine streamlining. Its not just about cutting administrative units or staff - its about eliminating redundant tiers, redirecting resources into public services, and improving state responsiveness. Fewer bureaucratic layers mean quicker decisions, lower social costs, and a better environment for businesses and citizens. It also redefines administrative culture: shifting from a requestapprovalwait model to one of servecoordinateresolve. Moreover, restructuring strengthens the cohesion of the political system. When Party organizations, governments, and mass unions are aligned with new administrative units, leadership remains unified - while real power is delegated downward. A political system only functions effectively when it grants adequate room for action but enforces clear accountability through transparency and oversight. Current challenges and future tasks Initial progress cannot obscure the real challenges ahead. Administrative reform does not automatically transform governance culture. In many areas, old systems persist: outdated mindsets, misaligned operations, and local interest groups resist real decentralization. Enlarged units also bring more complex demands: rising populations, service expectations, and social scrutiny. Digital readiness is another major challenge. Administrative reform today is inseparable from digital transformation. A modern government running on old methods will soon grind to a halt. Digital infrastructure must be unified, data must flow freely, and civil servants must be tech-savvy. Many provinces still see digital reform as a tool for document handling - not as a foundation for restructuring governance. To succeed, Vietnam must go beyond just reconfiguring administrative maps. It must transform the Partys organizational model, the civil service, and its method of serving the people. Decentralization must be tied to accountability: where there is power, there must be budget transparency, planning disclosure, and performance reporting. Every province must make data-driven decisions, build smart urban governance platforms, and publish real-time performance metrics. At the same time, civil servants must be retrained for the new era - legally astute, digitally competent, responsive to the public, and data-driven rather than experience-bound. Though early in implementation, reality already shows that when reform is done right, it can deliver tangible improvements: faster decision-making, better planning, and more transparent service. The road ahead is long. Success lies not in issuing resolutions, but in transforming leadership thinking, administrative culture, and accountability norms. Vietnams future depends on converting institutional reform into real governance capacity - where every benefit belongs to and is delivered to the people. Six months after the merger: key figures Over 170 legal and guidance documents have been issued to implement the two-tier local governance model. 2,615 billion VND (approx. $107 million) has been allocated to 27 localities in the second phase to upgrade facilities and equipment for commune-level units. Localities have completed leadership appointments for Peoples Committees and Councils. 466 provincial departments and 9,916 commune-level offices are now operational. As of December 2025, nearly 4,000 officials have been reassigned to commune-level posts, with Hanoi alone accounting for over 1,200. Other provinces with large shifts include An Giang, Can Tho, Bac Ninh, and Phu Tho. Among 949 tasks devolved to local governments, 584 (61.5%) are considered feasible under current conditions, while 355 (37.4%) require new legal or guiding documents. Ten tasks (1%) need authority adjustments. From July to November, 34 provinces processed 21.8 million administrative records - up 5.9 million from the previous period. Of these, 18.4 million were submitted online, including 13.4 million at the commune level. The rate of administrative records processed on time or early at local levels reached 92.78%. Source: Ministry of Home Affairs, data from June 1 to December 3, 2025 Dr. Dinh Van Minh Former Director, Legal Department, Government Inspectorate of Vietnam Nguyen Thi Huong, head of the Standing Group of the Steering Committee of the 2026 Economic Census and Director of the National Statistics Office (NSO), said the first phase of data collection was underway nationwide and was scheduled to conclude on March 10. As of February 9, progress in the first phase had reached 57.6%. Several provinces and cities reported strong results, including Dong Thap at 92.9%, Quang Tri at 86.3% and Dak Lak at 84.2%. Others were lagging, with Cao Bang at 28.9%, Gia Lai at 39.3% and Khanh Hoa at 42.3%, she said. Monitoring, inspection and data cleaning for the first phase are being carried out in parallel, while preparations for the second phase are also underway, according to Huong. Authorities are compiling survey lists, organising training and collecting information from surveyed entities, including businesses and corporations, non-public service units, associations and foreign non-governmental organisations licensed to operate in the country. She added that the second phase would run from March 1 to April 30. Data verification and cleaning would take place concurrently, with preliminary results scheduled for release on June 30. To meet the revised timeline, Huong said the committee had proposed changes to survey content. For businesses, six questions based on financial report data would be added to help compile key indicators for firms that have not completed financial statements at the time of data collection. At the same time, 20 indicators would be removed from the business survey and replaced with administrative data or shifted to later survey rounds, she said. She added that for non-public service units, associations and organisations, information on fixed assets by asset type would no longer be collected through surveys and would instead be sourced from administrative or alternative data. Representatives from local statistics offices said the census had benefited from strong Government oversight and public communication campaigns, while enumerators generally met requirements for capacity and experience. Training, inspection and supervision had also been strengthened. However, challenges remained in some localities, including uneven attention by local governments to statistical work, limited grassroots staffing and enumerators holding multiple roles. The large survey scope and reluctance among some business owners to provide tax-related financial information had also slowed data collection. After reviewing reports and feedback, Finance Minister Nguyen Van Thang, head of the Steering Committee for the 2026 Economic Census, praised the NSO and steering committees at all levels for beginning preparations early in 2025 and completing many key tasks on schedule. However, he noted that first phase data collection was progressing slowly in some areas, coordination remained weak in certain localities and limited grassroots resources continued to affect data quality and progress. Thang said the adjusted plan must be implemented synchronously and decisively, stressing that faster progress should not come at the expense of data reliability. He called for greater use of information technology to improve efficiency and avoid wasted resources. The minister also instructed provincial steering committees to promptly revise local plans in line with the central adjustments, assign clear responsibilities and accelerate first phase data collection, while reviewing staffing, funding and organisational capacity and proposing additional support where needed. According to the NSO, the 2026 Economic Census introduces several new features compared with previous rounds. For the first time, the census will include cooperatives and individual business establishments operating online, extending coverage beyond traditional business models. Survey content has also been updated to better capture digital transformation, the application of science and technology and innovation in production and business activities. In another change, the compilation of lists of individual business establishments began earlier than in past censuses, starting in October 2025. Officials say the early listing is intended to improve coverage and classification accuracy, particularly in the highly volatile individual business sector. The census will apply information technology across all stages, from preparation and data collection to verification, processing and data acceptance. Authorities will also strengthen digital management, including the use of artificial intelligence to determine industry codes and digital mapping tools to monitor survey progress in real time. In addition, the census will enhance data connectivity and synchronisation with administrative sources, including business registration, tax and customs databases./. VNA PM Chinh, on behalf of Party General Secretary To Lam and the Party and State of Vietnam, thanked PM Wong for sending a congratulatory letter on the success of the 14th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam. He conveyed New Year greetings for happiness and prosperity from Party General Secretary To Lam and Vietnamese leaders and the people to PM Wong, as well as leaders and the people of Singapore. PM Wong expressed his appreciation and extended Lunar New Year of the Horse greetings to Party General Secretary To Lam, key Vietnamese leaders and the Vietnamese people. The Vietnamese leader put forward a number of proposals for bilateral cooperation, including continued prioritisation of the expansion and upgrading of the VietnamSingapore Industrial Parks (VSIPs) to a second generation model that integrates industry with services, high technology and eco-urban development, with a target of reaching 30 VSIPs in 2026, marking 30 years since the successful model was launched in Vietnam. He welcomed the continued positive growth in bilateral trade in 2025, with growth of 12% compared to 2024, and suggested Singapore further increase imports of Vietnamese agricultural products and effectively implement the memorandum of understanding on rice trade to help ensure food security. PM Pham Minh Chinh in the phone talks with his Singaporean counterpart Lawrence Wong. (Photo: VNA) PM Chinh informed his Singaporean counterpart about Vietnams decision to build an international financial centre in Ho Chi Minh City and Da Nang, and proposed enhancing cooperation in building and developing the centre on the basis of substantive, mutually beneficial partnership that leverages each sides strengths and complementarities, contributing to resource mobilisation and shared development within the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). He called on Singapore to share experience and provide policy advice, while the two sides will strengthen cooperation in developing financial and banking infrastructure, particularly digital infrastructure, payment systems, cross-border payments, digital identification and cybersecurity. He also encouraged Singaporean banks, investment funds and fintech companies to expand long-term investment and operations in Vietnam. Highly evaluating the two countries active cooperation in clean energy, PM Chinh proposed both sides swiftly carry out surveys for Vietnams offshore wind power projects aimed at exporting electricity to Singapore, and coordinate to include the project in the intergovernmental cooperation programme, thereby helping realise the ASEAN Power Grid. The two sides also agreed to promote cooperation in carbon credit exchange, further deepening the VietnamSingapore Green EconomyDigital Economy Partnership. The Vietnamese PM also proposed stronger cooperation in defence and security, as well as in combating transnational crimes, particularly drug trafficking, fraud, financial crime and cybercrime. He asked for Singapore's continued support to Vietnam in human resources development, especially strategic-level leaders training, increase scholarships at all levels for Vietnamese students, enhance people-to-people exchanges, consider opening more direct flights from Singapore to major Vietnamese cities, and promote tourism. PM Chinh underscored the need to further strengthen cooperation, solidarity and centrality of ASEAN, particularly in addressing regional issues. For his part, PM Wong once again congratulated Vietnam on the success of the 14th National Party Congress, stressing Singapores confidence in Vietnams strong growth potential and reaffirming its commitment to expanding investment in Vietnam, including increasing the number of VSIPs. Agreeing with PM Chinh, he highlighted priority areas for further cooperation. Congratulating Vietnam on the establishment of the international financial centre, he noted that its development depends not only on infrastructure but also on institutional and legal frameworks, affirming that Singapore will remain a reliable partner in supporting Vietnams effective development of the centre. He also agreed to deepen cooperation in clean energy and expand collaboration beyond trade to other important areas, including defence and security. PM Wong affirmed Singapores continued support for Vietnam in human resources development, pledged to encourage Singaporean universities to increase scholarships, and supported stronger people-to-people exchanges. He agreed on the importance of coordinating efforts to consolidate ASEAN's unity and centrality in building a stronger, more cohesive ASEAN and promoting the bloc's connectivity initiatives. The two sides reaffirmed their commitments to close coordination and effective cooperation in 2027, when Vietnam will host the APEC Year and Singapore will assume the ASEAN Chairmanship. The Singaporean leader stressed that Singapore will continue working closely with Vietnam to develop the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between the two countries more substantively and effectively./. VNA The proposed shift to commercial electricity pricing could raise data center operating costs by over 50%, contradicting Resolution 57s directive to support digital infrastructure investment. Viettel, VNPT, FPT Telecom, VNG, and CMC have issued an urgent joint petition to the Ministry of Industry and Trade, objecting to a new pricing framework that classifies data centers as commercial service providers rather than production facilities - resulting in a projected 50% spike in electricity costs. The controversy stems from Circular No. 60/2025/TT-BCT, issued on December 2, 2025, which allows power utilities to categorize data center operations as centralized data storage and processing services, subject to business-use electricity rates. Previously, 100% of Vietnams data centers were charged at production-use rates, which are lower and more stable. Since the policy shift in December, companies like CMC report that electricity bills - already the single largest operational cost for data centers - have risen sharply. For CMCs data center alone, costs jumped over 50% across just three billing cycles. This spike, according to the tech firms, threatens the financial viability, pricing structure, and expansion plans of data centers nationwide. Further concern has been raised by reports that multiple data centers are currently under review for similar reclassification. Power utilities in Ho Chi Minh City, for example, have begun scheduling inspections and appear to be applying the commercial pricing scheme by default - without detailed technical or legal dialogue with affected businesses. If rolled out nationwide, the new policy would no longer be a localized issue. Instead, it would become a systemic challenge for Vietnams digital infrastructure ecosystem, potentially derailing national strategies on data development, cloud computing, and artificial intelligence. Data centers are production infrastructure, not retail services The five tech companies argue that data centers should be treated as digital infrastructure factories, operating more like industrial complexes than commercial shops. Data centers, they note, consume power around the clock, maintain high-load stability, and require complex, layered technical systems for cooling, backups, and monitoring. Electricity is a direct, non-substitutable input that fuels the production of computing power, connectivity, and digital storage essential for everything from government operations to financial systems. They stress that data centers are not retail outlets or commercial venues. Instead, they are foundational infrastructure - akin to utilities like electricity or water supply in the traditional economy. As the digital backbone of the economy, data centers play a central role in sectors including government, finance, logistics, e-commerce, energy, education, healthcare, and AI. They ensure uninterrupted data flow and cybersecurity, contributing directly to national digital sovereignty. Sudden price hikes contradict national policy goals The firms cite Resolution No. 57-NQ/TW of the Politburo, issued December 22, 2024, which calls for mechanisms to support domestic enterprises investing in data centers and cloud infrastructure. It outlines the need for internationally standardized, green data infrastructure, and affirms that data should be treated as a strategic production resource. The resolution also prioritizes the development of artificial intelligence - an area that cannot progress without stable, high-performance data center infrastructure. In this context, tech firms argue that the commercial pricing model contradicts the spirit of Resolution 57 and other guiding national documents, such as Laws on Telecommunications, Digital Industry, and Land. They point out that, under the 2023 Telecommunications Law, data center services are classified as telecommunications services requiring licensed registration. Additionally, according to the Land Law and Decree 102/2024/ND-CP, land allocated for data centers falls under infrastructure - not commercial or retail land use. Beyond the legal interpretation, the companies underline that the government has consistently classified digital infrastructure - including data centers - as a strategic development priority. This is reflected in multiple national resolutions and laws including Resolution 23-NQ/TW, 29-NQ/TW, 52-NQ/TW, and 81/2023/QH15, which mandate investment in the digital economy and innovation, and in the Digital Industry Law and the Law on Digital Transformation. Tech leaders call for immediate policy correction In their appeal, Viettel, VNPT, FPT Telecom, VNG, and CMC call on the Ministry to maintain the classification of data centers as industrial facilities and to preserve the production-use electricity rate that has applied uniformly until now. This, they argue, is critical for confidence in investment, expansion, and global competitiveness - especially as Vietnam aims for ambitious targets by 2030, including 100% of government agencies and state-owned enterprises, and over 50% of the population, using Vietnamese cloud services. Reverting to the production electricity rate, they conclude, is not only a matter of financial fairness but a strategic necessity for Vietnams digital future. Thai Khang Part 3: A meeting of the Central Steering Committee on science and technology development, innovation, and digital transformation (Photo: Vietnam News Agency) Part 1: Why science and technology determine a nations rise Part 2: Why science and technology determine a nations rise Over the past five years, Vietnam has made significant improvements in the Global Innovation Index (GII) rankings. Beyond state budget resources, what measures has the ministry adopted to attract capital from the private sector, venture capital funds, and international resources, thereby realizing the goal of turning Vietnam into a dynamic regional startup hub? Innovation is only sustainable when capital flows are unlocked. In this context, the role of the state is to create mechanisms and provide initial catalytic momentum. First, we have focused on completing the legal framework so that private capital, venture capital, and international capital can flow into the innovative startup ecosystem in a transparent and well-regulated manner. The Law on Science, Technology, and Innovation has established the legal basis for forming national venture capital funds and local venture capital funds financed by the state budget. We view ecosystem connectivity as a decisive factor. MST has strengthened cooperation with major startup hubs in the region and globally, such as Singapore, South Korea, Japan, and the US, while also organizing many activities such as Techfest and investment and innovation forums. These efforts build confidence among international investors that Vietnam is a serious market with stable policies, a pipeline of projects, and strong capital absorption capacity. In addition, clearly identifying priority sectors is the most effective way for the state to guide capital flows. Vietnam has identified 11 groups of strategic technologies, focusing on areas that ensure national autonomy and resilience, have strong demand, sufficiently large markets, and the potential to create long-term competitive advantages. These include foundational and spearhead technologies such as AI, semiconductors, digital technologies, green technologies, as well as technologies serving energy transition, healthcare, agriculture, and national defense and security. When the state clearly defines major national problems and long-term priorities, investors can see the destination and the roadmap, making them willing to commit long-term capital rather than seek short-term profits. Capital flows strongly only when guided by a clear strategic vision and consistent policies. I believe that to become a dynamic regional startup hub, Vietnam does not need to compete through short-term incentives, but through ecosystem quality: transparent institutional regime, a sufficiently large market, high-quality human resources, and strong regional and global connectivity. When these conditions converge, capital will naturally come. The draft documents of the 14th National Party Congress emphasize a new growth model, double-digit growth targets, and the requirement for sustainable development. What do you think are strategic solutions for science, technology, and innovation to translate into productivity, growth quality, and concrete competitiveness in order to realize these goals? The new growth model emphasized by the 14th National Party Congress places science, technology, and innovation at the center of socio-economic growth, shifting them from a sectoral role to a cross-cutting driving force for national development. To achieve double-digit and sustainable growth, science, technology, and innovation must transform macro-level objectives into productivity, growth quality, and competitiveness through strategic solutions. First is institutional completion. Institutions must move ahead to pave the way for innovation. It is necessary to build legal frameworks for key priority sectors while implementing controlled pilot mechanisms. The legislative approach must also change: science and technology evolve very rapidly, so laws cannot wait five to 10 years to be revised. When necessary, they must be adjusted annually, with one or two key provisions amended each year. Second is mastering strategic technologies and emerging industries. Vietnam must remain steadfast on the path of self-reliance and resilience, gaining control over core technologies. Priority resources should be concentrated on semiconductors, AI, UAVs, advanced materials, and new energy, while gradually forming industries in space and quantum technologies. These are new growth poles that will determine the countrys position and competitiveness in the next development phase. Third is a fundamental reform of the management model for national science and technology programs and financial mechanisms, using results as the benchmark, shifting decisively from spending on research to commissioning and purchasing research results, and from input-based management to output-based investment. At the same time, intellectual property and standards must be treated as tools to drive development. Fourth is the development of modern science and technology infrastructure and digital infrastructure. The focus is on national shared data platforms, data centers, high-performance computing and AI centers, key laboratories, and modern, synchronized postal and telecommunications infrastructure. Finally, it is essential to develop a science, technology, and innovation ecosystem based on talent. Without talent, there is no strong science; and without strong science, there is no strong nation. Thai Khang Sam Mitchell will reportedly exit EastEnders amid her cancer battle. Sam Mitchell will reportedly exit EastEnders amid her cancer battle The headstrong businesswoman - played by Kim Medcalf - returned to Albert Square in December 2025, but TV insiders have now claimed Sam is set to head back to Spain following her breast cancer diagnosis and recent lumpectomy. Speaking about Sams departure, an EastEnders source told Digital Spy: Its time for Sam to head back to Spain to continue her cancer treatment, after being surrounded by her loved ones over the festive period and in the lead-up to her important lumpectomy. Before she leaves Walford, Sam is expected to share emotional scenes with Lily Slater (Lillia Turner) as they mark the anniversary of Martin Fowlers (James Bye) death. The insider added: But first she pays it forward by supporting Lily through a difficult day will the teens wise words change Sams mind about leaving? Sams storyline began when she discovered a lump in her breast but initially hesitated to seek medical advice. Her erratic behaviour sparked concern from ex-partner Jack Branning (Scott Maslen), Denise Fox (Diane Parish) and her brother Phil Mitchell (Steve McFadden), who encouraged her to see a doctor. Tests later confirmed she had breast cancer, though it was detected early. Speaking about the storyline, EastEnders executive producer Ben Wadey said: Sam is initially hesitant to seek medical advice after she finds a lump in her breast, but with the support of family and friends, Sam gets help quickly, and because her cancer is caught early, shes able to successfully remove her breast lump via a lumpectomy in the New Year. It was imperative that we worked with Breast Cancer Now to ensure that Sams important breast cancer storyline was portrayed sensitively and accurately. The BBC soap collaborated closely with the charity to highlight the importance of early detection. Sally Kum, associate director of nursing and health information at Breast Cancer Now, said: Sams experience will resonate with thousands of EastEnders viewers. We know that the earlier breast cancer is diagnosed, the better the chances of successful treatment and, ultimately, of lives being saved. As such, EastEnders is delivering a vital health message by raising awareness of the importance of breast checking, knowing the signs and symptoms of breast cancer, and getting any new or unusual breast changes checked by a GP. Kim had expressed her delight at returning for what she described as a short stint. She said: Its such a joy to be asked to come back to EastEnders, especially as its the festive period, and you know there will always be plenty of fireworks. A viral social media post about a self-proclaimed 'Canadian Visa King' boasting about securing visas has ignited debate about immigration systems across the Western world. While the influencer's claims remain unverified, the conversation has exposed a striking reality: Canada, Australia, the United Kingdom, New Zealand, and the United States have all implemented remarkably similar reforms to their temporary worker programmes over the past year. Between August 2024 and January 2025, all five countries tightened their skilled migration pathways through policy changes sharing three common elements: raised salary thresholds, reduced employer flexibility, and stricter processing requirements. The reforms represent the most significant coordinated shift in immigration policy across the Anglosphere in more than a decade. The Canadian Crackdown Canada's transformation has been the most dramatic. Throughout 2024, the government systematically dismantled temporary measures introduced during the Covid-19 pandemic that had expanded access to the Temporary Foreign Worker Programme (TFW). In May 2024, the validity period for Labour Market Impact Assessments (LMIA) was reduced from 12 months to six. By September, the government introduced a 'refusal to process' policy for low-wage positions in census metropolitan areas with unemployment above 6 per cent, while the maximum duration for low-wage stream workers was cut from two years to one. October brought further restrictions: the wage threshold for high-wage positions increased by 20 per cent above provincial median wages, while the cap on temporary foreign workers was reduced to 10 per cent of total workforce for most sectors. According to Employment and Social Development Canada, these changes were forecast to reduce approvals by 20,000 positions as unemployment rose from 6.4 per cent to 6.6 per cent in 2024. Australia's New Skills Framework Australia implemented a parallel overhaul with its new Skills in Demand visa, which replaced the Temporary Skill Shortage visa on 7 December 2024. The reform followed the government's Migration Strategy, which committed to reducing net overseas migration from 510,000 in 2022-23 to 250,000 by 2024-25. The new system established a Core Skills Occupation List covering just 456 occupations. The Temporary Skilled Migration Income Threshold increased from AUD $70,000 (36,800) to AUD $73,150 (38,500) in July 2024, while the Specialist Skills pathway threshold jumped to AUD $135,000 (71,000). Australia reduced work experience requirements from two years to one but simultaneously introduced stricter 'visa hopping' restrictions. UK's 50 Per Cent Salary Jump The UK implemented perhaps the most aggressive changes. On 4 April 2024, the general salary threshold for Skilled Worker visas increased by almost 50 per centfrom 26,200 to 38,700 annually. Occupation-specific 'going rates' also shifted from the 25th percentile to the 50th percentile of median salaries. Further tightening came on 22 July 2025, when the minimum skill level requirement rose from Regulated Qualifications Framework Level 3 to Level 6 (degree level), eliminating approximately 180 eligible occupations. The general threshold increased again to 41,700. Labours immigration overhaul is finally here, and it exposes just how badly theyve mismanaged the system. After a year and a half of open-door policies, Labour is now scrambling to look tough by forcing illegal migrants to reapply every 2.5 years, extending settlement to pic.twitter.com/df7kpJjgMB Tousi TV (@TousiTVOfficial) November 17, 2025 New Zealand and US Follow Suit New Zealand announced reforms to the Skilled Migrant Category Resident Visa in September 2025, introducing two new pathways. The Skilled Work Experience pathway requires five years of relevant experience, including two years in New Zealand, earning at least 1.1 times the median wage. The US announced its most significant H-1B programme changes in December 2024, with implementation scheduled for fiscal year 2027. The Department of Homeland Security finalised a rule replacing the random lottery selection process with a weighted system favouring higher-skilled and higher-paid workers. The Common Thread Across all five countries, governments justified their reforms using nearly identical language: protecting domestic workers, ensuring programme integrity, addressing housing pressures, and responding to rising unemployment. Each emphasised that temporary worker programmes should serve as extraordinary measures when qualified residents cannot fill positions, not as routine recruitment channels. The timing proved remarkably coordinated. Canada began its rollback in May 2024, Australia's reforms took effect in July and December, the UK implemented changes in April 2024 and July 2025, New Zealand announced reforms in September 2025, and the US finalised its approach in December 2024. All five countries raised financial thresholds while simultaneously shortening visa durations, reducing employer flexibility, and increasing compliance requirements. Each moved away from occupation-based shortage lists towards income-based assessments as primary selection criteria. Industry Concerns and Policy Implications Employer groups across all five countries expressed concern about the restrictions' impact on businesses genuinely facing skills shortages. The Canadian Federation of Independent Business argued the changes would increase administrative burden on small businesses, while Australian construction industries criticised the omission of key machinery operator roles. UK immigration specialists warned the salary increases would make it difficult to sponsor junior employees and graduates. However, labour economists noted the reforms reflect legitimate pressures. Youth unemployment in Canada reached 13.5 per cent compared to a national average of 6.5 per cent. The Congressional Budget Office projects that immigration inflows between 2021 and 2026 will increase US nominal GDP by $8.9 trillion over the 2024-2034 period, yet the same period has seen median wage stagnation and increased competition for entry-level positions. This video tells you a lot about Canada right now. An influencer calling himself the Canadian Visa King. Flexing how many people he gets visas to Canada. Its sad to see what a joke our immigration system has becomepic.twitter.com/9Wo4Js5AQ6 Real Talk Politks (@realtalkpolitks) February 8, 2026 The parallel policy shifts expose characteristics of modern immigration systems that have fuelled public frustration. The ease with which programmes expanded during the pandemicand the difficulty of reversing those expansionssuggests policy frameworks lack appropriate safeguards. The US explicitly acknowledged its lottery system was 'exploited and abused by US employers who were primarily seeking to import foreign workers at lower wages'. The coordinated tightening across five major destination countries raises questions about skilled migration's future in an increasingly competitive global labour market. Whether these reforms address root causes or merely symptoms of deeper structural issues in how wealthy democracies manage labour mobility remains to be seen. Originally published on IBTimes UK The ASEAN Foundation, with support from Google.org, launched the ASEAN Digital Outlook and unveiled initial findings from the AI Ready ASEAN Research on February 10 at the AI Ready ASEAN: 3rd Regional Policy Convening in Manila, the Philippines. Developed with the ASEAN Digital Senior Officials Meeting, the reports outline regional digital governance priorities, infrastructure progress, and institutional preparedness, building on the AI Ready ASEAN programme, which has reached more than 5 million beneficiaries, trained over 100,000 learners in AI, and supported more than 3,000 master trainers across the region. The findings come as digitalisation and AI reshape ASEAN economies, education systems, and public services at unprecedented speed. With a population exceeding 660 million people, nearly one-third of whom are under the age of 20, the regions ability to adopt AI responsibly will play a decisive role in shaping future skills development, employment opportunities, and social inclusion. At the same time, ASEANs digital economy is projected to grow from $300 billion to $1 trillion by 2030, creating immense potential alongside increasingly complex risks. As AI adoption accelerates across sectors, the need for inclusive, responsible, and well-governed AI use has become an urgent priority for governments, institutions, and communities across the region. The two studies respond directly to this urgency by shifting the focus beyond access and adoption towards a clearer understanding of readiness, governance, and long-term impact. Across ASEAN, we are seeing AI use grow faster than our systems ability to guide it, said Piti Srisangnam, executive director of the ASEAN Foundation. These studies move the conversation beyond whether AI is being used to whether our institutions, educators, and communities are truly prepared. Evidence like this is essential to designing policies that protect trust, strengthen skills, and ensure AI benefits people, not just economies. The ASEAN Digital Outlook provides a broader regional assessment of digital and AI infrastructure, governance, and cybersecurity readiness across ASEAN Member States. While several countries have made progress in strengthening digital infrastructure, the study points to uneven levels of digital maturity and institutional capacity across the region. Persistent gaps in digital skills, public trust, cybersecurity preparedness, and responsible technology use underscore the limitations of fragmented national approaches. Meanwhile, the AI Ready ASEAN Research assesses AI readiness across 10 ASEAN Member States, focusing on education communities and examining students, educators, and parents as key actors shaping how AI is adopted, understood, and governed. The findings reveal a consistent gap between high levels of AI usage and actual readiness, particularly in AI literacy, ethical understanding, and institutional support. While students often emerge as early adopters of AI tools, educators and parents face greater barriers related to confidence, guidance, and access to structured training. Based on the findings, generative AI usage in Vietnam is widespread, reported by almost 90 per cent of students and around 82 per cent of educators. While nearly two-thirds of educators have completed AI-related courses, only about one-quarter of students have received formal training. Despite high confidence levels, assessments reveal gaps in foundational AI understanding, indicating that adoption is outpacing readiness. Taken together, the findings from both studies show that across ASEAN, AI and digital adoption is advancing faster than institutional, ethical, and community readiness. Students are the most active users of AI tools, while educators and parents report lower confidence and literacy. At the same time, growing risks, including online scams, deepfake-enabled fraud, misinformation, and data breaches, are undermining trust in digital systems and reinforcing the need for stronger governance frameworks. Access to AI tools alone is not enough, said Marija Ralic, head of Google.org Asia-Pacific. Real readiness requires people to understand how AI works, where its limits lie, and how it can be used ethically. These findings reinforce why investments in AI literacy, especially for educators and communities, are critical to ensuring that technological progress translates into inclusive opportunity. Through the launch of the AI Ready ASEAN Research and the ASEAN Digital Outlook, ASEAN Foundation contributes data-driven insights to support informed policy dialogue on digital and AI transformation across the region. The studies are intended to serve as key references for policymakers, educators, and development partners in designing interventions that strengthen digital literacy, institutional readiness, and inclusive growth. ASEAN Digital Ministers' Meeting opens in Hanoi The sixth ASEAN Digital Ministers' Meeting (ADGMIN) opened in Hanoi on January 15, attracting ministers in charge of IT, telecommunications, and digital transformation. Vietnamese firms win top honours at ASEAN Digital Awards Vietnamese digital firms made a strong showing at the ASEAN Digital Awards 2026, securing three top prizes and underlining the countrys growing competitiveness in regional technology innovation. Stock groups that benefit from stronger consumer spending and rising travel demand during the Lunar New Year (Tet) holiday such as retail, food production and aviation are attracting the attention of short-term investors, driven by expectations of positive returns. The domestic stock market is widely expected to remain on an upward trajectory this year, supported by four key factors. First, the governments economic growth target of 10 per cent and beyond is seen as a major catalyst for the market. Second, in terms of valuation, the VN-Index is currently trading at a price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of around 15 times; excluding stocks of member units under Vietnams leading conglomerate Vingroup, the future P/E is estimated at 14 times, lower than during 2017-2018 and 2020-2021. Third, the market is anticipating an official upgrade to emerging market status. In addition, supportive policy measures across multiple sectors continue to provide momentum. Following capital flows, investors are selectively accumulating stocks with solid growth prospects that stand to benefit from a vibrant Tet season, while also targeting attractive post-holiday profit potential. Three standout sectors that have garnered strong investor confidence are retail and consumer goods, food manufacturing, and aviation. Gains have been particularly evident in the retail and consumer sector, which is also among groups recommended by VPBank Securities in its February 2026 investment strategy. Retail and consumer stocks benefit directly from the surge in consumer demand during the Lunar New Year As the peak season of the year, companies with extensive distribution networks enjoy a significant advantage in revenue and profit growth during this period. Food major Masan Group reported after-tax profit of nearly $270.6 million in 2025, up 1.6 times on-year. Revenue reached $3.26 billion, an increase of 8.7 per cent. For 2026, Masan targets revenue growth of 15-20 per cent. FPT Digital Retail JSC, an associate of tech giant FPT Corporation, consolidated revenue in 2025 rose 27 per cent to $2.04 billion, exceeding the annual plan by 6 per cent. The companys pre-tax profit surged 131 per cent to $48.8 million, surpassing the plan by 35 per cent. Meanwhile, Digiworld Corporation posted record revenue last year of $1.07 billion, up 21 per cent, while after-tax profit reached $21.9 million, a 24 per cent increase. 2025 also marked a bumper year for Mobile World Investment Corporation, which recorded its highest-ever revenue of $6.26 billion, up 16 per cent on-year. Growth driven by operational efficiency, combined with the strong consumption tailwind during Lunar New Year, is creating attractive investment opportunities in retail stocks. The food manufacturing sector is also showing positive prospects, as demand for livestock and poultry products typically rises sharply during the Lunar New Year holiday. Pork prices across Vietnams three regions have trended upward since late 2025, contributing to improved business performance and outlook for related stocks. A notable example is Dabaco Vietnam Group Corporation, which reported its highest-ever after-tax profit approximating $60.3 million in 2025, up 96 per cent on-year. For the aviation sector, surging passenger travel and air cargo demand during the Lunar New Year is the primary driver helping aviation stocks take off. Stocks favoured by investors include VJC, HVN and ACV. Nguyen Duc Quan Tung, CEO of Hanoi-based OCBS Securities JSC, said that the stock market had many positive anchors, but going forward would be characterised by strong differentiation and higher standards. The economy is standing at the threshold of a new growth cycle, with key drivers such as public investment, the recovery of the manufacturing and export sectors, and the increasingly prominent role of the private sector. At the same time, we are witnessing a clear shift from a growth model overly dependent on bank credit towards one that is more strongly financed by the capital market, he said. Quan views the stock market in the next phase as the heart of the capital allocation system, accurately reflecting the health and ambitions of the economy. Financial institutions that are well-prepared in terms of structure, governance and technology will enjoy long-term advantages, while growth models overly reliant on cyclical factors or short-term leverage will increasingly face adjustment pressure. Unilever Vietnam launches For a Loving Tet Season programme To pay tribute to those who have silently made contributions to our society and community, as well as provide support to the underprivileged, Unilever Vietnam and its brands have launched the For a Loving Tet Season programme on the occasion of the Lunar New Year 2023. Coca-Cola Vietnam bringing out the festive period magic A record-breaking event from Coca-Cola Vietnam has conveyed the message that, over the years, Tet may change but the magic remains. And at this time, there is nothing better than getting families and the community together, connecting them over the shared excitement and anticipation of the Tet season. VNPAY and the National Payment Corporation of Vietnam (NAPAS) signed a comprehensive cooperation agreement on February 11 to jointly develop new payment technologies, share operational expertise, and coordinate the rollout of digital payment solutions aligned with evolving market trends. Under the agreement, both parties will leverage their respective strengths to deliver more secure, flexible, and advanced payment services, supporting trade, tourism, and broader financial integration. To lay the foundation for long-term cooperation, VNPAY and NAPAS have identified enhancing professional capabilities and developing new technologies as key pillars. The two sides will strengthen the exchange of experience and coordinate human resource training in the field of electronic payments, aiming to standardise operational capabilities, improve the quality of the workforce, and enhance the ability to adapt to the rapid changes in the technology and financial environment. Alongside strengthening professional capabilities, the two sides will intensify research and development efforts, as well as the application of emerging technologies, to deploy modern payment solutions.. The goal is to build highly secure, flexibly scalable systems that can respond to evolving market demands, sustainably reinforcing the digital payment infrastructure. A central component of the partnership is the implementation of cross-border QR payments, designed to facilitate transactions for international visitors to Vietnam and Vietnamese users overseas. The solution will initially enable tourists from markets such as Thailand, Laos, and Cambodia to use domestic payment applications at VNPAY acceptance points in Vietnam, with plans for further expansion. Vietnamese users will likewise be able to make payments via the VNPAY app at overseas acceptance points within the cooperation network. Building on their consolidated technological foundations and resources, VNPAY and NAPAS continue to leverage each other's strengths to jointly deliver comprehensive and integrated payment services to the market. The partnership seeks to improve service quality, optimise user experience, and offer payment services at more reasonable and competitive costs for businesses and consumers. Customers can make safe and convenient payments via VNPAY-QR code. VNPAY researches and develops technology solutions supporting business digital transformation. Its offerings range from digital payments, e-invoicing, and digital signatures to sales management, operations, and tax declaration solutions, helping businesses implement practical and integrated digitalisation. VNPAYs solutions are widely used across sectors including retail and trade, hospitality, transportation, ticketing, e-commerce, and public services, serving nearly 300,000 businesses nationwide. Meanwhile, NAPAS plays a central role in connecting and operating Vietnams payment infrastructure, with extensive experience in developing and managing secure, stable, and highly reliable payment services. The collaboration between the two parties aims to develop increasingly diverse, convenient, and secure payment solutions for businesses and consumers, contributing to boosting cashless payments in Vietnam. VNPAY clinches two titles at the 2025 ABF FinTech Awards VNPAY was honoured with two gongs at the 2025 Asia Banking & Finance (ABF) FinTech Awards, underscoring the company's efforts to drive technological innovation and refine its comprehensive digital ecosystem strategy. VNPAY chairman named among Top 10 Outstanding Entrepreneurs Tran Tri Manh, chairman of the Board of Directors of VNPAY, was honoured as one of the Top 10 Outstanding Vietnamese Entrepreneurs at Vietnam New Economy Forum in Hanoi on October 2. During the Second World War, an estimated 8,000 women were deported from France to Ravensbruck in Germany, the largest concentration camp for women under the Third Reich. Among them was Suzanne Bouvard, a young woman from Saint-Marcel in Brittany, arrested for having provided first aid to Resistance fighters and parachutists from France libre (Free France). During her time in the camps, she became friends with Simone Seailles, a Resistance member from Paris. In life, and in death, their destinies were bound together. Dario Amodei, the chief executive of AI giant Anthropic, has said that artificial intelligence could handle 'most, maybe all' of what software engineers currently do within six to 12 months. The warning landed like a grenade across the tech industry. 'I have engineers within Anthropic who say I don't write any code anymore. I just let the model write the code, I edit it,' Amodei said during an interview with The Economist at the World Economic Forum in Davos on 20 January 2026. Large technology companies such as Google, Amazon and Microsoft are also increasingly utilising automated systems to build portions of codebases; rather than using entire teams to build codebases, AI can complete this with a single model and a prompt. This is not an example of augmentation; it is an example of substitution. For thousands of developers worldwide, it felt less like a forecast and more like a redundancy notice. What Amodei Actually Said at Davos Amodei did not frame his remarks as speculation. He pointed to what is already happening inside his own company. Engineers at Anthropic, he claimed, have shifted from writing code to reviewing and refining output generated by AI models. The role of the developer, he suggested, is moving from creator to editor. 'We basically have a Moore's Law for intelligence where the model is getting more and more cognitively capable every few months,' he told the Davos audience. He went further. Amodei reiterated his earlier prediction that, by 2026 or 2027, advanced AI systems could conduct research and innovation at a level comparable to that of Nobel Prize winners. The comments drew sharp attention. Not because the idea is new, but because of who said it. Why the Industry Is Taking This Seriously Anthropic builds some of the most capable AI coding tools on the market. When its chief executive says engineers are no longer writing code from scratch, it carries weight that a think-tank white paper does not. Zoho founder Sridhar Vembu responded on X on 6 February 2026. His message was blunt. 'We better pay attention to him because he has the best coding tool in the world,' Vembu wrote. Vembu later went further, advising software developers to begin considering alternative livelihoods. 'I don't say this in panic, but with calm acceptance and embrace,' he added in a follow-up post. Ryan Dahl, the creator of Node.js, was even more direct. 'The era of humans writing code is over,' he posted on X. Google, Amazon and Microsoft are already using AI to generate portions of their codebases. The shift is not theoretical. It is operational. Not Everyone Agrees Some industry leaders at Davos pushed back. Fortune reported that few C-suite executives outside AI firms shared Amodei's timeline. Amodei had previously projected that up to 90 per cent of code would be AI-written by the end of 2025. That proved accurate for Anthropic itself but not for the wider industry, where estimates put AI-written code at between 25 and 40 per cent across other software companies. His sense of pace, some analysts suggested, may be skewed by operating at the frontier. Still, the direction of travel is not in dispute. Entry-level coding roles face the sharpest risk, multiple observers noted. If AI can generate clean, functional code in seconds, the business case for hiring and training junior developers weakens fast. What Happens Next for Engineers The role will not vanish overnight. But it will change beyond recognition, industry figures claimed. Developers may shift toward system architecture, product strategy, and oversight of AI-generated output. Fewer engineers could be needed to deliver the same volume of work. 'Developers won't disappear, but their job descriptions will change fundamentally,' one senior technology consultant told The420.in. Amodei's broader warning extends well past software teams. He argued that AI improvement is accelerating across knowledge-intensive professions. Software engineering, he said, is simply the clearest test case structured, digital and measurable. What happens here may preview what follows elsewhere. The debate is no longer about whether AI will reshape coding. It is about how quickly and who gets left behind. Originally published on IBTimes UK Increased patrols and targeted enforcement in Wrexham are helping to drive down crime and anti-social behaviour in the city centre, senior officers have said. Police and Crime Commissioner Andy Dunbobbin and North Wales Police Chief Constable Amanda Blakeman visited the city recently to see the impact of the UK Government-funded Winter of Action campaign, which aims to tackle crime and anti-social behaviour in town centres. As part of the scheme, which launched before Christmas, force increased patrols in hotspot areas to clampdown on shoplifting and street crime. Alongside Wrexham, targeted action has also taken place in Rhyl, Prestatyn, Holywell, Flint, Denbigh, Colwyn Bay, Bangor, Holyhead, Caernarfon, Pwllheli, Porthmadog and Mold. During the visit, Mr Dunbobbin and Ms Blakeman met with District Inspector Rhodri Ifans and Sergeant Sarah Hughes-Jones before taking part in a walk around of the city centre, including Queens Square, Henblas Street, the Butchers Market, High Street and Queen Street. They heard about some of the initiatives that have taken place in in recent months, including: A pioneering community policing approach at Wrexham AFC, focusing on problem-solving and early intervention to create a safer match day experience for everyone. A dedicated PSCO for Youth Justice focusing on antisocial behaviour related issues and strengthening early intervention. Neighbourhood officers have collaborated with Wrexham Council to conduct regular licensing checks within the city centres night-time economy. A dedicated safer travel operation on the main route between Wrexham City Centre and Llangollen to provide increased visibility and reassurance. A police operation targeting anti-social driving and associated road related offences in the city centre. The medical support hub at Hafan y Dre, at the bottom of Town Hill on Saturday nights enabling early intervention with individuals in crisis, reduction in ambulance demand, and support for vulnerable people within the city centre. A dedicated Cop Shop at the Butchers Market, which is staffed by officers and police staff on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, offering a regular and approachable point of contact for residents, traders, and visitors. According to North Wales Police, the Winter of Action saw a 22% drop in crime across hotspot locations, along with a reduction in serious violence in the 9 of the 11 targeted areas. There are currently 25 projects ongoing to reduce crime right across these hotspot locations. Andy Dunbobbin said the visit showed how effective neighbourhood policing has been over the winter months. As Police and Crime Commissioner for North Wales, the safety and security of residents is hugely important for me, said Andy Dunbobbin. Therefore, I am delighted that the UK Government has funded the Winter of Action across the UK and I am pleased it is having such a positive effect locally here in North Wales. This was clear to me on my visit to Wrexham where the local Neighbourhood Policing Team has been doing outstanding work in reducing ASB over the winter. I know that North Wales Police share my determination to see a North Wales that is safer and more secure for all residents and our town centres are a vital step in this mission. Chief Constable Amanda Blakeman of North Wales Police said: We are united in our commitment to increasing visible policing in our communities and the proactive work being undertaken in Wrexham shows what can be achieved by working in partnership. The public deserve to feel safe in our cities and towns, and these focused initiatives show that targeted, sustained action can make a real difference to community safety. I would like to thank our officers, staff and volunteers as well as our community safety partners, businesses and local residents for working together to ensure we deliver real results. Spotted something? Got a story? email us at Got a story? email us at news@wrexham.com The Llangollen and Corwen Railway has formally backed Llangollens bid to become the UKs first Town of Culture, following a public meeting held in the town. They say the meeting, organised by Llangollen Town Council was a huge success. Representatives of the railway say they were pleased to attend the meeting and to publicly support the proposal, which aims to celebrate the towns rich cultural life, heritage and community spirit. The railway believes the bid reflects not only Llangollens international reputation, but also the strength of its local organisations, volunteers and cultural traditions. David Hennigan, Trust Manager at the Llangollen and Corwen Railway, said, Culture and heritage run right through this town, and we were proud to attend the meeting and publicly back the bid. The railway is part of the story of Llangollen, and we stand ready to play our full part in helping the town succeed. We congratulate Llangollen Town Council for taking the lead on this and we stand ready to play our part. Volunteers are at the heart of everything that is great about Llangollen and its environs, and it is only right that this bid is led by those who give so much to make Llangollen the town it is. Across the Llangollen and the Dee Valley, it is volunteers who keep traditions alive, organise events, restore buildings, welcome visitors and pass on skills to the next generation. The railway is no different, and we see every day what can be achieved when people come together with pride in their community. The railway say they believe the bid reflects the strength of Llangollens cultural life, from internationally recognised events such as the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod to the many volunteer-led organisations like the Llangollen Fringe Festival that sustain the towns heritage and community activities. Looking ahead, the railway is already planning to bring culture along its tracks in 2026, with activities and events taking place across all stations on the line, including Llangollen, Berwyn, Glyndyfrdwy, Carrog and Corwen. These plans aim to connect communities, celebrate local history and provide new opportunities for visitors to experience the Dee Valley. The Llangollen and Corwen Railway has confirmed that it stands ready to support the bid and to work alongside partners across the town in developing ideas and activities. Spotted something? Got a story? email us at Got a story? email us at news@wrexham.com North East Wales Search and Rescue has marked Welsh Charities Week by paying tribute to the volunteers who support emergency services across the region. In a message shared on social media, the charity said its team is made up entirely of volunteers who are on call day and night to assist in searches for vulnerable and missing people. Its Welsh Charities Week, the charity said. This week were celebrating the incredible charities that make a difference across Wales including the volunteers who give their time to help keep our communities safe. The organisation said every callout, training session and hour given was powered by community support. Here at North East Wales Search and Rescue, our team is made up entirely of volunteers, on call day and night to assist the emergency services in searching for vulnerable and missing people across the region, the statement said. The charity added: Every callout. Every training session. Every hour given is powered by community support. North East Wales Search and Rescue said its volunteers are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, throughout the year, responding to incidents across Flintshire, Denbighshire, Wrexham and parts of Conwy and Powys. Welsh Charities Week is held annually to recognise the work of charities, community groups and volunteers across Wales. You can find out more about NEWSAR and make a donation, here. Spotted something? Got a story? email us at Got a story? email us at news@wrexham.com A Wrexham apprentice has been selected as one of just 20 young people in the UK and only two in Wales to represent the country on an international humanitarian project in Ghana. Georgia Ellams, a first-year Airbus Degree Apprentice at Coleg Cambria University Centre in Deeside, will travel to Accra this Christmas after being chosen to complete the prestigious Scouts of the World Award, one of the highest international honours in the Scouting movement. Georgia, from Wrexham, attended St Josephs High School and Ysgol Dinas Bran Sixth Form in Llangollen, and has long held a passion for mechanical and aerospace engineering. The 19 year-old is currently studying through the Airbus Degree Apprenticeship programme at Coleg Cambria, combining academic learning with hands-on industry experience, and hopes to pursue a future career in aerospace engineering with the RAF. Ive always been interested in how things work, particularly aircraft, said Georgia, speaking during National Apprenticeship Week. The degree apprenticeship route felt like the perfect opportunity. The support from Coleg Cambria and Airbus has been incredible and has really helped me grow in confidence. Alongside her studies, Georgia is heavily involved in the Scouting movement. A Scout Leader with the Bishops Own group in Wrexham, she is also the 1424 Team Lead for Wrexham Scouts District. She has been part of Scouts since the age of five and previously represented the UK at the World Scout Jamboree in South Korea at 16. Working with the charity Village by Village, Georgia will spend two weeks living within communities in Ghana, supporting projects that could include teaching first aid, improving access to clean water or helping to build schools. All project materials will be fundraised in advance by the volunteers. I get so much from Scouts, I honestly dont think Id be pursuing this career or have had the confidence to secure a place with Airbus, without my journey through Scouting, she said. Its pushed me to challenge myself and grow. Salah Berdouk, Curriculum Director for Advanced Engineering at Coleg Cambria Deeside, said: Georgia is an exceptional young person and a real inspiration. We are extremely proud of her achievements. She represents everything National Apprenticeship Week stands for ambition, opportunity and giving back to the community. Georgia added: Im incredibly excited for this opportunity. Being part of Scouting allows me to test myself, give back and develop skills that will benefit me throughout my career. I feel very privileged to be able to take part. Spotted something? Got a story? email us at Got a story? email us at news@wrexham.com President Donald Trump said he is considering sending a second aircraft carrier to the Middle East in case negotiations with Iran fail. "We have an armada that is heading there and another one might be going," Trump told Axios' Barak Ravid on Tuesday. A U.S. official confirmed to the outlet that there are indeed discussions about the possibility. The strike group would join the USS Abraham Lincoln and its group. However, Trump said Tehran "wants to make a deal very badly" and is engaging in a serious manner. "Last time they didn't believe I would do it," Trump said in reference to the attack against the country's nuclear facilities in June. He said back then "they overplayed their hand" but this time things are "very different." The outlet noted that Iran has noted that it won't discuss any issues other than its nuclear program, clarifying that it is not willing to give up enriching uranium. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is set to visit Washington on Wednesday. "He also wants a deal. He wants a good deal," Trump said about Netanyahu. Speaking to press, the Israeli prime minister said he would "present to the president our outlook regarding the principles of these negotiations the essential principles which, in my opinion, are important not only to Israel, but to everyone around the world who wants peace and security in the Middle East." Ali Larijani, a top adviser to Iran's supreme leader and secretary of the country's national security council, reacted to the visit in a social media publication, saying: "Americans must think wisely and not allow him, through posturing, to imply before his flight that 'I want to go and teach Americans the framework of the nuclear negotiations.' They must remain alert to the destructive role of the Zionists." He is set to meet Qatari officials in Doha on Wednesday, with U.S. officials believing he could be conveying the country's positions ahead of a new round of talks with the U.S. Originally published on Latin Times With storms rolling in, Incline Village residents spent the day preparing. From picking up ice melt to getting extra fuel for snow removal equipment, locals said they were prepared for the day and really are any time, since they're used to storms hitting the area a little harder than down in the valley. People we spoke with said they try to avoid being caught out in winter weather and advised their neighbors to stay home if they can. However, they said if someone does need to go out, they should have quality tires and chains available. NDOT let us know they've actually been working for a few days, making sure roadway salt, sand, and brine have been stockpiled. NDOT says highway crews have pre-treated state roads in preparation for potential early morning precipitation and freezing temperatures. The Reno Police Department Traffic Division issued 100 tickets and 24 warnings as part of pedestrian safety operations in January. The operations were paid for with help from a grant provided by the Nevada Office of Traffic Safety, according to a release from the RPD. Eight officers worked on the operation either within designated Pedestrian Safety Zones in the downtown area or areas of high pedestrian traffic. Efforts were focused on drivers and pedestrians who were violating laws that enhance pedestrian safety. The Wasisiw Land Trust has completed the purchase of a 10,274-acre property in the Washoe tribal homelands northeast of Lake Tahoe and roughly 20 miles north of Reno. Formerly called the Loyalton Ranch, the new Welmelti Preserve encompasses a vast and ecologically significant landscape recognized for its wildlife habitat. The purchase was made possible by a $5.5 million grant from California Wildlife Conservation Board and private donations. The acquisition represents the largest tribal land return ever completed in the Sierra Nevada and the third largest in California. The land was purchased specifically for long-term conservation. Wasiw people were first forcefully removed from these lands, said Washoe Tribe Chairman Serrell Smokey. Secondly, individual allotments were stolen. Then we were told we could no longer use the land for resources, or ceremony. Since that time the land has been calling us back, and we are answering that call. This land purchase is good medicine for our people. This is a small start to healing from generations of historical trauma, and the benefits will go on for many generations to come. The Welmelti Preserve is bordered primarily by public lands managed by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, the U.S. Forest Service, and the U.S. Bureau of Land Management. It spans the mountain range from Long Valley in the east to Sierra Valley in the west. The terrain transitions from sagebrush scrub and grasslands to conifer forests, aspen groves, and mountain meadows, with pine and juniper woodlands, springs, and perennial creeks. Pronghorn, mule deer, mountain lion, and gray wolf range through the landscape, migrating from winter habitat in the east to summer habitat in the west. The land also supports plants of cultural importance to the Washoe people, including pinyon pine, a vital, traditional food source that has suffered damage from recent wildfires across the Washoe homelands. The Washoe Tribes vision for the Preserve involves conservation, restoration, reinstating traditional cultural practices, managing habitat, and providing educational opportunities, with a focus on connecting youth back to the land and their native language. The Tribal Council of the Washoe Tribe of Nevada and California has a vision to repatriate land to Washoe ownership and care across the tribes extensive Sierra Nevada homelands. To accelerate this vision, the Washoe Tribe partnered with the Northern Sierra Partnership and the Feather River Land Trust. The three organizations worked collaboratively for four years to develop a strategy for the project, secure funding, and complete the Welmelti Preserve purchase. The partners raised a total of $6.9 million for this project: $6 million to acquire the 10,274-acre property and the balance for costs like planning, property assessments, and the beginning of an endowment for long-term stewardship. In 2025, the Tribal Council formed the Wasisiw Land Trust, a Washoe-led nonprofit dedicated to returning ancestral lands to the Washoe People of Nevada and California. The new land trust now owns the Welmelti Preserve and is working with its partners to raise another $2 million to kickstart its operations and invest in future restoration and stewardship of the Preserve. The Welmelti Preserve is the first of several acquisitions the Wasisiw Land Trust hopes to complete in the northern Washoe homelands north of Lake Tahoe. It is exciting to know that the Washoe people will be caring for this spectacular landscape going forward, said Lucy Blake, president of the Northern Sierra Partnership. It has truly been an honor to work with the Washoe Tribe and our partners at the Feather River Land Trust on this historic land back project. We are privileged to play our part in conserving this vast landscape and helping the Washoe people launch their new land trust, said Corey Pargee, executive director of the Feather River Land Trust. We look forward to continuing collaboration with the Wasisiw Land Trust for many years to come. We are proud to support the return of the Welmelti Preserve to Washoe ownership and care, said Jennifer Norris, executive director of the Wildlife Conservation Board. This project reflects WCBs long-standing commitment to conservation, partnership and tribal stewardship. Florida Sen. Rick Scott said the United States is "watching" after Venezuelan opposition figure Juan Pablo Guanipa was rearrested shortly after being released, warning the country's authorities that continued cooperation depends on freeing political prisoners and ending repression. In a video posted Tuesday on X, Scott addressed interim leader Delcy Rodriguez and top official Diosdado Cabello directly through a video: "Delcy and Diosdado, listen up. Right after you released Juan Pablo Guanipa, you rearrested him. That's not the deal. The deal is you release the political prisoners and you cooperate with the United States and you stop oppressing these people. That's how you work with the United States. We are watching" Delcy Rodriguez and Diosdado Cabello LISTEN UP. The deal is you release @JuanPGuanipa and all political prisoners without oppression, NOT THIS. WE ARE WATCHING! pic.twitter.com/YUEH3WuWxB Rick Scott (@SenRickScott) February 10, 2026 Guanipa, a close ally of opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, had been freed Sunday as part of a series of releases promoted by authorities after U.S. demands tied to recent political developments in Venezuela. Family members said unidentified agents detained Guanipa late at night in Caracas. His son said armed men without identification took him away, and a message posted to Guanipa's X account called the incident a "forced disappearance" and demanded proof of life. Scott had issued a written warning on Monday on X after Guanipa was taken back into custody, along with a video of Guanipa's son denouncing his father's rearrest: "URGENT: Maduro's thuggish regime has once again wrongfully taken @JuanPGuanipa captive, just hours after his release," he wrote, calling for Guanipa and "every political prisoner" to be released and adding: "The U.S. is watching." URGENT: Maduros thuggish regime has once again wrongfully taken @JuanPGuanipa captive, just hours after his release. Delcy Rodriguez and Diosdado Cabello must IMMEDIATELY RELEASE JUAN PABLO GUANIPA, and ensure every political prisoner is free to live without oppression. The https://t.co/k1ZBM8yn2Y Rick Scott (@SenRickScott) February 9, 2026 Diosdado Cabello, Venezuela's Interior and Justice minister, said on Monday that Guanipa was rearrested for violating the conditions of his release. Speaking at a ruling party press conference, he said one recently freed detainee had been detained again for breaching court-imposed terms. Guanipa had spent more than eight months in prison after being accused in 2025 of involvement in a plot related to regional and legislative elections, an allegation he denied. Civil society groups estimate more than 600 people remain jailed in Venezuela for political reasons, while government figures on releases are higher and have not been fully detailed. Originally published on Latin Times VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) The suspect in a school shooting in Canada was an 18-year-old who had a history of police visits to her home to check on her mental health, authorities said Wednesday, a day after the attack that killed eight people in a remote part of British Columbia. Police said Jesse Van Rootselaar was found dead from an apparent self-inflicted wound following the assault on a school in the small mountain community of Tumbler Ridge. Royal Canadian Mounted Police Deputy Commissioner Dwayne McDonald said Van Rootselaar first killed her mother and stepbrother at the family home before attacking the nearby school. She had a history of mental health contacts with police, he said. The motive was unclear. Police initially said nine people were killed Tuesday, but McDonald clarified Wednesday that there were eight fatalities. McDonald said the discrepancy arose from a victim who was airlifted to a medical center. Authorities mistakenly thought that person had died. More than 25 people were wounded. The town is near the provincial border with Alberta The town of 2,700 people in the Canadian Rockies is more than 1,000 kilometers (600 miles) northeast of Vancouver, near the provincial border with Alberta. Police said the victims included a 39-year-old teacher and five students, ages 12 to 13. The killings at the home occurred first, McDonald said. A young family member at the home went to a neighbor, who called police. The bodies of the suspect's mother, who was also 39, and her 11-year-old stepbrother were found at the home. At the school, one victim was found in a stairwell and the rest were found in the library, McDonald believed. The suspect was not related to any of the victims at the school, he said. There is no information at this point that anyone was specifically targeted," McDonald said. Police recovered a long gun and a modified handgun. McDonald said officers arrived at the school two minutes after the initial call. When they arrived, shots were fired in their direction. Parents, grandparents, sisters, brothers in Tumbler Ridge will wake up without someone they love. The nation mourns with you, and Canada stands by you, an emotional Prime Minister Mark Carney said as he arrived in Parliament. Deadliest rampage since 2020 The attack was Canadas deadliest rampage since 2020, when a gunman in Nova Scotia killed 13 people and set fires that left another nine dead. Carney said flags at government buildings will be flown at half-staff for seven days and added: We will get through this." Shelley Quist said her neighbor across the street lost her 12-year-old. We heard his mom. She was in the street crying. She wanted her sons body, Quist said. Quist said her 17-year-old son, Darian, was on lockdown in the school for more than two hours. The provincial government website lists Tumbler Ridge Secondary School as having 175 students in grades 7 to 12. The grade sevens and eights, I think, were upstairs in the library, and thats where the shooter went, she said. Her son was in the library just 15 minutes prior to the attack. Quist was working at the hospital down the street when the shooting started. I was about to go run down to the school, but my coworker held me back. And then I was able to get Darian on the phone to know he was OK, she said. Darian Quist said he knew the attack was real when the principal came down the halls and ordered doors to be closed. He said fellow students texted him pictures of blood while he remained locked down in a classroom. We used the desk to block the doors, he said. School shootings are rare in Canada, which has strict gun-control laws. The government has responded to previous mass shootings with gun-control measures, including a recently broadened ban on all guns it considers assault weapons. A video showed students walking out with their hands raised as police vehicles surrounded the building and a helicopter circled overhead. A makeshift memorial of flowers and stuffed toys began to grow at the edge of the school grounds. Residents met nearby to comfort each other at the local community center. Community is a big family Tumbler Ridge Mayor Darryl Krakowka said it was devastating to learn how many had died in the community, which he called a big family. I broke down, Krakowka said. I have lived here for 18 years. I probably know every one of the victims. The Rev. George Rowe of Tumbler Ridge Fellowship Baptist Church once taught at the high school, and his three children graduated from there. To walk through the corridors of that school will never be the same again, he said. The school district said the high school and elementary school will be closed for the rest of the week. Carneys office said he called off a planned trip to Europe for the Munich Security Conference. British Columbia Premier David Eby said the full extent of what happened wont sink in for some time. I can tell you this is an incredibly strong community. Everybody is worried about somebody else, Eby said outside the townhall. Gillies reported from Toronto. Surgery has a way of sharpening every worry you didnt know you were carrying. For older adults especially, its rarely about the procedure itself. Its about how your body will handle anesthesia, how long recovery will take and whether the operation will truly be worth it in the end. Those concerns arent misplaced. According to a University of Michigan National Poll on Healthy Aging published in 2022, 30 percent of adults between 50 and 80 had considered elective surgery in recent years, most often for joints, eyes or abdominal issues. Among those who hesitated, their top fears centered on pain, recovery challenges and financial cost. Yet most who did get surgery reported high satisfaction afterward, suggesting that the scariest part often happens before the hospital gown goes on. Members only That presurgery period can feel like an interrogation. Patients are asked the same questions over and over, sometimes by different people, sometimes minutes apart. Its easy to assume something has gone wrong or that no one is paying attention. In reality, those questions are doing quiet but critical work. Cynthia Induni, a nationally certified operating-room (OR) nurse with nearly 30 years of experience, has asked them thousands of times, using her patients answers to guide everything that happens next. Those conversations help align nursing care with surgical and anesthesia planning, often in ways patients never see. What follows is a rare look behind the curtain and a road map for navigating surgery with more confidence, clarity and peace of mind. Yes, we check your belly button clean it before surgery If youre having abdominal surgery, clean your belly button. Debris there can contaminate the surgical field once the skin is prepped. Amber Day If youre having abdominal surgery, theres one small detail patients almost never think about but operating room nurses always do: your belly button. The umbilicus is a natural pocket that can trap lint, dead skin, soap residue and bacteria. Because it sits in the middle of the abdomen, debris there can contaminate the surgical field once the skin is prepped. When that happens, someone in the OR has to clean it out sometimes thoroughly, sometimes uncomfortably, and occasionally with surgical instruments. The fix is simple. In the days before surgery, gently clean your belly button with soap and water in the shower. Use a washcloth or cotton swab if needed, but dont dig aggressively. Its a small step that helps protect the surgical field and lowers infection risk. The most powerful call button is a person in the room If a loved one is hospitalized, being there with them can make a real difference. Amber Day If a loved one is hospitalized, being present can make a real difference. Not because nurses arent attentive, but because staffing shortages and burnout are ongoing realities in many hospitals. An extra set of eyes and ears helps fill the gaps. A familiar face can notice subtle changes, take notes during doctor visits and help track medications, tests or discharge plans. Patients are often overwhelmed, medicated or anxious, and they dont always remember what theyre told. Having someone nearby to listen and ask follow-up questions can prevent confusion later. Sometimes the help is practical: assisting with comfort, making sure linens are changed or helping your loved one feel clean and settled when staff are juggling multiple patients. Just as important, your presence reduces loneliness and anxiety, something research and patient advocates have long noted can affect recovery as much as medical care itself. Dont ask if your surgeon is good. Ask who the staff trusts with their own family People who work in health care see outcomes up close. They notice which surgeons communicate clearly, handle complications calmly and earn trust across the operating room. They also quietly know which ones theyd avoid for themselves or their families, even if theyd never say that out loud. If you want an honest recommendation for a surgeon, dont ask hospital staff whether the surgeon youve already chosen is good. Most wont criticize a colleague, even if they have reservations. Instead, ask a better question: Who would you send your mom to? Nurses, techs, anesthesiologists and recovery staff all have opinions shaped by experience, not reputation or marketing. Their off-the-record recommendations are often the most honest ones youll get. What you say under anesthesia isnt nearly as interesting as you think Many patients worry theyll say something embarrassing as anesthesia kicks in. In reality, what people say is rarely shocking, meaningful or memorable. Operating-room staff have heard it all, and none of it is personal. More importantly, whats said in the OR stays in the OR. Your care team is focused on your safety, not your commentary. Once anesthesia takes effect, your words dont follow you into recovery, your medical record or the break room. You can let that fear go before you even change into the gown. If you can choose your surgery time slot, choose early If you have a choice, try to be the first surgery of the day. Early cases are more likely to start on time, and the [office] is rested and fully staffed. As the day goes on, delays tend to stack up. Earlier surgeries run long, emergencies bump the schedule, staffing shifts change. The same logic applies to the calendar. Surgeries earlier in the week often run more smoothly than those scheduled late in the week, when fatigue and backlog can creep in. loading......... Brisbane, Feb 11, 2026 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Far East Gold Ltd ( ASX:FEG ) ( FEGDF:OTCMKTS ) Managing Director Shane Menere is Interviewed by ABN Newswire on the company's Idenburg Project in Indonesia (West Papua) and recent activities at Mt Clarke in Queensland. The company is a multi-asset and diversified explorer targeting large IRGS, Orogenic and Porphry systems. The company has recently been granted extensions to the Exploration Permit, allowing greater opportunity to develop the Mt Clarke prospective copper resource. Mr Menere talks about the grades encountered at the Sua Prospect at Idenburg, which is one of nearly 30 prospects the company is developing in that area, adding to their existing >500,000 ounce JORC mineral resource. Grades of up to 175 grams per ton in drill core points to this project as a world class opportunity for Far East. To Watch the Interview, please visit: https://www.abnnewswire.net/lnk/53417P84 About Far East Gold Ltd Far East Gold Ltd (ASX:FEG) is an Australian junior exploration company led by some of the biggest names in Australian mining. The company has secured the commercial rights for the acquisition, exploration and development of six advanced gold and copper projects in Indonesia and Australia. The Company is underpinned by combined JORC resources of 1.54Moz gold and 190Mlb copper, with ongoing drill programs aiming to significantly increase these resources. Related Companies AceShowbiz - White Fence has officially announced the release of their first album in seven years, titled Orange. This long-awaited record follows 2019s I Have to Feed Larrys Hawk and is set to release on April 24 through Drag City. Produced by renowned artist Ty Segall, the albums lead single, Your Eyes, comes with a music video directed by Agathe Rousselle, who is not only the star of Titane but also the wife of Tim Presley, the mind behind White Fence. In promotional materials, Presley describes Your Eyes as a reflection on themes of love, loss, addiction, and rehabilitation. He notes that the song also captures a good long look in the mirror (by way of a shop window reflection in San Francisco). He adds, But also the absurdity of life... I wanted to sing my little heart out. Sing life. Previously, Ty Segall and White Fence collaborated on the 2014 album For the Recently Found Innocent, and in 2018, they released the joint LP Joy. Additionally, in 2020, Presley showcased his artistic talents through the publication of Under the Banner of Concern, a book filled with original drawings and poetry. Fans can look forward to the full tracklist of Orange, which includes: 01 Thats Where the Money Goes (Seen From the Celestial Realm) 02 I Came Close, Orange for Luck 03 Your Eyes 04 Given Up My Heart 05 Unread Books 06 Evaporating Love 07 Reflection in a Shop Window on Polk 08 I Wanted a Rolex 09 When Animals Come Back 10 So Beautiful 11 Blind Your Sun White Fences Orange will be available for purchase at Rough Trade for $30. AceShowbiz - A new immersive exhibition titled David Bowie: Youre Not Alone is set to debut in London this April, featuring a captivating showcase of the legendary artist's most celebrated performances alongside previously unseen materials. The 360 multimedia experience is produced by Lightroom, a creative team known for their collaborations with renowned figures such as David Hockney, Tom Hanks, and Anna Wintour. This exhibition is conceptualized and designed by Mark Grimmer, who was also the creative director for the acclaimed V&As David Bowie Is exhibition, in partnership with Tom Wexler. Tickets are currently available, with prices starting at 25 for adults and 15 for students and concessions. Guests can purchase tickets for visits from April 22 to June 28 via Lightrooms official website, with additional tickets for summer dates to be released soon. The exhibition will display a mix of seldom-seen and never-before-exhibited content, meticulously curated from thousands of hours of footage housed in the David Bowie Archive in New York. Highlights include performances of iconic tracks such as Space Oddity, Heroes, and Blackstar. The show intricately weaves performance footage with a rich assortment of photography, drawings, lyrics, personal notes, and audio recordings. The film presentation is organized into thematic chapters and features a looping format. Among the notable clips is a somewhat awkward transatlantic interview with Russell Harty from 1975, alongside a reconstructed set from the Diamond Dogs tour. In line with previous Lightroom exhibitions, the footage will be projected around the walls of a cube-shaped room, positioning visitors at the heart of Bowies live performances. The musical tracks have been uniquely reconfigured to align with Lightrooms specialized spatial audio system, guiding attendees through the remarkable journey of Bowies storied career. Grimmer expressed, It says something about our relationship with artistic heroes that were drawn to mystery, otherness, the alien In Bowies case, this is our construct, not his. He emphasized that throughout his career, Bowie continually resisted being depicted as anything other than human, and this exhibition aims to celebrate him as a beacon of human creativity. This announcement comes shortly after the tenth anniversary of Bowies passing on January 10, 2016, just two days after his 69th birthday and the release of Blackstar. His widow, Iman, recently shared a new tattoo commemorating Blackstar, while fellow artists such as The Libertines, The Horrors, Anna Calvi, and The Molotovs paid tribute in various ways. AceShowbiz - The latest midseason trailer for The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills Season 15 sets the stage for intense drama as the ladies embark on an Italian vacation. The newly released footage highlights significant tensions, particularly surrounding Dorit Kemsley and newcomer Amanda Frances, as friendships hang in the balance amidst rising accusations. As the group settles into the stunning Italian landscape, discussions about cults and alleged scams spark curiosity and concern among the housewives. Amanda Frances, who brands herself the money queen, finds herself under scrutiny as her past raises eyebrows. In the trailer, various clips illustrate the escalating suspicion, with the women confronting Frances about her history. One particularly striking moment features Bozoma Saint John stating, Amanda is very cunning, while Rachel Zoe adds, Whos behind the fucking curtain? The tension heightens during a group dinner, where the women press Frances for details about her past involvement with a cult, prompting her to respond defensively: We want to talk about the cult right now? The trailer also hints at a developing rift between Dorit Kemsley and the other cast members. In a candid exchange, Sutton Stracke confronts Kemsley, claiming, I have witnessed you treat your friends like dirt all summer. This accusation reflects the growing frustration within the group regarding Kemsleys behavior, particularly concerning her relationships with Kyle Richards and Erika Jayne. As tensions mount, Kyle Richards expresses her concerns about Kemsleys erratic moods, leading to a heated exchange. During a walk through Italy, Richards asserts, Im sick of that shit with you, Dorit, to which Kemsley retorts, I dont trust you. Their friendship appears to be on shaky ground, as both women reveal their distrust for one another. A confrontation between Dorit Kemsley and Erika Jayne escalates further, resulting in Kemsley stating, I would much rather be alone than around a bunch of fucking bitches. This moment encapsulates the growing divide among the women and hints at the explosive confrontations to come. In a more vulnerable segment of the trailer, Erika Jayne opens up about the impact of physical violence in her life, touching on the shame associated with such experiences. She reflects, saying, Theres a lot of shame around that. Getting hit or choked or This emotional revelation adds a layer of complexity to her character and hints at deeper struggles beneath the surface. As fans anticipate the unfolding drama, its clear that the second half of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills Season 15 promises confrontations, revelations, and an examination of the intricate dynamics that define these womens relationships. AceShowbiz - Jimmy Eat World frontman Jim Adkins recently shared insights with NME about revisiting their landmark album Bleed American as it marks its 25th anniversary. The band is gearing up for a summer full of celebrations, including outdoor UK shows, a major London performance at Gunnersbury Park, new North American dates, and a return to the iconic Vans Warped Tour. The 2001 album Bleed American was a pivotal moment for the Arizona emo band, transforming them from underground hopefuls into mainstream rock icons. While their 1999 album Clarity earned cult status and critical acclaim, it was initially seen as a commercial disappointment, leading to their departure from Capitol Records. Signing with DreamWorks for their follow-up, the band had no idea that Bleed American would become a defining record that they would celebrate a quarter-century later. Adkins reflected on the albums lasting impact, admitting, "I have no idea why its been able to do that." He explained that when creating the album, the band was focused purely on capturing the energy of their ideas, without concern for legacy or commercial success. This approach helped the album resonate deeply with listeners across generations. When asked if Bleed American felt like a make-or-break moment, Adkins acknowledged how the narrative might appear from the outside. After being dropped by their label, the band financed the album themselves, which could seem like a high-stakes gamble. However, he emphasized that for them, the music and creativity were always at the forefront, while industry pressures were just background noise. The albums title track set the tone with its hardcore energy, followed by radio hits like The Middle and The Sweetness, which helped define the emo genre for years to come. These songs allowed Jimmy Eat World to finally break through after nearly a decade of persistence and struggle. As Adkins sang on The Middle, "Hey, dont write yourself off yet," a message of encouragement that resonated with many fans. The bands ability to connect with new generations has kept Bleed American relevant. Their upcoming anniversary tour promises to celebrate not only the albums legacy but also the journey theyve taken as a band. Meanwhile, progress continues on their highly anticipated new record, signaling that Jimmy Eat World remains a vital force in rock music. Reflecting on their journey, Adkins described the early 2000s as a time when they were simply kids living in the moment, channeling their passion and creativity into songs that would eventually become timeless. The 25th anniversary of Bleed American is not just a look back but a celebration of growth and endurance in the ever-changing music landscape. Toyota is recalling nearly 142,000 Prius and Prius Prime vehicles in the US after discovering a defect in the rear door lock system that could cause doors to open while the car is moving. The recall affects 20232026 Toyota Prius models, 20232024 Prius Prime vehicles, and 20252026 Prius Plug-In Hybrid models, NY Post reported. The issue involves the electric rear door switches, which can malfunction if water enters the system. A short circuit could cause a rear door to unlatch, potentially opening while the vehicle is in motion. Toyota warned that this defect increases the risk of injury, particularly to rear-seat passengers. If the switch triggers while driving, the vehicle may display a warning on the dashboard and sound a buzzer to alert the driver. "It's important that drivers address this issue promptly," Toyota said, adding that no injuries or crashes have been reported in the US linked to the defect. The company first identified the problem during internal testing and following a reported incident overseas. Toyota recalls 141,000 Prius vehicles over doors that have risk of opening while driving https://t.co/K9c5CNvh9T pic.twitter.com/j8z4MNNTOE New York Post (@nypost) February 10, 2026 Toyota to Fix Prius Door Lock Issue Free of Charge To fix the problem, Toyota dealers will modify the left and right rear door switch circuits. The repair will prevent the switches from activating even if a short occurs. The service will be performed free of charge for affected owners. Toyota plans to notify customers between March 15 and March 29, 2026. Owners who already paid for repairs related to this issue may qualify for reimbursement under Toyota's general reimbursement program. Owners can check if their Prius is part of the recall by visiting toyota.com/recall or nhtsa.gov/recalls and entering their vehicle identification number (VIN) or license plate information. According to Yahoo, the recall includes about 102,515 standard Prius models, 23,243 Prius Prime vehicles, and 15,528 Prius Plug-In Hybrid models. While not every car built during the affected production periods is impacted, the recall targets vehicles from a specific supplier and production timeframe. For drivers needing service, Toyota has 46 dealerships in Ohio and many more across the country. Appointments can be scheduled online through Toyota's website. Originally published on vcpost.com The Exeter encourages action from the industry, as findings from the Association of Mortgage Intermediaries (AMI) and The Exeter reveal that the perception gap is widening, driven by low consumer understanding of protection products and fragile consumer savings. The Exeters recent consumer research shows one in four (24%) consumers have less than 500 available to cover essential expenses and nearly one in seven (14%) have no savings at all. This leaves many households dangerously exposed if their income suddenly stops and they do not hold any form of protection. However, according to the sixth AMI Viewpoint, sponsored in 2025 by The Exeter, Legal & General and Royal London, only 39% of mortgage holders recall having a protection conversation with their adviser. This is despite 82% of advisers reporting they give protection advice directly. This points to a challenge around consumer recall and understanding, rather than adviser intent or effort. This disconnect is further reflected in only 35% of consumers being able to correctly identify income protection products when provided with a description by AMI, signalling a lack of understanding of one of the industrys most important products. Simultaneously, nearly one in five consumers (18%) drop out of the protection buying journey, rising to one in four (25%) among under-35s. Its positive that 82% of advisers discuss protection directly with clients and the industry is making real progress in normalising these conversations. However, there remains an opportunity to improve on the lack of consumer understanding and ensure that these conversations are clearer and easier to act on. As a result, The Exeter is encouraging the industry to continue the momentum built in 2025 by exploring ways to: Make protection conversations simpler, more consistent and easier to rememberCommunicate how income protection supports everyday financial stability, not just worst-case scenariosAddress misconceptions as early as possible in the advice conversationsStrengthen ongoing customer touchpoints to reinforce the value of existing cover Steve Bryan, Director of Distribution and Marketing, The Exeter, comments: Advisers are clearly committed to protecting their clients, and the latest AMI Viewpoint shows just how much good work is already happening. What the findings highlight is an opportunity for all of us to continue improving how we support consumers in understanding their options. Our aim is to make the protection journey as seamless as possible. Were encouraging advisers to make full use of the expertise, tools and resources available across the industry, all of which are designed to help simplify conversations, strengthen client understanding and make their day-to-day work easier. The transaction, by the Prudential Assurance Company Limited (PAC), M&Gs wholly-owned subsidiary providing life and pensions solutions, is the latest to be announced by M&G, having delivered total new business volumes of 1.5 billion during 2025. M&Gs strong proposition was well received by the Trustees, which recognised M&Gs ability to insure and administer the Plans complex benefit structure. They also valued the enhanced level of support M&G could provide to the Trustees in the ongoing management of the Plan, ultimately allowing members to continue to benefit from an excellent member experience. The Trustees were advised on the transaction by WTW as risk transfer adviser and scheme actuary, CMS as legal advisers, and SEI as investment adviser. Rosie Fantom, Head of Bulk Annuity Origination & Execution at M&G, said: This transaction marks an important step in securing the future benefits of over 3,000 Plan members. It highlights our ability to deliver tailored solutions for complex schemes and reinforces our focus on providing certainty and confidence for trustees and members alike. Michelle Parczuk, Chair of Trustees and Chief People Officer, Avon, said: The Trustees are delighted to have partnered with M&G to complete this transaction. This buy-in helps to provide greater certainty to members about the security of their benefits and represents a pivotal moment in the Plans de-risking journey. My thanks to everyone involved for a great team effort in making this happen. Gemma Millington, Senior Director, WTW, said: It was a pleasure to work with the Trustees, Avon, M&G and the wider advisory teams to deliver the transaction objectives. In particular, the Trustees were focused on ensuring the buy-in achieved an optimal outcome for members, including the preservation of all member options and coverage of complex Plan benefits. Were seeing strong market competition delivering attractive pricing and pushing insurers to continually improve member experience. Arik Air Boeing 737-7GL makes an emergency landing in Nigeria after an uncontained engine failure while flying from Lagos to Port Harcourt International Airport, Nigeria. Photos circulating on social media show significant damage to the aircraft's left engine. Director of pic.twitter.com/JebEp5jm3w Breaking Aviation News & Videos (@aviationbrk) February 11, 2026 Zwischenfall bei Arik Air, XSL aero.de | 11.02.2026 13:21 LAGOS - Eine Boeing 737-700 der nigerianischen Fluggesellschaft Arik Air ist nach einem groeren Triebwerksschaden am Flughafen Benin notgelandet.Die nigerianische Flugunfallbehorde NSIB untersucht eine Notlandung. Eine Boeing 737-700 der Gesellschaft Arik Air musste am Mittwoch einen Inlandsflug von Lagos nach Port Harcourt wegen eines Triebwerksschadens mit Trummeraustritt abbrechen und an den Benin Airport abdrehen, teilte die Behorde mit.Die Insassen blieben unverletzt. Bilder zeigen sichtbare Schaden am linken CFM56 der 5N-MJF. Die Maschine ist seit ihrem Produktionsjahr 2007 Teil der Arik-Air-Flotte. With the prospect looming of a much larger war with Iran, it is worth rethinking the wisdom of continued belligerence. Israel underestimated Iran militarily in their previous confrontation, and we have all underestimated Iran in other ways as well. Advertisement Americans in particular should recognize the tragedy represented by the current hostility toward Iran. Past generations of Americans and Iranians held a special place in one anothers hearts. Allowing that friendship to deteriorate has been catastrophic for both countries and now endangers world peace. Persia is familiar to Western schoolchildren from ancient histories as the empire that challenged the Greeks, and churchgoers know Cyrus the Great from the Bible as the king who freed the Israelites from the Babylonian Captivity and allowed the return to their homeland. Advertisement Even after the Islamist Revolution of 1979 brought the current regime to power, the confrontation remained largely between regimes, not peoples. Iranians were among the most forthcoming with their sympathy following the attacks of September 11, 2001, which their government vehemently denounced. Long before that revolution, when Russian and British imperialists were carving up Persia into spheres of influence, America remained aloof and retained the favor of Persian liberals in the earlier Constitutional Revolution of 190611. Like the British, the Americans eventually disappointed Persias resistance fighters by refusing to support the liberal revolution. Yet America contributed a martyr to it whose legacy still colors U.S.-Iranian relations: my great uncle, Howard Baskerville. Advertisement * * * Howard went to Persia in 1907 as a Presbyterian missionary. He had no plans to participate in a revolution, though he had studied constitutional government with none other than Woodrow Wilson. The Constitutional Revolution vivified Howards Christian faith and provided the opportunity to apply it in public service, which was the reigning ethic at Wilsons Princeton University, to the point where he eventually had no moral choice but to participate actively in the cause and lay down his life for it. All this is told in Reza Aslans acclaimed recent biography.[1] Howards sacrifice has remained inspirational to Iranians hoping to liberate themselves from different tyrannies and establish a free society. Even the current Islamic Republic honors his memory. Advertisement What most perpetuates animosity toward Iran today is its perceived irreconcilable religious fanaticism. Columnist Melanie Phillips blames the imbecilic Western belief that religious fanatics negotiate in good faith and are governed by rational self-interest. Considered thus, it would seem to justify ir-rationality by us as well as the fanatics. I will overlook the religious fanaticism in Israels foreign policy, but it should not be dismissed any more than Irans. It has helped the Jewish people and Israel survive, prosper, and punch above their weight. Instead, we should seek to understand the zealotry on all sides of the Middle East conflict. We might also consider another, less obvious parallel. Advertisement We should not forget that what became the United States was also founded by religious fanatics. Puritan radicals began populating New England just as their comrades back in Old England were instigating the worlds first revolution one as theocratic as Irans, and a political innovation of world historical importance without which the Iranian Revolution of 1979 is inconceivable. (And they certainly were not seeking religious freedom, which they opposed in principle.) Few of us accept that we would be better off today if someone had had the foresight to bomb New England before that experiment in theocracy could develop its potential. The nation that succeeded the Puritan experiment turned out to be rather more sophisticated than what one might have expected from its origins in fanatical religion, and it is myopic to pretend that its success has nothing to do with those origins. The Puritans successors agitated for the American Revolution, far surpassing in numbers the Enlightenment figures we venerate as our Founding Fathers. They went on to lead the abolition of slavery, the early working-class movements, opposition to World War I and Vietnam, civil rights movements, and more. Advertisement * * * Islamist militancy may be evil, but it is no more irrational than Puritanism. Its Shiite variation especially thrives on resentment a dangerous emotion in politics that Iran has had frequent occasion to experience in its long history, from humiliating conquests by Greek, Arab, Mongol, and Turkish armies to exploitation by British and Russian imperialists to perceived American perfidy during the Cold War. Islamisms continuing appeal derives from the failure of both Western governments and secular ideologies like Marxism to deliver on their promises to post-colonial societies.[2] It is true that almost everywhere that Islamist forces acquire power today, the result is catastrophic, with repression and dysfunctional government: Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya, Egypt, Sudan, and most recently Syria. Few Islamist societies seem likely to follow England, America, and other successors to the Puritans to stability, prosperity, and freedom, much less to the status of global powers. But Iran is fundamentally different. Islamism is the entire Iranian identity, or a substitute for a lack of other cultural values. It came from specific historical traumas and has become part of a complex cultural mix. Beneath Islamization, Iran is conscious of itself as one of the worlds oldest civilizations, with one of the worlds richest political cultures. The ancient Achaemenid Empire practiced the most benign rule of any empire prior to the Romans, earning admiration from Persias Greek enemies like the historian Herodotus. Our word satrap comes from its practice of indirect rule, as later imitated by the British Empire, allowing local rulers a measure of self-government, a legacy now reflected in prosperous federations like India and Nigeria. Iran has long sought to demarcate itself from rival Islamic powers, principally Arabs and Turks. Elsewhere, the very concept of a nation as a loyalty separate from Islam is largely unrecognized. But Iranians have a keen sense of nationhood dating back centuries, and Persian nationalism is a moderating force, competing with Islamist radicalism rather than exacerbating it. In fact, Shiism itself was adopted by the Safavid dynasty in the 16th century as a conscious effort to stake out a specifically Persian version of Islam. Iran is also one of the few Islamic countries with a history of constitutional government. Brief as it was, the Constitutional Revolution remains vivid in the national memory. One institutional legacy is the Majlis (parliament), with specific seats reserved for Christians, Jews, and other religious minorities, and which serves as an alternative source of power and moderating influence on the supreme leader and the president. Fanatical ideology did drive the 1979 Revolution and the inception of the current regime, but such fervor tends to dissipate with time and the responsibilities of governing. Competing values like Persian national identity, patriotism, pluralism, and religious toleration were not extinguished by Islamization. Iranians still take pride in them, and they can be encouraged. Despite obvious challenges, the Islamic Republic has evolved into a flawed but functional state that has been forced to moderate the ideological fervor that brought it to power. A keen practical awareness of its self-interest has helped it survive decades of attempts at regime change by U.S. policymakers. Whether Irans Shiism can be channeled into constructive reformism, as Puritanism was in England and America, is a question I leave to experts on Islam. Readers of Aslans biography which recounts how idealistic Muslim students, alongside whom Howard Baskerville fought in the Constitutional Revolution, eagerly absorbed his ideas about American freedom might well think so. If nothing else, it would seem to render imperative some serious discussions about comparative religion. Though this hotspot will continue seething, we might ask if an American-Iranian dialogue over the impact of religious values in our respective political cultures including questions like how religious faith can address problems of injustice, inequality, poverty, ignorance, superstition, and corruption and help to build societies that are stable, prosperous, and free might be a constructive way to honor the legacy of Howard Baskerville and restore the affection which Iranians and Americans once held toward one another. Stephen Baskerville is a retired professor of politics and professor of political studies at the Collegium Intermarium in Warsaw. He is author of Not Peace But a Sword: The Political Theology of the English Revolution (Wipf & Stock, 2018) and Who Lost America? Why the United States Went Communist and What to Do about It (Arktos 2024). [1] An American Martyr in Persia: The Epic Life and Tragic Death of Howard Baskerville (Norton, 2022). [2] Years ago, a thoughtful Egyptian gentleman wrote to me because he had been a student at the London School of Economics in the 1980s, where I studied. There he had imbibed the secular ideologies of the time: Marxism, Arab nationalism, Arab socialism. Now he had left all that behind, but he also made a startling confession: If I had not become a Christian, he wrote, I would have become a terrorist. His thought process is not difficult to imagine. The failure of secular ideology to rectify the worlds injustices and build prosperous and free societies in the decolonized South rendered jihadism an attractive alternative for young radicals of his cultural background who wanted to redouble their militancy but were also drawn to its claim of spiritual purity. Yet, going farther, one can discover alternative religious principles in this case Christianity that fulfill similar needs more constructively. Understanding the origins of modern Evangelicalism in revolutionary politics, not so different in its day from Irans, makes this appeal all the more plausible. Image: Ninara via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0. Whenever patriots rise to defend America from radical Islam, liberals dismiss them as alarmist or Islamophobic. Therefore, criticism is likely to increase after the February 10th Sharia Free America hearings of the House Subcommittee on the Constitution and Limited Government. But not only is the threat real, it also grows stronger from apologists who insist that Islam is a religion of peace, even though Islamist groups openly swear by its medieval tenets of world conquest. Advertisement Fortunately, many House Republicans are standing against this growing threat. In less than a month, 26 representatives from 17 states have joined the Sharia-Free America Caucus, led by Representatives Keith Self (R-TX-3) and Chip Roy (R-TX-21). Their goal is to protect the Constitution and defend individual freedoms and the American way of life by passing laws to prevent sharia from invading our civic life and courts. Islamic customs already dominate areas like Hamtramck, Michigan, Buffalos East Side, and Dar al-Islam in Abiquiu, New Mexico. The upcoming City Project at the East Plano Islamic Center in northern Texas is promoted as an epicenter of Islam in America. In our courts, references to sharia often appear in cases involving marriage, divorce, contracts, and other legal matters based on religious law. Advertisement The caucuss initiatives include a no-sharia bill introduced in the Senate in October to prevent immigrants who support sharia from entering, and Proposition 10, which aims to ban sharia in Texas and will be voted on during the March primary. Texas already has a law that bans sharia compounds in residential developments. Similar laws exist in Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Kansas, Louisiana, North Carolina, and South Dakota. Rep. Self warns of a gradual takeover through the formation of enclaves. First, it would just be We want a community. Then, the police cant enter. And then, the contracts and covenants of the place say you may buy if youre the right kind of person, you may sell to the right kind of person, he explains. Rep. Andy Ogles (R-TN), also a caucus member, says, Islam is a religion of violence, abuse of women, and ruthless political conquest. Its laws and practices have no place in American society. Advertisement While the centuries-old Islamic principles of jihad, taqiyya, and dawah are well known, many people believe they are no longer actively practiced. Nothing could be further from the truth. After 9/11, Swiss investigators in Lugano, Switzerland, discovered a document titled Towards a Global Strategy for Islamic Policy, also known as The Project, in the home of a Muslim Brotherhood financier. It is a 12-point plan to establish Islamic rule worldwide by gradually infiltrating Western societies and steadily taking control of local power centers. A document outlining a similar plan for the U.S., the Explanatory Memorandum on the General Strategic Goal for the Muslim Brotherhood in America, was discovered in the Virginia home of Ismail Elbarasse. A Hamas operative and founder of the 9/11-linked Dar Al-Hijrah mosque, Elbarasse was detained in 2004 after his wife was caught videotaping the structural supports of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge in Maryland. Advertisement The document, written in 1991 by Mohamed Akram, a senior member of the Muslim Brotherhood, was used as evidence in the 2007 Holy Land Foundation trial, the largest terrorism funding trial in U.S. history. It identified 29 organizations dedicated to eradicating American culture and transforming the U.S. into a Muslim country through civilizational jihad. The earliest organization believed to have been established by the Muslim Brotherhood in America is the Muslim Student Association (MSA), founded in 1963 at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. The MSA used student groups to build support within growing Muslim immigrant communities and to spread Islamist ideology. It served as both a recruitment center and a hub from which a network of Islamist organizations, such as the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA) and the North American Islamic Trust (NAIT), expanded. Today, there are more than 600 MSAs. Advertisement By the 1980s, the network had grown to include professional associations, mosques, advocacy groups, fundraising efforts, and community mobilization initiatives that subtly infiltrated American society. These groups manipulated the American democratic system without opposition, increasing the Muslim Brotherhoods influence through cultural, social, and political infiltration. The efforts have been so successful that at ISNAs conference last year, Nihad Awad, founder and president of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), felt empowered to demand the dismantling of the American system of injustice. He called for more Muslims in media, law, politics, and history to lead the narrative and shift the political landscape in favor of Islam. He stated that the countrys 4,000 mosques were vital to this effort and encouraged each to fund five scholarships in these fields every year. Advertisement In a recent speech, another Islamist zealot, Yasir Qadhi, dean of the Islamic Seminary of America and resident scholar at the East Plano Islamic Center, described a secret weapon that would help the less than 1% Muslim population of America overturn its society. Keep having babies. We have children, they dont have children. What we do in the next 30 years will dictate Islam for the next 300 years in this country, he declared. The other parts of his blueprint for capture include more mosques, Islamic schools, and Islamic institutions; additional Muslim think tanks and policy papers supporting Islam; and more Muslims in the Pentagon, the FBI, and the CIA to achieve complete penetration. He aims for Muslims to leverage Americas constitutional protections to control the pillars of state power: the narrative, the courts, the law, the government. In Europe, many of the goals outlined in The Project and the Explanatory Memorandum have already been achieved. As Self states, The Muslim Brotherhood is the root of all this. They are the foundation for exporting Sharia to the United States and Europe. I mean, look at the U.K. Look at France. Thats what we dont want to happen to America. However, a movement to establish exclusive Muslim communities, including mosques, halal markets, Muslim-run healthcare, Islam-compliant financial institutions, and taxpayer-funded schools operating under sharia law, is gaining momentum. These communities are already forming in Tampa, Dallas, Austin, Houston, Phoenix, and numerous other cities. Islam has been present in the U.S. for at least 100 years, and possibly longer if you include African Muslims brought here through the slave trade who eventually converted to Christianity. While its not certain which was Americas first mosque, its believed that mosques were established in Biddeford, Maine, in 1915; in Ross, North Dakota, in 1920; in Highland Park, Michigan, in 1923; and in Michigan City, Indiana, in 1925. Over the years, the number of mosques has increased significantly as the Muslim immigrant community has steadily grown. Four miles from the Highland Park Mosque is Hamtramck, a city that was once a Polish Catholic neighborhood but now has a population that is 70% Muslim, with a city government that is entirely Muslim. Located in Wayne County, the town has seven mosques, some of which are converted churches. In 2004, the council reversed a noise ordinance and authorized the adhan, the five-times-daily call to prayer, to be broadcast over loudspeakers. Between 2010 and 2020, the number of mosques in the U.S. increased by an impressive 31% from 2,106 to 2,769. Nihad Awad estimates that about 4,000 mosques could mobilize an army of manpower to take control of city councils, states, and even the White House. He was simply applying to American life a poem Turkish president Tayyip Erdogan often recites: The minarets are the bayonets, the domes are the helmets, the mosques are the barracks, the believers are the soldiers. Hopefully, more members of Congress will join the Sharia-Free America Caucus to protect the country and prevent it from becoming a totalitarian Islamist state. Image generated by AI. If youre old enough, youll recall the 1961 Berlin crisis. I recall it subsequently, when schools taught real history. That crisis happened during the Cold Wars peak years. In brief, Soviet leader Nikita Krushchev wanted the U.S. out of West Berlin. There were multiple reasons, but, chiefly, access to West Berlin allowed East Germans to escape communist rule. Advertisement According to the National Archives, by 1961, as many as four million Germans had escaped East Germany using West Berlin. With tensions rising, and the hemorrhaging increasing, Khrushchev ordered the Soviets East German puppet government to string barbed wire and erect concrete barricades around West Berlin to stop the outflow. That was the beginning of the Berlin Wall, which stood as a testament to communisms failure until 1989. What does that have to do with America today? The point is that people vote with their feet when conditions become unacceptable. Thats no less true here. Since the nations inception -- in fact, long before the founding -- people came to the continent to escape troubles and moved west in search of better lives. East Germans fled primarily because of politics -- albeit, of a brutal, totalitarian stripe. Advertisement Annually and increasingly, tens of thousands of people are leaving blue states because of politics. High taxes and red tape, inflated costs, unchecked crime, failing schools, and unashamed race bias -- directed at whites -- are pushing people out. Soft political tyranny and cultural decay are drivers. Human nature is universal. People will endure until they cannot. Thats bleak news for blue states. Regardless how many times Gavin Newsom shrugs, ongoing outmigration is having adverse consequences for California and its blue cousins. Red states are benefitting. The influx of money, skilled labor, tech expertise, and businesses are gifts. Advertisement Blue state population drains have been occurring for a couple of decades. Outmigration is compounded by low fertility rates. COVID tyranny -- generally worse in blue states -- spurred further exoduses. Blue states have yet to recover fully from draconian lockdowns. Wrote Steven Malanga in a fact-packed analysis for City Journal, February 4: Advertisement By contrast, Democratic states dominate the list of places with the biggest outflow of residents. Nine of the ten states losing the most population are Democratic, led by California, with a net loss of 229,000 residents, and including New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, and Illinois. A notable addition to the bottom ten is Colorado -- a politically competitive state as recently as 2019 but dominated by Democrats since. Unlike California and New York, which have seen net outmigration for more than a decade, Colorados fortunes have only recently turned, but dramatically so, as the state recorded the eighth-highest net loss of residents last fiscal year. Only four of the 15 Democratic trifecta states last year gained residents: Washington, Oregon, Delaware, and Maine. In all, Democratic-led states lost about 495,000 residents to net migration. Opening the borders to millions of undocumented migrants was supposedly the remedy for what ails blue states. Population replenishment -- albeit with poorly educated, low-skilled peoples -- is necessary. Welfare dependency ensures Democrat control. More bodies are required for U.S. Census purposes. Advertisement The Biden administration oversaw and manipulated the 2020 Census data to make sure illegals were counted for political reasons. Beyond propping up blue states, hordes of illegals streaming into red states were supposed to transform them. With millions of illegals still in the country, Democrats hope of transformations isnt dead yet, but President Trump is determined to foil their schemes. The president closed the borders at an astonishing clip. In little more than a year, over 2.8 million illegals have been deported or have self-deported. The SAVE Act needs to be passed. The point is worth stressing. Democrats are preoccupied with political survival. Without more bodies -- without larger numbers of pliant constituents -- population shifts sound a death knell. The 2030 census is pivotal. Perhaps eight -- maybe more -- U.S. House seats and electoral college votes are expected to shift to red states. The next census is yet another reason to maintain GOP congressional majorities and elect J.D. Vance president -- the GOPs putative nominee -- in 2028. Advertisement With Trumps rise in 2016, party realignment has accelerated. The college-educated affluent are now mainstays of the Democrat coalition, along with blacks. That represents an historic reversal. The GOP used to be the party of big money. Yes, money counts, and money fuels the progressive Lefts control of institutions, but those advantages arent enough. Numbers matter, and the Great American Middle are the numbers. Working class and middle-income Americans are trending toward the GOP -- or more, accurately, away from Democrats and toward Trump. Jacksonian Democracy, Lincoln Republicanism, McKinleys working mans GOP, and FDRs New Deal are proof that working-class and middle-income voters decide political fortunes. Not all the wealthy are Democrat locks, however. More of them are abandoning blue states. Since the affluent pay a disproportionate share of taxes, thats a gut punch to spendthrift Democrats, who keep raising taxes, which helps fuel their states doom loops. New York City mayor Zohran Mamdani is proposing higher taxes on the wealthy to finance his free lunch ploys. Hes about to learn the hard way that money flees quickly and fixed assets can be divested. His supporters claim that if the wealthy dont like paying more taxes and decide to leave, their businesses can seized. As one of Mamdanis backers said in an X post video, anyone looking to scram could face confiscatory fines. Never mind constitutional guarantees. Mandanis supporters are edging closer to the Russian mindset circa 1961. Not incidentally, blue-collar and middle-income citizens pay taxes, too. Socially, these cohorts anchor communities. They provide skilled labor and management. Theyre service providers. They start small businesses. Its a double whammy for blue states when the wealthy and the Great American Middle departs. In the early 2000s, Ruy Teixeira and John Judis wrote The Emerging Democratic Majority. It was an optimistic assessment of the Democrats future. To Teixeiras credit, he admits that not only did a Democrat majority not materialize, but that the progressive moment has passed. Teixeira counsels Democrats to return to a more centrist approach to policy and governance. But are Democrats listening? It doesnt seem so. A majority of Virginia voters -- driven by affluent, government careerists and contractors in Northern Virginias D.C. suburbs -- just elected Abigail Spanberger governor and handed Democrats legislative majorities. No sooner were Democrats sworn in then a slew of new tax proposals emerged. Wasnt Democrats mantra affordability? Theyre also pushing softer criminal penalties. And Spanberger signed an executive order ending cooperation with federal authorities to curtail immigration enforcement. Democrats need the bodies. Another reason people are leaving blue states, quality of life. Portland is an example. Wrote Mark Hemmingway for RealClearInvestigations, February 4: In December, bestselling author and humorist David Sedaris wrote a New Yorker magazine essay about a recent trip to Portland, Oregon. While on a walk to a donut shop, he lost count of the strung-out addicts I passed on my way before eventually encountering four homeless people huddled around an empty baby carriage and smoking drugs right on the sidewalk. Moments later, a dog belonging to one of the addicts rushed out and bit him. Joel Kotkin, a well-regarded demographer and old-school Democrat, in a February 1 New York Post opinion piece, wonders if California is a lost cause? After cataloguing many of Californias woes caused by Democrats, Kotkin writes that there arent enough Republicans in the once Golden State to win and effect change. Hes right about that. His hope is that San Joses pragmatic [Democrat] Mayor Matt Mahan wins his partys gubernatorial nomination. We suppose hes a voice of sanity. But can one sane voice change Californias miserable dynamic? Probably not. With a younger generation of Democrats moving even further left, and increasing numbers of sensible Californians voting with their feet, Californias troubles may be baked in. As is the case in other blue states. Maybe Democrats should consult history? Germans remember. Go ask them. J. Robert Smith can be found at X. His handle is @JRobertSmith1. At Gab, @JRobertSmith. He blogs occasionally at Flyover. Image: Public Domain Pictures As ICE agents continue to enforce immigration law in America, the radical Left continues to organise and inspire anti-ICE protestors who block streets, vandalize property, and harass law enforcement agents. The problem is that these protestors dont see themselves obstructing justice and undermining democratic rule. To the contrary, theyve been led to believe that they are heroes, good empathetic people bringing justice back to our world, standing up to Trump administration -- evil revolting monsters -- and ICE agents -- thugs who terrorise illegal immigrants. Advertisement Minneapolis mayor Jacob Frey stated the moral imperative as the first reason why the city wont cooperate with ICE. This interpretation of moral law guiding righteous struggle of good people against evil ones is not unique to progressive radicals, but rather a hallmark of all extremist radical movements appealing to peoples good nature and empathy towards the downtrodden, and aimed at bringing down western egalitarian law and order: firstly, to elevate and codify in law hierarchical privileges of oppressed and undervalued identity groups, secondly, to discriminate, downgrade, or execute the group identified as oppressors, thirdly, to hunt down, cancel or prosecute all evil enemies who disagree with extremist politics, and, most importantly, to reserve the pinnacle of the totalitarian hierarchy -- positions of authority, political decision making and ideological influence -- for the radical elite to run the show. This way communists were liberating the exploited proletariat from the shackles of greedy capitalists. Nazis were advancing supremacy of the Aryan race and exterminating Jews. Islamists aim to take over political power, introduce Sharia law and subdue infidels. Progressives seek to expand rights of variety of marginalized minorities and women, while discriminating against white men. Empathy towards the downtrodden and participation in the struggle for their salvation is the highest virtue in the moral law of extremism. This empathetic devotion is expected to override all other empathies, personal interests and responsibilities. Martyrdom is glorified, snitching on family members encouraged. Advertisement In order to defeat the forces of evil and achieve righteous ends, this moral law justifies the use of all sorts of antisocial, unethical means: from leftist violence and election fraud subverting democratic order to the mass incarnations and mass murders by fascists, communists, and Islamists sustaining their totalitarian states. In Stalins Russia, Igor Guberman writes: Advertisement Epidemic of the secular variety of religious insanity swept the country dividing everything in the world into the forces of good and evil, embodiments of light and darkness. Absolute, pure goodness was shining in the triumph of the revolution and in all its slogans, without exception, bestowing its supporters the right to execute and pardon, to destroy and rebuild, to take away and distribute, to elevate and overthrow, to abolish and establish. The very participation in the goodness granted mandate and indulgence. And for the same reason, everything in the world that interfered with the bearers of good belonged to the forces of evil Commissars of good could burn, rape, persecute; and even a slight doubt in their right and righteousness meant involvement of such person in the forces of darkness and the righteous need to destroy him. Another prominent feature shared by all successful extremist movements is their focus on indoctrination of the young to secure a grip on power and make sure future generations see the world through the lens of the moral law that supports extremist politics. Advertisement The increasing power of college diversity bureaucrats over academic affairs since the 1990s has been stunning Chief inclusion officers track departmental race and sex demographics, pressuring department chairs to correct diversity deficits. Associate provosts for diversity coordinate campaigns for required courses on identity and grievance within the curriculum Vice presidents for equity monitor campus speech, on the lookout for punishable microaggressions. From kindergarten age, children are taught tenets of progressive doctrine: whiteness is a bad deal and color-blindness is racist. As part of the anti-government activism training taxpayer-funded schools escort kids to anti-ICE protests. Advertisement In the article MAGAs War on Empathy Hillary Clinton takes the reasoning supporting anti-ICE protests even further talking about their roots in Christianity and highlighting the contrast between traditional Christian morality and Trumpian amorality: MAGA rejects the teachings of Jesus to love thy neighbor. This is a masterpiece of a radical gaslighting. Love thy neighbour does not teach us to treat our neighbors as above the law. Endorsed by religious sages from ancient times as expressing the essence of the moral life the reading of Love thy neighbor as thyself is Whatever is hateful unto thee, do it not unto thy fellow. In other words, Dont do to others what you dont want others do to yourself. Advertisement Paul writes in Romans 13:10, Love does no wrong to its neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law. It is one of the main principles of Judeo-Christian morality -- Western moral law. This principle takes down hierarchy of dominance. As we dont like being dominated, manipulated, or coerced into submission, so we wont do it to others. It also stops unethical, criminal behaviours -- instrumental in power struggles. Appealing to our self-conciseness and then shifting focus to the victims of our possible wrongdoings this rule leads us to develop self-control, conscience and empathy. Furthermore, it reinforces and protects personal agency, leaving decision-making to the individual. Judeo-Christian morality is profoundly egalitarian by nature. Biblical maxim the last will be first, and the first will be last does not endorse rearrangement of the dominance hierarchy. In political context it commands transformation of dominance hierarchy into hierarchy of duties and responsibilities, turning political leaders and government officials into public servants: You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave (Mathew 20:25-27) Alongside the Ten Commandments, family values, respect for hard work, entrepreneurship and meritocracy, there is the principle Dont do to others what you dont want others do to yourself as a bedrock of Judeo-Christian morality -- the moral law of the western world; the moral law that underpins our egalitarian democratic order, our legal system whereby everyone is equal before the law and nobody is above the law; the moral law that draws the line separating good and evil not between identity groups but between every persons actions and intentions, between whatever you do to your fellow. If we want to safeguard this legacy, it is imperative to cancel required courses on identity and grievance in schools and universities, to introduce studies of Judeo-Christian morality and to explain the difference between these two moral laws in order to give younger generations moral clarity which is supportive -- not destructive -- to our democratic order, to make sure they wont fall under the sway of radical ideas joining BLM, anti-ICE and other extremist movements in growing numbers. Image: Pax Ahimsa Gethen EU Europe is increasingly abandoning a civilized approach to dissenting opinions. The raid on the Paris offices of Elon Musks company X appears to be just the tip of the iceberg. Today, those who resist are being attacked on multiple levels, while those who submit are largely spared. It is time to increase pressure on Brussels. Advertisement Elon Musks communications platform X has become caught between systemic fronts. On one side stands the American understanding of free speech, which has experienced a political revival under Donald Trumps new presidency. On the other, an increasingly repressive EU control regime is eroding the balance of power between state apparatus and citizen. Given the openly visible economic decline of the European economic model and growing criticism of the long-derailed Ukraine engagement, open confrontations were foreseeable. Defeats and personal accountability are unknown concepts in the EU power circle. Citizen sovereignty, anchored in the principle of free speech, inevitably triggers resistance among those whose influence rests on controlling public discourse and economic interests. Advertisement Against this backdrop, the allegations against X are easy to see through. Once again, they revolve around depictions of sexualized violence against children or image manipulation using artificial intelligence, specifically the integration of the platform application Grok. To crown it all, the European Union, in this case via France as executor of Brussels interests, is even attempting to accuse Elon Musk of Holocaust denial. This is explicitly not about relativizing the most reprehensible behavior. Prosecuting such crimes is the task of prosecutors, police investigations, and the application of existing criminal law. Advertisement But the Europeans vector of attack is different. It is clearly politically motivated. The detention of Telegram founder Pavel Durov in France last year points in the same direction. Free communication spaces are no longer to exist where European citizens can exchange ideas unchecked, coordinate opposition positions, and publicly organize against the Brussels central apparatus. Frances president Emmanuel Macron, whose presidency is widely seen as bloodless and politically exhausted, throws up a smokescreen in this situation, attempting with the attack on X to kill two birds with one stone. The maneuver is transparent. Advertisement Double Standards in the Name of Free Speech How openly European actors have positioned themselves against free speech was shown by the travel ban imposed last year by the Americans on former EU Commissioner Thierry Breton. Breton had publicly called for restrictions on communication freedom, seeing it as a risk to European elections. Advertisement In doing so, Breton naively described the tactics and background of Brussels repression policy and confirmed suspicions of manipulation of free elections in the EU. He repeatedly invoked the now-worn argument of protection against disinformation, hate, and incitement -- a long-exhausted and transparent maneuver. In this logic, disinformation ultimately includes anything that critically challenges Brussels centralist course. It is noteworthy that X now faces multiple heavy fines from the EU Commission for these allegations, while comparable cases are treated with obvious inequality. The attacks are orchestrated on multiple levels, both financially and morally. Advertisement In the case of Mark Zuckerbergs company Meta, which owns Facebook and Instagram, Brussels has been considerably more lenient, even though phenomena such as grooming for child sexual abuse and fraudulent advertising are clearly systemic. Meta broadly aligns with European rules, as does LinkedIn. Accordingly, Brussels sometimes turns a blind eye when things get tricky. The company has adapted to digital regulations, aligned its moderation, reporting, and risk management structures closely with EU requirements, works intensively with European supervisory authorities, proactively implements DSA obligations, and has repeatedly tightened its community standards in accordance with European regulation. Here, the full hypocrisy of European authorities becomes apparent. Their aim is not the systematic prosecution of criminals on digital platforms. The goal is to cut off the peak of criticism of their own regime -- essentially beheading the most prominent voices before a genuine opposition can form online. The irony: European censorship policy must have seemed like a new form of colonialism to Americans. During President Joe Bidens years in office, Washington submitted almost willingly. The result was that European censorship and compliance rules suddenly applied to American users as well. The new leadership in Washington demonstrates independence from European influence and confronts the conflict with Brussels openly -- no matter how unfairly it is conducted. From an American perspective, Macrons defiance and Brussels frantic countermeasures increasingly appear grotesque. Reactance as a Driver of European Power Politics Psychologist J. W. Brehm called this marked defiance in individuals reactance. Given the EUs geopolitical and economic inferiority, its representatives, including Ursula von der Leyen and Emmanuel Macron, act less rationally than instinctively. At its core, it is about restoring an illusion of autonomy and preserving public dignity. This impulse intensifies the more the limits of their political actions are exposed. The protagonists of the European control and censorship apparatus, often after hermetically closed political careers, are encountering open resistance for the first time. Accordingly, they seize almost any opportunity to personalize this resistance in the figure of U.S. president Donald Trump and demonize him in the media. The chronology of escalation can be traced clearly since U.S. vice president J. D. Vances appearance last year at the Munich Security Conference. Vance spoke unusually bluntly, accusing the EU of waging an open battle against the free speech of its citizens. Subsequently, the U.S. government-imposed tariffs for the first time in an economic dispute with the EU. Secretary of State Marco Rubio then activated diplomatic initiatives against what Washington considers European censorship policy. The confrontation culminated last fall in a trade deal perceived by Europeans as the maximum humiliation of an entirely incompetent political leadership. Brussels has repeatedly responded with the described reactance pattern -- in an attempt to assert itself before its own public, without realizing that a political system increasingly pressuring its own citizens loses trust and legitimacy in the long term. On the side of resistance, Europe has grown conspicuously quiet. Even former champions of freedom are falling silent in the face of increasingly open repression, which in the UK can lead to politically inconvenient comments in online forums resulting in criminal charges or even arrests. By embedding a deliberately vague gray zone under the labels of hate and incitement, censors have shown remarkable creativity. Under this interpretive framework, nearly anything can be subsumed that does not fit the rigged cards of Brussels and European capitals. Against this backdrop, it seems logical that voices in the United States are calling for the open conflict with the EU -- or with individual nation-states like France -- over free speech issues to be met with an even harsher tariff regime. Learning through pain. The citizens of the European Union pay a high price for a regime that suffocates dissent. Those insisting on free exchange encounter Brussels resistance -- and must realize: in this game, it is no longer about protecting children, but about establishing a surveillance state. Image: AT via Magic Studio For more than two decades, efforts have been made to cover up the crimes of Jeffrey Epstein. Republican and Democrat administrations have had access to evidence of Epsteins criminal activity: nine years under Presidents Bush and Trump and 12 years under Obama and Biden. They chose not to release any it. During the 2025 presidential campaign, Trump supporters appeared eager to release the files. In June 2024, Trump gave an unenthusiastic agreement to declassify the Epstein files: "Yeah, yeah, I would (declassify the Epstein files), but then added, "I think that less so because, you know, you don't know if, you don't want to affect people's lives if it's phony stuff in there. Trump said, I think it's really time for the country to get on to something else. Once in office his policy changed. On Feb. 3,said, I think it's really time for the country to get on to something else. stated I dont understand it, why they would be so interested. Hes been dead for a long time. He was never a big factor in terms of life. I dont understand what the interest and what the fascination is. I really dont. The president hadI dont understand it, why they would be so interested. Hes been dead for a long time. He was never a big factor in terms of life. I dont understand what the interest and what the fascination is. I really dont. He claimed, "It's all been a big hoax. It's perpetrated by the Democrats and some stupid Republicans and foolish Republicans fall into the net. And so they try and do the Democrats' work. He even denounced many of his followers saying, Let these weaklings continue forward and do the Democrats' work, dont even think about talking of our incredible and unprecedented success, because I dont want their support anymore! Public pressure led to another reversal. By law, the information must be released. staff members who are working to "review and redact millions of pages of materials. The Justice Department has employed over 500who are working to "review and redact millions of pages of materials. It also added approximately 80 attorneys from the department's criminal division to supplement the effort. Act ) the DOJ is required to release all unclassified material that relate to Jeffrey Epstein by Dec. 19, 2025. Several subjects need to be redacted: victim identities, child sexual abuse, active federal investigation material, images of death, physical abuse, or injury and items affecting national security. By law, (the Epstein Files Transparency) the DOJ is required to release all unclassified material that relate to Jeffrey Epstein by Dec. 19, 2025. Several subjects need to be redacted: victim identities, child sexual abuse, active federal investigation material, images of death, physical abuse, or injury and items affecting national security. The DOJ is facing an impossible task. memo of July 2025, there are more than 300 gigabytes of data in these files. That translates to over 15 quadrillion words. A significant amount can be subtracted for photographs, but it remains an absurdly difficult task, impossible for 580 workers to achieve. The DOJ has already passed the deadline with only a fraction of the files published. According to the DOJof July 2025, there are more than 300 gigabytes of data in these files. That translates to over 15 quadrillion words. A significant amount can be subtracted for photographs, but it remains an absurdly difficult task, impossible for 580 workers to achieve. The DOJ has already passed the deadline with only a fraction of the files published. withdrawn several items that were apparently released in error. The DOJ is facing a serious problem. Over 580 intelligent, highly motivated professionals are vetting this information. This information will be viewed by millions of people, some of whom will by highly motivated to find mistakes. There may be fakes passed off as authentic. This is a problem CBS News dealt with when it released President Bushs supposed service record. William Flynn, a document examiner, pointed out that the typography was not available on typewriters used at that time. Given the lack of due diligence on CBS's end, this ended Dan Rathers career at CBS. Mistakes will be made. The DOJ has alreadyseveral items that were apparently released in error. The DOJ is facing a serious problem. Over 580 intelligent, highly motivated professionals are vetting this information. This information will be viewed by millions of people, some of whom will by highly motivated to find mistakes. There may be fakes passed off as authentic. This is a problem CBS News dealt with when it released President Bushs supposed service record. William Flynn, a document examiner, pointed out that the typography was not available on typewriters used at that time. Given the lack of due diligence on CBS's end, this ended Dan Rathers career at CBS. The July 2025 memo starts with: As part of our commitment to transparency ... The DOJ knows that it has a problem with credibility. When credibility is damaged, the best response should be to be as open as possible. This memo did not help. It repeats the claim that Epstein committed suicide, there is no client list and no evidence that Epstein blackmailed anyone. It asserts that no further disclosure would be appropriate. Everything in the memo is subject to question. This self-inflicted lack of credibility has created an environment where extreme suppositions flourish. Kelly , not ordinarily described as a member of the far right, is suggesting the Epstein is still alive. More and more extreme positions will be entering the mainstream. Megan, not ordinarily described as a member of the far right, is suggesting the Epstein is still alive. More and more extreme positions will be entering the mainstream. In the age of AI, nothing can be believed with certainty. safe and put the contents on top of the safe. When they returned four days later, the material was gone. The July 2025 memo claims they conducted an exhaustive review of investigative holdings. This is the same organization that broke into Epsteins townhouseand put the contents on top of the safe. When they returned four days later, the material was gone. The Epstein scandal is only one example of government corruption. Congress has been passing budgets containing billions of dollars of fraud for decades. They are obviously aware of this. The government has tens of thousands of investigators dedicated to rooting out fraud. Yet, it took a 23-year-old YouTube journalist to expose a small but significant part of it. Flynn contends, Every member of the House and Senate are guilty of treason. Those who would claim they are not traitors to this nation knew what was going on and remained silent instead of warning the citizens. That makes them an accessory to the crimes. Gen. Mikecontends, Every member of the House and Senate are guilty of treason. Those who would claim they are not traitors to this nation knew what was going on and remained silent instead of warning the citizens. That makes them an accessory to the crimes. Assange commented, "When all is exposed, 98% of Washington will fall. The resulting chaos might be far worse than any benefits gained. Perhaps it is best that this material remains covered up. Juliancommented, "When all is exposed, 98% of Washington will fall. The resulting chaos might be far worse than any benefits gained. John Dietrich is a freelance writer and the author of The Morgenthau Plan: Soviet Influence on American Postwar Policy (Algora Publishing). He has a Master of Arts Degree in International Relations from St. Marys University. He is retired from the Defense Intelligence Agency and the Department of Homeland Security. He is featured on the BBC's program " Things We Forgot to Remember :" Morgenthau Plan and Post-War Germany. A more open China brings greater opportunities for global development 13:40, February 11, 2026 By Jin Xuan ( People's Daily Online Openness is a strategic choice made by China based on its development needs and a practical measure to promote economic globalization and benefit people around the world. The fourth plenary session of the 20th Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee outlined a series of important measures to "expand high-level opening up and foster new prospects of win-win cooperation." Leaders of the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, and the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development have all noted that China's 15th Five-Year Plan will bring valuable certainty and strong momentum to the global economy. A more open China will join hands with global partners to follow the right path of open cooperation and write a new chapter of mutual benefit and win-win development. A more open China means greater market opportunities. In 2025, China's imports reached 18.48 trillion yuan ($2.67 trillion), maintaining its position as the world's second-largest import market for the 17th consecutive year, with its share of global imports remaining at around 10 percent. China grants zero-tariff treatment to 100 percent of tariff lines for the least developed countries with which it has diplomatic relations and has extended this initiative to 53 African diplomatic partners. As the first developing country and major global economy to implement such a measure, China's initiative covers economies with a combined population of approximately 1.9 billion, accounting for nearly one-fourth of the global population. In 2025, China's imports from these economies exceeded $140 billion, effectively driving local economic growth and improving people's livelihoods. China will continue to expand imports of high-quality goods and services, balancing its own needs with the expectations of the world, fully leveraging both domestic and international markets and resources to create new spaces for win-win cooperation. A more open China means more stable industrial and supply chains. While committed to its own development, China is deeply integrated into the global division of labor, making significant contributions to the prosperity and stability of global industrial and supply chains. China has continuously shortened its negative list for foreign investment access, achieving "zero restrictions" in the manufacturing sector. It has revised and expanded the Catalogue of Encouraged Foreign Investment Industries multiple times, with the 2025 edition containing 1,679 items, creating favorable conditions for foreign enterprises in China. In 2025, over 70,000 new foreign-invested enterprises were established nationwide, a year-on-year increase of 19.1 percent, with high-tech industries accounting for 32.3 percent of foreign investment, delivering substantial returns for foreign enterprises. At the same time, China supports its enterprises in going global at a high level, establishing overseas R&D centers and production bases to drive local economic development and industrial upgrading. In 2025, China's non-financial outward direct investment reached 1 trillion yuan ($144.6 billion), and the value of newly signed contracts for overseas contracted projects reached 2.1 trillion yuan ($303.8 billion). Moving forward, China will better coordinate "bringing in" and "going global," further create a market-oriented, law-based, and world-class business environment, guide the rational and orderly cross-border layout of industrial and supply chains, improve comprehensive overseas service systems, promote the integration of trade and investment, and inject more certainty into global industrial and supply chains. A more open China paves the way for more open, inclusive, balanced, and win-win economic globalization. China continues to advance institutional opening-up, actively aligning with high-standard international economic and trade rules, expanding the opening of goods, services, capital, and labor markets in an orderly manner, and promoting the compatibility of rules, regulations, management, and standards across sectors. China's network of free trade agreements (FTAs) is expanding in scope, improving in quality, and growing in influence. It has signed 24 FTAs with 31 countries and regions and has promoted the implementation of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), the world's largest FTA. In 2025, trade with FTA partners exceeded 20 trillion yuan ($2.9 trillion), accounting for 45 percent of China's total goods trade, serving as a model for global multilateral cooperation. As "pioneer zones" for institutional opening-up, 22 pilot free trade zones have cumulatively promoted 485 institutional innovations. Building on the great practice and development experience of Chinese modernization, China will continue to inject more Chinese wisdom into global rules for cross-border trade and investment through the steady expansion of institutional opening-up and advance the reform and improvement of the global governance system to keep pace with the times. A more open China means deeper and more substantive progress in high-quality Belt and Road cooperation. The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) has become the world's largest and most far-reaching platform for international economic cooperation, with the broadest scope. China has signed Belt and Road cooperation documents with over 150 countries and more than 30 international organizations. Landmark projects such as the Mombasa-Nairobi Railway, the China-Laos Railway, and the Chancay Port have been completed. The China-Europe Railway Express has made over 120,000 trips cumulatively, the "Air Silk Road" connects 133 cities in 63 partner countries, and the Maritime Silk Road now includes 148 designated routes. People-centered projects such as Juncao technology, Luban Workshops, and the Brightness Action program have taken root. Guided by the vision of building a community with a shared future for humanity, China will coordinate efforts to deepen infrastructure connectivity ("hard connectivity"), align rules and standards ("soft connectivity"), and foster closer bonds with people in partner countries ("heart connectivity"). It will advance both major landmark projects and "small but beautiful" livelihood projects, consolidate traditional areas of cooperation while steadily expanding into emerging ones, and promote the steady and sustained progress of high-quality Belt and Road cooperation. Looking ahead, a more open China will deepen cooperation and join hands with countries around the world in broader areas, on a larger scale, at deeper levels, and to higher standards. Together, we will tackle global challenges such as climate change and sluggish economic recovery, counter uncertainties in the development environment with the certainty of high-level opening-up, and inject enduring and robust Chinese momentum into global development. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun) Park Shin-yang, an actor and painter, is open about the challenges of fame and the fallout from one of his hit dramas. Park, who is now 57, recently appeared on a popular YouTube show where he talked about how people have always thought about his attitude when he was at the height of his fame and how that time shaped him. Pishik University's YouTube channel posted a video with Park in it on the afternoon of February 8. During the episode, someone asked him if he ever really liked being famous after his big break. Before giving a direct answer, Park thought about how he felt about fame at the time. StarNews reports that he responded, "I don't know to what extent," The talk quickly turned to "Lovers in Paris," the 2004 movie that made him a top actor. Park said that the series put him in the spotlight when he started talking about the subject. "I was at the center of it. 'Let's go, baby,'" he said, referencing the drama's iconic line. He continued, "Yes, I did. But I never dreamed of popularity or fame. I just did what I had to do." READ MORE; Missing 'Lovers in Paris' Star Park Shin Yang? Actor Reveals Surprising New Career Then, Park was asked directly about the long-rumored problem of "actor's disease," which is a term often used in Korea to describe celebrities who are thought to be arrogant or out of touch. The host set up the question by saying that the public didn't understand it. According to Naver, Park was honest and said, " I had a bit of a difficult time," Building on that experience, Park talked about how sudden fame changed how people interacted with him. He talked about how people put his screen persona into real life to set the scene. He said,"Many people recognized me, and they treated me like the main character of Lovers in Paris," he said. "They asked why I didn't wear a suit and instead wore such casual clothes," he added, as cited by Naver. His remarks suggested that the criticism of his image was more about how different his private self was from what people expected than how he acted on purpose. People who follow the industry have often said that time was a turning point in Park's career, when more people were watching and roles became more selective. Park has kept a lower public profile recently, but he has still been doing artistic work besides acting. He has also directly responded to rumors about what will happen to him in the future. According to StarNews, Park recently denied rumors that he was leaving show business, saying that he is still active in his own way. Park gave a rare, measured look at the long-term effects of fame by talking about the success of "Lovers in Paris" and the problems that came after it. READ MORE: Did You Know? THIS 'Lovers in Paris' Star Has Over 130 Paintings Displayed on His Studio A couple of days ago, an X post from the Texas House Democrat Caucus Leader so no backbencher Gene Wu, went viral for all the wrong reasons when he said this: Non-whites share the same oppressor and we are the majority now. We can take over this country. Advertisement Lily Tang Williams, a survivor of communist China, had this response: How quickly Gene Wu forgot his parents who survived Mao, a real "Oppressor" & fled to US when he was 4 years old. His anti-white speech is the same as the communist identity politics which Mao used to grab power. I survived communism & I can't wait to counter progressives in https://t.co/WEghHCqdN4 Lily Tang Williams (@Lily4Liberty) February 8, 2026 Conservatives, American Thinker readers, need not be told how many layers of wrong this is. How much indoctrination it represents. This is a brain fully baked. Advertisement Well, today theres another one making the rounds and its worse. I don't think many men and many women can be alone with kids without it getting weird. But that's why we have school systems that screen and prepare for these things. Gene Wu (@GeneforTexas) May 26, 2024 Advertisement No I repeat, NO normal adult human feels this way. Not. One. If you even think this, you need to check yourself. Theres something seriously wrong with you. Then theres this. Advertisement Whose side is he on? In December 2023, China-born Democrat Texas State Representative Gene Wu (Wu Yuanzhi) traveled to Florida to protest against a Florida law that would prevent Chinese Communist entities from owning land near U.S. military bases and critical infrastructure. pic.twitter.com/BFvoTb8H0P Dr. Lawrence Sellin (@LawrenceSellin) February 10, 2026 I dont know who their Manu Raju of the congressional halls is there in Austin, but one can only hope s/he is shoving a microphone in the faces of every Democrat there asking if they endorse any of this. So far? Doesnt look like it. 13 million views. 0 condemnation from any Democrats. https://t.co/pTNuedYJQu Advertisement February 9, 2026 Surely this man needs to have a closer look. At least one Texas Republican is stepping up. Gene Wu must be stripped of his House leadership positions and committee assignments. This radical Democrat should never have been given powerful leadership positions or assignments in the Texas House, and they must be removed. Full letter to Speaker Burrows: Speaker pic.twitter.com/SIYF03IUfV Brian Harrison (@brianeharrison) February 10, 2026 Texas has its share of RINOs, heaven knows, but lets keep an eye on this one. Advertisement Good grief. M. Walter blogs at www.mwalterwriter.com. Image: Public domain. In 1779, Thomas Jefferson penned A Bill for the More General Diffusion of Knowledge, in which he articulated that the most effectual means of preventing [tyranny] would be, to illuminate, as far as practicable, the minds of the people at large, and more especially to give them knowledge of those facts, which history exhibiteth, that, possessed thereby of the experience of other ages and countries, they may be enabled to know ambition under all its shapes, and prompt to exert their natural powers to defeat its purposes. Advertisement In essence, Jefferson was making the argument that the best way to avoid despotism is to have a widely educated population with a keen awareness of history, civics, and the nature of government. At the time, this was an unprecedented idea. Advertisement For eons, only the wealthy and privileged had access to formal education. In places like Europe, with its rigid class system and social hierarchy, the lack of general diffusion of knowledge helped keep the rich high on the hog and the poor downtrodden for generations. Jefferson, to his credit, envisioned a nation in which all had access to education. Such is why he is generally considered the pioneer of what we now call the public education system. Advertisement More than two centuries later, the U.S. public education system has far exceeded Jeffersons quaint model, which heavily favored local control of public education. Strangely, as the United States has poured substantial resources into the public education system, American students are becoming dumber, ignorant of history, oblivious to basic civics, and enthralled with a dastardly dangerous ideology: socialism. Advertisement Unfortunately, the public education system, particularly regarding social studies, has been infiltrated by socialist sympathizers who are brainwashing vulnerable kids into believing that socialism is great, moral, fair, and exactly what America needs. When I was teaching at public high schools in Illinois and South Carolina, this reality hit me like a ton of bricks. In nearly all the schools I worked, it was blatantly obvious that most of my fellow social studies colleagues were much less concerned with teaching students the basic facts about history than they were about teaching that socialism is the answer to all of Americas problems. Advertisement While many Americans may think this is anecdotal or an exaggeration, ample evidence exists that demonstrates the scope of socialist brainwashing in todays public schools. Late last year, an Axios-Generation Lab poll of U.S. college students found that 67 percent had a positive or neutral association with socialism and 34 percent had a positive or somewhat positive view. Advertisement Another poll, conducted by Rasmussen Reports and The Heartland Institute, found that nearly 60 percent of likely voters aged 18 to 24 want a democratic socialist to win the White House in 2028. According to the same poll, more than half of Americans aged 18 to 39 said their teachers or professors held a favorable view of democratic socialism. It would be one thing if these teachers were giving their students a mild sense of what socialism is really like, however, as I saw, and as polls show, most young people cannot even define socialism correctly. In 2019, Young Americas Foundation released a poll showing that more than half of students cannot accurately define the term socialism. The poll, which included more than 2,000 students aged 13 to 22, found 27 percent unsure/dont know the meaning of the word socialism whereas 10 percent best described socialism as being social. A more recent survey, taken in 2023, shows that less than a third of young Americans properly defined socialism as government taking control of companies and industries such that the state -- not individuals and entrepreneurs -- control the economy whereas 66 percent of young Americans aged 18 to 24 defined socialism as the government providing more services. For far too long, as these statistics show, American students have not received a general diffusion of knowledge, as Thomas Jefferson had hoped so long ago. With this being the case, it is imperative that states rectify this educational abomination. At present, one simple remedy to address this problem is for states to update their curriculum standards so that teachers must teach the truth about socialism, whether they like it or not. That is what Florida legislators did last year when they passed a bill, signed into law by Gov. Ron DeSantis, to ensure students in Florida are taught the truth about the evils and dangers of Communism. Late last year, the Florida Board of Education approved new History of Communism standards to equip students with a truthful, in-depth understanding of how communist ideologies suppress individual freedoms, abuse power, and inflict widespread suffering. Although this policy is not a panacea, it is certainly a step in the right direction. For decades, the public education system has embraced socialism. It is time to reverse this troubling trend. Chris Talgo ([email protected]) is editorial director at The Heartland Institute. Image: AT via Magic Studio Advertisement When Israel's Prime Minister Netanyahu meets with President Trump this week in the White House, many issues will be on the table. One of those issues should be the importance of maintaining political continuity in the United States, now that it is on the right track. Advertisement Because, if the Democrats makes gains in the midterms, and get control of the House, and the purse, and if they get back in the White House in 2028, their objective will be to systematically unwind U.S. national and international policy and security. Under President Trump, the U.S. is finally asserting itself in tangible, confident and powerful action. Advertisement The conflict with Iran is at a critical juncture, and if it fails, or worse, results in turmoil, which the progressive left is banking on, in order to create domestic political capital, it will turn Iran, and its radical anti-American ideology into an ally, a cause, and a weapon, for U.S. domestic factionalism and unrest, which is the DNCs signature strategy. The GOP is currently funded at a large margin over the DNC. Advertisement American companies, and American technology entrepreneurs, appear to appreciate the industrial and economic path that the country is now on, but they have to stand firm against the agenda they were lured into by the Obama and Biden administrations concerning racial activism, unqualified welfare, and deceptive programs like the green new deal. But there is another psychological element that could supercharge a DNC comeback. Advertisement In 2004, author Wolfgang Schivelbusch wrote The Culture of Defeat, where he chronicled how losing nations create a mass culture of revenge ideology. The Nazi party is an example, where it based its appeal on rising from the ashes, creating a payback narrative after WW1, while also casting that mass appeal in racial, ethnic and religious terms. The progressive left in the U.S. is especially eager to frame a comeback in those same terms. Advertisement That means that failure is not an option in Americas new posture of military strength and resolve. Failure is exactly what the DNC is obsessed with, because failure appeals to the mass psychology of not only its urban base, but to the millions of illegal migrants that swarmed into the country and were transported to those same concentrated cities. If radicals like Hakeem Jeffries in the House, Corey Booker in the Senate, along with other anti-American fundamentalists like Minnesotas Ilhan Abdullahi Omar, New Yorks AOC, and NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani build a growing political bloc, it will reverse current Middle East policy, freeze military modernization, radically increase social spending, and seek to realize its fantasy, in the shadow of Obama, of transforming the United States into a pacifist, socialist state. There is some speculation that Rahm Emanuel will seek the 2028 DNC nomination. That could be just as dangerous, as it means the Obamas and their entourage are back, again, in the White House. This makes the Iran conflict into something more than what partisan critics inaccurately call a proxy war for Israel: it is part of a series of stakes for U.S. resources, national security, defense modernization, military operational fitness, and the positive feedback this creates in American industrial development and economic growth. Iran is domestically unstable under its aging ruler Ali Hosseini Khamenei, but conflict failure can turn him into a new cult symbol of revenge activism that is absorbed and amplified by the current DNC party. Some critics claim that Russia and China will come to Irans aid. That is not likely in operational terms. There is no love lost between Iran and Russia, and China will not be distracted from Taiwan and the Australasian sphere. That brings up one other key risk to current political continuity. University of Chicago political science professor, John Mearsheimer, has made a career criticizing the Israel lobby, AIPAC. But it is merely one of hundreds of lobby groups seeking to advance its interests in a marketplace. And while the DNC may be gratuitously open to its viewpoints, it can also completely shun them because they have another sponsor that is eager to make transformational inroads into U.S. domestic politics: China. China is the DNCs national role model: one party, absolute control, economic nationalization, social credit system, mass surveillance, and absolute censorship. And China can dwarf other funding sources, while destabilizing American monetary policy. A volatile mix of potential international revenge ideology, coupled with a radical domestic socialist agenda, backed by a resurgent Iran and expanding China, puts current U.S. foreign and military policy into a fail-safe imperative. But the best fail-safe strategy is redundancy and victory. Matthew G. Andersson is a former aerospace CEO and author. He has testified before the U.S. Senate and is a graduate of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and the University of Chicago. Image: Montage by Monica Showalter, with use of Pixabay / Pixabay License images. In 2023, a man named Darren Moore (previously Darren Sewell) was found dead in a secluded car park in Wales. Moore was somewhat of a local celebrity, a well-known drag queen whose jewelry had been featured on the popular television program, RuPauls Drag Race, so he was given a lavish de facto state funeral, complete with road closures courtesy of the Cardiff City Council and the South Wales Police force, and which included a horse-drawn glass-walled carriage, the casket displaying Moores body to those in attendance. Advertisement Sure, Moore had previously been convicted of raping a young boy, but this was 2023, a era in which pedophiles were (and largely still are) given license to freely express themselves and held star status within the progressive movement and governments worldwide. Anyway, after Moores blessed demise, law enforcement launched an investigation into how he perished, with the results of that investigation now public: he likely died from a dog allergy after making a mutt penetrate him. Advertisement As Genevieve Gluck at Reduxx News reported, the night that Moore died, he approached a stranger walking his dog, asking the stranger if he wanted to hook up. The two men and the dog then went to the secluded car park where Moore would later be found dead, and at some point, the stranger lost interest in sex because Moore had turned his attention on the pup. From Gluck: DNA tests conducted during the inquest revealed human and non-human semen inside Moores body, with the non-human semen matching the DNA of the witness dog. Moore was known to have an allergy to dogs, prompting coroner David Regan to explore a pathological relation with sudden death potentially arising from the dog semen. Advertisement Are we allowed to use the word deviant yet to describe gays and their sexual propensities? Deviating from whats normal, as well as deviant behavior. Or, are we living in a Gene Wu world? For context, Wu, a Democrat in Texass state House, recently said that its more common than not for adults to get weird when theyre alone with children. Um no you freak, no its not. Not in Normal Land, where most of us live. Also in Normal Land, we dont copulate with beasts. Its an uncomfortable fact to face, but its true nonetheless: even normal gays are known for having very disturbing and deeply dark sex lives, a fact of which we were recently reminded with the leaked media involving Glenn Greenwald got out. Advertisement Can we call a spade a spade yet? Advertisement Image generated by ChatGPT. Democrats have been dining out on their own creepy fantasy of President Trump being involved with the pervert child molester Jeffrey Epstein and his racket for years. They've stepped it up in the wake of the fraud revelations in Minnesota and other issues. Advertisement But it was always problematic stuff. Up until now, the evidence pointed away from Trump as being involved with Epstein, and in a way that it didn't with many Democrats. Epstein hated Trump and called him the "worst person in the world" in his private text messages, for one. That doesn't sound very promising for the idea that Trump would have been in league with him. After all, if Epstein hated Trump like that, you know that Trump would have hated him back, and Trump really, really, hates his enemies. There also was the news that Trump threw Epstein out of his pricey Mar-a-Lago membership club in Florida when the latter started picking up on the young daughters of his guests there. That's a man's man with that move to protect the vulnerable. Once again, it speaks well for Trump. Advertisement Now it comes to light that Trump called the cops on Epstein during the first prosecution of the bounder in 2006, and an FBI transcript, linked on an ABC News report, says this (I added two words blacked out to the transcript to show how it was displayed at the original link): Palm Beach Country Club is a Jewish country club. A lot of wealthy people are there and they flock together. Mar-A-Lago is a mixture of everyone. DONALD TRUMP told ........ that he threw EPSTEIN out of his club. TRUMP called the PBPD to tell him "thank goodness you' re stopping him, everyone has known he's been doing this". TRUMP told him people in New York knew EPSTEIN was disgusting. TRUMP said MAXWELL was EPSTEIN's operative, "she is evil and to focus on her". TRUMP told ........ that he was around EPSTEIN once when teenagers were present and TRUMP "got the hell out of there". TRUMP was one of the very first people to call when people found out that they were investigating EPSTEIN. Advertisement Having once been on the billionaire's list team at Forbes around 2001 (I do recall the comical conversations between Trump and the reporter who had his file), one thing I know is that billionaires -- all of them, good, bad, and otherwise -- are very canny people, very detailed on numbers, very observant, very cognizant of something not being right, very quick to recognize bee ess, very oriented towards the details on everything, not just money. If they weren't -- well, they wouldn't be billionaires. Trump seems perfectly in character to have called the cops and told them of his suspicions. Advertisement The ABC report suggests that Trump had been lying in saying he didn't know what Epstein was up to but that very likely is a bad interpretation, a distortion of what the cops were trying to say in their report. Trump was probably saying that he had no literal firsthand knowledge of Epstein's doings, the kind of knowledge Larry Summers, Noam Chomsky, Bill Gates and other close Democrat pals of Epstein's might have had. But he knew something was off. Advertisement That's because Trump clearly specified to the cops that Epstein's pervy reputation was common talk in his circles in New York, there were people who had seen things, and it was clear he believed them, because he also told the cops he was glad they were getting to the bottom of it all. Note also that he called them right away as if to say 'aha, I was right.' If he had been somehow implicated in Epstein's pervy doings, he would have gone very quiet and made himself scarce, not saying a thing. After all, did Bill Clinton or Bill Gates do what Trump did? They, and the other Epstein buddies somehow didn't leap up to tell the cops what they knew about their friend. That suggests they may have been laying low. That isn't proof that they did anything bad, but it certainly is a different kind of response, and we know that they were in much tighter with Epstein. Advertisement Trump called the cops right up to praise them, to tell them they were on the right track, to say they had a live one. That's within Trump's character, too, and again, it suggests he wanted something done. It's quite likely he could have even told the cops who to talk to in New York, who had seen what, who knew whom, all of which would have aided them in their investigation. I find it intriguing that he zeroed in on Ghislaine Maxwell as 'evil' and probably a key figure in Epstein's child trafficking. That would square with what Epstein victim, the late Virginia Giuffre said, that Ghislaine dismissed the young girls defiled by Epstein as people who are 'nothing.' Trump knew that Epstein was bad, wanted nothing to do with him and now it comes to light that he helped rat him out to the cops. That speaks very well for him, and as young Don Trump, Jr. noted, seems significant: A former police chief who investigated Jeffrey Epstein in the mid-2000s told the FBI he had received a call from Donald Trump at the time to say "thank goodness youre stopping him, everyone has known hes been doing this," according to an FBI account.https://t.co/Q0aEZSOIv8 pic.twitter.com/dTEbPZTTEq ABC News (@ABC) February 10, 2026 So where's the left's apology to him? One incident after another shows that Trump was an antagonist, not a pal, of Jeffrey Epstein. Image: Photoshop by Monica Showalter, with use of public domain images Each time a Facebook acquaintance posts an obviously approving photo of a mass of protesters expressing their mutual conniptions over the outrage du jour, we are reminded: There are those whose hero is the individual who stands up against the mob, and there are those whose hero is the mob. Advertisement Thats where, in the winter of 2026, we find ourselves sharing a country with a cohort that celebrates a mob, whose members look upon the individual the way a vegan looks at a broiled lamb chop: with disgust, contempt, and no little secret longing. Thats who their hero is: a faceless, anonymous horde. They are excited, energized that a crowd can be assembled to manipulate, intimidate, and assault to get something. They arent most of them, anyway even sure what that something is, though one suspects there are those behind them who know exactly what they want. The majority just shiver happily with that frisson at witnessing all the Dionysian power. It gives their life some meaning. Advertisement This says much about their life. There are no individual heroes for them only a collective, an inchoate, roaring mass, waving signs that have been placed in their hands, mouthing slogans that have been inserted into their mouths, thinking thoughts provided by someone else. Advertisement Who are the eloquent speakers and apologists on their side? Who steps up and stands out, aside from some humbug politicians, dopey celebrities, and activists who all spew exactly the same banalities, threats, and ad hominem arguments? Their hero has no singular voice of reason or civilized discourse. Only the brutal coercive force of the mindless swarm. The Founding Fathers pledged their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor and signed off, literally, on that. They were individuals; one could read their names on their commitment. The mob has no one of that caliber. Only a bloated herd whose size alone is what impresses. Advertisement Watch those rare moments on camera when one of their heroes is caught isolated from his hive. Challenged to enter into dialogue, he offers a smug, mute smile or spits vitriol or slinks away back to the safety of the nameless mob. Their hero produces no thoughtful ideas, runs from non-sentimental and logical exchange. Advertisement Their hero impedes traffic, compromises public safety, disrupts countless lives. Theres a mother trying to get to a daycare to get her injured child. A guy trying to get to a second job to pay his rent. But those are just individuals. Individuals matter to their hero only if theyre useful to be propped up in front of the gaggle, tossed aside when they begin to decompose in their propaganda value. Otherwise, individuals to the mobs hero are what field mouse roadkill is to a Mack truck on the interstate. And after all, their hero requires sacrifices, doesnt it? The legacy of the mobs hero is found not in some intrepid William Wallace or Patrick Henry or Seneca. Its in the brutish rabble of rock-throwing brownshirts shattering synagogue windows, exactly like how their modern descendant does today to private or government property. Their heros legacy is the wad, always the wad, of hooded Klansmen rendering terror and lynchings. Those mindless drones with their whistles and bullhorns and spittle-flecked shrieking? Their legacy is the frenzied throng in their bloodlust, cheering at the guillotine in Paris. Advertisement Those who get lubricated by the videos of surging crowds blocking streets and generally making asses of themselves, to the detriment of their fellow citizens, dont actually join with their hero, mind you. Theyre content to applaud from the sidelines. It all appeals to the collective rage of mediocrities whose resentment will always outweigh their capacity for love, whose histrionic narcissism will inevitably be denser than their intellect. They will, it goes without saying, pretend it is otherwise. They fancy that their hero is the lone guy standing in front of the tanks in Tiananmen Square. The truth is, their hero is in that rank of tanks, marching forward, grinding away in pursuit of the kind of power they admire. Hell of a choice of hero. Image: woodleywonderworks via Flickr, CC BY 2.0. Most people assume that those who immigrate legally are welcomed with open arms. After all, they followed the rules, they filled out the forms, paid the fees, passed the background checks, and waited patiently. Advertisement But many legal immigrants discover something unsettling once the process begins: The system often treats them not as future citizens or contributors, but as potential criminals. To immigrate legally to countries like the United States or the United Kingdom, applicants must prove, in exhaustive detail, that they are not a risk. They must provide and submit to: Advertisement Police clearances Medical examination reports Proof they will not rely on public benefits Extensive financial documentation Years of work and address history Interviews and bureaucratic hurdles This level of scrutiny is understandable, in principle. Every nation has the right to protect its borders and ensure newcomers will contribute, rather than burden, the state. For many, the legal route is not just slow, it can also be emotionally devastating. Rules around family reunification can mean that single adult children over 18 for the UK and 21 for the USA, have to wait many years to join their parents, even when the rest of their family have already established permanent legal residence. Advertisement In my own experience, a close family member who had lived, studied, and paid international fees in the UK was still denied the right to remain, despite having no criminal record, no reliance on state benefits, and a strong commitment to lawful living. The message felt unmistakable: Those who follow the rules often have the least power in the system. Advertisement At the same time, many ordinary citizens and legal immigrants watch governments going out of their way and bending the rules to manage large numbers of unlawful arrivals and asylum claims. Of course, genuine refugees deserve protection. That is not in dispute. But when the system becomes inconsistent, when illegal entry is processed faster than legal applications, or enforcement seems selective, resentment grows. Legal immigrants recognize that honesty is punished. Advertisement A huge frustration for legal immigrants is the sheer dysfunction of the bureaucracy itself. Immigration systems are often fragmented across multiple agencies and platforms that do not effectively communicate with one another. For example, USCIS may handle the initial petition approval inside the United States, while cases processed from abroad are later managed through the CEAC system, yet the documentation submitted to USCIS often does not appear to transfer seamlessly to the next stage. Applicants are frequently asked to provide the same forms and evidence all over again, as if nothing had been filed before. Paperwork is duplicated, delayed, or misplaced, forcing applicants to repeat months of effort at significant financial and emotional cost. Even more frustrating, there is often no meaningful way to speak to a human being. Telephone lines are limited or nonexistent, and correspondence is largely restricted to online forms that generate generic automated responses rather than answers to specific questions. For those trying to follow the rules, the legal path can begin to feel less like an orderly process and more like an expensive obstacle course designed to exhaust patience and goodwill. The financial burden of legal immigration only compounds this frustration. Lawful applicants often spend thousands of dollars on filing fees, medical exams, and attorneys to ensure that every form is completed correctly and every requirement met. Each additional request for evidence, each repeated submission, and each bureaucratic delay increases the cost of simply trying to comply. Meanwhile, many citizens observe that those who enter unlawfully gain access to legal assistance through publicly funded or nonprofit channels. Whatever ones view of such programs, the contrast is difficult to ignore. The people who follow the rules frequently pay the highest price, financially as well as emotionally. Advertisement Legal immigrants do not object to immigration laws, they respect it. They understand that citizenship is not an entitlement but a privilege. What is so demoralizing is the sense that the system has reversed its moral priorities: that those who comply are treated as suspects, while those who circumvent the process often receive faster attention, resources, and legal advocacy. This does not foster compassion. It fosters cynicism, among citizens and legal immigrants alike, and weakens the very credibility an immigration system depends upon. Even visiting family in the UK and USA has become harder. In immigrant communities, it is increasingly common to hear of relatives denied tourist visas for vague reasons such as insufficient ties to their home country, even when they have jobs, property, and children back home. The assumption is not goodwill, it is suspicion. Relatives are treated as if they are lying, as if they intend to overstay, as if they are guilty until proven innocent. When governments make legal immigration punishing, slow, and humiliating, they create the worst possible incentive: They discourage lawful entry and reward disorder. No country benefits from that. A healthy immigration system should prioritize: Clarity Fairness Consistency Lawful contribution Respect for those who follow the rules Legal immigrants are angry not because they oppose immigration; they are immigrants. They are angry because they believed in the law, followed the rules, and expected fairness in return, only to find themselves treated with suspicion and subjected to unnecessary burdens. Legal immigrants choose their new country, invest in it, embrace its values and become among the most loyal and committed citizens their host nation will ever have. But you cannot continually ask people to respect a system that does not respect them in return. A country that punishes honesty while tolerating double standards and inconsistency will steadily lose the goodwill that holds society together. Image generated by AI. Zohran Mamdani owes fealty to two gods: Allah and Marx. Both of those faiths hate Christianity, something he just made clear by deliberately refusing to participate in a major occasion for New York Citys Catholic communitya strange decision given the fact that the citys Catholic population is around 33%, much of it from the Democrat-voting Hispanic community. Advertisement Before getting to Mamdanis major show of disrespect to New Yorks Catholics, its helpful to remember this moment from his 2025 debate with Andrew Cuomo: You know, it took Andrew Cuomo being beaten by a Muslim candidate in the Democratic primary for him to set foot in a mosque. He had more than 10 years, and he couldnt name a single mosque at the last debate we had that he visited. Advertisement And what Muslims want in this city is what every community wants and deserves. They want equality, and they want respect. Every community deserves...respect...and, according to Mamdani, as a mayor, you show that respect by showing up. Advertisement And what could be more respectful than to reach out during an incredibly important occasion in a religious communitys calendar...as, for example, the installation of a new archbishop, one of the most important roles in the Catholic hierarchy. Except, of course, thats exactly what Mamdani didnt do: Advertisement Ronald Hicks, 58, on Friday became the 11th archbishop of the New York Archdiocese since 1850, accepting the reins of power from Cardinal Timothy Dolan at St. Patricks Cathedral in a packed historic ceremony steeped in ritual. One of the events traditions dating back to at least 1939, when then-New York City Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia attended the installation of famous top clergyman Francis Spellman had been the attendance of the Big Apples sitting mayor. Advertisement At least until this year, when Mamdani decided he had better things to do than help honor the new leader of one of the largest groups of Catholics in the country including hundreds of thousands of his own constituents. What a slap in the face to the citys Catholics! Meanwhile, as the same New York Post article pointed out, Mamdani has been putting a lot of energy into promoting Islamic beliefs and rituals: Advertisement Hizzoner who in the past week put out a tweet marking World Hijab Day and suggested at the annual interfaith prayer breakfast that the US should use the Prophet Muhammeds example on immigration skipped out on the ceremony altogether, marking the occasion with nothing more than a tepid post on X. (You can read more here about his ludicrous statements about Mohamed.) The official church, of course, is going to turn the other cheek. Fortunately, New York Citys Catholic League was more forthrightwhich is the right attitude for a faith that spent literally hundreds of years fighting bloody wars against Islamic incursions (and lost the entire Middle East in the process): The mayor of New York City traditionally attends the installation of the new archbishop of New York, but Mamdaniwho was invitedghosted the event. The installation began a few hours after the Interfaith Breakfast at the New York Public Library; it is a short walk up Fifth Avenue to St. Patricks Cathedral. He could easily have been there. Instead, he attended to business as usual. I feel terribly sorry for those New Yorkers who voted against Mamdani and are now trapped in what the city will become under his Islamo-Marxist governance. As for the almost 80% who couldnt even be bothered to vote in the last election, as well as those who voted for Mamdani...well, Ive got popcorn because theyre in for an interesting few years. YouTube screen grab (cropped). On the morning of 15 January 1857, residents of Hong Kong awoke to what seemed an ordinary day. As usual, loaves of fresh bread were delivered across the European quarter of Victoria, warm from the ovens of a popular Chinese-owned establishment, the Esing Bakery. By midday, however, hundreds were violently ill. Victims suffered nausea, vomiting, severe abdominal pain, dizziness, and general malaise. The cause of this sudden outbreak was not immediately clear. Only later did tests on the consumed bread reveal that it had been poisoned. Esing Bakery, from The Illustrated London News. Credit: Wikimedia Commons The scale of the incident was unprecedented. Estimates suggest that between 300 and 500 people, most of them Europeans, were affected. Although no one died immediately, several deaths in the months that followed were later attributed to complications arising from the poisoning. The bread contained arsenic trioxide in such high concentration that it provoked immediate vomiting saving hundreds of lives. Had the dose been smaller, the outcome could have been catastrophic. Attention quickly turned to the Esing Bakery. Owned by a Chinese merchant named Cheong Ah-lum, it supplied bread to much of the European community. Early that same day, Cheong had left for Macau with his family. By the following evening, he and several of his employees had been arrested and charged with administering poison with intent to kill. To many European residents, the case appeared straightforward. Hong Kong in 1857 was a young colony, governed by Britain but overwhelmingly Chinese in population. Worse still, the colony was living through the Second Opium War, a conflict that had reignited hostilities between Britain and Qing China only months earlier. The European-style bread produced by the Esing Bakery was consumed largely by non-Chinese residents, making it seem an ideal vehicle for targeting the colonys European population. It was later estimated that as much as ten pounds of arsenic had been added to the dough. Ironically, the excess proved life-saving. Rather than killing its victims, the poison acted as its own emetic, inducing violent vomiting that expelled much of it from the body. The bread as well as its raw ingredients, such as flour, sugar, yeast and scrapings from the table at the bakery were analysed. No trace of arsenic was found on any but only on the bread itself, suggesting that the poison had been added at the end of the baking process. In the 19th century, arsenic was widely available and commonly used to kill rats and other pests, and it was not unusual for commercial premises to store it on site. The trial that followed became one of the most sensational in early colonial Hong Kong. It revealed not only the uncertainties surrounding the poisoning but also the racial tensions embedded within the colonys system of justice. Cheong is interrogated at the police station. Credit: Wikimedia Commons The prosecution tried to paint Cheong as an agent of the Qing government, ideally positioned to sabotage the colony. They claimed he was financially desperate and had sold himself out to Chinese officials in return for money. The defense argued that Cheong was a highly regarded and prosperous member of the local community with little reason to take part in an amateurish poisoning plot, and suggested that Cheong had been framed by his commercial competitors. The defence noted that Cheong's own children had shown symptoms of poisoning. Who would poison their own children, much less ones own customers, who formed the backbone of ones business? The prosecution had no answer. At one point, a frustrated Attorney General Anstey declared that even if Cheong was innocent, it was "better to hang the wrong man than confess that British sagacity and activity have failed to discover the real criminals". The jury rightly rejected the arguments of the prosecution and acquitted Cheong Ah-lum. The verdict infuriated much of the European community. Acquittal in court, however, did not mean restoration of trust. A petition was filed demanding that Cheong be banished from the colony. Cheong was not the only one expelled. Dozens of his bakery workers arrested alongside him were also banished from Hong Kong. Yet Governor Bowring did not stop there, and proceeded to deport hundreds of Chinese offenders, during the 1857 emergency, earning him condemnation back home in Britain and in the local colonial press. Despite the unfavourable opinion towards Bowring, the British press condemned the poisoning using language that was lurid and emotive. The London Morning Post decried the poisoning in hyperbolic terms, describing it as a "hideous villainy, [an] unparalleled treachery, of these monsters of China", "defeated ... by its very excess of iniquity"; its perpetrators were "noxious animals ... wild beasts in human shape, without one single redeeming value" and "demons in human shape". German philosopher and socialist Friedrich Engels wrote that the Chinese now "poison the bread of the European community at Hong Kong by wholesale, and with the coolest premeditation". "In short, instead of moralizing on the horrible atrocities of the Chinese", he argued, "as the chivalrous English press does, we had better recognize that this is a war pro aris et focis, a popular war for the maintenance of Chinese nationality, with all its overbearing prejudice, stupidity, learned ignorance and pedantic barbarism if you like, but yet a popular war." Yet, there were some in England who denied that the poisoning had even happened. Parliamentarian Thomas Perronet Thompson alleged that the incident had been fabricated as part of a campaign of disinformation to drum up support for the Second Opium War. Was there a man who believed in the poisoning at Hong Kong? Call the whole College of Physicians, and ask whether they could poison 300 men with arsenic without any of them dying, Thompson asked. Some people even joked about the affair. Much of the humour centred on Cheongs surnameAh-lum. In 19th-century Britain, bakers were notorious for adulterating bread with alum, a whitening agent. A baker named Cheong Alum would have been considered funny by itself, but a baker named Cheong Alum accused of adding poison to his own dough seemed too good to be true, note Lowe and McLaughlin. More than a century and a half later, historians still disagree about how the arsenic got into the bread. One theory holds that the poisoning was deliberate, possibly carried out by one or more bakery workers acting independently, or under the influence of wartime propaganda. Another suggests sabotage by a rival, aiming to destroy Cheongs business by turning the colony against him. A third, less dramatic explanation is accidental contaminationarsenic stored for pest control mistaken for flour or sugar in a busy bakery. A biographical note written after Cheongs death attributes the poisoning to carelessness of one of his workers dropping odd things in the flour and defends Cheong as running too large an operation to keep track of every worker. After Cheong was banished from Hong Kong, he moved to Macau and later to Vietnam, where he lived the rest of his life as a respected community leader and successful businessman. He died in 1900. The Esing Bakery affair was not the only arsenic panic of the era. Just a year later, in 1858, Britain was shaken by the Bradford sweets poisoning, in which arsenic was accidentally mixed into peppermint lozenges sold by a confectioner. Unlike the Hong Kong case, the Bradford tragedy was not an act of suspected sabotage but the result of fatal negligence. A sugar substitute known as daff, commonly used to cheapen sweets, was mistakenly replaced with arsenic trioxide. The contaminated sweets killed more than twenty people and sickened hundreds. References: # Jason Lee. Poisoned Bread: The Esing Bakery incident of 1857 and racism in colonial Hong Kong # Kate Lowe and Eugene McLaughlin. Caution! The Bread is Poisoned: The Hong Kong Mass Poisoning of January 1857 # Esing Bakery incident. Wikipedia Actor Byeon Woo Seok sparked controversy on Monday by publicly apologizing to reporters at Incheon International Airport, following an unplanned trip to an overseas fashion event. On the afternoon of February 9, a lot of reporters and fans gathered near the departure gate at Terminal 2 of Incheon International Airport. Byeon was getting ready to leave for Beijing, China, where he was going to attend the opening of a brand's space. The event was officially announced ahead of time through advertising channels, which drew a lot of media attention. Byeon is one of the most popular South Korean actors of 2026. His profile is rising and he will star in the drama "Perfect Crown" with IU. Fans and photographers were both looking forward to his airport fashion, which was sponsored by a brand and planned by a promotion agency. Koreaboo says that people were confused when Byeon showed up with his face completely covered by a mask, even though he was wearing the sponsored outfit from head to toe. His clothes, shoes, and accessories were all visible, but his face was not. This frustrated some members of the press because they had hoped to see his entire outfit. READ MORE: IU and Byun Woo-seok Confirmed for Disney+ Romance 'The Grand Prince's Wife' Drops Major 2026 Release News The report said that reporters kept yelling at him to take off the mask. They also discussed the alleged earlier instructions from the promotion agency to remove his mask for the official schedule. Byeon spoke directly to the photographers who had gathered in response to the situation. He stopped and bowed to the press before he spoke. He then said, "I will definitely come without a mask next time," while still bowing in apology. Byeon once more acknowledged the reporters as the pedestrian signal changed and he started walking toward the terminal. Before going to the departure area, he said "I'm sorry." again. "I'm sorry." Naver's coverage stressed that wearing a mask during a sponsored appearance is not a problem if the brand agrees. The article did say, though, that expectations are different because Byeon is currently very famous. Not only in South Korea but also globally, people closely observe his expressions and behavior. The Naver report said that photographers had hoped to get a full picture of him for coverage, and some were disappointed because they had to go to an officially announced schedule. Since then, people have been discussing celebrity privacy, media expectations, and the stress that famous actors face in public. READ MORE: IU and Byun Woo Seok Put on Blast as Perfect Crown Teaser Draws Scathing Reactions Milans airports are one of the main hubs of travel for the aviation industry (Getty Images/iStockphoto) Holidaymakers visiting Italy have been warned of flight disruption after workers voted for strike action. Airline industry staff, including pilots, flight attendants and ground staff are posed to walk out on 16 January, almost a week before the Winter Olympics are due to finish. Vueling and easyJet staff who are members of the USB union are expected to strike between 1pm and 5pm. Other easyJet staff, alongside those working for ITA Airways, will take action for the entire day. Data from Cirium, an aviation analytics firm, suggests 314 ITA flights are scheduled on 16 February. Ground staff and baggage handlers are also expected to strike on the same day at Brescia Montichiari, Milan Linate and Milan Malpensa airport. Next month, staff at Enav, which manages Italian airspace, are expected to strike on 7 March. Negotiations are ongoing with the Italian governments Strike Guarantee Commission. The body has requested that the unions change the date of the walkout to sustain a regular strike schedule during the Winter Olympics. No agreement has yet been reached. EasyJet and ITA Airways both confirmed to The Independent that they are awaiting information as to whether the strikes will be postponed and will keep in touch with their customers accordingly. Officials are trying to move the strike dates so they do not disrupt the Winter Olympics. "In the resolution adopted at yesterday's meeting, the Strike Guarantee Commission notified the Minister of Infrastructure and Transport of the concrete risk of harm to freedom of movement during the air transport protests called for February 16 and March 7, a statement from authorities said, according to Italian news agency Ansa. The Commission has proposed rescheduling the strikes to the period between 24 February and 4 March. The Independent has contacted the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport for more information. Strike action is also planned for later in the month. From 9pm on Friday 27 February, Italian state railway staff will walk out for 24 hours, affecting regional, high-speed and Intercity trains. Read more: The stunning ski destination where the Winter Olympics are taking place Cruise passengers can see Andre Rieu perform during a Rhine sailing in 2027 (Foto: Marcel van Hoorn) Classical music fans can now experience a river cruise and concert with King of the Waltz conductor and violinist Andre Rieu. Amadeus River Cruises has revealed details of a second Rhine Concert Cruise after a sell-out January sailing. The cruise covers is a six-night itinerary from Cologne to Amsterdam. The itinerary includes stops at Bonn, which is the birthplace of Beethoven, as well visits to Nijmegen, Arnhem, Rotterdam and Dordrecht. The highlight of the cruise will be a performance by Rieu and his Johann Strauss Orchestra in the Ziggo Dome in Amsterdam. The sailing will take place aboard the Amadeus Aurea, which launches in May 2026. The ship will accommodate 158 guests in 12 suites with balconies and 67 cabins featuring panoramic windows. There will also be a Panorama Restaurant, sun deck with outdoor pool and lido bar, as well as a fitness room and river terrace. It departs on 4 January 2027 with prices from 1,969 per person. The fare includes the cabin, return flights from the UK, overseas transfers, all meals, beer and wine with lunch and dinner, the concert in Amsterdam, gratuities and 100 (87) per person onboard credit. If you cant wait until 2027, there are also chances to see Rieu perform in Maastricht during a seven-night Saga river cruise this summer in July 2026. Sailing aboard Spirit of the Rhine, guests will travel from the UK, have an early dinner on board and attend the concert on the first day in Maastricht before sailing to Rotterdam with stops in cities including Amsterdam and Dordrecht. Prices start from 2,989, with departures on 4 and 18 July. Read more: The best cruise deals for 2026 Dozens of antisemitic incidents were recorded in the immediate aftermath of the Manchester synagogue attack, a new report has revealed. Some even celebrated the incident, which took place in October last year, the report added. The Community Security Trust (CST), monitoring antisemitism in the UK, documented 40 incidents on the day of the attack and a further 40 the following day the highest daily totals recorded all year. Last October, worshippers Melvin Cravitz and Adrian Daulby were killed when 35-year-old Jihad Al-Shamie, a Syrian-born British citizen, drove into the gates of Heaton Park Synagogue in Crumpsall, Manchester. He then launched a knife attack, wearing a fake suicide belt. This marked the UKs first fatal antisemitic terror attack since the CST began recording incidents in 1984. John Mann, the governments independent adviser on antisemitism, said it was particularly troubling to see the large number of incidents which took place immediately after the horrific terrorist attack on Heaton Park Synagogue on Yom Kippur, celebrating the killing of British Jews on our streets. He said the latest figures overall were deeply alarming and illustrate the unrelenting nature of antisemitism in our country today. The CSTs latest report, covering the 12 months of 2025, concluded the second-highest annual total ever recorded for anti-Jewish hate incidents, at 3,700 up 4 per cent on the 3,556 incidents recorded in 2024. The annual record high remains at 4,298 antisemitic incidents reported in 2023 the year of Hamass October 7 attack on Israel, which prompted a spike in recorded cases of anti-Jewish hate in the UK. The incident at Heaton Park was the UKs first fatal antisemitic terror attack since the CST began recording incidents in 1984 (PA) The 2025 report was also the first time more than 200 cases of anti-Jewish hate were recorded in every calendar month. The CST said cases of damage and desecration to Jewish property including damage to the homes and vehicles of Jewish people and to synagogues reached the highest annual total ever recorded. There were 217 such incidents in this category in 2025, up 38 per cent from 157 the previous year. Reports of abusive behaviour accounted for the majority (83 per cent or 3,086 reports) of all cases of anti-Jewish hate, and were at their highest for any year aside from 2023. Of the 80 antisemitic incidents recorded across 2 October the day of the Manchester synagogue attack and 3 October last year, more than half (53 per cent or 42 incidents) involved direct reactions to it, the CST said. The organisation said three involved face-to-face taunting and celebration of the attack to Jewish people, and 39 were antisemitic social media posts referencing the attack, abusive responses to public condemnations of the attack from Jewish organisations and individuals, or antagonistic emails sent to Jewish people and institutions. The CST said there was also a spike in reports following the Bondi Beach killings in Sydney in December. The highest daily incident totals for that month were on the day of that attack 14 December when 16 incidents were reported, and the following two days, with 19 and 15 incidents recorded respectively. Of the 50 incidents across those three days, just under half (21) directly referenced the Bondi attack, the CST said. CST chief executive Mark Gardner said: Two years of intense anti-Jewish hatred culminated in a jihadi terror attack at a synagogue on the holiest day of the Jewish calendar. The CST said there was also a spike in reports following the Bondi Beach killings in Sydney in December (AP) The terror attack then triggered even more antisemitism, showing the depths of extremism faced by Jews and all our British society. All of this makes CST even more determined to keep protecting our community, giving it strength and dignity so it can lead the life of its choice. Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood branded the numbers shocking and said the government stands against the scourge of antisemitism. She added: We are providing record funding for security at synagogues, Jewish schools and community centres. I will go further to strengthen police powers so they can crack down on intimidating protests. Shadow home secretary Chris Philp said while the figures were appalling they were not a surprise and said the evil of antisemitism must be called out. He added: Anyone espousing extremist views or who expresses support for terrorism, or racial or religious hatred of any kind, including antisemitism, who is not a British citizen should be removed from this country. The Conservative Party is clear that there is no place for extremism on the streets of Britain and we continue to call on the Home Secretary and the police to use the full force of the law against those who attempt to harass or intimidate British Jews, or calls for violence such as jihad or intifada. Both the Metropolitan Police and Greater Manchester Police announced in December, days after the Bondi attack, that anyone chanting slogans such as globalise the intifada would face arrest. The UKs chief rabbi, Sir Ephraim Mirvis, welcomed the decision as an important step towards challenging the hateful rhetoric seen on Britains streets but the move was decried as political repression by campaigners. Chief Constable Mark Hobrough, the national policing lead for hate crime, said 2025 had been another difficult year for the Jewish community in the UK and elsewhere, with continued unacceptably high levels of antisemitic hate. He added: The tensions that exist in our society have not abated and are both deeper and more longstanding than anything we have experienced in modern times. He said the police will continue to commit resources to protect our Jewish communities and bring perpetrators to justice, and we remain deeply grateful for the work of the Community Security Trust, who share our determination to protect citizens from antisemitic hostility and violence. Lord Mann said: Anti-Jewish racism is present in every sector and every corner of society. I thank CST for its tireless efforts to protect our Jewish communities. I will continue to champion those efforts and fight unrelentingly alongside them to ensure antisemitism has no place in Britain. Brewing giant Heineken has said it plans to cut up to 6,000 jobs amid efforts to drive cost savings. The company, which also makes Amstel and Birra Moretti, revealed the plans in the face of weaker demand for beer amid challenging market conditions. Heineken said it will cut between 5,000 and 6,000 roles over the next two years, in a move which will impact up to 7% of its global workforce. Heinekens UK arm, which has headquarters in Edinburgh and other sites in London, Manchester, Tadcaster, Hereford, and Ledbury, employs around 2,100 people. Heineken makes beer brands including Murphys stout (David Parry Media Assignments/PA) (David Parry Media Assignments) The groups Star Pubs and Bars arm also operates 2,400 venues across the UK. The Dutch brewer has not disclosed how the UK operation will be affected. It is understood that much of the cuts will include brewery closures and consolidation already taking place, as well as merging smaller markets and centralising back-office operations. The plans are part of efforts to drive savings in order to improve profitability amid a challenging consumer backdrop. On Wednesday, Heineken reported that total sales volumes fell by 1.2% in 2025, despite stronger volumes for the Heineken beer brand. Total revenues fell by 4.7% year-on-year to 34.3 billion euros (29.8 billion) while operating profits slipped by 3.2% to 3.4 billion euros for the year (2.97 billion). Heineken reported that it was impacted by a decline across the beer market in Europe in the face of consumer price sensitivity. Total drinks volumes fell by 3.4% in Europe as a result, with a 4.1% fall for beer. It said this came despite growth for Amstel, Heineken, Murphys stout and Cruzcampo in the UK. In the UK net revenues grew by low single-digit levels, as it benefited from changes in the price-mix bought by customers, indicating that drinkers moved towards its more premium beer brands. A 13-year-old suspected of stabbing two children at a school in London was arrested after being seen acting distressed at a mosque, police have said. The Metropolitan Polices Counter Terrorism unit is leading the investigation after the two boys, aged 12 and 13, were injured at Kingsbury High School in Brent on Tuesday. Speaking at a media briefing on Wednesday afternoon, Detective Chief Superintendent Helen Flanagan said she believed the suspect, who was a former pupil, arrived at the school at around 12.30pm, before entering a first-floor classroom where he allegedly sprayed a pupil with a non-noxious substance. She added: The suspect has then attacked another pupil, a 13-year-old, in that classroom, stabbing him, and then the suspect left, running down the hallway of the school and the stairs. As he was leaving, he then attacks another victim, a 12-year-old, stabbing him before running off and away from the school. After a manhunt was launched, she said, the force received a call from a member of the public concerned over a child appearing distressed at a mosque in northwest London. Officers then arrested a 13-year-old, a British national, on suspicion of attempted murder in the vicinity of the mosque at 4.50pm. He remains in custody as officers try to establish the motive for the attack, which is not being treated as a terrorist incident at this stage. The lower school in Brent remains closed after the double stabbing (PA) The boy had no link with the mosque and police believe it is a coincidence that he was there, Det Chf Supt Flanagan said. In the update, she also said the two boys stabbed did not thankfully suffer life-threatening injuries, and remain in hospital in a stable condition. The boy sprayed with a substance did not suffer any injury, she said, but is being treated as a victim in the case. Police have searched three premises and are interviewing 30 to 40 witnesses to the stabbing as part of the investigation, she added. She said: At this point, we do not believe the suspect to have any particular connection to that mosque, and at this stage, we think that it may have been coincidental that he ended up in that area, and all of those at the mosque have been incredibly supportive of this investigation. Earlier on Wednesday, Sir Keir Starmer called the stabbing an appalling attack during Prime Ministers Questions. Police at the scene at Kingsbury High School (PA) Schools minister Georgia Gould also told Sky News that the government could look at bolstering security in schools in the wake of the stabbing, but ruled out installing metal detectors. The headteacher of the school said the incident was a deeply traumatic event for the whole school community in a letter to parents and carers. Alex Thomas said: I fully appreciate that this will be very upsetting news to hear and, as you can imagine, this has been a deeply traumatic event for the whole school community. The situation is under control, but a live investigation is taking place. We are working closely with the authorities and I will provide further updates as soon as I am able to share confirmed information. Simon Theodorou, a parent of a child at the school, told The Telegraph that the attacker managed to get his way in by climbing over a wall. He also claimed one of the victims pulled the fire alarm to get help, praising the boy as a hero. Home secretary Shabana Mahmood says her thoughts and prayers are with the victims (PA) Pupils were spoken to by police officers in one of the schools halls for more than three hours after the usual school day finished on Tuesday and some were seen leaving in tears. The father of one pupil said children were obviously traumatised by what happened in front of them. At Wednesday afternoons police briefing, Detective Chief Superintendent Luke Williams said he understood that the incident had been hugely distressing for the local community. He said: Its hard to imagine the impact on the loved ones of the victims and the officers are providing them with special support. I hope the knowledge this was an extraordinary one-off event, which led to the swift arrest of the suspect, provides some reassurance. Home secretary Shabana Mahmood said her thoughts and prayers were with the two children stabbed in the shocking attack. Mayor of London Sir Sadiq Khan urged anyone with information to contact the police, adding: There is no honour in staying silent. This awful violence has absolutely no place in our city. The son of a British couple detained in Iran for more than 400 days told MPs his parents have been subjected to inhumane conditions, starvation and psychological torment as he called on the government to act. Lindsay and Craig Foreman were arrested while travelling in Iran last January and subsequently charged with espionage, which they deny. They are currently being held at Tehrans notorious Evin prison. Ms Foremans son, Joe Bennett, was meeting with parliamentarians on Wednesday to tell them his parents have endured threats of execution, witnessed regular knife fights and been left visibly malnourished and suffering from chronic medical neglect in prison. Since their arrest on January 3rd 2025, more than 400 days ago, Mum and Craig have suffered a list of human rights abuses that is truly shocking, he said in a statement. We cannot allow ourselves to become desensitised. We cannot just sit and watch and wait while these terrible atrocities compound. The Foremans have been held in Iranian prisons for more than a year (Family handout) Mr Bennett, from Folkestone in Kent, has said that his parents have been made to sleep on concrete floors or metal bunks with no mattresses, living in overcrowded, unsanitary and vermin-ridden conditions. They were unable to call home for 213 days and have been subjected to 57 days of solitary confinement and interrogation, campaigners said. The Foremans have been able to have some contact with family since a hunger strike in November. Mr Bennett told The Independent in January that his parents have since been forced into overcrowded cells in the wake of Irans brutal crackdown on nationwide protests. They are now being regularly threatened as UK citizens in the midst of escalating violence and anti UK propaganda, campaigners said. Craig is said to be in agony from untreated dental pain, and both are suffering from chronic medical neglect. Joe Bennett shared his concerns for his mother and Craig Foreman (Joe Bennett) Mr Bennett, who has collected more than 60,000 signatures in a petition online, said in a statement: Our family and our parents are living and reliving these horrors every single day, and yet our Governments reaction is to wait; to wait for quiet diplomacy, to wait for an unfair judicial process to unfurl, to wait and wait and wait. Lessons from the past show that the failure of the UK Government to engage proactively on arbitrary detention has historically led to several years of additional horrific detention for hostages before the release of UK citizens as compared to their French, Belgian, German or US counterparts. We need to learn from history and not allow this to fester without intervention. Mr Bennett urged parliamentarians from all parties to demand that the UK Government formally declare the detention of Lindsay and Craig Foreman as Arbitrary Detention to make the issue a diplomatic priority and apply pressure to form a plan for their immediate release. Mr Bennetts MP, Tony Vaughan KC, invited Mr Bennett to discuss his familys ordeal on Wednesday and said: The ordeal Joes parents have endured for over 400 days is truly horrifying. They are living in conditions that no person should ever face. I am joining Joe today to call on the UK Government to formally recognise their detention as arbitrary. The FCDO must escalate their case as a diplomatic priority and formulate a strategic plan to bring them home. Waiting and seeing is no longer a strategy. An FCDO Spokesperson told The Independent: "We remain deeply concerned that Craig and Lindsay Foreman have been charged with espionage in Iran. We continue to raise this case directly with the Iranian authorities. "We continue to provide Craig and Lindsay with consular assistance and remain in close contact with their family members. After newly released files from the Justice Department revealed ties between the late sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, calls from both sides of the aisle for his immediate resignation have intensified. The latest scrutiny stems from a rolling release of federal "Epstein files" mandated by legislation passed by Congress and signed into law as the Epstein Files Transparency Act, with the Justice Department publishing large new tranches in recent weeks as it reviews material for privacy-related redactions. Republican Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky, a co-author of the law that compelled the disclosures, has been among the loudest voices calling for Lutnick to step aside. In a CNN interview aired Sunday, Massie said Lutnick should resign rather than testify, arguing the Commerce secretary had "a lot to answer for" in light of the newly released records. Democrats quickly seized on the same documents. Rep. Robert Garcia of California, the top Democrat on the House Oversight Committee, accused Lutnick of misleading the public about the extent of his relationship with Epstein and said the secretary should resign or be dismissed. Its now clear that Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick has been lying about his relationship with Epstein. He said he had no interactions with Epstein after 2005, yet we now know they were in business together. Lutnick must resign or be fired. And he must answer our questions. Congressman Robert Garcia (@RepRobertGarcia) February 8, 2026 At the heart of the controversy are records suggesting continued contacts and business overlap years after Epstein's 2008 conviction for soliciting a minor. Lutnick's past public description of a 2005 encounter with Epstein that he said led him to swear off being in the same room with him again is contradicted by documents showing later communications and apparent business activity. CBS News reported that documents released by the Justice Department show Lutnick and Epstein were both signatories, through limited liability companies, on a December 2012 agreement to acquire stakes in Adfin, an advertising-technology company that later shuttered. International Business Times has reached out to Lutnick for comment on the records and alleged business dealings. The reporting also described email exchanges indicating that Lutnick planned a family visit to Epstein's private island, Little St. James, in December 2012, and later received a message relayed by Epstein's assistant that said, "nice seeing you," implying at least one in-person meeting around that period. Bloomberg, citing the DOJ materials, separately reported that Lutnick asked Epstein in a December 2012 email whether a visit to Epstein's island would be possible during a Caribbean trip. However, Lutnick has not been accused of wrongdoing in connection with Epstein's crimes. The Commerce Department has pushed back, portraying the coverage as a politically motivated distraction. In a statement quoted by CBS News, a department spokesperson said the matter was an attempt by "legacy media" to divert attention from the administration's agenda, adding that Lutnick had "limited interactions" with Epstein, in the presence of his wife, and "has never been accused of wrongdoing." It remains unclear what, if anything, Congress will do next. CNN reported that House Oversight Chair James Comer did not signal an appetite to compel Lutnick's testimony, while acknowledging public accounts that Lutnick visited an Epstein property with his wife and children. Police have identified the suspect in a school shooting in Canada as an 18-year-old who had prior mental health issues. Jesse Van Rootselaar shot eight people dead in a gun rampage, police said. The suspect then committed suicide, police said. Deputy Commissioner Dwayne McDonald, commander of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police in British Columbia said Van Rootselaar, was born male but began to identify as a female six years ago. The suspects mother, 39, and 11-year-old step-brother were first killed at the family home. Van Rootselaar then went to the school, killing a 39-year-old woman teacher as well as three 12-year-old female students and two male students, one aged 12 and one aged 13, police said. "We do believe the suspect acted alone ... it would be too early to speculate on motive," he told a press conference. "Police had attended that (family) residence on multiple occasions over the past several years, dealing with concerns of mental health with respect to our suspect, he added. At least two other people were hospitalised with serious or life-threatening injuries, and as many as 25 people were being treated for non-life-threatening injuries, police said. A video showed students walking out of the school with their hands raised as police vehicles surrounded the building and a helicopter circled overhead. Its hard to know what to say on a night like tonight. Its the kind of thing that feels like it happens in other places and not close to home, British Columbia Premier David Eby told reporters. British Columbia Premier David Eby speaks at a press conference following a deadly mass shooting in Tumbler Ridge (via REUTERS) What do we know about the shooter? Royal Canadian Mounted Police Deputy Commissioner Dwayne McDonald said Van Rootselaar, who was found dead, had a history of mental health contact with police. Police initially released almost no details about the assailant except to say the person was described as a female. A police active shooter alert said the suspect was described as female in a dress with brown hair. Police Superintendent Ken Floyd later confirmed at a news conference that the suspect described in the alert was the same person found dead in the school. Where is Tumbler Ridge? Tumbler Ridge is a remote municipality with a population of around 2,400 people in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains in northern British Columbia, approximately 720 miles northeast of Vancouver. Images of the town show a snow-covered landscape filled with pine trees. Tumbler Ridge Secondary School has 160 students in grades seven through 12, roughly ages 12 to 18, according to its website. The school was closed for the rest of the week and counseling will be made available to those in need, school officials said. Officials said the towns small police force was on the scene within two minutes of receiving a call, and that victims were still being assessed hours after the incident. This is a small, tight-knit community with a small RCMP detachment as well, who responded in two minutes, no doubt saving lives today, Nina Krieger, British Columbias public safety minister, told reporters. Canadas worst shooting in years The shooting ranks among the deadliest in Canadian history. In April 2020, a 51-year-old man disguised in a police uniform and driving a fake police car shot and killed 22 people in a 13-hour rampage in the Atlantic province of Nova Scotia, before police killed him at a gas station about 90 km (60 miles) from the site of his first killings. In Canadas worst school shooting, in December 1989, a gunman killed 14 female students and wounded 13 at the Ecole Polytechnique in Montreal, Quebec, before committing suicide. This screengrab of a video provided by local journalist Trent Ernst shows the middle school and high school building where the shooting took place (AFP via Getty Images) In response to the shooting, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney postponed a planned announcement in Halifax on Wednesday for a new Defence Industrial Strategy and subsequent trip to Germany for the Munich Security Conference, a spokesperson said. I am devastated by todays horrific shootings in Tumbler Ridge, BC. My prayers and deepest condolences are with the families and friends who have lost loved ones to these horrific acts of violence, Mr Carney said on X. He added: I join Canadians in grieving with those whose lives have been changed irreversibly today, and in gratitude for the courage and selflessness of the first responders who risked their lives to protect their fellow citizens. I am devastated by todays horrific shootings in Tumbler Ridge, B.C. My prayers and deepest condolences are with the families and friends who have lost loved ones to these horrific acts of violence. I join Canadians in grieving with those whose lives have been changed Mark Carney (@MarkJCarney) February 11, 2026 Our ability to come together in crisis is the best of our country our empathy, our unity, and our compassion for each other. I have connected with Premier Eby to express my condolences, and with the Minister of Public Safety, Gary Anandasangaree, who is coordinating the federal response. Our officials are in close contact with their counterparts to ensure the community is fully supported as best we can. The Government of Canada stands with all British Columbians as they confront this horrible tragedy. "We will get through this. We will learn from this," Carney later told reporters, at one point looking close to tears. "But right now, it's a time to come together, as Canadians always do in these situations, these terrible situations, to support each other, to mourn together and to grow together." Royal Family express shock The King, Queen and the Prince and Princess of Wales have expressed their shock and sadness at the brutal attack. Charles, who is King of Canada, along with Camilla, William and Kate, shared their deepest condolences with those affected, with the senior royals saying they "stand in solidarity" with all Canadians in the aftermath of the tragedy. The King said in a written message that he and Camilla could "only begin to imagine the appalling shadow that has now descended across Tumbler Ridge". He described the tragedy as a "senseless act of brutal violence". "My wife and I were profoundly shocked and saddened to learn of the most dreadful attack at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School in British Columbia," the monarch said. "We can only express our deepest possible sympathy to the families who are grieving the unimaginable loss of their loved ones and those still awaiting news from hospital. "In such a closely connected town, every child's name will be known and every family will be a neighbour. "We can only begin to imagine the appalling shadow that has now descended across Tumbler Ridge and our hearts go out to all those whose lives have been so shattered by this senseless act of brutal violence. "I very much wish to thank the town's police and staff at the health centre for their courage as first responders, and all those across British Columbia who have helped in every way they have. "In sending our most heartfelt condolences, my wife and I stand in solidarity with the people of Tumbler Ridge and all Canadians as they seek understanding, healing and strength." The message was signed Charles R. The prince and princess echoed the King's words shortly afterwards, saying in a personal message posted on social media: "We stand with all Canadians following this morning's appalling tragedy. "Our hearts are with the entire Tumbler Ridge community, and we extend our deepest condolences to the families and friends affected by this devastating loss. "We are so thankful for the courage shown by the students, staff, and emergency responders who acted with selflessness in the face of such violence." Their message was signed "W&C". Nine people have been killed and dozens injured after an assailant opened fire at a school in western Canada, in one of the deadliest mass shootings in the countrys history. The suspect was later found dead from what appeared to be a self-inflicted injury. Police found six people dead inside the high school in the remote town of Tumbler Ridge in British Columbia, with a further two bodies found at a residence believed to be connected to the incident. Another person initially believed to have died on the way to hospital was later said to have survived, but remained in critical condition. The suspected shooter was found dead at the school, police said, adding they did not believe there were any more suspects or an ongoing threat to the public. Related: Tumbler Ridge shooting: what we know so far Prime minister Mark Carney said he was devastated by the shootings. I join Canadians in grieving with those whose lives have been changed irreversibly today, and in gratitude for the courage and selflessness of the first responders who risked their lives to protect their fellow citizens, he said. Our ability to come together in crisis is the best of our country our empathy, our unity, and our compassion for each other. The prime ministers office said Carney had suspended plans to travel to Germany on Wednesday for the Munich security conference. More than two dozen people have been hospitalised two with life-threatening injuries in what British Columbias premier, David Eby, called an unimaginable tragedy. Its hard to know what to say on a night like tonight. Its the kind of thing that feels like it happens in other places and not close to home, Eby told reporters. A police active-shooter alert sent to people in the area described the suspect as female in a dress with brown hair. Police Supt Ken Floyd later confirmed at a news conference that the suspect described in the alert was the same person found dead in the school. Police did not say how many of the victims were minors. The District of Tumbler Ridge issued a statement on Tuesday afternoon, calling the shooting a deeply distressing incident for a community of less than 2,500. We recognise that many residents may be feeling shocked, scared and overwhelmed, the district said. In the days ahead, we know this will be difficult for many to process. Please check in on one another, lean on available supports, and know that Tumbler Ridge is a strong and caring community. Tumbler Ridge is a remote town in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains in northern British Columbia, approximately 1,155km northeast of Vancouver. Tumbler Ridge secondary school has 160 students in grades 7 to 12, roughly ages 12 to 18, according to its website. The school will be closed for the rest of the week and counselling will be made available to those in need, school officials said. There are no words that can ease the fear and pain that events like this cause in a school community, the Tumbler Ridge Parent Advisory Council said in a statement. We want families to know that the safety and wellbeing of students and staff are paramount, and we are grateful to the first responders and emergency personnel who acted quickly and professionally. Officials said the towns small police force was on the scene within two minutes of receiving a call, and that victims were still being assessed hours after the incident. British Columbias public safety minister, Nina Krieger, said at a press conference: Speed and professionalism saved lives today. Earlier, Krieger, said online that news of the shooting was sending shockwaves through the community and the entire province. Police initially issued an emergency active shooter alert on Tuesday afternoon after receiving reports of a shooting at the secondary school at about 1.20pm. The alert told residents to shelter in place, lock their doors and refrain from going outside. The RCMP alert was lifted at 5.45pm. Supt Floyd told reporters the scene of the shooting was very dramatic with extensive injuries. He said all remaining students and staff at the secondary school, numbering about 100 people, had been safely evacuated from the school. Floyd said police wouldnt comment on a possible motive. Were following all leads to try to determine the connection to the shooter, he said. I think we will struggle to determine the why, but we will try our best to determine what transpired. The towns health centre was placed on Code Orange, signifying a mass-casualty incident or large-scale emergency response. But given the rural nature of the community, at least two victims were airlifted to larger hospitals. Shock Trauma Air Rescue Service (STARS) said one of its aircraft from Grande Prairie, Alberta, was requested for the incident. Because of Canadas strict gun laws, which make it difficult to own both handguns or assault-style weapons, the country has experienced far fewer instances of mass violence compared with the United States. Still, the shooting is the second-deadliest school shooting in Canadian history. In 1989, a gunman killed 14 students at Montreals LEcole Polytechnique in an attack that targeted women. In 2016, five people were killed in a series in La Loche, Saskatchewan. Speaking to reporters, Eby, a father of three, said news of the shooting makes you want to hug your kids a little tighter. Wrap these families with love. Not just tonight but tomorrow and into the future. This is something that will reverberate for years to come, he said. He later added: This is the kind of thing that feels like it happens in other places, and not close to home in a way that this feels like for many British Columbians and Canadians. This article was amended on 11 February 2026. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police initially said a person had died on the way to hospital; however, they later clarified the person had survived, but remained in critical condition. At least nine people have been killed in a mass shooting involving a school in British Columbia Tuesday and dozens more are injured, Canadian police say. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police said in a news release the nine victims and the suspected gunman are dead after the shooting that took place across multiple locations in Tumbler Ridge. Six people were found dead inside Tumbler Ridge Secondary School and another died when being taken to a hospital, according to RCMP. Two more people were found dead in a home in the community, police said. The suspected shooter was also found dead with what appears to be a selfinflicted injury inside the school, police say. The identities of the suspected shooter and victims are unknown at this time. A motive for the shooting was not immediately clear. Police said they received a report of an active shooter at the Tumbler Ridge school at around 1:20 p.m. MT Tuesday. At least nine people have been killed in a mass shooting involving a school in British Columbia Tuesday, Canadian police say (Google Earth) The alert was officially canceled at 5:45 p.m. as police do not believe there are any outstanding suspects or ongoing threat to the public, RCMP said. Aside from those killed in the shooting, two more victims were airlifted to a hospital with serious or lifethreatening injuries, according to police. RCMP said about 25 others were being treated for non-life-threatening injuries. The rest of the students and staff were safely evacuated from the school, police said. Authorities said they are searching other homes and properties for more victims or people otherwise linked to todays events. This was a rapidly evolving and dynamic situation, and the swift cooperation from the school, first responders, and the community played a critical role in our response, Superintendent Ken Floyd, North District Commander, said in a statement. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney offered his 'prayers and deepest condolences' to 'the families and friends who have lost loved ones to these horrific acts of violence' (Fabrice Coffrini/AFP via Getty Images) Our thoughts are with the families, loved ones, and all those impacted by this tragic incident. This has been an incredibly difficult and emotional day for our community, and we are grateful for the cooperation shown as officers continue their work to advance the investigation, Floyd continued. The local school district said in a statement that the Tumbler Ridge secondary and elementary schools will be closed for the rest of the week due to the tragic events that unfolded. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said he was devastated by the shooting and offered his prayers and deepest condolences to the families and friends who have lost loved ones to these horrific acts of violence. I join Canadians in grieving with those whose lives have been changed irreversibly today, and in gratitude for the courage and selflessness of the first responders who risked their lives to protect their fellow citizens, Carney wrote on X. B.C. Premier David Eby called the shooting an 'unimaginable tragedy' (REUTERS/Bhawika Chhabra) B.C. Premier David Eby called the shooting an unimaginable tragedy. Our hearts are in Tumbler Ridge tonight with the families of those who have lost loved ones, Eby wrote. Government will ensure every possible support for community members in the coming days, as we all try to come to terms with this unimaginable tragedy. Bob Zimmer, a member of Parliament for Tumbler Ridge, also expressed his condolences, writing, My sincere thoughts and prayers go out for the victims still in hospital and for those Tumbler Ridge families who have lost loved ones today. Jonathon Redondo-Rosales during his arrest at a protest on 2 August in Los Angeles. Photograph: Courtesy of Katherine McBroom (Photograph: Courtesy of Katherine McBroom) A federal judge has dismissed charges against a Los Angeles protester who was accused of assaulting an officer with a cloth hat, with an order saying the government acted in bad faith. The man had spent six months in jail awaiting trial. Jonathon Redondo-Rosales, a 36-year-old TikTok content creator and US citizen, had been in custody since his arrest at a 2 August protest against the Trump administrations immigration crackdown. In her dismissal on Monday, the US judge Cynthia Valenzuela issued a strong rebuke of the US governments handling of the case, noting discrepancies in the governments account of events and that Redondo-Rosales had documented injuries he himself endured during the incident. The case is one of many pursued by the Department of Justice against people accused of assaulting federal immigration officers that have fallen apart in courts across the US. The charges stemmed from a small protest near a federal courthouse in downtown LA. Redondo-Rosales was accused of assaulting an officer of the Federal Protective Service (FPS), a branch of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), identified as ZC in court records. Video of the encounter captured Redondo-Rosales standing and dancing in front of a government vehicle exiting the federal building, with the car slowly making contact with Redondo-Rosales, the judge summarized in her ruling. Redondo-Rosales then briefly rolled on to the hood of the car before regaining his footing on the ground. Five armed FPS officers in body armor and helmets with face shields then moved toward him. As officer ZC lunged toward Redondo-Rosales with his arms outstretched, Redondo-Rosales removed his sun hat, which had fallen in front of his face, the judge wrote. As the protester moved backward, his hand holding the hat swung toward ZC, causing the hat to make contact with the officer, the judge said. Redondo-Rosales then fell backward as officers closed in on him and restrained him against the ground while he was flailing. Officers sprayed him with a chemical irritant while he was pinned down, his attorneys have said, and he sustained cuts and bruises, with photos from the scene showing his face bloodied. The judge noted discrepancies in officers statements that were highlighted by Redondo-Rosaless lawyers. Following Redondo-Rosaless arrest, ZC provided a statement saying Redondo-Rosales had hit him in the face with a closed fist, which prosecutors later walked back by saying the defendant had swatted at officers, defense lawyers said. Videos from the scene do not show Redondo-Rosales hitting the officer with a closed fist. Valenzuelas ruling noted other problems with the prosecution. In January, Redondo-Rosaless attorneys moved to request materials related to a different case in which the government said ZC was assaulted by another protester. That case was dismissed after it was revealed that ZC had not previously disclosed that he was convicted of a harassment offense in 2021. Redondo-Rosaless attorneys also sought use-of-force and personnel records from ZC and other officers who arrested Redondo-Rosales. US prosecutors, the judge noted, opposed the requests for more records and said ZC would not be called as a witness in Redondo-Rosaless trial, despite being the alleged victim. As Redondo-Rosaless trial date approached, prosecutors filed a motion to dismiss the case without prejudice, meaning the US could refile charges at a later date. They argued that the dismissal was needed since Redondo-Rosales had an unresolved parole violation in another county. The judge rejected prosecutors explanation for the dismissal, saying the government had known since August about the alleged parole violation and had opposed Redondo-Rosaless request for release in September so he could address the parole matter. The argument that charges needed to be dismissed so that a minor state court matter could be addressed was plainly meritless, the judge wrote, and offered in bad faith. The government, it appeared, had sought dismissal to gain a tactical advantage, Valenzuela wrote. The Government faced the possibility that it would have to disclose personnel files of several FPS officers, including one who seemingly made misrepresentations, or at least omissions, to his employer and potentially federal agents. Dismissal without prejudice would eliminate these risks for the Government, allowing it time to regroup, refine its evidence, and refile at a more favorable moment. Allowing the government to re-charge Redondo-Rosales would be tantamount to permitting US attorneys to commit prosecutorial harassment, Valenzuela said. The judge ordered the case dismissed with prejudice, meaning it cannot be refiled. The judge further said the right to protest is a core first amendment protection, and allowing prosecutors to recharge Redondo-Rosales risks sending a dangerous signal: that when officials are confronted with protest or criticism, they may respond with aggressive tactics and then deploy criminal charges that can be imposed, withdrawn, and revived at the Governments discretion. That signal alone is sufficient to chill lawful protest, Valenzuela continued. The Court cannot permit a system in which prosecutorial discretion is used to impose punishment without adjudication, particularly when applied in the context of those protesting the governments activities. A Federal Protective Service spokesperson said in a statement on Wednesday after publication that ZC has been placed on administrative duty and his law enforcement authorities including his service weapon and badge removed pending further investigation FPS law enforcement officers are held to the highest level of professional standards. ZC has not been publicly identified. A spokesperson for the US attorneys office in Los Angeles, which prosecuted the case, did not respond to inquiries. Katherine McBroom, Redondo-Rosaless attorney, celebrated the judges ruling in a statement, saying: This case is a prime example of federal prosecutors marching in lock step with the current administrations efforts to chill dissent. Mr Redondo-Rosales was lawfully protesting immigration policy when he was struck by a government vehicle and then tackled and beaten by three other officers in SWAT gear. When the government realized they were going to lose, they concocted a reason to postpone the case to try to fix it. Thankfully, their motives were disclosed and their efforts failed, McBroom said. Redondo-Rosales was released on Friday after the governments first dismissal motion, McBroom said in an interview: He is relieved and getting reacclimatized to being back in the community. She said she hoped the judges clear rebuke of prosecutors could be helpful to others facing charges under similar circumstances: We cannot weaponize prosecutions to chill free speech and dissent. Counter-terrorism police are leading the investigation into the stabbing of two boys at a north London school, as a 13-year-old suspect is questioned by police on suspicion of attempted murder. The boy, 13, was held by police after a manhunt was launched for a teenage suspect after the stabbings at Kingsbury High School, Brent on Tuesday. Police were called to at 12.40pm to the stabbings at the secondary school and the two victims, aged 12 and 13, rushed to hospital where they are understood to be in a stable condition. Speaking at the school, Detective Chief Superintendent Luke Williams said: "The suspect, who we believe to be 13, left the scene following the stabbing. "After urgent inquiries, our officers arrested him and also recovered a weapon which we believe to have been used in the stabbing. "The suspect was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder and remains in custody for questioning by our officers." He said police were "keeping an open mind as to any motivation behind the attack". "However, due to the surrounding circumstances, the investigation is now being led by officers from counter terrorism policing London, who are working closely with our local officers in response to this incident," Mr Williams continued. "The investigation has not currently been declared a terrorist incident, and the investigation team will now be working at pace to gather any evidence and to establish the full circumstances of what's happened as quickly as possible." Detective Chief Superintendent Luke Williams speaking to members of the media at Kingsbury High School (Ben Whitley/PA Wire) As it happened:Look back at our live blog on the stabbings and how the manhunt unfolded The headteacher of the school said the incident was a deeply traumatic event for the whole school community, in a letter to parents and carers. Alex Thomas said: I fully appreciate that this will be very upsetting news to hear and, as you can imagine, this has been a deeply traumatic event for the whole school community. The situation is under control, but a live investigation is taking place. We are working closely with the authorities and I will provide further updates as soon as I am able to share confirmed information. Please keep the students and their families in your thoughts. Mr Thomas said the Lower School would be closed on Wednesday and students should stay at home, but the Upper School would be open for students in Years 10-13. On Tuesday evening, pupils were still being spoken to by police officers in one of the school's halls, more than three hours after the usual school day finished - and some were seen leaving in tears. The father of one pupil said children were obviously traumatised by what happened in front of them. Simon Theodorou, whose daughter attends the school, told the Standard: I believe the suspect was said to be going after people that he knew at the good school. Mr Theodorou, who runs a martial arts school, said: Sadly, one of my pupils here, he did know him, Im told. Police at the scene at Kingsbury High School, north west London, where two boys, aged 12 and 13, have been stabbed (Ben Whitley/PA Wire) He told the Metro his daughter told him the attacker had climbed into the school because they have good security over there. He had to go over a wall. Apparently, he pepper-sprayed a classroom. One of the pupils saw what was happening and pulled a fire alarm. He chased him and stabbed them in the neck. Im not too sure what happened to the other boy. He added: I just ran a seminar on knife mitigation and how to survive a knife injury, it is all too timely. To be honest, all youngsters are carrying weapons; they dont realise what happens when you pull a knife and the repercussions. Im shaken as well; it could have been my child. Mr Theodorou described the boy who apparently pulled the fire alarm as a hero. He did something, he didnt just let it happen. More children could have been hurt. On Tuesday evening, pupils were still being spoken to by police officers in one of the school's halls, more than three hours after the usual school day finished - and some were seen leaving in tears. The father of one pupil said children were obviously traumatised by what happened in front of them. Detective Chief Superintendent Luke Williams speaking to members of the media at Kingsbury High School (Ben Whitley/PA Wire) Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said her thoughts and prayers were with the two children stabbed in the "shocking attack". She posted on X: "A shocking attack at Kingsbury High School, where two children have been stabbed. "My thoughts and my prayers are with them, their families and all those affected. "The police have arrested the suspect, and I would like to thank them for their rapid work in doing so. We must now give them the space to pursue their investigation." While the Education Secretary said she is "heartbroken" about the stabbings. In a post on X, Bridget Phillipson said: "I am heartbroken to hear about the stabbings at a school in Brent. "My heart goes out to the families affected and the young people, teachers & school community at this awful time. "We are in contact with the school and council to offer support. Investigations are now under way." I am heartbroken to hear about the stabbings at a school in Brent. My heart goes out to the families affected and the young people, teachers & school community at this awful time. We are in contact with the school and council to offer support. Investigations are now underway. Bridget Phillipson (@bphillipsonMP) February 10, 2026 Mayor of London Sir Sadiq Khan urged anyone with information to contact the police, adding: "There is no honour in staying silent." "This awful violence has absolutely no place in our city," he said. Harrow East MP Bob Blackman said he was "deeply shocked and saddened to hear the dreadful news". "I know this will shock our local community, and I am in close contact with the police and will continue to seek updates as they work to keep everyone safe," he added in a post on X. Brent Council leader Muhammed Butt thanked the emergency services and school staff for their "swift response", adding: "This is a deeply shocking and distressing incident, and our thoughts and prayers are with those who have been injured, their families and the whole school community. "No parent should ever have to fear for their child's safety at school, and it is horrifying to think of how someone so young came to be in possession of a weapon capable of causing such harm." Kingsbury High School is an academy school serving children aged 11 to 18, with both upper and lower sites. According to the latest Department for Education information, it has 1,997 pupils. It traces its origins to Kingsbury County School, which opened in 1925 in a building which had been the office of the former Aircraft Manufacturing Company. It moved premises in 1932. Alumni include Wham's George Michael, jazz musician Courtney Pine, Floyd Steadman, the first black captain of the Saracens rugby team, and writer Ekow Eshun. Cristiano Ronaldo was again absent from the Al Nassr squad for their AFC Champions League Two clash at Arkadag in Turkmenistan, but was pictured training in Riyadh. The Portugal captain is believed to be upset by his clubs lack of January transfer business. The 41-year-old has missed the last two Saudi Pro League games, against Al Riyadh and Al Ittihad, with fans expressing their solidarity raising yellow signs featuring Ronaldos name and number seven in the seventh minute at Al-Awwal Park on Friday. The group in Riyadh keeps the rhythm going pic.twitter.com/N8JXETBGI2 AlNassr FC (@AlNassrFC_EN) February 11, 2026 While not included in the matchday line-up for the last-16 first leg against Arkadag, Ronaldo was pictured training with other players back in Riyadh in a post on Al Nassrs social media accounts on Wednesday morning. Ronaldo is reported to be unhappy with the Saudi Public Investment Fund for failing to invest in the team in the winter window, while rivals Al Hilal also 75 per cent majority-owned by the PIF brought in his former Real Madrid team-mate Karim Benzema from Al Ittihad. The Saudi Pro League has warned Ronaldo that no individual however significant determines decisions beyond their own club. Al Nassrs next league match is on Saturday at Al Fateh. Chuck Schumer speaks at a press conference with advocates and survivors of Jeffrey Epstein to introduce Virginias Law. Photograph: Anadolu/Getty Images (Photograph: Anadolu/Getty Images) Democrats in Congress were joined on Capitol Hill by survivors of Jeffrey Epsteins abuse to introduce legislation to end the statute of limitations and restrictions on jurisdiction in civil sexual abuse cases. The move comes less than two weeks after the justice department released 3.5m pages of heavily redacted documents related to Epstein, as ordered by the bipartisan Epstein Files Transparency Act. When the truth of Jeffrey Epstein finally started to come out, when the world finally started to listen to their stories, oftentimes the laws in the books said, Sorry, its too late. The deadline to bring your case has passed, Chuck Schumer, the Senate minority leader, said, introducing the legislation on the Senate floor on Tuesday. He added that the bill called Virginias Law in honor of the late Virginia Giuffre, one of Epsteins most well-known accusers will change that, because justice for victims of abuse should not have an expiration date. Related: Who are the six men named in the unredacted Epstein files? In September 2022, Congress passed a law removing the statute of limitations for victims of child sex abuse, previously set at 28 years old or 10 years after the incident, but the change did not apply to any crimes committed before that date. Schumer and Congresswoman Teresa Leger Fernandez, who is sponsoring the bill in the House, were joined at the US Capitol by Giuffres family, the anti-human trafficking coalition World Without Exploitation and attorney Sigrid McCawley, who represented Giuffre and other survivors of Epsteins abuse. Alongwith ending the statute of limitations, Leger Fernandez said, Virginias Law clarifies that traffickers cannot escape accountability by committing abuses in another jurisdiction. You dont get to escape prosecution by simply putting predators and victims on a plane to a private island or a mansion in Florida or a ranch in New Mexico. Leger Fernandez represents New Mexico, where Epstein owned a 10,000-acre ranch outside Santa Fe. The disgraced financier, who was a convicted sex offender, died in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex-trafficking charges. Lawmakers were accompanied by Sky and Amanda Roberts, the brother and sister-in-law of Giuffre, who died by suicide last year. Virginias dream was to inspire and empower survivors to come forward, Sky Roberts said in teary remarks. In response to a question later in the press conference, he called for Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor to answer questions in front of our Congress. Schumer said he agreed. Survivor advocates added that trafficking survivors often require many years to come forward about the abuse they faced. Although the justice department has released millions of pages of documents related to Epstein, lawmakers including Schumer have called for the release of further files, which Schumer says number in the millions. Don Lemon, the former CNN host, has secured legal representation from a federal prosecutor who resigned from his post amid a dispute with the Trump administration. A court filing on Tuesday revealed that Lemon, who is among nine individuals indicted for their alleged roles in disrupting a church service in Minnesota, has hired Joe Thompson. Thompson, who previously served as interim U.S. Attorney, stepped down last month from the Minnesota U.S. Attorneys Office, where he had been leading major fraud investigations. His departure coincides with a broader exodus of prosecutors from the office, reportedly driven by growing frustration with the administrations immigration enforcement crackdown and the Justice Departments response to fatal shootings by federal officers in Minneapolis. Lemon faces federal civil rights charges concerning his coverage of the church protest, which occurred at a church where an Immigration and Customs Enforcement official was a pastor. He has previously stated, through another attorney, his intention to plead not guilty, asserting he was not affiliated with the group that disrupted the service and was present solely as an independent journalist. The indictment, however, reportedly details various actions by the group, including comments made by Lemon during his livestream report on the event. Lemon is scheduled to be arraigned on Feb. 13 in federal court in St. Paul. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes) Lemon is scheduled to be arraigned on Feb. 13 in federal court in St. Paul. The Trump administration has cited the Minnesota fraud cases, in which most defendants have come from the states large Somali community, as justification for its immigration crackdown in the state. Thompson estimated in December that the losses to taxpayers from several fraud cases being prosecuted in Minnesota could total $9 billion. Thompson recently formed his own law firm with Harry Jacobs, another former federal prosecutor who resigned amid the upheaval in the office. Jacobs had been lead prosecutor in the case of Vance Boelter, who has pleaded not guilty in last year's assassination of former Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband, and the nonfatal shootings of a state senator and his wife. The firm's website describes them as battle tested and seasoned trial lawyers. Thompson did not immediately reply to messages seeking comment Tuesday. Paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein told an Emirati billionaire he loved the torture video, in a disturbing email exchange in the Epstein files. Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem has been named as one of the six wealthy, powerful men whose identities had previously been redacted in the documents. Epstein and Sulayem, CEO of international logistics firm DP World, appeared to have corresponded by email and texts for years, according to the files, discussing sex and sharing links to fetish sites. In an April 2009 email to Sulayem, Epstein wrote: where are you? are you ok , I loved the torture video. The recipient replied: I am in china I will be in the US 2nd week of may. In texts from 2007, Sulayem emailed Epstein about his attempts to meet a supermodel. According to a separate cache of emails obtained by Bloomberg, he wrote: After several attemps [sic] for several months we managed to meet in NY. there is a missunderstanding [sic] she she wanted some BUSINESS! while i only wanted some P****NESS! In 2015, Sulayem had suggested visiting the financier with his family and sent him links to fetish porn websites, according to the files. Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem (left) stayed in contact with financier Jeffrey Epstein after the latters conviction (House Oversight Committee) He also emailed Epstein about his sexual experiences, with the paedophile sending Sulayem a link to an escort website in 2017. The same year, Sulayem shared a copy of a passport belonging to a personal masseuse at Epsteins private spa, asking for help in finding her work as a trainee at the Rixos hotel in Antalya, Turkey. Images of the two billionaires together were also published in the files without context or dates, including one of them cooking in a kitchen. Sulayem is a real estate developer from Dubai with an estimated net worth of up to $8bn. He has been CEO of DP World since 2016. The firm is based in the UAE and works across cargo logistics, ports and maritime services. They claim to move 10 per cent of global trade daily. Epstein and Sulayem, pictured in another undated image, appear to have corresponded for years (DOJ) DP World employs 5,500 people in the United Kingdom, according to its website, and works across ports and freight rail terminals at London Gateway and Southampton. The company is best known in the UK for buying P&O ferries in 2019. The group fired nearly 800 members of staff in 2022 without prior notice or consultations with workers unions. Being named in the files does not suggest wrongdoing and Sulayem has not been charged with a crime in connection with Epstein. Searches suggest his name is included more than 5,000 times in the files. The US Department of Justice allowed lawmakers access to the unredacted files for the first time on Monday, which led Democrat Ro Khanna and Republican Thomas Massie to name Sulayem alongside five others on Tuesday. An email previously redacted, sent to Epstein about a torture video (US Department of Justice) Until tonight no one knew who sent the torture video to Epstein, Republican congressman Thomas Massie wrote on X (formerly Twitter). I went to DOJ, unredacted the email, and reverse searched the email to discover it was a Sultans [sic]. Our law requires VICTIMs information to be redacted, not information of men who sent Epstein torture porn! The DOJ is facing mounting pressure to release the remaining three million pages of Epstein files, and removing other redactions in the three million pages that have already been published. If we found six men that they were hiding in two hours, imagine how many men they are covering up for in those three million files, Khanna said in a speech to the House of Representatives Tuesday. Thomas Massie (left) and Ro Khanna speak to reporters about the Epstein files outside the offices of the Department of Justice in Washington, DC (Getty) Jamie Raskin, the House judiciary ranking member who also reviewed the unredacted papers, said: I was able to determine, at least I believe, that there were tons of completely unnecessary redactions, in addition to the failure to redact the names of victims. The Epstein Files Transparency Act, which became law in November, allows for certain withholdings and redactions, including to personally identifiable information about victims that would constitute a clear invasion of privacy; files that depict child abuse or images of death, abuse or injury; and information that would interfere with certain investigations, foreign policy or security. The act prohibits redactions to save for embarrassment, reputational harm, or political sensitivity, including to any government official, public figure or foreign dignitary. All redactions must be explained in writing. The Independent approached DP World and the US Department of Justice for comment. Former Daily Mail editor Paul Dacre has denied giving untrue evidence to the Leveson Inquiry and emphatically denies the allegation that he lied, the High Court has heard. The Duke of Sussex, Sir Elton John and Baroness Doreen Lawrence are among seven high-profile individuals bringing legal action against Associated Newspapers Limited (ANL) over allegations of unlawful information gathering (UIG). ANL has strongly denied wrongdoing and is defending the claims, which are also brought by David Furnish, Sir Simon Hughes, Liz Hurley and Sadie Frost. Mr Dacre, now editor-in-chief of ANLs holding company DMG Media, gave evidence for a second day on Wednesday, appearing as a witness in support of the publishing groups defence. He told the court the allegations against ANL were preposterous. David Sherborne, for the group of household names, suggested to Mr Dacre that invoices paid by Associated clearly indicated what services private investigators (PIs) were being paid to carry out, including vehicle registration checks and obtaining itemised phone billing. The barrister asked Mr Dacre if his evidence to the Leveson Inquiry into press standards when he said it was not known what the journalists asked PIs for was untrue. Mr Dacre replied: No, it isnt. He added that journalists who were asked about the services of a PI called Steve Whittamore said they had not always asked for the information he provided, and that Mr Whittamore would just give it. Mr Dacre told the hearing in London that his focus in the inquiry was on whether ANL had been involved in phone hacking, and that the use of PIs was not at the forefront of his mind. The court was told that Mr Dacre prepared witness statements for the inquiry and also gave live evidence in February 2012, during which he said ANL did not engage in phone hacking. In his witness statement to the High Court on Wednesday, Mr Dacre said: I am told that the claimants allege that I lied to the Leveson Inquiry. I emphatically deny this allegation. In his evidence to the inquiry, he said: I can be as confident as any editor, having made extensive enquiries into his newspapers practices and held an inquiry, that phone hacking was not practised by the Daily Mail or the Mail on Sunday. You know that because I gave my unequivocal, unequivocal assurances. David Sherborne (Aaron Chown/PA) (Aaron Chown) He also said: From what we know now, I would accept there was a prima facie case that Whittamore could have been acting illegally. I dont accept that this is evidence that our journalists were actively behaving illegally. We have to know the facts, whether there was a public interest. We dont know what the journalists asked for, we dont know what it related to and whether it actually was provided, whether the information was actually provided. The household names allege ANL carried out or commissioned unlawful activities such as hiring PIs to place listening devices inside cars, blagging private records and accessing private phone conversations. In written submissions, Mr Sherborne said: The court will also have before it evidence of the aggressive denials of Associateds executives of any wrongdoing whatsoever at the Leveson Inquiry and upon which key executives will be necessarily cross-examined at length. Given the clear evidence that UIG was undertaken by or on behalf of Associated, with the knowledge of those at Associated who commissioned it, the claimants aver that these denials deliberately threw them, and indeed the public at large, off the scent of all such acts of UIG, including those which make up the building blocks of their claims. The trial before Mr Justice Nicklin is due to conclude in March, with a judgment in writing at a later date. Republican candidates are beating Democratic counterparts in the Texas U.S. Senate race regardless of who de candidates are, according to a new poll. The survey, conducted by the University of Houston's Hobby School of Public Affairs, showed that Republicans John Cornyn and Ken Paxton would beat their Democratic counterparts Jasmine Crockett and James Talarico regardless of the matchup. Paxton would beat the two Democratic candidates by two percentage points. Cornyn would also beat Crockett by the same margin and would win a race against Talarico by a single percentage point. Rep. Wesley Hunt would beat the two candidates by a larger margin. New - Senate poll - Texas Paxton vs Crockett - Paxton +2 Paxton vs Talarico - Paxton +2 Cornyn vs Crockett - Cornyn +2 Cornyn vs Talarico - Cornyn +1 Hunt vs Crockett - Hunt +3 Hunt vs Talarico - Hunt +4 University of Houston #B - LV - 1/31 Political Polls (@PpollingNumbers) February 9, 2026 In the intra-party matchups, Paxton and Crockett took the lead. The former got 38% of the support, compared to Cornyn's 31%. 17% said they are likely to vote for Hunt and 12% of respondents said they are undecided. The poll was a margin of error of +/- 4.18 percentage points. Paxton would also have the lead in an eventual runoff between the two candidates getting the most votes in the primary. He leads Cornyn with all key demographics except Latino voters. Paxton's lead stands in contrast with another survey from Emerson College Polling/Nexstar Media, which showed the two practically tied in January. Concretely, it showed Paxton with a narrow lead, garnering 27% of the support compared to Cornyn's 26%. Rep. Wesley Hunt got 16% of the prospective vote and 29% of respondents said they have not decided who they will vote for. Paxton and Cornyn have been trading barbs as of late. The latest case took place last week after Paxton said in a social media post that "Cornyn's career is done and everyone knows it." Cornyn's campaign reacted to Paxton's post with a jab of his own. "Ken, when this over, you will have nothing. Which turns out to be the same thing you offered to give Angela in divorce proceedings. This after you cheated on her multiple times," the publication reads. As for Democrats, the poll showed that Crockett leads Talarico among all key demographics except for White voters and those with an advanced degree. 46% of likely Latino voters said they support Crockett, compared to 37% who chose Talarico. 15% said they were unsure. It is a contrast with other polls saying Talarico had an advantage with Latino voters. Originally published on Latin Times Dr Martin Kuper leaves Wimbledon Magistrates' Court. He is accused of exposing himself in front of the woman as she enjoyed the sunshine in Battersea Park last April (Tristan Kirk/PA Wire) A former chief executive of Moorfields Eye Hospital is accused of exposing himself to a woman in a London park and then sexually assaulting the police officer who arrested him, a court was told. Dr Martin Kuper, 57, is accused of flashing himself in front of the woman as she sunbathed in Battersea Park in April last year, only a few months before he left his role at the NHS trust. Wimbledon Magistrates Court heard Oxford-educated Dr Kuper is then accused of groping a female police officer once he had been detained. The incident took place in Battersea Park on April 28 2025, said prosecutor Barbara Valentini. The defendant approached the victim while she was sunbathing, straddled her and exposed his penis. He ran off into the bushes after being told off by the victim. Dr Martin Kuper leaves Wimbledon Magistrates' Court. (Tristan Kirk/PA Wire) Ms Valentini said that after his arrest Dr Kuper is accused of grabbing a female PC in her crotch area. Dr Kuper appeared in the dock on Wednesday to plead not guilty to charges of exposure and sexual assault. He was appointed as chief executive of Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust in September 2021 and held the role for almost four years until his departure in July last year. Prior to that role, Dr Kuper was chief medical director at Northwick Park Hospital in north-west London and he previously held a senior post at Whittington Hospital in north London. He spoke during the court hearing to confirm his name, age and home address in Chelsea, before repeating not guilty twice when the charges were read to him. He then elected to stand trial in front of a judge and jury at the Crown Court. Magistrate Sandra Burling freed Kuper on bail, with a condition that he does not go to Battersea Park in south-west London. He is due to appear at Kingston Crown Court on March 10, when a date will be set for his trial. (Tristan Kirk/PA Wire) The former chief executive of Moorfields Eye Hospital is accused of flashing at a woman in a London park before sexually assaulting the police officer who arrested him. Dr Martin Kuper, 57, is accused of exposing himself in front of the woman as she enjoyed the sunshine in Battersea Park in April last year, just a few months before he left his role at the NHS trust. Wimbledon Magistrates' Court heard Oxford-educated Kuper is then accused of groping a female police officer once he had been detained. "The incident took place in Battersea Park on April 28 2025," said prosecutor Barbara Valentini. "The defendant approached the victim while she was sunbathing, straddled her and exposed his penis. "He ran off into the bushes after being told off by the victim." Ms Valentini said that after his arrest Kuper is accused of "grabbing" a female PC in her crotch area. Kuper appeared in the dock on Wednesday to plead not guilty to charges of exposure and sexual assault. He was appointed as chief executive of Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust in September 2021 and held the role for almost four years until his departure in July last year. Prior to that role, Kuper was chief medical director at Northwick Park Hospital in north-west London and he previously held a senior post at Whittington Hospital in north London. He spoke during the court hearing to confirm his name, age and home address in Chelsea, before repeating "not guilty" twice when the charges were read to him. He then elected to stand trial in front of a judge and jury at the Crown Court. Magistrate Sandra Burling freed Kuper on bail, with a condition that he does not go to Battersea Park in south-west London. He is due to appear at Kingston Crown Court on March 10, when a date will be set for his trial. Kim Jong Un unveiled his domestic and foreign policy agenda for the next five years as he kicked off North Koreas biggest political event. Inaugurating the ninth Workers Party of Korea Congress in Pyongyang, Mr Kim said his country had made significant progress since the last such event, which was held during the Covid pandemic in 2021, the Korean Central News Agency reported. The congress is where the North Korean government spells out its major social, economic and military policy goals. In his address, Mr Kim offered to fix North Koreas economy after noting that the country had made substantial economic gains over the past five years and established a firmer regional footing that marked an "irreversible" strengthening of its status. "This created favourable conditions and circumstances for giving a greater spur to our socialist construction," he said. "Our party is faced with heavy and urgent historic tasks of boosting economic construction and the people's standard of living and transforming all realms of state and social life as early as possible. Mr Kim did not directly mention the longstanding conflict with the US and South Korea that has seen Washington impose sweeping sanctions on the East Asian country. Ninth Congress of the Workers' Party of Korea in Pyongyang (AFP via Getty) Ahead of the event, Mr Kim had vowed to expand North Koreas military and set next-stage plans for bolstering the nuclear programme. Analysts said at the time Mr Kims remarks indicated that the country would reveal a new military plan at the Workers' Party congress. The congress is a forum to decide on the next political, economic and military priorities, and issue messages to the world. Mr Kim had visited various military and economic facilities ahead of the congress, such as a cruise missile launch site and a large-scale greenhouse farm, to promote his accomplishments in national policy. Our army has proved before the times and history that it is its mettle and original features to quicken more enormous and vigorous strides for loyalty and feats the greater the trust in and expectation for it is, Mr Kim said. As youre all prepared for, this is a year of tremendous transformation, when the fighting front of our army will become more widened and which will demand more strenuous efforts. Likewise, the coming five years that will be indicated by the ninth congress of the party will be years when our armys outstanding role that no one else can perform will become further enhanced. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un attends the ninth Congress of the Workers' Party of Korea (Reuters) Mr Kim was speaking at the defence ministry on the 78th anniversary of the founding of the Korean Peoples Army. At the last party congress, Mr Kim had adopted a resolution to bolster his countrys nuclear deterrent. Establishing a nuclear force, he had said, was a strategic and predominant goal. This plan is likely to include securing heat-resisting atmospheric re-entry technology for intercontinental ballistic missiles, which North Korea has not yet proven through testing, as well as advancing nuclear-powered submarines and military reconnaissance satellites, Cho Han Bum, a senior researcher at the Korea Institute for National Unification, told South China Morning Post. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un reviews the guard of honour as he visits the defence ministry to celebrate the 78th anniversary of the founding of the Korean Peoples Army in Pyongyang on 9 February 2026 (AFP via Getty) In December, Mr Kim asked his officials to ramp up the production of missiles and artillery shells in 2026 and build new factories to meet the needs of the military. According to the KCNA report at the time, to further expand the overall production capacity and keep pace with the militarys demand, the leader also ordered the building of new munitions plants. Pyongyang already possesses a range of nuclear-capable missiles designed to strike the US as well as its allies across Asia. Mr Kim has called on the US to abandon its insistence that the North give up its nuclear weapons before talks can resume. He also didnt respond to an offer from Donald Trump to meet while the American leader was in South Korea for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit earlier last year. Experts reveal the impact mobile phone use in schools has on student wellbeing Restrictive mobile phone policies in schools do not improve student mental wellbeing, a new study has revealed. The research also revealed that enforcing rules around mobile phones in schools consumes more than 100 hours of staff time per week. Researchers at the University of Birmingham found no discernible difference in measures such as worry, sadness, or optimism among Year 8 and Year 10 pupils, regardless of whether their secondary schools enforced strict or lenient mobile phone rules. This revelation comes as the government recently updated its guidance, advocating against phone use in schools, and announced plans for a consultation on an Australia-style social media ban for under-16s. The study encompassed 20 secondary schools, carefully matched by characteristics, with 13 operating restrictive policies and seven adopting more permissive approaches. Permissive schools typically allowed phone use during break times, whereas restrictive institutions prohibited mobile phones throughout the entire school day or on school grounds. Schools with more restrictive rules reported they spent an average of 102 hours a week implementing them and applying behaviour sanctions if they were violated. However, schools with more permissive rules still reported spending an average of 108 hours on managing phone use, with more time spent on things like administering policies and recording incidents related to phones. Researchers said the findings show new ways to manage phones in schools are needed. Researchers also said restrictive phone policies save schools some money through the lower time spent managing them (Danny Lawson/PA Wire) University of Birminghams Professor Victoria Goodyear, chief investigator of the Smart Schools Study, said: School phone policies, whether permissive or restrictive, are a huge drain on a school to enforce. The high proportions of teacher time spent managing phone use or phone related behaviours during the school day is potentially being diverted away from other types of wellbeing promoting activities, such as pastoral support or extra-curricular activities. We therefore need new ways of approaching adolescent smartphone use in schools. Researchers also said restrictive phone policies save schools some money through the lower time spent managing them with restrictive rules estimated to cost on average 94 per pupil a year less than laxer rules. Senior study author and head of the Health Economics Unit at the University of Birmingham Professor Hareth Al-Janabi said: While there is a small difference in the resources needed to implement a restrictive policy, we are under no illusion that policing phone use is a big strain for schools and that a stricter policy is no silver bullet. Data collection for the study took place between 2022 and 2023, before the former Tory government brought in non-statutory guidance banning phones from schools According to data from the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (Dsit), 99.9 per cent of primary schools and 90 per cent of secondary schools have mobile phone policies in place. However, 58 per cent of secondary school pupils reported mobile phones being used without permission in at least some lessons, rising to 65 per cent for key stage four pupils. Schools watchdog Ofsted will be directed to examine schools mobile phone policies and how effectively they are implemented during inspections, which has been criticised by teaching unions. Some campaigners are calling for a total statutory ban on bringing phones to schools, while others have championed phones being stored in lockable pouches when pupils arrive. On Monday, teaching union NASUWT backed a complete statutory ban on phones in schools. Professor Goodyear told the Press Association: There is a lack of evidence in this space, and as researchers we are inclined to say that all new policies need to be supported by a robust evaluation and evidence informing that. Harriet Harman has told Keir Starmer to appoint a woman as first secretary of state. Composite: Alicia Canter/Peter Nicholls/Pool/AFP (Composite: Alicia Canter/Peter Nicholls/Pool/AFP) Female Labour MPs have demanded that Keir Starmer appoint a senior woman as his de facto deputy to oversee a complete culture change in Downing Street after a series of scandals that they say have exposed a No 10 boys club. Harriet Harman, one of the partys most senior figures, urged Starmer to revive the role of first secretary of state on Wednesday, a post occupied by Peter Mandelson under Gordon Brown. But she insisted the role must be held by a woman to transform the political culture in government around women and girls. The intervention comes after a tumultuous fortnight that has left the prime minister fighting for his political future. This week has seen a clear-out of some of Starmers closest advisers, including his chief of staff, Morgan McSweeney, as he sought to regain his grip on his party. Starmer was again forced on the defensive on Wednesday, saying that his former communications chief, Matthew Doyle, did not give a full account of his actions before being nominated for a peerage, after it emerged he had campaigned for a friend charged with possessing indecent images of children. Soon after an uncharacteristically pugnacious performance at prime ministers questions, where the leaders of all the main political partes lined up to question his judgment over Doyles peerage, Starmer faced a packed meeting of female members of the Labour party (PLP). He apologised again to them for appointing Mandelson as the UKs ambassador to the US, promising action to eradicate structural misogyny. Harman told Starmer decisive action was needed to draw a line under the scandals and that he should appoint a woman as first secretary of state who would be his de facto deputy and the most senior cabinet member after him. She said it would be really powerful if the role was given to a woman and said fighting misogyny should be the sixth mission of the Starmer government. Harman was deputy Labour leader under Gordon Brown, but he refused to make her deputy prime minister, later promoting Mandelson to first secretary of state. Mandelson was the last Labour figure to hold the role. Harman said the role would be in addition to the post of deputy prime minister held by David Lammy. We need a complete culture change and I think everybody recognises that, Harman told the Guardian. But its easier to say lets change culture than to make it happen. The first secretary role would turbocharge the governments pledge to halve violence against women and girls over the next decade, she said. It would deal with culture change, but it would also hold every government department accountable for what they are doing on women and empower the work on women thats happening in each of those departments. The culture secretary, Lisa Nandy, said there had been far too many misogynistic briefings by the prime ministers circle. Ive been completely straight with him about how unacceptable that is, she told ITV1s Peston. And I believe that he is sincere in hating that culture of briefings, particularly briefings against women, of which there have been far too many and it has been far too frequent and is sincere about wanting to stamp that out. We need to see far less of these misogynistic briefings. We need far more women around every table where decisions are being made and we need to make sure that we model that change that were creating out there in the country. The fallout of the Mandelson scandal, worsened by the revelations about Doyle, has sparked real anger in the Labour ranks and particularly among female MPs, with one describing it as the worst week of her life. Another Labour MP said Starmers meeting with women from the PLP was the least he could fucking do, and that his future depended on moving the dial on violence against women and girls and ending the kowtowing to the vested interests of powerful rich men. Im just not sure the government is up for it, they said. In a blog before the meeting, the local government minister, Alison McGovern, wrote: Its our culture that doesnt properly hear women which meant Peter Mandelsons power lasted for so long. Amid the fury among female members of parliament, a growing Amazonian guard has formed around Starmer since his chief of staffs resignation. McSweeney, who said he had advised Starmer to appoint Mandelson as US ambassador, has been replaced by acting joint chiefs of staff Vidhya Alakeson and Jill Cuthbertson. The role of director of communications vacated by Tim Allan on Monday has been filled for now by Sophie Nazemi, one of the few veterans of the Corbyn era who has gained Starmers trust. Another name linked with the role is Starmers former director of communications Stephanie Driver, who resigned when Allan was promoted above her last autumn. The reputation of No 10s political director, Amy Richards, has also strengthened, and she is widely thought to be playing a pivotal role in improving Starmers relationship with his party. But MPs urged Starmer to go further at the PLP meeting described by one attendee as supportive and constructive on Wednesday. The Bolsover MP, Natalie Fleet, who became pregnant after being groomed and raped as a teenager, asked the prime minister to launch a national inquiry into the crimes of the former Harrods owner Mohamed Al Fayed, telling him that victims had written to No 10 but had not received a reply. She asked Starmer to meet her and the victims. These are our victims, this is our Epstein, she said, adding that English police officers had taken bribes and doctors had checked that victims were virgins. I know, as a survivor, that nobody cares, she said. Literally, nobody cares. You have to seize the moment right now, people up and down the country saying they care. OK, great, lets do something about it. Fleet said Starmer still had her full support but had to demonstrate that he had listened to womens concerns, including those in his own party. I genuinely believe that Starmer is the best weve got when it comes to tackling violence against women and girls, she said. If I could pick a prime minister out of the country, I would pick somebody with a record like his. The fact that hes being derailed to this scale by this drama just feels so ironic, because he genuinely cares. Thats why we need him to do more. We need him to deliver. We need deeds, not words. Minnesota's Governor Tim Walz has expressed optimism that a federal immigration crackdown in the state will conclude within "days, not weeks and months," following recent discussions with top Trump administration officials. The Democratic governor revealed at a press conference that he spoke with border czar Tom Homan on Monday and White House chief of staff Susie Wiles on Tuesday morning. Homan assumed control of the Minnesota operation in late January, after a second fatal shooting involving federal officers and amidst growing political opposition and scrutiny over the operation's management. "Were very much in a trust but verify mode," Governor Walz stated, adding that he anticipated further updates from the administration "in the next day or so" regarding the future of what he described as an "occupation" and a "retribution campaign" against the state. While Walz currently feels hopeful, noting that "every indication I have is that this thing is winding up," he cautioned that circumstances could still evolve. The Democratic governor revealed at a press conference that he spoke with border czar Tom Homan on Monday and White House chief of staff Susie Wiles on Tuesday morning. (Reuters/Leah Millis) It would be my hope that Mr. Homan goes out before Friday and announces that this thing is done, and theyre bringing her down and theyre bringing her down in days, Walz said. That would be my expectation. Officials with the Department of Homeland Security did not immediately reply to a request for comment on the governor's remarks. Walz said he has no reason not to believe Homan's statement last week that 700 federal officers would leave Minnesota immediately, but the governor added that still left 2,300 on Minnesota's streets. Homan at the time cited an increase in unprecedented collaboration resulting in the need for fewer federal officers in Minnesota, including help from jails that hold inmates who could be deported. The governor also indicated that he expects the state will get cooperation on joint investigations into the shooting deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti by federal officers, but gave no details. That's been a point of friction between federal authorities and state investigators, who complain that they have been frozen out of those cases so far with no access to evidence. Walz called the news conference primarily to denounce the economic impact of the enforcement surge. He spoke at The Market at Malcolm Yards, a food hall where owner Patty Wall said the entire restaurant sector of the local economy has become collateral damage from the surge. Matt Varilek, the governor's employment and economic development commissioner, said Malcolm Yards would normally be bustling, but is now struggling because employees and customers are afraid to come due to the crackdown. So it is great news, of course, that the posture seems to have changed at the federal level toward their activities here in Minnesota, Varilek said. But, as the governor said, its a trust-but-verify situation. And frankly, the fear that has been sown, I havent really noticed any reduction in that. Mark Kelly speaks after departing federal court in Washington DC on 3 February 2026. Photograph: Heather Diehl/Getty Images (Photograph: Heather Diehl/Getty Images) A Washington DC grand jury declined to indict six Democratic lawmakers who were denounced by Donald Trump after they made a video urging troops to refuse illegal orders. Federal prosecutors had sought an indictment against the Democrats who participated in the video, including Elissa Slotkin, Mark Kelly, Jason Crow, Chris Deluzio, Maggie Goodlander and Chrissy Houlahan, who all have military and intelligence backgrounds. Slotkin, a former CIA officer, organized the video in which the lawmakers said officers can resist unlawful commands. Trump was outraged by the clip, and described it as seditious behavior by traitors that was punishable by death. Reacting to the news at a press conference on Capitol Hill, Kelly warned that the administrations attempt to criminalize their expression of dissent was a master alarm flashing for our democracy. This is not a good news story, the Arizona Democrat said on Wednesday. This is a story about how Donald Trump and his cronies are trying to break our system in order to silence anyone who lawfully speaks out against them. Pete Hegseth, the defense secretary, formally censured Kelly, a retired Nasa astronaut and decorated navy captain, over the incident and attempted to reduce his rank and pension. Kelly filed a lawsuit against Hegseth last month arguing the video he and other Democrats made was protected free speech, and that the secretary had undertaken an unconstitutional crusade against him. In response to news of the failed indictment, Kelly described it as an outrageous abuse of power by Donald Trump and his lackeys. Related: Congressmen name six wealthy men likely incriminated in Epstein files It wasnt enough for Pete Hegseth to censure me and threaten to demote me, now it appears they tried to have me charged with a crime all because of something I said that they didnt like, Kelly said. Thats not the way things work in America. Donald Trump wants every American to be too scared to speak out against him. The most patriotic thing any of us can do is not back down. Slotkin said in a statement on Tuesday that the video simply quoted the law and Jeanine Pirro, the US attorney, attempted to persuade a grand jury to indict Slotkin at the direction of Trump. Today, it was a grand jury of anonymous American citizens who upheld the rule of law and determined this case should not proceed, Slotkin said, describing it as another sad day for our country. Because whether or not Pirro succeeded is not the point. Its that President Trump continues to weaponize our justice system against his perceived enemies. Its the kind of thing you see in a foreign country, not in the United States we know and love. The Department of Justice had recently requested to interview Slotkin, the Michigan senator announced last month. Slotkin said she sent a letter to Bondi and Pirro informing them she would not comply with their inquiries and urged them to retain their records in the event she decides to sue. Im not going to legitimize their actions, Slotkin said. Our constitution is crystal clear on the issue of freedom of speech something worth fighting for. To be honest, many lawyers told me to just be quiet, keep my head down and hopefully this will all just go away. But thats exactly what the Trump administration and Jeanine Pirro want. They are purposely using physical and legal intimidation to get me to shut up. But, more importantly, theyre using that intimidation to deter others from speaking out against their administration. The Trump administration has frequently sought to weaponize the legal system against political rivals and critics of the White House, including the former FBI director James Comey and Letitia James, the New York attorney general. Federal grand juries returned indictments against James and Comey last fall, but a judge later dismissed both cases after finding the prosecutor who brought them had been improperly appointed. Efforts to re-indict James were unsuccessful. This article was amended on 11 February 2026. An earlier version reported that a federal grand jury twice declined to indict Letitia James; however, James was indicted, and her case was later dismissed, as was the case against James Comey. James Van Der Beek, who has died aged 48, was best known for playing the titular character in US teen drama Dawsons Creek, but in his private life his focus was his wife Kimberly and their six children. The programme, which began in 1998 and ended in 2003, followed the adventures of four teenage friends, including Van Der Beeks character Dawson Leery, as they awkwardly came of age in a small Massachusetts suburb. After capturing the imagination of American teenagers, the TV series aired on Channel 4 in the UK and helped to launch the careers of Van Der Beek as well as his co-stars Katie Holmes and Michelle Williams. Heather McComb and James Van Der Beek arrive at the Vanity Fair 2004 afterparty (Myung Jung Kim/PA) (Myung Jung Kim) The mid to late 1990s saw Van Der Beek star in a slew of films including comedy Angus, romance drama I Love You, I Love You Not, and sport movie Varsity Blues, which involved him gaining 15lbs of muscle to play quarter-back Jonathan Mox Moxon. In 2001 he starred in western film Texas Rangers, alongside Ashton Kutcher, and the next year he appeared in rom-com The Rules Of Attraction. He married his first wife, actress Heather McComb, in 2003 and the couple separated in 2009. The year after, he married his partner Kimberly in a small ceremony in Tel Aviv, Israel, and the couple welcomed their first child, Olivia, soon after. As well as his film credits Van Der Beek had cameos in TV series including How I Met Your Mother and Ugly Betty and showcased his ballroom skills in US TV competition series Dancing With The Stars in 2019. Actor James Van Der Beek poses with Samantha Morton, after she was named Best British Actress, during the Empire Film Awards (Ian West/PA) (Ian West) The Connecticut actor also became known for his roles as a fictional version of himself in Dont Trust the B- in Apartment 23, in CSI: Cyber as FBI agent Elijah Mundo, and as Matt Bromley in the first season of the US drama Pose. He also starred in the films Jay And Silent Bob Strike Back (2001), The Big Bang (2010) and Labor Day (2013). The actor was among a number of the stars who condemned film producer Harvey Weinstein in 2017, whilst also sharing details of his own experiences being sexually harassed by unnamed older, powerful men. In a series of tweets, the TV star said he can relate to the women who had kept silent for so long, because he has also endured unwanted attention of a sexual nature. In 2018 he announced on social media that his wife was expecting their fifth child, having now welcomed Annabel, Emilia, Gwendolyn, and Joshua, into their lives. James Van Der Beek (Alamy/PA) Their sixth child together, Jeremiah, was born in 2021 after Kimberly suffered some late-term miscarriages. Van Der Beek posted about his family online often and in August 2024, after celebrating 14 years together, he thanked his wife for being the most incredible partner. Months prior he had said he was so proud of my baby girl in an Instagram post showing him and his daughter Olivia singing a duet together on TV programme We Are Family. In November 2024 he announced his diagnosis with colorectal cancer via an article with US publication People. In a post on Instagram, the actor apologised to his loved ones who had learned of his cancer through the press and said the story had run early as he was informed that a tabloid was going to run with the news. He also said he was in a good place with his his colorectal cancer diagnosis. It was announced in May last year that Van Der Beek had been cast in Prime Videos upcoming Legally Blonde prequel Elle, with the actor saying he was super excited to join this awesome cast in such a fun project. In September, Van Der Beek missed a Dawsons Creek reunion event, which was organised in support of him and the charity F Cancer, due to two stomach viruses, adding that he was gutted to drop out. However, his children sang the shows theme tune on stage with other members of the cast at the event. In December, he was described as a ray of positivity by American TV presenter Craig Melvin, who added that Van Der Beek was finding joy in family and faith. Sir Keir Starmer came under intense fire at Prime Ministers Questions over his decision to give jobs to two Labour figures with links to paedophiles. Tory leader Kemi Badenoch tore into his decision to give a peerage to former No10 communications chief Matthew Doyle. Lord Doyle, who has had the Labour whip removed, has apologised for campaigning for Sean Morton in 2017 after he had been charged over indecent images of children. But he is now facing calls to lose his peerage altogether, including from Labour Party chair Anna Turley. The row comes amid the Mandelson scandal and his links to paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein. Sir Keir Starmer came under intense pressure at PMQs on Wednesday (House of Commons/UK Parliament/PA Wire) At PMQs, Mrs Badenoch accused Sir Keir of stuffing the Government with paedophile apologists. She stressed that the Mandelson appointment was not an isolated incident. She further claimed there was an established pattern of behaviour over the PMs appointment of Lord Mandelson as British ambassador to the US and Lord Doyle to the Lords. Sir Keir hit back and said Matthew Doyle "did not give a full account of his actions" when he was given a peerage despite his ties to councillor Morton. Rejecting Mrs Badenochs criticisms, he added: This Government have introduced the most far-reaching violence against women and girls strategy. Tory leader Kemi Badenoch at PMQs (House of Commons/UK Parliament/PA Wire) But Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey said: To appoint one paedophile supporter cannot be excused as misfortune. To appoint two shows a catastrophic lack of judgement. Downing Street later insisted there is "no established precedent" for stopping a peerage after it has been announced. Pressed on why Sir Keir Starmer did not prevent Lord Doyle from taking up his seat in the Lords, the Prime Minister's official spokesman told reporters: "There's no established precedent for withdrawing a peerage nomination after the announcement stage. "That's why we're undertaking wider reform to both vetting and appointment processes." Sir Keirs spokesman added that No 10 would not "get ahead" of a Labour probe into Lord Doyle after the party's chairwoman Anna Turley called for him to be stripped him of his peerage. Matthew Doyle (House of Commons/UK Parliament/PA Wire) The Met Police has launched a criminal investigation into claims of misconduct in public office by Lord Mandelson by allegedly passing market sensitive financial information to Epstein when he was Business Secretary in Gordon Browns government between 2009 and 2010. Lord Mandelson is understood to deny wrongdoing but Sir Keir has been slammed for appointing him a British ambassador while knowing he had ongoing ties to Epstein. Sir Keir survived an attempt to oust him as Prime Minister after Labours leader in Scotland Anas Sarwar called on him to resign. The Cabinet swiftly rallied around the PM, snuffing out moves to try to topple him. But the two paedophile storms left the Government wide open to attack from Tory leader Kemi Badenoch at PMQs. In his apology, Lord Doyle said he believed Moray councillor Mortons assertions of innocence at the time he campaigned for him, but the councillor later admitted having the indecent images. The peer said he also had extremely limited contact with Morton after his conviction. Labour had suspended Morton after he appeared in court in connection with indecent child images in late 2016. In a third case, a tweet of Sir Keir campaigning in 2018 with Liron Velleman, who was then a Labour councillor in Barnet, has been deleted. Liron Velleman (Metropolitan Police/PA Wire) Velleman, 30, who has since admitted child sex offences, sent someone he thought was a 13-year-old girl a video of his penis and asked her to show me your bra, a court was told. Unbeknownst to him, he was actually in contact with a decoy officer from the Met Police. Amid the turmoil in his party, Sir Keir has pledged to never walk away from his mandate, and insisted he would lead the Labour Party into the next general election. He also hit out at infighting within his party which was dealt another blow when Health Secretary Wes Streeting published his Whatsapp exchanges with Lord Mandelson. In them, he said that Labour lacked a growth strategy and told of his fears of losing his Ilford North seat at the next general election. Sir Keir stressed his Government should be acting together over the release of files on Lord Mandelson after Mr Streeting published his exchanges with the former ambassador. The PM was expected to continue efforts to shake up his No 10 operation, with the countrys top civil servant Sir Chris Wormald rumoured to be on his way out in the coming days. Disgraced peer Lord Mandelson (Jonathan Brady/PA) Cabinet Secretary Sir Chris failed to attend a meeting of Parliaments Intelligence and Security committee on Tuesday, the group tasked with screening the files to be released related to Lord Mandelsons appointment. There is speculation he could be replaced by Antonia Romeo, currently top civil servant at the Home Office. Sir Keirs chief of staff Morgan McSweeney and communications chief Tim Allan have already departed as the Prime Minister seeks to revive his fortunes after a bruising start to 2026. Labour's efforts to ramp up deportations to France under the one-in, one-out scheme could be thrown into disarray by a fresh round of legal claims from migrants challenging the lawfulness of the deal. Migrants who had been detained under the programme, which launched last August, argued at the High Court on Wednesday that the government was failing trafficking victims. The 16 migrants, some of whom have already been deported to France, claim that French authorities do not support victims of trafficking and that men in France were not receiving the same help as women and children. They are also challenging the Home Offices policy to block migrants from contesting decisions made on their modern slavery claims. The lawfulness of the way the scheme is operated will be considered at a hearing at a later date. Mr Justice Chamberlain heard that, as of the end of January, 40 per cent of migrants detained under the one-in, one-out removal deal have made trafficking claims. Home Office lawyers said that any decision made on how the government is dealing with trafficking victims would have a big impact on their ability to operate the scheme. More than 300 migrants have been deported under the one-in, one-out scheme so far (Getty) As of 5 February, 312 people had been removed to France, and 365 brought to the UK. Kate Grange KC, for the Home Office, said: 40 per cent of historic cases so far have been raising trafficking claims, so its not an insignificant number. Some 48 migrants have taken legal action to try and halt their removal under the scheme, of which four were successful, the court heard. Mr Justice Chamberlain acknowledged that the number of migrants legal claims are putting pressure on the courts resources. Ms Grange insisted that people are being accommodated on arrival in France and that they had access to medical support. She added: There isnt any risk [if individuals are sent to France], people can bring their [legal] claims from France and they will be supported, they will get the accommodation they need and the medical support they need. Migrants carrying children wait in the water to try to board a smuggler's boat in an attempt to cross the English Channel off the beach of Gravelines, northern France, in September 2025. (AFP via Getty) However, the High Court heard that one of the migrants, known only as DNG, was at risk of suicide, having been removed to France under the deal. His brother had taken his own life in France, and he was suffering from serious mental health problems, the court was told. The Home Office argued that DNG had been accessing psychiatric support in France and said it would oppose his application to return to the UK. Two of the migrants had also been involved in age disputes with the Home Office after they claimed to be children. A deportation flight to Paris is scheduled under the scheme next week, but no flight took off this week, the court heard. Home secretary Shabana Mahmood told MPs last week that we would obviously want to see much larger numbers of people being deported under the one-in, one-out deal. She said that the pilot scheme has proved the concept, but legal challenges and detention capacity limits in the UK and France were limiting expansion. On Monday, British socialite and partner of the late sex trafficker, Jeffrey Epstein, Ghislaine Maxwell was called to appear virtually before the U.S. House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform but declined to answer substantive questions, invoking her Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination. The deposition was the culmination of months of maneuvering by lawmakers determined to probe government handling of the Epstein case and Maxwell's role in it. The committee, led by Representative James Comer of Kentucky, subpoenaed Maxwell's testimony in July 2025 as part of an expansive investigation into how federal authorities handled the Epstein investigation and related files. Maxwell, who is serving a 20-year federal sentence for aiding Epstein in the sexual abuse of minors, arrived prepared to exercise her constitutional rights. Multiple lawmakers confirmed she invoked the Fifth in response to all substantive questions and offered no new details about alleged co-conspirators or conduct. According to ABC News, Comer told reporters that "Ghislaine Maxwell took the fifth and refused to answer any questions. This is obviously very disappointing. We had many questions to ask about the crime she and Epstein committed, as well as questions about potential co-conspirators. We sincerely want to get to the truth for the American people and justice for the survivors. That's what this investigation is about." He later posted a similar statement on his social media. As expected, Ghislaine Maxwell invoked the Fifth today and refused to answer our questions about her crimes with Jeffrey Epstein and potential co-conspirators. This is extremely disappointing. Our goal remains unchanged: uncover the truth and secure justice for the survivors. pic.twitter.com/eZCfgxP57i Rep. James Comer (@RepJamesComer) February 9, 2026 Representative Ro Khanna of California wrote a public letter to Comer highlighting Maxwell's inconsistency as she invoked the Fifth during the congressional deposition, even though she previously answered questions from the Department of Justice without asserting that privilege. His letter read, "It is my understanding that Ms. Ghislaine Maxwell intends to invoke her Fifth Amendment privilege... This position appears inconsistent with Ms. Maxwell's prior conduct, as she did not invoke the Fifth Amendment when she previously met with Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche to discuss substantially similar subject matter." The letter also contains a list of questions regarding Maxwell's previous testimony to Blanche, including "'four named conspirators' and 25 men who entered into secret settlements were not indicted as part of the investigation." The questions also focused on Maxwell and Epstein's relationship to President Donald Trump. The fourth question reads, "Did you or Mr. Epstein ever arrange, facilitate, or provide access to underage girls to President Trump?" Later, Khanna posted on social media that "Here is my conclusion after sitting through Maxwell's deposition... She must immediately be sent back to the maximum security prison where she belongs." Here is my conclusion after sitting through Maxwell's deposition with her refusing to answer a single question about the men who raped underage girls, saying she would only do so for clemency. She must immediately be sent back to the maximum security prison where she belongs. https://t.co/1LiInZsP5i Ro Khanna (@RoKhanna) February 9, 2026 Other House members voiced similar sentiments. California Congressman Robert Garcia implied that Ghislaine's refusal to answer questions before the House is part of a strategy to secure a presidential pardon, as the only information she gave them was that Trump and former President Bill Clinton were innocent of any wrongdoing. After the deposition, Maxwell's attorney, David Oscar Markus, posted a statement on social media on her behalf stating, "Only she can provide the complete account. Some may not like what they hear, but the truth matters. For example, both President Trump and President Clinton are innocent of any wrongdoing." Ghislaine Maxwell invoked her Constitutional right to silence this morning before @RepJamesComer and the House Oversight Committee. Here is the statement I gave to the Committee explaining why: Members of the Committee: On my advice, Ghislaine Maxwell will respectfully invoke David Oscar Markus (@domarkus) February 9, 2026 Garcia wrote on social media that, "Maxwell is a known liar, and her lawyer told us that only she knows the truth - but won't talk unless she gets clemency. She wants a pardon, and the American people won't be fooled." Lets be clear: Maxwell is a known liar, and her lawyer told us that only she knows the truth - but wont talk unless she gets clemency. She wants a pardon, and the American people wont be fooled. https://t.co/o8jITZMPXE Congressman Robert Garcia (@RepRobertGarcia) February 9, 2026 Texas Representative Jasmine Crockett told reporters that "She has no remorse. She is not seeking to bring about some kind of closure for these women. She doesn't care." She later wrote on social media, "Ghislaine Maxwell has made it abundantly clear that she will continue protecting pedophiles and sex traffickers until she is granted clemency by Donald Trump." Ghislaine Maxwell has made it abundantly clear that she will continue protecting pedophiles and sex traffickers until she is granted clemency by Donald Trump. She doesnt care about the crimes that she has committed and is completely unremorseful. We are not letting up. We Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett (@RepJasmine) February 9, 2026 Originally published on IBTimes Lloyds Banking Group is to shut another 95 bank branches in the next round of closures announced by the high street bank. The closures will affect branches across its Lloyds Bank, Halifax and Bank of Scotland brands between May 2026 and March 2027. Under the plans, 53 Lloyds, 31 Halifax and 11 Bank of Scotland sites will shut. 31 Halifax sites will close under the plans (PA) (Jonathan Brady) Cash access network Link said 14 new locations will receive a banking hub in order to protect access to cash across the country. Banking hubs are shared spaces operated by staff at different banks on different days, offering services including withdrawing and depositing cash and paying bills. Lloyds did not specify how many members of staff will be impacted by the closures, but all those who work at the branches will be offered a role at another branch or in another part of the business. It is the latest swathe of branches to be axed, with Lloyds in the middle of its latest round of closures which will see 49 sites shut down by October. That followed 136 closures announced around a year ago. Lloyds will have 610 branches remaining once all the previously-announced closures are complete. A spokeswoman for Lloyds said: Customers want the freedom to bank in the way that works for them and we offer more choice and ways to manage money than ever before. From our leading apps and 24/7 messaging service to local banking options like our community bankers, PayPoint and access to all of our Lloyds, Halifax and Bank of Scotland branches, were giving our customers the flexibility to bank wherever and whenever they need us. Tourists flock to Greenwich in their droves to get a wonderful view of Canary Wharf - Mike Kemp/Getty Images There are parts of London going the way of Venice. La Serenissima has ceased to be a working city and lies asleep on the water, trapped by its own history. However beautiful Venice remains, it exists purely as a destination for tourists. London will hopefully never be so abandoned by reality, but when you travel around its neighbourhoods, you can sense that some no longer feel real. They appear instead like soulless rooms in a museum. Gentrification is not always a negative thing. Cities change as economies and people change. Londons great strength has always been its adaptability sudden or gradual. Just because your neighbourhood does not look or feel the same as it did when you grew up doesnt necessarily mean civilisation is collapsing. The challenge for some areas of London today is that they are no longer neighbourhoods in the old sense of the word. They are much harder to live and work in and, a bit like Venice, the line between their identity and purpose has been blurred. We are not talking about Big Ben or Buckingham Palace here. London is now full of places outside the centre that have become self-conscious versions of themselves. Some are a lot of fun, some less so. Almost all are in areas where working-class families once built communities, but are now where outsiders come to experience a version of reality that has been curated via food stalls and pubs redecorated to look traditional. In Victoria, the Regency Cafe has become the most popular greasy spoon in the capital - Justin Tallis/AFP/Getty The downside of gentrification is that areas become too expensive for the families who originally lived there. The collective memory of those streets is lost, replaced by professionals and helicopter parents less likely to put down roots. The communal spaces around these streets become zoo-like parades of tourists taking pictures of organic soap stalls, supposedly old fashioned chip shops and cafes, as if they were collecting butterflies in a net. With manufacturing jobs non-existent and the genuinely poor parts of the city ghettoised in ways I have never seen in 50 years, the disappearance of the working-class leaves room for certain areas to be transformed into theme park versions of themselves. Victoria Park, Camden, Broadway Market, Borough, Greenwich, Brick Lane these are destinations that are obviously real in the material sense, but also feel unreal. Why might that be? When I lived in Peckham in the mid 1990s it was among the roughest, toughest parts of south London with a massive immigrant population and yet it was undoubtedly real. It had no sense of itself other than a home for families getting on with their lives. Now Peckham is a cooler place to be, but the more creative people move there (you know the type) the more weightless and rootless the neighbourhood becomes. Camden is one of Londons hottest tourist destinations - Alex Segre/Universal Images Group/Getty Such areas all have plummeting birth rates because families cant afford to stay there and parents who do often only have one child. This ossifies communities it deprives them of vibrancy and vigour. What springs up instead are invariably stores and restaurants that are specifically designed to fake old and authentic but are in fact new and expensive. Schools are closing and the souls of these areas slowly die, replaced by somewhere nice to visit but increasingly difficult to live in. As symbols of the old East End, pie and mash shops are the most fragrant example of how reality can come to seem like a simulation. Good pie and mash shops still exist, though often they have moved further east into Essex where the customers are. Walk into one and you will see tourists gawping at old-world shabbiness and taking pictures of their food. In Victoria, the Regency Cafe has become the most popular greasy spoon in the capital. Its so busy you can never get near it to eat anything while its clogged with Instagrammers collecting images of old-fashioned tiling and baked beans on toast. This is as much a cultural phenomenon as a demographic one. Since tourists want to experience rather than just visit, they will gravitate to places like Broadway Market and destinations like a pie and mash shop to engage with what they assume to be real London. Its real in that you can touch it, but they are touching what London is becoming rather than what they think it is. That, in part, is being lost forever. American social media star Sneako asks if documentary maker Louis Theroux is going to do a hit piece on him in a new teaser trailer for Therouxs latest documentary. Titled Inside The Manosphere, it is due to be released on Netflix on March 11, and sees Theroux explore the impact of online misogyny on young boys as he takes on the manosphere. Internet personality Sneako, real name Nicolas Kenn De Balinthazy, has been previously banned from YouTube and TikTok, the former in 2022 for what he has previously said was for Covid and election misinformation. In a recent interview with DJ Vlad, Sneako who has 423,000 followers on video-sharing platform Rumble claimed that YouTube had apologised and reinstated his original account in 2025. In the Netflix trailer, Sneako can be seen asking who journalist Theroux is, before saying: Oh s***, is he going to do a hit piece on me? Broadcaster Theroux, 55, will speak with social media stars and content creators who are at the extreme end of the manosphere, according to Netflix. At the end of the trailer, Sneako is seen imitating the journalist and said: There was a funny moment where he said, what do you think Sneakos message is?' While watching a video of the social media creator mimic him, Theroux was seen saying: Do I sound like that? A little bit. Ed Matthews will appear in the new documentary (Courtesy of Netflix) The trailer also shows a clip of UK TikTok personality Ed Matthews, who has a following of almost 200,000 on the platform and is known for his collaborations with other content creators. Matthews is also a boxer, and was fitted with an electronic tag last year which cost 2,000 to remove, after pleading guilty to threatening behaviour and assault by beating. Harrison Sullivan, known as HSTikkyTokky on TikTok, is also among the social media stars in the trailer. The 24-year-old, who has more than 300,000 followers and 2.2 million likes on TikTok, hit headlines last year after avoiding jail for crashing his McLaren in Virginia Water, Surrey, in March 2024. The social media star was extradited from Spain and later sentenced to a one-year suspended custodial sentence after pleading guilty to dangerous driving and driving without insurance. He has also been disqualified from driving for two years, had an electronic tag for three months, and is expected to complete 300 hours of unpaid work and 30 days of rehabilitation. Harrison Sullivan (HS Tikky Tokky) will also appear in the documentary (Courtesy of Netflix) The teaser trailer also features Sudanese-American YouTuber Myron Gaines, who has more than 500,000 subscribers on the platform and is best known for hosting his Fresh And Fit podcast, which explores gender dynamics. Also among the social media influencers set to appear in the series is US internet personality Justin Waller, who has more than one million followers on Instagram, and has previously had his channel banned by YouTube. Waller, 39, is the CEO of Louisiana-based company RedIron Construction and is known for his friendship with controversial influencer Andrew Tate, with his Instagram account featuring pictures with Tate and others. Louis Theroux and Justin Waller (Courtesy of Netflix) In between clips, text on screen reads: Louis returns beta than ever. The pun on better refers to terminology in the manosphere which is used to refer to men who are low status and submissive, according to government website Educate Against Hate. The Cambridge dictionary defines the manosphere as websites and internet discussion groups concerned with mens interests and rights as opposed to womens, often connected with opposition to feminism or dislike of women. The 90-minute documentary, executive produced by Theroux, Aloke Devichand and Arron Fellows, will premiere on Netflix on March 11. Louise Thompson has said she is demanding accountability from the Government after leading a protest calling for improved maternity care for mothers and babies. The former Made In Chelsea star, 35, nearly lost her life while delivering her son Leo in November 2021 and has subsequently suffered from PTSD. Thompson took to College Green alongside Conservative MP Theo Clarke on Wednesday, campaigning for the appointment of a maternity commissioner and a national maternity strategy to be put in place. Conservative MP Theo Clarke (centre left) and Louise Thompson (centre right) at the protest on Wednesday (Stefan Rousseau/PA) (Stefan Rousseau) She said: We stood outside Parliament today because the Governments wait and see approach is costing lives. Failing maternity services are a national scandal, ruining the health of mums and babies through a lack of basic care. We arent just here to share our trauma, we are here to demand the accountability that only a commissioner can provide. Following the protest, Health Secretary Wes Streeting agreed to meet with Thompson and Ms Clarke to discuss the petition they started last year which has received more than 140,000 signatures, calling to improve maternity care in the UK. Thompson has been an advocate for improving maternity care since the birth of her son (Stefan Rousseau/PA) (Stefan Rousseau) Ms Clarke, who led the UKs Birth Trauma Inquiry in 2024 alongside Independent MP Rosie Duffield, said: Only a maternity commissioner can bring the expertise maternity services desperately need if we are to turn the tide on this national scandal and protect mums and babies in our maternity units. This protest was loud and clear: mums are demanding no more reports and recommendations but action to really tackle the failings we all know exist and only a maternity commissioner can address. Thompson has been an advocate for improving maternity care since the birth of her son, which caused her to have an emergency caesarean section because her babys head became wedged in her pelvis during the late stages of labour. The NHS medical team operated for three hours to stop a haemorrhage while she was awake and not under general anaesthetic. PTSD episodes left her screaming in bed and paralysed. Louise Thompson has written a book detailing her health struggles (Anthony Devlin/PA) (Anthony Devlin) Following the birth of her son, Thompson also got a stoma bag after a total colectomy to remove her colon due to having ulcerative colitis, a chronic bowel condition which leads to parts of the gut becoming swollen, inflamed and ulcerated. She also suffers from lupus, a chronic autoimmune condition that has left her with exhaustion and joint pain, and said she was diagnosed with hydrosalpinx a condition where a fallopian tube becomes blocked and swells with watery fluid. Thompson has written a book about her health struggles, Lucky, which was published in 2024. Most of Spain was left without power and several people died during the mega-blackout - Anadolu Spains national blackout was caused by the countrys over-reliance on renewable energy, Emmanuel Macron has said. In response to a large-scale power cut that left millions in the dark in April, the French president said no country could rely so heavily on renewable energy. Spain generates about 60 per cent of its electricity from renewable sources, including wind, hydropower and solar power, according to Red Electrica de Espana, its electricity grid operator. Around 20 per cent comes from nuclear power plants. Mr Macron told El Pais: The debate about Spain is a false one. Its problem is that it has a 100 per cent renewable energy model that its own domestic grid cannot support. The blackout impacted much of Spain as well as swathes of Portugal and south-western France. Internet, telephone and transport connections were down for almost a day, causing traffic lights to fail; leaving thousands of people stuck in lifts, and causing at least five deaths. Emmanuel Macron delivers a speech during the European Industry Summit in Antwerp on Wednesday - AFP The Spanish government denied that renewable energy caused the blackout, instead claiming it was triggered by solar farms switching off in response to plummeting power prices. Meanwhile, Red Electrica de Espana blamed a significant drop in power generation. But Mr Macron said: The Spanish power outage is not related to interconnections, but rather to the fact that no system, at least with current technology, can support such dependence on renewable energy. Stability in the energy mix is needed because otherwise, shocks that are too big occur. But its not just about interconnections. Networks are needed. Mr Macrons comments came ahead of an informal meeting of EU leaders on Thursday, at which energy security is expected to be discussed. Red Electrica warned in October that Spain was at risk of future blackouts and demanded urgent changes to help cope with sudden fluctuations in solar energy. Aprils incident raised concerns that other countries, including Britain, where Ed Miliband, the Energy Secretary, is championing net zero initiatives, could experience similar blackouts. Passengers get off a high-speed train near Cordoba after Spain was hit by widespread powercuts on April 28, 2025 - Getty The power surge that sparked the blackout in Spain was the most severe in Europe for almost 20 years, and was the first of its kind, a report published in October found. It was the first to have been caused by overvoltage, which occurs when there is too much electrical voltage in a given network. In 2019, Spains Left-wing government approved a plan to decommission the countrys remaining nuclear reactors between 2027 and 2035. It hopes to be able to generate about 80 per cent of its electricity from renewable sources by the end of this decade. In the UK, Mr Miliband hopes to make Britains electricity system 95 per cent clean in the same time frame. France, meanwhile, relies heavily on nuclear power and has questioned the over-reliance on new lines being constructed through the Pyrenees to support renewable energy. On Tuesday, Sebastien Lecornu, the French prime minister, confirmed that he would set out the countrys energy roadmap, which will cover its needs until 2035. Mr Lecornu said: Decarbonising the country requires reviving electricity production, adding that France would need to speed things up before ensuring that 60 per cent of our energy consumption in 2030 is electric. He also confirmed that six new nuclear reactors would be included in the energy programme, with an option for eight more, as originally promised by Mr Macron in 2022. Mr Lecornu added: Pitting nuclear against renewables is a dead end. The real battle is to get out of carbon and reduce our dependence on imports. In an aerial view, law enforcement and news broadcasters are stationed outside Nancy Guthrie's residence on 10 February 2026 in Tucson, Arizona. Photograph: Brandon Bell/Getty Images (Photograph: Brandon Bell/Getty Images) The FBI announced on Wednesday that it was conducting an extensive search along multiple roadways close to the Arizona home of Nancy Guthrie, the mother of Today show host Savannah Guthrie who has been missing for 10 days. The development came after authorities released a man earlier in the day who was detained in a traffic stop following several hours of questioning in connection to the investigation, according to reports. The FBI gave no indication of what it was looking for in its sweep of the Catalina Foothills area near Tucson, where Nancy Guthrie, 84, was reported missing from her home on 1 February. A post from the FBIs Phoenix bureau on X urged motorists and the media to remain especially cautious when passing law enforcement personnel near the roadways. In a separate development, TMZ reported that it received a note early Wednesday from an anonymous person demanding one Bitcoin (about $67,000) from the Guthrie family if they want the name of the individual involved. The note has not been formally authenticated. Meanwhile, an individual who identified himself to reporters as Carlos Palazuelos said he was the person held after a traffic stop on Tuesday in Rio Rico, about an hours drive from the Guthrie residence. I hope they get the suspect, because Im not it, he told the New York Times from what he said was his wife and mother-in-laws home in Rio Rico, claiming not to have heard about the case. The Pima county sheriffs department announced on Tuesday night that deputies had detained a subject during a traffic stop and that the person was being questioned in connection to the Nancy Guthrie investigation. Palazuelos, a 27-year-old delivery driver, told reporters he was terrified by his detention, but insisted he was innocent, NBC News reported. [Its] something I didnt do. I felt like I was being kidnapped, bro. They didnt tell me anything, he said. Chris Nanos, the Pima county sheriff, said in a statement that his deputies and the FBI conducted a court-authorized search related to the investigation in Rio Rico, a town close to the Mexican border. Nanos gave no details about the search, and in a separate post on X early Wednesday said: No press conference is scheduled at this time. There was no official confirmation of the individuals release from the FBI or Pima county officials by early morning Wednesday, but Angelica Carrillo, a spokesperson for the sheriffs department, told the Times that investigators had completed their search of a property in Rio Rico. The developments followed Tuesday afternoons release by the FBI of previously inaccessible still images and a 44-second video of a person in a ski mask prowling at the doorstep of Nancy Guthries residence in the Catalina Foothills area north of Tucson, captured by her doorbell camera on the morning of her disappearance. The black-and-white photographs depict a masked figure wearing gloves and a backpack approaching the door of the house, and in one image the person waves what appears to be a plant. In another, they begin to dismantle the Nest camera. In recent days, Nanos had expressed frustration to reporters about the speed of obtaining imagery. As the search entered its second full week on Monday he told the Associated Press: I wish technology was as easy as we believe it is, that heres a picture, heres your bad guy. But its not. The breakthrough was announced on Tuesday by Kash Patel, the FBI director. Working with our partners, as of this morning, law enforcement has uncovered these previously inaccessible new images showing an armed individual appearing to have tampered with the camera, he wrote on X. Also on Tuesday, the FBI announced a $50,000 reward for information leading to the recovery of Nancy Guthrie and/or the arrest and conviction of anyone involved in her disappearance. Detectives have conducted a number of searches of Guthries house, which was declared a crime scene early in the investigation, and the surrounding area, with at least one vehicle being removed, and drone footage showing FBI agents poking a pole into a septic tank. Savannah Guthrie, who has hosted NBCs Today show since 2012, has posted several videos on social media appealing for the return of her mother, with whom she said she shares a special bond, especially after the death of her father when the presenter was a teenager. Nancy Guthrie has mobility issues and needs regular medication to stay alive, her daughter said. In the days since Nancy Guthries disappearance, the case has become a source of frustration, and much intrigue. Investigators found blood on the doorstep, and looked into the authenticity of several notes reportedly demanding a $6m ransom from the Guthrie family in cryptocurrency, which Savannah Guthrie said in one of the videos: We will pay. One of the notes sent to an Arizona television station last week purportedly included a demand for money by Monday afternoon, a deadline that passed without incident. In one bizarre incident, a person was spotted attempting to deliver a pizza to the Guthrie residence, which was later revealed to have been ordered by reporters on scene covering the story. We cant believe we have to say this, but media on scene: please do not order food delivery to a crime scene address. This interferes with an active investigation, the Pima county sheriffs department posted on X. In a separate post on Sunday afternoon, the department said: No suspects, persons of interest, or vehicles have been identified. Jimmy Mangan is respectful of the enemy from within, as he prepares his Cotswold Chase hero Spillanes Tower for a tilt at the Cheltenham Gold Cup next month. The 70-year-old veteran of the Irish training ranks saw his resurgent stable star outbattle LHomme Presse to put himself in the picture for the blue riband on Festival Trials day. Now having watched the action on home soil at the Dublin Racing Festival, Mangan is optimistically hoping Spillanes Towers owner JP McManus does not supplement his impressive Irish Gold Cup hero Fact To File for the Cheltenham equivalent but would also have no problem locking horns with the cream of the staying chase division. He said: I watched it closely actually and I hope that Fact To File isnt supplemented. Hed be a big problem if he is supplemented because he is a very good horse. Hes beaten us before in the John Durkan (in 2024) but ours wasnt 100 per cent fit that day. Im not saying that Willies was 100 per cent fit either, but I know the ground had been very tight up to the John Durkan and I couldnt get the gallops into him that he required. That was Jack Kennedys first time riding him and he made Fact To File work hard to beat him. I wouldnt be afraid of Fact To File. Galopin Des Champs what a horse. Hes not getting any younger but hes far from done, Id say. I dont worry about others. If I go to the big races I fancy my own and thats it. They all have chances theyre not running for the sake of running. It is nearly 23 years since Montys Pass conquered Aintree to give Mangan Grand National glory, with Spillanes Tower providing a first winner on British soil since that memorable day in Liverpool when triumphing at Cheltenham at the back-end of January. Now the dual Grade One winner has the chance to join Montys Pass in local folklore, as he flies the flag for the County Cork handlers boutique team on the biggest stage. Mangan added: Hes a very important horse for me. Ive had good horses that were all handicappers but this is a graded horse who can compete at the top level no problem. He has kept improving. He won the two Grade Ones as a novice. To win one you think youll be lucky but youll never be that lucky to win two of them, so I was pretty happy that I had a good horse. I have about 10 horses. I did have more, but Im happy. I dont want big numbers. Id rather have quality horses over quantity. I did have around 20 around the time of Montys Pass. In the village I come from the signs are still up Home of Montys Pass, so hopefully they can put another one up! It was soft underfoot when Spillanes Tower won last time and one caveat to a Gold Cup bid is the prospect of good ground at Prestbury Park, with cushion in the surface deemed essential. Mangan explained: Ground is the big key to him. He will not run on tight ground. He has to have juice in the ground. Number one, hes a big horse and he jumps an incredible length and I just wouldnt risk him on tight ground. Yielding (good to soft) would be fine. I would be hoping that the weather would stay the way it is. A manhunt has been launched for the missing prisoner (Metropolitan Police) An escaped London prisoner is back in custody after being arrested following a police manhunt. Daniel Boakye, 21, who was jailed for a series of knifepoint robberies, went on the run on Tuesday morning after slipping away from prison guards during a visit to hospital. But he was tracked down in Thamesmead and arrested earlier today on suspicion of escaping from lawful custody. Four people, including a 17-year-old girl, have been arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender. A Metropolitan Police spokesperson said: Shortly after 03:30hrs on Tuesday, 10 February, the Met was informed by the Prison Service that a prisoner had escaped custody while under the care of prison staff at a west London hospital. Following extensive enquires by Met Police officers, the 21-year-old man was located at an address in Thamesmead at around 12:40hrs on Wednesday, 11 February and arrested on suspicion of escaping from lawful custody. He was also arrested on suspicion of aggravated burglary, this offence relates to a separate incident which took place prior to the man absconding custody. He remains in police custody. Two women, aged 20 and 51, a 17-year-old girl, and a 30-year-old man were also arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender. They have been taken into police custody. His escape is expected to cause further embarrassment for a government still recovering from the backlash of the Hadush Kebatu case, which sparked protests. Boakye, who was being detained at HMP Feltham in west London, escaped from the guards while at West Middlesex Hospital. Boakye escaped while in under police escort at West Middlesex Hospital on Tuesday (PA Archive) In 2023, Boakye was found guilty of stealing 115,000 worth of cryptocurrency, alongside three other teenagers. He was given a sentence of six years and five months for conspiracy to commit robbery at Wood Green Court. The court heard how the gang, comprised of Boakye, Justin Popoola, Nathan Mohalland, and a 17-year-old, committed a series of robberies across the capital between June 2021 and January 2022. The group threatened their victims at knifepoint, forced them to share their phones and passcodes to give them access to the devices, before transferring the cryptocurrency to hot wallets. Police identified them through the stolen bank information they used to order takeaways to their home addresses. Boakye was handed a sentence of six years and five months at Wood Green Court in 2023 (Alamy/PA) One source told The Sun that Boakye has a history of having, or pretending to have, seizures, which offers a possible explanation of why he was in hospital that day. The paper also reported that he was thought to have links to a gang in Tottenham. A source told the paper: This is a huge cock-up and a massive embarrassment to the prison service. Although he is only in for robbery, Boakye is extremely dangerous and has links to serious gang members. A Prison Service spokesperson said an investigation was underway into how he was able to escape from hospital. Wuthering Heights star Margot Robbie says she has been kicked out of Infernos and most of the clubs in Clapham. The 35-year-old Australian star would not disclose why she and her friends had been kicked out and even banned from some of the venues in the London area where she used to live while speaking on the Table Manners podcast with Jessie Ware and her mother Lennie. She explained: We were doing a job in Belgium where I met them (her roommates in Clapham), and they would tell me about the infamous Infernos, this place is so fun, you cant get kicked out of there, you can do anything in Infernos, and you cant get kicked out. Robbie stars in Emerald Fennells adaption of Wuthering Heights (Ian West/PA) And I was like, wow, that sounds like paradise, and so we all had a weekend in London when the job was done, and of course, we went to Infernos, and within about 15 minutes, we got kicked out. And while were getting dragged out by security, I was screaming, but this is Infernos, you cant get kicked out of Infernos, and the bouncer was like, look, we allow most things, but when your friend does then we kick you out, and I was like, okay, fair enough. Ware then asked how many clubs Robbie had been kicked out of, to which she replied: Most of the clubs in Clapham Id say, have kicked us out, for a while we were banned at a number of places. So we ended up all deciding to move in together, and I had gone back to America at that point, and so we were looking online, and the guys were like, oh, its a sign, this place is down the road from Infernos. So we literally signed our lease just because it was down the road from Infernos. Speaking about her time living in Clapham, Robbie also added that she had become friends with the owners of her local off-licence and had invited them to a film premiere as they never believed she was famous. She said: I was like, Johnny and Neil, Id love for you to come, Ive got a premiere, and they were like, you?, and I was like yeah. Im in the movie. I showed them the invite, and I was like, thats me, thats my face, and they were like, its not you, thats Will Smith, and Im like, thats Will Smith, but next to Will Smith, thats me. And they wouldnt believe me, and I said, just come to the premiere and see for yourself, they didnt come. They now know that I work in the movies, and sometimes we go back and visit, just to say hi. Robbie plays Catherine Earnshaw in Emerald Fennells adaption of the Emily Bronte novel, and also starred as the titular character in Barbie (2023), in The Wolf Of Wall Street (2014), and as Harley Quinn in three superhero films of the DC Extended Universe. Matt Tebbutt, centre, joins Marcus Wareing and Monica Galetti on MasterChef: The Professionals. (CREDIT LINE:BBC/Shine TV) MasterChef: The Professionals is the latest version of the BBC's beleaguered cooking contest franchise to get a revamp post-Gregg Wallace, but fans have already been complaining about the new presenter and format change. The 2026 series debuted on Tuesday, 10 February, introducing a new presenter alongside long-serving judges Marcus Wareing and Monica Galetti. Saturday Kitchen host Matt Tebbutt has stepped into the role left vacant by Wallace, who left MasterChef following complaints about his behaviour toward female contestants and production staff. Forty-five of 83 allegations of inappropriate behaviour on the set of MasterChef were upheld in a report by an independent law firm, which had been commissioned by the shows producers, Banijay. The main and celebrity series, which he had hosted with John Torode, who was also dropped shortly after Wallace's exit over a separate complaint that he had used an "extremely offensive racist term" during filming, have been taken over by Grace Dent and Anna Haugh. Of the former hosting duo, only Wallace had been involved with The Professionals. Anna Haugh and Grace Dent are the new hosts of the main series. (CREDIT LINE:BBC/Shine TV) Series 18's launch episode also included a format change that did not go down well with some viewers, as a former contestant returned to take on a task usually given to Wareing and Galetti. In a Reddit thread titled "Anyone else struggling with the new Masterchef Professionals?", one viewer wrote: "So happy to see it back but finding the format change of the skills test weird! Personally I wanna see Marcus & Monica cook, not some random ex-winner. As nice & skilled as this guy seemed, I want to see the experts cook. "Also struggling with the new presenter, Marcus & Monica seem to be doing most of the presenting so struggling to see what he ads [sic]. It feels like the show is missing humour its just feeling a bit dull and serious??" MasterChef: The Professionals' new host There's a new line-up in the MasterChef kitchen. (CREDIT LINE:BBC/Shine TV) Tebbutt has been a popular replacement for James Martin on the BBC's weekend morning cookery show Saturday Kitchen, but MasterChef viewers weren't quite so sure about him in his latest job. He joins judges Galetti, who has been with the show since its second series in 2009, apart from a brief break in 2022, and Wareing, who took over from original judge Michel Roux Jr after he left in 2014. Wallace had been the series presenter since its launch. Sharing more views on the change in host, the Reddit poster added: "I guess it depends what youre looking for in the show, we arent massive Greg fans but there was a charisma and chemistry between him, Marcus & Monica that bought a lot of humour to the show and energy. I dont know if its just the presenter change or if theyve changed the editing but it just felt like the show lacked pace and energy, everyone seemed too dull and down." Another viewer agreed: "I never got why Greg Wallace was shoe-horned and his replacement by Matt Tebbutt feels even less necessary. He's flat, lacking in personality and just making it far too crowded. Monica & Marcus do not require a chaperone. Grace Dent was an instant winner, this guy, not so much." The viewer jury's still out on Matt Tebbutt joining the cast. (CREDIT LINE:BBC/Shine TV) Someone else commented: "The new judge seems surprisingly tense, considering he's a TV professional (maybe it's just ep1 nerves and he'll be better next episode). But especially with a guest chef being added, and with Monica and Marcus being so good at the gig by now, he does feel a bit pointless. He's not actively annoying/off-putting, so he's not harming the watchability too much for me. But episode 1 would probably have been slightly stronger without him." One MasterChef fan wrote: "Matt is infinitely better than Greg. Being a chef himself though I did wonder if he was a bit surplus to requirements but time will tell." However, others liked Tebbutt joining the Professionals crew - one viewer wrote: "I quite like Matt, he hosts SK very well," and someone else added: "I actually commented how little I miss John and Greg and I think the new presenters have slipped in fairly seamlessly in both formats shown so far." Another viewer commented on the original post: "Hard disagree, I liked the change to the skills test. I also like Matt so much better than Gregg (a low bar, admittedly)." MasterChef: The Professionals format change splits opinion Gary Maclean returned to demonstrate the skills test. (CREDIT LINE:BBC/Shine TV) It's too early to see just how much the contest's format will change this series, but one episode's change to the skills test has already divided viewers. The test used to see experienced chefs, Wareing and Galetti, demonstrate making a dish perfectly, which the contestants would have to reproduce themselves to prove their culinary skills. In the new series, Wareing and Galetti were given a break from cooking, while 2016's winner, Gary Maclean, was brought back as a guest to demonstrate the recipe. Maclean has had huge success since being named champion 10 years ago, not least by being named the first National Chef of Scotland, but he was "no Marcus or Monica" in the eyes of some viewers. One person commented, "A big part of the skills test was the prestige of the people setting those tests. Not wanting to disrespect this guy, but he's no Marcus Wearing (sic). Just seems a bit weird watching them watch him set the tests. Marcus's questions and facial expressions at times have indicated bemusement at Gary's processes. Agreed also on the new presenter, he lacks charisma." Gary Maclean was named Scotland's first National Chef by the Scottish government. (Andrew Milligan, PA Images) The original Reddit poster replied: "I think this is what it is for us, we watch the show in part for Marcus and Monica and it just seems weird not seeing them cook. No disrespect to past contestants but they arent Marcus!" "I think making changes is good for a show but Im just more interested in seeing the Michelin starred chef cook something rather than this weird dynamic where Marcus & Monica stand there almost like a spare part," they added. "It was basically the Gary show. Im down for format changes but if the judges arent going to get to show off their cooking skills anywhere they might as well be anyone (critics rather than chefs)" One viewer commented: "The skills test does now feel like too many cooks. Literally!" Another poster disagreed, writing: "So far I like the change to the skills test. A Masterchef Professionals winner is a legit expert in their own right, and Gary's CV has been pretty impressive both before and since (plus I remember him from his season, he was lovely and it's a joy to see him doing well - and you can tell he's a great teacher) As long as all the future guests are of Gary's quality, I think this could be a fun change." Someone else added: "I enjoyed it, thought the new format was interesting to see what a past winner + ten years experience can do." MasterChef: The Professionals continues on BBC One at 8pm on Wednesday, 11 February. Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (PANA) - The 48th Ordinary Session of the Executive Council of the African Union (AU) began on Wednesday in Addis Ababa with a strong call for enhanced unity, sustainable development, and collective action to address the continents pressing challenges Jim Boyling received letters praising his covert work from the then home secretary, Jack Straw, and senior police officers. Photograph: UCPI Evidence Hearing (Photograph: UCPI Evidence Hearing) An undercover officer who deceived three women into sexual relationships said his superiors did nothing to prevent him from doing so, the spycops public inquiry has heard. Jim Boyling, who infiltrated environmental and animal rights activist groups for five years, said senior managers turned a blind eye to undercover officers having deceitful sexual relationships with women, often lasting years. His managers adopted an attitude of dont ask, dont tell, he said. The three women have described how his betrayal devastated them. Boyling said he did not consider whether they would have consented to having an intimate relationship with him if they had known that he was a police spy. He believed that they would never discover his true identity so it was not an issue. Boyling received formal letters praising his covert work from the then home secretary, Jack Straw, and senior police officers for gathering information about protesters. This week, he is giving evidence to the inquiry, which is examining how about 139 undercover officers spied on predominantly leftwing campaigners between 1968 and at least 2010. Related: Secrets and lies: untangling the UK spy cops scandal A central issue is how undercover officers regularly formed longstanding sexual relationships with women using their fake personas. Last week, Sir John Mitting, the retired judge leading the inquiry, said the impact of the deceptive relationships on the women had become very clear in the course of the hearings I have been conducting. Boyling said the managers in his Metropolitan police unit, the Special Demonstration Squad (SDS), knew that the relationships were inevitable, but did not want to discuss the issue openly and left it up to the undercover officers to deal with them. He said: At no time, before or during my deployment, was I ever specifically told not to have sexual relationships whilst in my undercover identity. He said about half of the SDS undercover officers while he was in the unit had sexual relationships with activists without disclosing their true identities. Matt Rayner, one of them, told Boyling that a relationship with an activist could gain the confidence of the inner circle of campaigners, and break through the glass ceiling of acceptance. During his deployment between 1995 and 2000, Boyling became the treasurer of the Reclaim the Streets (RTS) environmental group. He had a key role in organising its protests, but at the same time was passing information to his police supervisors. In 1997, he had a six-month relationship with an RTS activist, known as Monica. She said his betrayal really knocked my confidence and made me feel ashamed, exposed and humiliated I feel strongly that what has happened to me and others was very wrong. I was sexually violated. In November 1997, Boyling started a relationship with a second RTS activist, known as Ruth, which lasted 18 months. It was her first significant relationship. She said his behaviour was repulsive, adding she felt conned, betrayed, emotionally and sexually manipulated and very much used. Boyling had a relationship with a third RTS campaigner, known as Rosa, which started in late 1999 and lasted until August 2000 when he disappeared at the end of his deployment. He reappeared in 2001, at which point he told her he had been an undercover officer. They resumed their relationship and had two children. She has said he trapped her in an increasingly abusive and controlling relationship, adding: He had me isolated from all my friends, comrades and associates. He denies this. Michael Che calls out fans SNL pitch for Epstein island sketch featuring actual children: Thatd be funny to you? Michael Che has put one Saturday Night Live fan on blast for proposing an outrageous Epstein island sketch. In a since-deleted Instagram Story, the SNL star, 42, shared a screenshot of a private message he received from a viewer. If SNL had any balls theyd do an Epstein island sketch like it was a joke but just have it be reality and have Trump and Elon etc etc partying with actual children, it read. Little Saint James, a private island in the Virgin Islands, owned by the late pedophile Jeffrey Epstein, was notorious for being the base of his alleged sex trafficking operations. Thatd be funny to you..? Che wrote on the post, pedo reenactments with actual kids..you think the audience would be laughing at that..? SNL's Michael Che slammed a fan's pitch for Epstein island sketch featuring actual children (Getty/PA) I guess I just dont understand comedy audiences anymore, he said in a subsequent story. I get so much SNL criticism that starts with if yall had any balls, he said in another post, pushing back: Nah, we do. We just air on Channel 4, you muppet. Che added: I wonder if Ice-T gets messages like show penetration on SVU, cowards! James Austin Johnson mocking Donald Trump over the heavily redacted Epstein file (SNL/NBC) The long-running NBC comedy sketch series has featured several skits about Epstein, including in a December cold open, in which they mocked President Donald Trump over the heavily redacted Epstein files. With regard to files, were being very transparent, began SNL cast member James Austin Johnson as Trump. Because Jeffrey Epstein was a terrible man, and I didnt know him, and I liked him a lot. We released all the files, and I come out looking, frankly, very good, Johnson parodied. We had to redact a few sensitive things, but youll get the gist here Johnson then turned to a giant file beside him that was redacted, apart from the words: Trump Didnt Do Nothing Bad. See, its all there. Can you believe it? he said. However, just last week, the Emmy-winning show was forced to cut a sketch, starring Colin Jost as a scientist struggling to discuss a new strain of the Epstein-Barr virus without drawing an association with the convicted sex offender. After a clip of the sketch was posted to social media, several fans were upset it didnt air. I cant believe this was cut!! Colin needs to be in more sketches. He kills it every time, one person wrote, with a second applauding it for its great writing. I get the strangest feeling that Che wrote this sketch, a third commented on a YouTube upload of the sketch. Two weeks in a row when the cut for time sketches are funnier and better written than everything on the main show. While Willie Mullins ponders running plans for his crack team of novice hurdlers at the Cheltenham Festival, Mighty Park has drawn comparison to the mighty Faugheen Owned by JP McManus, the impressive Fairyhouse scorer who is closely related to the mercurial Might Bite holds entries for both the Supreme and Turners Novices Hurdles and wowed the master of Closutton when making all on his stable bow in January. When Mark (Walsh) got off Mighty Park he said he had a look round at the second-last and couldnt believe how far in front he was, said Mullins. He thought he was going a normal pace, so his cruising speed must be huge and hes a fantastic jumper, so I think that puts him right in the mix as well. Your gut tells you he has to be a hell of a horse to do what he did any horse that wins by 38 lengths must have a huge engine, youre into Faugheen territory when you do things like that. I was slagging JP saying he was running my Champion Bumper horse in a maiden hurdle. From day one I always thought he was good enough to win the Champion Bumper, so thats the sort of ability he was showing me at home. Also holding an entry for both the Festival curtain-raiser and the longer event 24 hours later is recent Leopardstown Grade One third King Rasko Grey, who was involved in a thrilling photo-finish with Talk The Talk (first) and Ballyfad (second). King Rasko Grey was third the other day and jumping the last I was thinking my fellow looks like a mare in foal compared to the other two. I think he has every chance of improving more than they will condition-wise and they are two of the top ones in Ireland, so that brings him right into it. King Rasko Grey should have enough speed for the Supreme, but your first thought, especially with the way he won in Limerick, would be the Turners. All those things are still in the mix. Stylish Dublin Racing Festival winner Doctor Steinberg is another giving Mullins plenty to ponder ahead of the Festival, with the handler suggesting he would like to see the Grade One scorer follow in the footsteps of Final Demand by heading to the Turners over the Albert Barlett Novices Hurdle. I was watching the race the other day and when hes coming up to the winning post Im thinking Turners and everyone else is saying Albert Bartlett, said Mullins. Im looking at the way he pulled and dragged his jockey through the race and I dont think you can do that over three miles at Cheltenham. Youll have a faster race in the Turners which might also be a better quality race and I will leave it up to Paul Townend maybe we will find some way of riding him differently. We rode him from the front the other day and he wanted pace in the race and you could ride him differently in an Albert Bartlett, maybe get him covered up and settled. It would be crucial we could get him settled if we were thinking about running in the Albert Bartlett. Power plant The predicament facing Britains working classes could, if anything, be about to get worse, thanks to events in the United States. According to reports, the White House is set to repeal the so-called endangerment finding, which serves as the legal foundation for much of the countrys environmental regulation. Under Donald Trump, the United States has already sought to change the basis of its energy policy to prioritise affordability, international competitiveness, and domestic industry. The latest move is bound to be controversial among green campaigners, who will see it as another example of Mr Trump disregarding the fight against climate change. But officials in Washington clearly believe that it would be beneficial both for US companies and for American consumers. This matters because the chasm between the energy policies of the United States and those of the UK and Europe was already wide. Britain has the highest industrial electricity prices in Europe, four times those faced in the US. Critics of net zero have blamed this on the environmental policies pursued by successive governments, which have sought to shift the energy mix away from fossil fuels and towards renewables, as well as to discourage the exploitation of Britains North Sea resources. Under Labour, the Energy Secretary Ed Miliband has appeared to pursue this green crusade with particular enthusiasm. But the suffering of Britains industrial and manufacturing sectors has rarely seemed to factor into the Governments thinking. In recent years, steel output has fallen to its lowest since the Great Depression. Enthusiasts for green policies like to claim that there is some advantage to leading the world in net zero. They also tend to assert that new jobs in low carbon industries will replace those lost in sectors such as oil and gas. But what if these predictions turn out not to be true? This is not just a matter of providing skilled jobs to Britains workers. It is also increasingly being seen as a matter of national security, since the ability to produce materials such as steel domestically may prove vital in an age of geopolitical turmoil. There are certainly criticisms that can be made of Mr Trumps energy policies. But Britain also has to deal with the reality of the world that the US Presidents policies are creating. Is it really worth leading the pack on green energy, if the effect is to render Britain uncompetitive in industries it used to dominate? Senator Mark Kelly has blasted Donald Trumps outrageous abuse of power, after a grand jury in Washington reportedly refused to indict him and other Democratic lawmakers in connection with a video in which they urged U.S. military members to resist illegal orders. This is an outrageous abuse of power by Donald Trump and his lackies, Kelly, a former NASA astronaut and U.S. naval officer wrote on X Tuesday night, following reports of the behind-closed-doors hearing. It wasnt enough for Pete Hegseth to censure me and threaten to demote me, now it appears they tried to have me charged with a crime all because of something I said that they didnt like. Thats not the way things work in America. At the urging of U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro, the DOJ had reportedly opened an investigation into the video featuring Kelly, as well as Michigan Senator Elissa Slotkin and four other Dems, who urged service members to follow established military protocols and reject orders they believe to be unlawful. Senator Mark Kelly has blasted Donald Trumps outrageous abuse of power, after a grand jury in Washington reportedly refused to indict him and other Democratic lawmakers in connection with a video in which they urged U.S. military members to resist illegal orders (Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.) All the lawmakers previously served in the military or at intelligence agencies, and included Representatives Jason Crow, Maggie Goodlander, Chrissy Houlahan and Chris Deluzio. Donald Trump wants every American to be too scared to speak out against him. The most patriotic thing any of us can do is not back down, Kelly added in his post. Prosecutors had sought to persuade the civilian members of the grand jury that the lawmakers violated a law that does not allow interfering with the loyalty, morale or discipline of the U.S. armed forces, The New York Times reported. The Independent has reached out to the DOJ and Pirros office for comment. In her own lengthy post, Slotkin wrote: Today, it was a grand jury of anonymous American citizens who upheld the rule of law and determined this case should not proceed. Hopefully, this ends this politicized investigation for good. At the urging of U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro, the DOJ had reportedly opened an investigation into the video featuring Kelly, as well as Michigan Senator Elissa Slotkin and four other Dems, who urged service members to follow established military protocols and reject orders they believe to be unlawful But today wasnt just an embarrassing day for the Administration. It was another sad day for our country. She added: Because whether or not Pirro succeeded is not the point. It's that President Trump continues to weaponize our justice system against his perceived enemies. Its the kind of thing you see in a foreign country, not in the United States we know and love. Crow, a former Army Ranger wrote, Donald Trumps DOJ just triedand failedto indict me in front of a grand jury. We will continue to fight back against their rising tyranny. Dont Give Up the Ship. California Senator Adam Schiff, who was not named in the investigation, wrote: That the DOJ would even contemplate such an action demonstrates what a repressive regime is now running this country. Grand jurors in Washington declined to sign off on charges in the latest of a series of rebukes of prosecutors by citizens in the nations capital, a source told The Associated Press. It wasnt immediately clear whether prosecutors had sought indictments against all six lawmakers or what charge or charges prosecutors attempted to bring. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Furious female Labour MPs have called on Sir Keir Starmer to appoint a woman to a powerful new role to end the boys club culture in No 10, which has been exposed by the Peter Mandelson and Matthew Doyle scandals that have rocked his premiership. Harriet Harman, one of the most senior figures in the party, urged the prime minister to fill the vacant post of first secretary of state once held by Lord Mandelson with a female candidate as he addressed the recent chaos during a meeting of female Labour MPs and peers in parliament. She said the role must be held by a woman and used to transform the political culture in government around women and girls. Sir Keir faced a packed meeting of the Womens Parliamentary Labour Party after a bruising Prime Ministers Questions, where he was accused by Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch of running a boys club and stuffing government with hypocrites and paedophile apologists following the recent scandals involving Mandelson and former communications chief Doyle. Fresh concerns were raised over the prime ministers judgement following the decision to give a peerage to Lord Doyle last month; on Tuesday he had the Labour whip withdrawn over his links to a convicted sex offender. Sir Keir defended his decision to only act on Tuesday, weeks after headlines about the links first emerged, telling MPs during PMQs that Lord Doyle did not give a full account of his actions when the PM nominated him for a peerage before Christmas. But critics pointed out that Lord Doyles links to former Labour councillor Sean Morton, for whom he campaigned in 2017 after he had been charged with indecent images of children, were publicly known before he officially became a peer in January. Speaking to Labour MPs after PMQs, Sir Keir apologised again over the appointment of Lord Mandelson, admitting that the government had to do more to eradicate structural misogyny and achieve cultural change. Kemi Badenoch has accused Starmer of running a boys club at No 10 (House of Commons) As Sir Keir spoke in parliament, one told The Independent that female MPs were distressed about recent events, as we really care about our party and believe it is a vehicle for ending misogyny and abuse. Ahead of the meeting, Kim Johnson, the Labour MP for Liverpool Riverside, told The Independent: The Doyle revelations only confirm hes not fit to govern. Hes only been in the Lords a matter of weeks, yet it was already known that he was a friend of and campaigned for a convicted paedophile. Another example of very poor judgement. Another female Labour MP told The Independent she was very angry and hit out at the elevation of Lord Doyle, saying it showed a huge level of disrespect to victims everywhere. She added of the Labour leadership: They knew about Mandelson and Epstein when they hired him, and they knew about Doyle and Morton when they put him in the Lords, so you have to question their judgement. Sir Keir is understood to have faced multiple questions over Lord Doyle at a wider meeting of the full Parliamentary Labour Party on Monday night, but the peer was only stripped of the whip 24 hours later. The development raised fresh questions over Sir Keirs discernment as it appeared to contain echoes of the Peter Mandelson scandal, which has already cost the Labour leader his chief of staff, Morgan McSweeney, and brought his premiership to the brink of collapse. Opposition leaders leapt on the prime ministers woes in the Commons on Wednesday. Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey said: To appoint one paedophile supporter cannot be excused as misfortune. To appoint two shows a catastrophic lack of judgement. The PM says he will take no lectures from the Tories (PA) SNP Westminster leader Stephen Flynn added Sir Keir appears to be the most gullible former director of public prosecutions in history. Earlier in the session, Ms Badenoch said: The prime minister sometimes likes to claim, as he just did, that he cares about violence against women. The truth is, he only cares about the victims when hes trying to save his own skin. Sir Keir said he would take no lectures from the Tories on standards in public life, pointing to Partygate and former shadow justice secretary Robert Jenricks comments about not seeing enough white faces in Birmingham. Ms Badenoch hit back, saying: How dare he criticise us? We werent the ones stuffing government with hypocrites and paedophile apologists. He cant build a team, he has no plan, he cant even run his own office, let alone the country. He is now dealing with a new scandal of appointing someone who campaigned for a man convicted of having indecent pictures of girls as young as 10. Isnt the prime minister ashamed that that would be his legacy? Sir Keir replied: My legacy is changing my party and winning a general election. Downing Street rejected suggestions that it had been run as a boys club, and the prime ministers spokesperson said he did not accept he had failed to fulfill his promise to end sleaze. Sir Keir has insisted his top team is strong and united after cabinet ministers rallied around him with public messages of support following Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwars call for him to quit. Man detained by cops in search for Savannah Guthries missing mother speaks out The man detained by authorities on Tuesday for kidnapping Today show co-anchor Savannah Guthries mother, Nancy, has spoken out. Identifying himself only as Carlos, he says that he had never even heard of the missing 84-year-old until being detained. Nancy vanished sometime during the late hours of January 31 and the early hours of February 1, and the desperate search to find her became international news. The announcement that Carlos had been held came just after the FBI released a chilling picture of a masked man outside of the 84-year-olds home. Carlos, who was stopped at a traffic light south of Tucson, told ABC 15 that he is completely innocent. They didn't even tell me what's going on until the detectives got here, Carlos claimed. They told me I was being detained for kidnapping, and I asked them, Kidnapping of who? Carlos arrest comes after police released a photograph of a masked man outside of Nancy Guthries home (FBI) According to him, police had insufficient evidence to charge him with anything. Supposedly, I was at her house, but, like I said, I deliver packages for GLS, he continued. I might have delivered a package to her house. Carlos told the broadcaster that he was detained for hours before Pima County officers eventually told him he was free to leave. Jacob Owens, a reporter at KVOA, tweeted that a home belonging to Carloss mother, Josefina Maddox, had been searched by police. Maddox says her son in-law has nothing to do with Guthries disappearance, Owens continued. She adds he doesnt have what was seen in the footage released today. She says he works in Tucson as a delivery driver. She adds officials did not have a search warrant, but she let them in. Police also searched a property believed to belong to Carlos mother (AP) The Pima County Sheriffs Department broke the news that they had detained a suspect on Tuesday evening in a public statement. Earlier today, Pima County Sheriff's Department deputies detained a subject during a traffic stop south of Tucson, the press release read. The subject is currently being questioned in connection to the Nancy Guthrie investigation. The department added that the suspect was detained with assistance from the FBI, who Carlos says could still bring him back in for further questioning. A screenshot from the doorbell footage depicts a masked and armed man lurking on Nancy Guthries porch, tampering with her doorbell camera system. The black-and-white image was obtained by the PCSD after a long effort to recover footage that had been lost, corrupted, or inaccessible. Over the last eight days, the FBI and Pima County Sheriffs Department have been working closely with our private sector partners to continue to recover any images or video footage from Nancy Guthries home that may have been lost, corrupted, or inaccessible due to a variety of factors - including the removal of recording devices, the Pima County Sheriffs Department said in a statement posted to X. Savannah Guthrie and her family have said they are willing to pay Nancys kidnappers for her return (Instagram/@savannahguthrie) The video was recovered from residual data located in backend systems. Over the last eight days, the FBI and Pima County Sheriffs Department have been working closely with our private sector partners to continue to recover any images or video footage from Nancy Guthries home that may have been lost, corrupted, or inaccessible due to a variety of factors - including the removal of recording devices, the Pima County Sheriffs Department said in a statement posted to X. The video was recovered from residual data located in backend systems. The footage and photos were also shared online by FBI Director Kash Patel, who offered a $50,000 reward for information to assist the investigation. Nancy Guthrie was first reported missing on February 1, after she did not show up for a Church service as usual. A subsequent investigation found that her home showed signs of a break-in and that traces of blood were on her porch. Forensic testing soon determined that the blood belonged to Nancy. A ransom letter offering to return Nancy in exchange for $6 million was sent to several publications, but the deadline has since passed with no update. Savannah Guthrie, the star of the Today show, has said that her family was willing to listen to the authors of the ransom note and were prepared to negotiate their mothers release. Credit: FBI The FBI has released images of a possible suspect in the disappearance of news anchor Savannah Guthries mother. The pictures show a masked, armed individual tampering with Nancy Guthries doorbell camera in the early hours of Jan 31. Kash Patel, the FBI director, said: Working with our partners, as of this morning, law enforcement has uncovered these previously inaccessible images showing an armed individual appearing to have tampered with the camera at Nancy Guthries front door the morning of her disappearance. The images show a masked individual at the front door of Nancy Guthries house using plants to block the camera Mrs Guthrie, the mother of the NBC journalist Savannah Guthrie, disappeared from her home in Tucson, Arizona, at the end of January. Authorities believe she was abducted. On Tuesday night, police said they had detained an individual in Tucson in relation to the case. It is not known if that person is the same as the figure in the videos. Activity has been reported in the Bitcoin account mentioned in the original alleged ransom note, TMZ reported on Tuesday night. Mr Patel said the FBI had spent the past 10 days working with private sector companies to recover footage from the night of her disappearance. Donald Trump, the US president, was reviewing the images, the White House said on Tuesday. The US president spoke to Savannah Guthrie last week. Fox News also shared images of what appeared to be blood spattering the porch of Ms Guthries home. The blood has been confirmed by police as the missing womans, according to the network. Blood droplets on the porch of Nancy Guthries home Blood trail apparently led from the front entrance of the home to the edge of the driveway Savannah Guthrie, who hosts NBCs The Today Show, has been pleading for her mothers safe return after her kidnappers reportedly demanded $6m (4.4m) ransom. The 84-year-old was reported missing on Jan 31 when she failed to attend her regular church service. The FBI subsequently launched a large-scale manhunt, involving drones and search-and-rescue dogs. Police said on Friday that they had identified a vehicle of interest which was captured on surveillance footage at a convenience store near where the 84-year-old lives. Nancy Guthrie has been missing since Jan 31 However, the images published on Tuesday were the first to be released to the public some 10 days after Mrs Guthrie went missing. The images show a masked man, wearing leather gloves, approaching her front door and raising his hand towards a camera. It appears to be the middle of the night. Video footage shows the individual taking plants from outside Mrs Guthries home, which he uses in a bid to cover the camera on her front door. The man appears to be wearing a zip-up fleece, jeans, and trainers, as well as a backpack. The FBI says it has worked with private sector companies to recover footage from the night of her disappearance - FBI Mr Trump was disgusted by the images, Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary, said on Tuesday afternoon. His initial reaction, of course, as all Americans, is just pure disgust ... its heartbreaking to see now this footage really bring to life a story weve all been reading about, she told reporters. Asked if the president was satisfied by the progress of the investigation, Ms Leavitt answered: I dont think anyone will be satisfied until this case is brought to a close and until Nancy Guthrie is returned home safely with her loved ones. Savannah Guthrie, who is watched by three million Americans every morning, said on Sunday that her family would pay her mothers kidnapper in order to secure her release. Instagram/@savannahguthrie We received your message, and we understand, Ms Guthrie said. We beg you now to return our mother to us so that we can celebrate with her. This is the only way we want peace. This is very valuable to us, and we will pay. A London council has been accused of telling porkies after it claimed to be freezing council tax for its fourth year under Labour control. Wandsworth said borough residents would continue to pay the lowest council tax in the country currently 990 for a benchmark Band-D property from April. It said it was freezing its share of bills but they will in fact rise by more than 10 a year on average as the proportion of the levy that funds adult social care is increasing by two per cent. Council tax hikes are particularly sensitive this year because they will take effect a month prior to the May local elections, which will see 32 London borough councils up for re-election. In Wandsworth, the home borough of London mayor Sir Sadiq Khan, Labour will face a challenge retaining power after seizing the council from the Tories in 2022. Only the part of Wandsworths bill that funds council services other than for adult social care will be frozen. It means that total Band-D bills in Wandsworth will increase by more than 30 a year, to 1,020.35. This includes an extra 10.15 for council services - taking them to a total of 509.84 - and an additional 20.13 for Sir Sadiq, whose share of the bill increases to 510.51. However this will be barely half the typical bill in London, where most boroughs will send out demands in excess of 2,000 a year. Wandsworths Labour leader Simon Hogg said the council had one of the lowest levels of debt and some of the highest financial reserves in London. He told residents: This allows us to freeze the main element of council tax, keep more money in your pocket and invest in what matters to you. However, council documents show the authority will have to draw 38m from reserves to balance its budget in 2026/27 on top of the 15m it withdrew from reserves for the current financial year. Aled Richards-Jones, the Tory opposition group leader on Wandsworth council, posted a picture of a council tax bill on X that showed how residents would pay more. He accompanied his post in response to a post from Mr Hogg about the council tax freeze - with the word porkies and a lying face emoji. In a letter to residents, Mr Richards-Jones said Labours claim to have frozen council tax simply isnt true and the reality is shocking. In an article on the Conservative Home website, he said a financial asteroid was about to hit the council one of several in the capital having their funding cut by Government. Mr Richards-Jones said the changes would mean the council would eventually receive 85m a year less from the Government to fund core services and that council tax would have to rise in future years as a result. He said the council currently had 166m in reserves which would soon be exhausted. He wrote: The piggy bank will be smashed, the money will be gone and a decision on catastrophic tax hikes, public service cuts, or both, will need to be taken. According to the councils own 2026/27 budget documents, the new Government funding allocations do disadvantage Wandsworth. The councils Labour leadership has already said it has no plans to use its recently-granted powers to hike bills above five per cent from 2027/28 to plug the gap in Government funding. The council documents state that Wandsworth will lose 19m in Government funding 2026/27, rising to 79m a year towards the end of the decade. A digital poster for action film Predator: Badlands featuring a character with a severed spine has been ordered to be removed by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA). The advert featured an alien character that resembled a human holding a smaller person, who had been severed in two with their bottom half missing, exposing their spine, according to the ASA. The alien was later seen holding a sword, and a disc-like weapon could also be seen moving towards the viewer, while the phrase welcome to a world of hurt was shown. It climaxed with a cartoon-style image of a character with what the ASA says appeared to be the torso of a woman with wires protruding from her bottom half. The Walt Disney Company, which distributes and markets the 20th Century Studios film, had argued the severed character was not a human and was instead a robot, which was visually distinct from a human. It claimed the fact that the robot only had half a body emphasised its non-human nature and appeared for less than two seconds in the advert, which it said it had designed for a 12A audience, which matches the certification of the film. Disney told the ASA it did not consider the character or imagery in the ad was likely to cause particular harm or offence, given the films rating and the brief, stylised nature of the scene. But the ASA said that as the poster was displayed outdoors it was likely to be seen by people of all ages and told Disney and 20th Century Studios that care needed to be taken to ensure the poster was suitable for all. The ASA said in its ruling: We considered the alien appeared menacing, the scene depicted violence and implied that it had dismembered the smaller figure. Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi and Elle Fanning attending the Predator: Badlands UK special screening at Londons BFI Imax in October (Ben Whitley/PA) (Ben Whitley) Whilst we acknowledged 20th Century Studios comment that the smaller figure was not actually a human, but rather a synth robot, we considered that was not clear from the ad, and that the figure was likely to be interpreted as a human. We further considered that the realistic depiction of the smaller figures severed torso and exposed spine was gory and likely to be disturbing to younger children. It said that further parts of the advert were also disturbing and frightening to children, and said that for those reasons it considered that the ad was likely to frighten and cause distress to some children, was therefore unsuitable for display in public. The ASA said the Predator advert breached its code and ordered for it not to appear again in its current form. The ruling comes after two people complained that the poster was inappropriate and disturbing for young children and said it was unsuitable for outdoor display. A Disney spokesperson said: We acknowledge the ASAs ruling. We take our responsibilities to audiences seriously and strive to work closely with partners to meet required standards. Predator: Badlands, which was released in UK cinemas last year and stars Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi and Elle Fanning, is the latest in the sci-fi film series, which began with the movie of the same name in 1987, starring Arnold Schwarzenegger. Strasbourg, France (PANA) - The President of the United Nations General Assembly appealed on Tuesday for Europe to protect the international rules-based system, defend the truth in the face of fake news and other falsehoods, and support UN reform Mounting pressure on the Trump administration led to the release of millions of documents linked to the case of the late paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein. The files have illuminated Epsteins vast web of connections to royalty, politicians and public figures from around the world, including those who stayed in touch even after his 2008 conviction for soliciting prostitution. But for all the furore around the New York traffickers ties to the upper echelons of American society, it is mainly European figures who have fallen so far. Millions of Epstein files have been released, but there are potentially millions more to come (AP) Britains former prince Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and members of the Norwegian royal family continue to face intense scrutiny for their past relationships with Epstein. Norway and France have launched investigations into senior former politicians, while Latvia, Poland and Lithuania are grappling with the possibility that people were trafficked from their countries. With Epstein survivors demanding greater transparency over the remaining millions of files, The Independent looks at the high-profile European figures who have been caught up in the scandal to date. United Kingdom: Royal disgrace and a PM under pressure Photos from the latest files appear to show Andrew on all fours with a woman on the floor (US Department of Justice) The British royal family and political establishment have been rocked by revelations included in the Epstein files. The disgraced former prince Andrew was stripped of his title in late October, following the release of Epstein accuser Virginia Giuffres posthumous memoir, Nobodys Girl. But details of his continued correspondence with Epstein, published between November and January, hastened his departure from the Royal Lodge. King Charles said on 9 February that the palace was ready to support the police if approached, as police weigh the grounds for an investigation into Andrew for suspected misconduct in public office and breach of official secrets. Andrew has always denied wrongdoing. Police are investigating alleged misconduct in a public office following Lord Mandelsons contact with Epstein (PA) Prime minister Sir Keir Starmer is also under pressure to resign over his decision to appoint Labour grandee Peter Mandelson to the role of US ambassador in 2024, despite some knowledge of his historic ties to Epstein. Starmer said Mandelson gave the impression he barely knew Epstein after files showed the pair had spoken for years after the 2008 conviction. Mandelson said he did not want to cause further embarrassment in his decision to resign. The Met Police have since launched an investigation into alleged misconduct in public office. Lord Mandelson has denied any wrongdoing in relation to Epstein and said he regrets maintaining the relationship. Norway: Crown princess regret and a political corruption probe Crown princess Mette-Marit says she regrets her correspondence with Epstein (Cornelius Poppe/NTB) Norways royal family and political establishment have been similarly shaken by the release of the Epstein files. The latest files show correspondence between Norways crown princess, Mette-Marit, 52, and Epstein for years after the 2008 conviction. She previously denied knowing about his criminal past, but recently released emails suggest she wrote to him that it didnt look too good in 2011, with a smiley-face emoji, after searching his name online. Mette-Marit said in a recent statement that she showed poor judgment and regret having had any contact with Epstein at all. Police are also investigating Thorbjorn Jagland, Norways former prime minister, on suspicion of aggravated corruption in relation to his contact with Epstein. He is suspected of receiving gifts, travel and loans in connection with his former positions as chair of the Norwegian Nobel Committee and secretary general of the Council of Europe. Thorbjorn Jagland, a former prime minister and foreign minister, spoke to Epstein for several years (AP) Jagland distanced himself from Epstein late last year after it emerged in a previous release of files that they had discussed Russia and US president Donald Trump in 2018. Mona Juul, the countrys ambassador to Jordan and Iraq, was also suspended after the files pointed to extensive contact with Epstein after his conviction. Documents suggest she and husband, Terje Roed-Larsen, visited Epsteins island with their children. A version of Epsteins will suggested the two children stood to inherit $5m each from him. And the World Economic Forum launched its own investigation into its CEO, Boerge Brende, over his ties to Epstein. WEF said Brende, a former Norwegian foreign minister, had three dinners with Epstein and exchanged messages. Brende said he was unaware of Epsteins past and regretted not investigating him further. France: A former minister steps down Former minister Jack Lang resigned from his role shoring up Arab-French ties in the fallout of the release of the Epstein files (AFP/Getty) Former French culture minister Jack Lang, 86, resigned from his role as president of the Arab World Institute on 7 February, after the files showed he maintained contact with Epstein long after his conviction. Lang was a major figure in French socialist governments between the 1980s and 2000s. The files showed they spoke intermittently between 2012 and 2019, and had financial links. Lang's daughter Caroline, 64, resigned as head of Frances Independent Production Union. The files show that the former Warner Bros executive partnered in 2016 with Epstein in a company called Pyrtanee LLC. French prosecutors opened an investigation into Lang and his daughter on suspicion of aggravated tax fraud laundering linked to Epstein. Both have denied wrongdoing. Slovakia: Security adviser resigns over comments about young women Miroslav Lajcak resigned to avoid his ties to Epstein being used against the prime minister (AP) Slovakian national security adviser Miroslav Lajcak resigned after the latest files showed the pair exchanged emails about young women. He said the correspondence dated back to 2018, when he was foreign minister. In a statement, he denied wrongdoing and condemned Epsteins crimes, but said he was stepping down to prevent the issue from being used politically against prime minister Robert Fico. Sweden: Princess says she briefly met Epstein but cut contact Princess Sofia of Sweden (pictured in 2015) says she met Epstein in her twenties before his conviction (Getty) The release of the files also saw Princess Sofia of Sweden, 41, open up about her previous contacts with Epstein. At a seminar organised by the royal couples foundation, she said she met him at a few social events in her twenties, before his conviction. I met him in a few social contexts, she said. Fortunately, it was just that, the princess continued. When I read about the terrible crimes he committed against young women today, I am grateful that I had no further contact with him afterwards, she said. My thoughts go out to all the victims. I hope there will be justice in this. Belgium: Prince forced to clarify past meetings Prince Laurent of Belgium, the brother of the king, says he met Epstein twice (AFP/Getty) Prince Laurent of Belgium also clarified his relationship with Epstein after his name was included in the financiers address book. The prince issued a statement at the start of February, days after the main release, saying that he met Epstein face to face twice, after saying he had never attended an event with the financier. He said he probably wasnt clear enough the first time, adding: When I said that I had never attended an event at which Epstein or his entourage were present, I meant public or collective events. I have, however, met Epstein twice face to face at his request. Once in the early 1990s and a second time in the early 2000s. He did not explain why they met or where. He asked me questions I constantly refused to answer, the prince said. He wanted to meet my parents to introduce them to his billionaire friends; I told him my parents were not for sale. Thames Valley police are reviewing allegations made against Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor. Photograph: Kirsty Wigglesworth/AP (Photograph: Kirsty Wigglesworth/AP) Police have held discussions with specialist prosecutors over investigations into Andrew Mountbatten-Windsors links with Jeffrey Epstein while the former duke was acting as the UKs trade envoy. Oliver Wright, assistant chief constable of Thames Valley police, said on Wednesday that the force was leading the assessment of allegations against Mountbatten-Windsor of misconduct in public office, specifically relating to documents within the Epstein files released by the US justice department. As part of this assessment, we have engaged in discussions with specialist crown prosecutors from the CPS [Crown Prosecution Service], Wright said. He added: We will provide updates as and when they are available, but at this stage it would be inappropriate to discuss further specifics of this work. Related: King Charles ready to support police over claims about Andrew Wright said information was evaluated during an assessment phase to determine whether a criminal offence was suspected and a full investigation required. Allegations of misconduct in public office involve particular complexities, and therefore an assessment must be conducted carefully and thoroughly, he said. While we cannot provide timescales over when a decision as to whether a criminal investigation will be opened, we can assure you that Thames Valley police is making progress as quickly as possible. Thames Valley police previously said they were reviewing allegations that the child sex offender Epstein provided Mountbatten-Windsor with a woman to have sex with at Royal Lodge in 2010, as well as that the former prince shared confidential reports from his role as a government trade envoy with the disgraced financier. The Met police has also launched an investigation into allegations Peter Mandelson leaked Downing Street emails and market-sensitive information to Epstein. At a press briefing earlier on Wednesday, the director of public prosecutions for England and Wales, Stephen Parkinson, said the CPS was in close contact with the Met and Thames Valley police, but it had not been asked for formal advice yet. In complex and sensitive cases, the CPS and the police do work together. And Im sure, in respect of the investigation that has been announced, we will do so. However, he said at the time that the CPS would not be giving step-by-step updates. The allegations stem from documents released by the US Department of Justice relating to Epstein and his links to the rich and powerful. Emails released appeared to show Mountbatten-Windsor sharing reports of official visits to Hong Kong, Vietnam and Singapore. One email, dated November 2010, was forwarded by the former duke to Epstein five minutes after it was sent by his then special adviser Amir Patel. Another, sent on Christmas Eve 2010, included a confidential brief on investment opportunities in the reconstruction of Helmand province, Afghanistan. Graham Smith, the chief executive of anti-monarchy pressure group Republic, said he had reported the allegations to police. Buckingham Palace said it was ready to support any police investigation into Mountbatten-Windsor. A spokesperson said King Charles had made clear his profound concern at allegations over his brothers conduct. Mountbatten-Windsor was stripped by the monarch of his right to be a prince and of his dukedom late last year over his association with Epstein. The Met is investigating Mandelson for alleged misconduct in public office in relation to emails containing market-sensitive information that he apparently sent to Epstein while the former Labour peer was business secretary during the financial crisis. The emails showed Mandelson claiming he was trying hard to change policy on bankers bonuses, sharing details of an imminent bailout package for the euro the day before it was announced, and suggesting that the JP Morgan boss mildly threaten the chancellor. Related: Mandelson should no longer be a peer, says Starmer Parkinson said he was confident that the CPS could advise the police over the offence of misconduct in public office, despite widespread concerns that the common law offence, which is in the process of being replaced by a statutory offence, is ill-defined and lacks clarity. He said: The issue when youre advising on criminal cases, its very rarely about what the law is, its about the application of the law in the context. Im confident we would be able to give advice. The revelations prompted fresh scrutiny of Keir Starmers decision last year to appoint Mandelson as US ambassador. Starmers chief of staff, Morgan McSweeney, quit on Sunday, saying he took full responsibility for advising Starmer on the appointment, but his departure has failed to relieve the pressure on the prime minister. Mandelson has said that none of the recently released Epstein files indicate wrongdoing or misdemeanour on my part. Mountbatten-Windsor, who served as the UKs special representative for trade and investment between 2001 and 2011, has always denied any wrongdoing. Rachel Reeves has to signalled that Labour will push further and harder on reversing the worst aspects of Brexit, claiming that closer integration with the EU is the big prize. The chancellor, who was part of the campaign for a second referendum to stop Brexit, told an audience at the LSE on Wednesday that the UK needs to be more closely integrated with one of the bigger blocs in a turbulent world. She said that while relationships with the US and China are important, neither is more important than the one on our doorstep, signalling plans to go much further than last years reset in relations with Brussels, unveiled by prime minister Sir Keir Starmer. Rachel Reeves has signalled plans to go further on reversing Brexit (Reuters) Ms Reeves said: A closer economic relationship with the EU isnt about choosing sides but about geography. There are three big economic blocks: US, China and Europe. We will always seek every opportunity to grow our economy, and these trading relationships, but ultimately only one of these is on our doorstep, and so the biggest prize is closer integration with Europe. It comes days after Labour London mayor Sir Sadiq Khan described reversing Brexit as the ultimate goal, while both the chancellor and prime minister have made it clear Brexit will be a dividing line with Nigel Farages Reform UK at the next election. In addition, many now believe that the removal of former Downing Street chief of staff Morgan McSweeney, following the scandal over the hiring of disgraced peer Peter Mandelson despite his known links to paedophile Jeffrey Epstein, has removed a major block to reversing Brexit. While the government has set manifesto red lines against rejoining the EU, its single market or customs union, talks are underway on several fronts, including closer alignment on defence, regulations, and a youth visa scheme that would make it easier for Britons and Europeans to work and live abroad. Talks are being led by one of Sir Keirs most trusted lieutenants, Cabinet Office minister Nick Thomas-Symonds. But Ms Reevess words come as she prepares for her spring statement update, still looking for ways to increase economic growth after the economy flatlined under her watch. London mayor Sir Sadiq Khan wants Brexit reversed (PA) Earlier this week, health secretary Wes Streeting released private messages between himself and disgraced former Labour peer Lord Mandelson, which revealed he has been critical of Ms Reeves economic policy. We dont have a growth strategy, in wrote, in a scathing analysis of the chancellors brief. The intervention also comes as Sir Keir attempts to renew his government in the wake of the Mandelson scandal and a fresh one involving his former aide Lord Matthew Doyle, who he elevated to the House of Lords despite knowing he had campaigned for a paedophile. Sir Keir saw off an attempted coup this week when Scottish leader Anas Sarwar called for him to go. But he is now looking for policies to build back support for his premiership on the Labour benches, where a pro-EU stance is popular. Ms Reeves speech does represent a shift in tone for the chancellor, who had been trying to dissuade colleagues, including Mr Streeting, from pushing for customs union membership. The Lib Dems recently won a vote in parliament, with the backing of Labour rebels, supporting a return to the customs union. But at the World Economic Forum summit in Davos last month, Ms Reeves urged cabinet colleagues to stop floating the idea of a closer union, insisting Britain could not go back in time. Pro-EU campaigners have welcomed the shift in emphasis and called on Labour to go even further. Dr Mike Galsworthy, chair of the European Movement UK, said: It is time now to state the obvious. Let's set a course to join the EU, listening to what the majority of this country's citizens want, to rip red tape away from our businesses, open mobility for talent, inspire our youth, secure our defence and reassert our British-European values. The majority of the British public now favour EU membership. The time to start that conversation is long overdue. Imagine what that would do for investment, for the energy of this county, for our sense of purpose. And now look again at how inadequate the concept of 'closer ties' is. Shadow chancellor, Sir Mel Stride said: "It's no secret that Reeves and Starmer have wanted to row back on Brexit since day one. "Labour are desperate to blame anyone but themselves for their economic failures. Under increasing pressure from their own soft-left colleagues following the Mandelson scandal, Starmer and Reeves would rather point the finger at Brexit than accept their poor choices have been a disaster for our economy." Two stone altars, unearthed at a Roman fort near Edinburgh and now acquired for the nation, will make their public debut in a new exhibition. The artefacts once formed the heart of the Roman Empire's most northerly known temple to the god Mithras, and are said to really bring the beliefs of the Roman frontier to life. Experts describe the cult of Mithras as a secretive, male-only religion, celebrating the triumph of good over evil and light over darkness. Excavated at Inveresk in East Lothian, the altars date to around 140AD, a period when southern Scotland was reoccupied under Antoninus Pius. Curators believe they offer fresh insights into the beliefs and lives of soldiers on the frontier. They were acquired in 2016 by National Museums Scotland. The altars have since undergone extensive conservation work and will go on show for the first time in November in Roman Scotland: Life On The Edge Of Empire. National Museum of Scotland curator Sr Fraser Hunter examining the Roman altars (Duncan McGlynn/National Museum of Scotland) Dr Fraser Hunter, principal curator of prehistory and Roman archaeology at NMS, said: These stunning altars really bring the beliefs of the Roman frontier to life. The quality of the carving, traces of paint and dramatic lighting effects show they were impressive and expensive monuments. The cult of Mithras represented the triumph of good over evil and gave soldiers a sense that there was a purpose to their world and a life after death. Im sure visitors will be amazed by them when they can see them up close in our new exhibition, Roman Scotland: Life On The Edge Of Empire. One of the altars depicts the face of the sun god Sol and also features carvings of the four seasons, depicted as female deities. One of the altars depicts the sun god Sol, while the other honours Mithras (Duncan McGlynn/National Museum of Scotland/PA Wire) Curators said it would have been illuminated from behind so that in the low light of the temple, worshippers would have seen Sols eyes, mouth and the rays of his solar crown glowing. The other altar honours Mithras himself and is decorated with carvings linked to the god Apollo, another god of light, including a lyre, a griffin and a plectrum as well as two ravens, which are often seen in Mithraic imagery. Both altars were dedicated by a legionary centurion thought to be Gaius Cassius Flavianus whose name was abbreviated on the altar as G CAS FLA. It is thought he was probably in command of the fort garrison at the time. During their time buried underground, the altars, which were excavated in 2010, had broken into fragments and they have undergone conservation work to reconstruct them and prepare them for display. A fragment of one of the Roman altars pre-conservation (National Museum of Scotland/PA Wire) While they were carrying out this work conservators identified traces of paint on the carvings, revealing that originally they would have been painted in vibrant colours. The exhibition Roman Scotland: Life On The Edge Of Empire at the National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh will address the common misconception that the Romans never got beyond Hadrians Wall. Experts said the empire in fact extended its reach much further north three times, up to Scotlands central belt and deep into north-east Scotland. Fortifications built by the Romans included the Antonine Wall which was constructed across the narrowest part of Scotland from the Clyde to the Forth, with additional forts along the coasts to the west and east including Inveresk. In the exhibition finds from Inveresk will be displayed together for the first time. Curators said this will shed new light on the Roman occupation in Scotland, and demonstrate how this significant frontier outpost was supplied from across the empire, and the impacts this occupation had on the local population. Roman Scotland: Life On The Edge Of Empire will run from November 2026 until 28 April 2027. Anti-immigration protesters gather outside an asylum seeker hotel in Rotherham in 2023. Photograph: Gary Calton/The Observer (Photograph: Gary Calton/The Observer) A Labour council has been accused of embracing flag terror after offering 500 grants to groups to erect union jack and St Georges flags in a town previously rocked by racial tension. The leaders of Rotherham council, in South Yorkshire, said they wanted the flags to be a symbol of unity and did not want to surrender them to extremist or far-right groups. However, it comes at a time of growing concern across Britain about rising ethno-nationalism and intimidation after thousands of national flags were erected by groups with links to rightwing figures. Rotherham was the scene of one of the worst cases of civil disorder in recent history in 2024 when demonstrators tried to set fire to a hotel housing asylum seekers as race-fuelled riots spread across England. The area has also been a magnet for far-right figures for years after it was one of the first places exposed in the grooming gangs scandal. In a scheme announced quietly on its website last week, Rotherham council said it would offer 500 grants to community groups and parish councils to cover the cost of erecting a flagpole with either a union jack or St Georges flag. Chris Read, the councils Labour leader, on Wednesday defended the use of the tiny sum of a few thousand pounds by an authority whose debts rose to 677m last year. He said it was being funded by an underspend on another council project and wont be coming out of peoples council tax bills. Read has previously acknowledged that some communities were scared by the hundreds of national flags erected from lamp-posts across the town and told councillors last month that he was very concerned by far-right influencers spreading division in Rotherham. The council offered the grants in an attempt to demonstrate that national symbols must not be surrendered to extremists, he said, adding that the scraggy flags put up by across the town would be taken down as they were becoming disrespectful to a proud nation. However, the council was accused of appeasing the far right by embracing nationalism and anti-humanity rhetoric. Desiree Reynolds, the artist in residence at Sheffield City Archives, said the flag movement was a part of a terror campaign and it continues to be so. She said: Rotherhams Labour council and Labour in general think moving towards the far right is the only way to keep power but has decided to ignore the flag terror and go full appeasement. Reynolds, who founded the racial justice movement Dig Where You Stand, questioned who had sanctioned the 500 offer for flags and whether all communities were considered or even consulted. Its national and anti-humanity rhetoric, she said, adding that the flags erected across the town in an apparently spontaneous show of patriotism were not removed, no matter how much terror they sparked in racialised communities. Jawad Hussain of Stand Up To Racism Rotherham described the move as concerning and said it would embolden the far right. He said: When all those flags were put up it was quite a terrifying thing. The message behind that, for our communities, is that the flag is being used by the far right the BNP, Ukip, EDL to say the flag is for us, not you. Hussain, 24, whose local mosque was defaced with a St Georges flag after the asylum hotel riot, said the council grants would give the far right confidence and added: The council has no idea what its doing. Taiba Yaseen, an independent councillor in Rotherham, raised concerns that only the St Georges and union flags were being funded: If somebody wants to put up the Pride flag, or the Ukraine flag, for example, or the Palestinian flag, how will that be enforced? Related: Dismay as council removes Pride flag in Derbyshire after Christians complain Read, who has led the Labour council for 11 years, said the national flags were symbols of all our communities and that we must not allow that to divide us. He added: What we want to see going forward is our national flags being flown in our communities but being treated with respect, so that means being flown from council buildings in a way they always have been. It is absolutely essential that these are national flags that represent all our communities and all the people who live here and we are not surrendering them to extremist or far-right groups. Image taken of a prospective suspect at Nancy Guthries home. Photograph: FBI (Photograph: FBI) A suspect in the abduction of US television host Savannah Guthries elderly mother, Nancy, was taken into custody in Arizona on Tuesday, nine days after the 84-year-old woman was reported missing, according to a law enforcement official briefed on the case. The Pima county sheriffs department issued a separate statement online late on Tuesday saying deputies had detained a subject during a traffic stop and that the individual was being questioned in connection to the Nancy Guthrie investigation. No further details were immediately available, and it was not clear whether the suspect taken into custody and the individual described as a subject detained in a traffic stop south of Tucson were the same person. But the apparent breakthrough came hours after authorities released video and photos of an armed man in a ski mask tampering with the door camera of Nancy Guthries home near Tucson on the morning that she was taken from her residence. The FBI director, Kash Patel, published the images as the search for Nancy Guthrie, 84, stretched into its second week, saying the images had been previously inaccessible but were subsequently obtained from residual data located in back-end systems. The black-and-white images depict a masked figure wearing gloves and a backpack approaching the door of Guthries house. In one of the images, the person waves what appears to be a plant and in the other, they begin to dismantle the Nest camera. Working with our partners, as of [Tuesday] morning, law enforcement has uncovered these previously inaccessible new images showing an armed individual appearing to have tampered with the camera at Guthries front door the morning of her disappearance, Patel wrote on X. Savannah Guthrie issued a desperate plea on Monday for anyone who might know anything about her missing mother to contact law enforcement. We are at an hour of desperation, she said. And we need your help. The FBI has yet to identify a suspect, a day after the lapse of a deadline set by a ransom note from the octogenarians purported kidnappers. The Guthrie family said on Sunday that they would pay kidnappers to ensure she safely returns home. Authorities have not confirmed the veracity of this ransom demand. Efforts to contact the kidnappers appear to have fallen short, with officials saying on Monday night that they were not aware of any continued communication between the Guthrie family and suspected kidnappers, nor have we identified a suspect or person of interest in this case at this time. The FBI said the agency was sending more agents from field offices across the US to Guthries home city of Tucson, Arizona, outside of which her blood had been found. We are currently operating a 24-hour command post that includes crisis management experts, analytic support, and investigative teams. But we still need the publics help, NBC News quoted the FBI as saying. Someone has that one piece of information that can help us bring Nancy home. We need that person to share what they know. Please call us at 1-800-CALL-FBI. Separately, the Guthrie familys pastor, Michael Rudzena, described Nancy on television as a strong woman and fiercely loving. Prayer opens up possibilities in our own hearts, he told Today. Leaving a door open for hope is a way to fight against that fatality. Authorities believe Nancy Guthrie was taken from her home early on 1 February. They had said that one roadblock in the ensuing search for Guthrie was the fact that somebody had disconnected her doorbell camera when she disappeared. And because she was not actively subscribed to the doorbell camera service provider, they could not immediately get images, they said. With Reuters The Government wont hesitate to increase security in schools if shortcomings are identified by the investigation into the Brent stabbings, says a minister. Schools standards minister Georgia Gould, MP for Queens Park and Maida Vale, told how the attacks at Kingsbury High School, Brent, north-west London, had sent shockwaves through the local community. She stressed that measures to stop youngsters taking knives into schools were already in place, with headteachers able to install knife arches if they believed they were needed. But in light of whats happened...we will look into whats happened, the investigation, and if theres more that needs to be done, we wont hesitate to do that, Ms Gould, a former leader of Camden council, told Sky News. Police at the scene of the stabbings at Kingsbury High School (Ben Whitley/PA Wire) Police were on Wednesday continuing to question a 13-year-old boy arrested on suspicion of attempted murder, as counter terrorism officers lead an investigation into the school stabbing of two boys. Officers were called to Kingsbury High School at 12.40pm on Tuesday, to reports that a 13-year-old boy was stabbed. Officers found a 12-year-old boy had also been stabbed. According to reports, the offender climbed over a wall to gain entry to the school and one of the victims alerted teachers to the attack by pulling the fire alarm. Ms Gould stressed: Its just an absolutely horrendous incident that has sent shockwaves through the community and all of our thoughts are with the two young victims and and their families. She sought to reassure worried parents and pupils by explaining that the suspected perpetrator was in police custody. Schools standards minister Georgia Gould Asked whether knife arches should be installed in schools across the country, Ms Gould told ITVs Good Morning Britain: Knife arches are something that schools can use. But she said there were no plans for a nationwide roll-out of arches. I really think we need to not accept that this is something that can routinely happen, that children are carrying knives, we have to deal with the root causes of this, she added. Our real focus has been on reducing knife crime. We have been working really closely across Brent where this incident happened with the violence reduction unit to do that, to put more support in for young people, and to work closely with schools. But pressed about several stabbings of youngsters, she accepted: More has to be done to protect children, that is why knife violence has been one of the key priorities of this Government. This is something were taking incredibly seriously. The headteacher of the school, Alex Thomas, said the Lower School would be closed on Wednesday and students should stay at home, but the Upper School would be open for students in Years 10-13. Kingsbury High School is an academy school serving children aged 11 to 18, with both upper and lower sites. According to the latest Department for Education information, it has 1,997 pupils. It traces its origins to Kingsbury County School, which opened in 1925 in a building which had been the office of the former Aircraft Manufacturing Company. It moved premises in 1932. Alumni include Whams George Michael, jazz musician Courtney Pine, Floyd Steadman, the first black captain of the Saracens rugby team, and writer Ekow Eshun. Sarah B Rogers, undersecretary of state for public diplomacy. Photograph: US Department of State (Photograph: US Department of State) As Donald Trump redoubled his war of words on the European Union and Nato in recent weeks, a senior state department official, Sarah B Rogers, was publicly attacking policies on hate speech and immigration by ostensible US allies, and promoting far-right parties abroad. Rogers has arguably become the public face of the Trump administrations growing hostility to European liberal democracies. Since assuming office in October, she has met with far-right European politicians, criticized prosecutions under longstanding hate speech laws, and boasted online of sanctions against critics of hate speech and disinformation on US big tech platforms. Rogers is undersecretary of state for public diplomacy, a top-10 state department role that was created in 1999 to strengthen relationships between the US and foreign publics, as opposed to foreign governments and diplomats. Rogers, however, appears to be concerned with winning over a particular slice of foreign public opinion. Her recent posts on Twitter/X have included a characterization of migrants in Germany as barbarian rapist hordes, a comment on Sweden apparently linking sexual violence to immigration policy (If your government cared about womens safety, it would have a different migration policy), and the recitation of the view that advocates of unlimited third world immigration have long controlled a disproportionate share of official knowledge production. The Guardian emailed Rogers a detailed request for comment on this reporting. On her social media posts, Rogers wrote that it would be defamatory to call her post on German migrants a description of all German migrants. Instead, it describes the ones who assaulted hundreds of victims in Cologne, and that among the limited vocabulary options, barbarian rapist horde is a reasonable way to describe the Cologne attackersand certainly shouldnt be illegal to say. Rogers added that the context for the comment on Sweden was a series of media engagements in which womens safety was proffered as an excuse to censor the Internet, and that by official knowledge production I mean prestige-media, academia, key NGOs and their bureaucratic funders. Expert observers of the European far right said that commentary such as Rogerss reflected a Trump administration decision to support those movements. Leonie de Jonge, professor of research on far-right extremism at the University of Tubingen who has published extensive research on the European far right, said: The Trump administration has a vested interest in strengthening anti-democratic movements abroad, as doing so helps advance its own agenda while lending legitimacy to these actors and their activities. Georgios Samaras, a lecturer in public policy at Kings College London who has published extensive research on the European far right, said that after the January 6 Capitol riot, Trumps contempt for mainstream institutions stopped being tactical and became a governing identity. Over the four years outside the White House, it hardened into a posture that treats constraint, scrutiny, and pluralism as enemies. Samaras added: His warmth towards far-right movements in Europe sits inside that same logic. It is culture export and it is power projection. AfD alliance Since taking up her position, Rogers has extended a hand of friendship to the European far right. Last week, the Financial Times reported that Rogers had met with rightwing opposition parties across Europe on a mission to fund Maga-aligned think-tanks and charities across Europe. The newspaper quoted a senior member of the UKs far-right Reform party who had attended one such meeting as saying that Rogers had a state department slush fund to get Maga-style things going in various places and was keen to fund European organisations to undermine government policies. On 13 December, she met with the Alternative fur Deutschland (AfD) parliamentarian Markus Frohnmaier, according to a post on Frohnmaiers X account. According to Xs translation of Frohnmaiers post, his exchange with Under Secretary Sarah Rogers on the new national security strategy of the Trump Administration has made it clear that Washington is seeking a strong German partner. On 14 December, in the face of criticism over her meeting with Frohnmaier, Rogers wrote: Unlike the Russian government (and the current German one), AfD took an anti-censorship stance in its meeting with me last week. One reason theyre gaining popularity in Germany. Rogers told the Guardian: Mr Frohnmaier is the foreign policy spokesman for the most popular political party in Germany. He delivers AfDs foreign policy positions in the Bundestag, and is the person German media call when they want a policy statement from AfD. For this reason, we talk to him in his official capacity to understand AfDs positions. In 2019, Der Spiegel reported that Frohnmaier was the subject of a strategy paper sent from the Russian Duma to the highest levels of leadership in the presidential administration, which argued for supporting his candidacy in the 2017 German federal election, on the basis that we will have our own absolutely controlled MP in the Bundestag. Frohnmaier has frequently visited Russia and Russian-occupied Crimea since it was invaded in 2014. In 2016 he reportedly attended the Yalta International Economic Forum in Yalta on the southern coast of the Crimean peninsula, where he met his wife, Daria, who was then writing for the Russian pro-government newspaper Izvestia. On Frohnmaiers Russian ties, Rogers said: Allegations of ambiguous provenance that various media and political figures are Russian assets have been a fixture of western politics since 2016, and: I sought guidance within the state department and determined that the claims of Russian ties were unsubstantiated and in any event, not a bar to a meeting. In 2019, Frohnmaier told the BBC that he was not controlled by Russia, and that the documents cited by Der Spiegel were fake. Asked whether this meant she disputed reporting of those ties, Rogers wrote: Im not denying the existence of the Der Spiegel reporting, but formed the view based on guidance that the allegation in the reporting (controlled by Russia) remained unsubstantiated in the seven years since it surfaced. The German state has determined that AfD is a threat to democracy. Last May, Germanys domestic intelligence agency, the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV), designated AfD as a confirmed rightwing extremist force, enabling them to step up surveillance of the party. That designation drew immediate fire from the Trump administration, including Rogerss boss Marco Rubio, who called it tyranny in disguise. Earlier in the year, JD Vance used a speech at the Munich Security Conference to castigate Germany over the so-called firewall that has seen mainstream parties refusing to enter into coalitions with far-right groups. AfDs legal challenge to the designation is ongoing. In meeting with the AfD, Rogers followed in the footsteps of her predecessor, Darren Beattie, who was acting undersecretary last October when he likewise posted about a meeting with Fronhmaier, saying they had discussed shared priorities on cultural exchange and migration. Beattie was fired as a speechwriter in the first Trump administration after attending a white supremacist gathering and speaking on a panel alongside the white nationalist commentator Peter Brimelow. In a 2024 post on X, Beattie wrote: Competent white men must be in charge if you want things to work. Unfortunately, our entire national ideology is predicated on coddling the feelings of women and minorities, and demoralizing competent white men. He is now listed on the state department website as Senior Bureau Official, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. Samaras said that contacts between the administration and parties such as AfD function as legitimation. They also show a transatlantic alignment between the US far right and the German far right that should not be understated, especially given Germanys place in European power and in the memory of fascism. As mass migration disrupts societies, liberal political freedoms lose out Rogers has also amplified the messaging of far-right activists in the UK, sometimes reproducing their preferred narratives. On 24 January, she posted a screenshot of a GB News broadcast and headline, Met Police bans Walk with Jesus march to avoid provoking local Muslim community. She captioned it with: As mass migration disrupts societies, liberal political freedoms lose out, adding: UK freedom of assembly is a recurring example. That march was organized by UKIP, a far-right party, which in the years since Brexit has been accused of becoming an Islamophobic political party. Its organizers reportedly described the demonstration as a crusade, urging supporters to reclaim Whitechapel from the Islamists. UKIPs previous effort to organize a march in the plurality-Muslim Tower Hamlets borough in London last October was called The Mass Deportations Tour. And UKIP were expressly invited by the Metropolitan police to stage their march in another part of the city. Asked about her comments on the Tower Hamlets march, Rogers emailed: My tweet combined references to two marches: one march protesting immigration policy, and one Christian evangelical walk with Jesus march. I understood that both marches were organized by UKIP, and that illiberal-left commentators might view UKIP as undeserving of free-assembly rights. Other moves from Rogers suggest that the grievances of the far-right abroad have informed US posture towards its ostensible allies. In a 2 December post, Rogers wrote: As with Americas Somali fraud crisis, Britains rape-gang problem has been obfuscated by gaps sometimes willful ones in data collection. The same issue exists elsewhere in Europe. Were going to help fix that. Replying to a question on this post, Rogers said it was corroborated by the UKs 2025 Casey Report on child exploitation and abuse, and media reports on the Minnesota fraud matter. Her post was a repost of a video of the self-styled independent journalist Jack Hadfield advancing claims about higher rates of sexual assault among foreigners in the UK. Hadfields arguments drew on figures generated by the anti-immigrant organization Centre for Migration Control, figures that critics have described as dodgy, disputed or debunked. Hadfield, a former Breitbart writer, often writes for rightwing UK outlets like GB News. In 2017, however, he was exposed by the anti-fascist non-profit Hope not Hate as the administrator of a secret Facebook group, the Young Right Society, which he described in posts in the group as a Fascist-Juggalo group with traditionalism interest, and which featured openly racist and antisemitic commentary from about 200 far-right activists. In 2017, when his role in the Facebook group was discovered, Hadfield told the UK newspaper the Independent that he considered himself to be on the moderate right but that he strongly believe[s] that all ideas, including those of the so-called alt-right must be debated. On Hadfield, Rogers wrote: I dont know what Fascist-Juggalo traditionalism means, but this sounds like a joke? and I do not excavate the undergraduate Facebook history of every reporter I retweet. Looking at it now, contemporaneous articles concede that Mr. Hadfield may not have posted some of the more controversial content. The November video of Hadfield was taken at an anti-immigrant Pink Ladies event at Chelmsford in Essex, which was the center of protests last autumn over the UK governments policy of accommodating asylum seekers in hotels. The protest included stars of the rightwing fringe, including Lucy Connolly, who told the crowd: Keep fighting Im so proud of you all. At that time Connolly had been recently released from prison after serving just 40% of a 31-month sentence after pleading guilty to stirring up racial hatred in a July 2024 post on immigrants which read in part: Set fire to all the fucking hotels full of the bastards for all I care. The post came in the wake of a murder that was falsely attributed to illegal immigrants, and ahead of widespread anti-immigrant riots across the UK. Connolly became a cause celebre on the right after her release, describing herself as a political prisoner and was championed by rightwing allies like the pro-Trump leader of Britains rightwing Reform party, Nigel Farage. Rogers has specifically defended Connolly in recent podcasts, in terms remarkably similar to those presented by Farage. On the tech right podcast All In on 22 January, Rogers said that Connollys post had been pretty inflammatory, but it would have been unambiguously legal in the United States, and characterizing her as a bereaved mother whod lost a child. She saw three little girls murdered for no reason. On her podcast comments, Rogers wrote: Those comments are accurate. For more on why Connollys tweet would be legal in the United States, see Brandenburg v Ohio, referring to a 1969 supreme court decision that an Ohio law used to charge a Ku Klux Klan leader was unconstitutional. De Jonge commented: Complaints about hate speech legislation are a familiar trope among far-right actors. Such laws are routinely framed as evidence that liberal institutions are suppressing free expression, a narrative that reinforces their broader claims of political victimhood. Samaras wrote that advocacy for free speech on the far right was never a neutral commitment to open debate. It is a claim to special permission. The move is to turn a buzzword into a crusade so they can dominate public discourse while framing any limits on harassment and incitement as censorship. This global censorship regimes apparatchiks Rogers has also been the face of the new administrations placement of visa sanctions on members of what she and Marco Rubio have described as the censorship-industrial complex individuals who have also attracted the ire of Elon Musk and high-profile Republicans. In doing so she has revealed that the European Digital Services Act (DSA) and the UKs Online Safety Act (OSA) are also in the administrations crosshairs, as was also reported in the Financial Times. On 23 December, Rubio announced visa sanctions on five individuals who he claimed had attempted to coerce American platforms to censor, demonetize, and suppress American viewpoints they oppose, and whose entry, presence, or activities in the United States have potentially serious adverse foreign policy consequences for the United States. Rogers soon named those individuals in a thread on X, where along with allegations about their actions, characterized the DSA and the OSA as efforts to expand censorship in Europe and around the world. One of the individuals named was Imran Ahmed, chief executive of the Centre for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH) and a US permanent resident, who Rogers accused of being a key collaborator with the Biden Administrations effort to weaponize the government against U.S. citizens. Also that day, Rogers appended a Christmas tree emoji to a repost of a post by the British media producer Alex Webster featuring a digitally altered photo of Rogers wearing a Santa hat with the caption: Hey McSweeney. Merry Christmas, an apparent reference to Morgan McSweeney, then chief of staff to the British prime minister, Keir Starmer, and a former CCDH director. Both posts became exhibits in a lawsuit filed on Christmas Eve by Imran Ahmed, which named Rogers as a defendant alongside other Trump officials including Rubio. On 25 December, a federal judge issued a temporary restraining order preventing Ahmeds deportation. On 22 January, a justice department lawyer representing Trump administration defendants including Rogers asked Kaplan in a filing to delay discovery and announced that the defense would dispute the venue and the courts jurisdiction. In a statement to the Guardian, Ahmed wrote: America is a great nation built on laws, with checks and balances to ensure power can never attain the unfettered primacy that leads to tyranny. He added: I believe in this system, and I am proud to call this country my home. I will not be bullied away from my lifes work of fighting to keep children safe from social medias harm and stopping antisemitism online. The visa sanctions came just a week after the hard-right Missouri senator Eric Schmitt wrote directly to Rogers about the OSA and the DSA, characterizing them as a full-scale bid for control of American public discourse, seeking to impose hard-left ideological strictures on our nation from abroad. Schmitt encouraged visa restrictions against this global censorship regimes apparatchiks, and specifically asked the state department to consider revoking the visas of foreign censors, such as Imran Ahmed, who is reportedly here on a visa. The Guardian previously reported that Schmitt last February employed Nate Hochman, the subject of a string of scandals over his far-right connections, including being fired from Ron DeSantiss unsuccessful presidential campaign after making a video containing neo-Nazi imagery, and later peddling far-right conspiracy theories in a Marco Rubio-linked thinktank. Samaras, the KCL academic, said that Rogerss statements and outreach from the US government should be seen as strategic. If Project 2025 is a domestic template, this is the exportable version. Attack European governments, destabilise, cheer on the most reactionary forces, and you increase the odds of electoral change that benefits the far right in France, Germany, the UK, Spain and elsewhere. An Israeli soldier walks past displaced Palestinians protesting to demand the right to return to their homes, in the Nur Shams refugee camp in Tulkarm, West Bank. Photograph: Anadolu/Getty Images (Photograph: Anadolu/Getty Images) Israeli measures to tighten its control of the West Bank have prompted a global backlash, including a signal from Washington restating the Trump administrations opposition to annexation of the occupied territory. Announcing the measures, which involve extending Israeli control in areas that are currently under Palestinian administration, Israels defence minister, Israel Katz, made clear they were aimed at strengthening Israeli settlements in the West Bank and pre-empting the emergence of an independent sovereign Palestine. The measures, passed by the Israeli security cabinet, also make it easier to find out who owns land in the West Bank and for non-Arabs to buy property in the territory. It was not initially clear when the new rules would come into effect but they require no further approval. We will continue to kill the idea of a Palestinian state, Katz said in a joint statement with the finance minister, Bezalel Smotrich. The EU called the measures another step in the wrong direction and said sanctions were still on the table, including the possible suspension of some parts of the EU-Israel trade agreement. A joint statement by a group of Arab and Islamic states, which will be central to Donald Trumps hopes of implementing a peace plan in Gaza, said they condemned in the strongest terms the illegal Israeli decisions and measures aimed at imposing unlawful Israeli sovereignty. The signatories including Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Egypt, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Pakistan, Indonesia, and Turkey said the new measures would inflame violence, deepen the conflict and endanger regional stability and security. The UK said it strongly condemns the Israeli measures. Any unilateral attempt to alter the geographic or demographic makeup of Palestine is wholly unacceptable and would be inconsistent with international law, a UK statement said. We call on Israel to reverse these decisions immediately. The Australian government, which is hosting a visit by the Israeli president Isaac Herzog, also joined the global condemnation. Australia objects to the Israel security cabinets decision to expand Israels control over the West Bank. This decision will undermine stability and security, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said in a statement. The Australian government has been clear that settlements are illegal under international law and a significant obstacle to peace. Altering the demographic composition of Palestine is unacceptable. A two-state solution remains the only viable path to long-term peace and security for Israelis and Palestinians alike. Related: A violation of our history: Palestinian uproar over Israels plan to seize historic West Bank site The outrage at the Israeli measures came on the eve of a planned White House meeting between the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, and Donald Trump on Wednesday. The administration made no formal comment, but a White House official issued a statement to reporters indicating its opposition. President Trump has clearly stated that he does not support Israel annexing the West Bank, the statement said. A stable West Bank keeps Israel secure and is in line with this administrations goal to achieve peace in the region. The new measures are wide ranging and aimed directly at authority and control of territory in the West Bank. They repeal a law dating back to the era of Jordanian rule before 1967, which banned the sale of land to non-Arabs. They also transfer authority over building licences in Hebron from the Palestinian-run municipality to the Israeli civil administration, the armys occupation authority in the territory. The transfer could violate a 1997 Hebron protocol, which divided the city into two sectors. The Jewish settlement around Rachels Tomb in Bethlehem is also transferred from Palestinian governance to direct Israeli control. The Palestinian Authoritys control over its designated parts of the West Bank has been severely weakened over past decades by lack of money, aggressive Israeli obstruction and settlement-building, as well as its own corruption. It issued a statement in its capital in Ramallah warning that the new Israeli measures were aimed at deepening attempts to annex the occupied West Bank. Aliya Rahman is detained last month by federal agents near the scene where Renee Good was fatally shot by an ICE officer in Minneapolis. Photograph: Adam Gray/AP (Photograph: Adam Gray/AP) Support for Donald Trumps immigration efforts has dropped dramatically following a wave of public revulsion over violent scenes in Minneapolis involving Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents, new poll figures show. The figures arrive as administration officials continue to double down on ICE enforcement, which has been getting increasingly dangerous. Nearly half (49%) of all American adults strongly disapprove of the Trump administrations handling of border security and immigration, according to an NBC survey. The figures represent a double-digit decline in backing for the presidents performance on immigration the subject central to Trumps electoral appeal compared with a similar poll last summer, when 38% said they strongly disapproved. An earlier poll last April showed 34% disapproving. Pollsters link the rising disapproval rates to the shooting deaths of two US citizens, Renee Good and Alex Pretti, in separate incidents by federal agents deployed in Minneapolis. Senior administration officials, including the homeland security secretary, Kristi Noem, denounced both Good and Pretti as domestic terrorists in the immediate aftermath of their deaths. About 60% of those asked in the week following the death of Pretti, an intensive care nurse at a VA hospital, said they disapproved of Trumps immigration and border policies. The decline in Trumps support on a key issue matches his diminishing approval ratings overall; a range of recent polls, including NBCs, showed Trumps support also at 39%. The NBC poll, which included nearly 22,000 adults, suggested that the deaths of Good and Pretti had a disproportionate effect on perceptions compared with previous controversies involving immigration agents in other cities. Those things hadnt moved the needle that much, Marc Trussler, NBCs elections analyst said of the poll. It is really the chaos of Minnesota that has done it. The survey also showed an underlying hostility towards ICE, with nearly three-quarters of respondents saying they wanted to see the agency reformed or abolished. A vast majority said immigration officers had gone too far. About 63% expressed opposition to agents wearing masks, with 58% disagreeing with the proposition that regular, law-abiding citizens had nothing to fear from immigration agents. More people blamed violent street clashes on the administration rather than protesters, while 63% said the federal government had acted excessively in ignoring or overriding local or state governments. A similar majority, 62%, say they do not trust the federal government to carry out fair investigations into the deaths of Good and Pretti, after local investigators were excluded from the inquiries. The poll also showed a growing split between traditional Republicans and Trumps allies on immigration. For instance, 59% of traditionalists supported an investigation of the agents who killed Pretti, while only 38% of Trump-supporting Republicans did. The findings have come as officials have continued to voice an uncompromising line on ICEs agents, with several leading figures, including JD Vance, asserting that agents have absolute immunity in their operations. Testifying before the House of Representatives homeland security committee on Tuesday, the agency acting head, Todd Lyons, was unapologetic about its actions. Let me send a message to anyone who thinks they can intimidate us. You will fail, he told lawmakers. We are only getting started. Lyons expressed resentment about the agencys conduct being compared to the Nazi Gestapo, saying such rhetoric put agents at risk. In response, Dan Goldman, a Democratic representative from New York, told him: I have a simple suggestion: if you dont want to be called a fascist regime or secret police, then stop acting like one. At least two dozen ICE agents have been charge with crimes since 2020, a study conducted by the Associated Press found. Wrongdoing included patterns of physical and sexual abuse, corruption and other abuses of authority. Most of the crimes occurred before Congress awarded the Department of Homeland Security $75bn last year to hire more agents. But commentators have voiced concerns about the rapid rate of expansion and questioned whether recruits are being adequately vetted. Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire (PANA) - Cote d'Ivoire and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) have agreed that preserving the countrys reform momentum will be essential to meet its goal of achieving upper middle-income status Three flight attendants severely injured after air traffic controller failed to warn of turbulence, report says An air traffic controller violated Federal Aviation Administration procedures by failing to pass along a turbulence warning to a flight approaching Newark Liberty International Airport, which contributed to severe injuries to three flight attendants, a final report released Tuesday by the National Transportation Safety Board found. The incident involved United Airlines Flight 1890, a Boeing 777 descending from Los Angeles to Newark on February 10, 2024. The aircraft encountered sudden and violent turbulence during its approach. The unexpected jolt was so severe that flight attendants were thrown about the cabin, suffering broken bones and a serious head injury, according to investigators. One flight attendant was hurled into the ceiling and then slammed to the floor, sustaining a spinal fracture. Two others lost consciousness and suffered major injuries, including a shattered femur and head trauma. Passengers and crew members who were not wearing seatbelts were also thrown upward, including an adult inside a lavatory and an infant being held, the report said. NTSB officials said their two-year investigation found the flight crew had reviewed weather forecasts and monitored onboard weather tools during the descent. However, without a real-time pilot report warning of turbulence ahead, the crew had limited ability to anticipate the dangerous conditions and further prepare the cabin. The report said the aircraft flew into unstable air despite forecasts for thunderstorms and unsettled weather in the region. The planes onboard radar and weather systems did not indicate significant turbulence activity along their descent path, leaving the crew without clear warning of what lay ahead. The incident happened at Newark Liberty International Airport (Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.) About three minutes before Flight 1890 encountered the violent turbulence, another aircraft in the same area reported moderate turbulence to an air traffic controller. That report was not relayed to the United crew. The controller told investigators they did not hear the pilots weather report and were completing other coordination. The NTSB said the controller, who was based in Boston, failed to acknowledge or disseminate the report to other aircraft, as required under FAA procedures. Under FAA rules, controllers are required to actively solicit and share Pilot Weather Reports, known as PIREPs, particularly when moderate or greater turbulence is reported. These real-time reports are meant to alert pilots to hazardous conditions so they can adjust routes, secure the cabin or take other precautions to protect passengers and crew. Failure to solicit and share PIREPs can lead to legal liability for negligence. However, NTSBs report in this case includes an explanation that the Board investigates accidents and incidents purely to figure out what happened and improve transportation safety. These investigations are not about assigning blame or pointing fingers, and they do not involve formal charges or legal disputes, the report states. NTSBs reports are also not meant to determine anyones rights or liabilities, and cannot be reported as evidence in civil lawsuits for damages related to the incident. Newark Liberty International Airport declined to comment when contacted by The Independent. The Independent has contacted the National Air Traffic Controllers Association for comment. A medical assistant prepares a flu vaccine to be administered at a clinic in Chicago, Illinois, on 31 December 2025. Photograph: Eileen T Meslar/Chicago Tribune via Getty Images (Photograph: Eileen T Meslar/Chicago Tribune via Getty Images) The largest medical organization in the US will help conduct a review on the safety and effectiveness of respiratory vaccines as federal health agencies and advisers end vaccine recommendations based on no new information. They are filling a void that the government created, Ezekiel Emanuel, vice-provost for global initiatives at the University of Pennsylvania, told journalists on Tuesday. The US government had abdicated this responsibility under Robert F Kennedy Jr, the secretary of the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and a longtime anti-vaccine critic, Emanuel said. The American Medical Association (AMA) will partner with the Vaccine Integrity Project to review the evidence on vaccines for influenza, Covid-19 and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) for the fall. Related: US committee is reconsidering all vaccine recommendations For decades, this was the purview of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), which regularly met to discuss the evidence on vaccines and make recommendations to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). States and local health departments would often build policies based on this evidence, and providers and patients depended on it for guidance. That system has now effectively collapsed, the AMA said in a statement. The ACIP will meet in late February, but the committee chair has indicated that all vaccine recommendations are in the crosshairs despite decades of evidence showing the safety and effectiveness of routine childhood immunizations. The most recent meeting of the ACIP was plagued with misinformation and more than 60 false or misleading statements, and the committee voted to end the universal advice that all newborns receive the hepatitis B vaccine at birth. In previous meetings, the committee also voted to end recommendations for flu vaccines containing the preservative thimerosal (thiomersal) and for the MMRV (measles, mumps, rubella and chickenpox) vaccine. In January, the HHS stopped fully recommending one-third of the routine childhood vaccines, without input from the ACIP or the public. Officials have also limited the development of new and updated vaccines, with Vinay Prasad, the top US vaccines regulator, reportedly overruling scientists at the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to place restrictions on Covid shots and to refuse to review a new, potentially more effective flu vaccine from Moderna. Nearly 300 children died from the flu last year. With a good flu vaccine, we still lose 30,000 to 40,000 Americans a year, Shaughnessy Naughton, president of 314 Action, an organization working to elect Democratic scientists and doctors, said at the Tuesday press conference. Think about what happens if we have none. That is a threat when you have a health secretary that is so hostile to evidence and science. The Vaccine Integrity Project, which is based at the University of Minnesotas Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy (Cidrap), released in August its review of more than 16,000 studies on flu, Covid, and RSV vaccines, finding the shots have strong safety records and are vital to protecting against illness and death. Medical organizations such as the American Academy of Pediatrics and American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists used this evidence to issue guidance on vaccines. The Vaccine Integrity Project also recently reviewed the evidence behind the birth dose of the hepatitis B vaccine, and it is reviewing data on HPV vaccination. Why are they doing this? Emanuel asked. Because the US government was not doing a scientifically based analysis of impending infections, he said. Its just that simple. This is a testament to the problems weve had over the last year. The medical organizations will meet monthly, bringing in other professional groups to set questions such as whether there is a need for an additional dose of the RSV vaccine and develop a framework for evaluating the evidence. The AMA has a duty to make sure the American public has an evidence-based process for regularly reviewing vaccines, Sandra Adamson Fryhofer, AMA trustee, said in the statement. In danger: Tottenham (Action Images via Reuters) Tottenham find themselves at the wrong end of the Premier League table once more after their latest defeat on Tuesday night. Pressure piled on Thomas Frank after his side were beaten 2-1 by Newcastle United, which leaves Spurs 16th in the table. The loss proved to be Franks final game at the helm, with the Dane sacked by Spurs on Wednesday. They are five points clear of the relegation zone, but could have been just three had West Ham managed to hold onto their lead against Manchester United. The Hammers, sat 18th, were held to a 1-1 draw by United at the London Stadium, but have been on a recent resurgence under Nuno Espirito Santo, clawing their way back to within touching distance of the teams above them. Spurs wretched winless run stretches back to before the turn of the year, with their last victory coming against Crystal Palace on December 28. It seems them dragged into the dogfight near the foot of the table, with Leeds climbing above them after they secured a 2-2 draw at Chelsea. Brighton are also looking nervously over their shoulders, with the Seagulls without a win since January 3. Fabian Hurzelers side travelled to Aston Villa on Wednesday but came away empty-handed after Jack Hinshelwoods own-goal gave the hosts all three points. Beneath Spurs are Nottingham Forest, who themselves are struggling to find that consistent winning formula. Forest picked up crucial wins over West Ham and Brentford last month, as well as holding Arsenal to a creditable 0-0 draw, but their recent performances against Crystal Palace and Leeds have allowed West Ham to close the gap from the other side of the dotted line. They missed a chance to draw level on points with Spurs on Wednesday, though, as they ground out a turgid goalless draw with fellow relegattion candidates Wolves, which saw Sean Dyche dismissed overnight. But who will Spurs and their relegation rivals face in their next five games? Tottenham Sunday, February 22 - Arsenal (H) Sunday, March 1 - Fulham (A) Thursday, March 5 - Crystal Palace (H) Sunday, March 15 - Liverpool (A) Sunday, March 22 - Nottingham Forest (H) West Ham Saturday, February 21 - Bournemouth (H) Saturday, February 28 - Liverpool (A) Wednesday, March 4 - Fulham (A) Saturday, March 14 - Man City (H) Sunday, March 22 - Aston Villa (A) Resurgence: Nuno Espirito Santo (AFP via Getty Images) Leeds Saturday, February 21 - Aston Villa (A) Saturday, February 28 - Man City (H) Wednesday, March 3 - Sunderland (H) Saturday, March 14 - Crystal Palace (A) Saturday, March 21 - Brentford (H) Nottingham Forest Sunday, February 22 - Liverpool (H) Sunday, March 1 - Brighton (A) Wednesday, March 4 - Man City (A) Saturday, March 14 - Fulham (H) Sunday, March 22 - Tottenham (A) Sacked: Sean Dyche (Getty Images) Brighton Saturday, February 21 - Brentford (A) Sunday, March 1 - Nottingham Forest (H) Wednesday, March 4 - Arsenal (H) Saturday, March 14 - Sunderland (A) Saturday, March 21 - Liverpool (H) Trump is asking aides if the US should pull out of North American trade deal he negotiated President Trump is reportedly asking advisors why the US should remain a part of the sweeping North American trade deal he negotiated during his first term, ahead of a mandatory review of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement this summer. Unnamed officials told Bloomberg that the president is always seeking a better deal for the American people and that the administration wasnt looking to rubber-stamp the initial agreement, which was signed into law in early 2020. Potential changes could include updated terms on issues like national-origin rules, critical minerals, worker protections, and dumping, an official from the US Trade Representatives office told the outlet. The White House has not publicly confirmed Trump is having second thoughts about the pact, which replaced the North American Free Trade Agreement. "Any discussion about potential presidential action unless announced by the President himself is baseless speculation," an administration official told Reuters. President Trump is reportedly mulling whether the US should withdraw from the US-Mexico-Canada agreement, which he helped negotiate during his first term (AP) Trumps counterparts in the deal have not described an impending US exit. We dont believe it, and it has never been said in the calls, because it is very important to them, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said during a news conference. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, meanwhile, said Tuesday he had a positive conversation with Trump, in a discussion that touched on the trade pact as well as Trumps recent threat to block the opening of a long-planned bridge connecting Michigan and Ontario. Scrapping the free trade deal, which applies to an estimated $2 trillion in goods and services and exempts many goods from U.S. tariffs, would have major implications for the North American economy and impact highly integrated cross-border industries like auto manufacturing. The deal is set for mandatory review beginning in July. If it is renewed, it will remain in force for the next 16 years. If not, the parties can review the pact annually until it expires in 2036. Trumps reported USMCA wobbles come as the White House is threatening to block a long-planned bridge between Michigan and Ontario (Samuel Corum/Getty Images/Paul Sancya/AP Photo, File) Backing out of the agreement would also mark the latest phase in Donald Trumps often confrontational new trade and diplomatic posture towards longstanding US partners. The president has threatened Canada with 100 percent tariffs over its growing ties with China and has threatened levies on countries that supply oil to Cuba, including Mexico. In a sign of ongoing North American tensions, Carney gave a landmark speech at Davos last month where he said the bedrock rules-based international order, one that the U.S. had led since the mid-1900s, was a fiction that was not coming back. "If great powers abandon even the pretense of rules and values for the unhindered pursuit of their power and interests, the gains from transactionalism will become harder to replicate," Carney told the crowd, which gave him a standing ovation. Trump confused Greenland and Iceland so much that Reykjavik hired a DC lobbyist for advice: report President Donald Trump confused Greenland and Iceland so much that Reykjavik hired a lobbyist in Washington, D.C., for advice, according to a new report. Trump had repeatedly appeared to mix up Greenland and Iceland during his speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos in January. The president has pushed for the U.S. to acquire Greenland, a semi-autonomous territory of Denmark, since before he returned to the White House. Trump has claimed the country needs Greenland for national security purposes, warning that it is threatened by adversaries Russia and China. In his Davos speech, Trump said, referring to European nations, Theyre not there for us on Iceland, that I can tell you. But it was Greenland that European leaders rebuked Trump over, writing in a statement that the mineral-rich Arctic island belongs to its people. President Donald Trump confused Greenland and Iceland so much that Reykjavik hired a lobbyist in Washington, D.C., for advice, according to a new report (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt falsely claimed that Trump did not incorrectly refer to Greenland as Iceland in his speech. A newsletter published by The Bulwark Tuesday revealed that Icelands ambassador to the U.S., Svanhildur Holm Valsdottir, had hired lobbying firm Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck to provide strategic advice on navigating engagements with the United States government. The Bulwark cited a Department of Justice filing dated last Wednesday that included a letter to the ambassador from Jason Buckner, an attorney with the lobbying firm, that laid out their agreement. The agreement included a monthly retainer fee of $25,000 for the next six months. The filing went in-depth about what Brownstein would actually do to help the government of Iceland, including introducing officials to U.S. government stakeholders and giving constructive feedback on emerging priorities for Iceland. Trump appeared to repeatedly mix up Greenland and Iceland during his Davos speech last month as he pushed for the U.S. to acquire the Danish territory (Jonathan Nackstrand/AFP via Getty Images) While its not explicitly clear whether this new relationship has to do with Trumps recent comments, The Bulwark pointed out the curious timing of it all. Not only did [the agreement] come just a week after Trumps repeated apparent substitution of Iceland for Greenland in his belligerent Davos speech, but earlier in January, Trumps nominee to serve as ambassador to Iceland, Billy Long, joked to his former House colleagues that the country would become Americas 52nd state with himself installed as its governor, the newsletter read. Icelands ambassador to the U.S., Svanhildur Holm Valsdottir, had hired lobbying firm Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck to 'provide strategic advice on navigating engagements with the United States government' (Leon Neal/Getty Images) Long later apologized for his comments, telling nonprofit news site Arctic Today, There was nothing serious about that, I was with some people, who I hadnt met for three years, and they were kidding about [Louisiana governor and special envoy to Greenland] Jeff Landry being governor of Greenland and they started joking about me and if anyone took offense to it, then I apologize. The Independent has reached out to the Icelandic embassy in D.C. for comment. The Fulton county election center in Union City, Georgia. Photograph: Erik S Lesser/EPA (Photograph: Erik S Lesser/EPA) When the FBI raided the Fulton county election office in Georgia last month, the decision was based on debunked claims from election deniers and came after a referral from a White House lawyer who tried to overturn the 2020 election, a search warrant affidavit unsealed on Tuesday reveals. The FBIs investigation originated from a referral sent by Kurt Olsen, an attorney who sought to overturn the 2020 election and contacted justice department officials to urge them to file a motion at the US supreme court to nullify the election. Olsen began working at the White House last year to investigate supposed election fraud. The FBIs witnesses in the investigation include a cadre of conservative activists who have been hounding state officials with claims of wrongdoing in Fulton county for years. Many of their claims have been investigated by state officials and debunked. Other witnesses include two Donald Trump-aligned members of the Georgia state election board whom Trump publicly praised as pitbulls at a 2024 rally. Those two members are Janice Johnston and Janelle King, who is married to Kelvin King, a current candidate for Georgia secretary of state. The unprecedented raid has only elevated concern Trump will seek to interfere in this years midterm elections. That worry escalated further when it emerged that Tulsi Gabbard, the director of national intelligence, was present at the Fulton county raid. Gabbard is said to be running her own separate investigation from the one being run by the justice department. Debunked claims from election deniers influenced FBI raid in Georgia, affidavit reveals Trump lost Georgia in 2020 by nearly 12,000 votes, a result that was twice confirmed. Claims of wrongdoing have nonetheless been central to his efforts to keep alive the myth that the 2020 election was stolen. Read the full story Congressmen name six wealthy men likely incriminated in Epstein files The Democratic congressman, Ro Khanna, said on Tuesday that he and his Republican colleague, Thomas Massie, had forced the justice department to disclose the hidden names of six wealthy men they say are likely incriminated by their inclusion in the so-called Jeffrey Epstein files. In a post on X, Khanna, of California, named the six as Salvatore Nuara, Zurab Mikeladze, Leonic Leonov, Nicola Caputo, Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem and Leslie Wexner. Read the full story They always gave us the heaviest work: how Maga billionaires relied on Mexican labor When JD Vance delivered a speech about the US economy late last year at a Uline facility in Allentown, Pennsylvania, he talked up the Trump administrations key goals: removing illegal aliens from the country, rewarding companies that keep jobs in the US, and paying Americans good wages. Were going to reward companies that build here in America and give good wages to do it, Vance said. The venue was no accident. Uline, a multibillion-dollar, privately held office-supply company, is owned by Liz and Richard Uihlein, two of the biggest donors to Maga Republicans in the 2024 election. But when it comes to immigration, Ulines employment practices over the last several years provide an alternative picture of how the US economy works in the real world. Read the full story Epstein engineered intimate relationship for Teslas Kimbal Musk, emails show Jeffrey Epstein engineered an intimate relationship between a woman in his network and Kimbal Musk, the brother of Elon Musk and who is on the board of directors at Tesla, according to emails from the Department of Justices recent release of documents. The younger Musk and the woman were involved for about six months between 2012 and 2013, with Kimbal Musk describing them as dating. Read the full story Local police aid ICE by tapping school cameras amid Trumps immigration crackdown Police departments across the US are quietly leveraging school district security cameras to assist Trumps mass immigration enforcement campaign, an investigation by the 74 reveals. Hundreds of thousands of audit logs spanning a month show police are searching a national database of automated license plate reader data, including from school cameras, for immigration-related investigations. Read the full story Mark Carney reminds Trump that Canada paid for key border bridge US president says he wont open The Canadian prime minister said he had held a positive conversation with Trump after the US leader threatened to block a new key bridge between their two countries, reminding the president that Canada paid for the structure and that the US shares ownership. Read the full story Ex-Florida police chief claims Trump told him everyone knew what Epstein was doing in 2006 Donald Trump criticized Jeffrey Epstein about two decades ago, claiming everyone has known hes been doing this, a former Palm Beach police chief claimed. Michael Reiters account of a conversation with Trump, contained within the justice departments release of 3m Epstein files, dramatically contrasts with the US presidents public statements. After Epsteins arrest in July 2019, Trump said: I had no idea when asked if he knew about his former friends abuse of teenage girls. Read the full story Trump administration removes LGBTQ+ Pride flag from Stonewall national monument The New York City monument commemorates the June 1969 riots that followed a police raid on the Stonewall Inn, a popular gay bar in Manhattans Greenwich Village. The six days of protests against the police action were a key moment in sparking the modern LGBTQ+ rights movement, and the site has since become a national symbol of LGBTQ+ Pride. Its the latest move by the federal government to end diversity initiatives and sanitize the history shared in national parks. Read the full story What else happened today: Catching up? Heres what happened on 9 February 2026. Donald Trumps administration has quietly withdrawn federalized National Guard troops from Democratic cities after a series of court rulings struck down the presidents plans. The withdrawal quietly concluded last month, with no public acknowledgment from the White House or Department of Defense despite the administrations insistence that U.S. military assets needed to be deployed on American streets to curb violent crime and support immigration enforcement. The end of those deployments, first reported by The Washington Post, is mentioned only by the U.S. Northern Command, stating that troops sent to Chicago, Portland and Los Angeles have completed demobilizing activities. That includes the withdrawal of more than 5,000 troops from California, roughly 500 troops in Chicago and another 200 in Oregon at the presidents direction. They were sent home by January 21, according to the Pentagon. Those deployments cost nearly half a billion dollars, according to the Congressional Budget Office. National Guard troops federalized by President Donald Trump appear to have quietly been withdrawn after the administration lost several court cases alleging they were unlawfully deployed (Getty Images) A month before those deployments ended, Trump announced on his Truth Social account that the administration would be removing service members despite the fact that CRIME has been greatly reduced by having these great Patriots in those cities, and ONLY by that fact. Portland, Los Angeles, and Chicago were GONE if it werent for the Federal Government stepping in, he wrote. We will come back, perhaps in a much different and stronger form, when crime begins to soar again - Only a question of time! White House deputy press secretary Abigail Jackson downplayed the news that the administration had withdrawn those troops, as of last month, saying that The Washington Post was covering an announcement the President made HIMSELF over a month ago, followed by three clown emojis. Last year, the president began ordering National Guard troops to several Democratic-led cities, an effort that one federal judge rebuked as Trumps attempt to create a national police force with the president as its chief. Legal challenges from state and local officials accused the administration of using American streets for political theater, and in December, the Supreme Court blocked the administration from sending the military into Chicago. Trump later announced the withdrawal of service members from other cities. The Supreme Court, weighing in on the legal battle over boots on the ground in Illinois, appeared to reject the administrations argument that protests against the presidents anti-immigration agenda are so volatile that only the National Guard, under Trumps orders, can stop them. For the first time, crickets from Donald Trump, wrote Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker. After losing in court multiple times to Illinois and other states, the National Guard was finally quietly pulled out of our streets. The pressure is working, and weve got to keep at it. More than 2,500 National Guard members are still in Washington, D.C., but under a separate arrangement for a mission that is expected to end this year. National Guard members were initially deployed to the nations capital to help fight crime. But have often spent time picking up trash while others patrolled the National Mall and train stations. In November, two West Virginia National Guard service members were shot near the White House. Air Force Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe remains in inpatient rehabilitation after he sustained a gunshot to the head. His colleague, U.S. Army Spc. Sarah Beckstrom, died one day after the attack. National Guard service members were deployed to patrol Washington, DC, and ended up picking up trash. That deployment is expected to end later this year (Getty Images) There are also troops in Memphis and New Orleans through an agreement with the Trump administration but under the direction of their respective states governors. Last year, Trump had federalized the normally state-authorized National Guards, going above the command and objections of Democratic governors. Democratic officials and civil rights groups feared the president was testing the limits of his authority to send active-duty military into American streets for politically charged missions, and violating service members commitments to stay out of domestic politics in the process. Trump deployed troops to Chicago, Portland and Los Angeles under Title 10, which allowed the president to exert authority over a states National Guard. But the military cannot perform law enforcement activities, like making arrests or performing searches. In January, the Pentagon ordered roughly 1,500 active-duty troops to prepare for deployment to Minneapolis in response to protests against the administrations surge of immigration officers and violent raids That deployment never happened, and the administration pulled out Border Patrols commander-at-large Greg Bovino and roughly 700 federal officers after the fatal shootings of demonstrators Renee Good and Alex Pretti. The last time Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu came to the White House, it was so he and President Donald Trump could finalize a deal to end one war in the Middle East. On Wednesday, Netanyahu returned to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue determined to stop Trump from rushing into another deal that could prevent a far bloodier war from starting in the same region. Netanyahu arrived at the White House just before 11 am.. his seventh visit in the year since Trump returned to power last January for a closed-door sit-down with his American counterpart to discuss Trumps push for a new-look deal with the Iranian government aimed at curbing the Islamic Republics longstanding nuclear ambitions. The Israeli leader left just before 2 p.m., with neither he nor Trump appearing before cameras or taking questions from reporters as is customary when foreign leaders visit the White House. But Trump took to Truth Social within minutes of Netanyahus departure to characterize the session as a very good meeting that had not resulted in any decisions being made on what any future Iran deal would look like but talks would continue. There was nothing definitive reached other than I insisted that negotiations with Iran continue to see whether or not a Deal can be consummated. If it can, I let the Prime Minister know that will be a preference, he said. If it cannot, we will just have to see what the outcome will be. Last time Iran decided that they were better off not making a Deal, and they were hit with Midnight Hammer That did not work well for them. Hopefully this time they will be more reasonable and responsible. Trump added that the two leaders had discussed tremendous progress being made in Gaza as well. Donald Trump met with Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday at the White House. Pictured: The two together in Florida in December (Getty Images) The Israeli leaders visit with Trump comes as American and Iranian representatives are set to resume talks in Oman on an agreement that could address Tehrans weapons program, which Trump had claimed to have obliterated in a series of bunker-buster attacks by B-2 bombers last June. The initial session, which was led on the American side by Trumps son-in-law Jared Kushner and roving peace envoy Steve Witkoff, came after Washington backed out of a plan to meet for direct talks in Turkey. But Iranian officials balked at the proposed format and insisted on limiting the scope of any negotiations to the countrys nuclear program. Netanyahus visit to Washington, which comes as negotiators are preparing for further bilateral talks, was announced immediately after what Trump had described as very good talks between Kushner, Witkoff and Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi the first meeting between U.S. and Iranian officials since the June 22 airstrikes on Iran ordered by Trump. The Israeli leader is understood to be extremely wary of any attempt by Trump to reach an accord on Irans nuclear program if negotiations dont include requirements that Iran similarly agree to curb its ballistic missile program and support for proxy militias in the region. Netanyahus insistence on including missiles and proxys in any nuclear agreement dates back at least a decade, to when he came out as a vehement opponent of efforts by the Obama administration along with the other four permanent members of the U.N. Security Council and the E.U. to implement the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action that relaxed sanctions against Tehran in exchange for restrictions on Iranian uranium enrichment. Netanyahus decision to deliver a bombastic address to a joint session of Congress opposing the deal and to court Republicans against the Obama administration endeared him to Trump, who pulled the U.S. out of the agreement during his first term. But its not clear whether Trump still has the same broader desires with respect to any potential replacement agreement. Netanyahus motorcade is seen arriving at the White House. Trump described their meeting as very good (Getty Images) In recent weeks, he said his goal in pushing Iran to make a deal is solely to ensure that Tehran does not ever develop a nuclear weapon something the countrys leaders have disclaimed any interest in. But Trump did express some agreement with Netanyahus longstanding position during a Wednesday interview with former National Economic Council director turned Fox Business Network host Larry Kudlow when he said that Irans rulers want to make a deal. It's got to be a good deal. No nuclear weapons, no missiles, no this, no that, all the different things that you want, he said. To that end, Trump has deployed one U.S. Navy carrier strike group to the region and is reportedly mulling whether to order a second such group to join it in what would be an unusual and escalatory military buildup. He told Axios in a separate interview ahead of the meeting with Netanyahu that either the U.S. and Iran will make a deal or he will have to do something very tough like last time. The military pressure campaign also comes at a delicate moment for the Iranian government, which is reeling from the economic effects of longstanding sanctions and struggling to tamp down civil unrest. Last month, a violent crackdown against anti-government protesters killed as many as 6,800 people, according to human rights groups. Trump has also threatened military action if Tehran had hanged protesters arrested during the crackdown, but he later backed off those threats after he claimed to have been informed that the hangings had been called off. Flowers and toys lie on the ground near the site of a mass shooting at a high school, in the town of Tumber Ridge, British Columbia, Canada. Photograph: Jennifer Gauthier/Reuters (Photograph: Jennifer Gauthier/Reuters) Police in Canada say nine people are dead, including the suspect, in a mass shooting that appeared to target a high school in northern British Columbia. More than two dozen victims have been hospitalised in what the premier, David Eby, called an unimaginable tragedy that ranks among the deadliest events of its kind in Canadian history. Here is a look at what we know so far about the shooting in Tumbler Ridge: Nine people have been killed at Tumbler Ridge secondary school and a nearby residence in a mass shooting in the community of less than 2,500. Police also found the suspect, who appears to have died from a self-inflicted wound. More than 25 people were injured in the shooting on Tuesday, including two who were airlifted to hospital with life-threatening injuries. Six people were found dead inside the school. Two more people were found dead inside a residence police believe was linked to the shooting. The body of the shooter was also found at the school. Another person initially believed to have died on the way to hospital was later said to have survived, but remained in critical condition. Canadian police first received a report of an active shooter at Tumbler Ridge secondary school at about 1.20pm. Police arrived at the scene in north-west Canada in 2 minutes, according to the British Columbia premier, David Eby. The identities of the shooter and the victims have not yet been disclosed by authorities. Canadian police said we believe weve been able to identify the shooter but withheld details as the investigation continues. All remaining students and staff were safely evacuated from the school. The Canadian prime minister, Mark Carney, said he was devastated by the shooting and said he stands with all British Columbians as they confront this horrible tragedy. Carney addressed the Canadian parliament in Ottawa on Wednesday afternoon, paying tribute to those who died in the attack and those who worked to protect children. He added: To those families who have lost loved ones, this House mourns with you. To those who are recovering from injuries, this House prays for you. To the students, the teachers, the parents, every resident of Tumbler Ridge all of Canada stands with you. Carney has suspended plans to travel on Wednesday to the Munich security conference in Germany in the wake of the shooting. The UK monarchy paid tribute to those affected by the shooting. King Charles, who serves as Canadas head of state, said: We can only begin to imagine the appalling shadow that has now descended across Tumbler Ridge and our hearts go out to all those whose lives have been so shattered by this senseless act of brutal violence, while the Prince and Princess of Wales said: We stand with all Canadians following this mornings appalling tragedy. This article was amended on 16 February 2026. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police initially said 10 people had died, including a person on the way to hospital; however, they later clarified the person had survived, but remained in critical condition. El Paso International Airport in Texas was abruptly closed then reopened - JUSTIN HAMEL A row erupted within the Trump administration after a high-energy laser shot down a party balloon, ultimately leading to US airspace being suddenly closed. On Tuesday evening, the Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) announced that the skies above El Paso International Airport in Texas would be closed for 10 days and grounded all flights. It was the first time that such an extensive airspace shutdown had been called since 9/11. However, the airspace was reopened after just eight hours and Sean Duffy, the US transport secretary, claimed a cartel drone incursion was responsible for the closure. The threat has been neutralised, Mr Duffy wrote on X on Wednesday, adding that the airport could reopen. The FAA and DOW acted swiftly to address a cartel drone incursion. The threat has been neutralized, and there is no danger to commercial travel in the region. The restrictions have been lifted and normal flights are resuming. https://t.co/xQA1cMy7l0 Secretary Sean Duffy (@SecDuffy) February 11, 2026 The Pentagon has reportedly recently been testing anti-drone technology in the area including a high-energy laser capable of shooting them out of the sky. The FAA requested 24 hours notice before the lasers were deployed to assess the risk to planes around El Paso, according to The New York Times, citing unnamed sources briefed on the situation. Sources told CBS News that military officials mistook a party balloon floating across the border for a drone and shot it out of the sky with the laser system without proper coordination with the FAA. The skies above El Paso International Airport closed for eight hours - SiliconValleyStock / Alamy Stock Photo The agency grounded the flights without consulting with local officials, airport staff or the Pentagon. This unnecessary decision has caused chaos and confusion in the El Paso community, Renard Johnson, the citys mayor, said at a press conference. He said medical evacuations had to be rerouted and emergency flights were grounded. You cannot restrict airspace over a major city without coordinating with the city, the airport, the hospitals, the community leadership. The new Public Television segment examines patient-centered care, surgical discipline, and ethical considerations within the modern field of aesthetic medicine. LOS ANGELES, Feb. 11, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Public Television audiences will soon have the opportunity to view an intimate and educational exploration of the aesthetic surgery industry in a new segment of "All Access with Andy Garcia." Filming at The Aesthetic Center for Plastic Surgery (ACPS) on February 14th, 2026, in Houston, TX, the segment spotlights a team of board-certified plastic surgeons and examines how informed choice, ethical decision-making, and surgical discipline shape patient outcomes. The program offers viewers a grounded look at elective surgery as a deeply personal decision rooted in safety, expertise, and empowerment. The segment, titled Beyond the Mirror: The Power of Elective Surgery, centers on four board-certified female surgeons at ACPS who bring a distinctive perspective to aesthetic care. Through their collaborative approach, the surgeons highlight how empathy, education, and precision guide every patient interaction. By demystifying the surgical process and addressing common misconceptions, the program reframes aesthetic medicine as a thoughtful partnership between surgeon and patient rather than a pursuit of perfection. "Elective surgery is never about chasing an ideal," said Dr. Kristi Hustak, board-certified plastic surgeon at The Aesthetic Center for Plastic Surgery. "It's about helping patients make informed decisions that align with who they are and how they want to feel in their own bodies. This segment reflects how we practice every day, with honesty, empathy, and an unwavering commitment to doing what is right for each patient." The educational message of the segment highlights how aesthetic medicine functions as a blend of artistic vision and scientific rigor. Since 1996, the founders of ACPS have championed a model where surgeons collaborate to elevate the standard of care. This approach is demonstrated through the organization's commitment to ongoing research, which helps demystify the surgical process for the general public. The segment explores how advanced digital visualization and planning tools are currently being used to enhance the consultation experience, helping patients and surgeons align on goals that prioritize a natural and authentic look. Beyond the technology, the segment emphasizes the human element of surgical care. It covers the establishment of a premier fellowship program that selects highly skilled surgeons for advanced training in aesthetic excellence. This focus on education ensures that the field continues to evolve responsibly, with a heavy emphasis on patient safety and ethical decision-making. Supporting information in the segment also highlights the leadership and mentorship of women in plastic surgery, showcasing how representation and accountability are shaping the future of the field. By removing common misconceptions and focusing on the discipline and empathy involved in the surgeon's work, the program provides a grounded perspective on the role of elective surgery in modern society. This segment serves as a resource for those seeking to understand the depth of commitment required to maintain a reputable and safe aesthetic practice in today's world. About "All Access with Andy Garcia": The "All Access" program, hosted by actor Andy Garcia, is an educational documentary series that airs on Public Television stations throughout the United States. The series is committed to highlighting organizations and individuals who are making significant contributions to their respective fields. Through high-quality production and a focus on factual storytelling, the show provides viewers with a deeper understanding of the world around them. Visit allaccessptv.com for further details. About The Aesthetic Center for Plastic Surgery The Aesthetic Center for Plastic Surgery (ACPS) is a premier destination for aesthetic enhancement, known for its world-class team of board-certified plastic surgeons. Since its founding nearly three decades ago, ACPS has been a pioneer in surgical innovation, establishing its own research foundation and a highly competitive fellowship program. The center is dedicated to providing natural-looking results through a combination of expertise, honesty, and compassionate care. To explore their comprehensive services and patient resources, visit mybeautifulbody.com. SOURCE All Access Passengers at El Paso international airport after the FAA lifted its temporary closure of airspace on Wednesday. Photograph: Jose Luis Gonzalez/Reuters (Photograph: Jose Luis Gonzalez/Reuters) The top US aviation agency has lifted a surprise 10-day closure of airspace above the US-Mexico border town of El Paso, Texas, just hours after it abruptly announced that it would close off the skies for special security reasons. While some officials claimed that Mexican cartel drones had invaded US airspace, in recent days a balloon was reportedly mistaken for a drone. The initial, vague citation of security concerns prompted still more questions as conflicting narratives surrounding this surprising closure and its abrupt reversal have since emerged. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) posted the temporary flight restriction notice on its website late on Tuesday local time, stating that a 10-nautical-mile circle up to 18,000ft around the El Paso international airport in Texas would be off limits for all commercial, cargo and general aviation flights. Related: Briton shot by father in Texas after row about Trump was unlawfully killed, coroner rules No pilots may operate an aircraft in the areas covered, the FAA said. It said the closure would remain in place until 20 February, and the notice warned that the government may use deadly force against any pilot who did not comply with the instructions. But by Wednesday morning, and after hours of mayhem in which airlines, local politicians and tens of thousands of travelers were caught off-guard, the FAA wrote on X that the order had been lifted. There is no threat to commercial aviation. All flights will resume as normal, it said. Since then, officials have offered a range of narratives to explain the closure. The US transportation secretary, Sean Duffy, said on Twitter/X: The FAA and DOW [department of war] acted swiftly to address a cartel drone incursion. The threat has been neutralized, Duffy also said, and there is no danger to commercial travel in the region. The New York Times, citing a source familiar with this shutdown, said the airspace closure was due to testing of anti-drone technology. Donald Trump signed an executive order in June to develop anti-drone capacity, and said drug cartels were using drones to smuggle fentanyl. CBS News later added still more intriguing reporting that sources had said the closure was due to FAA and Pentagon disagreements over drone-related tests involving a high-energy laser. The Associated Press also reported the Pentagon allowed US Customs and Border Protection to use an anti-drone laser without first consulting the FAA. CBS News reported that this technology was deployed earlier this week to shoot down what were thought to be foreign drones. But the airborne object was just a party balloon, sources told the outlet, indicating that one balloon was brought down. But a Democratic Texas congresswoman for El Paso, Veronica Escobar, took issue with Trump officials drone claim, saying it was not the information that we in Congress have been told. There was not a threat, which is why the FAA lifted this restriction so quickly, the Times quoted Escobar as saying. The information coming from the administration does not add up. Asked about the allegations of cartel drone activity, Mexicos president, Claudia Sheinbaum, said: There is no information regarding drone use at the border. If the FAA or any other US government agency has any information, they can ask the Mexican government. Lets not speculate. We will get the information and maintain what we have always maintained: constant communication. Mexicos airspace wasnt closed Texass airspace was closed, Sheinbaum added. Were going to find out exactly why. El Pasos mayor, Renard Johnson, slammed the unexpected closure. I want to be very, very clear that this shouldve never happened, the Times quoted him as saying. You cannot restrict air space over a major city without coordinating with the city, the airport, the hospitals, the community leadership. That failure to communicate is unacceptable. Before the FAA reversed its decision, Escobar had called on the agency to lift what she said was a highly consequential and unprecedented decision that resulted in significant concern within the community. From what my office and I have been able to gather overnight and early this morning there is no immediate threat to the community or surrounding areas, she wrote on X. There was no advance notice provided to my office, the City of El Paso, or anyone involved in airport operations. A large area west of El Paso, and along the border with Mexico, was also shut down for the same period. It is not clear if that airspace will reopen. The restrictions came so suddenly, with the FAA providing only three hours notice, that radio communications from El Paso international airport revealed a dumbfounded pilot of a passenger plane being told that they would not be able to leave the next day. An air traffic controller can be heard asking the arriving Southwest flight if they plan to depart again. Nah, well go to the hotel, the pilot can be heard saying in audio captured by atc.com, a live air traffic radio company. Roger, replied the controller. Just be advised there is a [temporary flight restriction] going into effect at 0630 for the next 10 days. So the airport is totally closed? the pilot asks with a chuckle, to which the controller responds: Apparently, we just got informed about 30 minutes to an hour ago. Temporary flight restrictions are issued for natural disasters, such as wildfires and hurricanes, as well as major sporting events and emergency or national security situations. While the ban was still in place overnight, the airport said on its Facebook page that all flights to and from the airport would be grounded and travelers should contact their airlines to get the most up-to-date flight status information. An airspace closure would have had a significant impact on the city of nearly 700,000 people, which neighbors the city of Ciudad Juarez in Mexico. El Paso airport, through which nearly 3.5 million passengers traveled last year, operates multiple direct flights across the US. Photos taken early on Wednesday showed the airport halls nearly deserted. Employees told local media they were unsure what prompted the halt of all flights. Oscar Lopez in Mexico City contributed reporting White House press secretary contradicts Trump and says it was presidents idea to rename Penn Station after himself White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt appeared to contradict claims by Donald Trump that he had not asked to rename New Yorks Penn Station after himself. It was something the president floated in his conversation with Chuck Schumer, Leavitt said Tuesday, in response to a question about why the president was interested in changing the name of the building. Why not? Her remarks come following reports last week that Trump said he would unfreeze millions of dollars in federal funds for a $16 billion New York infrastructure project if Senator Schumer agreed to rename New York's Penn Station and Virginia's Dulles International Airport after him. On Friday, Trump claimed that it had in fact been the Senate Minority Leaders idea to rename the two buildings. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt appeared to contradict claims by Donald Trump that he had not asked to rename New Yorks Penn Station after himself (REUTERS) He suggested that to me, the president told reporters on his way to Mar-a-Lago for the weekend. Chuck Schumer suggested that to me, about changing the name of Penn Station to Trump Station. Dulles Airport is really separate. Shortly after the exchange was reported Schumer posted an angry rebuttal online. "Absolute lie. He knows it. Everyone knows it," Schumer wrote. "Only one man can restart the project and he can restart it with the snap of his fingers." As of Tuesday night, Schumer has not yet responded to Leavitts claims online. The Independent has contacted the New York senators office for comment. Trump froze $200 million in federal funding for the project, the Gateway Tunnel Project in New York City, in October, even though the funds had already been approved by Congress. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer reacted angrily to a suggestion by Donald Trump that he had suggested renaming the station after the president (Getty Images) Work on the tunnel, which would join New York and New Jersey and ultimately replace other aging infrastructure linking the states, now cannot continue due to Trump's refusal to unfreeze the federal funding. The Gateway Development Commission, which is overseeing the project, sued the federal government over the funding freeze last week. Judge Jeannette Vargas in Manhattan ruled against the Trump administration and ordered it to release the funding on Friday, the same day as Trump made his comments about Schumer. But soon after, the Department for Transport applied for a temporary restraining order against the ruling while it appealed, arguing that there would be no obvious mechanism for recovering the money if it was forced to do so. Work on the project had not been restarted as of Tuesday and a hearing is set for Wednesday to determine the next steps. The Independent has contacted the White House and the Department of Transport for comment. Construction on the Gateway Tunnel Project may have to pause this week as funding runs out (Getty Images) The Trump administration never offered any specific reason for why it froze the funds and blamed Democrats for refusing to negotiate to get the project restarted. New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill hit out at the administrations delays. "I took the president to court on Friday, and I won. The court demanded release that money, and he has yet to do so," Sherrill said Monday, per CBS. "Here we are, all this equipment waiting to be put to work, all of you not on the job, because the president of the United States cares more about politics than he does about working men and women in this country." Sherrill said that delays to the New Jersey Transit system were tied to her funding demands. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand of New York also reacted angrily to the reported naming deal in a post on X. These naming rights arent tradable as part of any negotiations, and neither is the dignity of New Yorkers, Gillibrand wrote. I demand that the president put people first and unfreeze this project and all the others his administration has been holding hostage for his personal gain. Donald Trump holds a signed resolution as he attends a charter announcement for his Board of Peace in Davos, Switzerland, on 22 January 2026. Photograph: Jonathan Ernst/Reuters (Photograph: Jonathan Ernst/Reuters) Hey, do you like peace? Oh, cool, you do? Then, how about we establish a group of countries, all committed to that concept, working together to create global harmony? No, not the one that has already existed for 80 years. A new one. Whos in? It turns out: not that many world leaders or global citizens. Thats because the Board of Peace, created last year by a UN security council resolution, and intended to have a singular focus on implementing a Gaza peace plan, is increasingly looking like a Donald Trump fiefdom, which could allow the US president to wade into other countries affairs as he sees fit. Most of the worlds most influential western countries will reportedly be avoiding the first meeting of the Trump-led Board of Peace later this month, with key US allies like France, Germany, the UK and Canada among those expected to be giving the board a wide berth. It seems they have been put off by a Board of Peace charter that designates Trump as judge, jury, executioner, money handler, graphic designer and anything else he might desire of the Board of Peace. This board has the chance to be one of the most consequential bodies ever created in the history of the world, Trump said in a speech about the Board of Peace in January. (In the same speech, the US president said his bombing of an Iranian nuclear facility had obliterated everything, claimed he was annihilating terrorists in Nigeria and bragged about the US capture of Nicolas Maduro, the president of Venezuela.) Upon its formation in November, Trump invited about 60 countries to join the board. So far only about 20 countries have said they will participate: Albania, Argentina, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Belarus, Bulgaria, Egypt, Hungary, Indonesia, Israel, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Mongolia, Morocco, Pakistan, Paraguay, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan and Vietnam. Few of the countries that have signed up for the board are democracies, Reuters noted. When the UN security council voted to establish the Board of Peace as a transitional administration last year, it had the sole aim of implementing Trumps 20-point Gaza peace plan. But it quickly evolved into something different, with Trump setting his sights well beyond just addressing the situation in Gaza. Indeed, the Board of Peaces charter, which sets out its goals and organizational structure, doesnt mention Gaza once. Trump didnt try to hide his grander ambitions in his January speech. Were going to be very successful in Gaza. Its going to be a good thing to watch. And we can do other things. We can do numerous other things once this board is completely formed, we can pretty much whatever we want to do. Its a far cry from what the UN previously announced. And presumably the UN did not envisage creating a board of peace of which Trump would be the chair for as long as he sees fit. Replacement of the Chairman may occur only following voluntary resignation or as a result of incapacity, as determined by a unanimous vote of the Executive Board, the charter of the board reads. Given the executive board is appointed by Trump, and includes Trumps deputy national security adviser, two members of his cabinet and the presidents son-in-law, it seems unlikely that it would deem Trump incapacitated. Should he decide to step down, only Trump can choose his successor as chair. That Trump would seek to dominate any group he is a part of shouldnt come as a surprise. But what does appear to have shocked some is how Trump appears to be setting up the Board of Peace as a direct rival to the UN. Its charter says the board, which countries have to pay $1bn to be a part of, will secure enduring peace in areas affected or threatened by conflict, and called for a more nimble and effective international peace-building body a line seen as a jibe at the UN. Some countries have spoken up. France said it wouldnt join, with officials briefing that they are concerned the board could conflict with the UN. Ill put a 200% tariff on his wines and champagnes, and hell join, but he doesnt have to join, Trump said in response, talking about Emmanuel Macron, the French president. Given Trumps willingness to involve himself in other countries affairs, there will be genuine concerns over giving power to a body of which he has so much control. In his role as chair-for-life, he alone has the power to call Board of Peace meetings, and the power to veto any decision taken by its executive board. (Trump can also remove members of that executive board.) Should Trump, with his notably emotional and capricious approach to foreign affairs on Tuesday he threatened to block the opening of a US-Canada bridge, amid his ongoing, one-sided row with Canadas prime minister be trusted with bringing peace to the world? If you think so, and you run a country, I know where you can spend $1bn of your taxpayers money. There is no doubt about it - it has been a miserable start to the year. Rain has fallen somewhere in the UK every single day of 2026 so far, in a historically wet start to the year, with more than 100 flood warnings in place across the country. The Met Office have said that rainfall totals from December 1 to February 9 already exceed the average rainfall for the whole winter in a huge swathe of locations. Persistent rainfall has led to heavy flooding in parts of the country, including Somerset (Ben Birchall/PA) (PA Wire) The start of February has been particularly grim - several regions, including south and central England, eastern Scotland and northeast England have already reached or exceeded their entire February average rainfall. But why has the weather been so shockingly bad? What weather systems are causing such downpours, and is climate change to blame? And when, oh when, will we see the sunshine again? Why has the weather been so bad? Atmospheric forces are behind the seemingly endless drizzle - but we need to look beyond the UK to the broader North Atlantic region for the full explanation. The jet stream, the Atlantic air current that controls much of our weather, has been steering storms our way. Unusually warm weather across northern Canada and Greenland, combined with abnormally cold conditions across parts of the USA, Scandinavia and northeast Europe, has strengthened the jet stream, producing a more powerful flow than normal. Rain arriving overnight was expected to turn heavy and persistent in parts of the south-west of England on Thursday morning, the Met Office said (Gareth Fuller/PA) (PA Wire) On top of this, while the winter jet stream typically emerges from North America and arcs north-eastwards toward Iceland and Scotland, this year it has been pushed unusually far south into Iberia, shifting the storm track well south of the UK. With the jet stream displaced, lowpressure systems from the Atlantic have been steered towards southwest Europe, and when these systems reached the UK, a block of cold air over Scandinavia prevented weather systems from progressing eastwards. That has meant they have stalled over the UK - particularly the south, southwest, Northern Ireland and eastern Scotland. The result? Persistent cloud and rain across the country. Neil Armstrong, a chief forecaster for the Met Office, said: The past few weeks have felt relentlessly wet, with repeated bands of rain sweeping in from the Atlantic and creating increasingly saturated ground across large parts of the UK. The conditions have been fuelled by a southward shift in the jet stream a conveyor belt of fast-flowing air steering successive areas of low pressure towards the UK. Cold plunges of air across North America have strengthened the temperature gradient across the north-west Atlantic, energising the jet, Armstrong said. A blocking high over northern Europe has prevented weather fronts from clearing, causing them to stall over the UK. How has recent weather compared to that in previous years? A number of regions across the UK have recorded historically bad weather so far in 2026. Northern Ireland had its wettest January in 149 years, while southern England endured its sixth wettest January since records began in 1836, according to the Met Office. Moving into February, and England has already had around two thirds of its average February rainfall. Rainfall could worsen the risk of flooding in some parts of the UK this weekend (Ben Birchall/PA) (PA Wire) In eastern Scotland, some locations have recorded 175% to 200% of their typical February rainfall in just over a week. North Wyke in Devon, Cardinham in Cornwall and Astwood Bank in Worcestershire have each unbelievably recorded rain every single day so far this year. Overall, rainfall in the south-west has been 56% above the longterm average, a figure which rises to 88% above average across the south-east and central southern England. Reading recently recorded its longest unbroken spell of rainfall since records began more than a century ago. Jess Neumann, a hydrologist at the University of Reading, said: Its been a miserable and relentlessly wet start to the year for many across the UK. It seems hard to remember that only a few months ago, large parts of the UK were experiencing drought and hosepipe bans. Is climate change to blame? Fossil fuel pollution is making the jet stream more erratic, according to scientists, which means extreme weather systems can become stuck over the same areas for prolonged periods, as the UK is currently experiencing. These blocking systems could also become more frequent according to forecasted emissions scenarios. Global warming is also intensifying rainfall, with warmer air holding around 7% more moisture for every 1C rise in temperature, resulting in increasingly wet UK winters - though climate change will also bring drier summers How is the forecast looking? Unfortunately, it looks like we have a while until the weather clears. The rest of this week looks as grey and damp as the year so far - but according to the Met Office, there is hope on the horizon. By Saturday, the Met Office is predicting a brief ridge of high pressure will bring a shortlived window of drier, brighter and colder weather. Temperatures will fall, but conditions should feel much more pleasant compared with the relentless wet spells of recent weeks. After that? More rain! But while unsettled weather will continue, the Met Office says that systems should at least move through more quickly, offering some areas a muchneeded chance to dry out between fronts. Before we know it, it will be summer again, and well all be hoping for a spot of rain. Amti-ICE crowds are skewed towards white women - Alex Kormann/The Minnesota Star Tribune/Getty Sixteen years ago, the journalist Aaron Renn wrote an article for my old website, New Geography, identifying a curious fact about some of Americas most progressive cities: they were disproportionately white. He found that the dominant characteristic unifying cities such as Seattle, Portland, Minneapolis and Boston was the relatively small size of their African American populations and their comparatively large numbers of white residents. Their demographics will have shifted somewhat in the decade and a half since thanks to immigration, but they remain predominantly white at a time when most big cities New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston are roughly two-thirds non-white. White people represent 60pc of the populations of Minneapolis and Seattle, while in Portland the figure is nearly 70pc. Yet these very cities are also where some of the most disruptive, and even violent, protests against the ICE deportation push have been taking place. Look at the demonstrations and they arent dominated by people of colour. Instead, the crowds are made up to a considerable extent by white people, especially women. This also seemed to be the case with the recent No Kings protests, according to research from American University scholars. Psychotherapist Jonathan Alpert described these demonstrations as a kind of group therapy playing out in the streets. Ironically, the very organisation these people have been protesting against ICE is heavily Latino in many parts of the US and around 30pc staffed by Latinos at a national level. Inconveniently for the progressive narrative, both shooters in the tragic death of Alex Pretti appear to have been Hispanic. Protests are a kind of group therapy playing out in the streets - Mostafa Bassim/Anadolu/Getty None of this is to say that the actions of ICE in Minneapolis, particularly the killings, were justified. Yet theres also reason to believe that the nature of the protests helped set the stage for these confrontations. Agents who are spat on, insulted and doxed are surely more likely to overreact to harassment than to the peaceful protests that exist largely in the the progressive medias imagination. Who are these hyper-agitated people? They tend to represent a distinct sub-set of urban, educated whites, contemporary facsimiles of the 60s and 70s radicals, some of whom also embraced violent tactics. They cluster in favoured hipster cities where they increasingly elect anti-law enforcement socialist candidates, as they did in New York. On a national basis, the progressive Left is estimated to represent roughly 8pc of the total US population. But these are not what we used to call liberals, who were open to change but sought to do it through elections, and the courts, not disruption. The illiberality of these folks was revealed in a recent study in the Left-leaning Atlantic, which dubbed them the most politically intolerant Americans. It found that the most intolerant county in America, for example, is located not in rural Alabama but in Massachusetts (Suffolk county). This is an area dominated by universities and is home to diversity-obsessed mayor Michelle Wu. Michelle Wu, the Boston mayor, has clashed with the White House over Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Charles Krupa/AP Photo Indeed, progressive white people are now perhaps the most radical and agitated section of US society. Gen-Z women, in particular, are more likely to take radical positions than their male counterparts. These include the fangirls rallying to the cause of Luigi Mangione, who is on trial for murdering health care executive Brian Thompson in broad daylight. This female dominated cult seems determined to elevate him into an almost Christ-like martyr. The explanations for the radicalisation of urban progressives are multi-faceted. Some of it may reflect the fact that they tend to live in places with the fewest children. Married people with children generally eschew big cities and are also more likely to be more moderate to conservative in their politics. Indoctrination in such things as the settler colonial paradigm at universities no doubt plays a part. This phenomenon now extends increasingly to high schools. I have had students who recounted how in high school they were repeatedly told that America was racist and that white people, including their parents, stood guilty for the transgressions of the past. Young womens radicalisation may stem in part from the fact they are now far more likely to go to such indoctrination mills. Today, 47pc of women in the US have college degrees, compared to just 37pc of men a 10-point gap that has widened dramatically. Research published in 2024 showed 2.4 million more female than male undergraduates enrolled in American colleges (8.9 million vs 6.5 million), and in 2021, men received only 42pc of bachelors degrees the lowest share on record. This indoctrination is most common in the humanities and social sciences, departments that also tend to be more female. Students in these disciplines have been at the forefront of campus unrest about whatever is the cause of the day climate change, transgenderism, Gaza and now ICE. Young women are considerably more Left-leaning than men or married women. Among Americans ages 1829, 52pc of women identify as Democrats compared with 35pc of men, while 38pc of young men lean Republican nearly twice the share of young women. They also are far more likely to have a negative view of the country, with some 40pc stating they would like to leave the US permanently. Social scientist Sam Abrams describes this as a gendered moral architecture, where progressive women are the driving force behind cancel culture and the imposition of speech codes. There also appears to be an economic component. Women, particularly unmarried women, tend to be employed more heavily in helping professions such as medical care and teaching, even as many traditional male jobs, particularly in manufacturing, construction and transportation have disappeared. Whereas high taxes and regulation pose problems in the general economy, women predominate in fields that benefit from more government spending. These young women, as well as their male counterparts, also face tough economic times for both non-technical and coding jobs. They make up a large part of what one Marxist scholar described as the swelling population of college graduates caught in a vice of low-paying jobs. All this perhaps explains why, in contrast to the 1960s and 1970s, when minorities and poor people tended to drive protest, today it is places attractive to college educated white people that now appear the most likely to experience political violence and disruption. In 2020 Minneapolis, the site of George Floyds death, suffered several days of intense rioting after the killing. At the same time, Seattle also erupted, spawning a mini-Havana near its downtown, while Portland, half a continent away, suffered sustained rioting. All these cities, once considered beacons of successful urbanism, are all suffering from a loss of domestic migrants, high property vacancies and persistent crime. Portland now has the second highest crime rate in the US and its once fashionable downtown is down on its luck. The same can be said of the once flourishing cores of Seattle and Minneapolis. You cant blame this odd phenomenon on angry proletarians, immigrants, and minorities. Its largely white people destroying their own cities. Rather than workers of the world unite, todays disruptions stem largely from those who once may have been considered among the privileged. Joel Kotkin is a presidential fellow at Chapman University and a senior research fellow at the Civitas Institute at the University of Texas at Austin. His Substack is @jkotkin Volodymyr Zelensky is planning to announce a spring election and a referendum on a peace deal to end the war with Russia, according to reports. The Ukrainian president, under mounting pressure from the White House, is set to announce the election plans on 24 February, according to the Financial Times. It comes after the United States issued a June deadline for Ukraine and Russia to finalise a peace agreement in a bid to end the four-year war. On Friday, Zelensky said: "The Americans are proposing the parties end the war by the beginning of this summer and will probably put pressure on the parties precisely according to this schedule." Volodymyr Zelensky is planning to announce a spring election, according to reports (AP) The Americans are in a hurry, a source familiar with the matter told Reuters. Russia continues to insist on Ukraine's withdrawal from the fiercely contested Donbas region, a condition Kyiv has unequivocally rejected. However, the European Union says it is working on its own sustainable peace plan that could help force Russias hand and bring the war in Ukraine to an end. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said she was "very grateful" for US diplomatic efforts to end the war in Ukraine but that Ukraine's European allies would have to agree to any future peace agreement. Everybody around the table, including the Russians and the Americans, needs to understand that you need Europeans to agree (to have a peace deal)," Ms Kallas said, speaking to reporters in Brussels. And for that, we also have conditions. And we should put the conditions, not on Ukrainians, who have been already pressured a lot, but on the Russians. The foreign policy chief added that Europe needs to push for concessions from Moscow, such as limiting its armed forces. "If they put out the maximalist demands, we should also put out the maximalist demands, she said. Rescuers remove debris at a thermal power plant damaged by multiple Russian missile strikes, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine (Reuters) It comes as Mr Zelensky assembled his top military officers on Tuesday to discuss shortcomings in air defence and other aspects of protecting civilians from Russian attacks. Speaking in his nightly video address, the president assessed how local authorities in Ukraine's cities were tackling the aftermath of massive Russian attacks, particularly in ensuring high-rise apartments had power and heating. Mr Zelensky said he held long discussions with the military's Commander-in-Chief, Oleksandr Syrskyi, the chief of the general staff, Andrii Hnatov, and defence minister Mykhailo Fedorov. "Many changes are happening right now in the work of air defence. In some regions, the way teams operate, interceptors, mobile fire units, the entire small air defence component is being practically rebuilt completely," he said. "But this is only one element of defence that requires changes. Changes will happen. Predator: Badlands stars Elle Fanning and Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi. (Disney/Twentieth Century Studios) Concerned parents criticised an advert for Disney's Predator: Badlands, calling it "inappropriate and disturbing for young children", prompting the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) to remove the poster. The two complaints were received for a digital poster for the sci-fi film which stars Elle Fanning and Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi, and was released theatrically in 2025 with a 12A age rating because it featured an alien character holding up a severed body. It was used as part of the film's outdoor marketing campaign in 2025. While Disney argued the point was to demonstrate Fanning's character isn't human (her spine is like the inner mechanisms of a robot) and the "menacing" moment lasted only two seconds out of the ad's full 10-second run, the ASA ruled that they had to ensure the advertising was "suitable for a general audience". The ASA has now banned the advert, stating that it "must not appear again in its current form". A Disney spokesperson said, "We acknowledge the ASA's ruling. We take our responsibilities to audiences very seriously and strive to work closely with partners to meet the required standards." Other banned film ads The Monkey In 2025, the trailer for the film adaptation of Stephen King's short story, The Monkey, was allegedly banned by four TV networks for depicting "excessive" violence. Neon, the indie production company that submitted the trailer, later shared on social media a redacted email stating that their efforts "did not go well", and that making the desired changes to the trailer would mean cutting every scene. Yikes. Saw 3D Saw 3D, aka Saw: The Final Chapter (spoiler, it wasn't), was released in cinemas in 2010. (Lions Gate/Courtesy Everett Collection, Everett Collection Inc) After seeing the movie trailer for Saw 3D at 20.29pm during an ad break between Channel 5's Gadget Show in 2010, a 10-year-old child complained that it was "distressing" and "inappropriately scheduled" a complaint that prompted the ASA to step in. While Clearcast, an advertising services organisation, had originally signed off on the advert being shown after 7.30 p.m, the ASA still upheld the child's complaint and banned the ad, which saw a man with a bloodied hand screaming and running toward the camera, as well as several blades. Clearly they were not in the mood to "play a game". The Mechanic The ad for The Mechanic starring Jason Statham was also banned. (CBS Films) Starring British actor Jason Statham, the ad for his 2011 movie The Mechanic was also banned after airing during a Glee broadcast. The reason? Well, it included one man being shot in the face and another character's leg being speared. The ASA responded to 13 viewer complaints by banning the 15-rated trailer, saying that, although it was shown after the watershed, "a significant proportion of children had been exposed to the violent imagery" due to scheduling and Glee's core audience. The Exorcist Linda Blair, Max Von Sydow and Jason Miller in a scene from 1973's The Exorcist. (Silver Screen Collection via Getty Images) After the Hays Code a set of moral guidelines for US filmmakers was abolished in 1968, the horror genre really came into its own, and filmmakers like William Friedkin, who directed The Exorcist, were able to make bold creative choices that had never been seen before. But it wasn't so much the film's scary nature that led to the 1973 trailer's ban, or even the religious groups protesting the movie's "blasphemous" nature. Rather, it was the strobe lighting and flash imagery present in the creepy footage, reportedly resulting in vomiting and seizures. The film itself later faced an 11-year partial ban due to its shocking content. All UK video copies of The Exorcist were withdrawn from sale in 1988, but that ban was overturned in 1999, and the film was finally made available on home video in 2001, with an 18 certificate. ...and one that wasn't (surprisingly) Venom: Let There Be Carnage Monsters attacking cars... men morphing into monsters... a voiceover saying the words: "You are a cancer to everyone who ever loved you. Let me eat him. Hes a serial killer and hes got an alien inside of him..." These were the reasons cited in the ASA's 2021 investigation into ads TV and posters for Marvel's Venom: Let There Be Carnage, starring Tom Hardy and Woody Harrelson. And yet, the organisation decided not to uphold the 16 complaints made. The advert was only aired after 730pm and met ASA's criteria for pre-watershed scheduling, while the posters were deemed "fantastical", and "were not excessive, they simply relayed the main narrative of the film". The ASA guidelines Among the rules set out by the ASA are: Broadcasters must exercise "responsible judgement" when it comes to the scheduling of advertisements, ensuring they are appropriate for the audience and that they won't cause viewer/listener distress or offence. Relevant timing restrictions must also be applied i.e. pre- and post-watershed. Trailers for films or videos with an age rating of 18 or 15 must not preclude the scheduling in or adjacent to children's programmes. You can read the full list of restrictions here. Predator: Badlands in streaming on Disney+. Cars cross the Paso del Norte International Bridge at the US-Mexico border between Ciudad Juarez, bottom, and El Paso, Texas, top, on Wednesday. Photograph: Christian Chavez/AP (Photograph: Christian Chavez/AP) An alleged incursion by Mexican cartel drones into US airspace and the sudden closure of El Pasos airspace has drawn renewed attention to the use of high-powered weapons by organized crime groups in Mexico. There were conflicting accounts on Wednesday about whether the citys airspace was shut down due to cartel drones or a disagreement over the Pentagon testing of counter-drone technology, but experts say the use of drones by drug gangs at the border has become increasingly common. Veronica Escobar, a Democratic congresswoman representing El Paso said forays by Mexican drug-trafficking groups into American airspace was nothing new. There have been drone incursions from Mexico going back to as long as drones existed, Escobar said at a news conference. As Mexicos cartels have grown more moneyed and powerful, they have also become increasingly well armed: drug traffickers and hitmen are no longer just wielding pistols and rifles, but also drones that drop bombs, improvised explosive devices, armored vehicles, landmines and grenade launchers. The cartels are preparing for war, said Eduardo Guerrero, a Mexican security analyst. They have a lot of money and the capacity to bring into Mexico a large amount of state-of-the-art weaponry. According to Guerrero, the cartels have become so well-armed that they have surpassed the capabilities of Mexican authorities, which must go through a complex bureaucratic process to obtain weapons. The criminals are much more up-to-date, much more technologically advanced, he said. They dont face any bureaucratic hurdles. They simply bribe officials or bribe vendors, and with money, they get what they want. And they have very advanced weaponry. Among that weaponry, drones have become a key part of the drug gangs arsenal. The drone is fundamental, Guerrero added. If you have a good drone strategy, and you can acquire them quickly on the black market, and you combine that with artificial intelligence, forget about it. You become incredibly powerful. First weaponized in 2017, drones are used by Mexican cartels for reconnaissance, the delivery of drugs and, increasingly, to bomb rivals and sow terror in rural communities, according to Vanda Felbab-Brown, an expert on non-state armed groups at the Brookings Institution. We have seen activities by the cartels such as carpet bombing of rural areas in Michoacan [state] with the purpose of driving populations out of an area, said Felab-Brown. The reporting in Michoacan has been of tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands of people displaced as a result of the scorched-earth policy through drones by [the Jalisco New Generation cartel]. The use of drones has also given crime groups a significant advantage in attacking their rivals. On the battlefield one of the big implications is the ability to conduct crime as well as warfare over greater and greater distances, said Felbab-Brown. Increasingly, that long-distance capability of drones has been used by cartels to cross the US-Mexico border. In July, Steven Willoughby, director of the counter-drone program at the US Department of Homeland Security, testified before Congress saying that cartels were using drones to conduct surveillance and convey drugs across the border nearly every day. In the last six months of 2024, Willoughby said, more than 27,000 drones were detected within 500 meters of the southern border. In October, according to Willoughby, customs officials seized a drone carrying 3.6 pounds of fentanyl pills. Mexicos president, Claudia Sheinbaum, disputed Willoughbys allegations the next day, saying during her morning news conference that there is no information on any new drones currently at the border, adding: Theres nothing, lets say, in particular to be alarmed about. On Wednesday, Sheinbaum again rejected claims of a drone incursion in El Paso: There is no information regarding drone use at the border, she said. If the FAA or any other US government agency has any information, they can ask the Mexican government. But whether or not there was a drone incursion on US airspace this week, Guerrero warned that, if cartels do use drones to strike targets on US soil, the Trump administration could use it as an excuse to launch its long-threatened ground attack on Mexico to tackle the countrys drug gangs. Here in Mexico, cartels have been using drones for some time to attack state and municipal police, he said. But if they tried to do something like that in the United States, that would be the perfect pretext for the US to launch a ground offensive against Mexico. Sophie Perhar was to blame for the collapse of her own company, a High Court judge ruled - Champion News An eco-toothbrush entrepreneur used company money to fund her affluent lifestyle, including her childrens school fees, before the company folded, a court was told. Sophie Perhar, 48, had challenged the decision by David Slinger, whose firm Synergy had backed her business financially, to put The Sustainable Bathroom Company Ltd into administration. She claimed Mr Slinger, 73, called in administrators to suffocate and kill her company after she complained about his behaviour. But a High Court judge dismissed Ms Perhars case after the court was told she had used funds meant for her company to sustain her lifestyle, including 85,000 for her childrens boarding school fees. Mr Justice Prentis ruled that Mr Slinger had taken an open-minded and constructive approach to financially supporting Ms Perhars business, and that she brought disaster on herself. The judge concluded Ms Perhar used Synergy as a tool, adding it was useful for funding her good product, and in the event useful for assisting with her and her familys affluent lifestyle. Payments from Aldi for the supply of Ms Perhars bamboo toothbrush were sent to the wrong account, the court heard - Champion News Ms Perhar launched her company in January 2019, and by early 2022, the company had a supply agreement for an electric bamboo toothbrush with Aldi. In April of that year, Synergy agreed to lend the company up to 350,000 during a three-year period to meet manufacturing costs, in return for a 30 per cent share of profits. Payments from Aldi for the toothbrushes were meant to go into an account controlled by Synergy. But the retailer was provided with the wrong bank details and more than 500,000 (434,000) went into another account, controlled by Ms Perhar. Ms Perhar then went on to pay out large sums from the account in March 2023 to meet her own urgent debts, including outstanding school fees and 40,000 to pawnbrokers. Repayment of the loan On June 5, 2023, Ms Perhar received a demand for repayment of the loan from Synergy, plus interest, based on the fact that she had breached the terms of her companys borrowing agreement. Three hours later, Synergy, as a secured creditor, put The Sustainable Bathroom Company Ltd into administration. Ms Perhar claimed Synergy had approved her making the payments, telling the court she believed it had no legal right to put her company into administration, and that Mr Slinger was acting for vindictive and improper reasons. She claimed Mr Slinger was angry after she complained to his female business partner of having been subjected to uncomfortable talk about his personal life during meetings. Mr Slinger disputed the allegations, claiming his company is still out of pocket by about 375,000. He was cleared of improper motive for appointing administrators, with Mr Justice Prentis ruling Ms Perhar caused her own company to fail through unauthorised use of business funds. The judge added that Ms Perhar first became aware of the erroneous payments in February, but did not pass them to Synergy, meaning her contractual obligations had been very largely ignored. As many as four in 10 Channel migrants earmarked for deportation under Sir Keir Starmers one in, one out scheme are claiming to be victims of modern slavery in an attempt to thwart their removal. They are claiming to have been victims of trafficking when they were in their home country, in transit or in the UK, according to the Home Office. The disclosure comes as the Government faces a High Court legal challenge by 16 migrants attempting to block their deportation. The lawsuit is attempting to overturn new legal guidance introduced by Shabana Mahmood, the Home Secretary, to prevent migrants from using Britains modern slavery laws to delay their removal. Ms Mahmood overhauled the legal guidance in September so that migrants no longer had a right to seek to have their modern slavery claims reconsidered while they were in the UK once they had been rejected by the Home Office. Instead, the appeals now have to go through a judicial review, which can take place in any country and does not stop their deportation. The Home Office is seeking to counter the legal challenge by warning that there are so many migrants now claiming to be victims of modern slavery that it would undermine the one in, one out policy if their claims were granted. The Government maintains that the return of the Channel migrants is lawful on the basis that they are being removed to a safe country that abides by international law, including the European Convention on Human Rights. Shabana Mahmood has admitted the one in, one out strategy is not yet deterring Channel migrants - Kin Cheung/AP Photo The migrants, however, say the French system does not recognise any obligations on the state in relation to people who have been trafficked outside France and who have no other relevant connection with France. Alex Norris, the minister for border security and asylum, said: Last-minute modern slavery claims must never be used to prevent the removal of illegal migrants. The Government will fight any legal attempt in the courts to frustrate their removal or deportation. These cases are exactly why we are reforming our laws to stop these last-minute claims and restore order and control to our border. The challenge by the 16 migrants threatens Government efforts to ramp up returns under the one in, one out scheme, which was launched last summer. Some 305 migrants have been returned to France under the scheme since then, while 367 came to the UK from France. Under the deal, the UK sends migrants who have arrived across the Channel back to France, but takes an equal number of approved asylum seekers from France via a safe route to the UK. Ms Mahmood admitted last week that the numbers being returned to France under the scheme were not yet big enough to change the calculus of migrants decisions over whether to cross the Channel. She told MPs on the home affairs committee that the numbers would come back into balance soon and, now that the concept had been proved, she wanted to increase returns under the scheme. Ms Mahmood also admitted there were still legal hurdles to the scheme, adding: The minute we started to try to return people to France, we had all sorts of legal challenges. And the nature of those legal challenges changes, by the way, every few weeks, so once you shut down one ability to demonstrate a removal because of a claim under one bit of modern slavery regulations, another set come in. So there are constant challenges here, and we keep working through them. This week, it was revealed that more migrants had crossed the Channel under Sir Keir Starmer than any other prime minister. Some 66,244 migrants have reached the UK across the Channel since Labour won the election 19 months ago, at an average rate of 790 a week. A total of 65,811 migrants crossed while Boris Johnson was prime minister. Ms Mahmood told MPs last week that it would take time for the Governments measures to have an impact and that she could not guarantee that the number of Channel crossings would go down by this time next year. She also has a new package of reforms to deter asylum shopping migrants. ALS ONE will become part of the ALS Network, bringing Massachusetts research strength and corporate technology expertise to accelerate progress in ALS treatment and care. BOSTON and LOS ANGELES, Feb. 11, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- ALS ONE and the ALS Network announce a strategic integration that will unite the strengths of both organizations to accelerate progress toward faster research and improved access to care resources through ALS ecosystem enhancements and meaningful technological advancements for people living with ALS. Together, ALS ONE and the ALS Network share a joint mission to advance care and treatments for ALS as quickly as possible. The strategic integration will strengthen research funding capabilities, expand the use of technology to improve patient outcomes, and create new opportunities to scale impact nationally, while preserving ALS ONE's long-standing commitment to supporting Massachusetts-based organizations and research partners. "This moment marks a real inflection point for the ALS community," said Sheri Strahl, MPH, MBA, president and CEO of the ALS Network. "By bringing ALS ONE and the ALS Network together, we are pairing urgency with innovation - expanding access to care, accelerating research, and using technology in smarter ways, so that people living with ALS see progress sooner and feel the impact faster." ALS ONE has played a critical role in funding research and supporting care initiatives in Massachusetts, and that commitment will remain a priority as it becomes a part of the ALS Network. ALS Network will continue to support key Massachusetts-based institutions and partners while expanding collaboration and funding opportunities nationwide. "Partnering with ALS ONE over the past decade has been transformational for our work at the Healey Center for ALS," shared Dr. Merit Cudkowicz, MD, MSC, Executive Director, Mass General Brigham Neuroscience Institute and Director, Sean M. Healey & AMG Center for ALS. "We are excited that the original mission and vision of ALS ONE will continue through its partnership with the ALS Network and the expanded opportunities it will present for our research efforts and the ALS community around the country." "This partnership represents a powerful opportunity to harness technology, collaboration, and a shared purpose to drive the next era of progress in ALS," shared James Berry, MD, MPH, Chief, Division of ALS and Motor Neuron Diseases, Mass General Brigham. "By building on the strong foundation created by ALS ONE and working together with the ALS Network, we have the potential to transform how we advance research, expand access, and serve the ALS community nationwide." "Research gives us hope for the future, but care is about today. ALS ONE has helped shine a light on the real, immediate needs of people living with ALS and their families. I'm hopeful that through this new partnership, we will collectively continue to strengthen the connection between scientific progress and the compassionate, practical support people need right now," shared Ron Hoffman, Founder & CEO, Compassionate Care ALS (CCALS). As part of the integration, both Mark Sullivan and Scott Gosnell, ALS ONE Board Members, will join the ALS Network Board of Directors to help ensure the mission and priorities of ALS ONE remain a central focus as the organization integrates. Michael Braun, ALS ONE Board Member, will join as an ALS Network Advisory Trustee. "This is about scale, speed and staying true to our original mission," shared Mark Sullivan, president and CRO of Regulated Industries at Salesforce and chairman of the ALS ONE Board of Directors. "By joining forces with the ALS Network, we can unlock greater corporate funding for research, advance technology-driven solutions leveraging the Salesforce network, and continue to collaborate with the partners that ALS ONE has long supported. Most importantly, we are aligning around a single goal, delivering progress for the ALS community faster than ever before." "ALS ONE was my father's vision to create a collaboration among the best and the brightest in the ALS field in order expedite the path towards a cure for ALS while improving care now," shared Scott Gosnell, son of ALS ONE Founder Kevin Gosnell. "We are incredibly proud of what ALS ONE accomplished over the past decade, and we know that through this integration, we will be able to continue advancing his vision and impacting the ALS community." The integration is expected to be completed in 2026, following a phased consolidation process over the coming months, pending necessary regulatory state and federal processes and approvals. For more information about the ALS Network, visit: alsnetwork.org . About ALS Network The ALS Network partners with the ALS community to drive the global discovery of prevention strategies, treatments, and cures for ALS; provide access to quality care and connection; and promote initiatives to improve health outcomes. The ALS Network serves people with ALS and their families throughout California, Hawaii, and far beyond. For more information about ALS and the ALS Network, visit alsnetwork.org or email [email protected]. You can find the ALS Network on social media at @yourALSnetwork. About ALS ONE ALS ONE is ALS non-profit that supports a collaborative partnership of the top ALS experts from leading Massachusetts institutions, including ALS Therapy Development Institute, UMass Medical School, Massachusetts General Hospital, and Compassionate Care ALS (CCALS). The approach of ALS ONE is to leverage the expertise from each of the research institutions through the sharing of ideas and responsibilities to advance each of the strongest therapeutic opportunities identified forward. ALS ONE also works to improve care for persons living with ALS by creating more access to clinical trials through education, as well as providing technology, equipment, and support services through CCALS. For more information, visit ALSONE.org . Media Contact: Eric Beikmann at [email protected] or 310.560.4726. SOURCE ALS Network Members of the Jewish community comfort each other near to the Heaton Park Synagogue after the terror attack in October 2025 - Peter Byrne/PA The deadly terror attack on a Manchester synagogue triggered a surge in anti-Semitic abuse, including some celebrating the incident, a study has revealed. The Community Security Trust (CST), which monitors anti-Semitism in the UK, said 40 were recorded on the day and a further 40 the day after the highest daily totals of the year. The anti-Semitic incidents included face-to-face taunting of Jewish people, celebrations of the attack, abusive responses to public condemnations of the killings from Jewish organisations and individuals, or antagonistic emails sent to Jewish people and institutions. The report, published on Wednesday, also revealed that Bob Vylans chant of Death to the IDF at the Glastonbury Festival prompted 32 copycat incidents. There were no reported examples of it being used before the punk duos appearance at the festival. The CSTs report for 2025 said it was the second-highest annual total ever recorded for anti-Jewish hate incidents, at 3,700 up 4 per cent on the 3,556 incidents recorded in 2024. Only 2023 recorded more incidents, at 4,298, after the Oct 7 Hamas attack on Israel. Bob Vylans IDF chant at the Glastonbury Festival sparked 32 copycat incidents, the report said - Maja Smiejkowska/Shutterstock Shabana Mahmood, the Home Secretary, called the numbers shocking and said the Government stands against the scourge of anti-Semitism. She said: We are providing record funding for security at synagogues, Jewish schools and community centres. I will go further to strengthen police powers so they can crack down on intimidating protests. Lord Mann, the Governments independent adviser on anti-Semitism, said it was particularly troubling to see the large number of incidents which took place immediately after the horrific terrorist attack on Heaton Park Synagogue on Yom Kippur, celebrating the killing of British Jews on our streets. He said the latest figures were deeply alarming and illustrate the unrelenting nature of anti-Semitism in our country today. Worshippers Melvin Cravitz and Adrian Daulby were killed when 35-year-old Jihad Al-Shamie, a Syrian-born British citizen, drove into the gates of the Heaton Park Synagogue in Crumpsall, Manchester, in October 2025 and began an attack with a knife while wearing a fake suicide belt. It was the first fatal anti-Semitic terror attack in the UK since the CST began recording incidents in 1984. As observed in previous years, violent attacks on Jews, whether in Britain, Israel or elsewhere, sometimes generate more anti-Jewish invective from anti-Semites who feel emboldened to express their prejudice, said the report. The terror attack in Crumpsall was the first fatal anti-Semitic terror attack in the UK since the CST began recording incidents in 1984 - Danny Lawson/PA In the week preceding the attack, the CST recorded 64 cases of anti-Jewish hate. In the week that followed, it recorded 181, an increase of 183 per cent from week to week. The CST recorded 463 instances of anti-Semitism in October, rising by 65 per cent from 281 incidents in September. This made October last year the highest monthly total in 2025 and the fifth-worst month for anti-Semitism in CSTs records. A similar but smaller spike was recorded in December after the Islamic State-inspired terrorist attack at a Chanukah event on Bondi Beach, Australia, which claimed the lives of 15 people. The CSTs highest daily incident totals for December 2025 fell on Dec 14, the day of the attack, with 16 incidents reported, and the two subsequent days, with 19 and 15 incidents recorded respectively. Of these 50 incidents, 21 directly referred to the Bondi attack. Chris Philp, the shadow home secretary, said that while the figures were appalling, they were not a surprise, stressing that the evil of anti-Semitism must be called out. He added: Anyone espousing extremist views or who expresses support for terrorism, or racial or religious hatred of any kind, including anti-Semitism, who is not a British citizen should be removed from this country. Both the Metropolitan Police and the Greater Manchester Police announced in December, days after the Bondi attack, that anyone chanting slogans such as globalise the intifada would face arrest. Sir Ephraim Mirvis, the UKs Chief Rabbi, welcomed the decision as an important step towards challenging the hateful rhetoric seen on Britains streets, but the move was decried as political repression by some campaigners. Margot Robbie said she moved in with friends in the area just because it was near the club Infernos - Jeff Spicer/Getty Images Margot Robbie has said she has been kicked out of most of the clubs in Clapham. Speaking on the Table Manners podcast, the 35-year-old Australian actress, who used to live in the south London suburb, would not divulge why she and her friends had been kicked out of and even banned from some venues. She told hosts Jessie Ware and her mother Lennie: We were doing a job in Belgium where I met them [her roommates in Clapham], and they would tell me about the infamous Infernos, this place is so fun, you cant get kicked out of there, you can do anything in Infernos, and you cant get kicked out. And I was like, wow, that sounds like paradise, and so we all had a weekend in London when the job was done, and of course, we went to Infernos and, within about 15 minutes, we got kicked out. And while were getting dragged out by security, I was screaming, but this is Infernos, you cant get kicked out of Infernos, and the bouncer was like, look, we allow most things, but when your friend does then we kick you out, and I was like, OK, fair enough. Margot Robbie said the club Infernos was a favourite of hers and her friends - Kirsty O'Connor/PA Wire Ware then asked how many clubs Robbie had been kicked out of, to which she replied: Most of the clubs in Clapham Id say, have kicked us out. For a while, we were banned at a number of places. So we ended up all deciding to move in together, and I had gone back to America at that point, and so we were looking online, and the guys were like, oh, its a sign, this place is down the road from Infernos. So we literally signed our lease just because it was down the road from Infernos. Speaking about her time living in Clapham, Robbie also added that she had become friends with the owners of her local off-licence and had invited them to a film premiere because they never believed she was famous. She said: I was like, Johnny and Neil, Id love for you to come, Ive got a premiere, and they were like, you?, and I was like yeah. Im in the movie. I showed them the invite, and I was like, thats me, thats my face, and they were like, its not you, thats Will Smith, and Im like, thats Will Smith, but next to Will Smith, thats me. And they wouldnt believe me, and I said, just come to the premiere and see for yourself, they didnt come. They now know that I work in the movies, and sometimes we go back and visit, just to say hi. Robbie plays Catherine Earnshaw in Emerald Fennells adaption of the Emily Bronte novel Wuthering Heights, and also starred as the titular character in Barbie (2023), in The Wolf Of Wall Street (2014), and as Harley Quinn in three superhero films of the DC Extended Universe. Paul Dacre, the editor-in-chief of DMG Media, was cross-examined at the High Court for three and a half hours - Reuters A former editor of The Daily Mail has described a member of the Duke of Sussexs legal research team as one of the most amoral people he has encountered in his journalistic career. Paul Dacre said Graham Johnson, who works for all seven claimants suing Associated Newspapers Limited for breach of privacy, was a man more at home in the gutters of Grub Street. Mr Dacres tirade came as he completed three and a half hours of cross-examination at the High Court in defence of the publisher. The Duke of Sussex, Baroness Lawrence and Sir Elton John are among seven high-profile figures suing Associated, alleging that the publisher hacked phones, bugged cars and blagged medical information. Mr Dacre, now editor-in-chief of DMG Media, Associateds holding company, described the allegations as abhorrent and preposterous. Mr Johnson, a former tabloid journalist and convicted phone hacker, writes for the Byline Investigates website and is closely aligned with the Hacked Off campaign. He has spent years investigating alleged wrongdoing at the Mail newspapers, but has been accused of threatening and blackmailing potential witnesses as well as offering financial inducements. Mr Johnson denies the allegations. Associated has alleged that Byline was used as part of a camouflage scheme to bypass the six-year time limit for bringing the case, with published stories identified as the basis for certain claims. Graham Johnson, who was previously convicted of phone hacking, arrives at the High Court for the trial - Tayfun Salci Mr Dacre told the court he regretted threatening the website with legal action when it was preparing to publish an appalling story alleging that he and other Mail executives had lied to the Leveson Inquiry. He said: We threatened them I now regard that as a mistake, because this was a small, obscure amateur media site. It was clearly an outlet for Hacked Off propaganda, it was clearly being financed by the odious [Max] Mosley and edited by a man who quite frankly was one of the most amoral people I had the misfortune to come across in my years on Fleet Street. All we succeeded in doing was legitimising and validating a product edited by a man [Mr Johnson] who, quite frankly, is more at home in the gutters of Grub Street rather than mixing with decent, respectable journalists who form the majority of my business. Mr Dacre said he could see that Byline was being used as a weapon for future litigation. Leaving the court at the end of his cross-examination, Mr Dacre locked his eyes on a smirking Mr Johnson as he walked past. Speaking softly, he remained largely calm and controlled throughout his time on the witness stand, beyond the brief flash of anger about Mr Johnson. He also briefly railed against Nick Davies, investigative journalist and author of the book Flat Earth News, saying he was appalled that the Leveson Inquiry gave the kind of status of holy writ to the book. Mr Dacre insisted he ran a tight ship at the Mail, overseeing the toughest rigorous regime, in which staff were paid well and held to the highest standards. Quizzed about specific stories and invoices, he repeatedly said it was not for him to pre-empt the evidence of his various distinguished journalists who would appear before the judge in the coming weeks. He told the court he was not across the granular detail of payments and invoices, but said it was understandable that journalists used third-party agents to obtain addresses and phone numbers. He added: News is very perishable time is everything. Mr Dacre explained that there had been a gradual realisation that private investigators may not have been fully compliant with the law. The Duke of Sussex is one of seven claimants suing Associated Newspapers Limited for breach of privacy - Getty He insisted that in 2007 despite there being no specific allegations against the Mail he had acted with bold decisiveness to clean up the system, introducing a total ban on the use of inquiry agents with the exception of a handful of specialist, legitimate agencies. Mr Dacre has described the allegations made by Lady Lawrence as especially bewildering and bitterly wounding given his huge pride in the campaign he ran to bring her son Stephens killers to justice. He told the court that Jack Straw, then the home secretary in Tony Blairs Cabinet, personally gave him one of the five stories comprising the Labour peers claim. The front page story, published in July 1997, revealed that the Government planned to launch a new public inquiry into the death of Stephen Lawrence. Mr Dacre said in his witness statement that he was personally involved in sourcing the story. He said: I have a very clear recollection that the then home secretary, Jack Straw, personally gave the story to me. We were on friendly terms [having been students together at Leeds University] and occasionally had lunch or dinner. Youre very good at smearing the living Mr Dacre said Mr Straw had called him to a meeting and volunteered the information that he was setting up an inquiry, telling the judge: He felt we deserved it for our campaign. He said he would have trusted the late Eddie Young, his chief lawyer at the time, with his life. He told David Sherborne, the barrister for the claimants: Youre very good at smearing the living, Mr Sherborne. Youre even better at smearing the dead. Mr Justice Nicklin repeatedly interjected to query the relevance of Mr Sherbornes line of questioning, warning that Mr Dacre was not there to argue the case for Associated. Appearing to be frustrated, the judge gave Mr Sherborne a deadline to complete his cross-examination, urging him to use his time wisely. Mr Dacre has acknowledged that the Mail was an extensive user of Steve Whittamore, a private investigator who was convicted in 2005 of obtaining and disclosing private information under the Data Protection Act. Mr Whittamore said in his witness statement that he was in no doubt that all journalists who regularly used his services knew that the information was obtained through illegal means such as blagging. He said: The journalists who used me and the editors who sanctioned this knew full well that I was a practitioner of the Dark Arts this was the term used for all activities not readily available to them. Mr Dacre pointed to a report by the Information Commissioner, which found no evidence that any journalist had ever asked Mr Whittamore to use illegal methods to obtain information. Associated is a subsidiary of Daily Mail and General Trust, Lord Rothermeres holding company, which has agreed to acquire The Telegraph for 500m. The proposed takeover is expected to face regulatory scrutiny in the coming weeks. The trial continues. Police outside Kingsbury High School following the stabbing on Tuesday - SWNS A teenage boy suspected of stabbing two pupils at a school in north London was arrested after he fled to a nearby mosque, police said on Wednesday. Two boys, aged 12 and 13, are in a serious but stable condition after the attack at Kingsbury High School, Brent, on Tuesday lunchtime. Later that day, a 13-year-old former pupil at the school was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder. The suspect is a British national but The Telegraph understands that the teenagers family are originally from Afghanistan. Officers had gone to the mosque after a report from a member of the public of a child being seen there. Witnesses to the school attack have claimed that the attacker shouted out Allahu akbar God is most great in Arabic. Detectives said they could not confirm that, but some child witnesses had told officers they had heard the phrase being used. Member of public led police to mosque On Wednesday, counter-terror police said the stabbing had not been declared a terrorist incident, but they were keeping an open mind about the possible motivation. Ch Supt Helen Flanagan said: Police were called by a member of the public at approximately 4.15pm over concerns of a child that had been seen at a mosque in north-west London. At this point, we do not believe the suspect to have any particular connection to that mosque, and at this stage we think that it may have been coincidental that he ended up in that area, and all of those at the mosque have been incredibly supportive of this investigation. At this time, the incident has not been declared a terrorist incident. It is understood that the member of the public who called the police to report the suspect was from the mosque. A police presence remained at the school on Wednesday and it was closed while inquiries continued - James Linsell Clark/SWNS Giving details of how the attack unfolded, Ch Supt Flanagan said the suspect had entered the school shortly before 12.30pm. Witnesses have alleged that the attacker was able to get past security at the school by wearing its uniform and pretending to be a student. Ch Supt Flanagan said that the attacker went upstairs to a first floor classroom and sprayed a substance towards a pupil, who was not injured. The liquid is not thought to have been noxious, she said. The attacker then stabbed a 13-year-old boy in the classroom before he fled along a hallway and down a flight of stairs. He then stabbed a 12-year-old boy before leaving the school grounds. Open mind over motivation Ch Supt Flanagan said: CTP (Counter Terrorism Policing) London has taken the lead for this investigation, and clearly that is because at the outset there was concern that the attack may have had some kind of terrorism motivation. Currently we are keeping an open mind as to any motivation. She said that they were not looking for anyone else in connection with the attack and the attacker appeared to have been acting alone. The stabbing of the first pupil is believed to have happened in a science classroom, where terrified students were seen banging on the windows and calling for help. The brother of one pupil who witnessed the aftermath of the attack said his sister saw blood on the windows of the classroom where the attack took place. Alsyed Algillani, 32, a lawyer, said: There was a lot of banging from the class next door, and when the fire alarm went off, my sister was told to go downstairs. When she walked past the classroom, she saw splatters of blood on the window. A 23-year-old woman whose siblings attend the school said her sister had also been left traumatised by the incident. She said: When she was leaving, she walked past the classroom and saw a puddle of blood and children were banging on the doors and the windows shouting help. There was blood on the windows. Relatives praying for victims recovery The grandfather of two boys at the school said the attacker walked into the building wearing the schools uniform, blending in with hundreds of pupils. Janti Kalyan, 60, said: He just put on his uniform and came to the school and attacked these two boys. On Wednesday, relatives of the injured 13-year-old boy were gathered at the family home. His older brother told reporters he had visited him in hospital earlier in the day and the family was praying for his recovery. Counter-terror police said they had searched three properties in connection with the attack, including the mosque. On Wednesday night, police officers were seen searching the suspects address while others stood guard outside. A large amount of CCTV has been recovered from the school and police are analysing the suspects electronic devices. The government recently issued new guidance calling for schools to be phone-free, including during breaks and lunchtimes. Photograph: Caiaimage/Sam Edwards/Getty Images (Photograph: Caiaimage/Sam Edwards/Getty Images) Smartphone policies in English secondary schools are a huge drain on resources, with staff spending on average more than 100 hours a week enforcing restrictions, according to research. Teachers, teaching assistants, caretakers and receptionists are involved with helping to police pupils smartphone use in school, researchers said, with multiple staff recording incidents, overseeing detentions and communicating with parents. The research by Birmingham University, published in BMJ Mental Health, comes after the government issued new guidance advising schools to be phone-free, including during breaks and lunchtimes. The schools watchdog Ofsted will inspect how schools implement the policy. This week the NASUWT teaching union urged the government to introduce a statutory requirement rather than just guidance for schools to lock away pupils mobile phones for the whole school day. The study provides the first analysis of the economic impact of smartphone policies in schools and is based on data drawn from a nationally representative sample of 20 schools in England, 13 of which have restrictive policies and seven permissive policies. According to the research, restrictive policies require phones to be turned off and hidden in a school bag or handed in to reception throughout the school day, while permissive policies allow use during breaks and lunchtime. The self-reported data showed that on average, schools with restrictive policies spend 102 hours or the full-time equivalent of 3.1 staff a week overall on implementing policies. Schools with permissive policies spend slightly more time on average 108 hours or the full-time equivalent of 3.3 staff a week potentially costing 94 per pupil per school year more than more restrictive policies. Related: Schools in England should be phone-free all day, education secretary says Prof Victoria Goodyear, of the University of Birmingham, who is chief investigator of the Smart Schools Study, said: School phone policies, whether permissive or restrictive, are a huge drain on a school to enforce. The high proportions of teacher time spent managing phone use or phone-related behaviours during the school day is potentially being diverted away from other types of wellbeing-promoting activities, such as pastoral support or extracurricular activities. We therefore need new ways of approaching adolescent smartphone use in schools. Prof Miranda Pallan, one of the reports authors, said: It is unknown how a statutory ban may impact on the staff burden of dealing with phones. There will be different ways of implementing a statutory ban such as handing in phones, pouches, or complete site bans, which will each have a different impact on staff time and school resources. Even with a ban, there will be breaches that will need to be dealt with, which will still place a burden on staff time. Data from the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology shows 99.9% of primary schools and 90% of secondary schools have mobile phone policies. However, 58% of secondary school pupils reported phones being used without permission in some lessons, rising to 65% among key stage four pupils. The NASUWT general secretary, Matt Wrack, said: From interrupted learning and reduced concentration to confrontations when staff ask pupils to hand over devices, the situation has reached a critical point. Schools cannot be expected to manage this alone while the government offers no meaningful support. Sarah Hannafin, the head of policy at the school leaders union NAHT, said: We recognise that effective enforcement activity can be time-consuming, but as parents and pupils expectations about being able to access their phone in school hours change, and bans become the norm, we hope the need for such activity will be reduced. Pepe DiIasio, the general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said: We would like to see funding support provided to schools for the safe and secure storage of mobile phones, such as storage lockers or locked pouches. A Department for Education spokesperson said: Mobile phones have no place in classrooms. Without the distraction, children learn better and teachers can teach. Our guidance helps schools implement phone-free policies effectively, with practical case studies showing how schools across the country are making this work without it becoming a burden on staff time. This article was amended on 11 February 2026. The research was published in BMJ Mental Health, not the British Medical Journal as an earlier version said. Couples say their dogs interrupt moments of intimacy - Robert Daly/iStockphoto Dogs have been accused of ruining relationships by being too clingy and staring at their owners during intimate moments. Couples admitted that their pets got in the way of their love lives by demanding attention whenever their owner showed affection to their partner, or causing arguments over who was more liked. Adem Fehmi, a dog behaviour expert, said ensuring dogs physical and mental needs were met daily would help them be more accepting of not being the centre of attention. The research, conducted by Rover, a pet care company, showed that more than a third (38 per cent) felt they had been turned into a third wheel in their relationship by their pet. Adem Fehmi said dogs needed to be helped to feel more confident on their own Nearly half (43 per cent) of 1,000 dog owners who were polled revealed that their pet stared at them when they were trying to be romantic. Meanwhile, six in 10 (60 per cent) said their dog had a clear preference for one person. This included being noticeably possessive and demanding attention when it was given to their owners other half. More than half (53 per cent) even claimed their dog received more affection from their partner than they did, while 45 per cent said their dogs had interrupted moments of intimacy, with cuddling and kissing the most affected. To combat this, 42 per cent said they resorted to locking their dog out of the bedroom during private moments, only to be left with a soundtrack of whining or scratching at the door. Mr Fehmi said dogs needed to be helped to feel more confident on their own. He added: For many owners, their dog really is their greatest love, soaking up attention, affection and time and most of us are more than happy with that trade-off. That said, helping dogs feel comfortable and confident when physically away from us is an important part of caring for them. This can help your dog to feel more relaxed as a whole and be more accepting when asked to settle rather than be the centre of attention. Slowly and positively building up their confidence being away from you day to day is also key when helping dogs feel more secure overall even when theyre not involved in everything. This, in turn, supports a happy relationship for everyone. Emily Lobel, a dog behaviourist based in Londons Notting Hill, said dogs were clingy when there was an absence of safety. She told the Telegraph: Theres more of an underlying thing than the dog wanting to be involved or jealousy. Theres a lack of safety and a feeling that the dog needs to take charge. What I would suggest or teach is to create an environment of safety through leadership language like a kind, loving parent who is also clear with boundaries. This means the dog doesnt need to feel it needs to be between the couple. So they dont feel they dont need to invade space and leave them to it. All of the neediness and resource guarding is based in fear. Wilder, Idaho When Canyon County Sheriff Kieran Donahue described the October raid on a popular community horse racing venue here, he hailed the detention of 105 undocumented immigrants and flatly rejected allegations that agents used zip ties to restrain some of the dozens of children present. Then he was presented with photographic evidence. Images obtained by CBS News appear to show the zip ties and bruised wrists of Anabel Romero's 14-year-old daughter SueHey, a U.S. citizen who was tending to her 6- and 8-year-old siblings when the agents descended on the crowd in military-style gear and herded them into a confined area. "God bless her. I'm sorry she went through that," said Donahue, a self-proclaimed cowboy who participated in the raid on horseback. "But law enforcement is not evil because we contained everybody and detained them until we sorted it out. That's not evil." The wrists of Anabel Romero's 14-year-old daughter were zip-tied by law enforcement during an October 2025 raid near Boise, Idaho, she told CBS News. At right, bruises can be seen on her wrist. / Credit: Romero family (Romero family) Mistreatment of children during a militarized police action that involved armored vehicles and flashbang grenades has sparked fresh questions about tactics being employed nationwide in the name of the Trump administration's wave of immigration sweeps. On Tuesday, the American Civil Liberties Union filed a federal civil rights lawsuit highlighting the mistreatment of families attending the weekend recreation event at La Catedral Arena, many of whom were American citizens of Hispanic descent. The incident in this small agricultural community about an hour outside of Boise has largely been overshadowed in the national headlines by the immigration surge in Minnesota, where the tactics used by federal immigration agents on children have attracted widespread scrutiny. In one instance, a family alleged that agents deployed tear gas that landed under a car with six children inside. One viral image showed 5-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos, who was wearing a hat with bunny ears and carrying a Spiderman backpack as he was being detained. But the ACLU argues the Idaho raid signals a frightening normalization of harsh and sometimes violent action by federal law enforcement in the presence of children. Those incidents, the suit alleges, will leave physical and emotional scars. "They have done long lasting damage to children," said Jenn Rolnick Borchetta, the ACLU's deputy project director on policing. "At this moment, when the United States Congress is confronted with a question of how to reign in ICEthe answer is they need to reign in ICE to protect our children." The administration denied that children at the Idaho horse track were ever zip-tied. "ICE didn't zip tie, restrain, or arrest any children," Homeland Security spokesperson Trisha McLaughlin told CBS News in a statement. She said, "ICE does not zip tie or handcuff children. This is the kind of garbage rhetoric contributing to our officers facing a 1,300% increase in assaults against them and an 8,000% increase in death threats." But those who were temporarily detained tell a different story. In an exclusive interview with CBS News, 14-year-old SueHey described the moment law enforcement officers who she said refused to identify the agencies they worked for herded her onto the racetrack with hundreds of other detainees and, she says, zip-tied her hands. "I'm just like there crying, like I'm struggling to breathe," she said. "I can't even get the words out." Her mother, who says she, too, was bound with plastic zip ties, could not hold or console her daughter. "I can't hold her because you guys won't let me go," Romero recalled telling the agents. "I'm like, she's only 14." Agents descend on recreation grounds For spectators attending the horse races last fall, the first sign something was amiss was a helicopter thudding overhead, followed by five armored cars rumbling in. Cellphone video obtained by CBS News shows the moment 200 officers then swarmed the property. Some children reported having guns pointed at them, while others described rubber bullets whizzing over their heads. The lawsuit alleges agents smashed car windows where children had taken refuge from a chilly rain. One 8-year-old boy appeared on a local news report and described how he had to pick tiny shards of glass out of his mouth. Juana Rodriguez was bound for hours as her 3-year old son cried and squirmed, according to the ACLU lawsuit that was filed on behalf of three Latino families. The authorities on scene dismissed her pleas to hold her son, instead instructing him to hold onto his mother's pocket, which they had turned inside out, the lawsuit said. "As a parent, nothing is more heartbreaking than hearing your child cry out in fear and being told you cannot hold or comfort them," Rodriguez said in a statement provided to CBS News by the ACLU. "I am a proud U.S. citizen, and I didn't do anything wrong." The lawsuit alleges multiple minors were restrained with the hard plastic cuffs, and many of them were left with welts and bruises on their wrists. While the FBI field office in Boise initially said in a statement that claims of children being zip-tied were "completely false," officials there later amended that assertion, telling reporters that no "young" children were zip-tied. Later, the Caldwell Police Department, which participated in the raid, issued a statement acknowledging that minors had been zip-tied. In addition to her 14-year-old daughter, Romero attended the event with her two younger children, who were not zip tied. All were U.S. citizens. She provided CBS News with a detailed description of their treatment by law enforcement. Romero said she and her children were enjoying the family-friendly event which included free raffles, vendors selling toys for kids and traditional Mexican food. Then a black military-style helicopter swooped in low over the field. Soon, she said, there was pandemonium. "All of a sudden I just see people running and screaming," Romero said, describing agents in full tactical gear pointing guns. She said she hid in a horse stall as her mind went immediately to the safety of her three children, who were sheltering from a passing rain shower in the family truck. She called and told them to stay in the vehicle. Agents in tactical gear came searching through the horse stalls, one by one. She said the armed men threatened her when she asked what agency they were with. "All I'm asking is for clarification, who are you and why am I being detained," recalled Romero, who said the men responded: "I'm gonna [expletive] blow your head off" "They kicked me, they punched me, they stepped on me,"she said. SueHey described to CBS News what she saw next: federal agents in military apparel "running around, opening car doors, and yelling at people to get onto the track." She looked over to see if her young siblings were OK when two men she thought were "soldiers" opened the truck door. They ordered her out of the vehicle, but fearful of what might happen to her brother and sister, SueHey crouched in place. The law enforcement officers forcibly pulled her out of the truck, she said. She said she saw the officers approach the back door of the truck where her siblings Alfredo, 6, and NeVaeh, 8, were huddled. Advertisement "I was brave and I opened the door because I wanted to protect my sister," 6-year-old Alfredo told CBS News. SueHey said she broke away from the agents to make sure she would not be separated from her siblings. By then the officers were ordering the three kids to move to the racetrack, where officers had detained a large group of people. At the same time, agents guided Romero to the track, her hands zip-tied behind her back. She reunited with her children, but the ordeal was far from over. Soon, she said, the agents moved in to zip-tie SueHey. Romero said she protested, telling the officers repeatedly that the girl was only 14 years old. She says they forced the girl's hands behind her back. Romero begged them to restrain SueHey in front instead, hoping it would be less painful. She says the officers agreed. Several hours later, ICE agents determined they were U.S. citizens. Romero says she was grilled about her children, who have different last names than her. "I didn't know I needed to carry their birth certificates around," she said. Romero said their hands were eventually untied and they were ultimately released. Photos show what appear to be deep bruises marked SueHey's wrists. The physical wounds will heal, Romero said, but the psychological toll and the shattered trust will not dissipate any time soon. "My parents, they came over here [from Mexico] to give us a better life," she told CBS News. "That day, I felt like our freedom was taken away from us." Gambling claim triggered raid In Idaho, questions still remain about what prompted the raid. Sheriff Donahue said the objective was to take down what was suspected to be an illegal gambling operation at the racetrack. The FBI had obtained a federal criminal warrant to arrest five people suspected of running the unlicensed operation. Canyon County, Idaho, Sheriff Kieran Donahue in 2024. / Credit: Sarah A. Miller/Idaho Statesman/Tribune News Service via Getty Images But at the scene, agents arrived with a massive show of force, including representatives from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Witnesses told CBS News the agents set about rounding up hundreds of mostly Latino attendees including dozens of children to determine whether they were in the United States legally. According to the ACLU complaint, law enforcement "conspired to abuse a criminal search warrant as cover to go fishing for immigration arrests at an event where they knew they would encounter a large number of Latino individuals." After being detained, attendees were questioned about their legal status and directed to show documentation, according to the lawsuit. By the time law enforcement concluded, 105 attendees were determined to be undocumented immigrants and moved to nearby detention facilities for legal disposition. But some 375 others, all of whom were either U.S. citizens or lawful residents, were released after they were able to prove they were in the United States legally. Nikki Ramirez-Smith, a local immigration lawyer who came to the scene, said she believes authorities misjudged the event, and noted that most of the undocumented individuals had been living in the United States for decades and had no criminal history. "My opinion is they didn't know that most of the people there were American citizens," Ramirez said. "I think law enforcement misjudged it because the event is in Spanish." In his interview with CBS News, Sheriff Donahue disputed allegations that the criminal warrant for illegal gambling was effectively a Trojan horse for an immigration dragnet. He said the operation was an FBI initiative four years in the making and he invited ICE to come along. He said cartel activity was the primary objective of the large-scale operation, with immigration enforcement being "secondary or tertiary." "We knew there was cartel involvement in this operation," the sheriff said. "We knew that to be true. [It's] why we went in." Four months after the raid, the only criminal charges filed involved the five individuals arrested for unlicensed gambling. Meanwhile, according to the ACLU's complaint, the psychological and emotional fallout from the raid runs deep for the children who experienced the violent, chaotic episode. Three-year old Y.R., one of the plaintiffs identified by their initials, is afraid of the police, according to his mother. A 15-year old, identified as Y.L., reports having recurring nightmares of being detained at gunpoint. "The lasting fear and emotional distress is widespread," the complaint says. Donahue acknowledged the raid had severed ties between local law enforcement and Idaho's Latino community. Romero agreed, saying the operation had broken the trust that had been built over generations. SueHey said she would now think twice about calling 911 in an emergency. "How are they gonna treat me even though I'm a U.S. citizen, even if I'm not doing anything wrong, even if I'm just reporting a crime?" she said. "How are they gonna treat me?" Details on new images of subject in Nancy Guthrie disappearance Watch: Rep. Lieu accuses Bondi of lying under oath on Epstein files surrounding Trump Masked, gloved subject seen on video approaching Nancy Guthrie's door A United Airlines jet takes off from an airport in Houston. Photo: Henry Siismets / Unsplash (The Center Square) An American city with over 600,000 residents has grounded all flights and imposed a 10-day no-fly restriction, citing security reasons, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. The FAA announced late Tuesday evening that it is closing the airspace around El Paso, Texas, effective until Feb. 20 at 11:30 p.m. The restrictions indicate that flights in the airspace must maintain an altitude of at least 18,000 feet. The restrictions cite special security reasons; however, officials havent detailed the security concerns in the region. Advertisement In addition to El Paso, airspace south of Las Cruces, N.M., and Santa Teresa, which borders Mexico, has also been closed. Despite El Paso and Santa Teresa bordering Mexico, the airspace across the border remains open. El Paso is the home of the Armys Fort Bliss, which supports 90,000 soldiers and their families. This is a developing story. Britney Spears has sold her music catalog, though the details of the sale are unclear. USA TODAY has learned that Spears, 44, sold her catalog to music publisher Primary Wave. Citing legal documents dated December, TMZ was first to report on Tuesday, Feb. 10, that the pop star sold her ownership stake in her catalog, which includes hits such as "Toxic" and "Baby One More Time." USA TODAY has reached out to Spears' representatives and Primary Wave for comment. 1 / 0 Amid Britney Spears' arrest, a look back at her career in photos Spears charmed Jay Leno in 2003 with a look at her new tattoo. Primary Wave owns the catalogs of many music legends, including Bob Marley, Stevie Nicks, Prince and Whitney Houston. Spears' music discography helped define pop music at the turn of the millennium before she largely retreated from the spotlight after her 2016 album, "Glory." Her career hiatus coincided with the termination of her conservatorship which lasted nearly 14 years in November 2021, following a case that brought intense scrutiny to her personal life and troubled past and also prompted a movement led by longtime fans. Advertisement In 2022, she released the upbeat collaborative track "Hold Me Closer" with Elton John, and in 2023, she dropped "Mind Your Business" with Black Eyed Peas rapper Will.i.am. Britney Spears says she will never perform in US again Reports of the catalog sale follow Spears' recent vow about future performances. "I will never perform in the U.S. again because of extremely sensitive reasons," Spears, who last toured the nation in 2018, wrote in a Jan. 8 Instagram post. "But I hope to be sitting on a stool with a red rose in my hair, in a bun, performing with my son ... in the UK and Australia very soon." Spears shares sons Sean, 20, and Jayden, 19, with ex-husband Kevin Federline. In October, Federline published his memoir titled "You Thought You Knew," which delved into the former couple's three-year marriage, divorce and custody battle over their children. Spears has not offered further details on upcoming live performances in either the United Kingdom or Australia, and there are no announcements on her official website or other social media pages. Contributing: Edward Segarra, USA TODAY This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Britney Spears sells song catalog to publisher Primary Wave Lucy Harrison had a "huge sense of right and wrong", her mum Jane Coates says The mother of a woman who was shot and killed by her father as she visited his home in Texas has said her daughter had "so much more of life to live, to love and to give". An inquest has concluded that Lucy Harrison, from Warrington in Cheshire, was unlawfully killed on 10 January 2025 in Prosper, near Dallas. Jane Coates said she never imagined her daughter would be shot "in a place where she should have been safe". She said what had followed was an "unrelenting year of deep shock, grief and fight". "Fight - with quiet yet focused, steely determination to allow Lucy to speak her truth in the only way that she now can," she said. In a statement read after the hearing at Cheshire Coroner's Court, she said the outcome had "given Lucy her voice back", after no prosecution was brought in the US. She said she and Lucy's boyfriend Sam Littler, who had travelled with her to the US, believed this was because the police investigation there "lacked the rigour and scrutiny you'd expect if this had happened in the UK". "Lucy deserved better," she added. Lucy Harrison's mum Jane Coates (centre), her friend Ella Gowing (left) and her boyfriend Sam Littler outside Cheshire Coroner's Court Paying tribute to her daughter, she said Lucy had "a huge sense of right and wrong and she was not afraid to speak out if she saw any type of injustice". "Those who really know Lucy's heart can hear her loud and clear and know exactly what she would want us to do moving forward," she said. "Make change, do better, be better. " The inquest heard the father, Kris Harrison, described by the coroner as a functioning alcoholic, claimed the gun had gone off accidentally. But senior coroner Jacqueline Devonish said his actions, which would have required him to be "pointing the gun at his daughter" and "pulling the trigger" were "reckless." Advertisement Lucy Harrison's mum says there is much to be learnt from her daughter's death Coates said: "I brought Lucy up in a single-parent family and along each step of the way I did what parents do to keep their children safe. "Watching her play with friends when she was little, staying awake until she came home late at night and feeling grateful every time her return flight landed safely after visiting her dad and family. "I never imagined she would be shot and killed in the US and a place where she should have been safe." She said she "respectfully" accepted that "our two cultures are different" but she felt "Texas gun laws did not keep Lucy safe from harm". The inquest heard it was legal to own a gun in Texas for self-defence at home, with no licence needed, she said, which contrasted with English law, which had "strict criteria" applied to licences. "Gun ownership is legal and commonplace and sadly it results in too many deaths in the USA," she added. 'Love and healing' She thanked Littler for "loving Lucy unconditionally", adding: "I take great comfort in knowing that in a short adult life she experienced the richness of true love with her soulmate." "Although we are satisfied with the coroner's conclusion, there is much to be learnt about Lucy's needless and entirely avoidable death," she said. "It is an anger where bitterness and hatred may suffocate love and healing, but we will not let that happen. "Lucy had so much more of life to live, to love and to give." Coates said she and Littler believed that "Texan gun laws and decisions made by the Prosper Police Department failed Lucy" but they wanted to thank the "many first responders" who tried to save her life, including the team at the Baylor Medical Centre. She said they would also like to thank "everybody who helped to ease the wretchedness of this last year, including our family, friends, colleagues, employers and the wider community for their continued kindness, love and support." Listen to the best of BBC Radio Merseyside on Sounds and follow BBC Merseyside on Facebook, X, and Instagram. You can also send story ideas via Whatsapp to 0808 100 2230. More on this story